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1. "I Will Be Their Mother" Says 12 Year Old Tamar Fogel
by Uzi Baruch
The eldest daughter of the Fogel family, 12 year old Tamar, promised
her relatives: "I will be strong and succeed in overcoming this. I
understand the task that stands before me, and I will be a mother to my
siblings". The orphaned youngster's words were quoted in the Hebrew
daily Yisrael Hayom.
In their home in the town of Neve Tsuf in Samaria, Tsila and Chaim
Fogel, parents of Udi, are sitting on low benches for the traditional
“shiva” week of mourning alongside his three brothers and sister.
There is a constant stream of comforters going in and out of the
house, VIP's and ordinary citizens from all over Israel, whose hearts go
out to the bereft family that lost son, daughter-in-law, and three
young grandchildren in a barbaric terrorist slaughter on Friday night.
Chaim Fogel continues to retell the story of terrible hours from 3 a.m.
on, when he received the horrific news, drove to Itamar, met his 12
year old granddaughter and then entered the family’s home. The
authorities were forced to ask her to tell what she saw when she
returned from her youth group activity to find her family’s bloodsoaked
bodies at 12:30 a.m. Chaim himself had the heartbreaking task of
identifying the bodies.
"We came to take the surviving grandchildren out of the Valley of
Death, he said. I don’t wish on anyone in the world the sight I saw. It
is horrendous, beyond description, beyond comprehension".
The grandparents recalled the last time they saw Udi, Ruti and the
children, a week and a half ago on Saturday night. They celebrated the
start of the month of Adar Bet in Itamar, danced, sang and laughed.
"At least they had a taste of Purim", said Udi’s mother Tzila. "I
didn’t feel any premonitions. Why should I have thought that I will
never see them again? I am not trying to remember if there was anything
of that nature in my mind. We were happy together. We have photos of the
children playing and happy".
The family is against any personal revenge or taking the law into
civilian hands. Their slain children felt the same, they said,
unequivocally.
The Ben Yishai home of Ruti’s parents in Jerusalem, where the surviving
grandchildren are now, is also crowded with comforters. After the
mourning week is over, the family will decide where the children will
live. Meanwhile, they are having difficulty in explaining to the
youngest child what happened to his parents. "What shall we tell them?"
they said. "What does a two-year-old understand when he cries over the
loss of his parents? They tell us that children heal quickly, mentally
and physically. We hope so".
2. IDF Navy Seizes Ship Filled With Arms on way from Syria to Egypt
by Aryeh Ben Hayim
This afternoon, the IDF announced that the Victoria, a German owned,
French operated and Liberian flagged vessel, was apprehended 200 miles
off the Israeli coast by the IDF Navy. It was carrying arms from the
port of Latakia in Syria to Alexandria in Egypt via Turkey. The IDF Navy
fighters, in an operation reminiscent of earlier ship seizures, met
with no resistance. The assumption is that the arms were intended for
the Hamas in Gaza and would reach them via the smuggling tunnels between
Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
The ship and crew have been towed to an Israeli port for continued
questioning and inspection. 3 crates of arms were found on the deck and
the inspection of the remaining hundreds of crates in the ship's
cargo is expected to reveal that this was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Brigadier General Avi Bnayahu, the IDF spokesperson, said to Israel
Army Radio "apparently we will find more evidence of the Iran, Syria,
Hezbollah axis". The official announcement claimed that there was no
Turkish involvement in the shipment, provoking speculation that Israel
was cautious not to further inflame its troubled relations with the AKP
Islamic Party government of Turkey.
The IDF pledged to continue its intelligence and operational activity
to protect Israeli security and prevent an arms injection that would
empower terror in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
The MInistry of Foreign Affairs announced: This attempt at smuggling
large amounts of weaponry aboard the Victoria provides additional proof
of Israel’s imperative need to examine all goods entering the
Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. Israel cannot allow weapons and military
equipment to reach the hands of terrorists, who will use them against
its civilian population.
