Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Jordan assumes UN Security Council chair as conflicts persist
UNITED NATIONS - Jordan takes over the UN Security Council presidency on Wednesday, the first day of its two-year stint on a 15-nation body struggling to cope with conflicts in Syria, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Mali and elsewhere.
Jordan will join Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria on the council until Dec. 31, 2015. The UN General Assembly elected Amman in early December as a replacement for Saudi Arabia after Riyadh turned down the seat in protest at the council's failure to end the Syrian war and act on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other Middle East issues.
Although Jordan was a last-minute stand-in for the Saudi kingdom, Amman's UN ambassador, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, has a reputation at the United Nations for his outspoken stance on human rights issues, UN diplomats say.
As president of the council for January, Zeid will organize briefings on the delayed destruction of Syria's chemical weapons and the escalating conflict in South Sudan, as well as the situation in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Sudan's Western Darfur region.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Jordan will join Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria on the council until Dec. 31, 2015. The UN General Assembly elected Amman in early December as a replacement for Saudi Arabia after Riyadh turned down the seat in protest at the council's failure to end the Syrian war and act on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and other Middle East issues.
Although Jordan was a last-minute stand-in for the Saudi kingdom, Amman's UN ambassador, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid al-Hussein, has a reputation at the United Nations for his outspoken stance on human rights issues, UN diplomats say.
As president of the council for January, Zeid will organize briefings on the delayed destruction of Syria's chemical weapons and the escalating conflict in South Sudan, as well as the situation in Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Sudan's Western Darfur region.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Egypt's top prosecutor detains Al Jazeera journalists for 15 days
CAIRO - Egypt's general prosecutor on Tuesday detained several journalists for 15 days for broadcasting graphics on the Qatar-based Al Jazeera channel that damaged the country's reputation.
Al Jazeera's Cairo offices have been closed since July 3 when they were raided by security forces hours after the army ousted the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi from the presidency.
Qatar was a strong financial backer of the Brotherhood's rule and its relationship with Cairo has deteriorated in recent months as it vehemently opposes the army's overthrow of Morsi and the crackdown on his movement that has followed.
Egypt accuses Qatar and Al Jazeera of backing the Brotherhood, which it declared a terrorist organization on Dec. 25 and thousands of whose members it has arrested.
The prosecutor's statement on Tuesday said the journalists belonged to a "media network" that was led by a Brotherhood member but did not say how many were arrested.
Al Jazeera had said on Monday that the Egyptian security forces arrested four journalists from its English language news service in Cairo after the Interior Ministry accused them of broadcasting illegally from a hotel suite.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Al Jazeera's Cairo offices have been closed since July 3 when they were raided by security forces hours after the army ousted the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi from the presidency.
Qatar was a strong financial backer of the Brotherhood's rule and its relationship with Cairo has deteriorated in recent months as it vehemently opposes the army's overthrow of Morsi and the crackdown on his movement that has followed.
Egypt accuses Qatar and Al Jazeera of backing the Brotherhood, which it declared a terrorist organization on Dec. 25 and thousands of whose members it has arrested.
The prosecutor's statement on Tuesday said the journalists belonged to a "media network" that was led by a Brotherhood member but did not say how many were arrested.
Al Jazeera had said on Monday that the Egyptian security forces arrested four journalists from its English language news service in Cairo after the Interior Ministry accused them of broadcasting illegally from a hotel suite.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Report: Hamas testing new long-range rockets that can reach Tel Aviv
Hamas tested new long-range rockets that can reach Tel Aviv on Tuesday night, Channel 2 reported.
Southern Israeli cities and towns near the Gaza border reported hearing sounds of explosions, that were a result of the rockets being fired into the sea.
Experts believe the rockets tested were M-175 rockets.
The IDF said it does not comment on things that happen in the Gaza Strip.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Southern Israeli cities and towns near the Gaza border reported hearing sounds of explosions, that were a result of the rockets being fired into the sea.
Experts believe the rockets tested were M-175 rockets.
The IDF said it does not comment on things that happen in the Gaza Strip.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Israeli ultra-orthodox rabbi to be honored by Elizabeth II
Isaac Schapira, a prominent member of Israel’s ultra-orthodox community, will be appointed as Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II, one of the United Kingdom’s highest honors, for his work in “strengthening the ties between the UK and the Haredi community,” the British embassy announced Tuesday.
Schapira, the son of former United Torah Judaism leader Rabbi Abraham Yosef Schapira, said that he is “deeply honored” to receive the award and that he sees it as a “mark of great respect” for the haredi community. The British government has shown “ warmth and [a] supportive attitude” towards the haredim, he said.
The award is one of the UK’s highest government honors given to civilians and non-British citizens, and will be presented at an upcoming Buckingham Palace ceremony by the queen. Schapira will not be granted the use of the honorific "sir" before his name.
British Ambassador Matthew Gould stated that Schapira’s work has "helped us build a friendship and understanding between Britain and the Haredi community." He added that, "Isaac has devoted a huge amount of time over many years to helping me and my predecessors get to know this vital and important part of Israeli society.”
From JPost.com - Headlines
Schapira, the son of former United Torah Judaism leader Rabbi Abraham Yosef Schapira, said that he is “deeply honored” to receive the award and that he sees it as a “mark of great respect” for the haredi community. The British government has shown “ warmth and [a] supportive attitude” towards the haredim, he said.
