Trump in Israel
President Trump landed in Israel today to click off his 26 hour visit. His flight happened to have been the first direct flight from Saudi Arabia to Israel.
To watch Trump’s arrival click here.
In his greeting remarks, PM Netanyahu called Trump’s visit “truly historic”, saying, “Never before has the first foreign trip of the president of the United States included a visit to Israel.” He then thanked Trump for his “powerful expression of your friendship to Israel.”
President Rivlin said, “Your visit is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between Israel and America. You are the President of Israel’s greatest, most important ally. You are a true friend of Israel, and of the Jewish people.”
He also highlighted the significance of Jerusalem saying, “Mr. President, today I will have the honor to host you in Jerusalem. We are honored to have you here with us, as we mark fifty years of ‘Jerusalem Day’, Yom Yerushalayim. It makes us very happy to know that Israel’s most important ally recognizes the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish People. Jerusalem is the beating heart of the Jewish People: as it has been for 3000 years.”
Here’s Trump’s schedule for the rest of his visit:
Monday – Day 1
1:15pm – Trump and the First Lady will be welcomed by Rivlin and his wife at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. Trump and Rivlin will meet privately and then hold a press conference. Rivlin and his wife will then take Trump and the first lady to the garden at the President’s Residence, where an almond tree was planted to mark the visit. A sign near the tree bears a quote in Hebrew, English and Arabic from the Song of Ascents in the Book of Psalms: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”
2:30pm – Trump will privately visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
3:15pm – Trump, joined by Melania, Jared and Ivanka, will have a private visit to the Kotel, accompanied by the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinovitch. The entire Western Wall plaza will be totally closed off during the visit.
4:45pm – First Lady Melania will join Prime Minister Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, on a visit to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Karem. They will talk with the medical staff and meet with children in the play area for a joint artistic activity.
6:00pm – Trump and Netanyahu will meet privately at the King David Hotel, where Trump and his team are staying.
7:15pm – Trump, Netanyahu and their wives will travel to the Prime Minister’s Residence for dinner, which will be cooked by Israeli chef Moshe Segev. Singer Shiri Maimon will perform two songs, one of them being the Frank Sinatra version of “New York, New York.”
Tuesday – Day 2
10:00am – Trump will visit Bethlehem where he will meet with PA President Abbas.
1:00pm – Trump and Melania will visit Yad Vashem (Holocaust museum and memorial) where Trump will participate in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance. During the ceremony, Trump will rekindle the eternal flame and lay a wreath on a stone slab under which ashes from extermination camps are buried.
The Trumps will be accompanied by Nad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, as well as Prime Minister Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council Rabbi Israel Meir Lau.
1:30pm – Trump will make a speech, concluding his visit.
3:40pm – Trump leaves Israel for Rome.
Trump will be accompanied on his visit by some 1,300 Americans, including security guards, Secret Service, Marines, and his entourage, all of whom will take up almost all of the available rooms in Jerusalem’s hotels. His convoy will include dozens of limousines, trucks and nine helicopters.
For further reading click here.
Josef’s Tomb
Late last night, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee visited Joseph’s Tomb near Shechem (Nablus). The area is under the control of the Palestinian Authority and Jews have restricted access to the holy site.
Huckabee was accompanied by Samaria Regional Council leader Dagan and joined by Dagan’s deputy Davidi Ben-Zion, Bayit Yehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich, GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Roni Numa, Samaria Division Commander Col. Gilad Amit, and the Israel Police’s Judea and Samaria District Commander Moshe Bareket.
Huckabee said, “It’s an amazing experience to have to come to this type of difficulty just to be able to come to a holy site for Jews and frankly even for Christians, who pay tribute to Joseph. To have to do it in the dead of night, under armed guard, with the smell of tear gas in the air, burning tires along the route, it’s a stark reminder (to how different) it is in the heart of Israel, where the Israeli government protects every Muslim that accesses their holy site.”
For further reading click here.
Holy Harvesting
As the harvest festival of Shavuot approaches, dozens of hasidic young men took to the fields to manually harvest wheat that will be used to make the matzo used by the Rebbe of Vishnitz (never to early to prepare for Passover).
To see images of this (unusual) undertaking, click here.
Israel News for May 22, 2017
/by Arnie SingerTrump in Israel
President Trump landed in Israel today to click off his 26 hour visit. His flight happened to have been the first direct flight from Saudi Arabia to Israel.
To watch Trump’s arrival click here.
In his greeting remarks, PM Netanyahu called Trump’s visit “truly historic”, saying, “Never before has the first foreign trip of the president of the United States included a visit to Israel.” He then thanked Trump for his “powerful expression of your friendship to Israel.”
President Rivlin said, “Your visit is a symbol of the unbreakable bond between Israel and America. You are the President of Israel’s greatest, most important ally. You are a true friend of Israel, and of the Jewish people.”
He also highlighted the significance of Jerusalem saying, “Mr. President, today I will have the honor to host you in Jerusalem. We are honored to have you here with us, as we mark fifty years of ‘Jerusalem Day’, Yom Yerushalayim. It makes us very happy to know that Israel’s most important ally recognizes the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish People. Jerusalem is the beating heart of the Jewish People: as it has been for 3000 years.”
