Archive for June 4, 2013

View Clip: Israeli company exploits solar energy to purify water

Israeli water purification technology that relies only on solar power to distil water for drinking & agriculture use for remote areas or developing countries.

By Reuters

 

Israeli company harnesses the sun to purify water - Screenshot

Israeli company harnesses the sun to purify water – Screenshot

It’s hard to predict the future of the entire solar panel industry. But the decline is also a unique opportunity for innovative companies with new technology.

An Israeli company is hoping its solar-powered water distiller will help solve two of the world’s most pressing problems – water scarcity and water pollution.

A prototype in the desert near the Dead Sea is turning dirty and salty water into water you can drink, and it’s making Dr Ronald Silver from SunDwater very proud. Continue Reading »

Minister Bennett: Label ‘Settler’ Products ‘Made in Peace Zone’

Economics Minister has come up with a  creative idea regarding the labeling of exports originating in Judea & Samaria.

By Gil Ronen

 

Economics Minister Naftali Bennett suggested Tuesday that products manufactured in Judea and Samaria be marked with the label, “Made in the Peace Zone.”

Minister Naftali Bennett

Minister Naftali Bennett

This was Bennett’s novel idea for counteracting the demands to mark products manufactured in Judea and Samaria, as demanded by anti-Israel forces in Europe and elsewhere.

“That way,” he said, “the world will come to Judea and Samaria and see what real coexistence and yearning for peace are.”

Bennett spoke as he toured Samaria and visited Ariel University, where an entrepreneurship conference is being held. Continue Reading »

From South Africa MP Dr. Kenneth Meshoe: Israel is NOT an apartheid state

Outspoken African Member of Parliament refutes those who accuse Israel of apartheid as being deceptive & slanderous, saying it’s ultimately insulting to what his own countrymen had long endured.

By Ryan Jones

 

 

 

Reverend Dr. Kenneth Meshoe, an outspoken member of the South Africa Parliament, recently expressed ongoing frustration with accusations that Israel is an apartheid state, calling such claims an insult to what his own nation went through.

South Africa MP, Reverend Dr. Kenneth Meshoe - Screenshot

South Africa MP, Reverend Dr. Kenneth Meshoe – Screenshot

Earlier this year, Dr. Meshoe visited San Francisco just around the time that American universities, especially in California, were swarming with anti-Israel propagandists whose new favorite ploy is to label Israel as a practitioner of apartheid against the Arabs of the region. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem ‘unmoved’ by Kerry’s threat of US disengagement from peace process

 

Israeli diplomatic official reiterates: Palestinian preconditions continue to thwart renewal of peace talks.

U.S. Sec of St John Kerry to AJC conference: What happens in coming days will dictate what happens in coming decades.

Kerry planning return visit again next week.

By Yoni Hirsch, Shlomo Cesana and News Agencies

 

A senior Israeli diplomatic official in Jerusalem has told Israel Hayom that he “refused to be moved” by a Reuters report on Monday that quoted a senior U.S. official as saying the U.S. government would abandon its efforts to advance the peace process if it determined that Israel and the Palestinians were not serious about the matter.

Continue Reading »

Federations of North America support Sharansky’s Western Wall compromise

The plan calls for the Robinson’s Arch archeological site at the southern part of the Western Wall to be used as a permanent space for egalitarian prayer. Under the proposal, the Western Wall plaza would be expanded to encompass the additional prayer space.

 

By JTA

 

The Jewish Federations of North America’s board of trustees passed a resolution supporting Natan Sharansky’s proposed compromise on egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall.

Robinson’s Arch archeological site at the southern part of the Western Wall to be used as a permanent space for egalitarian prayer.

Robinson’s Arch archeological site at the southern part of the Western Wall to be used as a permanent space for egalitarian prayer.

Monday’s resolution, according to a JFNA statement, says the compromise “develops a pathway whereby the Kotel will once again become a spiritual center for all Jews and a symbol of unity for the entire Jewish community world-wide.”

Continue Reading »

Southwest Airlines kicks 101 yeshiva students off NY- ATL flight

 

CNN reported U.S. airline saying group was “non-compliant.”

Chaperone of the Jewish students says allegations are false, & that Southwest flight crew behavior was “nasty.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

A group of 101 yeshiva students and their eight accompanying chaperones were asked to remove themselves from an airplane which was scheduled to fly from New York to Atlanta Monday morning, CNN reported.

Southwest Airllines

Southwest Airlines – Photo: REUTERS/Tom Gannam

Southwest Airlines reportedly said the group of “non-compliant passengers” would not remain seated or stop using their mobile devices. According to CNN, once the students failed to comply, they were asked to leave the aircraft. Continue Reading »

Gov’t initiates program to rectify ‘brain drain’

 

About 2,500 Israelis who left Israel signed up for a program bringing academics back. Apart from job placement, the newly launched program will provide personal support for those returning: ‘We want to make sure they don’t give up & leave’

By Shahar Chai

 

 

A national plan aimed at curbing the brain drain problem was launched on Monday in the United States. The plan’s aim is to attract hundreds of expatriates from the academic world back to Israel.

Studying, working abroad. Oxford University - Photo Shutterstock

Studying, working abroad. Oxford University – Photo: Shutterstock

“I want to give back to society and the economy, but I don’t have a place to do this,” said one of those who signed up for the program. Continue Reading »

Knesset approves law making ‘infiltrators’ transferring money abroad illegal

The new amendment to the ‘Law for the Prevention of Infiltration’ stipulates that foreigners can’t send property while they’re in Israel & limits the amount they can take with them once they exit Israel.

2nd amendment determines that said violations will be considered a crime.

