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July 23, 2017 at 9:01 am
New York state has raised the age of marriage to 17 in an effort to prevent child marriage.
The change took effect Thursday, a month after lawmakers voted to rewrite a state law that had allowed children as young as 14 to legally wed.
Under the new rules, an individual aged 17 must receive judicial approval before marrying.
New York had been one of only three states that allowed 14-year-olds to marry, the others being North Carolina and Alaska.
More than 3,800 minors were married in New York between 2000 and 2010. Supporters of the new rules say child brides are often forced to give up economic and educational opportunities and are frequently the victims of domestic violence.
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July 23, 2017 at 9:01 am
The Trump administration will ban American citizens from traveling to North Korea, U.S. officials said Friday, following the death of university student Otto Warmbier who died in June after falling into a coma in a North Korean prison.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had decided to impose “geographic travel restriction” for North Korea, the officials said, which would make it illegal to use U.S. passports to enter the country. They said the restriction would go into effect 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register, but it was not immediately clear when that would be. There was no announcement in Friday’s editions of the government publication.
The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss the decision before it is announced and spoke on condit...
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July 23, 2017 at 5:58 am
Headlines compare Salomon family murders to deaths of violent Arab rioters in clashes with Israeli forces.
US news outlets appeared to whitewash the horrific terror attack in the Samaria community of Neve Tzuf (Halamish) on Friday night.
In that attack, Yosef Salomon, 71, and his two children Haya, 46, and Elad, 36, were stabbed to death by a 19-year-old Arab terrorist after the evening Shabbat (Sabbath) meal as they were preparing a traditional "Shalom Zachor" celebration for the birth of a new grandson.
Headlines at major US outlets appeared to lump the attack together with Arab riots in eastern Jerusalem allegedly over Israel’s placement of metal detectors on the Temple Mount. On Friday, PA media had reported the deaths of at least 3 Arab rioters in clashes with Isra...
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July 22, 2017 at 11:27 pm
The end of parshas Matos details the conquering and settling of the east side of the Jordan River by the tribes of Reuvein, Gad and half of Menasheh. The very last pasuk recounts Novach's capture of a series of cities and subsequently naming them after himself, Novach. Rashi dwells on the words "vayikra lah Novach" which should have featured a mapik heh in the word lah. He explains that the word is without a mapik heh, therefore rendering it "softer," because the name of that city did not endure.
Rav Hirsch writes that if Novach's naming of this city did not last, surely there must be a reason, some deficiency in his actions. He explains that while it is the way of the nations to have cities named after oneself, this is not typical practice among B'nei Yisrael. It puts undu...
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July 22, 2017 at 11:06 pm
The murderous slaughter of innocent people during a Shalom Zachor in the Shomron community of N’vei Tzuf (Chalamish) reminds us of other horrific acts of terror be Islamic terrorists, such as the slaughter of the Fogel family HY”D of Yishuv Itamar. Five members of that family were butchered in their home R”L.
In this latest attack, the lone terrorist, identified as 19-year-old Omar al-Abed arrived from a nearby village on foot, walking 2.5 kilometers and then entering the community and passing a number of homes until he entered the home near the outer perimeter of the community. There was no hesitation, as the note he left for his family members stated he expressed sorrow that he will not see them ago, on his way to “Gan Edan”.
He ...
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July 22, 2017 at 11:03 pm
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday he assumes that Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive.
"I think that he's alive, and I'll believe otherwise when we know we've killed him. But we're going after him … we assume he's alive," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon, according to Reuters.
There have been conflicting reports about the fate of the ISIS leader. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier this month claimed it had "confirmed information" that al-Baghdadi has been killed, citing high-level ISIS commanders.
In response, U.S. Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, who heads the international coalition fighting ISIS, said he had heard "all kinds of reporting" about Baghdadi's status but&nb...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:54 pm
PM Netanyahu, President Rivlin respond to Friday's terror attack. Rivlin: Now is when the free world should stand up and denounce terror.
In a Saturday night statement, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu expressed "deep sorrow over Friday night's murder of three family members in the community of Halamish."
"This was an act of terrorism committed by a beast incited by wild hatred," he wrote."The security forces are doing their utmost to maintain security and, to this end, will take all necessary measures."
