Israel News:
Former MK Basel Ghattas will begin to serve his two-year prison sentence. In April was found guilty of smuggling cellular devices to prisoners in Israeli prisons who were terrorists and convicted murderers. He was also fined 120,000 shekels. Ghattas remains unrepentant and considers his actions humanitarian.
Hamas punishes the PA by not letting PA officials leave Gaza. This is in retaliation for the PA electricity cutoff in Gaza. Hamas is the de facto boss in Gaza since 2007 after a forceful and bloody takeover wresting control of Gaza from the PA. Abu Mazen’s electricity cut off to Gaza was meant to make the Hamas rethink their position. Besides, Abu Mazen doesn’t want to pay the bills of a rival organization.
The US aircraft carrier SS George H.W. Bush docked in Haifa port as a show of strengthening US-Israel relations. It‘s 333 meters long, can cruise at more than 30 knots, and can carry over 5,000 people; part are ship crew, part for the aircraft. There is a vast array of various aircraft on the carrier.
2 more Syrian mortars landed in Israel over Shabbat bringing the total number this past week to 18 projectiles. The area they were aiming for is the Jordanian/ Syrian border controlled by rebels. An IDF spokesman said the IDF is not a side in the battles but will vigorously defend itself against any threat to its citizens and farmers. We hold the Assad regime responsible.
A Syrian missile fell in Jordan, according to the Jordanian military. The Syrians launched an airstrike against rebels and shot missiles and mortars at them. A missile started a fire, one Jordanian citizen got injured.
The Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons publicized their report on Friday, confirming what everyone knew; that the Syrians used sarin gas and killed 90 people when attacking rebels in Khan Sheikhoun on April 4. Syrian Foreign Ministry denied using the gas and said the report is 'the creation of a sick mind.’
World news:
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his wife Sara came to Strasbourg for the funeral of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. They walked to the European Parliament building for the funeral instead of driving in honor of the Shabbat. Though invited to speak at the funeral, in honor of Shabbat he declined but he did visit the Strasbourg Community Synagogue. He spoke about preserving our heritage and ensuring the existence of Israel.
In a Little Rock, Arkansas, nightclub, 17 people were injured in a shooting. Local police say that the incident is not of terrorist nature rather it is criminal.
Kyrgystan snowstorm rescue: On Shabbat a helicopter rescued Israeli hikers trapped in a Kyrgyzstan snowstorm.
Security event at DeGaulle airport in Paris: At Charles de Gaulle Airport people were evacuated from Terminal 2F. No one was forewarned or told why they had to evacuate. Later, security forces announced that a security event took place and they evacuated people to comply with security rules.
Trump has no patience for North Korea: During talks with South Korea's new leader Moon Jae-In at the White House this past Friday, President Trump stated the U.S. had “run out of patience” with North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. “Together, (with South Korea) we are facing the threat of the reckless and brutal regime in North Korea. The nuclear and ballistic missile programs of that regime require a determined response…The North Korean dictatorship has no regard for the safety and security of its people, for its neighbors and has no respect for human life,” said the president.