Israel Police: Sufficient evidence exists to investigate MK Zoabi for incitement

Attorney-General to decide on whether or not to begin official investigation into Palestinian MK over her comments on kidnapping of 3 Jewish teens.

The Israel Police have told Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein that there is sufficient evidence to begin investigating MK Haneen Zoabi (Balad) for incitement after she said the kidnapping of three teens in the West Bank earlier this month was not terrorism, the Israel Police confirmed on Monday.

Haneen Zoabi

MK Haneen Zoabi. – Photo: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST

“I didn’t break any law, rather, I am fulfilling my moral, human and political obligation to fight against oppression and for justice,” Zoabi said in response, adding that there is no law preventing her from honestly expressing her opinion, even if it is controversial.

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Passover Eve murder of Baruch Mizrahi told son “Whoever kills a Jew goes to heaven.”

 

Cleared for publication: Police Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi was killed by Ziad Awad, who confided to his son that the reason for the attack was religious, saying “according to the Islam, whoever kills a Jew goes to heaven.”

By Yoav Zitun

 

The killer of Baruch Mizrahi, the senior Israeli police officer killed in a Passover eve terror attack near Hebron, was a Palestinian released in the prisoner exchange deal which saw Gilad Shalit freed in 2011 in return for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners, it was cleared for publication Monday.

Awad's arrest last month

Awad’s arrest last month – IDF Helmet Camera Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

An indictment was filed Monday against Ziad Awad, a resident of the village of Idna near Hebron, for murder and attempted murder. Continue Reading »

Proposed gov’t legislation seeks to toughen sentences for rock throwers

New law will allow conviction without a need to ‘prove intent to harm’ car or passengers and 5 years for throwing a rock at a police officer or his vehicle – interfering in the carrying out of his duty.

 

The government is attempting to make it easier to convict suspects of throwing rocks at passing cars as well as stiffening the sentence for the crime. A draft of a new law that was circulated on Sunday by the Justice Ministry would make it possible to convict and punish the violators even if the state cannot prove they intended to damage cars or injure passengers.

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10 Syrian Soldiers Killed in Israel’s Retaliatory Airstrikes

Damascus moaning over Jerusalem’s response to the spillover, after IDF retaliatory measures for explosion in Golan Heights leave 10 soldiers dead.

By Tova Dvorin

 

At least 10 Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli overnight air raids on positions near the Golan Heights, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) monitoring group said on Monday.

IDF patrol in Golan Heights

IDF patrol in Golan Heights – Reuters

“At least 10 Syrian soldiers were killed in Israeli raids against military positions [near the Golan – ed.],” SOHR said Monday. “Nine missiles were fired by aircraft and at least two tanks and two artillery batteries were destroyed.”

On Sunday, Syrian soldiers fired a mortar shell or other explosive into the Golan, killing a 15 year-old boy and seriously injuring several Israelis, including a civilian subcontractor for the Ministry of Defense. Continue Reading »

Palestinians Manipulate the Press to Play the Victim Again

 

Though Israelis are portrayed in the int’l media as the bullies of the Middle East, the kidnapping & ongoing rocket attacks into southern Israel from Gaza demonstrate that it is Israel that is under siege from its hostile Arab neighbors, not Gaza or the West Bank.

By: Jonathan S. Tobin

 

More than one week into the search for the three Israeli teenagers who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists, the Palestinians have gone beyond mocking the boys and their families on social media with their three-fingered salute taunt. They are now attempting to use the Israel Defense Forces’ search operation as an excuse to turn the tables on the Jewish state. Continue Reading »

Abbas commits to disbanding unity gov’t after given proof of Hamas’ kidnapping teens

 

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki says, “If it turns out that Hamas is behind the kidnapping, there will be grave consequences including disbanding the unity gov’t & putting the reconciliation deal on hold.”

By Daniel Siryoti

 

The Palestinian Authority is waiting for the “smoking gun” that Hamas was behind the kidnapping of the three Israeli teens so that President Mahmoud Abbas could officially announce the reconciliation deal void and disband the government, a senior official in Abbas’ office told Israel Hayom.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – Photo: EPA

“In reality the reconciliation deal has not been implemented and the unity government does not function,” the official said.

