2011 in Israel
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Events in the year 2011 in Israel.
Incumbents
- Prime Minister of Israel – Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
- President of Israel – Shimon Peres
- Chief of General Staff – Gabi Ashkenazi until February 14, Benny Gantz
- Government of Israel – 32nd Government of Israel
Events
- January 17 – The leader of the Israeli Labor Party Ehud Barak and four other Labor Party MKs announce their resignation from the party and the formation of a new "centrist Zionist and democratic" faction called "Independence".[1]
- February 1 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancels the appointment of Yoav Galant to the post of Israel Defense Forces chief. The announcement came after months of scandal surrounding his appointment due to allegations that he had illegally seized public lands near his home in Moshav Amikam, and after the State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss stated that Galant lied to in a sworn affidavit about exceeding his building rights.[2][3]
- February 5 – Amidst the 2011 Egyptian protests, an explosion occurs at the Arab Gas Pipeline near the El Arish natural gas compressor station in Egypt, which supplies natural gas to Israel and Jordan. As a result, supplies to Israel and Jordan were halted.[4]
- February 6 – 24-year-old Anat Kamm, a former Israeli soldier, is convicted in the Tel Aviv District Court after pleading guilty (in a plea bargain) to leaking more than 2,000 secret military documents to a journalist from the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.[5]
- February 14 – Benny Gantz is appointed as the 20th Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.
- March 22 – The former President of Israel Moshe Katsav is sentenced to seven years in prison, two years probation and payment of compensation to his victims on charges of rape, indecent assault, sexual harassment and obstruction of justice.[6]
- March 24 – Israeli women's basketball team Elitzur Ramla wins the women EuroCup final in France after defeating the French team ASPTT Arras 61-53. This was the first time in which an Israeli women's basketball team won a European cup.
- March 29 – The Knesset approves an amendment to the Nationality Law in a 37-11 vote. The amendment empowers the Israeli court system to revoke the citizenships of Israeli citizens convicted of terrorism, aiding the enemy in wartime, causing war, serving in enemy forces or espionage.[7][8]
- March 30 – Analog television broadcasts end In Israel, as the Communications Minister of Israel requires all full power stations to send their signals digitally.
- April 18 – Israel becomes CERN nuclear group member.[9]
- April 27 – Natural gas supplies to Jordan and Israel are hit by an explosion in the Arab Gas Pipeline in the town of Arish in North Sinai near Egypt's border with Israel with an armed gang believed responsible.[10][11]
- June 13 – Egyptian officials report the arrest of the 27-year-old Israeli-American Ilan Grapel on suspicion of espionage for Israel. Israeli officials have rejected the Egyptian accusations.[12]
- June 17 – A massive gas explosion in an apartment building in Netanya's Independence Square kills three teenage girls (all recent immigrants from France) and an Israeli Arab and injures over 90 others.[13]
- June 29 – Nahal Zin fuel leak — a backhoe loader performing maintenance repairs on an underground fuel pipeline in the Negev strikes and ruptures the pipeline, resulting in a massive leak.[14]
- July 10 – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces Israel's recognition of the Republic of South Sudan and offers the new state economic help, following its declaration of independence from the Sudan, the previous day.[15]
- July 12 – Armed gunmen blow up an Egyptian natural gas pipeline to Israel and Jordan in the town of El-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula.[16]
- July 12 – The Knesset approves a new anti-boycott law which would allow an Israeli individual or an Israeli organization proposing a boycott against Israel, Israeli institutions or territory under Israel's control, to be sued for compensation by a party claiming that it could be damaged by such a boycott.[17]
- July 15-ongoing: 2011 housing protests in Israel
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
The most prominent events related to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict which occurred during 2011 include:
- January 23 – The Palestine Papers: thousands of confidential documents relating to diplomatic correspondence detailing the inner workings of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, are exposed by the Al-Jazeera news network.[18][19][20] Following this, the Palestinian Authority condemns Al-Jazeera for releasing the documents and denies that the Palestinian Authority had agreed to make far-reaching concessions on Jerusalem as the documents purportedly reveal.[21]
- February 19 – The U.S. vetoes a draft of a U.N. Security Council resolution critical of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.[22]
- April 4 – Dirar Abu Seesi, a Palestinian engineer from Gaza, is indicted at Beersheba's District Court, accused of developing missiles and upgrading rockets for attacks on Israel; he claims that the Mossad kidnapped him.[23][24][25]
- April 7 – The Iron Dome mobile air defense system successfully intercepts a Grad rocket launched from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli city Ashkelon, marking the first time in history a short-range rocket was ever intercepted.[26]
- April 24 – A group of 15 Israeli Jewish worshipers entered the Palestinian city of Nablus to pray in the Jewish holy site Joseph's Tomb, without coordinating their visit with the IDF as required by law. After finishing praying, as the Jewish worshipers were leaving Nablus, their cars came under fire from a Palestinian Authority police jeep. Five Israelis were injured in the attack and the nephew of Israeli Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat was killed.[27][28]
- June 5 – Israeli forces defensibly fire on pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to breach the Syria-Israeli border in the Golan Heights on Naksa Day, marking the anniversary of the 1967 Six Day War; Syria claims that close to 20 people were killed and over 325 injured, while Israeli officials confirmed at least 12 injures.[29][30][31][32]
- July - Freedom Flotilla II
- July 19 - The French-flagged yacht Dignité Al Karama, which was to have been part of the Freedom Flotilla II, is intercepted and boarded without incident by Israeli commandos, off the coast of Gaza, and escorted to the Port of Ashdod.[33]
Notable Palestinian militant operations against Israeli targets
The most prominent Palestinian militant acts and operations committed against Israeli targets during 2011 include:
- March 12 – Itamar attack: Two Palestinian teens armed with knives infiltrated the West Bank settlement of Itamar and stabbed to death five Israeli family members, including the parents and three of their children, aged 11, 3 and a four month old infant.[34][35]
- March 23 – 2011 Jerusalem bus bombing: an explosive device which was placed in a suitcase on the sidewalk, is exploded next to bus number 74 near the Jerusalem International Convention Center complex. A woman is killed in the explosion and at least 50 people are injured.[36][37][38]
- April 4 – Israeli actor and peace activist Juliano Mer-Khamis, of both Jewish and Christian Arab origin, is gunned down in the West Bank by masked militants.[39]
- April 7 – 2011 Israeli school bus anti-tank missile attack: An anti-tank missile fired from the Gaza Strip hits a school bus, moderately wounding the bus driver, and critically injuring a 16 year boy who later died of his wounds. [40]
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Funeral of the victims of the Itamar attack in Givat Shaul
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Notable Israeli military operations against Palestinian militancy targets
The most prominent Israeli counter-terrorist operations (military campaigns and military operations) carried out against Palestinian militants during 2011 include:
- March 15 - The Israeli Navy intercepts the cargo ship "Victoria" which was carrying a long list of advanced weapons that were smuggled from Iran and were allegedly bound for the militant organizations operating in the Gaza Strip.[41]
- March 16 - The Israeli Air Force attacks a training site of the Palestinian militant group Al Qassam brigades in the southern part of Gaza city in response to a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip at the Israeli southern communities in the Sdot Negev Regional Council in the southern district of Israel. Palestinians reported that three people were killed in the attack and three were wounded.[42][43]
Predicted and scheduled events
- August - The Jerusalem Light Rail is set to be completed.
- The Metronit in Haifa is set to be completed.
