Terrorists Hit
Israeli aircraft attacked a terror cell in northern Gaza yesterday that was launching incendiary balloons into Israeli territory.
For further reading click here.
Demolition Order
The IDF has informed the family of terrorist Islam Yousef Abu Hamid, who killed Duvdevan soldier Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky, that it plans to demolish their four-story house. According to the IDF Spokesman’s Office, the family already received notice about the intention to demolish two floors of the structure some three weeks ago. In recent weeks, the IDF has conducted further examination of the matter, at the conclusion of which it was decided to demolish the entire building.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman praised the decision to demolish the entire house. He tweeted, “We’re fighting terrorism with determination! We’re going to demolish, down to the foundations, the entire four-story building that housed the despicable terrorist—may his name and memory be blotted out—who murdered IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky. The demolition will be done as soon as possible.There are no compromises in the war against terror. Only an iron fist.”
For further reading click here.
Warning Violence
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned the Security-Cabinet that there is a more than moderate chance that a violent conflagration could erupt in the West Bank, adding that the US decision to cut funding for the Palestinian Authority (PA) is counter productive for Israel and could inflame matters in the area.
Other security officials have made clear that maintaining the PA’s stability was in Israel’s best interest. They have also noted that the US’s $60 million in funding for the Palestinian security services was not affected, but all civilian aid budgets were stopped. The officials blamed Abbas for working to sabotage Israeli indirect negotiations with Hamas to put an end to the daily border violence in Gaza. According to the officials, Abbas is deliberately seeking to ensure an intensification of the humanitarian crisis gripping the strip.
The officials have accused Abbas of choking the Gaza residents in order to foment further conflict between Hamas and Israel, hoping that Israel will attack the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave and deal a fatal blow to the terror movement, which competes with Abbas for power. An Israeli offensive against Hamas would also give Abbas ammunition to attack Israel in international forums.
For further reading click here.
Report to Moscow
Israeli Air Force (IAF) chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin presented a 40 page report to military officials in Moscow detailing the events that resulted in the downing of a Russian military plane with 15 service members by Syrian anti-aircraft fire.
According to the report, the coordination system between the IDF and the Russian army prior to the attack operated according to procedure and fixed orders, as shown in more than 200 similar attacks in the last two years.
Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said in a studio interview with Ynet Friday that “inside Syria itself, soldiers who targeted the Russian plane were arrested by the Russians or by Syrian officials with Russia’s cooperation. Obviously, Syria made a serious mistake here. It irresponsibly launched missiles. Israel acts according to the same rules that were agreed upon, and of course will continue to abide by these rules in the future us as well.”
Russia’s President Putin absolved Israel of any blame in the incident.
For further reading click here.
Trump Meeting
The White House announced Thursday that US President Trump will meet with PM Netanyahu next week during the UN General Assembly in New York.
For further reading click here.
SUKKOT 2018
The holiday of Sukkot begins on Sunday night, lasts for 7 days and is followed by the holiday of Shmini Atzeret – Simchat Torah (which share one day in Israel and are 2 days everywhere else). During Sukkot Jews “live” — eat, study and (some people) sleep — in a hut-like structure called a Sukkah.
The Talmud states two reasons for the mitzvah of living in the Sukkah for seven days.
The first is to commemorate that our ancestors dwelled in Sukkahs in the wilderness. The second is to remember the “clouds of glory” that surrounded and protected the Jews in the desert. The Talmud seems to lean towards the second explanation. If this is the case, then why do we use a hut to represent the clouds? Wouldn’t it make more sense for us to live out in the open air, under the clouds? Wouldn’t that give us more of a feeling of complete dependence on the protection given us by God?
Although, in truth, living out “under the clouds” does starkly represent total dependence on God, real life isn’t as clear cut. We all try to build structures to provide us with security and protection. We live in these structures and feel safe and in control. We view these structures as permanent and without them we could not function. The reality, however, is that our structures are really just flimsy huts that create for us the illusion of permanence and security. They fall apart when we least expect them too.
The Sukkah that we live in for seven days reminds us that our own structures of security – our houses, careers, social status – are just temporary. They last for a week, a month, a year, several years, but are then taken down. The Sukkah reminds us that our real security and protection comes not from the walls that we build but from the graces of God.
May we all be blessed with the wisdom to differentiate between the security that is true and comes only from God and the false security of the hut that just looks real, but is only an illusion.
