Israel and Middle East News Update

Wednesday, September 23

Headlines: ● Cabinet Fails to Reach an Agreement on Further Restrictions ● US, UAE Reportedly Finalizing Deal for Downgraded F-35 ● Gantz Heads to U.S. with Shopping List of Weaponry ● EU Said to Be Pressuring Palestinians to Hold New Elections ● Palestinians Relinquish Arab League Chairmanship ● Saudi: Deal with Iran Needs to Preserve Non-Proliferation ● Egypt Reaches Out to Greece Amid Tension with Turkey ● and Italy Finalize Arms Deal

Commentary: ● Post: “Peace Will Only Come When the Faiths of Jews and Arabs are Acknowledged” - By Rabbi Yakov Nagen, Director of Ohr Torah Stone Network’s Blickle Center for Interfaith Dialogue

● Yedioth Ahronoth: “In War, as in War” - By Giora Eiland

S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 1725 I St NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 The Hon. Robert Wexler, President News Excerpts September 23, 2020 Ynet News Cabinet Fails to Reach an Agreement on Further Restrictions The Coronavirus Cabinet failed to reach a decision on further restrictions on Israeli society and economy in a bid to rein in the spread of the virus. The Cabinet concluded the meeting that centered on whether to impose restrictions on protests against Netanyahu that have been taking place outside of his residence while disregarding coronavirus regulations. Netanyahu lacerated the mass protests that he felt are being exempt from following health directives by law enforcement. Netanyahu pointed out the discrepancy in the enforcement of health ordinance at protests and at public prayer services - an issue that raised vociferous criticism from the religious community. The Cabinet adopted Foreign Minister 's proposal to establish an inter-ministerial task force that would formulate an orderly outline for the demonstrations. See also ‘‘Cabinet Delays Decision on New Virus Rules as Netanyahu Pans Protest ‘Farce’’ (Times of Israel)

Israel Hayom US, UAE Reportedly Finalizing Deal for Downgraded F-35 The US and the UAE hope to have an initial agreement on the sale of F-35 fighter jets in place by December, as the Trump administration studies how to structure a deal without running afoul of Israel. Sources said the goal is to have a letter of agreement in place in time for UAE National Day. Any deal must satisfy decades of agreement with Israel that states any US weapons sold to the region must not impair Israel's "qualitative military edge," guaranteeing US weapons furnished to Israel are "superior in capability" to those sold to its neighbors. With that in mind Washington is studying ways to make the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 more visible to Israeli radar systems, sources said. See also ‘‘U.S. Eyes December Agreement on F-35 Jets with UAE’’ (Reuters)

Ynet News Gantz Heads to U.S. with Shopping List of Weaponry Defense Minister Benny Gantz departed for the US to meet with American counterpart Mark Esper taking a list of munitions Israel says it needs to maintain its military superiority in the region. Israel may demand an earlier supply of Boeing KC-46 Pegasus, a military aerial refueling and strategic aircraft that was scheduled to be delivered in 4 years. The U.S. has green-lighted the sale of 8 jets to Israel for $2.4b. Israel may also be able to purchase advanced F-15 EX, earmarked to become the next generation IDF bombers by 2023. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that Gantz would be holding talks vital to maintaining military superiority in the region and to the ongoing efforts to combat Iranian aggression. See also ‘‘Defense Minister Gantz Meets Kushner, Discuss 'Additional Accords'’ (Arutz Sheva)

2 Jerusalem Post EU Said to Be Pressuring Palestinians to Hold New Elections The PA is again facing pressure from some EU states to hold long-overdue presidential and parliamentary elections. Leaders of the ruling Fatah faction and were scheduled to meet in Turkey to discuss holding new elections and ending their dispute, which reached its peak in 2007. At the time, Hamas violently seized control of the after overthrowing the PA regime. PA President Mahmoud Abbas phoned Turkish President Recep Erdogan and briefed him on efforts to end the Fatah-Hamas rift and hold new elections. Shortly after Abbas’s announcement at the UN, Hamas confirmed that it had agreed with the Palestinian Central Elections Commission to participate in the next elections. Hamas, however, also said it would not accept the exclusion of east Jerusalem under any circumstances. See also ‘‘In Subtle Message to Egypt, Palestinians Head to Turkey for Reconciliation Talks’’ (Ha’aretz)

