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western wall

Israel News for May 30, 2017

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Israeli Control
In an interview with Army Radio today, PM Netanyahu said, “In order to assure our existence we need to have military and security control over all of the territory west of the Jordan [River],” and added, “The idea that we can give up territory and achieve peace is not right.”

The PM dismissed the notion that Israeli settlements were the main root of the conflict and stated that the problem was the Palestinian reluctance to recognize Israel’s right to any part of the land. He said, “The root of this problem was and still is that continued refusal by the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a the homeland of the Jewish people in any borders.”

Regarding the possibility of relations with other Arab nations, the PM said, “There is a change happening. Not necessarily with the Palestinians but in some parts of the Arab world they are understanding that Israel is not the enemy,” and that, “Arab states are internalizing that Israel is an ally against the threats of Iran and of the Islamic State terror group.”

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Bridge Upgrade
Israel will be investing NIS 450 million to upgrade the Alleny Bridge, which spans the Jordan River near Jericho and connects Israel and Jordan. The bridge is the only way that Palestinians can directly leave the Palestinian Authority to go abroad. Around 2.3 million people, most Palestinian, pass through the crossing point each year. Some tourists also use the crossing, although Israeli citizens are prohibited from using it. Around 50,000 trucks carry merchandise over the bridge each year.

As part of the renovations, a new terminal will be built, new security features will be integrated and the existing terminals and access roads will be upgraded.

On a recent trip to the US, Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz was asked by US envoy Jason Greenblatt to keep the Allenby crossing open 24/7 instead of the shorter hours currently in operation. Katz immediately acceded to the request.

The new Allenby Bridge hours and renovation project is seen as a goodwill gesture by Israel to the Palestinians and should make life a bit easier for them. But it probably won’t do much to satisfy their desire for self determination, since it just reinforces the fact that Israel controls their ability to enter or leave their territory.

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Cable Car
The government has approved a project to build a cable car that will carry visitors to the Western Wall. The planned route is about 1,400 meters long, with 40 cars able to carry 10 passengers each, at 21 kilometers per hour. The four stations through which the cable car will pass are the railway station, HaMefaked Street, Mount Zion and the Western Wall station. The price of a cable car ride will be the same as bus fare. The project is expected to cost NIS 200 million and be completed by 2021.

The project is expected to raise protests, since it’s related to east Jerusalem [nothing new]. The French company that was supposed to carry out the project withdrew following political pressures and an order from the Paris Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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East Jerusalem
The government also approved a plan to connect Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem to the city sewage and garbage collection system.

According to the plan, which was formulated by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Jerusalem Affairs Ze’ev Elkin (Likud), more east Jerusalem residents will be connected to the municipal sewage system, 33 kilometers of sewage infrastructure will be built, the existing sewage system will be upgraded, garbage cans and garbage trucks will be purchased and set up to collect waste.

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Shavuot
The holiday of Shavuot begins tonight and sunset and extends for one day in Israel and two days outside of Israel. The holiday literally means weeks, and is the culmination of the counting of 7 weeks (49 days) from the second day of Passover. Shavuot is described in the Torah as the harvest festival during which farmers bring their first produce to the Temple in Jerusalem. Shavuot is also the anniversary of the giving of the Ten Commandments and Torah at Mount Sinai. The Book of Ruth is read in the synagogue, and dairy meals are traditionally eaten. It is also customary to stay up all night (first night) to study Torah.

Happy Shavuot!!

Israel News for February 1, 2016

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Terror Attacks
Today, an 18 year old Palestinian male got through the security barrier near the settlement of Jewish settlement of Sal’it, south of Tulkarm in Samaria. IDF troops were alerted and began a search. When they found him, the terrorist attempted to stab the soldiers and was shot and killed.

