Archive for December 9, 2013

Terrorist Behind Eilat Rocket Attack Killed by Egyptian Army

In a shootout, Egyptian soldiers shot to death Ibrahim Abu Atiyeh, leader of the terrorist group responsible for recent rocket attacks on Eilat in August.

By David Lev

 

Egyptian sources said Monday night that Egyptian Army soldiers had eliminated Ibrahim Abu Atiyeh, a terrorist belonging to the Al Qaeda-linked Ansar Beit al-Makdis terror group. Abu Atiyeh was a leader of the group, which has claimed responsibility for a recent rocket attack on Eilat in August. Abu Atiyeh  was killed in a shootout with Egyptian soldiers in northern Sinai.

The group has been at odds with Eypt’s new military government, and has attempted to kill Egyptian officials, including the country’s interior minister. Continue Reading »

Electronic Artificial Skin Could Help Amputees Sense Touch, Temperature & Humidity

Scientists at the Haifa’s Technion Institute of Technology celebrated a medical breakthrough that could allow amputees to actually feel again.

By Sean Fitz-Gerald, Mashable

 

 

Researchers have developed a flexible sensor with the potential for integration into electronic skin. If successful, the e-skin could attach to prosthetic limbs, letting people with artificial appendages experience changes in their environments, such as touch, humidity and temperature, simultaneously.

ZZxZ

Image courtesy of Agustín Ruiz

This is a big step forward, per the Technion Society, as current forms of e-skin can only detect touch. The researchers developed the new system using gold particles and a kind of resin, which is at least 10 times more sensitive to touch than other touch-based e-skin systems. Continue Reading »

Finance Committee Just Doubled Monthly Tax On Empty Apartments Brginning 1-1-2014

New monthly tax hikes unanimously approved on roughly 47,000 empty apartments.

Heavy taxation to encourage renting or selling, to help alleviate national housing crisis.

By Ari Yashar, Arutz Sheva Staff

 

On Monday, the Finance Committee unanimously approved the application of doubled real estate tax (arnona) on empty apartments, of which there are an estimated 47,000 units.

According to the new law, an apartment will be considered empty if unused for 9 consecutive months, or 9 cumulative months in the real estate tax fiscal year, from January 1 till December 31. The new rules will come into effect starting January 1, 2014. Continue Reading »

Abbas Rejects Terrorists Release Delay, Warns ‘Total Failure’ of Peace Process

In November a senior PLO official revealed that the only reason the PA is participating in peace talks was to free all 104 terrorists.

By Ari Yashar, Arutz Sheva Staff

 

In response to reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry will delay the third batch of terrorist releases by a month, a spokesperson of Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas declared Monday that the PA will not agree to the delay, reports Kol Yisrael government radio.

Issa Karaka, PA Minister of Prisoner Affairs, said that while an official confirmation of the postponement has yet to be made, there are definite American pressures in that direction. Continue Reading »

Is Israel Really Destroying the Al-Aqsa Mosque?

Continue Reading »

Israel, PA, & Jordan to sign historic trilateral Red Sea-Dead Sea pipeline plan

The project involves 180 km. of tunnels & pipelines, a tremendous desalination plant & 2 hydro-power plants.

Energy & Water Minister Silvan Shalom is due to attend “historic” signing ceremony at World Bank headquarters in Washington DC.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, SHARON UDASIN

 

Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority were expected on Monday to sign an agreement on a Red Sea-Dead Sea pipeline project.

Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom was due to attend what he called the “historic” signing ceremony at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC.

“The program has garnered the Prime Minister’s support, along with the support of [Palestinian Authority President] Mahmoud Abbas among the Palestinians and of course the support of the King of Jordan,” Shalom told Army Radio. Continue Reading »

New IDF satellite system to be deployed nation-wide

 

Now army brigade commanders will have access to receive real-time live footage of ground events directly on their secured military mobile phones as new IDF satellite system will be operational in topographically-challenged areas throughout the country.

By Yoav Zitun

In the next few weeks, the three regional IDF commands – Northern, Southern and Central – are expected to be deployed with a new satellite system developed by the Computer Service Directorate.

Illustration (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

Illustration – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The new system will dramatically improve the real-time observation skills on topographically-challenged areas, such as the northern Golan Heights, where explosive devices were planted near an IDF force this past weekend. Continue Reading »

No longer able to smuggle stolen or cheap fuel & products from Egypt, Gaza struggles

Intended to block the smuggling of weapons, stolen goods, drugs & terrorists, Egypt’s tunnel clampdown is good for it’s security & public order, but for Hamas’ ‘gangster’ style government, many Gazans say they have never had it so tough.

By Reuters

 

Mohammed Al-Telbani, owner of one of Gaza’s biggest food factories, is the sort of businessman plucky enough to thrive despite an Israeli blockade of the Palestinian coastal enclave, but even he says he is finally running out of answers.

