Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Monday, Dec. 31 '18, כ"ג בטבת תשע"ט
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HEADLINES:
1. PA SENTENCES AMERICAN TO LIFE IN PRISON WITH HARD LABOR
2. ISRAEL'S POPULATION NEARS 9 MILLION - INCLUDING 6.6 MILLION JEWS
3. 'BENNETT WILL LEAP FORWARD'
4. WATCH: IDF FORCES SEARCH FOR GIVAT ASSAF TERRORIST
5. JERUSALEM STABBING TERRORIST GETS 18 YEARS IN PRISON
6. 'WE DON'T NEED MESSIAHS IN OUR POLITICS'
7. 'THIS WILL BE NETANYAHU'S LAST TERM AS PM'
8. PA REVERSES BAN ON ISRAELI IMPORTS
1. PA SENTENCES AMERICAN TO LIFE IN PRISON WITH HARD LABOR
by Davd Rosenberg
An American citizen was sentenced to life in prison by a Palestinian Authority court Monday for involvement in the sale of Arab-owned real estate to Jews.
On Monday, the Grand Criminal Court in Ramallah sentenced Isaam Akel, an Arab American who also holds an Israeli identification card, to life imprisonment with hard labor, the PA's WAFA media outlet reported.
According to the report, Akel had been brought before the court on December 23rd after being indicted for the "sale of land to a foreign country".
A US government official responded to the report, saying that the US was aware of the sentence, and would provide "consular assistance".
"We are aware of reports that a U.S. citizen has been sentenced by a Palestinian court. When a U.S. citizen is incarcerated abroad, the U.S. government works to provide all appropriate consular assistance."
Akel disappeared in October, after the Palestinian Authority called for his arrest, accusing him of facilitating the sale of Arab-owned property in the Aqaba Darwish section of the Old City of Jerusalem to Jews.
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.
Last month, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman demanded the Palestinian Authority release Akel.
"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."
2. ISRAEL'S POPULATION NEARS 9 MILLION - INCLUDING 6.6 MILLION JEWS
by David Rosenberg
Israel's population neared nine million on the eve of the new year, the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics reported Monday.
A total of approximately 8,972,000 people lived in Israel as of December 31st, according to the CBS' estimates.
Of those nearly 9 million people, roughly 74.3%, or 6,668,000, are Jews. Approximately 1.88 million, or 20.9% of the population, are Arabs, while 426,000 (4.8% of the total) are neither Jewish nor Arab, and are classified as "Others". A large portion of this third category are non-Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who moved to Israel under the Right of Return after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
According to the CBS report Monday, Israel's population grew by two percent during 2018. Of the total population growth in 2018, 81% was the result of natural growth (the number of live births minus the number of deaths), while 19% was the result of net positive migration to Israel.
A total of 28,000 new immigrants moved to Israel during 2018, while 185,000 children were born. In addition, 12,000 returning citizens moved back to Israel in 2018.
Of the 185,000 live births in 2018, 74.4% were to Jewish mothers, compared to 22.8% to Arab mothers. Only 2.8% of live births were to mothers in the "Others" category.
By comparison, 7,000 Israelis emigrated from Israel in 2018, and there were a total of 45,000 deaths recorded.
Most immigrants to Israel in 2018 were not Jewish, with net Jewish migration (the total number of Jewish immigrants to Israel minus to number of Jewish emigrants leaving) at 12,600. The level of net Arab migration – primarily returning citizens – was 2,300, while the net balance of migration for Others was 17,700.
In 2018, immigration made up 84% of the total increase in number of non-Jewish, non-Arab (Others) citizens in Israel.
3. 'BENNETT WILL LEAP FORWARD'
by Benny Tocker
[audio:2051762]
Strategist Yehoshua Mor-Yosef predicted on Sunday that HaYamin HeHadash, the new right-wing party of ministers Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, will not succeed in crossing the six-seat threshold in the election this coming April.
"I do not see Bennett and Shaked achieving 10 seats, that's a lot of votes. Let's say that they will succeed in reaching five or six Knesset seats. That would be a very nice achievement," he told Arutz Sheva in an interview.
Bennett and Shaked's split from the Jewish Home, opined Mor-Yosef, is for long-term purposes.
"This is all about preparations for the day after Binyamin Netanyahu, when there will be a reshuffle and they will have to run together as one unit for the leadership of the Likud or try to draw votes from the Likud that will go to them after Netanyahu exits, and then they will either take control of the Likud from the outside or they will dismantle the Likud after the Netanyahu era," he said.
"Naftali Bennett understands politics and knows how to play the game. He brought great achievements to religious Zionism, so I think this move really gives him a chance to leap forward," added Mor-Yosef, who expressed hopes that the right will not be harmed in the upcoming election as a result of Bennett and Shaked's move.
"The move by Naftali and Ayelet is mainly designed to realize the popularity of Ayelet Shaked but also that of Naftali Bennett, which is larger than the Jewish Home brand, and to translate it into Knesset seats. The big question is whether they will succeed in increasing the seats of the nationalist camp or will they play in the same pool and simply pass seats from side to side. If that is the case, at best they have not changed anything, and perhaps, heaven forbid, it can go to places of losing votes because of the high electoral threshold."
The biggest winner of this move, opined Mor-Yosef, is Minister Uri Ariel. "Minister Ariel is in a difficult battle over the leadership of Tekuma. Now it is clear that it is less important is who will head Tekuma; what is important is who will head the union between the National Union and the Jewish Home because it is clear that they cannot run separately."
"If Bezalel Smotrich heads the united list, it will have a very sharp color and this will reduce its capabilities because he is perceived as more extreme than Uri Ariel. He is also the most experienced among the entire group that is in the Jewish home today," said Mor-Yosef.
Therefore, he continued, "they will do the right thing if they choose Uri Ariel to head the joint list of the Jewish Home and the National Union. This will succeed in bringing the votes of all the knitted skullcaps."
4. WATCH: IDF FORCES SEARCH FOR GIVAT ASSAF TERRORIST
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256939
Israeli security forces operated in the Ramallah area overnight, continuing the manhunt for the terrorists responsible the planning and execution of the shooting attack at Givat Assaf earlier this month.
Two IDF soldiers were killed and two more Israelis wounded in the shooting attack on December 13th, which took place just days after a drive-by shooting attack on a group of Israeli civilians outside of Ofra, just north of Givat Assaf.
Early Monday morning, IDF forces, along with the Shin Bet internal security agency and Border Police officers conducted searches in the Binyamin district of Samaria, and arrested a number of suspects.
During the searches, Arab rioters attacked IDF forces, hurling stones and firebombs at Israeli soldiers. Israeli security forces used crowd-control methods to disperse the rioters. There were no injuries reported among the Israeli forces.
As part of the overnight operations, Israeli forces closed off entrances and exits to the Palestinian Authority-controlled village of Kobar, conducting searches in the village and arresting suspects, including relatives of terrorists involved in the recent spate of attacks.
5. JERUSALEM STABBING TERRORIST GETS 18 YEARS IN PRISON
by Arutz Sheva Staff
On Monday, Jamil Tamimi, an Arab resident of Jerusalem, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in a plea deal for a stabbing attack he committed in 2017.
On Friday, April 4, 2017, Tamimi stabbed three civilians at a light rail stop near the Old City of Jerusalem. 25-year-old Hannah Blandon, a British student was murdered.
Two others were injured, including a pregnant woman in her 30s and a male in his early 50s.
Tamimi was neutralized and arrested at the scene by an off-duty police officer. He was known to be mentally ill with a criminal record.
At the time, a Shin Bet spokesperson reported that the terrorist may have been attempting to commit suicide at the time of the attack.
https://www.facebook.com/www.0404.co.il/videos/1509302632475846/
Photography: Yonatan Sindel Flash90
Jamil Tamimi, 58, a member of the Tamimi clan, who stabbed and killed British tourist Hannah Bladon on April 14, 2017, is brought for a court hearing at the Yerushalayim District Court, on June 7, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
6. 'WE DON'T NEED MESSIAHS IN OUR POLITICS'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Former Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin on Monday attacked the leaders of the center and left parties at Calcalist's 2019 conference.
"Our political system is delusional," Diskin said."All parties are founded around messiahs - Lapid, Ganz, Livni and Kahlon - these are dictatorial parties. Today there are no parties of values, no ideology, and the atmosphere is transparently drab, with no commitments."
"This is a political system where everything is more of the same. The right is divided into a new right. There is no longer any left in the State of Israel because Meretz has forgotten Zionism. Politics is a joke. Something new must be created and it cannot be done in the next four months."
"The new politics should not be built on messiahs, but on people who present a significant conceptual and ideological alternative," he said.
Referring to the Nationality Law, Diskin said: "People have sand in their eyes and don't see the real issue. The only thing that will make Israel a Jewish and democratic state is a Jewish majority. If there is no Jewish majority, then it will not be neither Jewish nor democratic. The politicians do not want to deal with the real question of how to preserve a Jewish majority in the country."
"This question leads them to other questions they do not want to deal with, such as the question of two states or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Diskin said. "The Nationality Law will not suffice to preserve it, but will accomplish the job of harming the democratic character of the State of Israel."
7. 'THIS WILL BE NETANYAHU'S LAST TERM AS PM'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked predicted Monday that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will serve for one more term as premier before retiring from politics.
Shaked, who along with Education Minister Naftali Bennett recently broke away from the Jewish Home party to form the New Right (Hayamin Hahadash) faction over the weekend, spoke at an event hosted by Calcalist Monday morning, touching on the political prospects for the coming election.
During her address, Shaked predicted that Netanyahu would serve for one final term as Prime Minister following the elections to the 21st Knesset, slated for April 9th, before retiring from politics.
"My estimation is that this will be the Prime Minister's final term, since he's not young. We don't know what will happen with the investigations, but I hope that the cases against him will be closed, allowing him to finish his term. But I really don't know what will happen."
Netanyahu, 69, has served as premier for four terms – three of them consecutive – and is on track to becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israel's history if he remains in office by July 16th. Current polls show Netanyahu's Likud leading in the upcoming election by a wide margin.
Shaked expressed optimism regarding her newly-established party's prospects in the 2019 election.
"The joint efforts between myself and Bennett will win a lot of seats," said Shaked.
Recent polls show the New Right winning anywhere from six to 14 seats.
"We're going into the unknown," continued Shaked. "We didn't expect to win 20 mandates in the first poll. Three months before the election, the polls really don't mean anything, so there's no reason right now to deal with the polls. We need to deal with our work."
8. PA REVERSES BAN ON ISRAELI IMPORTS
by Elad Benari
The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Sunday backtracked from its decision to ban imports of vegetables, fruits and poultry from Israel, just three days after announcing the ban.
According to Channel 10 News, the PA's "ministry of agriculture" said that, following the Israeli government's decision to resume imports of fruits and vegetables from the Palestinian Authority, it was decided to once again allow the import of agricultural products from Israel.
The bureau clarified, however, that the PA reserves the right to respond accordingly if Israel again attempts to harm Palestinian Arab farmers.
The PA announced the ban just last Thursday, saying it came "in response to the Israeli Minister of Agriculture's decision to ban the importation of Palestinian fruit and vegetables".
The decision was described as "an important national decision on the road to Palestinian independence" and "a serious move to find alternative Arab and foreign markets through Jordan."
This is not the first time that the PA has banned Israeli companies and imports. Two years ago, it decided to "punish" Israel by halting imports to the PA from five major Israeli food production companies.
The PA's "anti-economic crimes unit" in Ramallah later indicted two companies that marketed Israeli products.
In March of 2015, the PA declared an "economic war" against Israel and launched a campaign calling to boycott Israeli products.
A month earlier, a national Palestinian committee announced it would prohibit the sale of products by six major Israel companies in areas of Judea and Samaria controlled by the PA.
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Monday, December 31, 2018
Friday, December 28, 2018
A7News: Residents of terror tunnel village flee as cement floods streets
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Friday, Dec. 28 '18, כ' בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. RESIDENTS OF TERROR TUNNEL VILLAGE FLEE AS CEMENT FLOODS STREETS
2. 'OUR FRIEND'S BABY WAS MURDERED - AND THE UN REMAINS SILENT'
3. FRANCE BLASTS ISRAEL OVER SETTLEMENT CONSTRUCTION
4. ISRAEL TURNED AWAY A RECORD 19,000 VISITORS IN 2018
5. WHY IS THE US GOVERNMENT PAYING LOUIS FARRAKHAN TO SPREAD HATE?
6. LIQUID CEMENT USED TO DESTROY TERROR TUNNEL FLOODS VILLAGE
7. RUSSIA ACCUSES ISRAEL OF 'GROSS VIOLATION' OF SYRIAN SOVEREIGNTY
8. ARIEL UNIVERSITY ORDERED TO FREEZE OPENING OF MEDICAL SCHOOL
1. RESIDENTS OF TERROR TUNNEL VILLAGE FLEE AS CEMENT FLOODS STREETS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256843
Cement poured out into the streets in the village of Kafr Kila in southern Lebanon, after Israeli security forces pumped the cement into a cross-border terror tunnel.
Earlier this month, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield with the aim of locating and neutralizing terror tunnels built by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.
Five such cross-border tunnels have been located since the launch of Northern Shield, including one which originated in Kafr Kila.
On Thursday, the IDF reported that forces operating on the northern border had flooded a Hezbollah tunnel with liquid cement.
Hezbollah had dug the tunnel in Kafr Kila at a site it had long claimed was used as a brick factory and chicken coop.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256843
2. 'OUR FRIEND'S BABY WAS MURDERED - AND THE UN REMAINS SILENT'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Israeli college students who studied with one of the victims of the Hamas terror attack outside of Ofra earlier this month have called on the United Nations to formally condemn the attack, and the resulting death of their fellow student's newborn son as a result of the shooting.
On December 9th, Hamas terrorists opened fire on a group of Israeli civilians waiting at a bus stop outside of the town of Ofra, north of Jerusalem.
Seven people, including 21-year-old Shira Ish-Ran and her husband, Amichai, were wounded in the drive-by shooting.
Doctors were forced to perform an emergency caesarian section on Shira to deliver her child. Shira was in the 30th week of pregnancy at the time.
While the condition of Shira and her husband improved, their newborn son, Amiad Yisrael, died three days after the attack.
On Friday, students at Orot Israel College in the town of Elkana in Samaria – where Shira Ish-Ran was enrolled – called on the United Nations to condemn the December 9th attack, and to formally condemn the Hamas terror group.
The letter, addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, noted the UN's failure earlier this month to pass a resolution condemning Hamas for its terrorist activities.
We the undersigned are students studying for our Bachelor's in Education, at Orot Israel College in Elkana, Samaria.
Last week, our fellow student, Shira, 21 years old- stood alongside her husband Amichai near the entrance to the settlement of Ofra, when accursed terrorists opened fire upon them with the express purpose of murdering them merely because they were Jews.
Shira, who was in the 30th week of her pregnancy, was seriously wounded, and her baby was delivered preterm in an emergency operation. Unfortunately, her wounded baby managed to live for only three short days before returning his soul to his Creator.
During those three days, in which for every moment the baby was struggling for his life, he dangled between life and death. Before he even knew the world, those terrorists cut short his life.
This tiny baby that was not yet born has already passed from this world.
This baby who was waiting in his mother's womb for the moment he would breathe his first breath was murdered solely because he was a Jew.
Mr. Secretary General, until this very moment we have not yet heard your voice raised in condemnation of those heinous murderers and those who sent them. We have not yet heard your voice of condemnation at the General Assembly, which so frequently rushes to condemn the State of Israel for its deeds.
We, who are friends of Shira- a young woman who was supposed to bring new life to this world and become a first-time mother in ten short weeks, respectfully demand of you to condemn this most awful hate crime.
Ignoring this most dastardly of crimes serves to strengthen the Islamic terror which is striking us and encourages future murderous attack upon innocent civilians.
Those who murder a baby in his mother's womb must be ostracized and shunned by the entire civilized world. Whoever supports them must know that the entire world stands in opposition to them and condemns them. They must know that they will have neither succor nor support; not in economic issues, not in education, not in any form that they may seek.
It is still not too late. Please Mr. Secretary General, rise up and condemn this murder in a loud and unequivocal voice. Convene the General Assembly, convene the Security Council, and declare that whosoever murders babies is not a human being and has no place in our civilized world.
We are awaiting your response, and even more importantly we are awaiting your actions. It is not too late.
3. FRANCE BLASTS ISRAEL OVER SETTLEMENT CONSTRUCTION
by David Rosenberg
The French government condemned Israel over plans for nearly 2,200 new homes in Israeli towns across Judea and Samaria, calling settlement construction a "violation of international law" and warning the housing projects would undermine the two-state solution.
Earlier this week, Israel's planning council for Judea and Samaria approved 1,113 new housing units, and gave interim approval for another 488 homes in Israeli towns in the area. A day later, additional permits were issued, pushing the total number of homes approved to 2,191.
France issued a formal condemnation of the plans Thursday night, urging Israel to "reconsider" the decision to permit continued construction in the settlements.
"France condemns this decision, which expands settlement activity in the West Bank," the statement read.
"Settlement activity is in violation of international law, as reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334. It undermines – on the ground and in people's minds – the conditions for a two-state solution, the only way to ensure a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and heightens tensions."
"We therefore call on the Israeli authorities to reconsider these decisions."
Israel green-lighted the new housing units following a wave of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria in December, including a deadly shooting at Givat Assaf Junction, near Beit north of Jerusalem which left two dead and two wounded.
A few days earlier, terrorists also wounded seven Israelis outside of Ofra, an attack which killed a newborn child delivery shortly after the attack.
4. ISRAEL TURNED AWAY A RECORD 19,000 VISITORS IN 2018
by Marcy Oster, JTA
Israel turned away visitors at a record pace in 2018.
Of the about 4 million visitors to Israel in 2018, nearly 19,000 were turned away by immigration staff when they reached an entry point over concerns that they would commit criminal or security crimes in the country, the business daily Globes reported, citing statistics from the Population and Immigration Authority.
Some 16,534 people were turned away in 2016, compared to 1,870 who were refused entry in 2011, according to the report.
Staff from the Population and Immigration Authority are stationed at Israel's airports and other entry points and are empowered to refuse to allow a foreign visitor to enter.
They use information on the potential visitor's background and, now, information from social media to help determine whether someone can enter the country.
The report said that tourists from eastern European countries often are scrutinized more because they are more likely coming to work illegally in the country and sometimes to immigrate. Tourists are also turned away if they are likely to immigrate unlawfully.
Those trying to enter at land border points are simply turned back. At Ben Gurion Airport they are held in a detention center until they can be put on a plane home.
Tourists who are denied entry can appeal the decision.
This year several activists from the United States urging a boycott against Israel were turned away. One of them, Lara Alqasem, who arrived to attend a one-year program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, successfully appealed the decision after spending two weeks in detention at the airport.
5. WHY IS THE US GOVERNMENT PAYING LOUIS FARRAKHAN TO SPREAD HATE?
by David Rosenberg
The Nation of Islam has received more than half a million dollars in funding from the federal government – despite its lengthy history of anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia and even anti-American rhetoric.
According to a report by The Washington Examiner, the Justice Department has paid the militant black supremacist organization $364,500 in contracts for "religious services" to prison inmates, including "spiritual guide services" and "study services."
The Justice Department brought in the Nation of Islam to preach to inmates despite the organization's long history of spreading fringe conspiracy theories and anti-Jewish and anti-white incitement
Louis Farrakhan, the 85-year-old leader of the black supremacist group, was condemned by the US Senate in 1984 after he praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and derided Judaism as a gutter religion.
