Archive for August 14, 2013

Report: No. 2 city for tech startups is Tel Aviv

 

 

Boston Globe names Israel’s metropolis as 2nd best city for technological startup entrepreneurs after the United States’ Silicon Valley.

Itamar Eichner

VIDEO – The Boston Globe, one of the most important newspapers in the United States, has named Tel Aviv the world’s second best city for tech startups, after Silicon Valley in California.

File:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - IAF Flight for Israel's 63rd Independence Day.jpg

Israel Air Force Flight for Israel’s 63rd Independence Day over Tel Aviv – Photo Courtesy Israel Air Force

Startup Genome, a resource for tracking and building startups, formed a list of the world’s leading high-tech cities for startup entrepreneurs. Tel Aviv precedes New York, which only made it to the fifth place, Los Angeles (3) and London (7). Continue Reading »

Israel Air Force Hits Terrorist Targets in Gaza Strip

An IAF aircraft  successfully targeted Hamas’ concealed rocket launchers in northern Gaza, in response to rockets fired onto Israel by local terrorists.

By Elad Benari

 

An IAF aircraft targeted concealed rocket launchers in northern Gaza on Tuesday night, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement.

Directs hits were confirmed.

“The IDF air strikes were conducted in response to the rocket launched at the civilians living in the Sha’ar HaNegev regional council yesterday (Tuesday) evening,” said the statement. “This is an absurd situation that would not be tolerated anywhere else in the world.”

“The IDF is charged with, and will continue to operate in order to safeguard Israel’s civilians, and combat terror and its infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

26 Palestinian terrorist released from Israeli prisons as ‘offering’ for Peace

 

Hundreds, including President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed 26 prisoners that left Ayalon Prison in vans with tinted windows.

Abbas: ‘We won’t rest until all prisoners are released’, then rocket explodes in western Negev.

By Ynet reporters

 

After weeks of cabinet discussions, protests and High Court petitions, 26 Palestinian prisoners were released Tuesday night as part of an Israeli gesture to the Palestinian Authority in the wake of resuming peace talks.

Convoy leaves Ayalon Prison (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Convoy leaves Ayalon Prison – Photo: Motti Kimchi

Two convoys left the Ayalon Prison Tuesday night en route to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The first convoy, carrying 15 prisoners, reached the Erez checkpoint and shortly after 1 am was allowed to cross into Gaza. Continue Reading »

America’s 1st Jewish congregation & oldest synagogue fight over sale of Torah finial bells

Synagogue sells Colonial-era bells to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts for $7.4m but congregation says both the synagogue & bells belongs to them.

 

Mediation has failed in lawsuits between the oldest U.S. synagogue and the country’s first Jewish congregation over ownership issues.

The Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island

The Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. – Photo: Swampyank at en.wikipedia

Lawyers for the leaders of New York City’s Congregation Shearith Israel and Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island tell The Associated Press they were unable to agree during mediation overseen by a federal judge. The lawsuits will now move forward.

The dispute started after leaders at Touro agreed to sell a set of Colonial-era Torah finial bells for $7.4 million to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Continue Reading »

Dispite Public Outcries Abbas & Kerry Knew in Advance of Israel’s Building Plans

 

US Secretary of State admitted in a press conference in Brazil, that from the very start, Netanyahu had been “completely up front” about Israel’s building plans.

By Ari Soffer

 

 

US Secretary of State John Kerry revealed Tuesday that he and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas were fully aware that the Israeli government intended to continue building in parts of Judea and Samaria which “will not affect the peace map” when the decision was made to restart talks.

Kerry and Abbas – AFP photo

As such, despite the “outcry” by the Palestinian Authority, Abbas is still committed to talks with Israel over the next nine months, he said. Continue Reading »

Kerry warned Israel faces demonization campaign ‘on steroids’ should talks fail

 

 

 

Columnist Jeffery Goldberg criticizes Netanyahu’s ‘self-destructive West Bank settlement policy’.

He also claims Kerry believes Prime Minister is afraid of int’l isolation, telling him that if peace-talks fail, Israel would face a demonization campaign ‘on steroids’.

By Ynet

In a new article, Bloomberg columnist Jeffery Goldberg claims that despite Israel’s West Bank settlement construction, US Secretary of State John Kerry managed to grab Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s attention by highlighting growing isolation Israel would face should peace talks fail.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - Photo: AP

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Photo: AP

In his op-ed, Goldberg slammed Israel’s self-destructive” West Bank construction” and quoted a source close to negotiations as claiming Kerry believes Netanyahu fears delegitimization as much as he fears the Iranian threat and wants nothing but to remain in power. Continue Reading »

Gen. Dempsey in Israel for Meetings with P.M. Netanyahu

Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs is in Israel for meeting that will deal with the Syrian civil war, Sinai terrorism & unrest in Egypt, and on Iran’s ongoing nuclear aspirations.

By Gil Ronen

 

General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, is in Israel for a visit that will deal with the Syrian civil war and Sinai terrorism. He was received by an IDF honor guard.

Dempsey with Gantz – IDF Spokesman’s Unit

During the visit, General Dempsey is scheduled to meet with Lieutenant-General Gantz and other IDF commanders to discuss cooperation and common security challenges.

Dempsey is also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. Continue Reading »

Israeli volunteers in Nepal find solution to extend life expectancy

Israeli volunteers suggest unique solution to extend current low life expectancy of  inhabitants in rural Nepal.

By Yossi Aloni

 

Dozens of Israeli volunteers, including Israeli Ambassador in Kathmandu, Hanan Goder, recently visited a remote village in Nepal where inhabitants typically die at a young age and found an original way to instead give them long and healthy lives.

