Archive for July 27, 2014

150+ Hamas Fighters Surrender to Israel

 

More than 150 Armed Hamas Militants have surrendered to IDF soldiers during current ‘Operation Protective Edge’.

Israel says it might capture terror leaders

By Israel Today Staff

 

The Israeli army reported on Thursday that some 150 gunmen from Hamas and allied terror groups had surrendered to IDF forces during raids in southern Gaza a day earlier.

Hamas ‘Soldiers’ Surrender to IDF – Photo source: Israel Today

Some 80 of those were disarmed and immediately freed, while the other 70 were deemed “persons of interest” and were transferred to Israel for interrogation.

In the picture to the left, the prisoners, having been stripped to ensure they were not concealing weapons or explosives, are lined up in preparation for the short march back to Israeli territory.

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Gallup Poll: Younger Americans unsupportive in backing Israel in Gaza war

65% of Republicans calls Israel’s actions justified, 36% of Independents saying they were justified, but only 31% of Democrats agreeing.

By JTA

 

WASHINGTON — A Gallup poll shows that support among Americans for Israel during the Gaza Strip conflict is divided, and is low among younger Americans.

IDF tanks in Gaza – Photo: JTA

The poll posted on the pollster’s website Thursday showed a statistical dead heat between those who believe Israel’s actions against Hamas are justified, 42%, and those who believe they are unjustified, 39%The difference was within the poll’s margin of error of four percentage points.

Reactions to Hamas were lopsided, with 70% calling the group’s actions unjustified and just 11% describing them as justified.

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In spite of countless UNHRC condemnations, Israel ranks 19th of 187 on UN human development index

 

Israel ranks ‘very high’ as 19th on the UN index, just before France

• Norway, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands & U.S. make up top 5
• “State of Palestine” is rated as 107th with Lebanon (65), Turkey (69), Iran (75), Jordan (77), Egypt (110) and Syria rated as (118).

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

Israel ranks 19th in the world in the United Nations’ Human Development Index for 2014, according to the U.N.’s 2014 Human Development Report released Thursday.

UN

Israel is among 49 nations the report ranks as having “very high human development.” The report, titled “Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience,” states that the Human Development Index is a measure of achievements in key dimensions such as a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living.

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Egypt summons Turkish Ambassador over Erdogan’s anti-Sisi remark

Turkey’s PM Erdoğan accused Cairo of lacking a ‘sincere approach’ to the Palestinian issue, and Erdoğan last month called Egypt’s President Sisi an “illegitimate tyrant.”

By REUTERS

 

CAIRO – Egypt will summon the Turkish charge d’affaires in protest at comments by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who accused Egypt of lacking a sincere approach to the Palestinian issue, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Erdogan.

Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – Photo: AFP

Erdoğan made the comments in a recent interview with broadcaster CNN. The most senior Turkish diplomat in Egypt was already summoned earlier this month after Erdoğan called Egypt’s President an “illegitimate tyrant”. Continue Reading »

Turkey’s National Airlines Resumes its Flights to Israel

 

Following Israel-Hamas 12-hr ceasefire, Turkey’s flag carrier will reportedly resume flights to Israel.

But Germany’s pilots’ union criticized decision to resume flights to Israel.

By Itay Blumenthal

 

Turkish Airlines has announced it will resume flights to Israel following in wake of a 12-hour ceasefire reached between Hamas and Israel, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported. Meanwhile, Germany’s pilot union lamented the decision to resume flights to Israel.

Turkish Aircraft in BG airport in Tel Aviv

Turkish Aircraft in BG airport in Tel Aviv after ban – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Two Turkish Airlines flights reportedly took off on Saturday hours after Turkey’s aviation authority SHGM lifted ban on flights to Ben Gurion Airport, the reported quoted the company as saying said. Continue Reading »

Joan Rivers fights for Israel: ‘BBC & CNN should be ashamed of themselves’

 

The legendary comedienne attacked Gaza supporters in an interview: ‘If New Jersey fired rockets into New York, we would wipe ’em out.’

 

Israel’s advocates who are disappointed in Jon Stewart’s apparent lack of support can now take comfort. There is at least one comedy icon firmly in the pro-Israel camp – Joan Rivers.

Joan Rivers fights for Israel – Photo: Joan Rivers Facebook timeline

Accosted at the airport by the show business gossip web site TMZ, Rivers was passionate and eager to argue Israel’s case as she responded to questions from the reporter about events in the Middle East in what TMZ headlined as an “epic Israel/Palestine rant.”

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Israeli supermodel/ actress sparks controversy for her pro-IDF Facebook post

 

Israel’s Gal Gadot, star as Wonder Woman in the new ‘Batman’ film & in ‘Fast and Furious’ draws fire, but wins praise on Facebook.

By Ynetnews

 

Israeli supermodel and actress Gal Gadot has caused controversy with a post on Facebook that praises the IDF soldiers, condemns Hamas and calls for coexistence.

Photo: Who is tougher? Dwayne The Rock Johnson or me? LOL #TBT #throwbackthursday

Photo: Who is tougher? Dwayne The Rock Johnson or me? LOL – Photo: Gal Gadot – גל גדות Facebook page

The post, which has received well over 100,000 thousand likes, 2,000 shares and 8,000 comments, drew responses from both sides of the
conflict.

“I don’t support you. In fact because of this post you are now included in my boycott of Israel. Continue Reading »

Hamas beats Palestinians with clubs to prevent them from reaching urgent medical assistance.

WAR CRIMES: Hamas Police caught beating Palestinians with clubs that try to leave the areas Israel warned would be bombed.

