Israeli start-up traffic GPS app ready to pass on serious payday, just to keep its firm at home in the Jewish state.

Germany backs labeling settlements products from WB

IDF Radio Reports: Berlin supports EU effort to label products originating beyond the ‘Green Line’

By JPOST.COM STAFF

The German government has given its tacit approval of European Union efforts to label products manufactured in Israeli-controlled territory beyond the Green Line, Army Radio reported on Sunday morning.

German Chancellor Merkel and PM Binyamin Netanyahu - Photo: GPO

German Chancellor Merkel & PM Binyamin Netanyahu – Photo: GPO

The IDF-run radio station said it obtained an official German government document that was produced in response to a parliamentary motion by opposition lawmakers in Berlin. The document reportedly enunciates Germany’s stance on the issue.

“In our view, it is permissible to label products with the ‘Made in Israel’ sticker only if those products are manufactured within the 1967 borders,” reads the document obtained by Army Radio.

Category: Israel News | Tags: EU, Germany Israel, Israel settlements, labeling, West Bank

Eilat region experiences 4.9 earthquake

Eilat residents reported feeling an earthquake

at 2:52 pm, the shortly afterwards US information center confirmed: 4.9 earthquake originating in Sinai.

By Lital Gana

Earthquake in Sinai and Eilat: An earthquake shook the southern resort town of Eilat Saturday afternoon.

4.9 quake felt in Eilat – Photo: Danny Solomon

At 14:52 Eilat residents sent Ynet emails reporting the quake. “I live on the third floor and I the couch moved,” Dima wrote.

Ynet received numerous emails from local citizens reporting a 10-second quake. No injures or damage have been reported.

The Geophysical Institute of Israel has confirmed citizens’ reports that a 10-second earthquake was felt in the Eilat region. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: earthquake, Eilat

FIFA not bending to Palestinian pressure to sanction Israel

FIFA chief Sepp Blatter will meet with gov’t officials in Jerusalem & members of the IFA to try and come up with a compromise arrangement with the Palestinian players.

By Moshe Boker and Reuters

Anyone in Israel concerned that FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, was about to acquiesce to the demands of the Palestinian soccer federation and impose sanctions against Israel, can rest easy.

Former French soccer star Lilian Thuram, left, watches as Palestinian Football Association chairman Jibril Rajoub kicks the ball during the inauguration of the new stadium Thursday. – Photo: AFP

On Friday afternoon, Israel Football Association chairman Avi Luzon managed to convince FIFA’s all-powerful president, Sepp Blatter, to seek a less aggressive solution to the long-running problem of limited freedom of movement for Palestinian players in Gaza and the West Bank. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: FIFA, Israel sport, Palestinians

Defense Minister Gives ‘OK’ to new PA City in Israel’s Jordan Valley

After reviewing the plans, the Defense Minister has given a green light to building a new Arab/Bedouin city which will appropriate 2,000 dunams of Israeli land.

By Elad Benari, Canada

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon has given the green light to a plan to build a new Palestinian Authority Arab city which will take away 2,000 dunams of Israeli land, the Ma’ariv daily reported on Friday.

Construction of West Bank barrier (archives) Photo Reuters

Construction of West Bank barrier – Photo: Reuters

Two weeks ago, the newspaper reported that the Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria is working diligently on advanced plans for establishing a new PA city near Jericho. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jordan Valley, Moshe Ya'alon, new construction

Ignoring pressure from BDS, Alicia Keys to go forward with concert in Tel Aviv

Keys balks at calls from anti-Israel activists, among them author Alice Walker, to boycott Israel & says in New York Times interview: ‘I look forward to my 1st visit to Israel.’

By Haaretz

Alicia Keys said Friday that she plans on going forward with her scheduled July concert in Israel, despite pressure from activists to drop the gig, the New York Times reported.

Alicia Keys performs at half time during the NBA All-Star basketball game in Houston, Texas

Alicia Keys performing at halftime during the NBA All-Star basketball game in Houston, Texas, February 17, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

Just days after Alicia Keys confirmed her summer performance in March, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign began to kick into gear, and websites, Facebook pages, and petitions urging Keys to cancel her plans to play Tel Aviv started popping up. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: BDS, Culture, Israel boycott

Transplant makes blood brothers of Arab and Jewish families

Mohammed Eckert receives a kidney from Shmuel Ben-Yair, whose father gets a kidney from Mohammed’s wife in complex and rare procedure “We bonded both physically& mentally,” says Jewish patient who now has a new lease on life.

By Daniel Siryoti

An extraordinary story that defies borders, religions and race recently unfolded at the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa recently: Two patients who desperately needed kidney transplants, one Jewish and one Arab, received donations that saved their lives — with the Arab patient’s wife donating a kidney to the Jewish patient, and the Jewish patient’s son donating his kidney to the Arab patient.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jews and Arabs, Rambam Medical Center

Meet the 1st ultra-Orthodox to enlist into IAF flying school

Modern day ‘Pioneer’ says he always wanted to be a pilot.

