Archive for Israel News

| March 16, 2012
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Egypt plans oil, gas exploration near border with Israel

Cairo says will explore oil, gas sites near maritime border with Israel in effort to ‘stake its hold on the area’

A source at the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said Wednesday that Egypt plans to auction exploration sites for oil and gas near its maritime border with Israel.

Fisherman protesting over Gaza sea blockade Photo: AFP

Fisherman protesting over Gaza sea blockade - Photo: AFP

The source noted that this will be the first time Egypt has auctioned exploration sites in the area.

The source further said that the oil and gas exploration will be held in accordance with the maritime borders set by the Egyptian government which are based on the international Maritime Law adopted by the UN in 1983. Continue Reading »

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| March 16, 2012
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Islamic Jihad remains committed to ceasefire with Israel, leader says

Ahmad al-Mudallal, head of organization’s political wing, says it agreed to ceasefire after Egyptian mediators promised Israel would cease assassinations of its militants.

The Islamic Jihad will continue to respect the ceasefire with Israel, but will retaliate if Israel strikes first, a senior figure in the organization’s political wing told Palestinian news agency Ma’an on Thursday.

Gaza extinguisher - AP - 16.3.12

A Palestinian tries to extinguish a fire after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Saturday, March 10, 2012. - Photo by: AP

The official, Ahmad al-Mudallal, was referring to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza which has been in effect since early Tuesday morning.

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| March 16, 2012
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Israel: Fire UN Worker who Libeled IDF

Israel’s ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor, calls to fire a UN worker who wrongly claimed Israeli airstrikes killed a young girl in Gaza.

 

Israel has called on the United Nations to fire an employee who falsely accused the IDF of killing a young child in Gaza.

The employee, Kuhlood Badawi, posted a picture on Twitter of a young child in Gaza covered in blood, and wrote, “Palestine is bleeding. Another child killed by #Israel… Another father carrying his child to a Grave in #Gaza.”

In fact, the young girl had died years earlier, and was the victim of a home accident and not an Israeli airstrike. Continue Reading »

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| March 15, 2012
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Israel passes US, Europe in bottle recycling

In total, Israel collected about 77% of all beverage containers in 2011, exceeding the government’s target of 73%.

New bottle collection bin features blossoming tree - Photo by Yael Kaplan

New bottle collection bin features blossoming tree - Photo by Yael Kaplan

 

Israelis recycled 50 percent of the country’s plastic bottles in 2011, overtaking Europe and the United States, with figures of 48% and 29%, respectively, the ELA recycling company reported.

While the country only recycled about 16,000 tons of plastic PET bottles in 2010, the 2011 figures reached about 20,000 tons, according to ELA.

In total, Israel collected about 77% of all beverage containers – plastic and glass – requiring deposit in 2011, exceeding the government’s target of 73% and amounting to about 600 million beverage containers, ELA said.

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| March 15, 2012
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Soldier Wounded in Light Rail Stabbing Attack

In the first major terror attack reported on Jerusalem’s light rail, a female soldier was stabbed by an Arab, who fled the scene

An Israeli female soldier in her early 20s was stabbed while riding on Jerusalem’s light rail Thursday morning. The stabber was an Arab who ran away from the scene of the stabbing, witnesses said. The stabbing occurred as the train was traveling through the Pisgat Ze’ev neighborhood in northern Jerusalem. Service has been suspended on trains in the north of the city.

At the scene of Thursday's light rail attack

At the scene of Thursday's light rail attack - Photo by Hezki Ezra

Police have opened an investigation. Continue Reading »

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| March 15, 2012
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IAF strikes Gaza targets after rockets fired at Beersheba

Israeli aircraft respond to Grad rockets fired at South, striking rocket launching site, smuggling tunnel; IDF might need large ground operation in Strip, OC Southern Command Russo says.

 

The Israel Air Force struck a rocket launching site in northern Gaza and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Strip overnight Wednesday. Palestinians did not immediately report any injuries in the strikes.

IAF plane takes part in maneuvers

By IDF spokesperson

The IAF strikes came after the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire that went into effect on Tuesday appeared to collapse earlier on Wednesday night when Gazans fired two Grad-model Katyusha rockets into Beersheba.

The assessment within the army is that the rockets were fired by small, splinter terrorist groups and not by Islamic Jihad, which was behind the bulk of the rocket fire into Israel since Friday. Continue Reading »

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| March 14, 2012
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Potable water system wins Intel competition

Netanya high school pupils developed a system  to disinfect & clean water supplies.

 

A pair of Netanya high school pupils who developed a system using solar rays to disinfect and clean water supplies so they are suitable for drinking won the Intel-Israel 15th Annual Young Scientists Competition on Tuesday.

Avishai Katko and Maya Braun

Avishai Katko and Maya Braun - Photo By Sasson Tiram

Avishai Katko and Maya Braun of Sharett High School found a way to expose polluted water to ultraviolet light using renewable energy at low cost. The device, if produced commercially, could be used in any home, the pupils said.

The system is modular, mobile and suitable for use in places with a severe shortage of potable water that also enjoy sunlight most of the year.The

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| March 14, 2012
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Azerbaijan arrests 22 suspects in plot to attack Israeli, U.S. targets

Azerbaijan’s national security ministry says Iran’s Revolutionary Guards is behind plot to carry out attacks against Israeli, U.S. embassies in Baku.

Azerbaijan authorities have arrested 22 people suspected of plotting to attack the Israeli and American embassies in the capital Baku, AFP reported on Wednesday.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards was reportedly behind the plan to attack Israeli and U.S. targets in the country, according to Azerbaijan’s national security ministry.

