Archive for December 23, 2014

India reassess its support for Palestinians at UN

As ties between New Delhi & Jerusalem continue to strengthen, Modi gov’t looking into changing India’s UN vote on Palestinian recognition from ‘yes’ to ‘abstain.’

By Ynetnews

 

India is said to be considering changing its vote in favor of the Palestinians at the UN General Assembly to one of abstention, The Hindu reported on Sunday, citing two sources within the Indian government.

Netanyahu and Modi meeting in New York (Photo: GPO)

Netanyahu and Modi meeting in New York – Photo: GPO

“Like other foreign policy issues, the Modi government is looking at India’s voting record at the United Nations on the Palestinian issue,” The Hindu quoted a government source as saying.

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Haaretz Journalists Arrested for Spitting and Assaulting IDF officer

Cleared for publication:  Alex Levac and Gideon Levy were arrested for assaulting soldiers in attempt to cross into ‘Area A’ without legal documentation.

By Uzi Baruch and Yoni Kempinski

 

The Israeli journalists who were arrested Monday afternoon near the IDF checkpoint at Tulkarem, after they entered the Palestinian Authority-controlled Area A of Judea-Samaria without permission or IDF coordination, have been revealed as none other than Haaretz‘s Gideon Levy and Alex Levac.

Haaretz itself has blamed the IDF for the incident.

“Their job is to help the vital work of journalists and not sabotage it under false pretenses, and certainly not to arrest journalists performing their duties,” the newspaper stated Monday night.

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Ancient clay seals suggest Kings David and Solomon were real Kings

 

An ancient clay seal unearthed by American researchers suggest that both David & Solomon may have been “real kings” rather than local, rural chieftains.

By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Impressions from ancient clay seals found at a small site in Israel east of Gaza are signs of government in an area thought to be entirely rural during the 10th century B.C.E., says Mississippi State University archaeologist James W. Hardin.
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Egypt Opens Rafah Crossing From Gaza for 2 Days, Allowing 630 to Enter

The crossing, not controlled by Israel, allowed only those seeking medical treatment or were holders of a Hamas permit to stay overseas.

By i24news

 

Around 630 Palestinians left Gaza and entered the Egyptian Sinai through the Rafah crossing on Sunday after Cairo authorized a temporary reopening of the border, a Palestinian official said.

Egypt's Rafah border terminal with Hamas - Photo: i24news screenshot

Egypt’s Rafah border terminal with Hamas – Photo: i24news screenshot

It was only the second time in two months that Egypt had opened the Rafah terminal.

On Saturday, an Egyptian official confirmed to AFP that the crossing would be open on Sunday and Monday.

All of those crossing were either seeking medical treatment or were holders of a permit to stay overseas, according to Maher Abu Sabha, director of border crossings in the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem dismisses UN General Assembly’s demand that Israel pays for oil spill during Lebanon War II

 

 

Israel’s representatives to the corrupt world body in New York admitted the resolution was a routine consequence of its “anti-Israel agenda.”

 

Israel on Saturday chalked up to animus against it a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution calling on Jerusalem to compensate Lebanon for an oil spill caused by an IAF bombardment of a Lebanese power plant during the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

Lebanon War

An Israeli armored personnel carrier team shows a Hezbollah and Lebanese flag as they return from fighting near the Israeli village of Avivim, July 25, 2006 – Photo: REUTERS

By a vote of 170-6, the General Assembly requested that Israel assume responsibility for prompt and adequate compensation to Lebanon and other directly affected countries for the costs of repairing the environmental damage caused by the slick. Continue Reading »

IDF paratroopers give their lunch to hungry Palestinian kids

“After talking to our friends, it was clear to us we couldn’t let those kids keep looking through dumpsters for food, while we had extra food,” the IDF corporal said.

By Yoav Zitun

 

IDF paratroopers’ hearts went out to two Palestinian children who approached their post on Sunday asking for food.

IDF soldiers feed Palestinian kids – Screenshot

One of the soldiers, Corporal Oren, told his friends about the two children, and they didn’t hesitate before giving most of their lunch to the children, even giving them some snacks as well.

“After talking to our friends, it was clear to us we couldn’t let those kids keep looking through dumpsters for food, while we had extra food,” the corporal said. Continue Reading »

Syria Claims to Have Downed ‘Unmanned Aircraft of the Zionist Regime’

 

 

 

Hezbollah media reports that Syria shot down an Israeli drone over the Syrian Golan Heights.

IDF reaction: We don’t respond to foreign reports.

By Ben Ariel

 

Arab media reported on Sunday night that Syria had downed an Israeli drone in the Golan Heights.

Unmanned drone (illustration) – Reuters

According to the report, which appeared on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television and on official Syrian TV, an “unmanned aircraft of the Zionist regime was downed over the skies of Quneitra, close to the border.”

In response, the IDF said, according to Channel 2 News, that “the IDF does not respond to foreign reports.”

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Israeli Students Take 1st prize in Int’l Robotics Competition

Group of high-schoolers from the southern Israeli town of Yeruham, is 1st Israeli team to take part in the ‘FIRST Tech Challenge’. Along with winning the top prize, the Israeli team won 2 additional trophies: for creativity & for success as 1st-time participators.

By Gadi Golan & Israel Hayom Staff

 

A group of students from the southern Israeli city of Yeruham won the first prize at the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics competition held in Chicago last week.

