Weekly roundup of world briefs

GPS interference leads to change in landing route for Tel Aviv-bound planes

(JNS) — Passenger planes headed to Ben-Gurion Airport have recently had to take alternative routes due to a severe attack on Israel that prevents it from navigating aircraft using GPS.

The alternate route—over Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria—is longer than the one that allows for landing over Tel Aviv directly at Ben-Gurion Airport.

In recent months, Israel has been the target of incessant attacks by unknown elements, apparently from abroad, that interfere with GPS signals, almost completely preventing it from carrying out processes that allow planes to land along the standard routes.

For this reason, most of the landings are conducted through the alternative route, where landing is possible through an alternative source of approach guidance for aircraft called ILS, or Instrument Landing System.

Residents of the towns in Judea and Samaria, such as Modi’in Illit, Hashmonaim, Lapid and Kfar Oranim, have lodged complaints over the “unbearable” noise caused by passenger planes passing overhead at all hours of the day.

In response to the complaints, the authorities revealed that the reason for the change in the route stemmed from the attacks on Israel.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

Israel unveils AI-powered main battle tank

(JNS) — The Israel Defense Forces and Defense Ministry on Tuesday revealed for the first time its new main battle tank, equipped with advanced sensors and artificial intelligence capabilities.

Nicknamed “Barak” (“Lightning” in Hebrew), the fifth-generation Merkava Mark V is operational and is being incorporated into the Armored Corps, with the first tanks having already been delivered to the 52nd “The Breachers” Battalion of the 401st “Iron Tracks” Brigade. It is expected to gradually replace the aging Merkava Mark IV tanks.

“The Barak tank is very innovative; it takes our maneuvering capabilities to another level, and it is a clear expression of our technological capabilities,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said.

According to the IDF and Defense Ministry’s joint statement, the commander of each tank will be equipped with a combat helmet developed by Elbit Systems similar to the helmets worn by fighter pilots. The system will allow for 360-degree scanning capabilities with the assistance of AI. The tanks are also equipped with the WindGuard advanced defense system manufactured by Rafael

“For the past four decades, Merkava tanks have formed the backbone of the Armored Corps and ground combat. Today we are entering a new era in ground battlefield, the era of the Barak,” said Maj. Gen. (res.) Eyal Zamir, director general of the Defense Ministry.

“The Barak tank is the most advanced combat machine of its kind In the world, which will bring to the IDF, the Israeli Ground Forces and the soldiers of the Armored Corps fire capabilities, AI, intelligence, connectivity between tools and active defense, a breakthrough on the modern battlefield,” he said.

Palestinians’ new method of encroaching on Israeli land: B&Bs

By Hanan Greenwood

(JNS) — Against the backdrop of picturesque vineyards, Palestinians have been illegally developing a cottage industry of luxurious vacation compounds in Area C of Judea and Samaria, territory where Israel should have full control under the provisions of the Oslo Accords.

Nestled deep within the heart of Judea and Samaria, these vacation homes and resorts cater to Palestinians by providing an experience complete with spacious guest houses, pristine lawns, inviting pools and gourmet dining establishments.

One such establishment, located in the Palestinian village of Battir, near the Jewish community of Beitar Illit in Gush Etzion, demonstrates just how popular they are. After being asked on Facebook about its availability, it responded that “in August, the occupancy is full, sorry.”

For a fee of 1,200 shekels ($315), guests can get a bed and breakfast experience for an entire day in such a complex.

The Regavim watchdog, which has been monitoring these trends, has shared some of the findings showing the systematic expansion of these luxury vacation accommodations far from the scrutiny of Israeli authorities. Some of this activity has been endorsed and backed by the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Tourism, with their stated objective being “to prevent settlers from taking over the territory,” according to Regavim.

Field coordinator Menash Shmueli of Regavim’s Judea and Samaria division recently used drone technology to document at least four such compounds, with one of the most significant establishments situated in Battir.

“They started this six months ago in that village, with the B&Bs situated on the border of the Green Line, where there’s no fence, affording views of Jerusalem,” Shmueli explained.

