JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
LUKE 21:28-29
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
Festive mood and tight security for Djerba Jewish festival-3,000 Lag B’Omer visitors expected at Africa’s oldest synagogue, 1,000 more than last year when Tunisia was reeling from jihadist attacks-By AFP May 12, 2017, 6:26 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
DJERBA, Tunisia — An annual Jewish pilgrimage to Africa’s oldest synagogue on Tunisia’s Djerba island began on Friday under tight security but in a festive mood.Dozens of pilgrims from the North African country and from France headed to the revered Ghriba synagogue to pray, light candles and write wishes on eggs.Some celebrated the centuries-old Lag B’Omer festival by sipping glasses of boukha, a liqueur made from figs.“My parents brought me to Djerba when I was a little boy and each year since I have returned,” said Sylvain, who traveled from Paris.“This year I came with my oldest brother and some friends. We are happy to be here,” said the 55-year-old interior decorator.Organizers expect the two-day festival to attract up to 3,000 visitors, 1,000 more than last year when Tunisia was still reeling after a series of jihadist attacks.They said pilgrims were expected from Belgium, Spain, the United States and even Israel, despite the government there warning its citizens for the third consecutive year against taking part.The festival passed off without incident last year and in 2015.Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in jihadist attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and 59 foreign tourists.The country has also been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed 12 presidential guards.“We trust the Tunisian authorities to guarantee security,” the head of the synagogue, Perez Trabelsi, told AFP. “I am optimistic.”A helicopter overflew the area and checkpoints were set up around the synagogue which was heavily guarded by police, soldiers and members of the anti-terror brigades.The number of pilgrims visiting the Ghriba synagogue has fallen sharply since a suicide bombing claimed by Al-Qaeda struck Ghriba just before the 2002 pilgrimage, killing 21 people.Before then the event attracted as many as 8,000 people a year.Believed to have been founded in 586 BC by Jews fleeing the destruction of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, the Ghriba synagogue has long been a destination for pilgrims, especially for Jews of Tunisian descent.Some 1,500 Jews live in Tunisia, down sharply from an estimated 100,000 before the country won independence from France in 1956.
White House: Trump to push Palestinian ‘self-determination’ on Mideast trip-National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster says the US president will demonstrate his hopes for ‘a just and lasting peace’-By Eric Cortellessa May 12, 2017, 9:38 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump will work toward a “just and lasting peace” between Israel and the Palestinians, including the Palestinian aspiration of “self-determination,” on his upcoming trip to the region, the White House said Friday.US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters during the daily press briefing that Trump will meet again with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, where the president will “express his desire for dignity and self-determination for the Palestinians.”McMaster also said that Trump’s meetings with Israeli leaders would look to cement stronger ties between the two allies.“With President (Reuven) Rivlin and Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu, he will reaffirm America’s unshakable bond to the Jewish state,” he said.Throughout the trip, Trump will “demonstrate his hopes for a just and lasting peace,” he added.Trump’s visit to Israel, which was officially announced last week, will take place from May 22 to 23 — just before Jerusalem Day — after he stops in Saudi Arabia and before he goes on to the Vatican. He will also travel to Brussels and Sicily for NATO and G7 summits on the final leg of his first foreign trip.There has been speculation since Trump’s travel plans were announced that he would seek to facilitate a trilateral meeting with Netanyahu and Abbas.When McMaster was asked if such a plan was in the works, he demurred. “It will be up to the president and those leaders,” he said.Trump has already hosted both Netanyahu and Abbas at the White House, expressing optimism in his ability to succeed in brokering a peace deal where his three immediate predecessors have failed.“It’s something that I think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,” Trump told Abbas during their joint press conference. “We need two willing parties. We believe Israel is willing. We believe you’re willing. And if you are willing, we are going to make a deal.”Abbas reportedly showed Trump maps drawn up as part of a former Israeli prime minister’s 2008 peace proposal, which Abbas chose not to accept at the time, during his visit to the White House last week.He also reportedly told Trump that his negotiations with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, which fell apart without an agreement, should form the basis of any future peace talks.The PA leader ultimately balked at Olmert’s 2008 offer, and later cited the then-prime minister’s legal troubles at the time as his primary reason. Olmert had announced that he planned to resign in order to fight corruption allegations, and Abbas doubted the Israeli had the political clout to see the deal through. Olmert is currently serving a 26-month jail sentence on various corruption charges.After last week’s summit between Trump and Abbas, Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin said that although it was likely peace talks would resume, it was unlikely a deal would be reached soon.Elkin noted Abbas’s intransigence in 2009 and 2010, during which Israel, under PM Netanyahu, instituted a ten-month settlement freeze that the PA president had demanded.At that time, talks also broke down with the Palestinians arguing that the construction halt was merely partial as it did not include a suspension on building in East Jerusalem.The Hamas terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip, was quick to reject any proposed negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, stating that Abbas had no mandate.
