Middle East

BEIRUT (WJC)–Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was scheduled to visit Hezbollah strongholds near the Lebanese border with Israel today (Oct. 14) after he was warmly received in Beirut on Wednesday. Ahmadinejad is on a state visit to Lebanon.  Speaking at a late night rally staged by Hezbollah in the capital, the Iranian leader again questioned that the 9/11 […]

JERUSLAEM (WJC)–Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered to extend a temporary construction freeze in West Bank settlements if the Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish state. President Mahmoud Abbas immediately rejected the offer. “If the Palestinian leadership will say unequivocally to its people that it recognizes Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, I

NEW YORK (Press Release) — The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Monday, Oct. 11, called on the government of Israel to extend a proposed amendment to the citizenship law to cover all immigrants seeking citizenship. Under the 1952 Citizenship Law, naturalized immigrants currently declare:  “… I will be a loyal national of the State of Israel.” 

JERUSALEM (WJC)–Citing recently made satellite photos on Google Earth, the Israel newspaper ‘Haaretz’ reports that the Syrian army has a Scud missile base near Damascus. The photos also suggest that Hezbollah activists are being trained in the use of the missiles there. The photos, taken on March 22, can be seen by any on Google

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release) — J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement upon news that the Israeli Government is considering an amendment to the Citizenship Act that would demand that new citizens pledge their loyalty to a “Jewish, democratic state”: “J Street opposes the proposal Israel’s Government is considering to amend the oath that

BEIT FAJAR, Palestinian Authority (WJC) — A group of rabbis from Jewish settlements near the Palestinian town of Beit Fajar has visited the local mosque which had been torched by arsonists. The rabbis brought Korans to replace those burned in the blaze. The attackers, who struck on Monday, left behind graffiti in Hebrew and are suspected

JERUSALEM (WJC)–Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given his backing to a proposal which would require any non-Jew taking Israeli citizenship to swear allegiance to Israel as a “Jewish and democratic state”. The proposal has angered Israel’s Arab minority, which makes up a fifth of Israel’s population. The new law will mainly apply to Palestinians married