US Congressman: No one’s suggesting US troops as part of Arab peace agreement

 

U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (Dem.) says U.S. prepared to play leading role in ensuring security in the West Bank, but unlikely to deploy American troops.

 

 

On the eve of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that will ultimately have to discuss security guarantees for Israel, US Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) told The Jerusalem Post that the deployment of US troops anywhere in the West Bank was very unlikely.

Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer during a visit to Israel in 2011.

Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer during a visit to Israel in 2011. – Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Hoyer, who led a delegation of 36 Democratic congressmen to Israel over the past week, said during an interview on Thursday that the issue was not raised in meetings the congressional group held either with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or with PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat.

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Temple Mount now reopened to Jews

 

 

 

Non-Muslim visitors allowed onto Judaism’s most holy site for 1st time since end of Ramadan.

Temple activists say police closing Mount to Jews was unnecessary, asking for site’s opening ahead of Jewish High Holidays. ‘It’s our basic right & it must be respected,’ their representative tells Knesset committee.

By Kobi Nachshoni

 

Dozens of Jews on visited the Temple Mount on Sunday morning as it was opened to tourists for the first time since the end of the month of Ramadan and the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr last week.

Temple activists are accusing the police of closing the Mount unnecessarily throughout most of the month of Ramadan, including for two whole weeks, thus discriminating against non-Muslims seeking to visit the site. Continue Reading »

PA tells US: Stop Tenders for New Homes or Talks are Off

 

The decision to announce the new tenders for construction of new homes around Jerusalem has exposed some of the rifts within the Israeli coalition gov’t.

“Let Netanyahu make peace with Bennett,” a senior PA official said, according to Voice of Israel radio.

By Gil Ronen and Ari Soffer

 

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is demanding that Israel cancel its decision to market about 1,200 new housing units in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, even before the next round of “peace talks” scheduled for Wednesday.

Voice of Israel public radio quoted an anonymous senior PA official as saying the PA leadership has informed the United States of this decision and is awaiting a response. Continue Reading »

Congressman Kennedy: Israel’s right to exist isn’t too much to ask

 

Joseph Kennedy (D-MA), grandson of assassinated RFK says Jerusalem should trust President Obama on Iran.

 

 

 

The sight of a fluttering Syrian flag just across Israel’s border on the Golan Heights on Sunday underscored for visiting United States Congressman Joseph Kennedy (D-MA) how important security is for a small country like Israel with hostile neighbors.
Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-MA) talks to 'The Jerusalem Post' at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-MA) talks to ‘The Jerusalem Post’ at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. – Photo: STEVE LINDE

During his five-day visit as part of a 36-member congressional delegation led by US Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD), he also visited the Gaza border in the South, as well as the Lebanese border in the North, near the Golan Heights.

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Jailed Arab Murderers Collect $3,400 a Month from PA

Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Elkin opposes concept that “releasing terrorists brings peace, & building a kindergarten prevents peace.”

By Gil Ronen

 

Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin (Likud) had harsh criticism Sunday for the government he is a part of, over the decision to release terrorist murderers. He admitted that he, too, shares in the blame for the decision, although he opposes it.

“I am angry at the approach that says that releasing terrorists brings peace nearer, and building a kindergarten prevents peace,” he said – in a reference to the “peace camp” and its criticism of construction for Jews in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. Continue Reading »

Lapid sees new housing tenders as ‘double mistake’

 

Finance minister upset at decision to build new Jewish settlement homes beyond Green Line, but Jerusalem’s Mayor Barkat welcomes decision.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid lashed out Sunday at the decision to build more than one thousand new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, calling it “a double mistake.”

Finance Minister Yair Lapid

Finance Minister Yair Lapid – Photo: REUTERS

Lapid’s comments came on the heels of similar condemnation by Meretz leader, Zahava Gal-On, who accused the government of trying to stymie the nascent peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

“Announcing the decision to market 1,200 housing units in east Jerusalem and in the larger settlement blocs at this time is a double mistake,” Lapid said in a statement.

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Ministers agree on the 26 Palestinian prisoners to be released

 

 

Final official list to be published Sunday night, to include 14 Hamas prisoners exiled to Gaza.

‘Move meant to strengthen Mahmoud Abbas,’ political source says.

By Attila Somfalvi

 

 

The ministerial committee appointed to determine which Palestinian prisoners will be the first to be released approved a list of 26 prisoners to be released on Tuesday.

Palestinian prisoners released in Shalit deal (archives) – Photo: Reuters

The list, to be published tonight on 1 am, includes 14 prisoners to be released into the Gaza Strip, several of which are Hamas members.

The committee members are Tzipi Livni, Yaakov Peri, Moshe Ya’alon and Yitzhak Aharonovich. Continue Reading »

Egypt army reports 12 militants killed in Sinai following alleged Israeli drone strike


Egyptian Military spokesman says Islamic militants were wanted for the attack that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers last year & the abduction of 7 security forces earlier this year.

 

Egyptian helicopters fired on a meeting of suspected militants in the country’s Sinai Peninsula, officials said Sunday, killing at least 12 people as authorities stepped up their attacks following an Israeli drone strike in the region.

