Archive for May 31, 2015

New York Times features Israel as world’s desalination giant

Prominently unfriendly newspaper on Israeli politics runs extensive feature detailing Israel’s history from a country critically dependent on rainwater to a desalination superpower.
• Israel leads the world in recycling domestic wastewater by treating 86% for agricultural use.

By Erez Linn

 

The front page story of The New York Times on Saturday hailed Israel and its government for its technologically advanced water desalination system.

The New York Times’ front page

The newspaper displayed an extensive piece alongside a large picture, which tells the story of Israel’s path from a country critically dependent on rain water to a desalination superpower.

“A major national effort to desalinate Mediterranean seawater and recycle wastewater has provided the country with enough water for all its needs, even during severe droughts. Continue Reading »

WATCH LIVE: WOW- NYC comes alive with 51st Celebrate Israel parade

Watch: Netanyahu address parade participants. View Twitter feed as the parade features former Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball stars David Blu & Derrick Sharp, Grammy Award-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari, Golem, SHI 360, 12 marching bands and 29 floats.

 

Tens of thousands of people are set to march in solidarity with Israel in the 51st annual Celebrate Israel Parade in New York on Sunday.

A sea of orange, the RAJE float is marching #TogetherOnFifth - Twitter

A sea of orange, the RAJE float is marching #TogetherOnFifth – Twitter

 

This year’s Parade features Grammy Award-winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari, Golem, SHI 360, Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball stars Derrick Sharp and David Blu, 29 floats, 12 marching bands and hundreds of thousands of spectators. Continue Reading »

Israelis Begins Nationwide Emergency & Security Exercise

Sirens will sound throughout Israel as civilians, IDF, Home Front Command, local municipalities and police & emergency services hold nationwide coordinated 5-day annual safety drill.

By Itay Blumenthal

 

Israel is in for days of mock explosions, sirens and missile and terror attacks as its security and rescue services on Sunday launched a five-day drill across the country.

Rescue personnel train during a previous drill (Photo: Reuters/Archive)
Rescue personnel train during a previous drill – Photo: Reuters/Archive

 

The drill involves the Home Front Command, the Ministry of Defense’s National Emergency Authority (NEA), government ministries, local authorities, security organizations, the education system, and public and private entities. The exercises will end Thursday. Continue Reading »

Israel’s Government Approves Legislation Toughening Punishment for Rock Throwers

This bill offers sentence of 10 years even if thrower’s ‘intent’ was not proven, and sentences for throwing rocks at security personnel, police or police vehicles will be even heavier.

By Gil Ronen

 

The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved on Sunday the first bill submitted by Minister Ayelet Shaked, stiffening the punishments and penalties meted out to individuals convicted of rock throwing.

The Committee decided to bring the “continuity principle” to bear on the bill, which was originally submitted by former Justice Minister Tzipi Livni in the previous government, but passed only in the first reading. The continuity principle means that the bill will not have to be brought to a first reading again, and will advance immediately to the second and third readings. Continue Reading »

ICC Mum On Amnesty’s Report Supporting Lawsuit Against Hamas Chief Khaled Mashaal

Despite Amnesty International’s corroborating war crime report charging Hamas, the ICC seems to be ‘Stonewalling’ lawsuit already brought by NGO Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center).

By Ari Yashar

 

Amnesty International made waves last Tuesday with its report detailing how Hamas executed citizens in Gaza last summer in war crimes at the close of Operation Protective Edge, but just what impact will the development have on the legal struggle to bring the terrorist organization to justice?

Hamas terrorist leads ‘collaborator’ to execution – Reuters

To find out Arutz Sheva spoke with attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Director of the legal NGO Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center) which is currently in the midst of a lawsuit against Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal and other terrorist leaders at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Continue Reading »

Israel’s ‘Burning Man’ festival accused of torching ancient remains

Accused of burning a prehistoric wooden temple, Israel’s affiliate, the Midburn responded saying festival organizers were unaware, since official Antiquities Authority map showed no archaeological sites at the location.

By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

 

The Israeli Antiquities Authority says revelers at a Burning Man festival famous for its pyrotechnic spectacles have accidentally torched some prehistoric remnants.

A man watches a wooden sculpture set alight during Israel’s first Midburn Festival – Photo: AP

Archaeologist Yoram Haimi says organizers of Midburn, an Israeli affiliate of the Nevada carnival, burned a wooden temple Saturday on a hilltop scattered with flint tools from the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. Continue Reading »

Cyprus uncovers covert Iranian terror plot across Europe from arrested Hezbollah agent

Israeli security sources believe the home in Cyprus that held 2 tons of ammonium nitrate to make explosives, was meant for an Iranian-orchestrated, Europe-wide terror campaign against Israel.

 

Israeli security sources are closely monitoring the arrest and investigation of a Lebanese citizen in Larnaca, Cyprus, who is suspected of being a Hezbollah operative caught in possession of a massive quantity of explosive material.

Cyprus

A policeman stands guard at a house where police discovered almost two tons of ammonium nitrate, in Larnaca, Cyprus, May 29. – Photo: REUTERS

Cypriot police suspect a man arrested on Wednesday was planning an attack on Israeli interests on the island after they found almost two tons of ammonium nitrate in his basement, newspapers on the island reported on Friday. Continue Reading »

Cyprus arrests Hezbollah terrorist suspected of planning terror attack on Israelis

Not the first time Cyprus picked by Hezbollah agents for planning to attack Israelis since the island hosts an Israeli embassy in Nicosia and it’s a popular holiday destination for Israelis.

