Archive for June 18, 2015

Israel’s newest radar system detects incoming from thousands of kilometers away

This more extensive model allows rapid & accurate identification of ballistic missiles launched from thousands of kilometers away, as well as enemy satellites.

By Yoav Zitun

 

Development of Israel’s largest radar system (and one of the world’s largest) was recently completed by Israel Aerospace Industries, and details of its design and capabilities have been released.

ULTRA C-22 Radar - IAI

ULTRA C-22 Radar – IAI

The radar system, called ULTRA-C1, is not expected to enter the IDF arsenal anytime soon – but like other radar systems developed by IAI, will possibly be used by Israel in the coming years.

The ULTRA-C1 system, which permits high-frequency scanning operations, including in surroundings with high electromagnetic density, comes in three configurations – regular, large, and very large, to meet every mission requirement. Continue Reading »

Hamas media: US, Egypt & Israel Seek to Replace Abbas With Candidate Who Wants Peace

Propaganda? Unnamed “senior Palestinian sources” claim Egypt, Israel & the United States met recently in Cairo to discuss a replacement for PA chairman who seeks a relationship with Israel.

By Dalit Halevi

 

Israel, Egypt and the United States are seeking to replace Mahmoud Abbas as chairman of the Palestinian Authority (PA), the Quds Press news agency reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed “senior Palestinian officials”.

According to the report, a meeting was held in Cairo two weeks ago with representatives from the Israeli Mossad, Egyptian intelligence officers and an American official. That meeting dealt with the question of Abbas’s successor.

Continue Reading »

Surge in French Jews Escaping Local Antisemitic Terror, Finding Refuge in Israel

A mere 5 months after the last antisemitic terror-attack in Paris, a surge of 25% more French Jews moved to Israel, compared to the same period in 2014.

By Itamar Eichner

 

The number of French Jews who have made, or are making aliyah to Israel between January and August 2015, is 25% higher than that same period.

The scrolls with the French olim names (Photo:Zed Fillman)

The scrolls with the French olim names – Photo:Zed Fillman

The number of immigrants from France rose from 4,000 in 2014 to 5,100 in same period in 2015. The numbers where submitted to Immigrant Absorption minister Ze’ev Elkin by the Heads of French Jewish organizations. Continue Reading »

PA Leaders Prefer Arabs Boycott Al-Aqsa Mosque To ‘Hurt’ Israeli Economy

Balking at Israeli ‘gesture’ of inviting Gaza and PA Arabs to visit Temple Mount during Ramadan, top Palestinian Authority officials sabotage requests to deter Arabs from spending their money in Israel.

By Yaakov Levi

 

Despite historic Israeli “gestures” designed to make travel to the Temple Mount much easier for Arabs from Judea and Samaria during Ramadan, top officials in the Palestinian Authority have been calling for PA Arabs to boycott the Al-Aqsa (Dome of the Rock) Mosque – for fear that Arabs will spend money while they are there, enhancing the Israeli economy.

Palestinian women from East Jerusalem are shopping & spending leisure time at the Mamilla Mall, in the Western part of Jerusalem.

Continue Reading »

PA President Abbas: Palestinian unity-gov’t to dissolve ‘within 24 hours’

Abbas to announce dissolvement of technocrat unity government just a year after its formation due to continued conflict with Hamas & its inability to work in the Gaza Strip.

By i24news

 

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announced Tuesday that the Ramallah-based government would resign within the next 24 hours, several senior Fatah officials told AFP.

AFP

Hamas, Fatah sign unity government agreement – Photo: AFP

“Within 24 hours the Palestinian government will resign,” Abbas told members of the Revolutionary Council of his Fatah movement, according to several officials who attended the meeting.

Amin Maqbul, secretary general of the ruling Fatah movement’s Revolutionary Council, told AFP earlier Tuesday that “the government will resign in the next 24 hours because this one is weak and there is no chance that Hamas will allow it to work in Gaza.” Continue Reading »

Israel Navy watching Gaza-bound flotilla set to sail from Italy

A senior Islamic Jihad leader said his organization would end truce with Israel if the navy intercepted the flotilla, however security sources did not express particular concern over the threat.

Continue Reading »

Hamas Exploits Egypt’s Opening Border to Smuggle Cement For Rebuilding Tunnels

Egypt’s opening of Rafah border crossing allows Gaza’s Islamist gov’t to smuggle in some 4,000 tons of cement a day to rebuild terror-tunnels.

By Yossi Yehoshua

 

The Egyptian authorities decided on Tuesday the keep the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Sinai open until Friday, allowing Hamas to smuggle thousands of tons of cement into the Strip, which could be used for the reconstruction of terror tunnels. 


Terror tunnels being rebuilt

 

Egypt has only recently started opening the Rafah border crossing again after closing it during Operation Protective Edge last summer.

At first, the terminal was to be opened for three days from Saturday in what was considered a rare occurrence, but Egypt has since extended its opening time by two days until Wednesday and now in two additional days until Friday. Continue Reading »

IDF Chief Promises to Protect Syria’s Druze from ‘Massacre’

Responding to Israeli Druze anxieties, Lt. Gen. Eizenkot vows to prevent harm to Druze community on Syria’s side of the Golan Heights.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Israel pledged Tuesday to protect any refugees who fled towards the Jewish state after a rebel offensive in Syria and Islamist violence there raised fears about the Druze minority’s safety.

