Archive for April 16, 2012

Israel’s right to say ‘no’

Op-ed: State of Israel has right to ban entry of two-faced ‘peace activists’ consumed by hatred

Every host has the right to stand at the door and decided who shall be welcomed and who shall be denied entry.

Activists at Ben Gurion Airport Photo: Reuters

Activists at Ben Gurion Airport Photo: Reuters

When a US embassy official refuses to grant a certain person a visa because he was born in Iran or “has the face of a terrorist” in his passport photo, that’s apparently fine. Yet when we dare to prevent the entry of the pro-Palestinian fly-in because the passenger list includes kind souls whose official profession is hatred for Jews and for Israel, all the bleeding hearts rise up against us. Continue Reading »

Militants kill two Egyptian policemen in Sinai; Suez oil facility attacked again

The gunmen fled the site of the attack, leaving two policemen dead, one hit in the chest and another in the head, officials said.

EL-ARISH, Egypt – Islamist militants driving vehicles mounted with machine guns opened fire on a police checkpoint in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, killing two policemen and injuring a third in a daring attack early on Sunday, security officials said.

Flames rising from a gas pipeline explosion in El-Arish last month.

Flames rising from a gas pipeline explosion in El-Arish last month - Photo by AP

The policemen opened fire at the attackers, but failed to stop them. The gunmen fled the site of the attack south of the airport of the city of El-Arish, leaving two policemen dead, one hit in the chest and another in the head, the officials said.

Continue Reading »

New I.D.F. tank shells can penetrate reinforced targets

Such a capability is believed to be crucial for the IDF as it faces future conflicts with Hezbollah and Hamas.

 

In an effort to improve its ability to accurately target terrorists hiding inside homes, the IDF will receive new tank shells developed to penetrate reinforced targets in the coming weeks.

New IDF tank shells - Photo: IMI

New IDF tank shells - Photo: IMI

Such a capability is believed to be crucial for the IDF as it faces future conflicts with Hezbollah and Hamas, both terrorist groups which embed themselves within civilian infrastructure, according to the military.

Called M339, the new 120 mm. shell was developed by Israel Military Industries together with the IDF Ground Forces Command.

Continue Reading »

Egypt’s Suleiman: Israel may consider occupying Sinai

Ex-regime strongman says he fears ‘price Egypt will have to pay if Israel decides to reoccupy Sinai.’ Calls on political rivals to ‘exercise caution, keep peace in region’ in light of close relations between Egypt and Hamas

Egyptian presidential candidate Omar Suleiman addressed the relations between Egypt and Israel for the first time since he announced his candidacy earlier this month.

In an interview with Egyptian daily al-Youm al-Saba’a, Suleiman analyzed relations between the two neighboring countries in the wake of the Arab Spring and the ongoing terrorist activity originating from the Sinai Peninsula. “I’m fearful of the price Egypt will have to pay if Israel decides to reoccupy Sinai,” he said. Continue Reading »

Pro-Palestinian ‘fly-in’ activist: Israel and Europe treated us like terrorists

Two protesters, of French and Italian citizenship, succeed in making it past Israeli security and into Bethlehem; 43 activists denied entry into Israel at Ben-Gurion Airport.

 

Two pro-Palestinian activists that took part in the fly-in protest to Israel succeeded in making it past security at Ben-Gurion Airport and arrived in Bethlehem on Sunday, saying they were “treated like terrorists.”

The two female protesters, who hold French and Italian citizenship, held a press conference upon arrival in Bethlehem and recounted their experience.

Israel Police said Sunday that 43 activists were denied entry at Ben-Gurion Airport – 31 were transferred to Givon detention center and 12 were deported to their country of origin.

Continue Reading »

Anarchists, Israeli Media Upset at IDF Officer’s ‘Violence’

The Israeli media is aiming its arrows at an IDF officer who slammed his gun into the face of an anarchist who was blocking a road along with other leftists and Arabs.

The officer has been identified as Lt. Col. Shlomo Eisner, Deputy Commander of the Bik’a Brigade. The anarchists uploaded a video to the Internet in which he is seen slamming his gun, magazine first, into the face of an ISM anarchist. As is usual in such cases, the anarchists’ video is edited and does not include any documentation of their provocations vis-à-vis the reservist force that had to deal with them on the Jewish Sabbath. Continue Reading »

‘Flytilla’ activists: Israel get out

PARIS – As hundreds of police officers are deployed at Ben Gurion Airport in order to prevent the entry of the “flytilla to Palestine” activists to Israel, in Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport’s departures hall dozens of activists gathered on Sunday to protest their “exclusion” from Israel.

As of about 9:30 am, four activists who arrived aboard an El Al flight from Paris have been detained at BG Airport. They were immediately questioned at a booth set up by the Interior Ministry at the airport and are expected to be deported later in the day.

Some of the activists received notices alerting them to the fact that their flights to Israel had been cancelledwhile others managed to issue their boarding cards but are not sure they will be able to reach the Palestinian Authority. Continue Reading »

Egypt’s election body disqualifies Suleiman, Muslim Brotherhood candidate from presidential race

According to an Egyptian official, the Mubarak-era intelligence officer and Muslim Brotherhood’s Khairat al-Shater are among 10 nominees to be disqualified.

Egypt’s election body disqualified 10 candidates from the presidential poll on Saturday evening, including former Intelligence Minister Omar Suleiman, the Muslim Brotherhood‘s Khairat al-Shater and Salafi Hazem Abu Ismail, an official said.

AP-Former Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman is escorted by police after he submitted candidacy

Former Egyptian Vice President Omar Suleiman is escorted by police after he submitted his candidacy papers at the Higher Presidential Elections Commission, in Cairo, Egypt - Photo by AP

The candidates in Egypt’s presidential vote have 48 hours to appeal.