PM has to choose between Israel's interests or his coalition hawks, says Zionist Union head-Herzog: Trump’s envoy ‘unequivocally’ stated president’s determination for peace deal-Opposition leader promises his support if Netanyahu attempts to make progress-By Times of Israel staff May 13, 2017, 3:18 pm
US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt has “unequivocally” stressed that the White House is striving to achieve a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, the Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog said Saturday.“Trump’s envoy to the Middle East told me unequivocally that the president of the United States is determined to reach an agreement between us and the Palestinians,” Herzog said during an event in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion.The Labor leader dubbed Trump’s upcoming visit to Israel as a “tiebreaker,” adding that at was now up to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to decide whether to cooperate with the Trump administration to try to reach a deal.“Netanyahu has to decide whether he is working for the people of Israel or working for [Coalition chairman David] Bitan and [Culture Minister Miri] Regev,” Herzog said, referring to two Likud MKs with a hawkish stance on matters concerning the Palestinians.Herzog promised opposition support if Netanyahu, who heads a multi-party coalition, does attempt to make substantive progress with the Palestinians.Trump’s incoming Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also told Israeli diplomats that is intent on reaching a peace deal, and urged them to cooperate and aid the president in his endeavor, Haaretz reported Friday. An Israeli government source told the newspaper that Friedman claimed Trump’s enthusiasm for relaunching the peace process presented a great opportunity for the Jewish state, and advised officials to avoid confrontation with the president over the matter. However, Friedman has also advised Trump that the prospects of achieving peace at present are low, two people who spoke with the envoy said.On Friday, US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters during a daily press briefing in Washington that Trump will work toward a “just and lasting peace” between Israel and the Palestinians on his upcoming trip to the region. McMaster added that that Trump will meet again with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and will “express his desire for dignity and self-determination for the Palestinians.”The White House official also said that Trump’s meetings with Israeli leaders would look to cement stronger ties between the two allies.“With President [Reuven] Rivlin and Prime Minister Netanyahu, he will reaffirm America’s unshakable bond to the Jewish state,” he said.Throughout the trip, Trump will “demonstrate his hopes for a just and lasting peace,” McMaster added.Trump’s visit to Israel, which was officially announced last week, will take place from May 22 to 23 — just before Jerusalem Day — after he stops in Saudi Arabia and before he goes on to the Vatican. He will also travel to Brussels and Sicily for NATO and G7 summits on the final leg of his first foreign trip.There has been speculation since Trump’s travel plans were announced that he would seek to facilitate a trilateral meeting with Netanyahu and Abbas.When McMaster was asked if such a plan was in the works, he demurred. “It will be up to the president and those leaders,” he said.Trump has already hosted both Netanyahu and Abbas at the White House, expressing optimism in his ability to succeed in brokering a peace deal where his three immediate predecessors have failed.“It’s something that I think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,” Trump told Abbas during their joint press conference. “We need two willing parties. We believe Israel is willing. We believe you’re willing. And if you are willing, we are going to make a deal.”Abbas reportedly showed Trump maps drawn up as part of a former Israeli prime minister’s 2008 peace proposal, which Abbas chose not to accept at the time, during his visit to the White House last week.He also reportedly told Trump that his negotiations with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, which fell apart without an agreement, should form the basis of any future peace talks.The PA leader ultimately balked at Olmert’s 2008 offer, and later cited the then-prime minister’s legal troubles at the time as his primary reason. Olmert had announced that he planned to resign in order to fight corruption allegations, and Abbas doubted the Israeli had the political clout to see the deal through. Olmert is currently serving a 26-month jail sentence on various corruption charges.After last week’s summit between Trump and Abbas, Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin said that although it was likely peace talks would resume, it was unlikely a deal would be reached soon.Elkin noted Abbas’s intransigence in 2009 and 2010, during which Israel, under Netanyahu, instituted a ten-month settlement freeze that the PA president had demanded.At that time, talks also broke down with the Palestinians arguing that the construction halt was merely partial as it did not include a suspension on building in East Jerusalem. Israel claims sovereignty throughout Jerusalem ad does not regard construction in parts of the city captured in the 1967 war as settlement building.The Hamas terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip, has been quick to reject any proposed negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, stating that Abbas has no mandate.
Analysis / Netanyahu has to be careful now. He doesn't want to get one of those letters from DC telling him, 'You're fired'-How Donald Trump, darling of the Israeli right, reinvigorated Mahmoud Abbas-The Israeli coalition dreamed of regional agreements, fast-expanding settlements, and a White House cold-shoulder to the PA. Instead, the US president is on his way to Bethlehem to see his new Palestinian friend again-By Avi Issacharoff May 13, 2017, 3:44 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
If there is one conclusion to be drawn from last month’s visit of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House and US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Israel and the PA later this month, it is that the fantasy beloved by some Israeli leaders that the Palestinian issue can be made to vanish from the global agenda is fading fast.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition has for months been talking up the possibility of a regional agreement, and highlighting Arab leaders’ ostensible hatred of the Palestinians and of Abbas. He and some of his ministers have been intimating that Israel might even be able to cut deals with the Saudis without mentioning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at all.But Trump, the darling of the Israeli government and the Settlers (Yesha) Council, has out-Obama’ed president Barack Obama by reinstating Abbas at the center of the diplomatic stage. The American administration has made it crystal clear that far from ignoring Abbas and the Palestinians, as some Israeli officials had hoped Trump would do, it will treat them with kid gloves.Trump invited Abbas to visit, listened to the Palestinian delegation’s (fairly lengthy) diplomatic survey, was amazed at the extent of the IDF-PA security coordination, and apparently concluded that the Palestinians may not have been the only ones to blame for the failure of peace talks. He listened approvingly as Abbas, at their joint press conference, asserted that the PA is “raising our youth… on a culture of peace.” He praised Abbas for speaking out against terrorist groups. He hailed ongoing US partnerships with the Palestinians on regional security.He deployed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to meet with the Palestinian team. He had already sent Jason Greenblatt, a religiously observant Jew who studied at a yeshiva in Gush Etzion, to visit to a Palestinian refugee camp. And now Trump is planning a visit to Bethlehem — and will meet Abbas again, for the second time in a month.How ironic that it is Trump, not Barack (Hussein) Obama, who is revitalizing Abbas diplomatically. Now Trump wants to revive the negotiations and perhaps even hold a three-way summit. So Abbas has immediately been catapulted to the position of a significant political figure in Middle East — one who meets every other week with leaders of Arab countries in order to coordinate positions with them. Talk of a regional agreement has been forgotten; so, too, have pipe dreams about annexing parts or all of the territories.Whatever happened to the program to annex Ma’ale Adumim, which Education Minister Naftali Bennett had promised would become government policy from the moment Trump was inaugurated? It is becoming evident that Netanyahu, too, is being careful to show Trump respect, and does not want to upset the White House too much, reportedly canceling a meeting this week on settler home approvals. After all, he wouldn’t want to get another of those letters from DC telling him, “You’re fired.”A few words in defense of Israeli government ministers are in order. Their assessment that the Arab states are not in love with Abbas and the Palestinians is correct. While Cairo is the most obvious example of this, there are also some Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates, that would prefer to see a different Palestinian leadership. But it