Ancient human remains found in Israel

Article published by YAHOO! news December 27, 2010

By Daniel Estrin

Israeli archaeologists said Monday they may have found the earliest evidence yet for the existence of modern man, and if so, it could upset theories of the origin of humans.

A Tel Aviv University team excavating a cave in central Israel said teeth found in the cave are about 400,000 years old and resemble those of other remains of modern man, known scientifically as Homo sapiens, found in Israel. The earliest Homo sapiens remains found until now are half as old.

"It's very exciting to come to this conclusion," said archaeologist Avi Gopher, whose team examined the teeth with X-rays and CT scans and dated them according to the layers of earth where they were found.

He stressed that further research is needed to solidify the claim. If it does, he says, "this changes the whole picture of evolution."

The accepted scientific theory is that Homo sapiens originated in Africa and migrated out of the continent. Gopher said if the remains are definitively linked to modern human's ancestors, it could mean that modern man in fact originated in what is now Israel.

Sir Paul Mellars, a prehistory expert at Cambridge University, said the study is reputable, and the find is "important" because remains from that critical time period are scarce, but it is premature to say the remains are human.

"Based on the evidence they've cited, it's a very tenuous and frankly rather remote possibility," Mellars said. He said the remains are more likely related to modern man's ancient relatives, the Neanderthals.

According to today's accepted scientific theories, modern humans and Neanderthals stemmed from a common ancestor who lived in Africa about 700,000 years ago. One group of descendants migrated to Europe and developed into Neanderthals, later becoming extinct. Another group stayed in Africa and evolved into Homo sapiens — modern humans.

Teeth are often unreliable indicators of origin, and analyses of skull remains would more definitively identify the species found in the Israeli cave, Mellars said.

Gopher, the Israeli archaeologist, said he is confident his team will find skulls and bones as they continue their dig.

The prehistoric Qesem cave was discovered in 2000, and excavations began in 2004. Researchers Gopher, Ran Barkai and Israel Hershkowitz published their study in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

Israel-Cyprus exclusive economic zone set

Article published on Ynetnews December 19, 2010

By Zvi Lavi

Agreement provides Israel with exclusive economic, research rights and sovereignty over artificial facilities built within maritime area. 'Delimitation of territorial water borderline enables investors to feel economic certitude, promote and develop Israel's energy market,' says Minister Landau.

The exclusive economic zone within the territorial waters between Israel and Cyprus was set on Friday morning at the maritime half way point. The clarification of the borderline is essential in protecting Israel's rights to oil and underwater gas reservoirs.

The border was set in an agreement between Israel and Cyprus, signed this morning in Nicosia by Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau and Cyprus' Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou.

During the signing ceremony, Landau said that "the delimitation of the territorial water borderline will enable investors to feel economic certitude and promote and develop Israel's energy market."

The exclusive economic zone is an area where the country has exclusive economic and research rights but has no sovereignty other than over the artificial facilities it builds in the area. The accord was signed after vigorous negotiations in recent months, between diplomatic and professional representatives from both sides.

Delineation of the maritime borderline with Cyprus was done with Cyprus' full cooperation through experts from both countries, according to the accepted principles of international law according to the accepted professional measuring methods.

Until now, Israel operated in Mediterranean waters according to the principles of international law concerning the international shelf. According to these principles, the country has automatic rights over all natural resources within her international shelf even if it doesn't make a formal announcement.

The delimitation of the exclusive economic zone allows for more maritime border certainty towards investors and neighboring countries and will help Israel anchor its economic rights in the Mediterranean as well as pave the way for searching for and developing energy sources at sea.

Joint resources will be divided

In the agreement, Israel and Cyprus commit to cooperating on the development of cross border resources if any are discovered, and will hold negotiations over the nature of the technical and professional arrangements needed in order to divide the joint resources.

Following the signing of the agreement Minister Landau said: "The signing reflects the close relations and ongoing cooperation between Israel and Cyprus.

In light of the recent significant natural gas resources discovery in the Mediterranean, the delimitation of the maritime border has an important role in anchoring the essential economic rights of the state in connection with the ocean's natural resources."

Druze and Bedouin join ZAKA's rescue operations

Article published on ISRAEL21c November 15,
By Abigail Klein Leicman

Israeli rescue organization ZAKA is now training volunteers from minority communities to be first responders in the wake of tragedy.

A Bedouin volunteer joining one of the four new Arab units in ZAKA

For 15 years, Israel's unique voluntary rescue organization, ZAKA, has been sending volunteers to work alongside law enforcement and emergency personnel following acts of terrorism, accidents and natural disasters across the globe.

Now ZAKA is expanding its network within Israel to better serve Arab, Bedouin, Circassian and Druze populations. Two new units in the north and two in the south will be staffed by members of those minority communities, after receiving training that will be adapted to their own religious and ethnic customs.

Until ZAKA (a Hebrew acronym for Disaster Victim Identification) was founded in 1995 by Jerusalemite Yehuda Meshi-Zahav in response to a spate of terrorist attacks, the Jewish state had no organized system for dealing with victims' body parts and blood, considered sacred by Jewish law.

More volunteers means a more perfect world

Fifty-one-year-old Meshi-Zahav tells ISRAEL21c that ZAKA also handles bodies of non-Jewish victims - even terrorists - with sensitivity to cultural and religious principles However, he is eager to have volunteers from Israel's non-Jewish sectors become full participants.

