February 2014 Archives

The anti-Semitic face of Facebook

How can a Facebook page devoted to ‘Jewish ritual murder’ not be an overt and obvious violation of Facebook’s Terms of Service?

By Jeff Abramowitz

Facebook has a page (at least one) dedicated to the subject of Jewish ritual murder also known as “Blood libel.” Facebook also has much vaunted community standards which do “not permit individuals or groups to attack others based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or medical condition.”

Refusing to hear us. Oct 14, 2013, Demonstration organized by Michael Mendelson – Photo: courtesy

This begs the question… how is a page devoted to the subject of Jewish ritual murder NOT a violation of Facebook’s community standards? Continue Reading »

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

Israel’s Water Situation: Lack of rain means farmers have to buy water

After earlier prediction of an over-abundance of water, Israel is again facing severe crisis following a lack of winter rainfall.

By Ryan Jones

Late last year, we reported that Israel was facing an over-abundance of water after seven years of drought. It would now seem such predictions were premature, with experts warnings that the coming year could see Israel up against yet another severe water crisis.

Lack of rain means farmers have to buy water – Source: Israel Today

The previous winter saw good rainfall, and the beginning of the current winter started much the same, leading Water Authority officials to put Israel’s large desalination plants on notice that their full output would not be required in the coming year. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: farmers, rainfall, water

Hundreds of Diary of Anne Frank, Holocaust books vandalized in Tokyo libraries

Simon Wiesenthal Center calls on Japan to deal with “hate campaign” as pages were torn out of 250 copies of diary and other Holocaust era books.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

The Simon Wiesenthal Center has expressed its “shock and deep concern” over the vandalizing of hundreds of copies of the Diary of Anne Frank in libraries across Tokyo, Japan.

Anne Frank – Photo: REUTERS/Handout Old

The council of public libraries in Tokyo said at least 250 copies of the diary or publications containing biographies on Anne Frank, Nazi persecution of Jews and related materials were torn, according to an AFP report.

Category: Jewish News, The Diaspora | Tags: anti-Semitism, Diary of Anne Frank, Holocaust, Japan, Simon Wiesenthal Center

Muslim prayer room now available at Bar-Ilan University

In light of the chaos & racist comments the Bar-Ilan Muslim students are subjected to, as they pray in public, the university is allocating them a private prayer room to allow them ‘to pray in a respectable fashion.’

By Itay Blumenthal, Shachar Chai

Bar-Ilan University is home to over 500 Muslim students, but whenever prayer time comes, they are forced to search for a vacant classroom or an uncrowded lawn.

Bar-Ilan University – Photo: Yaron Brener/Archive

The public praying on campus, at a university associated with the right-wing national-religious public, often attracted suspicious looks and racist comments. The students demanded change, and Thursday the university granted them a private prayer room. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Bar Ilan University, Muslims, prayer

Jordanian tribe distancing from Sheikh after claims Israel belongs to Jews

Sheikh Ahmed Aladoan, who visited Israel last year, supports the idea that Jordan is Palestine, and based his assertions that Palestinian claims to Israel are erroneous, not supported by the Koran.

By Haaretz

A sheikh from Jordan’s prominent Adwan tribe caused a stir recently when he said that Israel belongs to the Jews, and that Palestinian claims to the territory are false.

A screenshot of footage of Sheikh Ahmed Aladoan in Safed with Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu.

Sheikh Ahmed Aladoan of Amman, who made the remarks on his Facebook page, based his assertions on the Koran. In a post earlier this month he said that those who “distort the word of the Koran” are liars, and questioned the origins of the word Palestine.

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: Israel Palestine, Palestinians, Sheikh Ahmed Aladoan

US Framework is Demanding of Abbas a PA Recognition of Israel as Jewish State

US Ambassador Dan Shapiro has reported that despite their open opposition, the PA must recognize Israel as the Jewish State under the American framework agreement.

By Tova Dvorin

US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro declared Friday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will be obligated to recognize Israel as a Jewish state under the US framework agreement – despite the PA’s ongoing defiance over the issue.

“[The PA] recognizing Israel as Jewish state is a key sign that the conflict is ending,” Shapiro stated on Reshet Bet radio. “The United States has always believed that Israel is a Jewish state and that it should stay that way.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Dan Shapiro, Israel-PA, peace talks

Report: Vatican Seeking Control of Mount Zion

In advance of the Pope’s May visit to Jerusalem, the Vatican is in negotiations for the Church’s control of Mount Zion.

By Israel Today Staff

Israel could be entering the final stages of negotiations to turn over control of Mount Zion to the Vatican, if recent reports by Israel National News are to be believed.

St Peter’s Square, Vatican City – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

According to the online news source, a secretive meeting took place this week between the Jerusalem Municipality, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Tourism and senior Catholic officials.

During the meeting, the Catholic delegation reportedly pressed Israel to follow through on a years-old proposal to give the Church control over the compound that houses the traditional “Hall of the Last Supper.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Mount Zion, Pope Francis I, Vatican

Analysis: Al-Qaida unlikely to defeat Hezbollah in Syria

Al-Qaida-linked anti-regime jihadist groups are focusing their energies on attacking fellow Muslims, even other Sunni opposition groups.

