Past Articles by Sheera Frenkel
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Israel's E1 Project Could Disrupt Travel For Palestinians In West Bank Plans by the Israeli government to build in E1 have been decried by Palestinian officials who claim that building a new settlement between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim would, "effectively cut the West Bank in two." Israeli officials have accused the Palestinians of exaggerating E1's importance, and pro-Israel groups have argued that alternative roads will still run through the area, connecting the northern and southern halves of the West Bank. A trip between Bethlehem and Ramallah that 10 years ago would take 15-20 minutes, will take upwards of 2.5 hours on the new roads. |
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Rape A 'Significant And Disturbing' Feature Of Syrian War Syrian women far outnumber men in the refugee camps in neighboring Jordan. A new report by the International Rescue Committee says that gender-based violence in Syria is one of the main causes of women fleeing the country, and that reports of rape and violence against women are on the rise. In a clinic catering to Syrian refugees on the Jordanian border, a psychologist says she is shocked by some of the stories she hears of public rapes and torture. |
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Cold Weather Punishes Syrians In Refugee Camps As the Middle East faces one of its harshest winters in decades, Syrian refugees are facing a humanitarian disaster. In the Zaatari refugee camp on the Jordanian border, heavy snow and rain flooded hundreds of tents last week. |
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Wary Of Syria's War, Israel Plans A Fence In The Golan Heights Some 20,000 Israelis now live in the Golan Heights, and so far, the Syrian conflict has had little impact on their lives. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's concerned the fighting could pose a threat. |
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Wary Of Syria's War, Israel Plans A Fence In The Golan Heights Some 20,000 Israelis now live in the Golan Heights, and so far, the Syrian conflict has had little impact on their lives. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he's concerned the fighting could pose a threat. |
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Israeli Election Campaign Includes Much Maneuvering Israel's parliamentary elections are just three weeks away. This campaign season has included a series of surprising political maneuvers. Israelis say they are a bit befuddled by the political musical chairs, and are looking for new parties. |
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'Prophet School' Trains A New Generation In Israel At the Cain and Abel School for Prophets, students learn to interpret dreams and divination. Rabbi Shmuel Fortman Hapartzi, the Tel Aviv school's founder, says everyone in his class, himself included, is in the beginning stages of reaching enlightenment. But critics say Fortman is trying to profit from the prophet business. |
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Dig Finds Evidence Of Another Bethlehem Archaeologists are unearthing evidence that the city of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, celebrated as the birthplace of Jesus, may not have been the actual Bethlehem of his birth. They have discovered a Bethlehem that existed in the Galilee near Nazareth. |
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Dig Finds Evidence Of Another Bethlehem Archaeologists are unearthing evidence that the city of Bethlehem, in the West Bank, celebrated as the birthplace of Jesus, may not have been the actual Bethlehem of his birth. They have discovered a Bethlehem that existed in the Galilee near Nazareth. |
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Israeli Fans Adore Rocket Stopper Iron Dome Hamas militants have fired hundreds of missiles at Israel since the conflict intensified last week. Many of those missiles have fallen prey to Iron Dome, the U.S.-funded anti-missile system deployed in key areas across Israel. Israelis are running out of their homes, rather then into their bunkers, to film Iron Dome at work. |
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Israeli Fans Adore Rocket Stopper Iron Dome Hamas militants have fired hundreds of missiles at Israel since the conflict intensified last week. Many of those missiles have fallen prey to Iron Dome, the U.S.-funded anti-missile system deployed in key areas across Israel. Israelis are running out of their homes, rather then into their bunkers, to film Iron Dome at work. |
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Israeli Fans Of Iron Dome No Longer Run For Cover Hamas militants have fired hundreds of missiles at Israel since the conflict intensified last week. Many of those missiles have fallen prey to Iron Dome, the U.S.-funded anti-missile system deployed in key areas across Israel. Israelis are running out of their homes, rather then into their bunkers, to film Iron Dome at work. |
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Israeli Fans Of Iron Dome No Longer Run For Cover Hamas militants have fired hundreds of missiles at Israel since the conflict intensified last week. Many of those missiles have fallen prey to Iron Dome, the U.S.-funded anti-missile system deployed in key areas across Israel. Israelis are running out of their homes, rather then into their bunkers, to film Iron Dome at work. |
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Cease-Fire Or Invasion? Israel-Gaza Tension Grows Israeli war planes struck targets across the Gaza Strip Sunday morning, as Palestinian militants fired more rockets at cities in southern Israel. The exchanges came amid talk of a possible ceasefire. Israeli military analysts say it is anyone's guess how much longer this most recent round of hostilities will continue. |
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Iron Dome Embraces Tel Aviv As Residents Take Cover Sirens have beachgoers diving into the sand and pedestrians ducking behind cars in a city that has not seen a rocket strike in more than two decades. Israel's political and military echelons are calling for a harsh response. |
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Iron Dome Embraces Tel Aviv As Residents Take Cover Sirens have beachgoers diving into the sand and pedestrians ducking behind cars in a city that has not seen a rocket strike in more than two decades. Israel's political and military echelons are calling for a harsh response. |
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Israel May Launch Ground Invasion In Gaza Strip Israel is amassing troops and tanks on the Gaza border in anticipation of a possible ground offensive. Israeli officials are not saying it is imminent but also stressing the option remains on the table. |
