A7News: 'Don't negotiate on our behalf'

Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Monday, May. 20 '19, ט"ו באייר תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. 'DON'T NEGOTIATE ON OUR BEHALF'
2. ICELAND FACES CRITICISM AFTER VIOLATING EUROVISION STANDARDS
3. THE YELLOW BADGE MARKING JEWS BEGAN IN BABYLONIA
4. CHICAGO SYNAGOGUE TARGET OF ARSON ATTACKS
5. SENIOR PA OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF SHOOTING ATTACKS NORTH OF J'LEM
6. HIGH COURT REJECTS PETITION AGAINST JERUSALEM DAY PARADE
7. EUROVISION: ISRAELI PERFORMER BREAKS INTO TEARS ON STAGE
8. WATCH: HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING WEDDING CEREMONY


1. 'DON'T NEGOTIATE ON OUR BEHALF'
by Arutz Sheva Staff, AFP

The Palestinian Authority leadership said Monday it was not consulted over an economic conference next month in support of Washington's Middle East peace plan and no party was entitled to negotiate on its behalf.

The White House announced Sunday it would co-host the June 25-26 conference with Bahrain focusing on economic aspects of the long-delayed peace plan, with the declared aim of achieving prosperity in the Palestinian Authority and Gaza Strip.

"We were not consulted by any party on the announced meeting to take place in Manama, Bahrain," Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement.

"We have not mandated any party to negotiate on our behalf."

The Palestinian Authority has boycotted the US administration since President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital in December 2017.

The Trump administration is expected to unveil the long-awaited plan possibly as early as next month.

Washington has yet to commit to an exact timetable on political aspects of the plan.

Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is the chief architect of the proposals.

Sunday's joint statement from the US and Bahrain called the event a "pivotal opportunity... to share ideas, discuss strategies and galvanize support for potential economic investments and initiatives that could be made possible by a peace agreement".

The Palestinian Authority views this as offering financial rewards in exchange for accepting a final status agreement that does not include the establishment of a Palestinian state.

"Attempts at promoting an economic normalization of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will be rejected," Erekat said.

"This is not about improving living conditions under occupation but about reaching Palestine's full potential by ending the Israeli occupation."

The US peace plan is expected to feature proposals for regional economic development that would include Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.


2. ICELAND FACES CRITICISM AFTER VIOLATING EUROVISION STANDARDS
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The Simon Wiesenthal Centre and UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) called for Eurovision to disqualify Iceland's Eurovision entry.

"Icelandic Hatari (Hate) singers did not keep their commitment. Reykjavik must be disqualified from 2020 contest," they said in a statement.

On 17 April, the Wiesenthal Centre had joined with UKLFI in writing to Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) executive supervisor, Jon Ola Sand, to demand depoliticization of this year's contest in Tel Aviv, which concluded this week-end.

This request specifically applied to Iceland's Hatari band, which had been proclaiming its anti-Israeli prejudices and threats "in contravention of both the spirit and the rules of Eurovision."

The Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, noted that "the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) umbrella body for Eurovision had responded that Iceland's Broadcaster would keep its commitments under Eurovision Song Contest Rule 2.6... "No lyrics, speeches, gestures of a political, commercial or similar nature shall be permitted during the ESC."

"This commitment was offensively violated by Hatari (meaning 'Hate' in English), which lived up to its name in inciting to anti-Israel hatred by unfurling Palestinian banners during the vote for winner of the event," the Centre said.

Samuels added that "responsibility be addressed to the Icelandic Broadcaster, which must accordingly be disqualified by the EBU from the 2020 Eurovision Contest in Amsterdam."

"We will be monitoring the situation in the context of campaign against BDS, the anti-Semitic Boycott,Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel."

In a statement, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said, "In the live broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final, Hatari, the Icelandic act, briefly displayed small Palestinian banners whilst [they] sat in the Green Room."

"The Eurovision Song Contest is a non-political event and this directly contradicts the contest's rules. The banners were quickly removed and the consequences of this action will be discussed by the Reference Group (the contest's executive board) after the contest."



3. THE YELLOW BADGE MARKING JEWS BEGAN IN BABYLONIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff

On Monday, the Dahan Center and the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center hosted a conference focusing on the Jews of Bavel (Babylonia).

The conference focused on the new age and the Jews' contribution to Babylonia from the time they were exiled from ancient Israel until Ezra and Nehemia led them back home.

