Bloody Israeli raid on flotilla sparks crisis

JERUSALEM – Israeli commandos rappelled down to an aid flotilla sailing to thwart a Gaza blockade on Monday, clashing with pro-Palestinian activists on the lead ship in a botched raid that left at least nine passengers dead.
Bloodied passengers sprawled on the deck and troops dived into the sea to save themselves amid hand-to-hand fighting that injured dozens of activists and six soldiers. Hundreds of activists were towed from the international waters to Israeli detention centers and hospitals...
More on Yahoo siteMay, 31st 2010

Israel strikes Gaza
By Ben Harris · January 8, 2010

(JTA) -- Israeli warplanes struck four targets in the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket that landed near Ashkelon.
The Israel Defense Forces said the targets included several smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza, as well as a weapons manufacturing facility, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Thursday night's raid followed the firing of a Katyusha rocket at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon. The rocket caused no casualties. 
Palestinians said one person was killed and two wounded in the strikes.

More on: http://jta.org/news/article/2010/01/08/1010075/israel-strikes-gaza

'Iron Dome' successfully intercepts rocket
Israel inched a step closer on Wednesday to deploying the Iron Dome missile defense system along the border with the Gaza Strip after it successfully intercepted a number of missile barrages in tests held in southern Israel this week.
The tests were overseen by the Defense Ministry, the Israel Air Force and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., which developed the Iron Dome, slated to become operational and be deployed along the Gaza border in mid-2010.
The missile volleys which the system succeeded in intercepting included a number of rockets that mimicked Kassam and longer range Grad-model Katyusha rockets that are known to be in Hamas's arsenal...
More from The Jerusalem Post site. Dated Jan,7th.2010.

Israel approves plan to build 900 homes
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israel approved a construction plan Tuesday for hundreds of houses in a disputed neighborhood on Jerusalem's southern outskirts, quickly prompting criticism from Washington.
The Jewish state's Interior Ministry said it had approved the construction of 900 units in Gilo. The approval of construction moves forward the process for the project; it will now be opened to public objections...
More from CNN World. Dated Nov,18th.2009.

Obama warns Israel on settlements
US President Barack Obama has said Israel's approval of 900 extra housing units at a settlement in East Jerusalem could lead to a "dangerous" situation.
Mr Obama told Fox News that additional settlement construction made it harder for Israel to make peace in the region and "embitters the Palestinians"...
More from BBC World. Dated Nov,18th.2009.

AAbbas will not seek re-election

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that he will not seek re-election in polls in January.
In a televised speech, Mr Abbas said the impasse in efforts to resume peace negotiations with Israel had prompted his decision not to run again.
Whole text from BBC site. Dated Nov, 6th.2009.

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel 's navy detained a ship carrying a large cache of arms.

Soldiers on Tuesday night boarded the freighter ship, flying the flag of Antigua , and discovered the arms and ammunition, disguised as commercial freight, according to the IDF spokespersons office. The ship, named the Francop, was stopped by a special naval force about 100 miles off the coast of Israel .

The ship was then taken to Israel 's Ashdod port for further scanning and unloading. 

The ship was en route from Iran to Syria , according to reports. It carried more than 60 tons of weapons. including Katyusha rockets, assault rifles, grenades, and mortar shells, as well as an advanced anti-aircraft platform that so far has not made it to the region, Israel Radio reported,

"The seizure of the ship was carried out as part of the navy's ongoing intensive fight against terrorism and the prevention of weapons smuggling," a statement from the IDF said.

New president of the HOJ elected in Israel

The new President of the Association of immigrants from former Yugoslavia in Israel (HOJ), Moshe Ben Schahar was elected at the Association’s Assembly held on September 10, 2009. Moshe Ben Schahar’s term of presidency is weighed down from its onset by the exceptionally difficult financial state of Association affairs. In his speech on program tasks he pointed out the demanding period lying ahead of us that may persist for another two years and how many will be unhappy by the forthcoming proposal of a restrictive budget at the first meeting of the Association Execute Board. Since the collected annual membership fee could not cover the Bulletin - MOST’s printing expenses, its publishing has so far presented a major expenditure. MOST shall for the time being be printed on 12 pages (instead of 32) in Serbo-Croat and on 4 (instead of 8) in Hebrew. Up to the end of the year MOST’s Editor Ana Schomlo shall prepare another two complimentary issues. Failure to secure funds for editor wages shall result in a recruitment announcement for a non-salaried editor post.

Notwithstanding the difficult financial situation Associations activist managed to organize a number of successful projects in the past period. Miri Derman, President of the Social Committee is specially credited for providing modest donations to a small number of financially challenged members. Together with Lili Papo she eased the complex initial period of resettlement and adjustment to different conditions of living for new settlers. On behalf of Association members Assembly chairman Milan Fogel expressed gratitude to previous President Josef Zamboki for his successful management of the Association over the past period.

