Industry is best bet for peace, Israeli billionaire says

Published on May 23, 2013

On a new industrial park in Israel's largest Arab town, a software plant belonging to a multibillion-dollar U.S.-listed firm sits cheek-by-jowl with two small Arab-owned businesses: a metal factory and one producing tools for brain surgery.

Kerry samples Palestinian shawarma and sweets

Published on May 23, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry stepped off the diplomatic track on Thursday and onto a West Bank street where he sampled a shawarma sandwich and a pistachio-sprinkled Palestinian sweet.

Meet the laser that guides the Iron Dome (soon to be made in the USA)

Published on May 21, 2013

Six months after the Iron Dome defense system rendered Hamas rockets largely ineffective during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza, I got a tour of the factory that produces its most vital component: a laser.

Qatar: Arab Spring makes Israeli-Palestinian peace more pressing

Published on May 20, 2013

Qatar's emir, who has thrown his state's riches behind Arab uprisings, said on Monday that the emergence of 'people power' had put Arabs in direct confrontation with Israel and made a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more pressing.

Israel to authorize four West Bank settler outposts

Published on May 16, 2013

Israel plans to declare legal four unauthorized West Bank settler outposts, a court document showed on Thursday, days before U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry returns to the region to try to restart peace talks.

Palestinians mark Nakba with West Bank protests

Published on May 16, 2013

Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel, which they call the “catastrophe,” with marches and protests.

Stephen Hawking rejects the Zionism of Einstein

By Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
Published on May 14, 2013

Oberlin College Student Senate endorses divestment resolution

Published on May 7, 2013

The Oberlin College Student Senate endorsed a resolution that calls for the college to divest from six companies that do business in the West Bank, eastern Jerusalem and Gaza.

Report: Netanyahu promised Kerry to put ‘hold’ on settlement construction

Published on May 7, 2013

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that he would put a hold on construction in West Bank settlements until mid-June.

Scottish church says Jews have no scriptural claim to Holy Land

Published on May 3, 2013

The Church of Scotland published a paper denying that "scripture" provides a basis for Jewish claims to Israel.

Hamas rejects Arab League’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan

Published on May 3, 2013

Islamist Hamas's leader in the Gaza Strip on Friday rejected a revised Middle East peace initiative put forward by the Arab League, saying outsiders could not decide the fate of the Palestinians.

Shots fired at hikers in West Bank

Published on May 2, 2013

Shots were fired at the car of several Israeli hikers in the West Bank.

Netanyahu says he would put peace deal to referendum

Published on May 2, 2013

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would put any peace deal with the Palestinians to a referendum, raising expectations that direct negotiations might soon resume following a two-year stalemate.

Murder of Jewish settler sparks West Bank clashes

Published on May 1, 2013

Israeli settlers and Palestinians clashed in the West Bank more than a day after the murder of a Jewish man by a Palestinian attacker.

May 1, 2013

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on May 1, 2013

Palestinian kills Israeli at West Bank bus stop

Published on April 30, 2013

A Palestinian stabbed to death an Israeli man at a bus stop in the West Bank.

Legislation calls for stable Palestinian Authority

Published on April 24, 2013

Two U.S. congressmen have introduced legislation calling on the Palestinian Authority to prevent a Hamas takeover of the West Bank.

Roger Waters still ‘considering’ call to boycott Israel

Published on April 19, 2013

Pink Floyd guitarist Roger Waters said he was still considering whether to call on musicians to boycott Israel.

Cal-Berkeley student senate passes divestment measure

Published on April 18, 2013

A student senate at the University of California, Berkeley narrowly passed a measure calling on the school to divest from three companies with dealings in the West Bank.

P.A. Prime Minister Fayyad offers resignation, sources say

Published on April 10, 2013

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad offered his resignation to P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday following a rift between the two men over government policy, two sources told Reuters.

UC Riverside rescinds BDS call

Published on April 10, 2013

The student senate at the University of California, Riverside, has reversed itself, rescinding a resolution it passed a few weeks earlier that had targeted companies doing business with Israel in the West Bank.

Turkey, Israel reconciliation far from fact

Published on April 9, 2013

Just before President Barack Obama boarded Air Force One to leave Israel on a windy Friday afternoon last month, he made a dramatic announcement.

