Erdogan’s demand to lift Gaza blockade ‘not under consideration’ by Israel
(JNS.org) Israel clarified on Wednesday that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s demand to lift the sea blockade on the Gaza Strip in exchange for normalizing relations between the countries “is not under consideration,” Israel Hayom reported.
Earlier this week, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the two sides were close to renewing ties and emphasized that “there is a new attitude… and we can say that most of the disagreements have been removed in the discussions with Israel.”
An Israeli government source said that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who in the past had opposed apologizing to Turkey for the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for doing so in a phone call last year, led the latest talks with Turkey aimed at ending the diplomatic crisis and normalizing relations. Lieberman explained recently that, with the apology already issued, he was now trying to usher in a complete normalization of relations, which would include returning ambassadors and dropping all legal proceedings against Israel, while assuring there would be no further lawsuits filed against Israeli military officers or government officials.
Israeli-Turkish relations have been strained since the Mavi Marmara incident in May 2010. Israeli naval commandos were met with violence aboard the ship, and killed nine Turkish militants in the ensuing clash.
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Ariel Sharon Park to be inaugurated next week
(JNS.org) The Ariel Sharon Park near Tel Aviv will inaugurate a new compound next Tuesday, marking the completion of a massive conversion of a former landfill into an eco-friendly park.
A helicopter tour of the park, located on the former Hiriya landfill, was held Feb. 12 ahead of the grand opening.
“Work on the park is ongoing and the next stage of development is ready to go,” park overseer Moshe Borochov said, according to Israel Hayom.
“When completed, the entire mountain will be open for the public,” he said.
Sharon, the former Israeli prime minister and general, died Jan. 11.
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Israeli study: Breastfeeding can significantly reduce risk of children getting cancer
(JNS.org) Breastfeeding can significantly reduce the risk of children getting cancer, says a new study conducted by Israel’s University of Haifa.
According to the study, children who were breastfed decreased the chances of developing cancer by 60 percent.
“We asked the mothers in the study about breastfeeding, nutrition, exposure to pets, exposure to detergents, etc.,” said Dr. Keinan-Boker, a professor in the University of Haifa’s School of Public Health and deputy director of the Israeli Health Ministry’s Center for Disease Control.
Additionally, the study compared children who were exclusively breastfed up until four months old with children who stopped being breastfed before that age, and found that those who were exclusively breastfed had decreased the chances of getting cancer by 40 percent.
The study, which was funded by the Israel Cancer Association, interviewed 190 whose children developed leukemia or lymphoma before the age of 19 as well as 348 mothers of healthy children.
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‘Weeping’ Mary statue in northern Israel attracts thousands of pilgrims
(JNS.org) The small town of Tarshiha in northern Israel is attracting thousands of visitors anxious to see a statue of Virgin Mary that local residents claim is “weeping” oil.
Osama Khoury said Tuesday that he and his wife Amira recently found the statue “covered with oil.” Amira said the statue “spoke to her” and told her not to be afraid. Later, the Christian couple’s neighbor claimed to have also witnessed the oil and spread the word. According to the witnesses, an oil “tear” rolls down the statue’s cheek.
About 2,000 people have visited the town to see the statue over the past week, the Associated Press reported.
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Iran military chief: We are ready for battle with America and ‘Zionist regime’
(JNS.org) Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said Wednesday that the Islamic Republic is prepared to go to war with the U.S. and Israel.
“We are ready for the decisive battle with America and the Zionist regime (Israel),” Firouzabadi said, AFP reported. “We do not have any hostility towards regional states, but if we are ever attacked from the American bases in the region we will strike that area back,” he said.
Firouzabadi dismissed assertions by the U.S. government that a military option against Iran “is on the table” as “political bluffing.”
“Over the past decade, they brought their forces but came to the conclusion that they can’t attack us and left. I say explicitly, if some have delusions of having any threats against Iran on their tables, they need to wear new glasses. There is no military option against Iran on any table in the world,” he said.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi also stated this week that “the Americans can fully expect that their warships [and] aircraft carrier will be sunk with all 5,000 crew aboard, in combat against Iran, and they could find its hulk in the depths of the sea,” according to the Jerusalem Post.
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Hackers target Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands website over pro-Israel views
(JNS.org) Hackers briefly targeted casino magnate Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands company website in an apparent politically motivated attack directed at Adelson’s pro-Israel views.
A screenshot captured by The Morning Call shows the Sands’ website featuring pictures of flames over the casinos, a picture of Adelson and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu together, and the private information of Sands’ employees.
“Encouraging the use of Weapons of Mass Destruction, UNDER ANY CONDITION, is a Crime,” one message read. Another read “Damn A, Don’t let your tongue cut your throat.” The message was signed by the “Anti WMD Team.”
The message appears to be directed at Adelson’s statements about Iran at Yeshiva University in October. During a panel discussion on Iran, Adelson suggested that the U.S. should use nuclear weapons on unpopulated areas of Iran to send a message to its leaders.
A Las Vegas Sands company spokesman told the Associated Press that the company is working with law enforcement and assessing the damage of the hacker attack.
Water Authority issues figures on Palestinian, Israeli usage
(JNS.org) In a wide-ranging speech to the Israeli Knesset by European Union Parliament President Martin Schulz recounted how a young Palestinian recently asked him about Palestinian rights.
“One of the questions from these young men that moved me the most was: How can it be that Israelis are allowed to use 70 liters [of water] per day and Palestinians only 17?” Schulz asked, prompting HaBayit HaYehudi MKs to walk out.
According to figures from the Israeli Water Authority, Palestinians received 100,000 liters of water per person in 2006, while Israelis received 170,000, the Jerusalem Post reported. While updated figures are not available, the Water Authority estimates that the gap has narrowed, with Palestinians now receiving more than 110,000 liters.
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Preceding provided by JNS.org