By The Shoebat Foundation

 

We’ve heard the reports. Below is some video that seems to corroborate those reports. It’s bad enough that Hamas launches rockets from civilian locations like schools, hospitals and neighborhoods in the interest of garnering international sympathy when civilians are killed.

What happens when civilians attempt to heed the IDF warnings to evacuate so the locations can be bombed without civilian deaths, is far worse. These civilians are beaten by Hamas to force them back into the buildings they know have been targeted for destruction. Continue Reading »

Gaza officials charge Israel of war crimes at the Int’l Criminal Court in The Hague

Gaza’s public prosecutor started legal proceedings with Palestinian justice minister’s support, over ‘Operation Protective Edge’.

Experts say ICC unlikely to hear the case.

By Associated Press

 

 

PARIS – Top Palestinian officials have accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza, filing a complaint Friday to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The Hague, International Criminal Court. – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

The Hague, International Criminal Court. – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Palestinian Justice Minister Saleem Al-Saqqa and Ismail Jabr, the Gaza court public prosecutor, started legal proceedings via a Paris-based lawyer over the 18 days of fighting between Hamas fighters and Israeli ground forces that’s left 800 Palestinians dead – including hundreds of civilians. Continue Reading »

Egyptian Forces Foil Three Terror Attacks Against Israel

Egyptian security forces shot dead a terrorist who planned on blowing himself up near IDF soldiers, as well as destroying a truckload of Grad rockets intended for Israel.

By Moshe Cohen

 

Egyptian security officials on Wednesday night thwarted what could have been a major terror attack against Israeli, Egyptian reports said.

Egyptian soldiers shot and killed a terrorist who was running to the Kerem Shalom border crossing, apparently planning to blow himself up at the crossing, where IDF soldiers check goods going into Gaza.

The terrorist was wearing a suicide belt, and carrying explosive devices and weapons as well, the officials told Palestinian Authority news service Ma’an. Continue Reading »

Israeli Knesset Member Questions & Condemns Absurdity of American Flight Ban

Sudden lifting of FAA flight ban after U.S. Senator Cruz asks pertinent questions suggests nefarious motives

By Israel Today Staff

 

 

 

Late Tuesday, America’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) placed a ban on all flights to Israel after a rocket fired from Gaza landed about a mile from Ben Gurion Airport. The European Union quickly followed suit, and air traffic to the Jewish state took a sudden and devastating dive.

File:Delta Air Lines N701DN.jpg

Delta Airlines’ flagship, the Boeing 777-200LR. – Photo courtesy: Wikipedia

Israeli Member of Knesset Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) pointed out the absurdity of the flight ban in a post to her Facebook profile:

“The American government has halted flights from the US to Israel because a Palestinian rocket from Gaza landed [in a town near the airport].

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Brigade commander: ‘IDF wins every engagement’

 

Nahal Brigade commander admits terrorists from Gaza put up a strong fight, but boasts how they’re no match for the IDF

• 2 IDF officers killed Tuesday, raising toll to 29 dead soldiers plus 1 soldier declared missing in action
• Foreign agricultural worker killed in mortar attack in south.

By Lilach Shoval and Israel Hayom Staff

 

“We are at war, and in war the other side puts up a fight. We are taking strong action against them and we intend to win. We win every encounter,” Col. Uri Gordin, the commander of the Nahal Brigade, told reporters on Tuesday.

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Israel condemns and exposes the UNHRC as ‘kangaroo court’

UN council ignores Hamas’ firing rockets from hospitals & schools into Israel’s cities, but calls to probe Israeli “war crimes”.

The U.S. was the only country of 47-member states to oppose one-sided probe.

 

Israel attacked as a “travesty” a UN decision on Wednesday to probe its actions against Hamas in Gaza on the same day that the terrorist organization launched 80 rockets against it, targeting civilian areas.

OVERVIEW OF the Human Rights Council at the UNHRC – Photo: Reuters

“This investigation by a kangaroo court is a foregone conclusion,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The United Nations Human Rights Council ordered the probe after holding a special emergency session in Geneva on the IDF’s Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. Continue Reading »

VIDEO: Hamas Terrorists fire rockets from closed Gaza hospital

Israel says Hamas uses Wafa hospital compound firing anti-tank missiles at IDF soldiers and launch rockets at civilian towns & cities.

Ground and Israeli air forces attack Gaza City killing 10 terrorists, where they claim ‘an entire Hamas brigade is active’.

By Yoav Zitun

 

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit released footage documenting Hamas terrorists launching rockets from the al Wafa Hospital compound in Gaza City’s Shajaiyeh neighborhood.

Al Wafa hospital (Photo: EPA)

Al Wafa hospital – Photo: EPA

The IDF said that after days of consideration it has begun to attack the Wafa Hospital compound. The military claimed the hospital has been a hotbed of terrorists activities, with gun and anti-tank missile fire originating from the cite. Continue Reading »

30,000 gather at funeral to honor American ‘lone soldier’ killed in Gaza

Paige Steinberg speaks at brother’s funeral, ‘You told me that you did not have many friends in Israel, look around you. 30,000 people are here.’ “It is unbelievable to see how many people are here in your honor.”

 

He belonged here. There’s no explaining it. But this was where he belonged.

Max Steinberg funeral

At the funeral of Max Steinberg funeral on Har Herzl.

Max Steinberg, 24, was a consummate kid from Los Angeles’ West San Fernando Valley, a place so far removed from here that the figure of 9,000 miles does not begin to describe the true nature of the distance involved.

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