Tag Archive for: Israel News

Rocket Hits
A rocket fired from Gaza at 5am today hit a house on Moshav Mishmeret, north of Kfar Saba (which is north of Tel Aviv). The house was destroyed, seven people (including 2 children) were injured and 4 family dogs were killed. The Iron Dome missile defense system was not operational in that area.

The IDF said that the rocket was fired by Hamas from a Hamas position in southern Gaza, a distance of around 120 kilometers. IDF troops, including reservists, are deploying near the Gaza border. Hamas leaders were reportedly evacuating to shelters in anticipation of IDF strikes.

The attack came just hours after several Hamas prisoners stabbed two guards at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, moderately wounding one of them. In an attempt to restrain the prisoners, at least 11 of the incarcerated were wounded, two critically. Following the incident, Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group issued a threat, warning Israel of “consequences for its aggression that will be felt by soldiers and citizens.”

PM Netanyahu, currently in Washington, said, “There has been a criminal attack on the State of Israel and we will respond forcefully. In light of the security events I have decided to cut short my visit to the US. In a few hours I will meet with President Trump; I will return to Israel immediately afterwards in order to manage our action from close at hand.”

For further reading click here.

Policial Fallout

Politicians from right to left criticized PM Netanyahu for being weak on security.

Blue White Party leader Benny Gantz said, “Netanyahu has lost his grip on Israel security and Israeli citizens are again experiencing sirens and a direct hit on a house. There is a security bankruptcy and Netanyahu needs to pack up immediately and go back to Israel to deal with this serious escalation. Will he still be satisfied with Hamas’ announcement of a mistake or will he finally concentrate on the security of the country’s citizens and not on his legal affairs? Someone who doesn’t respond with aggressiveness and force and pays protection to Hamas, now gets rockets on the Sharon.”

Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya’alon, the other Blue and White leaders, echoed Gantz’s comments.

New Right Party leader Naftali Bennett said, “Israel’s deterrence has collapsed, and it has to be said in all honesty, Netanyahu has failed against Hamas. Releasing terrorists, scared to destroy the homes of terrorists, restraint in the face of the rockets on the south – all of which led Hamas to stop being afraid of Israel. Netanyahu is a good prime minister but a failed defense minister. The time has come to appoint Bennett as defense minister in order to defeat Hamas.”

Rafi Peretz, leader of the Union of Right Wing Parties alliance, said, “A policy that allows incendiary balloons to threaten Alumim and Ein Habesor allows terrorist to fire missiles at Tel Aviv and the central region.”

Labor Party leader Avi Gabbay said, “Netanyahu is responsible for the poor security situation. He has lost our deterrence and strengthened Hamas. The time has come for us to deal with Hamas with courage and not with Netanyahu’s cowardice.”

Economy Minister Eli Cohen of the Kulanu party, along with other ministers, called for the return of targeted assassinations of Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders.

For further reading click here.

IDF Kills Terrorists
Early today, 2 terrorists threw several explosive devices at IDF troops guarding Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem (Nablus). Troops opened fire at the terrorists, killing both of them.

For further reading click here.

IDF forces killed the terrorist who murdered an IDF soldier and a rabbi near Ariel on Sunday. Omar Abu-Laila was killed in a shootout in the West Bank village of Abwein, near Ramallah, after he opened fire on IDF forces who surrounded his house.

Meanwhile, the condition of Alexander Dvorsky, the 19 year old IDF soldier who was also shot by the terrorist, has significantly improved and his life is no longer in danger. Dvorsky immigrated from Moldova several years ago. His family lives in Nazareth-Illit.

For further reading click here.

Pompeo Visit
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit Israel this week as part of trip during which he will also visit Kuwait City and Beirut.

In Jerusalem, the Secretary will meet with Israeli officials to engage on critical regional issues, including countering the Iranian regime’s malign influence and reaffirming the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security. The Secretary will also discuss the Administration’s dedication to monitoring and combatting anti-Semitism. He will also participate in a meeting with Israeli, Cypriot, and Greek leaders to discuss key energy and security issues facing the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Pompeo does not plan to talk about the highly anticipated Trump Middle East peace plan. “Look, we desperately want a good solution. Mr. Kushner’s working on the Middle East peace plan. There’ll be a right time when we will introduce bigger pieces of that.”