The award is one of the UK’s highest government honors given to civilians and non-British citizens, and will be presented at an upcoming Buckingham Palace ceremony by the queen. Schapira will not be granted the use of the honorific "sir" before his name.
British Ambassador Matthew Gould stated that Schapira’s work has "helped us build a friendship and understanding between Britain and the Haredi community." He added that, "Isaac has devoted a huge amount of time over many years to helping me and my predecessors get to know this vital and important part of Israeli society.”
From JPost.com - Headlines
Thanks in Part to Jewish Activists, Colorado Will Ring in the New Year With Legal Marijuana
While many of us will likely be sleeping in tomorrow, cannabis advocates will be up early (contrary to stereotype) to help inaugurate the newly legal marijuana market in Colorado. The first customer will be Sean Azzariti, an Iraq war veteran, who helped push last year’s legalization campaign and who has being speaking about the benefits of marijuana use for people with PTSD.
Along the path to legalization, we’ve been following a few of the key figures in the landmark effort to bring marijuana to the masses. In 2011, I profiled Ean Seeb, who co-owns a marijuana dispensary in Denver and also happens to hold a number of leadership positions within the Denver Jewish community. He was one of the planners of this year’s Heebonism, an annual Christmas Eve party for Members of the Tribe in Denver.
From Tablet Magazine
AP Seeks Access To New NYC Mayor’s Swearing-In
The Associated Press is asking Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio’s transition team to open his swearing-in ceremony to the news media. De Blasio is to be sworn in by State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday at his Brooklyn home. The ceremony will be streamed on NYC.gov. The transition team also plans to release […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Israel works to eliminate malaria in Africa
Dr. Bart Knols declares war on disease, Says 'drugs, prevention tools' exist, but global community does not move to improve distribution. Forum aims to take Israel’s success in eliminating malaria, implementing it in Africa
From ynet - News
A beloved singer dragged into Lebanon's divisions
In this Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 file photo, Lebanon's diva Fairouz, one of the Arab world's most popular singers performs during a concert in the coastal town of Jounieh, Lebanon.
From Israel News
האהובות על האמריקנים: באיזה מקום ישראל?
קנדה ובריטניה הן המדינות הכי אהובות על אזרחי ארה"ב, מדינה ערבית הוכתרה לשנואה ביותר - ומי צמודה לישראל במרכז הטבלה? סקר בדק
From ynet - חדשות
התאונה בראשל"צ: ילדה מתה, איבריה ייתרמו
לפני כשבוע פגעה מונית שירות במכונית פרטית, שבה ישבו אם ושתי בנותיה. הגדולה, בת 11, מתה מפצעיה. מצבה של אחותה בת ה-5 עדיין קשה
From ynet - חדשות
Stories of Anti-Semitism in Hungary: The NYT Launches Interactive Inquiry
Citing the recent EU survey that revealed increased fears of anti-Semitism among Jews across Eastern Europe, and particularly pervasive signs of intolerance in Hungary, the New York Times launched an interactive inquiry into anti-Semitism in Hungary. They put out a call for submissions from Jews from or living in Hungary to share their experiences with anti-Semitism; the form is now closed, which suggests there was no shortage of responses.
An openly anti-Semitic political party has gained power in Hungary’s Parliament in recent years, fueling fears that the Eastern European nation is experiencing a rise in anti-Jewish sentiment. Ninety percent of Hungarian Jews who participated in a recent survey by a European Union agency ranked the bias in the country as a “very big” or “fairly big” problem. The growing talk of anti-Semitism in Hungary has prompted the government to respond with a call on Hungarians to accept responsibility for the role played by their country in the Holocaust during World War II and to redouble efforts to commemorate the Holocaust.
Continue reading "Stories of Anti-Semitism in Hungary: The NYT Launches Interactive Inquiry" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Chareidi Parties to Appeal Decision to Disqualify Beit Shemesh Elections
A meeting was held on Monday, 27 Teves 5774 with attorney Yaakov Weinrott and representatives of chareidi parties to discuss the Jerusalem District Court decision to disqualify the municipal elections in Beit Shemesh and order new elections. Beit Shemesh Mayor Rav Moshe Abutbul said that he is confident that if reelections are held he would […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Senior al-Qaida operative responsible for rocket attacks on Israel arrested in Lebanon
Lebanese Army intelligence units captured Majid bin Muhammad al-Majid, the leader of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a terror organization affiliated with al-Qaida, this week in Beirut.
The Lebanese news station LBC reported Tuesday evening that al-Majid, who is wanted in both the United States and Saudi Arabia, spent the last several years in the Palestinian refugee camp Ain el-Hilweh in Sidon.
Al-Majid made his way to Syria a few months ago and joined the rebel organization Jabhat al-Nusra, where he made an alliance with the group's commander Abu Mohammad Al-Julani.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility four months ago for rocket attacks on the north of Israel.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The Lebanese news station LBC reported Tuesday evening that al-Majid, who is wanted in both the United States and Saudi Arabia, spent the last several years in the Palestinian refugee camp Ain el-Hilweh in Sidon.
Al-Majid made his way to Syria a few months ago and joined the rebel organization Jabhat al-Nusra, where he made an alliance with the group's commander Abu Mohammad Al-Julani.
