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Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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House passes Saudi education resolution
The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a nonbinding resolution urging educational reform in Saudi Arabia.
The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Jim Davis (D-Fla.), notes that “some textbooks in Saudi Arabian schools foster intolerance, ignorance, and anti-Semitic, anti-American, and anti-Western views” and urges the Bush administration to make Saudi education reform an element of bilateral relations.
JTA recently revealed in a special investigation that Saudi Arabia is also funding teaching materials for American public schools that contain anti-Israel and anti-Western views.
The resolution passed on Monday by a vote of 351-1. The sole dissenter was Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas.) It now goes to the Senate.
Rice: Talk of Israeli strike on Iran ‘unhelpful’
Speculation about a possible Israeli attack on Iran is “not helpful,” the U.S. secretary of state said.
“I think the speculation is not really very helpful,” Condoleezza Rice told the Associated Press last Friday. “Israel is, of course, a sovereign state and we’re not in the habit of telling the Israelis how to defend themselves. However, we’ve said to everybody that this region is very volatile and it’s best — and I think the Israelis have said this, too; Prime Minister Sharon has said this — it is best to resolve this issue through diplomatic means, and that’s where we’re all focused.”
The international community is pressing Iran to roll back its nuclear program. Israel fears Iran’s road to a nuclear weapon could be irreversible as early as March.
Israel boycott decision criticized
The Anti-Defamation League condemned a regional Parliament in Norway that launched a boycott of Israeli products.
The decision by the legislators in Sor Trondelag “does nothing to promote Israeli-Palestinian products, but only serves to exacerbate tensions and ill will,” the Post and Comment OptionsKeyboard Shortcuts: press Ctrl with: B = Bold, I = Italic, S = Publish, D = Draft more »ADL’s director, Abraham Foxman, said in a statement. The ADL sent a letter expressing its criticism of the decision to Knut Vollebaek, Norway’s ambassador to the United States.
Cleric arrested in Jerusalem
Israel briefly detained a senior Palestinian Authority cleric for entering Jerusalem illegally.
Sheik Taysir Tamimi, a resident of the West Bank city of Hebron, was arrested Wednesday while trying to attend prayers at Al-Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City. He was released after posting a $6,500 bond and promising not to enter Israeli territory without a permit again.
But police, noting that it was Tamimi’s fourth such arrest in Jerusalem, said they would press for his prosecution as an illegal alien.
http://jta.org/
posted by Somebody @ 10:45 PM Permanent Link
 
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