Archive for category: news

News Update

Sgt. Maj. Noam Raz, 47, a member of Yamam, Israel’s elite police anti-terror unit, was killed in a shootout with Palestinian terrorists during a raid in the town of Brukin on the outskirts of Jenin this morning. Palestinian sources report that 11 Palestinians were wounded in the shootout, including the brother of a terrorist commander. Sgt. Maj. Noam Raz leaves behind a wife and six children.

Earlier this morning, IDF troops opened fire at a Palestinian who threw a cinderblock at a passing Israeli vehicle in the West Bank. The terrorist also tried to open the doors of the vehicle before being shot.

A man in his 20’s shouted “Allahu akbar” and lunged at police in Jerusalem’s Old City. Police shot and seriously wounded the attacker, who turned out to be unarmed.

Israel has asked the US to persuade the Palestinian Authority to agree to a joint investigation into the killing of Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh on Wednesday during exchanges of fire in Jenin. PM Bennett expressed concern that the Palestinians might try to corrupt the evidence or prevent a proper investigation in order to cover up the fact that the reporter was shot and killed by Palestinian fire. The Palestinians have denied Israel’s request to examine the bullet that killed the reporter. Thousands of mourners are attending the journalist’s funeral today in Jerusalem.

Prosecutors filed two indictments today against Sheikh Yusuf Albaz, 63, from Lod, charging the imam with incitement to violence. The Cyber Department of the State Attorney’s Office filed the charges due to Albaz’s public support for rioters who attacked police on the Temple Mount during Ramadan.

Israel, yesterday, approved the building of 4,427 new housing units in various settlements in the area commonly referred to as the West Bank.

News Update

Security forces, after a 4 day manhunt, captured the 2 terrorists who killed 3 and wounded 4 in Elad last week. The 2 were captured on Sunday morning without a fight, in a wooded area not far from Elad. Investigators have revealed that one of the men killed in the terror attack, who worked as a driver, drove the terrorists from an area near the security fence to Elad, thinking that they were workers renovating a synagogue in the town.

A 24-year-old Border Police officer was stabbed and moderately wounded by a terrorist at the Nablus Gate in Jerusalem’s Old City. Other Border Police officers at the scene shot and neutralized the terrorist. About an hour later, a knife-wielding Palestinian was shot and killed by a local resident after he infiltrated the West Bank settlement of Tekoa in the Gush Etzion Regional Council. The resident was having tea with his wife on his porch when he spotted the terrorist climbing over the settlements fence. For more, click here. Large military forces were scanning the area for three other suspects who remain at large.

A Palestinian who tried to cross into Israel from the West Bank near the city of Tulkarm was shot dead by an Israeli force that was stationed nearby. Government leaders, including the PM and DM, estimate that the recent terror spree could continue for the foreseeable future.

The UK Sunday Times reported that Israel told allies that it was sending hit teams to assassinate Hamas leaders abroad in retaliation for the recent deadly wave of terror attacks in Israel.

Police returned the bodies of 2 terrorists who murdered 2 Border Police officers in Hadera last month. The terrorist were Israeli Arab citizens. The bodies were returned on the condition that the two funerals together not be attended by more than 100 people, no flags or signs be raised during the funeral and no processions take place.

A new session of the Knesset opened today, with no majority for the government. The opposition, led by former PM Netanyahu met to discuss how to proceed in attempting to topple the government. The opposition doesn’t have a majority either. To read more, click here.

News Update

Today is Yom Hazikaron, the day Israel remembers and honors its 24,068 fallen soldiers, police and security forces along with 4,217 civilian victims of terror. A two-minute siren sounded across the country at 11am, followed by state memorial services at the country’s 52 military cemeteries nationwide, attended by bereaved families, public figures and representatives of the government, police and the security forces. The main service was held at the national military cemetery on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem.

