March 2012 Archives

Turkish shampoo ad featuring Hitler taken down following public protest

13-second TV spot for Biomen shampoo shows black-and-white footage of the Nazi leader at a political rally; ad agency head: commercial meant to mock, not praise Hitler.

A Turkish shampoo commercial featuring footage showing Adolf Hitler giving a speech was taken off the air on Wednesday, following protests by the local Jewish community.

The 13-second television spot for Biomen shampoo shows black-and-white archival footage of the Nazi leader at a political rally. Dubbed in Turkish, he shouts that men should not use women’s shampoo.

“Using Hitler, whose brutal ideology caused the deaths of millions of people, in a commercial in order to be different or create awareness (of a product) is unacceptable,” a statement posted on Istanbul’s chief rabbinate’s website said on Monday. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Hitler, Israel Turkey

Dubai Police Chief: Islamists Plotting Against Gulf

Dubai’s top cop says the Muslim Brotherhood is plotting to seize power in the six Gulf arab monarchies by 2016.

Dubai’s police chief charged this week that Islamist forces which gained power in the Arab Spring are “plotting to take over” Gulf states.

Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan singled out the Muslim Brotherhood, saying the group has a specific plan to take over Gulf regimes by 2016.

“My sources say the next step is to make Gulf governments figurehead bodies only, without actual ruling. The start will be in Kuwait in 2013,” he said in an interview with Kuwaiti daily Al Qabas on Sunday. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Dubai, Moslem Brotherhood

EXCLUSIVE: N. Korean satellite launch pretext for Iran missile test

EXCLUSIVE: Western defense officials say upcoming launch is a continuation of Iran and North Korea’s nuclear and missile cooperation • Seoul warns it might shoot down North Korean rocket if it violates South Korean territory.

The satellite that North Korea intends to launch into space next month is apparently merely a front, with the real reason behind the planned launch being to test a long-range ballistic missile for another country – apparently Iran. This, at least, is what defense officials in the West have come to believe. The launch is also intended to possibly test a new launcher.

North Korea has moved a long-range rocket to a launching site, apparently determined to press ahead with its plan to launch a satellite in defiance of international condemnation, the South Korean military said Sunday, The New York Times reported.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Iran Nuclear Program

Israeli technology helps Canadian farmers

KIBBUTZ AFIKIM, Israel — Canadian farmers are turning to an Israeli company to help them increase the milk production of their cows.

Israel’s SAE Afikim, better known as Afimilk, is a world leader in computerized systems for dairy farm and herd management.

Across Canada, there are some 100 farms already hooked up to the Israeli dairy system. A team from Kibbutz Afikim is now shooting a film at Summitholm Holsteins farm in Lynden, Ont., to try to expand its activities.
“We found out that dairy farmers are most convinced by what their neighbours or friends or colleagues say,” said Noa Yonish, Afimilk’s marketing communication and market study manager. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries | Tags: Dairy

Pentagon wants more money for Israel’s Iron Dome

US Defense Department to ask Congress for additional funding for Israel’s short-range rocket defense system

WASHINGTON – The US Defense Department will ask Congress for additional funding for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, Ynet learned Tuesday.

Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement that short-range rocket defense system has been critical in recent weeks, when nearly 300 rockets were fired at southern Israel from Gaza.

The Iron Dome system intercepted more than 80% of its targets.

Little said the Pentagon and Israel have discussed US support for buying additional Iron Dome systems and will ask Congress for money.

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By Yitzhak Benhorin

AP contributed to this report Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Iron Dome

Report: Israeli Arab killed in shooting incident near border with Egypt

IDF troops open fire after identifying suspicious figures crossing into Israel; incident took place hours after Netanyahu surveys progress of new border fence.

Two suspected smugglers, including what reports say was an Israeli Arab, were killed following a shooting incident involving Israel Defense Forces soldiers near the border with Egypt on Tuesday, less than two weeks after a similar incident resulted in the death of an Egyptian smuggler.

The incident took place hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surveyed the progress of the new fence being erected along Israel’s border with Egypt.

Earlier this month, four smugglers were fired upon after illegally crossing the border by both Egyptian and Israeli forces patrolling the border, resulting in one death.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Egypt, Sinai

The 11th Plague: No Kosher for Passover Coca-Cola in California

California Jews will have to get through Passover without kosher Coke, while different Pepsi kosher symbols are confusing Illinois Jews.

California Jews will have to get through Passover without kosher Coca-Cola due to a quirk in a law, while varied kosher symbols are confusing Illinois Jews, according to the Kosher Today newsletter.

Israel’s Coca-Cola products – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The reputable industry website reported that Coca-Cola issued a statement saying, “We will not be able to offer Kosher for Passover products in California this year. We expect to offer Kosher for Passover products in 2013.”

