Israel’s mission to the United Nations held an event at the UN in New York on Tuesday to mark the 70th anniversary of the passage of UN General Assembly Resolution 181 on 29 November 1947, which paved the way for the modern State of Israel to be recognized under international law. US Vice President Michael Pence spoke at the event, saying among other things that US President Donald Trump is “actively considering when and how” to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

Mandla Mandela, who is a member of the South African parliament and the grandson of the late anti-apartheid icon and South African president Nelson Mandela, was in Israel this week to promote the international campaign to Boycott, Divest and Sanction the Jewish State. During a joint press conference Monday with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, Mandela said, among other things, that “Palestinians are being subjected to the worst version of apartheid.”

The Reuters news agency published its list of the top 100 most innovative universities in the world this week, with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem coming in at 82, Tel Aviv University ranking 88th and The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology at 89th. The annual list ranks universities according to their accomplishments in advancing science, inventing new technologies and powering new markets and industries.

Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli of NATO member Turkey officially announced on Tuesday that his government plans to purchase the S-400 air defense system from Russia and deploy it by 2019. This will be a move sure to aggravate Ankara’s already strained relationship with the rest of NATO, particularly the US. Also on Tuesday, the UK-based industrial conglomerate BAE Systems announced that it has signed a contract to sell Typhoon fighter aircraft and Hawk trainers to Qatar. BAE also said it’s in negotiations to sell many more Typhoons to Saudi Arabia.

Fatah Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad told the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya news outlet on Monday that he blames Iran for the slow pace of implementation for the reconciliation agreement signed between the Palestinian Authority and the islamist terror militia Hamas in October. The rare statement of criticism for Iran by a Palestinian official came amidst an intensifying war of words between Iran and Saudi Arabia on a variety of fronts.

The first year of the Trump administration has been characterized by the lack of clear policy guidelines vis-à-vis the Middle East. However, the US cannot allow itself to disengage from the region. Accordingly, the administration must formulate its objectives in the area and draft a strategy that will enable it to deal with the extremist elements, while strengthening its allies in the region who can serve as force multipliers against these radical elements.

During Hanukkah and Christmas the ICEJ looks to bring comfort and encouragement to the people of the Holy Land. Your gift today will help us bless the needy Christian families in Jerusalem and Nazareth with food coupons, so they can celebrate together around a Christmas meal. With your support, we will also bring holiday cheer to holocaust survivors and others in the Jewish community as they celebrate the joy and light of Hanukkah.