Roger Cohen: The talks, round two – New York Times

News updates from the World Jewish Congress website – 03 February 2014

WJC praises Johansson, condemns Oxfam over Israel boycott issue

The World Jewish Congress has praised Holywood actress Scarlett Johansson and condemned Oxfam over the end of its association with the actress for her defense of an Israeli company in the West Bank.

Berlin speech: World Jewish Congress head urges Germany to return Nazi-looted art

Germany must make a stronger effort to identify and return Nazi-looted art, the president of the World Jewish Congress said Thursday as he met with top government officials in Berlin to push his case.

Anti-Semitic French comic Dieudonné banned from entering Britain

03 Feb 2014 Dieudonne M’bala M’bala planned to would visit London to support his friend Nicolas Anelka, but the UK Home Office banned him from doing so. READ MORE »

Largest Danish bank, Norwegian pension fund pull out of Israeli firms over settlement issue

03 Feb 2014 Denmark’s largest bank added Israel’s Bank Hapoalim to its list of excluded companies over its operations in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. READ MORE »

Netanyahu criticizes Kerry remarks on Israel boycotts – JTA

03 Feb 2014 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rapped US Secretary of State John Kerry for warning that Israel would face more international boycotts if the peace process fails. READ MORE »

Roger Cohen: The talks, round two – New York Times

03 Feb 2014 For six months now Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, led respectively by Tzipi Livni and Saeb Erekat, have been tied up in US-mediated peace negotiations. For a few minutes at the Munich Security Conference participants caught a glimpse of how stormy those talks can be. READ MORE »