Archive for April 30, 2013

Leading Jordanian object to ‘confederation’ with Palestinians

More than 1,000 leading Jordanians sign petition objecting to ‘confederation’ with Palestinians, calling it Obama’s “confederation conspiracy”.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 


More than 1,000 Jordanians have signed a petition opposing the idea of a confederation between the kingdom and a future Palestinian state.

Obama with Abbas in Ramallah

Obama with Abbas in Ramallah

Recent reports have suggested that US and Western security advisers have arrived in Jordan to train Syrian rebels and help the Jordanians face a growing influx of Syrian refugees.

Some Palestinians have also voiced opposition to the confederation idea, saying it should be discussed only after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.

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Arab MK after Terrorist Kills Jew: “Settlers have no right to self-defense.”

Arab MK Zahalka refuses to condemn the stabbing to death of a young father of 5 saying ‘Settlers have no right to self defense.’

By Maayana Miskin

 

Member of Knesset Jamal Zahalka has refused to condemn the murder Tuesday of a young father-of-five. A terrorist stabbed actor Evyatar “Napo” Borovsky to death as he waited for a ride at the Tapuach Junction.

Zahalka, of the controversial Balad party, declined to condemn the slaying during a heated debate with MK Orit Struk and others over a proposal to allow Jews living in Judea and Samaria (Shomron) to shoot home invaders, as is legal elsewhere in Israel. Continue Reading »

Pope Francis accepts President Peres’ invitation to visit Jerusalem

The Vatican’s new pontiff accepted an invitation by Israeli President Shimon Peres to visit Israel ‘with willingness & joy,’ says spokesman.

By Reuters

 

President Shimon Peres invited Pope Francis on Tuesday to visit Israel, at his first meeting with the new pontiff who has appealed for peace in the Middle East.

Israeli President Shimon Peres meets with Pope Francis - Photo by Kobi Gideon , GPO

Israeli President Shimon Peres meets with Pope Francis – Photo by Kobi Gideon , GPO

The pope accepted the invitation “with willingness and joy,” a Vatican spokesman said, but there was no indication when a trip would be made.

“I am expecting you in Jerusalem, not just me but the whole country of Israel,” Peres told the pope in the presence of reporters after 30 minutes of private talks in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. Continue Reading »

Arab League offers new Peace Plan motivated by “a strategic choice”

 

Arab League agrees to potentially dramatic changes in Saudi’s suggested plan.

Justice Minister Livni: “This is a positive development” ,but no comment yet from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Associated Press, Reuters and Israel Hayom Staff

 

While the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem had yet to respond on Tuesday to a renewed Arab League endorsement for Israeli-Palestinian peace, Israeli Tourism Minister Uzi Landau (Likud-Beytenu), a staunch opponent of the two-state solution, poured cold water on the League’s proposals.

Tourism Minister Uzi Landau – Photo: Lior Mizrahi

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Sharansky’s Western Wall prayer plan loses support from both sides

Sharansky’s Kotel plan loses support from both Religious and Women’s groups. Neither side willing to compromise.

The plan would expand the egalitarian section of the Western Wall Plaza – called Robinson’s Arch – and create a unified entrance to the Wall’s traditional and egalitarian sections. Continue Reading »

US official: Plans for possible military action in Syria are being evaluated

Senior White House official tells reporters that the Pentagon is looking into plans to strike Syrian military installations, though a ground offensive looks unlikely.

 

The U.S. in stepping up planning for military intervention in Syria, CNN reported on Monday. The report quoted a senior administration official as saying that “there is intensified planning in the works as more precise information comes in on the Syrian regime’s potential use of chemical weapons and the body of evidence grows.”

U.S. troops in Gulf


A UH-1N Huey with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit flies past the USS Rushmore, in the South Arabian Gulf, March 29, 2013.

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Iranian, Lebanese & Saudi Students take Hebrew University’s Online Course

The Hebrew University course, Synapses, Neurons and Brains, has approximately 40,000 students from around the world registered, including students from Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, India, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco and Algeria.

 

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has started teaching its global course in partnership with Coursera, which provides free online courses from senior lecturers at some of the world’s leading universities.

brainThe course, Synapses, Neurons and Brains, has approximately 40,000 students from around the world registered, including students from Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, India, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco and Algeria, as well as  Europe, South America, the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Continue Reading »

IAF eliminates Gaza jihadist terrorist linked to rocket fire on Eilat

In 1st targeted assassination by IAF since end of Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012, terrorist named as Hitham Mashal, a rocket manufacturing expert & member of jihadist group operating in Gaza & Sinai was killed in a surgical strike.

 

 

A Gaza-based terrorist linked to a rocket attack on Eilat earlier this month was killed at around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning in a targeted strike by the Israel Air Force, as he drove his motorcycle in the northern Gaza Strip.

