DOCSLIB.ORG

Israel and Middle East News Update

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Israel and Middle East News Update Israel and Middle East News Update Thursday, August 26 Headlines: ● Waqf Official Decries Jewish Prayers Held Discreetly ● Thousands of Palestinians Gather near Israel-Gaza Border ● Gantz: Gaza Peace Deal Hinges on Return of Prisoners ● Israel Restores State Stipends to Seven Palestinian Activists ● Palestinians: Bennett Exposed His ‘Anti-peace’ Policy ● Sec. Austin Meets Vows Commitment to Israel’s Security ● Israel Is Accelerating Plans to Take Action against Iran ● US Pullout from Afghanistan Frees up Resources for Israel Commentary: ● Ma’ariv: ‘‘The Sinwar Obstacle’’ - By Tal Lev Ram ● Ma’ariv: “A Recipe for Success’’ - By Yitzhak Levanon S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace 1725 I St NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 The Hon. Robert Wexler, President News Excerpts August 26, 2021 Times of Israel Waqf Official Decries Jewish Prayers Held Discreetly As police stood by, three Jewish men stepped forward, placed their hands out at chest level and began reciting prayers in low tones in the shadow of Jerusalem’s golden Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. Jewish prayers at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif or Noble Sanctuary, have long been unthinkable. But they have quietly become the new norm in recent years, flying in the face of longstanding convention, straining a delicate status quo, and raising fears that violent Muslim reactions could trigger a new wave of violence in the Middle East. The matter has been gaining more and more attention since being reported on last month by Israeli TV. A Muslim official at the site has denounced the development, saying police officers have been preventing them from taking action against it. Dig Deeper ‘‘Jewish Prayers Held Discreetly at Contested Jerusalem Shrine’’ (Washington Post) I24 News Thousands of Palestinians Gather near Israel-Gaza Border Thousands of Palestinians gathered in the southern Gaza Strip near the border fence with Israel, in the vicinity of Khan Younes. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued warnings to protesters, urging them not to approach the fence. IDF soldiers attempted to disperse the protesters with riot control and tear gas fire. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported that 14 Palestinians were wounded in clashes along the border, including five from live fire. Members of Hamas were tasked with restraining demonstrators, but due to their small numbers many managed to bypass them and move toward the fence, Hamas sources claimed. Hamas has organized the protests in an attempt to put pressure on Israel to ease its blockade of Gaza and its attempts to delay reconstruction efforts following an 11-day conflict that decimated large swathes of the enclave. Dig Deeper ‘‘3 Months after Gaza Conflict, IDF Gearing up for Another Round of Fighting’’ (Times of Israel) Ynet News Gantz: Gaza Peace Deal Hinges on Return of Prisoners Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that a long-term ceasefire agreement with Hamas is dependent on the return of Israelis long held in captivity in Gaza. Israel has long said it can proceed with the peace arrangement efforts only if it makes headway in efforts to recover the bodies of IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin - whose bodies were kidnapped by Hamas during the 2014 Gaza war, as well as Avera Mangistau and Hisham al-Saeed - two civilians who slipped separately into the enclave. "The conditions for a long-term arrangement with Hamas are the return of the boys to their homes, and a commitment to total calm in the south of the country," Gantz said during a briefing held with foreign envoys regarding the security situation in Israel. Dig Deeper ‘‘Israel Lets More Goods into Gaza, More Workers Out as Hamas Reins in Violence’’ (Times of Israel) 2 Ha’aretz Israel Restores State Stipends to Seven Palestinian Activists The National Insurance Institute (NII) has restored medical and social benefits to seven Palestinian activists in East Jerusalem and their families that had been taken away from them during the Gaza conflict. The seven are among some 20 political activists from the area who discovered in May, during the disturbances in the city that preceded the fighting, that they and their families had been blocked in the NII and health maintenance organization computers, thereby denying them, their partners and children health care and government allowances. The other 13 have yet to have their benefits