European airlines cancel tickets of pro-Palestinian ‘flytilla’ activists

Ahead of Sunday’s planned ‘fly-in,’ Israel’s Interior Minister sends airlines list of names of blacklisted activists, threatens punitive steps if companies allow them to board Israel-bound flights.

Dozens of pro-Palestinian activists were prevented from boarding Israel-bound flights on Friday, due to the fact that their names appeared on a blacklist distributed by the Israeli government to a number of European airlines.

Pro-Palestinian fly-in - 8.7.11

Pro-Palestinian activists at Ben-Gurion International Airport - Photo by Ilan Assayag

The activists were on their way to participate in a fly-in protest against Israeli construction in West Bank settlements, scheduled to take place on Sunday. Last July, a similar “fly-in” took place, with over 300 international activists arriving in Israel, and 120 detained. Continue Reading »

PA Governor Blocks Import of Israeli Produce to Shechem

The Palestinian Authority has blocked the import of Israeli produce to Shechem (Nablus).

 

According to a report published by the Bethlehem-based Ma’annews agency, the governor of the PA-controlled city stopped potatoes from entering the local market on Wednesday. The news outlet often serves as a semi-official mouthpiece for the Palestinian Authority.

The move, which prevents Israeli farmers from selling their produce to PA vendors, also prevents PA business people from doing business with Israel – a direct violation of the Oslo Accords and numerous foreign aid initiatives.

The decision was issued in line with a decision made by the PA Agriculture Ministry, according to the report. Continue Reading »

Polish Football Club Brands Anti-Semitic T-Shirts

Anti-Semitic t-shirts are being sold outside the Polish football club, Widzew Lodz; “This is Widzew terrain, entry to Jews is forbidden”

 

Tee shirts with anti-Semitic slogans are being sold outside the Polish football club, Widzew Lodz, Polskie Radio reported on Thursday.

The items have been on sale in a pavilion next to the club’s official shop.

“This is Widzew terrain, entry to Jews is forbidden,” reads the slogan on one Tee shirt.

“Curl hunters,” referring to the side curls of Chassidic Jews, is written on the other, adopting the age-old anti-Semitic slur.

A woman working in the shop told Gazeta Wyborcza daily that such items sell well and make a decent profit, noted Polskie Radio. Continue Reading »

Palestinian Authority blames Gaza for deficit mess

Western-backed PA says it has poured $7 billion to Gaza since Hamas seized control in 2007, blames Hamas for stymieing efforts to balance books

Paying for the upkeep of the Gaza Strip while its political rival actively blocks revenues flowing back is taking its toll on the deficit-racked Palestinian Authority.

Hamas ang Fatah signing the reconciliation Photo: EPA

Hamas ang Fatah signing the reconciliation - Photo: EPA

A barrage of mutual accusations in recent weeks has driven Hamas and Fatah ever further apart as stalled efforts at reconciliation and economic stagnation have jangled nerves on both sides.

Crippling power cuts in the small coastal enclave have only added to the acrimony and lifted the lid on often opaque Palestinian funding. Continue Reading »

Jordan Denies Iraqi Oil Reaching Israel

Jordan is fending off accusations that Iraqi oil is reaching Israel.

Jordanian Media and Communications Minister Rakan al-Majali denied at a news conference with Iraqi journalists Wednesday in Amman that the black gold is being smuggled to the Jewish State.

Oil Tanker in Suez Canal

Oil Tanker in Suez Canal Reuters

The official Jordan News Agency (Petra) quoted al-Majali as saying the claims were unfounded, and aimed at harming Jordan’s claims with Iraq.

He added that the accusations were ‘tantamount to a conspiracy aimed at intimidating’ the Hashemite Kingdom.

“How can oil be smuggled to Israel, while Jordan needs every drop,” he pointed out.

Iraqis have faced some difficulties entering the kingdom recently, both at airports and at the border crossings – a point raised by the media delegation as well. Continue Reading »

Warner Bros. shelves Mel Gibson Maccabee movie

Jewish groups “pleased” at decision to freeze controversial movie project.

 

Warner Bros. has put on hold a controversial Mel Gibson movie project about the Jewish Maccabee revolt in the 2nd Century BC after reading the script by writer Joe Eszterhas, TheWrap has learned.”We are analyzing what to do with the project,” a spokesman for the studio told TheWrap.
Mel Gibson at Cinema For Peace Event
Photo: FayesVision/WENN.com
Jewish groups were outraged after news broke in September that Gibson had reached a production deal with Warner’s to direct the story of Judah Maccabee, whose victory over Greek and Syrian armies is celebrated at Hanukka. One Jewish group called it a moral lapse in judgement.Rabbi
Continue Reading »

Northern border fence subject to grave neglect

Israel remains vigilant vis-à-vis volatile situation in Damascus, but tour along Israeli side of Syrian border reveals outdated fence, defense systems

The defense establishment is on high alert on the northern front, but while Israel remains vigilant as to the developments in Syria, it seems that the massive deployment of advanced defense systems on the southern border, has yet to echo through to its northern counterpart.

The majority of the northern border fence, Ynet learned Thursday, has been grossly neglected and has not been renovated since 1975.

רווח מסוכן בין הכביש לציר הטשטוש שגרם לתאונות (צילום: יואב זיתון)

Rickety roads - Photos: Yoav Zitun

The defense establishment began upgrading the border with Syria after the events of the 2011 Nakba day, which saw the part of the fence bordering with Majdal Shams compromised. Continue Reading »

Hundreds of police to await ‘fly-in’ activists at terminal

Massive contingent of police and special forces will attempt to block entry of pro-Palestinian ‘fly-in’ activists on Sunday; activists say airport has no authority to deny them entry.

