Tuesday, April 14, 2015
PMW: Hamas: We bring our kids up “on love of Jihad and Martyrdom-death”
Hamas does not intend to foster peaceful relations with Israel. Hamas' Ministry of Interior posted a photo on its Facebook page of a little boy, no more than five years old, posing in military uniform and holding an automatic rifle. The text beside the photo explained that children under Hamas rule grow up learning "the love of Jihad" - religious war for Islam - and aspire to die as Martyrs for Allah:The Middle East Turmoil and Israel's Security
"These are our lion cubs.We have brought them up on the love of Jihad and Shahada (Martyrdom-death)"
[Facebook page of Hamas' Ministry of Interior, April 10, 2015]
Hamas' Ministry of Interior is part of the unity government formed between the PA and Hamas last year. However, in practice, the PA and Hamas have been acting independently in the last few months.
The turmoil in the Arab world is also changing the strategic landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean basin, where elements of radical Islam are gaining control. Tunisia, Libya, Sinai in Egypt, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey all play host to groups with Islamist tendencies, thereby threatening the currently unrestricted access to this area by Israel and the West.
Approximately 90 percent of Israel's foreign trade is carried out via the Mediterranean, making freedom of navigation in this area critical for Israel's economic well-being. Moreover, its chances of becoming energy independent and a significant exporter of gas is linked to Israel's ability to secure free passage for its maritime trade and to defend its newly discovered hydrocarbon fields, Leviathan and Tamar. These developments require greater Israeli efforts in the naval arena. Indeed, Israel is engaged in building a robust security system for the gas fields and has procurement plans for additional vessels.
As with other parts of the Middle East, the assessment in Jerusalem is that the key factor in the developing regional balance of power is Iran's nuclearization. This would be a "game changer" that only Israel has the capability to prevent. Netanyahu's recent electoral victory left in power the only leader that might have the political courage to order a military strike to obstruct the Iranian progress towards acquiring nuclear weapons. Indeed, his victory was quietly welcomed in the capitals of the moderate Arab states that are terrified of Iran and have little time for Obama. Saudi Arabia and Egypt are good examples.
Accordingly, Israel is watching with growing bewilderment the endeavor of the Obama administration to implement a "grand bargain" with Iran. This puts Jerusalem on an inevitable collision course with its most important ally. Israel continues to benefit from a large reservoir of sympathy among the populace of the United States, and most notably within the Republican controlled Congress.
Yet, while Obama is not popular, as president he can extract heavy costs in the military, diplomatic and strategic arenas. The remaining 22 months until he leaves office must be weathered with minimum damage to the American-Israeli strategic partnership, particularly if Israel chooses to make good on its threat not to allow Iran to become a nuclear power. With this in mind, the American-Iranian nexus is the most dangerous challenge for Israel's national security in the near future.
Netanyahu: Iran is emboldened by deal, will increase terror activity
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday night said Iran was being emboldened by the emerging nuclear deal with world powers to expand its support for terror activity throughout the region, and warned Tehran was “grasping the Middle East with arms of terror and blood.”Abdullah’s warning
The prime minister’s comments came hours after Russia announced that it would supply the Islamic Republic with S-300 missile air defense systems, prompting objections from Israel and the US.
“Iran draws encouragement from the concessions that it is receiving from the major powers,” Netanyahu said. “The message that Iran is receiving from this is that it is not being called upon to halt its aggression, that it can continue and even increase this aggression, and this is exactly what it is doing. It has been doing so in recent months, in recent weeks and in recent days…It is grasping the Middle East with arms of terror and blood.”
The prime minister cautioned that if the deal — which aims to curb Iran’s contested nuclear program in exchanged for sanctions relief — is finalized by the June 30 deadline, Tehran’s expansionist activities will receive “international legitimacy.”
Will President Obama now give Jordan’s King Abdullah the Benjamin Netanyahu treatment?‘Foreign Policy’ Analysis: Arab League is Creating “Army to Face Iran”
The Israeli prime minister isn’t the only Mideast leader publicly raising doubts on the administration’s nuclear negotiations with Iran.
Interviewed by Fox News’ Bret Baier, the Jordanian monarch echoed Bibi in suggesting that limiting the talks to Iran’s nuclear program — without discussing Tehran’s aggression across the region — is a mistake.
