January 26, 2006 — Hamas Wins Parliamentary Elections
Hamas wins 76 of the 132 seats in the Palestinian Legislative Council during elections in which 77% of eligible voters cast ballots. Fatah, the party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, wins 43 seats. Although Fatah’s corruption and Hamas’ provision of social services are believed to be the main reasons for the results, Hamas’ recognition as a terrorist organization and its rejection of Israel’s existence obstruct the peace process.
January 27, 2001 — Taba Summit Ends
Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami (left) and Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei shake hands Jan. 21, 2001, during peace talks in Taba, Egypt.
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in the Egyptian resort town of Taba conclude after a week of progress toward an agreement based on the Clinton Parameters. “We leave Taba in a spirit of hope and mutual achievement,” a joint statement says. But Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak loses a landslide election 10 days later to Ariel Sharon, who says he is not bound by anything discussed at Taba, and the peace initiative dies amid the Second Intifada.
January 28, 1790 — France Grants Citizenship to Sephardi Jews
An 1806 painting depicts Napoleon emancipating the Jews across his empire.
The National Assembly of revolutionary France decides to grant citizenship to Sephardi Jews after a debate on Jewish emancipation the previous month. The Sephardim, whose families came to France in the 16th century, are well assimilated but represent the Jewish minority in France. Despite petitioning for citizenship the same month while facing Christian violence, the majority Ashkenazim are not emancipated until September 1791.
January 29, 2004 — Israel Swaps Prisoners for Man, 3 Bodies
Israel frees more than 430 Arab prisoners to win the release of an Israeli businessman abducted in Dubai in October 2000 and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers captured the same month along the Lebanese border by Hezbollah and killed in captivity. The Palestinian Authority and Hezbollah celebrate the exchange. Israelis are divided, in part because the swap happens the same day as a bus bombing in Jerusalem.
January 30, 1933 — Youth Aliyah Program is Established
German Zionist Recha Freier founds the Committee for the Assistance of Jewish Youth on the day Adolf Hitler is appointed the chancellor of Germany. Later renamed Youth Aliyah, the program rescues more than 11,000 Jewish children during World War II and becomes a signature Hadassah program, although at first Hadassah founder Henrietta Szold does not support the project out of doubts about the ability to support the youths in their new home.
January 31, 1922 — Hebrew ‘Dybbuk’ Opens in Moscow
The Hebrew version of “The Dybbuk, or Between Two Worlds” begins its successful stage run at Moscow’s Habimah Theater. Written in Russian and then Yiddish by S. Ansky and translated into Hebrew by Hayim Nachman Bialik, the play tells the story of a young woman (played by Hanna Rovina) who is possessed by the malicious spirit of a man who loved her but died upon hearing of her engagement to another.
February 1, 1979 — Khomeini Returns to Iran
Two weeks after a popular uprising forced the shah to flee, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years in exile. Under his guidance, Iran votes in March to establish an Islamic republic and later enacts two constitutions that give ultimate power to Shia clerics. Iran’s Jews become second-class citizens, and a third of them emigrate within two years. The revolution ends decades of close military and economic ties between Iran and Israel.
Items are provided by the Center for Israel Education (israeled.org), where you can find more details.
