IDF Operation Protective Edge - August 20, 2014

Newest updates will be at the top. To refresh [F5 key]



11:25pm The amazing J.E. Dyer does an in-depth analysis of the idiocies of the Port of Oakland BDS protest..

http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/anti-israel-bds-nuttery-at-the-port-of-oakland/2014/08/20/

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11:06 Rocket Alert Ashkelon
11:05pm Multiple Rocket Alerts... Ashdod... Sderot...Ashkelon

10:17pm Rocket Alert Kerem Shalom

9:05pm Rocket Alert Hof Ashkelon
8:50pm Rocket Alert Beeri


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8:29pm Updated Post: The tentative timing for the funeral for IDF Lone Soldier David Gordon - tomorrow (Thursday) at Har Herzl at 4:00 pm. 

The family will be sitting shiva at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel (across from the great synagogue) through Motzei Shabbat. 

We will try to update if there are any changes.

May his memory be a blessing.


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8:18PM I'm trying to imagine Netanyahu right now...

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/egypt-warns-us-to-exercise-restraint-in-missouri/2014/08/20/

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8:12pm Rocket Alert Eshkol Region

7:47pm A Hamas spokesperson has warned airlines to not fly into Ben-Gurion starting 6am tomorrow (Wednesday), according to a YNet report. It's actually things like that that makes Israel hit Hamas even harder.

7:46pm Rocket Alert Eshkol Region

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7:40pm We're going to guess that Deif may have been eliminated today, and that's why there are more rockets than usual.

7:37pm At around 5:20pm today Hamas claims to have targeted the Noa offshore gas rig. Is that a war crime?

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7:36pm Rocket Alert Kerem Shalom

7:33pm Rocket Alert Ashkelon

7:29pm Rocket Alerts Eshkol Region

7:23pm Rocket Alerts Hof Ashkelon... Sha'ar Hanegev

7:15pm Rocket Alert Eshkol Region

7:13pm Multiple Rocket alerts Sderot... Sha'ar HaNegev

7:10pm Rocket Alerts Sderot... Sha'ar HaNegev

7:04pm Hof Ashkelon

7:00pm As of right now, there have been 140 Rocket alerts today.

6:47pm More rockets to Gush Dan and Shfela areas

6:42pm Barrage to Ashkelon... Hoff Ashkelon..
6:41pm Multiple Rocket Alerts Beer Sheva... Ashkelon


6:32pm The tentative timing for the funeral for IDF Lone Soldier David Gordon - tomorrow (Thursday) at Har Herzl at 5:00 pm. The family will be sitting shiva at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel (across from the great synagogue) through motzei shabbat. We will try to update if there are any changes.
May his memory be a blessing.

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6:30pm Israeli sources assess that the senior Hamas terrorist Mohammad Deif was indeed assassinated in an IDF Acton last night in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza. In the action three people were killed, including Deif's wife and daughter; however, a Hamas spokesman issued a denial today and claimed that Deif himself was not injured in the bombing.

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6:01pm Rocket Alert Beeri
5:55pm Beer Sheva
5:54pm Multiple Rocket Alerts Beer Sheva... Sha'ar HaNegev
5:42pm Rocket Alerts Hof Ashkelon
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4:23pm ZIM wins, but all the cargo companies may start to look for safer ports if Oakland doesn't start standing up to the anarchists.

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/blocktheboat-epicfail-as-zim-unloads/2014/08/20/

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4:39pm Rocket Alert Kerem Shalom
4:28pm Rocket Alert Sha'ar Hanegev
4:21 Multiple Rocket Alerts Sha'ar HaNegev
3:51pm Multiple Rocket alerts Beer Sheva... and the Negev...
3:49pm Eshkol Region
3:20 pm Multiple alerts Ashkelon
3:04 pm Multiple rocket alerts Hof Ashkelon

2:59 pm Rocket alert Shaar HaNegev
2:55 pm Rocket alert Kissufim (Eshkol region) x2
2:53 pm Rocket alert Be'er Sheva
2:46 pm Another rocket alert Kerem Shalom
2:45 pm Rocket alert Kerem Shalom
2:43 pm Rocket alert Hof Ashkelon

