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/
Monday, Jul. 11 '16, ה' בתמוז תשע"ו
HEADLINES:
1. 'ISRAEL IS OPERATING IN THE SINAI - WITH EGYPT'S BLESSING'
2. FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR HEVRON SOLDIER EXCEEDS GOAL IN 12 HOURS
3. FOREIGN MIN. BLASTS 'OFFENSIVE' UNESCO TEMPLE MOUNT RESOLUTION
4. BENNETT: DISCRIMINATION IS LIKE 'SODOM AND GEMORRAH'
5. FACEBOOK CHARGED WITH AIDING TERROR IN BILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT
6. 46 YEAR-OLD WOMAN DIES AFTER C-SECTION
7. HAREDI TEEN BEATEN BY BUS DRIVER
8. SHULI RAND WINS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
1. 'ISRAEL IS OPERATING IN THE SINAI - WITH EGYPT'S BLESSING'
by Nitsan Keidar
Israel's military is operating in the Sinai Peninsula – and with Egypt's blessing, says a senior Egyptian official and former parliamentarian.
According to a report in Bloomberg, Mohamed Kamal, who previously served in the upper chamber of the Egyptian parliament, claims Israel and Egypt are cooperating in the war on terrorism, working together closely to defeat the ISIS terror organization in the Sinai.
"There is definitely a high level of cooperation that could be unprecedented, especially in the field of combating terrorism," Kamal told Bloomberg.
The report noted that Egyptian President A-Sisi has aggressively fought Islamic terrorists inside Egypt – including in the Sinai, where treaty limitations restrict Egyptian military deployments.
Kamal's comments appear to validate claims by IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan, who suggested Israel and Egypt were closer than ever before, sharing intelligence information and effectively operating in tandem in the Sinai.
"The level of cooperation is something we've never experience before. It's not about love, its not about common values. I wouldn't describe it as the relationship we have with the United States of America, but I think it's a good starting point."
A senior Israeli official speaking on condition of anonymity said Israel was operating armed airborne drones in the Sinai, with the full support of Egypt.
2. FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN FOR HEVRON SOLDIER EXCEEDS GOAL IN 12 HOURS
by Shlomo Pitrikovsky
Supporters of Elor Azariya, the soldier accused of manslaughter after shooting a neutralized Arab terrorist to death in Hevron, scored a major victory on Monday, easily raising more than enough money to continue to fund Azariya's legal defense.
The fundraising campaign, which sought to raise 400,000 ($105,000) within 30 days ended up netting 406,664 shekels in just 12 hours.
The campaign, which was initiated by relatives of Azariya, began at 8:00 p.m. Sunday night, and by 8:00 a.m. Monday morning it was announced the effort had raked in more than the original goal.
Supporters of the campaign include journalist Sharon Gal and an organization for the defense of IDF soldiers.
Gal wrote on behalf of the campaign that "We citizens cannot stand idly by and leave Elor and his family undefended. We citizens cannot let bureaucracy and politics triumph over basic moral values we grew up on and upon which the IDF was founded, just like Israeli society as a whole. We citizens cannot rely on others – we take the responsibility upon ourselves. We citizens will fight for our soldiers and free Elor!"
3. FOREIGN MIN. BLASTS 'OFFENSIVE' UNESCO TEMPLE MOUNT RESOLUTION
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Dore Gold, Director General of Israel's Foreign Ministry, blasted a draft resolution being considered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization committee (UNESCO) recognizing the Old City of Jerusalem's unique place in history - as a "Muslim site".
In a letter publicized on Monday, a day ahead of the UNESCO vote on the Jerusalem resolution, Gold ridiculed the document as "a completely one-sided draft" that "deliberately ignores the historical connection between the Jewish people and their ancient capital".
The resolution under consideration describes the Temple Mount, the site of Solomon's Temple and later Herod's Temple and the holiest place in Judaism, merely as a "Muslim holy site of worship".
"In fact," writes Gold, "the Jewish attachment to Jerusalem has survived from ancient to modern times."
"Their ancient synagogues were destroyed and desecrated by a coalition of invading armies in 1948, who ethnically cleansed the Old City of any Jewish presence."
The Director General slammed UNESCO's de-Judaization of the Temple Mount in its draft resolution as an "effort to distort history", one which is "totally disconnected from reality on the ground."
4. BENNETT: DISCRIMINATION IS LIKE 'SODOM AND GEMORRAH'
by Haim Lev
On the basis of the conclusions of the Bitton Commission, which deals with giving the educational system Sephardi heritage content, Minister Naftali Bennett said that he would act with determination to erase the recent phenomenon of discrimination against girls of Sephardi heritage in haredi girls' schools.
"I will not accept discrimination. I will fight against it with all my power," Bennett said to Radio Kol Hai.
Bennett first addressed why he advanced reforms to integrate Sephardi heritage education into curricula. "I saw a very serious matter. From the founding of the State, the educational system only taught the Ashkenazi half of the narrative. They forgot to teach many things such as about the rabbis of Sephardi heritage, the Sephardi poetry and song, the immigration of Jews from North Africa, the absorption camps of the fifties that comprised mostly Jews from Arab countries.
"Even here in Jerusalem they're always talking about the neighborhood of Mishkenot Sha'ananim as one of the first Jerusalem neighborhoods outside the old city walls, but what about the Mugrabi neighborhood that was founded outside the walls of the old city? Don't we deserve the full story?" he wondered.
Regarding the situation of discrimination in haredi institutions, Bennett stated: "I gave a clear instruction to the principal of the haredi district: I will not tolerate discrimination [...] It can't be that in 2016 girls are discriminated against because of they are Sephardi, that's Sodom and Gemorrah."
