Archive for June 15, 2013

Israeli Defense Minister says Arab League initiative is just another spin

During his visit to Washington, Ya’alon says peace talks should resume immediately and without preconditions, initiative is another dictation.

Defense Minister Ya’alon added how he’s unimpressed with Assad’s victories in Syria

By Yitzhak Benhorin

Washington – Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon slammed the Arab League peace initiative in his speech at the Washington Institute in the US, and called it a ‘spin.’

Defense Cheifs Ya'alon & Hagel - Photo Yaron Brener

Defense Cheifs Ya’alon & Hagel – Photo: Yaron Brener

Ya’alon claimed the initiative is a dictation, and said Israel is always willing to return to the negotiation table, barring preconditions and dictations.

Earlier this week Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the time has come to end the “squabbling over preconditions” and resume negotiations. Continue Reading »

Hezbollah condemned by UN Human Rights Council

Resolution brought by Western powers & Arab block, urges all parties to refrain from contributing to a further escalation of the Syrian conflict.

By Reuters

 

 

The UN Human Rights Council on Friday condemned the use of all foreign fighters in Syria‘s civil war, including Lebanese Hezbollah militants backing the government, but stopped short of calling for a halt to the flow of arms.

An image of Syria's President Bashar Assad is seen on a car's windscreen.

An image of Syria’s President Bashar Assad is seen on a car’s windscreen as Hezbollah supporters celebrate, after the Syrian army took control of Qusair from rebel fighters. – Photo: Reuters

The Geneva forum adopted a resolution brought by Arab and Western powers, urging all parties to refrain from contributing to a further escalation of a conflict in which at least 93,000 people had been killed by the end of April. Continue Reading »

Op-Ed: Why France Glorifies Arab Terrorists

Why haven’t Europe’s philo-Semites, ever set up any exhibition on the real effects of Arab terrorism on Jewish lives?

By Giulio Meotti

 

The Jeu de Paume museum in Paris served as the “Einsatzstab’s”, the storage facility for 22,000 works of art confiscated by the Nazis from 200 Jewish collections in France.

Death 33

For four years, from 1940 to 1944, the Jeu de Paume became a notorious “concentration camp” for confiscated works of art. The Museum was frequently visited by high ranking Nazi officials, including the Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring.

Now, in the same state-funded museum, there is an exhibition calling the Palestinian Arab suicide bombers “martyrs”.

Continue Reading »

PM’s Office Reconsidering an Israeli ‘Air Force One’ for Official Gov’t Use

 

Natanyahu still considering recommendationdespite viability of purchasing an aircraft having already been verified and even recommended, The reason: A NIS 30 million ($8.3 million) price tag that would only pay for itself in five years, and fear of public scorn.

Shlomo Cesana and Israel Hayom Staff

The Prime Minister’s Office is evaluating the possibility of purchasing an airplane for Israel’s top politicians similar to the U.S.’ Air Force One. The goal of the purchase would be to allow official work to be done during flights and to meet the needs of the prime minister, president and various officials who would be on board.

Continue Reading »

UN’s Chief Again Calls Israeli Settlements ‘illegal’

 

UN’s Ban: Israel is again undermining progress toward two-state solution.

By MICHAEL WILNER, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

 

 

 

WASHINGTON — United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon remains “deeply concerned” over plans to construct hundreds of new housing units in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, his spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.

The Itamar settlement in the West Bank.

The Itamar settlement in the West Bank. – Photo: Abed Omar Qusini / Reuters

“These are unhelpful decisions that undermine progress towards the two-state solution,” the statement reads. “They constitute a deeply worrisome trend at a moment of ongoing efforts to re-launch Ipeace negotiations.”

The note referred specifically to the settlement of Itamar– “deep into the West Bank,” it says– as well as the 1,000 new settlement units planned in east Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

Lapid wants public transportation for Shabbat as well

On a

Facebook chat, finance minister Lapid wrote ‘grandfather who cannot afford taxi should be able to visit his grandchildren on Shabbat.’

On stalled peace talks: Oslo Accords boosted economy

Ynet

 

“We need public transportation on Shabbat in secular neighborhoods and in secular cities,” Finance Minister Yair Lapid said Thursday evening during a live chat on Facebook. However, he said, more time was needed to sense the changes regarding this issue and economic issues.

Lapid during Facebook chat

Lapid during Facebook chat

“I think there should be public transportation on Shabbat. I said this during my (election) campaign and I’m saying it again – not in religious areas, but in secular neighborhoods and secular cities – because this issue is not related to religion and state; it is a simple social matter,” the Yesh Atid chairman wrote on Facebook. Continue Reading »

Professors at int’l law conference: Stop calling Israel an ‘occupier’

Professors attending conference on int’l law say it’s a distortion of law to claim Israel is imposing a belligerent occupation on Judea & Samaria

By  Israel Today Staff

 

Professors participating in an international conference at Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv this week explained that international law does necessarily support the claim that Israel is imposing a belligerent occupation on Judea and Samaria.

Under the title of “Israel and International Law,” the conference brought together professors of law from around the world to discuss the issue of Israel’s presence in and sovereignty over the so-called “West Bank.”

Prof. Avi Bell of the University of San Diego explained to Arutz Sheva that it is “a mistake to think of this as a simple black and white matter of law. Continue Reading »

Abbas aide: Quiet building freeze will open avenues for talks

 

Senior Palestinian negotiator (in doubletalk rhetoric) Nabil Shaath: “We spend 60% of our expenses on security that is not for our safety but for your protection. I have never seen a convict spend the penny they earn to protect their jailers.”

