Israel passes important hurdle to enter US visa waiver program

(JNS) — Fiscal year 2022 saw a significant drop in the number of Israelis refused visas to enter the United States, for the first time falling under the 3 percent threshold to qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, the U.S. Embassy in Israel said in a statement.

“Israel has made one huge step toward the visa waiver program,” U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides tweeted on Monday. However, he continued, much work remains to be done.

The U.S. Visa Waiver Program allows citizens of participating countries to enter the United States by obtaining a tourist visa upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry. This saves them the trouble of first securing a visa from a U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country.

“Entry into the Visa Waiver Program is a complex and laborious process,” the U.S. Embassy statement continued. “The government of Israel must meet all requirements to enter the program, and a lot of work needs to be done in a very short amount of time. First, the Knesset is going to have to act. There are three laws that will need to be passed for Israel to qualify for the Visa Waiver Program.

“The window for Israel to complete these actions and pass the required laws closes in September 2023, which is the end of the U.S. fiscal year.

“Finally, reciprocity of travel is a fundamental requirement to enter this program. We seek equal treatment and freedom of travel for all U.S. citizens regardless of national origin, religion, or ethnicity, including Palestinian Americans, seeking to enter or transit through Israel.”

US warns of terror threat to religious sites in Turkey

(JNS) — The U.S. Embassy in Turkey on Monday warned Americans of possible “imminent retaliatory attacks” in the country in response to several recent incidents of Koran burning in Europe.

“The U.S. government cautions its citizens of possible imminent retaliatory attacks by terrorists against churches, synagogues and diplomatic missions in Istanbul or other places Westerners frequent, especially in the [city’s] Beyoglu, Galata, Taksim and Istiklal areas,” said the embassy in a statement.

It added that Turkish authorities were investigating the threat.

Washington instructed its nationals to avoid crowds, keep a low profile, be aware of their surroundings and monitor local media for updates.

Earlier this month, demonstrators burned a Koran in front of Turkey’s embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. Ankara denounced the act and the granting of a permit to a group to hold the protest. The demonstration was led by Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan, who heads the Danish political party Stram Kurs (“Straight Course” or “Hard Line”).

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the vile attack on our holy book…. Permitting this anti-Islam act, which targets Muslims and insults our sacred values, under the guise of freedom of expression is completely unacceptable,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said at the time.

In response to the incident, Turks protested outside Sweden’s embassy in Ankara and consulate in Istanbul.

‘The’ is out at the Associated Press

(JNS) — “The Associated Press Stylebook”—often referred to as the “journalist’s bible”—raised online eyebrows when it posted a tweet on Jan. 26 recommending “avoiding general and often dehumanizing ‘the’ labels such as the poor, the mentally ill, the French, the disabled, the college-educated.”

Instead, the news agency prescribed “wording such as people with mental illnesses,” used “only when clearly relevant.”

By the next day, AP had deleted the tweet and added an apology. “We deleted an earlier tweet because of an inappropriate reference to French people. We did not intend to offend,” it tweeted. “Writing French people, French citizens, etc., is good. But ‘the’ terms for any people can sound dehumanizing and imply a monolith rather than diverse individuals.”

The correction drew a variety of jovial responses, including from National Review writer Charles C. W. Cooke, who tweeted that the wire, to be an accountable ally, needed to name the responsible party, so the latter could resign and “donate at least $5,000 to the French Foreign Legion.” Douglas Blair, a producer and special correspondent with “O’Connor Tonight” on the Salem News Channel, added that the AP was “surrendering harder than the French.”

Jokes aside, however, several Twitter users raised questions about the degree to which it is appropriate to refer to “the Jew” or “the Jews.” The Associated Press did not respond immediately to a JNS query.

As recently as Jan. 18, an AP story about newly-discovered Warsaw Ghetto photos includes the phrase “photos capturing the Jews being deported.”

A Dec. 17, 2022, AP story also referred to “the Jews,” and a Sept. 24, 2019, AP story used the phrase “the Jews” four times: twice quoting Mahatma Gandhi, but the other two times in the article body.

A sitewide search of The New York Times online yielded about 18,100 results for the phrases “the Jew” and “the Jews,” and the same search of The Washington Post website yielded some 5,600 results.

“The Associated Press Stylebook” online also uses the phrase in several entries.

