Palestinians bid for statehood recognition next week

Washington urges Israel not to build in ‘Area E-1’, between Jerusalem & Ma’aleh Adumim as a punitive response to PA statehood bid.

Washington is urging Israel not to allow construction in the area known as E-1 between Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim as a possible response to the Palestinian bid for statehood recognition next week at the UN, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

PA President Mahmoud Abbas addresses UNGA - Photo: REUTERS

PA President Mahmoud Abbas addresses UNGA – Photo: REUTERS

Building in E-1, which would create contiguity between Jerusalem and Ma’aleh Adumim to the northeast beyond the Green Line, is something various Israeli governments have long wanted to do, but which US opposition has prevented.

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Hamas polices border after IDF kills man in ‘no-go’ zone

In unusual move, Hamas enforce fragile 2-day-old truce by evacuating Gazans from IDF’s’no-go’ border zone.

Relative of man killed says he was ‘trying to put a Hamas flag on the fence’

By Reuters

 

Hamas Islamists enforced a fragile two-day-old truce on Friday by evacuating Palestinians from a “no-go” border zone after Israel shot dead a Gaza resident there in the first fatality since the ceasefire.

Gaza border (archives) – Photo: B’Tselem

The rare move by the group in control of the Gaza Strip followed intervention by Egyptian mediators who urged both sides to take steps to preserve the truce that ended eight days of fierce Israeli-Palestinian fighting on Wednesday. Continue Reading »

1 Palestinian killed, several wounded by IDF fire on Gaza border

Hamas spokesman accuses Israel of violating the Egyptian-mediated truce, says Hamas will complain to Cairo

IDF spokeswoman says army investigating report.

By Reuters and Gili Cohen

 

Israeli gunfire across the Gaza border killed one Palestinian on Friday and wounded several others, medics said, two days after a ceasefire between the territory’s Islamist rulers Hamas and Israel took hold.

Gaza - AFP

Palestinian youths gesture during a demonstration next to the security fence standing on the Gaza border with Israel, east of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 23, 2012. – Photo: AFP

A Hamas spokesman accused Israel of violating the Egyptian-mediated truce and said the group would complain to Cairo. Continue Reading »

President’s backers clash with rivals in Egypt

15 reported injured as opponents & supporters of Muslim Brotherhood clash across country day after Morsi granted himself sweeping new powers.

Protesters burn Muslim Brotherhood offices.

Associated Press

 

Opponents and supporters of Mohammed Morsi clashed across Egypt on Friday, the day after the president granted himself sweeping new powers that critics fear can allow him to be a virtual dictator. At least 15 were reported injured.

In a sign of deepening polarization, state TV reported that protesters burned offices of the political arm of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood group on several cities on the Suez Canal east of Cairo and in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, while Islamists engaged with fistfights with Morsi opponents in southern Egypt. Continue Reading »

France FM Hints they Will Support PA’s UN Bid

Laurent Fabius reminds senate that President Hollande promised to promote recognition of a Palestinian state.

By Elad Benari

 

France is considering voting in favor of the Palestinian Authority’s unilateral statehood bid at the United Nations, its foreign minister hinted on Thursday.

Speaking at a hearing in the French senate, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius reminded that French President Francois Hollande promised during his election campaign to promote the issue of Palestinian statehood.

Laurent Fabius - Photo: BERTRAND

Laurent Fabius – Photo: BERTRAND

“I would like to mention that in his election campaign, President Hollande said he would work toward international recognition of a Palestinian state,” Fabius said. Continue Reading »

Spain: Burgas probe ‘essential’ for EU’s ban of Hezbollah

Spain’s deputy FM says the investigation’s findings into bombing of Israeli bus in Bulgaria are “essential“ for the EU process to list Hezbollah as a terror entity.

By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT

 

The results of Bulgaria’s investigation into the possible role of Hezbollah in July’s suicide bombing there of an Israeli tour bus “will be essential“ for the EU process to list the Lebanese organization as a terrorist entity, Spain’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gonzalo de Benito said on Wednesday.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Jerusalem Post from Abuja, Nigeria, de Benito, whose title is secretary of state for foreign affairs, said of a proposed blacklisting of Hezbollah, “We want to take the decision with our European countries and are waiting for the report” from Bulgaria.

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Video: Police Watch as Palestinians throw stones at cars

IDF says unrest in West Bank escalated during Gaza operation

Border  Guard policemen struggle to keep rioters in check

Itamar Fleishman

 

The unrest that plagued the West Bank over the past several days went largely uncovered by the media due to the hostilities between Israeland Gaza, but Jewish residents say the disturbances were so widespread the security forces in the region had trouble handling them.

העימותים מתגברים. עיסאוויה אתמול  (צילום: AFP )

Rioters in e. Jerusalem on Wednesday – Photo: AFP

In an attempt to document the violence a settler recorded video footage of Palestinians throwing rocks towards Israeli cars stuck in traffic.

Border police officers whose own squad car was gridlocked stood by helplessly, saying there is nothing they could do. Continue Reading »

Violence Continues as Arabs Attack Jerusalem’s Light Rail

Arabs throw a sharp rock or maybe a firebomb according to passengers, at the Jerusalem’s Light Rail. No one hurt.

By Elad Benari

 

Arabs threw either a firebomb or a sharp rock at a train of the Jerusalem Light Rail as it was passing through the Arab Beit Hanina neighborhood on Thursday evening. No one was hurt and the driver continued driving to the next station.

