Articles written by Ron Kampeas
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 247
By 
Princeton Lyman, Jewish diplomat who helped plan Operation Moses, dies at 82
WASHINGTON (JTA)-Princeton Lyman, the Jewish American diplomat who played a critical role in organizing Operation Moses, the stunning 1984 airlift of Ethiopian Jews, has died at 82. Lyman died Friday...
An avowed one-stater is about to be elected to Congress-is this the future of the Democratic Party?
WASHINGTON (JTA)-Rashida Tlaib, the Democratic nominee in a surefire congressional district comprising parts of Detroit, believes in a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and says...
In Tennessee primary, the Trump-backed Jewish incumbent beats a challenger who ran on Christian values
WASHINGTON (JTA)—David Kustoff, running for re-election in Tennessee’s 8th Congressional District, had three things in his favor: incumbency, a solid Republican district and President Donald Trump’s endorsement. Kustoff was not taking anything...
Understanding the Syria moment at the Trump-Putin news conference
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The media, Congress, the international community—just about everybody is reeling after the joint news conference on Monday in Helsinki bringing together President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among other...
US quits Human Rights Council
WASHINGTON (JTA)-The Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the U.N. Human Rights Council because of its bias against Israel. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United...
Kennedy Center Israel room
WASHINGTON (JTA)-It's like finding out that the White House has a mikvah in its basement and no one knows about it. Up an elegant stairway next to the concert hall at The John F. Kennedy Center for...
Here's what the Trump-Kim summit could mean for Israel and Iran
WASHINGTON (JTA)-Amos Yadlin likes talking about the Begin doctrine, which calls for removing existential threats to Israel before they are manifest-maybe because he lived it twice. As an Israeli Air...
Feinstein blasts Haley for stopping UN Gaza query
WASHINGTON (JTA)-Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D- Calif., said she was "deeply disappointed" in Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, for stopping the U.N. Security Council from...
After pulling out of the Iran deal, Trump is open to Plan B-but no one knows what that is
WASHINGTON (JTA)-When President Donald Trump teased and then announced he would be pulling the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal, the next obvious question was, what next? What was Plan B? "Congress h...
Does Natalie Portman's snub of Netanyahu make her the face of liberal Zionism?
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Natalie Portman’s statement explaining why she declined to attend an award ceremony in Israel in her honor was a pointed rebuke, and of a particular individual. “I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu,” she...
'We march today because it's what we have to do to sleep tonight'
WASHINGTON (JTA)-The organizers of the March for Our Lives, almost all of them under 20, had a gun control agenda packed with specifics. They were able to get 800,000 people on and off of this city's...
Trump administration 'deeply sympathizes' with victims in PLO terror lawsuit, but stands by opposition
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The Trump administration in a statement said it “sympathizes deeply” with the families whose lawsuit against the Palestine Liberation Organization may soon be considered by the Supreme Court, but continues to maintain that the...
Trump administration backs PLO in terror lawsuit, angering conservatives
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The Trump administration sided with the Palestine Liberation Organization in a terrorism lawsuit that the Supreme Court may soon consider, drawing an angry rebuke from conservatives, including one of its most steadfast Jewish...
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman decries J Street's motto as 'blasphemous'
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, decried the phrase “pro-Israel, pro-peace”—a motto closely associated with J Street—as “blasphemous.” “Pro-Israel and pro-peace sounds like a completely reasonable...
Five reasons Israel is ready for war with Hezbollah in Lebanon
WASHINGTON (JTA)-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a simple, straightforward message this week when he toured Israel's border with Syria and Lebanon with top security officials. "Our face...
What is AIPAC's role in the age of Trump?
WASHINGTON (JTA)—When candidate Donald Trump spoke at AIPAC’s Policy Conference in 2016 and said Barack Obama may be the worst thing that ever happened to Israel, many cheered, many choked and the organization apologized. The fallout from that...
Why these supporters of a new US Embassy in Jerusalem think Sheldon Adelson shouldn't pay for it
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Sheldon Adelson’s offer to help pay for the new US Embassy in Jerusalem is getting a thumb’s down from a range of observers who support the embassy’s relocation. The Associated Press had the exclusive on Friday morning, and...
Billy Graham, who championed Israel, but had his image tarnished one time, dies at 99
WASHINGTON (JTA)-Billy Graham, the giant of American evangelism who was exalted by Jews for his championing of Israel at its hour of need and then condemned when a nasty anti-Semitic streak was...
Jewish war veterans want the young warriors to tell their stories
ARLINGTON, Va. (JTA)-Jews don't serve in the military. Jews shouldn't serve in the military. Forget about being Jewish-the mission comes first. Like a lot of other Jewish dilemmas, what's old for...
Why are Jewish leaders fighting about Qatar? Here's a scorecard
WASHINGTON (JTA)-There's a battle going on among pro-Israel leaders, and it's over Qatar. It's like watching ice hockey players clear the bench for a brawl, only the antagonists are all on the same...
In the State of the Union, Trump vows to punish countries that criticized his Jerusalem decision
WASHINGTON (JTA)—President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass a law that would extend foreign assistance only to “friendly” nations, a dig at the countries that voted in the United Nations to censure the United States for recognizing...
A Trump nominee makes Jewish groups choose between Israel and sexual harassment
WASHINGTON (JTA)—If there’s overlap between Hillel and the National Council of Jewish Women, it’s in two areas: defending Israel and combating violence against women on campus. Leaders of the campus Jewish organization took a look at the...
Mike Pence's faith drives his support for Israel-does it drive Mideast policy?
WASHINGTON (JTA)-When Mike Pence moved to Washington earlier this year, he and his wife took with them a framed phrase they had for years hung over their fireplace in their Indiana home, and then...
Will Abbas' explosive comments kill the peace process?
WASHINGTON (JTA)—The Oslo Accords? “Killed,” the Palestinian Authority president says, blaming Israel. The Israeli prime minister says the Palestinians are now “unmasked”—but naturally he blames the Palestinians. Notably, the United...
Trumps waives Iran sanctions
WASHINGTON (JTA)—President Donald Trump waived nuclear sanctions against Iran for what the White House said was the final time under the current deal. By the time the next waiver signing rolls around in 120 days, Trump wants a new deal in place...
