 |
||
 |
        |
 |
 |
||
| MP3 Radio | Website News Briefs: | |||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
 |
|
 |
1. Tu B'Shvat Photo Essay
by A7 Staff
Tu B'Shvat, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, is called the New Year of the Trees in the Talmud and falls this year on Wednesday, February 8th. Halakhic issues with regard to Israel's trees are centered on this day, the Jewish holiday expressing the deep love of the Jewish people for the Land of Israel and its fruits.
Special care has to be taken to maintain the sanctity of the land and the Torah provides many rules for agricultural practices that do not exist anywhere else in the World. Among them, for example, is the prohibition of eating fruit from a tree within the first three years of its planting, called Orlah. Tu B’Shvat is the cutoff date for Orlah in Jewish Law.
In the Diaspora, Jews would try to obtain some of the seven fruits mentioned in the Bible as Israel's best: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. The tale is told of a Hassidic rabbi who told his students that if only they lived in the Land of Israel, they would not have to eat these fruits - they would just go outside and drink in the beauty of the land in order to celebrate Tu B'Shvat - or Chamishasar [fifteen] as it was called yearningly, for short.
In Israel, it is a time when the tree’s sap begins to flow, the blossoms of the almond tree appear, and even though winter is still bringing wind and rain, spring flowers like the red poppies [kalaniot] begin dotting the hills with color.
The past century's "return to Zion" gave rise to the custom of planting trees on the holiday, with the early pioneers setting an example of "making the desert bloom" for future generations in song as well as action. The Bnai Akiva religious Zionist youth group has 15,000 youngsters, including one hundred with special needs, going out to plant trees all over the country this year.
In Hassidic philosophy, the day also represents the renewal of Hashem’s blessing for the land of Israel, and it is said that those who were "righteous men in word and deed" would wear holiday clothes on the day in order to remember the verse in Deuteronomy "Man is as a tree of the field" - although this is not the meaning of the verse in context.
Israel has a land area approximately the size of the US state of New Jersey, but is blessed with a wide variety of stunning landscapes and different regional ecologies namely: - The Golan Heights with the snow capped mountains of the Hermon and lots of springs and waterfalls.- The Galilee with its green hills, and the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.- The Mediterranean coastal plain.- The Shefela or central hill country.- The semiarid mountainous areas of the capital Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria.- The Judean Desert with the Dead Sea that is its own microclimate.- The deserts of the Negev and the Arava.- Eilat and the Red Sea coral reefs.
Hashem blesses the land of Israel and its produce, and this is reflected in its abundance.
Michelle Baruch, the photographer who sends these photos yearly to Arutz Sheva has tried to capture some of the diversity and abundance in Israel by visiting the Mahane Yehuda marketplace, travelling to some of the Jewish National Fund parks and kibbutzim in the center of the country and by going to the Judean desert. We hope you will enjoy this year’s photo essay! It is the 7th year running.
Credits:
Michelle Baruch is a certified Israeli tour guide and nature photographer. She enjoys taking people on tours of Israel catered specifically to their interests and needs, but a little Off the Beaten Track. To view her touring website, visit www.apricot-tours.com or to see more photos at www.mishmishphotos.com.
Israeli Photographer Yehudit Zagdanski portrays Nature, Beauty and Inspiration through her art. Her work was recently featured on United With Israel's Israel365 project. Contact her at http://israelinspirations.blogspot.com/ or israelinspirationsart@yahoo.com
Comment on this story
by A7 Staff
Tu B'Shvat, the fifteenth day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, is called the New Year of the Trees in the Talmud and falls this year on Wednesday, February 8th. Halakhic issues with regard to Israel's trees are centered on this day, the Jewish holiday expressing the deep love of the Jewish people for the Land of Israel and its fruits.
Special care has to be taken to maintain the sanctity of the land and the Torah provides many rules for agricultural practices that do not exist anywhere else in the World. Among them, for example, is the prohibition of eating fruit from a tree within the first three years of its planting, called Orlah. Tu B’Shvat is the cutoff date for Orlah in Jewish Law.
In the Diaspora, Jews would try to obtain some of the seven fruits mentioned in the Bible as Israel's best: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. The tale is told of a Hassidic rabbi who told his students that if only they lived in the Land of Israel, they would not have to eat these fruits - they would just go outside and drink in the beauty of the land in order to celebrate Tu B'Shvat - or Chamishasar [fifteen] as it was called yearningly, for short.
