Israel News

Again lies, racist policies & propaganda by the EU towards Israel

Israel does not make to the world the one case that matters – why Israelis are fully entitled under int’l law to build their homes in these territories; and exactly how Britain, the EU & the UN have grossly mis-stated & misapplied int’l law.

By Melanie Phillips

Consternation in Israel over the EU’s malicious decision to boycott individuals or institutions situated over the ‘Green Line’ between Israel and the disputed territories. This would presumably include boycotting, for example, the Hebrew University which is just over that line or, even more grotesquely, Jewish residents in Jerusalem’s Old City – where ancient Jewish settlement far predated the arrival of a single Arab, dating as it does since King David who built it as the capital of the kingdom of the Jewish people.

Category: Israel News | Tags: EU santions

Palestinians oppose new EU sanctions for fear of loosing jobs

If EU boycott guidelines for ‘Jewish settler’ businesses ever become implemented by any of it’s member-states, it will probably boomerang leaving thousands of Palestinians jobless.

By Israel Today Staff

Now even the Palestinians are fighting back against the decision by the European Union to boycott any Israeli businesses with a presence in the so-called “occupied territories.”

Groups have boycotted SodaStream because some of its machines are built in contested territory. Meanwhile, the company employs hundreds of Palestinians.

A senior PalestinianAuthority official who spoke on condition of anonymity told Israeli media that the European decision was not all that popular in Ramallah, despite ostensibly being made in service to the Palestinian nationalist cause. Continue Reading »

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

Why is the World So Obsessed with Israel?

The World is so obsessed with Israel, and yet, it’s not doing any good. Maybe it’s time to just allow the parties involved to work out their disagreements among themselves.

By Stephen Marche

Jerusalem is everywhere. No matter where you are, Jerusalem is. The power of that holy city intrudes into the strangest and most profane of places. I remember once driving to the Hustler Casino in Los Angeles, draped in the paper they give you at In-N-Out Burger, the kind that covers your whole lap while you gorge and drive, and I turned on the radio to hear a local Christian preacher’s extensive, in-depth analysis of Israel’s latest settlement policies and their relation to the Book of Acts. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel boycott, Peace plan

Natalie Portman to scout film locations in Israel for directorial debut

Hollywood superstar will also perform in her directorial debut in the adaptation of Amos Oz’s autobiographical novel “A Tale of Love and Darkness”.

After Oz approved the screenplay, Portman planned trip to Israel to scout filming locations.

By Eran Suissa

Hollywood megastar Natalie Portman is planning to visit Israel in the near future to scout locations for a new film. The film, based on the epic autobiographical novel “A Tale of Love and Darkness” by Israeli author Amos Oz, will be Portman’s directorial debut. The actress will also star in the film.

Natalie Portman will visit Israel in the near future to scout locations for a new film based on an Amos Oz novel – Photo: AP

According to sources, Portman’s itinerary indicates that she will be landing in Israel this coming September.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hollywood, Natalie Portman

Extremism in the West Bank is Escalating

After decades of indoctrinating Palestinians from birth, extremism in the West Bank is escalating and there are no signs that it’ll get better.

by Khaled Abu Toameh

The thousands of demonstrators didn’t forget to condemn the Palestinian Authority for “selling out to Jews” instead of seeking Israel’s destruction. Unlike the U.S., Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sees and hears the voices of the extremists at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, in the West Bank, and in the Gaza Strip. This is precisely why Abbas will never agree to sign a peace deal with Israel: it would turn him into the biggest traitor in the Palestinian and Islamic world.

Category: Israel News |

US Congressmen send letter of protest on EU’s ban of Israeli institutions in West Bank

In a formal letter to EU’s Catherine Ashton, US Congress members ask the EU to re-examine their new guidelines banning funding or acceptance of Israeli entities operating beyond 1949 armistice lines.

By Ynetnews

The heads of the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus have written European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton a letter expressing “deep concern” over the EU’s intention to ban funding to Israeli institutions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and urging the EU to revisit the decision.

Congressional Seal

“We are writing to express our deep concern over the European Union’s intention to issue new guidelines restricting European interaction with Israeli entities beyond the 1967 lines. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: EU santions, US Congress

Left-wing, Peace Now: Freeze? There’s no Freeze!

The left-wing NGO, Peace Now, says the current gov’t has so far approved more than 1,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria, advancing construction plans at an unprecedented scale.

By Gil Ronen

Peace Now, a far-left group that opposes any Jewish presence in the mountainous Biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria, says that nationalist complaints of a building freeze are unjustified.

The present government, it says, has carried out large scale construction in Judea and Samaria.

According to Peace Now, the government that was sworn in in March has thus far approved over 1,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Judea and Samaria, new construction, Peace Now

Cabinet to decide on release of Arab terrorists

Netanyahu intends to bring prisoners’ release for

peace talks for cabinet vote.

