Archive for Israel News

Israel Police’s new ‘spy balloons’ gives added security to Jerusalem residents

 

Israel’s aerial optical security technology provides police a “3rd dimension” in efforts to quell Arab rioters
• Skystar 180 aerostat can be airborne for 72-hrs, using its sensitive cameras.
• Imam of Al-Aqsa mosque: “It is practically over the houses. It violates the privacy of people”

The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

In the face of Jerusalem’s worst wave of violence in nearly a decade, Israeli police are watching from above in their attempts to keep control in the city.

The Skystar aerostat surveillance system, which the Israeli police recently started using in Jerusalem to track clashes – Photo: AP

Police have been flying surveillance balloons over the city’s eastern sector and Old City — the location of its most sensitive holy sites — to monitor protests and move in on them quickly.

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Israel accuses UN of going silent on terrorism but intolerant on building homes in Jerusalem

UN’s special rapporteur, Makarim Wibisono, hasn’t issued any statement condemning any of the terrorist attacks, even after 4 rabbis & a policeman were killed in a synagogue, but quick defending the Palestinians.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, HERB KEINON

 

Israel on Thursday accused United Nations special investigators of ignoring the deaths of innocent Israelis and singling out the Jewish state by attacking its policy of demolishing terrorist homes.

synagogue attack

A bullet hole in a door of the Jerusalem synagogue where two Palestinian terrorists killed four rabbis and a police officer, November 19, 2014. – Photo: REUTERS

In the last two months the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Makarim Wibisono, has not issued any statement condemning terror attacks that killed Israelis in recent months, including the one in the Har Nof neighborhood in which four rabbis and a policeman were killed.

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Suggested legislation requires MKs to swear loyalty to ‘Jewish State of Israel’

MK Miri Regev’s (Likud) bill that would require new Knesset members to swear allegiance to the Jewish State of Israel, will likely inspire the ire of Arab Knesset members.

By Moran Azulay

New legislation being put forth by a firebrand Likud Knesset member could force new Israeli legislators to swear loyalty to Israel as a Jewish state before they can join the Knesset ranks; a move which will likely infuriate Arab and leftist MKs.

With neither the wintery weather nor the stormy session on the ‘Jewish nationhood’ bill yet to pass, the Knesset is gearing up for another contentious debate next Sunday, when the Ministerial Committee for Legislation will discuss the proposal, by MK Miri Regev, which will put into a law the demand that parliamentarians swear allegiance to the Jewish state of Israel. Continue Reading »

IDF responds with artillery fire after IDF army jeep shot at near Gaza border

Today was 1st time since Israel’s summer ‘Operation Protective Edge’ that IDF forces opened fire on the coastal enclave.

IDF jeep’s bullet-proof window was damaged, but no one was hurt.

An Israel Defense Forces jeep patrolling the Gaza border was fired at on Thursday, prompting the army to respond with artillery fire, for the first time since the summer’s Operation Protective Edge.

IDF 155m”m self-propelled Howitzer artillery piece responds to attack. – courtesy

The jeep’s window was damaged, but no one was wounded in the incident.

The IDF Spokesman said that light arms were fired at Israeli soldiers along the border near central Gaza, and the army responded with artillery fire. Continue Reading »

Report: Israel among first nations eligible for India’s new e-visa

Business Standard reports Israel is among 43 countries in the first phase of an Indian initiative to issue paperless visas to entering tourists.

By

India phasing in Tourist Visa on Arrival program, which will eventually be open to almost all of the 180 countries which host its diplomatic mission.

Mumbai airport

Travelers walking in Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, India, March 8, 2012. – Photo: Bloomberg

Israel will be among 43 countries in the first phase of India’s new program to issue electronic visas to visitors with which it has diplomatic relations, Business Standard announced Wednesday.

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The list will be issued Thursday, as is expected to include most European Union states, as well as Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Oman, Argentina and Kazakhstan.

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Palestinian Leader Accuses Israeli ‘Beast-masters’ for Unleashing Wild Boars

 

Another fantastical accusation is the latest in a long tradition of Muslim leaders’ claim that Israel employs supernatural means to harass its enemies.

By Israel Today Staff

 

If Israel’s antagonists in the region are to be believed, the Jewish state employs all manner of bizarre and even mythical tactics against its foes. The latest, according to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, is the unleashing of wild boars upon the fields of Arab farmers.

Wild boar – Israel Today

“Every night, they [Israelis] release wild boars against us,” Abbas said during a conference in Ramallah last Friday. “Why are they doing this to us?”

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Three Religious Girls Make Aliya to Serve in IDF Combat Unit

Being a religious woman and serving in the IDF are definitely not mutually exclusive as proven by 3 ‘lone soldiers’ Pnina Abraham, Sarah Goldberg, & Pnina Sankovich who come from religious households in North America & now serve together in an Egyptian border field intelligence unit.

By Danny Brenner

 

Three young religious women from North America have come to Israel to enlist in the Israel Defence Forces and serve in combat units.

From left to right: Pnina Sankovich, Sarah Goldberg, and Pnina Abraham – Photo courtesy: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The national-religious community has long debated the issue of young women enlisting in the IDF, as opposed to signing up for civil service, though recently there has a been rise in the number of religious women enlisting to field units and combat support roles.

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Sarkozy: After synagogue massacre, ‘No’ to Palestinian recognition

Former French president in a speech to party members, objects to a Palestinian bid to attain statehood through recognition via local parliaments, citing deadly terror attacks and the lack of peace talks.