In Israel, it is a time when the tree’s sap begins to flow, the blossoms of the almond tree appear, and even though winter is still bringing wind and rain, spring flowers like the red poppies [kalaniot] begin dotting the hills with color.
The past century's "return to Zion" gave rise to the custom of planting trees on the holiday, with the early pioneers setting an example of "making the desert bloom" for future generations in song as well as action. The Bnai Akiva religious Zionist youth group has 15,000 youngsters, including one hundred with special needs, going out to plant trees all over the country this year.
In Hassidic philosophy, the day also represents the renewal of Hashem’s blessing for the land of Israel, and it is said that those who were "righteous men in word and deed" would wear holiday clothes on the day in order to remember the verse in Deuteronomy "Man is as a tree of the field" - although this is not the meaning of the verse in context.
Israel has a land area approximately the size of the US state of New Jersey, but is blessed with a wide variety of stunning landscapes and different regional ecologies namely: - The Golan Heights with the snow capped mountains of the Hermon and lots of springs and waterfalls.- The Galilee with its green hills, and the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.- The Mediterranean coastal plain.- The Shefela or central hill country.- The semiarid mountainous areas of the capital Jerusalem, and Judea and Samaria.- The Judean Desert with the Dead Sea that is its own microclimate.- The deserts of the Negev and the Arava.- Eilat and the Red Sea coral reefs.
Hashem blesses the land of Israel and its produce, and this is reflected in its abundance.
Michelle Baruch, the photographer who sends these photos yearly to Arutz Sheva has tried to capture some of the diversity and abundance in Israel by visiting the Mahane Yehuda marketplace, travelling to some of the Jewish National Fund parks and kibbutzim in the center of the country and by going to the Judean desert. We hope you will enjoy this year’s photo essay! It is the 7th year running.
Credits:
Michelle Baruch is a certified Israeli tour guide and nature photographer. She enjoys taking people on tours of Israel catered specifically to their interests and needs, but a little Off the Beaten Track. To view her touring website, visit www.apricot-tours.com or to see more photos at www.mishmishphotos.com.
Israeli Photographer Yehudit Zagdanski portrays Nature, Beauty and Inspiration through her art. Her work was recently featured on United With Israel's Israel365 project. Contact her at http://israelinspirations.blogspot.com/ or israelinspirationsart@yahoo.com
Tags: Tu Be'Shvat
More on this topic
Comment on this story
2. Delta Decides Ben Gurion Airport Not in ‘Occupied Territories’
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Is Ben Gurion Airport on “occupied” land? That is what Deltas Airlines said – until legal activists gave Delta a lesson in geography – and law.
A reader pointed out to Arutz Sheva that Delta Airlines’ frequent flyer program website on the Middle East includes, among others, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The table “effectively Delta says that if you want to fly from Occupied Palestinian Territory to another place, you need a certain number of miles,” wrote the reader. Ben Gurion Airport is occupied in Lod, within the temporary 1949 Armistice Lines that changed after to include the Golan Heights, Judea and Samaria after the Six-Day War in 1967.
“I didn't know that Delta flies from Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the reader added. “It flies from Ben Gurion airport in Lod. Is that Occupied Palestinian Territory? “
The civil rights group Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center) also got wind of Delta’s political map and called Delta.
“Delta removed the inaccurate language from its website,” Shurat HaDin said, and added, “Delta‘s quick response demonstrates its acknowledgment of the politicization and widespread misuse of the legal term ‘occupied territory‘ and reinforces the inappropriateness of the application of the term to the disputed territories under Israel‘s administration.”
“The law is clear when it comes to what constitutes an “occupied territory” and neither the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] nor Gaza can be accurately described as occupied by Israel,” according to Shurat HaDin.
Describing the West Bank and Gaza as “occupied Palestinian territories” is intentionally misleading and serves the Palestinians‘ political agenda to prejudice the outcome of future territorial resolutions,” it added.
Comment on this story
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Is Ben Gurion Airport on “occupied” land? That is what Deltas Airlines said – until legal activists gave Delta a lesson in geography – and law.
A reader pointed out to Arutz Sheva that Delta Airlines’ frequent flyer program website on the Middle East includes, among others, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The table “effectively Delta says that if you want to fly from Occupied Palestinian Territory to another place, you need a certain number of miles,” wrote the reader. Ben Gurion Airport is occupied in Lod, within the temporary 1949 Armistice Lines that changed after to include the Golan Heights, Judea and Samaria after the Six-Day War in 1967.
“I didn't know that Delta flies from Occupied Palestinian Territory,” the reader added. “It flies from Ben Gurion airport in Lod. Is that Occupied Palestinian Territory? “
The civil rights group Shurat HaDin (Israel Law Center) also got wind of Delta’s political map and called Delta.
