Archive for October 18, 2013

Bnei Menashe, ‘Lost’ Indian Jews coming to Israel

2,000 Bnei Menashe curently live in Israel & another 5,000 are in the pipeline waiting to immigrate. This week, the Israeli gov’t  approved 899 more Bnei Menashe to come.

 

SDEROT, Israel (JTA) — A Kassam rocket had just landed across the street, but it couldn’t wipe the smile off David Lhundgim’s face as he entered his apartment in this embattled town near the Gaza border.

Jewish immigrants of the Bnei Menashe arriving at Ben Gurion airport in Israel, Dec. 24, 2012. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Jewish immigrants of the Bnei Menashe arriving at Ben Gurion airport in Israel, Dec. 24, 2012.- Photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Born in the rural provinces of northeast India, Lhundgim has lived in Sderot since he moved to Israel in 2007, and by at least one measure he seemed to be well-adjusted: Lhundgim didn’t flinch when he heard bombs explode outside.

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Erdoğan’s unprecedented act of betrayal against Israel

 

Analysis: If Ankara did blow cover of Israeli undercover-agents, it would violate universally accepted code of conduct between allied intelligence agencies.

By YOSSI MELMAN
 

 

In April 2012, Iran announced that it had uncovered a spy ring numbering 15 operatives working at the behest of Israel. Iranian authorities fingered the operatives as being responsible for the killings of nuclear scientists in recent years. Tehran had long suspected the Mossad as the mastermind of these operations. In announcing the arrests, Iran touted the apprehension of “Zionist spies” and the revelations regarding “Zionist” intelligence activity in a neighboring country.

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan & Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu – Photo: REUTERS

The announcement, which didn’t garner much attention at the time, takes on added importance Thursday just hours after The Washington Post reported that Turkish intelligence revealed the identities of 10 Iranian spies working for Israel.

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15 Second Earthquake Measuring 3.5 hits Northern Israel

 

Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) was the center of 3.5-magnitude earthquake.

No injuries or major damage reported. Tiberias resident: ‘We thought a disaster was coming!’

By Ynet reporters

 

A mild earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter Scale hit north Israel Thursday night. So far there have been no reports of injury or damage. The Geophysical Institute of Israel said the quake’s epicenter was in Lake Kinneret. It was felt at around 9:20 pm.

Tiberias lakefront - Photo courtesy by Wikimedia Commons

Tiberias lakefront – Photo courtesy by Wikimedia Commons

Another Tiberias resident told Ynet: “All the neighbors stepped out of the building; they thought it was about to collapse. Continue Reading »

IDf soldiers kill Palestinian Arab after rams into West Bank base with tractor

IDF soldiers stationed outside of Hebron notice intruder, ordering him to stop & then forced to opened fire when he refused.

One IDF soldier was lightly wounded in the incident.

By Gili Cohen

 

 

A Palestinian was killed by the Israel Defense Forces Thursday evening after smashing through the perimeter fence of the A-Ram army base driving a bulldozer.

The bulldozer used in the attack

The tractor-backhoe used in the attack – Photo courtesy: IDF Spokesman

When soldiers stationed at the entrance to the base, located near the West Bank town of Qalandiyah, spotted the intruder, they began the standard procedure for arresting a suspect. But when the man refused to stop, they opened fire, killing him. Continue Reading »

UK MP George Galloway threatened by Israeli Flag

‘Stop Being Afraid’ is Jonathan Hunter, the British student’s message, to pro-Israel activists after his Oxford confrontation with notorious anti-Israel MP.

By Ari Soffer

 

Softly-spoken and eloquent, Jonathan Hunter does not sound like a rabble-rouser. But mention his recent confrontation with notorious anti-Israel MP George Galloway, the passion in his voice is unmistakable.

Jonathan Hunter confronting anti-Israel MP George Galloway
Oxford Union Events

Two says ago, the 2nd-year History student at Britain’s prestigious Oxford University achieved internet fame, when a video of him confronting Galloway during an Oxford Union debate went viral on social media sites and news sites, including Arutz Sheva. Continue Reading »

UN Chief: American Jews have made distinct imprint on UN

 

Ban Ki-moon addresses Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations gala in New York, stresses anti-Semitism “has no place in the 21st century.”

By MAYA SHWAYDER, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

 

 

 

NEW YORK – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the American Jewish community for its partnership in fighting injustice while stressing the need to “stand strong against extremists,” while speaking in New York Tuesday night.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a news conference in Andorra April 2, 2013.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a news conference in Andorra April 2, 2013. – Photo: REUTERS/Albert Gea

At the 50th anniversary tribute gala dinner of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Ban said the UN and American Jewry “share a common goal… and identical values” in the pursuit of “peace and human dignity for all.”

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Pope Francis to receive Israel’s Prime Minister next week

 

Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss Iran and then meet with US Secretary of State Kerry to discuss the peace talks.

By The Associated Press

 

Israel‘s prime minister plans to meet with the pope on a trip to Italy next week.

President of Israel Shimon Peres, Papa Francisco I ,April 30, 2013 - Photo courtesy: GPO

President of Israel Shimon Peres, Papa Francisco I, April 30, 2013 – Photo courtesy: GPO

Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican next Wednesday. Israeli President Shimon Peres, who serves in a largely ceremonial position, met the head of the Catholic church in April.

Earlier this week, Israel’s Channel 2 reported that Pope Francis will visit Israel in Marc

A statement Wednesday from the prime minister’s office announcing the scheduled meeting said Netanyahu also will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on the same trip. Continue Reading »

Palestinian culture includes incitement against Israel

 

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister says Palestinian sponsored indoctrination of  incitement is a serious obstacle to peace.

