Report: Israeli teens unequaled in use of technology

Despite being consumed by technology with about 90% of those between 13-18 that use WhatsApp, the report also finds the number of teenagers who  volunteer for community projects on a regular basis climbed from 17.8% in 2004 to 46.4% in 2011.
• Number of underage drinking has decreased.

By Yael Branovsky

 

Continue Reading »

US gov’t fines Israel’s Bank Leumi $400m in tax fraud case

Israeli financial institution admits tax evasion charges and agrees to pay $400m settlement to end probe of decade-long effort to fraudulently conceal US citizens’ assets.

By AFP

 

Bank Leumi Group has admitted to helping US taxpayers hide assets and agreed to pay a $400 million fine to settle a criminal probe, the Department of Justice announced Monday.

Bank Leumi branch in Tel Aviv

Bank Leumi branch in Tel Aviv

From at least 2000 until early 2011, Leumi sent private bankers from Israel and elsewhere to meet with US taxpayers and help them conceal assets at Leumi locations in Israel, Switzerland and Luxembourg.

Leumi, a unit of Bank Leumi, also helped US taxpayers prepare and present false tax returns, prosecutors said. Continue Reading »

Molotov Cocktail Throwing Terrorist Caught, Defense Minister Informs Mother

Video icon JPEGThe Arab terrorist who broke window to throw Molotov cocktail into the car of Avner Shapira and his 11 yr-old daughter Ayala, has been apprehended, Defense Minister tells mother.

By Ari Soffer

 

Security forces believe they have apprehended the terrorists responsible for Thursday night’s firebomb attack, which left a young girl in critical condition.

firebomb JPEGSpeaking to 11 year-old Ayala Shapira’s mother on Friday, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon revealed that it appeared the attacker had been apprehended. His identity has not yet been released.

IDF forces quickly deployed in a massive operation to track down the terrorist responsible for the attack, which also left father Avner lightly injured.

Continue Reading »

UN Corruption Stifles Gaza Reconstruction Plans

The UK’s The Guardian reported that officials are taking bribes to produce more concrete than is needed, in order to sell on the black market.

By i24news

 

Barely four months after a bloody conflict battered Gaza, experts warn that a new war could be in the offing if reconstruction is not accelerated and Palestinian divisions remain.

Mahmud Hams/AFP

Palestinian men in a horse cart make their way through a flooded street in Gaza City on November 27, 2014 – Mahmud Hams/AFP 

Since the end of the deadly 50-day war between Israel and Hamas, which killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis, little has changed on the ground in Gaza. Continue Reading »

Israeli Politicians Play ‘cat & mouse’ In Jarring Whatsapp Group

Israeli media publish transcript of raucous Whatsapp group, that includes Knesset members from all across Israel’s political spectrum.

By Aviel Schneider

 

Think Whatsapp is only something you use with families or amongst groups of friends? Not in Israel, where Whatsapp has become something of a raucous digital town hall. Case in point, Israel’s Channel 2 News reported on a Whatsapp group that includes a large number of Israeli Knesset members from across the political spectrum.

The group includes Ofir Akunis (Likud), Miri Regev (Likud), Moshe Feiglin (Likud), Arab Knesset member Ahmed Tibi, Itzik Shmueli (Labor), Eitan Cabel (Labor), Miki Rosenthal (Labor), Boaz Toporovsky (Yesh Atid), Karin Elharar (Yesh Atid), Alex Miller (Yisrael Beiteinu), Danny Dayan (Jewish Home), Tamar Sandberg (Meretz) and many others.

Continue Reading »

11 yr-old Severely Burned in Critical Condition From Samaria Firebomb Attack

 

Arabs break window and throw Molotov cocktail into the car of Avner Shapira and his daughter Ayala as they were driving home.

• Ayala is fighting for her life in hospital with 3rd-degree burns all over her body
• Ayala’s Mother: “I am asking everyone to pray for her recovery.”

Continue Reading »

Kuwaiti daily newspaper reports Qatar freezes support for Hamas

 

In attempts to reestablish relations with Cairo, Qatar will try to stop Hamas’ incitement against Egypt, as well as end Gaza’s illegal transfer of weapons to Sinai terrorist groups.

 

Doha has informed the Hamas leadership that it intends to temporarily stop its support for the Gaza-based organization in an attempt to pressure it to change its policies vis-a-vis Egypt, according to Al-Jarida, a Kuwaiti daily newspaper.

An aerial view of Doha, Qatar's capital

An aerial view of Doha, Qatar’s capital. – Photo: REUTERS

Qatar seeks to stop Hamas’ incitement against Egypt as well as put an end to the illegal transfer of weapons from the Gaza Strip to terrorist groups in Sinai, a senior Egyptian official told the Arabic-language paper. Continue Reading »

Israel’s State Comptroller Rules Lieberman’s Secret Vienna Meetings ‘kosher’

 

After MK Shelly Yachimovich lodged complaint that Israel’s foreign minister held unreported meetings on previous European trip, the State Comptroller’s inquiry concluded the ‘secret’ meetings would have been approved.

