Germany &Turkey nab Iranian nuke smugglers

 

Turkish newspaper reports that security forces both in Germany and Turkey apprehended Iranians who smuggled nuclear materials from India & Germany to Iranian facility in Arak

By Ynet

 

Security forces in Germany and Turkey apprehended smugglers who are suspected of moving nuclear materials purchased in India and Germany to a nuclear facility in the Iranian city of Arak, Turkish newspaper Haberturk reported.

Nuclear facility in Arak - Photo by EPA

Nuclear facility in Arak – Photo by EPA

The raid was carried out in Germany and in Istanbul simultaneously. In Istanbul, an Iranian-born Turkish citizen was detained for questioning and forces seized many documents relating to the smuggling. Continue Reading »

French Town Honors Israeli Minister’s Palestinian Assassin

Bezons’ Mayor grants Majdi al-Rimawi, who Assassinated Rechavam Ze’evi, with “honorary citizenship.”

By Gil Ronen

 

The European Jewish Congress (EJC) has slammed the decision by Bezons, a suburb of Paris, to grant terrorist murderer Majdi al-Rimawi ”honorary citizenship.”

Rechavam Ze’eviAl-Rimawi was sentenced by an Israeli court to life imprisonment plus 80 years for participating in the planning and murder of Israeli Minister Rechavam Zeevi in 2001. The inscription on the plaque prepared by the municipality of Bezons refers to Al-Rimawi as a “political prisoner.”

“This is an outrageous and horrific decision, not just to honor a murderer, but the murderer of an Israeli government cabinet minister,” EJC President, Dr. Continue Reading »

More Arabs volunteering for national service, but general population remains hostile

Many young Arabs are realizing the importance Israel places on military or national service, and the doors one can open by doing his or her part. Unfortunately peer pressure and a hostile community keep many from participating.

By Israel Today Staff

 

A growing number of Israeli Arabs are opting to do national service (an alternative to military service), and some even have a genuine desire to serve the State of Israel beyond their initial commitment. But, sadly, they continue to face harsh criticism and even hostility from within the Arab community.

Elinor JosephAccording to a report by Media Line, there are currently some 3,000 young Arabs doing national service. Continue Reading »

Haredi politicians lash out at Bennett for being pushed out of coalition

 

“The boycotting of an entire population is despicable and revolting behavior, and is a mark of shame on the Habayit Hayehudi leadership,” Deputy Health Minister MK Yakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism) said.

By Yehuda Shlezinger

 

 

As coalition negotiations head into their final stretch, and with the ultra-Orthodox parties seemingly out of the government for the first time since 2005, haredi politicians have increased their vitriol and attacks against those they see as responsible for their political demise: Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid and Habayit Hayedyhudi’s Naftali Bennett.

Eli YishaiA leading figure in the Ashkenazi haredi political world, the grand rabbi of the Slonim Hasidic movement, said on Saturday, “The Evil Spirit has taken over Bennett.”

Continue Reading »

Kibbutznicks plant trees to protect against Gaza snipers

Kibbutz members & KKL plant trees as a screen against terrorist snipers, shooting at Israelis living close to the Gaza border.

By REUTERS

 

 

Trees are often used as a screen to block out undesirable views, but in Israel they’re about to be planted as a screen against rocket attacks on Israelis living close to the border with the Gaza Strip.

Tree plantingThe IDF first used trees as a line of defense as the modern state of Israel was being established, but say they can be just as effective today.

On an Israeli kibbutz, members planted Eucalyptus saplings along the road leading to Nahal Oz.

Continue Reading »

Continued Decline of IDF Recruits Seeking Combat Units

March enductment rates demonstrate that only 71.6% of able recruits request combat units, a decline from last year.

By Yossi Yehoshua

 

The number of recruits seeking to serve in IDF combat units has declined, according to the initial March enlistment rates, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday. The rate of recruits with the required combat fitness who requested to enlist to combat units stands at solely 71.6%.

IDF PhotoThis figure is in line with the ongoing decline witnessed since the end of the Operation Cast Lead, over four years ago.

The IDF hopes that the decline in motivation is temporary and will cease to exist and claimed that this data must be compared to parallel enlistment periods with similar distinguishing qualities. Continue Reading »

Likud members threaten ‘uprising’ over Netanyahu’s new gov’t coalition plans

Likud official: Netanyahu doesn’t want a liberal Likud, but a Lieberman-style Likud. There’s also bitterness over Rivlin’s expected dismissal, along with a lack of ethnic diversity.

Watch: The PM address his last Cabinet Meeting of the gov’t

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will likely encounter harsh opposition within his Likud party if high-ranking ministers and Knesset members soon find themselves without a job.

RivlinParty officials on Sunday threatened an “intifada”, or uprising, over what they call “Netanyahu’s failure to give out positions” to members of Likud and other formerly close coalition partners.

The first conflict involves Netanyahu’s anticipated decision to dismiss Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin from his position.

Continue Reading »

US Embassy’s Facebook Contest is Giving Away 20 Tickets to see Obama

If You Want to hear U.S. President Barack H. Obama speak, live & in person, You may just become 1 of the 20 Israelis chosen for the honor…

By David Lev

 

Want to hear U.S. President Barack H. Obama speak, live and in person? You could be one of 20 Israelis chosen for the honor – with a (practically) front-row seat to Obama’s speech at Binyanei Ha’uma (Israel Convention Center), set to be the centerpiece of his visit to Israel.

