Four Gazans carrying knives, grenades arrested crossing border

Four  Palestinians were caught Thursday evening (1st) by IDF forces trying to infiltrate through the Gaza border into Israel, carrying knives and grenades.  The security establishment is looking into whether they were planning a terror attack or purposefully were trying to get arrested to avoid Gaza’s deteriorating economic situation.

According to reports, the suspects were observed by IDF spotters as they approached the border fence and were apprehended immediately after crossing into Israel.

(ynetnews.com)

Israel braces for growing Iranian threat in Lebanon and Syria

The Israeli security cabinet will convene a special meeting next Tuesday (6th) to discuss the growing involvement of Iran in Lebanon, Channel One Israeli television reported Thursday night (1st).  According to the report, the meeting comes amid Iran’s effort to strengthen its grip on Lebanon and build a precision missile factory inside the country.  Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot is due to brief the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday (4th), when he will deliver his annual assessment of the situation along Israel’s borders, including the situation in Lebanon and Syria.

(worldisraelnews.com)

Top adviser to Khamenei says Iran’s regional influence ‘inevitable’

The top adviser to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday (1st) the country’s leadership has no intention of reining in its influence across the Middle East despite U.S. pressure to do so, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who sees Iran as a rising threat to regional stability in the Middle East, has pledged to work with Gulf Arab states and Israel to curb what they say are Tehran’s attempts to extend its influence in the region.

“Iran’s influence in the region is inevitable and to remain a key player in the region, this influence will continue,” the adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati, was quoted as saying.

(farsnews.com)

Israeli Ambassador to UN slams Poland’s Holocaust bill

Addressing an annual service to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day, Thursday (1st) at the United Nations General Assembly, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon warned the world against allowing a legislation to pass that denies the truth and rewrites history.

Despite his warning, hours after the ceremony, the Polish Senate passed the controversial bill that will outlaw blaming the country of Poland for crimes of the Holocaust committed on its soil.

“On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, we tell our children the unthinkable stories of this dark chapter in human history so that no tragedy of this kind will ever happen again,” Danon said.  Warning against allowing any legislation that denies the truth and attempts to rewrite history, Danon added “as we honor those few brave souls who stood strongly against evil and saved Jews from death, we must not forget those who cooperated with the Nazi evildoers.  We will firmly oppose any attempt to distort the truth.”

(worldisraelnews.com)

Ukraine leader’s concern for  ‘unacceptable’ Polish Holocaust bill

KIEV, Ukraine – Ukraine’s leader said Thursday (1st) that he was “deeply concerned” by Poland’s adoption of a controversial Holocaust bill which was designed to defend the country’s history, but has instead sparked an uproar.

“I am deeply concerned by the decision of the Polish Parliament,” Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko wrote on Facebook.

(timesofisrael.com)

U.S. adds Hamas political chief to terrorist list

The U.S. State Department has added the leader of Hamas’ political wing to the list of designated terrorists.

Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Qatar, is the head of Hamas’ political bureau and a former Palestinian Authority prime minister.  He was placed on the list because the State Department determined that he has either committed or is a risk to commit terror attacks that harm U.S. citizens or the country’s national security or economy, according to a State Department news release on Wednesday (1/31).

(jta.org)

Hamas ‘undeterred’ by U.S. terror designation

The U.S. decision to put the head of the Hamas terror group on its terror blacklist on Wednesday (1/31) will not deter “our resistance to Israel,” the group said.

“The American decision to include Ismail Haniyeh on the terrorist list is a failed attempt to pressure the resistance,” said the group that runs the Gaza Strip.

“This decision will not deter us from continuing the resistance option to expel the occupation,” it said in a statement.

Hamas, which has fought three wars against Israel since 2008, receives support from Iran.

(afp.com)

Jerusalem Belongs to the Jews: An Islamic Truth – Qanta Ahmed

As a believing Muslim observing Islam, I am compelled by the Koran to support Israel’s sole claim to the Holy Land; the Koran says it is so.  The Koran states: “Moses said to his people: O my people!  Remember the bounty of God upon you when He bestowed prophets upon you, and made you kings and gave you that which had not been given to anyone before you among the nations.  O my people!  Enter the Holy Land which God has written for you.”

