USA

U.S. more generous to Palestinians than to some Americans

By 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 […]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

ZOA criticizes 54 members of Congress who signed letter on Gaza to Obama

NEW 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

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Middle East, USA

American Wealth and International Affairs

By Ira Sharkansky   JERUSALEM–Money, money everywhere, but not enough. That’s the message from the massive deficit already apparent and projected for the United States. It comes from too many wars, too many tax cuts, too many entitlement programs, and too much exploitation by highly paid capitalists who forced the government into unprecedented bail-outs. Who’s

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Berlusconi's plea to Israel to return Golan Heights to Syria not likely to win compliance

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The front page headline of Ha’aretz is that Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, about to visit Israel, comes with a recommendation that giving up the Golan would add to Israel’s status in international politics. Italy is a great place to visit. The food and wine are first class, the clothes and shoes

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Middle East, USA

Evidence of Palestinian corruption should put brakes on U.S. Mideast push

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Here is something that President Obama and his advisers should consider before spending any more of their time nudging Israeli and Palestinian leaders to negotiate a peace. http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=167194 The details are not entirely clear, but reinforce the larger story of corruption in high places of the Palestine Authority, the lack

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Obama's State of the Union proves again he's a speaker, but can he also be a doer?

JERUSALEM–President Obama’s State of the Union address dealt almost entirely with domestic issues, despite American troops active in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and now Yemen, as well as highly touted efforts with respect to Israel-Palestine and Iran. Also, the focus was heavily on the economy, and lightly on what had been his iconic health initiative. The

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA

Aid to Gaza and to Haiti

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C.–The suggestion by Gaza Palestinians that they were most attuned to Haitian suffering because-after all-they had suffered an Israeli “earthquake” was a disgusting attempt to equate self-inflicted ruin as a result of terrorism against Israel with the horrifying natural disaster that befell the Haitians. Nevertheless, it appears to have prompted a

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Middle East, USA

Abdulmutallab belongs in military custody — Senators Lieberman and Collins

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman, Independent-Connecticut., and Ranking Member Susan Collins, Republican-Maine., urged the Obama Administration Monday to move Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from civilian to military custody because he is an enemy combatant and should be detained, interrogated and ultimately charged as such.  Abdulmutallab, who is

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USA