Archive for September 7, 2015

#BDSfail: Switzerland to buy 6 Israeli drones for border surveillance

 

Purchase approved at $250 million by Swiss parliament despite pro-Palestinian supporters rallying against investment in anything Israeli.

By i24news

 

Switzerland’s parliament on Monday voted in favor of a controversial plan to buy six Israeli surveillance drones worth 250 million Swiss francs ($256 million, 230million euros).

The upper house of the Swiss parliament approved the purchase of six unarmed Hermes 900 drones with 30 votes in favor and 12 opposed, confirming the lower chamber’s previous authorization of the deal.

An Elbit Systems’ Multi-role long range Male UAV Hermes 900 is presented at the International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget, France, on June 17, 2015 – Photo: Eric Piermont/AFP

Campaigners had rallied against the deal with Israeli company Elbit Systems, urging Switzerland not to invest in Israel’s military complex due to its alleged “systematic human rights abuses” against Palestinians. Continue Reading »

Israel Exporting Tea to Chinese & Wafers to Iranians

 

With the number of Israeli food companies growing each year and exporting abroad, Israel is turning into a culinary global power thanks to its products’ variety, innovation & quality. 

By Moshe Glantz

 

The community of Iranian exiles in the United States appears to be uninterested in Israel’s response to the nuclear agreement with Iran, but its members seem quite enthusiastic about a wafer produced in Israel, which they have been buying in large quantities. 

The Israeli flavor has always been loved, but in the past few years it’s safe to say that Israel is perceived around the world as a culinary power, both thanks to its innovation, variety and quality, but also thanks to the fact that the majority of Israeli food exported abroad is kosher, appealing to people with different allergies who trust the supervised food and to Muslims in need of halal food, which adheres to Islamic law. Continue Reading »

Palestinian Employer: West Bank Boycotters ‘Know Nothing of What Goes On Here’

 

view videoWith the European Union set to label goods produced by Jewish-owned business in Judea & Samaria, employer of 140 Palestinians who work together with Jews say they will be the victims from such anti-Israel boycotts.

By Eliran Aharon

 

The European Union is set to decide whether to label goods produced by Jewish-owned business in Judea and Samaria, in a bid to allow consumers to single out such products for a “limited boycott” of Israel.

European officials hope the move will place pressure on Israel to expel Jews living in those areas, as a prelude to establishing a Palestinian Arab state. Continue Reading »

South Africa considers eliminating dual citizenship status to halt Jews’ IDF enlistment

 

The African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling party is also discussing limitations on its private sector’s ties with Israel, not just stopping its citizens from holding Israeli citizenship.

By i24news

 

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa is reported to be reviewing the country’s dual citizenship policy in a bid to stop citizens from joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The local Sunday Times newspaper is also reporting that the government is also hoping to crackdown on private sector ties with Israel.

Israeli passport- Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

It is estimated that Jews account for 0.2% of the country’s population. Continue Reading »

Last Night was a Good Night: Israel security find weapons & uniforms in multiple raids

 

Shin Bet, Israel Police, and IDF find real & fake army uniforms and weapons in multiple West Bank counter-terror raids.

 

Judea and Samaria District Police together with army infantry units uncovered counterfeit IDF uniforms and firearms during overnight counter-terrorism raids in the West Bank between Saturday and Sunday.

In one raid, held in the village Beit Omer near Hebron, police officers and IDF soldiers, together with the Shin Bet domestic
intelligence agency, found two handguns, one of which was homemade and the second industrially produced, as well as ammunition, two radio devices, and army uniforms that could have been used to carry out attacks. Continue Reading »

Another Week, Another ‘Work Accident’ – Hamas Naval Commando Drowns

 

Militant of Gaza’s governing terror organization’s expanding commando unit met his doom in a training mishap in the northern Gaza Strip.

By Elior Levy

 

A fighter in Hamas’s naval commando unit in Gaza has drowned during a training accident near the beaches of Beit Lahiya in the Gaza Strip, the terror organization’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, announced Sunday.

The dead Hamas commando is Sahar Nabil al-Bahri, 27, from Beit Lahiya. In a strange coincidence, the meaning of name al-Bahri in Arabic is “naval”.

Sahar Nabil al-Bahri’s funeral

Hamas’ naval commandos are believed to be well trained and well equipped. Continue Reading »

France Supports EU Plans Labeling Only Jewish ‘Settlement Produce’

 

French Economy Minister says Paris favors European Union’s move to force labeling only Jewish-made products from Judea & Samaria, echoing EU Chief’s declaration that ‘labeling only Jewish-made goods from the West Bank is not meant as a ‘Boycott’’.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that while Paris backs EU plans to label products from Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, it opposes any boycott of Israel.

“The French and European diplomatic position is clear and has not changed and will not change,” he told reporters at the start of a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Continue Reading »

New IDF Radar For Mortars Add 7-8 Seconds Warning for Civilians to Seek Cover

 

Newly improved radar alert system for mortars to be operational by the middle of October, IDF reports.

