Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Israelis protested in Jerusalem against plans to enlist haredi men into the military. The protesters gathered Thursday night near the city’s military draft bureau to listen to rabbis warn that army service would irreparably harm their way of life. “The government wants to uproot and secularize us,” Rabbi David Zycherman said, according to Reuters, “They call it a melting pot, but people cannot be melted.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s …More

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to the Jewish state this week following a visit to Russia earmarked by attempts to stop Russian supply of arms to Syria. Russia is in the process of reportedly delivering hundreds of advanced S-300 missile systems to Syria. While Moscow responded that it would continue to uphold existing weapons contracts, press secretary Sergey Lavrov indicated his government would consider cessation of future sales. "We have already gone through with some of our previous …More

CIA head John Brennan landed in Israel Thursday to discuss the Syrian conflict and Iran’s nuclear proliferation. During the visit, Brennan met with heads of security and defense in the Jewish state, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon at army headquarters in Tel Aviv. The pair briefed one another on intelligence regarding chemical weaponry in Syria, specifically steps taken to prevent weapon spillover to Hezbollah in Lebanon. The surprise meetings come just days after Israel allegedly struck …More

Israel has decided to continue granting tourists a VAT tax exemption for the 2013-14 year, the cabinet announced Monday. The idea to remove the exemption was floated through the government in a bid to raise revenue, but the finance committee passed its annual budget this week without implementing the measure. Instead, a 2 percent spending cut was issued as part of the 388 billion shekel, of $106.7 billion, budget plan. “[This is a] responsible decision not only for the 200,000 people working in the …More

Israeli leaders celebrated Shavuot this week, the ritual holiday commemorating the gift of the Torah to the Jewish people on Mount Sinai. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored the holiday at a gathering with children from the Valley of Springs Regional Council. Bibi spoke with the children and accepted gifts of locally grown fruit, a traditional food for the holiday, as biblical commandment mandated that farmers bring their “first fruits” to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. "I thank you for …More

On May 8, 1972, Palestinian terrorists hijacked Belgian airliner Sabena Flight 571 en route from Vienna to Tel Aviv. The four terrorists--two men and two women--were part of the Black September terror organization, the same group that, just four months later, would perpetrate the notorious Munich Olympics massacre. Motivation for the hijacking stemmed from lingering anger over Israel’s success during the Six Day War in 1967. Terror organizations were looking to indiscriminately kill Israelis around the …More

When it comes to the latest Arab peace initiative, two questions are circulating in Washington: Why Qatar? And why now? The three answers: Because Qatar is rich; it is scared; and why not? Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister and foreign minister, in recent weeks has driven the revivification of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, moderating it slightly to hew closer to the outlines touted by the Obama administration since 2011. The updated version, outlined by Hamad in remarks to …More

Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told John Kerry he will "hold" settlement construction. [Jewish Week] The secret Jewish history of "The Great Gatsby." [Forward] After an arson threat, Yale's Jewish center remains "open and welcoming." [Yale Alumni Magazine] The Spielberg Jewish FIlm Archive releases a film list in honor of Jerusalem Day. [Algemeiner] Two Anne Frank charities are dueling over archives. [Tablet] A look at the forgotten Jews of the Red Army. [Times of Israel] James Franco and Andy Samberg …More

Israeli and Chinese officials signed a $400 million trade agreement during meetings on Wednesday, expanding trade between the two nations to $2.05 billion. The agreement was signed by Israeli and Chinese finance ministers during a meeting attended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang. “This is a very important agreement for expanding bilateral cooperation. China is a vast market and if we even slightly increase our market share here it will significantly help the …More

As Jerusalemites gathered today to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid tribute to the annual commemoration with a special pre-celebration at Mount Herzl. Currently in China on a diplomatic trip, Netanyahu honored the day early, hosting his weekly cabinet meeting at the Mount on Sunday. The meeting inaugurated a new museum at the site, and Bibi invited Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to the event, using the occasion to highlight the capital’s importance to the Jewish …More

Judy Lash Balint, JNS.org Tens of thousands will visit the Old City on May 8 for Jerusalem Day, the anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War. While celebrations go on above ground, new excavations underneath and around the Old City are being uncovered and opened to the public, peeling back layers of history and expanding understanding of events in the center of the Jewish universe. Old City expert Rabbi Barnea Selevan, a veteran licensed tour guide and co-director of Foundation …More

Ron Lauder is re-elected as head of the World Jewish Congress. [JPost] Descendants honor the Jews of Cape Verde's past. [AFP] Benjamin Netanyahu visits a Jewish Chinese quarter. [JPost] Greece is considering an anti-Semitism, Holocaust-denial bill. [Haaretz] Prisoner X botched an Israeli plan to recover bodies. [Forward] Naftali Bennett steps into the Women of the Wall fray. [Times of Israel] Adam Yauch gets his own park in Brooklyn. [USA Today] …More