Smoke rises from IAF strike in Gaza during Operation Pillar of Defense, Nov. 2012

Smoke rises from IAF surgical strike in Gaza during Operation Pillar of Defense, Nov. 2012 Photo: REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah

Israeli security sources named the man as 24-year-old northern Gaza resident Hitham Mashal, calling him a Salafist who was active in multiple jihadist organizations. Continue Reading »

PM Netanyahu address nation after IDF’s assassination of terrorist

After Palestinian Arab attacks & kills Israeli with knife and after successful surgical strike by the IAF eliminating a jihadist rocket manufacturing expert who was linked to to the rocket fire on Eilat, the PM addressed the nation.

Terrorists behind last week’s twin rocket attacks on Eilat came from the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said during a government meeting on Sunday. Continue Reading »

Israeli man killed in West Bank by Palestinian terrorist

Arab Terrorist armed with a knife, attacked a settler & stole his gun, then fired at Border Patrol officers who were nearby.

 

 

 

An Israeli was killed in a terror attack at the Tapuah junction in the northern West Bank on Tuesday morning, when he was attacked by a Palestinian man at a hitchhiking spot at the junction.

The scene at the Tapuah junction following the attack.

The scene at the Tapuah junction following the attack. – Photo: Courtesy, Magen David Adom

The Palestinian terrorist came up from behind the victim, identified as Evyatar Borovsky, and then stabbed him in the chest, Judea and Samaria Division Capt.

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Metropolitan Museum of Art of NY & Israel Museum jointly buy Hebrew manuscript

15th-century handwritten copy of Mishneh Torah to be shared by the Israel Museum & the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a rotating basis.

 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and The Israel Museum have jointly purchased a 15th century illuminated Hebrew manuscript.

This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s in New York shows a page from the Mishneh Torah. April 29, 2013 - Photo  AP

This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s in New York shows a page from the Mishneh Torah. April 29, 2013 – Photo: AP

Sotheby’s announced Monday that the two institutions have acquired The Mishneh Torah from the Michael and Judy Steinhardt Judaica Collection. It was about to be put up for auction in New York City. Continue Reading »

MK Ben-Eliezer: Hizbullah is Receiving Chemical Weapons Now

MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer says the Syrian regime has already begun transferring chemical weapons to Hizbullah terrorists.

By Elad Benari

 

 

Former Defense Minister MK Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) said on Monday that the regime in Syria has begun to transfer chemical weapons to the Hizbullah terror group, its proxy in Lebanon.

“The process of weapon transfer to Hizbullah has begun,” Ben-Eliezer told The Associated Press. He would not elaborate.

Earlier, MK Ben-Eliezer told Kol Yisrael radio that he “has no doubt” that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has already used chemical weapons against rebels and that that “these weapons are trickling to Hizbullah.” Continue Reading »

PA President Abbas: Palestinian Arabs who kill Jews should not be punished

Palestinian President repeats his demand that Israel cannot punish Arabs who kill Jews. Israel must release all jailed terrorists for the sake of peace.

Unbelievably, European & US leaders support this position.

By Ryan Jones

 

Abbas was hosting a two-day “Freedom and Dignity” conference in Ramallah to mark the 11th anniversary of Israel’s arrest of Marwan Barghouti, a senior member of Abbas’ own Fatah party who was convicted of directing numerous terrorist attacks against Israelis.

wafa al bass

Polls show that a vast majority of Palestinians want to elect Barghouti as their president, if he is every freed by Israel.

At the event, Abbas declared that whether or not Israel frees the thousands of jailed Palestinian terrorists will determine its true commitment to peace. Continue Reading »

New Israeli research project to turn sewage-algae into biofuel

 

Funded by the Environmental Protection Ministry, the project is testing the possibility of using micro-algae, which grows in sewage, to produce bio-diesel.

Dan Lavie

 

A new Israeli research project could lead to the production of a new source of cheap and eco-friendly biological fuel using micro-algae.

Algae being grown in lab conditions. – Photo: Courtesy

The new project, headed by Dr. Marina Nisnevich from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at Ariel University and Dr. Yakov Anker of the Samaria and Jordan Rift Regional Center for Research and Development, is testing the possibility of using micro-algae, which grows in sewage, to produce bio-diesel, a type of biological fuel made out of plant oil. Continue Reading »

Hungarian activist attacked by racist soccer fans ahead of Jewish Congress

After arguing with a group of supporters chanting a Nazi slogan, Ferenc Orosz, chairman of the Raoul Wallenberg Association, says he was assaulted at a local soccer match just days before Hungary is due to host the World Jewish Congress.

By Reuters

 

The head of a Hungarian anti-racism group said far-right soccer fans shouted “Sieg Heil” and attacked him, breaking his nose days before the country is due to host the World Jewish Congress.

Supporters of Hungary's far right Jobbik party.

Supporters of Hungary’s far right Jobbik party march in protest of the government’s economic policies in Budapest, Hungary, May 12, 2012. Photo: AP

Ferenc Orosz, chairman of the Raoul Wallenberg Association, told Reuters he was assaulted after arguing with a group of supporters chanting the Nazi slogan at a match between the Hungarian teams Videoton and Ferencvaros in Budapest on Sunday. Continue Reading »