Israel News

Christian Youths Respond With Act of Kindness to Jewish Vandalism

Group of Arab youths in Galilee Christian village restore ancient synagogue in response to escalating vandalism by radical religious Jewish youths to “show that there is a better way.”

By David Lazarus

Dozens of Arab youth have made a most unexpected and surprising response to “price tag” hate crimes — they restored the ancient Jewish synagogue in their town. Youth from the Arab Christian town Shefaram in the Galilee renovated the 250-year-old synagogue in order to “show that there is a better way.”

Arab Youth Respond With Act of Love to Jewish Vandalism

Organizers of the synagogue renovation project, which included Arab and Jewish youth, want the government to take action against the “price tag” criminals. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israeli Christians, price tag, Shefaram

israelandstuffcom | May 8, 2014

Israel’s Minister of Defense: Let’s not delude ourselves, there is no Palestinian partner

Defense Minister Ya’alon tells Knesset committee that Jerusalem opposes Fatah-Hamas reconciliation, says it probably won’t come to fruition anyway.

By LAHAV HARKOV

The Palestinians are not a partner for peace, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Wednesday.

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon – Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Defense Ministry spokesman

“There is no partner on the other side. That is the reality. Our soldiers are intelligent enough to understand the complex situation on the field and to know how to deal with it. There’s no immediate solution. We can’t delude ourselves,” he stated.

Israel opposes Hamas-Fatah reconciliation, but it probably won’t come to fruition anyway, he added. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Defense Ministry, Fatah-Hamas, Knesset, Moshe Ya'alon

Syrian brown bear undergoes spinal surgery for slipped disc in Israel

Mango, the 19 year old Israeli born brown bear, was treated at the Ramat Gan Zoological Park for a painful slipped disc.

By Ruth Schuster

Mango the brown bear was clearly in pain, as his keepers at Israel’s Ramat Gan Zoological Park observed some three weeks ago. He was eating well, but his walk had slowed and he clearly didn’t like getting up. Sure, there was clearly a problem, but just try asking a bear where it hurts.

Mango the bear undergoes surgery in Ramat Gan – Photo: AFP

After a few days with no improvement, the zoo called in the A-team: a team of experts from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, headed by Merav Shamir, an expert on veterinary neurology and neurosurgery. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Medicine, Ramat Gan Safari

Egypt Interested in Importing Natural Gas From Israel

Noble Energy hopes to reach final deal within 6 months to sell 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, over 15 years, to Union Fenosa Gas SA for its liquefied natural gas facility in Egypt.

By The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

The operator of the Tamar natural gas field off Israel’s coast said it has signed a letter of intent to provide gas to a facility in Egypt.

Houston-based Noble Energy Inc. reached the preliminary deal to sell gas to Union Fenosa Gas SA for its liquefied natural gas facility in Egypt. The deal calls for providing up to 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas over 15 years.

Category: Israel News | Tags: economic cooperation, Israel Egypt, natural gas, Nobel Energy, Tamar Gas Field

Peres claims PM Netanyahu secretly sunk negotiated peace deal with Abbas

Israeli president says PA President Abbas agreed to secretly negotiated peace deal draft back in 2011, but PM Netanyahu stopped last meetings in Jordan.

By AFP

Israeli President Shimon Peres said Tuesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blocked a 2011 peace agreement he had secretly negotiated with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) stands next to President Shimon Peres (R) on May 5, 2014 at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem - AFP PhotoJim Hollander

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) stands next to President Shimon Peres (R) on May 5, 2014 in Jerusalem – Photo: AFP /Jim Hollander

Peres said he and Abbas had finalized a draft agreement in a series of secret meetings in neighboring Jordan but the draft was rejected by Netanyahu’s right-leaning government. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: peace talks, Shimon Peres

Israel calls allegations of massive spying against US, absurd

Israel slams a Newsweek report based on unnamed sources, claiming Jerusalem is involved in attempts to steal US ‘industry & technical secrets’.

A senior diplomatic source in Jerusalem said the report has a ‘whiff of anti-Semitism’.

By Attila Somfalvi

Israel on Tuesday hit back at a Newsweek report claiming American officials believe Israeli intelligence-gathering efforts in the US have “crossed red lines.”

US Entry Visa

The Israeli embassy in Washington issued a denial, saying that “Israel does not conduct any spying activities (against the US), and condemns any attempt to tarnish Israel with false allegations.”

A senior diplomatic source in Jerusalem said Israel would send the US a strong message over the report, even going so far as to argue that parts of it were “tainted with a whiff of anti-Semitism.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel US, Jonathan Pollard, Spies, visas

israelandstuffcom | May 6, 2014

Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox community quietly joins the IDF

“There is a ‘Haredi Spring’ taking place as the Internet & smartphones develop. You can’t avoid it…..What the rabbis are afraid of is [their] culture changing. Incrementally, it is seeping through,” says Moshe Prigan, 30, a captain who recruits other ultra-Orthodox Jewish men to enlist into the IDF.