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Israel's South Braces For Missile Attacks Residents across Israel's south tensely awaited the next round of hostilities Friday morning, as fighting between Israel and Gaza entered its third day. Thursday night, sirens warning of an impending rocket attack sounded in Tel Aviv for the first time in two decades. |
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Israel Reports Hamas Rocket Strikes Near Tel Aviv The Israeli air offensive in Gaza has prompted a new wave of Hamas rocket and mortar fire on communities in southern Israel. Three Israelis were killed in Kiryat Malachi this morning. Sheera Frenkel was on the scene shortly after the attack. |
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Israel Operates Inside Sudan, Israeli Official Says For the first time, an intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the Israeli military operates in Sudan. The comments came just days after the government in Khartoum accused Israel of bombing an arms factory. The Israeli government has refused to comment officially. |
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Sheldon Adelson Shakes Up Israeli Newspaper Market Two of Israel's oldest newspapers are having a tough time competing financially with one that was established by U.S. casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and is being given away free of charge. Adelson is a strong supporter of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the paper is nicknamed the "Bibi Press." |
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Israeli Politicians Look To U.S. For Campaign Funds An Israeli government report shows that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top politicians in Israel raise a large percentage of their campaign money in the United States. Some Israelis say they are bothered, but many say they have come to expect it. |
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West Bank Beer Festival Attracts Jewish Israelis Each year, the Palestinian village of Taybe holds a festival to celebrate its popular brand of beer. The festival has become a symbol for young, often westernized Palestinians who use it as a showcase for music, art and culture. it's a rare chance for people to come and see a different side of the Palestinian territories. |
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Judge Rules American's Death In Gaza An Accident A judge in Israel has rejected a suit to re-open the case of Rachel Corrie, the pro-Palestinian, American activist who was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer during a protest in the Gaza Strip almost a decade ago. Her parents, from Washington State, were devastated by the ruling. |
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Romney Touches On Sensitive Topics In Israel Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney traveled to Israel over the weekend and waded into two of the most sensitive issues in the region: how to deal with Iran's nuclear ambitions, and whether the U.S. embassy should stay in Tel Aviv. |
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Eyeing Jewish Vote In U.S., Romney Goes To Israel Mitt Romney flies to Israel this weekend on the second leg of his overseas tour. He'll meet with top Israeli officials as well as the Palestinian prime minister. The Republican presidential candidate is using the trip to court the Jewish vote, which went overwhelmingly for Barack Obama in 2008. |
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Stories Differ After Israeli Soldiers Kill Palestinian A Palestinian man who was killed by Israeli soldiers earlier this year did not make many headlines. Rashid Shawakha was fatally shot in the occupied West Bank one evening in late March. Israeli authorities initially declared him a terrorist. But months later, new details have raised fresh questions about how and why he died. |
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Court's Ruling May Force Africans To Leave Israel The Israeli court upheld a government plan to deport South Sudanese illegally living in the country. Human rights groups say the government isn't differentiating between economic migrants and genuine asylum-seekers. |
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Kafka's Final Absurdist Tale Plays Out In Tel Aviv A self-described cat lady and the state of Israel are locked in a battle over what may be unpublished manuscripts by Franz Kafka. In a story that is, well, Kafkaesque, the papers are in a small Tel Aviv apartment, in the possession of an elderly woman who has refused to let experts see them. |
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From An Israeli Kibbutz, A High-Priced Caviar Prized By Top Chefs One of the world's most treasured foods comes from an unlikely source - a sturgeon farm on a kibbutz in northern Israel. The prized sturgeon eggs - or osetra caviar, if you must - fetches a hefty price and has a top-chef following. |
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Violent Riots Target African Nationals Living In Israel A demonstration held Wednesday night in Tel Aviv in favor of deporting Africans in Israel turned into a frenzied mob. Twelve people were arrested for committing acts of violence and vandalism against Africans. Israel has tens of thousands of African nationals from Darfur and Eritrea. Over the last month, reports have filled the Israeli papers of suspicions that the Africans are responsible for a string of violent crimes, and rapes, though actual evidence only incriminates them in a handful of circumstances. |
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Palestinians Rally Around Prisoners On Hunger Strike At least 1,500 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are on hunger strike to demand an end to the practice of detention without trial as well as more frequent family visits, among other issues. So far, 10 jailed hunger strikers have been hospitalized; two are listed in critical condition. |
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In Israel, A Rift On How To Deal With Iran Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly that time is running out for Israel to act against Iran and its nuclear program. But several prominent Israelis, including former security officials, say that the prime minister has overplayed the threat posed by Iran. |
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For Israel And Egypt, A Relationship Under Strain The Egypt-Israel peace treaty has been in place for more than 30 years. While the agreement does not face any immediate threat, relations have declined since Hosni Mubarak was ousted. Egypt has cut gas sales to Israel, a deal that was a symbol of the cooperation brought about by the peace treaty. |
