News Digest — 4/28/23
Report: A Lion’s Den Leader Turns Himself In To Palestinian Authority
Udai Al-Azizi, a leader in the Nablus-based Lion’s Den terrorist group, turned himself in to the Palestinian Authority’s security forces in the early hours of Friday morning (28th), according to Hebrew-language media.
He reportedly did this out of fear that he would be killed by Israeli security forces.
Palestinian sources claim that the man who turned himself in is a wanted gunman who is not the chief leader of Lion’s Den.
The Lion’s Den group first appeared last year in Nablus. It named its founder as Muhammad Azizi, who was killed in an IDF operation in the city in June 2022. Azizi was also reportedly a member of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.
While the first public statement about the group was made in September, the group was first detected by the Israeli defense establishment in July, and members of the group claimed to the New York Times that it was founded in February 2022.
Since its founding, the group, which includes members from multiple Palestinian factions, has carried out a series of shooting attacks against Israeli security forces and civilians, including an attack in October in which IDF Staff-Sgt. Ido Baruch was murdered. The Israeli defense establishment and the Palestinian Authority have both worked to take down the terrorist organization.
Estimated 600,000 Rally In Jerusalem In Support Of Judicial Reform
Two suspects were arrested on Thursday (27th) in Tel Aviv, as anti-government protesters attacked Economy Minister Nir Barkat. Meanwhile organizers in support of Judicial reform estimated 600,000 advocates of judicial reform gathered in Jerusalem.
“March of the million” participants, some hitting snags when bus drivers canceled their transportation to the rally at the last minute, reportedly arrived on as many as 1,000 buses.
“I thank the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who came to Jerusalem tonight to support our government,” tweeted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Your passion and patriotism moves me deeply.”
Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Knesset Member Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committees both addressed the gathering. “Show me one democracy where legal advisors make decisions instead of the government,” said Levin.
On Twitter, Rothman posted in Hebrew: “The nation of Israel lives! Thanks for coming. The people are sovereign, and the people demand judicial reform,” He concluded by quoting Isaiah 1:27, “Zion will be redeemed with justice.”
Following the attack in Tel Aviv, which sent a police officer to the hospital, Barkat wished the officer a speedy recovery and stated that there was no excuse for violence, which undermines the foundation of democracy.
“Everyone has the right to demonstrate, but no one has the right to act violently,” he said.
(jns.org)
Attempted Ramming, Stabbing Attack In West Bank, Terrorist Shot
A terrorist attempted to carry out a ramming attack before trying to stab people with a knife at Gitai Avishar junction on Highway 5 near Ariel in the West Bank on Thursday evening (27th) according to the IDF’s Spokesperson’s Unit.
The attacker attempted to ram into people and drove into the opposite lane, but lost control of his car and crashed.
The terrorist was stopped by soldiers.
He then got out of the car holding a knife and attempted to stab a police officer, before he was shot by a nearby IDF soldier.
No injuries to Israeli citizens were reported.
The terrorist was identified as 39-year-old Ahmad Taha, a resident of the PA town of Bidya who worked for the Palestinian Authority’s security forces, according to Maariv.
“This day could have ended completely differently,” said the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, as he congratulated the soldiers for their actions.
“We thank the heroic soldiers for their determined action that saved lives, but we cannot continue to rely on miracles. I call on the government to order the IDF to increase deterrence, to immediately, before it is too late, go on an offensive operation to destroy the terrorist infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority.”
“The surgical operations carried out in the murderous Palestinian Authority are not enough. The time has come to step up and launch an offensive operation to eradicate terrorism,” Dagan added.
Foreign Aid To Israel Benefits The US – Yoram Ettinger
The US does not give foreign aid to Israel – the US makes an annual investment in Israel, giving US taxpayers a return of several hundred percent. Israel serves as a battle-tested, cost effective laboratory for the US defense and aerospace industries. The Israel Air Force flies Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and F-35 combat aircraft, providing Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force with invaluable information on operations, maintenance, and repairs, which is then used to manufacture a multitude of upgrades. The F-16 has been improved by several hundred Israeli-driven upgrades, sparing Lockheed Martin years of research and development amounting to billions of dollars.
