At a curry house in central Israel, a poster welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets patrons even before they encounter the rich scent of spices wafting from the kitchen. Modi’s three-day visit beginning Tuesday — the first ever of an Indian premier to Israel — is a landmark moment for the Jewish state, a … Read more
In three years, Lebanese grocer Ali Khiami hired six staff, invested in property and funded his children’s university education. Business is booming — thanks to Syrian refugees using UN debit cards. Displaced Syrian families in Lebanon are using electronic cards, topped up each month by the United Nations’ World Food Programme with $27 (24 euros) … Read more
Just when it seemed there was nothing else left to divide Israelis and Palestinians, some Jewish hardliners have found a new one: beer. The recent decision by a trendy pub in the northern Israeli city of Haifa to make Shepherds beer available sparked the controversy. The problem: Shepherds is a Palestinian beer recently launched by … Read more
Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews took to the streets of Jerusalem on Tuesday to protest against compulsory military service at a time of increased tensions between them and Israeli authorities. The protesters dressed in the dark suits and hats typical of the ultra-Orthodox community held signs, including those saying “the state of Israel persecutes Jews”. Rabbis … Read more
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu of ignorance about history and the Jewish faith on Tuesday after he said ancient Persian rulers tried to destroy the Jews. In a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Netanyahu said Persia had made “an attempt to destroy the Jewish people that did … Read more