In the intervening 34 years, Farrakhan has since accused American Jews of being part of the "Synagogue of Satan", compared Jews to termites, warned of the eventual annihilation of whites, claimed that white people were artificially created by a mad scientist and calling them only "potential humans", accused "the Jews" of helping Adolf Hitler "get the Third Reich on the road" and earlier this year led a chant of "Death to Israel, Death to America" during a visit to Tehran.
Nevertheless, the Department of Justice has contracted Farrakhan's Nation of Islam to preach to prisoners in federal correctional facilities. According to the Bureau of Prison's records, the Nation of Islam has been paid $364,500 since 2008 for its services.
Congressman Peter King (NY-R) condemned the department's funding of the Nation of Islam, calling it "beyond the pale".
"Categorically, no group or entity or individual associated any way with Farrakhan or the Nation of Islam should receive any federal funding. What Farrakhan preaches is hatred and anti-Semitism and racism, and to use any federal money for any group that's he's involved with that do any type of teaching or proselytizing is just wrong," King told the Examiner.
Fox News reported that in addition to the money paid to the Nation of Islam by the Department of Justice, the federal government had paid Louis Farrakhan $160,000 in agricultural supports for farms it operates, including Muhammad Farms in Georgia. The money, the report noted, was paid directly to Farrakhan's personal residence in Chicago.
6. LIQUID CEMENT USED TO DESTROY TERROR TUNNEL FLOODS VILLAGE
by Gary Willig
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256798
The IDF, led by the Northern Command and the Galilee Division, completed the neutralization and destruction of the terrorist attack tunnels that were dug from the area of a Lebanese Shi'ite village and were exposed by the IDF as part of Operation Defensive Shield.
The attack tunnels were built as a secret and significant component in the attack plan that Hezbollah has been trying to develop in recent years and were intended to allow the terrorist group's Ratwan unit to infiltrate into Israel without becoming subject to IDF fire.
The exposure and destruction of the tunnels has significantly impaired Hezbollah's ability to carry out its plans, along with a series of activities carried out in recent years to improve the elements of the "elite" and "fortification" projects.
The IDF's activity thwarted and prevented Hezbollah's attempt to strike the city of Metula and its residents while removing the tunnels from the picture. The tunnels were neutralized over several days using a complicated engineering method with many different components.
IDF Spokesman Brigadier General Ronen Manelis said that "the responsibility for the digging of the tunnels and its implications rests with the Lebanese government. The IDF will continue to act in coordination with the heads of the relevant authorities and their residents, and to update them as necessary."
Manelis said that Hezbollah planned to "cut off" the land routes in northern Israel after entering the areas adjacent to Metula and other places, both from the underground tunnels that have now been exposed and through the infiltration of terrorists over the border.
Over the years, Hezbollah claimed that its facility in Kafr Kila was a chicken coop next to a "block factory" and even sent a reporter to report from there. The work of the excavation of the terrorist tunnels was carried out under the guise of that "factory."
The destruction of the tunnel in the village of Kila was accomplished through the pouring of liquid cement into the tunnel. The entrance to the factory and several streets in the village have been flooded with cement.
"These pictures of the flowing cement will speak for themselves and show the Lebanese government under which Hezbollah operates," the IDF Spokesman said, adding that the operation was proceeding according to plan.
It should be noted that although the IDF has given information on a number of tunnels to UNIFIL to deal with them, the UN peacekeeping force does not appear to have taken any action yet. The operation is not over yet and it will take time until we neutralize all the tunnels," the IDF Spokesperson said.
7. RUSSIA ACCUSES ISRAEL OF 'GROSS VIOLATION' OF SYRIAN SOVEREIGNTY
by AFP and Arutz Sheva Staff
Moscow on Wednesday said Israel had violated Syria's sovereignty with airstrikes the day before, after Israel and Damascus blamed each other for the hostilities.
"We are very concerned by the attacks and how they were made. This is a gross violation of the sovereignty of Syria," the Russian ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.
Moscow's defense ministry earlier said Israeli strikes had endangered two passenger planes.
"The provocative actions of the Israeli air force.. directly threatened two airliners," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
He said the attack came from over Lebanese territory and came as "two airliners, not from Russia, were preparing to land at the airports of Beirut and Damascus".
He said restrictions were imposed on the use of Syrian government forces' air defense systems "to prevent a tragedy". One of the planes was redirected to a Russian airbase within Syria.
The Russian defense ministry said three Syrian military personnel were injured in a strike that saw Israeli warplanes drop 16 bombs.
The targets of the Israeli air strikes were several Hezbollah leaders, according to a report by Newsweek. The airstrike was conducted minutes after the leaders boarded a plane bound for Iran, according to the report.
Several Iranian ammunition supply points were also a target of the bombing, the source said. The supply points contained valuable, GPS-guided ammunition from 2017, some of the best available to the Iranian army and Hezbollah.
Israel has not confirmed or denied that it is behind the airstrike.
8. ARIEL UNIVERSITY ORDERED TO FREEZE OPENING OF MEDICAL SCHOOL
by Tzvi Lev
Ariel University's plan to open Israel's sixth medical school next year suffered a major blow after Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber ordered the school to freeze its plans amid claims of conflict of interest.
Zilber ordered Ariel University on Thursday to "refrain from taking irreversible steps to establish the faculty" and to update students that had registered "that the establishment of the faculty is now under examination".
Zilber says that the vote to approve the new medical school in the Council of Higher Education was improper due to an alleged conflict of interests. One of the members of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education, Dr. Rivka Wadmany Shauman, had voted at the time in favor of establishing the faculty of medicine at Ariel University - despite the fact that she was a candidate to teach in the institution as part of the teacher training program.
Zilber now says that the Council of Higher Education must hold another vote to approve the medical school. The Planning and Budgeting Committee had voted in July 4-2 to approve the establishment of a medical school in Ariel University.
The new program would have become Israel's sixth medical school, joining other programs at the Hebrew University Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, the Technion, and Bar Ilan University's medical school in Safed.
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Friday, Dec. 28 '18, כ' בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. RESIDENTS OF TERROR TUNNEL VILLAGE FLEE AS CEMENT FLOODS STREETS
2. 'OUR FRIEND'S BABY WAS MURDERED - AND THE UN REMAINS SILENT'
3. FRANCE BLASTS ISRAEL OVER SETTLEMENT CONSTRUCTION
4. ISRAEL TURNED AWAY A RECORD 19,000 VISITORS IN 2018
5. WHY IS THE US GOVERNMENT PAYING LOUIS FARRAKHAN TO SPREAD HATE?
6. LIQUID CEMENT USED TO DESTROY TERROR TUNNEL FLOODS VILLAGE
7. RUSSIA ACCUSES ISRAEL OF 'GROSS VIOLATION' OF SYRIAN SOVEREIGNTY
8. ARIEL UNIVERSITY ORDERED TO FREEZE OPENING OF MEDICAL SCHOOL
1. RESIDENTS OF TERROR TUNNEL VILLAGE FLEE AS CEMENT FLOODS STREETS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256843
Cement poured out into the streets in the village of Kafr Kila in southern Lebanon, after Israeli security forces pumped the cement into a cross-border terror tunnel.
Earlier this month, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield with the aim of locating and neutralizing terror tunnels built by Hezbollah from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.
Five such cross-border tunnels have been located since the launch of Northern Shield, including one which originated in Kafr Kila.
On Thursday, the IDF reported that forces operating on the northern border had flooded a Hezbollah tunnel with liquid cement.
Hezbollah had dug the tunnel in Kafr Kila at a site it had long claimed was used as a brick factory and chicken coop.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256843
2. 'OUR FRIEND'S BABY WAS MURDERED - AND THE UN REMAINS SILENT'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Israeli college students who studied with one of the victims of the Hamas terror attack outside of Ofra earlier this month have called on the United Nations to formally condemn the attack, and the resulting death of their fellow student's newborn son as a result of the shooting.
On December 9th, Hamas terrorists opened fire on a group of Israeli civilians waiting at a bus stop outside of the town of Ofra, north of Jerusalem.
Seven people, including 21-year-old Shira Ish-Ran and her husband, Amichai, were wounded in the drive-by shooting.
Doctors were forced to perform an emergency caesarian section on Shira to deliver her child. Shira was in the 30th week of pregnancy at the time.
While the condition of Shira and her husband improved, their newborn son, Amiad Yisrael, died three days after the attack.
On Friday, students at Orot Israel College in the town of Elkana in Samaria – where Shira Ish-Ran was enrolled – called on the United Nations to condemn the December 9th attack, and to formally condemn the Hamas terror group.
The letter, addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, noted the UN's failure earlier this month to pass a resolution condemning Hamas for its terrorist activities.
We the undersigned are students studying for our Bachelor's in Education, at Orot Israel College in Elkana, Samaria.
Last week, our fellow student, Shira, 21 years old- stood alongside her husband Amichai near the entrance to the settlement of Ofra, when accursed terrorists opened fire upon them with the express purpose of murdering them merely because they were Jews.
Shira, who was in the 30th week of her pregnancy, was seriously wounded, and her baby was delivered preterm in an emergency operation. Unfortunately, her wounded baby managed to live for only three short days before returning his soul to his Creator.
During those three days, in which for every moment the baby was struggling for his life, he dangled between life and death. Before he even knew the world, those terrorists cut short his life.
This tiny baby that was not yet born has already passed from this world.
This baby who was waiting in his mother's womb for the moment he would breathe his first breath was murdered solely because he was a Jew.
Mr. Secretary General, until this very moment we have not yet heard your voice raised in condemnation of those heinous murderers and those who sent them. We have not yet heard your voice of condemnation at the General Assembly, which so frequently rushes to condemn the State of Israel for its deeds.
We, who are friends of Shira- a young woman who was supposed to bring new life to this world and become a first-time mother in ten short weeks, respectfully demand of you to condemn this most awful hate crime.
Ignoring this most dastardly of crimes serves to strengthen the Islamic terror which is striking us and encourages future murderous attack upon innocent civilians.
Those who murder a baby in his mother's womb must be ostracized and shunned by the entire civilized world. Whoever supports them must know that the entire world stands in opposition to them and condemns them. They must know that they will have neither succor nor support; not in economic issues, not in education, not in any form that they may seek.
It is still not too late. Please Mr. Secretary General, rise up and condemn this murder in a loud and unequivocal voice. Convene the General Assembly, convene the Security Council, and declare that whosoever murders babies is not a human being and has no place in our civilized world.
We are awaiting your response, and even more importantly we are awaiting your actions. It is not too late.
3. FRANCE BLASTS ISRAEL OVER SETTLEMENT CONSTRUCTION
by David Rosenberg
The French government condemned Israel over plans for nearly 2,200 new homes in Israeli towns across Judea and Samaria, calling settlement construction a "violation of international law" and warning the housing projects would undermine the two-state solution.
Earlier this week, Israel's planning council for Judea and Samaria approved 1,113 new housing units, and gave interim approval for another 488 homes in Israeli towns in the area. A day later, additional permits were issued, pushing the total number of homes approved to 2,191.
France issued a formal condemnation of the plans Thursday night, urging Israel to "reconsider" the decision to permit continued construction in the settlements.
"France condemns this decision, which expands settlement activity in the West Bank," the statement read.
"Settlement activity is in violation of international law, as reaffirmed by UN Security Council Resolution 2334. It undermines – on the ground and in people's minds – the conditions for a two-state solution, the only way to ensure a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and heightens tensions."
"We therefore call on the Israeli authorities to reconsider these decisions."
Israel green-lighted the new housing units following a wave of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria in December, including a deadly shooting at Givat Assaf Junction, near Beit north of Jerusalem which left two dead and two wounded.
A few days earlier, terrorists also wounded seven Israelis outside of Ofra, an attack which killed a newborn child delivery shortly after the attack.
4. ISRAEL TURNED AWAY A RECORD 19,000 VISITORS IN 2018
by Marcy Oster, JTA
Israel turned away visitors at a record pace in 2018.
Of the about 4 million visitors to Israel in 2018, nearly 19,000 were turned away by immigration staff when they reached an entry point over concerns that they would commit criminal or security crimes in the country, the business daily Globes reported, citing statistics from the Population and Immigration Authority.
Some 16,534 people were turned away in 2016, compared to 1,870 who were refused entry in 2011, according to the report.
Staff from the Population and Immigration Authority are stationed at Israel's airports and other entry points and are empowered to refuse to allow a foreign visitor to enter.
They use information on the potential visitor's background and, now, information from social media to help determine whether someone can enter the country.
The report said that tourists from eastern European countries often are scrutinized more because they are more likely coming to work illegally in the country and sometimes to immigrate. Tourists are also turned away if they are likely to immigrate unlawfully.
Those trying to enter at land border points are simply turned back. At Ben Gurion Airport they are held in a detention center until they can be put on a plane home.
Tourists who are denied entry can appeal the decision.
This year several activists from the United States urging a boycott against Israel were turned away. One of them, Lara Alqasem, who arrived to attend a one-year program at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, successfully appealed the decision after spending two weeks in detention at the airport.
5. WHY IS THE US GOVERNMENT PAYING LOUIS FARRAKHAN TO SPREAD HATE?
by David Rosenberg
The Nation of Islam has received more than half a million dollars in funding from the federal government – despite its lengthy history of anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia and even anti-American rhetoric.
According to a report by The Washington Examiner, the Justice Department has paid the militant black supremacist organization $364,500 in contracts for "religious services" to prison inmates, including "spiritual guide services" and "study services."
The Justice Department brought in the Nation of Islam to preach to inmates despite the organization's long history of spreading fringe conspiracy theories and anti-Jewish and anti-white incitement
Louis Farrakhan, the 85-year-old leader of the black supremacist group, was condemned by the US Senate in 1984 after he praised Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and derided Judaism as a gutter religion.
In the intervening 34 years, Farrakhan has since accused American Jews of being part of the "Synagogue of Satan", compared Jews to termites, warned of the eventual annihilation of whites, claimed that white people were artificially created by a mad scientist and calling them only "potential humans", accused "the Jews" of helping Adolf Hitler "get the Third Reich on the road" and earlier this year led a chant of "Death to Israel, Death to America" during a visit to Tehran.
Nevertheless, the Department of Justice has contracted Farrakhan's Nation of Islam to preach to prisoners in federal correctional facilities. According to the Bureau of Prison's records, the Nation of Islam has been paid $364,500 since 2008 for its services.
Congressman Peter King (NY-R) condemned the department's funding of the Nation of Islam, calling it "beyond the pale".
"Categorically, no group or entity or individual associated any way with Farrakhan or the Nation of Islam should receive any federal funding. What Farrakhan preaches is hatred and anti-Semitism and racism, and to use any federal money for any group that's he's involved with that do any type of teaching or proselytizing is just wrong," King told the Examiner.
Fox News reported that in addition to the money paid to the Nation of Islam by the Department of Justice, the federal government had paid Louis Farrakhan $160,000 in agricultural supports for farms it operates, including Muhammad Farms in Georgia. The money, the report noted, was paid directly to Farrakhan's personal residence in Chicago.
6. LIQUID CEMENT USED TO DESTROY TERROR TUNNEL FLOODS VILLAGE
by Gary Willig
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256798
The IDF, led by the Northern Command and the Galilee Division, completed the neutralization and destruction of the terrorist attack tunnels that were dug from the area of a Lebanese Shi'ite village and were exposed by the IDF as part of Operation Defensive Shield.
The attack tunnels were built as a secret and significant component in the attack plan that Hezbollah has been trying to develop in recent years and were intended to allow the terrorist group's Ratwan unit to infiltrate into Israel without becoming subject to IDF fire.
The exposure and destruction of the tunnels has significantly impaired Hezbollah's ability to carry out its plans, along with a series of activities carried out in recent years to improve the elements of the "elite" and "fortification" projects.
The IDF's activity thwarted and prevented Hezbollah's attempt to strike the city of Metula and its residents while removing the tunnels from the picture. The tunnels were neutralized over several days using a complicated engineering method with many different components.
IDF Spokesman Brigadier General Ronen Manelis said that "the responsibility for the digging of the tunnels and its implications rests with the Lebanese government. The IDF will continue to act in coordination with the heads of the relevant authorities and their residents, and to update them as necessary."
Manelis said that Hezbollah planned to "cut off" the land routes in northern Israel after entering the areas adjacent to Metula and other places, both from the underground tunnels that have now been exposed and through the infiltration of terrorists over the border.
Over the years, Hezbollah claimed that its facility in Kafr Kila was a chicken coop next to a "block factory" and even sent a reporter to report from there. The work of the excavation of the terrorist tunnels was carried out under the guise of that "factory."
The destruction of the tunnel in the village of Kila was accomplished through the pouring of liquid cement into the tunnel. The entrance to the factory and several streets in the village have been flooded with cement.
"These pictures of the flowing cement will speak for themselves and show the Lebanese government under which Hezbollah operates," the IDF Spokesman said, adding that the operation was proceeding according to plan.
It should be noted that although the IDF has given information on a number of tunnels to UNIFIL to deal with them, the UN peacekeeping force does not appear to have taken any action yet. The operation is not over yet and it will take time until we neutralize all the tunnels," the IDF Spokesperson said.
7. RUSSIA ACCUSES ISRAEL OF 'GROSS VIOLATION' OF SYRIAN SOVEREIGNTY
by AFP and Arutz Sheva Staff
Moscow on Wednesday said Israel had violated Syria's sovereignty with airstrikes the day before, after Israel and Damascus blamed each other for the hostilities.
"We are very concerned by the attacks and how they were made. This is a gross violation of the sovereignty of Syria," the Russian ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.
Moscow's defense ministry earlier said Israeli strikes had endangered two passenger planes.
"The provocative actions of the Israeli air force.. directly threatened two airliners," ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a statement.
He said the attack came from over Lebanese territory and came as "two airliners, not from Russia, were preparing to land at the airports of Beirut and Damascus".
He said restrictions were imposed on the use of Syrian government forces' air defense systems "to prevent a tragedy". One of the planes was redirected to a Russian airbase within Syria.
The Russian defense ministry said three Syrian military personnel were injured in a strike that saw Israeli warplanes drop 16 bombs.
The targets of the Israeli air strikes were several Hezbollah leaders, according to a report by Newsweek. The airstrike was conducted minutes after the leaders boarded a plane bound for Iran, according to the report.
Several Iranian ammunition supply points were also a target of the bombing, the source said. The supply points contained valuable, GPS-guided ammunition from 2017, some of the best available to the Iranian army and Hezbollah.
Israel has not confirmed or denied that it is behind the airstrike.
8. ARIEL UNIVERSITY ORDERED TO FREEZE OPENING OF MEDICAL SCHOOL
by Tzvi Lev
Ariel University's plan to open Israel's sixth medical school next year suffered a major blow after Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber ordered the school to freeze its plans amid claims of conflict of interest.
Zilber ordered Ariel University on Thursday to "refrain from taking irreversible steps to establish the faculty" and to update students that had registered "that the establishment of the faculty is now under examination".
Zilber says that the vote to approve the new medical school in the Council of Higher Education was improper due to an alleged conflict of interests. One of the members of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education, Dr. Rivka Wadmany Shauman, had voted at the time in favor of establishing the faculty of medicine at Ariel University - despite the fact that she was a candidate to teach in the institution as part of the teacher training program.
Zilber now says that the Council of Higher Education must hold another vote to approve the medical school. The Planning and Budgeting Committee had voted in July 4-2 to approve the establishment of a medical school in Ariel University.