“Delta removed the inaccurate language from its website,” Shurat HaDin said, and added, “Delta‘s quick response demonstrates its acknowledgment of the politicization and widespread misuse of the legal term ‘occupied territory‘ and reinforces the inappropriateness of the application of the term to the disputed territories under Israel‘s administration.”
“The law is clear when it comes to what constitutes an “occupied territory” and neither the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] nor Gaza can be accurately described as occupied by Israel,” according to Shurat HaDin.
Describing the West Bank and Gaza as “occupied Palestinian territories” is intentionally misleading and serves the Palestinians‘ political agenda to prejudice the outcome of future territorial resolutions,” it added.
Tags: Ben Gurion airport ,Israel ,Delta ,Shurat Hadin
More on this topic
-
Shaath: PA Unity Government 'Need Not Recognize Israel' -
Giuliani: Obama Has 'No Clue' What Is Going On in Middle East
-
Netanyahu's Visit to the US: A diplomatic warning?
-
PM Netanyahu: Only Strength Ensures Survival of Jewish People
-
General Strike: Prepare for the Worst and Hope for the Best
-
US Prof. Tells Newsweek Israel Must Attack Iran – Now
Comment on this story
3. Shaath: PA Unity Government 'Need Not Recognize Israel'
by Gavriel Queenann
Fatah official Nabil Shaath on Monday said the new the new interim Palestinian Authority government to be headed by Mahmoud Abbas "need not recognize Israel."
"It is the PLO, not the PA, that recognizes Israel," Shaath insisted in an interview with the Hamas-affiliated Arabic-language Al Quds. Shaath was attempting to justify forming a unity government with Hamas, which continues to call for Israel's destruction.
Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, the PLO was allowed to establish the PA as the administrative organ for its enclaves in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza after Yasser Arafat and Yizchak Rabin exchanged "mutual letters of recognition."
Nonetheless, Shaath claimed the PA "is committed to agreements signed and the ongoing process between the parties," adding that the Quartet "must recognize Palestinians in Israel before the establishment of a Palestinian state."
However, in December 2011 senior PLO officials said they were seriously considering downgrading all agreements with Israel, including economic and security cooperation.
Shaath's statements also run counter to clear conditions set by the Quartet for Middle East Peace - the European Union, Russia, United Nations, and United States - for Hamas to be included in a PA government.
Quartet officials have said Hamas must recognize Israel's right to exist, formally abandon terrorism and violence, and uphold agreements signed by previous PA governments with Israel and any other entity.
Hamas refuses to recognize Israel, continues to call for Israel's destruction while pursuing terrorism as its principle means of "resistance" against the Jewish state.
In December 2011, Hamas' Gaza chief Ismail Haniyeh said, “The armed resistance and the armed struggle are the path and the strategic choice for liberating the Palestinian land, from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river, and for the expulsion of the invaders and usurpers [Israel]... We won’t relinquish one inch of the land of Palestine!”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday responded to the news that Fatah and Hamas would form a unity government, "I say to Abu Mazen [Abbas]: You cannot hold the stick by both ends. It is either peace with Hamas or peace with Israel; you cannot have it both ways."
However, many critics say the government's response to the winds blowing from Ramallah has been sluggish and that officials in Jerusalem have yet to absorb that the tentative "Peace Process" and Oslo Accords have become a diplomatic non-sequitur.
Fatah's decision to form a unity government with Hamas comes on the heel of its own decision in December 2011 to adopt "a strategy based on continuous efforts along with the international community to secure full recognition and full United Nations membership, pursuing internal reconciliation, and keeping up the popular resistance."
While "popular resistance" is ostensibly non-violent, it has historically been accompanied with violent riots and waves of terror, and resulted in two so-called Intifadas.
In 1993, Arafat wrote to Yitzchak Rabin "...the PLO affirms that those articles of the Palestinian Covenant which deny Israel's right to exist, and the provisions of the Covenant which are inconsistent with the commitments of this letter are now inoperative and no longer valid.
"Consequently, the PLO undertakes to submit to the Palestinian National Council for formal approval the necessary changes in regard to the Palestinian Covenant."
However, those changes were never forthcoming. Article 9 of the PLO charter continues to assert, "Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. This it is the overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase.”
It also maintains “Palestine” is defined by the British Mandate and is “indivisible” – thus leaving little or no room for Israel to exist at all.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
Fatah official Nabil Shaath on Monday said the new the new interim Palestinian Authority government to be headed by Mahmoud Abbas "need not recognize Israel."