"We believe everyone wants to do good work," he says. "Adding as many people as possible to our volunteering circle is a means to perfecting our world."

Meshi-Zahav was a yeshiva student when he witnessed the first bus bombing just outside Jerusalem in 1989. He and some other students ran to help, but could not offer much assistance without expertise in forensics or first aid. "I went home and the images kept replaying in my mind like a horror movie," he recalls.

Over the next six years, he built up the basis for what would become the world's only Jewish organization of its kind.

Today, about 1,500 ZAKA volunteers - including canine, diving, and rappelling specialists - take responsibility for ensuring that all human remains are treated in accordance with religious guidelines. The only organization authorized by the Israeli police to handle recovery and body part identification, ZAKA participates in search-and-rescue missions and firefighting efforts, international disaster relief, and accident-prevention programs.

Government-sponsored training for minorities

Although small ZAKA units are already active among the Bedouin population in the south and the Druze communities of the north, this marks the first time ZAKA's expansion is being sponsored by the government. Galil Ayoob Kara, a Druze member of Israel's parliament and Deputy Minister for the Development of the Negev and Galilee, has termed the arrangement "holy work" and a critical step toward equality for all Israeli citizens.

Meshi-Zahav looks to the project as a way of breaking barriers and building bridges between Israeli Jews and minorities, which is one of his priorities. "We are open to all: Religious and not, Jews and non-Jews, Israelis and Arabs," he says. "Our guiding principle is our belief that man was made in the image of God."

An ultra-Orthodox Jew with side curls and a black skullcap, Meshi-Zahav has been present at some grim scenes as a result of his work with ZAKA.

ZAKA assisted at the sites of the World Trade Center and Mumbai terrorist attacks; the Columbia space shuttle tragedy in Texas; the carnage in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; synagogue bombings in Istanbul; the tsunami aftermath in Southeast Asia; plane crashes in Phuket, Thailand, Mexico, and Namibia; the earthquake in Haiti; and a recent murder of a Jewish traveler in the Ukraine, among other tragedies.

The United Nations officially recognized ZAKA as an international humanitarian volunteer organization in 2005.

UN recognition opens doors

"UN recognition is extremely important in our overseas operations," explains ZAKA spokeswoman Lydia Weitzman. "That recognition allows us to go into all areas, even countries where Israel does not have diplomatic relations. The humanitarian message of ZAKA is the key that opens doors to all communities."

ZAKA recently established International Rescue branches in foreign countries including Mexico, France and Hong Kong, with another planned for Kiev to serve Eastern Europe. Community volunteers are to be trained to offer an immediate professional response to a disaster in their region, before Israel-based volunteers can arrive.

The four new Israeli units will begin gearing up this winter. Gadi Kellerman is working with about 15 Bedouins in the south, recruited mostly from among border patrol and police officers. Hezki Farkash is setting up the new Druze units in Beit Jann and Yirka up north.

"In the north and the south, our goal is to keep growing the number of volunteers from the Druze and Bedouin communities," stresses Meshi-Zahav.

Meet the Israeli Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle - AvantGuard

Direct flights from Denmark to resume after intifada halt

Article published by GLOBES Israel's Business Arena

October 24, 2010

By Globe's Correspondent

Cimber Air's direct flight will cuts the time of the trip in half.

Danish airline Cimber Air will operate three direct scheduled and charter flights a week from Copenhagen to Tel Aviv beginning November 1.

A Cimber Sterling Airlines Boeing 737-700

There has been a significant increase in the numbers of tourists visiting Israel from Scandinavia during 2010. This, together with the anticipated continued increase with the commencement of the new and reinstated flights is expected to return the Scandinavian countries to the incoming tourism map of Israel and generate a 25% increase in incoming tourism from these countries. In January-September 2010, 47,400 tourists arrived from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark (16% more than the same period last year and 19% more than 2008.)

The direct flight cuts the time of the trip in half, as what was a nine-hour journey, including a changeover in Vienna or another European capital, is now about 4.5 hours.

Daily El AL and SAS flights between Israel and the Scandinavian countries ceased operating ten years ago with the onset of the intifada, after a significant drop in demand.

Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said, “The Tourism Ministry will continue its marketing efforts in 2011 to bring back the tourism traffic from Scandinavia to Israel, as main source countries for incoming tourism."

Google to bring Dead Sea Scrolls online

Article published on Ynetnews October 21, 2010

By Associated Press

Technology giant, Israel announce plan to launch public viral database for ancient archaeological treasure.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, among the world's most important, mysterious and tightly restricted archaeological treasures, are about to get Googled.

The technology giant and Israel announced Tuesday that they are teaming up to give researchers and the public the first comprehensive and searchable database of the scrolls – a 2,000-year-old collection of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek documents that shed light on Judaism during biblical times and the origins of Christianity. For years, experts have complained that access to the scrolls has been too limited.

Once the images are up, anyone will be able to peruse exact copies of the original scrolls as well as an English translation of the text on their computer – for free.

Officials said the collection, expected to be available within months, will feature sections that have been made more legible thanks to high-tech infrared technology.
"We are putting together the past and the future in order to enable all of us to share it," said Pnina Shor, an official with Israel's Antiquities Authority.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the late 1940s in caves in the Judean Desert and are considered one of the greatest finds of the last century.

After the initial discovery, tens of thousands of fragments were found in 11 caves nearby. Some 30,000 of these have been photographed by the antiquities authority, along with the earlier finds. Together, they make up more than 900 manuscripts.

