Free Republic

TEL AVIV – Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ deputy in his ruling Fatah faction this week dismissed years of American aid amounting to several billion dollars with the declaration that the U.S. has never given anything of “substance” to the Palestinians and added that “nothing good will come from them.” “Recently we were forced to review all of our relations with the American administrations in recent years, and not just the Trump administration. We assessed that nothing good will come from them for the Palestinian people and the nation, and this is completely clear,” said Aloul in an interview with...

The Palestinians rejected US President Donald Trump’s fresh threat to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in aid on Thursday, saying peace talks are “off the table” if the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital isn’t reversed. Ahead of a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Davos, Trump said the US would no longer provide aid to the Palestinians if they refused to engage in US-brokered peace talks with Israel. He also said he’d taken Jerusalem “off the table” with his December 6 recognition of the city as Israel’s capital — a move that led the Palestinians to...

Senior Palestinian Authority leaders slammed President Donald Trump Thursday, rejecting his demand that they agree to renew final status negotiations with Israel and ‘show respect’ to the United States for the hundreds of millions of dollars a year they receive in aid. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Thursday, President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, touting the planned transfer of the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and declaring the issue of Jerusalem “off the table” in terms of final status talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. “The hardest subject they had to...

In spite of assurances by the European Union on Monday, the London-based pan-Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat reports that Europe intends to reject Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' request to recognize the PA as a state. According to diplomatic sources, the refusal stems from fear of a worsening the situation between Israel and the PA, and also in order not to appear to respond to United States President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem...

NORFOLK Nearly 20 ships were anchored off Cape Charles early last week, most if not all of them colliers waiting to pick up coal destined for ports all over the world. Just a couple of years ago, you might have seen only a few vessels at a time in the same location. Not any more. They’re back. Hampton Roads is the biggest coal-exporting port in the country. Baltimore is right behind it. And they’re both in the vanguard of what appears to be a U.S. coal-export revival. Between 2016 and 2017, coal exports from Hampton Roads have surged by 58.8...

Four former senior US officials claimed Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu offered the Obama administration a two-state solution in which Israel annexed the settlement blocs in Judea and Samaria in exchange for land in northern Sinai, next to Gaza, Haaretz reported. According to the officials, Netanyahu told then-US President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of State John Kerry that he was sure Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi would agree to to the plan. However, when the US looked into the idea, they received a negative response. Netanyahu's office has denied this report, claiming it "is not accurate." In November 2017, Social...

Pennsylvania is struggling with the legalization of medical marijuana and the Federal prohibition of marijuana use.The state police have quoted federal law as prohibiting people who legally use marijuana under state law, from purchasing firearms under federal law. Medical marijuana users may be denied a Pennsylvania license to carry firearms. From the Pennsylvania State Police website: If you are holder of a Medical Marijuana Card, it is important that you know: It is unlawful for you to attempt to purchase a firearm under Federal law and you will be denied during your Pennsylvania State Police background check, due to...

It’s a new year and medical marijuana is finding its way into the Keystone State. That’s not particularly remarkable since it’s a trend which has taken root in plenty of states around the nation. But Pennsylvania gun owners are now facing the same conundrum threatening to plague their fellow Second Amendment enthusiasts in other states where either medical or recreational pot has been legalized. The Pennsylvania State Police are telling everyone with both a firearm and a medical marijuana card to prepare to find a way to “dispose” of their guns. (CBS Pittsburgh)

The Palestinian Authority and PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah Party have been airing a music video promoting suicide attacks, a nonprofit monitoring the Palestinian media reported on Wednesday. A music video recently making the rounds on Palestinian social media contains lyrics saying the Al Aqsa Mosque “is calling” and “life is insignificant … God, grant us Martyrdom.” “A million grooms and brides … will have written the marriage contract in blood,” the lyrics say, using language directly linked to suicide bombings. The video featured the photos of two suicide bombers who murdered three Israelis and wounded 128. The video has...

So it’s come to this. The PA (Palestinian Authority) is upset with us…so upset that its leaders are threatening to cut ties with us here in the United States. All that started soon after President Trump delivered on his promise to name Jerusalem the capital of Israel…to which we can only say Amen. Come to think of it, this is actually the tenth time the Palestinian Arabs have made that threat…but who’s counting? More to the point – who cares? Is there a downside to this? I see nothing but good. Are we supposed to be afraid? I think Freud...

