Israel retaliates for rocket fire from Gaza with airstrike

"Military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner says that "multiple rockets" have been fired at Israel from Gaza this month alone and warned that "Hamas must fulfill its responsibilities or face the consequences."

"Israel holds Gaza's Hamas rulers responsible for all attacks stemming from the territory.

"Hamas said one of its facilities was hit and two of its members lightly hurt.

"The attack was claimed by Gaza militants who support the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. They criticize Hamas for not imposing strict religious law in Gaza." News Link

Israel jails Jewish extremist for 6 months without trial

"Administrative detention is typically used against Palestinians who can be held for months or even years without trial or charge. The measure is rarely applied against Israelis. Israel has defended the administrative detention of Palestinians as a necessary tool for preventing militant attacks.

"Meyer's lawyer, Adi Keidar, told Israeli Army Radio that there were "less drastic steps" Israel could use to pursue an investigation against his client. He said he opposed the measure, both for Israelis and Palestinians.

"Legally speaking, you can't take a person and put him in jail, without having evidence against him," Keidar said." News Link

Israel authorizes force-feeding of hunger-striking prisoners

"JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's parliament authorized on Thursday the force-feeding of prisoners on hunger strike, a move that has met vehement opposition from the country's medical association and rights groups.

"But Israel's Medical Association, which considers force- feeding a form of torture and medically risky, has urged Israeli doctors not to abide by the law.

"In the West Bank, Qadoura Fares, chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners Club that advocates for Palestinians jailed by Israel, denounced the law as a product of a "racist and fascist" government.
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel called the law shameful.

"It pushes the medical community to severely violate medical ethics for political gains, as was done in other dark regimes in history," the group said in a statement, urging the doctors "to refuse to serve as a fig leaf for torture". News Link

A Palestinian village braces for Israeli demolition

"At the heart of the matter is the struggle over the 62 percent of the West Bank that was placed under full Israeli control under interim peace accords two decades ago. This land, called Area C, is home to more than 350,000 Jewish settlers, more than double the number of Palestinians living there. Critics say Israel has blocked virtually all Palestinian development in Area C, while expanding the Jewish settlements there — a charge Israel denies.

"The people are afraid," said Nasser Nawajah, a leading activist among Susiya's residents. He said his children will not sleep alone at night. During the day, Nawajah said, the children are constantly on edge that any group approaching could be Israeli soldiers." News Link

Israel passes controversial 20-year sentence for stone-throwers

"A committee headed by cabinet Secretary Avichai Mendelblit of the right-wing Jewish Home party proposed the law following a series of Palestinian protests in East Jerusalem last year, Haaretz reports. After a heated debate, Israel's parliament voted 69 to 17 to increase existing punishments." News Link

Israel says 2 citizens held in Gaza

"Israeli defense officials identified one of the men as Avraham Mengistu, an Israeli of Ethiopian descent in his late 20s.

"Israeli Channel 10 broadcast an interview with a man it identified as Mengistu's father. "They didn't do anything," Haili Mengistu said. "Where is my son?"

"While Mengistu's disappearance had been well known inside Israel's Ethiopian community, Israel had barred publication of the incident for several months." News Link

Israeli blockade makes Gaza recovery 'impossible': aid agency

"LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Israel's blockade of building materials for Gaza has created one of the highest levels of unemployment in the world and made it impossible for the small coastal enclave to recover from the war a year ago, aid agencies said on Wednesday." News Link

Israel arrests dozens in West Bank & Cancels West Bankers' Gaza visits

"Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel said Wednesday it was revoking permits for hundreds of Palestinians living in the West Bank to visit relatives in the Gaza Strip, after a series of attacks, some fatal." News Link

"JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli forces have arrested dozens of Hamas members suspected of planning attacks and trying to build up the Palestinian militant group in the occupied West Bank, Israel's Shin Bet security service said on Wednesday." News Link

Israel says asked Syrian rebels not to harm Druze

"JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel said on Monday it had made humanitarian aid to select Syrian rebel groups on its border conditional on their undertaking not to harm the Druze minority in the country's civil war." News Link

Palestinian hunger striker 'close to death':lawyer

"Adnan is being held in "administrative detention", a procedure under which Israel imprisons Palestinian suspects without trial indefinitely for renewable six-month periods.

