Arutz Sheva Email Newsletter for Print and Mobile: March 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016

A7News: Soldier from Hevron no longer charged with murder

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

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A7News: UN's Ban apologizes for saying 'occupation'

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Wednesday, Mar. 30 '16, Adar Bet 20, 5776

HEADLINES:
1. UN'S BAN APOLOGIZES FOR SAYING 'OCCUPATION'
2. 'THE PROSECUTOR HAS NO EVIDENCE AGAINST THE SOLDIER'
3. 'HEVRON SOLDIER ACTED ACCORDING TO WARTIME PROTOCOL'
4. JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME PRAYS AT KOTEL, LOSES ISRAEL FIGHT
5. PUTIN WITHDRAWING FROM SYRIA? AU CONTRAIRE
6. DEM. SENATOR: INVESTIGATE ISRAEL'S 'GROSS VIOLATIONS OF RIGHTS'
7. EGYPTIAN BANK PUBLISHES SHEKEL EXCHANGE RATE, RAISES A RIOT
8. WATCH: ARAB WAVES PLO FLAG IN FRONT OF COPS ON TEMPLE MOUNT

1. UN'S BAN APOLOGIZES FOR SAYING 'OCCUPATION'
by Ari Yashar

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon has apologized for using the label "occupation" - no, not in the context of Israel's presence in its Biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria which he regularly condemns, but rather in Western Sahara.

Ban's change of heart came after the government of Morocco turned hostile on his "occupation" comments, made earlier this month in a visit to Algerian refugee camps for the Sahrawi people who claim ownership of the Western Sahara.

In response, there were mass protests in Morocco and the state expelled dozens of UN peacekeepers stationed in Western Sahara within three days, a move that the local Sahrawi groups warned could bring about war in the region.

Morocco has occupied the mineral rich region since it was handed to its troops by Spain in 1975, when Madrid ended its colony there. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) holds a government-in-exile in Algeria, arguing for its rights to rule over the region, and the Algerian-backed Polisario Front has been fighting for independence in the disputed territory.

But apparently Morocco's hostilities were enough to have Ban reverse his terming of the region as "occupied," as on Monday UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric backtracked for him, reports Reuters on Tuesday.

"His use of the word was not planned, nor was it deliberate. It was a spontaneous, personal reaction. We regret the misunderstandings and consequences that this personal expression of solicitude provoked," said Dujarric.

"Nothing (Ban) said or did in the course of that trip was meant to offend or express hostility toward the Kingdom of Morocco, which is a valued member of the United Nations. The position of the United Nations has not changed. He has not and will not take sides on the issue of Western Sahara."

The UN Security Council had been divided on the standoff with Morocco, as UN officials called on the Council to give a statement backing Ban. Eventually last Thursday the Security Council did so, but it did not order Morocco to cancel its expulsion orders or address Ban's "occupation" label.

In 1991 the UN brokered a ceasefire in Western Sahara and established its peacekeeping mission there, known as MINURSO. Following Ban's comments, Morocco ordered the UN to evacuate dozens of civilian staff and close a MINURSO military liaison office within three days, and likewise announced it was cancelling $3 million in funding for the UN operation.

Regarding Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria, which Ban and the UN have repeatedly condemned as being an "occupation," the 2012 Levy Report proved that the presence is legal under international law. However, two consecutive governments have yet to adopt the report.

2. 'THE PROSECUTOR HAS NO EVIDENCE AGAINST THE SOLDIER'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Attorney Ilan Katz, who is heading the defense team for the soldier who last Thursday shot a wounded terrorist in Hevron, said on Wednesday that the soldier's lawyers will not agree to him being stood on trial for homicide.

In the incident, the soldier was filmed by an Arab activist for the radical leftist NGO B'Tselem shooting a terrorist, who minutes earlier together with an accomplice stabbed and wounded a soldier. The soldier has argued he shot the terrorist over concerns he was moving to detonate a bomb belt that was thought to be hidden under his unseasonable coat.

That version of events was vindicated by a Magen David Adom (MDA) investigative committee, which found concerns that the terrorist had a bomb had not been ruled out. Experts have backed the soldier's actions, and hundreds of protesters have demanded his release.

"I hope that he will not be stood on trial," Katz told Channel 10 in an interview. "But in any case we will not agree to any compromise on (him being charged with) crimes of homicide. There is no basis to accuse him of crimes of manslaughter, at the very most there was a mistake in judgement here."

The attorney noted that in a hearing on Tuesday to extend the soldier's detention the murder clause was never even raised by the prosecutors, even though in a hearing last Friday the soldier was accused of murder.

"In the first request to extend the detention (last Friday) it was specifically written that the soldier is suspected of murder charges. Yesterday it was written: 'illegal use of a weapon,' and 'illegal shooting.'"

Katz emphasized that "the military prosecutor understood already at this stage that they don't have any evidence that will help them prove the claims, and the court also shortened the detention extension request to just three days."

The military court in Qastina on Tuesday extended the soldier's detention to Thursday, but noted that the evidentiary foundation against him "is not unequivocal."

Despite the protest of hundreds of Israelis outside the court, the soldier was brought in to the hearing while handcuffed. However, during the long proceedings he was allowed to privately meet with his parents. He has been the subject of condemnation from IDF brass and politicians, with one of his prime accusers being Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud).

3. 'HEVRON SOLDIER ACTED ACCORDING TO WARTIME PROTOCOL'
by Benny Tocker

Attorney Binyamin Malka, one of two lawyers defending the IDF soldier who last Thursday shot a wounded terrorist in Hevron, spoke to Arutz Sheva on Wednesday about the ongoing court drama.

At a military court hearing last Friday the soldier was accused of murder, but on Tuesday the military prosecutor made no mention of murder, and the judge said the evidence against the soldier was "not unequivocal."

"The decision of the judge to extend the arrest only by two days, even though the prosecutor asked for nine days, speaks for itself," Malka told Arutz Sheva.

"Even the judge said that the evidence is not unequivocal and the attempt to present it as unequivocal belies the truth."

Malka said he is convinced that the truth will out, saying, "we expect that the prosecutor will accept the version of the soldier, which is the correct (version), that he acted according to the regulations at a time of battle. There is another hearing on Thursday and we are encouraged."

The soldier has argued he shot the terrorist - who minutes earlier together with an accomplice stabbed and wounded a soldier - over concerns he was moving to detonate a bomb belt that was thought to be hidden under his unseasonably thick coat. That version of events was vindicated by a Magen David Adom (MDA) investigative committee.

In response to the arrest there has been an uproar, and hundreds of protesters showed up at the military court in Qastina on Tuesday to support the soldier.

According to the attorney, the protests of support have greatly strengthened the soldier's family.

"We give the legal and emotional cover for the soldier and the family, we see the protests, it isn't a legal matter, but certainly it encourages the family that they are being showered in love, but that doesn't have an influence (on the case)," said Malka.

The soldier has been the subject of condemnation from IDF brass and politicians, with one of his prime accusers being Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud).

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot on Wednesday morning sent out a special message to IDF soldiers and commanders in the wake of the shooting incident.

In the message, Eizenkot said, "the commanders, and I at their head, will continue to give backing to every soldier who makes a mistake in the heat of battle against an enemy endangering the lives of citizens and soldiers."

However, the Chief of Staff added, "we will not hesitate to mete out justice on soldiers and commanders who deviate from the operational and moral measure according to which we act."

"The eyes of the nation are on us with expectations of security while preserving the moral image of the IDF."

4. JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME PRAYS AT KOTEL, LOSES ISRAEL FIGHT
by Ari Yashar

Action film legend Jean-Claude Van Damme is currently in Israel on a five-day visit to the Holy Land, but the famous martial arts star apparently let opponents of Israel get the best of him in a short bout on Facebook Tuesday.

