Archive for Israel News

Hezbollah terrorists stick to the same formula

All of the Hezbollah’s targets have met the same criteria in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Thailand, and most recently, Kenya and Cyprus. All of these countries are easy to enter & exit.

By Yoav Limor

Israel’s official spokespeople were unanimous on Thursday: Hezbollah is responsible for the terror attack in Bulgaria. These resolute words were meant not only to pin responsibility on the terror organization, but to try to dissuade it from future attacks.

What led Israel to this conclusion was its accumulated expertise, experience, circumstantial evidence and a smidgen of intelligence. Israel’s conclusion, based on its experience in recent years relentlessly pursuing terrorists on many continents and in many countries, is that the terrorists employed the same methods that they use almost every time.

Continue Reading »

The Bundestag defends circumcision after Cologne ban

Resolution allowing religious circumcision passes in German parliament, decision would overrule Cologne court.

By REUTERS, JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Germany’s lower house of parliament passed a resolution on Thursday to protect the religious circumcision of infant boys after a district court ban on the practice outraged Muslims and Jews and sparked an emotional debate in the country.

The main political parties have criticized the ruling by a Cologne court and Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government has promised a new law to make clear doctors or families will not be punished for carrying out the procedure.

Rabbi listens to debate on circumcision in Germany - Photo: REUTERS

Rabbi listens to debate on circumcision in Germany – Photo: REUTERS

The speed with which lawmakers agreed on the terms of the motion underscored sensitivity to charges of intolerance in a country haunted by its Nazi past. Continue Reading »

President Obama calls for Olympic ‘Moment of Silence’

Obama joins the global campaign to commemorate the Israeli athletes killed in Munich Massacre at London Games’ opening ceremony

By Yitzhak Benhorin

 

 

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama joined a long line of leaders, nations and organizations calling for a moment of silence in memory of the 11 Israeli athletes killed in the 1972 Munich Massacre at the London Games‘ opening ceremony.

Barack Obama Photo: AP

Barack Obama Photo: AP

This marks the height of a global campaign to break the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) objection to commemorate the Munich Massacre victims at the Olympic opening ceremony.

“We absolutely support the campaign for a minute of silence at the Olympics to honor the Israeli athletes killed in Munich,” National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem will be Muslim Forever, proclaims Al-Aqsa Sheikh

Islamic preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque denounces A-G’s statement that Israeli law must be applied to the Temple Mount

By Elad Benari

 

Sheikh Yusuf Salameh, a preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, denounced on Thursday a statement by Israel’s Attorney General that Israeli law must be applied to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem.

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has said that the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is part of Israeli territory so Israeli law applies there, including antiquities laws and laws regarding building and planning.

At the same time, he said, the law had to be applied with extra sensitivity and pragmatism, due to its unique nature. Continue Reading »

Eyes focused on the north, on alert for a casus belli

Israel’s defense establishment has explicitly warned that any transfer of chemical weapons, anti-aircraft systems or long-range missiles from Syria to Lebanon would be a cause for war.

Yoav Limor

 

The twin bombings on Wednesday – targeting the top echelon of the Syrian regime in Damascus and an Israeli tour bus in Burgas – could force Israel to make a difficult decision, possibly even in coming days, on whether to launch a retaliatory offensive against Lebanon. That is precisely what senior defense officials will be discussing Thursday when they convene at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv. The topic will be a clear and immediate concern over the potential collapse of the Syrian regime and the consequent transfer of advanced weapons to Lebanon.

Continue Reading »

BBC finnaly lists Israel’s capital as Jerusalem after receiving complaints

No capital was listed on BBC’s Israel Olympic country profile, whereas East Jerusalem was listed for Palestine.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s spokesman Mark Regev sent a letter to the Director of the BBC’s Bureau in Israel, Paul Danahar on Thursday after the BBC Sport page failed to identify Israel’s capital city as Jerusalem.

BBC

BBC Satellite antenna – Photo: Reuters

 

Until Wednesday afternoon, the page offering information about the Palestinian Olympic team referred to its capital as ‘East Jerusalem’, but the equivalent page for Israel made no mention of a capital city at all.

In the letter, Regev commented that he is “dismayed by the BBC’s decision to discriminate against Israel”. Continue Reading »

Israelis & Arabs at ‘Oslo Has Failed’ Conference

Rabbi Benny Elon:  Israel needs to apply sovereignty in Judea & Samaria. It’s time to promote a plan stating that Jordan is Palestine.

By Hezki Ezra & Elad Benari

 

Arabs and Israelis, right and left, Muslims, Christians and Jews came together Thursday for a conference in Washington on the Oslo Accords. The diverse crowd had one thing in common – all agreed that the Oslo Accords have failed to bring peace, and that an alternative must be found.

Arutz Sheva attended Thursday’s conference, “Oslo 20 Years Later,” which brought together a panel of journalists, policy experts and government officials who are shaping the future of peace in the Middle East, for a candid conversation about the prospects for peace in the Middle East in light of the failed peace process. Continue Reading »

Suspected Bulgaria suicide bomber had fake Michigan license

Photo obtained by ABC shows driver’s license with name ‘Jacque Felipe Martin’ &  Louisiana address, which actually belongs to a casino; Bulgaria police yet to determine whether U.S. passport is also fake.

By Haaretz and Yaniv Kubovich

 

The suspected suicide bomber who blew up a bus of Israeli tourists in Bulgaria had a fake Michigan’s driver’s license, ABC reported on Thursday, displaying an image of the license with the name Jacque Felipe Martin.

