Knesset committee designates a memorial day for Jewish refugees of Arab states
(JNS.org) The Knesset Ministerial Committee for Legislation endorsed a new proposal on Sunday that will mark Nov. 30 as a national day to commemorate the more than 850,000 Jews who fled or were evicted from their homes in Arab countries after Israel’s establishment, Israel Hayom reported.
The proposal calls for special discussions in the Knesset with relevant community leaders on the date, as well as emphasis on the issue in Israeli diplomatic channels around the world.
According to the proposal, Nov. 30 was chosen because it marks the date in 1947 when, a day after the United Nations Partition Plan established a Jewish state, Arab nations carried out spontaneous attacks on their Jewish communities to prevent a Jewish nation from forming in Israel.
The bill’s author, Likud-Beytenu MK Shimon Ohayon, sent a letter to Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby after the law was endorsed calling on the organization to “accept historic accountability for the humiliation, the suffering, and the losses incurred by innocent Jewish victims of the Arab world’s declared war against the State of Israel.”
“As a matter of law and equity, the Arab League must assume full responsibility for ensuring rights and redress for Jewish refugees, the direct result of their collusionary actions,” Ohayon wrote. The letter was also sent to the Arab League’s Human Rights Department.
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TripAdvisor ranks Yad Vashem as one of world’s top museums
(JNS.org) The Yad Vashem Holocaust museum has been ranked fourth among the 25 best museums in the world by TripAdvisor, a leading travel website that crowdsources criticism and reactions of tourists from around the world, Israel Hayom reported.
“Very moving and inspirational, should be a lesson to us all, may it never happen again,” one visitor to TripAdvisor wrote. “We should never forget what this nation went through.”
“The displays are moving and informative, they will stay with you long after you leave this place,” another visitor wrote. “You may find yourself emotionally spent after you finish, but that is to be expected. But, you will take away a resolve that this cannot be permitted to happen to any race, anywhere, ever again.”
Yad Vashem was also a Traveler’s Choice 2013 winner on TripAdvisor. The award is only granted to institutions that consistently receive outstanding reviews and have an average rating of more than four out of five stars.
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U.S. fears Iran will develop a nuclear bomb ‘under the radar’
(JNS.org) The United States is concerned that Iran would somehow be able to deceive the West and develop a nuclear weapon “under the radar,” and it is no longer certain that it would be able to learn of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s intentions to that effect ahead of time, Israel Hayom reported Sunday.
Despite the West’s attempts to carefully monitor Iran’s nuclear progress, a senior Western source told Israel Hayom that Tehran’s accelerated uranium enrichment efforts and the fact that it has multiple secret enrichment sites were cause for concern.
The U.S., the source said, is “very concerned for Israel and its other allies in the Middle East.”
Israel, for its part, is concerned that Iran will use the nuclear negotiations to mask its attempt to reach military-grade nuclear capabilities, and Israeli and American officials are trying to devise ways to affect the next round of talks with Tehran, which have been tentatively set for September.
“One month after the Iranian elections, Tehran is showing no signs of tempering its nuclear ambitions,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during his Sunday cabinet meeting.
“We believe that now, more than ever, in light of Iran’s nuclear progress it is important to intensify the economic sanctions imposed on it and put in place a credible military option,” he said.
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Hamas reportedly making rockets capable of striking Tel Aviv
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) More than seven months after Operation Pillar of Defense ended, Army Radio reported on Monday that Hamas’s weapons capabilities are returning to levels they were at before the conflict last November. The report specifically mentioned Hamas’s production of M75 eight-inch rockets, which can reach Tel Aviv and other cities in Israel’s heavily populated central region.
Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, speaking at a joint conference of the Defense Ministry and Manufacturers Association of Israel on Monday, has cautioned about Hamas’s weapons manufacturing.
“Armament hasn’t stopped completely [since Operation Pillar of Defense], between smuggling which has been limited slightly, and independent production, which is becoming more advanced,” Gantz said.
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Group calls for guidelines to prevent Jewish funding of activity that gives BDS a platform
(JNS.org) JCC Watch, a pro-Israel advocacy group, is holding protests on the second Thursday of each month until it sees new guidelines that prevent the UJA-Federation of New York’s funding of activities that give a platform to activists of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
Between 40 and 50 people attended the first such JCC Watch rally on July 11 outside of the 92nd Street Y (92Y) in New York City, protesting the 92Y’s recent invitation of anti-Israel speakers including “The Color Purple” author Alice Walker and Pink Floyd band member Roger Waters (this spring’s scheduled event with Waters at the 92Y was ultimately canceled, but Walker did appear there in late May).
