With the resumption of some rocket fire from Gaza onto Sderot, the town is once again making headlines. Sderot recently inaugurated a fortified play space for local children–complete with bomb shelters alongside the jungle gym –so kids would be able to experience some semblance of normality. Here’s what the Washington Post had to say on the subject:

In Sderot, the uncertainty about when and where the next explosion might occur hangs over the town. Homes are renovated to include blast rooms. A warning system — a woman’s voice calling out “Color Red” — in place of a siren that many found disturbing — is meant to provide a few seconds for people to seek cover.

For Israelis, “the numbers injured psychologically are much higher” than those wounded by the blast or shrapnel, [Eli] Ovitz said. “I am sure the children of Gaza are traumatized as well.”

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This month commemorates the 30th anniversary of the signing of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. In honor of this occasion, the Menachem Begin Heritage Center (currently Hebrew only) has prepared the following video retrospective.

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Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met today with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Jerusalem for an in-depth discussion of the current situation.  They also held a joint press conference, the transcript of which follows below.  You can also watch the video coverage of the press conference. continue reading…

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After the US declined further participation in the Durban Review Conference, it appears several EU countries are also raising some issues with the process.  According to the AP via Haaretz, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen had this to say:

The thematic world conference is used by some to try to force their concept of defamation of religions and their focus on one regional conflict on all of us.[...]We cannot accept any text, which would put religion above individuals, not condemn discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, condone anti-Semitism or single out Israel.

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This past Friday, the Obama administration said it would not attend the United Nations conference in Geneva this April, dubbed the “Durban Review Conference” (See Washington Post article).  Here is the reaction to that announcement by Foreign Minister Livni:

Durban 2 is a cynical conference whose sole purpose is blatant antisemitism and anti-Israeli sentiment disguised as a battle against racism. The decision of the United States government is a courageous and true reflection of the values held by the leader of the free world and should show the way to other countries who share those values.

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