7 mar 2015
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman renewed his call for the execution of Palestinians who carry out resistance attacks against the Israeli occupation.
Lieberman was commenting Friday on the Jerusalem attack in which a Palestinian driver ran over a number of Israeli conscripts in Occupied Jerusalem. The resistance operation resulted in the injury of six Israeli soldiers, according to Israeli policemen who immediately shot and seriously wounded the Palestinian man.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) deliberately shoot to kill the Palestinians who conduct such actions as evident in similar previous attacks.
For his part, Hamas spokesman abroad Hosam Badran stressed the Palestinians’ right of resistance. He opined that the run over operation demonstrates the insistence of the Palestinian people on the resistance option.
The Hamas spokesman told Quds Press that the “heroic operation” is a clear message to the world that the Palestinians have the right to respond to Israeli crimes including desecration of the Aqsa Mosque, the continuation of settlement in the West Bank, and the siege on the Gaza Strip.
Regarding to the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) decision of ending the security coordination with the Israeli occupation, Badran said “we look positively at the decision, whilst the actual implementation is the only indication for its seriousness”.
He pointed out that the first step towards the enforcement of the PCC decision should include releasing all of the political detainees from the Palestinian Authority jails as well as halting the arrests and summonses on political grounds.
Lieberman was commenting Friday on the Jerusalem attack in which a Palestinian driver ran over a number of Israeli conscripts in Occupied Jerusalem. The resistance operation resulted in the injury of six Israeli soldiers, according to Israeli policemen who immediately shot and seriously wounded the Palestinian man.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) deliberately shoot to kill the Palestinians who conduct such actions as evident in similar previous attacks.
For his part, Hamas spokesman abroad Hosam Badran stressed the Palestinians’ right of resistance. He opined that the run over operation demonstrates the insistence of the Palestinian people on the resistance option.
The Hamas spokesman told Quds Press that the “heroic operation” is a clear message to the world that the Palestinians have the right to respond to Israeli crimes including desecration of the Aqsa Mosque, the continuation of settlement in the West Bank, and the siege on the Gaza Strip.
Regarding to the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) decision of ending the security coordination with the Israeli occupation, Badran said “we look positively at the decision, whilst the actual implementation is the only indication for its seriousness”.
He pointed out that the first step towards the enforcement of the PCC decision should include releasing all of the political detainees from the Palestinian Authority jails as well as halting the arrests and summonses on political grounds.
Galant, Ya'alon and Yadlin at cultural event, Saturday
Kulanu's Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Galant says Israel's next round against Hamas will take place during term of next government due to results of Operation Protective Edge; Yadlin slams Netanyahu's Congress speech.
Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Galant harshly criticized the conduct of the Netanyahu government on its handling of Operation Protective Edge this past summer, and said it failed to take proper action against the tunnels built by Hamas over recent years.
The Kulanu party candidate, who was speaking at a cultural event in Be'er Sheva on Saturday, said: "The government knows about the tunnels, as does the defense minister, and they don't take care of it; this is unacceptable. Thirty-something tunnels are not dug in a day…the State of Israel allowed 30 tunnels to be dug leading to preschools, and I find that unacceptable."
Galant stated that Israel's next round against Hamas will occur during the term of the next government due to the results of Operation Protective Edge. He claimed that the government is essentially throwing sand in the eyes of the public regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip. "The public is presented either with a long, expensive and low-quality war in terms of results, or with rivers of blood.
"Operation Protective Edge was a 50 day-long war," he continued, saying, "When I was (the chief commander) in charge of Operation Cast Lead, it took us less than half of time, and we didn't have the Iron Dome. We made Hamas fight against soldiers, not citizens."
The number two candidate on Moshe Kahlon's Kulanu list added that Israel's security situation would have enjoyed a state of calm if he had been permitted to finish what he had been tasked with during Operation Cast Lead. "The public needs to choose who will conduct the next round. Will it be the person who knew how to gain a victory in the past and will do the same in the future, or the one who gained a draw? Former IDF general and Zionist Camp candidate for the defense ministry Amos Yadlin also spoke at the event, and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint meeting of Congress last week. He stressed that Israel does not face an existential threat, saying: "Netanyahu excels at giving speeches, but fails to act. He said that he would be strong against Hamas – we saw what happened last summer. He released terrorists with blood on their hands who murdered Jews."
Yadlin added that one could not compare the situation today to the Holocaust: "We have a country, an army and the US as an ally. Different methods should be employed to stop Iran."
