Israel News

Turkey’s Erdogan spews more hate: Israel “surpassed Hitler in barbarism”

Joining Turkey, another of Israel’s foes, Venezuela condemns Israeli ‘genocide’ & ‘extermination’ in Gaza, in latest round of int’l condemnations.

By Reuters

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel on Saturday of having “surpassed Hitler in barbarism” through its attacks on Gaza, but warned Turks against taking out their anger on the country’s Jewish community.

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan – screenshot

Erdogan continued to ratchet up his rhetoric against the Jewish State over its offensive, threatening to further harm to already badly frayed relations between the two countries, once regional allies.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s socialist government condemned Israeli strikes in Gaza on Saturday as a policy of genocide that could not be justified as like-for-like warfare. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, The Diaspora | Tags: anti-Israel Propaganda, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Venezuela

israelandstuffcom | July 20, 2014

Gaza terrorists’ explosives-laden donkey blows up in attempt to kill IDF soldiers

Israel expresses regret over “shocking” incident, condemning Gaza’s terrorists for strapping the explosive devices to an animal in order to kill IDF soldiers.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Terrorists in Gaza attempted to attack IDF soldiers with an explosives-laden donkey on Friday, the military said.

Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza – Photo: REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

IDF forces operating in the Rafah area near the Gaza-Egypt border located the donkey suspiciously approaching their position and were forced to open fire at it, causing the explosives to detonate.

No injuries were sustained to the soldiers.

The military expressed its regret over the “shocking” incident, and condemned terrorists in Gaza for strapping bombastic devices to innocent animals as a means of attacking Israeli forces.

Category: Israel News | Tags: donkey, explosive, Operation Protective Edge

Tel Aviv Municipality drafts legislation to allow groceries open on Shabbat

City Municipality proposes handing out 2-year permits to businesses that ask to be open on Shabbat. Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Assaf Zamir says, “We will not stop until we know we exhausted all possible avenues to preserve the city’s character as an open, liberal city.”

By Yehuda Shlezinger and Yori Yalon

The Tel Aviv Municipality has introduced a new proposal to allow grocers and supermarkets in Tel Aviv to remain open on Shabbat, after their original bylaw was rejected by Interior Minister Gideon Sa’ar in June.

A supermarket in Tel Aviv – Photo: Gideon Marcowicz

“The proposal is part of city’s fundamental stance on preserving the character of Shabbat in the city, providing necessary services to residents as had been done for years.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Shabbat, Shabbat business, Tel Aviv

2 IDF soldiers killed in ambush by Hamas tunnel infiltrators

Sgt. Adar Barsano, 20, of Nahariya and Maj. Amotz Greenberg, 45, of Hod HaSharon were killed and two other soldiers were injured, when Hamas terrorists entered Israel through a smuggling tunnel.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN

Two soldiers, including a senior officer, were killed when they engaged a Hamas terrorist squad that entered Israel through a smuggling tunnel from the central Gaza Strip Saturday morning.

Major Amotz Greenberg (res.), 45, and Sergeant Adar Bersano, 20, killed by Gaza militants on July 19, 2014.

The two soldiers were named as Sgt. Adar Barsano, 20, of Nahariya and Maj. Amotz Greenberg, 45, of Hod HaSharon. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF, Operation Protective Edge, terror tunnel

Survey: Israelis’ confidence in Obama is higher than ever before

Latest Pew Research survey shows Israel as resolutely pro-U.S. & very supportive of its use of drones & surveillance, in the fight against terrorists.

By Chemi Shalev

The fact that Israelis are one of the most staunchly pro-American people in the world is not new. But that their confidence in Barack Obama’s ability to handle world affairs climbed dramatically in 2014 to reach an all-time high? That will surely surprise and confound both supporters and detractors of the U.S. president.

U.S. President Barack Obama, Washington, December 7, 2013. – Photo: AP

Nonetheless, these are some of the findings included a new poll on global attitudes released this week by the Pew Research Institute.

Category: Israel News, The Diaspora | Tags: Barack Obama, Israel US, Pew survey, poll

IDF Destroys 260 Terror Targets in Gaza Since Ground Operation Began

Among the terror targets hit were governance infrastructure, weapons production & storage sites, tunnels & 21 terrorists have been captured.

By Elad Benari, Canada

Since the ground operation in Gaza began, the IDF has attacked 260 terror targets, according to updated statistics released by the IDF Spokesperson on Friday night.

Among the targets that were hit are leadership and governance infrastructure, weapons production and storage sites, tunnels and homes of senior Hamas officials.

So far, according to the IDF, 22 entrances to terror tunnels have been uncovered. The tunnels are used for both smuggling of weapons as well as for combat purposes. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gaza, IDF, Operation Protective Edge

1 IDF Soldier Killed, 15 Terrorists killed, 103 terror targets eliminated, 20 buried launchers destroyed

IDF released summary of Operation Protective Edge’s ground offensive.

