Archive for April 2, 2012

Arab Axe Attack on Jew in Old City

An Arab terrorist attacked a Jew with an axe in  the area of the Damascus Gate Monday morning. The victim suffered light wounds.

Police have been deployed in a massive manhunt for the Arab. The wounded man is being treated at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. He reportedly was returning from morning prayers at the Western Wall.

Attacks on Jews have escalated in the past several months since the Palestinian Authority decided to bury the “diplomatic process” and then failed in its bid to win international recognition from the United Nations.

Last week, Arabs hurled rocks at Jews travelling through an Arab area to the Western Wall. Continue Reading »

Israel Plans New Birdwatching Network

Israel, crossroads of the world’s major religions, is also the migration route half a billion birds. Now Jerusalem has plans for them

 

Israel’s government on Sunday approved the planning and construction of a national network of birdwatching centers.

The NIS 37 million project is aimed at promoting tourism, education, environmental awareness and research, and will be developed in the Negev and Galilee.

Four new centers are to be built, located in Sde Boker, Ein Gedi, Lotan and HaTzeva. In addition, three existing centers in Kfar Rupin, Ma’agan Michael and Eilat will be upgraded as well.

The Jewish State’s location at the apex of three continents constitutes a main migration route for 500 million birds that fly each autumn from Europe and western Asia to Africa – and then back again each spring. Continue Reading »

Protect the Mount of Olives!

To allow unrestrained lawlessness at so sacred a site is what’s fundamentally unthinkable.

 

Last Tuesday, several hours before he was to wed, a young bridegroom wished to say a short prayer at his mother’s grave on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. He lost his mother last year and a visit to the cemetery constituted for him her inclusion in his special day. He was driven up by his friend Dror Klein.
Vandalism at the Mount of Olives
As they neared their destination, a bucket of white paint crashed into the front windshield, obscuring Dror’s view. A hail of stones followed.
In minutes some 30 to 40 young Arabs surrounded the vehicle, rocking it menacingly and hurling large rocks, cement blocks and broken pavement fragments at the two.The
Continue Reading »

Decade after siege: Church of Nativity deportees speak out

It was one of al-Aqsa intifada’s most memorable events, with terrorists taking 200 civilians hostage. Ten years later, Palestinian deportees speak of regret, hopes of going home while for others, armed struggle still only available option

Yassin al-Harimi claims that he is a new man. A decade after he walked out of the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, when the world’s eyes were all trained on it, the oldest of the Palestinians who were deported by Israel, a man who waited for the IDF‘s troops among dozens of Palestinians armed to the teeth with explosives, no longer believes that violence is the right path. Continue Reading »

In Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood does not necessarily spell family

The Brotherhood’s decision to name a presidential candidate is causing panic in the movement and throughout Egypt, but the military and the secular public have not yet had the final word.

 

The Muslim Brotherhood‘s decision to field Khairat al-Shater as a candidate for Egypt’s presidency has stirred panic not only throughout Israel, but throughout Egypt as well, and even within the Muslim Brotherhood itself.

Supposedly, the Muslim Brotherhood’s goal is to seize control of every outlet of the Egyptian government, from the parliament – in which the Brotherhood won forty seven percent of seats – to the constitutional drafting committee, which has a majority of religious members. Continue Reading »

IDF: Gaza Terrorist Shot Dead

Gun-toting terrorist was spotted digging in the ground. He was shot.

 

The IDF Spokesman’s Unit said Sunday that an IDF unit identified a terrorist Saturday evening near the central section of the security fence separating Gaza from Israel.

He was spotted as he was digging in the ground. The IDF unit fired at him and identified a hit on target. In the morning, the IDF combed the area and found the terrorist’s body. He had been carrying a Kalachnikov rifle.

No IDF soldiers were hurt.

The IDF Spokesman noted that an IDF force discovered three explosive charges near the security fence separating Gaza from Israel Thursday, near Kibbutz Sufa. Continue Reading »

Omar Sharif Jr: I’m gay and Jewish

 

Omar Sharif Jr (photo credit: Omar Sharif Jr, Facebook page)
Omar Sharif Jr (photo credit: Omar Sharif Jr, Facebook page)
Model and actor Omar Sharif Jr., the grandson of Egyptian screen icon Omar Sharif, has revealed not only that that he is gay but also that his mother is Jewish.
In a passionate article posted in The Advocate, Sharif, who resides in LA, lamented the fate of Egypt after the 2011 revolution: “The vision for a freer, more equal Egypt — a vision that many young patriots gave their lives to see realized in Tahrir Square — has been hijacked. The full spectrum of equal and human rights are now wedge issues used by both the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces and the Islamist parties, when they should be regarded as universal truths.”
Continue Reading »

Denmark: Groups rally against Muslims in Europe

Members of far-right groups from throughout Europe protest against influx of Islamic immigrants to European countries.

