PM: If it weren’t for Israel, Iran would already have nuclear weapons
If Israel had not taken action, Iran would already possess nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday (13th), in response to a U.S.-Russian statement Saturday (11th) outlining principles for post-war Syria.
“If it hadn’t been for Israel’s actions, Iran would have become nuclear a long time ago. Iran knows very well, and everyone here should know, that we will not tolerate Iran’s military presence in Syria,” he said. “At this point, the only reason Iran does not possess nuclear weapons is because of our activity.”
(israelhayom.com; ap.com)
Bracing for Islamic Jihad attack, IDF deploys Iron Dome defense system throughout Israel
The IDF has deployed Iron Dome batteries in the Gush Dan region encompassing Tel Aviv and central Israel, in anticipation of a possible attack from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, it was cleared for publication Tuesday (14th).
Increasing precautionary measures against a revenge attack for the IDF’s recent explosion of a terror tunnel that killed 14 PIJ and Hamas terrorists, Israel also shut down three tourist sites near the Gaza Strip.
The heightened security arrangements began in earnest on Monday night (13th) when Israel deployed Iron Dome batteries in the southern area of the country.
(israelnn.com; ynetnews.com)
Islamic Jihad reportedly following Israelis, raises alertness to highest level
In the latest move in the escalation between Iran-backed terror group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Israel, the London-based Arab newspaper Al-Hayat reported Tuesday (14th) that the organization has upped its readiness to its highest level, and that it is closely monitoring Israeli citizens living in Gaza-bordering communities. This after the IDF blasted an Islamic Jihad tunnel from Gaza into Israel in late October.
Sources told Al-Hayat that Islamic Jihad’s military wing is following Israeli citizens’ movements and whereabouts using binoculars and surveillance equipment.
(jpost.com)
Russian FM says Iran can legitimately stay in Syria
Russian Foreign Minister Sergev Lavrov said Tuesday (14th) that a recently announced agreement on the terms of a ceasefire in Syria did not include a Russian commitment to ensure Iran-linked militias would be pulled out of the country.
Lavrov said Iran maintained a “legitimate” presence in Syria, according to the Interfax news agency.
(timesofisrael.com; interfax.com)
Israel expresses concern about “racist” march in Poland – Vanessa Gera
Polish President Andrzej Duda has sharply condemned anti-Semitic slogans and chants by some of the 60,000 people who took part in a march on Saturday (11th) in Warsaw. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon called the event “a dangerous march of extreme and racist elements. We hope that Polish authorities will act against the organizers. History teaches us that expressions of racist hate must be dealt with swiftly and decisively.”
(washingtonpost.com; ap.com)
Netanyahu: Israel seeing diplomatic renaissance – Itamar Eichner
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Knesset Monday (13th) that Israel was experiencing “a diplomatic renaissance.” “This morning I was visited in my office by a special emissary from my friend, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was reelected. The emissary delivered an invitation to visit Japan, if possible by the end of the year. He also informed me that over the past three years, Japanese investments in Israel have grown 20 times over.”
“Yesterday I received a warm letter from another friend, U.S. President Donald Trump, thanking me for the support we’ve given to the U.S. stance against the Iran nuclear deal….A week ago, I got another letter, a warm letter from Chinese President XI Jinping, who praised the relationship-building between China and Israel.”
“Two weeks earlier, I had a conversation with another friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on a matter of importance to Israeli security. In a few weeks I’ll be heading to India at the invitation of a friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi…. This weekend, I spoke on the phone with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi….Countries are lining up to strengthen ties with us. This is happening every day.”
(ynetnews.com)
144 thousand Ethiopians in Israel
Ahead of this Shabbat’s Ethiopian Jewish holiday of Sigd, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported on Tuesday (14th) that at the end of 2016, the community’s population in Israel stood at 144,100.
About 85,000 were born in Ethiopia and 58,000 were born in Israel to Ethiopian parents. The city with the most Ethiopians is Netanya (11,600). The city with the largest Ethiopian representation is Kiryat Malachi (16.6 percent).
(cbs.gov.il)
Israeli firm to desalinate seawater for France’s Mayotte Island – Abigail Klein Leichman
Israel’s Fluence Corp. has been awarded a 1.5 million Euro contract to supply three NIROBOX reverse-osmosis seawater desalination units for the French island of Mayotte in the Indian Ocean.
This follows the company’s recent contract to supply a desalination plant in South Africa.
(israel21c.org)
Athena Fund distributes iPads to Special Ed teachers in Israel
Israel’s Athena Fund has distributed iPads to 1,300 Special Education teachers and kindergarten teachers in Israel since Nov. 2015.
The iPad improves interpersonal communication with teachers, families and the environment, and enables students to better cope with their difficulties.
The program plans to distribute iPads to 10,000 Special Education teachers in Israel, along with special software and applications for students with special needs and disabilities.
(disabled-world.com)
45 Holocaust survivors celebrated Bar Mitzvahs at Western Wall
More than 70 years after World War II ended, 45 Holocaust survivors in Israel finally got a chance to celebrate their bar and bat mitzvah ceremonies for the first time on Monday morning (13th) at the Western Wall – Judaism’s holiest site.
The survivors reached bat or bar mitzvah age during the war or immediately afterward, but because of their circumstances never got to participate in the ceremony marking a Jewish boy or girl’s entrance into adulthood.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Israel’s Office for Social Equality, and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews sponsored the moving ceremony.
(israelnn.com)