Regional security analyst: US recognizes jihadists to be a bigger threat to the stability in Lebanon than Hezbollah.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

Could the continued onslaught by al-Qaida-linked jihadists force Hezbollah to withdraw its forces from the Syrian war? Probably not.

A Free Syrian Army fighter launches a rocket – Photo: REUTERS

Such a withdrawal would seemingly allow the organization to focus on defending itself in Lebanon, but the bombings targeting it and Iran are strongly connected to the sectarian struggle in Syria. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Lebanon violence, Middle East peace, Syrian rebels

Gazans turn to bartering with lack of copper coins

Import-ban on copper leads Gazans to melt Israeli coins into electrical wiring, causing 1/2-shekel coin shortage.

By Elior Levy

Gazans have been running low on Israeli coin currency for a while, partly due to an Israeli-imposed ban on copper imports. The creative solution engineered by Gazans was to melt down change to create copper wire. But no one could have expected the result – half-shekel and 10 agorot coins have become a rare commodity.

Spare change – Gaza style – Photo: Khaled Ashker, Gisha

The coins’ absence did not impact the day-to-day life of the average Gazan, as most prices were in full shekels. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: curency, Gaza

Dutch firm says boycotting Israel wasn’t factor in port tender exit

TheMarker may have erroneously reported that at least 2 foreign companies dropped out of a tender for port construction, due to anti-Israel boycotts.

By TheMarker

A report in TheMarker on Monday stating that at least two foreign companies dropped out of the Israeli government tender to develop private seaports due to anti-Israel boycotts has been disputed by two of the companies involved.

Ashdod port. – Photo by Ilya Melnikov

Spokesmen for Royal Boskalis Westminster, a Dutch company that did not submit a bid as expected, and the Israel Ports Company, the state-owned company conducting the tender, both denied in separate statements that Bosalis had dropped out of the tender at all.

Category: Jewish News | Tags: Ashdod Port, Buisness, Haifa Port, Israel boycott

Kazakhstan & Israel Strengthen Economic Ties

Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Barak met with President Nursultan Nazarbiib at Kazakhstan’s presidential palace to discuss common needs for closer cooperation.

By Tova Dvorin

Former Defense Minister Ehud Barak visited Kazakhstan Thursday, according to Walla!, to strengthen Israel’s economic ties with the Sunni Muslim-majority nation.

Nursultan Nazarbayev and Ehud Barak - Photo source: Sondakika.com

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev (R) and (L) Former Defense Minister Ehud Barak – Photo source: Sondakika.com

Barak met with President Nursultan Nazarbiib in the presidential palace in Astana, according to the daily. They reportedly sat for about an hour and discussed the possibility of further cooperation in regard to agriculture, health services, and industrial innovation. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Defense Ministry, economic ties, Ehud Barak, Kazakhstan

‘Jews Don’t Need Permission to Pray at the Kotel (Western Wall)’

Israel’s deputy FM Danny Danon, furious after Mahmoud Abbas deigns to grant Jews his permission to pray at Judaism’s holiest site.

By Israel Today Staff

Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Danny Danon, insisted earlier this week that Jews require permission from no one to pray at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, the retaining wall of the Temple Mount that for centuries has been Judaism’s holiest site.

Praying freely at the Kotel (Western Wall, Wailing Wall) – IsraelandStuff/PP

At a meeting with Israeli students in Ramallah on Sunday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas insisted the Palestinians must win control of the eastern half of Jerusalem in order to make peace, but promised to still allow Jews to enter the Old City and pray at the Western Wall. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Kotel, Peace Process, Western Wall

Israeli authorities caution public on bitcoin risks, considers regulation

Israeli financial authorities scrutinized the use of virtual currencies, warning that it’s not legal tender, unsupervised, & presents fertile ground for dubious transactions.

Israel has emerged as a bitcoin hotspot.

By Reuters and Israel Hayom Staff

Israel is considering regulating the bitcoin, the Internet’s crypto-currency, and financial authorities are warning citizens that using such decentralised virtual currencies is risky.

Money, money, money: Israel is considering regulating the bitcoin and is warning citizens of the risk of using it – Photo: Reuters

Bitcoins are passed between two parties digitally and can be traded on exchanges for real-world currencies. The bitcoin’s value fluctuates according to user demand but it is not backed by any government or central bank. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: finance, High Tech, Internet, money

Lady Gaga comes to Tel Aviv… Again!

Not intimidated by BDS and calls to boycott Israel, Lady Gaga to perform in Tel Aviv, September 13.

By Jana Banin

The upcoming Lady Gaga concert has an official date and location: September 13^th in Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park. The news was announced Wednesday on the Israeli show “Good Evening with Guy Pines.”

Lady Gaga (PR Photos)

Other acts set to perform in the Holy Land over the next few months include the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, the Pixies, and more.

Get busy Roger Waters—looks like you have some serious open letter writing ahead of you.

Category: Israel News | Tags: BDS, concert, Lady Gaga, music