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Daily Briefing

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

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Featured Stories Amid relatively calm West Bank, settlers still struggle with security Officials say West Bank security has improved, but some settlers, including this father pictured in the Jewish settlement of Eli on June 10, 2009, carry guns for protection. (Nati Shohat / Flash90 / JTA) The Israeli military and the main settler organization say security has improved in the West Bank, but settlers say they still must cope with attacks on the roads -- and worry that the removal of security roadblocks will eventually lead to tragedy. Read more » Jerusalem 'crisis' reveals U.S.-Israel communications breakdown A recent flareup over an Israeli building project in eastern Jerusalem prompts questions about U.S.-Israeli communication. Read more » Netanyahu calls for Jewish investment in Palestinian economy Diaspora Jews should join Arabs in investing in the Palestinian economy, Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. Jewish leaders. Read more » Editors' Picks Sharon aide: Deal never implemented At the Washington Times, Eli Lake unearths more fodder for the argument that the understanding between the Bush and Sharon administrations allowing some settlement growth never kicked in. Einstein and Zionism Two new books that explore Albert Einstein's complex allegiance to the Jewish state underscore that he was not a systematic political thinker, writes Glenn C. Altschuler in the Forward. Oren on American Jews and Zionism Jeffrey Goldberg talks to Michael Oren, Israel's new ambassador to the United States, about whether Zionism and American Jews can make sense of each other. Neda Agha-Soltan Way Rebecca Kaplan Boroson, editor of the New Jersey Jewish Standard, is calling for the portion of Third Avenue that includes the Mission of the Islamic Republic to the United Nations to be renamed "Neda Agha-Soltan Way." German Heeb Heeb has published a German issue. Breaking News Talk of financial pressure on Israel to freeze settlement building is "premature," the State Department spokesman said. Israel has no intention of dismantling the West Bank security fence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is under fire for invoking a former British prime minister known for appeasing the Nazis. The umbrella foreign policy body for U.S. Jewish groups says U.S. complaints about Israel's plans to build in eastern Jerusalem are "disturbing." A top Christian Zionist leader criticized the Obama administration's "pressuring" of Israel. Turkey's prime minister said his country is ready to return as a mediator in indirect Israel-Syria talks. Lithuania will not amend its plan to compensate the loss of Jewish property seized during World War II, its justice minister said. A Los Angeles county board voted to ask the county pension fund to divest funds from U.S. firms doing business with Iran's energy sector. A number of top U.S. officials will visit Israel in coming days to discuss Iran strategy and negotiate settlements policy. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the growth of Christian support for Israel is a sign of the "changing" relationship between the two religious groups. Members of Congress called for the rescheduling of the National Weekend of Remembrance to avoid conflicting with Rosh Hashanah. An Israeli warplane purchased by the Colombian army crashed during a training flight. Israel's chief rabbi wants to revoke kosher certificates from fruit and vegetable growers who use too much pesticide. New immigrants from France will receive their identity cards at a special ceremony at the Western Wall. Italy's Jewish community is running a first-of-its-kind seminar to train young journalists for work in the Italian Jewish media.