ISRAELISRAEL MATTERS!MATTERS! Publication of the Israel Affairs Committee of Temple Beth Sholom 1809 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT 06517-1401 Issue Number 117 November 2017 Mossad Chief: Iran ‘Closer Than Ever Before’ to Israel’s borders Belgium Suspends PA Construc- The head of the Mossad intelligence service warned recently that Iran, through its proxies, is operating closer “than ever before” to Is- tion Projects After Palestinian rael’s borders with Lebanon and Syria, though he also said Israel was School Renamed for Terrorist operating deep in enemy territory. The Belgian government is suspending all Spy chief Yossi Cohen said that in addition to arming the terrorist efforts to construct or furnish Palestinian groups Hezbollah and Hamas, the Islamic Republic was working to schools, after one built with Brussels’ aid was develop its own nuclear capabilities with the goal of weaponizing renamed in honor of a mass-murdering ter- them. rorist. Located in the southern West Bank, Cohen made his remarks at a ceremony in which six teams from the the school’s controversial name pays homage espionage service received a special commendation from Prime Minis- to Dalal Mughrabi, who led a massacre of 38 ter Benjamin Netanyahu. Due to the sensitivity of the operations, the people, including 13 children, near Tel Aviv details of the teams’ activities were kept secret. However, the spymas- in 1978. ter said that the ones chosen were representative of the type of mis- A plaque at the school, which was first identi- sions the service is capable of carrying out. According to Cohen, the fied by the Israeli monitoring group Palestin- intelligence service “carries out hundreds, thousands of activities ian Media Watch, notes that it was estab- every year — some of them complicated and deep within the heart of lished with Belgian support. Didier Vander- enemy countries.” hasselt, a spokesperson for the Belgian For- The comments were something of a rarity, as Cohen does not often eign Ministry, confirmed that the school’s speak in public forums. He said his intelligence service is “focused construction was supported by the Belgian only on the top national, security and political priorities.” First on government. “When the school building was that list is Iran, according to Cohen. Tehran “continues with its vision handed over to the local community in 2013 it of [obtaining] a significant nuclear capability, which is meant to lead was called ‘Beit Awwa Basic Girls School,’ it to a military nuclear capability,” he said. subsequently the name was changed to ‘Dalal Mughrabi Elementary School,’” Vanderhas- Under the 2015 Iran deal, the Islamic Republic is permitted to con- selt explained. “The Belgian government was tinue with civilian nuclear research, which uses radioactive material unaware of this name change.” He added that that has been enriched to a much lower degree than that used for Belgium “unequivocally condemns the glorifi- military purposes. In his speech, Cohen did not allege that Iran was cation of terrorist attacks,” and “will not al- violating the 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of low itself to be associated with the names of Action. However, the spy chief said Tehran was fostering unrest in terrorists in any way.” the region. “Iran continues to work with increasing military aggres- sion in the Middle East, closer to our borders than ever before,” Cohen In a recent Facebook post, the school wrote, said, as Netanyahu looked on with apparent approval. “Iran continues “The name of Dalal is engraved in our hearts to support terrorist groups, Hezbollah and recently Hamas. Iran con- and will remain engraved in our minds.” It tinues to work to transfer advanced — and accurate — weaponry to also shared a poem written to express the terror groups within our region,” he said. “sadness” of “the faculty and students” over “the confiscation and robbery of the right and Cohen’s comments appeared to confirm recent military assessments the will of the Palestinian people to name its that Tehran was outfitting Hezbollah with precise missiles that are institutions.” [algemeiner.com ] meant to be used in a future war with Israel. (Continued ) (Continued from page 1) Qatar Offering to Trade Body of Israeli Soldier for American-Jewish Support Jerusalem has also long been concerned that Iran-backed A recently published report in Forbes magazine has Shiite militias were entrenching themselves along the claimed that Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al- Syrian border with the Golan Heights. Israel’s attempts Thani will seek to hold