Sinai attack - archive

People check the scene where a car bomb exploded in near the port town of El-Arish in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula July 24, 2013. – Photo: Reuters

 

The helicopter attack came as Egyptian and Israeli officials tried to downplay the drone strike Friday in the largely lawless Sinai, fearing popular criticism in a country already roiled by last month’s military coup that ousted President Mohammed Morsi. Continue Reading »

Less Rosh Hashana Honey Due to Disappearing Bees

Honey sales are taking their annual upward tick because of up coming Rosh Hashana, but due to the dwindling number of bees, there’s less honey to go around.

By David Lev

 

With Rosh Hashana coming up, honey sales are taking their annual upward tick. This year, though, there is less Israeli honey to go around; with sparse rainfall at the end of the winter (between February and April) and fewer wildflowers growing as a result, fewer bees were hatched this year – meaning that less honey was produced. Honey yields are down about 6% this year, with local honey production reaching just 3,000 tons this year, instead of the 3,200 tons that were produced last year. Continue Reading »

State: If Peace talks aren’t fruitful, murderers may not be released

 

PM Netanyahu will demand in the next round of terrorists to be release, that the dangerous prisoners be exiled.

Netanyahu to Kerry: Abbas continues to incite, peace and incitement cannot coexist.

By Mati Tuchfeld, Daniel Siryoti, Efrat Forsher, Eli Leon & News Agencies

 

The special ministerial team for the release of Palestinian prisoners convened on Sunday to approve the release of 26 terrorists serving time in Israeli prisons since before the Oslo Accords of two decades ago. The move is intended to move the peace process forward. This week will see a second round of peace talks, beginning on Wednesday in Jerusalem.

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Is Hezbollah waging terror campaign against UNIFIL over EU blacklist?

EU’s blacklisting of Hezbollah casts a new light on the friction between the UNIFIL and Nasrallah’s armed Shi’ite movement.

 

 

The European Union’s designation of Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist organization has cast a new light on the tussles between the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the armed Shi’ite movement.

Supporters of Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah

Supporters of Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah – Photo: Reuters

A Hezbollah official told the Financial Times last week, “People are not going to accept you living among them and calling them terrorists.”

Gerald Steinberg, a professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University and the head of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday, “The reports of increased friction in southern Lebanon are not surprising after the European Union belatedly added Hezbollah to the list of terror organizations.”

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PM Netanyahu doing well following surgery

 

 

Israel’s Prime Minister’s surgery for umbilical hernia declared a success, doctors at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital report.

PM Netanyahu set to be discharged Sunday afternoon and allowed to return to work later in the week. Sunday’s cabinet meeting postponed and Defense Minister Ya’alon to chair ministerial meeting on prisoners.

By Attila Somfalvi

 

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent surgery for an umbilical hernia at the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem overnight Sunday. The hour-long surgery, which was conducted under general anesthesia, was declared a success.

The prime minister is currently resting and is set to be discharged later on Sunday. Continue Reading »

After drivers’ strike, trains expected to operate on schedule

Disruptions started last Wednesday as 42 engine drivers, about 20% of the country’s drivers, announced their sudden ‘illness’ just as a new schedule went into effect with more trains to make traveling more accommodating for the passengers.

By Daniel Schmil

 

 

The trains are expected to run on schedule Sunday, despite the ongoing tension between Israel Railways management and the train drivers, which led to the cancellation of 40 trains last Thursday.

Passengers boarding an Israel Railways train in Tel Aviv, Sept. 21, 2012.

Passengers boarding an Israel Railways train in Tel Aviv, (illustrative) – Photo: Daniel Bar-On

Sanctions started last Wednesday when 42 engine drivers, about 20 percent of all the drivers, announced their sudden illness just as a new schedule went into effect with more trains, including direct lines from Ashdod and Ashkelon to Tel Aviv. Continue Reading »

While Knesset Debates Drownings, 2 More Drown

 

After 5 people drowned off Israel’s shores this past weekend, the Knesset convened to discussed shore safety – and ironically 2 more people drowned this morning as the issue was being examined.

By David Lev

 

 

After five people drowned off Israel’s shores last weekend, the Knesset called for a special discussion on how to increase safety at the shore – and ironically, two more people drowned Sunday as the discussion was taking place.

A 49 year old Shfaram resident drowned at a beach in Nahariya, and was declared dead on the spot, while a fifteen year old Tel Aviv resident, who was pulled from the water at the Bograshov beach in the city, was eventually resuscitated. Continue Reading »

Car bomb detonated near Iran, Hezbollah compound in Damascus

Israel Radio reports that Syrian rebels claim responsibility for an attack at a compound in Damascus, which killed 40 Hezbollah & Iranian fighters.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS
 

 

Syrian rebel forces claim they killed at least 40 Hezbollah and Iranian fighters in Damascus, according to Israel Radio.

Flags of Hezbollah, Assad's Syria

Flags of Hezbollah, Assad’s Syria – Photo: REUTERS/Ali Hashisho

The rebels say they detonated a car bomb near a compound where the operatives from Iran and Hezbollah gathered for a meeting, Israel Radio reported. These claims could not be independently corroborated.

Last month, the UN Security Council called on Lebanese Hezbollah militants to end any involvement in the conflict in neighboring Syria, while Lebanon’s UN envoy pledged that his country would keep its borders open to Syrians fleeing the violence.

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