Israel News for 4-20-18
EU Blocks Funding
The European Parliament in Brussels has passed legislation preventing the transfer of funds from the EU’s PEGASE (the funding mechanism for the Palestinians) to the Palestinian Authority, if those funds are to be used for education to hatred. The new legislation determines that classes and instruction programs using EU funds must reflect shared values such as peace, liberty, tolerance and non-discrimination in the education system.
For further reading click here.
Terror Averted
On Wednesday, A Palestinian man driving a truck carrying “powerful” explosives was arrested trying to enter Israel through a northern West Bank checkpoint. Security guards found the explosives embedded in the truck’s air conditioning system during a routine check of its roof. The truck was carrying products marked as “intended for border communities” and agricultural goods for rural communities in central Israel. Police sappers diffused the bomb. Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said the IDF would “hunt the bastards who planned this attack during our holiday. They will not sleep until we find them.”
For further reading click here.
Prize Refused
The Genesis Prize Foundation, which awards what it calls the “Jewish Nobel,” announced it was canceling its prize ceremony in Israel in June after 2018 recipient Natalie Portman said she would not take part in light of “recent events.” Portman remarked that, “recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel” and that “she cannot in good conscience move forward with the ceremony.”
Natalie Portman was born in Jerusalem, holds dual US and Israeli citizenship, and has said that she is proud of her Israeli roots and Jewish heritage. She directed and starred in a Hebrew-language adaptation of Israeli novelist Amos Oz’s memoir, “A Tale of Love and Darkness.”
For further reading click here.
Israel Prize Winners
Sixteen men and women were honored yesterday with receiving the Israel Prize, the countries highest civilian honor. The list including seven professors, four former MKs and two former ministers.
To read about all of the winners, click here.
Startup Rankings
Israeli business publication Calcalist has published its annual ranking of Israel’s 50 most promising startups. To see the full list and read about the startups, click here.
Music Video
Check out this awesome Yom Ha’atzmaut video featuring Shlomo Shabat and around 20 audience members.
Click here to watch.