Referring to Netanyahu's speech once again, he stated that "AIPAC was not happy with the move. It wasn't a smart one. It was done for the benefit of internal politics." Commenting on Israel's latest military operation in Gaza, Yadlin said: "Netanyahu promised to be strong against Hamas and we saw what happened with them last summer. He wrote a book on the war against terror and against releasing murderers, and released hundreds of those." The Zionist Camp candidate added that "under (Netanyahu's) watch, Iran became a threshold nuclear state."
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) also appeared at the event, and addressed the criticism from Yadlin and Galant regarding Operation Protective Edge. "Security is a complex issue. It's not a topic for slogans. War is not a child's play. Military force is used as a last resort and when there is no choice," he said. "The use of military force has a price. A defense minister does not only look at things through a rifle sight. One must think before acting.
"Those who only view things through a rifle sight apparently do not understand the consequences of a military operation on the country and the international arena….We conducted the operation with responsibility and proper judgment. The results aren't measured by the extent of destruction, but by how long the truce holds," Ya'alon claimed.
Kulanu's Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Galant says Israel's next round against Hamas will take place during term of next government due to results of Operation Protective Edge; Yadlin slams Netanyahu's Congress speech.
Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Galant harshly criticized the conduct of the Netanyahu government on its handling of Operation Protective Edge this past summer, and said it failed to take proper action against the tunnels built by Hamas over recent years.
The Kulanu party candidate, who was speaking at a cultural event in Be'er Sheva on Saturday, said: "The government knows about the tunnels, as does the defense minister, and they don't take care of it; this is unacceptable. Thirty-something tunnels are not dug in a day…the State of Israel allowed 30 tunnels to be dug leading to preschools, and I find that unacceptable."
Galant stated that Israel's next round against Hamas will occur during the term of the next government due to the results of Operation Protective Edge. He claimed that the government is essentially throwing sand in the eyes of the public regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip. "The public is presented either with a long, expensive and low-quality war in terms of results, or with rivers of blood.
"Operation Protective Edge was a 50 day-long war," he continued, saying, "When I was (the chief commander) in charge of Operation Cast Lead, it took us less than half of time, and we didn't have the Iron Dome. We made Hamas fight against soldiers, not citizens."
The number two candidate on Moshe Kahlon's Kulanu list added that Israel's security situation would have enjoyed a state of calm if he had been permitted to finish what he had been tasked with during Operation Cast Lead. "The public needs to choose who will conduct the next round. Will it be the person who knew how to gain a victory in the past and will do the same in the future, or the one who gained a draw? Former IDF general and Zionist Camp candidate for the defense ministry Amos Yadlin also spoke at the event, and criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint meeting of Congress last week. He stressed that Israel does not face an existential threat, saying: "Netanyahu excels at giving speeches, but fails to act. He said that he would be strong against Hamas – we saw what happened last summer. He released terrorists with blood on their hands who murdered Jews."
Yadlin added that one could not compare the situation today to the Holocaust: "We have a country, an army and the US as an ally. Different methods should be employed to stop Iran."
Referring to Netanyahu's speech once again, he stated that "AIPAC was not happy with the move. It wasn't a smart one. It was done for the benefit of internal politics." Commenting on Israel's latest military operation in Gaza, Yadlin said: "Netanyahu promised to be strong against Hamas and we saw what happened with them last summer. He wrote a book on the war against terror and against releasing murderers, and released hundreds of those." The Zionist Camp candidate added that "under (Netanyahu's) watch, Iran became a threshold nuclear state."
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) also appeared at the event, and addressed the criticism from Yadlin and Galant regarding Operation Protective Edge. "Security is a complex issue. It's not a topic for slogans. War is not a child's play. Military force is used as a last resort and when there is no choice," he said. "The use of military force has a price. A defense minister does not only look at things through a rifle sight. One must think before acting.
"Those who only view things through a rifle sight apparently do not understand the consequences of a military operation on the country and the international arena….We conducted the operation with responsibility and proper judgment. The results aren't measured by the extent of destruction, but by how long the truce holds," Ya'alon claimed.
4 mar 2015
Assistant Arab League Secretary General for Palestine Affairs Ambassador Mohamed Sabeih said on Wednesday the Arab League is not concerned with the recent Egyptian court ruling designating Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, a “terrorist organization”.
"The Arab League doesn't take positions based on rulings by local courts in any country," Ambassador Sabeih told reporters. "I think it's inappropriate to deal with a strategic issue through a local court ruling. Such issues should be addressed by a joint Arab action," he highlighted.
He stressed that “the UN charter stipulates that peoples under occupation have the right of resistance to restore their legitimate rights. Palestinian resistance is not terrorism under international law”, Sabeih added.
