Arutz Sheva Daily Israel Report
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Sunday, Feb. 07 '16, Shevat 28, 5776
HEADLINES:
1. SUDANESE INFILTRATOR STABS SOLDIER IN ASHKELON ATTACK
2. MUSLIM LEADERS IN ISRAEL CONDEMN SYNAGOGUE ARSON
3. ARAB ARSONISTS SET FIRE TO GUSH ETZION SYNAGOGUE
4. NETANYAHU VOWS TO BAN TERROR-SUPPORTING ARAB MKS FROM KNESSET
5. PA DEBUNKS HAMAS CANCER LIBEL AGAINST ISRAEL
6. RAHAT VICTIM IDENTIFIED, DESCRIBES TERROR
7. WATCH: BOY RESCUED FROM TRUCK 'HANGING IN THE SKY'
8. WATCH: ENLIST IN THE IDF, INCREASE YOUR MARRIAGE PROSPECTS
1. SUDANESE INFILTRATOR STABS SOLDIER IN ASHKELON ATTACK
by Cynthia Blank
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An Israeli soldier was lightly injured in a stabbing attack near the central bus station in Ashkelon on Sunday morning.
The attack occurred on Ben Gurion Boulevard - a main thoroughfare in the southern coastal city.
The 20-year-old soldier was evacuated to the city's Barzilai Hospital with stab wounds to the upper body.
Magen David Adom paramedic Ariel Plaut described the scene: "We were driving when suddenly citizens signaled us to stop. We noticed a young man of about 20 sitting on a bench, fully conscious, with several stab wounds to the upper body."
"We put him in the ambulance and gave him medical treatment while evacuating him to the hospital," Plaut added. "His condition is light and he spoke with us on the way (to the hospital)."
A soldier who witnessed the attack grabbed the victim's weapon and began to chase after the assailant, eventually catching up to him on Khasida Street and neutralizing him.
The stabber, identified as a Sudanese foreign national, was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition, and was later declared dead.
Security forces are working under the estimation the stabbing was nationally-motivated, i.e. a terrorist attack.
On Saturday, a 65-year-old Israeli woman was stabbed while shopping at the market in Rahat. The Arab terrorist fled the scene and police forces are continuing to search for him.
An attempted shooting attack was also reported over Shabbat near Ariel in Samaria. No injuries or damage were reported.
2. MUSLIM LEADERS IN ISRAEL CONDEMN SYNAGOGUE ARSON
by Hezki Ezra
Sheikh Mohammed Kaiyuan Abu Ali, the chairman of the council of Muslim religious leaders in Israel, spoke with Israel's Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi David Lau on Sunday after a tent in Givat Sorek housing a synagogue was burnt down.
Located near Karmei Tzur in Gush Etzion, the synagogue's Torah scrolls were among the holy books burned in the attack.
During their conversation, the Sheikh condemned the arson, particularly the burning of holy books, noting, "In my name, and on behalf of all imams, we condemn this act and hope another disaster like this doesn't happen again in any holy place."
"We hope the perpetrators will be caught and that they will be punished to the fullest extent of the law," he added.
Condemnation continued to flood in Sunday from Israeli politicians, Judea-Samaria residents and international Jewish groups.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) responded on Twitter: "Seeing holy books burnt and a synagogue destroyed is insane. Those who teach hatred of Jews are responsible for this heinous act. We will find the arsonists and prosecute them."
Knesset Chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud) also blasted the "barbaric" arson, attributing it to incessant incitement against Jews and calling on the international community to "condemn it without hesitation."
The synagogue, which was established to commemorate the memories of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Sha'ar and Eyal Yifrah, was set ablaze by unknown assailants on Saturday.
Karmi Tzur residents allege the perpetrators collected a pile of prayer books and set them on fire, causing the entire tent to burn down.
Judea-Samaria District Police have opened an investigation into the arson, with evidence leading to the nearby Palestinian town of Halhul.
3. ARAB ARSONISTS SET FIRE TO GUSH ETZION SYNAGOGUE
by Hezki Ezra
Arab arsonists set fire to prayer books in a synagogue in the town of Givat Sorek which is located in Gush Etzion near Karmei Tzur.