Obama

The Israelis will be chosen from among entries on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Israel, which wants to hear why Israelis think they deserve to have an opportunity to get an “audience” with Obama. Continue Reading »

Some 20 EU Parliamentarians seek public condemnation of Erdoğan

Some 20 EU Parliament members sign letter demanding EU publicly condemn Turkish Prime Minister for statements in which he claimed ‘Zionism is crime against humanity’

By Itamar Eichner

 

Some 20 European Union Parliament Members sent a letter to the EU Foreign Policy Chief in which they strongly condemned remarks made by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month. The Turkish PM drew international condemnation when he said that Zionism is a crime against humanity during a UN conference.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoganThis is the first time that such a large number of European parliamentarians come out so strongly against anti-Israel statements. Continue Reading »

Israel’s Envoy seeks solution to end UN’s flawed Palestinian refugee status

 

Israel’s envoy to the UN Ron Prosor: The real obstacle to peace is right of return for Palestinian ‘refugees’, not settlements, adding, the transfer of status through the generations is “misguided.”

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL & MICHAEL WILNER JERUSALEM

 

NEW YORK – At a small conference at the Harvard Club in Manhattan on Thursday, a host of dignitaries and experts, including Israel’s envoy to the UN Ron Prosor, addressed the UN’s classification of Palestinian refugees as the principal stumbling block to a peace agreement between Israel and the PLO.

Daniel Pipes

Dr. Daniel Pipes, a leading international expert on the Middle East, opened the conference, declaring that the Palestinian refugee situation is broken, sick, and detrimental to all involved.

Continue Reading »

Pentagon: F-35 fighter jet critically flawed

Leaked Pentagon report on the F-35 reveals fatal fighter jet flaws, warning that it’s ‘Unacceptable for combat or combat training”.

Israel planed to buy 25 jets for $238 million each.

By Ynet

 

Fatal flaws within the cockpit of the US military’s most expensive fighter jet ever are causing further problems with the Pentagon’s dubious F-35 program, Israel’s future combat aircraft.

The F-35 – Photo: AFP

A new report from the Pentagon warns that any pilot that boards the pricey aircraft places himself in danger without even going into combat.

In a leaked memo reported by the RT news agency, a Pentagon official prefaces a report on the F-35 by cautioning that even training missions cannot be safely performed on board the aircraft at this time. Continue Reading »

IDF on High Alert on its Border with Syria

Israel’s forces are on high alert in the Golan Heights as Rebel forces enter DMZ & begin to take pot-shots into Israel.

By Chana Ya’ar

 

IDF forces are on high alert in the Golan Heights, carefully scrutinizing the border with Syria, as opposition forces begin to consider a new target: Israel.

Syrian rebels have penetrated the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating Syria from Israel. The status of the area respected by both Israel and Syria since the end of the Yom Kippur War, though both are technically still at war, is apparently respected no longer.

In a video posted Saturday on the Internet by Syrian opposition forces, the rebels are seen in the Syrian side of the Golan Heights DMZ, firing guns right next to a U.N. Continue Reading »

New gov’t expected by Monday, marathon coalition talks started

Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu with Habayit Hayehudi & Yesh Atid ironing out the the final details that will determine the nature of the new gov’t.

 

Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu negotiation teams are holding marathon talks Saturday night with representatives of Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi in a last push to complete the coalition negotiations.

new gov't

Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi representatives arrived at the meeting to hash out the allocation of ministerial portfolios, drafting a law that would lead to a more equal ‘sharing of the burden’ of military service and the labor market on the part of ultra-Orthodox Israelis, as well as, defining the new government’s guidelines. Continue Reading »

Syrian rebels shoot weapons in Golan DMZ

Exploiting the UN peacekeepers’ absence, Assad’s opponents release videos shot not in demilitarized zone on border with Israel where they vow to ‘return the Golan to the free Syrian people’

By Roi Kais

 

Syrian rebels, active in the Syrian Golan Heights, are approaching the Israeli border: While 21 United Nation peacekeepers were released by the rebels after being held for four days, Syrian President Bashar Assad ‘s opponents on Saturday evening posted videos showing them firing in the air not far from the border with Israel.

Rebels within demilitarized zoneIn one of the videos, the rebels are seen traveling in a vehicle within a demilitarized area. Continue Reading »

Photo Album: Locusts throughout Israel

After swarms of locust swooped en masse on the Negev, a few manage to make way to center & even north towards the Galilee.
Readers from all over country share their pictures.

Shahar Chai

 

Despite an additional round of insecticide spraying in the south, Saturday saw swarms of the reddish grasshoppers descend upon the country, with some successfully making their way out of the south and into the center, and even northern parts of Israel.

גם בחוף הים בתל-אביב (צילום: אדריאן רוזנר)

Locusts at Tel Aviv’s beach – Photo: Adrian Rozner

Ynet’s Red EMail received countless photographs of the locusts from all over, all the way from the Negev in the south, through Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion Airport and even a few from Haifa, Nahariya and Tiberias in the north. Continue Reading »