US intel report predicts a Palestinian state by 2030

A new US intel report predicts the founding of a Palestinian state by 2030, but key issues such as Jerusalem’s final status will likely remain unresolved.

By REUTERS, JPOST.COM STAFF

 

It is likely that unofficial actions will lead to a Palestinian state by 2030, US intelligence analysts cited by AFP said Monday.

Victory signs flashed in front of Palestinian flag - Photo: REUTERS/Ali Jarekji

Victory signs flashed in front of Palestinian flag – Photo: REUTERS/Ali Jarekji

“On the one hand, if the Islamic Republic maintains power in Iran and is able to develop nuclear weapons, the Middle East will face a highly unstable future,” a new intelligence report said. “On the other hand, the emergence of moderate, democratic governments or a breakthrough agreement to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could have enormously positive consequences.” Continue Reading »

Want to be a State? Pay your electricity bills!

Israel’s Finance Ministry deducts withheld tax funds from part of the NIS 731 million the Palestinian Authority owe the Israel Electric Corp

By Lior Gutman, Calcalist

 

The Finance Ministry transferred NIS 273.5 million (about $71.35 million) to the Israel Electric Corporation in recent days to cover 37% of the Palestinian Authority’s electricity debt, which has reached NIS 731 million ($190.7 million) over the past year.

Israel Electric Corp. Complaining about PA’s growing debt as Electricity is on the way to the Palestinian Authority – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

The source of the funds transferred to the Electric Corp is the deduction of tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf the PA and transferred to the cash-strapped authority on a monthly basis. Continue Reading »

Palestinian NGO offices raided by Israel’s IDF

IDF sweep, raiding 3 civil society organizations in Ramallah, is the 1st of its kind since the West Bank gov’t won int’l recognition at the UN General Assembly.

By Reuters

 

Israeli soldiers raided the offices of three civil society organizations on Tuesday in the heart of Ramallah, the de facto Palestinian capital in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Palestinians celebrating in Ramallah after the PA was given status as a UN non-member state.

Palestinians celebrating in Ramallah after the PA was given status as a UN non-member state. – Photo by Reuters

Entering before dawn, troops wrenched open the doors of the Women’s Union, the Palestinian NGO Network and Addameer, an advocate for Palestinians in Israeli jails, confiscating five computers from the latter group. Continue Reading »

The White House May Sell Israel 6,900 JDAM Bombs

The U.S. is considering an Israeli request to buy 6,900 JDAM (GPS) bombs, weighing up to 1 ton each, while Middle Eastern tensions are on the rise.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

The United States is considering an Israeli request to buy 6,900 GPS bombs, weighing up to one ton, as Middle East tensions rise, Defense News reported Tuesday.

The Pentagon notified Congress on Monday of the potential $647 million sale of bombs, the smallest of which weighs 250 pounds.

“The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability,” said a statement from the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign weapon and equipment sales. Continue Reading »

Israel’s popular deputy FM sacked for being undiplomatic with Turkey?

Danny Ayalon’s sacking was likely meant to be a clear message that Jerusalem is serious about repairing relations with Ankara.

By Israel Today Staff

 

Israelis and foreign supporters of Israel alike were shocked last week when popular Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon was placed in an unrealistic spot on his Israel Beiteinu’s Knesset list ahead of upcoming general elections.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon

The decision by party leader Avigdor Lieberman to place Ayalon so low on the list meant the latter would not be a member of the next Knesset.

Over the past several years, Ayalon had gained widespread respect for his ability to eloquently and effectively defend Israel in the public arena. Continue Reading »

Contrary to Western reports, Israel sees no Syrian chemical weapons threat

Israel’s Diplomatic-Security Bureau chief Amos Gilad says WMD are “still secure, but we need to monitor this”

Remarks come contrary to mainstream media saying weapons have been moved

Propaganda: Syrian rebels post videos alleging Syrian army used chemical munitions to kill civilians.

By Daniel Siryoti, Eli Leon, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Syrian chemical weapons are still under the control of President Bashar al-Assad, contrary to reports saying Damascus could lose such arms in the chaos of civil war, Amos Gilad, head of the Defense Ministry Diplomatic-Security Bureau, said Sunday.

Syrian fighters check a tank they took after storming a military base in Aleppo on Nov.

Continue Reading »

SodaStream Super Bowl ad has caught the eye of BDS

The new SodaStream publicity blitz has proven BDS as a total flop as they sought to bring their campaigns targeting settlement products to a new, level of visibility.
Hopefully, it only improved sales as BUYcott usually trumps boycott.

By JTA

 

SodaStream’s purchase of a Super Bowl commercial has the BDS movement in the U.S. saying it will step up its campaign against the Israeli firm.

Soda Stream commercial still shot

Soda Stream commercial still shot – Photo: screen shot

SodaStream, the maker of home soda machines, will pay about $3.5 million for a 30-second spot for the game. The company reportedly had net earnings of $27.5 million in 2011, according to The Associated Press. Continue Reading »

EU: Our agreements with Israel only apply to products limited to pre-’67 lines

EU foreign ministers dismayed at E-1 construction plans, say it would “seriously undermine the prospects of a negotiated resolution”

PM: On building houses in our capital, the EU is the first to protest. Where was the world’s censure when Hamas called for Israel’s destruction?

