Archive for Israel News

Check out IDF’s Golani reconnaissance battalion practicing on the ‘Namer’ APC

IDF incorporates hi-tech in the Namer APC, with grenade launchers & guns operated from inside, an ability to charge the battlefield and smashes through walls, and the famed Trophy anti-missile protective system.

By Yoav Zitun

 

A confrontation between the IDF and the Hezbollah terror group in 2018 will significantly differ from that fought in 2006, and the nature of the preparations will also be dramatically affected. One of the factors the IDF is most unsure about is the condition of Hezbollah within Lebanon.

IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Gadi Eizenkot – Wikimedia

The morale of the Shi’ite militia, which the IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Gadi Eizenkot called Israel’s number one enemy, is at an historic low point. Continue Reading »

Abbas hysterically phoning world leaders, PA envoy seeks emergency Arab League session

After a number of US media outlets reported President Trump was going to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday, the Palestinian despot scurried to call EU and Arab leaders to discuss “necessary steps regarding this irresponsible American measure.”

By ADAM RASGON

 

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki on Sunday asked the heads of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to host emergency meetings over US President Donald Trump possibly recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Over the weekend, a number of US media outlets reported that Trump is going to deliver a speech on Wednesday, in which he will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Continue Reading »

Russian official tells Lebanese TV: Israel used Jericho missile to strike Iranian base

Russian officials tell Hezbollah affiliated Al Mayadeen TV in Lebanon, that for the first time, Israel fired Jericho I surface-to-surface missiles on an Iranian base in Syria.

By Roi Kais

 

Israel reportedly launched Jericho I surface-to-surface missiles for the first time in its alleged attack on an Iranian base in Syria, Russian officials told Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen, which is affiliated with Hezbollah.

Jericho MD620 – Photo: Wikimedia Hebrew

Al Mayadeen reported that two Jericho I missiles were launched, with one of them intercepted by the Russian aerial defense system Pantsir-S1, which was deployed to Syria to protect Russian military personnel in the war-torn country.According Continue Reading »

Hamas threatens ‘intifada’ should Trump recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

Hamas threatens terror & mass murder of Jews if President Trump goes through with plans to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State.

By AFP, Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Hamas called Saturday for a new “intifada” if Washington recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or moves its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“We warn against such a move and call on the Palestinian people to revive the intifada if these unjust decisions on Jerusalem are adopted,” Hamas said in a statement.

Yahya Sinwar (L) the new Hamas leader in Gaza and Hamas chief, Ismaïl Haniyeh (R) – Photo: AFP/Archives

Any decision to move its embassy there would be “a flagrant attack on the city by the American administration” and give Israel “a cover for continuing its crime of Judaizing the city and emptying it of Palestinians,” it said. Continue Reading »

PLO Chief: ‘Recognition of Jerusalem as ‘Israel’s Capital’ is playing with fire’

Luckily, Saeb Erekat, Executive Secretary of the PLO is well known for his pompous bravado, scores of empty threats, and his absolutely false statements, so his criticism of possible Trump plans is inconsequential.

By Elad Benari

 

Palestinian Arab officials on Friday criticized reports that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Saeb Erekat, Executive Secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said, “Any American recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will bring about the end of the Jerusalem issue. This issue is weighty and dealing with it is playing with fire.”

RELATED:

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said that any just solution in the Middle East required recognition of east Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestinian state. Continue Reading »

Arab News Report: Israeli aircraft struck Iranian military base near Damascus

Syrian and Lebanese Arab media sources report loud explosions as Israeli Air Force jets attacked a suspected Iranian base near Damascus.
– Assad regime retaliates with 3 of 5 anti-aircraft missiles reportedly downed by Israel.
– Lebanese paper reports Israeli jets conducted dummy raids over Lebanon.

By Roi Kais

 

Arab media outlets reported Saturday Israel attacked an Iranian base near the town of al-Kiswah, 15 kilometers southwest of Syrian capital Damascus. Arab-language Sky News reported that Israeli fighter jets launched air-to-surface missiles from Lebanese airspace at the compound.

Syrian state television corroborated the report, saying Israeli missiles struck a military position near Damascus overnight and Syria’s air defense system thwarted them. Continue Reading »

International Criminal Court Prosecutor: ‘Gaza flotilla deaths will not be investigated’

Fatou Bensouda, the chief prosecutor at the Int’l Criminal Court stands by her previous decision, and declines newest motion, this time by the island-nation of Comoros, to investigate the 2010 IDF raid on the Mavi Marmara, whose aim was to breach Israel’s legal blockage on Gaza, a recognized Palestinian terrorist enclave.
• Bensouda: Case not serious enough to merit ICC probe.

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said Thursday she is standing by her previous decision not to open a full-scale investigation into a raid by Israeli naval commandos on a flotilla that in 2010 attempted to breach the maritime blockade Israel has placed on the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

Under threat of cancelation, Giro d’Italia removes ‘West Jerusalem’ designation

After Israeli Ministers threatened to drop out of hosting the professional cycling race in Israel, organizers of Giro d’Italia remove mentions of ‘West Jerusalem’ from its website, changing it to just ‘Jerusalem’, capital of Israel.
– Ministers Regev and Levin say they are relieved.

By The Associated Press

 

Israeli officials on Thursday declared victory in a battle over semantics surrounding the upcoming Giro d’Italia, saying it had persuaded the cycling event to remove any reference to “West Jerusalem” from their website.