In recent years, Battir has transformed into a tourist destination, boasting archaeological digs, high-end dining and other forms of entertainment. This is complemented by the absence of a security barrier due to it being a UNESCO-designated heritage site.

In Jericho, the Regavim team identified an establishment situated partially in Area A (where there is full Palestinian Authority control under Oslo) and with another part in Area C, bordering the Hasmonean Palaces archaeological site.

Shmueli says this complex might be owned by Israeli Arabs and that it offers activities such as ATV tours and other attractions at a rate of 1,500 shekels ($395) per day.

“This complex matches the standards of a five-star hotel, boasting three bedrooms, three bathrooms and two kitchens,” he said.

“Their strategy is very easy to discern: By promoting those sites they claim that they could help ‘prevent an Israeli takeover of Judea and Samaria.’

“A developer usually seeks peace and tranquility rather than noise, so ostensibly it appears counterproductive to build in a contentious location. This is why the Palestinian Authority backs these projects. Instead of single-family homes, these become complexes where thousands of people visit each year, reinforcing the Palestinian presence in the area,” Shmueli said.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

Netanyahu to Biden: ‘We will uphold the values democracies cherish’ and ‘We can make peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia’

(JNS) — Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the Jewish state’s commitment to democracy on Wednesday at the U.N. General Assembly during his first face-to-face meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden since the Israeli leader was re-elected last November.

“As I said, we live in, and you said, we live in uncertain times, rapidly changing times.” Netanyahu said. “So I want to reassert here, before you, Mr. President, that one thing is certain and one thing will never change, and that is Israel’s commitment to democracy.”

Netanyahu stated that “we will continue to uphold the values that both our proud democracies cherish.”

“I think that working together will realize the promise, roll back the dangers and bring a better future for our region and the world,” he said. “We can make history, Mr. President. With your leadership, we can make history.”

At the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged U.S. President Joe Biden to help bring together the Jewish state and the Gulf’s most influential Arab monarchy: Saudi Arabia.

“I think that under your leadership, Mr. President, we can forge a historic peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia,” Netanyahu said. “And I think such a peace would go a long way first to advance the end of the Arab-Israeli conflict, achieve reconciliation between the Islamic world and the Jewish state, and advance a genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

Regarding a potential “economic corridor that would link Asia, the Middle East and Europe together,” Netanyahu said that Israel would be “a very important hub on a highway of unprecedented prosperity.”

It was the first in-person meeting between the two world leaders since Netanyahu’s re-election last November.

He urged Biden: “I believe that working together, we can make history and create a better future for the region and beyond.”

New York State takes comprehensive action to fight antisemitism

(JNS) — In response to the Biden administration’s new national strategy to counter antisemitism, the U.S. state with the highest Jewish population outside of Israel presented a wave of plans utilizing multiple entities, including the creation of an Anti-Hate in Education Center, hate-crime seminars for law enforcement and an Office of Mental Health campaign.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the series of initiatives on Tuesday at the Center for Jewish History in Manhattan.

The announcement came in the midst of the High Holiday season.

Others involved in the state’s plan include the Division of Human Rights, which aims to improve collecting information on incidents of hate and bias; and the Office of Victim Services to expand help for victims of antisemitic crimes.

“No one should have to fear for their safety while going to their place of work, going to school, or just walking the streets,” Hochul said. “It has always been my top priority to keep the people of New York safe, and we will continue taking action to fight antisemitism and use every tool at our disposal to eliminate hate and bias from our communities.”

Netanyahu demands that Guterres halt ‘baseless’ UN criticism of Israel

(JNS) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, met on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday in New York City.

The Israeli leader stressed Iran’s role in destabilizing the Middle East and the world. He also said that he hopes normalization efforts with Saudi Arabia will succeed and predicted that the economic corridor from India to Europe, which passes through Israel, will “contribute to strengthening the global economy,” per a readout from Netanyahu’s office.

Netanyahu also “demanded” that Guterres “change the attitude of the organization’s institutions towards the State of Israel,” according to the readout, “and said that it was untenable that while major changes for the better were taking place in the entire world and in the Middle East that the U.N. was unaffected and remained steadfast in its hostility to Israel.”

