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Wednesday, Oct. 19 '16, י"ז בתשרי תשע"ז
HEADLINES:
1. MAYOR OF EFRAT ODED REVIVI: THIS IS TRUE PEACE
2. TERROR ATTACK IN ATTEMPT IN SAMARIA
3. PROTESTERS HECKLE MK HANIN ZOABI AND TELL HER TO LEAVE ISRAEL
4. HAREDI LONE SOLDIERS ARE NOT ALONE
5. 29% OF FORMER GUSH KATIF RESIDENTS LIVE IN SEMI-PERMANENT HOMES
6. OBAMA'S HALF-BROTHER SAYS HE'S VOTING FOR TRUMP
7. PRESIDENT RIVLIN RESPONDS TO ANTI-ISRAELI RAPPER
8. JEWISH WORSHIPERS FLOCK TO THE WESTERN WALL IN JERUSALEM
1. MAYOR OF EFRAT ODED REVIVI: THIS IS TRUE PEACE
by Arutz Sheva Staff
סוכתו של רביבי, הבוקר
צילום: דף הפייסבוק של עודד רביבי
[youtube:2020123]
Video Credit: Hezki Baruch
Oded Revivi, British-born Mayor of Efrat and International Liaison of the YESHA Council hosted a party for Sukkot which included both Israelis and Palestinian Arab locals.
"We are making true peace," Revivi said in an interview with Arutz Sheva, "the director of B'Tselem should come visit Efrat."
In the interview, Revivi said, "we are peace activists and we pray for peace [in the siddur] three times a day."
When asked about the yesterday's UNESCO decision, Revivi stated that, "I advise them to come speak to Palestinians here who want to deepen their connection with Israel and who believe that their fate will be better if they work with Israel and the Israeli government. They should come see how much potential there is here for joint efforts and working together instead of looking for reasons to fight or make war."
When asked if the Palestinian Arabs in the sukkah today represent the majority, Revivi explained that it is a minority but those who attended the party are strong leaders in the community who are brave and came to the sukkah to show that they hope to work together for a better future.
Oded Revivi at Efrat Sukkot party
Sukkot Party in Efrat
2. TERROR ATTACK IN ATTEMPT IN SAMARIA
by Arutz Sheva Staff
A Female Arab terrorist tried to stab soldiers today at Tapuach Junction. Solider fired and the terrorist was neutralized. No people were injured in the incident.
3. PROTESTERS HECKLE MK HANIN ZOABI AND TELL HER TO LEAVE ISRAEL
by Gary Willig
MK Hanin Zoabi from the Arab Joint List party was heckled by protesters as she came to see a performance by Arab rapper Tamer Nafar at the Neve Yosef Community Center festival, which runs alongside the Haifa Film Festival this evening.
Protesters shouted "Go to Gaza!" "Go to Jenin!" at Zoabi.
The concert was secured by Israeli police who distanced the violent crowd from the radical anti-Zionist MK and escorted her safely into the concert hall.
Nafar's performance took place despite calls for Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav to cancel it. Many citizens and government officials believed that since the rapper's music denied Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and since he discouraged enlisting in the IDF, his work should not receive public funding.
Culture Minister Miri Regev told Yahav that "It troubles me that a festival like the Haifa Film Festival, which has come to embody quality and close ties between nations and countries, chose to give the stage to an artist like Tamer Nafar, who takes every opportunity and every possible platform to come out against the idea of the State of Israel and its existence as a Jewish state."
Regev called attention to the lyrics of of one of Nafar's songs, "Who is a terrorist?" which negates calling suicide bombers terroriss. It continues:. "Democracy? Why? It reminds me of the Nazis, You've raped the Arab soul, and it became pregnant, giving birth to a child called 'terror attack,' And then you call us terrorists."
4. HAREDI LONE SOLDIERS ARE NOT ALONE
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Haredi soldier Nisim Blum from the IDF haredi Netzah Yehuda Brigade participated in a traditional celebratory dinner yesterday for lone soldiers and volunteers from abroad, at the sukkah of Minister of Defense Avigdor Liberman. Blum, a volunteer from the US, told his personal story. Liberman was moved by his story and even assured Blum that his American accent wasn't so bad.
"First of all, where is Nisim Blum?" Liberman asked, and then he turned to the crowd saying: "You have a minister today who still makes grammatical mistakes and speaks with a heavy Russian accent. As I told you before, in Israel, the sky is the limit. It doesn't matter if you are an immigrant or if you were born here, if you are determined and want to achieve your goals- everything is possible."
During his speech Blum talked about what led him to join the army and the difficulties he encountered. "I always wanted to move to Israel," he said, "but I always worried that I wouldn't know the language and I would have a hard time acclimating to the culture. I figured that joining the IDF would be a great way to integrate into Israeli society and a way to learn the Israeli way of life while also affirming my own values. The reason I joined the haredi brigade is so that I can serve the country and still be religious and serve G-d. For those reasons I decided to leave home, even though it was hard on my family, and give myself to the country. To be a combatant means overcoming challenges and it doesn't matter how difficult they are because we are protecting something greater than ourselves. Because faith is above all other things."