1:57 pm Rocket alerts Eshkol x 2
1:49 pm Rocket alerts Sderot x2, Hof Ashkelon
1:43 pm Barrage of rockets at Hof Ashkelon and Ashkelon
1:27 pm Another rocket alert Ashdod
1:26 pm Ongoing Rocket Barrage Ashdod
1:26 pm Rocket alert Ashdod x3
1:25 pm Rocket alert Hof Ashkelon x2
1:15 pm Rocket alert Hof Ashkelon x2
1:11pm Ashkelon
1:09pm More Alerts Ashdod
1:08pm Ashdod x4
1:07 Huge Barrage of Rocket Alerts Ashkelon, Ashdod

12:52 pm Rocket alert Kerem Shalom
12:36pm Rocket Alert Eshkol Region
12:20pm Rocket Alert Hof Ashkelon
12:15pm aaaand more alerts Ashdod
12:13pm Ongoing Rocket alerts Ashdod
12:12pm Barrage of Rocket Alerts Ashdod
12:10pm Multiple Rocket Alerts Ashkelon

11:55am Multiples: Sderot (we haven't forgotten you), Ashkelon Coast, Shaar Negev
11:55am Rocket Alerts Hof Ashkelon
11:53am Ashkelon
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11:38am Breaking News: #BlocktheBoat #EpicFail as ZIM Unloads

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/blocktheboat-epicfail-as-zim-unloads/2014/08/20/

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11:31pm Rocket Alerts Eshkol Region
11:05am Over 25 rockets fired in Israel over the past 2 hours.
10:58-9am Ashkelon Coast, Eshkol, Gaza Border. BARRAGE... 
10:55am Eshkol, Gaza Border, Ashkelon...
10:55am Eshkol, Gaza Border, Ashkelon...
10:48am Kerem Shalom

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10:47am So I was thinking, we should announce a left-wing anti-war protest to be held today in the Eshkol region.

What do you think?

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10:43am Gaza Border

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10:44am Israel used a bunker buster to get Deif...

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israel-tries-to-eliminate-hamas-chief-terrorist-mohammed-deif/2014/08/20/
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10:40am Ashkelon

10:39am Gaza Border

10:37 Ashkelon, Ashkelon

10:36am Ashdod

10:35am Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Gaza Border...

10:32am Eshkol

10:26 Ashkelon Coast, Eshkol

10:26 Ashkelon Coast 

10:26am 10:25am Ashkelon

10:24am Kerem Shalom, Sdot Negev, Shaar Negev, ASshkelon Coast

10:22am Ashkelon Coast area
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10:19am A minor addition to the State Department's list of terrorist organizations. But Hamas is on there too, and that hasn't stopped Kerry & Obama from forcing Israel to negotiate with them...

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/state-dept-terms-gaza-based-jerusalem-council-a-terrorist-group/2014/08/20/

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10:16am Sdot Negev, Shaar Negev

10:10am Erez, Ashkelon Coast area

10:08am Ashkelon Coast area

10:08am rocket alert Hof Ashkelon

9:59m Ashkelon Coast area x2

9:56am Ashkelon Coast area

9:34am Ashkelon Coast x2

9:10am Rocket Alert Eshkol Region
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9:04am So, Israel tried to eliminate Mohammed Deif last night and missed.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israel-tries-to-eliminate-hamas-chief-terrorist-mohammed-deif/2014/08/20/
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8:23am Ashkelon, Gaza border communities

8:11am Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon

8:10am Barrage: Ashkelon Coast x8

Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon

8:01am Rocket Alert Hof Ashkeon
7:32am Sdot Negev, Shaar Negev

7:20am Good morning. Catching up below with the rockets this earlier morning…

6:56am Eshkol region. Grad misile

6:07am Eshkol region, Ashkelon region
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1:57am Muqata Staff is signing off for the night....though I doubt it's going to be that restful. (On the bright side, its been 27 minutes since the last rocket attack). Have a safe night everyone. Remember....just because you hear a boom doesn't mean a siren SHOULD have gone off.