Dr. Shimon Ohayon, Director at Bar Ilan University's Dahan Center, said, "Not many know, but the yellow badge to mark Jews began in Babylonia. There was a magnificent community, a few of them immigrated to Israel after Cyrus' announcement, but most of them remained in Babylonia. We have merited one of the most magnificent creations in history, written by Babylonia's Jews - the Babylonian Talmud. Unfortunately, today we are focused mostly on a few Today we will focus mostly on which level math students learn. That's important, but it's no less important to recognize our history as the Jewish nation scattered all around the world and returned to its land after 2,000 years of exile."

Dr. Zvi Yehuda, Director of the Research institute Director at The Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center, said, "Ezekiel's grave, which was one of the symbols of Babylonia's Jewish community, has not yet been destroyed, but it has been turned into a mosque and Jews are not allowed to enter. It has been made part of a mosque's complex. They erased the nearby synagogue. Today in order to reach the gravesite, you need to pass through the mosque. They don't allow Jews to enter mosques, because in their eyes, Jews are impure."

"We at the Babylonian Jewish Heritage Center are proud to work with the oldest of Israel's communities, the Babylonian Jewish community, and to spread its work and contribution to others. It's an honor for us to work together with Bar Ilan University and the Dahan Center to spread the glory of Babylonian Jewry," Professor Efrain Sadka, Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center chairman said.


4. CHICAGO SYNAGOGUE TARGET OF ARSON ATTACKS
by Marcy Oster/JTA

An unknown arsonist attempted twice to set on fire a synagogue building in downtown Chicago, while vandals smashed the windows of cars parked outside of a synagogue on the far north side of the city.

Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told reporters on Sunday that Chicago Police Deputy Superintendent Anthony Ricci ordered that synagogues, Jewish schools and Jewish-owned businesses receive "special attention" while the suspected hate crimes are investigated.

Two attempts were made at around midnight on Saturday to set alight the Anshei Sholom B'nei Israel synagogue located in the Lakeview neighborhood. The remains of several Molotov cocktails were found outside of the synagogue building. There was no damage to the synagogue building.

The synagogue's surveillance cameras filmed the arson attempts and Chicago police told local media that they have identified two suspects.

Anshei Sholom B'nei Israel Rabbi David Wolkenfeld wrote in a letter to his congregation that: "Someone attempted to violate the sacred space that serves as the beating heart of our vibrant community. Our response must be to rededicate ourselves to honoring the sanctity of our shul. We will celebrate Shabbat as a community, and take advantage of other times to engage in prayer during the week. We will stand together and support one another when we are frightened or in need of help."

Meanwhile, Chicago police also are investigating a rash of vandalism early Sunday morning outside of at least one synagogue in the West Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, including the smashing of windows of cars parked outside of the synagogue buildings.


5. SENIOR PA OFFICIAL ACCUSED OF SHOOTING ATTACKS NORTH OF J'LEM
by Arutz Sheva Staff

A senior Palestinian Authority official who was once granted amnesty by Israel following a history of terrorism has been accused of involvement in a series of shooting attacks near the Israeli town of Beit El, north of Jerusalem.

In late February, Zakaria Zubeidi – a senior official in the PA's Prisoners Ministry and a former leader of the Fatah party's terrorist operations in the Jenin district – was arrested, along with Israeli-Arab attorney Tarek Barghout in Ramallah in connection with what Israeli security forces called "serious and current terrorist activities".

During the arrest, police seized a vehicle owned by Barghout, who has often represented terrorists charged in Israeli courts. Authorities also seized an M-16 during the raid.

On Monday, the Shin Bet revealed that Zubeidi and Barghout were arrested in connection with a string of shooting attacks north of Jerusalem, and that intel information gathered on the two suspects had linked them to the attacks.

The two were arrested while in the midst of planning another terror attack, the Shin Bet said, by a joint operation of the Shin Bet internal security agency, the IDF, and Yamam special police force.

According to the Shin Bet investigation, Zubeidi and Barghout carried out two shooting attacks on Israeli buses near the town of Beit El.

The two allegedly used Zubeidi's personal vehicle – which had been provided to him by the Palestinian Authority in his capacity as a senior prisoner affairs official – during the attacks and during reconnaissance operations.

The shooting attacks include the December 27th 2018 attack on a bus en route to the town of Pisagot, south of Beit El. No injuries were reported in the attack.

The pair also opened fire at an Israeli bus on January 5th 2019 in the Beit El area. The two were in the midst of planning an additional attack when they were arrested on February 27th 2019.

The Shin Bet revealed Monday details from its investigation, including details on how the two planned and carried out the attacks. In preparation for the attacks, the two went over the chosen target areas, carried out observation of potential targets and gathered other information.

Barghout confessed, the Shin Bet said, to a November 19th 2016 shooting attack on an Israeli police car at the Zeitim checkpoint near Jerusalem. The police car was damaged, but no injuries were reported.

