Archive for Israel News

| June 8, 2012
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Katif Expellees Stuck as Caravans Taken for Expulsion

Expellee families have new jobs, new schools, but nowhere to live as government reassigns their new caravan homes to Beit El.

The government’s plan to demolish homes in Beit El’s Ulpana neighborhood threatens to leave more than one set of families homeless. In addition to the 30 families facing eviction in Beit El, 40 young families of Gush Katif expellees are facing the prospect of another year in the temporary caravan sites that have become long-term homes.

The young families were told they could start a long-awaited mass relocation to the Lachish region and would be given 40 mobile homes to stay in while they wait for construction of permanent homes. Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2012
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Netanyahu to Vanity Fair: ‘I’m not naturally manipulative’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to intrigue the foreign media – after being crowned as ‘King Bibi’ on TIME magazine’s cover, he is profiled in Vanity Fair’s July issue, which tries to decipher ‘The Netanyahu Paradox.’

Vanity Fair has published an in-depth profile of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in its upcoming July issue, in which Netanyahu emphasized that he is “not a natural politician.”

In the article, David Margolick explores Netanyahu’s effort to “vanquish his domestic foes” such as the Israeli media and the political opposition.

Netanyahu in Vanity Fair -Photo by http://www.vanityfair.com/

Netanyahu in Vanity Fair - Photo by http://www.vanityfair.com/

In an interview in Jerusalem, Netanyahu echoed recent statements by U.S. Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2012
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Court: Palestinians must stop building near Sussiya

Ruling came against backdrop of advocacy group petition to compel Civilian Administration to demolish Palestinian structures.

The High Court of Justice on Thursday issued an interim order restraining approximately 30 Palestinians from building in the Sussiya settlement area, south of Mount Hebron.The order came against the backdrop of a petition filed by the Regavim organization requesting that the court order the Civilian Administration for the West Bank to demolish what it characterized as illegally built Palestinian structures.

 

Construction in Jerusalem's Har Homa neighborhood - Photo: REUTERS
Construction in Jerusalem’s Har Homa neighborhood – Photo: REUTERS

The Palestinians with built structures and those seeking to continue to build in the area asked the court to restrain the Civilian Administration from issuing any demolition orders.In Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2012
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Mekorot targets international water market

Israel uses its water industry to connect to countries that otherwise might hesitate to have ties with the Jewish state.

 

TEL AVIV – Israel‘s national water company Mekorot wants to use its expertise in finding unconventional sources for clean water to help it expand globally, as countries step up their efforts to avoid water shortages.

A rise in population along with climate changes threatens the earth’s freshwater supply in the coming decades and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development projects that by 2050 global water demand will increase by 55 percent.

Mekorot says it will cost the world $800 billion in damages.

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| June 7, 2012
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Israeli soldiers use Palestinians to train army dogs, activist says

Report claims IDF troops order West Bank residents to exit cars and wait, as dogs seek training explosive devices; army spokesman: Soldiers conduct searches to increase Israelis’ safety.

Soldiers from an elite IDF canine unit have been confiscating Palestinian vehicles in order to train their explosive-detecting dogs, an activist monitoring the conduct of soldiers in checkpoints told Haaretz.

The unit in question is Oketz, directly subordinate to IDF command, and which, among other duties, trains dogs to locate weapons and explosives. Its training base is located in the Adam base west of Ramallah.

Oketz training - Breakin the Silence

Oketz soldiers inspecting a Palestinian cab in a West Bank checkpoint - Photo by Tamar Fleischman

According to Tamar Fleischman, Oketz soldiers have been randomly stopping Palestinian vehicles in the last few weeks as they pass through the Jaba checkpoint, near the city of Ramallah. Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2012
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Jerusalem Jews Concerned by Christian Symbols in Old City

Residents of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem troubled by the presence of Christian symbols as part of the Festival of Light.

 

The Jerusalem Festival of Light is taking place this week in the heart of the OId City of Jerusalem. The festival features innovative technology, lighting, art, music and shows.

The festival was initiated by the Jerusalem Development Authority and Ariel Municipal Company and features artists from Israel and abroad who use light in order to create statues, installations, performances and artwork.

Local Jewish residents, however, have expressed concerns over the increased presence of Christian symbols in the Jewish Quarter as part of the festival. Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2012
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68% of Arab-Israelis prefer to live in Israel

Survey by Haifa University shows over two-thirds of Arab-Israelis are resigned to living in a Jewish state, but 63% don’t think it’s fair

 

Some 80% of Arabs living in Israel blame Jews for the Nakba, but 60% of them are resigned to Israel as a state with a Jewish majority, the Index of Arab-Jewish Relations for 2011, conducted by Prof. Sami Samuha of the University of Haifa shows.

The full results of the survey, which Samuha has run annually for the last 30 years, are due to be announced at a university conference on Thursday.

Despite the fact that most of the respondents accepted Israel as a majority Jewish state, 63% of Arabs polled believe that it was not fair. Continue Reading »

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| June 7, 2012
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Arab Tries to Stab Security Guard on Light Rail

Arab man tries to stab a security guard with scissors at the Jerusalem Light Rail’s station in the French Hill neighborhood

An Arab man tried on Wednesday evening to stab a security guard at the Jerusalem Light Rail’s station in the French Hill neighborhood.

The man took out a pair of scissors and tried to stab one of the guards, but his colleagues drew their guns and managed to overtake the Arab. No one was hurt.