Yeruham Sci-Tech students – Photo: Reuven Stahl

The Israeli team, which calls itself the Y Team and comprises some 30 Yeruham Sci-Tech students, was represented at the competition by Racheli Amar (10th grade), Itai Seif (ninth grade), and their mentor, Reuven Stahl, who traveled to Highland Park in Chicago with the help of the Science, Technology and Space Ministry.

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Another #BDSFAIL as Harvard reverses its SodaStream ban

Pro-Palestinian activists at the university branded Israeli company‘s water dispensers as ‘microaggression’ forcing their removal, but after the university’s investigation, they reversed the controversial decision.

By Ynet

 

SodaStream is expected to shortly halt its operations beyond the green line, but those plans have not prevented it from being the target of boycotts, which have now spread to one of the most prestigious universities in the United States.

The dining halls at Harvard University have removed vending machines owned by the Israeli company after pro-Palestinian activists decried it as indirectly discriminating against Palestinians.

The campaign to remove the machines began last autumn, in e-mails sent by students. Continue Reading »

In the Absence of US Restrictions on Iran, Saudis Slash Oil Prices to ‘Block’ Nuclear Weapon Investment

Israeli analysts agree, since the US is no longer curtailing Iran’s nuclear program, the  profound drop in oil prices due to the Saudis flooding market is seriously affecting Iran’s spending.

By Ari Yashar

 

Oil prices have nosedived from $115 a barrel last August to under $60 a barrel by the middle of this month, with many analysts, in the wake of Arutz Sheva columnist and Middle East expert Dr. Mordecai Kedar, appraising that Saudi Arabia has intentionally caused the price drop as a weapon against Iran, over fears of a deal giving the Islamic regime nuclear weapons.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah – Reuters

As the US-led talks continue to meet and breach deadlines and Iran demands enough centrifuges to build 38 nuclear bombs each year, the oil prices are seen as way the Saudis can directly harm their Iranian rivals.
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UNGA asks Israel to compensate Lebanon $850 M for 2006 oil spill

Another of the UNGA’s non-binding resolutions against Israel says ‘environmental disaster’ caused by destruction of oil tanks in IAF strike during 2006 Lebanon II War resulted in an oil slick that covered the entire Lebanese coastline & extended northwards to the Syrian coastline.

By The Associated Press

 

UNITED NATIONS – The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution Friday asking Israel to pay Lebanon over $850 million in damages for an oil spill caused by an Israel Air Force attack on oil storage tanks during its war with Hezbollah in July 2006.

The UN's non-binding,  General Assembly - Photo: AP

The UN’s non-binding, General Assembly – Photo: AP

The assembly voted 170-6 in favor of the resolution, with three abstentions. Continue Reading »

Israeli Aircraft Hits Gaza Terror Sites in Retaliation for Rocket-Fire

IAF carries out 1st airstrikes in Gaza since summer’s conflict, after Friday’s unprovoked rocket fire into Israel; Hamas vows to retaliate.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Israeli aircraft hit Gaza for the first time since an August truce ended 50 days of war after Palestinian terrorists fired a rocket at a southern Israeli town, witnesses and the army said early Saturday.

A spokesman for Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said there were no casualties in the air strike, which came just hours after the rocket hit an open field in southern Israel on Friday without causing casualties or damage.

It was the third instance of rocket fire from Gaza since the August 26 truce between Israel and the territory’s Islamist de facto rulers Hamas.

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Analysis: The cost of stealthiness isn’t worth the hype nor the product

Israel slashes the number of stealth F-35 fighter jets ordered from 31 to 14, due to its limited capabilities among other strategic concerns, as well as its price.

By Aharon Lapidot

 

Something important happened in Israel on November 5 of this year: the ministerial committee for the acquisition of new equipment firmly opposed the defense establishment’s demand for 31 stealth F-35 aircraft on top of the 19 already ordered. Strategic Affairs and Intelligence Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz led the unprecedented opposition to the deal, which was valued at roughly $4.5 billion, against Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon.
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Analysis: Maybe Kerry doesn’t want Netanyahu as PM, Again, – but Abbas definitely does

 

 

Mahmoud Abbas’ actions over the last few months, & definitely over the last few days, clearly shows that he’s interested in keeping Netanyahu well-ensconced as Israel’s premier.

 

Long-time State Department Middle East hand Aaron David Miller wrote a piece on Foreign Policy’s website this week under the entertaining headline “All John Kerry Wants for Christmas Is an Israel Without Bibi.”

Netanyahu and Abbas

Netanyahu and Abbas. – Photo: REUTERS

In this piece, Miller – for the third time this month – warned the US against intervening in the upcoming Israeli elections, saying such intervention could lead to the opposite of what Washington really wanted. Continue Reading »

Gaza rocket hits Israel for 3rd time since summer’s ‘Operation Protective Edge’

After ‘Code Red’ siren rocket alert system sounded in Gaza border area, border community reports hearing blast, leading to rocket found in open area.

My Yoav Zitun

 
A Code Red siren was heard shortly beforen noon in the Eshkol Regional Council, an Israeli community close to the Israel Gaza border, and was soon followed by blasts, residents reported – indicating that a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in Israel.

Rocket launched into Israel from Gaza found in Eshkol Regional Council. (Photo: Roee Idan)

Rocket launched into Israel from Gaza found in Eshkol Regional Council. – Photo: Roee Idan

IDF forces canvassing the area found the rocket in an open area, and no injuries or damage were reported. Continue Reading »