— SECURITY REPORT UPDATE —

Israel Air Force Retaliates After Rocket Attack, Hitting 5 Terror Targets in Gaza

Residents in Israel’s southern town of Sderot reported a series of explosions that caused panic in the city, after a Gaza rocket hits open field in Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.

By Ynetnews

The Israel Air Force attacked five terror targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday night in response to a rocket fired towards southern Israel earlier. An IDF statement said all targets were hit.

IAF F15 – Photo courtesy IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The rocket fell in an open field in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. No one was hurt from the rocket fire and no damage was caused. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IAF strike, IAF-Gaza

israelandstuffcom | April 5, 2014

Study Determines Circumcision Comparable to Vaccination

American-Australian medical research team finds 50% of uncircumcised males will contract an adverse medical condition caused by their foreskin.

By JTA

An Australian-American team of researchers recommended circumcising infant males to avoid diseases, in a new study that compared the practice to vaccination.

A mohel doctor is surround by other rabbis and relatives as he holds a boy at his circumcision.

A mohel is surround by other rabbis and relatives as he holds a boy at his circumcision. Photo: AP

The team, led by Brian Morris of the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Sydney, asserted in their newly published study that half of uncircumcised males will contract an adverse medical condition caused by their foreskin. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Circumcision, Jewish Culture, Jewish World

israelandstuffcom | April 5, 2014

Quick Acting Police Thwart Arab Terrorist Attack Outside Jerusalem

Israel police save the day by catching Palestinian terrorist on the verge of committing a potentially deadly knife-attack in Maale Adumim, just outside of Jerusalem.

By Uzi Baruch

An attempted terrorist attack in the city of Maale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, was thwarted Friday, it has been cleared for release this evening.

On Friday afternoon Jerusalem police received reports that a local security patrol had stopped a suspicious looking man, who appeared to be “drunk”, standing at the entrance to the city.

Police dispatched a patrol car and when officers arrived and began questioning the suspect, they noted he appeared very nervous and was answering their questions in a suspicious manner. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Maale Adumim, Palestinian terrorist, Stabbing Attack, terrorism

Two Spectacular Archaeological Finds in Israel This Week

Israel Police nab Jerusalem tomb raiders in unauthorized ossuary transaction, while archaeologists find impressive dining room floor of Byzantine monastery located in the Negev.

By Israel Today Staff

Israeli archaeologists recently made two sensational finds, one thanks to the work of the police.

Spectacular Archaeological Finds in Israel

Dining room floor in Byzantine monastery located in Negev – Photo courtesy: Israel Antiquities Authority

Earlier in the week, Israeli police publicized the recent arrest of tomb raiders who had stolen 11 coffin boxes dating back to the time of Jesus. The coffins were from the Jerusalem area.

Meanwhile, in the southern Negev region, an ancient Byzantine-era monastery was discovered together with its ornate and intricate mosaic floor (pictured). Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: archaeology, Archaeology Authority

400,000 Israelis flying abroad for Passover

Top destinations for Israeli travelers are the U.S., England, France, Italy, Russia & Germany with 20,000 Israelis expected to fly to Turkey, despite security travel warning.

Increase in travel attributed to low cost airline tickets entering the Israeli market.

By Ilan Gategno

More than 400,000 Israelis are expected to fly abroad during the Passover holiday, with a total of 1.2 million outgoing and incoming passengers expected to pass through Ben-Gurion International Airport during April.

Ben-Gurion International Airport – Photo: Reuters

The top destinations for Israeli travelers will be the United States, France, England, Russia, Italy and Germany. Other popular destinations include Thailand, Greece — with a 30 percent increase in Israelis traveling there — and Turkey, which is expecting a dramatic increase of the number of Israeli tourists to triple, despite travel warnings being in effect.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Ben Gurion International Airport, travel

Lapid: Abbas’ incessant unreasonable demands guarantee cessation of talks

Finance Minister & Yesh Atid party leader Lapid, still supports diplomatic solution but says Abbas is working against himself by making new set of demands. There’s doubt that PA leader Abbas really wants an agreement.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

There is great doubt that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is interested in reaching a peace agreement with Israel, Finance Minister Yair Lapid said on Friday morning.

Finance Minister Yair Lapid in the Knesset – Photo: Reuters

Lapid implied that his party, Yesh Atid, was disappointed by a list of demands published on Thursday by the PA for continuing talks past the end of April. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Peace Process, peace talks, Yair Lapid

After IAF Retaliation for Rockets Fired Thursday, Gaza Terrorists Fire Rockets Again

— SECURITY REPORT UPDATE —

Sirens sound on Ashkelon coast, less than 24 hours after multiple rockets fired into Israel, additional rockets fired Friday morning, with no injuries reported.

By Tova Dvorin

Sirens were sounded in the Ashkelon region Friday. According to Channel 2, only one rocket has been fired and no one was reportedly hurt in the attack.