A month ago, the national security ministry said it had arrested several activists belonging to the Iranian intelligence service and Hezbollah. The operatives were suspected of planning terrorist attacks against foreigners in Baku.

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| March 14, 2012
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‘Death of Palestinian boy raises Gaza death toll to 27’

7-year-old reportedly succumbs to his wounds after IAF strike on eastern Gaza City; Netivot municipal head: Only half of students show up for class despite cease-fire and no rocket attacks.

Palestinians pass rubble from IAF strike, Gaza

Palestinians pass rubble from IAF strike, Gaza - Photo: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

A seven-year-old Palestinian boy in the Gaza Strip has died from wounds sustained during an IDF strike on terrorist operations in the coastal territory this past weekend, Gaza news portal Al Resalah reported, raising the death toll of last weekend’s spasm of violence between Gaza and Israel to 27.

Birka Salama al-Maghrabi was injured in an Israeli air strike in an eastern part of Gaza City, the largest city in the Palestinian territories. Continue Reading »

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| March 14, 2012
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Report: U.S. asked Russia to warn Iran of ‘last chance’ to avoid military strike

Clinton reportedly told her Russian counterpart to rely message to Tehran that it must engage in talks with world powers or face a military strike within months, according to Russian daily Kommersant.

The United States has asked Russia to deliver an ultimatum to Iran, warning the Islamic Republic that it has one last chance for talks before a military strike, the Kommersant daily quoted Russian diplomats as saying on Wednesday.

Clinton, Lavrov, Ahmadinejad - Reuters and AP - March 14, 2012

Clinton, Lavrov, Ahmadinejad - Photos Reuters and AP

According to the Russian newspaper, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asked her Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in New York on Monday to tell Tehran that it has one last chance to solve the conflict peacefully by making progress in the talks with the P5+1 group – United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany.

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| March 14, 2012
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Video: Israel Tests Its Own Bunker Buster Bomb

Israel has developed and tested its own bunker buster bomb, that has been described as “a very credible military option,” to use against Iran.

Click here to view ‘IMI Hard-Target Penetration Bomb’ test video.

Lockheed Martin F-16i (Sufa)

F-16i IAF's 'Sufa' - Photo By IAF

The 500-pound “MP-500” bomb is laser-guided, and the video below shows it penetrating four reinforced concrete walls. Iran has buried several of its nuclear facilities, including a uranium enrichment plant, under concrete bunkers in mountainous areas.

The government-owned Israel Military Industries (IMI) developed the bomb, an upgrade of the U.S. Mk82 bunker buster.

“The lethality, precision … and relatively low weight enables its use against multiple targets in a single pass; an element that increases the operational effectiveness of attack,” according to IMI. Continue Reading »

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| March 14, 2012
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1 Injured as Rocket Hits Downtown Netivot

Israel’s asymmetrical cease-fire with Gaza continues as rockets continue to rain down on the south.

Gaza terrorists fired a rocket into downtown Netivot around 21:30 (GMT+2) on Tuesday evening.

Damaged car in Netivot

Damaged car in Netivot - Photo by Reuters

Magen David Adom reported that one person was lightly injured after being hit in the hand by flying glass. 11 people suffered shock.

The attack came just hours after a pair of rockets slammed into the Ashkelon beaches. No physical injuries were reported in that attack.

At least seven rockets were fired into Israel earlier in the day despite a cease-fire brokered between Israel and Gaza’s terror factions by Egypt. Continue Reading »

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| March 13, 2012
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Israel Strikes Oil Off Tel Aviv Coast

Israel has struck oil again, this time off the Tel Aviv coast. Owners say the find includes 100 million barrels of oil, worth $10 billion.

 

Israel has struck oil again, this time off the Tel Aviv coast. Developers maintain the find includes 100 million barrels  of oil, worth $10 billion.

Modiin Energy and Adira Energy discovered an estimated 128 million barrels of oil and 1.8 trillion cubic feet of gas in shallow water less than 15 miles northwest of Tel Aviv.

Oil tankers in New Jersey -- coming soon to Israel?

Oil tankers in New Jersey -- coming soon to Israel? Photo by: Reuters

Officials called the find “significant” and added, “Surveys conducted in recent months found oil in the target strata. Continue Reading »

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| March 13, 2012
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The Western Wall is for the birds

Swifts return to nest at Judaism’s most sacred site.

Swifts bird at Western Wall - Photo By Marc Israel Sellem

Swifts bird at Western Wall - Photo By Marc Israel Sellem

When the swifts come back to Jerusalem’s Western Wall this week there will be rejoicing as bird watchers and the religious welcome them home to Judaism’s most sacred site.

The common swift, which spends is entire life flying or sitting its nest, returns from wintering in South Africa to nest between the cracks in the ancient wall. For over 2,000 years, the crevices between the wall’s massive limestone blocks have served as the perfect nesting location for the swift (Apus apus). Continue Reading »

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| March 13, 2012
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Hamas Mortar Attacks Keep Terror on the Burner

Gaza terrorists attacked the Negev with five mortar shells at noon Tuesday, lowering the intensity of attacks but breaking the ceasefire.

 

Gaza terrorists attacked the western Negev with five mortar shells around noon Tuesday, lowering the intensity of attacks but breaking the ceasefire.

The attacks are seen as an attempt to maintain “calm,” which previously has been defined as a situation in which missiles are not fired on urban areas while primitive Kassam rockets and mortar shells are fired at the farming area of the western Negev.

They also provide an immediate test for Israel hours after IDF Chief of Benny Gantz said that the military would maintain quiet if terrorists silence their weapons but will “fight fire with fire” if not. Continue Reading »

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