Van Damme began his private holiday in Tiberias, and on Tuesday went to the Old City in Jerusalem where he donned a large kippah and prayed at the Kotel (Western Wall), where he left a note in a crevice of the wall remaining from the Holy Temple.

However, the skilled combatant soon found himself in for a fight after he posted a picture on Facebook showing him standing by the Old City walls near Yafo Gate, with the famous Tower of David seen in the background.

"Shalom from Jerusalem, Israel!! IL," read Van Damme's comment on the post, but within around ten minutes according to the edit history of the post the barrage of anti-Israel responses apparently forced him to edit to the current message: "Hello from Jerusalem!!"

While the pro-Palestinian outrage may have caused him to edit the post, which can be viewed here, a muted victory remained for the Jewish state: in the picture the action star is wearing a hat emblazoned with the word "ISRAEL."

In the comments on the post, anti-Israel sentiment abounded, with one user writing: "you should say salam from palestine," while another wrote: "Jeruzalem is not from israel But from Palestina."

Some users fought back, however, with one saying, "Israel loves u. U shouldn't care about other ppl who think that its another country, u and I and the rest of the world knows who is good and who is not Long live ISRAEL."

Van Damme is not new to the Old City - back in 2000 he filmed "The Order" in the ancient city, including a scene in which he fights while dressed as a haredi Jew.

5. PUTIN WITHDRAWING FROM SYRIA? AU CONTRAIRE
by Ari Yashar

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month ordered the "main part" of his forces out of Syria in a surprise withdrawal - but according to a Reuters analysis on Wednesday, he has since increased the deployment of equipment to the region.

Putin has continued his campaign to prop up Bashar al-Assad's regime even after the withdrawal announcement on March 14, and apparently he is intent on maintaining enough firepower on the ground to be able to rapidly escalate Russian actions if Assad is threatened.

Reuters notes that the naval icebreaker Yauza, a main supply vessel for Russian forces in Syria, did not return to its Arctic Ocean port after Putin's announced withdrawal, but instead three days after the declaration left the Russian Black Sea for Tartous, Russia's naval facility in Syria.

Photographs of the ship analyzed by the news agency showed it was carrying very heavy cargo, as it sat so low in the water its load line could barely be seen. It is unclear what exact equipment was on board.

Aside from the Yauza, Russia also sent the Caesar Kunikov and the Saratov to the Mediterranean Sea shortly after the withdrawal - both are landing ships, generally used to transport troops and armor, and both were clearly very heavily loaded.

Russia pulled around half of its fixed-wing strike force from Syria in the days after the withdrawal was announced, according to Reuters, but an examination of shipping data, official information, info from naval sources and photographs by bloggers of Russian ships passing the Bosphorus strait show the military buildup in Syria is not being brought to a close.

Rather it seems Russia has more war ships in the Mediterranean near the Syrian coast than at the time of Putin's announcement, with more than 12 naval craft accounted for in the region. They are there to guard cargo ships, but they likewise can fire devastating cruise missiles from the sea.

In addition to increasing the equipment being shipped to Syria, the analysis indicated that several ships returning from Syria to Russia appeared unloaded on their way home, and showed no signs of carrying heavy cargo.

6. DEM. SENATOR: INVESTIGATE ISRAEL'S 'GROSS VIOLATIONS OF RIGHTS'
by Ari Yashar

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), together with ten House members, has asked the US State Department to investigate claims that Israel has committed "gross violations of human rights," and depending on the results to cut military aid to the Jewish state.

The letter addressed to Secretary of State John Kerry was dated February 17, and was published by Politico on Tuesday night after the news site received it from "an organization that provided input for it."

Leahy's letter targets both Israel and Egypt, and is significant because the senator authored a law conditioning US military aid to foreign countries based on whether their forces commit abuses.

The letter lists claims that Israel's army has conducted "extrajudicial killings," an accusation frequently aired by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to delegitimize the self-defense of citizens and soldiers who have shot attacking Arab terrorists during the recent terror wave raging since last September.

It also accuses Egyptian security forces of extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, in addition to the crackdown on protests at Rab'aa Square in 2013 in which nearly 1,000 people died.

"In light of these reports we request that you act promptly to determine their credibility and whether they trigger the Leahy Law and, if so, take appropriate action called for under the law," reads the letter, noting the law to condition military aid.

That law bans aid to particular military units that commit human rights violations, but doesn't necessarily affect other units or the total amount of aid.

An added edge seen in the letter is the fact that despite being sent to Kerry over a month ago, it was released publicly only now, days after an IDF soldier last Thursday was filmed shooting a wounded Arab terrorist in Hevron, again sparking claims of "extrajudicial executions."

The soldier has argued he shot the terrorist - who minutes earlier with an accomplice stabbed a soldier - over concerns he was moving to detonate a bomb belt that was thought to be hidden under his unseasonable coat. That version of events was vindicated by a Magen David Adom (MDA) investigative committee.

Leahy's letter also criticizes America's political relationship with Israel and Egypt, implying US officials may have ignored rights violations in the Jewish state and the Nile state.

"According to information we have received, the manner in which US military assistance has been provided to Israel and Egypt, since the Camp David Accords, including the delivery of assistance at the military service level, has created a unique situation that has hindered implementation of normal mechanisms for monitoring the use of such assistance," reads the letter.

7. EGYPTIAN BANK PUBLISHES SHEKEL EXCHANGE RATE, RAISES A RIOT
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Egypt's second-largest state bank Banque Misr raised an uproar last week by publishing the exchange rate between the Israeli shekel and the Egyptian lira - in response to the heavy criticism, Egypt reminded that the shekel is still forbidden for use in commerce inside the country.

An outpouring of Egyptians criticized what they viewed as a step towards normalization with the Jewish state. Despite the 1979 peace treaty Egypt remains openly hostile towards Israel, as was displayed earlier this month when 467 out of the 595 Egyptian MPs voted to dismiss MP Tawfik Okasha for the "crime" of meeting with Israel's ambassador to Egypt.

The publication of the shekel exchange rate was condemned on websites identified with the Egyptian opposition and the Muslim Brotherhood.

"The military regime is flying a test balloon before the Egyptian public for normalization with the enemy. (President Abdel Fattah) al-Sisi found a magic solution to escape the dark tunnels of economic failure through the Zionist gate," accused a site associated with the Brotherhood.

Other backlash noted how just days after the exchange rate publication, al-Sisi asked each Egyptian with a cell phone to donate one lira to the state every morning, so as to help rescue the country from its poor economic situation.

"Donate a shekel to Egypt every morning," reads a tag that has been popping up on Egyptian social media ever since, in a paraphrase of al-Sisi's appeal. Images have also been spread superimposing al-Sisi's face on an Israeli coin.

The Muslim Brotherhood on its site noted that the publication of the exchange rate comes despite the fact that Egypt's Central Bank banned the use of the "occupation's currency" in banks in Egypt.

Zaki al-Ranimi, a spokesperson for Egypt's Central Bank, said in response to the uproar that the shekel does indeed remain forbidden for commercial use in Egypt, and that there is a supervisory committee enforcing the ban on Egyptian banks.

The exchange rate was only published because the currency is traded in banks worldwide, said al-Ranimi. He added that al-Sisi had no connection to the publication.

Despite the response of the Central Bank, some economists have estimated that the publication of the exchange rate stems from quiet understandings reached between Israel and al-Sisi's government on easing matters for Israeli tourists.

8. WATCH: ARAB WAVES PLO FLAG IN FRONT OF COPS ON TEMPLE MOUNT
by Reut Hadar

An Arab activist was filmed on Wednesday morning waving the flag of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terrorist organization on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, in an attempt to spark clashes with a group of Jews touring the site.

