Israeli

2024-05-08

Yitav Lev Halevi, a 28-year-old commander and fighter in the Israeli Defense Force's Yamam unit, has succumbed to his injuries days after being critically wounded during an operation near Tulkarm.  Halevi was shot in the head by Hamas gunmen while participating in a special operation aimed at eliminating a Palestinian armed group responsible for an attack in the West Bank. The operation, conducted under the guidance of the Shin Bet security agency, lasted 14 hours and targeted militants holed up inside a house in the village of Deir al-Ghusoun. Despite the efforts of medical staff at Beilinson Hospital to save his life, Halevy's injuries proved fatal. The mission near Tulkarm was in response to an attack that claimed the life of Al-Hanaan Klein at the onset of the conflict in the Gaza Strip following a Hamas assault on southern Israeli towns.  Employing a "pressure cooker" procedure, Israeli forces surrounded the house where the gunmen were hiding, prompting an exchange of gunfire. During the , Israeli forces utilized shoulder-fired missiles and engineering equipment to neutralize the threat. A missile was fired from a Zik helicopter to target the building where the militants were located. Halevi was the son of Yoram Halevi, the commander of the Jerusalem region and former leader of the Al-Yamam Special Unit. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-07

In a recent operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) successfully destroyed a terror tunnel dug by Hamas militants just 150 meters from the Israeli border.  The tunnel, uncovered as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle Hamas infrastructure, was part of a network of tunnels used by the terrorist organization for attacks on Israeli territory. According to the IDF spokesperson, the operation to neutralize the tunnel involved soldiers from various units, including the engineering units of the Gaza Division, the Engineering Corps of the Southern Command, the Yahalom Unit, and the Northern Brigade.  These units had been conducting intelligence and technological surveillance on the tunnel network in the Beit Hanoun area of the northern Gaza Strip. The tunnel in question had previously been exposed during Operation "Protective Edge" in 2014.  It was used by Hamas terrorists to infiltrate into Israeli territory and was destroyed immediately after its discovery. Another section of the tunnel, located deeper within Gaza, was targeted during subsequent military operations. Following recent research and mapping efforts, airstrikes were employed to destroy this portion of the tunnel network. The second tunnel, situated approximately 150 meters from the security fence along the Israeli border, never breached Israeli territory. Nonetheless, it posed a significant security threat to Israeli communities in the vicinity. The IDF utilized demolition means to destroy this tunnel, ensuring the safety of Israeli civilians. In a statement, the IDF affirmed its commitment to dismantling and targeting terrorist organizations, particularly Hamas.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-05-02

Screaming, humiliation, sleep deprivation, and punishment to the point of fainting - this is how, according to the parents of female recruits, the IDF treats those who refuse to enlist in the female observation unit, due to fear of serving in the army after the After many female soldiers refused to serve as observers on the day of their recruitment a few weeks ago, their parents said that their daughters received harsh treatment, including being yelled at for many hours and deprived of continuous sleep, with the intention of "breaking" them. They were yelled at, humiliated, threatened, and cursed at. They were put under real psychological stress that broke them down and caused them to experience anxiety attacks. One mother stated, "My daughter has experienced anxiety attacks until now because of everything she went through and how they were pressured to enlist for duty. All these practices were actually torture just to break them to serve in the position. They were told at night that they should sleep under a light and in a noisy place, thus preventing them from continuous sleep. They were also put outside in the sun for hours without even being allowed to scratch their faces. Some fainted there." A few weeks ago, dozens of female soldiers who were assigned as observers asked to change their assignment following what they described as great anxiety in light of the murders and kidnapping of female observers on October 7.  In addition to this, many testimonies were published about disdain in their assessments regarding a future attack and into Israeli territory. The parents of some of the female observers who refused to enlist for duty claim that their daughters were "tortured" under the blazing sun at the Tel Hashomer base and screamed into their ears with the intention of subduing them to enlist by force. ''All these practices were actually torture just to break them to serve in the position.'' The observation post of Nahal Oz, which was reopened in Camp Reim (credit: IDF SPOKESMAN’S UNIT) "Everything they asked for led to screaming in their faces. My daughter experienced an anxiety attack and was referred to the emergency room because of it," testified another mother of a soldier who enlisted. "She had the attack because of disgraceful treatment, to say the least, and the fear of serving in the position after what happened on October 7. The treatment of the female observers and what happened to them is a disaster and it is legitimate that they would not want the position. In the emergency department, she underwent hearing tests because of the screams she received in her ear. My daughter said that they shouted at her non-stop. As a result, the parents of the female observers are shocked and feel hard feelings towards the military system. "The lack of trust in the army is already serious following all the events of the war, and in the end, the army chooses to ignore the problem," shared one of the mothers in anger. "To abuse 18-year-old girls whose only crime was that they asked for another position? These are many girls who came with high motivation, and a desire to do a meaningful service, and they decided to simply threaten, break, and mentally abuse them. Now they are suffering. They suffered a trauma that is still alive and kicking in them and this is while they are still under the pressure of the trainees. I have lost faith in this system and my anger and frustration are very great. Everything she went through caused anxiety. She told me, "Mom, I think I'm no longer able to be in the army." I don't understand how they treated them in such a horrifying way." Another mother said that after these incidents, her daughter was afraid to enlist in military service in any possible capacity.   In response, an IDF spokesperson stated, "Candidates who expressed low motivation for the position began a procedure and discussion with the screening officers at the . The described cases are unknown. Whenever an individual case is brought, it will be examined and treated accordingly. Throughout their stay at the base, the candidates for the position received appropriate conditions and treatment. In general, the conduct in the manner described is not consistent with the behavior expected of commanders in the IDF. The observation system in the IDF makes a significant contribution to maintaining the safety of Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers, thwarting terrorist attacks, exposing, and harming the enemy." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-30

As the final day of Passover winds down, the vibrant celebration of Mimouna begins across Israel, a holiday deeply rooted in . This celebration, symbolizing unity and the return to leavened bread, is highlighted by moufleta pancakes and signifies prosperity and renewal. During Mimouna, the air is filled with the aroma of traditional Moroccan dishes that are as symbolic as they are delicious. Central to the celebration is moufleta, a soft pancake that revelers enjoy with honey or butter, signifying the sweetness of life and new beginnings. Tables are also adorned with bowls of milk and green wheat, which represent purity and renewal, respectively. Additionally, desserts like marzipan, almond cakes, and various jams are served, each signifying wishes for prosperity and abundance in the coming year. These culinary traditions are not only a feast for the senses but also a meaningful expression of Moroccan Jewish heritage, which continues to thrive in the communal celebrations across Israel. Despite challenges, even those in less-than-ideal circumstances find ways to partake in the festivities. In , residents evacuated from the Marom Hagalil Regional Council celebrated Mimouna in hotel accommodations. "We prepared a proper Mimouna in the evacuated hotel in Tiberias, and we did not give up even this year," said Ruha Biton, a resident of the Avivim settlement. Although displaced by security concerns, the community's spirit remained undeterred. The Moroccan Jewish community, significant in numbers and cultural influence, continues to enrich the national fabric. With nearly one million Israeli Jews of , they represent a vibrant force within Israeli society, residing in major cities and contributing to a rich cultural legacy that includes a plethora of languages and traditions. Amit Sofer, head of the Marom Hagalil Regional Council, encapsulated the resilient mood: "The celebration will not be complete until the residents of the north return to their homes and the abductees return healthy and whole from Hamas captivity." The community looks forward to future celebrations, hoping for peace and security that will allow them to celebrate freely in their own homes. PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu along with his wife, Sara, celebrate the Mimouna with residents of Or Akiva, in 2011. (credit: GPO) Mimouna not only offers a feast after Passover but also stands as a testament to the enduring spirit and cultural richness of the Moroccan Jewish community in Israel, celebrating diversity and resilience in the face of adversity. This festive occasion calls out to Moroccan Jews around the world, fostering a sense of unity and pride across global Jewish communities. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-27

