August 2014 Archives

Israel Downs UAV Near Syria Border

IDF spokesman says drone downed with Patriot missile by the IAF, appeared to have belonged to Syria’s military & had flown inadvertently into Israeli airspace.

By Ahiya Raved, Roi Kais, Itay Blumental

The IAF fired a Sunday afternoon, shooting down an unmanned aerial vehicle that strayed into Israeli airspace from neighboring Syria, the IDF said.

Patriot missile battery. – Photo: Avihu Shapira

The IDF said the incident occurred near Quneitra in the Syrian Golan Heights, the scene of heavy fighting between Syrian government troops and rebels.

Lt.-Col. Peter Lerner, a spokesman for the IDF, said the drone appeared to have belonged to the Syrian military and had flown accidentally into Israeli airspace. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: IAF, Patriot missiles, Quneitra, Syria Unrest, UAV

Despite prior cancellations, Lady Gaga will perform in Tel Aviv as planned

Announcement of Lady Gaga to perform on September 13, comes after a number of artists canceled shows due to IDF’s Operation Protective Edge.

By Haaretz

Lady Gaga will appear in Israel as scheduled, on September 13, one of the producers of her show affirmed on Sunday.

Lady Gaga affirms that she’ll be appearing for the second time in Israel, in a Tel Aviv show on September 13, 2014. – Photo: AP

The announcement comes as a number of artists have canceled or postponed their shows because of the rocket attacks that accompanied Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

Tickets for Lady Gaga’s show, set for Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park, went on sale in June.

Category: Israel News | Tags: concert, Israel culture, music, Tel Aviv

In Peace & After War, Israel’s Economy Continues to Grow

Report demonstrates that according to nearly every economic indicator, Israel’s economy continues to soar by leaps and bounds.

By Hillel Fendel

Wherever good news for Israel is to be found, Yoram Ettinger is there to publicize it. A long-time government consultant for US policy and projects, Ettinger now writes of a new economic study showing that “sustained, impressive growth of Israel’s economy throughout the last 30 years.”

Israel’s hi-tech industry helping to power a resilient economy – Reuters

The study was published earlier this month by Dr. Adam Reuter, CEO of Financial Immunities Consulting and the Chairman of Reuter-Maydan Investment House. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: economy, Israel economy, Yoram Ettinger

Israel’s ‘Top Secret’ nuclear high school

Israel’s Atid High School, located at the Dimona nuclear reactor trains selected students in professions needed for the Jewish state’s future industrial sector.

The students can’t divulge details of their studies, but admit it’s worth it to be in the fast-track for in-demand professions.

By Yael Branovsky

The parents of students at the technological high school at Israel’s Nuclear Research Center-Negev in Dimona have never seen where their children study. The parents aren’t allowed to visit, and the kids aren’t allowed to tell them anything. Every morning, the children check their cellular phones on their way to another day at Israel’s top-secret high school.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Dimona, Education, Israel nuclear

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Do you have Jewish roots? – New ‘home’ genetics kits could identify Jewish past

New home genetic tests kit could deliver answers for those who feel an affinity for Jews and closeness to Israel.

By SAM SOKOL

Millions of people around the world may discover Jewish roots with the increasing availability of home genetics tests and concurrent growth in popularity of genealogical websites, according to a Jerusalem think tank.

Uri Perednik poses with Ethiopian Jews in Addis Ababa. – Photo: Courtesy

The Jewish People Policy Institute, an independent body founded by the Jewish Agency in 2002, focused on Jewish continuity that conducted research regarding this issue, announced on Wednesday that earlier this summer it had recommended to the government, as well as Diaspora communities that they work to connect with people discovering that they have Jewish ties. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News, The Diaspora | Tags: DNA, Jewish Culture, Jewish World, JPPI

Al-Jazeera Reports: Syrian UNDOF peacekeepers flee to Israel

Al-Jazeera TV reported UNDOF soldiers in southern Syria abandoning their posts to flee to the Israeli side. Meanwhile a Phillipine official reported that Syrian rebels who seized the 43 Fijian UN peacekeepers, attacked Filipino troops on the Syrian Golan Heights.

By Roi Kais and AFP

The Al-Jazeera network reported Saturday that members of the UN Disengagement Observer Force stationed in Daraa in southern Syria are abandoning their posts and fleeing to the Israeli side of the Golan Heights.

Armored UN vehicle at Qunitera border crossing, Saturday morning – Photo: AFP

In another report published simultaneously, Philippine officials said Syrian rebels holding dozens of Fijian UN peacekeepers hostage attacked Filipino troops in the Golan Heights on Saturday. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Syrian rebels, Syrian unrest, UN, UN peacekeepers, UNDOF

Declassified U.S. documents: Washington agreed to Israel’s nuclear program

Newly declassified documents reveal contacts between Jerusalem & Washington in the late 1960s, when some in the US gov’t believed the nuclear option would not deter Arab leaders but would trigger a nuclear bomb race.

By Amir Oren

The Obama administration this week declassified papers, after 45 years of top-secret status, documenting contacts between Jerusalem and Washington over American agreement to the existence of an Israeli nuclear option. The Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP), which is in charge of approving declassification, had for decades consistently refused to declassify these secrets of the Israeli nuclear program.

