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Sundown: Obama and Abbas Have a Chat

Plus a Jewish ‘Jersey Shore,’ and more

by
Marc Tracy
May 11, 2010
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
He is actually talking to David Cameron in this picture.Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
He is actually talking to David Cameron in this picture.Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

• According to an email from the White House, President Obama spoke with President Abbas today. He “urged that President Abbas do everything he can to prevent acts of incitement or delegitimization of Israel” and also “confirmed his intention to hold both sides accountable for actions that undermine trust during the talks.”

• Several American Jewish religious leaders called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to withdraw the Yisrael Beiteinu-sponsored conversion bill. They warn that it would concentrate power over who qualifies for the Law of Return with the Chief Rabbinate. [JTA]

• Apparently, someone wants to do for Jews on Long Island what Jersey Shore has done for Italian-Americans in New Jersey. [Crushable]

• Russian President Dmitry Medvedev urged Hamas leader Khaled Meshal to release kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. [Ynet]

• The late DJ AM, born Adam Goldstein, has a crucial cameo in the box office-smashing Iron Man 2. [LAT]

• An extensive interview with novelist Nathan Englander, in part touching on his story in this week’s New Yorker. [Book Bench]

Netanyahu accused Iran of trying to get Israel and Syria to start firing things at each other. President Ahmadinejad?

Marc Tracy is a staff writer at The New Republic, and was previously a staff writer at Tablet. He tweets @marcatracy.