Israel News

Hebrew language Playboy now in Israel

Will the Israeli Playboy do better than the Hebrew edition of Penthouse, that flopped shortly after it debuted in 1989?

Israelis can now read Playboy ‘for the articles’ as a Hebrew language edition came to the Holyland on Tuesday.

Playboy has been widely available in Israel for years but this marks the first local edition of the magazine. It features Israeli models and articles by Israeli writers.

Playboy bunny poses with the first Hebrew language edition in Tel Aviv, March 5, 2013 – Photo by AP

Owner and publisher Daniel Pomerantz launched Playboy Israel in Tel Aviv on Tuesday at a press conference, standing next to a tall model wearing the trademark ears and tail of a Playboy bunny. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Playboy

Hagel’s Meeting with Barak is Described as ‘Warm’

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Defense Minister Ehud Barak that the U.S. will continue to provide Israel with military aid.

By David Lev

Despite the tight fiscal situation in Washington, the U.S. will continue to provide Israel with military aid, newly installed U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Defense Minister Ehud Barak Tuesday. The two met in Washington, where Barak is visiting, after attending the annual AIPAC meeting this week.

Barak met Hagel at the Pentagon, and was received by an honor guard, and a warm embrace from the Defense Secretary. During his opening public remarks, Hagel said that the U.S. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Chuck Hagel, Ehud Barak, Israel US, Military Aid

Is a new Israeli Gov’t, Without the ultra-Orthodox, in the Works?

Will Netanyahu give Yesh Atid the ministries of Health, Interior & Welfare, allowing them to keep its election promises to bring about social change?

Jewish Home may get the ministries of Industry, Housing & Religion, the last of which will allow electing Israel’s 1st national religious Chief Rabbi.

By Ryan Jones

Developments in Israel on Sunday might have signaled the start of a major earthquake in the political foundations of the state.

Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett According to reports across the Hebrew media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally conceded that he will not be able to form a stable majority coalition that includes the ultra-Orthodox parties that have long controlled the religious institutions of the State of Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Politics, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid

Apparently AIPAC went AWOL

Hagel finally won confirmation by a 58-to-41 vote, facing the greatest number of “no” votes against any Secretary of Defense in US history.
– George C. Marshall in 1950 came in a distant second, with just 11 no’s.

By Daniel Pipes

Chuck Hagel’s notorious 2008 statement about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the leading institution of the pro-Israel lobby, claimed that “the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here [in Congress]. I’m a United States senator. I’m not an Israeli senator.”

US Vice President addresses AIPAC – Photo: AP

Then a strange thing happened: No sooner did U.S.

Category: Israel News | Tags: AIPAC, Chuck Hagel

US bill to Congress: Make Israel ‘major strategic ally’

Bill introduced by Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) & Ileana Ros Lehtinen (R.-Fla) to the US House of Representatives, is just in time for the AIPAC conference.

By JTA

WASHINGTON – A Republican and a Democrat in the US House of Representatives introduced legislation that would make Israel a “major strategic ally,” a one of a kind designation.

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN – Photo: Courtesy

The bill, introduced Monday by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), was timed for the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, and 13,000 activists are expected to lobby for it and for Iran-related bills on Tuesday.The

Category: Israel News | Tags: AIPAC, Israel US, US Congress

ARSON: 2 Buses operating ‘Palestinian’ lines torched

Police suspect arson after 2 buses belonging to Afikim Bus Company catch fire in Kfar Qassem.

Afikim removes their buses from town after riots erupt over newly added ‘Palestinian-only’ lines

By Raanan Ben-Zur

Following the uproar against its ‘Palestinian-only’ West Bank bus lines, two Afikim company buses caught fire on Monday night in Kfar Qassem.

התור לאוטובוסים ביום הראשון להפעלתם (צילום: גור דותן)

Commotion on the bus lines – Photo: Gur Dotan

There were no reports of injury, and the police are investigating suspicions of arson.

Due to the incident, the company’s drivers were asked to remove all buses from the Arab town, fearing similar occurrences in light of the protest against the new bus lines. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: buses, Palestinians, transportation

ex-Labor MK: Rebellion within Labor to occur “within the next few days.”

Leadership fight brewing as Labor’s MK Eitan Cabel realize Yachimovich refuses to admit Labor into gov’t coalition.

By Gil Ronen

A leadership fight is brewing in the Labor party as the party’s Knesset members realize that Chairperson MK Shelly Yachimovich will not lead them into the next Coalition. Yachimovich has stated that in order for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to accept her into his coalition, he would have to make policy changes that would be tantamount to “renouncing his religion.”

Labor Chairperson MK Shelly Yachimovich

MK Eitan Cabel stated openly in a Channel 2 interview Tuesday that he is considering running against Yachimovich for the post of party chairperson. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel Politics, Labor, Shelly Yachimovich

Abbas tells Kerry: Pressure Israel on settlement freeze

PA official reports: Abbas also tells Kerry to exert pressure on Netanyahu to release Palestinian prisoners in a Saudi Arabia meeting.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met in Saudi Arabia Monday with US Secretary of State John Kerry and discussed with him the latest developments in the region, Palestinian officials in Ramallah said.