For decades, access to 500 scrolls was limited to a small group of scholar-editors with exclusive authorization from Israel to assemble the jigsaw puzzle of fragments, and to translate and publish them. That changed in the early 1990s when much of the previously unpublished text was brought out in book form.

Restricted access
But even now, access for researchers is largely restricted at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where the originals are preserved in a dark, temperature-controlled room.

Shor said scholars must receive permission to view the scrolls from the authority, which receives about one request a month. Most are given access, but because no more than two people are allowed into the viewing room at once, scheduling conflicts arise. Researchers are permitted three hours with only the section they have requested to view placed behind glass.

Putting the scroll online will give scholars unlimited time with the pieces of parchment and may lead to new hypotheses, Shor said.

"This is the ultimate puzzle that people can now rearrange and come up with new interpretations," she said.

Scholars already can access the text of the scrolls in 39 volumes along with photographs of the originals, but critics say the books are expensive and cumbersome. Shor said the new pictures – photographed using cutting-edge technology – are clearer than the originals.

The refined images were shot with a high-tech infrared camera NASA uses for space imaging. It helped uncover sections of the scrolls that have faded over the centuries and became indecipherable.

If the images uploaded prove to be of better quality than the original, scholars may rely on these instead of traveling to Jerusalem to see the scrolls themselves, said Rachel Elior, a professor of Jewish thought at Jerusalem's Hebrew University.

"The more accessible the fragments are the better. Any new line, any new letter, any better reading is a great happiness for scholars in this field," she said.

'May spur new interpretations'
The new partnership is part of a drive by Google to have historical artifacts catalogued online, along with any other information.

"There are artifacts in boxes, in museum basements. We ask ourselves how much this stuff is available on the Internet. The answer is not a lot, and not enough," said Yossi Matias, an official from Google-Israel.

Google has worked to upload old books from European universities and pictures of archaeological finds from Iraq's national university. This project is different, Matias said, because access to the scrolls may spur new interpretations of the highly debated text and because the scrolls have a more universal appeal.

For the last 18 years, segments of the scrolls have been publicly displayed in museums around the world. At a recent exhibit in St. Paul, Minn., 15 fragments were shown.

Shor said a typical 3-month exhibit in the US draws 250,000 people, illustrating just how much the scrolls have fascinated people.

"From the minute all of this will go online, there will be no need to expose the scroll anymore," Shor said. "Anyone in his office or on his couch will be able to click and see any scroll fragment or manuscript that they like."

Much mystery continues to surround the scrolls. No one knows who copied these ancient texts or how they got there. The scrolls include parts of the Hebrew Bible as well as treatises on communal living and apocalyptic war.

Over the years, the texts have sparked heated debates among researchers over their origins.

Some believe the Essenes, a monastic sect seen by some as a link to early Christianity, hid the scrolls during the Jewish revolt of the first century AD, Others believe they were written in Jerusalem and stashed in caves at Qumran by Jewish refugees fleeing the Roman conquest of the city, also in the first century.

IAI presents new Panther UAV

Article published in Jerusalem Post October 5, 2010

By Yaakov Lappin

The new 65-kilogram UAV can stay in the air for up to six hours and fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet. It comes equipped with a specialized day and night camera with a laser range-finder on board.

Israel Aerospace Industries is set to unveil a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during a conference in Latrun on Tuesday.

The Panther UAV “combines the flight capabilities of an airplane with helicopter- like hovering, a tilt-rotor propeller, and a fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) system, which enable a runway-free takeoff and landing on an unprepared area,” IAI said in a press release on Monday.

The Panther will go on display at the Association of the United States Army’s (AUSA) 2010 annual meeting and exposition in Washington, to be held October 25-27.

Itzhak Nissan, president and CEO of IAI, said, “The Panther’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, along with its effective use of changing flight dynamics, make it a unique and invaluable asset on the tactical battlefield for the Israel Defense Forces and for foreign customers. We consider the innovative technology used in this system to be ground-breaking.”

The new 65-kilogram UAV can stay in the air for up to six hours and fly at an altitude of 10,000 feet. It comes equipped with a specialized day and night camera with a laser range-finder on board.

Milk drinkers lose more weight, research shows

Article published on ISRAEL21c September 26, 2010

By ISRAEL21c staff

A two-year weight loss study held in Israel reveals that dieters who consume milk lose more weight on average than those who don't.

A new weight loss study conducted in Israel has revealed that dieters who consume milk or milk products lose more weight on average than those who consume little to no milk products.

The two-year dietary intervention study, of 300 overweight men and women in middle age, was carried out by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU). The researchers found that regardless of diet, dieters with the highest dairy calcium intake - equal to 12 oz. of milk or other dairy products, lost about 12 pounds (6kg) at the end of two years.

Dieters with the lowest dairy calcium intake - about half a glass of milk, only lost seven pounds on average.

The researchers, led by Dr. Danit Shahar, of BGU's Center for Health and Nutrition, and the Faculty of Health sciences, also discovered that levels of vitamin D found in the blood, also affected the success of weight loss treatments. The results confirmed existing research showing that overweight participants have lower blood levels of the vitamin.

Higher vitamin D levels in successful dieters

"It was known that over-weight people had lower levels of serum vitamin D but this is the first study that actually shows that serum Vitamin D increased among people who lost weight," says Shahar. "This result lasted throughout the two years that the study was conducted, regardless of whether [participants] were on a low-carb, low fat or Mediterranean diet."

