Archive for Israel News

| April 14, 2014
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Gaza fires mortars at IDF troops near border

—-> SPECIAL SECURITY REPORT <—-

No injuries or damage reported by IDF.

The Israeli soldiers were on operational patrol duty near the Kissufim border crossing into Gaza.

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Several mortar shells were fired toward an IDF force operating near the Gaza Strip border just before midnight on Sunday. No one was injured.

An Israeli soldier walks towards a military vehicle during a patrol along the border with Gaza near

An Israeli soldier walks towards a military vehicle during a patrol along the border with Gaza near Kibbutz Kissufim March 13, 2014. – Photo: Reuters

The attack occurred near the Kissufim border crossing.

On April 6, Israel Air Force jets struck five targets in the Gaza Strip, after a rocket launched from Gaza landed in an open area near the city of Ashkelon.

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| April 13, 2014
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Liberman: 3rd time Palestinians derail impending agreement at last minute

 

Foreign Minister Liberman points out Palestinian request to join 15 int’l treaties to Arafat’s sneaking out at Camp David in 2002 (during Ehud Barak’s term) and Abbas not signing deal at Annapolis Conference in 2008 (during Ehud Olmert’s term).

By HERB KEINON
 

 

The Palestinians are repeating a pattern they have demonstrated in the past of getting cold feet at the last minute before an agreement is about to be signed, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told foreign ambassadors on Sunday.

Avigdor Lieberman.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman – Photo: Olivier Fitoussi

“What happened last week, is that we were very close to accomplish the package deal with the Palestinians,” Liberman said, referring to the deal on the table — that included the US release of Jonathan Pollard — that was designed to keep the negotiations going past the April 29 deadline. Continue Reading »

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| April 13, 2014
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Policemen injured as Arabs hurl rocks & firebombs on Temple Mount

 

Israel Police clash with Palestinian Muslims at Al-Aqsa mosque after rocks and molotov-cocktails are thrown.

2 policemen sustained light injuries, with one Palestinian woman arrested.

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir


Muslim worshippers threw stones, firecrackers and Molotov cocktails at police forces at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque found within the Temple Mount compound in Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday morning.

Temple Mount (Archive photo: AFP)

Temple Mount (Archive) – Photo: AFP

A police force that entered the holy site stopped the rioters and dispersed the crowd. Two policemen were lightly injured and one woman was arrested for disruption of public order.

The Temple Mount was consequently closed for visitors. Continue Reading »

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| April 13, 2014
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Foreign networks buy Israeli TV programs at media fair in Cannes

Canada, Thailand, U.S. & France sign deals with Israeli production companies at French media event.

“The ideas from Israel are very advanced & sophisticated, but execution in the U.S. is more polished, since we have bigger budgets & more experience.” said Sharon Tal Yguado, a Fox executive.

By Noah Smith

 

At this week’s MIPTV Media Market in Cannes, France, which officially kicked off on Sunday, Israeli production companies Armoza Formats and Keshet Media Group have already closed major deals for TV formats to be developed and distributed in the United States, Canada, France and Thailand.
A scene from 'Hostages'

A scene from ‘Hostages’ – Photo: Itiel Zion

From Armoza, “Hostages,” “While You Were Sleeping” and “You, Me and My Ex” will all be developed in Canada while Keshet’s “Boom!”

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| April 13, 2014
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Largest Land Declaration by Gov’t in Gush Etzion in Past Decade

In a move to surely render the EU, American administration and Abbas’ PA livid, Israel’s Civil Administration declared a parcel of 242 acres of land in Gush Etzion as government-owned land, signaling new construction in the near future.

By Yosef Berger

 

After years of research and a number of High Court cases, the Civil Adminstration on Sunday declared a parcel of 980 dunams (242 acres) of land in Gush Etzion as state-owned land. The declaration of the parcel as state-owned land is the first step in developing plans for eventual home construction.

