Israeli aircraft hits two targets in Gaza following mortar attack
(JNS.org) An Israeli aircraft hit Gaza in two separate missions Thursday morning in response to mortar rounds fired by terrorists at Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops patrolling near the border.
The three mortar shells fired by the terrorists exploded near the border fence and no injuries or damage were reported.
In response, the Israeli aircraft targeted terror sites in the southern Gaza Strip. The IDF confirmed that they were direct hits.
This is just the latest incident showing increasing tension in Gaza. On Monday terrorists launched a rocket that exploded in the Negev, without any injuries or damage. Last Friday, the Israel Air Force hit four targets in Gaza in retaliation for a rocket fired on Thursday.
“This ongoing conflict that we are facing on a daily basis cannot be endured by Israeli civilians,” said Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, IDF Spokesman.
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Boston Jewish community unites around search for missing teen
(JNS.org) The Boston Jewish community is uniting around the search for Caleb Jacoby, 16, who was last seen at 12:30 p.m. Monday, according to police in the Boston suburb of Brookline. Caleb is the son of prominent Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby.
“The support from the community is outstanding,” said Ellen Pulda, a spokesperson for the Maimonides School in Brookline, where Jacoby is a well-respected student, MassLive reported.”People from near and far offered to help.”
Local Jewish organizations and community members were circulating fliers with Jacoby’s photograph and description as well as searching local areas.
Samantha Mandeles, Senior Campus Coordinator for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA), told JNS.org that Caleb, who interned with CAMERA in the summer of 2012, is a “extremely intelligent young man” who has a talent for writing like his father.
“We hope for his safe and speedy return to his family.”
On Twitter, Jeff Jacoby thanked the Jewish community for its support.
“Never have the words ‘prayers’ & ‘praying’ so dominated my email inbox,” Jacoby wrote. “The outpouring of concern for Caleb has been incredibly heartening.”
The Brookline Police Department is still treating the matter as a missing-person case and don’t believe there was foul play involved.
On Wednesday night, ABC6 in Rhode Island reported that Caleb may have been spotted in Providence.
However, as of early Thursday, there were no updates. “Nothing positive or negative. It’s still an active investigation,” the Brookline Police said, MassLive reported.
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Canada names new ambassador to Israel
(JNS.org) Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has named Vivian Bercovici as the country’s new ambassador to Israel. Bercovici is an attorney at Dickinson Wright LLP and a former senior policy adviser to former Ontario Finance Minister Ernie Eves. She is known for her pro-Israel positions, and for openly criticizing the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
“She is a lawyer with 24 years of experience. She’s smart and capable and will be able to represent this government well,” Baird said, Canada’s CBC News reported. His announcement comes just weeks before Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will visit Israel, his first official trip to the region.
“We’re delighted with the appointment of Ambassador Bercovici. She will bring our bilateral relationship to a new level that is entirely consistent with the government’s already strong pro-Israel position. We think she will do great things,” Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the main body of Canadian Jewish organizations, told JNS.org.
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Israeli tourism saw a record year in 2013
(Israel Hayom/ Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel registered a record 3.5 million tourists in 2013, according to a Central Bureau of Statistics report released Wednesday.
According to the report, the U.S. represented the largest source of incoming tourism, with 623,000 Americans (18 percent of all incoming tourists) visiting in 2013, a 1 percent rise over 2012. Coming in a close second was Russia with 603,000 tourists, a 3 percent rise from 2012. Third was France with 315,000 French tourists arriving in Israel, a 5 percent increase over the previous year.
The most popular tourist attraction was Jerusalem, and 75 percent of tourists said they had visited the capital. Tourists reported being pleased with their visit to Israel, rating Israel 4.3 out of 5.
Israelis traveled outside the country in record numbers in 2013 as well, with no less than 4.8 million Israelis flying abroad, a rise of over half a million from 2012.
Chilean soccer club releases Jersey showing all Israel as Palestinian
Report: 2013 Christian persecution driven by Islamic extremism
(JNS.org) Islamic extremism was one of the major driving forces behind Christian persecution in 2013, according to a new report. The World Watch List (WWL), an annual report published by Christian human rights group Open Doors, ranks the top 50 countries where Christian persecution is the worst in order from “sparse persecution” to “extreme persecution.”
Of the 14 countries labeled as “extreme persecution,” 11 of them are countries with a predominantly Muslim population, including several Middle Eastern countries such as Syria at number 3, Iraq at number 4, Saudi Arabia at number 6 and Iran at number 9. However, North Korea was the worst offender at number 1.
Egypt, where there has been widespread persecution of its Coptic Christian minority over the past year by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups, ranked at number 22. While the Palestinian Territories ranked at number 34.
The report noted that in 36 of the 50 countries, Islamic extremism was the driving force behind Christian persecution.
“Countries on the WWL, such as North Korea, Saudi Arabia and throughout the Middle East and North Africa are targeting Christians; imprisoning, punishing, and even in some cases murdering people who choose to express privately or publicly their Christian faith,” said Open Doors USA President/CEO Dr. David Curry.
Neither Israel nor the United States were among the listed 50 countries.
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Preceding provided by JNS.org