Israel Aerospace Industries to Produce F-35 Wings

Israel is once again taking part in assembling some of the most advanced aircraft in the world.

By IAI

 

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to produce wings for the F-35 fighter. IAI will begin delivering the F-35 wings in 2015. The contract’s duration is for about 10-15 years, with potential sales reaching $2.5 billion.

Mr. Yosef Melamed and Mr. Yung Le at the foundation stone laying ceremony held at IAI

The contract marks a key milestone in the existing F-35 cooperation between IAI and Lockheed Martin. Both companies recently began assembling an F-35 wing production line, with IAI investing in the required advanced systems and technologies. Continue Reading »

Bulgarian gov’t conducts reenactment of Burgas terrorist bombing

Bulgarian authorities hope to acquire some answers from the execution of the Hezbollah terror attack that claimed the lives of 5 Israelis last July.

By Ynet

Sappers and teams of the fire department examined the area, so as to ascertain whether the damages are identical to those of the bombing attack at the Sarafovo Airport. Bulgarian authorities conducted a reenactment of the Burgas bus bombing which claimed the lives of five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver last July, Bulgaria‘s state radio reported Friday. The two suspects, Hezbollah operatives, are still at large.

הציבו בובות כדי לדמות את הנפגעים. השחזור, הבוקר (צילום: AFP)

Reenactment of bombing – Photo: AFP

Dummies were placed inside and around the buses with maximum precision, following thorough examinations of security cameras and witness accounts, it was reported. Continue Reading »

U.S. President: Syrian gov’t use of chemical weapons a ‘game changer’

In a White House meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Obama says ‘We cannot stand by and permit the systematic use of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations.’

By Reuters

 

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that the deployment of chemical weapons by the Syrian government was a “game changer” while noting that intelligence assessments proving that such weapons had been used were still preliminary.

 

Obama and King Abdullah - AP - April 26, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama listens to Jordan’s King Abdullah II during their meeting – Photo: AP

 

“Horrific as it is when mortars are being fired on civilians and people are being indiscriminately killed, to use potential weapons of mass destruction on civilian populations crosses another line with respect to international norms and international law,” Obama told reporters at the White House. Continue Reading »

Lebanese Army Strengthens its Presence on Lebanon-Israel border

The day after Israel shot down a UAV, the Lebanese gov’t increases its military presence along their border with Israel.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

The Lebanese army has increased its presence along the Lebanon-Israel border, the official Lebanese National News Agency reported on Friday.

A Lebanese soldier looks at an Israeli army patrol across the border - Photo AP

A Lebanese soldier looks at an Israeli army patrol across the border – Photo: AP

 

According to the report, the IDF increased its presence along the border as well, and IAF aircraft were seen flying over Lebanese territory.

The news comes a day after an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) penetrated Israeli air space from Lebanon. Continue Reading »

Arabs’ Standard of living in Israel is in a ‘different league’

Article carried by Arab media, Al Arabiya, highlighted Bedouin soldiers of the Jewish state.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Continuing with the theme of debunking accusations that Israel imposes institutional racism and apartheid on the Arabs of the region is a story by the AFP on a senior Bedouin tracker in the Israeli army.

Standard of living for Arabs in Israel in a 'different league'

IDF training – Photo courtesy IDF Spokesperson’s Office

 

Lt.-Col. Magdi Mazarib, the highest ranking Israeli Bedouin army tracker, is featured in the story. He tells the news agency that compared with neighboring countries, the status and position of Arabs in Israel “is better…It’s a different league.” Continue Reading »

Hezbollah’s Media Machine

The media has not paid attention to credible political attacks on Hezbollah by Sunni elements in Lebanon. Questions are being asked about Hezbollah’s military force and whether the group is more loyal to outside entities than it is to Lebanon.

By Yoav Limor

The conventional wisdom in the Israeli defense establishment on Thursday night was that Hezbollah’s launch of a drone into Israel earlier in the day was a sign of the group’s distress. Hezbollah has been facing growing criticism for its military involvement in the Syrian civil war and the drone launch was meant to divert attention from that and serve as a reminder to those who have forgotten that Hezbollah is “Lebanon’s shield.”

Continue Reading »

Asian-American Academic Association Adopts Boycotting Israeli Academia

The AAAS resolution passed unanimously, accusing Israeli universities of being complicit in violations of int’l law by the Israeli gov’t.

By JTA

 

The Association for Asian American Studies voted in favor of boycotting Israeli academic institutions.

The academic nonprofit, known by the acronym AAAS, passed the vote last week during its annual conference in Seattle, according to Inside Higher Ed.

AAAS

From AAAS website

The resolution calling for a boycott passed unanimously and accused Israeli universities of being complicit in violations of international law by the Israeli government.

In addition to other claims, the resolution also accused the universities of discriminating against Palestinian students and academics. Continue Reading »

Mayor Barkat secures funding for Jerusalem ‘Formula 1’ racing

 

Funding approved despite opposition from ultra-Orthodox city council members, who saw the cost a waste of valuable funds.


