Friday, November 06, 2015
Peter Beinart: Israel deserves terrorism
Liberal American-Jewish commentator Peter Beinart gave a provocative speech on Wednesday, in which he said Israel essentially deserved the wave of Arab terrorism targeting its citizens.Palestinian 'recognition' is a bloody lie
Beinart - who despite his regular attacks on the Jewish state insists he is "pro-Israel" - was speaking at "Beth Chayim Chadashim Progressive synagogue in Los Angeles, which was set up as a "gay-friendly" congregation.
His comments were recorded approvingly by the anti-Israel Mondoweiss website.
"While we condemn Palestinian violence, we must recognize this painful truth: that Israeli policy has encouraged it," Beinart told his audience. "Israel has encouraged it by penalizing Palestinian nonviolence, by responding to that nonviolence by deportations, teargas, imprisonment, and the confiscation of Palestinian lands. Hard as it is to say, the Israeli government is reaping what it has sowed."
11 Israelis have been murdered and dozens more injured - many seriously - in a series of daily, primarily stabbing attacks, many of them targeting children and elderly citizens.
One of the examples of "Palestinian nonviolence" he gave was the weekly riots in the village of Bil'in, which involves rock-throwing and attempts by villagers, bolstered by foreign and Israeli anarchists, to attack nearby Jewish communities.
Amazingly, Beinart also used the same logic to essentially provide some justification for the 9/11 attacks on the US.
This week, PLO Secretary General Saeb Erekat, who was among the chief negotiators of the Oslo Accords and subsequent phony "peace talks," took the comedy act a step further. He told the London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi on Thursday that the Palestinians may have to rescind their recognition of Israel.Mordechai Kedar: Wake up and start connecting the dots
One would be hard-pressed to find a bigger hoot than that.
In the first place, though the only concrete action required of the Palestinians at Oslo was to amend the PLO charter calling for Israel's annihilation -- and even this was only promised in a series of letters exchanged between Rabin and Arafat -- its newer version was never ratified.
Second, Israel is the only party that has upheld its commitments -- only using military force in self-defense.
The Palestinian terrorism war that is currently being waged against innocent civilians and soldiers erupted, according to Abbas and his henchmen, as a result of a change in the status quo on the Temple Mount. That there was no such change makes no difference. Spreading lies is how the Palestinian leadership operates. Its success at the dissemination of propaganda only serves to strengthen its resolve.
And this time around, Abbas is letting the kids do his dirty work, with knives and rocks, without having to lift a finger -- other than for emphasis when denouncing Israel at the U.N.
There are disagreements among Israeli politicians, pundits and the public about how to handle the current crisis. Debates on the viability or wisdom of the two-state solution are rehashed ad nauseam, to the point where it is not clear whether to cry or yawn. But a crucial little factoid keeps getting drowned out in the cacophony and camouflaged by blood: No official Palestinian body has ever recognized the Jewish state. This is worthy of at least a partial smile, because something that never existed cannot be canceled.
The stabber is motivated by the same concerns that encouraged Haj Amin al Husseini, Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, to take part in the destruction of European Jewry in the 1940's. A Muslim who sets out to stab Jews knows that a reward awaits him in Paradise whether he is killed before, during or after he does so. Our moral concerns do not interest him in the least, but if worst comes to worst, they will be the reason he will be protected from the anger of those surrounding him at the scene. He relies on Israeli law and Israel's police force to protect him from the crowd's vengeance, and is sure he will survive to stab more Jews after he is freed during a prisoner exchange.
That is how Israeli morality works against Israel and its citizens, paralyzing Israeli deterrence and encouraging terrorists to stab Israelis. The stabbers are in a win-win situation since Israeli law and morals grant them immunity from immediate punishment by bystanders who were witness to their terrorist actions. It turns out that those who constantly spout lessons in morality actually behave immorally by encouraging terror and murder. It is fascinating to see a professor of law blatantly encouraging terror.
