Israeli nanosatellite hitches ride on NASA rocket to International Space Station
February 19, 2021 by JNS
A nanosatellite from Tel Aviv University will begin its travel to the International Space Station when it is launched from Wallops Island, Virginia, on a NASA resupply spacecraft tomorrow. Read more
Report reveals UNRWA continues antisemitic hate, incitement in schools
School material distributed by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) continues to glorify Islamic jihad and incite violence in 2021 despite promises by UNRWA that the hateful content would be removed by last November, revealed a report published on Wednesday. Read more
White House: Netanyahu to be first Middle East leader Biden will call
February 17, 2021 by JNS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be the first Middle East leader President Joe Biden will call, the White House said on Tuesday. Read more
Spain’s Jewish communities insist on investigation into neo-Nazi rally
February 17, 2021 by JNS
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain (FCJE) has called on the country’s hate-crimes public prosecutor to investigate antisemitic hate speech made during a demonstration in Madrid on Feb. 13 of more than 300 people in honour of a neo-Nazi military unit, reported El Pais. Read more
‘Harry Potter’ star narrates new Holocaust documentary for British students
February 14, 2021 by JNS
A new Holocaust documentary narrated by British actor and “Harry Potter” star Jason Isaacs debuted this week for students in the United Kingdom. Read more
Steven Spielberg chosen as 2021 Genesis Prize honoree
February 12, 2021 by JNS
Steven Spielberg was awarded the 2021 Genesis Prize, an annual $1m award that honours individuals for their professional achievement, contribution to humanity and commitment to Jewish values, the Genesis Prize Foundation announced on Wednesday. Read more
Report: Decrease in antisemitic incidents in UK, though numbers remain high
February 12, 2021 by JNS
A new report released on Thursday shows a slight decrease in the number of antisemitic incidents in 2020 across the United Kingdom, even though the numbers still remain quite high. Read more
At 70, Stevie Wonder earns Israel’s prestigious Wolf Prize
February 12, 2021 by JNS
Legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder was awarded Israel’s prestigious Wolf Prize on Tuesday along with a group of laureates in the arts and sciences. Read more
Palestinian Authority, Hamas agree on election timetable
February 11, 2021 by JNS
Palestinian factions agreed on Tuesday after a two-day meeting in Cairo to “respect and accept” the results of their upcoming elections, reported Reuters. Read more
Netanyahu to Blinken: Golan Heights ‘will remain forever part of Israel’
February 10, 2021 by JNS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office pushed back against U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken over his comments that stopped short of endorsing the Trump administration’s recognition of the Golan Heights in 2019. Read more
Pointing to COVID-related economy, UAE says it will not fund UNRWA in 2021
February 10, 2021 by JNS
The United Arab Emirates says it does not plan to fund the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, this year as part of a “wiser way of utilizing funds,” according to Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy, reported Reuters. Read more
Germany charges former Nazi concentration-camp guard with complicity in 3,518 murders
February 10, 2021 by JNS
Prosecutors in Germany charged a 100-year-old former Nazi concentration-camp guard for involvement in the murder of 3,518 people. Read more
Netanyahu pleads not guilty at final pretrial hearing in Jerusalem
February 9, 2021 by JNS
The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday resumed proceedings in the corruption trial against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Read more
UNRWA textbooks under scrutiny by EU Parliament committee
February 9, 2021 by JNS
Palestinian textbooks provided by the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) came under scrutiny during a recent hearing of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee. Read more
Biden says no to lifting Iran sanctions before Tehran complies with nuclear deal
February 9, 2021 by JNS
U.S. President Joe Biden told CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday that he would not lift sanctions on Iran as a way of persuading it to return to the negotiating table, and that it would have to first cease enriching uranium. Read more
In latest call, Ashkenazi and Blinken discuss ‘outrageous’ ICC ruling
February 9, 2021 by JNS
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken on Monday, where he thanked Blinken for American support in the wake of the International Criminal Court’s decision to open a war-crimes case against Israel.
Israeli general Moshe Dayan’s widow dies at 103
February 8, 2021 by JNS
Ruth Dayan, the first wife of the late Israeli defence minister and politician Moshe Dayan, passed away Friday morning at the age of 103. Read more
Report: Trump’s attorney requests impeachment trial pause for Jewish Sabbath
In a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) late last week, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyer asked that the trial be suspended during the Jewish Sabbath. Read more
US Supreme Court rules against Holocaust victims’ heirs in Nazi-era disputes
February 5, 2021 by JNS
In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday against the heirs of Holocaust victims seeking to recover their families’ art treasures and other property seized by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Read more
German cabinet officially recognizes IHRA as an international institution
February 5, 2021 by JNS
The German cabinet officially recognized the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) on Wednesday as an international institution. Read more
Israelis 16 and up eligible for COVID vaccine; Netanyahu urges inoculation for all over 50
February 4, 2021 by JNS
The Israeli Health Ministry on Wednesday announced that beginning today, COVID-19 vaccines would be available to all Israelis over the age of 16. Read more
Biden administration ‘embraces’ international definition of antisemitism
February 3, 2021 by JNS
The Biden administration has said it will adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, a key tool in fighting antisemitism at home and abroad. Read more
Kushner and Berkowitz nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for Abraham Accords
February 2, 2021 by JNS
Jared Kushner, senior adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump, and his deputy Avi Berkowitz were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on Sunday for their role in the normalization deals between Israel and several Arab states known as the Abraham Accords. Read more
Iran says nuclear deal non-negotiable, rejects new participants
February 1, 2021 by JNS
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that its 2015 nuclear agreement with six world powers was non-negotiable and rejected any changes to the participants in the accord. The announcement came in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s statement on Friday that any new negotiations should include other countries in the region, such as Saudi Arabia. Read more
Fatah lauds Munich Olympics massacre as a ‘quality operation’
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction posted a video last week praising Black September commander Ali Hassan Salameh, one of the architects of the 1972 Munich massacre. Read more
Jewish Agency head Herzog calls out to European leaders on rising antisemitism
Isaac Herzog, chairman of the executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel, has called on European leaders to take decisive measures in combating antisemitism and vehemently counter repeated attempts at creating an unsafe and unwelcoming environment for European Jewish life. Read more
To battle Holocaust denial, Facebook announces tool to connect users with facts
In an effort to contend with Holocaust denial on its platform, Facebook announced on Wednesday—International Holocaust Remembrance Day—that it will begin to connect users to a site with facts about the 20th-century atrocity that killed 11 million people, including 6 million Jews. Read more
Kyiv chief rabbi, Western diplomats plant trees as part of ceremony at Babi Yar
January 28, 2021 by JNS
Representatives of the Jewish community in Kyiv, Ukraine—led by Rabbi Jonathan Benyamin, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Kyiv—planted seven trees on Wednesday at the Babi Yar memorial in commemoration of the 6 million Jewish lives taken by the Nazis and their collaborators. Read more
Acting US ambassador to UN: PLO mission to be reopened
January 27, 2021 by JNS
The United States will renew relations with the Palestinians, including reopening the Palestine Liberation Organization mission in Washington, D.C., acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Mills told the Security Council on Tuesday. Read more
Senate confirms Tony Blinken as US secretary of state
January 27, 2021 by JNS
The U.S. Senate confirmed Tony Blinken on Tuesday as the 71st U.S. secretary of state. Read more