The new program would have become Israel's sixth medical school, joining other programs at the Hebrew University Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, the Technion, and Bar Ilan University's medical school in Safed.
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
A7News: Danny Danon resigns as Israel's UN ambassador
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
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Wednesday, Dec. 26 '18, י"ח בטבת תשע"ט
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HEADLINES:
1. DANNY DANON RESIGNS AS ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR
2. ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ATTACK IN SAMARIA
3. 'HE GRABBED HIS NECK AND STABBED AGAIN AND AGAIN'
4. MK ZAHALKA WON'T BE RETURNING TO KNESSET
5. REPORT: SYRIA AIRSTRIKE TARGETED HEZBOLLAH LEADERS
6. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
7. FIVE FEMALE IDF OBSERVERS SENT TO JAIL
8. YOU JOINED THE HAREDI FAMILY IN THE IDF
1. DANNY DANON RESIGNS AS ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR
by David Rosenberg
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has announced that he will be resigning his position.
Danon, a former Likud MK and Science Minister who since 2015 has served as Israel's top envoy to the UN, will be returning to politics following his resignation as ambassador.
The ambassador was to have ended his term in February 2019, but following the governing coalition's decision to dissolve the Knesset and head to early elections, Danon announced plans to step down early – ahead of a run in the Likud party primaries prior to the election.
Earlier this week, the coalition voted unanimously to back early elections, pushing up the vote for the 21st Knesset from November 5th 2019 to April 9th.
2. ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ATTACK IN SAMARIA
by David Rosenberg
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256728
A terrorist attempted to run down IDF soldiers in Samaria Wednesday morning, according to a report by the Israeli military.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, next to a bus stop in central Samaria when a driver was spotted speeding up as he approached a group of soldiers.
Israeli security personnel present at the scene opened fire on the terrorist and neutralized him.
There were no reports of injuries among the Israel forces.
The terrorist was evacuated to Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva for treatment. He is said to be in moderate condition.
Three other people were treated for shock, including two female residents of Samaria and a male resident of the Binyamin district of Samaria.
3. 'HE GRABBED HIS NECK AND STABBED AGAIN AND AGAIN'
by Ido Ben Porat
The military prosecution filed an indictment against the terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack in Beit Jala last month.
Betar Illit resident Aharon Heller was stabbed while visiting a local mini-market.
According to the indictment, the terrorist attacked Heller with an Exacto knife while holding him by the neck and stabbing him in the head time after time. Heller was lightly injured and taken to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.
The indictment submitted to the military court in Judea attributes to the terrorist the offense of intentionally attempting to cause death equivalent to a murder attempt and possessing a knife.
According to the indictment, the terrorist's family handed him over to IDF forces for fear that the forces would reach their home.
"The indictment unequivocally exposes the importance of demolishing houses of terrorists and deterrence measures against the family," said attorney Chaim Bleicher of Honenu organization that accompanies Heller. "Thanks to this deterrence, the terrorist was immediately caught and wasn't allowed to carry out his plot on other Israelis.
"The indictment correctly expresses the severity of the act as that terrorist is part of a wave of incitement and terror by terrorists who try in any way and with any means to kill Jews. We congratulate the military prosecution for the indictment. The victim will continue to be accompanied throughout the legal process by a Honenu lawyer to ensure the terrorist will be in prison for many years," Bleicher added.
4. MK ZAHALKA WON'T BE RETURNING TO KNESSET
by Mordechai Sones
MK Jamal Zahalka (Joint Arab List) will not run in elections for the next Knesset and is expected to announce officially sometime today in a speech to be delivered in the Knesset plenum.
MK Miki Zohar (Likud), who heard about Zahalka's decision, said in response, "We are all happy and joyous; and we're all pleased that you're not staying in the Knesset."
Balad party Chairman Zahalka decided to resign from politics apparently because of party statutes stating that Knesset Members may serve only four terms. Zahalka believes he will find it difficult to bypass the rules and therefore prefers announcing resignation.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256729
Zahalka frequently yells at MKs from the national camp who promote laws in favor of settling Judea and Samaria or laws that according to Zahalka could harm the Arab public.
Last month Zahalka was angered by the Muezzin Law and shouted, "You're racists and fascists, you're only looking for death." MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home), who initiated the Muezzin Law, replied, "Hey terrorist, go to parliament in Syria."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256729
In September 2015, Zahalka had a falling out with MK Stav Shaffir and the Labor Party: "You're the father and mother of racism. You dispossessed lands to build kibbutzim. The movement that expelled the Palestinians from their land, that robbed us much more than the Right did, who murdered tens of thousands of Palestinians, and they come to preach to us."
"Social justice woman Knesset Member Stav Shaffir who hasn't spoken to me for a long time and doesn't even say hello to me - I'm transparent to her; the Arabs don't exist. Racist, quiet racist, disregarding racist. You never spoke to me in the Knesset, 'Shalom' you wouldn't answer me. I try with all my might to say hello and you don't answer - racist," he said.
5. REPORT: SYRIA AIRSTRIKE TARGETED HEZBOLLAH LEADERS
by Elad Benari
Several leaders of the Hezbollah terrorist group were targeted in Tuesday night's airstrike on the Syrian capital of Damascus, which Syrian media blamed on Israel, Newsweek reports.
The information was given to Newsweek from a Department of Defense source with access to the information. The airstrike was conducted minutes after the leaders boarded a plane bound for Iran, according to the report.
Several Iranian ammunition supply points were also a target of the bombing, the source said. The supply points contained valuable, GPS-guided ammunition from 2017, some of the best available to the Iranian army and Hezbollah.
Israel has not confirmed or denied that it is behind the airstrike.
The IDF stated on Tuesday night that an Israeli anti-missile system was operated against an anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria.
In late November, Syria accused Israel of carrying out air strikes on Kisweh, south of Damascus. The air strikes reportedly targeted warehouses and headquarters of the Iranian militias in the area.
Israel did not comment on those reports either.
On Monday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu address the attacks in Syria and Israel's military situation, saying, "Israel is ranked eighth in the world. That is unbelievable. This happens because we are systematically developing the strength of the IDF and the strength of the security bodies - the Mossad and the Shin Bet."
"We are continuing with a firm hand to prevent Iran's military buildup in Syria. We are about to complete the dismantling of the tunnels in which Hezbollah has invested so much, just as we are about to end the disarming of tunnels in which Hamas has invested so much," Netanyahu said.
"The IDF is prepared for every scenario, and I take this opportunity to salute the commanders and IDF soldiers who guard us 24 hours a day and 365 days a year."
6. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
by David Rosenberg
Coalition leaders voted unanimously Monday afternoon to dissolve the Knesset and go to early elections this coming spring, a Likud spokesperson said.
During a meeting Monday afternoon in the Prime Minister's Office, leaders of the coalition's five factions agreed that the current narrow government is untenable, and that the 20th Knesset must be dissolved early and new elections held.
The faction leaders voted unanimously for early elections, which will be held on April 9th, 2019.
"In the name of budgetary and national responsibility, party leaders in the coalition agreed unanimously to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections at the beginning of April, following a full four-year term," the spokesperson announced.
The elections for the 21st Knesset will be held just over four years after the previous vote, which was held on March 17th, 2015.
Prior to the coalition's decision Monday, the next Knesset election had been scheduled for November 5th, 2019.
The decision was reached after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened party leaders from his narrow ruling coalition in a last-ditch effort to chart a path forward for a crucial haredi draft bill, aimed at preserving draft deferments for full-time yeshiva students, while imposing financial sanctions on yeshivas which fail to meet enlistment quotas.
The bill, sometimes referred to as the Haredi Draft Law, would largely retain open-ended draft deferments, while pressuring the haredi sector to increase the number of haredi enlistees.
The Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid parties, which had both backed the bill initially, said Monday that they would vote against it in the bill's second reading in the Knesset.
With haredi lawmakers opposed to the bill, the government was counting on support from Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid to pass the law ahead of the January 15th deadline imposed by the Supreme Court.
The Netanyahu government has struggled since the departure of Yisrael Beytenu last month, following the signing of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terror organization.
Yisrael Beytenu's departure left the coalition with a narrow 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset.
7. FIVE FEMALE IDF OBSERVERS SENT TO JAIL
by Mordechai Sones
Five female soldiers serving as lookouts on the Gaza border were sentenced Monday to 10 days' imprisonment after refusing to paint the war room where they serve.
News 2 reported five observers in the IDF combat force, one of whom was recently listed as having prevented a serious security incident.
As part of a project to improve Gaza border infrastructure, the soldiers were ordered to paint a mobile shelter adjacent to their war room and the five refused to do so, claiming that there were writings on the wall that represented the unit.
The IDF Spokesman's Office said in response: "As part of a project to improve infrastructure in the outposts on the Gaza Strip border, to promote the welfare of the individual and upgrade the existing buildings, renovations are taking place in all area outposts.
"In the case in question, a number of female soldiers blocked the painting of the wall and violated the order of their commander. After it was made clear to them that if they continued to prevent the painting it would lead to disciplinary action, the soldiers chose to continue preventing it. The female soldiers were tried and sentenced to ten days in prison. The IDF is constantly working to improve living conditions in the various bases and will continue to do so."
8. YOU JOINED THE HAREDI FAMILY IN THE IDF
by Lt. Col. Telem Hazan
Dear recruits,
I've been in the army for 22 years, during which I transferred through many positions until my current position as haredi military administration head, but to this day I remember my induction day as if it happened yesterday.
I remember the feelings - expectations and fears about entering such a significant time in the lives of each of the recruits - surrounding army service, and I cannot help but get excited again when we accompany you on your induction day.
On this day, you're going to get into big shoes. In addition to the military shoes that you will lace for the first time, you will enter one large system that bears the IDF's name, whose mission is to preserve the security of the State of Israel and to fulfill any mission for this purpose.
Just as this goal is so lofty, so it is your responsibility to grow in order to sustain it - you must strive for excellence, to give all of yourselves to serve in the best possible role. On the day of your induction, you joined the haredi family in the IDF, a unique service that writes contemporary history into the chronicles of the Jewish People.
The importance of haredi IDF service cannot be described even in words - in combat, in intelligence, in technology, and in many other fields that haredi soldiers lead today - a tremendous contribution to the State of Israel.
We are here for you - the haredi soldiers in the IDF before, during, and after your military service so that you can perform your military service in the most experiential and meaningful way. I wish you a very powerful, enriching, and unique service accompanied by a sense of mission you are fulfilling - go by this strength and save Israel!
Head of the haredi military administration,
Lt. Col. Telem Hazan
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Wednesday, Dec. 26 '18, י"ח בטבת תשע"ט
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HEADLINES:
1. DANNY DANON RESIGNS AS ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR
2. ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ATTACK IN SAMARIA
3. 'HE GRABBED HIS NECK AND STABBED AGAIN AND AGAIN'
4. MK ZAHALKA WON'T BE RETURNING TO KNESSET
5. REPORT: SYRIA AIRSTRIKE TARGETED HEZBOLLAH LEADERS
6. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
7. FIVE FEMALE IDF OBSERVERS SENT TO JAIL
8. YOU JOINED THE HAREDI FAMILY IN THE IDF
1. DANNY DANON RESIGNS AS ISRAEL'S UN AMBASSADOR
by David Rosenberg
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has announced that he will be resigning his position.
Danon, a former Likud MK and Science Minister who since 2015 has served as Israel's top envoy to the UN, will be returning to politics following his resignation as ambassador.
The ambassador was to have ended his term in February 2019, but following the governing coalition's decision to dissolve the Knesset and head to early elections, Danon announced plans to step down early – ahead of a run in the Likud party primaries prior to the election.
Earlier this week, the coalition voted unanimously to back early elections, pushing up the vote for the 21st Knesset from November 5th 2019 to April 9th.
2. ATTEMPTED TERRORIST ATTACK IN SAMARIA
by David Rosenberg
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256728
A terrorist attempted to run down IDF soldiers in Samaria Wednesday morning, according to a report by the Israeli military.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, next to a bus stop in central Samaria when a driver was spotted speeding up as he approached a group of soldiers.
Israeli security personnel present at the scene opened fire on the terrorist and neutralized him.
There were no reports of injuries among the Israel forces.
The terrorist was evacuated to Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikva for treatment. He is said to be in moderate condition.
Three other people were treated for shock, including two female residents of Samaria and a male resident of the Binyamin district of Samaria.
3. 'HE GRABBED HIS NECK AND STABBED AGAIN AND AGAIN'
by Ido Ben Porat
The military prosecution filed an indictment against the terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack in Beit Jala last month.
Betar Illit resident Aharon Heller was stabbed while visiting a local mini-market.
According to the indictment, the terrorist attacked Heller with an Exacto knife while holding him by the neck and stabbing him in the head time after time. Heller was lightly injured and taken to Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.
The indictment submitted to the military court in Judea attributes to the terrorist the offense of intentionally attempting to cause death equivalent to a murder attempt and possessing a knife.
According to the indictment, the terrorist's family handed him over to IDF forces for fear that the forces would reach their home.
"The indictment unequivocally exposes the importance of demolishing houses of terrorists and deterrence measures against the family," said attorney Chaim Bleicher of Honenu organization that accompanies Heller. "Thanks to this deterrence, the terrorist was immediately caught and wasn't allowed to carry out his plot on other Israelis.
"The indictment correctly expresses the severity of the act as that terrorist is part of a wave of incitement and terror by terrorists who try in any way and with any means to kill Jews. We congratulate the military prosecution for the indictment. The victim will continue to be accompanied throughout the legal process by a Honenu lawyer to ensure the terrorist will be in prison for many years," Bleicher added.
4. MK ZAHALKA WON'T BE RETURNING TO KNESSET
by Mordechai Sones
MK Jamal Zahalka (Joint Arab List) will not run in elections for the next Knesset and is expected to announce officially sometime today in a speech to be delivered in the Knesset plenum.
MK Miki Zohar (Likud), who heard about Zahalka's decision, said in response, "We are all happy and joyous; and we're all pleased that you're not staying in the Knesset."
Balad party Chairman Zahalka decided to resign from politics apparently because of party statutes stating that Knesset Members may serve only four terms. Zahalka believes he will find it difficult to bypass the rules and therefore prefers announcing resignation.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256729
Zahalka frequently yells at MKs from the national camp who promote laws in favor of settling Judea and Samaria or laws that according to Zahalka could harm the Arab public.
Last month Zahalka was angered by the Muezzin Law and shouted, "You're racists and fascists, you're only looking for death." MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home), who initiated the Muezzin Law, replied, "Hey terrorist, go to parliament in Syria."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256729
In September 2015, Zahalka had a falling out with MK Stav Shaffir and the Labor Party: "You're the father and mother of racism. You dispossessed lands to build kibbutzim. The movement that expelled the Palestinians from their land, that robbed us much more than the Right did, who murdered tens of thousands of Palestinians, and they come to preach to us."
"Social justice woman Knesset Member Stav Shaffir who hasn't spoken to me for a long time and doesn't even say hello to me - I'm transparent to her; the Arabs don't exist. Racist, quiet racist, disregarding racist. You never spoke to me in the Knesset, 'Shalom' you wouldn't answer me. I try with all my might to say hello and you don't answer - racist," he said.
5. REPORT: SYRIA AIRSTRIKE TARGETED HEZBOLLAH LEADERS
by Elad Benari
Several leaders of the Hezbollah terrorist group were targeted in Tuesday night's airstrike on the Syrian capital of Damascus, which Syrian media blamed on Israel, Newsweek reports.
The information was given to Newsweek from a Department of Defense source with access to the information. The airstrike was conducted minutes after the leaders boarded a plane bound for Iran, according to the report.
Several Iranian ammunition supply points were also a target of the bombing, the source said. The supply points contained valuable, GPS-guided ammunition from 2017, some of the best available to the Iranian army and Hezbollah.
Israel has not confirmed or denied that it is behind the airstrike.
The IDF stated on Tuesday night that an Israeli anti-missile system was operated against an anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria.
In late November, Syria accused Israel of carrying out air strikes on Kisweh, south of Damascus. The air strikes reportedly targeted warehouses and headquarters of the Iranian militias in the area.
Israel did not comment on those reports either.
On Monday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu address the attacks in Syria and Israel's military situation, saying, "Israel is ranked eighth in the world. That is unbelievable. This happens because we are systematically developing the strength of the IDF and the strength of the security bodies - the Mossad and the Shin Bet."
"We are continuing with a firm hand to prevent Iran's military buildup in Syria. We are about to complete the dismantling of the tunnels in which Hezbollah has invested so much, just as we are about to end the disarming of tunnels in which Hamas has invested so much," Netanyahu said.
"The IDF is prepared for every scenario, and I take this opportunity to salute the commanders and IDF soldiers who guard us 24 hours a day and 365 days a year."
6. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
by David Rosenberg
Coalition leaders voted unanimously Monday afternoon to dissolve the Knesset and go to early elections this coming spring, a Likud spokesperson said.
During a meeting Monday afternoon in the Prime Minister's Office, leaders of the coalition's five factions agreed that the current narrow government is untenable, and that the 20th Knesset must be dissolved early and new elections held.
The faction leaders voted unanimously for early elections, which will be held on April 9th, 2019.
"In the name of budgetary and national responsibility, party leaders in the coalition agreed unanimously to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections at the beginning of April, following a full four-year term," the spokesperson announced.
The elections for the 21st Knesset will be held just over four years after the previous vote, which was held on March 17th, 2015.
Prior to the coalition's decision Monday, the next Knesset election had been scheduled for November 5th, 2019.
The decision was reached after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened party leaders from his narrow ruling coalition in a last-ditch effort to chart a path forward for a crucial haredi draft bill, aimed at preserving draft deferments for full-time yeshiva students, while imposing financial sanctions on yeshivas which fail to meet enlistment quotas.
The bill, sometimes referred to as the Haredi Draft Law, would largely retain open-ended draft deferments, while pressuring the haredi sector to increase the number of haredi enlistees.
The Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid parties, which had both backed the bill initially, said Monday that they would vote against it in the bill's second reading in the Knesset.
With haredi lawmakers opposed to the bill, the government was counting on support from Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid to pass the law ahead of the January 15th deadline imposed by the Supreme Court.
The Netanyahu government has struggled since the departure of Yisrael Beytenu last month, following the signing of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terror organization.
Yisrael Beytenu's departure left the coalition with a narrow 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset.
7. FIVE FEMALE IDF OBSERVERS SENT TO JAIL
by Mordechai Sones
Five female soldiers serving as lookouts on the Gaza border were sentenced Monday to 10 days' imprisonment after refusing to paint the war room where they serve.
News 2 reported five observers in the IDF combat force, one of whom was recently listed as having prevented a serious security incident.
As part of a project to improve Gaza border infrastructure, the soldiers were ordered to paint a mobile shelter adjacent to their war room and the five refused to do so, claiming that there were writings on the wall that represented the unit.
The IDF Spokesman's Office said in response: "As part of a project to improve infrastructure in the outposts on the Gaza Strip border, to promote the welfare of the individual and upgrade the existing buildings, renovations are taking place in all area outposts.
"In the case in question, a number of female soldiers blocked the painting of the wall and violated the order of their commander. After it was made clear to them that if they continued to prevent the painting it would lead to disciplinary action, the soldiers chose to continue preventing it. The female soldiers were tried and sentenced to ten days in prison. The IDF is constantly working to improve living conditions in the various bases and will continue to do so."