is a long way from this to the Arabs abandoning the Palestinian cause.The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia want to see quiet on the Palestinian front, and as far as they are concerned the quickest way to get there is a peace process. Acts such as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem or annexing territory would create unrest in the West Bank that could lead to support rallies and unrest in the Arab world. If the Israeli government wants to forge relationships with them that are not exclusively about security, it must pay the dowry by moving forward on the talks with the Palestinians.It is into this equation that the new Abbas enters. The Mahmoud Abbas of 2017 sounds, acts and looks differently from the Abbas of 2008 to 2016. Obama is no longer there to constrain him by making a relentless public fuss about settlements, and his message to Trump was clear: He is willing to meet with Netanyahu and talk with the Israelis with no preconditions.The Palestinian leader realizes that he needs to use different tools and behavior in the Trump era — not to act like a parent scolding an unruly (superpower) child, but like a leader who, in his conversations with Trump and his representatives, talks only about how ready and willing he is to do anything to assist the peace process. This talk is also accompanied by action, from the security coordination, to getting tough on Hamas in Gaza, to a certain decrease in incitement. None of this helps his domestic popularity, but it has certainly boosted his standing in Washington.Yes — there has actually been a decrease in incitement, the topic that Israeli officials bring up again and again. Inflammatory speeches are still heard and statements brimming with hatred of Jews and Israelis are still made, but there are fewer of them in the media and even in Palestinian textbooks.What about the security coordination? The “unbelievable” cooperation that Trump highlighted in his press conference with Abbas has been the case for some time. The PA is trying to thwart any and every cell that plans terror attacks, be it Hamas, Islamic State, or any other group. Its police force arrests terrorists and prevents attacks; in the past few weeks it has confiscated hundreds of illegal weapons, mostly manufactured in the territories.The Israeli and American intelligence communities are well aware of this work; so too, now, is Trump. Netanyahu and his ministers are not too fond of talking about these activities by the PA — not because they underestimate them, but mostly because any expression of gratitude toward the Palestinian Authority will harm the support they get from their right-wing base. It could also damage the Palestinian security services themselves, which face allegations of collaboration the more this work is hailed by Israel (even though much of the Palestinian public has held this view of them for some time).One of the most significant players effecting all this change under Abbas is PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. He initially seemed fairly weak, and with no political pretensions — a person whom Fatah could manage as it pleased. But Hamdallah has slowly been gaining status in the PA’s security and political institutions, as well as support among the Palestinian public. He gives orders to PA security chiefs, with whom he meets regularly, and receives updates about the security services’ every act, from the arrests of Hamas activists to the confiscation of weapons and the dispersal of demonstrations.Just as important, Hamdallah is not seen as corrupt. Some compare him to former prime minister Salam Fayyad, and this is perhaps the greatest danger he faces — if he is too successful, as Fayyad was, Fatah’s high-ranking officials will try to bring him down. Hamdallah is also considered more cautious regarding the measures that the PA has been taking against Hamas in recent weeks, in what looks like a gradual disengagement of the West Bank and the Palestinian Authority from Gaza.The Mahmoud Abbas of 2017 is also less hesitant about getting into internal Palestinian conflicts, even as his popularity continues to plummet. Fatah’s loss to Hamas this week in student elections at Bir Zeit University is just an example of that. Yet Abbas persists in his plans to disengage from Gaza. PA officials announced this week that they would stop collecting taxes from the residents of the Gaza Strip. In other words, only Hamas will be collecting taxes from the Gazans, and we can guess that support for Hamas will then decrease.Abbas also announced the cessation of payments to Israel for Gaza’s electricity, thus causing trouble for both Israel and Hamas. Israel says it has no intention of paying for Gaza’s electricity, and it is not clear at the moment who, if anyone, will do so by the end of the month. The PA may finally agree to foot part of the bill so as to ensure the supply of electricity to critical installations such as hospitals, but one thing is clear: the suffering in Gaza will go on.Abbas is planning other measures, such as stopping monthly salary payments to the members of Hamas’s parliament (surprisingly enough, they are still receiving salaries) and stopping salary payments to the prisoners in Gaza who were released as part of the 2011 Shalit prisoner exchange.Hamas is nervous. It has no Plan B at the moment. The Qataris have said that they have no intention of paying for the Gaza Strip’s electricity as long as there is no comprehensive reconciliation process between the PA and Hamas. The Gaza Strip is on the brink of an explosion even though Hamas does not want one.There is also quite a bit of confusion within Hamas for political reasons. Ismail Haniyeh was elected head of its political wing, but he is moving farther away from making decisions concerning the Gaza Strip, of which Yahya Sinwar is in charge. Although Haniyeh, as head of Hamas’s political bureau, supposedly outranks Sinwar at present, it is not at all certain that he will be the one giving orders to the head of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza.Deepening PA-Hamas friction seems inevitable, which could presage trouble on the ground. It would also, however, bolster Abbas’s credibility — as part of the solution, not the problem — in the eyes of the Trump administration.
Jordan calls killing of Jerusalem attacker a ‘heinous crime’-Police release dramatic footage of stabbing of officer by Jordanian citizen; Amman demands details on man’s ‘martyrdom’-By Times of Israel staff May 13, 2017, 7:55 pm
Jordan on Saturday said an Israeli policeman’s shooting and killing of a Jordanian assailant as he stabbed him repeatedly was “a heinous crime,” and demanded to receive details about the incident from the Israeli government.“The Israeli government, which is the occupying force, bears responsibility for the shooting of a Jordanian citizen in occupied East Jerusalem which led to his martyrdom,” Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani said in a statement.“The government denounces this heinous crime…and has asked Israel to provide full details about it,” he added.The assailant was earlier identified as Muhammad Abdullah Salim al-Kassji, a 57-year-old Jordanian citizen who had entered Israel several days ago.Police released security camera footage of the incident Saturday evening, in which the harrowing attack is seen as it occurred in the streets of the Old City.In it, the officer can be seen walking down the street when he is violently assailed by al-Kassji.According to police, al-Kassji pulled a knife and stabbed the officer in the neck and head and was then shot dead by the victim.The 37-year-old police officer was taken to Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in moderate condition after the incident near the Lions’ Gate.He had wounds in the neck and head, and was conscious and in stable condition when evacuated to the hospital. A second man was lightly wounded, with cuts to the hand.Magen David Adom paramedics said they provided emergency treatment at the scene.After the incident police arrested a local merchant who they suspected prevented passers-by from helping the policeman during the attack.A video uploaded by the Palestinian Quds News Network (graphic) appeared to show the aftermath of the attack, with policemen attending to the injured officer and the attacker lying on the ground.
Palestinian woman caught with knife at Hebron checkpoint-Officials suspect young woman arrested near Tomb of Patriarchs intended to carry out stabbing-By Times of Israel staff May 13, 2017, 7:50 pm
A Palestinian woman was arrested at a checkpoint near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron Saturday after she was found to be carrying a knife.Officials suspect the young woman, in her twenties, intended to carry out a stabbing attack against Israeli security forces.She was taken for further questioning.Earlier Saturday a Jordanian citizen stabbed an Israeli police officer in the neck and head near Jerusalem’s Old City before being shot dead by the policeman.The assailant was identified by Hebrew media as Muhammad Abdullah Salim al-Kassji, a 57-year-old Jordanian citizen who entered Israel several days ago.The 37-year-old police officer was taken to Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in moderate condition after the incident near the Lions’ Gate. He had wounds in the neck and head, and was conscious and in stable condition when evacuated to the hospital. A second man was lightly wounded, with cuts to the hand.
