Archive for May 17, 2017

Israel was source of intel Trump transferred to Russian FM to fight ISIS

 

First orchestrated by outgoing Obama gov’t, now the US media run by Trump detractors are trying to make federal case on transfer of intel to Russia, saying US president could be ‘security risk for entire western world,’ when the exact opposite is closer to the truth.

By i24NEWS

 

Israel was apparently the source of the highly classified information that Donald Trump was accused of disclosing in a meeting with Russian officials on Monday, revealed a current and former White House official familiar with the situation to the New York Times on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in February.

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Palestinian parliament member caught throwing rocks at IDF soldiers

 

This, not being the first time Jamal Hawil, a senior official in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades has created a provocation in Judea and Samaria, so he was once imprisoned by Israel.

By Erez Linn

 

Jamal Hawil, a Palestinian Authority member of parliament representing the Fatah party, has been caught on camera throwing rocks at IDF soldiers near Ramallah.

The images were apparently captured last weekend, ahead of the events marking Nakba Day and against the backdrop of a hunger strike by Palestinian security prisoners.

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WSJ: Various Arab Gulf states are prepared to improve ties with Israel

 

The Wall Street Journal reports that should Israel freeze settlement construction and relax trade restrictions with Gaza, steps toward normalizing ties would be made by a number of Sunni Gulf States.

BY JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Various Arab Gulf nations are reportedly prepared to improve ties with Israel if Jerusalem takes what they deem as significant efforts to relaunch the stagnate peace process with the Palestinians, The Wall Street Journal on Monday cited sources close to the matter as saying.

As part of the normalization process, the Gulf states would reportedly be willing to set up telecommunication lines between the countries, allow for Israeli businesses to trade with their Arab counterparts and allow for Israeli planes to fly over their airspace. Continue Reading »

REPORT: Israel Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development only used 39% earmarked for periphery

 

Comptroller: Minister Ariel allowed close associates ‘to make decisions based on personal interests,’ diverting 43% of the NIS 51 million to well-established cities like Modi’in, Tel Aviv & Raanana, that was earmarked for increased construction to lower housing prices in the Negev and the Galilee.

By Yehonatan Bnaya, Yaron Druckman

 

Millions of shekels earmarked for developing and bolstering Israel’s geographic and social periphery were instead invested in housing projects in central Israel, State Comptroller Yosef Shapira determined in a report released on Tuesday.

Uri Ariel – Photo: Volcani-Institute

The comptroller, who examined the Construction Ministry’s conduct from 2013-2015 under Minister Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi), found that Ariel appointed close associates who share his political and ideological interests to key positions in the ministry and allowed them to interfere in the implementation of a government plan to develop the periphery. Continue Reading »

Website drops Israel to 15th place on list of world’s strongest militaries

 

The military analytic website Global Firepower places Israel’s IDF ahead of Iran, but behind Turkey and Egypt’s armed forces.

By Hillel Fendel

 

Israel still ranks among the top military powers in the world, but has dropped from 11th place a year ago to number 15 at present. So finds the military analytic website Global Firepower.

IAFs new “Adir” F-35i Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The website ranks military capabilities based on no fewer than 50 factors, including diversity and amount of weaponry, geographical position, natural resources, and manpower. It also takes into account whether the country is an actual or a suspected nuclear power, though it does not figure in nuclear stockpiles. Continue Reading »

US Ambassador David Friedman’s first stop in Israel was to pray at Western Wall

 

US Ambassador David Friedman, a practicing Orthodox Jew, drove to Jerusalem’s Old City with his wife & daughter, straight after his arrival at Ben-Gurion International Airport.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF

 

US Ambassador David Friedman’s first stop on the job in Israel was the Western Wall, where a simple prayer at the Biblical site, turned into a lager diplomatic statement.

US Ambassador David Friedman, with wife & daughter at the Western Wall – Facebook screenshot

Friedman, who is a practicing Orthodox Jew, headed to Jerusalem’s Old City right after he landed at Ben-Gurion International Airport.

“It was a long trip. We are a bit tired, but we wanted to come straight to the holiest place in the entire Jewish world, the Western Wall, straight from the airport” he said. Continue Reading »

Trump Administration disassociates itself from diplomat’s Western Wall comments

 

White House issues prompt and decisive response: Remarks made earlier today by American diplomats in Israel that suggested the Western Wall is not part of Israel, “do not reflect the U.S. position, and certainly not the President’s position.”

By Nitsan Keidar

 

The White House on Monday disassociated itself from remarks by American diplomats, who told representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office that the Western Wall is not part of Israel but rather part of the “West Bank”.

“These comments, if true, were not authorized by the White House. They do not reflect the U.S. position, and certainly not the President’s position,” a White House spokesman told Haaretz. Continue Reading »

Gaza fisherman shot by Israeli naval forces later dies after breaching blockade

 

The Gaza Strip has been under both Israeli and Egyptian blockade for more than a decade from importing weapons or materials used  to make them by the Hamas gov’t & Palestinian militants in Gaza, having fought three wars since 2008.

By i24NEWS – AFP

 

A Gazan fisherman shot by Israeli naval forces on Monday after allegedly breaching the naval blockade off the Palestinian enclave has died from his wounds, an Israeli military spokeswoman said.

