Daily Media Report -- March 20

Thu, 03/21/2013 - 10:31am

Israel & Mideast:

In Mideast news, President Obama and PM Netanyahu hold a joint Jerusalem press conference on the president’s first day of a two-day Israel trip, jointly reinforcing key points including Iran and the peace process, with a host of media outlets reporting from the scene. A range of commentary also runs today, including a Washington Post piece by JFNA’s Jerry Silverman on Israel’s potential impact on the president.

In other regional issues, JTA looks at the issue of Palestinians in Syria; Haaretz reports the U.S. has a strike against Iran ready to go; the Times of Israel says Sec. of State Kerry will try to revive the 2002 Saudi peace plan; and the JPost reports the Turkish PM restates his earlier criticism of Zionism.                                                                               In domestic Israeli issues, a former U.S. official looks at the potential social impact of two key new leaders in the Israeli government.

Obama in Israel:

News:

• N.Y. Times -- Obama, Arriving in Israel, Offers Reassurance  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/world/middleeast/obama-arrives-in-israel-for-two-day-trip.html• Times of Israel -- Full text of Obama’s speech on arrival in Israel http://www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-of-obamas-speech-on-arrival-in-israel/• Jerusalem Post -- Obama praises Iron Dome soldiers http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=307099• Reuters -- Israeli general welcomes Obama with call to share Iron Dome production http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/20/us-israel-palestinians-obama-irondome-idUSBRE92J0FX20130320• JFNA’s ‘Federation Connection’ blog -- President Obama Visits Iron Dome: Project Has Ties to Baltimore Federation http://www.jewishfederations.org/blog.aspx?id=297• Reuters -- Obama, Netanyahu trade banter as they tread a new “red line” http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/20/us-palestinians-israel-obama-quips-idUSBRE92J0RP20130320• Times of Israel -- Netanyahu backs two states for two peoples; Obama keeps ‘all options open’ on Iran http://www.timesofisrael.com/obama-set-to-meet-with-peres-in-jerusalem/• JTA -- Obama, Netanyahu convey broad agreement on Iran, Syria, two-state solution http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/03/20/3122631/in-statements-obama-and-netanyahu-convey-broad-agreement-on-iran-syria-two-state-solution• Algemeiner -- Netanyahu and Obama Stress Israel’s Right to Defend Itself by Itself http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/03/20/netanyahu-and-obama-stress-israels-right-to-defend-itself-by-itself/

Commentary:

• Washington Post (op-ed, JFNA’s Jerry Silverman) -- Obama in Israel: The view from America (highlights Federation) http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/obama-in-israel-the-view-from-america/2013/03/20/12fc419e-916e-11e2-bdea-e32ad90da239_story.html• The Atlantic (commentary, Jeffrey Goldberg) -- What Obama Will Tell Young Israelis Tomorrow http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/what-obama-will-tell-young-israelis-tomorrow/274194/• JTA (commentary, Joe Winkler) -- What Obama should do in Israel http://blogs.jta.org/telegraph/article/2013/03/20/3122566/advice-for-obama• Tablet (analysis, Lee Smith) -- Imagining the Obama-Bibi Gabfest http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/127525/imagining-the-obama-bibi-gabfest• The American Interest (Walter Russell Mead) -- Obama In Israel: It’s Not Just About The Lobby http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2013/03/19/obama-in-israel-american-backing-is-strong/• USA Today (op-ed, Michael Medved) -- Which Israel is Obama visiting? http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/03/20/obama-israel-visit/2002883/

Regional Mideast Issues:

• JTA -- Plight of Palestinians in Syria could have implications for Israel http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/03/19/3122386/plight-of-palestinians-in-syria-could-have-broader-implications-for-region• Haaretz -- U.S. has pinpoint attack ready on Iran, says Israeli official http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/u-s-has-pinpoint-attack-ready-on-iran-says-israeli-official.premium-1.510571• Times of Israel -- Kerry expected to revive 2002 Saudi peace initiative http://www.timesofisrael.com/kerry-expected-to-revive-2002-saudi-peace-initiative/• Jerusalem Post -- Turkish PM doubles down on Zionism comments http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Turkish-PM-doubles-down-on-Zionism-comments-307126

Domestic Israeli Issues:

• The American Interest (analysis, Dov Zakheim) -- The Dynamic Duo Take on the Haredim http://the-american-interest.com/article.cfm?piece=1396

For more Israel news, see the weekly JFNA Israel news page: http://www.jewishfederations.org/Weekly-News-Items-in-Israel.aspx

For more security news, see JFNA’s Secure Community Network (SCN) news page: http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/1091809/bcb5afdb71/521804587/8fddab0b42/

Israel Advocacy:  Forward editor Jane Eisner responds to criticism of her editorial picking apart a recent NY Times Magazine story on a potential new Palestinian uprising; and an Algemeiner columnist contends the media distorted news of Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense.

• Forward (commentary, Jane Eisner) -- Obvious Flaw Of Times ‘Third Intifada’ Story http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/173358/obvious-flaw-of-times-third-intifada-story/• Algemeiner -- The Media’s True Failure In Gaza http://www.algemeiner.com/2013/03/19/the-medias-true-failure-in-gaza/

For more Israel advocacy news, see the Israel Action Network’s newly redesigned and enhanced website: http://israelactionnetwork.org/.

Federations/Philanthropy:

Globally, the NY Jewish Week, reporting from the Jewish Funders Network conference in L.A., focuses on the LA Federation’s Jay Sanderson, among others; and JTA reports on a new $1m social justice grant by the Nathan Cummings Foundation.

Federations are highlighted in Houston; L.A.; New York; and Northern N.J.

Global:

• N.Y. Jewish Week -- L.A. As A Model For The Jewish Future (highlights Federation) http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/national-news/la-model-jewish-future• JTA -- New $1 million matching fund created for Jewish social justice causes http://www.jta.org/news/article/2013/03/19/3122376/nathan-cummings-foundation-gifts-1-million-to-social-justice-causes

Local:

• Jewish Week of N.Y. -- Community Ramping Up Anti-Slavery Activism (highlights Federation) http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/new-york-news/community-ramping-up-anti-slavery-activism• Broadway World -- Houston Symphony and Jewish Federation of Greater Houston to Present ISRAEL AT 65 Concert (highlights Federation) http://classical.broadwayworld.com/article/Houston-Symphony-and-Jewish-Federation-of-Greater-Houston-to-Present-ISRAEL-AT-65-Concert-523-20130318• NorthJersey.com -- WPU student group joins Passover seder (highlights Federation) http://www.northjersey.com/news/198856391_WPU_student_group_joins_Passover_Seder_.html