November 2014 Archives

Turkey’s President Erdogan: Muslims discovered the Americas Centuries Before Columbus

Turkish president declares that Muslim sailors reached the American continent 314 years before the 1492 landing of Columbus.

By Deb Riechmann

AP – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is claiming that Muslim sailors reached the Americas more than 300 years before explorer Christopher Columbus.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a ceremony marking the anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s death, November 10, 2014 in Ankara. – Photo: AFP

Erdoğan made the comments on Saturday at a gathering of Muslim leaders from Latin America.

“Contacts between Latin America and Islam date back to the 12th century. Muslims discovered America in 1178, not Christopher Columbus,” the president said in a televised speech, according to AFP.

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: Islam, Propaganda, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey

israelandstuffcom | November 15, 2014

Muslim & Druze riot over kaffiyeh dispute in Galilee town

After 41 hurt in overnight riots, Israel Police deployed to Abu Snan to prevent further violence in wake of disagreement at local high-school and then further ‘disagreements’ expressed online.

By Hassan Shaalan

Tensions continued to mount Saturday evening in the village of Abu Snan a mere day after 41 Israelis were hurt in heavy clashes between Druze and Muslims Arabs. Police forces have deployed to the area fearing another flare-up in riots sparked by a dispute between local students.

Muslim, Druze confrontations in Abu Snan

Residents said that in midweek two Muslim students entered the Abu Snan high school wearing kaffiyehs and were confronted by two Druze students who asked them to remove the scarves. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Druze, Israeli Arabs, riots

israelandstuffcom | November 15, 2014

Survey: Every minute 63 cyber crimes are committed in Israel

Since the beginning of the year, Israel Police dealt with 712 cases of the 30 million cases of cyber bullying that took place.

By Yaniv Kubovich

There were some 30 million cases of cyber bullying in Israel in the first 10 months of this year, victimizing about 387,000 people 20 or older, according to a survey by the Public Security Ministry. This works out to 63 cases of cyber bullying every minute.

there are 63 Israeli cases of cyber bullying every minute

Internet porn is the price we pay for freedom of information. – Photo: AP

Yet the police have opened an average of only 712 cyber-bullying cases a year over the past four years, accounting for a mere 0.19 percent of all police cases opened during this period.

Category: Israel News | Tags: cyber warfare, Israel crime, Israel technology, Science & Technology

Norwegian Doctor Receives Life-Long Ban from Entering Gaza

Israel cites security concerns in Mads Gilbert’s ‘Persona Non Grata’ status, who co-authored an anti-Semitic flap letter and also was in Hamas’ ‘hideout hospital’ during Operation Protective Edge.

By Ari Yashar

Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian doctor with a long record as an anti-Israel activist, has been banned by Israel from visiting Gaza for life for reasons of security after almost 30 years of frequenting the terror stronghold.

Mads Gilbert – Reuters

Gilbert told the Norwegian NRK that during Operation Protective Edge this summer he worked at Shifa Hospital in Gaza, which Hamas used as a hideout for its top terrorist leaders. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gaza, Mads Gilbert, Norway, persona non grata

Suha Arafat tells Italian Newspaper: Hamas guilty of genocide

Arafat’s widow charges Hamas with ‘genocide’ and says Palestinians best hope lies in peace-talks not armed struggle, in an interview marking the 10th anniversary of Yasser’s death.

By JTA

The widow of deceased Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat denounced violence and accused Hamas of “genocide” in an interview on the 10th anniversary of his death.

Suha and Yasser Arafat. – Photo: AP

In an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Suha Arafat argued that the Palestinians’ best hope lies in negotiation rather than armed struggle. She said that the unequal strengths of the Israelis and Palestinians would lead to the Palestinians being crushed in an armed fight, while negotiations would expose Israel’s unwillingness to make peace.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: genocide, hamas, Palestinians, Suha Arafat, Yasser Arafat

New Rules of Engagement for IDF: Soldiers May Open Fire When Attacked With Fireworks

IDF Legal Advisor for Judea & Samaria issued orders allowing the use of live fire at the fireworks handler in life-threatening situations.

By Gil Ronen

The Legal Advisor for the IDF’s Judea and Samaria Division, Colonel Doron Ben Barak, has given soldiers permission to use live fire against rioters who attack them with fireworks, if the fireworks endanger their lives.

“There are circumstances in which aiming a firework directly at a soldier from close range may create a real and immediate danger to his life, efficient defense against which may certainly require opening live fire against the person who fired the fireworks,” determined the advisor. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: fireworks, IDF, riots

Female IDF Soldier Joins Kurds to Fight ISIS

31 yr-old former IDF warrior becomes 1st Israeli to volunteer to join the Kurds in their desperate war against the Islamic State.

By David Lazarus

A female former IDF soldier has become the first Israeli to publicly join Kurdish forces battling against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, the nation learned on Tuesday.

