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Security forces have arrested 14 eastern Jerusalem residents in the past three days on suspicion of planning attacks or inciting others to carry out attacks, local media reported on Monday. The raids come following a spate of terror attacks in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, clashes were reported for the third straight night at the Damascus Gate entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City. Police said the suspects hurled stones and other items at officers. They added that some of the rioters were also involved in unrest on Sunday night. Police said eight Palestinians have been detained.
Police say 8 arrested for allegedly rioting at Damascus Gate this evening during Ramadan celebrations. pic.twitter.com/fBAkJzLMxG
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 4, 2022
“Whoever chooses to disturb the order, riot, and engage in violence of any kind, harms first and foremost the large public of worshipers, merchants, and visitors, the vast majority of whom wished to celebrate Ramadan in peace and security, while maintaining freedom of worship,” police said in a statement.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid toured the Damascus Gate area with Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai and lawmakers from his Yesh Atid party. The Hamas terror group called the tour a “dangerous escalation and provocation.”
Over the past two weeks, 11 people have been killed in terrorist attacks across Israel in three separate incidents in Beersheba, Hadera, and Bnei Brak. With the onset of Ramadan and the approach of Passover, officials have warned that tensions could continue to escalate.
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After several delays, Israel’s second astronaut, Eitan Stibbe, is set to take off for the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday for the long-awaited Rakia mission.
The mission, led by Israel’s Science and Technology Ministry and the Ramon Foundation, selected 35 different experiments for Stibbe to undertake during his 10-day stay in orbit.
Stibbe will also bring items with him that are not related to the mission. They include a scale model of the World Peace Bell, an ancient coin dating back to the time of the Bar Kokhba revolt and a children’s story, “Beauty of the World,” written and illustrated by Paul Korr, which Stibbe will read for children while he is in space.
The Rakia mission is being launched as part of Axiom mission 1, the first fully private space mission headed by Houston-based start-up Axiom Space. The four astronauts will be launched on Friday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The crew is set to dock at the ISS on Saturday.
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Amidst the terror wave in the Jewish state, an Israeli volunteer organization that monitors and reports antisemitic and violence-inciting content on the internet plans to add hundreds of Arabic-speaking members to its team.
The Israeli Students Combating Antisemitism initiative — a project of the National Union of Israeli Students and the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem — already has an extensive team canvassing social media and other websites for content inciting hatred and violence against Jews in Israel and around the world.
Currently, the group is seeking Arabic-speaking volunteers to assist in its activities.
“Unfortunately, we know from cases that have happened all over the world that there is a direct link between social media posts and the situation on the ground, especially the recent, shocking terrorist attacks,” Tomer Aldobi, founder of Israeli Students Combating Antisemitism, told local media.
Content deemed anti-Jewish or of a threatening nature will be reported to the platforms with a request to have it removed. Should any imminent threat arise, the group will work with security forces to thwart the terror plot.
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Israel is heading towards “normalization” of life alongside the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s top health official said. According to Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public health services in the Health Ministry, Jerusalem is taking “various steps” to that effect.
“Children in schools no longer need to quarantine; same with people returning from abroad,” Alroy-Preis told local media. However, new variants could pose a threat, she explained, while stressing the importance of vaccines and face masks.
“We are still seeing thousands of new cases daily, so the guidelines for wearing a face mask indoors remain, and I highly recommend that everyone follow them,” the health official stressed, although she said that the mask mandate might be lifted in the near future.
On Monday, Israel recorded 10,689 new infections, with 245 patients in serious condition.
Recommended Reading
- Fatah Leader in Jenin Praises Bnei Brak Killer of Five People (Jewish News Syndicate)
- Iran Could Be Planning a ‘Surprise’ for Israel in Jerusalem – Analysis (Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post)
- Israel Embassy Shares Smart Agriculture Practices, Donates Water Tech to Indian People With Special Needs (MSN/The Print)
- To Stop Online Hate, Big Tech Must Let Those Being Targeted Lead the Way (Daniel Kelley, Algemeiner)
- ‘To Remain a Jew’: The Untold Story of Luciano Camerino (Karni Eldad, Israel Hayom)
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