Senate confirms Thomas Nides as US ambassador to Israel
November 5, 2021 by JNS
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee for ambassador to Israel, making banking executive Thomas Nides the United States’ top envoy to its closest ally in the Middle East. Read more
At Washington grilling, Biden official confirms plans to reopen consulate for Palestinians
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Matt McKeon confirmed on Wednesday that the administration is seeking to reopen the U.S. Consulate for Palestinians in its original location in Jerusalem. Read more
FIFA president urged to take action against Polish referee’s anti-Jewish rant
November 5, 2021 by JNS
Jewish and antisemitism watchdog groups are urging FIFA to take a stance concerning a Polish soccer referee who went on a rant against Jews. Read more
Top Italian soccer league adopts IHRA definition of antisemitism
November 4, 2021 by JNS
Italy’s premier soccer league, Serie A, has agreed to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Read more
Israel to collaborate with US, UN on regulation of social networks
October 31, 2021 by JNS
Israel’s Minister of Communications Yoaz Hendel met with executives from major online companies and legislators in New York and Washington to discuss support for the regulation of social networks, Globes reported. Read more
New York to divest $111 million from Unilever over Ben & Jerry’s Israel boycott
October 30, 2021 by JNS
New York has announced that it is pulling $111 million in investments from Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, over the ice cream makers decision to boycott Israeli settlements earlier this year. Read more
Israeli ambassador urges UN to adopt IHRA definition of antisemitism
October 29, 2021 by JNS
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations and the United States, Gilad Erdan, met on Wednesday with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)’s antisemitism envoy Miguel Moratinos to encourage the United Nations to adopt the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism. Read more
Israel to host ‘Miss Universe’ competition for first time
The 70th “Miss Universe” competition is slated to take place in the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat on Dec. 12, the first time the Jewish state has hosted the contest. Read more
Watchdog group asks UNRWA to reveal names of staffers suspended for incitement
October 28, 2021 by JNS
A watchdog group called on the U.N. agency that supports Palestinian refugees to reveal which employees were recently suspended for allegedly inciting antisemitism and violence. Read more
PA police, Fatah encourage military-style training camp for teenage girls
October 28, 2021 by JNS
The Palestinian Authority and Fatah continue to hold “summer-camp activities” for youth that present terrorists as role models. Read more
EU calls on Israel to halt construction plans in Judea and Samaria
October 27, 2021 by JNS
The European Union on Monday called on Israel to cancel tenders, issued the day before, for the construction of some 1,000 new housing units in Judea and Samaria. Read more
Biden administration protests Bennett’s approval of settlement housing units
October 27, 2021 by JNS
The Biden administration sent the Office of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett a written protest over Jerusalem’s decision to authorize the construction of 3,000 new housing units in settlements in Judea and Samaria, Walla reported on Tuesday. Read more
Gantz names six Palestinian NGOs as terror groups, US asks Israel to clarify
October 24, 2021 by JNS
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said on Friday that six Palestinian NGOs will be listed as terror organizations for their close ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Read more
Portugal honours diplomat who saved Jews from Nazis
October 20, 2021 by JNS
Portugal honoured Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a former diplomat for the country, who helped save thousands of Jews from the Nazis during World War II.
Read more
German Israeli singer at crux of antisemitic hotel incident accused of fabricating story
October 19, 2021 by JNS
Gil Ofarim, the German-Israeli singer who accused the Westin Hotel in Leipzig, Germany, of refusing him service because he wore a Star of David pendant is now being accused of fabricating the story. Read more
Gantz eulogizes Colin Powell; world lost ‘great American statesman, military leader’
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz expressed sorrow over the death of Colin Powell on Monday, stating, “The world has lost a great American statesman and military leader, Colin Powell. Not only was he a patriot and a professional, but also a pioneer—the first African-American to serve as U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as Secretary of State.” Read more
Knesset memorial session turns heated as Israel marks 26 years since Rabin assassination
October 19, 2021 by JNS
Israel marked 26 years since the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as part of a series of memorial events that began on Sunday night and continued through Monday. Read more
Saudi children’s cartoon depicts Koranic story of Jews being turned into apes
October 18, 2021 by JNS
A Saudi YouTube channel uploaded a children’s video earlier this month depicting the Koranic story of Jews being transformed by Allah into apes for violating Shabbat. Read more
Jewish death-row inmate wins new trial in Texas, citing judge’s antisemitic slurs
October 17, 2021 by JNS
A Dallas County judge ordered that Jewish death-row inmate Randy Halprin should get a new trial after considering evidence that the judge who presided over his case was biased against Jews. Read more
Poll: 86 percent of Likud voters support Netanyahu over Edelstein as party leader
October 15, 2021 by JNS
Some 86 percent of Likud voters prefer to see former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the party’s leader over former Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, who announced on Monday that he plans to challenge Netanyahu for the role, a Channel 12 news survey revealed on Tuesday. Read more
US re-elected to UN Human Rights Council, vows to ‘push back’ against anti-Israel bias
October 15, 2021 by JNS
The United States was elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on Thursday, reversing a move by the Trump administration, which withdrew from the international body in 2018 over its anti-Israel prejudice. Read more
BBC changes label calling French army captain Dreyfus ‘notorious Jewish spy’
October 15, 2021 by JNS
The BBC has changed the description of a new French period crime drama that identified Alfred Dreyfus, an army captain falsely convicted of treason, as a “notorious Jewish spy.” Read more
Google, Amazon workers call to cancel billion-dollar Israel contract
October 14, 2021 by JNS
Hundreds of Google and Amazon employees have signed a public letter demanding that the tech giants cancel Project Nimbus, a billion-dollar contract to provide public cloud computing services to Israel. Read more
Race for Jewish Agency’s leadership heats up
October 14, 2021 by JNS
The Jewish Agency may soon see a woman at its helm for the first time; five of the eight candidates seeking the chairmanship are women. The Agency’s Board of Governors is expected to announce the identity of the new chairperson by the end of the month. Read more
Former Mossad chief: Iran ‘not even close to acquiring nuclear weapon’
October 14, 2021 by JNS
Former Mossad director Yossi Cohen said on Tuesday that Iran’s position is weaker than it has been in the past. Read more
Author Sally Rooney won’t allow Hebrew translation of book, citing support for BDS
October 13, 2021 by JNS
An Irish author announced that she will only sell the Hebrew translation rights of her new novel if she can find a publishing house that adheres to the guidelines of the anti-Israel BDS movement. Read more
HBO acquires rights to biopic about boxer forced to fight fellow prisoners in Auschwitz
October 10, 2021 by JNS
HBO Films has bought the North American rights to a biographical movie about a boxer who survived Auschwitz after being forced to fight fellow prisoners. Read more
Concentration-camp guard to stand trial for 3,518 murders between 1942 and 1945
October 7, 2021 by JNS
A former guard at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp who will stand trial in Germany this month is accused of being complicit in 3,518 murders, reported The Times. Read more
Herzog at Babi Yar: Leaders must ‘condemn slightest hint of antisemitism’
October 7, 2021 by JNS
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog addressed the international gathering on Wednesday marking 80 years since the Babi Yar massacre in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sept. 29-30, 1941. Read more
Hotel in Leipzig, Germany, rebuffs Jewish singer for wearing Star of David
October 7, 2021 by JNS
Hundreds of people, some draped in Israeli flags, stood outside the Westin in Leipzig, Germany, on Tuesday night to protest an alleged incident of antisemitism at the hotel. Now, at least one major Jewish organization has launched a petition calling for the hotel, part of the Marriott chain, to apologize. Read more
