Two Jewish groups, the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League, have different approaches to handling school bullying. [The Jewish Daily Forward] Benjamin Netanyahu orders the construction of 300 new homes in a West Bank settlement. [The Associated Press] Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he will not meet Netanyahu before Israel meets his wants. [ynet] Amnesty International demands that Israel ends the practice of holding Palestinians under administrative detention. …More

Gilad Shalit will be discharged from his duties with the Israeli Defense Forces, following seven years in service. Shalit was famously held prisoner by Hamas for half a decade and was released just last October as part of a prisoner exchange that took years to negotiate. A date for the discharge has not been set, though it is expected to take place this month. Talks are currently underway as to whether a ceremony should be held to mark the occasion. Following the discharge, Shalit will still be eligible for …More

Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said the Palestinians were disappointed with President Obama's speech to the AIPAC conference. "This speech is part of Obama’s election campaign," Erekat told the Palestinian Ma'an news agency, speaking of the U.S. leader's address Sunday to the pro-Israel lobby. Erekat expressed disappointment that the speech did not call on Israel to accept a two-state solution and stop building in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. He said the speech showed …More

Palestinians worshiping at the Temple Mount attacked a group of Christian tourists with stones. The attack Sunday reportedly was in reaction to a rumor that a group of Jewish rightists were scheduled to visit the Temple Mount and had plans to destroy the Al-Aksa mosque and build the Third Temple on the site.  Some 18 Palestinians were arrested in connection with clashes with Jerusalem police; three police officers were injured. The site remained open to worshipers and tourists. No Jews were at the site …More

In these days of frozen peace negotiations, most Israelis and Palestinians have little contact. Palestinians need a special permit to enter Israel, and Israelis need army permission to enter the parts of the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority. In fact, just a mile north of this small West Bank town, a large yellow sign reminds drivers that “it is illegal to hand over cars for repair to the Palestinian Authority or to enter Palestinian areas.” But in Barta’a, Israelis and …More

Leah Schapira suggests that a chocolate fondue may be the perfect way to get fussy eaters to try new fruits, as is traditional on Tu B’Shvat. [The Jerusalem Post]  As Israeli settlers or Palestinians destroy olive groves on disputed territory in an effort to prevent the other from claiming land, Tu B’Shvat is a reminder of the sanctity of life. [Haaretz] Persian-language station Radio RADISIN in Tel Aviv transmits Iranian music, poetry and news to spread peace and cultural understanding between …More

A Jewish group is demanding the resignation of a Quebec mayor who said Israel should not exist. Members of the Jewish Defense League picketed in front of Huntingdon's City Hall on Jan. 26 demanding that Stephane Gendron step down as mayor of the small town southwest of Montreal or be fired. JDL Canada spokesman Meir Weinstein said about 20 people protested and the group intends to keep up the pressure for Gendron to leave. The mayor's remarks were "dangerous, inflammatory and un-Canadian," Weinstein told …More

Two Palestinians were reported killed in an Israeli military strike near the Gaza border. Israeli troops fired Wednesday on Palestinians that it said were placing explosives near the border fence in order to harm or kidnap Israeli soldiers. Two other Palestinians were reported injured in the attack.  The explosives that were being planted also exploded during the attack, according to the Israel Defense Forces. "The IDF will not tolerate any attempts to harm its civilians or Israel Defense Forces soldiers," …More

Israel's Supreme Court has legalized the operation of several quarries in the West Bank. The opinion issued Monday stated that existing quarries may continue to operate, but that no new quarries can be established, according to the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din, which filed the lawsuit. The court dismissed the lawsuit, saying that the 10 quarries should be allowed to continue to operate until a final-status agreement is reached between Israel and the Palestinians. Yesh Din had filed the lawsuit on …More

The Palestinians need to prove they deserve an independent state before on is recognized, a leading U.S. lawmaker said on Thursday, criticizing what he said was a Palestinian culture of "resentment." House Majority Leader Eric Cantor made the comments during the Reform movement's biennial conference at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland south of Washington DC, which was participated by 6,000 U.S. Jews, including rabbis, Reform movement officials, lay leaders, and students. Addressing the …More

The U.S. government has asked senior Palestinian officials to refrain from leaking details of talks that took place recently between Middle East Quartet envoys, Israeli representatives and the Palestinian Authority. According to a senior U.S. official, the Quartet agreed with Israel and the Palestinians that the content of the talks would remain confidential. “Quartet members and parties have agreed to preserve confidentially in their discussions. So frankly, we're somewhat disturbed by the fact that many …More

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum denied the existence of Palestinians, claiming them as citizens of Israel during a campaign stop on Friday. "All the people who live in the West Bank are Israelis, they're not Palestinians," the former Pennsylvania Senator told a participant at an Iowa campaign event. …More