Hamas terrorists who kidnapped and murdered Israeli teens killed in Hebron
(JNS.org) Hamas terrorists Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisheh—who kidnapped and murdered Israeli teens Gilad Shaar, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Frenkel in June—were killed Tuesday in a joint Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Police, and Shin Bet security agency operation in Hebron.
The bodies of the teens, who had been murdered shortly after they were abducted on June 12, were discovered on June 30 in a field west of the Palestinian village of Halhul, near Hebron.
Israeli security forces have conducted an extensive manhunt for Qawasmeh and Abu Aisheh over the past three months. IDF troops and the Police Counterterrorism Unit, operating on Shin Bet information, on Tuesday raided a Hebron house in which the terrorists were believed to be hiding, Army Radio reported. During the ensuing clash, Qawasmeh and Abu Aisheh exited the house and opened fire at the soldiers, who returned fire and killed both of the terrorists.
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Israel approves Intel plan to invest $6 billion in Jewish state
(JNS.org) The Israeli finance and economy ministries on Monday approved a plan by Intel to invest $6 billion in upgrading its chip-manufacturing plant in Israel, marking the largest-ever single international investment in the Jewish state.
“Intel’s investment is a strategic asset for Israel’s industry,” Finance Minister Yair Lapid said, Reuters reported. “This is the biggest investment by a foreign company ever in Israel and is further proof that Israel is at the forefront of technology and innovation.”
According to the investment plan, the U.S.-based chip maker plans to hire nearly 1,000 more workers at its plant in Kiryat Gat. Intel will also receive a $300 million grant from the Israeli government and a corporate tax rate of 5 percent for 10 years.
While Intel has not yet made an announcement on the plan, the Israeli finance ministry believes the investment by Intel will be used to manufacture its new advanced 10-nanometer chips.
Intel has been operating in Israel for nearly four decades, investing more than $10.8 billion there and employing 10,000 people.
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Israeli cabinet approves ‘Gateway to Jerusalem’ project
(JNS.org) The Israeli cabinet has approved the “Gateway to Jerusalem” project, which seeks to transform the western part of the city into a world-class business, cultural, and residential destination.
The approximately $410 million project includes the construction of 12 high-rise buildings on more than 200 acres of land that will be used as offices, hotels, residential areas, and cultural and tourism centers. It will also upgrade the nearby International Convention Center.
“This is an exciting and important decision that will make the old entrance to the capital of Israel modern, accessible and convenient—creating the perfect connection between the present and past that represents the Eternal City,” Israeli Minister of Housing and Construction Uri Ariel said, the Jerusalem Post reported.
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FIFA official: Qatar likely to be stripped of 2022 World Cup
(JNS.org) Qatar will likely be stripped of its right to host the 2022 World Cup, a top Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) official said Monday.
FIFA executive board member Theo Zwanziger, citing his “personal opinion,” said that the health risks to players and fans in Qatar’s extreme heat is the main reason behind the decision.
“Personally, I believe that the 2022 World Cup will not take place in Qatar in the end,” he told the German sports magazine Sport Bild.
Amid last summer’s Operation Protective Edge, Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett slammed FIFA’s decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar, a major sponsor of the Hamas terrorist organization.
“Qatar is one of the greatest state sponsors of terrorism,” Bennett said in an interview on Al-Jazeera, which is owned by Qatar. “The Hamas headquarters are based in Qatar, Qatar finances Hamas terror activity. Qatar is one of the main sources of unrest right now in the region… The world needs to decide if the World Cup is a cup of soccer or a cup of terror.”
Last summer, a report in the Sunday Times also accused Qatar’s top soccer official, Mohamed Bin Hammam, of bribing FIFA officials more than $5 million to support Qatar’s World Cup bid.
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Turkish President Erdogan’s meeting with Jewish leader canceled
(JNS.org) A meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and World Jewish Congress (WJC) leader Ron Lauder in New York was canceled.
The meeting with Lauder, scheduled amid the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly, was canceled at the last minute after the WJC delegation wanted to reschedule from Monday morning, the Turkish Doğan news agency reported.
In its original report on the planned meeting, the English-language Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah stated that Erdogan “has previously vowed to protect the rights of the Jewish community in Turkey and has asserted that the government will never let the Jewish people in Turkey get hurt.”
But this summer, during Israel’s Operation Protective Edge, Erdogan had accused the Jewish state of committing “genocide” and waging “terrorism” against the Palestinians. Erdogan also said Israel’s “barbarism has surpassed even Hitler’s” and dismissed the possibility of normalizing relations with Israel. Under his leadership, Turkish newspapers have printed columns calling on Turkish Jews to apologize for Israeli actions.
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Israel and Hamas to resume talks on Rosh Hashanah eve
(JNS.org) Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are expected to resume on Wednesday, the eve of Rosh Hashanah, in an effort to reach a final agreement that would solidify the cease-fire reached in August.
Hamas spokesperson Salah Bardawil said that “in the coming indirect negotiations in Cairo, we will discuss the issues that were postponed until the end of this month, on top of them the port and the airport as well as the prisoners,” Reuters reported.
“Also, we will discuss the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip,” he added.
Meanwhile, Israeli International Relations, Intelligence and Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz said he has little “hope regarding the Cairo talks” if Hamas does not agree to a disarmament.
“Unfortunately I don’t see Hamas accepting this principle, so except immediate rehabilitation— there is no real long-term solution to the Gaza situation,” Steinitz said.
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