This is how Israel ties its own hands, making it more difficult to respond effectively to terror. Israel has lost its ability to deter terrorist murderers because they feel that they have immunity. It should be a given that any terrorist who takes up a knife to stab a Jew knows that he will not return home alive, that he will be killed either by security personnel or the people who witnessed his actions. Isn't the period when Muslims considered Jewish blood cheap a thing of the past? Israel has no choice, it must renew its ability to deter terrorists.
Both the left and right must remember that this is the Middle East. Peace in this region is not the lot of those who unwaveringly follow Western mores, laws and ethics. He who succeeds in convincing his enemies that he is invincible and that they had better leave him alone for their own good, has a chance of achieving peace.
Anyone who does not understand this or who does not want to understand it, is cut off from reality. I suggest that he wake up and connect the dots for his own good, before the butcher's knife separates his head from his body - and I am not engaging in mere fear mongering.
In case that scenario does occur, will his being a moral person be of any help?
UN Watch: List of Palestinian Terrorist Attacks Against Israelis
Statements by United Nations officials have failed to reflect the gravity of the current wave of Palestinian16-year-old Israeli boy badly hurt in Hebron shooting attack
terrorism against Israelis. Following is a list of the major attacks since the beginning of October 2015:
October 1
Near Nablus in Samaria: Rabbi Eitam Henkin (31) and wife Naama (30) murdered in a drive-by shooting while traveling with their four young children (aged 9, 7, 4, and 9 months). Security forces arrested members of Hamas cell responsible.
October 3
Jerusalem: Two killed in stabbing attack near Lion’s Gate. Aharon Banita-Bennet (22) was stabbed to death on the way to the Western Wall in the Old City on Saturday evening with his wife and two young children. His wife and two-year-old son were wounded. Rabbi Nehemia Lavi (father of seven), who came to the aid of the Banita-Bennett family, was attacked and stabbed to death. Police shot and killed the attacker.
Two Israeli teens were hurt Friday evening in a shooting attack near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city of Hebron.Israeli man badly injured in West Bank knife attack; attacker flees
One of the two, a 16-year-old, was seriously hurt and the other, aged 18, sustained light injuries. The younger teen was hit by gunfire in the upper body. He was taken to Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem, Channel 2 reported.
Maariv said both of the victims were conscious at the scene of the attack.
The gunfire apparently came from the direction of the Abu Sneina neighborhood of the divided city, targeting worshipers as they emerged from the tomb.
Large numbers of IDF troops were deployed to the Palestinian neighborhoods surrounding the Jewish settlement in Hebron to search for the cell behind the attack, the Ynet news website reported.
The Israeli man, approximately 40 years old, was seriously injured in the attack. He sustained stab wounds to the upper body, and paramedics treated the man on site before taking him to a hospital, the Magen David Adom medical service said.Elderly Palestinian woman tries to run over soldiers near Hebron
The army and police quickly began searching the surrounding area for the attacker, the IDF said.
“When I arrived at the scene I saw a man who appeared to be in his 30s with stab wounds to the upper body, but fully conscious,” MDA paramedic Hagai Bar-Tov, who treated the man, said.
“Along with army medical personnel who arrived on the scene, we gave him life saving treatment, which included bandaging his wounds, putting in an IV and administering medication. We quickly took him in an intensive care ambulance to Shaare Zedek Medical Center,” Bar-Tov said.
The attack occurred outside the Rami Levy supermarket in Sha’ar Binyamin, an industrial area north of Jerusalem and southeast of Ramallah.
The driver was seriously injured, according to initial reports. She was named as Tharwat al-Sha’arawi, 72, a widow from Hebron whose husband was killed in the first intifada.8 Overnight Arab Terror Attacks on Israeli Motorists
None of the soldiers was reported injured in the attack, which took place at Halhul Junction, site of a similar attack earlier this week.
The woman attempted to drive her car into IDF troops near Halhul Bridge outside of Hebron, an army spokeswoman said.
The forces on the scene saw the car approaching them and fired at the attacker, injuring her. The Palestinian woman received medical treatment on site and was taken to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center for treatment of her injuries.
