Israelis, who have had to cope with Islamic terrorism for decades, are still more tolerant of Islam than the voters in Switzerland.
According to a recent poll, 43% of Israelis would oppose legislation banning construction of minarets on mosques in the country, and only 28% would support such a ban. 29% were undecided, according to Arutz 7.
Swiss voters approved a referendum in last November banning construction of minarets in Switzerland. 57.7% of voters supported the ban.
In …

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said today that Israel would never cede control of united Jerusalem nor retreat to the 1967 borders.
“The prime minister has not changed his known view, and stands firmly on all political matters,” Netanyahu’s office announced. “In any peace agreement Jerusalem will remain the united capital of Israel.”
The statement came after Egypt’s foreign minister said in Cairo last week that Netanyahu was ready to discuss making “Arab Jerusalem” the …

Israel Defence Forces bombed terrorist targets in Gaza yesterday, including near Gaza City, in the strongest retaliation against mortar and rocket attacks on Israel since the end of Operation Cast Lead a year ago, Arutz 7 reports.
At least two terrorists were killed, and three tunnels and a weapons factory were successfully targeted. Hamas officials said four other terrorists are missing.
One of the tunnels was in central Gaza and was intended to be used for infiltration …

Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak suggested that Israel would be allowed to build 8,000 new homes in Judea and Samaria, and in exchange Israel would release 500 Fatah terrorists from prison and recognise pre-1967 borders.
According to Mubarak, Israel would also remove unauthorised outposts and additional security checkpoints, and more, Arutz 7 reports.
The plan is to be presented to the US Government, and if it is approved by Washington, it will be the basis of a summit …

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel recently told the Israeli consul in Los Angeles that President Barack Obama’s administration is fed up with both Israel and the “Palestinians”, Ha’aretz reports.
Emanuel met with Jacob Dayan, consul general of Israel in Los Angeles, about two weeks ago, after which Dayan briefed the Foreign Ministry. Emanuel told Dayan that the US is sick of the Israelis, who adopt suitable ideas months too late, when they are no …

Israeli police foiled a potentially gruesome terrorist attack in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City yesterday when they arrested three Hebron Arabs with knives that were to be used to stab to death an Israeli policeman or soldier, Arutz 7 reports.
They were caught near Jaffa Gate, the most popular and crowded thoroughfare for tourists and visitors to the Old City. Police were suspicious of their vehicle and discovered their plans while questioning the terrorists.
The foiled …

The United States Government will put forth a plan whereby Israel would commit itself to the establishment of a new Arab state in Judea and Samaria within two years of the launch of peace talks with the Arab leadership.
An Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman told the Cairo-based daily newspaper al-Ahram that as part of the plan, both Israel and the Arabs would present written guarantees underlining their obligations prior to the completion of final-status …

Lebanese analyst Ibrahim al-Amin, who is affiliated with the Hezbollah terrorist group, says that the military might of the Gaza terrorist organisation Hamas in 2010 is equal to that of Hezbollah’s in 2006 – before the Israel’s war againt the Lebanese terrorists.
Al-Amin wrote that “fighters from Hamas and other factions have been training for a year on the various uses of anti-aircraft missiles and on how to simultaneously set off a large number of explosives, …

According to Dubai-based al-Arabiya television network, terror organisation Hamas have rejected Israel’s latest offer in the negotiations for the freedom of abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.
The TV report said that Hamas are not satisfied with the number of terrorists Israel is willing to set free, and want senior terrorists – whose release Israel ruled out – to be included in the deal, Arutz 7 reports.
In addition, Hamas reportedly don’t accept Israel’s condition that terrorists from …

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu invited opposition leader Tzipi Livni to join a national unity Government today to face national and international problems, Jerusalem Post reports.
The offer came after the two met for nearly two hours to discuss state and security matters.
Netanyahu told Livni that a national unity Government would be based in “peace and security”, as the Prime Minister outlined in his Bar Ilan speech and that today “represent broad national consensus”.
After receiving the …

An everlasting hope of finding significant amounts of oil in Israel may have been realised with the announcement yesterday that significant quantities of oil were found in a well in the area of Rosh HaAyin, a city located east of Tel Aviv on the western edge of Samaria, Arutz 7 reports.
The Givat Olam Exploration Limited Partnership informed the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange of the discovery, but added that “at this stage it is not possible to estimate the significance of these findings”. The company’s stock more than doubled on the stock market.

A narrow majority of 52% of Israelis believe that “any price” must be paid to restore prisoners in enemy hands to their families – like the IDF soldier Gilad Shalit who terrorists kidnapped over three years ago.
However, 35% of Israelis maintained that terrorists responsible for the deaths of Israelis should not be released, Ha’aretz reports.
Some 58% also support the release of Arab Israelis in exchange for Gilad Shalit.
The survey also showed that Israelis believe the …

Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pleaded not guilty to charges that include fraudulent receipt of goods, false registration of corporate documents, fraud, breach of trust, and tax evasion in the so-called Rishon Tours scandal, the “Talansky cash envelopes” affair, and the “investment center” case at the Jerusalem District Court today, Jerusalem Post reports.
In an announcement conveyed via Eli Zohar, one of Olmert’s lawyers, the former premier “took the opportunity of today’s session to deny …

Remains of a house from the time of Jesus have been found in Nazareth — the first discovery of its kind in the place where he grew up, Reuters reports.
Archaeologists did not draw any direct link between the Nazareth dwelling and Jesus. His mother Mary’s childhood home, many Christian faithful believe, was a cave over which Nazareth’s imposing Church of the Annunciation now stands.
Yardenna Alexandre, who directed a dig near the church, said it exposed …

The Islamic terrorist group Hamas are masterminding efforts to have senior Israeli leaders arrested for alleged war crimes when they visit European countries including Britain, The Times reports.
The campaign by Hamas takes advantage of an aspect of law in England and Wales that allows anyone to apply for an arrest warrant for alleged war crimes without the need for a prosecuting lawyer. Diya al-Din Madhoun, who heads the Hamas committee set up to …

Israel will notify Egypt by Sunday of its decision regarding the release of 50 “heavy” prisoners that Hamas is unwilling to forego in exchange for captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, Ynet reports.
Israel has opposed the release of these prisoners thus far. Sources said that Israel’s decision will determine whether the swap deal will succeed or fail.
The sources said the “heavy” prisoners issue is the last remaining obstacle to a prisoner exchange. They added that former …