Dear Family & Friends,

Lots of news this day & yesterday – both bad, good & great. I can’t even summarize for you. Check it out for yourselves. Lots to learn.

Have a sweet night, a swell day, All the very best, Gail/Geula/Savta/Savta Raba x 2/Mom

Visit our Website for more analysis & commentary: WinstonIsraelInsight.com

1.Tzipi Hotovely visits Gush Etzion: We are here to stay

2.Israel ‘not surprised’ by reports of US, UK spying

3.US tongue-lashes Israel for its strategic ‘new settlement’

4.Attempted stabbing attack in West Bank settlement, assailant shot & killed 5.Ban Ki-moon RETRACT! by Eli E. Hertz 6.Israel Military Industries expanding range of air-to-ground bombs

7.Defense Ministry extends administrative of ultra-nationalist Meir Ettinger

8. Bibi to Hamas: Israel strikes with ‘greater force’ than 2014 war if attacked from tunnels

9.Two ‘sick’ Gaza terrorists get free pass into Israel

10.Arlene Kushner “Virtual Torrent” February 1, 2016

11.Israeli envoy Danon: ‘I live with anti-Semitism 24/7 at the United Nations’

12.Australian chain store ‘Typo’ labels ‘Palestine’ over Israel on globe

13.Designers showcased their individual collections, catering to the Zionist fashion market for women.

14.Knesset Gush Katif memorial courts controversy

15.Two ‘sick’ Gaza terrorists get free pass into Israel

16.Cabinet approves egalitarian prayer space at Western Wall

17.Rookie IDF soldier thwarts 2 terrorist attacks in 2 weeks

1.Tzipi Hotovely visits Gush Etzion: We are here to stay Gush Etzion mayor thanks Deputy FM for her visit, says it is a ‘positive start’ to advancing Israeli sovereignty in Judea-Samaria. By Eliran Aharon Arutz Sheva IsraelNationalNews.com First Publish: 2/1/2016

Tzipi Hotovely in Gush Etzion Arutz Sheva

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) was joined by Gush Etzion Regional Council head Davidi Perl on Monday in a visit to the region of Judea south of Jerusalem.

The visit began at the Oz vaGaon Nature Preserve where Hotovely met with Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover, the leaders of the Women in Green movement.

The Deputy Minister viewed a video about the site and expressed excitement at the educational activity happening there.

From there, Hotovely traveled to the “Beit Bracha” compound, making her the first representative of the government to visit the site.

Hotovely stressed that these are the policies of the government – to continue building Jewish communities in Israel and to create a continuous presence, especially in Gush Etzion which has a proud heritage.

Perl noted that the Deputy Foreign Minister’s visit is “a positive start to advancing [Israeli] sovereignty (over Judea-Samaria – ed.)”

“We believe that those who try to kill us and cause panic will understand that we are here to stay,” he stressed. “All that remains is to apply sovereignty, something that will be a fatal blow to all terrorists.”

“Hotovely’s arrival shows support for residents and brings strength to an important settlement,” Perl added. “We urge everyone who wants to promote sovereignty to join and realize that this is the only way we will defeat terrorism.”

Tzipi Hotovely visits Gush Etzion: We are here to stay

Israeli government is expected to seek clarifications from the U.S. and U.K. in the wake of reports that those two countries have monitored secret communications by the Israeli Air Force in a hacking operation dating back to 1998.

Lilach Shoval, Shlomo Cesana, Yoni Hersch, Israel Hayom Staff and News Agencies

The Israeli government is expected to seek clarifications from the U.S. and U.K. in the wake of reports published on Friday that those two countries have monitored secret communications by the Israeli Air Force in a hacking operation dating back to 1998.

Transportation and Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said, “If the information is true, this is a severe blow to Israel’s security. This requires an investigation and lessons must be learned.”

National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Minister Yuval Steinitz said, “We are not surprised — we know that the Americans spy on every country in the world and on us as well, on their friends. It is nevertheless disappointing because, among other reasons, we haven’t been spying or collecting intelligence or cracking codes in the United States for decades.

“I do not think that this is the deepest kingdom of secrets, but it is certainly something that should not happen, which is unpleasant. We will now have to look and consider changing the encryption, certainly.”

The White House declined to comment on alleged U.S. intelligence activities but said the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security remained “sacrosanct.”

“We do not conduct any foreign intelligence surveillance activities unless there is a specific and validated national security purpose,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Britain’s Foreign Office said: “We don’t comment on intelligence matters.”

[GAIL SEZ SEE: WILL THE E.U. & UN USE NATO TO TAKE ISRAEL? By Emanuel A. Winston esp. about “Jew Room” 7/7/06 in GW DIARY 1/31/16]

Israel ‘not surprised’ by reports of US, UK spying

3.US tongue-lashes Israel for its strategic ‘new settlement’ State Department slams ‘illegitimate’ expansion of Gush Etzion with key new compound, saying it ‘undermines two state solution.’ By Ari Yashar Arutz Sheva IsraelNationalNews.com First Publish: 1/9/2016, 9:59 PM

John Kerry, John Kirby Reuters

In response to Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s (Likud) announcement last Wednesday that a strategic 40 dunam compound is being officially added to the Gush Etzion region in Judea, the US lost little time in condemning the move.

The land that is being added was purchased by American millionaire Irving Moskowitz and his wife, and is referred to as “Beit Bracha.” Jerusalem Councilman and Israel Land Fund (ILF) Director Arieh King covertly obtained the abandoned church complex adjacent to Highway 60 three years ago according to reports, and worked to renovate the compound.

On Friday, US State Department spokesperson John Kirby responded with condemnation to Ya’alon’s announcement at a press briefing.

The US is “deeply concerned” by the move according to Kirby, who said it “effectively creates a new settlement on ten acres” of land.

“Along with the regular retroactive legalization of unauthorized outposts and construction of infrastructure in remote settlements, actions such as this decision clearly undermine the possibility of a two-state solution,” said the spokesperson.

Kirby said that “settlement” activity is “illegitimate and counterproductive to the cause of peace,” even though the 2012 Levy report proved Israel’s presence in its Biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria is legal under international law.

