Israel
Trump made us ask, again: Who are the Jews, anyway?
By Jeffrey Salkin — December 18, 2019
(RNS) — The president's executive order seeks to protect Jewish kids on campus. But we have to do our part as well.
American Jews split over Trump executive order on combating anti-Semitism
By Yonat Shimron — December 11, 2019
(RNS) — Left-leaning Jews said the underlying purpose of the executive order was to stifle legitimate criticism of Israel and its policies toward Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
To the Jews who applauded Trump
By Jeffrey Salkin — December 10, 2019
(RNS) — Trump uses anti-Semitic themes and Jews love it. What is wrong with this picture? Everything.
Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism
By Mohammad Daraghmeh and Joseph Krauss — December 9, 2019
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — For decades, people in Bethlehem have watched as tour groups spend a few hours at the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and then return to Israel.
Israel’s Netanyahu charged in corruption cases
By Aron Heller — November 21, 2019
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general on Thursday formally charged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a series of corruption cases, throwing the country’s paralyzed political system into further disarray.
What about those Israeli settlements?
By Jeffrey Salkin — November 20, 2019
(RNS) — Evangelicals are cheering Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the U.S. no longer considers Israeli development of the West Bank illegal, but some Jewish values take precedence over land.
Vatican appears to rebuke new US West Bank settlement policy
By Jack Jenkins — November 20, 2019
(RNS) — The Vatican criticized ‘recent decisions’ it says undermine the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced this week that the U.S. no longer sees Israeli settlements on occupied territory as illegal.
Trump advisor calls Pompeo’s West Bank decision an answered prayer
By Jack Jenkins — November 18, 2019
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday (Nov. 18) that it no longer considered Israeli settlement illegal, instead calling them 'ill-advised,' a term borrowed from Ronald Reagan. Pro-Israel evangelical leaders praised the move, but other faith groups criticized it.
Women’s group brings Torahs to Western Wall, faces backlash from conservatives
By Michele Chabin — October 30, 2019
JERUSALEM (RNS) — Several hundred schoolchildren, seminary students and adults gathered at the Western Wall to protest Women of the Wall members who brought Torah scrolls to pray with in the women's section.
At J Street Conference, presidential candidates say Israel policy is due for a reboot
By Yonat Shimron — October 28, 2019
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Sen. Bernie Sanders' popularity with young people and his willingness to take a tough stand on Netanyahu, Trump, the settler movement and the failed peace process won him exuberant support here.
Demi Lovato’s controversial trip to Israel included exploring Jewish roots
By Michele Chabin — October 18, 2019
While in the Holy Land, Lovato and her mother met with an expert on Sephardic Jews, who are descended from Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal 500 years ago.
Academic antisemitism returns
By Jeffrey Salkin — September 20, 2019
Has Judaism become not cool for school?
A look at Judaism’s place in Israeli politics
By Ilan Ben Zion — September 18, 2019
(AP) — While the country's Jewish majority is largely secular, parties representing the ultra-Orthodox minority have traditionally wielded considerable political power.
Archaeologists uncover mosaic floor from 5th century church near Sea of Galilee
By Michele Chabin — September 16, 2019
JERUSALEM (RNS) — A fire that destroyed an ancient Holy Land church near the Sea of Galilee around 700 CE appears to have preserved the church’s beautiful mosaic floor, which includes depictions of baskets, loaves and fish as well as inscriptions.
Bibi is wrong about HBO’s ‘Our Boys’
By Jeffrey Salkin — September 5, 2019
Bibi got it wrong. "Our Boys" shows Israel in all its rich complexity.