Eliav Breuer is a Jerusalem Post success story. Starting out his time here as a member of the breaking news desk, Breuer was instrumental in making sure the team always had accurate up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in Israeli politics. His hard work over time didn’t go unnoticed. Soon enough, he rose to become our chief political correspondent, a central pillar of the Post’s reporting team. After a considerable amount of time away due to his military reservist duty in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Breuer is now back to being a staple in the Knesset, reporting on the important news taking place in the Israeli corridors of power. In Jerusalem sat down with Breuer to talk about his journalism journey, and some of the highlights of his career thus far. Surprisingly, his favorite anecdote is not one related to his political reporting.THE KNESSET building in Jerusalem holds one of the world’s smallest legislatures. (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) This is “Behind the Bylines,” where we bring you a look at the people behind the articles that keep our paper running. My parents are both Canadian, but they spent time in the United States. In 2001, they were living in Chicago and eventually decided to make aliyah. I was eight years old at the time, and grew up in Jerusalem. I finished my degree at Shalem College in the summer of 2020 after majoring in philosophy. I decided to utilize my native English skills for work, and spent a year doing freelance translation. This was a time period that included the COVID pandemic, protests on Balfour Street, the US election, January 6, Operation Guardian of the Walls, rioting in Israel’s mixed cities, an Israeli election, and more. I was always interested in news and politics, but the events of that year had me glued to my phone and constantly checking the news. I was looking for a full-time job at that point; after seeing an ad for a job on The Jerusalem Post’s news desk, I went for it. I was spending my time translating into English and watching news and thought, ‘Why not make a living out of it?’ Renowned American lawyer for the Post related to allegations against him connected to the Jeffrey Epstein sex scandal. In the article, Dershowitz commented on an interview he had given on BBC, where he was presented as a legal expert analyzing the verdict, despite being a non-neutral party. I watched the interview and thought that Dershowitz had mischaracterized and misrepresented the interview in his op-ed. making this argument and, more generally, criticizing his public conduct. Lo and behold, Dershowitz responded in a . His tone was angry and criticized my op-ed. The exchange ended there, but it became a running joke in the office. Every time Dershowitz appeared in the news or wrote to the Post, my colleagues made sure I knew. There is a lot of information and stories that can be found on social media or government websites. Sometimes, instead of spending a lot of energy trying to get the inside track, it is worth digging a little into information that is readily available. Who knows what you’ll find?  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-18

Malawi Foreign Minister Nancy Tembo and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz celebrated the opening of Malawi's embassy in Israel, Maariv reported on Thursday. In 2020, Malawi's Foreign Minister, Eisenhower Mkaka, came on a diplomatic mission to Israel. During his visit, he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, who emphasized Malawi's president Lazarus Chakwera's intention to . On Thursday (18 April), the current Malawai Foreign Minister, Nancy Tembo, fulfilled her predecessor's promise to Israel in a ceremony in Tel Aviv with Katz and . During the ceremony, Tembo, Katz, and Arbel signed an agreement to pilot a program to bring approximately 3,000 agricultural workers to Israel. Just before the ceremony, Katz and Tembo met with the families of the hostages Carmel Gat, Or Levy, and Daniel Peretz. "195 days have passed since . We must return all of the 133 hostages held by Hamas, and we are working in every possible way to bring them back home." Katz said. He then added, "We are at a critical time after Hamas' refusal to the proposal brought by the mediators." the Israeli foreign minister then stressed the importance of pressuring Hamas to return the hostages without being pressured into a ceasefire first. Malawi FM meets with Israeli FM and family members of the hostages. (18/4/2024) (credit: SIVAN SHACHOR) Tembo listened to stories told by the family members of the hostages and saw pictures of them. She then promised to assist in the efforts to return the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, agreeing to Katz's request to push for their release on international discussions, conditioning a ceasefire on their release. "We will continue to support Israel even when all the others don't" said Tembo during the ceremony. She further added that all of the hostages must be returned, saying she "has never seen such inhumane acts as there were on October 7. Malawi prays for the hostages." Michael, hostage Or Levy's brother, said that Or was kidnapped from the Supernova music festival party, "his wife Einav was murdered, and their two-year-old son Almog was left alone." Carmel Gat's cousin Gil said to Tembo that Carmel was kidnapped from Be'eri after a two-month-long trip to India. "Hostages that returned told us that she is still alive," said Gil, "but we are running out of time. They must return as soon as possible since time is killing them in captivity." Doron, Daniel's father, shared that his son's body is still in Gaza, held by Hamas. "He saved many in Nir Oz and was kidnapped from inside his tank by terrorists. The soldiers cannot be left behind. They must be a part of any deal." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-14

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, addressed the overnight Iranian attack during a morning operational update. "Iran initiated an attack against Israel, launching over 300 threats of various types. The Iranian threat met the aerial and technological superiority of the IDF, along with a strong fighting coalition," Hagari started the briefing. "99% of the threats launched towards Israeli territory were intercepted - a very significant strategic achievement," he specified. "Of approximately 170 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that Iran launched, zero crossed into Israeli territory." "From the more than 30 cruise missiles Iran launched, none crossed into Israeli territory," the IDF spokesperson continued. "Out of over 120 ballistic missiles, only a few crossed into Israeli territory, with the rest being intercepted." The ballistic missiles which reached Israel fell at the Nevatim Air Force Base, "causing only minor damage to infrastructure." "Iran hoped to incapacitate the base and thus impair our aerial capabilities, but it failed. IAF aircraft continue to take off and land from the base and depart for offensive and defensive missions," Hagari said. "In addition to the launches from Iran, several launches were made from the territories of Iraq and Yemen. None of them crossed into Israeli territory," the IDF spokesperson stated, adding that attacks continued from Lebanese territory. "Over the past six months, we have been operating in close coordination with our partners, led by US CENTCOM, the UK, France, and other countries that operated last night," Hagari described the American-led coalition response to the attack. "Unfortunately, a ten-year-old girl was severely injured by shrapnel. We wish her a speedy recovery. Other than her, as far as we know, there are no additional casualties," the spokesperson referred to a Bedouin Israeli girl that was hit while sleeping at her home in southern Israel. "However, it is important to say - the event is not over. We remain prepared and ready for further developments and threats," he stated. "Throughout the night, the IDF conducted a situational assessment in response to developments. The Chief of the General Staff approved plans moving forward, which were presented to the political echelon," Hagari said, later answering i24NEWS that "there are offensive plans, we are showing them to the cabinet and we are ready." "Iran committed a very tonight, pushing the Middle East towards escalation. We are doing and will do everything necessary to protect the security of the civilians of the State of Israel," he stated. "Alongside tonight's developments, we have not for a moment forgotten about the held in Gaza. We will continue to do everything possible to bring them home as soon as possible," the IDF spokesperson concluded. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-09

Tuesday morning began with rocket alert sirens sounding for northern Israeli communities, near the Lebanon border, while overnight the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted an aerial target near the southernmost coastal city of Eilat. To catch up on the full events of the war from Monday, . Read more in-depth updates on the . IDF eliminates Hatem Alramery, Hamas Emergency Bureau chief, responsible for rocket launches from central Gaza Rocket alert sirens sound in Israel-Lebanon border communities ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-07

