Ynet Photo-journal of Israel’s Navy: Defending Israel’s borders, citizens 24/7

Tasked with protecting Israel’s borders & citizens, this photo essay of Israeli Navy’s 3 operational sectors, Haifa, Ashdod and Eilat presents the soldiers & vessels patrolling off the shores of the Jewish State, defending it against real threats from both sea & land.

By Ynet

 

The Israel Navy’s warships and patrol boats are usually somewhat shrouded in mystery, carrying out oftentimes-clandestine operations far from Israel’s shores.

Now, in this special photographic essay, the Navy has agreed to pull back the curtain and allow a rare glimpse at the vessels and people tasked with defending Israel’s maritime borders.

 

Haifa

The Haifa theater is the name of the IDF’s naval division near the northern city, incorporating many units including the missile boat flotilla. Continue Reading »

French Jewish woman chosen as  new UNESCO Director-General

Former French Minister of Culture, the Jewish, Audrey Azoulay, has been elected to lead as UNESCO Director-General, just a day after the US and Israel announced that they will leave the UN’s education & culture body over its blatant anti-Israeli bias.

By Tzvi Lev in New York

 

France’s Audrey Azoulay will become the new Director-General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

UNESCO’s executive board voted 30 to 28 in favor of Azoulay, a former French culture minister, who beat out Qatar’s Hamad Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Kawari.The Qatari potential nomination was protested by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, who said that Al-Kawari had repeatedly endorsed anti-Semitic works and denied the Jewish connection to Jerusalem. Continue Reading »

Defending anti-Israel BDS, ACLU challenges Kansas in federal lawsuit

Filing a lawsuit challenging a Kanas state law which prohibits participation in boycotts against Israel, the American Civil Liberties Union claims Kansas teacher was denied a teaching contract for refusing to agree to not boycott Israel, claiming the Kansas law violates her free speech rights.

By The Associated Press

 

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a Kansas law prohibiting state contractors from participating in boycotts against Israel.

The ACLU filed the lawsuit Wednesday for a Wichita public school curriculum coach. It says Esther Koontz was denied a state teacher training contract because she wouldn’t sign a statement saying she wasn’t boycotting Israel. Continue Reading »

Netanyahu follows Trump’s lead: Israel quits UNESCO

Netanyahu, announcing Israel’s withdrawal from the corrupted UN body after the U.S.State Department announced its exit, said, “UNESCO has become the theater of the absurd and because instead of preserving history, it distorts it.”

By David Rosenberg

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Thursday night that Israel will be exiting the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) over the organization’s anti-Israeli bias, following a similar announcement by the Trump administration.

PM Netanyahu and Amb. Nikki Haley – Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO

UNESCO’s board is set to meet next week and had announced that the anti-Israel resolutions it had intended to bring to a vote would be postponed for six months. Continue Reading »

Families of Victims of Palestinian Terror Seek Justice at U.S. Supreme Court

The Jordan-based Arab Bank, strategically chosen by Palestinian terrorist groups, converted various currencies into dollars then wire transferred payments to the accounts of known Hamas operatives who murdered Israeli-Americans, violated international norms barring the funding of terrorism, so, will be judged by the U.S. Supreme Court.

By Yair Altman

 

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday was scheduled to hold its first hearing on a lawsuit filed by Israeli victims of terrorism against Arab Bank Plc, claiming it knowingly funded Palestinian terrorist groups, including Hamas.

The Jordan-based Arab Bank is one of the largest financial institutions in the Middle East. It has 190 branches worldwide and holds accounts for various governments and global conglomerates. Continue Reading »

President Trump withdraws the United States from UNESCO

The White House, refusing to finance a “continuing anti-Israel bias” at the UN’s educational & cultural body, has formally withdrawn, having repeatedly warned UNESCO to end their revisionist political decisions that were a blatant “affront to history.”
– President Ronald Reagan quit the organization altogether, and Obama in 2011 temporarily withdrew from UNESCO after it voted to accept Palestine as a full member-state.

By i24NEWS

 

The United States withdrew from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Thursday, with the State Department citing among other issues a “continuing anti-Israel bias”.

If the Islamic countries wish to stake claim over UNESCO, let them pay for it.

Continue Reading »

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to open R&D research lab in Israel

The Chinese e-commerce giant ALIBABA has chosen Tel Aviv to be home of one of seven R&D labs to be built around the world in their $15 billion global research program called DAMO.

By GLOBES

 

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has announced that it is opening an R&D lab in Israel. Speaking at Alibaba’s Computing Conference in China, CTO Jeff Zhang unveiled a $15 billion global research program, which includes opening seven R&D labs worldwide over the next three years in Tel Aviv, Beijing, Hangzhou, San Mateo, Bellevue, Moscow, and Singapore. Zhang said that Alibaba is initially seeking to recruit 100 talented researchers from around the world. Continue Reading »

Report: Israeli intel-spies expose Russians using popular software to hack systems

In a NYT report, Israel’s cyber intelligence unit allegedly discovered Russian gov’t hackers manipulated Kaspersky Lab antivirus software, used globally by hundreds of millions of people including the U.S. government, to obtain sensitive info inside the U.S.

