This week in power: Athens embassy and Alan Gross freed

A roundup of the most talked about political and global stories in the Jewish world this week:

Athens attack
“The Greek authorities said on Friday that an early-morning gun attack on the Israeli Embassy used the same weapons as and closely resembled a similar attack on the residence of the German ambassador a year ago. Neither attack caused any casualties or serious damage,” ” target=”_blank”>added Naharnet: “Embassies and diplomatic vehicles in Greece have been targeted in attacks by far-left groups in recent years. The residence of the German ambassador in Athens has been hit twice — with two assault rifles in 2013 and a rocket attack in 1999,” among other episodes.

Still, some are critical of Israel's response to attacks like this one. “We don’t know who attacked the embassy or why. Neither does Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Israel seems intent on discrediting Abbas as a potential negotiating partner. Why anyone in the Israeli government might think this is a good idea eludes me,” ” target=”_blank”>ABC News reported on Wednesday. “In a landmark humanitarian prisoner exchange to be announced by President Obama shortly at the White House, the agreement was reached following more than a year of secret back channel talks at the highest levels of both governments. Today’s release of Gross, who is said to be in poor physical condition, represents a first step toward normalizing relations with the neighbor just 90-miles off the Florida coast,” the report continued.

Gross has been helping Jewish Cubans gain access to the Internet when he was detained. “The release of Gross in exchange for the Cuban prisoners is expected to remove what had become a major obstacle to advancing relations between the two countries,”