A7News: Sri Lanka intel warned of Muslim attack on churches

Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday



Sunday, Apr. 21 '19, ט"ז בניסן תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. SRI LANKA INTEL WARNED OF MUSLIM ATTACK ON CHURCHES
2. 'THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE'
3. WATCH: SPRINGTIME SNOW ON MOUNT HERMON
4. RABBI YOSEF REVEALS THE CHARGED DEBATE OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT
5. 185 DEAD IN SRI LANKA EXPLOSIONS
6. MOSCOW YESHIVA SET ON FIRE DURING PASSOVER SEDER
7. WATCH: THE NEW ISRAELI 'WE ARE THE WORLD'
8. TERROR ATTACK FOILED IN SAMARIA


1. SRI LANKA INTEL WARNED OF MUSLIM ATTACK ON CHURCHES
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Intelligence officials in Sri Lanka warned that terrorist elements, including the radical Islamic organization NTJ, would carry out a suicide attack in certain churches during Easter.

In the terror attack this morning, at least 185 people were killed and more than 500 wounded during Easter Sunday prayers. Dozens of victims were evacuated to hospitals in the capital Colombo.

A source in the Sri Lankan security services, who spoke with the Associated Press, reported that six explosions occurred almost simultaneously. According to him, a suspicion that suicide bombers blew themselves up at the entrance to the churches is being investigated. About four hours later another blast was heard in Dehiwela, a suburb of the city of Colombo, in which at least two other people were killed.

Among the dead are 35 foreigners, including French, Americans and Dutch.

The Israeli consul in India, Eli Sneh, said that at this stage there are no known Israeli casualties in the Sri Lanka attacks.


2. 'THIS IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING ON A MUCH LARGER SCALE'
by Mordechai Sones

Former Sri Lankan parliament member Rajiva Wijesinha told Al Jazeera he does not believe the Tamil Tigers are behind today's attacks.

"It's actually extremely chilling. We've never had anything of this sort before. Sri Lanka had a terrible time under Tamil Tiger terrorism for about 25 years and then there was a great sense of relief, which I am afraid the West has been fighting with us about, when we got rid of the tiger terrorists," Rajiva said.

"But the tiger terrorists were never as well organized and never quite as brilliant in synchronization and this is obviously something on a much larger scale which is frankly quite terrifying and you know the reactions I've heard suggest people are moving into panic mode again," he said.

The Tamil Tigers, formed in 1975, has vowed to carve out a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is known to have worked with "Palestinian" factions in the Middle East from whom they received advanced military training from 1978 to 1980.

Sri Lanka
iStock



3. WATCH: SPRINGTIME SNOW ON MOUNT HERMON
by Rafael Levi

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262134

The Hermon site announced more than 20 cm. snow has accumulated overnight on the site's lower level and continues to fall.

"We got fair and surprising snowfall. We didn't expect to close the site today, but visitors' safety is above all.

"The site's veterans don't remember such significant snow on Passover that caused the site to close at the end of April," noted Alon Friedman, the site's Director.

Notice will be publicized regarding opening of the site.

[album:open:11048]


4. RABBI YOSEF REVEALS THE CHARGED DEBATE OVER THE TEMPLE MOUNT
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef revealed in his weekly shiur that two members of the Chief Rabbinical Council demanded that the sign be removed that clarifies the Rabbinate's prohibition on going up to the Temple Mount.

"On the Temple Mount there has been a sign since the Six-Day War that the Chief Rabbinate of Israel forbids entering a place where there is sanctity. At the time, Rabbi Elyashiv asked that a person be standing there, a Torah scholar, who would warn people not to enter," Rabbi Yosef said.

He then revealed the dramatic debate in the Rabbinate Council. "Some time ago, a meeting of the Rabbinate Council was convened and one of the members protested the sign saying that it is forbidden to go up to the Temple Mount. 'There are rabbis who permit entering the Temple Mount,'" he said.

He said that the petitioner (whom Rabbi Yosef refused to name) wanted to replace the sign with a sign that clarified that there is a halachic controversy about ascending the Temple Mount and that some allow it.

"There was a sharp argument between the members, and I explained to him that we respect every torah scholar but we must remember: Who forbade entry?All of the great rabbis of all generations, from Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook through his son Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook, forbade this," Rabbi Yosef said

"There are those who claim that sovereignty should be shown, but Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook also referred to this and argued vehemently that it was a karet prohibition, and he wrote against it. All the leaders of the generation wrote this way. How can one disagree with them?"

In his remarks, he described problems that arise from the lenient opinion. "Traditional tourists come from abroad, they see religious people entering - they also enter. It is possible that the religious immersed in the mikvah and know how far to enter. But there are many others who do not know and enter in impurity. Will the Torah scholar who permits [ascending the Temple Mount] take responsibility for this?"

He then revealed that a vote was held. "They wanted to set up a committee to discuss the matter, and I said, 'There is nothing to discuss.' One said: 'Let's vote,' they voted, two voted for [the lenient position] - 12 voted against. The proposal failed. We have to be vigilant and warn the public that doesn't know."

During his speech he referred to the sanctity of the Western Wall and said that there is holiness throughout the Western Wall, even at the southern part of the wall. "We were at the prime minister's house with the rabbi of the Western Wall, Rabbi Rabinowitz, and we made it clear to him that the Reformists should not be recognized."

