Israel and Middle East News Update

Wednesday, June 30

Headlines: ● Family Reunification Vote Delayed Until Monday ● Police, Palestinians Clash as Israel Demolishes Shop ● Lapid Opens Israeli Embassy to UAE ● Hezbollah Leader, Hamas Chief Talk Gaza War in Beirut ● Israel Digs in Heels on Gaza, Demands Captives' Release ● UN Accuses Israel of ‘Grave Violations’ Against Children ● UN Expert Backs Probe Into Iran's 1988 Killings, Raisi's Role ● Rafael Unveils New State-of-the-Art Anti-Ship Missile

Commentary: ● Yedioth Ahronoth: “Dubai Isn’t Berkley’’ - By Ben-Dror Yemini

● Israel Hayom: “The Test with the US: Avoiding the Honey Trap’’ - By Ariel Kahana

S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 1725 I St NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 The Hon. Robert Wexler, President News Excerpts June 30, 2021 Jerusalem Post Family Reunification Vote Delayed Until Monday Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked postponed a vote on the controversial family reunification bill to next Monday because she has still not succeeded in drafting enough support to pass it. MKs from Ra’am, Meretz and Labor MK Ibtisam Mara’ana oppose the bill, which would continue to prevent Palestinians from obtaining Israeli citizenship by marrying Arab-Israelis. Shaked met with all the Ra’am MKs and told them if they prevent the bill from passing, she would have no choice but to accept opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu’s offer to help pass a two-month extension of the current family reunification ordinance in return for the coalition backing the passage of a stronger immigration law. The bill initiated by the Religious Zionist Party is much stricter and would fine Palestinians who violate the family reunification law. Shaked told the Ra’am MKs she would support humanitarian steps for such families but would not change a word in the bill. The Likud mocked the coalition for delaying the vote for a fourth time. Dig Deeper ‘‘Netanyahu Plots Comeback’’ (Al-Monitor)

Ynet News Police, Palestinians Clash as Israel Demolishes Shop Israel demolished a Palestinian shop in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, triggering scuffles between police and protesters who accused authorities of discriminatory enforcement of building permits in the holy city. The shop was razed to make way for a national park to connect the City of David to Jewish heritage sites in Silwan. A bulldozer flattened a butchers shop, one of at least eight properties slated for demolition. Israel says the properties were built illegally. The residents say many have been there for decades, even from before the 1967 Six- Day War that saw East Jerusalem captured by Israel from Jordan. Police used riots dispersal measures to end the protests that erupted, including tear gas and stun grenades. Dig Deeper ‘‘4 Palestinians Arrested During Clashes in Sheikh Jarrah’’ (Times of Israel)

Al-Monitor Lapid Opens Israeli Embassy to UAE Foreign Minister Yair Lapid inaugurated Israel’s embassy to the UAE, saying, “This is a historic moment. And it is a reminder that history is created by people who understand history and are willing to change it, by people who prefer the future over the past." The minister further noted, “Israel wants peace with its neighbors. With all its neighbors. We aren't going anywhere. The Middle East is our home and we're here to stay, so we call on all the countries of the region to recognize that and to talk to us." Lapid warmly thanked former prime minister and political rival Netanyahu, whom he referred to as “the architect of the Abraham Accords and who worked tirelessly to bring them about.” Lapid also thanked former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden for their contributions to peace in the region. Dig Deeper ‘‘Lapid in UAE: Palestinians must want progress before Arab states can help’’ (Times of Israel) 2 Associated Press Hezbollah Leader, Hamas Chief Talk Gaza War in Beirut Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah discussed how they can build on the experience of the latest round of violence. The war had caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, brought life in much of Israel to a standstill and killed at least 254 people. There were no comments after the meeting that brought Nasrallah and Haniyeh together. During the war, Hamas and other militant groups fired over 4,000 rockets into Israel with dozens of projectiles flying as far north as Tel Aviv, Israel’s bustling commercial and cultural capital. Israeli airstrikes caused wide destruction in Gaza. Hezbollah and Israel fought a 34-day war in 2006 that ended in a draw. After the end of the war in Gaza, Haniyeh visited Egypt for Palestinian reconciliation talks. He later visited Morocco and Mauritania before arriving in Lebanon. Dig Deeper ‘‘Israel, Hamas Diplomatic Blitzes Highlight Abbas’s Solitude’’ (Jerusalem Post)

Jerusalem Post Israel Digs in Heels on Gaza, Demands Captives' Release In three high-level meetings, Israel has insisted on linking the rehabilitation of Gaza with the return by Hamas of the remains of two soldiers and the release of two captives. President Reuven Rivlin raised the matter with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and with President Joe Biden. Egypt and the United Nations are attempting to broker a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. At issue are the bodies of Lt. Hadar Goldin and St.-Sgt. Oron Shaul, presumed to have been killed during the 2014 Gaza war, and the fate of two Israeli citizens, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who crossed into Gaza in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Prior to last month’s war, Israel did not link between reconstruction and the hostages. Gaza has only three crossing points: one with Egypt at Rafah and two with Israel, its main commercial gateway at Kerem Shalom and a pedestrian one at Erez. Israel shut both crossings during Operation Guardian of the Walls and has not fully reopened them. Dig Deeper ‘‘US Opposes Conditioning Gaza Reconstruction on Return of IDF Troops’ Bodies’’ Times of Israel)