Police forces arrived on the scene and began investigating the incident.

A few weeks ago, passengers on the Jerusalem Light Rail were targeted by Arabs in the Beit Hanina neighborhood, located in the northern section of the capital. Continue Reading »

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| June 6, 2012
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Netanyahu: 300 New Families to Join Beit El

PM says: “Those who want to use the courts to damage settlements are mistaken – the opposite will happen.”

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a special statement Wednesday regarding the impending demolition of the Givat HaUlpana neighborhood.

“I am committed to safeguard the settlement enterprise,” he said. “The law that the Knesset rejected today would have harmed the settlement enterprise but the formula that I have decided upon – relocating the houses and widening the community of Beit El – strengthens the settlement enterprise.”

Netanyahu

Netanyahu - Reuters

“This is not a simple or easy day. Relocating the houses is certainly not an action that the government is eager to carry out, but the court made a decision and we respect the court system’s decisions. Continue Reading »

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| June 6, 2012
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IDF continues to look for second JSF squadron

The decision to move forward comes despite reports of possible delays and rising costs.

The IDF plans to approve the procurement of a second squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters at a meeting of the General Staff later this month which will convene to finalize the military’s future multi-year program.

Called Oz (Hebrew for Strength), the new multi-year program is scheduled to go into effect towards the end of the year. Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz will oversee deliberations on the program over the next few weeks and will bring the final plan to the government for approval.

The F-35 - Photo: REUTERS

The F-35 - Photo: REUTERS

One of the plan’s key elements is expected to be the procurement of a second squadron of F-35s despite reports of possible delays and a rise in cost.

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| June 6, 2012
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Integration at Israel’s embassy in Norway

Druze professor appointed ambassador to Norway; Christian-Arab diplomat will serve as his deputy

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman may be trying to shake off Israel’s racist image in Norway by a recent round of diplomatic nominations. Druze professor Naim Araidiwill be appointed ambassador to Norway and Christian-Arab George Deek is to be his deputy, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday.

Naim Araidi Photo: Courtesy of the Araidi family

Naim Araidi Photo: Courtesy of the Araidi family

Israel suffers from a particularly bad reputation in the Scandinavian country. A recent poll initiated by Israel’s Foreign Ministry reveals alarming details: Most Norwegians consider Israelis as racist, aggressive, extreme in their views and anti-peace. Continue Reading »

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| June 6, 2012
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French right-wing leader threatens Madonna with lawsuit over swastika image

At her recent concert in Ramat Gan Stadium, Madonna performed while showing a video of Marine Le Pen with a swastika affixed to her forehead.

 

Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s National Front party, said Wednesday that she will sue Madonna if the pop superstar uses a controversial image of Le Pen in her concerts in France.

 

The image of Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead that was screened during concert.

The image of Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead that was screened during Madonna’s concert in Tel Aviv on Thursday - Photo by YouTube

At her recent concert in Ramat Gan Stadium, Madonna performed the song “Nobody Knows Me” while showing a video in which her face was collaged with a number of well-known personalities. Continue Reading »

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| June 6, 2012
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Arab Father: I Don’t Want This Baby; He’s Jewish

An Arab who fathered a baby with a Jewish woman rejected keeping him and said, “This boy is Jewish. I don’t want him.”

 

An Arab who fathered a baby with a Jewish woman rejected keeping him six months later, and he brought the boy to the mother, who had fled, and said, “This boy is Jewish. I don’t want him.”

The bizarre story was revealed by the anti-missionary Yad L’Achim organization, which also works to rescue Jewish women from Arab homes where they often are captive.

Circumcision for Jewish baby saved from Arabs

Circumcision for Jewish baby saved from Arabs - Photo: Yad L'Achim

The baby boy, now a circumcised Jew and in the hands of his mother, was born during the Sukkot holiday last year, when an anonymous nurse alerted Yad L’Achim that a young Jewish woman seems to be suffering anguish over the birth of her boy, fathered by an Arab. Continue Reading »

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| June 6, 2012
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Elbit unveils new cyber-war simulator

Around 30 soldiers completed course and were assigned to the IDF’s various branches.

 

Days after the IDF admitted it uses cyberspace to attack its enemies, additional details were revealed Tuesday on the way soldiers are trained to defend military networks from cyber-attacks.

Elbit Systems, a leading Israeli defense contractor, unveiled its new cyber-simulator, which The Jerusalem Post has learned was already purchased by the IDF’s C4I Directorate.

The simulator was developed specifically to train government and military personnel how to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive computer networks, like those used by the IDF.The simulator offers training to prevent cyberwarfare events by simulating network protection scenarios.

Continue Reading »
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| June 6, 2012
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PA Smugglers End up with 90,000 Broken Eggs

PA Arabs try to smuggle 90,000 eggs with faked stamps of approval. Israeli inspectors found them hidden behind mattresses.

An attempt by Palestinian Authority Arabs to smuggle from Samaria (Shomron) 90,000 eggs with faked stamps of approval was foiled by inspectors who found them hidden behind mattresses.

Eggs hidden behind mattresses

Eggs hidden behind mattresses - Israel news photo: Health Department

Illegal trafficking of meat, eggs, vegetables, animals and other items that could endanger the health of millions of Israelis is common at Judea and Samaria checkpoints.

The smugglers apparently thought they might get away scot-free by traveling in the wee hours of the night, but the inspectors were alert and ready. Continue Reading »

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