Archive for January 3, 2013

Apple seeking to acquire Israeli application Waze

 

Apple is in talks to buy the Israeli mapping & navigation application Waze for up to $500 million.

Technology industry sources say Waze is worth closer to $1 billion, but neither Waze nor Apple are commenting on reported negotiations.

Ilan Gattegno

 

 

Computer giant Apple is apparently involved in initial talks to acquire the Israeli mapping and navigation application Waze for between $400 million and $500 million.

Waze to go: The company may soon become part of the Apple empire.

Technology industry sources estimate that Waze is worth around $1 billion, meaning that it is likely Waze would try to get Apple to increase its offer.

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IDF arrest raid in Jenin turns into riot

Attempt by IDF to arrest wanted militant in Jenin leads to some 500 Palestinians rioting in the streets hurling firebombs, rocks & burning tires.

IDF dog bites Palestinian woman & 23-year-old shot in leg

By Gili Cohen and

 

An Israel Defense forces arrest raid in the West Bank early Thursday turned into a violent confrontation with local Palestinians, for the second time this week.

Border Police officers entered the Jenin refugee camp before dawn to arrest a wanted Palestinian militant suspected of involvement in terrorist activities.

Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers in West Bank village of Tamoun

Palestinians throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers in West Bank village of Tamoun – Photo: AP

A demonstration broke out during the raid, the IDF said, with some 500 Palestinians hurling stones, firebombs, and burning tires in the streets. Continue Reading »

BGU Study: Hamas Rockets Worse on Bedouin Youth Than Jewish Youth

A Ben-Gurion University study shows Bedouin kids were more psychologically distressed than Jewish kids by the rocket fire during Operation Pillar of Defense

By David Lev

 

Bedouin youth were angrier and more psychologically distressed than their Jewish counterparts by the rocket fire in November, according to a new Ben-Gurion University of the Negev study. It is the first follow-up study after the two weeks of rocket fire and subsequent Operation Pillar of Defense.

Prof. Shifra Sagy, Dr. Sarah Abu-Kaf and Dr. Orna Braun-Lewensohn of the Conflict Management and Resolution Program interviewed 78 Jewish youths and 91 Bedouin youths from the South of Israel about their reaction to the barrage of rockets fired at the South by Hamas in Gaza. Continue Reading »

FIFA cries foul over Israel’s red card of ex-terrorist turned sports head

 

FIFA, football’s global body asks Israel Football Association to help secure Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub’s “freedom of movement”.

Israeli defense official explains that Rajoub’s status was changed because he “incited to violence against Israel.”

By The Associated Press

 

 

The Federation of International Football Associations, the Zurich-based global soccer governing body, is asking Israel to return VIP status to Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub and allow him to enter Israel without security checks.

Political football: Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub. – Photo: AP

FIFA said Wednesday that it had asked the Israeli Football Association to help secure Rajoub’s “freedom of movement.”

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Netanyahu advisor Ron Dermer brings American commonsense to Israeli politics

It would seem as if the surest way to get an op-ed published in the New York Times these days, no matter how obscure the writer or the viewpoint, is to attack Israel.

By JTA

 

TEL AVIV – Like many Israeli politicians, Ron Dermer is an unapologetic defender of Israel’s actions, even if it might mean being undiplomatic.

But like a seasoned diplomat, Dermer — senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — knows his way through Washington’s backchannels and has cultivated relationships with senior U.S. policymakers.

Most important, say those who know him, he has Netanyahu’s ear.

“Netanyahu likes him, respects him and listens to him,” said Uzi Arad, Netanyahu’s national security adviser until 2011. Continue Reading »

Bulgaria police ID bombing accomplice of July’s Burgas tourist-bus

Bulgarian authorities are seeking man who helped suicide bomber cause the deaths of 5 Israeli tourists in July, Bulgarian media reports.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Bulgarian authorities have discovered the real identity of one of several men involved in the July bombing of a bus in the city of Burgas, in which five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver were killed, Bulgarian news agency Novinite reported on Thursday. This marks the first instance of a real identity being discovered in the case. The bomber and an additional accomplice are thus far known by their aliases only.

Burgas accomplice – Photo: Courtesy Bulgaria Foriegn Ministry

Bulgarian authorities were searching for the suspected accomplice to the bomber, whose name they did not release.

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Mideast Christian persecution

Analysis: The process of Islamization has become an assault on the region’s Christian communities

By Professor Yossi Shain

 

The Middle East’s Christian population has been gradually dwindling and is on the defensive with respect to its identity – and even its very existence. In the early 20th century Christians made up some 20% of the Middle East’s population. Today they amount to less than 5% of the population.

Coptic Christian church in Egypt – Photo: Ido Becker

The reasons for the Christians’ crisis in our region are related to their success as a modern group with low growth rate and free immigration to Western countries. Continue Reading »

Intel Officials: Iran’s Ability to Attack Israel Minimal

Iran’s retaliatory capability to attack Israel has been significantly compromised this past year, intelligence officials reported.

By David Lev

 

Iran’s ability to attack Israel has been compromised significantly in the past year, Israeli diplomats meeting in Jerusalem were told by Defense Ministry intelligence officials. According to the study by the officials, Iran’s attempts to prop up Bashar al-Assad and the weakness of Hizbullah has taken a great toll in manpower and treasure from the Islamic Republic.