Times of Israel UN Accuses Israel of ‘Grave Violations’ Against Children An annual United Nations report on children in war accused Israel of hundreds of “grave violations” in 2020. The report said that 340 Palestinian children were harmed in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. UN Secretary-General Guterres, the official author of the report, alleged that Israel’s offenses included the detention of 361 Palestinian children, dozens of whom reported physical violence by Israeli security forces. The report also accused Israel of killing eight Palestinian children in the West Bank and one Israeli boy, who died in a car crash while he was fleeing from Israeli police. The annual report covers countries and organizations under the UN’s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, which are listed as grave violators in the annual report’s annexes. According to the report, Israel prevented children from humanitarian access, including education and medical care. 28% of requests from the Gaza Strip for children to access health care were denied by Israel. Dig Deeper ‘‘Palestinian Children 'Feel Abandoned' After Home Demolitions’’ (Al-Monitor)

3 Reuters UN Expert Backs Probe Into Iran's 1988 Killings, Raisi's Role The UN investigator on human rights in Iran has called for an independent inquiry into allegations of state-ordered executions of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 and the role played by President- elect Ebrahim Raisi as Tehran deputy prosecutor. Javaid Rehman, in an interview with Reuters, said that over the years his office has gathered testimonies and evidence. It was ready to share them if the United Nations Human Rights Council or other body sets up an impartial investigation. He said he was concerned at reports that some "mass graves" are being destroyed as part of a continuing cover-up. Raisi's office could not be reached for comment. The office of the spokesman of the Iranian judiciary was not immediately available to comment. Raisi, a hardline judge, is under United States sanctions over a past that includes what the US and activists say was his involvement as one of four judges who oversaw the 1988 killings. Amnesty International has put the number executed at some 5,000, saying in a 2018 report that "the real number could be higher". In a statement, the Justice for Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran welcomed Rehman's call, saying that a UN investigation into the extrajudicial executions was "long overdue". Dig Deeper ‘‘UN Chief Urges US to Remove Iran Sanctions as Agreed in 2015’’ (Reuters)

Times of Israel Rafael Unveils New State-of-the-Art Anti-Ship Missile Israel’s Rafael defense contractor unveiled a powerful new naval missile system known as the Sea Breaker that it says can knock out a full-sized warship from hundreds of kilometers away in one shot. The fifth-generation missile is principally geared for use against targets at sea or near the shore, but can also navigate over land, according to Rafael. At this stage, the Sea Breaker is primarily being marketed to customers abroad, the weapons manufacturer said. Rafael announced the creation of this new long-range missile, saying that it combined state-of-the-art capabilities with existing technologies, making it one of the most powerful weapons of its kind. The Sea Breaker is designed to be fired either from ships at sea or from a land-based launcher on shore. The missile uses a variety of sensors, supported by artificial intelligence, to identify targets autonomously, though human operators are meant to remain in the loop. The winged missile can essentially function as an incredibly fast drone, flying low at “high subsonic speeds,” over the sea or the land, changing direction as necessary. It can be directed to hit a target from up to 190 miles away with an accuracy of a few meters, the company said. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is considered one of Israel’s premier military contractors, helping develop some of the country’s leading weapons systems, including the Iron Dome missile defense system and the precision-guided Spike missile.