Kerry, Netanyahu meet in Jerusalem to discuss restarting peace talks

Published on April 9, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Jerusalem to discuss restarting negotiations with the Palestinians.

Russian Jews urge Netanyahu to ignore U.S. Jews’ call for ceding land

Published on April 9, 2013

One hundred Russian Jewish notables urged Benjamin Netanyahu to ignore recent pleas by American Jews calling on the Israeli prime minister to cede land for peace.

Suckers at the Casbah

By David Suissa
Published on April 8, 2013

Apparently, there are smart people out there who still believe it’s up to Israel to revive the dead Middle East peace process.

Kerry, Abbas discuss reviving peace talks but offer no details

Published on April 8, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday discussed reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace talks but neither side offered details on how, when and whether that might happen.

U.N. observers failing mandate to track Hezbollah arms, Israeli official says

Published on April 4, 2013

U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have failed to report on Hezbollah guerrilla armaments as required, a senior Israeli official said on Thursday, arguing that Israel could not rely on foreign intervention for its security.

Palestinians riot over death, funeral of two teens, prisoner

Published on April 4, 2013

Palestinians continued rioting in the Hebron area following the deaths of two Palestinian teens killed by Israeli troops and during the funeral of a Palestinian prisoner who died of cancer.

Jewish leaders urge Netanyahu to work with Obama on peace

Published on April 4, 2013

More than one hundred U.S. Jewish leaders urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to make clear "Israel’s readiness to make painful territorial sacrifices for the sake of peace."

Kerry to visit Jerusalem, Ramallah; not bringing new peace plan

Published on April 3, 2013

Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Jerusalem and Ramallah next week but does not intend to offer an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, the State Department said on Wednesday.

Israel launches air strike on Gaza; First since truce

Published on April 2, 2013

Israel launched an air strike on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the first such attack since an eight-day war in November, Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the territory, and Israel's military said.

“Ex-Muslim” preaches the Gospel

Published on April 2, 2013

When Hazem Farraj was 15, he became a Christian. But as a Palestinian Muslim living in East Jerusalem, he couldn’t tell anyone, especially his father.

This week in power: Obama recap, Flotilla apology, Twitter suit, Passover message

By Danny Groner
Published on March 28, 2013

Obama’s Middle East visit: 50 shades of gray

By Shmuel Rosner
Published on March 27, 2013

On March 21, four days before Pesach, Sarah Chazizza was at home in Sderot, doing what people do before Pesach. She was cleaning. It was still early in the morning, but the weather was getting warmer and the windows were wide open to let the dusted furniture breath.

Billboards calling for end to U.S. aid to Israel posted in N.Y., Conn.

Published on March 27, 2013

Billboards calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel were erected this week at 25 train stations in suburban New York and Connecticut.

West Bank Hebrew language study is growing

Published on March 27, 2013

Listening to Hebrew songs is officially frowned upon by many West Bank residents, but interest in learning the language of the “other society that is very close but still far away” is clearly picking up among Palestinians wishing to understand Israelis.

After Mideast trip, Obama gains political capital. Will he spend it?

Published on March 25, 2013

For a trip that U.S. officials had cautioned was not about getting “deliverables,” President Obama’s apparent success during his Middle East trip at getting Israel and Turkey to reconcile has raised some hopes for a breakthrough on another front: Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

A reaction to Obama’s speech in Jerusalem

Published on March 22, 2013

This morning, as I listened to President Obama’s speech to students in Jerusalem, I was filled with frustration and mortification. I was watching the speech at the gym and read the words as they crossed the TV screen.

A politically correct seder

By David Mamet
Published on March 22, 2013

David Mamet's original cartoon.

‘Put yourself in their shoes’

By Rob Eshman
Published on March 21, 2013

It’s been just two days since President Barack Obama touched down in Israel, and no doubt you’ve probably read and heard it all by now. The ribbing banter with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Best Frenemy Forever.

Did Obama’s charm offensive in Israel work?

Published on March 21, 2013

President Obama had three goals for his first presidential trip to Israel.

