Archive for December 24, 2013

Civilian worker shot by Palestinian sniper from inside Gaza

Civilian IDF contractor, fixing Gaza-Israel border’s security fence was shot by a Gaza sniper.

He was evacuated to Be’er Sheva’s Soroka Hospital.

By Ari Yashar, Arutz Sheva Staff

 

 

A civilian worker for the IDF was shot by sniper fire near Gaza, where he was working between Nachal Oz and Kfar Aza. The worker was evacuated to Be’er Sheva’s Soroka Hospital.

The worker was fixing the security fence that was revealed to have holes and damage in it, caused by the recent snow and rainstorm. Soldiers have reported that repairs have been slow or non-existent, creating a security threat.

The IDF is searching the area to find suspects involved in the incident. Continue Reading »

Ancient Jewish Texts Found in Afghan Cave to be Displayed Next Week

The ancient texts that were found in an Afghanistan genizah estimated to be 1000 years old, include the writings of Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, will be unveiled next week.

By Tova Dvorin

 

 

The National Library will hold a special event next week to debut ancient texts found in an Afghanistan genizah, or storage area for old Jewish texts. The texts are estimated to be over 1000 years old and include writings from post-Talmudic Jewish leader Rabbi Saadiah Gaon.

Professor Hagai Ben-Shammai, academic director of the National Library spoke to Arutz Sheva Monday about the event, and revealed that thousands of texts were found in the genizah – some dating back to the first century CE.  Continue Reading »

Iran Reports: Saudi delegation visited Jerusalem, met with Netanyahu

 

Iran’s Fars news agency reports Saudi officials met with Israelis in Monaco. Then Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Salman bin Sultan visited Israel 10 days ago, including a tour of an IDF base.

Jerusalem offers no response to reports.

By Eli Leon & Shlomo Cesana

 

A Saudi Arabian delegation flew to Israel about 10 days ago for meetings with high-ranking Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the semi-official Iranian Fars News Agency reported, citing Palestinian sources.

Iranian report says Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister recently toured an IDF base – Photo: AFP

Fars also reported that Saudi representatives met with Israeli officials less than a week ago in Monaco. Continue Reading »

IDF shoots at Palestinian placing explosive devise on fence at Gaza-Israel border

 

This Palestinian hit by gunfire comes after 4 incidents of IDF soldiers opening fire on border ‘incidents’ over past weekend.

 

IDF soldiers fired at the legs of a Palestinian man attempting to plant an explosive on the Gaza – Israel border Monday.

 IDF soldier sits atop a tank just outside northern Gaza Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen

IDF soldier sits atop a tank just outside northern Gaza – Photo: REUTERS/Amir

The incident occurred on the border with northern Gaza. The man was hit by gunfire, though his condition remains unknown.

Over the weekend, the IDF opened fire on four separate occasions at Palestinians who entered the forbidden security zones near the fence and refused to vacate the area. Continue Reading »

Again Abbas advances fairytale in Christmas message: Jesus was a ‘Palestinian’

Reiterating his commitment to peace, the Palestinian Authority president said in his statement from Ramallah, ‘We celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem under occupation,’

By DPA

 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Jesus a role model for the Palestinians, in a Christmas message from the West Bank Monday.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – Photo AP

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – Photo AP

Referring to Jesusas “a Palestinian messenger,” Abbas said that “as we Palestinians strive for our freedom two millennia later, we do our best to follow his example. We work with hope, seeking justice, in order to achieve a lasting peace.”

He criticized Israeli restrictions on the entry of Palestinians living abroad into the West Bank, as well as Israel’s controversial West Bank security barrier, which cuts off Bethlehem, which he charged “steals land.” Continue Reading »

Analysis: How Israel’s Chief Rabbis Lost Influence Over its Most Holy Site

Rabbis have banned all Jews from ascending the Temple Mount, reasoning that the pre-entry requirement of purification rituals, such as bathing, are not accessible today & also that one could accidentally step on the inner sanctuary of the temple — where it’s absolutely forbidden to tread — as its exact location is still unknown.

By Nathan Jeffay

 

Israel’s chief rabbis have issued a declaration reminding the public of the religious ban against visiting the holiest site in Judaism, Temple Mount.

Israeli police clash with Palestinian stone-throwers on Temple Mount

Israeli police advance to arrest Palestinian stone-throwers on Temple Mount – Photo source: The JC.com

The new chief rabbis, who took office five months ago, have stated that they adhere to the traditional position, which has dominated Israeli Orthodoxy since Israel captured Temple Mount in 1967. Continue Reading »

Terror Attack: Israeli Policeman Stabbed in West Bank

– Terrorist Attack –

Terrorist stabs policeman in back near community of Adam, causing moderate-to-serious wounds.

Security forces including the IDF are searching the area for the suspect. Injured police officer transported to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

An Israeli police officer was stabbed and moderately-to-seriously wounded near the Adam settlement, north of Jerusalem in the West Bank on Monday in what is believed to be a terror attack.

A Magen David Adom ambulance. – Photo: REUTERS

Security forces were searching the area for the suspect.

MDA paramedics transported the injured police officer to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

In seeking deeper targets, Hamas increases homemade rockets’ range

 

 

Egypt’s closing of Hamas’ smuggling tunnels put and end to importing missiles & forces terrorist factions to invest more in making homemade weapons with better quality rockets.

