Israel and the Middle East News Update

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Israel and the Middle East News Update Israel and the Middle East News Update Friday, December 14 Headlines: ​ ● IDF Soldier Seriously Injured in Beit El Attack ● Manhunt Ongoing as Hamas Calls for ‘Day of Rage’ ● Slain Soldiers Identified: Yuval Mor Yosef, Yosef Cohen ● Hundreds Protest for PM Resignation After Attack ● After Deadly West Bank Attack, Israel Boosts Settlements ● Hawkish Israel Faction Demands Palestinian Road Ban ● Bennett Pushes Bill to Displace Families of Terrorists ● Abbas Condemns Attack, Also Blames Israel Commentary: ● Jerusalem Post: “An Alternate Strategy for Israel in Gaza” − By Amnon Reshef and Nimrod Novick, Commanders for Israel’s Security ● Ynet: “A Delusional Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” − By Chuck Freilich, former Israeli Deputy National Security Advisor S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 633 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20004 The Hon. Robert Wexler, President ● Yoni Komorov, Editor ● Aaron Zucker, Associate Editor ​ ​ News Excerpts ​ December 14, 2018 Ynet IDF Soldier Seriously Injured in Beit El Attack An IDF soldier was seriously wounded Friday morning after a Palestinian man stabbed him and struck him in the head with a stone at a military post on the outskirts of Beit El, a settlement in the West Bank. According to the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, "a fight broke out between the soldier and the assailant, who stabbed the soldier and struck him with a rock from a short distance. Evidence in the field indicates that the assailant was also injured in the struggle. The incident is still being examined. IDF troops are searching the area." The soldier was evacuated to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Times of Israel Manhunt Ongoing as Hamas Calls for ‘Day of Rage’ As Israel continued its manhunt, security forces readied for possible further violence as the Palestinian terror group Hamas called for a “day of rage” to mark the anniversary of its founding. Soldiers arrested 40 Palestinians throughout the West Bank suspected of involvement in terror and rioting, 37 of whom the IDF said were known Hamas operatives. A senior Israel Defense Forces commander indicated the same Hamas terror cell was responsible for Thursday’s attack in addition to a shooting that wounded seven Israelis on Sunday night. Jerusalem Post Slain Soldiers Identified: Yuval Mor Yosef, Yosef Cohen The IDF Spokesperson's Office identified the fallen soldiers from the Kfir Brigade on Thursday as 20 year-old Sergeant Yuval Mor Yosef, a combat soldier from Ashkelon, and 19 year-old Corporal Yosef Cohen from Beit Shemesh. Yosef and Cohen were killed in a terrorist attack on Thursday morning and two others were seriously wounded in Givat Asaf in the West Bank, just north of Jerusalem. The shots were fired by a Palestinian who got out of his car and started shooting. Times of Israel Hundreds Protest for PM Resignation After Attack Around 1,000 right-wing Israelis demonstrated outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem on Thursday evening, with protesters calling for his resignation over his response to recent terror attacks. West Bank councils have announced their intention to strike on Sunday. Meanwhile dozens of settler youths rioted Thursday, throwing stones at passing Palestinian vehicles on Route 60 and clashing with Israeli soldiers. 2 Ha’aretz After Deadly West Bank Attack, Israel Boosts Settlements Netanyahu said Thursday he would legalize thousands of Jewish homes in the West Bank -- 82 new housing units in the settlement of Ofra, as well as two new industrial zones near the settlements of Avnei Hefetz and Betar Ilit. On Sunday, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation is expected to discuss a bill to legalize a series of outposts and settlements. The proposal seeks to supply settlements whose status has yet to be confirmed with services that would prevent their demolition until they receive official status. Times of Israel Hawkish Israel Faction Demands Palestinian Road Ban A far-right faction of two Knesset lawmakers on Thursday threatened to quit the coalition and called a meeting to decide on its demands for steps against Palestinians. The threat, if carried through, could bring down the fragile ruling coalition of just 61 of the 120 Knesset members. Reports said the faction intends to issue an ultimatum to Netanyahu, conditioning their coalition membership on the closing of Route 60 — the main north-south West Bank artery — to Palestinian vehicles to prevent further drive-by shootings. Times of Israel Bennett Pushes Bill to Displace Families of Terrorists Education Minister and Jewish Home party chair Naftali Bennett announced Thursday that he will demand coalition support for a bill calling to forcibly relocate the families of Palestinian terrorists from their homes. Bennett said he will put the bill to a vote on Sunday with the expectation of full support from the government. According to the bill, within a week of an attack or attempted attack, the IDF’s Central Command will