[video:2013991]

The Jews visiting the site repeatedly asked the police officers who were accompanying them to prevent the Arab from waving the PLO flag, as waving either Israeli or PA flags on the holy site is forbidden.

However the police did not stop him, and only after a large amount of time had passed and the activist actually walked into a police officer did they detain him and distance him from the site.

"The symptom of ignoring the provocations of the Arabs continues full force," said the Returning to the Mount movement in a statement.

"How can it be that at a place where they arrest Jews for waving the flag of Israel they don't arrest Arabs with a PLO flag?" posed the movement.

In another flag incident, a Christian man last August was attacked by Arabs for waving an Israeli flag at the site, and then detained by police.

Despite being liberated by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War the Temple Mount, which is the holiest site in Judaism, remains under the de facto control of the Jordanian Waqf which has banned Jewish prayer at the site.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Catch Leno, Lipa and 8th Day live at Lincoln Center

Join Jay Leno, Lipa and 8th Day live at Lincoln Center on April 10 for a spectacular show. This evening of b Laughter & Musicb will be incredible, packed with all-star performances in support of United Hatzalah of Israel.

When seconds count, United Hatzalah volunteers are trained and dispatched to treat victims across Israel in all types of medical emergencies and terror attack. Kick back, enjoy the show and help United Hatzalah purchase lifesaving equipment! What could be better!

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A7News: Egyptian plane hijacker arrested with no casualties

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Tuesday, Mar. 29 '16, Adar Bet 19, 5776

HEADLINES:
1. EGYPTIAN PLANE HIJACKER ARRESTED WITH NO CASUALTIES
2. CHIEF RABBI: KILLING NEUTRALIZED TERRORISTS IS FORBIDDEN
3. ISRAEL: REPORTS ELTON JOHN TOLD TO SWEAR LOYALTY 'DELUSIONAL'
4. BENNETT: SOME OF OUR LEADERS HAVE LOST IT
5. BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT: SOLDIER WAS RIGHT IN SHOOTING TERRORIST
6. POLICE USE FAKE PRISON, ATTACKS TO SCARE JEWISH SUSPECTS
7. DEP FM: 'NO EUROPEAN LEADER WILL CONVINCE US TO COMMIT SUICIDE'
8. HUNDREDS DEMAND RELEASE OF SOLDIER FROM HEVRON SHOOTING

1. EGYPTIAN PLANE HIJACKER ARRESTED WITH NO CASUALTIES
by Arutz Sheva Staff

EgyptAir flight MS181 was hijacked shortly after taking off from Alexandria. It is now on the ground in Cyprus after landing at Larnaca Airport.

The plane is an A320 model and Cypriot news says there were 81 passengers on board. It was originally scheduled to fly from Alexandria to Cairo.

The single hijacker, who has been named as Seif Eldin Mustafa. is believed to have entered the cockpit while wearing an explosive vest. He then forced the pilots to divert the plane.

He took control of the plane in an attempt to meet with his estranged ex-wife, who lives in Cyprus. The ex-wife, named Marina Parashkou, has been brought to the airport to participate in negotiations.

"It's all to do with a woman," says Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades, insisting that the incident is not related to terror. "We are doing everything to release the hostages."

Mustafa is still holding the cabin crew and four "foreign" passengers, EgyptAir says. The initial passenger list included eight people from the US, four from the UK, four from Denmark, two Belgians and one Italian. The identities of the remaining hostages are not known.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry in Cyprus says that Mustafa has been arrested and that the crisis is over.

2. CHIEF RABBI: KILLING NEUTRALIZED TERRORISTS IS FORBIDDEN
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Chief Sephardic Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef has released a clarification to the Saturday night lecture in which he said that non-Jews are forbidden from living in the Land of Israel.

The statement reads: "During his weekly lecture, the Rishon Lezion, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, commented on the laws of selling hametz during Passover. He explained the halachic concept of ger toshav (resident non-Jew) according to the Rambam.

"These instructions are theoretical and deal with upholding the seven Noahide Laws during the time of the Messiah. They have no connection to our current time. It's clear that there is no rule today to deport those who aren't Jewish from the Land of Israel.

"The honorable Rishon Lezion has always held a conciliatory manner and he would not present such an extreme stance. He is one of the few who declared it is forbidden to kill a neutralized terrorist and that the terrorist must be handed over to the authorities.

"The Torah of Israel is a Torah of life and encourages peace and tolerance. We are saddened that there are those in the media who choose to distort the issue, to remove it from it context and to present it in a negative light."

3. ISRAEL: REPORTS ELTON JOHN TOLD TO SWEAR LOYALTY 'DELUSIONAL'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Israel has rejected as "delusional" a claim that superstar Elton John was asked to declare loyalty to the Jewish state before an upcoming concert.

The "Rocket Man" singer's Israeli concert organizer Shuki Weiss issued the claim on Monday, saying the Interior Ministry initially made the demand as a condition for getting a visa.

"Only two weeks ago Elton John was asked to sign a declaration of loyalty. That insane idea has been dropped," he said, according to Israeli media reports.

His office pointed to a supposedly problematic clause in the visa form which reads: "I declare that I have never acted against the Jewish people or the security of the state of Israel," the Haaretz newspaper reported.

The Interior Ministry denied that was anything unusual, and said it would consider suing Weiss for defamation.

"We are talking about a blatant lie which is meant to provide headlines for the promoter at the expense of a government ministry," spokeswoman Sabin Hadad said.

"No artist has ever been asked to sign such a declaration and to think such a thing is delusional."

John is scheduled to perform in Israel's commercial capital Tel Aviv on May 26.

AFP contributed to this report.

4. BENNETT: SOME OF OUR LEADERS HAVE LOST IT
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Jewish Home chairman and Education Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday once again called on the public and on his fellow politicians not to jump to conclusions regarding the soldier who was filmed while shooting a wounded Arab terrorist, so long as the investigation in the case continued.

Speaking to Channel 10 News, Bennett also continued his back and forth on the issue with Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, hours after Ya'alon repeated his criticism against coalition members who gave the soldier backing, slamming the "harsh words and publication of false information, and the manipulation and the attacks against the Chief of Staff - against me is still permissible, (as) a politician, (but) against the Prime Minister and the Chief of Staff (is not)."

"What happened is that [the soldier] was placed on a field trial before the Military Police even started its investigation," Bennett said, adding, "Two terrorists came to kill civilians. Both were shot and killed and there was a very serious incident. Between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. that Thursday, before the Military Police investigation even began, the entire Israeli leadership in both the opposition and the coalition determined that the soldier committed a crime."

"Then the case goes to young Military Police investigators, and how can they conduct themselves in an objective way?" Bennett continued, demanding that the murder charges against the soldier be dropped.

Soldiers acting on a battlefield, in such a situation, cannot be branded murderers, he said. "We sent him to defend us in battle. He may have erred seriously, maybe not. We need to hear him."

"Premeditated murder is a man planning to kill another ahead of time, preparing the tools in advance, that did not happen here," Bennett continued. "The fact that we're even talking about this at all shows that many of our leaders have lost it, the difference between good and evil."

Bennett also responded to Ya'alon's criticism earlier in the Knesset, and stressed that he fully backs IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, despite Ya'alon's claims to the contrary.

"We have an excellent Chief of Staff. The Defense Minister attacked me because I spoke with the family of the soldier - I 'plead guilty'. They do not need to be boycotted; they are a normative family with four sons who served in combat roles in the army," said Bennett.

The soldier insists he shot the terrorist over concerns he was moving to detonate a bomb belt that was thought to be hidden under his unseasonable coat. That version of events was corroborated on Monday by a Magen David Adom investigative committee, which found concerns that the terrorist was hiding a bomb had not been ruled out.

5. BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT: SOLDIER WAS RIGHT IN SHOOTING TERRORIST
by Shimon Cohen

An expert on body language, Dr. Amir Helmer, has published an examination into the video of an IDF soldier shooting a neutralized terrorist in Hevron.