The Abdullah Azzam Brigades claimed responsibility four months ago for rocket attacks on the north of Israel.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Anti-Assad monitoring group says Syrian death toll passes 130,000
BEIRUT - The death toll in Syria's civil war has risen to at least 130,433, more than a third of them civilians on both sides of the conflict, but the real figure is probably much higher, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
The conflict in Syria began in March 2011 as peaceful protests against four decades of rule by President Bashar Assad's family, but turned into an armed insurgency whose sectarian dimensions have reverberated across the Middle East.
The anti-Assad Observatory, based in Britain but with a network of sources across Syria, put the number of women and children killed in the conflict so far at 11,709.
It said the death toll among rebels fighting the Assad government was at least 29,083.
Deaths among the Syrian armed forces and fighters supporting Assad were at least 52,290, including 262 fighters from the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah and 286 from other non-Syrian Shi'ite groups.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The conflict in Syria began in March 2011 as peaceful protests against four decades of rule by President Bashar Assad's family, but turned into an armed insurgency whose sectarian dimensions have reverberated across the Middle East.
The anti-Assad Observatory, based in Britain but with a network of sources across Syria, put the number of women and children killed in the conflict so far at 11,709.
It said the death toll among rebels fighting the Assad government was at least 29,083.
Deaths among the Syrian armed forces and fighters supporting Assad were at least 52,290, including 262 fighters from the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah and 286 from other non-Syrian Shi'ite groups.
From JPost.com - Headlines
IDF Military Police at Yeshiva Dorm During the Night
IDF military police arrived at a yeshiva dormitory, a Belze yeshiva in the N’vei Yosef neighborhood of Haifa. Ladaat reports that a talmid explains the military police arrived at about 1:00 AM on 28 Teves 5774. The police arrived in a police vehicle. The policemen made eye contact with a talmid looking out of a […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Israel's year in pictures
The good and the bad and the highs and lows that made up some of the most memorable moments of 2013, as seen through the lens of Ynet's photographers
From ynet - News
Top Middle East stories 2013: How the region has changed - Your Middle East
 Your Middle East | Top Middle East stories 2013: How the region has changed Your Middle East From Egypt's counter-revolution to Iraq's economic integration into the regional Iranian market, here's Juan Cole's selection of this year's major developments across the Middle East. 8. Tunisia suffered the assassination of two leftist politicians ... Dozens of Iraqi MPs quit over Anbar violence Is Sunni revolution against Iraq 'dictator' looming? Ten killed as Iraq forces clear Sunni protest camp |
From Middle East - Google News
Source: Peres to promote peace process after retirement
Nearing end of term, sources say Peres intends to stay 'active, influential' in political arena, but not in political office. President expected to stay involved in State's diplomatic process
From ynet - News
Drug abuse rampant in Iran
Some two million Iranians use drugs: Crystal meth easily obtained on streets, Iranians move to household drug-making. 'War on drugs requires international cooperation,' Iranian official says
From ynet - News
"קרח, תפשיר!". שרים מאנטרקטיקה ל-2014
גם הכפור וההמתנה הארוכה - כבר שבוע - למחלצים, לא משביתים את שמחת החג של עשרות הנוסעים התקועים ביבשת בדרומית. צפו בשיר חג שהקליטו
From ynet - חדשות
Wrong path to peace with Iran
Reza Marashi and Trita Parsi assert that as American and Iranian negotiators prepare to implement their historic interim nuclear deal, hawkish legislators may destroy the last remaining pathway way to peace.
From CNN.com - Middle East
From CNN.com - Middle East
Centrifuges In Slow-cooker? Iran Interim Deal To Go Into Effect Late January
The interim nuclear agreement signed between Iran and world powers in November will reportedly only go into effect in late January, an Iranian official said Tuesday. “According to the conclusions of talks held with technical experts from the P5+1 group, it has been agreed to start the application of he Geneva agreement in the last […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Nazi Salute ‘The Quenelle’ Used by More Athletes
NBA basketball player Tony Parker has apologised for a newly surfaced photo picturing him making the same anti-Semitic gesture which soccer star Nicolas Anelka displayed last weekend, causing outrage in their home country of France. Former Real Madrid star Anelka has now vowed never to repeat his controversial goal celebration however has not aapologized claiming […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Video: Torah Animal World in Borough Park to Close
A biblical taxidermy museum in Borough Park will soon close its doors. Torah Animal World holds hundreds of taxidermy animals mentioned in the first five books of the Old Testament. Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch, who runs the museum, says he had to make a decision to sell the building. Deutsch says the museum, synagogue and […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
More Subpoenas Likely In Port Authority Probe
The lawmaker leading a legislative investigation into why an appointee of Gov. Chris Christie ordered lanes approaching the George Washington Bridge closed said additional subpoenas are likely to be issued. Assemblyman John Wisniewski said his office is wading through as many as 5,000 documents provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
מכת מחירי הירקות והפירות: "קונים פחות"
בשווקים, בסוּפרים ובמכולות נאלצים הלקוחות להתמודד עם עלייה דרמטית במחירי הפירות והירקות שנובעת ממזג האוויר הקשה שפקד את האזור לפני כמה שבועות. ירון מחליף את הקישואים בעלי כרוב, שושי ויתרה על פירות ויפעת לא קונה מלפפונים. בעלי הבאסטות חוששים: "חרדתיים למשכורות שלנו"
From ynet - חדשות
Israel's defense industry lobbying to ease exports to China - Haaretz
 Haaretz | Israel's defense industry lobbying to ease exports to China Haaretz One source in the defense industry, who asked not be identified, said manufacturers are pushing for a more liberal policy in light of “the increasing difficulty of selling to Israel's Defense Ministry and the exchange rate, which is eroding the ... |
From israel news - Google News
Israel Police to deploy extra units ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations - Jerusalem Post
Israel Police to deploy extra units ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations Jerusalem Post Police will deploy extra officers and Border Police units across Israel on Tuesday night, as part of their efforts to secure New Year's Eve celebrations, the national police headquarters said Tuesday morning. Police said the extra officers will be sent ... |
From israel news - Google News
Head Iranian negotiator: Geneva deal to be implemented in late January
The interim deal signed between Iran and six world powers and meant to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear program will start being implemented in late January, Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported on Tuesday.
