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Israel News for October 15, 2015

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Breaking News
Acting on new intelligence reports, Shin Bet and Police officers closed off several major roads in Tel Aviv and arrested two Arabs from East Jerusalem in Givatayim (bordering Tel Aviv) on suspicion of planning to carry out a terror attack.

For further reading: http://news.walla.co.il/item/2897645

Two More Terror Attacks
A 72 year old woman was stabbed and moderately wounded yesterday evening on Jaffa street near the central bus station. A bus driver helped her onto his bus and closed the doors on the terrorist, who then tried to stab a policeman but was shot dead. The entire bus station was shut down while police searched for accomplices. The terrorist was a 23 year old resident of East Jerusalem who was incarcerated from 2012-2015 for terror related crimes.

Earlier in the day, a 19 year old Palestinian from Hebron brandishing a knife charged at police near the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem. Border policemen shot and killed the assailant. Two people were lightly wounded from the gunfire.

Israeli security forces have begun taking measures approved by the cabinet yesterday to beef up security. The IDF deployed 300 soldiers to reinforce police in cities across Israel. Authorities also erected concrete barriers and checkpoints at the entrances of some Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, where many of the terrorists come from.

A senior IDF official said that closures of Arab neighborhoods is not a good long term solution, since terrorists still find ways out while the rest of the population remains stuck at home and grows angrier.

Abbas Speaks Out
Despite calling for calm just over a week ago, Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, gave a 5 minute address on the official “Palestine” television station that was far from calming.

Abbas called on the “Palestinian heroes” to continue their struggle for peace, and for all Palestinians to unite in their nationalistic cause. He held up a picture of Ahmed Manasra, the 13 year old attacker who stabbed a Jewish boy a few days ago, and claimed that he had been killed by the Israeli government. I guess Abbas wasn’t informed that Manasra was only wounded. He obviously wouldn’t lie about something like that, right?

Abbas told Palestinians to protect the sanctity of the Haram Al Sharif (Temple Mount) and to resist Israel’s efforts to change the status quo, which prohibits non Muslims from praying there.

PM Netanyahu called Abbas’ words “inciting and lies”. He explained why, but we already know the answers, and the Palestinians aren’t interested in hearing them.

So much for calm.

For further reading: http://news.walla.co.il/item/2897471

Israelis Against Closures
There’s one group of Israelis who are adamantly against closing off Arab neighborhoods with roadblocks and checkpoints. No, they aren’t leftists. In fact, they are probably further to the right than most.

We’re referring to the Jews who live in the Arab areas of East Jerusalem, who feel that the closures are sending the message that Jerusalem is not united, but is split into two separate cities: East and West. That defeats their whole purpose of being there — to demonstrate that Jerusalem is one united city.

The Jewish residents of East Jerusalem aren’t surprised by the recent violence, and they aren’t taking any extra security measures. They claim that they live under these same circumstances on a daily basis, so they’re already well prepared.

The residents are used to hearing nightly calls from the mosque loudspeakers relating to Jews, Israel and Netanyahu — in not very positive terms, to say the least. They also get their share of molotov cocktails thrown at them. But they’re determined to stay put.

For further reading: http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4711552,00.html

Gun Control
In many instances during the recent wave of terror, civilians have assisted police in subduing or apprehending terrorists. Yesterday, Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan approved regulations to make it easier for Israelis to obtain and carry guns, in light of the security situation. He said that citizens trained to use guns strengthens the fight against terror. Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat urged citizens licensed to carry guns to do so. Gun sales are soaring.

Upshot
So what they’re saying is that the more Israelis carrying guns, the safer everyone will be. As strange as that sounds to American ears, it seems to be true in Israel, where so many people are already armed but gun violence (in non criminal circles) is almost non existent. Gun control proponents, take note.

For further reading: http://news.walla.co.il/item/2897266

Building Fences
The current fence separating Gaza from Israel hasn’t been very effective recently. Gazans have stormed the fence and broken through it on several occasions. Now the Israeli government is planning to build a new fence, similar to the one that runs along the Egyptian border. The new high tech fence will replace the existing barbed wire one and will extend along the entire 40 mile border with Gaza. Good luck breaking through this one.

Knives for Sale
The Rami Levy supermarket chain is taking it’s own security precautions to the next level. The chain will be checking all customers and employees entering the store, for weapons. It will also remove all knife displays in the store. Customers will have to get their knives at the customer service desk.

There is Hope
Just when it looks like Jewish Arab relations are doomed, a glimmer of hope arises. Hundreds of Arabs and Jews from the Jezreel Valley in the Galilee demonstrated together on the main road of the Bedouin village of Zarzir. They carried Israeli flags and signs and chanted, “end the violence”. A similar demonstration took place in the Negev.

When extremists are removed from the equation, peace is possible.

For further reading: http://www.nrg.co.il/

terror attack rabbi murdered

Rabbi Murdered in Jerusalem Terrorist Attack

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Thousands of mourners escorted the body of Rabbi Yeshayahu Krishevsky to his final resting place on Har Hamenuchot. The rabbi, a Stolin-Karlin Chasid, was murdered in a terror attack today when a terrorist rammed his car into people at a bus stop on Malchei yisrael St. in Jerusalem, then got out of his car and proceeded to stab his victims.