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As Illegal Immigrants Increase, Israel Plans To Act Israel has become a destination for migrants from Africa in recent years, and now Israeli authorities are planning to crack down on those in the country without permission. Israel is building a fence along its southern border with Egypt as well as a large detention facility that will hold more than 10,000. |
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Israel Tries To Deter African Asylum Seekers Israel is starting construction of the largest detention center in the world for asylum seekers. The facility, which would house up to 8,000 people initially, has been designed by Israel's defense ministry to "deal with" African refugee, asylum seekers, and migrant workers who cross into Israel from Egypt. At the same time, Israel is nearing completion of a new border fence designed to make it harder for migrants to get into the country. |
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How To Serve: Israelis Debate Military Exemptions The Supreme Court struck down a law which had excused ultra-Orthodox Jews from serving in the military. The decision highlights growing tensions between the religious and secular elements of society. |
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Israelis Face Off Over Orthodox Military Exemption Most Israelis are compelled to serve in the military, but ultra-Orthodox Jews were exempt until last Tuesday, when the country's Supreme Court struck down that controversial law. As tempers flare, many are asking what part the ultra-Orthodox should play in the Jewish state. |
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Israel Agrees To Free Palestinian Hunger Striker Palestinians have long complained about the Israeli practice of detention without trial. One such prisoner went on a hunger strike for more than two months, and Israel has now agreed to free him. |
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Azerbaijan: Where East Meets West, Spy Meets Spy Wedged between Russia, Turkey and Iran, the small Central Asian country of Azerbaijan has long been a den of spies. Now, as tensions rise over Iran and its nuclear program, the former Soviet republic has increasingly aligned itself with the West and Israel - despite its historic ties with Iran. |
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Azerbaijan: Where East Meets West, A Den Of Spies Wedged between Russia, Turkey and Iran, the small Central Asian nation of Azerbaijan has long been a magnet for secret agents. Now, as tensions rise over Iran and its nuclear program, the former Soviet republic has been aligning itself with the West and Israel - despite traditional ties with Iran. |
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Israeli And Arab Hackers Square Off In Cyberbattle The Israeli and Saudi hackers have picked on stock exchanges and airlines, releasing credit card information. So far, it appears only a small number of hackers have been involved on either side, but there are concerns that the scale of the attacks could escalate. |
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Israeli And Arab Hackers Square Off In Cyberbattle The Israeli and Saudi hackers have picked on stock exchanges and airlines, releasing credit card information. So far, it appears only a small number of hackers have been involved on either side, but there are concerns that the scale of the attacks could escalate. |
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Palestinians Bristle At Gingrich Comments The Israeli-Palestinian conflict invariably comes up in U.S. presidential politics. Now, Republican candidate Newt Gingrich has drawn the ire of Palestinians by calling them "an invented people." |
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Palestinian Unity Would Pose New Headaches Rival Palestinian leaders met in Cairo this week to discuss prospects for a reconciled government. For more than four years, the Palestinian Authority has governed the West Bank, while the militant Islamist group, Hamas, has ruled the Gaza Strip. But any government that included Hamas would face serious obstacles. |
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Attacks Target Palestinians In Israeli Towns Over the past few months, militants have vandalized several Arab sites in the coastal Israeli city of Jaffa. For years, Jews and Arabs coexisted there in relative peace. Now, locals say racist sentiment is on the rise, as settler groups focus on Palestinian populations inside Israel. |
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Palestinians Seek To End Stalemate With U.N. Bid The Palestinians say they are frustrated after years of on-and-off negotiations with Israel. And next week the Palestinians say they will ask the United Nations for statehood, despite the objections of Israel and the United States, who say the issue should be negotiated. |
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After The Revolution, Arab Women Seek More Rights Many women were full participants in the Arab uprisings. Now, some are wondering where it's gotten them. Those who were expecting more rights after the Arab Spring are instead finding themselves frustrated. |
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Protesters Collide In Tel Aviv Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard has turned into the seat of protests in Israel. More than a dozen different groups are joining - and colliding - in what has become the largest domestic protest movement in the history of Israel. The main complaint is that price of housing and food in Israel has risen beyond what the average Israeli can afford. The protesters are threatening to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - whose popularity drops daily - unless he gives in to their demands. Netanyahu's government is announcing more building in the West Bank settlements. Protesters say there is already too much of a focus on settlement construction. Israel today spends 15 percent of its budget building for settlers, though less than 4 percent of Israelis live in them. As settlers announced that they will join the crowd in Tel Aviv to air their own demands, the question remains whether the protesters will form a united front - or reveal the deep divisions within Israeli society. |
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Protests In Israel Target High Housing Costs It began with one woman pitching a tent to object to the high cost of rent. Now it's a nationwide movement. Demonstrators say the average wage in Israel isn't keeping up with skyrocketing housing prices. |
