Israel News for October 10, 2016

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Terror in Jerusalem
A terrorist opened fire near a Jerusalem police station on Ammunition Hill yesterday and then continued shooting at people as he fled from police toward the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem. He killed a police officer and a 60 year old woman and wounded six others before being killed by police.

The terrorist was a 39 year old resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan and an Israeli citizen. He had been arrested several times and served jail time in the past, and was scheduled to return to jail on the day of the attack to serve a four month sentence for hitting a police officer. Hamas claimed the terrorist as “one of ours” and circulate a photo of him wearing a Hamas scarf while holding a picture of Hamas’s spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. His daughter praised her father’s actions in a video released shortly after the attack.

There were celebrations in the aftermath of the attack in the Gaza Strip and the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, where candy and baklava was distributed to people on the street. Palestinian media outlets reported that those handing out the sweets were the terrorist’s own family members, who own a sweetshop in the Old City of Jerusalem.  

Security forces clashed with violent demonstrators throughout East Jerusalem and arrested dozens of terror suspects.

The police officer killed in the attack was 29 year old First Sergeant Yossi Kirma from Mivaseret Zion, who served in a special anti-terror unit and received a decoration for preventing a stabbing attack last year. He is survived by his wife, his parents and two siblings.

The woman killed was Levana Malihi, 60, a grandmother and former longtime employee of the Knesset who retired in 2010. She is survived by her husband, three children and six grandchildren.

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said in the aftermath of the attack, “We will not bow. We will continue to live our lives, despite the uncompromising war on terror and wild incitement. I praise our security forces that acted immediately, got to the terrorist and neutralized him. I want to congratulate them for the holy work they perform year-round, especially during the holiday period.”

The U.S. State Department condemned the attack saying, “The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack that took place today in Jerusalem, which resulted in the death of two Israelis and injured several others. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and our hopes for a quick and full recovery for those wounded. There is absolutely no justification for the taking of innocent lives. We also condemn the statements glorifying this reprehensible and cowardly attack.”

For further reading click here.

Dimona Renaming
PM Netanyahu has announced that he will rename the Dimona nuclear reactor in memory of Shimon Peres. He said, “Shimon Peres worked hard to establish this important facility, a facility which has been very important for Israel’s security for generations. I believe that it is proper and fitting to name the facility after him.”

For further reading click here.

Ethiopian Aliyah Resumes
After years of waiting to come to Israel, the 9,000 Falash Mura Jews of Ethiopia have began their Aliyah. The first 63 immigrants arrived in Israel yesterday, and will be followed by about 100 each month.

The Falash Mura claim links to descendants of Jews who converted to Christianity generations ago but now seek to return to Judaism. The Interior Ministry accepts them as immigrants under the Law of Return, although they are not recognized as Jewish by the rabbinate and will have to convert to Judaism in Israel.

Over 135,000 Jews of Ethiopian descent currently live in Israel.

For further reading click here.

Disarmingly Powerful
This isn’t directly Israel related but it is such an unusually powerful Holocaust related video that we thought we should share it with you. The video is of an American reality TV show in 1953 called “This Is Your Life”, and the star of the episode is a young Holocaust survivor. It brings home the reality of the Holocaust in a disarmingly casual way that results in an extremely powerful experience.

To watch the video click here.

Israel News for October 7, 2016

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Annex Territories
Speaking at a Jerusalem conference in memory of Hanan Porat, one of the original leaders of the Gush Emmunim settlement movement, Education Minister Naftali Bennett declared that Israel should annex Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

Bennett said, “On the matter of the Land of Israel, we have to move from holding action to a decision. We have to mark the dream, and the dream is that Judea and Samaria will be part of the sovereign State of Israel. We have to act today, and we must give our lives. We can’t keep marking the Land of Israel as a tactical target and a Palestinian state as the strategic target.”

Today Bennett tweeted that when he said “give our lives” he really only meant to “make a great effort for the cause.” But he did not walk back any of his comments about annexation or his critique of PM Netanyahu’s backing of a two-state solution.

In his speech Bennett said, “Like Hanan (Porat) said, we have no right to divide the land. Not with words, not with actions, not by silent acquiescence, not with quiet excuses. Not by politicians and not by jurists. The path of concessions, the path of dividing (the land), has failed.”

