Thousands appeal to Obama for Jonathan Pollard’s release

On the eve of Obama’s arrival, at least 2,000 gather in front of President’s Residence in Jerusalem pleading for the release of ailing American spy, Jonathan Pollard.

 

 

Over two thousand people gathered in front of the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Tuesday evening to call for the release of Jonathan Pollard, on the eve of U.S. President Barack Obama’s arrival. Some Israeli news outlets are reporting thousands of protesters.

Demonstrator holds a placard during a protest calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard

Demonstrator holds placard during a protest calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard – Photo by Reuters

The protesters are calling on the American president to sign a presidential order for the release of the convicted spy. Continue Reading »

EU Signs Money Deal With PA, Cites ‘Palestinian State’

The European Union signed an aid deal Tuesday with the Palestinian Authority to reportedly bolster ties and promote economic development for the State of Palestine.

Fayyad said Area C “is of vital importance to the economic and political viability” of a future “Palestinian state,” despite Jewish claims to the land.

By Arutz Sheva staff

 

The European Union signed an aid deal Tuesday with the Palestinian Authority to reportedly bolster ties and promote economic development.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton with Salam Fayyad - Reuters

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton with Salam Fayyad – Reuters

EU foreign affairs head Catherine Ashton told visiting Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad that an action plan approved by EU leaders was based on a “shared commitment to deepen our bilateral relations and strengthen our privileged partnership,” AFP reported. Continue Reading »

U.S. doctors support discussing circumcision outside of ‘bias’

A large percentage of non-Jewish males in the United States are circumcised, whereas in Europe the custom is limited almost exclusively to Jews and Muslims.

 

By JTA

 

Thirty-eight physicians from Europe wrote a paper alleging that “cultural bias” was behind the pro-circumcision stance of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Eitan's Brit

Secular Brit – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The commentary, published Monday on the website of the U.S.-based Pediatrics journal, disputes a report by the academy last August that  “benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks but the benefits are not great enough to recommend universal newborn circumcision.”

The European reply, titled “Cultural Bias in the AAP’s 2012 Technical Report and Policy Statement on Male Circumcision,” says that “seen from the outside, cultural bias reflecting the normality of nontherapeutic male circumcision in the United States seems obvious. Continue Reading »

PM Netanyahu introduces new gov’t: We’re putting our differences aside

Netanyahu tells new gov’t that the “threats facing Israel are greater than ever,” and that demands unity

Opposition Leader Yachimovich criticized the Knesset’s new leadership, saying country is divided into the rich represented by gov’t, and the needy.

By Gideon Allon, Shlomo Cesana and Yori Yalon

 

After a long election process and a subsequent exhausting coalition nego

tiation, the 33rd government of Israel was sworn in on Monday, officially kicking off. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third term at the helm. As of Tuesday, the members of the 33rd government were already hard at work.

“Assembling the coalition was difficult.” Members of the 33rd government gather at the Knesset on Monday.

Continue Reading »

Bethlehem removes historic ‘Palestine’ monument from Presidential View

Bethlehem Municipality removes monument of historic Palestine that erases Israel’s existence.

Palestinian activists put it back in place.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

The Bethlehem Municipality has removed a stone monument of historic Palestine out of concern that US President Barack Obama would see it during his visit to the city later this week.

Trinkets for sale in West Bank tourist shop

Palestinian activists expressed outrage over the removal of the monument, which ignores the existence of Israel, and called on the municipality to restore it immediately.

The activists, together with some municipal council members, placed the monument back in place.

Bethlehem Mayor Vera Baboun denied Tuesday that the monument, along with an olive tree, had been removed because of Obama’s visit.

Continue Reading »

Interview with Jordanian King: Relations with Israel ‘very strong’

In an interview with King Abdullah II of Jordan, he says discussions with the Israeli PM ‘have really improved’ but says he fears it may be too late for a 2-state solution.

By Yitzhak Benhorin

 

WASHINGTON – Relations between Jordan’s King Abdullah and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have tightened and are “very strong,” the monarch said on Monday. In an interview with The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg, King Abdullah II said, “Our discussions have really improved.” According to reports, the two met late last month.

נתניהו במפגש קודם עם המלך עבדאללה. "קשר חזק" (צילום: משה מילנר/ לע"מ)

Netanyahu and King Abdullah – Photo: Moshe Milner, GPO

At around late December it was reported that Netanyahu had secretly traveled to Amman to discuss the Syrian civil war with the king. Continue Reading »

Rioters in Bethlehem burn pictures of Obama

Protestors in Bethlehem say Obama is not welcome in their city. First they throw shoes at US diplomatic vehicle, then at a billboard with Obama’s picture, then they burned his pictures.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

Palestinians in Bethlehem on Monday set fire to pictures of US President Barack Obama, saying he was not welcome in their city.

Scores of protesters gathered near Manger Square and threw shoes at a US diplomatic vehicle as it arrived at the scene in the context of preparations for Obama’s visit to the city later this week.

Palestinian protestors - Photo  Reuters

Palestinian protestors – Photo: Reuters

The protesters also set fire to signs posted in the city earlier this week and reminding Obama that Palestinians still don’t have 3G communications technology. Continue Reading »

Senators call on Obama to push Palestinians on peace talks with Israel

2 letters making their rounds in Congress call on Obama to make direct Israel-Palestinian talks an issue on his upcoming visit to Israel.