Here’s Trump’s schedule for the rest of his visit:
Monday – Day 1
1:15pm – Trump and the First Lady will be welcomed by Rivlin and his wife at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. Trump and Rivlin will meet privately and then hold a press conference. Rivlin and his wife will then take Trump and the first lady to the garden at the President’s Residence, where an almond tree was planted to mark the visit. A sign near the tree bears a quote in Hebrew, English and Arabic from the Song of Ascents in the Book of Psalms: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.”
2:30pm – Trump will privately visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
3:15pm – Trump, joined by Melania, Jared and Ivanka, will have a private visit to the Kotel, accompanied by the Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall Shmuel Rabinovitch. The entire Western Wall plaza will be totally closed off during the visit.
4:45pm – First Lady Melania will join Prime Minister Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, on a visit to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Karem. They will talk with the medical staff and meet with children in the play area for a joint artistic activity.
6:00pm – Trump and Netanyahu will meet privately at the King David Hotel, where Trump and his team are staying.
7:15pm – Trump, Netanyahu and their wives will travel to the Prime Minister’s Residence for dinner, which will be cooked by Israeli chef Moshe Segev. Singer Shiri Maimon will perform two songs, one of them being the Frank Sinatra version of “New York, New York.”
Tuesday – Day 2
10:00am – Trump will visit Bethlehem where he will meet with PA President Abbas.
1:00pm – Trump and Melania will visit Yad Vashem (Holocaust museum and memorial) where Trump will participate in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance. During the ceremony, Trump will rekindle the eternal flame and lay a wreath on a stone slab under which ashes from extermination camps are buried.
The Trumps will be accompanied by Nad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev, as well as Prime Minister Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council Rabbi Israel Meir Lau.
1:30pm – Trump will make a speech, concluding his visit.
3:40pm – Trump leaves Israel for Rome.
Trump will be accompanied on his visit by some 1,300 Americans, including security guards, Secret Service, Marines, and his entourage, all of whom will take up almost all of the available rooms in Jerusalem’s hotels. His convoy will include dozens of limousines, trucks and nine helicopters.
For further reading click here.
Josef’s Tomb
Late last night, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee visited Joseph’s Tomb near Shechem (Nablus). The area is under the control of the Palestinian Authority and Jews have restricted access to the holy site.
Huckabee was accompanied by Samaria Regional Council leader Dagan and joined by Dagan’s deputy Davidi Ben-Zion, Bayit Yehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich, GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Roni Numa, Samaria Division Commander Col. Gilad Amit, and the Israel Police’s Judea and Samaria District Commander Moshe Bareket.
Huckabee said, “It’s an amazing experience to have to come to this type of difficulty just to be able to come to a holy site for Jews and frankly even for Christians, who pay tribute to Joseph. To have to do it in the dead of night, under armed guard, with the smell of tear gas in the air, burning tires along the route, it’s a stark reminder (to how different) it is in the heart of Israel, where the Israeli government protects every Muslim that accesses their holy site.”
For further reading click here.
Holy Harvesting
As the harvest festival of Shavuot approaches, dozens of hasidic young men took to the fields to manually harvest wheat that will be used to make the matzo used by the Rebbe of Vishnitz (never to early to prepare for Passover).
To see images of this (unusual) undertaking, click here.
Israel News for May 19, 2017
/by Arnie SingerPalestinian Lynching
A Jewish man (father of 8) and his wife were driving to their home in Itamar (Samaria) when they stumbled on a Palestinian demonstration (about 200 people) on the main road, Route 60, that passes through the village of Hawara. Palestinians surrounded the vehicle, banged on it and tried to open the doors. The car lurched forward into the crowd. Then a Palestinian ambulance moved in front and blocked the car from moving forward.
As the crowd threw rocks at the car and tried to force the doors open to lynch the passengers, the driver fired in self defense. One attacker was killed and another wounded.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett said, “An Israeli citizen was cruelly attacked by a group of Arab terrorists who threw stones at his vehicle and tried to him. In order to prevent a lynch, he opened fire on his attackers and killed one of them.” He added, “Every one of us, as parents to our children, as citizens, would have acted this way. The Israeli government needs to provide security to Israeli citizens everywhere, including in Samaria and Judea.”
To watch videos of the incident click here.
IDF Prepares
The IDF is preparing for a possible increase in unrest and terror activity in the West Bank during June as a result of the upcoming Muslim holiday month of Ramadan as well as other recent events. The IDF is assigning hundreds of combat soldiers to reinforce existing forces in Judea and Samaria.
For further reading click here.
Trump Video
The White House has released a short video depicting President Trump’s upcoming overseas visits. The video, set to music, features white maps of the various countries Trump will visit. The map of Israel does not include the West Bank (including east Jerusalem) or the Golan. On the flip side it also doesn’t indicate any Palestinian territory or state.
The President’s Israel itinerary does not include a speech as Masada, as was originally planned, because the White House was told that the President’s helicopter would not be permitted to land on the historical site. Instead the President will deliver his speech at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
A White House official has also said that no joint meeting between Trump, Netanyahu and Abbas is planned, although such a meeting will be included in future plans. The official confirmed that Trump has decided not to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, at least for the time being.
