09 Dec
Latest

Jimmy Carter Alert!! Everybody Look Out!

By Benjamin Schuman-Stoler Former president Jimmy Carter just arrived in Lebanon, where he will do some electoral analysis and give a speech that will probably upset legions of Jews across the globe. Carter will speak Dec. 12 at the American University in Beirut on "30 years after Camp David: A memo to the Arab World, Israel and the Quartet." He will also go to Syria. Says JTA: From Beirut, Carter will continue to Syria and a meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad "to discuss the prospects for peace in the Middle East," according to a statement from the Atlanta-based Carter Center, the human rights group he established and still leads. Israel and Syria have been negotiating peace indirectly under Turkish auspices but without the encouragement of the Bush administration, which regards Syria as a terrorist-backing rogue nation. A number of dovish...

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14 Oct
Culture, Latest

This Falafel Was Made For You And Me

It looks like the international system of governance is finally paying off. I mean, despite reports that the US and its allies are looking to bypass the UN in order to impose sanctions on Iran, we can all rest assured. The international system of dialogue is finally being put to good use. Right. Lebanon is suing Israel for ownership of its national foods, including falafel, hummus, and tabouleh. I am not making this up. The LA Times and Ha'aretz report: "In a way the Jewish state is trying to claim ownership of traditional Lebanese delicacies like falafel, tabouleh and hummus" Abboud said. According to Abboud, the Lebanese are losing "tens of millions of dollars annually" because Israel is selling and marketing traditional Lebanese dishes. "The Israelis are marketing our main food dishes as if they were Israeli...

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Hezbollah and Israel flags
17 Jul
Latest

Israel-Hezbollah Prisoner Swap Follow-Up

Yesterday we provided a general recap of the prisoner swap that occurred between Hezbollah and Israel. Today, we are interested in the responses, not just from high-ranking officials, but from everyday people. We want to hear what you believe (you can leave your comments below). Was the swap a good idea? The Jewish community is swimming in contention. Those in favor of the deal say that Israel did the right thing by allowing the Goldwasser and Regev families the right to closure and proper mourning. One ex-soldier thinks it was the right thing to do as a statement of the government's commitment to its soldiers: "The army that does not take care of its POWs is not worth serving in and the nation that forgets it sons is not worth fighting for." Those against the deal believe that...

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Hezbollah and Israel flags
16 Jul
Latest

Hezbollah, Israel Complete Emotional Swap

The touchy swap between Hezbollah and Israel of prisoners and the remains of soldiers captured in 2006 was completed today with the assistance of the Red Cross at the Israeli-Lebanon border. Although much of Israel held out hope that the two Israeli soldiers—Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser—were still alive, the nation's fears were confirmed when the two soldiers' were brought to the border in coffins. In return, Hezbollah received the remains of 200 of their fighters, as well as Samir Kuntar and four other prisoners. Kuntar is a particularly controversial figure. In 1979, he killed Danny Haran and his four-year-old daughter Einat in gruesome fashion before being apprehended. Haran's other daughter was accidentally smothered to death by her mother, Smadar, who was attempting to keep her from crying out and disclosing their hiding spot. Kuntar is therefore a loathed...

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