Middle East

As U.S. role fades, Palestinians invest their anti-Israel hopes in U.N.

By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Palestinian Authority (PA) is moving away from the principle of a negotiated settlement with Israel under the auspices of the United States because it seems to have concluded that the United States is unable to force or bribe Israel into abandoning its fundamental principles, that: a) The State of […]

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen

If left alone, Carmel forest will grow back, professor asserts

HAIFA (Press Release)– Prof. Ido Izhaki, head of the Carmel Research Center at Israel’s University of Haifa, recommends after the massive fire:  “Let nature take its course” “The forest on the Carmel Mountains is adapted to fires. Some vegetation species have developed resistance to fire and some have developed a dependence on fire, such as the

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Middle East

Palestinian leaders yell political theatre at a crowded Israeli fire

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — Often, small details give a tremendous insight into political realities. Such an example is the remark made by a high-ranking Palestinian official about the tragic fire in northern Israel. When the fire broke out, 40 Israeli prison guards were rushed to a prison to evacuate the prisoners there in

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Middle East

Blaming Israeli rightwingers for frozen peace efforts is for the intellectually simple

By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — It is easy to blame Binyamin Netanyahu’s right of center coalition for the failure of the American peace initiative. Examined in isolation, it seems clear that five parties with 61 seats in the 120 member Knesset are standing in the way of that 90 day extension of the building freeze,

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

ARZA condemns Israeli rabbis who forbid renting homes to non-Jews

NEW YORK (Press Release)– ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) reacts with alarm to a recent report that 50 leading Israeli municipal chief rabbis, all employed by the State of Israel, have signed on to a religious ruling that forbids renting homes to Gentiles–a move particularly aimed against Arabs. This ruling comes just months

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Middle East

House approves continued funding of Iron Dome, Israel’s advanced anti-rocket system

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)– Representative Steve Rothman (D-NJ), a member of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, released the following statement on the $205 million allocated toward Iron Dome, an advanced Israeli anti-rocket system, that has been included in the continuing resolution (H.R. 3082) to fund the rest of Fiscal Year 2011 that passed Wednesday evening,

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Middle East

Yemin Orde school in Carmel Mountain region 40 percent destroyed by recent fires; students return

YEMIN ORDE, Israel (Press Release)– Embers still smolder in Israel’s Carmel Mountains.  Yemin Orde Youth Village, home to more than 400 at-risk immigrant youth ages 8-19, sustained considerable damage as a result of the worst fire in Israel’s history.  Forty percent of the buildings are in ashes.  The library is lost.  The fire devastated the

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Middle East

Wikileaks expose America’s waning influence in the Midle East

By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel — The Washington Post’s editorial, “Mr. Mubarak vs. Mr. Obama,” has two passages especially worthy of notice. Among U.S. daily city newspapers, the Post has been the best generally at understanding the serious trouble created by the Obama Administration’s mistakes and misunderstandings. In this editorial, it urges the U.S government to

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Middle East, USA

ADL denounces call by Israeli rabbis for religious tests in housing

JERUSALEM (Press Release)–Calling it a “perversion of Jewish and democratic values,” the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Tuesday, Dec. 7, condemned a petition signed by dozens of rabbis in Israel prohibiting their followers from renting homes to gentiles. ADL’s Israel Office issued the following statement:  “It is outrageous and unacceptable that rabbis across Israel are promoting

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Middle East

J Street sets up $10,000 matching fund for Haifa fire relief

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — Now that the Carmel fire near Haifa is contained,  the real work of rebuilding tattered homes, communities, and Israel’s gorgeous northern areas begins. Accordingly, J Street announced a $10,000 matching fund to help rebuild the communities affected by the disaster. With matching donations from the J Street community, the organization

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Middle East