Also on Saturday night, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin attempted to comfort the bereaved families and community.
"At this difficult time our hearts go out to the bereaved family in Halamish, and to all the community there, after the incomprehensible loss they ...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:47 pm
PA chairman freezes contacts with Israel over its new security measures at the Temple Mount.
Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced on Friday he was freezing contacts with Israel over its new security measures at the Temple Mount.
Abbas said in a speech that the freeze would stay in place until Israel lifted the measures, reported the AFP news agency.
"I, on behalf of the Palestinian leadership, announce... a freeze of all contacts with the occupation state on all levels until Israel commits to cancelling all the measures against our Palestinian people in general and Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque in particular," Abbas announced, to applause from Palestinian officials.
Abbas called the measures "falsely presented as a security measure to take control ...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:46 pm
Wife of one of the Halamish victims manages to lock her children in a room during the attack.
When the terrorist burst into a house in Neve Tzuf (Halamish) and started stabbing those assembled, the wife of one of those killed managed to lock five children into a room and call the Police. Her quick thinking likely stopped the body count from being even higher.
According to reports, as soon as the woman saw the terrorist enter, she shoved five children into a side room, saving them from the terrorist onslaught. Meanwhile, a soldier on leave from the elite Oketz K-9 special forces unit heard what was going on and shot the terrorist through the window, ending the attack in progress.
"I operated instinctively" said A., whose name cannot be revealed due to the sensitive unit in ...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:44 pm
Hamas says attack in Halamish was justified in wake of Israel's action at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Hamas terrorist organization welcomed Friday evening’s terrorist attack in the Shomron community of Halamish, in which three Israelis were murdered in the middle of their Shabbat dinner.
The organization said in a statement said that "the heroic attack came in the wake of Israel's violation of the rights of our people in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Omar al-Abed, a 19-year-old from the Palestinian Arab village of Kaubar, was identified as the terrorist who broke into a home in Halamish, murdering three people and wounding a fourth moderately-to-seriously. He was shot by a neighbor and seriously wounded.
It was revealed after the attack that al-Abed ide...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:43 pm
UN Secretary-General sends condolences to bereaved families, calls on 'both sides' to 'refrain' from 'further escalating' the 'situation.'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday released a statement the murderous stabbing attack in the Israeli town of Halamish.
"The Secretary-General conveys his condolences to the bereaved and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured," Guterres' spokesperson said in a statement. "He reiterates that the sanctity of religious sites should be respected as places for reflection, not violence."
The statement also called on both sides to "refrain from any actions or words that could further escalate an already volatile situation."
Earlier on Friday, Guterres expressed "concern" over the Arab rioter...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:43 pm
Defense Minister, Chief of Staff visit bereaved town, call on PA Chairman Abbas, UN Secretary-General to condemn Friday's terror attack.
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot on Saturday evening visited the Samaria town of Neve Tzuf (Halamish) and the home in which a terrorists murdered four family members on Friday night.
Afterwards, Liberman held a special meeting in the Judea and Samaria Command Center.
Both Liberman and Eizenkot also participated in a meeting with COGAT Yoav Mordechai, Military Intelligence Directorate Head Major General Herzi Halevi, Commander of IDF Central Command Roni Numa, Judea and Samaria Division Commander Brigadier General Lior Carmeli, Shabak (Israel Security Agency) representatives, and...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:42 pm
Israeli UN Ambassador Danon calls on UN to condemn terror attack, British Minister compares murder to Temple Mount security precautions.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon responded to Friday's terror attack, in which a terrorist entered a family's home, killing three Israelis and wounding a fourth.
"The hateful incitement and glorification of violence by the Palestinian Authority has led to the murder of innocent Israelis, stabbed to death in their homes," Danon said. "The Security Council must immediately condemn this despicable terror attack."
"The international community must demand that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and the PA put an end to these heinous attacks and stop their ongoing encouragement of violence."
"I deplore the ...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:42 pm
President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has “complete power” to issue pardons, an assertion that comes amid investigations into Russian interference in last year’s presidential election. It was one of many topics that appeared to occupy the president’s mind as the day broke.