“Continued settlement activity and expansion raises honest questions about Israel’s long-term intentions and will only make achieving a two-state solution that much more difficult,” concluded Kirby.

Kirby has often condemned Israel over activity in Judea, such as last July when he criticized the Jewish state for plans to demolish an illegal Arab settlement built on the ancient Talmudic-era Jewish village of Susya near Hevron.

In contrast, the State Department has not issued strong condemnation towards the Palestinian Authority (PA), even as PA Chairman Mahhmoud Abbas has repeatedly justified and called for terror, and last October said all of Israel is “the occupation,” indicating clearly that his intentions are not for a “two state solution.”

Regarding Beit Bracha, the complex encompasses 38 dunams (over nine acres) of land next to the “refugee camp” Al-Arroub, and is located strategically between Hevron and Gush Etzion, a stretch of land where currently only one Jewish community exists – Karmei Tzur.

To its north and south are state lands, meaning considerable future expansions of the new town would be possible after it becomes populated and grows. There are eight buildings in the compound, which was founded in the latter part of the 1940s by Thomas Lamby, an American missionary who was active in Ethiopia and arrived in Israel in 1947.

A Presbyterian church was later established at the site with a portion of the buildings serving as prayer halls and another portion as housing. Around 20 years ago, the church was converted into a hostel, which went bankrupt and fell into desolation, and three years ago King is said to have purchased it for Moskowitz.

US tongue-lashes Israel for its strategic ‘new settlement’

4.Attempted stabbing attack in West Bank settlement, assailant shot & killed By jpost.com staff 02/01/2016 07:51

Palestinian police officer shoots three soldiers at check point near Ramallah

Third teen charged in Damascus Gate stabbing

There were no injuries on the Israeli side.

Security forces shoot, kill suspected terrorist in thwarted knife attack in West Bank. (photo credit:screenshot)

A Palestinian attacker attempted to carry out a stabbing attack against Israeli security forces in the West Bank Israeli settlement of Sal’it on Monday morning.
The attack occurred when the assailant had attempted to cross a security fence and enter into the settlement, but was spotted by IDF soldiers stationed in the area.
The attacker then attempted to stab the soldiers, but was shot and killed on site. There were no injuries on the Israeli side.
According to Palestinian reports, the terrorist was identified as 19-year-old Ahmed Tobah from the West Bank’s Tulkarem region.
On Sunday, a Palestinian police officer shot and wounded three soldiers at the Focus checkpoint leading to Ramallah, near the Beit El settlement.
Two of the soldiers were moderately-to-seriously wounded, and one was lightly wounded. Soldiers responding at the scene shot and killed the shooter.
The Palestinian Authority identified the police officer as Amjad Sukkari, 29.
Later in the day, a man driving a car with Palestinian license plates approached the Beit Ur A-Tahta checkpoint near Route 443 and attempted to run over IDF soldiers carrying out security missions in the area, but failed to hurt anyone.
Soldiers opened fire and wounded the attacker who was evacuated to the hospital for treatment.

Attempted stabbing attack in West Bank settlement, assailant shot & killed

5.Ban Ki-moon RETRACT!

by Eli E. Hertz / February 1, 2016

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon justifies terrorism and incitement:
“It is human nature to react to occupation.”

Actually, stabbing a pregnant woman or a mother of six is not human nature. Instead of making excuses for murders, Ban Ki-moon should take the first step towards eradicating terrorism and follow International Law. UN Security Council Resolution 1377: “Reaffirms its unequivocal condemnation of all acts, methods & practices of terrorism as criminal & unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, in all their forms & manifestations, wherever & by whomever committed.”

Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times (April 1, 2002)

“The world must understand that the Palestinians have not chosen suicide bombing out of ‘desperation’ stemming from the Israeli occupation… To begin with, a lot of other people in the world are desperate, yet they have not gone around strapping dynamite to themselves. Let’s be very clear: Palestinians have adopted suicide bombing as a strategic choice, not out of desperation.

This threatens all civilization because if suicide bombing is allowed to work in Israel, then, like hijacking and airplane bombing, it will be copied and will eventually lead to a bomber strapped with a nuclear device threatening entire nations. That is why the whole world must see this Palestinian suicide strategy defeated.” © Copyright 2016 – Eli E. Hertz

Ban Ki-moon: RETRACT!

6.Israel Military Industries expanding range of air-to-ground bombs By Yaakov Lappin JPost.com 01/31/2016 19:32

Israel’s first stealth fighter jet enters advanced production stage in Texas

IDF expands missile fortification of strategic sites

MPR 1000 and 2000 bombs undergoing trials, can pierce through reinforced concrete to target terrorist bunkers.

IAF war drill. (photo credit:IDF spokesman’s unit)

Israel Military Industries is expanding the range of its air-to-ground weaponry, and is in varying stages of developments of three new types of bombs.
The new bombs include the MPR 1000 and MPR 2000 munitions, whose names signify their weight in pounds.
They have a significantly smaller blast and shrapnel radius than their MK 80 US equivalents, allowing for greater accuracy. The smaller blast radius can reduce harm to noncombatants, and enable much closer air support for ground forces in battle arenas.
Additionally, the new bombs can penetrate reinforced concrete, and detonate with a delayed fuse when reaching their targets. This allows them to be used to target terrorist bunkers, or to pierce floors on a multi-story building before exploding at the target.
The MPR 1000 can go through more than 1.5 meters of concrete, and the MPR 2000 has surpassed its original intended penetration capabilities, trials have shown, IMI sources said.
Clients that would purchase such bombs would likely assemble them with GPS guidance systems, such as JDAM guidance kits, that convert unguided or “dumb bombs” into all-weather “smart” munitions.
The smaller MPR 250 bomb is also in an IMI development program.
The new bombs join the existing MPR-500 bomb, which was purchased by the Israel Air Force and used during the 2014 50-day war (Operation Protective Edge) with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.
The IAF is not the only client that purchased the MPR- 500 bomb; a number of international clients have bought the weapon as well.
According to IMI, “MPR-500 penetrates straight through four multi-level floors and double reinforced concrete walls, or over 1 meter of monolithic double reinforced concrete target. The system is operational and in production.”
The MPR series features a reinforced fuse box, designed to avoid incidents in which the bombs hits targets and fails to detonate.
The MPR-500 had a 100 percent success rate during Operation Protective Edge.

