Sara Indicted
Sara Netanyahu, the PM’s wife, has been indicted for fraudulently obtaining benefits under aggravated circumstances, fraud and breach of trust. She is suspected of ordering private meals worth some NIS 350,000 (roughly $96,600) from high-end restaurants with the state footing the bill, despite the fact that a cook had been hired to prepare the meals at the residence.
For further reading click here.
More Fires
Fifteen fires broke out in the western Negev on Thursday afternoon as a result of incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza that set fire to trees in the Shokeda Forest and the Be’eri Forest. Firefighters fought to contain the fires.
For further reading click here.
Fake News
According to an indictment filed against 20-year-old Gaza resident Mahmoud Omar, who was arrested when he tried to break the Gaza border fence during the “March of Return” riots last month, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar paid Omar’s family to lie and say that his eight-month-old niece, Leila al-Ghandour, had died from tear gas inhalation rather than from a blood disease. The media subsequently reported that the baby was killed by IDF teargas.
For further reading click here.
Peace Team
The US Mideast peace team, led by Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, arrived in Egypt on thursday and met with Egyptian president al-Sisi. A White House statement said that the meeting focused on “the need to facilitate humanitarian relief to Gaza.” Jordan’s King Abdullah is set to meet President Trump on Monday.
For further reading click here.
Ambassador Extension
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the government to extend Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer’s five-year tenure by another year—until September 30, 2019. The standard term for an ambassador is 3 years. Netanyahu said his request was based on “unique political circumstances in the international arena in general and in light of our relationship with the US in particular.”
For further reading click here.
Low Water
The Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) is currently 213.57 meters below water level and 57 cm below the lower red line. Significant evaporation is expected to take palce during the summer, which threatens to cause yet a further decrease in the Kinneret’s water level. However, the National Infrastructure Ministry and the Water Authority are planning to pour desalinated water into the disappearing lake as part of the national effort to preserve its water line.
However, the Mekorot Company, Israel’s national water company, is still pumping some 100 million cubic meters of water, which is equal to 60 cm in water level, from the Kinneret. According to the peace treaty with Jordan, Israel is obligated to transfer 50 million cubic meters annually, with 20 million cubic meters being salt water transferred to the eastern side of the southern Jordan River. The salt water is mixed with 10 million cubic meters of sweet water. Additional water is pumped to supply the residents of Tiberias and other communities surrounding the lake with drinking water, as well as water to irrigate the Golan Heights communities.
As a result of the dropping water level, two islands have been formed and are expanding in the Kinneret.
For further reading click here.
Royal Visit
Prince William of England will kick off the first official royal visit to Israel on Monday when he lands and spends the night at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. On Tuesday morning the Prince will visit Yad Vashem and lay a wreath at the Memorial Hall. In the afternoon he will meet with PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at their official residence. Afterwards, the prince will meet President Reuven Rivlin at the President’s Residence.
Then he will travel to Jaffa “where he will meet with young people involved in the work of two organizations focused on co-existence between the young people of different religious and ethnic communities – the Equalizer and the Peres Centre for Peace.” His next stop will be a visit to central Tel Aviv together with Mayor Ron Huldai. He will also attend a reception at the British Embassy in Ramat Gan together with 350 guests.
On Wednesday, William will visit the Beit Ha’ir Museum and meet with representatives of leading Israeli start-up companies and watch a presentation on Israeli innovation. He will also meet with young activists, both Jewish and Arab, who are involved with youth, education and social programs. He is also expected to attend a cultural event in the city as well and, of course, make a stop at the beach.
Also on Wednesday, the Prince will visit Ramallah and meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He will also attend an event focusing on Palestinian refugees and “celebrate Palestinian culture, music and food; and a chance to meet a number of young Palestinians. At night he will deliver a speech at a reception at the home of the American Consul in Jerusalem.
On Thursday the Prince will visit the Old City of Jerusalem, which the British Foreign Office and the palace has called “Occupied Palestinian Territories”, to the consternation of Israeli officials. According to the Princes official itinerary published by Kensington Palace, “the programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will begin with a short briefing on the history and geography of Jerusalem’s Old City from a viewing point at the Mount of Olives. From here His Royal Highness will travel a short distance to the Church of St Mary Magdalene where he will pay his respects at the tomb of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice.” Princess Alice was recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem for saving a Jewish-Greek family during the Holocaust.