Vitamin D increases calcium absorption in the bloodstream and in addition to sun exposure can be obtained from fortified milk, fatty fish and eggs. Americans generally consume less than the recommended daily requirement of Vitamin D which is found in four glasses of milk (400 international units).

The study, which was published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was part of the Dietary Intervention Randomized Control Trial (DIRECT) held at the Nuclear Research Center in Israel in collaboration with Harvard University, the University of Leipzig, Germany and the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

Some 322 moderately obese people, aged 40 to 65, took part in the study evaluating low fat, Mediterranean or low-carb diets for two years.

In earlier findings, scientists discovered that low-fat diets aren't the best way to lose weight, but that dieters are likely to lose more weight on a Mediterranean diet, or a low-carb diet.

The study was supported by the Israel Ministry of Health and the Israel Dairy Council, the Israel Chief Scientist Office, German Research Foundation and the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Research Foundation.

Google acquires Israeli start-up Quiksee

Article published on GLOBES [online] September 13, 2010

By Noa Parag

According to Quiksee CEO Royz, the company's technology enhances Google's Street View.

Search giant Google has found a second company to acquire in Israel, buying start-up Quiksee. The price is estimated to be several million dollars. Both Google and Quiksee declined to respond.

The firm was founded in 2007 by CEO Gadi Royz, VP R&D Rony Amira, CTO Assaf Harel, and Pavel Yosifovich. The company's software allows Internet users to turn a simple video clip into an interactive video clip. Users can photograph any location where they are with a digital camera or mobile device, upload the file to Google Maps, and take part in the dynamic mapping of the world.
Quiksee's software turns the clip into an interactive one, by allowing people to wander through and get a real visit experience, without physically being there. Essentially it allows anyone to create location based media.
According to CEO Royz, Quiksee's technology enhances Google's Street View. It allows surfers to virtually enter a hotel, business office, or other property, without GPS or any other medium.
Estimates are that the company has raised $3 million to date, from Van Leer Group Foundation unit Docor International BV and from Ofer Hi Tech Ltd.
In April, Google made its first acquisition in Israel, buying start-up LabPixies.

Number of high rises in Israel doubles

Article on Ynetnews.com September 1, 2010

By Billy Frenkel

Israeli Union for Managing Houses and Buildings says construction of towers 21 stories and higher jumps 125% in last two years

Israel is getting taller. New construction of towers with 21 stories or more rose 125% in 2008 and 2009 in comparison with 2006 and 2007, according to an analysis of Central Bureau of Statistics figures performed by the Israeli Union for Managing Houses and Buildings.

The figures show that the start of construction on high-rise buildings rose between 2006 and 2009. The rate of new construction on residential towers with 11 stories or more in urban areas stood at 16.5% of all new construction in 2006 and 2007. This figure rose to 23.5% by the end of the first quarter of 2010, with a total of 10,836 apartments overall.

The figures also show that Petah Tikva is gaining height the fastest in the past two years with 1,585 new apartment units being built in buildings 11 stories and taller. Of these, 485 apartments have started being built in buildings with 21 floors or more – 593 apartments in buildings with 16 to 20 floors, and 507 apartments in buildings between 11 and 15 floors.

Tel Aviv leads in 21-story building growth
Second in terms of overall new apartments built in towers 11 stories and taller is Be'er Yaakov with 1,016 such apartments being constructed during these years.

Tel Aviv came in third with construction being started on 782 new apartments in buildings with 11 stories and more. A breakdown of the figures by height of the apartments shows that Tel Aviv has the highest number of apartments being built in towers of 21 stories and higher with 539 new units.

The next cities on the list in descending order are Holon, Netanya, and Rishon Lezion.

Israel wins taekwondo gold after Iran withdrawal

Article published on The Jakarta Post August 16, 2010
By The Associate Press

Politics threatened to overshadow the inaugural Youth Olympic Games after an Iranian athlete cited injury before withdrawing from the boys taekwondo final against an Israeli athlete on the first full day of competition.

The Iranian delegation said Mohammad Soleimani aggravated an injury and was taken to a hospital for treatment. Soleimani was unable to face Israel's Gili Haimovitz or attend the medal ceremony late Sunday.

Israeli officials said they expected Iran to refuse to compete and that the withdrawal was politically motivated. Daniel Oren, head of the Israeli delegation, said he was thrilled at the gold medal but expressed frustration that the victory was not earned in the final.

"When Gili won the semifinal, we knew the Iranian was making the final. Already, we knew that the Iranians would not come," Oren said. "This is their system. On the one hand, we got the gold medal. It's very exciting for us. On the other hand, we would prefer winning by competing."

Haimovitz said he was happy to have won gold.

"Actually, I don't want to get into politics or that kind of thing," the 17-year-old Oren said. "I don't know. I was ready for a fight. If he came out or not, I don't care."

An Iranian official did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.

International Olympic Committee spokesman Mark Adams said it is "my understanding is that he was taken to hospital and unable to compete."

The World Taekwondo Federation confirmed Haimovitz's victory. When contacted by The Associated Press, the federation spokesman denied that there was a political motive for the withdrawal.

Alex Gilady, an IOC member from Israel who handed out the medals for the competition, said it was a tactic by Iran to avoid violation of Olympic rules.

"Once he (Soleimani) was injured, that meant he still would win the silver ... have to stand on the podium and listen to the Israeli anthem and see the Israeli flag over the Iranian flag," Gilady said. "They put him in an ambulance so at least they would not create a crisis that would have demanded further action. So it looks like everything is OK."