Israel Military Industries expanding range of air-to-ground bombs

Meir Ettinger attends a remand hearing at the Magistrate’s Court in Nazareth.. (photo credit:ammar awad / reuters)

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon extended the administrative detention of Meir Ettinger by four months on Monday, security sources confirmed.
Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim, two Jewish settler activists currently in administrative detention have been hunger striking recently to protest their treatment leading up to Ya’alon’s decision and an anticipated court challenge, though apparently to no avail so far.
Slonim, Ettinger and a third activist, Mordechai Meir, who was released on January 3, were arrested in August following the infamous Duma terrorist arson in which most of a Palestinian family was burned to death.
In mid-August, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, with the legal approval of Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein, took the extremely unusual measure of placing all three in administrative detention, with the Lod District Court in September upholding the order for six months, until at least February.
Although hundreds of Palestinians can find themselves in administrative detention for terrorism-related allegations at any given time, it has been years since the measure was used against Jews.
Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.

8.Netanyahu to Hamas: Israel will strike with ‘greater force’ than 2014 war if attacked from tunnels By Herb Keinon JPost.com 01/31/16 22:07

Gaza border residents renew complaints of underground tunnel digging

UN chief Ban ‘alarmed’ over Hamas vow to rebuild Gaza tunnels

PM warns Palestinian terror group against reestablishing network of underground passageways.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a meeting of Israel’s ambassadors and consul-general. (photo credit:Kobi Gidon / GPO)

Israel will respond more forcefully than it did during 2014’s Operation protective Edge it it is attacked from the Gaza Strip’s terror tunnels, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.
Netanyahu, speaking to the annual meeting of Israel’s ambassadors and consul-general, related to the recent Hamas threats and boasts about those tunnels.
“If we are attacked from the tunnels in the Gaza Strip we will respond with great force against Hamas, with much greater force then we used during Operation Protective Edge,” he said.
“I think they understand this in the region, and in the world,” he added. “I hope we do not need to do this, but our defensive and offensive capabilities are developing rapidly, and I do not suggest that anyone test us.”
Last week, Hamas announced that seven members of its military wing, Izzadin Kassam, were killed when a tunnel collapsed.
During a funeral Friday for the Hamas operatives who were killed when the tunnel impaled them, senior official Ismail Haniyeh vowed that the Islamist organization will continue in building its network of underground passages.
Hamas officials said that they were “proud that hundreds of our men are working quietly to prepare for defending and protecting our people over and under the ground.”
“The Gaza Strip has built twice the number of resistance tunnels that were built in Vietnam, a subject which is studied in military schools,” Haniyeh said on Friday. “The military wing has built tunnels around Gaza in order to defend it and to liberate the al-Aksa mosque and the holy places.”
He added the armed factions in Gaza are preparing for the next round of fighting with Israel.
Prior to the tunnel collapse, residents of various southern Israeli communities along the border with the Gaza Strip have renewed complaints of reverberating, underground drilling sounds possibly linked to the construction of infiltration tunnels used by Palestinian terrorists.
Khaled Abu Toameh and Jpost.com Staff contributed to this report.

Netanyahu to Hamas: Israel will strike with ‘greater force’ than 2014 war if attacked from tunnels

9.Two ‘sick’ Gaza terrorists get free pass into Israel

Hamas members let in on forged medical papers, get ambulance ride to Jerusalem hospital – before disappearing the next day. By Ido Ben-Porat Arutz Sheva IsraelNationalNews.com 2/1/2016, 6:18 PM

Hamas terrorists in Gaza (illustration)

Credit: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

Israeli security forces arrested two Arab terrorists from Gaza who infiltrated into sovereign Israeli territory, claiming that they were “sick.”

The two, 30-year-old Mahmoud Matuk of Hamas and 51-year-old Ayoub Matuk, both hail from Jabalia, and got into Israel on forged medical documents issued in Gaza.

In early December the two were let in after presenting medical documents claiming that Mahmoud’s biological systems were collapsing and he needed to be hospitalized immediately at Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem. Due to the medical condition described in the documents he was even transported in an ambulance.

But just the next day, it became clear that the two had left the hospital and arrived on their own and in perfect physical condition in Umm al-Fahm, an Arab Israeli city in the north.

The two were arrested, and under Israeli Security Agency (ISA) questioning they admitted to forging the medical documents with the help of Hassin Matuk, a family member who was in contact with a doctor in Gaza who signed the faked forms.

They also admitted that they paid 7,000 shekels for the documents, in which it was written that Mahmoud’s legs were paralyzed and that he needed to be transported in an ambulance for emergency treatment.

They also revealed there were other Gazans who infiltrated Israel in the same manner.

On Monday indictments were submitted against the two at the Be’er Sheva Magistrate’s Court.

“This is a serious incident that demonstrates the cynical abuse of the Israeli willingness to accede to the humanitarian needs of Gaza residents so as to illegally enter Israel, something which is liable to cause a toughening in entry policy and in the end harm residents of the (Gaza) Strip,” said the ISA in a statement.

Two ‘sick’ Gaza terrorists get free pass into Israel

10.Arlene Kushner “Virtual Torrent” February 1, 2016 I am referring to the mean-spirited, disappointing and hypocritical statements and actions that we see emanating from prominent world leaders. This is in addition to the plethora of threats against Israel and the Jews.

But let’s hold that for a moment, as we must look at the good first.

This is a Namer armored personnel carrier equipped with the Trophy HV active protection system:

Credit: Ministry of Defense

In today’s world, this is good news.

The Trophy system will be installed on every APC from this point on, enabling them “to enter battlegrounds rife with antitank and RPG threats and safely transport infantry, even in the face of multiple, simultaneous threats.” Using radar panels to detect and follow threats before destroying them in mid-air with interceptors, it represents the highest level of protection for our soldiers and provides them with a significant advantage on the battlefield.