The company explained, “The new alternative process caramel required to meet the State of California’s guidelines related to Proposition 65 does not meet the Kosher for Passover requirements. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: food, Jewish

Op-Ed: The Circus of the Absurd Called the UNHRC

If the UN circus chooses to use facts, then that would be most welcoming. If not, that doesn’t make the facts disappear.

March 22^nd, 2012 – the U.N. Human Rights Council decides to accept a resolution presented by Pakistan which calls for an international investigation into the settlements, or houses that contain Jews in the land of Judea and Samaria, otherwise known as the West Bank.

Normally, one would rejoice at this news. An international investigation? Perhaps the world will finally understand what the Fogel family murder represents! However, this is a probe launched by the U.N. Human Rights Council, which was described by U.S. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: UNHRC

‘Syrian troops enter Lebanon, clash with rebels’

Residents of rural area in northern Lebanon say Syrian forces destroying farm building, clashing with Syrian rebels who fled country; opposition forces in Istanbul seek to show alternative to Assad.

Syrian troops advanced into north Lebanon on Tuesday, destroying farm buildings and clashing with Syrian rebels who had taken refuge there, residents said.

“More than 35 Syrian soldiers came across the border and started to destroy houses,” said Abu Ahmed, 63, a resident of the rural mountain area of al-Qaa.

Syrian soldiers (illustrative) - Photo By Reuters

Another resident said that the soldiers, some traveling in armored personnel vehicles, fired rocket-propelled grenades and exchanged heavy machine-gun fire with rebels.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Bashar Assad, Lebanon, Syria

Celebrate Israel by Buying Israeli Passover Goods

Jewish communities are urged to celebrate Israel on March 30 by buying Israeli-made products, just in time for Passover.

StandWithUs, the non-profit organization dedicated to informing the public about Israel and combating anti-Semitism, is urging all members of the international Jewish community to celebrate the Jewish state by designating March 30 as the day to buy Israeli goods at local stores.

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By Rachel Hirshfeld Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: BDS, boycott

‘Nanotechnology becoming part of daily life’

“The great secrets hidden in small pieces of material” amaze President Peres.

From smartphone touchscreens, to the most advanced defense systems, to photovoltaic solar panels, nanotechnology has become an increasingly integral component of everyday life.

Representatives from companies in a wide range of sectors presented their innovative tiny-sized technologies during the Monday morning session of “NanoIsrael 2012: The Third International Nanotechnology Conference and Exhibition,” held in Tel Aviv on Monday and Tuesday.

Dr. Jonathan Goldstein and his start-up firm 3G Solar are beginning to use nanotechnology to perfect their unique type of photovoltaic panels, which are made with low-cost Dye Solar Cells – a layer of nano-sized titanium dioxide particles saturated with dye, according to the company.

Category: Innovations & Discoveries |

Shapiro: Israel’s decision to cut HRC ties ‘understandable’

US ambassador to Israel says Human Rights Council obsessively focuses on Israel instead of other critical issues in Syria, Iran

United States Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro said Monday that he understands Israel’s decision to sever its ties with the UN Human Rights Council, following its decision to probe its settlements policies.

During a meeting with students at Tel Aviv University, Shapiro said that the Council “obsessively focuses” on Israel, while neglecting other human rights issues that are far more important and urgent.

The ambassador explained that the United States continues to sit at the Council in order to try shift the focus away on Israel and put it where it belongs, in Syria or Iran. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: UNHRC

Barghouti calls on Palestinians to launch popular resistance against Israel

Imprisoned Fatah commander issues unusual missive calling on Palestinians to sever economic and security coordination with Israel and urging an economic and diplomatic boycott.

Former Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who is jailed in Israel, published an unusual message on Monday in which he called on the Palestinian public to launch a widespread resistance against Israel.

Barghouti made the remarks ahead of Land Day on Friday, when thousands of people are expected to protest along Israel’s borders to mark the deaths of six Israeli Arabs in March 1976 and protest the Israeli government’s land policies.

The imprisoned Fatah commander, who is serving five life sentences in an Israeli jail, sent the missive from Hadarim prison and called on Palestinians to undertake a popular resistance against Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: terrorist

Palestinian Authority Arab Stabs Soldier

A Ramallah area Arab stabbed and lightly wounded an IDF soldier Monday night during a counter-terrorist operation. The combat unit shot and wounded three terrorists.

The wounded soldier received first aid at the scene, east of the Palestinian Authority’s headquarters in Ramallah, adjacent to the Jewish community of Beit El and several miles north of Jerusalem.

The IDF was conducting a maneuver in a Ramallah area village when a gang attacked. It was not clear if the terrorists had planned an ambush or acted spontaneously during the IDF operation for arresting suspects. The wounded terrorists were treated at an Israeli hospital, under guard of security personnel. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF, Palestinian Authority, terrorists