Israel News for 8-12-2019

Terrorists Captured
Israeli anti-terror special forces captured the killers of 18-year-old Dvir Sorek, the soldier and yeshiva student murdered last Wednesday in Gush Etzion. The 2 terrorists were caught in the Palestinian Authority-controlled village of Beit Kahil, near Hebron. IDF forces mapped their homes for demolition early this morning.

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Terrorists Killed
Over the weekend IDF Golan troops killed 4 heavily armed terrorists attempting to infiltrate into Israel from Gaza. The terrorists were armed with Kalashnikov rifles, hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Hamas denied responsibility for the attack, but Israel is holding them responsible. There were no IDF casualties.

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Temple Mount
The Israeli government had issued a ban on Jews visiting the Temple Mount on Tisha B’av (Sunday), which coincided with the Muslim festival of Eid al Adha — when tens of thousands of Muslim worshippers would come to pray on the mount. Thousands of Muslim worshippers rioted and attacked police, causing police to fire stun grenades and close one of the gates to the mount.

However, the government reversed the ban on Sunday morning, allowing Jews to ascend the Temple Mount. A total of 1,729 Jews visited the Temple Mount on Tisha B’av, which is 20% more than last year.

No Separation
Nazareth District Court Judge Jonathan Abraham ruled on Sunday that any form of gender segregation would be banned at a concert of Hasidic singer Motty Steinmetz at Afula City Park scheduled for Wednesday, even though the even is specifically geared towards the Haredi community, which required gender separation at events. The petition was filed by the Women’s Lobby.

The judge said, “I forbid segregation on the grounds of gender, race or any other category during the event. Each person who attends the event will be allowed at his or her discretion, to be at any place at the event. Any ushers, security guards, or any other authorities at the event are prohibited from carrying out any segregation based on gender.”

The judge instructed police and security guards to prevent any attempt to carry out gender segregation and remove from the event anyone who tries to carry out gender separation.

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Unity Talks?
Blue & White chairman Benny Gantz today revealed details of talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud before the Knesset was dissolved in May and said he is open to future negotiations after the September 17 elections. Speaking in an interview with YNet, Gantz said that if Netanyahu offered a rotation agreement, in which he Gantz would be prime minister first, then it would be possible to start talking.

This remark by Gantz demonstrates that despite previous comments about not joining a coalition with Netanyahu because of the possibility that he will be indicted, Gantz is nevertheless open to considering it.

PM Netanyahu has said that he will only form a right wing government. But things tend to change in Israeli politics.

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Miss Universe
Representatives of the Miss Universe Organization have met with Israeli producers in New York and have secretly visited Israel. The interest in holding the event in Israel comes in the wake of the success of Eurovision in Tel aviv this year.

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Rescuer Rewarded
A Palestinian man who saved the children of Rabbi Michael Mark, who was murdered along with his wife in a terror attack in 2016, was awarded residency in Israel last week. The Palestinian rescuer and his wife, who have requested to remain anonymous, helped the surviving Mark family escape their overturned vehicle and provided first aid until first responders arrived on the scene. As a result of his actions he received death threats and could not continue living in his village.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri praised him for his “selfless, noble” actions and said he would now be able to begin a new life in Israel.

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