Israel News

New Christian Arab party recognizes Israel as the home of the Jewish people

“The New Alliance” supports national service, entering the IDF & recognizes Israel as the home of the Jewish people.

“We are completely Israeli, and then comes religion,” says party founder Bashara Shlayan of Nazareth.

By Dror Eydar

The events in the Middle East have unleashed deep sociological and ideological processes, of which we are only seeing the beginning. It is not only political Islam in the eye of the media storm. Throughout the various Arab countries in the region, the bruised and battered Christian community is raising its voice. Israel appears to be the only country in the region whose Christian community does not have a negative emigration ratio as its members flee West in pursuit of a more promising life.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab Christians, Arab Israelis, Nazareth

ICC looks into war-crimes lawsuit against Israel

The Int’l Criminal Court prosecutor said that she would open a preliminary examination into the Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla, which left 9 Turkish peace activists dead.

By JTA

The president of the International Criminal Court has taken the first steps toward an investigation of a war crimes lawsuit against Israel over the 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara.

Original Photo Published by Hurriyet shows hand holding knife above stabbed and bloody IDF soldier.

Sang-Hyun Song of South Korea appointed a three-judge panel to study the procedural requirements for the suit. The appointment puts in place the legal apparatus for an investigation but does not actually launch a probe, The Associated Press reported.

Category: Israel News | Tags: flotilla, ICC, Mavi Marmara

Haredi attack on Haredi soldier in Jerusalem summons political outrage

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu condemned the attack, vowing to “take a hard stand against those who attempt to strike fear in citizens fulfilling their duty to the state.”

By JEREMY SHARON, DANIEL K. EISENBUD

A haredi soldier was attacked by dozens of haredi men on Tuesday night in the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea She’arim.

Haredi combat soldiers – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

According to the police, at approximately 7:30 p.m., the soldier, who was in uniform, was surrounded and threatened by approximately 100 haredi men on Gimzo Street in the heart of Mea She’arim, but managed to flee to a nearby building and alert the police.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Binyamin Netanyahu, Haredi unit, Haredim, Shas

Canadian and European activists instigating another flotilla from Gaza

Gazans & outside activists plan to sail to Europe in September from Gaza carrying local produce.

Organizers say flotilla’s goal is to raise awareness on Gaza naval blockade.

By Ahiya Raved

Canadian and European activists staying in Gaza are planning to launch a flotilla which will carry Gazan produce and textiles from the strip to Europe. The vessel, currently a fishing boat, is being converted to a cargo ship, and organizers are planning to set sails in the near future.

תעשה את כל הדרך מעזה לאירופה? ספינת הפעילים

Converted to cargo ship

The project’s goal, the activists say, is to raise public awareness to the strife of the maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Gaza, Gaza flotilla

Israel to exchange weapons for migrants with African countries

Senior Israeli official says deal nearly completed with African governments to take tens of thousands of migrant expatriates in exchange for weapons, military training & ‘Israeli know how’.

By Itamar Eichner

Israel is close to signing a deal with several African countries who will accept tens of thousands of African migrants currently residing in Israel in exchange for a benefits package including security, economic and agricultural aid.

Sudanese migrants in Tel Aviv – Photo: Moti Kimchi

According to a senior official, the security aid will include Israeli arms and military knowledge and training.

Such deals are close to being finalized with at least three African countries, the official said. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: illegal migrants, migrants

AJC Petitions Court to Uphold Convictions of 10 pro-Palestinian Activists

Jewish organization filed brief to the Appellate court seeking to uphold convictions of 10 hooligans for interrupting speech given by Ambassador Michael Oren at University of California ay Irvine.

By Rina Tzvi

Jewish groups are urging the Appellate Division of the California Superior Court in Orange County to uphold the conviction of 10 individuals for repeatedly interrupting Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren’s speech at the University of California at Irvine.

“The First Amendment guarantee of freedom of speech may not be invoked to protect those who intentionally disrupt a lawful meeting,” said Marc D. Stern, General Counsel of the American Jewish Committee (AJC). Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: AJC, anti-Israel, Michael Oren

Israeli Arab Priest: Our future is with Israel

Prior to being silenced by his Church’s hierarchy, Nazareth clergyman informs Israelis that many Arab Christians seek a closer relationship with the Jewish State.

By Ryan Jones

Father Gabriel Nadaf, an Arab Christian priest from the area of Nazareth, told Israeli media a week ago that the future of Arab Christians is in becoming one with the Jewish state.

Jubrail (Gabriel) Nadaf a 39-year-old Arab Christian priest – Photo: Michel Dot Com(

Israel Today has several times in recent months reported on the activities of Father Nadaf and a growing movement in Nazareth to encourage young Arab Christians to join the Israeli army and fully integrate into Israeli society. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab Christians, Christian, Gavriel Nadaf, Greek Orthodox Christians

Second ‘Prisoner X’ confined to an Israeli jail detected

Internal Affairs Committee to discuss another anonymous prisoner that was being held for offenses that were much more “sensationalist and incredible”.

By BEN HARTMAN, LAHAV HARKOV

A second anonymous security prisoner was held secretly at Ayalon Prison at the same time that former Mossad employee Ben Zygier took his own life at the facility’s high security cell 15, according to court documents cleared for publication on Tuesday.