By

 

Two separate Senate letters calling on President Obama to make Israeli-Palestinian peace a priority during his visit to the region have been circulating among senators ahead of Obama’s arrival in Israel on Wednesday.

Obama and Netanyahu meeting in Washington

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, March 5, 2012. – Photo: AP

A letter initiated by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) urges Obama in his meeting with Palestinian leaders to “make clear that the pathway for peace is through unconditional direct negotiations between both the Israelis and Palestinians.” Continue Reading »

Obama to get chip embedded in an ancient piece of Jerusalem stone from PM

According to Prime Minister’s Office, the unique gift of a nanochip containing the founding declarations of U.S. & Israel set in ancient stone, symbolizes the main messages of the Presidential visit — the strong and deep bilateral ties.

By Ilan Gattegno and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give U.S. President Barack Obama a special gold-coated silicon nanochip containing the U.S.’s Declaration of Independence written alongside Israel’s founding document.

The nanochip U.S. President Barack Obama will get from the prime minister, with the Jerusalem stone underneath. – Photo: Yoav Bachar & Shlomo Shoham, Technion.

The chip was manufactured by scientists from the Technion’s Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute.

Continue Reading »

PM at Knesset: Without Israel, There is No Jewish Future

Binyamin Netanyahu said that his number one objective as Prime Minister of Israel is to “ensure the future of the Jewish people”

By David Lev

 

At the opening of the Knesset session which will ratify the new government, Binyamin Netanyahu said that his objective as Prime Minister is to “ensure the future of the Jewish people” by ensuring the future of the State of Israel. “There is no Jewish future without an Israel,” Netanyahu said.

 

Netanyahu, who is forming his third government, said he was aware of the responsibility on his shoulders. “We have been given a valuable deposit, that of the state of Israel, and the country’s citizens expect us to pass it on in good condition to the government that comes after us,” he said. Continue Reading »

UNHRC ready to discuss West Bank settlement report

UN Council to examine resolutions filed against Israel after their investigators concluded that Israel could be culpable before the International Criminal Court.

 

The United Nations Human Rights Council will on Monday debate a report by its fact-finding mission on West Bank settlements, which concluded that Israel could be culpable for building over the pre-1967 lines before the International Criminal Court, if the Palestinians become party to the Rome Statute.

E-1 stop - Photo: by Ammar Awad/Reuters

Disputed E-1 region – Photo: by Ammar Awad/Reuters

The report was first published in January, but the debate on the document takes place during the council’s 22nd session from February 25 to March 22.

Continue Reading »

69% of Americans are against US pushing peace on Israel

55% of Americans sympathize more with Israel, 9% sympathize more with the Palestinians  according to Washington Post-ABC poll.

Only 26% of Americans think US should take leading role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

A large majority of Americans (69 percent) believe that the administration of US President Barack Obama should leave the handling of the peace process to Israel and the Palestinians rather than taking the lead in resolving the conflict between the sides, a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Monday found.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama meeting at the White House

The poll showed a serious decline among Americans in the desire that the US should take a leading role in arranging an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

Continue Reading »

Lieberman says Yisrael Beiteinu will oppose any settlement freeze

Prior to Obama’s visit, Yisrael Beiteinu chairmain says Israel-Palestinian conflict can’t be solved and stressed that his party will oppose any type of construction freeze.

By Moran Azulay

 

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman said he does not believe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be solved and rejected any possible freeze in settlement construction.

“After seeing no result following the 10-month freeze I said I would oppose any freeze inside or outside the (major settlement) blocs,” Lieberman said. “We are willing to make gestures but they cannot be one-sided. Yisrael Beiteinu will fiercely oppose any attempt to resume the freeze.”

Lieberman acknowledged that this stance will inevitably create frictions within the coalition. Continue Reading »

Arab Terrorists Open Fire, Wounding Jewish Man in Samaria

A Jewish Man, aged 70, stood at hitchhiking station outside Kedumim. He’s in light to moderate condition after being treated in hospital.

By Gil Ronen

 

Terrorist gunmen fired Monday morning at a Jewish man, aged around 70, at the hitchhiking station outside Kedumim, in Samaria.

Road sign to Kedumim and Yitzhar - Photo Hillel Maeir

Road sign to Kedumim and Yitzhar – Photo: Hillel Maeir

The man is in light to moderate condition. The bullets fired by the terrorists struck the man’s leg. He received treatment from MDA emergency services.

Boaz, an eyewitness, told Arutz Sheva, “”I stood at Kedumim Junction facing the hitchhiking station. I saw a man standing there and a person in a white Hyundai Getz vehicle asking him for directions to Shechem. Continue Reading »

Report: Jerusalem to ask Obama to stop Syrian arms transfers to Hezbollah

A ‘Guardian’ report suggests that Israel will ask the US president during his visit to use airstrikes to prevent weapons transfers to terrorist organizations.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

 

Israel will request from US President Barack Obama during his upcoming visit that the US carry out airstrikes on Syria in the event that Syrian missiles are being transferred to Hezbollah, the Guardian reported on Sunday.

Syrian site reportedly bombed by IAF.

Syrian site reportedly bombed by IAF. – Photo: YouTube Screenshot

The report added that Israel would ask for US support for Israeli strikes on Syria to prevent such weapons transfer if the US was not willing to do so itself.

Continue Reading »