Israel News

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Israel in 3 weeks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is planned to arrive in Israel on Dec. 17 for meetings with PM Netanyahu & his senior cabinet members.

By Shlomo Cesana

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Israel in December and will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior cabinet members and government officials.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi – Photo: Reuters

During the visit, scheduled for Dec. 17, the Israeli officials and Wang will discuss the interim agreement signed with Iran in Geneva earlier this month, as Israel tries to weigh in on the final agreement world powers are trying to formulate with the Islamic republic.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Buisness, finance, Israel China

Israel finally invited to join UN’s Western nations WEOG group in Geneva

Officials in Jerusalem sees move as beginning of “normalization” of relations between Israel and the numerous UN bodies in Geneva.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF

The United Nations is expected to formally invite Israel to join its group of Western nations in Geneva on Monday, a move that is critical for Israel’s continued involvement in the United Nations Human Rights Council.

OVERVIEW OF the Human Rights Council at the UNHRC – UN Photo/Pierre Albouy

Israel is part of the Western European and Others Group at the UN’s headquarters in New York. But until Friday, that group’s counterpart (also called WEOG) in the United Nations Office at Geneva had refused to allow Israel to be a member.

Category: Israel News | Tags: UN, UNHRC, WEOG

Infuriated Netanyahu, condemns Druze discrimination saying ‘they are our flesh & blood’

PM remarks on incident where Druze soldiers were denied entry during security drill at Dimona facility, saying ‘they are our flesh & blood, they should be treated as equals’

By Attila Somfalvi

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on an incident in which Druze soldiers were not allowed to enter the Dimona reactor as part of a security drill and said that lessons must be drawn from it. “Our brothers the Druze are our flesh and blood. They serve in combat units in the IDF and should be treated as equals,” he said.

Prime Minister Netanyahu at a Likud Beytenu faction meeting, November 4, 2013.- Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The J'lem Post

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

The incident occurred several weeks ago and was first reported by Yedioth Ahronoth. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Druze, IDF

Canadian PM Harper to Announce 1st Trip to Israel

Prime Minister Stephen Harper reportedly planning to make his visit to Israel announcement at upcoming JNF event Sunday evening.

By Dalit Halevi and Arutz Sheva Staff

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to announce his his first trip to Israel at the Jewish National Fund’s (JNF) annual dinner tomorrow (Sunday) in Toronto, according to Shalom Toronto.

Harper, who has been Prime Minister since being elected for the first of his two terms in 2006, has been a staunch supporter of Israel, a stance which found its expression shortly after his election, when he stood by the Jewish state during the Second Lebanon War against Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah. Continue Reading »

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

israelandstuffcom | November 30, 2013

Minister Liberman: ‘Planning & Building Permits Aren’t Only For Jews’

Foreign Minister “This is not a social problem or a housing shortage, but rather a struggle over land…. there are those that intentionally try to steal that land and control it by force.”

By Ari Yashar, Arutz Sheva Staff

On Saturday night amid a “day of rage” in which mass protests opposed the “Prawer-Begin Plan” to organize illegal Bedouin settlement in the Negev, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Likud-Beytenu) called the violent protests “serious albeit expected.”

At least 15 police officers were injured as over a thousand demonstrators threw stones and caused havoc in the Negev, while hundreds more protested in Haifa, Samaria and Gaza. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Avigdor Liberman, Bedouin, Negev

israelandstuffcom | November 30, 2013

Boycott-Israel activists fined by French court for discrimination

This Court of Appeals ruling reversed a 2012 ‘not-guilty’ verdict by the Correctional Tribunal of Mulhouse.

By JTA

A French court imposed a $1,300 fine on members of an anti-Israel group who called on supermarket shoppers to boycott Israeli products.

Anti-Semitic display (illustrative) – Photo: UMIT BEKTAS/REUTERS

The Court of Appeals of Colmar near Strasbourg fined each of the group’s 12 members individually on Wednesday for their participation in a pro-boycott activity in 2009-2010, which the court qualified as “provocation to discrimination.” The court also gave the activists a suspended jail sentence, according to a report by the CRIF umbrella group of French Jewish communities.

Category: Israel News | Tags: anti-Israel, BDS, boycott, French Courts

israelandstuffcom | November 30, 2013

Border Guard Policeman forced to shoot Palestinian attacker

A Border Guard volunteer shot to death a Palestinian Arab as he attempted to stab policeman with knife, during an operation to locate illegal aliens in the Petah Tikva area.

By Hassan Shaalan

A Palestinian was shot to death Saturday morning by Border Guard volunteers, who were searching after illegal aliens in the area of Yarkon Cemetery in Petah Tikva. The Border Guard stated that a policeman shot the Palestinian after the latter attempted to stab him.

Body of Palestinian on site (Photo: Ido Erez)

Body of Palestinian attacker being removed from site – Photo: Ido Erez

The event occurred at around 7 am near the cemetery. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Illegal aliens, MAGAV, Palestinian attack, terrorists killed

3 Druze soldiers kept from entering nuclear facility

Despite impeccable enlistment record, three Druze IDF soldiers suffered discrimination.

