USA

Commentary: Welcome action by Congress reexamining aid to Lebanese Armed Forces

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday,  in the wake of the killing of an IDF officer inside Israel by Lebanese Armed Forces personnel, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced that Congress would block the disbursement of $100 million in U.S. military aid to Lebanon.  Lowey chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee that authorizes such funds.  Similarly, […]

Commentary: Welcome action by Congress reexamining aid to Lebanese Armed Forces Read More »

Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Cantor seeks suspension of U.S. aid to Lebanese Armed Forces

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– House Republican Whip Eric Cantor  on Monday issued the following statement regarding Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) relationship with Hezbollah: “Since 2006, America has provided the Lebanese army with $720 million in aid. This includes stocks of M16 rifles, missile launchers, grenade launchers and night-vision devices. The purpose of the assistance was

Cantor seeks suspension of U.S. aid to Lebanese Armed Forces Read More »

Middle East, USA

Report: U.S. to sell 84 F-15s to Saudi Arabia in $30 billion deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WJC) — The United States government is set to sell Saudi Arabia 84 Boeing F-15 fighter jets worth US$ 30 billion over a ten-year period, despite Israeli “reservations” to the deal, the ‘Wall Street Journal’ reports. However, the package would not include on-board targeting systems as advanced as those used in US or

Report: U.S. to sell 84 F-15s to Saudi Arabia in $30 billion deal Read More »

Middle East, USA

Commentary: Scapegoating versus politics in the Middle East

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Some basic definitions useful for living in civilized societies and on their fringe: A scapegoat is an individual or group blamed for faults properly due to some other individual or group. Scapegoating is a way to pass on responsibilities for offenses real or imaginary. A minority is often chosen as a scapegoat,

Commentary: Scapegoating versus politics in the Middle East Read More »

Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Senate confirmation of Justice Kagan hailed by NJDC, ADL

WASHINGTON, DC  (Press Release)- National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) Chairman Marc R. Stanley released the following statement in response to today’s Senate confirmation of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court of the United States: “The National Jewish Democratic Council heartily applauds the Senate’s vote to confirm Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme

Senate confirmation of Justice Kagan hailed by NJDC, ADL Read More »

USA

Commentary: PA's editing of Boney M's songlist epitomizes effort to erase Jewish history

By Morton A. Klein and Dr. Daniel Mandel NEW YORK — Last week, a small item of news shed piercing light on the reason for the intractability of the Arab war on Israel. The well-known 1970s disco group, Boney M, invited by the Palestine International Festival to give a concert in Palestinian Authority (PA)-controlled Ramallah,

Commentary: PA's editing of Boney M's songlist epitomizes effort to erase Jewish history Read More »

Middle East, USA

U.S. judge sides with Chabad in demand that Russia return a Jewish library

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A federal judge has issued a ruling against the Russian government for its refusal to return a library of historic books and documents to the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The documents seized by the Nazis were transferred by the Soviet Red Army as war booty to the Russian State Military Archive. In an order

U.S. judge sides with Chabad in demand that Russia return a Jewish library Read More »

USA

U.N. investigators say Lebanon at fault in cross-border firefight with Israel

NAKOURA CROSSING, Israel-Lebanon Border (WJC)–The peacekeeping force of the United Nations in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) has confirmed that Israeli forces were pruning trees located on Israeli territory before an exchange of fire with Lebanese troops. An UNIFIL statement largely vindicated Israel’s account of how the fighting, in which one Israeli and two Lebanese soldiers as

U.N. investigators say Lebanon at fault in cross-border firefight with Israel Read More »

Middle East, USA

Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, November 12, 1954, Part 4

Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff Three Synagogues Observe Tercentenary Sabbath Southwestern Jewish Press, November 12, 1954, Page 9 In accordance with the call issued to all Synagogues by the Synagogue Council of America, the official voice of all Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Congregations, Rabbi Morton J. Cohn has invited the Rabbis and members

Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, November 12, 1954, Part 4 Read More »

Adventures in SD History, USA

Commentary: Israelis divided on fate of children of foreign workers

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The New York Times headlines  its article about a recent Israeli government decision dealing with the children of illegal immigrants, “Israelis Divided on Deporting Children.” Its first paragraph claims that “Deep divisions emerged here on Monday over the fate of about 400 children of foreign workers who have no legal status

Commentary: Israelis divided on fate of children of foreign workers Read More »

Middle East, USA