Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
------------------------------------------------
Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe/
Thursday, Dec. 15 '16, ט"ו בכסלו תשע"ז
HEADLINES:
1. POLICE TELL YOUTH: DON'T GET CLOSE TO AMONA
2. AMONA RESIDENTS REJECT GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL
3. ILLEGAL ARAB OUTPOST STILL STANDING AFTER 8 YEARS
4. ARAB ARSONISTS INDICTED FOR FIRE NEAR HAIFA
5. OFFICIAL ISRAELI DELEGATION PARTICIPATE IN ABU DHABI CONFERENCE
6. 'DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN RAZING AMONA'
7. HOW MANY MUSLIMS ARE THERE IN EUROPE?
8. WATCH: MUSICIAN ARIEL ZILBER COMES TO AMONA
1. POLICE TELL YOUTH: DON'T GET CLOSE TO AMONA
by Yedidya Ben Or
Six Jewish minors who were arrested last night as they stood at a junction in Samaria were released by police of the city of Ariel in Samaria.
The minors had apparently been arrested when army watchmen suspected that the six were throwing rocks at passing Arab cars; however, they were released after no evidence could be found against their claim that they had not engaged in rock-throwing.
Attorney Nati Rom, representing the youth as part of the Honenu organization, which represents Jews accused by the State of nationalistic action against Arabs, reported that the minors sat in jail for close to ten hours - for a sentence which turned out to be based on a false premise.
In addition, before being freed from jail, the youth were warned by police officials not to get close to the community of Amona.
Honenu claims that this demand is illegal.
"At this moment, there is no reason to prevent arrival to Amona. It cannot be that police make their own rules and warn citizens not to get close to a community, damaging freedom of expression and protest. We're talking about conduct which opposes the decision of the courts," Honenu said.
Honenu referred to the decision of Deputy Chairman of the Jerusalem District Court, Moshe Drori, who had ruled on the matter of two youth arrested at a demonstration for Amona.
Drori strongly criticized police and the magistrate court, which had placed a distancing order on the youth forbidding them from getting close to the area. Drori established that freedom of expression is a fundamental right, and that it is forbidden that the court and police should violate this right.
2. AMONA RESIDENTS REJECT GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL
by Uzi Baruch
The residents of Amona on Wednesday night rejected the arrangement agreed upon between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Jewish Home Ministers Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked and Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit.
As such, the community is expected to be evacuated within the next two weeks, an operation for which police forces have already begun training.
The agreement would have seen Amona's residents leave their homes by the date required by the Israeli Supreme Court, or by a future date which the Supreme Court would set if they agree to the government's request to delay the expulsion.
In return, the government would have immediately begun work on eleven portable buildings in Lot 38, which has an area of six dunams. In addition, the government would have built four portable buildings in the lots immediately next to Amona, and given them permits for two years.
During the two-year period, the government would have turned to the Jerusalem Magistrates Court, requesting they remove owners' names from the property, since the land is "absentee property" whose owners have not recognized or paid taxes on it for decades.
In a statement on Wednesday night, the residents explain why they chose to reject the arrangement.
"Over the past year we led our lives with a single purpose - the desire to remain home. A desire to stay on the Amona hill.
"The struggle we led resulted in many achievements for the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria. Among other things we brought the advancement of the Regulation Law.
"Unfortunately, in the final stretch of the campaign for our homes - we were left out of the Regulation Law. We are left facing a bitter truth of an expected eviction: The destruction of our homes and community, and trauma for our children and for us.
"We were willing to accept the destruction of our private homes, and a move from place to place, if only a Jewish community would remain on the hill. But the proposed arrangement does not provide any guarantee or commitment that we will indeed receive an alternative home. In light of this and in view of the uncertainty in the proposal, the residents of Amona decided tonight, after ten hours of debate, to reject the proposed layout."
Watch: Activists protest against Amona deal prior to the residents' decision to reject it
[youtube:2022069]
Amona residents were urged during the day to accept the arrangement. One of those calls came from Rabbi Haim Druckman, one of the leading rabbis of religious Zionism.