be permitted to expel the relatives of the Palestinian assailants from their hometowns to other areas of the West Bank. Ha’aretz Abbas Condemns Attack, Also Blames Israel Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the latest round of violence in the West Bank, criticizing both militant attacks and the tough Israeli response. Abbas' office issued a statement accusing Israel of creating a "climate" conducive to violence through its frequent military operations in Palestinian cities. The statement says that "the absence of the horizon of peace is what led to this series of violence, which we condemn and reject, and for which both sides pay a price." The statement also added: "Our permanent policy is to reject violence, incursions and terror of the settlers, and the need to stop incitement and not to create an atmosphere that contributes to the aggravation of the situation." 3 Jerusalem Post – December 13, 2018 An Alternate Strategy for Israel in Gaza By Amnon Reshef and Nimrod Novick, Commanders for Israel’s Security ● The recent US failure to muster a two-third’s majority for a UN resolution condemning Hamas violence was not taken lightly by the terrorist group. While it celebrated the result, it did not lose sight of the dramatic change in the numbers: Many more countries voted for censuring Hamas than voted against. The organization’s international isolation was again manifest in full view. Still, external difficulties are the least of Hamas’s concerns. Internally, it faces mounting criticism for its failure to provide the basic needs of the Gaza Strip’s two million residents – with water, electricity, health services and employment topping the list. As demonstrated by last month’s round of violence along the Israel-Gaza border, misery breeds violence. And although Hamas has managed to channel that misery against Israel, indications are that it is quite worried about an Arab Spring-like uprising turning against its rule. ● A Qatari pledge of $150 million for Gaza fuel and civil servants’ salaries helped calm the situation. However, that pledge expires in four months. This pause must be used effectively to change the situation, otherwise, another violent eruption is just a matter of time. One party has tried to do so since the end of the last war in 2014: Egypt. Supported by energetic UN envoy Nikolai Mladenov, Egypt has been working tirelessly to stabilize the situation. Regrettably, while Cairo and Mladenov deserve much credit for establishing and repeatedly restoring cessations of hostilities, they have not yet succeeded in mobilizing an Israeli and US pro-active engagement, without which no long-term stability is possible. ● In fact, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has yet to embrace the hiatus and Egyptian engagement as an opportunity to end the cycle of violence. Initially, his “strategic response” was confined to a sigh of relief. Challenged by his more extreme coalition partners, he recently coupled this with threats to escalate military response, which he clearly and wisely wishes to avoid. Likewise, Washington’s approach has been self-contradictory. On one hand, the Trump administration declares support for Gaza stabilization; on the other, cutting funds to all Palestinians due to displeasure with the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority has exacerbated Gaza instability. ● Commanders for Israel’s Security, however, has developed a comprehensive approach to getting out of the endless circle of violence. The non-partisan CIS represents the overwhelming majority of retired IDF generals, the Mossad, the Shin Bet General Security Service and their police equivalents. The organization calls on the Israeli government to discard passivity and take the initiative, by seizing on Cairo’s energetic engagement and access to all parties; persuading Washington to change course by using carrots – not just sticks – with the Palestinians; and involving like-minded Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gaza donors. 4 ● The Proposed CIS strategy for Israel involves three interlocking components: a robust ceasefire understanding and mechanism, a comprehensive Gaza rehabilitation, and restoration of PA management of the Gaza Strip. All three, CIS argues, must be implemented concurrently, yet gradually. And this must be conditioned on strict adherence to the ceasefire and to other Hamas undertakings, including returning the remains of Israeli soldiers and releasing civilians it is holding in captivity. The logic of the three-legged-strategy stems from a reality whereby: 1) There can be no stable ceasefire without resolving the humanitarian situation, thus rehabilitation is essential; 2) Because the donor community for Gaza reconstruction refuses to strengthen Hamas or bypass the PA, restoring PA management is essential; and 3) Since these donors also refuse to see their investment go up in flames (again), a robust ceasefire mechanism is needed. ● For this approach to work, Hamas must agree to yield control over the Gaza Strip; the PA has to agree to assume responsibility for it; and Israel has to undertake to lead all its elements – including convincing Washington.
