Israel News for 12-3-18
UN Resolutions
In case you missed it, on Friday the UN General Assembly got busy and passed 6 anti-Israel resolutions. The resolution on Jerusalem, which refers to the Temple Mount only by its Arab name of Haram al-Sharif and states that under Israeli administration of Jerusalem there is a lack of religious freedom, passed by a vote of 148 votes in favor, 11 against and 14 abstentions. While the EU countries voted for the resolution, the EU said that it would be its last time doing so unless the Palestinians changed the language of the resolution to recognize the significance of Jerusalem’s holy sites to all 3 monotheistic religions.
The other resolutions were titled “The Syrian Golan”, “Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat”, “Special information programme on the question of Palestine of the Department of Public Information of the Secretariat”, “Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine”, “Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People”.
At the time of this writing, the UN website has not yet published the content of any of these resolutions, but if you want to check back to read them in the future, click here.
Important Meeting
Prime Minister Netanyahu will fly to Brussels for a brief trip today to meet with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss “regional developments”. The PM will be joined by Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat and military secretary Col. Avi Blot.
For further reading click here.
Secret Mission
According to British newspaper The Independent, the Israeli Special Forces involved in the recent commando raid in Gaza during which a Lt. Colonel was killed had posed as medical personnel from one of the aid groups operating in the strip. An Independent journalist who went into the Gaza Strip obtained new information by interviewing Hamas members as well as residents living in the Khan Yunis area, where the incident had taken place.
According to the report, the Israeli force used “detailed but fake” IDs of real Gaza citizens from different areas of the strip. Hamas has since detained and questioned all of the Palestinians whose identities were allegedly stolen by the IDF troops after their identity cards were discovered in the wreckage of the Volkswagen minibus the Israeli force reportedly used in its raid. Qassem said the ID cards were “very accurate,” including full names, ID numbers and details of the Palestinian residents.
The Israeli forces were reportedly held at the checkpoint until the Hamas commander in Khan Yunis, Nour Baraka, was called to the scene and decided to take them in for questioning at a Hamas facility. It was then, according to the report, that the IDF troops opened fire.
For further reading click here.
New Train Line
The Israel Railways Authority is getting bids for construction of a new railway that were connect Rishon Letzion to Modiin along highway 431. The total length of the railway track in the project, which will be electrified, is 30 kilometers. The project poses unique engineering challenges, including long bridges, underground passages, tunnels, and two new railway stations, in addition to upgrading and extending platforms at the Rishonim station. The project is estimated to cost 3 billion shekels and be completed in 2025.
For further reading click here.
Happy Hanukkah
The holiday of Hanukkah began last night and lasts for eight days, commemorating the miraculous burning of one day’s supply of oil for eight days in the menorah in the Holy Temple rededicated by the Maccabees and the Jewish nation. The holiday also commemorates the victory of the Jewish people over the Hellenists, who tried to eradicate the Jewish religion. It was the first time a nation rose up in arms in the defense of religious freedom. The lights of Hanukkah remind us to cherish our faith and freedom, and resist those that try to deprive us of them. May we all continue to enjoy the freedom represented by our Hanukkah lights and share the light with the entire world.
Hamilton Hanukkah
What do you get when you mix Hamilton, Hanukkah and a bunch of singing yeshivah boys? A pretty awesome music video. To watch click here.
Hassidic Hanukkah
To hear a Hassidic Hanukkah medley, mostly in Yiddish, click here.