 

European Union foreign ministers strongly stated that all of the body’s agreements with Israel only applied to the pre-1967 lines, as they spoke out on Monday against Israeli settlement plans including the development of E1.

The European Parliament building in Strasbourg - Photo: REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

The European Parliament building in Strasbourg – Photo: REUTERS/Vincent Kessler

A diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post that he feared some of the language in the council statement was placed there to lay the groundwork for labeling and possibly banning settlement products in the future.

Continue Reading »

Op-ed: I’m not crazy

Israeli living in NYC for 7 years explains why the recent Gaza war made him decide to return home: Life abroad is comfortable & peaceful, but it is a sad comfort – an ‘addictive and sticky honey trap’.

By Dekel Ovadia

 

NEW YORK – It’s Friday in New York City, around noon. The IDF has launched Operation Pillar of Defense, and concerned Israelis are surfing the net and sending their family and friends text messages with news updates. One reports of rocket fire on Jerusalem, another’s message says a rocket fired toward Tel Aviv landed in an open area. Continue Reading »

Uruguay president wants replacement of Israeli ambassador

After senior MPP officials remarked that Israel is committing genocide, Ambassador Dori Goren called the comments ‘repugnant and shocking’ which angered members of the Uruguayan government.

 

A diplomatic incident has recently clouded Israel’s relations with Uruguay, leaving its government is angry at Israeli Ambassador Dori Goren’s public criticism of a string of Uruguayan politicians and parties. In recent days, Uruguay has even begun sending hints to Israel that it would like to have the ambassador replaced.

Uruguayan President Jose “Pepe” Mujica

Uruguayan President Jose ‘Pepe’ Mujica – Photo by Reuters

The signals from Montevideo were sent to Jerusalem via the media in Uruguay. Continue Reading »

Report: Israel leaking intel of Iranian nuclear program

‘Guardian’ cites Western diplomats blasting Israel with leaking information to rally world on striking Iran

Netanyahu believes Iran must be confronted in 2013.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, REUTERS

 

Western diplomats believe Israel has been leaking sensitive information about Iran’s nuclear program in a bid to rally the international community to action, The Guardian reported Monday.

Interior of Bushehr nuclear plant - Photo: REUTERS/Stringer Iran

Interior of Bushehr nuclear plant – Photo: REUTERS/Stringer Iran

The report came as Israel renewed calls against the Iranian program, as Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday the problem would have to be confronted in 2013.

According to the Guardian report, Western diplomats suspect the Israeli moves have backfired, and have instead jeopardized the International Atomic Energy Agency’s investigation into the Iranian nuclear program.

Continue Reading »

EU foreign ministers meet to discuss Israel’s E-1 plans

European Union heads discuss Israel’s construction plans for Ma’aleh Adumim and feel the ‘urgent need’ to restart regional peace process.

Associated Press

 

The European Union will look at ways on Monday to press Israel to ditch a plan to build settlements in a highly sensitive area of the West Bank, but hold off on tough action soon despite international outrage over the decision.

E1 area – Photo: AP

Some officials say that options for robust steps against Israel are limited due to a lack of unanimity in the 27-member EU and diplomatic protection of the Jewish state by its cast-iron superpower ally the United States. Continue Reading »

Netanyahu: Where is the Outrage that Hamas Openly Seeks Our Destruction?

PM Netanyahu met with representatives of the foreign media in Israel, denouncing the hypocrisy of the international community.

By Arutz Sheva staff

 

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with representatives of the foreign media in Israel on Monday, denouncing the hypocrisy that has come to dominate the international community’s handling of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

“This weekend Hamas leaders openly called for Israel’s destruction. Where was the outrage? Where was the UN? Where was Abbas?” Netanyahu demanded. “Why did Palestinian diplomats not only remain silent in the face of these calls, but spoke of the intention to unite with Hamas?”

“There was only deafening silence,” asserted the prime minister. Continue Reading »

Gaza is not ‘the most density populated’ place….it’s #50

Another fallacy of Gaza Uncovered. Disproving the Palestinian’s applications of Taqiyya and Goebbels-like propaganda once again.

By IsraelandStuff/PP

 

Mainstream Media likes to claim that Gaza is the most densely populated place on earth, maybe because they’re afraid to contradict the Palestinians. Hence, the continued delegitimation and demonization of Israel vis-a-vis claims that Israel savagely targets innocent civilians randomly in the media. Just another example of Palestinian’s applications of Taqiyya and Goebbels-like propaganda.
We all know Hamas constantly target random civilians intentionally and Israel goes to great length to avoid doing so.

Gaza

The list of cities below by population density should put their lie in it’s proper place….number Continue Reading »

Hamas TV: Death to America, Death to the Jews

The new Fatah-Hamas alignment further demonstrates Mahmoud Abbas’ unwillingness to live up to his repeated commitments to cease incitement.

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

 

The new Hamas-Fatah unity further exposes the Palestinian Authority’s failure to live up to pledges to stop incitement.

Abbas’ unity with Hamas now unmasks his image of a “peace partner” by binding him as a partner in Hamas’ stated goal of killing Jews and destroying Israel.

Hamas TV broadcast 10 days ago a speech by a Muslim cleric who preached, “Our mantle is death to the Jews and to America.”

“The prophet said ‘judgment day will not come until you fight the Jews,” the cleric said. Continue Reading »