US Congressional Committee Targets Hamas, Unanimously Approves Taylor Force Act

The Taylor Force Act earned unanimous bipartisan support from House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, now proceeding to the House of Representatives for a full vote, with the bill also introduced in the Senate.

By MICHAEL WILNER

 

WASHINGTON – The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved legislation that would compel the Palestinian Authority to end its program of compensating the families of convicted terrorists for their crimes.

The legislation, titled the Taylor Force Act, earned unanimous bipartisan support from committee members on Wednesday. It now proceeds to the House floor for a full vote. Parallel legislation has been introduced in the Senate. Continue Reading »

Google and Facebook to begin paying Israel Tax Authority ‘within a year’

With the European Union still dealing with legal the process, Israel Tax Authority will be among the first to tax the internet giants such as Google and Facebook on revenues made on Israelis.

By AFP

 

Israel plans to tax internet giants such as Google and Facebook within a year, the head of the tax authority said in remarks published on Wednesday.

An example of Facebook ‘bait & catch’ adverts to make revenues from Page owners to pay for the posts to be ‘Shared’ – “The more you pay, the more viewers get access” – Screenshot: Israel and Stuff

Israel Tax Authority chief Moshe Asher told Haaretz newspaper that  taxing tech giants would make Israel among the “first” in the world, as the European Union still grapples with the thorny process. Continue Reading »

Israel’s mini space lab arrives at International Space Station

Israel’s 5.1lb mini-lab developed by SpacePharm will be conducting its first experiments on living cells in microgravity environment, simulating body temperature, and will be controlled remotely from Earth.

By Ilan Gattegno

 

An Israeli-developed, state-of-the-art space laboratory hosting four science experiments docked in the International Space Station Tuesday after a successful launch.

The space lab, built by Israeli company SpacePharma with the support of the Science Ministry’s Israel Space Agency,  is unique in that it requires no physical human contact, as it is controlled remotely by researchers on Earth.

Two of the experiments to be conducted on the space lab were developed by American researchers and one was developed by Swiss researchers. Continue Reading »

Canada Post to issue 2017 HANUKKAH Stamp

The Canada Post Hanukkah stamp features a geometric design of a Jewish Menorah, that symbolizes the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, following the victory of the Maccabean Revolt over the Greeks in the 2nd century BCE.

By EYTAN HALON

 

Alongside the usual candles, donuts and dreidels that traditionally mark the holiday of Hanukkah, Canada Post is adding a stamp recognizing the Jewish “festival of lights” to this year’s celebrations.

The stamp features a geometric design representing different types of menorahs and a strong contrast between light and dark, creating the appearance of flickering candles.

Hanukkah is also written “Hanoukka” on the stamp, reflecting Canada’s second official language, French. Continue Reading »

Historic First: Israel co-sponsors Saudi resolution at UN Human Rights Council

Although Jerusalem has supported resolutions against Syrian Human Rights violations in the past, including those submitted by Saudi Arabia, Israel has never co-sponsored a resolution with the Saudis.
• Syrian official called out Israel’s co-sponsoring the resolution as demonstrative of secret alliance between Riyadh and the Israelis.

By Itamar Eichner

 

Israel co-sponsored a Saudi resolution against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday for the first time.

The resolution passed; with 108 countries voting in favor, 17 against and 58 abstaining.Israel has in the past supported similar resolutions, including those submitted by Saudi Arabia, but has never co-sponsored such a resolution alongside Riyadh. Continue Reading »

French Foreign Ministry furious with Israel’s barring entry to parliamentarians

Angry with Israel’s refusal to grant visas due to the French Parliamentarians’  support of BDS and convicted mass-murdering terrorist Marwan Barghouti, the French Foreign Ministry sent a statement saying they should be allowed to meet with whomever they wish.

By Elad Benari

 

France on Tuesday said that Israel should allow its parliamentarians access to whomever they wish to meet while in Israel.

The statement from the French Foreign Ministry came after Israel announced it would bar entry to the country to a group of French politicians seeking to visit jailed terrorist leader Marwan Barghouti.

“In general, we want all French parliamentarians to have access to all of the interlocutors they wish to meet in order to conduct their fact-finding missions,” said the statement. Continue Reading »

Israel’s own Gal Gadot named GQ magazine’s ‘Wonder Woman of the Year’

In Los Angeles, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin, congratulated Gal Gadot on her  achievements, saying, “I am so proud and pleased to see you here, a true and beloved ambassador of the state of Israel.”

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

Israeli star Gal Gadot marked another achievement this week as she was selected to grace the cover of GQ magazine’s “Men of the Year: The New American Heroes” December issue.

Sharing the four-cover issue with three men, Gadot was named “Wonder Woman of the Year” by the magazine – a reference to the record-breaking film “Wonder Woman,” in which she starred.

Gal Gadot on Twitter

According to a teaser released by the magazine, Gadot spoke to GQ about her military service in Israel, how she is handling her sudden fame, the challenges posed by her Israeli accent as an actress working in Hollywood, and more. Continue Reading »

Israel security intercepts dozens of Ali Express packages with contraband sent to Gaza

Israel seize countless of packages going through its Erez Border Crossing into Gaza containing ‘dual-usage’ items such as drones, two-way radios and night-vision goggles & weapon laser sights that would be used for terrorism, in packages shipped via online shopping sites such as Ali Express and eBay.

