Saudi Arabia passes on UNSC seat, cites ‘double standards’ for Mid-East


Saudi Foreign Ministry claims the UN Security Council’s ‘double standards’ keep it from properly administrating its responsibilities to forward world peace.

By Reuters

 

Saudi Arabia, in an unprecedented show of anger at the failure of the international community to end the war in Syria and act on other Middle East issues, said on Friday it would not take up its seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal Saudi arabia

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal speaks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry during a news conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Monday, March 4, 2013. – Photo: AP

The kingdom condemned what it called international double standards on the Middle East and demanded reforms in the Security Council. Continue Reading »

Israeli Officials: Normalization Talks With Ankara ‘Stuck’

 

While Israel refrains from making official comment on reports of Turkey’s leaking to Teheran of local anti-nuclear spy network, Israeli officials stress recent security cooperation with Turkey as ‘very limited’.

By Attila Somfalvi

The Washington Post’s report about Turkey’s disclosure to Iran of an Israeli spy network might have failed to elicit an official Israeli response, but state officials admit that security relations with Ankara are extremely limited and went as far as saying that reconciliation talks surrounding the Marmara raid are “stuck.”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – Photo: AFP

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – Photo: AFP

“The Turks are destroying any attempt to reach understandings,” an Israeli official close to the talks said. Continue Reading »

Supreme Court Judge Strikes Down Likud Ad for Offending Muslims

Likud political ad promising to end noisy Muslim call to prayer in early morning is nixed by Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran for its offensive content.

By Maayana Miskin

 

A Likud ad promising to end loud Muslim prayers in the early morning hours has been nixed by Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran, who heads the Central Elections Committee, Maariv/nrg reports.

The ad reads, “Silencing the muezzin in Yafo? Only the Likud can.” The muezzin is the prayer leader who broadcast the Muslim call to prayer over a loudspeaker five times a day.

Member of Knesset Omer Bar-Lev of the Labor party complained to the Elections Committee about the ad. Continue Reading »

Palestinians Hurt While Torturing Cattle in Gaza

 

The Gazans did not contend themselves to simply slaughtering the animals, but first engaged in torture. The cattle predictably responded by attacking their tormenters.

By Israel Today Staff

 

 

At least 125 Palestinians in Gaza were wounded while torturing and slaughtering cattle in the streets as part of the Muslim holiday of Eid al Adha, Palestinian media reported.

Palestinians Torturing Cattle - screenshot

Palestinians Torturing Cattle – screenshot

Gaza has five official slaughterhouses, but wait times were hours long, so a great many Gazans decided to do their own public butchering for the holiday, which is typically accompanied by much feasting.

But, as videos and pictures posted to the Internet revealed, many of the Palestinians did not contend themselves to simply slaughtering the animals, but first engaged in what can only be described as torture. Continue Reading »

Israel’s EMS Magen David Adom loses funding for West Bank stations

 

Magen David Adom has been facing pressure from the ICRC to defer EMS response in the West Bank to the Palestinian Red Crescent.

By HENRY ROME
 

 

Magen David Adom has lost funding to operate the majority of its stations in the West Bank, the ambulance service said on Thursday, citing an NIS 5 million shortfall in appropriations from the state.
MDA paramedics evacuating woman to hospital in Jerusalem.

MDA paramedics evacuating woman to hospital in Jerusalem. – Photo: Magen David Adom spokesman

An MDA spokesman said the impending closure of 13 West Bank ambulance stations out of the agency’s 17 stations there is unrelated to pressure by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has been highly critical of MDA’s operations in the West Bank.

Continue Reading »

Speaking With ‘Forked-Tongue’ Abbas Calls for Peace & Praises Terror

When speaking to the int’l community, PA Chief spoke of living in harmony with Israel, but went on to praised a vicious killer of Israelis when speaking to the Arab world – all on the same day.

By David Lev

 

On the day Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas spoke at the UN of finalizing an agreement with Israel, essentially recognizing Israel’s existence, a speech he had written for an event in the Palestinian Authority (PA) lavishly praised a PA terrorist whose actions murdered and injured dozens of Israelis.

PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas – Photo Mark Israel Sellem

The paradox was uncovered by the Palestinian Media Watch group, which compared the speech Abbas made at the UN on September 27, to remarks he prepared for an event on the same day that celebrated the life of Ahmad Abu-Sukar, a notorious terrorist best known for his 1975 “refrigerator bomb” attack that killed 15 and injured 77. Continue Reading »

Bnei Menashe, ‘Lost’ Indian Jews coming to Israel

2,000 Bnei Menashe curently live in Israel & another 5,000 are in the pipeline waiting to immigrate. This week, the Israeli gov’t  approved 899 more Bnei Menashe to come.

 

SDEROT, Israel (JTA) — A Kassam rocket had just landed across the street, but it couldn’t wipe the smile off David Lhundgim’s face as he entered his apartment in this embattled town near the Gaza border.

Jewish immigrants of the Bnei Menashe arriving at Ben Gurion airport in Israel, Dec. 24, 2012. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

Jewish immigrants of the Bnei Menashe arriving at Ben Gurion airport in Israel, Dec. 24, 2012.- Photo: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

Born in the rural provinces of northeast India, Lhundgim has lived in Sderot since he moved to Israel in 2007, and by at least one measure he seemed to be well-adjusted: Lhundgim didn’t flinch when he heard bombs explode outside.

Continue Reading »

Erdoğan’s unprecedented act of betrayal against Israel

 

Analysis: If Ankara did blow cover of Israeli undercover-agents, it would violate universally accepted code of conduct between allied intelligence agencies.