Hundreds of police and special forces will converge on Ben-Gurion Airport to block the entry of pro-Palestinian activists on Sunday, but human rights activists say the airport has no authority to deny entry to anyone intending to visit the Palestinian territories.

Flytilla - Milrod - 12.4.12

Police preparing for the 'flytilla' at Ben Gurion Airport - Photo by: Moti Milrod

Hundreds of police officers, most of them in plainclothes and unarmed, will await the so-called fly-in at Ben-Gurion on Sunday, while special forces will deploy outside the terminal.

Continue Reading »

Kosher Food Being Served at White House is ‘Insulting’?

MJ Rosenberg, a leftist who was recently ousted from his position at Media Matters, says White House’s serving kosher food is ‘insulting’

 

MJ Rosenberg, the radical leftist who was recently ousted from his position at Media Matters for America, is now writing a blog where he continues to propagate his anti-Israel and anti-Jewish views.

He wrote on Monday that the most “ridiculous (and insulting) White House pander came at Hanukah” when kosher food was served at a high-profile event.

He references a New York Times article, which describes “A Lubavitch SWAT team” expunging the kitchen of all traces of non-kosher food, and proclaims that such actions are merely attempts at appeasing Jewish voters, while treating them as if they “just arrived from Poland or Russia.” Continue Reading »

Abdullah seeking divorce from Palestinians

Analysis: Jordanian King Abdullah wishes to finish what his late father King Hussein began – full separation from the Palestinians.

Photo: REUTERS

King Abdullah is seeking to complete the divorce proceedings between Jordan and the Palestinians which his late father, King Hussein, began in 1988.

The separation began in July that year, a few months after the eruption of the first intifada.

King Abdullah of Jordan - Photo: REUTERS

King Abdullah of Jordan - Photo: REUTERS

King Hussein realized back then that it was not in the interest of his kingdom to maintain a linkage to the West Bank, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.His biggest fear was that the intifada would spill over into Jordan, where the Palestinian majority would rise against his monarchy.

Continue Reading »

U2 frontman Bono spotted in Israel

Lead singer of Irish rock band seen in Jaffa as part of what appears to be private visit in Israel

U2 frontman Bono is currently in Israel in what appears to be a private visit, Ynet has learned. Irish singer Paul Hewson, AKA Bono was spotted chatting with five friends at a restaurant in the Jaffa Port on Monday.

Bono’s visit in Israel has been kept under wraps and the media was not informed of his arrival.

בונו בביקור בנמל יפו. תמונות ראשונות

Bono in Jaffa. Private visit - Photo: Jackey Yaakov

This is not the singer’s first visit in Israel. In 1997, he visited the country together with U2 for one concert in Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park. Continue Reading »

Israeli Arab MK threatens to file libel suit against envoy to U.S.

In letter of complaint, Ahmed Tibi criticizes Michael Oren for claiming the United Arab List-Ta’al MK supports suicide bombings, demands retraction.

Israeli Arab MK Ahmed Tibi submitted an official complaint to the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, following an article by Israel’s envoy to the U.S. Michael Oren, according to which Tibi had retained his position as deputy Knesset speaker despite his support of suicide bombers.

tibi - Moti Kimche - February 15 2011

MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta'al) - Photo by: Moti Kimche

In an article published last week in the Foreign Policy magazine, titled “Israel’s Resilient Democracy,” Oren claimed that Israel’s Arab citizens enjoyed equal rights, and that Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion emphasized that Arab citizens must be allowed to vote and be elected to the Knesset.

Continue Reading »

Israel, Lebanon navy increase cooperation in Mediterranean

Lebanese navy has been helping the IDF drive away boats that approach the Israeli border, as Israel Navy prepares for possible altercations on upcoming Nakba Day.

The Israel Navy has recently strengthened its cooperation with the Lebanese Navy in the Mediterranean, as it prepares for possible pro-Palestinian flotillas to Gaza on Nakba Day this month.

Israel Navy ships on the northern border with Lebanon

Israel Navy ships on the northern border with Lebanon - Photo by: Hagai Fried

According to Israel Navy officials, the indirect cooperation between the Israeli and Lebanese navies has increased.

On Land Day last month, when hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets to protest the loss of Arab lands in the Galilee, the Lebanese army increased its naval operations and barred any ship from approaching the maritime border with Israel, to prevent any possible provocations.

Continue Reading »

Former US Official: Pollard May Yet be Released

Former US undersecretary of defense Lawrence Korb says Jonathan Pollard may yet be released, perhaps in June.

Former undersecretary of defense Lawrence Korb said Tuesday that convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard may be released soon.

“Given Jonathan’s deteriorating health they may consider clemency,” Korb said in remarks that contradicted reports that Pollard’s release was were baseless. “There is a chance.”

Korb also rejected that US President Barack Obama’s silence on an emergency plea for Pollard’s release from Israeli President Shimon Peres on humanitarian grounds was a definite “no” on clemency for Pollard.

“Obama didn’t respond to a letter sent by Prime Minister Netanyahu over a year ago, either, to my knowledge,” Korb said. Continue Reading »

Lebanese targets fair game in future Hezbollah war

Defense officials: It was a mistake not to have said this during the Second Lebanon War in 2006; IDF has significantly boosted its ‘target bank,’ which is now said to contain thousands of Hezbollah targets.

 

Israel will attack Lebanese government targets during a future war with Hezbollah, senior defense officials said amid speculation that a war could erupt in the North following a future strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

“It was a mistake not to attack Lebanese government targets during the [Second Lebanon] War in 2006,” a senior defense official explained. “We will not be able to hold back from doing so in a future war.”

Continue Reading »