By Ynetnews, AFP

 

Former French president Nicholas Sarkozy urged members of his party to vote against a new resolution which would see France join a string of European nations in symbolically recognizing a Palestinian state.

Former French Presidetn Nicholas Sarkozy (Photo: Reuters)


Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy – Photo: Reuters

Speaking to members of his UMP part this Tuesday, Sarkozy said “I will fight for the Palestinians to have their state. But unilateral recognition a few days after a deadly attack and when there is no peace process? Continue Reading »

Israelis protest against Jerusalem’s planned water pipeline to Jordan

Government says channel, costing approximately $15.8 million less than alternative plan, is slated to pass through land of 4 Jordan Valley kibbutzim, and won’t harm their farmland.

 

About 100 Jordan Valley residents held a demonstration on Tuesday to protest a planned pipeline that would convey water from Lake Kinneret to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, claiming that the pipeline will ruin large open areas through which it is slated to pass. Israel is obligated by its bilateral peace agreement to provide water from Lake Kinneret to its neighbor.

The southern Jordan River

The southern part of the Jordan River. – Photo: Yaron Kaminsky

Opponents to the plan want the water to be sent to the Jordanians via the existing Jordan River channel, from the Degania dam to the old Naharayim electric power station, and from there to Jordan.

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Israel’s Security Minister Introduces Law to Ban ‘Rock-throwing’ Islamist Gangs from Entering Temple Mount

Minister Aharonovich advances bill in the Knesset to ban Hamas affiliated Islamist organizations that attack police and harass Jews, on Judaism’s holiest site.

By Ido Ben-Porat, Ari Yashar

 

Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich (Yisrael Beytenu) is advancing a new bill to declare the groups of Muslim extremists coordinating unrest on the Temple Mount in order to block Jewish visits as illegal gatherings.

Arab rioters at Temple Mount (file)

Arab rioters at Temple Mount (file) – Reuters

The new bill was revealed on Wednesday by Haaretz, and targets the organized gatherings of Muslim men and women in recent years on the Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, who curse and shout at Jewish visitors and assault police with rocks and fireworks. Continue Reading »

East Jerusalem Arab posed as Border Police Officer to extort Palestinians

Arrested Arab male posed as Israel Border Guard officer to ‘arrest’ Palestinians, then demanded a ransom for their ‘release.’

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

 

 

A Palestinian resident of the Al-Ram neighborhood in East Jerusalem was arrested on Tuesday on the suspicion he posed as an Israeli Border Police officer, “arrested” Palestinians, and then blackmailed them for their “release.”

Israel Police items found in possession of the suspect. (Photo: Israel Police)

Israel Police items found in possession of the suspect. – Photo courtesy : Israel Police

According to initial reports, the Palestinian man, around the age of 40, had an Israeli police uniform identified with officer tags, a military vest, a radio, and a report pad for issuing fines. Continue Reading »

Israeli & Palestinian dance troupes to ‘pirouette’ together in Ireland

After many failed attempts to dance together, both Israeli & Palestinian dance troupes will seek to make a change through ballet in Ireland.

By i24news

 

 

Only a few dozen meters separate two dance troupes, a Palestinian one from the West Bank town of Beit Jala and the other from the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, who have attempted to meet with each other on a number of occasions, but have been unsuccessful as yet.

Members of the Beit Jala swing dancing group ( YouTube )

Members of the Beit Jala swing dancing group – YouTube screenshot

After being in touch via Facebook and a number of failed attempts to meet in person in Tel Aviv, the troupes will finally be able to dance together when they travel to Ireland for a dance festival, according to Israeli daily Ha’aretz. Continue Reading »

Palestinian Muslims Regularly Attack Jerusalem Church

Staff of Living Bread International Church are subjected to constant vandalism, thief, intimidation & even physical attacks after church refused to sell & leave East Jerusalem.

By Israel Today Staff

 

A church in the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Musrara has for months been facing regular attacks by local Arab Muslims over its refusal to sell the property and move out.

Living Bread International Church in Jerusalem

Living Bread International Church has ministry centers in Jerusalem, Gaza and Jericho. It has a 20-year lease on the Jerusalem location, but was recently told by a gang of Arab residents that it must vacate the premises, which is situated near the Old City. Continue Reading »

Using nanotechnology Israeli company recharges mobile phones in half-minute

 

Israeli company projects by 2016, it will be ready to market a slim cellphone battery that can be recharged in just 30 seconds.

• The Tel Aviv-based StoreDot reports its technology  is also applicable for electric car batteries.

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

 

An Israeli company says it has developed technology that can charge a mobile phone in a few seconds and an electric car in minutes, advances that could transform two of the world’s most dynamic consumer industries.

Charging ahead: A lab worker shows the prototype at the StoreDot headquarters in Tel Aviv – Photo: Reuters

Using nanotechnology to synthesize artificial molecules, Tel Aviv-based StoreDot says it has developed a battery that can store a much higher charge more quickly, in effect acting like a super-dense sponge to soak up power and retain it.

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Vote on Palestine recognition by EU Parliament postponed

The postponement is due in part to Germany’s opposition to recognizing a Palestinian state prior to peace with Israel.

By HERB KEINON

 

A vote by the European Parliament in Strasbourg over whether to recognize a Palestinian state was postponed Tuesday from later this week to mid-December.

eu flag (european union)

EU flags – Photo: REUTERS

Israeli diplomatic officials said the move was pushed off from Thursday for three reasons: difficulties have emerged between the various parties regarding the language of the resolution; opposition by some members of the various parties – especially from Germany – to the resolution; and intensive work by Israeli diplomats in Brussels to postpone the vote, hoping to gain more time to change minds.

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