In eight separate cases overnight Thursday night Israeli motorists found themselves with flying rocks and flaming bottle bombs smashing into their cars — sometimes directly at their windshields.Rookie IDF soldier thwarts 2 terrorist attacks in 2 weeks
Arab terrorists carried out at least eight such attacks in different locations in the early hours of Friday morning in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem.
Attackers hurled firebombs along southern areas of Highway 60 in Judea. Arab terrorists hurled rocks and firebombs at motorists who drove past the villages of El Aroub, Tubas, Ein Yabrud and Kfar Na’ama.
IDF soldiers searched the area for the perpetrators after several vehicles reported the attacks, and eventually found some of the weapons.
The forces discovered a stockpile of firebombs (Molotov cocktails) and rocks squirreled away for use as ammunition in attacks against Israeli motorists.
Attacks were also reported at the Mount of Olives and the City of David in Jerusalem, and near the Samaria Arab city of Tulkarm as well.
An IDF corporal who has only been serving for eight months has successfully prevented two terrorist attacks in less than two weeks, one on Thursday evening, when he shot and killed a terrorist who tried to stab Israelis waiting at a bus stop in Gush Etzion; and another a week ago, when he shot two terrorists who stabbed another soldier on duty nearby. The soldier was moderately wounded in the attack.Peace Now Chief Urges IDF to Put Hero Soldier ‘on Leave’
On Thursday evening, a terrorist later identified as Malak a-Sharif, 25, from Hebron, approached the bus stop and was spotted by the soldiers on duty, who launched the protocol for stopping a suspect. When Sharif pulled out a knife and poised himself to attack and stab them, he was shot and killed.
Cpl. T., who is assigned to the Kfir Brigade's Shimshon Battalion, said, "While I was guarding the intersection [in Gush Etzion], we discerned the suspect and called out to him to cross the street and come toward us. When he reached us, he pulled out a knife, intending to stab my friend who was with me. That same moment, I cocked my gun and shot him."
The previous incident took place on Tuesday of last week, when two terrorists approached a place next to the location of Thursday evening's attack. One of them stabbed another Kfir Brigade soldier, leaving him with moderate wounds. Cpl. T. happened to be close by that attack, too, and responded rapidly. He shot and killed both terrorists, preventing a much worse attack. The terrorists were later identified as Shadi al-Kudasi and Izzedin Abu Shahram, both from Hebron.
Peace Now head Yariv Oppenheimer called in a Hebrew-language tweet on Thursday for the IDF to send a hero soldier on leave after he saved lives and prevented major tragedies.Palestinian sites incite to murder IDF hero
The soldier in question had eliminated three murderous Arab terrorists who attempted attacks over the past two weeks.
“It would be good for the IDF to give leave a few days leave to the soldier that was involved in preventing the terror attack. A situation where a soldier kills 3 attackers in 2 days is not good for the soldier or for the Matzav [situation]”
It’s not clear how a soldier successfully killing three terrorists is not good for the current situation. It seems to only be not so good for the terrorists.
Palestinian Arab news agencies are inciting to murder an IDF soldier commended for killing three terrorists in two weeks.Survey: Israeli Jews Tense, Not Hysterical, Israeli Arab Really Frightened
The IDF spokesperson's office honored IDF Corporal T., a combat warrior in the Shimshon Battalion of the Kfir Brigade, for shooting dead an Arab terrorist trying to conduct a stabbing attack at Gush Etzion Junction on Thursday, as well as shooting two Arab terrorists dead at the same junction last week as they stabbed his comrade.
In response, the Shehab and Ma'an news agencies shared the soldier's photo to thousands of Palestinian Arabs, calling him the "face of the Occupation" and "The Terminator," Walla! News reports.
The photo, which shows T.'s face, has sparked comments calling to "take care of him" - and other details about him may lead to him being targeted. The IDF spokesperson's office did not respond to requests for comment.
The ongoing stream of Palestinian incitement in official media has largely caused the terror wave raging in Israel since late September, and its role in the violence has been recognized by the IDF and US Congress.
