Archive for October 25, 2012

UN official calls for boycott of firms linked to Israeli settlements

A UN rapporteur on human rights alleges that companies dealing with settlers are in violation of int’l human rights laws.

 

By and Reuters

 

A U.N. investigator on Palestinian human rights urged a boycott of companies tied to Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian Territories on Thursday, but the United States criticized the call as “irresponsible and unacceptable.”

IDF soldiers in a West Bank settlement

IDF soldiers in a West Bank settlement – Photo by Emil Salman

Richard Falk, the independent special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian Territories, said the companies – which include Hewlett Packard, Motorola, Volvo and Caterpillar – should be boycotted until they adhered to international rights standards and practices. Continue Reading »

Arab Olive Tree Vandals ‘caught on tape’ by Jewish Film Crew

Volunteers filmed a group of Arabs & anarchists uprooting olive trees near Ateret in Binyamin, apparently planning to blame Jews

By David Lev

 

Volunteers from the grassroots Binyamin Residents’ Council on Wednesday caught a group of Arabs and anarchists uprooting olive trees near the town of Ateret in Binyamin. Apparently, the group was planning to cause damage to an olive grove belonging to an Arab farmer, and blame it on Jews from the area.

The volunteers filmed footage of the group as it was destroying the trees, filming its members for several minutes, until one of the group noticed they were being recorded. Continue Reading »

A Jew’s Trek from India to the Golani Brigade

At 24 yrs-old, Ronen Birvdaker decided to immigrate to Israel from India, recently completed his training to became a Golani Brigade infantry soldier.

Birvdaker: “I am 100% Israeli.”

By Nitzi Yakov

 

Ronen Birvdaker, a Jewish Indian from Mumbai, was so moved by the 2008 terrorist attack in his home city that he decided to immigrate to Israel last year. On Wednesday, he completed his training to become a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces’ Golani Brigade.

Brivdaker in the IDF – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

Birvdaker, 25, said that after the November 2008 attack — which killed 166 people, including a Chabad emissary and his wife — he felt that as a Jew there was no place for him to live other than in Israel.

Continue Reading »

Khartoum calls on the UNSC to condemn ‘Israeli attack’

Sudan claims Israel Air Force warplanes attacked arms factory in country: “Israel is a country of injustice that needs to be deterred.”

By REUTERS, JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Sudan on Wednesday called on the UN Security Council to condemn Israel after it accused the Jewish State of carrying out an airstrike in the country, causing a huge explosion and fire at an arms factory in Khartoum that killed two people.

Fire engulfs the Yarmouk ammunition factory - Photo: REUTERS/Stringer

Fire engulfs the Yarmouk ammunition factory – Photo: REUTERS/Stringer

Sudan, which analysts say is used as an arms-smuggling route to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip via neighboring Egypt, has blamed Israel for such strikes in the past, but Israel has either refused to comment or said it neither admitted or denied involvement.

Continue Reading »

Lieberman & Netanyahu join forces ahead of upcoming elections

PM & FM  announced united Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu majority

Strategic  move meant to ensure Netanyahu will form upcoming gov’t

By Yuval Karni

 

Dramatic development: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman have met to convene a special press conference on Thursday evening in which they declared that they have negotiated to unite the Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu under one ticket ahead of the upcoming elections.

Netanyahu and Lieberman Photo: EPA

Netanyahu and Lieberman Photo: EPA

The dramatic decision was made after secret negotiations between the two men with senior officials from both parties left out of the loop.

The move was aimed at creating the largest list in the Knesset elections thus guaranteeing that Netanyahu will form the next government. Continue Reading »

FM Liberman meets EU Foreign Affairs Representative Catherine Ashton

Israel’s FM Liberman thanked the High Representative for the EU decision regarding sanctions on Iran & expressed his gratitude on the ACAA agreement.

 

By the Foreign Minister’s Press Adviser

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman met on Wednesday (24 October) in the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton.

In the meeting, the two discussed relations between Israel and the European Union, as well as events in the region. Foreign Minister Liberman thanked the High Representative for the EU decision regarding sanctions on Iran. Continue Reading »

Tayibe Space Center not named after Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon

Arab-Israeli city inaugurates new facility

After MK Tibi’s appeal, Israel’s first astronaut downplayed in Space Center’s title

Hassan Shaalan

 

The Tayibe Space Center, which was officially inaugurated on Tuesday, does not bear the name of Israel’s first astronaut Ilan Ramon.

Ilan Ramon Photo: AP

Ilan Ramon – Photo: AP

Ynet previously reported that Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi had asked Science Minister Daniel Hershkowitz to avoid naming the new center in the Arab-Israeli city after the late astronaut, arguing that

“Ramon took part in bombing civilian population in the first Lebanon war.”

It was eventually decided to downplay the astronaut’s name, with the facility’s sign reading “‘Tayibe Space Center’ – in memory of astronaut Ilan Ramon.” Continue Reading »

Sudan accuses Israel for Iranian arms factory blast in Khartoum

Sudanese minister says 4 military planes appearing to approach from the east attacked Khartoum munitions plant

Officials in Jerusalem refuse to comment on Israel’s possible involvement.

 

Four military planes attacked an arms factory in Khartoum where there was a huge fire overnight, a Sudanese minister said on Wednesday, blaming Israel for the air strike.