"That a senior Palestinian Authority Prisoners Ministry official and an Israeli attorney who worked for the Prisoners Ministry carried out severe terrorist attacks while using an official PA vehicle is very grave. Intelligence and operational activity by the security forces immediately after the attacks and in the ensuing weeks, including in Ramallah, is what led to the exposure of the cell and the foiling of other terrorist attacks in the future," a senior Shin Bet official said Monday, according to the Shin Bet's announcement.

Zubeidi, who once was on Israel's most-wanted list over his leadership of the Jenin region's Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, accepted a 2007 Israeli offer of amnesty in exchange for renouncing terrorism. Zubeidi accepted the deal, which was revoked in December 2011.

Zubeidi made headlines in 2004, when a female Israeli admirer, Tali Fahima, traveled to Jenin to serve as a human shield for him. Fahima, who was latered jailed for her aid to the terrorist leader, converted into Islam in 2010.


6. HIGH COURT REJECTS PETITION AGAINST JERUSALEM DAY PARADE
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Supreme Court Justices Noam Solberg, Yael Vilner and Ofer Grosskopf rejected Sunday the petition filed by Ir Amim and a number of academics and Jewish intellectuals against the Jerusalem Day Flag March.

In an exceptional move, the justices decided to require the petitioners to pay the respondents NIS 10,000 in sums to be divided between the police, the Jerusalem municipality and the "Am Kalavi" organization, which has been organizing the event for years.

In the judgment, the justices noted that it may have been possible to reject the petition without having to deal with the petitioners' arguments at all, since they lack standing.

"We argued over the issue of the petitioners' right of standing in the petition, claiming that tens of thousands of residents of the Muslim Quarter in the Old City were damaged by the flag dance parade, but none of them saw fit to file a petition with the court. The petitioners, seeking their welfare, did so in their stead. The petitioners' attorney claimed that Muslims in the Old City were afraid of petitioning. It is difficult to accept this argument while we are hearing the petitions of the residents of the Old City of Jerusalem every day," said the head of the panel, Judge Solberg.

Later on, the justices held that the merits of the petition should also be rejected, in light of the fact that the police are properly preparing for the incident and are giving their opinion about all consequences.

"The state of things properly balances between the freedom of speech and the rights of those marching in the flag parade on the one hand, and the public and private interests of the residents of the Old City on the other," Solberg said.

According to him, "The police are preparing with large amounts of forces for the flag parade, in what pertains to the maintenance of public order, the safety and security of the marchers, while preserving the fabric of life of the residents of the Muslim Quarter."

The petitioners will pay the organization 10,000 NIS in compensation for their legal fees.

Adv. Nati Rom, representing the Am K'Lavie association that organized the flag parade said: "We congratulate the Jewish People on the rejection of petition by the extreme-Left organization Ir Amim to cancel the flag dance on Jerusalem Day.

"The court accepted our position in its entirety and even charged Ir Amim with expenses, testify to the vindication of our path.

"We hope the Petitioners will also join us and the more than 100,000 celebrants who will participate in the march," said Rom, who represented the association together with Adv. Hillel Barak.

Atty. Nati Rom
Lev HaOlam



7. EUROVISION: ISRAELI PERFORMER BREAKS INTO TEARS ON STAGE
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263339

Israeli Eurovision contestant Kobi Marimi performed his song "Home" - and broke into tears.

At the end of his performance, Marimi thanked the crowd, saying, "Thank you very much, thank you to the amazing audience in this hall, who supported and encouraged me. I couldn't help feeling your amazing energy."

"Thank you also to all those watching from home. I'm very happy to have performed this and honorably represented Israel."

Earlier Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called Marimi to encourage him.

"Millions are watching you now and you know that the entire country is supporting you," Netanyahu said. "It's important that you believe in yourself, Kobi. Do the best you can. That's what you expect from yourself, and that's what we expect from you. We're all supporting and embracing you. I'll be watching you also. Much success to you and our country."

Kobi Marimi at Eurovision 2019 Finale in Tel Aviv
Orit Penini / KAN 11



8. WATCH: HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING WEDDING CEREMONY
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263375

The wedding participants seen in a video filmed in Brazil could not believe their eyes.

They awaited the bride who was supposed to arrive at the chuppah (wedding canopy) in a helicopter, but to their horror, seconds before the touching the ground the helicopter crashed.

Both bride and pilot managed to escape from the aircraft, which had started to burn, and fortunately the incident ended without casualties - just with one helicopter smashed on the ground and a wedding that will never be forgotten.