Yesterday, a Palestinian drove up to an IDF checkpoint near Beit El in Samaria (near Ramallah) in a car marked as VIP (which is used by Palestinian officials) and shot three soldiers before being shot and killed by soldiers at the scene. The terrorist was identified as Amjad A-Sukari, a 34-year-old Palestinian Authority police officer who was employed as the personal driver of the Ramallah district attorney Ahmad Hanun.

In response to the attack and to prevent more, Israel has restricted non-residents from entering Ramallah. Tens of thousands of Palestinians commute daily from the Jerusalem area and from around the West Bank to the city. Israeli forces are also preventing non-residents from leaving the city. Only journalists and people with permits to work in Israel will be allowed free passage into and out of Ramallah.

PM Netanyahu blasted PA President Abbas for incitement and for not condemning the attack by one of his employees.

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Hamas vs. Iran
Iran has always been assumed to be a primary supporter of Hamas in Gaza. That assumption might have to be reevaluated. According to a secretly recorded conversation published in an Arab newspaper in London, Moussa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said that Iran has not given any support to Hamas since 2009. He said, “They are crafty and play with words; they are very cautious in their diplomatic conduct. Since 2009 we’ve gotten nothing from them, and even what our members got was not from them, but from others. All their claims about assistance are lies.”

Iranian relations with Hamas have been tenuous ever since Hamas expressed support for the Syrian rebels fighting Bashar Assad’s Iranian backed government. Hamas has also been reluctant to accept Iranian help, fearing that doing so would strain their relations with the Persian Gulf Sunni states, who are enemies of Iran’s Shiite government.

So, things aren’t as clear as they seemed, which is probably a good thing for Israel.

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New Kotel
The cabinet yesterday approved a compromise between the Orthodox and non-Orthodox movements permitting the establishment of a separate area of the Western Wall (Kotel) where men and women can pray together, without being segregated by gender. The compromise was passed by a vote of 15 to 5, with the nays being cast by Orthodox cabinet members.

Currently, the prayer area directly in front of the Kotel is divided into a large section for men only and a smaller area for women only. This prayer area, along with the large plaza beyond the prayer area, is administered by the Chief Rabbi of the Kotel Shmuel Rabinowitz according to Orthodox Jewish law and custom.

According to the compromise agreement, a new 900 meter section will be constructed along the southern part of the Kotel, which lies south of the ramp that leads up to the Temple mount and which is adjacent to the archeological excavations near Robinson’s Arch. The area has already, in recent years, become the place used by people who want mixed services for their bar mitzvahs or other special events.

The agreement also transfers control over the Kotel Plaza, the area beyond the prayer sections, from the rabbinate to the government, thereby permitting mixed events and ceremonies there, which are currently not permitted.

Leaders of the Reform and Conservative movements lauded the compromise as the first step to full government recognition of the movements.

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, executive director of the Reform movement in Israel, said, “Once and for all, the government has put an end to the ultra-Orthodox monopoly at the Kotel and has determined that at this most holy site for the Jewish people, there will be more than one way of praying and connecting to Jewish tradition.”

Leaders of the world Conservative movement said they were, “thrilled to witness our efforts resulting in recognition of the diversity and pluralistic nature of the Jewish people, as well as the legitimacy of the Conservative and Reform religious streams.”

Why hasn’t this compromise triggered war and “fight to the death” cries from the Orthodox establishment, considering that it infringes on Judaism holiest and most prominent place of worship?

Apparently, the southern area of the wall conceded in the agreement is not seen as containing the same level of holiness (if any at all) as the current area known as the “Kotel”. That’s probably why there have never been any religious restrictions imposed in that area. The part of the agreement removing rabbinate control over the Kotel Plaza is probably seen as more disturbing.

In any case, let’s home and pray that all Jews can now pray in peace along the entire length of the Western Wall.

In the words of Chief Rabbi Rabinowitz, “The Western Wall will continue to be open to every worshiper, both male and female, at every hour of every day with respect and devotion to Jewish tradition and Jewish heritage of which the Western Wall are clear symbols.”