By analyzing it second by second, he found that the soldier's explanation is accurate and that the terrorist did pose an immediate threat during the seconds before the soldier fired.

During an interview with Arutz Sheva, Dr. Helmer spoke about the clip and what led him to his conclusions. "It interested me to examine the video because the soldier said that he saw the terrorist move. I was interested to know if that was correct. The politicians said that it was wrong and that he acted excessively. I took the clip and I saw that, before he arrived, people were yelling not to touch the terrorist because he may have an explosive.

"It was this situation into which the soldier entered. We see him talk to an officer or soldier, then turn his attention to the fact that the terrorist moved. This means that the soldier's comments were correct and accurate."

"That officer or soldier took something from him, so it would be easier for the soldier who shot to use his weapon. He moved people away from the firing line, they moved and then he fired a single shot. Not a burst and not excessively, but rather a single bullet," Dr. Helmer continued.

"The terrorist moved his head and his arm together. The movement of the hand is suitable for someone who is activating an explosive, meaning that the suspicion was real. His clothes, too. Even though it was a warm day he wore several layers, which raises the suspicion of an explosive. This means that the soldier's manner was justified and that he acted correctly. He identified the intention and immediately acted just as the army trained him to do and just as the Minister of Defense did when he was in Sayeret Matkal."

Helmer continued: "If there was an explosive belt, he would have been a hero. No one would be talking about a 'lapsed soldier' or a murderer. They would have called him a hero. This is a very fine line and it's difficult for us to decide, in this third intifada when we require the soldiers to check again and again. Why again and again, after he stabbed someone? He already carried out a stabbing."

In light of these findings, Dr. Helmer was asked if he thinks his professional analysis would cause him to be labeled as "right wing" by the media. He answered that his findings have no relevance to his political positions on issues, though "If they still asked me, then I am not right-wing. There are very clear facts here. The soldier acted according to what he felt was right at the time that he saw an immediate and clear threat."

Helmer acknowledged that various officials have pointed to the fact that six minutes passed between the attack and the shooting. However, he countered that the clip shows the soldier only arrived at the scene seconds before he saw movement and fired. Had it been a soldier who was present for several minutes and only then shot the terrorist, it would be a different issue.

To conclude, Dr. Helmer agreed it is unlikely that the politicians and journalists who severely bashed the soldier would retract their statements should they be proven wrong.

6. POLICE USE FAKE PRISON, ATTACKS TO SCARE JEWISH SUSPECTS
by Matt Wanderman

The Israel Police Service is using elaborate psychological tricks on Jews suspect of terrorism, Haaretz has uncovered.

Yitzhar Kalmanovich, one of the suspects in the Duma arson and murder, was reportedly placed in an unfamiliar cell in Acre Prison. While there, he witnessed a Jewish prisoner pull out a knife and stab and Arab prisoner.

"I ran to the door and saw it through the bars. The Arab was laying on the ground, covered in blood. He didn't say a word, it was quiet. There really was a murder here, it was scary. I was in shock. Someone in our cell quickly threw out water to clean the blood off the knife and remove all signs," Kalmanovich wrote in his diary, which was later published on Facebook.

Despite the realism, no murder actually took place. The entire Acre Prison, from the guards to the dead Arab inmate, were acting out a script in order to increase the pressure on Kalmanovich.

Each of the Duma suspects went through the same experience, though with some modifications each time. Once the stabbing took place in the hallway and the prison held an "investigation" to find the knife. Another time, the attack was preceded by a drug deal.

One teenage suspect was even prevented from attending his court hearing in order to keep him in the mock prison.

Police say that the efforts have succeeded at times, and that some prisoners broke down and admitted to additional acts of violence against Palestinians. However, critics argue that the falsified experiences are an unreasonable attempt to prevent suspects from maintaining their right to remain silent.

7. DEP FM: 'NO EUROPEAN LEADER WILL CONVINCE US TO COMMIT SUICIDE'
by Nitsan Keidar

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) says that the appointment of Dani Dayan as Israel's Consul General in New York is a major achievement for Israel.

"I think that Dani Dayan's appoint is, in a sense, a much more meaningful appointment than making him the ambassador in Brasilia," she told Arutz Sheva.

She added, "Despite Brazil's great importance, ultimately it's impossible to ignore the financial and business capital of the world combined with the ability to influence the country with which we have the most important strategic partnership. The diplomatic loudspeaker, as I would put it, that will come out of Dani Dayan's mouth will be heard much more in New York. I truly think it's a case of 'out of the strong, something sweet.'"

Yet it looks like the the Consul has much less influence on the US than the Ambassador

The hierarchy in the Foreign Ministry is very clear. The Consul General in New York is equivalent to the ambassador in a large and important state. It's completely clear that this isn't just some consul general - it's a person who oversees all the connections with the US media and all the Jewish organizations. It's the second American capital.

What about the appointment in Brazil? Will another ambassador be chosen soon?

Right now there is no decision on this. We are working separately. This was a fundamental issue. The State of Israel wanted to make it clear that no one would be rejected because he has a background in Judea and Samaria. So this goal was achieved. As for Brazil, we have a crisis involving a country undergoing a difficult political process but the main point has been made. Someone who is a "settler," and maybe a symbol of "settlements" will be our ambassador in a very important and strategic location.

According to your answer - do I understand correctly that there is no plan to fill the position of ambassador in Brasilia at the moment?

It's possible that, for now, we have an interest in doing so. As long as these political conditions remain, we may let the tension continue in order to show that we see it as a very serious issue, rejecting a person for his geographical background.

Last week the UN Human Rights Council passed another anti-Israeli resolution - this time about creating a blacklist of businesses that support communities in Judea and Samaria.

We had a discussion about this in the Foreign Minister. First of all, it's not going to be complete by tomorrow morning. Whoever chairs the Human Rights Council in Geneva needs to put together a list of businesses involved in building the communities.

How do you fight a decision like this?

The Foreign Ministry is already beginning to put pressure on commercial entities and US officials to explain that this isn't simply part of the international BDS movement and that we won't let it happen. The resolution's implementation is also very far away. It's a statement that has not yet been put into action and there is still a year until it is actualized, if at all. We tend to get overexcited over these things.

Despite this, it seems that the international community, and especially the UN, is acting in an anti-Israeli manner. And the Palestinians are trying to take advantage of it.

The Palestinians are in a position of very deep despair, because they understand that have effectively lost the world's support. They understand that they have no more tools - the world is up to its neck in the fight against radical Islamic terror alongside Europe's deep refugee crisis. They are trying to darken the State of Israel's image. We are very far from setting new precedents. Everything happening now has also occurred in the past.

Take, for example, the issue of the IDF soldier in Hevron - pictures like that always aroused the world.

The international arena is barely dealing with it. The only reaction was to the furor it raised within Israel. The world found it much less interesting than we did. In many cases it's stories we tell ourselves. I call it "homemade propaganda."

What about Europe trying to intervene between us and the Palestinians?

Countries need to talk in the language of interests. It's completely clear that all solutions to the political issue raised over the past few years are solutions that would ultimately bring radical Islamic terror to Israel's eastern border. And there is no European leader who can convince the country to commit suicide by bringing ISIS to our border.

And the French initiative? Does it have a chance?

The French initiative encountered a very active opposition from the US. It won't be fulfilled - and it was more of an attempt by France to have some control in the Middle East than an effort to change the reality.

8. HUNDREDS DEMAND RELEASE OF SOLDIER FROM HEVRON SHOOTING
by Arutz Sheva Staff

[video:2013956]

Hundreds gathered on Tuesday to protest the arrest of a soldier who killed a terrorist in Hevron last Thursday. The demonstrators met outside of a military court in Qastina where a hearing in the case is currently being held.

