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1. Gaza Terrorists Burn Down Second UN Camp, Handcuff Guards
by Maayana Miskin
Masked terrorists stormed into a United Nations children's camp in Gaza early on Monday morning, attacked and handcuffed the camp guards, and set the place on fire. UN workers said the facility sustained heavy damage.
The attack was the second of its kind this summer. In late May terrorists set fire to the United Nation's' largest Gaza summer camp and left behind bullets and a note threatening to kill John Ging, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) head in Gaza.
Ging responded to Monday's attack by calling to “change the circumstances on the ground that are generating such extremism.” He complimented Hamas' emergency responders for responding quickly to the incident.
Ging made similar remarks following the May attack. At that time, Fatah blamed Hamas for the incident, accusing the Islamic terrorist group of “targeting the education process and the UNRWA curriculum.”
Hamas has opened its own summer camps as an alternative to UNRWA. The Hamas camps focus on teaching the Koran and terrorist philosophy, including hatred of Israel. Many include paramilitary training. Approximately 100,000 Gaza children attend Hamas camps, while 250,000 attend the UN camps.
The UN camps have faced criticism from Islamist organizations other than Hamas, including Salafi groups that consider Hamas too moderate. Salafi terrorists have been behind previous attacks in Gaza, including dozens of bombings targeting music stores, restaurants, Internet cafes and pharmacies.
2. Arab-Israeli Terror Gang Arrested, Tied to 2009 Murder
by Maayana Miskin
Seven Arab citizens of Israel have been arrested for membership in a Nazareth-based terrorist group. Members of the group have been linked to the 2009 murder of taxi driver Yafim Weinstein of Nazareth Illit, as well as to violent attacks on Jews and Christians in the Galilee.
The seven were arrested in a joint police and Shin Bet (ISS) operation that was kept under wraps until Monday for security reasons.
The seven were motivated by Salafi Muslim religious belief. Salafism is the school of thought behind international terrorist organization Al-Qaeda.
Members of the group revealed during questioning that they had begun their path to terrorism on the Internet. Online, they found websites pushing the creation of a worldwide Islamic emirate, pictures of weapons and explanations on how to build bombs and carry out terrorist attacks, and terrorist propaganda.
On November 30, 2009, three members of the group decided to murder a Jewish cab driver. The three - Ahmed Ahmed, Aleb Ghanem, and Heider Ziadna - began by ordering a cab from the nearby Jewish city of Nazareth Illit. One of the terrorists entered the cab, and when it reached its destination, shot and killed the driver, 54-year-old father and grandfather Yafim Weinstein.
The other two terrorists helped the murderer escape and worked to hide evidence linking him to the crime. After their arrest, they confessed to the crime and led police to the place where the murder weapon was hidden.
The terrorist group targeted Christian Arabs as well as Jews. Members of the group attacked Christians and Jews on several occasions over the past two years, and on two occasions stabbed their victims. They also threw stun grenades and Molotov cocktails at Jewish and Christian-owned homes, and set fire to a bus.
The terrorists were nabbed before they could carry out their next plan – kidnapping an IDF soldier or stealing his or her weapon. They had also planned to kidnap a Nazareth resident who they suspected of having cursed Mohammed, revered as a prophet in Islam.
The terrorists were caught when Ahmed and Ghanem attempted to enter Somalia in order to join an Al-Qaeda training camp and fight United States soldiers. After capture, they were extradited to Israel, where they revealed the existence of the Nazareth terror cell under questioning. The Nazareth District Court extended their remand by six weeks on Monday.
3. Report: Turkey Closes Skies to Israel
by Maayana Miskin
Turkey is closing its skies to Israeli planes, Turkish media outlets reported Monday. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the closure in a meeting with Canadian journalists in Toronto, they said.
Erdogan reportedly described the move as another stage in Turkey's response to a recent clash between Israeli troops and pro-terror Turkish activists in which nine Turkish citizens were killed. The clash took place as foreign activists attempted to break Israel's naval blockade on Gaza. Members of the Turkish group IHH violently attacked and wounded Israeli soldiers as they attempted to board the ship Mavi Marmara, kicking off an armed struggle.
Turkey has demanded that Israel apologize for the incident, compensate Turkish citizens who were wounded, agree to an international investigation of the clash, and end the naval blockade on Hamas-run Gaza.
Israeli officials said they were not informed of any Turkish change in policy regarding Israeli flights. Unless Turkey makes an official statement, Israel will continue to assume that Turkish skies are open, they said.
4. Lebanon Arrests 'Spy for Israel'
by Maayana Miskin
Lebanon has arrested a technician on suspicion of spying for Israel. The technician, who has not been named, works for the Lebanese Alfa mobile phone network.
Arab media outlets reported Sunday that the detainee was a senior executive at the state-owned Alfa company who had access to “sensitive information” due to his work. Lebanese officials denied Monday that the man was a senior employee at the firm.
Lebanese forces launched an arrest campaign targeting alleged Israeli spies in early 2009. Several dozen people have been arrested since then, including former senior army officials.
An additional three suspects fled the country before they could be arrested. Two allegedly fled to Israel.
Israel has refused to confirm or deny any of the spy allegations.
