Lebanon warns UN, EU against joining in Israel’s EastMed gas pipeline

In formal letter of protest to the UN Secretary General, EU foreign policy chief, Cyprus, Italy and Greece, Lebanon’s foreign minister, Gebran Bassil asks for them to honor Lebanon’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), emphasizing to the Greek FM that Beirut will not permit its sovereignty to be violated.

By Reuters

 

Lebanon on Thursday warned its Mediterranean neighbours that a planned EastMed gas pipeline from Israel to the European Union must not be allowed to violate its maritime borders.

Beirut has an unresolved maritime border dispute with Israel – which it regards as an enemy country – over a sea area of about 860 sq km (330 square miles) extending along the edge of three of Lebanon’s southern energy blocks. Continue Reading »

Iron Dome shoots down two rockets, IDF tank responds firing on Gaza

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit reports Iron Dome shoots down two rockets launched from Gaza after three months of ‘relative calm’.

By Tal Polon

 

A rocket was fired Wednesday evening at the Gaza envelope communities and was intercepted by the Iron Dome system, without causing damage.

This was the first time that a rocket had been fired at the area after three months of relative calm.

Successful interception by Iron Dome’. – Photo by IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit updated that sirens sounded in the Eshkol Regional Council after a projectile was launched from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory. Continue Reading »

Survey: U.S. Democrat Support for Israel in Sharp Decline

A Pew Research report exposes a partisan divide that has widened considerably, with support for Israel by Democrats plummeting to 27% while Republican support has risen to an all time high.

By David Lazarus

 

Support for Israel among US Democrats is dropping sharply, and the party once preferred by American Jews is quickly losing their support

According to a 2018 Pew Research survey, currently, 79% of Republicans say they sympathize more with Israel than with the Palestinians, compared with just 27% of Democrats.

Since 2001, the number of Republicans siding with Israel over the Palestinians has increased 29 percentage points, from 50% to 79%. Continue Reading »

Waqf Council chairman rejects Israeli court closure of Gate of Mercy compound

Jordan appointed Waqf Council chairman says Gate of Mercy compound will remain open for Muslims to pray, despite Jerusalem District Court decision to re-seal the area by next Monday.
• Muslim cleric demands Israel permit the Jordanian run Waqf to renovate the Temple Mount building, allow Waqf officials, Waqf guards and worshippers to enter the site.

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

The Islamic authority that oversees Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem has rejected an Israeli court order to close a religious hall that has ignited tension between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli police in recent weeks.

Sheikh Abdelazeem Salhab, chairman of the Waqf Council appointed by neighboring Jordan, said Tuesday that the structure, called the Gate of Mercy shrine, would “remain open for Muslims to pray,” despite Israel’s ultimatum to close the site by next Monday. Continue Reading »

UN Human Rights Chief: IDF guilty of “disproportionate force” in protecting Israel

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a speech on global inequity at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, that Israel may have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity against Hamas-led protests on the Gaza border.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF

 

Israeli soldiers act with disproportionate force against Palestinian protestors at the Gaza border, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday.

United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet

Bachelet noted that it is almost a year since the Hamas-led protests on the Gaza border, known as the March of Return, have begun. Continue Reading »

Former Pakistani president calls for diplomatic ties with Israel

Speaking in Dubai, former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, who established contact with the Jewish State in 2005 via Jack Rosen, a U.S. businessman, told a journalist that there is no harm in establishing diplomatic relations with Israel.

By Kaswar Klasra, The Media Line

 

ISLAMABAD — Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf believes it’s time for Pakistan to consider establishing ties with Israel.

He was speaking at a press conference on February 22 in Dubai, where he has been living in self-exile to avoid what he believes are politically motivated court cases back home.

Pakistan Passport, ‘not valid for travel to Israel’ – Twitter

“There is no harm to establish a relationship with Israel,” Musharraf said, adding that “it will help Pakistan counter India” by accessing an “elite club” of “influential” nations. Continue Reading »

IDF jets strike Hamas compound following launching of explosive balloons on Israel

In retaliation to the continued release of explosive balloons from the Gaza terror enclave on Israeli civilian towns, IDF fighter aircraft once again strike at a Hamas military compound.

By Elad Benari

 

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said on Tuesday evening that IDF fighter planes and aircraft attacked a number of terrorist targets in a military compound belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the northern Gaza Strip.

The attack was carried out in response to the explosive balloons that were sent from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory.

Bundle of balloons launched from Gaza before reportedly dropping an explosive charge near Kibbutz Nir Oz in Israel.

Continue Reading »

Rep. Omar’s inbred anti-Semitism impels Dems to draft face-saving resolution

Chastised yet again after Somali born Ilhan Omar’s habitual antisemitic tropes, this time accusing US supporters of Israel of pushing people to have “allegiance to a foreign country” [Israel]; Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi quickly drafts ‘lifejacket’ declaration stating, the House “rejects anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.”

