Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Sunday, Jul. 31 '16, כ"ה בתמוז תשע"ו
HEADLINES:
1. MINISTER: NETANYAHU WILL THROW BENNETT OUT OF GOVERNMENT
2. WOMAN KILLED, 3 WOUNDED IN SHOOTING INCIDENTS IN TEXAS
3. NETANYAHU: FRANCE ITSELF HAS SUPPORTED INCITEMENT
4. CHINESE INVESTORS BUY ISRAELI COMPANY FOR $4.4 BILLION
5. UNITE THE MIDDLE EAST - THROUGH BUSINESS
6. SOMALIA: 5 KILLED IN TERROR ATTACK IN THE CAPITAL
7. HEZBOLLAH BROADCASTS FOOTAGE OF KIDNAPPING OPERATION
8. A SONG FOR HALLEL-YAFFA
1. MINISTER: NETANYAHU WILL THROW BENNETT OUT OF GOVERNMENT
by Uzi Baruch
A government minister attacked the behavior of the head of the Jewish Home party, Naftali Bennett, in a conversation with Arutz Sheva today.
The minister recommended that Bennett stop "locking horns" with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanahu. According to the minister, Bennett levels the same accusations each week, just with a different mask each time.
This week's was Operation Protective Edge, when Israel attempted to draw the teeth of terror in Gaza.
"Bennett is constantly goading Netanyahu, and its a shame. Eventually, Netanyahu will have had enough and he'll throw him out of the government. We know the criticism of Bennett's faction and party over his behavior toward the Prime Minister; he should listen to his friends.
"This is not the way. It is not acceptable to attack the Prime Minister when you are in the government. Meanwhile, Netanyahu will not give Bennett satisfaction, and will not fire him, but if this continues - there will be no alternative."
The warning comes after Bennett carelessly commented this morning that "mistakes were made, and the operation took too long," referring to Operation Protective Edge. "We don't need 51 days to defeat Hamas."
Although seemingly harmless, Bennett has been jabbing Netanyahu over the past week, claiming that Netanyahu did not consult with the Cabinet before Protective Edge, and that the ministers were not prepared before they okayed the operation.
2. WOMAN KILLED, 3 WOUNDED IN SHOOTING INCIDENTS IN TEXAS
by Shai Landesman
A shooting incident in Austin, Texas, has resulted in the death of one woman, and multiple people with gunshot wounds.
According to Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services, a woman in her 30s was pronounced dead at the scene, and 3 more, two women and a man, were evacuated to the UMCB hospital. One more man refused treatment.
The Austin Police Department instructed residents to stay away from the downtown area where the shooting incidents were earlier described as "active". Police now say the scenes are secure. The police confirmed that there were two separate, and apparently unrelated shootings within the same area.
Footage from an area close to the shooting surfaced online, with loud gunshots heard in the background, causing passersby to scramble to escape from the area.
[youtube:2017671]
Updates to follow.
3. NETANYAHU: FRANCE ITSELF HAS SUPPORTED INCITEMENT
by Shai Landesman
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Sunday, 31 July 2016), at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, addressed the comments made by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to the effect that he is open to banning foreign funding for mosques in France in the wake of the terror attack in the church in Normandy last week, in which two ISIS terrorists murdered a priest during mass. Netanyahu called attention to the similarity between French efforts to block incitement to terror within its borders and Israel's longstanding efforts in this area.
"We were all shocked by the vicious terrorist attack in France last week. I have heard about a French government discussion on preventing the foreign financing of bodies that harm the security of French citizens. This sounds familiar to us. We are also disturbed by such donations to organizations that deny the State of Israel's right to exist," opened the Prime Minister.
However, Netanyahu pointed out that in fact France itself has supported such anti-Israel organizations, and called for a unification against those who promote terror of any kind, in any place.
"I have requested a preliminary inquiry. In this inquiry we found support from European countries, including France, for several organizations that engage in incitement, call for a boycott of Israel and do not recognize the State of Israel's right to exist. We will complete the inquiry and submit the findings to the French government. We will discuss this with them because terror is terror everywhere and incitement is incitement which, apparently, encompasses the world, governments must be as united as possible in dealing with them."
On another topic, the Prime Minister spoke about a plan to be discussed in the Cabinet meeting for encouraging the growth of the high-tech sector in Israel, utilizing new populations, such as haredim and Arabs.
"Today the Cabinet will discuss a proposed decision to aid in the continued growth of the high-tech sector in Israel. The demand is enormous and the supply of workers is small. We are using various means to increase the supply of trained high-tech workers. We have turned to populations that have not been involved in high-tech until now, such as the ultra-orthodox and – of course – our Arab citizens. We are also trying various means to train our young people, also in mathematics, computer and science studies – this will take time. In the meantime, we are interested in assisting the absorption of a limited number of expert workers, who could help in passing the standardized exams in order to ease the absorption of workers with unique know-how. Today, the Cabinet will make it possible for their spouses to stay in Israel and work here legally. This is what is being done in the Silicon Valley in the United States, and this is giving them considerable strength and, of course, it doubles employment for the local population in the United States. We will do this here as well."
