Netanyahu says speech will go ahead as planned

February 10, 2015

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was determined to speak to Congress on March 3.

“At a time when there are those who would deal with protocol and politics, an agreement with Iran is taking shape...

Michael Oren lends foreign policy bona fides to new Israeli party Kulanu

February 09, 2015

By BEN SALES

TEL AVIV (JTA) — Michael Oren, New York-born and educated at Columbia and Princeton, begins an interview in Hebrew.

Though he quickly switches to English, Oren interrupts himself every so often to translate a word into Hebrew...

Candidates go head to head on Israel’s future — and in English, too

February 09, 2015

By BEN SALES

TEL AVIV (JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Labor Chairman Isaac Herzog won’t be debating each other ahead of Israel’s March election, but English speakers in Tel Aviv who packed an event hall here got the next...

Labor holds edge over Likud, poll shows

December 23, 2014

(JTA) — Israel’s Labor Party would take two more seats than Likud, according to a new poll on the upcoming elections.The poll, which was published Monday by the Knesset Channel, shows Labor winning 23 seats, Likud...

Livni joins forces with Labor Party for March elections

December 11, 2014

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said she will run on a joint ticket with the Labor Party in Israel’s upcoming elections.Livni, who heads her own left-of-center Hatnua party, made the announcement of the...

Incumbent wins in Beit Shemesh repeat election

March 18, 2014

TEL AVIV (JTA) – Incumbent Moshe Abutbul was reelected in a close vote for mayor of Beit Shemesh, after the results of an earlier election were invalidated due to voter fraud.

Abutbul, who is haredi Orthodox and a member...

Shimon Peres rules out running for president again

February 20, 2014

(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) — Israeli President Shimon Peres will not continue to serve as president beyond the scheduled end of his term in July, the President’s Residence said in a statement on Wednesday. The announcement came against the backdrop...

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv other incumbent mayors re-elected

October 23, 2013

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The mayors of Israel’s four largest cities, including Nir Barkat in Jerusalem, were returned to office in municipal elections.

Fewer than half of eligible Israeli voters turned out on Tuesday. Barkat won 51 percent of the vote...

Jerusalem, Tel Aviv mayoral races highlight Israeli municipal elections

October 22, 2013

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The battle for the mayor of Jerusalem will be among the  closely watched races as Israelis go to the polls in municipal races.

Voting is being held Tuesday for mayor and local offices in nearly 200 cities...

Israel’s Knesset approves new government

March 19, 2013

JERUSALEM (JTA) – Israel’s Knesset approved the country’s 33rd government.The lawmakers approved the new government on Monday by a vote of 68 to 48, with four absent.

Following the vote, the government ministers were sworn in individually, each promising to...