Jewish news briefs: August 18, 2015

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Nixing of Matisyahus Spain show is clear case of anti-Semitism, ADL says

(JNS.org) The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) called the Rototom Sunsplash Reggae Festival’s cancellation of an Aug. 22 show by the American Jewish reggae star Matisyahu a “clear case of anti-Semitic discrimination.” Matisyahu’s performance in Spain was nixed after he refused to accede to the festival’s demand to endorse a Palestinian state.

“Was a Jewish musician singled out, based on his religion, to undergo a political litmus test?” ADL National Director Jonathan A. Greenblatt said Monday. “Was he then denied the opportunity to perform for reasons completely unrelated to his musical talents? This appears to be a clear case of anti-Semitic discrimination—which is illegal in Spain—and we expect Spain to uphold its non-discrimination laws.”

Matisyahu said on Facebook, “The festival organizers contacted me because they were getting pressure from the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement. They wanted me to write a letter, or make a video, stating my positions on Zionism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to pacify the BDS people. I support peace and compassion for all people. My music speaks for itself, and I do not insert politics into my music. … The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views; which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS political agenda. Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements.”

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U.S. and Israel to cooperate on preventing satellite collisions in space

(JNS.org) Israel and the U.S. on Monday announced an agreement to cooperate on tracking and preventing collisions between satellites in orbit in outer space.

The agreement was signed between the Israeli Space Administration—which operates under the Defense Ministry—and U.S. Strategic Command. Israel is joining a comprehensive American initiative bringing together countries that see themselves as responsible for maintaining continuous and safe satellite operations.

Israel’s first satellite, Ofek 1, was launched into orbit in 1988, making the Jewish state the seventh country to achieve full capability to build satellites and launch them into space. There are now 12 such countries, including Israel, the U.S., the U.K., Russia, China, France, Italy, India, South Korea, Japan, Ukraine, and Iran.

Unlike all the other countries, Israel must launch its satellites in a westward direction—against the direction Earth spins—to avoid launching over Arab countries.

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Israel offers to free Palestinian hunger striker if he leaves the country

(JNS.org) Israel’s State Attorney’s Office on Monday offered to release hunger-striking Palestinian administrative detainee Mohammad Allan on condition that he be deported for four years.

The offer was made in response to the prisoner’s petition to the Israeli High Court of Justice that he be released due to his rapidly deteriorating medical condition. It is considered to be a lenient offer, as security officials have said Allan’s release constitutes a clear security risk.

Allan, an Islamic Jihad terrorist operative, is hospitalized in critical condition at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon, where he is in a medically induced coma. He has not eaten in more than 60 days.

Attorney Jamil Khatib, who is representing Allan, immediately rejected the release offer.

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Israel denies reports of truce talks with Hamas

(JNS.org) Israel on Monday denied reports that it was involved in indirect talks with the Hamas terrorist group about a long-term truce deal.

A Prime Minister’s Office statement said, “Israel would like to officially clarify that it is not holding any meetings with Hamas, neither directly, nor via other countries, nor via intermediaries.”

Arab media had reported that a delegation of Hamas officials, led by Ismail Haniyeh, would travel to Cairo soon for talks with Egypt’s intelligence chief about a long-term truce with Israel.

Hamas officials told Arab media that significant progress had been made in recent talks in Qatar between Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and former Middle East Quartet envoy Tony Blair about the possibility of a long-term truce. Reports also cited a Turkish official as saying progress had been made toward such a deal between Israel and Hamas.

The London-based Al-Hayat newspaper reported that Israel had agreed to lift the blockade on Gaza and establish a naval passageway between Gaza and Cyprus in exchange for Hamas agreeing to a cease-fire of seven to 10 years.

Meanwhile, though London’s Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported that progress has been made in reconciliation talks between Israel and Turkey, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said, “As for relations with Turkey, agreement is still far off.”

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Israel intercepts Gaza-bound materials that could have been used for rockets

(JNS.org) Israel’s Shin Bet security agency revealed that it intercepted two tons of fiberglass material bound for Gaza that could have been used to manufacture long-range rockets.

According to the Shin Bet, Israeli customs officials at the Nitzana border crossing became suspicious of the shipment, which was labeled by a Gaza-based importer as “clothes and materials,” and upon closer inspection discovered the rolls of fiberglass inside.

“Terror groups in the Gaza Strip are taking advantage of every means possible in their attempts to rebuild, even smuggling basic materials for the terror industry by hiding them in humanitarian equipment,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.

Earlier this year, customs officials also stopped a shipment of fiberglass at the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel to Gaza that was marked as containing school equipment.

There have been dozens of attempts to ship banned materials into Gaza this year, the Shin Bet said. Among the shipments seized have been diving suits, polyurethane rocket propellant, and carbon and sulfur rods for blast furnaces used in metal work.

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India plans Jewish heritage tours for Israelis of Indian origin

(JNS.org) India is urging tens of thousands of Jews of Indian origin to visit the country to explore their heritage, in a bid to help continue to strength bilateral ties between India and Israel.

“We want to tell the world proudly about the rich Jewish life in India with your efforts we are working to preserve the Jewish heritage in India. We hope to have a package tour to Jewish heritage sites in Mumbai and elsewhere by early next year,” Indian Ambassador to Israel Jaideep Sarkar told a gathering of Jews of Indian origin at the National Convention of Indian Jews in Israel, the Times of India reported.

There are about 85,000 Jews of Indian origin living in Israel from four different communities—Bene Israel, Cochini Jews, Baghdadi Jews, and Bnei Menashe.

Recently, the Indian government restored the Paravoor and Chennamangalam synagogues in Cochin in an effort to attract Jewish tourism, especially among the 25,000-strong Cochini Jewish community in Israel.

In a sign of India’s growing prioritization of Israel, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans visit Israel later this year.

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Egypt approves sweeping new counter-terrorism laws

(JNS.org) Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has approved sweeping new counter-terrorism laws in order to fight the growing threat posed by Islamic jihadists.

The new laws approved Monday include fast-tracked trials for suspected terrorists in special courts, with sentences up to 10 years; life sentences for financing of terror groups; sentences of five to seven years for inciting violence or creating pro-terror websites; and stiff fines for journalists for misreporting on terror attacks, the BBC reported.

Human rights groups have criticized the new laws, claiming they go beyond the so-called “emergency laws” that were in place under former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak that led to widespread abuse by security forces. Those laws were suspended following the ouster of Mubarak in 2011.

El-Sisi vowed new counter-terrorism laws following the assassination of prosecutor general Hisham Barakat in June.

An ongoing surge of violence led by Sinai Province, an Islamic State-affiliated terror group operating in the Sinai Peninsula, has killed hundreds of Egyptian security personnel over the last few years.

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Osama bin Ladens son calls on Muslims to carry out attacks in U.S. and Israel

(JNS.org) The son of al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden has called on Muslims to independently attack the U.S., Israel, and other countries from the inside.

Hamza bin Laden, 24, issued an audio recording telling Muslims that it “is your duty” to engage in lone wolf attacks—not as part of larger terrorist organizations—within the U.S. and other Western nations, including Israel.

Dubbed the “crown prince of terror,” Hamza bin Laden was with his father when the elder was killed by a U.S. Navy seal team in a Pakistan compound in 2011. The younger bin Laden managed to escape, while his brother Khalid was killed.

Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group, tweeted that Hamza bin Laden’s call for independent Muslim terrorism was recorded before June 2015, adding that the recording might be an effort to boost al-Qaeda’s popularity by reviving the bin Laden brand.

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