restored. None of the activists were notified in advance that the benefits had been revoked; most discovered it by chance when they applied for and were denied medical treatment. Among the dozens denied care were at least three pregnant women. Human rights organizations and East Jerusalem HMO staff called the step an act of collective punishment of Palestinians the Shin Bet and the police have identified as being active in demonstrations and disturbances on the Temple Mount and in the Old City. Dig Deeper ‘‘The Beita Model: Palestinians Lead ‘New Form of Resistance’ at Evyatar Outpost’’ (Times of Israel) Jerusalem Post Palestinians: Bennett Exposed His ‘Anti-peace’ Policy Palestinians strongly denounced Prime Minister Naftali Bennett for his statements on the eve of his visit to the US and said they do not expect anything to come out of the first meeting between an the prime minister and President Joe Biden. Bennett’s statements show that there is no real difference between him and his predecessor, former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Palestinian officials, who accused the prime minister of “sabotaging” efforts to revive the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Bennett, in an interview with The New York Times, said there would not be resolution of the conflict with the Palestinians for the foreseeable future. He said that his government will neither annex any part of the West Bank nor establish a Palestinian state. Peace talks will not happen, partly because the Palestinian leadership is fractured and rudderless, he said. Dig Deeper ‘‘Palestinian Cabinet Reshuffle on Hold’’ (Al-Monitor) Ynet News Sec. Austin Meets Vows Commitment to Israel’s Security In his first official visit to the United States, Prime Minister Bennett met Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who vowed to maintain Washington's commitment to Israel's security. Bennett later met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken who reiterated Austin's remarks that US's commitment to Israel's security is not up for debate. Austin during the meeting said the United States was "committed to strengthening its strategic relationship with Israel. "The administration is committed to Israel’s security and its right to self-defense,” Austin said. Speaking at the Pentagon ahead of the meeting the defense secretary added that “Iran must be held accountable for acts of aggression in the Middle East and on international waters,” Austin said referring to the July 30 drone attack on the Israeli operated Mercer Street oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, which Israel and the US attributed to Iran. Dig Deeper ‘‘What Israel’s Bennett Wants from His White House Meeting with Biden’’ (Axios) 3 Jerusalem Post Israel Is Accelerating Plans to Take Action against Iran Israel’s military is accelerating its operational plans against Iran due to the progress of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi has warned. “The progress of the Iranian nuclear program has led the IDF to accelerate its operational plans and the recently approved defense budget is earmarked for that,” he said. Kohavi commented as Prime Minister Bennett landed in the US ahead of a visit with President Biden and other senior officials. Bennett is expected during his first visit to the White House to push Biden to harden his approach to Iran and drop efforts to revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). With no diplomatic options likely to push Tehran to stop its nuclear program, Israel’s military believes that the Islamic Republic needs to be aware that should it continue with its program, it will face harsher sanctions and a true military option to stop it. The $18b defense budget set for the IDF in the coming year is expected to allow the Israeli military to focus on the threats posed by Iran across the region, with some $1b designated specifically for this. Dig Deeper ‘‘Gantz Says World Needs a ‘Plan B’ to the Faltering Iran Nuclear Deal’’ (Times of Israel) Times of Israel US Pullout from Afghanistan Frees up Resources for Israel The US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan will ultimately free up resources that can subsequently be diverted to other regional allies such as Israel, a pair of senior officials in the Biden administration said. “If anything, the end of America’s military involvement in Afghanistan frees up resources and attention and ultimately allows us to better support our partners like Israel,” one of the officials said in a background briefing ahead of President Biden’s hosting of Prime Minister Bennett at the White House today. