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Friday, October 13, 2006
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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U.N. picks Ban
The U.N. General Assembly approved the selection of Ban Ki-Moon as U.N. secretary-general.
Ban, South Korea’s foreign minister, will assume the post in January. He met with a number of Jewish groups and leaders in recent weeks in his quest to win Friday afternoon’s vote, and was favored by the United States and Israel.
Ban is considered a less effective public advocate than Kofi Annan, who is stepping down after 10 years as U.N. head, according to those who know both men. However, others say Ban works well behind-the-scenes. He has pledged to advance U.N. reform and help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Senate cites ‘Toward Tradition’
A report by U.S. Senate investigators cited a Jewish group for possible fraud in its dealings with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
The report released Thursday by staff for Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said Toward Tradition was among five groups that “may have jeopardized their tax-exempt status and potentially violated tax laws in dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.”
According to the report, subpoenaed e-mails reveal that Toward Tradition, a conservative group founded by Abramoff associate Rabbi Daniel Lapin, placed favorable opinion pieces in conservative outlets on behalf of Abramoff clients and in exchange for donations. Abramoff has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of fraud in a wide-ranging scandal that has ensnared leading Republicans.
Lapin could not be reached for comment.
Bush extends PLO waiver
President Bush extended for six months his waiver of a provision that would shut down Washington’s PLO office.
Friday’s move comes weeks after an effort failed in Congress to restrict Bush’s ability to waive long-standing legislation banning any Palestine Liberation Organization presence in the United States. Bush and his predecessors all have exercised their right to apply the six-month waiver.
Palestine film screens in Hollywood
A film called “Visit Palestine,” about a peace activist, has been selected for a Hollywood film festival.
The documentary about Caiomhe Butterly, who has been injured in her campaign for peace in the region, will screen Nov. 11 as part of the “Artivist Film Festival,” an event that promotes activism through
Texas buys more Israel Bonds
Texas purchased $8 million in Israel Bonds.
The purchase, made last month by Carole Keeton Strayhorn, the state comptroller, brings Texas’ total investment in Israel to $24 million, double the amount when Strayhorn took office in 1998. Strayhorn, an independent, is mother to Scott McClellan, President Bush’s former press secretary, and Mark McClellan, formerly Bush’s top Medicare official.
http://www.jta.org/
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