Thursday, May 23, 2013

Industry is best bet for peace, Israeli billionaire says

by Tova Cohen, Reuters

On a new industrial park in Israel's largest Arab town, a software plant belonging to a multibillion-dollar U.S.-listed firm sits cheek-by-jowl with. . .

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Kerry samples Palestinian shawarma and sweets

Reuters

Secretary of State John Kerry stepped off the diplomatic track on Thursday and onto a West Bank street where he sampled a shawarma sandwich and a. . .

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Israel’s mikvahs open to non-Orthodox conversions, official clarifies

JTA

Clarifying existing policy, the office of Israel’s deputy religious services minister said Israel’s state-sponsored mikvahs are open for use for. . .

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Kerry praises Netanyahu’s ‘seriousness’ on peace

JTA

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his “seriousness” in finding ways to restart the peace. . .

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Beersheva bank attack spurs gun reforms in Israel

JTA

Israel would require security guards to leave their weapons at work under gun reforms unveiled in the aftermath of a Beersheva bank attack that. . .

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Stone-walling

By Shmuel Rosner

In the last two years, the Western Wall in Jerusalem — also known as the Kotel — has become a place of controversy as much as of worship. It’s. . .

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Israeli soldier killed in Golan mine explosion

JTA

An Israeli soldier was killed in a mine explosion in the southern Golan Heights.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Meet the laser that guides the Iron Dome (soon to be made in the USA)

by Ben Sales, JTA

Six months after the Iron Dome defense system rendered Hamas rockets largely ineffective during Israel’s Operation Pillar of Defense in Gaza, I. . .

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

IDF chief warns Syria against more attacks on Israel

JTA

The Israeli military’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, warned that Syria would pay the price if it continues to attack Israel.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Syria fires on Israeli military vehicle, Israel returns fire

JTA

Syria fired on and damaged an Israeli army jeep, and Israel retaliated with a missile attack, the Israeli military said.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Four killed in Beersheva bank shooting

JTA

Four people were shot dead at a Bank Hapoalim branch in Beersheva when a gunman opened fire hours after reportedly being denied a loan.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Lapid: No settlement freeze for peace talks

JTA

Israeli Finance Minister Yair Lapid said he opposes a settlement freeze, but that thousands of settlers would have to leave their homes in a peace. . .

Friday, May 17, 2013

Thousands protest in Jerusalem against haredi draft

JTA

Thousands of haredi Orthodox Israelis protested in Jerusalem against plans to enlist haredi men into the military.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Israel to authorize four West Bank settler outposts

by Maayan Lubell, Reuters

Israel plans to declare legal four unauthorized West Bank settler outposts, a court document showed on Thursday, days before U.S. Secretary of State. . .

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Palestinians mark Nakba with West Bank protests

JTA

Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel, which they call the “catastrophe,”. . .

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Seaport battle looms as Israel plans new competition

by Tova Cohen and Ari Rabinovitch, Reuters

Israel is betting its economic future on high-tech exports but faces a low-tech bottleneck in state-owned seaports subject to work stoppages and. . .

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Jews barred from Temple Mount

JTA

Israel Police barred Israeli Jews and tourists from the Temple Mount following threats of Muslim violence.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Palestinian group says it fired rockets on Mount Hermon

JTA

A previously unknown Palestinian group took responsibility for two rockets that hit Mount Hermon, a popular Israeli tourist site in the Golan Heights.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

International court to look into Israel’s 2010 Gaza flotilla raid

JTA

The International Criminal Court prosecutor said she would open a preliminary examination into the 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, which. . .

Monday, May 13, 2013

Netanyahu takes flak over bed on a plane

Reuters

Benjamin Netanyahu is changing his mid-air sleeping arrangements after a public flap over a $127,000 custom-built bedroom for the Israeli prime. . .

Monday, May 13, 2013

Israel’s Cabinet approves reduced defense cuts

JTA

Israel’s Cabinet unanimously approved a proposal to moderate cuts to the defense budget as part of sweeping austerity measures.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Syria warns Israel it could enter Golan

JTA

A Syrian government official warned that his country can enter the Israeli-held Golan Heights at any time.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Charedi Orthodox youth mob Western Wall in protest of women’s prayer service

by Ben Sales, JTA

Haredi Orthodox youth mobbed the Western Wall plaza by the thousands to protest Women of the Wall as they held their monthly prayer service.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Poll: Israelis much more confident in Obama than Palestinians

JTA

Israelis by a 4-to-1 margin are more confident than Palestinians in how President Obama handles his foreign policy, a poll found.