By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–In response to a recent column, an American friend wrote the following: “In other words, you are saying that the Israeli gesture is not a good faith effort to restart peace talks. Isn’t that what the Israelis have done before when they offered “concessions” they knew were inadequate and not acceptable […]
Some hard realities of negotiations and politics Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM—Reading the announcements of government officials is more of an art than a science. It is appropriate to weigh the use of certain words rather than others, and take note of what a statement does not say. No one, including those involved in its preparation, can claim certainty as to how it
Middle East peace process reduced to a charade Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USABEIRUT (WJC)–Lebanon’s new unity government has adopted a policy that recognizes the Shiite paramilitary group Hezbollah’s right to use arms against Israel, in spite of UN resolutions calling for its complete disarming. The text adopted by the Cabinet reaffirms right of “Lebanon, its government, its people, its army and its resistance” to liberate all Lebanese
New Lebanese government endorses Hezbollah fight against Israel Read More »
Middle East, USAVATICAN CITY (WJC)–Pope Benedict XVI has met at the Vatican with a Holocaust survivor from his native Germany. After his weekly general audience, the pontiff of the Catholic Church met with Cäcilie Peiser, the founder and honorary president of Child Survivors Germany. She presented him with a signed copy of her biography, which tells the
Pope meets founder of Child Survivors Germany Read More »
Middle EastJERUSALEM (WJC)–Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a 10-month settlement construction freeze will not include Israeli’s “sovereign capital” of Jerusalem, including the eastern parts of the city captured in 1967. The moratorium would also not apply to construction already started or authorized in the West Bank, as well as buildings to allow the 300,000
Abbas recruits Chile's President Bachelet to anti-settlements cause Read More »
Middle EastMOSCOW (WJC)–At a meeting at the Kremlin President Dmitry Medvedev, leaders of the European Jewish Congress (EJC) asked Russia not to sell the S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Iran and to push for new sanctions against the regime in Tehran. “We asked that Russia stop supplying the S-300 to Iran,” said EJC President Moshe Kantor after
European Jewish Congress lobbies Kremlin against sale of missiles to Iran Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School has devised a delicious corollary to this publication’s motto that “there is a Jewish story everywhere.” Gourmets may like the Orthodox school’s saying even better: “There’s great kosher food everywhere.” Coming out next week, in plenty of time for the December 11th first evening
Cookbook features world's kosher cuisine Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) is opposed to the policy announced Wednesday in Jerusalem by the Israeli government to institute a freeze on all Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria for a ten month period. ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, “We would oppose freezing Jewish construction in any event,
ZOA opposes construction freeze Read More »
Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C.– Last year at Thanksgiving, we noted that November 2008 was a moment of “tremendous upheaval, economic dislocation and a truly historic presidential election. As a country, we are exhausted and jittery, and nothing makes us think the way ahead will be any easier or calmer.” We were right. On the
Reasons for international thankfulness Read More »
Middle East, USAWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–Following is the text of a U.S. State Department press briefing given on Wednesday by George Mitchell, the U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace. He was introduced by State Department spokesman Robert Wood. MR. WOOD: Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome to the briefing. As promised, Senator Mitchell is here, and he is
Mitchell: Palestinian-Israeli negotiations should have a 'mix of contacts' Read More »
Middle East, USABy David Amos SAN DIEGO–When we are asked to name the greatest conductors of the Twentieth Century, many important names come to mind. No need to repeat them at this time. But, it is unlikely that Erich Leinsdorf would make that list. This is unfortunate, since Leinsdorf, who admittedly did not break any major new
Erich Leinsdorf: his life, music and thought Read More »
Middle East, USANEW YORK (Press Release) … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Wednesday called the announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel would freeze West Bank settlement building for 10 months a “courageous and unprecedented” tangible expression of Israel’s deep desire for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Robert G. Sugarman, ADL National Chair, and
Anti-Defamation League lauds settlement freeze Read More »
Middle EastWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued the following statement on Wednesday: “Today’s announcement by the Government of Israel helps move forward toward resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We believe that through good-faith negotiations the parties can mutually agree on an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an
Clinton welcomes Israel's construction freeze decision Read More »
Middle East, USAJERUSALEM (Press Release)–As part of the efforts to give momentum to the peace talks with the Palestinian Authority and advance Israel’s comprehensive national interests, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on (Wednesday),will ask the Security Cabinet to approve a ten-month suspension of new residential construction permits and new residential construction starts in Judea and Samaria. Prime Minister
Netanyahu proposes 10-month construction suspension in West Bank areas Read More »
Middle East