At Israel’s Request, Turkey Expels Hamas Leader

 

Although full normalizing of ties is still far off, to begin negotiations Turkey agreed to Israel’s demand to expel Saleh al-Arouri, one of the planners of the 2014 murder of 3 Israeli teenagers.

By Smadar Perry, Itamar Eichner

 

As agreed upon Hamas’ senior representative in Istanbul, Saleh al-Arouri, was expelled from Turkey Monday. Nevertheless, there remain a number of points which can stall and even torpedo normalizing diplomatic ties.

Palestine Passport -  Persona non grata

Israel established al-Arouri’s expulsion from the country as a condition for achieving full reconciliation between Ankara and Jerusalem. Al-Arouri’s “voluntary” departure was agreed upon during the meeting between Hamas’ political chief, Khaled Mashal and Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu last Saturday. Continue Reading »

Palestinian terrorist group in Lebanon takes credit for rocket fire on Israel’s Galilee

 

view videoWATCH: Dr. Mordechai Kedar discusses the killing of terrorist Samir Kuntar and why the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command would fire the 3 rockets for the Hezbollah.

By Ben Ariel

 

Sunday’s rocket attack on northern Israel was claimed by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), Kol Yisrael radio reported Sunday night, citing Lebanese media.

Israel-Lebanon border – IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The reports were based on comments by Lebanese security officials who said that the rockets used in the attack were transferred to a nearby Palestinian “refugee camp” and were fired at Israel after Palestinian organizations threatened to respond to the assassination of Hezbollah terrorist Samir Kuntar in Syria, which was blamed on Israel.
Continue Reading »

Analysis: An Israeli gas pipeline to Turkey is a bad idea

 

Despite Israel’s reputation for toughness, Jerusalem tends to be too optimistic (i.e. the Oslo Accords and the Gaza withdrawal) however, tempting an Israel-Turkey gas pipeline will ultimately work against the Jewish State.

By Daniel Pipes

 

Recent news suggesting that the Turkish and Israeli governments are poised to renew full diplomatic relations after years of tensions makes me smile cynically — and worry again about Israeli gullibility.

The two states enjoyed close relations in the 1990s, when a common world outlook led to a strong military bond, growing trade, and exchanges of people and culture. Writing in 1997, I characterized this bilateral relationship as having “the potential to alter the strategic map of the Middle East, to reshape American alliances there, and to reduce Israel’s regional isolation.” Continue Reading »

Abbas to replace Palestinian Authority with ‘State of Palestine’ on passports and all ministerial documents

 

With poll showing nearly 54% of Palestinians opposing a 2-state solution, & 60% polled supporting an armed intifada, Abbas issues ‘State of Palestine’ passports.

By REUTERS

 

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in Athens on Monday that his national authority was going to issue State of Palestine passports within 2016.

passport

A Palestinian Authority passport. – Photo: REUTERS

“Regarding the issue of a passport under the name Palestine State, we are about to proceed to the passport replacement and the issuance of a new passport within one year or even less. We have already changed all documents issued by ministries and public services and they now bear the name ‘State of Palestine’. Continue Reading »

Final tests of Israel’s ‘David’s Sling’ air defense system were successful, Deployment set for early 2016

 

view videoWATCH declassified test clip: Like Iron Dome & Arrow, David’s Sling has drawn interest from prospective foreign clients, especially since it’s also designed to intercept cruise missiles.

By Yoav Zitun

 

Israel’s air defense system David’s Sling has passed its final round of tests, putting it on course for deployment in 2016, the Defense Ministry said on Monday.

David’s Sling test – Photo: Israel Defense Ministry

David’s Sling is designed to shoot down rockets with ranges of 100 to 200 km (63 to 125 miles), aircraft, or low-flying cruise missiles. It will fill the operational gap between the Iron Dome short-range rocket interceptor and the Arrow ballistic missile interceptor, both already in service. Continue Reading »

Israel Security Forces Arrest 13 Palestinian Terrorists in Overnight Raid

 

In an overnight raid, a joint security force operation arrested 13 Palestinian militants, some members of Hamas & PFLP, all involved in multiple terrorist activities throughout Judea & Samaria. 

By Shoshana Miskin

 

The war on terror continues as security forces arrest Arabs involved in terrorism and riots and further map out plans for demolition of terrorists’ homes.

Kikar Hashabat reports Monday that IDF forces, along with Border Police, arrested 13 wanted suspects in Judea and Samaria overnight. 7 of the arrested are suspected of involvement in terrorism and mass violence disturbances against civilians and security forces; some of them belong to Hamas.
Continue Reading »

Israel Foreign Ministry’s distribution of terrorist-doll to Embassies comes under fire

 

Ambassador to Finland slams Israel’s deputy FM’s decision to send confiscated Palestinian terrorist-dolls, which were meant to indoctrinate Arab children, to all Israeli embassies around the world for ‘demonstrative’ purposes.

By Itamar Eichner

 

Israeli Ambassador to Finland Dan Ashbel on Saturday criticized Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely’s decision to distribute examples of dolls used to incite against Israel to all Israeli embassies, the idea being to demonstrate Palestinian demonization of Israel.

The doll at the center of the controversy – Photo: Haifa Customs Authority

Ashbel compared the initiative to distributing marijuana at every police station in order to permit them to demonstrate the dangers.

Continue Reading »

Analyst: Russia knew in advance of Kuntar airstrike inside Syria

 

Without Russian assurances to ignore foreign jets inside protected airspace, Israel would not have committed to ‘low-priority’ mission, says IMRA.