MK Avi Maoz criticized Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, the IDF chief of staff, on Saturday. In a statement, he claimed that "the chief of staff's recent decisions lead me to have absolute distrust in him, and I call on the Defense Minister to dismiss him immediately." Ironically, Lieutenant General Halevi decided to appoint Itay Baron as the IDF's chief military advocate. He further added to his criticism, stating, "Tonight, it was also exposed by the IDF spokesperson the ongoing lie regarding the non-existence of terror tunnels extending from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. Unfortunately, we cannot win the war with this Chief of Staff.” MK Avi Maoz's criticism stems partly from the dismissal of Brigadier General Nochi Mendel, commander of the Nahal Brigade. Levi ordered his dismissal following an incident in which seven workers from the aid organization World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed as a result of IDF attacks. The incident occurred during an operation to transfer humanitarian aid from the WCK organization to the Gaza Strip. The investigation revealed that IDF troops identified one armed individual near one of the aid trucks and later believed there was another armed individual. Noam head Avi Maoz speaks during a function meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on March 20, 2023. (credit: ERIK MARMOR/FLASH90) After the aid convoys left the warehouse where the aid was unloaded, one of the commanders mistakenly thought the armed individuals were in the escort vehicles and assumed they were Hamas terrorists. Due to the mistaken identification by the forces, they attacked three WCK vehicles under the mistaken belief that they contained Hamas terrorists, resulting in the deaths of seven unarmed humanitarian aid workers. The attack on the three vehicles constituted a serious violation of orders and instructions regarding the matter. The investigation's conclusions indicate that the incident could have been prevented. Yet, those who approved the attack were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas terrorists and not WCK organization members. The attack on the aid vehicles was a grave mistake resulting from a serious failure, stemming from mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and a violation of rules of engagement. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-06

The IDF destroyed three terror tunnels in the area of the , the IDF reported Saturday.  While Gaza’s underground tunnel infrastructure has been a challenge for the IDF since the " began, IDF soldiers, led by the 98th Division and the Yahalom Unit, have been operating to locate, map, and destroy Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade’s tunnels, the military stated. The tunnels that were destroyed had been under and technological surveillance in the last few years. Following preliminary ground activity, the tunnels were mapped and destroyed. In addition to the 98th Division and the Yahalom Unit, the Southern Command's Engineering Array and the Gaza Division carried out the operation. One of the three tunnels was uncovered approximately a decade ago. In 2021, during the Guardian of the Walls operation, it had been struck from the air, resulting in the elimination of several Hamas terrorists.  At the beginning of the current war, it was struck at several points to prevent offensive activity, and over the last weeks, engineering forces destroyed it. IDF soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, March 28, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT) Another tunnel destroyed was revealed in 2014 as a terror tunnel crossing into Israeli territory. Hamas has not restored the tunnel since then, and in recent weeks, another section of the tunnel deep inside Gaza was destroyed, the IDF added. The third tunnel that was destroyed in the last few weeks was discovered in 2019, before the construction of the underground barrier, when one branch of the tunnel crossed a few hundred meters into Israeli territory.  It has since been under full operational and intelligence control by the IDF. In this segment of the tunnel, IDF soldiers placed traps and sensors for the IDF to use, if needed, as part of the IDF's activity against Hamas’s underground tunnel network.  Since the beginning of the war, the tunnel has been struck numerous times, along with several other actions that prevented the part that crossed into Israeli territory from being used. The tunnel was not used in the October 7 invasion and massacre, and the IDF has controlled the tunnel with surveillance and fire throughout the war.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-04-05

Sitting peacefully, deep in the Israeli countryside, are two Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund forests named after Serbian and Yugoslav monarchs of the past. The history of Jews in the Balkan region dates back some 2,000 years since the Roman dispersion of Jews across Europe, and in more modern times, Israel has forged ties with the nations that have emerged since the breakup of Yugoslavia. The largest of those nations is Serbia, where Israel has developed excellent diplomatic and growing trade ties. Honorary consul of Serbia to Israel Aleksandar Nikolic is a Belgrade-born descendant of Sephardi Jews who survived Bergen-Belsen. He graduated from the and previously served on the executive board of the Federation of the Jewish Communities in Yugoslavia. He sat down with The Jerusalem Post to discuss the history of Serbo-Israeli relations and the current status of ongoing cooperative successes. Since the modern inception of the idea of Jewish statehood and the birth of Zionism, the Serbs have always proposed the notion that the Jewish people should be their own masters with their own land. A paratrooper carries the flag of Serbia during a demonstration of the Serbian Army's air defence capabilities, ''Shield 2022'', at the military airport ''Colonel-pilot Milenko Pavlovic'' in Batajnica, near Belgrade, Serbia, April 30, 2022. (credit: REUTERS/ZORANA JEVTIC) On 2 November 1917, as World War I raged throughout Europe and the Middle East, the British were attempting to solve the question of Jewish statehood, when Lord Balfour proposed his own solution in the Balfour Declaration. The Serbian delegation to the United States sent Serb Army captain and later Jewish community leader Dr. David Albala a letter in which it affirmed Serbia’s support for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. “Serbia was the first country worldwide to support the in December 1917, immediately, which is a unique position,” Nikolic told the Post. “It is with special pride that I always recall this. In the letter of support signed by Milenko Radomar Vesnic, head of the Serbian War Mission to Washington, DC, it was written in anticipation of the future ‘free Israel.’ It was an unbelievable anticipation by the Serbs.” Moving forward a century, in February 2016, Serbia enacted The Law on Removal of the Consequences Regarding the Seizing of the Holocaust Survivors’ Property Without Living Legal Heirs to address heirless and unclaimed Jewish property. As well as financial reparations to Jewish communities in the case of unclaimed property, Holocaust survivors and their heirs have the opportunity to obtain any of their property that will be returned to the Serbian Jewish communities. In addition, the distribution of revenues from compensation and restitution will support Holocaust survivors, the social welfare of Jews living in Serbia, Holocaust research, commemoration, and education, and sustaining Jewish communities and religious and cultural activities. At least 20% of those revenues in the first decade will be directed to assist Serbian now living in Serbia or abroad. “This law puts Serbia as an example to the rest of Europe, as described by various Jewish international organizations,” Nikolic proudly lauded. “Although Serbs were among the major victims of Nazi Germany, they saw this obligation to correct a criminal injustice and remember the Jewish suffering. The Serbian Jewish community was very supportive of this. “When the National Assembly of Serbia voted to implement the law, there were 0 votes against it,” Nikolic stated. “Everyone voted in favor.” Nikolic was also enthusiastic about Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s relationship with the Jewish world, Israel, and the Serb Jewish community. Vucic, in the past month, has held phone conversations with President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At the same time, a senior AIPAC delegation, headed by AIPAC president Michael Tuchin, visited Belgrade. “President Vucic flew a yellow flag with the Shield [Star] of David from the Presidential Palace just prior to the Fifth World Holocaust Forum in Yad Vashem in 2020. Everybody was moved by this gesture.” Nikolic expanded on the president’s own personal experiences and how they have furthered understanding of Jewish suffering during the Holocaust, a unique historical event not to be compared. “The president’s family members were targets of genocide during World War II as Serbian victims of the Ustasa regime of the Independent State of Croatia, a Nazi Germany satellite. This kind of understanding of Jewish suffering, together with the Roma people, is very evocative. You are unlikely to find a European leader with that kind of commitment to Holocaust remembrance because it happened together at the same time. The victims were also anti-fascist Croats and members of other ethnic groups and religions who resisted the perpetrators.” In what was described by Nikolic as “crucially important,” a second law was passed in February 2020 by the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia to create the “Memorial Center Staro Sajmiste” and permanently preserve the site, formerly a Nazi concentration camp and the site of mass murder. The new Memorial Center was established in 2022 and focuses on restoration and organizational development. The role of the Genocide Victims’ Museum in Belgrade is essential here, while First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic is known for his active support in the remembrance of the resistance movement in Yugoslavia during World War II, thus fighting both history revision and Holocaust distortion. “If there is a country in the world that has globally suffered from one-sided, manipulative, and malicious global media reports throughout decades, it is the state of the Jewish people. This is why the Serbs expect deeper understanding from the Israelis,” Nikolic explained as he delved into Serbia’s recent history and the ongoing matter of Kosovar independence. “Kosovo is the cradle of Serbian spirituality, history, and identity. Many of the most central medieval Serbian Christian Orthodox monasteries are there. For many years, Serbs tried to explain that Kosovo is their Jerusalem from the point of spirituality, history, and identity. For the Israelis to understand what Kosovo means to Serbs, think of it as the Galilee or the northern Negev. Why? These areas are, obviously, parts of Israel, but they have very complex demographic situations and certain tendencies. “It is not without reason that Ariel Sharon, who was foreign minister at the time, opposed the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, and former foreign minister Avigdor Liberman opposed Kosovo’s bid for independence in 2008.” Israel and Serbia have also come on leaps and bounds in terms of collaborations in the fields of innovation, investments, and trade, Nikolic explained. “There are three major aspects of economy and trade cooperation,” supported by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nikolic reflected when asked about modern relations between the State of Israel and the Republic of Serbia. “In the field of science, networking of the innovation ecosystems between Serbian science and technology parks and start-ups and Israeli accelerators and innovation authorities has seen massive growth,” Nikolic explained. “Israeli symbols of the Start-Up Nation, such as Start-Up Nation Central in Tel Aviv or Tech7 in Beersheba, have been involved with Serbia. Besides, we have many postdoctoral students at the most prestigious [Israeli] science and academy institutions, such as the Weizmann Institute of Science and Ben-Gurion University.” “The second aspect is fostering investments in Serbia,” Nikolic said. “It gives me great pleasure that, since 2000, almost $3 billion have been invested in Serbia, particularly in Serbia real estate and the shopping mall sector, by Israeli companies, [with] a particular Israeli presence in the field of renewable energy (Enlight and Big Mega). Our wind-power sector enjoyed important investment from Israeli companies. Renewable energy is very important to Serbia.” Companies such as Beit Shemesh Engines; Tigar tires, which is part of Michelin; and Philip Morris tobacco are very best examples of growing economy and trade cooperation between the countries.Tourism has also been a fast-growing sector between the two countries in the 21st century, especially the Belgrade city break. “Starting in 2016, we reached 13 weekly direct flights between Ben-Gurion Airport and Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade. We had 34,000 visitors only to the capital, Belgrade, on a quarterly basis, which was really promising. Israelis became one of our leading foreign tourists. But, unfortunately, we all suffered from COVID-19, and since then, the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.” Anyhow, the arrival of the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, Miroljub Petrovic, during the war promises even stronger bilateral ties in all fields. EXPO 2027 is a specialized exposition to be held in 2027 in Belgrade, Serbia. It is scheduled to begin on 15 May 2027 and close on 15 August 2027 and will mark the first time that a world exposition will be held in the former Yugoslavia. Israel supported Serbia’s bid, which will include major investment, including a whole new fair center to replace the old one. “The major topics of EXPO 2027 will be sports and music. Serbs are very prominent in sports, such as tennis star Novak Djokovic and basketball NBA MVP Nikola Jokic,” Nikolic told the Post.  “International support was important to Serbia, including Israeli support, and it was a great chance for Serbia to present its best self to the watching world. Israeli excellence in sports innovations, companies such as HYPE and Colosseum, will definitively contribute to this unique and grand event we’re proud of.” In a reciprocal manner, Serbia has also stepped up and offered its sporting facilities to help out its Israeli compatriots in a sign of comradeship during the current Gaza war. “Unfortunately, during this tragic war, both Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Jerusalem in basketball are playing their home matches in European competition in Serbia,” Nikolic stated. “The Israeli security services would never consider playing matches in a country that was considered unsafe and not capable of assuring security.” Returning to the thought of those KKL-JNF forests, Nikolic is proud of his country’s contribution to Israeli history, stating: “It makes us very proud that we are among the few nations with two JNF forests in Israel officially named after our rulers. The first is named after King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, near Kibbutz Sha’ar Ha’amakim, which was established by immigrants from Yugoslavia and Romania. His son King Peter II, in exile, visited the kibbutz twice. The other one is King Peter I Karadjordjevic Forest near Kibbutz Ginegar.” ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-28