According to reports in Egyptian media, Suleiman was disqualified because he lacks a few votes in his list of supporters.

Continue Reading »

‘Flytilla’ Activists Receive ‘Welcome’ Letter from Israel

 

The Israeli government has issued an official “welcome” letter to the pro-‘Palestinian’ “flytilla” activists who plan on arriving in the country on Saturday and Sunday. It reads as follows:

“Dear Activists,

“We appreciate your choosing to make Israel the object of your humanitarian concerns.

“We know there were many other worthy choices.

“You could have chosen to protest the Syrian regime’s daily savagery against its own people, which has claimed thousands of lives.

“You could have chosen to protest the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on dissent and its support of terrorism throughout the world.

“You could have chosen to protest Hamas rule in Gaza, where terror organizations commit a double war crime by firing rockets at civilians and hiding behind civilians. Continue Reading »

‘Stuxnet implanted in Iran nuke plant with memory stick’

US intelligence officials tell ISSSource ‘Israeli proxy’ at Natanz nuclear facility used memory stick to infect machines; claim spies belong to same dissident group behind killing of nuclear scientists

The Stuxnet virus that damaged Iran’s nuclear program was implanted by an Israeli proxy — an Iranian, who used a corrupt “memory stick.32,” former and serving US intelligence officials told the Industrial Safety and Security website.

Ahmadinejad at Natanz plant (archives) Photo: AFP

Ahmadinejad at Natanz plant (archives) Photo: AFP

According to the sources, Iranian proxies have also been active in assassinating Iran’s nuclear scientists

The officials told ISSSource that a saboteur at the Natanz nuclear facility, probably a member of an Iranian dissident group, used a memory stick to infect the machines there. Continue Reading »

European airlines cancel tickets of pro-Palestinian ‘flytilla’ activists

Ahead of Sunday’s planned ‘fly-in,’ Israel’s Interior Minister sends airlines list of names of blacklisted activists, threatens punitive steps if companies allow them to board Israel-bound flights.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian activists were prevented from boarding Israel-bound flights on Friday, due to the fact that their names appeared on a blacklist distributed by the Israeli government to a number of European airlines.

Pro-Palestinian fly-in - 8.7.11

Pro-Palestinian activists at Ben-Gurion International Airport - Photo by Ilan Assayag

The activists were on their way to participate in a fly-in protest against Israeli construction in West Bank settlements, scheduled to take place on Sunday. Last July, a similar “fly-in” took place, with over 300 international activists arriving in Israel, and 120 detained. Continue Reading »

PA Governor Blocks Import of Israeli Produce to Shechem

The Palestinian Authority has blocked the import of Israeli produce to Shechem (Nablus).

 

According to a report published by the Bethlehem-based Ma’annews agency, the governor of the PA-controlled city stopped potatoes from entering the local market on Wednesday. The news outlet often serves as a semi-official mouthpiece for the Palestinian Authority.

The move, which prevents Israeli farmers from selling their produce to PA vendors, also prevents PA business people from doing business with Israel – a direct violation of the Oslo Accords and numerous foreign aid initiatives.

The decision was issued in line with a decision made by the PA Agriculture Ministry, according to the report. Continue Reading »

Polish Football Club Brands Anti-Semitic T-Shirts

Anti-Semitic t-shirts are being sold outside the Polish football club, Widzew Lodz; “This is Widzew terrain, entry to Jews is forbidden”

 

Tee shirts with anti-Semitic slogans are being sold outside the Polish football club, Widzew Lodz, Polskie Radio reported on Thursday.

The items have been on sale in a pavilion next to the club’s official shop.

“This is Widzew terrain, entry to Jews is forbidden,” reads the slogan on one Tee shirt.

“Curl hunters,” referring to the side curls of Chassidic Jews, is written on the other, adopting the age-old anti-Semitic slur.

A woman working in the shop told Gazeta Wyborcza daily that such items sell well and make a decent profit, noted Polskie Radio. Continue Reading »

Palestinian Authority blames Gaza for deficit mess

Western-backed PA says it has poured $7 billion to Gaza since Hamas seized control in 2007, blames Hamas for stymieing efforts to balance books

Paying for the upkeep of the Gaza Strip while its political rival actively blocks revenues flowing back is taking its toll on the deficit-racked Palestinian Authority.

Hamas ang Fatah signing the reconciliation Photo: EPA

Hamas ang Fatah signing the reconciliation - Photo: EPA

A barrage of mutual accusations in recent weeks has driven Hamas and Fatah ever further apart as stalled efforts at reconciliation and economic stagnation have jangled nerves on both sides.

Crippling power cuts in the small coastal enclave have only added to the acrimony and lifted the lid on often opaque Palestinian funding. Continue Reading »

Jordan Denies Iraqi Oil Reaching Israel

Jordan is fending off accusations that Iraqi oil is reaching Israel.

Jordanian Media and Communications Minister Rakan al-Majali denied at a news conference with Iraqi journalists Wednesday in Amman that the black gold is being smuggled to the Jewish State.

Oil Tanker in Suez Canal

Oil Tanker in Suez Canal Reuters

The official Jordan News Agency (Petra) quoted al-Majali as saying the claims were unfounded, and aimed at harming Jordan’s claims with Iraq.

He added that the accusations were ‘tantamount to a conspiracy aimed at intimidating’ the Hashemite Kingdom.

“How can oil be smuggled to Israel, while Jordan needs every drop,” he pointed out.

Iraqis have faced some difficulties entering the kingdom recently, both at airports and at the border crossings – a point raised by the media delegation as well. Continue Reading »