Israel News

Israeli rower won gold — and sang “Hatikvah” on her own

Organizers of a rowing competition for the disabled in Italy apparently didn’t take into consideration the possibility that the Israeli contender, Moran Samuel, would win the competition.

Update: some of the comments to this video mentioned a version of Hatikvah, by Enrico Macias. The first approximately 30 seconds in that version are not part of Israel’s official anthem, Hatikvah.

The official anthem, used by all official Israeli institutions (the President, Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc.) and in every official ceremony, should have been in the hands of the Italian organizers. Unfortunately, unlike the Olympic games organizers, the Italian organizers didn’t have it. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Hatikvah

PM to officially announce election at Likud convention

Primary race to be tight, as polls show Likud getting 31 seats, but party regulations only allow 19 of current 27 MKs to run again; party spokeswoman says the primary will take place in early to mid-June.

The Likud convention, where Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu plans to officially announce an early election for September 4, is set to begin on Sunday night in Tel Aviv.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu – Photo: REUTERS

The convention is expected to be heated, as its members will decide in the coming weeks how the Likud will choose its candidates for the next Knesset.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Likud

LGBT rights in Israel: ‘Pinkwashing’ oppression of Palestinians or illuminating the Middle East?

Michael Oren tells U.S. crowd that while Palestinian suicide bombers blew up Israeli restaurants and buses, Israel provided shelter for LGBT Palestinians.

Tel Aviv is the best gay destination in the world. That’s what a world-wide survey hosted in January by GayCities.com and American Airlines showed, and Israeli diplomats in Western countries proudly put the fact on display.

Tel Aviv gay parade in 2011 - Photo by: Ofer Vaknin

Many liberal pro-Palestinian activists saw this as “pinkwashing” the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. The website pinkwatchingisrael.com called upon Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community members to boycott the 20th Annual Equality Forum in Philadelphia, which features Israel this year and has invited Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren to be a keynote speaker.

Category: Israel News | Tags: gays, Palestinians

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Arab Worker Sues over Firing for Memorial Day Disrespect

An Arab worker has sued over her firing for disrespecting the Memorial Day siren. Siren “hurtful to Arabs,” her lawyer says.

An Israeli-Arab woman from Taibe who was fired from her job at a supermarket in Raanana has filed suit against the Mega chain, Channel 2 reports. The woman says she was fired for refusing to stand in respect as a siren sounded in memory of fallen IDF soldiers – and claims that the expectation that she stand was offensive to her as an Arab.

Mega fired the woman, Haj Yahye, after a customer complained that she had not only not stopped in respect as the siren sounded, but had begun to sing. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Arab Israelis

israelandstuffcom | May 5, 2012

IDF denies Lebanon claim fence crosses Blue Line

Beirut complains to UNIFIL that security barrier being erected on border near Metulla violating Lebanon’s sovereign territory.

The IDF on Saturday rejected Lebanese claims that a security fence Israel is putting up on the border between the two countries near the Israeli town of Metulla violates Lebanon’s sovereign territory.

IDF soldier looks into Lebanon near Metula - Photo: REUTERS/Finbarr O'Reilly

The IDF statement came after Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Friday, claiming that Israel was crossing over the Blue Line into Lebanese territory during excavations laying the groundwork for the fence. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Lebanon, UNIFIL

israelandstuffcom | May 5, 2012

C’tee bans smoking in some outdoor areas

‘Watered-down’ amendment banning smoking in some outdoor public places could be tougher, say public health experts.

The Israel Cancer Association both congratulated MKs on Wednesday for increasing the types of places where smoking will be prohibited, and expressed disappointment that the legislation had been watered down.

Photo: Thinkstock/Imagebank

The amendment to no-smoking laws, approved by the Knesset’s Labor, Social Affairs and Health Committee and implemented by order, makes it illegal to light up cigarettes and other tobacco products at outdoor performances; within 10 meters of entrances to hospitals and clinics; or in bus and train stations, swimming pools, indoor stadiums, outdoor wedding locations, swimming pools, public shelters; and in other outdoor locations.

Category: Israel News | Tags: legislation

Israel’s deep-sea dominance

Op-ed: Our foes have no answer for Israel’s submarines, which guarantee regional stability

By Guy Bechor

Quietly, underwater, Israel is turning into a maritime power like the United States and Russia, with an armada of advanced submarines. Germany recently agreed to provide Israel with a sixth Dolphin submarine; the Jewish state already has three. Two more will be arriving this and next year, and then the sixth one will come.

