Do the Palestinians actually deserve a state of their own?

Op-ed: All the regional Arab countries have been unsuccessful in their attempts at annihilating Israel militarily, but their lust to have Israel eliminated has never diminished.

By Dan Calic

 

With President Obama coming to Israel soon, let me ask what some consider a rhetorical question- do the Palestinians actually deserve a state of their own?

Rally in Hebron ahead of UN vote

Obama and most of the international community think they do. Yet if we take a closer look at the situation there are serious issues which should not be ignored. For example, would it be a peaceful, productive neighbor with Israel? This can best be answered by reviewing some guiding principles of the PLO and Fatah, which is the dominant political party of which Mahmoud Abbas is chairman. Continue Reading »

Abandoned quarries being rehabilitated into parks, lakes, amphitheaters

Used quarries throughout the country have been amazingly rehabilitated by the Quarry Rehabilitation Fund.

 

As the sun set on Thursday in the Avital Valley – a few kilometers from the Syrian border – miniature replicas of cone-shaped volcanoes that once erupted at the site glowed again in an automated light show.

The once volcanic Avital, which later became a valued quarrying spot, is to be inaugurated as a park this Passover. It is one of several quarries throughout the country being rehabilitated by the Quarry Rehabilitation Fund.

In an effort to ensure that mine and quarry lands are economically viable after projects are completed, the fund collects royalties from developers while the quarrying is being carried out, the percentage of which depends on the value of the minerals being harvested.

Continue Reading »

Ex-FM Lieberman’s trial to begin

3 judge panel to preside over Yisrael Beiteinu chief’s fraud trial.

State prosecutor will also pursue a moral turpitude conviction, that may bar him from politics for 7 years.

Lieberman pleaded ‘not guilty’ on all charges.

Aviel Magnezi

 

Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman and former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman‘s trial began Sunday at the Jerusalem District Court.

Israel's previous Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

Israel’s previous Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

The former minister faces fraud and breach of trust charges over his alleged involvement in the promotion of former Israeli Ambassador to Belarus Zeev Ben Aryeh within the Diplomatic Corps – to the post of ambassador to Latvia. Continue Reading »

Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu plans to draft 60% of Haredim up to age 24

Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu proposal submitted to  Habayit Hayehudi & Yesh Atid as part of coalition negotiations.

Prof. Eugene Kandel on Saturday publicly presented the main points of his proposal for distributing the burden of military service more equally. The proposal was submitted last week to Yesh Atid and Habayit Hayehudi by Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu during the latter’s coalition negotiations with the two parties.

Ilan Assayag

Eugene Kandel – Photo by Ilan Assayag

The program calls for drafting more than 60 percent of ultra-Orthodox men up to the age of 24, while offering government incentives to these conscripts and the yeshivas from which they they were drafted. Continue Reading »

Minister Yaalon: Steps against “Prisoner X” Saved Lives

Yaalon condems left wing MKs who irresponsibly exposed the affair, says they knew they could have employed more discreet channels.

By Gil Ronen

 

Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Strategic Affairs Moshe Yaalon (Likud / Yisrael Beytenu) said Saturday evening that the steps taken against “Prisoner X” Ben Zygier were necessary in order to save lives.

“We are a unique country in terms of our security situation,” Yaalon told Channel 2‘s Meet the Press.”

Asked why Zygier was arrested, he said, “Out of considerations of pikuach nefesh [the halakhic precept that refers to the saving of lives], we needed to take such a step.

Continue Reading »

Blog from Istanbul: Turkey & Israel Should Work Together

Turkey was the 1st country to send planes to help with the terrible Carmel forest fire in Israel, which once again proved its friendship after the dreadful ‘Marmara earthquake’. Other ‘friendly countries’ recommended help, but Turkey sent it.

 

By Aylin Kocaman

Turkey has sheltered Jews since Ottoman times. The Turkish people have a particular culture and conception of religion; Turkish people may go hungry, but they will make sure their neighbors have food. They will watch over them more than themselves. Their Jewish neighbors have always been very important for the Turkish people.

4flag-turkey-israel-sky

I grew up in this culture. I saw this behavior from the people around me. Continue Reading »

Intelsat Removes Iran’s Channel PressTV from U.S. & Canada

Iran’s national Press TV has a history of notoriously promoting Holocaust denial & giving air-time to neo-Nazi propaganda.

By Gil Ronen

 

Pro-Israel media activist group HonestReporting Canada welcomed news on Saturday that global satellite communication provider Intelsat had removed Iran’s state-funded propaganda mouthpiece PressTV from its broadcast platform in Canada and the United States.

PressTVThe NGO expressed its concern, however, that PressTV is still accessible over Intelsat’s Galaxy 19 platform.

HonestReporting Canada Executive Director Mike Fegelman issued the following statement:

“Intelsat’s move falls directly in line with other important domestic and international efforts to sanction, isolate, and impede the Iranian regime’s efforts in procuring nuclear weaponry. Continue Reading »

Iranians mourn their slain Revolutionary Guard General

 

Iranian clergyman compares slain Iranian General to Hezbollah’s slain commander, Imad Mughniyeh

Syrian Free Army accuses Israel of Shateri’s death by a reported bombing in Syria 2 weeks ago.

By The Associated Press, Daniel Siryoti & Israel Hayom Staff

 

Prominent Iranian politicians and clerics led mourners at a funeral Thursday for a senior commander of the country’s powerful Revolutionary Guards who was killed this week while traveling from Syria to Lebanon, local media reported.

