Archive for May 25, 2016

Israel reports to UN: Hamas steals 95% of cement sent to Gaza civilians for terror-tunnels

 

view videoAt the UN World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Dr. Dore Gold spoke about Israel’s extensive role in providing humanitarian aid, noting the task is made more complicated when Gaza’s rulers confiscate aid sent to Palestinian civilians then uses it for Hamas’ military agenda.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF

 

Hamas is stealing 95% of the cement transferred into Gaza for the purpose of rebuilding homes so that it can use it for military purposes, Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold said on Tuesday.

“From our own investigations we found that out of every 100 sacks of cement that come into the Gaza Strip [from Israel], only five or six are transferred to civilians,” Gold said as he addressed the UN World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul. Continue Reading »

Pro-Palestinian NGO, B’Tselem decides to forgo using IDF complaints system

Pro-Palestinian rights organization announced it will stop making official complaints over IDF soldiers’ conduct against Palestinian civilians to the Military Advocate General Corps, saying that after 25 years of reporting alleged abuse, it concluded the MAG corps was merely a ‘whitewashing mechanism.’

By AFP, AP

 

Israeli rights group B’Tselem announced Wednesday it was giving up taking complaints over soldier conduct to the IDF, after years of going through official channels brought few prosecutions.

Fire at B’TSelem’s offices – Archive/Jerusalem Fire Department

 B’Tselem, a left-wing group that campaigns against Israel’s presence in the West Bank, said it had been providing information to the Military Advocate General Corps about alleged abuses for 25 years, but had concluded it was increasingly a “whitewash mechanism” and a “mere semblance of justice.”

Continue Reading »

Israel Knesset Member: ‘What would happen if Jews raped Arabs?’

 

Likud MK Nava Boker expressed her shock & outrage after hearing of Israel Police ‘cover-up’ of an Arab gang-rape of a 20 yr-old, mentally challenged Jewish girl.

By Hezki Baruch

 

Likud MK Nava Boker on Wednesday reacted to the horrific rape of a 20-year-old mentally delayed Jewish girl in southern Tel Aviv two weeks ago, after police lifted a gag order on the arrest of two suspected Arab perpetrators and a hunt after the third Arab rapist.

In revealing the vile gang-rape, police noted that the three Arab attackers – one of whom is an Israeli citizen while the other two hail from Judea-Samaria – acted out of “nationalistic motives” and shouted racist slurs during the attack, which one of them video taped.
Continue Reading »

Israel’s Unemployment Reaches Historic Low

Israel’s unemployment rate in April registered at 4.9%, but economists caution the drop may have been due to an increase in temporary Passover holiday jobs and the fact that the Unemployment Offices were closed during the holidays.

By Zeev Klein

 

This past April marked a historic drop in the Israeli unemployment rate, which sunk to 4.9% as compared with 5.3% in March, according to a report from the Central Bureau of Statistics.

April’s unemployment rate reaches historic low [illustrative] – Photo: Rafael Ben-Ari

The report indicated that some 193,000 people were unemployed in April as compared with 208,700 in March. Continue Reading »

Swiss parliament to end funding “racist & anti-Semitic actions” or are involved in BDS

 

The Swiss parliament’s inquiry into anti-Israel NGOs could bring about devastating changes for scores of pro-Palestinian NGOs operating in Israel & in the disputed territories.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL

 

Berlin – The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has allocated funds in the millions to anti-Israel NGOs linked to terrorism and working in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, according to a report that appeared in Switzerland’s Basler Zeitung on Monday.

Swiss parliament in Bern – Photo: AFP

The front-page story by veteran journalist Dominik Feusi, headlined “Resistance in Parliament against money for Israel-critical campaigns,” stated that MP Christian Imark had introduced a motion supported by 41 lawmakers from across the political spectrum calling on the FDFA to stop all direct or indirect funding to organizations that sponsor “racist and anti-Semitic actions” or are involved in BDS campaigns. Continue Reading »

95.5% of Palestinians polled view Mahmoud Abbas’ government as corrupt

Palestinians are becoming increasingly fed up with the PA leadership as billions & billions have been given to Abbas throughout the years, with the leaders, their families & close associates becoming millionaires, as unemployment grows & their economy stagnates.

By The Associated Press

 

A gated community of villas with well-tended flower gardens near Ramallah may help explain why Palestinians almost universally believe there is corruption in the government of President Mahmoud Abbas.

The secluded “Diplomatic Compound,” built for senior Palestinian Authority officials on subsidized land, is one of the symbols of what many Palestinians think is wrong with their leaders – that they are cut off from the people and award themselves special privileges. Continue Reading »

Pro-Palestinians up campaign against Airbnb with video and mock webposts

Left-wing, Jewish Voice for Peace, a proponent of the BDS movement, releases YouTube video featuring activists & Palestinians urging tourists to boycott West Bank rentals.

By CORAL BRAUN

 

Left-wing organization Jewish Voice for Peace released a YouTube video Saturday to up a joint-campaign against Airbnb’s listing of West Bank settlement homes on its vacation home rental platform.

Airbnb listings of homes in the West Bank. - Photo: Courtesy

Airbnb listings of homes in the West Bank. – Photo: Courtesy

Urging travelers to steer clear of West Bank rentals, the video featured unnamed activists and Palestinians speaking out against Airbnb’s failure to “follow international law,” which, by United Nations standards, deems “Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal.” Continue Reading »

Senior Iranian Military Commander, We can destroy Israel “in less than 8 minutes”

 

Senior Iranian military official threatens to “raze the Zionist regime” and can destroy the Jewish state “in less than eight minutes” after Khamenei calls to continue building missile arsenal in defiance to UN Security Council resolutions, and (empty) threats from the White House.

