Syrian rocket strikes Israel’s Golan Heights, IDF responds
Israel responded to a stray rocket from Syria that struck an open field in the Israeli Golan heights Thursday (19th). No injuries or property damage was reported.
“The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm the sovereignty of the State of Israel and the security of its residents,” the army said in a statement.
Earlier this week, Israeli warplanes bombed a Syrian anti-aircraft battery near Damascus in retaliation for a Syrian attack on Israeli Air Force (IAF) aircraft.
(worldisraelnews.com)
Netanyahu: If we were not here, Iran would be here
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated Wednesday (18th) in a festive ceremony marking 50 years since the liberation of the Jordan Valley and stressed the region’s strategic importance to Israel
Netanyahu said that the Jordan Valley is a “defensive belt for the state without which a fundamentalist flood could reach the inner parts of the country. If we were not here, Tehran and Hamastan would be here. We won’t let that happen.”
(israelnn.com)
Iran’s army chief: Keep the Zionists out of Syria
Iran’s military chief of staff stated Wednesday morning (18th) that strikes launched at will by the Israel Air Force on Syrian targets could no longer be tolerated, in what appeared to be a warning that Israel’s next attack would be responded to with force.
“It is unacceptable that the Zionist regime attacks Syria every time it wants,” General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri said during a press conference in Damascus.
(coalitionforisrael.org)
Israeli delegation walks out of international summit amid vicious attacks
The Knesset delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s 137th Assembly in St. Petersburg, Russia, walked out of Wednesday’s (18th) plenary session after the organization approved a series of anti-Israel proposals, including calls for the release of convicted murderers Marwan Barghouti and Ahmad Saadat.
Israel was censured for holding in administrative detention members of the Palestinian National Council representing Hamas. There was no mention of the innocent civilians being held captive in Gaza by Hamas, which last month refused a request by the International Red Cross to visit them.
(worldisraelnews.com; israelhayom.com)
Hamas leader: We won’t recognize Israel – we’ll erase it
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar claims that the reconciliation agreement with Fatah did not involve any discussion regarding Hamas’ recognition of Israel.
“The question is when we will erase the State of Israel,” said Sinwar.
(ynetnews.com; ap.com)
Israeli President Rivlin: “Israel is not compensation for the Holocaust” – Greer Fay Cashman
President Reuven Rivlin welcomed 130 Christian broadcasters from 30 countries at the President’s Residence on Wednesday (18th). Rivlin explained that he was “a seventh generation Jerusalemite,” whose forebears arrived in 1809. That his own family and many others came to the Land of Israel well over a century before the Holocaust is proof, he said, that Israel was not created as compensation for the outrages of the Holocaust.
(jpost.com)
Polls show Fatah more popular than Hamas in Gaza
According to a new survey of 1,862 Palestinian adults in the West Bank and Gaza by An-Najah University conducted Oct. 12-14, 2017, 38% identify with Fatah, 11% with Hamas, 2% with the Popular front, and 1% with Islamic Jihad.
In the West Bank, 70% said they reject an armed intifada in the Palestinian territories while 27% support one.
Asked if they support the creation of a Palestinian state on the 1967 lines with some land exchange as a final solution for the Palestinian cause, 66% said no, while 26% said yes. At the same time, 67% reject the creation of a binational state.
When Gazans were asked to whom they would give their vote for president, 41% said Fatah, while 8% said Hamas.
(An-Najah University – PA)
She had a swastika painted on her garage – and she’s leaving it there
A New York Jewish woman says she won’t be painting over the large swastika and anti-Semitic slur spray-painted on her garage.
“I just want people to see it,” Debra Calabrese of Staten Island told the Staten Island Advance. “The people driving by can’t believe it. Nobody can.”
She said the slur was even misspelled. Calabrese has lived in the house for 14 years and is “devastated “ by the attack.
Police collected evidence at the scene and are investigating the hate-crime.
Earlier this week, anti-semitic graffiti was spray-painted on a Jewish nursery school in the New York suburb town of Mount Kisco. Two swastikas were discovered Sunday (15th) on the wall of the Bet Torah synagogue preschool.
(jta.org)
Video: NFL Films joins Hall of Famers on inspiring trip to Israel – Ed Sherman
“NFL Films Presents: Touchdown in Israel” which documents New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft taking 18 Hall of Famers on a spiritual journey to the Holy Land last summer.
The one-hour film, which airs Friday (20th) on NFL Network, shows the impact a visit to Israel had on these great players.
(NFL.com)
Germany: Iran working to build nuclear-armed missiles – Benjamin Weinthal
German security officials have accused the Iranian regime of pursuing its goal to build missiles armed with nuclear warheads, the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel reported Friday (13th).
“Despite the nuclear agreement Iran has not given up its illegal activities in Germany. The mullah regime also made efforts this year to obtain material from German firms for its nuclear program and the construction of missiles, said security forces.”
“Iran has clearly not given up its long-term goal to become a nuclear power that can mount nuclear weapons on rockets….Security experts say Iran is very interested in equipment to extend the range of missiles.”
(jpost.com; tagesspiegel.de)