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Biden will use the opportunity to reinforce his commitment to Israel and other US allies in the region “in the backdrop of what’s going on in Afghanistan.” The officials rejected a notion repeated frequently by analysts since the recent presidential election campaign that Biden is seeking to “de-prioritize the Middle East” in order to focus more squarely on combating the growing influences of China and Russia. The Biden officials said the Palestinian issue would be raised during Bennett’s meeting with Biden but were light on further details, beyond reiterating Biden’s support for a two-state solution — something the Israeli premier opposes. 4 Ma’ariv – August 26, 2021 The Sinwar Obstacle By Tal Lev Ram ● At least seven Palestinians were injured in riots that broke out in several locations along the border fence with the Gaza Strip.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 06/04/2021 10:43:23 AM
    Received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit 06/04/2021 10:43:23 AM 06/03/21 Thursday This material is distributed by Ghebi LLC on behalf of Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, and additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia. Beijing, Hanoi Agree to Establish Naval Hotline to Resolve Emergencies in South China Sea by Morgan Artvukhina While the two nations have a history of sometimes-violent border disputes, China and Vietnam have emphasized the increasing importance of political and economic cooperation since normalizing relations in 1991. Nonetheless, Washington has tried to pry Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations away from working with China. Chinese and Vietnamese naval leaders have agreed to set up a naval hotline as part of a larger effort to defuse tensions in the South China Sea. This comes after their respective heads of state recently agreed to improve diplomatic and trade relations, too. Rear Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem, Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy, held an online talk with Admiral Shen Jinlong, Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy last week to discuss military relations between the two socialist nations, which are sometimes fraught with dispute and confrontation over competing claims to parts of the South China Sea. According to the Vietnamese defense ministry’s official People’s Army Newspaper, “the two sides agreed to enhance the sharing of information related to situations at sea and issues of mutual concern, study the possibility of setting up a hotline to connect the two navies, and maintain the joint patrol mechanism in the Gulf of Tonkin.” The People’s Army Newspaper further notes that Nghiem hailed previous efforts at improving bilateral defense cooperation and the regular meetings between naval leaders, organization of patrols, and joint drills at sea.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel Report
    To provide greater exposure to primary Israeli news sources and opinions in order to become better informed on the issues, and to gain a better understanding of the wide range of perspectives that exist in Israeli society and politics. Issue 1114 • July 13, 2018 • Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av 5778 IDF STRIKES THREE MILITARY TARGETS IN SYRIAN GOLAN HEIGHTS missile intercepted a drone from Syria. (JPost 7/12/18) For Israel, the medical aid program can help win hearts and minds in border The IDF spokesperson confirmed in a statement early Thursday morning that areas where the number of refugees has increased in recent weeks as Israel attacked three military posts in Syria late Wednesday night. Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces advance in an offensive to recover The attack was carried out in response to the crossing of a Syrian drone that southwest Syria. the IDF intercepted earlier on Wednesday, the IDF spokesperson explained. Michael Harari, a paediatrician at Ziv hospital, said medical infrastructure in "The IDF will continue to act decisively and resolutely against attempts to southwest Syria has largely broken down, and groups of Syrian children are violate the sovereignty of the State of Israel and act against any attempt to brought to the facility every two to three weeks. harm its citizens," the statement read, "The Syrian regime is responsible for "We were afraid in the beginning to come (because we regarded Israelis) as what is happening in its territory and is warned against acting against our Zionists and enemies," said one woman, who brought her son for treatment.