Since the indoctrination is part of the general culture, the problem does not exist only among the extremists.

 

 

 

Palestinian incitement is ruining the chances of ending the conflict, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said in the Knesset on Wednesday.

Illustration in Palestinian textbook

Illustration in Palestinian textbook – Photo: IMPACT-SE

Steinitz presented his ministry’s report on incitement to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

“Incitement is a serious obstacle to peace,” he stated.

“The Palestinian Authority is aware of the inciting messages in its official educational institutions.”

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Pentagon will manufacture Israel developed F-35 helmet

Elbit Systems’ advanced F-35 pilot’s helmet has improved night vision camera, new liquid crystal displays and automated alignment & software enhancements.

By

 

The Pentagon will manufacture a pilot helmet for F-35 fighter jets co-developed by Elbit Systems, an Israeli company.

An F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.

An F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. – Photo: Bloomberg News

The Pentagon’s F-35 program made the announcement late last week, saying it would stop development on a second helmet developed by a British company in order to focus exclusively on perfecting the Rockwell Collins Elbit Systems of America Vision Systems Generation 2, or Gen 2, helmet.

Helmet mounted display system.

Helmet mounted display system.

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Russian official: Arafat NOT Poisoned with Polonium

Interfax, a Russian news agency quoted Vladimir Uiba, the head of the Federal Medico-Biological Agency as saying: “He (Arafat) could not have been poisoned with polonium. The research conducted by Russian experts found no traces of this substance,”

By Reuters, Reporting by Steve Gutterman in Moscow; Writing by Noah Browning in Ramallah; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Robin Pomeroy

 

The head of a Russian forensics agency said on Tuesday that samples from the body of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had revealed no traces of radioactive polonium, a Russian news agency reported.

Yasser Arafat

However, the government scientific body later denied that it had made any official statement about the research, saying only that it had handed its results to the Russian Foreign Ministry. Continue Reading »

British Experts Warn of Al Qaeda Chemical Weapons Threat

Experts in the UK warn of “grave danger” to global security over Syrian bio-weapons proliferation.

The British experts say Al Qaeda may already possess lethal WMDs.

By Ari Soffer

 

As international attention in Syria focuses on efforts to dismantle the Assad regime’s chemical weapons stockpile, British experts are warning of another, potentially more lethal threat.

Illustration: WMD antiterrorism drill – Reuters

Experts from the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) have issued a stark warning over what they say is the “clear and present danger” of Al Qaeda gaining possession of the Assad regime’s stockpile of biological weapons, claiming to have substantial evidence that Al Qaeda-linked groups may already have possession of toxic agents. Continue Reading »

Hezbollah Jails Israeli ‘spy eagle’ in Lebanon

The kestrel allegedly captured with ‘spy’ receiver implanted on its body & suspicious ring on its foot with incriminating markings from Tel Aviv University.

By YASSER OKBI, THE POST CORRESPONDENT

 

 

 

An alleged avian Israeli agent has been captured in Lebanon, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV station reported on Wednesday.

File:Common Kestrel 1.jpg

Common Kestrel – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

The eagle was captured by amateur hunters in the the town of Ashqout in the Keserwan district of the country, which is north east of Beirut.

The eagle was carrying an implanted receiver and a brass ring was found around its foot with markings in English that connected the suspect to Tel Aviv University, according to the report.

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Police arrest 13 Jews for praying on Temple Mount

 

The worshipers violated court approved police directive barring Jewish worshipers from prayer on the Temple Mount plaza, for fear it may cause riots.

After a short interrogation the police released the men.

By Efrat Forsher and Israel Hayom Staff

Thirteen Jewish worshipers were arrested on Monday in the Temple Mount plaza, after the police said they were holding a prayer service on the premises in breach of security forces’ directives.

Police on the Temple Mount [Illustrative] – Photo: AP

According to the police, some in the group sang songs, danced and waved Israeli flags, while others bowed and prayed, in violation of a police directive that bars Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. Continue Reading »

Libyan coastguard shoot boat with fleeing Syrian Palestinians

 

An Action Group in Syria said 70 refugees survived the attack of the 374 Palestinians that were aboard the boat, which left the Libyan port of Zwara late Thursday.

The PA reported 32 refugees died.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
 

 

Hamas called on Palestinians fleeing Syria to come to the Gaza Strip instead of risking their lives at sea while searching for asylum, on Tuesday.

Syrian and Palestinian refugees at Catania harbour in the island of Sicily October 8, 2013.

Syrian and Palestinian refugees at Catania harbour in the island of Sicily October 8, 2013. – Photo: REUTERS

The call, which was made by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, came after the Libyan coastguard opened fire at a boat carrying 374 Palestinian refugees from Syria.

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Hamas seeks renewed ties with Assad after Egyptian blacklisting

 

Hamas’ Deputy Politburo Chief Abu Marzouk says Khaled Mashal wrongly choose to support Syrian Rebels & now doesn’t rule out chance of reconciliation with Syrian regime.

By Elior Levy

Hamas’ Deputy Politburo Chief Moussa Abu Marzouk interviewed for Assad affiliated channel Al Mayadeen on Monday, saying Khaled Mashal was wrong in raising the flag of Syrian opposition, and that Hamas had no official ties with any rebel organizations.

Khaled Mashal – Photo: AP

Last June a dramatically important meeting was held in Lebanon concerning the shaken relationship between Hamas and some of the Arab and Muslim world. Group senior Moussa Abu Marzouk conferred there with officials from Iran and from Hezbollah to work out differences that have occurred between Hamas and then in the past two years over the Syrian civil war. Continue Reading »