Archive for category: news

Syrian Target
Syrian media has reported an alleged Israeli airstrike against Syrian army targets in the Tal al-Hara area in southern Syria, overlooking the Golan Heights. The Syrians claim that their missile defense system shot down several missiles and that there was “limited damage” and no loss of life. Israel did not confirm or deny the report.

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Mistaken Identity
During an IDF operation in Nablus last night, IDF troops mistakenly identified personnel at the Palestinian Authority security services headquarters as armed terrorists and opened fire on the building. The Palestinians returned fire. One Palestinian was wounded. There were no IDF casualties. The IDF apparently forgot to inform the Palestinian District Coordination Office prior to entering Nablus. The IDF is investigating the incident.

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Sara Cuts Deal
Sara Netanyahu, wife of the PM, signed a plea deal today for the reduced charge of deliberately exploiting another’s mistake for her own financial benefit, in a way that does not constitute fraud.

Netanyahu was originally charged with fraud and breach of trust in June 2018 for having ordered $100,000 worth of meals from high-end restaurants on the governments tab, although a cook had been hired to prepare the meals at the PM’s residence.

Sara is expected to reimburse the state for the sum of NIS55,000 (approximately $12,000) – far less that the amount in the original charge. The reimbursement includes a NIS 45,000 repayment to the state coffers, and a fine of NIS 10,000. She will not have to plead guilty to fraud or stand trial.

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Arab Attendance
Egypt, Jordan and Morocco have informed the White House that they will attend the US sponsored Bahrain conference later this month. They will join Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to discuss ways to improve the economic situation of the Palestinians. The Palestinians are boycotting the event.

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Palestinian Farmers
Three hundred Palestinian Arab farmers from Judea and Samaria visited Tel Aviv for the annual Agro Mashov agriculture and gardening convention. The two-day event, which began Tuesday, is being held at the Tel Aviv Convention Center, and showcases the latest Israeli agricultural technology.

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Moldova Embassy
The government of Moldova has announced that it will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It will become the first European country to do so.

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Ford in TA
The Ford Motor Company has opened a research center in Tel Aviv. The Ford Research Center will assist its global Research and Advanced Engineering team, and identify local technologies and start-up companies to support Ford’s automotive and mobility businesses. 

Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford, said, “We recognize the importance of being in one of the world’s leading innovation communities and ecosystems. This new center is not only an expansion of our existing Research and Innovation centers but provides an opportunity to join a growing innovation community in Israel.”

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Stabbing
A 46 year old man walking in the street in Ramat Hasharon, a city in central Israel, was stabbed and wounded this morning. Witnesses say that the attacker came out of a nearby building site and swore at his victim in Arabic. He stabbed the man several times in the back and pelvis. The victim was evacuated to hospital in stable condition. Police are searching for the attacker and are still investigating whether to classify the attack as nationalistically motivated.

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Fires Arson
An investigation into the recent wave of fires in Israel suggests that hundreds of blazes were the work of Arab arsonists operating in the greater Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh areas. Last week, Jerusalem police arrested three Arab residents of Jerusalem suspected of setting fires around the capital.

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Rocket Stockpile
According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, Gaza terror groups have replenished their stockpile of rockets, which totals around 10,000, including long range rockets that can hit Tel Aviv and other populated areas far from the border. Most of the rockets are made with “crude material” brought into Gaza via tunnels from Sinai. Hamas leaders confirm the stockpile and threaten to use it.

Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nahala said, “Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip have the capability to launch a thousand rockets a day for a whole month.” He added, “In the last round of conflict, Palestinian factions limited themselves to medium-range fire. In the next confrontation with Israel, rockets will be fired not only at Tel Aviv, but at all Israeli cities, whatever the consequences.”

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Driver Defense
After a spate of attacks against bus drivers, the Histadrut labor union has decided to equip drivers with tear gas, and train them on using it.

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Nechama Rivlin
Nechama Rivlin, the wife of Israel’s president, will be laid to rest today at Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem, on what would have been her 74th birthday. She passed away on Tuesday from complications that occurred following a lung transplantation which she had undergone in March. Rivlin was a popular first lady who focused on the arts, the environment and children with special needs, and was a trusted adviser to her husband. May her memory serve as a blessing.

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Terror Attack
Early this morning a 19 year old Palestinian terrorist stabbed 2 Jews in Jerusalem’s Old City. Gavriel Levi, 50, was seriously wounded and Yisrael Meir Nachumberg, 16, was moderately wounded. Police shot and killed the terrorist as he was chasing another young man.

Nachumberg, who had just left morning prayers with his brother and was heading back to his yeshiva said, “I was riding on my bicycle towards Jaffa Gate, when I stopped to fix something on my bike. The terrorist came out of one of the side streets. At first I was sure that he had punched me in the back, but then I turned around and saw a knife covered with blood. The police came quickly and did a good job.”

Meanwhile, security forces shot and killed a 16 year old Palestinian who was attempting to scale a security fence near Jerusalem.

To watch a video of the police stopping the terrorist, click here.

Election Update
Labor party chairman Avi Gabbay announced today that his party will merge with either Blue and White or Meretz for the upcoming election. Recent polls showed Labor failing to pass the threshold if it runs independently. If if ends up joining Blue and White, it could potentially give the party the largest number of Knesset seats and a possibility of forming a government.

Likud is reportedly trying to get Ayelet Shaked to join its list.

