Trump officially recognises Jerusalem as Israeli capital

New York, Dec 7 : United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday formally recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in the face of international criticism while asserting that he was "not taking a position of any final status" of the ancient city that is also claimed by Palestine. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking immediately after Trump's announcement, delivered criticism couched in diplomatic terms, saying he was "against any unilateral measures that would jeopardize the prospect of peace for Israelis and Palestinians."

On the eve of Modi’s visit, Israel backs India against Pakistan

On the eve of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "historic" visit to Israel, a senior official from the Israeli foreign ministry said that his country supports India on what he called "terrorism emanating from Pakistan." Israel believes that there is no difference between Pakistan based "Lashkar-e-Taiba" and the Hamas group operating in Israel and Palestine, said Mark Sofer, deputy director general in charge of the Asia and Pacific division.

With Israeli decision on prayers at Western Wall, some see diminished clout of liberal US Jews

When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet voted to renege on a compromise plan for a plaza where women and men could pray together at the Western Wall, the decision was widely viewed as a move to placate ultra-religious parties in the ruling government coalition. But analysts and former government officials say there's another key factor at play: The rise of President Donald Trump has reinforced the perception among some in Israel's right-wing government that the clout of liberal non-Orthodox Jews in the U.S. is diminishing.

Jewish group cancels meeting with Netanyahu in protest

British officials are investigating a cyberattack on the country's Parliament after discovering "unauthorized attempts to access parliamentary user accounts." . A Northern Ireland-based party has struck a deal with British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservatives to support the prime minister in a crucial vote on the government's legislative package later this week.

Matt and Emma Willis enjoy Glastonbury festival together

Third time's a charm! Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his Scottish actress fiancee are married by Mike Pence in front of Trump, Melania and Ivanka in lavish, star-studded DC ceremony Police hunt couple caught on video brutally beating a restaurant owner and punching her 15-year-old daughter in the face because they were unhappy with their ORDER University of Delaware professor is slammed for saying North Korea prisoner Otto Warmbier was a 'privileged, rich, clueless white male' who 'got exactly what he deserved' Jared Kushner angered Palestinian leader Mahumoud Abbas by relaying a list of demands from Israel during a tense meeting in the West Bank Friends forever! Five high school buddies have been recreating the exact same photo in the same spot for 35 years The drug squad: Every member of Russia's 2014 World Cup team is under investigation in a doping probe that shames soccer ... (more)

Seven-month-old baby dies in hot car

Third time's a charm! Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his Scottish actress fiancee are married by Mike Pence in front of Trump, Melania and Ivanka in lavish, star-studded DC ceremony Police hunt couple caught on video brutally beating a restaurant owner and punching her 15-year-old daughter in the face because they were unhappy with their ORDER Jared Kushner angered Palestinian leader Mahumoud Abbas by relaying a list of demands from Israel during a tense meeting in the West Bank University of Delaware professor is slammed for saying North Korea prisoner Otto Warmbier was a 'privileged, rich, clueless white male' who 'got exactly what he deserved' Friends forever! Five high school buddies have been recreating the exact same photo in the same spot for 35 years The drug squad: Every member of Russia's 2014 World Cup team is under investigation in a doping probe that shames soccer ... (more)

A Matter of Transparency

Numerous "American friends of" organizations exist in the Jewish communal firmament to help direct funds to worthy causes in Israel. That's what most people thought was the case with an organization known as Aish International - it was generally assumed to be the American fundraising arm of Jerusalem-based Aish HaTorah, the haredi Orthodox outreach group with programs throughout the world.

Reasons the U.S. cares about Saudi Arabia’s newly named crown prince

Reasons the U.S. cares about Saudi Arabia's newly named crown prince King Salman named his son Mohammed bin Salman, 31, as next-in-line to the thrown. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2sS4xL0 In this May 14, 2012, file photo, Prince Mohammed bin Salman waits for Gulf Arab leaders ahead of the opening of Gulf Cooperation Council summit, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

White House Sends Jared Kushner into Israel to Kickstart Peace Efforts

On Wednesday, the President's son-in-law and envoy is to join national security aide Greenblatt, who arrived in the country on Monday, to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and senior aides in a first step to kick-start a peace process that has been largely stalled for 25 years. The White House acknowledged any deal would be lengthy, and difficult.

Jared Kushner will return to Jerusalem to jump-start peace talks

Jared Kushner, President Trump's senior adviser and son-in-law, will visit the Middle East later for meetings in Jerusalem and the West Bank aimed at trying to jump-start peace talks. Kushner will arrive in Jerusalem Wednesday for meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and will then travel to Ramallah, in the West Bank, for meetings with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Likud planned anti-Obama campaign ads in 2015 – report

US President Barack Obama meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, March 3, 2014 During the 2015 election campaign, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party reportedly planned, and later scrapped, negative campaign ads against then-US president Barack Obama. It relied on internal polls of Israeli voters that indicated most were negatively predisposed toward the US leader.

Senate to hear from Comey; Dems raise new Session questions

In this file photo, then-FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. Comey, ousted last month amid a federal investigation into connections between Russia and the Trump campaign, is set to testify before Congress next week in a highly anticipated hearing that could shed new light on his private conversations with the president in the weeks before the firing.

Trump Acts Like a Competent, Conventional President Abroadby Michael…

On May 19, President Donald Trump took off in Air Force One for the Middle East and Europe. He left behind a Washington and a nation buzzing about his firing of FBI director James Comey, the multiple reasons he had given for doing so, the meeting he'd had with the Russian foreign minister a day later and his statement that Comey is a "nut job."

Trump says he never ‘mentioned the word’ Israel in meeting with Russians

It's a far cry from Trump's campaign rhetoric that accused Muslims of hating America - even repeating unfounded claims that hundreds of Arabs cheered the destruction of the World Trade Center from across the river on 9/11. He pointedly sidestepped any mention of the thorny issues that have stymied all previous attempts at a peace deal, including the status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlement construction and the Palestinians' demand for a sovereign nation.

Trump, Abbas Call for Revival of Palestinian-Israeli Peace Talks

Palestinian protesters shout slogans and hold placards outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem during a demonstration in support of prisoners refusing food in Israeli jails, on May 23, 2017, during a visit of the US president to the West Bank town. President Donald Trump called for a breakthrough in Israeli-Palestinian relations after he met Tuesday in Bethlehem with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

President Trump’s Trailblazing Pro-Israel Actions

Many were waiting for President Trump's trip to Israel to decide whether Mr. Trump's pledges of friendship and support for Israel were as real today as what had been enunciated during his presidential campaign. Some had suggested that Mr. Trump had been "deep-stated" by those within the establishment who were ambivalent regarding the important alliance between our country and Israel.