After UN Vote, Israel Plans J’lem Housing � Commentary Magazine

After UN Vote, Israel Plans J’lem Housing � Commentary Magazine: As the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to upgrade the Palestinians’ status Thursday night, Israel took steps toward building housing in a controversial area of East Jerusalem known as E1, where Jewish settlements have long been seen as the death knell for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Friday that the decision was made late Thursday night to move forward on “preliminary zoning and planning preparations” for housing units in E1, which would connect the large settlement of Maale Adumim to Jerusalem and therefore make it impossible to connect the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem to Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. Israel also authorized the construction of 3,000 housing units in other parts of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, the official said.

Germany backtracks on Palestinian bid; Israeli official: 'We lost Europe' - Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper

Germany backtracks on Palestinian bid; Israeli official: 'We lost Europe' - Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper: This, in effect, leaves Israel without any European country supporting it at the international forum. Officials in Israel said that Germany's decision was influenced by Britain. "Britain's dramatic reversal prompted the Germans to change their mind," a Foreign Ministry official said. "We lost Europe. More than half of its countries will vote with the Palestinians, and the rest will abstain.

Jpost | Print Article

Jpost | Print Article: Israel has only two options for dealing with the ever-escalating threat from Gaza. It can try to coexist with Hamas. This option is doomed to failure since Hamas seeks the annihilation of the Jewish people and the eradication of Israel. Recognizing this state of affairs, in a public opinion survey taken on Wednesday for Channel 2, 88% of Israelis said that a cease-fire with Hamas will either not hold at all or hold for only a short time.

74% of Israelis opposed accepting a cease-fire.

The other choice is to destroy Hamas. To accomplish this Israel will need to invade Gaza and remain in place. It will have to kill or imprison thousands of terrorists, send thousands more packing for Sinai, and then spend years patrolling the streets of Gaza and arresting terrorists just as it does today in Judea and Samaria.

Whereas the first option is impossible, the latter option is not currently viable. It isn’t viable because not enough people making the argument have the opportunity to publish their thoughts in leading publications. Most of those who might have the courage to voice this view fear that if they do, they will be denied an audience, or discredited as warmongers or extremists.

'Israel set to test David's Sling's intercepto... JPost - Defense

'Israel set to test David's Sling's intercepto... JPost - Defense: David's Sling will operate within Israel's multi-tiered missile defense system, protecting the country from medium-range threats. The Iron Dome system aims to intercept short-range missiles and rockets, while the country's Arrow and eventually Arrow 3 seek to intercept long-range missiles and ICBMs

'Satellites show Iran moving quickly to rearm ... JPost - Defense

'Satellites show Iran moving quickly to rearm ... JPost - Defense: The Times report also cited Israeli officials speculating that Iran could be moving longer-range ballistic missiles into Sudan, which could be aimed at Israel from the African country.

The official added that Tehran would act to re-arm Hamas and other Gaza groups quickly, as it sees them as a necessary part of its response to a possible Israeli attack against Iran.

IDF unit twice received order to enter Gaza before being told to stand down | The Times of Israel

IDF unit twice received order to enter Gaza before being told to stand down | The Times of Israel: A group of infantry troops stationed on the Gaza border during Operation Pillar of Defense was twice given the order to enter the Strip, but was called back at the last moment in both instances, Maariv reported on Thursday.

The report cited soldiers in the Nahal Brigade who said that on Monday night they were told to move into the Hamas-controlled enclave, and had even gotten as far as opening the border gates, when a counter-order was issued, halting the incursion for a further 24 hours.

“Since Saturday we were twice ordered to gear up and told that we are going in, and then we were called back to Israel,” one of the soldiers said, adding that the tension was almost unbearable.

“It’s like crying ‘wolf,’” he said. “After a few of those you no longer believe it. They have to decide already — will they send us in or release us?”

Spain speeds up naturalization for Sephardi Jews | The Times of Israel

Spain speeds up naturalization for Sephardi Jews | The Times of Israel: MADRID (AP) — Spain has announced measures to speed up the naturalization of Jews of Sephardic descent whose ancestors fled the Iberian peninsula more than five centuries ago when they were told to convert to Christianity or go into exile.

Sephardi Jews have had the option of seeking Spanish naturalization for decades. The change announced Thursday gives them special status and sets up a process for their ancestry to be vetted by the Spanish Federation of Jewish Communities and forwarded to authorities for approval.

The federation says thousands of Sephardi Jews around the world could benefit, particularly those living in Latin America and Turkey.

Many Sephardi Jews fled to places like Istanbul, London and Cairo after the 1492 decree. Others who didn’t convert were killed during the Inquisition.

TV report: Warnings that peace deals with Egypt, Jordan could collapse led Israel to end Hamas assault with no ground offensive | The Times of Israel

TV report: Warnings that peace deals with Egypt, Jordan could collapse led Israel to end Hamas assault with no ground offensive | The Times of Israel: Israel received warnings from Washington and Cairo that its peace treaties with both Egypt and Jordan would be “endangered” if it sent ground forces into Gaza to confront Hamas this week, Israel’s Channel 2 reported Thursday.

The warnings played “a central role” in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to agree to a ceasefire on Wednesday without having ordered a much-anticipated ground incursion. The warnings were conveyed to Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, who played a key behind-the-scenes role in the ceasefire talks, the report said.

Obama Legitimizes Morsi’s Protection Racket

Obama Legitimizes Morsi’s Protection Racket: Hamas fires 275 rockets at Israel and is rewarded with de facto acceptance as a legitimate negotiating partner in the Middle East peace process, as well as with a relaxation of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza coast. Israel is prevented from exacting a price for Hamas’ actions sufficient to deter future attacks or degrade Hamas’ capabilities. In one stroke, the Obama administration has overturned thirty years of American policy, which rejected negotiations with Hamas and other terrorist organizations.

