Nikki Haley: Unless UN Rights Council reforms, U.S. is out – Ron Kampeas

The U.S. is ready to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council unless it institutes reforms, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the Israeli American Council in Washington on Saturday (4th).  Haley said the proposed reforms include removing “Item 7,” which requires a report on Israeli actions in the West Bank each time the panel convenes.  The U.S. also wants structural changes that will keep major human rights abusers from joining the council.

(jta.com)

 

Israeli official: Hamas a “slave” to Iran, selling out Palestinians – Dov Lieber

IDF Major-General Yoav Mordechai, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), on Monday (6th) criticized Saturday’s (4th) visit to Iran by a high-profile Hamas delegation on his popular Arabic -language Facebook page.  Calling Hamas a “slave” to Iran, he wrote that “Hamas is selling the Sunni residents of Gaza in exchange for Persian money.”  Iran is Shiite, while Palestinians are almost exclusively Sunni.

Mordechai said, “The terrorist Hamas does not hide the fact that it has become a duplicate of Hizbullah in Gaza, but instead is proud of it,” and that the Hamas delegation was in Iran to “take orders” from the Iranian government.

(timesofisrael.com)

 

With Hariri’s resignation, Israel has more leeway in next war with Lebanon – Anna Ahronheim

With Saad Hariri’s resignation as prime minister of Lebanon over the weekend, Israel will have more leeway should a war with Hizbullah break out.  On Sunday (5th) Maj.-Gen. Yoav Gallant, a member of Israel’s security cabinet, said, “Iran actually controls Lebanon, Iraq, and is working very hard to take over Syria…..Hariri understands very well that after the massacre that is taking place in Syria, he might be next in line, as happened to his father Rafik al-Hariri.”

Hariri’s resignation has given Israel more legitimacy for a full-scale and uncompromising campaign against Iran and Lebanon, not only Hizbullah, should a war in the north break out.  “Israel will bring Lebanon back to the stone age,” Gallant said.

(jpost.com; reuters.com)

 

The IDF’s achievement against attack tunnels – Maj.Gen Yaakov Amidror

Terrorist elements in Gaza have invested their best people as well as endless money and effort in developing tunnels.  The IDF’s success in locating and blowing up an attack tunnel leading into Israel is of great importance.  When Israel increases its abilities to execute precision strikes and destroy terrorist infrastructure while the other side loses its ability to cause harm, the balance between the two sides changes, and those in Gaza will think twice whether it is worth their while to renew the fighting.

Obviously, it makes no sense to return the bodies of the terrorists killed in the tunnel strike without Hamas giving Israel something in exchange.  Any other decision goes against common sense.

(israelhayom.com)

PA historian: 100 years ago “There was nothing called a Palestinian people” – Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch

Mahmoud Abbas, Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, published an op-ed in the British Guardian on Nov. 1 describing the Palestinian people as “a proud nation with a rich heritage of ancient civilizations.”

On the same day, official PA TV broadcast an interview with historian Abd Al-Ghani Salameh, who explained that in 1917 there was no Palestinian people.

“Before the Balfour Promise [Declaration] when the Ottoman rule ended, Palestine’s political borders as we know them today, did not exist, and there was nothing called a Palestinian people with a political identity as we know today.”

“Palestine’s lines of administrative division…included Jordan and southern Lebanon, and like all peoples of the region, [the Palestinians] were liberated from Turkish rule and immediately moved to colonial rule, without forming a Palestinian people’s political identity.”

(palwatch.org)

 

The “Palestinian narrative” is based on a falsified version of history – Moshe Arens

The refusal of the Palestinian leadership to recognize the historical connection between the Jewish people and Palestine is at the root of their unwillingness to make peace with Israel.  It is part of the “Palestinian narrative” that sees the Jews as colonizers who should return to their countries of origin, like the Crusaders in the Middle Ages.

Those who grant the “Palestinian narrative” equal validity to that of the “Jewish narrative” have their historical facts mixed up.  While presumably promoting the peace process, they are actually putting obstacles in its path by granting validity to a falsified version of history which denies historic legitimacy to the Jewish presence in Palestine.

(haaretz.com)

 

Israel sends emergency aid to plague-hit Madagascar – Mel Frykberg

The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with Magen David Adom (Israel’s national emergency medical service) have put together an aid package for Madagascar following the devastating outbreak of the “Black Death Plague” in October.

“We expect all packages to be delivered to the International Red Cross in Madagascar in the next few days,” Deputy Israeli Ambassador to South Africa, Ayellet Black told the African News Agency.

“Israel has a long-standing tradition of offering humanitarian assistance and coordinating relief to alleviate disease, hunger and poverty.  We have experience in helping countries going through natural and manmade disasters and will always provide assistance to help those in need.”

(africanindy.com)

 

First female pilot appointed deputy commander in Air Force combat squadron – Anna Ahronheim   

A female pilot has been appointed deputy commander of an Israeli Air Force combat squadron for the first time.

Capt. Y, 27, an F-15 navigator, is married to another IAF pilot.  Her grandfather was a pilot who was killed during the Yom Kippur War.

Two other female officers were appointed as deputy commanders in a drone squadron.

(jpost.com)

 

Two Israeli cities among world’s 100 most toured cities

Two Israeli cities are among the 100 most toured cities in the world, listed in a report published by Euromonitor International.  Jerusalem is in 67th place, while Tel Aviv is in 78th place.

The winning city is Hong Kong with 25.7 million visitors, while Bangkok, the capital of Thailand takes second place with 21.3 million visitors.

(israelnn.com)

 

Israel welcomed this year’s 3 millionth tourist

Early on Tuesday (7th), Israel’s three millionth tourist this year, landed in Israel, a new all-time record for incoming tourism to Israel.  Ioana Isac from Romania was tourist number 3,000,000.

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin welcomed her in the arrival hall in Ben Gurion Airport, where there was a red carpet, balloons and flowers to honor her.  Her hotel will be upgraded, she will ride in a limousine, and be taken on a helicopter ride.  Special events and dinners are planned for her and her friend who came with her to visit Israel.

Since January 2017 through October 2017, 63,000 tourists arrived from Romania.

(goisrael.com)