By REUTERS

 

Cypriot police suspect a man arrested on Wednesday was planning an attack on Israeli interests on the island after they found almost two tonnes of ammonium nitrate in his basement, newspapers reported on Friday.

The Cypriot flag – Photo: REUTERS

The 26-year-old man is Lebanese-born and has a Canadian passport. He was detained by police after authorities discovered the stockpile.

Authorities are investigating possible links to Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah group, which views Israel as its arch enemy, three Cypriot newspapers said on Friday. Continue Reading »

Palestinians Drops Demand to Ban Israel from FIFA

FIFA 2015 Congress infected by violent politics as pro-Palestinians storm hall, throw red cards at Israeli delegation as well as reports of bomb scare.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub is submitting an amendment to the PFA’s proposal to ban Israel from FIFA, minutes ahead of the vote itself.

FIFA President addresses 2015 Congress

The vote was not expected to reach the required majority.

Rajoub said he wanted to find a “responsible solution” to the issue, as opposed to “scoring points.”

Insisting he thinks “it is right” to ban Israel, Rajoub added that “a lot of colleagues” had expressed “how painful it is for them to hear, in this (football) family, to hear the issue of suspension.”

Continue Reading »

IDF’s Annual Home Front Nationwide Drill to Test Israel’s Catastrophic Readiness

National exercise will simulate multiple missile fire on cities, damage to strategic military sites, large-scale terrorist attacks, & other possible scenarios in a future war against Hezbollah and/or Hamas.

By Yoav Zitun

 

The annual Home Front Command military exercise will commence next Sunday, simulating a number of war scenarios, after a hiatus last year caused by Operation Protective Edge.

The annual exercise in 2013 (Photo: IDF Spokesman)
The annual exercise in 2013 – Photo: IDF Spokesman

The exercise is scheduled to continue until next Thursday, and will focus this year on two scenarios that could occur in another conflict: a multi-front war, meaning simultaneous missile and rocket barrages from southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, as well as damage to essential strategic sites such as seaports and airports, power stations, and water facilities.
Continue Reading »

New IDF Weapon: The Hero, a Tactical Kamikaze-like Drone

The new weapon carried in a soldier’s backpack, is launched anywhere & when airborne, loiters over target until situation allows, then attacks target like a missile.

By Arutz Sheva

 

After years of development, UVision Air Ltd. of Israel has unveiled its new weapon system: drones capable of loitering over a target and attacking it like a missile, reports IsraelDefense.

The Hero UAV – Israel Defense

While “Kamikaze” drones, like the IAI’s Harop, have existed on the battlefield for at least ten years, thus far they were intended primarily for strikes against strategic targets – that is, important targets, deep in enemy territory.

Continue Reading »

Report: ISIS-linked terrorists in Sinai threaten to attack Eilat “in the coming days”

According to Egyptian media, Islamist terrorist group uses Facebook to gather volunteers for an attack on Israel’s southern ‘vacation city’ “in the coming days.”

By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUA

 

Terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula linked to the radical Islamic State group reportedly threatened Thursday to strike the port in Israel’s southern city of Eilat “in the coming days,” according to Egyptian media.

ISIS militant – Photo: REUTERS

According reports, the Islamist group Sinai Province, formerly knows as Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, “threatened to strike the Eilat Port, following coordination with Islamic State’s wing in the Gaza Strip.”

“ISIS [Islamic State] will begin operations against Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip,” the Egyptian reports added. Continue Reading »

5 Israeli combat soldiers disciplined for uploaded Eurovision dance video

5 IDF soldiers are confined to their base for 21 days after uploading a video of them dancing to ‘Golden Boy’ goes public, violating several security protocols.

By Rotem Elizera

 

Five IDF soldiers from an engineering battalion in the paratroopers have found themselves in trouble for a video showing them dancing to the Israeli entry to this year’s Eurovision song contest.

YouTube screenshot

The video was a hit, but in the eyes of their commander, who sentenced them to 21 days confinement to their base.

The video, which was filmed in the run-up to last Saturday’s contest, shows the five dancing in formation to “Golden Boy”, sung by Nadav Guedj. Continue Reading »

Arab Fans Jump Fence to Attack Jewish Football Team When They Scored

Fans of Bedouin Tel Sheva joined their teammates on soccer field to brutally beat referee and the Jewish players from Hapoel Merhavim after a goal was scored that they didn’t like.

By Gil Ronen

 

Players and fans of the youth soccer team of the Negev Bedouin town of Tel Sheva turned a game between their team and Hapoel Merhavim into a violent nightmare Thursday.

The game was sportive as long as the Arab team led 1-0. The trouble began when Merhavim evened the score in a free kick. A Tel Sheva player did not like this turn of events, and struck the referee in the head.

Continue Reading »

Iran establishes anti-Islamic State cartoon competition

By i24news

 

Iran has launched an anti-Islamic State cartoon competition, inviting submissions from around the world to mock the jihadist group.

 (  )

According to the state-run IRNA news agency, cartoonists were told by Iran’s House of Cartoon to focus on “the crimes committed by the Islamic State” and over 800 entries have been received so far from 40 different countries.

Of the 800 entries, some 280 works will be displayed on the streets of Tehran starting Sunday and will later be displayed in four different cultural centers in the city, including one which once displayed cartoons which focused on Holocaust denial. Continue Reading »