Screenshot of ABC

Image obtained by ABC shows license with the name ‘Jacque Felipe Martin – Screenshot of ABC

The attack, which occurred Wednesday in the Burgas airport, killed five Israelis and wounded 34. Continue Reading »

Bulgaria, U.S. with Israel seeking Security Council condemnation of Burgas terrorist attack

Israel launches diplomatic campaign, in wake of terror attack, demanding Hezbollah & the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard be added to EU’s list of terror orgs.

 

After the terror attack comes the diplomatic campaign. Israel and Bulgaria are working with the U.S. and other countries to draft a condemnation of the Burgas terror attack for the UN Security Council, say sources in the Foreign Ministry. At the same time, Israeli ambassadors worldwide have been instructed to appeal to the heads of state of their respective countries to issue official condemnations of the attack.

Burgas

An Israeli survivor is carried on a wheelchair to an ambulance as he leaves a hospital in the city of Burgas – Photo by REUTERS

“Expressions of condemnation by leaders of foreign countries are critical and send a clear message from the international community to terrorists and Iran,” said a telegram sent by acting Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Ben-Dor early this morning to the heads of Israeli delegations around the world. Continue Reading »

Samaria Breaks European Boycott and Forms Wine Alliance with Italy

Shomron Regional Council ignores European boycott by creating an alliance between Italian winemakers & Shomron winemakers.

By Uzi Baruch & Elad Benari

 

With the ongoing boycotts around the world of products made in Judea and Samaria (Yehuda and Shomron), the Shomron Regional Council’s public diplomacy delegation scored a victory this recentky when it launched an alliance between Shomron winemakers and the Italian Winemakers Association.

The delegation to Italy was made up of winemakers who have been recognized for their outstanding achievements and whose wines have received international awards.

The alliance was formed when a delegation of winemakers from the Shomron, along with the head of the Shomron Regional Council Gershon Mesika, held a weekend visit to northern Italy, as guests of the local association of winegrowers and winemakers. Continue Reading »

U.S. investigation of Facebook after purchase of Israeli company sparks interest.

Purchasing new hot technology from Israel can spark world & also U.S. government interest. 

By John Roberts

 


The purchase of Israel’s Face.com by Facebook has attracted the attention of the federal government, which has called the social media giant for a hearing on Capitol Hill this week, citing privacy concerns and civil liberties.

For over a year, Facebook has been using the software from Face.com based in Tel Aviv, which helps users in the labeling of photos, with the controversial program that contributes to a database of faces composed of more than 900 million users of the popular network. Since Facebook in June acquired Face.com Continue Reading »

Bulgaria Suicide Terrorist Carried Phony American Documents

Officials report: Terror attack in Burgas was carried out by suicide bomber carrying phony American documents.

By David Lev

 

 

The terror attack in Bulgaria was carried out by a suicide bomber, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said Thursday morning, as authorities develop a picture of exactly how six Israelis were killed when a bus blew up at Sofia’s Sarafovo Airport.

Ambulance evacuates Israelis to a hospital

Ambulance evacuates Israelis to a hospital
Reuters

An initial investigation, based on footage captured by surveillance cameras, indicated that the bomber was a Caucasian.

Earlier reports said that the bus had been blown up by an explosive device set off remotely. Continue Reading »

Shekel-dollar rate passes the 4 NIS = 1 US$ threshold

Exchange rate reaches the threshold for the first time since early 2009; Shekel-euro exchange rate reaches 1 NIS = 4.911 €.

By GLOBES / MOSHE GOLAN

 

In inter-bank foreign currency trading Wednesday the shekel continued to weaken against the dollar as the US currency gained ground against the world’s major currencies. For the first time since June 2009, the shekel-dollar exchange rate pushed through the NIS 4/$ threshold.
shekel and dollar exchange

shekel and dollar exchange
Photo: REUTERS

In morning trading the shekel was up 0.37 percent compared with Tuesday’s representative rate, to NIS 3.997/$, having briefly gone over NIS 4/$ at the opening, and the shekel-euro exchange rate was up 0.38% to NIS 4.911/€. Continue Reading »

Avigdor Lieberman foresees early elections

Following Kadima’s  withdrawal from the coalition, Lieberman estimates elections could be held anytime after February, but refuses to threaten resignation if his universal draft bill fails to pass Knesset vote

By Moran Azulay

 

With Kadima’s withdrawal from the coalition final, all eyes are on Avigdor Lieberman‘s Yisrael Beiteinu which is now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s senior coalition partner again.

However, Lieberman is in no hurry to threaten resignation, despite the fact that his universal draft bill is not set to pass the Knesset vote on Wednesday. “We won’t give anyone that pleasure,” he told Ynet and suggested there is a possibility elections will be held in early 2013. Continue Reading »

An Inside Look into Eastern Jerusalem: Arabs Attack Jews Daily

It’s not easy being a Jew near Arab areas. Stone throwing & firebomb attacks appear almost daily, but the police don’t.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

Jews in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of Jerusalem, a hotbed of angry Arabs in one of the areas claimed by the Palestinian Authority, are attacked almost daily by stones and firebombs. Police are passive, according to Jewish residents.

Hezi Hovav told Arutz Sheva there have been dozens of Arab attacks, and he has filed complaints without any results.

In one recent attack, a firebomb (Molotov cocktail) burned one room of a house. Another firebomb was hurled last Thursday at a car. Continue Reading »