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Israel News for January 16, 2017

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Paris Summit
The seventy two international leaders attending the Paris conference for peace in the Middle East this weekend, including US Secretary of State John Kerry, released a final statement calling on Israel and the Palestinians to adopt a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders and UN Security Council resolutions and to refrain from unilateral actions.

The statement called on each side, “to refrain from unilateral steps that prejudge the outcome of negotiations on final-status issues, including, inter alia, on Jerusalem, borders, security, refugees and which they will not recognize.” It was also an implied to incoming president Trump not to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Great Britain, which had observer status at the conference did not endorse the statement saying, “We have particular reservations about an international conference intended to advance peace between the parties that does not involve them—indeed which is taking place against the wishes of the Israelis—and which is taking place just days before the transition to a new American President when the US will be the ultimate guarantor of any agreement. There are risks therefore that this conference hardens positions at a time when we need to be encouraging the conditions for peace.”

Israeli sources were actually relieved with the final statement. John Kerry called PM Netanyahu yesterday to reassure him that no further UN Security Council actions will be taken as a result of the conference.

For further reading click here.

UN Funding
Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina have introduced legislation in the senate to cut funding to the United Nations until it repeals an anti-settlements resolution passed last month by the Security Council.

The senators released a joint statement saying, “The United States is the largest contributor of funding to the United Nations, providing 22 percent of the U.N. regular budget, the highest of any member state, which gives the U.S. considerable influence over the United Nations. The United States must use this influence to help our allies, in this case Israel, which is crucial to our own national security interests.”

Senate Democrats would likely use the filibuster to block it. Similar legislation will soon be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

For further reading click here.

Peace Man
In an interview with the Times of London, Trump said that Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and newly appointed senior White House advisor, will take on the task of negotiating peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Worth a shot.

Inauguration Guests
While the Prime Minister won’t be attending the US presidential inauguration, other Israeli leaders will. Three members of the Samaria leadership, representing the settler movement will be there, bearing gifts of Samarian agricultural produce. The three are Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan, Efrat Mayor Oded Revivi and Ma’ale Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel. During his visit, Dagan will meet with senior officials in and connected to the incoming administration.

For further reading click here.

Jewish Bluegrass
What do you get when you combine bluegrass music with tehilim (psalms)? To listen and enjoy, click here.

Israel Books
If you’re searching for book on Israel, Click here. We get a small commission for anything you buy on Amazon for a full 24 hours after you use the link. In other words, if you end up buying a computer and lawnmower, we get the commission on that too. It’s a great way to support us while getting great deals on your shopping. And it doesn’t cost you a cent! So please use this link for all your Amazon shopping.

Israel News for January 13, 2017

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Syria Attack
The Syrian military has accused Israel of launching a missile attack against the Mezzeh military airport on the western edge of Damascus and warned Tel Aviv of repercussions.

Residents of Damascus reported hearing several explosions that shook the capital. The Mezzeh airport compound located on the southwestern edge of the capital had been used to launch attacks on rebel-held areas near Damascus and has come previously under rebel fire. The base allegedly houses Iranian Revolutionary Guard units.

Israel declined to comment on the accusation.

For further reading click here.

Mattis and Jerusalem
President-elect Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense James Mattis was questioned during his senate confirmation hearing yesterday. When asked by South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, “What’s the capital of Israel?” Mattis replied, “The capital of Israel that I go to, sir, is Tel Aviv because that’s where all their government people are.” When Graham pressed him saying, “Do you agree with me that the capital of Israel is Jerusalem?” Mattis responded, “Sir, right now I stick with the US policy.”

Mattis said that he supported a two-state solution and said, “I think ultimately we’re going to have to promote peace between the Palestinian and the Israeli authorities there, and that’s going to take time to build that kind of trust, and we should be a partner in trying to build that resolution between those peoples.”

When asked whether he would support moving the embassy Mattis said, “I would defer to the nominee of Secretary of State on that, sir.”

For further reading click here.

Gaza Aid
As a result of the relative quiet along the Gaza border in recent months, the Defense Ministry has decided to increase humanitarian shipments and open another border crossing with a conveyor system to transfer materials to Gaza. It will also increase the number of workers allowed to enter Israel. The ministry stresses that these measures can be reversed immediately if the situation along the border changes.

For further reading click here.

