Israel News for 2-2-18
IDF Responds
In response to a rocket fired into Israel from Gaza last night that landed in an open field, the IDF attacked a Hamas observation post in northern Gaza early this morning. An IDF spokesman said that, “the IDF considers the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip.”
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Infiltrators Arrested
Four men were arrested attempting to infiltrate into Israel from Gaza last night. One of them was found carrying knives and a grenade. The suspects were observed by IDF spotters as they approached the border fence and were apprehended immediately after crossing over into Israel.
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Security Control
In a meeting between PM Netanyahu and German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel in Tel Aviv, the PM said Israeli control over the security of the West Bank is a condition for a peace agreement with the Palestinians. He added, “Whether or not it is defined as a state when we have the military control is another matter.”
Nabil Abu Rdeneh, spokesman for Palestinian President Abbas, said the Palestinians would not accept the presence of “one Israeli soldier” on sovereign Palestinian lands. “Either there will be full Palestinian sovereignty or there will be no security, no peace and no stability.”
The German FM said, “It is increasingly difficult for people like me to explain to them the reasons why our support for Israel must persist.” He added, “Germany is looking forward to the day when it will be able to move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. But let me add: in two states with Jerusalem as their capital. There is no shortcut here.”
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Holocaust Coverup
The new Polish law, which labels it a crime to blame the “Polish Nation” or country for playing a role in the murder of Jews during the holocaust, passed both the upper and lower houses of Poland’s parliament and is now awaiting the Polish president’s signature in order to become law.
The law states, “Whoever accuses, publicly and against the facts, the Polish nation, or the Polish state, of being responsible or complicit in the Nazi crimes committed by the Third German Reich… or other crimes against peace and humanity, or war crimes, or otherwise grossly diminishes the actual perpetrators thereof, shall be subject to a fine or a penalty of imprisonment of up to three years.”
PM Netanyahu along with other Israeli leaders have blasted the law as a way of covering up the facts of the holocaust. In response to the law, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, “In light of the Polish Senate’s approval of the bill, Israel asked to postpone the planned visit in Israel of the head of the Polish national security council.” The ministry also said, “The State of Israel categorically opposes the Polish Senate’s decision. Israel views with utmost gravity any attempt to harm historical truth. No law will change the facts.”
Responding to the attacks by Israeli leaders, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said, “We will never curb the freedom of the Holocaust debate. We owe that to all those who experienced it. We understand the emotions of Israel. We need a lot of work to make our common, often complicated, history possible to tell together.”
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Iceland vs. Bris
Lawmakers from four political parties in Iceland introduced a bill in parliament that would ban the non-medical circumcision of boys younger than 18 and impose imprisonment of up to six years on offenders. The parties make up 46% of Iceland’s parliament.
The bill calls the circumcision of boys younger than 18 a violation of their human rights and says it places them at an elevated risk of infection and causes “severe pain.”
Circumcision has come under attack in all of the Scandinavian countries, but none of the countries have actually banned it. In these countries, circumcision is primarily viewed as a Muslim practice and is associated with recent surges in Muslim immigration.
European rabbis have come out against the proposed ban, even though Iceland only has a few dozen Jewish residents (and just a few hundred Muslims). The fear is that the law would set a precedent other countries would follow.
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