US Congressmen send letter of protest on EU’s ban of Israeli institutions in West Bank

In a formal letter to EU’s Catherine Ashton, US Congress members ask the EU to re-examine their new guidelines banning funding or acceptance of Israeli entities operating beyond 1949 armistice lines.

By Ynetnews

The heads of the bipartisan Congressional Israel Allies Caucus have written European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton a letter expressing “deep concern” over the EU’s intention to ban funding to Israeli institutions in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and urging the EU to revisit the decision.

Congressional Seal

“We are writing to express our deep concern over the European Union’s intention to issue new guidelines restricting European interaction with Israeli entities beyond the 1967 lines. Continue Reading »

It’s Done: EU puts Hezbollah’s military wing on terror blacklist

Blacklisting means imposing visa bans on certain Hezbollah members & freezing assets on organizations associated with the terror group, which is blamed for the 2012 tourist bus bombing in Burgas that killed 5 Israelis, 1 Bulgarian.

By Reuters and

European Union governments agreed on Monday to put the military wing of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on the EU terror list, diplomats said, in a major reversal of policy driven by concerns over the group’s activities in Europe.

Hassan Nasrallah

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah delivering a broadcast speech during a rally, May 25, 2013. – Photo: AP

“Agreement (was) reached to list Hezbollah,” one EU diplomat told Reuters. Continue Reading »

Left-wing, Peace Now: Freeze? There’s no Freeze!

The left-wing NGO, Peace Now, says the current gov’t has so far approved more than 1,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria, advancing construction plans at an unprecedented scale.

By Gil Ronen

 

 

Peace Now, a far-left group that opposes any Jewish presence in the mountainous Biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria, says that nationalist complaints of a building freeze are unjustified.

The present government, it says, has carried out large scale construction in Judea and Samaria.

According to Peace Now, the government that was sworn in in March has thus far approved over 1,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria. Continue Reading »

Cabinet to decide on release of Arab terrorists

Netanyahu intends to bring prisoners’ release for

peace talks for cabinet vote.

 

The PM & Kerry reached an agreement regarding a de facto freeze in new construction, but only outside of the main settlement blocs.

By Attila Somfalvi

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will bring the issues of peace talks resumption and Palestinian prisoners’ release to a cabinet vote, a source familiar with the details told Ynet Sunday.

PM wants cabinet to vote on release of terrorists - Photo:  GPO

PM wants cabinet to vote on release of terrorists – Photo GPO

The source noted that the “prime minister wants to present the ministers with the issues of resuming negotiations and that of the prisoners, and put them up for discussion as well as approval.” Continue Reading »

Martin Indyk to represent US at Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

Former Ambassador Indyk said to be an accepted mediator by both PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Abbas.

 

Former U.S. ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk might be appointed the U.S. representative at Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, American blogger Laura Rozen reported Sunday, quoting diplomatic sources.

Martin Indyk speaks during U.S.- Islamic World Forum in Doha, June 2013.

Martin Indyk speaks during U.S.- Islamic World Forum in Doha, June 2013. – Photo: Reuter

Writing in Al-Monitor website, Rozen suggested the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was considering appointing Indyk, who also served as the Clinton’s administration’s assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs as the man in charge of the day to day negotiations. Continue Reading »

Hamas: Egypt Curtailing Our Income by Sealing Smuggling Tunnels

Gaza’s leaders are furious with Egypt for destroying their smuggling tunnels between the Gaza and the Sinai.

By Dalit Halevi & Elad Benari

 

 

The Hamas terrorist group, which controls Gaza, is upset with Egypt over its actions to shut down the smuggling tunnels which are used to transfer goods, weapons and even terrorists between the Sinai and Gaza.

Since the Egyptian military overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, whose Muslim Brotherhood movement is Hamas’s parent movement, the Egyptian army has been operating in the Sinai to eliminate terrorist cells who take advantage of the lawlessness in the region to carry out terrorist attacks.

Continue Reading »

High Court recommends IDF cease using white phosphorus weapons

High Court recognized the IDF reduced use of white phosphorous after receiving harsh criticism for its use during Operation Cast Lead.

 

 

The High Court of Justice on Sunday recommended the IDF cease all use of white phosphorus (WP) for creating smoke screens during military operations.

White phosphorus bombs exploding over Gaza city

White phosphorus bombs exploding over Gaza city – Photo: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

The recommendation was non-binding, however, as the court recognized that the IDF’s current commitment to eliminate its use in the urban warfare context and to reduce its general use moved the Army’s position significantly toward that of petitioners, NGO Yesh Din.

Continue Reading »

Record Breaking ‘Children’s Aliyah Flight’ Will Arrive Monday

Gilad Schalit will chaperone the Nefesh b’Nefesh flight of a record-breaking 106 children in 41 families.

By Arutz Sheva

 

North American aliyah organization Nefesh B’Nefesh is set to break a record Monday with an historic “children’s aliyah flight” that is to carry 106 children, in 41 families, to start new lives in Israel. All in all, the flight will carry 231 new olim (Jews returning to Israel) from North America.

New Israelis hit the ground – Photo: Sasson Tiram

Former abducted IDF soldier will Gilad Schalit will also be on board El Al flight LY3004, as a show of solidarity and appreciation. Continue Reading »

‘Hackathon’ aimed to develop a new app called ‘Open Budget’ to support Israel

Israeli & Jewish hackers hold simultaneous 24-hour coding session in Tel Aviv & Silicon Valley to allow Israelis to better understand how their money is being spent.

