Archive for Israel News

| May 12, 2012
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Social Protesters Return, Block Streets in Tel Aviv

The summer “social protest season” opened Saturday night with a demonstration in Tel Aviv, attended by some 3,500 people.

The summer “social protest season” opened Saturday night with a demonstration in Tel Aviv, attended by some 3,500 people. The demonstration in Rabin Square was the largest since last summer, when tens of thousands of protesters gathered in cities around the country demanding a more affordable cost of living.

Protesters blocked streets in Tel Aviv, and demanded that the government act to end social injustice and ensure that the country’s resources are more equitably divided. Police arrested five protesters.

Smaller protests took place in several other cities in Israel, and protests were also held in cities throughout Europe, including Spain, Greece, and Hungary. Continue Reading »

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| May 11, 2012
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UK campuses celebrate ‘Tel Aviv week’

Tour organized by UJS, Tel Aviv municipality and Israeli embassy promotes Tel Aviv as holiday destination; hailed as rousing success

 

Visitors to various campuses across the UK may have been slightly surprised by the beach-side atmosphere last week. It was all due to Tel Aviv week an event organized by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) together with the Tel Aviv municipality and the Israeli embassy in London.

Tel Aviv beach - from FB's I Love Tel Aviv-Jaffa page

Tel Aviv beach - from FB's I Love Tel Aviv-Jaffa page

The tour visited five British campuses, Leeds, Hull, Nottingham, Aston (Birmingham) and Roehampton (London). During the day the Tel Aviv trailer was parked in prime locations on these campuses and gave away promotional free items that reflected Israel and Tel Aviv, including Israeli snacks and information about the city. Continue Reading »

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| May 11, 2012
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In Jerusalem, possible site of ancient church’s ‘miracle’ is revealed

Rehavia site may be place where ‘God revealed’ stone supply to church builders.

 

In “The Buildings of Justinian,” the Byzantine historian Procopius of Caesarea wrote at length about the churches the emperor built in the 6th century. He related a miracle that occurred during the construction of the Nea Church, in what is now the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City:

“God revealed a natural supply of stone perfectly suited to this purpose in the nearby hills, one which had either lain there in concealment previously, or was created at that moment,” he wrote, adding, “So the church is supported on all sides by a number of huge columns from that place, which in color resemble flames of fire … exceptionally large and probably second to no columns in the whole world.”

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| May 11, 2012
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Israel discusses Pirate Party Holocaust denial

Reports of Holocaust denial in German Pirate Party’s ranks lead to meeting with Israeli embassy.

 

KIEL, Germany – The German Pirate Party shook up the political establishment in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein by winning 8.2 percent of the vote on Sunday and securing seats in the state legislature. In a Saarland state election in March, the party received 7.4% of the vote.

Before the election, Israel’s Embassy in Berlin contacted the Pirate Party to discuss its concerns about reports of Holocaust denial within the party’s ranks.

Pirate Party activist
Pirate Party activist – Photo REUTERS/Thomas Peter

The growing success of the Pirates – who advocate unrestricted Internet access and sharing – across Germany’s political landscape prompted Israel’s Embassy to schedule a meeting with its top candidate, Torge Schmidt, in the German state of Schleswig- Holstein in April.

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| May 11, 2012
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Arab swimmer to represent Israel in EU championship

Jowan Qupty, who holds best Israeli result in 100m breaststroke, wins Swimming Association appeal demanding he be allowed to compete in EU Swimming Championship

 

Arab-Israeli swimmer Jowan Qupty will represent Israel in the European Swimming Championship. Qupty, 22, was originally denied a spot on the national team. He won a Swimmer’s Association appeal over the decision on Thursday.

According to the Swimming Association, Qupty’s participation in the competition depends on his achieving a better result in the 100m breaststroke than that of Imri Ganiel, who was chosen to compete in the event.

Qupty was excluded from the 100×4 mixed relay set to take place at the swimming championship in Debrecen, Hungary, in June, despite the fact that his result in the 100m breaststroke was better than Ganiel’s. Continue Reading »

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| May 10, 2012
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Essay by Giulio Meotti: World’s checkpoint hypocrisy

Op-ed: While fences exist worldwide, only Israel’s life-saving barriers face harsh condemnations

Today there are some 50 barriers and fences in the world. Bill Clinton, who came to power promising “a bridge to the 21st century,” gave the US the wall with Mexico; Spain built fences to keep out Moroccans; India is walling off Kashmir and Bangladesh; South and North Korea share the most heavily fortified border in the world.

Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia has an epic wall project; the glitz, wealthy Arab sheikhdoms are closing the border with dirt-poor Oman; Russia is considering walling off Chechnya; Western Sahara has “the Wall of Shame”; Cyprus is entirely divided by walls; Belfast is a fenced city of brick, iron and steel barriers, and even the ultra-liberal Netherlands built a fence around the Hook of Holland. Continue Reading »

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| May 10, 2012
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Claire Danes arrives in Israel to film second season of Homeland

Danes and Mandy Patinkin arrive in Israel on Wednesday, ahead of scheduled filming; acclaimed Showtime series is based on Israel’s ‘Hatufim.’

 

Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin, the stars of the Showtime series Homeland, arrived in Israel on Wednesday, where the hit show will film parts of its second season.

Claire Danes

Claire Danes

The Showtime series is based on an Israeli television series called “Hatufim” (Kidnapped), which chronicles the lives of IDF soldiers held in enemy captivity.

In it, Claire Danes plays a CIA operations officer who follows a U.S. Marine suspected of spying for al-Qaida.

The show’s first season earned glowing reviews from critics.

