Israel News

Hula Nature Reserve visitor center to be named after Canadian PM

JNF has decided to name the Hula Nature Reserve visitor center after Canadian PM Stephen Harper in recognition of his ongoing support of Israel.

PM Harper is planing to visit Israel soon.

By Shlomo Cesana

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is set to visit Israel in two weeks, will receive a “king’s honor” upon his arrival, according to political sources.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper – Photo: Reuters

The soon-to-be-built visitor center at the Hula Nature Reserve will be named after him, in recognition of his ongoing friendship with and support for Israel.

The center, established by the Jewish National Fund, will be built from funds collected in Canada at a fundraising event that Harper attended.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hula Valley, Israel Canada, JNF, Stephen Harper

Chabad emissaries may qualify as national service instead of IDF induction

Volunteers for Zaka, Magen David Adom & the Israel National Police have already receive the status of national service, which in most cases can be served instead of IDF service.

By JTA

JERUSALEM – The work of 100 Israeli men serving overseas as emissaries on behalf of Chabad can count as national service, a Knesset committee decided.

Nariman House, known as the Mumbai Chabad House. Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka Holtzberg, who was six months pregnant, were murdered with four other Jewish hostages inside the house by the attackers. 26, Nov. 2008 – Photo & Text: Wikimedia Commons.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Chabad, national service

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Former US ambassadors reconsider to release Pollard to advance regional peace

If Pollard’s release would advance achieving a framework deal, regional peace trumps keeping him in jail, says a former US ambassador to the UN.

By GIL HOFFMAN

Two former American ambassadors to Israel who had opposed clemency for Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard changed their minds, according to a story published exclusively by the Walla News web site.

Thomas R. Pickering is among the most decorated U.S. diplomats. He served in Republican and Democratic administrations from 1974 through 1996. He leads the Benghazi probe. – MSNBC Screenshot

The web site spoke to Sam Lewis, who served as ambassador until 1985 when Pollard was arrested in Washington, and Thomas Pickering, who as Lewis’ replacement dealt with the arrest’s aftermath. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jonathan Pollard

13 Israeli Civilians Bound & Beaten in Arab Village

A Dozen Jews abducted, tied up & beaten senseless, according to one of the injured. ‘They tied our hands & legs, then beat us cruelly’.

By Maayana Miskin

Dozens of Jewish men were abducted and beaten in a mob attack in the Binyamin region on Tuesday afternoon. The men were set upon by an Arab mob, chased down, tied up and beaten senseless.

One of the men told Arutz Sheva about the vicious attack. The men were attacked as they were walking from the Jewish village of Esh Kodesh to the nearby Givat Hayovel.

Suddenly, they were set upon by an Arab mob, he said. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab attackers, price tag

Israeli Arabs speak out: ‘We are Israeli citizens and demand to remain in Israel’

Arab residents of the Jewish State see Lieberman land swap plan as problematic, say most would fight, or move to stay in Israel: ‘The Arab population won’t agree to give up their citizenship’

By Israel Moskowitz

While Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was surprisingly bonding with the prospect of a peace deal with the Palestinians, his support for a land swap wasn’t met with the same enthusiasm by those who would likely be part of the transfer.

Lieberman at the Saban Conference – Photo: Shachar Az

Lieberman said he supported the option of a land and population exchange with the Palestinians, clarifying that he envisioned the transfer of the predominantly Arab “Triangle” of communities and Wadi Ara, a main artery between central and northern Israel bordering the West Bank, in return for Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Avigdor Lieberman, Peace Process

Video: The Rolling Stones Reported Negotiating 1st Israel Concert

Israeli producers have offered the Stones the highest amount to an int’l artist to perform in Israel.

By Moshe Kutner

The Rolling Stones are reportedly negotiating a debut show in Israel this June.

The Rolling Stones, from left, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts, perform live at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Dec. 15, 2012. – Photo: AP

According to a report in the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Israeli producers Marcel Avram and Gadi Oron are in talks with the English rock band’s managers for a show in Israel during the band’s European tour, which is scheduled for this summer. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Culture, music, The Rolling Stones

‘King David’s Castle’ to be Revealed January 17

The major archaeological discovery points to a Davidic royal castle in Nahal Refaim.

It’s location, a secret, and will be announced in 10 days.

By Gil Ronen

The location of a major archaeological find that was kept secret until now will be revealed to the public on Friday, next week. The find is being touted as a royal castle that could have belonged to Israel’s most celebrated king – the Bible’s King David.

The find is a decorated carved stone known as “a proto-aeolic capital” that is connected to a column. Only 30 such capitals have been found in Israel so far, and only five of them were found in areas in which Biblical-era kings lived. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: archaeology, IAA, Israel Antiquities Authority, Kfar Etzion, King David

Israeli Arabs: We Refuse to Live in a Palestinian State

If the Arab Knesset members are so worried about becoming citizens of a Palestinian state, they should be working toward integration into, and not separation from, Israel, and listening more to their constituents rather than the voices of Fatah and Hamas.

by Khaled Abu Toameh

Renewed talk of land swaps between Israel and a future Palestinian state has left many Israeli Arabs worried about losing their status as citizens of Israel.

