Netanyahu to call on Abbas to return to the negotiating table

The Israeli premier will stress willingness to resume talks immediately, in a letter responding to the Palestinian president.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to send a letter to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in which he will call on him to return to the negotiating table promptly and without preconditions.

Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu, AP

Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem - Photo by AP

A senior Israeli official said the letter would be a response to a similar communiqué Abbas plans to relay to Netanyahu in the upcoming days.

The Israeli message will stress, among other diplomatic statements, the Israeli willingness to resume the talks that took place in the Jordanian capital Amman, under the aegis of the Jordanian king and the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers.

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IDF Shoots, Kills Terrorist Near Gaza Border

An IDF force shoots and hits a terrorist who was crawling towards Israel’s border with Gaza.

An IDF force shot and killed a terrorist near the security fence in northern Gaza on Tuesday night.

The force, which was conducting routine activity along the border fence, identified a suspicious man crawling toward the border. The force fired a tank shell at the terrorist and the IDF Spokesman said, according to a report on the Ma’ariv newspaper’s website, that the suspect was hit.

Over the past week, terrorists have tried to carry out several attacks. The IDF has foiled them.

On Saturday, an IDF unit identified a terrorist near the central section of the security fence separating Gaza from Israel. Continue Reading »

Clinton: Unilateral Israeli strike on Iran is in no one’s interest

In an interview with ABC, U.S. Secretary of State says Washington working closely with Israel ‘on all level.’

 

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told ABC news on Tuesday that a unilateral Israeli strike on Iran is “not in anyone’s interest.”

Hillary Clinton - 16.11.11 - Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - Photo by: Reuters

“The U.S. has “worked very hard with Israel on all levels from the military, intelligence, strategic, and diplomatic level to make sure we were sharing information,” she said. “It’s our very strong belief, as President Obama conveyed to the Israelis, that it is not in anyone’s interest for them to take unilateral action.” Continue Reading »

Foreign Ministry Seeking Justice for Jewish Refugees

Israel says its time the Arab League accepted historic responsibility for the injustice done to 850,000 Jews its members robbed, expelled.

Israel’s foreign ministry on Tuesday announced it will launch an international awareness campaign highlighting the historic injustice done to Jews from Arab countries.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon - IDC Herzliya

Following the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948 numerous Arab countries expelled their Jewish citizens and seized their assets – forcing them to become refugees in Israel.

Foreign ministry officials note that 850,000 Jewish refugees lost billions of dollars in assets and were forced to begin anew in Israel with only what they could carry on their backs. Continue Reading »

Health Ministry: Beware of ‘Honey Sex’

Product found to include sildenafil – which is the active ingredient in Viagra.

Honey Sex

Honey Sex - By Courtesy Health Ministry

While everyone has heard of “the birds and the bees,” the Health Ministry has discredited “Honey Sex” – honey sold in pharmacies and natural food stores that claims to improve sexual pleasure.

The ministry’s Pharmaceutical Crime Unit became aware of the illicit, unapproved claim and sent the honey to its Jerusalem lab. Contrary to the label that says it contains “natural ingredients only,” the honey was found to include sildenafil – which is the active ingredient in Viagra, the prescription-only drug for erectile dysfunction.
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Int’l Criminal Court rejects investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes

 

Since Palestine is not a full UN member state, The Hague says it cannot investigate misdeeds committed there

The International Criminal Court on Tuesday rejected a Palestinian petition to prosecute Israel for alleged violations in the West Bank and Gaza because Palestine is not a full member state of the United Nations.
The International Criminal Court (CC-BY Jemimus, Flickr)

The International Criminal Court (CC-BY Jemimus, Flickr)

While pro-Israel advocates hailed the decision as a victory in the arena of “lawfare,” the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem greeted it with a lukewarm response.

A few days after Operation Cast Lead, in early 2009, Palestinian Justice Minister Ali Khashan wrote to the International Criminal Cour asking it to investigate Israel’s conduct in the West Bank and Gaza. 

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Lieberman to propose new Druze village

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said while touring the north that he would find a solution to the housing shortage faced by the Druze sector, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.

Avigdor Lieberman Photo: Reuters

Avigdor Lieberman - Photo by Reuters

Lieberman met with the representatives of the Druze and Circassian councils and announced that he intends submit a proposal for the government’s consideration to build a new town for the Druze community.

According to the minister, his proposal will mandate the World Zionist Organization’s Settlement Division to devise a plan for the construction of the town, which is expected to house at least 500 families. The measure would be financed by the State’s long-term initiative to invest in Druze and Circassian settlement. Continue Reading »

Illegal exodus: Israel authorities seize remains of ancient Egypt coffin

Israel Antiquities Authority says two thousands-of-years-old decorated wooden coffin lids were smuggled into Israel via Dubia and Europe.

 

The lids of two lavish ancient ritual coffins were seized in Israel after being smuggled from Egypt via Dubai, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said on Tuesday.

In an announcement released just days before the celebration of Passover – marking the Israelites Exodus from Egypt – the IAA indicated the rare artifacts were uncovered a few months ago during a raid of antiques shops in Jerusalem’s Old City.

