Archive for May 8, 2012

Australia’s top Catholic Archbishop says Jews are ‘intellectually and morally inferior’.

Australia’s most senior-ranked Catholic official has risked an international backlash by claiming that Jews are ‘intellectually and morally inferior’.

Cardinal George Pell said ‘the little Jewish people’ were shepherds who lacked intellectual development during a debate with atheist Richard Dawkins.
He went on to claim that Germans had suffered more than the Jews during  the horrors of the holocaust in the Second World War.
Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most senior-ranked Catholic

Cardinal George Pell, Australia's most senior-ranked Catholic

(Scroll down for video)

The remarks came during a televised debate with Dawkins on Australian TV in which the pair became locked in a heated discussion on religion and evolution.

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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: Unity deal with Mofaz ‘strengthens Israel’

Netanyahu, opposition leader to present deal bringing Kadima into 94-seat coalition, canceling elections to Knesset at noon; factions approve deal; Kadima tasked with leading c’tee on alternative Tal Law.

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the unity government deal he signed with opposition leader Shaul Mofaz would strengthen Israel.

“Unity restores stability.  A broad national unity government is good for security, good for the economy and good for the people of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a conversation with President Shimon Peres.

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - Photo: Gali Tibbon/Pool

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Kadima head Shaul Mofaz will present their unity deal to form a 94-seat coalition, struck overnight, to the Knesset following a noon press conference, Israel Radio reported.

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Left slams ‘dirty unity deal’

MK Horowitz blasts ‘mother of all dirty deals,’ Labor says unity government an ‘alliance of cowards’

 

Opposition parties slammed Tuesday’s unity agreement between Likud and Kadima, characterizing it as a “dirty deal” that will gravely undermine the public’s trust in Israel’s political system.

“This is an alliance of cowards and the most ridiculous zigzag in Israel’s political history,” Labor Party Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich said, referring to Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz’s recent attacks on Netanyahu. Two months ago, Mofaz vowed not to enter the Likud-led government, and in recent days accused Labor of planning to join the coalition.

“Nobody will be forgetting this shady deal, and regrettably it will gravely harm the public’s trust in politics,” the Labor leader said. Continue Reading »

In surprise move, Netanyahu, Mofaz agree to form unity government, cancel early elections

PM, opposition leader reach dramatic late-night agreement to form national unity government, in which Kadima head Mofaz expected to be appointed deputy prime minister.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition chairman MK Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) reached a surprise agreement early Tuesday morning to form a national unity government.

Netanyahu (left) and Mofaz.

Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Shaul Mofaz - Photo by Tomer Appelbaum

The move came as the Knesset was preparing to disperse for early elections, which were expected to be scheduled for September 4.

Under the agreement, Kadima will join Netanyahu’s government and commit to supporting its policies through the end of its term in late 2013.

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Kadima Gets 16 Months Political Life Support; Bibi A Puzzle

It is easy to understand Kadima’s move, but it is harder to fathom Netanyahu’s.

A funny thing happened on the way to the September 4 Knesset elections. Instead of elections we got a ” Unity” government between the Likud and Kadima. The term “unity government” is a misnomer. Unity governments are formed between the leading party of the right and the leading party of the left.

Binyamin Netanyahu

Binyamin Netanyahu - Photo by Reuters

The Kadima party was an amphibious party in the 2006 elections, drawing support from both the right and the left. In the 2009 elections it had become a party of the left and essentially cannibalized Labor and Meretz to win its 28 seats in the Knesset. Continue Reading »

Step aside, Gutenberg, Israel is about to revolutionize printing – again

 An Israeli company transforms commercial digital printing with a groundbreaking – and eco-friendly — Nanographic process.

Benny Landa is revolutionizing the printing industry – for a second time.

Benny Landa is revolutionizing the printing industry – for a second time.

For Benny Landa, it wasn’t enough that his Indigo digital commercial printers revolutionized the industry – making it possible to digitally print everything from photo albums to wine-bottle labels — after Indigo’s 2002 acquisition by Hewlett-Packard.

An American transplant to Israel, Landa (“the Steve Jobs of the printing world”) just unveiled his latest game-changer: a trademarked Nanographic (www.landanano.com) line of sheet-fed and web presses for commercial, packaging and publishing markets. The six printers use Israeli-developed NanoInk to print on any kind of material at high speed and low cost.

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‘Children die while you focus on haredim’

Knesset members give go-ahead to quickened ratification of bill aiming to move up election; MK Gafni accuses legislators of being unfairly preoccupied with haredim

 

Photos By: Ohas Zwigenberg, Ofer Amram, Haim Tzach, Ido Erez

 

The Knesset’s House Committee on Monday gave the green light to accelerate the ratification of a bill calling for the dissolution of the parliament.

The session quickly turned stormy as Knesset members debated the issue, as well as another piece of legislation that has found itself in the center of the political tumult – the Tal Law, which effectively grants army service exemptions to haredim.

MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) was called to order three times before being forced to leave the meeting. Continue Reading »

The Israeli-French honeymoon is likely over

Following the decisive victory of socialist party candidate Francois Hollande, France will experience a series of characteristic, economic, and foreign policy changes, but Netanyahu has no reason to rejoice.