4 Yedioth Ahronoth – June 30, 2021 Dubai Isn’t Berkley By Ben-Dror Yemini ● To understand the relations between Israel and some of the Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, one needs to look in the direction of Yemen. A crucial battle has been underway there for the past several weeks—the battle for the district of Marib and the city of Marib at its center. The Houthis are closing in on the outskirts of the city; if the city and district should fall, that will be a severe blow to the recognized government of Yemen and to Saudi Arabia, which has made tremendous efforts to prevent that from happening. If the city does fall, it will be primarily a strategic victory for Iran. ● [Tehran] already has control in the north, by means of its axis comprising Iraq, Syria and Lebanon; if the Marib district should fall, Iran will also have a southern axis. Saudi Arabia won’t be the only country facing a problem if that happens. Israel and some of the Persian Gulf states will be affected as well. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s visit to the UAE isn’t going to change the outcome of the fighting on the outskirts of Marib. However, having said that, Lapid’s visit presumably is part of the effort to increase strategic cooperation between the two countries. ● According to foreign reports, Israel is already involved in the fighting in Yemen. In April the Saviz, an intelligence ship that served the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, was damaged off the coast of Yemen. That ship functioned as a floating Iranian base that helped the Houthis. In early June an Iranian cargo ship was damaged. According to foreign reports, that ship was used to transport equipment to Iranian allies in Yemen. The UAE had been involved in the fighting against the Houthis, but recently scaled back its involvement. The fighting around Marib resumed this week. According to some reports, the fighting resulted in more than 100 casualties, mainly Houthis. Roughly a million refugees are currently in the city. None of the talks that have been held to date to reach a cease-fire have yielded results. The peace between Israel and the UAE is based, naturally, on shared interests, including interests that pertain to the Iranian threat. But it is based on more than that. Long before the Abraham Accords were achieved, Jews who live in the UAE repeatedly spoke about living in a country that was free from anti-Semitism. ● The UAE isn’t a democracy, and it probably isn’t a good idea to speak out against the regime there. But the country surprisingly teaches its children tolerance. When the last vestiges of Yemenite Jewry needed to be extricated, it was the UAE that offered to help. By the same token, anyone there can walk around waving an Israeli flag and be received graciously. Dubai isn’t Berkley or London. Obviously, Binyamin Netanyahu played a significant role in the renewal [sic] of relations. ● One needs to bear in mind that the UAE was more primed to have warm relations with Israel than any other country in the Muslim world. The Emirates even has a minister of tolerance, and the members of all religions are protected by the authorities. All of which means that the combination of interests and educating for tolerance has turned the UAE into a vanguard of change in the Muslim world.

5 ● If anyone had harbored concerns that the changes of government in the United States and Israel might adversely affect UAE ties with Israel, which were established by Trump and Netanyahu, Lapid’s visit makes it clear that there is no change in the Emirates’ attitude, and this time that is a good thing. But Iran is still lurking in the background, as is Qatar and Al Jazeera. For the time being, the shared threats that Israel and the UAE face have only made those relations stronger.

6 Israel Hayom– June 30, 2021 The Test with the US: Avoiding the Honey Trap By Ariel Kahana ● Two and a half weeks into the term of the new government, there can be no mistaking the new atmosphere between Washington and Jerusalem. “The President warmly extended an invitation for Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to meet with him soon at the White House,” read a statement that was issued on behalf of the president. “This administration wants to see progress with additional Arab countries but also with the Palestinians, and we want that as well,” said Foreign Minister Lapid last night in Abu Dhabi, in an attempt to show just how close the two countries’ positions are to one another. Then Lapid needled the Trump administration, contradicting his calls to maintain bipartisan support for Israel. Earlier this week, after meeting in Rome with his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, Lapid said that disagreements with the Americans would be worked out behind closed doors and not at “press conferences,” as he put it. Both men stressed that they were the representatives of a new administration and a new government that wanted to reset relations between the two countries. ● There have been other indications of a mutual attempt by the Biden administration and the Bennett-Lapid government to set aside the disgruntlement that had built up between the two countries during Netanyahu’s years in office. It is important to say that there is nothing wrong with doing that. To the contrary, it is incumbent upon every Israeli leader to preserve and to improve the alliance with the United States to the best of his or her ability. It would also be nice to score a few points with the Democratic Party and possibly also with the American media with those kinds of statements. ● But alongside the desire to correct past mistakes, the most important task facing Israel’s new leaders is not to confuse form for content, not to prioritize atmosphere over substance and not to walk by mistake into a honey trap. The American embrace of Bennett and Lapid is not cynical. Biden genuinely meant it when told President Rivlin that Iran would not acquire nuclear weapons on his watch. And as someone who grew up in the same house as a Holocaust survivor, Blinken truly does want to do what he believes to be the right thing to do to guarantee the security of the Jewish state. ● But American leaders do not bear responsibility for guaranteeing our future. That responsibility lies with Israeli leaders. The fact is that the United States is racing into a new nuclear agreement with Iran, which isn’t eager to sign one—but that is a different story. That is why the US is lifting sanctions, making good will gestures and allowing that murderous regime to pocket billions of dollars. The fact is that Blinken is the one who wants to open a consulate for the Palestinians in the heart of Jerusalem, and by so doing to signal that Jerusalem will also be a Palestinian capital in the future. Who is going to cry out against greasing the wheels of global terrorism if not the country that is more threatened by that than any other country—namely, Israel?! Who is going to demand that President Biden keep his explicit promise not to allow Hamas to rearm if not Bennett, Lapid and Gantz?!

7 ● Who is going to shut down a message about partitioning Jerusalem, which is the message that the Americans wish to convey to the world, if not the prime minister and his partner, the alternate prime minister?! That is the big test facing the new Israeli leadership. Success in that test is more important than improving the feeling, the public image and the atmosphere—without trying to downplay the importance of those things. Alongside a desire to correct past mistakes, the more important task at hand is not to confuse form for content. And the facts are that the United States is racing into a nuclear agreement with Iran and wants to open a Palestinian consulate in the heart of Jerusalem.

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