8. YOU JOINED THE HAREDI FAMILY IN THE IDF
by Lt. Col. Telem Hazan
Dear recruits,
I've been in the army for 22 years, during which I transferred through many positions until my current position as haredi military administration head, but to this day I remember my induction day as if it happened yesterday.
I remember the feelings - expectations and fears about entering such a significant time in the lives of each of the recruits - surrounding army service, and I cannot help but get excited again when we accompany you on your induction day.
On this day, you're going to get into big shoes. In addition to the military shoes that you will lace for the first time, you will enter one large system that bears the IDF's name, whose mission is to preserve the security of the State of Israel and to fulfill any mission for this purpose.
Just as this goal is so lofty, so it is your responsibility to grow in order to sustain it - you must strive for excellence, to give all of yourselves to serve in the best possible role. On the day of your induction, you joined the haredi family in the IDF, a unique service that writes contemporary history into the chronicles of the Jewish People.
The importance of haredi IDF service cannot be described even in words - in combat, in intelligence, in technology, and in many other fields that haredi soldiers lead today - a tremendous contribution to the State of Israel.
We are here for you - the haredi soldiers in the IDF before, during, and after your military service so that you can perform your military service in the most experiential and meaningful way. I wish you a very powerful, enriching, and unique service accompanied by a sense of mission you are fulfilling - go by this strength and save Israel!
Head of the haredi military administration,
Lt. Col. Telem Hazan
Monday, December 24, 2018
A7News: Coalition leaders vote to dissolve Knesset, go to elections
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Monday, Dec. 24 '18, ט"ז בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
2. POPULAR WEBSITE SELLING HITLER 'SMILEY FACE' T-SHIRTS
3. ISRAEL CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL PALESTINIAN GAS STATIONS
4. FATHER OF WOUNDED SOLDIER: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS
5. TRUMP: TURKEY'S ERDOGAN IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB IN SYRIA
6. 'ERDOGAN IS AN ANTI-SEMITIC DICTATOR OBSESSED WITH ISRAEL'
7. REPORT: HONDURAS PREPARED TO MOVE EMBASSY - FOR A PRICE
8. 'TERRORISM WILL NEVER DEFEAT US'
1. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
by David Rosenberg
Coalition leaders voted unanimously Monday afternoon to dissolve the Knesset and go to early elections this coming spring, a Likud spokesperson said.
During a meeting Monday afternoon in the Prime Minister's Office, leaders of the coalition's five factions agreed that the current narrow government is untenable, and that the 20th Knesset must be dissolved early and new elections held.
The faction leaders voted unanimously for early elections, which will be held on April 9th, 2019.
"In the name of budgetary and national responsibility, party leaders in the coalition agreed unanimously to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections at the beginning of April, following a full four-year term," the spokesperson announced.
The elections for the 21st Knesset will be held just over four years after the previous vote, which was held on March 17th, 2015.
Prior to the coalition's decision Monday, the next Knesset election had been scheduled for November 5th, 2019.
The decision was reached after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened party leaders from his narrow ruling coalition in a last-ditch effort to chart a path forward for a crucial haredi draft bill, aimed at preserving draft deferments for full-time yeshiva students, while imposing financial sanctions on yeshivas which fail to meet enlistment quotas.
The bill, sometimes referred to as the Haredi Draft Law, would largely retain open-ended draft deferments, while pressuring the haredi sector to increase the number of haredi enlistees.
The Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid parties, which had both backed the bill initially, said Monday that they would vote against it in the bill's second reading in the Knesset.
With haredi lawmakers opposed to the bill, the government was counting on support from Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid to pass the law ahead of the January 15th deadline imposed by the Supreme Court.
The Netanyahu government has struggled since the departure of Yisrael Beytenu last month, following the signing of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terror organization.
Yisrael Beytenu's departure left the coalition with a narrow 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset.
2. POPULAR WEBSITE SELLING HITLER 'SMILEY FACE' T-SHIRTS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
An American shopping site, Wish, which is popular among Israelis, has recently begun selling t-shirts with smiley faces stylized after Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Along with the shirts, the sites offers a variety of other products bearing the Nazi leader's iconic mustache and hair.
Other items include: face masks, coins, pendants, pins, rings, posters , cuff links and stickers.
The site is owned by Peter Sohlawski, who is Jewish.
Under the constitutional right of freedom of expression, there is no law prohibiting buying or selling Nazi memorabilia in the United States. Some websites no not allow selling items dedicated to the Nazi regime, such as Ebay which has a policy against the sale of such products.
3. ISRAEL CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL PALESTINIAN GAS STATIONS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
On Sunday, Israeli authorities arrested suspects linked to illegal gas stations discovered during routine patrols by the Border Police and the Etzion Brigade, as well as the Civil Administration's monitoring unit.
The six pirate gas stations were operating in the villages of al-'Arub and Beit Ummar along Route 60, south of Gush Etzion. During the operation uniforms, pumps and other equipment were confiscated.
Marco Ben Shabat, director of the inspection unit, noted that in recent period there has been a significant increase in the number of illegal gas stations established throughout Judea and Samaria.
Ben Shabat stressed that "pirate gas stations constitute a serious violation of the law and a severe safety and environmental hazard."
"The inspection unit has stepped up its regular enforcement activities and since the beginning of 2018 more than 30 enforcement activities have been carried out against pirate gas stations, and we will continue to enforce the law in Judea and Samaria," he added
4. FATHER OF WOUNDED SOLDIER: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256618
The father of an IDF soldier seriously wounded during a recent terror attack thanked worshippers who gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray for his son.
On December 13th, two soldiers were killed and two people wounded when terrorists opened fire on a group of Israelis at Givat Assaf Junction on Route 60, north of Jerusalem.
Among the wounded was 21-year-old IDF soldier Netanel Felber, an American immigrant to Israel serving in the Netzach Yehuda Battalion (also known as 'Nahal Haredi').
Hundreds gathered to pray at the Western Wall Sunday night on Felber's behalf, following a public plea from Felber's parents.
Later, Netanel's father thanked the public for their prayers.
"Today, you all came on his behalf. My son, my wife, my daughter and I all very much appreciate the support that you all have given."
"No one can ever take away from me the 21 wonderful years I had with him. Of course I hope that he lives to 120, but I have to give thanks for the 21 years [he's had thus far]."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256618
5. TRUMP: TURKEY'S ERDOGAN IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB IN SYRIA
by David Rosenberg
Turkey will fill the void left in Syria by America's impending departure, President Donald Trump announced Monday morning, praising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a discussion with Erdogan on the future fight against ISIS in the war-torn country.
On Sunday night, a US defense official told CNN that the president had signed an order to begin the withdrawal of American forces deployed to Syria. The US currently has roughly 2,000 soldiers in Syria – mostly in the northeast – as part of the ongoing campaign against the ISIS terror organization.
President Trump pushed back against criticism of the move, saying that his administration had done "more damage to ISIS than all recent presidents....not even close!"
"On Syria, we were originally going to be there for three months," Trump wrote. "And that was seven years ago - we never left."
"When I became President, ISIS was going wild. Now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains. We're coming home!" he added.
The controversial decision was followed by the resignation of Mattis and of Brett McGurk, Trump's special envoy for the global coalition to counter ISIS.
It was later reported that President Trump spoke with Erdogan, and that he told the Turkish president that the situation in Syria was "all yours. We are done." Erdogan reportedly promised to finish off ISIS.
President Trump later confirmed the conversation with Erdogan, saying he had a "long and productive call" with Erdogan.
"I just had a long and productive call with President Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade," Trump tweeted.
On Monday, the president praised the Turkish leader as "a man who can" defeat ISIS.
"President Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right 'next door.' Our troops are coming home!"
The decision comes just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accused Erdogan of being an "anti-Semitic dictator", the latest in a series of jabs between the two leaders.
6. 'ERDOGAN IS AN ANTI-SEMITIC DICTATOR OBSESSED WITH ISRAEL'
by David Rosenberg
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu excoriated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, the latest escalation in a war of words between the two leaders.
During a visit to the Palmach Museum in Tel Aviv with Christian soldiers, Netanyahu blasted Erdogan's claim Israel is engaging in a 'lawless occupation of Palestinian lands', calling the Turkish leader an "anti-Semitic dictator" who was obsessed with 'trolling' Israel.
"We are proud of you; the entire nation is proud of you," Netanyahu told the Christian IDF soldiers. "You belong to the most moral army on earth."
"Not everyone shares this view. I was just exposed to the daily trolling of the anti-Semitic dictator Erdogan."
Netanyahu went on to lambast Turkey's policies towards its Turkish minority, adding that under Erdogan, Turkey appeared to be becoming "more dictatorial day by day".
"He is obsessed with Israel. He knows what a moral army is and he knows what a genuine democracy is, as opposed to an army that massacres women and children in Kurdish villages and a state which, to my regret, is becoming more dictatorial day by day."
"He is obsessed with Israel. But there has been an improvement. Erdogan used to attack me every two hours and now it is every six hours."
Earlier on Sunday, Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, demanded Israel "end the lawless occupation of Palestinian lands," accusing the Jewish state of "brutal oppression of Palestinian people".
A day earlier, Netanyahu blasted Erdogan for claiming that Israel "beats men, women and children when they are prostrate on the floor," countering that it was Turkey, not Israel, which is guilty of flagrant human rights violations.
"Erdogan, the occupier of northern Cyprus, whose army massacres women and children in Kurdish villages, inside Turkey and outside it – will not lecture Israel on morality," said Netanyahu.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256583
7. REPORT: HONDURAS PREPARED TO MOVE EMBASSY - FOR A PRICE
by David Rosenberg
Honduras is prepared to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – but at a price – according to a report by Channel 2 Sunday evening.
Lawmakers in the Central American nation of nine million backed the embassy move in April, passing a non-binding resolution calling on President Juan Orlando Hernandez to follow the US and Guatemala in moving their embassies to Jerusalem.
According to Channel 2 Sunday, the Hernandez administration is prepared to move the Honduran embassy to Jerusalem, and as has even drawn up a plan for undertaking the move, with a possible site already chosen for a Jerusalem embassy.
President Hernandez has dispatched a senior diplomatic team to Israel, which met with the director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yuval Rotem.
While the team expressed Honduras' willingness to relocate its embassy in Israel, the diplomatic team added that it expected that Israel reciprocate with its own changes vis-à-vis its relationship with Honduras.
Chief among the Honduran requests is the call for Israel to upgrade its diplomatic mission in Honduras by opening a full embassy. At present, Israel only maintains a consulate in Tegucigalpa.
The cost of maintaining a full-fledged embassy has been estimated at one million dollars a year.
Other demands include closer economic ties, as well as technical assistance from Israel.
8. 'TERRORISM WILL NEVER DEFEAT US'
by Eliran Aharon
Culture Minister Miri Regev on Sunday visited the Givat Assaf junction in the Binyamin district of Samaria, where two IDF soldiers from the Netzach Yehuda Battalion were murdered in a Hamas shooting attack.
Minister Regev spoke with IDF commanders of the region, as well as with the head of the Beit El Council Shay Alon Council and Yisrael Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council.
Regev told the local council leaders that she "came to show her support for residents and for the settlement [movement]. I also came to declare that I'm in favor of restoring the checkpoints and I'm in favor of policies for the deportation of terrorists," referring to a bill under consideration by the Knesset which would empower the IDF central command to expel the families of terrorists.
From Givat Assaf, Minister Regev continued to Amona, where she is visiting the community, renewed recently on lands purchased by Jews.
At Amona, Regev met with the parents of Shira and Amichai Ish-Ran, two of the victims of the drive-by shooting attack outside of Ofra earlier this month. The couple lost their newborn son three days after the attack.
"Life will prevail, terrorism will never defeat us," Regev said. "It is important for you to be here as well at this brief but important event."
This morning, Regev responded to the question of whether she would come to Amona despite the order issued by the head of Central Command, "I have no intention of violating a commander's order, but I do intend to reach Amona and encourage the residents."
[album:open:10795]
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256576
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Monday, Dec. 24 '18, ט"ז בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
2. POPULAR WEBSITE SELLING HITLER 'SMILEY FACE' T-SHIRTS
3. ISRAEL CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL PALESTINIAN GAS STATIONS
4. FATHER OF WOUNDED SOLDIER: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS
5. TRUMP: TURKEY'S ERDOGAN IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB IN SYRIA
6. 'ERDOGAN IS AN ANTI-SEMITIC DICTATOR OBSESSED WITH ISRAEL'
7. REPORT: HONDURAS PREPARED TO MOVE EMBASSY - FOR A PRICE
8. 'TERRORISM WILL NEVER DEFEAT US'
1. COALITION LEADERS VOTE TO DISSOLVE KNESSET, GO TO ELECTIONS
by David Rosenberg
Coalition leaders voted unanimously Monday afternoon to dissolve the Knesset and go to early elections this coming spring, a Likud spokesperson said.
During a meeting Monday afternoon in the Prime Minister's Office, leaders of the coalition's five factions agreed that the current narrow government is untenable, and that the 20th Knesset must be dissolved early and new elections held.
The faction leaders voted unanimously for early elections, which will be held on April 9th, 2019.
"In the name of budgetary and national responsibility, party leaders in the coalition agreed unanimously to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections at the beginning of April, following a full four-year term," the spokesperson announced.
The elections for the 21st Knesset will be held just over four years after the previous vote, which was held on March 17th, 2015.
Prior to the coalition's decision Monday, the next Knesset election had been scheduled for November 5th, 2019.
The decision was reached after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened party leaders from his narrow ruling coalition in a last-ditch effort to chart a path forward for a crucial haredi draft bill, aimed at preserving draft deferments for full-time yeshiva students, while imposing financial sanctions on yeshivas which fail to meet enlistment quotas.
The bill, sometimes referred to as the Haredi Draft Law, would largely retain open-ended draft deferments, while pressuring the haredi sector to increase the number of haredi enlistees.
The Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid parties, which had both backed the bill initially, said Monday that they would vote against it in the bill's second reading in the Knesset.
With haredi lawmakers opposed to the bill, the government was counting on support from Yisrael Beytenu and Yesh Atid to pass the law ahead of the January 15th deadline imposed by the Supreme Court.
The Netanyahu government has struggled since the departure of Yisrael Beytenu last month, following the signing of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terror organization.
Yisrael Beytenu's departure left the coalition with a narrow 61-seat majority in the 120-member Knesset.
2. POPULAR WEBSITE SELLING HITLER 'SMILEY FACE' T-SHIRTS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
An American shopping site, Wish, which is popular among Israelis, has recently begun selling t-shirts with smiley faces stylized after Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Along with the shirts, the sites offers a variety of other products bearing the Nazi leader's iconic mustache and hair.
Other items include: face masks, coins, pendants, pins, rings, posters , cuff links and stickers.
The site is owned by Peter Sohlawski, who is Jewish.
Under the constitutional right of freedom of expression, there is no law prohibiting buying or selling Nazi memorabilia in the United States. Some websites no not allow selling items dedicated to the Nazi regime, such as Ebay which has a policy against the sale of such products.
3. ISRAEL CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL PALESTINIAN GAS STATIONS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
On Sunday, Israeli authorities arrested suspects linked to illegal gas stations discovered during routine patrols by the Border Police and the Etzion Brigade, as well as the Civil Administration's monitoring unit.
The six pirate gas stations were operating in the villages of al-'Arub and Beit Ummar along Route 60, south of Gush Etzion. During the operation uniforms, pumps and other equipment were confiscated.
Marco Ben Shabat, director of the inspection unit, noted that in recent period there has been a significant increase in the number of illegal gas stations established throughout Judea and Samaria.
Ben Shabat stressed that "pirate gas stations constitute a serious violation of the law and a severe safety and environmental hazard."
"The inspection unit has stepped up its regular enforcement activities and since the beginning of 2018 more than 30 enforcement activities have been carried out against pirate gas stations, and we will continue to enforce the law in Judea and Samaria," he added
4. FATHER OF WOUNDED SOLDIER: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256618
The father of an IDF soldier seriously wounded during a recent terror attack thanked worshippers who gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pray for his son.
On December 13th, two soldiers were killed and two people wounded when terrorists opened fire on a group of Israelis at Givat Assaf Junction on Route 60, north of Jerusalem.
Among the wounded was 21-year-old IDF soldier Netanel Felber, an American immigrant to Israel serving in the Netzach Yehuda Battalion (also known as 'Nahal Haredi').
Hundreds gathered to pray at the Western Wall Sunday night on Felber's behalf, following a public plea from Felber's parents.
Later, Netanel's father thanked the public for their prayers.
"Today, you all came on his behalf. My son, my wife, my daughter and I all very much appreciate the support that you all have given."
"No one can ever take away from me the 21 wonderful years I had with him. Of course I hope that he lives to 120, but I have to give thanks for the 21 years [he's had thus far]."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256618
5. TRUMP: TURKEY'S ERDOGAN IS THE MAN FOR THE JOB IN SYRIA
by David Rosenberg
Turkey will fill the void left in Syria by America's impending departure, President Donald Trump announced Monday morning, praising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a discussion with Erdogan on the future fight against ISIS in the war-torn country.
On Sunday night, a US defense official told CNN that the president had signed an order to begin the withdrawal of American forces deployed to Syria. The US currently has roughly 2,000 soldiers in Syria – mostly in the northeast – as part of the ongoing campaign against the ISIS terror organization.
President Trump pushed back against criticism of the move, saying that his administration had done "more damage to ISIS than all recent presidents....not even close!"
"On Syria, we were originally going to be there for three months," Trump wrote. "And that was seven years ago - we never left."
"When I became President, ISIS was going wild. Now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains. We're coming home!" he added.
The controversial decision was followed by the resignation of Mattis and of Brett McGurk, Trump's special envoy for the global coalition to counter ISIS.
It was later reported that President Trump spoke with Erdogan, and that he told the Turkish president that the situation in Syria was "all yours. We are done." Erdogan reportedly promised to finish off ISIS.
President Trump later confirmed the conversation with Erdogan, saying he had a "long and productive call" with Erdogan.
"I just had a long and productive call with President Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade," Trump tweeted.
On Monday, the president praised the Turkish leader as "a man who can" defeat ISIS.
"President Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right 'next door.' Our troops are coming home!"
The decision comes just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu accused Erdogan of being an "anti-Semitic dictator", the latest in a series of jabs between the two leaders.
6. 'ERDOGAN IS AN ANTI-SEMITIC DICTATOR OBSESSED WITH ISRAEL'
by David Rosenberg
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu excoriated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, the latest escalation in a war of words between the two leaders.
During a visit to the Palmach Museum in Tel Aviv with Christian soldiers, Netanyahu blasted Erdogan's claim Israel is engaging in a 'lawless occupation of Palestinian lands', calling the Turkish leader an "anti-Semitic dictator" who was obsessed with 'trolling' Israel.
"We are proud of you; the entire nation is proud of you," Netanyahu told the Christian IDF soldiers. "You belong to the most moral army on earth."
"Not everyone shares this view. I was just exposed to the daily trolling of the anti-Semitic dictator Erdogan."
Netanyahu went on to lambast Turkey's policies towards its Turkish minority, adding that under Erdogan, Turkey appeared to be becoming "more dictatorial day by day".
"He is obsessed with Israel. He knows what a moral army is and he knows what a genuine democracy is, as opposed to an army that massacres women and children in Kurdish villages and a state which, to my regret, is becoming more dictatorial day by day."
"He is obsessed with Israel. But there has been an improvement. Erdogan used to attack me every two hours and now it is every six hours."
Earlier on Sunday, Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, demanded Israel "end the lawless occupation of Palestinian lands," accusing the Jewish state of "brutal oppression of Palestinian people".
