Archive for January 19, 2014

Israel Air Force strikes Islamic Jihad terrorist in Gaza

 

Gaza terrorists must know that there is a personal price to pay when planning & executing rocket attacks against Israel. “There is no immunity,”

 

Three Palestinian were reportedly wounded Sunday in an Israel Air Force strike on a motorcycle traveling in the northern Gaza Strip.

Palestinians gather around the wreckage of a motorcycle targeted by an Israeli air strike, Gaza.

Palestinians gather around the wreckage of a motorcycle targeted by an Israeli air strike, Gaza Strip, Jan. 19, 2014. – Photo: AFP

One man was originally said to have died in the strike, but Palestinian officials later said this was incorrect and that he was in fact in a state of clinical death. Continue Reading »

New Israeli Start-Up Keeps Cut Fruit Looking Fresh

Israeli start-up SPRESH came up with a new all-natural spray that can prevent fruit from turning brown for up to 24 hours.

By Ari Yashar

 

A new Israeli start-up company has decided to tackle the age-old problem: how do you stop cut fruit from going bad quickly? SPRESH’s new all-natural spray does just that, preventing the deterioration of cut fruit’s taste, color and texture for up to 24 hours.

Screenshot from A video by the company shows how “Spreshed” apples hold up much better than grated apples over 4 hours

On the start-up’s Kickstarter campaign page, where the company is looking to build funds to expand their production, SPRESH founder Aviad Mozes writes he started the project to stop fruit discoloration after having to throw out left over browned fruit that his son wouldn’t eat. Continue Reading »

Serbian Minister: ‘We Have Much to Learn from Israel’

Influential Serbian Minister visits Israel for the 1st time, remarked how the Jewish state shows how to ‘fight for national dignity & freedom’.

By Michael Freund

 

Aleksandar Vulin, a prominent Serbian politician who serves as his country’s Minister in charge of Kosovo affairs, arrived in Israel on Friday for a three-day visit.

Aleksandar Vulin at the Serbian embassy in Tel Aviv – Michael Freund

“I feel great joy being here in Israel. It is my first official visit,” he told Arutz Sheva upon his arrival.

Vulin stressed that Serbs and Jews share a long history of living together and noted that they suffered together during the Holocaust, remarking that he sees the Jewish state as a moral beacon. Continue Reading »

Canada & U.S. urge UNESCO not to postpone ‘Land of Israel’ exhibit

UNESCO postponed Jewish exhibit in response to pressure by Arab League.

Simon Wiesenthal Center plans to display panels if UN fails to open exhibit.

 

 

The United States and Canada called on UNESCO to rescind its sudden decision to suspend an exhibit on Jewish ties to the Land of Israel – due to open at its Paris headquarters on Monday – in response to a protest by Arab states who fear it could damage the peace process.

UNESCO headquarters

UNESCO headquarters – Photo by Unesco.org

“UNESCO’s decision is wrong and should be reversed,” said US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power on Friday. Continue Reading »

UK parliament begins investigation into funding for UNRWA – perpetuating refugees

A British parliamentary committee was formed in response to heavy lobbying by pro-Israel organizations to consider weather perpetuating the refugee problem is contributing to the status quo & a de facto deterrent to the peace process.

By YUVAL PAIS, THE POST

 

 

 

The British parliament has formed a committee of inquiry to probe the flow of funds used by the international refugee agency UNRWA to support the Palestinians, according to an exclusive report first revealed on Saturday by The Jerusalem Post‘s Hebrew-language sister publication, The Post.

Former Labor Party MK Einat Wilf Addresses Knesset -  Photo: Facebook profile

Former Labor Party MK Einat Wilf Addresses Knesset – Photo: Facebook profile

According to the report, the British government contributes 90 million pounds annually in aid to the Palestinians. Continue Reading »

Nobel Prize winner Dan Schechtman announces candidacy to run for Israeli presidency

Israel’s 2011 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry says his lack of political experience does not mean he doesn’t have a vision

By i24 News

 

 

Nobel Prize winning scientist Dan Schechtman announced plans to run for president of Israel on Channel 1 news on Friday.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Dan Schechtman announced his intentions to run for Israeli presidency in the 2014 elections ( nobelprize.org )

Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Dan Schechtman announced his intentions to run for Israeli presidency in the 2014 elections – Photo: nobelprize.org

Israel’s current president Shimon Peres will step down on July 27 and elections will be held this summer. The current confirmed candidates are Likud MK Reuven Rivlin, who lost to Peres seven years ago, and Labor MK Benjamin Ben-Eliezer. Continue Reading »

Majdal Shams man wounded from Syria gunfire

Israeli Druze from Majdal Shams injured after shots fired from Syria.

By Ari Soffer

 

A resident of the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights was shot in a suspected terrorist attack as he stood near to the border with Syria Saturday.

The 19 year-old man, said he clearly heard a gun fire before being hit in the foot by a bullet, apparently fired from the Syrian side of the border.

The victim was admitted to hospital in light-to-moderate condition.

The IDF and local police have launched an investigation into the incident, saying that at this point they are unaware of any unusual incidents along the northern border. Continue Reading »

Why is Canadian PM Harper one of Israel’s staunchest supporters?

Harper was exposed to Middle East policy issues when he was 1st elected to Parliament in 1993, who saw Israel as an oasis of democracy surrounded by dictatorships.