The fisherman’s family identified him as 25-year-old Mohammed Majed Bakr.

Israeli Navy זרוע הים patrolling the coast – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/Facebook

He was seriously injured and was evacuated to an Israeli hospital for medical treatment, an Israeli military spokeswoman said, where he later succumbed to his wounds. Continue Reading »

Israel’s Taglit-Birthright launches greatest season in its history

Around 33,000 Jewish youngsters from over 30 countries are expected to visit Israel this summer, with 131 groups expected to arrive this week.
• Birthright CEO Gidi Mark, “This summer we will celebrate 600,000 participants.”

By Yori Yalon

 

The Taglit-Birthright Israel program is launching the largest season in its history, with 33,000 Jewish youngsters from 33 countries expected to visit Israel this summer.

20 year old Birthright students visit a border outpost to meet Israelis their age – Photo: IsraelandStuff PP

The program offers free 10-day trips to Israel in an effort to strengthen the connection between young Diaspora Jews and Israel. Continue Reading »

Israel assigns 10,000 Police officers to secure President Trump’s visit to the Jewish State

 

After his arrival ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, U.S. President Trump will be flown by helicopter to Jerusalem to visit the Old City and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum before checking into the King David Hotel’s presidential suite.

By ELIYAHU KAMISHER

 

More than 10,000 police officers will take part in securing the two-day visit of US President Donald Trump, expected to take place on May 22-23.

Trump will arrive at Ben-Gurion Airport, whence he will fly by helicopter to Jerusalem to visit the Old City and Yad Vashem, and sleep in the King David Hotel’s presidential suite. Continue Reading »

Preempting President Trump’s visit to Israel, Jordan & Egypt declare E. Jerusalem ‘capital of Palestine’

 

In anticipation to President Trump’s arrival, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan & Egypt claim to promote a peace deal at a meeting in Amman, and expressed opposition to “unilateral steps in Jerusalem,” but went on to declare east Jerusalem ‘capital of Palestine.’

By Roi Kais, Elior Levy and Moran Azulay

 

In anticipation of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia, pressure is mounting on him to start a diplomatic process and leave the American Embassy in Tel Aviv. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday told NBC’s Meet the Press that the though US Embassy would move to Jerusalem, the president wanted to know how such a move would affect the peace process. Continue Reading »

In Shadow of National Embarrassment, Hunger-Striking Barghouti makes threats from prison

 

Imprisoned Palestinian archterrorist promises to ‘continue the struggle’ calling on all Arabs to escalate civil disobedience on behalf of the hunger-strikers, until the demands of the jail terrorists’ goals against Israel are fulfilled.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Marwan Barghouti, the leader of the hunger strike in which hundreds of terrorists in Israeli prisons are currently engaged, issued a call from his prison cell for the Arabs living under the rule of the Palestinian Authority to escalate the struggle on behalf of the terrorists and threatened an increase in civil disobedience if the demands of the hunger strikers are not met. Continue Reading »

Lebanese Apartheid marks 69 years of Palestinian discrimination in every aspect of daily life

On Monday, Palestinian descendants of those who fled to Lebanon will mark 69 years of Apartheid, when 6 Arab armies couldn’t stop the creation of the State of Israel, leaving them to suffer discrimination in nearly every aspect of daily life by the hands of fellow Arabs.

By The Associated Press

 

Ahmad Dawoud recalls the day 10 years ago when a Lebanese soldier asked to search his taxi. Then 17, the Palestinian didn’t wait for the soldier to find the weapons hidden in the trunk.

He jumped from the car and fled into the nearby Palestinian refugee camp, where the Lebanese army has no authority. Continue Reading »

19 mile-long stream of Ramallah sewage from Palestinian Authority reaches Modiin Illit

 

After seeking the source of swarming mosquitoes, a 19-mile long stream of sewage-water from the Palestinian Authority town of Ramallah was discovered stretching all the way to the town of Modiin Illit in central Israel.

By Tal Polon

 

Residents of the town of Modiin Illit in central Israel have been suffering as of late from incessant attack by mosquitoes that have been swarming the area.

In recent days, a tour of the areas surrounding the town by members of the Association of Cities for the Quality of the Environment – Samaria has led to a discovery of the source of the problem – a 19-mile long pool of sewage water stretching from the Arab town of Ramallah all the way to the town. Continue Reading »

US airlift begins to arrive in Israel for President Trump’s visit to Jerusalem

 

Huge transport aircraft have begun to arrive in Israel, carrying hundreds of tons of safety equipment, electronics, and assorted vehicles etc. ahead of US President Trump’s upcoming visit.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Approximately 30 C-17 US transport aircraft will land in Israel, carrying hundreds of tons of equipment, cars, and people in preparation for US President Donald Trump’s presidential visit to Israel, Israel’s Channel 2 reported.

Presidential State Car of the United States, also known as Cadillac One or affectionately as ‘the beast’. – Photo: US Gov’t Dept. of Homeland Security

The airlift is a complex logistical operation, which includes bringing 56 vehicles, including 14 limousines, to Israel. Continue Reading »