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1. Three Suspects Confess to Arab Teen's Murder by Ari Soffer  Police Monday morning have said that three of the six suspects arrested over the murder of Arab teen Mohammed Abu-Khder have admitted to the crime, and have even reenacted it for police. The development came after one of the suspects admitted to the murder soon after being arrested on Sunday. After confessing he also apparently implicated several others, which seems to have led to the latest confessions. It comes as more information emerges about the circumstances of Mohammed Abu-Khder's death. An initial pathologist's report indicates that the teen was burned alive, with his body suffering 90% burns. He was murdered soon after being abducted on Tuesday night, hours after the funeral of three Israeli teens murdered by Hamas terrorists in similar circumstances and fueling speculation he was the victim of a "revenge" attack. Remand of five of the six suspects has been extended for eight days, and the sixth's remand has been extended for five more days, to allow police to continue with their inquiries. The suspects - described by security services as "Jewish extremists" - reportedly include several minors. They were arrested Sunday morning, less than a week after the murder, and are residents of Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem and the town of Adam, just north of the capital. Tags: murder, mohammed abu khder More on this topic
Comment on this story 2. Hamas Demands Terrorist Releases to Stop Rockets by Ari Yashar  A senior Hamas source spoke to Walla! news on Monday, revealing the conditions his terrorist organization demands from Israel in order to stop the recent round of terror against Israeli civilians, in which over 120 rocketshave been fired on Israel from Gaza since last Wednesday. According to the source, Hamas will not follow Israel's condition of having "quiet met with quiet." Rather, the terror group demands the release of the terrorists who were freed in the 2011 Shalit deal and rearrested during Operation Brother's Keeper, which was launched in mid-June. The source claimed the terrorists were arrested "for no reason" as part of the crackdown on the Hamas terror infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, which aimed to rescue the three Israeli teens who were abducted by Hamas terrorists and prevent future attacks. At least 56 of the 1,027 terrorists who were released in exchange for Gilad Shalit were re-arrested. It is worth noting that one of the terrorists freed in that deal went on to murder Chief Superintendent Baruch Mizrahi hy''d, as he was driving with his pregnant wife on the eve of Pesach (Passover). The source also demanded that the IDF stick to the ceasefire that was brokered by Egypt after the 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense - a ceasefire that Gaza, and particularly Hamas terrorists, have themselves breached countless times, sparking IAF airstrike responses. In the interview, the Hamas source maintained that Hamas is not responsible for the abduction and murder of Gilad Sha'ar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrah, despite the fact that the identities of three Hamas terrorists who were the central figures in the murders have been revealed by the IDF. Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Mashaal spoke with Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on the phone recently and maintained that Hamas is not behind the abduction, according to the source. The Hamas source added that Egypt is indeed involved in negotiating a ceasefire to the current rocket escalation, but revealed that the involvement is half-hearted. Tags: Hamas, Rockets, Khaled Mashaal, ceasefire, Gaza Region, Shalit deal More on this topic Comment on this story  3. Liberman Announces Split with Likud by Gil Ronen  Yisrael Beytenu Chairman, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, announced Monday that his faction is splitting off from Likud's and will be independent from it from now on, as was the case before the two factions united in 2012. Liberman added, however, that his faction would remain loyal to the Coalition. “We are the last people who would want the Coalition dismantled,” he explained. “The establishment of the [independent] Yisrael Beytenu faction is a meaningful step for strengthening the Coalition.” "From the outset, this has been a multifarious Coalition,” he added. “The gaps between [Jewish Home MK] Orit Struk and [Yesh Atid Health Minister] Yael German, or between [Hatnua MK] Amram Mitzna and [Jewish Home Housing Minister] Uri Ariel are unprecedented ones." Liberman also promised that his faction would vote with the government in no-confidence votes. "It is no secret that in the recent period there are disagreements between me and the prime minister,” Liberman said. “They have become disagreements on matters of principle and substance, such that do not make it possible to continue the partnership called Likud-Beytenu.” "We will turn to the Knesset's House Committee in the course of the next few days and ask to part ways and