- The construction of the West Bank barrier will be completed.[citation needed]
Notable deaths
- January 3 – Yosef Shiloach (b. 1941), Iranian-born Israeli actor. [44]
- January 11 – Ze'ev Segal (b. 1947), Israeli jurist and journalist. [45]
- January 13 – Tuviah Friedman (b. 1922), Polish-born Israeli Nazi hunter. [46]
- January 14 – David Coren (b. 1917), Israeli politician. [47]
- January 20 – Sonya Peres (b. 1923), Ukrainian-born wife of President Shimon Peres. [48]
- February 10 – Michael Harsegor (b. 1924), Romanian-born Israeli historian. [49]
- February 24 – Jerrold Kessel (b. 1945), South African-born Israeli journalist and author. [50]
- February 28 – Netiva Ben-Yehuda (b. 1928), Israeli author and radio personality. [51]
- March 12 – Tawfik Toubi (b. 1922), Israeli Arab communist politician.[52]
- March 14 – Giora Leshem (b. 1940), Israeli poet and publisher. [53]
- March 18 – Ze'ev Boim (b. 1943), Israeli Knesset member. [54]
- March 22 – Reuven Shefer (b. 1925), Israeli actor. [55]
- March 30 – Jacques Amir (b. 1933), Moroccan-born Israeli politician. [56]
- March 30 – Tamar Golan (b. 1933), Israeli journalist and diplomat. [57]
- April 4 – Juliano Mer-Khamis (b. 1958), Israeli actor, director, filmmaker and political activist of Jewish and Arab origin. [58]
- April 25 – Avraham Tiar (b. 1924), Tunisian-born Israeli politician.[59]
- May 1 – Moshe Landau (b. 1912), German-born Israeli jurist and president of the Supreme Court of Israel.[60]
- May 5 – Yosef Merimovich (b. 1924), Cypriot-born Israeli football player and manager.[61]
- May 20 – Arieh Handler (b. 1915), Israeli Zionist leader.[62]
- May 24 – Arthur Goldreich (b. 1929), South African-born Israeli political activist.[63]
- June 3 – Sammy Ofer (b. 1922), Romanian-born Israeli businessman and the richest man in Israel at the time of his death.[64]
- June 7 – Gavriel Tsifroni (b. 1914), Russian (Lithuania)-born Israeli journalist.[65]
- June 7 – Haim Yisraeli (b. 1927), Polish-born Israeli civil servant.[66]
- June 10 – Al Schwimmer (b. 1917), American-born Israeli businessman, founder of Israel Aerospace Industries.[67]
- June 16 – Yehuda Kiel (b. 1916), Russian-born Israeli educator and bible commentator.[68]
- June 17 – Nathan Sharon (b. 1925), Polish-born Israeli biochemist.[69]
- June 27 – Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz (b. 1913), Russian (Belarus)-born Israeli rabbi.[70]
Major public holidays
- Tu Bishvat – nightfall, January 19 to nightfall, January 20
- Fast of Esther – March 17 (dawn to nightfall)
- Purim – nightfall, March 19 to nightfall, March 20
- Shushan Purim – nightfall, March 20 to nightfall, March 21
- Fast of the Firstborn – April 18 (dawn to sunset)
- Passover and Chol HaMoed Pesach – sunset, April 18 to nightfall, 25 April (7th day) (an additional day is observed outside Israel)
- Holocaust Remembrance Day – nightfall, April 30 to nightfall, May 1
- Fallen Soldiers Remembrance Day – nightfall, May 8 to nightfall, May 9
- Israel's Independence Day – nightfall, May 9 to nightfall, May 10
- Lag Ba'omer – nightfall, May 21 to nightfall, May 22
- Jerusalem Day – nightfall, May 31 to nightfall, June 1
- Shavuot – sunset, June 7 to nightfall, June 8 (a second day is observed outside Israel)
- Seventeenth of Tammuz fast – July 19 (dawn to nightfall)
- Ninth of Av fast – sunset, August 8 to nightfall, August 9
- Rosh Hashanah – sunset, September 28 to nightfall, September 30
- Fast of Gedalia – October 2 (dawn to nightfall)
- Yom Kippur – sunset, October 7 to nightfall, October 8
- Sukkot and Chol HaMoed Sukkot – sunset, October 13 to nightfall, October 19
- Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret – sunset, October 19 to nightfall, October 20 (a second day is observed outside Israel)
- Hanukkah – nightfall, December 20 to nightfall, December 28
References
- ^ JPost.com Staff and G Hoffman & H Keinon. "Barak: New faction to be 'centralist, Zionist, democratic'". Jerusalem Post, January 17, 2011
- ^ "Netanyahu scraps choice for top Israeli general". Reuters, February 1, 2011
- ^ D Izenberg. "Lindenstrauss: Galant lied to court in sworn affidavit". Jerusalem Post, January 27, 2011
- ^ T Perry and E Blair. Egypt gas pipeline attacked. Reuters, February 5, 2011
- ^ "Kamm pleads guilty to having distributed secret information" Jerusalem Post, February 6, 2011
- ^ Former President Moshe Katsav gets 7 years in jail for rape Haaretz, March 22, 2011
- ^ "Israeli law would strip citizenship for espionage". The Seattle Times. March 29, 2011.