On Saturday, the Egyptian court for Urgent Matters designated Hamas a “terrorist” organization and outlawed all of its activities in Egypt. This verdict followed a previous similar ruling that labeled Ezzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, as a “terror” group, just one month ago.
The Egyptian Minister of Justice Mahfouz Saber said, earlier on Wednesday, “Hamas has been labeled as a terrorist organization which is dangerous to the Egyptian national security. Thus, its members in Egypt will be arrested and its funds along with headquarters will be confiscated”.
Hamas, for its part, considered Mahfouz’s statement as an endorsement of the “big sin” committed by the Egyptian court against the Palestinian resistance.
"The Arab League doesn't take positions based on rulings by local courts in any country," Ambassador Sabeih told reporters. "I think it's inappropriate to deal with a strategic issue through a local court ruling. Such issues should be addressed by a joint Arab action," he highlighted.
He stressed that “the UN charter stipulates that peoples under occupation have the right of resistance to restore their legitimate rights. Palestinian resistance is not terrorism under international law”, Sabeih added.
On Saturday, the Egyptian court for Urgent Matters designated Hamas a “terrorist” organization and outlawed all of its activities in Egypt. This verdict followed a previous similar ruling that labeled Ezzeddin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas armed wing, as a “terror” group, just one month ago.
The Egyptian Minister of Justice Mahfouz Saber said, earlier on Wednesday, “Hamas has been labeled as a terrorist organization which is dangerous to the Egyptian national security. Thus, its members in Egypt will be arrested and its funds along with headquarters will be confiscated”.
Hamas, for its part, considered Mahfouz’s statement as an endorsement of the “big sin” committed by the Egyptian court against the Palestinian resistance.
3 mar 2015
Dozens of Israelis helped Hamas' rocket industry - the group's military wing even had warehouses inside Israel; and if the defense establishment suspected, why didn't it act?
It's chilling; it's shameful; it's a security disgrace of the highest degree. The country that has been primarily responsible for helping Hamas to rebuild its military strength in the Gaza Strip following Operation Protective Edge is Israel – not Turkey, not Iran, not Qatar, and not Saudi Arabia.
Dozens of Israelis sold, stored and transported equipment for use in Hamas' rocket industry, its tunnel-building endeavors, and the communications systems employed by the organization's armed wing. This, in a nutshell, is the scandal exposed by the Shin Bet security service some two months ago. The indictment that was filed on Monday against three Israelis and five Palestinians involved in the affair is only the tip of the iceberg. It appears that a network of around 100 individuals – both Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel, and Palestinian traders from Gaza – was serving, knowingly or otherwise, Hamas' secret procurement mechanism in the Strip.
The story began some 18 months ago. Within its secret procurement mechanism, an intelligence entity for all intents and purposes, Hamas' armed wing set up a division that was charged with establishing commercial ties in Israel for the purpose of facilitating the free flow of equipment needed to rebuild its military infrastructure.
Already back then, the Hamas leadership sensed that smuggling via tunnels would become impossible because of the operations of the Egyptian Army in the Sinai, and that they needed an alternative method. This need intensified as a result of the massive destruction caused by Operation Protective Edge and the damage done to the organization's assets. This clandestine procurement mechanism made contact with a group of traders who owned companies in the Gaza Strip and had permits to do business with Israel.
In order to make it harder to track the activities of these companies in Israel, Hamas set up straw companies in Gaza that used the trading permits granted by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). In total, over the past year and a half, this network managed to send 55,000 tons of iron to the Gaza Strip – directly into the hands of Hamas' military wing.
Purchasing metal in Israel was just one of the many activities in which this this secret mechanism was involved. It also purchased electronic equipment, communications systems, engines, fiber glass and more. Hamas' tunnel diggers, for example, asked for machines to help them remove the earth – so the procurement mechanism used its businessmen to obtain the necessary permits and acquire the machines. Nobody stopped the machines from getting into Gaza, and Hamas managed to build tunnels with Israel's direct assistance.
Hamas invested hundreds of millions of dollars in this project. It is patently clear that the organization paid way above the going rate for equipment purchased via Israel, since some of those involved needed to be bribed. Hamas' military wing even had warehouses inside Israel in which it stored the equipment it purchased from Israeli traders and where it prepared the equipment to be transported into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
Hamas' military was willing to pay a sum of NIS 1.5 million a month for the storage. Huge sums of money were also spent on generators and other allegedly civilian equipment, which never reached the people of Gaza. Instead, it went straight into the hands of Hamas militants. Some of the equipment that entered Gaza via Kerem Shalom was unloaded directly into Hamas' outposts and facilities.
