Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice
Sorted by date Results 1211 - 1222 of 1222
(JNS)-The Arab Israeli public came out in force during the second round of elections on Sept. 17, and according to an Arab Knesset member and others, was motivated to prevent the formation of a right-wing government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also heads the Likud Party. On Wednesday, the Joint Arab List announced that it will boycott Thursday's swearing-in ceremony for the new Knesset as part of a general strike among Arab Israelis to protest what they say is the... Full story
(JNS)-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pre-indictment hearing began on Wednesday after three years of investigation. Netanyahu, who did not attend the hearing, is seeking to convince Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and state prosecutors not to indict him on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases, labeled in Israel as Case 1000, Case 2000 and Case 4000. Attorney Avi Himi, who heads the Israel Bar Association, told JNS that "the hearing process is... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Demi Lovato had gushed about her “magical” visit to Israel, saying she felt a “sense of spirituality” there. Now the 27-year-old pop star and actress is apologizing to those who may have been offended by her trip. In Israel, Lovato made three posts earlier this week on Instagram, where she has 74 million followers, speaking glowingly of the country. “Entertainment Tonight” reported that reactions to those posts included criticism from accusing her of promoting or supporting Israel despite the country’s treatment of the Palestini... Full story
TEL AVIV-Shlomit Norman was only 42 when doctors diagnosed her with multiple myeloma-a bone marrow cancer with no known cure that rarely strikes people under the age of 65. At the time, the youngest of her three boys was 10, and few patients with the disease survived for more than a couple of years. "I told my best friend that she'd have to be in charge of my son's bar mitzvah because I didn't think I'd be around by then," recalled Norman, who lives in Haifa. But thanks to some innovative... Full story
(JNS) With negotiations between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, failing to form a national unity government, Israel's President Reuven Rivlin ultimately choose Netanyahu as having the best chance to form a government within the next 28 days. However, with Netanyahu only garnering support of only 55 Knesset members-six short of a governing majority-it appears that Israel's political deadlock will continue with both sides blaming one another for th... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)—White House Middle East peace envoy Jason Greenblatt wrote in an op-ed that his work on an Israeli-Palestinian peace plan has left him “proud, grateful, surprised, sad, and hopeful.” “I wonder if my deceased grandparents who fled Hungary with their families decades ago—one from the Holocaust and one from communism—could have imagined their grandson would one day serve in the White House, attempting to solve one of the most complex conflicts in history,” Greenblatt wrote in the op-ed published Friday by CNN. Greenblatt an... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)-The morning after Israel's second national election in five months, the results are still unclear. According to the latest vote count, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trailing his rival, Benny Gantz, by the slimmest of margins: The incumbent's Likud and the challenger's Blue and White remain within a seat of each other. More important, neither candidate appears able to form a governing coalition outright with allies on the right or the left. In the 120-seat Knesset, the... Full story
(JNS)-Blue and White leader Benny Gantz rejected Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's call to join a unity government under the Likud leader's leadership, stating that he would be prime minister of a potential unity government. "I am interested [in] and intend to form a broad, liberal unity government under my leadership," Gantz said in a statement ahead of Blue and White's first faction meeting since the elections. "To form a unity government you do not come forward with political blocs and... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and the Blue and White were again locked in a virtual dead heat at the close of voting in Israel, exit polls on Tuesday showed. Both Blue and White, which is led by Benny Gantz, a former military chief of staff, and Likud took 32 seats in the upcoming Knesset, or parliament, according to polling by the Kan national broadcaster. Channel 12 reported that Blue and White had 34 seats and Likud 33, while Channel 13 had Blue and White with a 33-31 edge. The two parties had tied in Apr... Full story
JERUSALEM (JTA)-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that if he is re-elected, he will immediately annex the Jordan Valley. Netanyahu also promised to annex West Bank Jewish settlements in what he termed a "dramatic announcement" exactly one week before Israelis go to the polls for national elections on Sept. 17. The announcement was a plea for votes. "This is a democracy. I won't do anything without a clear mandate. So I'm asking for a mandate, to do this thing that enjoys a... Full story
By Jewish News Service Reflecting on his announcement on Tuesday regarding annexation of the Jordan Valley, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had notified the White House prior to making the announcement, and that “someone in the White House” had said off the record that “Netanyahu’s plan does not impinge on Trump’s.” “That’s saying a lot,” said Netanyahu in comments to Israel National News. He expressed optimism with regard to the Trump administration, noting the difference between it and the Obama administration. ... Full story
By Ben Sales (JTA)—Benjamin Netanyahu just said that if he is re-elected, he’ll immediately annex a big part of the West Bank: the Jordan Valley. That’s kind of a big deal. On the other hand, it’s not really—yet. That specific eastern swath of the West Bank runs alongside the (yep, you guessed it) Jordan River. It would be the first time in decades that Israel annexed any territory in the West Bank, and it assuredly would have serious implications for the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. Netanyahu also said he’d move to annex more... Full story