    [Show full text]
  • CTC Sentinel 7:2 (2014)
    NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 . VOL 7 . ISSUE 11 Contents A Daunting Triangle: Turkey, the Kurds, and the ISIL Threat By Buddhika ‘Jay’ Jayamaha FEATURE ARTICLE 1 A Daunting Triangle: Turkey, the Kurds, and the ISIL Threat By Buddhika ‘Jay’ Jayamaha REPORTS 5 The Battle for Kobani Comes to the Fore By Derek Henry Flood 9 Hizb Allah’s Lebanese Resistance Brigades By Chris Zambelis 12 Libya’s South: The Forgotten Frontier By Geoffrey Howard 16 The “Seventh Stage” of Terrorism in China By Sajjan M. Gohel 20 A Classical Analysis of the 2014 Israel- Hamas Conflict By Elad Popovich CTC Sentinel Staff & Contacts he rise of the Islamic State in nature of the situation, there are reasons Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has to be hopeful. created an area where Turkish and Kurdish interests overlap: This article contextualizes what some Tboth parties are thoroughly alarmed at observers refer to as the “Byzantine” ISIL’s expansion. However, delicate and nature of changing Turkish-Kurdish sensitive cooperation against ISIL has relations in the fight against ISIL. For to take place in the broader context of example, the fact that Turkey gave About the CTC Sentinel the complicated and evolving Kurdish- permission to Iraqi peshmerga troops The Combating Terrorism Center is an Turkish relationship. While Turkey to cross into Syria by way of Turkey, as independent educational and research develops its response to the ISIL threat saviors of Syrian Kurds, and that Turkey institution based in the Department of Social and the Syrian crisis, it is also managing is now training Kurdish peshmerga forces Sciences at the United States Military Academy, Kurdish relations as part of its effort to against ISIL,1 came as a surprise even West Point.
    [Show full text]
  • The Israel Paratroopers Heritage and Memorial Centre Jerusalem
    The Israel Paratroopers Heritage and Memorial Centre Jerusalem February 2019 03 Introduction 04 Objectives 05 Target Audience 06 Site 07 Building model - Aerial View 08 Centre Complex העמוד יסודר בסוף התהליך לפני דפוס Building model - Top view 09 10 Centre Complex -Details 11 Centre Wings 13 Building model - view from east 14 Levels Programs 24 Visualization 25 Top view- court & patio 26 Ceremonies Outdoor Plaza 29 Auditorium 30 View from Levi Eshkol st. 31 Dormitories Patio 33 Typical Room 35 - 36 Givat Hatachmoshet Project Costs 37 MYS Architects - Design Concept 38 Paratrooper Brigade commanders 39 CONTUCT US 2 3 Introduction During World War II paratroopers Hannah Senesh, Haviva Reich and other Jewish paratroopers parachuted into Nazi occupied Europe to assist in the rescue of Jews during the Holocaust. Not long after the war, the Zahal (Israel Defense Forces) Paratrooper Corps was created. The Corps has evolved into a combat unit whose remarkable sense of purpose, distinctive values and outstanding standards of excellence has become a model for the Israeli armed forces. Generations of officers have emerged from its ranks, forming the backbone of IDF‘s combat units. “Follow Me“, the commanding officer battle cry, has become a national anthem. This call epitomizes the personal example of courage, daring determination and spirit of voluntarism. It has underscored a sense of brotherhood shared by comrades-in-arms. The paratrooper tradition of „all for one“ eventually became the hallmark of the IDF. This same sense of mission still inspires the IDF today and will be at the core of the Israel Paratroopers Heritage and Memorial Centre.
    [Show full text]
  • The General Staff
    ResearchBook Review Forum command that includes headquarters, military districts, and other functions, and to try to explain how it learns, plans, and functions. The book includes four chapters of test cases. Each chapter concludes with a summary and the author’s recommendations, which are intended to help the IDF General Staff avoid the difficulties and errors presented in the chapter. In the fifth chapter the author presents his main insights and his recommendations for improving the work of the General Staff. The General Staff: Management Methodology and Decision Making The book presents a comparative analysis of the General Staff’s performance with regard to four Gal Perl Finkel roles and challenges: the planning processes in the General Staff, including multi-year planning The Israeli General Staff for force buildup, operational planning for by Meir Finkel wartime, and planning during wartime; various Modan, Maarachot Publishing 2020 learning processes of the General Staff, including lessons learned from war, learning from foreign 504 pages [in Hebrew] armies, and processes of change; patterns of At the outset of World War II, “the results of the organizing in the face of evolving challenges, German General Staff’s thinking and decision including the establishment of new staff bodies making on the battlefield outdid those of its and the direct management of the General Staff; French counterpart” (p. 11). This is what Chief of and chiefs of staff coping with a General Staff Staff Aviv Kochavi wrote in the preface to a new that opposed the outlook and changes they book about the IDF General Staff by Brig.