Netzah Yehuda released a statement saying, "There are tens of Haredi soldiers, just like Blum, that have volunteered for the army and left their families behind. And there are so many Haredi Israeli lone soldiers who are no longer in contact with their families because they enlisted." The organization praised those Haredi families that do grant support to Haredi lone soldiers and then added that, "we will continue to offer support to these soldiers so that they do not feel alone during their service."
Hebrew Video:
[video:2020114]
5. 29% OF FORMER GUSH KATIF RESIDENTS LIVE IN SEMI-PERMANENT HOMES
by Arutz Sheva
A study conducted by the Rafi Smith Research Center found that 29% of the more than 8000 Israelis expelled from Gush Katif still live in semi-permanent residences and 14% are unemployed (not a low percentage considering the unemployment rate in Israel is 4.8%).
The Study found that 50% believe they will return to their homes someday and that only 18% are not satisfied with their current home.
According to the study, 30% still define themselves as residents of Gush Katif and only 66% say they have managed to return to their regular course of life.
Two thirds answered that they were helped by individuals in their local communities after the so-called "Disengagement from Gaza" but only one quarter consider themselves a part of their current communities.
When asked why they miss Gush Katif, 45% responded that they miss the community and the people, 34% said they miss the scenery and the weather and only 4% said they don't miss anything at all.
6. OBAMA'S HALF-BROTHER SAYS HE'S VOTING FOR TRUMP
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Malik Obama said he would be Trump's guest at the final presidential debate which is set to take place on Wednesday in Las Vegas. Malik is an American-Kenyan who, when he is not in Kenya, lives in Washington DC.
"I'm excited to be at the debate. Trump can make America great again," Malik told The New York Post.
Malik Obama expressed his disappointment in the Democratic party for what he feels was a mishandling of the situation surrounding Secretary Clinton's emails. Malik was also quick to criticize Clinton's job as Secretary of State, saying that she created chaos in the Middle East.
He stated that Trump is the "only one who gets it," and that he agrees with Trump that the media is biased against him.
Malik also said that he disagrees with the Democratic party's stance on same-sex marriage. Malik is reported to have at least three wives, one of them he reportedly married when she was still a teen.
Malik Obama is three years older than his half-brother and stated that he saw him last when he went to visit the White House in August of 2015 but that the relationship between the two isn't very warm.
Trump stated that he looks forward to meeting Malik Obama at the debate.
7. PRESIDENT RIVLIN RESPONDS TO ANTI-ISRAELI RAPPER
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Israeli President Rivlin responded this morning to the controversy surrounding the performance of Tamer Nafar yesterday in Haifa in an interview with Channel 2.
"Arab Israelis could be the bridge," Rivlin stated in an Interview with Channel 2, "I saw 4,000 people go to see a performer and they didn't necessarily agree with everything he said but they continued to watch him even if some of the time they had to bite their tongues."
Rivlin also added that, "they were supporting his freedom to communicate a message that wasn't their own through the context of our societal cultural framework. We should see that as a huge accomplishment."
"Everyone needs to understand that we were meant to live together in this country, we have to get to know one another, even if we don't agree we have to enable each side to express itself," Rivlin stated.
In conclusion Rivlin said, "We are living in a multicultural society. Our role as leaders is to enable grappling with this situation, even when multiculturalism is difficult. Multiculturalism is a bed of beautiful roses that has some thorns so we just have to be careful not to get pricked or to prick one another."
Rivlin was responding to yesterday's performance by controversial Arab-Israeli rapper Tamer Nafar who in the past called IDF soldiers terrorists and said he "understood" the motivations of suicide bombers.
Nafar, a former protégé of the Jewish rapper Kobi Shimoni – better known by his stage name "Subliminal" – parted ways with Shimoni after the outbreak of the Second Intifada following comments by Nafar suggesting that he "understood the rage that" motivates suicide bombers.
8. JEWISH WORSHIPERS FLOCK TO THE WESTERN WALL IN JERUSALEM
by Arutz Sheva Staff
[video:2019666]
At the Western Wall Plaza in Jerusalem, tens of thousands of Jewish worshipers have gathered from all over the world and all of Israel to await Birkat HaCohanim, the Priestly Blessing, in which Cohanim, who are descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses, face the congregation and recite the Priestly Blessing found in the Book of Numbers.
All morning worshipers have been flocking en masse to the Western Wall, the last vestige of the outer wall of the first century Herodian Second Temple compound.
Police and security are guarding the area and in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City where there has been a record number of visitors.
All entrances to the Old City have been blocked to vehicular traffic and the public is arriving at the Wall on foot.
The Priestly Blessing is said by Cohanim at daily synagogue services in Israel but only on holidays in the Diaspora, and consists of the following verses:
"The Lord said to Moses, 'Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and grant you peace.'"
The custom of having a mass Priestly Blessing at the Kotel on Sukkot and Passover was initiated by Israel's Chief Rabbinate.
Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Rabbi of the Western Wall, responded yesterday to the UNESCO decision claiming that the Temple Mount and the Western Wall have no Jewish connection, by saying that, "In all of world history I don't know of an 'occupying power' whose land is full of the relics of its ancestors. The holiness of the Temple Mount and the Western Wall for the Jewish people goes back many generations. It does not need anyone's approval. It is ridiculous to deny the (archaeological) discoveries that are occurring all the time."
"The millions of worshipers who come to pray at the Western Wall in front of the Temple Mount are the Jewish answer to UNESCO," he said.
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