Iran in the past has stated that its policy is to withdraw from competing against Israel because it does not recognize the country. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Iranian Arash Miresmaeili - a two-time world judo champion - refused to compete against Israel's Ehud Vaks in the opening round of the 66kg competition. He said his decision was to show solidarity for the Palestinian cause.

Haimovitz's victory was Israel's first gold medal of the Games, a 12-day event which will feature 3,600 athletes ages 14 to 18 from 204 national Olympic committees competing in 26 sports across Singapore.

Youth Olympics organizers have sought to emphasize the educational and cultural benefits of bringing together teenage athletes from around the world.

In an unofficial medal tally because organizers are not collating standings, Russia led with six followed by China with four and the United States with three after the first day of competition.

On Monday, medals will be awarded in fencing, swimming, taekwondo, triathlon, wrestling and weightlifting.

How Israeli Technology Can Help Clean Gulf Oil Spill

Article published on Arutz Sheva August 5, 2010

By Baruch Gordon

It’s taken millions of dollars to cap it, and it could take billions more to clean it up. BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is perhaps the environmental catastrophe of the century. But Tel Aviv University has a solution that may help remedy the remaining oil residue through a natural, biological process.

Prof. Eugene Rosenberg and Prof. Eliora Ron of Tel Aviv University’s (TAU) Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology are using naturally occurring oil-munching bacteria, grown at the TAU lab, to clean the hard-to-reach oil pockets that occur when oil mixes with sand and organic matter on beaches and forms a thin layer on the Gulf’s precious waterways.

“It’s worked to clean up an oil spill on the coast of Haifa, Israel, so we’ve already got good evidence it could work in Florida too,” says Prof. Ron. Details of their decades of research appear in The Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology, published this year by Springer Verlag.

Using nature itself to fight contamination
The researchers identified a naturally occurring variety of sea-borne bacteria that digests oil. By studying the bacteria’s genetic background, developing methods of growing the bacteria, and increasing their capacity to ingest the oil, the scientists have developed a solution that could clean up the residual oil that can’t be removed by mechanical means.

Prof. Ron says that sucking up surface oil pools and containing the oil are important and necessary first-step actions. But her solution addresses the smaller amounts of oil left behind ― that which isn’t easily removed from sand and water. It is this small percentage of oil that sits under rocks and forms a thin film on the water’s surface. Her bacterial solution can remove this oil, which is necessary to protect the sea’s wildlife.

“We see sad pictures of birds covered in oil and people with good intentions cleaning bird wings,” says Prof. Ron. “But by the time the oil is on their wings, it’s too late. Birds die because oil gets into their lungs.”

Going the last mile
“The problem is huge and even with just a little bit in your lungs, oil is bad. Even when cleanup crews reduce the amount of oil at sea, there will probably be enough left behind to kill birds and wildlife.” At this level of oil removal, the researcher says, the only solution is bioremediation ― using nature itself to do the final cleanup.

Israel’s hard-won disaster expertise reaches South America

Article published on ISRAEL21c July 29, 2010
By Karin Kloosterman

Israeli experts in disaster response stress communication and infrastructure planning when teaching Chilean professionals how to cope with mass casualty situations.

It was a strange twist of fate: At the same time as an Israeli emergency response team was planning a program to train Chilean professionals in how to handle mass casualty situations, disaster struck in Chile, when an 8.8 Richter Scale earthquake hit the country in February, killing hundreds.

Last month, an Israeli team of six professionals traveled to Santiago to analyze the aftermath of the disaster and hold a five-day workshop to train more than 300 emergency response personnel from Chile and Paraguay in how to deal with mass casualty events.

Israel's long history of coping with terror and formidable road accidents has prepared the country to deal with the worst, says Gila Hyams who heads the Teaching Center for Trauma Mass Casualty Situations at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Israel.

She and her team travel the world teaching medical staff and response teams how to deal with events that most people would prefer not to even think about.

While Hyams was aware of the earthquake in Chile, she tells ISRAEL21c that she could never have imagined the scope of the disaster because it wasn't emphasized in the media she was exposed to in Israel. "When we arrived there they took us to the area of the tsunami, which was caused by the earthquake, and we saw something unbelievable," she recounts.

"We've learned with blood"

A whole village on the country's southern coast that was built in contravention to the building codes had been swept into the sea, killing 60 people. Adding to the tragedy, the community center set up to deal with emergencies was also swept away with the massive tidal wave, leaving no place for the critically injured to be treated. And the absence of efficient communication with the authorities to secure needed help - even for the most basic things like bandages - made matters even worse.

In their workshop, the Israeli team, comprised of doctors and members of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), focused on communication and infrastructure planning - the two most problematic areas in the Chilean experience. And since by Latin American standards Chile is considered a very developed country, it is hoped that the ripple effects of the workshop will be better emergency responses in the entire region.

Each of the six Israelis led a working group, through which they shared the Israeli experience, unique in the world. Hyams says that the workshop "was a real eye opener" for the participants. "We've learned through blood, through the mass causalities we have here [in Israel] from terror attacks," she says. At the same time, Hyams feels compelled to mention "... the heroism of the medical teams that worked in such awful conditions during the catastrophe."

Israeli and Chilean participants in the course designed to help Chile handle mass casualty situations in the wake of disasters.