By Itay Blumenthal

 

The Ministry of Defense’s Border Crossings Authority and the Gaza District Coordination and Liaison (DCL) seized at the Erez Border Crossing hundreds of packages from online shopping sites such as Ali Express containing products that may be used for terrorism. The packages are suspected of having being intended to be delivered to the strip’s terrorist organizations. Continue Reading »

IDF confiscates terror-money intended to rebuild terrorists’ home in night-time raid

IDF with Shin Bet security forces confiscated tens of thousands of shekels that were paid by terrorist organizations to the families of the terrorists who murdered 1st Sgt. Hadas Malka.

By Kobi Finkler

 

During the night, IDF forces operated in cooperation with Shin Bet security forces in the village of Deir Abu Mash’al in the Binyamin Regional Brigade.

1st Sgt. Hadas Malka ז”ל , Border Police fighter was killed in Jerusalem by Palestinian terrorists – Photo Courtesy of Family

During the operation, the forces confiscated tens of thousands of shekels that were paid by terrorist organizations to the families of the terrorists who murdered First Sergeant Hadas Malka in the attack on Damascus Gate last June. Continue Reading »

Report: Mexico ends its support of Palestinians at United Nations organization

The Mexican government has decided to vote against, or abstain on resolutions put forward by Palestinian backers, instead of its previous policy of blind support.

 

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Mexico will end their automatic support of the Palestinians at United Nations institutions.

PM Netanyahu praises Mexican President Peña Nieto – Screenshot: Roi Avraham, Israel’s GPO

According to the news article, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray Caso had informed Israeli Ambassador to Mexico Yoni Peled of the new governmental change in policy.

On all votes regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Mexico will either back the Jewish state’s position or abstain, according to the report. Continue Reading »

Israel to freeze joint water project over Jordan refusal to reopen Israel’s embassy

Israel sent a message to Amman that Jerusalem will not allow the Red-Dead Sea Canal Project to begin unless Jordan reopens the Israeli embassy, closed after an Israeli security guard shot dead a Jordanian who reportedly attacked him with a screwdriver.

By i24NEWS

 

Some three months after an investigation was opened after an Israeli security guard fired at an armed Jordanian citizen, Israel is threatening to take economic measures against Amman.

According to a report by Hebrew media outlet Maariv, Israel has sent a clear message to Jordan in past days that Israel will not go through with the terms of the Red-Dead Sea Conveyance Project unless Jordan reopens the Israeli embassy. Continue Reading »

Israel ranks highest fertility rate of OECD nations

With Mexico placing a distant 2nd with an average fertility rate of 2.2 children per woman and France, the U.S., Britain, the Netherlands, and Spain fairing less than 2 per woman, Israeli women have 3.1 children on average.

By Maytal Yasur Beit-Or

 

Some 186,000 babies were born in Israel over the course of 2016, including 7,676 twins and 261 triplets, data from the country’s maternity wards shows. On average, a baby is born in Israel every three minutes, and a cesarean section is performed every 20 minutes.

These figures, and many others, were presented at the annual conference of the Israeli Society for Maternal and Fetal Medicine, which looked at the country’s 26 hospitals and discovered that the average fertility rate in Israel is 3.1 children per woman, the highest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member-nations. Continue Reading »

Morocco permits Israeli Judaka to display “ISR” on competition uniform

Unlike last month’s tournament in Abu Dhabi, Israel’s judo team in Morocco was to allowed to display Jewish state’s insignia on their Judogi (uniforms).

BY ANDREW TOBIN / JTA

 

JERUSALEM — Israeli judoka Or Sasson was allowed to wear Israel’s insignia at the Openweight World Championships in Marrakech, Morocco.

Egyptian judoka Islam el-Shehaby refuses to shake hand of Israeli, Or Sasson at the Rio 2016 Olympics – Screenshot: YouTube

Sasson, who won a bronze medal for Israel in the 2016 Rio Olympics, was eliminated from the tournament Saturday by a loss to France’s Cyrille Maret. But his appearance with “ISR” on his Judogi was still a victory of sorts for Israel’s judo team, which was barred from displaying national symbols last month in a tournament in Abu Dhabi. Continue Reading »

European parliamentarians and French mayors denied entry visas to ‘visit’ Israel

Due to their support of BDS and convicted mass-murdering terrorist Marwan Barghouti, Israel’s Interior Minister Deri and Public Security Minister Erdan announced jointly that they will refuse entry to a delegation of European officials.

By Itamar Eichner and Amir Alon

 

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri announced on Monday that he would adopt the recommendation of Minister for strategic affairs and public security Gilad Erdan, thereby refusing to allow a delegation of European parliamentarians and French mayors to visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority, due to their promotion of anti-Israeli BDS movement and intent to visit convicted Palestinian terrorist Marwan Barghouti. Continue Reading »

U.S. Ambassador to Israel at ZOA Event: ‘US embassy will move to Jerusalem’

Watch Ambassador David Friedman’s speech at the ZOA annual event in NYC, where he calls the Obama administration the ‘dark days’ for Israel, with their ultimate betrayal of Israel at the UNSC, but says President Trump ‘treats Israel like an ally’ and ‘moving the US embassy to Jerusalem is a matter of when, not if.’
– Watch Steve Bannon: ‘Trump is Israel’s best friend since Ronald Reagan.’

By Hezki Baruch

 

US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman lauded the Trump administration and its handling of the US-Israel relationship, while slamming President Obama over his administration’s tacit support for an anti-Israel resolution passed by the United Nations Security Council. Continue Reading »