The UJA-Federation of New York commits about $900,000 per year in funding to the 92Y, according to Richard Allen, head of JCC Watch. Allen told JNS.org that his group is asking Jewish community members to “close your wallets to any of these charities that are promoting donor fraud.”
“They’re not telling their donors that they’re using their money to undermine the state of Israel,” Allen said of the charities.
Though the 92Y has what Allen called “a history of working to promote those who are working to defame the state of Israel,” Allen said he does not believe the 92Y itself condones or supports BDS. Rather, Allen believes the 92Y’s recent hosting of pro-BDS speakers has been “going on under the radar,” and he said JCC Watch is calling for the Jewish leadership of the 92Y to “regain control and establish guidelines so that these embarrassing events do not happen again.”
“It’s not just Alice Walker,” Allen said. “There’s a pattern here.”
Allen said observers of the July 11 rally were sympathetic to JCC Watch’s cause and expressed disbelief that the 92Y hosted Walker.
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Reports: Israel hit Russian anti-ship missiles near Latakia
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Several media outlets reported over the weekend that Israel was behind the mysterious July 5 explosions at a Syrian arms depot in the port city of Latakia, but provided conflicting details.
CNN reported on Saturday that the Israel Air Force had targeted the Syrian weapons storage facility from the air, while The Sunday Times reported that Israel had attacked the site from the sea using the Israel Navy’s Dolphin-class submarine.
The facility, which was reportedly destroyed entirely, housed Russian-made Yakhont missiles among other weapons. According to CNN, Israel fears that these anti-ship cruise missiles would jeopardize its naval forces. If true, the strike near Latakia, first reported by CNN, was the fourth known Israeli air attack against targets in Syria this year. According to reports, all four strikes had targeted advanced weapons provided by Russia to Syria.
Israeli officials declined to comment on the reports. U.S. officials likewise refrained from making any public comment. Israel maintains it is not involved in Syria’s two-year civil war except to stop weapons transfers.
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NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire part of Israeli basketball team’s new ownership group
(JNS.org) National Basketball Association star Amar’e Stoudemire, who famously visited Israel in the summer of 2010 to explore his family’s Jewish roots, is part of a group that purchased the Israeli professional basketball team Hapoel Jerusalem.
“Today I’m one of the proud new owners of the Hapoel Jerusalem basketball organization,” Stoudemire tweeted July 12. “It’s a great day!”
Stoudemire, sports agent Arn Tellem, advertising executive Eyal Chomsky, and engineer and entrepreneur Ori Allon bought a 90 percent stake in Hapoel Jerusalem for 20 million shekels, or about $5.6 million.
A forward for the New York Knicks, the 30-year-old Stoudemire visited Israel in 2010 to “see all the important historical sites, learn Hebrew and to get a better understanding of my heritage.”
“I have been aware since my youth that I am a Hebrew through my mother, and that is something that has played a subtle but important role in my development,” Stoudemire told The Jerusalem Post at the time.
Stoudemire has averaged 21.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in 11 NBA seasons, three with the Knicks and eight with the Phoenix Suns.
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Polish parliament rejects proposal to reinstate recognition of religious slaughter
(JNS.org) Jewish groups have condemned a July 12 vote in the Sejm, the lower house of Poland’s parliament, rejecting a bill that would have reinstated the Polish government’s recognition of religious slaughter, including kosher and halal practices.
“The first victims of this unconscionable Sejm action are Poland’s Jewish community,” American Jewish Committee Executive Director David Harris said. “We urge Poland’s legislative and judicial authorities to move expeditiously to recognize by law the Jewish community’s right to prepare kosher meat according to Jewish tradition.”
Poland instituted a ban on ritual slaughter in January, deeming a 2004 exemption that legalized kosher slaughter, or shechita, unconstitutional. On July 12, the Sejm voted 222-178 against a proposal that would have reinstated the exemption.
“The majority of Polish [members of parliament] gave the Polish Jewish community three choices: don’t practice your religion, don’t eat meat, or don’t live among us,” Anti-Defamation League Chairman Abraham Foxman said.
Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, head of the Conference of European Rabbis, said, “Jewish communities across Europe will be incredibly distressed that the Polish parliament has voted not to protect the religious freedom of its Jewish and Muslim citizens.”
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Twitter releases user data to France after lawsuit over anti-Semitic tweets
(JNS.org) Twitter has released data identifying users to French authorities in response to a January ruling by a French court regarding anti-Semitic tweets posted in October 2012 under the hashtag #unbonjuif (#agoodjew). The hashtag was trending as the third-most tweeted subject in France, with tweets such as “a good Jew is a dead Jew.”
When a French court decided last January that Twitter must reveal the identities of users who sent out those anti-Semitic tweets, Twitter, which is bound by U.S. free speech laws, initially refused to release the data. France’s Union of Jewish Students (UEJF) then sued Twitter for 38.5 million euros.
