Israel news summary

Israel News for 6-6-18

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Breaking News
IDF troops carrying out a raid to capture terrorists in Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah, were attacked by a mob throwing rocks. According to an IDF spokesman, “One of the Palestinians flanked the troops and hurled the rock, striking a soldier’s head.” The soldier opened fire at the attacker, seriously wounding him. IDF medics attempted to save the wounded terrorist, but he died. An army spokesperson said the incident “is being examined”.

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Kite Terror
An incendiary kite flown from Gaza sparked a major fire in an open field across from the Sapir College in the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council, near the southern city of Sderot, on Tuesday afternoon. Heavy smoke covered the college building as firefighters were dispatched to the area and worked to prevent the fire from spreading to the nearby road and into the college. Fires also broke out in 7 other locations near Gaza from incendiary kites. There were no reports of injuries.

The Defense Minister said that 600 incendiary kites have been launched into Israel from Gaza, of which 400 have been intercepted by the IDF. The other 200 have burned 9,000 dunams of crops and forests. He vowed to take whatever action is necessary to stop the terror.

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European Trip
PM Netanyahu kicked off his 4 day European trip with a meeting in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday. He met with French President Macron in Paris yesterday and is meeting with Britain’s PM May in London today. Netanyahu’s main objective is to highlight Iran’s ongoing terror activities and muster European support against Iran, despite understanding that the Europeans will most likely not join the US in withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal.

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Golan Initiative
Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon endorsed a new plan today to rapidly develop the Golan and raise its population from 22,000 to 100,000 within a decade. The plan, which was written by Deputy Minister Michael Oren, calls for forming an inter-ministerial committee led by Finance Ministry Director-General Shai Babad to improve the quality of life in the Golan and bring more tourists to the area. The idea of building up the Golan has support in both the government and the opposition.

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Soccer Snub
The Palestinian Football Association praised the Argentinian national soccer team for cancelling a scheduled “friendly” game with Israel which was supposed to have been held in Jerusalem this week. The Argentinians were under intense pressure from Palestinians and pro BDS forces to cancel the pre-World Cup practice match. The game was originally supposed to be held in Haifa, but Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev decided to relocate the game to Jerusalem in honor of Israel’s 70th anniversary. Prime Minister Netanyahu briefly addressed the match’s cancellation saying, “We’re moving on, guys.”

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Giuliani Interview
Rudy Giuliani gave an exclusive to Globes yesterday at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in which he spoke candidly about a wide range of issues including the recent embassy move and Trump’s peace plan. To read the interview click here.

Israel news summary

Israel News for 6-4-18

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Terrorist Infiltration
Early today 2 terrorists carrying an axe attempted to cut the border fence and cross into Israel from Gaza. IDF troops arrived at the scene and shot and killed one of the terrorists. The other terrorist was wounded and managed to escape back into Gaza.

Last night, terrorists from Gaza cut through the border fence and infiltrated into southern Israel, where they set fire to a container containing equipment used for the construction of an anti-tunnel barrier along the border. The terrorists escaped back across the border into Gaza. No injuries were reported but significant damage was caused.

Also yesterday, an incendiary kite sent from Gaza started a fire that swept through the Shokeda Forest in southern Israel. PM Netanyahu called for implementing a plan that would allocate compensation taken from Palestinian Authority (PA) funds for Israeli communities bordering Gaza that suffer damage as a result of terror activity from Gaza.

On Saturday night 4 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza. Three out of the four rockets were intercepted by Iron Dome. The Israel Air Force responded to the rockets by attacking Hamas military targets in Gaza.

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Nato Exercise
IDF Paratroopers will participate in a large scale Nato military exercise being held in Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. They will train with the 173rd Brigade of the European Command of the US Army. Soldiers from 10 other countries will also take part in the exercise. Paratroopers will also participate in another exercise that will take place in Eastern Europe.

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Singing Star
Israeli singing star Shiri Maimon confirmed that she will be starring in the hit musical “Chicago” on Broadway, beginning on September 21. She announced the news at a large Israeli celebration at Times Square last night.

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Israel news summary

Israel News for 6-1-18

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Iran Withdrawing
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday that Iranian advisers and Hezbollah fighters will be withdrawing from the southern Syrian regions of Daraa and Quneitra near Israel’s Golan Heights. Israel and Russia have been in constant talks to figure out a way to keep Iran out of the border area. Defense Minister Lieberman visited the Russian Ministry of Defense in Moscow yesterday. One Russian news outlet reported that Russia would like to reach an agreement that would deploy Russian military police and order the pullout of all Iranian forces from the border region. Syrian President Assad has denied that there are any Iranian troops in Syria.

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Gaza Quiet
Israel and Hamas have seemed to enter into a bilateral ceasefire. Israel’s security cabinet agreed on Wednesday night to halt military attacks against Hamas and other terror targets in Gaza after a massive IDF response to the rocket fire from Gaza earlier this week. The IDF will continue building the underground barrier along the Gaza border and will also continue searching for and destroying terror tunnels. Israel is also considered easing some economic restrictions against Gaza.

Meanwhile, terrorists are still sending incendiary kites into Israel, and the Hamas sponsored marches near the border are set to continue, although the numbers of participants is expected to be much lower.

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Security Council
The UN Security Council is expected to vote today on a Kuwaiti sponsored resolution condemning excessive Israeli force against Gaza, while also condemning the firing of rockets from Gaza at Israeli civilian areas. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley blasted the proposal for discussing “excessive” Israeli force while making no mention of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza. She said, “It is a grossly one-sided approach that is morally bankrupt and would only serve to undermine ongoing efforts toward peace between Israelis and Palestinians.” Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon also sharply criticized the proposal. The US is expected to veto the resolution if necessary.

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Palestinian Aid
Yesterday the government unveiled a program to invest massive amounts of funds in Palestinians neighborhoods of east Jerusalem. The program will invest 2 billion shekels, or $560 million, in three core areas: education, infrastructure and helping Palestinian women enter the work force. The money will be spent on a variety of programs, including nine pilot projects, in the coming five years, with the aim of attracting further government and private investment down the road.

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Prison Prayer
The Israel Prison Service (IPS) has acceded to the request of Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef and formulated a procedure that would enable haredi prisoners to pray in suits and hats, as is their normal custom. The prisoners will be able to use their personal clothing until the prison service obtains IPS tasted and approved clothing.

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Israel Parade
The annual Celebrate Israel Parade will march up Fifth Avenue in NYC this Sunday, in celebration of Israel’s 70th birthday. The parade will run between 57th st. and 74th st. between 11am and 4pm. If you’re in the NY area, come out to show your support for Israel. We’ll be there – around 72nd St. – So top by and say hello!

For more info click here.

Whale Visit
A Blue Whale, the largest of the whale species, showed up for an unexpected visit in the Gulf of Eilat and Red Sea this week. It was the first ever documented visit of a Blue Whale in the area. The visitor was around 20 meters long. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature data, less than 12,000 of the whales exist in the world today.

For video and photos click here.