Naftali Bennet is reportedly talking to the far right block about a possible merger.

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Israel Parade
The Celebrate Israel parade will take place this Sunday, June 2, up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue from 57th to 74th Streets from 11am to 4pm.

The Parade will be on FOX MY9 from 12 to 3PM. It will be live-streamed on https://celebrateisraelny.org from 12 to 3PM , it can be viewed live-streamed on the Jewish Broad Cast Cable Channel as well as on Facebook Live via the Parade’s Facebook page.

Sunday also marks Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim), the 52nd anniversary of the liberation and unification of Jerusalem in 1967.

If you’re in the NY area, please join us at the parade to show your support for Israel and to show the politicians who will be there that the Jewish vote, and supporting Israel, matters.

New Elections
With less than 2 days left to PM Netanyahu’s deadline for forming a new government, the Knesset passed its initial reading of a bill to dissolve itself and call for new elections, which would most likely be held on September 17th.

The main obstacle to forming a new coalition is the deadlock between the Haredi parties, who insist on a draft law to exempt yeshiva students from IDF service, and Avigor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu party, which opposes the draft bill and other regulations they view as religious coercion.

The Haredi parties have reportedly accepted a compromise presented by PM Netanyahu, but Lieberman has rejected it, calling it a “scam”. Without Lieberman’s party, the coalition only has 60 seats, which is one short of the majority required.

Lieberman said, “The sole motive of Yisrael Beytenu is to uphold the principles and commitments given to the public before the elections, during the elections and after the elections. We are not looking to bring down Netanyahu and we are not looking for an alternative candidate, but we will not give up our principles and promises to the citizens of the State of Israel.”

The Knesset vote to disband was 65 to 44 with 5 abstentions. If the PM fails to form a government by Wednesday, the Knesset will likely pass the second and third reading and call for new elections.

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Golan Attack
The IDF attacked a missile launcher on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights Monday, after a missile was fired at an Israeli fighter jet flying a routine mission over northern Israel. The missile landed in Syrian territory and did not harm the aircraft. Syrian media reported that one Syrian soldier was killed and another injured.

PM Netanyahu tweeted, “A short while ago the Syrian army attempted to hit an Israeli plane; it did not succeed. In response the air force destroyed the launcher that fired on the plane. Our policy is clear – we will not tolerate any aggression against us, and we will respond forcefully.”

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Lebanon Talks
Minister of National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz met US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs David Satterfield and was updated on his recent talks with Lebanon concerning its maritime border with Israel. Steinitz agreed to talks between Israel and Lebanon, with US mediation, with the aim of drawing an agreed maritime border that will enable both countries to develop gas and oil reservoirs adjacent to it.

The two countries are in dispute over an area of 860 square kilometers, mainly in the region of Block 9. This area is estimated to hold large quantities of gas, similar to those of Israel’s Tamar reservoir, and both countries claim ownership of it.

For further reading click here.

PA Weapons
The Palestinian Authority recently received 10 light armored vehicles from the US with Israel’s approval. Representatives of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria strongly criticized the move, calling it calling it irresponsible, dangerous and risky.

Yossi Dagan, chairman of the Shomron Regional Council, said, “It’s amazing how the same people who chanted ‘don’t give them rifles’ at protests against the Oslo Accords are now giving them armor. “I call on those who made this unfortunate decision to regain their composure. This is a decision that can draw a high price in blood.”

PM Netanyahu and former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman authorized the transfer nine months ago at the request of the United States after years of delays, apparently in an attempt to appease the Palestinians after withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in tax payment (because they use the money to support terrorists and their families).

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Equal Treatment
The Knesset has decided to give equal treatment to heterosexual and homosexual couples among its members. According to the new rules, spouses of gay members will be registered and treated the same as all other spouses. Among other things, they will be given permanent entry passes for the Knesset, be invited to all official ceremonies and events, and allowed to drive any Knesset-issued vehicles assigned to their partners. The new Knesset has 5 openly gay members.

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Peace Movement
The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia both confirmed on Tuesday they would take part in the June 25-26 “Peace to Prosperity” economic workshop hosted in Bahrain and sponsored by the United States.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement that the workshop “aims to lift the Palestinian people out of misery and to enable them for a stable and prosperous future. The UAE reiterates its support for the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

Saudi Arabia’s official news agency published a statement saying, “The minister’s [Minister of Economy and Planning] participation in this event is a continuation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s firm positions supportive to the sisterly Palestinian people in a way that achieves their stability, growth, and good living, and achieves their hopes and aspirations and yields security, stability and prosperity for the region in general. A number of businessmen and investors from the Arab countries and the world at large in addition to a number of finance ministers will take part in the workshop as they are going to review ideas and investment opportunities in the region and discuss the potentials of economic growth, development of human capital, creation of incentive investment environment in the region in general and in Palestine in particular.”

The Palestinian Authority announced that it will boycott the conference.

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Israeli Arabs
Saudi Arabia is about to pass regulations that would permit Israeli Arabs to work in the kingdom. Apparently, Arab graduates of Israeli universities are looked upon highly in the Arab world.

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Kabbalistic Celebration
The day is 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 (and 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 day also marks the anniversary of the death of Rabi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi), the second century sage who is believed to have authored the Zohar, the cornerstone text of the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism).

Hundreds of thousands of Jews will celebrate the “hilullah” of Rashbi, 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 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.

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.