"He was arrested as part of an Israeli mass roundup shortly after last June's kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank." News Link

Israel urges French Jews to flee after factory attack

"I call on the Jews of France – come home! Anti-Semitism is rising, terror is increasing," immigration minister Zeev Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightwing Likud party said in a statement.

"This is a national mission of the highest priority." News Link

U.N. calls on Netanyahu to act on commitment to two-state solution

"UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United Nations called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to translate into action his commitment to a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, including halting settlement construction.

"Netanyahu took a stand against Palestinian statehood during his election campaign earlier this year, but has since committed to a two-state solution. Palestinians seek a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands Israel captured in 1967." News Link

Aid convoy sets sail for Gaza in new bid to break Israeli blockade

"On Sunday, deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely said the flotilla was "the work of provocateurs whose aim is to blacken Israel's face," adding that the ministry had been working "through diplomatic channels night and day" to prevent it from reaching Israeli waters." News Link

Israel bars rights group from volunteer programme

"B'Tselem was one of 10 human rights groups which wrote to the attorney general last July to raise "concerns about grave violations of international humanitarian law" in the bombing and shelling of residential buildings in the Gaza Strip."

"Uri Ariel, minister responsible for the National Insurance Institute, which supervises the scheme, said on Tuesday he had given orders that volunteering with groups seen as hostile to the state would no longer be recognised as national service."

"It's not just B'Tselem," he added. "It's not just one organisation, there may be others and it applies to them as well." News Link

Orange CEO tells Netanyahu firm will deepen Israel ties

"JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The chief executive of French telecoms group Orange told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday he profoundly regretted remarks he made last week which he said were misinterpreted to make it sound as if he supported a boycott of Israel." News Link

No charges as Israel closes probe into deadly Gaza beach bombing

"The Israeli army said on Thursday that it was dropping proceedings over a July 16 bombing of a Gaza beach where four children died during last summer's war.

"The... case has been closed following the completion of a criminal investigation," it said in a statement, adding that two other cases involving Palestinian deaths in the fighting had also been closed, but a criminal investigation had been launched in an attack on a cafe in which nine died." News Link

Palestinians to send war crimes reports to world court

"RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian officials say they are pressing ahead with their war crimes case against Israel in the International Criminal Court.

"Foreign Minister Riad Malki said Thursday that he will travel to the Hague on June 25 to present the Palestinians' first reports to the court as part of a preliminary investigation.

"He said the reports will focus on Israeli settlement construction and Israel's war in the Gaza Strip last year.

"The Palestinians joined the ICC earlier this year.

"The Haaretz daily said Thursday that an ICC delegation would soon be visiting as part of the investigation. It quoted a senior Israeli official as dismissing the visit as a routine procedure. Israel opposes the investigation, accusing the Palestinians of avoiding negotiations." News Link

Israel refuses to treat shot Palestinian photographer

"Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel has barred a Palestinian photographer allegedly shot in the eye by an Israeli soldier from entering east Jerusalem for specialist treatment, he told AFP on Wednesday.

"The march was peaceful and no stones were thrown, no photographers were taking any pictures," he said, accusing soldiers of firing sound bombs at the photographers without any provocation.

"I raised my camera to my right eye to take a picture, but a soldier shot me in my left eye with his rifle, and the rubber bullet went through my gas mask's glass eye cover and into my eye."

"An Italian camerawoman was also injured during the same demonstration which came as Palestinians marked "Nakba", or the catastrophe that befell them when Israel was established in 1948." News Link

The Creation Of Israel

Israel isn't on UN list of parties that kill or injure children

"Israel's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor said Israel should not be listed alongside groups like Islamic State, al Qaeda and the Taliban. Emmanuel Nahshon, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Israel took all possible steps to protect civilians.

"Israel acted to defend its residents from attacks by a murderous terrorist group, which has no qualms about placing Palestinian civilians, including children, in the line of fire," Nahshon said." News Link

Known Source Comment: "Placing children in the line of fire" means "Hamas let children sleep peacefully in their beds while Israel bombed their homes."

