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| Sunday, May 19 '13, Sivan 10, 5773 |
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1. Security Chief: IDF Taking Off the Silk Gloves
by Maayana Miskin 
The IDF is increasingly determined to stop Palestinian Authority-resident Arabs' attacks on Israeli communities, and is willing to use live fire if necessary, says Yehuda Dana, security chief for the Beit El region.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Dana said there has been an escalation in Arab attacks on Israeli civilians in recent months. "Their brazenness has crossed the line – they are doing what they didn't do for years, like reaching the fence of an Israeli community and throwing rocks into the community, causing injuries," he related.
Until now, Arab rioters were handled "with silk gloves," he said, with soldiers restricting themselves to non-lethal means of riot dispersal such as tear gas and rubber bullets.
"Unfortunately, the Palestinians realized that they were facing an opponent that could not defeat them," he said.
However, he said, things are changing. "There is a change in the decisiveness, in the determination to end this phenomenon… I hope the other side realizes that the 'silk glove treatment' is over."
Dana gave the new commander for the Judea and Samaria Division, Brigadier-General Tamir Yadai, much of the credit for the change. "We met with the new District Commander and the conversation was positive. I hope the commander's spirit reaches every last soldier," he said.
"Yadai made it clear that rocks will not be allowed to cross the fence around communities, and that it is unthinkable that residents or property be damaged," he explained. "He emphasized that he would take a firm approach in response to such incidents."
Residents of the Beit El region were pleased to see IDF troops taking a strong stance against rock attacks and firebombing, Dana said, but are waiting to see if the situation will last. "Ultimately the results will speak for themselves," he concluded.
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Sunday, May 19, 2013
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2. Arabs Break Through Jerusalem Security Barrier
by Maayana Miskin 
Dozens of Arab men held a protest Friday against the security barrier that runs between Abu Dis and Jerusalem.
As part of the protest, the men took large hammers and created a gaping hole in the wall. Several men used the hole to enter Jerusalem without going through a security checkpoint.
The protest was part of the "Nakba Day" events in which Arabs mourn the creation of the state of Israel.
The protesters say that Border Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets after they broke through the barrier, and that several people were hurt.
Border Police did not prevent the men from damaging the barrier, but have stationed officers at the site to prevent future infiltrations until the hole can be fixed.
The separation barrier was designed to protect major Israeli communities from terrorism originating in Palestinian Authority-controlled Arab cities in Judea and Samaria. It was intended to run through much of Judea and Samaria. Construction on the barrier was frozen for years due to budget constraints, but is scheduled to restart this year.
The barrier has faced opposition from both PA Arabs and from some Israelis in Judea and Samaria, who say it splits their communities. Other Israelis support the barrier, saying it prevents terrorist murders.
A recent video shows PA Arab men freely entering Israel despite the barrier.
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3. Iran Kills 2 for Spying for Israel, US
Iran hanged two convicted spies on Sunday, one accused and found guilty of working for Israel, the other for the United States, the AFP news agency reports, based on an announcement from the Tehran prosecutor's office. The Israeli government did not comment on the event.
Mohammad Heydari was convicted of "receiving payment to provide intelligence on various security issues and national secrets in repeated
meetings with the Mossad," Israel's intelligence agency, a statement said.
Koroush Ahmadi was found guilty of "providing intelligence on various issues to the CIA."
The statement did not give further details.
Iran accuses Israel and the United States of waging a deadly campaign of sabotage against its nuclear program and has announced a string of arrests of alleged agents in recent years.
In May last year, Iran executed Majid Jamali Fashi after convicting him of spying for the Mossad and of playing a key role in the January 2010
assassination of a top nuclear scientist in return for payment of $120,000.
Iran is also still holding US-Iranian national, Amir Mirzai Hekmati, a former US Marine, whom it accuses of being an operative of the US Central
Intelligence Agency, despite vigorous denials by both Washington and his family.
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4. Report: Israeli NGOs Against IDF Veterans
by Maayana Miskin 
Israeli organizations are fighting to prevent the government from rewarding soldiers for their service, and ultimately, are attempting to discourage IDF enlistment, according to a new report from the Im Tirtzu Zionist movement. The group sent its report to Minister Yaakov Perry, who heads a government committee tasked with examining the issue of IDF enlistment in the hareidi-religious community.
The report focused on activity by several Israel-based NGOs aimed at banning rewards for IDF service, demonizing soldiers, and encouraging Israeli Arabs not to participate in Israeli public life.
The report noted that in recent years the government has sought to fight draft-dodging by rewarding those who serve in the IDF and in the reserves. Among other things, politicians and government officials have sought to give reservists a discounted price on land in the Galilee and Negev, to give preference to former soldiers in the purchase of affordable housing, and to give preference to former soldiers or national service volunteers in appointments to state service positions.
Various NGOs have fought the above initiatives, arguing that they are discriminatory and violate the Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty. According to Im Tirtzu, the NGOs' battle has been so successful that IDF soldiers and former soldiers are now worse off than others when it comes to government aid.
The report found that most of the NGOs that fight giving benefits to ex-soldiers are funded by the New Israel Fund and foreign governments. One of their primary tactics is filing lawsuits against government initiatives aimed at helping soldiers.
While at first glance it may seem that courts have rejected the NGOs' suits, in reality, many of the lawsuits were dropped only after the government agreed to either significantly alter pro-veteran initiatives or end them entirely, according to the report. In some other cases, the NGOs managed to drag out lawsuits to the point where the benefits that had been proposed were no longer relevant.