Hundreds protest in Tel Aviv’s annual SlutWalk-Women wearing just bras or bikini tops march through city center to demonstrate against widespread sexual harassment in Israel-By Luke Tress May 12, 2017, 4:55 pm
Hundreds of protesters marched through central Tel Aviv on Friday in an annual SlutWalk organized to draw attention to women’s rights in Israel and widespread sexual harassment.The crowd of mostly women, many wearing just bras or bikini tops, carried signs with slogans including “You’re not guilty,” “Make love, not rape” and “A thong is not an invitation to rape.”Many had the Hebrew word for “slut,” or phrases such as “no means no,” written on their bodies.One in five Israeli women is a victim of rape, and almost all experience harassment at some point, said event organizer Bracha Barad.“Sex crimes are a living thing in our life, it’s not something we can ignore, so we have to go out and protest about it because we don’t have anything else to do,” Barad said.In their march along the beach and through the streets of Tel Aviv, protesters chanted slogans such as “Women, demand safety on the streets,” and “My body is not a sex object.” About 1,000 demonstrators took part, organzisers said.SlutWalks, which are held internationally, are meant to make a statement about women’s choice.“The swearing and getting undressed, it’s basically an act of reclaiming. We’re reclaiming the word slut, and saying nobody’s a slut, or everybody’s a slut. It’s not an offensive word anymore if we’re using it on ourselves,” Barad said.She drew a parallel to the word “queer,” which was once derogatory but is now mainstream.Highlighting recent rape cases in Herzliya and Tel Aviv, Barad said the march is also meant to draw attention to men’s culpability in sexual crime, regardless of a woman’s outfit or behavior.“The provocative dress is, other than getting the media’s attention, is meant to say, it doesn’t matter if I’m undressed or if I’m a slut, I’m allowed to say no, and if somebody disregards this ‘no,’ then he is a sex offender and I’m not at fault,” Barad said.The march set off from Gordon Beach around 10:30 am, and ended at Habima Square, where protesters gave speeches.SlutWalks first began in Toronto, Canada in April 2011, in response to a police officer’s suggestion that “women should avoid dressing like sluts” in order to avoid being raped. Since then, the protests have taken place in cities throughout the world, and have broadened their scope to include protests against all types of sexual assault and harassment, as well as the prevalence of victim blaming.
No current indication Israel was hit in global cyberattack, official says-Head of National Cyber Authority says picture will become clearer after Sabbath, when many networks come back online-By Times of Israel staff and Agencies May 13, 2017, 4:22 pm
There is no evidence so far that Israel fell victim to the global cyberattack that has hit over 70 countries, the nation’s top cyber security official said Saturday.Baruch Carmeli, the head of the National Cyber Authority, said in a statement that there was “no indication” that Israeli bodies and companies had been compromised in the massive electronic assault.Carmeli noted, however, that many of the country’s computer networks were currently inactive due to the Sabbath, and thus a definite assessment could only be made Sunday. “We are preparing,” he noted.He added that the authority was in contact with cyber officials in Israel and around the world in order to minimize any potential damage.Meanwhile Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced an increased state of alert throughout Israel’s energy and water infrastructure.Maps released by several security firms had earlier marked Israel as one of the countries which had fallen victim to the attack — although on a low scale. Carmeli’s statement appeared to refute this.#WannaCry #ransomware used in widespread attacks all over the world via @Securelist https://t.co/zh012F9lCC http://pic.twitter.com/UzJVqUwbT6— Kaspersky Lab (@kaspersky) May 12, 2017-The extortion attack, which locked up computers and held users’ files for ransom, was believed the biggest of its kind ever recorded, disrupting services from the US to Russia, the UK, Spain and India. It appeared to exploit a vulnerability purportedly identified for use by the US National Security Agency and later leaked to the internet.Britain’s National Cyber Security Center said Saturday teams were working “round the clock” to restore hospital computer systems after the attack forced British hospitals to cancel and delay treatment for patients. In Russia, where a wide array of systems came under attack, officials said services had been restored or the virus contained.Two security firms — Kaspersky Lab and Avast — said they had identified the malicious software behind the attack in upward of 70 countries, although both said the attack has hit Russia hardest.The Russian Interior Ministry, which runs the country’s police, confirmed it was among those that fell victim to the “ransomware,” which typically flashes a message demanding payment to release the user’s data. Spokeswoman Irina Volk was quoted by the Interfax news agency Saturday as saying the problem had been “localized” and that no information was compromised.A spokesman for the Russian Health Ministry, Nikita Odintsov, said on Twitter that the cyber attacks on his ministry were “effectively repelled.” The national railway system said that although it was attacked, rail network operations were unaffected.British Home Secretary Amber Rudd said Saturday that 45 public health organizations were hit, but she stressed that no patient data had been stolen. The attack froze computers at hospitals across the country, with some canceling all routine procedures. Patients were asked not to come to hospitals unless it was an emergency.British media had reported last year that most public health organizations were using an outdated version of Microsoft Windows that was not equipped with security updates.Elsewhere in Europe, the attack hit companies including Spain’s Telefonica, a global broadband and telecommunications company.Germany’s national railway said Saturday that departure and arrival display screens at its stations were affected, but there was no impact on actual train services. Deutsche Bahn said it deployed extra staff to busy stations to provide customer information, and recommended that passengers check its website or app for information on their connections.Other European organizations hit included football clubs in Norway and Sweden, with IF Odd, a 132-year-old Norwegian football club, saying its online ticketing facility was down.The US Department of Homeland Security’s computer emergency response team said it was aware of ransomware infections “in several countries around the world.”Jakub Kroustek of the security firm Avast said in a blog post update around 2000 GMT Friday, “We are now seeing more than 75,000 detections… in 99 countries.”Kaspersky researcher Costin Raiu cited 45,000 attacks in 74 countries, saying that the malware, a self-replicating “worm,” was spreading quickly.In a statement, Kaspersky Labs said it was “trying to determine whether it is possible to decrypt data locked in the attack — with the aim of developing a decryption tool as soon as possible.”Pictures posted on social media showed screens of NHS computers with images demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in bitcoin, saying: “Ooops, your files have been encrypted!”It demands payment in three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received in seven days, the files will be deleted, according to the screen message.A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said.Although Microsoft released a security patch for the flaw earlier this year, many systems have yet to be updated, researchers said.“Unlike most other attacks, this malware is spreading primarily by direct infection from machine to machine on local networks, rather than purely by email,” Lance Cottrell, chief scientist at the US technology group Ntrepid.“The ransomware can spread without anyone opening an email or clicking on a link.”
28 And when these things begin to come to pass,(ALL THE PROPHECY SIGNS FROM THE BIBLE) then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (RAPTURE) draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree,(ISRAEL) and all the trees;(ALL INDEPENDENT COUNTRIES)
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.(ISRAEL LITERALLY BECAME AND INDEPENDENT COUNTRY JUST BEFORE SUMMER IN MAY 14,1948.)
JOEL 2:3,30
3 A fire devoureth (ATOMIC BOMB) before them;(RUSSIAN-ARAB-MUSLIM ARMIES AGAINST ISRAEL) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(ATOMIC BOMB AFFECT)
ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)
EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.
ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE
Festive mood and tight security for Djerba Jewish festival-3,000 Lag B’Omer visitors expected at Africa’s oldest synagogue, 1,000 more than last year when Tunisia was reeling from jihadist attacks-By AFP May 12, 2017, 6:26 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
DJERBA, Tunisia — An annual Jewish pilgrimage to Africa’s oldest synagogue on Tunisia’s Djerba island began on Friday under tight security but in a festive mood.Dozens of pilgrims from the North African country and from France headed to the revered Ghriba synagogue to pray, light candles and write wishes on eggs.Some celebrated the centuries-old Lag B’Omer festival by sipping glasses of boukha, a liqueur made from figs.“My parents brought me to Djerba when I was a little boy and each year since I have returned,” said Sylvain, who traveled from Paris.“This year I came with my oldest brother and some friends. We are happy to be here,” said the 55-year-old interior decorator.Organizers expect the two-day festival to attract up to 3,000 visitors, 1,000 more than last year when Tunisia was still reeling after a series of jihadist attacks.They said pilgrims were expected from Belgium, Spain, the United States and even Israel, despite the government there warning its citizens for the third consecutive year against taking part.The festival passed off without incident last year and in 2015.Since its 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in jihadist attacks that have cost the lives of dozens of members of the security forces and 59 foreign tourists.The country has also been under a state of emergency since November 2015, when a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed 12 presidential guards.“We trust the Tunisian authorities to guarantee security,” the head of the synagogue, Perez Trabelsi, told AFP. “I am optimistic.”A helicopter overflew the area and checkpoints were set up around the synagogue which was heavily guarded by police, soldiers and members of the anti-terror brigades.The number of pilgrims visiting the Ghriba synagogue has fallen sharply since a suicide bombing claimed by Al-Qaeda struck Ghriba just before the 2002 pilgrimage, killing 21 people.Before then the event attracted as many as 8,000 people a year.Believed to have been founded in 586 BC by Jews fleeing the destruction of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem, the Ghriba synagogue has long been a destination for pilgrims, especially for Jews of Tunisian descent.Some 1,500 Jews live in Tunisia, down sharply from an estimated 100,000 before the country won independence from France in 1956.
White House: Trump to push Palestinian ‘self-determination’ on Mideast trip-National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster says the US president will demonstrate his hopes for ‘a just and lasting peace’-By Eric Cortellessa May 12, 2017, 9:38 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump will work toward a “just and lasting peace” between Israel and the Palestinians, including the Palestinian aspiration of “self-determination,” on his upcoming trip to the region, the White House said Friday.US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters during the daily press briefing that Trump will meet again with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, where the president will “express his desire for dignity and self-determination for the Palestinians.”McMaster also said that Trump’s meetings with Israeli leaders would look to cement stronger ties between the two allies.“With President (Reuven) Rivlin and Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu, he will reaffirm America’s unshakable bond to the Jewish state,” he said.Throughout the trip, Trump will “demonstrate his hopes for a just and lasting peace,” he added.Trump’s visit to Israel, which was officially announced last week, will take place from May 22 to 23 — just before Jerusalem Day — after he stops in Saudi Arabia and before he goes on to the Vatican. He will also travel to Brussels and Sicily for NATO and G7 summits on the final leg of his first foreign trip.There has been speculation since Trump’s travel plans were announced that he would seek to facilitate a trilateral meeting with Netanyahu and Abbas.When McMaster was asked if such a plan was in the works, he demurred. “It will be up to the president and those leaders,” he said.Trump has already hosted both Netanyahu and Abbas at the White House, expressing optimism in his ability to succeed in brokering a peace deal where his three immediate predecessors have failed.“It’s something that I think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,” Trump told Abbas during their joint press conference. “We need two willing parties. We believe Israel is willing. We believe you’re willing. And if you are willing, we are going to make a deal.”Abbas reportedly showed Trump maps drawn up as part of a former Israeli prime minister’s 2008 peace proposal, which Abbas chose not to accept at the time, during his visit to the White House last week.He also reportedly told Trump that his negotiations with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, which fell apart without an agreement, should form the basis of any future peace talks.The PA leader ultimately balked at Olmert’s 2008 offer, and later cited the then-prime minister’s legal troubles at the time as his primary reason. Olmert had announced that he planned to resign in order to fight corruption allegations, and Abbas doubted the Israeli had the political clout to see the deal through. Olmert is currently serving a 26-month jail sentence on various corruption charges.After last week’s summit between Trump and Abbas, Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin said that although it was likely peace talks would resume, it was unlikely a deal would be reached soon.Elkin noted Abbas’s intransigence in 2009 and 2010, during which Israel, under PM Netanyahu, instituted a ten-month settlement freeze that the PA president had demanded.At that time, talks also broke down with the Palestinians arguing that the construction halt was merely partial as it did not include a suspension on building in East Jerusalem.The Hamas terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip, was quick to reject any proposed negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, stating that Abbas had no mandate.
