April 2014 Archives

Israel Air Force Strikes Gaza as Hamas Rocket Launching Squad Takes Aim

—- SPECIAL SECURITY REPORT —-

Several Palestinians injured with IAF airstrike against rocket launcher terrorist cell getting ready.

By AFP and Arutz Sheva Staff

An Israeli warplane struck the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday wounding six people, one very seriously, the territory’s Hamas rulers said.

The raid came as thousands took to the streets of Gaza City to celebrate the announcement by Hamas and the PLO of an agreement to form a unity government to end seven years of divided administration. There seems to be no direct connection between the two developments.

The IDF Spokesman said that in a joint anti-terror operation by the IDF and Israel Security Agency (ISA, or Shin Bet), an attack was carried out in northern Gaza. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IAF strike, IAF-Gaza

Palestinians Livid With Their Minister’s Condemnation of Terror Attack

PA Religious Affairs Minister faces serious backlash after publicly expressing sorrow over terrorist murder of Jewish man on Passover Eve

By Israel Today Staff

A senior Palestinian Authority (PA) government official is facing a fierce public backlash after condemning last week’s terrorist murder of 47-year-old Baruch Mizrahi as he was driving to the Passover Seder with his family.

PA Endowments Minister Mahmoud El Habash told a reporter with Israel’s Army Radio that he was “pained” by the slaying of Mizrahi and the wounding of his pregnant wife and young son.

“We condemn the killing of all people irrespective of their background,” El Habash went on to say. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Passover, terrorist attack, ‘Palestinian’ incitement

Defense Minister introduces reciprocal measures for ‘violent’ settlements

Defense Minister Ya’alon orders police, military & Civil Administration to prioritize razing structures built illegally without permits & licenses in Judea & Samaria outposts and/or settlements where the residents have a history of violently attacking Israel’s security forces.

By Israel Hayom Staff

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has instructed Israel Defense Forces commanders across Judea and Samaria to accelerate the razing of illegally built structures in settlements and outposts where security forces meet violence from extremists, Army Radio reported Wednesday.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon – Photo: Dudi Vaaknin

According to the report, the order, which was given in a closed forum, extends to police and Civil Administration forces in the area as well.

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF, Moshe Ya'alon, Settlers

ADL Chief: Washington believes US Jews are not loyal

Anti-Defamation League head: Washington’s concerns about Israeli tourist espionage are “almost irrational… It’s a prejudice”, since both countries co-operate at the highest levels of new security/military technologies.

By SAM SOKOL

The Anti-Defamation League has reacted harshly to reports that several members of US Congress and representatives of the country’s intelligence community have cautioned against admitting Israel into the State Department’s visa waiver program due to concerns over espionage.

Israeli Passport - Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Israeli & US Passport holder – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

During an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday, ADL National Director Abraham Foxman said he could not square such worries with the “special relationship” and high level of intelligence cooperation between the two nations. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Abe Foxman, ADL, Passport, US State Department

Tunisian gov’t normalizes relations with Israel for Jewish tourism

The new Israel-Tunisia relations is aimed at bring more Jewish tourists to yearly pilgrimage to the El Ghriba Synagogue.

By AFP

TUNIS – Mehdi Jomaa, the head of the Tunisian government, urged officials on Tuesday to avoid creating controversy on the coming normalization of relations with Israel.

Tunisian Tourist Minister Amel Karboul says that Jewish pilgrams are key to seeing profits from tourism. – Photo: AP

The decision was made with the intention to help boost tourism to the country by making it easier for Israeli Tunisian Jews to make the yearly pilgrimage to El Ghriba Synagogue on the island of Djerba where many visit during the May holiday of Lag BaOmer. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: Israel Tunisia, tourism

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Fatah & Hamas prepare to implement reconciliation agreement

Palestinian factions are to finalize details on Wednesday morning, says Abbas representative in Gaza.

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu tells Austria FM: Abbas must choose between peace with Hamas or peace with Israel.

By Jack Khoury and Barak Ravid

Hamas and Fatah were preparing to implement a historic reconciliation deal on Wednesday, nearly seven years after a schism between the rival Palestinian factions.

Jubilant Palestinians releasing balloons in the colors of the Palestinian flag during a Fatah & Hamas May 4 2011 rally. – Photo: AP

“There has been great progress, and we are near ready to sign a deal, at 11 A.M.,” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Fatah-Hamas, Naftali Bennett

Metal Chisel Thought To Build The 2nd Temple Unearthed Under Western Wall

Archaeologist who discovered the ancient metal chisel says ‘For 1st time in 2000 years we have a tool of the builders of the Kotel (Western Wall).’

By Iddo Ben-Porat, Ari Yashar

An astonishing archaeological discovery has been made at the feet of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The find is an ancient chisel, which apparently was used by the builders of the Western Wall of the Second Temple.

Chisel found on Temple Mount – Photo: Clara Amit, Courtesy of Antiquities Authority

Archaeologist Eli Shukrun, who managed the excavations and found the rare tool, told Arutz Sheva that the chisel is “a moving discovery.” Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Jewish News | Tags: archaeology, Israeli Antiquities Authority, Kotel, Western Wall

Israel Need Not Fear US or EU Threats of Isolation

Since the beginning of the year, there has been a flow of many distinguished present & former heads of state and leading politicians demonstrating that Israel is definitely not alone.