The one on “messiah” obliges capitalization in religious uses “such as references to the promised deliverer of the Jews or to Jesus in Christianity.” The Purim entry notes the holiday commemorates “Esther’s deliverance of the Jews in Persia from a massacre plotted by Haman.” And the Sukkot holiday commemorates “the desert wandering of the Jews during the Exodus,” per the stylebook.

Elevated demand, inflation lead Birthright to shutter registration early

(JNS) — Ask and ye shall receive. For Birthright Israel, that meant filling all 12,000 slots for its 10-day, 2023 summer trips to Israel from the U.S. and Canada, forcing it to close the application process early. This application period was 20 days—with trip dates posted just two days ago—rather than the typical three months.

In an announcement, the 23-year-old group cited increased demand and blamed “budget constraints,” exacerbated by inflation-fueled, 30% increased costs that required reducing the cohort size, per a Birthright announcement.

Birthright reported a 68 percent increase in deposits it received, compared to a similar period before the pandemic. It will select 12,000 North Americans from 32,000 applicants, with another 3,000 slots going to young people from other parts of the world for its summer trips. Another 8,500 young people, from North America and the rest of the world, will participate in a Birthright trip this year that is not during the summer, a Birthright spokesman told JNS.

With an age cutoff of 26 for participants, Birthright will prioritize 26-year-olds if funding for more spots arrives. The 23,500 young Jews worldwide it will bring to Israel this year represent a nearly 33 percent decrease over the 35,000 it hosted in 2022 and a more than 51 percent decrease over the 48,000 before the pandemic.

Birthright will refund deposits of those who are not selected, it stated.

Gidi Mark, the group’s CEO, said it is a critical time to expand rather than contract Birthright “when young Jews are being bombarded with antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiments on social media and on college campuses.”

He added that Birthright will have to continue to deny applicants, unless donations arrive. “It’s time for the entire Jewish community to step up,” he said.

PA holds Israel ‘fully responsible’ for ‘dangerous escalation’

(JNS) — The Palestinian leadership said on Saturday that it holds the “Israeli occupation government fully responsible for the dangerous escalation,” following two terrorist attacks in Jerusalem over the weekend.

The Palestinian Authority issued the statement after an emergency leadership meeting on Saturday led by P.A. chief Mahmoud Abbas, official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The P.A. blamed Israel for the deaths of “31 martyrs” this month, ongoing “colonial settlement practices,” house demolitions, land annexation, arrests, “ethnic cleansing and apartheid,” the “desecration” of Islamic and Christian holy sites and the “storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

The Palestinian leadership said it salutes the “Palestinian people” for its “peaceful popular resistance,” according to the report.

Seven people were killed and several others wounded in a terrorist shooting attack on Friday at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Neve Yaakov neighborhood.

The Palestinian assailant was shot dead after he opened fire on officers while trying to flee on foot, according to Israeli police.

A day after that deadly shooting, a Palestinian terrorist shot an Israeli father and son near the entrance to the City of David National Park adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City on Saturday morning. The victims were taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in serious but stable condition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday night to respond quickly and decisively to the two terrorist attacks.

U.S. President Joe Biden phoned Netanyahu on Friday night to condemn the “horrific” Palestinian terrorist attack at the synagogue.

Other countries also condemned the attack.

Israeli forces seal the home of terrorist who killed seven in synagogue attack

(JNS) — Israeli security forces on Sunday sealed off the home of the terrorist who killed seven and wounded three more in a shooting rampage on Friday night in Jerusalem.

Alqam Khayri, 21, who was shot and killed by police, was a resident of the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of a-Tur.

Israeli authorities have also arrested more than 40 suspects in connection with the shooting, many of them relatives or acquaintances of the terrorist, who held an Israeli ID card.

Sealing the homes of terrorists often precedes demolishing them, a process that could take several months given that the structures need to be mapped out by the military, and court battles sometimes ensue.

Meanwhile, authorities on Sunday simultaneously began the process of destroying illegal Arab structures in eastern Jerusalem, in accordance with a directive from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who reportedly ordered such steps be taken immediately after Friday’s attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday night to respond to the two Palestinian terrorist attacks in Jerusalem over Shabbat quickly and decisively.

“Our response will be strong, swift and precise. Whoever tries to harm us—we will harm them and everyone who assists them,” said Netanyahu at a meeting of the Security Cabinet.

On Saturday morning, a Palestinian terrorist shot two Israelis, a father and son, near the entrance to the City of David National Park adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City.

Police said the attacker, a 13-year-old from the nearby Silwan/Shiloach neighborhood, was shot and neutralized by an off-duty IDF officer. He was arrested and taken to Hadassah Medical Center on Mount Scopus for treatment.