The exact details surrounding Iranian General Hassan Shateri’s death are still unclear. – Photo: AP

The semiofficial Fars news agency identified the slain commander as Gen.

Continue Reading »

Hundreds protest the Iran-Argentina pact

Philosopher, poet & Argentinian writer Santiago Kovadloff mocked his gov’t for the int’l criticism the pact has drawn.  “But our gov’t is not alone,” he said. “Our gov’t is with Iran!”

By JTA

 

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Some 300 people attended a protest rally against Argentine-Iranian cooperation in investigating the deadly 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center.

Suicide bomberAmong the protestors on Feb. 14 in the Argentine capital were relatives of the survivors of the bombing of the AMIA center. Israeli and Argentinean justice authorities blame Iran for the attack.

“We ask Argentine society’s forgiveness for wasting a great privilege that democracy gave us,” Sergio Bergman, a lawmaker and Reform rabbi, said in a speech at the rally. Continue Reading »

Nasrallah warns Israel to think twice before attacking

Nasrallah: “They know their power plants, airports are under threat,” and that Hezbollah doesn’t need weapons from Syria.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS

 

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Saturday rejected claims made by the Lebanese opposition that the Shi’ite group’s implication in July’s Burgas, Bulgaria terror attack would prompt an Israeli attack on Lebanon.

Hezbollah head Nasrallah speaks at Beirut protest

Hezbollah head Nasrallah speaks at Beirut protest – Photo: REUTERS

The speech came after Bulgaria released its findings of a probe into the attack last week, finding that Hezbollah’s military wing was behind the bombing. Five Israelis and a Bulgarian bus driver were killed in the terror attack.

Continue Reading »

7 hurt Syrians treated in Israeli Hospital

IDF confirms 7 Syrians hurt on Syrian Golan in battles between Syrian army & rebels, were taken to Ziv Medical Center in Safed.

Ynet reporters

 

Seven Syrians hurt in battles between Syrian army forces and rebels were taken to the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed Saturday. One of the men is in critical condition.

Fighting in SyriaThe seven made their own way to the border area in the northern Golan Heights.

“An IDF force administered medical care to the wounded men near the border fence and they were taken for further treatment,” a statement said.

Ziv Medical Center director Dr. Continue Reading »

U.S. sanctions just wiped out Iran-Turkey gold trade

Turkey, Iran’s biggest natural gas importer, has been paying for its gas-imports with Turkish lira, because US sanctions prevented them from paying in foreign currency ($ or €).

By Reuters

 

Tighter U.S. sanctions are killing off Turkey’s gold-for-gas trade with Iran and have stopped state-owned lender Halkbank from processing other nations’ energy payments to the OPEC oil producer, bankers said on Friday.

Fahmideh gas refinery and storage facility is seen outside the central city of Qom, Iran

Fahmideh gas refinery and storage facility is seen outside the central city of Qom, Iran – Photo: AP

U.S. officials have sought to prevent Turkish gold exports, which indirectly pay Iran for its natural gas, from providing a financial lifeline to Tehran, largely frozen out of the global banking system by Western sanctions over its nuclear program. Continue Reading »

TV2 Report: Israel & Hamas Holding Secret Negotiations via Egypt

Within the framework of secret talks with Hamas through the Egyptians, Israel may soon agree that Egypt’s border with Gaza be opened.

By Elad Benari, Canada

 

Israel has been holding secret negotiations with the Hamas terror movement since the end of its Operation Pillar of Defense, Channel 2 News reported on Friday.

According to the report, the Egyptian-mediated talks are being held as part of the ceasefire reached between the sides at the end of counterterrorism operation in November and which said that both sides will refrain from attacking one another and the sides will work to reach understandings.

Channel 2 News indicated that an Israeli delegation that arrived in Cairo on Thursday came to Egypt for the purpose of holding talks with Hamas, through Egyptian mediators. Continue Reading »

The deceptiveness of Israel’s ‘The Gatekeepers’

The film presents a ‘simplistic political message,’ erroneously implying that Israel’s ‘occupation of the West Bank’ stands between terror & coexistence.

By ROZ ROTHSTEIN & ROBERTA SEID

 

Dror Moreh’s documentary, The Gatekeepers, could have been a profound film.

Instead, Moreh uses his interviews with six former directors of Israel’s top security services to send a simplistic and deeply partisan political message: If Israel withdraws from the West Bank, terrorism will subside and peace will break out.

Yaakov Perry

Yaakov Perry – Photo: Reuters

To promote this message, the documentary engages in intellectual dishonesty and omits critical context. While most Israelis know the wider context, the average viewer probably does not, and therefore is vulnerable to the filmmaker’s biased version of the facts.
Continue Reading »

There’s a Superior role for women in the Qur’an

In the same way that hatred, suicide bombings, aggression, & enmity toward Jews & Christians have nothing to do with Islam, neither does this incorrect image of women that the world has accepted from the radicals.

 

 

By Aylin Kocaman

A man in a shabby robe with a furrowed brow and long beard was walking along the road, followed two steps behind by women bent forward and completely covered up. This picture has to date been portrayed as an image of Islam.

Muslim wife following husbandBecause of this image, no value has been attached to some oppressed Islamic countries – nobody will attach any worth to a society that regards women as worthless. Continue Reading »