Prince William will also visit the Western Wall. The two official photographs of the visit will be from the Prince’s visit to the Western Wall and Yad Vashem.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 7-9-18
/by Arnie SingerSyrian Attack
Syrian media reported that Israel attacked the T-4 military airfield in Syria’s Homs province last night, activating Syrian air defenses. The Al Jazeera news network reported that between four and five missiles hit inside the base and that damage was caused. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the attack targeted “Iranian forces and pro-Assad militias” and that “there are likely fatalities.” Israel made no comment on the attack.
The T-4 airbase, which is used by pro-Iranian militias and contains an advanced Iranian air-defense system, was struck in an attack in April, which was also blamed on Israel.
For further reading click here.
Temple Mount
Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel and Likud party member Sharren Haskel visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Sunday. They were the first Israeli officials to visit the holy site since PM Netanyahu reportedly lifted a ban on Israeli parliamentarians entering the site. Netanyahu had instituted a ban on Israeli lawmakers visiting the site in November 2015 as a measure to ease tensions with the Palestinians.
The PM’s office had no comment about the visits.
For further reading click here.
Qatari Proposal
A Qatari diplomat working behind the scenes to ease tensions at the Israel-Gaza border suggested yesterday that Palestinians would stop protests and sending incendiary kites across the border if Israel were to allow in 5,000 Gazans on work permits. Israeli and Hamas officials had no immediate comment on the Qatari proposal.
For further reading click here.
Holocaust Controversy
Israel submitted an official protest to the Polish government over the weekend over the publication of a full-page ad in Israeli newspapers containing a Hebrew translation of the joint statement clearing the Polish people of responsibility for crimes committed during the Holocaust. The protest was submitted in Warsaw by Israel’s Ambassador to Poland Anna Azari and in Israel to the Polish embassy.
Israel protested the fact the statement was published in Israeli newspapers in contravention of the agreement reached between the two prime ministers, as well as the fundamental errors in the Hebrew translation.
A senior Israeli official said over the weekend that the explicit agreement between the two governments was that the affair would be put to rest after the two prime ministers read out the statement in English. He asserted that if the Poles hadn’t published the statement in Hebrew, the crisis would have been over. Instead, it had been renewed.
PM Netanyahu has promised to address the issue, while attempting to maintain good relations with Poland, which is one of Israel’s best friends in the EU.
For further reading click here.
Powerful Countries
US News and World Report has ranked Israel as the eight most powerful countries in the world. The top 7 are US, Russia, China, Germany, UK, France and Japan. The report defines a “powerful” country as “a leader, economically influential, politically influential, strong international alliances, strong military.”
The report states that, “Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with cut diamonds, high-technology equipment and pharmaceuticals among its major exports. The country is very highly developed in terms of life expectancy, education, per capita income and other human development index indicators. But the country also has one of the most unequal economies in the Western world, with significant gaps between the rich and poor.”
Israel ranks #30 in the overall “best country” rankings.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 7-6-18
/by Arnie SingerPrisoner Swap
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan confirmed Thursday that Israel is undertaking efforts to kick-start talks with Hamas to secure the release of Israeli citizens and the remains of IDF soldiers, following reports that Germany is acting a mediator between the two side in a possible prisoner exchange deal. According to the report, German envoys made several secret visits to the Gaza Strip and met with Hamas officials to discuss the possibility of implementing the prisoner exchange deal.
For further reading click here.
Earthquakes in North
Northern Israel experienced its second earthquake in two days yesterday with a 3.2 tremor. The previous one, on Wednesday, was a 4.5 magnitude. Dr. Ran Nof, a seismologist in the Geological Survey of Israel, said, “We don’t see earthquakes getting stronger and more frequent. It seems unusual because we are not used to feeling earthquakes, but they occur all the time, in particularly at the Dead Sea’s depths, which is a tectonic border.” He added, “A 4.5 earthquake is weak and isn’t even considered a medium-magnitude earthquake; 5-5.5 earthquakes are considered as medium magnitude,” Dr. Nof explained. “Earthquakes 6-7 in magnitude are considered high-magnitude.”