"A clearly-set time to start enforcing the Geneva deal has been offered, and would be in the third quarter of January," the head of the Iranian nuclear team Hamid Baeidi-Nejad was quoted as saying.
He clarified, however, that the final decision on the date to start implementing the deal was up to the political leaders of both sides.
The two sides have reached mutual understandings and share similar viewpoints, Baeidi-Nejad added.
From JPost.com - Headlines
"A clearly-set time to start enforcing the Geneva deal has been offered, and would be in the third quarter of January," the head of the Iranian nuclear team Hamid Baeidi-Nejad was quoted as saying.
He clarified, however, that the final decision on the date to start implementing the deal was up to the political leaders of both sides.
The two sides have reached mutual understandings and share similar viewpoints, Baeidi-Nejad added.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Hamas rejects Egypt's labeling of Muslim Brotherhood as terror organization
Gaza government reaffirms solidarity with ousted movement, rejects calls to sever connections with the Brotherhood.
From JPost.com - Middle East News
Monday, January 6
1540 - England's King Henry VIII weds fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. The marriage ends six months later when she agrees to an annulment.
From Israel News
תלמידים לא הורשו לחבוש כובעי סנטה קלאוס
בבית הספר שבו לומדים רבים מעולי ברית המועצות, ביקשו התלמידים לציין בסמליות את חגיגות השנה החדשה, אך טוענים כי נתקלו בסירוב. "לא מדובר בדעה פוליטית, אלא ברצון לחגוג". משרד החינוך: ייערך דיון
From ynet - חדשות
הכי אנטישמים ב-2013: "קשה לצמצם רשימה"
מרכז שמעון ויזנטל העולמי דירג את רשימת האישים האנטישמים והאנטי-ישראלים בשנה החולפת. "שעה אחרי שפרסמנו את הדו"ח התנצל כוכב ה-NBA טוני פארקר", אמר לאולפן ynet ראש המרכז, הרב אברהם קופר
From ynet - חדשות
הביטה בתמונה מהחוף וגילתה כריש ליד הילד
ג'וּן אמרסון הלכה עם בנה ביום שישי לים, וצילמה תמונות למזכרת. כשחזרה הביתה, גילתה צללית מאיימת בין הגלים. תראו
From ynet - חדשות
3,000-year old Hebrew inscription deciphered
A few characters on a 3,000-year-old earthenware jug, which was unearthed at the Ophel near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, have stumped archaeologists until now. Prof. Gershon Galil of Haifa University has deciphered it. He says the inscription may be the oldest Hebrew text discovered to date. It attests to Jerusalem in the tenth century BCE – apparently in the reign Solomon - having an administration which collected taxes, recruited labor and saw to their needs. The text he said was penned in the oldest form of written Hebrew by a competent writer and confirmed the presence of ancient Israelites in Jerusalem in accordance with the Biblical record.
From DEBKAFile
Health Ministry: Beware of non-doctors ‘prescribing’ medications
A “natural substance” that contained active medical ingredients was given to customers by an unauthorized “therapist,” the Health Ministry warned on Tuesday.
The substance, presented by the man as a “vitamin” to the parents of a child, contains Piracetam, which is actually a drug. Piracetam acts on the brain and nervous system and is sometimes prescribed to treat a movement disorder called cortical myoclonus that causes short jerky muscle movements, particularly in your arms and legs.
After the child took the “vitamin,” he was hospitalized in the center of the country. It could have endangered his life, the ministry said.
It warned the public that they must consult with a licensed physician before they take any substance recommended to them by individuals who are not medical doctors or pharmacists.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The substance, presented by the man as a “vitamin” to the parents of a child, contains Piracetam, which is actually a drug. Piracetam acts on the brain and nervous system and is sometimes prescribed to treat a movement disorder called cortical myoclonus that causes short jerky muscle movements, particularly in your arms and legs.
After the child took the “vitamin,” he was hospitalized in the center of the country. It could have endangered his life, the ministry said.
It warned the public that they must consult with a licensed physician before they take any substance recommended to them by individuals who are not medical doctors or pharmacists.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Israeli students call on Kerry to release Pollard
In light of the recent Palestinian prisoner release and US Secretary of State John Kerry's upcoming trip to Israel, Bar Ilan University's student union is planning a protest demanding the release of Israeli agent Jonathan Pollard.
The demonstration will take place in Jerusalem on Thursday, the same day Kerry is set to arrive in Israel. It will include students from Bar Ilan and other Israeli universities.
