Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Monday, Feb. 13 '17, י"ז בשבט תשע"ז
HEADLINES:
1. ERDAN: TELL THE WORLD THAT ISRAEL IS OURS
2. AMERICAN IMMIGRANT DENIED CITIZENSHIP OVER TEMPLE MOUNT VISIT
3. 'THE PROBLEM ISN'T TRUMP - IT'S NETANYAHU'
4. AUTHORITIES CRACK DOWN ON 'MODESTY POLICE' IN JERUSALEM
5. LARGE SWASTIKA PAINTED ON CAR IN JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD IN FLORIDA
6. WATCH: CHABADNIK THROWS SUPER BOWL PARTY FOR NYC HOMELESS
7. NETANYAHU: LISTEN TO TRUMP FIRST, MAKE DECLARATIONS LATER
8. WATCH: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM NETANYAHU'S MEETING WITH TRUMP
1. ERDAN: TELL THE WORLD THAT ISRAEL IS OURS
by Ido Ben Porat
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud) spoke on Monday at the 14 Jerusalem conference, discussing terror attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump and whether Israel should apply sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.
"Our Prime Minister is leaving this evening for a very important meeting with the US President," Erdan began. "I trust our Prime Minister 100% and I wish him good luck from all of us.
"We are all praying for the Prime Minister's success. We all know his talents and his experience, and we are all looking at the eight difficult years he had with former US President Barack Obama, whose world view was so different than ours. There is a lot of room here for belief and optimism.
"We have an historical opportunity to begin a new era, an era in which we can speak with pride about our Israel, and go back to saying Israel belongs to the Jewish nation, and keep emphasizing it.
"We need to gather the best archaeologists in the world, so they can say, 'Jerusalem has thousands of years of Jewish history. The Temple Mount was the holiest site for the Jewish people - and only for the Jewish people.
"Peace with the Palestinians will happen when the Palestinians see that their refusal to negotiate comes with clear price, and that we continue building in Judea and Samaria. We should not be speaking about settlement blocs. Anyone who thinks we should only be building in the settlement blocs has adopted the left's opinion and set limitations for future negotiations.
"Now is the time to apply sovereignty over the greater Jerusalem area, including Gush Etzion and Ariel, so that every sane person will know that in any future agreements, these areas will belong to Israel.
"Only if we go with courage, determination, and faith will there be a chance for a new generation of Palestinians, one which truly wants to live with us in peace, will be able to develop.
"The internet has made information more readily available, but it has also created a platform for incitement. Every day, every hour, lies about Israel are spread online.
"We are doing many things to deal with the 'lone wolf' terror attacks, which are different than the terror we have previously dealt with. It's not organized by a specific terror organization. You don't need explosives factories. You simply use things you already have in your kitchen.
"We have reinforced security and are using advanced technology. All of Jerusalem is now equipped with smart cameras. I have implemented a new policy of not returning terrorists' bodies to their families, so that their funerals will not turn into incitement parties.
"We have done many other things as well, and we are seeing the results. Today, personal security is completely different - even in Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods. There has been a sharp drop in the number of terror attacks involving stones and Molotov cocktails.
"There is still a lot left to do, but the situation has improved considerably.
"Today, we are placing new police stations in the Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem, so that the residents will wake up in the morning and see policemen in uniform. This is something we have never seen before, and we are proud of it," Erdan concluded.
2. AMERICAN IMMIGRANT DENIED CITIZENSHIP OVER TEMPLE MOUNT VISIT
by Arutz Sheva Staff
A resident of Jerusalem who applied for citizenship under the Law of Return, was stunned to find his citizenship application opposed by the Interior Ministry because he was previously arrested on the Temple Mount, an arrest for which he is currently suing the police, the Honenu legal organization reported.
A., a haredi Torah scholar from the US who has worked and and studied in Jerusalem for the past few years,and who married an Israeli woman and has Israeli children, was arrested two years ago, when he ascended the Temple Mount, on suspicion of interfering with a police officer and disturbing the peace on the Temple Mount. A. was represented in court by a lawyer from the legal aid group, Honenu, which argued that he had been arrested without cause and demanded that he be released unconditionally.
Attorney Menashe Yaddo of Honenu also filed a lawsuit on behalf of A. for 'unlawful arrest and search.' The suit is currently being heard by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court.