However, Knesset member Yinon Azulay (Shas) blamed the quakes on the governments decision to allow egalitarian prayer services at part of the Western Wall. He said, “Maybe the earthquake occurred this morning because somebody is attempting to touch what is sacred to us. Maybe we should do some soul searching and realize the earthquake happened because somebody is tampering with something that is holy to us.”
For further reading click here.
Holocaust Denial
Yad Vashem, Israel’s holocaust museum and research center, along with holocaust survivor groups blasted Thursday’s joint statement between Israel and Poland that said, “The wartime Polish Government-in-Exile attempted to stop this Nazi activity by trying to raise awareness among the Western allies to the systematic murder of the Polish Jews. As such, they created a ‘mechanism of systematic help and support to Jewish people’ and even took vigorous action against Poles who betrayed Jews. Although the joint statement acknowledges that there were cases in which Poles committed cruelties against Jews, it also says that ‘numerous Poles’ risked their lives to rescue Jews.”
The Yad Vashem statement said, “The existing documentation and decades of historical research yield a totally different picture: the Polish Government-in-Exile, based in London, as well as the Delegatura (the representative organ of this Government in occupied Poland) did not act resolutely on behalf of Poland’s Jewish citizens at any point during the war. Much of the Polish resistance in its various movements not only failed to help Jews, but was also not infrequently actively involved in persecuting them.”
However, the joint statement did say, “We acknowledge and condemn every single case of cruelty against Jews perpetrated by Poles during the World War II.”
Education Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted, “The joint statement by Israel with the Polish government is a disgrace and is full of lies and harms the memory of those who perished in the Holocaust. As education minister, Who is entrusted with imparting the legacy of the Holocaust, I reject it completely. It lacks factual and historical validity and will not be taught in the education system. I demand that the prime minister annul the declaration or bring it to the government for approval.”
For further reading click here.
Spy Watch
In a special operation, the Mossad has recovered the wristwatch of master spy Eli Cohen, who operated in Damascus for years and was caught and hanged by the Syrians in 1965. The Mossad said, “After Eli Cohen’s execution on May 18, 1965, the wristwatch was held by an enemy state. Upon the watch’s return to Israel, special research and intelligence operations were carried out which culminated in the unequivocal determination that this was indeed Eli Cohen’s watch.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Mossad for “the determined and courageous operation, the sole objective of which was to return to Israel a memento from a great fighter who greatly contributed to the security of the state.”
Mossad Director Yossi Cohen added that “We remember Eli Cohen and do not forget. His heritage—of dedication, determination, courage and love of the homeland—is our heritage. We remember and have maintained a close connection over the years with his family, Nadia and the children. This year, at the conclusion of an operational effort, we succeeded in locating and bringing to Israel the wristwatch that Eli Cohen wore in Syria until the day he was captured. The watch was part of Eli Cohen’s operational image and part of his fabricated Arab identity.”
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 7-3-18
/by Arnie SingerTerrorists Stopped
An IDF force opened fire on 4 terrorists who were trying to cross the Gaza border fence and set fire to a nearby sniper position on Monday afternoon. One terrorist was killed, another was critically wounded, and a third was arrested and taken in for questioning. The fourth terrorist apparently managed to escape back into Gaza.
For further reading click here.
Australia Cuts PA Funding
The Australian government has stopped funding for the Palestinian Authority because it feared that the funds would be used to pay terrorists. Australia’s Foreign Minister said, “Any assistance provided by the Palestine Liberation Organization to those convicted of politically motivated violence is an affront to Australian values and undermines the prospect of meaningful peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”
Australia’s 10 million Australian dollar ($7.4 million) donation to the World Bank trust fund for the Palestinians will now be re-routed to the United Nations’ Humanitarian Fund for the Palestinian Territories which provides vulnerable Palestinians with health care, food, water, improved sanitation and shelter.
For future reading click here.
Terror Payment Law
The Knesset voted 87 to 15 to deduct terrorists’ salaries from the $130 million in monthly tax revenues that Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. Under the new law, money that would otherwise go to pay stipends to roughly 35,000 families of Palestinian terrorists and their families will be automatically frozen. Arab Knesset members angrily protested the passing of the law.
