Israel News from Jerusalem Newswire

Saudi Arabia urges citizens to 'swiftly' leave Syria

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:34:00 GMT

Saudi Arabia urged its citizens on Tuesday to quickly leave Syria to avoid getting caught in a military crackdown on months of popular protests, the Saudi state news agency reported.

"The foreign ministry renewed its warning to citizens currently in Syria to leave swiftly and asked those planning trips there not to travel now due to the unrest witnessed by the Syrian arena," the agency said.

For the full report go here.

Israeli opposition meets PLO chief in Amman

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:32:00 GMT

The Palestinian Authority must return to Mideast peace talks with Israel, Opposition Leader Tzipi Livni told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, adding that Palestinians should not allow themselves to be swept up by extreme Islamic forces.

Livni's comments were made during a meeting with Abbas in the Jordanian capital of Amman, which was also attended by former Kadima MKs Haim Ramon and Tzachi Hanegbi as well as current Kadima MK Roni Bar-On.

For the full report go here.

'Germany approves subsidized sale of military submarine to Israel'

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:30:00 GMT

A senior German official said Wednesday that the government has approved the subsidized sale of another Dolphin-type military submarine to Israel.

Dolphin-class submarines are capable of carrying nuclear-tipped missiles, but there is no evidence that Israel has armed them with such weapons.

For the full report go here.

'Katyusha fire on Israel was Syrian warning'

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:24:00 GMT

The four-Katyusha rocket volley from S. Lebanon which hit Galilee in northern Israel in the small hours of Tuesday, Nov. 29, was initiated by Hizballah commanders in South Lebanon although it was claimed by the al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades.

Hizballah activated a Palestinian cell it controls in the Ain Hilwa refugee camp near Sidon on behalf of its ally in Damascus, arming the cell with the rockets and marking out their firing positions and targets in Israel's Galilee.

For full report go here.

Bible Belt senator in Samaria: ‘G-d’s promise is forever'

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:21:00 GMT

Sen. Alan Clemmons, on his first-ever visit to Israel, visited Samaria this week and spoke with Arutz Sheva, which asked him why a Bible Belt senator – a Mormon, no less – is so interested in Israel while the “Jewish vote” is minimal in his state.

“I have a heartfelt desire to correct what I felt was a wrong when President Obama shared with the world his proclamation and his belief that Israel should return to the 1948 ceasefire lines, what he called the 1967 borders,” Sen. Clemmons said. “You and I know there are no such borders.”

For the full report go here.

Iran: We'll fire 150,000 missiles at Israel if attacked

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:18:00 GMT

Iranian Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi said Israel would be attacked with 150,000 missiles if it launches any military action against the Islamic Republic, the Iran Independent News Service reported Sunday.

Speaking before 50,000 army volunteers in Bushehr, the minister said "Iran is not Iraq or Afghanistan, if the Americans make the mistake and attack Iran, we will show them how to fight,” adding “Israel has to be punished for what it has done to the Muslims in Palestine and Lebanon."

For the full report go here.

Muslim Brotherhood takes lead in Egypt vote count

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:16:00 GMT

The Muslim Brotherhood's party appeared to be leading Egypt's elections on Wednesday after 90 percent of the votes in a number of cities and provinces have been counted, according to Al Jazeera.

Egypt's Al Nour party, considered a radical Islamic party, appeared to be in second place behind the Muslim Brotherhood, and the centrist party is only in third place, according to Al Jazeera.

For full report go here.

Israeli ambassador: Anti-Jewish 'sickness' in British press

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:12:00 GMT

Israeli Ambassador to Britain, Daniel Taub, condemned on Sunday what he called an anti-Semitic "sickness" inside some parts of the British media.

For the full report go here.

‘Mysterious explosion damaged Iranian nuclear site’

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:07:00 GMT

The explosion earlier this week that Iran said was at a uranium enrichment site actually damaged a nuclear plant and was far from accidental, The London Times reported Wednesday.

The newspaper quoted Israeli intelligence officials as saying that satellite photos revealed extensive damage from the explosion at Isfahan, near Tehran. The Israeli sources, so far unconfirmed, added that smoke was seen pouring out from a conversion plant and that it was clear that the blast was not accidental.

[For the full report go here.[(http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150252#.TtZjU3O9SSo)

FM: Resuming tax transfers to PA perpetuates terror

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:05:00 GMT

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday criticized the decision of eight senior ministers to release frozen tax revenue funds to the Palestinian Authority.

"The decision to transfer the funds to the Palestinians is a painful decision that may help restore relations between Israel and the Palestinians, but will allow the PA to continue to use the money to encourage and perpetuate terror," Lieberman said.