Israeli experts have also trained US personnel in neutralizing car bombs, suicide bombers, and IEDs. According to the late Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), chairman of the Senate Appropriations and Intelligence Committees, the scope of Israeli intelligence shared with the US exceeded that provided by all NATO countries combined. Israeli intelligence helped foil sinister plots against US airliners and airports, and provided vital data on advanced Soviet/Russian military systems.
How Some Americans Support Terrorism Against Israel – Bassam Tawil
Fourteen members of the US Congress have joined the jihad (holy war) against Israel by letter, urging the Biden administration to reconsider US military aid to Israel. Their letter ignores that Israel’s counterterrorism measures are a legitimate act of self-defense. Israeli measures, including raids on the homes of terrorists and confiscation of weapons, are the direct result of a 300% increase in terror attacks over the past year.
When there is no terrorism, there is no need for Israel to launch counterterrorism operations. When Israel uses weapons, it is with the purpose of combating terrorism and protecting the lives of its people. When Palestinians use weapons, it is always with the aim of murdering Jews.
As far as the Palestinians are concerned, all Israeli Jews are “settlers” living in one big illegitimate settlement, Israel, which needs to be replaced by a 57th Muslim state. The Mullahs in Tehran – and their proxies Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah – believe that the country of Israel has no right to exist and that Israel should be eradicated, primarily through jihad.
If the members of Congress want to find out about human rights violations, they are invited to look at the repressive measures taken by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza against their own people.
Reformed Egyptian Elementary School Curriculum Promotes Coexistence
Egyptian elementary school textbooks have been changed to promote tolerance, and coexistence between Islam, Judaism and Christianity, according to a report by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-SE), published on Sunday (23rd). In 2018, the Egyptian education system began a year-by-year reform of its curriculum, starting with the first grade and proceeding a grade each year.
As of 2023, the reform reached the fifth grade. Textbooks for 6th grade and above still contain antisemitic tropes about Jews. The textbooks laud the benefits of the 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, but also represents Israel as an illegitimate “Zionist entity” aimed at expanding at the expense of the Palestinians. Maps in textbooks avoid listing Israel by name. New textbooks for Christian schools in Egypt acknowledge the Jewish religious connection to the land of Israel and refer to King Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, but also state that the Jews crucified Jesus.
IMPACT-SE CEO Marcus Sheff stated that “the Egyptian government under President al-Sisi has fulfilled its promise to reform its school curriculum…This process of removing antisemitism and other hatred from school textbooks is a significant contribution to the emergence of a tolerant Egyptian society and region.”
Philadelphia Area Town Again Targeted With Antisemitic Graffiti
Anti-Semitic vandals targeted a suburban town with anti-Jewish symbols that were discovered by a Holocaust survivor, ABC6 reported.
The vandalism in Tredyffrin Township included swastikas that were spray-painted on signs across the suburban area 25 miles outside Philadelphia.
“I’m a Holocaust survivor and it just hit me between the eyes,” Howard Griffel told the news outlet.
“Discovering the swastikas brought up the trauma of being a survivor,” he explained.
“First shock, then sadness. There were tears and then anger,” he said.
He took photos of the graffiti and immediately called the police. Authorities removed the hateful symbols within 24-hours.
Police told ABC6 that seven incidents occurred over a three-day span last week.
The vandals face criminal mischief and ethnic intimidation charges.
The recent graffiti spree follows the arrest in late March of a teen who was charged with ethnic intimidation for antisemitic and racist graffiti found in a residential area of Tredyffrin Township and also at a local mall on March 26. The 15-year-old was charged with criminal mischief and ethnic intimidation according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
(6abc.com; isnn.com)