Israel pilot Assaf Ramon, astronaut's son, dies in F-16 crash
The 21-year-old air force lieutenant was the son of Ilan Ramon, the Israeli astronaut who died in the Columbia space shuttle disaster of 2003.

Israel Air Force Capt. Asaf Ramon, 21, was killed Sunday when the F-16A Falcon jet he was flying crashed during a routine training flight near the southern Hebron Hills. Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan ordered an official inquiry and an immediate halt to all F-16 training flights until further notice, according to a report in Haaretz. The main focus of the investigation is on human factors, and there is a high probability that some physiological problem may have led to the crash.

Ramon took off from the Nevatim air base at 1 P.M. on a routine training flight in a single-seat Falcon as part of the advanced flight training course that the pilot began in July. The formation was led by A., a veteran pilot, and was meant to exercise at an altitude of 18,000 feet over the Hebron Hills and the West Bank . The two aircraft were to simulate dogfighting. The training was fairly basic, as this was a somewhat early stage of Ramon's fighter pilot training. The two aircraft were supposed to pass each other, and then perform a fairly wide turn in order to continue the exercise. A. was supposed to see Ramon several seconds after the two aircraft had passed each other, but quickly realized that he could not find him. He called him on the radio: "Watch your altitude," but there was no response. The incident occurred at about 1:30 P.M., when Ramon's aircraft disappeared off radar. Several minutes later reports began coming in from people living in the area south of Hebron that an aircraft had been seen flying at low altitude over the Hebron-Be'er Sheva highway, and of an explosion, followed by a cloud of smoke.
(Guysen.International.News)

Pope Benedict XVI Makes Historic Visit to Israel
Moving Memorial Ceremony Takes Place at Yad Vashem
On May 11, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI visited Yad Vashem where he took an active part in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance, thereby conveying an influential message regarding the importance of Holocaust remembrance to Catholic followers and believers. A visit of the utmost importance, it will increase Holocaust awareness around the world.
The whole article from the Yad Vashem site

A concert in Israel
To gather in one place politicians from the republics of former Yugoslavia would be hard to do in everyday life. However, the opera diva of the Belgrade Opera Jelena Vlahović and Tijana Grujić, an opera diva with an impressive international reputation, a native of Belgrade but engaged in Landestheater, Linz, Austria, managed just that at their concert in Israel. Present at the concert were representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Ivana Levi from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Slovenian Ambassador Boris Savić, Deputy Ambassador Biljana Vučković from Serbia, Chargé d’Affaires Pajo Avirović from Macedonia and the Honorary Consul from Croatia in Israel Samuel Šlezinger. The concert named To Natania with Love was held on May 9, 2009 on the occasion of the 80^th anniversary of the city of Natania , the Day of Europe, and The Day of Victory over Fascism. Also present at the event and in the company of the Ambassadors from the former Yugoslavia was the Hungarian Ambassador Zoltan Sent Đerđi who on this occasion had the opportunity to hear the song by the composer Rut Žamboki dedicated to the town of Sziofok in Hungary, a sister city of Israeli Natania. The song was composed for the city’s celebration and performed in front of many high ranking officials of Sziofok town magistrate in honor of Natania.
President of the Association of immigrants from former Yugoslavia in Israel , Eng. Josef Žamboki, an enthusiastic admirer of opera produced the concert. Recognition for the events successful organization went to Daniel Fogel an expert in interior communications and member of the Zemun Jewish Community. His love of music vouchsafed for his role of event moderator for the evening of music. The public eagerly welcomed the main performers of the concert Jelena Vlahović, Tijana Grujić and Ljubica Grujić, a professor of music at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade who accompanied the divas on the piano. The public enjoyed the songs and arias by Tchaikovsky, Granados, Mussorgsky, Verdi, Mozart, Saint Sans and Rossini.

Ben Shahar, Israel , 9. May 2009.

Film premiere and literary promotions in Jerusalem

This year on November 20, in Jerusalem ’s Reformist Synagogue Kol HaNesamah we had the opportunity to view the 2007 production of the documentary film “The Promised Land”. The event commemorated the 60 year anniversary of the founding of the modern state of Israel , and all present were greeted by Mr. Joseph Zamboki the current president of the Hitahdut. The premiere screening of the film “The Promised Land”, of Croat production, was released by an active participant of events filmed, Jehuda-Vojko Sterk, who also assisted in the making of this film. Jasminka Dormas a HRT (Croat Radio Television) reporter successfully unearthed archived film material dated 1948-51 about the deportation of Jewish repatriates – a platitude used by post-war Yugoslav authorities to justify the mass exile of more than half of all Yugoslav Jews that had survived the Holocaust, and to make interviews in Israel with émigrés emphasizing their contribution in the making of the new state of Israel. The film was an incentive for the participants in the panel to primarily evoke memories of the hardships they went through during the process of settling-in in on-going war activities which gradually led up to events more pleasant, such as raising families and fulfilling the dream of a lifetime, i.e. the settlement and continued existence in Eretz.