Meanwhile mass demonstrators erupted in Gaza against Hamas because of a lack of electricity that is severley effecting the population and crippling the economy.

For further reading click here.

Netanyahu and Inauguration
The Prime Minister’s Office has dispelled the rumors that Netanyahu was invited to attend the inauguration of Donal Trump. The PM was not invited and will not attend. Foreign leaders do not usually attend US presidential inaugurations.

For further reading click here.

Gap Year
Speaking to a room full of hundreds of high school seniors at a Bnei Akiva (religious youth group) conference, Education Minister Naftali Bennett advised the students to postpone their military services for at least a year to study Torah in a Yeshiva or another pre-IDF Torah learning center. He said that he regretted his decision not to do so. Bennett also urged students to continue daily Torah study throughout their lives.

For further reading click here.

Israel Books
If you’re searching for book on Israel, Click here. We get a small commission for anything you buy on Amazon for a full 24 hours after you use the link. In other words, if you end up buying a computer and lawnmower, we get the commission on that too. It’s a great way to support us while getting great deals on your shopping. And it doesn’t cost you a cent! So please use this link for all your Amazon shopping.

Israel News for January 9, 2017

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Jerusalem Terror
Yesterday a terrorist drove a truck into a a large group of young officer cadets on a popular promenade in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Armon Hanetziv. The soldiers were on a tour of Jerusalem and listening to a tour guide when the truck veered off the road and rammed into them. Several armed civilians along with two of the soldiers began firing at the truck. But before they could neutralize him the terrorist put the truck in reverse and drove over the wounded.

Four soldiers were killed and 15 soldiers and civilians were wounded in the attack. The soldiers killed were 2nd Lt. Yael Yakutiel (20) from Givatayim, whose rank was posthumously elevated to Lt.; Cadet Shir Hajaj (22) from Ma’ale Adumim, whose rank was posthumously elevated to Lt.; Cadet Shira Tzur (20) from Haifa, whose rank was posthumously elevated to 2nd Lt.; and Cadet Erez Orbach (20) from Alon Shvut, whose rank was posthumously elevated to 2nd Lt. They were all laid to rest today.

To read more about the victims click here.

The were around 300 soldiers in the area taking part in group tours. All of the soldiers were armed. The army is investigating why only two soldiers actually fired at the terrorist. One theory is that they didn’t know it was a terrorist attack until several minutes later. To read more about this click here.

Many of the soldiers ran from scene, apparently upon orders from a commander. To see footage of this from a security camera, click here.

One of the tour guides at the scene who was also injured but managed to fire at the truck with his personal weapon told media that he believed that soldiers hesitated to fire at the truck because of the recent Azaria case in which the soldier was convicted for firing at an incapacitated terrorist. However IDF officials as well as soldiers at the scene were quick to refute that claim.

One of the cadets that fired at the terrorist posted on Facebook, “Please stop listening to sources that don’t verify and immediately publish nonsense and distorted information. Please stop distributing opinions that are based on baseless lies…There is no connection to Elor Azaria. No connection.” He said that cadets ran towards the truck but were cautious about shooting due to the possibility of friendly fire accidents. He concluded by saying that regardless of what the tour guide tells the media, “we fought for our friends.”

To read more about soldiers’ reactions click here.

PM Netanyahu and DM Lieberman visited the site of the attack. Lieberman said, “It is clear that this horrible terrorist attack is not for any other reason rather than just one reason: Because we are Jews, and we live here in the State of Israel. “There was no other reason for this, and you don’t need to look for any justification—not Jewish settlements and not negotiations, but simply a terrorist attack, inspired by ISIS. We saw this in France, we saw it now in Berlin, and unfortunately, we saw it today in Jerusalem. We will fight this terrorism with all the tools at our disposal, and I am certain that there will be results and that we will triumph.”

The White House and State Department, the Canadian Prime Minister, the EU Foreign Minister, several European foreign ministers as well as the UN Security Council condemned the attack.

Palestinian sources identified the terrorist as Fadi Ahmad Al-Qunbar, a released prisoner from Jabel Mukaber, a neighborhood in east Jerusalem that borders East Talpiot. IDF troops raided the terrorist’s house shortly after the attack. The PM said that he believed that the terrorist was affiliated with ISIS. Hamas promised the attack, calling it heroic and pledging more attacks. They also gave out sweets in Gaza to celebrate.

Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan has ordered the police not to return the body of the terrorist to his family for burial. He said, “This is a particularly heinous, painful and serious crime that could lead to copycats. We will not allow the vile terrorist and his family to have a funeral that would grant him the respect that would encourage other attackers.”

Israel News for December 28, 2016

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Secret Leaked
An Egyptian news backed by the government has published a secret report, apparently leaked by Palestinian officials, documenting a December 12th meeting between US Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and a Palestinian delegation headed by senior PLO member Saeb Erekat in Washington.

According to the report, Kerry and Rice told Erekat that the Obama administration was prepared to cooperate with them in the Security Council given that the resolution against Israeli settlements was a “balanced” one. Kerry and Rice were reportedly both severely critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of wanting to destroy the possibility of a two-state solution.

Kerry said that he could present ideas for a possible permanent solution on the condition that the Palestinians would endorse them upon their publication. Rice was critical of Kerry’s plan, since she felt that incoming president Donald Trump was categorically reject it. She called Trump dangerous and said that she was convinced that he would stick to everything he said during the campaign relating to settlements and moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.

Kerry and Rice then asked the Palestinians how they would respond if the US embassy was moved. Erekat responded that they was annul their recognition of Israel, dismantle the PA and place responsibility of administrating the West Bank on Israel, and enlist Arab and Muslim countries to help move the embassy out of Jerusalem.

Kerry and Rice advised the Palestinians not to take these drastic actions, since they would just be viewed by Trump as provocative. Instead, they told the Palestinians to prevent terror attacks, which harm their negotiating position. They also advised them to seek the help of Jewish businessman Ronal Lauder in order to establish a connection with Trump.

Finally, Kerry and Rice asked the Palestinians to keep their meeting secret.

Busted.

For further reading click here.

Kerry Speech
John Kerry is scheduled to speak at the State Department today at 11am EST. He will discuss the US abstention and the accusations made by Israel that the Obama administration drafted and forced the resolution to a vote. Kerry is expected to lay out the administration’s vision of a two-sate solution. What the repercussions of that will be is unknown. Another UN resolution?

In a related event, the Jerusalem municipal council has cancelled a meeting this morning during which it was expected to approve the construction of 490 housing units in the Ramot and Ramat Shlomo neighborhoods of eastern Jerusalem. The meeting was cancelled at the request of the PM.

For further reading click here.

Diplomatic Drama
What happened in the hours before the UN Security Council vote last Friday? PM Netanyahu called New Zealand’s Prime Minister to try and get him not to continue sponsoring the resolution. New Zealand was one of the four countries to push the resolution after it was withdrawn by Egypt. The other countries were Senegal, Malaysia and Venezuela.

In his conversation with the New Zealand PM, Netanyahu is reported to have said, “This is a scandalous decision. I’m asking that you not support it and not promote it.” He added, “If you continue to promote this resolution from our point of view it will be a declaration of war. It will rupture the relations and there will be consequences. We’ll recall our ambassador to Jerusalem.” New Zealand ignored his “request”.

Western diplomats have revealed that Great Britain played a major role in the drafting of the resolution, by softening it to make sure it would be acceptable to the US. They claim that the British encouraged New Zealand to push forward with the resolution despite the pressure against it. The UK also worked with the Palestinians and the Gulf States to lobby for the resolution.

A few hours before the vote Netanyahu called Russian President Putin to ask him to help prevent the vote. Less than an hour before the vote the Russian UN ambassador unexpectedly asked for a postponement of the vote until after Christmas, claiming that more discussion was required and that the vote was happening much too quickly. His request was rejected.

So it looks like the Russians were the only ones to at least make an effort to stand with Israel this time around. Of course, they voted for the resolution.

For further reading click here.

Hanukkah Treat
In our attempt to share videos to help inspire you or just brighten up your Hanukkah, we couldn’t not share this viral hit from the singing group The Maccabeats as they apply their unique twist to the award winning Broadway musical Hamilton. To watch the video click here.

Israel News for December 27, 2016

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More to Come
The US abstention in the recent UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement beyond the “green line” might not be an isolated incident.

Israel claims to have information that US Secretary of State John Kerry will outline parameters for a two state solution and a Palestinian state in a speech which he will deliver at an upcoming French sponsored Middle East Peace Summit in Paris scheduled for January 15th, five days before Obama leaves office. Those parameters would then be brought before the UN Security Council and passed before January 20th.