Taken from Deep Waters.
BOOKS
On Simchat Torah, in a little over a week, we will complete the reading of the Torah and begin again from Genesis. Then we’ll read one parsha (Torah portion) each week. In a book called Deep Waters: Insights into the Torah and the Jewish Holidays, I’ve included original insights and lessons on each of the 52 Torah portions and on all of the Jewish holidays. Each lesson is usually no longer than a page or two, so you can absorb it minutes. The book is for people of all levels of Jewish knowledge, from beginner to advanced. And the book is available on Amazon Prime, so you can get it quickly and return it if you don’t like it (but you will like it).
To get your copy of Deep Waters click here.
WE WILL BE ON BREAK FOR THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY OF SUKKOT UNTIL WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3.
Israel News for 10-12-18
/by Arnie SingerTerror Stabbing
A terrorist stabbed a 32 year old IDF reserve soldier who was standing at a bus stop in Samaria on Thursday. Other soldiers in the area fired at the terrorist, but he managed to flee without getting hit. Soldiers did however hit some nearby vehicles, and one woman from Elon Moreh was lightly wounded from shrapnel. The wounded soldier was moderately wounded and fully conscious when evacuated to hospital. Later in the night, security forces captured the terrorist, a 19-year-old Palestinian from the village of Jamma’in south of Nablus.
For further reading click here.
Shiva Calls
PM Netanyahu, along with his wife Sara and son Yair, visited the families of Kim Levengrond Yehezkel and Ziv Hagbi, who were killed in the Barkan terror attack on Sunday. Afterwards the PM tweeted, “Today we visited the families of Kim Levengrond Yehezkel and Ziv Hagbi. Our hearts, just as the hearts of the entire nation, are torn at the loss of their loved ones. We will catch the abominable murderer and bring him to justice.”
For further reading click here.
Hebron Housing
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced on Thursday that he intends to have the government approve on Sunday the construction of 31 new apartment units in the Hezekiah neighborhood of Hebron. Lieberman tweeted that the recently approved plan includes new housing, kindergartens and public spaces.
For further reading click here.
Danish Tribute
President Rivlin participated in a ceremony in Denmark commemorating the rescue of Denmark’s 7,000 Jews by the general population during the Holocaust. Jews were hidden in private homes and churches before being ferried to Sweden in fishing boats in October of 1943. The operation was organized by the Danish resistance. Jewish homes and possessions were watched over by neighbors and returned to their owners after the war. Around 500 Jews were captured in raids and deported to concentration camps. Representatives of Denmark’s Jewish community and other Danish officials participated in the event, which was held in a Church attic where Danish clergy concealed about 80 Jews before they were sent to safety in Sweden.
For further reading click here.
Quiz – Israel [Biblical] Geography #2
/by Arnie SingerHope you enjoyed this quiz. If you haven’t done so already, make sure to subscribe to our Israel news email summary.
Israel News for 10-10-18
/by Arnie SingerTerror Investigation
The investigation by the Shin Bet into the vicious terror attack this week in which 2 Israelis were murdered has revealed that the terrorist forced an Arab cleaner in the building, at gunpoint, to bind Kim Levengrond Yehezkel’s hands with cable tie taken from the company’s storeroom. The terrorist then allowed the cleaner to flee the building before proceeding to murder the young woman. The cleaner, a 20-year-old resident of Nablus, was questioned by the Shin Bet, but at the moment he is not under arrest. There is still no known reason for why the terrorist wanted Kim’s hands bound.
For further reading click here.
Meanwhile, Sarah Vettori, who was shot and wounded by the terrorist said that a Palestinian warehouse worker saved her life by pulling her under the table and helping stop the bleeding with tissue paper. The worker, Basel, comes from the same village as the terrorist.
Vettori said, ”Basel saved my life. I was vaguely conscious and Basel, who ran into the office where I was hiding, pulled me under the table and reassured me when he said: ‘Habibti, habibti (My dear, my dear).’ He stroked my face in an attempt to keep me conscious until the ambulance arrived.”
She added, “When I was lying there wounded, I asked Bassel for a glass of water because I felt thirsty, but he said that water shouldn’t be given in these situations, and when I arrived at the hospital the doctors said it is forbidden to drink water (in the case of gunshot wounds), so Basel was correct.”
Vettori, a mother of three, was released from the hospital on Monday since it turned out that the bullet that struck her went right through her body.
