Israel News

WATCH: Israel’s ‘Nuke-Capable’ Stealth Submarine Sail Home

The Israeli Navy’s 4th & most sophisticated Dolphin-class submarine, the INS Tanin– is en route to Haifa from Germany.

By Gil Ronen

The INS Tanin, Israel’s fourth and most advanced Dolphin class submarine – is en route to Israel from Germany, and the Navy has released video of the vessel and the ceremony in which it was launched at Germany’s Kiel shipyards at week’s end.

Reports claim Israel has modified the Dolphin’s 650mm launch tubes to allow the launch of missiles that could carry nuclear warheads. Such missiles should give Israel the ability to deter belligerent neighbors like Iran, if it delivers a sufficiently convincing threat to make use of them. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Dolphin, Israel Navy, submarine

By Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein

One comment

In rebuttal to Archbishop Tutu: Focusing on Israel to blame won’t bring peace

You missed the point: The Arab-Israeli conflict isn’t just a struggle for liberation, it’s for survival. It’s not apartheid-era South Africa redux, which is why your boycott ‘cure’ isn’t and won’t work.

Dear Archbishop Tutu,

Recently, you addressed the people of Israel in Haaretz (“My plea to the people of Israel: Liberate yourselves by liberating Palestine”) explaining why the methods of boycott and divestment used in South Africa should be applied to the situation in Israel-Palestine. You offered your own impressive personal testimony, grounded in your substantial contribution in the fields of religion, peacemaking, society building and more – to validate the growing movement aimed at isolating Israel in the international community.

Category: Israel News | Tags: BDS, Desmond Tutu, Gaza, Israel Palestine, Palestinians

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Washington Wants Jerusalem to Reverse its Land Decision

U. S. Ambassador Power says the U.S. is ‘deeply concerned by the reports of Israel’s expanded settlement activity over the last few days.’

By Gil Ronen

The United States’ UN Ambassador, Samantha Power, said Wednesday that Washington is “deeply concerned” by Israel’s decision to turn 4,000 dunams of land in the Etzion Bloc region into state land.

The United States’ UN Ambassador, Samantha Power – Screenshot

The US “position on settlement activity is very well known,” she told reporters. “We have long made clear our opposition to settlement activity. We’re deeply concerned by the reports of expanded settlement activity over the last few days, and we call on the Government of Israel to reverse its decision. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: housing, Jewish construction, Samantha Power, UNSC

Fatah: Palestinians are ready to charge Israel in The Hague

Fatah official says PA president Abbas is presenting his diplomatic plan to the international community and applying for International Criminal Court membership.

The U.S. is apparently not on board.

By i24news

The Palestinians are ready to go ahead and apply for International Criminal Court membership and take Israel to the court, Senior Fatah official Mohammed Ashtiya declared Thursday, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) shakes hands with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas during their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on July 23, 2014 – Photo: Pool/AFP

“The indictment against Israel at the International Criminal Court and all the accompanying documents are ready,” Ashtiya, a Fatah Central Committee member, said at a press conference in Ramallah. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Fatah, ICC, war crimes

French Lawmaker Blasts His Foreign Minister for Improper Stance on Israel

French MP condemns Western leaders for not recognizing Israel’s crucial position in the world’s battle against Islamic extremism

By Yossi Aloni

In a sharply-worded letter sent late last month, French parliamentarian Meyer Habib (pictured) slammed French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius for accusing Israel of war crimes in Gaza, even as his boss, President Francois Hollande, struck a far different tone.

French parliamentarian Meyer Habib

Habib noted in his letter that early in the Gaza war the French government “fully identified with Israel and its right to defend its citizens. …We prevented a number of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic demonstrations…in order to change France’s position in regards to Israel.”

Category: Israel News, The Diaspora | Tags: anti-Israel, France, Islam

Former Balad MK faces year jail time over visit to enemy agent in Syria 2007

Said Nafa, 61, sentenced to a year in prison for visiting an enemy state & meeting with a foreign enemy agent.

• In 2007, Nafa made an unapproved trip to Syria where he met with Talal Naji, the deputy secretary-general of the PFLP-GC terrorist group.

By Danny Brenner and Israel Hayom Staff

Former Balad MK Said Nafa was sentenced on Thursday by the Nazareth District Court to one year in prison after being convicted in April for visiting an enemy state and contacting a foreign agent.

Former Balad MK Said Nafa – Photo: Dudi Vaaknin

In 2007, Nafa visited Syria, even though the Interior Ministry had not approved the trip.

Category: Israel News | Tags: District Court

Parents of 4 yr-old killed by Gaza mortar condemns UN hypocrisy in letter to Ban Ki-moon

Tragerman family pens passionate plea to Ban to address Hamas war crimes, against it’s own people, (not just against Israel), after having hypocritically and immorally announced that a UN committee would investigate only “Israeli crimes” during Israel’s defensive Operation Protective Edge.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Gila and Doron Tragerman, who lost their 4-year-old son Daniel in a mortar strike from the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge, have called on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to speak out against Hamas’s crimes.