Israel hits Gaza, closes crossings after rocket attack

"Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli warplanes struck Gaza early Sunday for the second time in three days after cross-border rocket fire by an Islamic extremist group which is locked in a power struggle with Hamas.

"It was the third time Israel had staged retaliatory air strikes on the war torn Gaza Strip in the past fortnight after three instances of rocket fire, all of which were claimed by Salafist extremists loosely allied with the Islamic State group." News Link

Netanyahu slams 'miserable' Orange move to cut Israel ties

"Jerusalem (AFP) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday condemned the "miserable" decision of French telecoms giant Orange to withdraw its brand from Israel, urging Paris to distance itself from the company.

"The absurd drama in which the democracy that observes human rights –- the State of Israel -– and which defends itself from barrages of missiles and terrorist tunnels, and then absorbs automatic condemnations and attempted boycotts, this absurd drama will not be forgiven," Netanyahu said at a memorial ceremony.

"I call on our friends to unconditionally declare -– in a loud and clear voice –- that they oppose any kind of boycott of the state of the Jews," he said." News Link

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"And since making the remarks Wednesday in Cairo, the Orange CEO has been contrite.

"He told Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper "we love Israel," and the office of Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom said he had received a call on Friday to apologise.

"But Partner is unimpressed.

"The recent statements... are nothing more than a smokescreen, the object of which is to manipulate public opinion in Israel and the world," Saturday's statement said, slamming what it called Richard's "offensive statements, apologies and vague and evasive expressions." News Link

Israel slams Swiss funding for Israeli NGO exhibit

"The exhibition, which will open in Zurich this week, is being staged by Breaking the Silence, a rights group whose members are veteran combatants who testify about the abuses they have seen or taken part in during their military service in the occupied Palestinian territories.

"But Israel's newly appointed deputy foreign minister Tzipi Hotovely is determined to prevent the show from taking place, ordering both the ministry and Israel's embassy in Bern to examine ways of preventing it, ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told AFP.

"Andrea Konig, director of Kulturhaus Helferei, the organisation hosting the exhibit, said she was surprised by the intensity of the criticism.

"Those who disagreed with Breaking the Silence had been offered a chance to participate in discussions to be held alongside the exhibit, she said.

"Konig's organisation also asked the Israeli embassy to participate but it declined, she said." News Link

Another Ethiopian Israeli protest in Tel Aviv

"Last month Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial city, saw its most violent demonstration in years when police on horseback charged at hundreds of protesters to disperse an angry outburst at a video showing policemen beating a soldier of Ethiopian descent.

"The latest demonstration was held to press for speedier measures against police accused of involvement in that assault. "Violent police ought to be jailed," some protesters chanted." News Link

Israel must be held to account for its war crimes

"According to Bensouda the ICC would "be looking at alleged crimes committed by all sides, in total independence and impartiality, and without fear or favour". That is the real meaning of justice: if human rights are to be truly universal no individual can be above the law.

"Some argue that ICC investigations will endanger prospects for peace. But over the last two decades, the Israeli government has shown no interest in furthering the peace process. In a candid moment at the end of the Israeli election campaign, Netanyahu ruled out a two-state solution while he was Prime Minister. He ruled out the very premise on which decades of the peace process have been based.

"Israel protests that its military tribunals are capable of dealing with the infractions of its soldiers, and thus that the ICC need not interfere. Expecting an army to investigate its own commanders, however, is too much to ask for – especially with the changes in Israel's military doctrines, which now appear to tolerate civilian deaths on a large scale. In the last three wars against Palestine, the most severe penalty handed to an Israeli soldier was seven-and-a-half months' imprisonment for stealing a credit card." News Link

Israel moves to toughen sentences for stone-throwers

"But far-right politician Ayelet Shaked, Israel's new justice minister, complained that far lighter punishment would probably be handed down because of the difficulty of proving such intent, especially in cases of stone-throwing in mass street protests." News Link

Netanyahu offers to resume peace talks with settlement focus, official says

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed resuming peace negotiations with the Palestinians but with the initial focus on identifying those Jewish settlements that Israel would keep and be allowed to expand, an Israeli official said on Tuesday.

