An Israeli court cleared former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday of the central charges in a multi-case corruption trial that forced him from power, but convicted him of a lesser charge of breach of trust. The AP’s Aron Heller reports from Jerusalem. [url href=”http://aronheller.com/articles/ex-israeli-pm-ehud-olmert-cleared-in-corruption-case/”] [url href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2PnsfVJHtM” content=”Watch the Video” target=external]
JERUSALEM –An Israeli court cleared former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Tuesday of the central charges in a multi-case corruption trial that forced him from power, but convicted him of a lesser charge of breach of trust. The verdict was seen as a major victory for Olmert, who stepped down as prime minister in 2009 to battle allegations that included … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Deep in the heart of Mea Shearim, a Jerusalem bastion of hardline ultra-Orthodox Jews, hundreds of bearded young men in black suits have their noses burrowed into books, immersed in biblical study and oblivious to their surroundings. They are the creme de la creme of a cloistered community, the Harvard of the ultra-Orthodox world, who are expected … Read More
HERZLIYA, Israel (AP) — She’s Israel’s top diva, the Jewish state’s beloved national singer. So when Rita released an album entirely in the language of her country’s arch-enemy Iran, naturally more than a few eyebrows were raised. “Even my friends, when I told them I was going to do a whole record in Persian, said ‘Whoa, you are going to … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — As a youth, Mosab Yousef was a member of the Palestinian upper crust, the son of a respected founder of the Hamas militant group. On Monday, he returned to the region in the most unlikely of homecomings — welcomed at Israel’s parliament as a hero for renouncing the violent ideology of his father’s movement and serving as … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — As one of only six Israelis to have won an Olympic medal, Arik Zeevi already has earned his place among the country’s sporting pantheon. But the 35-year-old judoka, who recently won the European title in the 100-kilogram class, is not ready to call it quits just yet. He’s got one more fight left in him: a run … Read More
MEVASSERET ZION, Israel—With the holy city of Jerusalem visible in the background, a man and woman standing side-by-side lead prayers for about 50 congregants who have come to welcome the Sabbath in this suburb’s Reform synagogue. Their prayer book includes poetry, the women wear prayer shawls, the sermons call for social justice and the songs are performed in a folksy … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s latest cultural hero is neither the usual army general nor a sexy celebrity — he’s a bespectacled 43-year-old Belarus-born chess grandmaster. Israelis have been riveted by Boris Gelfand’s three-week battle for world chess supremacy. Despite coming up just short this week, losing in a sudden-death round, his efforts have attracted new fans and drawn attention to … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — With a pair of Jewish ex-major leaguers on his roster, the new coach of Israel’s team in the World Baseball Classic says his squad is already a legitimate contender. Former All-Star catcher Brad Ausmus said Shawn Green and Gabe Kapler have committed to play for him, and he’s hopeful that other Jewish big leaguers, including All-Stars such … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis flocked to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial Thursday to read the names of loved ones who perished at the hands of the Nazis during World War II, a rite that has become a centerpiece of the country’s annual commemoration for the 6 million Jews killed in the genocide. The ceremony, known as “Every Person Has a … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Until Tuesday, if history buffs wanted a glimpse of the Israel Museum’s vast collection — including a 9,000-year-old carved human face found in the Judean Desert — they would have to travel to Jerusalem to see it. Now, through a joint venture with Google Inc., people from around the world can examine the ancient Neolithic artifact, which … Read More
HERZLIYA, Israel (AP) _ For more than seven hours a day, Sergey Richter stares through a sight and repeatedly fires bullets into bulls-eyes far in the distance. He’s also been taking aim at a target far more difficult: raising enough money to compete in the Olympics. Richter is among the top sharpshooters in the world and one of Israel’s best … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) — Hanoch Shahar discovered a lifelong love of running as a child orphaned in World War II. On Friday, the 77-year-old Holocaust survivor ran along with some 15,000 other athletes in Jerusalem’s second annual marathon. The oldest of the runners, Shahar ran 10 kilometers (six miles) in an hour and four minutes. He completed a full marathon two … Read More
JERUSALEM (AP) _ Despite its confident saber-rattling, Israel’s concern is growing that the country is vulnerable to a devastating counterstrike if it attacks Iran’s nuclear program. An announcement this week that a mobile rocket-defense system will soon be built just outside Tel Aviv, where Israel’s sprawling military headquarters sits smack in the middle of office towers, museums, night spots and … Read More
JERUSALEM—He’s considered to be one of the greatest scientists of all time. But Sir Isaac Newton was also an influential theologian who applied a scientific approach to the study of scripture, Hebrew and Jewish mysticism. Now Israel’s national library, an unlikely owner of a vast trove of Newton’s writings, has digitized his theological collection — some 7,500 pages in Newton’s … Read More