A day earlier, Netanyahu blasted Erdogan for claiming that Israel "beats men, women and children when they are prostrate on the floor," countering that it was Turkey, not Israel, which is guilty of flagrant human rights violations.
"Erdogan, the occupier of northern Cyprus, whose army massacres women and children in Kurdish villages, inside Turkey and outside it – will not lecture Israel on morality," said Netanyahu.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256583
7. REPORT: HONDURAS PREPARED TO MOVE EMBASSY - FOR A PRICE
by David Rosenberg
Honduras is prepared to relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – but at a price – according to a report by Channel 2 Sunday evening.
Lawmakers in the Central American nation of nine million backed the embassy move in April, passing a non-binding resolution calling on President Juan Orlando Hernandez to follow the US and Guatemala in moving their embassies to Jerusalem.
According to Channel 2 Sunday, the Hernandez administration is prepared to move the Honduran embassy to Jerusalem, and as has even drawn up a plan for undertaking the move, with a possible site already chosen for a Jerusalem embassy.
President Hernandez has dispatched a senior diplomatic team to Israel, which met with the director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yuval Rotem.
While the team expressed Honduras' willingness to relocate its embassy in Israel, the diplomatic team added that it expected that Israel reciprocate with its own changes vis-à-vis its relationship with Honduras.
Chief among the Honduran requests is the call for Israel to upgrade its diplomatic mission in Honduras by opening a full embassy. At present, Israel only maintains a consulate in Tegucigalpa.
The cost of maintaining a full-fledged embassy has been estimated at one million dollars a year.
Other demands include closer economic ties, as well as technical assistance from Israel.
8. 'TERRORISM WILL NEVER DEFEAT US'
by Eliran Aharon
Culture Minister Miri Regev on Sunday visited the Givat Assaf junction in the Binyamin district of Samaria, where two IDF soldiers from the Netzach Yehuda Battalion were murdered in a Hamas shooting attack.
Minister Regev spoke with IDF commanders of the region, as well as with the head of the Beit El Council Shay Alon Council and Yisrael Ganz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council.
Regev told the local council leaders that she "came to show her support for residents and for the settlement [movement]. I also came to declare that I'm in favor of restoring the checkpoints and I'm in favor of policies for the deportation of terrorists," referring to a bill under consideration by the Knesset which would empower the IDF central command to expel the families of terrorists.
From Givat Assaf, Minister Regev continued to Amona, where she is visiting the community, renewed recently on lands purchased by Jews.
At Amona, Regev met with the parents of Shira and Amichai Ish-Ran, two of the victims of the drive-by shooting attack outside of Ofra earlier this month. The couple lost their newborn son three days after the attack.
"Life will prevail, terrorism will never defeat us," Regev said. "It is important for you to be here as well at this brief but important event."
This morning, Regev responded to the question of whether she would come to Amona despite the order issued by the head of Central Command, "I have no intention of violating a commander's order, but I do intend to reach Amona and encourage the residents."
[album:open:10795]
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256576
Sunday, December 23, 2018
A7News: Turkey: Israel must 'end brutal oppression'
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Sunday, Dec. 23 '18, ט"ו בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. TURKEY: ISRAEL MUST 'END BRUTAL OPPRESSION'
2. 'WE WON'T NEGOTIATE WITH US ADMINISTRATION, IT'S NOT NEUTRAL'
3. OUR SECURITY GUARANTEE: THE IDF
4. WATCH: ARABS THROW STONES AT CLOSE RANGE SOUTH OF J'LEM
5. 'WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AGAINST IRANIAN ENTRENCHMENT IN SYRIA'
6. SYNAGOGUE KUGEL POISONED
7. HAMAS LIVID OVER DEATHS OF FOUR TERRORISTS
8. 'WE WERE GOING TO BE THERE 3 MONTHS, THAT WAS 7 YEARS AGO'
1. TURKEY: ISRAEL MUST 'END BRUTAL OPPRESSION'
by AFP
Turkey on Sunday hit out at Israel's "lawless occupation of Palestinian lands" after the Israeli prime minister accused Turkey of "massacres" against Kurds in a new war of words.
Israeli leader Binyamin Netanyahu said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "should not preach to Israel" after the Turkish leader warned young Turks on Saturday: "Do not kick the enemy you have brought down to the ground. You are not a Jew in Israel."
Netanyahu said Erdogan was "the occupier of northern Cyprus, whose army massacres women and children in Kurdish villages, inside and outside Turkey" in a tweet late on Saturday.
Erdogan's spokesman and chief advisor Ibrahim Kalin lambasted Netanyahu, who he said "should end the lawless occupation of Palestinian lands and the brutal oppression of Palestinian people" instead of "begging President Erdogan not to speak out the truth."
Kalin added in the tweet on Sunday: "Bashing Erdogan or using Kurds as a political chip will not save him from his domestic troubles."
On December 14, Erdogan also said Palestinians were subjected to "pressures, violence and intimidation policies no less grave than the oppression done to the Jews during the Second World War," referring to the Holocaust.
Turkey-Israel ties have been strained since Ankara ordered the Israeli ambassador to leave Turkey in May over the deaths of Gazan rioters during clashes with Israeli soldiers.
Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinians, has bitterly criticized Israel previously, calling it in July "the world's most fascist and racist state."
2. 'WE WON'T NEGOTIATE WITH US ADMINISTRATION, IT'S NOT NEUTRAL'
by Mordechai Sones
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas spoke in Ramallah and accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of transferring funds to Hamas used to finance terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria.
"He personally transfers money to Hamas to carry out terror attacks in the West Bank and we pay the price," Abbas said.
Prior to publication of Trump's peace plan for the Arab-Israeli conflict, Abbas said that "we won't negotiate with the American administration, because it's not neutral. We support an economic, political. and security agreement.
"Israel and the US are talking about the economic solution to the conflict and transferring $10-12 billion to the Palestinian Authority. But where's the political solution? According to the US and Israel, it'll come later, we know the result of this path. We won't accept a solution that will not address the political problem.
"We won't agree that Hamas is accused of being a terrorist movement. It's part of the Palestinian people, we don't agree with Hamas on almost every issue, and they create anarchy in the West Bank, but these things are between us Palestinians. We won't accept condemnation of Hamas."
Abbas described efforts to thwart Brazil's recognition of Jerusalem. "I spoke to President Erdogan for quick action against Brazil in response to their decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and we agreed to continue cooperation with the Turks so we can see what can be done about this dangerous issue, whether it comes from Brazil or any other country."
3. OUR SECURITY GUARANTEE: THE IDF
by Rabbi Dr. Chaim Shein
The gloom and doom industry, in cooperation with unknown intelligence officials and their representatives in the media, has been active for several days. This time following President Trump's decision to remove US soldiers from Syria.
The (non-)opposition speakers immediately accuse Netanyahu of responsibility for President Trump's decision. For them, all the impressive achievements the State has reached in recent decades are the result of an invisible hand and chance, and everything perceived by the Left as problematic is the responsibility of Netanyahu, Katz, Kahlon, and the right-wing government.
In their view, Trump's decisions about strategic cooperation with Israel, the transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem, UN backing, intensifying sanctions against Iran, and efforts to bring the countries of the region together are negligible and unimportant. On the other hand, the decision to leave Syria is presented as Apocalypse Now. The Israeli Left's longings for Barack Obama are far more intense than those of American citizens.
After two thousand years of exile when we were trampled, we returned to the pages of history, a phenomenon unparalleled in human history. Pioneers, survivors of the Holocaust, and new immigrants from all over the world have established a glorious country. A small country surrounded by enemies that over the years has become a world power. Generations have longed for the day when our fate would be in our hands. Prayers and hopes have come true today.
Israel can defend itself and does not need the favors of foreigners. We are no longer dhimmis who have to bend down before every breeze. It is possible that in the near future there will be more disagreements with Trump and his administration, but a determined Israeli leadership will ensure that a foreign government cannot impose dictates that could harm state security.
The US withdrawal from Syria does not affect Israel's ability to deal with aggression from any source. It would have been preferable for US soldiers to continue operating in Syria, but we got along well with the Syrian threat before the US got there. There's no reason to frighten citizens of Israel that the US withdrawal from Syria endangers Israel. A strong IDF is the guarantee of security and victory.
Courtesy of Yisrael Hayom
Dr. Chaim Shein is expert on philosophy of law and jurisprudence at the Shaarei Mada uMishpat Law Academy.
Translated by Mordechai Sones
4. WATCH: ARABS THROW STONES AT CLOSE RANGE SOUTH OF J'LEM
by Yoni Kempinski
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256569
5. 'WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AGAINST IRANIAN ENTRENCHMENT IN SYRIA'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made the following remarks this morning, Sunday, at the start of the Cabinet meeting:
"The decision to withdraw 2,000 US troops from Syria will not change our consistent policy: We will continue to act against Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, and to the extent necessary, we will even expand our actions there.
I would like to reassure those who are concerned. Our cooperation with the US will continue in full and finds expression in many areas: Operations, intelligence and many other security spheres.
On the Lebanese border, Operation Northern Shield is proceeding as planned. On Thursday we blew up an additional terror tunnel and we poured in concrete and sealed another one. This operation will continue in the coming weeks until its completion in order to deny Hezbollah the tunnels weapon. The operation is meeting its timetable and its objectives.
Three years ago we in the Cabinet decided that we would demand a fundamental change in the enforcement of planning and building laws and for the first time since the 1960's, we enacted a reform that substantially changed the enforcement of planning and building laws. Since the law took effect, enforcement against illegal construction has increased by hundreds of percent and we have already seen a decline of dozens of percent in new construction offenses.
I said then that we would not allow two States of Israel: A state of laws and a state of the wild west. We are enforcing the law today in the wild west as well and I am pleased to tell you that it is far less wild. We will hear a briefing on these actions and we will continue to monitor the implementation.
This weekend I will leave on a historic visit to Brazil. Upon my arrival I will meet with President-elect Jair Bolsonaro and later with other leaders as well.
There are two ways to generate growth in the Israeli economy: One is to create new products and the other is to open new markets. Brazil is a huge market, almost 250 million people; the opening of this gigantic market will create new jobs in Israel and will greatly help the Israeli economy.
This visit will also bring important diplomatic news: A 'turnaround' in Israel's relations with the largest country in Latin America. Step by step, methodically and persistently, we are turning Israel into a rising global power."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256571
6. SYNAGOGUE KUGEL POISONED
by Mordechai Sones
Worshipers at the Darchei Torah Synagogue on HaHozeh M'Lublin Street in Betar Illit detected a chemical flavor in the kugel served at the end of Shabbat morning services, the Kikar Shabbat website reported.
According to the report, some worshipers began to vomit and thought the Kugel had gone off. Synagogue officials came to the kitchen to examine the scene and discovered a can of K300 insect spray on the kitchen floor.
Synagogue officials suspect that boys entered the synagogue's kitchen late on Friday night and sprayed the kugel with poisons they found in the synagogue's warehouse as a prank.
Synagogue officials are considering filing a police complaint.
The Israel Poison Information Center of the Health Ministry is the National Poison Center of Israel. They provide expert advice on poisonings to the general public via a telephone hotline that operates 24/7. They also answer questions on drugs, their effects, and allergic reactions. The Poison Hotline's number is 04-854-1900.
7. HAMAS LIVID OVER DEATHS OF FOUR TERRORISTS
by Elad Benari
The terrorist organizations in Gaza threatened Israel on Saturday following the deaths of of four terrorists who rioted on Friday near the security fence with Israel.
The groups issued a statement in which they said that "in the wake of Israel's crimes last night against nonviolent demonstrators in 'Marches of the Return' that led to the death of four demonstrators and the injury of dozens, the joint war room is in continuous consultations. The war room will have a clear position on the subject tomorrow regarding the definition of its policy and rules of action in the wake of the Israeli stupidity and its crimes against our people."
Some 8,000 Gazan rioters demonstrated on Friday in several locations along the Gaza border, most of them far from the fence. Some threw rocks, burned tires and threw several explosive devices that did not cross into the Israeli side.
IDF forces responded with riot dispersal means and firing live ammunition in accordance with the rules of engagement.
MK Avigdor Liberman, the former defense minister, said in response to the riots that "the violence near the border fence in the Gaza Strip does not stop. As usual, thousands of Palestinians rioted yesterday near the fence and the government continues to turn a blind eye."
"Despite the disturbances on the Gaza border and the terror in Judea and Samaria, the Israeli government continues to transfer to Hamas the $15 million protection fees that come from Qatar every month," he continued.
"Yesterday we again received proof that the 'arrangement' in the south is unilateral. Hamas continues to encourage terror attacks and rioting near the fence, digs tunnels and produces rockets. That is why we must close Hamas' ATM and stop surrendering to terror!" added Liberman.
Since March 30, Gaza Arabs have held weekly riots along the border, dubbed the "March of the Return".
The violent border riots in the past included Gazans attempting to infiltrate into Israel, as well as using kites and balloons with explosives attached in order to set fire to Israeli property.
In recent weeks, the protests have not been as violent as they had been when they started, but are still taking place.
8. 'WE WERE GOING TO BE THERE 3 MONTHS, THAT WAS 7 YEARS AGO'
by Mordechai Sones
US President Donald J. Trump tweeted a message to detractors explaining his Syrian withdrawal strategy.
"On Syria, we were originally going to be there for three months," Trump wrote. "And that was seven years ago - we never left.
"When I became President, ISIS was going wild. Now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains. We're coming home!" Trump concluded.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256532
A senior security official said on Friday that in his decision to withdraw the US army from Syria, Trump "threw Israel under the wheels of an Russian army transport truck that transfers weapons to Syria and Hezbollah."
He also said, according to the news report, that outgoing US Defense Secretary James Matis had hinted to Israel that Trump would announce a withdrawal from Syria. The Israeli intelligence assessment is that following the American move the area will become a lucrative weapons transfer bonanza between the sides.
Syria
iStock
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Sunday, Dec. 23 '18, ט"ו בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. TURKEY: ISRAEL MUST 'END BRUTAL OPPRESSION'
2. 'WE WON'T NEGOTIATE WITH US ADMINISTRATION, IT'S NOT NEUTRAL'
3. OUR SECURITY GUARANTEE: THE IDF
4. WATCH: ARABS THROW STONES AT CLOSE RANGE SOUTH OF J'LEM
5. 'WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AGAINST IRANIAN ENTRENCHMENT IN SYRIA'
6. SYNAGOGUE KUGEL POISONED
7. HAMAS LIVID OVER DEATHS OF FOUR TERRORISTS
8. 'WE WERE GOING TO BE THERE 3 MONTHS, THAT WAS 7 YEARS AGO'
1. TURKEY: ISRAEL MUST 'END BRUTAL OPPRESSION'
by AFP
Turkey on Sunday hit out at Israel's "lawless occupation of Palestinian lands" after the Israeli prime minister accused Turkey of "massacres" against Kurds in a new war of words.
Israeli leader Binyamin Netanyahu said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan "should not preach to Israel" after the Turkish leader warned young Turks on Saturday: "Do not kick the enemy you have brought down to the ground. You are not a Jew in Israel."
Netanyahu said Erdogan was "the occupier of northern Cyprus, whose army massacres women and children in Kurdish villages, inside and outside Turkey" in a tweet late on Saturday.
Erdogan's spokesman and chief advisor Ibrahim Kalin lambasted Netanyahu, who he said "should end the lawless occupation of Palestinian lands and the brutal oppression of Palestinian people" instead of "begging President Erdogan not to speak out the truth."
Kalin added in the tweet on Sunday: "Bashing Erdogan or using Kurds as a political chip will not save him from his domestic troubles."
On December 14, Erdogan also said Palestinians were subjected to "pressures, violence and intimidation policies no less grave than the oppression done to the Jews during the Second World War," referring to the Holocaust.
Turkey-Israel ties have been strained since Ankara ordered the Israeli ambassador to leave Turkey in May over the deaths of Gazan rioters during clashes with Israeli soldiers.
Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinians, has bitterly criticized Israel previously, calling it in July "the world's most fascist and racist state."
2. 'WE WON'T NEGOTIATE WITH US ADMINISTRATION, IT'S NOT NEUTRAL'
by Mordechai Sones
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas spoke in Ramallah and accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of transferring funds to Hamas used to finance terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria.
"He personally transfers money to Hamas to carry out terror attacks in the West Bank and we pay the price," Abbas said.
Prior to publication of Trump's peace plan for the Arab-Israeli conflict, Abbas said that "we won't negotiate with the American administration, because it's not neutral. We support an economic, political. and security agreement.
"Israel and the US are talking about the economic solution to the conflict and transferring $10-12 billion to the Palestinian Authority. But where's the political solution? According to the US and Israel, it'll come later, we know the result of this path. We won't accept a solution that will not address the political problem.
"We won't agree that Hamas is accused of being a terrorist movement. It's part of the Palestinian people, we don't agree with Hamas on almost every issue, and they create anarchy in the West Bank, but these things are between us Palestinians. We won't accept condemnation of Hamas."
Abbas described efforts to thwart Brazil's recognition of Jerusalem. "I spoke to President Erdogan for quick action against Brazil in response to their decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and we agreed to continue cooperation with the Turks so we can see what can be done about this dangerous issue, whether it comes from Brazil or any other country."
3. OUR SECURITY GUARANTEE: THE IDF
by Rabbi Dr. Chaim Shein
The gloom and doom industry, in cooperation with unknown intelligence officials and their representatives in the media, has been active for several days. This time following President Trump's decision to remove US soldiers from Syria.
The (non-)opposition speakers immediately accuse Netanyahu of responsibility for President Trump's decision. For them, all the impressive achievements the State has reached in recent decades are the result of an invisible hand and chance, and everything perceived by the Left as problematic is the responsibility of Netanyahu, Katz, Kahlon, and the right-wing government.
In their view, Trump's decisions about strategic cooperation with Israel, the transfer of the embassy to Jerusalem, UN backing, intensifying sanctions against Iran, and efforts to bring the countries of the region together are negligible and unimportant. On the other hand, the decision to leave Syria is presented as Apocalypse Now. The Israeli Left's longings for Barack Obama are far more intense than those of American citizens.
After two thousand years of exile when we were trampled, we returned to the pages of history, a phenomenon unparalleled in human history. Pioneers, survivors of the Holocaust, and new immigrants from all over the world have established a glorious country. A small country surrounded by enemies that over the years has become a world power. Generations have longed for the day when our fate would be in our hands. Prayers and hopes have come true today.
Israel can defend itself and does not need the favors of foreigners. We are no longer dhimmis who have to bend down before every breeze. It is possible that in the near future there will be more disagreements with Trump and his administration, but a determined Israeli leadership will ensure that a foreign government cannot impose dictates that could harm state security.
The US withdrawal from Syria does not affect Israel's ability to deal with aggression from any source. It would have been preferable for US soldiers to continue operating in Syria, but we got along well with the Syrian threat before the US got there. There's no reason to frighten citizens of Israel that the US withdrawal from Syria endangers Israel. A strong IDF is the guarantee of security and victory.
Courtesy of Yisrael Hayom
Dr. Chaim Shein is expert on philosophy of law and jurisprudence at the Shaarei Mada uMishpat Law Academy.
Translated by Mordechai Sones
4. WATCH: ARABS THROW STONES AT CLOSE RANGE SOUTH OF J'LEM
by Yoni Kempinski
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256569
5. 'WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AGAINST IRANIAN ENTRENCHMENT IN SYRIA'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu made the following remarks this morning, Sunday, at the start of the Cabinet meeting:
"The decision to withdraw 2,000 US troops from Syria will not change our consistent policy: We will continue to act against Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, and to the extent necessary, we will even expand our actions there.