"It is the PLO, not the PA, that recognizes Israel," Shaath insisted in an interview with the Hamas-affiliated Arabic-language Al Quds. Shaath was attempting to justify forming a unity government with Hamas, which continues to call for Israel's destruction.
Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, the PLO was allowed to establish the PA as the administrative organ for its enclaves in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza after Yasser Arafat and Yizchak Rabin exchanged "mutual letters of recognition."
Nonetheless, Shaath claimed the PA "is committed to agreements signed and the ongoing process between the parties," adding that the Quartet "must recognize Palestinians in Israel before the establishment of a Palestinian state."
However, in December 2011 senior PLO officials said they were seriously considering downgrading all agreements with Israel, including economic and security cooperation.
Shaath's statements also run counter to clear conditions set by the Quartet for Middle East Peace - the European Union, Russia, United Nations, and United States - for Hamas to be included in a PA government.
Quartet officials have said Hamas must recognize Israel's right to exist, formally abandon terrorism and violence, and uphold agreements signed by previous PA governments with Israel and any other entity.
Hamas refuses to recognize Israel, continues to call for Israel's destruction while pursuing terrorism as its principle means of "resistance" against the Jewish state.
In December 2011, Hamas' Gaza chief Ismail Haniyeh said, “The armed resistance and the armed struggle are the path and the strategic choice for liberating the Palestinian land, from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river, and for the expulsion of the invaders and usurpers [Israel]... We won’t relinquish one inch of the land of Palestine!”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday responded to the news that Fatah and Hamas would form a unity government, "I say to Abu Mazen [Abbas]: You cannot hold the stick by both ends. It is either peace with Hamas or peace with Israel; you cannot have it both ways."
However, many critics say the government's response to the winds blowing from Ramallah has been sluggish and that officials in Jerusalem have yet to absorb that the tentative "Peace Process" and Oslo Accords have become a diplomatic non-sequitur.
Fatah's decision to form a unity government with Hamas comes on the heel of its own decision in December 2011 to adopt "a strategy based on continuous efforts along with the international community to secure full recognition and full United Nations membership, pursuing internal reconciliation, and keeping up the popular resistance."
While "popular resistance" is ostensibly non-violent, it has historically been accompanied with violent riots and waves of terror, and resulted in two so-called Intifadas.
In 1993, Arafat wrote to Yitzchak Rabin "...the PLO affirms that those articles of the Palestinian Covenant which deny Israel's right to exist, and the provisions of the Covenant which are inconsistent with the commitments of this letter are now inoperative and no longer valid.
"Consequently, the PLO undertakes to submit to the Palestinian National Council for formal approval the necessary changes in regard to the Palestinian Covenant."
However, those changes were never forthcoming. Article 9 of the PLO charter continues to assert, "Armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine. This it is the overall strategy, not merely a tactical phase.”
It also maintains “Palestine” is defined by the British Mandate and is “indivisible” – thus leaving little or no room for Israel to exist at all.
Tags: Hamas ,PA ,PLO ,Oslo Accords ,Fatah-Hamas reconciliation ,Israel ,Peace Process
More on this topic
Comment on this story
4. Netanyahu: Stop 'Blabbing' About Iran
by Gavriel Queenann
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his top officials to stop "blabbing" about a potential military strike targeting Iran's nuclear program.
According to the Hebrew-language Maariv, Netanyahu earlier this week took a number of military officials and government ministers to task for speaking too freely about Israel's alleged military plans.
"Stop blabbing, already," he reportedly told the officials. "This chit-chat causes huge damage, puts Israel on the front line, and undermines sanctions" imposed by the United States and Europe.
Maariv's cited unnamed senior sources who said Netanyahu was concerned Israel "might be perceived as dragging the US into a war with Iran against its will and endangering the US' national interests".
The warning came after several statements by senior Israeli military and political officials at last week's Herzliya conference that seemed to indicate Israel was leaning towards a strike.
Those statements led to rampant speculation in the media and resulted in US Secretary of Defense saying he believed Israel would strike Iran by June 2012.
Panetta's comments raised ire by officials in Jerusalem and Washington alike who accused him of stirring controversy and potentially compromising Israel's military plans.
US President Barack Obama also tried to tamp down speculation about Israel's intentions early this week.
"I don't think Israel has made a decision" to hit Iranian facilities, he told the American network NBC.
"I've been very clear — we're going to do everything we can to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and creating a nuclear arms race in a volatile region," he said.
