Israel News for 1-10-18
Terror Attack
Rabbi Raziel Shevah, 35, was killed last night when terrorist opened fire at his car from another vehicle near Havat Gilad in the West Bank. Shevah, a father of 6, including an 8-month old baby, worked as a shohet (ritual slaughterer) and as a mohel (one who performs circumcisions) and also volunteered for Magen David Adom paramedics. Before dying, he managed to call his wife to tell her he had been shot.
IDF forces launched a massive manhunt for the terrorists, in the area around the shooting scene. The IDF has also sent reinforcements to the area.
PM Netanyahu said, “My deepest sympathy and condolences go out to the family of Raziel Shevah, who was murdered by a lowly terrorist. Security forces will do everything in their power to locate the heinous killer and the State of Israel will bring him to justice.” Hamas praised the attack.
US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, tweeted, “An Israeli father of six was killed last night in cold blood by Palestinian terrorists. Hamas praises the killers and PA laws will provide them financial rewards. Look no further to why there is no peace. Praying for the bereaved Shevah family.”
Rabbi Shevah was laid to rest in Havat Gilad, which is currently considered to be an illegal outpost. Settler leaders are calling on the government to approve the construction of hundreds of housing units in Havat Gilad.
For further reading and to see a photo of the Shevah family click here.
IDF Attacks
The Syrian army claims that Israel attacked Syrian territory three times early on Tuesday, with jets and ground-to-ground missiles.
The statement said, “At around 2:40 am, the Israeli air force fired a number of missiles over Lebanese territory at the Al-Qutayfah in the suburbs of the capital of Damascus. Our air defense systems responded and hit one of the planes.”
The statement added that, “two ground-to-ground missiles fired once again from the occupied Golan territory at 3:04 am were intercepted by our air defense system. At 4:15 am, the enemy fired four missiles from Tiberias, which were also intercepted by our air defense system. Some property was damaged as a result of the interception of one of the missiles near one of the military posts.”
Israeli sources say that the target of the strikes were most likely Russian made precision missiles being transferred to Hezbollah.
For further reading click here.
Hole in the Head
A senior Hamas official was shot in the head yesterday in Gaza. The circumstances behind the injury are still unclear. It is possible he tried to take his own life after being diagnosed with cancer a year ago, or that he was hurt in an assassination attempt. A third option is that his handgun accidentally discharged. A Gaza source said al-Alami was likely dead, even though an official announcement has not yet been made.
For further reading click here.
African Migrants
William Spindler, of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told a Geneva briefing, “We are again appealing to Israel to halt its policy of relocating Eritreans and Sudanese to sub-Saharan Africa,” referring to a new Israeli initiative to offer African migrants a $3,500 payment and a free air ticket to return home or go to “third countries”, which rights groups identified as Rwanda and Uganda.
Spindler said, “What we would like to see in Israel—and we are willing to help in that respect—is to find legal alternatives for these people, through resettlement in other countries.” If he can make that happen, that works just fine.
For further reading click here.
Shabbat Bill
The Knesset approved the contentious Supermarkets Bill early Tuesday morning, making it into law. The legislation, which gives the Interior Minister authority to strike down municipal bylaws—including those permitting some businesses to open on Shabbat—was passed with a narrow majority of 58 in favor and 57 opposed. Several MK’s from the coalition either voted against the bill or were absent from the vote.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who sponsored the bill, tweeted, “The approval of the Supermarkets Law this morning is not a ‘Haredi victory.’ It is the protection of the status quo and the victory of the silent majority in the State of Israel that wishes to safeguard the country’s Jewish character and to rest on the day of rest.”
Defense Minister and Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman, who apposed the law, tweeted: “Religious coercion has no place in Judaism or in Jewish tradition. This type of law distances, rather than bring closer, people to Judaism.”
Several municipalities recently passed bylaws to permit businesses to operate on Shabbat, but these will now be able to be overturned by the Interior Minister.
For further reading click here.
