E. Jerusalem lawyers passed messages from Gaza to Hamas prisoners in Israel

 

Shin Bet & Police investigation exposes 6 members of a Palestinian law office used to transfer messages between Hamas officials & the organization’s members incarcerated in  Israeli prisons.

By Noam ‘Dabul’ Dvir

 

Two law office managers and four lawyers from Isawiya in East Jerusalem were arrested on suspicion of abusing their attorney-client privilege, passing messages between Hamas prisoners and the organization’s operatives in Israel and abroad, and paying lawyers to visit the prisoners.

A Palestinian inmate stands behind the bars of a Hamas-run jail in Gaza City, July 23, 2012. - Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

A Palestinian inmate stands behind the bars of a Hamas-run jail in Gaza City, July 23, 2012. – Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

They were arrested following an investigation by Jerusalem District police, with the cooperation of the Shin Bet. Continue Reading »

Contrary to Kerry’s statement, PA has submitted official bid to join 15 int’l conventions

 

Palestinians say because Israel won’t free more prisoners, Palestine has formally requested to become signatory to treaties on apartheid & the laws of war.

 

The Palestinian Authority officially asked Wednesday that the state of Palestine become a signatory to 15 international conventions.

Abbas addresses the UN

PA President Mahmoud Abbas addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, November 29, 2012.- Photo: Reuters

The request was made by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki, who met with Robert Serry, the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, and Swiss and Dutch envoys to the Palestinian Authority.

Maliki told the diplomats that the Palestinian request came in response to Israel’s failure to release the fourth batch of prisoners it said it would free if peace talks progressed.

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Pat Robertson: Jews are too busy ‘polishing diamonds’ to do chores

Coinciding with drop in anti-Semitic incidents report, CBN televangelist Pat Robertson says Jews are too busy ‘polishing diamonds’ to do chores.

By i24News

 

A new report shows a 19 percent decrease in anti-Semitic incidents in the US in 2013.
CBN televangelist Pat Robertson - From YouTube screenshot

CBN televangelist Pat Robertson – Photo credit: YouTube screenshot

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), in its Annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, reported Tuesday that there were 751 incidents in 41 states and Washington, DC — among the lowest numbers since 1979.

The audit includes assault, vandalism and harassment targeting Jews and Jewish property and institutions.

“In the last decade we have witnessed a significant and encouraging decline in the number and intensity of anti-Semitic acts in America,” said Abraham Foxman, ADL’s national director, in a statement. Continue Reading »

IsraAID dispatches delegation to Bulgaria to help Syrian refugees

 

First Jordan, now Israeli humanitarian group IsraAID went to Bulgaria to render assistance for additional influx of Syrian refugees.

By Yossi Aloni

 

Israel continues to reach out to aid refugees of the ongoing Syrian civil war, this time by sending assistance to refugee camps in Bulgaria.

Israeli Aid Follows Syrian Refugees to Europe

Israeli Aid Follows Syrian Refugees to Europe

The Israeli NGO umbrella group IsraAID last week dispatched a delegation to Bulgaria to help deal with the influx of Syrian refugees arriving in the eastern European nation via neighboring Turkey.

There are currently about 11,000 Syrian refugees living in three camps in Bulgaria, including two camps in the capital of Sofia. Continue Reading »

Five Beauties Volunteer to Fight for Their New Home

 

“They are very motivated & determined to assume combat roles,” says an Israeli official involved with the 5 young women who recently immigrated to Israel, live on a Lebanese-border Kibbutz and joined  the IDF & Border Police.

By Danny Brenner

 

Continue Reading »

WATCH: Bar Refaeli commercial co-starring a Muppet deemed too risqué for Israel TV

 

Israeli clothing store Hoodies’ TV commercial, featuring Israel’s supermodel Bar Refaeli involved in sexy scenes, will only be shown after 10 p.m.

By JTA

 

A risqué ad featuring Bar Refaeli in bed with a purple, mustachioed Muppet has been banned from running before 10 p.m. in the holy land, Walla!, Israel news website reported. Per a governmental council called The Second Authority for Television and Radio, the ad for local fashion brand Hoodies has “too many sexual insinuations” to be seen during prime time.

Bar Refaeli in bed with a muppet for the Hoodies commercial Photo: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

Bar Refaeli in bed with a muppet for the Hoodies commercial Photo: YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

The spot opens with a post-coital shot of the Israeli super model and her puppet friend, a guy named Red Orbach, with whom many Israelis are already familiar.

Continue Reading »

NYT Reports: Kerry steps back from peace talks

 

New York Times quotes senior American official as saying the White House believes Kerry should allow Israel & the Palestinians to work through the current deadlock themselves.

By Ynetnews and agencies

 

US Secretary of State John Kerry’s decision to cancel a Tuesday night meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is indicative of the Obama administration’s “growing impatience” with the deadlocked peace talks, the New York Times reported Wednesday. The newspaper quoted a senior US official as saying that the Americans believe Israel and the Palestinians should find a way out of this latest deadlock themselves, and that Kerry’s current efforts had been exhausted. Continue Reading »

Israel declines requests of being world’s medical ‘pot dealer’

 


Although Israel has the climate & know-how to be the major exporter of medical marijuana, it doesn’t want to.

 

The Czech Health Ministry would like to import medical marijuana from Israel, but the government has not arranged for local growers to export the drug.