From time to time, the Defense Ministry's border control officials seized some of the equipment, and COGAT even suspended the business permits of nine Gazan traders. But that was, it seems, a drop in the ocean. Hamas was able to overcome these setbacks by simply changing the names of the straw companies and by establishing new ones. Perhaps now the Shin Bet will manage to close the massive loophole that permitted Hamas to smuggle such dangerous materials into Gaza.
But there are still tough questions to be answered: Who is responsible for this massive and inconceivable failure? Who was supposed to keep track of what and how much equipment purchased in Israel was being transported into Gaza? Who are the people who get permission to trade in Israel? The Israeli defense establishment warned some of the Israeli businessmen not to do business with certain people in Gaza. If they knew something, why did they not act to halt it earlier? Why did they allow these businesses to continue to operate?
In theory, answers to all these questions can be found somewhere among the red tape of the Defense Ministry, COGAT, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet. In practice, it appears that everything there simply fell through the cracks.
It's chilling; it's shameful; it's a security disgrace of the highest degree. The country that has been primarily responsible for helping Hamas to rebuild its military strength in the Gaza Strip following Operation Protective Edge is Israel – not Turkey, not Iran, not Qatar, and not Saudi Arabia.
Dozens of Israelis sold, stored and transported equipment for use in Hamas' rocket industry, its tunnel-building endeavors, and the communications systems employed by the organization's armed wing. This, in a nutshell, is the scandal exposed by the Shin Bet security service some two months ago. The indictment that was filed on Monday against three Israelis and five Palestinians involved in the affair is only the tip of the iceberg. It appears that a network of around 100 individuals – both Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel, and Palestinian traders from Gaza – was serving, knowingly or otherwise, Hamas' secret procurement mechanism in the Strip.
The story began some 18 months ago. Within its secret procurement mechanism, an intelligence entity for all intents and purposes, Hamas' armed wing set up a division that was charged with establishing commercial ties in Israel for the purpose of facilitating the free flow of equipment needed to rebuild its military infrastructure.
Already back then, the Hamas leadership sensed that smuggling via tunnels would become impossible because of the operations of the Egyptian Army in the Sinai, and that they needed an alternative method. This need intensified as a result of the massive destruction caused by Operation Protective Edge and the damage done to the organization's assets. This clandestine procurement mechanism made contact with a group of traders who owned companies in the Gaza Strip and had permits to do business with Israel.
In order to make it harder to track the activities of these companies in Israel, Hamas set up straw companies in Gaza that used the trading permits granted by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). In total, over the past year and a half, this network managed to send 55,000 tons of iron to the Gaza Strip – directly into the hands of Hamas' military wing.
Purchasing metal in Israel was just one of the many activities in which this this secret mechanism was involved. It also purchased electronic equipment, communications systems, engines, fiber glass and more. Hamas' tunnel diggers, for example, asked for machines to help them remove the earth – so the procurement mechanism used its businessmen to obtain the necessary permits and acquire the machines. Nobody stopped the machines from getting into Gaza, and Hamas managed to build tunnels with Israel's direct assistance.
Hamas invested hundreds of millions of dollars in this project. It is patently clear that the organization paid way above the going rate for equipment purchased via Israel, since some of those involved needed to be bribed. Hamas' military wing even had warehouses inside Israel in which it stored the equipment it purchased from Israeli traders and where it prepared the equipment to be transported into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
Hamas' military was willing to pay a sum of NIS 1.5 million a month for the storage. Huge sums of money were also spent on generators and other allegedly civilian equipment, which never reached the people of Gaza. Instead, it went straight into the hands of Hamas militants. Some of the equipment that entered Gaza via Kerem Shalom was unloaded directly into Hamas' outposts and facilities.
From time to time, the Defense Ministry's border control officials seized some of the equipment, and COGAT even suspended the business permits of nine Gazan traders. But that was, it seems, a drop in the ocean. Hamas was able to overcome these setbacks by simply changing the names of the straw companies and by establishing new ones. Perhaps now the Shin Bet will manage to close the massive loophole that permitted Hamas to smuggle such dangerous materials into Gaza.
But there are still tough questions to be answered: Who is responsible for this massive and inconceivable failure? Who was supposed to keep track of what and how much equipment purchased in Israel was being transported into Gaza? Who are the people who get permission to trade in Israel? The Israeli defense establishment warned some of the Israeli businessmen not to do business with certain people in Gaza. If they knew something, why did they not act to halt it earlier? Why did they allow these businesses to continue to operate?
In theory, answers to all these questions can be found somewhere among the red tape of the Defense Ministry, COGAT, the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet. In practice, it appears that everything there simply fell through the cracks.