October’s “peace index survey,” conducted by The Israel Democracy Institute focused on the ongoing wave of terror attacks and how they are affecting the feelings and behaviors of the Israeli public. Overall, the study found the Jewish public tense but not hysterical.PLO slams presidential hopeful for calling it terrorist group
A majority of the Jewish public (57%) fear that they or someone important to them would be harmed in the wave of attacks. Still, 64% report that they have not changed their daily habits—taking public transportation or shopping routines—due to the security situation.
In contrast, the Arab public is very frightened. Some 78% answered that they are worried about being harmed and 53% reported changing their daily habits.
Jewish Israelis and Arab Israelis do not agree on how to punish those who carry out attacks, based on ethnicity.
Destroying Homes: a full 80% of Jewish Israelis believe Palestinian homes should be raised if the home owner or a family member carries out an attack, but only 53% agree that a Jewish Israeli’s home should be raised if the home owner or a family member carries out an attack. About 77% of Arab Israelis disagree that Palestinian homes should be raised; 67% oppose demolishing Jewish homes.
Level of Punishment: 70% of Jews feel the punishments Israeli courts hand down to terrorists are too light. 60% of Arab Israelis feel the punishments are too heavy.
53% of Jewish Israelis agreed with the statement that “any Palestinian who has perpetrated a terror attack against Jews should be killed on the spot.”
The Palestine Liberation Organization on Thursday criticized Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz over a Senate hearing he oversaw on Palestinian and Iranian terrorism that it called "biased and inflammatory."369 US House members urge PA president Abbas to quit incitement
In an unusually harsh statement issued Thursday, the PLO said the Judiciary subcommittee hearing provided no Palestinian viewpoint and conflated all Palestinians with terrorists. The PLO expressed alarm at what it said was a growing trend in the United States to "dehumanize" Palestinians.
In response, Cruz said, "It is not surprising a terrorist organization like the PLO is upset with the truths that were told at our hearing yesterday."
Cruz oversaw the Wednesday hearing titled "Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and Palestinian Terrorism," in which several public witnesses described acts of violence and complained about the Obama administration, arguing that its Justice Department has failed to prosecute terrorists who have killed and wounded Americans.
Cruz, the first-term senator from Texas, opened the hearing with a vivid description of a Palestinian suicide bomber attack on a Jerusalem street several years ago that killed and wounded men, women and children.
A letter signed by 369 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Republicans and Democrats alike, calls on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to condemn the recent violence in Israel and renew direct peace negotiations.Edgar Davidson: Disgraceful response from Foreign Office to Hammond's anti-Israel stance
The lawmakers asked Abbas to end incitement, continue security cooperation with Israel and agree to renew peace talks without conditions.
The letter directly accuses Abbas and other Palestinian Authority figures of making inflammatory statements and false claims that have increased tensions.
"Unless immediate action is taken to end incitement and bring the situation under control, this escalating violence -- including stabbings, shootings and other terrorist acts -- will undermine the prospects of a two-state solution," reads the letter initiated by Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, and New York Rep. Eliot Engel, the top Democrat.
On 9 October I made a formal complaint to the Foreign Office following the appalling statement by the Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond in which he blamed Israel's 'occupation' and 'violence by Palestinians and Israeli settlers' for the multiple unprovoked terrorist attacks against Israeli kids and pensioners. I have now received the following response which I think is contemptible because not only does it seem to confirm Hammond's belief but it clearly tries to draw moral equivalence between Israelis defending themselves against violence on one hand and and their terrorist attackers on the other hand. And people still think Cameron is 'pro-Israel'? It might be in more polite and diplomatic language, but there is nothing in this that is much different to what Jeremy Corbyn says, and it is no surprise that the Palestinians carry on using violence when they are never held to account by governments like the UK.'Name of shop is Hitler and I like him because he was the most anti Jewish person'
In Gaza City, a clothing shop whose owner refuses to speak on camera, has been recently displaying clothes for sale on mannequins that are masked and have knives taped to their hands.Jordanian King Asserts Temple Mount Cameras’ Feed to Go Only to his Palace
The knife carrying mannequins are designed to make ties with the latest wave of violence in the West Bank and Israel that has seen many Palestinian attackers using knives to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians.