The Alon Group, which owns the recycling factory where the attack took place, has decided to keep the factory closed until further notice.
For further reading click here.
Student Detained
In a first-of-its-kind case, the state has held an American graduate student at Ben Gurion Airport for a whole week, accusing her of supporting the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. Lara Alqasem, a 22-year-old American citizen with Palestinian grandparents, landed at Ben-Gurion Airport last Tuesday with a valid student visa, but she was barred from entering the country and ordered deported. Alqasem is a former president of the University of Florida chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. She remains in custody while she appeals.
Last year, the Knesset passed a denying entry to any foreigner who “knowingly issues a public call for boycotting Israel.” Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said yesterday that he would drop his efforts to expel her if she apologizes and renounces her BDS support.
In her appeal, Alqasem has argued that she never actively participated in boycott campaigns, and promised the court that she would not promote them in the future. Her attorney claims that all she wants to do is to study in Israel.
For further reading click here.
Ancient Find
the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem announced yesterday that archaeologists have uncovered the oldest known instance of the word “Jerusalem” spelled out in full, on an ancient stone carving that was once part of an ancient pottery workshop. The carving says “Hananiah son of Dodalos from Jerusalem” — dates to the first century A.D., making it about 2,000 years old.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 10-5-18
/by Arnie SingerTerror Attack
A 23-year-old Palestinian terrorist shot and killed two Israelis and wounded another in the Barkan industrial zone in the northern West Bank, near Ariel on Sunday morning. The Israelis murdered were Kim Levengrond Yehezkel, 28, from Rosh HaAyin and Ziv Hagbi, 35, from Rishon LeZion. Ziv worked as an accountant and Kim was a secretary in the Alon Group recycling factory in the industrial area. Kim was the mother of a 16 month old baby. She was found with her hands handcuffed. Investigators are unsure if the terrorists cuffed her before shooting her or after the shooting in order to prevent her from calling for help. Ziv was the father of 3 children.
The 54 year old Israeli woman wounded in the attack was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition, with a gunshot to her stomach. Thankfully, the bullet did not hit any vital organs and exited her body. She is recovering and plans to be released today or tomorrow.
The terrorist, from the village of Shweika near Tulkarem, fled the scene. He had worked at the Alon Group for 7 months and had a permit to enter the industrial zone. IDF forces are searching for the terrorist, who is assumed to still be armed.
The Israel Television News Company reported that the terrorist gave a suicide note to a friend who also works at the factory, but the worker did not report the terrorist’s note to anyone and that he has been arrested and is facing interrogation.
Around 5,000 Palestinians are employed in Israeli-owned businesses in the Barkan industrial zone, which is considered to be a model of coexistence between Arabs and Jews.
President Reuven Rivlin addressed the terror attack saying, “I’m appalled and distressed by the horrible terror attack carried out in the Barkan industrial area. My heart goes out to the victim’s families, and I pray for the recovery of the woman who survived. This was an attack against the idea of Israelis and Palestinian coexisting, and living peacefully side by side.” He added, “I call upon the Palestinian leadership to condemn this despicable terror attack and to join the efforts of finding the assailant and his accomplices. We will not rest until the law is exhausted with the perpetrators.”
Arabs in Gaza handed out candy to celebrate the terror attack.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett stated: “While Israel endures terrible sadness, Hamas is handing out candies and Abbas is looking after salaries. We must stop this celebration. The State of Israel is obliged to ensure the security of its citizens. We must restore the deterrence.”
Hundreds attended the funeral of Kim Levengrond Yehezkel yesterday at the Rosh HaAyin cemetery. Hagbi will be laid to rest on Monday at 2pm.
For further reading click here.
To watch parts of the funeral click here.
Fraud Trial
Sara Netanyahu, wife of the PM, went on trial for fraud yesterday. According to the indictment, Sara Netanyahu, along with a government employee, fraudulently obtained from the state more than $100,000 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations that prohibit the practice if a cook is employed at home. She was charged in June with fraud and breach of trust and of aggravated fraudulent receipt of goods. If convicted, Sara Netanyahu could face up to five years in prison. She denies all the charges.
Netanyahu’s lawyers contend the indictment does not hold up because the regulations for ordering meals were legally invalid and a household employee had requisitioned the food despite Netanyahu’s protestations. The PM has called the allegations against his wife absurd and unfounded.
For further reading click here.
