Israel News

Israeli submarine operations increase in northern arena

Senior Navy commanders are awaiting the next 2 new submarines from Germany, to further enhance Israeli secret operations at sea. Naval commanders say Israel is on constant alert to secure assets against Syrian & Hezbollah threats.

By Yoav Zitun

Against the backdrop of Lebanese media reports claiming the Israeli Air force attacked a weapons convoy heading from Syria to Lebanon on Monday, a seemingly significant expression of IDF’s special operations is revealed Tuesday morning.

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Israel’s Dolphin class submarine – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

Figures presented by a senior Navy officer indicate that 58% of submarine squadron “sea hours” last year were executed within operational activities, and the rest were used for training. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Dolphin, Israel Navy

israelandstuffcom | February 26, 2014

IDF wounded three Palestinians in clashes near the Gaza border fence

Gazans have now incited confrontations with the IDF for the 2nd time in 5 days.

By Gili Cohen

Three Palestinians were wounded Tuesday in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip near the perimeter fence.

An Israeli tank near the Gaza border as Palestinians approach, November 2012.- Photo: AP

Palestinians said a press photographer had a moderate gunshot wound to the leg, while two other people were suffering from tear-gas inhalation. The Israel Defense Forces said hundreds of Palestinians had gathered in the area and threw stones at soldiers. The army responded with crowd-dispersal measures and later gunfire.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gaza, Hebron, IDF, Palestinians, West Bank

Germany’s Merkel Receives Medal of Distinction from Israel’s President Peres

German Chancellor Merkel is awarded Israel’s highest civilian honor for her commitment to ensuring Israel’s security and for fighting anti-Semitism.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

President Shimon Peres awarded German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Presidential Medal of Distinction on Tuesday.

Israel’s President, Shimon Peres, “For your contribution to Israel’s revival and security. For your contribution to the cause of peace in this region and for your unrelenting efforts to build a better world. For being a stateswoman of great courage, humility and vision not only for the present but for future generations. As the President of the State of Israel, I present the Presidential Medal of Distinction to the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Angela Merkel, Israel Germany, Medal of Distinction

Police ascend Temple Mount, 3 Palestinian rioters arrested

Rioting Arabs threw stones and firecrackers at security forces from the holy site, requiring police to enter it to disperse violent crowd.

By AP, Noam ‘Dabul’ Dvir

About 20 masked Palestinians threw stones and firecrackers at Israeli security forces from atop the Temple Mount Tuesday morning.

Palestinian protesters react during clashes with police on the Temple Mount [file]. – Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters

A police force entered the area to disperse the rioters using crowd dispersal means, including stun grenades. Three rioters were arrested on suspicion they threw rocks and firecrackers at security forces.

Two policemen were lightly hurt in the incident, police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told AFP. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: incitement to violence, Israel Police, Sovereignty, Temple Mount, Waqf

Knesset approved law distinguishing between Christian Arabs & Muslim Arabs

Critics bash new law as attempt to ‘divide & conquer’ Israel’s Arab population.

By Jonathan Lis

The Knesset on Monday approved a controversial law, whose ultimate aim, according to its sponsor, is to distinguish between Muslim and Christian Arab citizens and to heighten involvement of Christians in Israeli society.

Coalition chairman MK Yariv Levin.- Photo: Olivier Fitoussi

Critics slammed the law, sponsored by MK Yariv Levin (Likud), for constituting an attempt to “divide and conquer” the country’s Arab population – an allegation Levin seemed to confirm in a recent newspaper interview.

The law demands what initially seems to be a minor change in the makeup of the public advisory council which is appointed under the 1988 Equal Employment Opportunities Law.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab Christians, Christians and Jews, Christians-Muslims, Knesset

Watch Israel’s PM Welcome Merkel on Arrival in Jerusalem with 16 German Ministers

Upon arriving at the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem, German Chancellor Merkel says Germany has been working with Israel ‘shoulder to shoulder’, will discuss regional peace initiative, and Iran’s nuclear program with PM Netanyahu.

By Associated Press

Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that she is visiting Israel with most of her new cabinet in order to show Germany’s friendship with the Jewish state and that her country is working to secure the future of Israel.

Merkel and Netanyahu at the initial press conference – Photo: Noam Moskowitz

Merkel was speaking at an evening press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Germany

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IDF Begins Diversity Week: Israel’s True Face

Today begins IDF Diversity Week, a celebration of the differences that unite Israeli soldiers. Every year, thousands of minority recruits enter the IDF.

Israel’s military makes tremendous efforts to integrate minorities into the army & society in general, resulting in vast diversity among IDF’s ranks.

By IDF Blog

Israel is a country known as “a nation of immigrants.” Soldiers come from all over the world to live in Israel and serve in the IDF, bringing their unique culture and traditions from their countries of origin. Other soldiers come from racial, national, cultural and religious groups that have lived in Israel for generations, including Bedouin, Circassians, Druze, Arab Christians and Arab Muslims. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF

Former employee of the PM’s Residence claims ‘the Netanyahus exploited me’

Former domestic employee at PM Netanyahu’s residence says he was lied to & overworked while serving as superintendent of Prime Minister’s household staff.