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| May 10, 2012
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For universal draft lawmakers, challenge will be getting buy-in

A large Zionist-majority coalition is in place and Kadima is eager for an achievement to take to the polls. But getting the ultra-Orthodox to sign on may prove an enigma worthy of the Talmud

Ultra-Orthodox leaders say any new bill attempting to impose a mass military or national service draft upon their community will fail, even though such a measure is a centerpiece of the new Knesset unity deal between the Kadima and Likud parties.

A legislative group headed by Kadima will draft the new national service law by the end of July, which will replace the current law, known as the Tal Law, which allows for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students to obtain deferments. Continue Reading »

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| May 10, 2012
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Israel’s Proven Gas Revenues: NIS 20b

This year’s state financial report includes an estimate of Israel’s rights to oil and gas discovery revenues. Amount: NIS 20.3 billion.

This year’s state financial report includes for the first time an estimate of Israel’s rights to revenues from oil and gas discoveries. Amount: NIS 20.3 billion. The estimate, made by the office of the Accountant General at the Ministry of Finance, is based on proven oil and gas discoveries.

Gas Pipeline

Gas Pipeline - photo by Reuters

These include the well at the Tamar gas field in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, but do not include the more recent Leviathan drill site, since that well is not defined as a discovery. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2012
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Like Ariel Sharon, Netanyahu has been pushed to the center

Finally we have a government representing the Israeli majority, a government that no niche party can extort. Finally we have a government with a clear Zionist majority.

 

There’s one thing Benjamin Netanyahu doesn’t like being, and that’s a Thanksgiving stuffed turkey. On Sunday night, at the Likud convention, Netanyahu started to feel like a stuffed turkey. The disruption by the right-wing lunatic fringe at the central event of the ruling party made the prime minister realize what he should have understood long ago: Likud has lost its mind.

And since Likud has lost its mind there was a real danger that it would do poorly in an election and he would be unable to put together a strong government afterward. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2012
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Terrorists Fire on Jewish Motorist in Samaria

A Jewish motorist passing the Arab village of Sinjil in Samaria was fired upon; she escaped harm; IDF searching for terrorists in force

Terrorists on Tuesday evening opened fire on a Jewish motorist travelling on Route 60.

The incident occurred near the Arab village of Sinjil, which is north of the Jewish community of Ofra.

No one was injured in the incident, but an examination of the vehicle by police revealed damage from bullets.

A large IDF force was called to the scene and is presently sweeping the area in search of the terrorists.

Arutz Sheva reported on Monday the attempted carjacking of a Jewish woman in Samaria as she headed to her father’s home in Elon Moreh. Continue Reading »

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| May 9, 2012
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PM, Mofaz form largest coalition in 28 years

Poll: 44% of Israelis back Likud-Kadima unity government deal, 37% oppose it.

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu shocked the political establishment on Tuesday by delaying planned early elections and signing a deal with Kadima to form a 94-MK coalition, the widest coalition since 1984.

The national unity coalition formed by rotating prime ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Shamir had 97 MKs, which was the largest ever, except when Israel formed emergency governments, most notably the Six Day War coalition in 1967 that had 111 MKs.

The Knesset - Photo: Ammar Awad / Reuters

The Knesset - Photo: Ammar Awad/Reuters

At a Knesset press conference with Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz, Netanyahu said a large coalition was needed to deal with the challenges the country is facing on the socioeconomic, diplomatic and security fronts.

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| May 8, 2012
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Mossad agent Bar Refaeli seduces Hamas man in cinematic depiction of Dubai operation

Speaking on new film ‘Kidon,’ Israeli supermodel says: I would love to be in the Mossad and maybe I am. Who knows? I think that being a famous model is the best cover.

 

The brazen 2010 assassination of a Hamas operative in Dubai, in which Israel’s Mossad was accused, unfurled like a spy movie thriller — and in fact much of it was caught on camera. Now an Israeli movie plays it as a spy caper, complete with a sly seductress played by Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli.

Israeli Supermodel Bar Rafaeli.

Israeli supermodel Bar Rafaeli - Photo by: Guy Kushi & Yariv Fine

The movie “Kidon”, or Spear, gives the plot a twist by having a small-time gang of criminals murder Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in an attempt to frame Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

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| May 8, 2012
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Many sheep die in Southern Israel from poisoned water

Over 100 sheep died over the weekend after drinking from a poisoned watering hole in Sharsheret Forest, in southern Israel


Poisoned sheep lay dead.

Poisoned sheep lay dead.

Agriculture and Environmental Protection ministries’ officials and Society for Protection of Nature in Israel officers have corded off the area and have taken water samples for analysis, in order to deterring the exact nature of the poison.
The Netivot Police, who has jurisdiction over the area, is investigating.

According to the information available, Salam al-Assam, a shepherd from Beersheba, who arrived with his herd to the area – apparently as a matter of routine – was left helpless as he saw sheep that drank from the water die a short time afterwards. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News |
| May 8, 2012
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Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu: Unity deal with Mofaz ‘strengthens Israel’

Netanyahu, opposition leader to present deal bringing Kadima into 94-seat coalition, canceling elections to Knesset at noon; factions approve deal; Kadima tasked with leading c’tee on alternative Tal Law.

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the unity government deal he signed with opposition leader Shaul Mofaz would strengthen Israel.

“Unity restores stability.  A broad national unity government is good for security, good for the economy and good for the people of Israel,” Netanyahu said in a conversation with President Shimon Peres.

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - Photo: Gali Tibbon/Pool

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Kadima head Shaul Mofaz will present their unity deal to form a 94-seat coalition, struck overnight, to the Knesset following a noon press conference, Israel Radio reported.

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