Reuters

 

Israeli intelligence officials spying on Russian government hackers found they were using Kaspersky Lab antivirus software that is also used by 400 million people globally, including US government agencies, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Israel cyber crime unit situation room – Israel Police Spokesperson’s Dept.

The Israeli officials who had hacked into Kaspersky’s network over two years ago then warned their US counterparts of the Russian intrusion, said The New York Times, which first reported the story. Continue Reading »

Lebanon rejects Israel’s Defense Minister’s claim Hezbollah controls Lebanese army

After Israel’s DM Lieberman alleged how Lebanon’s army is an “integral part of Hezbollah,” and now both would be legitimate strategic targets in the next war with Hezbollah, a Lebanese military official impugned Lieberman’s allegation, asserting that country’s army is totally independent, subordinate to the government alone.

By Lilach Shoval, News Agencies & Israel Hayom Staff

 

A day after Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused the Lebanese militia Hezbollah of controlling the Lebanese army, warning that both would be in Israel’s crosshairs in any future war, a Lebanese military official rejected the allegation Wednesday, saying that the Lebanese army is “fully independent and subject only to the authority of the political government.” Continue Reading »

White House: “Demands for settlement freeze have not helped advance peace talks.”

Although, PM Netanyahu is under pressure from the Trump administration to constrain settlement activity, Israeli officials say the government intends to advance 3,736 new homes, as a White House official related, “The administration recognizes that past demands for a settlement freeze have not helped advance peace talks.”

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, MICHAEL WILNER

 

Demands to freeze settlement activity have not helped the peace process, a White House official said on Tuesday, in response to reports that Israel could advance plans for thousands of new settler homes next week.

Building Jewish homes in jerusalem – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

“President Trump has publicly and privately expressed his concerns regarding settlements, and the administration has made clear that unrestrained settlement activity does not advance the prospect for peace,” a White House official told The Jerusalem Post. Continue Reading »

Egypt expands buffer zone to 1.5 km wide along border with Gaza

Egyptian military uses bulldozers to destroy an additional 140 homes along its unsecured border with Gaza to expand its buffer zone once again, this time in a coordinated effort with Hamas to prevent illicit weapons, ISIS and other militants from covertly crossing the border.

By The Associated Press

 

Egypt’s military has bulldozed at least 140 homes and more than 200 acres along the Gaza Strip border, expanding a buffer zone in an effort to cut off the flow of weapons and militants.

The governor of Northern Sinai province, Maj. Gen. Abdel-Fatah Harhour, told The Associated Press late Monday that the military began a new phase in clearing the zone, which is 1,500 meters (4,900 feet) wide and 10 kilometers (6 miles) long. Continue Reading »

US St Dept details Hezbollah’s terror in int’l arena, offers $12 million to capture leaders

Watch short State Department briefing detailing Shiite group’s history in terror throughout Europe, Asia, South America, offerings $12 million for information leading to the capture of two of their senior operatives, as Hezbollah is determined to give itself an option to attack on American soil.

By Elad Benari

 

The United States on Tuesday announced multi-million dollar rewards for two senior members of the Hezbollah terrorist group.

Reports earlier this week said the State Department would offer a reward of $12 million to anyone with information leading to the discovery, arrest, or charge of the two, but the State Department would not confirm the reports until Tuesday’s official announcement. Continue Reading »

OPINION: Will the ICC be the first to arrest Israelis abroad, or Interpol?

With the international community accepting the State of Palestine in global organizations, NGOs and UN committees, Abbas and the PLO have already initiated war crimes probes against Israel, so, who will be the first to issue arrest warrants, and to whom?

By YONAH JEREMY BOB

 

Following last month’s acceptance of the “The State of Palestine” as a member of Interpol, a new question has come to the fore: What is the greatest legal threat now to Israel? Interpol or the International Criminal Court? Both institutions have the potential authority to issue international arrest warrants against Israelis for alleged war crimes. Continue Reading »

Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system showcased at annual US military gathering

Pentagon showing increasing interest in purchasing Israel’s Iron Dome, which was developed in collaboration with the US’s Raytheon Company, and currently on display at the 3-day Association of the US Army convention.

By Udi Etsion

 

The Iron Dome missile defense system has been installed in Washington DC as part of a presentation during the annual meeting of the Association of the US Army (AUSA) showcasing the latest radar technology and operational launchers.

‘Iron Dome’ Aerial Defense System – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/Facebook

The three-day meeting, which opened on Monday, is designed to deliver the Army’s message by highlighting the capabilities of its organizations and presenting a wide range of industry products and services. Continue Reading »

Belgium stops funds to Palestinians after PA named school after children-killing terrorist

After the Palestinian Authority named a school after the terrorist who murdered 38 civilians, 13 of them children, Belgium ended all funding to the PA’s educational department, not willing to finance the adoration of a mass-murdering terrorist.
– WATCH: PM Netanyahu condemns PA’s propensity for naming sites & schools after terrorists. 

By Tzvi Lev

 

Belgium has decided to cut the funding it provides to the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) educational system after the PA named a school after Dalal Mughrabi, the woman responsible for one of the worst terrorist attacks in Israel’s history.

Belgium built the school in 2012-2013 near Hevron, and it was later named after Dalal Mughrabi, who led the terrorist attack in which 38 Israelis on a bus, including 13 children, were murdered in 1978’s Coastal Road Massacre. Continue Reading »