Israel News

US Air Force & IAF hold largest joint-military exercise in Israel’s history

Greece, Italy, Israel and the U.S. are holding joint aerial training exercise above Israel with about 100 aircraft.

IDF points out: Joint exercise has nothing to do with Iran

By Yoav Zitun

Some 50 fighter jets belonging to Israel, Greece, the US and Italy took off Sunday morning from the Ovda air base, signaling the beginning of the largest military air exercise in Israel’s history.

Israel Air Force – Phot courtesy: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The Blue Flag exercise is being hosted by Israel will continue until Thursday and will include more than 60 jet fighters among them the Tornado, AMX and F-15. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IAF, IDF excercise, Israel Greece, Israel Italy, Israel US

Jewish immigration from France to Israel up by 49%

French Jewish immigration to Israel has increased by 49% in the first 9 months of 2013 compared to last year.

By JTA

Through September, 2,185 French Jews have immigrated to Israel, compared to 1,469 immigrants during the same time frame in 2012, according to Jewish Agency for Israel figures. The number of immigrants who arrived from France to Israel during the whole of 2012 was 1,907.

New Immigrants – Photo courtesy: Nefesh B’Nefesh

On average, Jewish immigration to Israel from the rest of the world under the Law of Return showed an increase of 1 percent during the first nine months of 2013.

Category: Israel News, Jewish News | Tags: Aliyah, Jewish World, new immigrants

PM convenes urgent Cabinet meeting on Horizon 2020, as EU sticks to settlement boycotts

EU guidelines require every agreement with EU to include clause specifying that ‘deal’ is not applicable beyond Green Line.

By HERB KEINON

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations Sunday to discuss what Israeli officials termed the European Union’s refusal to show the necessary flexibility on its settlement guidelines to allow Israel to join the massive Horizon 2020 project.

Meeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with EU Foreign Commissioner Catherine Ashton in Jerusalem. - Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO

Meeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with EU Foreign Commissioner Catherine Ashton in Jerusalem. – File Photo: Amos Ben Gershom, GPO

Israel and the EU have been in intensive talks since August looking for a formula that would enable Israel’s participation in the flagship EU Research and Development program in light of EU settlement guidelines published in June barring the transfer of any money or funds to entities beyond the Green Line, including east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: EU santions, Judea and Samaria boycott

Eli Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, honored with President’s Medal of Distinction

Holocaust survivor Eli Wiesel, accepts Israel’s President’s highest civilian award, calling himself an honorary Israeli: ‘Even though I don’t live in Israel, Israel lives within me.’

Shimon Peres: ‘It’s a great honor & privilege for me’

Noam (Dabul) Dvir

Eli Wiesel, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, received the President’s Medal of Distinction from President Shimon Peres Monday night. He received the prize for “his unique contribution to the memorial of the Holocaust and in light of his uncompromising drive for peace and tolerance.” The medal is the highest civilian award in Israel, which was also given to US President Barack Obama when he visited Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Eli Wiesel, President's Medal of Distinction, Shimon Peres

Israel’s Defense Minister: Gov’t to Begin Dealing With Illegal Arab Construction

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon reported Monday evening that his ministry would develop methods to deal with illegal Arab construction in Judea & Samaria.

By David Lev

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said Monday night that he would set up a committee to develop a legal framework to prevnet illegal building in Judea and Samaria that would apply to all residents. The announcement by Ya’alon came in response to a lawsuit by the Regavim group that demanded the state intervene to prevent illegal Arab building, just as it acts to prevent illegal construction in Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria.

The lawsuit by Regavim demands that the state order the demolition of illegal building by Palestinian Authority Arabs between the Binyamin region community of Neve Tzuf and the Arab village of Deir Nazim. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: illegal construction, Judea and Samaria, Moshe Ya'alon, Palestinians, West Bank

Artillery Corps seeks more recruits in growing northern role

Israel’s Artillery Corps is becoming a strategic force on Israel’s Syrian border, where it responds with lethal surface-to-surface missiles at enemy positions.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN

With a new precision rocket battalion also coming into service soon, the Artillery Corps, which maintains the Ground Forces’ only drone unit, is hoping that its growing role will attract more young recruits. On Tuesday, the Corps is set to learn how many Israeli youths from the November round of draftees signed up with the Artillery Corps.

An IDF artillery vehicle on the Golan Heights – Photo courtesy: IDF Spokesperson Unit

“We’re investing a lot to bring combat soldiers to us,” Brig.-Gen.

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF, IDF Artillery Corps, IDF response

Palestinians plan new flotilla to launch from Gaza

Palestinian protesters & fishermen will try to reach the open seas of the Mediterranean to remind the world Gaza is still under closure.

The activists are expecting Israel’s Navy to interfere, but say they will not confront seamen.

BY Elior Levy

A group of Palestinian activists from Intifada Youth Coalition is planning on sailing from Gaza Strip in an attempt to challenge the naval blockade on the territory.

Swedish flotilla to Gaza in 2012 – Photo: AFP

The group of 200 Palestinian activists, backed by other foreign activists who are currently in Gaza, is planning to take boats from the Palestinian coast to the line of the marine closure, six nautical miles from shore, on Friday. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: fishermen, Gaza, Gaza flotilla, ‘Palestinian’ incitement

Israeli agritech company improves crop harvests without genetic modification

The Israeli agritech firm Kaiima reports that it is developing a technology that will replicate natural processes to produce stronger, bigger plants for growing & hungry world.

By Reuters

Israeli enterprise Kaiima believes it has found a way to improve crop harvests by replicating and accelerating a natural genetic phenomenon in the laboratory.