I would like to reassure those who are concerned. Our cooperation with the US will continue in full and finds expression in many areas: Operations, intelligence and many other security spheres.
On the Lebanese border, Operation Northern Shield is proceeding as planned. On Thursday we blew up an additional terror tunnel and we poured in concrete and sealed another one. This operation will continue in the coming weeks until its completion in order to deny Hezbollah the tunnels weapon. The operation is meeting its timetable and its objectives.
Three years ago we in the Cabinet decided that we would demand a fundamental change in the enforcement of planning and building laws and for the first time since the 1960's, we enacted a reform that substantially changed the enforcement of planning and building laws. Since the law took effect, enforcement against illegal construction has increased by hundreds of percent and we have already seen a decline of dozens of percent in new construction offenses.
I said then that we would not allow two States of Israel: A state of laws and a state of the wild west. We are enforcing the law today in the wild west as well and I am pleased to tell you that it is far less wild. We will hear a briefing on these actions and we will continue to monitor the implementation.
This weekend I will leave on a historic visit to Brazil. Upon my arrival I will meet with President-elect Jair Bolsonaro and later with other leaders as well.
There are two ways to generate growth in the Israeli economy: One is to create new products and the other is to open new markets. Brazil is a huge market, almost 250 million people; the opening of this gigantic market will create new jobs in Israel and will greatly help the Israeli economy.
This visit will also bring important diplomatic news: A 'turnaround' in Israel's relations with the largest country in Latin America. Step by step, methodically and persistently, we are turning Israel into a rising global power."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256571
6. SYNAGOGUE KUGEL POISONED
by Mordechai Sones
Worshipers at the Darchei Torah Synagogue on HaHozeh M'Lublin Street in Betar Illit detected a chemical flavor in the kugel served at the end of Shabbat morning services, the Kikar Shabbat website reported.
According to the report, some worshipers began to vomit and thought the Kugel had gone off. Synagogue officials came to the kitchen to examine the scene and discovered a can of K300 insect spray on the kitchen floor.
Synagogue officials suspect that boys entered the synagogue's kitchen late on Friday night and sprayed the kugel with poisons they found in the synagogue's warehouse as a prank.
Synagogue officials are considering filing a police complaint.
The Israel Poison Information Center of the Health Ministry is the National Poison Center of Israel. They provide expert advice on poisonings to the general public via a telephone hotline that operates 24/7. They also answer questions on drugs, their effects, and allergic reactions. The Poison Hotline's number is 04-854-1900.
7. HAMAS LIVID OVER DEATHS OF FOUR TERRORISTS
by Elad Benari
The terrorist organizations in Gaza threatened Israel on Saturday following the deaths of of four terrorists who rioted on Friday near the security fence with Israel.
The groups issued a statement in which they said that "in the wake of Israel's crimes last night against nonviolent demonstrators in 'Marches of the Return' that led to the death of four demonstrators and the injury of dozens, the joint war room is in continuous consultations. The war room will have a clear position on the subject tomorrow regarding the definition of its policy and rules of action in the wake of the Israeli stupidity and its crimes against our people."
Some 8,000 Gazan rioters demonstrated on Friday in several locations along the Gaza border, most of them far from the fence. Some threw rocks, burned tires and threw several explosive devices that did not cross into the Israeli side.
IDF forces responded with riot dispersal means and firing live ammunition in accordance with the rules of engagement.
MK Avigdor Liberman, the former defense minister, said in response to the riots that "the violence near the border fence in the Gaza Strip does not stop. As usual, thousands of Palestinians rioted yesterday near the fence and the government continues to turn a blind eye."
"Despite the disturbances on the Gaza border and the terror in Judea and Samaria, the Israeli government continues to transfer to Hamas the $15 million protection fees that come from Qatar every month," he continued.
"Yesterday we again received proof that the 'arrangement' in the south is unilateral. Hamas continues to encourage terror attacks and rioting near the fence, digs tunnels and produces rockets. That is why we must close Hamas' ATM and stop surrendering to terror!" added Liberman.
Since March 30, Gaza Arabs have held weekly riots along the border, dubbed the "March of the Return".
The violent border riots in the past included Gazans attempting to infiltrate into Israel, as well as using kites and balloons with explosives attached in order to set fire to Israeli property.
In recent weeks, the protests have not been as violent as they had been when they started, but are still taking place.
8. 'WE WERE GOING TO BE THERE 3 MONTHS, THAT WAS 7 YEARS AGO'
by Mordechai Sones
US President Donald J. Trump tweeted a message to detractors explaining his Syrian withdrawal strategy.
"On Syria, we were originally going to be there for three months," Trump wrote. "And that was seven years ago - we never left.
"When I became President, ISIS was going wild. Now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains. We're coming home!" Trump concluded.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256532
A senior security official said on Friday that in his decision to withdraw the US army from Syria, Trump "threw Israel under the wheels of an Russian army transport truck that transfers weapons to Syria and Hezbollah."
He also said, according to the news report, that outgoing US Defense Secretary James Matis had hinted to Israel that Trump would announce a withdrawal from Syria. The Israeli intelligence assessment is that following the American move the area will become a lucrative weapons transfer bonanza between the sides.
Syria
iStock
Friday, December 21, 2018
A7News: Watch: IDF blows up Hezbollah tunnel
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Friday, Dec. 21 '18, י"ג בטבת תשע"ט
Bet El Institutions has taken upon itself to pay for the Chemotherapy of a key director on staff.
Contribute today
HEADLINES:
1. WATCH: IDF BLOWS UP HEZBOLLAH TUNNEL
2. WATCH: IDF BEGINS DESTROYING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
3. ISRAELI TEEN RAISED AS A MUSLIM RETURNS TO JUDAISM
4. IDF BEGINS NEUTRALIZING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
5. FATHER AND SON KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT NEAR SDEROT
6. SHOOTING NEAR ISRAELI TOWN NORTH OF JERUSALEM
7. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
8. CRUZ INTRODUCES BILL TO SANCTION PA OVER TERRORIST PAYMENTS
1. WATCH: IDF BLOWS UP HEZBOLLAH TUNNEL
by Tzvi Lev
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256513
The IDF detonated one of the terror tunnels it uncovered snaking under its border with Lebanon. The tunnel began in the Lebanese village of Ramye and penetrated dozens of meters into Israel.
The effort to uncover Hezbollah's tunnels is led by the combat engineering units of the Northern Command and the Yahalom (Special Combat Engineering) Unit.
The IDF confirmed earlier on Thursday that Israeli security forces operating along the border with Lebanon began demolishing the four cross-border terror tunnels located this month.
As part of Operation Northern Shield, Israeli forces are deployed along the northern border to neutralize the terror tunnels found in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that the tunnels violated the United Nation Security Council Resolution 1701, passed at the end of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
"After further technical investigations conducted independently in accordance with its mandate, UNIFIL can at this stage confirm that two tunnels cross the Blue Line, a blatant violation of the UN Security Council resolution 1701".
Detonation of Hezbollah tunnel
IDF Spokesperson's Unit
2. WATCH: IDF BEGINS DESTROYING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
by David Rosenberg
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256472
The IDF has confirmed that Israeli security forces operating along the border with Lebanon began demolishing the four cross-border terror tunnels located this month.
As reported earlier, as part of Operation Northern Shield, Israeli forces are deployed along the northern border to neutralize four terror tunnels found in recent weeks.
"The neutralization and destruction phase of the cross-border attack tunnels, which were exposed by the IDF as part of Operation Northern Shield, has begun," and IDF spokesperson said Thursday.
"This phase will be carried out using several methods and means which will ensure that the attack tunnels cannot be used by the Hezbollah terror organization and will prevent it from implementing its plans."
Four tunnels have been found from southern Lebanon leading into Israeli territory since the launch of Operation Northern Shield earlier this month.
The tunnels were dug by the Hezbollah terror organization, for the purposes of conducting terrorist attacks on targets in northern Israel.
The IDF emphasized that it holds the Lebanese government and military responsible for the cross-border tunnels, which violate Israeli territory.
"The Lebanese Government is held accountable for digging the attack tunnels. The IDF warns against approaching the openings of the tunnels or staying close to them on the Lebanese side."
"Notices regarding the neutralization of attack tunnels will be given to the relevant heads of local authorities and their residences. Simultaneously, the IDF continues its operational efforts in accordance with the approved plan."
"The IDF continues to operate in the Northern Command with reinforced troops, and is prepared with a wide variety of enhanced capabilities for any developments, should they occur. The IDF will continue to operate to neutralize Hezbollah's military infrastructure and to thwart the threat the Hezbollah terror organization attempted to realize against civilians of the State of Israel."
Earlier this week, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that the tunnels violated the United Nation Security Council Resolution 1701, passed at the end of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
"After further technical investigations conducted independently in accordance with its mandate, UNIFIL can at this stage confirm that two tunnels cross the Blue Line, a blatant violation of the UN Security Council resolution 1701 ".
3. ISRAELI TEEN RAISED AS A MUSLIM RETURNS TO JUDAISM
by Mordechai Sones
No family came to accompany 19-year-old Kamel when a Brit Yosef Yitzchak organization member performed his hatafat dam procedure, drawing a drop of blood with a pin-sized lance for those who have been circumcised but not for the sake of the Covenant of Abraham. At this time he was given his new Jewish name, Binyamin.
No family member was there, but members of Yad L'Achim who accompanied Kamel (Binyamin) in the past two years stood by him now, a day later, when he immersed in a mikveh to accept Judaism before the judges of the Haifa Rabbinical Court, and thus completed his "return to Judaism" ceremony - a special track for Jews who left their religion and are now returning to Judaism of their own free will.
Binyamin was born in a Arab village in the north of the country to a Jewish mother who immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union, and an Arab father. Two years after the mother converted to Islam and married the same Arab in an attempt to start a new life in the Land of Israel - to which, ironically, she immigrated from Moscow so she could live as a Jew.
After years his mother divorced the Arab father after undergoing a life of suffering and violence, but the Arab father, who was well versed in local law, succeeded in deceiving her and Binyamin was transferred to his custody.
Binyamin, who grew up as Kamel, was educated in Islam and grew up as an Arab in every respect. The torture he suffered as a son of a hated Jewish mother caused him to flee the village when he was 15 years old and roam the streets of Acco and Haifa.
His life quickly degenerated into brawls and wars of survival until he was directed to Yad L'Achim by a passing Jew who heard his story and understood that he wanted to return to the Jewish People and open a new and better chapter in his life.
Yad L'Achim hurried to meet with Binyamin and immediately began combined treatment: First, a suitable accommodation was found in an educational institution for young people from difficult backgrounds. At the same time, the organization worked to connect him with a mentor who was especially assigned to him and taught him the Hebrew language and later Judaism and Jewish heritage.
Yad L'Achim even purchased a pair of tefillin for him, helped him find suitable work during the evening hours, and gave him coupons every month for food, clothes, and personal furniture. Only a half-year after he had been picked up from the street, with much help from Heaven and greater willpower than most, Binyamin knew how to open a siddur or a Chumash and read them like one accustomed.
The decisive stage of his return to Judaism also recently ended. The request submitted by Yad L'Achim to the Beit Din for Binyamin's return to Judaism encountered difficulties due to missing documents relating to the Jewishness of his mother, who had no family member or acquaintance in Israel. In the end, after many efforts by Yad L'Achim overseas they managed to obtain some documents, and the court decided on a special genetic test that proved beyond any doubt that Binyamin was 100 percent Jewish and derived from a Jewish family in Poland.
"Binyamin is waiting impatiently for the official document of his return to Judaism, and at the same time he began to observe Shabbat and observe kashrut and so this time too, despite the difficult personal story, we were moved to see that Israel is aware of G-d and His Torah," Yad L'Achim said this week. "These success stories only encourage us to continue to care for thousands of Jews with similar life stories who are desperate for help. We won't rest until we can bring them home."
4. IDF BEGINS NEUTRALIZING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Israeli security forces began demolishing four cross-border tunnels Thursday along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier, as part of the ongoing Operation Northern Shield.
Earlier this month, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield to locate and neutralize terror tunnels built from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory by the Lebanese-based terrorist organization Hezbollah.
Since the beginning of the operation, four such tunnels have been discovered.
According to a report Thursday by Channel 2 News, Israeli forces are using alternative methods to demolish the tunnels, without the need for explosives.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted at "developments" in Operation Northern Shield, during his meeting with leaders from Greece and Cyprus.
"A few weeks ago, Israel launched a campaign to expose and neutralize cross-border terror tunnels on our northern border with Lebanon," said Netanyahu. "These tunnels were built by Hezbollah with direct support and funding from Iran. This is the Iranian web of aggression in the Middle East, which also terrorizes Europe and the entire world."
"Israel continues its operation against... terror tunnels, and will do so until its completion," Netanyahu continued, adding "As we speak, we are employing 'means' to neutralize these tunnels."
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at a press conference ahead of the United Nations Security Council meeting on the Hezbollah terror tunnels, and urged the UN monitoring force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, to take action against the tunnels.
"What has to be done now is have UNIFIL do something serious. We await to see that."
Later on Wednesday, the IDF revealed details regarding the fourth tunnel discovered along the border.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256462
[youtube:2051390:274]
5. FATHER AND SON KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT NEAR SDEROT
by Reut Hadar
A father and his son were killed in the early afternoon hours today (Friday) in a collision between a private vehicle and a commercial minivan on Route 232 in southern Israel, near Sderot.
A third man, aged about 60, suffered moderate injuries.
Medical crews that arrived on the scene determined the death of the father and son on the spot. The injured man was evacuated by helicopter to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva.
Alex Kusinov, a paramedic, told reporters: "When we arrived on the scene we saw a commercial vehicle and a private vehicle crushed on the road. Outside the private vehicle, a man aged about 40 was lying on the ground, not breathing, with no pulse and severe multi-system injuries.
"Inside the two vehicles, the drivers were trapped in the drivers' seats".
"In the private vehicle, a young man aged about 20 was unconscious with a severe multi-system injury. After initial medical care we transferred him to an MDA helicopter that is evacuating him with a chest trauma in moderate condition to Soroka Hospital," said Kusinov.
6. SHOOTING NEAR ISRAELI TOWN NORTH OF JERUSALEM
by David Rosenberg
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256477
Shots were reportedly fired at Ofra Junction, outside of the Israeli town of Ofra, Thursday night, a week and a half after a drive-by terrorist shooting there which left seven Israelis wounded.
Initial reports suggest the gunfire emanated from the nearby Arab village of Ein Yabrud, and was aimed at Ofra Junction.
No injuries have been reported.
Israeli security forces have been dispatched to the scene and are investigating.
Route 60, the primary north-south traffic artery, was temporarily closed in both directions as a result of the shooting.
The IDF confirmed that there were no injuries in the shooting, and that security forces had been dispatched to the scene, adding that soldiers returned fire.
"Following the previous report regarding shooting at the Ofra Junction, shots were apparently fired from the nearby village of Ein Yabrud, south of Ariel," an IDF spokesperson said. "No injuries were reported. IDF troops responded with fire, and are blocking routes and conducting searches in the area."
On December 9th, terrorists affiliated with the Hamas terror organization opened fire on a group of Israeli civilians at a bus stop at Ofra Junction.
Seven people were wounded, including a 21-year-old woman who was 30 weeks pregnant. Her child was born prematurely as a result of the attack, and died three days later.
7. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The White House confirmed Wednesday that it has started withdrawing US troops from Syria, following reports that the US was considering a complete withdrawal from the country.
"We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed in a statement.
"Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate," Sanders said. "These victories over ISIS in Syria do not signal the end of the Global Coalition or its campaign."
She added that the US and its allies "will continue to work together to deny radical Islamist terrorists territory, funding, support, and any means of infiltrating our borders."
A US official told Reuters that all State Department personnel in Syria will be evacuated from the country within 24 hours, and that all US forces will depart within 60 to 100 days, once the final operation against ISIS has been completed.
US President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon that his only reason to have US troops in Syria was to defeat ISIS, a mission which he said the US has accomplished.
"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency."
According to Reuters, the United States still has about 2,000 troops in Syria, many of them special operations forces working closely with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which is led by Kurdish YPG forces.
The US move comes as Turkey threatens a new offensive against the US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to attack the YPG Kurdish militia operating east of the Euphrates River. The YPG has been battling ISIS with the assistance of the US.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted the US presence in Syria at a news briefing, Reuters reported.
"From being a factor in the fight against terrorism, the illegal American presence in Syria is becoming a dangerous obstacle to the path to a settlement," she said.
8. CRUZ INTRODUCES BILL TO SANCTION PA OVER TERRORIST PAYMENTS
by Elad Benari
US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Thursday introduced the End Palestinian Terror Salaries Act of 2018.
The bill would impose sanctions against Palestinian Authority officials who provide financial rewards for Palestinian Arab terror attacks within 90 days of being enacted.
"Palestinian terrorists have wounded or killed more than a dozen Israelis over the last few months, including 45-year old American-Israeli Ari Fuld," Cruz said in a statement.
"The Palestinian government continues to provide hundreds of millions of dollars each year rewarding such terrorists and their families, providing an incentive for ever more violence. It's past time for Congress to impose direct costs on the Palestinian officials who manage the programs that provide these rewards," he added.
Earlier this year, the US Senate passed the Taylor Force Act, which cuts aid to the PA as long as the PA continues to pay salaries to terrorists. The legislation was named for US army veteran Taylor Force, who was murdered in a stabbing attack in Jaffa.
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas has been undeterred by the legislation and the repeated calls on him to stop paying terrorists and their families.
Abbas has continuously stressed that "families of the martyrs will continue to receive their allowances in full."
In a recent speech, Abbas called the PA's continued payments to terrorists a "red line" that would not be halted under any circumstances.
"The salaries of the shaheeds (martyrs) are our red line. We absorb a lot of pressure, but we will not compromise or give up on this matter, the money will go to them - until the last expulsion," Abbas said during a speech at the Executive Committee of the PLO in October.
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
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Friday, Dec. 21 '18, י"ג בטבת תשע"ט
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HEADLINES:
1. WATCH: IDF BLOWS UP HEZBOLLAH TUNNEL
2. WATCH: IDF BEGINS DESTROYING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
3. ISRAELI TEEN RAISED AS A MUSLIM RETURNS TO JUDAISM
4. IDF BEGINS NEUTRALIZING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
5. FATHER AND SON KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT NEAR SDEROT
6. SHOOTING NEAR ISRAELI TOWN NORTH OF JERUSALEM
7. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
8. CRUZ INTRODUCES BILL TO SANCTION PA OVER TERRORIST PAYMENTS
1. WATCH: IDF BLOWS UP HEZBOLLAH TUNNEL
by Tzvi Lev
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256513
The IDF detonated one of the terror tunnels it uncovered snaking under its border with Lebanon. The tunnel began in the Lebanese village of Ramye and penetrated dozens of meters into Israel.
The effort to uncover Hezbollah's tunnels is led by the combat engineering units of the Northern Command and the Yahalom (Special Combat Engineering) Unit.
The IDF confirmed earlier on Thursday that Israeli security forces operating along the border with Lebanon began demolishing the four cross-border terror tunnels located this month.
As part of Operation Northern Shield, Israeli forces are deployed along the northern border to neutralize the terror tunnels found in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that the tunnels violated the United Nation Security Council Resolution 1701, passed at the end of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
"After further technical investigations conducted independently in accordance with its mandate, UNIFIL can at this stage confirm that two tunnels cross the Blue Line, a blatant violation of the UN Security Council resolution 1701".