Most importantly, it will save Israeli lives, which is a very very good thing indeed.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Defense-Ministry-unveils-first-Namer-APC-with-Trophy-anti-missile-system-443164

Namer is Hebrew for leopard. Nice imagery.

“Three 1,700-year-old funerary inscriptions referring to “rabbis” were discovered in Moshav Zippori in Israel’s Galilee region, a finding that affirms a Jewish presence in Israel during the Roman period, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced Wednesday.”

Two of the inscriptions were in Aramaic and one – shown below – in Greek, both languages used by Jews at that time.

http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/01/28/1700-year-old-galilee-inscriptions-refer-to-rabbis-affirm-jewish-presence/

Proof of Jewish presence in the land over the centuries is of major import.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades (center in the picture below) and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Nicosia, capital of Cyprus, on Thursday to discuss cooperation in the fields of energy, tourism, research and technology, environment, water management, combating terrorism, and migration.”

A joint statement by the three read, in part: “The discovery of important hydrocarbon reserves in the Eastern Mediterranean can serve as a catalyst for peace, stability and cooperation in the region. To this end, the three countries view the energy sector, and in particular, natural gas and renewable energy, as a solid foundation for cooperation in the Eastern Mediterranean basin.”

Commented Anastasiades: “Our states share the same values as well as the conviction that in order to effectively counter multiple challenges confronting us on a local, regional and international level, we must work collectively.”

The leaders hope to meet again in the second half of this year.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4759222,00.html

Credit: Times of Israel

This represents a political turn that is positive. As Prime Minister Netanyahu said: “I believe this meeting has historic implications…the last time that Greeks, Cypriots and Jews sat around the table and talked on a common framework was about 2,000 years ago. So, it’s historic in that sense, but I think it’s historic for another reason. ”We’re living through a great turbulent passage in history, in modern times, and we face unprecedented challenges, but also unprecedented opportunities to advance our common goals.”

http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/PressRoom/2016/Pages/Trilateral-meeting-between-Israel-Greece-and-Cyprus-28-Jan-2016.aspx

The Israeli emergency response organization ZAKA has received official consultative status from the United Nations. “ZAKA will now be recognized as an official body in the UN, which will help it to expand its international search, rescue and recovery missions.” The organization now has the right to take part in official discussions in all UN institutions.

ZAKA applied for this status for three years running before being accepted. Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon helped to make this a reality.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/207133

I will say here that I am in awe of the devotion of these guys – many of them ultra-Orthodox. They not only assist in rescue, they recover bodies (and body parts), exhibiting profound respect as they do so. And they lend services around the world.

Credit: voanews

As for that torrent: Last Wednesday, January 27th, was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On that day – and the days immediately prior and following – we might (just might) have expected a smidgen of sensitivity to matters touching upon threats to Jews and Israel.

There might, for example, have been an open expression of disapproval of Iran’s ongoing threats against Israel. Just months ago, Ayatollah Khamenei said that Israel would not last another 25 years, and until it was gone, would not have a moment’s peace – as it would be hounded by jihadists.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/khamenei-israel-wont-survive-next-25-years/

Not an unreasonable expectation. But it was not to be.

On January 27th, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani arrived in France for a two-day visit. This was the first such visit by an Iranian leader in many years. Here you see him being welcomed by French president Francois Hollande.

Credit: trend

The Jews of France declared themselves appalled; there were demonstrations by non-Jews as well because of Iranian-sponsored terrorism and Iranian deprivation of human rights.

Credit: CHRISTOPHE ENA/AP

But never mind. Matters sailed on smoothly. Rouhani was accompanied by Iranian ministers and business leaders, all there to negotiate business deals. And with this we get to the heart of the matter. A joint venture was announced between car manufacturers PSA Peugeot Citroen (PEUP.PA) and Iran Khodro, and Iran arranged for the purchase of 118 Airbus (AIR.PA) passenger planes. There were other deals, as well. Construction group Bouygues (BOUY.PA) and airport operator ADP (ADP.PA) are set to build an extension for Tehran airport, while French oil company Total said it would buy some 200,000 barrels of Iranian crude.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-europe-rouhani-idUSKCN0V60TE

All of this courtesy of the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

It would surely be foolish to expect more, and yet France’s failure to embrace issues regarding human values is disheartening. Business trumps everything, or almost everything. The one glitch in Rouhani’s visit occurred when Rouhani demanded a wine-free lunch (as Muslim’s shun alcohol) and the French refused. Apparently French officials said this went against their values.

Boy, those French know how to stand tough when it matters, don’t they? This rubs salt in the wound and makes it all worse.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/irans-european-tour-french-officials-cancel-diplomatic-lunch-with-visiting-president-hassan-rouhani-a6838181.html

In Italy, which Rouhani visited before going to France, they withheld the wine. And they did more: they covered their nude statue as to not offend the Iranian president. This was not well received either inside of Italy, where people thought it was going too far, and outside, where people mocked Italian leaders who made this decision.

See a brief video here: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italy-covers-up-naked-statues-iran-president-hassan-rouhani-visit-nude-a6834836.html

It would be very funny, except that it’s not funny at all. Of course, all sorts of deals were struck in Italy as well.

While in Italy, Rouhani want to the Vatican for a visit with the pope. As Ruthie Blum wrote today in “The Vatican’s disgraceful display” (emphasis added): “…Pope Francis fawned all over the puppet head of the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei-led regime, directly and indirectly responsible for the slaughter of Christians across the world. “The father of the Catholic Church nevertheless greeted ‘His Excellency Hassan Rouhani, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” as though he were a fellow pacifist ready, willing and able, not only to spread a global message of brotherly love, but to carry it out.” “According to a statement from the Vatican after the meeting, the two held ‘cordial discussions’ in which ‘common spiritual values emerged.’ ”The talks concluded with the ‘important role that Iran is called upon to fulfill, along with other countries in the region, to promote suitable political solutions to the problems afflicting the Middle East, to counter the spread of terrorism and arms trafficking. In this respect, the parties highlighted the importance of interreligious dialogue and the responsibility of religious communities in promoting reconciliation, tolerance and peace.’

