IDF deploys Patriot missile battery near Eilat

 

Israel’s Air Defense Command replaces outdated Hawk anti-missile missile defense with upgraded American Patriot missile interceptor.

By Yoav Zitun

 

A Patriot missile battery was deployed near Eilat in mid-April, as part of an IDF plan to assure permanent protection of the resort city’s sky. Deployed by the Air Defense Command of the IAF, the new Patriot battery replaced the aging Hawk anti-missile platform which was permanently deployed in the area.

Patriot battery near Eilat (Photo: Meir Ochion)

Patriot battery near Eilat – Photo: Meir Ochion

The new Patriot battery includes an advanced radar system; it is expected to provide a strategic response to ballistic missiles, enemy warplanes, and attack UAVs. Continue Reading »

On Sunday evening at 8:00 Israel will remember its 23,169 fallen soldiers

 

President Peres: “The heroes of Israel’s wars endangered their lives to defend the nation, & we must remember them.”

There are 17,038 bereaved family members, including 2,141 orphans & 4,966 widows of fallen IDF soldiers and security agents.

By Lilach Shoval, Yael Branovsky, Ilan Gattegno & Yori Yallon
Continue Reading »

Al-Aksa Imam says Arab legions will liberate Safed, Haifa, Beit Shean & Jaffa

The Al-Aksa mosque incitement isn’t new, and has been involved with promoting extreme rhetoric in the past, once calling for the destruction of UK, France, & US.

 

 

Al-Aksa Mosque Imam Raed Al-Daan said at an Islamic conference in Milan, Italy that the Arab armies would liberate Haifa, Safed, Jaffa, Lod, and Beit Shean.

File:Israel-2013-Jerusalem-Temple Mount-Al-Aqsa Mosque (NE exposure).jpg

al Aksa Mosque –  Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

“We will return to the sea of Jaffa, to the sands of Haifa, to the palm trees of Beit Shean, and to the hills of Lod and Ramle. We in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque await the legions of the conquerors. Continue Reading »

VIDEO: ‘Handyman’ Bibi helps Israel ring in Independence Day festivities

The Prime Minister is willing to roll up his sleeves & pitch in with real handiwork & professional craftsmanship.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu isn’t just planning to make do with speeches and ceremonies this coming Independence Day.

No, sir, the premier is willing to roll up his sleeves and pitch in with real handiwork and craftsmanship, as exhibited by this video issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Here, Netanyahu shows off his carpentry skills as he helps the country prepare for what promises to be a raucous Independence Day celebration this week.

 

 

View original Jerusalem Post publication at: http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/WATCH-Handyman-Netanyahu-helps-Israel-ring-in-Independence-Day-celebrations-351163 Continue Reading »

Jerusalem summons Jordanian ambassador over anti-Israel article

Jordan’s former FM Abu Jaber lashes out at Israel in ‘the Zionist big lie about Palestine – a land without a people,’ a newspaper article quoting Hitler.

By AFP

 

Israel summoned Jordan’s ambassador Thursday to protest an “anti-Israeli” article by a former Jordanian foreign minister, in which he based his argument on a Hitler quote, the foreign ministry said.

Dr. Kamel Abu Jaber, former Jordanian minister of foreign affairs - Photo from YouTube screenshot

Kamel Abu Jaber, former Jordanian minister of foreign affairs – Photo: YouTube screenshot

Spokesman Yigal Palmor said Israel’s embassy in Amman also sent the Foreign Ministry there an official protest over an article published on Monday by Kamel Abu Jaber in The Jordan Times. Continue Reading »

Kerry admits to being clueless during peace talks of Fatah meetings with Hamas.


Kerry: ‘I’ll publicize peace talks’ progress at appropriate time’ while echoing Obama in calling for ‘pause’ in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

 

 

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that he will make public the “progress” made during the nine months of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. At the same time, Kerry, echoing the recent statement by President Barack Obama, said that in view of the breakdown in the negotiations, the time had come to for a “pause” in the talks.

John Kerry

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. – Photo: AP

At a news conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Kerry referred to the discussions he conducted in recent months with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators toward a so-called framework agreement on the core issues they would be negotiating: borders, Jerusalem, refugees, security, water and settlements.

Continue Reading »

Al Qaeda, Hamas & Hezbollah Flags Wave in Jerusalem

At Arab wedding procession in Jerusalem’s Old City, terrorist flags are waved amid shouts of ‘we will write on the pistol: Al-Aqsa is holy to us.’

By Ari Yashar

 

During an Arab wedding procession in Jerusalem’s Old City on Thursday night, the Jewish state’s 3,000-year-old capital bore witness to a multitude of terrorist organization flags.

Participants in the wedding, who received permission from the police to hold the procession in the Old City, waved the flags of terror groups including Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and Hamas, alongside the flag of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

As they marched with the flags, the Arab revelers chanted slogans insulting Israel and Judaism, such as “even with the rifle, the (‘Palestinian’) nation will live and will not die,” and “we will write on the pistol: Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem) is holy to us.” Continue Reading »

Saudi Kingdom debuts country’s acquired ballistic missiles

 

Saudi Arabia unveils for the first time missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads purchased from China.

Israel used to be the Saudi’s main target, but Jerusalem & Riyadh now have a common enemy – Iran.

By Udi Etzion

 

Saudi Arabia showcased its new ballistic missiles in the country’s military parade on Thursday. The Chinese-made Dongfeng-3 missiles have a range of up to 3,300 kilometers and are armed with nuclear warheads.