Pompeo will not meet with any Palestinian leaders.

Regarding speculation that his visit just weeks before the Israeli elections is a show of support for PM Netanyahu, Pompeo said, “I’m going to Israel because of the important relationship we have. Leaders will change in both countries over time. That relationship matters no matter who the leaders are.”

For further reading click here.

Tel Aviv Costs
According to the 2019 worldwide cost of living report published by the Economist, Tel Aviv is the 10th most expensive city in the world. Paris, Singapore, and Hong Kong share the top ranking, followed by Zurich, Geneva, and Osaka. New York tied Seoul and Copenhagen for sixth place. Tel Aviv shares the last spot in the rankings with Los Angeles.

The survey compares the prices of more than 160 products and services in cities around the world, including food and drinks, clothing, household supplies, average monthly rent, utility bills, private schools, and recreational activities.

For further reading click here.

Fast of Esther
Today is the Fast of Esther, commemorating the fast that Esther requested the Jews of Persia to observe as a way of beseeching God to grant her favor in the eyes of King Ahashverosh, so that she could plead for the salvation of the Jewish People. [Today we also have much to beseech God for.]

We celebrate the holiday of Purim tonight (Wed) and tomorrow (Thur), which commemorate the salvation of the Jews of the Persian empire, who were slated for destruction by the evil royal minister Haman. We read the Book of Esther (megillah), give charity and gifts and enjoy a festive meal. We also dress up in costume [to learn more about why we do that, listen to my “Jewish Wisdom” podcast Purim episode].

May we be saved from our enemies.

Happy Purim!

Rockets Fired at TA
Last night 2 rockets were fired at Tel Aviv from Gaza. Sirens were sounded in Tel Aviv and the Iron Dome missile defense system was activated, but it was not fired, as the rockets fell in uninhabited areas causing no damage or injury.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad denied responsibility for the rocket attack. Hamas is currently engaged in talks with Egypt regarding a long-term ceasefire with Israel. The IDF said it considers Hamas responsible for any attacks from Gaza.

For further reading click here.

Israel Responds
Despite the IDF’s assessment that the rockets fired at Tel aviv last night were done so in error, Israeli aircraft attacked over 100 Hamas targets in Gaza. Targets included an office complex in Gaza City, an underground complex that served as Hamas’ main rocket-manufacturing site, and a center used for a Hamas drone program. No one was killed in the attacks.

The Hamas Interior Ministry said, “We are following up on the firing of rockets from Gaza against the national consensus and the ministry will take measures against the violators.”

For further reading click here.

Syrian Missiles
Israeli intelligence has taken satellite images confirming the construction of a new missile factory in the Syrian coastal city of Safita.

For further reading click here.

No Occupied
The US State Department changed its usual description of the Golan Heights from “Israeli-occupied” to “Israeli-controlled” in an annual global human rights report released by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday. A separate section on the West Bank and Gaza Strip also did not refer to those territories as being “occupied” or under “occupation.” State Department officials insist that the change in language does not reflect any policy change.

For further reading click here.

Exxon to Israel
Exxon Mobil Corp, the world’s largest publicly traded oil company, is reportedly considering exploring for oil and gas offshore from Israel. Exxon executives held talks with Israeli Minister for National Infrastructures, Energy and Water Resources Yuval Steinitz in Houston this week about bidding for the right to explore and pump oil from offshore blocks in an auction that Israel will hold in June.

Exxon recently acquired a $50,000 data package from the Israeli energy ministry for the auction and an Exxon team visited a data center set up by the ministry in Jerusalem.

Major US and international oil companies have avoided investing in Israel, for fear of antagonizing the governments of giant regional oil and gas producers such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq.

For further reading click here.

Election Update
A new poll released by Yediot Achronot yesterday shows Likud trailing Blue and White (BW) by only 4 seats, down from 6 just 2 weeks ago. The poll also shows that 38% of voters support PM Netanyahu vs. 31% for BW leader Gantz. And 53% believe that Netanyahu will form the next government vs. 27% who think Gantz will.

For further reading click here.