He added: "Again, our goal is to resolve this diplomatically. That would be preferable. We're not going to take options off the table, though."
Israel, the United States, the Gulf Arab monarchies, and many European nations maintain Iran's nuclear program is intended to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
A recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that Iran had sought - and continued to seek - nuclear know-how unique to the construction of nuclear weapons.
Observers say Netanyahu's desire for his senior advisors and officials to remain silent about a potential Iran strike stems from a desire to avoid potentially disastrous leaks.
Last year, several former senior Israeli officials opposed to a nuclear strike on Iran revealed details of the ongoing debate in Israel's security community and cabinet over Iran.
The leaks led to a firestorm in Israel's press and accusations from government officials that leading media figures were trying to make an Israeli strike impossible by exposing plans.
A newspaper in Qatar reported at the time that Netanyahu ordered a probe to find out who in his government had leaked the information.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his top officials to stop "blabbing" about a potential military strike targeting Iran's nuclear program.
According to the Hebrew-language Maariv, Netanyahu earlier this week took a number of military officials and government ministers to task for speaking too freely about Israel's alleged military plans.
"Stop blabbing, already," he reportedly told the officials. "This chit-chat causes huge damage, puts Israel on the front line, and undermines sanctions" imposed by the United States and Europe.
Maariv's cited unnamed senior sources who said Netanyahu was concerned Israel "might be perceived as dragging the US into a war with Iran against its will and endangering the US' national interests".
The warning came after several statements by senior Israeli military and political officials at last week's Herzliya conference that seemed to indicate Israel was leaning towards a strike.
Those statements led to rampant speculation in the media and resulted in US Secretary of Defense saying he believed Israel would strike Iran by June 2012.
Panetta's comments raised ire by officials in Jerusalem and Washington alike who accused him of stirring controversy and potentially compromising Israel's military plans.
US President Barack Obama also tried to tamp down speculation about Israel's intentions early this week.
"I don't think Israel has made a decision" to hit Iranian facilities, he told the American network NBC.
"I've been very clear — we're going to do everything we can to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and creating a nuclear arms race in a volatile region," he said.
He added: "Again, our goal is to resolve this diplomatically. That would be preferable. We're not going to take options off the table, though."
Israel, the United States, the Gulf Arab monarchies, and many European nations maintain Iran's nuclear program is intended to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies.
A recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that Iran had sought - and continued to seek - nuclear know-how unique to the construction of nuclear weapons.
Observers say Netanyahu's desire for his senior advisors and officials to remain silent about a potential Iran strike stems from a desire to avoid potentially disastrous leaks.
Last year, several former senior Israeli officials opposed to a nuclear strike on Iran revealed details of the ongoing debate in Israel's security community and cabinet over Iran.
The leaks led to a firestorm in Israel's press and accusations from government officials that leading media figures were trying to make an Israeli strike impossible by exposing plans.
A newspaper in Qatar reported at the time that Netanyahu ordered a probe to find out who in his government had leaked the information.
Tags: Iran ,Iran nuclear ,Binyamin Netanyahu
More on this topic
Comment on this story
5. EU Breaks Ban on Funding Hamas
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
The European Union has broken its promise not to fund Hamas, officially defined as terrorists, but now re-united with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Despite the official isolation of Hamas by the EU, an official statement this week stated that that “the EU looks forward to continuing its support, including through direct financial assistance, for a new Palestinian government that should uphold the principle of non-violence.”
EU foreign relations spokesman Michael Mann tried to explained the EU’s continued financing of the new unity PA government by stating, "We need to know who will be the ministers and what they will say.”
Hamas has repeatedly emphasized that the Palestinian Authority cannot achieve statehood without “resistance,” the code word for terrorism. It also has publicly encouraged kidnapping Israeli soldiers and civilians, particularly since it was able to gain the release of more than 1,000 terrorists and security prisoners in return for handing over to Israel kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.
Hamas and its rival party Fatah, headed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, hammered out an agreement in Doha Tuesday for a new interim PA government headed by Abbas. The two factions broke off from each other after Hamas’ bloody military coup in Gaza in 2007.
The Quartet – the United States, EU, Russia and the United Nations – has said it recognizes the on the conditions that it renounce violence, recognizes Israel and honors previous agreements. Hamas has categorically refused to agree to the conditions, while Abbas vocally has stated opposition to violence while constantly lauding terrorists. He also has declined to officially recognize Israel, particularly not as a Jewish state.