3. Gag Order on Itamar Massacre Investigation
by INN Staff
A gag order has been imposed on information connected to the investigation of the brutal slaughter of five members of the Fogel family in Itamar on Friday night.
Israeli forces are questioning everyone who might know or have seen
anything untoward in the Samaria community, including the Thai and
Philippine workers who are employed there. This gave the opportunity to
several Palestinian news agencies, such as the Bethlehem-based Ma’an
News, to run stories claiming that a foreign worker had been arrested
for the killings as he was owed money by the family.
The focus of the search, however, is in nearby Arab settlements.
Israeli forces detained over 300 Palestinians in the village of Awarta
in the Nablus district after imposing a three-day curfew on residents,
Palestinian security officials told AFP. Two Palestinian Authority
intelligence officers were amongst those detained, officials added.
According to Maan,the militant wings of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Fatah
have all denied involvement in the murders, with the Al-Aqsa Brigades,
who originally claimed credit for the barbaric slaughter, saying Monday
in a statement that they "oppose the targeting of civilians and killing
of children no matter what the pretext may be." There was rejoicing in
the streets of Gaza, handing out of sweets and stated approval on the
part of Hamas at the news of the murders. One day after the terrorist
massacre in Itamar, Abbas' Fatah faction named a town square after the
jihadist leader of a 1978 bus hijacking in which 35 Israelis were
killed.
The Gaza government also accused Israel of assuming prematurely that
the killings were perpetrated by Palestinians. . Perhaps the Gazan
reaction is the one believed by CNN, which put quotes around the words
“terrorist attacks” in its original coverage. Israel protested to CNN.,
a further proof of the investigation's focus, if any was needed in
addition to the electronic fence alert and previous terrorist history in
Itamar.
4. Cyprus: No Cooperation with Flotillas to Gaza
by Chana Ya'ar
President Demetris Christofias of Cyprus assured President Shimon Peres
Monday in Jerusalem that his nation would stand strong in its support
of Israel.
The president of Cyprus, who arrived this week on his first state visit
to Israel, is leading a delegation of 60 Cypriot business people. The
two presidents met with news media following their meeting.
Cyprus is the first country to officially declare it will not cooperate
with efforts by various anti-Israel movements and countries to send
flotillas to violate Israel's blockade of Gaza. Peres thanked his
counterpart for also being the first country to take concrete steps to
prevent flotillas from leaving its ports.
“Terror activities in Gaza are unacceptable,” stated Christofias, “and therefore we have prevented the flotillas from leaving.”
During the second half of 2012, Cyprus is slated to serve as the
rotating president of the European Union. “We are ready to contribute
within the framework of the European Union to the peace process in the
region,” stated the Cypriot president. “Consider us a bridge to
advancing the peace process, and economic and diplomatic cooperation
with Europe.”
Cyprus supports the “acceleration of the peace process between Israel
and the Palestinians,” he added. “We support the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state side by side with Israel, as well as
Israel's right to security and stability. “We are very well aware of the
right of Israel to live next to peace-loving neighbors,” he said.
Christofias commented that the terrorist massacre
of five members of the Fogel family -- including a 3-month-old baby --
in the Samaria Jewish community of Itamar last Friday was committed by “people lacking any humanity and is intended as a provocation against efforts to achieve peace and security in the region.
“In the name of the people of Cyprus, allow me to offer my condolences to the president and to the families,” he said.
5. Israeli Insurers and Diamantaires Feel Japanese Fallout
by Aryeh Ben Hayim
Economic reverberations of the Japanese earthquake, tsunami and nuclear
catastrophes have been felt on global markets and have depressed share
prices. As part of the global economy, Israel is affected in general,
but is expected to sustain specific losses in two major areas: insurance
and diamonds.
