Israel News for November 13, 2015
Terror Parents
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked drafted a proposed law fining parents of minors who throw rocks but cannot be prosecuted because of their age. According to the draft, a minor under the age of 12 who commits a criminal act of terror including rock throwing, or any other form of violence, will be placed under the supervision of an officer who will warn the parents. If the minor commit further crimes, the parents will be fined by the court unless they can prove that they did everything possible to stop the crimes.
Earlier this month a law was approved that allows authorities to revoke National Insurance benefits and to fine families of minors convicted of throwing rocks for nationalistic reasons or as an act of terrorism. Under the proposed law the family could still face a fine even if they’re too young to be convicted.
For further reading click here.
Home Demolition
The High Court for Justice has approved the demolition of the homes of six terrorists. The court rejected motions filed by the families of the terrorist to overturn the demolition orders. Homes include those of the terrorists who murdered Rabbi Eitam and Naama Henkin.
It’s about time this order was carried out. The sooner the better.
For further reading click here.
US Supports EU
The US is supporting the recent decision of the European Union to require distinct labeling of Israeli products made in the West Bank.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, ”We do not believe that labeling the origin of products is equivalent to a boycott. And as you know, we do not consider settlements to be part of Israel. We do not view labeling the origin of products as being from the settlements as a boycott of Israel.”
Toner added that American laws for Israeli settlement exports are somewhat similar. They must be marked as “products of the West Bank,” though the U.S. does not differentiate between goods from settlements and those coming from elsewhere in the territory.
But just when you thought that everyone was against Israel, an unlikely friend emerges. Germany’s ruling party criticized the EU regulation saying that is was not constructive in facilitating negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The German spokesman said, “As a signal to our friends in Israel, I would have appreciated, if the European Commission in this case would have abstained from the implementation of the European regulation,”
For further reading click here.
Temple Mount Brides
Despite increased violence and tensions on the Temple Mount, there’s one group of people who will not be deterred from visiting – Jewish brides from the National Religious community (Dati Leumi).
Some sixty brides have visited the Temple Mount over the past year and the trend is only growing according to Yael Kabilio, a guide from the Women for the Temple group, who has accompanied many brides on their visits to the mount. According to Kabilio, the trend stems from both a spiritual and halachic (Jewish legal) place.
Some rabbinic authorities permit women to visit the Temple Mount only if they have immersed in a mikvah, but prior to having sexual relations with their husbands. Brides are required by Jewish law to immerse in a mikvah (for the first time, since single women do not go to the mikvah) prior to their wedding, usually the night before. Thus the wedding day is the perfect day for these women to visit the Temple Mount.
The wedding day is a very spiritual day for the bride and groom, and there is a connection between the wedding day and Jerusalem, since the destruction of Jerusalem is recalled under the wedding canopy. These brides want to connect building their own private home with the rebuilding of the Temple.
But getting up to the mount is no simple feat. Brides cannot visit in their wedding dresses, as it is considered a provocation, and they can wait in line for hours until they are allowed up. They can also be denied access, since only a restricted number of Jews are allowed up each day.
Many of the brides are assaulted by the abusive calls of the Murabitat (female Muslim activists who charge themselves with defending the Dome of the Rock). Once on the mount all non muslims are forbidden from singing, praying, dancing or making any kind of “religious displays”. Many brides have found ways around the restrictions by pretending to talk on their phones or hiding their mouths in a scarf or sweater.
The brides claim that police are hostile towards them, rushing them along and shouting at them for the slightest movement that seems “out of line”.
The most famous bride to visit the Temple Mount on her wedding day was Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotoveli, who got a VIP tour. She described the experience as “immense excitement blended with sorrow and pain. It’s not easy to see children playing soccer on the mount, disrespecting this holy place.”
Source: Yediot Ahronot Print Edition
Ethiopian Aliyah
A proposed law before the Knesset, which is expected to be approved, will facilitate the organized aliyah to Israel of the remaining Jews in Ethiopia. There are currently a little over 9,000 people in special camps set up by Israel and Jewish organizations in Addis Ababa and Gondar who have not been allowed to make aliyah because they do not meet the necessary requirements for proving that they are Jewish. Many of these people have family members in Israel.
The proposed law notes that, “issue of the families awaiting aliyah in Addis Ababa and Gondar is unique: These are people who left their home villages many years ago, and while some of their family members were allowed into Israel, they remained in Addis Ababa and Gondar, and have been maintaining a Jewish lifestyle, with active synagogues, ritual baths, observance of Shabbat and holidays, Hebrew lessons, Jewish studies, and more.”
The people in question are from the Falasha Mura community, who were compelled to convert to Christianity in the 19th century. One of the requirements of the proposed law is that the new immigrants will convert to Judaism in Israel.
Once these 9,000 are brought to Israel, no more Ethiopians will be considered eligible for aliyah.
“And the children will return to their borders” — Jeremiah 31:17
For further reading click here.
