Turkey: Reconciliation agreement with Israel to continue

Senior Turkish official assures Jerusalem that the reconciliation agreement signed with the Jewish State will continue unimpeded.

By Elad Benari

 

A senior Turkish official on Sunday evening assured a senior Israeli official that “the reconciliation process [between Israel and Turkey] continues as usual” even after the failed coup attempt this weekend.

Turkey builds Mosques in Gaza
The Turkish official’s comments follow Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s remarks at Sunday morning’s cabinet meeting, and following the announcement of the Foreign Ministry regarding Israel’s desire to continue the reconciliation process with Turkey.

“We are grateful for the messages and appreciate them, and will continue the reconciliation process as normal,” said the Turkish official.

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Security intercepts Palestinian bomber boarding Jerusalem light rail

view videoCatastrophe averted when a Palestinian ‪‎terrorist‬ was captured by the train’s alert security guards as he boarded a Jerusalem light rail with hidden explosive devices.

By Yedidya Ben-Or

 

A bomb scare near the Jerusalem light rail shut down much of central Jerusalem Sunday morning.

An Arab passenger boarding the light rail near the intersection of Yafo and King George aroused the suspicions of the train’s security guards, who questioned the man in an attempt to discern whether he posed a threat.

During the conversation, the man claimed he was carrying an explosive device in his bag. Security guards then detained the man, who was handed over to Jerusalem police for interrogation. Continue Reading »

Israeli Druze engage in bustling businesses with local weekend tourists

 

Israel’s Druze communities, supported by the Tourism Ministry, are appealing to the Israeli weekend tourist, largely with their traditional cuisine, in an industry where the women have a huge influence.

By Linda Gradstein, The Media Line

Hurfeish, Israel — Ibtisam Fares hunched next to a small outdoor oven, making fresh pita bread topped with spreads of za’atar, fresh red pepper, and meat. She brought them to an outdoor table already covered with local delicacies including humus, stuffed grape leaves, and an array of fresh salads, chopped just moments before. A jug of lemonade with fresh mint stands waited for thirsty visitors.

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New law protects Israel Christians that join IDF from intimidation and threats

 

Israeli Christians are now protected from intimidation and threats of violence should they wish to volunteer for the IDF, as new law allocates incarceration to those, mostly Arab Muslims, who accuse the Christians of ‘collaboration with the occupiers.’

By David Lazarus

 

The Knesset passed a bill this week designed to protect Arab Christians who enlist in the Israeli army.  The law, which includes an extended prison sentence for anyone who tries to dissuade a Christian Arab from serving in the IDF, became necessary in the face of stiff opposition and violent attacks against the Christian soldiers.

Some of the Christian IDF soldiers (Left) and Border Guard Police (Right) who attended the Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum.

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WATCH: Israel PM Netanyahu appeals directly to Abbas to ‘join effort’ for peace

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu records open video message in English, with Arabic subtitles to Palestinian leader, pleading with him to end policy of incitement and to make peace and utilize the millions in aid assistance for the betterment and wellbeing of his people.

By i24news

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday shared a new video in which he addresses Palestinian Authority President directly imploring him to denounce terrorism and work towards peace.

“President Abbas,” the video opens, “Since over the past several years, you refused to meet me and sit down and negotiate peace, I hope you’ll hear this message.” Continue Reading »

The legal battle over Schindler’s list

The battle between Yad Vashem, which received the original Oskar Schindler’s list from his mistress vs. Prof. Martha Rosenberg, who claims to be Schindler’s only legal heir, is revealing fascinating details.

By Zvi Harel

 

An Argentine history professor, the daughter of German Jews who emigrated prior to World War II, is suing Yad Vashem, claiming that Oskar Schidler’s widow left her the rights to valuable documents currently on display at Israel’s Holocaust Memorial.

Emilie Schindler and Professor Martha Rosenberg – Photo: AP

Far from the eyes of the public, in a narrow hall in the Jerusalem District Court, two people, neither of whom are alive, are mentioned constantly: Oskar and Emilie Schindler — recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for their heroic rescue of 1,200 Jews during World War II. Continue Reading »

American lawmakers demand UNRWA produce true number of Palestinian refugees

 

“UNRWA is sort of becoming an entitlement program of the Middle East,” with the US giving hundreds of millions of dollars EVERY YEAR to UNRWA, to provide free education, free health & social services programs to 3rd generation descendants of anyone who once claimed to be a refugee.

By MICHAEL WILNER

 

WASHINGTON – Longstanding US support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is facing new questions this week, as both houses of Congress work to modify critical funding bills to determine the legitimacy of the agency’s operations.

A Palestinian refugee knocks on the closed gate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters with his walking stick.

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EU follows UNESCO lead to disregard Jewish connection with Temple Mount

 

In response to the Palestinian-Jordanian draft decision an Israeli official said the Europeans’ proposal also denies any Jewish connection to the Temple Mount, despite France’s apology & admission of error in supporting last April’s UNESCO proposal that did the same.