Kerry reportedly agreed to consider the Israeli request to release Pollard as a condition to the release of the remaining 52 Palestinian terrorists, 26 of whom were released Monday night.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The demonstration will take place in Jerusalem on Thursday, the same day Kerry is set to arrive in Israel. It will include students from Bar Ilan and other Israeli universities.
Kerry reportedly agreed to consider the Israeli request to release Pollard as a condition to the release of the remaining 52 Palestinian terrorists, 26 of whom were released Monday night.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The Key to Bringing New Year's Eve to Israel? Drunk Americans.
Over at the AP, Dan Perry and Tablet contributor Daniel Estrin have investigated a matter of high importance. If you didn’t know, Israelis are annually unenthused about New Year’s Eve. (If I were in the BDS camp, I might just start my litigation right there.) It’s a great piece, rich with historical, religious, and sociological analyses about why Israelis are blasé about a holiday that the rest of the world treats as the ultimate occasion for deleterious merriment.
In it, Perry and Estrin paint a grim picture of what New Year’s Eve looks like in Tel Aviv, a city place that Forbes calls “the city that never sleeps” and Lonely Planet ranks as one of the Top Ten Ultimate Party Cities alongside Ibiza, Vegas, Berlin, Montreal, and Havana:
Continue reading "The Key to Bringing New Year's Eve to Israel? Drunk Americans." at...
From Tablet Magazine
Monday, December 30, 2013
PM: China trade key component of economic growth
Increased trade with China is one of the key elements of ensuring continued economic growth, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Monday.
Netanyahu's comments came during a meeting of a special ministerial committee to advance economic ties with China that was set up after his May visit to Shanghai and Beijing
The other key components of ensuring economic growth, he said, were continued investment in infrastructure, fostering advanced technology, and integrating the haredi and Arab sectors into the work force.
"The goal of this ministerial committee is to coordinate overall government activity in order to enhance cooperation between China and Israel," Netanyahu said. The meeting comes some two weeks after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a visit to Israel, the highest ranking Chinese official to visit since 2009.
Netanyahu said there has been an increase of Chinese investors in Israel, and that Israel's goal was to consistently increase trade with China. Last year trade reached some $8 billion.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Netanyahu's comments came during a meeting of a special ministerial committee to advance economic ties with China that was set up after his May visit to Shanghai and Beijing
The other key components of ensuring economic growth, he said, were continued investment in infrastructure, fostering advanced technology, and integrating the haredi and Arab sectors into the work force.
"The goal of this ministerial committee is to coordinate overall government activity in order to enhance cooperation between China and Israel," Netanyahu said. The meeting comes some two weeks after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a visit to Israel, the highest ranking Chinese official to visit since 2009.
Netanyahu said there has been an increase of Chinese investors in Israel, and that Israel's goal was to consistently increase trade with China. Last year trade reached some $8 billion.
From JPost.com - Headlines
On the Jewish State of Israel - CounterPunch
On the Jewish State of Israel CounterPunch News reports continue to suggest that one of the primary roadblocks to any agreement in the current round of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations is the understandable Palestinian refusal to accept the Israeli demand that Palestine explicitly recognize ... |
From israel news - Google News
Tensions flare between Israel and Lebanon as missiles are launched near the ... - euronews
 Press TV | Tensions flare between Israel and Lebanon as missiles are launched near the ... euronews Eye-witness accounts of a shell attack in the south of Lebanon suggest thirty three rockets were launched from Israel on Sunday. Israel is thought to be retaliating after rockets struck near the border town of Kiryat Shmona in the north of the country ... Lebanon needs strong army to confront Israel: Sleiman |
From israel news - Google News
The 12 world events that most impacted Israel in 2013 - Haaretz
 Haaretz | The 12 world events that most impacted Israel in 2013 Haaretz Year in review || The 12 world events that most impacted Israel in 2013. Perhaps there's a reason Israel sees itself as the center of the world; few events - from Africa to America - seem to bypass influence on the Jewish state. By Anshel Pfeffer | Dec ... |
From israel news - Google News
Russia advances into the Mediterranean
The country’s gas deal with Syria fills a vacuum in the region that shows Moscow can be a secure energy ally
From Middle East & North Africa News - FT.com
From Middle East & North Africa News - FT.com
$0.60 For Cake: Al-Qaida Records Every Expense
The convoy of cars bearing the black al-Qaida flag came at high speed, and the manager of the modest grocery store thought he was about to get robbed. Mohamed Djitteye rushed to lock his till and cowered behind the counter. He was dumbfounded when instead, the al-Qaida commander gently opened the grocery’s glass door and […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Protesters rally against Palestinian prisoners’ release
Israel is scheduled to release 26 convicted Palestinian terrorist murders Monday night - the third batch promised ahead of Israeli peace talks with the Palestinians. More than 150 protesters, including bereaved families of their victims is heading through the Western Wall to one of the Palestinian districts of E. Jerusalem, to demonstrate against the release of terrorists, after their pleas were was turned down by the High Court.