After the bill’s approval, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman Tweeted, “We promised to halt the stipend free-for-all for terrorists and we have made good on our promise. It’s over. Every shekel that Abu Mazen (Abbas) will pay to terrorists and murderers will be automatically deducted from the Palestinian Authority’s budget. Effective fight against terrorism also goes through the pocket—of the terrorists, of their families and of Abbas.”
For further reading click here.
Draft Bill
The proposed IDF draft bill passed its first reading in the Knesset by a vote of 63 to 39. The proposed legislation includes planned cuts to yeshiva budgets and the use of economic incentives to pressure them to encourage enlistment. But the proposed law does not contain any criminal penalties.
The enlistment objectives, as stated in the proposal, are that 3,000 yeshiva students will be drafted in the first stage and 600 will volunteer for national service. The plan will be given a two-year adaptation period, in which sanctions won’t be imposed if the yeshivas fail to meet the draft rates. In the third year, yeshivas who fail to encourage enlistment will be hit with economic sanctions if they drop below a 95-percent target.
The opposition part Yesh Atid voted in favor of the bill, while the Haredi parties in the coalition voted against it. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, of the United Torah Judaism party, has threatened to quit if the bill becomes law. However, the Haredi parties made sure that the coalition had enough votes to pass the bill before they voted against it, which seems to indicate that they believe that the new law will be able to be worked around in some way to allow yeshiva students to continue avoiding the draft.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 6-29-18
/by Arnie SingerIsraeli Aid
Last night the IDF delivered around 300 tents, 13 tons of food, 15 tons of baby food, three pallets of medical equipment and medicine and some 30 tons of clothes and shoes to several refugee camps in the Syrian part of the Golan Heights. The camps, located near the border with Israel, house several thousands of Syrians with no access to water, electricity, food or other basic necessities. At the same time the IDF made it clear that it will not allow Syrians to cross the border into Israel.
As a result of the Syrian army’s attempt to retake rebel controlled areas, over 120,000 Syrians have been force to flee their homes. Tens of thousands have ended up in camps near the Israeli border, with the rest going towards the Jordanian border.
[You probably won’t find this story in the NYTimes or on the evening news. Hmm…]
For further reading click here.
More Fires
Around 20 fires broke out on Thursday in various areas in south Israel along the Gaza border due to incendiary balloons being flown from the strip. The largest fires were in Kibbutz Be’eri and Kibbutz Alumim.
Residents of the Gaza border communities are demanding that the IDF and the defense establishment put a stop to the phenomenon of incendiary kites and balloons, which has been wreaking havoc in the area for the last three months and which has burned more than 30,000 acres of land.
For further reading click here.
PA in Jerusalem
The Palestinian Authority and other Palestinian political factions have begun stepping up their activities in East Jerusalem, which is illegal according to the Israeli-Palestinian agreement signed in 1994, which restricts PA activity in Jerusalem. Israeli Police and security forces are ramping up efforts to stop the illegal activity.
For further reading click here.
Kotel Politics
PM Netanyahu has removed Culture Minister Miri Regev (with her agreement) as the head of the Ministerial Committee for Holy Places in an effort to mend the rift between the State of Israel and Reform and Conservative Jews over an egalitarian prayer area at the Western Wall. The PM will automatically become the head of the committee. Regev had expressed her personal objection to the egalitarian prayer area.
The PM said earlier this week that a solution will soon be found for the Kotel crisis, with the committee due to approve construction work to expand the mixed-gender prayer area at Robinson’s Arch, south of the main Western Wall plaza.
For further reading click here.
Music Video
Check out this fun music video with the husband and wife team Yonina singing their new “Morning Song” (Shir Shel Boker). Click here.
Israel News for 6-27-18
/by Arnie SingerGaza Conflict
The IDF bombed a vehicle belonging to one of the commanders of Hamas’ military wing in the Neuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on Tuesday night. Soon after, 13 rockets were fired from Gaza at Israeli communities near the border. At least three of the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system. There were no reports of injuries.
For further reading click here.
