Morsi threatens: Israel will pay heavy price

 

Egyptian president vows that his country will ‘stop this brutal aggression’ against Gaza, threatening: ‘If I see the homeland in danger, I won’t hesitate to take unusual steps.’ 

By Roi Kais

 

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi sharpened his tone against Israel on Friday, while Palestinian terrorists continued to fire rockets into southern Israel and Tel Aviv.

Morsi. Threats Photo: AFP

Morsi. – Photo: AFP

After concluding the Friday prayer at a mosque in Cairo, Morsi warned Israel of the consequences of its strikes in Gaza. According to the al-Shorouk newspaper, Morsi tweeted on his Twitter page: “We have the power to uproot the aggressiveness just like it uprooted exploitation. Continue Reading »

As Rockets are fired at TLV & J’lem, Barak Calls Up More IDF Reserves

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak expanded on Friday the call-up of reserve soldiers, a spokesman said, as Israel pushed ahead with a major offensive against terrorists in Gaza.

By Annie Lubin

 

 

“The defense minister has this evening ordered the mobilisation of new reserve forces,” Josh Hantman told AFP shortly after two rockets fired from Gaza hit an open field in Gush Etzion, near Jerusalem, and another landed in the sea by central Tel Aviv.

IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz in the field

IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz in the field
IDF Spokespersons

The rockets that reached Tel Aviv were the first missiles to hit the city since the 1991 Gulf War. Continue Reading »

IDF chief prepares for Gaza ground assault by issueing 16,000 IDF draft orders

On 3rd day of operation, IDF hits dozens of Gaza targets from air & sea

“The prime minister’s instructions are to hit them hard,” says official, as IDF continues firing on targets in Gaza with infantry & armored units gathering near the border with Gaza

By Shlomo Cesana and Lilach Shoval

Operation Pillar of Defense entered its third day on Friday, and the Israel Defense Forces were preparing for a ground assault in Gaza by calling up thousands of reservists. The reservists will be joining the soldiers already moving toward Gaza, after IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz instructed forces to accelerate preparations for a ground operation.

Continue Reading »

Four Arab youths become Jew stabbing terrorist cell

The arrest of a 17-yr-old east Jerusalem, Arab resident suspected of stabbing Abraham Tau 2 weeks exposes youth terrorist cell

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

 

Two youths from east Jerusalem, aged 15 and 17, were recently arrested on suspicion of stabbing Abraham Tau two weeks ago in the Ras al-Amud neighborhood in Jerusalem.

The knife – Photo: Eli Segal

Two additional suspects, aged 13 and 14, are scheduled to be indicted for their role in the stabbing.

Police suspect that the teenagers’ actions were nationalistically motivated and carried out under the auspices of an organization called “Lovers of the Land,” which aims to physically harm Jewish residents of the city. Continue Reading »

Three IDF Soldiers Wounded by Rocket Attack

3 IDF soldiers were wounded Friday when a rocket hit the Eshkol region.

Terrorists have launched 507 rockets in 3 days.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Three soldiers were wounded Friday afternoon when Gaza terrorists hit the Eshkol region with a short-range rocket. One of the soldiers is in moderate condition, and the other two are in light condition.

They were taken to Soroka hospital in Be’er Sheva for treatment.

Since the beginning of Operation Pillar of Defense on Tuesday, Gaza terrorists have fired 507 rockets at Israeli communities. Twenty-six of the rockets hit populated areas, including at least three that directly hit homes. Continue Reading »

EU’s Ashton, Germany’s Merkel & Norwegian FM Eide all say Israel has right to defend itself

German chancellor blames Hamas for escalation

EU foreign affairs chief calls for stop to rocket attacks.

Norwegian FM “It is Right & Important that Israel Defends itself!”

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, REUTERS

 

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and German Chancellor Angela Merkel both issued strong statements in support of Israel’s right to defend itself on Friday.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton - Photo: REUTERS/Kimmo Mantyla/Lehtikuva

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton – Photo: REUTERS/Kimmo Mantyla/Lehtikuva

Ashton added that she hoped Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kandil’s visit to Gazaon Friday morning would calm the situation.“The rocket attacks by Hamas and other factions in Gaza, which began this current crisis are totally unacceptable for any government and must stop,” she said.

Continue Reading »

Palestinian UN observer repeats call for UN to stop Israeli strikes

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting Wednesday about Israel’s strikes on Gaza, yet took no action, as Israel threatened a ground offensive in the Hamas enclave to stem rocket salvoes by Palestinian militants.

By Reuters

 

The Palestinian Authority renewed its call on Thursday for the UN Security Council to take action to stop Israel’s attacks against the Gaza Strip, a day after the 15-nation body held an inconclusive emergency meeting on the escalating conflict.

 The United Nations Security Council. Photo by Reuters


The United Nations Security Council. Photo by Reuters

“The mobilization of Israeli occupying forces on the ground, including the amassing of tanks, armored vehicles and buses near the Gaza border are cause for serious concern and demand the attention of the international community,” the Palestinian UN observer, Riyad Mansour, wrote to the UN Security Council. Continue Reading »

IDF Commanders Prepare Their Troops for Ground Invasion

Thousands of IDF troops gather outside Gaza to begin preparing for ground operations.

By Maayana Miskin

 

IDF commanders began Friday morning to brief their troops in advance of a possible ground operation in Gaza. Thousands of reservists have been called up for duty, and a total of at least 16,000 will be summoned for service.