Overall, the report states, the lawsuits had the effect of reducing benefits for soldiers and delaying the implementation of benefit initiatives.
NGOs have used other tools, as well, including media campaigns aimed at reducing support for veterans' benefits, campaigns abroad that demonize the IDF, and activities within Israel that encourage Israeli Arabs not to volunteer for national civilian service.
The report concluded with recommendations regarding two issues: rewarding reservists, and encouraging Arab enlistment in national service. It listed suggested benefits for reservists and ways in which the government could counter pressure on Israeli Arabs not to serve.
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5. Attorney General Seeks Demolition of Last Migron Homes
by Maayana Miskin 
Homes built on land purchased by Israelis may be destroyed despite a government promise to protect them until their legal status could be determined.
Deputy Attorney General Dina Zilber recently sent a letter to the IDF Civil Administration ordering it to destroy several homes that remain standing in the community of Migron in the Binyamin region, Haaretz reports.
Zilber reportedly wrote, "Due to the fact that at this time, examination of the planning option regarding Plot 10 has not led to any breakthrough, you are requested to act to uphold the verdict."
Much of the town of Migron was destroyed after Palestinian Authority resident Arabs claimed ownership of the land on which it had been built. Officials agreed to destroy the community even after the Arabs who claimed the land withdrew their lawsuit when requested to present proof of their claims. The Attorney General found that the claims could not be substantiated.
However, the government took a different approach regarding 17 homes belonging to Israeli residents who had documents proving that the land on which their homes had been built had been legally purchased.
The Arabs registered as having sold the land to the 17 families disputed the sale, but the government agreed to wait and not to demolish the buildings for three months in order to allow their legal status to be determined. If the land sale was found to be valid, government officials were to have examined the option of allowing the buildings to remain as part of a small Jewish homestead.
However, after the removal of most Migron homes in September 2012 the government made no progress toward the goal of determining the legality of the other homes. An investigation by the Israel Police's anti-fraud unit failed to turn up evidence proving or disproving the legality of the land sale.
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6. Egyptian Police Shut Passage to Israel
Egyptian police closed a commercial passage with Israel on Sunday in support of colleagues who shut down a crossing with Gaza to protest the abduction of policemen, according to the AFP news agency, which based its report on reports in Egyptian state media.
The protesters say the commercial Al-Ouga crossing between Egypt and Israel will remain closed until three policemen and four soldiers abducted by gunmen in the Sinai peninsula are released, the official MENA news agency reported.
Police had shut down the Rafah crossing with Gaza on Friday, a day after gunmen abducted the policemen, who worked in the crossing, and soldiers.
State media has said security officials were in talks with the abductors via local Bedouin leaders who hold sway in the restive peninsula.
A spate of hostage-taking has rocked the Sinai, which borders Israel as well as Gaza, but they usually last for no longer than 48 hours and are often carried out by Bedouin seeking the release of jailed relatives.
Such abductions have been on the rise since the 2011 uprising that toppled veteran president Hosni Mubarak.
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7. Report: Syrian Army Aiming Missiles at Tel Aviv
by Arutz Sheva Staff 
The Syrian army has begun deploying advanced surface-to-surface missiles and has aimed them at Tel Aviv, the British Sunday Times reports.
According to the report, Syria is preparing to strike Israel in case the Jewish State launches another attack on its territory.
The army has received orders to strike central Israel in case additional attacks against Syria are carried out, according to the Sunday Times.
The information was reportedly obtained by reconnaissance satellites that were tracking the Syrian forces. According to the report, Syria was deploying advanced Tishreen missiles, which are capable of carrying a warhead of a half a ton.
On Saturday, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad told an Argentinean newspaper that Israel is assisting the rebels fighting to topple his regime.
"Israel is directly supporting the terrorist groups in two ways," he said. "Firstly it gives them logistical support, and it also tells them what sites to attack and how to attack them."
Iran's Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, told the German Der Spiegel last week that Assad was unimpressed by recent alleged Israeli airstrikes in Damascus and plans to retaliate the next time such a strike takes place.
Syria's Information Minister, Omran al-Zoubi, recently warned Israel that his country had a right to launch an operation against the Jewish State from the Golan Heights.
Al-Zoubi said that Israel committed an aggression against Syria recently by raiding military sites near Damascus. With these acts, he said, Israel violated international commitments.
"Accordingly, Syria has the right at this time and at any other time to deal with the Golan issue in the way the owner has the right to deal with his property, because the Golan is and has always been a Syrian Arab land," he said.
The Syrian opposition, meanwhile, has accused Israel of collaborating with Iran and Hizbullah to keep Assad in power.
A commander in the Syrian opposition told a Turkish news agency that "Iran and Hizbullah are cooperating with Israel to be able to support Assad," because the Syrian president "has protected Israel's border for 40 years."
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8. Powerful Blast Reported in Damascus
by Gil Ronen 
Syrian state TV has reported a powerful explosion has hit the nation's capital, causing an unknown number of casualties.
State TV said Saturday evening that the blast shook the Damascus neighborhood of Ruken al-Deen late Saturday.
Residents confirmed to news wires that they heard a large explosion.
At least three people are said to have been killed in the blast.
According to RT, initial reports said the blast was caused by a car bomb and that experts are dismantling other explosives in the area.
No further details were immediately available.
Israel reportedly attacked three sites in Syria two weeks ago, in an effort to prevent chemical weapons from reaching Hizbullah.
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