The town is located on a strategic hill that overlooks the location where the three teenage boys, Eyal Yifrah, Gilad Sha'ar, Naftali Frenkel were kidnapped in 2014. The synagogue is used as a prayer house, a place where backpackers go to, and a center for youth group programs for local area youth.
Residents said that this is not the first time that the place has been attacked. "It is hard for us to come to terms with the fact that in the heart of the country an act like this occurs which reminds us of some of the darkest periods of our history. It is important to remember that less than 100 meters from the synagogue are people's houses. This is a dangerous beginning to what can easily become a much bigger tragedy. We need to bring these attacks to an end."
"These pictures are shocking and send shivers throughout the body. I am certain that holocaust survivors who survived kristallnacht and founded Gush Etzion, never dreamed that they would see such pictures of burned books here in Israel under Israeli authority," said David Perl, Head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council on Saturday night. "The government of Israel must get the wild Arab violence, that claims both the lives and sanctity of Israelis, under control. We expect that the international community will condemn this hateful, shocking and criminal act."
4. NETANYAHU VOWS TO BAN TERROR-SUPPORTING ARAB MKS FROM KNESSET
by Ari Soffer
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has vowed to do everything in his power to ban from the Knesset MKs who sympathize with terrorists who murder Israelis.
Netanyahu's comments were made in Sunday morning's weekly cabinet meeting, in response to the public outcry over a meeting between three Arab MKs - Hanin Zoabi, Basel Ghattas and Jamal Zahalkha - and relatives of a terrorist who murdered three Israeli civilians in an attack on a bus in Jerusalem last October.
In his comments, Netanyahu referred to "three Balad MKs going to comfort the families of murderers, people who murdered Israeli citizens." The MKs were all members of the Arab nationalist Balad faction, which is one of several within the Joint List party.
"I believe that most citizens of Israel feel that these MKs do not represent them," Netanyahu said. "We are making great efforts and great investments in order to integrate Arab citizens in Israeli society and they are doing the complete opposite. They are building walls of hatred."
"I try to imagine what would happen in the British Parliament or the US Congress if MPs or members of Congress would stand at silent attention for murderers of British or American citizens. I think that there would be a very major outcry and rightly so."
"I spoke with the Attorney General and asked him to consider taking legal action against these MKs," he continued. "I would like to examine new and reinforced legislative changes to ensure that anyone who acts in this direction will not serve in the Israeli Knesset.
"I think this is an important statement as to what kind of society we want. At the same time, I will today, together with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, submit a complaint to the Knesset Ethics Committee. I expect all members of the opposition who are also rightly clamoring for justice in this matter to support these proposals."
Netanyahu also called for unqualified condemnation of the torching of a synagogue in Gush Etzion, which was built in memory of three teenage Israelis abducted and murdered by Arab terrorists in 2014. In particular, Netanyahu challenged those who are quick to condemn any vandalism against mosques to show equal outrage over the desecration of a synagogue.
"We are in a harsh struggle between those who – like us – seek coexistence and peace, and those who seek war and bloodshed," the Prime Minister said. "Over the weekend, a synagogue named after the three youths who were kidnapped and murdered by terrorists was set alight.
"We will do our utmost to find the arsonists and bring them to justice. But I expect from everyone in the country and around the world who rightly condemn every desecration of a mosque or writing of graffiti on mosques, including the burning of mosques, I expect them to come out with the same cry against, and condemnation of, this abhorrent act."
5. PA DEBUNKS HAMAS CANCER LIBEL AGAINST ISRAEL
by David Rosenberg
Hamas has never shied away from making wild claims against Israel, accusing the Jewish state - for instance, accusing the Israel of employing dolphin spies off the Gaza coast.
But when the Health Ministry in Gaza blamed a rise in cancer rates on Israel, even the Palestinian Authority's own chief medical researcher balked at the allegation.
Based on cancer rate statistics released as part of World Cancer Day on February 4th, an article in the Hamas-controlled Falastin newspaper claimed that elevated cancer rates among residents of the Gaza Strip were caused by Israel. The article accused Israel of having used carcinogenic munitions during the August 2014 conflict with Gaza, leading to an unnatural rise in cancer rates in the area.