PM Netanyahu and Israel’s Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer met yesterday with Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt, to prepare for the upcoming visit.
To watch the video click here.
Massive Sandstorm
A massive sandstorm blew in from Sinai and hit Eilat yesterday, covering the city with sand and dust and shutting down the airport.
To view images click here.
Cheaper Shoes
Israel’s Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon has canceled the 12% customs duty imposed on shoes. Cancellation of the tax will cost the state treasury about NIS 188 million in lost revenues.
Kahlon said, “We are talking about a further step in the implementation of our family tax cut plan. Cancelling the import duties will bring down the price of shoes in Israel and is good news for consumers and families. We see the huge gaps in prices between Israel and abroad, and we are not prepared to reconcile ourselves with them. We will carry on with our policy of cutting import duties in all sectors that will not harm domestic industries. We’ll lower prices for consumers and make life easier for working families.”
New Hamashbir Lazarchan Ltd. (TASE:MSZB) department store chain owner and CEO Rami Shavit said, “From Sunday we will already put down prices even though we paid import duties on the goods currently in the stores. We will sell the new goods that are yet to arrive at even lower prices because of additional cuts. We welcome Kahlon’s measure and are happy that he has cancelled this distortion that for years has harmed our competition with online sales. An average Israeli family today buys 8-14 pairs of shoes per year so this is a major saving on their pockets.”
How about removing import taxes on all clothing to bring prices down?
For further reading click here.
Dog Walking Ban
Hamas has banned dog walking in Gaza. Hamas spokesman and leading religious figure Ayman al-Batniji explained, “In recent weeks, the phenomenon of young men walking with their dogs in the streets has widely spread. It is neither of our culture nor of our traditions. Children and women feel scared when they see dogs.” He added that it is Hamas’ “duty to maintain the safety of citizens.”
The ban reportedly only applies to populated areas such as cities, markets and beaches, while allowing residents to walk dogs in the countryside. No specific penalty has been announced for violating the ban.
Perhaps Hamas is looking to Iran for inspiration? Iran bans keeping dogs as pets outright. The punishment for breaking the ban can entail hefty fines, lashes and also confiscation of the pet, which will subsequently be killed.
For further reading click here.
Kotel Elevator
The Cabinet is expected to approve a plan to build an elevator from the Jewish Quarter in the Old City to the Western Wall plaza. The elevator shaft will be about 108 feet long and will be a Godsend for those who have difficulty walking up and down the massive existing staircase.
It’s about time!
For further reading click here.
Prison Paradise
Former Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger has begun serving his 3 and a half year sentence at Israel’s VIP prison, where former PM Ehud Olmert and other VIP’s are also incarcerated. In a recorded phone conversation Metzger described the wonderful conditions at the “prison”
To read the transcript of the conversation, click here.
Israel News for May 17, 2017
/by Arnie SingerArab Overtures
The Gulf States, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have floated a proposal offering Israel improved relations in exchange for a freeze in settlement construction and easing restrictions on Gaza.
The improved relations would reportedly include the establishment of telecommunications lines with Israel, the approval of Israeli planes to pass through their national air space and the removal of various trade restrictions. One Arab official involved in the initiative was quoted saying, “We no longer see in Israel an enemy but a potential opportunity.”
Could this be part of Trump’s master plan for bringing peace to the region?
For further reading click here.
Haley Speaks
In the aftermath of the incident earlier this week in which a US diplomat in Jerusalem told Israeli officials that the Western Wall (Kotel) was not part of Israel, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley stated her view on the issue in an interview yesterday saying, “I believe that the Western Wall is part of Israel.”
Haley said she wasn’t sure what the official administration policy was on the matter but added, “I think that’s how we’ve always seen it and that’s how we should pursue it. I’m not really sure what happened with that issue but I know that they’re trying to fix that and get that taken care of but you know we’ve always thought that the Western Wall is part of Israel.”
Apparently Haley isn’t the only senior government official who isn’t clear on US policy regarding Jerusalem. During a White House press conference held on Tuesday, National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster avoided answering a question on whether he recognized the Kotel as being part of Israel. He said, “Oh, that sounds like a policy decision, you know—and that’s the President’s intention…The President’s intention is to visit these religious sites to highlight the need for unity amongst three of the world’s great religions.”
White House Spokesman Sean Spicer responded to a question on the matter by saying, “The Western Wall is obviously one of the holiest sites in Jewish faith. It’s clearly in Jerusalem.”
Does anyone know what the policy is?
The fact that the US embassy is still in Tel Aviv and looks like it’ll be staying there says it all. Unless Trump changes it, US policy remains the same as it’s been for decades: the West Bank and east Jerusalem are not officially part of Israel.
For further reading click here.
Intelligence Compromised
According to ABC news, US intelligence officials believe that the classified information regarding ISIS shared by President Trump with the Russian Foreign Minister could jeopardize an Israeli spy embedded within ISIS. The White House is denying that Trump shared any sensitive information.
For further reading click here.
