Archive for Israel News

Trump interview: Peace may “come about much sooner than anybody has ever projected.”

 

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an exclusive interview with Israel Hayom, “I love the people of Israel, I am working very hard to finally have peace for Israel and the Palestinians”
• Trump admitted he hasn’t yet ruled out visiting the Western Wall with PM Netanyahu.

By Boaz Bismuth

 

U.S. President Donald Trump has not yet decided who will accompany him to the Western Wall during his upcoming visit to Israel, but he told Israel Hayom in an exclusive interview Thursday: “We have great respect and friendship for [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.”

Israel Hayom Editor-in-Chief Boaz Bismuth and U.S.

Continue Reading »

Israeli Minister protests US map of Israel in White House video, now deleted

 

Coincidence?
White House video displaying map of Israel omitting the West Bank and Golan Heights went missing from official White House YouTube account shortly after receiving angry response from Israel’s Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, saying, ‘I hope this is just ignorance and not policy.’

By Moran Azulay

 

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi) voiced her disapproval Friday of a map of Israel recently circulated by the White House ahead of President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit which failed to include the West Bank and the Golan Heights. “I hope this is just ignorance and not policy,” Shaked said.

Israel’s Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked

Speaking at an event in Ramat Gan, Shaked reminded her audience that her party was given a mandate to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. Continue Reading »

Unbeknownst to his gov’t Danish FM transfers $8.3 million to anti-Israel groups

 

PM Netanyahu urges Danish Foreign Minister who is currently in Israel to stop funding radical Palestinian groups that incite, impede peace.
• Watchdog group: “Danish Members of Parliament should debate whether Danish taxpayers should transfer their hard-earned money to organizations that incite violence, glorify terror, and promote blatant anti-Semitism and BDS.”

By Israel Hayom

 

Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen is scheduled to hold a series of meetings in Ramallah on Thursday, where, according to official documents issued by the Danish government, he will announce an additional 30 million shekels ($8.3 million) in Danish funding for an organization that in turn funds a string of anti-Israel groups.
Continue Reading »

US media aggrandizes ‘leaked Israeli secret’ but Netanyahu’s gov’t seems unencumbered

 

When media relies on anonymous sources with a shared partisan agenda to sabotage elected gov’t, chaos thrives leaving more questions than answers.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

 

The initial report came in The Washington Post on May 15, with explosive claims that “according to current and former US officials,” Trump had disclosed intelligence that “jeopardized a critical source.” The New York Times quoted “current and former American government official[s]” as well, perhaps the same ones. “Trump discussed contents of the intelligence, not the sources and methods.”

Then Israel entered the picture this Tuesday. “According to current and a former American official…, the classified intelligence that President Trump disclosed in a meeting last week with Russian officials at the White House was provided by Israel,” wrote the Times. Continue Reading »

Palestinian stone thrower killed, photographer wounded in attempted ‘lynch’

In 2nd incident within 24hrs when Israeli shot at Palestinian stone throwers…

Having used an ambulance to block their path and feeling their lives were in danger when mob of Palestinians pelted their car with stones, husband kills one, and injured news photographer already at the scene.
– Wife of the shooter says frenzied mob encircled their car and tried to drag them out.

By Elisha Ben Kimon, Elior Levy, Yoav Zitun

 

A Palestinian man was killed on Thursday after an Israeli settler opened fire on a group of some 200 Palestinian rioters who were hurling rocks and stones at passing vehicles near Huwara in the West Bank. Continue Reading »

President Trump drops visit to Ramallah, will meet Abbas in Bethlehem

 

According to a Trump administration official, a meeting in Ramallah would be making a statement that could be interpreted in undesirable ways, so the PA autocrat will be met in Bethlehem instead.

By Nitzan Keidar

 

An official in the Trump administration told Arutz Sheva today that US President Donald Trump is not interested in visiting Ramallah during his upcoming visit to Israel.

According to the official, a meeting in Ramallah would be making a statement, and the President’s advisers have recommended against any statement that could be interpreted in undesirable ways.

Israel’s PM Netanyahu, U.S. President Trump, PA autocrat Abbas

Trump’s staff responsible for coordinating his trip agreed with the PA that the President would instead meet with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Bethlehem. Continue Reading »

US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, ‘Western Wall is part of Israel’

 

After unnamed U.S. diplomat questioned Israel’s claim to the Western Wall, Nikki Haley said, “I’m not real sure what happened with that issue, but I know they’re trying to fix that. … We’ve always thought the Western Wall was part of Israel.”

By Shlomo Cesana, Yori Yalon, Eli Leon, News Agencies & Israel Hayom Staff

 

The Western Wall is part of Israel and the U.S. Embassy should be moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Tuesday in an interview with CBN News, ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to Israel next week. Continue Reading »

IDF general: Latest Merkava Mark IV tank & Eitan APC will ensure superiority on battlefield

 

Both the Merkava MK4 Barack and  Eitan APC are designed with dozens of sensors to identify the enemy, and advanced defense systems such as the Trophy active protection system.
– Watch video clip.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM

 

The Armored Corps will soon have cutting-edge vehicles capable of winning decisive victories, Brig.- Gen. Baruch Matzliach, head of the Merkava Tank Directorate, said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the Second International Ground Warfare and Logistics Conference at Latrun, west of Jerusalem, Matzliach said that Armored Corps combat teams will soon have a range of integrated vehicles, including the Merkava MK4 “Barack” (or Lightning) main battle tank that is currently being developed. Continue Reading »

Air Force One, Black Hawks and C-17s transports headed to Ben-Gurion Int’l Airport

 

Ben-Gurion Int’l Airport is preparing for the US president on Monday with 40 transport planes scheduled to arrive Thursday carrying Black Hawk helicopters and a limousine nicknamed, ‘The Beast.’

By Itay Blumental

 

The Israel Airports Authority and the Defense Ministry are preparing for a reception for Donald Trump on Monday, when two Air Force One planes will be landing at Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Air Force One at Ben Gurion Airport – Facebook

An American convoy in charge of the airport ceremony arrived at the airport on Wednesday morning, and on Thursday afternoon, some 40 US Army transport planes are expected to arrive. Continue Reading »

Having presented his credentials, Ambassador Friedman gets to work

 

David Friedman, the new US Ambassador to Israel, speaks about Donald Trump’s position on the Western Wall, Jonathan Pollard, and the eventual relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

In an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman spoke about the Trump administration’s stance on moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“I know that US President Donald Trump is speaking with all relevant parties on the matter before he makes his final decision,” Friedman said. “This is his decision and I will let him speak for himself, when he deems the time right.” Continue Reading »

100 Holocaust survivors beseech NY governor to prevent Linda Sarsour’s CUNY speech

 

“What Linda Sarsour advocates for – boycotts against Jewish businesses in Israel and random acts of violence against the innocent – are no different than the things that we personally experienced,” the survivors wrote in their letter.

By DANIELLE ZIRI

 

NEW YORK – A group of about 100 Holocaust survivors wrote a letter to New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo asking him to stop anti-Israel activist Linda Sarsour from speaking at a City University of New York graduation next month.

Despite a public outcry and strong opposition from Jewish leaders, CUNY has chosen to maintain its invitation for Sarsour to speak to graduates of its School of Public Health and Health Policy, scheduled for June 1. Continue Reading »

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.

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 »