The officials, quoted in Maariv, said that neither Syria nor Hizbullah are in any position to not only start a war with Israel, but would also be largely unable to respond on behalf of Iran in the event of an Israeli strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities.

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Israeli peppers put Lebanese Army on High Alert

Shocked customer picks up a pack of peppers with ‘Israel’ printed on the sales tag, calls police.

Police refer the peppers to the Lebanese Army, who launched an investigation into the forbidden fruit’s unlawful infiltration into Lebanon.

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

 

A supermarket in the Lebanese city of Sidon had a ‘hot potato’ on its hands Tuesday when a shopper discovered Israeli bell peppers in the produce aisle, Lebanese media reported.

Clear and present pepper! – Photo: Yossi Zeliger

The shopper called the police, who immediately contacted the army. When members of Lebanese military intelligence arrived at the Spinney’s supermarket, one of Lebanon’s largest chains, their search bore fruit.

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Netanyahu tours Egyptian border, heralds completion of security fence

PM  Netanyahu says security fence has achieved primary objectives of stopping the flood of African migrants and defending Israel from Sinai terrorists.

 

“There has not been an engineering feat this large since the days of Herod,” said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on tour of the 4.7- meter-tall, 242-kilometer-long fence going up along the Egyptian border.

NATANYAHU

MP Natanyahu meets soldiers on the border – Photo: GPO

Netanyahu, who shepherded through the massive, 1.35 billion shekel project, said that the model will now be duplicated on the Golan Heights border with Syria, and later on the country’s eastern frontier.

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Washington Post Editorial: Jewish Settlements are not main obstacle to Peace

Abbas’ Overheated rhetoric on Israeli settlements, are counterproductive and the int’l community’s incessant criticism of prospective Israeli plans to build new housing units, primarily in Jerusalem, only reinforces 2 mistaken but widely held notions: that the settlements are the principal obstacle to a peace deal and that further construction will make a Palestinian state impossible

This is a Washington Post Editorial:

Overheated rhetoric on Israeli settlements

 

Note from the Editor:

Wash Post Opinion logoEditorials represent the views of The Washington Post as an institution, as determined through debate among members of the editorial board. News reporters and editors never contribute to editorial board discussions, and editorial board members don’t have any role in news coverage.

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Watch rifles, rockets & axes in Fatah rally in Bethlehem Terrorist Parade

With Christmas over, and the Christian tourists gone, watch dozens of veiled Fatah men march in Bethlehem with their axes, guns and rockets, while Palestinian security forces are conspicuously missing from the scene.

Elior Levy

 

A video posted online shows dozens of veiled men taking part in a march marking 48 years since Fatah‘s inception. The men are seen marching at the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem carrying knives, axes, clubs and rifles.

With Christmas over, and the Christian tourists gone, Watch Fatah march in Bethlehem with their axes, guns and rockets. - screenshot

With Christmas over, and the Christian tourists gone, Watch Fatah march in Bethlehem with their axes, guns and rockets. – screenshot

Two men were also seen carrying a rocket model. Continue Reading »

Man in Wheelchair requests ‘last chance’ at Kotel

“I was crying as I stood next to him at the Kotel.”

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

Magen David and Police made an exception to allow a man to pray at the Western Wall (Kotel) when he explained his illness may not allow him another chance.

Prayer at the Western Wall for another chance

Prayer at the Western Wall for another chance – Isarel news photo: Magen David

Handicapped accessibility at the Western Wall (Kotel) usually must be made in advance, but an exception was made for patient David Schneer, who made the sudden request to Magen David Adom medics who were transferring him from a Jerusalem hospital to his home in the metropolitan Tel Aviv area. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem passes intel to EU for ban on Hezbollah

Information was given on the terror group’s connection to the 2005 Hariri murder, narcotics & money-laundering operations, their ongoing role in destabilizing Syria, and the 2000 kidnapping of an Israeli businessman.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

 

 

Hezbollah supporters in Beirut - Photo: REUTERS

Hezbollah supporters in Beirut – Photo: REUTERS

BERLIN – The Israeli government is redoubling its efforts to convince the European Union to outlaw Hezbollah within the 27-member body because of the Lebanese group’s record of terrorism.

According to reports in the Hebrew media, Israel’s new case involves showing Hezbollah’s role in the 2005 murder of Lebanese president Rafik Hariri, based on evidence culled from the international tribunal that investigated the bombing.

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Likud’s Feiglin: Pay Palestinians to leave Judea & Samaria

Likud’s most far-right members suggest paying each Palestinian family in Judea & Samaria $500,000 to move to West.

Akiva Novick

 

Several Likud officials called for the annexation of the West Bank on Tuesday, in contradiction with the party’s official policy.

Moshe Feiglin Photo: EPA

Moshe Feiglin – Photo: EPA

Despite being instructed by the Likud campaign not to give interviews, Moshe Feiglin made controversial statements during a conference in Jerusalem on Tuesday.

The Women in Green conference was attended by several Likud officials who discussed operative ways to impose Israeli sovereignty beyond the Green Line.

Feiglin, who earlier on Tuesday was detained by police after trying to pray at the Temple Mount, proposed paying Palestinians to leave Israel. Continue Reading »