A senior Israeli official said, “The Foreign Ministry and the National Security Council spoke about information to the effect that what is planned is that the foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris will make a summary decision that will be adopted by the Quartet and by the UN Security Council before January 20. Israel believes this is an operative plan and the assumption is that the Americans are leading it all, together with the French.”

The senior official said that Israel fears that Kerry’s speech will include American principles for resolving the core issues of borders, refugees, security arrangements and Jerusalem. 

All this hasn’t stopped PM Netanyahu from lashing out at Obama and accusing him of in effect plotting against Israel. The PM said, “The Obama administration made a shameful, underhanded move.” He is obviously confident in the policies he expects from incoming president Donald Trump. But the US directed anger is unprecedented. The PM went so far as to summon the US ambassador for a meeting while the ambassadors of the countries that voted for the resolution were called in for reprimands at the Foreign Ministry.

While many Israelis might not be in favor of continued Israeli settlement in the West Bank, almost all Israelis agree that Jerusalem is Israel’s eternal capital and must remain undivided. The inclusion of eastern Jerusalem in the UN resolution is a deal breaker, and the fact that the US allowed the resolution to pass is extremely hard to swallow. The possibility that Obama might take further action against Israel in his remaining few weeks as president is even more troubling.

Incoming president Trump has made it clear that he will do things much differently, but how much damage can the Obama administration do before that happens?

PM Retaliates
PM Netanyahu is expected to announce later today that he will cut off all Israeli aid to Angola in response to that countries vote in favor of the anti-Israel Security Council resolution. Angolan diplomats had promised Israel that Angola would abstain from the vote. To add insult to injury, when the Angolan ambassador was called to Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to get reprimanded, his illegally parked car got ticketed by police.

Israel has also stopped aid to Senegal and recalled its ambassadors from Senegal and New Zealand. Both countries sponsored the resolution.

In addition, the PM has ordered Israeli officials not to meet with representatives of any of, or travel to, the countries that voted for the resolution including the UK, France and Russia. The PM cancelled a scheduled visit by the Prime Minister of Ukraine to Israel. In response the Ukraine called in the Israeli ambassador to the country and reprimanded him.

Will Israeli snubbing of major world powers really hurt these countries, or could it backfire and end up hurting Israel even more?

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely remarked today in an interview that she thinks that the Prime Minister is mistaken in ordering the snubbing of diplomats and cancelations of diplomatic visits. Instead she said that Israel should be meeting with these diplomats to explain Israel’s position. Likud members lashed out at Hotovely for criticizing the PM and called for her resignation or dismissal.

For further reading click here.

Investing in North
Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon and Minister of the Interior, and Minister of the Development of the Negev and Galilee Aryeh Deri have presented a plan for boosting the economy and raising the standard of living of Israel’s northern region. Under the plan, government ministries and the Jewish National Fund will invest around NIS 15 billion. A large chunk of the money will go to infrastructure projects. Other projects include improving the public health system, strengthening local government, and raising the standard of school and higher education.

Kahalon said, “We are determined to bring the same standards as are considered the norm in the center of the country to the north as well. The distance from the center of Israel must not mean gaps in services to citizens. It is impossible to speak of a single society without solving once and for all the problem of the link between distance from the center and social gaps. After years of investment in the center and the Negev, the north’s time has come. I am certain that this plan is a large step in the direction of realizing these aims.”

For further reading click here.

Believe it or Not
This isn’t directly Israel related but since it’s the third day of Hanukkah…there’s an obscure Hassidic custom to disrupt the lighting of the menorah in the synagogue by throwing towels and other stuff at the lighter in order to make it clear that the synagogue lighting is only a custom and does not fulfill the actual mitzvah, which can only be done in the home. To watch this in action click here.

Israel News for December 16, 2016

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Trump’s Ambassador
Donald Trump announced yesterday that he would appoint his longtime attorney and recent Israel advisor David Friedman as US Ambassador to Israel. Trump said that Friedman, “has been a long-time friend and trusted advisor to me. His strong relationships in Israel will form the foundation of his diplomatic mission and be a tremendous asset to our country as we strengthen the ties with our allies and strive for peace in the Middle East.”

Trump also stated that, “The bond between Israel and the United States runs deep, and I will ensure there is no daylight between us when I’m President. As the United States’ Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman will maintain the special relationship between our two countries.”