Recommended publications
  • AN ALTERNATIVE ISRAELI STRATEGY NOVEMBER 2019 Gaza: an Alternative Strategy for Israel
    Gaza: An Alternative Ramifications Strategy for of West Bank Israel Annexation GAZA: AN ALTERNATIVE ISRAELI STRATEGY NOVEMBER 2019 Gaza: An Alternative Strategy for Israel CIS Gaza Team Members Jacob (Mandy) Or, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Coordinator of Operations in the Territories Chaim Erez, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Head of Southern Command Rolly Gueron Former Division Head, Mossad Shlomo Waxe, Brigadier General (Ret.) Former Commander of the Signaling, Electronics and Computer Corps Celine Touboul, Adv. Co-CEO of ECF Alex Tal, Vice Admiral (Ret.) Former Chief of Israeli Navy Danny Yatom, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Commander of Central Command and Director of Mossad Orna Mizrahi Former Deputy Head of the NSC Michael (Michel) Maayan Former Division Head, Mossad Yousef Mishlev, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Nimrod Novik, Dr. Project Coordinator, Former Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister Zvi Poleg, Brigadier General (Ret.) Former Commander of the Gaza Division Arie Pelman Former Deputy Shin Bet Chief Dov (Fufi) Sedaka, Brigadier General (Ret), Former Head of Gaza and West Bank Civil Administrations Boaz Karni Treasurer, ECF Danny Rubinstein Journalist and Lecturer on Near Eastern Studies Amnon Reshef, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Commander of the Armored Corps, CIS Founder & Chairman 3 Gaza: Gaza: An Alternative An Alternative Strategy for Strategy for Israel Israel Preface Although over 50 years have passed since the Six-Day War and the conquest of the In the absence of a strategy, Israel is being dragged into bouts of fighting in which Gaza Strip, and over 25 years since the Oslo Accords, the Israeli government has yet Hamas dictates the time, duration, and intensity of events.
    [Show full text]
  • Rescuing Israeli-Palestinian Peace the Fathom Essays 2016-2020
    Rescuing Israeli-Palestinian Peace The Fathom Essays 2016-2020 DENNIS ROSS DAHLIA SCHEINDLIN HUSAM ZOMLOT SARAI AHARONI HUDA ABU ARQOUB TIZRA KELMAN HUSSEIN AGHA ALI ABU AWAD KHALED ELGINDY AMOS GILEAD YAIR HIRSCHFELD JOEL SINGER EINAT WILF YOSSI KLEIN HALEVI ZIAD DARWISH YOSSI KUPERWASSER ORNA MIZRAHI TOBY GREENE KOBY HUBERMAN SETH ANZISKA LAUREN MELLINGER SARA HIRSCHHORN ALEX RYVCHIN GRANT RUMLEY MOHAMMED DAJANI MICHAEL HERZOG AMIR TIBON DORE GOLD TONY KLUG ILAN GOLDENBERG JOHN LYNDON AZIZ ABU SARAH MEIR KRAUSS AYMAN ODEH MICAH GOODMAN SHANY MOR CALEV BEN-DOR SHALOM LIPNER DAVID MAKOVSKY ASHER SUSSER GILEAD SHER NED LAZARUS MICHAEL KOPLOW MICHAEL MELCHIOR ORNI PETRUSHKA NAFTALI BENNETT KRIS BAUMAN ODED HAKLAI JACK OMER-JACKAMAN DORON MATZA GERSHON HACOHEN SHAUL JUDELMAN NAVA SONNENSCHEIN NOAM SCHUSTER-ELIASSI Edited by Alan Johnson, Calev Ben-Dor and Samuel Nurding 1 ENDORSEMENTS For those convinced of the continuing relevance to global peace and security of a resolution to the issues between the Palestinian people and Israel, Fathom provides an invaluable and widely drawn set of essays at just the right time. With a focus and interest recently enhanced by dramatic and significant events, these differing points of view and suggestions for progress make a great and thoughtful contribution. Rt Hon Alistair Burt, UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa 2010-13, and 2017-19; Distinguished Fellow, RUSI Israelis and Palestinians are not going anywhere and neither can wish the other away. That, alone, makes a powerful argument for a two states for two peoples outcome to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In Rescuing Israeli-Palestinian Peace 2016-2020, one can read 60 essays looking at every aspect of two states and how they might be achieved.