 

 

The Knesset plenum on Monday approved two amendments to the Law for the Prevention of Infiltration barring illegal migrants from sending money or property out of Israel while they are in the country and limiting the amount they can take with them when they leave.

African migrants in Israel


African migrants stand in line to receive food at Levinsky park in south Tel Aviv June 13, 2012.

Continue Reading »

Pentagon publishes details of Israeli missile base Jerusalem preferred kept secret

As with all Defense Dept projects, detailed specifications were made public so that contractors could place accurate bids on the $25 million construction project.


 

 

Israel’s military fumed Monday over the discovery that the U.S. government had revealed details of a top-secret Israeli military installation in published bid requests.

Experimental launch of the “Arrow 3” interception missile has been deemed a success, constituting a part of a series of advances and experiments to examine the capabilities of the important “Arrow” system. Photo courtesy IDF Spokesperson’s Office

The Obama administration had promised to build Israel a state-of-the-art facility to house a new ballistic-missile defense system, the Arrow 3.

Continue Reading »

Another Palestinian journalist arrested by Abbas’ security for reporting on Fatah

Abbas’s Security forces arrest Palestinian journalist for reporting on leaflet calling for the resignation of Bethlehem’s Mayor

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

 
Palestinian Authority security forces on Monday arrested Palestinian journalist George Canawati, director of Bethlehem Radio 2000, for reporting about a leaflet distributed by Fatah’s armed wing, Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
A masked militant from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of the Fatah movement in Hebron, August 3, 2008. - Photo REUTERS-Nayef Hashlamoun

A masked militant from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades of the Fatah movement in Hebron, August 3, 2008. – Photo: REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun

The PA prosecutor-general ordered the arrest of Canawati for 48 hours.
Canawati is accused of reporting on his radio station about the leaflet, which attacked Bethlehem Mayor Vera Baboun, and called for her resignation.

Continue Reading »

Arrow 3 is in process of advanced development

Head of the Israel Air Force missile defense systems reports ‘unprecedented’ success of Hetz (Arrow) 3 rocket interceptor.

He also stresses that Iran is still main threat.

By Yoav Zitun

As reports emerge of a secret rocket-launching base in central Israel, top Israeli officials confirm that, escalation along the Syrian border notwithstanding, Iran‘s unsanctioned uranium development program remains the major threat to Israel’s security.

[Illustrative] – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

Head of Interception Systems Unit Lt. Col. Aviram Hason said on Monday “the ballistic threat grows each day. What is happening in Syria is unfortunate, but we are preoccupied mainly with the nuclear threat, and therefore urge the development of the Hetz 3 interceptor as soon as possible because we want to see the day when the threat ripens. Continue Reading »

American official: Kerry will drop peace process if Israelis & Palestinians aren’t serious

Abbas isn’t responding to American or Jordanian pressure. Abbas reiterated to Judeh that a freeze on settlement construction  AND the release of Palestinian prisoners is the way to restart negotiations.

 

 

 

 

 

If U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry determines that Israelis and Palestinians are not serious about the peace process, he will abandon his efforts on the matter, a senior U.S. official told Reuters.

John Kerry (C) with President Shimon Peres (L) and President Mahmoud Abbas.


John Kerry (C) with President Shimon Peres (L) and President Mahmoud Abbas at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa on May, 26. – Photo: Reuters

 

In an article by Arshad Mohammed, the Reuters journalist responsible for covering the State Department in Washington, the reporter cited those who called Kerry a “Lone Ranger” condemning the Middle East peace process, and that many involved call Kerry “naive.” Continue Reading »

Hamas Would-Be Kidnapping Terrorist Nabbed by Israel Security

A Hamas terrorist who was preparing to carry out terror attacks was arrested. Under questioning, it was learned that his handler was a terrorist released in the Gilad Shalit deal. That violation makes him a target now.

By David Lev

 

Israeli security personnel announced Monday that they had arrested Bachar Attalah Samiach Sa’ad, a Hamas terrorists who planned several terror attacks against Israelis. Sa’ad was arrested in a joint action by the Shabak, Israel Police and IDF.

Sa’ad, a resident of a village near Ramallah, planned to kidnap an IDF soldier, amid a shooting attack he planned. His handler was Hasham Abed Alkhader Ibrahim Hajaz, a Hamas terrorist who was deported from Israel after he was released from an Israeli prison in the deal to free kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Continue Reading »

Int’l Report: Israel possess 80 nuclear weapons

 

Annual global military assessment by Swedish think tank says Israel possess least number of warheads of all nations known to have viable nuclear weapons

By Ryan Jones

 

 

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reports in the 2013 edition of its annual global security review that Israel possesses some 80 nuclear warheads.

Nuclear

 

According to SIPRI, 50 of Israel’s warheads are built for use atop medium-range ballistic missiles, while the other 30 are designed to be attached to bombs carried by aircraft. The Jewish state is also believed to have developed smaller, tactical nuclear munitions, such as artillery shells. Continue Reading »

Ancient Samaria archaeological site neglected by politics

 

The ancient town of Sebastia of the biblical Kingdom of Israel, under the name of Samaria, has been largely neglected by both sides for the past two decades, as it’s caught between conflicting Israeli & Palestinian jurisdictions.

Historian working on restoration says no one is doing maintenance, protection or cleaning of the site.

By The Associated Press

 

The ancient town of Sebastia is one of the major archaeological sites of the Holy Land, with its overlapping layers of history dating back nearly 3,000 years. But today the hilltop capital of biblical kings, later ruled by Roman conquerors, Crusaders and Ottomans, is marred with weeds, graffiti and garbage.

Continue Reading »