PM has to choose between Israel's interests or his coalition hawks, says Zionist Union head-Herzog: Trump’s envoy ‘unequivocally’ stated president’s determination for peace deal-Opposition leader promises his support if Netanyahu attempts to make progress-By Times of Israel staff May 13, 2017, 3:18 pm
US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt has “unequivocally” stressed that the White House is striving to achieve a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, the Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog said Saturday.“Trump’s envoy to the Middle East told me unequivocally that the president of the United States is determined to reach an agreement between us and the Palestinians,” Herzog said during an event in the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion.The Labor leader dubbed Trump’s upcoming visit to Israel as a “tiebreaker,” adding that at was now up to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to decide whether to cooperate with the Trump administration to try to reach a deal.“Netanyahu has to decide whether he is working for the people of Israel or working for [Coalition chairman David] Bitan and [Culture Minister Miri] Regev,” Herzog said, referring to two Likud MKs with a hawkish stance on matters concerning the Palestinians.Herzog promised opposition support if Netanyahu, who heads a multi-party coalition, does attempt to make substantive progress with the Palestinians.Trump’s incoming Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also told Israeli diplomats that is intent on reaching a peace deal, and urged them to cooperate and aid the president in his endeavor, Haaretz reported Friday. An Israeli government source told the newspaper that Friedman claimed Trump’s enthusiasm for relaunching the peace process presented a great opportunity for the Jewish state, and advised officials to avoid confrontation with the president over the matter. However, Friedman has also advised Trump that the prospects of achieving peace at present are low, two people who spoke with the envoy said.On Friday, US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster told reporters during a daily press briefing in Washington that Trump will work toward a “just and lasting peace” between Israel and the Palestinians on his upcoming trip to the region. McMaster added that that Trump will meet again with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and will “express his desire for dignity and self-determination for the Palestinians.”The White House official also said that Trump’s meetings with Israeli leaders would look to cement stronger ties between the two allies.“With President [Reuven] Rivlin and Prime Minister Netanyahu, he will reaffirm America’s unshakable bond to the Jewish state,” he said.Throughout the trip, Trump will “demonstrate his hopes for a just and lasting peace,” McMaster added.Trump’s visit to Israel, which was officially announced last week, will take place from May 22 to 23 — just before Jerusalem Day — after he stops in Saudi Arabia and before he goes on to the Vatican. He will also travel to Brussels and Sicily for NATO and G7 summits on the final leg of his first foreign trip.There has been speculation since Trump’s travel plans were announced that he would seek to facilitate a trilateral meeting with Netanyahu and Abbas.When McMaster was asked if such a plan was in the works, he demurred. “It will be up to the president and those leaders,” he said.Trump has already hosted both Netanyahu and Abbas at the White House, expressing optimism in his ability to succeed in brokering a peace deal where his three immediate predecessors have failed.“It’s something that I think is, frankly, maybe not as difficult as people have thought over the years,” Trump told Abbas during their joint press conference. “We need two willing parties. We believe Israel is willing. We believe you’re willing. And if you are willing, we are going to make a deal.”Abbas reportedly showed Trump maps drawn up as part of a former Israeli prime minister’s 2008 peace proposal, which Abbas chose not to accept at the time, during his visit to the White House last week.He also reportedly told Trump that his negotiations with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, which fell apart without an agreement, should form the basis of any future peace talks.The PA leader ultimately balked at Olmert’s 2008 offer, and later cited the then-prime minister’s legal troubles at the time as his primary reason. Olmert had announced that he planned to resign in order to fight corruption allegations, and Abbas doubted the Israeli had the political clout to see the deal through. Olmert is currently serving a 26-month jail sentence on various corruption charges.After last week’s summit between Trump and Abbas, Likud Minister Ze’ev Elkin said that although it was likely peace talks would resume, it was unlikely a deal would be reached soon.Elkin noted Abbas’s intransigence in 2009 and 2010, during which Israel, under Netanyahu, instituted a ten-month settlement freeze that the PA president had demanded.At that time, talks also broke down with the Palestinians arguing that the construction halt was merely partial as it did not include a suspension on building in East Jerusalem. Israel claims sovereignty throughout Jerusalem ad does not regard construction in parts of the city captured in the 1967 war as settlement building.The Hamas terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip, has been quick to reject any proposed negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, stating that Abbas has no mandate.
Analysis / Netanyahu has to be careful now. He doesn't want to get one of those letters from DC telling him, 'You're fired'-How Donald Trump, darling of the Israeli right, reinvigorated Mahmoud Abbas-The Israeli coalition dreamed of regional agreements, fast-expanding settlements, and a White House cold-shoulder to the PA. Instead, the US president is on his way to Bethlehem to see his new Palestinian friend again-By Avi Issacharoff May 13, 2017, 3:44 pm-THE TIMES OF ISRAEL
If there is one conclusion to be drawn from last month’s visit of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House and US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Israel and the PA later this month, it is that the fantasy beloved by some Israeli leaders that the Palestinian issue can be made to vanish from the global agenda is fading fast.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition has for months been talking up the possibility of a regional agreement, and highlighting Arab leaders’ ostensible hatred of the Palestinians and of Abbas. He and some of his ministers have been intimating that Israel might even be able to cut deals with the Saudis without mentioning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at all.But Trump, the darling of the Israeli government and the Settlers (Yesha) Council, has out-Obama’ed president Barack Obama by reinstating Abbas at the center of the diplomatic stage. The American administration has made it crystal clear that far from ignoring Abbas and the Palestinians, as some Israeli officials had hoped Trump would do, it will treat them with kid gloves.Trump invited Abbas to visit, listened to the Palestinian delegation’s (fairly lengthy) diplomatic survey, was amazed at the extent of the IDF-PA security coordination, and apparently concluded that the Palestinians may not have been the only ones to blame for the failure of peace talks. He listened approvingly as Abbas, at their joint press conference, asserted that the PA is “raising our youth… on a culture of peace.” He praised Abbas for speaking out against terrorist groups. He hailed ongoing US partnerships with the Palestinians on regional security.He deployed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to meet with the Palestinian team. He had already sent Jason Greenblatt, a religiously observant Jew who studied at a yeshiva in Gush Etzion, to visit to a Palestinian refugee camp. And now Trump is planning a visit to Bethlehem — and will meet Abbas again, for the second time in a month.How ironic that it is Trump, not Barack (Hussein) Obama, who is revitalizing Abbas diplomatically. Now Trump wants to revive the negotiations and perhaps even hold a three-way summit. So Abbas has immediately been catapulted to the position of a significant political figure in Middle East — one who meets every other week with leaders of Arab countries in order to coordinate positions with them. Talk of a regional agreement has been forgotten; so, too, have pipe dreams about annexing parts or all of the territories.Whatever happened to the program to annex Ma’ale Adumim, which Education Minister Naftali Bennett had promised would become government policy from the moment Trump was inaugurated? It is becoming evident that Netanyahu, too, is being careful to show Trump respect, and does not want to upset the White House too much, reportedly canceling a meeting this week on settler home approvals. After all, he wouldn’t want to get another of those letters from DC telling him, “You’re fired.”A few words in defense of Israeli government ministers are in order. Their assessment that the Arab states are not in love with Abbas and the Palestinians is correct. While Cairo is the most obvious example of this, there are also some Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates, that would prefer to see a different Palestinian leadership. But it is a long