Solar for Gaza
Israel has approved a plan to build a solar field on Israeli territory to ease the electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip. The construction of the facility at the Erez Crossing will be funded by private Israeli and foreign elements. The plan, along with other ideas to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, were discussed in meeting this week with US envoys Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner. The idea to build a solar field was initially raised by Israel at an international conference on the strip’s reconstruction held in Washington at the beginning of the year. The move would be unilateral, with no agreement from Hamas.
For further reading click here.
Holocaust Law
Poland’s lower house of Parliament voted 388 to 25 to remove jail penalties for suggesting that Poland took part in crimes against the Jews during the Holocaust. The original “Holocaust Law” passed by the Polish government in February makes a crime to accuse the Polish nation of taking part in the crimes of the Holocaust. The law was condemned by Israel and the US. Poland is seeking to bolster security ties with the US.
For further reading click here.
Arms Deal
A deal has been signed between Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and US-based defense contractor Leonardo DRS to supply the American military with the Israeli made Trophy active defense system for tanks and armored personnel carriers.
Trophy consists of sensors that detect and classify the threat and its precise location. The system then launches a countermeasure to intercept the threat. Data regarding the position of the attacker is transmitted to field forces who can then neutralize the threat. Since its first battlefield interception in March, 2011, the system has proven itself numerous times, especially during Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. It is the only active defense system for armored vehicles in the world.
For further reading click here.
Gas Discovery
Egyptian media reports that Italian energy company Eni is about to announce a massive offshore gas discovery in the coming few days have been enough to seen energy stocks on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) plunging. With an estimated 2,550 billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas, Noor would be three times larger than the Zohr gas field, over five times larger than Israel’s Leviathan field and more than ten times the Tamar field.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 6-25-18
/by Arnie SingerShooting Attack
Gunshots were fired from a car with Palestinian license plates near the West Bank settlement of Kibbutz Migdal Oz (next to Efrat) on Sunday night. The IDF called it an attempted terror attack. There were no injuries and no damage.
The IDF statement said, “IDF troops are blocking exits from the village of Beit Fajjar as part of the search efforts after the terrorist. Exit permits will be granted in accordance with decisions by security forces. In addition, troops are continuing to search the area.”
For further reading click here.
Air Defense
The IDF fired a Patriot air defense missile at a drone that crossed into the northern Golan from Syria. The drone retreated back across the border, undamaged.
For further reading click here.
The Israel Air Force attacked a cell suspected of launching incendiary kites from Gaza yesterday. Three terrorists were injured, one critically.
For further reading click here.
Infiltration Fears
The IDF has begun taking precautionary measures, fearing that its Operation Good Neighbor humanitarian efforts to assist Syrian civilians wounded in the civil war are being exploited by pro-Iranian terrorists to infiltrate Israel. Three months ago, the IDF General Staff first discussed the possibility of Shi’ite pro-Iranian militias and Hezbollah forces infiltrating villages in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights, as well as trying to enter Israel under the guise of Syrian civilians seeking medical help.
A few weeks ago, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot instructed the Northern Command to increase its intelligence gathering efforts in the Syrian villages near the border in an effort to thwart attempts by Hezbollah and other Shi’ite terrorists to gain control of the area and begin carrying out attacks from the border. Eisenkot also directed the Operation Good Neighbor directorate to remain alert in light of the threat and brief their medical crews and ambulance drivers on the matter.
Wounded Syrian civilians, who have been receiving medical treatment in Israel in recent years, are now being evacuated mostly to international hospitals set up south of Quneitra (Syria) by the Evangelical-American organization Friendships Unlimited.
For further reading click here.
New Leader
The Jewish Agency’s board of governors, meeting in Jerusalem, has confirmed Isaac Herzog as the next chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, despite the objections of PM Netanyahu. Herzog will replace Natan Sharansky. Herzog is currently leader of the opposition in the Knesset, a position that he will now be leaving.
In an official statement, Herzog spoke of the Jewish Agency as “a narrow bridge that connects the State of Israel and the Jewish people wherever they are” and said that he would seek to work in cooperation with Netanyahu. He also said that “relationships between Israel and the Jews in the Diaspora have suffered a severe blow over the few past years, and we have to do whatever we can to mend them.”
For further reading click here.