President Obama appeals to Israelis to make peace with Palestinians

Published on March 21, 2013

In an emotional speech to hundreds of university students, President Obama urged young Israelis to push their government to re-launch peace talks with the Palestinians, arguing it is the only way to ensure the future of Israeli democracy.

In Ramallah, Obama implies settlement freeze not needed

Published on March 21, 2013

President Obama implied during a news conference in Ramallah that a settlement freeze should not be a precondition for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

Palestinians vent frustration at brief Obama visit

Published on March 21, 2013

Palestinian protesters raised their hands and tried to wave away the helicopter that brought U.S. President Barack Obama to the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Thursday, accusing him of siding with Israel.

After Israeli backslapping, Obama faces Palestinian discontent

Published on March 20, 2013

President Barack Obama faces a stony reception when he travels to the West Bank on Thursday for talks with Palestinian leaders who accuse him of letting Israel ride rough-shod over their dream of statehood.

Three UC student governments endorse BDS

By Jonah Lowenfeld
Published on March 20, 2013

In the first two weeks of March, student governments at two University of California campuses — UC Riverside and UC San Diego (UCSD) — voted to approve resolutions urging their campus administrations and the University of California as a whole to divest from companies doing business in the West Bank.

Palestinian problem in Syria

Published on March 20, 2013

It’s the latest Palestinian refugee crisis, but it has nothing to do with Israel or the West Bank — yet.

Fracas in Oakland after Israeli writes ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ [VIDEO]

Published on March 19, 2013

A 22-year-old Jewish woman was assaulted at a pro-Palestinian rally in Oakland, Calif., last week after writing “Am Yisrael Chai" in chalk on the sidewalk.

Are critics of Israeli occupation getting nervous?

By David Suissa
Published on March 19, 2013

It’s a sure sign of nervousness when people start using the vocabulary of absolute certainty — when they refuse to allow for even the possibility of debate.

U.S. slams UNHRC for ‘disproportionate’ Israel focus

Published on March 19, 2013

The Obama administration refused to participate in a U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Israeli settlements and slammed the body for its "disproportionate" focus on Israel.

With Islamic groups replacing traditional foes, Israel faces long-term instability on its borders

Published on March 19, 2013

Three weeks ago, militants in Gaza landed a rocket near the Israeli city of Ashkelon.

Israeli wounded in West Bank drive-by shooting

Published on March 18, 2013

An Israeli man in his 60s was wounded after a gunman in a passing car shot him in the leg while he was waiting at a bus stop in the West Bank.

New Israel housing minister pledges more settlement building

Published on March 18, 2013

Israel's new housing minister said on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's incoming cabinet would keep expanding Jewish settlements to the same extent as his previous government.

Obama will tell Israelis: take Arab opinion into account

Published on March 15, 2013

President Obama plans to talk in Jerusalem about how Israel needs to do a better job of taking Arab public opinion into account, an Obama adviser said.

Israeli girl, 3, injured after car hit with rocks in West Bank

Published on March 14, 2013

A 3-year-old Israeli girl is in critical condition after a car accident in the West Bank caused by rocks thrown by Palestinians.

U.S. embassy denies Obama boycott of Ariel University students

Published on March 14, 2013

The U.S. Embassy in Israel denied a report that students from a West Bank university were being barred from President Obama's scheduled speech in Jerusalem.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Settlements are not illegal

By David Suissa
Published on March 14, 2013

If you think the West Bank settlements have been an albatross around Israel’s neck up until now, brace yourself. With the new governing coalition announced this week, and the settlers enjoying even more power, all bets are off.

Israeli troops kill Palestinian, wound two in West Bank clash

Published on March 13, 2013

Israeli troops killed a Palestinian on Tuesday during a confrontation with a stone-throwing crowd in a flashpoint district of the occupied West Bank, both sides said.

World Bank: Palestinian economy in decline

Published on March 12, 2013

During President Obama’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) next week, he will visit the West Bank towns of Ramallah, where he will meet PA leader Mahmoud Abbas, and Bethlehem, to see the Church of the Nativity. A new report by the World Bank says he will see an economy that is in steady decline and losing its competetiveness.

Israel releases tentative Obama schedule

Published on March 11, 2013

Israel released a tentative itinerary for President Obama's visit to Israel and the West Bank.