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Anti Reform
Tourism Minister Yariv Levin attacked the American Jewish Reform movement during Sunday’s cabinet session on the compromise regarding a non-Orthodox prayer space at the Western Wall.

He said, “The Reform Jews in the U.S. are a waning world. The assimilation there is of enormous extent. They don’t even properly track [the assimilation] inside their communities. The evidence is that a man who calls himself a reform rabbi is standing there with a priest and weds Hillary Clinton’s daughter, and no one condemns it, thereby legitimizing it.”  

Levin ended up supporting the compromise because he was concerned that if it didn’t pass, the High Court of Justice would grant the non-Orthodox groups even greater concessions. He also believes that the Reform movement won’t be around within two or three more generations because of assimilation, so any compromise will become moot.

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Dead Sea Drop
A new study by the Geological Survey of Israel has revealed that the main reason for the rapid drop in the Dead Sea’s water level in recent decades is the increased pumping of water from the Jordan River’s tributaries in Jordan and Syria, and not the potash industries in Israel and Jordan, as previously thought.

The study attributed the accelerating drop in the sea level to the construction of dams along the Jordan River’s tributaries in Syria and Jordan. These dams can store up to 500 million cubic meters of water, and both countries use much of that water. Syria alone has built more than 40 dams that shut off the flow of water in the Rukad and Yarmouk rivers.

These dams account for much of the increased annual shortfall in the Dead Sea’s water intake, which stood at 400 million cubic meters 30 years ago but has risen to 700 million cubic meters over the last decade.

How can Israel stop Syria and Jordan from killing the Dead Sea?

For further reading click here. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/science/.premium-1.700659

Skating First
In a historic first, an Israeli won a silver medal at the European Figure Skating Championships, held in Bratislava, Slovakia. Yes, the skater, Alexei Bychenko, is clearly Russian … but who cares. He’s Israeli now!

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Israel news Terror Hizma

Israel News for December 3, 2015

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Breaking Terror
Earlier today, a Palestinian pulled his car up to a checkpoint in Hizma, near Jerusalem, and shot at soldiers. A soldier was shot in the hand and lightly wounded and an Israeli civilian was seriously wounded in his upper body. The terrorist was shot and killed.

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Suspects Arrested
A court has partially lifted the gag order on the case relating to the terrorists who burned the Palestinian family in Duma four months ago. The judge revealed in a statement that, “in the last few days several youths suspected of participating in a Jewish terror group were arrested by security forces and are being interrogated about the Duma terror attack.” Further details in the case including the identities of the suspects are still under gag order.

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IDF Plans
The IDF is rolling out a new multi-year plan known as Gideon. As part of the plan the IDF has decided to cap Israel’s submarine fleet at five. It will also shut down the air force base at Sdeh Dov (just north of Tel Aviv) and transfer planes to the Hatzor base further south.

The IDF will establish a new cyber-warfare brigade and will explore acquiring new technology as well as new artillery and a new Merkava tank.

On the flip side the military is reducing investment in preparations for a potential attack on Iran and is making significant cuts to units “not related to the army’s core activities” such as the military rabbinate, the Education Corps, the military advocate general’s unit and a behavioral sciences unit. Also, the number of headquarters staff members will be cut, including two brigadier-general positions, 24 colonel positions and 80 lieutenant-colonel positions.

None of these changes will adversely affect the IDF’s combat readiness and capabilities.

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Joint Canal
Israel and Jordan are looking for someone to build a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. You have until March, 2016 to submit your bid.

The primary purpose of the canal is to replenish the water in the Dead Sea, whose water level has been steadily dropping. The canal actually consists of four pipelines that will carry the water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. The first pipeline to be laid will be 200 kilometers long, and will be located entirely in Jordan.

Included in the project will be the construction of a desalination plant in Aqaba, Jordan which will supply water to Israel and Jordan. As part of the deal Israel will supply Jordan with a substantial amount of water from the Kinneret. The brine created in the desalination process will be piped along with Red Sea water to the Dead Sea.

