Israel and the Middle East News Update

Thursday, April 16

Headlines:  Israel Marks Holocaust Remembrance Day  PM says West is ‘Comatose, Delusional’ in Face of today’s Nazis: Iran  Rivlin: Past Horrors, Present Threats Won’t Dictate Our Future  Foreign Ministry: Israel May Pay a Heavy Price for Crisis with U.S.  European FMs: Label West Bank Settlement Products  Power: U.S. Will Work Closely with Israel, Won’t Count out Resolution  IDF Develops Tunnel Detecting System for Gaza Border  F-35 Simulator Touches Down in Israel

Commentary:  Times of Israel: “On Holocaust Remembrance Day, Assessing ‘Never Again”  By Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League  MFA: “PM Netanyahu’s Speech on Holocaust Remembrance Day”  By Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 633 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20004 www.centerpeace.org ● Yoni Komorov, Editor

News Excerpts April 16, 2015 Ynet News Israel Marks Holocaust Remembrance Day The State of Israel marks its annual Holocast Remembrance Day on Thursday with ceremonies commemorating the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during World War II. The theme of this year's memorial events is "The Anguish of Liberation and Return to Life," focusing on the days after the defeat of the Nazis. At 10 am local time Thursday morning, a two-minute siren blared all across Israel in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. See also, “Annual march to Auschwitz sees more non-Jews, international delegations” (Israel Hayom)

Times of Israel PM says West is ‘Comatose, Delusional’ in Face of today’s Nazis Prime Minister Netanyahu on Wednesday compared Iran’s violent and expansionist aspirations in the Middle East to the Nazi campaign to conquer Europe during World War II. He excoriated the US-led world powers for capitulating to Iran. World powers are “comatose” and “delusional” in the face of today’s Nazis, Iran, he charged. “The main lesson of the Second World War, for democracies, is that they cannot turn a blind eye to tyrannical regimes,” Netanyahu said during a ceremony at the Yad Vashem museum to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day. “Appeasement towards these regimes increases their aggressiveness,” the Israeli leader continued. “If this aggressiveness is not curbed in time, humanity may find itself in far greater wars in the future.”

Times of Israel Rivlin: Past Horrors, Present Threats Won’t Dictate Our Future Speaking at the annual Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Yad Vashem, President Reuven Rivlin’s hopeful tone diverged sharply from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fierce criticism that the emerging Iran deal indicated the world had not learned the lessons of the Holocaust. “We will not belittle any threats. Nor belittle shameful statements calling for the extinction of the Jewish people. Yet, while we are prepared, we are not scared,” Rivlin said. “The horrors of the past and the threats of the present will not dictate our lives, nor shape the lives of our children. They will not dim our hopes for a future of creativity and prosperity.”

Ha’aretz Foreign Ministry: Israel May Pay a Heavy Price for Crisis w/ U.S. The director of the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday sent a letter to Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman warning that Israel “is liable to pay a heavy price” because of the “intense, ongoing, and public” crisis in relations with the U.S. administration. In a two-page letter obtained by Haaretz, Foreign Ministry director-general Nissim Ben-Sheetrit called on Israel to take steps to quickly repair U.S.-Israel ties or face the consequences in the diplomatic and security arenas. Ben-Sheetrit’s letter focuses on the tense relations between the Netanyahu government and the Obama administration. He wrote that close coordination with the United States is crucial and directly connected to Israel’s ability to cope with all its diplomatic and security challenges.

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Ha’aretz European FMs: Label West Bank Settlement Products The foreign ministers from 16 out of 28 European Union countries on Thursday sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini asking her to push forward the process of labeling goods produced in Israeli settlements that are sold in grocery chains across the continent. The letter obtained by Haaretz is signed by the foreign ministers of France, Britain, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Malta, Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Slovenia, Hungary, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands and Luxembourg. "We would like to draw your attention to the letter dated 13th April 2013 sent to your predecessor on EU wide guidelines on the labeling of settlement produce/products," reads the letter obtained by Haaretz. "…We remain of the view that this is an important step in the full implementation of EU longstanding policy, in relation to the preservation of the two-state solution."