A Western diplomat described Netanyahu's proposal as creating "the illusion of progress".

"Netanyahu was trying to show that he is committed to peace and ready for negotiations, but he knows the Palestinians would never agree to begin on this basis," the diplomat said. News Link

Israel thanks U.S. for blocking Mideast nuclear arms ban at U.N.

"UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the United States for blocking an Egyptian-led drive on a possible Middle East nuclear weapons ban at a major United Nations conference, an Israeli official said on Saturday." News Link

New messianic message for Israel diplomats

"A top Israeli diplomat, in a video seen by AFP on Friday, has instructed envoys to quote the Bible as giving Jews sovereignty over the entire Holy Land, including the West Bank.

"It is important to say that this land is ours, all of it is ours. We didn?t come here to apologise for this," she said.

"She also quoted a mediaeval Jewish bible scholar's treatise on the story of creation in the book of Genesis.

"A participant at the event told AFP some diplomats were shocked to hear such a senior official lay down scriptural writings as guidelines for Israeli foreign policy. News Link

Walker promises pre-emptive strikes to prevent attacks on US

"As a governor, Walker has no access to intelligence briefings like those available to President Barack Obama and certain congressional leaders.

"Still, Walker said, "It's not if another attempt is made on American soil, it is when." He said he'd "take the fight to them before they take the fight to us" and that struggle would be protracted." News Link

Ultra-Orthodox Israeli Press Edits Out Female Lawmakers

"TEL AVIV — Israel's newly appointed government features no female lawmakers — or rather that's what photographs in the country's ultra-Orthodox press would have you believe.

"The new cabinet of 23 ministers, headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, does in fact contain three women." News Link

Lieberman blasts Netanyahu for talks with Arab List

Israel's former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel talks with the head of parliament's Arab parties, accusing him of granting legitimacy to "terror supporters".

"Ayman Odeh heads the Joint List, which groups the main Arab parties in the Knesset and won 13 seats in the March elections, becoming the third largest grouping in parliament.

"Lieberman also voiced support for Netanyahu's election day remarks in which he said Arabs were voting "in droves" saying he was right to warn about it because they were being encouraged to do so by "elements hostile to Israel, first and foremost the Palestinian Authority." News Link

Israel advances plan to develop Western Wall holy site

"JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's new Cabinet has approved a plan for development at the Western Wall, a key Jewish holy site next to Jerusalem's most combustible area." News Link

Netanyahu retains final say on Palestinian peace portfolio

"On Monday, Netanyahu announced he had charged Shalom, a veteran member of his rightwing Likud party, with conducting peace talks with the Palestinians.

"The head of leftwing opposition party Meretz on Tuesday slammed Shalom's "empty" position.

"This is a sad joke," said Zehava Galon, noting past remarks Shalom had made against a Palestinian state." News Link

Clashes as Israel marks 1967 east Jerusalem capture

"Known as Jerusalem Day, the anniversary marks the seizure in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexation of mainly Arab east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community." News Link

Pope calls Palestinian leader "angel of peace" during visit

"Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis met Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Saturday, calling him "an angel of peace," days after the Vatican said it was preparing to sign its first accord with Palestine to the anger of Israel.

"Israel heard with disappointment the decision of the Holy See to agree a final formulation of an agreement with the Palestinians including the use of the term 'Palestinian State'," said an Israeli foreign ministry official.

"Such a development does not further the peace process and distances the Palestinian leadership from returning to direct bilateral negotiations. Israel will study the agreement and consider its next step." News Link

Israeli demolition plan for Bedouin village sparks outcry

"After years of legal battles, Israel's Supreme Court last week cleared the way for the government to uproot the nearly 60-year-old Bedouin Arab village of Umm al-Hiran, a dusty hill of ramshackle dwellings without proper electricity or water hookups, and in its place build "Hiran," a new community seemingly catering to Jews that is expected to feature a hotel and country club." News Link

Israel's Netanyahu finalises cabinet lineup for vote

"After two months of coalition horsetrading, Thursday's session was delayed for another two hours to give Netanyahu more time to placate senior members of his party who were dissatisfied by the portfolios they received.