Insurance companies, as a matter of sound policy, tend to disperse
risks so that one company will not be left holding the entire bag in the
event of a disaster. Therefore, Israeli insurers such as Clal
Insurance, assumed part of the Japanese risk via their foreign
subsidiaries. Clal has already reported its exposure to the Tel Aviv
Stock Exchange.
One of Israel's major exports to Japan is diamonds, where it ranks 3rd
behind India and Belgium. Japanese imports of polished diamonds had been
staging a recovery, as demonstrated by a 44% increase in January 2011
as compared with January 2010. Now this recovery will be stunted and
aborted.
The World Federation of Diamond Bourses believes that no members of the
Japanese diamond industry were hurt in the tsunami, but the WFDB
pledged its support to the Tokyo Diamond Exchange. Avi Paz, the
organization's president, expressed his condolences to the Japanese
people and his colleagues in the Japanese diamond community, and noted:
"The WFDB is a global family and we all come together at times like
these. On behalf of the WFDB, I would like to send my heartfelt best
wishes for a speedy recovery, and to offer any help and support to our
colleagues in Japan, particularly to our friends and colleagues at the
Tokyo Diamond Exchange."
6. Saudi Troops Enter Bahrain as Anti-Regime Protests Continue
by Elad Benari
A Saudi official confirmed on Monday that more than 1,000 Saudi troops
have entered Bahrain, where anti-regime protests have been going on for a
month.
The official told AFP that the troops entered the country on Sunday,
and that the intervention came “after repeated calls by the (Bahraini)
government for dialogue, which went unanswered” by the opposition.
Bahraini television showed on Monday evening a line of armored vehicles
carrying Saudi troops crossing the 16-mile causeway that links the two
countries. The Los Angeles Times cited witnesses and diplomats who said
that the force began taking up positions at strategic locations around
the country, including the neighborhood that is home to the royal
family. There was no immediate sign that the Saudi troops were
positioning themselves near Pearl Roundabout, the traffic circle in the
capital which is occupied by protestors.
Anti-regime protests in Bahrain have been taking place since last month,
as demonstrators have called on the government to announce reforms that
would end what they claim is systematic discrimination against the
country’s Shi’ite population (which makes up the majority) by its Sunni
rulers.
The Bahraini king, Hamed ibn Isa Khalifa, has offered to begin dialogue
with the demonstrators and has also suggested a new parliament and
other reforms. The opposition, however, has refused to talk until the
government resigns.
Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, and is the only Arab
country which has a female Jewish ambassador to the United States, Huda Nono.
The official Bahrain news agency posted a statement on Monday in which
it said that the arrival of the Saudi troops is the first wave of a
larger intervention by Bahrain's Persian Gulf neighbors.
“On this occasion, the Bahrain Defense Forces calls upon all citizens
and residents to cooperate fully with the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council
–ed.] forces and welcome them warmly,” read the statement which was
quoted by The Los Angeles Times.
The Saudi intervention came just two days after U.S. Defense Secretary
Robert Gates visited the capital Manama and held talks with the king in
which he urged Bahrain to undertake rapid and significant reform.
Gates noted that Washington was concerned that the longer the
instability in Bahrain continues, the more likely it is that Iran would
try to meddle in Bahrain's affairs.
Gates’ concerns may be have some substance since, according to a report
in Reuters on Monday, Iran has urged Bahrain not to allow foreign
interference in the country.
The report quoted the Director General for Persian Gulf and Middle East
Affairs at Iran's Foreign Ministry, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who said
that foreign interference in Bahrain would only complicate the
situation.
“The peaceful demonstrations in Bahrain are among the domestic issues
of this country, and creating an atmosphere of fear and using other
countries' military forces to oppress these demands is not the
solution,” Abdollahian was quoted by the Fars news agency as saying. “It
is expected that the demands of the Muslim people of Bahrain ... be
seriously considered by the authorities and that they prevent the
situation from becoming more complex by making right decisions and not
allowing foreign interferences in Bahrain.”