The PM & Kerry reached an agreement regarding a de facto freeze in new construction, but only outside of the main settlement blocs.

By Attila Somfalvi

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will bring the issues of peace talks resumption and Palestinian prisoners’ release to a cabinet vote, a source familiar with the details told Ynet Sunday.

PM wants cabinet to vote on release of terrorists – Photo GPO

The source noted that the “prime minister wants to present the ministers with the issues of resuming negotiations and that of the prisoners, and put them up for discussion as well as approval.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Palestinian prisoners, Peace Process

Martin Indyk to represent US at Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

Former Ambassador Indyk said to be an accepted mediator by both PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Abbas.

By Barak Ravid

Former U.S. ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk might be appointed the U.S. representative at Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, American blogger Laura Rozen reported Sunday, quoting diplomatic sources.

Martin Indyk speaks during U.S.- Islamic World Forum in Doha, June 2013. – Photo: Reuter

Writing in Al-Monitor website, Rozen suggested the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was considering appointing Indyk, who also served as the Clinton’s administration’s assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs as the man in charge of the day to day negotiations. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: EU, Israel US, Mahmoud Abbas, Martin Indyk, Palestinians, Peace Process

High Court recommends IDF cease using white phosphorus weapons

High Court recognized the IDF reduced use of white phosphorous after receiving harsh criticism for its use during Operation Cast Lead.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB

The High Court of Justice on Sunday recommended the IDF cease all use of white phosphorus (WP) for creating smoke screens during military operations.

White phosphorus bombs exploding over Gaza city – Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

The recommendation was non-binding, however, as the court recognized that the IDF’s current commitment to eliminate its use in the urban warfare context and to reduce its general use moved the Army’s position significantly toward that of petitioners, NGO Yesh Din.

Category: Israel News | Tags: High Court, white phosphorus

Record Breaking ‘Children’s Aliyah Flight’ Will Arrive Monday

Gilad Schalit will chaperone the Nefesh b’Nefesh flight of a record-breaking 106 children in 41 families.

By Arutz Sheva

North American aliyah organization Nefesh B’Nefesh is set to break a record Monday with an historic “children’s aliyah flight” that is to carry 106 children, in 41 families, to start new lives in Israel. All in all, the flight will carry 231 new olim (Jews returning to Israel) from North America.

New Israelis hit the ground – Photo: Sasson Tiram

Former abducted IDF soldier will Gilad Schalit will also be on board El Al flight LY3004, as a show of solidarity and appreciation. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Aliyah, Gilad Schalit, Nefesh B' Nefesh

‘Hackathon’ aimed to develop a new app called ‘Open Budget’ to support Israel

Israeli & Jewish hackers hold simultaneous 24-hour coding session in Tel Aviv & Silicon Valley to allow Israelis to better understand how their money is being spent.

By Yossi Aloni

Last Friday, more than 120 hackers, developers and computer programmers from Israel and Jewish communities abroad took part in a hackathon that occurred simultaneously in California’s “Silicon Valley” and in Tel Aviv.

illustrative – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Many of the Jewish hackers inCalifornia play leading roles in major high-tech companies like Google, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Under the title of “Friday Night Hack,”the event had two tracks, one focusing on Israel and the other on the Jewish communities around the world. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: computers

By day a Rabbi, by night a Border Guard Police officer patrolling the Upper Galilee

Meir Ohana is the chief rabbi of Mushav Kfar Yuval in the Upper Galilee, but that doesn’t stop him from patrolling the north as head of a volunteer Border Guard police unit.

Ohana has always demonstrated his support of haredi integration in the IDF: “Studying Torah does not preclude ‘bearing the burden’.”

By Itsik Saban

When Rabbi Meir Ohana takes off his traditional black suit, he puts on a Border Police uniform. While much of the ultra-Orthodox world in Israel is up in arms over the so-called “sharing of the burden” — the state’s intent to compel Israeli ultra-Orthodox citizens to enlist in the military after years of enjoying blanket exemptions from service — Ohana is a rare sight among his ilk.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Haredi, haredi draft, MAGAV

Germany rejects EU’s anti-Israel policies

German chancellor Merkel’s Bundestag spokesman says new EU guidelines are “pure ideology & symbolic politics,” and do not contribute to peace.

He added that the European regulations are not “objective requirements”

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

Germany distances itself from the “controversial European Union guidelines” banning cooperation with Israeli entities beyond the Green Line, a foreign policy spokesman in the Bundestag announced on Friday.

Palestinian sponsored boycott of Israel – Israel news photo screenshot

In a statement issued by MP Philipp Missfedler, the Bundestag spokesman for German chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party and its coalition partner the Bavarian Christian Social Union, he stated the guidelines are “pure ideology and symbolic politics” and will not contribute to finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Angela Merkel, anti-Israel, EU santions, Germany, Judea and Samaria boycott