By YOSSI MELMAN
 

 

In April 2012, Iran announced that it had uncovered a spy ring numbering 15 operatives working at the behest of Israel. Iranian authorities fingered the operatives as being responsible for the killings of nuclear scientists in recent years. Tehran had long suspected the Mossad as the mastermind of these operations. In announcing the arrests, Iran touted the apprehension of “Zionist spies” and the revelations regarding “Zionist” intelligence activity in a neighboring country.

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan & Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu – Photo: REUTERS

The announcement, which didn’t garner much attention at the time, takes on added importance Thursday just hours after The Washington Post reported that Turkish intelligence revealed the identities of 10 Iranian spies working for Israel.

Continue Reading »

15 Second Earthquake Measuring 3.5 hits Northern Israel

 

Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) was the center of 3.5-magnitude earthquake.

No injuries or major damage reported. Tiberias resident: ‘We thought a disaster was coming!’

By Ynet reporters

 

A mild earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter Scale hit north Israel Thursday night. So far there have been no reports of injury or damage. The Geophysical Institute of Israel said the quake’s epicenter was in Lake Kinneret. It was felt at around 9:20 pm.

Tiberias lakefront - Photo courtesy by Wikimedia Commons

Tiberias lakefront – Photo courtesy by Wikimedia Commons

Another Tiberias resident told Ynet: “All the neighbors stepped out of the building; they thought it was about to collapse. Continue Reading »

IDf soldiers kill Palestinian Arab after rams into West Bank base with tractor

IDF soldiers stationed outside of Hebron notice intruder, ordering him to stop & then forced to opened fire when he refused.

One IDF soldier was lightly wounded in the incident.

By Gili Cohen

 

 

A Palestinian was killed by the Israel Defense Forces Thursday evening after smashing through the perimeter fence of the A-Ram army base driving a bulldozer.

The bulldozer used in the attack

The tractor-backhoe used in the attack – Photo courtesy: IDF Spokesman

When soldiers stationed at the entrance to the base, located near the West Bank town of Qalandiyah, spotted the intruder, they began the standard procedure for arresting a suspect. But when the man refused to stop, they opened fire, killing him. Continue Reading »

UK MP George Galloway threatened by Israeli Flag

‘Stop Being Afraid’ is Jonathan Hunter, the British student’s message, to pro-Israel activists after his Oxford confrontation with notorious anti-Israel MP.

By Ari Soffer

 

Softly-spoken and eloquent, Jonathan Hunter does not sound like a rabble-rouser. But mention his recent confrontation with notorious anti-Israel MP George Galloway, the passion in his voice is unmistakable.

Jonathan Hunter confronting anti-Israel MP George Galloway
Oxford Union Events

Two says ago, the 2nd-year History student at Britain’s prestigious Oxford University achieved internet fame, when a video of him confronting Galloway during an Oxford Union debate went viral on social media sites and news sites, including Arutz Sheva. Continue Reading »

UN Chief: American Jews have made distinct imprint on UN

 

Ban Ki-moon addresses Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations gala in New York, stresses anti-Semitism “has no place in the 21st century.”

By MAYA SHWAYDER, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

 

 

 

NEW YORK – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the American Jewish community for its partnership in fighting injustice while stressing the need to “stand strong against extremists,” while speaking in New York Tuesday night.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a news conference in Andorra April 2, 2013.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a news conference in Andorra April 2, 2013. – Photo: REUTERS/Albert Gea

At the 50th anniversary tribute gala dinner of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Ban said the UN and American Jewry “share a common goal… and identical values” in the pursuit of “peace and human dignity for all.”

Continue Reading »

Pope Francis to receive Israel’s Prime Minister next week

 

Benjamin Netanyahu to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss Iran and then meet with US Secretary of State Kerry to discuss the peace talks.

By The Associated Press

 

Israel‘s prime minister plans to meet with the pope on a trip to Italy next week.

President of Israel Shimon Peres, Papa Francisco I ,April 30, 2013 - Photo courtesy: GPO

President of Israel Shimon Peres, Papa Francisco I, April 30, 2013 – Photo courtesy: GPO

Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican next Wednesday. Israeli President Shimon Peres, who serves in a largely ceremonial position, met the head of the Catholic church in April.

Earlier this week, Israel’s Channel 2 reported that Pope Francis will visit Israel in Marc

A statement Wednesday from the prime minister’s office announcing the scheduled meeting said Netanyahu also will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on the same trip. Continue Reading »

Palestinian culture includes incitement against Israel

 

Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister says Palestinian sponsored indoctrination of  incitement is a serious obstacle to peace.

Since the indoctrination is part of the general culture, the problem does not exist only among the extremists.

 

 

 

Palestinian incitement is ruining the chances of ending the conflict, Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said in the Knesset on Wednesday.

Illustration in Palestinian textbook

Illustration in Palestinian textbook – Photo: IMPACT-SE

Steinitz presented his ministry’s report on incitement to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

“Incitement is a serious obstacle to peace,” he stated.

“The Palestinian Authority is aware of the inciting messages in its official educational institutions.”

Continue Reading »

Pentagon will manufacture Israel developed F-35 helmet

Elbit Systems’ advanced F-35 pilot’s helmet has improved night vision camera, new liquid crystal displays and automated alignment & software enhancements.

By

 

The Pentagon will manufacture a pilot helmet for F-35 fighter jets co-developed by Elbit Systems, an Israeli company.

An F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.

An F-35 Lightning II fighter jet. – Photo: Bloomberg News

The Pentagon’s F-35 program made the announcement late last week, saying it would stop development on a second helmet developed by a British company in order to focus exclusively on perfecting the Rockwell Collins Elbit Systems of America Vision Systems Generation 2, or Gen 2, helmet.

Helmet mounted display system.

Helmet mounted display system.

Continue Reading »