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Israel Report To provide greater exposure to primary Israeli news sources and opinions in order to become better informed on the issues, and to gain a better understanding of the wide range of perspectives that exist in Israeli society and politics. Issue 1005 • May 6, 2016 • 28 Nisan 5776 7 DECADES AFTER HOLOCAUST, ISRAEL'S JEWS EXCEED 6,000,000 opposed, and solidify his reputation as a president that was strong on Israeli (Israel Hayom 5/4/16) security despite a rocky relationship with Netanyahu. Seventy-one years after the end of World War II and the Holocaust, Israel's Netanyahu may expect that Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee for population stands at roughly 8,502,900, including some 6,374,400 Jews, the president, would be more intent to cement her pro-Israel credentials should Central Bureau of Statistics said in a new report published on Sunday. she be elected. But should presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump The figures do not include foreign workers, who numbered just over 190,000 succeed Obama, Netanyahu may run into difficulties. in 2014. Trump recently outlined his foreign policy approach as "America First," which The figures also show that Israel's general population growth rate is 13,500 would seem to favor clauses that boost American jobs over Israeli ones. In per month, which includes a Jewish population growth rate of about 10,000 March, Trump speculated that foreign aid recipients of all stripes, including per month. Israel, should be forced to pay the US back for aid. Jews make up some 74.8% of the population, according to the figures. According to the CBS, there are about 400,000 people in Israel who do not IDF ATTACKS FOUR HAMAS TARGETS IN GAZA (Arutz-7 INN.com fall under any religious group under the criteria set by the bureau. They are 5/5/16) mostly from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia and arrived in Israel during The IDF overnight Wednesday launched airstrikes against four terrorist the large immigration waves from those areas. They were granted citizenship targets belonging to Hamas in northern Gaza, the IDF Spokesperson said. under the Law of Return, which allows Jews and people with Jewish ancestry According to the statement, the attacks came in response to the ongoing to immigrate to Israel provided they meet certain conditions. mortar attacks against IDF forces engaged in operations near the border fence. MANUFACTURERS: OBAMA AID PACKAGE WILL BE ‘MORTAL BLOW’ The statement stressed that the IDF views any acts of terrorism, whether TO ISRAELI INDUSTRY (JPost 5/5/16) from underground tunnels or from the ground, as a violation of Israeli Shraga Brosh, the head of the Manufacturer's Association of Israel, urged sovereignty and added that it “considers the Hamas terrorist organization Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to reject a defense aid solely responsible for these terrorist acts. The IDF will continue to act with package deal reportedly proposed by US President Barack Obama, saying it determination and to the extent required to destroy all underground would kill Israeli jobs and be a "mortal blow" to its defense industry. tunneling.” "The Israeli government's acceptance of Obama's plan would be a mortal Tensions have risen along the Gaza border over the last two days, as blow to Israel's defense manufacturing, and mean the loss of thousands of terrorist forces on the Gazan side fired a total of six mortar shells into Israel, jobs in Israel in favor of the Americans," Brosh said. with five attacks on Wednesday alone. On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Obama wanted to ensure that all the Earlier on Wednesday, Israel launched air raids on Gaza, with strikes hitting funds in a new 10-year defense package would be spent on US-made arms, around Gaza's derelict international airport near the city of Rafah and in which would scrap the 26.3% of the aid that until now was converted to shekels and spent in Israel each year. Israel Report is a Student Publication of For five months, Obama and Netanyahu have been negotiating the terms of a new 10-year military aid package to replace the $30 billion package set to Daniel Zolty, Editor-in-Chief Yonatan Kurz, Moshe Davis, Yosef Segal and Eli Levine, Editors expire in 2018. Netanyahu reportedly sought to raise the figure by $10 billion, We are proud to be distributed by these institutions, though they do not necessarily support or condone for an increase of roughly $1 billion a year, including guarantees for missile any of the material published: defense. Anshei Chesed Cong., Boynton Beach, FL Hillel at California State University - Long Beach Bergen County High School of Jewish Studies Hillel at Columbia University Brosh said that a caveat requiring all the money to be spent in the US would Boca Raton Synagogue, FL Hillel at Johns Hopkins University