Friedman stated that he would work tirelessly to “strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two countries and advance the cause of peace within the region, and look forward to doing this from the US embassy in Israel’s eternal capital, Jerusalem.”

Trump promised during his campaign that he would move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. His close advisors have reiterated that he plans to follow through on his promise.

Friedman is a supporter of the settlement movement and has advocated for the annexation of the West Bank.

Education Minister Naftali Bennet tweeted, “I wish success for David Friedman, the US ambassador-elect to Israel. He is a great friend to Israel.”

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzip Hotovely said, “The expressed intention to appoint Friedman is very welcome news for Israel. His positions reflect the desire to strengthen the standing of Israel’s capital Jerusalem at this time and to underscore that the settlements have never been the true problem in the area.”

Yesh Atid leader MK Yair Lapid remarked, “I look forward to working with the new US ambassador, a close friend of Israel, David Friedman, in the proper place for his office – our capital, Jerusalem.”

On the flip side, the left wing J Street lobby wrote on its Facebook page that it is “vehemently opposed” to Friedman’s appointment, calling the move “reckless” and saying that Friedman “lacks any diplomatic or policy credentials.”

J Street president Jeremy Ben-Ami tweeted, “Trump’s pick of Friedman for Israel Amb is anathema to values that underlie U.S.-Israel relationship. We’ll fight this with all we’ve got.”

For further reading click here.

More Permits
Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon and Minister of Construction and Housing Yoav Galant will bring up for cabinet approval a proposal to increase the quota for Palestinians workers in Israel by 22,000. The proposal has been coordinated with the Ministry of Defense.

In addition to increasing work permits, the proposal also substantially eases regulations governing the employment of Palestinian workers. It will also implement a system to ensure that Palestinian workers get the pay they are entitled to, on the books.

For further reading click here.

Surprise Inheritance
According to a report by Israel’s Channel 2 news, the owner of the King Solomon hotel chain who recently passed away left millions of dollars to his employees.

Gilbert Luzon, whose holdings included hotels in Jerusalem and Tiberius, stated in his will that employees who had worked at his hotels for at least five years would receive inheritances of $1,000 for every year they worked for him. Employees who worked for five years would receive the minimum of $5,000, and inheritance would go up for each year of seniority.

“He spent more than $2 million,” one employee said. “Some people who have been washing dishes for 20 years would get $20,000. Everyone thought it was like winning the lottery.”

For further reading click here.

israel air force

Israel News for November 30, 2016

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Israel Attacks Syria
According to the Syrian government and Arab media sources, the Israeli airfare (IAF) reportedly attacked a Syrian army outpost and a Hezbollah arms convoy not far from the highway connecting Damascus and Beirut early Wednesday. Both attacks were reportedly carried out by aircraft flying over Lebanese airspace. No injuries were reported. The IAF neither confirmed nor denied the reports.

For further reading click here.

At the UN
On the 69th anniversary of the November 29, 1947 UN vote to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, the UN’s Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) held a special meeting to mark the “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” The President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson, attended the meeting wearing a Palestinian flag scarf.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, reprimanded Thomson for his undiplomatic fashion statement saying, “It’s unacceptable for the president of the UN General Assembly, whose position is a symbol of neutrality and stateliness, to wrap himself in a Palestinian flag and participate in an event whose sole purpose is to attack and besmirch the State of Israel. This is living, unequivocal proof of the bias against Israel and the slander spread about us at the UN.”

Yesterday the UN General Assembly adopted six anti Israel resolutions including one about Jerusalem’s holy sites that ignores any Jewish connections and another ordering Israel to withdraw from all “occupied territories.

Business as usual at the UN.

For further reading click here.

Turkish Attacks
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday attacked Israel for attempting to pass a law to prohibit Muslim prayers from being broadcast through loudspeakers (at the crack of dawn). Erdogan also accused Israel of “policies of repression and discrimination against our Palestinian brothers” and proclaimed, “it is the common duty of all Muslims to embrace the Palestinian cause and protect Jerusalem.”

Israel and Turkey recently exchanged ambassadors as part of a reconciliation agreement signed by the two countries to normalize relations. Apparently, things are back to normal.

For further reading click here.

