Israël vandaag - 13 december 2017 (Engelstalig nieuws van 8, 11 en 13 december).
8 december 2017:
OTHER COUNTRIES CONSIDERING RECOGNIZING JERUSALEM AS CAPITAL:
Israel is in contact with other nations about the possibility of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Thurs. 7 Dec. 2017 just hours after USA President Donald Trump's historic announcement. "We are in contact with other countries that will acknowledge similar recognition, and I have no doubt that as soon as the USA Embassy moves to Jerusalem and before that, more embassies will also move," Netanyahu said at a conference at the Foreign Ministry. Netanyahu did not reveal which states Israel was in contact with. The Czech Republic announced Wed. evening 6 Dec. 2017 that it recognizes west Jerusalem as Israel's capital, something Russia did last April. There were also numerous media reports that the Philippines has also expressed interested in granting Jerusalem recognition as Israel's capital. (J.Post)
CZECH REPUBLIC ANNOUNCES IT RECOGNIZES JERUSALEM AS THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL:
The Czech Republic on Wednesday evening, 6 Dec. 2017, followed in the footsteps of USA President Donald Trump and said it recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. “The Czech Republic currently, before the peace between Israel and Palestine is signed, recognizes Jerusalem to be in fact the capital of Israel in the borders of the demarcation line from 1967,” said a statement issued by the Czech foreign ministry. Trump had earlier on Wednesday announced that the United States officially recognized the city of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and announced that the American embassy in Israel would be relocated to Jerusalem. "After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result," Trump said. "Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.” (Arutz-7)
TRUMP: WE’RE PROUD TO STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL:
USA President Donald Trump on Thursday night 7 Dec. 2017, hosted his first White House Hanukkah party. In his speech, Trump noted that this is an "especially special" Hanukkah, and mentioned his declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital from a day earlier. The president said he is thinking about "what's going on" in Israel and in Jerusalem. “Hanukkah is a time for Jewish families around the world to celebrate the miracles of the past and the promises of the future. We are proud to stand with the people of Israel and renew our enduring bond,” said Trump."And right now I’m thinking about what’s going on and the love that's all over Israel and all about Jerusalem," he added. (INN)
‘TRUMP’S RECOGNITION OF J’LEM WAS THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO OBAMA’:
The Chief Rabbi of Efrat, Shlomo Riskin, praised President Donald Trump following his announcement of the planned relocation of the USA embassy to Jerusalem and the formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. Riskin, who is currently visiting the USA, described the enthusiastic reaction within the Orthodox Jewish community in the United States to the president’s declaration. “This is a very exciting day for Orthodox Jews who care about the State of Israel and the Land of Israel – the feelings here are very positive. I commend President Trump for this move, which needed to happen years ago.” Rabbi Riskin argued that President Trump’s declaration 6 Dec. 2017, was a response to then-President Barack Obama’s parting shot at Israel in December of 2016, when he ordered the USA mission to the United Nations to abstain on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. The resolution, adopted on 23 December 2016 , declared all of eastern Jerusalem to be “occupied territory” and the Jewish presence there, including in the Old City of Jerusalem, to be illegal.
