Shorts: Mideast

Lengthy charges against alleged

neo-Nazis

Seven suspected members of a neo-Nazi gang operating in the Petah Tikva area were indicted on Tuesday, Sept. 11, two days after their arrests sparked a media storm in Israel and abroad over the very existence of such a group in the Jewish state. An eighth suspect is expected to be indicted soon.

The Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office revealed the lengthy charge sheet against the alleged gang members on Tuesday, including aggravated assault on the basis of racism, owning and distributing racist literature and incitement.

Alleged gang leader Arik "Eli the Nazi" Boanayev, 20, faces additional charges including delivering threats and assault leading to injury. At least one other alleged group member is facing charges of illegal weapons possession, including firearms and explosives recovered by police.

The indictment brought to light further details of the prosecution's case, claiming that the gang has been operating for at least two years. They allegedly called themselves "Patrol 35," preyed on the weak and minorities and desecrated at least two Petah Tikva synagogues. — ap




New grandchild for Olmert

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his wife Aliza welcomed their newest grandchild on Sept. 6, after their daughter's partner gave birth to a baby girl.

The prime minister's 34-year-old daughter Dana is a self-identified lesbian who lives with her life partner, Dafna Ben Zvi.

Ben Zvi gave birth to a baby girl, whom they named Amalya. The baby is the couple's first child, and the prime minister's eighth grandchild.

Dana Olmert is a researcher, critic, editor, left-wing activist and a gay rights activists. The Olmert-Ben Zvi couple has an excellent relationship with the prime minister and his wife and attend all family gatherings.— jps






Crosses sprayed on synagogue wall

Christian crosses and the words "Hitler is the messiah, long live Jesus" were spray-painted Monday, Sept. 10 on the walls of the Pahad Yitzhak synagogue in Eilat.

Worshippers decided to guard the shul until the perpetrators are caught.

Yosef Shofen, the synagogue's manager, was not surprised to find the hate slogans and crucifixes on the synagogues walls when he arrived there at 6 p.m. Monday evening. "What I read yesterday about the arrest of the neo-Nazi youths prompted me to believe that there was an escalating phenomenon among those who want to revive Hitler," he said. "Apparently these teens, almost every night, gather on our synagogue's grounds."

About a year ago a number of youths were apprehended after they spray-painted swastikas on tombstones at a cemetery in Eilat. — ynetnews




More Israelis becoming Germans

A sharp increase has been registered in the number of Israelis who choose to give up their Israeli citizenship in order to be granted German nationality. While only 30 people contacted the Israeli embassy in Berlin with a request to concede their nationality last year, 150 have already done so in 2007.

According to German law, applicants who wish to acquire German citizenship must give up their former nationality, except in cases of Jews who were persecuted by the Nazis, or of children of mixed couples in which one of the parents is German and the other is not. — ynetnews




Three step down at Israel NSC

Israeli National Security Council head Ilan Mizrachi announced Monday, Sept. 10 that he will be leaving on November 1, after holding the position for some 18 months.

His deputy, Itamar Ya'ar, and the head of the council's counterterrorism unit, Danny Arditti, will also be leaving their posts. Mizrachi said the resignations were not connected, and that Ya'ar and Arditti simply decided to leave after holding their respective positions for five years.

Mizrachi said his resignation had nothing to do with bureaucratic politics, as had been suggested in some reports, but rather because he felt he had achieved what he set out to do. — jps




Temple-era escape tunnel discovered

Archeologists uncovered the remains of an escape route used by Jews in Jerusalem during the Roman occupation.

Israel's Antiquities Authority unveiled the approximately half-mile-long tunnel discovered under the City of David, located in Jerusalem's Silwan Valley. The tunnel was designed as drainage canal for winter rains that would flood Jerusalem in the Second Temple era. — jta




Soldiers suspended over protest

Seven Israeli soldiers who refused to evacuate Jewish settlers from a disputed Hebron property were suspended.

Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni ordered the suspensions after the seven soldiers completed month-long sentences in the stockade for insubordination. The seven were jailed after balking at orders to evacuate two Israeli families who were squatting on Hebron properties claimed by Palestinians. — jta