However, when A. submitted his application for citizenship, he was told that because of the arrest and the case he is not eligible to receive Israeli citizenship. He said that in addition to preventing him from being able to settle in Israel permanently, the Interior Ministry also stopped granting him visas, which caused the termination of the social benefits he received from the National Insurance Institute, tax reductions, the ability to obtain scholarships, and more.
Menashe Yaddo has demanded that the Interior Ministry reverse its decision. Attorney Rehavia Pilz also demanded that the police close the case against A., which the police have announced they are doing.
In recent days the Interior Ministry has informed A. that his visa has been renewed that that his eligibility for citizenship has been reinstated. He now expects to receive his citizenship identity card soon.
"This case was Kafkaesque, where a new immigrant who made his home in Israel was stopped [from becoming a citizen] because of a false arrest, which even the court determined [to have been groundless]. But the Interior Ministry denied his visa and prevented his receiving citizenship under the Law of Return, as well as [his receiving] social benefits," Yaddo said. "We are pleased with the cooperation from several sources who managed to remove this disgrace from the agenda, and my client will be able to obtain citizenship as a Jew and return to his country and his homeland."
3. 'THE PROBLEM ISN'T TRUMP - IT'S NETANYAHU'
by Eliran Baruch
[youtube:2024490]
While many leaders on the Israeli right hailed the election of Donald Trump as the beginning of a new era for Jewish rights in Judea and Samaria, Land of Israel activist and Knesset candidate for the Otzma Yehudit party Baruch Marzel says the changing of the guard in Washington will likely have little impact on policy in Israel.
Speaking with Arutz Sheva ahead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's scheduled meeting with President Trump on Wednesday, Marzel said Israeli policy in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem is and has always been decided by the Israeli Prime Minister, arguing that foreign pressure has only been a convenient excuse.
"Two hours after Trump was elected as the President of the United States I wrote an article that now all the excuses are irrelevant, and we'll all learn that the problem wasn't Obama, Carter, Bush or anyone else, the problem was always our Prime Minister," Marzel told Arutz Sheva.
"Today it is Netanyahu, who is a weak man and a weak Prime Minister," Marzel continued, arguing the makeup of the Israeli government is conducive to policies favoring expanded construction in and even annexation of Judea and Samaria.
"I think that there is a big opportunity because in Israel the coalition is... a pretty good coalition. But Netanyahu should stop being afraid and start doing what he should do, what he promised to do. And today he could build, he could annex. And instead of that, I think most of the meeting with President Trump will be Netanyahu explaining to him, persuading him to support the two-state solution that Trump never supported, to support not building in Judea and Samaria - and if any building is to take place, only in places concerning which there is consensus, and not to build in Jerusalem as much as he should. And this weakness will make Trump, who is strong, weak."
The time for excuses is over. Today everyone will see who the problem was: Netanyahu."
4. AUTHORITIES CRACK DOWN ON 'MODESTY POLICE' IN JERUSALEM
by David Rosenberg
Authorities in Jerusalem arrested two men Monday morning in an apparent crackdown on a vigilante "modesty squad" which has operated for years in the capital's haredi neighborhoods.
The two men, whose names have not yet been released for publication, are both senior figures within the Committee for the Purity of the Camp. Formerly known as the Modesty Patrol, the Committee is a fringe organization seeking to impose its own standards of modest behavior and dress on the larger haredi population through intimidation and harassment.
Both suspects are expected to be brought before a judge today, a source with knowledge of the case told BeHadrei Haredim. The basis for the arrests have yet to be disclosed.
Despite efforts by police, leaders of the Committee and its forerunner have hitherto eluded punishment, even as lesser figures within the group have been convicted.
In 2009, a 29-year old man with ties to the Modesty Patrol was convicted for his role in a violent assault on a women living in a predominantly haredi neighborhood in the capital. Charges were dropped, however, against the man's coconspirators and the ringleaders of the organization, due to a lack of evidence.
5. LARGE SWASTIKA PAINTED ON CAR IN JEWISH NEIGHBORHOOD IN FLORIDA
by JTA
JTA - A large swastika was spray painted on the side of a car in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Boca Raton, Florida.
The incident occurred early Sunday morning, according to local report. The white swastika took up the entire driver's-side door of the black Ford Mustang.
The owner of the car is a teenager who is currently visiting Israel, the Miami Herald reported. It is not know if the teen's visit to Israel made him the intended target.
