Leader of the Yisrael Beyteinu political party Avigdor Liberman leading a press conference at the Knesset, May 18, 2016. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
JERUSALEM (JTA) — France rejected the Israeli defense minister’s comparison of next month’s Middle East peace summit in Paris to the anti-Semitic Dreyfus trial.
French Foreign Ministry officials said Monday that the Jan. 15 meeting was being held to “re-affirm” the international community’s commitment to a two-state solution.
Earlier in the day, Avigdor Liberman told a meeting of his Yisrael Beiteinu party: “It is not a peace conference, but a tribunal against Israel that is intended to harm Israel and its good name. It will not just be a trial against Israel, but a modern Dreyfus trial. Look at how all of France has been voting against us. We know the direction and the goal of the conference. It adds to the atmosphere in France against Jews.”
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Vienna rabbis condemn Russia’s chief rabbi for meeting head of Austria’s Freedom Party
(JTA) — Rabbis in Vienna condemned the chief rabbi of Russia for meeting the head of Austria’s far-right Freedom Party.
Russian Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar met this week with Heinz-Christian Strache and his delegation at his office in Moscow, the UK Jewish News reported.
The meeting came two weeks after the Freedom Party candidate for president lost by a narrow margin in Austria’s presidential election.
The party has relaunched efforts to ban ritual slaughter in the country, The Local Austria reported last week.
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Paris-area school named for Anne Frank hit with anti-Semitic graffiti
(JTA) — Anti-Jewish and anti-Roma graffiti were drawn in black marker on the front gate and the mailbox of a suburban Paris Jewish school named for teenage Holocaust diarist Anne Frank.
The graffiti on the Anne Frank School in Montreuil, an eastern suburb of Paris, was discovered on Sunday afternoon, the French daily Le Parisian reported.
The graffiti included swastikas and Stars of David with the word Jude, as well as statements such as “Jews forbidden” and “Filthy Jewish and Romani people.”
More graffiti was later found on other outside walls of the building.
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
British pop star George Michael, who had Jewish roots, dies at 53
George Michael performing at “Live 8 London” in Hyde Park, London, July 2, 2005. (MJ Kim/Getty Images)
(JTA) — British pop singer George Michael, who disclosed a decade ago that he had Jewish roots, has died unexpectedly at the age of 53.
Michael died at his home in England of heart failure, his publicist said. His family asked for privacy during this time.
Michael first achieved fame as one of two members of the popular 80s band WHAM! before beginning his solo career, where he was known for his catchy dance tunes and provocative lyrics.
Click here for the full story