Regime change in a democracy is always a delightful moment. The cruelty and swiftness with which voters cast their ballots is a reminder of the fact that despite the corruption, filth, and unscrupulousness that exist in a functioning democracy, democracy is nonetheless an exceptional method of keeping resources that belong to the masses out of the hands of the few.

Newly elected president Francois Hollande May 6, 2012 in Tulle, France.

Newly elected president Francois Hollande waves after a speech following the results of the second round of the presidential election on May 6, 2012 in Tulle, France - Photo by AFP

In France, where the role of President still holds a smidgen of kingliness, removal from office is that much more cruel and impressive.

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Israeli Scientist Develops Kit to Identify Deadly Bacteria

A 92-year-old scientist from Hebrew University has invented a kit that enables the immediate detection of drug-resistant bacteria.

Israeli scientist from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has invented a kit that enables the immediate detection of drug-resistant bacteria, one of the major concerns of organizations like the World Health Organization.

In the United States alone, antibiotic-resistant infections are responsible for eight million additional hospital stays every year and for the consequent bed-to-bed spread of resistance, leading to over $20 billion per year in excess health care costs and $35 billion per year in societal costs, noted Yissum, the research and development company of the Hebrew University. Continue Reading »

Likud’s right flank sends a warning shot across Netanyahu’s bow

Pro-settlement elements torpedo the PM’s bid to take charge of the party’s convention, revealing new party paradigm

Conventional wisdom has it that Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud will sail to a second term as ruling party in new elections. But the chaotic party convention Sunday night in Tel Aviv — at which Netanyahu’s intended confirmation as the convention’s president was sabotaged — showed that choppy waters may be ahead.

On Sunday night, the Likud’s right wing flexed its muscle, showing the prime minister that he needs to remain steadfast in his support for the settlements if he wants their unwavering backing.

Netanyahu is still overwhelmingly likely to be re-elected as prime minister, whether he wins the Likud’s party convention presidency or not. Continue Reading »

PA arrests dozens of Fatah members, officers

Clampdown comes after unidentified gunmen opened fire at home of Jenin governor Musa, who died of heart attack.

 

Palestinian Authority security forces arrested dozens of Palestinians in Jenin and surrounding villages in the past 48 hours, sources in the city said on Sunday.

Many of those arrested are Fatah members and officers working for PA security services.

They said the clampdown, the biggest launched by the PA in the West Bank, came after unidentified men shot at the home of Jenin Gov. Kadoura Musa last Wednesday.

PA police stang guard in West Bank - By REUTERS

PA police stand guard in West Bank - By REUTERS

Musa was not hurt in the attack.

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‘Victory will be greater if hunger strikers die’

Khader Adnan, who refused food for two months until Israel agreed to release him, says Palestinian prisoners’ strike will be hailed as victory regardless of its outcome

 

Israeli security officials fear that the death of any Palestinian prisoner as a result of the ongoing hunger strike, which has entered its 21st day, may lead to an eruption of violence in the territories, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Monday.

Khader Adnan (Photo: Sebastian Scheiner)

Khader Adnan - Photo by Sebastian Scheiner

Some 1,600 Palestinian prisoners are protesting against the conditions of their incarceration, which were significantly worsened while Gilad Shalit was held captive by Hamas in Gaza. Continue Reading »

‘Undercover Israeli combatants threw stones at IDF soldiers in West Bank’

Testimony by commander of the Israeli Prison Service’s elite ‘Masada’ unit sheds light on IDF methods in countering demonstrations against barrier.

Undercover soldiers hurled stones in the “general direction” of IDF soldiers as part of their activity to counter weekly demonstrations in the Palestinian village of Bil’in, the commander of the Israeli Prison Service’s elite “Masada” unit revealed during his recent testimony in the trial of MK Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash).

MK Mohammed Barakeh confronting IDF soldiers in Bil’in in 2005.

MK Mohammed Barakeh confronting IDF soldiers in Bil’in in 2005. - Photo by Reuters

Barakeh has been charged with assaulting a border guard in Bil’in who was attempting to arrest a demonstrator.

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Soldier Enlists in IDF Twice

Sgt. Efraim Disen, a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade, completed his service and returned to U.S., then decided to do it again.

Sergeant Efraim Disen, an American Jew who became a combat soldier in the Nahal Brigade, has done what may seem impossible: he enlisted in the IDF twice.

Efraim Disen (left)

Efraim Disen (left) - IDF Website

The IDF Website reported that “For a long time, Efraim debated with himself about immigrating to Israel. When he finished high school in Chicago, he began to pursue studies in math and science and even completed a year and a half of university.

Disen told Rosa Lisninsky of the IDF Spokesman’s Unit, simply: “I decided that I wanted to enlist, so I enlisted.” Continue Reading »

Ghajar seeks compensation for war damages

Residents who pay taxes to Israel have not yet received compensation for damages caused to their homes in the Second Lebanon War.

 

After filing a lawsuit seeking compensation for damage caused to their homes during the Second Lebanon War, residents of the Alawite village of Ghajar report limited progress, a lawyer representing the town said this week.
Lebanese-Israeli bordertown of Ghajar
Lebanese-Israeli bordertown of Ghajar – Photo Ben Hartman

Attorney Kamal Hattib – who represents residents of the village in a lawsuit against the Israel Tax Authority – said that around 85 houses in the village suffered damage during the war from both Israeli tank and artillery shockwaves and from Hezbollah rockets that landed within the village.

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