Jerusalem Light Rail - Photo: PP

Jerusalem Light Rail – Photo: Israel & Stuff/PP

Rescue and police forces arrived at the scene and a senior officer determined that a sharp rock had been thrown at the train. Others officials said, however, that it was a firebomb that failed to ignite. Continue Reading »

IDF gunfire kills Palestinian near Gaza border fence

IDF reports: group of Palestinians tried to breach border fence prompting warning shots in air, and then at legs when warnings weren’t heeded.

Hamas accuses Israel of violating truce, vows to complain to Cairo

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, REUTERS

IDF gunfire across the Gaza border killed one Palestinian on Friday and wounded several others, Palestinians medics said, two days after a ceasefire between the territory’s Islamist rulers Hamas and Israel took hold.

The IDF stated that a group of about 300 Palestinians approached the border fence in the southern Gaza Strip and held a violent disturbance along the border.

Dozens of Gazans hurl rocks on Gaza side of border fence (IDF Spokesman)

Dozens of Gazans hurl rocks on Gaza side of border fence (IDF Spokesman)

A number of the Palestinians attempted to break through the border fence into Israel.

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‘Israel Defense Force kinder than Assad’s army’

While the Arab media attempts to discern who won or lost the Gaza conflict, Al-Arabiya draws parallels between the Israeli and Syrian armies.

By Roi Kais

 

With a truce declared and Operation Pillar of Defense over, the media in the Arab world ventured to discern who were the winners and the losers in the conflict. Several papers chose to crown Hamas as the victor, while others claimed that Iranand the Palestinian Authority were on the losing end of the hostilities. Some even decided to draw parallels between the Israel Defense Forces and the Syrian army.

עזה - בלתי שבירה. מתוך "א-ראי" הירדני

Gaza is unbreakable. From Jordan’s Al-Rai newspaper

The London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi ran an opinion piece expressing disappointment with the terms of the ceasefire agreement that was reached between Israel and the Gaza factions. Continue Reading »

IDF goes on High Alert in Judea and Samaria

The IDF & Security Services are on alert in Judea & Samaria and Jerusalem due to intel of another terrorist attack.

By Maayana Miskin

 

The IDF is on alert in Judea, Samaria (Shomron) and Jerusalem on Friday over threats of further terrorist attacks. There has been increased violence in the region in recent days, beginning with the outbreak of the Pillar of Defense battle with Gaza terrorists.

On Thursday night the IDF conducted an arrest operation, detaining 28 Palestinian Authority residents suspected of involvement in terrorism.

The night before, 55 suspects were arrested, some of them PA members of parliament affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Continue Reading »

Tayibe man suspected of bombing Tel Aviv bus arrested by Shin Bet

 

Shin Bet says man who previously lived in West Bank & was allowed to settle in Tayibe under family reunification law, was recruited by Ramallah terror cell to assist in attack that injured 29 on Wednesday

Yoav Zitun

 

Cleared for publication:The terrorist who carried out the bombing attack on a bus in central Tel Aviv Wednesday was apprehended by Israeli security forces within hours of the attack.

Bus after explosion Photo: Gettyimages

The terrorist was apprehended in a joint operation conducted by the Shin Bet, Israel Police and the IDF. Twenty-nine people were injured in the attack.

The Shin Bet said Thursday that the terrorist, an Israeli citizen who previously lived in the West Bank and was allowed to settle in Tayibe under the family reunification law, was recruited by a terror cell from the village of Beit Liqya, near Ramallah. Continue Reading »

Senators Threaten Abbas to Cut PA Aid Over His UN Statehood Bid

PA Chairman Abbas was warned by a bipartisan group of Senators that he would be risking American aid if he goes forward with U.N. move.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators warned Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday that he would be putting millions of dollars of American aid at risk if he goes forward with his planned statehood bid at the United Nations next week.

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas – AFP photo

Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), co-authors of a Senate resolution denouncing the statehood bid, wrote to the Palestinian Authority president on Wednesday warning him that “any such efforts may cause consequences in regards to U.S. Continue Reading »

55 terror suspects in Judea & Samaria arrested by IDF

Number of terrorist incidents in West Bank rises in recent days, prompting large arrest operation by IDF & other security forces

According to the IDF, senior terrorist operatives were among the detainees

By Israel Hayom Staff

 

While Israel was busy with Operation Pillar of Defense on its Gaza border, the number of terrorist incidents in Judea and Samaria has risen over the past few days.

A rise in violent activity has been noted in recent days in Judea and Samaria. [Illustrative] – Photo: Oren Nachshon

On Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces, in cooperation with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), the Israel Police and the Border Police, launched a large arrest operation in Judea and Samaria,

“In light of the rise in violent incidents and terrorism in Judea and Samaria in recent days, and as part of an effort by security forces to restore quiet to the area, it was decided to initiate an arrest operation,” the IDF said in a statement.

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Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal: I accept a Palestinian state on ’67 borders

Mashaal says he’ll move to a peaceful path contingent on the “end of the occupation” & Palestinian statehood.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal declared a position on Palestinian statehood that is nearly identical to that of his Fatah rival, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, in an interview with CNN aired Wednesday.

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal - Photo: Screenshot CNN

Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal – Photo: Screenshot CNN

“I accept a Palestinian state according [to] the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as the capital, with the right to return,” the Hamas leader told Christine Amanpour in Cairo.

Pushed about his party’s refusal to recognize Israel, Mashaal said such a declaration could only be made once a Palestinian state has been created.

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