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Netanyahu admits PA President Abbas’ condemnation of Hamas kidnappings was ‘good’

PM Netanyahu: Israel has no intention to deliberately hurt Palestinians & adds that Israel has shown unequivocal proof that Hamas was behind the abductions to a few countries, and the proof will shortly be made public.

Four days after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas strongly condemned the kidnapping of the three Israeli teens, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu acknowledged Sunday that the Palestinian leader’s words were “good.”

Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference January 21, 2014 – Photo: Menahem Kahana/AFP

“I think it was good that he said that, and I think it would be tested now by his willingness to stop the incitement against Israel and the glorification of terrorists,” Netanyahu said on NBC’s Meet the Press.

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PM Netanyahu responds to Presbyterian divestment

 

Prime Minister Netanyahu: Israel is only country in region “where you have freedom, tolerance, protection of minorities, protection of gays, protection of Christians!”

Although doing their biding, the Presbyterians deny taking part in BDS.

Associated Press

 

Israel’s prime minister on Sunday criticized the decision by the Presbyterian Church (USA) to divest from US companies that operate in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, saying the vote was misguided and unfair.

Photo: issued the following statement this afternoon:"Hamas terrorists carried out Thursday's kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers. We know that for a fact. These teenagers were kidnapped and the kidnapping was carried out by Hamas members. Hamas denials do not change this fact. And this attack should surprise no one because Hamas makes no secret of its agenda. Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel and to carrying out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians – including children.Instead of abiding by his international obligation to disarm Hamas, President Abbas has chosen to make Hamas his partner. Israel holds the Palestinian Authority and President Abbas responsible for any attacks against Israel that emanate from Palestinian-controlled territory. The Palestinian claim that the Palestinian Authority cannot be held responsible for an attack that took place in an area under Israeli security control is patently absurd.When an attack takes place in Tel Aviv or in London or in New York – all these places have been attacked by terrorists – the question is not where the attack takes place. The question is where it originated. The kidnappers in this case set out from territory controlled by the Palestinian Authority, and the PA cannot absolve itself of its responsibility.You remember that Israel warned the international community about the dangers of endorsing the Fatah-Hamas unity pact. I believe that the dangers of that pact now should be abundantly clear to all. We have seen since the signing of that pact an increase in terrorist activity emanating from the West Bank. We have seen Hamas strengthen its presence there, and this increases the likelihood that Hamas will take control of the Palestinian Authority, precisely as it did in Gaza. This will not advance peace; it will advance terror.Israel will act in all ways under its province, in all ways under our control, to bring home the three kidnapped teenagers . Israel will act against the kidnappers and their terrorist sponsors and comrades. We will do whatever needs to be done to protect our people, our citizens, our children and our teenagers from the scourge of terrorism.Thank you."Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – Photo: Avi Ohayon, GPO

In an address to an international gathering of Jewish journalists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel as a rare bright spot in a turbulent region. Continue Reading »

In IDF retaliatory airstrike, 9 Syrian military targets near border hit

—  SPECIAL SECURITY REPORT  —

Israel Air Force strikes follow unprovoked cross-border missile attack which killed Israeli 14 yr-old & wounded 3 others on Sunday morning.

 

The Israel Air Force struck several Syrian military targets on Monday night, in response to Sunday’s cross-border missile shooting which killed an Israeli boy and wounded his father and two other civilians.

F-15I Ra'am Israel Air Force - Photo: IDF Spokespersons Unit

F-15I Ra’am Israel Air Force – Photo: IDF Spokespersons Unit

The strikes were carried out shortly after midnight. Nine targets belonging to the Syrian military were hit, among them command centers, according to a statement released by the IDF Spokesman.

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Video: Arab youths attack PA Police station – Police disperse protest using live rifle fire

The PA accuses Israel of using live ammunition to disperse rock-throwers, while its own police force actually does use live fire against it’s civilian protesters.

By Dalit Halevi

 

The Palestinian Authority (PA) frequently accuses Israel of using excessive force, including live bullets, when dispersing violent riots by Palestinian Arabs.