From DEBKAFile
We Now Shift to the Jerusalem Chief Rabbis Election
Jerusalem Councilman (Bayit Yehudi) Dov Kalmanovich at a public melave Malka at Beit HaRav Kook on motzei Shabbos announced his support for Rabbi Aryeh Stern as the next Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim. Taking part in the melave malka were Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi David Lau and Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
לפני השחרור: צעדה לבית מחבל בעיר העתיקה
הצועדים נושאים מטריות שחורות ותמונות של הנרצחים, שרוצחיהם ישוחררו במסגרת הפעימה השלישית. הצעדה מתחילה בבית ראש הממשלה ותמשיך לביתו של אחד המחבלים שצפוי להשתחרר בעסקה, המתגורר בעיר העתיקה בירושלים
From ynet - חדשות
רקטה ששוגרה מעזה התפוצצה בנגב המערבי
רקטה התפוצצה בשטח פתוח בין המועצות האזוריות שדות נגב ושער הנגב. לא היו נפגעים ולא נגרם נזק. חבלנים פתחו בסריקות לאיתור הרקטה
From ynet - חדשות
צפו: עובד בנתב"ג גונב ממזוודות נוסעים
העובד החשוד נעצר לאחר שהתקבלו תלונות מנוסעים על גניבות מהמזוודות שלהם. במעקב שבוצע אחריו התגלה כי גנב רכוש בהיקף של אלפי שקלים
From ynet - חדשות
Israel set to free 26 Palestinians
The Israeli authorities are preparing to free a further 26 Palestinian prisoners as part of a US-brokered agreement to resume direct peace talks.
From BBC News - Middle East
From BBC News - Middle East
Protesters to demonstrate against Palestinian prisoner release policy
The police-approved protest will be held in Rabin Square this Thursday at 6 p.m.
The organizers say the demonstration will protest the release of Palestinian prisoners "with blood on their hands" and call for a change to diplomatic policy.
Singer Avi Benayoun will be in attendance, along with the family and friends of slain soldier Eden Atias.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The organizers say the demonstration will protest the release of Palestinian prisoners "with blood on their hands" and call for a change to diplomatic policy.
Singer Avi Benayoun will be in attendance, along with the family and friends of slain soldier Eden Atias.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Jordanian wins prestigious Israeli research scholarship
A 26-year-old Jordanian master's student in Israel, Zainab Taya, will be the first Jordanian ever to receive the Yair Guron Memorial Scholarship, for her work using desert plant extracts to halt the spread of cancer cells. Taya studies and performs her research at the excavation extension of the Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, which operates under the auspices of Ben University.
Her scholarship, meanwhile, will be awarded in January at the Yair Research Station, part of the Central and Northern Arava Research and Development center.
In Taya's master's thesis, she has shown how extracts of the plant Fragrant Oxeye can help stop the spread of two types of cancerous cells – those associated with leukemia and breast cancer, according to the scholarship fund. Taya chose to perform her research in Israel due to its close proximity to her native Jordan, and stressed that she sees this decision as an opportunity to expand her horizons.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Her scholarship, meanwhile, will be awarded in January at the Yair Research Station, part of the Central and Northern Arava Research and Development center.
In Taya's master's thesis, she has shown how extracts of the plant Fragrant Oxeye can help stop the spread of two types of cancerous cells – those associated with leukemia and breast cancer, according to the scholarship fund. Taya chose to perform her research in Israel due to its close proximity to her native Jordan, and stressed that she sees this decision as an opportunity to expand her horizons.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Gov't slaps price controls on more dairy products
For the first time since the cottage cheese protest in the summer of 2011, the government has intervened to lower dairy product prices on Monday.
Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir signed an order placing price controls on 5% soft white cheese and 38% whipped cream. Following the move the prices of the two products should go down by about 20%.
At the same time prices of dairy products under supervision including milk in sacks and cartons will fall by 1.1%. This is due to changes in production costs less a temporary price hike of 3.5% to consumers and 4% to dairies that was approved in October 2012.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir signed an order placing price controls on 5% soft white cheese and 38% whipped cream. Following the move the prices of the two products should go down by about 20%.
At the same time prices of dairy products under supervision including milk in sacks and cartons will fall by 1.1%. This is due to changes in production costs less a temporary price hike of 3.5% to consumers and 4% to dairies that was approved in October 2012.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Report: Nazi-looted art found in German parliament
Art historians find two works of art stolen by Nazis in Bundestag. One of two part of larger set of Nazi-looted work found in Munich apartment
From ynet - News
בפרלמנט הגרמני - יצירות שנבזזו מיהודים
היסטוריון לאמנות שחקר את אוסף היצירות בבונדסטאג בברלין סיפר שמצא שני ציורי שמן שגנבו הנאצים מיהודים במלחמת העולם השנייה
From ynet - חדשות
Recommended for all, flu shot taken by only 16.1% of population
By the middle of December, only 16.1 percent of the whole population were vaccinated against influenza, the Health Ministry reported on Monday.
Complications of the flu lead to significant illness and deaths.
The shot, recommended for all ages from six months, is provided free by one’s health fund and by geriatric institutions for their residents and medical institutions for their personnel.
In addition, 65% of people aged 65 and over have gone for flu shots, even though they began to be offered in early October. More than half of the cold season is over, and the elderly face the highest risk of complications.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Complications of the flu lead to significant illness and deaths.
The shot, recommended for all ages from six months, is provided free by one’s health fund and by geriatric institutions for their residents and medical institutions for their personnel.
In addition, 65% of people aged 65 and over have gone for flu shots, even though they began to be offered in early October. More than half of the cold season is over, and the elderly face the highest risk of complications.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Gazan rocket fired at Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council; none hurt
A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council on Monday night, Israel Radio reported.