Hackers Strike
Major Israeli prime time TV news channels 2 and 10 were interrupted last night with images of Muslim holy sites and images from the recent fires along with the words “Allah is great” written in Hebrew. The interruptions lasted for about 30 seconds and were suspected to have caused by hackers who temporarily took control over the satellite carrying the broadcast. Pro-Palestinian hackers have interrupted broadcasts several times in the past. Police and security officials are investigating.

For further reading click here.

Storms Coming
Now that the fires have been extinguished, the rains are coming. Heavy rain is expected today and Thursday in the coastal regions and in the Haifa area. There is a threat of flooding in the Haifa area. Timing is everything.

For further reading click here.

israel news settlements

Israel News for November 10, 2016

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Trump on Settlements
In an interview with Israel Army Radio today, Trump Israel advisor Jason Greenblatt said that Trump, “does not view the settlements as being an obstacle to peace. I think he would show [the expulsion of Jewish communities in Gaza, which didn’t bring peace] as proof of that. The two sides are going to have to decide how to deal with that region, but it is certainly not Mr. Trump’s view that settlement activity should be condemned and that it is an obstacle for peace – because it is not the obstacle for peace.”

Greenblatt also said that Trump would not impose a “peace process” on Israel. “He thinks that Israel is in a very tough situation and needs to [do what it has to in order] to defend itself. He is not going to impose any solution on Israel. He thinks that the peace has to come from the parties themselves.”

Regarding moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, Greenblatt said, “He said that he’s going to do it. He’s different for Israel than any recent President has been and I think that he’s a man who keeps his word. He recognizes the historical significance of the Jewish people to Jerusalem unlike, let’s say, UNESCO.”

Netanyahu and Trump spoke on the phone yesterday. Netanyahu congratulated Trump on his victory and Trump invited the PM to meet with him in the US “at the first opportunity.”

[Looks like the PM is in love]

For further reading click here.

Israeli Flag in Morocco
UN climate talks are taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco and the Israeli flag is flying high among the 195 national flags of UN members. The sight of the Israeli flag displayed in a major Arab city cause around 200 protesters to gather outside the parliament building in the capital city of Rabat and chant “Death to America, death to Israel!” while burning the Israeli flag and parading anti-Israel posters.

Morocco’s Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar responded to the protests saying, “UN meetings around the world welcome all nations” and that the fight against climate change “requires all governments to commit”.

For further reading click here.

Russian Kotel Visit
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev cocked off an official visit to Israel with a visit to the Kotel. He was accompanied by Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar and the Chief Rabbi of the Kotel R. Shmuel Rabinovitz, who praised the friendly relationship between Russia and Israel and reiterated the Jewish connection to the holy place.

Medvedev referred to the recent UNESCO vote that denied a Jewish connection to the Kotel and Temple Mount and said that it was unimportant and that Russia accepts the strong Jewish connection to the both places.

For further reading click here.

Shas in Heaven
The reaction from Israeli leaders, particularly those on the Right, to Trump’s presidential victory have been extremely positive, to put it mildly. But the reaction of Shas (Sephardic Ultra Orthodox party) leader and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri takes it to the next level.

Deri said, “It is too early to discuss the possible repercussions of Trump’s election as president, but there is no doubt that we should thank God that all the desecrators of the covenant and impersonators of Judaism [referring to the leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements] who wished to take control of the Land of Israel and introduce their destructive reforms- received a significant blow.

“Their influence and threat came from their connection to the administration in America, they realize that they have lost this power and we can, God willing, continue to strengthen the traditional religion which we received from previous generations.”

“Many Jews said over the last few days that if such a miracle happens, it must be the days prior to the advent of the Messiah. We must truly be in Messianic times when everything will turn out favorably for the people of Israel.”

[ Does that make Trump the messiah? Hmm…]

For further reading click here.

Israel News for October 20, 2016

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Terrorists Arrested
The Shin Bet and police have arrested 5 terrorists from the Palestinian village of Ni’ilin who shot at IDF soldiers on Yom Kippur. The arrests occurred just hours after the attack, but were only cleared for publication yesterday. No soldiers were injured in the attack.

Israeli forces also shut down a printing press in a-Ram that was publishing posters praising the terrorist that killed two Israeli’s in Jerusalem last week.

To watch a video of the attack and arrests, click here.

Women March
Last night thousands of women participated in a demonstration called the “March of Hope” outside of the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem. The event was organized by Women Wage Peace, which includes both Israeli and Palestinian women and which has organized similar demonstrations in different parts of the country.

