February 2014 Archives

Israeli intel: Hezbollah to target top Israeli officials for assassination

Israel can’t officially admit to Monday’s airstrike & Hezbollah is denying any participation in the event, but under the surface, both sides are locked in conflict.

Hezbollah might start targeting senior Israeli officials, Israeli sources say. The reason: Monday’s attack on a weapons convoy in Lebanon that foreign media are linking to Israel.

Hezbollah supporters listen to Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah’s speech in Beirut, 2010.- Photo: AP

It seems Israeli defense officials are preparing accordingly. In any case, Hezbollah is not expected to react immediately. Lebanese websites have attributed the attack to the Israel Air Force, though neither Israel nor Hezbollah have commented.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hezbollah, IAF strike, Lebanon, Syria

Students in Britain: ‘Israel Apartheid Week’ Losing Momentum

Jewish students in the UK say anti-Israel activities losing steam, as pro-Israel activists launch a pro-active educational campaign to counter the half-truths and fallacies.

By Ari Soffer

It’s that time of year again. As Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) hits campuses across the globe, Jewish students are once more bracing for a week of demonization and assaults on the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

I Oppose

Since launching in Canada ten years ago, the phenomenon has taken hold in campuses across several different countries, including the US and Britain. Based on the spurious, yet maliciously effective, accusation that Israel is in some way akin to apartheid South Africa, anti-Zionist groups have found the perfect way to monopolize the discourse and shut out any debate on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: anti-Semitism, BDS, Britain, Israel Apartheid Week

Arabs riot over Knesset discussing Temple Mount sovereignty bill

Muslim youths arrested for rioting as Arab MKs boycott Knesset debate.

Jordanian opposition party calls on their gov’t to cancel peace treaty with Israel.

By i24News

The Israeli Knesset on Tuesday debated a bill which envisages the “application of Israeli sovereignty” over Jerusalem’s Temple Mount compound, which includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

مواجهات في باحة الاقصى ( صورة من الارشيف )

Rioting Muslims at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.- Photo source: i24News

The bill, introduced by MK Moshe Feiglin, a hardline member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, calls for Israel to annex the compound, Islam’s third-holiest site and Judaism’s holiest, which has been administered by Jordan for 20 years under a 1994 peace treaty. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab riots, Jordan, Knesset, Temple Mount

What BDS? Survey Shows Palestinians Prefer Israeli Products

As BDS activists worldwide rally to impose boycott on Israeli products, the Palestinians themselves are increasingly taking home ‘blue & white’.

By Ryan Jones

Even as activists worldwide purportedly working on behalf of the “Palestinian cause” push for a boycott of Israeli products, the Palestinian Arabs themselves are increasingly buying “blue & white.”

Survey: Palestinians Prefer Israeli Products

Initially, members of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement were upset that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas would not officially endorse their efforts to put Israel in an economic stranglehold.

But a recent survey by the Palestinian Authority’s Consumer Protection Authority revealed the possible reason for Abbas’ reluctance: the Palestinian Arabs are major consumers of Israeli products. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: BDS, Israel boycott

Israeli submarine operations increase in northern arena

Senior Navy commanders are awaiting the next 2 new submarines from Germany, to further enhance Israeli secret operations at sea. Naval commanders say Israel is on constant alert to secure assets against Syrian & Hezbollah threats.

By Yoav Zitun

Against the backdrop of Lebanese media reports claiming the Israeli Air force attacked a weapons convoy heading from Syria to Lebanon on Monday, a seemingly significant expression of IDF’s special operations is revealed Tuesday morning.

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Israel’s Dolphin class submarine – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

Figures presented by a senior Navy officer indicate that 58% of submarine squadron “sea hours” last year were executed within operational activities, and the rest were used for training. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Dolphin, Israel Navy

IDF wounded three Palestinians in clashes near the Gaza border fence

Gazans have now incited confrontations with the IDF for the 2nd time in 5 days.

By Gili Cohen

Three Palestinians were wounded Tuesday in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip near the perimeter fence.

An Israeli tank near the Gaza border as Palestinians approach, November 2012.- Photo: AP

Palestinians said a press photographer had a moderate gunshot wound to the leg, while two other people were suffering from tear-gas inhalation. The Israel Defense Forces said hundreds of Palestinians had gathered in the area and threw stones at soldiers. The army responded with crowd-dispersal measures and later gunfire.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gaza, Hebron, IDF, Palestinians, West Bank

Hamas Thinks It Found Gas Field Off Gaza’s Shore

MP in Hamas gov’t claims gas was found just off Gaza’s coast, but Hamas deputy PM isn’t convinced.

By Ari Yashar

An MP in the terror organization Hamas’s Gaza government reported Tuesday that a natural gas field has potentially been found off the Gaza coast.

Salem Salama, chair of Hamas’s economic committee, said “preliminary tests carried out by experts from the Islamic University suggest that there is a natural gas field near the coast,” reports AFP.

In recent weeks the test were conducted by Hamas after fishermen reported large bubbles in the water roughly 300 meters (just under 1,000 feet) off the coast, reported Salama. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Gaza, hamas, natural gas

Is Mahmoud Abbas a legitimate representative to negotiate peace with Israel?

