Middle East

VATICAN CITY (WJC)–Pope Benedict XVI has moved his controversial war-time predecessor, Pius XII, a step closer to sainthood, declaring that Pius had displayed “heroic virtues” throughout his life and thus been a Christian worthy of imitation. Pius was one of 17 people approved by Benedict on Saturday in a list that also includes Pope John

By Jeanette Friedman NEW YORK–Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Prof. Elie Wiesel and New York Governor David Patterson participated in the installation of Rabbi Yaakov Kermaier, spiritual leader of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue, to his new post as President of The New York Board of Rabbis. Congregants and well-wishers packed the East 62th Street sanctuary on the seventh night

HAIFA, Israel (Press Release) — Students of the School of Political Sciences at the University of Haifa have produced a series of short videos campaigning for the release of Gilad Shalit and to enroll volunteers in “Gilad’s Army of Friends”. The campaign, which can now be viewed on the Internet, was carried out as part

JERUSALEM (WJC)–Israeli authorities could soon use special commando units, unmanned spy planes and cell phone-jamming equipment to enforce a moratorium on settlement construction in the West Bank, military officials said on Sunday. Enraged settlers leaders vowed to resist the plan, prompting Defense Minister Ehud Barak to warn that settlers would face the full wrath of

RAMALLAH, Palestinian Authority (WJC)–Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has confirmed media reports that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert offered him Israeli land near the Gaza Strip in exchange for settlement blocs that Israel wanted to annex after a peace deal with the Palestinians. Abbas said that the proposed swap would have given the Palestinians

AUSCHWITZ, Poland (WJC)–The infamous “Arbeit macht frei” (“Work sets you free”) sign, stolen from the site of the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz, was found in northern Poland and five men were arrested on Sunday evening Polish police have said. The metal sign was found cut into three pieces. A major search had been launched

 By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Israel needs protection that may go beyond its own considerable military power. Iran and its stooges (Hamas and Hezbollah), the new allegedly strategic alliance between Syria and Lebanon, and the openly unfriendly (perhaps even hostile) attitude of some members of the European Union are three of the many dangers from without.