The Trump administration chastised the Palestinian Authority on Sunday, expressed regret that PA leaders would not meet with Vice President Mike Pence during his upcoming visit to Israel this month, following President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last week and plans to relocate the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Ahead of President Trump’s declaration Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority warned that such a move would mark the end of any hopes for a negotiated settlement between Israel and the PA during the Trump administration. Following Trump’s statement last week, the PA announced that Vice President Mike Pence,...

The Palestinian Authority (PA) delegation to the United Nations on Thursday lodged a complaint at the Security Council against the United States, in response to President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Haaretz reported. The delegation requested that the Security Council declare Trump's decision to be against international law and to work toward reversing...

One year ago this month, former President Barack Obama's administration was working behind the scenes at the United Nations to slip a resolution through the body’s General Assembly attacking Israel. It was one of Obama’s final, sneaky, and reprehensible acts in office. It put an exclamation point on his long, nasty, personal feud with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Previously, our president had gone so far as to interfere in an Israeli election and then unleashed his minions when Netanyahu had the gall to accept an invitation to address Congress. Fast forward to this Wednesday, Netanyahu was thanking Obama’s successor...

Former Intelligence Operative Says Author of Phoenix Memo Endangered His Life By Jacques Billeaud Associated Press Writer Published: May 23, 2002 PHOENIX (AP) - A former U.S. intelligence operative alleges in a court document that the FBI agent who wrote the memo warning about Arabs training in U.S. fight schools endangered his life three years ago by blowing his cover. Two Arizona congressmen and a former U.S. senator made inquiries on Harry Ellen's behalf about his complaints about the agency and Special Agent Kenneth Williams. The FBI reviewed the complaints but determined they did not warrant an investigation. Williams has...

Egyptian Daily Close To Egyptian Intelligence Reveals Minutes Of Secret Palestinian Authority Meeting With John Kerry, Susan Rice; U.S.-Palestinian Coordination On UNSC 2334; Rice Says Trump Administration's Policy Will Be 'Dangerous' In mid-December 2016, a Palestinian Authority (PA) delegation met in Washington with officials from the outgoing Obama administration for secret talks. On December 27, the Egyptian daily Al-Youm Al-Sabi', which is close to Egyptian intelligence services, published an exposé of the minutes of the secret talks. According to the report, by Ahmed Gomaa, the Palestinian delegation included PLO Executive Committee secretary and negotiating team leader Saeb Erekat; Palestinian...

...that the PA is freezing all contacts with the United States over last week's announcement by Washington that it will close the representative office of the PA and PLO in Washington, DC under law unless the PA resumes serious negotiations with Israel. PA Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Malki told AFP.“In practice by closing the office they are freezing all meetings and we are making that official.” A spokesman for the PLO confirms that it had received instructions from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas “regarding closing down all communication lines with the Americans.”

Noam Arnon, the Spokesman for the Jewish Community of Hevron, participated in the conference hosted by Arutz Sheva and the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce held at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, and came with a message. “We spoke today about the future of Israel, and America, and the whole region. I want to say one thing: Sovereignty is responsibility. A two-state solution is a destruction.” “Sovereignty is responsibility for the people of Israel - and the Arabs. Most of the Arabs, when I talk to them, say that they want Israeli sovereignty. It sounds strange, but if you...

CHESTER CITY, Pa. (YC) – A shooting victim managed to escape death twice in a matter of minutes after being shot and crawling out of his vehicle when it burst into flames Sunday morning. The incident happened just after 2:40 a.m. when Chester City Police responded to reports of a shooting at 4th and Highland streets in Chester. The victim was able to get in his car after being shot in an attempt to drive himself to the hospital, according to police. Shortly after, he collapsed behind the wheel due to the gunshot wound. The man then crashed his vehicle...

A mark-up vote on the Taylor Force Act is expected to pass with broad bipartisan support, clearing the way for full vote on the House floor. A congressional bill that would compel the Palestinian Authority to end its compensation program for the families of convicted terrorists in Israel with the threat of an aid cut will reach a critical vote in the House Foreign Affairs Committee next Wednesday. A mark-up vote on the Taylor Force Act is expected to pass with broad bipartisan support, clearing the way for full vote on the House floor. Be the first to know -...

On 28 October, 2017, for two hours, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., there was a gun turn in event in York, Pennsylvania. It did not attract many people. It has been reported that 36 guns were turned in.From ydr.com:“I have no use for it and I just wanted to get rid of it,” he said of the Ruger. Plus, he said, he has two grandchildren and figured turning in the gun was the best way to eliminate any chance they could access the pistol. That handgun was one of 36 guns York City Police collected over a two-hour...