Wheat fields in Israel’s Negev Desert. – Photo: Eliyahu Hershkovitz

The future of growing sturdier, sustainable crops for an increasingly hungry world is represented in their rice fields. Most plants evolve via a process called genome doubling, where over time, two species become one with a single genome comprising the strongest features of each parents. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: agriculture, Israel business, Israeli Technology

Israeli Elderly Taught Self-Defense to Fight Off Illegal Immigrant Attacks

Israel Police, gov’t & NGO hold self-defense classes for southern Tel Aviv elderly, who face constant immigrant violence.

By Gil Ronen

The Israel Police, in cooperation with the Ministry for Senior Citizens and the non-governmental Center for Israeli Immigration Policy, provided dozens of elderly residents of southern Tel Aviv with self-defense lessons Monday.

A senior police self-defense trainer, Haim Hakani, taught the senior citizens how to behave in dangerous situations, and how to effectively defend oneself from violence.

Lt. Col. Alon Magen and Lt. Col. Nisan Menashi, commanders of police stations that maintain order in southern Tel Aviv’s poorer neighborhoods, addressed the participants and confirmed that their neighborhoods are in added danger because of the numerous illegal immigrants who live in them. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News |

Gov’t document before Cabinet: Illegal infiltrators are a threat to society’s resilience

PM Netanyahu: We will remove tens of thousands of illegal migrants to preserve the state’s Jewish & democratic character & restore safety to Israeli citizens.

The incentives offered to illegal migrants to leave the country will be raised from $1,500 to $3,500.

By Shlomo Cesana

Sunday’s cabinet meeting saw the approval of a document outlining a plan that places limitations on illegal African migrants to Israel, designed to encourage them to leave the country. The document listed several problems caused by the recent influx of migrants, chief among them the concern for the safety of Israeli citizens.

African migrants in southern Tel Aviv – Photo: Gideon Markowicz

The document reads: “The multitude of infiltrators from Africa carries various negative implications: damage to the fabric of Israeli society, harm to the personal security of the country’s citizens, a rise in crime in areas with a high concentration of illegal infiltrators, damage to the job market, a reduction in available government resources, particularly a strain on the health, education and welfare systems, and a growing threat to the country’s societal resilience as well as a security risk.”

Category: Israel News | Tags: African illegals, Illegal aliens, illegal migrants

Israel’s emergency medical team leaves Philippines

After 11 days, 36 deliveries and over 2,600 patients, Israel’s emergency medical team returns home from the Philippines and will be replaced by an EU delegation.

By JTA

The Israel Defense Forces emergency medical team left the Philippines 11 days after arriving there to aid typhoon victims.

The Israeli mission in the Philippines delivers a baby, Nov. 15, 2013.- Photo by Twitter account of IDF spokesman Peter Lerner

The Israeli mission in the Philippines delivers a baby, Nov. 15, 2013.- Photo Twitted by IDF spokesman Peter Lerner

The 148-person medical team vacated the IDF’s emergency field hospital in Bogo City on Monday after treating more than 2,600 patients, including 800 children. The team also conducted 52 surgeries and delivered 36 babies.

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF Emergency Medical, IDF search & rescue team, Philippines, Tikol Olam

Apple acquires Israeli start-up for $345 million

Founded in Tel Aviv by a group of ex-IDF gamers, PrimeSense specializes in 3D motion-sensing technology.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

The global technology giant Apple confirmed on Monday that it has acquired Israeli start-up PrimeSense in a deal valued at $345 million, Israel Radio reported.

Apple logo – Photo: REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

PrimeSense first made headlines after its 3D motion-sensing camera was used for Microsoft’s Kinect gaming system. It was founded in Tel Aviv by a team of twenty-something gaming enthusiasts who gained extensive technological know-how through their service at an elite military intelligence unit.

“We live in a world in which technology is becoming more and more sophisticated, with an array of applications and features which are complicated and tiresome for the consumer to use, like remote controls and buttons to push. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Apple, High Tech, Israeli Technology

Report: Israel approved another 829 new West Bank homes

According to the activist organization, Peace Now, Israel approved additional construction of new homes north of Jerusalem.

Once again the Palestinians claim this is ‘yet another move to derail peace process.’

By AFP

Israeli authorities have given the go-ahead for the construction of 829 new settler homes in the West Bank, Peace Now said on Monday.

Settlement construction in Efrat – Photo: Ilan Arad Lowshot.com

“The construction of 829 homes has been approved by a committee of the Israeli military in charge of the West Bank,” said Lior Amihai, a Peace Now activist.

“This is yet another move that threatens to derail the peace process,” Amihai told AFP. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: new construction, settlements, West Bank

West Bank ‘Settlers’ also Among 1st Responders to Aid After Philippines Typhoon

Hatzalah YOSH was among the 1st organizations arriving in the Philippines to offer medical attention following typhoon Haiyan’s destruction.

By Yoni Kempinski, Ari Yashar

The Hatzalah YOSH organization, established to provide emergency medical treatment in Judea and Samaria (sometimes referred to as the “West Bank”), was among the first to arrive in the Philippines and save lives following the typhoon Haiyan natural disaster.

‘Rescuers Without Borders’ in the Philippines – Photo: Arutz 7 screenshot

Video from the Judea and Samaria based rescue mission in the Philippines shows the group’s activities in the devastated landscape:

Aryeh Levi, a medic with Hatzalah YOSH and manager of “Rescuers Without Borders,” spoke to Arutz Sheva about his organization’s rescue efforts. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hatzalah YOSH, Philippines, Tikon Olam