Archive for May 23, 2016

Israel Minister: Plans for off-shore Gaza port in the works

 

Intel Minister Katz says that the artificial island-port “would provide Gaza with an economic & humanitarian gateway to the world without endangering Israeli security.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Transportation & Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz on Sunday night announced that he is working to advance plans to create an artificial island off the coast of Gaza that could improve the Palestinian enclave’s economic and humanitarian situation.

Gaza City

Palestinians stand atop a boat at Gaza’s seaport in Gaza City October 16. – Photo: REUTERS

Katz told The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York that the venture would seek to connect the territory to the movement of people and goods

“The off-shore project could provide Gaza with an economic and humanitarian gateway to the world without endangering Israeli security,” he said. Continue Reading »

Lebanese Army observation towers placed on Israel’s border

The new military observation towers, which can see inside IDF bases and the Kibbutzim on the border with Lebanon, have residents worried that Hezbollah may take them over during the next war.

By Ahiya Ravid & Yoav Zitun

 

The Lebanese military has built several observation towers on the Lebanese side of the border between Israel and Lebanon in recent weeks.

Lebanese observation post near Kibbutz Hanita – Photo: Aviyahu Shapira

The towers provide the Lebanese army with strategic observation posts from which they can observe Israeli military bases, the border fence, the patrol road next to the border fence, civilian roads in Israel, and various towns and kibbutzim along the border. Continue Reading »

Hamas exposes ‘Arafat the coward’ for running away during 1968 battle with IDF

 

Despite Egypt’s al-Sisi’s talks to unify Palestinian factions, Hamas makes things difficult by exposing Fatah founder’s cowardly history of abandoning the fedayeen in a 1968 battle in Jordan with the IDF.

By Dalit Halevi

 

Senior Hamas politburo official Mahmoud al-Zahar reignited the war of words between his terrorist organization and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction, which have long been bitter rivals.

Hamas and Fatah have remained violently divided despite the unity deal sealed by Abbas in April 2014 when he torpedoed the US-led peace talks.

In recent days – even as Egypt is leading talks in Cairo to try and unify the Palestinian factions – al-Zahar upped the ante on Hamas-Fatah tensions by slamming Fatah founder and arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat for being a “coward” and fleeing a battle with Israel, before later bragging about the battle. Continue Reading »

LA girl fulfills decade-long dream, joins IDF combat unit

“What’s most important is being a combat soldier & contributing to the state,” (of Israel) says 25 yr-old Alisa Sheldon of the IDF’s Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion.

By Danny Brenner

 

For 10 years, Alisa Sheldon couldn’t shake her dream of moving to Israel and serving in the IDF as a combat soldier. Two months ago she realized that dream, joining the ranks of the Lions of the Jordan Valley Battalion.

Alisa Sheldon – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

On Saturday, the 25-year-old Sheldon stood at attention with her male and female comrades, swearing their allegiance to the IDF and the State of Israel. Continue Reading »

WATCH Netanyahu’s speech: Millions of children are taught that Jews are children of apes & pigs

view videoNetanyahu’s speech lamented the moral failure of countries, institutions and leaders by sitting quietly, allowing anti-Jewish sentiments to be disseminated unencumbered throughout the globe.

 

Children throughout the Middle East have been brainwashed to believe that Jews are akin to apes and pigs and should be killed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

‘Hatred against the Jewish people is so routine in the Middle East that many in the West fail to notice it, let alone condemn it,” Netanyahu said.

He delivered a pre-recorded brief address to the fifth annual Jerusalem Post Conference in New York on the danger of verbal and visual incitement against Jews, particularly on the Hamas run Al-Aksa television. Continue Reading »

Chemical Brothers, Pharrell Williams and more on their way to Israel

 

view videoAustralian singer Sia, American rapper Pharrell Williams and the electronic duo the Chemical brothers have all announced they will be performing in Israel, not to mention pop sensation Rihanna, has expressed a desire to return.

By Raz Shechnik and Amit Friedman

 

The summer of 2016 is shaping up in terms of musical acts, as performer upon performer begin sending out official confirmations of their shows in Israel.

Sia performing at South by South West in 2008. – Photo: Kris Krug/Wikipedia

First among equals is the Australian Sia, who is due to perform on August 11 at Yarkon Park. Continue Reading »

Obama paid J-Street $576,000 to promote Iran deal when White House jive contradicted professional opinions

 

Reports now prove J-Street, not the true advocate for Israel it purports to be, received $576,000 from President Obama to deceive the American Jews, and advocate for Iran in the nuclear deal, in spite of the actual danger the deal proved to imperil Israel.

By Ari Soffer

 

J-Street received more than half a million dollars to advocate for the Obama administration’s controversial nuclear deal with Iran, it has been revealed.

President Barack Obam

President Barack Obama – Photo: Reuters

The liberal Jewish group, which bills itself as “pro-Israel and pro-peace” but which critics say takes solely anti-Israel stances, was paid the money by the White House’s main surrogate organization for selling the deal. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem to return ancient Egyptian sarcophagi smuggled into Israel

In an effort to warm relations with Egypt, Jerusalem decides to return to Egypt 2 recovered sarcophagus lids that 4 years ago were being smuggled to Europe, but were intercepted by Israel Antiquities Authorities, & the Antiquities Robbery Prevention Unit.