While troops gathered outside Gaza, terrorists in the area continued their attacks on civilian communities in southern Israel. More than 40 rockets have been fired since Friday morning.

At least two rockets were fired at the city of Be’er Sheva. The Iron Dome system successfully shot them down. Continue Reading »

Defense Ministry to Deploy 5th Iron Dome Battery

Amid constant rocket fire from Gaza, the IAF deployment of 5th battery expedited.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN, JPOST.COM STAFF

 

The Defense Ministry will deploy a fifth Iron Dome battery in Israel on Saturday evening.

Iron Dome battery - Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

Iron Dome battery – Photo: Marc Israel Sellem

The battery, scheduled originally to be deployed in two months time, is being expedited in light of the ongoing security escalations and rocket barrages striking Israel.

The Defense Ministry said that technicians are “working around the clock” in order to move the fifth battery from the test field to the battlefield.

The fifth battery was recently tested for its improved capabilities.The Continue Reading »

US Senate resolution demonstrates solid support of Israel

The U.S. Senate unanimous resolution backs ‘Israel’s inherent right to act in self-defense to protect citizens against terrorism’

Yitzhak Benhroin

 

WASHINGTON – The United States Senate sent an overwhelming message of solidarity with Israel on Thursday with the passage by unanimous consent of a resolution introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Mark Kirk.

Barack Obama Photo: MCT

Barack Obama – Photo: MCT

The bipartisan resolution, with 62 Senators as co-sponsors joining the two, expressed firm support for Israel’s “inherent right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against acts of terrorism.”

“As a bipartisan group of Senators committed to Israel’s security, we express our solidarity with Israel during this deeply challenging period and denounce the reprehensible and indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by Hamas and Islamic Jihad against innocent Israeli citizens,” the senators said in a joint statement. Continue Reading »

Palestinian observer pleads with UN Security Council to stop Israel

Palestinian U.N. observer Riyad Mansour says Israel is committing “war crimes” against Palestinian civilians

Israel’s Ambassador Ron Prosor: Strikes are response; no one complained when Hamas-ruled Gaza launched rockets on Israeli civilians.

By The Associated Press and Israel Hayom Staff

 

Palestinian officials have asked the U.N. Security Council to act to halt Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip. In a closed-door meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday night, U.N. observer Riyad Mansour said Israel was boasting publicly about killing Palestinians after conducting airstrikes that killed Hamas mastermind Ahmed Jabari.

Palestinian U.N. observer Riyad Mansour speaks to reporters following a closed-door meeting of the U.N.

Continue Reading »

Nasrallah urges Arab oil embargo on US for supporting Gaza violence

Hezbollah chief urges action from Arab states saying the US can stop Israeli “aggression” by making one simple phone call.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Arab countries must withhold oil from the US to force them to end support for Israel’s “aggression” in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday night according to the Lebanon Now online news agency.

Hezbollah head Nasrallah speaks at Beirut protest - Photo: REUTERS

Hezbollah head Nasrallah speaks at Beirut protest – Photo: REUTERS

“The US can, if it wants to, stop the aggression on Gaza by making a simple phone call,” Nasrallah said. “Arabs should exert pressure by decreasing the amount of oil exported, or by increasing the price of oil, thus, the economies of Western countries would be threatened and pressure would [force] the US and Israel to stop the aggression on Gaza.”

Continue Reading »

Photo Essay: London, Cairo, Beirut & Tunis

800 Londoners protest in front of Israeli Embassy against ‘criminal Israel’ in Gaza. Other smaller protests held in other parts of UK, as well as in Cairo, Damascus

By Rona Zinman

 

LONDON – Some 800 hundred people protested Thursday in front of the Israeli embassy in London against Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza, shouting anti-Israeli slogans. The protesters waved signs reading “Free Palestine,”, “End the siege” and “Criminal Israel.” Additional protests were held in Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia.

Pro-Israel protests organized by Jewish organizations were held nearby.

 

London calling

Cecile, a Dublin resident, explained to Ynet that she is protesting because Palestine is very small and cramped in comparison to Israel and the US. Continue Reading »

IDF Has Hit More Than 300 Targets in Gaza So Far

Since the commencement of Operation Pillar of Defense, the IDF has destroyed over 300 targets throughout Gaza.

By Elad Benari

 

Since the beginning of Operation Pillar of Defense, the IDF has struck more than 300 targets throughout Gaza, according to a statement released by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit on Thursday.

The statement said that during the day on Thursday, the IDF continued to launch attacks on dozens of rocket launching sites in Gaza, causing them significant damages.

On Thursday evening, the IAF launched a second assault wave on Gaza, targeting 70 underground missile sites.

The IDF statement added that IAF aircraft struck several terrorist groups that were involved in carrying out rocket attacks. Continue Reading »

UN Secretary General to visit Israel as part of cease-fire efforts

Ban to meet Netanyahu, Barak & Abbas in hopes of restoring ceasefire between Israel & Hamas.

France says President Hollande in talks with Israeli PM Netanyahu

Lieberman to counterparts: We won’t accept a ‘fragile truce’

By Itamar Eichner

 

Efforts to end Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza are underway: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to visit the region on Tuesday in order to advance a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Ban Ki-moon Photo: AFP

Ban Ki-moon – Photo: AFP

Ban is expected to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah, but he will apparently not visit Gaza. The UN chief is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Continue Reading »