Times of Israel Palestinians Relinquish Arab League Chairmanship PA Foreign Minister Riad al-Maliki said that the PA will relinquish its role as temporary chairman of the current round of Arab League meetings in protest of the League’s refusal to condemn normalization with Israel. Ramallah previously indicated it could leave or suspend its membership in the Pan-Arab body after the League rejected a Palestinian resolution to condemn the UAE for establishing ties with Israel. The condemnation was deemed unlikely to pass from the start, as several Arab countries had publicly praised the normalization accords. But the predictability of its demise did little to lessen what many saw as a serious blow to Palestinian diplomacy - a betrayal of the Palestinians’ cause by an organization that had long championed their right to a state. Only a few days after the resolution failed, Bahrain announced that it would normalize ties with Israel as well. See also ‘‘6 Weeks After UAE’s Normalization Bombshell, Palestinians Still Have No Strategy’’ (Times of Israel)

Arutz Sheva Saudi: Deal with Iran Needs to Preserve Non-Proliferation Saudi Arabia said that any nuclear deal with Iran has to preserve non-proliferation and continue efforts aimed at making the region a zone free of mass destruction weapons, according to state news agency SPA. The statement comes a day after the Trump administration announced an executive order and new sanctions against Iran aimed at enforcing UN sanctions. Administration officials say it is an indefinite ban on weapons sales and allows for sanctions on any international companies or individuals that seek to violate the embargo. Last month, Washington started the process of restoring all pre-2015 UN sanctions against Iran. The move to activate the “snapback” came after the UN Security Council rejected the US resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran, which is due to expire in October. However, the president of the UN Security Council rejected the US demand, saying there was no general agreement among council members. See also ‘‘Saudi Arabia on Road to Ties with Israel, but Not Quite There Yet’’ (Times of Israel)

3 Al-Monitor Egypt Reaches Out to Greece Amid Tension with Turkey Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou hosted Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who was on an official visit to Athens upon the invitation of his Greek counterpart. Discussions covered ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and coordination between the two countries in various fields, as well as regional and international issues of common interest. After the meeting, Egypt and Greece denounced any provocative acts that could destabilize the Eastern Mediterranean region and lead to confrontation. These consultations fall within the scope of Egypt's ongoing efforts to deter Turkish influence in the Eastern Mediterranean. President Sisi and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, affirmed in a phone call the consistency of interests and common positions regarding the Eastern Mediterranean region. They rejected any escalations that may harm the interests of the countries of the region, stressing that achieving security and stability in the region is a priority that calls for coordination and solidarity. See also ‘‘East-Med Gas Forum Evolves as Israel, Egypt Enhance Cooperation’’ (Al-Monitor)

Jerusalem Post Israel and Italy Finalize Arms Deal Israel and Italy have completed a reciprocal procurement agreement which will see Israel's Defense Ministry purchase 5 advanced training helicopters and the Italians purchasing Rafael spike missiles and Elbit Systems simulators in exchange. The agreement was signed by the director-general of the Israel Defense and his Italian counterpart, in a signing ceremony that took place simultaneously in the defense headquarters of each country, one in and the other in Rome, and screened via secure video conference. The agreement completes the exchange between Israel and Italy that began in February 2019 which sees purchases by both countries. Defense Minister Benny Gantz welcomed the agreement, saying that it “reflects our close and important cooperation with the Italian Ministry of Defense over the years. The Defense Ministry will purchase a "training package" from Italian defense contractor Leonardo that includes 12 AW119KX training helicopters and two simulators for the Air Force Flight School. The first 7 helicopters were purchased a year ago, and an additional 5 were agreed upon. The new aircraft will gradually replace the "Sayfan" (Bell 206) helicopters. The Italian Ministry of Defense will purchase Spike launchers and missiles from Rafael and advanced simulators for a number of helicopter models in the Italian military, in a partnership between Leonardo and Elbit Systems.