Family: We wanted him to become a Torah scholar, but we support his decision.

By Akiva Novic

In the midst of the political turmoil surrounding the universal draft bill, an 18-year-old ultra-Orthodox youth is set to make history by being the first haredi to enlist in the IAF’s hugely prestigious flying school.

Illustrative Photo Courtesy, Israel Air Force

Becoming a flight pilot is a childhood dream for Y., whose father heads a Chabad center, and expected his son to follow the family tradition and devote himself wholesale to the study of Torah. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: haredi draft, IAF, ultra-Orthodox

In Maintaining the Inertia of ‘resistance’, PA Leaders Threaten Their Own Businessmen

Once again Khaled Abu Toameh presents us with another example of how covertly, Palestinian leadership takes steps to maintain the status quo. Peace is a direct threat to the financial gains of the corrupt PA leadership, its military, and cronies who ‘aid and advise’ the leadership.

Peace will simply bring an end to the conflict, on which the parasitic entity thrives.

By Khaled Abu Toameh

So far, not one Palestinian Authority official has come out in public against the campaign of intimidating Palestinian businessmen. It will not only foil Kerry’s plan, but also scare away potential investors. Those making threats do not want to see prosperity; instead they want the Palestinians to continue living in misery in order to keep alive the fight against Israel.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Palestinian Authority corruption, Peace Process

Israel’s electric car drove to a Better Place, but the road ahead still needs traveling

Better Place’s demise was a road with wrong turns, but the dream is still valid.

With 350 electric cars the road, & several battery charge stations still operating, the road is paved for the next electric car entrepeneur.

By Ilan Gattegno

On Wednesday, an appointed receiver arrived at the Rosh Haayin offices of electric car company Better Place, which declared bankruptcy this week, and found calm employees. She received an in-depth explanation about the installation, control systems, ongoing maintenance and clients, who are waiting to learn what will become of the electric vehicles they purchased.

Better Place car drives out of a battery-swap station in the Netherlands – Photo: Better Place

At the end of her visit, the receiver gave the company two weeks to decide who stays and who goes.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Beter Place, electricity

Palestinians & US upset by Israel’s housing construction in east Jerusalem

Once again Erekat accuses Israel of sabotaging peace efforts, while maintaining precondition demands to begin talks.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, KHALED ABU TOAMEH

Israeli officials on Thursday tried to douse a diplomatic fire Channel 10 ignited with its report about two building projects in Jewish neighborhoods of east Jerusalem – of 1,100 units – that have been in the pipeline for years.

Construction in Har Homa Photo: Courtesy

These east Jerusalem housing units are a real and official destruction of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s efforts to revive the peace process, Chief PLO Negotiator Saeb Erekat said Thursday.

In response, Israeli officials noted that no new approvals had been given for east Jerusalem housing and that the Palestinians understood this.

Category: Israel News | Tags: new construction, peace talks, Saeb Erekat

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Netanyahu Informs Putin: We will Destroy the S-300s

Israel’s PM warns the Russian President that their weapons to Syria can not, and will not, be allowed to become operational.

By Maayana Miskin

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that if Russia sends S-300 missiles to Syria, Israel will destroy them before they become operational. So reports Maariv based on reports from diplomatic sources who were updated regarding the meeting between the two leaders.

Netanyahu’s language reportedly was echoed by National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror, who told EU diplomats that Israel would prevent Russian S-300s delivered to Syria from becoming operational.

Those present at the meeting were reportedly “shocked” by Netanyahu’s bold language in speaking to the leader of a world power. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Binyamin Netanyahu, S-300 Missiles, Vladimir Putin, Yaakov Amidror

Israel to Fund Reform and Conservative Rabbis in Groundbreaking Decision

New ruling represents a milestone victory for the Reform & Conservative movements, both which long have chafed at their second-class treatment by previous Israeli gov’ts.

By JTA Staff

Israel’s Ministry of Religious Services will, for the first time, allow non-Orthodox rabbis to serve in communal positions with state-funded salaries.

non-Orthodox Jewish Brit – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The announcement on Thursday of the intention to change current policy follows a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court filed in January by the Reform and Conservative movements arguing that it was discriminatory for the state to employ only Orthodox rabbis in state-funded positions.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Supreme Court, Judaism

PA Condemns Israel for Cancelling ‘Politicized’ UNESCO Mission to Jerusalem

The PA’s foreign ministry blasts Israel for its cancelling a UNESCO investigative mission to Jerusalem’s Old City, after the PA manipulated the schedule to politicize it.

By Elad Benari

The Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry slammed Israel on Thursday for having called off a United Nations investigative mission to Jerusalem’s Old City, calling it an act of “contempt of international law and institutions,” according to AFP.

David's Citadel in Jerusalem - IsraelandStuff-PP

David’s Citadel in Jerusalem – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The ministry said it “condemns in the strongest possible terms the decision of Israel, the occupying power, to prevent the technical mission of UNESCO from carrying its monitoring mission in the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Jerusalem, Old City, Palestinian Authority, UNESCO