MK Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) joined the demonstration, saying: "We came here to support the soldier, and to compensate for the blatant interference by the Prime Minister and Defense Minister".

"From the very beginning there was inexplicable [effort] to interfere, [even] before the investigation began they were jumping on this 19-year-old soldier. I'm not deciding whether he behaved correctly or not; I prefer a soldier who errs and lives rather than a soldier who hesitates and, God forbid, is murdered by terrorists."

"We've come to support the soldier who was sent [there] by the Jewish people even when he makes a mistake; there's no way that he can be accused of murder and turned into a criminal."

"It saddens me that while the investigation hasn't even been completed yet, the Defense Minister is already making explicitly clear what he believes the proper outcome of the case should be."

MK Oren Hazan (Likud) and former Yisrael Beytenu MK Sharon Gal also participated in the demonstration.

Demonstrators chanted "free the hero" and called to soldiers standing guard saying that "its better in jail than the grave".

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Monday, March 28, 2016

A7News: Bennett: Bibi wants to please B'Tselem by sacrificing soldiers

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Monday, Mar. 28 '16, Adar Bet 18, 5776

HEADLINES:
1. BENNETT: BIBI WANTS TO PLEASE B'TSELEM BY SACRIFICING SOLDIERS
2. IDF HAS 11TH MOST POWERFUL MILITARY IN THE WORLD
3. CANADA TO UN: DON'T PUT OUR ANTI-ISRAEL PROF IN KEY MIDEAST POST
4. DANI DAYAN APPOINTED AS ISRAEL'S NY CONSUL GENERAL
5. REPORT: NSA CHIEF MADE SECRET VISIT TO ISRAEL
6. ISIS CELL PLANNED TO BOMB SECURITY FORCES IN JERUSALEM
7. MAZAL TOV: TRUMP WELCOMES JEWISH GRANDSON
8. WATCH: ISRAELI JUDOKA SEIZES GOLD MEDAL GLORY

1. BENNETT: BIBI WANTS TO PLEASE B'TSELEM BY SACRIFICING SOLDIERS
by Shimon Cohen

In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) laid heavy criticism against the Prime Minister and Defense Minister over his handling of the controversy surrounding the shooting of an injured terrorist in Hevron.

"A serious injustice occurred here. Thursday morning there was a difficult incident in which two terrorists went out to murder and were killed during and after the incident. I am not ignoring the shooting. There was a shooting incident and it is controversial," Bennett said.

"By that afternoon, leaders in the government and the opposition, Bougie [Herzog] and [Yair] Lapid on the left, as well as the Prime Minister and Defense Minister - everyone hurried to judge the soldier who made a mistake, and (said he) acted in an illegal and immoral manner. All this occurred before the regional command's investigation and before the military police investigation. Then after everyone pronounced the sentence, they gave it to the military police investigators and told them to investigate. What sort of investigation can there be after he's already sentenced?"

He continued: "Put yourselves in the military police investigator's shoes - you get a file for investigation on Thursday night after the country's leadership already sealed the soldier's fate. It's very hard to ignore this. This is an unnecessary attack and we should not do so on the basis of a partial B'Tselem YouTube video. In the video we don't hear the voices asking about a suicide vest like you do in other videos."

"We're talking now while it's raining outside and thousands of soldiers are guarding us on our borders and in Judea and Samaria. We need to support them. I as a company commander made mistakes and received support, and my soldiers also made mistakes and I supported them. This is what we need: to support the IDF soldiers. That's the minimum."

When asked why he believes the Prime Minister and Defense Minister made their remarks, Bennett answered, "There is some desire here to please the world, the media, B'Tselem and the justice system. I don't know who to please but we must first figure out who is good and who is bad.

"The good ones here are the State of Israel and the bad ones are the terrorists who come to murder us. We are in a war against murderous terror that kills our children every day, and to throw around murder charges against a soldier... is irresponsible."

2. IDF HAS 11TH MOST POWERFUL MILITARY IN THE WORLD
by Shoshana Miskin

Israel's military is the eleventh strongest in the world, according to the international defense site Global Firepower (GFP).

GFP only factored into account conventional military capabilities when assembling its list of 126 countries. In doing so, it including 50 other relevant criteria, such as economic strength, natural resources and geographical size. It did not, however, consider nuclear capabilities or the total number of weapons each military possesses.

The United States topped the list, followed by Russia and China in second and third place, respectively.

India and the United Kingdom rounded off the top five.

Israel's conventional military strength exceeded other countries in the region, including Egypt (18th), Iran (23rd), Syria (42nd) and Jordan (65th).

The Jewish state also ranked higher than some European countries, including Italy (16th), Switzerland (30th), and Spain (38th).

The full list can be viewed here.

3. CANADA TO UN: DON'T PUT OUR ANTI-ISRAEL PROF IN KEY MIDEAST POST
by Shoshana Miskin

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion has joined the chorus of voices calling on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to review its appointment of a Canadian law professor with an alleged history of anti-Israel bias to a key Middle East position.

Western University law professor Michael Lynk was named on Thursday the UNHRC's special rapporteur on human rights in "Palestine". The following day, Dion tweeted his government's concern at the appointment.

"We call on UNHRC President to review this appointment & ensure Special Rapporteur has track record that can advance peace in the region." Dion stated adding that the human rights council should appoint a "professional, neutral and credible" candidate.

Canadian MPs Michael Levitt, Tony Clement and Peter Kent of the Conservative Party in Canada have also called for the professor to be disqualified from the position over his alleged anti-Israel bias.

"(Michael Lynk) has demonstrated repeatedly that he is unsuitable to fulfill this position through his long record of anti-Israel activity," said Levitt according to the Canadian Jewish News. "Given the concerns that I and others have expressed to Minister Dion, I am pleased that he instructed our ambassador to Geneva to reach out to the president of the council to underscore the importance Canada assigns to ensuring that the chosen candidate meet appropriate criteria of professionalism and neutrality."

Furthermore, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs denounced Lynk saying he "has been significantly involved in anti-Israel advocacy in Canada, including signing anti-Israel petitions, calling for Israel to be prosecuted for war crimes, accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing, addressing conferences promoting one bi-national state, and serving as a leader of a group that promotes Israeli Apartheid Week."

Lynk declined further comment but said he would speak further once at the appropriate time to "correct the misleading statements that have been said about me and my views".

4. DANI DAYAN APPOINTED AS ISRAEL'S NY CONSUL GENERAL
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Monday morning the formal appointment of former Yesha Council head Dani Dayan as Israel's Consul General in New York.

Dayan will replace Foreign Ministry career official Ido Aharoni, who is completing his term.

The surprise announcement comes after eight months of deadlock with Brazil, which had refused to accept Dayan's appointment as Israeli Ambassador to Brasilia.

Speaking with Arutz Sheva, Dayan said, "Back in August, when the Prime Minister gave me the position in Brazil, I asked for the position in New York. I believe I can make a revolution in Israeli outreach in North America, and New York is its beating heart. I will know how to hold a respectful dialog with all layers of American Judaism - Orthodox and Reform, liberal and conservative - and with the supporters of both political parties. I will do so while faithfully presenting Israel's positions."

It currently remains unclear whether Israel will choose to send an ambassador to Brazil, or choose to leave the embassy without an ambassador as a protest.

5. REPORT: NSA CHIEF MADE SECRET VISIT TO ISRAEL
by Ben Ariel

The head of the United States' National Security Agency (NSA), Admiral Michael Rogers, was secretly in Israel last week for a working visit that dealt with forging closer cooperation in the cyber field with the Israel Defense Forces' Intelligence Corps Unit 8200, especially against attacks by Iran and Hezbollah, a senior Israeli official told Haaretz on Sunday.