Terrorist Mayor
Fatah representative Taysir Abu Sneineh, who was convicted of being part of a terror cell that murdered six Israelis in 1980, has been elected as the new mayor of Hebron, the largest city in the Palestinian Authority. Abu Sneineh had been in an Israeli prison until he was subsequently released in a prisoner exchange deal.
The new mayor expressed a willingness to work with Israeli authorities in order to provide services for the people of Hebron. He has no regrets for his previous terror activities.
For further reading click here.
Cheaper Taxis
Starting May 30, travelers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport will be able to order a taxi using the Gett app (formerly GetTaxi) and the price will be 30% cheaper than the current rates. Until now only one taxi company had a monopoly on rides from the airport.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for May 16, 2017
/by Arnie SingerKotel Not Israel
According to a Channel 2 news report yesterday, sources close to the Prime Minister asked that Netanyahu and an Israeli TV crew accompany Trump to the Kotel. The Americans (based in the US Consulate in Jerusalem) refused, claiming that the visit was a private one, not an official visit.
A senior US official also said, “This is an area that is in dispute, the Western Wall is not Israeli territory and is located in the West Bank.” This infuriated the Israelis and caused an uproar in the Israeli press.
In response to the comment, a White House spokesman told reporters, “These comments, if true, were not authorized by the White House. They do not reflect the U.S. position, and certainly not the President’s position.”
But the fact of the matter is that, while clearly insensitive, the comments do reflect the US position that east Jerusalem is not officially part of Israel but is disputed territory. That’s why the US embassy isn’t located in Jerusalem and why US administration officials visiting the Kotel on official state visits are never accompanied by Israeli government leaders.
The Trump administration has yet to change that US policy, and apparently isn’t going to. But since Trump is known for his spontaneous statements, you never know what might happen during his upcoming Israel visit.
So while Trump might be the best friend Israel has ever had, and the US continues to defend Israel in the UN, the US policy that considers the Old City and yes, the Western Wall, as disputed territory and not part of Israel remains in place.
For further reading click here.
New Ambassador
President Rivlin today accepted the credentials of David Friedman, the new US Ambassador to Israel. The Israeli president welcomed Friedman, his family, and staff to Israel and congratulated him on his new position saying, “I’m happy to welcome you and your dear wife to Israel, to Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel, and I’m welcoming you, not only as the President of Israel, but also as a Jerusalemite – seventh generation. I know you have been to Israel many times before. But this time you are an ambassador representing the United States of America, Israel’s greatest and most important ally.”
Rivlin also stressed that, “It is time for the whole world to recognize Jerusalem as the official capital of the State of Israel.”
Friedman then headed to his office at the US embassy in Tel Aviv.
To view a video of the ceremony click here.
Time to Kill
Housing Minister Yoav Galant has called for the assassination of Syrian President Assad. He said, “The reality in which people are executed in Syria, being hit deliberately by chemical weapons, their bodies being burned, something we haven’t seen in 70 years, we are crossing a red line and it is time to eliminate Assad, literally.”
For further reading click here.
Rabbinic Conviction
Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, 76, was convicted of issuing fake rabbinic credentials to 1,500 police and security services employees, who used them to apply for pay raises. He was first indicted in 2012. Sentencing has not yet been set.
For further reading click here.
Wrong Turn
An Israeli family of six (parents and 4 kids) were driving in the West Bank (Samaria) on their way to Modiin Illit when got lost and suddenly found themselves driving through the Arab village of Bir Zeit near Ramallah. [It’s a small country, so getting lost and ending up in an Arab village can easily happen.]
In the words of Ayelet Cohen (the mother):
“It was nearly 1am, the kids were asleep in the back seat and the village seemed to never end. At some point, there was no cell reception either. I was terrified the whole time for the safety of the children. We eventually managed to call the police.
“The police told us not to get out of the car and to continue driving back and forth for almost 40 minutes. Inside the car, there was a sense of tension and fear. All of a sudden, four cars came speeding up and blocked the road.
“I was sure they were going to lynch us. A lot of young Arabs came out of the cars and started banging on our car and my husband told them he was on the line with the police. They then opened our car doors and took us to the (Palestinian) police and they spoke Arabic. They took our phones and drove us to the Palestinian police station. At this stage, I had no idea where we were going at all.”
Thankfully, Israeli forces had already contacted Palestinian security forces. The Palestinian police transported the Cohens to a Ramallah checkpoint where they were released back into Israeli territory.
For further reading click here.
Cheap Airfare
Icelandic low-cost airline WOW Air will soon begin flights from Tel-Aviv to Reykjavik for $99 and from Tel Aviv to New York, Boston and Montreal (via Reykjavik) for $149. The fares don’t include luggage, which will cost you about $50 per bag. The fares are also only starting prices, and could be higher depending on the flight date.
Any competition in the Israel flight market that might lower the sky high airfares is welcome.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for May 15, 2017
/by Arnie SingerEmbassy Diplomacy
In anticipation of US President Trump’s visit to Israel on May 22, the Egyptian and Jordanian Foreign Ministers joined with the Secretary of the PLO’s Executive Committee Saeb Erekat to declare that East Jerusalem should be the capital of the Palestinian state. They stressed the two-state solution as the only way to arrive at peace in the region.
