world news
Northern Israel imam arrested for allegedly supporting Hamas
Israel Police officers in Zichron Ya’acov apprehended a 60-year-old imam from Fureidis on Friday on charges of inciting terrorism and supporting Hamas. A search of his residence led to the seizure of Hamas flags as well as a map of “Palestine.”
The imam is a close relative of the local council’s head and is affiliated with the Southern Branch of the Islamic movement, which shares ties with the Ra’am Party and its chairman, Mansour Abbas.
The arrest of the imam has sent shockwaves throughout the town. The arrest came in the wake of a Friday sermon he delivered at a local mosque. Prior to the arrest, the Zichron Ya’acov local council attempted to ease concerns among residents after reports circulated on WhatsApp groups suggesting incitement occurred during the mosque gathering.
However, the council later distanced itself from taking responsibility for the reassuring messages, claiming they merely echoed a statement conveyed by the commander of the Zichron Ya’acov police station and another senior official. These statements indicated that the police, along with other agencies, have monitored all of the imam’s sermons since the war with Hamas in Gaza began and have not found any evidence of incitement or sedition. Nevertheless, the police arrested the imam anyway.The imam’s lawyer told Walla!: “He did not incite or express support. He simply conveyed factual information as presented in the news. He does not endorse Hamas and condemns the events of October 7. I am confident that the truth will prevail, and he will be released soon.”
An Israeli Arab barista arrested for social media posts, freed in deal with Hamas
Furthermore, it was revealed yesterday that Rana Sawilat, a 27-year-old from Abu Snan in the Western Galilee, was among those released in the seventh round of the prisoner exchange for the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza on Wednesday. However, she was later arrested again and now faces charges of inciting terrorism and expressing solidarity with Hamas.
Sawilat was previously employed at an Aroma branch in Nahariya until the branch manager became aware of an Instagram post she published on October 7. She was fired after a termination hearing.
She was recently arrested by Nahariya police officers and subsequently interrogated by a police fraud unit before being held in prison with Palestinian security prisoners.
Despite the alleged danger posed by Sawilat, as claimed by the state, she was unexpectedly released in the evening as part of the prisoner exchange deal for hostages in Gaza – which was a surprise even to her. According to her attorney, neither she nor her family were consulted prior to this arrangement.
According to the indictment, the post in question contained the sentence, “This day and this date will be remembered as the most glorious ever to happen to Palestine and the entire nation,” accompanied by the text, “Today we will invade them, and they will not invade us,” along with a hand symbolizing the “V” movement for victory and a flame emoji. The indictment was filed with the approval of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara.
Sawilat has since deleted the post and expressed her apology. While she did not deny making the post, she claimed it was not intended as incitement but rather as a prayer for the residents of Gaza. In court, her lawyer said, “Who takes one post she published seriously? This is a case that does not warrant an arrest.”
The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.
“Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel,” Biden said in the memo.
“While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States.”Increased attacks since Oct.7
Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a “support front” with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel’s military assault in Gaza.
The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.
On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.
Hezbollah is an Iran-backed terrorist group and the most powerful military and political force in Lebanon.
world news
Preparing for war: Haifa mayor describes city’s infrastructure changes tensions in North escalate
Haifa mayor Yona Yahav spoke this past Monday with Lior Rosenfeld on Radio North 104.5FM about the escalation of the war in the North and his entry into political office amidst the security situation.
Yahav began, “I cannot speak on behalf of the North as I don’t know exactly what’s happening there. No one updates me, as if we are not the largest and most important city in the North. Tomorrow, the Home Front Command is coming to see us for the first time, and we will see what they have to say. We are doing everything to ensure that the city itself and our residents are safe and know what to do in case, God forbid, missiles fall on us. They are more accurate than those in 2006.”
Yahav also discussed the city’s preparations for a war in the North.