He attacked the Reform movement. "They do not have a foothold in Israel, but abroad they cause tremendous assimilation. The Reform and Conservative movements are the continuation of the Enlightenment 250 years ago. We stand strong against giving them any recognition."


5. 185 DEAD IN SRI LANKA EXPLOSIONS
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262123

At least 185 have been reported dead and 500 wounded after 3 churches and 3 hotels were hit by explosions Sunday in Sri Lanka.

According to Reuters, the 3 hotels hit in the capital Colombo, were the Shangri-La, Kingsbury Hotel and Cinnamon Grand.

According to The Guardian, the 3 churches hit by blasts are St Anthony's Church in the capital, St Sebastian's in Katuwapitiya, north of Colombo, and local media has also reported a church in Batticaloa in Eastern Province was hit.

The six explosions took place as the Christian world celebrates Easter on Sunday, and happened almost simultaneously. At least two are suspected to have been carried out by suicide bombers.

Nobody has yet claimed responsibility for the explosions, according to Reuters, but local reports have claimed that ISIS is behind the attacks.


6. MOSCOW YESHIVA SET ON FIRE DURING PASSOVER SEDER
by Elad Benari, Canada

An arson fire was set at the largest yeshiva in Russia as during a Passover Seder on Friday, Jewish officials said, according to The Associated Press.

No one was reported injured in the fire at the Torat Chaim school in an eastern Moscow suburb.

Olga Esaulova, a spokeswoman for Moscow's chief rabbi, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying the fire was set in a storage area for kosher meat and that swastikas were drawn at the yeshiva's entrance.

There were about 60 students, rabbis and guests in the building at the time, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported.

Israel's Kan 11 News reported that in addition, a swastika was sprayed on the front door of the yeshiva.

Earlier this month in Argentina, a man broke into the Mikdash Yosef congregation in Buenos Aires during Shabbat evening services and threatened worshipers.

During the attack, the assailant threatened the worshipers with a sharp object and threw rocks at the congregants and a security guard. He also threw oil on the floor, causing several worshipers to fall. One of the guards prevented further violence by pepper spraying the attacker.

The attacker shouted anti-Semitic slogans and curses against the Jewish people during the attack. He was arrested when the police arrived.

Also this month, a pro-Israel activist was beaten near an anti-Israel rally in Amsterdam by a crowd of men shouting "Jew."

(Arutz Sheva's North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Passover in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)



7. WATCH: THE NEW ISRAELI 'WE ARE THE WORLD'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/262129

More than 30 of Israel's famous artists and performers gathered for a special project with a message of unity and love for Israel

The "Shevat Achim VeAchiyot (brothers and sisters sitting together) project was conceived as a private initiative by Yifat Leder and Sa'ar Gamzu. Gal Galatz, the Galei Tzahal all music channel, also participated in the production.

The song was written by Doron Medley and composed by Idan Raichel, in the first collaboration of its kind between the two.

The work on the song was done voluntarily by all participants. All of the profits will be donated to the "Sahih" organization, the flagship program of the 'Netina Kederech Chayim' (giving as a way of life) organization.

Lyrics:

70 years on the road I'm traveling and looking
At what was and what will
And how my soul is still this nation

From catching the sunrise
From Jerusalem with its palaces
From the beaches of the Kinneret
From the parties of Tel Aviv

My father dreamed and prayed
To live in the Land of Israel
Today my children ask me
What is the story of Israel?

This is my home This is my heart
And I will not leave
Our ancestors, our roots
We are the flowers, the melodies
A tribe of brothers and sisters

The same neighborhood, the same street
Jacob's twelve sons'
Brought together after their wanderings
In the place of their longing

A man is his native landscape
He lines lines in the palm of his hand
Between the prayers and the oaths
The smell of orchard of citrus

And in my mother's eyes
I'll always find my place
The guitar is playing
An ancient tune that is right

This is a my home
This is my heart
And I will not leave
Our ancestors, our roots

And we are the flowers, the melodies
A tribe of brothers and sisters

From scratch everything is sewn
Patches, patches of the story
Like two words - they connect
The golden needle of a poet

Here I am from, Here I belong
And every friend of mine is like a brother
You are beating in my heart
I am east and west

This is my home
This is my heart
And I will not leave
Our ancestors, our roots
We are the flowers, the melodies
A tribe of brothers and sisters

This is my home
This is my heart
And I will not leave
Our ancestors, our roots
We are the flowers, the melodies


8. TERROR ATTACK FOILED IN SAMARIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Israeli Border Police on Saturday morning foiled an attempted terror attack at Samaria's Tapuah Junction.

The terrorist, a Palestinian Authority Arab of approximately 20 from the town of Sanniriya, arrived at the scene armed with a knife

Officers stationed in the area noticed the suspect's behavior and began chasing after him. A policeman at the scene noticed the chase and blocked the suspect's path with a squad car.

The suspect then drew a knife and began attempting to open the squad car's door in order to stab the officer. In response, the officer shot the suspect, injuring him.

No one else was injured.

According to Petah Tikva's Beilinson Hospital, the terrorist arrived in severe condition and his life is in danger.