 

A long-planned gathering of far rightwing movements from across Europe met in Denmark on Saturday to try to form a pan-European anti-Islamist alliance, a project that will test the cohesion of a fringe trying to build support built on fears about immigration and militant Islamists.Members of European far-right groups, including the English Defense League (EDL) and the German Defense League, arrived in the Danish city of Aaruhus for the rally, which was expected to draw anti- Islamic crowds from Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Romania and Sweden, according to the Guardian.
Continue Reading »

Christians mark Palm Sunday in Jerusalem

Hundreds of Christian pilgrims celebrate in Holy Land, holding masses, processions retracing Jesus’ triumphant return to Jerusalem

 

Hundreds of Christian pilgrims marked Palm Sunday in the Holy Land on Sunday, holding masses and processions retracing Jesus’ triumphant return to Jerusalem.

צילום: MCT

Colorful procession in Rome (Archive: MCT)

Palm Sunday marks the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by cheering crowds bearing palm fronds, according to the Bible.

 

The day’s events began with a mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher – revered as the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Several hundred worshippers and clergy lit candles and waved palm fronds in the dark, cavernous church. Continue Reading »

Israel, Greece conduct joint naval drill amid ongoing tension with Turkey

U.S. Sixth Fleet also participating in the exercise, which includes simulation of attack on offshore natural gas platforms.

Israel, the United States and Greece are in the midst of a naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, in what Greek media outlets are saying is a message to Turkey following frayed ties with both Israel and Greece.

IAF exercise - Greek air force - 1.4.12 - Photo by: Greek air force

IAF exercise - Greek air force - 1.4.12 - Photo by: Greek air force

The exercise, called “Noble Dina,” involves simulations of combat against submarines, air battles and protection of offshore natural gas platforms. The U.S. Sixth Fleet is also participating in the exercise, which the Greek media, which first reported on it, has described as being meant to send a message to Turkey. Continue Reading »

Obama Intentionally Leaking Israeli Intelligence Information?

Bolton accuses Obama administration of intentionally leaking highly sensitive Israeli intelligence information.

 

Former American ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, accused the Obama administration of intentionally leaking highly sensitive Israeli intelligence information, in an interview with FOX News.

Netanyahu and Obama, 04.03.12

Netanyahu and Obama, 04.03.12 - Photo by Reuters

According to the reports, Azerbaijan has recently granted Israel access to air bases along its border with Iran, which would eliminate the need for Israel to refuel during the course of a possible operation and would significantly improve the chances of its success.

Bolton, who refrained from stating whether or not he believes the reports to be true, highlighted the fact that the reports were leaked by United States intelligence officials. Continue Reading »

How Coca-Cola became kosher for Passover

Coca-Cola’s secret formula is just that – a secret. The secret was revealed to Rabbi Tobias Geffen over 70 years ago, in order for the soft drink to receive kosher certification.

 

Rabbi Tobias Geffen lived for 100 years: He was born in 1870 and died in 1970. For 60 odd years of his life he lived in Atlanta, Georgia, the hometown of the Coca-Cola Company. Geffen published a handful of books and was considered an important halakhic arbiter, but more than anything else he is identified with a responsum he issued in 1935 − stating that Coca-Cola is kosher and can also be drunk during Passover.

Continue Reading »

PM steps in again to reduce gas increase

Self-service liter of gas in Israel now NIS 7.79, far more than in the US, but still less than in much of Europe.

Gas station - By Marc Israel Sellem

Gas station - By Marc Israel Sellem

For the third time this year Prime Minister Binyamin stepped in Saturday night to significantly reduce the size of a planned gas increase, meaning the price of gas rose at midnight by five agorot, instead of the planned 20 agora hike.

The PM’s decision means that one liter of gas at a full service station will now cost NIS 8 ($8.16 per gallon), and a liter of self service gas will cost NIS 7.79 ($7.95 per gallon).

Continue Reading »

US denies leaking info on Israeli access to Azeri airbases

White House source tells Ynet DC had nothing to do with leaking information alleging Baku granted IAF access to its airbases in case of strike on Iran

 

A top White House official denied Saturday that the US Administration was responsible for leaking information, alleging that Israel has secured access to airfields in Azerbaijan ahead of a possible strike on Iran‘s nuclear facilities, to the press.

On Thursday, Foreign Policy Magazine reported that Baku had granted Jerusalem permission to use four abandoned, Soviet-era airbases, where IAF fighter jets could refuel in case of a strike against the Islamic Republic.

The sources said that the White House had “no interest” in leaks of this kind, adding that the administration would “gladly prosecute” the people behind it – if they knew who they were. Continue Reading »