“Social media is becoming more and more of a problem for us if you look at anti-Semitism,” Ronald Eissens, co-founder of the Dutch anti-racism group Magenta and the International Network Against Cyber Hate (INACH), which works to counter cyber-hate and has 21 members in 20 countries, told JNS.org in February. “There’s a lot of it around. Prosecution is a lot harder because most social media are based firmly in the U.S.”
After agreeing to release the data, Twitter said in a statement that the social network will work with UEJF “to fight racism and anti-Semitism,” and “to improve the accessibility of the procedure for notifications of illicit tweets,” Israel National News reported.
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Israeli teens win medals at global computer science Olympiad
(JNS.org) Four Israeli teens won gold, silver and bronze medals at the International Olympiad in Informatics, held over the course of four days in Brisbane, Australia. Following its performance, Israel was ranked eighth in the world out of 80 participating teams.
The 25-year-old event highlighting the achievement of youths in computer science was initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), along with Olympiads in mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology.
Participants had to solve problems by writing computer programs using algorithms. On the Israeli team, 18-year-old Daniel Hadas won a gold medal, 17-year-old Tom Kalvari from Kfar Hayarok won two silver medals, and 17-year-old Ohad Klein and 18-year-old Ron Ribchin each won bronze medals, the Times of Israel reported.
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Despite BDS calls, Arab farmers train in Israel to improve Gaza agriculture
(JNS.org) Two groups of Arab farmers left Gaza this week to attend an agricultural seminar in northern Israel with the goal of improving Gaza’s agricultural industry. According to the office of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), 60 Gazans participated in the conference despite calls from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement calling to boycott Israeli products and industries.
The conference was sponsored by Origins Seeds Company, which exports cucurbitacae (cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, and similar fruit) and seeds to 17 countries, including Hamas-controlled Gaza and Palestinian Authority-controlled territory.
“During the seminar, the farmers completed several workshops on cultivation methods, planting schedules, soil preparation, proper use of irrigation and fertilizer and disinfestations methods… the farmers… had stated that this year, owing to the training programs conducted frequently in Israel, growers had achieved unprecedented crop yields—11 tons of produce for each decare of cultivated fields—a twofold increase compared with the preceding year,” COGAT’s website stated last year, according to Israel National News.
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Iranian missiles could reach U.S. by 2015, intelligence report says
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Iran could develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the United States by 2015, a U.S. intelligence report released on Friday revealed.
The Foreign Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat Assessment, prepared by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, states that since 2008, Iran has conducted multiple successful launches of the two-stage Safir space launch vehicle and has also revealed the larger two-stage Simorgh SLV, which could serve as a test bed for developing ICBM technologies.
Since 2010, Iran has revealed the Qiam-1 SRBM, the fourth generation Fateh-110 SRBM, and claims to be mass-producing anti-ship ballistic missiles. Iran has modified its Shahab 3 medium-range ballistic missile to extend its range and effectiveness and also claims to have deployed the two-stage solid-propellant Sejjil MRBM.
Iranian ballistic missile forces continue to train extensively in highly publicized exercises. These exercises enable Iranian ballistic missile forces to hone wartime operational skills and evolve new tactics. Iran is fielding increased numbers of theater ballistic missiles, improving its existing inventory, and developing the technical capability to produce an ICBM.
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Pro-Palestinian groups press Ohio to pull Israel Bonds investment
(Cleveland Jewish News/JNS.org) Seventeen pro-Palestinian organizations from around Ohio signed an open letter demanding that the state of Ohio pull its $80 million investment in Israel bonds.
Palestine solidarity organizations, the International Socialist Organization chapters in Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo and pro-Palestinian groups at Kent State University, The Ohio State University, University of Toledo and Oberlin College endorsed the letter.
The letter stated that the investment, “undertaken without consent” of Ohio citizens, “shames the state of Ohio and poorly reflects upon the character” of the state’s citizens.
But Josh Mandel, treasurer of the state of Ohio, said Israel Bonds generate three to four more times the yield of U.S. Bonds, in which he said both the state of Ohio and the U.S. government also invest. He said Israel bonds are a “safe, secure and responsible” investment for Ohio tax dollars.
“In the Ohio Treasurer’s office, we make decisions on what’s best for our taxpayers,” Mandel said, “not based on what radical Islamic groups want us to do.”
Kent State Students for Justice in Palestine issued an email about signing the open letter.
“We are a group that calls for equality for Palestinians and all oppressed people around the world. Hence, it is our conviction that, by virtue of this purchase, the state of Ohio is being complicit with Israeli policies that discriminate against Palestinians,” the email said.
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Preceding provided by JNS.org