cost Israel's economy dearly, and that Netanyahu should reject any deal that Carmel School, Hong Kong Hillel at Yale University Chabad of Oak Park, CA Hillel High School, Deal NJ includes such a clause. Even if America added $1 billion in annual aid, the Cong. Agudath Achim, Bradley Beach, NJ Jewish Center of Teaneck, NJ clause would actually cut hundreds of millions of dollars of spending within Cong. Ahavas Achim, Highland Park, NJ Kehillas Bais Yehudah Tzvi, Cedarhurst, NY Cong. Ahavath Achim, Fairfield, CT Kemp Mill Synagogue, Silver Spring, MD Israel that supports the local industry. Cong. Anshe Shalom, Jamaica Estates, NY Mizrachi Shul, Johannesburg, SA The defense industry, Brosh said, accounts for about 15% of all Israeli Cong. Beth Aaron, Teaneck, NJ North Shore Hebrew Academy HS, NY Cong. Beth Shalom, Monroe Twp, NJ Suburban Torah Center, Livingston, NJ manufacturing jobs, and every $1 billion in defense procurement supports Cong. Bnai Yeshurun, Teaneck, NJ The Learning Shul, Columbia, SC 2,000 direct jobs and 5,500 overall jobs in the economy. [Note: Cutting the Cong. Ohr Torah, Edison, NJ Woodsburgh, NY Minyan US aid spending would amount to a roughly $800 million reduction in Cong. Rinat Yisrael, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel Bet Tefilah of Aberdeen, NJ Cong. Shomrei Torah, Fair Lawn, NJ Young Israel of Brookline, MA spending within Israel]. Cong. Sons of Israel, Allentown, PA Young Israel of East Brunswick, NJ In 2015, Israel's defense exports amounted to $5.7 billion, around 13% of all Cong. Zichron Mordechai, Teaneck, NJ Young Israel of Fort Lee, NJ Cong. Zichron R. M. Feinstein, Brooklyn, NY Young Israel of Hancock Park, CA industrial exports. The loss of American procurement from aid would break Delray Orthodox Synagogue, Delray Beach, FL Young Israel of Holliswood, NY up supply lines and technological investment that help the industry flourish, East Denver Orthodox Synagogue, CO Young Israel of Houston, TX Flatbush Park Jewish Center, Mill Basin, NY Young Israel of New Hyde Park, NY Brosh said. Harvard University Library Young Israel of North Woodmere, NY In February, Netanyahu said that concluding the new aid package may have Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, NY Young Israel of New Rochelle, NY Hillel at Baruch College Young Israel of Sharon, MA to wait until a new President is in office, a comment some viewed as a Hillel at Brandeis University YI Shomrai Emunah, Silver Spring, MD bargaining tactic. Obama is thought to want a boost to Israel's defense aid in We encourage our readers to subscribe to our sources on the internet. For more information or to order to help compensate for the Iran nuclear deal, which Israel vocally subscribe by e-mail, reach us at [email protected] 2 nearby farming areas. Israel already participates in military exercises with NATO members other But several hours before Wednesday night’s attacks in Gaza, Hamas claimed than Turkey, notably the United States. that it had reached understandings with Israel on renewing the calm in the area. LIEBERMAN: DECISION TO RETURN TERRORIST'S BODY One of the leaders of the organization said that in return, Israel had 'ENCOURAGES TERRORISM' (YNet 5/4/16) undertaken upon itself not to conduct operations inside Gaza. Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman criticized Prime Minister Benjamin It was subsequently reported in Palestinian media that the IDF had begun to Netanyahu on Wednesday after the body of the Palestinian who carried out withdraw from Gaza following the agreement, which was reportedly mediated the vehicular attack the previous day was returned to the family. by Egypt. "Netanyahu's conduct is not just a disgrace, but also seriously undermines the deterrence of potential terrorists and encourages terror attacks," ISRAEL CONFIRMS UPGRADED NATO TIES AS TURKEY SAID TO END Lieberman said, calling on the prime minister "to immediately resign." VETO (Times of Israel 5/4/16) The former foreign minister argued that "Netanyahu needs to resign - if not Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday that Israel because of all of the other reasons, then because of his outrageous conduct would upgrade its ties with the 28-member NATO military alliance by opening on the issue of returning terrorists' bodies. While an IDF soldier is fighting for a permanent mission to its Brussels headquarters. The move comes as his life at the hospital after the vehicular attack yesterday in Dolev, the body NATO member Turkey reportedly agreed to end its objection to closer links to of the terrorist who carried out that attack has already been returned to his the Jewish state. family and welcomed with cries of joy and encouragement by hundreds of “I announce that Israel will accept the invitation; we will open an office soon,” Qalandiya residents." he said at the start of a cabinet meeting.
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