By Alex Fishman

 

 

Hamas‘s military wing in the Gaza Strip is making a concerted effort to increase the range of its rockets by tens of kilometers.

The rocket fuel is poured into a plastic tube, then cut away and the fuel cylinder is inserted into the Qassam shell. A detonator is placed in the mixture. About 100 are made each night.

The extra range will let the terror organization pull off deeper attacks into Israel, even farther than the Gush Dan region achieved during Operation Pillar of Defense . Continue Reading »

Turkey Replaces Iran as Hamas’s Financial Backer

World Tribune reports: Turkey has coordinated the cash transfers with Qatar, ‘The money is channeled through private sources, with full coordination with Erdoğan and his aides’.

By Arutz Sheva staff

 

Israel’s intelligence community has determined that Turkey has replaced Iran as the leading financial backer of Hamas since 2012, reports the World Tribune, citing unspecified “Israeli sources.”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – AFP photo

The sources said the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has overseen the transfer of up to $250 million a year to Hamas, and particularly to its governing apparatus in Gaza. Continue Reading »

Christians, Jews & Muslims rally in Jerusalem against price tag attacks

Grassroots interfaith group calls price tags attacks “cancer,” urges government to classify their vandalism attacks as acts of terrorism.

 

 

 

Price tag attacks must be classified as acts of terrorism, said a small group of Israeli Jews and Arabs as they jointly rallied Sunday morning in front of the Prime Minister’s Office during the weekly cabinet meeting in hopes of swaying the government to clamp down on such incidents.

Tag Meir rally against price tag attacks across from the PMO, December 22, 2013.

Tag Meir rally against price tag attacks across from the PMO, December 22, 2013. Photo: TOVAH LAZAROFF

“We are here across from the PM to call for him and the government to stop the price tag attacks. Continue Reading »

Alert Policeman Foiled Terror Attack Outside of Jerusalem

3  Palestinian terrorists approached police at Mishor Adumim, 1 brandishing a knife in hand, committed to kill.


Alert Police managed to subdue & arrest them.

By Gil Ronen

 

 

Police near Jerusalem foiled an attempted terror attack against them Sunday evening and arrested the three terrorists involved.

The attempted attack took place at the police roadblock at Mishor Adumim Junction, near Maale Adumim.

Three Arab men got off a taxi mext to the roadblock and began advancing toward the police checkpoint. One of them held a knife.

One of the policemen saw the knife and warned his cohorts. They succeeded in overcoming the attackers and arrested them. Continue Reading »

Mossad: Wanted. Seeking Recruits

The Israel’s foreign intelligence agency seeks to recruit college students by taking part on Monday’s job fair at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba.

By YASSER OKBI, THE POST CORRESPONDENT

 

 

The Mossad, Israel’s vaunted spy agency, wants you, particularly if you’re a college student.

Ben-Gurion University campus in Beersheba – Photo courtesy: BGU website

The intelligence body plans to take part in Monday’s job fair at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheba, where students heading into the labor market will be recruited by no less than 30 of Israel’s leading companies.

The fair will feature companies specializing in technology, finance, management, and medicine. The firms that plan on taking part include Marvell, EMC, Intel, Maccabi Pharm, Prigo, Check Point, Elbit Systems, the Jewish Agency, Israel Aircraft Industries, Raphael, Amdocs, and Orange. Continue Reading »

Terrorist Bomb Explodes on Bus – One Sapper Wounded

— Terrorist Attack —

Bus driver’s quick thinking prevents major catastrophe.

Israeli Police officer wounded as bomb he was defusing detonates. 

By David Lev

 

 

A bomb exploded on a bus in Bat Yam Sunday afternoon. No passengers were reported injured, but one police officer with the bomb squad was injured as he attempted to disarm the device.

Scene of the blast – Photo: Israel Police

According to reports, passengers noticed a suspicious object on the bus and reported it to the driver, who quickly removed all passengers from the bus. The bomb squad officer got on the bus to disarm the device, but it exploded as he approached it. Continue Reading »

US rented flat across from Ehud Barak was loaded with electronic equipment

 

New details revealed regarding US surveillance of Israeli targets, including reports that Washington rented apartment across from then Defense Minister Barak.

US denies flat was used for spying despite the fact that Israeli intelligence detected sizable amounts of electronic equipment delivered to the US-rented apartment.

By Ronen Bergman

Israeli sources also stressed that in light of the spionage reports, the United States’ detention of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard is illegitimate. “If the Snowden affair manages to shock anyone in the wall of American hypocrisy that is holding Pollard there – then maybe this report will have done some good,” a source said. Continue Reading »

To protest or not to protest? How to deal with anti-Israel activity on campus.

Some advocacy groups urge students to counter misinformation at anti-Israel events, but not through direct confrontation. The non-confrontational approach prevails at campuses across the country.

“If there’s a strong Israeli Apartheid Week, make sure you have a strong Israel Week,”

Cara Stern, Staff Reporter,

 

 

Should students tackle anti-Israel activities on campus head-on – setting up counter-events or even urging universities to ban groups and events from taking place – or is it best to downplay them in the hope of minimizing their impact?

York University students drape Israeli flags to counter an anti-Israel rally in 2009.  - Photo source: The Canadian Jewish news

York University students drape Israeli flags to counter an anti-Israel rally in 2009. – Photo source: The Canadian Jewish News

That’s the central question for young pro-Israel advocates facing groups and individuals at their schools who are hostile to the Jewish state.

Continue Reading »