Moon Trip
NASA and Israel’s Space Agency have signed a new agreement to launch an Israeli spacecraft to the moon for the first time in the coming months.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 10-5-18
/by Arnie SingerUN Out
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat accused UNRWA (the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees) of operating illegally and promoting incitement against Israel, and plans to remove the agency from Jerusalem. Barkat said schools, clinics and sports centers, among other services operated by UNRWA in east Jerusalem, will be transferred to Israeli authorities. The municipality did not provide an exact timeline but it said schools serving 1,800 students would be closed by the end of the current school year.
Barkat said, ”The US decision (to cut $300 million in aid to UNRWA) has created a rare opportunity to replace UNRWA’s services with services of the Jerusalem Municipality. We are putting an end to the lie of the ‘Palestinian refugee problem’ and the attempts at creating a false sovereignty within a sovereignty.”
UNRWA was founded after Israel’s War of independence in 1949 to support around 700,000 displaced Arab refugees. The agency currently aids over 5 million descendants of those original refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and Gaza.
For further reading click here.
Terrorist Shot
Early yesterday, a terrorist threw an explosive device at soldiers during a military operation in the Qalqilya refugee camp in Jerusalem. Soldiers opened fire on the attacker, wounding him. No soldiers were injured. During a strip search of the terrorist, several additional explosive devices and a Molotov cocktail were found strapped to his body.
Later in the day, an 8 year old boy was caught on video running up to a security checkpoint, throwing a knife at the soldiers there and then fleeing the scene. No one was injured. The IDF is searching for the boy. So much for, “I believe the children are the future”.
For further reading click here.
To watch Whitney Houston singing the classic song, click here.
More Troops
The IDF has decided to send reinforcements to the Southern Command amid the high tensions on the Gaza border over the next few days. The IDF said in a statement that the decision was made “to continue the determined policy to thwart terror attacks and prevent infiltrations into Israel in the border fence area of the Gaza Strip. The IDF is prepared and ready for a variety of scenarios and considers the Hamas terror organization responsible for everything that happens in and from the Gaza Strip.” In recent weeks, there has been a spike in Palestinian rioting in Gaza, as well as in the launch of incendiary balloons and kites.
For further reading click here.
Morocco News
Morocco’s King Mohammad VI has decided to include Holocaust education into his country’s high school curriculum. The King called antisemitism the “antonym of freedom of expression,” and that, “It manifests the negation of the other and is an admission of failure, insufficiency and inability to coexist.”
He said, “For all that, the battle against this plague can not be handled carelessly. [The battle] is fought neither with the military nor with money, it above all depends on education and culture,” he added, explaining that, “This battle has a name: education. And in the interest of our children, it is important for us to win it because they will be the beneficiaries and our ambassadors in the future.”
Only around 2,000 Jews currently live in Morocco. While the country has no official diplomatic relations with Israel, it does permit Israel tourists to visit.
For further reading click here.
Late Flights
According to the flightstats website, which tracks information about dozens of airlines and airports all over the world, El Al was ranked 39 out of 41 airlines for punctuality. According to flightstats, 65.5% of El Al’s flights landed on time and 34.5% landed late. The only rated airlines with higher rates of delay than El Al were Ethiopian Airlines (a 36% rate of late flights) and EgyptAir (36.6% late flights).
The most on-time airline in September 2018 was Sri Lankan Airlines, with Delta a close second (87% on time).
For further reading click here.
New Apartment
US billionaire and Republican supporter Sheldon Adelson has bought a $40 million penthouse apartment in the Akirov Towers in Tel Aviv. The Adelsons already own another apartment in the complex.
For further reading click here.
Quiz – Israel Geography #1
/by Arnie SingerHope you enjoyed this quiz. If you haven’t done so already, make sure to subscribe to our Israel news email summary.
Israel News for 10-3-18
/by Arnie SingerRussian Missiles
The Russian Defense Minister has confirmed the delivery of an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system to Syria. Russia announced last week that it would supply the advanced missile system after Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike on September 17 mistakenly shot down a Russian military reconnaissance plane, killing all 15 people on board. Moscow also said it will start using electronic countermeasures to jam any aircraft that would try to launch attacks off Syria’s coast. The Defense Minister said, “In 2013, we agreed to stop the transfer of the system to Syria due to an Israeli request. However, through no fault of our own, the situation has changed.”
For further reading click here.