By Yossi Aloni

Israel is fearful that a collapse of peace talks with the Palestinians could result in an international boycott and isolation. In fact, even the Americans have been warning of such an outcome.

Former Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar, Friends of Israel.
Photo: Screenshot / HJS.

But, it is important to remember that Israel has no shortage of loyal friends. Some of those friends recently came to Israel under the banner of the “Friends of Israel Initiative” to hold their annual meeting. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel boycott

Israel Electric Company Wants to ‘Cut Off PA Tomorrow’

IEC chief Yiftah Ron-Tal discusses the energy ‘revolution’ of Israel’s Tamar natural gas fields and the damage the ‘Arab Spring’ caused to Israel’s electricity.

By Yoni Kempinski, Ari Yashar

Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yiftah Ron-Tal, Director of the Israel Electric Company (IEC), spoke Thursday at the Ramle Conference on financial policy, where he addressed the Palestinian Authority (PA) electricity debts of 1.4 billion shekels (nearly half a billion dollars).

“If it were up to me, I would cut off their electricity tomorrow,” commented Ron-Tal. “Any private company would have cut off their electricity a long time ago. We’re demanding the PA to pay every last penny.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: electricity, IEC, natural gas, PA, Tamar Gas Field

Abbas: Borders outline, Jewish homes freeze & release prisoners or talks ended

‘If Israel believes in the 2-state solution, then let’s talk borders,’ PA head says in 1st public comments regarding possibility of extending peace talks.

By Elior Levy

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for the first time spoke about the Palestinian demands for extending peace talks: A three months freeze in settlement construction during which time talks would focus on delineating the border of the future Palestinian state.

“If Israel believes in the two state solution… let us define the borders – where Israel will be and where Palestine will be,” he said in a special press conference to Israel journalists covering peace talks Tuesday. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Palestinian demands, Peace Process, peace talks

Lieberman: Bennett’s threat to leave coalition is a bluff

Foreign Minister Lieberman says threats by Habayit Hayehudi leader to quit the gov’t if incarcerated Israeli Arab murderers are freed, should ‘not be taken seriously.’

On the stalled peace talks, Lieberman says the ‘ball is in Palestinian court.’

By Barak Ravid

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday that he does not believe Habayit Hayehudi party will leave the coalition if Israel releases Israeli Arab prisoners as part of a deal to extend peace talks with the Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Lieberman at press conference in Knesset, March 25, 2014. Photo: Olivier Fitoussi

Speaking at a press conference with his Austrian counterpart Sebastian Kurz, Lieberman was referring to recent threats made by Habayit Hayeudi leader and Economy Minister Naftali Bennett.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Avigdor Lieberman, Mahmoud Abbas, Middle East peace, Naftali Bennett

Israel’s Director of Homefront Ministry Resigns

Having once written ‘Home Front Defense Ministry is ‘unnecessary’,now the director says his ministry ‘does not have a leg to stand on,’ Major General (res.) Dan Ronen writes in his letter of resignation.

By Gil Ronen

The Director of the Home Front Ministry, Major General (res.) Dan Ronen, tendered his resignation Tuesday.

top 3 Ronen explained that the ministry does not have the necessary tools to successfully discharge its responsibilities. “The ministry was founded unprofessionally in 2011 without a leg to stand on,” he fumed in his letter of resignation.

There has been extensive bickering between the Defense Ministry and the Home Front Ministry over the responsibility and authority to be granted to the latter. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Home Front Command, Home Front Defense Ministry, Israel Politics

PLO Leaders to Meet Exiled Hamas Official in ‘Unity Talks’

Palestinians making another attempt at reconciling Gaza’s militant Islamist movement with its PLO rivals, hoping to form a united ‘consensus government’.

By i24news

A senior Cairo-based Hamas official crossed Monday from Egypt into the Gaza Strip ahead of a new attempt to reconcile the militant Islamist movement and its Palestine Liberation Organization rivals.

Mousa Abu Marzouk o Hamas – Photo: AFP

Mussa Abu Marzuq, head of external affairs in the movement’s political office, was seen entering the Hamas-ruled coastal strip through the Rafah frontier crossing.

A delegation of the PLO is to go to Gaza from the West Bank on Tuesday for talks with Hamas, members said.

Category: Jewish News | Tags: Hamas PLO

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Arab MK: Israel trying to divide Arabs by drafting Christians into IDF

Pro-Palestinian Christian MK protests the new IDF policy, now sending an initial voluntary conscription notice to young Israeli-Christians, since IDF service is still not mandatory.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

MK Basel Ghattas (Balad) told Army Radio on Tuesday that the recent defense establishment decision to start sending preliminary conscription notices to all Christian Arabs of enlistment age was an attempt to divide Israeli Arabs in Israel.

Elinor Joseph, was born 1991 into a Christian family from the Arab village of Jish, is the first Arab woman ever to serve in a combat role in the I.D.F. – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

His comments came after Army Radio reported Tuesday a change in IDF policy which includes sending preliminary conscription orders to all Christian Arabs at the age of 16-and-a-half.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Christian, IDF recruitment