This is the largest single state land declaration in Gush Etzion for more than a decade and observers said that it could signal a signifcant increase in construction in Gush Etzion in the coming years. Continue Reading »

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| April 13, 2014
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Lapid: NIS 1 billion national plan to financially assist Holocaust survivors

 

Israel’s finance minister Yair Lapid says, “The state of Israel has a historical debt to Holocaust survivors & our mission is to ease their burden in the final years of their lives.”

By LIDAR GRAVÉ-LAZI

 

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid announced a NIS one billion ‘National Plan to Assist Holocaust Survivors’ on Sunday.

File:Ebensee concentration camp prisoners 1945.jpg

Starved prisoners, nearly dead from hunger, pose in concentration camp in Ebensee, Austria. Ebensee was a sub-camp of the main camp ‘Mauthausen’ near the town of the same name. The camp was reputedly used for “scientific” experiments. It was liberated by the 80th Division of the U.S.

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| April 13, 2014
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Decline in ultra-Orthodox IDF recruitment result of Haredi Draft Law

 

 

An IDF source reports a sharp decline in Haredi enlistment to the Nahal Brigade stemming from the hostile ultra-Orthodox protests to Israel’s new Draft Law.

By Yossi Yehushua

 

Sources in the IDF expressed concern over an apparent loss of motivation for enlistment into the military’s religious brigade, Nahal. The officials noted a sharp decline in the number of haredim recruited in recent draft rounds.

Nachal Haredi (which is a special unit for Haredis) made up mostly from Haredi yeshiva students from abroad who come to Israel to join the IDF. - Photo courtesy IDF Spokesperson's Unit

‘Nachal Haredi’ (which is a special unit for Haredis) made up mostly from Haredi yeshiva students including those from abroad who come to Israel to join the IDF. – Photo courtesy: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

“If 2013 marked a certain ease regarding the Haredi soldiers, then 2014’s public dispute about the Draft Law took us back by at least a year,” said the Nahal Haredi Organization. Continue Reading »

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| April 13, 2014
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Award-winning ‘Son of Hamas’ documentary to be adapted to Hollywood film

 

Based on Israeli director Nadav Schirman’s Sundance-winning documentary ‘The Green Prince’, “Son of Hamas” will be made for the Silver Screen

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The true story of the son of a Hamas leader who turned against his family in the service of the Shin Bet will be adapted for the silver screen.

Still from 'The Green Prince'

Still from ‘The Green Prince’. – Photo Sundance Institute

The feature film will be based on the award-winning Israeli documentary “The Green Prince,” which tells the story of Mosab Hassan Yousef – the son of a top Hamas leader who turned into an Israeli agent. Directed by Nadav Schirman, “The Green Price” clinched the Audience Award for at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

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| April 12, 2014
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Peres Weibo page at ceremony in Beijing gains 50 million surfers in minutes

 

When asked in China about the secret to the Jewish people’s wisdom, Israel’s President writes, “Our secret is learning. It’s important to ask questions.”

By Yori Yalon

 

President Shimon Peres marked the end of a successful visit to China on Thursday by officially launching his account on the Chinese answer to Facebook, Weibo, becoming the first Israeli leader with an account on the social networking website.

President Shimon Peres launches his Weibo profile on Thursday – Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom / GPO

The ceremony for Peres’ Weibo profile launch took place at the company’s headquarters in Beijing, and in keeping with Chinese culture, Peres hit a gong set up for the occasion.

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Category: Israel News, The Diaspora | Tags: , ,
| April 12, 2014
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EU diplomats seek compensation for Jerusalem’s demolition of illegal E-1 structures

Belgian news service EurActiv reports that the 3 buildings that were destroyed by Israel were “partially funded” by the EU.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

European Union officials alleged on Friday that Israel demolished EU-funded housing shelters outside of Ma’aleh Adumim earlier in the week, AFP reported.