Nowhere does the Koran make mention of the Muslims’ claim to the Holy Land.  Instead, God reveals in the Koran that the Holy Land is designated for the followers of Moses.  It is this Islamic truth that political Islamists vehemently deny.  Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed, MD a British-American Muslim and member of the Council on Foreign Relations, is Associate Professor of Medicine at the State University of New York.

(timesofisrael.com)

Russia, Israel discuss security for 2018 Soccer World Cup

MOSCOW –  The Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev has discussed security issues at this year’s Soccer World Cup with his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat, RIA news agency reported on Thursday (1st).

“The exchange of information between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies, cooperation for legal assistance requests and cooperation for providing security throughout preparations for and during the 2018 world event were discussed,” Russia’s Security Council said in a statement.

Russia will host the World Cup from June 14 to July 15 in 12 venues spread across 11 cities including Moscow, St Petersburg and Sochi.

(russiainsider.com; reuters.com)

Smoke Grenade hurled in Ukrainian bookstore during Holocaust lecture

MOSCOW – An unidentified person wearing a ski mask hurled a smoke grenade into a Ukrainian bookstore during a lecture about the Holocaust.

At least 45 people were attending a talk entitled “A terrible story: The Holocaust. Memory. Pain. Lessons” at the E bookstore on Monday evening (1/29) in Lviv, in western Ukraine, when the incident occurred.

The event was a lecture by the Holocaust historian Elena Andronatiy.

After the smoke subsided and the room was aired out, the lecture resumed.  There were no injuries.

More than 130 anti-semitic incidents were recorded in Ukraine last year.

(jta.org)

Defense Minister warns Hizbullah at conference

Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman warned the Iranian-backed Hizbullah militia that it can expect a punishing Israeli response in the next war with Israel.

“No one is looking for adventure, but if we are already destined to do so, the goal is to end this as quickly and unequivocally as possible, with what we have seen in all the conflicts in the Middle East,” Lieberman said at the National Institute for Strategic Studies (INSS) conference on Tuesday (1/30) .  “Unfortunately this is impossible without boots on the ground,” he added.

Lieberman said that “if Tel Aviv residents end up in bomb shelters, then so will the people of Beirut.”

(israelnn.com)

In Israel’s north, Russia is the ‘primary address’

The frequency of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s meetings with Russian President Putin is a testament to Israel’s ongoing disquiet over developments on its northern front.  While the Russians have thus far turned a blind eye to Israel’s alleged air strikes in Syria, they are well aware that if Israel were also forced to attack targets in Lebanon – to curb Hizbullah’s missile capabilities – it would spark a conflagration that jeopardizes Russian achievements in Syria.

Israel cannot accept along its northern border the formation of a menacing “Shiite crescent” comprising Hizbullah units and pro-Iranian militias armed with Iranian weapons and an arsenal of precision missiles.  To block the Iranians, Russian is currently the most important and almost sole address.

(israelhayom.com)

IDF foils stabbing attack in settlement, arrests Palestinian with knife

An army coat clad Palestinian man planning a terror attack was arrested Wednesday (1/31) near the West Bank settlement of Negohot holding a knife and a map of the Israeli community, security forces said.

The IDF later said in a statement, “A short while ago, IDF troops thwarted an attempted terror attack to the community of Negohot, southwest of Hebron.
(timesofisrael.com)

Palestinian who tried to run-over soldiers in Jordan valley charged

Jihad Jabari, a Palestinian who tried to run down two soldiers in the Jordan Valley two weeks ago, was charged with two counts of attempted murder Wednesday (31st).

The military prosecution asked to extend his remand until the end of legal proceedings against him.

(ynetnews.com)

Iran hackers reportedly tried to phish Israeli nuclear scientists

Iranian hackers reportedly targeted Israeli nuclear scientists with a phishing scam in an effort to gain access to sensitive material.

According to a Hadashot TV news report on Tuesday (1/30), Israeli scientists received emails containing dubious links to news stories from a ‘fake news outlet’ called the British News Agency.

The TV report did not indicate whether any of the phishing attempts were successful or where they took place.

(timesofisrael.com)

Hamas militant killed digging terror tunnel

A member of Hamas’ military wing, Mahmoud Al-Saidi, was killed Wednesday (1/31) inside one of the tunnels in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas terror organization announced that Al-Saida was killed while digging a tunnel into Israel.