New Uniforms
The IDF will be testing a new version of combat uniforms in the coming weeks in a month-long trial led by the military’s Technology and Logistics Division and the Ground Forces Division. The IDF said, “This is an opportunity to improve the quality of the IDF combat uniform by adapting to operational needs and using new and advanced technological capabilities from the world of textiles.”
For further reading click here.
India Flights
Air India will transform its 3 days a week Tel Aviv-Delhi route into a daily route. The flights fly through Saudi Arabian airspace to save about an hour. A source at Air India said, “The success of the service is a testament to the strengthening of diplomatic ties between India and Israel and growing people to people contact between the two countries.”
For further reading click here.
Royal Visit
Prince William is visiting Israel. We told you all about his itinerary in Friday’s email. To read it click here.
Israel News for 6-22-18
/by Arnie SingerSara Indicted
Sara Netanyahu, the PM’s wife, has been indicted for fraudulently obtaining benefits under aggravated circumstances, fraud and breach of trust. She is suspected of ordering private meals worth some NIS 350,000 (roughly $96,600) from high-end restaurants with the state footing the bill, despite the fact that a cook had been hired to prepare the meals at the residence.
For further reading click here.
More Fires
Fifteen fires broke out in the western Negev on Thursday afternoon as a result of incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza that set fire to trees in the Shokeda Forest and the Be’eri Forest. Firefighters fought to contain the fires.
For further reading click here.
Fake News
According to an indictment filed against 20-year-old Gaza resident Mahmoud Omar, who was arrested when he tried to break the Gaza border fence during the “March of Return” riots last month, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar paid Omar’s family to lie and say that his eight-month-old niece, Leila al-Ghandour, had died from tear gas inhalation rather than from a blood disease. The media subsequently reported that the baby was killed by IDF teargas.
For further reading click here.
Peace Team
The US Mideast peace team, led by Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, arrived in Egypt on thursday and met with Egyptian president al-Sisi. A White House statement said that the meeting focused on “the need to facilitate humanitarian relief to Gaza.” Jordan’s King Abdullah is set to meet President Trump on Monday.
For further reading click here.
Ambassador Extension
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked the government to extend Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer’s five-year tenure by another year—until September 30, 2019. The standard term for an ambassador is 3 years. Netanyahu said his request was based on “unique political circumstances in the international arena in general and in light of our relationship with the US in particular.”
For further reading click here.
Low Water
The Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) is currently 213.57 meters below water level and 57 cm below the lower red line. Significant evaporation is expected to take palce during the summer, which threatens to cause yet a further decrease in the Kinneret’s water level. However, the National Infrastructure Ministry and the Water Authority are planning to pour desalinated water into the disappearing lake as part of the national effort to preserve its water line.
However, the Mekorot Company, Israel’s national water company, is still pumping some 100 million cubic meters of water, which is equal to 60 cm in water level, from the Kinneret. According to the peace treaty with Jordan, Israel is obligated to transfer 50 million cubic meters annually, with 20 million cubic meters being salt water transferred to the eastern side of the southern Jordan River. The salt water is mixed with 10 million cubic meters of sweet water. Additional water is pumped to supply the residents of Tiberias and other communities surrounding the lake with drinking water, as well as water to irrigate the Golan Heights communities.
As a result of the dropping water level, two islands have been formed and are expanding in the Kinneret.
For further reading click here.
Royal Visit
Prince William of England will kick off the first official royal visit to Israel on Monday when he lands and spends the night at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. On Tuesday morning the Prince will visit Yad Vashem and lay a wreath at the Memorial Hall. In the afternoon he will meet with PM Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at their official residence. Afterwards, the prince will meet President Reuven Rivlin at the President’s Residence.
Then he will travel to Jaffa “where he will meet with young people involved in the work of two organizations focused on co-existence between the young people of different religious and ethnic communities – the Equalizer and the Peres Centre for Peace.” His next stop will be a visit to central Tel Aviv together with Mayor Ron Huldai. He will also attend a reception at the British Embassy in Ramat Gan together with 350 guests.
On Wednesday, William will visit the Beit Ha’ir Museum and meet with representatives of leading Israeli start-up companies and watch a presentation on Israeli innovation. He will also meet with young activists, both Jewish and Arab, who are involved with youth, education and social programs. He is also expected to attend a cultural event in the city as well and, of course, make a stop at the beach.
