Archive for April 3, 2012

Int’l Criminal Court rejects investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes

 

Since Palestine is not a full UN member state, The Hague says it cannot investigate misdeeds committed there

The International Criminal Court on Tuesday rejected a Palestinian petition to prosecute Israel for alleged violations in the West Bank and Gaza because Palestine is not a full member state of the United Nations.
The International Criminal Court (CC-BY Jemimus, Flickr)

The International Criminal Court (CC-BY Jemimus, Flickr)

While pro-Israel advocates hailed the decision as a victory in the arena of “lawfare,” the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem greeted it with a lukewarm response.

A few days after Operation Cast Lead, in early 2009, Palestinian Justice Minister Ali Khashan wrote to the International Criminal Cour asking it to investigate Israel’s conduct in the West Bank and Gaza. 

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Lieberman to propose new Druze village

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said while touring the north that he would find a solution to the housing shortage faced by the Druze sector, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.

Avigdor Lieberman Photo: Reuters

Avigdor Lieberman - Photo by Reuters

Lieberman met with the representatives of the Druze and Circassian councils and announced that he intends submit a proposal for the government’s consideration to build a new town for the Druze community.

According to the minister, his proposal will mandate the World Zionist Organization’s Settlement Division to devise a plan for the construction of the town, which is expected to house at least 500 families. The measure would be financed by the State’s long-term initiative to invest in Druze and Circassian settlement. Continue Reading »

Illegal exodus: Israel authorities seize remains of ancient Egypt coffin

Israel Antiquities Authority says two thousands-of-years-old decorated wooden coffin lids were smuggled into Israel via Dubia and Europe.

 

The lids of two lavish ancient ritual coffins were seized in Israel after being smuggled from Egypt via Dubai, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said on Tuesday.

In an announcement released just days before the celebration of Passover – marking the Israelites Exodus from Egypt – the IAA indicated the rare artifacts were uncovered a few months ago during a raid of antiques shops in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The wooden lids are coated with plaster and decorated with paintings and hieroglyphics; a carbon-dating examination by IAA officials determined that the artifacts were indeed authentic, with one dating to sometime between the 10th and the 8th centuries B.C.E.

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Israeli-US Air, Naval Forces Train for Energy War

Israeli, Greek and U.S. militaries are in an exercise in preparation for a possible war over Israel’s huge off-shore gas discoveries.

 

Israeli, Greek and U.S. forces are in the midst of a drill in preparation for a possible war over Israel’s huge off-shore gas discoveries, which also may contain commercializable oil. Lebanon and Hizbullah have claimed the fields are in Lebanese territory and that they will “defend” the area against drilling by Israel.

The week-long drill is simulating air-to-air combat and anti-submarine warfare and is taking place off the coast of Turkey, possibly signaling it not to interfere with Israeli energy operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Continue Reading »

PA arrests another reporter over Facebook post

Tarek Khamis accused of criticizing the PA’s current clampdown on Palestinian journalists in the West Bank.

Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank Sunday night arrested another Palestinian journalist for posting a critical comment on Facebook.

Agents belonging to the PA’s Preventive Security Service in Ramallah arrested Tarek Khamis, who works for the Palestinian Zaman Press news agency, for criticizing the PA’s current clampdown on Palestinian journalists in the West Bank, a Palestinian journalist told The Jerusalem Post.

PA police stand guard in West Bank - By REUTERS

PA police stand guard in West Bank - By REUTERS

He said that Khamis was taken into custody after he wrote a comment that referred specifically to the recent arrest of female journalist and blogger Esmat Abdel Khalik.She

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Neturei Karta in surprise visit to south Lebanon

Two US rabbis visit former synagogue, cemetery in Sidon donning Palestinian keffiyehs

Residents of Sidon in southern Lebanon were surprised on Monday to see two rabbis touring Jewish sites in the city’s old quarter, an AFP journalist said.

Neturei Karta members during Land Day march Photo: Reuters

Neturei Karta members during Land Day march - Photo by Reuters

The two American members of Neturei Karta – a group of anti-Zionist Jews who believe that the state of Israel should not exist – came to a former synagogue inhabited for decades by families in the “Jewish quarter” where now only the Star of David and Hebrew inscriptions are visible.

“For 40 years we have not seen a rabbi in Sidon. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem Mayor aims to establish new settlement in East Jerusalem

About 200 new homes are being planned for the new neighborhood, known as Kidmat Zion, on a plot of land purchased by U.S. millionaire Irving Moskowitz.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat announced on Monday that he intends to promote the establishment of a new Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem. About 200 new homes are being planned for the new neighborhood, known as Kidmat Zion, on a plot of land purchased by U.S. millionaire Irving Moskowitz, a longtime patron of Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem.

The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis.

The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis, where the mayor wants to build 200 new homes - Photo by: Emil Salman / Jini

On Monday, Barkat made his intentions known to the three Meretz party members of his city council coalition. Continue Reading »

France Expels Radical Muslims

France is expelling “foreign Islamic radicals” in a new strategy to cope with the growing wave of Muslim terror. The UN has not commented.

France is expelling five “foreign Islamic radicals” in a new strategy to cope with the growing wave of Muslim terror. The United Nations, which frequently has condemned Israel for deporting Arab terrorists, has not commented.

