Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israel (JTA) — Iran has executed a man convicted of spying for Israel and of assassinating an Iranian nuclear scientist. Majid Jamali Fashi, 24, was hanged early Tuesday morning, according to Iranian news reports. He was sentenced to death in August 2010, for the murder of Ali Mohammadi, [ Read More...]

By Israel Hayom Staff Exclusive to JNS (JNS) — Ahead of Monday’s two-day talks in Vienna between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the West’s demands on Iran “are so minimal, that even if Iran accepts all of them it will still be able to continue and [ Read More...]

By Uriel Heilman Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) — Israel’s new unity government may not alter Jerusalem’s strategy for curbing Iran’s nuclear weapons program or do much to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. It could, however, dramatically change something at home about which a huge number of Israelis care deeply: haredi Orthodox exemptions from military service. [ Read More...]

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat suffers heart attack (JTA) — Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator in peace talks with Israel, suffered a heart attack. Erekat, 57, was taken to a Ramallah hospital early Tuesday morning, where he underwent a heart catheterization, according to the Associated Press. He will remain hospitalized for three days. Knesset bill [ Read More...]

By Mati Wagner Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israelis went to sleep Monday night expecting early elections in September for the 19th Knesset. They woke up to the news that elections would take place as planned in October 2013. A behind-the-scenes deal clinched overnight between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Shaul Mofaz created Israel’s [ Read More...]

By Eetta Prince-Gibson Jewish Telegraphic Agency BEIT EL, West Bank (JTA) — Alex Traiman stands under a tarp in his spacious backyard as his 10-year-old, Tmima, turns cartwheels on the lawn. “This is our home,” Traiman says, pointing to his single-floor apartment filled with books and children’s toys. “We did not come here to trample [ Read More...]

Egyptian presidential candidate: Camp David Accords are ‘dead’ JERUSALEM (JTA) — Amr Moussa, the leading candidate in Egypt’s presidential race, called the Camp David peace accords “dead and buried.” Moussa said Sunday during a rally in southern Egypt that the document belongs “on the shelves of history,” Haaretz reported. He differentiated, however, between the accords [ Read More...]

By Marcy Oster Jewish Telegraphic Agency JERUSALEM (JTA) — Here are some recent stories from Israel that you may have missed: She should be dancing, yeah A member of Israel’s parliament who wanted to get closer to the people by participating in Israel’s version of “Dancing with the Stars” will have to find another way, [ Read More...]

World powers, Iran to talk nukes in Istanbul JERUSALEM (JTA) — Nuclear negotiations between Iran and world powers will be held in Istanbul. The talks scheduled for April 14 in Turkey’s largest city will include six world powers — the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany — European Union foreign policy chief Catherine [ Read More...]

A 65-year-old Israeli man has taken tzedakah to a new level, giving of himself, quite literally, by donating more than 272 units of blood to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical response service, over the course of 41 years. In 2011, blood donations in Israel were down to a record low with only 4 percent [ Read More...]