Archive for July 25, 2013

Better Place closed, 6 weeks later Israelis still backing electric cars

2 initiatives are now trying to rejuvenate the remains of Better Place & keep electric-powered rubber on Israel’s roads.

Five years of bombastic hype. $850 million of funding burned. Networks planned in at least seven countries. A founder who spoke of changing the world.

Solar energy entrepreneur Yosef Abramowitz speaking at an event promoting support of electric transportation in Israel, June 7, 2013. (GoElectricIL)

Solar energy entrepreneur Yosef Abramowitz speaking at an event promoting support of electric transportation in Israel, June 7, 2013. – GoElectricIL

When the electric car company Better Place declared bankruptcy in May, it marked an unhappy, though perhaps unsurprising setback for those who dreamed of Israel revolutionizing the global auto industry and freeing drivers from the tyranny of volatile oil prices.

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Bulgaria releases ID of 2 suspects in Burgas terrorist bombing

 

The Sofia report into the Hezbollah suicide bombing that killed 5 Israelis & a local, names a Canadian & an Australian citizen as prime suspects.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

The Bulgarian authorities have released the names of two people believed to be involved in the Burgas bus bomb terrorist attack last year that killed five Israelis and their Bulgarian bus driver according to the Bulgarian news agency Focus.

Meliad Farah and Hassan El Hajj Hassan, who are suspected of involvement in the Burgas bus bombing.

Meliad Farah and Hassan El Hajj Hassan, who are suspected of involvement in the Burgas bus bombing. – Photo: Bulgaria Interior Ministry

The two were identified as 32-year-old Australian citizen Meliad Farah, also known as Hussein Hussein, and 25-year old Canadian Citizen Hassan El Hajj

In the days around the attack, the suspects had been noticed in Ruse, Varna and Nesebar, the Sunny Beach resort, and in the village of Ravda, according to the report.

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Iranian family buy Israeli passports to emigrate

 

 

7 family members detained in Vancouver after amusing faults in Israeli passports reveal they are actually Iranians carrying fake papers.

Itamar Eichner

An Iranian family, wishing to immigrate to Canada with no visas, bought stolen Israeli passports in the black market and added false information. The Canadian airport uncovered the fraud and quickly arrested the seven suspects.

Israeli Passport - Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Israeli Passport – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The family – either a couple or siblings, and five children – were arrested at the Vancouver International Airport. The Iranian family used the name “Solomons”, while pretending to be an Israeli family supposedly residing in Rehovot. Continue Reading »

Ankara: Israel’s Compensation for Marmara Deaths Not Enough

Turkey’s Deputy PM says his country isn’t satisfied with Israel only paying compensation for the Marmara victims.

By Elad Benari

 

Despite Israel’s apology to Turkey over the Mavi Marmara incident and the talks on compensation to the victims, Turkey is continuing to make reconciliation between the two countries difficult.

Mavi Marmara – AFP photo

On Wednesday, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said that his country will not be satisfied with Israel simply paying compensation to the Marmara victims. The Jewish state, he said, must acknowledge that the money it is paying to the victims is a result of its committing a wrongful act. Continue Reading »

Victim of Arab Stabbing in Jerusalem Attempted to Drive Himself to Hospital

Not realizing the extent of his wounds the  victim of a stabbing attack in Jerusalem tried to drive himself to the hospital.

By Chana Ya’ar

 

The victim of a stabbing Wednesday afternoon at Liberty Bell Park (Gan Hapa’amonim) in Jerusalem tried to drive himself to the hospital after the attack, not fully aware of how seriously he was wounded.

The man, age 40, was discovered in the Katamon neighborhood either in or near his car, ready to drive himself to a doctor to get medical treatment.

Medics said he was not fully aware of the seriousness of his injuries at the time. Continue Reading »

Tel Aviv Adopts Plan to Assimilate New Western Immigrants

 

A shift in demographic have caused Tel Aviv to accept “a strategy that puts more focus on the unique needs of the ‘new olim’ community.”

 

 

If you’ve spent the past decade or so in Tel Aviv, you’ve probably noticed the change. The city has increasingly found itself in the global spotlight, and English speakers – once relatively rare in the city – are hard to avoid on any street corner in central Tel Aviv. Even in the city’s south and in Jaffa, native English-speakers have become a prominent fixture of the first Hebrew city.

View of Tel Aviv

View of Tel Aviv – Photo: Yoni Cohen

This influx hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Tel Aviv Municipality, which on Wednesday unveiled what it said was a “strategic plan to better integrate Western immigrants.”

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Generals report: Hamas & Hezbollah rocket threat outpacing Israel’s defensive capabilities

Brig. Gen. reports in a war that could last a month, as many as 1,500 short- to mid-range rockets might be launched at the north alone each day.

 

The Israeli response to the rocket threat still lags behind progress being made by Hezbollah, Hamas and other groups, according to a report published this week by Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies.

Iron Dome anti-missile system in Haifa

The Iron Dome anti-missile system in Haifa deployed in January. – Photo: Rami Shlush

Brig. Gen. (res.) Meir Elran, head of the institute’s Homeland Security Program, told Haaretz that Israel hasn’t closed the gaps. Continue Reading »

Hizbullah is feeling the crunch of heavy losses in Syria

 

 

The Lebanon-based terrorist group has buried up to 250 fighters thus far, including a few high ranking officials. Their political loss in the EU doesn’t help any.