The NSA is the largest agency of the American intelligence community and deals with signal intelligence through monitoring, interception and analysis of communications such as telephone conversations, emails, communications between computers and other sources. The NSA is also responsible for protecting the computer and communications networks of the U.S. government from cyberattacks by hostile forces. It also carries out its own cyberattacks on countries or individuals that are considered intelligence or operational targets.

A senior Israeli official told Haaretz that Rogers came to Israel as a guest of the commander of Unit 8200, but also met with senior officials from other Israeli intelligence agencies.

Rogers did not meet with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot or the director of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Herzl Halevi in the course of his visit.

Rogers is also head of the U.S. Army's Cyber Command. One of the subjects that apparently came up in his discussions in Israel was the IDF cyber arm, the creation of which Eisenkot announced last June, and that will bring together all the various IDF cyber entities under its aegis.

The senior Israeli official noted that one of the subjects that Rogers discussed while in Israel was cooperation in the field of cyber defense, particularly in the face of attacks from Iran and Hezbollah.

A few days before Rogers' arrival in Israel, noted Haaretz, the U.S. Justice Department filed indictments for the first time against a group of Iranian hackers on charges of carrying out cyberattacks on banks and essential infrastructure in the U.S. three years ago at the behest of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Israel has also faced cyberattacks from Iran and Hezbollah, which according to senior IDF officers were prominent during the fighting with Hamas and its allies in Gaza in the summer of 2014, but have risen in intensity in recent months.

A senior IDF official said last month that cyberattacks against Israel - while still ongoing - were down overall in 2015 compared to previous years, though he added that there is still room for improvement in the IDF's ongoing battle against cyber warfare.

A book by New York Times chief Washington correspondent David Sanger has claimed that the NSA and Unit 8200 cooperated on an offensive cyber operation against the Iranian nuclear program that was given the code name Olympic Games. As part of the operation, carried out between 2008 and 2011, the two agencies allegedly created the computer worm dubbed Stuxnet and planted it in the communications networks of Iran's uranium enrichment facilities.

Following the Stuxnet virus, the Flame virus which was reportedly related to Stuxnet also surfaced in 2012 and disrupted computers in several Arab countries, including Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, and Sudan.

Iran also claimed later that Israel and Saudi Arabia had teamed up to launch another virus, similar to the Stuxnet virus, to disrupt its nuclear program.

Cooperation between the NSA and Unit 8200 is deep, intimate and has been ongoing for decades, noted Haaretz. NSA documents leaked by former agent Edward Snowden disclosed the extent of this cooperation. For example, a top-secret NSA memorandum from April 2013 that was published in August 2014 on The Intercept website said the NSA was maintaining far-reaching technical and research ties with Unit 8200 and was sharing information with it on access, interception, goals, language, analysis and reporting.

6. ISIS CELL PLANNED TO BOMB SECURITY FORCES IN JERUSALEM
by Uzi Baruch

Charges were filed today (Monday) at Jerusalem District Court against two residents of Tzur Baher in eastern Jerusalem who planned a terror attack on behalf of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS).

According to the charges against them, Muasab Alian, 23, and Samir Abed Rabo, 38, had planned to carry out a car bombing attack against security forces in Jerusalem.

Both were charged with conspiracy to aid the enemy in wartime. In addition, Alian was indicted on charges of membership in and activity on behalf of an illegal organization, membership in a terrorist organization, providing support to a terrorist organization and attempting to leave the country illegally.

Abed Rabo was also charged with supporting a terrorist organization and making contact with a foreign agent.

The charge sheet against them outlines a familiar pattern among Israeli-Arab ISIS recruits, many of whom have been jailed in the past and at least dozens of whom are currently in Syria and Iraq fighting for the so-called Islamic State.

According to the indictment, Muasab Alian began his affiliation with ISIS in early 2014, and between 2015-2016 took part in Islamic study sessions which included - among other things - instruction in the ISIS ideology.

By the start of 2015 he had sworn allegiance to ISIS, and decided to travel to Syria to fight among its ranks.

In October 2015 he traveled to Jordan, hoping to make his way from there to Syria via Turkey. However, he was arrested by Jordanian security forces and interrogated for several days before being deported back to Israel.

Undeterred, Alian worked to raise money in Israel to help him appeal to the Turkish Embassy to allow him to enter the country. At the same time he looked into the possibility of reaching Syria via Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, where ISIS has an active branch.

During the same period, Samir Abed Rabo had begun his own affiliation with ISIS, and was actively seeking out other members and sympathizers online. Eventually, he met Alian, and the two began plotting to carry out a bombing attack targeting Israeli security forces stationed in Jerusalem along with another, unnamed individual.

Abed Rabo, who had some knowledge of bomb assembly, was recruited by Alian to construct the explosives.

The terrorists bought a cellphone to use as a remote detonator, and began gathering other elements necessary to construct the bomb. All three met regularly to discuss and plan their attack - before Alian and Abed Rabo were arrested and eventually charged.

The security services have requested the two be held in custody pending their trial.

7. MAZAL TOV: TRUMP WELCOMES JEWISH GRANDSON
by Shoshana Miskin

Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump became a grandfather for the eighth time Sunday night.

The billionaire business mogul's daughter Ivanka "Yael" Trump, who converted to Judaism in 2009, announced via Twitter the birth of her son with husband Jared Kushner.

Baby Theodore James joins brother Joseph Frederick, 2, and sister Arabella Rose, 4, as Trump's Jewish family grows.

Until recently, Ivanka had been on the trail campaigning for her father. She serves as Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at the Trump Organization. Her husband, Jared, is an investor and real estate mogul.

8. WATCH: ISRAELI JUDOKA SEIZES GOLD MEDAL GLORY
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Israeli judoka Or Sasson brought pride to the nation on Sunday as he won a gold medal at the Judo Grand Prix, held in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi.

Sasson's victory in the over 100 kilogram division can be seen in the following coverage from the final block of day three of the competition. His last bout is at 1:49:45 in the video.

[youtube:2013874]

Before reaching his medal, Sasson went through a serious of difficult matches, which began with his victory over Christopher Sherrington of the UK. In the quarterfinal he defeated Rafael Silva of Brazil, who went on to take the bronze medal.

Sasson shined in the semi-final, where he scored an ippon take-down in just 22 seconds against Andrey Volkov of Russia, sealing his chances for a medal. But he had to fight to win the gold in a last bout with Roy Meyer, a judoka from Holland.

Against Meyer, who is ranked sixth in the world, Sasson made a final push and solidified his gold medal.

Sasson's gold marks the second Israeli medal in the competition, after Gili Cohen managed to grab a silver medal in her own weight class.

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Sunday, March 27, 2016

A7News: Report: UK bankrolling Fogel family's killers

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Sunday, Mar. 27 '16, Adar Bet 17, 5776

HEADLINES:
1. REPORT: UK BANKROLLING FOGEL FAMILY'S KILLERS
2. TEMPERS FLARE AS BENNETT FACES OFF AGAINST NETANYAHU, YA'ALON
3. IDF REJECTS 'WITCH-HUNT' CLAIMS, SAYS SOLDIER ISN'T PERSECUTED
4. WATCH: 'I NEARLY DIED BECAUSE OF IDF OPEN-FIRE RESTRICTIONS'
5. NETANYAHU DEFENDS IDF AFTER SOLDIER SHOOTS INJURED TERRORIST
6. ARRESTED SOLDIER TOLD FRIENDS: 'TERRORIST STABBERS SHOULD DIE'
7. SANDERS WINS TRIFECTA IN WASHINGTON, ALASKA, HAWAII CAUCUSES
8. BILL MAHER: AFTER ATTACKS MAYBE EUROPE WILL LAY OFF ISRAEL

1. REPORT: UK BANKROLLING FOGEL FAMILY'S KILLERS
by David Rosenberg

Every year, the UK funds the Palestinian Authority to the tune of more than $100 million, including direct cash transfers. According to a new report, much of it goes to supporting terrorists guilty of the worst atrocities.