Education Minister announced Thursday that the Israel Prize ceremony will be held during the country's 76th Independence Day, the first of such following the October 7 massacre in the city of Sderot.  Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Kisch decided to hold the annual Israel Prize this year as a sign of revival, civil heroism, and mutual guarantee. Special recognition will be given to Israeli citizens who demonstrated extraordinary bravery and contributed to the revival of the state following the outbreak of war.  This year, in addition to the three awards celebrating Israeli revival, two-lifetime achievement awards, and nine awards in other professional categories will be given.  The announced six additional winners. The announcement also provided the first confirmation of , an Israeli tech businessman, who criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu over the judicial reform policies passed by the government. Kisch reportedly requested that the committee that voted on the prize not give the prize to Waldman.  The ceremony also comes after Kisch's initial demand to cancel the ceremony, which resulted in requesting the government to provide justifications for the cancellation.  Israeli soldiers standing near a graffiti at the site of the Old Sderot Police Station that was attacked by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, March 11, 2024. (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90) The winners include the following: The Israel Prize in Psychology Research is awarded to Prof. Gershon Ben Shahar. The Israel Prize in Life Sciences Research is awarded to Prof. Hagai Bergman. The Israel Prize for Entrepreneurship and Technological Innovation is awarded to Mr. Eyal Waldman. The Israel Prize in Torah Literature and Hebrew Law is awarded to Rishon Lezion, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef. The Israel Prize for Research in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Computer Engineering is awarded to Prof. Vitali Milman. The Israel Prize for Economic Research and Statistics Research is awarded to Prof. Yaakov Ritov. Kisch noted in his statement that "this year, we will hold the Israel Prize ceremony with the heroic residents of the city of Sderot. The State of Israel is at war, and we cherish our soldiers at the front, we remember our hostage brothers and sisters, and we praise the heroism and spirit that has pulsated in the nation since the dawn of history." "The Israel Prize is an award for Israeli excellence, and the honor of the winners is the honor of the State of Israel. Unfortunately, in my announcement today, there were no women honorees, only men. The discretion in this matter is in the hands of the companies and members of the various committees, and I hope that they will choose deserving women in the following categories." "The hour is the hour of war; the order of the hour is unity, and together, Israeli excellence will face every challenge and defeat every enemy," Kisch said.  ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-18

