Archive for February 12, 2013

EU to exploit legal loophole to boycott ‘settlement’ goods

Germany’s Der Spiegel says EU to make serious effort on boycotting products produced in West Bank & Golan Heights by using import laws’ loopholes

By Ynet

 

Germany’s German Der Spiegel magazine claimed Monday that Israeli producers evade European Union legislation and falsely mark products made in the Golan Heights and the West Bank as “made in Israel.”

Grape vines in the Golan Heights Photo: Rina Nagila

Golan Heights vineyards – Photo: Rina Nagila

The report cited EU regulation that say that certain products, such as wine from the Golan Heights, must be marked with their exact place of production, in order to adhere with various European country’s preference not to import or sell products made in what Brussels deems as “illegal settlement.” Continue Reading »

Bennett will be 1st to sign Coalition Agreement, 1st to pick Portfolios

Naftali Bennett’s religious Zionist party will have 1st choice at cabinet portfolios & Knesset committees.

By Gil Ronen

 

Bayit Yehudi will be the first party to sign an agreement on joining the ruling coalition being assembled by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, according to a report in Yisrael Hayom, a daily newspaper which is considered to be close to the Prime Minister.

BennettNetanyahu met with Bayit Yehudi boss Naftali Bennett Monday and the two men are expected to meet again later this week.

A senior source in the coalition negotiations team explained that the offer to make Bayit Yehudi the first party to join the coalition is very meaningful because Bennett will have the choice of important portfolios for his party to hold. Continue Reading »

Lapid: There must be equal share of the burden

Addressing Knesset for 1st time Yair Lapid says issue of equal share of burden cannot be ignored; says ‘10% of public can’t threaten the other 90% with a civil war’

By Moran Azulay

 

Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid made his first Knesset speech on Sunday and said he sees his allegiance to the state as a life’s mission. “We must not ignore the issue of equal share of the burden,” he warned. “There will be no civil war. Ten percent of the population cannot threaten the remaining 90% with a civil war.”

לפיד וטיבי במליאה (צילום: אוהד צויגנברג)

With Ahmad Tibi – Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

The Yesh Atid leader warned that Israel is in the midst of a crisis, adding “the sooner we recognize it, the sooner we can fix it.” Continue Reading »

Police Charge 2 Fans With ‘Racist Speech’ at Football Match

Police moved quickly Monday to indict a pair of Jerusalem residents on charges of racism, because of their catcalls made at a soccer game on Sunday night.

By David Lev

 

Police moved swiftly Monday to indict two Jerusalem residents on charges of racism over catcalls they made Sunday night at a soccer game Sunday night between Beitar Jerusalem and the Bnei Sakhnin team. Hundreds of police were present at the game in order to prevent racial tension, with fans of Beitar and visiting Arab teams often facing off with each other over insults and threats mounted by each side against the other. Continue Reading »

Cyprus signs Gas & Oil deal with Israel

Two Israeli firms Anver & Delek signed an energy agreement Monday to acquire 30% of rights to explore for oil & gas off the Cyprus shore.

By Chana Ya’ar

 

Israeli firms Delek Drilling and Anver Oil and Gas Exploration signed an agreement Monday to acquire a 30 percent stake in exploration rights for gas and oil off the southern shore of Cyprus.

The drilling is to be carried out by U.S.-based Noble Energy. Both Delek and Anver own majority rights in Israel’s own mammoth gas discoveries, the Leviathan and Tamar fields off Israel’s northern coast.

Cypriot Commerce Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis acknowledged in making the announcement that the deal provided a “new era of Cyprus-Israeli strategic cooperation which includes economic and political dimensions,” AFP reported.

Continue Reading »

Israel gives ‘OK’ for Turkey to build hospital in Gaza

In a gesture to Turkey, Jerusalem permits entry of construction materials as part of easing of Gaza blockade

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Israel has authorized Turkey to transport construction materials into the Gaza Strip in order to build a Turkish-funded hospital in the coastal territory, Turkish daily Hurriyet reported on Monday.

Mashaal and Erdogan meet in Ankara

Mashaal and Erdogan meet in Ankara – Photo: REUTERS

According to the report, the hospital will be inaugurated within a year’s time, and the ceremony will be attended by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Israeli government gave the authorization earlier this month after studying a list of materials the Turks were asking to import to Gaza.

Continue Reading »

Hamas profits a $1,000,000 a Day in ‘Taxes’ on Smuggling tunnels

Senior IDF officer reported Monday that Hamas is making at least a $1million a day in extortion money from Gaza smugglers.

By David Lev

 

Hamas is making at least a million dollars a day in “tax” money from Gaza smugglers, a senior IDF officer said Monday. Colonel Wael Tafesh, who is a top IDF officer in the IDF’s coordination unit with the Palestinian Authority, said that Hamas provided “protection” to smugglers and collected payments for the service, and often used the smugglers to order goods for their own use.

