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Congress Passes New Iran Sanctions

06/24/2010 | Ron Kampeas | JTA

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Congress overwhelmingly passed expansive new Iran sanctions.

The sanctions passed Thursday in both houses: 99-0 in the Senate and 408-8 in the U.S. House of Representatives, and now go to President Obama for signing.

The sanctions expand existing sanctions targeting investment in Iran's energy sector to encompass trade with the energy escort and business with the banking sector.

Chabad Schools, Gets Schooled in Diplomacy at D.C. Confab

06/23/2010 | Ron Kampeas | JTA

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Chabad emissaries usually associate Washington with their emphasis on education, but this year they got a taste of foreign policy suasion while handing out some, too.

Hundreds of emissaries from across the United States and the world descended on the U.S. capital for two days last week for a conference organized by American Friends of Lubavitch.

Oren ‘Clarifies’: Pollard Spied for Israel

06/23/2010 | Ron Kampeas | JTA

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Israel's ambassador to Washington "clarified" that Jonathan Pollard spied for Israel and was not run by rogues, as he had said earlier.

Michael Oren in an interview Tuesday on the Washington news station WTOP was answering questions about whether Israel still ran spies in the United States. He was making the case that such allegations are long out of date.

Reaction Mixed to Israeli Announcement on Easing of Gaza Blockade

06/22/2010 | Marcy Oster | JTA

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel's decision to loosen its blockade on Gaza is drawing both praise and criticism.

Israel's security Cabinet on Sunday voted to ease land-based civilian imports to the Gaza Strip; the naval blockade will remain in place.

The move garnered praise from the White House, which released a statement Sunday saying it welcomed the new policy toward Gaza.

U.S. State Department Warns Against Travel in Israel

06/22/2010

WASHINGTON (JTA) -- The U.S. State Department warned Americans to "exercise a high degree of caution" while traveling in highly trafficked areas in Israel.

It also said that Americans should avoid West Bank demonstrations because of dangers posed by Israeli troops dispersing protesters, and should not attempt to enter the Gaza Strip by sea.

San Francisco Protesters Prevent Israeli Ship from Unloading

06/21/2010

(JTA) -- Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Port of Oakland to prevent an Israeli cargo ship from unloading.

About 500 protesters gathered at the port at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday to meet the Zim shipping lines cargo ship. They convinced dockworkers to agree not to unload the ship when it arrived in the port.

The ship did not arrive until 6 p.m. on Sunday. A second shift of dockworkers, at the request of the demonstrators, agreed not to cross the picket line and did not arrive to unload the ship.