He also has broken the Oslo Accords several times, the most blatant violation being the unilateral move to ask the United Nations for recognition of the Palestinian Authority as an independent state based on his own territorial and political definitions.
Comment on this story
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
The European Union has broken its promise not to fund Hamas, officially defined as terrorists, but now re-united with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Despite the official isolation of Hamas by the EU, an official statement this week stated that that “the EU looks forward to continuing its support, including through direct financial assistance, for a new Palestinian government that should uphold the principle of non-violence.”
EU foreign relations spokesman Michael Mann tried to explained the EU’s continued financing of the new unity PA government by stating, "We need to know who will be the ministers and what they will say.”
Hamas has repeatedly emphasized that the Palestinian Authority cannot achieve statehood without “resistance,” the code word for terrorism. It also has publicly encouraged kidnapping Israeli soldiers and civilians, particularly since it was able to gain the release of more than 1,000 terrorists and security prisoners in return for handing over to Israel kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.
Hamas and its rival party Fatah, headed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, hammered out an agreement in Doha Tuesday for a new interim PA government headed by Abbas. The two factions broke off from each other after Hamas’ bloody military coup in Gaza in 2007.
The Quartet – the United States, EU, Russia and the United Nations – has said it recognizes the on the conditions that it renounce violence, recognizes Israel and honors previous agreements. Hamas has categorically refused to agree to the conditions, while Abbas vocally has stated opposition to violence while constantly lauding terrorists. He also has declined to officially recognize Israel, particularly not as a Jewish state.
He also has broken the Oslo Accords several times, the most blatant violation being the unilateral move to ask the United Nations for recognition of the Palestinian Authority as an independent state based on his own territorial and political definitions.
Tags: Hamas ,EU ,Palestinian Authority
More on this topic
Comment on this story
6. Want To Be an IDF Commando? Think Twice
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Being an IDF commando sounds like a great thrill, but first you have to march with 50 pounds on your back in the hills of Jerusalem.
The military has detailed a look at what goes into making a soldier into a commando. It described the three-week commando course in the Givati ground forces unit.
“Camouflage, combat in urban terrain, and Krav Maga – lots of Krav Maga,’ the Hebrew term for hand-to-hand combat – are featured in the course.
Here’s a sample of what you have to undergo just to finish the course:
Begin with a night navigation exercise, followed by a short combat practice. However, instead of going to sleep, march with 50 pounds on their back up into the Jerusalem mountains.
The destination is an old police station, and the next exercise, usually reserved for elite units, is to learn how to “clean out” buildings and neutralize terrorist threats in close combat. The goal is to move from room to room, neutralizing attackers as they go.
“The idea here is that they work under pressure. They’ll come to me and work until they’re completely breathless, then be tackled by more attackers with knives and clubs,” a soldier named “Abady” said .
If you still are raring to go, here’s the last gasp: a stretcher run. Pack up and head out to the Jerusalem mountains. After several hours of hard marching and ambushes, you reach another stopping point before the last task -- the stretcher march..
Ready to continue?
“Reach a bridge and booby-trap it with mines in order to prevent enemy forces from crossing,” a training officer barks. “From there return to the first rendezvous point, then continue another 20 kilometers to reach a valley. You have 12 hours. GO!”
You are carrying approximately 50 percent of your weight while walking in muddy ground. You can take a short nap around 6 a.m.
When the commander wakes you up, you have another mountaintop to conquer and then – surprise, surprise – carrying a soldier on a stretcher.
If you make it, you may feel like Lt. Noam Cramer, who throughout the entire exercise refused to show any signs of strain and then declared, ”I really enjoyed it.”
Your reward, besides knowing you succeeded and now are ready for real combat, is receiving commando knife as a graduation pin.
If you still are interested in becoming a commando, contact your nearest IDF recruitment center.
Comment on this story
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Being an IDF commando sounds like a great thrill, but first you have to march with 50 pounds on your back in the hills of Jerusalem.
The military has detailed a look at what goes into making a soldier into a commando. It described the three-week commando course in the Givati ground forces unit.
“Camouflage, combat in urban terrain, and Krav Maga – lots of Krav Maga,’ the Hebrew term for hand-to-hand combat – are featured in the course.
Here’s a sample of what you have to undergo just to finish the course:
Begin with a night navigation exercise, followed by a short combat practice. However, instead of going to sleep, march with 50 pounds on their back up into the Jerusalem mountains.
The destination is an old police station, and the next exercise, usually reserved for elite units, is to learn how to “clean out” buildings and neutralize terrorist threats in close combat. The goal is to move from room to room, neutralizing attackers as they go.