By Itamar Eichner

 

In an attempt to improve relations between Jerusalem and Cairo, Israel will return Egyptian antiquities that were brought into the country by antiquities looters for the first time on Sunday.

Egyptian mummy sarcophagus – Photo: AFP

This development follows Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s call on Israelis to not give up on the opportunity for peace on Tuesday. Continue Reading »

Report: Arab states willing to tweak Saudi peace initiative for Israel

 

Israel’s TV10 reports Egypt & Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states, are reportedly willing to change their demands on the Jewish State in exchange for a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority.

By Ben Ariel, Canada

 

Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, Jordan and Egypt, are prepared to discuss with Israel changes to the Saudi peace initiative in order to resume peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), Channel 10 News revealed on Friday.

In return for a peace agreement with the PA, those countries would reportedly change their attitude towards Israel.

Western diplomatic sources quoted by Channel 10 said that Arab countries have been sending messages to Israel through various emissaries, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, saying they are expecting to receive from Israel a response to the Saudi peace initiative and are also expecting Israel to make gestures towards the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, so that peace talks can be relaunched and those countries could ultimately change their public attitude to Israel. Continue Reading »

Despite tensions of violence, WHO reports Israelis have 6th highest life expectancies in the world

Notwithstanding the current knife attacks ravishing the Jewish State & the effect of anxiety from Palestinian violence directed at all Israelis in general, the World Health Organization reports Israel’s average life expectancy is 82 1/2 years, the 6th highest in world.

By Erez Linn & News Agencies

 

A World Health Organization report on global life expectancy has found that Israelis have one of the highest life expectancies in the world. According to the report, released Thursday, Israel ranks sixth in the world, with an average life expectancy of 82.5 years.

Guinness World Record holder, Holocaust survivor Mr. Israel Kristal of Haifa, Israel, is the current world’s Oldest living man.

Continue Reading »

Sheldon Adelson urges Republican Jewish leaders to back Trump as Fox Poll finds Clinton trailing

 

PM Netanyahu’s largest American financial supporter & Birthright financier, Jewish businessman & philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, publicly endorses & urges all Republican Jewish leaders to back Donald Trump, in the US presidential race.

By Israel Hayom Staff and Associated Press

 

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump leads Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, according to a new Fox News poll published on Wednesday.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump – Photo: AP

The poll found that Trump holds a 45%-42% edge over Clinton. A month ago, Clinton held a 48%-41%.

Meanwhile, American Jewish businessman and philanthropist Sheldon Adelson is already at work on behalf of Trump after Adelson publicly endorsed Trump last week. Continue Reading »

#BDSfail: Top French bank closes BDS account

Bank Credit Mutuel, one of France’s largest, freezes account of ‘La Campagne BDS France’ over escalating criticism of group’s illegal practices that target Israel for boycotts.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL

 

Berlin – Massive French bank Credit Mutuel shut down the account of La Campagne BDS France amid escalating criticism over the illegal practices of supporting financial transactions that target Israel for boycotts.

Credit Mutuel’s Director General Michel Lucas, leave the Elysee Palace after a meeting with France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy. – Photo: BENOIT TESSIER /REUTERS

In a dramatic setback for a large Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement (BDS) group, BDS France removed a link on its donor webpage in May for Credit Mutuel and added a link to PayPal as a method of contribution. Continue Reading »

Belgian Animal Welfare Minister Calls For Complete Ban on Ritual Slaughter

 

Belgian cabinet minister Ben Weyts, once again calls for ban on Shechita in the country.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Belgian cabinet minister and animal welfare minister Ben Weyts on Tuesday called for a complete ban on the ritual slaughter of animals.

Ben Weyts – Photo: Reuters

The decision will have a huge impact on the Muslim and Orthodox Jewish communities, for whom shechita (ritual slaughter) is an integral component of religious life.

Weyts, who is a member of the ruling center-right party New Flemish Alliance, cited resistance by Muslims to a compromise on ritual slaughter of animals: “Organizations within the Muslim community are just not open to any sort of compromise,” he said. Continue Reading »

New Egyptian textbook likely to herald warmer Egypt-Israel relations

 

President Abdul-Fatah al-Sisi’s initiative of revamping Egyptian educational textbooks towards its peace with Israel will hopefully bring about a positive attitude towards Israel.

By BEN LYNFIELD/THE MEDIA LINE

 

Jerusalem – Textbook introduced this semester by the government of President Abdul-Fatah al-Sisi requires Egyptian pupils to memorize the provisions of the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace treaty and delineate the ”advantages of peace for Egypt and the Arab states.”

The assignments from the ninth grade book, The Geography of the Arab World and the History of Modern Egypt, are part of a change to a more robust and positive treatment of peace with Israel than that manifested in books during the three decades in power of al-Sisi’s predecessor Hosni Mubarak. Continue Reading »

Future Palestinian State Highly Likely To Be Oppressive Police State

 

If Abbas, who’s incidentally, now in his 12th year of a 4-year term as president of the PA, condones extrajudicial killings, arrests journalists who report on corruption, intimidate students with violence, and where embezzlement is SOP, how could one not see a future Palestinian State as an oppressive police state?

By Israel Today Staff

 

A Palestinian university student has provided further evidence that an independent Palestinian state would be an oppressive police state. In fact, it already is.

PA Police

Earlier this week, Emad Halayqa, a student at Beirzeit University in Ramallah, posted to Facebook that he would far rather be arrested by Israel than by the Palestinian Authority. Continue Reading »