By Ynet

The superintendent of the Prime Minister’s Residence claims he was exploited and his rights were trampled while he was working for the Netanyahus’ household staff, and is now suing for compensation.

P.M. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU LIGHTING HANUKA CANDLES ON THE 1ST NIGHT OF CHANUKAH IN JERUSALEM WITH THE HELP OF HIS WIFE, SARA, SONS, YAIR & AVNER (05/12/1996). – Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons/GPO/Flickr

In a draft of the complaint set to be filed with the Labor Court against the official residence, the man claims he was made to work long hours, and was mistreated and belittled despite his dedication to his job. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Courts, Natanyahu Benjamin, Prime Minister's Residence, Sara Netanyahu

Arab Knesset Member Writes Pope to Prevent Christian Volunteering for IDF

Israeli Arab lawmaker appeals to Vatican in a letter, asking help in stopping Arabic-speaking Christians from integrating too much with Israel.

By Israel Today Staff

Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas has issued an appeal to Pope Francis to personally intervene against the enlistment of Arabic-speaking Christians in the Israeli army.

Israeli Arab Member of Knesset Basel Ghattas – Photo source: Israel Today

Haaretz reports that Ghattas’ letter was delivered to the Vatican’s representative in Jerusalem, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, in hopes that Pope Francis would address the issue when he visits the Holy Land in May.

Like most other minorities, local Arabic-speaking Christians are not required to serve in the Israeli army, but a growing number are choosing to do so, many at the encouragement of the Nazareth-based Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: anti-Israel, anti-Zionists, Arab MK, Christians, Israeli Christians, Pope Francis I, Vatican

Envoy: Israel Invites India to Explore Natural-gas & Sign Trade Pact

Israeli envoy, “Any Indian company is free to participate, private or government-run.” But, Israeli Ambassador to India Alon Ushpiz clarified, Jerusalem bars any company that has dealings with Iran.

By Uttar Pradesh, IANS

Noida, Feb 24 (IANS) Israel has invited Indian companies to take part in extracting natural gas from its newly-found reserves, with 40 percent of the produced hydrocarbon reserved for exports, even as it wants talks on a free trade pact to fructify soon.

Israeli Ambassador to India Alon Ushpiz and Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath at the inauguration of the Israel consulate in Bangalore May 21, 2013 – Photo: Bhagya Prakash K

Israeli Ambassador to India Alon Ushpiz said his country will soon emerge as one of the biggest producers of natural gas and is willing to export it to India, which imports around 80 percent of its oil needs mostly from the Persian Gulf countries. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: economic cooperation, economic ties, Israel India, natural gas

US Rejection of Israeli Visa Requests at All-Time High

Israel’s Foreign Ministry criticizes the United States’ 80% rise in visa rejections as part of growing trend that is ‘politically’ motivated.

By Ari Yashar

US State Department figures from 2013 reveal a sharp 80% rise over the course of the year in Israeli visa requests that were rejected, continuing a trend of Israeli visa rejections over several years.

(Illustration) – Thinkstock

The figures, which were published Monday morning in Yediot Aharonot, show that last year about 125,000 Israelis requested tourist visas to the US, with 9.7% of them being refused. The previous year in 2012, that figure was at 5.4%. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Foreign Ministry, tourism, US State Department, visas

After shooting guards, barricading himself, American-Israeli prisoner killed at Rimonim jail

3 prison guards shot, 1 in critical condition, after Samuel Sheinbein who’s serving life for murder opened fire in a prison bathroom.

By Raanan Ben-Tsur

An American-Israeli prisoner serving life for murder was shot dead at a central Israel jail Sunday after he seized a gun and opened fire on three guards, before barricading himself in a prison bathroom. Samuel Sheinbein was killed when elite troops entered the bathroom at Rimonim prison to bring the situation to an end.

Security forces at Rimonim prison – Photo: Ido Erez

Two of the guards, aged 30 and 35, were in critical and serious condition respectively, and the third, aged 40, sustained light wounds. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Prison Service, Prisoners, Rimonim prison

IDF’s Nachal Soldiers Prevent Terror Attack, Arrest 2 Arabs with 6 Bombs

Alert IDF soldiers intercept two Palestinian Arabs at security checkpoint in possession of six pipe bombs near the Arab village of Huwara.

By Elad Benari

Alert IDF soldiers foiled a terror attack on Sunday, when they caught six pipe bombs in the possession of two Palestinian Arabs.

The incident took place next to the Arab village of Huwara in the Shomron (Samaria). The head of the 931 Infantry Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, Guy Shadmi, told Arutz Sheva that soldiers identified two Arabs who were coming from the direction of Shechem and driving suspiciously.

“When they approached Har Bracha, the Palestinians threw a bag with a number of objects out of the car, at which point the soldiers stopped them,” Shadmi said, adding that after the Arabs were arrested and questioned, they admitted to having thrown six pipe bombs from their vehicle. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: bombs, Huwara, IDF, IDF Checkpoint, Nachal Brigade, Palestinian terrorists

israelandstuffcom | February 23, 2014