European Union won’t take ‘no’ for an answer

 

 

European officials admit that even if Israeli-Palestinian peace talks stall, they will not blame either side

 

Brussels. Even as the entire world’s attention is turned towards Putin’s maneuvers in Ukraine and Crimea, European Union officials stress that nothing will make the 28-nation member organization stop striving to achieve a Middle East peace deal and a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) walks with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (L) before their meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (not pictured) in Geneva, on November 8, 2013 ( Jason Reed  (POOL/AFP) )

US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) walks with European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton (L) before their meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (not pictured) in Geneva, on November 8, 2013 – Photo: Jason Reed – POOL/AFP

Some 20 Israeli journalists were invited to EU headquarters in Brussels as part of the organization’s efforts to demonstrate the importance it places on the process, and in order to allay the mistrust that characterizes Israel’s relations with the EU. Continue Reading »

University of California, Davis, is now offering: ‘Boycotting Israel’ classes

 

Pro-Palestinian organizations at UC Davis University, now teach boycott tactics, and the new ‘course’ is gaining popularity .

As part of a Jewish Agency mission, dozens of young Israelis are fighting back against the ‘overtly’ anti-Semitic initiatives on campuses.

By Yori Yalon & Israel Hayom Staff

 

In what could be another attempt to make the delegitimization of Israel more mainstream, a pro-Palestinian group at the University of California, Davis, is now offering a new ‘academic course’ on the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators at UC Davis – Photo: David Marias

Students for Justice in Palestine said the course would cover the meaning of anti-Israel boycotts and tactics for conducting them. Continue Reading »

Once Rare Long-Eared Owls Now Increase in Numbers in JNF Planted Forests

JNF staff find the Long-Eared Owl is staging a welcomed comeback in their man-made forests in northern Israel.

 

 

A group of long-eared owls has established itself in part of the forest in recent months, say Jewish National Fund wardens in the Mishmar Ha’emek Forest area.

Long-eared owl

Long-eared owl (archive)

The owls are among several species of birds that have adapted themselves to the reality of expanding, man-made forests and are making their homes in the northern Israel forest for part of the year.

“Owls are known to congregate before nesting season, but we hadn’t seen it in these woods until now,” said Dr.

Continue Reading »

Update: 2 Gazans killed in airstrike while preparing to fire rockets into Israel

 

According to an updated Palestinian report, 2 Islamic Jihad members were killed & 2 others wounded in the IAF strike in the Beit Hanoun area in the northern Gaza Strip.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

The IAF struck a terror cell attempting to fire rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Monday.

Israel Air Force F15 I,’Ra’am’ (‘Thunder’) A multipurpose long-range fighter jet, mainly used for attack and interception strikes. – Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The air strike targeted a rocket launching cell in the final preparations stage before firing at Israel. The IDF said the target had been accurately struck.

Continue Reading »

Oscar win for Documentary on oldest Holocaust survivor- 7 days after her death

The film’s director Malcolm Clarke, mentioned how he was most impressed by Herz-Sommer’s “extraordinary capacity for joy” and “amazing capacity for forgiveness.”

By JTA, JPOST.COM STAFF

 

The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life won best documentary short. It’s subject, Holocaust survivor Alice Herz-Sommer, died last week at age 110.

Alice Herz Sommer - The Lady In Number 6

Holocaust survivor Alice Herz-Sommer (ז”ל), died last week at age 110.

Herz-Sommer, the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor, who died in London on Feb. 23 at the age of 110, was the subject of The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life, which won the Academy Award for documentary short Sunday night. Continue Reading »

2013 statistic: 123% rise in new settlement construction during past year

 

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics says only 5.7% of all new construction by Israel in 2013 was in West Bank.

By Elior Levy

 

New Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank increased by more than 120 percent in 2013 from the year before, according to new data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Monday.

Construction site in the West Bank settlement of Modiin Illit.

Construction site in the West Bank settlement of Modiin Illit. – Photo: AP

The data shows that there was a growth of 123.7 percent in “dwellings begun” in Judea and Samaria in 2013, comprising some 5.7 percent of all new construction by Israel last year. Continue Reading »

Netanyahu lands in Washington saying, ‘It takes 3 to dance the Mideast Tango’

Israel’s PM Netanyahu is to meet Kerry, Obama & Biden on Monday, and is then scheduled to address the AIPAC conference on Tuesday.

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived late Sunday in Washington, where he was scheduled to meet U.S. President Barack Obama and address the AIPAC conference.
Netanyahu

Netanyahu addressing journalists during a press conference with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. September 15, 2013 – Photo: AFP

Upon landing, Netanyahu told reporters that he was committed to negotiations for a final settlement and was waiting to see proof that the Palestinians were as well.

“It takes at least three to dance the Middle East tango,” Netanyahu said.  

Continue Reading »

Ultra-Orthodox Man Suing Police for Forced Car Ride on Shabbat

The hareidi resident of Petach Tikvah is suing for NIS 2.5 million after being forced to violate the Sabbath by the police, even though he was prepared to cooperate & walk to the Police Station.

By David Lev

 

A hareidi resident of Petach Tikvah is suing police for NIS 2.5 million, after police forced him to ride to a police station on Shabbat. The lawsuit is based on the man’s forced violation of the Sabbath at the hand of police, even though he was prepared to cooperate with police and walk to the station, which was a five minute stroll away, the man’s attorney said. Continue Reading »

Lebanese Military Officials: Hezbollah Probably Behind Mt. Hermon Rocket Attack

Multiple military sources, told The Daily Star that the rocket attack on Mt. Hermon was most likely staged by Hezbollah in retaliation for last week’s airstrikes.