- ^ Knesset passes law revoking citizenship for treason Jerusalem Post, March 28, 2011
- ^ Israel becomes CERN nuclear group member Physorg, April 17, 2011
- ^ "Egypt gas pipeline to Israel and Jordan explodes". BBC News. April 27, 2011.
- ^ Explosion hits Egypt gas pipeline carrying gas to Israel - Haaretz, April 27, 2011
- ^ Israel denies arrest of 'Mossad spy' in Egypt BBC, June 13, 2011
- ^ Two arrested over deadly Netanya gas explosion Haaretz June 17, 2011
- ^ Udasin, Sharon (30 June 2011). "Tractor causes 1.5-million-liter jet fuel spill in Negev". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ^ Israel recognizes South Sudan, offers economic aid Reuters, July 10, 2011
- ^ Gunmen blow up Egyptian gas pipeline to Israel MSBC, July 11, 2011
- ^ Israel passes law banning citizens from calling for boycotts The Guardian, July 11, 2011
- ^ "Introducing The Palestine Papers". Aljazeera, January 23, 2011
- ^ S Milne and I Black. "The Palestine Papers". The Guardian, January 23, 2011
- ^ H Keinon. "PA agreed to Israeli annexation of J'lem areas". Jerusalem Post, January 23, 2011
- ^ K Abu Toameh. "PA: Al-Jazeera has declared war on Palestinians" Jerusalem Post, January 23, 2011
- ^ U.S. vetoes U.N. draft condemning Israeli settlements Reuters, February 18, 2011
- ^ Shin Bet files indictment against ‘rocket godfather’ Jerusalem Post, April 4, 2011
- ^ 'Abducted' Palestinian Dirar Abu Sisi on Hamas charges BBC, April 4, 2011
- ^ Palestinian engineer Abu-Sisi indicted Ynetnews, April 4, 2011]
- ^ Anshel Pfeffer; Yanir Yagna (7 April 2011). "Iron Dome successfully intercepts Gaza rocket for first time". Haaretz. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
- ^ Israeli killed, five wounded in shooting near Nablus The Jerusalem Post, May 24, 2011
- ^ 1 killed, 5 injured in shooting near Nablus, YNet, May 24, 2011
- ^ '20 dead' as Israeli troops fire on Golan Heights protesters - Israel blames Syria for Golan Heights protests The Telegraph, June 5, 2011
- ^ Syrian death toll climbs; Majdal Shams joins riots YNet, June 5, 2011
- ^ Naksa Day: 6 reported dead, 12 hurt on Israel-Syria border The Jerusalem Post, June 5, 2011
- ^ 14 dead as Israeli troops fire along Syrian border Forbes.com, June 5, 2011
- ^ Israel troops board Gaza protest boat Dignite-al Karama BBC News, July 19, 2011
- ^ "Family of Five Fatally Stabbed in West Bank Settlement of Itamar". The New York Times. March 11, 2011.