was eliminated from European play last week in brutal fashion after holding an 18-point halftime lead over eventual winner Besiktas, which sent the Reds packing from the EuroCup at the quarterfinal stage. After such a defeat, it was only natural to see what type of effect the loss would have on Danny Franco and his squad as they headed back home to Israeli league action with both the championship and State Cup still in play between March and June. Would they be able to come out and perform at the high level they have been all season long? Would there be some sort of head-hanging and depression after such a tough defeat? The Reds answered those questions in a resounding fashion, as clear and concise as possible. Tel Aviv’s 91-64 drubbing of host Hapoel Jerusalem over the weekend in the capital was basically an announcement that “we are going to put every ounce of effort into the upcoming months with the goal of winning the two remaining available titles.” With well over 1,000 traveling fans, Franco’s charges kept the game close over the opening 10 minutes, began making their mark in the second quarter, and took a slim 37-33 lead at halftime. This led to a tremendous 26-11 third period that was followed up by a final frame that was garbage time galore. Game, Set, Match. HAPOEL HOLON'S Kevin Hervey led the Purples with 20 points in a crucial 93-92 victory over Promitheas on Wednesday night in Basketball Champions League round-of-16 action. (credit: YEHUDA HALICKMAN) In some aspects, it was absolutely stunning how Hapoel Tel Aviv was able to come out of halftime and do as it pleased against a Jerusalem team playing on its home court that folded like a cheap suit in a third quarter that the players, staff, and fans would like to forget quickly. While Franco was able to work on his squad with an emphasis on the mental aspect after their EuroCup ousting, Jerusalem coach Ilias Kantzouris was unable to recover from a listless Basketball Champions League round-of-16 Group Stage defeat at the hands of Peristeri. That loss, coupled with a 2-6 record in Israeli league play since the start of February, shows just how much the Capital City Reds are struggling under their new bench boss ahead of a huge final continental matchup coming up this week that could leave the team looking from the outside come the postseason. As the Jerusalem fans booed the Greek tactician off of the floor after the game, it was clear that there was no love affair between the supporters and coach, which should come as no surprise after the string of disheartening results. “Fans are fans, and they love our team,” Kantzouris said. “They have the right to react how they feel, while my job is inside the four lines to protect the players and club.” Returning back to and how Franco worked his magic to perfection. First off, there’s no question that he has excelled at the mental side of the game since the devastating European defeat and that, despite some pretty hard feelings immediately after the loss, everyone from top to bottom was able to put their egos aside. This is likely due to Franco's veteran on his roster, Tomer Ginat and Bar Timor, who were able to calm the waters with the foreigners. That is a fact that can’t be taken lightly. Very few teams have a pair of Sabras with the stature of Ginat and Timor, and there’s no question that their voices hold a lot of weight among the team. "We didn't meet our goal in Europe. It was tough after going up by so many points and losing the lead." “We didn’t meet our goal in Europe,” Timor said. “It was tough after going up by so many points and losing the lead. We really had to reflect on it, which was a very tough point for us as players and for the staff and management.” “I manage the players, and I am responsible for the good and for the bad,” Franco said. “We have two titles that we will be battling for. Unfortunately, we only got so far in Europe. I have to give credit to the entire management team and ownership, who knew how to give us some quiet after the loss and give us confidence. We received so much support from so many different places that we knew we would come in here and fight. It was tough to just show up with one practice before the game, but the work was all in the players’ heads. The mental side is always important; we lost J’Covan Brown in the first half in Lithuania, and we don’t really know when he will be back, and I am happy that the guys knew how to respond here in Jerusalem.” Second, Franco was able to bring on a fresh Dusty Hannahs, who was unable to play in the EuroCup loss because he had signed with Hapoel after the signing window was shut. Hannahs, who is known to be a stellar shooter, did not have the baggage that any of the other players had after the loss to Besiktas. The sharpshooter, who is also a naturalized Israeli, was just what the doctor ordered for Franco and company as he came off the bench and went 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from two-point range, good for 23 points. Hannahs provided that extra offense that Hapoel Tel Aviv clearly needed, as only Kyle Alexander and John Holland were able to find the basket early on in the game and were the only reason that the visitors stayed afloat until Hannahs and Timor began to hit their shots in the middle two frames of the game. “We are learning Dusty on the fly, so to speak,” Franco said about Hannahs. “We haven’t had many practices, so we are learning his style of play with the team together. He is learning both our offense and defense, and sometimes, he needs to be reminded what to do. He is also a player that I have seen in the summer league. He is the type of player who has been able to feel free and comfortable on the court, even before he made any adjustments to play in Europe.” “We had all told him that games in Jerusalem are not going to be ones with a 30-point difference, and that did something to him as he came in ready and prepared. I am proud of how he played, and I told him that after the game. I don’t know how we could have done this without him, and it gives us hope that we have yet another tool, also one who is an Israeli and can help us as the season continues.” Timor also spoke about his new teammate. “Dusty is a scorer by nature, and you see it immediately in practice. None of us were surprised by what happened in this game. He really fits into the social fabric of this team, which was something that we feared a bit, but his introduction into the club has worked well for everyone. So it’s not a surprise he was excellent today.” Kantzouris, who had Hannahs on his roster back in 2020 with , is familiar with the Arkansas native and knew full well what type of damage he could create.“I know him very well, as I coached him in the past, and we prepared for him as we prepared for the entire Hapoel Tel Aviv team. We didn’t underestimate them, but we didn’t show the right attention to the players. This result has mostly to do with us collapsing in the third quarter.” Kantzouris and his team had no answers. The coach had trouble finding the right time to call a timeout in the second quarter. In the third period, he watched his team crumble before his very eyes as Hapoel Tel Aviv sliced through his defense like a hot knife through butter. “It’s more than just X’s and O’s,” Zach Hankins commented after the game. “It was a tactical and mental mess. They hit a couple of key 3-pointers, and they stuck together to their man closer. we had to react and stay with the game plan, which we didn’t. We can’t hang our heads; every player knows how to handle that, but every single one of us hung our heads, and that took away our awareness and mentality.” There’s no question that Hapoel Jerusalem’s crucial BCL game this week against Karsiyaka is far more important than any league game right now, and without a pure point guard in Speedy Smith, who was resting and wasn’t registered for this league matchup, the Reds put themselves in an almost impossible situation. The lack of productivity by Yovel Zoosman, Or Cornelius, Khadeen Carrington, and Levi Randolph cost them as no one could orchestrate the offense, which in turn led to atrocious defense. How much longer can Jerusalem and its management see the Israeli season coming apart at the seams? How much more will the fans, who are losing patience by the millisecond, take? It won’t be long before Sports Director Yonatan Alon, CEO Alon Kremer, and the ownership group, including former NBA guard Gal Mekel, will need to make a move because things are just not working under Kantzouris, who adopted Aleksandar Dzikic’s roster. “We are together,” Kantzouris claimed. “This is what we discussed, and we do what we do really well. For a big part of the game, we showed that when we work as a team, we can do many things. But, of course, it’s not enough to play 22-24 minutes. We have to be more consistent and mentally tough throughout the game.” While Kantzouris and the Reds players are all saying the right things and have publicly shown support for one another, something just isn’t clicking, and there are probably a million reasons why. However, for right now, the team is heading to Bosnia and Herzegovina to play Karsiyaka in a game that will determine whether it will continue on in Europe or not. Even if Jerusalem loses this game, it may very well advance to the BCL quarterfinals due to the point differential. However, there is no way that either the coach or the players want to back their way into the postseason. Perhaps this will be a chance for all of the parties involved to get back on the same page and bounce back from the rough couple of months that they have been growing through. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-18

While the war in Gaza rages on, much of has been continuously hit by Hezbollah rocket fire, prompting residents to evacuate from their homes until further notice.   However, an IDF reserve unit has stayed behind to protect northern towns and is preparing for any possible scenario, including and combat with Hezbollah terrorists. IDF Online interviewed these reserve soldiers from the “Dvora,” or "bee" unit who work day and night to protect the northern border. ”Dvora,” a special forces reserve unit, began operating in northern Israel in recent years and was created with the goal of repelling terrorist infiltrations from the border. The unit is responsible for gathering as many forces in one area as quickly as possible. The unit is formally named “YATAM (immediate response unit) Galil,” but it received its unique, and more familiar name of “Dvora” after the late Deborah Drechler, who was killed in the Battle of Tel Hai in 1920.  Joining "Dvora" is no easy feat, as the soldiers are very carefully selected. The first criteria is to be a northern resident that is committed to protecting their homes. “The soldiers of the unit regularly train together and form a professional and tested group, so people with a deep sense of commitment to the north are needed,” the unit’s commander revealed. “Our ideal reservists grew up here, have family here, settled here.” Israeli soldiers practice shooting near the Israeli border with Lebanon, northern Israel, February 11, 2024. (credit: DAVID COHEN/FLASH 90) Because of this, the ranks of the unit are filled with veteran reservists from various units, specifically those with operational experience who are willing to meet the challenge. “The different military backgrounds from which the soldiers arrive bring many advantages,” Captain (res.) Dror explained. “Each brings his own knowledge and expertise. However, there are also gaps in combat methods, so we make sure to train every week to create a common language.” Captain (res.) Dror noted that “we feared that Hezbollah would be inspired by events in the south and attack at the same time, so we arrived very quickly,” he told IDF Online.  The reservists have not rested for a moment since October 7, and are responsible for patrolling the northern border to prevent terror attacks and infiltrations.  In early March, the reservists participated in a special exercise in the northern Golan Heights, which included simulated scenarios of infiltrating terrorists that sought to test the reservist's capabilities in neutralizing them as fast as possible.  The task at hand is clear to this group of reservists: in the event of an infiltration into northern Israeli territory, their job is to repel the terrorists. “If an event occurs in which Israeli territory despite all the roadblocks and defenses the IDF has set up, we will arrive quickly. We know this territory well; we will fight and cooperate with other units to direct fire.” IDF Online reported that the soldiers in reserves face great difficulty as they are guarding their homes while their families evacuated.  “This attitude of ‘we stay as long as they need us’ is an attitude that accompanies all the soldiers in the Galilee,” the unit commander concluded. “This is what makes us professional. No one is forced to stay – yet we all do. There is a feeling of obligation to protect our homes, and it gives our unit the motivation to stay alert and give it our all." ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-13