The second part of the program was devoted to the promotion of two books by two authors Raul Teitelbaum and Avram (Abraham) Atijas.
This year Raul Teitelbaum’s book “The Biological Solution” was published both in Israel and Germany .  The book is a comprehensive study and a critique of the system of compensation of Holocaust survivors and of the role played by Israeli and the German governments as well as that of the Claims Conference. Raul concludes that it is a detrimental system of remuneration for Holocaust survivors stressing that out of the million and eight hundred thousand survivors only 550.000 had received any indemnity. Teitelbaum asserts that no compensation has been made for the six million Jews massacred in the Holocaust.  “ Germany has attained “Jewish indulgence”, says Teitelbaum, “by paying a monstrously low price for the atrocious crimes committed by Nazi Germany”.  A compellingly steadfast author, Avram Atijas published his fifth book last year. The publication contains numerous autobiographical data but also interesting comments about the world of his associates. The first part of his latest book “We look for ourselves in a black and white world” takes us back to the starkness of post-WWII years and the search for lost Jewish identity in socialist Yugoslavia . It has been said of life that it is the creator of best literature and Atijas’s narrations are a confirmation of the fact. While it is a reminder to the elderly of all that the lot of us went through in the old homeland, it is also a testament to younger generations of a time gone by, of dilemmas and decisions that fundamentally changed the lives of those who made the choice to immigrate to Israel . The second part of Atijas’s book vibrantly and engagingly describes meetings and personas he came to know during his mission in Africa . Atijas compares his beliefs to those of people of other social systems and thus transcends the lands of Africa and urges us to assess, free of any “rooting passion”, postulates about events that took place in different parts and on different sides of the world during the twentieth century.

Milan Fogel, event moderator,
Israel

Israel spurns UN plea to ease Gaza blockade
By AMY TEIBEL, Associated Press Writer – Wed Nov 19, 4:27 pm ET
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A successful presentation of Serbian film professionals at the 24^th Haifa International Film Festival

Present this October at the 24^th International Film Festival held in Haifa , Israel were also two film directors from Serbia , Mr. Dejan Zecevic with his film “The Fourth Man” and Stefan Arsenijevic with the film “Love and other crimes”. It is an unfortunate circumstance that only one “Golden Anchor” is awarded in the category of best director of feature-length films made outside Israel . This year it justly went to the Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan for the film “Three Monkeys”. Nuri Bilge Ceylan is well known to movie goers in Serbia as this year’s best director laureate of the Cannes Film Festival.

The two films from Serbia were first shown to film industry workers and critics at closed screenings and then to the audience of the main festival program. The Israeli premiere of the film”The Fourth Man” was exceptionally well received both by critics and the public. Among the audience at the viewing of the film in the company of his wife the Ambassador of Serbia in Israel , Mr. Miodrag Isakov could hardly sustain his pleasure with the success of Dejan Zecevic’s film and the cordial applause it received from the public. This unforeseen interest kept Mr. Zecevic in a lengthy conversation with a very inquisitive audience. At the end of the discussion Mr. Zecevic said: “It is a great pleasure for a director when his film is appreciated as a universal depiction of the world by a foreign public that is also fully aware of the local colors of the film’s country of origin ( Serbia )”. Convinced in the success of director Dejan Zecevic’s new film project Ms. Nikolina Vucetic one of “The Fourth Man” producers promised they would all meet in Israel again.

Mr. Nenad Dukic, a Belgrade film critic had the honor to be a member of the jury for the selection of the best new Israeli film production. The award went to Omri Givon the director of the film “Seven Minutes in Heaven.” At the closing of the Festival Mr. Nenad Dukic said: “The quality of the program coupled with an outstanding insight in cinematography primarily that of Mediterranean countries upholds the high status of the Haifa Festival within the region.”

Finally, we can only conclude that the Serbian film professionals have definitely opened the door for film makers from Serbia to future festivals in Israel .

Guests from Serbia and Mr. Miodrag Isakov, Serbian ambassador to Israel

Ms. Nikolina Vucetic and Mr. Dejan Zecevic were our dear gests at the celebration of Sukot in the forest of Beth Shemesh where Jews from former Yugoslavia traditionally gather for the occasion. They could not hide their pleasure (and surprise) that they could eyewitness former Yugoslavia in its entirety in one such small space. By their own admission the meetings, the new friendships and affable atmosphere will be something to remember forever.

Milan Fogel, Israel