Rabbi Druckman called on residents to "choose the straight and true path, to see the half-filled cup which is indeed fuller than expected even if the missing parts of it hurt for all of us. To accept the solution which our representatives in the government obtained for Amona which, even if it is not a complete solution, at least provides for the main aspect which is that Amona will stay on this good hill and it will not be left barren or transferred to any other nation."
He also urged them not to get into disputes with police and soldiers. "On the basis of the suggested arrangement, which maintains Amona's presence on the hill, there is no justification for a struggle with security forces or for an altercation with unforeseeable consequences."
3. ILLEGAL ARAB OUTPOST STILL STANDING AFTER 8 YEARS
by Ido Ben Porat
At a time when all eyes are raised towards the future of Amona, the Regavim movement (which is dedicated to monitoring and taking legal action against construction without permits conducted by Arabs and Bedouins on state land) has submitted a petition to the High Court against the Defense Ministry and the Civil Administration for neglecting for a decade to demolish an illegal Arab building which is on state land within the administrative borders of the town of Leshem.
A number of months ago the organization appealed to the Civil Administration to enforce the law against the buildings which are located on state land within the administrative borders of the Samarian town of Leshem.
The Civil Administration responded that the enforcement authorities are aware of the buildings and "they are being treated according to illegal construction directives". From an investigation by the Regavim movement, it became clear that this directive was already applied to the buildings in 2008.
From aerial photos, it is apparent that, in the past two years the trespassing on state land continued with land development and extension of existing buildings. Despite this, no sanctions had been taken against the place.
Attorney Boaz Avni of the Regavim movement said that this demonstrates the problematic priorities of the enforcement authorities. "This building was constructed on state land and, despite a case being opened against the construction nearly a decade ago, nothing was enforced. In the meantime, the place has become an outpost, growing and threatening the continued development of the Leshem community in accordance with its approved plans."
Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron regional council, said that "the discrimination against Judean and Samarian residents had never been clearer. At a time when we are all crying over the 50 houses in Amona which the state hurries to destroy, the state acts neglectfully towards one single house which is situated on state land for a decade. This is negligence on the part of the bureaucrats and harms the rights of residents of Leshem and Alei Zahav. This strange policy leads to the thought that somebody has an interest in harming the Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria. I call on the relevant authorities to do their job properly."
4. ARAB ARSONISTS INDICTED FOR FIRE NEAR HAIFA
by Shlomo Pyotrakovsky
The prosecution for the Haifa district submitted an indictment and request for arrest to the district court against an 18-year-old and youth from the Arab town of Umm al-Fahm near Haifa for setting a fire near the Jewish community of Mei Ami in that area during the recent wave of fires throughout Israel.
The indictment describes that the two arrived to the front of the Jewish community at around 10 PM, and parked their car near brush along the entry road neighboring a cypress forest.
The two took apart a lighter and lit a flame, which was compounded by the fumes from the lighter. They made sure that this flame caught onto surrounding brush and fled the scene.
As they made their departure, the security coordinator of the community was patrolling the area; he noticed the growing fire and the fleeing vehicle, after which he proceeded to follow.
When the two arsonists discerned that they were being followed, they accelerated in an attempt to escape.
The indictment read, "As a result of the actions of the indicted, fire spread and burnt an area spanning 290 square meters."
The prosecution requested that the court keep the accused under arrest until the conclusion of legal proceedings against them.
5. OFFICIAL ISRAELI DELEGATION PARTICIPATE IN ABU DHABI CONFERENCE
by Shlomo Pyotrakovsky
An Israeli delegation attended a conference in the Arab country of Abu Dhabi. The delegation's participation was brought about through international diplomatic efforts.
The delegation from the State Comptroller and Ombudsman's office was headed by the director of the office, Eli Marzel, and for the first time took part in a conference in the UAE country of Abu Dhabi. The conference was held at a congress of INTOSAI, The International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions.
This is the first time ever that an official Israeli delegation has participated in a conference taking place in an Arab country. Intensive diplomatic activity preceded the departure of the delegation, including efforts of the Foreign Ministry as well as international diplomatic efforts, in particular involving the Austrian Comptroller Dr. Margit Kraker.