(ynetnews.com; israelnn.com)

After Netanyahu summons Ambassador, Irish Senate postpones debate on bill blocking Israeli settlement goods – Noa Landau

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned Tuesday (1/30) new legislation in Ireland that could forbid the import and sale of products from Israeli settlements.  He instructed the Foreign Ministry to summon the Irish ambassador in Israel to express Israel’s dissatisfaction.

After debating the bill on Tuesday, the Irish Senate decided to postpone further debate until July.  This will allow the Irish government five months to make progress on a diplomatic approach and action at the EU level.  It also gives more time for changes to the bill, those involved in the matter said.

The idea of boycotting goods from the settlements is not the only goal of the supporters of the BDS movement, said Dan Diker, director of the Political Warfare Project at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.  The BDS movement’s goal, as expressed by its founder Omar Barghouti, is to “reject the idea of a Jewish state in any part of Palestine.”  BDS wants to replace the Jewish state, Diker added.

(haaretz.com)

Ruling: Kansas law targeting Israeli boycotts temporarily blocked

WICHITA – A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Kansas law barring state contractors from participating in boycotts against Israel, saying the state law violates their free speech rights.

US District Judge Daniel Crabtree ruled Tuesday (1/30) that the US Supreme Court has held that the
“First Amendment protects the right to participate in a boycott like the one punished by the Kansa law.”    

The law that took effect in July prohibits the state from entering into contracts with individuals or companies participating in a boycott of Israel.

Twenty-four states have such policies.

(ap.com)

Jewish boy, 8, beaten in Paris suburb in anti-Semitic attack

A Jewish boy was beaten by teenage assailants in a suburb of Paris in what French prosecutors are calling an anti-Semitic attack.

The boy, 8, was wearing a kippa while walking to a tutor on Tuesday (1/30) in a suburb of Paris when two assailants, both teenagers, knocked him to the ground and beat him, according to AFP.

It is the second attack on a Jewish child in the same area in January.  A 15-year-old Jewish girl was slashed in the face on January 10th, while walking home from school wearing the uniform of her Jewish private school.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident saying, “An 8-year-old boy was attacked today in Sarcelles because he wore a kippa.  Everytime  a citizen is attacked because of his age, appearance or religion, the whole country is attacked,” Macron tweeted.

(afp.com; jta.org)

First Temple-era relics of possible royal estate found in Jerusalem Hills

Israeli authorities inaugurated a nature park on Wednesday (1/31) near Jerusalem after five years of archaeological excavations near Ein Hanya, the second-largest spring in the Judean Hills and a key site in the history of Christianity.  Along with an announcement that the park will be opened to the public free of charge within months, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed some major findings at the site, including a column capital typical of royal structure from the First Temple era and one of the oldest coins ever discovered in the Jerusalem area.

(timesofisrael.com)   

Tu B’Shvat – A joyful day in Israel to celebrate trees

It is now the season of Tu B’Shvat – a joyous day in Israel when it is customary for children – and adults – to go on tree planting and agricultural field trips.  Diaspora Jews and supporters of the Jewish state traditionally contribute funds towards planting trees in Israel in order to support agricultural development in the land.

Israelis have a natural awareness of agriculture, as the Jewish state – in the land of “milk and honey” – produces close to 70% of all its food requirements.

On the holiday of Tu B’Shvat, there is the custom to eat new seasonal fruit and especially fruit from the
“Seven Species” described in the Bible as being plentiful in the Land of Israel.  The seven species are: wheat, barley, grapes, figs pomegranates, olives and dates (honey), Deut. 8:8.

Tu B’Shvat began at sundown Tuesday (30th) and ends at  sundown Wednesday (31st).

(unitedwithisrael.org)

Midnight Gaza rocket falls inside Israel

A Code Red siren was sounded at midnight Monday (29th) in the Sdot Negev and Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Councils after a rocket was fired into Israel.

Explosions were heard in the area, and after investigation, the IDF confirmed that a rocket had fallen in an open space in Israeli territory.  No damages or injuries were reported.

The last attack from Gaza took place at the beginning of January when three mortar shells were fired at Israel, all of which landed in uninhabited fields in Israeli territory.