The IDF has changed its siren/rocket alert system to only sound sirens in areas where it looks like the rocket will land (if not intercepted) as well as the area where the interception is likely to take place. Otherwise, there will not be a siren for rockets that look like they will land in open areas.

Gnight all.

Jameel - In the sleepy hills of the Shomron.

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1:38am IDF Homefront Command directs Haifa and Carmel regions to also open public bomb shelters. Nahariya (Northern Israel) opened their public shelters as well.
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1:30am Multiple rocket launches at Ashkelon region.
1:29am Rocket Alerts in Ashkelon region x 4

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12:47am Reports that IDF has been targeting over the past 2 hours senior Hamas operatives and leaders in Gaza. Let's wait and see if the IDF had any success in eliminating the bad guys...

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12:18am What country would not react disproportionately if a rocket like this landed on a highway? This rocket was shot down by Iron Dome over Central Israel....

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12:06am Does Hamas define "War of Attrition" as "news staff can't go to sleep?"
12:04am Ashkelon
12:03am Multiple launches at Ashdod area.
12:03am Multiple launches at Ashdod area.
12:02am Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ashkelon.... x4 or 5


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Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

IDF Operation Protective Edge - August 19, 2014 9:30pm-11:59pm

Newest updates will be at the top. To refresh [F5 key]




11:58pm Rocket fragments which landed a short time ago in Central Israel.

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11:57pm IDF- No problems with Red Alerts earlier - new policy to not sound alarm if rockets will land in open area (if the alarm doesn't sound, does that mean Hamas didn't fire at us?)

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11:52 Iron Dome over Givat Ze'ev.

(Fragment fell earlier in Bnei Brak, on Jerusalem street!)

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11:51pm Rocket Alert Kerem Shalom
11:46pm Rocket alerts all over the South and Jerusalem. (Sorry for delay- Had to run to shelter) -GI Jane
11:46 Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Har Adar, Psagot, Givcat Ze'ev, Mevasseret Tzion, more Jerusalem...
Booms heard in Gush Etzion
11:45pm Jerusalem area rocket alert - multiple
11:46pm Rockets everywhere.....South and Jerusalem area.
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18 minutes until the end of the ceasefire...

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11:42pm Barrage of Rocket alerts to Beer Sheva
11:41 Beer Sheva
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11:24pm Hamas says Israel refused all their demands, so now we're headed to a war of attrition.

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11:33pm Rocket Alerts Ashkelon
11:32pm Barrage of Rocket Alerts... Hof Ashkelon...Ashkelon
11:25pm Rocket Alert Eshkol Region
11:21pm Onging Barrage to Ashdod, Ashkelon... Kerem Shalom... Beer Sheva... Beer Tuvia
11:20pm Barrage of rocket alerts ...Ashdod

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11:18pm Israeli defense official says IDF instructed to prepare possible ground operation in Gaza in response to rocket fire.

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11:17pm Beer Sheva x3
11:16pm Barrage of Rocket alerts Beer Sheva

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11:04 Hamas claims responsibility for the rocket strike on central Israel. They claim they used a Fajr-5 rocket, which contains a much larger explosive warhead, which would also explain the louder than usual explosions heard by citizens in central Israel.

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11:00 Quite surprisingly, the US holds Hamas responsible for the rocket attacks on Israel - not that this will really change their position on anything.

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/us-holds-hamas-responsible-for-all-rocket-attacks-on-israel/2014/08/19/
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10:58pm Rocket hits open area in greater Tel Aviv area
10:58pm Rocket Alerts Beit Shemesh.. Yehuda
10:54pm Ashdod x7
10:51pm Barrage of Rocket Alerts Ashdod
10:51pm Ashdod x3
10:50 Rocket Alerts... Shfela... Rishon Lezion... Palmachim...
10:49pm Booms heard in Tel Aviv from previous barrage.
10:48pm Rocket Alerts Beer Sheva.. Shfela... Rishon Lezion... Palmachim...
10:47pm Rocket Alert Ashdod, Nes Ziona, Shfela
10:47 Barrage of Rocket Alerts to Beer Sheva
10:46pm Beer Sheva x2
10:46 Barrage Rocket Alerts Ashdod, Beer Sheva, Gush Dan.. Rishon Lezion, Shfela, Holon

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10:45Bat Yam, Be'er Sheva, Holon, Rishon Ltzion... x4

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10:44 Bat Yam, Be'er Sheva, Holon, Rishon Ltzion...