By Chana Ya’ar

 

The Lebanon-based Hizbullah terrorist organization is taking heavy losses in Syria, according to a report released by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC).

Coffin of Hizbullah terrorist killed in Syria – Reuters

The assessment, sent to media this week, indicates the terror group’s involvement in the two-year-long savage civil war across Israel’s northern border has cost Hizbullah more than 180 men.

In addition, several hundred more of its guerrilla fighters have been wounded in the effort to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power, ITIC estimates. Continue Reading »

Israel’s secret ‘Power’ at the United Nations

 

 

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said “that, based on her comments and her unabashed display of emotional attachment to the security of the Jewish people…they would never again question her commitment to Israel’s security.”

By Connie Fieraru

 

Samantha Power is set to be the next US ambassador to the UN following overwhelming approval during her Senate Foreign Relations Committee appearance on Tuesday. Power made special note of her intention to defend Israel in the world body and work to secure a seat for the Jewish state on the Security Council by 2018.

Israel's new 'Power' at the UN

Power & Obama – Israel Today

After her approval by all but two of the 18-member Senate committee, Power is expected to easily win confirmation from the rest of the Senate. Continue Reading »

Another Ancient Olive Press Unearthed in Jerusalem

 

Excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority have discovered a cave housing an ancient olive press near Jerusalem College of Technology.

Researchers are still trying to ascertain the artifact’s date, saying this proves of “centrality of olive trade to Jerusalem’s agrarian economy.”

By Yori Yalon and Israel Hayom Staff

 

A cave housing an ancient olive press was recently discovered during archeological excavations at a site near the Jerusalem College of Technology, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement Tuesday.

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French politician files appeal for overturning libel conviction on al-Dura video

French court in 2008 overturned Karsenty’s original conviction after reviewing the full video footage, but last month France 2 successfully appealed the case.

Karsenty has now filled an appeal to France’s supreme court.

By JTA

 

 

Philippe Karsenty, a French Jewish politician, has appealed to France’s supreme court to overturn his conviction of defamation for accusing a television channel of doctoring a video allegedly showing the death of a Palestinian boy.

Mohammed al-Dura cowering behind his father's back - Screenshot

Mohammed al-Dura cowering behind his father’s back – Screenshot

Karsenty, deputy mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris, was convicted of defamation in 2006 for saying France 2 and its reporter Charles Enderlin had doctored the 2000 video showing the alleged death of Mohammed al-Dura, a 12-year-old boy.

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EU law officials to begin receiving intel on Hezbollah from Israel

Israeli officials say EU agencies will need tons of information on the Hezbollah to curtail its exploitation of operational agendas on the continent.

Israel’s UN ambassador Prosor says EU allowed Hezbollah to operate freely (in all it’s nefarious operations) for decades.

 

 

Now that the EU has decided to designate Hezbollah’s military wing a terrorist organization, Israel will begin providing EU law enforcement officials with intelligence material so they can enforce the decision, Israeli diplomatic officials said Tuesday.

HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTERS march through the streets of Beirut last year.

HEZBOLLAH SUPPORTERS march through the streets of Beirut last year. – Photo: Khalil Hassan/Reuters

Law enforcement authorities, homeland security officials and intelligence agencies in the EU’s 28 countries will need a plethora of information to make sure that Hezbollah’s military wing does not continue to operate on the continent, the officials added.

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Nothing new at the UN, Palestinians charge Israel with war-crimes

Despite resumed talks between Israel & Palestinians, at UN Security Council debate, Palestinian rep charges Israel commits war crimes, continues to build settlements and confiscates their land.

Israeli ambassador criticized the EU ban.

By Yitzhak Benhorin

 

While the Americans are trying to close out the invitations of the Israeli and Palestinian representatives to direct talks in Washington, in New York the two sides are continuing to go head-to-head. Palestinian representative to the UN, Riyad Mansour, stated Tuesday that Israel was committing “war crimes” against his people.

Ron Prosor – Photo: Shahar Azran

At the monthly meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, Mansour said that Israel continues to build in the West Bank, confiscating land, clearing land, removing residents from their land, and supporting extremists who commit “terror” against Palestinians in the West Bank. Continue Reading »

Pentagon Reports: U.S. military actions in Syria could run $1b a month

NYT Reports: General Dempsey in a letter to Congress warns that the decision to use force in military options against Assad, ‘is no less than an act of war’.

 

The Pentagon has provided Congress with the first list of detailed options for military intervention in Syria, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

U.S. Navy photo shows the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis

This photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. – Photo: AP

The scenarios were presented in a letter by chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, and enumerate that strikes on Syrian military targets will costs billions of dollars. Continue Reading »

Rockets Fired into Southern Israel From Gaza

Once Again Palestinian terrorists fire rockets into Israeli cities.

Residents alarmed as “Color Red” warning system fails to activate

By Chana Ya’ar

 

Two rockets slammed into Israel’s southern region Wednesday morning, surprising residents who had no warning of the attack.

Once AgainThe Color Red incoming rocket alert siren somehow malfunctioning and did not activate, according to local sources in the area.

Miraculously, both short-range missiles reportedly exploded in open areas and did not damage property – nor was anyone physically injured.

A number of residents in the area were traumatized in the attack, however.

Local officials and psychotherapists are activating to take the routine steps to address the anxiety and stress resulting from the attack. Continue Reading »