Building the pipeline is estimated to cost $400 million. Israel hopes that it will be financed by donors wishing to help save the Dead Sea. Government sources said that several countries had already expressed interest in helping to finance the pipeline, including France and Japan.

A senior Israeli water sector source with firsthand knowledge of the project asserted that no European countries would finance the project and that the only real option is if the company building the desalination facility finances a large part of it.”

Environmental groups are opposed to the “canal”. They claim that the chemical composition of the Red Sea water will adversely affect the Dead Sea water and harm its ecosystem, including its unique health benefits, which accounts for most of the tourism in the area. Also, the pumping of water from the Red Sea will damage the sea’s coral reefs. In any case, the pipeline is expected to add 10 centimeters a year to the Dead Sea, while its water level is dropping by 1 meter per year. Not much of a boost.

The anti-pipeline groups recommend that the government correct the Dead Sea problem by stopping their diversion of the Jordan River, which is the natural supplier of water to the Dead Sea. In other words, the government is causing the drop in the Dead Sea water level by diverting the Jordan River, and they’re trying to solve the problem by pumping up water from the Red Sea. Makes sense?

Regarding financing, how about tapping the companies making billions from mining the Dead Sea salts and minerals, who are also to blame for causing the depletion in its water level?

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Germany Rejects Labeling
Prof. Norbert Lammert, the president of the Bundestag (German parliament), called the EU labeling regulation “unnecessary and unwise.”

He reiterated that, “Germany not only didn’t agree to the decision, it rejected it.”

When asked whether the EU’s not having called to label products from places like Tibet or Crimea or the Western Sahara was an indication of anti-Semitism, Lammert said while he could “understand Israel’s anger,” he did not believe that it was anti-semitic in nature.

“Germany can imagine a better law, if it were to apply to everyone, on principle, to all occupied land,” he added. “Because it’s specifically against Israel, I repeat that it is unnecessary and not very smart.”

MP Elisabeth Motschmann (CDU), a member of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committees, said, “Germany has a special responsibility towards Israel, but there are critical positions towards settlements.” She added that she would buy products without looking at where they are from and that German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier “doesn’t want” labeling.

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Berlin Kosher
We usually stick exclusively to Israel news, but this was just too good to pass on.

If you’re in Germany and looking for kosher food, worry not. A large kosher supermarket opened in Berlin a few days ago. And no need to worry about the new EU labeling regulations. The store will have plenty of Israeli products, including those made in the West Bank and the Golan. The owners say they plan to keep the prices low to attract non Jewish customers. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

There are estimated to be over 40,000 Jews currently living in Berlin. There were 160,000 in the city prior to World War II.

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Righteous Gentile
Yad Vashem has bestowed its highest honor for non Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during WWII on the late Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds.

Edmonds, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, was the highest ranking noncommissioned officer held prisoner in a German POW camp along with over 1,000 other US soldiers, some of whom were Jewish. The standard operating procedure of the German army was to separate Jewish POW’s and send them to slave labor or concentration camps, or just torture and execute them.
When the commandant of the POW camp ordered the Jewish soldiers to identify themselves, Edmonds turned to the rest of the POWs and said, “We are not doing that, we are all falling out.” The commandant turned to Edwards and said, “They cannot all be Jews.” Edwards responded, “We are all Jews here.”

The Nazi then pressed his pistol to Edward’s head and offered him one last chance. Edwards responded with his name, rank and serial number. Then he said, “If you are going to shoot, you are going to have to shoot all of us because we know who you are and you’ll be tried for war crimes when we win this war.” At that, the Nazi backed off.

Edmond’s son, a reverend, estimates that his father’s actions saved around 200 Jewish soldiers. Some of the Jewish soldiers who are still alive agree.

Edmond is the first serviceman to be honored by Yad Vashem. He is also now being considered for the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds — thank you and God bless you for your heroism.

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