The name 'Hitler 2' has also attracted attention, which seems to raise the number of visitors to the clothing store.
"The name of the shop is 'Hitler' and I like him because he was the the most anti Jewish person. They have done us wrong, they took our rights in this land and they left us with nothing. It is better for us now to go and die, we are living like the dead. I like the clothes and the name, it is fantastic," said 20 year old Hijaz Abu Shanab.
His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan told a delegation of the Jerusalem Waqf charity which runs the Temple Mount compound, clerics, and Muslim and Christian residents of eastern Jerusalem that the CCTV cameras, to be installed on the Temple Mount in six weeks, will send their feed directly to his office in Amman, and not to any Israeli agency, reporter Gal Berger tweeted Thursday. According to Berger, the king mentioned the possibility of running the feed on the internet in the future.Muslim council calls to ban all Jews from Temple Mount
Speaking about the installation of surveillance cameras to monitor the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Temple Mount area, which he insisted would be used primarily to make sure that no Israeli violations are committed, according to Jordan Times, King Abdullah said that each time a Jordanian position is declared, there are skeptics.
He insisted that the surveillance camera project is a Jordanian initiative, to be carried out by the Waqf, in cooperation with “our Palestinian brothers.”
The cameras will be installed to provide monitoring of the entire area of the Temple Mount, the King said.
The Muslim council of clerics in Jerusalem has issued a call to entirely ban all Jewish presence from the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism.Berkeley's Hatem Bazian: No Sharing the Temple Mount with Jews
The announcement specifically called to return the situation at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount to as it was before the 1967 Six Day War, when Israel liberated the holy site from Jordanian occupation that had lasted from the 1948 War of Independence.
Ironically, the announcement read: "the Muslims want Al-Aqsa Mosque to be returned to the situation before 1967, when it was liberated from all occupation and under the rule of the Arabs and the Muslims, since it belongs only to the Muslims."
"The Islamic department of holy sites is the one that determined who was allowed to enter and exit from among the non-Muslim visitors," wrote the council in apparent nostalgia to the days of completely unmitigated discrimination when Jews were forbidden from the site.
"The Muslims demand to have the key of the Mughrabi Gate returned to them, after it was seized by the occupation army and currently serves for aggressive invasions," they added, in reference to the sole gate to the Temple Mount where non-Muslims are currently allowed to enter from.
UC Berkeley academic and boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) proponent Hatem Bazian doesn't believe in religious freedom for Israeli Jews.Israeli and Palestinian representatives clash at UN anti-corruption forum
In his latest Daily Sabah column, Bazian portrays Israel as a "bullying colonial thief" and Jews sharing the Temple Mount with Muslims as attempting to "destroy" and to "steal." Such vitriol echoes the Islamic supremacism and conspiracy theories fueling Palestinian violence against Israelis—as seen in the current "stabbing intifada"—under the pretext of nonexistent threats to the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. As he puts it:
Zionist settlers and those wanting to build the third temple are asking to share in what they are hoping to destroy. A bully stealing lunch money in the schoolyard can hardly qualify as an act of sharing, despite the fact that children will often let go of their valuables when threatened. Weekly, and sometimes daily, racist settlers enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound fully protected by the Israeli military demanding in a grotesque manner to share the area. Bullying Palestinians to surrender their religious site, Al-Aqsa Mosque, under the rubric of sharing is an insult to generosity and its people.The fact that non-Muslim prayer at the Temple Mount is prohibited by Israeli law and that Bazian is unsatisfied with Jews merely having freedom of access to the site demonstrates his extremism. Given that he's director of UC Berkeley's Islamophobia Research & Documentation Project, it also exposes his hypocrisy regarding allegations of religious discrimination.
A confrontation between Israeli and Palestinian representatives erupted on Tuesday at the sixth session of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption, which is taking place in St. Petersburg, Russia.Daily Mirror uses comically misleading photo to illustrate travel warning for Israel
In his speech, the Palestinian representative pointed a finger at Israel regarding recent incidents in the region, citing alleged burning of children and violations of the sanctity of holy sites.