Roy Folkman, a senior member of the Kulanu party, ruled out any possible coalition with left-wing parties after next month’s election, emphasizing that Kulanu is a “right-wing party”. He said, “I’ve said that we are natural partners of the Likud, and we will be partners of a right-wing, nationalist government. Of course we won’t go with a left-wing coalition. The only way that I could think of that it could possibly happen is maybe in the case of a unity government, but I think the odds of that happening are very low.”

For further reading click here.

Nation State
Responding to an Instagram post by Israeli TV personality Rotem Sela saying, “Dear God, there are also Arab citizens in this country. When will anyone in this government tell the public that this is a country of all its citizens, and all people are born equal.” — PM Netanyahu posted, “Dear Rotem, an important correction: Israel is not a state of all its citizens. According to the nation-state law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people — and not anyone else. As you wrote, there is no problem with Israel’s Arab citizens. They have equal rights and the Likud government has invested more than any other government in the Arab population.”  He added that a government including Arab parties would “undercut the state’s security.”

For further reading click here.

New PA PM
Palestinian Authority President Abbas has appointed Mohammad Shtayyeh as the new Prime Minister. Shtayyeh pledged, “to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital whose borders are the 1967 lines.”

He also said, “The Palestinian residents of Jerusalem are waging a struggle to protect the city from Judaization and to preserve it as an Arab Palestinian city. The struggle to preserve the narrative about the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city of Jerusalem goes through strengthening the steadfastness of the Muslim and Christian residents of the city against the Jews.”

Shtayyeh is a senior member of Fatah and a longtime ally of Abbas. His appointment is viewed as part of a plan to shun and isolate Hamas. Hamas and Islamic Jihad condemned Shtayyeh’s appointment and said that it contradicts the reconciliation agreement between the Palestinian factions.

For further reading click here.

Trade Talk
US trade negotiators will be visiting Israel this week for discussions on upgrading the existing agricultural trade agreements and reduce tariffs for American farm exports to Israel. according to a separate 2018 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, under the existing agreement, “virtually any product produced in Israel that can be competitive in the U.S. market, can enter the U.S. duty-free. In contrast, U.S. products continue to face high tariffs in many sectors limiting their access to the Israeli market.”

In 2017, the U.S. ran a trade deficit of almost $14 billion with Israel. The US is Israel’s biggest trading partner with annual trade worth $30 billion. The US is expected to push for the dropping of tariffs on American products sold in Israel. Open competition will benefit Israeli consumers by lowering prices on many goods including food and electronics.

For further reading click here.

Annexation
This Shabbat I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Michael Koplow, the Policy Director at the Israel Policy Forum, analyze and explain the issue of annexation of Judea and Samaria. His analysis was based primarily on a study conducted by Commanders for Israel’s Security, a non partisan movement of over 280 retired generals and equivalents in Israel’s security services, including the IDF, Mossad, Shin Bet and Israel Police.

The Commander’s study is unequivocally against the unilateral annexation either the entire West Bank, or even just Area C (which includes the areas with an Israeli presence and encompasses 60% of the West Bank), for the following reasons:

1. The cost of securing the area and of providing the Palestinian residents with social services will be prohibitive (tens of billions of dollars annually).

2. The international ramifications, including government sanctions and private BDS actions, will be crippling to the Israeli economy.

3. Israel will eventually be forced to grant citizenship to the 2.5 million Palestinians in the territories or face being labeled an apartheid state and be isolated and shunned like was the case with South Africa. Granting them citizenship will destroy the concept of a Jewish democratic state in Israel.

4. The annexation of territory will cause the downfall of the Palestinian Authority (which will lose the little credibility it still has) and will force Israel to take full security and administrative control over the entire territory, again causing a huge strain on the Israeli economy and the IDF.

Dr. Koplow stressed that the issue of annexation is at the top of the list of priorities for the Likud and all of the parties to its right, and will be implemented (in some form) in any new right wing government. He believes that the results will be catastrophic.

To clarify, Koplow’s own political viewpoint is center, leaning right. He is NOT a leftist.

In order to fully understand the underlying issues and to make up your own mind, I highly recommend you read the actual report put out by the Commanders for Israel’s Security.

To read more about this issue and download the report click here.