The question of whether Trump would fulfill his promise to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem was posed to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson yesterday on the Meet the Press news show. Tillerson replied, “The president I think rightly has taken a very deliberative approach in understanding the issue itself, listening to input from all interested parties in the region in understanding what such a move, in the context of a peace initiative, what impact would such a move have. The president is being very careful to understand how such a decision would impact a peace process.”
When pressed on the issue Tillerson said, “Well, I think it would be informed, again, by the parties that are involved in those talks, and most certainly from Israel’s view, on whether Israel views it as helpful to a peace initiative or perhaps a distraction. It think the president is being very measured as to how he goes about this, and appropriately so.”
In other words, Tillerson said that Israel might be the one who is holding back the transfer of the embassy because it doesn’t view the move as helpful to advancing the peace process.
Reacting to the implication, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement saying, “Israel’s position has been expressed many times to the American administration and to the world … The transfer of the American embassy to Jerusalem not only will not harm the peace process, but will promote it by correcting a historic injustice and by smashing the Palestinian fantasy that Jerusalem is not the capital of Israel.”
Education Minister Naftali Bennett called on Netanyahu to “make it clear that we expect the US administration to transfer the embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty.”
There are no indications that Israel is pressuring or lobbying Trump to keep his promise regarding the embassy. Is it because it understands that Trump has already made up his mind that moving the embassy would not help the peace process at this time, or is it because Netanyahu himself realizes that very same thing?
From Tillerson’s words, it seems like it might be a combination of the two.
For further reading click here.
Terror in Jerusalem
On Shabbat, a 57 year old Jordanian citizen attacked a policeman in Jerualem’s Old City. The terrorist charged at the officer with two knives and stabbed him in the neck and head. The policeman managed to shoot and kill the terrorist.
In response to the attack, the Jordanian government issued a statement in which it, “condemns as heinous the crime committed against the Jordanian citizen and demanded Israel to reveal the full details of the crime.” The statement also said, “The Israeli government, as the occupying power, bears responsibility for the shooting of a Jordanian citizen in the occupied East Jerusalem on Saturday, which led to his martyrdom.”
The Prime Minister’s Office responded, “It is outrageous to hear the support that the Jordanian government spokesman gave to the terror attack. It’s about time that Jordan stops this double game. Just as Israel denounces terror attacks in Jordan, so must Jordan denounce terror attacks in Israel. Terrorism is terrorism, no matter where it is.”
To watch a video of the attack click here.
Party Cancelled
Israel’s new ambassador to Nigeria, Guy Feldman, decided to cancel the embassy’s official Independence Day reception and instead, use the money to help Refugee children in the country.
The ambassador created a soccer league for children in refugee camps as a result of being displaced by the terror group Boko Haram. The embassy bought uniforms and balls and arranged coaches and judges. Ambassador Feldman said, “Our intention was to bring a message of hope to the children, which is also the Zionist message.” He named the league, “Israel cares—Kids’ Football League.”
For further reading click here.
Israel News for May 12, 2017
/by Arnie SingerMoving Right
According to a study just published by a respected Israeli think tank, Israel’s younger population (aged 15-24) is moving to the Right. The study found that 67% of Jewish youth in Israel today define themselves as Right-Wing, while only 16% associate themselves with the Left. Only 40% categorized themselves as secular, while the rest claimed to be religious, including 15% who classified themselves as Haredi (ultra-orthodox).
Most of the young people believe that the number one problem the government must deal with is the cost of living issue. They also are losing trust in the courts, the police, the Knesset and even the IDF.
For further reading click here.
Soccer Vote
FIFA, the international soccer federation, decided to postpone until next year a vote on whether to prohibit Israeli teams based in the West Bank from competing in the international league. FIFA regulations prohibit a member’s association from holding competitions on the territory of another member’s association without the latter’s permission, and the PFA considers the West Bank to be Palestinian—not Israeli—territory.
PM Netanyahu reacted to the decision saying, “We won another victory in Israel’s battle for its international standing. We thwarted an attempt to undermine Israel’s standing in FIFA. This is an important achievement. We will continue to defend the State of Israel and will continue to strengthen our international standing.”
For further reading click here.
Ancient Pigs
Archeologists have recently determined that the ancient Philistines, who migrated to the Israeli coast from the Aegean (Cyprus, Turkey, Greece), brought pigs with them — herds of them. Pigs are easily transportable, as opposed to cows, are low maintenance and provide a tasty meal for those not bound by Jewish law — or Moslem law.
You won’t find many pig farms in the area today, but if you know where to look you can find your swine delights in specialty delis, usually in areas with large Russian immigrant populations.
For further reading click here.
Conversion Bill
The Interior Ministry, headed by former Shas leader Aryeh Deri, has submitted a bill to the Knesset that would require the State to recognize only conversions under the auspices of the Chief Rabbinate.
This would apply to conversions performed in Israel. Conversions performed by Reform, Conservative or Orthodox rabbis abroad are recognized by the State for purposes of the Law of Return. But in order to register for marriage with the Israeli Rabbinate (which is the only way to get married in Israel) the conversion must be performed by an Orthodox rabbi who is on an official Chief Rabbinate list of acceptable rabbis.
