Eilat hit with two rockets
(JNS.org) Sirens sounded in the southern Israeli city of Eilat on Wednesday morning after two rockets fired from the Sinai Peninsula exploded in a planned new residential area within the city, causing no injuries or damage, the Israel Defense Forces said.
The rockets that struck Eilat were part of a volley fired from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, the army said. Two other rockets reportedly hit Jordan. A Jordanian official told Israel Hayom that one of the rockets exploded in the city of Aqaba’s industrial zone.
Following the rockets, the airport in Eilat was temporarily closed to takeoffs and landings. Students at schools in Eilat took cover in protected spaces. By noon, the city returned to normal. The Sinai-based Islamist terrorist group Magles Shoura al-Mujahddin, which is based in Sinai, claimed responsibility for a rocket attack. In a statement posted on its website, the group said the attack was in retaliation for what it described as “the Israeli army’s attack on protesters demonstrating over the death of a Palestinian prisoner.”
Residents of Eilat said the rockets first exploded, and only afterward was a siren heard. Israel Radio reported that the IDF was looking into why Israel’s highly successful Iron Dome missile defense system, which was deployed to Eilat two weeks ago, did not spring into operation and launch interceptors at the rockets. An IDF Spokeswoman told Reuters that the Iron Dome didn’t intercept the rockets “for operational reasons,” without elaborating.
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Senate adopts resolution to help Israel if drawn into Iran conflict
(JNS.org) On Israel’s 65th Independence Day, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted “Senate Resolution 65,” stipulating that the U.S. will assist Israel diplomatically, economically and militarily if the Jewish state is compelled to take military action against Iran “in its defense of its territory, people, and existence.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) sponsored Tuesday’s resolution, which garnered a bipartisan group of 79 co-sponsors. The resolution also emphasizes that the U.S. must be committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has sent a very clear and enormously important message of solidarity with Israel against the Iranian nuclear threat—which endangers American, Israeli, and international security,” the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said in a statement. “AIPAC urges the full Senate to act expeditiously to adopt the resolution.”
Also on Tuesday, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon warned in an Israel Independence Day speech that the Iranian nuclear program could lead to “an arms race in the Middle East, and cause nuclear weapons to spread to terror organizations.” Ya’alon said the situation with Iran “could be a nightmare for the Western world,” the Jerusalem Post reported.
Ya’alon also emphasized that Iran continues to enrich uranium, which indicates that Iran’s government “is not impressed” by existing sanctions from the West. “The world must lead the campaign against Iran, but Israel must prepare for the possibility that it will have to defend itself with its own powers,” Ya’alon said.
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Immigration reform one of top goals of new joint Latino-Jewish action
(JNS.org) American Latino and Jewish leaders have declared a commitment to work together to advance immigration reform and promoting allied relations with Israel and Latin American nations. They also affirmed the right of Israel to exist as the Jewish homeland.
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) on April 16 issued a press release on the outcome of two-day Washington, DC conference, the National Conversation on the State of Latino-Jewish Relations. “We consider ourselves partners and allies with whom we share common historical experiences, knowledge, challenges and successes,” a statement on the conference reads. “Today, there is a sense of urgency in both communities for a stronger and more effective Latino-Jewish collaboration to advance joint visions and goals at home and abroad,” said Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Latino and Latin American Institute.
Leaders of both groups pledged to work toward the development of “pragmatic common sense solutions to fix our legal immigration system so as to meet the economic and national security needs of the U.S. in the 21st century, reflecting our shared American values of justice, equal opportunity, family unification and human dignity.” The leaders also pledged to advocate for “the commitment of the U.S. to the furtherance of critical bilateral relationships with the countries of Latin America and with Israel as strategic allies.”
“We affirm the right of Israel as the Jewish homeland to exist in peace within secure borders, and support the unbreakable bonds of friendship between Israel and the United States. We strongly support a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that will bring about peaceful co-existence between these two peoples,” the statement said.
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Israel Independence Day congratulations issued by Obama, Putin and Pope Francis
(JNS.org) U.S. President Barack Obama congratulated Israel for its Independence Day on Tuesday, saying, “On the 65th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, I join my fellow Americans in wishing the Israeli people a joyous Independence Day.”
“On this date 65 years ago, the Jewish people realized their dream of the ages—to be masters of their fate in their own sovereign state. From that moment on, a free and independent Israel has had no greater friend and ally than the United States… On this anniversary, we reaffirm the unbreakable alliance between our two nations and our shared determination to realize the dreams of our people to live in security and peace,” Obama added.
Other world leaders also released congratulatory messages to the Jewish state. Russian President Vladimir Putin wished for “peace and prosperity to the Israeli people” and stressed he remains convinced that Israel and Russia will “further develop constructive cooperation” in various fields and “interact effectively in our effort to promote peace, stability and security in the Middle East.”
Pope Francis I expressed blessings toward “all the people of Israel” and sent “prayers for your high responsibilities at the service of the nation.”
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Karel van Oordt, founder of Christians for Israel, dies at 84
(JNS.org) Karel van Oordt, founder of Christians for Israel, died in his home last week in Amersfoort, Netherlands at the age of 84, a press release from the organization said.
Christians for Israel is an international non-denominational Christian organization based in the Netherlands whose mission is to “bring biblical understanding in the church and among the nations concerning God’s purposes for Israel and to promote comfort of Israel through prayer and action,” according to its website.
Van Oordt, who visited Israel more than 500 times, according to the press release, founded Christians for Israel and the Israel Products Centre (IPC) in 1979. Under van Oordt’s leadership, Christians for Israel grew to several dozen chapters across the world, primarily in Europe, North America and sub-Saharan Africa.
The press release said Oordt, a devout Christian, was well known for saying, “The promises that were given to Israel are being fulfilled for Israel. The promises that were given to the church will be fulfilled for the church.”
As a charitable organization, Christians for Israel works with the Jewish Agency for Israel to assist Jews from countries like the Ukraine and Ethiopia and immigrate to Israel. The organization also works with Israeli youth groups as well as groups that assist Israeli victims of terror attacks, according to its website.
Van Oordt is survived by his eight children and 47 grandchildren, including many who are involved with Christians for Israel.
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Jewish leaders express shock and condolences after Boston Marathon attack
(JNS.org) While the aftermath of the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon continues to unfold, Jewish leaders in Boston and Israel have expressed shock and sympathy for the victims.
Jeremy Burton, executive director of the Boston Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), told JNS.org, “I’m very shocked; it’s a horrible moment for our community. It’s a tragedy for the entire Boston community. It hit all of us together in a city that we love on a special day like Patriot’s Day.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has connections to Boston from his days as a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, sent his condolences to President Barack Obama and the American people after the Boston Marathon attack.
“A day of joy became a day of terror, I send my condolences to President Barack Obama, the American people and the bereaved families. Today, like everyday, Israel stands shoulder to shoulder with the American people,” Netanyahu said at an event at the President’s Residence in Israel, Ynet reported.
Israel’s top diplomat to Boston, Consul-General Shai Bazak, said he was shocked that such an attack could occur in a peaceful city like Boston.
“It took time to believe that it was a bomb attack,” Shai Bazak told the Jerusalem Post. “Boston is a very quiet and calm place, especially when we come from Israel with all its complex reality.”
As the investigation continues into who was behind the attack, the Boston JCRC’s Burton told JNS.org that the Boston Jewish community hasn’t taken any additional steps to protect its members and institutions beyond normal security protocols.
“The network of Jewish agencies in Boston have been advised to check their security protocols. But there has been no communication from security officials here to suggest that there are any specific threats against the Boston Jewish community,” Burton said.
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