By Gil Ronen

 

Israel notified Russia that it intends to strike a target inside Damascus before the airstrike that killed Samir Kuntar, estimates Dr. Aaron Lerner, of Independent Media Review Analysis (IMRA).

Russia Knew - A7 Screenshot

Lerner bases this conclusion on the fact that the strike took place at a time that the Russian S-400 system is in full operation.

“Samir Kuntar is hardly such a critical target for Israel that it would employ techniques for engaging in operations within an active S-400 envelope,” he explained. Continue Reading »

IDF artillery battery hits targets in Lebanon in response to earlier Katyusha rocket fire on Israel

 

IDF official said that it sees “the Lebanese army as responsible for activities in Lebanon & will continue to act against any attempt to harm Israeli sovereignty & the security of its citizens.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

The IDF attacked targets in southern Lebanon with artillery fire on Sunday evening in response to earlier rocket fire from the country on Israeli communities in the western Galilee.

Israeli soldiers and trucks are seen from southern Lebanon, as a Hezbollah flag flutters.- Photo: REUTERS

The IDF stated earlier that three rockets were believed to have fallen in open territory in the North. Continue Reading »

Hezbollah fires 3 rockets in Israel’s Galilee in retaliation for alleged IAF airstrike in Syria

 

Shortly after activation of ‘Color Red’ warning sirens, residents in the Western Galilee, Nahariya & other towns & villages along the border, heard sounds of distant explosions.

By i24news

 

At least three rockets struck northern Israel Sunday evening after an incoming rocket siren were activated.

There were no reports of any damage or injuries.

Shortly after the sirens, residents in the Western Galilee and other towns and villages along the border heard sounds of explosions.

Lebanese media saying reported that Katyusha rockets had been fired towards Israel. One was fired from al-Hinniyeh near the village of Sur and two others were fired from Tal al-Maaliyeh in southern Lebanon. Continue Reading »

Blacklisted Hezbollah ‘Arch-Terrorist’ Samir Kuntar Killed in Syria By Suspected Israeli Airstrike

 

view videoWatch Arab media Footage from site in Damascus of airstrike attributed to an Israeli drone-attack that killed the Hezbollah child-murderer, Samir Kuntar.

By Elad Benari

 

Arab media reports on Saturday night claimed that Israeli rocket fire destroyed a building in the Jaramana district of Damascus.

Samir Kuntar

The dead, Samir Kuntar, may his soul burn in hell. – Photo: Reuters

According to Russia Today, Hezbollah-linked terrorist Samir Kuntar was the target of the strike and was reportedly killed.

Images from the scene show a collapsed multi-story residential building, with lots of rubble on the ground. Vehicles parked nearby appear to have been completely destroyed, the Russian news agency reported.

Continue Reading »

France’s PM Valls condemns BDS for turning ‘Criticism of Israel into anti-Semitism’

 

 

The French government firmly condemns boycotts of Israel, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls this week said, warning against the phenomenon of organizations criticizing Israeli policies turning to anti-Semitic activities.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls leaves after a speech to present a plan to fight racism and anti-Semitism at the Prefecture in Creteil near Paris April 17, 2015. – Photo: REUTERS

Valls made his statement Wednesday in response to a question from French MP Meyer Habib, who pointed out the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel is active in France despite laws against boycotts, and called for better enforcement. Continue Reading »

Time after time Hamas smugglers busted sneaking contraband to Gaza via Israel

 

As the Egyptian army continues to eliminate smuggling into Gaza, a single checkpoint in Israel has become a bottleneck for goods flowing to Hamas’s military industry, with Israel’s special intelligence team successfully foiling 670 ‘creative’ smuggling attempts so far this year.

By Alex Fishman 

 

Israel’s experienced intelligence officers treat this group as an enemy that must not be underestimated. It is a serious close-knit group of 40-something year olds who have been together for over 20 years. They all have experience with underground and military activities, they’ve all been wanted by Israel since the mid-90s, and they have all survived assassination attempts. Continue Reading »

Alert IDF troops avoid vehicular-attack killing Palestinian terrorist

 

Arab terrorist tried to run over IDF soldiers, who avoided the oncoming car & opened fire killing the Palestinian terrorist.
• Large knife was discovered in the vehicle.

By Ben Ariel, Canada

 

For the second time in two hours, IDF troops on Friday afternoon foiled an attempted Palestinian Arab terrorist attack.

A terrorist tried to run over IDF soldiers at the entrance to the village of Ofra, in the Binyamin region. The soldiers were able to avoid the vehicle and opened fire at the terrorist, killing him.

In a search of the vehicle after the terrorist was neutralized, a large knife was found, and it is believed the terrorist planned to carry out a bigger attack. Continue Reading »

‘We love Israeli tourists’: Turkish businessmen embrace normalization, seeking return of ‘good ol’ days’

 

Hotel managers in Istanbul admits to the Israeli media that they eagerly await the return of Israeli tourists, saying, ‘We hope Israeli tourists will return en masse, they’re preferred customers.’

By Tova Dvorin

 

Turkish business owners eagerly await the return of Israeli tourism, Channel 2 reports Friday, less than 24 hours after Israeli and Turkish officials held normalization talks in Switzerland.

“We love Israelis and they have almost stopped coming in recent years because of politics,” Saardan, a hotel worker in Istanbul, told the Israeli daily. He added that Israelis were, and remain, “preferred customers.”

“The buffet awaits you,” Malek Kiyeh, a Turkish hotel owner, added.  Continue Reading »