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 ז' בתשרי תשע"ח / Wednesday, Sep. 27 '17 Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report -http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe Headlines
1. IDF reduces Elor Azariya's sentenceby David Rosenberg IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot responded Wednesday to an appeal by former IDF sergeant Elor Azariya for a reduction to his 18-month jail sentence. Azariya was convicted of manslaughter in January for the shooting death of a wounded Arab terrorist minutes after an attack in Hevron that left one soldier wounded. In February, an IDF court sentenced Azariya to 18 months in prison. On Wednesday, it was announced that the IDF would cut Azariya’s prison term from 18 to 14 months. The response from Eizenkot’s office called Azariya’s behavior during the shooting incident “unacceptable”, and highlighted the fact that the former soldier had not expressed remorse for his actions. “The Chief of Staff views your behavior as unacceptable and in violation of army regulations and IDF values.” “In addition, the Chief of Staff noted that you never accepted responsibility for the incident or expressed remorse for it.” Despite that, the letter from the Chief of Staff’s office informed Azariya that the army would trim his sentence by four months. “Based on his authority, the Chief of Staff decided to respond to your appeal generously and with mercy, taking into consideration your service as a combat soldier.” Azariya began serving his sentence in August, days after his legal defense team sent a letter to Eizenkot requesting leniency. At the The defense team, led by attorney Yoram Sheftel, had appealed the IDF court’s conviction and sentence to an army appeals court. In July, the appeals court upheld the conviction and sentence. The appeals court also rejected an appeal by prosecutors seeking an extended sentence. 2. IDF officer, soldier killed in training accidentby David Rosenberg An IDF training accident in northern Israel has left two dead and four injured, the army has reported. The accident occurred early Wednesday morning in the Golan Heights when a self-propelled artillery piece flipped over during a training exercise, crushing six soldiers, including an officer. An army spokesperson reported that the officer in question held the rank of Platoon Leader. The six injured soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for treatment. Two of the six, including the officer, later succumbed to their injuries. “This was a very serious and painful incident,” IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said Tuesday morning. In response to the tragedy, the army is forming an investigatory committee to probe the accident. In addition, a separate inquiry will be conducted by military police. “Because of the unusual number of tragic [accidents] recently, Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane has been tapped to lead a committee investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, and to compile recommendations. In addition, military police have opened an investigation.” 3. Palestinian Authority wins bid to join Interpolby David Rosenberg The International Police Organization (Interpol)’s General Assembly voted Wednesday to accept the Palestinian Authority as a member, despite objections by Israel. The Interpol General Assembly, which met in Beijing, voted via secret ballot to recognize Palestine as a member state, with 76% of Interpol’s 190 member states voting to accept the PA. Both Israel and the United States had opposed the move, on the grounds that the Palestinian Authority is not a sovereign state, and that recognition of Palestinian statehood outside of the framework of a negotiated settlement makes a final status agreement all but impossible. Earlier this week, Interpol’s Executive Committee brushed off calls by Israel to reject or delay Wednesday’s vote on PA membership, all but guaranteeing the PA’s instatement as a member. Israeli officials have expressed concern that the Palestinian Authority could use membership in the international police group to harass IDF soldiers and political leaders, demanding their extradition over their involvement in defensive operations or the construction and Israeli housing units in Judea and Samaria, which the PA has claimed constitutes a “war crime”. Along with the Palestinian Authority, the Interpol General Assembly also approved a membership request from the Solomon Islands, bringing the organization's total membership to 192. 4. MK for a day: Shas MK serves in Knesset for just 27 hoursby David Rosenberg The Knesset swore in a returning MK for the Shas party Wednesday, 10 days after Yigal Guetta submitted his resignation from the Knesset. Guetta left the Knesset after he came under criticism for publicizing his attendance at a gay wedding two years ago. During an interview with Army Radio earlier this month, Guetta revealed that he and his family had attended a relative’s same-sex wedding two years ago. "My [relative] told me, 'I'm getting married to another man'" Guetta recalled. I told my wife and children that we are all going to this wedding. I usually don't tell my children to come with me, but I told them that for this one, we are going. We all went, and we made them happy." The revelation sparked a backlash among party leaders, prompting Guetta to announce his intention to resign from the Knesset just days after the interview. Guetta’s immediate replacement, Danny Saida, was sworn into the Knesset last week, serving a total of 27 hours and 35 minutes, leaving the Knesset just before the start of the Rosh Hashanah holiday. On Wednesday, Shas swore in yet another MK, long-time Shas MK and former Deputy Welfare Minister Meshulam Nahari. Nahari, who served in the Knesset from 1999 to 2016, resigned after he was appointed as deputy minister – only to return to the Knesset this week following Saida’s resignation, which marks the shortest term for any MK in Israel’s history. 