10:43pm Sapir, Sderot,Nir Am, Gaza Border...

10:40pm Updated safety rules from the IDF.

Within 80 kilometers from Gaza (Tel Aviv, Sharon region, Jerusalem...) open your bomb shelters.


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10:25pm  Rocket Alert Eshkol Region


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Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

IDF Operation Protective Edge - August 19, 2014 9:30pm

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9:25pm The 9:16pm rocket hit near a shopping center in Ashkelon Coast. There's damage but no injuries.

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9:23pm Things are heating up around the world for supporters of Israel everywhere. In South Africa:

COSATU Western Cape Secretary Tony Ehrenreich stated on his blog yesterday that, “The time has come to say very clearly that if a woman or child is killed in Gaza, then the Jewish board of deputies, who are complicit, will feel the wrath of the People of SA with the age old biblical teaching of an eye for an eye. The time has come for the conflict to be waged everywhere the Zionist supporters fund and condone the war killing machine of Israel.”

The Capetown Jewish Board of Deputies replied in the attached link.
https://www.facebook.com/cape.jewish.board.of.deputies/posts/582292911880080

Incitement to violence against Jewish leaders threatens Democracy

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) is in the process of instituting both criminal and civil charges against Tony Ehrenreich, Provincial Secretary of COSATU (Western Cape branch), for hate speech and incitement to violence against the elected, representative leadership of the SA Jewish community. This will include laying charges of incitement with the police and lodging a formal complaint with the SA Human Rights Commission.

On 13 August, Ehrenreich published a statement on his Facebook accusing the SAJBD of being “complicit in the murder of the people in Gaza” and calling on the greater South African population to target it for revenge attacks whenever a woman or child in Gaza was killed. In his post, Ehrenreich wrote:
“The time has come to say very clearly that if a woman or child is killed in Gaza, then the Jewish board of deputies, who are complicit, will feel the wrath of the People of SA with the age old biblical teaching of an eye for an eye. The time has come for the conflict to be waged everywhere the Zionist supporters fund and condone the war killing machine of Israel.”
SAJBD Chairman Mary Kluk said that the post was a flagrant violation of South African law prohibiting hate speech and incitement to cause harm”

“Ehrenreich’s inflammatory post incites violence and hatred against the representative body for South African Jewry. What makes it even worse is the fact that he holds a leadership position within COSATU, South Africa’s largest trade union organisation. It also comes at a time of heightened tension over the Israel-Gaza conflict, thereby enflaming an already volatile situation” she said.

The latest post by Mr Ehrenreich comes in the wake of a recent statement issued by him in which the SAJBD was warned to cease its ‘Zionist propaganda’ in Cape Town by 7 August or face a COSATU-led campaign of strikes and boycotts against its members, supporting companies and organisations. Kluk observed that this too posed an overt challenge to South Africa’s democratic culture.

“It is unprecedented in a democracy for a political lobby to threaten violent reprisals against the SAJBD, or against any individual or group for that matter”

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9:16pm Rocket Alert Hof Ashkelon

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9:15pm Rocket Alert - Northern Otef Azza

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9:07pm Despite the official directive from IDF Homefront Command, that only public shelters within a 40km radius be opened, additional municipalities are opening shelters on their own initiative such as Rishon LeZion, Nes Ziona, Rechovot, and others.

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9:04pm IDF Homefront command has directed the opening of public bomb shelters within a 40km radius from Gaza.

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8:34pm The IDF Spokesman announced that the body of the missing IDF Lone soldier, David Gordon (21) from Jerusalem was found late this afternoon in Central Israel, with his personal weapon alongside him. His family has been notified.

May his memory be a blessing.

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6:47pm Channel 2 reports that in the previous rocket attack on Israel at 6:36pm there were 2 Iron Dome intercepts. No reports of injuries or damage.