A civilian security guard in the area saw the attack and confronted the terrorist, shooting him several times. The terrorist continued to try and resume his attack until he was finally subdued by border police. The entire attack was recorded on video, which can be viewed here.

rabbi murdered in jerusalem

Rabbi Krishevsky Z”L. Photo from Walla.co.il


Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat attended the funeral. He has called on the government to lock down the Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem where most of the terrorists have originated from.

Rabbi Krishevsky had just finished his morning prayers at a nearby synagogue and was waiting for a bus on his way to meet his regular study partner when the attack occurred.

May his memory be a blessing.

Israel News for October 8, 2015

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Breaking News
This morning a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem stabbed and seriously wounded a 25 year old ultra orthodox yeshiva student near the light rail on French Hill in Jerusalem. He then tried to grab the gun from a security guard nearby, but following a scuffle fled the scene. Members of the Yasam anti-terrorist police unit apprehended the terrorist. The story is still unfolding.

Female Stabber
The 18 year old Arab woman who stabbed a 36 year old Israeli man near the Lion’s Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem on Wednesday had aspirations of becoming a martyr. At least that’s what she wrote on her Facebook page hours before her attack. She wrote, “where am I going? I’m going to become a shaheed (martyr). I want to ask you one thing — not to cry for me when I become a martyr. My greatest desire is to be a martyr for Allah.”

Unfortunately for her, she failed in her mission. She also failed to become a murderer, through no fault of her own. She tried her best but she ended up stabbing a reserve paratroop officer. After being stabbed in the head and back he turned to face her, drew his weapon and shot her. She was seriously injured.

The woman was studying to be a history and geography teacher at the University of Bethlehem. We can only hope that she’ll never get the chance to become a martyr or teach children to follow in her evil ways.

For further reading: http://news.walla.co.il/item/2895431

Terror Spree
There were several separate terror attacks in Israel yesterday.

In the southern town of Kiryat Gat, an Arab man stabbed a soldier in a public bus and stole his rifle. The attacker fled into a residential building. Unfortunately for him, anti-terrorist police happened to be around and saw him. They put a quick end to his life of terror and sent him directly to “paradise”. The Palestinian press identified the terrorist as a 17 year old from the Hebron area. The Israeli soldier was lightly wounded and taken to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon.

In Petach Tikva, an Arab got off a bus at the entrance to a large mall and stabbed a 25 year old Israeli man. Passersby chased the terrorist, disarmed him and subdued him until police arrived. The victim was taken to the hospital with moderate wounds. The attacker was identified as Tamer Yunis Ahmed Vareidat, 25, from Daheira, near Hebron.

In the Jerusalem neighborhood of Abu Tur, police stopped a 15 year old Arab for questioning. The teen pulled a knife and tried to stab them. The officers subdued him.

Israeli forces at the Al Zaim checkpoint near Mount Scopus in Jerusalem opened fire at an Arab driver when he tried to run them over with his vehicle. The driver was moderately wounded.

There were also stoning incidents near Gush Etzion and Bet El.

Upshot
Doesn’t look like Abbas’s call for calm has been too effective. He might have already lost any control he had to stop the violence. Is this the beginning of a new intifada?

For further reading: http://news.walla.co.il/item/2895353

Barkat Packing
Jerusalem’s mayor Nir Barkat is not afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to security issues in the city. Back in February he tackled a knife-wielding attacker outside the municipality building.

Barkat was recently photographed carrying an assault rifle during a visit to the Arab neighborhood of Beit Hanina in east Jerusalem.

The mayor’s office remarked that the mayor is a “licensed and trained gun owner” and was carrying his weapon with him during a visit with Israeli security forces. The statement added that “many terror attacks in Jerusalem have been prevented or neutralized due to the quick actions and response of responsible bystanders.”

So it seems that Vladimir Putin isn’t the only leader ready to get physical. Let this be a warning to the terrorists: beware of Barkat.

PM Bans Ministers
There’s a reason why there haven’t been any recent visits by government ministers to the Temple Mount. That’s because prior to leaving on his trip the New York to address the UN, the PM issued an order prohibiting ministers and Knesset members from visiting the site. The order doesn’t apply to Arab Knesset members.

New PM Diggs
Plans have been submitted to the Jerusalem municipal planning committee for the construction of a new residence and office for the Prime Minister in the Givat Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem. The area already houses other government buildings including the Knesset and the Foreign Ministry as well as many national museums and one of the campuses of Hebrew University.

The two buildings will be built on an empty 7.4 acre plot and will cost around 650 million shekels ($169 million).

It’s about time they moved the PM from his current location in the crowded Rehavia neighborhood, where the residents will most likely be thankful for the traffic relief, demonstrations and official activity. On the other hand, the security in the neighborhood was pretty darn good. But it must have been a logistics nightmare for the PM’s security detail.

Best of luck on the project!

For further reading: http://www.haaretz.com/business/.premium-1.679266

Prayers Answered
On the holiday of Shmini Atzeret, which was just celebrated on Monday, Jews say a special series of prayers for rain. Well, what do you know? It looks like our prayers were especially effective this year. There has been a significant amount of rainfall throughout Israel in the last few days, which is very unusual. The rain is expected to continue until the weekend. The usual pattern is for the rains to come in the second half of the month, so if that holds true, this could be a truly blessed year for Israel — at least in the rain department.

For further reading: http://www.nrg.co.il/online/1/ART2/729/615.html