Despite denials by the UK's Department For International Development (DFID), an investigation by the Daily Mail has revealed that much of the $100 million given to the PA has been used for purposes other than humanitarian aid, including the construction of lavish mansions and funding for terrorists guilty of murdering Israelis.

On Saturday the paper revealed that until last year, the UK had been funding the Palestine Liberation Organization directly, supplying the terrorist group with money it passes on to terrorists and their families.

Among the recipients of these funds are Amjad and Hakim Awad, the terrorist murderers who broke into the Fogel family home in Itamar, slaughtering the parents and three children. The terrorist cousins received $23,000 thus far.

Abdallah Barghouti, a senior Hamas commander and bomb-maker, known as "the engineer", is another beneficiary of the terrorist fund, receiving an estimated $150,000. Barghouti is responsible for a series of deadly suicide bombings, including the bombing of Hebrew University in 2002.

While the UK and EU now transfer funds through the Palestinian Authority, rather than directly to the PLO, there is often little practical difference, as the PLO runs the PA. Cash payments made to the PA are easily passed on to the PLO, and with Hamas a member of the PA unity government, it receives a significant portion of PA funds.

All of this comes despite the fact that the UK's national deficit forced the government to borrow £70 billion (nearly $99 billion) in 2015.

The UK spends more on foreign aid than any other developed country, thanks to a permanent commitment to spend 0.7% of its national wealth on aid - a commitment which forces agencies to spend the money in order to meet the directives regardless of the merit of the projects they spend on. A petition calling on the British government to curb its enormous, often wasteful expenditure on foreign aid has already gained more than 20,000 signatures since the revelations came to light.

he Daily Mail has also found that despite officially handing responsibility for money transfers for convicted terrorists and their families to the PLO, the Palestinian Authority continues to directly fund those involved in terrorism.

The family of two men arrested for terror attacks on Israelis reportedly receives monthly payments from both the PA and PLO.

According to Itamar Marcus, Director of the Palestinian Media Watch organization, the EU and UK had chosen to turn a blind eye to the systematic misuse of funds they give the Palestinian Authority every year.

"There is willful blindness by the UK and EU, who were happy not to even carry out the simplest investigation."

The Palestinian Authority, for its part, openly touts the money transfers to terrorists. "It is not a crime to be fighting occupation," said Amir Nasser, a senior PA official. "These people are heroes. We could be giving them much more money and it would not be enough."

Nasser went on to claim that should the Palestinian Authority win statehood, it would demand even more money from the UK. "You should pay us more money," he said.

2. TEMPERS FLARE AS BENNETT FACES OFF AGAINST NETANYAHU, YA'ALON
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The political fallout from last Thursday's killing by an IDF soldier of a wounded terrorist in Hevron continues to make headlines on Sunday, with fresh criticism aimed at Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon.

The incident, which has enflamed passions on both sides of the debate, has divided the coalition government, turning even political allies against one another.

During the government's weekly meeting on Sunday, Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) lambasted Ya'alon's criticism of the soldier involved in the incident, saying it was not the role of the political establishment to judge the accused.

"We cannot determine the fate (in court) of the soldier. We need to support our troops," said Bennett.

"Why rush to judgment before the investigation? You've confused the good-guys with the bad-guys. We're at war against murderous Palestinian terror. At the front line stands the soldier," Bennett continued.

"Why was it necessary to jump on the soldier so fast on Thursday? The investigation of the army Central Command only began on Friday!"

"What message does that send to thousands of soldiers, [sending out a premature] indictment for murder? You've confused the good-guys with the bad-guys! Why is the country's leadership dancing to B'Tselem's tune? We don't know what the soldier was thinking [when he shot]."

Bennett called on the government to support the army "with actions, not words."

Netanyahu quickly responded to Bennett's statement, deriding his comments as political grandstanding.

"Don't politicize everything. You won't lecture me about ethics."

Other ministers also accused Bennett of using the incident to make political capital, including Gilad Erdan (Likud) and Aryeh Deri (Shas).

Some MKs in both the coalition and opposition have expressed open support for the soldier now under investigation, including Science Minister Ofir Akunis (Likud), MK Bezalel Smotrich (Jewish Home), and former Foreign Minister MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu).

3. IDF REJECTS 'WITCH-HUNT' CLAIMS, SAYS SOLDIER ISN'T PERSECUTED
by David Rosenberg

As supporters and family members of the soldier accused in last Thursday's killing of a wounded terrorist continue to decry what they describe as a "witch-hunt" or "lynch", an army spokesman responded to criticism on Sunday, rejecting claims the soldier was being persecuted.

Brigadier General Moti Almoz took to Facebook, writing that the ongoing IDF investigation of the soldier had only begun several days ago, and investigators were no rushing to judgment.

"We're not investigating this so that we can feel pious about ourselves," wrote Almoz, "we're doing it for our own sake [the army's]."

Almoz also rebuffed claims by supporters of the accused soldier that the investigation was an effort to placate leftwing interests or was a concession to international pressure.

"The incident isn't being investigated because of B'Tselem or because of some international lynch [of Israel]; rather it's for our own sake, our image, and our values."

The leftwing NGO B'Tselem, which publicized a video of the incident, made the incident an international headline. However, a report from the initial inquiry revealed that the circumstances surrounding the shooting were already being assessed by army officials prior to the video's publication.

Almoz also emphasized the distinction between the army's quick response ending the terror attack, and the ethical issues created by a soldier taking matters into his own hands.

"In professional terms, we determined that the soldiers [in Hevron] acted appropriately [in dealing with the terror attack] and we praised them for quickly stopping the terrorists. In terms of [army] ethics, after the initial investigation by our officers, we've determined that there was a serious incident."

"We don't measure or make [our code of ethics] based on comments on the internet; rather [we set them] in the field, when it's difficult, when it's complicated, when things aren't clear. Orders always need to be followed."

The debate over the incident and the army's response quickly spilled over into the Knesset, where nationalist MKs squared off against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon over their comments castigating the soldier's actions. Almoz insisted that the soldier would receive a fair trial, and called for political leaders to leave the army outside of the political debate.

"We won't abandon him, or [subject him] to a drumhead field trial, or [let him suffer] a lynch."

"Let's say it openly: We're [the army] setting the norms here; this was a serious incident and we insist that the army remain above the political debate. What we will do is have a proper investigation, and that's only begun, there's no reason to decide the results already."

4. WATCH: 'I NEARLY DIED BECAUSE OF IDF OPEN-FIRE RESTRICTIONS'
by Yoni Kempinski

[youtube:2013857]

As controversy continues to rage over the fatal shooting of a wounded terrorist in Hevron on Thursday, a former soldier who nearly lost his life in a similar situation has urged the public not to rush to judge the soldier who shot the Arab knifeman in the head.

Dror Zicherman lost his commanding officer and suffered critical injuries when a suicide bomber detonated his bomb vest during a security check in Tulkarem.

The incident took place in December 2005, during a routine anti-terror patrol in the Palestinian Authority city.

Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Zicherman blamed his commander's death and his own severe injuries on overly-stringent army procedures against opening fire on suspected terrorists. He insisted the actions of the soldier currently under investigation for killing the wounded terrorist - who had stabbed his comrade minutes earlier, and about whom troops in the vicinity had voiced concerns he may have been hiding an explosive device - should be viewed in light of those kinds of split-second, life-or-death scenarios soldiers regularly face.

Recounting his own brush with death, Zicherman described how, as his patrol stopped a taxi for a security check, his attention was immediately drawn to a passenger in the car.

"He wore a leather coat, and it was a very hot day - 25 or 30 degrees (Celcius) - and it was filled with something.

