Archive for May 28, 2017

Decision: Israel’s on-duty police to wear body cameras

 

Pilot program found law enforcement personnel sporting cameras improved police behavior, lowered public complaints and bolstered public confidence in law enforcement.

By i24NEWS

 

Israeli Police forces announced on Sunday that on-duty officers will wear body cameras after a pilot project proved the devices improve police behavior and bolster public confidence in local law enforcement , Haaretz daily reported.

The pilot, which was carried out for a six month period between 2016 and 2017 on traffic police and on duty officers, revealed that body cameras improve officers’ interactions with the public and overall general performance, according to Haaretz.

Scene of Jerusalem terror attack: Police cameras document a more accurate timeline of events.

Continue Reading »

Joint Israel-France environmental research satellite ready for launch

 

The Venµs, a vegetation & environment monitoring micro-satellite is scheduled to be launched into space from French Guinea in August.
• It’s a collaboration between Israel’s Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and France’s space agency.

By Ilan Gattegno and Dan Lavie

 

The construction of Venus, Israel’s first environmental research satellite, has been completed, and it is set to be launched into space this summer.

Science and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis introduces the Venus – Facebook/Yakov Saar

Venus, a vegetation and environment monitoring micro-satellite, was assembled by the Israel Aerospace Industries in collaboration with CNES, France’s space agency. Continue Reading »

Norway demands PA return money it received for center glorifying female terrorist

 

According to Norwegian FM Brende, Norway demanded its logo be immediately removed from the building & the “funding that has been allocated to the center be repaid,” when the center was named after a female terrorist that participated in a massacre of 37 people.

By HERB KEINON

 

Norway on Friday condemned the Palestinian Authority’s naming of a woman’s center in the West Bank after a female terrorist who took part in the 1978 Coastal Road massacre that killed 37 people. Oslo also asked the PA to repay money it provided for the center.

The move came just three days after US President Donald Trump, standing alongside PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem, said that peace “can never take root in an environment where violence is tolerated, funded or rewarded.” Continue Reading »

UN’s World Health Organization passes anti-Israel resolution, UK, US opposed it

 

The British delegate joined the U.S., Canada, Australia, Guatemala, Togo & Israel in voting against the resolution, which passed by an overwhelming majority during the 70th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

By JTA

 

Great Britain and the United States joined four other nations in voting against a World Health Organization resolution that they said singles out Israel for criticism.

The resolution, which passed by an overwhelming majority on Friday during the 70th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, mostly speaks of the need to improve services provided to Palestinians and residents of the Golan Heights. It also mentions the health needs of “prisoners and detainees” in Israel. Continue Reading »

REPORT: Abbas’ Palestinian Authority Paid Over $1 Billion in Pensions to Terrorists in 4 Years

 

Abbas’ PA gov’t issued payments to terrorists and their families totaling over $1 billion over a 4yr period, according to the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
– The ‘pay-to-kill’ stipends account for 7% of the PA’s total budget & is equivalent to 20% of Western foreign aid the PA receives annually.

By The Tower.org Staff

 

The Palestinian Authority issued payments to terrorists and their families totaling more than $1 billion over a four year period, according to a recent study by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. The sum accounts for seven percent of the PA’s budget and is equivalent to 20 percent of the foreign aid the PA receives annually. Continue Reading »

Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike ends, Barghouti got zilch

 

Israel Prison Service negotiated an end to the prisoners’ hunger strike with the Palestinian Authority, without meeting a single one of Marwan Barghouti’s demands. The initiator of the strike, Barghouti, was caught on hidden surveillance camera eating candy bars in his bathroom during the hunger strike.

By Elior Levy

 

New details concerning the conclusion of the Palestinian prisoners’ hunger strike and its causes are coming to light in the hours since the prisoners and the Israel Prison Service (IPS) made their announcements.

As the strike reached its peak, with dozens of prisoners requiring medical attention, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas intervened directly in order to bring the matter to a close out of fear of significant provocations and demonstrations. Continue Reading »

REPORT: President Trump wants Israel-PA peace talks to commence within a month

According to Israel TV10 News, U.S. Administration officials say President Trump wants Israel-PA peace talks to begin in a month, two at the most.

By Elad Benari

 

U.S. President Donald Trump wants to resume peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) as soon as possible, according to officials involved in contacts between Israel and the U.S. who were quoted by Channel 10 News on Friday.

The sources said that the U.S. administration wants the talks between Israel and the PA to start in Washington within a period of one to two months, with the goal of narrowing the gaps between the sides as much as possible before beginning talks on issues of substance. Continue Reading »

Trump wearing skullcap at Western Wall repudiates UN’s anti-Semitic resolutions on Jerusalem

 

President Trump’s visit to the Western Wall wearing a kippa, even without Netanyahu’s company, was a clear repudiation of the United Nation’s Palestinian initiated resolutions on Jerusalem.

By Israel Today Staff

 

When US President Donald Trump visited the Western Wall sporting a kippa (yarmulka), it was a clear affirmation that the site is as the Jews say – Judaism’s holiest shrine.

Netanyahu & Trump – Photo: Kobi Gideon/PMO

And, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently pointed out, that was a clear repudiation of the position recently taken by the United Nations.

During a Knesset session marking the 50th anniversary of Israel’s liberation of the eastern side of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall, Netanyahu stated:

Trump’s visit “destroyed UNESCO’s propaganda and lies.” Continue Reading »

PA official: Palestinians will sabotage Trump regional peace plan with Israel

 

Palestinian officials oppose Trump peace plan: “This plan will not go into effect because the Palestinian leadership will not let it, even if there is support from some of the Arab countries. First find a solution to the Palestinian issue, and afterwards Israel can normalize its relations with whatever country it wants.”