Bennett also spoke out against the Supreme Court decision to evacuate the settlement outpost of Amona, and promised to work for a solution that would avoid evacuating the settlement.

For further reading click here.

Gaza Rockets
The second rocket fired from Gaza in a 24 hour span exploded in an open area in Israel yesterday. The Salafist group Ahfad al-Sahaba knaf Bayt al-Maqdis, which has sworn allegiance to Islamic State, claimed responsibility for the rocket fire. The group said the shooting was carried out as “part of the consistent jihad against the Jews” and following the arrest of four of its operatives by Hamas a few days ago.The IDF responded with tank fire into Gaza.

In the aftermath of the rocket fire, Defense Minister Lieberman stated yesterday that he had “no intention of launching a military operation.” He said, “At the same time, we won’t tolerate any firing and any provocation from anyone against citizens of Israel or violating the State of Israel’s sovereignty. No shooting and no flotilla.”

Lieberman reiterated that Israel holds Hamas responsible for all attacks emanating from Gaza. He said, “Hamas rules the strip with a firm hand, and when it wants to attain something or prevent something, it knows how to do that. So on the matter of various rogue elements: They can try harder.”

For further reading click here.

Abbas Close Call
The 81-year-old Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, underwent an emergency heart procedure yesterday after suffering exhaustion and chest pains, but was given a clean bill of health and walked out of the hospital, waving to well wishers.

Abbas has recently come under heavy fire for attending the Shimon Peres funeral. Despite his age, he has not appointed a successor, which could lead to a serious power struggle if he is incapacitated. The most popular potential successor, Marwan Barghouti, is serving multiple life sentences in an Israeli prison for his role in deadly attacks on Israelis. There’s also the possibility that Hamas could step in and take control.

For further reading click here.

Synagogue Revival
Tel Aviv has over 500 synagogues, but over the past 20 years, many of them have ceased to function or have been closed down due to a significant drop in the religiously observant population of the city. But a surge of French immigrants to Tel Aviv is changing that situation in a big way.

Between 80 and 90% of the news immigrating from France are either Orthodox or traditionally observant, and they are settling in the center of Tel Aviv in great numbers. That means they need places to pray, so they’re reopening or revitalizing dozens of closed or non-functioning synagogues — bringing them back to life. They’re also causing a surge in Kosher restaurants in Tel Aviv’s trendiest parts.

To read more about this exciting development, click here.

Secret Tailor
The Mossad, Israel’s version of the CIA, is looking for a new agent with a very special skill set: sewing. Yup, the Mossad is looking to recruit a tailor. Here’s the job description: “Hiring an expert in cloth and design to sew unique leather clothes. At least 3 years of experience in sewing leather and other materials is required. Candidate MUST have studied design. Candidate MUST have: good technical understanding, ability to work independently, a willingness to learn new things, creativity, vision, and think out of the box.”

In previous years the Mossad has posted wanted ads for an expert carpenter and a used car salesmen. So you don’t need to be a commando or computer whiz to serve your country after all. But are there still any Jewish tailors?

For further reading click here.

Israel News for October 6, 2016

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Airstrikes Hit Gaza
Israel launched five separate airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza in retaliation for yesterdays rocket attack on Sderot. One airstrike hit a Hamas outpost in the southern city of Khan Yunis while another three hit Gaza City. The last one hit Hamas in the northern part of the Strip. IDF artillery also hit targets in Gaza.

For further reading click here.

Israeli Pilot Killed
Israeli Air Force F-16I pilot Capt. Ohad Cohen Nov was killed today while attempting to eject from his plane shortly before landing at the Ramon Airbase in the Negev. His navigator managed to eject and was lightly wounded. The aircraft was returning from a reprisal raid in Gaza.

According to the preliminary investigation, the aircraft began experiencing technical difficulties upon its return, leading the pilot to fly another circle above the base prior to landing in an effort to remedy the problem. After it became clear that his efforts were insufficient, he decides to abandon the plane.

In accordance with the standard procedure and the automatic mechanisms in the ejection system, the navigator managed to eject from the plane, sustaining light injuries. The pilot’s ejection was supposed to occur seconds later but, for reasons which are yet to be fully determined, he did not manage to implement the ejection and at a critical moment the jet crashed and burst into flames.

