Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called for peace at the World Economic Forum in Jordan. Peres in his address Sunday evening said, “I am here to express the hope and desire of the Israeli people to bring an end to the conflict and a beginning to a peaceful new age. I hope that this forum will voice a timely call against skepticism. I pray that it will allow for tomorrow’s horizon to shine bright—a horizon that will illuminate the fruits of freedom, …More

US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Israel again, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni. At the meeting, Kerry lauded the Jewish state’s commitment to re-starting the peace process with Palestine. “There have been some very serious meetings, a lot of very serious discussions,” Kerry said. “I know this region well enough to know that there is skepticism. In some corridors, there’s cynicism. And there are reasons for it. There have …More

Yair Lapid opened up about speculation that his political acumen is fading in a sit down with the New York Times. Lapid, the head of Israel’s new Yesh Atid party, shocked the international world last January when his party became the second largest in the Knesset. Since that time, however, Lapid has struggled under his role as finance minister, in particular with regards to an austerity budget that increased taxes and made certain subsidy cuts. “I’m going to be bashed now, and be the …More

Alex Traiman, JNS.org While the 1967 Six Day War ushered in a 46-year period of controversial and complex political realities, Israelis joyously celebrate that year’s historic military victories over Egypt, Syria and Jordan on an annual basis. In particular, Israelis commemorate Yom Yersushalayim—Jerusalem Day—the national holiday celebrating the 1967 reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City. The famous paratrooper call, which Israelis vividly …More

Benjamin Netanyahu is currently in Shanghai to boost economic cooperation, amid China’s announced interest in helping further the Palestinian peace process. The diplomatic trip marks the first visit by an Israeli prime minister since Ehud Olmert’s time in China in 2007. The government is also hosting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing. Netanyahu will travel to Beijing on Wednesday, after Abbas’s departure. “The Chinese leadership was recently replaced and it is expected to …More

Google has decided Palestine is a nation state. The declaration was made by the Internet search engine Wednesday, as Google changed its Palestinian edition from “Palestinian territories” to “Palestine.” Google hosts a unique platform for each country it serves. "We're changing the name 'Palestinian Territories' to 'Palestine' across our products. We consult a number of sources and authorities when naming countries,” Google spokesman Nathan Tyler said. "In this case, we are …More

Maxine Dovere, JNS.org Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz and Jerusalem Post columnist and senior contributing editor Caroline Glick, following their sharp disagreement on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during a panel discussion at Sunday’s second annual Jerusalem Post Conference in New York City, continued their debate in interviews with JNS.org. Dershowitz had presented the audience with a plan under which peace negotiations would restart if Israel halted …More

A legislative effort led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee to enable Israelis to enter the United States without visas may be stymied by the government--Israel’s government. The hitch is Israel’s inability or unwillingness to fully reciprocate, something required for visa-free travel to the United States. Israel, citing security concerns, insists on the right to refuse entry to some US citizens. AIPAC is pushing for an exemption for Israel from this rule. But congressional staffers say …More

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad reportedly gave his resignation to President Mahmoud Abbas. The resignation was tendered Wednesday, while Abbas was in Jordan, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources. The article, published Thursday, said it was unclear whether Abbas would accept Fayyad's resignation. A spokeswoman in Fayyad's office declined to comment on the resignation reports. The resignation comes following major disagreements over government policy in the PA and rumors that Abbas …More

An Israeli court frees five Women of the Wall participants arrested at the Kotel today. [Times of Israel] France's chief rabbi finally resigns over plagiarism charges. [Times of Israel] Benjamin Netanyahu will attend Margaret Thatcher's funeral, his first foreign trip since elections. [JPost] A far-right Hungarian priest is planning an anti-Israel rally. [Forward] US aid to Israel will increase despite the sequester. [Algemeiner] UN's Human Rights Watch issues a report criticizing Hamas' failure to …More

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has requested a map of Netanyahu’s view on the two-state solution. [Times of Israel] Hamas is urging the U.N. to re-instate its operations in the Gaza Strip. [Forward] A detailed look at the Argentinian government's deal with Iran to investigate the truth behind the 1994 bombing of its Jewish community center. [Washington Post] New York State’s comptroller is assisting heirs of Holocaust victims claim money in unclaimed bank accounts. [Jewish Week] …More

Hitler's last surviving food taster reveals details about the Fuhrer's meal preferences. [Telegraph] Natan Sharansky is fighting against the Mourner's Kaddish ban for women at the Kotel. [Forward] The White House Jewish heritage event has been canceled due to sequester cuts. [Times of Israel] John Kerry met with Mahmoud Abbas, convincing the PA leader to cease unilateral actions in a step toward negotiations. [Ynet] Jewish leaders reject Lord Ahmed's apology. [JC] The Dead Sea products industry is alive …More