Smuggler in tunnelAccording to Wafesh, Hamas is in full control of what goes in and comes out of the smuggling tunnels. Continue Reading »

Hezbollah moves into villages of Southern Lebanon

Analysis: The Hezbollah terror group is storing rocket cashes in private homes it sold to poor Shiite families at rock-bottom prices

 

Part one of analysis by Ron Ben-Yishai

 

During a cold winter’s day in late January on the Biranit mountain range, which overlooks south Lebanon, I noticed that dozens, if not hundreds of new buildings had been built in Bint Jbeil, Maroun al-Ras, Aita al-Shaab and Barmish. There is almost no remnant of the devastation the region sustained during the Second Lebanon War, and even without binoculars it was evident that the Shiite communities have expanded significantly compared with the few Christian-Maronite villages in the area, which remained the same size, more or less. Continue Reading »

New Israeli Road Sign Warns Drivers of Rock & Firebomb Attacks

Drivers on the roads in Samaria will soon come across a new road sign that they’re unlikely to see on roads in other parts of Israel…or anywhere else in the world!

By David Lev

 

Drivers through roads in Samaria are likely to come across a new road sign, one that they are unlikely to see on roads in other parts of Israel. The sign, designed by the Samaria Residents Council, warns drivers that they are in danger of being attacked by rocks and firebombs.

Road Sign Warns of Rock, Firebomb Attacks

The new sign Warns of Rock, Firebomb Attacks
Samaria Residents Council

The sign has a drawing of an individual preparing to throw rocks, apparently at a passing vehicle. Continue Reading »

Nazareth Christians are becoming a dwindling minority

 

Nazareth’s Muslims have even more reason to hate their Christian neighbors, many of whom are loyal to the State of Israel and even send their children to the IDF.

By Ryan Jones

 

Israeli business newspaper Globes recently ran a feature story on the fast dwindling number of Christians living in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth in northern Israel.

Nun in Nazareth – Israel Today

The article notes that while the city once had a strong Christian majority, today a mere one-third of residents are Christians. In reality, Nazareth today is a Muslim city, and local Christians are feeling the squeeze. Continue Reading »

Iran’s building militias in Syria as a foothold for when Assad falls

Senior U.S. & Arab sources quoted by the Washington Post report Iran & its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah, already have 50,000 soldiers inside Syria to support Assad’s regime, but also to ensure an Iranian foothold in Syria in case Assad should fall.

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

As concerns grow in Israel and the West, Iran appears to be preparing for the likely fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to The Washington Post, Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah, have established a network of militias across the crumbling Syria in efforts to protect Iranian interests in the event that the regime falls.

Continue Reading »

Synagogues across the US are overwhelmed in old prayer books

In accordance to Jewish tradition, prayer books are holy & cannot just be thrown out; they must be placed in a geniza, a repository for holy books awaiting burial.

By Chavie Lieber

 

NEW YORK (JTA) — After years of watching synagogue members die or move away, the Sephardic Jewish Center of Canarsie made the difficult decision to downsize.

15th century Jewish prayer book – Christie’s

The 50-year-old Brooklyn synagogue had been a thriving center for the area’s Sephardim. But after accepting that it could no longer pull together enough money to cover expenses, let alone muster the 10 men necessary for daily prayer, the synagogue disposed of most of its belongings and began holding Shabbat services in a nearby Ashkenazi congregation. Continue Reading »

Gov’t gives final approval for 90 new housing units in Beit El

Israel’s Army Radio reports that the permits for the new units are part of a ‘compensation plan’ for the evacuation of the Ulpana outpost.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

The building of 90 new housing units in the Beit El settlement is underway, Army Radio reported Monday. The Civil Administration on Judea and Samaria removed the final obstacle and issued a statement of validation for the construction, according to the report.

Ulpana outpost near Beit El

Ulpana outpost near Beit El – Photo: REUTERS/Nir Elias

Within a few weeks, permits were set to be issued for the 90 new units, as part of a compensation plan for the evacuation of the Ulpana outpost agreed upon eight months ago. Continue Reading »

Kuwaiti MP Calls for Investigation into Alleged Israeli Boycott Violations

A Kuwaiti MP has called for an official probe of country’s interior minister for allegedly violating anti-Israel laws by establishing direct business ties with Israel.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

 

A Kuwaiti parliamentarian on Sunday called for an official investigation of the country’s interior minister for allegedly establishing business ties with an Israeli company and for failing to control opposition-led protests.

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi greets Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-AhmedShiite lawmaker Faisal al-Duwaisan claimed that the interior ministry has purchased a border security system to fortify the emirate’s border with Iraq from SENSTAR Corp in Canada, AFP reported.

Duwaisan said that SENSTAR is entirely owned by Israel’s Magal Security Systems, meaning that the interior minister has violated the Israel boycott laws and committed a “grave mistake”. Continue Reading »

No Peace as long Arab children are taught to hate

Nonie Darwish is a strong supporter of Israel, & has founded the group “Arabs for Israel,” composed of ethnic Arabs & Muslims who respect & support the State of Israel, welcome a peaceful & diverse Middle East, reject suicide terrorism as a form of Jihad, & promote constructive self-criticism & reform in the Arab/Muslim world.

By  Israel Today Staff

 

 

If any Arab has a reason to hate Israel and speak out regarding the Jewish state, it is Nonie Darwish, who grew up in Gaza and saw her father eliminated by Israeli forces for his role in terrorist activities.

Nonie Darwish -screenshot

But Darwish’s conversion to Christianity later in her life has resulted in nothing but love for the Jewish state, and a firm understanding that God has a plan for and is working through Israel. Continue Reading »