December 13, 2005
This week’s news has been dominated by the reaction to the Netanya suicide bombing last Monday. Israel responded with targeted assassinations of terrorist leaders. Public opinion also shifted to the right following the attack. Also this week, Likudniks Hanegbi and Shaul Mofaz, current Defence Minister, have joined Ariel Sharon’s new party, Kadima; diplomatic tensions with Iran continue to build; and, an Israeli soldier was killed at a West Bank checkpoint. Read on for more details:
Response To Bombing In Netanya
Targeted Assassinations
Israel struck in Gaza, killing one militant:
Daily Telegraph reported:
Shaul Mofaz, Israel's defence minister, authorised the assassination of the leaders of Islamic Jihad and asked for legal approval to renew the army's policy of demolishing the family homes of suicide bombers.
Islam-online reported:
Israeli aircraft early Thursday, December 8, launched a raid on the north of the Gaza Strip, hours after one Palestinian was killed and ten others were injured, including three children younger than 10, in an air strike on the Strip.
http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2005-12/08/article02.shtml
Related News Stories
Policy of Targeted Assassinations goes through Courts
Ha’aretz reported that:
Chief Justice Aharon Barak on Sunday said he intends to pass judgement soon over two petitions against the Israel Defense Forces' targeted killings policy against Palestinian militants. Heading a High Court of Justice panel of nine justices Barak said he is "ready" to issue a ruling after three years of deliberations.
Mall security guards quit en masse
Seven security guards at Netanya's Sharon Mall have quit, while several others are planning to resign by the week's end, one week after a suicide bombing there killed five people and wounded 95.
Citing a number of reasons for their decision, the guards primarily complained about their wages, the way in which management treats them and the constant fear of terror attacks. The security guards added that mall management had removed the death notices they had posted after the bombing to commemorate the death of fellow security guard Haim Amram, who was killed in last Monday's attack.
Electoral Battle In Full Swing
Poll: Likud seen as moving to far-right; Kadima at 41 seats
A public opinion poll released yesterday (Monday 12th) shows that half of the Israeli public believes that the Likud is moving toward the extreme right, and that Ariel Sharon's Kadima party would reap as many as 41 seats in the 120-seat Knesset if elections were held today.
Netanyahu in pole position for Likud leadership
The news on Monday that Likud hardliner MK Uzi Landau announced he was quitting the party leadership race along with former IDF Chief Moshe Ya’alon coming out in favour of Bibi, suggests that Netanyahu is clear favourite in the Likud leadership race.
New faces in Kadima criticised
Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz has dropped out of the Likud leadership race, announcing that he is joining Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Kadima Party instead. But several senior Kadima members criticized Sharon's decision to accept Mofaz, saying that Mofaz contributes nothing to the party, and may even harm it since his change of allegiance has been criticised in the press as opportunistic and not ideological.
Chairman of the Likud, Minister Tzachi Hanegbi also joined Kadima this week. Again, this has been criticised due to Hanegbi’s shady reputation:
“Hanegbi, one of the very symbols of the Likud, denied any link between his leaving Likud and the recommendation by police yesterday to indict him. The police want Hanegbi charged in connection with political appointments made during the minister's term in office at the Environment Ministry.”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/655162.html
Soldier stabbed to death at checkpoint
An Israeli soldier was stabbed to death by a Palestinian yesterday at the Qalandiyah checkpoint in the West Bank. The soldier was identified as Nir Kahana, 20, of Tivon.
Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Fatah's military wing, claimed responsibility for the attack. The alleged attacker, Yosef Abu-A'adi, arrived at the checkpoint with a knife, the Israel Defense Forces reported. He crossed the turnstile gate and while a soldier and another Palestinian clashed, stabbed his victim. Kahana died a short time later.
Iranian President casts doubt on Holocaust
Reuters, TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday expressed doubt that the Holocaust took place, and suggested Israel be moved to Europe.
His comments, reported by Iran's official IRNA news agency from a news conference he gave in Mecca, follow his October call for Israel to be "wiped off the map," which sparked widespread international condemnation.
FZY boger passes driving test - again!
Ha’aretz Service, LEEDS – Rafi Addlestone, Federation of Zionist Youth boger, 19, passed his driving test today with three minor faults. Examiner Brian F Damper expressed surprise at the “comfort he felt” during the test, considering he had failed the examinee two years previously. Addlestone urged in a message to the press, that other young drivers do not repeat his mistakes, especially that of receiving 3 points on his license for speeding the day after returning from Year Course. Just before embarking on a voyage to Israel, Addlestone explained “I was unlucky to pick up 6 points in the first place, and today’s events have lifted a cumbersome weight from my shoulders.”
December 07, 2005
Suicide Bomb in Netanya
5 people were killed and 50 wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the main shopping centre in Netanya on Monday morning. The terrorist group Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack. A security guard and two policemen prevented the bomber from entering the mall, pushed him against a wall and drew their guns, at which point he blew himself up. The guard was killed and the policemen injured, with Israeli Police Chief Moshe Karadi saying that their bravery and self-sacrifice had helped save lives.
Political Revolution Continues
In other news, the aftermath of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s decision to leave the Likud Party and form a new Party, Kadima, continues to turn Israeli Politics on its head. This week Shimon Peres left Labour to join Sharon in Kadima.
Peres had been a central figure in Labour for 46 years, leading the party and being Prime Minister and Foreign Minister a number of times. He said that he was leaving because he believes that “the appropriate person to head the coalition that will bring peace is [Prime Minister] Ariel Sharon”. Members of the Labour Party criticized Peres, claiming that he has abandoned his ideology in pursuit of power.
Polls earlier this week also predicted disaster for Likud in the General Election in March 2006, now that Sharon has left. Likud were predicted to come joint 4th in the election, with only 9 seats (out of 120 in total), behind Kadima on 37, Labour on 26 and Ultra-Orthodox party Shas on 10. Benjamin Netanyahu, the favourite to become the new head of Likud, dismissed the polls saying: “Not only will Likud win more than ten seats, it will double this figure and win 24 or 25 seats.”
Iranian Threat
Israel remains extremely concerned that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency saying that they could be as close as a few months to developing a nuclear bomb. Prime Minister Sharon said that Israel was not the only country threatened by Iran and that Israel is playing a part in the international effort to prevent Iran developing an atomic bomb.
Also this week, Iran warned Israel not to intervene militarily to destroy their nuclear programme, threatening: “The Zionist regime is well aware that if it made such a grave mistake, the Iranian reaction would be devastating.”
In a related development, Israel successfully tested its Arrow anti-missile system on Friday morning. Defence Ministry officials called the anti-missile system a response to the increasing threat of ballistic missiles in the region
North American Immigrants "Satisfied"
A survey this week showed that over 90% of people who made aliyah from North America in the past 3 to 16 months are “satisfied” with their absorption into Israel. Amongst the 1464 olim (immigrants) the biggest complaint was problems with the service provided by government ministries since they had arrived in Israel.