Israel is currently negotiating with Palestinian Authority’s President Mahmoud Abbas. However, does Abbas actually represent anyone? Would his signature on an agreement be worth anything?

By John Kerry Solutions Ltd.

Here are just a few technicalities that may nullify anything Abbas signs.

and on the lighter side…John Kerry is really trying to keep EVERYBODY happy…..

John Kerry Solutions Inc. Screenshot from Israel Tour, February 2014
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBXvrVgWToM

Category: Video's worth Viewing |

Germany’s Merkel Receives Medal of Distinction from Israel’s President Peres

German Chancellor Merkel is awarded Israel’s highest civilian honor for her commitment to ensuring Israel’s security and for fighting anti-Semitism.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

President Shimon Peres awarded German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Presidential Medal of Distinction on Tuesday.

Israel’s President, Shimon Peres, “For your contribution to Israel’s revival and security. For your contribution to the cause of peace in this region and for your unrelenting efforts to build a better world. For being a stateswoman of great courage, humility and vision not only for the present but for future generations. As the President of the State of Israel, I present the Presidential Medal of Distinction to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Angela Merkel, Israel Germany, Medal of Distinction

Analysis: Hezbollah exploited stormy weather for missiles transfer – and failed

Is it safe to believe Lebanese reports of a midnight airstrike against Hezbollah targets near the Lebanese-Syrian border last night, and it is safe to infer the IAF was behind it.

By Ron Ben-Yishai

Judging by the quantity and level of accuracy of the reports in the Lebanese media, it is safe to infer that there was indeed a strike against targets on the ground on Monday night, likely on both sides of the Lebanese-Syrian border. One can also assume, judging by the nature of the reports, that there was intensive Israel Air Force activity during those hours.

Area of reported Israeli strikes – Photo: Google Maps

From all of that, it appears that it would not be far fetched to infer that Hezbollah attempted to smuggle advanced weaponry into Lebanon last night. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Hezbollah, IAF strike, Lebanon

Police ascend Temple Mount, 3 Palestinian rioters arrested

Rioting Arabs threw stones and firecrackers at security forces from the holy site, requiring police to enter it to disperse violent crowd.

By AP, Noam ‘Dabul’ Dvir

About 20 masked Palestinians threw stones and firecrackers at Israeli security forces from atop the Temple Mount Tuesday morning.

Palestinian protesters react during clashes with police on the Temple Mount [file]. – Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters

A police force entered the area to disperse the rioters using crowd dispersal means, including stun grenades. Three rioters were arrested on suspicion they threw rocks and firecrackers at security forces.

Two policemen were lightly hurt in the incident, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told AFP. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: incitement to violence, Israel Police, Sovereignty, Temple Mount, Waqf

Knesset approved law distinguishing between Christian Arabs & Muslim Arabs

Critics bash new law as attempt to ‘divide & conquer’ Israel’s Arab population.

By Jonathan Lis

The Knesset on Monday approved a controversial law, whose ultimate aim, according to its sponsor, is to distinguish between Muslim and Christian Arab citizens and to heighten involvement of Christians in Israeli society.

Coalition chairman MK Yariv Levin.- Photo: Olivier Fitoussi

Critics slammed the law, sponsored by MK Yariv Levin (Likud), for constituting an attempt to “divide and conquer” the country’s Arab population – an allegation Levin seemed to confirm in a recent newspaper interview.

The law demands what initially seems to be a minor change in the makeup of the public advisory council which is appointed under the 1988 Equal Employment Opportunities Law.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab Christians, Christians and Jews, Christians-Muslims, Knesset

A call from the Ukraine: ‘Israel, Protect Us!’

Ukraine’s Jews ask for Israeli security personnel after reporting attacks, a fire bomb thrown at a synagogue and even threats on Rabbis as the current rebellion is getting worse.

By Gil Ronen

In the face of increasing hostility toward Jews throughout the Ukraine, the Director of the Federation of Jewish Organizations in Europe, Rabbi Menahem Margolin, has asked Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon to act urgently and send trained security personnel to protect Jewish communities in the Ukraine. He specifically asked that the assistance be sent to cities and towns where there is a greater chance that the current unrest could take the form of anti-Semitic attacks. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: anti-Semitism, Ukraine

In 87 cities worldwide, Israel Apartheid Week is at a university near you

With focus on Britain, events held at Oxford, Cambridge and other prestigious campuses meant to delegitimize the State of Israel and denying Zionism.

By Yarden Skop

The 10th annual Israel Apartheid Week is being marked this and next week in 87 cities around the world, with Britain having the largest number of them.

Message at the University of the Witwatersrand.

A pro-Palestinian message on the graffiti wall at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.- Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

The initiative is part of the international boycott, divestment and sanctions movement’s campaign against Israel, focusing on its continued control of the occupied territories.

Most of the related events take place on university campuses and are organized by Palestinian student groups or their allies.

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: anti-Israel Propaganda, BDS, Israel Apartheid Week