(israelnn.com; ynetnews.com)

IDF launches plan to improve security in Jerusalem area

An IDF task force is working to reorganize the borders of the area assigned to the brigades charged with protecting the Jerusalem periphery, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot confirmed.

The IDF stressed that the process of reorganization was a response to a number of terrorist attacks in Jerusalem environs, which led to seeking improved operational efficacy for troops.

A military spokesman said Monday (29th) that the changes would not only lead to improved operational capabilities, but interorganizational communication.

(israelhayom.com)

U.S. delegation flees Palestinian mob in Bethlehem

A delegation of U.S. diplomats was forced to cut short a business event in Bethlehem and flee the city Tuesday (30th) after violent Palestinian protesters stormed the workshop.

The Palestinian mob, which was protesting President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, threw tomatoes at the delegation’s cars as they left and kicked the vehicles, agencies reported.

Reuters reported one of the cars was damaged.

(worldisraelnews.com; reuters.com)

Cost of border fences, underground barrier, reaches NIS 6 billion

Over the past 17 years, Israel has spent NIS 6 billion on building and improving border fences along the Jordanian, Egyptian, Syrian, Lebanese and Gaza borders, as well as on the first-of-its-kind underground barrier project on its southern border with Gaza – which costs nearly half the sum itself.

The underground barrier near the Gaza border is currently being constructed and will be completed in 2019.

The fence along the Israeli border with Syria was refurbished following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

The fence along the Jordanian border was built to stop migrants from entering Israel by passing through Sinai.

Construction on a Jordanian border fence near Eilat is still ongoing.

(ynetnews.com)

U.S. envoy Greenblatt views Hamas terror tunnels – Herb Keinon

On Sunday, (28th) U.S. Middle East envoy Jason Greenblatt visited the area in Israel near Gaza for a view of recently uncovered terror tunnels that penetrated into Israel.  Following the visit, Greenblatt wrote on Twitter that “Hamas wastes resources on tunnels and rockets to attack Israel, instead of helping the people of Gaza by getting the lights on, the water flowing & the economy growing.”  Hamas “spews hateful rhetoric & foments a vicious cycle of violence.  Gaza deserves better!”

(jpost.com)

UN envoy: Gaza on verge of ‘total systems collapse’

Gaza is beyond a “humanitarian crisis” and “on the verge of a total systems failure,” UN Mideast envoy Nickolay Mladenov said Tuesday (30th).

Speaking at the INSS annual conference in Tel Aviv, Mladenov defined a total systems failure as the “full collapse of the economy and social services,” with all the “political, humanitarian and security implications stemming from that.”

(jpost.com)

IDF orders thousands of shoulder-fired infantry rocket launchers

An agreement was signed recently between the Israel Defense Forces and the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Company for the acquisition of thousands of light-weight shoulder-fired rocket launchers for the Israeli army’s infantry units.

Intended for use against both armored vehicles and fortified enemy positions, the MATADOR rocket systems are specially designed for use in close-combat, including in urban combat situations.

(israelnn.com)

B’nai B’rith honors Guatemalan president for embassy move to Jerusalem

The President of Guatemala was honored with an award from an International Jewish organization for his decision to move his country‘s embassy to Jerusalem and for his unwavering support of Israel.

Jimmy Morales received the Human Rights Award from global and regional B’nai B’rith officials during a ceremony Thursday (25th) in Guatemala City.

(timesofisrael.com; jta.org)

German city, Frankfurt cuts ties to banks that enable Israel boycotts

The deputy mayor of the city of Frankfurt announced on Monday (29th) that the municipal government will end all commerce with banks that conduct business with organizations that support a boycott of the Jewish State.

In a statement to The Jerusalem Post, Deputy Mayor Uwe Becker wrote that “We will shortly only work together with banks, peoples’ banks, and Sparkassen [public savings banks], that do not maintain business relations with organizations of the anti-Semitic BDS campaign or affiliated groups.”

Frankfurt is the first German city to sanction banks and financial institutions for providing services to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign targeting Israel.

(jpost.com)

Netanyahu meets with Putin about Iran and Syria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized his talks on Monday (29th) with Russian President Vladimir Putin as “very good and very in-depth.”  Speaking with reporters afterward, Netanyahu said he made it clear to Putin that Iranian efforts to establish itself in Syria would be stopped and that Israeli efforts to do so were already underway.