Detonation of Hezbollah tunnel
IDF Spokesperson's Unit
2. WATCH: IDF BEGINS DESTROYING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
by David Rosenberg
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256472
The IDF has confirmed that Israeli security forces operating along the border with Lebanon began demolishing the four cross-border terror tunnels located this month.
As reported earlier, as part of Operation Northern Shield, Israeli forces are deployed along the northern border to neutralize four terror tunnels found in recent weeks.
"The neutralization and destruction phase of the cross-border attack tunnels, which were exposed by the IDF as part of Operation Northern Shield, has begun," and IDF spokesperson said Thursday.
"This phase will be carried out using several methods and means which will ensure that the attack tunnels cannot be used by the Hezbollah terror organization and will prevent it from implementing its plans."
Four tunnels have been found from southern Lebanon leading into Israeli territory since the launch of Operation Northern Shield earlier this month.
The tunnels were dug by the Hezbollah terror organization, for the purposes of conducting terrorist attacks on targets in northern Israel.
The IDF emphasized that it holds the Lebanese government and military responsible for the cross-border tunnels, which violate Israeli territory.
"The Lebanese Government is held accountable for digging the attack tunnels. The IDF warns against approaching the openings of the tunnels or staying close to them on the Lebanese side."
"Notices regarding the neutralization of attack tunnels will be given to the relevant heads of local authorities and their residences. Simultaneously, the IDF continues its operational efforts in accordance with the approved plan."
"The IDF continues to operate in the Northern Command with reinforced troops, and is prepared with a wide variety of enhanced capabilities for any developments, should they occur. The IDF will continue to operate to neutralize Hezbollah's military infrastructure and to thwart the threat the Hezbollah terror organization attempted to realize against civilians of the State of Israel."
Earlier this week, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed that the tunnels violated the United Nation Security Council Resolution 1701, passed at the end of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
"After further technical investigations conducted independently in accordance with its mandate, UNIFIL can at this stage confirm that two tunnels cross the Blue Line, a blatant violation of the UN Security Council resolution 1701 ".
3. ISRAELI TEEN RAISED AS A MUSLIM RETURNS TO JUDAISM
by Mordechai Sones
No family came to accompany 19-year-old Kamel when a Brit Yosef Yitzchak organization member performed his hatafat dam procedure, drawing a drop of blood with a pin-sized lance for those who have been circumcised but not for the sake of the Covenant of Abraham. At this time he was given his new Jewish name, Binyamin.
No family member was there, but members of Yad L'Achim who accompanied Kamel (Binyamin) in the past two years stood by him now, a day later, when he immersed in a mikveh to accept Judaism before the judges of the Haifa Rabbinical Court, and thus completed his "return to Judaism" ceremony - a special track for Jews who left their religion and are now returning to Judaism of their own free will.
Binyamin was born in a Arab village in the north of the country to a Jewish mother who immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union, and an Arab father. Two years after the mother converted to Islam and married the same Arab in an attempt to start a new life in the Land of Israel - to which, ironically, she immigrated from Moscow so she could live as a Jew.
After years his mother divorced the Arab father after undergoing a life of suffering and violence, but the Arab father, who was well versed in local law, succeeded in deceiving her and Binyamin was transferred to his custody.
Binyamin, who grew up as Kamel, was educated in Islam and grew up as an Arab in every respect. The torture he suffered as a son of a hated Jewish mother caused him to flee the village when he was 15 years old and roam the streets of Acco and Haifa.
His life quickly degenerated into brawls and wars of survival until he was directed to Yad L'Achim by a passing Jew who heard his story and understood that he wanted to return to the Jewish People and open a new and better chapter in his life.
Yad L'Achim hurried to meet with Binyamin and immediately began combined treatment: First, a suitable accommodation was found in an educational institution for young people from difficult backgrounds. At the same time, the organization worked to connect him with a mentor who was especially assigned to him and taught him the Hebrew language and later Judaism and Jewish heritage.
Yad L'Achim even purchased a pair of tefillin for him, helped him find suitable work during the evening hours, and gave him coupons every month for food, clothes, and personal furniture. Only a half-year after he had been picked up from the street, with much help from Heaven and greater willpower than most, Binyamin knew how to open a siddur or a Chumash and read them like one accustomed.
The decisive stage of his return to Judaism also recently ended. The request submitted by Yad L'Achim to the Beit Din for Binyamin's return to Judaism encountered difficulties due to missing documents relating to the Jewishness of his mother, who had no family member or acquaintance in Israel. In the end, after many efforts by Yad L'Achim overseas they managed to obtain some documents, and the court decided on a special genetic test that proved beyond any doubt that Binyamin was 100 percent Jewish and derived from a Jewish family in Poland.
"Binyamin is waiting impatiently for the official document of his return to Judaism, and at the same time he began to observe Shabbat and observe kashrut and so this time too, despite the difficult personal story, we were moved to see that Israel is aware of G-d and His Torah," Yad L'Achim said this week. "These success stories only encourage us to continue to care for thousands of Jews with similar life stories who are desperate for help. We won't rest until we can bring them home."
4. IDF BEGINS NEUTRALIZING HEZBOLLAH TERROR TUNNELS
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Israeli security forces began demolishing four cross-border tunnels Thursday along the Israeli-Lebanese frontier, as part of the ongoing Operation Northern Shield.
Earlier this month, the IDF launched Operation Northern Shield to locate and neutralize terror tunnels built from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory by the Lebanese-based terrorist organization Hezbollah.
Since the beginning of the operation, four such tunnels have been discovered.
According to a report Thursday by Channel 2 News, Israeli forces are using alternative methods to demolish the tunnels, without the need for explosives.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu hinted at "developments" in Operation Northern Shield, during his meeting with leaders from Greece and Cyprus.
"A few weeks ago, Israel launched a campaign to expose and neutralize cross-border terror tunnels on our northern border with Lebanon," said Netanyahu. "These tunnels were built by Hezbollah with direct support and funding from Iran. This is the Iranian web of aggression in the Middle East, which also terrorizes Europe and the entire world."
"Israel continues its operation against... terror tunnels, and will do so until its completion," Netanyahu continued, adding "As we speak, we are employing 'means' to neutralize these tunnels."
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke at a press conference ahead of the United Nations Security Council meeting on the Hezbollah terror tunnels, and urged the UN monitoring force in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL, to take action against the tunnels.
"What has to be done now is have UNIFIL do something serious. We await to see that."
Later on Wednesday, the IDF revealed details regarding the fourth tunnel discovered along the border.
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256462
[youtube:2051390:274]
5. FATHER AND SON KILLED IN ROAD ACCIDENT NEAR SDEROT
by Reut Hadar
A father and his son were killed in the early afternoon hours today (Friday) in a collision between a private vehicle and a commercial minivan on Route 232 in southern Israel, near Sderot.
A third man, aged about 60, suffered moderate injuries.
Medical crews that arrived on the scene determined the death of the father and son on the spot. The injured man was evacuated by helicopter to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva.
Alex Kusinov, a paramedic, told reporters: "When we arrived on the scene we saw a commercial vehicle and a private vehicle crushed on the road. Outside the private vehicle, a man aged about 40 was lying on the ground, not breathing, with no pulse and severe multi-system injuries.
"Inside the two vehicles, the drivers were trapped in the drivers' seats".
"In the private vehicle, a young man aged about 20 was unconscious with a severe multi-system injury. After initial medical care we transferred him to an MDA helicopter that is evacuating him with a chest trauma in moderate condition to Soroka Hospital," said Kusinov.
6. SHOOTING NEAR ISRAELI TOWN NORTH OF JERUSALEM
by David Rosenberg
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256477
Shots were reportedly fired at Ofra Junction, outside of the Israeli town of Ofra, Thursday night, a week and a half after a drive-by terrorist shooting there which left seven Israelis wounded.
Initial reports suggest the gunfire emanated from the nearby Arab village of Ein Yabrud, and was aimed at Ofra Junction.
No injuries have been reported.
Israeli security forces have been dispatched to the scene and are investigating.
Route 60, the primary north-south traffic artery, was temporarily closed in both directions as a result of the shooting.
The IDF confirmed that there were no injuries in the shooting, and that security forces had been dispatched to the scene, adding that soldiers returned fire.
"Following the previous report regarding shooting at the Ofra Junction, shots were apparently fired from the nearby village of Ein Yabrud, south of Ariel," an IDF spokesperson said. "No injuries were reported. IDF troops responded with fire, and are blocking routes and conducting searches in the area."
On December 9th, terrorists affiliated with the Hamas terror organization opened fire on a group of Israeli civilians at a bus stop at Ofra Junction.
Seven people were wounded, including a 21-year-old woman who was 30 weeks pregnant. Her child was born prematurely as a result of the attack, and died three days later.
7. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The White House confirmed Wednesday that it has started withdrawing US troops from Syria, following reports that the US was considering a complete withdrawal from the country.
"We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed in a statement.
"Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate," Sanders said. "These victories over ISIS in Syria do not signal the end of the Global Coalition or its campaign."
She added that the US and its allies "will continue to work together to deny radical Islamist terrorists territory, funding, support, and any means of infiltrating our borders."
A US official told Reuters that all State Department personnel in Syria will be evacuated from the country within 24 hours, and that all US forces will depart within 60 to 100 days, once the final operation against ISIS has been completed.
US President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon that his only reason to have US troops in Syria was to defeat ISIS, a mission which he said the US has accomplished.
"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency."
According to Reuters, the United States still has about 2,000 troops in Syria, many of them special operations forces working closely with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which is led by Kurdish YPG forces.
The US move comes as Turkey threatens a new offensive against the US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to attack the YPG Kurdish militia operating east of the Euphrates River. The YPG has been battling ISIS with the assistance of the US.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted the US presence in Syria at a news briefing, Reuters reported.
"From being a factor in the fight against terrorism, the illegal American presence in Syria is becoming a dangerous obstacle to the path to a settlement," she said.
8. CRUZ INTRODUCES BILL TO SANCTION PA OVER TERRORIST PAYMENTS
by Elad Benari
US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Thursday introduced the End Palestinian Terror Salaries Act of 2018.
The bill would impose sanctions against Palestinian Authority officials who provide financial rewards for Palestinian Arab terror attacks within 90 days of being enacted.
"Palestinian terrorists have wounded or killed more than a dozen Israelis over the last few months, including 45-year old American-Israeli Ari Fuld," Cruz said in a statement.
"The Palestinian government continues to provide hundreds of millions of dollars each year rewarding such terrorists and their families, providing an incentive for ever more violence. It's past time for Congress to impose direct costs on the Palestinian officials who manage the programs that provide these rewards," he added.
Earlier this year, the US Senate passed the Taylor Force Act, which cuts aid to the PA as long as the PA continues to pay salaries to terrorists. The legislation was named for US army veteran Taylor Force, who was murdered in a stabbing attack in Jaffa.
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas has been undeterred by the legislation and the repeated calls on him to stop paying terrorists and their families.
Abbas has continuously stressed that "families of the martyrs will continue to receive their allowances in full."
In a recent speech, Abbas called the PA's continued payments to terrorists a "red line" that would not be halted under any circumstances.
"The salaries of the shaheeds (martyrs) are our red line. We absorb a lot of pressure, but we will not compromise or give up on this matter, the money will go to them - until the last expulsion," Abbas said during a speech at the Executive Committee of the PLO in October.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
A7News: Israel and Arab Gulf state relations: 'Extraordinary times'
Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
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Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Thursday, Dec. 20 '18, י"ב בטבת תשע"ט
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HEADLINES:
1. ISRAEL AND ARAB GULF STATE RELATIONS: 'EXTRAORDINARY TIMES'
2. 'THE ENTIRE JEWISH PEOPLE WILL PRAY FOR NETANEL THIS SHABBAT'
3. WATCH: THE FAILED 'TWO-STATE SOLUTION'
4. 'I HOPE US CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON HEZBOLLAH'S ACTIVITIES'
5. BUILD THEIR NEW HOME
6. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
7. 'IF HEZBOLLAH ATTACKS, WE WILL BURY IT IN THE RUBBLE OF LEBANON'
8. ARAB MK: TERRORISTS ARE 'FREEDOM FIGHTERS'
1. ISRAEL AND ARAB GULF STATE RELATIONS: 'EXTRAORDINARY TIMES'
by Eliran Aharon
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256446
Foundation for Ethnic Understanding President Rabbi Marc Schneier spoke to Arutz Sheva about his groundbreaking work bringing understanding and normalization between Israel and the Arab Gulf states: "We're living in extraordinary times," Rabbi Schneier said. "There's a warming of relations between the Arab Gulf states and Israel. And one particular area where I think I've been very, very successful is making it clear to both Gulf leaders and to Muslim interfaith leaders that you cannot separate out Israel from Judaism.
"Meaning, Israel's not a seventy-year-old political reality for the Jewish People. Israel's at the very core; it's at the very center of Judaism, of our religion. So that asking to break out Israel from Judaism is like my asking halal and shariya to be broken out of Islam."
Rabbi Marc Schneier with Adel Al Jubeir (Saudi Arabia)
Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
Rabbi Schneier described the changes in attitudes he has observed over the years of his work: "So I've been involved with the Gulf states for close to twelve years. And ten years ago I would hear comments like, 'You know, Rabbis, we have nothing against Jews; it's the Zionists, it's the Israelis.' I no longer hear those comments, I no longer have that conversation. There is a recognition that if you want to engage in dialogue with the Jewish People, with the Jewish community; if you want to engage in an interreligious dialogue between Islam and Judaism, that you also need to acknowledge that Israel is very much at the core of the Jewish religion."
"Things are changing. I'm not going to sit here and to represent that 'we have arrived at the Promised Land' of Jewish/Muslim relations, or the Promised Land of Gulf/Israel relations. And if I can remind our viewers that in the Torah it took forty years to get to the Promised Land. I'm not suggesting that it will take that long to get to the Promised Land in terms of relations between Israel and the Gulf, but the wonderful news is that the journey has begun. And it's a journey that's moving in a very positive direction today."
Indeed, in December 1964, Bahrain hosted the Arab Regional Israel Boycott Conference. Today, they are looking to grow their own Jewish community: "The fact is that even in the Gulf I've been asked by different leaders, from Bahrain, from Khatar, from the United Arab Emirates to assist them in helping to build Jewish life in the Gulf. For example in Bahrain there is a Jewish community. A small Jewish community. But I've been asked by the King of Bahrain to help not only preserve the Jewish community, but to help grow the Jewish community, and what would it take to grow the Jewish community.
"These are all very, very positive developments along the journey; discussions that would not have taken place ten years ago, five years ago, even two years ago."
Rabbi Marc Schneier with UAE's Sheikh Nahyan (October 2018)
Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
They want peace with Israel, they want a connection with Israel?
"They very much desire establishing relations with Israel. Most people believe that their primary reason is the existentialist threat coming from Iran. I would make that reason number two. Number one, what I hear from most Gulf leaders, whether it's from Saudi Arabia or whether it's from Qatar or others, is that the primary reason is econimics, and I've heard comment like 'With our wealth and Israel's brain trust, Israel's technology, we could develop together the most powerful region in the world.
"My work focuses on the six Gulf states. That's Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. I'm prepared to suggest or to predict that in the year 2019 you're going to see either one or two Arab Gulf states establishing relations with Israel. I do believe the first state will be the Kingdom of Bahrain. The King of Bahrain consistently - at least since I've known the King for seven-and-a-half years - has consistently made pronouncements in support of Israel. Just last week the Foreign Minister of Bahrain applauded Israel for cleaning out the tunnels in the north, and just a few days ago the Foreign Minister of Bahrain tweeted his support for Australia for recognizing West Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256446
"So you see theat the Kingdom of Bahrain has been very, very consistent in supporting Israel and wanting to establish diplomatic relations with Israel."
"In Bahrain you have a very tiny Jewish community of thirty-seven Jews. It's the only Gulf state that has an official synagogue, and the King would very much like to see that community grow.
"Recently we discovered that there is a small Jewish congergation in the Emirates, in Dubai, and again the Emirates would like to see that community grow.
"And then even in Qatar, for example, at their large university, which is a goup of many universities from the United States, there can be between 75-100 university students and college professors who are Jewish, so you see that in different Gulf states you do have tiny, small Jewish communities."
Saudi Arabia's King Salman welcomes Trump to dance with sword during welcome
Reuters
"Of all the six Gulf states, the one that is the most public, the one that is the most visible in working closely with the Israeli government is the Stae of Qatar. So that the money that was brought to Gaza was not only brought with the blessing of the Israeli government, it was brought at the request of the Israeli government. So Qatar and Israel would be a wonderful example of an Arab Gulf state and the State of Israel working and cooperating together."
"People are very excited, if not euphoric, and are very supportive of my work. When in modern Jewish history have you had the forces of the United States, specifically the Trump Administration, the State of Israel, and the six Gulf states all coming together - all these forces coming together.
"This is a time of great opportunity and great expectations and why I for one am very, very optimistic that we can see a very genuine, authentic, comprehensive peace for the region that would be a great benefit not only to the Israelis but to the Palestinians as well."
Rabbi Schneier with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain
Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
Area map
iStock
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256446
Dubai Marina
iStock
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
iStock
Kuwait Sunset
iStock
Muscat, Oman
iStock
Doha, Qatar
iStock
UAE Aerobatic Team Al Fursan (Fursan Al Emarat) performs at Marrakech Air Show
iStock
Manama at night, Bahrain
iStock
2. 'THE ENTIRE JEWISH PEOPLE WILL PRAY FOR NETANEL THIS SHABBAT'
by Uzi Baruch
"This coming Shabbat we, all the people of Israel, secular and religious, will pray for the critically wounded soldier Netanel Felber, who is fighting for his life," Education Minister Naftali Bennett wrote Wednesday.
The Chairman of the Jewish Home visited the soldiers Naveh Rotem and Netanel Felber, soldiers of the "Netzach Yehuda" battalion who were wounded in last week's terror attacks.
Bennett also wrote that "Netanel's condition is very serious because of a severe head wound. The doctors are administering treatment but the truth is that, with a wound like this, they are very limited." He added that Netanel's parents ask the Jewish people to pray this Shabbat for his healing. "All the people of Israel, secular, religious and haredi - we will pray as one for Netanel."
Felber's Hebrew name for prayer is Netanel Ilan ben Shayna Tzipora.
During the visit, the soldier Naveh Rotem, who was wounded in an attack at an army post near the town of Beit El, told the minister about the moments in which he was attacked by the terrorist. "At that moment I thought to myself that this could not happen, my wife could not stay alone. We grappled as I tried to break free in order to get in a position to shoot. The last picture I remember was the terrorist standing over me with a rock."
Naveh added that a resident of Beit El who passed by with her car in the area saved him. "She saw the terrorist attacking and began honking and calling for help."
3. WATCH: THE FAILED 'TWO-STATE SOLUTION'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256447
4. 'I HOPE US CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON HEZBOLLAH'S ACTIVITIES'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256444
Former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director in the Obama administration Leon Panetta discussed with Galei Tzahal the US intention to withdraw forces from Syria amid recent discoveries of Hezbollah's terror activity on Israel's northern border.
"My view is that Hezbollah has always threatened the security of Israel, that's been one of their goals, so it's not surprising that the Israelis would determine that some of the recent actions by Hezbollah are aimed at the possibility of creating problems in Israel," Panetta said.