Investigators believe that the plane experienced a weight imbalance prior to landing, which caused the malfunction.

Capt. Ohad, 34, had become deputy commanded of his F-16I squadron, known as the Bat Squadron, just last week. He is survived by his pregnant wife, Shahar, and a young daughter.

One of his fellow pilots said, “He was a person of gold. He was happy, funny, and had a good heart. He was always nice and courteous and smiling. He loved challenges and was an excellent pilot. He had everything.”

Capt. Ohad Cohen Nov’s funeral will be held on Friday at Mazor, the moshav in central Israel where he lived.

May his memory serve as a blessing for us all.

For further reading click here.

Israel and US Clash
Last week Israel approved the construction of 98 new housing units and up to 200 additional units in the settlement of Shvut Rachel near Shilo (Samaria-West Bank) to provide housing for the residents of the Amona outpost which is due to be dismantled. The settlement of Shvut Rachel has a population of around 100 families and was founded in 1991 in memory of the victims of a terrorist attack on a bus.

Yesterday the US State Department and the White House lashed out harshly against the decision. The State Department statement, signed by deputy spokesman Mark Toner, stressed that the U.S. views advancement of the plan as a violation of a commitment by Netanyahu’s government not to establish any new settlements in the West Bank.

The statement said, “Proceeding with this new settlement is another step towards cementing a one-state reality of perpetual occupation that is fundamentally inconsistent with Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state. Such moves will only draw condemnation from the international community, distance Israel from many of its partners, and further call into question Israel’s commitment to achieving a negotiated peace.”

The statement also connected the issue to the new military aid package recently agreed upon and the death of Shimon Peres saying, “It is deeply troubling, in the wake of Israel and the US concluding an unprecedented agreement on military assistance designed to further strengthen Israel’s security, that Israel would take a decision so contrary to its long term security interest in a peaceful resolution of its conflict with the Palestinians. Furthermore, it is disheartening that while Israel and the world mourned the passing of President Shimon Peres, and leaders from the US and other nations prepared to honor one of the great champions of peace, plans were advanced that would seriously undermine the prospects for the two-state solution that he so passionately supported.”

Later in the day White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, “We had public assurances from the Israeli government that contradict this new announcement – so when you talk about how friends treat each other – this is also a source of concern. There is a lot of disappointment and great concern here at the White House.”

The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a statement defending the decision to construct the new housing units, saying, “This housing will be built on state land in the existing settlement of Shilo and will not change its municipal boundary or geographic footprint. The units are intended to provide a housing solution for the residents of Amona who must leave their homes in accordance with the demolition order issued by Israel’s High Court of Justice.”

The Foreign Ministry added that Israel remains committed to the two-state solution, “in which a demilitarized Palestinian state recognizes the Jewish state of Israel. The real obstacle to peace is not the settlements – a final status issue that can and must be resolved in negotiations between the parties – but the persistent Palestinian rejection of a Jewish state in any boundaries.”

A spokesman for the residents of Amona has rejected the new construction plan and any attempt to transfer the outpost’s residents under any circumstances.

For further reading click here.

To read about the reaction of the Amona residents, click here.

Navy Boards Boat
A boat carrying 13 female activists that set sail from Barcelona last week in an attempt to break the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza was stopped and boarded by the Israeli navy around 35 miles off the coast. There was no resistance or injuries reported, and the boat was escorted to the Port of Ashdod.

The boat was sponsored by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a group of pro-Palestinian groups based mostly in Europe. The Dutch-flagged boat was carrying 13 female activists from different countries headed by Mairead Maguire, an Irish Nobel Peace Prize laureate. A retired US colonel and former South African Olympic athlete were also on board, along with women from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Russia and Malaysia.

Zaher Darwish, one of the coordinators of the flotilla, said the boat not carrying any aid and that the goal was purely “symbolic” — to call attention to the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza, which he called illegal.

For further reading click here.

Medical Breakthrough
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a new form of treatment that fixes the impaired gene that causes Alzheimers. Trials performed on mice were successful. The treatment takes a new approach; targeting the APOE gene. The gene has two forms: a healthy form called APOE3 and a disease-related pathological form called APOE4. The researchers at TAU have developed an approach that will convert the bad form into the good form.