There were no injuries or damage reported.
From JPost.com - Headlines
There were no injuries or damage reported.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Terror victims' relatives begin march towards prisoner's home in East Jerusalem
The High Court of Justice agreed to let 15 relatives of terror victims march to the East Jerusalem residence of a Palestinian prisoner set to be released Sunday at midnight, after the bereaved families filed an appeal.
The families had appealed against a court order banning them from marching to the prisoner's home.
The hearing on the families' original petition against the release of Palestinian security prisoners is currently ongoing.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The families had appealed against a court order banning them from marching to the prisoner's home.
The hearing on the families' original petition against the release of Palestinian security prisoners is currently ongoing.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Pittsburgh Mohel Severed Newborn's Penis During Bris, Lawsuit Alleges
In some of the more disturbing news I’ve heard in the 12 hours since I’ve been back on American soil (a major thank you to Yair Rosenberg, by the way, for manning the helm while last week, as well as Adam Chandler and interns extraordinaire Rachel Silberstein and Lauren Schwartzberg), a Pittsburgh rabbi is being sued by a family who hired him to perform their sons’ bris in April.
According to the lawsuit, the rabbi, a certified mohel, botched the procedure so badly that the newborn was rushed to the hospital for “emergency reconstructive surgery and leech therapy.” The New York Daily News offers a more graphic account of the procedure, in which the boy’s penis was allegedly severed and had to be reattached in an eight-hour surgery.
Continue reading "Pittsburgh Mohel Severed Newborn's Penis During Bris, Lawsuit Alleges" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Jonathan Pollard and the Palestinian Prisoner Release
The considerable outrage on display ahead of Monday’s release of Palestinian prisoners took on an odd sense of normalcy. As the list of the third batch of 26 prisoners was made public, the reactions of anger began anew as Israelis were forced to revisit the heinous crimes of the soon-to-be-free inmates.
All of the prisoners on the list, save three, were convicted of murdering Israeli civilians, soldiers or Palestinians suspected of collaborating with Israel. In a press release Saturday night, the Prime Minister’s Office said all of the inmates had been convicted of offenses committed prior to the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1994.
Continue reading "Jonathan Pollard and the Palestinian Prisoner Release" at...
From Tablet Magazine
Rabbi Asher Zelig Rubenstein zt’l: A Life of Greatness and Emunah
I write these words with tears rolling down my cheeks having just heard the shocking news of my Rebbe’s sudden petirah. I think about my dear Rebbe whom I was zocheh to learn from for the past 13 years. I knew him as a rebbe, a father figure and a close advisor who always shared […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
10 Killed in Bus Explosion in Volgograd Marking Second Day of Terror Attacks in Russia
A bomb blast tore through a trolleybus in the city of Volgograd on Monday morning, killing at least 10 people a day after a suicide bombing that killed at least 17 at the city’s main railway station. The explosions put the city on edge and highlighted the terrorist threat that Russia is facing as it […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Middle East Remains Most Dangerous Region for Reporters - Voice of America
 Voice of America | Middle East Remains Most Dangerous Region for Reporters Voice of America Elsewhere in the Middle East, 10 journalists died during the year in Iraq, where violence returned to the highest levels since 2011. Another six were killed in Egypt, where protests have continued since the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi ... 'Middle East has become a killing field for journalists' Middle East a 'killing field' for journalists Middle East wages war against Christians |
From Middle East - Google News
Person of the year in Middle East diplomacy: Hassan Rouhani - Jerusalem Post
Person of the year in Middle East diplomacy: Hassan Rouhani Jerusalem Post Viewed from outside the Prime Minister's Office, Israel's diplomatic plate in 2013 looked as if it was brimming over with not one, but two entrees: Iran and the Palestinians. Both issues were vitally important, both issues demanded enormous amounts of ... |
From Middle East - Google News
Middle East must have Christians - Springfield News-Leader
Middle East must have Christians Springfield News-Leader “We won't resign ourselves,” says Pope Francis, “to a Middle East without Christians.” The most passionate advocate has been Prince Charles. “For 20 years,” he said in a recent speech, “I have tried to build bridges between Islam and Christianity and ... Gregory III Urges Christians in the Middle East Not to Emigrate Middle East Christianity under siege Christians in Middle East Deserve Better |
From Middle East - Google News
The Best Books of 2013 on the Middle East - Foreign Affairs
The Best Books of 2013 on the Middle East Foreign Affairs Article Summary and Author Biography. The William Stewart Tod professor of Politics and International Affairs emeritus at Princeton University selects the most important books on the Middle East reviewed during the last year. Print · Email. The William ... |
From Middle East - Google News
Switzerland gives Khodorkovsky 3-month Schengen visa
Switzerland granted a three-month visa on Friday to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the Russian former oil tycoon who was released from prison two weeks ago.
The visa allows Khodorkovsky to travel within the Schengen area, which includes the majority of the European Union and several countries outside the bloc, including Switzerland.
Switzerland's foreign ministry confirmed it was granting a visa in a brief statement, but said it would give no further details, citing data protection reasons.
From JPost.com - Headlines
The visa allows Khodorkovsky to travel within the Schengen area, which includes the majority of the European Union and several countries outside the bloc, including Switzerland.