By YASSER OKBI/ MAARIV HASHAVUA

 

A new radar system to detect mortars was successfully tested recently, and will improve the alert warning time for incoming projectiles by 7-8 seconds, the IDF announced on Sunday.

IDF Southern Command and security firms have already stationed the systems, which will probably start operating by the middle of next month.

Continue Reading »

Israel Security Service Snatches Top Gaza Terrorist

 

 

Shin Bet & Israel Police arrest a 27 yr-old, affiliated with global jihad, who according to security investigators, confessed to planting bombs that were targeting IDF soldiers during Operation Protective Edge.

By Yoav Zitun

 

The Shin Bet and police arrested a man from Gaza who was allegedly responsible for terror attacks against IDF troops during Operation Protective Edge and other targets, it was revealed on Sunday.

The suspect, Ihab Abu Nahal, 27, was apprehended at the end of July as he requested permission to travel to Qatar for a job as a teacher as part of an initiative to employ Gazan teachers. Continue Reading »

Israel Begins to Build Anti-Infiltrator Fence on its Jordan Border

 

The fence, aimed at stopping infiltrators from the east, will begin at Israel’s southern border with Jordan near Eilat going northwards for 30 kilometers.

By Arutz Sheva

 

The building of a border fence intended to bar those attempting to infiltrate into Israel from the east will commence on Sunday between Israel and Jordan.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon will officially announce the beginning of the project later today.

Border fence between Israel and Egypt is how the new fence will look. – Photo: Reuters

The fence on Israel’s eastern border is being designed with the aim of having a similar effect in preventing the entrance of infiltrators as the fence on Israel’s southern border with the Sinai Peninsula. Continue Reading »

Arrest petition for Israel PM in UK hits target – but still worthless

 

Call to arrest Israeli PM over false accusations for anti-Israel PR receives over 100,000 signatures, but the British foreign office dismissed the petition, calling it “a PR exercise with no real meaning.”

By i24news

 

An online petition on the United Kingdom Parliament’s official website calling for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival in London over alleged war crimes has received more than 100,000 signatures, making the matter eligible for debate by lawmakers.

“Benjamin Netanyahu is to hold talks in London this September,” the petition reads. “Under international law he should be arrested for war crimes upon arrival in the UK for the massacre of over 2000 civilians in 2014.” Continue Reading »

With mere weeks before retirement, Abbas finally seeks to aid Palestinian refugees

 

After years of saying “No”  PA president Abbas now calls on UN to demand that Israel allows over half a million desperate Palestinian refugees take shelter in Judea & Samaria, while opposition leader Herzog calls on Netanyahu to take in Syrian refugees.

By AFP

 

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas called on the United Nations Saturday to press Israel to allow Palestinians from refugee camps in Syria to take shelter in the Palestinian territories, whose external borders are controlled by the Jewish state.

Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk, Syria – Photo: EPA

“President Abbas has asked the Palestinian representative to the UN to implement as quickly as possible, in coordination with the UN secretary general, measures for the return of Palestinian refugees from Syria to the Palestinian territories,” his office said. Continue Reading »

EU Chief: Labeling Only Jewish Products from West Bank Not Meant to ‘Boycott’

 

Policy chief Frederica Mogherini says the EU decision to label (only jewish) Judea & Samaria products for export is imminent, but foreign ministers caution that the demand was not meant as a ‘boycott Israel’ decision.

By Orli Harari

 

The European Union will soon render its decision on whether to label goods produced by Jews in Judea and Samaria.

Speaking at the conclusion of a summit of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg, EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini said a special committee would soon submit its conclusions on the issue.

Federica Mogherini – Reuters

“The work of the committee dealing with the issue is coming to a close – these are the last steps before we submit the conclusions,” she said.
Continue Reading »

Years After Condemning Israel, European Countries Now Seek Similar Border Fence

 

In seeking solutions to help tackle the massive migrant crises enveloping European nations, Hungary & Bulgaria are inquiring about Israeli designed border fences & security systems.

By Reuters

 

Faced with a surge in migration from the Middle East and North Africa, two European countries are exploring the possibility of erecting towering steel security fences along parts of their borders, similar to Israel’s barrier with Egypt. 

Hungary and Bulgaria have made preliminary inquiries about buying the Israeli-designed fences, according to an Israeli business source who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

A border fence in Hungary – Photo: Reuters

Both EU countries are beefing up their borders to deter migrants, many of them refugees from wars, who are seeking to use them as gateways to richer countries further north and west, particularly Germany.  Continue Reading »

Israeli Legal Aid Threatened GE with Lawsuit Over Union’s Supporting BDS

 

The Israeli NGO Shurat Hadin sent General Electric explicit warning of legal action for its blatant and open violations of numerous U.S. “state and federal statutes” if it doesn’t void union support of anti-Semitic boycott and their accusations of Israeli ‘ethnic cleansing’.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Tel-Aviv based legal rights organization Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center has taken on General Electric Co. on Thursday, urging the company to void GE’s labor accords with the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) in light of the union’s endorsement of the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

The letter, signed by Shurat HaDin president Nitsana Darshan-Leitner of Tel-Aviv and U.S. Continue Reading »