Archive for month: October, 2018

Gaza Updates
An IDF airstrike killed 3 terrorists near Khan Yunis who were spotted placing an explosive device on the Gaza border fence. On Friday, Four Palestinians rioters in their 20s were killed during violent protests at the Gaza border fence. IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that some 16,000 demonstrators attended Friday’s riots, hurling Molotov cocktails, hand grenades and stones at the security forces, and burning tires.

Overnight Friday, 39 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza. In response, the airfare struck 87 targets in Gaza on Saturday morning. Out of the 39 rockets launched into Israel, the Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted 17. Two rockets landed inside the Gaza Strip and the rest landed in open areas in Israel. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the rocket fire and have vowed to avenge the deaths of the 3 terrorists killed near Khan Yunis.

For further reading click here.

Oman Visit
The PM’s office said Friday that the PM has returned from a visit to the Gulf state of Oman, where he joined the country’s leader in the first meeting of its kind in more than 20 years. He had been invited by Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said after lengthy communications. Netanyahu and his wife were joined on the trip by Mossad Head Yossi Cohen, his Foreign Ministry director, and other defense officials. The two leaders issued a joint statement saying the two sides “discussed ways to advance the Middle East peace process and discussed a number of issues of mutual interest to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East.”

Palestinian President Authority President Abbas also paid a three-day visit to Oman earlier this week and Oman’s foreign minister paid a visit to the PA controlled West Bank earlier this year.

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PM Netanyahu announced Sunday that Transportation and Intelligence Minister Israel Katz will embark on a visit to Oman next week. Katz will attend an international transportation conference in Muscat upon personal invitation by his Omani counterpart and the organizers of the conference. This is the first time an Israeli minister has been formally invited to participate in an international conference in Oman.

During the visit, Katz will present the regional transportation initiative, which he is advancing jointly with Netanyahu. The initiative, called “Tracks for Regional Peace,” is aimed at connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf by rail via Israel as a land bridge and Jordan as a regional transportation hub.

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First Time
The Israeli national anthem was, for the first time, played in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), when the Israeli lightweight judoka Sagi Muki won a gold medal at the Grand Slam judo tournaments on Sunday. Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev, who accompanied the team during the competition, wept while she sang the anthem on stage. Three other Israelis won bronze medals yesterday: Gili Cohen, Baruch Shamilov and Timna Nelson Levy.

To watch the emotional video click here. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5382307,00.html

Regev was also given a tour of the grand mosque in the capital, which is the 3rd largest mosque after Mecca and Medina. To watch a video click here.

New Construction
The Construction and Housing Ministry has approved the construction of 20,000 housing units in the city of Ma’aleh Adumim. Initially, 470 housing units will be constructed, with the remainder awaiting government approval. The project is expected to cost NIS 2.8 billion ($756 million).

Construction and Housing Minister Yoav Gallant said that the approval would “lead to significant development and growth in the population of Ma’aleh Adumim.” He said,
“In addition to the new housing units, public and educational institutions will also be established, and will include synagogues, schools, parks, community centers and sports arenas. We must continue to establish [our] hold on the Jerusalem area, from Ma’aleh Adumin in the east to Givat Zeev in the west, from Atarot in the north to the area of Bethlehem and Rachel’s Tomb to Efrat and Gush Etzion.”

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Pittsburgh
Our deepest condolences go out to the families who’s loved ones were murdered in synagogue on Shabbat simply because they were Jews. May their souls find everlasting peace in the special place reserved for those who died for being Jewish (Al Kiddush Hashem). And we pray for the full and speedy recovery of those who were wounded in the horrific shooting attack. May we never again have to mourn the murder of Jews anywhere.

Terror Attack
On Tuesday, terrorists in a moving vehicle opened fire at IDF soldiers at the checkpoint near the city of Halhul in the southern West Bank. The soldiers returned fire at the car. No soldiers were injured. Roadblocks were erected as part of a manhunt for the terrorists.

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Riots and Response
On Tuesday, around 200 Palestinians burned tires and threw explosive devices and stones at Israeli troops east of Deir al-Balah in the southern Gaza Strip. IDF troops responded with riot control measures, as well as sniper fire. The Palestinian health ministry reported that a 17 year old rioter was shot in the head, and several others were wounded in the rioting.

Meanwhile, incendiary balloons flown in from Gaza started a large fire near the Gvaram Forest in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council that destroyed dozens of acres of natural woodland.

At the same time, Israel resumed the supply of diesel fuel to the Gaza Strip after a 12 day stoppage.

For further reading click here.

Last night an IDF force that entered the town of Tammum, between Nablus and Jenin, was attacked by around 50 Palestinian rioters throwing stones and shooting fireworks at them. The soldiers responded with crowd dispersal measures and with live fire. The Palestinians claim that a 21 year old man was fatally shot and at least 5 others were wounded. The IDF is investigating.

During the night, Israeli security forces arrested 16 wanted men in the West Bank suspected of involvement in terror activity, popular terrorism and violent rioting. The IDF also arrested several people suspected of aiding the terrorist who murdered two Israelis in the Barkan industrial zone.

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Lightning Rockets
Security Cabinet ministers told Ynet on Monday the government decided against launching a military operation in the Gaza Strip following the rocket attack because Israeli intelligence determined, with a very high degree of certainty, that the rockets were fired due to a malfunction caused by the lightning storm that raged on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to one minister, there was indication Hamas and Islamic Jihad were embarrassed by the incident and even exchanged accusations before realizing the rocket launches were the result of a malfunction.

For further reading click here.

