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IDF officials travel to Moscow to discuss downed Russian military plane

(JTA) – A delegation of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials travelled to Moscow to present the situation report of the accidental downing of a Russian plane by Syrian anti-aircraft fire.

The delegation, led by the commander of the Israel Air Force, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, left on Thursday morning, according to the IDF. Other members of the delegation include Brig. Gen. Erez Maisel, the head of the IDF’s Foreign Relations Division, and other senior officers from the Air Force and the Intelligence and Operations divisions. [Read more…]

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Israeli army has carried out 200 airstrikes on Syria since early 2017

Israeli tanks seen near the Israeli-Syrian border, May 10, 2018. (Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

Israeli tanks seen near the Israeli-Syrian border, May 10, 2018. (Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

JERUSALEM (JTA) – The Israeli army has carried out 200 airstrikes in Syria in the past 18 months, a senior military army official told the Israeli media.

In the hours after the Israel Defense Forces’ acknowledgement of attacks on Tuesday, Syria’s official state-run SANA news agency reported that its military defence systems intercepted several Israeli missiles, but also said that Israeli missiles struck several military targets in Tartous and Hama, killing one and injuring four. [Read more…]

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Trump aide and Israeli army warn of war as Gaza missiles fly

A car in Sderot damaged by a rocket fired from Gaza on Aug. 9, 2018. (Courtesy/The Israel Project)

A car in Sderot damaged by a rocket fired from Gaza on Aug. 9, 2018. (Courtesy/The Israel Project)

(JTA) – After firing more than 180 rockets into civilian areas, armed terror groups in Gaza said Thursday afternoon that they would refrain from firing on southern Israel if Israel also maintains the calm.

Shortly after the announcement, however, more rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel. Code Red rocket alert sirens were sounded as far away from the Gaza border as Beersheba, the first time that sirens have gone off in the city since the 2014 Gaza War. At least two rockets exploded in open areas near Beersheba. [Read more…]

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Israel given three extra months for new bill on drafting more haredi Orthodox students. It could trigger new elections.

Israeli police scuffle in Jerusalem with haredi Orthodox men protesting the arrests of two yeshiva students charged with draft evasion, Oct. 19, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Israeli police scuffle in Jerusalem with haredi Orthodox men protesting the arrests of two yeshiva students charged with draft evasion, Oct. 19, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Israeli police scuffle in Jerusalem with haredi Orthodox men protesting the arrests of two yeshiva students charged with draft evasion, Oct. 19, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

JERUSALEM (JTA) – Israel’s Supreme Court has given the government three months to implement legislation that would have more haredi Orthodox yeshiva students drafted into the military.

The implementation of a new draft law likely will trigger the fall of the current government and new elections sometime in the first three months of 2019. [Read more…]

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Israel kills 2 Hamas operatives in tank attack

(JTA) – Israel killed two Hamas fighters following shooting attacks on its soldiers, spurring threats of revenge from the terrorist group that runs the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used tank fire against a Hamas military post in northern Gaza in response to the shooting at Israeli troops from there. No Israeli soldiers were injured in the Hamas attack. [Read more…]

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Knesset passes law banning groups critical of the Israeli military from schools

Israeli soldiers at a ceremony marking Israel’s Memorial Day at the Kiryat Shaul Military cemetery in Tel Aviv, May 1, 2017. (Gili Yaari/Flash90)
Israeli soldiers at a ceremony marking Israel’s Memorial Day at the Kiryat Shaul Military cemetery in Tel Aviv, May 1, 2017. (Gili Yaari/Flash90)

Israeli soldiers at a ceremony marking Israel’s Memorial Day at the Kiryat Shaul Military cemetery in Tel Aviv, May 1, 2017. (Gili Yaari/Flash90)

JERUSALEM (JTA) – The Knesset passed legislation that would ban organizations critical of the Israeli military from entering schools.

The law, which appears aimed at the Breaking the Silence NGO, passed early Tuesday morning on second and third reading by a vote of 43 to 24. [Read more…]

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Israel vows ‘strong action’ against Hamas after over 170 rockets and mortars hit southern Israel

The Iron Dome air-defense system firing to intercept a rocket over the Israeli city of Ashdod, July 8, 2014. (Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images)

The Iron Dome air-defence system firing to intercept a rocket over the Israeli city of Ashdod, July 8, 2014. (Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images)

(JTA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take “strong action” against Hamas after more than 170 rockets and mortar shells were fired at southern Israel on Saturday.

At least four Israelis, a 52-year-old man, his wife, and two daughters, ages 14 and 15, were injured when one of the rockets landed on the roof of their home in the southern Israeli city of Sderot. A second rocket hit a synagogue in Sderot, which was empty at the time.

The Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted at least 30 of the rockets. [Read more…]

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Israeli army promotes first openly gay major-general

Sharon Afek is the first openly gay officer to attain the rank of major-general in the Israel Defense Forces. (Wikipedia)
Sharon Afek is the first openly gay officer to attain the rank of major-general in the Israel Defense Forces. (Wikipedia)

Sharon Afek is the first openly gay officer to attain the rank of major-general in the Israel Defense Forces. (Wikipedia)

JERUSALEM (JTA) – The Israel Defense Forces has made its top attorney the first openly gay major-general.

Military Advocate General Sharon Afek was promoted during a ceremony Thursday at the country’s defence headquarters in Tel Aviv. [Read more…]

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