Snapshot

Photographer Gillian Laub has taken some of the most stunning and breathtaking images capturing the human spirit of Israelis and Palestinians alike. This photo set was taken during the height of the Second Intifada over ten years ago and just recently reprinted in Haaretz.

Eliza, Tiberia, 2002. Gillian Taub. Haaretz.

Noam in the yard with neighbors, Tel Aviv, 2002. Gillian Taub. 

Mandelain with her brother, Acre, 2005. Gillian Taub.

American Lone Soldiers in the IDF

In today's day and age where the internet is seemingly our primary source of everything, if you're considering joining the IDF as an American, Canadian or Brit, or anyone coming from the West really, there's now a plethora of information at your disposal. It hasn't always been this way. Thankfully, there are now many organizations out there dedicated to helping prepare prospective Chayalim Bodedim "Lone Soldiers" for their transition into the army and life in Israel.

Plus, a few words of wisdom from Mikey Hartman, a cult icon among American IDF veterans is always worth the time.

El Classico

Only because this is what true rivalries are really made of.

Egyptian Streets

I guess nothing should really be surprising in Egypt these days.

Orit Perlov via Egyptian Streets

B.A.S.E. Jump N.Y.C

Who said that New York City has lost its edge?

Lebanon's Hash Farms

Anyone who has served in Nahal on Kav up north will tell you about how serious the drug smuggling situation is there on the border of Israel and Lebanon. Here's an interesting look on how things are going down on the Lebanese side of things.

Side note: The Bekaa Valley looks absolutely beautiful. Still, there's no reason why a 3 or 4 year old girl should be walking around with a handgun, while surrounded by RPG's and heavy machine guns. Then again, these aren't your average farmers, so that probably explains it.

GOT

It's been a year in the making. A very long year. Thankfully, the wait is almost over. 

Emilia Clarke. Game of Thrones Season 4 Premiere. Lincoln Center. FB

Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Game of Thrones FB.

Exceptions Committee ועדת חריגים

Some local Israeli shoegaze from Tel Aviv. Just found out they're opening for Yuck next month.

Hillary 1969

A recent photo set of Hillary Clinton way back as a Wellesley College grad in 1969. From Life Magazine in conjunction with Time. You're welcome.

Hillary Clinton 1969. Life.

Hillary Clinton '69. Life

In a Nutshell

US-Russian diplomatic relations summed up in one absurd and laughable photo.

Just for clarity's sake, those are the aides of Russian ambassador to the U.N Vitaly Churkin laughing right at U.S ambassador Samantha Power.

Business Insider.

Swing Bop

House to House

An interesting look inside the Tze'elim Urban Warfare Training Center in the Negev, widely recognized as the most preeminent of its kind throughout the world.

It comes today just as nearly 60 rockets from Gaza were launched in the span of just a few hours at civilian areas in southern Israel. I think it's fair to say that warrants a proper response. If the Hamas government continues to choose to make the Gaza Strip a hub of terror activity, and allows organizations such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad to act out and use violence against Israeli civilians in order to try and achieve their goals, they will continue to bear the consequences of their actions.

Middle East Signal School 1942

The Jewish Brigade of the British Army. Second Battalion. Egypt. 1942.
Aryeh Berkovich

מסע כומתה תותחנים - נוב' 13

IDF Artillery Corps.
Beret ceremony.
Nov '13 recruit class.

זרוע היבשה

זרוע היבשה

זרוע היבשה

Open Waters

As expected, the IDF has just released dramatic footage of the Navy's recent capture of the Klos-C vessel in the Red Sea, and the subsequent discovery of a hoard of long-range missiles that were destined to be smuggled into the Gaza Strip via Sudan. It's not surprising to learn that the prime culprit responsible once again is Iran.

Israel seizes ship with missiles heading from Iran to Gaza

Haaretz
By Gili Cohen

Israeli naval forces on Wednesday intercepted an Iranian arms vessel carrying medium-range missiles in the Red Sea, about some 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from the Israeli coast. The shipment was headed for the Gaza Strip via Sudan.

Special forces from the Shayetet 13 (Flotilla 13) unit overpowered the cargo vessel named the Klos C – which is registered in Panama – in the early morning hours. A search aboard the vessel uncovered dozens of 302mm rockets, which are manufactured in Syria and were fired into Israel by Hezbollah during the 2006 Second Lebanon War. The rockets have a range of about 100 kilometers (about 62 miles).

"We have conclusive evidence that there were rockets on board the ship, and we have proof and can say with certainty that Iran is behind this operation," a senior Israel Defense Forces officer said.

The officer said that the rockets originated in Syria, were loaded onto airplanes at the Damascus airport from which they were transported to Iran. There they were boarded onto the cargo ship, which set sail about 10 days ago en route to a port in Sudan.

