By Ron Kampeas, JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) – The controversy over whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress next month is worrying pro-Israel Democrats about its possible impact on the 2016 elections. Even more worrisome, some Democrats say, are the voter trends underpinning the currentContinue Reading
By JTA Staff (JTA) — What made headlines (in Israel, the U.S. and around the world) in 2014? Test your knowledge with JTA’s annual news quiz: Palestinian officials apologized to Czech authorities after the Palestinian envoy to Prague, Jamal Al-Jamal, was killed in an explosion in his home because: a) aContinue Reading
By Ron Kampeas, JTA World News Service WASHINGTON (JTA) — I’ve been JTA’s Washington bureau chief for 11 years, but this was the first time I scored a coveted invitation to the annual White House Hanukkah party. A Washington tradition started by President George W. Bush, the party has actually expandedContinue Reading
WASHINGTON (JTA) – The Obama administration announced the release of Alan Gross amidst sweeping changes in Cuba-U.S. ties, including a return to full diplomatic relations. Gross, a Jewish American contractor, was released Wednesday morning and is flying to Washington with his wife, Judy, where he will be met by U.S.Continue Reading
(JNS.org) The White House on Wednesday attempted to distance itself from comments by an anonymous senior U.S. official who called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “chickenshit.” “Certainly that’s not the administration’s view, and we think such comments are inappropriate and counter-productive,” Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the National SecurityContinue Reading
(JTA) — President Obama in Jewish New Year greetings spoke of a challenging past year and new hope.“As Jews across America, Israel, and the world gather together for the High Holidays, Michelle and I extend our warmest wishes to you and your families for a sweet and happy new year,”Continue Reading
By Uriel Heilman JTA World News Service NEW YORK (JTA) — President Obama devoted the bulk of his U.N. speech to the fight against violent Islamic extremism and hardly mentioned Iran’s nuclear program. In his address last year to the General Assembly, Obama spent a great deal of time talkingContinue Reading
By Janis Siegel, Jewish Sound Correspondent The Unites States needs to play hardball. When it engages in talks with Iran over its uranium enrichment program during the U.N.’s General Assembly meeting, which commences Thursday, it must keep air strikes on the table. So writes Michael Singh, the Washington Institute’s managingContinue Reading
By Uriel Heilman, JTA World News Service ANALYSIS NEW YORK (JTA) — The circus is coming to town. No, there won’t be marching elephants, lion tamers or motorcycles jumping through rings of fire. But there may be wolves in sheep’s clothing, tightrope walking and motorcades blocking traffic. We’re talking, ofContinue Reading
Dr. Alon Ben-Meir, Special to the Jewish Sound For better or for worse President Obama has not acted decisively with Western allies in an effort to end the horrific civil war in Syria. The tragic loss of nearly 150,000 Syrians, nine million internally displaced persons and refugees, and the massiveContinue Reading