Also on Wednesday, the Prince will visit Ramallah and meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. He will also attend an event focusing on Palestinian refugees and “celebrate Palestinian culture, music and food; and a chance to meet a number of young Palestinians. At night he will deliver a speech at a reception at the home of the American Consul in Jerusalem.
On Thursday the Prince will visit the Old City of Jerusalem, which the British Foreign Office and the palace has called “Occupied Palestinian Territories”, to the consternation of Israeli officials. According to the Princes official itinerary published by Kensington Palace, “the programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will begin with a short briefing on the history and geography of Jerusalem’s Old City from a viewing point at the Mount of Olives. From here His Royal Highness will travel a short distance to the Church of St Mary Magdalene where he will pay his respects at the tomb of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice.” Princess Alice was recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem for saving a Jewish-Greek family during the Holocaust.
Prince William will also visit the Western Wall. The two official photographs of the visit will be from the Prince’s visit to the Western Wall and Yad Vashem.
For further reading click here.
Israel News for 6-20-18
/by Arnie SingerGaza Fighting
Israeli fighters attacked targets in Gaza last night in response to continued incendiary kite attacks. Following the Israeli operation, around 45 rockets and mortar shells were fired at Israel from Gaza. Seven of them were intercepted by the Iron Dome system and at least 3 landed within Gaza. One mortar shell exploded on a pathway near a nursery in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries were reported in any of the attacks, although there was damage. The IDF responded with additional strikes against terror targets in Gaza, hitting 25 targets in total.
For further reading click here.
US Withdraws
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, along with Secretary of State Pompeo, announced yesterday that the US was withdrawing from the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, calling it “an organization that is not worthy of its name.” She specifically referred to the organization’s “chronic bias against Israel” and that its membership includes accused human rights abusers such as China, Cuba, Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of Congo. She said, “We take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights.”
For further reading click here.
Drone Crashes
An IDF unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crash landed last night in the al-Khader area in southwestern Syria. The IDF announced that the incident, which is being investigated, was due to a technical failure and that no classified information was compromised.
For further reading click here.
Demolition Postponed
PM Netanyahu has ordered the postponement of the evacuation and demolition of five illegal buildings in the Palestinian village of Khirbet Susya in South Mount Hebron. The demolition, which was scheduled for Tuesday morning, is being postponed following international pressure. This is the third time in the past few months that the evacuation is put off.
The demolition of illegal Palestinian homes in Khirbet Susya is seen as one of the symbols of the Palestinian battle in the West Bank, and Israel has been under heavy international pressure—mainly in recent weeks—to prevent the evacuation, which would have received wide international coverage.
For further reading click here.
Terrorist Sentenced
The Lod District Court on Tuesday sentenced Ismail Abu Aram to 22 years in prison for stabbing Niv Nehemia at a supermarket in the city of Yavne and seriously wounding him in August 2017. He was also ordered to pay Nehemia NIS 200,000. Nehemia said after the sentence was handed down, “I would have been happier if he had received more, if the punishment had been set like in the new terror law, which is 25 years in prison at the most. They could have given him more, but it’s a good sentence, the highest that has been given so far. But had they given the maximum punishment, it would have created maximum deterrence.”
For further reading click here.
Peace Talks
Jared Kushner and US special Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt met with Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Tuesday to discuss the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians and a number of other regional developments.
The White House released a statement saying that the meeting in Amman centered on Israel-Palestinian peace proposal which is expected to be rolled out in the near future by the Trump administration. The discussions also focused on bilateral relations between the US and Jordan, on regional developments and on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with King Abdullah in Amman where they “discussed regional developments, advancing the peace process and bilateral relations.” Netanyahu also ”reiterated Israel’s commitment to maintaining the status quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem.” According to the Petra news agency, King Abdullah, “stressed the need to make progress in efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution and in accordance with international law, relevant UN resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative.”
For further reading click here.