The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry, however, is crying foul. Dr, Jawad Al-Baytar, chief researcher at the PA Ministry of Health rebutted claims made by the Gaza Health Ministry in the Falastin article, remarking to the Wafa news agency that cancer rates in Gaza were actually significantly lower than in Judea and Samaria.
The actual cause of Gaza's rising cancer rates, he argues, are poor lifestyle choices, citing obesity rates, unhealthy diets, smoking, and lack of exercise. He noted that while 82.2 out of every 100,000 residents of Judea and Samaria were diagnosed with cancer, only 77 of every 100,000 Gaza residents suffered from some form of cancer.
Dr. Al-Baytar also pointed out that the elderly were disproportionately represented among cancer patients, another sign that the causes were likely natural. Nearly 35% of all cancer cases were among patients over the age of 65, even though that age group makes up less than 3% of the total population.
6. RAHAT VICTIM IDENTIFIED, DESCRIBES TERROR
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The 65 year old woman who was attacked in Rahat on Saturday has been identified as Shlomit Gonen from Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev.
Gonen spoke to reporters about the attack that occurred while she was shopping in the city's open market.
"I was planning to go into the store and felt a flick on my ear, I started hearing a ringing in my ears, I fell down and got up. My son-in-law told me that I was bleeding and began to apply pressure to my neck."
Gonen's son-in-law Benny told reporters that "We went to Rahat to buy a phone case and we began to hear shouts and I saw that she fell over. I saw her lying on the floor and I put my hand on her neck to stop the bleeding."
Security forces are conducting a man-hunt to find the terrorist who perpetrated the the attack, and are including mosques in the city in the search. Gonen's status has improved and she is now classified as only lightly injured.
Rahat Mayor, Talal al-Karnoy, together with Regional Council head Benny Shimon, expressed faith that the security forces will find the terrorist quickly. "We will continue to work together in continued understanding partnership."
7. WATCH: BOY RESCUED FROM TRUCK 'HANGING IN THE SKY'
by Yoni Kempinski
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Fire and Rescue teams on Sunday morning rescued a ten-year-old boy trapped inside an overturned truck at the Somech Interchange in northern Israel.
The truck slid, rolled over and landed on the side of a bridge, hanging "between heaven and earth" at a height of 13 meters.
The truck driver was evacuated in moderate condition, and shortly afterward the aforementioned child was also rescued.
Firefighters noted that it was a very complex rescue mission as the child was trapped in an area to which they had limited access.
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8. WATCH: ENLIST IN THE IDF, INCREASE YOUR MARRIAGE PROSPECTS
by David Rosenberg
The IDF is looking to "make a match" with a new generation of young haredi men, challenging stereotypes within the haredi community where some see haredi soldiers as "less desirable" matches.
In a new video campaign, the Israeli army highlights the advantages of military service for grooms-to-be and takes aim at the stigmas some in the haredi community have attached to enlistment.
Watch
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The video takes a light hearted look at the "shidduch" industry, where matchmakers help young men and women find their future spouses. In it, a father is seen approaching a matchmaker, looking to find a husband for his daughter.
As the matchmaker opens up his shop he reveals young grooms stored like merchandise, complete with price tags and ranked by religiosity and career. Three young men are presented to the father of the bride, all with backgrounds typical for the haredi world (full-time Torah study followed eventually by low-paid menial jobs, due to lack of qualifications), only to be rejected.
The fourth, however, is marketed as a top-of-the-line model. Strictly religious, disciplined, and with good job prospects he can use to support a family, his army service makes him stand out from his peers.
Israel's haredi population has long enjoyed broad exemptions from army service offered to full-time yeshiva students.
But as the government has begun actively encouraging large-scale enlistment among haredim, some in the community have worked to stigmatize religious soldiers and discourage army service.
Even before the controversial draft law limiting exemptions was passed in May, 2014, some radical elements within the haredi community have targeted religious soldiers, labeling them "Hardakim" – a Hebrew play on words merging the terms for "haredi" and "insect".
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