A historic opportunity stood before Shas: to be a true bridge of balance, not only in terms of seats in the Knesset but also in terms of bringing Israeli society together, secular and religious, Ashkenazi and Sephardi. What a shame that it turned out that all the Sephardi revolution in the world of Torah truly wants these days is simply a hug from the Ashkenazi hegemony. Here's a true story: Almost 30 years ago, we were looking for a caregiver for our eldest daughter. Even before meeting with the caregiver, on the first phone call, she asked us if we minded that she was Orthodox. We didn't. She was a Gerrer hassid, her husband worked in a hassidic education system considered extreme and strict even in the ultra-Orthodox world. What was important to us was that her children loved our daughter as if she were their little sister, fought over her attention, amused her and showered her with affection. Along with our little one, there were two other children also in her care, a girl and a boy, and in order to differentiate between the two girls, they gave them marks: the one who was darker they affectionately called "Chocolate Delight." The intention was good, of course, but already in the mid-1990s, no liberal in central Tel Aviv felt comfortable calling a person by their skin color. That epithet was a trigger for conversations during which I learned about racial segregation, just like that, which exists in certain streams of ultra-Orthodox society. While among secular Jews of Ashkenazi descent, racism mainly survives as vague biases among the generation that is passing away from the world, then within the ultra-Orthodox community, it sometimes manifests in actual racial discrimination. And then I began to understand the roots of the strong emotions that gave birth to Shas, the black panthers of ultra-Orthodox politics. The ''Sixties'' of the ultra-Orthodox Mizrahi community. Shas headquarters in the 2015 elections. (credit: MOR SHAULI) The black panthers, spoken of frequently in recent weeks following , were the generation that embodied the auto-emancipation of tradition-bound Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews. They set the streets on fire but were burned by the flames of revolution. The fruit of the "not nice" struggle (as Golda Meir called them after their protests, showing absolute blindness in social matters that must be remembered when foolishly attempting to correct historical memory) was reaped by Likud, an Ashkenazi party, but also one that, as a political underdog, offered an ideological safe home to traditional Mizrahim and Sephardim even during the days of the pre-state underground. The black panthers ignited the flames of rebellion, but the Torah of Israel proved to be stronger than the Marxist ideology that the rebels adhered to. For every Charlie Biton who went to Hadash or Saadia Marciano to Sheli (both leftist parties), there were a hundred who yelled "Begin, Begin" when Menachem Begin delivered his "Jews, brothers, fighters" speech in King George Square during the 1981 elections. Where did this social revolution get stuck? With Benjamin Netanyahu and David Amsalem. The former knew how to exploit it cynically for his own needs, and the latter proved that Likud and the system are not important; the main thing is power: We chose power to arrange jobs for our cronies and to plunder the public coffers, not because it's necessary, but because "the other" has plundered them in front of us. Imitation instead of change. If the spirit of skepticism from the United States only arrived in Israel in the seventies, then the religious revolution that took place in secular politics in the seventies only arrived in the ultra-Orthodox society in the eighties with Shas. The problem with Shas was the speed with which it became a central player in the power system: if Likud matured for almost 30 years in opposition, then Shas became a ruling party from the very beginning and, therefore, acted like a gang of kids in a candy store. Even those who became important political leaders within a few years, like , reluctantly acknowledged this. His (first) trial was initially presented as political-religious persecution, but Deri, released from prison, sought to present himself as someone who learned a lesson in humility, who understood he had sinned out of arrogance, who humbled his heart until he ignored the rules of the game. Aryeh Deri. Upon his release from prison, he sought to prove that he had overcome and matured. (credit: URI LENZ) The problem is the gap between what Deri says and what he does. Outwardly, he made sure to convey love for Israel and unity, only raising a fuss when Yair Lapid allegedly looked down on him, while the rest of the time he preferred the position of the underdog, the one who doesn't understand why people could possibly be against him. At times, it seemed that the will of the Shas's supporters for unity of Israel and the party's political practice reached a point of connection: Deri "contributed" to the coalition agreement that allowed the emergency government during COVID (how it ended, we all know), Deri also insisted that we all know how moderate and thoughtful he is in all matters related to war strategy. The problem with Deri is that when the public good conflicts with his political benefit, he chooses the latter. This is how he navigated Shas out of the Rabin government, just when it seemed like the haredi Mizrahim would offer a different approach to the Israeli-Arab conflict. This was when he understood that Netanyahu was dragging Israel towards less, but he chose a tactic where every note to Shas was like a note to Netanyahu, just like a direct vote for Likud. This is what he is doing now, when his party so easily betrays the moral convictions of many of its voters, not ultra-Orthodox but religious or traditional, who saw voting for Shas as a tribute or longing for the generation of parents, whose children serve in the IDF and work for their livelihood after their release. They were the narrow bridge over which a real outline of ultra-Orthodox recruitment could pass, instead they choose the Shas to preserve the their power. Let there be no doubt, this is not a struggle of the world of Torah against Israel's security, as tried to portray. This is about the politics of survival at the expense of doing the right thing. Instead of leading his party towards the future, he is dragging it into the depths of its past. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90) The alliance between Deri and Netanyahu is based not only on a shared political interest, but also on several similarities. For example, one got into trouble because of Jacuzzis, and the other because of cigars and champagne – interesting, for leaders who claim to represent the general public. The naive expectation from them is that at the moment of truth, they will straighten up and do the right thing: Deri, who will supposedly shake up the system from within even though he himself is the essence of the system, and Netanyahu, who will supposedly straighten up and represent some national interest, not political or sectarian, for a moment. If there is anything that's comparable with the hatred felt by a large part of Netanyahu's opponents for the prime minister, it is only the expectation that at the moment of truth, a different Netanyahu will be revealed, different from all we knew, statesmanlike and responsible. They wave a sign calling for his resignation, but deep down, they hope, for unclear reasons, that the man who could have been will emerge. If the cynicism of the two is annoying these days, then these days it borders on crime: the Haredi recruitment issue threatens not only the current government but the future of the entire State of Israel. Deri (who practically controls the chief rabbi who is supposed to guide his spiritual ways) could have been the architect of the solution, but instead he chose to be a central part of the problem. Why? As sad as it may sound, it is about feelings of inferiority: the association of Torah-observing Sephardim that rose up against the Ashkenazi Litvak haredi leadership is like a son who rebels against his father but longs more than anything for a paternal hug from him. The speech of Rabbi Yosef is meant to show that he is "more Ashkenazi than the Ashkenazim," more extreme than the extremists. Just like Netanyahu wants to settle the score with those who prevented his father from being a leading political figure just because he did not belong to the "correct" political stream. On a personal-human level, this is certainly understandable. Ultimately, many of us become not the product of our childhood dreams, but the sum of their traumas. On a national level, this is a tragedy: the State of Israel is forced to move forward and heal its wounds, but instead it is dragged back to reopen the wounds that shaped the character of those who are supposed to lead it. A country yearning for a better future is dragged into the abyss of their past traumas. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-12

