LIFE’S a beach in Israel … while most of Europe shivered under freezing temperatures and was blanketed in snow, Israel was enjoying a winter heat wave with temperatures reaching more than 25 degrees Celsius.
The beaches were packed as many people were enjoyed the surprise return to summer weather.
Motorcyclists block the Ayalon Freeway in Tel Aviv on November 15. Photo: Isranet
TEL AVIV — Hundreds of motorcyclists blocked the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on November 15 in protest at the Israeli Finance Ministry’s decision to raise insurance rates for two-wheeled vehicles.
As the new higher rates came into effect, motorcyclists from around the country converged on Tel Aviv’s Bloomfield Stadium for a protest rally.
The motorcyclists say that higher insurance will force them off the roads and they will trade their bikes in for cars, and further clog up the roads.
A huge flower carpet composed of 500,000 flowers went on display in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv as part of the city’s 100th birthday celebrations.
Working on the ornate flower display in Rabin Square, Tel Aviv. Photo: Isranet
TEL AVIV — A huge flower carpet composed of 500,000 flowers went on display in Rabin Square opposite the Tel Aviv municipality last week.
The flower carpet is a tribute from the city of Brussels to Tel Aviv-Yafo on the occasion of the centennial celebrations.
Freddy Thielemans, Mayor of Brussels, and Benedicte Frankinet, Ambassador of Belgium attended a festive inauguration of the flower carpet on September 17.
The carpet’s design, by Adi Yekutieli, is an homage to the history of Tel Aviv and was inspired by tiles and murals found in the homes of several city founders.
The 500,000 dahlia flowers, each 20 centimetres in diameter, were laid over the course of seven hours by 100 volunteers, mostly municipal workers, who worked under the supervision of a special team of experts from Brussels.
ISRANET
Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav arrives at the Tel Aviv District Court … facing charges of sexual harassment and rape. Photo: Isranet
VERED LUVITCH
TEL AVIV — The Tel Aviv District Court has allowed partial records detailing the opening arguments of both the prosecution and the defence in the Katsav case to be published.
Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav is facing multiple charges of sexual harassment and rape against former female employees of the Office of the President and the Tourism Ministry.
The trial was ruled a closed-door proceeding. The majority of testimonies and evidence presented to the court are likely to remain sealed.
The State’s opening argument on Monday described how Katsav abused his high-ranking positions to systematically molest his subordinates, while ensuring they remain silent.
“The State will prove that the defendant systematically used his position to allure his employees, pay them special interest, flatter them and make each of them feel as if they were ‘chosen’ by the ‘big boss,’” said the prosecution.
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TORONTO – The co-director of an international film festival showcasing Tel Aviv said the city “remains contested ground”
In an open letter in response to a protest by dozens of celebrities protesting the Toronto International Film Festival’s decision to showcase the city of Tel Aviv, festival co-director Cameron Bailey wrote that spotlighting Tel Aviv was “not a simple choice and that the city remains contested ground. We continue to learn more about the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement”.
Mourners in Jerusalem's Zion Square on August 2, 2009 pay tribute to the Israelis killed at the Tel Aviv gay community centre. Photo: JTA
JERUSALEM — Tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated in solidarity with Israel’s gay community at a rally in Tel Aviv.
The Saturday night rally also was a show of support for the victims of last week’s shooting at a Tel Aviv community centre for gay and lesbian youth in which two people were killed and a dozen wounded.
Israeli President Shimon Peres addressed the crowd, which organizers put at 70,000, but police estimated at 20,000.
“The bullets that hit the gay community at the beginning of the week struck us all as people, as Jews, as Israelis,” said Peres.
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CARTOONIST Kron comments on the tragic shooting attack on a Tel Aviv community centre for gay and lesbian teenagers and young adults.
PETER KOHN
AN 89-year old Melbourne woman is mourning the death of her great-nephew, who was one of the victims of a shooting rampage at a Tel Aviv centre for gays.
For Tema Alexander of Caulfield, the murder of Nir Katz is a double tragedy, as her nephew, Ram Katz, Nir’s father, died in an operational accident in the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) 19 years ago.
Ram was killed in what came to be known as the ‘Tze’elim disaster’ in 1990, in which five soldiers were killed during training, when Nir was seven years old. Read the full story
FOR most Australians, the biggest issue currently facing the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is how to deal with the execrable radio jock Kyle Sandilands following the “lie detector” stunt on Sydney radio last week.
But the Jewish community has a serious issue of its own, the apparent watering down late last year of broadcasting regulations to the point where Hezbollah TV station al-Manar can now broadcast into Australia.
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