The wooden lids are coated with plaster and decorated with paintings and hieroglyphics; a carbon-dating examination by IAA officials determined that the artifacts were indeed authentic, with one dating to sometime between the 10th and the 8th centuries B.C.E.

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Israeli-US Air, Naval Forces Train for Energy War

Israeli, Greek and U.S. militaries are in an exercise in preparation for a possible war over Israel’s huge off-shore gas discoveries.

 

Israeli, Greek and U.S. forces are in the midst of a drill in preparation for a possible war over Israel’s huge off-shore gas discoveries, which also may contain commercializable oil. Lebanon and Hizbullah have claimed the fields are in Lebanese territory and that they will “defend” the area against drilling by Israel.

The week-long drill is simulating air-to-air combat and anti-submarine warfare and is taking place off the coast of Turkey, possibly signaling it not to interfere with Israeli energy operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Continue Reading »

PA arrests another reporter over Facebook post

Tarek Khamis accused of criticizing the PA’s current clampdown on Palestinian journalists in the West Bank.

Palestinian Authority security forces in the West Bank Sunday night arrested another Palestinian journalist for posting a critical comment on Facebook.

Agents belonging to the PA’s Preventive Security Service in Ramallah arrested Tarek Khamis, who works for the Palestinian Zaman Press news agency, for criticizing the PA’s current clampdown on Palestinian journalists in the West Bank, a Palestinian journalist told The Jerusalem Post.

PA police stand guard in West Bank - By REUTERS

PA police stand guard in West Bank - By REUTERS

He said that Khamis was taken into custody after he wrote a comment that referred specifically to the recent arrest of female journalist and blogger Esmat Abdel Khalik.She

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Neturei Karta in surprise visit to south Lebanon

Two US rabbis visit former synagogue, cemetery in Sidon donning Palestinian keffiyehs

Residents of Sidon in southern Lebanon were surprised on Monday to see two rabbis touring Jewish sites in the city’s old quarter, an AFP journalist said.

Neturei Karta members during Land Day march Photo: Reuters

Neturei Karta members during Land Day march - Photo by Reuters

The two American members of Neturei Karta – a group of anti-Zionist Jews who believe that the state of Israel should not exist – came to a former synagogue inhabited for decades by families in the “Jewish quarter” where now only the Star of David and Hebrew inscriptions are visible.

“For 40 years we have not seen a rabbi in Sidon. Continue Reading »

Jerusalem Mayor aims to establish new settlement in East Jerusalem

About 200 new homes are being planned for the new neighborhood, known as Kidmat Zion, on a plot of land purchased by U.S. millionaire Irving Moskowitz.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat announced on Monday that he intends to promote the establishment of a new Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem. About 200 new homes are being planned for the new neighborhood, known as Kidmat Zion, on a plot of land purchased by U.S. millionaire Irving Moskowitz, a longtime patron of Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem.

The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis.

The East Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Dis, where the mayor wants to build 200 new homes - Photo by: Emil Salman / Jini

On Monday, Barkat made his intentions known to the three Meretz party members of his city council coalition. Continue Reading »

France Expels Radical Muslims

France is expelling “foreign Islamic radicals” in a new strategy to cope with the growing wave of Muslim terror. The UN has not commented.

France is expelling five “foreign Islamic radicals” in a new strategy to cope with the growing wave of Muslim terror. The United Nations, which frequently has condemned Israel for deporting Arab terrorists, has not commented.

France's Interior Minister Gueant speaks to media meeting with French Muslim leaders

France's Interior Minister Gueant speaks to media meeting with French Muslim leaders - Reuters

The action by France follows the murders of seven people, including a rabbi and three young Jewish children in Toulouse, by Al Qaeda-linked terrorist Mohammed Merah, who was killed in a French police raid on his apartment two weeks ago. Continue Reading »

Shin Bet nabs terror cell behind W. Bank shootings

Members of the terrorist cell included Palestinian Red Crescent workers, Hamas affiliates and an Olympic soccer player; 13 people arrested total for string of shooting attacks near Ramallah.

 

Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances [file] - By Baz Ratner / Reuters

Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances file - By Baz Ratner / Reuters

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) announced Monday that it uncovered and arrested a terrorist cell that was behind a series of shootings in the Ramallah area.The shootings, including one on January 20 near the West Bank town of Amari, caused damage to vehicles but no injuries.

Among those arrested for being part of the cell were employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent in Ramallah.

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Silence in face of hate

Op-ed: Swedish blogger says European society becoming blind to Jew hate, must wake up

It gets dark very early here in Stockholm in the winter. Some young men are crossing the square where some Jews are dancing, speaking in Arabic amongst themselves, perhaps with a Libyan accent. They already know what they plan to do.

I can hear them mentioning Israel. They are looking for trouble. Suddenly one of them approaches a stand with a couple of Israeli flags on it. One grabs a flag forcefully and the other Arab men are following him, running. People pretend like nothing really happened – but it did happen. Continue Reading »