Israeli leaders disgusted by latest vandalism in Jerusalem

The Jewish values on which we were reared, and according to which we educate our children, forbid us from any such behavior. We’ll prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the lowlifes who perpetrated this crime.

By Israel Today Staff

Israeli leaders on Wednesday expressed revulsion over the latest act of vandalism against Christian symbols. Hours earlier, presumably Jewish assailants spray-painted anti-Christian graffiti on the walls of a monastery in central Jerusalem.

Father Claudio next to vandalized car - Photo: MELANIE LIDMAN

Father Claudio next to vandalized car – Photo: MELANIE LIDMAN

The Monastery of the Cross at the southern end of Jerusalem’s Sakker Park was defaced with the slogans “Jesus – son of a whore”, “Happy Hannukah” and “Price Tag.” Continue Reading »

Egypt allows Iranian Aid into Gaza via the Rafah Crossing

Cairo has approved an Iranian aid convoy with food and medical supplies to enter Gaza.

The supplies will arrive in 2 weeks.

By Elad Benari

 

Egypt has approved the entry of an Iranian aid convoy into Gaza, a security official told the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency on Wednesday.

The Iranian government had contacted Egypt to ask that the convoy be allowed into Gaza via the Rafah crossing, the Egyptian security official told Ma’an.

The food and medical aid will enter Gaza in two weeks, he said.

The announcement of the aid convoy comes as Iran continues to boast close relations with the terrorist organizations operating in Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Continue Reading »

Turkish daily reports: Abbas criticizes Mashaal for refusing to recognize Jewish State

Wrapping up visit to Turkey, PA president Abbas said he disagreed with Hamas leader’s statement, stressing Fatah-Hamas agreement stipulates a two-state plan.

Talking to Abbas on the phone, Livni welcomed comments.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday criticized Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal’s statement that his group would never recognize the state of Israel, Turkish daily The Hurriyet reported.

Turkey's President Gul and PA President Abbas - Photo: Reuters/Stringer

Turkey’s President Gul and PA President Abbas – Photo: Reuters/Stringer

“I don’t agree with Khaled Mashaal’s statement on the non-recognition of Israel because we, in fact, recognized it in 1993,” Abbas told reporters in Ankara following a two-day visit to the country.

Continue Reading »

Riots in Hebron Continue

Palestinian youths clash with Israeli security forces day after Palestinian youth is shot dead drawing his ‘gun’ on checkpoint soldier.

Border Guard officer who fired at ‘armed’ youth receives death threats.

Ynet reporters

The clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli troops continued in Hebron on Thursday as tension in the region continued to mount over the death of a local teenager.

You acted as you were trained, with courage, determination and without hesitation, as is expected of Border Guard combatants.

The 17-year-old Palestinian was shot dead on Wednesday by a Border Guard sergeant when he brandished a gun that later turned out to be fake. Continue Reading »

A Divided Jerusalem Can Not Stand

When the capital city of Israel, with a growing population needs to expand, why does that set off int’l alarms & condemnation?

By NIR BARKAT, Mayor of Jerusalem

 

Jerusalem – Israel’s government is under heavy criticism for recently approving building permits in what the international community calls “the settlements.” Yet places like Ramat Shlomo, Gilo and Givat Ha’matos are well within the municipal borders of Jerusalem, and the virgin hills of “E-1″—between the city of Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim—have over three millennia of deep Jewish roots. Here in Jerusalem, we stand saddened and appalled by the European Union ministers who condemn these construction projects while ignoring calls from the leader of Hamas for the destruction of the Jewish state of Israel. Continue Reading »

Police Drop Charges of Artist Using Stolen Holocaust Victims’ Ashes

 

Swedish police commissioner said they dropped the investigation into an artist who claimed to use paint mixed from taken ashes of Holocaust victims.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

 

Swedish police said Tuesday they have dropped an investigation into an artist who used paint mixed from the ashes of Holocaust victims in a watercolor.

“The enquiry was closed on Monday,” police commissioner Stefan Soederholm told AFP, citing lack of evidence.

Swedish painter Carl Michael von Hausswolff, whose contentious work is on display in the town of Lund, said he visited the Majdanek concentration camp during a trip to Poland in 1989 and accumulated ashes of Jewish victims to use for his “art.” Continue Reading »

IAEA arrives in Iran to investigate new satellite imagery that shows construction at Parchin

According to a U.S.think tank, imagery shows ‘steady pace’ of reconstruction at the military site that’s linked to suspected nuclear activity & which the UN nuclear inspector’s team is still attempting to gain access to.

 

A U.S. think tank published satellite imagery on Wednesday which it said shows ongoing construction at Iran’s Parchin military complex, a site linked to suspected nuclear activity. The publication came just ahead of the arrival of a UN nuclear inspector’s team in Tehran on Thursday.
Satellite imagery of Iran's Parchin military complex, taken on December 9, 2012.

Satellite imagery of Iran’s Parchin military complex, taken on December 9, 2012. – Photo by DigitalGlobe – ISIS

The Institute for Science and International Security said that an image taken on December 9 shows “a steady pace of what appears to be the ‘reconstruction’ phase” of a site that had undergone considerable alterations between April and July 2012,  including demolition of buildings and movement of earth. Continue Reading »

Israel to the PA: Pay your Debts!

