Jerusalem Day and the Tricky status of the Holy City

By Tsvi Sadan, Israel Today— Following what only Israel calls the liberation of East Jerusalem 52 years ago on June 7, 1967, Moshe Dayan issued the following declaration: “This morning, the Israel Defense Forces liberated Jerusalem. We have united Jerusalem, the divided capital of Israel. We have returned to the holiest of our holy places,…

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For 2nd straight day, Israel strikes military targets in Syria

By Israel Hayom and AP— Israel fired missiles at a Syrian military air base in the country’s center late Sunday, killing at least one soldier and wounding two others, hours after another Israeli strike in southern Syria, which came in response to a rocket attack on the Israeli Golan Heights. Sunday’s strike killed three soldiers…

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Best of Both Worlds for Netanyahu

By Seth J. Frantzman, JPost— In power for ten years, the Israeli Prime Minister appeared to stumble on Wednesday when he drove the Knesset to dissolve itself and call new elections. Ostensibly this was because Netanyahu had failed to form a coalition government. But how could the master politician who has dominated Israeli politics for…

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ENEWS: The 2,000 Year Old Column Drum

On October 8, 2018, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem unveiled a 2,000-year-old limestone column drum bearing the inscription: “Hanania son of Dudolos from Jerusalem.” The reason why the column drum made international headlines was not because Hanania is known from history or because Second Temple period finds are unusual. The inscription is the earliest full…

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Another Election? What is It Good For?

By Tsvi Sadan, Israel Today— In his short announcement last night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu charged that Avigdor Liberman is ready to send Israelis back to the voting booth over semantics. Knowing that the new government depends on him, Liberman, with his five Knesset seats, is leveraging the situation for a senior cabinet posting and…

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Kushner to visit Israel, Jordan to drum up support for peace plan

By JNS and Israel Hayom—- Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas slammed the Trump administration’s peace efforts on Monday, saying the “The ‘deal of the century,’ or the deal of disgrace, will go to hell.” Speaking of the U.S.-sponsored conference in Bahrain scheduled for June 25-26, Abbas added that “the economic project they are working on…

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Dangerous to wear a kippah in public, Germany’s anti-Semitism czar says

By Toby Axelrod, JTA— It is dangerous to identify publicly as Jewish in Germany, including wearing a kippah, Germany’s commissioner on anti-Semitism said. In a wide-ranging interview, Felix Klein told the Berliner Morgenpost on May 24 that he could not recommend that Jews wear a kippah everywhere and any time in Germany. He also said…

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Amid coalition row, Lieberman warns Israel could be ‘on its way to elections’

By Yehuda Shlezinger , i24NEWS and Israel Hayom Staff— Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman said on Friday that Israel might be “on its way to elections” after his party refused to join a coalition due to a disagreement over the haredi draft law. Speaking to Israel’s Channel 13, the secular-nationalist Yisrael Beytenu party leader said…

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Jewry’s largest denomiation — and its most liberal — is embracing Al Sharpton

By Jonathan Tobin, Jewish World Review—- If the Rev. Al Sharpton were truly willing to repent for his past as a race-baiter and inciter of anti-Semitic violence, then having him speak at a Jewish event titled a “Consultation on Conscience” might be a good idea. Perhaps that’s what the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism…

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Olympics Committee Criticized For Removing Golan From Israeli Map

By JPost— Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev sent a strongly worded letter to the European Olympics Committee regarding their map of Israel, which doesn’t include the Golan Heights or West Bank. “From the point of view of the Israeli Government, Judea and Samaria (otherwise known as the West Bank) constitute an inseparable part…

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Netanyahu asks for international help as huge fires force evacuation of 3,500

By Jacob Magid and TOI Staff— Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the Foreign Ministry to reach out to nearby countries for “immediate” assistance in putting out the hundreds of fires that were ravaging the country Thursday evening, destroying dozens of houses and forcing the evacuation of some 3,500 from their homes. Later, the Foreign Ministry…

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Enews: Israel Allies Caucus

On April 30th, I had the chance to attend a reception at the Rayburn House Office Building for the relaunch of the Israel Allies Caucus. This is the second caucus event that I have attended this year and I wanted to share the importance of the organization with our subscribers and put their respected agenda…

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