Medicinal marijuana

Growing facility for the Tikun Olam company near the northern city of Safed. – Photo: Reuters

Visiting here last month, Czech Health Minister Svatopluk Nemecek dropped by a medical marijuana operation on moshav Ein Irron. The logistic center there is operated by Bazelet — the marijuana division of the Barak Group, a medical supplier that serves five of the eight authorized growers of medical marijuana in Israel.

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Senior US Senators Say Jonathan Pollard Should Not Be Released

Chairwoman & Vice Chairman of Senate Intelligence Committee reject proposal where Pollard would be released in exchange for releasing 400 convicted Palestinian terrorists, including mass-murderers. 

By Ari Yashar

 

Several senior senators have come out with harsh opposition to the deal proposed Tuesday, by which America would release Jonathan Pollard in exchange for the release of over 400 Israeli-held Arab terrorists and a partial construction freeze in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem.

Senator Dianne Feinstein – Reuters

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) told The Daily Beast on Tuesday that they oppose the deal in no uncertain terms. Continue Reading »

Abbas Signs PA Requests To Join UN Agencies in Breach of Agreements

Abbas violates peace talk agreements by making unilateral bid for int’l recognition in UN agencies & NGOs.

Kerry canceled his upcoming visit to Ramallah.

By Ari Yashar

 

Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas breached the conditions of the peace talks Tuesday by signing a request to join several United Nations (UN) agencies.

Mahmoud Abbas and Ban Ki-moon (file) – Reuters

Abbas obligated himself to refrain from such unilateral moves for international recognition during the course of the peace talks, restarted last July by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

“The Palestinian leadership has unanimously approved a decision to seek membership of 15 UN agencies and international treaties, beginning with the Fourth Geneva Convention,” Abbas said on TV following the signing, reports AFP. Continue Reading »

Pope receives Madonna lily seeds from Israel to bloom for spring Annunciation

 

In advance of Pope Francis’ arrival in Israel in May, Ben-Gurion University scientists send the Vatican Madonna lily seeds of the type that existed during the time of Jesus.

 

 

Pope Francis, who arrives in Israel at the end of May, has just received a special gift — seeds of the white Madonna lily of the type that existed during the time of Jesus two millennia ago. The seeds were developed in the lab of Dr. Michelle Zakai with the help of Asael Ram at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba.

Madonna Lily - Photo courtesy  Wikimedia Commons/Stan Shebs

Madonna Lily – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/Stan Shebs

According to Christian tradition, the lily was connected to the Annunciation during which the Angel Gabriel told Mary that she was pregnant with Jesus. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem Court to hear petition to block private control of Western Wall section

 

The prosecution contends that transferring control of the Holy site to a subcontractor will limit the gov’t’s freedom to act in the area.

 

The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court is to hold a hearing on Tuesday on the attorney general’s request to cancel an agreement for the settler organization Elad-the City of David Foundation to manage the entire southern section of the Western Wall.

Israel Police Special Patrol Unit vehicles stationed near the Western Wall compound.

Israel Police Special Patrol Unit vehicles stationed near the Western Wall compound. February 25, 2014. – Photo: Olivier Fitoussi

The agreement between the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem (JQDC), which owns the area, and the right-wing, religious group was meant to go into effect on Tuesday.

Continue Reading »

Syrian Orient News TV: Syrian Opposition Activist Advocates Peace with Israel

When the interviewer told Dr. Al-Labwani that “Israel has expansionist goals” he replied, “Not true. The people of Israel fled persecution in the Nazi Holocaust, & they want to live in peace.”

“It is in our interest today to engage in a peace process” with Israel, says Syrian opposition activist in televised interview.

By Elad Benari

 

A member of the Syrian opposition recently said that “it is in our interest today to engage in a peace process” with Israel.

Syrian Opposition Activist Kamal Al-Labwani Makes the Case for Peace with Israel

Syrian Opposition Activist Dr. Kamal Al-Labwani Makes the Case for Peace with Israel on Syrian Orient News TV

The comments were made by opposition activist Dr. Continue Reading »

MK Isaac Herzog (Labor) meets with Jordanian king to rescue stalled peace

 

Jordan’s King Abdullah expressed hope that a way to stop the peace talks from collapsing will be found.

MK Herzog takes the opportunity to apologize for unfortunate death of Jordanian judge, killed by IDF fire.

By Ynetnews

 

Opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Labor) met Jordan’s King Abdullah II in Amman on Monday to discuss the peace process.

“There is an opportunity that won’t repeat itself to reach an arrangement in the Middle East, and a formula must be found to stop the talks from blowing up,” Abdullah said.

Herzog stressed to the Jordanian king that the Labor party, and the rest of the opposition parties, all support the peace process and understand that this opportunity must not be missed. Continue Reading »

11 Ossuaries recovered after apparent Jerusalem heist

Eleven 2nd Temple-era Burial Boxes were discovered after police arrested 4 suspicious characters in Jerusalem.

 

The Israeli Antiquities Authority unveiled 11 ancient burial boxes Monday that were recovered by Israel Police early Friday morning

Israeli archaeologist Eitan Klein.

Israeli archaeologist Eitan Klein.- AFP

Officials say the boxes are 2,000 years old. Some are engraved with designs and even names, giving clues to their origin and contents. The boxes contain bone fragments and remnants of what experts say is pottery buried with the deceased.

The authority says the boxes were recovered last Friday in Jerusalem when police observed a suspicious nighttime transaction involving two cars, four individuals and the 11 boxes.

Continue Reading »