Assad says Syria is capable of facing Israel

Lebanese media reports: President Bashar Assad said the recent air attacks reveal the extent of Israel’s involvement in tearing Syria apart.

In his first comments since the alleged Israeli air raids struck Syria last week, Syrian President Bashar Assad said Tuesday that Syria’s army is capable of facing Israel, branding the attacks as acts of terrorism, according to a report in the Lebanon’s Daily Star.

Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a speech at the parliament in Damascus, Syria.

Syrian President Bashar Assad delivers a speech at the parliament in Damascus in 2012. – Photo: AP/SANA

“The Syrian people and its army who have made important achievements by fighting terrorist and Takfiri groups are capable of confronting Israel’s ventures that represent one of the many faces of terrorism targeting Syria today,” Assad was quoted as saying during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi.

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Israel Water Authority predicts mega drought starting about 2015

Water Experts say Israelis should prepare for the dry spell on the horizon, that could last up to 20 years.

By Israel Today Staff

 

 

Israel has just overcome a seven-year drought, and the country’s natural water reservoirs are finally relatively stable following years of severe depletion.

Aerial view of the IDE desalination plant in Hadera.

Aerial view of the IDE desalination plant in Hadera.

But Israel’s shouldn’t get too content, as experts with the Water Authority’s Hydrological Services predict that the next drought will hit already in 2015, and will make the previous dry spell seem like a picnic by comparison.

The next drought will last up to 20 years, and will have an “exceptional” negative impact on the region’s fresh water resources, according to a report published by the Water Authority this week. Continue Reading »

Assad gave green light for Palestinian militants to attack Israel

Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine official in Damascus says they received green light from regime to strike Israel from the Syrian-controlled part of Golan Heights.

 

 

 

A spokesman for a Palestinian militant group in Syria said Tuesday that it had received a nod from President Bashar Assad‘s regime to attack Israel following alleged back-to-back Israeli airstrikes over the weekend.

Golan Heights - AP

Smoke rises after shells fired by the Syrian army explode in the Syrian village of Bariqa, close to the cease-fire line between Israel and Syria, – Photo:AP

Anwar Raja of the Damascus-based Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command said the regime has given “a green light” for the group “to attack Israeli targets” from the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights. Continue Reading »

Lapid’s budget includes extensive cuts & unprecedented taxes

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid presents the gov’t with final budget proposal for 2013-14, outlining aggressive cuts & a series of new unprecedented taxes meant to relieve some of the state’s 39 billion shekel ($11 b) deficit.

Zeev Klein and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Finance Minister Yair Lapid presented the government with his ministry’s final budget proposal for 2013-2014, outlining aggressive cuts and a series of new taxes meant to help cover some of the state’s 39 billion shekel ($11 billion) deficit.

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Tweet from Syria: “unlikely sight: Syrian refugees cheer Israel,”

Syrian rebels have said they no longer hate Israel, saying the Jewish state had the ‘balls’ to do what other Arab states & the West won’t do.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Syrian refugees from that country’s ongoing civil war are reportedly cheering Israel’s weekend air strikes on bases belonging to embattled dictator Bashar Assad, saying that the Jewish state has the “balls” to do what the other Arabs and the West won’t.

Clarissa Ward, a correspondent for CBS News who has spent a lot of time of late in rebel-held parts of Syria, posted Sunday to her Twitter account about an “unlikely sight: Syrian refugees cheer Israel, or rather Israeli strikes near Damascus. Continue Reading »

Erdoğan blasts Israel: No justification for air-strikes in Syria

Turkish PM joins Arab League, Egypt, Lebanon & Syrian rebels in condemning the Israeli Air Force strikes against Iranian missiles destined for Hezbollah, calling Israeli actions “unacceptable.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

Despite having repeatedly spoken out against Syrian President Bashar Assad, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday said that alleged Israeli air raids in Syria were “unacceptable.”

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan – Photo: REUTERS/Stringer

The Israel Air Force struck storage facilities near Damascus housing Iranian Fateh-110 missiles destined for Hezbollah overnight Sunday for the second time in 48 hours – according to foreign media reports – sending flames and the sounds of blasts throughout the city.

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MK Yachimovich declines luxury car (about $420,000), again

 

Labor’s chairwoman favors Knesset members’ Mazda vehicle over Audi A6 and prefers a female driver.

‘The opposition & the public can be served very well even with a Mazda,’ Yachimovic said.

By Moran Azulay

Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) informed the Knesset on Monday that she was not interested in the armored A6 Audi car she is entitled to as part of her position, and asked to keep using the Mazda car given to her as a Knesset member.

Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) - Photo Hagai Aharon

Opposition Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich (Labor) – Photo: Hagai Aharon

This is the second time Yachimovich relinquishes a luxury car, which is said to cost around NIS 1.5 million (about $420,000). Continue Reading »

West Bank Construction Freeze in Effect

Prime Minister tells Housing Minister to halt all new construction projects in Judea and Samaria.

By Maayana Miskin

 

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has requested that the Housing Ministry freeze new construction projects in Judea and Samaria (Shomron), IDF Radio (Galei Tzahal) reports.

