A7News: 'In next war they won't be drinking coffee in Tel Aviv'

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Wednesday, Nov. 28 '18, כ' בכסלו תשע"ט



In the wake of some unfortunate news in Bet El Institutions, please assist today:
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HEADLINES:
1. 'IN NEXT WAR THEY WON'T BE DRINKING COFFEE IN TEL AVIV'
2. BRITISH MINISTER PROMOTES POST-BREXIT TRADE IN ISRAEL
3. CIVIL MARRIAGE ALLOWANCE REJECTED IN FIRST READING
4. BABY MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED HORRIFIC SURGERY-GONE-WRONG
5. US DEMANDS 'IMMEDIATE RELEASE' OF US CITIZEN HELD BY PA
6. ISRAELI TEEN'S MURDERED BODY FOUND IN DUMPSTER
7. 'CONTROL OVER GAZA - IN EXCHANGE FOR NEW ELECTIONS'
8. STATE TO REQUEST EXTENSION FOR DM RESIGNATION


1. 'IN NEXT WAR THEY WON'T BE DRINKING COFFEE IN TEL AVIV'
by Rafael Levy

Home Front Commander Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai took part today in a conference of new local authority heads and reviewed the role of Home Front Command in preparing local emergency authorities.

"There's no dispute that the threat to the Israeli home front in the next war will be very challenging," Yadai said at an Interior Ministry conference in Ashkelon.

According to him, 2019 will see a more complex and challenging threat to Israel. Along with capabilities we know from the past, there is another geo-strategic reality presenting us with other challenges and threats. The issue is not the weapon, with which we are familiar, but the intensity. The Middle East is now organized differently.

"There is a possibility of fronts opening both in the north and in the south, because we know of attempts at coordination," Maj. Gen. Yadai said. "In the coming confrontation there will be no more fighting in the north or Gaza while they drink coffee in Tel Aviv."


2. BRITISH MINISTER PROMOTES POST-BREXIT TRADE IN ISRAEL
by AFP

British International Trade Secretary Liam Fox met Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu on Wednesday as his country prepares to leave the European Union and pursue an independent trade policy.

Britain's exports to Israel already grew by 75 percent in the first half of 2018 compared to the same period last year, Fox's office said, citing Israeli official figures.

Last year saw more than $9 billion in trade between the two nations, a record high, it said.

"And as we leave the European Union and Britain takes up its place as an independent state of (the World Trade Organization), we want to push our concept of free trade even further," Fox told Netanyahu ahead of their meeting.

"In a world where the siren calls of protectionism are rising, two free-trade nations like ours need to make the case for global free trade because trade spreads prosperity."

Netanyahu said: "Britain is in fact our largest trade partner in Europe -- one of our most important trading partners in the world -- and we value the friendship."

Israel is notably an import market for British cars, while Scotch whiskey sales in Israel have increased by 300 percent since 2012, according to Fox's office.

Other leading British exports to Israel have included mineral products and machinery and electrical equipment, as well as chemical industry products, according to the British embassy.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking to convince hostile MPs to back her draft deal for future ties with the EU after her country exits the bloc next March. A vote is scheduled for December 11.

Fox arrived in Israel on Monday and met with Palestinian Authority leader Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah on Tuesday.


3. CIVIL MARRIAGE ALLOWANCE REJECTED IN FIRST READING
by Mordechai Sones

The Knesset plenum today rejected in preliminary reading a bill by MK Merav Michaeli (Zionist Union) to allow civil marriage.

The bill proposes that the power to dissolve a marriage between spouses who are members of the same religious community and who were married in civil marriage be subject to the family courts.

MK Michaeli asked in the Knesset plenum: "Would it make sense for you to pass a law forcing all citizens to go to synagogue on Shabbat? Israeli law forces a person joined in a civil marriage to divorce in religious court.