Netanyahu told Guterres that “the time has come for the U.N. to condemn Iranian subversion and Palestinian terrorism against innocent civilians, and to refrain from its baseless criticism of Israel,” the readout added.

Rabbis blast Tel Aviv mayor for ban on traditional Yom Kippur service

(JNS) — The Coalition for Jewish Values, which represents more than 2,500 Orthodox rabbis in the United States, Israel and the United Kingdom, on Thursday published an open letter accusing Tel Aviv-Jaffa Mayor Ron Huldai of discrimination over his decision to ban gender-separated Yom Kippur services in the city’s Dizengoff Square.

“We deplore your decision to prohibit the use of a mechitzah to separate between men and women during the annual Yom Kippur prayer services at Kikar Dizengoff sponsored by Rosh Yehudi,” wrote the organization, claiming Huldai’s move “will preclude public prayer in accordance with Jewish tradition.”

According to the Jewish leaders associated with the Coalition for Jewish Values, Huldai’s “coerced secularism” effectively deprives “thousands of Tel Aviv residents of the opportunity to participate in prayer services on the holy day of Yom Kippur.”

The letter noted that three months ago, the mayor authorized a gender-separated event in honor of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, and warned this “disgraceful” double standard would “antagonize faithful Jews across the world.”

“It is not too late to retract this evil declaration, and we urge you to do so immediately,” concluded the missive to Huldai, which was signed by rabbis Steven Pruzansky (Modi’in, Israel), Yoel Schonfeld (Queens, N.Y.) and Jonathan Guttentag (Manchester, United Kingdom)

Rosh Yehudi, a Tel Aviv-based Jewish nonprofit that seeks to connect young people in the city to their roots, has in recent months aroused the wrath of left-wing politicians and activists for its mass public prayer events.

In April, Reuven Ladianski, deputy mayor of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, said he intended to “bring to justice” Rosh Yehudi after it held a Passover service in Dizengoff Square. Ladianski “demanded that the organizers be fined and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible,” he said in a Facebook post.

Earlier this week, Rabbi Yigal Levenstein, one of the heads of a military preparatory academy in the town of Eli in Samaria, required police protection after he was attacked and chased while attending a Torah class at Rosh Yehudi’s Tel Aviv synagogue.

In footage of the harassment, protesters shout, “You are nothing, you have no God. You are scum. You are not Jews. Get out of here.” Others yell, “Go away, fascist. Go back to the settlements. You don’t belong in this place.”

“We were surprised by the intensity of the hatred, the blunt words and the violent behavior of the mob,” said Rosh Yehudi CEO Israel Zaira, adding the protesters acted like “savages.”

“At the same time, we understand that they came to scare us on account of the activity of the yeshivah and the mass prayer we will be holding at Dizengoff Square on Yom Kippur,” Zaira said.

Republican Jewish Coalition endorses five freshmen congressmen

(JNS) —Four New York legislators and one from New Jersey have received the backing of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

RJC national chairman Norm Coleman, a former Minnesota senator, and CEO Matt Brooks released a statement on Tuesday saying the group endorses New York Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro and Brandon Williams; and Thomas Kean Jr. of New Jersey.

The RJC described the five congressional districts as critical in expanding Republican control in Congress.

Reviewing the lawmakers’ achievements, RJC stated that D’Esposito “co-sponsored the bill to require the appointment of a special envoy for the Abraham Accords peace agreements,” and Kean “distinguished himself as a leader in the fight against antisemitism as chairman of the Europe Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a co-sponsor of the Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons (HEAL) Act.”

Lawler’s efforts with a “rapid response to rampant antisemitism at the City University of New York (CUNY)” were lauded, as was the congressman’s push for the “Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act,” which would cut funds for schools that host antisemitic speakers.  

RJC called Molinaro “a career problem-solver” and spotlighted that he delivered “on his promise to tackle tough issues like public safety and education.” Williams worked to pass an amendment for elementary and secondary students to learn about the Holocaust.