By Yossi Aloni

 

Last Friday, more than 120 hackers, developers and computer programmers from Israel and Jewish communities abroad took part in a hackathon that occurred simultaneously in California’s “Silicon Valley” and in Tel Aviv.

illustrative - Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

illustrative – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Many of the Jewish hackers inCalifornia play leading roles in major high-tech companies like Google, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Under the title of “Friday Night Hack,”the event had two tracks, one focusing on Israel and the other on the Jewish communities around the world. Continue Reading »

By day a Rabbi, by night a Border Guard Police officer patrolling the Upper Galilee

 

Meir Ohana is the chief rabbi of Mushav Kfar Yuval in the Upper Galilee, but that doesn’t stop him from patrolling the north as head of a volunteer Border Guard police unit.

Ohana has always demonstrated his support of haredi integration in the IDF: “Studying Torah does not preclude ‘bearing the burden’.”

By Itsik Saban

When Rabbi Meir Ohana takes off his traditional black suit, he puts on a Border Police uniform. While much of the ultra-Orthodox world in Israel is up in arms over the so-called “sharing of the burden” — the state’s intent to compel Israeli ultra-Orthodox citizens to enlist in the military after years of enjoying blanket exemptions from service — Ohana is a rare sight among his ilk.

Continue Reading »

Germany rejects EU’s anti-Israel policies

German chancellor Merkel’s Bundestag spokesman says new EU guidelines are “pure ideology & symbolic politics,” and do not contribute to peace.

He added that the European regulations are not “objective requirements”

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
 

 

Germany distances itself from the “controversial European Union guidelines” banning cooperation with Israeli entities beyond the Green Line, a foreign policy spokesman in the Bundestag announced on Friday.

Hamas cartoon

Palestinian sponsored boycott of Israel – Israel news photo screenshot

In a statement issued by MP Philipp Missfedler, the Bundestag spokesman for German chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party and its coalition partner the Bavarian Christian Social Union, he stated the guidelines are “pure ideology and symbolic politics” and will not contribute to finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Continue Reading »

Palestinian NGO spokeswoman says injured by rubber bullet during protest

 

Sarit Michaeli from B’Tselem says her injury came from a Border Guard Police officer who fired a rubber bullet at her during the Nabi Salah protest.

Itamar Fleishman

 

B’Tselem spokeswoman Sarit Michaeli was injured Friday by a rubber bullet fired at her by Border Guard officers during a demonstration in Nabi Salah, according to her.

Protest in Nabi Salah (Archive) – Photo: AFP

Michaeli, who had been documenting the protest, sustained light wounds to her thigh and was taken to the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv. She is due to be discharged on Monday.

Michaeli claims that the officers were acting against orders by firing at her during a weekly protest that often leads to clashes between Palestinians protesters and security forces. Continue Reading »

Experts: EU’s New anti-Israel Policy Could Lead to a Legal Quagmire

Despite Jerusalem’s diplomatic efforts to stop the anti-Israel process, the EU on Friday published its new official policy boycotting the Jews of Judea and Samaria.

By David Lev

 

Despite Israel’s efforts to stop the process, the European Union on Friday published its new official policy boycotting Jews and Israelis in areas of Israel liberated in the 1967 Six Day War, including Judea and Samaria and most of Jerusalem. Beginning next January, contracts and agreements between EU entities and businesses, individuals, and institutions from those areas will not be legally recognized by EU courts and forums.

In a statement, EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton said that despite Israel’s protestations to the contrary, “in no way will this prejudge the outcome of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Continue Reading »

Lapid: Peace process must bring about ‘fair divorce ‘ from Palestinians

 

Meretz & Labor leaders offer PM support in attaining a peace treaty should coalition partners abandon Netanyahu.

 

 

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid expressed cautious optimism about peace talks Saturday, after US Secretary of State John Kerry announced the opening of negotiations.

Yair Lapid

Yair Lapid – Photo: Baz Ratner/Reuters

“To the left we say: We must negotiate the way that is accepted in the Middle East – toughly, suspiciously, while trying to ‘sell at a high price’ and not compromise on the essential assets of the State of Israel,” Lapid wrote on Facebook.

The Yesh Atid leader’s message to the right is “we must separate ourselves from the Palestinians, because a bi-national state means the end of Zionism.

Continue Reading »

Minister Landau: Agreeing to release prisoners – BIG mistake

 

Tourism minister Uzi Landau says ‘no gestures should be made prior to talks’ & objects to discussing 1967 borders, dubbing them ‘Auschwitz’ borders.

Defense Minister Ya’alon confirms, ‘No preconditions’

By Attila Somfalvi

 

 

Before entering negotiations, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have to confront voices within the coalition that oppose the release of over 100 Palestinian prisoners in order to renew talks. Minister Uzi Landau (Yisrael Beitenu) told Ynet on Saturday that “the Israeli consent to release prisoners is a mistake. We must learn from past mistakes and not make any gestures before negotiations begin.”

Minister Uzi Landau – Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

Although Netanyahu and his spokesmen insisted there would be no preconditions for the renewal of negotiations, Minister Landau expressed doubt: “I am not convinced there are no undisclosed understandings between Israel and the Americans in regards to Israel’s gestures.” Continue Reading »