The Israeli army is planning to indict several of its soldiers who fought in Gaza last summer on charges of looting, the Haaretz (Israeli) website reports today (February 4, 2015).
The military police are investigating five incidents of suspected looting by Israeli troops during Operation Protective Edge. Four of the incidents took place in the southern Gaza towns of Khuza'a and in Khan Yunis, where Palestinians complained that Israeli soldiers had stolen their possessions when they fled their homes due to fighting.
The fifth case -- which took place in the Shujaiyeh neighborhood of Gaza City and was reported while the military operation was still underway -- concluded with the arrest in August of a Golani Brigade combat soldier for stealing cash from a home.
Since looting is a crime under Israeli law that carries a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment, a hearing will be held before the indictments are handed down. The soldiers' defense attorneys recently received letters informing them of the Military Advocate General's intent to indict the soldiers and will be given a chance to defend them during the hearing.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Canada Police Arrest Man for Aiding IS Fighters; Charge Him with Participation in Terror Activity
Canadian police today (February 3, 2015) arrested an Ottawa man they said was planning to aid Islamic State (IS) fighters and charged him with participation in the activity of a terrorist group, according to the Newsmax World website.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement that Awso Peshdary, 25, was also charged with facilitating the activity of a terrorist group.
Police have also filed charges in absentia against two other men they said had left Canada to fight with the Islamic State.
They added that there had never been any immediate threat to the Canadian public from those charged today.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement that Awso Peshdary, 25, was also charged with facilitating the activity of a terrorist group.
Police have also filed charges in absentia against two other men they said had left Canada to fight with the Islamic State.
They added that there had never been any immediate threat to the Canadian public from those charged today.
Throng of German Christians Leaving Church; Due to Increase in Taxes for Church Members
German Christians said to number hundreds of thousands are formally renouncing their faith and leaving the Church to escape a change in the tax laws, the Ecumenical News website reports today (February 3, 2015).
Up to 400,000 Germans officially filed declarations to leave the Protestant and Catholic Church after a decision to extend the 8 or 9 percent charge to capital gains income.
Up to 200,000 Germans are believed to have filed official declarations last year renouncing their membership of the main Protestant Church -- the highest number in almost 20 years -- with a similar number believed to have left the Catholic Church.
Church members in Germany are required by law to pay a tax to fund church activities, which is collected by the government and is used to fund education and social services.
Up to 400,000 Germans officially filed declarations to leave the Protestant and Catholic Church after a decision to extend the 8 or 9 percent charge to capital gains income.
Up to 200,000 Germans are believed to have filed official declarations last year renouncing their membership of the main Protestant Church -- the highest number in almost 20 years -- with a similar number believed to have left the Catholic Church.
Church members in Germany are required by law to pay a tax to fund church activities, which is collected by the government and is used to fund education and social services.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Muslim Women Open First Female Mosque in US; Los Angeles Mosque to Let Women Give Sermons
A Los Angeles mosque -- which caters exclusively to women and is the first of its kind in America -- was created by comedy writer Hasna Maznavi and lawyer Sana Muttalib as a response to the various ways women are made to feel uncomfortable in many mosques, the Slate website reports today (February 2, 2015).
Maznavi and Muttalib said the mosque will allow for female speakers who can address women's issues from a female perspective, as they deliver the Friday sermon. The mosque conducted its first services on Friday, January 30, 2015.
In most mosques, "women do not often get a chance to access the male imam for questions or discussions after prayer, because he is in the men's section and is inaccessible until a later time," Maznavi and Muttalib added.
By creating a space for conversation after services, they are hoping to facilitate a meaningful conversation that will speak to women's concerns.
Maznavi and Muttalib said the mosque will allow for female speakers who can address women's issues from a female perspective, as they deliver the Friday sermon. The mosque conducted its first services on Friday, January 30, 2015.
In most mosques, "women do not often get a chance to access the male imam for questions or discussions after prayer, because he is in the men's section and is inaccessible until a later time," Maznavi and Muttalib added.
By creating a space for conversation after services, they are hoping to facilitate a meaningful conversation that will speak to women's concerns.