A significant number of Druze live in Israel, and leading members of the community have called on the government to help their brethren in Syria following the recent violence.

Without mentioning the Druze, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot said the authorities were preparing for a possible influx of Syrian refugees and would prevent a potential massacre at the border. Continue Reading »

Haredi soldiers to begin serving in naval combat roles

Israeli Navy seeks to promote ultra-Orthodox soldiers in security missions along maritime borders, and expand the soldiers’ service  beyond auxiliary roles, IDF official says.

By Lilach Shoval

 

Ultra-Orthodox soldiers will soon be assigned to Israeli Navy combat units, Israel Hayom learned Monday.

An Israeli Navy Dvora-class patrol boat – Photo: KOKO

The decision was made by the Israel Defense Forces Personnel Directorate, following an initiative by the Naval Headquarters’ Personnel Division, which hopes to expand haredi soldiers’ service in the corps beyond auxiliary roles.

The military plans to present the initiative to rabbis in the coming weeks, with hopes of seeing it realized by the end of 2015. Continue Reading »

IDF Declare Northwest Area of Golan Heights “Closed Military Zone”

Civilians who are not local residents cannot travel in the area because of the intensive battles between Assad forces & rebels on the Syrian side of the border.

 

The IDF and Israel Police declared a section of the north east of the Golan Heights a closed military zone on Tuesday.

An IDF soldier looks out from a position on Mt. Hermon

An IDF soldier looks out from a position on Mt. Hermon. – Photo courtesy: IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT

The decision means civilians who are not local residents, such as tourists, cannot travel in the area.

It comes after intensive battles raged between Assad regime forces and rebels on the Syrian part of the border in recent days. Continue Reading »

Palestine Media Report: Hamas in Qatar Discussing 5-Year Cease-Fire

Senior Hamas officials meet in Qatar to weigh reaching deal with Jewish State that would allow Gaza a seaport in exchange for a 5-year halt in its ‘armed resistance’ against Israel.

By Elior Levy & i24news

 

Leading members of Hamas are meeting in Qatar to discuss a proposal for a long-term ceasefire with Israel, the Palestinian Al-Quds newspaper reported Monday.

IDF soldier at Gaza border (Photo: Yoav Zitun)IDF soldier observes Hamas road construction on Gaza border – Photo: Yoav Zitun

 

The truce proposal, which is backed by both Qatar and Turkey, is based on an outline formulated by UN special envoy to the Middle East Nikolay Mladenov, according to Israel Radio. Continue Reading »

Israeli Lawfare Group Threatens Coca-Cola Over BDS Threats

Legal rights group sends strongly worded letter to The Coca-Cola Company after Palestinian franchise head’s public calls promoting a boycott of Israel.

By Tova Dvorin

 

Israeli legal rights group Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center has threatened to sue Coca-Cola on Monday, after Palestinian Arab franchise leader Zahi Khouri openly called for a boycott against Israel.

Arabic Coca-Cola - Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Arabic Coca-Cola – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Attorneys Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and Robert Tolchin sent a strongly worded warning letter to Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola, over Khouri’s actions.

“This letter is a warning to the Coca-Cola Company that it should rescind its franchise agreement with the Palestinian National Beverage Company, headed by Zahi Khouri, who openly advocates for BDS against Israel,” the letter warns. 

Continue Reading »

Israeli micro-antenna will revolutionize treatment of small tumors

Hebrew University of Jerusalem students are working on micro-antenna that can be inserted into the stomach to detect & treat cancers too small to be treated with available methods.

By Yori Yalon

 

Students at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem are developing an innovative micro-antenna able to focus radiation at tiny tumors in the digestive tract.

An image of the innovative new antenna, which will revolutionize treatment of small tumors

Continue Reading »

Analysis: Israel & Hezbollah’s interest in Syrian Druze

The biggest threat to the Druze 700,000 strong community is the advancement of Islamic State in the region known as ‘Mount Druse’, 60 km. from the Jordanian border and 50 km. from Israel’s Golan Heights.

 

If the 50-month-long civil war in Syria – with its 200,000 fatalities and with unexplained rivalries and alliances – has created a big mess, a more convoluted threat is emerging, a threat to the Druse community, which may drag Israel unwittingly into the killing fields.

Israeli soldiers stand near the border with Syria in the Golan Heights. – Photo: REUTERS

On the surface, Israel is closely monitoring the situation. Continue Reading »

France’s PM Valls calls on country’s Muslims to “name the enemy”

‘Anti-Semitism, hate speech, hiding behind hatred of Israel and delivering hideous sermons’ are not Islam, says the French PM, calling to show the world that ‘Islam & France are fully compatible’.

By AFP & Ynet

 

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls called on France’s Muslims on Monday to “name the enemy”, referring to jihadist and extremist groups.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls (Photo: AFP)
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls – Photo: AFP

 

“It has to be stated that all this is not Islam,” Valls said, citing “hate speech, anti-Semitism hiding behind anti-Zionism and hatred of Israel, hideous sermons, self-proclaimed imams in our neighborhoods, our prisons which promote violence and terrorism, who participate in this criminal enterprise which lures hundreds of young people to jihad.” Continue Reading »