”…To view Rouhani as someone with shared values who will act to combat terrorism and arms trafficking is to make a mockery of goodness. “…Indeed, while Francis and Hassan were chumming it up on Tuesday, Iranian generals and admirals continued to boast about the progress they have been making in nuclear activities as a result of their deal with the West, while conducting drills to test long-range missiles and sophisticated radar systems. ”On Wednesday, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Rouhani’s master, Khamenei, aired a video he produced denying the Holocaust and attacking America and Europe.”

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Right-from-wrong-The-Vaticans-disgraceful-display-443417

There is a great deal more I could write about today, but I am going to cut it short, because there is much to contemplate in what I have written here. There are Holocaust Memorials built, some at considerable expense, in various places in the world. And there are speeches given at appropriate moments (about which more in a moment). But the bottom line is that the world has learned nothing since the Holocaust and is in fact totally amoral.

It’s not just Jews that the world does not care about – though I’ll write about more Jews at risk soon, as anti-Semitism is mounting alarmingly – but other populations at risk as well. The Christians being massacred by Muslims. The civilians dying in Syria.

In the end, for the most Western leaders, it does not matter. The only Western leader I can think of who truly did operate on a moral plane was Steven Harper, and so the Canadians replaced him with an Obama wannabe.

I recall every now and again the words of a magnificent non-Jewish gentleman I heard speak years ago. He recounted his absolute frustration with Roosevelt, when, coming from Europe and having witnessed what was being done to the Jews of Europe, he tried to get the president to act & could not.

Then he turned to the audience of Jews and said, “I know you think the world deserted you during WWII, but it isn’t so. The world’s leaders deserted you, but many people were with you.”

That thought sustains me. There are many good people out there, who stand with us. I know this and express gratitude for it.

Now we need to find a way for people of moral value to be the ones to assume leadership of the nations of the West. Never has an American election been more important than the one this year. It is absolutely essential that Hillary not be allowed to make it. I defy anyone to claim that she functions from a position of morality or human decency or concern for human rights.

On the Republican side, we do see such persons. I dearly love Mike Huckabee, and know his innate decency. But I also know he is not headed for the White House. Of those in the lead, I most champion Ted Cruz, who has spoken out forthrightly on a variety of issues. Whoever is your favorite – keep in mind that the key is decency in office and the strength to act for what is right.

Before leaving this subject, I must share this: On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Obama went to the Israeli Embassy and pronounced: “We are all Jews.”

For me, this statement – so patently false coming from the president who is responsible for the empowerment of Iran – had a particularly high gag-quotient. But this, I can laugh at.

Credit: shilomusings

What we here in Israel know is that we can rely only on ourselves. Which is why it is so terribly important for us to stand strong. A subject for another day.

Yesterday morning, three IDF soldiers were shot at a checkpoint not far from the community of Beit El in Samaria; two were seriously injured, and one moderately.

Their assailant was shot dead. This terrorist was a Palestinian Authority police officer, who had served as a bodyguard for the PA attorney-general.

Abbas has made no comment about the fact that an officer had shot at IDF soldiers, but the PA’s official news agency, Wafa, referred to the terrorist as a “martyr.”

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Initial-report-Three-wounded-in-West-Bank-shooting-attack-443351

Today, referring to “situation assessments,” the IDF partially closed off nearby Ramallah, the seat of the PA. This is the first time such action has been taken during the present time of violence.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4760510,00.html

This last news piece I would call good/bad news.

A 17 year old boy, a recent immigrant from the US, was stabbed in the back on Shabbat afternoon when returning from the Kotel with a friend. They were surrounded by a group of Arabs some of whom had knives. After he was attacked – thank Heaven, not seriously injured – his friend ran away and sought help.

Says this young man, who left his ultra-Orthodox family in the US to come here alone, this has not deterred him from his intention to enlist in the IDF. He wants to serve in the top commando unit, Sayeret Matkal. I’ll give my all…I’m not afraid of anything.”

http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-victim-of-jerusalem-attack-stabbing-wont-stop-me-joining-idf/

Being strong for ourselves. Blessings upon him.

Recently, I showed a video of a song in tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. sung by the Maccabeats and a group called Naturally 7. I was so impressed with the latter group that I searched them on the Internet and found one piece they did that blew me away. I think it resonates especially well with today’s posting, and I hope you love it as I did. Please watch it through to the very end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mxjmti325o

© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted. See my website at www.arlenefromisrael.info Contact Arlene at akushner18@gmail.com

Arlene Kushner “Virtual Torrent” February 1, 2016

11.Israeli envoy Danon: ‘I live with anti-Semitism 24/7 at the United Nations’

By Sam Sokol 01/31/2016

Danon to ‘Post’: UN quietly admires Israel, but publicly bashes it

Ambassador Danon: UN Security Council hypocritical when it comes to Israel

Quarter of Israelis scared of a new Holocaust, end of Israel, says new poll.