Mahmoud Abbas – Photo: Marc Israël Sellem

This was the first meeting of its kind since Kerry replaced Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

“The meeting focused on efforts to revive the peace process,” said a Palestinian official. “They also discussed President Barack Obama’s planned visit to the region later this month.”

Category: Israel News | Tags: John Kerry, Mahmoud Abbas

Sheik Raed Salah to Obama: Do not visit Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Islamic Movement’s northern branch demonstrated outside the US embassy. They warn Americans that a visit to Al-Aqsa with Israeli escorts will show Obama is pro-occupation.

Hassan Shaalan

Two weeks before Barack Obama’s expected arrival in Israel, Raed Salah, the leader of the Islamic Movement’s northern branch, warned of the possible implications of the president’s visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

לא לביקור אובמה באל-אקצא. ההפגנה בתל-אביב, היום (צילום: עידו ארז)

No to Obama-Israeli Al-Aqsa visit – Photo: Ido Erez

Dozens of the movement’s supporters demonstrated outside the US Embassy in Tel Aviv and called on Obama to avoid entering the Temple Mount with an Israeli escort. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Barack Obama, Raed Salah, Temple Mount

17 Israelis make Forbes’ list of billionaires

In Forbes’ annual survey, the Ofer family topped the list of the wealthiest Israelis. The world’s richest man for the 4th year in a row is Mexico’s Carlos Slim Helu, with assets of about $73 billion.

By Nadan Feldman

The second generation of the Ofer family are the richest Israelis on Forbes’ 2013 list of the world’s billionaires. Together, the magazine said, Idan and Eyal Ofer are worth $12.5 billion.

Idan Ofer – Photo: Moti Kimche

Fifteen other Israelis also made Forbes’ list of the world’s billionaires.

Idan Ofer, who heads the Israel Corporation, is ranked 182 overall on the magazine’s list of the world’s richest people, with assets totaling $6.5 billion. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel business

Exclusive Arutz7: Inside Story on the Lapid-Bennett Pact

Here’s what lead to the ‘historic alliance’ between Bayit Yehudi & Yesh Atid that surprised everyone.

By Uzi Baruch

Senior figures in the religious Zionist Bayit Yehudi party are fiercely defending the party from criticism of its agreement with the secularist Yesh Atid, that neither party will enter the coalition without the other. The gentlemen’s understanding appears set to go down in history as the surprise political move that shaped Binyamin Netanyahu’s third government.

The senior figures provided Arutz Sheva with a play-by-play account of the events leading up to the “pact.”

“During the election campaign, in the course of the last months and weeks, we received ill winds from the Likud, which said that there is no intention to include us in the government. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Aryeh Deri, Bayit Yehudi, Israel Politics

The Israeli kibbutz will flourish in South Sudan

Israel’s new ally in Africa, South Sudan, hopes to emulate the success of Israel’s cooperative farming villages by sending 30 gov’t officials to learn Israel’s methods of modern Kibbutz farming.

By Yossi Aloni

Since gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, South Sudan has proved to be one of Israel’s most staunch friends in Africa. Now South Sudan is looking to establish new farming village modeled after the Israeli kibbutz.

Israel’s new best friend in Africa, South Sudan, looks to emulate the success of the Jewish state’s cooperative farming villages, otherwise known as ‘ kibbutzim’. – Photo: Israel Today

A delegation of 30 government officials from South Sudan recently arrived in Israel in connection with their new nation’s plans to build a network of cooperative farming communities. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel South Sudan, Kibbutz

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Report: Obama Wants Timetable of IDF Withdrawal from Judea & Samaria

Unconfirmed Israeli sources report says Obama wants a detailed Israeli withdrawal plan from Netanyahu during his visit to Israel.

By Gil Ronen

U.S. President Barack Obama has demanded a timetable for an Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria, according to an unconfirmed report by World Tribune.

The report quotes anonymous “Israeli sources.”

According to the report, Obama, who is scheduled to arrive in Israel on March 20, wants Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to present him with a detailed Israeli withdrawal plan during his visit to Israel. The sources said the Israeli plan “would be considered in what could be an imminent U.S. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Barack Obama, Judea and Samaria, West Bank

israelandstuffcom | March 3, 2013

Arab Tries to Stab 2 Police Officers

Male & female Border Police officers were searching a suspicious man who then turned to stab them.

By Gil Ronen

An Arab terrorist attempted to stab a male and female Border Police team Sunday evening at a checkpoint near Tayibeh, in central Israel. He was arrested and did not succeed in hurting anyone.

The man was driving a car that held several other passengers. He aroused the suspicion of the Border Police team and they asked him to identify himself.

After they found that he identified himself falsely, they conducted a physical search on him. In the course of the search, a pocket knife fell to the ground. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Border Police, Stabbing Attack

israelandstuffcom | March 3, 2013