The Ayalon Prison in Ramle – Photo: Reuters

In the protocol of an October 2011 hearing in the Rishon Letzion Magistrate’s Court examining the death of Zygier – nicknamed “Prisoner X” by the Israeli media – it reads “it is worth nothing that there are specific, detailed guidelines that were used for the previous resident of bloc 15 (Yigal Amir) and for a separate prisoner jailed in bloc 13 (a security cell – that prisoner’s attributes more closely resemble those of the one in cell 15).”

Category: Israel News | Tags: Ben Zygier, Prisoner X

IDF Haredim soldiers build new Electronic Warfare System

Ultra-Orthodox IDF soldiers participate in development of new & advanced electronic warfare system.

A., 29, thankful for the opportunity to ‘give not only to the army, to the people of Israel, but also to the place from which I come as someone setting a precedent’.

By Yoav Zitun

far from the limelight, haredi soldiers serving in the army are racking up impressive accomplishments. Ultra-Orthodox soldiers serving in the army’s Computer Services Directorate have recently completed development of an advanced electronic warfare system, which significantly improves the operational abilities of forces along the nothern and Gaza borders.

I., one of the program graduates – Photo: IDF Spokesperson

The secret system provides an operational solution to a gap which existed within the army in terms of daily security. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Haredi unit, Haredim, IDF, ultra-Orthodox

Delaware governor seeks more partnerships with Israel’s hi-tech

Delaware’s Governor Jack A. Markell is in Jerusalem in order to strengthen commercial ties between Delaware & Israel, an “incredible beacon of stability”

By STEVE LINDE, NOA AMOUYAL

Israel is an “incredible beacon of stability” amid the current chaos on its borders, Delaware Gov. Jack A. Markell said on Monday.

Delaware Governor Jack Markell – Photo: STEVE LINDE

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Markell said during his visit to the country this week, he aims to explore ways for Israel and Delaware to strengthen ties and forge new relationships with Israeli business leaders looking to expand their operations to the US.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Delaware, Israel US

New ‘noise law’ allows Police to enter homes without warrant

The new legislation allows police to enter home if owner doesn’t respond or if the noise violation may do harm to the public’s well-being.

By Moran Azulay

The Knesset on Monday approved in its second and third readings a bill that allows the police to enter private houses under certain circumstances if they are perceived to be violating noise regulations.

TOO Loud (illustration) – Photo: Shutterstock

The bill, which was submitted by MK Miri Regev (Likud-Beiteinu), the chairwoman of the Knesset’s Internal Affairs and Environment Committee, was supported by 47 lawmakers. Only four MKs voted against the legislation.

The bill permits police to enter the establishment only if there is reason to believe the noise violation is causing significant harm to the public well-being. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel law, Israel Police, Knesset, law enforcement

Israel sentences Arab-Israeli to jail for joining Syrian rebels

Massarwa acknowledges to illegally traveling to hostile state and meeting with what prosecutors described as a “foreign agent”.

By REUTERS

JERUSALEM – Israel sentenced an Arab citizen to 30 months’ imprisonment on Monday for endangering national security by briefly joining Syrian rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Free Syrian Army members, Aleppo, July 4, 2013. – Photo: REUTERS

Massarwa was arrested on March 19 upon returning via Turkey from Syria, where he had spent a week at a rebel base. Israeli prosecutors accused him of undergoing small-arms training by radical Islamists there who asked him to carry out a suicide attack in Israel – although, by all accounts, he declined.

Category: Israel News | Tags: court, Israeli Arab, Syria

Lebanese Minister: Israel very capable of stealing our gas

Lebanese energy minister calls for urgent parliamentary session and urged the gov’t to take every step necessary to mark Lebanon’s maritime border with Cyprus & Israel.

By Doron Peskin

Lebanese Energy Minister Gebran Bassil called for an urgent parliamentary session over the weekend to discuss the Israeli “threat” on his country’s natural gas reserves.

Bassil was referring to reports in Israel about the discovery of the Karish (“Shark”) gas field off the shores of the northern city of Nahariya.

The minister presented reporters with a map and stated that Israel could “theoretically” place a gas pipe and pull the gas “located 4 kilometers (2.5 miles)” from Lebanon‘s natural gas wells, thanks to its advanced technological abilities. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Lebanon, Lebanon, natural gas

Palestinian Terrorists from Gaza Sneak Into Sinai to Fight Egyptians

Muslim Brotherhood-linked terrorists from Gaza are infiltrating via the illegal smuggling tunnels into the Sinai so they can attack Egyptian army outposts.

By Chana Ya’ar

As the death toll rises in clashes between Egypt’s army and pro-Morsi protesters, Muslim Brotherhood-linked Gaza terrorists are infiltrating the Sinai to attack Egyptian army outposts.

Although the army has sealed at least 50 tunnels in the past two weeks, hundreds remain open and active under the border between Egypt and Gaza.

A senior Egyptian official told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper on Saturday that at least 150 Izz a-Din al-Qassam operatives – members of the Gaza-based Hamas military wing – were seen heading into Sinai via the tunnels. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Sinai, Terror, terrorism abroad, travel alert