JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel’s attorney general likely will wait until after national elections to announce whether or not he will indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in three corruption investigations, but the allegations could be central to the early elections. Sources reported to be close to Avichai Mandelblit told Hebrew… Read more »
Israel
Israel heads to early elections as government coalition dissolves
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel will hold new elections in April after the heads of all six coalition parties announced Monday that they were dissolving the government. The current government’s term was set to end in November. “Out of national and budgetary responsibility, the leaders of the coalition parties decided,… Read more »
Brazilian soccer legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho to play ‘peace match’ in Israel with local stars
RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA) — Acclaimed former soccer players from both Brazil and Israel will play a friendly match in the Jewish state next year. The “peace match” will be held on March 26 either in Jerusalem or Haifa. Organizers say Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Bebeto and Emerson… Read more »
A pair of brothers was behind two recent West Bank shooting attacks
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A pair of brothers was behind two recent shooting attacks at West Bank bus stops that took place four days apart. Asem Barghouti carried out an attack on Dec. 12 near a bus stop outside of the Givat Asaf settlement, killing two soldiers and injuring a… Read more »
Israel will ‘intensify’ fight against Iran in Syria after US withdraws
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel will step up its fight against Iran in Syria after the United States withdraws its troops from her neighbor to the north. “We will continue to take very strong action against Iran’s attempts to entrench itself in Syria. In neither of these sectors do we… Read more »
Airbnb executive tours West Bank but sticks by company’s decision to exclude settlement listings
JERUSALEM (JTA) — An Airbnb executive visited the West Bank and met with Jewish settlement leaders amid criticism of its decision to remove Jewish-owned properties in the disputed territories from its short-term rental listings. Chris Lehane, head of global policy and public affairs for the company, met Tuesday with senior… Read more »
Academy Awards turns its back on latest Israeli film
LOS ANGELES (JTA)– Israel’s more than half-century courtship to win an Oscar for best foreign-language film will continue past 2019. Since submitting its first entry — and winning its first nomination — for “Sallah” in 1964, Israel has made the short list of top nominees 10 times, without ever… Read more »
Israel arrests 100 Palestinians in crackdown after week of violence
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli forces arrested over 100 Palestinians over the past weekend as part of an anti-terror crackdown launched in the wake of last week’s uptick in terror activity in the West Bank.“There were 100 arrests over the weekend, and another 36 yesterday,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced… Read more »
Pink Floyd tribute band backs down — and its shows are back on — after cancelling gigs in Israel
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A Pink Floyd cover band announced on Tuesday that its upcoming Israel tour is back on after cancelling due to pressure from BDS advocate Roger Waters, co-founder of the original Pink Floyd. On Sunday UK Pink Floyd Experience cancelled its shows in Tel Aviv, Haifa and… Read more »
Report says fallout of Khashoggi killing could harm unofficial Saudi ties with Israel
(JTA) — The internal political fallout over the murder of dissident Jamal Khashoggi may damage Saudi Arabia’s budding unofficial ties with Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The newspaper cited the dismissal of two senior advisers to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who were intimately involved in forging ties between… Read more »
Israel has a bobsled team, and it wants to compete in the Olympics
NEW YORK (JTA) — In the span of just a couple days, Chaim Raice went from never having been on a bobsled to being a contender to represent Israel in the 2022 Winter Olympics. And it all started with a Facebook post. Raice, a house builder based in Pomona,… Read more »
Baby born prematurely to mother shot in West Bank attack dies in hospital
JERUSALEM (JTA) — A baby born prematurely after his mother was shot during a drive-by terror attack in the West Bank died on Wednesday. The statement from Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Hospital announcing the boy’s passing said the parents met their son earlier Wednesday morning. The baby had been delivered… Read more »
2 Israelis killed in West Bank shooting
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Two Israelis were killed and two seriously injured in a second shooting attack near a bus stop in the West Bank. The attack on Thursday morning occurred at a bus stop outside of the Givat Asaf settlement, about a mile down the same road from the… Read more »
Netanyahu vows settlers will stay, build more homes in wake of drive-by shooting
JERUSALEM (JTA) — No Jewish settlers will be forced to leave and they will build more homes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday in the wake of a drive-by shooting in the West Bank that left seven injured. “As long as I am prime minister, not even one Jew… Read more »
Tucson firefighters see counterparts in action on Israel mission
Tucson Firefighters Beyond Borders completed its third mission to Israel last month under an unexpected hail of missiles. That only added a new dimension to the multi-faceted, cross-cultural and cross-technology educational exchanges that began in 2013, according to the six participants. The delegation left Tucson on Nov. 6, spending… Read more »
Amid Hezbollah counter-tunnel operations, IDF must be ‘ready for deterioration,’ says ex-defense official
(JNS) As the Israel Defense Forces ploughs ahead with an operation to expose and destroy a network of Hezbollah tunnels snaking their way into northern Israel from Lebanon, the military must also be prepared for the risk of a sudden escalation with the powerful Shi’ite terrorist organization, a former… Read more »
When Israeli Americans meet, there’s politics, partying and pride
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (JTA) — Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate, his Israeli-born wife, Miriam, and Haim Saban, the Israeli-American entertainment mogul, entered the deck of the pool complex at the Diplomat Hotel here on Saturday night and chose a table to sit around and well, schmooze. Never mind the frantic security… Read more »
‘I am Israel’s best friend,’ Czech head Miloš Zeman tells Israeli Knesset
(Israel Hayom via JNS) In what was the first ever address by a Czech leader to Israel’s legislative body, President Miloš Zeman sent a message of “solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people” to the Knesset on Monday. Among those in attendance at the historic speech were Israeli President… Read more »
Update from JFSA Partnership regions: Kiryat Malachi & Hof Ashkelon
Children’s creativity shines forth in AJP Hanukkah art contest
Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Arizona Jewish Post Hanukkah art contest. All of the submissions were outstanding and conveyed the symbols of the holiday with warmth and love. First place winners Alex Erbst (age 6, Tucson Hebrew Academy), Luke and Hunter Meislin (twins, age 7, Manzanita Elementary… Read more »