Archive for July 28, 2013

MKs: Has the U.S Ever Freed Terrorists?

MKs ask why U.S. gov’t officials pressure Israel to free murderers, while refusing to release Jonathan Pollard.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Members of Knesset expressed frustration Sunday that Israel is releasing terrorist killers in order to negotiate with the Palestinian Authority, following intervention from United States Secretary of State John Kerry.

The United States would never do what Israel is being asked to do, they accused.

“It isn’t moral to release murderers. It isn’t safe to release murderers… Has the United States ever released murderers as a concession to terrorism?” asked MK Motti Yogev (Bayit Yehudi).

“The United States hasn’t even freed Jonathan Pollard, after he served his sentence and has been in prison for more than 28 years,” he noted. Continue Reading »

American born Amb. Michael Oren returns home to Israel

Completing his 4 years in office Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. talks of his close relations with U.S. officials, getting Obama’s help during Carmel fire disaster & ‘yelling’ at Washington Post editor over doctored photo.

By Yitzhak Benhorin

 

WASHINGTON – Michael Oren finds it tremendously painful when people doubt his “Israeliness”. He spent long periods of time in Israel in the 1970s, made official aliyah in 1979, joined the IDF‘s Paratroopers Brigade and fought in the 1982 Lebanon War.

45 מאמרי דעה בתקשורת האמריקנית. אורן (באדיבות שגרירות ישראל בוושינגטון)

Amb. Michael Oren – Photo: Courtesy of the Israel Embassy in DC

This week, after it was decided to appoint Ron Dermer as the next Israeli ambassador to the United States, Oren told Ynet: “I’m still surprised that some people, even advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office, ask me if I’m Israeli.” Continue Reading »

Full Text: PM Netanyahu’s Open Letter to Israelis

In a rare communiqué, the Prime Minister explains his rationale for releasing terrorists, despite harsh opposition from the public.

By Gil Ronen

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu took the rare step Saturday evening of publishing a long missive to the Israeli public. In it, he explains why he has agreed to release 104 terrorists as a “gesture” accompanying “peace talks” with the Palestinian Authority. He also states that the talks need to last at least nine months.

Netanyahu’s messages to the public are usually delivered through much shorter communiques, or in interviews. His decision to opt for a relatively long letter may reflect his awareness that the Israeli public is solidly opposed to the terrorist prisoner release, and is generally fed up and cynical about “peace talks” that have been going nowhere for 20 years. Continue Reading »

EU ban on Hezbollah a nice start, but impact will be minimal

NEWS ANALYSIS: The new regulations are declaratory and will likely have very little effect on the ground. Hezbollah will just say, “Don’t worry, these men are from the political arm.”

 

The decision Monday by Europe’s 28 foreign ministers to put Hezbollah’s military wing on the EU list of terrorist organizations followed months of jostling by member states in the wake of last summer’s killing of five Israelis and a Bulgarian in a bus bombing near the Black Sea resort of Burgas.

Continue Reading »

Hamas objects to Egyptian authorities’ charge of Morsi’s link to Gaza movement

 

Egypt’s interim gov’t warns both, Mashaal and Haniyeh: Stay out of Egypt’s internal affairs.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

 

 

Hamas officials condemned over the weekend the Egyptian authorities’ decision to charge ousted President Mohamed Morsi with links to the Palestinian Islamist movement.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh gestures during an interview with Reuters in Gaza City May 10, 2012.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza City May 10, 2012. – Photo: REUTERS

The officials said that the allegations against Morsi came in the context of Egypt’s recent punitive measures against Hamas, including the demolition of about 80% of the smuggling tunnels along the border with the Gaza Strip and the closure of the Rafah terminal.

Meanwhile, sources in the Gaza Strip said on Saturday that the Egyptian authorities have warned Hamas leaders against “meddling in Egypt’s internal affairs.”

Continue Reading »

Breaking News: Israel reportedly attacked Syrian weapons convoy to Hezbollah

Syrian rebels & Lebanese news website report Israel Air Force activity in Baalbek area, over Quneitra, in Golan Heights, claim Hezbollah-bound weapons convoy bombed.

BY Roi Kais

 

 

Another Israeli strike in Syria? Arab media outlets reported Israeli Air Force activity in the Beqaa Valley in east Lebanon and in the Golan Heights on Saturday.

Israel Air Force F-16i (Sufa) - Photo Courtesy: IDF Spokesperson's office

Israel Air Force F-16i (Sufa) – Photo Courtesy: IDF Spokesperson’s office

Meanwhile, the Military Revolutionary Council in Golan Quneitra, a rebel group, claimed that aircraft also bombed a missile convoy making its way to Lebanon from Syria. The reports could not be confirmed by any Western source. Continue Reading »

Europe’s ‘holier than thou’ attitude to Israel maintains momentum

In direct opposition to UN 242, the EU has unilaterally dictated the outcome of the Israeli-Arab peace talks, and is biasly working to ensure its anti-Jewish agenda is carried out.