establish a separate faction, Yisrael Beytenu. The truth is that the connection did not work during the elections and after the elections, there have been many technical problems until now, but when technical problems becoime substance, there is no point anymore in hiding the matter.” Instead of a single faction with 31 Knesset seats, there will now be two: Likud with 20, and Yisrael Beytenu with 11. The split between Netanyahu and Liberman was expected a long time ago, if only because polls predict that they will garner more Knesset seats apart than together. Liberman may also be worried by polls showing the Jewish Home's Naftali Bennett gathering strength as a right wing alternative to Netanyahu, and at the expense of Liberman's party. Liberman appears to have chosen the timing for the split in a way that makes it seem purely ideological, however. He and Netanyahu clashed in Sunday's Cabinet meeting, with Liberman accusing Netanyahu of failing to deliver on his campaign promises to strike Hamas hard, and opting instead for a ceasefire. Netanyahu said at the session that he was not happy to hear ministers publicly attacking the government's policy in Gaza in the news. He apparently was referring mostly to Liberman. "You are the last one who can talk,” retorted Liberman. “You held a news conference before the Cabinet session. The things I say are my consistent line. I am not taking advantage of the situation. You said 'a strong hand against Hamas' and you failed to deliver on this. Do not grade me on my statements.” Liberman also addressed the situation in Gaza and explained that since the IDF's Operation Pillar of Defense in late 2012, Hamas has restocked itself with hundreds of missiles that have a range of 80 km. By the end of 2015, he added, this number will have reached the thousands. “This must be stopped,” he stated. Tags: Yisrael Beytenu, Avigdor Liberman More on this topic
Comment on this story 4. Gaza Rockets Continue, Soldier Wounded by Shrapnel by Ari Yashar  Terrorists in the Hamas stronghold of Gaza continue to launch rockets at civilian populations in southern Israel on Monday, after a 24-hour ultimatum issued by Israel last Thursday came and went unheeded, and Israel Air Force (IAF) airstrikes Sunday night merely elicited more threats. Two rockets were launched early on Monday morning at the Eshkol Regional Council area; one of them, which was defined as a Kassam rocket by Channel 10, exploded in a local community lightly damaging a car. Shrapnel from the rocket lightly injured a soldier, leaving shrapnel shards in his back and legs, reports Yedioth Aharonoth. The soldier was evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva. "Color Red" rocket warning sirens, which have become ubiquitous in the area lately, were sounded before the rockets struck. The rockets are the latest in a recent flood of missile fire; the IDF announced on Sunday that a total of 110 rockets have hit Israel since last Wednesday, with another 40 rockets being fired from Gaza on Sunday. Later on Monday morning, Gaza terrorists fired on IDF forces that were active near the security fence by Kibbutz Re'im. Apparently the terrorists opened fire with an RPG (rocket propelled grenade) meant for use against tanks; no damage or injuries were caused. The rockets continued as a Grad rocket was fired at the southern city of Be'er Sheva, which was targeted by two rockets on Saturday. The rocket Monday was preceded by "Color Red" sirens, and fell in open territory causing no damage or injuries. Another rocket fired at the Sedot Negev Regional Council area was shot down by the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system a short time later. A second rocket followed in quick succession, hitting the same Regional Council area; it landed in open ground and caused no damage. Three more rockets were fired a short time later, hitting open territory in the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council area and causing no damage. They were followed by another two rockets that hit the Eshkol Regional Council area; reportedly no "Color Red" sirens were heard before the blasts, which caused no damage. Shortly thereafter another rocket hit open ground in the Sha'ar Hanegev region. A growing escalation since last Wednesday In response to the endless rocket escalation, the IAF launched airstrikes against nine terror sites in Gaza on Sunday night, with Hamas reporting that seven of its terrorists were killed in the process and threatening to make Israel pay for the reaction. Earlier Sunday night, another IAF airstrike killed two terrorists from the Islamic Jihad group in Gaza. At the start of the escalation on Thursday, after over 40 rockets were fired at Israel in just over a day, the IDF issued an ultimatum calling on Hamas to stop the rocket fire within 48 hours or face war. That ultimatum deadline came and went, with at least 15 rockets fired on Israel in a 12-hour period on Saturday, including two at Be'er Sheva, and as noted the rocket fire has continued since then. Despite the total collapse of security in the south and the constant threat of rockets on a large