7. Watchdog Group:You Don't Boycott the MidEast's Only Democracy
by Fern Sidman, INN New York Correspondent
JCC Watch is focusing attention on the partnership between the Jewish
Community Center of New York City's Upper West Side and groups the
support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against
Israel.
The JCC of the Upper West Side, notes the watchdog group, is a
beneficiary agency of the UJA-Federation. BDS was launched in 2005 by
various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) which seek to demonize,
delegitimize, and ultimately destroy Israel by the spread of
misinformation, incitement, and promotion of various boycotts.
In a news conference held Sunday afternoon in front of the JCC offices, JCC Watch reported that the organization is partnering with a number of pro-BDS organizations.
Among those listed were the leftist organizations New Israel Fund, B'Tselem, Human Rights Watch, and J Street.
JCC Watch founder Richard Allen called on the JCC board of directors to
establish public and transparent guidelines regarding BDS.
“It’s time that the board of directors of the JCC in Manhattan take
action. It’s simple: all they have to do is stop supporting groups that
partner with, fund, or support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
movement against Israel,” Allen said.
At the news conference, each speaker expressed their horror and deep sadness at the gruesome terrorist massacre of the Fogel family last Friday in the Samaria Jewish community of Itamar.
Irwin Hochberg, former Chairman of the Board of the UJA-Federation of
New York and former National Campaign Chairman of Israel Bonds spoke of
"the golden days" of the United Jewish Appeal, prior to the hijacking of
the organization by liberal elements of the Jewish community. He was
joined by Helen Freedman, executive director of Americans For A Safe
Israel.
Expressing outrage at the indifference of the agency to the suffering
of Jews in Judea and Samaria, Freedman said, "The JCC should have its
members out in the street protesting this massacre at Itamar. Instead,
they go on with business as usual, ignoring the brutality waged against
Israel and blaming Israel for the ills of the Arab world."
She added that "by partnering with organizations like J Street,
B’Tzelem, the New Israel Fund and Human Rights Watch, the JCC is
exhibiting a state of moral confusion. One boycotts totalitarian
regimes, like the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Hizbullah and Iran, the
sponsor of these terrorist groups.
“One does not boycott the only democracy in the Middle East."
8. Five Minutes of Silence for Gilad Shalit At 11:00 A.M. in Israel
by INN Staff
MK’s, Public figures, educational institutions, industry and many
private citizens pledged to join the five minute initiative to free Gilad Shalit, one minute’s vigil for every year that the IDF soldier has been held incommunicado by the Hamas terror organization.
According to the organizers, people around the world would stand in
central spots holding signs calling for Gilad’s release as well. They
hoped to halt traffic in Israel at major intersections as drivers joined
the vigil.
MK Arye Eldad (National Union), in response to the vigil, called on
the Prime Minister to advance the passage of the proposed law, already
passed the first of four necessary steps to Knesset passage, canceling
all visits to Hamas prisoners in Israel until Gilad, too, is allowed
regular visits.
Eldad wrote to the Prime Minister: "It is over a half year since the
government agreed to pass the early reading of the law that will stop
family visits to Hamas prisoners as long as Gilad Shalit has had none.
The government has tabled the bill and has prevented its advance to the
next stages of passage into law. On the day of the public’s holding of a
vigil to keep Gilad’s incarceration by Hamas in the public eye, it is
incumbent upon us to move that law forward.”
The comfortable conditions under which terrorists are held in israel are a stark contrast to the lack of information on Gilad Shalit.
In the wake of the brutal Itamar murders on Friday night, Prime
Minister Netanyahu said on Monday that he has no intentions of freeing
the 450 terrorists in Hamas’ ransom request for Shalit, as the list
includes prisoners defined as extremely dangerous to Israel’s security,
The question of the price the country should or should not be willing
to pay for the soldier’s release is highly controversial in Israel.
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