Female IDF combat soldiers – IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

“I’m on the Iraq-Syria border, and we’re currently about 3,000 meters from ISIS,” Gill Rosenberg, 31, told Israel Radio in a telephone interview from the battlefield. “I was given an RPG by the Kurdish army,” she said.

Rosenberg is a civil aviation pilot and served in an Israeli army search-and-rescue unit.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: IDF soldier, ISIS, Israel Kurdistan, Kurds

Pirates reconsider seizing Zim cargo ship when Israeli security draw their weapons

Returning to Israel from east Asia, an Israeli container ship was attacked by four pirate boats off the coast of Somalia in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.

By Shlomi Diaz & Israel Hayom Staff

An Israeli security team thwarted an attempt on Wednesday by Somali pirates to seize an Israeli container ship.

A Zim container ship [Illustrative] – Photo: Michel Dot Com

The ship, belonging to Zim Integrated Shipping Services, ran into trouble in Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, off the coast of Somalia, as it made its way from east Asia to Israel.

A number of pirate boats approached the ship and pirates from one of the boats attempted to board it.

Category: Israel News | Tags: pirates, Somalia, Zim

J’Post Exclusive: Hamas bomb Fatah officials’ homes & cars then fake ISIS declaration of responsibility

Western intelligence source reveals: Hamas military branch conducted November 7th explosions & were not discussed with Hamas political branch.

By NOAM ROTENBERG

A Western intelligence source speaking exclusively to The Jerusalem Post on Thursday revealed that it was Hamas that bombed homes and vehicles belonging to Fatah officials in Gaza last Friday, and made sure to forge a false claim of responsibility by the Islamic State in Gaza.

A man walks past a damaged door of a Fatah official’s home after an explosion in Gaza City November 7, 2014 – Photo By: REUTERS

The source also revealed that the incident – that caused damage but no injuries – was conducted by Hamas’s military branch, the Izz ad-Din al-Kassam Brigades without a prior “heads-up” to the political leaders of Hamas. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Fatah-Hamas, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades

Kerry to meet Abdullah & Netanyahu in Jordan over Jerusalem tensions, without Abbas

US Sec of state will meet separately with Abbas to discuss ways to end incitement to Jerusalem violence.

Abbas spokesman: ‘The Israeli violations are a red line & cannot be tolerated.’

By AFP & Reuters

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Jordan’s King Abdullah II will meet Thursday to discuss rising tensions in Jerusalem, particularly at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the US State Department said.

Clashes in East Jerusalem – Photo: Mohammed Shinawi

Kerry was also set to meet separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday in an attempt to ease a surge of violence across Israel and Palestinian territories. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jerusalem, John Kerry, King Abdullah

Survey: Over 50% of Poland’s teens search anti-Semitic &/or pro-Hitler websites

The University Center for Research on Prejudice conducted a survey also found that 14% of the survey participant confirmed that racist hate-speech was common in Poland.

By Haaretz

Over half of Poland’s young people access anti-Semitic Internet sites that praise Hitler and Nazism, the Fox News website reported, citing a Warsaw University study.

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw, October 2014 – Photo: Museum of the History of Polish Jews

The results of the survey were presented to the Polish parliament earlier this month, reviving attention to hate speech legislation and sparking concern among members of the small remaining Polish Jewish community.

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: anti-Semitism, Europe, Europe Jews, Hitler, Jewish World, Nazis

The Silent Zionists: Israel’s Druze Communities

Who are Israel’s Druze? A personal and enlightening talk with former MK Ayoub Kara, a Druze leader, & his combat soldier nephew, Majid.

By Rochel Sylvetsky

The recent terrorist murder of Druze IDF Border Patrol Officer Jedan Assad by a Palestinian Arab driver who plowed intentionally into a group of people waiting for a light rail train in Jerusalem, once again brought the over 130,000 members of Israel’s Druze community into the public eye.

And during Operation Protective Edge, Druze IDF Colonel Rasan Alian of Horfesh, the commanding officer of the Golani Brigade, gained nationwide admiration for returning to the front to lead his soldiers shortly after being seriously wounded. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Ayoub Kara, Daliat Al-Carmel, Druze, Zionism

israelandstuffcom | November 12, 2014

Two Defense Reports Conclude: IAF is Ranked World’s #1 Air Force

Latest research carried out by two respected military analysts claim Israel’s Air Force is the best air force on the planet, and the IDF still holds top position as the most dominant army in the Middle East.

By Joe Nathan

The Israeli Air Force is “the best in the world,” and the IDF is the most powerful land force in the region, according to new military research projects carried out by Patrick Megahan of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Military Edge Project, and Chris Harmer, a senior naval analyst at the ISW (Institute for Study of War).

F15 I,’Ra’am’ (‘Thunder’) A multipurpose long-range fighter jet, mainly used for attack and interception strikes.

Category: Israel News | Tags: IAF, IDF, report, survey

israelandstuffcom | November 12, 2014