2 mar 2015
Banned goods to be transferred into Gaza
Cleared for publication: Indictments filed against three Israelis who smuggled materials into Gaza in return for money, thereby helping Hamas rejuvenate; defendants say they were only trying to make a living.
Three Israelis were charged Monday with smuggling goods into the Gaza Strip, including materials used by Hamas to rehabilitate its tunnel operation in the wake of Operation Protective Edge last summer. During questioning, the three claimed that they had been trying to make a living.
The materials transferred by the three, one a resident of the Gaza border area, included metals, rods and plates. Police officers from the central region arrested the three men - Michael Peretz from Eshkol Regional Council, Yoram Alon from Tel Aviv and a third man from the Sharon region whose name is still under gag order - during an undercover investigation after suspicions arose that the three had made contact with a businessman with links to Hamas.
The Alon and the unnamed third man had been warned by the Defense Ministry that a resident of Gaza with who they were in contact had an association with the terrorist group. Despite the warning, the two started working with him, using various shell companies to cover their tracks.
They allegedly built their business infrastructure through banks in the West Bank in order to create an image of innocent-appearing merchandise. The merchandise was apparently interspersed with other contents which were allowed entry into Gaza. The shell companies transferred the goods to the contact from Gaza, who then put it into the hands of the terrorist organizations.
Peretz was the conduit into Gaza. For several years he dealt with the transfer of goods into the Strip, and banned shipments were allegedly hidden in warehouses rented for this purpose.
Officers of the police central district said they were surprised during the investigation at the openness of the suspects, who admitted to having transferred the goods for financial gain. According to the indictment, the goods came from Ashdod or warehouses in central Israel, and received by the third defendant, at which point they were unloaded, sorted and reloaded, and then sent through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza.
The investigation began in January 2015, after a suspicious truck was spotted at Kerem Shalom. Acting on the basis of information from the Shin Bet security service, the investigation began to progress, leading to the arrest of three men.
Cleared for publication: Indictments filed against three Israelis who smuggled materials into Gaza in return for money, thereby helping Hamas rejuvenate; defendants say they were only trying to make a living.
Three Israelis were charged Monday with smuggling goods into the Gaza Strip, including materials used by Hamas to rehabilitate its tunnel operation in the wake of Operation Protective Edge last summer. During questioning, the three claimed that they had been trying to make a living.
The materials transferred by the three, one a resident of the Gaza border area, included metals, rods and plates. Police officers from the central region arrested the three men - Michael Peretz from Eshkol Regional Council, Yoram Alon from Tel Aviv and a third man from the Sharon region whose name is still under gag order - during an undercover investigation after suspicions arose that the three had made contact with a businessman with links to Hamas.
The Alon and the unnamed third man had been warned by the Defense Ministry that a resident of Gaza with who they were in contact had an association with the terrorist group. Despite the warning, the two started working with him, using various shell companies to cover their tracks.
They allegedly built their business infrastructure through banks in the West Bank in order to create an image of innocent-appearing merchandise. The merchandise was apparently interspersed with other contents which were allowed entry into Gaza. The shell companies transferred the goods to the contact from Gaza, who then put it into the hands of the terrorist organizations.
Peretz was the conduit into Gaza. For several years he dealt with the transfer of goods into the Strip, and banned shipments were allegedly hidden in warehouses rented for this purpose.
Officers of the police central district said they were surprised during the investigation at the openness of the suspects, who admitted to having transferred the goods for financial gain. According to the indictment, the goods came from Ashdod or warehouses in central Israel, and received by the third defendant, at which point they were unloaded, sorted and reloaded, and then sent through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza.
The investigation began in January 2015, after a suspicious truck was spotted at Kerem Shalom. Acting on the basis of information from the Shin Bet security service, the investigation began to progress, leading to the arrest of three men.
Michael Peretz hides during a court appearance
Despite claiming during their investigation that they only wanted to make a living, none of the three apparently had a cash flow problem. The police, in cooperation with the Tax Authority, partially froze the suspects' bank accounts, one of which had a balance of more than NIS 1 million. In addition, police impounded a Mercedes worth more than a million shekels that belonged to one of the metal factories. And in the second half of 2014, the income from the transfer of goods came to several million shekels.
A statement issued by the Shin Bet said that charges had also brought against six Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, one a resident of Khan Yunis and others residents of Gaza City.
"In recent weeks we uncovered a well-oiled operation by Hamas to procure and smuggle resources and materials used to develop its military capabilities in Gaza," the statement said.
"The investigation into the affair showed that with this infrastructure, Hamas procured and brought into Gaza via Kerem Shalom thousands of tons of raw materials and resources used in military installations, tunnels, training facilities and weapon manufacturing in the Gaza Strip."