- ^ Greenberg, Hanan (17 April 2011). "Itamar massacre solved; 2 arrested". Ynetnews. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
- ^ Bomb explodes in central Jerusalem; 1 dead, at least 30 hurt Haaretz, March 23, 2011]
- ^ Woman killed, dozens hurt in Jerusalem bombing Jerusalem Post, March 23, 2011]
- ^ Deadly bombing targets Jerusalem bus stop BBC, March 23, 2011
- ^ Actor Juliano Mer-Khamis gunned down in Jenin Jerusalem Post, April 4, 2011
- ^ Boy hurt in Gaza rocket attack on Israeli bus dies of his wounds Haaretz, April 17, 2011
- ^ Terror's alternate route Ynetnews, March 15, 2011
- ^ Two Palestinians Killed in Gaza Air Strikes, Two Bodies Found in Tunnels, PNN - Palestine News Network, March 16, 2011
- ^ In Response to Rocket Fire, IAF Targets Terror Activity Site in the Gaza Strip Israel Defense Forces website, March 16, 2011
- ^ N Anderman. "Israeli actor Yosef Shiloach dies at 69 after long battle with cancer". Haaretz, January 3, 2011
- ^ T Zarchin. "Ze'ev Segal, Haaretz senior legal analyst, dies aged 63". Haaretz, January 11, 2011
- ^ "Nazi hunter Tuvya Friedman laid to rest in Haifa". Jerusalem Post, January 14, 2011
- ^ "David Coren dec'd". Avalim Notices (in Hebrew), January 14, 2011
- ^ "Sonya Peres dies at 87". YNet News, January 20, 2011
- ^ "Historian Professor Michael Harsegor passes away at 87" Jerusalem Post, January 10, 2011
- ^ Susser, Leslie (2011-02-5). "Jerrold Kessel, journalist, author, filmmaker, dies at 66". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2011-02-26.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Author Netiva Ben-Yehuda Dead at 83 News Briefs - Israel National News, February 28, 2011
- ^ Tawfik Toubi Obituary The Independent, March 29, 2011
- ^ YNet News(in Hebrew) March 14, 2011
- ^ Ex-Minister Boim dies of cancer at 67 YNet News, March 18, 2011
- ^ Cameri actor, Reuven Shefer, dies (in Hebrew) Maariv, March 22, 2011
- ^ Avalim Notices (in Hebrew) March 31, 2011
- ^ Tamar Golan, Israel's queen of Africa, dies at 76 Haaretz, March 31, 2011
- ^ Israeli actor Juliano Mer-Khamis shot dead in Jenin Haaretz, April 4, 2011
- ^ Knesset website, Avraham Tiar
- ^ Eichmann Trial judge passes away YNet, May 1, 2011
- ^ National Football Coach, Yosef Merimovich, dies (in Hebrew) One.co.il, May 5, 2011
- ^ Arieh Handler dies in Israel The Jewish Chronicle, May 20, 2011
- ^ S. African anti-apartheid veteran Goldreich dies The Associated Press, May 25, 2011
- ^ Billionaire Sammy Ofer dies YNet, June 3, 2011
- ^ Veteran journalist, Gavriel Tsifroni, dies (in Hebrew)YNet, June 9, 2011
- ^ Died Haim Yisraeli, advisor of 14 defense ministers of Israel JewPI.com, June 9, 2011
- ^ Al Schwimmer, founder of Israel Aircraft Industries, dies at 94 Haaretz, June 11, 2011
- ^ Israel Prize Laureate Yehuda Kiel dies YNet, June 16, 2011
- ^ "Prof. Nathan Sharon dec'd". Avalim Notices (in Hebrew), June 19, 2011
- ^ Petira Of Hagon Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz ZATZAL The Yeshiva World News, June 27, 2011
See also
- 2007–present blockade of the Gaza Strip
- List of Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel, 2011
- List of violent incidents in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, 2011
- 2011 in the Palestinian territories
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2011 in Israel.