Kan News identified the terrorist as Muhammad Aliyat.

Palestinians celebrate Jerusalem attack across Judea and Samaria, Gaza

(JNS) — Palestinians in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip held celebrations Friday night after seven people were killed in a terrorist shooting attack at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Neve Ya’akov neighborhood.

Israeli and Palestinian media reported festivities in Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, as well as in Nablus, Jenin and Hebron.

There were also celebrations close to where the attack took place in the Israeli capital.

Video posted to social media showed Palestinians setting off fireworks, engaging in celebratory gunfire and honking horns, and crowds chanting in support of the killing of Jews.

Crowds also gathered throughout the Gaza Strip, where candy and other sweets were distributed to children.

Hamas praised the attack as an “appropriate response” to alleged Israeli crimes. Palestinian Islamic Jihad also hailed the massacre.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi ordered the reinforcement of troops in Judea and Samaria in preparation for a possible escalation in the wake of the Palestinian terrorist attack.

Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai similarly ordered the alert level in the capital raised to the highest level.

The moves were announced after a security assessment led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited the scene of the attack.

“Our hearts go out to the families of the wounded and dead. We have assessed the situation and decided on some immediate actions. We will act decisively,” he said.

Israel: UN ‘chooses to turn a blind eye’ to Palestinian support for terror

(JNS) — The Israeli government has expressed its dismay with a statement released on Feb. 3 by the U.N. high commissioner on human rights that sought to quell what he termed the “illogic of escalation” in “Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

“Rather than doubling down on failed approaches of violence and coercion that have singularly failed in the past, I urge everyone involved to step out of the illogic of escalation that has only ended in dead bodies, shattered lives and utter despair,” said Volker Türk, the U.N. human rights commissioner, in a statement. “I fear that recent measures being taken by the Government of Israel are only fueling further violations and abuses of human-rights law and violations of international humanitarian law.”

His comments came a week after a Palestinian terrorist killed seven Israelis in Jerusalem on Shabbat evening, and six days after a 13-year-old Arab shot a Jewish father and son walking in Jerusalem.

“The press release [containing Türk’s remarks] does not even have the decency to describe the attacks last week for what they were, acts of Palestinian terrorism targeting the Jewish people,” said Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s permanent representative to the U.N. and international organizations in Geneva. “It does not even have the courage to condemn the death of innocent worshipers.”

Shahar added, “Its prejudice towards Israel means it chooses to turn a blind eye to the daily incitement of children by the Palestinian Authority and their support for terrorism. This must end now.”

Russia warns Israel not to arm Ukraine

(JNS) — Russia on Wednesday warned Israel against arming Ukraine, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated he was considering providing military assistance to Kyiv and was willing to mediate.

“We say that all countries that supply weapons [to Ukraine] should understand that we will consider these [weapons] to be legitimate targets for Russia’s armed forces,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, reported AFP.

“Any attempts—implemented or even unrealized but announced—for the supply of additional, new or some other weapons will lead to an escalation of this crisis. And everyone should be aware of this,” Zakharova said.

Washington has been cautious about which arms it provides Kyiv and from where the weaponry arrives. But speaking in Israel Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Israeli counterparts that they should be doing more to support Ukraine from a security perspective.

Alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken stated as a matter of fact that “Russia’s ongoing atrocities” underscore the importance of “providing support for all of Ukraine’s needs—humanitarian, economic and security.” He implied that this support was an international responsibility.

Israel has yet to provide weapons directly to Ukraine. Doing so could risk undermining Israeli security, some commentators have argued.

Jewish population in Judea and Samaria tops half a million

(JNS) — The Jewish population in Judea and Samaria has surpassed half a million people, according to a report compiled by former MK Ya’akov Katz.

There were 502,991 Jews living in Judea and Samaria as of Jan. 1, according to the document, which culled data from the Israeli Interior Ministry’s Population Registry.

That does not include the nearly 350,000 Jews living in the eastern part of Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim despite the area being by law a part of Israel’s unified capital.

The Jewish population in Judea and Samaria is up 15.5 percent from January 2018, when 435,159 Jews lived in the territories captured after Arab states initiated what became known as the Six-Day War.

The report projects the Jewish population in Judea and Samaria to exceed 600,000 by 2030, 700,000 by 2035 and one million by 2047.

The 500,000-plus Jews living in Judea and Samaria account for 12 percent of all Jews in Israel, according to the report.