In response to the new anti-aircraft missile system, the Israeli air force has said that it will begin using its new F-35 stealth fighters in its attacks on Syria. A source at the air force said, “The coming attacks won’t be the first, but they will be safer for the pilots in light of the new reality in Syria’s skies.” He added, “This is the most expensive weapon in the world, and it’s the most advanced airplane in the world. Israel paid 125 million for each plane, and the Defense Ministry purchased 50 of the Model A planes… Our planes are called the F-35I. Eight of the planes have already landed in Israel and 33 are expected to arrive by 2021.”
For further reading click here.
Violent Clashes
Rioters launched violent clashes against IDF forces that entered the al-Am’ari refugee camp near Ramallah to map the home of Islam Yousef Abu Hamid for demolition. Abu Hamid killed Ronen Lubarsky in May by dropping a marble slab on his head from a rooftop. Rioters hurled stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces who responded with riot dispersal methods. There were no reports of injuries. In other operations throughout the West Bank last night, the IDF arrested 7 suspected terrorists.
For further reading click here.
Bike Safety
PM Netanyahu called for increased safety regulations for electric bicycles after the death of the son of a prominent Israeli director in a hit and run accident in Tel Aviv last week. Netanyahu on Monday directed Prime Minister’s Office Acting Director General Yoav Horowitz to check – together with the ministries of Transportation, Public Security and Justice – what changes and actions must be taken to increase the safety of electric bicycle riders. An Israeli Premier League soccer player is a prime suspect in the hit and run.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 9-21-18
/by Arnie SingerTerrorists Hit
Israeli aircraft attacked a terror cell in northern Gaza yesterday that was launching incendiary balloons into Israeli territory.
For further reading click here.
Demolition Order
The IDF has informed the family of terrorist Islam Yousef Abu Hamid, who killed Duvdevan soldier Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky, that it plans to demolish their four-story house. According to the IDF Spokesman’s Office, the family already received notice about the intention to demolish two floors of the structure some three weeks ago. In recent weeks, the IDF has conducted further examination of the matter, at the conclusion of which it was decided to demolish the entire building.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman praised the decision to demolish the entire house. He tweeted, “We’re fighting terrorism with determination! We’re going to demolish, down to the foundations, the entire four-story building that housed the despicable terrorist—may his name and memory be blotted out—who murdered IDF soldier Staff Sgt. Ronen Lubarsky. The demolition will be done as soon as possible.There are no compromises in the war against terror. Only an iron fist.”
For further reading click here.
Warning Violence
IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned the Security-Cabinet that there is a more than moderate chance that a violent conflagration could erupt in the West Bank, adding that the US decision to cut funding for the Palestinian Authority (PA) is counter productive for Israel and could inflame matters in the area.
Other security officials have made clear that maintaining the PA’s stability was in Israel’s best interest. They have also noted that the US’s $60 million in funding for the Palestinian security services was not affected, but all civilian aid budgets were stopped. The officials blamed Abbas for working to sabotage Israeli indirect negotiations with Hamas to put an end to the daily border violence in Gaza. According to the officials, Abbas is deliberately seeking to ensure an intensification of the humanitarian crisis gripping the strip.
The officials have accused Abbas of choking the Gaza residents in order to foment further conflict between Hamas and Israel, hoping that Israel will attack the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave and deal a fatal blow to the terror movement, which competes with Abbas for power. An Israeli offensive against Hamas would also give Abbas ammunition to attack Israel in international forums.
For further reading click here.
Report to Moscow
Israeli Air Force (IAF) chief Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin presented a 40 page report to military officials in Moscow detailing the events that resulted in the downing of a Russian military plane with 15 service members by Syrian anti-aircraft fire.
According to the report, the coordination system between the IDF and the Russian army prior to the attack operated according to procedure and fixed orders, as shown in more than 200 similar attacks in the last two years.
Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said in a studio interview with Ynet Friday that “inside Syria itself, soldiers who targeted the Russian plane were arrested by the Russians or by Syrian officials with Russia’s cooperation. Obviously, Syria made a serious mistake here. It irresponsibly launched missiles. Israel acts according to the same rules that were agreed upon, and of course will continue to abide by these rules in the future us as well.”
Russia’s President Putin absolved Israel of any blame in the incident.
For further reading click here.
Trump Meeting
The White House announced Thursday that US President Trump will meet with PM Netanyahu next week during the UN General Assembly in New York.
For further reading click here.