Evidence reveals the IAF Druze soldiers were barred from entering Dimona nuclear research center for 30 minutes until security investigation was completed.

By Yossi Yoshuah

Israel‘s Druze community surpasses Jews in their percentage of IDF enlistment and the minority group will soon mark a milestone when Colonel Ghassan Alian will take command of the Golani Brigade – yet conscripted Druze still suffer discrimination within the army.

The Nuclear Research Center in Dimona – Archives: AFP

A Yedioth Aharonoth report based on undercover recordings revealed that there are those that are still skeptical of the Druze soldier’s loyalties and barred IAF Druze soldiers from joining their Jewish comrades in a military exercise in the sensitive Dimona nuclear center. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Dimona, Druze, Druze Battalion, IDF

Germany & Britain Block PA Olive Council Bid

Unilateral action to join Int’l Olive Council blocked over arguments the act violates conditions & jeopardizes peace talks.

By Ari Yashar

Opposition by Germany and Britain have forced the Palestinian Authority (PA) to cancel their application to become a “member state” of the International Olive Council.

In April, as part of the peace talks with Israel, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas promised not to take unilateral action in joining international bodies.

Just recently Nabil Shaath, a senior official in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), threatened that his organization was ready to join international organizations as the talks have failed to deliver results in the course of 5 months. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: olives, PA, UK

Apprehended: 4 Arabs arrested in terror stone-throwing attack on 2 yr-old

Police arrest four Arabs in connection to stone throwing attack on passing car that left toddler with head wounds.

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

Police and Border Guard officers arrested four Arab youths, aged 15 to 20, in connection to the stone throwing incident Thursday that left 2-year-old Avigail Ben Zion moderately wounded.

Broken car window – Photo: Noam Dvir

According to security forces, after the incident the group fled the scenes and its members were arrested when they returned to their respective homes. Police said the incident was most likely nationalistically motivated.

According to reports, the infant, Avigail, was hit with a stone that was thrown in the direction of the family car, as her mother, Shirin Ben Tzion, was driving in Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Palestinian terrorism, stone throwers, terror attack

Israeli President meets Mexican President to cement strategic ties

Israel’s President Shimon Peres accompanied by 80 leading Israeli businesspeople to Mexico for expanding cooperation.

In his speech at the airport with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, President Peres expressed confidence in the ongoing peace process between Israel & the Palestinians.

By Reuters & Israel Hayom Staff

Israeli President Shimon Peres said during a state visit to Mexico on Wednesday he was glad peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority had been restored, and that he hoped a two-state solution to the long conflict with the Palestinians would be put into writing.

President Shimon Peres at the press conference at Mexico City’s airport – Photo: Mark Neiman/GPO

Peres, a Nobel peace laureate, flew into Mexico on Tuesday at the head of an 80-member Israeli business delegation for a six-day visit to Mexico.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Mexico, Shimon Peres

Haifa University bans students from waving Palestinian flag on campus

Arab group’s legal council says Haifa University is denying its students freedom of expression & that in the past, flag didn’t lead to violence.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

The University of Haifa banned Arab students from waving Palestinian flags during protests that took place earlier this week against the Begin-Prawer plan, causing reactions from NGOs for and against the decision.

An Israeli Arab waves Palestinian flag during protest outside district court in Haifa, Nov 28, 2013 – Photo: REUTERS/Nir Elias

Fady Khoury, a lawyer for Adalah, an Arab legal rights group, told The Jerusalem Post that the university is violating the principle of freedom of speech and should not act as a filter or interfere in the substance of expression. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab Israelis, Bedouin, Haifa University, Im Tirtzu, Palestinians, protesters

israelandstuffcom | November 28, 2013

Pope Francis I will visit Israel in May

During an official visit to Italy next week, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is expected to meet with Pope Francis.

By Haaretz and JTA

Pope Francis will visit Israel on May 25-26, Italian news agency ANSA reported on Thursday. The report cited CNN’s Jake Tapper, who posted the news on Twitter.

Pope Francis I – Photo: AFP

ANSA said the Vatican would not confirm the dates.

The report comes after the release this week of “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel), a 224-page document outlining the pope’ vision of the church and its mission.

“Dialogue and friendship with the children of Israel are part of the life of Jesus’ disciples,” Francis wrote in the document. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Pope Francis I

israelandstuffcom | November 28, 2013

Toddler Seriously Injured in Arab Rock-Throwing Ambush

A 2-year-old baby was hospitalized after suffering a serious head injury when the car she was in, was attacked in southern Jerusalem by Arabs throwing stones.

By Gil Ronen

A two-year-old baby was seriously injured Thursday when Muslim terrorists hurled rocks at the car she was in, at the entrance to the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in southern Jerusalem.

A Magen David Adom (MDA) team gave the baby initial medical care and took her to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital. She suffered a serious head injury.

Security forces are combing the area in search of the terrorists.

Refael Herbst, an MDA paramedic who treated the girl, said: “When we arrived we saw a woman holding a baby aged about 2 years, with a bleeding wound in her head. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Palestinian terrorism, stone throwers, terror attack

israelandstuffcom | November 28, 2013