By Elad Benari

 

Hezbollah was likely behind a rocket attack near an IDF post in Mount Hermon early Saturday morning, security and military sources told Lebanese newspaper The Daily Star on Sunday night.

Hezbollah members rally in Beirut in Nazi salute - Photo: Reuters

Hezbollah members rally in Beirut in Nazi salute – Photo: Reuters

The officials said that the attack was Hezbollah’s retaliation for alleged Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah targets near the Lebanese-Syrian border.

Two rockets were fired at Israel in the attack, and no injuries or damages were reported. Continue Reading »

Orthodox Jews Threaten to Leave Israel if Forced into IDF Service

Gov’t expected to compromise to avoid being portrayed as jailing Jews for continued study of Torah.

American senators promised to obtain refugee status for every Haredi family.

By Tsvi Sadan

 

Equal burden means that every Israeli citizen must serve in the IDF. In practice, however, 67 percent of the Jewish community and just 50 percent of all Israelis perform national service. To put it negatively, 50 percent of young Israelis are exempt from this burden, while the other half of society has to carry the extra weight.

Orthodox Jews Threaten to Quit Israel Over IDF Draft

Orthodox Jew anguishes at the thought of IDF service – Photo source Israel Today

Those who are exempt are primarily Arab Israelis – both Muslims and Christians, religious Jewish women, Orthodox yeshiva students, and other Jewish young men and women who can’t serve in the army for physical or psychological reasons. Continue Reading »

In Kiev, a Jewish IDF veteran leads a ‘street-fighting’ unit

The ‘Blue Helmets’ comprising of 40 men & women who are not all Jewish & that include 5 ex-Israeli soldiers, says Delta the leader, an Orthodox Jew in his late 30s who wears a kippah under his helmet.

 

JTA – He calls his troops “the Blue Helmets of Maidan,” but brown is the color of the headgear worn by Delta — the nom de guerre of the commander of a Jewish-led militia force that participated in the Ukrainian revolution.

Delta, the nom de guerre of the Jewish commander of a Ukrainian street-fighting unit, is pictured in Kiev earlier this month. (Courtesy of 'Delta')

Delta, the nom de guerre of the Jewish commander of a Ukrainian street-fighting unit, is pictured in Kiev earlier this month.

Continue Reading »

Obama asks Netanyahu unfair question about peace: ‘If not now, when?’

 

In advance of President’s meeting with Netanyahu at White House, Obama hints that the White House will be unable to protect Israel from “int’l fallout” if peace process fails and settlement construction continues.

 

America’s ability to “manage the international fallout is going to be limited” if Israel does not strike a peace deal with the Palestinians and there is “continued aggressive settlement construction,” US President Barack Obama said in an interview published on the eve of his Monday meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

US President Barack Obama at White House – Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Washington’s inability to manage this fallout will have consequences, Obama said in the interview with Bloomberg’s Jeffrey Goldberg that appeared Sunday. Continue Reading »

Exiled Fatah leader Mohammad Dahlan aspires to replace Abbas

 

Fatah officials deny rumors that ousted Dahlan is vying to replace Palestinian President, but Palestinian voters may welcome him.

By Abdullah H. Erakat,  the Media Line

 

RAMALLAH – Mohammad Dahlan, the former leader of Fatah in Gaza who was expelled from the party three years ago, has quietly begun his campaign for president of the Palestinian Authority, a political analyst says.

Mohammed Dahlan during an interview with The Associated Press - Photo: Majdi Mohammed

Mohammed Dahlan during an interview with The Associated Press – Photo: Majdi Mohammed

A spokesperson for Fatah, the largest faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has called the news “rumors.”

“He’s a fact that nobody can ignore in the daily political life,” Khalil Shaheen, a Palestinian political analyst, told The Media Line. Continue Reading »

U.S. strikes Israel from patent blacklist

American drug manufactures no longer worry over Teva Pharmaceutical Industries ability to operate without legislative parameters since the Knesset passed patent changes in 2011.

 

 

Israel has been removed from a U.S. government blacklist of countries that allegedly condone the violation of intellectual property rights, Washington announced over the weekend.

teva  lab technician

A Teva lab technician. Intellectual property rights are important for Israeli R&D, too. – Photo: Ofer Vaknin

Israel had been on the list for years, in part due to pressure from U.S. drug manufacturers contending that Israeli legislation let Teva Pharmaceutical Industries violate patents. Teva is the world’s largest maker of generic drugs.

Continue Reading »

IEC Warns Palestinians: Pay Your Electric Bill or be Switched Off Grid

Sunday, the Israel Electric Company issued the Palestinian Authority a final warning to pay their debt of over one billion shekels, or the grid supplying them electricity will be turned off.

By David Lev

 

The Israel Electric Company on Sunday issued a final warning to the Palestinian Authority (PA) – pay up or get cut off. The IEC gave the PA three days to come up with NIS 1.4 billion (nearly half a billion dollars) the Authority owes it. If it does not get the money, the company will cut power to the PA.

Electricity on the way to the Palestinians – IsraelandStuff/PP

The PA is in this jam because it has habitually failed to pay its electric bill, despite the fact that it received money specifically for this purpose from various international donors. Continue Reading »