Israel News for September 23, 2016
Terror Attack Stopped
A 14 year old Palestinian tried to stab soldiers at the Elias junction in Kiryat Arba today, but he was shot in the leg and neutralized before causing any harm.
For further reading click here.
Abbas Addresses UN
PA President Abbas addressed the UN General Assembly yesterday and called for the return to the borders originally proposed in the UN’s 1947 Partition Plan, which divided the then British mandate of Palestine into to countries, one Arab and one Jewish. He said, “Regrettably, however, the Security Council is not upholding its responsibilities to hold Israel accountable for its seizure of the territory allotted to the Palestinian State according to the partition resolution. I appeal to you read this resolution once again.”
Apparently Abbas forgot to mention that the Arab nations and the Palestinians rejected that UN partition and attacked Israel in 1948 to try and wipe it off the map.
Abbas also called on the UK to apologize for issuing the Balfour Declaration in 1917, which expressed Britain’s support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in the land of Israel, and asked the UK to recognize the state of Palestine. He said that the Balfour declaration had lead to, “the perpetration of the most heinous crimes against a peaceful people in their own land that never attacked anyone or partook in a war against anyone.”
He called on the international community “to exert all efforts, more than any other time in the past, to bring an end to the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, which, as you all know, is the longest and last occupation in contemporary history.”
Abbas concluded by asserting that “there is no way to defeat terrorism and extremism, no way to achieve security and stability in our region, without ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine and ensuring the freedom and independence of the Palestinian people. As such, terrorism will end.”
For further reading click here.
Netanyahu Addresses UN
PM Netanyahu addressed the UN General Assembly shortly after Abbas, and invited the Palestinian leader to speak at the Knesset. He said, “You have a choice to make. You can continue to stoke hatred, as you did today, or you can confront hatred and work with me today. President Abbas, I invite you to come and speak at the Knesset in Jerusalem and I will gladly come to speak at the parliament in Ramallah.” He added, “The road to peace runs through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not through New York.”
Responding to Abbas’s call for a return to the 1947 UN partition borders, Netanyahu reminded the audience that had the Palestinians and Arab nations accepted the partition and not attacked Israel, they would in fact have had those borders with their own state.
Regarding Abbas’s attack against the UK for the 1917 Balfour Declaration, the PM asked sarcastically, “Why not bring a class action suit against Abraham for buying land in Hebron?” [comment: does sarcasm really work in a speech to the UN? I’ve been told it doesn’t go over that well in a daily newsletter…]
Netanyahu denied that settlements were the main obstacle to peace, claiming instead that “the Palestinian refusal to accept a Jewish state in ANY boundaries” was the core and ongoing reason for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He said, “The real settlements they’re after are Haifa, Jaffa, and Tel Aviv.”
The PM said, “the State of Israel is ready. I am ready to negotiate all final status, but one thing I will never negotiate is the right to a one and only Jewish state.” When met with applause he remarked, “Prolonged applause for the prime minister of the State of Israel in the United Nations General Assembly? Change may be coming sooner than I thought!”
Netanyahu reinforced his support for a two-state solution but rejected attempts by the UN to impose its own peace plan saying, “Does anybody really believe that Israel will let the UN determine our security? We will not accept any attempt by the UN to dictate terms to Israel,”
He continued to blast the UN for its seemingly endless condemnations of Israel, noting that the UN has passed 20 resolutions against Israel, and three against “the rest of the countries on the planet.” He said, “as women are being systematically raped, murdered, sold into slavery across the world—which is the only country that the UN’s commission on women has condemned? Yup. You guessed it: Israel.”
The PM praised the US, condemned radical Islam and proclaimed that “Israel will not allow Iran to establish nuclear weapons. Not now, not in a decade, not ever.” He also called on the international community to pressure Hamas to release the remains of Israeli soldiers being held in Gaza.
Netanyahu concluded by saying, “Israel wants to be your partner in seizing that future. I call on all of you: embrace Israel. Dream with Israel. A future of security, prosperity and peace. A future where even at the UN, even in this hall, where Israel will take its rightful place among the nations.”
For further reading click here.
PM Meets Africans
PM Netanyahu and his wife Sarah participated in a special event with over 15 leaders of African Countries in the the wake of the UN General Assembly gathering. The PM addressed the group saying, “I believe that Israel can be a great partner to your nations,” and said that Israel wanted to share its technology with them. Sarah Netanyahu was them invited by the First Lady of Rwanda to participate in a conference on women’s rights in Africa.
For further reading click here.
Satellite Working
The Israeli-made Ofek 11 satellite that experienced major technical difficulties after being launched on September 13th is reported to be working fine now, exactly as designed. Officials have described the Ofek 11 as the Israel’s most sophisticated spy satellite, which will keep tabs on Iran and other adversaries.
For further reading click here.
