Archive for Israel News

| May 3, 2012
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Police Block March to Temple Mount

Jerusalem police have ruled that activists cannot hold a march to the Temple Mount this Sunday.

Some 200 right-wing activists allegedly planned to lead approximately 20 sheep to Judaism’s holiest site.

The march, beginning at Jerusalem’s central bus station and culminating in the Old City of Jerusalem, was to be held in protest over the lack of permission to allow ritual offerings on the Temple Mount.

Police explained that such a march could disturb the peace and cause public disruptions. They plan to deploy along the proposed route on Sunday to prevent the march from reaching the Old City, a spokesperson said. Continue Reading »

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| May 3, 2012
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IDF Calls Up 6 Battalions to Guard Egyptian, Syrian Fronts

The IDF has issued call up orders for six battalions to guard the Egyptian and Syrian borders, with authorization for 16 more.

The IDF has issued call up orders for six battalions to guard the Egyptian and Syrian borders, with authorization for more if needed. The orders were approved by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as part of a request to call up as many as 22 battalions.

Egyptian Soldiers Lost Control of Sinai

Egyptian Soldiers Lost Control of Sinai - Photo by Reuters

The call up came following intelligent assessments calling for increased deployment of more troops, an IDF spokesperson said.

Former deputy IDF chief of staff Dan Harel said Wednesday night the call-up meant the IDF views the Egyptian and Syrian borders as a “potential source of greater threat than in the past.”  Continue Reading »

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| May 3, 2012
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Making Israel natural gas attractive – in Texas

Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau visits the Lone Star State to strengthen ties with Israel’s natural gas industry.

 

As Israel’s presence in the natural gas market grows, the country should continue to strengthen its growing ties with the state of Texas, a capital of development for the industry, according to Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau.

National Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau -Photo: Courtesy National Infrastructures Ministry

National Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau - Photo: Courtesy National Infrastructures Ministry

Landau is spending the week in the Houston, Texas region, where he will be visiting the development site for Noble Energy’s Tamar rig, as well as meeting with representatives of many companies potentially interested in participating in Israel’s natural gas industry.

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| May 3, 2012
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Methodist church says no to Israel divestment initiative

United Methodist Church in Florida votes against initiative backed by South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who says Israelis ‘not yet ready to reckon with the apartheid nature of Israel.’

 

The majority of delegates at the plenary of the general conference of the United Methodist Church that convened in Tampa, Florida on Wednesday rejected an initiative to divest from Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions and Hewlett-Packard, companies that trade with Israel.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Archbishop Desmond Tutu - Photo by AP

Palestinian Christians behind the initiative, United Methodist Kairos Response, expressed disappointment with the decision, saying these three companies “profit from Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights and denial of Palestinian freedom.”

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| May 2, 2012
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Fischer: Social protest contributed to recession

Bank of Israel governor says protest was contributing factor in drop in growth as Israeli consumer ‘did not want to spend too much money’

The social protest contributed to the recession and the drop in growth, Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer said Wednesday. “The Israeli consumer did not want to spend too much money,” he added.

Speaking at the Knesset’s Finance Committee, Fischer also addressed the crisis in Europe. “We are preparing for the possibility that the Euro zone will collapse but I don’t see this risk as very likely,” he said.

The Bank of Israel governor explained that the real estate market is still in bad shape, as more apartments become available but are not being sold. Continue Reading »

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| May 2, 2012
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Japan urges Israel to show restraint on Iran

 Foreign minister, visiting Jerusalem, asks for time to allow international sanctions to work

Japan urged Israel to be patient with Iran and allow time for international sanctions to take effect, Israel Radio reported Wednesday.

During his current visit to Jerusalem, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Koichiro Gemba met with his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Liberman, telling him an Israeli strike on Iran would not only cause turmoil and chaos in the region, but would also give the regime in Tehran an excuse to continue pushing its program forward. The international sanctions and leverage against Iran are unprecedented, he said, stressing that Japan shared Israel’s fear of a nuclear-armed Iran. Continue Reading »

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| May 1, 2012
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Backlash builds over ‘60 Minutes’ hatchet job on Israel

Backlash from Jews & Christians alike over ‘60 Minutes’ inaccurate reporting on Israel

The “60 Minutes” hit piece on Israel, about which I reported Monday, has unleashed a firestorm of protest from pro-Israel groups and Middle East experts. CBS now denies there was anything wrong with the report.

Right Turn logo by Jennifer Rubin

Right Turn logo by Jennifer Rubin

I asked CBS spokesmen a series of questions on the number of complaints received, the failure to accurately identify “pro-Christians” for the piece, the lack of balance in its depiction of Christians’ treatment in Israel and whether their would be an internal review. I was provided instead with this statement from “60 Minutes”:

We received an organized negative email campaign of the type we don’t count because all of them were duplicates of the same letter sent from the same organization, Christians United for Israel, which apparently wrote the letter and urged others to resend it to CBS News.

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| May 1, 2012
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IRS ramps up audits of taxpayers in Israel

Accountants warn financial reviews by U.S. authority here are at an all-time high.

 

Americans filing their tax returns from Israel are being audited by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service with a frequency that industry professionals have never seen before, according to several certified public accountants.

