By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM –We may be forgiven if we decide that it almost doesn’t matter which political party is in power because the policies of them all end up being uncannily similar. Thus the softly-softly approach of President Obama that characterized his first year in office is becoming almost as tough as that […]
Democracies in U.S., Israel tend to pull politicians to the center Read More »
Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — The Marker, the economic supplement of Ha’aretz, celebrated the first year of the Netanyahu government with a front page story comparing the prime minister’s promises and accomplishments. The headline deals with the most recent great idea, to extend rail and improved road networks to the far corners of this small
Checks and balances–American and Israeli styles Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Barbara Kay LONDON–As all doctors know, untreated gangrene in a single limb can spread quickly through the body and lead to death. The most effective way to halt the progress of gangrene is to cut off the corrupting limb, a necessary sacrifice for the greater good. As with bodies, so with scientific credibility. As
Anti-Israel bias infects medical journals Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAPUNE, India (WJC)–A bomb that exploded in the German Bakery, a crowded café in the Indian city of Pune, on Saturday might have been meant to be detonated at the nearby Chabad house, Indian authorities have said. Nine people were killed in the blast and 57 wounded. The German Bakery is ony a few meters
Chabad may have been target in Pune, India, bombing Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–Israel radio announced that The Times of London was accusing Israel of “waging covert war across the Middle East.” The worry was that this would be the start of another campaign to condemn and delegitimize Israel, recruit support for boycotts of its exports and its academics, and arrange arrest warrants for officials
Targeted killings as instruments of Israeli and U.S. policy Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — My reflections on the comments by Bradley Burston about the dangers of the political right in Israel (which has turned Prime Minister Netanyahu into a sort-of moderate unable to tame the hotheads) prompted a correspondent to ask how I myself see the situation. The fact that I wrote the
No, Israel is not a ghetto, but it could become one Read More »
Middle East, USABy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–It is tempting in the midst of “snowmageddon” here in Washington, to hunker down and forget that anyone is out beyond our immediate very white sphere, but Thursday, Feb. 11, is the 30th anniversary of the Iranian revolution. It has been 30 years of Shiite triumphalism, impoverishing and brutalizing the
U.S. should encourage Iran's counter-revolution Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USABy Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California – In the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell is being accused of being anti-Israel by his Republican opponents, who cite his votes in the House of Representatives to reduce aid to Israel and his early advocacy of a Palestinian state. In a direct email exchange with
Campbell describes himself as a supporter of Israel Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (WJC) — President Barack Obama has pledged that the United States and its allies would soon deliver a “significant regime of sanctions” against Iran for its nuclear program. At an ad hoc press briefing at the White House on Tuesday, Obama said a push for international sanctions against Iran was moving along fairly
Obama predicts significant sanctions against Iran Read More »
Middle East, USATEHRAN (WJC) — Iran has arrested seven people linked to US-funded ‘Radio Farda’ and has accused two of them of working as spies for the CIA. The Iranian news agency IRNA reports that the seven are accused of provoking protesters during the violent anti-government protests in December last year. The arrested “had a major role
Iran arrests seven, accuses two of being U.S. spies Read More »
USAJOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Press Release)– A delegation of leaders from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the umbrella group for 52 national Jewish organizations, will pay its first official visit to South Africa beginning Monday, February 8th, announced Chairman Alan Solow and Executive Vice Chair Malcolm Hoenlein, who will lead the U.S. delegation.
Global Jewish leadership conference set for Johannesburg Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Balli Aviation Ltd., a subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based Balli Group PLC, pleaded guilty on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a two-count criminal information in connection with its illegal export of commercial Boeing 747 aircraft from the United States to Iran, announced David Kris, Assistant Attorney General
Firm that exported Boeing 747s to Iran pays $17 million in fines and penalties Read More »
USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–In several of these columns I have described the United States as a laggard among wealthy democracies in its support of social services. Anti-tax individualism shows itself in one of the lowest indicators among this group of countries for government outlays as a percentage of national resources. President Obama’s disappointment in health reform
U.S. more generous to Palestinians than to some Americans Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has criticized the 54 members of the U.S. Congress who signed a January 21 letter urging President Barack Obama to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The signatories urged an end to what they called a “blockade” of Gaza by Israel and Egypt and while noting
ZOA criticizes 54 members of Congress who signed letter on Gaza to Obama Read More »
Middle East, USA