Despite claiming during their investigation that they only wanted to make a living, none of the three apparently had a cash flow problem. The police, in cooperation with the Tax Authority, partially froze the suspects' bank accounts, one of which had a balance of more than NIS 1 million. In addition, police impounded a Mercedes worth more than a million shekels that belonged to one of the metal factories. And in the second half of 2014, the income from the transfer of goods came to several million shekels.
A statement issued by the Shin Bet said that charges had also brought against six Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, one a resident of Khan Yunis and others residents of Gaza City.
"In recent weeks we uncovered a well-oiled operation by Hamas to procure and smuggle resources and materials used to develop its military capabilities in Gaza," the statement said.
"The investigation into the affair showed that with this infrastructure, Hamas procured and brought into Gaza via Kerem Shalom thousands of tons of raw materials and resources used in military installations, tunnels, training facilities and weapon manufacturing in the Gaza Strip."
27 feb 2015
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22 feb 2015
Secretary-general of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi said al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas and the other Palestinian resistance factions that confront the Israeli occupation are not terrorist and have a legitimate right to defend their people.
In a recent interview conducted with him by the London-based al-Hayat newspaper, Arabi stated that the resistance is a legitimate right for any people under occupation and must not be confused with terrorism.
He noted that during the last Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, he had been in constant contact with Hamas political leader Khaled Mishaal.
As for the reconstruction efforts in Gaza, he said that there were contacts between the donor parties, the Arab League and the UN to pay the funds through the UNRWA, expecting that this step would be accomplished soon.
Commenting on the violent events in the Arab region, the head of the Arab League accused Israel of being responsible for the regional problems in order to serve its own interests.
For its part, the Hamas Movement expressed its appreciation to Arabi for his honest remarks and hoped they could contribute to ending the media campaign against the Palestinian resistance.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri also expressed hope that such remarks would prompt the Egyptian authorities to assume its national role towards the Palestinian cause and the Gaza Strip.
In a recent interview conducted with him by the London-based al-Hayat newspaper, Arabi stated that the resistance is a legitimate right for any people under occupation and must not be confused with terrorism.
He noted that during the last Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, he had been in constant contact with Hamas political leader Khaled Mishaal.
As for the reconstruction efforts in Gaza, he said that there were contacts between the donor parties, the Arab League and the UN to pay the funds through the UNRWA, expecting that this step would be accomplished soon.
Commenting on the violent events in the Arab region, the head of the Arab League accused Israel of being responsible for the regional problems in order to serve its own interests.
For its part, the Hamas Movement expressed its appreciation to Arabi for his honest remarks and hoped they could contribute to ending the media campaign against the Palestinian resistance.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri also expressed hope that such remarks would prompt the Egyptian authorities to assume its national role towards the Palestinian cause and the Gaza Strip.
A flock of drones from Gaza had been hovering over the Eshkol settlements, Israeli media outlets claimed Saturday.
The Israeli 0404 online media site, known to be close to the army, said Israeli fighter jets were flown to Eshkol skies afternoon Saturday in search for two or three drones suspected to have taken off to Eshkol skies.
“Three Hamas-run aircrafts had been flying near the eastern Gaza borders and returned to their bases after the Israeli fighter jets showed up,” Israeli media sources alleged.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in mid-July that they had used a drone of their own making for the first time in the group’s history in a security mission over Israeli skies.
The Israeli 0404 online media site, known to be close to the army, said Israeli fighter jets were flown to Eshkol skies afternoon Saturday in search for two or three drones suspected to have taken off to Eshkol skies.
“Three Hamas-run aircrafts had been flying near the eastern Gaza borders and returned to their bases after the Israeli fighter jets showed up,” Israeli media sources alleged.
The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said in mid-July that they had used a drone of their own making for the first time in the group’s history in a security mission over Israeli skies.
16 feb 2015
Archive photo
Mortars fried from within Gaza explode hundred of meters from Israeli border; fire could be Palestinian infighting, not attempted attack on Israel.
Two mortars fired from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip fell a few hundred meters from the Israel-Gaza barrier Monday night, Palestinian sources in Gaza reported.
It is unlikely the mortars are an attempt by Gaza terror factions to target Israel, though such incidents have occurred since Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement after fighting a 50 day war in the summer.
Hamas and other Gaza terror groups could have fired rockets since the ceasefire, but the majority were fired as part of military exercises or as a result of infighting.
Towards the end of January, several rockets were launched from northern Gaza towards the Mediterranean Sea, as part of Hamas' ongoing rocket trials.