“The idea here is that they work under pressure. They’ll come to me and work until they’re completely breathless, then be tackled by more attackers with knives and clubs,” a soldier named “Abady” said .
If you still are raring to go, here’s the last gasp: a stretcher run. Pack up and head out to the Jerusalem mountains. After several hours of hard marching and ambushes, you reach another stopping point before the last task -- the stretcher march..
Ready to continue?
“Reach a bridge and booby-trap it with mines in order to prevent enemy forces from crossing,” a training officer barks. “From there return to the first rendezvous point, then continue another 20 kilometers to reach a valley. You have 12 hours. GO!”
You are carrying approximately 50 percent of your weight while walking in muddy ground. You can take a short nap around 6 a.m.
When the commander wakes you up, you have another mountaintop to conquer and then – surprise, surprise – carrying a soldier on a stretcher.
If you make it, you may feel like Lt. Noam Cramer, who throughout the entire exercise refused to show any signs of strain and then declared, ”I really enjoyed it.”
Your reward, besides knowing you succeeded and now are ready for real combat, is receiving commando knife as a graduation pin.
If you still are interested in becoming a commando, contact your nearest IDF recruitment center.
More on this topic
Comment on this story
7. Lieberman: US and Israel in Agreement on Iran
by Gavriel Queenann
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israel Radio on Wednesday that Jerusalem and Washington have resolution, understanding, and agreement on how to deal with Iran.
Describing his meeting on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as "excellent," Lieberman said the two "discussed many sensitive issues."
"The meeting in Washington was very positive, and there is an agreement between us on most issues," Lieberman said just one week after reports of a groing divide between Israel and the US on how to handle Iran's drive for nuclear weapons.
He also repeated his praise for the Obama administrations decision Monday to implement "tough sanctions" on Iran, saying Israel believes they should be "expanded to the entire Iranian financial system."
"Washington has resolution...an understanding, and agreement, that we must prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons," Lieberman said "We are waiting for Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions and we express our appreciation for the support of Israel… We appreciate the very crucial decision of sanctions against Iran, and we continue to monitor it closely," he added.
The meeting came after an 18 month deep freeze in which Clinton and Lieberman, seen as a hard-liner and obstacle to US ambitions by Obama administration officials, did not meet face-to-face.
During that time officials in Washington turned to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, seen as a dove and more malleable by Washington insiders, to serve as a go-between between the two governments.
However, pointed questions from the press about Clinton's not meeting with Lieberman, and mounting criticism of the Obama administration's handling of the US-Israel relationship as the US gears up for its 2012 presidential election contest, are said to have won Israel's foreign minister an invitation.
During her morning press briefing US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Neuland said Wednesday, "First of all, obviously, with regard to U.S.-Israeli relations, the Secretary reconfirmed our unshakable commitment to the relationship, not only to Israel’s security, but to Israel’s democracy, based on our shared values and the ties between our people."
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Israel Radio on Wednesday that Jerusalem and Washington have resolution, understanding, and agreement on how to deal with Iran.
Describing his meeting on Tuesday with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as "excellent," Lieberman said the two "discussed many sensitive issues."
"The meeting in Washington was very positive, and there is an agreement between us on most issues," Lieberman said just one week after reports of a groing divide between Israel and the US on how to handle Iran's drive for nuclear weapons.
He also repeated his praise for the Obama administrations decision Monday to implement "tough sanctions" on Iran, saying Israel believes they should be "expanded to the entire Iranian financial system."
"Washington has resolution...an understanding, and agreement, that we must prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons," Lieberman said "We are waiting for Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions and we express our appreciation for the support of Israel… We appreciate the very crucial decision of sanctions against Iran, and we continue to monitor it closely," he added.
The meeting came after an 18 month deep freeze in which Clinton and Lieberman, seen as a hard-liner and obstacle to US ambitions by Obama administration officials, did not meet face-to-face.
During that time officials in Washington turned to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, seen as a dove and more malleable by Washington insiders, to serve as a go-between between the two governments.
However, pointed questions from the press about Clinton's not meeting with Lieberman, and mounting criticism of the Obama administration's handling of the US-Israel relationship as the US gears up for its 2012 presidential election contest, are said to have won Israel's foreign minister an invitation.
During her morning press briefing US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Neuland said Wednesday, "First of all, obviously, with regard to U.S.-Israeli relations, the Secretary reconfirmed our unshakable commitment to the relationship, not only to Israel’s security, but to Israel’s democracy, based on our shared values and the ties between our people."