By Daniel Siryoti, Shlomo Cesana, Efrat Forsher and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Senior Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath warned on Thursday that “if the status quo remains, we will not be able to prevent another intifada.” Speaking to Israeli media outlets at his office in Ramallah, Shaath told reporters that a “quiet freeze [of settlement construction]” would pave the way to restarting the peace process.

Continue Reading »

Sweden may reduce aid to Palestinians

 

Swedish Report: Sweden’s diplomat Gunilla Carlsson outlines reason for limiting financial support for Palestinians, why it might be lowered.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
 

 

The Swedish government may cut back on financial assistance to the Palestinians following their failure to move forward with peace negotiations with Israel, Swedish news site The Local reported.

Gunilla Carlsson

Gunilla Carlsson – Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The report quoted Development aid minister Gunilla Carlsson as asking: “Is it worth continuing developing the prerequisites for a two-state solution if Israel and the Palestinians themselves do not want to sit down at the negotiating table?”

At the moment, Sweden donates $107 million on a yearly basis to Gaza and the West Bank to aid the Palestinians, a move that Carlsson says has been made to fortify the Palestinian’s position in any future peace talks.

Continue Reading »

Protesters chain themselves to Energy Ministry entrance for its Gas export

2 activists protesting against Israel’s export of gas were detained by police. One activist was detained in Beersheba.

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

 

Jerusalem Police detained for questioning two activists protesting against the export of gas Thursday evening, after they chained themselves to the Energy and Water Resources Ministry doors.

כבולים בשלשלאות במשרד האנרגיה, היום (צילום: חנה קופרמן )

Chained to Energy Ministry, Thursday – Photo: Hana Cooperman

One of the two, Udi Chen, who was chained to a gate for most of the day, told Ynet: “As long as the gas in Israel is not sufficient for our domestic needs, it is irresponsible to export it to other countries.” Continue Reading »

Israeli ministers consider legislating housing & job preferences for ex-IDF soldiers

New affirmative action legislation, proposed by coalition chairman Yariv Levin, would also include Israelis who’ve completed national service.

This comes in response to early start in job market already enjoyed by those who skipped  the army or national service.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet will decide on Sunday whether to endorse proposed legislation that advocates affirmative action for Israelis who have done military or national service.

IDF soldiers by Egypt border - Hershkovitz - Sep 21, 2012

Soldiers get a later start in their professional lives. – Photo: Eliyahu Hershkovitz

A law for the rights of citizens who have contributed to the state has been proposed by coalition chairman MK (Likud) Yariv Levin. Continue Reading »

Five Experts Offer Opinions on Israel’s Theme Park Segregation

Is it legal? Was Superland right or wrong to have separate days for Arab & Jewish schools?

A Rabbi, MK & ex-minister all weigh in.

By Maayana Miskin

 

It was recently revealed that the Superland theme park had a practice of having Jewish schools and Arab schools visit on separate days. Managers argued that the practice was necessary to avoid violence and said that both Jewish and Arab teachers had asked for the separate days.

Was Superland right or wrong in its policy of quiet separation? Arutz Sheva’s weekly magazine, B’Sheva, asked three public figures and two readers what they thought.

Continue Reading »

Gaza suffers drop in ‘donations’ due to Syrian war

According to Hamas, Iran reduced monthly cash transfers because Gaza’s leaders refuse to side with Assad regime.

 

Hamas political wing ordered to slash operating costs by 50%

By Associated Press

 

A refugee from Syria recently opened a bakery here, drawing long lines of customers eager to taste meat and cheese pastries with the special flavors of Damascus – a rare bright spot in the long shadow that the Syrian civil war is casting over the Gaza Strip.

Gaza celebrating Hamas' 25 years (Photo: Reuters)

Gaza celebrating Hamas’ 25 years – Photo: Reuters

The conflict in Syria, some 300 kilometers (190 miles) away, is increasingly hurting Hamas-ruled Gaza financially, according to several figures in the Islamic terrorist group and in Islamic charities. Continue Reading »

Formula 1 speeds through Jerusalem, putting capital’s traffic jams to shame

Thousands of spectators – religious & secular Israelis, Palestinians, & tourists – stand together to watch the fastest cars Jerusalem has ever seen.

 

 

Tens of thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, and tourists flocked Thursday for the first day of Formula One road show on the streets of Jerusalem.

Route of Formula One show in Jerusalem.

The route of the Formula One “peace road show” in Jerusalem.

 

The exhibition, which included eight Formula One race-cars and a few motorcycles, is scheduled to continue on Friday. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, a fan of motor sports, initiated the bid for his city to host the world’s greatest race-car show. Continue Reading »

World Council of Churches is Returning to Crusader Theology

The World Council of Churches, speaking for half-a-billion Christians worldwide, propagates blatant falsehoods and Crusader-style anti-Jewish theology in attacking Israel & Christian Zionists

By Tsvi Sadan

 

WCC

Last month, the World Council of Churches (WCC) convened in Lebanon and issued the following statement:

Palestine continues to be the central issue in the region … The persistence, after sixty five years, of continuing dispossession of Palestinian people—Christian and Muslim alike—from their land by Israeli occupation, continuing settlement of land inside the 1967 borders … is central to the turmoil in the region …. Jerusalem today is an occupied city with a government which has adopted discriminatory policies against Christians and Muslims alike …

The WCC also took aim at Christians who dare to support Israel, the reviled “Christian Zionists”:

Christians who promote ‘Christian Zionism’ distort the interpretation of the Word of God and the historic connection of Palestinians—Christians and Muslims—to the Holy Land, enable the manipulation of public opinion by Zionist lobbies, and damage intra-Christian relations.

Continue Reading »