Golda Meir and Richard Nixon at the White House, September 25, 1969.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Israel nuclear, Israel US. IDF. Yitzhak Rabin

United Nations in NY to Host Historic Counter-Anti-Semitism Conference

Public visitors will hear speakers that will explain how the current tide of rising anti-Semitism could have a catastrophic effect on the safety & security of the world.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

On Monday September 8th, 2014, at 1:15 p.m., the UN Permanent Mission of Palau, and the Engr Aja Eze Foundation are sponsoring a conference on “Global Anti-Semitism: A Threat to International Peace and Security” at the United Nations Headquarters facility in New York City.

The counter-anti-Semitism conference will feature speakers who will explain how the rising tide of anti-Semitism will have a catastrophic effect on the safety and security of the world. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: anti-Semitism, UN

israelandstuffcom | August 30, 2014

Was Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh poisoned by Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal?

Senior Hamas official said Haniyeh’s hospitalization was due to his living underground for so long, but others said Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal, furious at Haniyeh for accepting the Egyptian brokered cease-fire proposal, wanted him ‘gone’.

By Daniel Siryoti

Rumors spread in the Gaza Strip on Thursday that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh had been poisoned after he was hospitalized on Wednesday night with “chest pain” shortly after finishing his speech declaring Hamas’ victory in the last round of fighting with Israel.

Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal (left) and Hamas leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh, 2012 – Photo: AP

Was Ismail Haniyeh poisoned?

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: hamas

Al-Qaeda militants battle for the Syrian Golan Heights

Syrian Army calls in its air force strikes & reinforcements against rebel Islamists and al-Nusra Front militants and who captured 124 UN soldiers.

By Roi Kais and Ahiya Raved

Sounds of heavy fighting continued Friday afternoon on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights where Bashar Assad’s army continued in efforts to dislodge the al-Qaeda affiliated militants who recently captured areas surrounding the Quneitra border crossing with Israel.

UN troops at an observation post along the Israel-Syria border. – Photo: EPA

Despite a steady flow of reinforcements to the area alongside increased strikes from the Syrian Air Force, soldiers had yet to see success in their counter-offensive and the flag of al-Qaeda continued flying from the tops of buildings along the border. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Golan Heights, Israel Syria, Syrian rebels, Syrian unrest, UN peacekeepers

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Dershowitz: Does Jimmy Carter’s Support for Hamas Constitute a Felony?

As Jimmy Carter was maliciously accusing Israel of war crimes & encouraging greater int’l support for Hamas, the terrorist group ruling Gaza, a noted civil rights advocate & legal expert claims the ex-president may have committed several criminal offenses by advocating for and providing support to a terrorist organizations.

by Thomas Rose

Recently retired Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz told J.D. Hayworth at Newsmax TV that Carter’s recent article in London’s Guardian Newspaper, urging international recognition for Hamas, may have constituted recruitment for an organization classified as ‘terrorist’ under US law.

Former President Jimmy Carter – Photo by AP

Dershowitz accused Jimmy Carter of being “an all-out supporter of Hamas,” warning that if his advocacy turns into material support for the terrorist Hamas, Carter will be committing a felony. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: hamas, Jimmy Carter

Israeli man indicted for incitement to racism and to violence over Facebook comment

Lior Cohen from Be’er Sheva called for gathering together to attack Arabs & make them understand ‘that Israel isn’t their country.’

By Shirly Seidler

A Be’er Sheva man was indicted yesterday on charges of incitement to racism and to violence or terrorism, after creating a Facebook group called “A real Arab man is an Arab in the grave.”

Lehava protest in Rishon Letzion, August 17, 2014.

Members of right-wing organization Lehava protesting the wedding of a Jewish-born woman and a Muslim man in Rishon Letzion, August 17, 2014. – Photo: Ofer Vaknin

The indictment, which was approved by Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, was one of several issued in the past two months against Israelis for creating Facebook groups calling for attacks on Arabs.

Category: Israel News | Tags: Facebook, incitement to violence, Jews and Arabs, Jews and Muslims

KLM Changes Flight Service to Israel Over ‘Security Concerns’

Dutch airline to begin a 40-minute stop-over in Cyprus before entering Israeli airspace as a move for making ‘security’ appraisal.

By Ari Yashar

The Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) reportedly announced that starting Thursday night, all flights from Amsterdam to Ben Gurion International Airport will include a stopover in Cyprus. According to reports, the move comes due to “security concerns.”

KLM – Wikipedia

According to Yediot Aharonot, the change will have flights from the Netherlands stop-over in Cyprus for 40 minutes and then continue on to Israel.

The report cites KLM as saying that “due to logistical constraints the flights leaving from the afternoon from Amsterdam to Israel will have short stop-overs in Larnaca, and from there continue to Israel.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: airport, Ben Gurion International Airport, KLM

Is Saudi Arabia Edging Closer to Israel as Arab Borders Blur?

Saudi Foreign Minister: It’s time we denounce our hatred toward Israel & begin normalization with the Jewish nation.

By AWD News.com

Speaking on the sidelines of the world assembly of Islamic scholars in Jeddh, Saud bin Faisal Al Saud said that the Middle-East needs peace and co-existence more than ever and Saudi Arabia as a leading Islamic country is ready to make sacrifices in peace negations and encourages President Abbas to follow the same policy.

Saudi FM, Saud bin Faisal Al Saud

Referring to the ongoing war in Gaza strip, the Saudi foreign Minster stressed that Hamas authority is the sole responsible for Palestinian calamity and they must brought before the law. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Saudi Arabia Israel