Israel News for 6-25-18
Shooting Attack
Gunshots were fired from a car with Palestinian license plates near the West Bank settlement of Kibbutz Migdal Oz (next to Efrat) on Sunday night. The IDF called it an attempted terror attack. There were no injuries and no damage.
The IDF statement said, “IDF troops are blocking exits from the village of Beit Fajjar as part of the search efforts after the terrorist. Exit permits will be granted in accordance with decisions by security forces. In addition, troops are continuing to search the area.”
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Air Defense
The IDF fired a Patriot air defense missile at a drone that crossed into the northern Golan from Syria. The drone retreated back across the border, undamaged.
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The Israel Air Force attacked a cell suspected of launching incendiary kites from Gaza yesterday. Three terrorists were injured, one critically.
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Infiltration Fears
The IDF has begun taking precautionary measures, fearing that its Operation Good Neighbor humanitarian efforts to assist Syrian civilians wounded in the civil war are being exploited by pro-Iranian terrorists to infiltrate Israel. Three months ago, the IDF General Staff first discussed the possibility of Shi’ite pro-Iranian militias and Hezbollah forces infiltrating villages in the Syrian-controlled part of the Golan Heights, as well as trying to enter Israel under the guise of Syrian civilians seeking medical help.
A few weeks ago, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot instructed the Northern Command to increase its intelligence gathering efforts in the Syrian villages near the border in an effort to thwart attempts by Hezbollah and other Shi’ite terrorists to gain control of the area and begin carrying out attacks from the border. Eisenkot also directed the Operation Good Neighbor directorate to remain alert in light of the threat and brief their medical crews and ambulance drivers on the matter.
Wounded Syrian civilians, who have been receiving medical treatment in Israel in recent years, are now being evacuated mostly to international hospitals set up south of Quneitra (Syria) by the Evangelical-American organization Friendships Unlimited.
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New Leader
The Jewish Agency’s board of governors, meeting in Jerusalem, has confirmed Isaac Herzog as the next chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, despite the objections of PM Netanyahu. Herzog will replace Natan Sharansky. Herzog is currently leader of the opposition in the Knesset, a position that he will now be leaving.
In an official statement, Herzog spoke of the Jewish Agency as “a narrow bridge that connects the State of Israel and the Jewish people wherever they are” and said that he would seek to work in cooperation with Netanyahu. He also said that “relationships between Israel and the Jews in the Diaspora have suffered a severe blow over the few past years, and we have to do whatever we can to mend them.”
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New Uniforms
The IDF will be testing a new version of combat uniforms in the coming weeks in a month-long trial led by the military’s Technology and Logistics Division and the Ground Forces Division. The IDF said, “This is an opportunity to improve the quality of the IDF combat uniform by adapting to operational needs and using new and advanced technological capabilities from the world of textiles.”
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India Flights
Air India will transform its 3 days a week Tel Aviv-Delhi route into a daily route. The flights fly through Saudi Arabian airspace to save about an hour. A source at Air India said, “The success of the service is a testament to the strengthening of diplomatic ties between India and Israel and growing people to people contact between the two countries.”
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Royal Visit
Prince William is visiting Israel. We told you all about his itinerary in Friday’s email. To read it click here.