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6:36pm Red Alerts in Ashkelon region and Otef Aza. x3 
Sirens and Apps are working again....as are the Hamas rocket launchers 

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6:21PM There are reports that a rocket hit near Sdot Negev at 5:30pm - no alarm went off. 
We can't confirm this report, but it is being told to us by reliable (non-IDF) sources. We will update you when we know more.

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6:10PM Putting the house in order... with the rocket alert system apparently not working right, it creating some confusion. Here's a breakdown of the rockets so far...

At 3:53pm 2 rockets landed near Be'er Sheva, and 1 near Netivot.

At 5:11pm there was a false alarm in the Eshkol region.

In between (and after) there were sonic booms, and IDF strikes on multiple targets in Gaza.

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6:04pm Channel 2 reverses itself. Says the 5:11pm rocket attack did not happen, and the siren was a false alarm.

Follow the Muqata on Twitter.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

IDF Operation Protective Edge - August 19, 2014 4pm-6:00pm

5:23pm Israeli negotiators recalled from Cairo. IDF hits 10 targets.
Deja vu.

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5:14pm Grad rocket hits in Eshkol region. Sirens went off locally, but there seems to be a problem with the rocket alert announcements.

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4:56pm A solid analysis of the historical failures to stop Hamas, and how it grows back stronger each time. 

http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/stop-mowing-the-grass-start-salting-the-earth/2014/08/19/


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4:49pm IDF Spox confirms that the IDF is striking targets in Gaza in response to rocket fire.

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4:44pm A few comments about the previous rocket strike. Despite many people reporting hearing loud explosions near Beer Sheva....it's near an Air Force base and there are sonic booms from time to time. Additionally, there were no sirens. Therefore, we didn't post about the rockets till the IDF confirmed it. 

To their credit, the IDF confirmed it very quickly, despite the consequences and the implication that the IDF will need to retaliate.

--Jameel



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Follow the Muqata on Twitter.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד

IDF Operation Protective Edge - August 19, 2014 8:00am-4:00pm

3:53pm IDF Confirmed: 3 rockets launched from #Gaza hit the Be'er Sheva area in southern #Israel. No injuries reported.

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3:19pm MISSING SOLDIER -- The Israel Police is requesting requesting the help of public in the search for a missing IDF soldier, David Gordon, 21. 

Gordon was last seen on Sunday around 12:00pm at the IDF Medical Corps in Zrifin. He is 170cm tall, average build, brown eyes, and short brown hair. He was wearing his IDF "aleph" uniform with a purple Givati beret. He his army issued Micro-Tavor assault rifle with him and a large blue and black knapsack. 

Anyone who has any information about him is requested to call the Police at 100 or at 08-927-9244.
Please Like and Share FB link to get this the maximum possible exposure -- as we hope and pray for his safe return home.

His name for tehillim is: David Menachem ben Rivka Leah
Thank you,

Jameel & Staff.

https://www.facebook.com/israelpolice/posts/816014565087314

חייל נעדר - אנא שתפו

גולשים יקרים, אנו מבקשים את עזרתכם בחיפושים אחר החייל דוד מנחם גורדון, בן 21, אשר נראה לאחרונה ביום ראשון האחרון בסביבות השעה 12:00 באזור מתקן חיל הרפואה (החר"פ) בצריפין.

תיאורו: גובהו 170 ס"מ, מבנה גופו ממוצע, עיניו חומות ושיערו שחור קצוץ. דוד לבש מדי א' עם כומתת גבעתי סגולה. הוא נשא עליו נשק מסוג מיקרו תבור ועל גבו תיק צ'ימידן גדול בצבע כחול ושחור.

כל היודע דבר על מקום הימצאו מתבקש לפנות בהקדם למוקד 100 או לטלפון מספר 08-9279244.

תודה.

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10:27am Rock throwing on Temple Mount

Arab rioters are desecrating the Temple Mount once again, with their violence. 1 policeman was lightly injured by Arab stone throwers on the Temple Mount, he was treated on site.

Rocks were also thrown near Shaar Shechem (Damascus Gate), damaging windows on a passing bus.

No injuries reported, and no arrests reported either.


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Follow the Muqata on Twitter.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael טובה הארץ מאד מאד