Among the Chileans who attended the workshop were senior members of Chile's air and ground forces and representatives from its rescue units and police force. News of the Israeli delegation also drew 12 doctors and nurses from Paraguay.

"These people get paid for this and we regulate what they need to do," explains Hyams, who has also brought a number of teams to the United States where American peers learn about the Israeli response to emergencies.

She has been to Dayton, Ohio; to a conference at New York University; another in Dallas, Texas; and most recently her team was in Detroit, to trade tips with specialists there. "We learn about trauma, and it is mass casualty we teach. We have more experience in this area unfortunately," she says. Also, due to Rambam's expertise with mass casualties, the center recently held a course in trauma for medical personnel in NATO countries.

Stressing communications and infrastructure

Team member Dr. Amir Blumenfeld, former head of the IDF Trauma Unit, relates that communications were so uneven following the earthquake in Chile that "... when we arrived there we found that... in some of the areas nobody knew what had happened." And Hymans adds, "There weren't enough people to treat the injured. They couldn't even find bandages.

"One of the most important points to stress when dealing with this situation is collaboration between ambulance, police and army and hospitals. They didn't have this in Chile. We have many things in place [in Israel], on our computers, and a network that connects representatives, on call, who are ready to deal with a state of mass casualties," he tells ISRAEL21c.

"When they get the calls they will all arrive to the same place for command and control, which will include a rep from the ministry of health, the hospitals, police and army." This is so all the forces can be united on a common front. And while it sounds intuitive, a lack of communication and ground control was one of the criticisms that the Bush Administration faced over its response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

Hyams lauds the Jewish community in Santiago for helping to rebuild the local medical support system: "The pictures here are very difficult. Four months after the disaster there is still damage everywhere. Where hospitals once stood, there are now tents," she says, pointing out that the Jewish community's assistance has been very significant.

She would like to return to Chile and is in contact with MASHAV, Israel's National Agency for International Development Cooperation, in the hope that the organization will help sponsor more workshops or bring Chileans to Israel to learn more. Her idea is to organize more workshops through a local MASHAV office in Santiago, set up to service the wider Latin American region.

The recent June workshop in Chile was sponsored by Israel's Rambam Hospital; Israel's Ministry of Health, the Jewish community in Chile, and the Las Condes Hospital, a private medical facility in Chile.

2,000-Year-Old Gold Coin a Testament to Galilee Ancient History

Article Published on Arutz Sheva July 18, 2010

By Hana Levi Julian

A 2,000-year-old gold coin discovered by a West Virginia University student at an archaeological site in the upper Galilee has proven to be the find of the season.

It is the first Antonius Pius coin ever found in Israel and was discovered by Alexis Whitley and her friend, on one of the hottest days of the summer. The two were clearing away dirt and rocks at the Bethsaida site when suddenly, Alex spotted the sparkle of a coin as it slipped down.

Unaware of its significance, it took a while for Whitley to understand why excavation director Dr. Rami Arav immediately had her pose with the coin as photographers raced to the site.

The coin, which Arav described as a discovery of Biblical dimensions, weights 7 grams of 24-karat gold – 97.6 percent gold, to be exact. It depicts the portrait of Antonius Pius, a Roman emperor who rules from 138-161 CE.

“Not every job that is boring has boring results,” Arav chuckled, when asked in an interview with Israel National News how he managed to stay focused on one site for the past 24 years. “Sometimes the results are fascinating.”

Arav, a professor at the University of Nebraska, said the coin was issued to celebrate Pius' designation of consul for a second time, which according to historical records took place in the summer of 138 CE. He noted that Pius' ascension to consul should have been indicated with an announcement on the flip side of the coin – but instead, the coin shows a portrait of the goddess Pietas – which the chief archaeologist said may have been a rare and valuable misprint. “Somebody in the Roman Imperial mint goofed. It is like having a rare and mistaken silver dollar,” Arav explained.

The coin also supports the theory that Pius embraced the Jewish population in Rome, unlike his father, who brutally oppressed the Jewish revolts. Pius is considered to have been a personal friend of Rabbi Yehudah (Judah) the Prince, creator of the Mishnah.

Bethsaida was founded as a capital of the ancient kingdom of Geshur and was the birthplace of at least three Christian apostles – Peter, Andrew and Philip. The ancient town is located at Park HaYarden, north of Lake Kinneret, also known as the Sea of Galilee. The site, discovered by Arav in 1987, has seen 24 seasons of excavations thus far.

Other finds over the past years have included a golden earring, an Athenian tetradrachm, a small Egyptian figurine (Pataekos) and common cooking pots.

The golden earring was made of two pieces comprised of the head of an unidentified animal, decorated with small gold balls, with gold and silver twisted filigreed strings, soldered together with a gold strap.
The tetradrachm, a find which relates to the Persian period(450-330 BCE), dates back to approximately 450 BCE, according to a post on the Bethsaida excavation web site. The small figurine depicting the Egyptian god Pataekos was unearthed from beneath a 10-cm level of sediment of red burnt soil at the dig in 1994. Although most of the blue glazing was faded or peeled away, noted Arav at the time, “a few deposits under the right arm and under the neck indicate its original turquoise color.”

A globular cooking pot was also found at the site, one of the most common that exists in the excavation of the Hellenistic-Roman periods in the Land of Israel. The globular pot, equipped with two handles that emerge from the rim and were attached to the shoulders, was a common find at the site, said Arav.