In 2016 the Supreme Court ruled that the State must recognize conversion performed in Israel by private Orthodox rabbis. The proposed bill would change that.
For further reading click here.
Kabbalistic Wedding
On Saturday night, hundreds of thousands of Jews will celebrate the “hilullah” of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi), the second century sage who is believed to have authored the Zohar, the cornerstone text of the kabbala (Jewish mysticism), in Meron (near Tzfat), where he is buried. The Aramaic word “hillulah” literally means wedding, but it is used to commemorate the Rashbi’s day of death, during which he is believed to have revealed the deepest secrets of Kabbalah to his close circle of students (a good reason to celebrate).
The day is also Lag B’omer, the 33 day in the traditional counting of the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot. During that time period the 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva (the Rashbi’s teacher) were stricken by a plague and died as punishment for their lack of mutual respect and brotherly love. But on the 33rd day, Lag B’omer, the dying ceased.
The celebration at Meron is highlighted by the burning of a huge bonfire that is lit by many prominent Hassidic Rebbes, with the Boyaner Rebbe leading off the festivities. Thousands of smaller bonfires are also lit in the Meron area and throughout Israel — and barbecue, marshmallows and amores are often not far behind.
It’s also customary for young boys to get their first haircuts at Meron (after letting it grow until age 3), so barbers eagerly join the crowds and do a brisk business — as do vendors of all sorts of cabalistic amulets and charms.
Ten of thousands of people are camping out at Meron for Shabbat. Hundreds of buses carrying thousands more will be making the trek after Shabbat ends. Some rabbis have demanded that the celebration be moved to Sunday night so as to avoid potential desecration of Shabbat by people either traveling to or preparing for the event on Shabbat. But they were ignored. Tradition stands.
Any event that can bring together hundreds of thousands of Jews from different religious walks of life is something to celebrate. May the merit of Rashbi and the Jewish unity at Meron bless Israel and the Jewish People with peace and success.
Israel News for May 10, 2017
/by Arnie SingerEmbassy Staying
According to senior US officials, President Trump has decided to extend the order which prevents the US Embassy in Israel from being transferred from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. That means despite his campaign promises, the embassy will not be moved to Jerusalem. PM Netanyahu has reportedly already been informed of the decision.
Apparently both governments came to an agreement that now would not be the right time to move the embassy. Trump will be visiting Israel on May 22. Last week, Ambassador David Friedman was instructed to hold official embassy events at the ambassadors residence in Hertzliya, even though Friedman will be living in Jerusalem.
For further reading click here.
Terrorists Stopped
A Palestinian teen carrying two pipe bombs hidden in his clothes tried to enter a military court in the Jenin area today. He was stopped at the court checkpoint and when he didn’t have identification, Border Police searched him and discovered the bombs. The explosives were neutralized.
In an unrelated incident, a 30 year old terrorist was firing a gun towards Highway 60 in the Hebron area and was caught on video by a security camera in the area. An hour later security forces identified and arrested him in his home. No one was injured as a result of the gunshots.
For further reading click here.
Pilots Arrested
On Israel Independence Day last week, the Israeli Air Force staged many fly-over exhibitions. During one of them, involving Hercules transport planes flying over the Tel Aviv coastline, the wings of two of the planes touched momentarily. That could have potentially caused a crash. The incident was captured on video and aired by Channel 2 news. As a result the two pilots flying the planes have been arrested and several other crew members have been grounded.
For further reading click here.
Alzheimer’s Breakthrough
Researchers at Ben Gurion University have identified a protein called SIRT6 that is almost completely absent in Alzheimer’s disease patients. They claim that the protein deficiency is likely a contributing factor in the onset of the disease.
The researchers determined that SIRT6 is a key component in the DNA repair process, while low levels of SIRT6 enable DNA damage accumulation.
The body’s failure to implement processes to repair accumulated DNA damage is widely thought to be the cause of conditions associated with aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Deborah Toiber of the BGU Department of Life Sciences, and the lead author of the research paper, said, “If a decrease in SIRT6 and lack of DNA repair is the beginning of the chain that ends in neurodegenerative diseases in seniors, then we should be focusing our research on how to maintain production of SIRT6 and avoid the DNA damage that leads to these diseases.”
Toiber’s lab is one of only a handful worldwide looking at the effects of SIRT6 in the brain, and its connection to neurodegenerative diseases.
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Israel News for May 9, 2017
/by Arnie SingerWild Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Istanbul last night. The meeting came after Erdoğan admonished Israel for its attempt to pass a bill curtailing the Muezzin calls to prayer via loudspeaker, and called for Muslims to go to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the hundreds of thousands to show solidarity with the Palestinians and protect the site’s Muslim character.
According to the Palestinian Ma’an news agency, Hamdallah updated Erdoğan on the Palestinian political situation with Israel and about “Israeli violations.” He also provided details on the ongoing hunger strike of Palestinian security prisoners.
Hamdallah said that Erdoğan “confirmed the necessity of unifying efforts to protect Jerusalem against attempts of judaization,” and that he called on Muslims to increase their visitation to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Erdoğan stressed that the only solution to the Israel Palestinian conflict was to pressure Israel to establish a Palestinian state in the “occupied territories”.