By Aviel Magnezi

 

 

The State Comptroller has concluded that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s secret trip to Vienna was justified, after former Labor leader Shelly Yachimovich complained the Lieberman conduct secret meetings that were not reported to the media during the September visit.

Lieberman's secret Vienna meetings okayed. (Photo: AFP)

Lieberman’s secret Vienna meetings okayed. – Photo: AFP

In the report sent to Lieberman by the State Comptroller retired judge Yoseph Shapira, who sent Lieberman the report before its publication in order to get his comments, states that after an inquiry by the State Comptroller’s office and after a meeting conducted with Lieberman, Shapira and the senior advisor to the State Comptroller on special matters were “convinced by the words of the minister and accepted them.” Continue Reading »

Residents from Israel’s border communities angered by NIS 70m. security cutback

 

Disagreement between Public Security Ministry and the Defense Ministry will leave dozens of communities on Israel’s border without a security budget beginning January 1.

By Matan Tzuri

 

A NIS 70 million cut to the security budget for 50 Israeli border communities will go into effect on December 31, leaving problems with the border fence unsolved, removing arms from military warehouses, and hindering the ability of security coordinators to monitor the border 7 days a week, Ynet learned on Thursday, while the Defense Ministry and Public Security Ministry both say the matter does not fall under their responsibility.

Damage to the kibbutz’s security fence will be left unfixed after the budget cut comes into effect.

Continue Reading »

Ten Arab Terrorists Arrested During ‘Christmas Eve’ Operation

A special operation bust in Nablus exposes illegal weapons cache and extensive terror cell, with additional arrests near Beit El & Hevron.

By Uzi Baruch

 

A total of ten Palestinian Arab terrorists were arrested overnight Wednesday/Thursday, after a special operation by the Samaria Brigade and the Duvdevan Unit of the IDF in Shechem (Nablus) exposed a weapons cache.

Security forces seized 2 pistols and several cartridges, an Uzi submachine gun, improvised weapons, ammunition, at least one Kalashnikov rifle and one M16, and 8 pipe bombs.

In addition, they confiscated funds set aside for more terror attacks, and arrested seven suspects.

Continue Reading »

Watch Netanyahu’s Christmas greetings hoping for a more tolerant & peaceful world

 

In a video statement released Wednesday night, the premier noted the persecution of Christians in the Middle East have faced recently.

 


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Christmas Greeting – 2014

He stressed that Israel stands as an exception to the “daily staple” of “violence, persecution and fear” that Christians across the region face.

Continue Reading »

Jerusalem municipality approves permits for 380 housing units in E. Jerusalem neighborhoods

 

Meretz members says Jerusalem officials are compromising any chance of reaching agreement with Palestinians by taking advantage of elections to expand ‘settlements’.

By AFP

 

Israeli authorities gave final approval on Wednesday for the construction of 380 new housing units in two areas of annexed East Jerusalem, a local official said.

The Har Homa neighborhood in East Jerusalem. (Photo: AFP)

The Har Homa neighborhood in East Jerusalem. – Photo: AFP

“The municipal commission has given construction permits for 307 homes in Ramot and 73 in Har Homa,” Yosef Pepe Alalu, a Jerusalem city councelor with the opposition Meretz party, told AFP.

He said local officials were taking advantage of attention focused on Israeli elections due in March to expand settlements. Continue Reading »

Israeli farmers to suffer disastrous losses due to Russia crisis

Current financial crisis in Russia hits Israel’s agricultural exports with devastating losses at $51 million, amounting to 30% of all Israeli exports to Russia according to Israel’s Farmers Association.

By Hezi Sternlicht & Israel Hayom Staff

 

The unfolding financial crisis in Russia may have devastating effects on Israel’s agricultural exports, the Israeli Farmers Association warned Tuesday.

Israeli farmers have been financially compromised by the crisis in Russia, Farmers Association warns [Illustrative] – Photot: David Einav

Russia is one of Israel’s primary exports market, with produce amounting to 30 percent of all exports.

The association, which is an umbrella organization for Israel’s agricultural bodies, was scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday, to discuss the impact the Russian crisis may have on the local industry. Continue Reading »

WATCH – Netanyahu after sniper attack: I will never allow Jerusalem to be divided again

Continue Reading »

Excavations at Ancient Synagogue in Magdala Now Open to Public

 

In Time for Christmas: Excavations at ancient synagogue unearthed in Magdala, home to Mary Magdalene, is where Jesus most certainly preached & is now open to the public.

By David Lazarus

 

A synagogue where Jesus likely preached has been uncovered on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. The 1st century Jewish house of prayer was discovered amidst the ruins of the ancient town of Magdala, home to the most well known female disciple of Jesus, Mary Magdalene.

“This is the first synagogue ever excavated where Jesus walked and preached,” said Father Eamon Kelly of the Catholic organization developing the property.

Continue Reading »