Israeli submarines guarantee stability Photo: Shutterstock

Germany also agreed to subsidize the sixth submarine, as it did with the previous ones. The first two were given to Israel for free; the Germans paid for half of the third one, and will pay for one third of the next three. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Germany, INS, submarine

IDF Censor to Monitor Journalists’ Social Media Accounts

The IDF censor will now monitor journalists’ and bloggers’ social media accounts – and you don’t even have to be Israeli

The IDF military censor will be assuming a more ominous role as it begins monitoring the social media accounts of Israeli journalists and bloggers for potential violation of censorship provisions.

Sima Vaknin-Gil באדיבות המכללה האקדמית נתניה-

Col. Sima Vaknin-Gil told attendees at the Digit 2012 conference at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya, that the new system will monitor visual and textual information on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, on blogs and on traditional news sites.

“The new system will examine information using key words labeled in advance,” she said, stressing it would help her office monitor information that was previously difficult to track. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Freedom of the Press, IDF

Israel’s medical tourism industry

Israeli hospitals boost revenues by treating foreigners, but Palestinian patients pose a special challenge

Medical tourism has become a major money maker for Israeli hospitals. According to data from recent years, annual revenues in Israeli hospitals from medical tourism amount to NIS 400 million (roughly $120 million.)

Medical tourism is considered a lucrative Industry because, on average, Israeli hospitals charge 30% more from foreign patients than they do from Israeli patients.

A good medical reputation and relatively lower costs as compared to other hospitals around the world draw patients from all over the globe to receive medical care in Israel, and the arrangement is a win-win situation – they get good treatment and hospitals get to boost revenues. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Medicine, Palestinians

Yigal Amir’s brother, co-conspirator in Rabin murder freed

Amir walks out of Ayalon Prison a free man, after serving a 16-year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a firearm for his part in the Rabin assassination; activists protest outside gate.

Hagai Amir is released from prison - Photo: Screenshot Channel Ten

After sixteen and a half years in prison for helping his brother Yigal Amir plot the assassination of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, Hagai Amir walked out of Ayalon Prison in Ramle on Friday morning a free man.

Meretz activists and other demonstrators waited outside the prison gate in protest of the release. They held signs saying “price tag 4.11.95” and called to Amir and his family, “we won’t forget and we won’t forgive, those who incited and murdered.”

Category: Israel News | Tags: assassination

Courtroom drama: Tibi treats unconscious Palestinian prisoner

Prisoner on 2-month hunger strike collapses during High Court hearing; MK Tibi treats inmate at justice’s order

A Palestinian prisoner who went on a hunger strike 66 days ago collapsed Thursday during a hearing on his case at the High Court of Justice in Jerusalem.

Justice Elyakim Rubinstein asked Knesset Member Ahmad Tibi (United Arab List-Ta’al), a gynecologist, to treat the prisoner.

Tibi was initially blocked by guards from the Israel Prison Service’s Nachshon Unit, but he was eventually allowed to treat the prisoner after Justice Rubinstein instructed the guards to let him pass.

'Outrageous conduct.' MK Tibi Photo: Avihu Shapira

'Outrageous conduct.' MK Tibi - Photo by Avihu Shapira

The prisoner, Balal Diab, apparently lost consciousness due to weakness. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: Palestinians

Electricity pole sparks tension between Vatican and Jerusalem municipality

Six weeks ago, Franciscan monks discovered a huge, unsightly pylon in front of the impressive church overlooking the Garden of Gethsemane.

An electricity pylon erected in front of the Church of All Nations in East Jerusalem is sparking tensions between Israel and the Vatican. The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land submitted on Wednesday an administrative appeal against the Jerusalem municipality and the Israel Electric Corp, claiming that the municipality approved the action illegally.

The offending pylon near the Church of All Nations at the Garden of Gethsemane. - Photo by Michal Fattal

Six weeks ago Franciscan monks discovered a huge, unsightly pylon in front of the impressive church overlooking the Garden of Gethsemane.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Church, Jerusalem

Two Terror Attacks Foiled in Samaria

Two terrorists arrested at the Tapuach junction in Samaria, third terrorist nabbed while trying to infiltrate Elon Moreh.

The IDF foiled two attempted terrorist attacks in Samaria on Thursday night.

In the first incident, Border Police officers arrested two terrorists in their 20s at the Tapuach junction in Samaria. The terrorists were found to be carrying explosives and knives.

IDF soldiers - Photo from IDF website

Sappers detonated the explosives, and no one was hurt. The two suspects were transferred to security authorities for further interrogation.

Later on Thursday night, a third terrorist armed with a knife tried to infiltrate the community of Elon Moreh in Samaria. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IDF, Palestinian terrorists

israelandstuffcom | May 3, 2012