“At the UN, I live with anti-Semitism 24/7,” Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told attendees at a conference on combating BDS and anti-Semitism in Jerusalem on Sunday.
Addressing a World Zionist Organization-arranged conference at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Danon said that he felt the UN building to be a “different world, where BDS is felt every minute of every hour.”
“You can’t ignore BDS; it poses a potential for psychological damage for younger generations and convinces them to not do business with Israel, that Israel is another South Africa,” he said.
“The world wants us to hang our head in shame, but we should walk with our chin up, and my message to you is, when it comes to BDS, we have an obligation to tell the truth in the face of lies.”
Before Sunday’s gathering, the WZO released a poll that it had commissioned which found that a quarter of Israelis fear that another Holocaust could occur, more than half are scared to go abroad and a significant majority hide anything that would identify them as Jewish when traveling.
The opinion poll, conducted by Midgam Consultants, also found that 34 percent of respondents were more fearful than last year while 24% believe that there is a chance that the State of Israel will cease to exist.
It was described as “intensely worrying” by Yaakov HaGoel, the organization’s vice chairman and former director for combating anti-Semitism.
Sixty-seven percent of Israelis fear for the safety of their co-religionists in the Diaspora, just over 1 percentage point more than the number who believe that European governments are failing to take effective action to combat rising hate. An additional 14% said that they do not believe that any action has been taken.
As to what European Jews should do in the face of increasing violence and an often overtly hostile atmosphere, 39% of Israelis said that they believe that immigration here was the answer, while 83% stated that it is incumbent on the government to spend money to aid olim in the job market.
It is a common belief among many who work on Diaspora- Israeli issues that there is generally a lack of concern over the wider Jewish world among Israelis, but the new data show that it may not be the case, according to HaGoel.
“I didn’t know how much the Israeli community had empathy and a connection with the Diaspora,” he told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. “I was surprised to see how strong it was.”
However, “On the other hand, it is sad to see how many Israelis worry to travel abroad now.”
This fear mirrors the fear of Jews abroad, which was recently summed up by Belgian Chief Rabbi Avraham Gigi when he said, “People understand there is no future for Jews in Europe.”
That statement was itself a continuation of a trend that has been intensifying for several years, with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights already reporting in 2013 that a third of Jews polled said they refrain from wearing religious garb or Jewish symbols out of fear and 23% avoid attending Jewish events or going to Jewish venues.
A further 74% of Jews have declined to report anti-Semitic incidents, HaGoel recalled, stating that the poll indicates that there is a sense of “mutual responsibility” between Israelis and the Diaspora that must be cultivated.
“Until now we received solidarity from abroad – it’s the time to connect the Israeli community to the struggle against anti-Semitism. We can strengthen the partnership,” he declared, adding that among the initiatives being prepared was a new course to train Israelis to combat anti-Semitism online and that further programs were in the offing.
Just as Diaspora Jews have rallied for Israel in its times of crisis, it is now important for Israelis to return the favor and give their brethren abroad the courage to stand up, he continued, saying that the opposite of anti-Semitism is “Jewish pride.”
Anti-Semitic violence in Europe tracks events in the Middle East rather closely. It spiked in 2014 during Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Synagogues were attacked by mobs, protesters called for Jews to be sent “to the gas” and in Brussels a gunman opened fire at a Jewish museum, killing four.
Overall, anti-Semitic violence rose by 40% worldwide in 2014, according to figures provided by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University.
Noa Amouyal contributed to this report.

Israeli envoy Danon: ‘I live with anti-Semitism 24/7 at the UN’

\

12.Australian chain store ‘Typo’ labels ‘Palestine’ over Israel on globe By Jpost.Com Staff 02/01/16

CNN wipes Israel off of the map The franchise’s product reportedly numerically represented Israel & 12 other countries on their geographical location, corresponding to a written legend at the globe’s base.

Globe [Illustrative]. (photo credit:Ingimage)

Feeling the weight of the world on its shoulders?
An Australian stationary franchise called ‘Typo’ has coincidentally come under fire recently for a typographical issue touching on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to a report Monday in the British daily the Guardian, the chain has decided to halt production of a world globe that spurred controversy with its labeling of “Palestine” and omission of the Israel.
The chain’s product reportedly numerically represented Israel and 12 other countries on their geographical location, corresponding to a written legend at the globe’s base.
A firestorm of boycott threats and anti-Semitism accusations erupted in late January when an onslaught of customer complaints on the store’s Facebook page pointed out the issue with the design.
The Guardian quoted one flummoxed customer as asking the vendor why it was selling a globe “that has wiped Israel from the face of the earth”.
In response, the store insisted that the labeling design was not a politically-motivated move, but rather a typographical decision based on spacing.
The Mercator projection dating back to around 1860 was “an official map from an international body that has been approved for export,” the Guardian quoted Typo as saying in its response.
Israel’s label had not been written out “purely because there wasn’t enough space to include the name,” it added.
Hours after issuing its response, the Australian chain announced that it had decided to pull the globes from in-store and online sale, adding that it planned to discontinue the product’s future production.
In turn, the decision garnered criticism and complaints from Palestinian supports, who have threatened to boycott.

Australian chain store ‘Typo’ labels ‘Palestine’ over Israel on globe

13.Designers showcased their individual collections, specifically catering to the Zionist fashion market for women.

Bigoschi’s luxury Orthodox wear. (photo credit:PR)

On December 29, some 150 women eagerly gathered at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem for a night of runway fashion glamour in aid of Emunah & girls volunteer abroad program. Designers showcased their individual collections, specifically catering to the Zionist fashion market for women. Bigoschi, a Spanish brand specializing in luxury Orthodox wear, presented 21 striking pieces on the runway, ranging from lace and handstitched florals to floor-length beaded ensembles. The label caters to the Modern Orthodox woman, and the production of chic luxury wear supports the company & mission to excel within this niche market.

Designers showcased their individual collections, specifically catering to the Zionist fashion market for women.

02/01/2016 22:07

14.Knesset Gush Katif memorial courts controversy By Lahav Harkov

Netanyahu formally appointed economy minister

The monument is a miniature of a sculpture depicting a palm tree growing out of a Star of David.

Memorial dedication of Israeli communities uprooted from Gaza. (photo credit:Courtesy Knesset Speaker’s Office)