He added that the coin, as well as all the other finds at the Bethsaida dig, remain the property of the State of Israel. “It is part of the heritage of this country,” he said. “Soon after the professional publication of the coin it will go to the Israel Antiquities Authority and I believe that it will be on display in a museum.”

The Bethsaida Excavation is being carried out by a consortium of 20 universities and colleges worldwide, Arav explained. Among the institutions involved are American, European, Australian and Israeli universities, headed by the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

SafeRise Apartment Security System Developed by Israeli General

Forget the World Cup, think soccer robotics

Article published on ISRAEL21c July 8, 2010
By Karin Kloosterman

The Israeli national team didn't make the cut for this year's World Cup soccer tournament, in fact they've only made the cut once -- in 1970. But that doesn't faze Israelis who are more known for their high tech prowess, over sport, any way. Using their brains instead of brawn, a group of Israeli researchers and their students headed to Singapore for six days in June to coach their own kind of soccer team -- one made of robots at the annual RoboCup tournament.

They might not have won the prestigious tournament, but in the good spirit of robotics and diplomacy the team played against Texas and Austria, practiced with Turkey, and was even invited to come with their robots to Iran.

It's the second year that Israelis have been invited to the robotic soccer league, the Robot World Cup, which pits robots from different universities around the world against each other. Going in with an advantage, making the cut among only 24 teams from around the globe, Israel's Team BURST from Bar Ilan University had to deal with a "repository" failure calling on their human support team to race around the clock trying to fix the robots before kickoff.

In the end the Israeli university team placed nowhere near the top, yet "we scored a goal," boasts Dr. Eli Kolberg, on the committee of the RoboCup league, and researcher at Bar Ilan University. He also escorted a junior high school team from Holon, Israel, which won a robotics dance competition.

Playing with plastic, chips and brains

The official team from Israel included four robots and 13 researchers from Bar Ilan, among who were 11 of the school's best graduate students from the Department of Computer Sciences. Normally students don't get access to the kind of classes that prepare them to build high-end robotics projects -- especially ones that teach robots how to run, kick, head but and try to score penalty goals:

"One of the unique things about the robotics program at the Computer Science department is our emphasis on inclusion of undergraduate students in state-of-the-art research projects. There are very few universities in the world, let alone Israel, where undergraduate students can take regular classes, in which they face state-of-the-art research challenges in robotics," said Prof. Gal Kaminka, a researcher at Bar Ilan University who heads the team.

The Israeli team of robots might not have the face of Beckham or the speed and balance of Pele, but they've got brains. And that's the research teams' tactic on the "field". "The competition is really about programming the software brain that controls each robot," says Kaminka. "Each robot has a camera, range sensors, a computer, and independent motion capabilities. They cannot rely on human intervention or guidance in any way or form. However, they can communicate with each other.

"There's a very exciting story of which RoboCup is only a symbol, a front: the story of the birth of Israeli robotics in recent years," he explains to ISRAEL21c. "This is reflected not only by academic efforts such as RoboCup, but also what is happening in the industry, with both large defense integrators as well as small start ups that are popping up," he says.

An ER situation and "sports medicine"

"There's a sense that the market is moving at an accelerated rate. I know that all of sudden, after years of having my PhD and MSc student graduate to jobs in larger companies, suddenly two of them are off to start their own robotics companies. One of them, Cogniteam, actually sponsored our team.

"This was a factor in my decision to open RoboCup to undergraduate students - an unusual decision, given their inexperience. I wanted to make sure that Bar Ilan is producing students with knowledge in robotics at a faster rate."

Before the team arrived in Singapore on June 19, the Israeli BURST team was pretty confident of a win. But disaster struck almost immediately. "After a few hours of work during the first set-up day, we discovered that our code went through a meltdown," the students wrote on their blog.

"Things that worked in the lab, no longer work. Repairs just seem to make things worse. We have been working 22 hours a day to stabilize the situation. Some of the students are falling asleep at the keyboard. The amount of caffeine intake is just astounding: The current rate is eight espressos for every 10 hours," they lamented.

"What happened is our repository crashed - it's the software - it's complicated to explain but it's working in several environments. We had to work hard in order to help the robots step up to a reasonable competition," says Kolberg, who believes the robotics soccer league could one day compete against real human soccer players.

"On the third game we started making goals. But it was too late for us," he tells ISRAEL21c. "The people - professors and faculty and students really understand what we've done in a short time and it was a great honor for Israel. It won't be the last game we play," concludes Kolberg, who reported a practice session against a Turkish robotics soccer team.

Next year, they'll be back -- hopefully for a win. If not in the real life World Cup, than with their robots.

Tourism Booms Between Israel and Malta

Article on Arutz Sheva June 30, 2010
By Hana Levi Julian

While Israeli tourism to Turkey is dying on the vine, the Republic of Malta is preparing to introduce a new direct flight route to the Jewish State. The small Mediterranean nation, located near Italy, has lost no time taking advantage of the drop in Israeli travelers who are choosing Turkey as their destination of choice.

The General Retailers and Traders Union (GRTU), the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Chamber, and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) banded together recently to advocate routes to both Jerusalem and Beirut. Some of those involved suggested that it would be a good idea to connect the two destinations.

The GRTU "has been inundated with requests and queries" as to why airlines do not start flight operations from Malta to Jerusalem and Beirut and back, Philip Fenech, president of the GRTU's Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure section, told The Malta Independent. “A number of Maltese, with their strong Catholic faith, have always shown a high interest in traveling to these two places,” he explained.