 

 

TORONTO (JTA) — It took seven years, but one of Israel’s staunchest allies among world leaders will be making his maiden voyage to the Jewish state on Sunday.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Ottawa in 2012. (Amos Ben Gershom/GPO via Getty Images)

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, in Ottawa in 2012. – Amos Ben Gershom/GPO via Getty Images

In announcing the trip last month at a Jewish National Fund dinner, where he was being honored, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper called Israel “a light of freedom and democracy in what is otherwise a region of darkness” and pledged that the Jewish state “will always have Canada as a friend.”

Continue Reading »

Exiled Hariri willing to return to Lebanon & share power with Hezbollah

 

Currently in exile in Saudi Arabia, former Lebanese PM Saad Hariri who’s currently in The Hague, says he is optimistic of a  coalition deal that would unite Sunni & Shi’ite Muslim groups.

By REUTERS
 

 

THE HAGUE- Former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri says he is now ready to share power with his rivals Hezbollah if that’s what it takes to help Lebanon finally form a government after nine months of political deadlock.

Lebanon

Saad Hariri in Hague Jan 16 2014 – Photo: REUTERS

Linking up with the powerful Shi’ite group would be a sharp turnabout for Hariri and his Future party, a Sunni Muslim group that supports the Sunni revolt against Shi’ite-backed President Bashar Assad in neighboring Syria’s civil war. Continue Reading »

Lapid: Israel needs ‘to get rid of’ the Palestinians

 

Finance Minister Lapid tackled numerous pressing issues in Tel Aviv event, saying Israel’s rabbis should not meddle in issues unrelated to halacha, settlements  should continue to be funded if/until evacuated and ‘his brother’ Bennett was recently demoted to ‘cousin’.

By Shachar Chai

In what state is the relationship between Yesh Atid chairman and Habayit Bayehudi chairman, why are the settlements still funded by the State and what will be their future – Finance Minister Yair Lapid addressed all of these pressing questions Friday morning at a Tel Aviv panel event.

Lapid: Won't allow a non-democratic Israel (Photo: Yaron Brener)

Lapid: Won’t allow a non-democratic Israel – Photo: Yaron Brener

When Lapid was asked about the issue of women’s recruitment to the army and his past remarks noting that he would act to dismiss the chief rabbis for going against female IDF recruitment, he said: “I am not the minister responsible for (the chief rabbis), Naftali Bennett is.” Continue Reading »

White House presses UNESCO on its sudden cancellation of ‘Jews in Israel’ exhibit

 

The U.S. administration is ‘deeply disappointed’ with UNESCO after it succumbed to pressure by Arab League.

By

 

 

The Obama administration is “deeply disappointed” with a decision by UNESCO, the United Nation’s cultural arm, to cancel the opening of an exhibition on the Jewish presence in the land of Israel and is seeking its placement “as soon as possible.”

UNESCO headquarters

UNESCO headquarters Photo by Unesco.org

Complaints by Arab states led UNESCO to cancel the exhibition, organized by the Simon Wiesenthal Center along with the governments of Canada and Montenegro. It was scheduled to open January 20 at the Paris headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Continue Reading »

IDF Shoots & Wounds Two Gazans on Border Fence After Refusal to Stop

IDF soldiers open fire after warnings to Palestinian protesters to stop approaching  Israel’s border fence in Gaza, and refused to comply with orders to turn back.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

IDF soldiers on Friday fired live rounds and tear gas at protesters who approached the border fence in Gaza and failed to comply with orders to turn back, AFP reported.

IDF soldier on the border with northern Gaza – Reuters

Two Gazan Arabs were wounded, medics and an AFP correspondent said.

Troops fired at some 300 demonstrators who were protesting against what they claimed was Israel’s destruction of farmland for its 300-metre buffer zone, according to the correspondent. Continue Reading »

Israel’s Foreign Minister retaliates: Summons EU ambassadors for rebuke

 

 

After Israeli ambassadors to France, Britain, Spain and Italy were summoned to receive official protest regarding West Bank housing construction, Israeli Foreign Minister summons envoys from same countries to be reprimanded in Jerusalem over ‘biased and unbalanced’ stance from their perspective governments.

By Moran Azulay

Following the summoning of several Israeli ambassadors to European countries to express protest at Israel’s plan to build additional settlements, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered Friday morning to convene the ambassadors from Britain, France, Italy and Spain for a talk in Jerusalem, in order to clarify they are taking a constant one-sided stance against Israel. Continue Reading »

Israeli Daily: PM Netanyahu Supports Liberman’s Plan for Land Swaps

Maariv daily cites “senior Likud sources” in Friday’s paper claiming Prime Minister Netanyahu supports FM Liberman’s population swap plan.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu supports Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman’s land swap plan, according to a Maariv report Friday.

The swap, which Israel reportedly offered the US in talks in December, refers to the area known as the Triangle in east-central Israel. The area includes the cities of Tayibe and Tira, in which about 300,000 Arabs live

Israeli Arabs in those areas would become citizens of a Palestinian state, according to the proposal.  In return for the area ceded, Israel will get to keep settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria. Continue Reading »

Int’l Real Estate Report: Israel is 3rd-largest foreign investor in U.S. properties

Israelis accounted for 6% of American commercial property sales to foreigners in past 3 consecutive years.

By Reuters

 

Israeli investors are increasingly looking to invest in U.S. properties as they seek to diversify their portfolios and as local real estate has grown pricey.

The  Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel in 2008.

The Palm Court at the Plaza Hotel in 2008. – Photo: Bloomberg

A report by real estate services firm Colliers International with data through mid-2013 ranked Israel as the third-largest foreign investor in U.S. commercial real estate over the past three years with a 6% share, tied with Switzerland and behind Canada and Germany.

In the U.S. Continue Reading »