The IDF tracked the ship, saying it sailed north toward Iraq instead of heading directly toward the African country. The army believes that, in Iraq, the rockets were covered with cement bags in an attempt to disguise the shipment after which the vessel continued to sail toward Sudan.

Haaretz

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in the United States following the AIPAC policy conference, on Wednesday spoke with Israel's top defense officials, including Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and Mossad Director Tamir Pardo, to praise them for the successful operation.

"At a time when Iran is talking with world powers, is smiling and uttering pleasantries, it is also sending deadly weapons to terrorist organizations – via an elaborate network of secret operations around that world that aim to funnel rockets, missiles and other deadly weapons to be used to harm innocent civilians," Netanyahu said. "This is the real Iran, and this country must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. We will continue to do everything we must to protect the citizens of Israel."

Israel is hoping the incident will help prove to the P5+1 that Iran is still deceiving the West, despite the friendly tone characterizing the recent talks in Vienna over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.

The Israeli raid took place a day before the ship was set to dock in Sudan, some 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) off the coast of Israel. A senior Israeli officer who spoke to reporters said the rockets' final destination was meant to be terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip.

"They intended to unload the rockets in Port Sudan and transfer them to Gaza from there, presumably through Sinai," the officer said.

Once the Israeli forces raided the ship, they began to alter its route toward the Port of Eilat, where it is expected to arrive in about three days. The 17 crew members aboard the Panamanian-flagged ship were questioned by Israeli authorities and it appeared as though they did not have a role in the operation.

The scope of the arms shipment remains unclear, although the army says it contains dozens of rockets which were being tallied by the navy. Israel Navy Commander Ram Rothberg oversaw the operation from a missile boat at sea, while Gantz supervised from the Defense Ministry complex in Tel Aviv.   

The army said that Gantz on Tuesday ordered naval forces to intercept the ship after receiving a green light from the government. The IDF spokesman said the operation was carried out "in accordance with international law" and that "the IDF would continue to thwart the arms race that Iran is leading in an attempt to inflame the region, and will use all means at its disposal to ensure the security of Israelis citizens."

IDF Spokesperson

The spokesperson of Hamas' Interior Ministry said Wednesday that the seizure of the arms shipment by the IDF is an Israeli pretext to justify the Gaza blockade. He said Hamas knows that Gaza's maritime zone is under Israeli surveillance and that any ship that attempts to pass through would be stopped and that Gaza resistance forces are not so naïve as to send a large arms shipment via the sea.

The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah did not issue an official response to the takeover of the ship but Palestinian officials told Haaretz that the operation raises questions regarding the timing of the operation. "The ship has been sailing for weeks and it is seized exactly when Netanyahu is in Washington," the official said. "The entire operation and the reports raise many questions regarding the timing and whether the event was real or fabricated."

Ya'alon on Wednesday said the attempted arms shipment is further proof that "Gaza is a terrorist entity under Iranian auspices preparing to strike deep into Israel."

"It has once again become clear that Iran continues to be the greatest exporter of terror in the world, with the express purpose of destabilizing the Middle East," Ya'alon said in a statement. "Iran supplies financial support, arms and training to terror organizations in the region and around the world, and its failed effort to transfer the weapons discovered this morning, is additional evidence. The Iranian regime continues to deceive the world; while it shows its smiling face it continues to be the biggest threat to world peace," Ya'alon said.

IDF Spokesperson

This is not the first time Israel has seized a ship carrying a cargo of concealed weapons.

In March 2011, the "Victoria," a German-owned ship sailing under a Liberian flag, was intercepted and seized by Israeli special forces some 200 kilometers from the Israei coast. According to the IDF Spokesman, the ship, which started its voyage in Iran, was carrying several tons of concealed weapons destined for "the use of terror organizations operating in the Gaza Strip."

In 2009, after reportedly being tipped off by the U.S., Israel raided the "Francop" off the coast of Cyprus and redirected it to the Ashdod port, where it unloaded 500 tons of weapons. The ship was allegedly en route from Iran to Hezbollah.

Perhaps the most famous such incident occured in 2003, when IDF forces seized the "Karine A", a vessel carrying 50 tons of missiles, mortars, rifles and ammunition destined for Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

The ship's cargo including rockets and missiles that could have reached Ben-Gurion International Airport and major Israeli cities from PA territory. Both Iran and the PA denied any involvement.

Youth in Revolt

Protests in Turkey in support of Crimean Tatars.

The Interpreter

Russian Roulette

Simon Ostrovsky is back on the scene, live on the ground in Crimea.

At the Charge

It's correct, that is in fact a Russian flag being hoisted and replacing a Ukrainian flag in the city of Kharkiv in the Crimea, which last checked is still part of Ukraine.

Someone please call Sir Harry Flashman to help get this whole mess in order.

Kharkiv, Ukraine (Not Russia). ITV

Cheers

I'm not exaggerating when I say that dental visits in the army are better than any civilian equivalent in Israel.