5. FACEBOOK CHARGED WITH AIDING TERROR IN BILLION DOLLAR LAWSUIT
by Arutz Sheva Staff
The families of five Americans and Israeli-Americans killed or wounded by Arab terrorists in Israel have filed suit against the social media giant Facebook, claiming one billion dollars in damages over the website's failure to rein in on rampant pro-terror incitement.
The lawsuit, filed by the Shurat Hadin organization on behalf of the five families, contends that Facebook knowingly provided services to terrorists – including the Hamas organization – to spread anti-Israel incitement.
Citing the 1992 Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), which forbids all American corporations from providing any and all aid to terror groups or their leaders, the five families filed the suit Monday morning in a federal court in New York.
Shurat Hadin, a Tel Aviv-based law center, tracks anti-Israeli incitement and targets terror organizations and their backers in legal cases around the world.
The plaintiffs in the case claim the social media site is liable under the 1992 ATA for terror attacks carried out by the Hamas terror organization, which the suit notes has active accounts with Facebook and uses the website as a platform to spread its propaganda and incitement to violence.
The families behind the suit include the relatives of Taylor Force, an American Army veteran who was murdered in a stabbing attack in Tel Aviv in 2016; the family of Menachem Mendel Rivkin, who was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack in Givat Zeev in 2016; relatives of Richard Leikin, a 76-year old man who was shot and killed by a terrorist on a bus in Jerusalem in 2015; the family of Chaya Zisel Braun, the baby murdered by a Hamas terrorist in Jerusalem in 2014, and relatives of Yaakov Naftali Frankel, one of the three youths kidnapped and murdered by Hamas in 2014.
While Monday's lawsuit is the largest such claim made against Facebook, it is not the first suit faced by the social media giant in connection to terrorism.
Last month the family of Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year old California college student who was murdered in last year's ISIS attack in Paris, sued Facebook, Twitter, and Google for providing what they called "material support" for the ISIS terror group.
The claim, which was filed in a federal court in California, was immediately rejected by all three defendants cited in the suit.
Facebook claims the company works "aggressively to remove" terrorist content "as soon as we become aware of it."
6. 46 YEAR-OLD WOMAN DIES AFTER C-SECTION
by Tal Polon
A woman who gave birth last night in Hadassah hospital passed away this morning after having undergone a a cesarean section operation twelve hours before.
The 46-year-old woman had undergone fertility treatment, after which she opted to have a cesarean section birth. Hours later she complained of pains in her chest, and later collapsed; the medical team, despite its efforts, was unable to resuscitate her.
It is still unclear what the exact cause of death was; a full report of the incident from the hospital to the Ministry of Health is pending.
Following the incident, the hospital expressed sorrow over the incident: "Despite the best efforts at resuscitation which continued for about three hours, the woman has passed away. Haddassah Hospital expresses deep sorrow and feels the pain of the family."
7. HAREDI TEEN BEATEN BY BUS DRIVER
by Arutz Sheva Staff
A haredi youth was beaten by an Egged bus driver during a trip from Jerusalem to Tiberias last Thursday night.
The incident, which took place on an Egged 959 line bus, began when the victim, Urel Finch, and two friends played music on a portable speaker system.
Video recordings of the latter portion of the incident show the driver attempting to beat Finch and chasing him through the Tiberias central bus station.
"During the whole trip we were enjoying some music on a speaker I brought from home. The music was turned down very, very low and there were hardly any other passengers besides us," said Finch.
"Then suddenly the driver stopped on the side of the road, got up and came towards me and attacked me and tried to take the speaker. Only after I told him that I would report him to the police did he stop."
But, according to Finch, the story didn't end there. When the bus pulled into the central bus station in Tiberias, the driver renewed his harassment of Finch and his companions.
"As we got off of the bus he cursed me and my friends, and at that point I couldn't hold back any more, and I muttered in response 'your mother'. Then the driver lost it. He hit me and started to chase after me. Even when we were about to leave the bus station and the driver was already back in his bus, he came out, picked up a rock and threatened to throw it at us. At the end of the incident we called the police."
Finch says he intends to file a formal complaint over the incident.
An Egged spokesperson responded to the incident saying "Without knowing the background of what was filmed, there is no question that this is a highly unusual and very serious matter. I suggest the victim file a police report so that they [the police] can conduct an investigation, or alternatively he may file a complaint with Egged so that the company's enforcement apparatus can deal with the matter.
"In any event, Egged will not accept such unusual and serious incidents like the one seen in the video. As of yet no complaint has been filed by the victim with either Egged or the police."
8. SHULI RAND WINS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
by Arutz Sheva Staff
Education Minister Naftali Bennett announced Monday morning that he has accepted the recommendation of the Lifetime Achievement Award panel, making haredi entertainer Shuli Rand this year's winner of the ministerial award for Jewish culture, recognizing Rand's achievements in theater, film, and music.
Rand was voted the award by a panel comprised of Channel 20 Chairman Motti Shklar, Editor Yossi Alitov of the Hamishpachah magazine and Devorah Kitzis of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
"Rand was very excited to hear the news," a spokesperson from the Education Ministry said following the announcement.
Bennett praised Rand's groundbreaking work as a haredi actor and founder of the Jewish Theater of Jerusalem.
"Shuli Rand proves that art cross all boundaries and social groups, that talent breaks through preconcieved notions."
"Shuli Rand is a symbol of smashing barriers and breaking with convention. He is able to show the beauty of Judaism through performance that reaches everyone, in every community.
The Education Ministry's annual Jewish Culture award is given to individuals who have made noteworthy contributions in the performing arts, literature, and film.
[youtube:2017042]
------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to this Daily Israel Report:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Subscribe/