Netanyahu had similar things to say about Hizbullah weapons factories being built in Lebanon, adding, “It is important that our enemies understand that not only will Israel not accept the existence of these factories, but also that the superpowers will not accept it.”  He said that Iran was trying to escalate the situation in both countries and that Israel must be ready both militarily and diplomatically.

Regarding the Iranian nuclear deal he said, “I don’t think I could commit to what Russia’s position would be, but I think they understood deeply that if the necessary changes are not made, the U.S. will abandon this agreement.”

(timesofisrael.com; israelnn.com)

Report: Hizbullah threatens work on Lebanon border barrier

Hizbullah has told the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon that if Israel continues to build the barrier along the Israel-Lebanon border, in what the terror organization claims is a no-man’s-land, the group will open fire at workers and security personnel in the area, according to News 2.

The head of UNIFIL sent the message to the ambassadors of the United States and Britain who sent it on to the Prime Minister’s Office.  The defense establishment responded by saying, “Israel is acting in its sovereign territory in accordance with the Security Council resolution adopted upon the completion of the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, and therefore not only is there no intention of stopping the construction of the barrier, but  Hizbullah will pay dearly if it tries to heat-up the sector.  The Israeli response will be both severe and painful.”

(israelnn.com)

Palestinians hang Trump and Pence in effigy over slashed financial aid

U,S, President Donald Trump speaking at the World Economic Forum last week threatened that if the Palestinians didn’t start showing more respect, they’d lose even more American backing.

On Saturday (27th), a Palestinian mob responded by heaping even more scorn and threats of violence on the Americans.

During a rally in Bethlehem, masked Palestinians hung and burned both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in effigy.

(israeltoday.co.il)

Gaza hospital closes as UNRWA protests U.S. fund cuts

On Monday (29th), the Hamas terror group ordered a hospital in Gaza closed, claiming it had run out of diesel fuel required for generators needed amid daily power outages.

However the PA rejected the claims, saying funds were already transferred for purchase of diesel fuel to keep the generators going.

It remains unclear for the time being whether the decision to close the hospital was due to a genuine crisis or a ploy orchestrated by Hamas to exert pressure on the Palestinian government in Ramallah and the international community.

The U.S’s recent decision to withhold millions of dollars in aid from UNRWA has also precipitated mass demonstrations in the streets of Gaza.

(ynetnews.com; afp.com)

Israel to supply electricity for Gaza sewage treatment, water desalination – Matan Tzuri

Israel’s Water Authority signed an agreement with the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company last week to supply electricity to operate a sewage treatment facility in northern Gaza.  The $75 million  project was funded by the World Bank and several donor countries.  The facility is to become fully operational within two months and will serve 300,000 Gazans.

Israel will also supply power to the $40 million EU-funded Khan Yunis desalination plant.  Preventing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza “is a clear Israeli interest on security, diplomatic and moral levels,” said Alon Shoster, head of Israel’s neighboring HaNegev Regional Council.

(water.gov.il; ynetnews.com)

41% of Palestinian terrorists freed in exchange for Gilad Shalit have returned to terrorism – Nadav Shragai

420 of the 1,027 Palestinian terrorists released in exchange for captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in November 2011 have returned to terrorism and violence, according to a senior security official.

Many of the prisoners who went back to Gaza, seized control of Hamas and are hatching plans for terrorist attacks in the West Bank.

Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza who himself was released in the deal, is thinking up plans for another abduction.  Hamas’ fingerprints are all over many of the attacks that Israel managed to thwart in the past year.

(israelhayom.com)

Bill Maher defends Trump’s Jerusalem decision – Ian Schwartz

On January 26, HBO political talk show host Bill Maher defended President Trump’s decision to acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.  “Jerusalem has been their capital since 1949, it is where their government is.  They’ve won all the wars thrown against them.  I don’t understand why they don’t get to have their capital where they want.”

Maher asked why is it always up to Israel to come up with a two-state solution, and when they do, it is rejected.

“The essential thing that is making the two-state solution impossible is that one party is perpetually hostile, a coiled snake,” Maher said.  “Israel gave back Gaza and what was the result?  Did they use donated funds to build schools and hospitals? No.  They used them to build tunnels, to get weapons, and they invited Hamas to shell Israel across the border.”