China Relations
The vice president of China, Wang Qishan met with Palestinian PM Rami Hamdallah and toured the Nativity church in Bethlehem yesterday, as part of his 3 day visit to Israel. Qishan also met with President Rivlin in Jerusalem. The Chinese VP said, “Israel does not have large natural resources, but the miracle of development rests on the tremendous human capital of this nation. Human beings are the most precious asset.” China has been seeking opportunities to invest in Israeli technology companies. Trade between the two countries has also increased.

For further reading click here.

Arms Sale
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a huge deal, worth $777 million, with Indian state-owned company BEL. IAI will supply LRSAM Air and Missile Defense (AMD) systems, the marine version of the AMD system Barak 8, for seven ships of the Indian Navy. This brings sales of Barak 8 in the past few years to over $6 billion.

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Russian Missiles
Russian newspaper Izvestia cited a Russian Defense Ministry official as saying that Russia provided Syria with three S-300 PM-2 anti-aircraft missile systems, which are more advanced than the S-300 system Moscow has recently delivered to Damascus.

According to the report, the S-300 system differs from the S-300 PM-2 system by its cutting-edge radars and advanced ability to identify targets as well as its mobile command center. It was also said that the S-300 PM-2 system is able to handle fifth-generation fighter jets and can intercept not only short-range ballistic missiles, but also medium-range rockets of up to 250 kilometers (155 miles). The system is capable of defeating electronic warfare systems.

Officials from the Russian Defense Ministry denied that Iranian forces are operating the new system.

For further reading click here.

US Embassy
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced yesterday that the US will merge the US Consulate General, which serves Palestinians, with its new embassy into a single diplomatic mission in Jerusalem. He said, “This decision is driven by our global efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations. It does not signal a change of US policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Gaza Strip.” He added, “We will continue to conduct a full range of reporting, outreach, and programming in the West Bank and Gaza as well as with Palestinians in Jerusalem through a new Palestinian Affairs Unit inside US Embassy Jerusalem.”

For further reading click here.

Student Can Stay
The Supreme Court has ruled that Lara Alqasem, the 22 year old American student who was barred from entering Israel to study because of her BDS activity, will be allowed to stay in Israel. Several government ministers harshly criticized the court’s ruling, calling it a victory for BDS.

For further reading click here.

No Assimilation
As part of its campaign for municipal elections in the mixed Arab and Jewish city of Ramle, the Bayit Yehudi party hung banners saying, “Hundreds cases of assimilation and nobody cares—tomorrow it can be your daughter. Only a strong Bayit Yehudi will keep Ramla Jewish.” The anti assimilation banners were called racist by Arab Joint-List candidates, who demanded their removal. Bayit Yehudi issued a statement saying, “The party’s stance regarding assimilation is clear—the Jewish people should preserve its national character, tradition, religion, culture and heritage.”

For further reading click here.

Rocket Hit
A rocket fired from Gaza early this morning hit a two story house in the city of Be’ersheva. Miri Shabita, the owner of the house who was sleeping downstairs, ran upstairs at the sound of the warning sirens and dragged her 3 sleeping children into the home’s bomb shelter just before the rocket hit. The mother, 39, and her 3 children aged 9, 10 and 12 were treated for shock, but were otherwise unharmed. The house was almost totally destroyed. The balcony of the house next door collapsed, and several other homes and parked cars were hit by debris and shrapnel.

The rocket attack came a day before Kamel Abbas, the head of Egyptian intelligence, is due to arrive in Israel to discuss the ceasefire talks with Hamas. After the attack, Hamas and Islamic Jihad released a joint statement in which they said they “oppose rocket fire that hurts the efforts to lift the siege,” and that they “reject all irresponsible attempts that try to change the direction and sabotage the Egyptian efforts, including the overnight firing of the rocket.”

The IDF said, “The rockets that were fired are self-produced and medium-ranged. Only two organizations in Gaza have such rockets: Hamas and Islamic Jihad. It doesn’t matter who fired, Hamas bears the responsibility.”

In response to the attack, IDF planes attacked 20 terror targets in Gaza including Hamas military bases, rocket manufacturing sites, underground infrastructure and terror tunnels. At least one terrorist was reportedly killed in the strikes.

Defense Minister Lieberman ordered the closure of the Kerem Shalom and Erez border crossings and the reduction of the strip’s fishing zone to three nautical miles.

For further reading click here.

Aussie Surprise
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated yesterday that he was open to the idea of moving the Australian embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing the city as Israel’s capital. The move would reverse decades of Australian foreign policy and inflame tension with some of Australia’s Asian neighbors — particularly Indonesia, with which Australia is due to sign a major trade agreement. Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

Morrison’s statement comes four days before a by-election in Sydney at which his center-right coalition runs the risk of losing its tenuous hold on power. The by-election is in the Sydney harborside seat of Wentworth. Census figures show 12.5 percent of people in Wentworth are Jewish, a significantly larger proportion than elsewhere in Australia. Coincidence? We’ll take the move any way it comes about.

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Holocaust Movie
Most of us are well aware of the collaboration with the Nazis by local police forces in Eastern European countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia etc. But most are surprised to hear that the French police engaged in roundups of thousands of Jews in France in 1942, most of whom were then transported to Auschwitz and gassed. The movie La Rafle (The Roundup) dramatically tells the story of the French collaboration. The movie first came out in 2010, but just appeared on Amazon Prime, which is where I discovered it. It is beautifully made, and a must see.

Regarding the French collaboration, it must be noted that unlike what happened in the Eastern European countries, thousands of French non Jews risked their lives to hide Jews and to help in other ways. Thousands of French collaborators were sentenced to death for their crimes after the war. Many were also killed by French civilians.

To see the movie on Amazon click here.