November 2014 Archives

Why is the Obama White House seeking to provoke Israel?

Although Israel and the United States may have different agendas, criticizing the other’s position on their merits or demerits is expected. But public scatological ad hominems has no place in an alliance between allies.

A senior Obama administration official recently went on the record with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg in calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “chickenshit.” A second senior official also went on the record calling Netanyahu a “coward” on the issue of Iran’s nuclear threat.

President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu look out a window before their lunch at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Barack Obama, Israel US, politics, White House

Newly released recording demonstrates dynamics of Reagan-Begin relationship

Just released Reagan recording made in 1983 shows then-prime minister Menachem Begin balking at White House request to postpone IDF withdrawal from Lebanon.

By Yitzhak Benhorin

Ronald Reagan recorded then-prime minister Menachem Begin during a 1983 conversation on an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 1983, the New York Post revealed Sunday.

Author William Doyle received the tapes almost 20 years after he requested them under the Freedom of Information Act, the Post said.

In the tape, Begin can be heard evading a request by Reagan to delay the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, so that the Lebanese army could deploy in its stead. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Menachem Begin, Ronald Reagan

Ayatollah Khamenei proposes on Twitter 9-point plan for Israel’s termination

The plan, according to Iran’s leader, does not condone ‘pushing the Jews into the sea’, but does call for arming Muslims in the West Bank.

By Haaretz

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has put forth a plan to eliminate Israel, which he believes will be accepted by the international arena.

In this photo released by the official website of the Iranian supreme leader’s office, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, waves during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Sept. 7, 2014. – Photo: AP

In a neat table posted on Khamenei’s official Twitter account on Sunday, the ayatollah answers nine key questions on why – and how – this plan is to be implemented.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Ali Khamenei, anti-Israel Propaganda, Iran, Israel Iran

King Abdullah Orders to Boycott 20 Year Anniversary of Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty

Despite Israel’s PM Netanyahu’s reassurances to Abdullah, Jordan’s king instructs Kingdom officials not to attend the 20th anniversary ceremony for peace accords in Jordan Valley, citing Temple Mount tensions as reason.

By Cynthia Blank

Israel’s tension with Jordan continues – possibly leaving the peace agreement between the two countries in jeopardy.

Days after withdrawing its ambassador to Israel back to Jordan, citing clashes on the Temple Mount, King Abdullah II reportedly cancelled Jordanian participation in a ceremony scheduled to begin this week marking 20 years of the Israel-Jordan peace treaty.

Despite Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reassurances to Abdullah by telephone Thursday that he has no intention of changing the status quo on the Temple Mount, despite the demands of Jewish activists, the cancellation was still implemented. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: 1994 Peace Treaty, Israel Jordan, King Abdullah II

Watch: Arab knife-wielding attacker shot dead by police in Kafr Kana

At least 6 wounded, including baby, in Arab rock attacks as police battle rioters in the Galilee, Samaria & Jerusalem.

By Ido Ben-Porat

A three-year-old baby boy was among several Israelis injured Saturday evening in a string of rock attacks by Arabs. The baby was taken to hospital with “light” wounds when the car he was traveling in was targeted by rock-throwing Palestinians close to Shiloh Junction in southern Samaria’s Binyamin region.

Magen David Adom medics provided first aid treatment to the infant, who suffered from a head wound, before evacuating him to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem.

Arab extremists have stepped up a campaign of rock-attacks against Israeli motorists Saturday night. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jerusalem, Kafr Kana, riots, Rock-throwing

israelandstuffcom | November 8, 2014

ISIS establishment of caliphate in Sinai is 1st step towards “advance on Jerusalem”

Sinai is slowly falling away from Egyptian influence as ISIS control pose a new & serious existential threat to both Egypt & Israel.

By David Lazarus

The Islamic State (ISIS) has announced that the Sinai Peninsula is now a caliphate, an Islamic state led by a supreme religious and political leader known as a caliph – i.e. “successor” – to Mohammed.

Reports around the Arab world are claiming that the establishment of a caliphate in the Sinai is the first step towards its “advance on Jerusalem.”

Egypt’s most active and notorious terror group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, has sworn allegiance to ISIS in Sinai.

Category: Israel News | Tags: ISIS, Israel Egypt, Israel Sinai, Sinai Terrorism

israelandstuffcom | November 8, 2014

Arab town in Galilee begins riots & protests after police shoot knife-wielding man

Riots & rock-throwing begins when 22 yr-old Arab man succumbs to his gunshot wounds after police shot him during attempted stabbing attack.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

The Arab town of Kafr Kana in the Lower Galilee declared a general strike on Saturday morning following the death of a local man whom police shot after he apparently tried to attack them with a knife, Israel Radio reported.

Israeli Police. – Photo: ISRAEL POLICE

Dozens of youth in the area were hurled stones at police forces while others torched tires as patrol vehicles were positioned at the town’s entrances in attempt to prevent disturbances, according to the radio station.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab riots, Israel Police, Kafr Kana, Rock-throwing

israelandstuffcom | November 8, 2014

Jordanians protest peace with Israel across the country

All across Jordan, streets flooded with locals demonstrating their opposition to the increased violence by Israeli security forces in Jerusalem. Head of Muslim Brotherhood: ‘Why keep embassy of Jews? Demolish it with them inside.’