While some of the accountants who spoke with Haaretz are not convinced Americans living in Israel are being singled out for audits more than other Americans living abroad, some maintain that the IRS has given indications it will pay more attention to Israel, Hong Kong and Singapore.

All are cautioning filers to take note of a new “vigilance” among U.S. Continue Reading »

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| May 1, 2012
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Israel says inclusion on UN list ‘absurd’

JERUSALEM — Israel’s Foreign Ministry has criticized a U.N. statement that places the country on a list of nations it says are moving to further restrict advocacy and rights groups.

Spokesman Yigal Palmer on Monday called Israel’s inclusion on the list “absurd.”

Yigal Palmor - Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman and Director of Press Department · Jerusalem, Israel

Yigal Palmor - Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman and Director of Press Department · Jerusalem, Israel

The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights issued the statement last week.

It criticized an Israeli law requiring groups to report more rigorously on funding from foreign governments.

The law’s supporters say Israel has a right to know who funds groups that oppose its policies. Continue Reading »

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| May 1, 2012
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Tzipi Livni resigns from Knesset

After 13 as Knesset member, former Kadima chairwoman tenders formal resignation to House Speaker Rivlin. Associates say she will remain politically, publicly active

Knesset Member and former Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni is expected to officially resigned the Knesset on Tuesday.

Livni will reportedly tender her resignation to Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin at noon.

Livni’s loss in the Kadima primaries to Shaul Mofaz, who won 62% of the votes, immediately sparked speculations regarding her future in politics.

She herself had remained mum regarding her plans over the past few weeks. But as the Knesset’s summer session began Monday, Livni decided it was time to announce her decision. Continue Reading »

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| May 1, 2012
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WATCH / U.S. students walk out of Israeli ambassador’s lecture

Students at George Washington University disrupt talk by Michael Oren, hold up signs reading ‘Oren supports colonialism,’ and ‘What are you going to do with 30 billion?’

 

Students at George Washington University, in Washington D.C. walked out on a lecture by Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, on Monday night.

As Ambassador Oren’s lecture “Ultimate Allies: Israel and the United States,” started, about 30 students raised signs, got up, and left the auditorium in silence. Oren suggested they stay and conduct a dialog, but none of the protesting students changed their mind and stayed.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| May 1, 2012
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Southern Command honors outstanding Bedouin soldiers

Certificates of excellence awarded to soldiers and officers in recognition of their exemplary service in the IDF

Last week, in honor of Israel’s 64th Independence Day, a special ceremony was held at which officers and soldiers were awarded certificates of excellence in recognition of their service in the IDF. Among the awardees was Lt. Ibrahim Alhuashalah – who was presented with his certificate by the Chief of Staff – in addition to 10 additional soldiers from the Bedouin sector who were recognized by the commander of the Southern Command for their outstanding service in the field.

“I accept this honor for my activity throughout my military service, for this recognition that I do my work in the best way,” award recipient Sgt.

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| April 30, 2012
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Unemployment rate rises dramatically to 6.9%

Rate rises 0.4% from last month; labor force has also expanded, at least partially accounting for unemployment hike.

 

The unemployment rate in Israel rose significantly in March, to 6.9% of the labor force, compared with 6.5% in February, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported Monday. This represents 246 thousand unemployed people. The good news is that alongside the growth in unemployment, the labor force (the number of people in work or seeking work) has also grown, accounting for part of the rise in the unemployment rate.
Haredi man working - Photo: Baz Ratner/Reuters
Haredi man working – Photo: Baz Ratner/Reuters

This is the first time that the Central Bureau of Statistics has reported in accordance with the calculation method imposed by the OECD, which instantly increased the number of unemployed by 30%.

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| April 30, 2012
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Has Israel’s leadership come down with mad-Jew disease?

Why waste money on ‘Hasbara’ when our own experts tell the world that Israeli leaders are warmongering rejectionists?

 

This is what’s been going down in the last few days alone:

1. The Prime Minister says that sanctions against Iran aren’t working and the Defense Minister claims that Iran is irrational and then the Prime Minister stipulates that the Iranians want to make a bomb and then the IDF Chief of Staff flatly contradicts them and says that Iran is rational, sanctions are working and the Iranians won’t really make a bomb after all. And the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister go on saying what they were saying before, as if nothing’s happened.

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| April 30, 2012
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Security barrier proves yet again to be a life-saver

28-Apr-12: Security barrier proves yet again to be a life-saver

By: Frimet and Arnold Roth
from their blog: THIS ONGOING WAR

We have more than enough reason to write here about the plain dishonesty that seems to characterize much of the criticism of Israel’s security checkpoints strategy. We wrote about this last Saturday night when armed terrorists were stopped at a security crossing en route to carrying out an attack on Israeli civilians – see “21-Apr-12: Stopped two more armed jihadists“.

IDF's checkpoint Hawara - Image Source

IDF's checkpoint Hawara - Oleg Popov, Reuters

That was only the latest in a terribly long line of occasions when the existence of the part-built barrier, plus the network of manned crossing points through which Palestinian Arabs are frequently required to pass, plus the alertness of service personnel, and especially Israel’s Border Guard, all came together to prevent another terrorist outrage.
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