Israel and Middle East News Update

Thursday, August 26

Headlines: ● Waqf Official Decries Jewish Prayers Held Discreetly ● Thousands of Palestinians Gather near -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 (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 -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 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 , 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. The IDF used crowd-control measures, and the Navy opened fire on suspicious boats that were sailing in prohibited areas. The demonstrations began after about 1,000 Palestinians had gathered at a tent encampment in Khan Yunis in the southeastern Gaza Strip roughly 500 meters from the border fence, where they heard sermons by clerics at an assembly that had been organized there. Afterwards, they started to walk toward the border, released incendiary balloons and set tires on fire. According to the IDF, an explosive device was thrown at the soldiers, and some of the rioters vandalized the border fence. ● The IDF maintained a heightened state of alert and readiness among aerial defense troops in southern Israel in anticipation of possible rocket fire out of the Gaza Strip following the rioting. In an attempt to prevent the situation from escalating, the IDF issued warnings via Palestinian media outlets to deter the Palestinian public from approaching the border fence. Defense Minister Benny Gantz held a situation assessment meeting in the Southern Command along with OC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano and Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Ghassan Aliyan. “Israel has no interests in the Gaza Strip other than peace and quiet and the return of our boys,” said Gantz. “The obstacle to progress and development of the Gaza Strip is Hamas, under Sinwar’s leadership. We will extract a price from anyone who hurts our citizens, our soldiers, our sovereignty. ● The reality on the ground will determine which methods we use.” The defense minister also met with the parents of Barel Hadarya Shmueli, the Border Police officer who was critically injured by shots that were fired by a Palestinian terrorist in clashes on Saturday along the Gaza border. Barel is hospitalized in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva, where he has undergone several surgeries. In her conversation with the defense minister, Shmueli’s mother criticized the “terrible blunder” that had allowed her son to be injured. In IDF investigations into the circumstances of Shmueli’s injury has found mistakes and mishaps in the troops’ conduct. ● The primary conclusion is that the troops should have acted more aggressively so as not to allow a large group of rioters to reach the cement border wall. Nevertheless, the army rejects the allegations as if the fighters had been abandoned in the field with orders that had tied their hands. Before the violent demonstration on the border, Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi commented on the situation in the Gaza Strip and said, “Upon the conclusion of Operation Guardian of the Walls, the IDF began a concentrated effort to prepare for the possibility of another operation in the Gaza Strip. We do nor will accept violations of our sovereignty, regardless of who is behind them. Hamas is responsible for everything that happens in the Gaza Strip.”

5 ● The Palestinian newspaper Al-Ayyam quoted a source in the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip as saying that Hamas had promised the Egyptians to make sure that the religious assembly would be held in an orderly fashion, and that friction and clashes with IDF soldiers would be prevented. According to that report, an agreement was reached to grant the various military wings the right to retaliate immediately to any casualties inflicted by Israel and any attack on the factions’ positions moving forward. The source added that the factions wanted to keep the peace and to temper the anger felt by the Egyptians, who shut down the Rafah border crossing in response to the clashes on Saturday with the IDF. The factions assured the Egyptian mediator that they were not interested in having the demonstrations devolve into violence, as happened on Saturday, despite their misgivings over the fact that the IDF has failed to meet the Gaza Strip’s basic needs, particularly lifting the siege, and restoring the situation to its former state, prior to the “Israeli aggression.” The Egyptians said they were angry with way in which the demonstration had been overseen on Saturday and the ensuing clashes with the IDF.

6 Ma’ariv – August 26, 2021 A Recipe for Success By Yitzhak Levanon ● Even without the setback in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s visit to Washington is very important on several levels: on the personal level, on the bilateral level and on the international level. In principle, it would be a mistake to burden that meeting with gratuitous issues; rather, only the important issues should be placed on the table—leaving it to the teams from the National Security Council and the Foreign Ministry to make progress on the other issues. The current circumstances are conducive to creating a “click” between Biden and Bennett, provided they do not get into political disagreements that might impinge on that. Based on the signals that have been sent out, the Americans wish to facilitate a warm meeting. On that front, it is important to create an unmediated line of communication between the two leaders. A personal hotline of sorts, which both sides can feel comfortable using whenever the need to do so arises. ● It is important to shore up further the existing shared interests between the two countries because they are what will guarantee the ongoing special relations between them. As the son of a family that hails from San Francisco, Bennett can appeal to sentimentality to help win over the American president. On the bilateral plane it behooves Bennett to focus on the three shins [the following three words all start with the same Hebrew letter, shin]: transparency, sharing and peace. Bennett has to make the president feel that there is complete transparency between the two of them and between the two countries. Nothing should be done behind the Americans’ back. In other words, Bennett needs to repair the atmosphere that reigned during President Obama’s term in office. Cooperation needs to be full and open between the two men. ● They need to agree that neither side will surprise the other. While they are certainly entitled to disagree about certain issues, neither side should have veto power. It is imperative that Israel retain its freedom of independent action—though naturally amid either apprising the United States or coordinating with it. The Middle East is full of surprises, and Israel needs to be able to defend itself. Biden will appreciate a decision by Bennett to refrain from raising the issue of the American setback in Afghanistan—a decision that will win Bennett points. As to peace, Bennett needs to try to induce Biden to play a more active role in all that pertains to peace between Israel and other Arab countries. The Abraham Accords must not be neglected and require further nurturing and expansion. ● The framework of the Abraham Accords can facilitate expanding the group of Arab countries [that have peace treaties with Israel], and the United States has a role to play in that effort. On the international plane, three things need to be on the agenda—and first and foremost so China. Bennett has to tell Biden that while Israel may have good relations with China, it will not be part of the game between Washington and Beijing. That is a fraught issue that worries the US, and a show of sensitivity by the prime minister will win him points. The Palestinian issue is also important.

7 ● As a member of the Israeli right wing, Bennett needs to tell the president that he supports reaching a solution with the Palestinians and he needs to say he is prepared to return to the negotiating table. Given the reigning circumstances, Bennett can tell the president that now is not the time for a permanent status arrangement, but it is the time for temporary arrangements that cumulatively will improve the Palestinians’ situation and will create an atmosphere that is devoid of mutual suspicion. And the final issue: Iran. Israel has to take a constructive approach. There is nothing to be gained from highlighting our objections to the talks being held in Vienna. The Americans are aware of those objections. Those talks now appear likely to stall on account of Iran’s thuggish behavior. A discussion about improving cooperation on that issue while clarifying our position should be sufficient for a first meeting, more of which are sure to follow.

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