A Palestinian laborer in Gaza.

A Palestinian laborer works through a pile of steel reinforcement rods collected from destroyed homes in Gaza Strip on December 4, 2013.-

Continue Reading »

U.S. & Israel’s Generals Agrees on Jordan Valley

All that has happened in the Middle East – the regional upheaval, stability problems amongst Israel’s neighbors & everything that is going on in Syria – only prove Israel’s concerns.

By Gil Ronen

 

Major General Nitzan Alon, the Head of the IDF’s Central Command, met leaders of the Jewish settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria Sunday and attempted to allay their concerns about a possible agreement with the Palestinian Authority (PA) regarding the final status of the Jordan Valley in a future permanent accord.

Major General Nitzan Alon, the Head of the IDF’s Central Command, – Arutz 7

An audio recording of the general’s statements reached daily newspaper Yisrael Hayom, which published it. Continue Reading »

Hamas: We Will Never Agree to Accords or Solutions That Cedes a Single Grain of Soil

Hamas celebrates 26 year anniversary of 1st Intifada, swearing it will never settle for less than a ‘Palestine from the sea to the river.’

By Dalit Halevy

 

The Secretary of the Hamas government in Gaza, Abd el-Salam Siam, said Sunday in a press release marking 26 years since the outbreak of the First Intifada that the Gaza government supports all forms of the struggle against “Israeli occupation,” including popular struggle, struggle through peaceful methods and armed struggle.

Siam said that the Palestinian people can develop new tactics in the struggle, and called on the Palestinian people to learn from the experience of the ‘rock intifada’ and unite its ranks. Continue Reading »

Peres, Netanyahu not to attend Mandela memorial

 

Prime Minister’s Office cites high costs of short-notice trip, problems on special security arrangements.

It’s unclear who will represent Israel at Mandela’s funeral.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, TOVAH LAZAROFF

 

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres have announced on Sunday that they will not travel to South Africa for the memorial of freedom fighter Nelson Mandela on Tuesday.

Netanyahu informs Peres that new gov’t has been formed at President’s Residence in J’lem, March 16 – Photo: Koby Gideon/GPO

A source at the Prime Minister’s office said the trip is too expensive and that there were “logistical concerns” preventing the prime minister from attending. Continue Reading »

Iranian media reports Saudi intel chief met with Israeli officials in Geneva

 

 

Iranian news agency cites reports that Israeli government officials met with the director general of Saudi Intelligence Agency in order to discuss:

1. containing Iran by any possible means
2. exercising stronger control over Syria’s Jihadist forces
3. sidelining Muslim Brotherhood

By Ynet

Director General of Saudi Intelligence Agency Bandar bin Sultan met several times with Israeli officials in Geneva, Iranian news agency Fars reported.

Secret talks? Israeli PM Netanyahu, Saudi King Abdullah (Photos: EPA, AP)

Secret talks? Israeli PM Netanyahu, Saudi King Abdullah – Photos: EPA, AP

The report is based on a Saudi Twitter account that is “well connected with the inner circles of the Saudi secret service”. Continue Reading »

2nd time Turkish students detained at Auschwitz for Nazi salute

 

The two Turkish students could face 2 years each in prison for public promotion of Nazi symbols.

By

 

 

Two Turkish tourists were detained by guards at the Auschwitz museum for appearing to make a Nazi salute.

The entrance to the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz

The entrance to the former Nazi death camp of Auschwitz. – Photo: Reuters

The tourists, a man and a woman, both 22, were taking pictures of each other in front of the gate to the former Nazi death camp under the iconic sign “Arbeit macht frei,” or “Work makes you free,” and allegedly raised their right hands in the gesture of a Nazi salute. Continue Reading »

Israel Holds 1st Int’l Energy, Defense & Strategy Conference

The conference discussed security threats to energy supply on a national & int’l level – including nuclear issues – and also how to make Israel’s recent “energy bonanza” more available to consumers.

By Yoni Kempinski & Tova Dvorin

 

Israel held its first joint conference between the Defense and Energy industries in Herziliya Thursday. Arutz Sheva had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Gal Luft, Conference Head of Steering Committee and Co-Director of Institute for Analysis of Global Security.

Dr. Gal Luft“This is the first time in Israel that we are trying to create a meeting of the minds between the Energy Industry and the Defense Industry,” Luft stated.  Continue Reading »

‘The Congress’ an Israeli film wins European film award

 

Israeli film “Fill the Void,” wins the cinematography award.

Ari Folman’s animated futuristic fantasy starring American actress Robin Wright wins European Film Academy’s award for best animated feature.

Folman: Film created by 270 animators in six countries.

By Maya Cohen

 

Continue Reading »