By Tsvi Sadan

 

The European Union’s new guidelines concerning withdrawal of financial support from Israeli “entities” working in the “occupied territories” didn’t surprise Israelis. For a long time now the EU’s biased stand toward Israel has caused Israeli governments to keep the EU at arm’s length, especially when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

 

Careful reading of the EU’s latest declaration shows that Europe sees negotiation between the parties as superfluous since the outcome has already been decided: Israel will withdraw fully from all territories captured in 1967. Continue Reading »

Japan gives Israel, Jordan & Palestinians a new industrial complex in Jericho

 

Israel’s Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom said yesterday in Jericho, “The industrial sector will provide jobs to thousands of workers & is part of a series of projects whose goal is to aid the Palestinian economy & promote regional cooperation.”

By Daniel Siryoti

 

Israel, The Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Japan inaugurated a new industrial complex in Jericho on Thursday, a project funded by Japan that will bolster the Palestinian economy.
Continue Reading »

Op-Ed: Poland’s goal of good Jewish relations remains clear

Polish democracy may take a few  missteps every once in a while, but its goal of good Jewish relations remains clear by their actions and investments.

shechita ritual

shechita ritual – Photo: Nati Shohat/Vosizneias.com

Israel increases number of terrorists to be pardoned to precipitate Peace talks

 

Israel’s decision to release 22 additional terrorists convicted of murder comes after Abbas threatened to scuttle peace talks.

All of the original 82 have so far been imprisoned a minimum of 20 years.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
 

 

Israel has decided to raise the number of prisoners that it will release from 82 to 104 as a condition for the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table Israel Radio reported on Saturday.

Netanyahu and Abbas were unsuccessful in 2010, will this time around be different?

Netanyahu and Abbas were unsuccessful in 2010, will this time around be different? – Photo: REUTERS

Israel increased the number of people to be freed after the Palestinians threatened that they would not return to the opening meeting of talks that is scheduled to take place next week in Washington according to the report that cited a source with knowledge of the negotiations. Continue Reading »

Abbas: Sunday should bring welcomed news about PA prisoners

As Israel confirms gov’t to vote on peace talks and terrorists prisoner release;

Palestinian president at Ramallah press conference says  Sunday will bring wonderful news for Arab prisoners held by Israelis.

By Elior Levy

 

 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held a press conference Friday in Ramallah and said that Sunday will see “good news” for the Palestinians locked in Israeli jails, but failed to be more specific. Abbas also confirmed that Tuesday peace negotiations were scheduled to begin in Washington.

אבו מאזן מציג לחברי אש"ף את תוצאות השיחות עם ג'ון קרי          (צילום: EPA)

Abbas talks with PA officials after talks with Kerry – Photo: EPA

Sunday, Ynet has learned, the government is expected to authorize the beginning of peace talks, as part of its weekly meeting, and form a special ministerial committee charged with prisoner release. Continue Reading »

Israel stopped aiding EU representatives entering Gaza, European diplomat reports

Diplomat says recent lack of cooperation is part of Israeli response to EU’s new settlement (boycott) guidelines.

Ashton’s spokesperson: The European Union has not received any official communication on orders to limit work with EU on the ground & is seeking ‘urgent clarifications’ from Israel.

By Reuters and

Several European aid staff have been barred from entering Gaza as part of Israeli measures in the wake of new EU guidelines barring cooperation with settlements, a western diplomat said Friday. 

Palestinian workers at the Erez border crossing.

Palestinian workers at the Erez border crossing. – Photo: AP

The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the humanitarian aid staff had failed to receive permits to enter the Gaza Strip.  Continue Reading »

Deputy FM Elkin: PM to Give Abbas’ PA 86% of Judea & Samaria for Peace

Deputy Foreign Minister: The ‘Bad News’…Netanyahu would relinquish 86% of Judea & Samaria to the Palestinians, but the ‘Good News’ is they will never settle for that.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin (Likud) believes that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would be willing to give more than 80% of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Authority as part of a future peace agreement.

In an interview with the Maariv daily newspaper which was published on Friday, Elkin said that former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had spoken with the PA about Israel keeping 14% of the so-called “settlement blocs” and handing the remaining 86%. Continue Reading »

Hizbullah Wired $100K for Bulgaria Suicide Bomber

Hizbullah paid almost $100,000 to 2 men who are wanted over Burgas terrorist attack that left 5 Israeli tourists and a local dead, according to Bulgarian media.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

Hizbullah’s armed wing wired almost $100,000 (75,000 euros) to two men wanted over a bomb attack that killed five Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last year, a local newspaper reported Friday, according to the AFP news agency.

According to the 24 Hours daily, the money was to help organize the blast at Burgas airport on the Black Sea on July 18, 2012, and to carry out reconnaissance in other countries. Continue Reading »

Increasing number of Israeli Christians volunteering for national service

Even some Muslim youth are interested as Israeli Christians are doing military and/or national service despite boycotts & denouncements by Arab public figures.

Zeidan Baha’s heartwarming story of how his volunteering as a firefighter was a way to ‘payback’ for his life being saved.

By Daniel Siryoti

 

In recent weeks the activity of the forum to recruit Israeli Christians to the Israel Defense Forces has made headlines. Israeli Arab public figures, both Muslim and Christian, have spoken out against the increasing numbers of young Christians who are interested in enlisting and want to share the burden along with other minorities such as the Bedouin and Druze.

Continue Reading »