JTA Power: U.S. will work closely w/ Israel, wont count out resolution The United States would continue to “work closely” with Israel at the United Nations but would not count out advancing resolutions targeting Israel, Samantha Power said. Power, the U.S. envoy to the international body, testified Wednesday before the U.S. House of Representatives. Power said the United States would continue to stand with Israel “when it matters.” “We will continue to work extremely closely with Israel in New York,” Power replied. “As you know well we have a record of standing when it matters with Israel.” However, Power would not count out advancing U.N. resolutions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel is concerned that the Obama administration will no longer stand in the way of a Palestinian statehood resolution in the U.N. Security Council, and may advance a resolution outlining the parameters of a final status peace deal.

Yedioth Ahronoth IDF Develops Tunnel Detecting System for Gaza Border Good news for the Gaza periphery communities: the IDF has developed a tunnel detecting system— the first of its kind anywhere in the world—as a response to the tunnel threat that was revealed in Operation Protective Edge. The new system has already been operating in the area of the border with Gaza for several months, and it has even proven its ability to spot attempts to dig terror tunnels from the Gaza Strip. Now the security establishment will have to decide whether to allocate a budget to complete the deployment of the system along the entire border between Israel and Gaza. See also, “Hamas accelerates its tunnel-building, using heavy machinery” (Times of Israel)

Ynet News F-35 Simulator Touches Down in Israel The first simulator for the Israeli Air Force's most advanced jets – the F-35 – arrived in the Jewish State recently and was unveiled on Wednesday at an airbase in the Negev as part of the preparations for the advanced warplane's expected delivery in 20 months. The simulator will integrate with the rest of the air force's preparations ahead of the establishment of the first squadron for the stealth fighter. "The S-300 anti-aircraft system is exactly the type of threat the F-35 was designed to counter," said Steve Over, director for F-35 international business development, during a visit to the Israeli airbase.

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Times of Israel – April 16, 2015 On Holocaust Remembrance Day, assessing ‘Never Again’ By Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League and a Holocaust survivor.  As we observe the 70th Anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, it is an appropriate moment to assess how the message of “Never Again,” the major theme that emerged from this tragedy, is faring.  “Never Again” conveyed several themes. First and most obviously, it said that the Jewish people should never be subjected to such murderous behavior. Second, a broader conclusion stated that not only assaults against the Jewish people but all manifestations of genocide must be prevented.Third, the ultimate lesson for the Jewish people from the horrors of the Shoah was that Jews could never again allow themselves to be powerless.  So how are we doing?  Not so well, when it comes to the very idea of a goal of slaughtering the Jews. The chief proponent of this today is Iran and its leadership.  At the very moment when a nuclear deal is being worked out and, with it, the removal of sanctions and inevitably new legitimacy for the Islamic regime, its verbal attacks on the Jewish State have heated up.  Only weeks ago, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said that, “The destruction of Israel is non-negotiable.” Months before, while the nuclear talks were reaching a critical state, the supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, announced a nine-point plan for the elimination of the Jewish State.  Neither statement provoked a major outcry in the international community nor did they raise questions about treating Iran as a normal state.  What is suggested by all this is that as much as the Shoah is commemorated — through a day, through education, through observance — the world does not take seriously enough the modern-day threat to revisit those terrible days.  There are many reasons for this – realpolitik, tiredness, not taking Iran seriously, seeing Israel as strong. None of that excuses the apathy in the face of open Iranian intentions.  As to the concept of genocide, here too there is erosion. The term genocide is often misused to justify criticism of policies that people do not like, for example with regard to the Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians. In fact, if we define genocide as it should be, as a deliberate effort to destroy a particular group through violence, we unfortunately see too much of it around the world. In the Middle East alone, ISIS is taking this to new levels with its murderous assaults on Christians, other minorities and even Shiites. Their intent is clear.  And in Kenya, we saw a return to the methodology of the Shoah, with the singling out and separating out of Christians for murder by the Somali terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, at Garissa University College.

