[Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News] Zvi's news roundup ~ EoZ

Friday, March 28, 2014

[Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News] Zvi's news roundup

From Zvi:

"Evil Rightwing Settler University" Ariel University Plans Muslim Prayer Room

Ariel University, located in Samaria and "boycotted" according to EU guidelines for being over the 1949 Armistice line, has started a new initiative: a prayer room for Muslim Arab students.Roughly 600 Arab students are enrolled at the Samaria-based university, which has sustained that number since at least 2011. The Arab students make up roughly a fifth of the student body. Nevertheless, MK Ahmed Tibi (Raam-Taal) refused interviews with students of the university's communications department last November, calling them a "settler station."An Arab student who led the initiative stated "we obligated ourselves not to hold any political activity in the prayer room. We really don't intend to hold political activities or incitement of any kind. ...If we wanted to incite, we would have done that a long time ago."Ariel University's chancellor in 2012 emphasized only students loyal to Israel were accepted, noting that every student, Jew or Arab, is required to take a course in Judaism, Zionism or Israel each semester."If the university opposed the process, it would have harmed the principle of equality, and we could have even taken it to the Supreme Court," noted an Arab student. "We were glad that our request was received immediately and we were told that the process is underway."

#BDSFail

Today's BDSFail's come from China, Intel, Windsor (update) and Georgia.

Number of Chinese Tourists to Surge 60% this Year (Haaretz)

The Tourism Ministry forecasts that the number of Chinese visitors will surge 60% this year to 40,000 as Israel tries to take a bigger bite into the more than $100 billion that Chinese tourists spend annually.

Intel to invest $15M in OrCam

OrCam's [smartglasses] product helps blind and visually-impaired customers by using audio feedback to relay visual information.OrCam’s system uses a small wearable computer that is clipped onto a pair of glasses. With the help of a five-megapixel camera, the computer uses audio feedback to relay visual information that the user can’t see. Priced at $2,500, the device can read text, and with the help of the user it can be taught to recognize faces and objects.

University of Windsor Update (Windsor Star)

The issue was scheduled for discussion at a UWSA council meeting Thursday night.Prior to the meeting, UWSA president Rob Crawford said: “In my opinion, we cannot ratify (the referendum) because it was not legitimate.”

Meanwhile, true to form, the BDS crowd are making inflammatory statements claiming that pro-Israel national politicians are responsible for this #BDSFail.

Most of the comments beneath the article are severely critical of the BDS crowd.

Israeli Innovation in Community Policing (JPost)

“I think this program should be studied by police departments from around the world,” [Robert R. Friedman, director of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange and professor emeritus of criminal justice at Georgia State University] said. “Virtually every department I have brought to Israel has adopted a number of elements in Israel’s model with great success.”

Russia/Kazakhstan/Belarus/Israel free trade zone process continues (ITAR-TASS)

Honestly, I think that the point of ITAR-TASS's publishing this story was to piss off Obama and the EU.

Now we know why Turkey is making noises about reinstating ties with Israel

Amid reports that Turkey and Israel may be on the verge ofreconciling ties, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon approved plans by Turkey to construct a hospital in the Gaza Strip, authorities announced on Thursday.

But don't expect gratitude from Arabs (Arutz Sheva)

On Friday, two local Arabs were captured by the IDF after they breached the Gaza security fence. The two were heading towards Israel for intents that remain unclear.

Palestinian Honor Killings Skyrocket, Israel Blamed

Here's a suggestion for the Palestinians. Stop killing your girls.

When this trend became apparent last year, the Palestinian Minister of Women’s Affairs, Rabiha Diab, blamed….Israel: “The Israeli occupation is the one practising the utmost violence … it’s the main thing keeping us from advancing.”I would argue that the main thing keeping them from advancing is their refusal to take responsibility for anything, and to blame Israel reflexively no matter what.

(Thanks, Zvi, but that was written by me! - EoZ)

Quirky

Violin Virtuoso Yitzchak Perlman on Israel (HuffPo Interview)

The interviewer gets to Israel in the last 3rd of the interview.