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Leading Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives will offer a resolution, Wednesday, condemning anti-Semitism in response to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s latest remarks on Israel, a senior Democratic aide said.

The declaration, written by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats, comes after Omar’s new remarks suggesting American supporters of Israel are pushing people to have “allegiance to a foreign country.” Continue Reading »

Israel’s lunar spacecraft sends first ‘selfie’ from space

From 37,600 km (20k miles) from Earth, Beresheet’s first photograph shows the Southern Hemisphere, as Australia can clearly be seen in the background, and attached plaque in the foreground with “Am Yisrael Chai” written in Hebrew (meaning: long live the Nation of Israel).

BY YAFIT OVADIA

 

The Israeli spacecraft Beresheet, which was launched off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, two weeks ago on its way to a planned Moon landing next month, took its first selfie in space. The selfie – which was taken some 37,600 km. (20,000 miles) away from Earth – shows the Southern Hemisphere, and Australia can clearly be seen in the background. Continue Reading »

US deploys advanced THAAD missile defense system in Israel

Coming after Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran could not rule out a possible  military conflict with Israel, the U.S. Army said its decision to rapidly deploy its most advanced air and missile defense system to the Jewish state is “a demonstration of the United States’ continued commitment to Israel’s regional security.”

By Reuters

 

The US Army has deployed its most advanced air and missile defense system to Israel for the first time, US and Israeli military officials said on Monday.

As part of a joint drill involving more than 200 Israeli and American troops, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was deployed at the Nevatim Airbase, and will soon be transported to an undisclosed location in southern Israel. Continue Reading »

US NEWS REPORT: Israel ranked 8th ‘Most Powerful Country’

Israel achieves eighth place as top seven have more military hardware & personnel and a considerably larger annual military budget.

By YVETTE J. DEANE

 

Israel was ranked the eighth most powerful country in the world, according to the US News and World Report‘s power ranking in 2019.

The power ranking was based on leader, economic influence, political influence, international alliance and a strong military. This ranking was part of a subcategory ranking for the US News‘s annual Best Country ranking. Israel received a high ranking because of its strong military, along with its strong political influence and international alliances. Continue Reading »

To Palestinian chagrin, U.S. officially shutters consulate in East Jerusalem

Having become superfluous in East Jerusalem, closing the consulate which functioned as the de facto embassy for the Palestinians prompted their petulant official, Saeb Erekat, to say its closure was “the final nail in the coffin” for the US as a peace negotiator.

By The Associated Press

 

The United States on Monday officially shuttered its consulate in Jerusalem, downgrading the status of its main diplomatic mission to the Palestinians by folding it into the US Embassy to Israel.

For decades, the consulate functioned as a de facto embassy to the Palestinians. Now, that outreach will be handled by a Palestinian affairs unit, under the command of the embassy. Continue Reading »

IDF officer seriously injured in car-ramming terror attack

IDF officer and Border Police officer injured when a car with 3 Palestinian terrorists drove into group of Israeli security personnel on the side of the road northwest of Ramallah in Samaria.
– IDF opened fire on the vehicle, killing 2 and injuring the third terrorist. 

By David Rosenberg

 

Two Israeli security personnel were injured in a ramming attack in Samaria early Monday morning.

The incident occurred in the village of Kafr Nimma northwest of Ramallah in the Binyamin district of Samaria, when terrorists ran down a group of Israeli soldiers at the entrance of the village.

“IDF soldiers who stopped on the side of the road northwest of Ramallah were run over by terrorists. Continue Reading »

BREAKING: IDF jets hit Gaza following release of explosive balloons on Israel

Israel Air Force responds to the launching of explosive balloons on Israel after some 8,000 Palestinians gathered along the Gaza border fence with Israel while under the cover of thick toxic smoke from burning hundreds of tires the rioters hurled stones, explosives devices and grenades at troops stationed along the fence.

By ANNA AHRONHEIM

 

IDF aircraft struck multiple Hamas positions in the southern Gaza Strip in response to the launching of explosive balloons towards Israel Saturday night.

Thousands of Gazans have been violently demonstrating along the security fence with Israel demanding an end to the 12-year long blockade every week for the past 11 months. Continue Reading »

Palestinian report Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’ doesn’t include Palestinian State

FakeNews?? According to the Palestinian Al-Quds newspaper, the Trump peace initiative proposes establishing a Palestinian autonomy in Gaza with political and economic links to the West Bank, but with ‘Area B’ and ‘Area C’ remaining under complete Israeli control.

By Elior Levy

 

US President Donald Trump’s “deal of the century” to achieve peace in the Middle East will not include establishing a Palestinian state, and instead will propose Palestinian autonomy in the Gaza Strip with political and economic links to the West Bank, the Al-Quds newspaper reported on Thursday.

In addition, the Palestinians will hold negotiations with Israel over Area C of the West Bank, which is under Israeli military control. Continue Reading »