Shortly before the Syrian civil war began in March 2011, the Obama administration offered an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights to the Assad regime in exchange for cutting ties with Iran and Hezbollah, the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported on Sunday. The report, based on senior US and Syrian officials who were involved in the negotiations, said that the talks had proceeded to advanced stages and a document had already been prepared for signing. The final meeting between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hof took place on February 28, 2011, when the Arab Spring had just started to spread to Damascus. Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and US Special Envoy to Syria and Lebanon Frederic Hof were involved in the talks.

For the first time in Israel, a case of the Los Angeles variant was discovered in an Israeli who hadn’t been in California or in contact with someone who traveled abroad, the Health Ministry reported on Thursday. The ministry also reported that there are 444 cases of the South African virus variant in the country. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel is currently in negotiations with Pfizer and Moderna to purchase vaccines that are effective against the new variants. Netanyahu added that Israel is planning to establish a vaccine factory in Israel and that if he’s re-elected as prime minister, his “primary mission will be to bring 36 million more vaccines over the next year.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

It’s been a busy week for liberals. First Mr. Potato Head went gender-free, and today, six Dr Seuss books have been deemed “racist” and will no longer be published. Six Dr. Seuss books – including “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street” and “If I Ran the Zoo” – will stop being published because of racist and insensitive imagery, the business that preserves and protects the author’s legacy said Tuesday. “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong,” Dr. Seuss Enterprises told The Associated Press in a statement that coincided with the late author and illustrator’s birthday. “Ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families,” it said.

Israel’s coronavirus cabinet is meeting on Tuesday to discuss an outline for the gradual opening of Ben-Gurion Aiport ahead of the March 23 elections, allowing Israeli citizens to return home to exercise their right to vote. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Monday that he was formulating an interministerial panel to establish a plan for the easing of travel restrictions together with the National Security Council. At the same time, Netanyahu expressed fears that many people will try to enter Israel on the pretense of voting “although the center of their lives is not Israel.” Israel’s skies have been closed for five weeks in an effort to prevent the entry of mutated virus variants from entering the country.

Calls for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s resignation intensified late Monday after a third woman accused him of offensive behavior. Anna Ruch told The New York Times late Monday about the incident involving inappropriate behavior. The account from Ruch, who worked as a photographer at the White House during President Barack Obama’s second term, made her the third woman to accuse Cuomo, and fueled broader calls for Cuomo to step down, including from some in his own party. “The pattern of harassment and predatory behavior by Governor Cuomo is unacceptable, and I believe the women coming forward,” New York City Councilman Antonio Reynoso tweeted in comments echoed elsewhere.

There are four Israeli children in critical condition with the coronavirus, according to Health Ministry data. There are also six pregnant women in critical condition. There are a total of 38 babies under the age of one who are hospitalized due to the virus, one of whom is in serious condition, and 48 hospitalized pregnant women. Although the infection rate and the number of seriously ill patients in the country continue to decline, the reproduction number has been slowly rising in recent days, standing at 1 on Monday. There are currently 742 seriously ill virus patients, of whom 232 are ventilated. The death rate has risen to 5,758. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

A science professor at a university in central Michigan who claimed sinister forces were targeting him and breaking into his home has been fired months after using racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic slurs on Twitter. Thomas Brennan announced in a Twitter posting Saturday he’d been fired, and Ferris State University later confirmed he was dismissed last week, The Detroit News reported. The Big Rapids-based university, which put Brennan on administrative leave in November as it investigated, declined further comment. The Torch, the university’s student-run newspaper, first reported about the tweets in November.

This is how crazy the United States has gone. Mr. Potato Head is no longer a mister. Hasbro, the company that’s made the potato-shaped plastic toy for nearly 70 years, is giving the spud a gender neutral new name: Potato Head. The change will appear on boxes this year. Many toymakers have been updating their classic brands in recent years, hoping to relate to today’s kids and reflect more modern families. “It’s a potato,” said Ali Mierzejewski, editor in chief at toy review site The Toy Insider. “But kids like to see themselves in the toys they are playing with.” Barbie, for example, has tried to shed its blonde image and now comes in multiple skin tones and body shapes. The Thomas the Tank Engine toy line added more girl characters. And American Girl is now selling a boy doll.

Dear Governor Cuomo, You could have handled this very differently.  You could have truly and sincerely apologized for your disgusting behavior.  But you didn’t.  You placed all of the blame on the poor innocent aides that you wished to victimize.  And by doing so, you victimized them even further. But you are so tone deaf, […]

The Medical Board of California said it would investigate a plastic surgeon who appeared in a videoconference for his traffic violation trial while operating. The Sacramento Bee reports Dr. Scott Green appeared Thursday for his Sacramento Superior Court trial, held virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic, from an operating room. He was dressed in surgical scrubs with a patient undergoing the procedure just out of view; the beeps of medical machinery can be heard in the background. “Hello, Mr. Green? Hi. Are you available for trial?” asked a courtroom clerk as an officer summoned to appear in trial raised her eyebrows. “It kind of looks like you’re in an operating room right now?” “I am, sir,” Green replied. “Yes, I’m in an operating room right now. Yes, I’m available for trial.