Archive for Israel News

| September 10, 2013
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Survey shows Israel ranks 11th on happiness rates

Survey from Columbia University’s Earth Institute shows Nordic countries listed top in global happiness for 2013. Israel up 3 places from last year, coming in 11th.

Bottom of list: African countries & Bulgaria

By Dr. Itay Gal

The happiest people in the world are in Denmark, according to a new report published on Monday, based on research carried out by The Earth Inststute at Columbia University. Happiness is measured by a variety of parameters, including life expectancy, infant mortality, socio-economic status and education.

Happiness is... Photo: Shutterstock

Happiness is… Photo: Shutterstock

Despite the bitter cold, northern countries lead the report. As in previous years, Nordic countries top the list with Denmark coming in at number one. Continue Reading »

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| September 10, 2013
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Arab Attacks on Mount of Olives are declining

Thousands of mourners expected to visit Mount of Olives cemetery in the week before Yom Kippur.

Activists also report a drop in grave desecrations by Arab extremists.

By Gil Ronen

 

Thousands of people are expected to come to the ancient cemetery at the Mount of Olives in the days before Yom Kippur, to visit the graves of their loved ones and graves of “tzaddikim,” or wise and righteous people.

Desecration of Jewish graves, Mount of Olives – Israel news photo: Rafi Fischer

This year they can do so with less trepidation, activists say, because the security situation there has improved markedly in recent months. Continue Reading »

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| September 9, 2013
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Russian news report: Syrian rebels planning chemical attack on Israel

 

Unconfirmed report by Russian Arab-language newspaper claims: ‘armed Syrian militants will use territories controlled by the Syrian regime to perpetrate their provocative plan’

By Roi Kais

Arabic-language Russian news site Rusiya Al-Yaum has reported that Syrian rebels are planning a chemical attack on Israel.

Syrian rebels – Photo: AFP

In the report, it was claimed that “armed Syrian militants will use territories controlled by the Syrian regime to perpetrate their provocative plan.”

The story was quick to spread through pro-Assad outlets, like the Hezbollah affiliated Lebanese stations Al Manar and Al Mayadeen. The Russian site is also known for its pro-Assad bias in covering the Syrian crises, what suggests that there is a possibility the story might propaganda. Continue Reading »

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| September 8, 2013
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Amos Gilad: Israel not perceived as enemy by Arab Sunni bloc

 

Israel’s Defense Ministry’s political-military director said the Sunni axis is successfully keeping extremist jihadi terrorism at bay and goes on to praise Egyptian Defense Minister al-Sisi’s for his counter-terrorism efforts in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
 

 

A powerful Middle Eastern axis of Sunni states has taken form in the region, which “does not view Israel as a sworn enemy,” and has successfully kept extremist jihadi terrorism at bay, Maj.-Gen. Amos Gilad, Director of the Political-Military Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Defense, stated on Sunday.

Amos Gilad [file]

Amos Gilad – Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) by Hanay

Speaking before the Institute for Counter-Terrorism’s international summit at Herzliya, Gilad said that Israel “won’t ever be accepted as a formal member” of the Sunni axis, but that the states that make it up all view the US as the sole super power and that their regional policies are indirectly beneficial for Israel.”This

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| September 8, 2013
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Jerusalem gets Iron Dome battery

 

Israel’s Iron Dome Missile defense battery was set up just outside the capital ‘in accordance with IDF ‘situation assessments’

By Yoav Zitu

The Air Force set up an Iron dome missile defense battery in the Jerusalem area on Sunday, as the United States lobbied for domestic and international support for military strikes against Syria. The decision was made after situation assessments by the IDF.

Iron Dome near Jerusalem, Sunday

Iron Dome near Jerusalem, Sunday – Courtesy

A military spokeswoman would not comment on the deployment, saying only that “defense systems are deployed in accordance with situation assessments.”

Late last month, Iran’s army chief of staff General Hassan Firouzabadi warned: “Any military action against Syria will drive the Zionists to the edge of fire.” Continue Reading »

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| September 8, 2013
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EU May only Boycott New Projects & Continue to Fund Old

 

An EU delegation has reportedly agreed to continue funding bodies in Judea & Samaria (West Bank) and the Golan Heights that have received help in the past.

By Kochava Rozenbaum

 

 

The European Union (EU) is seeking to reassure Israelis who are concerned about the economic harm caused  by the EU’s decision to forbid its member states from cooperating, transferring funds, or giving scholarships or research grants to bodies in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.

Ariel University Center

A senior delegation from the European Union will arrive in Israel early this week to examine ways of preventing damage to Israeli entities operating beyond the 1949 Armistice Lines. Continue Reading »

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| September 8, 2013
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30 militant jihadist hurt in Egyptian air assault in Sinai

 

In the largest Sinai operation since the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Egyptian military bombs 12 targets in northern Sinai where jihadists were holed up and six Gaza smuggling tunnels also hit.

By Roi Kais

 

At least 31 people were killed or injured on Saturday when the Egyptian army mounted a large operation against militants in North Sinai, security officials said.