Tags: Avigdor Lieberman ,Hillary Clinton ,US State Department ,Foreign ministry ,Iran ,Iran Nuclear Program
More on this topic
Comment on this story
8. US Helps Mea Shearim to Stay Modest
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
The U.S. State Department has changed its travel advisory for tourists in Israel suggesting they avoid immodest dress not out of respect for the residents, but in order to avoid "assaults on secular visitors.”
A travel advisory for visitors to Saudi Arabia warns tourists to respect Islam, but only states that not conforming to the dress code could cause them to be “confronted” by offended Muslims.
The advisory for Jerusalem, where Mea Shearim is the most widely-known but far from the only hareidi religious neighborhood, does not define what areas are “ultra-orthodox” ands also does not define what “modest’ means. It notes, “In Jerusalem, travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and dress appropriately when visiting the Old City and ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhoods.
“Assaults on secular visitors, either for being in cars or for being immodestly dressed,’ have occurred in these neighborhoods. Isolated street protests and demonstrations can occur in the predominantly Arab commercial districts of East Jerusalem during periods of unrest.”
The State Dept. advisory for travelers to Saudi Arabia states, “Islam is the official religion of the country and pervades all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia. Public display of non-Islamic religious articles such as crosses and Bibles is not permitted…. The Commission on Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), the religious police (Mutawwa or Al-Hay’ah colloquially), are charged with enforcing these standards on behalf of the CPVPV.
“The Saudi Embassy in Washington advises women traveling to Saudi Arabia to dress in a conservative fashion in public, wearing ankle-length dresses with long sleeves and not pants. However, in most areas of Saudi Arabia, and particularly in Riyadh and the central part of the Kingdom, women wear a full-length black covering known as an Abaya, and cover their heads. Women who choose not to conform to this dress code face a greater risk of being confronted by Mutawwa. Men should not wear shorts in public or go without a shirt.”
The advisory adds, “To ensure that conservative standards of conduct are observed, the Saudi religious police have accosted or arrested foreigners, including U.S. citizens, for improper dress or other alleged infractions, such as consumption of alcohol or association by a female with a male to whom she is not related.”
Comment on this story
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
The U.S. State Department has changed its travel advisory for tourists in Israel suggesting they avoid immodest dress not out of respect for the residents, but in order to avoid "assaults on secular visitors.”
A travel advisory for visitors to Saudi Arabia warns tourists to respect Islam, but only states that not conforming to the dress code could cause them to be “confronted” by offended Muslims.
The advisory for Jerusalem, where Mea Shearim is the most widely-known but far from the only hareidi religious neighborhood, does not define what areas are “ultra-orthodox” ands also does not define what “modest’ means. It notes, “In Jerusalem, travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and dress appropriately when visiting the Old City and ultra-orthodox Jewish neighborhoods.
“Assaults on secular visitors, either for being in cars or for being immodestly dressed,’ have occurred in these neighborhoods. Isolated street protests and demonstrations can occur in the predominantly Arab commercial districts of East Jerusalem during periods of unrest.”
The State Dept. advisory for travelers to Saudi Arabia states, “Islam is the official religion of the country and pervades all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia. Public display of non-Islamic religious articles such as crosses and Bibles is not permitted…. The Commission on Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), the religious police (Mutawwa or Al-Hay’ah colloquially), are charged with enforcing these standards on behalf of the CPVPV.
“The Saudi Embassy in Washington advises women traveling to Saudi Arabia to dress in a conservative fashion in public, wearing ankle-length dresses with long sleeves and not pants. However, in most areas of Saudi Arabia, and particularly in Riyadh and the central part of the Kingdom, women wear a full-length black covering known as an Abaya, and cover their heads. Women who choose not to conform to this dress code face a greater risk of being confronted by Mutawwa. Men should not wear shorts in public or go without a shirt.”
The advisory adds, “To ensure that conservative standards of conduct are observed, the Saudi religious police have accosted or arrested foreigners, including U.S. citizens, for improper dress or other alleged infractions, such as consumption of alcohol or association by a female with a male to whom she is not related.”
Tags: Travel advisory ,Jerusalem ,Mea Shearim
More on this topic
Comment on this story
More Website News:
 |
Is Bold Alligator Eyeing Tehran?  |
|
|
Analysis: What is Going On in the Republican Nomination Race? |
|
|
Jewish Super Bowl Bet Winner Gives $50,000 to Charity |
|
|
Assad’s Army Kills One every 10 Minutes |
|
|
A-Jad in Tehran's Hot Seat |
