Around the Jewish world
By JTA
article created on: 2010-02-24T00:00:00
MIDDLE EAST
Shalit activists block crossing
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Activists for the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit prevented fuel tankers from entering Gaza.
The protesters at the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Gaza border Feb. 23 also placed stickers on goods set to cross into Gaza that read “This siege was not decreed by God—when Gilad is freed you can finally breathe easy.”
Hamas terrorists captured Shalit from Gaza during a cross-border raid in June 2006. He reportedly is being held in Gaza.
Palestinians help thwart Kassam rocket attack
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israel halted the launch of a Kassam rocket in the West Bank with information provided by the Palestinian Security Forces.
The homemade rocket was set to be launched toward the center of the country, one of Israel’s most populated areas.
The warning about the rocket is seen as a product of the cooperation between the Israeli army and the Palestinian Security Forces, according to the Israel Defense Forces.
Iran to build more N plants
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Iran said it will begin construction on two new uranium enrichment sites in the mountains.
Construction on the nuclear facilities will begin this month according to the chairman of Iran’s atomic energy organization.
Ali Akbar Saleh said during an interview with the Iranian News agency ISNA that the facilities will have a similar production capacity as the Natanz facility’s thousands of centrifuges. Saleh said a new kind of centrifuge will be used, according to reports.
It would be difficult for an attack on the site dug into the mountains.
Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned in an interview published in a Spanish newspaper Feb. 22 that a pre-emptive Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities would lead to “disaster in the entire region.”
“This would have unforeseeable consequences,” he said.
Iran still defiant over nukes
WASHINGTON (JTA)—Iran continues to defy U.N. demands for nuclear transparency, inspectors with the world body’s nuclear monitoring group said.
“Iran has not provided the necessary cooperation to permit the Agency to confirm that all nuclear material in Iran is in peaceful activities,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said in a Feb. 18 report.
Israel unveils new drone
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israel’s Air Force unveiled a new drone that it says is capable of reaching Iran.
The Eitan was launched Feb. 21 at an official ceremony.
Made by the government-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, the Heron TP airplane can fly at medium to high altitudes for more than 20 hours carrying heavy payloads for thousands of miles.
Hamas: Put Israel on terror list
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Hamas asked the European Union to include Israel on a list of countries that support terrorism.
“We urge the EU to include the Zionist entity on the list of countries that support terrorism, as it represents a threat to international peace,” Hamas said in a Feb. 22 statement.
NATION
Students oppose boycott call
(JTA)—Five Jewish student groups at the University of California-Irvine do not agree with a call to boycott the university over campus anti-Semitism, after protesters interrupted a speech by Israel’s ambassador to the United States.
In a letter issued Feb. 22, the groups said, “As students at UCI, we respectfully disagree with the ZOAs position that students should stop attending UCI, and that donors should stop supporting the many programs at the school.”
“This is both counterproductive and one of the worst ways to deal with the Muslim Student Union at UCI.”
The groups—Anteaters for Israel, Alpha Epsilon Pi, Chabad at UCI, Hillel at UCI and Alpha Epsilon Phi—called instead for “engaging in positive dialogue and peace-seeking efforts.”
The Zionist Organization of America accused the university of enabling bigotry and violating civil rights “by failing to condemn longstanding anti-Semitic and Israel-bashing speech and conduct on campus, and failing to enforce its own policies against the perpetrators.”
The group urged donors to stop supporting Irvine and for students to stop enrolling there.
On Feb. 8, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, was interrupted repeatedly by protesters as he delivered remarks. Eleven students were arrested.
Bay Area hosts Reform rabbis
SAN FRANCISCO (j. the Jewish news weekly of Northern California)—More than 500 Reform rabbis are expected to attend the 121st annual convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis in San Francisco.
The convention, scheduled for March 7-10, attracts Reform rabbis who work at Hillels and nonprofits, or in academia and congregations.
U.S. drops Israel from watch list
WASHINGTON (JTA—Israel and the United States Trade Representative struck a deal that will remove Israel from the USTR watch list.
Israel was on the Special 301 Priority Watch List, which monitors international intellectual property, because of a disagreement over protections of pharmaceuticals.
Israel had allowed the manufacture of generic drugs five years after a patented drug was approved for use.
Under the new agreement foreign companies can market their product exclusively for a longer period of time in Israel and will receive commercial incentive to introduce new drugs into the Israeli health care system in a timely fashion. When the drug’s patent expires in either the United States or Europe, Israeli generic companies can begin manufacturing.
WORLD
Israeli film wins prize in Berlin
BERLIN (JTA)—An Israeli short film won second prize at a Berlin festival.
“Hayerida” (“The Descent”), by Shai Miedzinski of Tel Aviv, took the Silver Bear Award at the Berlinale International Film Festival.
Shot in the Negev, it shows a family in search of the perfect stone for the grave of their son. Miedzinski told the audience at a festival screening that he had lost his father 10 years ago and wanted to make a film about coping with the death of a loved one.
“Its hard to depict grief, a transition for a family,” the jury noted, “but the director listens to the wind blow and frames the emotion.”