By Daniel Siryoti

 

Senior Palestinian Authority officials are demanding that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas clarify U.S. President Donald Trump’s reported plan to focus on regional peace between Arab countries and Israel before addressing the Palestinian issue, as Israel Hayom reported Thursday.

During his visit to Bethlehem on Tuesday, Trump told Abbas he was interested in launching a regional peace plan based on the 2002 Saudi Peace Initiative that would normalize relations between Israel and moderate Arab countries. Continue Reading »

Israel’s ‘Eyes in the Sky’ perform intelligence missions 24/7 to stay 4 steps ahead

 

Israel Air Force combines manned and unmanned aircraft in multiple, overlapping intelligence gathering missions in order to anticipate then neutralize future threats.

BY ANNA AHRONHEIM

 

The Air Force’s reconnaissance aircraft have been flying more intelligence missions in light of rising threats along Israel’s borders and the continuing wave of Palestinian violence in the West Bank.

The small and unassuming Sde Dov Airport is tucked between the city’s Tel Aviv Port and the Ramat Aviv neighborhood, taking civilians away on vacation. But the hybrid civilian/military airport is also where the air force’s First Squadron planes is based, and took off to fly at least 6,000 hours in 2016 alone. Continue Reading »

Minister Steinitz to Israeli General: ‘I don’t take orders from the Palestinian Authority’

 

Energy & Infrastructure Minister Steinitz opposes the COGAT head Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai’s decision to reduce electricity to Gaza in the face of an internal PA-Hamas dispute, saying we should decide where to cut “and not become a pawn in their hands.”

By Itamar Eichner

 

A sharp confrontation broke out between the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Dr. Yuval Steinitz, and the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai, following Mordechai’s decision to reduce by more than a quarter the amount of electricity that Israel transfers to the Gaza Strip.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Mordechai recently wrote a letter to the directors-general of the Ministries of National Infrastructures and Finance, the National Security Agency and the Shin Bet, as well as to the military secretaries of the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, informing them of his decision to reduce the amount of electricity that would be transferred to the Gaza Strip via the electricity lines. Continue Reading »

Livestock theft foiled, 150 sheep recovered, Arab thieves elude capture

 

Video: Volunteers from ‘Guardians of Judea and Samaria’ respond quickly to recover stolen flock of 150 sheep, but thieves abandon herd to escape arrest.

By Uzi Baruch

 

Last night, a family that owns a flock of sheep in the Maale Shlomo neighborhood of Kochav Hashachar in the Binyamin region was surprised to discover that Arabs had broken into the family property and stolen at least 150 sheep.

Members of “Hashomer Yosh” (“Guardians of Judea and Samaria”) acted quickly at the scene, notified security personnel and, together, they located the stolen flock after about 35 minutes.

Screenshot from home security camera

The group told Arutz Sheva that the chase began immediately after 3 men who had stolen the sheep were identified by cameras. Continue Reading »

Gaza electricity to be cut further as Abbas holds back payment to Israel

 

As part of the ongoing power struggle between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, Abbas decides to reduce the financial support the PA pays for electricity sent to Gaza, leading the Israel Electric Corporation to cut over a quarter of electricity it provides to Gaza.

By Elior Levy

 

In two weeks’ time, Israel will cut over a quarter of the electricity it provides the Gaza Strip, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced Thursday.

Every month, Israel provides the Gaza Strip with 125 megawatts of electricity, which costs NIS 40 million on average. Israel takes that sum out of the tax money it collects for the Palestinian Authority.Two Continue Reading »

Jordan: ‘Jews storm, defile Al-Aqsa Mosque, Israel responsible’

 

A Hashemite Kingdom spokesman condemns Israelis celebrating Jerusalem Day events, singing & dancing, defines them as ‘settlers desecration of place’s sanctity, harming feelings of Muslims throughout world’.

By Mordechai Sones

 

The Jordanian government yesterday (Wednesday) strongly condemned the presence of Jews in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Jewish activities there. It referred to Jerusalem Day events, during which 15 Jews who had bowed in prayer down were detained, while others sang Hatikvah.

AntiSemite Abbas spews hatred and incitement against Jews – PMW:YouTube screenshot

According to the Jordanian government’s announcement, this is a blatant Israeli attack by allowing extremists to “storm” the Al-Aqsa Mosque in what is termed “a desecration of the sanctity of the place and an insult to the feelings of Muslims all over the world, reported Ynet. Continue Reading »

REPORT: Netanyahu mulls dividing Jerusalem for 2 capitals

 

MK Dr. Anat Berko (Likud) has presented PM Netanyahu a comprehensive plan that transfers Palestinian residents municipal responsibility over E. Jerusalem Arab sections, eventually revoking their citizenship to become citizens of Palestine.

By BEN CASPIT

 

A plan to separate some of east Jerusalem’s neighborhoods was presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several months ago in a work meeting between the premier and MK Dr. Anat Berko (Likud).

Map of Jerusalem [illustrative]

Berko accompanied her plan with a detailed map, aerial photographs and groundwork. The map in question was a map of the municipal areas of Jerusalem. At the center of it was marked a new border that MK Berko had drawn, whose purpose was to remove Israel’s municipal responsibility over a long list of Palestinian neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. Continue Reading »