(realclearpolitics.com)

Overseas tourism to Eilat up 69% this winter – Mishal Raz-Chaimovich

130,000 tourists from overseas are expected in Eilat this year during the winter season, compared with 77,000 in the previous year.  The number of weekly direct flights to Eilat increased from four to 40-50 over the past three years, including 17 from Russia, 10 from Germany, and 12 from Poland.

(globes.co.il)

Israel tries Arabic outreach – Rory Jones and Nazih Osseiran

Israel is using the Arabic language to seek common ground with Tehran’s enemies.  With 1.2 million followers on his Arabic Facebook page and more than 181,000 on Twitter, Major Avichay Adraee is the face of the Israeli army’s messaging campaign.  For Israel, social media has become a way to engage with Arabs and reinforce a growing alignment with Sunni Muslim Arab states.

In one of Adraee’s most intense social-media exchanges, a fighter from Hizbullah last year tweeted a picture of himself in uniform with a message that his group was going to conquer northern Israel.  Adraee responded: “If you dare, we will surprise you.”

(wallstreetjournal.com)

Israel Drill worst-case terror scenario – keren Setton

Early in January, 1,000 doctors, scientists and rescue service members from 35 countries, including China, the U.S., Germany and Spain, participated in the 5th International Conference on Preparedness & Response to Emergencies held by the Israeli military Home Front Command and the country’s health ministry.  At the end of the conference, a mass casualty terror attack was simulated at a soccer stadium.  Casualties were triaged by medical personnel and transported to a nearby hospital.  Coordination between units that do not work together on a daily basis is a critical element in the response to such attacks.

(xinhuanet.com)   

As world remembers Shoah, Europe urges action against anti-Semitism

As the world marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Saturday (27th), a top European official said more action had to be taken to effectively combat anti-Semitism.

EU Foreign Policy Chief Ferderica Hogherini has pledged to intensify the fight against anti-Semitism, terrorism and Xenophobia, and to defend Jewish life in Europe.

“The Holocaust and World War II have defined Europe’s modern history like no other event.  Our European Union was founded on the desire to say ‘never again,’” Mogherini said in a statement.

“But still, 70 years later, anti-Semitism, discrimination and hate speech are again on the rise in Europe,” she said, noting that “the best antidote against this madness is knowledge.  It is essential that our children learn about the Shoah and visit Auschwitz and other concentration camps, to understand what happened and never let it happen again.”

(israelhayom; reuters.com)

Remembering the Holocaust amid signs of rising hatred

Elderly survivors were gathered Saturday (27th) at the former Auschwitz death camp and political leaders warned that the Nazi genocide must continue to serve as a warning as the world marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

In Warsaw, Poland, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson paid his respects in a solemn ceremony at a memorial to the Jews who died revolting against German forces in the doomed Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943.

The head of Warsaw’s Jewish community read a prayer and Tillerson spoke briefly about the importance of not forgetting the horrors of the Holocaust.

His words came amid signs in Europe and beyond that ultra-nationalism and extreme right-wing groups are on the rise.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, (27th), U.S. President Donald Trump issued a special statement saying, “We take this opportunity to recall the Nazis’ systematic persecution and brutal murder of six million Jewish people.”

“On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we acknowledge this dark stain on human history and vow to never let it happen again,” the president added.

(ynetnews.com)

President Rivlin: “Israel not compensation for Holocaust” – Greer Fay Cashman

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin spoke on Thursday (25th) at the annual International Holocaust Day event for the diplomatic corps at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.  Rivlin noted that his own family came to the Land of Israel well over a century before the Holocaust and that other Jewish families were already living there.  

“The State of Israel is not a colonial project, and not compensation for the Holocaust.  The State of Israel came into being from the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in its own homeland,” said Rivlin.

(jpost.com)

PM Netanyahu slams Polish law: ‘History cannot be changed’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening (27th) responded to Poland’s bill to outlaw mention of Poland’s role in the Holocaust.

According to the bill, those who mention “Polish death camps” or blame Poland for murdering Jews would face up to three years in prison.

“The law is baseless, I strongly oppose it,” Netanyahu said.  “One cannot change history and the Holocaust cannot be denied.”

“I have instructed the Israeli Ambassador to Poland to meet with the Polish Prime Minister and express to him my strong position against the law,” he added.