meetings with Jewish leaders in to convince Russia and the United States to make their the United States. The report said that the Emir aims to removal a requirement in a ceasefire in Syria have re- gain the leaders’ support, amid Qatar’s ongoing rift with portedly not yet succeeded. four Arab states, by handing over the body of In addition to Iran, the Mossad chief also Help Wanted an Israeli officer killed by Hamas in 2014. pointed to the Islamic State terrorist group Your editor has been According to the writer, Richard Miniter, as an ongoing threat to not only Israel, but the Chair of the TBS some leaders of American-Jewish non-profits the entire world. “Islamic State is continu- Israel Affairs Commit- said that Qatar is using Lt. Hadar Goldin’s ing to challenge us,” Cohen said. He noted tee for about a decade. body as a “bargaining chip” to communicate that the terrorist group, which is also During that time Israel with Jewish-American groups, three years known by its Arabic nickname, Daesh, was has seen many signifi- after his death. Hamas admitted to killing trying to “harm us and, no less importantly, cant changes to its na- the Israeli army lieutenant after he infil- our friends in the world.” tional identity, includ- trated a tunnel in the Gaza Strip in 2014. To handle those threats, Cohen said, the ing those in security, The movement usually retains the bodies of intelligence service was improving itself. technology, and the Israeli military to exchange for its own cap- “The Mossad is getting stronger, with new sociology of the coun- tives. capabilities in order to advance the future try. Miniter added that some American-Jewish appearance of the world, with new technolo- Few things last forever leaders received a tacit message saying that gies, with intelligence systems, with new and it appears the time their meeting with the Qatari Emir may re- forces, with human resources — all of this is right for a change in sult in recovering 23-year-old Goldin’s body. in order to be prepared for the challenges the committee’s leader- It may also reveal the fate of a missing Is- before us,” he said. ship. If you are pas- raeli soldier, they added. Speaking to “The winners of the prime minister’s prize sionate about Israel Miniter, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach said he display the best within us and show to what and are willing to take funded an advertising campaign against lengths the Mossad, its people and its fight- the initiative to con- Qatar. Boteach is deemed one of America’s ers can reach,” Cohen said. tinue to bring to the “most influential rabbis,” according to News- [timesofisrael.com ] TBS membership an week magazine. increased awareness of Boteach said that some American-Jewish Israeli Paralympic Rower Wins events in, or affecting groups are trying to communicate with Israel, then this is the Doha, despite the latter being involved in Silver Medal at World Games challenge for you. If killing Israeli soldiers through supporting Israeli Moran Samuel this sounds like you, Hamas. The rabbi added, “It is a shameful recently won a silver please let Rabbi Scolnic episode for our community when those who medal at the World know of your interest. fund the murder of Jews in Israel are being Rowing Championships embraced by Jews in the United States.” in Sarasota, Florida. Samuel com- Boteach explained that he ordered “full-page New York pleted the women’s Paralympic 2,000 Times ads to make it clear to all who agreed to whitewash meter race in just over 11 minutes the terror-stained hands of the Emir would be condoning and 20 seconds, setting a new Israeli murder.” The report also quoted Boteach as saying the record. attempts to organize meetings between the Emir and Samuel only took up rowing in 2010. She had been a some American-Jewish groups shows Qatar’s desperation. member of Israel’s national basketball team until 2006, Miniter said that the diplomatic and economic strain on when, at 24, she suffered a rare spinal stroke and became Qatar has worked. This is linked to Saudi Arabia, the paralyzed in her lower body. United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt cutting ties The talented athlete had to adapt to a new life, but she with the country. The quartet also withdrew its ambassa- didn’t give up her love of sports. In fact, she kept playing dors, closed ports, airports, and worked to isolate the Qa- basketball with the national wheelchair team and, even- tari leadership until it committed itself to stop supporting tually took up the solo sport as well. and financing terrorism. [timesofisrael.com] [english.alarabiya.net] .