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 Where is the outcry of the world? Why are Christians themselves not leading a movement to denounce and prevent such atrocities? Must we wait for another Bosnia, Cambodia or Rwanda before we act?  And then there is the issue of Jewish power. The powerlessness of the Jews, both military and political, during the worst period in their history, taught the Jewish people that they could never again be in such a situation. That is what the Israel Defense Forces are all about. That is what the American Jewish community’s activity on behalf Israel, in coordination with coalition partners, is all about. And that is what working with different US administrations to combat global anti-Semitism is all about.  So what is the status of these elements of power to ensure “Never Again”?  The IDF is stronger than ever. Its ability to protect the Israeli people is being greatly enhanced with the assistance of the US, by the continuing upgrading of its anti-missile technology, which undoubtedly will become an even more important component of its future security than we witnessed last summer in the Gaza conflict. Indeed, whatever the contentions between the White House and Jerusalem, the security relationship remains as strong as ever.  Meanwhile, the strong history in recent decades of US governments standing up for Jews in danger continues. Today, the State Department monitors anti-Semitism in countries around the world as it does human rights. And US officials work with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to combat the upsurge in anti-Semitism in Europe. SoUS power, an important ingredient in the security of Jews since World War II, is still relevant.  Yet, questions arise about the future of this theme of using power on behalf of Jews after the Holocaust.  In Israel, there are those who dismiss even American assistance as unreliable. They often talk of Israel and Jews once again being alone in the world and having to depend on just themselves. These attitudes create new realities.  In the US there are questions about future US leadership in the world and the impact any retreat will have on the well-being of Israel and the Jewish people.  Finally, issues arise about the ability in the future of American Jews to have the same kind of impact on the condition of Israel and Jews worldwide. These issues reflect a changing Jewish community and a changing America.  As we commemorate Yom Hashoah, we must recommit ourselves to the theme of “Never Again.” It has brought much that is good to the Jewish people and the world-at-large. Its continued relevance will depend on many factors, but it all starts with our own Jewish community’s belief and recommitment.

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Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs – April 16, 2015 The Lesson of the Holocaust: No Room for Weakness When Facing Expansionist Regimes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at Yad Vashem, addressed the official ceremony marking the commencement of Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day:  Seventy years ago, the bells of freedom rang in the free world. The horrific nightmare that had engulfed all humanity in the depths of blood had come to an end in Europe. But the day the Nazis were vanquished was not only a day of relief and jubilation. It was a day of great sorrow for our nation, but also a day of reflection for world leaders. Leaders of modern countries realized that it was a propitious time to establish a new world order based on defending liberty, eradicating evil and opposing oppression. They articulated the most important lesson of World War II: democracies must not turn a blind eye to the aspirations of tyrannous regimes to expand. A conciliatory attitude toward these regimes only increases their tendency for aggression. And if this aggression is not stopped in time, humanity might find itself in a much bloodier battle.  In the years before World War II, the free world tried to appease the Nazi regime, to gain its trust, to curry its favor through gestures. There were those who warned that this compromising policy would only whet Hitler's appetite, but these warnings were ignored due to the natural human desire for calm at all costs. And indeed, the price was exacted not long later, and it was too heavy to bear - six million of our people were slaughtered in the Holocaust, and dozens of millions of others were killed in this terrible inferno.  When the war ended, the conclusion was clear: there is no room for weakness when facing tyrannous regimes who send their murderous tentacles in every direction. Only by standing firm and adhering to the values of liberty and tolerance can we ensure the future of mankind.  There are many around the world who claim that the lessons learned then are still valid today. They affirm: "Never again!" They declare: "We will not turn a blind eye to the expansion intentions of a violent tyranny." They promise: "We will oppose evil things as soon as they begin." But as long as these announcements are not backed with practical actions - they are meaningless. Did the world really learn a lesson from the inconceivable universal and Jewish tragedy of last century? I wish I could stand here and tell you that the answer to this was yes.  Today, evermore threats challenge the human civilization. Radical Islamic forces are flooding the Middle East, destroying remnants of the past, torturing the helpless, murdering innocents. They hope to establish caliphates, more than one, like in the Middle Ages. At the same time, the extremist regime in Iran is oppressing its people; it is rushing forward and submerging the Middle East in blood and suffering - in Yemen, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Iraq, in Gaza and across the border of the Golan.  Just as the Nazis aspired to crush civilization and to establish a "master race" to replace it in controlling the world while annihilating the Jewish people, so too does Iran strive to gain control over the region, from which it would spread further, with the explicit intent of obliterating the Jewish state. Iran is advancing in two directions: the first is developing the ability to arm itself with nuclear weapons and accumulate a stockpile of ballistic missiles; and

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the second - exporting the Khomeinist revolution to many countries by heavily using terrorism and taking over large parts of the Middle East. Everything is out in the open - it is all taking place in broad daylight, in front of cameras. And yet, the blindness is immense.