SUKKOT 2018
The holiday of Sukkot begins on Sunday night, lasts for 7 days and is followed by the holiday of Shmini Atzeret – Simchat Torah (which share one day in Israel and are 2 days everywhere else). During Sukkot Jews “live” — eat, study and (some people) sleep — in a hut-like structure called a Sukkah.
The Talmud states two reasons for the mitzvah of living in the Sukkah for seven days.
The first is to commemorate that our ancestors dwelled in Sukkahs in the wilderness. The second is to remember the “clouds of glory” that surrounded and protected the Jews in the desert. The Talmud seems to lean towards the second explanation. If this is the case, then why do we use a hut to represent the clouds? Wouldn’t it make more sense for us to live out in the open air, under the clouds? Wouldn’t that give us more of a feeling of complete dependence on the protection given us by God?
Although, in truth, living out “under the clouds” does starkly represent total dependence on God, real life isn’t as clear cut. We all try to build structures to provide us with security and protection. We live in these structures and feel safe and in control. We view these structures as permanent and without them we could not function. The reality, however, is that our structures are really just flimsy huts that create for us the illusion of permanence and security. They fall apart when we least expect them too.
The Sukkah that we live in for seven days reminds us that our own structures of security – our houses, careers, social status – are just temporary. They last for a week, a month, a year, several years, but are then taken down. The Sukkah reminds us that our real security and protection comes not from the walls that we build but from the graces of God.
May we all be blessed with the wisdom to differentiate between the security that is true and comes only from God and the false security of the hut that just looks real, but is only an illusion.
Taken from Deep Waters.
BOOKS
On Simchat Torah, in a little over a week, we will complete the reading of the Torah and begin again from Genesis. Then we’ll read one parsha (Torah portion) each week. In a book called Deep Waters: Insights into the Torah and the Jewish Holidays, I’ve included original insights and lessons on each of the 52 Torah portions and on all of the Jewish holidays. Each lesson is usually no longer than a page or two, so you can absorb it minutes. The book is for people of all levels of Jewish knowledge, from beginner to advanced. And the book is available on Amazon Prime, so you can get it quickly and return it if you don’t like it (but you will like it).
To get your copy of Deep Waters click here.
WE WILL BE ON BREAK FOR THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY OF SUKKOT UNTIL WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 3.
Israel News for 9-20-18
/by Arnie SingerTerror Foiled
A 26-year-old terrorist from Qalandiya with a screwdriver charged at a Jewish man near the Old City on Tuesday night, just after the start of Yom Kippur. Police stationed along the route used by Jewish worshippers spotted the terrorist running towards his intended victim. Bypassers tripped him up, but then he continued to run at the police officers to stab them. Police shot him dead. No Jews were injured. The terrorist was in Israel illegally.
For further reading click here.
Gaza Report
Gaza’s Health Ministry claimed on Tuesday that two Palestinians were killed and at least 46 wounded by the IDF fire in the northern Gaza Strip during violent demonstrations which took place on Yom Kippur. The IDF said that it had no initial knowledge of any casualties or that live fire had been used.
The IDF said hundreds of Gazans participated in the riots, burning tires and throwing explosive devices and rocks at the soldiers. In one incident a grenade was thrown at the troops, prompting the forces to respond with crowd dispersal measures in accordance with IDF’s open-fire regulations.
For further reading click here.
Russian Plane
Israel expressed regret on Tuesday for the loss of 15 Russian lives that was caused the previous evening when Syrian air defense downed a Russian plane while trying to intercept an airstrike launched by Israel. Russian officials had initially blamed Israel for the downing of the blame, but Russian President Putin acknowledged that the incident was just an unfortunate accident that Israel had no part in.
For further reading click here.
Israeli Arms
Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. announced today that it has been awarded a $173 million contract to provide Naval Remote Controlled Weapon Stations (RCWS) to the Navy and Coast Guard of an Asia-Pacific country. The contract will be performed over a five-year period.
For further reading click here.
Fast Train
After countless delays, the Jerusalem fast rail link began operations today. The first train left Jerusalem’s Navon station (opposite Binyanei Ha’Uma) at 12.30 pm on what was billed as a special test run rather than the official launch. The train didn’t make it as far as Tel Aviv’s Haganah Station as planned but only as far as Ben Gurion airport because electrification on the section between the airport and Tel Aviv has not been completed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz attended the ceremony in Jerusalem before the first train left the station.
