Archive for May 6, 2012

Arab Worker Sues over Firing for Memorial Day Disrespect

An Arab worker has sued over her firing for disrespecting the Memorial Day siren. Siren “hurtful to Arabs,” her lawyer says.

An Israeli-Arab woman from Taibe who was fired from her job at a supermarket in Raanana has filed suit against the Mega chain, Channel 2 reports. The woman says she was fired for refusing to stand in respect as a siren sounded in memory of fallen IDF soldiers – and claims that the expectation that she stand was offensive to her as an Arab.

Mega fired the woman, Haj Yahye, after a customer complained that she had not only not stopped in respect as the siren sounded, but had begun to sing. Continue Reading »

Groups demand increase in rooftop solar quotas

Green groups argue allowing more solar roof installations would be simple way of helping bridge gaps that may occur this summer.

Eight environmental organizations appealed to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday asking that he promote an increase in the quota for photovoltaic rooftop panels, in light of the anticipated electricity shortages this summer.

 

Solar water heating
Solar water heating – Photo: M.O. Stevens

In their letter, which was released to the press on Thursday, the organizations argued that allowing more solar roof installations would be a simple and clean way of helping bridge the gaps that might occur this summer. The eight groups were the Society for the Protection of Nature (SPNI), the Israel Forum for Energy, the Renewable Energy Association of Israel, Adam Teva V’Din (Israel Union for Environmental Defense), Life and Environment umbrella group for green organizations, Greenpeace Mediterranean, Israel Green Building Council and Green Course.

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IDF denies Lebanon claim fence crosses Blue Line

Beirut complains to UNIFIL that security barrier being erected on border near Metulla violating Lebanon’s sovereign territory.

 

The IDF on Saturday rejected Lebanese claims that a security fence Israel is putting up on the border between the two countries near the Israeli town of Metulla violates Lebanon’s sovereign territory.

IDF soldier looks into Lebanon near Metula -Photo: REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

IDF soldier looks into Lebanon near Metula - Photo: REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

The IDF statement came after Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Friday, claiming that Israel was crossing over the Blue Line into Lebanese territory during excavations laying the groundwork for the fence. Continue Reading »

Ex-IDF intelligence chief: A nuclear Iran more dangerous than military strike

At a conference in U.S., Amos Yadlin says Iran has a ‘sophisticated’ strategy to pursue nuclear weapons that is ‘unfortunately’ working.

 

Former Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin said on Saturday that a nuclear Iran would be more dangerous than carrying out a military strike on Iran.

Amos Yadlin June 28, 2011 (Moti Milrod)

Former Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Yadlin - Photo by Moti Milrod

Speaking from the crowd in respone to a panel discussion at the Washington Institute’s 2012 Weinberg Founders Conference in Virginia, Yadlin said Iran has a “sophisticated” strategy to pursue nuclear weapons and added his assessment that this strategy is “unfortunately” working

Yadlin said he favored exhausting all other options before striking Iran’s nuclear facilities but stressed that a “nuclear Iran is more dangerous than attacking Iran.”

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B’nai B’rith names winners of 2012 Journalism Award

B’nai B’rith World Center in Jerusalem announces Channel 2 News reporter Lee Abramovitz, as winner of 2012 Award for Journalism Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reportage

 

The B’nai B’rith World Center in Jerusalem announced on Wednesday that Channel 2 News reporter Lee Abramovitz, is the winner of the 2012 “B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reportage.”

Lee Abramovitz

Lee Abramovitz

The Jury also decided to present a “Foreign Correspondent Citation” to AP correspondent Diaa Hadid (general media category), and Jana Beris (Jerozolimski), editor of Uruguayan Jewish weekly newspaper, Semanario Hebreo (Jewish media category).

Since its establishment in 1992, the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism has recognized excellence in reportage on contemporary Diaspora Jewish communities and on the state of Israel-Diaspora relations today in the Israeli print and electronic media. Continue Reading »

Desalination program treading water

State Comptroller’s Report for 2012 criticizes government, officials for delays, irregularities in implementation of water desalination program

 

The State Comptroller’s Report for 2012 which was released on Tuesday revealed that delays in the erection of desalination plants are continuing. The report’s severe criticism of the desalination efforts is a continuation of the comptroller’s criticism in previous reports.

Desalination plant (Illustration)

A Desalination plant

The government, notes State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss, committed to establishing desalination plants that would by 2013, produce 600 million cubic meters of water per year. Yet so far the plants have only managed to produce 300 million cubic meters.

“This is an ongoing governmental failure that impedes the public interest,” the report determined. Continue Reading »

Israel should not fear an Islamist Middle East

The rise of Islamist regimes proves that an honest enemy is better than a false friend.

As a result of the increasing power of the Muslim Brotherhood and the even more extreme Salafi parties, the outcome of the ongoing Egyptian elections is looking grim and many westerners are deeply concerned.  Although Khairat el-Shater of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hazem Salah Abu Ismail of the Salafi Al Nour party have now been disqualified, the Muslim Brotherhood nevertheless has 105 seats in the Shura Council and together with the Salafi Islamic Bloc’s 45 seats, they occupy a majority of the 270 seats. In the People’s Assembly, which will draft the new constitution, they have 235 seats and together with the Salafi Bloc’s 123, they completely dominate the 508 seat Assembly. Continue Reading »

C’tee bans smoking in some outdoor areas

‘Watered-down’ amendment banning smoking in some outdoor public places could be tougher, say public health experts.

