Author: David Leibermann

(JTA) — Judging from the photos and the tweets, it looked like a set of normal Congressional delegations to Israel: Senators posing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The U.S. ambassador declaring that “Bipartisanship is alive and well in Israel!!” Pledges of mutual support amid external threats. Sen. Chuck Schumer standing arm-in-arm with Netanyahu, grinning.  […]

(JTA) — The North American Zionist youth group Young Judaea is expressing “great concern” over Israel’s proposed judicial reform and calling on the country’s lawmakers to safeguard minority rights and a system of checks and balances.  Young Judaea joins a growing number of pro-Israel American Jewish groups cautioning against the controversial court legislation in its […]

(JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition advanced a second major piece of its proposed court reform, holding an initial vote in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on a measure that would allow the government to all but eliminate judicial review. It also advanced a bill that would prohibit the Supreme Court to disqualify government […]

(JTA) — An Israeli shooting raid in the West Bank city of Nablus drew gunfire from Palestinian militants and ended with the death of at least 10 Palestinians, reports said. The dead included a 72-year old and a 16-year-old. The raid comes amid escalating violence in Israel and the West Bank. Palestinian terror attacks in […]

(JTA) — American Reform rabbis joined Women of the Wall for the group’s monthly prayer service at the Western Wall, weeks after members of the Israeli government introduced, then quickly withdrew, a law that would have banned their activity. In addition, police intervened to stop Orthodox counter-protesters who tried to disrupt a separate prayer service […]

When Ashley Inbar of Portland, Maine, got married in a traditional Jewish ceremony at the Jamaican beach resort of Ocho Rios in early January, there were five very special names on the guest list. Just half a decade earlier, they were all complete strangers. But then they met in Israel on an unusual Birthright trip […]

(JTA) – In a major victory for pro-Israel advocates, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal against an Arkansas state law requiring all companies that contract with the state to sign a pledge promising not to boycott Israel. The Tuesday dismissal allows the Arkansas law to stand, ending its challenger’s effort to overturn […]

(JTA) — The Israeli government’s controversial judicial reform plan cleared a major hurdle as its parliament, the Knesset, voted to advance a key piece of the plan. The 63-47 vote took place early Tuesday morning, following a second week of mass protests outside the Knesset in Jerusalem. The bill was introduced by Prime Minister Benjamin […]

(JTA) – They have donated untold millions to develop Israel and defend it from its detractors. Now, a group of major philanthropists in North America have come together to warn that Israeli democracy is in jeopardy as the new government seeks to overhaul the judiciary and grant itself veto power over Supreme Court rulings. Fifteen […]

TAYIBE, Israel (JTA) — Prominent figures among Israel’s Arab minority are calling on its members to join the mass protests against the Netanyahu government’s judicial overhaul plan, arguing that Arabs will be the first victims of any weakening of the Supreme Court. “If the government succeeds it will make our chances for equality and a […]