The Giro, one of cycling’s three major races, will open in Israel next May, with the first day set to take place in Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

Guard of 13 yr-old Israeli hikers shoots Palestinian dead after group pelted by rock-throwers

Three boys and a father sustained injuries when a large number of Palestinians surrounded the group of children on a bar mitzvah hike in Samaria; pelting them with rocks, causing a guard to protect the children by opening fire.

By Efrat Forsher, Daniel Siryoti, Lilach Shoval and Israel Hayom Staff

 

A Jewish hiker shot and killed a Palestinian in a grave incident on Thursday, as the shooter accompanied a group of children on a hike in Samaria marking one of the hikers’ bar mitzvah celebration.

A large number of Palestinians surrounded the group of hikers, approaching them and throwing rocks. Continue Reading »

IDF Fighter Jets retaliate fiercely after Gaza terrorists launch salvo of mortars on Israel

IDF Spokesperson’s unit reports IAF responding for the 2nd time, after IDF tanks & jets fired on 4 terrorist positions in Gaza earlier in the day, when Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired their first salvo of about 12 mortar shells towards an IDF outpost earlier in the afternoon.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM

 

Israel Defense Forces fired on two terrorist positions in the central Gaza Strip with Israel Air Force fighter jets on Thursday in response to mortar fire, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s unit.

Earlier in the day, IDF tanks and aircraft fired towards four positions in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian Islamic Jihad fired about 12 mortar shells towards an army outpost earlier in the afternoon. Continue Reading »

Sour Grapes: Arab Knesset Member laments UN’s celebration of Israel’s independence

Israeli Arab parliamentarian, MK Ahmad Tibi exploits platform at the UN to censure Israel for celebrating the 1947 Partition Plan that subsequently led to its independence.

By Itamar Eichner

 

MK Ahmad Tibi (Joint List) attacked Israel and a UN-held celebration of the 1947 Partition Plan vote which led to Israel’s Declaration of Independence, saying it is hypocritical of the state to celebrate such an event while denying Palestinians independence.

Speaking at a United Nations convention held in observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Tibi panned Israel for what he says are discriminatory acts.

MK Ahmad Tibi (Joint List) attacks Israel at the UN Nov.29, 2017 – Ynet

“Instead of working for equality, peace and acceptance of the other, the Israeli government promotes the Nationality Bill that speaks of self-determination only for Jews and establishes communities without Arabs,” said Tibi, adding that “the Joint List is working together with democratic Jews against the flood of these laws in order to bring about a better life.” Continue Reading »

REPORT: US to follow Russia to become 2nd country recognizing Jerusalem as Capital

Just a day before Israel’s TV News reported the White House may formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital early next week, U.S. Vice President Pence said that President Trump was ”actively considering” relocating the embassy to Jerusalem.

By HERB KEINON

 

US President Donald Trump may formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital early next week and direct his staff to prepare for moving the embassy to Jerusalem, Channel 2 News reported Wednesday night.

VP Pence with President Trump. – Screen Shot: White House/YouTube

The report, to which there was no immediate confirmation, followed a speech US Vice President Mike Pence gave a day earlier in which he said that Trump was “actively considering” the step. Continue Reading »

‘John Kerry has acrimonious obsession with Israel, antipathy towards Netanyahu’

After the former Secretary of State gave a skewed interview with AP, saturated with misrepresentations of Binyamin Netanyhau, Israel’s Ambassador to the US during the Obama days, MK Michael Oren, spotlighted John Kerry’s unhealthy, ‘obsessive’ anti-Israel bias and antipathy towards the Jewish State’s Prime Minister.

By David Rosenberg

 

Former Israeli Ambassador to the US and current Kulanu MK Michael Oren made a rare public jab at a senior Obama administration official on Wednesday, accusing former Secretary of State and the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry of harboring an ‘obsessive’ anti-Israel bias and antipathy towards the country’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyhau. Continue Reading »

Palestinians Feuding With Saudis For Exposing Revisionist History Over Jerusalem

Palestinians furious with Saudi Arabia for downplaying ‘Importance of Jerusalem’ by contradicting the long told revisionist stories that the Palestinians invented to elevate their relevancy in the Holy Land.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Proponents of the Palestinian cause have tried to inflate the position of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount in Islam, and thereby paint Israel’s sovereignty in this city as an affront to their religion.

But, a couple years ago, renowned Egyptian scholar and novelist Youssef Ziedan acknowledged in a series of television interviews that Jerusalem holds no religious significance for Muslims.

Today, it is common to hear that Jerusalem is Islam’s third holiest city, being the location of the “Al Aqsa Mosque” referred to the in the Koran. Continue Reading »

Israel bars pro-Hamas Swiss diplomats from entering Gaza

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman subsequently issued the ban having been informed by IDF Maj-Gen Yoav Mordechai of a set of meetings that occurred between Swiss representatives and the Gaza-based terrorist group leaders, Ismail Haniyeh & Yahya Sinwar.

By i24NEWS

 

Swiss officials have been reportedly banned from entering the Gaza Strip by Israel from via territory, following a set of meetings that apparently occurred between representatives from the country and Gaza-based Hamas group leaders, The Times of Israel reported on Wednesday.

The matter was brought to the attention of Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman who subsequently issued the ban having been informed by Israel Defence Forces’ Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Yoav Mordechai, reported Hadashot on Tuesday. Continue Reading »