Showing posts with label peace talks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peace talks. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Israel Need Not Fear Isolation

Israel Need Not Fear Isolation

Tuesday, April 22, 2014 |  Yossi Aloni ISRAEL TODAY 
Israel is fearful that a collapse of peace talks with the Palestinians could result in an international boycott and isolation. In fact, even the Americans have been warning of such an outcome.
But, it is important to remember that Israel has no shortage of loyal friends. Some of those friends recently came to Israel under the banner of the “Friends of Israel Initiative” to hold their annual meeting.
The gathering was addressed by Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval Steinitz.
More impressive, however, was the list of participants, which included former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar (pictured), former Uruguayan President Luis Alberto Lacalle, former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, former Italian Foreign Minister Julio Tarazi, former Czech Foreign Minister Karl Schwarzenberg, Nobel laureate and former First Minister of Northern Ireland David Trimble, and the head of British military forces in Afghanistan, Col. Richard Kemp.
The group also met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein, who told the Friends of Israel that he hoped they, as distinguished former heads of state and leading politicians, could help explain the truth about Israel.
The Friends of Israel Initiative was established in 2010 to fight against efforts to delegitimize the Jewish state and to reaffirm Israel’s right to exist in peace and security alongside its neighbors.
The movement actively opposes any attempts to boycott. Aznar, who is the organization’s founder and current chairman, has forged a very friendly relationship with Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.
In a statement to the Israeli press, Aznar had this to say:
"The [Friends of Israel] Initiative is neither a Public Relations campaign, nor a so-called Jewish lobby. Most of us are not Jewish, but we share the vision - as much one of values as of strategy - that when defending Israel we are defending the West. We are defending our way of life and values, and also our interests.
"Simply put, Europe must defend Israel if we want to preserve the West as we know it. Look at the changes sweeping the region. Uncertainty is the dominant factor. And Israel is both more important to the West today - and more besieged by hostility - than at any time in recent memory.
“Indeed, when considering the full picture of the strategic relationship (including not just diplomacy, but the equally critical realms of security; economy; and science) the close nature of the EU-Israel alliance becomes clear. Not only is Israel’s relationship with the EU and its member states closer than commonly portrayed, but, in the final analysis, it represents a strategic asset to the Union and its members.”
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Thursday, February 20, 2014

'We Don't Need Permission to Pray at Western Wall'

'We Don't Need Permission to Pray at Western Wall'

Thursday, February 20, 2014 |  Israel Today Staff  
Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Danon, insisted earlier this week that Jews require permission from no one to pray at Jerusalem's Western Wall, the retaining wall of the Temple Mount that for centuries has been Judaism's holiest site.
At a meeting with Israeli students in Ramallah on Sunday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas insisted the Palestinians must win control of the eastern half of Jerusalem in order to make peace, but promised to still allow Jews to enter the Old City and pray at the Western Wall.
"We do not need the permission of anyone to pray at the Kotel, certainly not from the Palestinian leadership," an incredulous Danon said later in response. "Jews have prayed, Jews pray, and Jews will pray at the Kotel forever."
In the meeting, which was set up by left-wing Israeli peace movements, Abbas also claimed he had no desire to flood Israel with millions of so-called "Palestinian refugees," even though he continues to make a Palestinian "right of return" a red-line issue in current US-brokered peace talks.
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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Palestinians Demand Control of Western Wall - BIN

Palestinians Demand Control of Western Wall


“Beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.” (Psalms 48:2)
(Photo: Yehoshua Ha'Levi)
(Photo: Yehoshua Ha’Levi)
The Palestinian Authority’s Religious Affairs Minister is now demanding that the Western Wall in Jerusalem must be brought under Palestinian control in any peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 10 News, Minister Mahmoud al-Habash said that “every inch” of territory Israel captured during the 1967 Six Day War must be returned to the Palestinians, including one of Judaism’s holiest sites.
“Every piece of land Israel occupied in 1967 belongs to the Palestinian state,” al-Habash explained. “The Buraq Wall [Western Wall] too will be under Palestinian sovereignty.”
When asked about freedom of worship at the Western Wall, al-Habash answered that all Jewish worshipers would be allowed to pray at the wall. “No problem,” he said. “There will be no restrictions on freedom of religion.”
Shavei-ProphecyFulfilled-600WIDE
The newest demand of the Palestinian Authority comes in the wake of increased terrorism and violence towards Israel over the last several weeks. Just last week, Palestinian rioters attacked and stoned Israeli police at the Temple Mount.
Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians appear to be taking a nosedive with Mahmoud Abbas refusing to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. Abbas recently told The New York Times that “The Palestinians will never recognize the Jewishness of the state of Israel.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stood firm in his demand that the Palestinian Authority legitimize Israel’s right to exist.
Saeb Erekat, the chief negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, confirmed on Monday that the U.S. brokered peace talks are at a complete standstill. Speaking on Radio Sawa from Ramallah, Erekat announced that the current round of negotiations will not be extended beyond April. He also affirmed the PA position that Israel would never be recognized as a Jewish state.
Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/10851/pa-minister-demands-control-western-wall/#WX4bHW7fQs8fycti.99


Friday, August 2, 2013

Freeing Terrorists - what a price to pay. (Teach Israel article)



Aug. 1, 2013

Dear Friends,

It has been a very difficult week here in Israel. In order to
get the Palestinians to agree to talk peace, Israel agreed to
 free 104 terrorists of which many are cold blooded murderers.

Despite the fact that 85% of the country opposes this move,
the government went ahead anyhow and agreed to the "gesture."
As you can imagine, families who have lost loved ones to terror
are particularly upset. A protest was organized this week by the
parents of Koby Mandell who was a 13 year old boy murdered
 over 10 years ago. His killers were never found. At the rally,
Sherri Mandell, mother of Koby held up a poster that read,
"Thank God you never found Koby's killer because you would
 probably be letting him go free today."

For the families, they are reliving their unimaginable grief again.
Our Prime Minister made a public statement explaining his decision.
 It has fallen flat.

In light of this gesture and the restart of peace talks, I have written
 a (lengthy) article about the Jewish right to Israel. While it is a bit
long, I urge you to read it carefully.

If you have any suggestions of any features that you would like
to see in this email we would be happy to hear them, so let us
 know. Also, please forward this email to anyone that you think
 might be interested.

We appreciate the support that we have received from many
of you. We cannot do this alone. Please consider partnering
 with us on a monthly basis or as a one time blessing.

Wishing you the Deepest Blessings from the Holy Land

Rabbi Moshe Rothchild



Editor's Note: I have added the following photos to this Blog Not part of the original article above. 
Steve Martin