"When I was director of the CIA and secretary of defense, we viewed Hezbollah as one of those terrorist groups that was seeking to undermine security in the Middle East, and we continued to focus on their activities.
"I'm hopeful that the US is continuing to do that."
5. BUILD THEIR NEW HOME
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256413
Beit Haggai Youth Village opens its gates and its heart to deprived youth from all over Israel who are unable to remain at their parents' homes for a variety of reasons. These at-risk youngsters have no family environment in which to thrive. Most come from religious backgrounds.
Beit Haggai Youth Village, established 30 years ago, is located in Beit Haggai, 10 km. (6 mi.) south of Hebron. The village operates according to a unique Family Model: Specially-trained couples with children each take in about ten youngsters aged 13-18, living under one roof as a family in a spacious home. The parents serve as role models and with their warmth, love and the surrounding professional infrastructure, they succeed in rehabilitating these young men and reintegrating them into Israeli society.
At the Village, they learn to get along with other youngsters, under the supervision of their "adoptive" couple. The school they attend has an advanced curriculum and atmosphere tailored to their needs, providing all necessary physical and emotional support. The couples make sure to provide the youngsters with a healthy, normative family environment, including family dinners, homework supervision, provision of clothing, regular medical care, social services and social and recreational activities.
During the 30 years since Beit Haggai Youth Village was founded, hundreds of graduates have gone on to preparatory programs for higher education, enlisted in the IDF, integrated into Israeli society and established outstanding families.
But to continue our successful endeavors, we need you!
We want to provide all our students with family housing in permanent structures rather than temporary quarters. Over the coming 48 hours, a mass fund-raising campaign will be conducted to enable the construction of an additional Family Unit.
We feel it is most important to respond to these youngsters' special needs by providing them with a completely homelike atmosphere. Those who have never experienced stability and security in their lives will finally be able to acquire a sense of permanence, strength and protection.
Please help us build a new home for them.
Click here and help us succeed! We don't have a moment to spare!
6. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The White House confirmed Wednesday that it has started withdrawing US troops from Syria, following reports that the US was considering a complete withdrawal from the country.
"We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed in a statement.
"Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate," Sanders said. "These victories over ISIS in Syria do not signal the end of the Global Coalition or its campaign."
She added that the US and its allies "will continue to work together to deny radical Islamist terrorists territory, funding, support, and any means of infiltrating our borders."
A US official told Reuters that all State Department personnel in Syria will be evacuated from the country within 24 hours, and that all US forces will depart within 60 to 100 days, once the final operation against ISIS has been completed.
US President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon that his only reason to have US troops in Syria was to defeat ISIS, a mission which he said the US has accomplished.
"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency."
According to Reuters, the United States still has about 2,000 troops in Syria, many of them special operations forces working closely with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which is led by Kurdish YPG forces.
The US move comes as Turkey threatens a new offensive against the US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to attack the YPG Kurdish militia operating east of the Euphrates River. The YPG has been battling ISIS with the assistance of the US.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted the US presence in Syria at a news briefing, Reuters reported.
"From being a factor in the fight against terrorism, the illegal American presence in Syria is becoming a dangerous obstacle to the path to a settlement," she said.
7. 'IF HEZBOLLAH ATTACKS, WE WILL BURY IT IN THE RUBBLE OF LEBANON'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council held a special session to discuss Hezbollah's violation of Resolution 1701. The discussion took place at the request of Israel and the United States following the diplomatic efforts of Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, after the beginning of Operation Defensive Shield.
Ambassador Danon revealed to the Security Council members an aerial photograph of a "private compound" in the southern part of Kfar Kila about 80 meters from the Blue Line, from which an attack tunnel crossed the border into Israel, passing close to a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observation post.
Danon said that "Israel gave UNIFIL precise information about the location of the tunnel, but UNIFIL told the Lebanese army, which then was stopped when it tried to reach the area. This enabled Hezbollah to continue with concealing the tunnel's operations."
"Lebanese army officials are working for Hezbollah, while UNIFIL is not working ot fulfill its mandate in the region in the necessary manner," added the ambassador.
Ambassador Danon revealed an additional aerial photograph of the Lebanese town of Kfar Kila, in which he showed documentation of Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure, including two tunnels that penetrated the border into Israel, along with observation posts and information gathering and weapons storage areas.
Ambassador Danon said: "Hezbollah has built a terror base in the region against Israel, and inside a civilian population. This not only clearly violates Resolution 1701, but also uses Lebanese civilians as human shields. If Hezbollah dares to attack Israel, it will be buried in the rubble of Lebanon."
8. ARAB MK: TERRORISTS ARE 'FREEDOM FIGHTERS'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
MK Hanin Zoabi (Joint List) harshly criticized the bill on the expulsion of the families of terrorists which passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset today, Wednesday, and called terrorists "freedom fighters."
"The collective punishment of family members of Palestinian freedom fighters, with or without legal process, constitutes a war crime as well as a moral offense," Zoabi wrote on her Twitter account.
"The Hague is waiting, and we have to do everything in order for the real criminals to be tried."
The 'Expulsion Bill', which would empower the IDF's Central Command chief to authorize the expulsion of relatives of terrorists responsible for attacks against Israel, went up for a preliminary vote before the Knesset plenum Wednesday, passing by a margin of 69 to 38.
If passed, the chief of the IDF's Central Command would be able to order relatives of terrorists to be expelled from their homes within seven days of a terror attack, and sent to a different area within Judea and Samaria.
MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home), who drafted the bill, said the move was needed to restore Israel's deterrence against terrorism.
"Deterrence is the bedrock of Israel's security, a means of reducing terror attacks and saving lives while preserving law and order."
The Knesset voted on the bill following a string of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, most of them perpetrated by the Hamas terrorist organization.
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HEADLINES:
1. ISRAEL AND ARAB GULF STATE RELATIONS: 'EXTRAORDINARY TIMES'
2. 'THE ENTIRE JEWISH PEOPLE WILL PRAY FOR NETANEL THIS SHABBAT'
3. WATCH: THE FAILED 'TWO-STATE SOLUTION'
4. 'I HOPE US CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON HEZBOLLAH'S ACTIVITIES'
5. BUILD THEIR NEW HOME
6. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
7. 'IF HEZBOLLAH ATTACKS, WE WILL BURY IT IN THE RUBBLE OF LEBANON'
8. ARAB MK: TERRORISTS ARE 'FREEDOM FIGHTERS'
1. ISRAEL AND ARAB GULF STATE RELATIONS: 'EXTRAORDINARY TIMES'
by Eliran Aharon
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256446
Foundation for Ethnic Understanding President Rabbi Marc Schneier spoke to Arutz Sheva about his groundbreaking work bringing understanding and normalization between Israel and the Arab Gulf states: "We're living in extraordinary times," Rabbi Schneier said. "There's a warming of relations between the Arab Gulf states and Israel. And one particular area where I think I've been very, very successful is making it clear to both Gulf leaders and to Muslim interfaith leaders that you cannot separate out Israel from Judaism.
"Meaning, Israel's not a seventy-year-old political reality for the Jewish People. Israel's at the very core; it's at the very center of Judaism, of our religion. So that asking to break out Israel from Judaism is like my asking halal and shariya to be broken out of Islam."
Rabbi Marc Schneier with Adel Al Jubeir (Saudi Arabia)
Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
Rabbi Schneier described the changes in attitudes he has observed over the years of his work: "So I've been involved with the Gulf states for close to twelve years. And ten years ago I would hear comments like, 'You know, Rabbis, we have nothing against Jews; it's the Zionists, it's the Israelis.' I no longer hear those comments, I no longer have that conversation. There is a recognition that if you want to engage in dialogue with the Jewish People, with the Jewish community; if you want to engage in an interreligious dialogue between Islam and Judaism, that you also need to acknowledge that Israel is very much at the core of the Jewish religion."
"Things are changing. I'm not going to sit here and to represent that 'we have arrived at the Promised Land' of Jewish/Muslim relations, or the Promised Land of Gulf/Israel relations. And if I can remind our viewers that in the Torah it took forty years to get to the Promised Land. I'm not suggesting that it will take that long to get to the Promised Land in terms of relations between Israel and the Gulf, but the wonderful news is that the journey has begun. And it's a journey that's moving in a very positive direction today."
Indeed, in December 1964, Bahrain hosted the Arab Regional Israel Boycott Conference. Today, they are looking to grow their own Jewish community: "The fact is that even in the Gulf I've been asked by different leaders, from Bahrain, from Khatar, from the United Arab Emirates to assist them in helping to build Jewish life in the Gulf. For example in Bahrain there is a Jewish community. A small Jewish community. But I've been asked by the King of Bahrain to help not only preserve the Jewish community, but to help grow the Jewish community, and what would it take to grow the Jewish community.
"These are all very, very positive developments along the journey; discussions that would not have taken place ten years ago, five years ago, even two years ago."
Rabbi Marc Schneier with UAE's Sheikh Nahyan (October 2018)
Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
They want peace with Israel, they want a connection with Israel?
"They very much desire establishing relations with Israel. Most people believe that their primary reason is the existentialist threat coming from Iran. I would make that reason number two. Number one, what I hear from most Gulf leaders, whether it's from Saudi Arabia or whether it's from Qatar or others, is that the primary reason is econimics, and I've heard comment like 'With our wealth and Israel's brain trust, Israel's technology, we could develop together the most powerful region in the world.
"My work focuses on the six Gulf states. That's Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait. I'm prepared to suggest or to predict that in the year 2019 you're going to see either one or two Arab Gulf states establishing relations with Israel. I do believe the first state will be the Kingdom of Bahrain. The King of Bahrain consistently - at least since I've known the King for seven-and-a-half years - has consistently made pronouncements in support of Israel. Just last week the Foreign Minister of Bahrain applauded Israel for cleaning out the tunnels in the north, and just a few days ago the Foreign Minister of Bahrain tweeted his support for Australia for recognizing West Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel."
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256446
"So you see theat the Kingdom of Bahrain has been very, very consistent in supporting Israel and wanting to establish diplomatic relations with Israel."
"In Bahrain you have a very tiny Jewish community of thirty-seven Jews. It's the only Gulf state that has an official synagogue, and the King would very much like to see that community grow.
"Recently we discovered that there is a small Jewish congergation in the Emirates, in Dubai, and again the Emirates would like to see that community grow.
"And then even in Qatar, for example, at their large university, which is a goup of many universities from the United States, there can be between 75-100 university students and college professors who are Jewish, so you see that in different Gulf states you do have tiny, small Jewish communities."
Saudi Arabia's King Salman welcomes Trump to dance with sword during welcome
Reuters
"Of all the six Gulf states, the one that is the most public, the one that is the most visible in working closely with the Israeli government is the Stae of Qatar. So that the money that was brought to Gaza was not only brought with the blessing of the Israeli government, it was brought at the request of the Israeli government. So Qatar and Israel would be a wonderful example of an Arab Gulf state and the State of Israel working and cooperating together."
"People are very excited, if not euphoric, and are very supportive of my work. When in modern Jewish history have you had the forces of the United States, specifically the Trump Administration, the State of Israel, and the six Gulf states all coming together - all these forces coming together.
"This is a time of great opportunity and great expectations and why I for one am very, very optimistic that we can see a very genuine, authentic, comprehensive peace for the region that would be a great benefit not only to the Israelis but to the Palestinians as well."
Rabbi Schneier with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain
Foundation For Ethnic Understanding
Area map
iStock
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256446
Dubai Marina
iStock
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
iStock
Kuwait Sunset
iStock
Muscat, Oman
iStock
Doha, Qatar
iStock
UAE Aerobatic Team Al Fursan (Fursan Al Emarat) performs at Marrakech Air Show
iStock
Manama at night, Bahrain
iStock
2. 'THE ENTIRE JEWISH PEOPLE WILL PRAY FOR NETANEL THIS SHABBAT'
by Uzi Baruch
"This coming Shabbat we, all the people of Israel, secular and religious, will pray for the critically wounded soldier Netanel Felber, who is fighting for his life," Education Minister Naftali Bennett wrote Wednesday.
The Chairman of the Jewish Home visited the soldiers Naveh Rotem and Netanel Felber, soldiers of the "Netzach Yehuda" battalion who were wounded in last week's terror attacks.
Bennett also wrote that "Netanel's condition is very serious because of a severe head wound. The doctors are administering treatment but the truth is that, with a wound like this, they are very limited." He added that Netanel's parents ask the Jewish people to pray this Shabbat for his healing. "All the people of Israel, secular, religious and haredi - we will pray as one for Netanel."
Felber's Hebrew name for prayer is Netanel Ilan ben Shayna Tzipora.
During the visit, the soldier Naveh Rotem, who was wounded in an attack at an army post near the town of Beit El, told the minister about the moments in which he was attacked by the terrorist. "At that moment I thought to myself that this could not happen, my wife could not stay alone. We grappled as I tried to break free in order to get in a position to shoot. The last picture I remember was the terrorist standing over me with a rock."
Naveh added that a resident of Beit El who passed by with her car in the area saved him. "She saw the terrorist attacking and began honking and calling for help."
3. WATCH: THE FAILED 'TWO-STATE SOLUTION'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256447
4. 'I HOPE US CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON HEZBOLLAH'S ACTIVITIES'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256444
Former Secretary of Defense and CIA Director in the Obama administration Leon Panetta discussed with Galei Tzahal the US intention to withdraw forces from Syria amid recent discoveries of Hezbollah's terror activity on Israel's northern border.
"My view is that Hezbollah has always threatened the security of Israel, that's been one of their goals, so it's not surprising that the Israelis would determine that some of the recent actions by Hezbollah are aimed at the possibility of creating problems in Israel," Panetta said.
"When I was director of the CIA and secretary of defense, we viewed Hezbollah as one of those terrorist groups that was seeking to undermine security in the Middle East, and we continued to focus on their activities.
"I'm hopeful that the US is continuing to do that."
5. BUILD THEIR NEW HOME
📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/256413
Beit Haggai Youth Village opens its gates and its heart to deprived youth from all over Israel who are unable to remain at their parents' homes for a variety of reasons. These at-risk youngsters have no family environment in which to thrive. Most come from religious backgrounds.
Beit Haggai Youth Village, established 30 years ago, is located in Beit Haggai, 10 km. (6 mi.) south of Hebron. The village operates according to a unique Family Model: Specially-trained couples with children each take in about ten youngsters aged 13-18, living under one roof as a family in a spacious home. The parents serve as role models and with their warmth, love and the surrounding professional infrastructure, they succeed in rehabilitating these young men and reintegrating them into Israeli society.
At the Village, they learn to get along with other youngsters, under the supervision of their "adoptive" couple. The school they attend has an advanced curriculum and atmosphere tailored to their needs, providing all necessary physical and emotional support. The couples make sure to provide the youngsters with a healthy, normative family environment, including family dinners, homework supervision, provision of clothing, regular medical care, social services and social and recreational activities.
During the 30 years since Beit Haggai Youth Village was founded, hundreds of graduates have gone on to preparatory programs for higher education, enlisted in the IDF, integrated into Israeli society and established outstanding families.
But to continue our successful endeavors, we need you!
We want to provide all our students with family housing in permanent structures rather than temporary quarters. Over the coming 48 hours, a mass fund-raising campaign will be conducted to enable the construction of an additional Family Unit.
We feel it is most important to respond to these youngsters' special needs by providing them with a completely homelike atmosphere. Those who have never experienced stability and security in their lives will finally be able to acquire a sense of permanence, strength and protection.
Please help us build a new home for them.
Click here and help us succeed! We don't have a moment to spare!
6. WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS US WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The White House confirmed Wednesday that it has started withdrawing US troops from Syria, following reports that the US was considering a complete withdrawal from the country.
"We have started returning United States troops home as we transition to the next phase of this campaign," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed in a statement.
"Five years ago, ISIS was a very powerful and dangerous force in the Middle East, and now the United States has defeated the territorial caliphate," Sanders said. "These victories over ISIS in Syria do not signal the end of the Global Coalition or its campaign."
She added that the US and its allies "will continue to work together to deny radical Islamist terrorists territory, funding, support, and any means of infiltrating our borders."
A US official told Reuters that all State Department personnel in Syria will be evacuated from the country within 24 hours, and that all US forces will depart within 60 to 100 days, once the final operation against ISIS has been completed.
US President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday afternoon that his only reason to have US troops in Syria was to defeat ISIS, a mission which he said the US has accomplished.
"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency."
According to Reuters, the United States still has about 2,000 troops in Syria, many of them special operations forces working closely with an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, which is led by Kurdish YPG forces.
The US move comes as Turkey threatens a new offensive against the US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria. Erdogan has repeatedly threatened to attack the YPG Kurdish militia operating east of the Euphrates River. The YPG has been battling ISIS with the assistance of the US.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blasted the US presence in Syria at a news briefing, Reuters reported.
"From being a factor in the fight against terrorism, the illegal American presence in Syria is becoming a dangerous obstacle to the path to a settlement," she said.
7. 'IF HEZBOLLAH ATTACKS, WE WILL BURY IT IN THE RUBBLE OF LEBANON'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council held a special session to discuss Hezbollah's violation of Resolution 1701. The discussion took place at the request of Israel and the United States following the diplomatic efforts of Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, after the beginning of Operation Defensive Shield.
Ambassador Danon revealed to the Security Council members an aerial photograph of a "private compound" in the southern part of Kfar Kila about 80 meters from the Blue Line, from which an attack tunnel crossed the border into Israel, passing close to a UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observation post.
Danon said that "Israel gave UNIFIL precise information about the location of the tunnel, but UNIFIL told the Lebanese army, which then was stopped when it tried to reach the area. This enabled Hezbollah to continue with concealing the tunnel's operations."
"Lebanese army officials are working for Hezbollah, while UNIFIL is not working ot fulfill its mandate in the region in the necessary manner," added the ambassador.
Ambassador Danon revealed an additional aerial photograph of the Lebanese town of Kfar Kila, in which he showed documentation of Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure, including two tunnels that penetrated the border into Israel, along with observation posts and information gathering and weapons storage areas.
Ambassador Danon said: "Hezbollah has built a terror base in the region against Israel, and inside a civilian population. This not only clearly violates Resolution 1701, but also uses Lebanese civilians as human shields. If Hezbollah dares to attack Israel, it will be buried in the rubble of Lebanon."
8. ARAB MK: TERRORISTS ARE 'FREEDOM FIGHTERS'
by Arutz Sheva Staff
MK Hanin Zoabi (Joint List) harshly criticized the bill on the expulsion of the families of terrorists which passed its preliminary reading in the Knesset today, Wednesday, and called terrorists "freedom fighters."
"The collective punishment of family members of Palestinian freedom fighters, with or without legal process, constitutes a war crime as well as a moral offense," Zoabi wrote on her Twitter account.
"The Hague is waiting, and we have to do everything in order for the real criminals to be tried."
The 'Expulsion Bill', which would empower the IDF's Central Command chief to authorize the expulsion of relatives of terrorists responsible for attacks against Israel, went up for a preliminary vote before the Knesset plenum Wednesday, passing by a margin of 69 to 38.
If passed, the chief of the IDF's Central Command would be able to order relatives of terrorists to be expelled from their homes within seven days of a terror attack, and sent to a different area within Judea and Samaria.
MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home), who drafted the bill, said the move was needed to restore Israel's deterrence against terrorism.
"Deterrence is the bedrock of Israel's security, a means of reducing terror attacks and saving lives while preserving law and order."
The Knesset voted on the bill following a string of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, most of them perpetrated by the Hamas terrorist organization.