civilian population, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday indicated he would not order a wide-scale operation in Gaza for the time being. "Experience has proved that at moments like this, we have to act responsibly and with a cool head and not with harsh words and impetuousness," Netanyahu said. "We will do everything in our power to restore peace and security to the south." Speaking to Arutz Sheva on Sunday, Deputy Education Minister Avi Wortzman (Jewish Home) dismissed the notion that “restraint is power," saying "restraint is a scandal and a disregard for citizens. It's that simple.” "One million citizens have become hostages of Hamas and the government responds weakly. What is happening here is unacceptable. Hamas must understand that it will not pay off for it to continue firing rockets,” added Wortzman. Tags: Hamas, rocket, Gaza Region, Eshkol Regional Council More on this topic Comment on this story 5. Hamas Threatens Israel After its Members Killed in Airstrike by Elad Benari  Hamas said on Sunday night that six of its members were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza, and its spokesman threatened to make Israel pay. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) confirmed it had launched airstrikes against nine terror targets in Gaza, including concealed rocket launchers and terrorist centers in central Gaza. Witnesses told AFP that the Hamas members were killed when a tunnel collapsed on them following the Israeli strike. Gaza health services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told the news agency that two Palestinian Arabs were killed and two others wounded in the attack east of Rafiah, but could not confirm Hamas’s statement that its members were killed. Nevertheless, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri took to Facebook to threaten Israel over the deaths. "This is a serious escalation and the enemy will pay the price," he wrote. The airstrikes that killed the Hamas members came several hours after an Israeli airstrike killed two terrorists from the Islamic Jihad group. The two were identified by the Ma’an news agency as Mazen al-Hadba and Marwan Salim. The airstrikes are an Israeli response to the endless rocket fire from Gaza. The Home Front Command and IDF announced earlier on Sunday that a total of 110 rockets have hit Israel over the past five days. Another 40 rockets were fired from Gaza on Sunday, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. Several ministers and MKs have called for Israel to retake or attack Gaza and institute a "zero tolerance" policy against terrorism over the weekend. Deputy Education Minister Avi Wortzman (Jewish Home) dismissed the notion that “restraint is power” and called on Israel to issue a harsh response to the rocket fire. "One million citizens have become hostages of Hamas and the government responds weakly. What is happening here is unacceptable. Hamas must understand that it will not pay off for it to continue firing rockets,” he told Arutz Sheva on Sunday. "The role of the state is to protect its citizens and at the moment it is doing so feebly,” he continued. “People are not willing to accept this reality. Our children’s routines are interrupted, they live in fear. Children are not our soldiers.” "They say that restraint is power. That’s not true,” said Wortzman. "Restraint is a scandal and a disregard for citizens. It's that simple.” Tags: Hamas, Gaza Region, threats, airstrikes, Sami Abu Zuhri More on this topic Comment on this story 6. Chief Rabbi Condemns Murder: 'Not the Way of the Torah' by Ari Yashar  Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi David Lau on Monday condemned the murder of Mohammed Abu Khder, an Arab teenager from Jerusalem who was found burned to death last Wednesday. Rabbi Lau's statements, made at the start of a Chief Rabbinate Council meeting, came in response to reports Monday morning that three of the six suspects who were arrested over suspicion of involvement in the murder confessed under interrogation to the murder. Security services described the six as "Jewish extremists." The murder is "not the way of the Torah," declared Rabbi Lau in sharp condemnation of the murder, which is thought to have been an act of "revenge" for the murder of three Israeli teens Eyal Yifrah, Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Sha'ar by Hamas terrorists on June 12. The rabbi also addressed the widespread violent Arab riots that have been ongoing since the murder last Wednesday, calling on Arab leaders to actively stop the escalation of violence. "There's no room to continue the spilling of blood by all sides - and there must be action to calm the public," stated Rabbi Lau. Rabbi Lau last Wednesday similarly called for restraint, saying "the discourse about revenge is wrong morally, ethically and halakhically. We have to trust that the security forces will do their job properly and not think at all about taking revenge which can lead the entire region down a dangerous path." “Our revenge will be in the punishment of the murderers and in continuing the wonderful way of uniting hearts and strengthening the Jewish faith,” added the rabbi. Since the murder, Arab rioters have violently attacked security forces and Jewish residents, and destroyed three Jerusalem Light Rail train stations; they were encouraged by Abu Khder's mother last Friday, who called for violent "revenge" against Israelis, saying such violence was "concern for the Palestinian people." Abu Khder's mother added that the rioting, which has also included multiple incidents of suspected arson terrorism and an ongoing rocket barrage from Gaza, are a form of Arab residents "exercising their rights." Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas likewise stoked the violence, as his Fatah faction immediately responded to the murder by calling for violent "revolution." More on this topic
Comment on this story 7. Escalation? IDF Armor, Infantry Gather Near Gaza by AFP and Arutz Sheva  There is tension in the political and miltary air as the possibility of a concentrated Israeli strike on Gaza is becoming more realistic in recent days. Photos by Flash 90, approved for publication by the IDF, show a gathering of tanks, APCs and ground forces, identified as a Bedouin unit, on the outskirts of Gaza. This could be a last-minute warning to Hamas that if it does not immediately desist from firing on Israel, the IDF intends to mass larger forces and use them against Gaza in a ground offensive. Israeli air strikes on Gaza killed seven Palestinian terrorists, medics said on Monday, after recovering two more bodies from a collapsed tunnel in Rafah. Two additional terrorists were missing, believed dead, in the tunnel following the strikes, which came after a day in which terrorist groups fired at least 25 rockets and mortar rounds at southern Israel. Two of the terrorists were killed east of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza in a missile strike, which came shortly before midnight, witnesses said. The IDF confirmed targeting a group of people involved in "launching rockets from central Gaza." Several hours later, two more terrorists were killed and two civilians wounded in a drone strike east of the southern city of Rafah which caused the collapse of a tunnel, emergency services spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said. The bodies of two more terrorists were pulled from the tunnel during the morning, with another two missing, he added. The armed wing of the Islamist movement Hamas, which dominates Gaza, said that in total six of of its terrorists were killed in that strike. The army confirmed a series of raids across Gaza, saying they had targeted "nine terror sites and concealed rocket launchers." In a separate drone strike in Rafah, another terrorist was critically wounded, later dying of his injuries, Qudra said. Medics said five civilians were wounded in the northern town of Beit Hanun after a rocket fired by terrorists fell short of Israel. The Israeli military said it had hit a total of 14 targets overnight. It said terrorists had fired an anti-tank missile at an army patrol by the border fence, causing no casualties. "An IDF (army) patrol was attacked along the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip. Initial indication suggests they were attacked with an RPG anti-tank missile and firearm. No injuries are currently reported," a statement said, adding that troops had returned fire. Elsewhere, a soldier was lightly wounded by shrapnel after three rockets hit the Eshkol region which flanks central and southern Gaza. Since midnight, terrorists in Gaza have fired 12 rockets at southern Israel. The Gaza clashes came as violence raged across annexed east Jerusalem and Arab towns in Israel following the kidnap and murder of a Palestinian teenager in a suspected revenge attack by Jewish extremists who burned him alive.           Tags: Rocket attacks, IDF, Gaza Region, Gaza Terror Attacks More on this topic Comment on this story 8. Knesset Speaker Asks MKs to Cool Down Rhetoric by Hezki Ezra, Gil Ronen  MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud) has sent a letter to all 119 other Knesset members and asked them to tone down their rhetoric, in view of the violent events of the last few days, and the high tension between the Jewish and Arab sectors in Israel. Edelstein asked the parliamentarians to refrain from harsh statements that could fan the flames of animosity between Arabs and Jews. Edelstein also called the father of Mohammed Khder, the 16-year-old who was cruelly murdered in what investigators say was an anti-Arab revenge attack by Jewish extremists. Edelstein expressed his anger over the murder. “We are all deeply shocked here in the Knesset by the incident, which is hard to fathom. There are no words to comfort parents who have lost their child.” Khder's father asked Edelstein to make sure that the murderers receive a just trial. Edelstein responded, saying “I promise you that justice will be done in the trial of the murderers – and that this will be a trial that they and the state will never forget.” Tags: Yuli Edelstein, mohammed abu khder More on this topic
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