The Knesset dedicated a monument Monday in memory of the Israeli communities uprooted from Gaza, despite protestations from Peace Now.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein dedicated the memorial, saying that “it is appropriate for the Knesset, which made the decision on the matter, to remember and remind visitors of the town’s in Gush Katif and northern Samaria [that were evacuated].”
Ahead of the dedication, the Knesset Speaker met with representatives of the Gaza communities. Edelstein, who rebelled against the Likud and opposed the Gaza disengagement, told them that “in a democracy, the majority decides, but that doesn’t mean it made the right decision.”
The monument is a miniature of a sculpture in memory of the Gush Katif communities, depicting a palm tree growing out of a Star of David. The names of the 21 uprooted towns is engraved on the sculpture.
The monument’s sculptor, Aharon Shabo said it represents the trauma of the disengagement and the ability to continue to grow, despite it.
On Monday morning, Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer wrote a letter to Knesset Legal Advisor Eyal Yinon to protest the monument’s installation.
Oppenheimer pointed out that the other two memorials in the Knesset are for victims of the Holocaust and of terrorist attacks.
“Difficult and traumatic events in the history of the Jewish People and State of Israel did not receive permanent memorials in the Knesset; not Rabin’s assassination, not the Yom Kippur War, not the evacuation of Yamit [in Sinai] and not the massacre in Kfar Kassem,” Oppenheimer wrote. “Therefore, I ask you to examine if it is within the Knesset Speaker’s authority to decide to put a permanent monument in the Knesset, what is its status and can it be removed.”
The Peace Now leader added that, “with all the pain and understanding of the pain of the evacuees, instating a permanent monument to one specific and controversial political event (that did not include loss of life) is not an appropriate act and raises suspicions that the Knesset Speaker, MK Yuli Edelstein, treats the House of Representatives like his private home.”
Yinon responded that there is no legal problem with installing the monument.
The legal adviser pointed out that the monument is about 40 cm tall and easily movable, and thus cannot be considered permanent.
In fact, Yinon added, Edelstein rejected requests to put a larger, more permanent monument in the Knesset.
“The miniature instated does not take a stance on the disengagement plan. Even those who support it do not deny the fact that the evacuation of the towns was a national historic event, so there is no reason not to park it in the way the Knesset Speaker decided to, using his inherent authority,” Yinon wrote.
Edelstein referred to the controversy at the dedication ceremony saying: “I did not have political intentions, and as long as I am Knesset Speaker, it will remain here. I hope that future Speakers will understand that the place in which difficult decisions were made must also know to remember and remind people of those decisions.

Knesset Gush Katif memorial courts controversy

15.Two ‘sick’ Gaza terrorists get free pass into Israel

Hamas members let in on forged medical papers, get ambulance ride to Jerusalem hospital – before disappearing the next day. By Ido Ben-Porat Arutz Sheva IsraelNationalNews.com First Publish: 2/1/2016, 6:18 PM

Hamas terrorists in Gaza (illustration) Credit: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash 90

Israeli security forces arrested two Arab terrorists from Gaza who infiltrated into sovereign Israeli territory, claiming that they were “sick.”

The two, 30-year-old Mahmoud Matuk of Hamas and 51-year-old Ayoub Matuk, both hail from Jabalia, and got into Israel on forged medical documents issued in Gaza.

In early December the two were let in after presenting medical documents claiming that Mahmoud’s biological systems were collapsing and he needed to be hospitalized immediately at Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem. Due to the medical condition described in the documents he was even transported in an ambulance.

But just the next day, it became clear that the two had left the hospital and arrived on their own and in perfect physical condition in Umm al-Fahm, an Arab Israeli city in the north.

The two were arrested, and under Israeli Security Agency (ISA) questioning they admitted to forging the medical documents with the help of Hassin Matuk, a family member who was in contact with a doctor in Gaza who signed the faked forms.

They also admitted that they paid 7,000 shekels for the documents, in which it was written that Mahmoud’s legs were paralyzed and that he needed to be transported in an ambulance for emergency treatment.

They also revealed there were other Gazans who infiltrated Israel in the same manner.

On Monday indictments were submitted against the two at the Be’er Sheva Magistrate’s Court.

“This is a serious incident that demonstrates the cynical abuse of the Israeli willingness to accede to the humanitarian needs of Gaza residents so as to illegally enter Israel, something which is liable to cause a toughening in entry policy and in the end harm residents of the (Gaza) Strip,” said the ISA in a statement.

Two ‘sick’ Gaza terrorists get free pass into Israel

In historic decision, cabinet votes to build new plaza for mixed gender prayer at Western Wall, adjacent to gender-separated Orthodox plaza • PM Benjamin Netanyahu praises plan as “creative solution” •

Ultra-Orthodox officials call plan “lesser of evils.”

by Shlomo Cesana, Nitzi Yakov, Yehuda Shlezinger, Yori Yalon, Israel Hayom Staff & Associated Press

The cabinet voted Sunday to allow non-Orthodox Jewish prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, a move advocates said marked a historic show of government support for liberal streams of Judaism.

The issue is of particular importance to the Jewish community in the United States, where the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism are dominant.

“I know this is a sensitive topic, but I think it is an appropriate solution, a creative solution,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting, where members voted on the plan.

“The most complex problems usually require such solutions,” he said.

The plan was approved by a 15-5 margin. The five ministers who voted against it were Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas), Religious Services Minister David Azoulay (Shas), Health Minister Yakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism), Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Habayit Hayehudi) and Immigrant Absorption Minister Ze’ev Elkin (Likud).

According to the government plan, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, Israel will build a new plaza for mixed gender prayer at the Western Wall, adjacent to the Orthodox prayer plaza but separate from it.

The Jewish Federations of North America, an umbrella group of Jewish communities, issued a joint statement with the Reform and Conservative movements calling the decision a “dramatic, unprecedented and critical acknowledgment” by Israel that the holy site should incorporate liberal Jewish prayer traditions.

“Though much work regarding the implementation of this decision still remains, it is because of our perseverance and commitment to Jewish peoplehood that we are measurably closer today to the ultimate symbol of that reality — one wall for one people,” the statement read.

The Western Wall, a remnant of the ancient Jewish Temple complex, is the holiest site where Jews may pray. The site is administered by ultra-Orthodox rabbinic authorities, who have a monopoly over religious affairs in Israel. There are separate men’s and women’s prayer sections and non-Orthodox prayer, like mixed-gender services and women-led prayers, are forbidden.

A leading women’s prayer group, Women of the Wall, caused controversy for years by holding monthly non-Orthodox prayers at the site. Police arrested women carrying Torah scrolls and wearing religious articles traditionally reserved for men, practices ultra-Orthodox Jews oppose and consider a provocation.

The Reform and Conservative movements of Judaism have supported the group’s cause and demanded representation at the holy site.