“The fact that Trump’s predecessor, and the UN, described the Western Wall as ‘occupied territory’ obliged President Trump to recognize Jerusalem. Israel has the right to choose its capital city, and it is Jerusalem – that’s just the reality.” Trump’s historic move, said Rabbi Riskin, would force the Palestinian Authority to finally acknowledge Israel’s right to Jerusalem. “The Palestinians have to accept our right to Jerusalem, and even to the Temple Mount, and it’s very important the President of the United States declares openly that Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people.” While Arab and European leaders warned Trump’s recognition of the Israeli capital would torpedo planned peace talks between Israel and the PA, Rabbi Riskin argued the move would help foster peace, “because we cannot continue with a dialogue that’s based on the Palestinian lie that the Temple of Solomon never existed and that the Temple Mount is a Palestinian holy site. That notion needed to be debunked once and for all.” (Arutz-7)
CLASHES EXPECTED IN JUDEA, SAMARIA AND ON GAZA BORDER:
Hamas called on "Palestinians and intifada youth" to turn this Friday 8 Dec. 2017, into a "day of rage" against the "occupation" in protest of USA intention to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and transfer the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Hamas emphasized the importance of arriving to points of friction with the "occupation" in order to "convey the voice of our people that any change on the status of Jerusalem would bring on an explosion." Hamas also called on fighters to respond to the American decision on Jerusalem "by all available means". Hamas chief Ismail Haniya warned this week that a USA decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel's capital would be a "dangerous escalation" that crosses "every red line". (INN)
PALESTINIAN RAGE OVER TRUMP’S JERUSALEM MOVE WON’T TURN INTO A THIRD INTIFADA: President Trump's speech giving America's blessing to Jerusalem as Israel's capital is widely touted as the spark that will provoke a mass popular uprising among Palestinians. The truth is that likelihood is at an all-time low. With a growing sense of abandonment by the international community and Arab regimes, Palestinians are seeing their cause fade away and a grassroots explosion is not in the cards. Any desire for an uprising is currently muffled by official and popular pressure to continue the Palestinian reconciliation process undisturbed. Palestinian rage over this move by Trump will dissipate, and it won't take that long. (Ha'aretz)
MUSLIM LEADERS ARE DIVIDED OVER RESPONSES TO DONALD TRUMP’S PRONOUNCEMENT ON JERUSALEM:
Muslims across the Middle East warned 6 Dec. 2017, of disastrous consequences after President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but in a region more divided than ever, many asked what leaders can do beyond the vehement rhetoric. Arab powerhouses are mired in their own internal troubles, their populations tired of wars, and the days when Arab leaders could challenge the United States in a meaningful way are long gone. Beyond the eruption of protests and potential explosion of violence, there is little the Arab world can do to challenge Trump’s move, unanimously decried by leaders. Jerusalem, as a combustible landmark, is one of the very few unifying issues in an Arab world plagued by wars and sectarianism. But even the prospect of Trump recognizing it as Israel’s capital became a reason for bickering between the Middle East’s Sunni and Shiite powerhouses, Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are engaged in a catastrophic proxy war for supremacy in the region.
Criticism of Trump’s move poured in from Cairo to Tehran to Ankara to war-ravaged Syria, reflecting the anxiety over Trump’s announcement, which upends decades of USA policy and could ignite violent protests. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Trump has destroyed America’s credibility as a Mideast peace broker, adding that the decision “is a declaration of withdrawal from the role it has played in the peace process.” Egypt, which was the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, denounced Trump’s decision, describing it in a Foreign Ministry statement as a violation of international resolutions on the city’s status. The statement said Egypt is worried about the impact of the USA move on the stability of the region and about its “extremely negative” impact on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. (Time)
NUMEROUS GLOBAL LEADERS FAIL TO SUPPORT TRUMP ON JERUSALEM:
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Chrystia Freeland, refrained on 6 Dec. 2017, from supporting USA President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel, but also did not harshly criticize the move as other countries had done. ‘‘Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel and friend to the Palestinian people. Canada’s longstanding position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute,” she said. Meanwhile, Germany warned also against USA recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital or the moving of the USA embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel does not calm the conflict, but rather exacerbates it even further. It's in everyone's interest that such a move does not happen," said German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. French president Macron called the decision 'regrettable', British PM Theresa May firmly opposed the development and declared the UK had no intention of moving its own embassy. Italian prime minister says future of city should only be decided by peace process; while the UN slammed Donald Trump’s move. (Ynet/Times of Israel)
11 december 2017:
OTHER COUNTRIES CONSIDERING RECOGNIZING JERUSALEM AS CAPITAL:
Israel is in contact with other nations about the possibility of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Thurs. 7 Dec. 2017 just hours after USA President Donald Trump's historic announcement. "We are in contact with other countries that will acknowledge similar recognition, and I have no doubt that as soon as the USA Embassy moves to Jerusalem and before that, more embassies will also move," Netanyahu said at a conference at the Foreign Ministry. Netanyahu did not reveal which states Israel was in contact with. The Czech Republic announced Wed. evening 6 Dec. 2017 that it recognizes west Jerusalem as Israel's capital, something Russia did last April. There were also numerous media reports that the Philippines has also expressed interested in granting Jerusalem recognition as Israel's capital. (J.Post)