4 Jerusalem Post – September 23, 2020 Peace Will Only Come When the Faiths of Jews and Arabs are Acknowledged By Rabbi Yakov Nagen ● Together with my students, I am sitting in an enormous and magnificent tent in the Hebron Hills. Before us are baskets overflowing with fruit, a generosity characteristic of traditional Arab hospitality. Out of respect for the Jewish guests, consideration has been given to the dietary laws of kashrut. Our host, the leader of one of the largest clans in Hebron, looks at the students and directs his words principally to them. “We, the adults, have failed. You need to repair. Oslo was missing fundamentals,” he emphatically declares. He explains that because the process was disconnected from the religious and ethnic background of the two nations, it therefore lacked essential foundations. ● While listening to his words, I could not help but hear an echo of the central claim of my late colleague Rabbi Menachem Froman about the conflict: “If religion is part of the problem, then it must necessarily be part of the solution.” The very name of the peace agreement between Israel and the UAE symbolizes a paradigm shift. As opposed to previous accords, Camp David and Oslo, named after locations foreign to the Middle East, the “Abraham Accords” expresses the shared religious heritage uniting Jews and Muslims. If religious identity was once a wedge dividing Jews and Muslims, here it is being channeled to create a narrative of connection. ● In the context of today’s incendiary world, this narrative could contribute to a shared consciousness of unity within Abrahamic traditions that would have global significance. On the surface, the potential of shared heritage to connect us should be self-evident. Rabbinic literature respects Islam’s belief in the unity of God. Furthermore, Islam grants a special status to Jews as Ahlul Kitab, “People of the Book,” and the Koran presents the Bible as a guide granted by God to the Jewish people. However, the grounded realities are much less rosy then the above would imply, and only if the reasons for discrepancy are properly understood can they be resolved. Fueled in part by medieval Muslim-Jewish polemics, Islamic commentaries on the Koran have undermined its explicit favorable approach toward Judaism. Specifically, verses in the Koran that legitimatize Judaism are declared by commentators as having been abrogated or having relevance only in pre- Islamic times. ● Moreover, the Jewish Bible itself is accused of being a distortion of the original book given to the Jews by God. Jewish leaders, in turn, generally chose an insular approach necessary to preserve Jewish identity as a small minority scattered throughout the Diaspora in often hostile environments. Thus, interfaith activities and theology were often neglected or shunned. BOTH RELIGIONS must now realize how much they benefit from viewing their relationship, not as competing stories, but as complementary components of a shared story. Together they can better meet the challenge of a world in which the alternative for their adherents is not another faith but no faith at all.

5 ● While this dynamic is relevant to relationships between all religions, it is particularly significant to the relationship between Judaism and Islam. Islam is an extension of the story of Judaism. Thus, undermining Judaism and the Torah ultimately undermines Islam, whereas respecting and legitimizing Judaism strengthens Islam’s foundations. This is true also about the theological implications of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. If Islam has superseded Judaism, Islam will not be able to come to terms with Israel’s presence in the Middle East. However, legitimizing Judaism validates Jewish national presence in the Jewish homeland, an idea the Koran often affirms. ● From Judaism’s perspective, there is great value in acknowledging Islam as one of the Abrahamic religions that has emerged from within it. Seeing Islam’s success as a fulfillment of the role of Judaism in the world gives added purpose and meaning to Jewish identity. In fact, much of the negative statements about Jews in the Koran actually stem from anger and frustration about the Jewish rejection of Muhammad after his arriving in Medina in 622 CE. However, rabbis such as the 12th-century Rabbi Natanel al-Fayyumi and the 20th-century Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook acknowledge Islam as a valid path for serving God and achieving salvation. ● Continuing their legacy can heal this rupture. The biblical prophets who foretold the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel also envisioned a partnership with humanity united in connection to God. The fulfillment of this vision should be seen in part as a shared consciousness emerging from a common Abrahamic heritage. The 19th-Century Italian Rabbi Elijah Benamozegh interprets the closing verse of the biblical Book of Malachi that tells of reconciliation between parents and their children as a vision of hope for a future relationship between Judaism and the Abrahamic religions that it spawned. Let us work together to make this vision a reality.

