NEWS ABOUT ISRAEL THAT YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO FIND IN THE MEDIA

 

·        Israel is making a major effort to maintain the fabric of civilian life in Gaza despite the situation of current hostilities.  Today , 18^th November, the Kerem Shalom Crossing was opened for humanitarian aid and eighty truckloads of food and medical supplies were transferred. There are no food shortages in Gaza, only the entry of weaponry or dual-use building materials are banned.

 

·        Israel is continuing to supply five million cubic metres of water to Gaza despite the continuing rocket attacks on Israeli civilian areas.

 

·         Israel is supplying 125 megawatts of electricity to Gaza from the power station in Ashkelon.  Israel Electricity Company workers are in constant danger as they repair cables and installations that have been damaged by Gazan rocket attacks while having to wear helmets and flack-jackets to protect themselves from fire from the very people for whom they are trying to maintain a supply of electricity.  Soldiers have to be called in to protect the workers from gunmen from Gaza as they work.  Gaza, however, continues to suffer from power outages due to a deliberate policy of Hamas which opposes the importation of fuel from Israel.

 

·         With the remarkable success rate of interceptions, the Israeli developed “Iron Dome” system is attracting attention from many corners of the globe.  Here are a few facts about the system: Cost of project approximately, $0.65 billion; cost per interceptor, $50,000 (note that 2 are fired for each planned interception): success rate currently 90% over 265 missiles intercepted.

(From Haifa Diary)

·       During the last few days, Hamas terrorists have fired more than 100 rockets and missiles per day at Israeli cities.  Israel launched operation Pillar of Defense to destroy the terrorists’ launching points and rockets.  Footage broadcast by Hamas on its Al-Aqsa TV, documents what Israel has been reporting – that Hamas is launching its rockets from residential areas, near civilian homes, essentially using the civilians as human-shields.  In the past, Hamas has expressed pride in its  policy of  using civilians as human shields and during the Gaza War (2008 – 2009) eye-witnesses explained how they became human shields when Hamas used their property as a launching site for rockets.

            Click on:  http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=8024 for more information and pictures.

(Palestinian Media Watch)

·       The President of Ghana recently congratulated the Israeli government for sending in experts in a rescue mission to help rescue people who had been trapped under the debris of a collapsed shopping mall. Madam Sharon Bar-Li, the Israeli Ambassador, led the eight-member team plus a sniffer-dog and a great deal of technical equipment. Due to their efforts many of those trapped were rescued. Israel decided to help because they have experts in this field and have already sent such rescue teams to countries all over the world. Just before sitting down to write this, a rocket, fired from Gaza which was intended to hit Jerusalem, landed instead on the outskirts of Bethlehem. Israel’s first action was to offer rescue and medical help if needed!

·        In spite of the current situation, Israeli hospitals continue to treat dozens of patients of all ages who come to Israel from Gaza to get healthcare that is unavailable to them there, and are making provisions for accompanying persons. “We at Rambam Medical Centre are taking care of sick children and adults, and we are not looking at their religion or where they come from. At the moment, we have four – a baby girl in the nephrology department, two children in oncology and an adult in urology,” Rambam director-general Prof.  Rafael Beyar said. “Family members accompanied them,” he said. “It’s absurd that we are doing this at the same time Israelis are being attacked, but there is no other way. We are used to it. We are very far from politics.”  Beyar also said that he had received no reports of any tension among Jewish and Arab personnel in his medical centre. “We are used to working together to save lives.”  Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centre said 50 patients and their accompanying relatives from Gaza are now hospitalized – both children and adults. Most of them are cancer patients. The relatives live in the hospital’s hotel, and there is a hospital employee who serves as a contact person and helps them.

http://www.jpost.com/Health/Article.aspx?id=292503

·        How fortunate that due to the constant rocket attacks, all Ashkelon schools were closed at the time that a rocket landed in this classroom.