This week in power: Palestinian statehood, Obama’s seder, Pollard, Burqas

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

Is Palestinian statehood possible?
Pressure is mounting from prominent Israelis in support of a Palestinian plan to seek United Nations support for statehood, ” title=”http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=217360″ target=”_blank”>propose a resuming of peace talks. Granting statehood “damages the sanctity of international legal foundations that give Israel the confidence to take risks for peace” and “also promises to radicalize Palestinian politics,” ” title=”http://www.thejewishweek.com/editorial_opinion/editorial/un_statehood_dead_end” target=”_blank”>said a Jewish Week editorial. This is just an effort “to ratchet up the pressure on Israel.”

Obama’s Passover message
President Obama hosted his ” title=”http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/glenn-beck/transcript/beck-obamas-passover-message” target=”_blank”>Glenn Beck and ” title=”http://www.mediaite.com/tv/glenn-beck-calls-obamas-passover-statement-a-slap-in-the-face-to-isareal/” target=”_blank”>joked Jon Bershad at Mediaite. While I think Beck “is reading too much into the message Obama released,” ” title=”http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j1W27E9r6lwtQa1MfeafVeTF2a9A?docId=CNG.03c0e67179e2f7de4a72d4d699c0b830.c1″ target=”_blank”>reported the AFP. Others, including President Shimon Peres and ” title=”http://www.tnr.com/article/87059/obama-jonathan-pollard-israel-helen-thomas” target=”_blank”>said Martin Peretz at The New Republic. “If five percent of American Jews vote against the president in 2012 because he fails to free Pollard, that would be a lot. Anyway, most of them (maybe all of them) already voted against Obama in 2008.” This isn’t really an issue that American Jews will vote on.

Burqa ban
Last week, France made its controversial burqa ban a full-fledged law in the country. “I’m not entirely sure that the ban is the way to go, and it’s looking like the ban is doomed to failure, buttressing Islamic fundamentalism, and placing Muslim women in some very difficult predicaments,” ” title=”http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/04/13/france-brave-right-ban-burqa/” target=”_blank”>including Jewish skullcaps, “The law is rooted in the long-standing French policy of cultural integration and the pursuit of a uniform French identity,” ” title=”http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/04/13/france-brave-right-ban-burqa/” target=”_blank”>said Phyllis Chesler at Fox News.

Get the Yid out
The Kick It Out organization wants to put a stop to the use of the o” title=”http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/apr/15/y-word-debate-football” target=”_blank”>viral video, are joining the campaign against casual use of the slur. “I never really give a moment`s thought to this being anything racist or offensive coming from a Tottenham fans mouth, but the fact I have always sung the song with pride and affection, perhaps doesn`t make it right, ” title=”http://technorati.com/sports/article/funny-they-dont-like-yiddo/” target=”_blank”>said Natalie Wood at Technorati. Still, the term has been used this way for years without protest so “I must argue, if ‘the Yids’ themselves are not offended by the term, why should anyone else?”