For further reading click here.

PM Warns Settlers
In a meeting with residents of Ofra and the outpost of Amona, which is meant to be evacuated by the end of the year, the Prime Minister urged them not to make any “mistakes” during the final weeks of the Obama administration that could provoke the outgoing President to support a UN resolution unfavorable to Israel.

The PM warned the settlers that other US Presidents have used the period just before leaving office to advance initiatives contrary to Israel’s interests.

For further reading click here.

Jewish Congressmen Protest
A group of Jewish US members of Congress signed a statement yesterday condemning the recent UNESCO resolution that denied any Jewish historical connection to the Temple Mount and Western Wall. The group included Nita Lowey (D-NY), Sandy Levin (D-MI), David Cicilline (D-RI), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Susan Davis (D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Steve Israel (D-NY), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Jared Polis (D-CO), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), John Yarmuth (D-KY), and Lee Zeldin (R-NY).

The statement concluded by saying, “Such brazen disrespect and failure to recognize the legitimacy of Jewish existence in the ancient Jewish homeland only serves to distort history, inflame tensions, and impede peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We commend the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Lithuania, and Estonia for voting against and the 26 countries that abstained from supporting such a biased and counterproductive resolution.”

For further reading click here.

Seeking Blessings
Thousands lined up in Bnei Brak yesterday to receive a blessing from Rav Chaim Kanievsky, one of the most senior Haredi rabbinic leaders.

To watch a video and see photos of the event, click here.

Over 30,000 people visited the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron yesterday. Prayers services were lead by Assisted Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Dahan, who also addressed the crowd and reiterated the Jewish connection to all of the Land of Israel.

To watch a video of the minister click here.

Israel News for September 30, 2016

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In Tribute
World leaders and dignitaries from 70 countries attended the funeral of Shimon Peres today in Jerusalem. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin delivered the first eulogy, followed by PM Netanyahu, who thanks the world leaders for attending and said, “Shimon lived a life of purpose, he soared to many heights…he was a great man of Israel he was a great man of the world. We find hope in his legacy, as does the world.”

Former US President Bill Clinton then paid tribute to Peres, calling him a “dear friend who inspired awe by refusing to lose hope in the dream of peace and coexistence.” He added, “I always was in awe of his endless capacity to look beyond even the most crushing setbacks in order to seize the opportunities of each new day.”

Peres’s children spoke next, followed by author Amos Oz. The final eulogy was delivered by US President Obama.

Obama said, “I could not be more honored to be in Jerusalem to say farewell to my friend, to Shimon Peres, who showed us that justice and hope are at the heart of the Zionist idea. A free life in homeland regained, a secure life of a nation that can defend itself by itself, a full life of a friendship with nations who can be counted on as allies, always…. this was Shimon Peres’s life. This is the state of Israel. This is the story of the Jewish people.

Obama praised Peres for his efforts in trying to make peace with the Palestinians, saying, “Even in the face of terrorist attacks, repeated disappointments at the negotiating table, he insisted that Palestinians must be seen as equal in dignity to Jews and therefore equal in self-determination. He believed that Israel would be best protected when Palestinians had a state of their own.” 

Obama concluded with the hebrew words, “Toda raba, chaver yakar” — thank you dear friend.

For further reading click here.

Big Handshake
Palestinian Authority President Abbas and PM Netanyahu shook hands at the funeral of Shimon Peres today. Abbas remarked, “We haven’t met for a long time” to the PM and Sarah Netanyahu after the handshake. The PM replied, “I very much appreciate that you came to the funeral.”

Abbas was given a front-row seat, at the request of the Peres family, between European Council President Donald Tusk and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. President Obama briefly greeted the Palestinian leader with a kiss on each cheek before walking down the line to stand next to Netanyahu.

The Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan and the Foreign Minister of Egypt also attended the funeral.

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Cyber Police
The Israeli government has launched a new initiative called “the prevention of violence and crime on the internet” to protect children and young people from internet based crimes and cyber bullying. The initiative will include the participation of 131 policemen and civilians, dedicated police units and a 24/7 emergency center. It will be allocated an annual budget of NIS 50 million and will be managed by the Internal Defense Ministry.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan praised initiative, saying it would constitute a digital “iron dome” which will protect children in Israel on the internet.

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