Optimistic estimates say it will take another 3-6 months before the line is fully operational. In the first stage there will be only one train per hour between Jerusalem and Ben Gurion airport station where passengers will change to a diesel train. When fully operational there will be one train every 15 minutes.
The cost of the high-speed train to Jerusalem, the Ministry of Transport’s largest-ever project, is estimated at NIS 7 billion. The line is designed to connect Israel’s capital to the Greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area and the central region and relieve traffic congestion. Travel time from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the last stop on the line, is meant to be 28 minutes.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 9-17-18
/by Arnie SingerTerror Attack
Yesterday morning, a 17 year old Palestinian terrorist stabbed to death Ari Fuld, a father of 4 from Efrat. Fuld was outside the Harim Mall at the Etzion junction (Judea) when the terrorist stabbed him in the back. Fuld managed to chase and shoot at his attacker before succumbing to his fatal wounds. Another passerby also shot the terrorist, who was moderately wounded and taken to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem. Fuld was rushed to Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Harim shooping mall, where the attack occurred, is used by both Jews and Arabs from the surrounding area.
The terrorist’s mother reportedly warned security forces that she thought her son was planning an attack. But the warning was too late. Hamas praised the attack, while Palestinian Authority President Abbas apparently condemned all violence by Palestinians against Israel. Last night the IDF mapped the terrorist’s house for demolition. The house is in the the village of Yatta, near Hebron, which is a hotbed of terror activity and the home of many past terrorists.
Ari Fuld, 45, was a US citizen who immigrated to Israel and served in a combat unit in the IDF during the Second Lebanon War. He worked for Standing Together, a non-governmental organization that provides support to Israeli soldiers. He was known as a staunch advocate defender of Israel on social media and via speaking engagements throughout the world. He also recorded and distributed weekly videos with Torah thoughts and ideas. For the intro paragraph on his Facebook page he wrote, “Living the dream! I have a love for the Nation of Israel, Land of Israel and Torah of Israel.”
Fuld was buried in Gush Etzion late last night. Thousands of mourners attended the funeral. PM Netanyahu paid a visit to the house of mourning. Afterwards he said, “This evening I met the parents and siblings of the Israeli hero Ari Fuld. I embraced them in the name of the whole nation of Israel during this terrible time for them. We owe our lives to heroes like Ari. We will always remember him.”
Fuld’s sister-in-law said that Ari, “believed in the people of Israel, in the Land of Israel, according to the Torah of Israel. He loved the country, was an educator, a teacher, and persistently fought for the truth … The people of Israel and the Land of Israel lost a true knight today whose entire soul and actions were for the sanctity of God and the people of Israel.”
Fuld’s brother Hillel said, “My brother lived his life as a hero and died as a hero, he was a hero until the last moment.”
May his memory serve as a blessing. And may God bless Israel with peace.
To watch a full video of the emotional funeral click here.
Soldiers Wounded
Two IDF soldiers and a female officer from the mixed Karakal combat battalion were lightly wounded Sunday in the Qalandiya refugee camp by Palestinian stone throwers, when their bus accidentally entered the camp. The officer sustained injuries to her face and limbs caused by broken glass shards.
Border Police and Karakal forces—assisted by Palestinian policemen—extricated the bus from Qalandiya shortly after the Palestinian defense establishment and the IDF activated their rescue protocols.Border Police officers detained three Palestinian in their 20s and 30s suspected of attacking the bus. During the rioting, a Border Policemen suffered a head injury and evacuated to the hospital.
For further reading click here.
Frozen Funds
The US has decided to freeze all bank accounts belonging to the PLO in the US. The Palestinian envoy to the US Husam Zomlot also said on Sunday that his permit to stay in the US has been annulled, his families’ bank accounts have been closed and that he and his family have been requested by authorities to immediately leave the country. This follows last week’s decision by the US administration to close the PLO mission in Washington.
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Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, begins this Tuesday at sunset and lasts until nightfall on Wednesday. It is a day on which the Torah mandates that we “afflict” ourselves. We accomplish “affliction” by refraining from eating, drinking, wearing leather shoes, bathing for pleasure or engaging in marital relations. We spend then day asking God for forgiveness, but not nearly enough time asking the same from our fellow man. Let’s focus a bit more this year on treating our fellow man with the respect and dignity that every person deserves. In that merit, may we all be granted forgiveness and be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life.
Wishing you all an easy fast and a Gmar Chatima Tova.