France's Interior Minister Gueant speaks to media meeting with French Muslim leaders

France's Interior Minister Gueant speaks to media meeting with French Muslim leaders - Reuters

The action by France follows the murders of seven people, including a rabbi and three young Jewish children in Toulouse, by Al Qaeda-linked terrorist Mohammed Merah, who was killed in a French police raid on his apartment two weeks ago. Continue Reading »

Shin Bet nabs terror cell behind W. Bank shootings

Members of the terrorist cell included Palestinian Red Crescent workers, Hamas affiliates and an Olympic soccer player; 13 people arrested total for string of shooting attacks near Ramallah.

 

Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances [file] - By Baz Ratner / Reuters

Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances file - By Baz Ratner / Reuters

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) announced Monday that it uncovered and arrested a terrorist cell that was behind a series of shootings in the Ramallah area.The shootings, including one on January 20 near the West Bank town of Amari, caused damage to vehicles but no injuries.

Among those arrested for being part of the cell were employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent in Ramallah.

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Silence in face of hate

Op-ed: Swedish blogger says European society becoming blind to Jew hate, must wake up

It gets dark very early here in Stockholm in the winter. Some young men are crossing the square where some Jews are dancing, speaking in Arabic amongst themselves, perhaps with a Libyan accent. They already know what they plan to do.

I can hear them mentioning Israel. They are looking for trouble. Suddenly one of them approaches a stand with a couple of Israeli flags on it. One grabs a flag forcefully and the other Arab men are following him, running. People pretend like nothing really happened – but it did happen. Continue Reading »

Descendants of grand mufti want to build peace center at razed Jerusalem hotel

Descendents of Haj Amin al-Husseini, who led terror attacks on the Jewish community in Mandatory Palestine and collaborated with the Nazis, seek to keep site of old Shepherd’s Hotel from being used to house settlers.

 

The descendents of Haj Amin al-Husseini, who led terror attacks on the Jewish community in Mandatory Palestine and collaborated with the Nazis while serving as mufti of Jerusalem, would like to build a peace and coexistence center for Arabs and Israelis on land the mufti owned.

Shepherd Hotel 1

A worker looks as excavators demolish the Shepherd Hotel in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem - Photo by Reuters

The family is seeking, at least in part, to keep the land from being used to house settlers. Continue Reading »

Time to ‘Go Medieval’ on the Terrorists, Says MK

MK Danny Danon: Axe attack in Jerusalem reminiscent of Middle Ages; Barghouti’s incitement is to blame.

MK Danny Danon (Likud) said Monday that recent incitement by Fatah’s Marwan Barghouti is responsible for the axe attack in Jerusalem this morning.

Marwan Barghouti

Marwan Barghouti - Photo by Reuters

“Barghouti’s incitement calling for rampaging Arab terror has reached the capital of Israel,” Danon stated. “The nightmare of Arab pillaging has become a daily reality. The axe attack in the center of Jerusalem is a case right out of the Middle Ages.”

“All Arabs who engage in terror need to be put back in their own Middle Ages and be locked up in a solitary cell with Marwan Barghouti, who incites to terror and is responsible for the attack. Continue Reading »

Mofaz: Cancel and lower water, electricity, gasoline taxes

After becoming new opposition leader at special Knesset session, Kadima chair accuses Netanyahu gov’t of talking a lot but doing little, says gov’t using security issues to distract from social issues.

 

New opposition leader Shaul Mofaz on Monday called on the government to cancel the excise tax on water and to lower taxes on gasoline and electricity.

Speaking at a special Knesset session where he assumed the title of opposition leader, Mofaz said that lowering and canceling those taxes “will have a direct impact on the public’s ability to deal with the cost of living.”

Shaul Mofaz Knesset speech - By Courtesy: Knesset Channel

Shaul Mofaz Knesset speech - By Courtesy: Knesset Channel

Mofaz also addressed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s handling of the Iranian nuclear issue, accusing the government of “talking a lot but doing little.”The

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Gaza: 3 children burn to death as energy crisis bites

Emergency services spokesman says candle that apparently caused blaze was used after electricity was cut

Three Palestinian children were found dead Sunday in a fire in their room caused by a candle being used due to lack of electricity in Gaza, an emergency services official said.

“A fire broke out in the children’s room,” said Adham Abu Selmiya, emergency services spokesman for the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Archives Photo: AFP

Archives Photo: AFP

“Apparently the fire was caused by a candle which was being used after the electricity was cut,” he said, adding that the tragedy occurred in the town of Deir Balah, in the center of the coastal strip. Continue Reading »

Israeli court convicts Nazareth imam for inciting violence, terror

Prosecution argues that Nazzem Abu Salim’s ideological rantings about harming non-Muslims has led to the murder of an Upper Nazareth taxi driver, the kidnapping and robbery of a Jewish pizza delivery man, and attacks on Christians.

Nazzem Abu Salim, 47, the imam at the Shihab a Din mosque in Nazareth, was convicted Sunday by the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court of inciting to violence and terror, and supporting a terror group.

Imam Nazzem Abu Salim arriving at the city’s courthouse. - Photo by: Gili Eliyahu

Imam Nazzem Abu Salim arriving at the city’s courthouse. - Photo by Gili Eliyahu

Deputy Court President Judge Lili Jung-Goffer determined that the substance of what he said and wrote, the type of violence he encouraged and praised, the size of his audience and their identity, the intensiveness of the publicity and the mood of the public he was preaching to left no doubt that there existed a real possibility that his words could spur others to violence or terror.

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