By Itamar Eichner

 

The Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem is fuming over a draft decision distributed on Thursday by representatives of the European Union at meetings of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Istanbul on the subject of the Israeli capital’s Old City that completely ignores the Jewish connection to the site.

Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount. – Photo: AFP

The proposal is an alternative to the Jordanian-Palestinian one announced earlier this week.
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Regavim appeals to Supreme Court on illegal Palestinian settlements

Israeli NGO Regavim files appeal with Supreme Court against Defense Minister Liberman & Civil Administration for not enforcing law on illegal Bedouin camp.

By Reut Hada

 

The organization Regavim has filed a Supreme Court appeal against Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) and the Civil Administration, claiming that they did not do their duty in enforcing the law against an illegal Palestinian outpost near Jerusalem.

The illegal Palestinian outpost – Photo: Regavim

The site, which was built with European Union money in 2015, is located near the village of Hizme, north of Jerusalem.

This is not the first time Regavim has turned to the Supreme Court over illegal EU-funded construction, though the current appeal notes that the buildings are located on private Arab land. Continue Reading »

Trump’s GOP Becomes More Pro-Israel Than Ever

 

U.S. Republican Party updates its official policy platform, taking an unprecedented pro-Israel position including Jerusalem, as the “indivisible” capital of the Jewish State.

By Israel Today Staff

 

US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Wednesday declared on Twitter that the party’s platform is now more pro-Israel than it has ever been.

Trump

Indeed, the Republican Party’s Platform Committee did make surprising policy changes that no previous candidate would or could have represented.

The new platform erases all reference to a “two-state solution” and utterly rejects “the false notion that Israel is an occupier.” It further states that Jerusalem is the “indivisible” capital of the Jewish state. Continue Reading »

Netanyahu: Many Arab countries now regard Israel as an ally, not the enemy

Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu says rise of radical Islam has brought Israel closer to important Arab states in the region; “Advancement of relations with the Arab world could help to promote a sober & stable peace between us and the Palestinians.”

By Lilach Shoval & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Countries in the region understand that due to the rise of radical Islam, whether it be the Shiite Islamic extremism of Iran or the Sunni Islamic extremism of the Islamic State group, Israel is not an enemy, but rather an ally … against this common threat that endangers us all,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday at a National Security College graduation ceremony in Glilot, just north of Tel Aviv. Continue Reading »

Israeli official: Palestinian demand of pre-conditions for Cairo summit is a non-starter

 

An Israeli gov’t official expressed skepticism that the Palestinians would join a Cairo summit, saying the preconditions were a way to avoid negotiations, “They will run away as they have in the past, if it gets real.”

By HERB KEINON

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is willing to go anywhere to meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to negotiate, but the setting of preconditions for such talks is a non-starter, a government source said Wednesday amid speculation of a four-way summit in Cairo.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (R) meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas in the Egyptian capital Cairo on November 8.

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German police raid 60 authors of anti-Semitic internet postings

In a nationwide attempt to identify & arrest the sources of hateful, anti-Semitic postings on the internet, police in 14 German states conduct coordinated raids on 60 individuals.

By JTA

 

BERLIN (JTA) — Police in 14 German states reportedly conducted raids on 60 individuals in an attempt to root out the sources of anti-Semitic and other hate postings on the internet.

Facebook – Photo: Thinkstock

According to German news reports, the raids followed months of observing one Facebook group that glorified National Socialism and broke German laws against promoting hate.

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Suspects were accused of posting anti-Semitic, extremist and xenophobic messages, including denial of or relativizing the Holocaust, celebrating aspects of National Socialism and using Nazi symbolism, and calling for attacks on refugees and politicians. Continue Reading »

EU condemns Israel’s new NGO ‘transparency’ law

 

The European Union and the White House are “concerned” over Israel’s new law for good reason: Covert, anti-Israel funding by foreign governments will now be exposed.

By Associated Press

 

The European Union has criticized the new NGOs Transparency Law that increases regulation of many human rights organizations, saying it risks “undermining” Israel’s democratic ideals.

EU foreign policy chief Mogherini meets with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem – Photo: Amit Shabi

The law, passed late Monday, imposes new reporting requirements on nonprofit groups that receive more than half of their funding from foreign governments.

RELATED:

While its supporters, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, say the law is meant to increase transparency, it applies almost exclusively to liberal groups, often funded by the EU, that are critical of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians. Continue Reading »

Israel Border Guard kills Palestinian, wounds another during search operation 

 

IDF: While the officers were uncovering an illicit weapons workshop, police opened fire on a suspicious vehicle with 3 young men driving at them.

By AFP

 

An Israeli border policeman shot dead one Palestinian and wounded another in the West Bank on Wednesday when they drove towards officers, an army spokeswoman said.

Israeli border guards (MAGAV) patrol along Israel’s security-barrier in the Palestinian village of al-Ram – Photo: ABBAS MOMANI/AFP

The officers had been carrying out a search operation in Al-Ram, northeast of Jerusalem, during which they uncovered an arms workshop, when they spotted the vehicle coming towards them, the spokeswoman said. Continue Reading »