How the Obama Administration Helps Kill the Chances for Arab, Turkish, and Iranian Democracy

BY BARRY RUBIN, PAJAMAS MEDIA— In a speech, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asks: “Why does America promote democracy one way in some countries and another way in others?” Here’s how the question should be rephrased: Why does America subvert the chances for democracy one way in some countries and another way in others? Here’s…

Details

Poverty rate lowest since 2003, report finds

BY JPOST STAFF— Israel has reached its lowest poverty levels since 2003, according to  the 2010 Israeli Poverty Report released on Thursday, but still faces significant problems in wealth disparity and impoverished  children. According to the report, 20 percent of Israeli families – some 1.7  million people – live in poverty. Among them are 873,000…

Details

Iran expert: U.S. elections increase likelihood of Israeli strike

BY REUTERS— An Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear sites may become likelier in 2012 if Israel calculates it has more room to act alone in a U.S. presidential election year, a former U.S. official and nuclear diplomacy expert said. Mark Fitzpatrick, an Iran watcher at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, told Reuters the latest…

Details

Netanyahu "is acting to stop" Iran's nuclear armament

BY DEBKAFILE— A short statement was read out to the Knesset by cabinet member Michael Eitan Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 16. It read: “Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu informed the full Knesset plenum that all options are on the table when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program. The prime minister and the authorized bodies are acting to…

Details

Will Israel face Iran alone?

BY P. DAVID HORNICK, FRONTPAGEMAG— Adrian Blomfield, Jerusalem correspondent for Britain’s Telegraph, reports that “Israel has refused to reassure President Barack Obama that it would warn him in advance of any pre-emptive strike on Iran’s nuclear capabilities,” and that Obama “was rebuffed last month when he demanded” such a guarantee. Blomfield says he has this…

Details

2-state vision is dead

BY ADI MINTZ, YNET— In recent days we were told about the expected departure of Dennis Ross, President Barack Obama’s senior advisor on Mideastern affairs. Ross’ retirement, which will follow George Mitchell’s resignation from his role as Mideast envoy in May, creates an opportunity to change direction. Dennis Ross was Bill Clinton’s senior aide and…

Details

Fatah, Hamas agree to establish caretaker government without Palestinian PM Fayyad

BY AKIVA ELDAR, HAARETZ— Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas agreed to hold elections next May and are due to establish a caretaker government in the coming weeks which will exclude Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Palestinian sources said Tuesday. According to Palestinian sources, a breakthrough in Egyptian mediation efforts occurred in recent days, ahead of…

Details

Palestinians To Evangelicals: Zionism is a sin

BY ABRAHAM COOPER AND YITZCHOK ADLERSTEIN, JPOST — In announcing the push for recognition of a unilaterally declared Palestinian state, Palestinian Authority President Abbas told the UN General Assembly in September: “I come before you today from the Holy Land, the land of Palestine, the land of divine messages, and ascension of the Prophet Muhammad,…

Details

Sarkozy pleges 'friendship' to Netanyahu

BY REUTERS— French President Nicolas Sarkozy has written to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to reaffirm friendship despite what he refers to as their “differing views on the Middle East,” Israeli officials said on Monday. Sarkozy’s comments, in a condolence message to Netanyahu for the death of his father-in-law, seemed an effort to try to clear…

Details

Spot Report: We are the 36%

On November 4, 2011, ‘Occupy Boston’ protestors stormed the lobby of the Israeli consulate to stage a sit-in.  The activists had two demands: the liberation of Palestine and the departure of Israeli diplomats from the US.  The protestors chanted slogans such as, “Not another nickel!  Not another dime!  No more money for Israel’s crimes!” and…

Details