“We are now changing the entire method of building public structures,” Yahav said. “We are preparing them for prolonged stays. The minimum will be four consecutive days in shelters and such buildings, which require preparation. For example, installing toilets, which we don’t have today, and we have given instructions to build them in places close to where new houses are being built. This has been fully understood, and developers have begun to understand that the talk about evacuation and reconstruction has undergone drastic changes in light of the security situation. For example, road width needs to be maintained for the sake of evacuating residents on these roads. These are things that were not considered until now and must now be taken into account.”
Yahav’s plans for the success of Haifa’s future
Yahav then discussed his appeal to the transportation minister to stop the Highway 23 Carmel Tunnels’ toll charge.
“We called on the transportation minister to stop the discrimination. Haifa and the North are always discriminated against compared to central Israel, and there’s no reason for this. There are huge tunnels dug in Jerusalem that do not cost residents any money to pass through. There’s no reason why the tunnels dug in Haifa should include a toll. I speak on behalf of Haifa residents, and we are preparing to petition if we do not receive an answer.”
Regarding his entry into his mayoral role about three months ago, Yahav said, “I found a completely ruined city. They destroyed the municipality, and it’s very difficult to move things around. I don’t understand how residents sat idly by and kept quiet. We are trying to go to government offices to fix relations, to get funds, to move projects to bring in fees – and we are doing all this in a short time.
“The ministers are acting openly and with the goodwill to help. I am now waiting for the money on the table. The casino building in Bat Galim will be a luxurious hotel on the Bat Galim seashore. This neighborhood will undergo a complete transformation and will be the most beautiful neighborhood in the country. It will also be the only neighborhood facing a recognized beach. We came to make a change, and we will succeed.”
In conclusion, he touched on the issue of wild boars: “You won’t be able to follow them because soon you won’t see them anymore.”
world news
‘Psychological operation’: Turkey condemns FM Katz social media post depicting toddler Erdogan
Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Ministry released a statement on Sunday condemning a social media post made by Foreign Minister Israel Katz, in which Katz presented Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan as a toddler on the lap of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Katz, in a Sunday post on X, wrote “Erdogan @RTErdogan finances and arms terrorist organizations of Hamas to carry out attacks and murder against Israelis. The General Security Service captured a squad of students from Bir Zeit who were employed by the Hamas headquarters in Turkey to carry out murder attacks in Israel, through training and weapons and tens of thousands of dollars provided to them.
“Erdogan turned Turkey into a state that supports terrorism and subjects Turkey to the Iranian axis of evil in the name of extreme ideology and blatant anti-Semitism.”
Katz’s comments were made in reference to a recently thwarted terror attack planned by the student Hamas cell in Bir Zeit University, north of Ramallah. The attempted attack, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said, was directed by Hamas’s base in Turkey.ארדואן @RTErdogan מממן ומחמש ארגוני טרור של החמאס לביצוע פיגועים ורצח נגד ישראלים. שירות הביטחון הכללי לכד חוליית סטודנטים מביר זית שהופעלו ע”י מפקדת החמאס בטורקיה לביצוע פיגועי רצח בישראל, באמצעות אימונים ונשק ועשרות אלפי דולרים שסופקו להם.ארדואן הפך את טורקיה למדינה תומכת טרור… pic.twitter.com/R0SCjYdngN
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) July 21, 2024
Turkey condemns the social media post
The Turkish ministry responded “The Israeli Foreign Minister is trying to hide Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians behind a series of lies, slander and disrespect.
“Israel’s dirty propaganda targeting Türkiye and President Erdoğan, and psychological operation attempts will not bear fruit.
“The members of the Netanyahu Government, who have killed nearly forty thousand Palestinians in Gaza and are now trying to start a regional war in order to stay in power, will be tried in international courts and held accountable for their crimes.
“Türkiye will continue to speak the truth and defend the right of the Palestinian people to live in justice and peace.”
The ministry cited data provided by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Additionally, Turkey has repeatedly asserted that it does not categorize Hamas as a terrorist organization – despite its western allies acknowledging it as such and its proven attacks on Israeli civilians.
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