[For the full report go here.] (http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150265#.TtZiNnO9SSo)

Turkey slaps sanctions on Syria

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:56:00 GMT

Turkey will suspend all financial dealings with Syria and freeze Syrian government assets as part of sanctions against President Bashar Assad's government, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday.

Davutoglu also told a news conference that Turkey, once a close friend of Damascus, would block the delivery of all weapons and military equipment to Damascus as part of measures aimed at persuading Assad to end a violent crackdown against pro-democracy protesters.

For the full report go here.

UK orders immediate closure of Iranian embassy

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:53:00 GMT

LONDON - Britain said on Wednesday it had ordered the immediate closure of Iran's embassy in London and had closed its own embassy in Tehran after it was stormed by protesters.

"The Iranian charge (d'affaires) in London is being informed now that we require the immediate closure of the Iranian embassy in London and that all Iranian diplomatic staff must leave the United Kingdom within the next 48 hours," British Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament.

For the full report go here.

Awash in rumors of war

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:51:00 GMT

Israel – dividing the Church, or defining it?

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:48:00 GMT

Abbas to freed killers: Your hard work was not in vain

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:42:00 GMT

The Palestinian Arab which the world insists Israel make peace with by surrendering territory Tuesday praised and thanked murderers and accomplices to murder Israel released in exchange for IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.

“Your sacrifice and hard work were not in vain,” PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas told the freed terrorists’ of their suicide bombings and massacres of Jews.

“We thank Allah for your return and your safety. You are freedom fighters and holy warriors and for the sake of Allah and the homeland.”

Abbas – the “terrorist in a tie” – has been repeatedly welcomed into the White House and other western capitals by world leaders who contend that he is a worthy “partner for peace.”

Russia backs Palestinian state bid

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:19:00 GMT

MOSCOW: Russia has put its ties with Israel to the test by announcing plans to back a controversial Palestinian bid to win United Nations statehood despite strong resistance from the Jewish state.

The decision does not come as an outright surprise but underscores the growing diplomatic isolation in which Israel finds itself following a new flare-up in relations with regional powers Egypt and Turkey.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said Russia would vote in favour of any type of official UN recognition the Palestinians decided to seek.

For full report go here.

IDF cameras at border scare Lebanon into full alert

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:15:00 GMT

High tension on the northern border again has led the Lebanese army to go on full alert, this time because the IDF mounted surveillance cameras near a border gate. United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) rushed to the scene Tuesday to ensure calm.

The Lebanese army prepared for battle following the mounting of cameras near the “Fatime” gate, a former crossing point that was closed in 2000, when Defense Minister Ehud Barak, then IDF Chief of Staff, ordered the hasty withdrawal of soldiers who had been manning a security zone in southern Lebanon for more than 20 years.

Lebanese sources told the Beirut Daily Star that the IDF has been reinforcing the area since last month, building barricades and installing a control tower. Demonstrations, including rock throwing, have been frequent at the gate.

For the full report go here.]

Father of the bride arrested on Temple Mount

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:11:00 GMT

A Jewish man who accompanied his daughter to the Temple Mount on the morning of her wedding day was arrested and detained for three hours. His crime – putting a pinch of dust in a matchbox as a keepsake.

The incident took place on Monday, when Shlomo Neeman took his daughter Rivka to the Temple Mount. Shlomo is a senior employee with the Jewish Agency who lives in Carmei Tzur; Rivka, his oldest daughter, was just hours before her wedding.

The two were approved by police to ascend the mount, which according to Jewish tradition is the holiest site on earth. However, when Shlomo picked up a small quantity of dust, three police officers immediately arrested him and accused him of carrying out a religiously significant act - which when done by a Jew, is considered to have “potential to disturb the peace,” and is thus forbidden.

Go here for full report.

Cheney: Israel will bomb Iran reactor if need be

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:09:00 GMT

Former US vice president Dick Cheney said Monday that Isael is likely to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities if it proves necessary in order to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

“I think Iran represents an existential threat, and (Israel) will do whatever they have to do to guarantee their survival and their security,” Cheney told Newsmax.

Asked whether he based his prediction on a specific source, Cheney said he cannot attribute it to any one Israeli source, and "wouldn’t want to do that.”

For the full report go here.

PA's UN bid may lead to ICC action against settlers

webmaster@jnewswire.com (Ryan Jones) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:59:00 GMT

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) warned Tuesday that should the Palestinian Authority's statehood bid in the United Nations prove successful, West Bank settlers may find themselves facing criminal charges before the International Crimes Court.

An ACRI position paper on the possible legal ramifications of the PA's UN bid suggests that a General Assembly sanction of the Palestinian appeal with effectively subject West Bank settlements, and therefore settlers, to international criminal law and penal code.

As such, settlers would be exposed to individual criminal lawsuits in The Hague

For the full report go here.