Israeli volunteers help Nepalese extend life expectancy

Behind the project is the Israeli humanitarian organization Tevel b’Tzedek (The Earth – In Justice), which every years picks about 100 Israeli and Jewish volunteers from around the world to come to Nepal for educational programs and humanitarian work.

The organization has been operating for the past four years in the impoverished village of Mahda Besi, providing training in the fields of agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth and education, and health and sanitation. Continue Reading »

125 new IDF recruits out of 330 new immigrants arrive in Israel

 

Almost half of the Nefesh B’Nefesh flight carrying 330 new immigrants from North America are eager to serve in IDF combat units.

New immigrants were greeted at the airport by a host of Israeli dignitaries, including Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

By Eran Suissa & Israel Hayom Staff

 

 

A charter plane dubbed the “soldiers’ flight” touched down in Israel on Tuesday morning, bringing 125 young American Jews ready to don uniforms and join the ranks of the Israel Defense Forces.

Immigrating to enlist in the IDF – Photo:: Shahar Azran

The flight, carrying a total of 330 new immigrants from North America, included 63 men and 62 women aged 18 to 22 who will soon be inducted into the armed forces, most of them slated for combat. Continue Reading »

New pro-Israel Arab party declares EU boycott to be counterproductive

 

 

“Releasing murderers is not going to bring peace,” exclaimed Bishara Shlayan, an Israeli Christian Arab from Nazareth. He said he is against the release, and that only after a final peace deal should prisoners be released.

 

 

Bishara Shlayan, an Israeli Christian Arab from Nazareth who is creating a new Arab political party, said that the EU boycott of Israeli businesses and institutions operating in the West Bank is counterproductive, since it mainly harms Arabs living there.
Bishara Shlayan

Bishara Shlayan – Photo: Courtesy

“The boycott is a big mistake – it is the livelihood for many, mainly Arabs in the West Bank,” Shlayan told The Jerusalem Post, adding that the absence of Israeli businesses will create more violence, as more Arabs will be left with no way to put food on their tables.
Continue Reading »

Anti-Israel MK Zoabi considers running for Mayor of Nazareth

Knesset Member and ardent anti-Zionist Hanin Zoabi reported on Tuesday that she’s ‘seriously considering’ running for mayor of Nazareth.

Fellow Balad party members are divided on this issue.

By Hassan Shaalan

Knesset Member Hanin Zoabi (Balad) announced Tuesday morning that she was “seriously considering” running to in the Nazareth mayoral race.

Zoabi told Ynet that though her decision was not final, she expressed interest in running for mayor and will announce her final decision soon.

A senior Balad official told Ynet: “The issue of Hanin Zoabi running for Nazareth mayor came up a while ago. We are still deliberating – today we’re holding another meeting in an attempt to reach decisions. Continue Reading »

Egypt’s post-Morsi gov’t limits Palestinian visitors from Gaza

Recent restrictions on Palestinians are ‘not a punishment’ for Hamas  says Egyptian official, but limiting foreigners during escalated fighting against Sinai militants.

By Reuters

 

Egypt has sharply cut the number of Palestinians allowed to enter from the Gaza Strip since its military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last month, Gaza’s Hamas leaders said on Monday.

Palestinian youths take a nap as they wait with other passengers to cross into Egypt at Rafah border

Palestinian youths take a nap as they wait with other passengers to cross into Egypt at Rafah border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip. August 12, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

An Egyptian official said the curbs were “not a punishment” for Hamas’s Islamist leanings but an effort to reduce civilian traffic as Egypt has stepped up military operations against Islamist militants in the Sinai region bordering Gaza. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem Construction ‘ is Merely a Drop in the Ocean’

Jerusalem city representative enthusiastically welcomes the 200 new housing units, but remarks, ‘I would be happier if it were 8,000.’

By Maayana Miskin

 

The decision to allow construction projects in Jerusalem neighborhoods east and south of the 1949 armistice line is a good one, says Attorney Herzl Yehezkel, a city representative from the neighborhood of Homat Shmuel.

However, he told Arutz Sheva, Jerusalem’s fast-growing population needs far more housing than the few hundred units that will be built.

“I would be happy if they were building 8,000 units instead of 800,” he said. “The little bit that they are marketing is merely a drop in the ocean.” Continue Reading »

Rocket fired by Sinai terrorists at Eilat intercepted by Iron Dome

 

Siren activated then blasts heard around the southern city.

Rocket attack comes just days after alleged Israeli drone successfully killed Al-Qaida-affiliated terrorists in the Sinai.

 

 

 

Terrorists fired a rocket at Eilat shortly before 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning, triggering an air raid siren and activating the Iron Dome anti-rocket battery, which is stationed at the Red Sea city.

Iron Dome battery deployed in North

Iron Dome battery deployed in North – Photo: Ben Hartman

The Iron Dome system intercepted at least one rocket, according to initial IDF assessments.

It is unknown at this stage whether additional rockets fell in open areas outside of the city.

Continue Reading »

Four Jordanians end 3 month hunger strike in Israeli Prison

 

3 month hunger strike comes to an end on prisoners’ own volition,  says Israeli Prison Service. But Jordanian officials report prisoners’ visitation rights for families led to decision.

By AFP

Four out of five Jordanian prisoners held in Israel have ended a three-month hunger strike against prison conditions, Israeli officials said on Monday.

“Four Jordanian prisoners ended their hunger strike of their own volition and without any conditions,” a source in the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) told AFP.

“The prisoners’ move was not conditioned on receiving benefits,” the source stressed.

But Jordan’s National Committee for Prisoners in Israel said the inmates ended their strike after an agreement was made, through the Jordanian foreign ministry, to allow their families to visit them. Continue Reading »