"This is a direct hate message," Yona Lunger, an activist in South Florida's Jewish community, told the Miami Herald. "We are shocked, devastated."
Many Holocaust survivors live in the neighborhood, residents told local media.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation into the incident. Residents have asked the local police for increased patrols and some plan to install surveillance cameras, according to reports.
The swastika comes on the heels of several bomb threats on Jewish community centers in South Florida, part of a wave of bomb threats on such centers across the country.
6. WATCH: CHABADNIK THROWS SUPER BOWL PARTY FOR NYC HOMELESS
by Hillel Fendel
[youtube:2024531]
Meir Kalmanson, known on his Youtube channel as Meir Kay, decided that what the world is lacking on Super Bowl Sunday is a bit more joy and giving – especially for the homeless of New York City. And so, he threw a party for them!
A Lubavitch (Chabad) Hassidic Jew, Meir explains, "The Super Bowl, for most people is a holiday right up there with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah. We feast, drink, and surround ourselves with family and friends. But for those with nowhere to go, it could feel even more lonesome than usual."
He therefore "teamed up with my friends at 230 Fifth: Best Heated Rooftop Bar/Club/Restaurant in New York City, to throw a Super Bowl party where all were welcomed!" To let the invitees know about it, he walked the streets of the Big Apple, greeted people living there with a high-five and a big smile, and invited them to join him for a watch-the-Super-Bowl party.
"Life is a wheel," Kay says, "sometimes we're up and other times we find ourselves lower than we thought possible. Nothing is guaranteed and no one is better than the next. There's no race and no finish line. We're all on the same team and for any team to succeed, they need to have each other's back, to work together and move forward as one. It's not always about money; rather, a kind word, some food, a hot drink, a conversation goes a long way. We must do what we can do make this world a brighter place - a more positive, happier world and that begins with you."
7. NETANYAHU: LISTEN TO TRUMP FIRST, MAKE DECLARATIONS LATER
by Uzi Baruch
The Security Cabinet held an unusually long and stormy session Sunday evening, just days ahead of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's planned meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. scheduled for Wednesday; it is to be the first meeting between the two since Trump took office on January 20th.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the cabinet members presented their positions on various hot-button issues likely to be raised during Netanyahu's meeting with Trump, including the Iranian regime, the Syrian civil war, the Palestinian Authority, and the US-Israel relationship.
The official statement released by the PMO added that all ministers in the cabinet concurred regarding the importance of the trip and the need to improve relations between Israel and the White House – including between the Prime Minister and the Commander in Chief, following eight years of strained relations between Washington and Jerusalem.
The Prime Minister's Office stressed that the "atmosphere of the meeting was relaxed and businesslike."
"At the conclusion of the meeting, the ministers blessed the Prime Minister and wished him good luck."
Sources privy to the meeting told Arutz Sheva that Jewish Home ministers Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked called upon Netanyahu to make clear to President Trump he intends to renounce the two-state solution, the Prime Minister allegedly warned them Israel must avoid any possible clashes with Trump.
According to the sources, Netanyahu also attempted to rein in expectations regarding construction in Judea and Samaria in the post-Obama era. The Prime Minister reportedly told ministers that "anyone who believes construction will be unrestricted in the new era is mistaken."
Netanyahu added that he would not make any declarations prior to his meeting with the new president, saying that he needs to gain a better understanding of Trump's position on Israeli construction in Judea and Samaria.
The Prime Minister further stated that there have been mixed signals thus far regarding Trump's own position vis-a-vis Jewish housing in Judea and Samaria, and that he will learn firsthand how the president's views are before making major policy decisions.
Several Likud ministers also pressed the Prime Minister on several key issues, including annexation of Maaleh Adumim and other towns close to Jerusalem and expanded construction outside of the major blocs in Judea and Samaria.
According to senior political officials who spoke with Arutz Sheva, Netanyahu will offer to restart negotiations with the Palestinian Authority during the meeting, while demanding that the PA join in bilateral talks with no preconditions - an offer made by the Prime Minister again and again since returning to office in 2009. The sources added that the Prime Minister will likely highlight that while his offer is genuine, the odds of it being accepted by the PA remain low.
8. WATCH: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM NETANYAHU'S MEETING WITH TRUMP
[youtube:2024513]
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