way from this to the Arabs abandoning the Palestinian cause.The leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia want to see quiet on the Palestinian front, and as far as they are concerned the quickest way to get there is a peace process. Acts such as moving the US embassy to Jerusalem or annexing territory would create unrest in the West Bank that could lead to support rallies and unrest in the Arab world. If the Israeli government wants to forge relationships with them that are not exclusively about security, it must pay the dowry by moving forward on the talks with the Palestinians.It is into this equation that the new Abbas enters. The Mahmoud Abbas of 2017 sounds, acts and looks differently from the Abbas of 2008 to 2016. Obama is no longer there to constrain him by making a relentless public fuss about settlements, and his message to Trump was clear: He is willing to meet with Netanyahu and talk with the Israelis with no preconditions.The Palestinian leader realizes that he needs to use different tools and behavior in the Trump era — not to act like a parent scolding an unruly (superpower) child, but like a leader who, in his conversations with Trump and his representatives, talks only about how ready and willing he is to do anything to assist the peace process. This talk is also accompanied by action, from the security coordination, to getting tough on Hamas in Gaza, to a certain decrease in incitement. None of this helps his domestic popularity, but it has certainly boosted his standing in Washington.Yes — there has actually been a decrease in incitement, the topic that Israeli officials bring up again and again. Inflammatory speeches are still heard and statements brimming with hatred of Jews and Israelis are still made, but there are fewer of them in the media and even in Palestinian textbooks.What about the security coordination? The “unbelievable” cooperation that Trump highlighted in his press conference with Abbas has been the case for some time. The PA is trying to thwart any and every cell that plans terror attacks, be it Hamas, Islamic State, or any other group. Its police force arrests terrorists and prevents attacks; in the past few weeks it has confiscated hundreds of illegal weapons, mostly manufactured in the territories.The Israeli and American intelligence communities are well aware of this work; so too, now, is Trump. Netanyahu and his ministers are not too fond of talking about these activities by the PA — not because they underestimate them, but mostly because any expression of gratitude toward the Palestinian Authority will harm the support they get from their right-wing base. It could also damage the Palestinian security services themselves, which face allegations of collaboration the more this work is hailed by Israel (even though much of the Palestinian public has held this view of them for some time).One of the most significant players effecting all this change under Abbas is PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. He initially seemed fairly weak, and with no political pretensions — a person whom Fatah could manage as it pleased. But Hamdallah has slowly been gaining status in the PA’s security and political institutions, as well as support among the Palestinian public. He gives orders to PA security chiefs, with whom he meets regularly, and receives updates about the security services’ every act, from the arrests of Hamas activists to the confiscation of weapons and the dispersal of demonstrations.Just as important, Hamdallah is not seen as corrupt. Some compare him to former prime minister Salam Fayyad, and this is perhaps the greatest danger he faces — if he is too successful, as Fayyad was, Fatah’s high-ranking officials will try to bring him down. Hamdallah is also considered more cautious regarding the measures that the PA has been taking against Hamas in recent weeks, in what looks like a gradual disengagement of the West Bank and the Palestinian Authority from Gaza.The Mahmoud Abbas of 2017 is also less hesitant about getting into internal Palestinian conflicts, even as his popularity continues to plummet. Fatah’s loss to Hamas this week in student elections at Bir Zeit University is just an example of that. Yet Abbas persists in his plans to disengage from Gaza. PA officials announced this week that they would stop collecting taxes from the residents of the Gaza Strip. In other words, only Hamas will be collecting taxes from the Gazans, and we can guess that support for Hamas will then decrease.Abbas also announced the cessation of payments to Israel for Gaza’s electricity, thus causing trouble for both Israel and Hamas. Israel says it has no intention of paying for Gaza’s electricity, and it is not clear at the moment who, if anyone, will do so by the end of the month. The PA may finally agree to foot part of the bill so as to ensure the supply of electricity to critical installations such as hospitals, but one thing is clear: the suffering in Gaza will go on.Abbas is planning other measures, such as stopping monthly salary payments to the members of Hamas’s parliament (surprisingly enough, they are still receiving salaries) and stopping salary payments to the prisoners in Gaza who were released as part of the 2011 Shalit prisoner exchange.Hamas is nervous. It has no Plan B at the moment. The Qataris have said that they have no intention of paying for the Gaza Strip’s electricity as long as there is no comprehensive reconciliation process between the PA and Hamas. The Gaza Strip is on the brink of an explosion even though Hamas does not want one.There is also quite a bit of confusion within Hamas for political reasons. Ismail Haniyeh was elected head of its political wing, but he is moving farther away from making decisions concerning the Gaza Strip, of which Yahya Sinwar is in charge. Although Haniyeh, as head of Hamas’s political bureau, supposedly outranks Sinwar at present, it is not at all certain that he will be the one giving orders to the head of Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza.Deepening PA-Hamas friction seems inevitable, which could presage trouble on the ground. It would also, however, bolster Abbas’s credibility — as part of the solution, not the problem — in the eyes of the Trump administration.
Jordan calls killing of Jerusalem attacker a ‘heinous crime’-Police release dramatic footage of stabbing of officer by Jordanian citizen; Amman demands details on man’s ‘martyrdom’-By Times of Israel staff May 13, 2017, 7:55 pm
Jordan on Saturday said an Israeli policeman’s shooting and killing of a Jordanian assailant as he stabbed him repeatedly was “a heinous crime,” and demanded to receive details about the incident from the Israeli government.“The Israeli government, which is the occupying force, bears responsibility for the shooting of a Jordanian citizen in occupied East Jerusalem which led to his martyrdom,” Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani said in a statement.“The government denounces this heinous crime…and has asked Israel to provide full details about it,” he added.The assailant was earlier identified as Muhammad Abdullah Salim al-Kassji, a 57-year-old Jordanian citizen who had entered Israel several days ago.Police released security camera footage of the incident Saturday evening, in which the harrowing attack is seen as it occurred in the streets of the Old City.In it, the officer can be seen walking down the street when he is violently assailed by al-Kassji.According to police, al-Kassji pulled a knife and stabbed the officer in the neck and head and was then shot dead by the victim.The 37-year-old police officer was taken to Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in moderate condition after the incident near the Lions’ Gate.He had wounds in the neck and head, and was conscious and in stable condition when evacuated to the hospital. A second man was lightly wounded, with cuts to the hand.Magen David Adom paramedics said they provided emergency treatment at the scene.After the incident police arrested a local merchant who they suspected prevented passers-by from helping the policeman during the attack.A video uploaded by the Palestinian Quds News Network (graphic) appeared to show the aftermath of the attack, with policemen attending to the injured officer and the attacker lying on the ground.
Palestinian woman caught with knife at Hebron checkpoint-Officials suspect young woman arrested near Tomb of Patriarchs intended to carry out stabbing-By Times of Israel staff May 13, 2017, 7:50 pm
A Palestinian woman was arrested at a checkpoint near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron Saturday after she was found to be carrying a knife.Officials suspect the young woman, in her twenties, intended to carry out a stabbing attack against Israeli security forces.She was taken for further questioning.Earlier Saturday a Jordanian citizen stabbed an Israeli police officer in the neck and head near Jerusalem’s Old City before being shot dead by the policeman.The assailant was identified by Hebrew media as Muhammad Abdullah Salim al-Kassji, a 57-year-old Jordanian citizen who entered Israel several days ago.The 37-year-old police officer was taken to Jerusalem’s Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in moderate condition after the incident near the Lions’ Gate. He had wounds in the neck and head, and was conscious and in stable condition when evacuated to the hospital. A second man was lightly wounded, with cuts to the hand.
