Over the past three months, some 200 firebombs and 80 explosive devices have been thrown at worshippers and Israeli soldiers at Rachel’s Tomb on the outskirts of Bethlehem in the West Bank. The figures were provided by senior Israel Defense Forces and Border Police officers on Monday during a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Israel Hayom reported. The committee gathered to discuss the security threats facing worshippers at the tomb. Committee Chairman MK Avigdor …More

Israel’s 33rd government was sworn in today, heralding in a more central governing bloc and introducing new titles to politicians both freshman and veteran. Election golden boys Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett are two newcomers set to hold heavy influence. As heads of the two largest parties after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s, there was plenty of speculation over what ministerial positions the pair would receive. After days of negotiations, it was agreed Lapid will serve as finance minister …More

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly rejected Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s offer to write an apology to his Turkish counterpart for possible “operational errors” during the IDF raid of Mavi Marmara in May 2010. Relations between Turkey and Israel have been strained since the incident, which resulted in the death of nine activists. Israeli daily Haaretz, citing unnamed Foreign Ministry sources, reported Sunday that Netanyahu vetoed Barak, who has repeatedly advocated an …More

Google makes a Purim error. [Jewish Press] Aid to Sandy-hit synagogues splits Jewish lawmakers. [Forward] When "Gentleman's Agreement" made Jewish Oscars history. [Forward] Hezbollah is reportedly trolling Europe for Jewish and Israeli targets. [NYT] Greek extremists are pushing for an end to Holocaust commemoration. [WJC] Have ultra Orthodox women hit the glass ceiling in education? [Haaretz] Some say Orthodox Jewish divorce is spurred by technology. [Metro] Jewish Home is already prepping for …More

Australia has ordered an investigation into the case of “Prisoner X,” a two-year old story concerning an alleged Australian Mossad agent who killed himself in Israeli prison. The story, which is shrouded in secrecy, circulated among headlines yesterday, though Israeli media remained absent due to a government-issued gag order. The case involves Ben Zygier, a Melbourne-native who reportedly joined Mossad as a secret agent after immigrating to the Jewish state in 2000. In 2010, Zygier hung himself …More

Tensions are growing between controversial Yisrael-Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman and the newly empowered Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid. According to Israeli television station Channel 10, Lapid has expressed serious interest in assuming the Foreign Ministry portfolio, stating that he feels unqualified for the other two offered to him, defense and finance. “I am not appropriate for the finance portfolio, so I will not take it… For the same reason, I won’t take the Defense Ministry,” he …More

As political analysts scurried to prophesize what the Knesset’s new coalition might look like, the government leaders themselves came out in force to remark on yesterday’s Israeli election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who’s Likud-Beiteinu took 31 seats, maintained a positive air today, despite speculation over his chances of forming a successful coalition. “We woke up this morning to a clear message from the public: it wants me to form a government that will bring about great …More

Yair Shamir says he doesn’t discuss hypotheticals. For the Israeli Air Force commander turned technocrat turned politician, these topics include how to respond to settlement evacuations or achieve Palestinian statehood, a fracture in the US-Israel relationship or Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman’s departure from politics. Shamir, the 67-year-old scion of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, is the hard-line Yisrael Beiteinu’s No. 2. With Lieberman, the former foreign minister, …More

Former Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was indicted on charges of fraud and breach of trust. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein submitted the indictment Thursday against Lieberman for allegedly advancing the position of Zeev Ben Aryeh, Israel's former ambassador to Belarus, in exchange for information on an investigation against him. The indictment followed more questioning this week of members of a Foreign Ministry appointments panel as well as further questioning of Lieberman. Lieberman resigned last …More

Israeli Election Day on January 22 is creeping closer and closer, and recent polls show predicted contenders to be holding strong, with a few minor changes. Jewish Home is the only party looking to gain on past predictions. The party was reported last week to earn 11 seats in the election, but now looks to earn 13. Should that estimate prove true, Jewish Home will likely be the third largest party in the Knesset. Likud Beiteinu, Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman’s new combined party, looks in line …More

Israeli Election Day is just four weeks away, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu still looks primed for a major coup. Netanyahu’s Likud recently joined with Israel Beiteinu to make Likud Beiteinu, and the party has been favored to win big in the January 22 vote. With last week’s resignation of Avigdor Lieberman, head of Israel Beiteinu, some analysts predicted the new party to take a hit. Our polling shows Likud Beiteinu maintaining its predicted 37 seats, though analysis of the numbers does show …More

Jewish leaders mourn the passing of Sen. Inouye, who died at 88. [Arutz Sheva] The Jewish Museum in NY will offer pay-what-you-can Mondays. [GalleristNY] Likud Beiteinu is holding strong, despite Avigdor Lieberman's charges. [Times of Israel] A poll shows most Israelis--58 percent--support a two-state solution. [JPost] A Hungarian airline offers a low-cost Budapest to Tel Aviv route. [Jewish Journal] A man is charged with stealing beer from a Jewish center. [Uniontown Herald Standard] "Jewish Summer Camp …More