Nonetheless, three rockets fired by Gaza groups have hit Israel since the ceasefire. The most recent was at the end of January and exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council, prompting Israel to shift its Iron Dome anti-missile batteries to the south and the IDF to hit a number of targets in Gaza. After the incident, Ynet learned that Hamas had begun to renew tunnel construction within Gaza and shifted its military strategy. According to Palestinian sources in the Strip who spoke to Ynet, after Israel allowed the flow of limited goods and materials into Gaza, a black market for mortar emerged - allowing Hamas to renew construction of concrete slabs used to line the inside of the tunnels.
Only last week it was cleared for publication that Israeli Navy forces trapped a boat shipment of a ton's worth of materials for rocket manufacturing, intended for Hamas in Gaza.
Mortars fried from within Gaza explode hundred of meters from Israeli border; fire could be Palestinian infighting, not attempted attack on Israel.
Two mortars fired from Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip fell a few hundred meters from the Israel-Gaza barrier Monday night, Palestinian sources in Gaza reported.
It is unlikely the mortars are an attempt by Gaza terror factions to target Israel, though such incidents have occurred since Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement after fighting a 50 day war in the summer.
Hamas and other Gaza terror groups could have fired rockets since the ceasefire, but the majority were fired as part of military exercises or as a result of infighting.
Towards the end of January, several rockets were launched from northern Gaza towards the Mediterranean Sea, as part of Hamas' ongoing rocket trials.
Nonetheless, three rockets fired by Gaza groups have hit Israel since the ceasefire. The most recent was at the end of January and exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council, prompting Israel to shift its Iron Dome anti-missile batteries to the south and the IDF to hit a number of targets in Gaza. After the incident, Ynet learned that Hamas had begun to renew tunnel construction within Gaza and shifted its military strategy. According to Palestinian sources in the Strip who spoke to Ynet, after Israel allowed the flow of limited goods and materials into Gaza, a black market for mortar emerged - allowing Hamas to renew construction of concrete slabs used to line the inside of the tunnels.
Only last week it was cleared for publication that Israeli Navy forces trapped a boat shipment of a ton's worth of materials for rocket manufacturing, intended for Hamas in Gaza.
14 feb 2015
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman says Likud came to power twice thanks to his party, says there was option of forming alternative government without Netanyahu. 'The Likud forgot about this quickly'.
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman bashed Netanyahu's conduct during Operation Protective Edge, saying that the fighting in Gaza ended with no results: "We fought and were inside shelters for 50 days. What's the result? Hamas continues to fire at us. My position was clear during the operation and after it. If it was up to me, we wouldn't have left the bunker after 50 days, but rather remained underground."
Speaking at a cultural event in Be'er Sheva on Saturday, Lieberman said: "It cannot be that we counted 70 dead and dozens wounded, and the country is refraining from doing anything. My opinion on the matter was clear, and I voiced it and also voted for it in the cabinet. Just like we can't launch a military operation every two years, we can't hold elections every two years. It's impossible to live like this."
The Yisrael Bieteinu chairman continued on to say that there was an option of forming a government without Netanyahu in the past two elections. "The Likud came to power twice thanks to Yisrael Beiteinu," Lieberman said. "Our capability of establishing an alternative government was clear. The Likud party forgot about this very quickly."
Lieberman also clarified at the event that he was not afraid of any electoral damage to his party following the major corruption probe involving members of Yisrael Beiteinu, Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum.
"There is no corruption case, but there is a scandal involving sexual perverts in the Israel Police. If you want to cover up failures, you have to invent something. This is the sixth time in a row since the beginning of elections campaigns that a new case was opened involving Yisrael Beiteinu. It's an interesting coincidence."
In the recent scandal centering on Deputy Foreign Minister MK Faina Kirschenbaum, suspicions arose that coaltion funds were used by political officials to transfer financial subsidies that essentially functioned as part of a system of bribery.
Kirschenbaum, who is also the general secretary of Yisrael Beiteinu, is suspected of accepting money, which was not deposited into her personal accounts, but rather as salaries for associates and relatives (apart from the appointment of her daughter to the Beef Cattle Growers Association, which is under investigation).
Kirschenbaum is suspected of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in kickbacks. In contrast to the other suspects, her conversations were not secretly recorded because of her official government position, but there was surveillance of her activities. Kirschenbaum is a high-profile member of Yisrael Beiteinu and a close associate of Chairman Avigdor Lieberman. The bulk of the party's activities go through her, and she is involved in all its parliamentary and political moves.
Former minister of tourism Stas Misezhnikov is also suspected of accepting bribes, facilitating bribes, and cronyism.
Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman bashed Netanyahu's conduct during Operation Protective Edge, saying that the fighting in Gaza ended with no results: "We fought and were inside shelters for 50 days. What's the result? Hamas continues to fire at us. My position was clear during the operation and after it. If it was up to me, we wouldn't have left the bunker after 50 days, but rather remained underground."
Speaking at a cultural event in Be'er Sheva on Saturday, Lieberman said: "It cannot be that we counted 70 dead and dozens wounded, and the country is refraining from doing anything. My opinion on the matter was clear, and I voiced it and also voted for it in the cabinet. Just like we can't launch a military operation every two years, we can't hold elections every two years. It's impossible to live like this."
The Yisrael Bieteinu chairman continued on to say that there was an option of forming a government without Netanyahu in the past two elections. "The Likud came to power twice thanks to Yisrael Beiteinu," Lieberman said. "Our capability of establishing an alternative government was clear. The Likud party forgot about this very quickly."
Lieberman also clarified at the event that he was not afraid of any electoral damage to his party following the major corruption probe involving members of Yisrael Beiteinu, Deputy Interior Minister Faina Kirschenbaum.
"There is no corruption case, but there is a scandal involving sexual perverts in the Israel Police. If you want to cover up failures, you have to invent something. This is the sixth time in a row since the beginning of elections campaigns that a new case was opened involving Yisrael Beiteinu. It's an interesting coincidence."
In the recent scandal centering on Deputy Foreign Minister MK Faina Kirschenbaum, suspicions arose that coaltion funds were used by political officials to transfer financial subsidies that essentially functioned as part of a system of bribery.
Kirschenbaum, who is also the general secretary of Yisrael Beiteinu, is suspected of accepting money, which was not deposited into her personal accounts, but rather as salaries for associates and relatives (apart from the appointment of her daughter to the Beef Cattle Growers Association, which is under investigation).
Kirschenbaum is suspected of receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels in kickbacks. In contrast to the other suspects, her conversations were not secretly recorded because of her official government position, but there was surveillance of her activities. Kirschenbaum is a high-profile member of Yisrael Beiteinu and a close associate of Chairman Avigdor Lieberman. The bulk of the party's activities go through her, and she is involved in all its parliamentary and political moves.
Former minister of tourism Stas Misezhnikov is also suspected of accepting bribes, facilitating bribes, and cronyism.
5 jan 2015
Father Manuel Musallam, former pastor of the Catholic Church in the Gaza Strip, expressed his pride in the "Palestinian soldier" who fights the occupation face to face on his own land and among his people and not in other countries.
In press remarks to the Palestinian information center (PIC), Father Musallam said that it is a matter of pride to see a Palestinian young man carry a weapon vigorously and defend his own people and land, hailing the last battle that was fought by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza as having a pivotal impact on the reality of the Palestinian situation.
The Father also saluted all resistance leaders who prepare the Palestinian soldier for the battlefield.
"As long as I [as a Palestinian] have such strength, I have the right to extract my rights and I am able to stand in the face of the enemy and take my freedom and all my rights, and since the enemy has acknowledged the existence of the Palestinian fighter, it is forced to recognize all the Palestinians' rights on this land."
The pastor also highlighted the good relationship between the Palestinian Christians and Muslims in Gaza, affirming that this relation improved during the rule of Hamas.
He pointed to accusations made by some people against him at home and in Europe that he is from Hamas and described such claims as "a badge of honor" and a "crown on his head."
"We did not suffer from Hamas, but rather we suffered with it. In the time of distress, Hamas protected the Christians from extremists who could have hurt the Church, especially during the crisis of the blasphemous caricatures and the offensive speeches of the Pope of the Vatican."
In press remarks to the Palestinian information center (PIC), Father Musallam said that it is a matter of pride to see a Palestinian young man carry a weapon vigorously and defend his own people and land, hailing the last battle that was fought by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza as having a pivotal impact on the reality of the Palestinian situation.
The Father also saluted all resistance leaders who prepare the Palestinian soldier for the battlefield.
"As long as I [as a Palestinian] have such strength, I have the right to extract my rights and I am able to stand in the face of the enemy and take my freedom and all my rights, and since the enemy has acknowledged the existence of the Palestinian fighter, it is forced to recognize all the Palestinians' rights on this land."
The pastor also highlighted the good relationship between the Palestinian Christians and Muslims in Gaza, affirming that this relation improved during the rule of Hamas.
He pointed to accusations made by some people against him at home and in Europe that he is from Hamas and described such claims as "a badge of honor" and a "crown on his head."
"We did not suffer from Hamas, but rather we suffered with it. In the time of distress, Hamas protected the Christians from extremists who could have hurt the Church, especially during the crisis of the blasphemous caricatures and the offensive speeches of the Pope of the Vatican."
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