(israelnn.com)

Muslim World League Chief: Holocaust atrocities shook humanity to its core

Secretary-General of the Muslim World League Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa labeled the Holocaust a Nazi crime that shook humanity in depth and resulted in atrocities that no fair, loving and just person can deny.

In a letter on the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Al-Issa  expressed “great sympathy with the victims of the Holocaust, an incident that shook humanity to the core, and created an event whose horrors could not be denied or underrated by any fair-minded or peace-loving person.”

“Islam protects the innocent, and holds accountable anyone who attacks or kills a single innocent soul,” he added.

(imra.org.il)

Army foils attempt by 2 Palestinians in IDF uniforms to infiltrate Jewish settlement

A Palestinian, dressed as an IDF soldier was arrested Sunday evening (28th) outside the Jewish settlement of Itamar, and searches are being carried out for another suspect also in an IDF uniform who got away.

IDF troops are interrogating the suspect who was caught to determine whether the pair had been attempting to carry out a terror attack, Hadashot news reported.  

(timesofisrael.com)

PA officials claim Palestinian borders include all of Israel

The Palestinian Authority continues to bestow plaques upon various honorees that depict Palestinian territory as comprising all of Israel, a phenomenon recently documented by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW).

Among the recent examples of this practice are the PA National Security Forces and PA Ministry of Education distributing honorary plaques with a PA map that eliminates the existence of the Jewish State.  District Governor of Ramallah and El-Bireh Laila Ghannam received a plaque like this in mid-January depicting the PA’s Israel-free version of Palestinian borders.

This practice is consistent with statements by PA officials describing “Palestinian land” as covering the area “between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.”

(pmw.org; worldisrealnews.com)

IDF spokesman in rare Lebanon op-ed: ‘Lebanon has become large Iranian missile factory’

IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis published a rare op-ed by an Israeli official on a Lebanese opposition website, in which he said,” Lebanon has become – both by its own actions and omissions – and by a blind eye from many members of the international community, one large missile factory.”

It’s no longer just a place of transfer of arms, funds or consultation, Iran has de-facto opened a new branch, the Lebanon branch.  ‘Iran is here,’” he said.    

He also said that “Billions of dollars are flowing from Tehran through Beirut to anywhere in the Middle East where there is evil and terrorism.”

(ynetnews.com; afp.com)

Assad: ‘Attack again, and I’ll launch a missile at Ben Gurion Airport’

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday (28th) sent a threat to Israel through Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that if Israel attacks targets in the country again, Syria would respond by firing Scud missiles at Ben-Gurion Airport.  “Syrian honor is above all else,” Assad told Putin, who replied that he would convey the message to Israel.

(israelnn.com)

Kinneret rose nearly 6 inches

Because of the rains the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) water level rose almost 6 inches since Thursday (25th).

According to Israel’s Water Authority, the current water level is over 3 feet below the lower red line, making it the lowest measurement in 100 years.

(water.gov.il)

Netanyahu: We will not allow Iran to destroy us

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Thursday evening (25th) at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland

He criticized the nuclear deal with Iran and said, “I think that the current arrangement is so flawed that it promises that Iran will have everything necessary to create nuclear weapons, including the enrichment of fissile material on a huge scale.”

Netanyahu added, “I don’t care if the agreement is fixed, cancelled, or kept.  What is important to me is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear arsenal.  Because not only does Iran spread terror all over the world, Iran openly says that it will use these weapons and any weapons it possesses in order to destroy Israel,  We will not let that happen,” he reiterated.”

He also reaffirmed that the seat of the Israeli government is in Israel, and that Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years.  “Donald Trump did a great service for peace, because peace can only be based on the truth.  You can’t build peace on fantasy,” the PM said.

(jpost.com; israelnn.com)

Iran a no-show at Davos

Gulf Arab officials used the World Economic Forum at Davos on Wednesday (24th) to slam Iran for what they said was its destabilizing behavior in the region, taking advantage of Tehran’s conspicuous absence at the annual event.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had been a regular presence at the annual forum, and often clashed with his Gulf Arab counterparts at competing sessions.

But this year he didn’t show.

As a result,  the platform was wide open for Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to criticize the Islamic Republic

(israelhayom.com)

Iran has amassed an army of 82,000 troops in Syria, says Danon

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon warned the UN Security Council Thursday (25th) that Iran had amassed a fighting force in Syria, including thousands of Revolutionary Guard soldiers flown in from the Islamic Republic.