Ben-Gurion University's Senate voted against the establishment of a gender-separate campus designed to cater to the. The proposal, which aimed to create an inclusive educational environment for one of Israel's most marginalized populations, was met with strong opposition, reflecting the complexities of integrating ultra-Orthodox individuals into broader Israeli society. 's Senate, a body composed of senior professors elected by the academic staff, rejected the administration's proposal by a wide margin, with only about 15 members supporting it. The decision came after a contentious debate that highlighted the divergent views within the academic community on how to address the educational needs of the ultra-Orthodox. This development follows a national call for proposals by the Council for Higher Education, seeking to establish gender-separate campuses across Israel. The initiative is part of a broader effort to promote higher education among marginalized groups, including Arab Israelis, Ethiopian Israelis, and the ultra-Orthodox community. However, the concept of gender segregation has raised concerns about potential discrimination and the impact on public space ethos, which academia is integral to. Opponents argue that without gender segregation, the ultra-Orthodox community will continue to avoid participation in higher education, thereby limiting their economic integration and widening social divides. The Council for Higher Education, drawing on its data and experience, believes that the unique needs of the ultra-Orthodox community warrant the establishment of specialized frameworks. If realized, the proposed campus in the Negev region would have served substantial ultra-Orthodox communities in cities such as Ofakim, Be'er Sheva, Arad, Netivot, and Moshav Tifrach.Ben Gurion University (credit: WWW.PIKIWIKI.ORG.IL) The plan was to encourage ultra-Orthodox students to pursue academic degrees and into the workforce by offering gender-separated classes, although faculty members of both genders would have taught students of the opposite sex. Ben-Gurion University's announcement of its successful proposal last September has now been overshadowed by the Senate's recent decision, raising several critical questions. These include the legal and contractual implications of withdrawing the proposal and whether the university's partners in the initiative will proceed without it. More broadly, this situation underscores the ongoing debate about the role of the ultra-Orthodox community in Israeli education and society, challenging whether there is a genuine commitment to inclusivity or merely lip service without substantive action. The Council for Higher Education announced it is currently evaluating the ramifications of the university's decision, which marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing discourse on education, inclusion, and diversity in Israeli society. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-11

Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi announced on Thursday that the group had carried out 96 missile and over the past five months, targeting 61 ships in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.  The Houthis also confirmed that they had introduced submarine warfare into their operations, reflecting the development of their military capabilities and raising international concerns. In context: After the war between Israel and Hamas broke out last October, the Houthis launched a series of missiles and drones toward Israeli cities. In November 2023, the Houthis began hijacking and targeting commercial ships that they claimed had connections to Israeli entities and individuals. In mid-February, the Houthis attacked the Rubymar cargo ship in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, sinking the ship and causing it to release the 41,000 tons of hazardous fertilizers it had been transporting.  The United States Central Command called the event an “environmental disaster.” Separately, a Houthi missile attack on the cargo ship True Confidence last week killed three sailors—the first civilian deaths since the Houthis began these attacks—injured others, and subsequently sank the cargo ship. A Houthi follower holds a rocket launcher as others carry a cutout banner, portraying the Galaxy Leader cargo ship which was seized by Houthis, during a parade as part of a 'popular army' mobilization campaign by the movement, in Sanaa, Yemen, February 7, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/KHALED ABDULLAH) The Media Line contacted Houthi leading figure Abdul Sattar Al-Nehmi via phone to understand the Houthis' intentions for the coming period.  Al-Nehmi told The Media Line that the Houthis’ operations will continue until the group “forces” global powers, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to implement their demands, which include stopping Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip and increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza. He said that the group has “more surprises” in store that will lead the US, Israel, and other Western powers to meet the Houthis’ demands. Al-Nehmi said that on True Confidence and Rubymar were a result of the sailors’ insistence on defying the Houthis and heading toward Israeli ports. In fact, neither of the ships was on its way to Israel.  “We have a firm belief in our leadership and its decisions, which motivates us to continue these operations in support of our brothers in Gaza,” Al-Nehmi said. Many observers say that the Houthis are exploiting pro-Palestinian sentiment among Yemenis to continue the attacks. Former Saba News Agency journalist Samah Lutf—currently a freelance journalist based in Aden and Egypt—told The Media Line that the international community has no choice but to either “eradicate” the Houthis or try to bring them into an agreement that ensures maritime security in the region. “Due to regional and local support, generous Iranian backing, and the absence of economic and political accountability towards the world, the Houthis are becoming bolder in their military operations, considering it the only way to improve their image and recreate the popular support they lost due to the economic and political crises they are facing in Yemen,” she said. Lutf noted that Houthis’ operations have gradually escalated. “The Houthis initially only targeted ships to warn them before gradually starting their direct attack, which caused partial damage to a group of those cargo ships until the attacks reached the point of sinking ships and killing their crews,” she said. The attacks will continue as long as the Houthis enjoy , Lutf said. The US and Yemen have revealed complex networks connecting Iran to the Houthis, including training by Iran and the transfer of Iranian arms. While acknowledging good relations with Tehran, Houthi leaders deny such a connection. An anonymous employee at Hudaydah seaport—which the Houthis control—told The Media Line that multiple banks and shipping companies in Yemen facilitate Iranian support of the Houthis through financial support and the transfer of equipment. “There are numerous shipping companies and ships that work to bring in goods and tools for the Houthis from Iranian or Iran-affiliated companies,” he said, noting that he had observed more than 200 boats transferring weapons manufacturing material for use by the Houthis. Although the Houthis claim that their attacks are meant to force Israel to stop its war with Gaza, many experts say that the group’s real aim is to use a show of force to become a more meaningful player in the region. Associate Professor of Sociology at Sana’a University Ahlam Al-Qadi—currently in Egypt—told The Media Line that the Houthis use their military operations as leverage in their peace negotiations with Saudi Arabia. She also noted that the Houthis’ styling as a force supporting the Palestinian cause and opposing Israel and the US would lead to popular support for the movement. The attacks have increased the group’s status, both regionally and within Yemen, and the Houthis are, therefore, likely to continue similar attacks, Al-Qadi said. Some say that the increasing Houthi military operations are the result of Iran’s attempt to put pressure on the US and promote its strategic objectives. According to this line of thought, Houthi attacks will stop only once Iran calls for an end to the operations. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-09