"It's an absurd situation where the State of Israel recognizes civil marriage but doesn't provide the basic service of divorce. This religious coercion isn't done for halakhic reasons, but purely for reasons of political power, of holding all citizens captive to the rabbinic court. Political cynicism and power," Michael claimed.

Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked responded on behalf of the government: "The bill seeks to create a substantive policy change and is contrary to coalition agreements. Since the proposal is not accepted by all coalition factions, the government objects."

Merav Michaeli
Flash 90



4. BABY MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED HORRIFIC SURGERY-GONE-WRONG

Motty Klepner is just two years old. But the blonde-haired, brown-eyed boy has endured far more than most adults.

The tragic story began when the child was just four days old. Whisked from the arms of his parents, and sent to the operating room, newborn Motty underwent open-heart surgery. The surgery was successful, and parents Yehoshua & Gittel Klepner were told that he would be a normal child.

Four months later, however, it became clear the situation was not 'normal.' Motty was brought in for emergency heart catheterization. His tiny heart collapsed. He lay in a hospital bassinet, covered in blood. His parents were told that it was time to say goodbye.

In a miraculous turn, however, surgeons were able to save the baby's life. For another four months, he was hooked up to a respirator. The infant struggled with pain as he slowly recovered. While he was in the hospital, he developed gangrene in his arms and legs. His pudgy baby limbs turned black. Doctors had to amputate Motty's left arm, and clip the fingers on his right hand.

Eventually Motty was released from the hospital, and allowed to return home. He was in pain, an amputee, partially blind, and paralyzed on the left side of his body, but he was alive. And for that his parents were truly grateful. Father Yehoshua wrote and released a moving song about the experience.

The two years since the initial surgery, however, have been a challenge. Motty, now 2 years old, suffers from severe eating disorders. He is only able to walk for short spurts of time, and struggles through life with only one hand. His monthly treatments cost many thousands of shekels. His parents are no longer able to keep up with the expenses.

A fund has been opened with the goal of meeting both the immediate urgent needs such as paying for Motty's monthly treatments, and the long-term goal of procuring him a prosthetic hand. If the boy could have a hand, he could write, color, and pick up toys: things that other 2-year-olds do easily, but Motty dreams of. The campaign is appropriately titled 'Motty's dream.'

Those moved by the story and interested in making Motty's dreams come true can do so here for a limited time.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL CAMPAIGN


5. US DEMANDS 'IMMEDIATE RELEASE' OF US CITIZEN HELD BY PA
by David Rosenberg

The United States on Wednesday demanded the immediate release of an American citizen held by the Palestinian Authority, after he allegedly helped facilitate the sale of real estate in Jerusalem to Jewish buyers.

Last month, Issam Akel, a 53-year-old Arab resident of Jerusalem who holds both American citizenship and an Israeli identification card, was captured by Palestinian Authority agents, after it was alleged that he worked as an intermediary in the sale of property in the "Aqaba Darwish" section of the Old City of Jerusalem to Jews.

Palestinian Authority leaders condemned the sale, and called for a full investigation.

On Wednesday, American Ambassador to Israel David Friedman condemned the PA for Akel's kidnapping, and demanded that he be freed immediately.

"The Pal Authority has been holding US citizen Isaam Akel in prison for ~2 months," tweeted, Friedman.

"His suspected 'crime'? Selling land to a Jew. Akel's incarceration is antithetical to the values of the US & to all who advocate the cause of peaceful coexistence. We demand his immediate release."

Under PA law, selling of land to Jews is illegal and punishable by death. However, such sentences must be approved by the PA chairman, and current chairman Mahmoud Abbas has preferred to authorize life sentences for such offenses, possibly due to fear of an international backlash.

In 2014, Abbas toughened the PA law against selling property to Israeli Jews, so that any Palestinian Arabs involved in renting, selling or facilitating real estate transactions with citizens of "hostile countries" in any way would receive life imprisonment and hard-labor.

Israeli security forces arrested two senior PA officials in connection with Akel's kidnapping. The two were later released.