Switzerland's foreign ministry confirmed it was granting a visa in a brief statement, but said it would give no further details, citing data protection reasons.
From JPost.com - Headlines
Nicolas Anelka's Quenelle Gesture: the 'Reverse Nazi Salute' Roiling English Soccer
English soccer was plunged into yet another anti-Semitism scandal this weekend, following a goal-scoring celebration by Nicolas Anelka, the highly-regarded French striker who currently plays for West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League. After beating the goalkeeper for the second time during a six goal thriller against West Ham United on Saturday, Anelka delivered an anti-Semitic salute, known as the Quenelle, originated by his close friend, the French-Cameroonian comedian and provocateur Dieudonné M’bala M’bala, who calls himself an “anti-Zionist” while engaging in what looks suspiciously like anti-Semitism.
As with the recent Tottenham Hotspur “Yids” controversy which preceded it, there are plenty of voices arguing that L’Affaire Anelka is really a big misunderstanding, and that Jew-baiting was the furthest thing from Anelka’s mind. Keith Downing, Albion’s coach, defended his player by irritably declaring that “It (the Quenelle) has got nothing to do with what is being said…It is absolute rubbish.” For his part, Anelka tweeted, “This gesture was just a special dedication to my comedian friend Dieudonné,” later adding a photo showing President Obama with Jay-Z and Beyonce supposedly doing the same thing (what’s shown in that image is, in fact, a harmless tribute to Jay-Z’s song, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder.”)
From Tablet Magazine
Delegation of Admorim from Eretz Yisrael May be on Hold
The admorim from Eretz Yisrael, members of the Moetzas Gedolei Hatorah of Agudas Yisrael may not be arriving in New York City in a week as planned. The admorim were set to leave Israel on Sunday, 4 Shevat. It was announced earlier in the day, Monday 27 Teves that the Belzer Rebbe Shlita will not […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
Israel: Missing Chareidi Teen’s Body Found Murdered, Set Ablaze, And Dumped
A search was ongoing for a 17-year-old chareidi male who disappeared from his home on motzei Shabbos the eve of 26 Teves 5774. A command center was set up in a Bnei Brak shopping center on Monday morning 27 Teves. A few hours later the body of the missing person was discovered in the brush […]
From Yeshiva World News
From Yeshiva World News
PM: Talks in our interest, but Palestinian must recognize Jewish state
After Livni warned of economic dangers of talks' failure, Netanyahu claims talks in Israel's interest, Palestinian must give up territorial demands. Meanwhile, Bennett pokes fun at Livni: 'maybe we'll make peace with aliens'
From ynet - News
OPCW extends deadline on Syria chemical arms removal
Volatile security conditions and inclement weather prevent OPCW from finishing task on time; will meet Jan. 8 to discuss progress.
From JPost.com - Middle East News
במינוס 13 מעלות: כלב שמר על גופת חברו
כלב בסין תועד גוחן מעל חברו שנדרס למוות בכביש סואן. בקור מקפיא הוא לא מש מהגופה במשך כל הלילה וליווה אותה עד הקבר. צפו בסרטון המרגש
From ynet - חדשות
What is Hezbollah leader Nasrallah doing on a Christmas tree?
Militant Islamist group injects a little Christmas spirit into its television broadcasts from Lebanon
From ynet - News
אנדרטת ההנצחה לזכר הל"ה הושחתה
אלמונים ניפצו את אנדרטת הל"ה, המנציחה את זכר 35 לוחמי הפלמ"ח וחיל השדה, שנהרגו בקרב לפני קום המדינה בדרכם לסייע לתושבי גוש עציון. יו"ר ארגון יד לבנים: "כל דבר כזה פותח שוב את הפצע של המשפחות השכולות"
From ynet - חדשות
מבחנות ונוזל ירוק: בהלה בלשכת האלופה
חבילה חשודה הקפיצה מאבטחים וחבלנים ללשכת ראש אכ"א בקריה. בבדיקה התברר שזו הייתה אזעקת שווא, אבל בעקבות המקרה החריג חודדו נהלים
From ynet - חדשות
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel - NBCNews.com (blog)
 NBCNews.com (blog) | Rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel NBCNews.com (blog) JERUSALEM - Two rockets fired from Lebanon struck northern Israel on Sunday, causing no injuries or damage, and Israel's military responded with artillery fire across the border, officials said. The Lebanese rockets landed near the town of Kiryat ... |
From israel news - Google News
Figures for 2013 show || Sharp drop in immigration to Israel from America and ... - Haaretz
 Haaretz | Figures for 2013 show || Sharp drop in immigration to Israel from America and ... Haaretz ... in immigration to Israel from America and U.K., as France jumps 63%. French immigration beats out American immigration for first time in years, keeps overall new arrivals to Israel steady; U.S. immigrants dropped by 13 percent and from U.K. by 27 ... Israel welcomes 19200 immigrants in 2013 Immigration to Israel Rises by 7% — Led by French Aliyah Levels Up: 19200 New Immigrants in 2013 |
From israel news - Google News
Lebanon rocket fire draws Israeli artillery strike - Reuters
Lebanon rocket fire draws Israeli artillery strike Reuters South Lebanon is a stronghold of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, a Shi'ite Muslim group that battled Israel seven years ago and is engaged in Syria's civil war in support of President Bashar al-Assad. But Palestinian factions are also in the area. The ... |
From israel news - Google News
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