On a day when most people are ready to forget about the issues that nagged them during the week, Trump revved up. In an early morning flurry of 10 tweets, he commented about pardons, former presidential rival Hillary Clinton, son Don Jr., health care, the USS Gerald Ford, the attorney general and other issues.
Trump said in one of his 10 messages: “While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Jewish Home chairman explains why Israel must keep the magnetometers at the entrance to the Temple Mount.
Jewish Home chairman and Education Minister Naftali Bennett explained in an interview with the BBC on Friday that the decision to leave the metal detectors at the entrance to the Temple Mount was made in order “to defend everyone who wants to worship on the Temple Mount.”
The interview was conducted hours before Friday’s deadly stabbing attack in the Samaria community of Halamish.
“The only way that we can defend ourselves is by placing those metal detectors and I think that you’ll realize that there are metal detectors in the Vatican, there are metal detectors in the Western Wall, at Westminster, in Mecca…there’s ...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:30 pm
YESHA Council demands Israeli government deal harshly with terror, insist on security for Israeli citizens.
YESHA Council Heads responded on Saturday night to Friday's terror attack, in which a terrorist murdered three victims and wounded a fourth. In their response, the Judea and Samaria leaders called on Israel to strengthen their will to live.
"We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of the murdered, and to the town of Neve Tzuf (Halamish), which experienced such a horrific and unbearable Shabbat (Sabbath)," the Council said.
"We demand the Israeli government not give in to Palestinian terror, and deal harshly with the incitement in Arab neighborhoods."
"We must stand up for our right to sovereignty and security in Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount, an...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Residents of bereaved Samaria town demand government bring immediate end to incitement, murder, and terror.
Residents of Neve Tzuf (Halamish) released an official response to Friday night's terror attack, which occurred in their town.
Three Israelis were murdered and a fourth wounded in the attack, which was perpetrated by a 19-year-old terrorist.
"Last night a celebration of life was turned into a blood bath when a terrorist took the lives of Yosef Salomon, 70, and his children Haya, 46, and Elad, 36 three innocent people sitting at their dining table," the statement said.
"The Salomon family were celebrating the birth of a new grandson with friends and family when the terrorist entered their home."This is not the first time that our community has been struck by terror...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Victims include 36-year-old father of 5, his 46-year-old sister, and their 70-year-old father.
The names of those killed in Friday's terror attack in Neve Tzuf (Halamish) are Yosef Salomon (70), and his children Haya (46) and Elad (36). Their identities had been under a gag order until Saturday night.
The Salomon family, residents of Neve Tzuf in the Binyamin region, had been celebrating the birth of a new grandchild Fridaynight, when 19 year old Omer al-Ebed burst in, stabbing and killing the grandfather Yosef and his children.
Elad's wife locked the children in a side room, likely saving the grisly body count from rising.
An off duty soldier from the Oketz K-9 unit realized what was underway and fired through the windrow, hitting Al-Abed and stopping the ...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:23 pm
MK Lapid says Israel's biggest problem is the amount of violence coming from the Palestinian Authority, says PA should work with Israel.
Opposition MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) on Saturday night spoke to The Israel Project about Friday's terror attack, in which a 19-year-old terrorist killed three Israelis and wounded a fourth during their Shabbat (Sabbath) meal, the Jerusalem Post reported.
"The biggest problem right now is the volume of incitement coming from the PA and numerous speakers in the Arab world and Israel," Lapid said, noting that the metal detectors recently placed on the Temple Mount "did not come in a vacuum" and are a "direct result" of July 14's terror attack.
In the terror attack, which took place on the Temple Mount, three terrorists murde...
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July 22, 2017 at 10:21 pm
Joseph Rago, a 34-year-old Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal, was found dead at his home on Thursday evening. Police officers discovered Mr. Rago’s body at his apartment in Manhattan at around 8 p.m. after a request to check on him, a spokeswoman for the New York Police Department said.
“It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the death of Joseph Rago, a splendid journalist and beloved friend,” Paul Gigot, the editor of The Journal’s editorial page, said in a statement. “Joe and his family are in our thoughts and prayers, and we will be celebrating his work in Saturday’s paper.”
Mr. Gigot had notified the newspaper’s security officials after Mr. Rago did not appear at work on Thursday, according to an...