Netanyahu met with Housing Minister Uri Ariel and asked him to halt promotion of new projects in the region, including by no longer putting up for bids tenders on new projects.

Just days ago Ariel said that if the state budget did not include funding for promised construction in Judea and Samaria, such as the planned project in E1 in Maaleh Adumim, his party would not support the budget. Continue Reading »

Israel to release planner behind 2002 Tel Aviv bombing

 

The Military Court of Appeals ruled the arrest of Jamal Tirawi, who planned deadly bombing of Tel Aviv coffee shop, violated state amnesty deal with Palestinian Authority.

By Itamar Fleishman

The Military Court of Appeals at the Ofer Base annulled on Monday the indictment filed against Jamal Tirawi, who orchestrated the terror attack at the “My Coffee Shop” cafe in Tel Aviv in 2002.

Explosion in ‘My Coffee Shop’ café in Tel Aviv – Photo: Michael Kramer

The court explained its decision by saying that the State had not kept its commitment not to arrest Tirawi under the amnesty agreement with the Palestinian Authority. Continue Reading »

Israeli MK seeks new law addressing freedom of prayer at Kotel

Israel’s Attorney General decides not to appeal Jerusalem court’s ruling that essentially enables women to pray as they choose at Western Wall.

Women of the Wall to continue their monthly service as usual on Friday, but Minister Naftali Bennett plans to set new regulations by next month.

 

Israel’s Minister of Religious Affairs Naftali Bennett plans to present new regulations for Jewish holy places that could restrict the right of Women of the Wall to pray as they see fit in the future, though he promised to formulate the new rules with input from the women’s group.

Young women wrap themselves in Israeli flags at the Western Wall

Young women wrap themselves in Israeli flags at the Western Wall.

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Kenya sends Iranian Terror Plotters to Prison For Life

On Monday a Kenyan court sentenced 2 Iranians to life in prison on terror-related charges, because they planned to attack Israeli businesses.

By David Lev

 

A Kenyan court on Monday sentenced two Iranians to life in prison on terror-related charges, including the possession of explosives allegedly to be used in bomb attacks. Ahmed Mohammed, 50, and Sayed Mansour, 51, who were arrested last June, were found guilty of possessing 15 kilos (33 pounds) of the powerful explosive RDX, found by police hidden in a hole in a golf course.

terrorists (illustrative) - Reuters

terrorists (illustrative) – Reuters

The two were planning to blow up Israeli-owned businesses and targets, as well as Saudi and US-affiliated targets, Kenyan security officials said. Continue Reading »

Turkey, Israel work out compensation draft

PM’s Office says final agreement on compensation to the families of Turks killed by IDF commandos on the Mavi Marmara expected soon.

By Attila Somfalvi, AP

 

Israel and Turkey have reached a draft agreement on compensation for the victims of a 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

Raid on Mavi Marmara (Archive photo: AP)

Raid on Mavi Marmara – Archive photo: AP

The draft agreement was reached during a meeting in Jerusalem on Monday between Turkish officials, headed by the deputy foreign minister, and Israeli government representatives.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said a final agreement was expected soon. It did not reveal details on Monday’s agreement and said “additional clarifications” were needed on a “few issues.” Continue Reading »

Does Facebook employ an antisemitic to enforce Facebook ‘hate-content’ policy?

Facebook to Jews: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Was Wrong. According to Facebook’s PR agency,  removing Anti-Semitic content will cause “harm to the people who use our service.”

By Boycott Watch

 

While many consider Facebook is the undisputed leader in social networking, its vast reach surely makes it an easy place to spread hate. Anyone can create a Facebook group at any time on any subject, and it is both impossible and impractical to monitor all posts. When improper posts are made, Facebook makes people jump through hoops to complain then you can wait 24-48 hours for a response. Continue Reading »

Syrian army source: ‘Israel used depleted uranium shells in attack’

Syrian military source downplays strategic importance of strike but assumes Israel
used depleted uranium shells to explain intensity of strike.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Israel used depleted uranium shells in the alleged strike in Syria on Sunday, a senior Syrian military source told Russia Today on Monday.

Israeli Fighter Jet F-16

Israeli Fighter Jet F-16 – Photo Courtesy IDF spokesman.

“When the explosion happened it felt like an earthquake, then a giant golden mushroom of fire appeared. This tells us that Israel used depleted uranium shells,” the source said.

Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the production of enriched uranium for use in nuclear reactors. Continue Reading »

2 Syrian mortars land in Golan – none hurt, no damages

 

IDF says errant shells launched during fierce battles between Syrian rebels & regime’s forces explode in southern Golan Heights.

The Army decides to downsizes drill in north to reduce tensions. Top IDF Commander reports: ‘There are no winds of war’.

Yoav Zitun, Maor Buchnik

 

 

Two mortar shells fired Monday afternoon during battles between the Syrian army and rebels trying to overthrown President Bashar Assad‘s regime exploded in an open area near the border fence in the southern Golan Heights region, near Ramat Magshimim. Another mortar landed in Syrian territory.

אזור נפילת הפצצה בגולן (צילום: אביהו שפירא )

Area in which mortars landed – Photo: Avihu Shapira

No injuries were reported in the incident, which was apparently the result of errant fire. Continue Reading »