Iceland’s capital city votes to boycott all Israeli products
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, voted to boycott all products made in Israel.
According to a symbolic bill passed in a majority vote by the municipality, the city will not purchase any products manufactured in Israel, whether within or beyond the 1967 lines, “as long as the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories continues.”
Local businesses in Reykjavik are not obligated to uphold the decision. A memo issued by the city expresses support for the Palestinians’ right to independence and condemns “the racist apartheid policies” of Israelis.
“I believe the city is sending a clear message, whereby it will not buy products from Israel as long as it oppresses another people on the basis of its ethnicity and race and the continued existence of a wall within Palestine,” said Reykjavik Councilwoman Björk Vilhelmsdóttir, who introduced the bill.
Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Emanuel Nahshon said, “A volcano of hatred has erupted in the Reykjavik City Council building. For no reason or justification, aside from pure hatred, there are calls to boycott the State of Israel. We hope that someone in Iceland will come to their senses and stop the one-sided blindness against the State of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East.”
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Amid energy crisis, Israel allows shipment of diesel fuel into Gaza
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The electricity shortage crisis in Gaza is nearing an end after Israel on Wednesday authorized the delivery of half a million liters of diesel fuel needed to operate the turbines at the lone power station in the Hamas-ruled Palestinian coastal enclave.
The chairman of the Palestinian Energy Authority in Gaza told Palestinian media that the power station will still be unable to produce a steady flow of electricity, and that instead of power outages of 12-20 hours a day, electricity will be provided for eight hours and then turned off for eight hours.
The long power outages have sparked a public outcry in Gaza. Hundreds of protesters this week burned images of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas and blamed the PA for the energy crisis. Hamas, however, was also the target of criticism, despite the fact that anti-Hamas demonstrations in Gaza have been outlawed by the terrorist organization.
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International Monetary Fund: Israeli economy strong, high growth predicted
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The Israeli economy flourished this past year and a high rate of economic growth is projected for the coming year, according to the annual report on Israel’s economy published Wednesday by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The report is based on the evaluation of a senior IMF delegation that visited Israel. According to the IMF’s economists, Israel was relatively unhurt by the global crisis of 2009 and remains a country whose open economy is well-integrated with the international economy. The IMF economists said Israel has an advantage in its high-tech industry, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the country’s industrial exports.
But economists warned that a continued 4 percent increase in Israeli housing prices each year presents a social danger. The report also noted that the income gap between the highest earners and the lowest earners in Israel was among the highest in the West.
The IMF predicted Israel’s economic growth would be 2.5 percent in 2015 and 3 percent in 2016.
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Israeli teen develops GPS-enabled ID tag to prevent kidnappings
(JNS.org) An Israeli teenager from Ramat Hasharon recently launched a start-up that makes “smart” ID tags with built-in GPS technology that can help soldiers and civilians in distress, and even prevent abductions.
“The tag I invented contains a chip with GPS, so if a soldier is in trouble he presses [the tag] and his information and location are sent via a computer program to the IDF and his parents,” Amit Saban, 16, tells Israel Hayom.
“I currently have a prototype of the smart ID tag that I can show to the public,” says Saban, who found an investor he hopes will commit $129,000 to the ID tag project.
Saban’s goal “was to save Israeli lives, because that’s ‘an entire universe.’ I saw the three yeshiva students [abducted and murdered by Hamas in the summer of 2014, Gilad Shaer, Naftali Frenkel, and Eyal Yifrach], and my heart ached. After that I felt that I had to take action and think of an initiative that would save lives, both civilians and soldiers.”
The ID tag earned Saban first place in a youth start-up competition sponsored by Google. He has reached out to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon with news of his invention.
“They told me they were very excited by my idea and would give me an answer soon,” Saban says.
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New Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull seen as ‘good friend’ of Israel
(JNS.org) After now-former Australian prime minister Tony Abbot was pushed out by his own party on Monday, Australian Jewish leaders and diplomats say that his replacement, Malcolm Turnbull, is a strong supporter of Israel.
“We go from one very good friend to another,” said Colin Rubenstein, head of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), according to the Jerusalem Post.
A senior Israeli diplomatic official called Turnbull a “true friend, much like Abbott.”