He slammed Israel saying, “Israel keeps getting away from punishment which leads it to escalated aggression against Palestinians,” and that all peace making attempts will fail “unless Israel is held accountable for its crimes.”
After the meeting, Erdoğan spoke with Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Yuval Rotem and Turkish Amassador to Israel, Kemal Okem to “clarify” his comments.
Israel issued an official statement in which it said that it was “worried” about Erdoğan’s anti-Israel statements that, “we don’t want an escalation. We can end this crisis.”
Don’t forget, Israel and Turkey signed a reconciliation agreement last year, normalizing diplomatic and economic relations.
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Embassy Omission
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia posted a State Department video on its website highlighting President Trumps upcoming Middle East trip to Saudi Arabia and Israel. But then it apparently removed the video and posted an edited version which left out any mention of Israel.
Representative Elliot Engel (NY), a senior Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson complaining. In the letter Engel wrote, “At a time when the United States should be encouraging the governments of the region—and their people—to promote tolerance, respect and mutual recognition this video implies that the US accepts Saudi Arabia’s public rejectionist position toward Israel.”
He also wrote, “This video plays into a rejectionist narrative and thus has no place in any social media—or any other form of communication—associated with the United States government.”
The video was subsequently taken down and the original video, including Israel, was reposted.
A State Department official said that the embassy had taken the video from the social media account of a private Saudi citizen without realizing that Israel had been edited out. He said,“Upon learning this, the U.S. Embassy immediately corrected the error, took down the video, and loaded the correct version to its social media accounts. The Embassy expresses its regret for this inadvertent mistake.”
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Abbas Willing
PA President Abbas told reporters in Ramallah today that he would be willing to meet with PM Netanyahu if the meeting was organized by President Trump. He said, “We told him [Trump] that we were ready to collaborate with him and meet the Israeli PM under his auspices to build peace.”
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IDF Shabbat
According to Israeli law, the IDF must observe the laws of Shabbat and Kashrut (kosher), unless there is a pressing military reason not to do so. Religious soldiers on a tank base in the Golan have complained that two weeks ago, on Shabbat, a group of tourists led by an influential tour guide arrived at the base. The base commander, after speaking with the tour guide, ordered a tank to maneuver outside of the base as a show for the tourists. This violates the Shabbat rules.
Also on the same base, all of the Shabbat food was negligently left out and spoiled. So the kitchen staff entered the kitchen, locked the door, and cooked new food — on Shabbat (cooking on Shabbat is prohibited).
One of the religious commanders on the base complained to the base commander and to the base rabbi. The IDF is investigating the incidents.
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Fidget Peace
If you have young kids you know what a fidget spinner is. For those who don’t know, it’s a small propeller-like spinner that kids hold with two fingers and spin. And spin…and spin. Pretty simple concept. The toy is said to apparently reduce stress. It turns out that the inventor, Catherine Hettinger, came up with the idea during a trip to Israel in the 1980s, during the First Intifada, as a way to distract the “young boys throwing rocks at police officers.” She first considered designing a “soft rock that kids could throw,” saying that, “It started as a way of promoting peace.”
Maybe the fidget spinner is the answer we’ve been waiting for to bring peace to the world?
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Israel News for May 8, 2017
/by Arnie SingerTerror Attempt
A 16 year old female Palestinian terrorist, brandishing a knife, charged at security personnel at the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City last night while yelling, “Allahu akbar.” Security forces shot and killed the terrorist.
Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said a knife was recovered from the scene together with a farewell letter from the teenager to her family quoting a verse from the Koran that signed off with the word “shahida”—Arabic for “martyr.” Her wish was granted.
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Hamas Lies
In response to a new charter document released by Hamas last week which implied that Hamas was willing to “agree to a state within the 1967 borders”, PM Netanyahu posted a short video on Twitter dismissing the document as “fake news”.
He said, “The new Hamas document says that Israel has no right to exist, it says every inch of our land belongs to the Palestinians, it says there is no acceptable solution other than to remove Israel… they want to use their state to destroy our state.”
Netanyahu concluded his clip by saying that, “Hamas murders women and children, it’s launched tens of thousands of missiles at our homes, it brainwashes Palestinian kids in suicide kindergarten camps.”
The PM then crumpled up the document and tossed it in a wastebasket.
To watch the video, click here.
Prisoner Snacking
Palestinian terror leader Marwan Barghouti has been leading a highly publicized hunger strike inside the Israeli prison where he is serving 5 life sentences for the murder of 5 Israelis. He launched his hunger strike 3 weeks ago with an op-ed in the NY Times. Hundreds of other Palestinian prisoners joined him. In a video released yesterday, taken by hidden prison cameras, Barghouti is seen eating in his cell.
Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan said in a statement, following the release of the video, “As I said from the very beginning, this hunger strike was never about the conditions of the convicted terrorists, which meet international standards. It is about advancing Marwan Barghouti’s political ambitions to replace Abu Mazen [Abbas].”
He added, “Barghouti is a murderer and hypocrite who urged his fellow prisoners to strike and suffer while he ate behind their back. Just like he lied to the world when he wrote in the New York Times that he decided to strike in order to protest ill-treatment, he lied to the Palestinian public when he claimed to be striking. Israel will not give in to extortion and pressure from terrorists.”