Israel is doing what it said it would do: Money from Palestinian Authority taxes will be used to pay year long PA debt for electricity it used.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

Israel has decided to pay off Palestinian Authority debts for electricity by using tax money the government collects for it.

Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz ordered that 435 million shekels – more than $110,000,000 – not only will be withheld from the Palestinian Authority, but also will be transferred to the Israel Electric Corp, to cover part of an outstanding debt of  $190,700,000 incurred by the PA during the past year. Continue Reading »

German parliament passes federal law protecting circumcision ceremony

The new law, with restrictions for the 1st time, requires that the procedure be carried out by a medically trained and certified practitioner or by a medical professional, and that anesthetic be used if needed.

By JTA

 

BERLIN– The German parliament passed a law protecting the right of Jewish and Muslim parents to choose a ritual circumcision for their sons.

Brit ceremony – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

In all, 434 legislators voted Wednesday for the new law proposed by the federal government; there were 100 votes against, and 46 abstentions. The vote came after months of heated debate over the practice, spurred in large part by a German court ruled earlier this year that called into question the legality of ritual circumcision for children. Continue Reading »

PA is requesting ICC membership before charging Israel over Israeli settlements

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki says “no rush to go to the court” yet, but warns of serious response if Israel continues with building in E-1 area.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

The Palestinian Authority Wednesday repeated threats to file charges against Israel with the International Criminal Court [ICC] over plans to build housing units in E1, on the eastern outskirts of Jerusalem.

International Criminal Court in the Netherlands - Photo: REUTERS/Michael Kooren

International Criminal Court in the Netherlands – Photo: REUTERS/Michael Kooren

PA Foreign Minister Riad Malki said that the Palestinians’ next move would be to request membership in the ICC following last month’s UN General Assembly vote in favor of granting a Palestinian state the status of non-member observer.

Continue Reading »

Border Guards kill Palestinian who pulled out a fake gun

Security forces shot dead a man wielding gun near Cave of Patriarchs, believing he was about to execute terror a attack.

No injuries reported among the Security Services

By Itamar Fleishman

 

A Border Guard officer shot and killed a Palestinian youth Wednesday after he threatened troops stationed near the Cave of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron, with what later turned out to be a toy gun.

An initial inquiry derived that the Palestinian walked up to the troops stationed at the checkpoint and pulled a gun on one of the officers. A female Border Guard officer noticed the event and fired at him, killing him. Continue Reading »

Jews in Copenhagen Warned Not to Wear Stars of David or Kippot

Denmark officials are warning Jews to avoid openly wearing Jewish & religious symbols, amid increasing ‘anti-Israel’ (anti-Semitic) sentiments.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

 

Israeli and Jewish officials in Denmark on Wednesday warned Jews to avoid openly wearing religious symbols and dress when moving about Copenhagen amid rising anti-Israeli sentiments.

“We advise Israelis who come to Denmark and want to go to the synagogue to wait to don their skull caps until they enter the building and not to wear them in the street, irrespective of whether the areas they are visiting are seen as being safe,” Israel’s ambassador to Denmark, Arthur Avnon, told AFP. Continue Reading »

Israeli FM: Europe doesn’t care if Israel is destroyed

 

Europe remains silent on Palestinian violations because many of it leaders  agree with the long-term goals of Hamas.

“As far as they’re concerned, the destruction of Israel is a matter of course,” said Lieberman.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Israel this week expressed deep disappointment after the European Union condemned the building of new homes for Jews in Judea and Samaria (the so-called “West Bank”) as the main obstacle to peace.

 Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

In an official response to the EU statement, Israel’s Foreign Ministry noted that “settlement activity” had never before hindered the peace process, and that the true obstacle to peace is the Arabs’ ongoing refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist. Continue Reading »

Mount Hermon Covered with First Snow

 

About 10 centimeters of snow accumulates along the Mount Hermon ski site upper station

Visitors arrive to enjoy the early snowfall during the Hanukkah holiday

Danny Brenner, Dan Lavie and Nitzhiya Yaacov

 

As Israel celebrated Hanukkah this week, the first snowfall of the year fell on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights on Monday night into Tuesday morning.

Kids and their parents flocked to the Mt. Hermon resort to have some fun, although for now there is not enough snow for skiing. – Photo: JINI

The Mount Hermon ski site was open to visitors on Tuesday, free of charge, but not enough snow had fallen for the ski slopes themselves to be made operational. Continue Reading »

Letter circulating in Congress urging Obama to commute Pollard’s life sentence

The letter, with 40 signatories so far by both Dem. & Rep. is  circulated by Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.)

 

By JTA

 

Washington — A Republican and a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives are circulating a letter among their colleagues urging President Obama to commute Jonathan Pollard’s life sentence to time served.

Jonathan Pollard during an interview, May 15, 1998.


Jonathan Pollard during an interview at the Federal Correction Institution in Butner, North Carolina, May 15, 1998. – Photo by AP

“Mr. Pollard has now served 25 years in prison, many of which in solitary confinement, for his actions,” says the letter circulated by Reps. Continue Reading »