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

To coincide with this year’s Yom Ha’atzmaut theme—Heritage—the Prime Minister’s Office rolled out a special campaign to highlight past prime ministers in private moments. The project began this week and entails photo albums on the PMO’s Facebook page, with archived images of past leaders like David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin. The photos range from the mundane, like a haircut for Yitzhak Shamir, to the historic, like Menachem Begin’s accords with Jimmy …More

The number of Israelis who view President Obama as pro-Palestinian dropped by 20 percent following his first presidential visit to Israel, according to a new poll. In the poll, conducted Sunday by Smith Research for the Jerusalem Post, 27 percent of 500 Israeli respondents said they considered the Obama administration more pro-Israel than pro-Palestinian, 16 percent said he was more pro-Palestinian, 39 percent were neutral and 18 percent did not an express an opinion. In a pre-visit poll conducted March 17, 36 …More

Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, former IDF head and cabinet minister who was key in several secret Israeli operations, died today at the age of 68 after battling cancer for years. Lipkin-Shahak began his service as part of a paratrooper brigade, taking part in the 1973 Beirut raid against top commanders in Black September, the group responsible for the Munich 11 killings. The two-time Medal of Courage recipient was side by side with comrade Ehud Barak on that mission, who Lipkin-Shahak would later serve under when Barak …More

A Hungarian politician is denounced after referring to Jews as a "national security risk." [WJC] Meanwhile, Hungarian Jews ask Russia to return looted scrolls. [Reuters] A look at Jewish history in Aleppo, Syria. [Forward] Ethiopia's last Jews prepare for the Promised Land. [AFP] A big fuss is being kicked up over the fact there are no Jewish candidates in the the New York mayoral race. [NYT] Gelt without guilt: ethically produced chocolate treats for Hanukkah. [Tablet] A list of famous exhumations to …More

Two Israelis were injured today during demonstrations ahead of tomorrow’s anniversary of the Palestinian declaration of independence. Palestinian advocates took to the streets across the West Bank Wednesday, throwing rocks at Israeli cars and blocking roads. The disturbances led to physical altercations in several incidences, with two Israelis sustaining minor injuries in northern Efrat after their vehicles were attacked. Six other demonstrators were also wounded, and several of the protestors were …More

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced concerns over Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ comments regarding the right of return for Arabs in Israel. [Reuters] The Palestinian Authority plans to move ahead with its bid to upgrade its U.N. status to “observer state,” despite pleas from Israel to stop. [JPost] The Iron Dome anti-rocket system has successfully completed tests designed to improve its capability in protecting against long-range missiles targeting Israel. [Algemeiner] The …More

Seventeen years after his assassination, Yitzhak Rabin’s legacy still divides Israeli society. Some 30,000 Israelis marked the anniversary of the murder by gathering on October 27 in the Tel Aviv Square in which the former prime minister was gunned down by a Jewish extremist in 1995. Their banner — “Remembering the murder: fighting for democracy” — was underscored by speakers who condemned “price-tag” attacks and acts of vandalism against Palestinians, mainly in the West …More

Israel has admitted to the killing of a top Palestinian aide, 24 years after the assassination. Abu Jihad was the right-hand man for Yasser Arafat and one of the founding members of the PLO. He was also believed to be responsible for a slew of attacks on the Israeli people in the 70’s and 80’s. Now, the Israeli military censor has allowed the publication of an interview with IDF commander Nahum Lev, who is credited with the killing that took place in 1988 in Tunisia. Lev died himself in 2000, and …More

Israelis are already honoring the memory of Yitzhak Rabin, just days ahead of the anniversary of the past prime minister's assassination. During a cabinet meeting over the weekend, Benjamin Netanyahu said of the November 4, 1995 murder, "It will be etched in Jewish history along with other traumatic events." "This murder also obliges us to safeguard Israel's democracy, to defend freedom of speech and to strongly reject all displays of violence," he added. The cabinet meeting opened with a moment of …More

Hagai Amir, a co-conspirator in the 1995 murder of Yitzhak Rabin, has said that in hindsight he would have helped to assassinate the late Israeli premier at an earlier date. Hagai Amir, the brother of Rabin assassin Yigal Amir, wrote on his Facebook page that he and his brother would have killed Rabin “two years earlier” if they could do it over and that he was “most definitely proud” of his actions. Hagai Amir was released from prison in May. His brother is still imprisoned for gunning …More

France has filed an official murder inquiry into the death of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Earlier this summer, the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news outlet released a documentary further looking into Arafat’s death. Swiss scientists purported in the film that polonium-210 was found on article’s of the Arab leader’s clothing at the time of death, including on his iconic keffiyeh. Following the documentary, Arafat’s widow Suha issued a complaint with French officials, asking for an …More