Archive for Israel News

| January 24, 2014
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Tavor Battalion Commander: ‘Protecting the security fence is a daily fight’

 

The Tavor Battalion, which is just 1 1/2 yrs-old, one of the youngest in the IDF, has already seen its fair share of ambushes & attacks. Just 2 weeks earlier, a company commander protecting the security fence, came under a Molotov cocktail attack.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN

 

 

Molotov cocktails, burning tires with exploding gas tanks hidden inside, slingshots that can break bones, shootings – these are the daily security challenges that the Home Front Command’s Tavor Battalion has faced for the past five months, as it defended the West Bank security barrier.

The battalion was deployed in a sector west of Ramallah, covering areas such as the Maccabim checkpoint, Budrus, Bil’in, Ni’lin and Kibya.

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| January 24, 2014
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Israel’s President honored with ‘Spirit of Davos’ award at Swiss ceremony

 

‘I would say I’m an insatiable optimist,’ President Shimon Peres tells audience in special ceremony, and that he will continue to work for benefit of the world.

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

President Shimon Peres continued with his diplomatic actions in the World Economic Conference in Switzerland, as he was awarded a special honor Friday morning: A special plenary of the convention’s participants saluted Peres for his activity in the past two decades to promote the global forum.

Peres in Davos - Photo courtesy

Peres in Davos – Photo courtesy

“If you ask of me to describe myself – I would say I am an insatiable optimist. Continue Reading »

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| January 24, 2014
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Analysis: Why end of Israel’s water shortage is not publicized

 

After years of drought and years of being told to conserve ‘every drop’, times have changed: Today, Israel has so much affordable water, Jerusalem can offer it for export. So why is this achievement being kept so secret?

By

 

In ancient times and even during the years of the British Mandate (1917-1948), the shortage of water in Palestine, as well as among its neighbors in the Middle East, had a decisive influence not only on the area’s economic development, but also on the political strife between Jews and Arabs. Technology has changed all this. Now, the ability to produce all the water that’s needed, whether for human consumption or for agriculture, may soon change our way of life and perhaps even, if our neighbors agree, bring peace closer. Continue Reading »

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| January 24, 2014
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PM Netanyahu Advances Israel-China Alliance in Davos

In a fruitful meeting with the Chinese FM at the World Economic Forum, Netanyahu urged deeper cooperation.


The Chinese FM relayed to Netanyahu that his country has held 5 joint committee meetings last month on Israel.

By Ari Yashar

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The two discussed the budding alliance between the nations, which has developed rapidly since Wang’s first visit to Israel last December.

Netanyahu commented that the meeting expressed the advanced state of relations between the two nations, adding that Israel wants to further develop bilateral cooperation in technology and foreign affairs. Continue Reading »

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| January 24, 2014
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Lebanese TV invited to Israel Air Force base to film a message to Hezbollah

 

 

In unique use of public media, IAF allows Lebanese TV network to film inside secure base and interview Air Force commander in bid to send Hezbollah a clear, direct threat.

By Roi Kais

 

A Lebanese network was given rare and unprecedented access to an Israeli Air Force base as part of a larger attempt to send Hezbollah a message.

IAF commander in Lebanese report

IAF commander in Lebanese report

A reporter from Lebanon’s LBC interviewed Ramat David Air Force Base commander, as well as Captain Avihai Aderi, head of Arab media at the IDF Spokesperson Unit.

At the beginning of the report, the Lebanese network focused on attempted to reach an agreement regarding Syria: “While world power are at the Geneva II conference to find a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis, head of the Ramat David Air Force Base sends a threatening message, warning against the continued transfer of strategic arms from Syria to Hezbollah, threatening that his army will work to prevent arms’ transfer.” Continue Reading »

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| January 24, 2014
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Treasury marks a victory over diminishing group of Holocaust survivors

Decade-long legal battle ends with decision to not recognize the group Tehran Children, as Holocaust survivors

By

 

The Finance Ministry’s legal department has defeated another group of Holocaust survivors. Congratulations. It’s an achievement they can hang on their walls as a badge of shame.

This week’s courtroom victory came after a legal battle lasting more than a decade by a group of Holocaust survivors known as the “Tehran children.” The group, whose number has naturally dwindled in recent years, originally consisted of some 1,200 Jewish children from Poland who went to the Soviet Union, then to Iran and finally to pre-state Israel in 1943. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: , ,
| January 23, 2014
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Scarlett Johansson catching slack over SodaStream ad campaign

The humanitarian group Oxfam, says that while it respects the independence of its ‘global ambassador against poverty’, it opposes ‘all trade’ from Israeli settlements.

By

 

Oxfam International is criticizing Scarlett Johansson over her new ad campaign for an Israeli company that operates in the West Bank.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson – Phot: AP

Israeli drink maker SodaStream International Ltd. recently signed the U.S. actress as its first “global brand ambassador.” She is to appear in a television ad during the Super Bowl on Feb. 2.

SodaStream has come under fire from pro-Palestinian activists for maintaining a large factory in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank. Continue Reading »

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| January 23, 2014
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Al Jazeera Interviewer: Why Can’t Arab Armies Be More Like Israel?

 

UNBELIEVABLE!: On the flagship Arab media,  Al Jazeera, a TV interviewer admits that Israeli soldiers are not monsters, & in fact are the most humane in the mid-East.