 

 
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat’s much-touted June Formula One “Peace Road Show” was nearly disqualified for a false start Thursday, before being approved in a last-minute City Council meeting that night.
Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain

Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain – Photo: REUTERS

The road show made headlines when it was announced earlier this month, but the Finance Committee had yet to approve the transfer of NIS 2.5 million to fund the event, due to opposition within the committee and from religious groups, Ynet reported.

Continue Reading »

Turkey trucks its goods via Israel to Jordan

In avoiding Syrian unrest, Turkish shipping has been docking at Haifa Port over the past 5 months, unloading its

cargo onto trucks bound for Jordan

By Lior El-Hai

The relationship between Turkey and Israel had been in a downward spiral up until a few weeks ago; now it seems that at least where trade is concerned, Middle East realities trump politics.

בדרך לעימות הגדול? נמל חיפה  (צילום: רויטרס)

Haifa port – Photo: Reuters

Just recently, the opposition party in Turkey attempted to embarrass its country’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by revealing that a Turkish shipping company owned by his son was moving its cargo via Israel, in spite of the tensions between the two countries. Continue Reading »

Israel’s new gov’t is gunning for reform – but at who’s expense?

A month after Israel’s new gov’t took office, its ministers began to advanced a series of measures destined to appease the middle-class, but, does it matter if those reforms come at the expense of others, such as the ultra-Orthodox?

 

Without a doubt, the winds of reform and revolutions are blowing in our land. The finance minister declares “war” on behalf of the working man. The prime minister states that no labor strike will deter him from lowering the price of cars or from implementing a “huge” reform in the ports. The transportation minister has discovered that the sky’s the limit, the interior minister is considering extending daylight saving time, and the minister of communications is bent on shaking up the pay-per-view television market in favor of freebie TV. Continue Reading »

Gaza Rulers Blasts PA for Postponing Anti-Israel Resolutions

Hamas condemns PA compromise which allows the PA to postpone anti-Israel resolutions in exchange for a UNESCO ‘investigation’ on Jerusalem.

By Elad Benari

 

Gaza’s Hamas terrorist rulers condemned on Thursday a decision by the Palestinian Authority to postpone five UNESCO resolutions against Israel.

David's Citadel - IsraelandStuff-PP

David’s Citadel, Jerusalem – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

“This step is like a reward to the occupation for its crimes and violations,” Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement quoted by the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency.

“It is a contribution in erasing the Arabic and Islamic identity of Jerusalem, and it encourages the occupation to continue its Judaization program,” Barhoum said. Continue Reading »

UN Watch leads protest calling on Ban Ki-moon to condemned Richard Falk

Below is email I received from UN Watch:

Victory: UN reverses course, condemns Richard Falk * Now his defenders are attacking UN Watch

Hillel Neuer, UN Watch (briefing@unwatch.org)

 

To: Phillip Pasmanick
Picture of Hillel Neuer, UN Watch

 

Dear Phillip,

Good news: Thanks to a firestorm sparked by UN Watch, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon — after initially refusing to act — has finally accepted our demand and condemned UN Palestine expert Richard Falk for justifying the Boston terrorist attack as a form of resistance to the sins of America and Israel. As a result, UN Watch is now under attack.

Here’s how it all happened. Continue Reading »

IDF shoots down Hezbollah drone off Haifa coastline

Israeli F-16 fighter bombers track unmanned aircraft apparently sent by Nasrallah, destroy it about 8 kms off Haifa shore.
Israel Navy vessels searching for wreckage

By Ynet

 

 

It has been cleared for publication that Israeli F-16 fighter jets downed a drone off of Haifa’s coastline at around noon Thursday.

Downing of drone that entered Israeli airspace in October - Screenshot of IDF video clip

Downing of drone that entered Israeli airspace in October – Screenshot of IDF video clip

The unmanned aircraft apparently entered Israel’s airspace from the north and was heading south. Explosions were heard in the area.

Israel Navy vessels were searching for the wreckage. The drone was apparently sent by Hezbollah in Lebanon. Continue Reading »

Sunni cleric calls on Lebanese Youth for ‘Jihad’ Against Hizbullah

Sunni cleric Ahmad Assir, said it was a “a religious duty” for Sunni followers to join “armed Jihad in Syria” against the Hizbullah & Syrian regime.

By Elad Benari

 

Lebanese youth from the city of Saida, south of Beirut, began on Wednesday to sign up for “armed Jihad in Syria”, Al Arabiya reported.

Hezbollah terrorists - Photo by EPA

Hezbollah terrorists – Photo by EPA

The youth were responding to a call a day earlier by Sunni cleric Ahmad Assir, who called on Lebanese youth to fight the Hizbullah terrorist group.

Individuals in charge of enlisting the youth told Al Arabiya that “hundreds” have signed up so far and that the number is expected to reach thousands. Continue Reading »

Zygier hung himself after devastating visit from wife & daughter

Gag order lifted by court. Timeline & details up to Ben Zygier’s suicide now public record.

Israel Hayom Staff

 

The Rishon Lezion Magistrates’ Court has lifted the gag order placed on the internal investigation into the death of Mossad agent Ben Zygier, also known as Prisoner X, in the custody of the Israel Prison Service.

Continue Reading »