Saudi Arabia's Ballistic Missiles (Photo: Fisher Institute)

Saudi Arabia’s Ballistic Missiles – Photo: Fisher Institute

In the past, sources voiced concern that the Saudi missile’s main target is Israel, but due to the growing strategic rivalry between the Riyadh and Tehran, Iran has become the primary enemy. Continue Reading »

Reform Jewish groups threaten to leave or overhaul Conference of Presidents

 

Conservative Jewish group’s VP calls for major overhaul after rejection of yesterday’s J Street’s membership bid.

By

 

The Union for Reform Judaism is seeking an overhaul of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in the wake of its rejection of J Street’s bid for membership.

Rick Jacobs. Photo: Screenshot from URJ Biennial's Twitter page.

Rick Jacobs. – Photo: Screenshot from URJ Biennial’s Twitter page.

The Reform group in a statement posted Thursday on its website said leaving the Presidents Conference, an umbrella body, is an option.

“As of yesterday, it is clear that the Conference of Presidents, as currently constituted and governed, no longer serves its vital purpose of providing a collective voice for the entire American Jewish pro-Israel community,” URJ President Rick Jacobs said in the statement.

Continue Reading »

1st Hareidi Hesder Yeshiva Combines IDF Cyber-Defense & Torah

Unique ground breaking 4-yr program opened in Jerusalem, integrates 2 years of study with 2 years of service in IDF’s Cyber Defense Unit.

By Ari Yashar

 

The first hareidi hesder yeshiva has been opened in Jerusalem. The ground-breaking program will combine Torah study with IDF army service.

Last August, the first hareidi mechina, or pre-army preparatory academy, began operating, offering two years of intensive Torah study and preparation for the army, followed by a full three-year service. The hesder program combines military service and Torah study, usually for a period of four to six years. Both options already exist for religious-Zionists, but these two institutions are the first of their kind to cater for hareidi men after they leave high school. Continue Reading »

Violent Response to Christian IDF Enlistment

Unsurprisingly, Israel’s support of Christians volunteering for the IDF is sparking antagonist, even violent reaction from Israeli opponents. 

By Israel Today Staff

 

The Israeli Christian Recruitment Forum, which advocates young Arabic-speaking Christians voluntarily joining the Israeli army, has long had vocal critics. Now that the State of Israel is publicly backing the Forum’s efforts, that criticism has turned to open violence.

An Israeli soldier wearing crosses around his neck.

An Israeli soldier.- Photo: AP

More and more young Christians are deciding to volunteer for IDF service as a first step to greater integration with Israeli Jewish society. And the number is expected to rise exponentially after the Israeli government decided last month to begin sending voluntary IDF recruitment letters to local Christians when they reach 18 years of age. Continue Reading »

IRS to receive American’s account information from Israeli banks

 

The 2010 Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act requires international banking institutions to inform the IRS of all financial information on their American clients.


 
The Finance Ministry reached an agreement to turn information on US citizens’ bank accounts over to the United States’ Internal Revenue Service, in compliance with a tough US law designed to counter tax evasion.
Bank Hapoalim

Bank Hapoalim – Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski

The 2010 Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), requires international financial institutions to turn over all the information on their US account holders, or else face tough sanctions from the US.

Though expatriate Americans don’t know it, they are required to file their income with the IRS each year with a 1040 tax form.

Continue Reading »

Israel celebrates Independence Day: 66 years with 8,180,000 Israelis

 

Israeli population increased by 157,000 since Independence Day 2013.

Nearly 24,000 people made aliyah in the past year.

By Ynet

Israel will celebrate its 66th Independence Day with 8,180,000 citizens, according to an annual demographics report published Thursday.

From 1948 to 2014

From 1948 to 2014 – Source: Ynet

The Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the Jewish population stood at 6,135,000 – or 75 percent of the population. The Arab population numbered at 1,694,000 (20.7 percent), while non-Arab Christians and other minorities made up 4.3 percent of the population at 351,000 citizens.

The Israeli population grew by 157,000 – about 2 percent – over the last year. Continue Reading »

The Falafel Index: Israel home to the most expensive Falafel in pita

Forbes magazine’s new purchasing index concludes that Israel’s shekel is one of the most overvalued currencies in the region.

 

The Israeli shekel is among the most overvalued currencies in the Middle East and food prices in Israel have increased more than in any other developed country since 2005, according to a new purchasing index from Forbes magazine called the Falafel Index.

The Falafel Index

The Falafel Index is a version of the Economist’s Big Mac Index tailored for the Middle East.

Like its older counterpart, the Falafel Index determines the purchasing power of different currencies – but rather than comparing hamburgers, it compares the prices of falafel across the region. Continue Reading »

Tourists & Jews Forced to Wait Hours to Ascend Temple Mount

Jews & Christians were again blatantly discriminated against this week as hundreds were forced to wait for hours to visit the Temple Mount.

By Yaakov Levi

 

Jews and tourists who attempted to ascend the Temple Mount this week were subjected to long lines and waits of hours to enter the Temple compound, while Muslims were able to enter the area unhindered. That, said Yehuda Glick of the Liba Project for Jewish Freedom at the Temple Mount, is a clear case of racism and discrimination. “It is hard to believe that the state does not already recognize the Temple Mount as a Muslim site, with anyone who is a non-Muslim an unwelcome annoyance,” Glick said. Continue Reading »