In Israel, several citizens have been accused of spying for the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah. An Israeli Arab was sentenced to prison in April for spying on IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, well-known Israeli Arab activist Amir Mahoul has been indicted for allegedly providing Hizbullah with information on IDF bases, and former Israeli MK Azmi Bishara fled the country after allegedly assisting Hizbullah during the Second Lebanon War.
5. 850 Orthodox Rabbis vs. Obama's Supreme Court Choice
by Eli Stutz
The Rabbical Alliance of America, representing 850 orthodox Rabbis, harshly criticized U.S. President Barack Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan. Kagan, 50, is set to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens, 90, the court's foremost liberal.
Rabbi Yehuda Levin, speaking on behalf of the body of rabbis, issued a statement explaining the Rabbis position, in which he said:
"Ms. Kagan is Non-Kosher - not fit to serve on the supreme court or any other court. It is clear from Ms. Kagan's record on issues such as abortion-on-demand, Partial-Birth-Abortion, the radical homosexual and lesbian agenda, the "supremacy" of the anti-family panoply over religious liberties of Biblical adherents, et. al., that she will function as a flame-throwing radical, hastening society's already steep decline into Sodom and Gommorah."
Levin told CNSNews.com that his fellow rabbis and hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Jews--are confused at the Obama's choice of Kagan.
“What exactly was Obama thinking, President Obama thinking, when he nominated Kagan? Because eventually, down the road, someone--or some group--is going to ‘take the hit’ for the crazy decisions that Kagan is bound to make. So we would have much preferred if President Obama had given this ‘distinction’ to another minority group, instead of singling out the Jews.”
"We feel that Elena Kagan turns traditional Judaism on its head--from a concept of a nation of priests and holy people, she is turning it into, ‘Let’s homosexualize every segment of society. And by the way, partial-birth babies have no right to be delivered.’"
Senator Jeff Sessions, the leading Republican on the Judiciary Committee said that Kagan can expect hard questions regarding her ability to be a Supreme Court justice.
Sessions, who appeared on Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" said, "She has the least experience of any nominee at least in the last 50 years."
Kagan served in the past year as Obama's U.S. solicitor general. There, she advocated for the U.S. government in cases before the court she now wants to join. Kagan wouldl be the first new member of the Supreme Court in almost 40 years who has never been a judge.
6. Ambassador Oren Says 'Rift' Comment Misunderstood
by Maayana Miskin
Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren has denied saying there is a “tectonic rift” in Israel-US ties. In an interview with the Washington Post printed Monday, Oren said his comments were taken out of context and poorly translated.
What he really said, Oren stated, was that there had been “a tectonic shift in American foreign and domestic policies” and that “Israel has to adjust” to the change. The word “shift” was mistranslated to “rift,” he said.
The difference between the two words “may be a subtlety that escaped the Israeli ear,” he suggested.
He pointed out that in a recent media interview, he had praised the Obama administration as “as good if not better” than many other American administrations when it came to Israel. His “tectonic shift” remark was meant to emphasize Obama's push for change, he said.
He confirmed reports that he had said that under the Obama administration, crucial foreign affairs decisions are made at the White House and not in the State Department. “This is one of the most centralized administrations in post-World War II history,” he added.
Oren spoke recently at the Foreign Ministry. Sources who heard his briefing reported that the ambassador said, “There is no crisis in Israel-US relations because in a crisis there are ups and downs. [Instead] relations are in a state of tectonic rift in which continents are drifting apart.”
Oren's alleged remarks were quickly picked up by the Israeli and foreign media.
7. Yaalon: Israelis and Evangelicals are 'All in the Same Boat'
by Gil Ronen
Minister of Strategic Affairs Moshe Yaalon spoke at a high profile Christian evangelical conference in the United States on Saturday, and stated that the Israeli government wants to continue to strengthen its relationship with evangelical Christians. Israelis and evangelicals are "all in the same boat," the former Chief of Staff added.
According to CBN analyst Erick Stakelbeck, Yaalon was “undoubtedly the most anticipated speaker for the roughly 1,500 in attendance and 20,000 tuning in via satellite from around the world” to the 2010 Epicenter conference in Philadelphia, which focuses on Bible prophecy, Israel, and the Middle East.
Yaalon called for the "intensive dialogue" between Israel and the United States to become "deeper and, based more on empathy on both sides.” Both sides, he said, “have to show more readiness to listen to the other and understand and respect the concerns and the logic of the other."
The former top IDF soldier expressed hope that the coming meeting between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, slated to be held July 6 in Washington, "will send this message of closing the gaps."
Yaalon, who is a member of Netanyahu's 'Septet' of trusted cabinet ministers, said he believes there is still time to stop Iran's nuclear program through non-military means, should the West decides to do so. He said that he is encouraged by Russia's willingness to cooperate with sanctions against Iran.
Evangelical Christians, who wield great influence in the United States and believe that the Jewish rebirth in the Land of Israel is part of a Divine plan for redemption, are seen by many as Israeli nationalists' strongest ally in an largely hostile world. Some evangelical leaders, like possible Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, are frequent visitors to Judea and Samaria and enjoy excellent relations with Arutz Sheva, Israel's leading nationalist media outlet. Still, relations between the Israeli religious-Jewish Right and the American Christian Right are a tricky matter, because of the mutual distrust inherent in any relationship between religions.
However, Yaalon, like Prime Minister Netanyahu, is a secular Jew, and thus arguably more free to make alliances according to what he perceives as the State of Israel's current geopolitical and military interests.
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