    [Show full text]
  • In Search of a Viable Option Evaluating Outcomes to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
    Policy Report In Search of a Viable Option Evaluating Outcomes to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict A report by Dr. Shira Efron and Evan Gottesman, with a foreword by Ambassador Daniel B. Shapiro Is the two-state solution still possible? Are other frameworks better or more feasible than two states? This study seeks to answer these questions through a candid and rigorous analysis. Is there another viable outcome? While the two-state model deserves to be debated on its merits, and certainly on its viability, pronouncements of this formula’s death raise the question: if not two states, then what? About the Study The two-state solution has been widely criticized from the right and the left as an idea whose time has passed and been overtaken by facts on the ground. As a result, many other models for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been advanced, from one-state formulas to confederation outcomes to maintaining the status quo indefinitely. How do these proposals for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — including the recently released Trump plan — measure up against key criteria, like keeping Israel Jewish and democratic, providing security, and ensuring feasibility? Is there a model that fits the needs of both parties while being realistic in practice? This comprehensive study of potential outcomes for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict assesses the strengths and weaknesses of different plans, and trains a critical eye on whether a two-state solution is still possible, concluding that despite the heavy lift it will take to implement, a two-state outcome is not only possible but the only implementable plan that maintains Israel as Jewish and democratic.
    [Show full text]
  • The Silver Platter of the Yom Kippur War
    The Silver Platter of the Yom Kippur War By Zvi Harel | Israel Today | 09.18.2018 Dressed in battle gear, dirty, shoes heavy with grime, they ascend the path quietly. To change garb, to wipe their brow they have not yet found time. Still bone weary from days and from nights in the field. From: The Silver Platter A Poem by Natan Alterman Written towards the end of 1947, a few weeks after the outbreak of the War of Independence. * * * It would hardly be possible to relate the terrible story of the October 1973 Yom Kippur War – especially the dramatic turn of events that literally saved the State of Israel – without putting the 14th Brigade front and center. This standing armored brigade, under the command of Col. Amnon Reshef, played a critical role that merits greater attention. When the war broke out, the 14th was the only tank brigade defending the 200 kilometer long Suez Canal front. The strongholds along the canal were manned at the time by reservists from the 16th Jerusalem brigade along with soldiers from the Nahal brigade. As a result the 14th was virtually alone, holding the line against wave after wave of a massive Egyptian military crossing of 90,000 infantry soldiers and 820 tanks within the first 18 hours of the war on October 6th. The 14th brigade continued to play a critical – and heroic – role throughout the war. It took part in stopping the Egyptian armored assault on October 14th; crossing the Suez Canal (Operation Stouthearted Men), breaking through the Egyptian deployment in the deadly battle of the “Chinese farm” (October 15th and 16th); and then battled on to the gates of Ismailiyah.
    [Show full text]
  • Event to Focus on Recognizing, Responding to Bias About Jews, Judaism and Israel
    Jewish Federation of Reading Non-Profit Organization Jewish Cultural Center U.S. Postage PAID PO Box 14925, Reading, PA 19612-4925 Permit No. 2 www.ReadingJewishCommunity.org Reading, PA Change Service Requested Jewish Federation of Reading Non-Profit Organization Jewish Cultural Center U.S. Postage PAID JewishPO Box Federation 14925, Reading, of Reading PA 19612-4925 Non-Profit OrganizationPermit No. 2 Jewishwww.ReadingJewishCommunity.org Cultural Center U.S. PostageReading, PAID PA POChange Box 14925, Service Reading, Requested PA 19612-4925 Permit No. 2 www.ReadingJewishCommunity.org Reading, PA Change Service RequestedSHALOM The Journal of the Reading Jewish Community Published as a community service by the Jewish Federation of Reading, Pa. JewishVolume Federation 40 of No.Reading 3 MARCH 2010 Adar-NisanNon-Profit Organization 5770 Jewish Cultural Center U.S. Postage PAID PO Box 14925, Reading, PA 19612-4925 Permit No. 2 www.ReadingJewishCommunity.orgINSIDE Reading, PA Change Service RequestedSHALOM1100 Berkshire Boulevard The Journal ofSHALOM the Reading JewishIt’s been Community an Publishedincredible as a community year. service Hope by you’ve the Jewish beenFederation here! of Reading, Pa. TThehe JJournalournal ofof the ReadingIt is hardJewish to believe Community.Community that a year Published Published has gone as as by a a since community community we relocated service service to the by by Jewish the the Jewish Jewish Cultural Federation Federation Center at of1100 of Reading, Reading, Berkshire Pa. Pa. Volume 40 No.Boulevard 5 in Wyomissing. If you haven’tMAY been here,2010 we hope to see you in the very near future.Iyar-Sivan For those of you 5770 who Volume 40 No.