MHRA president George Micallef added that tour operators have had especially positive experiences from Israel, leading him to be certain that there is money to be made on both sides. “The MHRA has in the past experienced charter operations from these two destinations, particularly Israel, and we have generally received positive feedback from the hotels that have hosted a large number of guests from these countries, said MHRA president George Micallef.

He cautioned, however, that it was important to ensure that the momentum of high energy seen during peak months be continued during off-peak season as well. Otherwise, he said, “it can create more problems than solutions. When introducing new and prospective destinations like Jerusalem and Beirut, Malta needs to ensure their sustainability,” he said.

Malta, a member of the United Nations and the European Union, is comprised of an archipelago some 93 kilometers south of Sicily and 288 kilometers northeast of Tunisia. The republic spans some 300 square kilometers, making it one of Europe's smallest and most densely populated countries. Its official religion is Catholicism.

Israel launches new spy satellite 'Ofek 9'

Article published on AP June 22, 2010
By Mark Lavie

JERUSALEM – Israel launched a spy satellite called "Ofek 9" late Tuesday, Israel's Defense Ministry and officials said, increasing Israel's capacity to keep an eye on enemies like Iran.
The Defense Ministry issued a statement saying the satellite was launched late Tuesday from the Palmachim air force base on Israel's coast south of Tel Aviv. An hour later, after the satellite completed its first circuit, the ministry said it had achieved its proper orbit, describing it as "a surveillance satellite with advanced technological capabilities."



Defense officials said Ofek 9 is a spy satellite with a high resolution camera. It would join two other active spy satellites in the Ofek series already orbiting the earth. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because details were not made public, said the three satellites would give Israel considerable coverage of sensitive areas.
Addition of a new satellite gives Israel the capability of sending space-borne cameras over sensitive areas more frequently. One of Israel's main targets for spy photos is Iran, because of its nuclear program.
Israel considers Iran to be a strategic threat, charging that its nuclear program is meant for developing bombs, despite Iranian denials. Also, Iran has tested missiles that can reach Israel, and its leaders frequently refer to Israel's destruction.
Israel is also thought to be targeting Syria with its satellites. In 2007, warplanes struck a site in Syria thought to be a nuclear facility under construction. Israel has not commented, but it was widely reported that the attacking aircraft were Israeli.
Defense officials said that with each successive Israeli satellite, cameras are more advanced and offer higher resolution. They said the camera aboard Ofek 9 was made by Elbit, a leading Israeli high-tech optics firm. They said the camera could pick out missiles and launchers on the ground.
Isaac Ben-Israel, a former head of the Israeli space agency, told Israel Radio that the new satellite weighs about 650 pounds (300 kilograms), small in comparison to American spy satellites. He said it would take another two or three days before it could be determined if its camera was working properly. So far, he said, Israel has not had problems with cameras aboard its satellites.
In 2008, an Israeli spy satellite launched from India took aloft an advanced radar system that would allow photography in all weather conditions and at night.
Besides its spy satellites, Israel also has a number of communications satellites in orbit.

Israeli companies star in New York Advertising Festival

Dig reveals 3,500 yr old relics

Article published in Jerusalem Post June 7, 2010
By jpost.com staff

Find includes 100 undamaged religious utensils.

A major 3,500 year old archaeological find was made at Tel Kasis dig near the Tishbi Junction in the North, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday.

The site was found to include over 100 undamaged religious utensils, including tableware such as cups and plates, vessels for storing oils and statuettes some of which were imported from Mykonos in Greece.

The dig is being managed by archaeologists Uzi Ad and Dr. Edwin Van-Den-Brink, who described the discovery as a rare find.

The archaeologists believe that the items were carefully hidden in the hole at a time of conflict in Canaan, for safekeeping.

A natural gas pipeline is planned for the area, and the dig is part of the preliminary preparations.

The Magnet System

Article published on Israel Defense Forces website May 17, 2010
By Bar Josephine Dadon

The new Magnet system streamlines operational activity in times of emergency. Magnet is connected to radar systems allowing it to serve as an alternative alert system for high-trajectory weapon fire.

The Magnet system, which will streamline the operational activity of the Israeli Air Force, has been installed and put into operation on all IAF bases.
The Magnet presents a situation report of all IAF bases and includes a computerized operations log, replacing the manual system, which allows for faster data transfer. During security related events, the system displays the relevant areas, the number of injured, and the concentration of IAF forces, while every unit is able to update the situation on its base independently. The information is then transferred to central control posts and to the commanders of the various units and departments of the IAF.

“The guidelines for any given emergency situation are already saved in the system, so that if there is an incident, whoever directs the operation can log in to the Magnet and receive instructions,” explained the head of the Operations Department in the IAF Self-Defense Branch, Maj. Itzik Ben-Simon.

In addition, the Magnet system can form a connection to radars and other detection means, allowing an alternative alert system for high-trajectory weapon fire towards IAF bases. “The new system can send a warning regarding missiles hitting any base through a message on the screen,” explained Maj. Ben-Simon. “Until now, the alerts were given by phone from the control cell in Tel Aviv.”

The development of the Magnet system began in 2002 in the Ofek Computer Unit and a full review of its operational capabilities was recently completed. “The Magnet is more stable than in the past, and IAF commanders rely on it. The system has already been presented to the IDF Army Headquarters as well, and the IDF is examining its possible integration in the Ground Forces,” added Maj. Ben-Simon.

ISRAEL JOINS WEALTHIEST NATIONS