Eli Marzel spoke before the congress and also conducted meetings with tens of representatives from comptroller's offices around the world.
It was also arranged that, in the near future, Israel will host an international seminar on the subject of cooperation between comptroller's offices around the world on issues of cyberdefense.
Last year, Israel opened a representative mission in Abu Dhabi, a move which was seen as a public expression of the covert relations which already exist between Israel and the UAE on many security-related and economic issues.
6. 'DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN RAZING AMONA'
by Yoel Domb
The Derekh Haim organization, which is devoted to implementing the Torah's dictates in Jewish public life, has called on security forces not to participate in the destruction of Amona. They emphasized that the community is situated on land belonging to the Jewish people which was redeemed from the hands of gentiles.
In a rabbinic letter publicized Thursday morning, the organization wrote "We encourage the dear residents of Amona at this time when the sword of exile is hanging over them, heaven forfend. May G-d guard and protect you within His nation and His land. The town of Amona resides on land belonging to the people of Israel as is written in the Torah, land which was redeemed from foreigners who conquered our country when we were forcibly exiled from it."
The rabbis called on the public to join the protest against the destruction and called on security forces not to participate in the destruction. "We call on the public to join the protest against the injustice. We call on members of the security establishment to act according to justice and integrity and not to blindly fulfill every command. The halakha states that "If a king decreed to violate a mitzvah, one does not obey him" (Maimonides, Laws of Kings). Even according to the laws of the country, one should not fulfill an order which is implicitly illegal. May we merit true leadership which stands firm in the way of the Torah for the sake of the people of Israel and the land of Israel."
The letter was signed by Rabbi Yitzhak Ginsburg, head of the "Derekh Haim" movement and of the "Gal Einei" institutions, Rabbi Dov Lior, rabbi of Kiryat Arba and Hevron, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, head of the Temple Institute, Rabbi David Druckman, rabbi of Kiryat Motzkin, Rabbi Simcha Statner, head of the Nahalat Yisrael institutions, Rabbi Daniel Dov Stavski, head of the Baal Shem Tov house and Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, head of the Od Yosef Hai yeshiva.
In the meantime Derekh Haim have stepped up their campaign against the High Court and against what they term the "dictatorship of the High Court of Justice". Derekh Haim activists distributed flyers and manifestos with campaign messages and demonstrated repeatedly outside the High Court and outside the house of Chief Justice Miriam Naor.
7. HOW MANY MUSLIMS ARE THERE IN EUROPE?
by Yoel Domb
A new poll released by Ipsos entitled "Perils of Perception" highlighted the misperceptions of various publics with regard to key aspects of their country's nature. One of the misperceptions concerns the number of Muslims residing in each country. Most countries think their population is much more Muslim than it actually is, and that the Muslim population is growing exponentially.
Washington, DC - Ipsos' latest Perils of Perception survey highlights how wrong the public across 40 countries are about key global issues and features of the population in their country. The U.S. is one of the most "ignorant" of the facts of the nations surveyed.
Americans, for example, believe that 1 in 6 Americans are Muslim, while actually only 1 in 100 Americans is Muslim. They also believe that the Muslim population is growing at a much faster rate than it actually is. Americans think that in just four years, in 2020, the Muslim population will make up 23% of Americans, whereas the projected number according to the Pew Research Center is just 1.1%
Other countries also significantly overestimate their Muslim populations. The French, for example, believe that 31% of their population is Muslim when the real number is just 7.5%. The French were worried that by 2020 the Muslims would constitute 40% of their population, whereas the real projected number is 8.3% . Italy, Germany and Belgium also overestimated the size and the growth of their Muslim populations. They estimated that 20% of their populations are Muslim when the actual numbers are below 7%. Other European countries exhibited similar findings, with the Polish nation convinced that Muslims constitute 5% of their population and that that number would grow to 10% by 2020. In fact, the real number of Muslims in Poland is just 0.1% or 1 in 1000.
8. WATCH: MUSICIAN ARIEL ZILBER COMES TO AMONA
by Hezki Baruch
[video:2022085]
------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe/