By Reuters

Several thousand protesters took to the streets of Jordanian cities on Friday, calling on the government to scrap its peace deal with Israel following escalating violence at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

Mass riots in East Jerusalem – Photo: Mohammed Shinawi

“Death to Israel,” crowds chanted in several cities, with activists demanding that Israel’s embassy in Amman be closed.

“Why are you keeping the embassy of the Jews? Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Arab riots, Israel Jodan, Peace Treaty

israelandstuffcom | November 7, 2014

Pentagon Sent Team to Israel to Learn From IDF How to Avoid Civilian Casualties

U.S. General Dempsey says Pentagon sent a team to Israel to learn from the IDF how to limit civilian casualties. “Israel went to extraordinary lengths to limit collateral damage & civilian casualties,” said Dempsey.

By Reuters

REUTERS – The highest-ranking U.S. military officer said on Thursday that Israel went to “extraordinary lengths” to limit civilian casualties in the recent war in Gaza and that the Pentagon had sent a team to see what lessons could be learned from the operation.

Palestinian women look at the shattered remains of a building complex in Beit Hanun, Gaza Strip on Aug.

Category: The Diaspora | Tags: Gaza, Israel US, Martin Dempsey, Operation Protective Edge, US Army

israelandstuffcom | November 7, 2014

Fatah Homes Blown-up Overnight in Gaza Ahead of Arafat Rally

Leading unity PM Hamdallah canceled planned visit to Gaza after learning senior Fatah members’ homes were bombed during the night. Hamas denies any involvement.

By Tova Dvorin

A series of explosions were heard overnight in Gaza, Palestinian Arab media said Friday – allegedly at the homes of senior Fatah representatives in the Hamas-controlled region.

Despite the mysterious blasts no casualties were reported, but suspicions remain high that Hamas is behind the attack, in order to deter Fatah supporters from attending next week’s annual rally in remembrance of former Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terrorist Yasser Arafat. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Fatah-Hamas, Hamas-Fatah Unity

Israel may have misstepped into intracommunal dispute with gas-partner Cyprus

Visit to Tel Aviv as a keynote speaker by foreign minister of self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, has angered EU-member Cyprus.

By Haaretz

The visit to Israel this week of Özdil Nami, foreign minister of the self-styled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, has landed Israel in hot water with its ally in the southern part of the divided island.

Özdil Nami – Photo Courtesy TRNC Foreign Ministry

Nami was a keynote speaker at the Israel Energy and Business Convention 2014 in Tel Aviv – at exactly the same time that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was visiting Cyprus and meeting with his Cypriot counterpart Ioannis Kasoulides. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Cyprus, Israel gas, Oil, Turkey

Palestinian terrorist of vehicular attack that plowed into 3 IDF soldiers turns himself in

Hamam Mesalmeh, who drove a van with Palestinian license plates that slammed into 3 IDF soldiers on guard duty, turned himself in after family members, including his father, were arrested.

By Efrat Forsher & Israel Hayom Staff

The lead suspect thought responsible for ramming a car into three soldiers in Gush Etzion on Wednesday turned himself in to security forces on Thursday afternoon, after his father and other family members were arrested, Israel Radio reported.

The scene of the attack on Wednesday – Photo: Har Hebron spokesperson

Hamam Mesalmeh was arrested and detained for questioning at the Etzion District Coordinating Office.

Category: Israel News | Tags: car intifada, Palestinian terrorism

Border Guard victim of Jerusalem’s vehicular terrorist attack leaves behind pregnant wife, toddler son

Deadly car attack on Israel’s capital light rail took the life of Border Guard police officer Jidan Assad, 38, who is survived by his toddler son, pregnant wife, parents & 4 siblings.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

For the second time in two weeks, a Palestinian terrorist on Wednesday fatally rammed into crowds near the Jerusalem light rail, leaving a trail of death and destruction.

Border Police officer Jidan Assad, 38, killed when a Palestinian terrorist rammed his car into a crowd in Jerusalem. – Photo: SAHAR ALI

Wednesday’s attack lead to the death of Border Police officer Jidan Assad, 38, from the Druze village of Beit Jaan. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Border Guard, car intifada, Druze, MAGAV, Palestinian terrorism

Palestinian ‘Car intifada’ cartoon campaign calls Arabs for vehicular attacks

In wake of wave of brutal vehicular terror attacks against Israelis, the Palestinians distribute cartoons depicting cars to Hamas rockets on the social networks.

By Elior Levy

After two vehicular terror attacks occurred on Wednesday, wounding 16 people and killing one, Palestinians have termed their latest resistance efforts a “car intifada” and are posting cartoons online likening vehicles to rockets launched by Hamas during Operation Protective Edge.

Following the wave of attacks in which drivers ploughed their cars into groups of people, which started two weeks ago with the attack that took place at the Ammunition Hill light-rail stop, killing 3-month-old Haya Ziesl Baron and Ecuadorian Karen Mosquera (22) – Palestinians came to understand that vehicles could potentially be used as lethal weapons. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: car intifada, incitement to violence, Palestinian violence