CZECH REPUBLIC ANNOUNCES IT RECOGNIZES JERUSALEM AS THE CAPITAL OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL:
The Czech Republic on Wednesday evening, 6 Dec. 2017, followed in the footsteps of USA President Donald Trump and said it recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel. “The Czech Republic currently, before the peace between Israel and Palestine is signed, recognizes Jerusalem to be in fact the capital of Israel in the borders of the demarcation line from 1967,” said a statement issued by the Czech foreign ministry. Trump had earlier on Wednesday announced that the United States officially recognized the city of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and announced that the American embassy in Israel would be relocated to Jerusalem. "After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result," Trump said. "Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.” (Arutz-7)
TRUMP: WE’RE PROUD TO STAND WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL:
USA President Donald Trump on Thursday night 7 Dec. 2017, hosted his first White House Hanukkah party. In his speech, Trump noted that this is an "especially special" Hanukkah, and mentioned his declaration recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital from a day earlier. The president said he is thinking about "what's going on" in Israel and in Jerusalem. “Hanukkah is a time for Jewish families around the world to celebrate the miracles of the past and the promises of the future. We are proud to stand with the people of Israel and renew our enduring bond,” said Trump."And right now I’m thinking about what’s going on and the love that's all over Israel and all about Jerusalem," he added. (INN)
‘TRUMP’S RECOGNITION OF J’LEM WAS THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO OBAMA’:
The Chief Rabbi of Efrat, Shlomo Riskin, praised President Donald Trump following his announcement of the planned relocation of the USA embassy to Jerusalem and the formal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel. Riskin, who is currently visiting the USA, described the enthusiastic reaction within the Orthodox Jewish community in the United States to the president’s declaration. “This is a very exciting day for Orthodox Jews who care about the State of Israel and the Land of Israel – the feelings here are very positive. I commend President Trump for this move, which needed to happen years ago.” Rabbi Riskin argued that President Trump’s declaration 6 Dec. 2017, was a response to then-President Barack Obama’s parting shot at Israel in December of 2016, when he ordered the USA mission to the United Nations to abstain on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334. The resolution, adopted on 23 December 2016 , declared all of eastern Jerusalem to be “occupied territory” and the Jewish presence there, including in the Old City of Jerusalem, to be illegal.
“The fact that Trump’s predecessor, and the UN, described the Western Wall as ‘occupied territory’ obliged President Trump to recognize Jerusalem. Israel has the right to choose its capital city, and it is Jerusalem – that’s just the reality.” Trump’s historic move, said Rabbi Riskin, would force the Palestinian Authority to finally acknowledge Israel’s right to Jerusalem. “The Palestinians have to accept our right to Jerusalem, and even to the Temple Mount, and it’s very important the President of the United States declares openly that Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people.” While Arab and European leaders warned Trump’s recognition of the Israeli capital would torpedo planned peace talks between Israel and the PA, Rabbi Riskin argued the move would help foster peace, “because we cannot continue with a dialogue that’s based on the Palestinian lie that the Temple of Solomon never existed and that the Temple Mount is a Palestinian holy site. That notion needed to be debunked once and for all.” (Arutz-7)
CLASHES EXPECTED IN JUDEA, SAMARIA AND ON GAZA BORDER:
Hamas called on "Palestinians and intifada youth" to turn this Friday 8 Dec. 2017, into a "day of rage" against the "occupation" in protest of USA intention to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and transfer the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Hamas emphasized the importance of arriving to points of friction with the "occupation" in order to "convey the voice of our people that any change on the status of Jerusalem would bring on an explosion." Hamas also called on fighters to respond to the American decision on Jerusalem "by all available means". Hamas chief Ismail Haniya warned this week that a USA decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel's capital would be a "dangerous escalation" that crosses "every red line". (INN)
PALESTINIAN RAGE OVER TRUMP’S JERUSALEM MOVE WON’T TURN INTO A THIRD INTIFADA: President Trump's speech giving America's blessing to Jerusalem as Israel's capital is widely touted as the spark that will provoke a mass popular uprising among Palestinians. The truth is that likelihood is at an all-time low. With a growing sense of abandonment by the international community and Arab regimes, Palestinians are seeing their cause fade away and a grassroots explosion is not in the cards. Any desire for an uprising is currently muffled by official and popular pressure to continue the Palestinian reconciliation process undisturbed. Palestinian rage over this move by Trump will dissipate, and it won't take that long. (Ha'aretz)
MUSLIM LEADERS ARE DIVIDED OVER RESPONSES TO DONALD TRUMP’S PRONOUNCEMENT ON JERUSALEM:
Muslims across the Middle East warned 6 Dec. 2017, of disastrous consequences after President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but in a region more divided than ever, many asked what leaders can do beyond the vehement rhetoric. Arab powerhouses are mired in their own internal troubles, their populations tired of wars, and the days when Arab leaders could challenge the United States in a meaningful way are long gone. Beyond the eruption of protests and potential explosion of violence, there is little the Arab world can do to challenge Trump’s move, unanimously decried by leaders. Jerusalem, as a combustible landmark, is one of the very few unifying issues in an Arab world plagued by wars and sectarianism. But even the prospect of Trump recognizing it as Israel’s capital became a reason for bickering between the Middle East’s Sunni and Shiite powerhouses, Saudi Arabia and Iran, who are engaged in a catastrophic proxy war for supremacy in the region.