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Lebanon Monument
A cornerstone has been laid for a new monument honoring the members of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) who operated in southern Lebanon in cooperation with the IDF until the IDF withdrew in 2000.
The monument will be erected next to a gate in “the Good Fence” through which IDF soldiers entered Lebanon. The SLA’s fallen will be memorialized there both with a monument and a heritage site with information about it and the cooperation between its members and the State of Israel. Many SLA fighters were given asylum in Israel after the SLA fell and Hezbollah took control of south Lebanon.
Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Yair Golan said that one of the reasons for the monument is “to learn that Jews and Arabs, out of a relationship of equality and dignity, can live together, participate in each other’s family events, and do it with friendship, fraternity and great love.”
The SLA was a Christian militia. That might explain the Jewish-Arab love.
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Israel News for May 5, 2017
/by Arnie SingerIsraeli Law Extended
Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked and Tourism Minister Yariv Levin are promoting an initiative that would apply all Israeli governmental legislation to the West Bank.
Currently, Israeli law does not apply in the territories. Instead, the GOC Central Command, who is the ex officio sovereign in the conquered territory, applies some laws to the Israeli residents by means of military orders. According to the directive promoted by the ministers, every governmental law would automatically become an order issued by the general officer commanding.
Shaked said, “It is impossible to accept a situation in which Israeli law does not address the 430,000 citizens of the State of Israel living in Judea and Samaria. Judea and Samaria are not Israel’s backyard, and from now on (the) ministerial committee will ask to clarify, with respect to every government law at its table, how the initiating ministry intends to treat the settlers.”
Levin said, “The settlement of Judea and Samaria is a fait accompli; it is not a temporary or transitory thing. The time has come for the State of Israel to treat all its citizens equally and apply all the same laws. The measure we are leading will put an end to the blatant discrimination and the disregard by the laws of the State of Israel against the regions of the homeland and the Israeli citizens living there.”
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No German Meeting
According to reports, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has decided not to meet with representatives of Breaking the Silence during his upcoming trip to Israel. While Steinmeier’s office said the president will not meet the left-wing group, he will highlight the organization’s activities and its importance to democracy in a speech at Hebrew University. Steinmeier’s spokesman said that he intends to meet with representatives of other left-wing civil society organizations.
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Holocaust Property
President Rivlin reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to seeking the restitution of Jewish property stolen as a result of the Holocaust. He spoke at a meeting in his residence attended by the German ambassador to Israel, Clemens von Goetze; the European Union’s head of delegation to Israel, Ambassador Lars Faaborg–Andersen; the deputy ambassador of the United Kingdom, Tony Kay; representatives of the US and French embassies; and the French government’s special envoy for restitution, François Croquette. Israeli government ministers and officials also attended.
Rivlin said, “We always say: ‘Crime doesn’t pay.’ But for many people the crimes of the Holocaust did pay. We cannot allow this. The property must be returned. In addition, time is running out. Less than 400,000 survivors are alive today. About half are here in Israel, the other half live around the world—many in the countries represented here.”
Minister for Social Equality Gila Gamliel said, “The Jewish people and the Jewish state have a moral duty to make every effort to return the stolen property of Holocaust survivors. Returning the Jewish property is a complex issue that requires extensive and sensitive international action. Only if the Jewish world will speak with one voice and claim the confiscated property from the victims of the Holocaust will it be possible to work with the different countries to return the stolen property to its rightful owners, and achieve some historical justice.”
At the end of the meeting, the participants joined representatives of the MFA, representatives of the WJRO, and the director general of the Ministry of Social Equality and his staff for the signing of a joint work plan to see the return of Jewish property stolen from the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.
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Soldiers Reprimanded
Last week a Lebanese man was able to cross the border into Israel before being arrested by police at a bus station in Kiryat Shmona. After an investigation by the IDF Northern Command, a battalion commander is to be officially reprimanded, a deputy company commander will be dismissed, and four other soldiers will face disciplinary hearings.
The IDF spokesman said, “The lessons of the incident will be transferred to the forces and additional professional complementary investigations will be carried out to prevent recurrence of such cases in the future.”
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Shabbat Busing
While there is no official public transportation in Tel Aviv on Shabbat, there is one non-profit co-op called Noa Tanua that has been operating two private bus lines in the area. After a recent successful crowdfunding campaign that raised almost $100,000, it will be launching two new bus routes.
The non-profit co-op has been operating since 2015 with the help of volunteers. Only members of the co-op can use the service, with membership being free while the bus ride itself costing NIS 9 (US$2.49). Payment is done using the HopOn mobile app.
Roy Schwartz, the co-op’s founder, said, “People should not have to stay at home on Shabbat because they can’t afford a car, and they should be able to enjoy their one day off.”
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Trump Tweet
Following his meeting with PA President Abbas at the White House on Wednesday, President Trump tweeted, “An honor to host President Mahmoud Abbas at the WH today. Hopefully, something terrific could come out it between the Palestinians & Israel.” The tweet included a video of the two shaking hands and was retweeted thousands of times. Then it was deleted from Trump’s account. Second thoughts about the “honor”?
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