Turnbull, who defeated Abbott in a 54-44 vote among Liberal Party lawmakers, said his party is “determined to provide all the support we can to ensure that Israel remains a Jewish state within secure borders. As to providing micro-managed armchair opinions regarding what the government of Israel should do on this matter or that matter…we tend to defer to the Israeli government when it comes to making those decisions. After all, they are a lot closer to it than we are.”
“You cannot seriously or credibly ask Israel to do things that put its existence in peril,” he added.
In a statement, AIJAC called Turnbull “an exceptional friend of the Jewish community and a staunch supporter of Israel.”
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Israeli president urges interfaith response to terrorism
(JNS.org) Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with European Catholic leaders at his residence in Jerusalem on Wednesday, urging an interfaith response to terrorism and stressing Israel’s commitment to freedom of religion and worship.
“On the evening of Rosh Hashanah, Alexander Levlovitz, a Jerusalemite, a family man, was murdered when terrorists threw rocks at his car, forcing him off the road,” Rivlin told the Catholic leaders. “This bloody attack shows us once again that terror is terror—whether with rocks, guns, or other weapons—and it shows us we must act firmly against all terrorism.”
Rivlin mentioned his recent meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, where he stressed the importance of freedom of worship and religion in Israel.
“In the last years the Christian communities of the Middle East have paid a heavy price for their faith. Israel, as a Jewish and democratic state, is proud that Christians in Israel enjoy freedom of worship, freedom of religion, and do not fear for their lives,” he said.
Rivlin also condemned the recent vandalism against Christian sites in Israel and said the Israeli government “stood together” with the Christian community.
“It is not enough for us, for Israel, to only be a safe haven for the Christian community. We want the community to flourish, to play a part in the Israeli experience, and to be part of Israeli society,” he said.
Cardinal Peter Erdo, president of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, said he “admired the dynamism and the modern vitality” of Israel and its people.
“Mutual knowledge and mutual understanding are what is most important for constructive dialogue between people of different cultures and religions. For this we believe it is important that in all our countries, Christians and society in general form a realistic and empathetic view of the history of the Jewish People and Israel,” Erdo said.
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Netanyahu to meet with Putin in Russia to discuss Syria situation
(JNS.org) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in Moscow.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Netanyahu is expected to speak with Putin about the stationing of Russian forces in Syria.
Recently, Russia confirmed that Russian “experts” were on the ground in Syria and assisting with arms deliveries. But U.S. defense officials believe that Russia is establishing a forward operating base in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has repeatedly called his Russia counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a bid to clarify Russia’s intent in the war-torn country.
Netanyahu is expected to discuss the threats posed to Israel from the increased weapons flow to Syria as well as the transfer of deadly weapons to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations.
This will be the first visit to Moscow by Netanyahu since November 2013.
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Israeli aid group’s workers rescue Syrian refugees off Greek coast
(JNS.org) The Israeli humanitarian aid group IsraAID was involved in the rescue of dozens of refugees off the Greek coast last weekend.
“A boat arrived almost up to the shore when all of a sudden its engine exploded and flipped the boat,” IsraAid founder Shachar Zahavi said in a statement.
“Some of the women, children and babies didn’t know how to swim and our staff immediately jumped into the water to help them preventing them from drowning,” he said, adding, “After bringing everyone onto the shore safely our medical team treated some of the sick and injured while our logistic team distributed food and water to the rest.”
The IsraAID team in Greece helps refugees with food, water, blankets, and even maps with information on their expected journey through Europe. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from throughout the Middle East and Africa have been arriving in Europe in recent months to escape war and poverty.
Meanwhile, IsraAID also has a team stationed on the Serbia-Hungary border, where its workers are distributing slings and baby carriers donated by Israelis to refugee families with babies.
Comparing the current refugee crisis to that during World War II, Zahavi appealed for more people to come and volunteer.
“I hope more people will join us (IsraAID) in reaching out in a helping hand. Our staff is overwhelmed but we cannot stop now especially as more are on their way,” he said.
Founded in 2001, IsraAID is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that has provided disaster and long-term relief to threatened communities in countries like Jordan, Haiti, Japan, and South Sudan.
Articles from JNS.org appear on San Diego Jewish World through the generosity of Dr. Bob and Mao Shillman.