    [Show full text]
  • Even Israeli Hawks Are Angry at Netanyahu
    Too Far Even Israeli Hawks Are Angry at Netanyahu Jonathan Alter / March 1, 2015 A group of military commanders and political observers are furious that Bibi would play politics with Israel’s most important strategic asset: its relationship with the United States. When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers his apocalyptic message to Congress on Iranian nukes on Tuesday, he will seem the personification of the Israeli hawk. But back home in Israel, where I’ve been reporting for the last two weeks, there’s a strong sense even among hard-liners that Netanyahu has blown Israeli foreign policy and is making his nation weaker by imperiling its relationship with its most critical patron, the United States. As Netanyahu’s plane was in the air Sunday en route to Washington, a group called Commanders for Israel’s Security, made up of 180 retired generals and national security officials—including three former heads of Mossad—denounced the prime minister’s trip. “The present policy constitutes a destruction of the alliance with the U.S.,” said retired Major General Amnon Reshef, a hero of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, who co-founded the group. On the eve of the visit, Michael Oren, a distinguished historian who was an ambassador to the United States under Netanyahu but has since broken with him, denounced the trip as a “cynical political move.” None of this has stopped Bibi from playing the fear card in the run-up to the March 17 Israeli election. In one clever Facebook ad (Under Israeli law, all ads can only be posted videos, not on TV, until the very end of the campaign), the prime minister rings the doorbell of a startled couple about to go out for the evening and tells them he’s the only candidate they can trust to babysit their children.
    [Show full text]
  • Questioning a Deity: a Contemplation of Maneuver Motivated by the 2008 Israeli Armor Corps Association “Land Maneuver in the 21St Century” Conference
    Small Wars Journal Land Warfare Forum Questioning a Deity: A Contemplation of Maneuver Motivated by the 2008 Israeli Armor Corps Association “Land Maneuver in the 21st Century” Conference RUSSELL W. GLENN, PH.D. November 2008 Published by the Israeli Armor Corps Association, Latrun, Israel. For questions regarding use or further copies, contact the Director, Institute for Land Warfare Studies ‐ Latrun, Brigadier Avidor(Israeli Army, Retired) Gideon Avidor, Tel. +972‐52‐ 8409001, Fax. +972‐8‐9421079, email: [email protected] Small Wars Journal ii Small Wars Journal iii Preface On September 16‐17, 2008, the Israeli Armor Corps Association hosted its second annual conference, this entitled “Land Maneuver in the 21st Century.” The centerpiece for speaker presentations and related discussions was “maneuver:” what it is, what it should be, and its relevance to security operations in light of the 2006 Second Lebanon War, ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and other recent or continuing conflicts. An international speaker slate proposed a broad spectrum of thinking in that regard, a spectrum ranging from general acceptance of the current definition of maneuver to considerably expanding what the concept encompasses. This document considers maneuver in light of these speaker presentations and the discussion stimulated by them. First sampling maneuver historically, it follows with an analysis of how theorists, doctrine writers, and military personnel conceive of maneuver in the first decade of the 21st century. These dual foundation stones of history and current thinking serve to underpin presentation of the treatment given the topic during the conference. The closing analysis considers the implications of thinking of maneuver in terms different than is currently the case…or, contrarily, the impact if it instead remains unchanged.
