High-level Russian delegation arrives in Israel to end tension, reset cooperation

The delegation’s visit, headed by the Kremlin’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman and Defense Committee Chairman, is viewed by Jerusalem as highly important as it symbolizes Moscow’s intention to leave behind the crisis over the plane that was downed in Syria during an IAF strike.

By Itamar Eichner

 

A special Russian delegation arrived in Israel on Wednesday, as part of Moscow’s efforts to ease tensions between the two countries following the downing of a Russian plane by Syrian forces in September, during an attempt to repel an Israeli airstrike.

The Russian delegation, headed by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Konstantin Koschev and Defense Committee Chairman Victor Bondar, was to discuss the Hezbollah terror tunnels that the IDF is working to uncover dug under the Israel-Lebanese border. Continue Reading »

‘Extraordinary times’: Israel and SIX Gulf States working together

Eye-opening revelations with ‘behind-the-scene’ Foundation for Ethnic Understanding president, who has been opening doors between Gulf State leaders and Israel for over a decade: “When in modern Jewish history have you had the forces of the United States, specifically the Trump Administration, the State of Israel, and the six Gulf states all coming together?”

By Eliran Aharon

 

Foundation for Ethnic Understanding President Rabbi Marc Schneier spoke to Arutz Sheva about his groundbreaking work bringing understanding and normalization between Israel and the Arab Gulf states: “We’re living in extraordinary times,” Rabbi Schneier said. “There’s a warming of relations between the Arab Gulf states and Israel. Continue Reading »

After breaking trade deal with Israel, Jerusalem bans Palestinian produce

In response to the Palestinian Authority’s ban on the sale of Israeli lamb inside the West Bank, Israel’s Minister of Agriculture, Uri Ariel has unilaterally frozen all imports of Palestinian produce, depriving the PA economy of more than 720,000₪ ($200,000) daily, until the Palestinians rectify the trade agreement.

By i24NEWS

 

The Israeli minister for agriculture, Uri Ariel, prohibited the entry of fruits and vegetables from the West Bank in Israel on Tuesday.

The move, which was reported on Israel’s Channel 10, was justified by an apparent decision by the Palestinian Authority to ban the sale of Israeli lamb inside the West Bank. Continue Reading »

Mossad tasked with securing Jewish communities abroad

The Mossad received about $2.8 million to increase security for Jewish communities worldwide after surveys showed 40% of European Jews are considering emigrating because they don’t feel safe.

By Mordechai Sones

 

The Mossad recently received more than NIS 10 million from one of the government ministries, with the aim of increasing security of Jewish community institutions around the world.

The money is intended to support local security forces and help coordinate various actions to protect Jews in the Diaspora.

Mossad Director Yossi Cohen – Reuters

The Israeli decision to increase security around the Jewish communities was made against the background of the rise in anti-Semitism and the increasing fear of terrorist activity. Continue Reading »

Prime Minister Netanyahu Admits Israel Has Spies in Iran

Speaking to a group of gov’t diplomats, the Prime Minister openly admitted that Israeli agents periodically “visit” Iran to stay up-to-date on its presumed quiescent nuclear program.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Some fear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might have been a little too candid on Sunday when he told a group of diplomats at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Israeli spies routinely “visit” Iran.

“We are fighting all over the world in regards to Iran’s nuclear program,” said Netanyahu in remarks widely quoted in the Israeli press. “We also visit there periodically… to ‘catch up,'” he added.

A number of high-profile assassinations, computer hacks and other technical failures that have hindered Iran’s nuclear program have been attributed to Israeli intelligence agencies. Continue Reading »

Israeli spacecraft fits final component for 2019 moon launch – a Torah included

UPDATED: The final element on the Israeli spacecraft called “Beresheet” (“Genesis”) has been installed, a digital time capsule consisting of three discs containing the Torah, Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah”, an Israeli flag, Holocaust testimony and much more.
– Beresheet is set to blast off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in early 2019, making Israel the 4th country to carry out a controlled “soft” moon landing, after the U.S., Russia, and China.

By Reuters

 

Israeli engineers on Monday added the final element to a spacecraft destined for the moon – a digital time capsule – saying they aim to send the craft up early next year and land it between the landing sites of Apollo 15 and 17. Continue Reading »

IDF invites CNN’s Ian Lee to visit 4th Hezbollah attack-tunnel found in Israel

WATCH: Hand-picked CNN reporter, who’s trusted for being fair & balanced, interviews an IDF officer (in combat gear and referred to as Lt. Colonel R.), as to how complicated the attack-tunnel finding operation really is.

BY URI BOLLAG

 

For the first time since the beginning of Operation Northern Shield on December 4, Israel allowed a foreign news source to take a look at one of Hezbollah’s cross-border tunnels discovered only meters away from Lebanon.

The CNN footage shows reporter Ian Lee dropping a camera several meters into the ground, passing limestone walls before exposing a sophisticated tunnel, complete with ventilation and lights. Continue Reading »

U.S. Congress targets Hezbollah & Hamas with anti-human shield legislation

A bill that singles out Hamas & Hezbollah as habitual offenders of an inhumane tactic that violates international law was approved in the House of Representatives and is set to pass in the Senate, before being signed into law by President Trump.