Following the accusations, Israel’s representative, Ministry of Justice director-general Emi Palmor – whose speech was supposed to focus only on aspects of Israel’s involvement in the fight against corruption – began her address by stressing that “Israeli citizens are exposed to daily terrorism, incitement and disinformation on the part of the Palestinians.”
“I ask you to look at me,” she told the participating states. “I arrived this morning from Jerusalem, and I am going back there tomorrow. Most of the stabbing incidents are occurring within walking distance from my office.
“The next time you hear about an incident in Jerusalem, ask yourself if this time it was me, or any other employee of the ministry,” she added.
The photo is of course from an incident in late August, when the Tamimi family in the Palestinian town of Nabi Saleh staged their latest Pallywood production, placing their 12 year-old son, Muhammad, in danger by encouraging him to attack soldiers with rocks to score propaganda points when the soldier responded.New BBC WS culture show misleads on cause of terror wave in Israel in seven words
However, as we noted, not only was the brief detention of Muhammad called off by the IDF after his family and friends began attacking the soldier, but two British publications revised or removed stories about the incident after being reminded that it was not news, but a cynical attempt to exploit children to harm Israel’s image.
The fact that this British tabloid chose that particular image to illustrate the putative threats faced by British tourists visiting Israel once again demonstrates the willingness of editors to seize upon and exploit even the flimsiest evidence of alleged Israeli villainy.
Obviously, for there to be “tensions over control of a Jerusalem mosque”, more than one party must be seeking to control that mosque and that, of course, is not an accurate representation of the situation. Not only does Israel have no interest in seeking “control” of al Aqsa Mosque, but it has repeatedly stated that it will continue to uphold the status quo whereby that building and the wider area of Temple Mount is under the administrative control of the Jordanian Waqf.PreOccupiedTerritory: Ben & Jerry’s Israel Nixes ‘Palestinian Organ Harvest’ Flavor (satire)
But not only does Daheley’s claim materially mislead listeners by providing them with an inaccurate explanation for the surge in violent rioting and terrorism; it also conceals their real cause – and agenda – by diverting listeners from the incitement based on conspiracy theories concerning al Aqsa Mosque which really does underpin that “serious violence”.
Let’s hope that future programmes in this series will pay more attention to the importance of accurate terminology.
With the new flavor, AQP had hoped to tap the emerging market for vengeful mistreatment of Palestinians that Haaretz keeps describing as pervasive in Israel. Focus groups initially failed to confirm that assertion, but the liberal ethos of the company drove the marketing division to orchestrate feedback that fit their preconceptions, and a product was born. Management had hoped to roll out the first batch of Palestinian Organ Harvest by mid-November, and to offer small quantities of it to retail establishments in Jerusalem, Hebron, and wherever else the three most recent stabbing attacks would take place.Infiltration Into Israel by Lebanese Man Causes Concern Among Residents Near Northern Border
The future of the flavor remains unclear. “We really wanted to bring this product to the Israeli consumer, whom the mainstream media is convinced represents the perfect target market: exploitative, comparatively well-off, racist, and borderline cannibalistic,” said AQP executive Diaa Hadid, who also writes for the New York Times. “We will have to find some other ecologically sustainable way to tap that market, which we know is out there because a whole narrative depends on it.”
The IDF tried to assuage fears of Israelis living in the area, near Moshav Avivim, by explaining that soldiers had spotted the man before he reached the border, and when they ascertained that he was unarmed, they decided not to shoot.In rare move, state to indict former IDF soldiers in killing of Palestinian minor
Instead, Maariv reported, as soon as he entered Israeli territory, he was arrested by IDF troops who had been tracking his movements the entire time, and intercepted him as soon as he crossed the border.
The anxiety of Israelis in the area was not alleviated, however, according to Maariv. “This incident is hard to accept. It’s really scary to think that a Lebanese national entered Israel and no one really knew whether he was armed or not,” said one resident.
“They’re telling us now that there was no danger, but this isn’t reassuring. An incident like this could have ended very badly,” said another.
When arrested, the infiltrator initially refused to speak, but later opened up to interrogators, telling them that his family had been trying to reach him on his mobile phone, the only item he was carrying.
