Guest Editorial: The Importance Of Voting (Part 2)

Posted on: June 20th, 2012

The candidacy of New York City Councilman Charles Barron for Congress against New York State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries to replace the retiring Edolphus Towns has attracted much more than the usual interest.

Once Again, Settlements

Posted on: June 13th, 2012

Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal last week to block the dismantling of Givat Ulpana enraged the Right in Israel, it was his government’s announcement of the construction of hundreds of new housing units in Beit El, Ariel, Ma’aleh Adumim, Adam, Efrat and Kiryat Arba that caused much more tumult around the world.

Congress Must Pursue Leakgate

Posted on: June 13th, 2012

On its face, it might seem that Attorney General Eric Holder’s appointment of two veteran federal prosecutors to mount a criminal investigation into the recent spate of national security leaks is a step in the right direction. Indeed, those appointments seem to have quieted congressional calls for the appointment of a special independent investigative counsel and holding congressional hearings into what will doubtless come to be known as Leakgate. Yet there are some issues that come to mind.

The Importance Of Voting

Posted on: June 13th, 2012

While it is always important for our community to vote in large numbers, recent redistricting has made it all the more imperative.

Mr. Obama’s Monumental Hubris

Posted on: June 6th, 2012

Over the past few weeks we have remarked on what we see as President Obama’s presumption that public resources are for his own uses – including political uses – regardless of laws or past political protocol.

Erik Martin Dilan In The 7th Congressional District

Posted on: June 6th, 2012

The Jewish Press endorses Erik Martin Dilan in the June 26 Democratic primary election in the 7th Congressional district. The district consists of Little Italy and the Lower East Side in Manhattan; in Brooklyn it includes, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, parts of Fresh Pond, Red Hook, Gowanus, Greenwood, Sunset Park and Cypress Hills; and in Queens, parts of Fresh Pond and Woodhaven.

Hakeem Jeffries In The 8th Congressional District

Posted on: June 6th, 2012

The Jewish Press endorses Hakeem Jeffries in the June 26 Democratic primary for the 8th Congressional District. In Brooklyn the district consists of Fort Green, Bedford-Stuyvesant, East New York, Canarsie, Flatlands, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, Marine Park, Brighton Beach, Coney Island, Sea Gate and Manhattan Beach. In Queens the district includes Ozone Park and Howard Beach.

Counting Palestinian Refugees

Posted on: May 31st, 2012

For too long, Palestinian claims concerning the number of Arabs displaced from their homes in the course of Israel’s 1948 War of Independence have been accepted with little or no attempt at verification.

The Flame Virus

Posted on: May 31st, 2012

The full story has yet to be told, but even talk of the so-called Flame virus carries an important message. Certainly the widespread belief that Israel was behind this and earlier computer viruses that wreaked havoc on Iran’s nuclear efforts – a notion hinted at by Prime Minister Netanyahu and Vice Premier Moshe Ya’alon – should be taken as evidence that all things being equal, left to its own devices Israel is quite capable of taking care of itself. But there is an added dimension.

Rory Lancman In Queens Democratic Congressional Primary

Posted on: May 31st, 2012

We urge readers in New York’s 6th Congressional District to vote for New York State Assemblyman Rory Lancman in the June 26 Democratic primary.

Steve R. Rothman In New Jersey Democratic Congressional Primary

Posted on: May 31st, 2012

We call on voters in the 9th Congressional District in New Jersey to vote for Congressman Steven Rothman in the June 5 Democratic primary.

Pushing The Envelope In The Obama White House

Posted on: May 23rd, 2012

While we share the belief of most Americans that candidates for office should run on a level playing field, we are not naïve enough to believe incumbency doesn't matter. There are perks that come with political office, particularly the highest political office in the land. For example, presidents running for reelection are allowed to use Air For One, with all its attendant trappings of power, when traveling to and from campaign events – though their campaigns are required to reimburse the public treasury for expenses incurred.

The Times Gang Tackles Romney

Posted on: May 23rd, 2012

The New York Times has now confirmed that it is once again in the tank for President Obama even as it was for candidate Obama four years ago. Over a period of four days beginning last Thursday, it unleashed an astounding four articles and an editorial slamming any discussion by Romney supporters of Mr. Obama’s two decade-long attendance at a church led by a virulent anti-white, anti-American minister on the grounds that such discussion raised the race and religion cards.

Doctoring Documents: Postscript

Posted on: May 16th, 2012

Last week we called attention to the extraordinary reports that the Obama administration had taken to scrubbing references in official documents to Jerusalem as part of Israel.

Whither Israel’s New Government?

Posted on: May 16th, 2012

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to form a coalition government with Kadima and cancel planned early elections has inspired endless speculation as to his motives. Some maintain he was seeking a unity government in order to bolster his position with regard to Iran. Others point to his desire to be better able to deal with certain domestic issues such as election reform and changes to the Tal Law.

Doctoring Official Documents

Posted on: May 9th, 2012

The current issue of Commentary magazine tells of sordid – and possibly criminal – Obama administration efforts to alter some files of the George W. Bush administration that refer to Jerusalem as being part of Israel. The article also adds a fascinating footnote to the much-publicized Zivotofsky case.

Lifting The PA Funding Freeze

Posted on: May 9th, 2012

When Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas tried to end run the PA’s treaty obligations to negotiate its statehood with Israel and instead secure recognition from the United Nations, Congress reacted by forbidding the transfer of State Department foreign aid funds to the PA. Several days ago, however, President Obama invoked a waiver provision in the law and authorized the funding to be resumed. And therein lies an important tale.

The Pollard Petition

Posted on: May 2nd, 2012

The Jewish Press urges readers to sign a circulating petition that calls on Shimon Peres to do all he can, in advance of accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, to persuade Mr. Obama to free Jonathan Pollard, the Israeli spy serving a life sentence in a federal prison. (President Obama announced last month that he would be awarding the Medal to Mr. Peres, the president of Israel, in June.)

Wiesel Versus Netanyahu

Posted on: May 2nd, 2012

We were dismayed by the criticism Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel leveled at Prime Minister Netanyahu following the latter’s speech marking Holocaust Remembrance Day. Mr. Wiesel took issue with what he said was the prime minister’s likening of the Holocaust to the threat posed to Israel by Iran. Obviously whatever Mr. Wiesel says about the Holocaust is worth listening to. But we are nonetheless puzzled.

The Eisner Affair

Posted on: April 25th, 2012

We would never presume to second-guess the IDF’s judgment concerning the actions of one of its officers while on duty. But several observations need to be made about the worldwide reaction to that video of IDF Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner’s striking a demonstrator with a rifle butt.