 

A newly released video shows that the PA security forces use the same tactic it accuses Israel of applying.

Dozens of Palestinian Arab youths hit the streets of Ramallah in protest against the PA’s security cooperation with Israel. The protesters used methods usually described by the PA as a “peaceful demonstration” when they are used against Israeli troops, including rock throwing, casting iron bars, and attempting to break into a police station. Continue Reading »

IDF Commander: We Are Indeed Our Brothers’ Keepers

 

IDF’s search for abducted Jewish teens intensifies “We all believe that we will find the kidnapped youths, and it is with this faith that we march day and night.”

By Ryan Jones

 

Operation Brother’s Keeper, the Israeli army’s massive search for three abducted Jewish teens, has intensified as it enters a new week, with IDF officials vowing they will leave no stone unturned.

IDF: We Are Our Brothers' Keepers

IDF searching for Eyal Yifrach, Gilad Shaar and Naftali Frenkel – IDF Spokesperson

Col. Eliezer Toledano, the commander of the IDF’s Paratrooper Brigade, said that three full battalions are taking part in the search and rescue operation, and that every soldier is unwaveringly committed to the mission. Continue Reading »

Armed terrorist from Gaza caught at entrance to Jewish community in Negev

 

Palestinian terrorist infiltrates Gaza’s border to Israel, and is caught with a hand-grenade by local patrol, brought in for questioning.

By Lilach Shoval and Shlomo Cesana

 

A terrorist infiltrated Israel from the Gaza Strip around 4:30 a.m. Sunday armed with a grenade. He was apprehended between Yated and Sdei Avraham by a local patrol from a nearby community.

IDF paratroopers in Judea and Samaria prepare for ongoing searches for missing boys – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

Israeli forces called to the scene arrested him and brought him in for interrogation. The man said he infiltrated the border to Israel from the southern Gaza Strip.

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2 Videos: While searching for 3 kidnapped teens, elite IDF units keep finding weapons

Senior IDF source reports, “We found grenades, explosives & underground structures,” adding that “on the 1st floor, a family resides, & on the 3rd floor is a weapons production lab.”

 

 

A senior army source familiar with searches carried out in recent days by the elite Yahalom Combat Engineering unit told on Sunday of the arms found in West Bank searches.

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screenshot

“We found grenades, which are as deadly as industrially produced grenades, homemade explosives, and weapons labs,” the source said.

“We were not surprised. We knew this existed in homes where families live. On the first floor, the family resides, and on the third floor is a weapons production lab,” he added. Continue Reading »

IDF kills 2 Palestinians, wounds 11 & arrest 9 in nighttime hunt for 3 missing teens

 

While the search for the 3 abducted Jewish teens continues, 2 Palestinians killed, 11 wounded during violent clashes by residents of Ramallah & Nablus, as security forces arrest 9 Palestinians and raid 5 suspicious charity organizations.

By Yoav Zitun

 

Two Palestinians were killed overnight Saturday and 11 were wounded during clashes with the IDF in Ramallah and Nablus. In addition, IDF forces arrested nine Palestinians as the search for the three teens who went missing in Hebron continues.

IDF forces in the West Bank (Photo: AFP)

IDF forces in the West Bank – Photo: AFP

Since Gil-Ad Shaer, 16, from Talmon, Naftali Frenkel, 16, from Nof Ayalon, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, from Elad. Continue Reading »

The Kurds re-connect with an old ally: Israel

Washington disapproves of the Kurds exporting Iraqi oil in principle, since it diminishes from Iraq’s national unity, but it’s highly unlikely that the U.S. will object to their selling oil to Israel.

By and Avi Bar-Eli

Kurdish oil has been sailing for weeks across the Mediterranean, looking for a buyer. Finally. a country that will take it in has been found, according to a Reuters report out of London.
Reuters

The SCF Altai tanker docks near Israel’s Ashkelon Port, June 20, 2014. – Photo: Reuters

The Liberia-registered tanker Altai docked in Ashkelon on Friday, carrying a million barrels of oil produced in the Kurdish regions of Iraq.

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