The IDF soldier killed overnight in the Gaza operation is identified as Staff Sgt. Eitan Barak ז”ל) 20), from Herzliya.

View IDF Video of IDF’s entrance into Gaza.

By Kobi Finkler, Tova Dvorin and Dalit Halevi

The IDF has released a summary of the last eight hours of Operation Protective Edge’s ground offensive in Gaza on Friday morning, after tens of thousands of soldiers were called up to enter Gaza and destroy Hamas’s arsenals and terror tunnels.

Entering Gaza – IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The IDF eliminated 15 terrorists overnight; 103 terror targets were eliminated, including 20 buried launchers.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Eitan Barak, Gaza, IDF, Operation Protective Edge

Israel’s IDF cyber-defense unit hacks Hamas’ websites as military units enter Gaza

Hamas’ official website, along with other Gaza terror sites displays error messages instead of strategic information, due to IDF hacking.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

In the past, soldiers fought only by land, sea or air. On Thursday, however, Israel fought Hamas on the cyber frontier as well.

Screenshot of hacked Hamas website. July 17, 2014. – Photo: screenshot

Around the same time that IDF ground troops entered Gaza Thursday night, Israeli hackers took down a number of prominent Hamas and Islamic Jihad sites. The sites either crashed or showed error messages. The sites included Hamas’ official website, Qudstv.ps, along with Felesteen.ps Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: hamas, IDF cyber-defense, Internet, Operation Protective Edge

Syria Fires on Israel but Rocket Falls Short, Landing in Syrian Territory

Alert Siren sounds on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights warning it’s Druze villages, but rocket falls short of Israeli territory.

By Elad Benari

Sirens were heard on Thursday evening in the northern Golan Heights, near the border with Syria.

A rocket was fired from Syria but, according to the IDF Spokesperson, it exploded on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights and did not hit Israeli territory.

At the beginning of the week, a mortar shell from Syria was fired towards the Israeli side of the Golan Heights and exploded near the Druze village of Mas’ade.

The mortar shell exploded in an open area, causing no physical injuries or damages. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Golan Heights, Syrian missiles

Rocket cache found inside United Nations’ Gaza school

Israel repeatedly claimed that Hamas is exploiting mosques, schools, hospitals & private homes for stockpiling weaponry.

The relief agency UNRWA, condemned the storing of rockets, which arose during a routine inspection at a Gaza school.

By i24news

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) disclosed Thursday in a statement that they have located a cache of twenty rockets in a school operated by the agency.

Israeli forces bomb a school run by the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip. On 17 January 2009, – Photo: Iyad El-Baba / UNRWA

The weapons were found “in the course of the regular inspection of its premise,” the statement detailed, “in a vacant school.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: UNRWA, weapons cache

Israel’s PM Netanyahu’s complete statement on the IDF ground operation in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says operation launched to destroy Hamas’ underground terror tunnels leading into Israeli territory.

By Haaretz

The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement on the ground incursion that was launched Thursday night in the Gaza Strip:

Netanyahu addressing the Knesset April 24, 2013.

Netanyahu addressing the Knesset – Photo: Emil Salman

“The prime minister and the defense minister have ordered the IDF to begin a ground operation in order to damage the underground terror tunnels constructed in Gaza leading into Israeli territory.

“Such a tunnel was used earlier this morning by Hamas terrorists to enter Israeli territory, with intent to case massive harm to Israeli civilians. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gaza, Operation Protective Edge

israelandstuffcom | July 17, 2014

430 French Jews just moved to Israel despite rocket fire from Gaza

Natan Sharansky, head of the Jewish Agency: ‘People question whether there is a future for Jews in France, but no one doubts that there is a future for French Jews in Israel.’

A group of 430 French Jews plan to move to Ashkelon & Ashdod.

By Yori Yalon

Ongoing rocket fire on Israel did not deter a group of 430 new immigrants from France who landed in Israel Wednesday on two special flights organized by the Jewish Agency and the Immigrant Absorption Ministry. Some even intend to move to the south of the country.

Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver and Jewish Agency head Natan Sharansky welcome the new arrivals – Photo: David Salem

Most of the new French immigrants are families, including 18 babies.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Aliyah, French Jews, Natan Sharansky

israelandstuffcom | July 17, 2014

Majority of Israelis have nowhere to go when rocket warning-sirens sounds

Even though Israel legislated the building of reinforced security rooms over 2 decades ago, much of the country still has no place to go in time of war.

By Meirav Arlosoroff

“In any future war, three branches will be activated immediately: the Israel Air Force, Military Intelligence and the Home Front Command. The main problem will be the Home Front Command, since its soldiers are civilians. This requires special preparedness.”

Neighborhood bomb-shelter entrance – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

This is how Maj. Gen. (ret.) Matan Vilnai, a former deputy defense minister and the first minister of home front defense sees the next war. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: bomb shelters, Gaza rockets, Home Front Command, IDF

israelandstuffcom | July 17, 2014