The Associated Press & Israel Hayom Staff

Moshe Prigan starts his day just like many other men in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak, with his morning prayer. It is only later that he does the unexpected, when he puts on his air force uniform and heads to the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Category: Israel News | Tags: haredi draft, IDF

israelandstuffcom | May 6, 2014

Liberman: ‘We offer our hand in peace – but we’ll cut off the hand that threatens us’

Israel’s Foreign Minister Liberman spoke at Remembrance Day ceremony Monday, emphasized Israel’s commitment to peace and security.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman addressed the Remembrance Day ceremony in Kiryat Gat on Monday where he stated that the Jewish people are “a peace-seeking nation” but also said that, “We extend our hands in peace, but we will cut off every hand that threatens us.”

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman – Photo: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST

The foreign minister told listeners that regarding recent peace efforts with the Palestinians, “Special efforts were made by successive Israeli governments who were willing to make concessions to attain this goal, but when there is no willingness on the other side this becomes a virtually impossible task.”

Category: Israel News | Tags: Avigdor Liberman, Independence Day, Peace

israelandstuffcom | May 6, 2014

Israel’s Prime Objective: To Make the World a Better Place

Minister Bennett releases heartfelt, if quirky, address of ‘Tikkun Olam’ for Independence Day – bridging ancient heritage & modern marvels.

By Tova Dvorin

Economics Minister and Jewish Home (Bayit Yehudi) Chairman Naftali Bennett released a special video address in honor of Israel’s Independence Day on Monday, noting Israel’s synthesis between ancient heritage and modern miracle.

“Today we are celebrating Israel’s sixty-sixth birthday,” he stated, in a video posted on Facebook. “This is a young country, but our people is a very ancient one. We’ve been around for 3,800 years – you and I, our forefathers.”

Bennett illustrated this with a vivid – if unconventional – example. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Independence Day, Naftali Bennett, Tikkun Olam

israelandstuffcom | May 5, 2014

Bereaved families yelled at Israel PM Netanyahu: ‘You’re freeing our children’s killers’

Israel’s annual Memorial service held at Mount Herzl disrupted when families of victims of terrorist attacks start yelling at Israel’s Prime Minister.

Netanyahu responds: ‘Today, the waves of hate of our enemies shatter at the defensive shield, the iron wall of the IDF.’

By Omri Efraim

The memorial service for Victims of Terror Acts was disrupted Monday afternoon when bereaved families prevented Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of starting his speech by yelling at him and waving red flags.

Rami Cohen, who was wounded in a terror attack in 2000, got up from his seat and called at Netanyahu: “Mister Prime Minister, you are freeing the murderers of our children!” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Memorial

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US officials speak up: Why Israeli-Palestinian negotiations failed

In an exclusive interview, undisclosed American officials who were directly involved with the Israeli-Palestinian talks reveal the real reason, in their opinion, for the collapse of the peace negotiations.

By Nahum Barnea

The American version of why the current round of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians failed is fundamentally different to the one presented by Israeli officials. The list of those to blame for this failure is also very different. From the US perspective, the issue of the settlements was largely to blame.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has made many errors along the way – Photo: AP

Senior American officials involved in Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace push this week agreed to share with me their take on the talks’ failure. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Peace Negotiations, peace talks

Entry for Israeli tourists causes heated debate in Tunisia

Tunisia, which does not recognize Israel, but is desperate for tourism, questions permitting Israelis into the country for annual pilgrimage.

By i24news

Tunisians are embroiled in a heated debate over allowing Israeli tourists into the country, which does not recognize the Jewish state, before an annual pilgrimage that attracts Jews from around the world.

File picture shows an Israeli tourist taking a picture outside the synagogue of La Ghriba on the southern Tunisian island of Djerba on May 25, 2005 ( AFP Photo/Fethi Belaid )

Israeli tourist taking a picture outside the synagogue of La Ghriba on the southern Tunisian island of Djerba on May 25, 2005 – AFP Photo/Fethi Belaid

It is an open secret that Israelis have been visiting Tunisia for years on the quiet.

The dispute is not over Jews from third countries, who are openly welcome, just Israelis.

Category: Israel News, The Diaspora | Tags: anti-Israel, tourism, Tunisia

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Israeli Minister vows, ‘Jews Will Pray on Temple Mount’

Christian pastor who was ordered off the Temple Mount by Muslims after speaking to a Jew addresses Jewish group seeking rights in freedom of religion.

By Ryan Jones

Israel’s deputy minister of religious affairs, Eli Ben-Dahan (Jewish Home), reiterated in a video posted to YouTube this week that the Israeli government is working on new regulations that would finally permit Jews to pray at Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

American Christian pastor Keith Johnson – YouTube screenshot

“I believe and expect that the prime minister and his government will adopt these regulations …and allow any Jew who wants to ascend the Temple Mount and pray there to do so,” Ben-Dahan said in a video address to an emergency conference organized by the Liba Project for Jewish Freedom at the Temple Mount. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Eli Ben-Dahan, Keith Johnson, religious rights, Temple Mount