For years, have been subject to police brutality and over-policing, leaving many young people unjustly with a police record that denies them serving in the Israel Defense Forces and the social and economic integration that comes along with that service.  Even so, nearly 10% of IDF soldiers killed in this Gaza war come from the Ethiopian Israeli community even though they represent less than 2% of the Israeli population. At this painful moment in Israeli history, we should be expunging all the criminal records from Ethiopian Israelis arrested for protesting against racism, just as the government in 2010 expunged all police records of those arrested protesting the disengagement from Gaza in 2005. A small but important step in this direction was recently taken in the Knesset, when MK Tsega Melaku introduced a bill to expunge the police records from the demonstrators in 2019. In 2019, the late Solomon Tekah, an Ethiopian Israeli youth, was shot to death by a plainclothes police officer in a public park adjacent to his home. Tekah’s killing led to a spontaneous outbreak of justified protests against police brutality. Just as in the protest of 2015, we observed how the police unfairly handles Ethiopian Israeli demonstrators with crushing brutality, as though they were enemies of the state. Ethiopian Israelis protest for more aliyah outside of weekly cabinet meeting. (credit: COURTESY OF STRUGGLE TO SAVE ETHIOPIAN JEWRY (SSEJ)) Because of the recognition of the injustice perpetrated against Ethiopian Israeli youths, in 2018, the Ministry of Justice and the President’s Residence publicized a pathway to grant pardons and withdraw criminal charges against Ethiopian Israelis that, in effect, recognized the systemic racism against Ethiopian Israelis. To our dismay, the pardon pathway failed! The information we received from the President’s Residence shows that only a dozen or so youths were granted pardons by the President. The only way forward is to legislate a clean slate and we want to thank the unity of all the MKs for supporting MK Melaku’s bill and hopefully future bills giving Ethiopian Israelis a second chance. The record and data are deeply troubling. Protests erupted in the Ethiopian Israeli community in 2015 after police brutality against IDF soldier Demas Pekada was exposed. These protests highlighted issues of police brutality and racism faced by the community, leading to the establishment of a team to address systemic racism, including police brutality, false arrests, and disproportionate criminal cases against Ethiopian Israelis. THE TEAM submitted a summary report in July 2016 (Palmor Report), determining unequivocally that “the percentage of criminal cases opened against Ethiopian Israelis, as well as the percentage of indictments, are exceedingly disproportionate to the general population. These irregular data are particularly blatant where minors are concerned.” The Report found that between 2014 and 2015, Ethiopian Israelis faced double the number of cases opened against them compared to their proportion in the population. Particularly grievous was the situation for Ethiopian Israeli minors, with 8.5% of cases opened against them in 2015, over four times their representation in the general population estimated at 1.7%. The report’s conclusions indicate that many of these cases were opened for offenses such as disturbing the public peace and assaulting police officers, and that criminal charges were pressed “for negligible reasons,” based on requests for identification or for the dumping of alcohol. It is worth noting that similar conclusions were reached, in both the report by the Israel Justice Ministry’s National Anti-Racism Unit, and the National Comptroller’s 2021 Report, concerning the over-policing of Ethiopian Israelis. According to the research conducted by the Association of Ethiopian Jews (AEJ) in collaboration with the Legal Clinic for Diversity and Multiculturalism at the Hebrew University based on our request according to the Freedom of Information Law, shows that between 2018 and 2020, of the 357,350 cases opened and classified as “violation of disturbing the public peace,” 14,667 were attributed to Ethiopian Israelis – 4.1% of the total number of cases. The proportion of cases opened for “violation of the disturbing the public peace offenses” attributed to Ethiopian Israelis was 46% of the total number of cases, while the proportion for the general population was 39.4%. In 2022, the proportion of cases opened against Ethiopian Israelis was 3%, in relation to being just 1.7% of the population. Opening a criminal case is no small affair. The lives of these young men and women are destroyed, and they pay a heavy price for no justifiable reason. Many avenues in education, employment and army are closed to them, and they become socially marginalized. A legislative proposal to “Suspend Criminal Proceedings and Annul Records related to the Protest against Police Brutality Pertaining to Ethiopian Israelis – 2023”, was submitted by MK Tsega Melaku. It is an important Proposal that has the potential to provide at least partial reparation for the injustice caused to Ethiopian Israeli youths who, for years – and not exclusively during the demonstrations of 2019 – have been subjected to over-policing and unequal enforcement apparently on the basis of skin color. In view of the schism between the Ethiopian Israeli community and the state resulting from institutional discrimination and police brutality (and the massive protests in the country that ensued), legislation, as in the case of the Gush Katif evacuees, is called for. This legislation will enable the expunging of criminal and legal proceedings for Ethiopian Israelis. This will allow them to make a new start, undertake studies and enhance employment avenues in order that they can be better integrated and contribute to Israeli society. MK Tsega Melaku (Likud), a former director of  the Kol Yisrael Reshet Aleph public radio station, is a longtime activist and leader in the Ethiopian Israeli community. Rina Ayalin-Gorelik, an attorney, serves as executive director of the Association of Ethiopian Jews. Yosef Abramowitz is a longtime activist for justice and equality who somehow was never arrested at Ethiopian Israeli rights demonstrations. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-06

Reem Alsalem, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, confirmed during an interview on Tuesday that she was unaware of the frequent rocket attacks made by Hamas and Hezbollah against Israel. Speaking with Ynet’s Bar Shem-Ur, Alsalem commented on reports that Israel is committing “war crimes, crimes against humanity, and an unfolding genocide.” Reem Alsalem, the (UN's Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls) is more than happy to vilify Israel but is silent about the constant barrage of rocket fire targeting millions of Israelis. Her response? She hasn’t seen any reports of rockets being… Hearing that Alsalem did not mention the way that the war, which started with Hamas’s invasion on October 7, had impacted Israelis, Shem-Ur commented “but in Israeli cities and Israeli schools are also being bombarded every single day.” In response to the comment, Alsalem confirmed in a questioning tone “Every single day?”  Injured People arrive to the Ziv Medical center in Tzfat, after being injured from a missile fired by the terrorist organization Hezbollah earlier today in the northern Israeli city of Tzfat, February 14, 2024. (credit: DAVID COHEN/FLASH 90) Continuing, Alsalem said “Well I would recommend, if that is the case, I would recommend that you also send that information to the special procedures so that we can look into it. “Don’t you see the reports?” Shem-Ur asked. “Don’t you see the missiles coming from the north by Hezbollah and from the south by Hamas?”  “At this point, I have not seen that, no,” Alsalem confirmed. On the same day as the interview, Lebanon toward Kiryat Shmona on Tuesday evening, with 17 rockets falling in open areas and 13 intercepted by air defenses, according to the municipality.  On Monday,, and 7 others wounded after a Hezbollah anti-tank missile hit the area in which they were farming in Margaliot. The wounded parties had all been Thai workers.  Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the rocket barrage, saying it was conducted in response to Israeli strikes on Hula earlier in the day. Alsalem authored a report accusing the IDF of sexually abusing Palestinian women and abducting their babies, according to a special edition from Hazinor.   Asked where she got her information for this report, she said the “reasonably credible information” had come from sources she could not cite and Euro-Med.  Euro-Med is reportedly run by anti-Israel conspiracist Richard Falk, who claimed that Israel was responsible for the Boston Marathon bombing. “I’m a human rights expert, not a terrorism expert.” Meet the whose mandate is to combat violence against women and girls, but can’t bring herself to address or condemn the rape of Israeli women and girls. Shameful. Alsalem also claimed that she had not seen sufficient evidence to accept that rapes occurred on October 7. She insisted that it “may have happened” despite the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, , releasing two days prior that there was substantial evidence to conclude that victims, as well as hostages and survivors of October 7, were sexually abused and raped by Hamas terrorists.  Tamar Uriel-Beeri contributed to this report. ...قراءة المزيد

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2024-03-04

A recent United Nations report has raised allegations against Hamas for perpetrating sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, during the group's assault on southern Israeli communities on October 7. Led by UN special envoy for sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, a team of experts between January 29 and February 14 to investigate claims of sexual violence linked to the October 7 attacks.  The report, spanning 24 pages, states that there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that Hamas terrorists committed sexual violence at multiple locations during the assault. The report also mentions receiving credible information indicating other forms of sexual violence, such as genital mutilation and sexualized torture. Hamas has consistently denied accusations of sexual violence. During the October 7 attacks, thousands of Hamas terrorists stormed Israeli territory, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties and the capture of 253 hostages, mostly civilians. The UN report indicates that some of these hostages, taken to Gaza, were subjected to various forms of sexual violence. According to the report, a comprehensive investigation is necessary to determine the full extent and attribution of the sexual violence perpetrated during the attacks. The UN team also received information regarding sexual violence against Palestinian men and women in Israeli detention settings, during house raids, and at checkpoints after October 7. In response to the report, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz has recalled the country's ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, for immediate consultations. The Israeli government has expressed frustration over the UN's handling of the report and its failure to convene the Security Council to address the findings. Despite the gravity of the allegations, Hamas has not faced any immediate repercussions from the international community. As of now, the UN Secretary-General has not initiated actions to declare Hamas a terrorist organization or impose sanctions on its supporters. ...قراءة المزيد

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