Earlier this month, Israeli police raided one of the PA official's offices in the Jerusalem district. Police arrested the official, Adnan Gheith, a second time, taking him back into custody on Sunday.


6. ISRAELI TEEN'S MURDERED BODY FOUND IN DUMPSTER
by David Rosenberg

An Israeli teenager was found dead in a dumpster in northern Israel, three days after she disappeared.

Police located the remains of 16-year-old Yara Ayoub in a dumpster Monday afternoon, after her family reported her missing.

"The missing person, Yara Ayoub, 16, was found by Israel Police officers, with no signs of life," Israel Police said on Monday.

"As part of the investigation of the incident, two suspects have been arrested thus far, and the investigation is still underway."

Police suspect Ayoub was kidnapped and later murdered.

The two suspects taken into custody in connection with Ayoub's death have been identified as a 28-year-old resident of Jish, who is believed to be the kidnapper, and a 53-year-old man also suspected of being involved in the girl's disappearance.

Ayoub, a Christian Arab resident of the Galilee town of Jish (also known as Gush Halav), disappeared on Friday after she left home to go to a friend's birthday party. Relatives say she was last seen at a bakery in Jish.

"She was on her way to her friend's birthday and stopped at the bakery to buy something, and then we lost contact with her. On Monday they told us her body was found," Nashat Ayoub, Yara's father said, according to Yediot Ahronot.

"My heart is aching for my beautiful girl. She was a special girl, she always made sure it was happy at home. It's terrible that we've lost her."

A second teenage girl was also found murdered on Monday, this time in Tel Aviv.

The second victim was identified as 13-year-old Silvana Tsegai, an Eritrean national living in Tel Aviv.

Police are currently searching for the girl's suspected killer, Tesfabran Tesfatsion. Tesfatsion has been identified as the former boyfriend of Tsegai's mother.


7. 'CONTROL OVER GAZA - IN EXCHANGE FOR NEW ELECTIONS'
by David Rosenberg

Leaders of the Hamas terrorist organization are prepared to restore direct control over the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, according to a report by the Lebanon-based pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen network.

Under the terms of the October 2017 reconciliation agreement between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority's ruling party, Fatah, the Gaza-based terror group agreed to restore control over the coastal enclave to Ramallah.

As part of the agreement, Fatah promised to form a new unity government with Hamas, and to resume payments in full for public services in the Gaza Strip.

But the deal was never fully implemented, missing the December 1st 2017 deadline for the transfer of power.

On Tuesday, however, it was reported that Hamas leaders have expressed a willingness to transfer power over the Gaza Strip to Fatah control.

The offer does come with a catch, according to the report. Hamas has demanded that the Palestinian Authority follow through with its promise to form a unity government with Hamas. The new unity government must be formed within 45 days, Hamas leaders reportedly demanded.

In addition, Hamas has set new elections as a condition for its surrender of control over the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Authority last held general elections for the PA Legislative Council in January 2006.

According to the Al-Mayadeen report, Hamas has demanded that new elections be held in the next six months.


8. STATE TO REQUEST EXTENSION FOR DM RESIGNATION
by Mordechai Sones

The State Prosecutor's Office submitted this evening a petition to the Supreme Court to postpone the Draft Law's expiration date for another four months, "following the resignation of the Defense Minister."

The decision to request an extension from the Supreme Court was made at a meeting of coalition leaders on Sunday, despite Attorney General Mandelblit's warning that chances of the request being accepted are low.

Prior to the original date when the existing law was supposed to expire, the State submitted an application to postpone the deadline until the end of the upcoming winter conference, in April 2019.

Last August, the judges received the State's request in a very partial manner, and allotted to the State a much shorter time than the amount requested to complete enactment of a new law.

In their decision, the Supreme Court justices wrote, "After we considered this matter, we decided to respond to the request in part and to postpone the annulment of chapter 3 of the Defense Services Law so that it will come into effect on December 2, instead of the date set forth in the judgment."




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