According to research team leader Professor Daniel M. Michaelson, Director of the Eichenbaum Laboratory of Alzheimer’s Disease Research and incumbent of the Myriam Lebach Chair in Molecular Neurodegeneration at TAU’s Faculty of Life Sciences, “APOE4 is a very important and understudied target. It is expressed in more than 60 percent of Alzheimer’s patients. Anti-APOE4 treatments are thus expected to have a major impact on the patient population.”

For further reading click here.

Israel News for October 5, 2016

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Rocket Hits Sderot
A rocket fired from Gaza landed and exploded next to an elementary school in the southern city of Sderot at 10:19 this morning. The kids were at recess and ran to the bomb shelter when the sirens sounded. No injury or damage was directly caused by the rocket, although two people were treated for shock. IDF tanks responded by hitting Hamas targets in Gaza.

For further reading click here.

Talks of Unity
Sources have confirmed that talks to bring the opposition Zionist Union party into the government are in full swing, again. According to a report confirmed by Haaretz, the center-left Zionist Union party will join PM Netanyahu’s Likud-led government in exchange for eight ministerial portfolios, including the highly coveted Foreign Ministry.

Opposition leader Isaac Herzog has vehemently denied the report, calling it “baseless”, and saying that there have been no contacts with Likud over the Rosh Hashanah holiday as the report claimed. Likud also officially denied the report. But sources “in the know” claim that a new government could form within a month when the Knesset returns from its summer recess.

Herzog is reportedly trying to woo Tzipi Livni into the unity government by offering her the Foreign Ministry, while he would become Deputy Prime Minister, chief negotiator and Minister of Regional Development.

Bringing the Zionist Union into the government would free PM Netanyahu from pressure coming from the more extreme right wingers in the government, as well as from the Ultra-Orthodox parties. It would also show the international community that Israel is more willing to negotiate a peace agreement with the Palestinians, which would also help avert any potential Israeli-Palestinian related UN resolution that US President Obama might want to push through before leaving office.

For further reading click here. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.745698

Defense Contract
Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. announced today that its US subsidiary Elbit Systems of America LLC has received a $7.3 million contract to supply the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Gunner’s Hand Station to the US Army. The Defense Logistics Agency sole-source contract will be performed during a two-year period with work being completed in Fort Worth, Texas.

For further reading click here.

Nature Break
A good number of Israelis decided to say their prayers on the second day of Rosh Hashana out in nature. According to the Nature and Parks Authority (NPA) around 100,000 citizens visited the country’s nature reserves and national parks yesterday. Kite flying was particularly popular, as 2,000 people participated in NPA organized kite flying activities in various locations. Over 50,000 people visited the Kinneret, with around 16,000 filling the lake’s 15 beaches.

For further reading click here.

Fast Day
According to Jewish tradition, today is the Fast of Gedaliah, on which we refrain from eating and drinking from dawn until sunset and we try to engage in repentance and spiritual pursuits. The reason for the fast has nothing to do with helping you shed the pounds you put on from all that Rosh Hashana feasting. It has a historical basis.

After the Babylonians destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 423 BCE and exiled tens of thousands of Jews, they appointed Gedaliah ben Achikam as governor of the remaining Jews in Israel, of which there were a significant number. Jews who had taken refuge in surrounding lands herd of his appointment and returned to Israel. While they were still under Babylonian control, the Jews were still able to enjoy a good degree of autonomy under their Jewish governor and government.

But of course, not all Jews were satisfied. Extremists viewed Gedaliah as a collaborator with the Babylonians and as an illegitimate leader. Ishmael ben Netaniah, the leader of the “opposition”, brought a group of ten men to ostensibly celebrate the Rosh Hashana holiday with Gedaliah, but assassinated the governor instead. His men also killed the governors Babylonian military contingent. Fearing lethal retribution, most of the remaining Jews in Israel fled to Egypt, extinguishing the last vestige of Jewish autonomy in Israel until the return of the exiles nearly 70 years later.

While on the grand scale of Jewish suffering throughout history the murder of Gedaliah seems almost insignificant, the fact that our Sages instituted a fast day to commemorate the event teaches us an important lesson about Jewish unity and what can happen when we fight amongst ourselves. It’s a lesson that we need to internalize now more than ever.