Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Friday, Apr. 22 '16, Nissan 14, 5776
HEADLINES:
1. WATCH: SOLDIER WHO SHOT HEVRON TERRORIST FREED FOR PASSOVER
2. KREMLIN DENIES BIBI-PUTIN MEETING WAS OVER AERIAL INCIDENT
3. 17-YEAR-OLD NAMED AS HAIFA BUS CRASH FATALITY
4. ARGENTINE POP STAR SENDS MESSAGE TO BUS BOMB VICTIM
5. SOVEREIGNTY SIGNS PROTEST IDF WITHDRAWAL FROM JUDEA-SAMARIA
6. MANISCHEWITZ SUED FOR FIRING KOSHER INSPECTOR
7. POLICE ARREST JEWS FOR TRYING TO OFFER SACRIFICE ON TEMPLE MOUNT
8. CHIEF RABBI CALLS WORLD JEWS HOME FOR PASSOVER
1. WATCH: SOLDIER WHO SHOT HEVRON TERRORIST FREED FOR PASSOVER
by Kobi Finkler
IDF sergeant Elor Azariya, the Kfir Brigade soldier who last month shot a wounded Arab terrorist in Hevron and currently is on trial for manslaughter, was released from his open detention at his IDF base for Passover, the holiday of freedom.
Azariya, 20, is to spend the seder with his family in Ramle, and on Sunday he will return to his detention. Video from his return shows his excited family, friends and supporters welcoming him back.
[video:2014750]
At the start of the week an indictment charging Azariya with manslaughter was submitted by the military prosecutor, but the military judge Lt. Col. Ronen Shur said that the level of criminality of Azariya's actions is far less than that ascribed to him by the prosecutor.
Azariya's arrest has been extended until the end of legal proceedings, although the judge agreed to let him be released to his family for the holiday.
Azariya has testified he shot over concerns that the terrorist - who minutes earlier with an accomplice stabbed and wounded a soldier - was moving to detonate a hidden bomb belt. Other soldiers at the scene, a Magen David Adom (MDA) investigative committee and a CID officer have all confirmed that concerns of a bomb belt had not been ruled out.
On Tuesday a massive rally supporting the soldier was held at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square, in which thousands demonstrated in a call to release Azariya.
2. KREMLIN DENIES BIBI-PUTIN MEETING WAS OVER AERIAL INCIDENT
by Ari Yashar
Russia on Friday denied reports in Israeli media, according to which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting on Thursday was meant to discuss an aerial incident over Syria.
The alleged aerial incident between Israeli Air Force (IAF) and Russian fighter jets was reported by Yedioth Aharonoth on Thursday night as being the impetus of the meeting.
A Russian jet was said to have been scrambled in recent days to intercept an IAF aircraft flying along the Syrian coast and even fired on the Israeli craft, although the two aircraft did not make contact.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference Friday that "in this case, Israeli press reports are far from reality," reports Reuters.
The report of the incident was strengthened by the fact that in the meeting, it was agreed that IAF Commander Gen. Amir Eshel and Netanyahu's senior military adviser Brig. Gen. Eliezer Toledano would hold a special meeting with Russia's defense minister and several other generals.
Netanyahu held a press briefing after his meeting with Putin, in which he stated that significant achievements were made for the security of Israel, stressing the coordination of the armies of the two nations in Syria, where Russia is active in propping up Bashar al-Assad's regime.
He emphasized that the meeting was crucial in preserving the IDF's operational freedom.
3. 17-YEAR-OLD NAMED AS HAIFA BUS CRASH FATALITY
by Tova Dvorin
A gag order has been lifted on the identity of the fatality in a horrific bus crash in Haifa Thursday night, with the 20-something fatality now revealed to be 17-year-old Or Elbaz.
Elbaz, an eleventh-grade student at the Chugim high school in Haifa, alighted the 101 bus Thursday night to buy a new outfit for Passover. She was an only child born to older parents.
Her funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Kfar Samir cemetery in the city. Fifty-four people in total were wounded from the crash; five remain in serious condition.
The Egged 101 line bus was said to be traveling from the direction of Hof Hacarmel towards Neve Shaanan along the tunnels when it crashed.
Initially it was reported that the bus hit a truck and as a result veered from its lane, crashing into the tunnel wall.
However, later investigations indicated the bus veered for an as yet unknown reason, and police continue to check the circumstances.
Investigators told Yediot Aharonot Friday that the driver blamed a technical problem for the crash during the initial interrogations.
The driver, a 44-year-old man from Haifa, will appear in court Sunday on charges of manslaughter, deviating from a bus route, and reckless driving. He is currently under house arrest until the hearing.