Almost three years after IDF soldiers shot and killed unarmed Palestinian minor, Samir Awad, 16, in January 2013, the state informed the High Court of Justice of its final decision to indict the shooter and at least one additional suspect for negligence in the killing.Palestinian government shuts Arab newspaper over report on Israel ties
The decision marks a rare decision by the state, which was supported in its decision by the IDF, to indict soldiers in relation to a killing.
The B'Tselem human rights group which led the charge pressing the state to revisit the case having allowed the case to sit for a long period, announced the state's decision on Friday, though the state formally informed the court late Wednesday.
The state made no public announcement.
In August, the state informed the High Court that in view of its leaning heavily toward an indictment, it had already held special pre-indictment hearings for the suspect-soldiers on June 21 and June 23.
The Palestinian administration in the West Bank shut down the local office of a pan-Arab newspaper this week after accusing it of "offensive" reporting on Palestinian security coordination with Israel, officials said.Gaza Vendors Rage as Hamas Regulates Price of Shawarma
As Palestinian-Israeli street violence surged last month, Al Araby Al-Jadeed daily accused the administration of jailing "dozens of (Palestinian) political prisoners on charges of resisting (the Israeli) occupation."
The newspaper, which publishes a broadsheet in London, Beirut and Doha, also alleged torture within Palestinian jails. It branded the closure as politically motivated.
Such domestic scrutiny is touchy for the US-backed Abbas, whose forces have quietly helped Israel curb violence in the West Bank while he publicly condemns Israeli crackdowns and alleged policies at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
The Gaza Strip is experiencing a struggle over the price of shawarma, after the Hamas government has dictated that vendors must lower the price of an order of shawarma wrap to eight shekels (about $2), two shekels less than its current price. Shawarma vendors in Gaza shut down their businesses for one day in protest against government intervention in market prices, and, in response, the Hamas government suspended implementation of the decree. Gaza’s high court will decide the matter on Sunday, Israel Radio reported.Egyptian naval fire kills Palestinian fisherman — Gaza official
The Shawarma is a Middle Eastern meat dish, made from shavings of a block of lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats that are placed on a vertical, rotating spit in restaurants, where they are grilled for as long as a day. The meat shavings are cut off and served on a plate, or in a large wrap known as lafa, while the remainder of the block of meat keeps rotating on the spit. The shawarma wrap usually includes tabbouleh, tomato, and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus, and pickles. It is similar to the Greek gyros.
Angry shawarma vendors in Gaza are saying that Hamas operates on populist motives at their expense. According to the vendors, the wrap shouldn’t be sold at the same price in a restaurant at an upscale neighborhood in Gaza as it is in a street stall in a refugee camp.
An Egyptian naval patrol shot and killed a Palestinian fisherman and wounded another Thursday off the coast near the border between Gaza and Egypt, a spokesman for the Gaza health ministry spokesman in Gaza said.Glick: From the brink of death, he's stronger than ever You've heard about the assassination attempt.
The victim was identified as Faris Meqdad, 18, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.
Egyptian forces have previously opened fire on Gazans they accused of crossing the maritime border between Egypt and the Palestinian enclave.
Jihadist fighters have been battling Egyptian forces in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, which borders Gaza. Egypt rarely opens its border with Gaza, and the strip also faces an Israeli blockade.
Yehudah Glick, famous for his passion for the Temple Mount where two Holy Temples once stood, shares his life story, the details of the assassination attempt which he miraculously survived, his philosophy and his passion with listeners.
Tune in to hear about his Aliyah as a big-city-kid to the (then) back-waters town of Beer Sheva, his reaction when seeing the Kotel for the very first time ("What? It's NOT made of gold??"), the beginning of his activism for Temple Mount, his thoughts on his own personal security, on the views of different rabbis regarding going up to the Temple Mount, and on the status quo.
Don't miss this incredible peek into the mind and heart of a man who didn't let an assassination attempt stop him; instead it was his catapult into bringing the issue of Jewish presence and prayer on our Holiest site to front page news worldwide.
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