6 Yedioth Ahronoth – September 23, 2020 In War, as in War By Giora Eiland ● The , which broke out 47 years ago, became a metaphor for a debacle that leads to disaster. By their nature, one can find similarity between that national incident from 1973 and the coronavirus crisis of 2020. The similarity lies in the arrogance of the leadership, the delayed understanding of the magnitude of the incident, the errors that were made and the dire outcome. And yet there is a very significant difference between the two. Fiascos by both the political and professional echelons precipitated the catastrophic start of the war in 1973, but three days later we snapped out of it. The system knew how to lower expectations, create feasible and updated wartime objectives, learn lessons quickly, and even take advantage of an opportunity when it arose. ● Despite the serious mistakes and the horrors that occurred during the war and in its aftermath, the system that had been built actually proved itself right and strong enough to sustain the shocks and function properly. The system was based on a large and powerful military, with the right span of control, with the proper ability to mobilize all the national resources in time of need (with an emphasis on calling up reservists quickly), and even on the ability of the political echelon to act in relative harmony with the senior professional echelon (the general staff). Even when this war took Israel by surprise, the system that had been built for it since the state was founded was proven right. ● In early January 2020, it should have been clear that we were expecting a new kind of national crisis—a pandemic. As opposed to our readiness for war, we did not have a system that was ready for a challenge like this, but we did have a lot of time. Nearly two months elapsed until the first COVID-19 patient was discovered in Israel. Two months is a huge amount of time if you read the situation correctly. That didn’t happen. Two tragic errors were made back then, and they have been with us to this day. The first error was the failure to realize the situation. Although COVID-19 is a disease, it is not a medical problem where the job of the physicians is to cope with it. Rather, it is a phenomenon that has created a multi-level national crisis. The second and more substantial error was the failure to realize that you cannot deal with a national crisis without an appropriate system. ● Humanity has come as far as it has because human beings knew how to create suitable organizational systems thanks to which they knew how to build pyramids, or to give a different example, to build vast armies with trained soldiers. Every organization, from a simple factory with a hundred employees to a modern airport and various state structures, is built on an administrative methodology that delegates authority downwards and capitalizes on the ability of hundreds of managers at different levels not only to take action, but also to make optimal decisions in their area of expertise. Even if we have a genius for a chief of staff, he won’t win wars without a strong general staff, or battalion and brigade commanders who all know how to make the right decision in their sectors better than the chief of staff does.

7 ● The criticism that has been voiced recently, arguing that the government has not given enough power to the coronavirus czar that it appointed, misses the point. Ronni Gamzu is at best, as Amos Yadlin remarked, “a chief of staff without a general staff.” It’s important to note, in contrast to the prevailing opinion, that the government’s job is not to make many decisions. On the contrary, the government’s job is to create a system that will have hundreds of people in it who know simultaneously to make appropriate decisions pursuant to a clear hierarchy and relative advantage. ● Moreover, the big test is unrelated to the quality of the decisions, but rather to the congruence between the decisions and the ability to perform, the actual performance, real-time oversight, and immediately implementing necessary corrections. For that to happen, Jerusalem needs to set up a coronavirus general staff that will work 24/7, quickly create a proper methodology that will know how to run the “battalions” (hospitals, Home Front Command, mayors and others), and bring to the cabinet for approval only issues of policy and not micro-tactical matters. One adviser, as talented as he may be, is no substitute for that.

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