 "For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples," said the Prophet Isaiah. The determination and lessons that were acquired in blood seventy years ago are now dissipating, and the darkness and fog of denying reality are taking their place. The bad deal that is being made with Iran demonstrates that the historic lesson has not been internalized. The West is yielding in the face of Iran's aggressive actions. Instead of demanding a significant dismantling of the nuclear program in Iran - a country that clearly states its plans to exterminate six million Jews here and elsewhere, to eradicate many countries and many regimes - the superpowers back down. They are leaving Iran with its nuclear capabilities, and even allowing it to expand them later on, regardless of Iran's actions in the Middle East and around the world.  As the civilized world is lulled into slumber on a bed of illusions, the rulers of Iran continue to encourage subversion and terrorism, and disseminate destruction and death. The superpowers turn a deaf ear to the crowds in Iran shouting: "Death to America; Death to Israel." They turn a blind eye to the scenes of execution of those who oppose the regime and the members of minority populations. And they hold their peace in the face of the massive arming of terrorist organizations. At the most, they make a halfhearted statement for the record.  I looked into it and found that in honor of the Memorial Day of the Holocaust of our people, a competition with prizes is soon to take place in Tehran with participants from 56 countries. It is a competition of illustrations dealing with the denial of the Jewish Holocaust. Will we hear protests? At best, a minor condemnation might be heard, that will minimally fulfill their obligation.  Distinguished guests, Israeli citizens and representatives of other countries who are with us, the bubble of this illusion is going to burst. Democratic governments made a critical mistake before World War II, and we are convinced - and I must say that many of our neighbors are too - that they are making a grave mistake now too. It is possible that this partnership with many of our neighbors, the partnership in identifying threats, is the foundation for the partnership in forging a better, safer and more peaceful future in our region. Meanwhile, we will not flinch. We will continue to insist on the truth, and we will do everything we can to open the eyes that have closed.  I do not want to mislead anyone. We have tests ahead of us. We are in the midst of a great battle against the languor, the weakness, the denial of reality - we will stand in full force.  Beside those who refuse to understand our position, there are many others who identify with us. But even if we are compelled to stand alone, we will not be afraid. In any scenario, in any situation, we will safeguard our right, we will maintain our ability, we will keep our resolve to defend ourselves.

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 Seventy years ago we were a people of war refugees, powerless and voiceless. Today we express what we have to say, and we are determined to guarantee our existence and our future. It is our duty to fight those who wish to destroy us, not to bow down to them nor to downplay reality. We will not allow the State of Israel to be a passing episode in the history of our nation.  Distinguished guests, today I met in my office an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor, Abraham Niederhoffer. Abraham was born in Romania. When he was 12 years old he witnessed the brutal murder of his relatives by a Romanian soldier. He was taken on an animal freight train to the Ukraine, where he survived the Holocaust. Due to the persistent refusal of the communist authorities in Romania to permit his emigration, he came to Israel only in 1969. Here he worked as an engineer and supervisor, contributing to the building of the country. He told me his story with great emotion, so much so that he had to pause several times. At the end of the meeting he beseeched me, "Prime Minister," he said, "it is your duty to prevent another holocaust." And I responded: "That is exactly how I see my responsibility, that is exactly how I see my responsibility."  Seven decades ago, the survivors emerged from the camps, from the forests, from the March of Death, all battered and bruised with nothing but the worn-out clothes on their backs. Upon their release, the prisoners of the camps from all nations were asked by the Allied soldiers where each one wished to go. The Poles returned to Poland; the Russians returned to Russia; the Hungarians - to Hungary; the Ukrainians - to the Ukraine. But a great many of them had nowhere to return to. They stood hopeless, because they did not have their own country.  Today, we have our own country - a flourishing and modern country. A country that imbibes the heritage of our fathers and stands at the forefront of global knowledge. A country that disseminates a great light. A country that has taken charge of its destiny. Seventy years after the valleys of death, we revere the living, the vibrant, the creative, the flourishing.  Israel breaks ground on every front of modernization - in science, medicine, technology, agriculture, education and culture. And we do this not only for our people. We do this for the benefit of all humanity. This is what our existence is based upon - on our commitment to the safety and future of Israel, on the deference to our heritage, and on the unity of a nation in which beats a vast life force. The nation of Israel, that has arisen from the hellfire, is ready for any challenge.  "Shake thyself from the dust; put on thy beautiful garments, my people." The nation of eternity has shaken itself from the dust, returned home, stood tall, established an outstanding country and an outstanding army, the Israel Defense Force, in which our brave and courageous sons and daughters serve.  We will remember those who were murdered, we will guarantee life.

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