4. ARGENTINE POP STAR SENDS MESSAGE TO BUS BOMB VICTIM
by Ari Yashar
Fifteen-year-old Eden Dadon was anxiously awaiting the performance in Israel of Lali Esposito, an internationally famous Argentine actress and singer - but then she was seriously wounded in the Hamas bus bombing in Jerusalem on Monday.
Dadon had already bought tickets two months ago for Esposito's show next week, but she was among the 15 victims wounded in southeastern Jerusalem by the bomb attack earlier this week, erasing her chances of seeing Esposito.
The girl is hospitalized at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital's emergency treatment unit where she is on artificial respiration and is put to sleep on anesthetics. Her mother Racheli, who was with her on the bus and was lightly wounded in the attack, is constantly by her side praying for her recovery.
But in a heart-warming move at the initiative of Yedioth Aharonoth, the international star who is famous in Israel from the TV show Casi Angeles and other works sent a video message of encouragement to her young fan and terror victim.
The family had asked for Esposito to visit Eden, but since she wasn't able to reach the hospital, she sent a video message which was published by Yedioth Aharonoth on Friday.
"Hello Eden, this is Lali, I'm sending you a big big kiss," Esposito said in her video message in Spanish.
"I think you must understand something in Spanish, because I understand that you are a fan of mine and all the works I took part in. I want to thank you from my whole heart for all the love," continued the Argentine star.
"Everyone came to me in order to speak about you and how you're a devoted fan. Let there be no doubt, the next time I come to Israel you will be in the front row, enjoying the performance. I love you, kisses."
The Dadon family was very moved by the video message, and played it for Eden who is still asleep under anesthetics.
"She understands and reads Spanish," said Eden's cousin Riki Ohana. "The moment we showed her the video she heard it, she felt, she understood, her pulse went up. It was a moving moment."
"Eden has been a fan of Lali for seven years, and she was counting down the minutes to the concert," added Ohana.
Eden's mother Racheli asked to thank Esposito for the support, saying, "thanks to Lali, the sweetheart. Eden really loves you, and she will understand every word you said in the video you sent."
An update of the victims from the bombing attack was given on Thursday by Prof. Avi Rivkind, director of Hadassah Ein Kerem's trauma ward.
"In the emergency breathing treatment unit three wounded are hospitalized from the bus attack. They were seriously wounded in their breathing passages, and are still put to sleep and on artificial respiration, although their status is stable and they are not in life-threatening danger," said the doctor.
5. SOVEREIGNTY SIGNS PROTEST IDF WITHDRAWAL FROM JUDEA-SAMARIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
In response to heated Cabinet discussions on negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on an IDF withdrawal from Area A in Judea and Samaria, Women in Green activists went out on Thursday night to make a statement.
The activists hung signs calling for the application of Israeli sovereignty on the red warning signs at the entrance to Area A, a series of regions classified by the 1994 Oslo Accord as being under full PA security and administrative control. The IDF was forced to reenter the regions due to the rampant terrorism of the 2000 Oslo War or Second Intifada.
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, the leaders of Women in Green, spoke about the reason for their night-time mission.
"During these days, immediately before the holiday of Freedom, when there is more and more talk of the IDF no longer entering Area A, it is precisely now the correct time to apply sovereignty over the Land of Israel," they said.
"If the IDF does not enter Area A it means a surrender of the area against the will of the people," they said, adding, "Ministers (Ze'ev) Elkin and (Naftali) Bennett did well in preventing, for now, this terrible decision."
Warning against a withdrawal, they said, "we must be extra aware of the danger that the territory will be usurped. This is why Women in Green activists hung signs calling for sovereignty on Route 60 (from Shechem in northern Samaria to southern Har Hevron in southern Judea) and on the red signs at the entry to Area A, signs cautioning Jews against entry into these areas."
"These signs are an outrage. Unfortunately, we did not fight when they placed these signs at the time and now there is talk about the IDF retreating from Area A. These red signs must be taken down immediately and we must apply sovereignty."
"The time has come for sovereignty" Women in Green
6. MANISCHEWITZ SUED FOR FIRING KOSHER INSPECTOR
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, the longtime inspector of matzah (unleavened bread for Passover) for the kosher foods company Manischewitz, has sued the company for firing him after he criticized a lapse in kashrut standards.
The lawsuit was filed against the company in Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday after the rabbi was fired from his post at Manischewitz after complaining it was not adhering to Jewish dietary law, reports Associated Press on Friday.
Rabbi Horowitz had long been Manischewitz's chief supervising rabbi, on behalf of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America which independently ensures kosher standards.