"I looked into his eyes... he looked like he was going to die."

Zicherman immediately aimed his rifle at the suspect, but his commanding officer ordered him to hold his fire, citing army regulations.

As the officer began to check the Arab terrorist he detonated his explosive vest, killing the officer and leaving Zicherman's body peppered with potentially lethal shrapnel. It took him many months to recover from his injuries.

He insists his own experience and the scenario which played out in Hevron on Thursday are "almost the same. I was injured and my officer got killed because we went according to the procedure."

Zicherman acknowledged that, at least from the video released of the incident, it does indeed appear that the soldier broke army regulations. But nevertheless he said it was wrong to automatically presume the soldier's guilt, and slammed the rush to do so in the Israeli and foreign press.

"I don't know what the situation was there, but he didn't murder him, he killed the terrorist because he wanted to save his friends... he's not a murderer.

"The army should check what happened, but it shouldn't be judged on Facebook or in the media."

5. NETANYAHU DEFENDS IDF AFTER SOLDIER SHOOTS INJURED TERRORIST
by Ari Soffer

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu convened the government's weekly cabinet meeting Sunday, and began with a strident defense of the conduct of the IDF, following the killing of an injured terrorist in Hevron.

During the incident in question, which took place on Thursday afternoon, a soldier shot a terrorist in the head as he lay wounded and apparently neutralized, after having stabbed and moderately injured another soldier.

An investigation is currently underway, and the soldier in question has been suspended pending a military trial. The soldier's defense team claim he feared the terrorist had an explosive belt and acted to neutralize the threat, but prosecutors allege the actions were in fact motivated by revenge - citing in part comments he had made prior to the incident.

Netanyahu emphasized that, whatever the outcome of the trial, the army itself stringently upholds "the highest ethical values."

"Any challenge to the morality of the IDF is outrageous and unacceptable," the PM said. "The soldiers of the IDF, our children, maintain high ethical values while courageously fighting against bloodthirsty murderers under difficult operational conditions.

"I am certain that in all cases, as in the current one, the inquiry takes into account all conditions. We must all support the IDF Chief-of-Staff, the IDF and our soldiers, who safeguard our security."

The prime minister also sent his condolences to the family of the commander of the IDF Civil Administration, who died in a tragic accident on Friday.

"I would like to send condolences to the family of Brig.-Gen. Munir Amar who died in a regrettable airplane crash in the Galilee," Netanyahu stated.

"Munir was an outstanding fighter and commander. He excelled in all his posts, including his most recent one as head of the Civil Administration. He was imbued with a sense of mission to defend the State of Israel, his state, the state of all of us."

6. ARRESTED SOLDIER TOLD FRIENDS: 'TERRORIST STABBERS SHOULD DIE'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

The inquiry into last Thursday's fatal shooting of a wounded Arab terrorist has revealed some important clues into the incident that drew sharp condemnations from Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon.

According to a report on Israel Army Radio, the initial investigation into the shooting has found that 11 minutes elapsed from the time the terrorist was neutralized, until the fatal shooting in question.

The shooting, which was captured on film by an Arab activist associated with the B'Tselem organization, created an international storm last week after the video went viral.

The report on Israel Army Radio also provided details on the army's handling of the shooting. Contrary to claims made after the video's release, the incident had in fact been reported through the army's chain of command prior to the release of the B'Tselem video, with officers filing a complaint against the soldier even prior to the video's publication.

While the soldier responsible for the shooting has claimed that he believed the terrorist was wearing a suicide bomb, investigators discovered that he had made statements suggesting revenge was the motive.

One soldier reportedly told authorities that the soldier under investigation had earlier said to him that "a terrorist who stabs one of our comrades needs to die". The witness also testified that he tried to calm the soldier involved in the incident, telling him the soldier wounded in the terror attack was lightly injured and would be fine.

After the shooting the platoon commander questioned the soldier, asking him "Why did you shoot?" The soldier responded by saying that "a terrorist who stabs needs to die". The officer then removed the soldier from the scene and reported the incident to his commander.

The soldier's attorney, Eyal Besserglick, responded that people on the scene of the attack "were yelling 'he's still moving, he might have a bomb'." He also noted that the terrorist was wearing a heavy coat on a warm day, often a sign of a concealed explosive device.

"What's more, before this [shooting] there was a stabbing attack, and the person [involved] was there with a coat, so what do you expect? That afterwards this soldier would be killed along with his friends, so that we can mourn our dead?"

"He had no choice but to act as he did, otherwise he [might have] lost his life and those of his comrades, whom he tried to save."

7. SANDERS WINS TRIFECTA IN WASHINGTON, ALASKA, HAWAII CAUCUSES
by Arutz Sheva Staff

On Saturday, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders scored three victories, beating frontrunner Hillary Clinton in contests in Hawaii, Washington, and Alaska.

During an address in Wisconsin, Sanders thanked Alaska for "a resounding victory", and also claimed strong momentum in Washington state.

"We knew things would begin to improve when we moved west," he said to huge applause. The Washington results came in as he spoke, and he drew a deafening cheer when he read the news aloud, according to the newspaper.

With 173 delegates at stake in the three western states, Sanders picked up badly needed momentum as he struggles to close the gap with the former Secretary of State.

Currently, Sanders trails Clinton in the delegate count 956 to 1,234. To secure the nomination, a candidate needs 2,383 delegates.

Clinton's campaign conceded that Sanders had the edge in all three contests Saturday, but claimed that even the largest prize, Washington, will make little difference in the dynamics of a primary contest that she has long been favored to win.

The latest Bloomberg poll of likely Democratic primary voters nationwide shows a tight race, with Sanders edging out Clinton 49% to 48%. Recent polls in Pennsylvania, however, show Sanders losing to Hillary by 25 points. A landslide loss in Pennsylvania would leave Sanders with few paths to the nomination, and would require a sizable Sanders win in California, where he presently trails by 7 points.

A CNN/ORC survey last week gave Sanders a 20-point lead over Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in a head-to-head contest. Clinton held a 12-point lead over Trump in the same survey.

Sanders hopes that momentum from his victories Saturday will carry forward to a much-watched contest on April 5 in Wisconsin, which shares borders with two states — Michigan and Minnesota — that Sanders won over Clinton in previous contests.

Both candidates are expected to campaign in Wisconsin over the next few days.

8. BILL MAHER: AFTER ATTACKS MAYBE EUROPE WILL LAY OFF ISRAEL
by David Rosenberg

Warning: This video contains strong language that some viewers may find offensive.

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Liberal comedian and commentator Bill Maher, who has become famous for his profanity-laced riffs on conservatives and organized religion, took aim at European treatment of the Jewish state on Friday.

During a panel discussion on his late-night HBO show Real Time, Maher blasted the UN and scolded Europe for its behavior towards Israel.

"Europe has been real a******s about Israel," Maher said.

"I mean, in general. The U.N. – as of 2015, the United Nations Human Rights Council had issued more official condemnations of Israel than the rest of the world's nations combined. I wonder now that Europe has been attacked four times now in a little over a year, and they say ISIS has 400 fighters that they are ready to introduce back into Europe, and they're trying to get a dirty bomb - maybe Europe will have a little more sympathy for what Israel goes through."

Maher has consistently bucked prevalent trends among fellow liberals, and is a strong critic of Islamic radicalism and a staunch supporter of Israel.

In an opinion piece published in the Huffington Post, Maher even expressed support for President George W. Bush - a frequent target on his show - on the issue of Israel, writing "I love being on the side of my president."

"There was no entity of Arabs called "Palestine" before Israel made the desert bloom," Maher wrote.

"If those 600,000 original Palestinian refugees had been handled with maturity by their Arab brethren, who had nothing but space to put them, they could have moved on — the way Germans, Czechs, Poles, Chinese and everybody else has, including, of course, the Jews."

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