IS supporter: Nice attacker inspired by Palestinian terror
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) The deadly July 14 ramming attack in Nice, in which 84 people were killed and 303 were injured may have been inspired by Palestinian terrorism tactics, a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute said Wednesday.
According to the report, an Islamic State group sympathizer who praised the brutal truck-ramming tactic used by terrorist Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, credited Palestinian terrorists for pioneering the vehicular attack method.
The Islamic State supporter considered the ramming an “imported terrorism tactic” borrowed from Palestinian terrorists, writing about it on an online messaging forum.
“Killing by ramming using civilian cars and trucks is an idea born from the Maqdisi [Palestinian] mind, which has an innovative nature of thinking up jihad tactics,” the supporter wrote, according to MEMRI. “Yesterday they taught us [about] the explosive vest, and many plans for street fighting, and today they taught us this tactic. May Allah bless Jerusalem and the environs of Jerusalem, and may Allah bless all of the Levant. … Oh Aqsa, we are coming.”
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Netanyahu tours security barrier along southern Hebron Hills
(JNS.org) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday toured the southern Hebron Hills region where a project is under way to close gaps in the security fence in the Turkamiya-Meitar area.
“We decided that we would close the gaps. We will prevent illegals and terrorists from reaching Israel’s cities. This is complicated. We also need to defend the communities. And, of course, we need to deal with the entire chain of offenders, including those who employ, house and assist them,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
The Israeli leader was joined on the visit to the region by Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Avi Dichter and IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot.
Netanyahu said he was “impressed” with the work he saw in the area that reaches from the Palestinian village of Turkamiya to the Israeli town of Meitar
“We will soon see it firsthand and I think that it will be clear to you that this project will be completed. It is important for the security of the citizens and State of Israel.”
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Conflicting reports on air strike in Syria over Israel’s involvement
(JNS.org) Conflicting reports emerged on Wednesday over a purported air strike in Syria, with some groups involved blaming Israel for the attacks.
According to report, the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah has blamed the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front for launching a series of rockets at a Syrian town near the Golan Heights, while two Syrian rebel groups and a human rights monitoring organization blamed Israel for the explosions.
There are reports that Hezbollah is active in the area, but there is no confirmation on what the target was at the time.
At least one rocket reportedly fell near the governorate building in Baath City, capital of the southern province of Quneitra, according to Reuters.
The reports come just days after the Israeli military said that it struck two Syrian army targets along the northern border.
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Israel’s high-tech industry reaching a crossroads?
(JNS.org) The Israel Innovation Authority released its annual report on Wednesday, where it questioned whether Israel’s high level of performance in the high-tech industry has reached a ceiling, while also calling on the government to prioritize ways to address future challenges to maintaining Israel’s competitive edge.
The high-tech industry has experienced significant growth in recent years with Israeli companies raising $4.4 billion and made $8 billion worth of exits in 2015 alone, said the report, which was submitted to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month.
But Israel’s “competition position will erode, and its future performance will diminish” if they do not address infrastructure challenges such as the “shortage of skilled manpower” and the “continuing decline in government expenditure on R&D.”
“The conclusion is that it is not enough to preserve the current high level of performance, while global competition is increasing. Moreover, the “business as usual” policy will lead to a significant erosion of the competitive position and the performance of the Israeli hi-tech industry,” Israel Innovation Authority Chairman and Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Avi Hasson wrote.
The Israel Innovation Authority (formerly Office of Chief Scientist) was established to help address these challenges and plans to bring together “relevant bodies” to foster long-lasting economic prosperity for Israel.
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Israel passes law enabling Knesset to expel members over incitement
(JNS.org) In a 62-47 vote, the Israeli Knesset on Tuesday passed an impeachment law that enables Members of Knesset (MKs) to expel fellow lawmakers who are found to have incited against the State of Israel.
The new law states that Knesset members can pursue the impeachment of other lawmakers if their actions and ideology “negate the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, incite racism, or express support for an armed struggle against the State of Israel by an enemy state or terrorist organization.”
Until now, the Knesset has only been able to take disciplinary action against such Knesset members, and was able to dismiss elected officials only if Israel’s attorney general strips them of their parliamentary immunity. The new law amends this law to give lawmakers the ability to launch impeachment proceedings against fellow lawmakers if the proceedings are supported by at least 70 Knesset members, including at least 10 opposition Knesset members. An affirmative vote from 90 of the Knesset’s 120 members is then needed for the impeachment to pass.
The law was spurred by Arab Member of Knesset Haneen Zoabi, whom many lawmakers want to expel because of her frequent comments against the Israel Defense Forces and other government institutions. But the new law reportedly will not apply to acts committed before it came into effect, so lawmakers will not be able to use the law to expel Zoabi.
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After half a century, Israel and Guinea renew diplomatic ties
(JNS.org) Israel and Guinea, a Muslim-majority nation in western Africa, have re-established diplomatic relations for the first time in 49 years. The new ties were cemented Wednesday in a declaration signed in Paris by Israeli Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold and the chief of staff of Guinean President Alpha Conde, Ibrahim Khalil Kaba.
The re-establishment of ties comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent tour of Africa, during which he called Conde in a conversation facilitated by the leader of one of the seven East African nations with whom Netanyahu met on his tour. That leader has not been identified.
Eighty-five percent of Guinea’s 10.5 million citizens are Muslims. The country is also a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
“This is an important closing of a circle,” Gold said. “The number of countries on the African continent that still haven’t [re-established ties with Israel] is steadily decreasing, and we’re hopeful that soon this number will not exist anymore. Israel is calling on the countries that still haven’t renewed diplomatic relations to follow in Guinea’s footsteps so that we can work together to the benefit of all peoples in the region.”
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