 

The Israel Cancer Association both congratulated MKs on Wednesday for increasing the types of places where smoking will be prohibited, and expressed disappointment that the legislation had been watered down.

Smoking

Photo: Thinkstock/Imagebank

The amendment to no-smoking laws, approved by the Knesset’s Labor, Social Affairs and Health Committee and implemented by order, makes it illegal to light up cigarettes and other tobacco products at outdoor performances; within 10 meters of entrances to hospitals and clinics; or in bus and train stations, swimming pools, indoor stadiums, outdoor wedding locations, swimming pools, public shelters; and in other outdoor locations.

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Erdogan furious over Turkey rating downgrade

Turkey’s prime minister accuses ratings agency Standard & Poor’s of bias for lowering country’s long-term credit outlook

 

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused ratings agency Standard & Poor’s of bias for lowering the country’s long-term credit outlook on the same day it upgraded Greece’s credit grade.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo: EPA

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Photo by EPA

S&P on Tuesday had dropped Turkey’s outlook from positive to stable, which mean it is no longer considering an upgrade of its credit rating, and cited concerns over government debt. The same day it had upgraded the ratings of neighboring Greece after Athens completed a major debt writedown with private creditors. Continue Reading »

Ehud Olmert: Right-wing Americans thwarted Israeli-Palestinian peace accord

In interview with CNN, former Prime Minister says time for a two-state solution is running out.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tells CNN that right-wing extremists from the United States toppled his government with “millions and millions of dollars” in order to thwart his attempt to reach a lasting peace agreement with the Palestinians.

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert - Photo by Michal Fatt

In the interview Olmert gave CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that aired on Friday, Olmert said that his peace plan was supported by a majority of Israelis and that it could have been, and still can be, implemented were it not for “superior powers” in the U.S.

Continue Reading »

Jordanians Protest, Call to End Peace with Israel

Thousands of Jordanians take to the streets, demand an end to the country‘s 18-year-old peace treaty with Israel.

Thousands of Jordanians took to the streets on Friday demanding an end to the country‘s 18-year-old peace treaty with Israel.

Fayez Tarawneh

Fayez Tarawneh - Photo Reuters

According to a report by the dpa news agency, in a series of nationwide protests, demonstrators urged Amman to cut ties with the Jewish State.

The protesters burned Israeli flags and chanted “death, death to Israel”, the report said.

The protests took place in seven cities across the country, and the protesters urged authorities to expel the Israeli ambassador from Amman, chanting “no to a Zionist embassy on our land.” Continue Reading »

Israel’s deep-sea dominance

Op-ed: Our foes have no answer for Israel’s submarines, which guarantee regional stability

By Guy Bechor

 

Quietly, underwater, Israel is turning into a maritime power like the United States and Russia, with an armada of advanced submarines. Germany recently agreed to provide Israel with a sixth Dolphin submarine; the Jewish state already has three. Two more will be arriving this and next year, and then the sixth one will come.

Israeli submarines guarantee stability Photo: Shutterstock

Israeli submarines guarantee stability Photo: Shutterstock

Germany also agreed to subsidize the sixth submarine, as it did with the previous ones. The first two were given to Israel for free; the Germans paid for half of the third one, and will pay for one third of the next three. Continue Reading »

IDF Censor to Monitor Journalists’ Social Media Accounts

The IDF censor will now monitor journalists’ and bloggers’ social media accounts – and you don’t even have to be Israeli

The IDF military censor will be assuming a more ominous role as it begins monitoring the social media accounts of Israeli journalists and bloggers for potential violation of censorship provisions.

Sima Vaknin-Gil

Sima Vaknin-Gil באדיבות המכללה האקדמית נתניה-

Col. Sima Vaknin-Gil told attendees at the Digit 2012 conference at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, that the new system will monitor visual and textual information on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, on blogs and on traditional news sites.

“The new system will examine information using key words labeled in advance,” she said, stressing it would help her office monitor information that was previously difficult to track. Continue Reading »

Methodists reject motion to divest from Israel

General conference of United Methodist Church votes against divesting from three companies that trade with Israel.

Methodist Church - Photo by REUTERS

Methodist Church - Photo by REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON – The general conference of the United Methodist Church voted not to divest from three companies that trade with Israel.

Two-thirds of the approximately 1,000 delegates to the conference voted Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., against a motion to divest from Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions and Hewlett-Packard.

Divestment advocates claim that products manufactured by these companies are used to repress Palestinians.

The conference passed motions opposing Jewish settlements in the West Bank, recommending the boycott of products manufactured in settlements, and investment in the Palestinian economy.

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Israel’s medical tourism industry

Israeli hospitals boost revenues by treating foreigners, but Palestinian patients pose a special challenge

 

Medical tourism has become a major money maker for Israeli hospitals. According to data from recent years, annual revenues in Israeli hospitals from medical tourism amount to NIS 400 million (roughly $120 million.)

Illustration

Medical tourism is considered a lucrative Industry because, on average, Israeli hospitals charge 30% more from foreign patients than they do from Israeli patients.

A good medical reputation and relatively lower costs as compared to other hospitals around the world draw patients from all over the globe to receive medical care in Israel, and the arrangement is a win-win situation – they get good treatment and hospitals get to boost revenues. Continue Reading »