Battle of the Horns of Hattin reenacted along Sea of Galilee

Two people suffered moderate injuries before dawn Sunday when an explosive device attached to a car detonated in Or Akiva, police said.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
The scene of a car bomb explosion in Or Akiva. (photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
The scene of a car bomb explosion in Or Akiva.
(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
NORTH
The annual reenactment of the historic Battle of the Horns of Hattin is set to take place this weekend, on the anniversary of the event.
The Horns of Hattin March is organized by the Regnum Hierosolymitanum Club of Living History and the Jerusalem Traditional Archery Club, and involves the reconstruction of historical events surrounding the battle on the very land that it took place, near Tiberias, on July 4, 1187.
The project, which attracts international visitors, is based on academic research carried out on archeological finds at the battlefields. All participants take part in the reenactment and are assigned to either the King of Jerusalem (Guy de Lusignan)’s army or Saladin’s army.
Characters include knights, professional mercenaries, members of the military order, Mamelukes, pilgrims, countrymen, city dwellers, Beduin, musicians and others.
The march takes two days and spans 30 kilometers; the event will begin Thursday and end Saturday. Live demonstrations of period dances, weapons manufacturing, ironworks, archery and swordsman training will take place, among many other activities.
Event organizers stated: “Karnei Hittin is believed to be the site of the Battle of Hattin, Saladin’s victory over the Crusaders in 1187. The Muslim armies under Saladin captured or killed the vast majority of the Crusader forces, removing their capability to wage war.”
“As a direct result of the battle, Islamic forces once again became the eminent military power in the Holy Land, reconquering Jerusalem and several other Crusader-held cities. The battle took place near Tiberias... The battlefield, near the town of Hittin, had as its chief geographic feature a double hill (the ‘Horns of Hattin’).”
Plastics factory burns down in Caesarea
A Caesarea plastics factory burned down last weekend after a fire broke out in the city’s industrial park. Dozens of fire fighting units fought the flames, which spread to an adjacent factory.
Police closed off streets leading to the park following the incident.
2 injured in Or Akiva car bomb
Two people suffered moderate injuries before dawn Sunday when an explosive device attached to a car detonated in Or Akiva, police said. Investigators believed the bomb was planted intentionally.
CENTER
Mass rally/concert held in Rabin Square in solidarity with kidnapped teens’ families
Tens of thousand of people gathered at Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square on Sunday night to show solidarity with the families of the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers, Naftali Fraenkel, Gil-Ad Shaer and Eyal Yifrah, whose bodies were found on Monday night. The rally looked to unite Israelis from across the societal spectrum in support of the kidnapped boys, as part of the “Bring Back our Boys” campaign, but the majority of the crowd appeared to be from the national-religious sector.
Speaking at the event were the boys’ mothers, as well as President-elect Reuven Rivlin.
“Eyal, this is our third Shabbat without you,” said Yifrah’s mother, Iris, before describing how much she longs to hear him play guitar and sing Shabbat songs. “You had such a sense of giving and love, and the people of Israel love you back.”
For his part, Rivlin urged world leaders and religious figures to join Israelis and Jews in their prayers for the safe return of the three boys. “This prayer doesn’t need to just come from synagogues, it should come out of every doorway, out of churches, even out of mosques, especially on this holiday of Ramadan.”
Secular and religious artists also performed at the square, which was filled with signs reading “Bring Back Our Boys” and “Together for their return.”
Tel Aviv hosts Diner en Blanc
Hundreds of people donned their best white clothes to attend a Diner en Blanc (Dinner in White) event at Habimah Square last Wednesday, a night ahead of White Night, in which the city stays alive all night long with special events and activities.
Elegant white tables were set for the large communal picnic in the picturesque square in the heart of the city, marking the first time this French-inspired dining experience has been held in Israel. The location of the “pop-up picnic” was kept secret until just hours before the event.
Diner en Blanc events have been held across the world, and another is scheduled to take place in Jerusalem in early August.
Parents speak out against packed classrooms in ‘Sardines Protest’
Parents committees of the Ganim and Revivim schools in Ganei Tikva and Hayovel in Tel Aviv carried out an hour-long school strike on Sunday morning, demonstrating against the Education Ministry. As a result of this “Sardines Protest” against the classroom size, studies at these schools began at 9 a.m. that day, instead of 8. The Ganim protest, led by parents committee chairman Yaniv Shahar, was held in parallel with the Revivim protest, led by Orly Rubin, and was attended by hundreds of parents and children who were protesting plans to open the next school year with first-grade classes of some 40 students each.
The protests were a continuation of a nationwide demonstration calling for a reduction in the size of classes. Over the weekend, demonstrations on the issue were held in many communities around the country, including Modi’in, Kfar Saba, Holon, Alfei Menashe, the Brenner Regional Council and Gedera.
Shahar said Sunday’s protest aimed to convey a message to the ministry that parents are determined not to give up the fight on classroom sizes, and “if the Education Ministry does not come to its senses, the national campaign headquarters is determined to continue fighting.
If there is no choice, we will have to carry out a school strike at the beginning of the coming school year.”
SOUTH
Dershowitz visits Negev therapeutic village
Retired Harvard law professor and prominent American Zionist Alan Dershowitz visited the Aleh Negev-Eran River therapeutic village this week, together with his wife, Caroline, as guests of village chairman Maj.-Gen. (res.) Doron Almog.
The village is located in the Merhavim Regional Council and was founded by the Aleh network, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. Aleh is Israel’s largest network of residential facilities for children with severe physical and cognitive disabilities.
Members of Aleh Negev expressed great appreciation for Dershowitz’s “important contribution and great work for Israel.” Almog presented the couple with a book called The Commitment, on the contribution of American Jewry to Israel’s establishment; he also gave them ceramic works made by village children.
Following the visit, Dershowitz wrote in the visitors’ book: “People are measured by the way in which they treat the weakest sector of society. Here, every person is a treasure, worthy of love, help and respect. May you go from strength to strength.” Dershowitz also remarked that his grandson volunteers at a summer camp for people with disabilities, and that he finds it very fulfilling.
Eilat rally supports families of kidnapped boys
Hundreds of Eilat residents gathered last week in Fradkin Garden to take part in a rally and communal prayer for the safe return of the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers. The rally was organized by the El Ami movement and the Eilat Municipality.
City Chief Rabbi Yosef Hecht, Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi and Hesder yeshiva chairman Rabbi Yossi Rodriguez all spoke at the event, which concluded with a joint recital of the Shema prayer.
Police nab 18 in Rahat on suspicion of weapons trafficking
In a large operation last week involving 250 police officers and five undercover agents, 18 people were arrested in Rahat on suspicion of trafficking explosive devices. Police also arrested another five people on suspicion of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and property crimes, in Beersheba and other cities in the South and Center.
Over the past month and a half, police in the Negev District seized 15 explosive devices, ammunition, drugs including cannabis and cocaine, and property stolen in burglaries.
Negev District Lt.-Cmdr. Omar Peretz described the arrests as very important, saying the explosives were ready for use and when purchased, could have caused substantial harm to innocent bystanders.