Smoke in Sinai after previous attack

An additional 10 people were arrested, reports said. Maan noted that the operation in the towns of Sheikh Zuweyid and Rafah in northern Sinai was the largest the Egyptian military has undertaken since the Yom Kippur War. Continue Reading »

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| September 8, 2013
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Israel’s PM unimpressed by Iranian greetings for Jewish New Year

Netanyahu said in a statement that the Iranian regime ‘will be judged only by its actions & not by its greetings’

Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday dismissed the significance of reports that the new Iranian president and his foreign minister had both issued greetings to mark the Jewish New Year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Photo: GPO

Twitter messages that appeared to have been issued by newly-elected Hassan Rohani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, wishing Jews a good Rosh Hashana – the Jewish New Year, which was celebrated this week – made headlines in Israel.

They were a change in tone from Rohani’s predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who left office last month and regularly use to rile Israel by calling for the destruction of the “Zionist entity”. Continue Reading »

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| September 7, 2013
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Palestinians praise Dutch firm’s cancellation of E. Jerusalem sewage project

 

Royal HaskoningDHV was pressured by the Dutch gov’t to withdraw its construction plans of a sewage treatment facility, which is in line with recent EU sanctions on Israel.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
 

 

A Dutch engineering firm that was slated to participate in the construction of a sewage treatment facility in east Jerusalem announced on Friday that it was pulling out of the project.

Dr. Hanan Ashrawi

PLO member Hanan Ashrawi – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

In a move that drew praise from the Palestinians, the company, Royal HaskoningDHV, released a statement on Friday saying that it decided to terminate its involvement in the project “after due consultation with various stakeholders.”

Continue Reading »
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| September 7, 2013
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PA minister announces: Next prisoners’ release by Israel in October

 

Following Israel’s August release of 26 convicted murderers the next group of jailed terrorists to be released will be on October 29. Minister Karaka says regardless of progress of Israel-PA peace talks.

Abbas suggests issue of borders hinges on talks

By: Roi Kais

Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Affairs Issa Karaka said that the next Palestinian prisoners’ release as past of the peace talks’ resumption will take place on October 29.

According to Karaka, the next group of prisoners will be released regardless of diplomatic progress of the talks, adding that the prisoners will only be released to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Continue Reading »

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| September 6, 2013
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At least 15 Arab stone-throwers arrested as Palestinians & police clash on Temple Mount

Israel Police use stun grenades to disperse crowd of youths throwing stones at them.

Similar Arab violence took place only days earlier.

By

 

 

At least 15 arrests were made at the Temple Mount on Friday, as Palestinian youths and police clashed at the sacred site only days after similar clashes took place there.

Video still of clashes at the Temple Mount on Wednesday.

Palestinian stone throwers at the Temple Mount on Wednesday. – Screenshot

The youths threw stones at the police officers, who were at Mughrabi Gate entrance to the site in the Old City of Jerusalem. Police entered the Temple Mount and used stun grenades to disperse the crowd. Continue Reading »

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| September 6, 2013
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German Intel Report: Hezbollah Admitted that Assad used Chemical Weapons

German intel publicized it had intercepted a phone call where Hezbollah official admitted that Assad used chemical weapon on his own people.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

 

German intelligence says that an official with the Hezbollah terror group admitted that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad ordered a poison gas attack last month.

Hezbullah flag – Reuters

According to a report in the Reuters news agency on Wednesday, Hezbollah considered the move a mistake which showed Assad was losing his grip.

Participants at a confidential meeting of German lawmakers on Monday said the head of the BND foreign intelligence agency told them it had intercepted a phone call believed to be between a high-ranking member of Hezbollah and the Iranian Embassy in Damascus. Continue Reading »

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| September 5, 2013
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Benjamin Netanyahu: Underrated

 

Israel’s ‘hawkish’ right-wing Likud Prime Minister Netanyahu is surprisingly a wise pragmatist with a deft touch amid all the regional chaos.

By Emanuele Ottolenghi

 

Everybody loves to hate Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Bibi

Israel’s PM, Benjamin Netanyahu – Illustration: The Commentator

When he appeared at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2012 to warn the international community about Iran’s impending nuclear threat with a graphic depiction of a bomb, Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt dismissed it as “confusing”. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman called him “a local party boss”.

In 2011 former US President Bill Clinton blamed him for the failure of the peace talks with the Palestinians. Continue Reading »

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| September 5, 2013
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US warship refulling at Haifa Port

 

 

Capt. Randell Dykes, the Commander of the USS San Antonio says ship’s visit to Israel is a ‘well-deserved break for the sailors & Marines.’ The Capt. says the port visit is unrelated to Syria, the ship is just refueling.

By Ahiya Raved, Yoav Zitun

 

Sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio arrived in Haifa, Israel for a routine port visit on Wednesday, the US Navy said.

The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio, at sea in July, 2013 – Photo courtesy: Sabrina Fine/U.S. Navy file photo

San Antonio’s commanding officer, Capt. Continue Reading »

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| September 4, 2013
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Failed hackers announced plans for another attempt

Previously unsuccessful, hacker group announce an upcoming September 11 assault on Israel & the United States.

By Maayana Miskin

 

An anonymous group of anti-Israel hackers has announced plans for a new cyber-assault. The mass hacking attempt has been scheduled for September 11.

hacker

Hacker (illustrative)- IsraelandStuff/PP

The same group previously attempted a mass online attack in April 2013. The only noticeable effect was a several-second delay in access to one government site; other than that, all Israeli government sites ran as usual.

A previous attack did more damage, temporarily affecting hundreds of Israeli civilian sites.

The hackers have released a video with their latest threats. Continue Reading »

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