Member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi yells from the Knesset podium. (Image source: Knesset TV YouTube channel)

According to the Israeli daily Ma’ariv, Israel has proposed to the Americans transferring Israeli Arab communities to the Palestinian Authority as part of a land swap that would place Jewish settlements in the West Bank under Israeli sovereignty. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Politics, Israeli Arabs

Israeli hurt when Palestinian Arab threw explosive at Bethlehem holy site

An explosive devise was hurled at Rachel’s Tomb, causing injuries to a Jewish man, who was evacuated to hospital by paramedics.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN

Palestinians hurled two improvised grenades at Israelis in Bethlehem on Monday evening in two attacks, injuring one civilian.

IDF troops on duty near Bethlehem – Photo: Udi Gal

An explosive was thrown at Rachel’s Tomb, causing injuries to one man, who was evacuated to hospital by paramedics. Earlier, an explosive was thrown at an IDF base in the area. No injuries were reported in that attack.

Monday’s events are the latest indication that Palestinian violence is on the rise, though Israeli policymakers and defense experts remain doubtful that we are on the cusp of a third intifada. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Bethlehem, Palestinian terrorism, terror attack

Knesset makes ‘revenge porn’ a crime

New law make revenge porn a criminal offense, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment. ‘Bill puts an end to virtual rape, in which someone is turned into a porn star against their will,’ says MK who led effort.

By Moran Azulay

Israel has outlawed revenge porn, turning it into an offense punishable by up to five years in prison.

revenge porn

The Knesset authorized in a second and third reading an amendment to the Sexual Harassment Prevention Bill, according to which no video or image of sexual character can be uploaded to the internet, specifically to social media. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel law, porn

Nabbed Israeli Arab Charged in Bus Bomb Attack

Using his Israeli ID, Mahmoud Abu Anza, 24, picked up and drove the terrorist from Judea & Samaria to Bat Yam.

By Gil Ronen

A Bedouin Muslim with Israeli citizenship was charged Monday in the Tel Aviv Magistrates’ Court for his part in a failed bus bombing in the city of Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv. The bomb was successfully planted in a bus and detonated, but serious casualties were avoided thanks to the passengers’ and driver’s alertness, and swift action by police.

The Tel Aviv State Attorney’s Office filed charges against Mahmoud Abu Anza, 24, of Tel Sheva, for transporting the terrorist who planted the bomb. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Bedouin, bus bombing, Illegal aliens, terror attack, terrorism

Retired navy chief: Israel has defenses against anti-ship missiles smuggled by Hezbollah

Describing the Russian Yakhont as the most advanced missile of its kind, Vice-Admiral (res.) Marom told the Post Israel has counter measures for this type of missile.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN

Israel has defenses in place against the supersonic Russian- made Yakhont anti-ship missile, ex-navy chief Vice-Admiral (res.) Eliezer Marom told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday, days after The Wall Street Journal reported that Hezbollah has been smuggling the weapon to Lebanon in pieces to evade Israeli strikes.

The Russian-made Yakhont missile – Wikimedia Commons

Describing the Yakhont as the most advanced missile of its kind in the world, Marom said the West does not know very much about the weapon, which flies at low altitude “right over the sea,” reaching speeds of between Mach 2 and Mach 3 (up to three times the speed of sound).

Category: Israel News | Tags: Yakhont missiles

UNHCR criticizes Israel’s terminology: They’re Not Illegal Aliens, They’re Refugees

UN blasts Israel’s policy towards the illegal infiltrators, complaining that they shouldn’t be detained & their refugee requests need to be considered.

By Elad Benari

The United Nations on Sunday night criticized Israel’s policy towards illegal immigrants, as thousands of them protested in Tel Aviv, demanding that Israel recognize them as refugees and grant them asylum.

The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) released a statement in which it accused Israel of “sowing fear and chaos” among the illegal aliens who, it said, should be referred to as “asylum seekers” and not “infiltrators”.

“We demand that the government examine the asylum requests of the foreigners, and stop the large-scale arrests in south Tel Aviv,” said the UN agency, adding that while it supported the holding facility for infiltrators in southern Israel, it was not acceptable in its present form as the agency deemed it to be a long-term detention center. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: illegal migrants, infiltrators, UN, UNHCR

Leviathan gas partners sign 1st gas export agreement with Palestinian power company

The partners managing Israel’s large natural gas reservoir have signed a $1.2 billion agreement to supply the Palestine Power Generation Company.

By SHARON UDASIN

The drilling partners behind Israel’s large Leviathan gas reservoir have sealed their first export deal for the basin – a $1.2 billion sales agreement with the Palestine Power Generation Company.

Officials from Delek and the Palestinian Authority – Photo: Chen Galili

According to the agreement, signed at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem on Sunday, PPGC will buy around 4.75 billion cubic meters of gas for a period of 20 years, to fuel a future power plant in Jenin with a 200-megawatt capacity. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Avner Oil, Delek, Leviathan, Noble Energy, Palestinian, PPGO

israelandstuffcom | January 5, 2014