International

Firm that exported Boeing 747s to Iran pays $17 million in fines and penalties

WASHINGTON, D.C.  (Press Release)–Balli Aviation Ltd., a subsidiary of the United Kingdom-based Balli Group PLC, pleaded guilty on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a two-count criminal information in connection with its illegal export of commercial Boeing 747 aircraft from the United States to Iran, announced David Kris, Assistant Attorney General […]

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USA

Berlusconi in Knesset speech empathizes with Shoah and war victims

JERUSALEM (WJC)–Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has expressed his empathy for Israel and the Palestinians during the final day of a three-day visit to Israel. “Today, the safeguarding of Israel’s safety and its right to exist as a Jewish state is an ethical choice and a moral obligation, against the possibility of the return of

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Middle East

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

James Caroll, former priest, weighs Zionism after the Holocaust Feb. 28

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–The community is invited to join the Congregation Beth Am Holocaust Committee for an evening with James Carroll as he discusses; “Zionism after the Holocaust: A Christian Problem, A Christian Solution.” James Carroll, acclaimed author and former Catholic priest, is internationally known for his writing and his diligent efforts toward Jewish-Christian-Muslim reconciliation,

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Middle East

Who's winning the cyber war between Israel and the Palestinians?

CORONADO, California (Press Release)–The Agency for Jewish Education continues its Coronado lecture series this month with Professor Chanan Naveh, Sapir College & Hebrew University. Naveh’s lecture will take place in the Winn Room of the Coronado Library (640 Orange Avenue, Coronado) on Feb. 17 at 10:30 am. His lecture is titled, “The Palestinian-Israeli Web War.” Not

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Middle East

San Diego Jewish Film Festival preview: 'Zrubavel'

By Yvonne Greenberg LA JOLLA, California — The first film ever made by Ethiopian Israelis,  Zrubavel, a drama, provides great insight into their way of life, about which many Israelis have had  heretofore little interest in exploring.  Kudos to Shmuel  Beru, also an Ethiopian Israeli and its filmmaker, writer, and director, who at the age of eight courageously walked

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Middle East

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

Growing influence of Haredim changing character of Israel

By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– I should perhaps be out on the barricades protesting against the growing haredi domination of Israel. Apart from some disaffected children who grew up in liberal Jewish households, particularly in America, and are “born again,” the high birthrate and culture of early marriage steadily increases the ultra-Orthodox population. The demographic imbalance

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Middle East