Daniel Tregerman ז”ל, the four-year-old boy who was killed by a mortar which struck a kibbutz near the Gaza frontier. – Photo from: TWITTER

In a letter sent to the UN chief on Thursday, Gila Tragerman describes the death of their son and the experience of living under constant rocket threat in recent years at their home in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Ban Ki-moon, Operation Protective Edge, UN

Jerusalem’s Mayor approves major construction plan for Arab neighborhood

Mayor Barkat overcomes years of opposition from right-wing, Haredi forces and gets approval for the construction of 2200 new homes.

By Nir Hasson

The Jerusalem Local Building and Planning Committee on Wednesday approved a large construction plan for an Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem over the objections of right-wing city councilors. The plan for the Arav al-Swahara neighborhood extends over 1,500 dunams (375 acres) and calls for building 2,200 homes.

East Jerusalem, a general view. September 23, 2014. – Photo: Michal Fattal

Although Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Deputy Mayor Koby Kahlon, who chairs the building and planning committee, had been trying to get this plan passed for several years, it was repeatedly blocked by right-wing activists in conjunction with Haredi city councilmen.

Category: Israel News | Tags: East Jerusalem, Israeli Arab, Jerusalem, new construction

Allowed for Publication: New Details Released in Teens’ Murder

As mastermind of kidnapping & murder of Israel’s three Jewish teens is indicted, security forces release additional details of the attack not previously made public.

By Kobi Finkler

An indictment was submitted today (Thursday) against the mastermind of the kidnap and murder of Israeli teenagers Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha’ar and Naftali Frenkel, as more details emerge about the circumstances of their abduction.

With the completion of the interrogation of the suspects, several new pieces of information have been released for publication.

One month after the abduction, on July 11, a joint arrest operation between the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the police nabbed Hussam Hassan Kawasmeh, who owned the plot of land in which the murdered teens’ bodies were discovered, after they were murdered and hastily buried there by their kidnappers: Marwan Kawasmeh and Amar Abu-Eishah – who are both still on the run. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hamas terrorist, IDF, kidnapping, shabak

PMO orders removal of unauthorized, temporary bridge to Temple Mount’s Mughrabi Gate

On August 6, PM Binyamin Netanyahu made it clear at a press conference that Israel had no intention of altering the status quo on the Temple Mount.

By HERB KEINON

The Prime Minister’s Office ordered the dismantling of a foot bridge under construction from the Western Wall Plaza to the Temple Mount to supplement the Mughrabi Bridge, government officials confirmed Wednesday.

Mughrabi Gate. – Photo:MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST

The officials said that the move came at the request of the Jordanian government. According to the officials, the PMO has ultimate jurisdiction – because of the sensitivity of the area – for the site. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: Israel Jordan, Mughrabi Gate, PMO, Temple Mount, Western Wall

WATCH: Israel presents evidence of Hamas rocket fire from Gaza schools

Evidence provided by IDF includes details of ranges & number of rockets fired by Islamic Jihad and Hamas, photos displaying how rocket launchers were hidden in graveyards and a school playground.

By Reuters

The Israeli military has provided its most detailed assessment yet of the conduct and impact of the Gaza war, including photographs indicating that militants stored and fired rockets from schools and a breakdown of the toll inflicted on Hamas.

Hamas Rockets

In a briefing at its HQ in Tel Aviv, the Israel Defense Forces presented a minute picture of the structure and capability of Hamas and other militant groups operating in Gaza, an effort to explain the severity of the threat Israel faced and justify Israel’s heavy tank shelling and air strikes during the 50-day conflict – tactics that drew international criticism. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Operation Protective Edge, war crimes

Archaeologists in Israel: Ancient Israelites imported lead coffins from Lebanon

A forgotten lead ornamental fragment stashed away in a kibbutz library turns out to be identical with metal coffins found in Tyre.

By Ran Shapira

For decades, a fragment from an ancient lead coffin lay stashed away in the basement of a kibbutz library. But a few months ago, a librarian came across it and showed it to researchers from the Kinneret Institute for Galilean Archaeology – who realized that they had a rare find. The fragment of coffin found in the cellar of Kibbutz Gesher Haziv was absolutely identical to one found about a century earlier in the Lebanese city of Tyre.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gesher HaZiv, Israel archaeology, Israelites

IDF Investigating Northern Border for Hezbollah Terror Tunnels

Report: Reservists say IDF ordered search for possible terror tunnels along Israeli-Lebanese border, despite repeated reassurances that no such threat exists.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

The Chief of the Northern Command, Major General Yair Golan, met last month with the mayors of communities near Lebanon and addressed concerns from residents that Hezbollah is actively digging tunnels toward Israel.

Hamas tunnel – IDF Spokesman

Golan said that the IDF is prepared to deal with any attempt to act against the inhabitants of the region, including against Hezbollah. However, no security protocols have been enacted yet to actively combat the problem. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hezbollah, IDF, lebanon border, Terror tunnels

israelandstuffcom | September 3, 2014