Hundreds protest in Tel Aviv’s annual SlutWalk-Women wearing just bras or bikini tops march through city center to demonstrate against widespread sexual harassment in Israel-By Luke Tress May 12, 2017, 4:55 pm
Hundreds of protesters marched through central Tel Aviv on Friday in an annual SlutWalk organized to draw attention to women’s rights in Israel and widespread sexual harassment.The crowd of mostly women, many wearing just bras or bikini tops, carried signs with slogans including “You’re not guilty,” “Make love, not rape” and “A thong is not an invitation to rape.”Many had the Hebrew word for “slut,” or phrases such as “no means no,” written on their bodies.One in five Israeli women is a victim of rape, and almost all experience harassment at some point, said event organizer Bracha Barad.“Sex crimes are a living thing in our life, it’s not something we can ignore, so we have to go out and protest about it because we don’t have anything else to do,” Barad said.In their march along the beach and through the streets of Tel Aviv, protesters chanted slogans such as “Women, demand safety on the streets,” and “My body is not a sex object.” About 1,000 demonstrators took part, organzisers said.SlutWalks, which are held internationally, are meant to make a statement about women’s choice.“The swearing and getting undressed, it’s basically an act of reclaiming. We’re reclaiming the word slut, and saying nobody’s a slut, or everybody’s a slut. It’s not an offensive word anymore if we’re using it on ourselves,” Barad said.She drew a parallel to the word “queer,” which was once derogatory but is now mainstream.Highlighting recent rape cases in Herzliya and Tel Aviv, Barad said the march is also meant to draw attention to men’s culpability in sexual crime, regardless of a woman’s outfit or behavior.“The provocative dress is, other than getting the media’s attention, is meant to say, it doesn’t matter if I’m undressed or if I’m a slut, I’m allowed to say no, and if somebody disregards this ‘no,’ then he is a sex offender and I’m not at fault,” Barad said.The march set off from Gordon Beach around 10:30 am, and ended at Habima Square, where protesters gave speeches.SlutWalks first began in Toronto, Canada in April 2011, in response to a police officer’s suggestion that “women should avoid dressing like sluts” in order to avoid being raped. Since then, the protests have taken place in cities throughout the world, and have broadened their scope to include protests against all types of sexual assault and harassment, as well as the prevalence of victim blaming.
No current indication Israel was hit in global cyberattack, official says-Head of National Cyber Authority says picture will become clearer after Sabbath, when many networks come back online-By Times of Israel staff and Agencies May 13, 2017, 4:22 pm
There is no evidence so far that Israel fell victim to the global cyberattack that has hit over 70 countries, the nation’s top cyber security official said Saturday.Baruch Carmeli, the head of the National Cyber Authority, said in a statement that there was “no indication” that Israeli bodies and companies had been compromised in the massive electronic assault.Carmeli noted, however, that many of the country’s computer networks were currently inactive due to the Sabbath, and thus a definite assessment could only be made Sunday. “We are preparing,” he noted.He added that the authority was in contact with cyber officials in Israel and around the world in order to minimize any potential damage.Meanwhile Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced an increased state of alert throughout Israel’s energy and water infrastructure.Maps released by several security firms had earlier marked Israel as one of the countries which had fallen victim to the attack — although on a low scale. Carmeli’s statement appeared to refute this.#WannaCry #ransomware used in widespread attacks all over the world via @Securelist https://t.co/zh012F9lCC http://pic.twitter.com/UzJVqUwbT6— Kaspersky Lab (@kaspersky) May 12, 2017-The extortion attack, which locked up computers and held users’ files for ransom, was believed the biggest of its kind ever recorded, disrupting services from the US to Russia, the UK, Spain and India. It appeared to exploit a vulnerability purportedly identified for use by the US National Security Agency and later leaked to the internet.Britain’s National Cyber Security Center said Saturday teams were working “round the clock” to restore hospital computer systems after the attack forced British hospitals to cancel and delay treatment for patients. In Russia, where a wide array of systems came under attack, officials said services had been restored or the virus contained.Two security firms — Kaspersky Lab and Avast — said they had identified the malicious software behind the attack in upward of 70 countries, although both said the attack has hit Russia hardest.The Russian Interior Ministry, which runs the country’s police, confirmed it was among those that fell victim to the “ransomware,” which typically flashes a message demanding payment to release the user’s data. Spokeswoman Irina Volk was quoted by the Interfax news agency Saturday as saying the problem had been “localized” and that no information was compromised.A spokesman for the Russian Health Ministry, Nikita Odintsov, said on Twitter that the cyber attacks on his ministry were “effectively repelled.” The national railway system said that although it was attacked, rail network operations were unaffected.British Home Secretary Amber Rudd said Saturday that 45 public health organizations were hit, but she stressed that no patient data had been stolen. The attack froze computers at hospitals across the country, with some canceling all routine procedures. Patients were asked not to come to hospitals unless it was an emergency.British media had reported last year that most public health organizations were using an outdated version of Microsoft Windows that was not equipped with security updates.Elsewhere in Europe, the attack hit companies including Spain’s Telefonica, a global broadband and telecommunications company.Germany’s national railway said Saturday that departure and arrival display screens at its stations were affected, but there was no impact on actual train services. Deutsche Bahn said it deployed extra staff to busy stations to provide customer information, and recommended that passengers check its website or app for information on their connections.Other European organizations hit included football clubs in Norway and Sweden, with IF Odd, a 132-year-old Norwegian football club, saying its online ticketing facility was down.The US Department of Homeland Security’s computer emergency response team said it was aware of ransomware infections “in several countries around the world.”Jakub Kroustek of the security firm Avast said in a blog post update around 2000 GMT Friday, “We are now seeing more than 75,000 detections… in 99 countries.”Kaspersky researcher Costin Raiu cited 45,000 attacks in 74 countries, saying that the malware, a self-replicating “worm,” was spreading quickly.In a statement, Kaspersky Labs said it was “trying to determine whether it is possible to decrypt data locked in the attack — with the aim of developing a decryption tool as soon as possible.”Pictures posted on social media showed screens of NHS computers with images demanding payment of $300 (275 euros) in bitcoin, saying: “Ooops, your files have been encrypted!”It demands payment in three days or the price is doubled, and if none is received in seven days, the files will be deleted, according to the screen message.A hacking group called Shadow Brokers released the malware in April claiming to have discovered the flaw from the NSA, Kaspersky said.Although Microsoft released a security patch for the flaw earlier this year, many systems have yet to be updated, researchers said.“Unlike most other attacks, this malware is spreading primarily by direct infection from machine to machine on local networks, rather than purely by email,” Lance Cottrell, chief scientist at the US technology group Ntrepid.“The ransomware can spread without anyone opening an email or clicking on a link.”
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