The sirens sounded less than 24 hours after skirmishes broke out between the IAF and Hamas. Four Kassam rockets were fired into southern Israel on Thursday night; there were no injuries reported. The IAF responded by eliminating a number of terror targets in Gaza shortly thereafter. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gaza, Gaza rockets, hamas, IAF, IAF-Gaza, Kassam rockets

Meet ‘Morty’ – IDF’s 1st GPS guided mortar shell

Israel Military Industries develops the first GPS-guided 120mm mortar shell for the IDF, solving accuracy issue, offering pinpoint military accuracy for Gaza terrorist cells.

By Yoav Zitun

Could this be the answer to rocket launching terror cells in Gaza? The IDF is set receive a new model of a GPS-guided mortar shell, developed by Israel Military Industries. The weapon is designed to deliver a quick strike against terrorist cells, especially those in the Gaza Strip, and was given the original name “Morty” (Patzmi, a play on the Hebrew acronym for mortar).

Morty’ IDF new mortar shell – IDF

“Mortar shells were always considered an inaccurate weapon that hit only the target area and not the target itself,” a security source told Ynet. Continue Reading »

Category: Innovations & Discoveries, Israel News | Tags: IDF, Israel Military Industries, weapons

Jerusalem Building Committee passes controversial City of David visitors’ center

Elad group received permission for a 16,600 square-meter building as gateway to City of David in Jerusalem.

By Nir Hasson

The Jerusalem Regional Planning and Building Committee approved the construction of a controversial visitors’ center for the City of David just outside the Old City walls. The committee heard objections to the huge project for eight hours before approving it Thursday evening.

Illustration: IDF soldiers during a tour of The City of David in East Jerusalem.

IDF soldiers during a tour of The City of David in East Jerusalem. – Photo: Emil Salman

Residents of Silwan, where the center will be located, claimed the large structure, which is intended for serving tourism and educational services for the City of David National Park, does not take the needs of local residents into consideration.

Category: Israel News | Tags: City of David, East Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Old City

IAF Strikes Back Following Salvo of Kassam Rockets From Gaza

— SPECIAL SECURITY REPORT —

Israel Air Force hits several Hamas targets after terrorists fired salvo of rockets towards the town of Sderot.

By Elad Benari

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) struck in Gaza on Thursday night, hours after terrorists fired several rockets towards Sderot and the surrounding communities.

According to Kol Yisrael radio, Palestinian Arab sources that targets in Gaza City and in northern Gaza were hit. These targets, they said, included two Hamas outposts.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that a total of five terror targets were hit, four of them in northern Gaza and one in central Gaza. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: airstrike, Gaza, hamas, IAF, IAF-Gaza

1,500 yr-old Greek Monastery discovered in Israeli Bedouin town

Vivid mosaics, kitchenware & coins were also found at the excavation in the Israeli Bedouin town in the northern Negev Desert.

By i24News

An impressive monastery dating to the Byzantine period, some 1,500 years ago, has been discovered at the entrance to the Israeli Bedouin town of Hura in the northern Negev Desert.

Dining room floor in Byzantine monastery located in Negev ( Israel Antiquities Authority )

Dining room floor in Byzantine monastery located in Negev – Photo courtesy: Israel Antiquities Authority

The structure, measuring 20 × 35 meters, is divided into halls built along an east–west axis, the most outstanding of which are the prayer hall and dining room with their mosaic carpets. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: archaeology, Bedouin, Israel Antiquities Authority

IDF Aids Palestinian Traffic Accident Victims Until Red Crescent Arrives

Israel’s soldiers regularly go out of their way to help Palestinians, but unfortunately, the media often portrays them as heartless oppressors.

By Israel Today Staff

The Israeli army is regularly painted as a heartless oppressor of Palestinian Arabs. But the reality on the ground more often then not simply does not support that view.

Israeli Army and Red Cresent Helps Palestinian Traffic Accident Victims Together

Cpt. Yamin’s team and Red Crescent Helps Palestinian Traffic Accident Victims – Photo courtesy: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

For instance, on Tuesday a Palestinian minibus was involved in a traffic accident in central Judea (the southern part of the so-called “West Bank”). Israeli army forces stationed in the area were notified, and did not hesitate to dispatch a medical team to the scene. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF, IDF Emergency Medical, Palestinians, Red Crescent, Tikon Olam

Massive Biblical Fortress Unearthed in City of David

With walls that were built from massive stones ranging from 6-10 feet high, the ancient Canaanite-era structure is believed to have been the largest fortress in the Land of Israel, until the time of King Herod.

By Yori Yalon

After 15 years of what was considered one of the most complicated archeological digs ever conducted in Israel, excavation work on the fortifications of the Gihon Spring — a large Canaanite structure dating back to 1,800 B.C.E. — has been unveiled at the City of David National Park outside the Old City of Jerusalem.

The fortifications that guard access to the Gihon Spring – Photo courtesy of City of David

The fortifications of the spring are believed have been the largest fortress in the land of Israel until the Herodian period.

Category: Israel News | Tags: archaeology, City of David, Jerusalem