By Elad Benari

 

A senior Iranian military commander has threatened Israel and claimed that his country can destroy the Jewish state “in less than eight minutes”.

Screenshot of Iranian missile test – Iranian TV

The comments, quoted by The Washington Free Beacon, came hours after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared that Iran would continue to build its ballistic missile arsenal in defiance of U.S.
Continue Reading »

Israel’s economy strengthening with development of energy sector

 

Israel’s geopolitical decision of exploiting the gas discovery for diplomatic purposes improved the geostrategic status of the State of Israel in the US, Europe & the Mid-East.

 

Israel’s natural gas discoveries could be key in transforming diplomatic relations in the region while boosting its growing economy, a number of experts said on Monday at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York.

THE TAMAR gas field platform juts above the Mediterranean – Photo: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM

At the conference’s panel on the Israeli economy, International economic law scholar and practitioner Efraim Chalamish said Israel’s energy sector has the potential to really advance the “start-up nation” since it allows for large companies to be part of the economy, employing large workforces made up of people diverse backgrounds and skill levels. Continue Reading »

WATCH: World Seeks Israeli Technology For Fighting Global Terrorism

 

view videoA few Israeli companies have developed advanced solutions in fighting terrorism more effectively & without security personnel being placed in harm’s way, for example, an automatic interrogation of suspects at airports, advanced cameras with ‘In Motion Identification’ recognition software, & radar that pinpoints drones in sensitive air-space.

By Moshe Glantz

 

Attacks on airports have always been among terrorist organizations’ preferred objectives, leading to increased security. But from time to time, despite the investment of billions on security personnel and a range of security measure, terrorists still manage to strike. Brussels was the latest casualty, sending shockwaves throughout Europe.

Airport entrance – Photo:GettyImages

Ben-Gurion International Airport is considered one of the safest airports in the world, which led to unprecedented interest in security measures developed in Israel, with several Israeli companies now selling their wares all over the world. Continue Reading »

Israeli soldier rescues Jewish woman, 3 children from abusive Arab husband

From a chance encounter at a border checkpoint, a sympathetic IDF soldier facilitates the rescue of a battered woman and her children from a persecuted existence with threats on her life in her Arab town.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

A special operation of the Yad L’Achim organization ended successfully last week, with the rescue of a Jewish mother and her three children from the Arab man she had been tricked into marrying.

A. entering sovereign Israel with children after rescue – Photo: Yad L’Achim Spokesman

The Jewish woman, identified only as A., met and was deceived into marrying a young Arab working illegally in sovereign Israeli territory a full 15 years ago. Continue Reading »

WATCH: Israel’s Foreign Ministry produced video highlighting 68 facts about modern Israel

 

view videoFrom dog parks to disproportionate hi-tech, from reforesting the earth to water achievements, there’s just so much more to Israel than an arid climate.

By Israel Today Staff

 

To mark Israel’s 68th Independence Day, the Foreign Ministry produced this video highlighting 68 facts about modern Israel of which most people are unaware.

There are some facts that are today well-known, such as Israel’s disproportionate number of technological achievements, and some that are less known, such as Israelis’ tremendous love for dogs and planting trees.

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With the way the mainstream international media covers the region, it’s easy to think of Israel as little more than a place of conflict and ancient tourist sites. Continue Reading »

UK officials to visit Tel Aviv airport to assess Israel’s ‘ring of steel’ security regime for Heathrow

 

A British Times report on seriously lacking security measures at London’s Heathrow Airport was revealed after a senior Israeli intel officer identified European transportation hubs as easy targets for terrorist attacks.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Amid warnings of a fresh campaign of ISIS terror attacks, Heathrow Airport in London is reportedly considering the implementation of a new security mechanism that is employed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport.

An armed policeman patrols Heathrow Airport, London. – Photo:REUTERS

According to a British Times report Sunday, the initiative – dubbed “ring of steel” – would see the deployment of plainclothes security personnel throughout one of Europe’s busiest travel hubs. Continue Reading »

Israel ends private cement embargo into Gaza

Cement shipments ended after Hamas official diverted substantial amount to its military branch, likely used for construction of new attack tunnels into Israel, but resumed this week following new UN agreement to add more int’l monitors in Gaza.

By AFP

 

Israel has lifted the ban imposed last month on private imports of cement to the Gaza Strip, with trucks arriving at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Monday morning to resume the supply to the Palestinian enclave.

Cement coming into the Gaza Strip for the first time in over a month.

“In accordance with the security assessment and the understandings reached with the international community, as of today, Sunday May 22, the re-entry of cement into Gaza has been approved,” said a statement from the government body responsible for implementing policies in the Palestinian territories, COGAT. Continue Reading »

Netanyahu rejects French peace-initiative in Jerusalem meeting with PM Valls

 

Israel’s PM rejects French initiative, having world powers without Israeli or PA representatives in attendance, and suggests alternative: Direct, face-to-face talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Paris.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu rejected a multilateral French “peace initiative” as he met his French counterpart on Monday, offering instead to hold direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Paris.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he would speak to President Francois Hollande about Netanyahu’s proposal.

Direct negotiations with the Palestinian Authority are “the only way to proceed to peace,” Netanyahu said. He offered “a different French initiative” of face-to-face talks with Abbas in Paris. Continue Reading »