    [Show full text]
  • Paratroopers 2019.Pdf
    The Israel Paratroopers Heritage and Memorial Center Jerusalem February 2019 04 Introduction 05 Objectives 06 Target Audience 07 Site 08 Building Model - Aerial View 09 Center Complex 10 Building Model - Top View 11 Center Complex -Details 12 Memorial & Heritage Wing 13 Educational and Convention Wing 14 Cultural Wing – Auditorium 15 Building Model - View from East 16 Shell and Core Floor Plans 32 Visualization 33 View- Court & Patio 34 Ceremonies Outdoor Plaza 35 Auditorium 37 View from Levi Eshkol St. 38 Dormitories Patio 40 Typical Room 42 Costs Table 44 MYS Architects - Design Concept 45 Paratrooper Brigade Commanders 46 CONTACT US 2 3 Introduction During World War II paratroopers Hannah Senesh, Haviva Reich and other Jewish paratroopers parachuted into Nazi-occupied Europe to assist in the rescue of Jews during the Holocaust. Not long after the war, Zahal (Israel Defense Forces) Paratrooper Corps was created. The Corps has evolved into a combat unit whose remarkable sense of purpose, distinctive values and outstanding standards of excellence, has become a model for the Israeli armed forces. Generations of officers have emerged from its ranks, forming the backbone of IDF‘s combat units. The commanding officer’s battle call “Acharai” (Follow Me), has become a national symbol. The “Acharai” call epitomizes the personal example of courage, daring determination, and spirit of voluntarism. It has underscored a sense of brotherhood shared by comrades-in-arms. The paratrooper tradition “All for One” eventually became the hallmark of the IDF. This same sense of mission still inspires the IDF, Today and will be at the core of the Israel Paratroopers Heritage and Memorial Centre.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of the National Institutions Activity Submitted to the 38Th Zionist Congress
    WORLD ZIONIST ORGANIZATION ההסתדרות הציונית העולמית Summary of the National Institutions activity Submitted to the 38th Zionist Congress 38th ZIONIST CONGRESS | 20-22.10.2020 Table of Contents Message from the Chair 4 THE DEPARTMENT FOR ISRAEL AND COUNTERING ANTISEMITISM 8 The Emissary Unit 14 The Zionist Council In Israel 16 THE DEPARTMENT FOR DIASPORA AFFAIRS 18 ZIONIST ENTERPRISES DEPARTMENT 24 Central Zionist Archives 28 Magshimim Movements 34 The Bialik Institute 35 The Steven Spielberg Jewish Film Archive 35 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 36 Teacher Emissary Unit 43 DEPARTMENT FOR THE PROMOTION OF ALIYAH 46 THE SETTLEMENT DIVISION 52 CENTER FOR RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS IN THE DIASPORA 56 The Eliner Library 61 HERZL CENTER 62 UNIT FOR RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT 68 WZO DELEGATIONS AROUND THE WORLD 72 The WZO Delegation In Argentina 72 The WZO Delegation In France 75 The WZO Delegation In North America 78 The WZO Delegation In Britain 81 Chief editor: Anna Givati HUMAN RESOURCES DIVISION 84 Research, writing and editing: Erella Goren Office of the Zionist General Council 89 Proofreading and program: Moshe Preizler Translation to English: Sagir International Translations Ltd. FINANCE DEPARTMENT 92 Language design: Ikan Maas Studio KEREN HAYESOD-UNITED ISRAEL APPEAL 95 Graphic design: Hamutal Lawrence, 2 Mefikim Printing: 2 Mefikim Link to a summary of KKL-JNF activity: https://bit ly/2H3eIpH 2 The World Zionis rrgniigaion eepartenat The World Zionis rrgniigaion eepartenat 3 promoting aliyah. After the success of the “France First” project, and the government’s resolution to financially support the promotion of aliyah, we transferred management of the project from the Office of the Chair to a MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR designated department that engages in promoting aliyah.
    [Show full text]