The rabbi seeks millions of dollars in compensation for emotional distress and damage to his reputation in the lawsuit, which was filed in New York City.
However, the Orthodox Union branded the lawsuit "entirely without merit," while asserting that Manischewitz meets the highest standards of kashrut.
Manischewitz officials have declined to comment on the lawsuit.
7. POLICE ARREST JEWS FOR TRYING TO OFFER SACRIFICE ON TEMPLE MOUNT
by Uzi Baruch
Israel Police arrested two Israeli Jews in Jerusalem on Friday morning, as they carried a young goat up to the Temple Mount.
They were arrested on account of "behavior which was bound to break the peace," Police said in a statement.
Shortly thereafter, the police also found another young goat tied to a post in Jerusalem's Old City, without an owner in sight. Agriculture Ministry representatives confiscated the animal and will find a home for it.
"The Jerusalem police works to provide balance, in order to enable all three [monotheistic] faiths to exercise their freedom of worship with the guarantee of personal safety and security, and expects that public behavior during this period will be characterized by tolerance and mutual respect," it added.
The Return to the Temple Mount movement is outraged by the arrests.
"The restraining orders of the Israel Police will not prevent us from the right and duty to offer a Passover sacrifice during this time," they said. "We call on the entire nation of Israel to arrive to the Temple Mount today and to keep this important commandment."
8. CHIEF RABBI CALLS WORLD JEWS HOME FOR PASSOVER
by Hezki Baruch
Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, on Friday gave a special message to Arutz Sheva readers ahead of the Passover holiday that begins on Friday night.
Rabbi Lau hailed the Passover seder as "the night of the birth of the nation of Israel," and referenced a midrash (exegesis) of the Jewish sages saying Ya'akov (Jacob) prayed on the night of Passover because it is a special time of connection for the soul with the nation of Israel and with God.
The Chief Rabbi of Israel spoke about the first Passover night during the plagues before the exodus occurred, noting the similarities to the seder today. He imagined a father telling his children that night, "remember how Ya'akov came down to Egypt, and we came here and at the beginning it was okay, and then a new king arose and the difficulties started."
"And the father shows the bruise of the whip on his shoulder, he could show them where it hit him," said Rabbi Lau. Continuing the father's imagined narrative, he said, "but then Moshe and Aharon came with great tidings that first of all we will merit to leave here, that we will receive the Torah from God, that we will reach the Holy Land, we will return to the land of our fathers, and we will merit offspring who are our continuation."
This tradition continued the next seder with an addition of the other plagues that had since befallen the Egyptians, he said, and a year later additions from the miracle of the parting of the sea and the giving of the Torah were included.
But he emphasized that the description of the seder and the miraculous story of redemption has remained the same.
King Solomon, the son of King David, asked the same question of "mah nishtanah" (what is different - ed.) in Jerusalem around 3,000 years ago that is asked by children at the seder now, said Rabbi Lau.
"Now we ask ourselves, what is different?," he posed, mentioning the Hamas bus bombing in Jerusalem on Monday in which 15 victims were wounded, indicating that the nation of Israel still suffers.
He noted how he visited the wounded at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, where three seriously wounded victims are still under a medically-induced coma and on respirators. Rabbi Lau pointed to the uncertainty Jews face with the danger of bus bombings and terror attacks looming.
"So on the face of things, what's different? We see that in every generation 'they stand before us to destroy us,' but we have to remember that we have a complete faith which tonight we will again instill within us: 'And the Holy One Blessed be He saves us from their hands,'" he said, referencing the seder liturgy.
Rabbi Lau recalled God's promise to the patriarchs that while their offspring would suffer in Egypt, they would go out with great possessions, both physical wealth from the Egyptians and spiritual wealth from the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
"What's changed? We are blessed that in contrast to previous generations, we are able to be at this special seder night in our land, in our homes, in our national place."
Addressing Jews around the world, he said, "we're here already, we're in the land, but we also ask from those who maybe can't but really want to come to the land, (and) we remind those who can and still don't want to: Come, the chair at the seder table is waiting for you."
"This is the land where soon, we will merit to reach Jerusalem and stand in its walls to offer the Passover sacrifice, to see the Creator bless the entire community of Israel, all as one," said Rabbi Lau.
Delineating the process of the exodus leading up to entering the land of Israel, he said, "currently we expect and await 'and He built for us the chosen house (i.e. the Holy Temple),' to see the nation of Israel in peace and joy here in the Holy Land."
"Chag sameach to all viewers, listeners and fans of Arutz Sheva, chag sameach to all the house of Israel," concluded the rabbi.
His message in Hebrew can be viewed below.
[video:2014754]
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