Vandals Hit Fence of Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw; Paint "Jews for Slaughter" on Anniv. of Prison Lib.
Unknown vandals defaced the fence of a Jewish cemetery in Warsaw, considered to be one of the largest in Europe, the Forward (Jewish) website reports today (February 2, 2015).
The attack on the Jewish cemetery on Okopowa Street in Warsaw was discovered on January 31. Burials still occur in part of the cemetery.
The vandals wrote on the fence with red spray paint: "Jews for slaughter," and the date 10.12.14. That is the day on which Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled in the case of religious slaughter, when judges on the Tribunal decided that the ban on ritual slaughter was unconstitutional.
"Less than a week after the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we have to deal with the manifestation of hatred against Jews. 'Jews for slaughter' is not only a humiliation that society cannot ignore, it is an invitation to violence and threats to which we should be vigilant," said Anna Chipczynska, President of the Jewish Community of Warsaw.
The attack on the Jewish cemetery on Okopowa Street in Warsaw was discovered on January 31. Burials still occur in part of the cemetery.
The vandals wrote on the fence with red spray paint: "Jews for slaughter," and the date 10.12.14. That is the day on which Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled in the case of religious slaughter, when judges on the Tribunal decided that the ban on ritual slaughter was unconstitutional.
"Less than a week after the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, we have to deal with the manifestation of hatred against Jews. 'Jews for slaughter' is not only a humiliation that society cannot ignore, it is an invitation to violence and threats to which we should be vigilant," said Anna Chipczynska, President of the Jewish Community of Warsaw.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Sen. McCain: US-Israeli Relations Worst Ever; Says No Other Pres. Had Such Poor Relations
The relationship between the United States and Israel has "never been worse," Arizona Senator John McCain said today (February 1, 2015), according to the NY Daily News website.
McCain said President Obama expected a more harmonious cooperation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- who tends to be extremely inflexible -- on a host of critical issues pertinent to the U.S. and Israel, including negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"No other President has had such a difficult relationship with the state of Israel since it became a country [in 1948]," McCain added.
Last month, Netanyahu accepted an invitation from Republican House Speaker John Boehner to address a joint session of Congress in March. President Obama -- showing his disappointment in Netanyahu's failure to cooperate with him in resolving critical issues in the Middle East -- has already said that he does not plan to meet with Israel's prime minister during his U.S. visit.
McCain said President Obama expected a more harmonious cooperation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu -- who tends to be extremely inflexible -- on a host of critical issues pertinent to the U.S. and Israel, including negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
"No other President has had such a difficult relationship with the state of Israel since it became a country [in 1948]," McCain added.
Last month, Netanyahu accepted an invitation from Republican House Speaker John Boehner to address a joint session of Congress in March. President Obama -- showing his disappointment in Netanyahu's failure to cooperate with him in resolving critical issues in the Middle East -- has already said that he does not plan to meet with Israel's prime minister during his U.S. visit.
Hagel:US May Need to Send Some Troops to Iraq; Says It Would Help to Push IS Out of That Nation
Outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in a CNN interview on January 30 that the U.S. may need to send its ground troops back into Iraq, in order to push the Islamic State (IS) terror group out of that country, the Christian Post website reports today (February 1, 2015).
"I think it (driving out Islamic State terrorists) may require a forward deployment of some troops ... to help air strikes," Hagel said on CNN.
General Martin Dempsey -- the highest-ranking U.S. military officer as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- also told Congress earlier that American troops could be required in Iraq to defeat the Islamic State.
ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) -- an al-Qaeda offshoot that seeks to establish an Islamic emirate -- has gained control of about one third of the territory in both Iraq and Syria.
"I think it (driving out Islamic State terrorists) may require a forward deployment of some troops ... to help air strikes," Hagel said on CNN.
General Martin Dempsey -- the highest-ranking U.S. military officer as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- also told Congress earlier that American troops could be required in Iraq to defeat the Islamic State.
ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) -- an al-Qaeda offshoot that seeks to establish an Islamic emirate -- has gained control of about one third of the territory in both Iraq and Syria.
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