By The Media Line

 

The US House of Representatives passed legislation targeting those who use “human shields” in military confrontations with Israel. The tactic is often employed by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and the Iranian-backed Lebanese Hezbollah organization, who Israel says conceal their arsenals in civilian structures such as schools, homes and hospitals.

The legislation—titled the “Sanctioning of the Use of Civilians as Defenseless Shields Act”—passes to the Senate, where it is set to be approved, before heading to President Donald Trump to be signed into law. Continue Reading »

Top PLO Official Affirms, the Palestinians Want ALL of Jerusalem

Palestinian Authority’s senior negotiator Saeb Erekat expressed dissatisfaction with Australia’s recognition of ‘west’ Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, insisting, “All of Jerusalem remains a final status issue for negotiations, while East Jerusalem, under international law, is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory.”

By Ryan Jones

 

Australia’s decision on Saturday to officially recognize the western half of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel prompted a number of outbursts, some of them very, very revealing.

The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed disappointment that, unlike US President Donald Trump, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison only acknowledged Israeli sovereignty over half of the Holy City, and did not commit to moving his nation’s embassy there. Continue Reading »

Russian report: Moscow allows Hezbollah to fly Russian flag in Syria

Since Moscow is still angry over losing a plane during IAF attack in Syria this past September, a Russian newspaper reported that the Kremlin made a deal with Iran that allows Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian Shiite groups operating in Syria full protection by operating under its flag to evade an Israeli response.

By Alex Fishman

 

Moscow is allowing fighters from Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian Shiite groups operating in Syria to carry Russian flags in order to protect them from Israeli airstrikes, Russia’s Kommersant newspaper reported Wednesday.

The report follows a Russian snub earlier this week to Israeli military officials, as Moscow appears reluctant to ease its anger over the loss of one of its planes during an IAF bombing raid in Syria in September. Continue Reading »

Russia warns Lebanon over Hezbollah’s violations of Israeli sovereignty

London-based Arabic media outlet reports that the Russian government sent a stern warning to Lebanon to not permit ongoing violations of Israeli territory by a member of its government, Hezbollah, following the IDF’s discovery, and UNIFIL’s verification, of 4 attack-tunnels thus far.

By David Rosenberg

 

The Russian government has warned Lebanon not to permit violations of Israeli territory by the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, the London-based Arabic media outlet Asharq Al-Awsatreported.

According to the report, Moscow warned the Lebanese government in a letter “not to play games with United Nations [Security Council] Resolution 1701”, referring to the August 11th, 2006 motion by the Security Council marking the end of the second Israel-Lebanon war. Continue Reading »

Hezbollah speechless, literally: IDF uncovers FOURTH Hezbollah attack-tunnel

Immediately after the IDF exposed the fourth Hezbollah cross-border attack-tunnel, explosive devices were placed inside the tunnel rendering it useless, but extremely dangerous for anyone entering from the Lebanese side.

By i24NEWS

 

The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Sunday morning that it had exposed a fourth tunnel on Israel’s northern border as Operation Northern Shield enters its third week.

The IDF operation, aimed at locating and destroying an unknown number of tunnels built by Lebanese Hezbollah, was made public on December 4 after being carried out for over four years previously under the name “Operation White Gold.”

Continue Reading »

Op-Ed: Latest wave of Palestinian terrorism deserves ‘A proper Zionist response’

With no death penalty sentences laid down for convicted terrorists, and Palestinian leadership’s glorification & rewards to murderers that only incentivizes more attacks, it may be time to implement & accelerate a proper Zionist response, something the Palestinian leadership will find more difficult to digest.

By Nadav Shragai

 

Maybe our leaders will implement harsh measures and we can now come to our senses by launching a broader, more creative offensive initiative; and maybe we will continue restraining and fortifying ourselves to death with more walls and fences; but what about providing a proper Zionist response? What happened to that most basic and healthy Jewish instinct, characteristic of our return to Zion? Continue Reading »

US Navy informs officials Haifa docking may end when Chinese take over port

Retired American and Israeli defense & intelligence officials have raised security concerns over the upcoming Chinese management of the Port of Haifa beginning in 2021, as it might jeopardize U.S. Naval operations there.

By MICHAEL WILNER

 

WASHINGTON – The US Navy has acknowledged that its longstanding operations in Haifa may change once a Chinese firm takes over the civilian port in 2021, prompting Israel’s national security cabinet to revisit the arrangement, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Haifa, the nation’s largest port city, regularly hosts joint US-Israeli naval drills and visits from American vessels. But a 2015 agreement between Israel’s Transportation Ministry and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) – a company in which the Chinese government has a majority stake – has raised intelligence and security concerns that are only now prompting an interagency review. Continue Reading »

Australia recognizes only West part of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

On Saturday Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, announced that Australia now recognizes West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, but will not relocate the embassy from Tel Aviv.

By Reuters, AP

 

Australia formally recognises West Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, reversing decades of Middle East policy, but will not move its embassy there immediately, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Saturday.

“Australia now recognises West Jerusalem, being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of government, is the capital of Israel,” Morrison said.

The Knesset, located in Jerusalem, capital of Israel – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

“We look forward to moving our embassy to West Jerusalem when practical,” he told reporters in Sydney. Continue Reading »