Netanyahu appointed a committee in 2013, led by the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency, to seek solutions for non-Orthodox prayer there. Shortly afterward, a temporary prayer platform was erected for mixed-gender prayer, but advocates say it was not an official site and was not always open.

The $9 million initiative will build a permanent mixed-gender prayer area where the temporary platform is today. It will also create a new entrance to the Western Wall area so both Orthodox and non-Orthodox prayer areas will be given equal prominence. The pluralistic prayer area will not be managed by the ultra-Orthodox rabbi of the Western Wall, but by a committee including representatives of the Reform and Conservative movements. The new prayer area will allow Women of the Wall to hold women’s prayers.

Women of the Wall Chairwoman Anat Hoffman said, “This is a dramatic and meaningful victory for the women of Israel and the people of Israel.”

Shira Pruce, the director of public relations for Women of the Wall, said the government’s decision “stands to open the floodgates of women’s rights in the public sphere in Israel … and opens the floodgates for Jewish pluralism in Israel. This is unprecedented change.”

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, the head of the Reform Movement in Israel, said, “The decision grants unprecedented recognition of Reform and Conservative Judaism and it means the end of the ultra-Orthodox monopoly at the Western Wall.”

Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which works to strengthen ties between Israeli and American Jews, said, “Israel is sending a message to the 70% of U.S. Jews who are not Orthodox that their connection with Israel is important to the Jewish state.”

Shmuel Rabinowitz, the chief rabbi of the Western Wall, said in a statement that he received news of the decision “with a heavy heart and a sigh of relief.”

Rabinowitz said, “Ever since the fringe and vociferous group of Women of the Wall started its mass-media activity,” the sacred place “went from being a unifying site to one of incessant quarrels. The Western Wall will continue to remain open to any worshipper — man or woman — at all hours of every day, with respect and loyalty to Jewish tradition and Jewish heritage, as the Western Wall is the clear symbol of these.”

Ariel said he opposed the initiative. It “gives standing to the Reform,” he told Army Radio. “Their intention is to create conflict and dispute. It’s not appropriate. The Western Wall is a place of unity.”

Deri also opposed the plan. “Israel for all of its years has been administered by devout Judaism,” Deri told Army Radio. “All this problem with Reform and Conservatives never existed in Israel, and there is no reason it should now.”

United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni said, “The Reform are a group of clowns who stick a knife in the holy Torah. There will never ever be recognition of this group of clowns, not at the Western Wall and not anywhere else.”

Off the record, a number of ultra-Orthodox officials called the plan that was approved on Sunday “the lesser of evils.”

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) voted in favor of the plan, yet he nevertheless harshly criticized Reform Jews at Sunday’s cabinet meeting.

“The Reform Jews in the U.S. are a waning world,” Levin said. “The evidence is that a man who calls himself a Reform rabbi is standing there with a priest and weds Hillary Clinton’s daughter [Chelsea, married to investment banker Marc Mezvinsky], and no one condemns it, thereby legitimizing it.”

Israel’s Orthodox rabbinical establishment wields a monopoly over key aspects of religious life in the country, such as marriage, divorce and burials, while Reform and Conservative rabbis are not recognized and their movements are largely marginalized. Unlike in the U.S., most Jews in Israel, while secular, follow Orthodox traditions.

An IDF corporal who has only been serving for eight months has successfully prevented two terrorist attacks in less than two weeks, one on Thursday evening, when he shot & killed a terrorist who tried to stab Israelis waiting at a bus stop in Gush Etzion; & another a week ago, when he shot 2 terrorists who stabbed another soldier on duty nearby. The soldier was moderately wounded in the attack.

On Thursday evening, a terrorist later identified as Malak a-Sharif, 25, from Hebron, approached the bus stop and was spotted by the soldiers on duty, who launched the protocol for stopping a suspect. When Sharif pulled out a knife and poised himself to attack & stab them, he was shot & killed.

Cpl. T., who is assigned to the Kfir Brigade’s Shimshon Battalion, said, “While I was guarding the intersection [in Gush Etzion], we discerned the suspect and called out to him to cross the street and come toward us. When he reached us, he pulled out a knife, intending to stab my friend who was with me. That same moment, I cocked my gun and shot him.”

The previous incident took place on Tuesday of last week, when two terrorists approached a place next to the location of Thursday evening’s attack. One of them stabbed another Kfir Brigade soldier, leaving him with moderate wounds. Cpl. T. happened to be close by that attack, too, and responded rapidly. He shot and killed both terrorists, preventing a much worse attack. The terrorists were later identified as Shadi al-Kudasi and Izzedin Abu Shahram, both from Hebron.

In a separate incident Thursday evening, Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails at an Israeli vehicle near the Hawara checkpoint. An IDF “pillbox” outlook post near the Ofra settlement also came under fire. No one was wounded in either incident.

Overnight Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces conducted a series of arrest raids in Judea and Samaria and apprehended 12 fugitives, some of whom belong to Hamas.

Meanwhile, Daniel Cohen, 31, who was stabbed in the neck in a terrorist attack in Rishon Lezion on Monday, recounted the moments of the attack.

“The terrorist came up behind me and choked me. I didn’t see him because I’m short. He pulled out a knife and stabbed me in the head, the back and the face. If he’s stabbed me further down, I wouldn’t be alive,” Cohen said.

Just before he was attacked, Cohen was standing at a bus stop on his way to work.

“I realized right away that it was a terrorist attack. I tried to move the terrorist away, to get him off me, hit him. I got on the bus, and the driver closed the door. Someone who knew first aid took care of me,” Cohen recalled.

Because of the serious wounds he suffered, doctors were forced to remove Cohen’s spleen and part of his liver. He also suffered wounds to his lungs and various broken bones and cuts all over his body. Nevertheless, his condition has been upgraded to “lightly wounded.”

Cohen, who has five daughters, the youngest of whom is only a month and a half old, asked that people pray for him and said he hopes to return to health.

“I thank the entire staff of the hospital,” he said, adding that during the attack he had lost a bag containing some religious texts that were important to him. His family asked that if the bag is found, it be returned to him.

Rookie IDF soldier thwarts 2 terrorist attacks in 2 weeks