Sudan explosion

Fire engulfs Yarmouk ammunition factory in Khartoum October 24, 2012. – Photo: Reuters

Sudan, which analysts say is used as an arms smuggling route to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip via neighboring Egypt, has blamed Israel for such strikes in the past but Israel has always either refused to comment or said it neither admitted nor denied involvement. Continue Reading »

Ceasefire Begins with False-Start: Mortar Fired into Southern Israel

Just hours after a cease fire by Gaza terror groups was supposed to come into effect, a mortar shell fell in southern Israel.

By David Lev

 

A mortar shell fell in an area of the Eshkol Regional Council Thursday morning, hours after a cease fire by Gaza terror groups was supposed to come into effect. Southern Israel remained on high alert Thursday after some 80 rockets were fired on Wednesday, with residents spending the night in bomb shelters.

The rocket fell in an open area. No injuries or damage were reported.

Schools were open in the western Negev Thursday morning, although residents were told to remain on alert and in the proximity of protected areas and bomb shelters, just in case. Continue Reading »

Turkey rejected an Israeli call to discuss Syria, reports Ankara

According to Turkish reports, Ankara rejected Foreign Ministry’s invitation ‘to set differences aside,’ begin dialogue about Mideast developments.

Jerusalem denies extending such overtures

By Attila Somfalvi

 

Ankara has rejected an invitation extended by Israel‘s Foreign Ministry to hold talks on the crisis in Syria, news media in Turkey reported Monday.

Erdogan and Morsi in Ankara - AP - Sept. 30, 2012

Erdogan and Morsi in Ankara – Photo: AP

According to the reports, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Ministry Pinhas Avivi told Turkish journalists in Jerusalem that Israel and Turkey should put their discord aside to discuss the escalating violence in Syria, which he warned could affect both countries. Continue Reading »

Once Again Jimmy Carter Condemns Israel

On Monday in Jerusalem, former US President Jimmy Carter condemned Israel, saying the prospects for peace with the Palestinians are fading.

By Chana Ya’ar

 

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter condemned Israel on Monday, saying the prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority are fading into a crisis.

Former US Pres Jimmy Carter

Former US Pres Jimmy Carter – Reuters

Carter told a news conference in Jerusalem on Monday said the Israeli-PA peace process has reached a crisis point and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was not interested in pursuing a two-state solution.

Carter arrived here this week with other members of “The Elders” –  group of former world leaders who are in the region to visit Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and Egypt.  Continue Reading »

Will Tel Aviv win title of ‘Most Innovative City’?

In a competition testing forward thinking, The Wall Street Journal nominates the city that never sleeps as the Most Innovative City.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Tel Aviv is one of three cities nominated for the title of “Most Innovative City” in a competition run by the Wall Street Journal. The other cities nominated, selected in an online vote, are New York City and Medellin, Colombia.

Tel Aviv - Photo: REUTERS/NIR ELIAS

Tel Aviv – Photo: REUTERS/NIR ELIAS

The competition tests a city’s capacity to adapt and re-imagine itself and the municipality’s ability of forward thinking.

Other cities that competed for the title but did not make the final voting round include Chicago, Vancouver, Seattle, Sao Paolo, Singapore and London.

Continue Reading »

Watch clip of Israeli commandoes seizing Gaza-bound boat

YouTube clip shows Saturday’s IDF soldiers’ takeover of vessel carrying pro-Palestinian activists

Ynet

 

A video posted on YouTube shows how armed and masked Israeli commandoes seized control on Saturday morning of the Finnish-flagged “Estelle” ship, which was headed to Gaza.

On Sunday the remand of the three Israeli activists who took part in the pro-Palestinian sail was extended.

Yonatan Shapira, Reut Mor and Elazar Elhanan are suspected of incitement, of knowingly aiding an enemy and of violating a legal order.

Judge Orit Hadad of the Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court defined the three as “peace activists,” but extended their remand nonetheless. Continue Reading »

Israel Air Force Strikes Gaza Twice, Kills 2 Hamas Terrorists

Israel’s Air Force strikes twice, eliminating 2 Hamas terrorists & hitting a targeted terrorist cell that fired on IDF soldiers Monday morning.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

The Air Force struck at terrorists twice Monday morning, eliminating two Hamas terrorists and hitting a targeted terrorist cell that fired on soldiers Monday morning. Two other terrorists were wounded in the aerial counterterrorist operation in northern Gaza.

The IAF also targeted a terrorist cell that fired a mortar shell towards soldiers at the Gaza security fence at dawn Monday, an IDF spokeswoman told Arutz Sheva, wounding three terrorists. The soldiers were not injured. Continue Reading »

US expats in Israel can vote via ‘snail-mail’

American citizens residing in Israel can exercise their right to vote using old fashioned Post Office

By Shahar Chai

 

American citizens living in Israel will be able vote in US presidential elections using the post, sending their ballots in sealed envelopes.

Yoni Levitan – Photo: Ofer Amram

Yoni Levitan, who has been residing in Israel for three and a half years, will vote the “long distance” way for the first time, said that “Obama had four years to improve the situation but failed to do so.”

“Israel is not my only consideration” he added, “At the end of the day I’ll vote for someone beneficial to the US. Continue Reading »