Bleak Friday: Israeli Reservists Return Home Disappointed; Bibi Drops in Polls

Bleak Friday: Israeli Reservists Return Home Disappointed; Bibi Drops in Polls
Much of the Israeli public agrees that a ground war would have been preferable to no war at all, given the continued threat of attacks from Gaza--and given that Hamas is declaring victory. A new poll suggests that support for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has fallen sharply, by as much as 25 percent, since he accepted the cease-fire, likely after intense pressure from the Obama administration. A poll prior to the cease-fire indicated that 70% of Israelis opposed it, and wanted to fight to remove Hamas from Gaza altogether.

Once a lock for re-election early next year, Netanyahu is now considered politically vulnerable. He is at pains to convince his own voters that Israel came out of the conflict as a winner by destroying much of Hamas's rocket infrastructure--perhaps because Hamas was able to replenish and improve its arsenal with help from Iran since the end of Operation Cast Lead in January 2009. He may draw some comfort from the fact that his left-wing opponents are split with the imminent return of former opposition leader Tzipi Livni to the scene.

Hamas Fires Rockets Without Warheads to Increase Range

Hamas Fires Rockets Without Warheads to Increase Range: Reports indicate that in some situations Hamas is trading the opportunity to do actual damage for the opportunity to create more havoc and mental anguish for Israelis.

Report: Rockets Fired from Egypt Hit Israel | The Weekly Standard

Report: Rockets Fired from Egypt Hit Israel | The Weekly Standard: Two major Israeli newspapers are reporting that rockets fired from Egypt have hit Israel.

"Terrorists in the Sinai Peninsula launched rockets into Israel Friday night," reports the Jerusalem Post. "The rockets fell near an Israeli village on the southern border, causing some damage, but no injuries."

The Israeli daily Haaretz reports, "Rockets fired from direction of Egypt toward Eshkol Regional Council."

Iron Dome intercepts missiles aimed at Tel Avi... JPost - Defense

Iron Dome intercepts missiles aimed at Tel Avi... JPost - Defense: The Iron Dome intercepted two Iranian-made Fajr-5 missiles aimed at Tel Aviv on Saturday. The missiles marked the third attack on the heavily populated central city in as many days, after Palestinian terrorists from Gaza fired four missiles toward the financial capital on Thursday and Friday, prompting red alert air raid sirens to sound in the city.

Obama Re-Election Prompts Middle East War

Obama Re-Election Prompts Middle East War: Conflict in the Middle East is nothing new. But this multipronged conflict is truly the first transnational effort against Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. It’s been brought on by Barack Obama’s embrace of the Arab Spring, his gap with Israel, and his failure to stand up to Islamism. Israel’s enemies believe that Israel stands alone, no matter what words the State Department mouths. And so the rockets will continue falling.

Critics Struggle to Undermine IDF’s Social Media Blitz � Commentary Magazine

Critics Struggle to Undermine IDF’s Social Media Blitz � Commentary Magazine: That attempt to censor the video — as well as the IDF’s Twitter account and websites — is a sign of panic. Israel has finally found a way to circumvent the pernicious media bias that has always favored anti-Israel groups, and it has these groups terrified and scrambling.

So far, the Israeli military’s public relations department hasn’t been fazed. They’ve rolled out a new Tumblr page, where they’ve been posting videos of IDF dropping thousands warning leaflets from the air above Palestinian neighborhoods and succinctly explaining the Hamas rocket attacks that sparked Operation Pillar of Defense. They’ve also launched a Pinterest, a Flikr page, an Instagram, and a GooglePlus account that they’ve been updating by the minute.

Israeli Company Trains Mice To Sniff Out Bombs � CBS DC

Israeli Company Trains Mice To Sniff Out Bombs � CBS DC: BioExplorers have developed a system where a person is hit by a small blast of air that is immediately pushed into a chamber where eight mice are waiting. The mice then smell the air for potentially hazardous or incendiary materials. They can even detect money.

If the person is a threat, the mice reportedly know to gather in a separate compartment as a means of alerting humans, AFP News learned.

Israel Calls Up 30,000 Soldiers As Army Announces 'Expanding The Campaign'

Israel Calls Up 30,000 Soldiers As Army Announces 'Expanding The Campaign': As rockets bombarded Israel from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, and as sirens wailed in Tel Aviv, Israel massed troops on the borders of the Gaza Strip in anticipation of a large-scale military action. The rocket aimed at Tel Aviv has been reported to have hit a suburb of Tel Aviv; Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter said, however, that the rocket landed in the sea.

Now for a Public Service Announcement from the IDF � Commentary Magazine

Now for a Public Service Announcement from the IDF � Commentary Magazine: In response to months of sustained Hamas rocket attacks, the IDF kicked off its Gaza military operation this morning by dropping a missile onto Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari’s car. From the Israel Defense Forces Twitter feed, a fair warning to any of the late Jabari’s comrades who may have been thinking about taking a drive later today:

We recommend that no Hamas operatives, whether low level or senior leaders, show their faces above ground in the days ahead.

— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) November 14, 2012

Gaza: First of Three Fronts Against Iran?

Gaza: First of Three Fronts Against Iran?: With its strike on Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari today, Israel may have opened the first of what could soon be three fronts against Iran.

The Israel Defense Force described the strike as the first of many in a campaign against terrorist targets in Gaza--and took care to note that Hamas as a “forward Iranian base.” The other two likely battlefields are the Iranian-controlled Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon, and the Iranian nuclear sites.