According to Danon, the Tehran regime has formed an army of 82,000 combatants in Syria, including a core of 3,000 Revolutionary Guard troops, thousands of Hizbullah terrorists and other militias.

According to Danon, “Iran is working to turn Syria into the largest military base in the world.”

(reuters.com)

Jerusalem court sentences rock-throwers who killed Israeli driver

The Jerusalem District Court on Thursday (25th) sentenced three Israeli Arabs to prison terms ranging from three to fifteen years for the 2015 death of Alexander Leviovich.

Leviovich, 64, was returning to his Jerusalem home on the eve of Rosh Hashana, when his car was struck with rocks, causing him to lose control and crash.  He died in the hospital shortly after the attack.  Two other passengers were injured.

(worldisraelnews.com)

Report: U.S. re-examining all aid to Palestinians

The State department is re-examining the entirety of U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority after an announced $100 million cut to UNRWA, Hadashot News reported Wednesday (24th).  U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley reportedly wants the Palestinian leadership to pay for its attitude toward the U.S. government and President Trump.  The U.S. gave $700 million to the Palestinians last year.

(hadashot.com; timesofisrael.com)

Poll: Most Palestinians, half of Israelis no longer believe in two-state solution

Most Palestinians and half of Israelis no longer believe in the two-state solution because they believe it is no longer possible, an Israeli-Palestinian poll conducted by Palestinian pollster Dr. Khalil Shikaki and the Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research showed.

The rate of Jewish Israelis preferring a peaceful resolution also dropped, the survey showed, with the percentage of people supporting a decisive war rising, compared to a previous poll.

(ynetnews.com)

Heavy downpours flood roads, snow falls in north

Heavy downpours fell in northern and central Israel Thursday morning (25th), straining the country’s drainage infrastructure as the rain inundated its roads.  Accompanied by thunder and lightning, the showers literally brought traffic to a standstill.

Snow also dropped on the lower Hermon area, causing authorities to close it to visitors.

Rain will continue through Friday (26th).

The rains are being well received after over four years of drought.

(ynetnews.com)

Arizona Attorney General defends Israel anti-Boycott law –  Howard Fischer

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich is defending a 2016 law designed to prevent public dollars from going to firms that engage in boycotts of companies that do business with Israel.  Brnovich said Arizona lawmakers have a legal and moral right to ensure that companies receiving public funds do not discriminate based on national origin.

“When you have a close ally of the United States, where you have a key trading partner to the state of Arizona that has been under, quite frankly, constant attacks since 1948, I think the state does have a role.  I think we do have a right to say ‘We stand with Israel.””

He said the state has acted reasonably to prevent commerce from being used as an economic weapon against Israel. “This is particularly true as the effect – and often goal – of BDS boycotts is to strengthen the hand of the Palestinian Authority at the expense of Israel.”

(paysonroundup.com)

Syrian infant discharged from Israeli hospital after life-saving surgery

A month-old baby born to Syrian refugees in a camp in Cyprus last month and airlifted to Israel for emergency surgery is now being discharged from Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Center in Tel Aviv, doctors said Thursday (25th).

The newborn was flown to Israel on December 23rd with a life-threatening heart defect after an appeal was sent to the Israel Foreign Ministry for entry permits.  The permits were issued, and the baby and his father entered Israel.

The parents had fled to Cyprus to escape the Syrian civil war in 2011.

(worldisraelnews.com)

Desecration of Thessaloniki Holocaust memorial condemned

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece have condemned the vandalizing of a Holocaust Memorial in Thessaloniki.

“Merely a week before the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, (this Saturday, 27th) followers of the Nazi party in Greece stated their presence by desecrating the Holocaust Monument in Thessaloniki with their repulsive signature,” the central board said in a statement, according to Greek newspaper, Neos Kosmos.

Not only was the monument spray-painted, but anti-semitic leaflets were posted in a city square calling Thessaloniki Mayor Yiannis Boutaris a “slave of the Jews.”

The monument, a sculpture depicting a menorah with human bodies intertwined into the flames of its candles, was recently vandalized with “Free Palestine” graffiti.

(jta.org)