Last night a 1 minute siren sounded at 8pm. An annual state ceremony was held at the Western Wall in honor of the dead, attended by the country’s top officials.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett released a video statement for the bereaved families:

“The sacrifice of the fallen obliges us, the living, to do better and be more united; to conquer our divisions and to love one another as well, and perhaps especially, when we do not agree on everything. Among the fallen, there are religious and secular people, right and left, Jews and non-Jews. They lived together, served together, fought together and died together. And they would probably like us to continue living together. Your loved ones have paid the ultimate price in the continuous struggle for our independence, for our security here in this country, and we will continue to do everything to ensure that their way, which is the way of the whole nation, is the one that prevails.”

Hamas has claimed responsibility for the terror attack outside of Ariel this weekend, which took the life of an Israeli security guard. The Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, praised the attackers in a speech on Saturday. The 2 terrorists were captured by security forces after a 20 hour manhunt.

Turkish President Erdoğan sent Israeli President Herzog a congratulatory letter on the occasion of Israel’s 74th Independence Day. The letter said: “On the occasion of the National Day of the State of Israel, I extend congratulation to Your Excellency and the people of Israel on behalf of my nation and myself. In the new period in our relations, heralded by your Excellency’s visit to our country in March, I sincerely believe that the cooperation between our countries will develop in a way that serves our mutual national interests, as well as regional peace and stability. Taking this opportunity, I extend my best wishes for the health and happiness of Your Excellency, and for the well-being and prosperity of the people of Israel.”

A fatal car crash in southern Israel claimed the lives of three parents on Tuesday, leaving behind 21 newly orphaned children. The three victims were identified as Tzipi Shimoni — mother of ten children aged between two months and 15 from Moshav Sde Uziyahu, Fentanesh Obenach — mother of eight from Kiryat Malachi, and Matanya Ayoubi — father of three, the youngest of whom is just one month old, from Moshav Even Shmuel. Six other people were injured. Since the beginning of the year, 124 people have been killed on the road in Israel.

Air Cairo has this week launched three weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Sharm El-Sheikh in the Sinai.

The unemployment rate in Israel fell to 2.9% in the first half of April, from 3.7% in the second half of March, which is a 50 year low. To read more, click here.

Tonight Israel begins celebrating its 74th Yom Ha’atzmaut, Independence Day, with celebrations throughout the country tonight and tomorrow.

News Update

On this final Friday of Ramadan, hundreds of Palestinians rioted on the Temple Mount, waving Hamas flags and throwing rocks and fireworks. Some threw rocks down at Jews worshipping at the Western Wall. Police entered the Temple Mount to stop the rioting. At least 12 rioters were reported injured and several arrested. The violence ended around an hour later, after other Palestinians in the compound intervened, convincing the stone throwers and the police to pull back. Today is one of the busiest days at the Al Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount. The police presence in and around the Old City has been significantly increased.

Security forces arrested Nazir Nassar, a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative, in a raid in the West Bank early this morning.

The IDF will deploy six battalions of reservist forces at the West Bank security barrier to prevent terrorist attacks and illegal crossings.

The Supreme Court yesterday rejected an appeal against the establishment of a new Jewish neighborhood in Hebron’s old city. Called the Hezekiah Quarter, the new neighborhood is expected to include 31 residential units, including a six-story apartment building. Construction began last year. To read more, click here.

Ra’am, the Arab party that has been part of PM Bennett’s coalition, has agreed to end its boycott and vote with the government when the Knesset returns to session on May 9th. Ra’am had refused to vote with the government earlier this month as pressure mounted on it over the ongoing tensions and violence between police and Palestinians at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. After Ra’am returns to the government, the coalition will accelerate several moves important to the party, including the immediate recognition of illegal Bedouin villages in southern Israel. Ra’am draws much of its voter support from Bedouin in the Negev region.

In his address at Yad Vashem (the holocaust museum in Jerusalem) at the start of Holocaust Remembrance Day yesterday, PM Bennett called on the world to stop comparing the Holocaust to other events in history. He also warned Jews against letting internal divisions tear society apart.

With the Ministry of Interior’s Immigration and Population Authority struggling to keep up with demand for renewing passports, the order allowing dual citizens to travel abroad on foreign passports has been extended until January 1, 2023.

The shekel is at its weakest against the dollar since early April 2021.

Believe it or not, the estate of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, the great Torah sage who passed away recently, is in dispute. To read about this, click here.