Criticism of Trump’s move poured in from Cairo to Tehran to Ankara to war-ravaged Syria, reflecting the anxiety over Trump’s announcement, which upends decades of USA policy and could ignite violent protests. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Trump has destroyed America’s credibility as a Mideast peace broker, adding that the decision “is a declaration of withdrawal from the role it has played in the peace process.” Egypt, which was the first Arab nation to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, denounced Trump’s decision, describing it in a Foreign Ministry statement as a violation of international resolutions on the city’s status. The statement said Egypt is worried about the impact of the USA move on the stability of the region and about its “extremely negative” impact on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. (Time)
NUMEROUS GLOBAL LEADERS FAIL TO SUPPORT TRUMP ON JERUSALEM:
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Chrystia Freeland, refrained on 6 Dec. 2017, from supporting USA President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel, but also did not harshly criticize the move as other countries had done. ‘‘Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel and friend to the Palestinian people. Canada’s longstanding position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute,” she said. Meanwhile, Germany warned also against USA recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital or the moving of the USA embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "Recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel does not calm the conflict, but rather exacerbates it even further. It's in everyone's interest that such a move does not happen," said German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel. French president Macron called the decision 'regrettable', British PM Theresa May firmly opposed the development and declared the UK had no intention of moving its own embassy. Italian prime minister says future of city should only be decided by peace process; while the UN slammed Donald Trump’s move. (Ynet/Times of Israel)
11 december 2017:
SECOND TEMPLE COIN AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL:
Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon addressed a special session of the Security Council convened to discuss USA President Donald Trump’s announcement on Jerusalem. Israel Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon thanked President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and USA Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley by saying that "we are grateful to the United States for its courageous decision." Addressing to the Council members, Danon held up a replica of a first-century coin."I have here a replica of an ancient coin found on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. It is dated from the year 67 A.D. during the time of the second Jewish Temple. The words 'Jerusalem the Holy' are written on it," Danon said. "Only three years later, in the year 70 A.D., would our holy temple be destroyed and the Jewish people sent into exile for 2,000 years." Ambassador Danon concluded his remarks by reminding the Council of the Jewish prayer "next year in Jerusalem. Seventy years ago, the Jewish people came home to Jerusalem," he said, calling on "all the nations of the world to join us this year in Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel." (Arutz-7)
PENCE TO ARRIVE TO ISRAEL AMID JERUSALEM RECOGNITION:
USA Vice President Mike Pence will visit Israel later this month. He is expected to address the Knesset, the first senior USA official to do so since president George W. Bush in 2008. Pence said that as he travels through the area he will also “reaffirm our commitment to peace in the region.” Trump, Pence said, “has made clear that we want peace.” But, he added, “People should know that the USA President will never compromise the safety and security of the State of Israel in the midst of that process. His comments come amid speculation that the Trump administration will present a wide-ranging Middle East peace plan in the near future. Regarding the diplomatic plan, as well as the decision to move the USA embassy to Jerusalem, Pence said the president’s decisions are “informed by his commitment to the relationship between the United States and Israel and his knowledge that the American people cherish our ally Israel, and always will.” Pence said that both he and Trump believe the relationship between the American people and the people of Israel is timeless. “Literally before the founding of the country there were Americans who prayed for and dreamed of Israel, returning to its ancient homeland, and through the tragedy and tragic events of World War II and the Holocaust, and through strong American leadership at the UN, Israel was restored to her homeland – as the Old Book says – in a day, in a moment,” he said. (J.Post))
ABBAS WILL NOT MEET WIT VP PENCE, SENIOR PA OFFICIAL CONFIRMS:
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet with USA Vice President Mike Pence later this month, a senior adviser to the PA leader confirmed on Saturday 9 Dec. 2017, less than three days after President Donald Trump announced major changes to American policy on Jerusalem. As a part of a Middle East tour, Pence was slated to meet with Abbas in Bethlehem in the latter half of December. “There will not be a meeting with Pence. The matter is bigger than a mere meeting because the United States, in its decisions on Jerusalem, crossed red lines,” Majdi al-Khalidi, Abbas’ diplomatic affairs adviser, told official PA radio. On Wed. 6 Dec. 2017, in a speech at the White House, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and initiated a process to relocate the USA Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel considers all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians hope the capital of a future Palestinian state will be in east Jerusalem. According to Palestinian officials, the USA recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and starting a process to relocate the embassy there are equivalent to siding with Israel’s claim to all of Jerusalem. (J.Post)
TWO PALESTINIAN MEN KILLED 300 WOUNDED IN JUDEA, SAMARIA AND GAZA RIOTING OVER TRUMP JERUSALEM MOVE:
Two Palestinian men was killed and hundreds were wounded as Palestinians protesting the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital clashed with Israeli troops. Riots broke out across Judea & Samaria, including Hebron and the Ramallah area, following President Trump’s declaration Wed. 6 Dec. 2017 that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and will begin preparations to move its embassy there from Tel Aviv. In Amman, Jordan and Istanbul, Turkey, tens of thousands of people held protest rallies in front of the USA embassies. Similar events were held in Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. In Tehran, Iran, thousands of participants attended a government-sponsored rally. At the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which houses the Al-Aqsa mosque, thousands participated in an unauthorized protest that featured calls about killing Jews after Friday prayers. (JTA)
ROCKET EXPLODES IN SDEROT:
A rocket fired from Gaza exploded on Friday evening 8 Dec. 2017, in the city of Sderot in southern Israel. The rocket caused damage to several vehicles but there were no physical injuries. The attack on Sderot was the third rocket attack on southern Israel within several hours. Earlier on Friday evening, Gaza-based terrorists fired two rockets towards southern Israel. One of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system. A second may have exploded in an open area. There were no physical injuries or damages in either attack. Later on Friday night, the Israel Air Force (IAF) attacked two terrorist targets in Gaza, including a training compound and a weapons depot, both belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said that 25 people were wounded in the Israeli airstrike, all of them suffering what were described as light to moderate injuries. On Thur.7 Dec. 2017 two rockets fired from Gaza exploded in Israel. Both of the rockets landed in open spaces. There were no reports of injuries or of damage. Hours later, the IDF retaliated for the attack, hitting two positions held by terrorists in the region. Israel police on Saturday evening 9 Dec, 2917 found an additional rocket in the southern town of Sderot. The rocket, which had been fired from Gaza on Friday night, damaged a Sderot preschool building. (INN)
ISRAELI GENERAL TO HAMAS: ‘WAKE UP, TIME IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE’:
"Irresponsible terrorists are leading you to an escalation of the conflict right before winter," warned Major General Yoav Mordechai on Twitter and Facebook in a message to the people of Gaza, "in the time when the hardships in Gaza increase." Describing the Friday night, 8 Dec. 2017 rocket fire on Israel as "extreme and unacceptable," Mordechai warned that future attacks will lead to "a harsh and painful" response by the IDF. Palestinian sources reported that 25 people were hurt during the Israeli Air Force's retaliatory strike in Gaza. "Do not check to see how strong we are," warned Mordechai. The Hamas rocket attacks took place after a day of rage was declared on Friday in protest at the USA decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Protests and demonstrations were held in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, Cairo, Amman, and other places. (J.Post)
NETANYAHU SLAMS EU ‘HYPOCRISY’ ON JERUSALEM AHEAD OF TENSE PARIS, BRUSSELS VISIT: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Europe’s “hypocrisy” with regards to USA President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as he departed for a two-day visit to Paris and Brussels, where he is sure to face staunch criticism over the controversial move. Netanyahu said he was not prepared to accept “double standards” in which European nations jump to criticize Trump’s Jerusalem decision but do not condemn rocket fire into Israel from the Gaza Strip or Palestinian incitement in response to the move. “While I respect Europe, I am not prepared to accept a double standard from it. I hear voices from there condemning President Trump's historic statement but I have not heard condemnations of the rockets fired at Israel or the terrible incitement against it,” Netanyahu said as he boarded a plane to Paris on Saturday 9 Dec. 2017. Netanyahu, who will travel to Brussels to meet with European foreign ministers, vowed to use the forum to “present Israel's truth without fear and with head held high.” In Israel, three "days of rage" and Hamas calls for a new intifada have sparked sporadic violence, including the firing of rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip. One such rocket fired at the southern Israeli city of Sderot on 8 Dec. 2017 was found in the courtyard of a vacant kindergarten the following day. (I24)