By Israel Today Staff

 

In a development that might shock many, Al-Jazeera has openly admitted that the Israeli army is far more humane than any Arab armed force, and far less cruel than it is typically portrayed by supposedly objective Western media.

Taken from YouTube

Composite from YouTube

Last week, the host of an Al-Jazeera (Arabic) news program publicly questioned why the Syrian army and its Hezbollah allies “don’t they learn from the Israeli army which tries, through great efforts, to avoid shelling areas populated by civilians in Lebanon and Palestine?” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| January 23, 2014
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Israel Security Forces Uncover Palestinian Weapons Cache in Hebron

 

2 Arab residents of Hebron were arrested for possessing a variety of unregistered weapons in their home, including M-16 assault rifle, an Uzi submachine gun, a carbine rifle, assorted hand guns & some 8,000 bullets.

Weapons believed to be for terrorist attacks.

By Efrat Forsher and Israel Hayom Staff

 

 

Two Palestinian residents of Hebron were arrested on Wednesday evening in a joint operation by the Israel Defense Forces, the Border Police and Israel Police, on suspicion of storing illegal weapons caches in their home.

The weapons cache discovered by security forces in Hebron – Photo: Courtesy of Israel Police Spokesperson’s Department

One of the suspects is in his 20s, while the other is in his 40s.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| January 23, 2014
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The ‘start-up nation’ has a growing movement of corporate philanthropy

 

Israeli corporate philanthropy experienced a nearly 7-fold jump between 1998 & 2008 — from about $25 million, to $172 million — according to the Hebrew University’s Center for the Study of Philanthropy.

 

 

TEL AVIV (JTA) — When the Israeli mobile maps start-up Waze accepted a buyout from Google for more than $1 billion in June, each of the company’s 100 employees walked away with an average of $1.2 million from the sale.

Children participating in an educational activity with JVP Community, a nonprofit founded by Israeli hi-tech entrepreneur Erel Margalit. (Courtesy photo)

Children participating in an educational activity with JVP Community, a nonprofit founded by the Israeli high-tech entrepreneur Erel Margalit. – Courtesy photo

An even bigger check, though, went to Baruch Lipner, a Canadian Israeli who hasn’t worked in the high-tech or finance industries for a decade.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 23, 2014
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Jerusalem advances building plans for 642 new homes

 

Israel maintains that there is no relationship between settlement building & the peace process. Building new homes is the natural process of growth & prosperity.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
 

 

Israel this week advanced plans for 642 new settler homes in the West Bank as an Israeli delegation was in Washington to discuss the peace process with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

A construction worker working on a new housing unit in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, which the EU considers illegal [Archive] – Photo: AP

The Palestinians have insisted that continued settlement activity is destroying the peace process and the US has repeatedly said that it is not helpful. Continue Reading »

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| January 23, 2014
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Israel’s PM to talk numbers at Davos economics conference

 

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni will hype peace talks warning that lack of agreement with Palestinians will be negative on country’s prosperity

By Yuval Karni

For the first time in 16 years, a sitting Israeli prime minister will participate in an economic conference in Davos. The last time it happened it was also Benjamin Netanyahu, during his first term as prime minister.

A protester at the Davos forum last year (Photo: AP/Archive)

A protester at the Davos forum last year – Photo: AP/Archive

But an even rarer sight will be seen at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos in the coming days – the prime minister and President Shimon Peres, together, representing Israel outside of the country’s borders. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 23, 2014
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Canadian PM performs for Bibi & Sara with ‘Hey Jude’

VIDEO: PM Natanyahu & wife Sara sing along at state dinner.

By

 

 

Stephen Harper this week became the first Canadian prime minister to address Israel’s Knesset – and also likely the first to belt out the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others at a state dinner.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper singing ‘Hey Jude’ in Israel.- Photo: YouTube screenshot

In a video posted on Netanyahu’s YouTube channel on Tuesday, Harper, who fronts a covers band called Herringbone, is seen sitting behind a keyboard and singing the classic tune.

Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, meanwhile smile and sway at their table during the performance. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 23, 2014
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MK Feiglin: When I become Prime Minister, Tibi Will go to Prison

“You lied, you shamed the plenum, you acted like a man without respect. You were disrespectful towards this house and towards yourself,” Feiglin told Tibi.

By Elad Benari

 

 

MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) on Wednesday confronted MK Ahmed Tibi (Ra’am-Ta’al) at the Knesset over his behavior during Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit earlier this week.

Feiglin got up during a Knesset debate, which Tibi was chairing in his capacity as Deputy Knesset Speaker, and told Tibi that his outburst during Harper’s speech had shamed the Knesset.

“You lied, you shamed the plenum, you acted like a man without respect. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| January 23, 2014
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Abbas accepts invitation to meet with Netanyahu, says INSS

 

The interview with PA President Abbas to be aired next week at annual Institute for National Security Studies conference in Tel Aviv.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was quoted Wednesday as saying he is prepared to meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at any time.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at a PLO meeting in Ramallah, October 2, 2013.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at a PLO meeting in Ramallah, October 2, 2013. – Photo: REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman

The Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University also quoted Abbas as saying he does not rule out addressing the Knesset.

“I don’t reject the idea and would be prepared to discuss it,” Abbas said when asked whether he would agree to appear before the Israeli legislature. Continue Reading »

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