4. CHINESE INVESTORS BUY ISRAELI COMPANY FOR $4.4 BILLION
by Rachel Kaplan
A consortium of Chinese companies, led by Giant, will buy Israeli casino game company Playtika for $4.4 billion.
Playtika, which is based out of Herzliya, Israel, was owned by Caesars Interactive Entertainment.
Caesars is selling off the gambling game to clean out its debt.
Under the agreement, Playtika will continue to roperate out of Herzliya, Israel and will retain its existing management team.
"This transaction is a testament to Playtika's unique culture and the innovative spirit of our employees who for the past six years have consistently designed, produced and operated some of the most compelling, immersive and creative social games in the world," said Robert Antokol, cofounder and CEO of Playtika, in a statement.
"We are incredibly excited by the commercial opportunities the Consortium will make available to us, particularly in its ability to provide us access to large and rapidly growing emerging markets. This is an amazing milestone for all Playtikans and we truly value how unique this opportunity is to continue executing our vision with such a strong partner."
Giant's founder and Chairman Shi Yuzhu praised "Playtika's growth" as"exceptional," citing "its outstanding team, excellent corporate culture, cutting-edge big data analytics, and its unique ability to transform and grow games,"
"We are looking forward to Playtika continuing to innovate and excel," he added.
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions, and is expected to close in the third or fourth calendar quarter of 2016.
5. UNITE THE MIDDLE EAST - THROUGH BUSINESS
by Yoni Kempinski
[youtube:2017673]
MK Erel Margalit (Zionist Union), who is running for leadership of the Labor party, has outlined a plan that is as much business as politics, for uniting the Middle East.
Called the "Plan of Converging Interests," the plan was published in Arabic and translated into Hebrew.
The plan's target is to unite the region's countries to reach economic and security cooperation.
"We need to stop talking about 'peace'," dismisses Margalit, "imagining flowers and butterflies and laughing children; whoever tries to sell this romanticized vision cannot truly bring about a settlement. ‎Anyone selling a political settlement as a love story, in which people hold hands and walk together into the sunset, has never held negotiations."
Thinking big, the plan includes a regional airport, managed by Israel and Jordan, with access to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It also outlines plans to turn Jerusalem into a multi-faith cultural and technological hub, a cross-country desalination project spearheaded by Israel, and international cooperation to "rehabilitate Gaza."
As for Gaza, Margalit derides past attempts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian crisis by giving away land.
‎"Why does the Left fail time after time? ‎Because all the political plans, without exception, focus on what and how much we give – instead of what we can gain -- it's time to change that perception," an earnest Margalit explains.
‎"As soon as we think in terms of 'we'll give them land and get nothing in return,' the starting point for dialogue is blocked, because the Palestinians have very little to give us, that's the truth. ‎That is why we are talking about a broader move that includes a wide range of Israeli interests that, until now, have not been part of the dialogue and have been pushed aside. ‎We will change the discourse: No more:‎ 'How many kilometers in return for a diplomatic solution' but rather 'which Israeli interests are met.'"
6. SOMALIA: 5 KILLED IN TERROR ATTACK IN THE CAPITAL
by Arutz Sheva Staff
At least 5 people have been killed in an attack involving a suicide car bombing and subsequent gunfights in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu. In addition, 4 of the terrorists associated with the al-Shabaab Islamist group were also killed.
A suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into the gates of the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in Mogadishu, reports Somalian police.
The explosion allowed gunmen working with the bomber to storm the police building.
Ali Hassan, a police officer at the Central Investigations Department, said the policemen in the facility managed to stop the attack by killing at least two gunmen who were storming the building.
Videos of smoke at the site were posted on Twitter. Gunfire can be heard in the background of the videos.
Terror group Al-Shabaab, which carried out two suicide bombings at a Mogadishu checkpoint last week, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
"A fighter rammed a suicide car bomb into CID then other armed fighters stormed inside. We are now fighting inside the CID building," Abdiasis Abu Musab, al Shabaab's military operations spokesman, told Reuters.
Al-Shabaab is an Islamist group seeking to impose its strict view of Islam on Somalia. They have been responsible for multiple terror attacks in Somalia, Uganda, and Kenya.
7. HEZBOLLAH BROADCASTS FOOTAGE OF KIDNAPPING OPERATION
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The Lebanese television station Al-Mayadeen, which is affiliated with the Hezbollah terror group, aired the first segment of a three-part series on the abduction of two IDF soldiers at the outset of the 2006 Lebanon war.
The program, which was aired on Saturday, included never-before seen footage from the terror operation which kidnapped IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
The first segment of the series shows the preparations the terror cell involved in the attack undertook prior to the kidnappings.
While most of the footage focuses on training by the terrorists in anticipation of the attack and reconnaissance operations, it also includes video recordings of the Humvee carrying Goldwasser and Regev just minutes before the fateful attack.
Both Regev and Goldwasser were later killed.
[youtube:2017657]
8. A SONG FOR HALLEL-YAFFA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
[youtube:2017670]
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