National News

Embassy Issue Surfaces Again

10/02/1998 | James Besser | Washington Correspondent

Embassy Issue Surfaces Again

The issue of moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which the administration claims is a time bomb in the middle of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, is ticking again thanks to a petition being circulated by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
The petition originated with an “ad hoc interfaith group of people concerned about Jerusalem,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-chair of the umbrella group.

Despite Progress, Showdown Looms

10/02/1998 | by Lawrence Cohler-Esses and James D. Besser  | Lawrence Cohler-Esses is a staff writer. James D. Besser is Washington correspondent.

Like Lucy holding out her football for Charlie Brown to kick again, President Clinton, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat once more raised the world’s expectations Monday for a breakthrough on their long-stalled peace agreement.

But when the three faced an expectant White House press corps after their meeting, Clinton again voiced the phrases heard so often before.

Test for Anti-Terror Law

09/25/1998 | James Besser | Washington Correspondent

Test For Anti-Terror Law

Ever since it passed two years ago, Jewish leaders who pressed hard for a tough federal anti-terrorism law have been nervously waiting for its first major court challenge. Now it appears that the test will come in Los Angeles, where the United States Court of Appeals will decide in a case directly challenging the most controversial provisions of the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

‘Most Dangerous Hate Group In U.S.’

09/25/1998 | James Besser | Washington Correspondent

Hate groups have been out of the news in recent months, but that doesn’t mean they are not exploiting recent events — including the stock market plunge and the Monica Lewinsky scandal — to expand their base. That was the message in a new Anti-Defamation League report on the National Alliance, which the Jewish watchdog group called “the single most dangerous organized hate group in America today.”

Sex, Lies And Sermons

09/25/1998 | by Stewart Ain | Staff Writer

The sex scandal enveloping President Bill Clinton and the nation was a prime topic of discussion at Rosh HaShanah services this week, and many New York-area rabbis used their sermons to draw lessons from the tragedy.

Wake Up Call on Missile Proliferation

09/18/1998 | James Besser | Washington Correspondent

Wake-up Call On Missiles?

Will the recent test of an advanced North Korean ballistic missile awaken Washington from its long slumber on the issue of missile defenses? That was the underlying question posed by a group of Israeli legislators who made the rounds in Washington this week, seeking to bolster missile defense cooperation and encourage American efforts to combat the escalating threat.