Housing in Nahariya
The government announced the approval of a plan to build and market 10,000 new “affordable” housing units in the northern city of Nahariya. But not everyone is happy about it. Some groups claim that the existing infrastructure, educational system and job market cannot sustain the new development. In addition, there are already a lot of vacant units in Nahariya.
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Israel News for 6-18-18
/by Arnie SingerTerrorists Foiled
The IDF spokesman reported that five terrorists attempted to place an explosive device near the Gaza border fence, but the device exploded killing one and injuring the rest today. Arab media reported that the terrorists were killed when soldiers discovered them and opened fire.
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Gaza Air Strikes
Earlier today, Israel Air Force jets attacked nine Hamas targets in the northern Gaza Strip in response to the continued incendiary kite attacks from Gaza. The strikes hit two military bases in Jabalia, Al-Shati and a weapons production facility in Gaza City. During the strikes, three rockets were fired from Gaza at the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council.
Seventeen fires broke out on Sunday as a result of the incendiary kites and balloons, with hundreds of turkeys suffocating to death in Ein HaShlosha from smoke inhalation.
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Terror Cell Busted
The Shin Bet, IDF and Israel Police recently exposed a Hamas terror cell operating in the Nablus area which was planning to carry out attacks in the center of Israel’s main cities, including in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The terror cell had been operating since October last year until its members were arrested at the end of April. The cell consisted of at least 20 terrorists, many with long histories of terror activity. During its investigation, security forces succeeded in uncovering an additional terror cell that was also planning attacks.
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Baby Girl
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) gave birth to her third daughter last night. Mazal Tov!!
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Israel News for 6-15-18
/by Arnie SingerIDF Attacks
IDF planes attacked a location in southern Gaza Thursday afternoon where terrorists were assembling incendiary kites. Warning shots were fired prior to the attack. There were no casualties reported. Several fires broke out earlier Thursday as a result of incendiary kites and balloons, including a brush fire near Kibbutz Be’eri and two other brush fires in the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council. Firefighters and foresters put out the fires. No one was hurt.
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Indonesia Meeting
PM Netanyahu had an unscheduled meeting yesterday with Yahya Staquf, secretary general of the 60 million member Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization. Staquf, an advocate of interfaith coexistence, is visiting Israel at the invitation of the American Jewish Committee.
In an interview, Staquf said he remains committed to the visit and hopes the controversy can bring more attention to his message of tolerance. He remarked, “Some people here are amazed by my decision to come, because they think it must be dangerous for this man to come, thinking that many, many Muslims must be threatening him with death or something.” Earlier this week, Staquf addressed the American Jewish Committee’s conference, appearing alongside a rabbi in his discussion. His schedule also included meetings at Hebrew University, and talks with local Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders.
In Indonesia, Twitter and Facebook have been filled with negative comments about the visit. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim country, does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, and support for the Palestinians there is strong. Indonesia recently revoked tourist visas for Israeli visitors to protest Israeli actions in Gaza. In response, Israel has threatened to ban tourist visas for Indonesians.
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Jaffa Hotel
Marriott International will open a 121-room luxury hotel in Jaffa on July 22. The Jaffa – a Luxury Collection Hotel will be housed in a renovated 19th century building on the corner of Yefet and Louis Pasteur Streets that formerly served as the French Hospital, alongside a new building designed by world famous London-based architect John Pawson and local architect Ramy Gill. The hotel is the result of 20 years of planning and construction. Prices per night will range between $620 for a deluxe room and up to $6,000 per night for a large suite.
The Jaffa – a Luxury Collection Hotel is one of three boutique hotels that have opened in Jaffa this year. Last month the Nakash brothers opened the 120-room Setai in an historic building that served as an Ottoman prison and an Israeli police station, while this month the 42-room Drisco Hotel opens in a 19th century building in the American Colony on the seam between Jaffa and Tel Aviv.
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Commando Raid [VIDEO]
Watch this video of the IDF’s Duvdevan special operations unit on the raid in the refugee camp where an IDF soldier was killed when a terrorist dropped a marble slab on him from a window. Click here.
Party Time [VIDEO]
This is how the Sadigora Rebbe celebrated the engagement of his daughter. The rebbe is the one in the center wearing the shtreimel with the pointed top. To his left, with the long white beard, is the Vasloy Rebbe. To watch the video click here.