5. Victims of deadly IDF training accident identifiedby David Rosenberg The IDF has identified the two servicemen killed in a training accident in the Golan Heights early Wednesday morning, lifting a publication ban put in place after the initial announcement of their deaths. Platoon Leader Avshalom Armoni, 22, from Beit Horon, and Sergeant Avinoam David Cohen, 22, from Jerusalem, were killed Wednesday morning during a training exercise when a self-propelled howitzer cannon flipped over, injuring six. Armoni and Cohen succumbed to their injuries, while the other four were evacuated for treatment at a local hospital. “This was a very serious and painful incident,” IDF spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis said Tuesday morning. In response to the tragedy, the army is forming an investigatory committee to probe the accident. In addition, a separate inquiry will be conducted by military police. “Because of the unusual number of tragic [accidents] recently, Brig. Gen. Mordechai Kahane has been tapped to lead a committee investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident, and to compile recommendations. In addition, military police have opened an investigation.” Following the accident, Armoni was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. Cohen was also posthumously promoted, receiving the rank of Staff Sergeant. 6. 'Outstanding pupil with a big heart who loved his country'by Yoel Domb Friends of Border Policeman Staff Sergeant Solomon Gaviria described him as an "outstanding pupil with a big heart who loved the country and wanted to protect it." Dozens of family members, neighbours and acquaintances descended on the Gaviria house in Beer Yaakov. Gaviria joined the Border Police a year and a half ago and served in the Jerusalem corridor. A year ago he was lightly wounded in an attack near the site of today's attack. The incident occurred on a Shabbat during a patrol along the fence of Har Adar. A terrorist jumped out of the bushes and stabbed him in the hand. One of Gaviria's officers related that despite his wounds, Solomon fought back and succeeded in fending off the terrorist. Friends added that after he recovered from his wounds he insisted on returning to service. Gaviria is survived by two sisters and a brother. The leader of the Ethiopian community in Beer Yaakov, Baruch Boglah, said: "I have known this hero for many years. A year ago he was injured in the war against terrorists, recovered and returned to serve. Unfortunately today we heard the worst possible news. He grew up here, studied here and excelled." 7. Justice Minister weighs in on settlement ceremony controversyby Mordechai Sones Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked visited the Ariel Municipal Court on Tuesday to support Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria. Shaked also referred to the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court Chief Justice's decision not to send a representative of the judicial system to the ceremonyon Wednesday marking 50 years of building Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria, the Golan and Jerusalem. "Our legal system is deployed all over the country and I am always happy to visit the courts and strengthen the authorities and the system," Shaked asserted. "Tomorrow I will be at the ceremony marking 50 years of settlement in Judea and Samaria, and as you know, the judicial system is an integral part of settlement. "I send condolences to the families of those murdered today; hatred will not weaken us, we will continue to develop and settle our land," she said. 8. Watch: IDF raids Har Adar terrorist's villageby David Rosenberg [youtube:2033341] Israeli security forces operated in the Palestinian Authority-controlled villages of Beit Surik and Biddu overnight, following the deadly terror attack in Har Adar that left three security personnel dead and one seriously wounded. The attack was carried out by 37-year-old Beit Surik resident Nimer Mahmoud Ahmed Aljamal, who used a stolen pistol to shoot security personnel at the back entrance to Har Adar Tuesday morning. At a coalition meeting following the attack, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed that Aljamal’s home would be demolished. In a series of predawn raids early Wednesday morning, IDF forces entered the villages of Beit Surik and Biddu, searching for weapons, terror funds, and pro-terror propaganda material. The IDF also carried out a joint operation with the Shin Bet internal security agency and the Border Police in Beit Surik to map out Aljamal’s home and prepare for its demolition. Security forces operating in the two villages also confiscated Israeli work permits from Aljamal’s relatives. In Beit Surik, soldiers found and dismantled a mourners’ tent erected in honor of Aljamal. Elsewhere in Judea and Samaria, security forces arrested 15 wanted suspects, including 3 terrorists responsible for firebomb attacks on Israeli civilians and security personnel. The suspects have been transferred for interrogation. IDF and Border Police units operating in Samaria uncovered and confiscated thousands of shekels in terror funds. Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe | |
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