    [Show full text]
  • An Alternative Israeli Strategy November 2019
    Gaza: An Alternative Ramifications Strategy for of West Bank Israel Annexation GAZA: AN ALTERNATIVE ISRAELI STRATEGY NOVEMBER 2019 Gaza: An Alternative Strategy for Israel CIS Gaza Team Members Jacob (Mandy) Or, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Coordinator of Operations in the Territories Chaim Erez, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Head of Southern Command Rolly Gueron Former Division Head, Mossad Shlomo Waxe, Brigadier General (Ret.) Former Commander of the Signaling, Electronics and Computer Corps Celine Touboul, Adv. Co-CEO of ECF Alex Tal, Vice Admiral (Ret.) Former Chief of Israeli Navy Danny Yatom, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Commander of Central Command and Director of Mossad Orna Mizrahi Former Deputy Head of the NSC Michael (Michel) Maayan Former Division Head, Mossad Yousef Mishlev, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Nimrod Novik, Dr. Project Coordinator, Former Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister Zvi Poleg, Brigadier General (Ret.) Former Commander of the Gaza Division Arie Pelman Former Deputy Shin Bet Chief Dov (Fufi) Sedaka, Brigadier General (Ret), Former Head of Gaza and West Bank Civil Administrations Boaz Karni Treasurer, ECF Danny Rubinstein Journalist and Lecturer on Near Eastern Studies Amnon Reshef, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Former Commander of the Armored Corps, CIS Founder & Chairman 3 Gaza: An Alternative Strategy for Israel Preface Although over 50 years have passed since the Six-Day War and the conquest of the Gaza Strip, and over 25 years since the Oslo Accords, the Israeli government has yet to formulate a clear policy on a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including for the Gaza Strip and the two million Palestinians living there.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel Update – Monday, July 3
    Israel and the Middle East News Update Monday, May 1 Headlines: 'We Are All Brothers'—Israel Remembers Fallen Soldiers Clashes at Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremonies Netanyahu to Abbas: If You Want Peace, Stop Paying Terrorists Egypt, PA Coordinate Positions Ahead of Abbas, Trump Meeting Hamas Accuses Abbas of ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ in Gaza Hamas to Amend Controversial Charter in Bid to Ease Ties Survey: Israeli Arabs View Country More Positively Than Jews Israel, Palestinians Battle for Votes Over Jerusalem Resolution at UNESCO Commentary: Jewish Journal: “Even the Experts Are Turning on the WB Occupation” By Rob Eshman, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, TRIBE Media Corp. / Jewish Journal WAPO: “If Trump Has a Mideast Peace Strategy, It's Remaining a Secret” By Josh Rogin, Global Opinions Columnist, Washington Post S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 633 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20004 The Hon. Robert Wexler, President ● Yoni Komorov, Editor ● David Abreu, Associate Editor News Excerpts May 1, 2017 Ynet News 'We Are All Brothers'—Israel Remembers Fallen Soldiers Israel marked Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of Israel and Victims of Terrorism on Monday morning with a two-minute siren, with people stopping their daily activities. The day also included a state memorial service honoring fallen IDF soldiers at the military plot on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and Chief Justice Miriam Naor were in attendance, alongside bereaved families of fallen soldiers. See also, “Israel Marks Memorial Day with Siren to Remember 23,544 Fallen” (Forward) Ha’aretz Clashes at Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremonies Right-wing protesters disrupted, heckled and even forced their way into joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day ceremonies held in Tel Aviv and in the north on Sunday night.
    [Show full text]
  • Ariel Sharon's Crossing of the Suez Canal
    ARIEL SHARON’S CROSSING OF THE SUEZ CANAL: FACTORS AND PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE CROSSING, 1948 - 1973 By LEVI DEL CANTRELL Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Oral Roberts University Tulsa, Oklahoma 2012 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS May, 2015 ARIEL SHARON’S CROSSING OF THE SUEZ CANAL: FACTORS AND PEOPLE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE CROSSING, 1948 - 1973 Thesis Approved: Laura Belmonte Thesis Adviser Lesley Rimmel Thomas Carlson ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Among the faculty at Oklahoma State University, I offer my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Dr. Laura Belmonte, who aided me throughout my thesis. I also share my gratitude with my other committee members, Dr. Lesley Rimmel and Dr. Thomas Carlson. Both have helped my studies on the Middle East through superb guidance across politically charged topics. Among the many others who aided me throughout my thesis work, I would like to thank Dr. John Swails and Professor Lenore Mullican of Oral Roberts University, who sparked my interest in modern Israel and all of its controversies. Thank you Hillary Cantrell, my wonderful wife, for staying with me after a honeymoon year of graduate work. I would also like to thank my parents, Robert and Marilyn Cantrell, Mark and Carol Watts, and Samuel and Teresa Minick, who offered assistance at any and every point during the writing process. Lastly, I extend my gratitude to Dr. Brian Frehner, Dr. Richard Rohrs, and the rest of the Department of History at Oklahoma State University.
    [Show full text]