"We will safeguard our security and strive for peace," Netanyahu said in a speech that was interrupted by loud laughter from the opposition and heckling from Arab Israeli lawmakers, three of whom were ejected." News Link

Netanyahu denounces 'resurgent' anti-Semitism

"Today there is no doubt that we are living in an age of resurgent anti-Semitism," Netanyahu said at the opening of the fifth Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism.

"Jews everywhere are once again being slandered and vilified," he said." News Link

Israel's anti-boycott law to 'muzzle' Palestinians

"Ramallah, occupied West Bank - Last month, Israel's Supreme Court upheld a 2011 law that would penalise those who publicly advocate for boycotting the country and its illegal settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights. News Link

Israel to vote on enlarged cabinet before new govt

"Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's parliament is to vote next week on enlarging the cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party said on Friday, reportedly to satisfy senior party members demanding portfolios." News Link

A look at key figures in Israel's new government

"JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli prime minister's new coalition government is dominated by nationalists and religious parties, setting Israel on a collision course with the international community on multiple fronts. The success of that government rests largely on the key players involved." News Link

Ethiopian protests draw attention to racism in Israel

"In the 1990s, Israeli officials confirmed that blood donated by Ethiopian Israelis had been thrown away out of fear that it could be infected by HIV and other diseases.

"Racism in Israeli society is "far more commonplace and far more toxic than we dare tell ourselves," leading political commentator Nahum Barnea wrote in Yediot Ahronoth on Monday.

"Hatred of the other, or of anyone perceived as being the other, is not only deeply rooted here, but it also receives encouragement from politicians on the eve of elections." News Link

The "Land of Israel" Scam

Israel returns 15 seized fishing boats to Gaza

 "Also, for the first time, they left the onboard generators and did not confiscate them. They used to argue that the generators were dangerous," Ayyash told Reuters.

"The United Nations food agency estimates 3,600 Gaza households are involved in fishing. Just under half of those have no other source of income."

"Fishing union chief Nizar Ayyash told AFP the return of 15 boats was welcome but demanded that Israel hand back dozens more vessels still in its possession." News Link News Link

Israel to airlift 25 babies from Nepal

"Israel said Sunday it plans to airlift 25 infants from quake-hit Nepal born to surrogate mothers, along with their Israeli parents...

"Foreign ministry spokesman Paul Hirschson said officials were doing "everything to bring the babies to Israel", while stressing the timing of their return was subject to health considerations and legal issues." News Link

Despite Victory, Netanyahu Is Struggling To Form Coalition

"JERUSALEM (AP) — With a resounding election victory last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seemed to have an easy path toward quickly establishing a coalition government with his traditional nationalist, religious and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies." News Link

Terror in Melbourne

Melbourne counter-terrorism raids: Police investigate mistreatment claim, two men still in custody

"He said he had a gun held to his head and was forced to lie on the floor for 30 minutes. He said police told him: "One more word I kill you. Doesn't matter for your kids." Another of the arrested men said he did not resist arrest and was covered in blood after being attacked by police. "After my hands were cuffed, laying on my stomach, I got kicked in the head," he said. "Then he [one of the police officers] grabbed me, slams me into the fridge, as you can see there'll be blood on the fridge. "Then [he] slammed me on the ground and then hit me with his gun and I think I passed out then." News Link

EU countries press for labelling of Israeli settlement goods

JERUSALEM (AP) — More than a dozen European governments have called for the labeling of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. News Link

Hamas official calls to abduct Israelis, swap for Palestinians

Gaza City (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - A senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip has called for the abduction of Israelis, who would be swapped for Palestinians held by the Jewish state. News Link

Israel slams Russia decision to lift Iran missile ban

"The S-300 batteries are advanced ground-to-air weapons that can take out aircraft or guided missiles.

"The decree, signed by President Vladimir Putin on Monday, ends a ban on the deliveries of S-300 missiles to Iran which was put in place in 2010 after the United Nations slapped sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear programme, including barring the sale of hi-tech weaponry." News Link