E-1 area, officially called Mevaseret Adumim, located in the Judean Desert – Screenshot

Eighteen tin huts built to house Palestinians during the unusually severe winter weather this year were “partially funded by EU member states,” according to the report.

EU officials demanded financial compensation from Israel to Brussels in response to the demolition of three of the structures, Belgian news service EurActiv reported. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| April 11, 2014
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Anti-Semitic Libels Promoted in New UN Report by Under-Secretary-General

 

Newly appointed UN shamelessly promotes the most vile anti-Semitic blood libels about Israel.

By David Lazarus

 

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which was established to aid development in the Arab world, has published a new report targeting a nation that does not fall under its jurisdiction – Israel. Nevertheless, this official UN agency, which received over 88 million dollars in allocations last year, has a lot to say about the Jewish state.

New UN Report Promotes Anti-Semitic Libels

Rima Khalaf, a national of Jordan, was appointed as Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia ESCWA by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

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| April 11, 2014
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Britain’s Labor leader Miliband shows support for ‘the homeland of the Jewish people’

 

Grandson of Holocaust survivor who fled to Israel, visiting UK Labor leader Miliband says Jewish state is “a huge, huge success story.”

By NAAMA BARAK

 

 

UK Labor leader Ed Miliband arrived in Israel early Thursday for a three-day tour. On the same day he devoted an hour to answering wide-ranging questions from students and guests at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Britain's leader of the opposition Labour party Ed Miliband - Photo: REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

Britain’s leader of the opposition Labour party Ed Miliband – Photo: REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

The session was friendly and informal, with the British opposition leader answering questions about his football preferences – a “long-suffering Leeds United fan” – and asking for details about felafel joints in London.

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| April 11, 2014
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Talks continuing as Israel hits Abbas’ PA with punitive economic sanctions

 

U.S. State Department official reports gaps narrowing between Israel & Palestinian Authority, but reports of agreement are premature.

By HERB KEINON, KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

 

 

Israeli and Palestinian officials did not reach an agreement on Thursday during their fourth session in a week to find a way out of the current impasse in the talks, but sources familiar with their discussions said they did agree to continue meeting in the days ahead.

Netanyahu and Abbas - Photo: REUTERS

Netanyahu and Abbas Photo: REUTERS

The sources’ comments came amid reports coming from Cairo – where Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with Arab League officials – that there was a breakthrough in the talks that would enable a continuation of the talks past the April 29 deadline. Continue Reading »

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| April 11, 2014
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Bus driver in Israel called Holocaust survivor a Nazi, closed door on his wife

 

The bus driver not only insulted a Holocaust survivor, he then violently shut the bus door on man’s wife, bruising her arm.

‘A Holocaust survivor, being called a Nazi in Israel! Every Israeli should be ashamed.’

By Margarita Erbach

 

A 74-year-old Holocaust survivor was told he was Nazi because he spoke Dutch while traveling on a bus to Tel Aviv.

Metropoline bus

Metropoline bus – Photo: Omni bus simulator

Martin Leeda moved to Israel after surviving three Nazi concentration camps. Today he divides his time between Israel and the Netherlands, where he works as a guide in the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, and is an active part of the Jewish community there. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: , , ,
| April 11, 2014
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Ramallah Gloats: ‘State of Palestine’ accepted into UN conventions & agreements

Palestinian ‘foreign ministry’ having been accepted into UN convention will herald in ‘right of return’ for ‘refugees’.

By Dalit Halevy

 

The Palestinian Authority’s “foreign ministry” announced Thursday that it had received a message from the UN Secretary General confirming the acceptance of the “State of Palestine” into the conventions and agreements signed early April by Mahmoud Abbas, “the President of the State of Palestine.”

The acceptance of the “State of Palestine” is immediately valid in the following treaties: the UN Convention against Torture; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racist Discrimination; the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that deals with the involvement of children in armed conflicts. Continue Reading »

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