Israel News for 3-21-18
Aiding Terror
Police arrested Monday night eight people suspected of not trying to prevent a deadly terror attack in Jerusalem’s Old City on Sunday which claimed the life of Adiel Kolman. According to the police investigation, the eight traders aged between 15 and 67, who live on HaGai street where the attack took place, were in the area when the bloodletting began and despite realizing what was taking place, did nothing to try and prevent it.
However, the court released all 8 suspects to house arrest until March 25th, due to weak evidence. They are forbidden from making contact with the defendants in the case.
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Abbas Slur
Speaking to Palestinian leaders in Ramallah on Monday, PA President Abbas lashed out against US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman saying, “The US ambassador in Tel Aviv is a settler and a son of a dog.”
In response, Friedman said, “His response was to refer to me as ‘son of a dog’. Is that antisemitism or political discourse? I leave that up to you.” The White House called the slur “highly inappropriate.”
Jason Greenblatt, top Mideast negotiator, said, “The time has come for President Abbas to choose between hateful rhetoric and concrete and practical efforts to improve the quality of life of his people and lead them to peace and prosperity. Notwithstanding his highly inappropriate insults against members of the Trump administration, the latest iteration being his insult of my good friend and colleague Ambassador Friedman, we are committed to the Palestinian people and to the changes that must be implemented for peaceful coexistence.”
PM Netanyahu said that Trump’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem has caused Abbas to “lose it”.
Abbas was responding to a tweet made by Friedman relating to a terror attack saying “Such brutality and no condemnation from the PA!”
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Sinai Threat
Speaking at the Negev Conference in Dimona yesterday, PM Netanyahu called the “flooding” of illegal African migrants from the Sinai into Israel the most serious threat Israel faces on the Egyptian border. He praised his own decision to construct a security wall along the entire Egyptian border, from Gaza to Eilat, claiming that it has stopped terror attacks and infiltration by illegal migrants.
The PM said, “How could we guarantee a Jewish and democratic state with between 50,000 and 100,000 infiltrators each year? The number could have risen to 1.5 million.” He added, “We completed a tremendous operation—the construction of a fence that is 200 kilometers long on the Sinai border. There was strong resistance to the idea of the fence from Gaza to Eilat. They said it would cost so much money, who knows if it will work, but I believed in it.”
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Gaza Relief
Despite mounting tensions along the Gaza border recently, the IDF has decided on the following steps to improve humanitarian conditions there:
1. traders from the strip will be allowed to enter Israel to participate in business dealings
2. the amount of fruit and vegetables allowed to be exported from Gaza was increased
3. entrance permits to younger Palestinians were granted
4. increased truck traffic was allowed to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
5. Gaza fishermen will be allowed to go out to sea for longer periods of time.
For further reading click here.
Tragic Accident
An IDF soldier from the elite Duvdevan unit was accidentally killed yesterday on a base in the center of the country. According to reports, the soldier, 20 year old Shachar Citrog from Givatayim, was sitting in his room with another soldier who was apparently playing with his handgun when it accidentally was discharged. The IDF Spokesperson’s Office stated that the military police has opened an investigation into the incident.
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Attack Confirmed
Israel has finally officially confirmed that it attacked and destroyed a nuclear reactor in Syria in 2007.
To read more about the details of the attack, click here.
Musk Meeting
PM Netanyahu met with Elon Musk yesterday at the PM’s residence in Jerusalem. He said, “I met with Elon Musk this morning. He told me that Israel was a technological power, and that he appreciates what we’re doing here.” Sources say Musk’s visit to Israel is linked to cooperation with Israeli startup Cortica.
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