Israel News for 5-13-2019
Gaza Open
On Sunday, Israel reopened its 2 border crossings with Gaza. On Friday, Israel lifted its ban imposed on fishing boats operating off Gaza.
Also, a Qatari envoy arrived in Gaza and is expected to transfer around $30 million, reportedly meant for the families living in poverty and those affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Qatar’s Gaza Reconstruction Committee confirmed the payouts will begin on Monday, with each family in need receiving $100 in assistance. Payments will be distributed via the post offices in Gaza.
The payments apparently represent the first stage of the implementation of the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas after the latest ceasefire. Parts of the deal include the lifting of some restrictions on imports and exports entering and exiting Gaza and the expansion of the fishing zone.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry earlier confirmed it will transfer $480 million to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. Qatar said that $300 million will fund health and education endeavors in the West Bank, while another $180 million will fund humanitarian aid, renovation works to improve electrical systems and support UN initiatives in Gaza.
For further reading click here. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5508171,00.html
Plea Deal
A deal signed Sunday between the State Prosecutor and an unnamed Jewish minor indicted for conspiring to the 2015 murder of a Palestinian family in a firebomb attack on their home defined the minor’s crime as arson motivated by racism, instead of murder. The defendant confessed to the crime, and the state requested a prison sentence of five and a half years.
For further reading click here. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5507921,00.html
Polish Theft
Poland has canceled the visit of a delegation of Israeli officials from the Ministry of Social Equality, which was due to take place Monday to discuss restitution for property confiscated from Jews during the Holocaust. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a political gathering Saturday that his country will not pay compensation for property lost in the Second World War and that Poland itself was a victim of the Nazis. [The fact that Poland was also a victim of German aggression does not give it the right to steal property.]
In what was described as the largest anti-Jewish demonstration in years, Polish nationalists marched to the American embassy in Warsaw, in protest of the so called JUST Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump last year requiring the State Department to report to Congress on the state of restitution of property stolen in the Holocaust in dozens of countries.
Poland is the only EU member that has not passed any laws regulating restitution for Jewish Holocaust survivors and their families. In other words, Poland refuses to return property to its rightful owners, who were primarily Jews, but also many wealthy non Jews who fled the country. That’s theft, anyway you look at it. And no country should be allowed to do that, especially one that is democratic.
Part of the Holocaust was the pillaging and theft of Jewish property. Until Poland passes a law for property restitution, the crimes of the Holocaust continue and Poland is complicit in those crimes.
For further reading click here. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5508185,00.html
Trump Town
PM Netanyahu has chosen the fledgling settlement of Bruchim in the northern Golan to be renamed after US President Trump, in thanks for his recognition of the Golan as part of Israel. A draft plan already exists and offers 110 new homes be built in in the settlement, that will house both religious and secular residents. Ten people currently live there.
For further reading click here. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5507855,00.html