CZECH LEADER SLAMS EU ‘COWARDS’ ON JERUSALEM STANCE: Czech President Milos Zeman on Saturday 9 Dec. 2017 accused EU states of being “cowards” in their response to his USA counterpart Donald Trump recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. “The European Union, cowards, are doing all they can so a pro-Palestinian terrorist movement can have supremacy over a pro-Israeli movement,” said Zeman, presenting himself as a defender of Israel. The 73-year-old Zeman, had said the previous day he was happy at Trump’s controversial move. (Times of Israel)
Dec. 12, 2017
DONALD TRUMP’S JERUSALEM DECISION GARNERS AWARD FROM FAITH LEADERS:
More than 20 faith leaders met Mon. 11 Dec. 2017 with President Trump and presented him with an award celebrating his support of religious communities and his historic move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The USA recognition of Israel’s capital and plans to move the USA Embassy to the divided city set off protests among Palestinians but was hailed by supporters of Israel, including American evangelicals. “Evangelicals are grateful for the fact that he has actually done what he campaigned on,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. (Washington Times)
WHY ARE THE NATIONS IN AN UPROAR?
King David’s Psalm number two opens with the rhetorical question – “Why are the nations in an uproar?” Well now we know. The European nations (nearly all of them) that conspired with Germany to wipe out the Jews barely 75 years ago, cannot accept the fact that Israel Lives. That’s one. Two, that Israel lives with Jerusalem as its capital, as endorsed by the United States through President Trump – it’s driving them crazy. Delirium has set in from France, Germany, Britain, Sweden and throughout the European Union. They can’t forgive Trump for being so heroic and they will never forget him for his refusal to act the Quisling like Obama. Too bad and too late. America has spoken and it’s final. The ink has dried. “The European Union has a clear and united position. We believe the only realistic solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine is based on two states and with Jerusalem as the capital of both,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told a news conference. “Good luck with that. The Palestinian Arabs can’t get it together between Hamas and the PA but you expect them to live in peace with Israel in a shared Jerusalem…and if the mean streets throughout Syria, Iraq and Yemen don’t tip you off as to what a shared Jerusalem would look like, you are beyond delusional."
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah huffed: “Trump humiliated 1.5 billion Muslims.” Trump did no such thing. He only humiliated the terrorists that Islamists keep manufacturing and dispatching. From afar and closer to home the dissenters argue that Trump should have kept it in mind that his Jerusalem Declaration would trigger the savages – and therefore for that reason alone he should have acted cowardly, as does the rest of the world on choosing appeasement when faced with Islamic terror. They don’t know Trump. They don’t know that Trump can handle the truth, as they cannot. Submission, they say, is the only answer. To appease the terrorists, to live in fear of them, to do nothing that might rile them up," that was the word from MSNBC ‘s Chris Matthews, a leading voice for the Left. (Arutz-7)
PM NETANYAHU PUSHES BACK GAINS EU PRESSURE ON JERUSALEM:
PM Netanyahu said on Monday 11 Dec. 2917 in Brussels before a meeting with EU foreign ministers: "Israel is the strongest power in the Middle East that is preventing the spread of Islamist terrorism, not only preventing ISIS attacks in Europe but also preventing the collapse of many parts in the Middle East adjacent to Israel that otherwise would be taken over by these Islamist terrorists, driving many, many millions into Europe. He called UN and UNESCO decisions on Jerusalem "laughable," and said, "I believe that all or most of the EU countries will move their embassies to Jerusalem, recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and engage robustly with us for security, prosperity, and peace." (Bloomberg)
TERROR TUNNEL DISCOVERED, DESTROYED; PALESTINIAN STABS SECURITY GUARD:
Two events related to the fight against terror were defined Sunday 10 Dec. 2017 in Israel. At Jerusalem’s Central Bus Station, a 24-year old Palestinian man appeared to cooperate with security procedures at the station’s entrance. But after taking off his jacket, showing guards that he had no hidden weapons, he removed a knife from a sleeve and in a swift, single move drove the knife into the security guard’s chest before running away. The guard, who was stabbed in the heart, was in critical condition at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Hospital. The terrorist was subdued by a member of the security force. In what has been described as a, Hanukkah miracle, Asher Elmaliach, the victim of the stabbing attack on Sunday has stabilized after being in critical condition in a Jerusalem hospital. In a second incident on Sunday, another terror tunnel discovered running beneath the Gaza Strip and clear into Israeli territory was collapsed by Israeli army sappers that day. For the second time since October, a tunnel created as a platform from which to launch attacks on Israelis was destroyed beneath the Israeli side of the border. The commander of the army’s Southern Command warned Hamas – whose ownership of the tunnel has been affirmed – that the subterranean structures are “death traps” for those who enter. (Medialine)
WAVE OF TERROR ACROSS JUDEA & SAMARIA:
Media sources on Tues.12 Dec. 2017 reported that a wave of Arab terror attacks have swept Judea & Samaria roads in the past 24 hours. Terrorists threw stones at passing vehicles Monday night near Al Fawar south of Hebron, damaging two vehicles as a result. Similarly, terrorists threw stones on the Husan bypass road near the town of Beitar Illit south of Jerusalem, damaging the windshield of a passing vehicle, and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at passing vehicles near Maale Adumim. On Route 458 northeast of Jerusalem, a woman reported a laser pointer being flashed at her face in an attempt to impair her ability to drive. Near Ariel, a burning tire was reported to have been placed in the road. Security forces dealt with the incident. In the following hours, more stone-throwing attacks were reported near Yitzhar in Samaria, and near the Arab village of Tekoa. Miraculously, nobody has been reported injured in the most recent slew of terror incidents. The attacks come as Arab have rioted in recent days at various points through Judea & Samaria, along the Gaza border, and in the predominantly Arab region of Wadi Ara, following USA President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The move was heavily criticized by European and Arab leaders, and was followed by a wave of riots across the Arab world. On 10 Dec. 2017, a security guard at Jerusalem’s central bus station was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack but has been reported as being out of critical danger. (INN)
KNESSET APPROVES TO PLAN TO DEPORT 40,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS:
The Knesset voted just before midnight on Monday 11 Dec. 2017 to pass a bill which would close the Holot detention facility, where thousands of infiltrators have been detained since a surge in illegal immigration less than a decade ago. The bill, which passed 71 to 41, would also empower the government to deport illegal immigrants who refuse to self-deport in exchange for compensation. Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants crossed into Israel over the past decade via the southern border with Egypt. Most of the infiltrators came from Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, and other countries in northeastern Africa. Following the construction of the border fence along the Israeli-Egyptian frontier, illegal border crossings plummeted by more than 99% - but only after nearly 60,000 illegal immigrants entered Israel prior to the construction of the fence in 2012. In the wake of the court’s decision, PM Netanyahu negotiated new agreements with third-party states, which agreed to receive not only those illegal immigrants who volunteer to leave, but also deportees. (Arutz-7)
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DISCOVER ANCIENT CLAY LAMP FROM HELLENISTIC PERIOD:
A leisurely afternoon hike in the North’s Beit She’an Valley turned into much more when a mother and daughter discovered an ancient clay candle holder dating to the Hellenistic period – when Judah Maccabee fought against the ruler of Antiochus 2,200 years ago. While making their way through the mounds near the historic area by the Jordan River Valley one week ago, Hadas Goldberg-Kedar, 7, and her mother, Ayelet, first noticed the well-preserved pottery vessel near the entrance to a porcupine cave. Assuming the relic was left by antiquities thieves, Ayelet contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Robbery Prevention Unit to report the finding. In short order, Nir Distelfeld, an inspector for the unit – which is dispersed throughout the country to prevent thieves from looting excavation sites – arrived in the area to examine the lamp. Distelfeld determined that the porcupine uncovered the rare find while digging its enclosure for the winter. According to Dr. Einat Ambar-Armon, education and community coordinator for the IAA’s northern region, the clay lamp is characteristic of the 2nd century BC’s Hellenistic period, during the Maccabean revolt against Greece. Goldberg-Kedar and her daughter donated the candle to the Authority and received a certificate of recognition for good citizenship. (INN)