Noting that Iran now has a presence in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the king told Baier: “You’ve got to connect all these dots together. All these issues are areas of instability . . . We can’t discuss them in isolation.”
On Thursday, writing in Foreign Policy magazine, retired U.S. Navy admiral James Stavridis argued that the Arab League’s multinational response force, announced to address the instability in Yemen, will be established as a Sunni “army” to counter the rising power of Shiite Iran.Remember the Carter Doctrine
The Arab League’s response force, first reported in late March as leaders from across the Arab world met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, will be reportedly headquartered in Cairo and commanded by a Saudi general, who will preside over 40,000 troops from “Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan (and a smattering of others from Gulf nations)”. According to Stavridis:
The idea is to pull together a multinational force that could be ready to react to future crises, in the same way that several Arab nations are currently conducting operations today in Yemen. Reports indicate that 500 to 1,000 men will be members in the air command; up to 5,000 service members will constitute the naval command; and roughly 35,000 will be part of the land forces. Like the NATO command structure, this Arab force will have specified warfighting components: air, sea, land, and special forces. The troops will be paid for by their respective countries, and the command structure will be financed by the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Rather than giving Iran a free hand to “Lebanonize” Iraq (and its neighbors), Obama would be better advised to hark back to an alternative policy enunciated by another Democratic president—Jimmy Carter. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, Carter proclaimed: “An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.”Top US negotiator: Iran deal not perfect, but it is best option
The Carter Doctrine was aimed explicitly at the Soviet Union because of fears that the Soviet conquest of Afghanistan was only a prelude to a thrust toward the Gulf and its oil riches. But it was also a response to developments such as the Iranian revolution of 1979 and the temporary takeover of the Grand Mosque in Mecca by Juhayman al-Utaybi, a precursor of Osama bin Laden. Fearing that U.S. allies such as Saudi Arabia could fall, Carter set up the Rapid Deployment Force, which morphed under the Reagan administration into Central Command, the U.S. military organization charged with defending American interests in the Gulf region.
Thus the Carter Doctrine laid down a “red line”: No single power would be allowed to dominate the Gulf, much as Britain for centuries hewed to a policy of allowing no single power to dominate the European continent. The Carter Doctrine, if it were still operative, would necessitate the Obama administration’s coming up with a strategy to prevent the Lebanonization of Iraq and the expansion of Iranian power to Syria, Yemen, and other countries as well.
U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, the head of the American negotiating team in the nuclear talks with Iran, told Israeli reporters on Monday that it would be possible to reach a final deal with Iran by the June 30 deadline.5 key demands US dropped in Iran talks
"We think we are headed for a good deal," Sherman said. "Is it a perfect deal? No. There is no such thing as a perfect deal."
Sherman went on to say, "There is no formula or option that will be more effective than the diplomatic track -- this is where we are today."
According to Sherman, the military option remains on the table, but a U.S. or Israeli military strike on Iran would "only set back the nuclear program by two years.
"You can't bomb their nuclear know-how, and they will rebuild everything," Sherman said. "The alternatives are there, but the best option is a diplomatic negotiated solution."
The framework deal on Iran's nuclear program has come under heavy scrutiny as the Obama administration seeks to sell the agreement to skeptical lawmakers.Obama's Pro-Tehran Allies: Stop Bibi and His 'Pals' in Congress from Having a Say in Iran Deal
Many of the terms mark a shift from President Obama's stated goals at the start of negotiations 18 months ago.
Democrats and the White House say those changes are the result of tough negotiations and are calling for time to allow diplomats to finalize the accord.
But Republican critics say the administration made concessions that go too far and secured little in return.
Here are five areas where the administration shifted course during negotiations:
The National Iranian American Council (NIAC), an alleged pro-regime lobbying group based in Washington, D.C., has released an action alert telling its followers, “You Have 24 Hours to Stop Bibi.”NIAC Director: U.S. Supports Israel Because Jews 'Are Very Well-Organized Politically'
The news comes in the aftermath of Breitbart News’s exposé that found the White House National Security Council Director for Iran, Sahar Nowrouzzadeh, is a former employee of the radical anti-Israel and alleged pro-regime group.
NIAC urged its supporters to call Congress and convince their representatives that they should not have a say in the ongoing talks involving Iran’s nuclear program. The NIAC alert pits Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the American people, suggesting that he is trying to “sabotage” a “good deal” with the Mullahs.
“The Iran Nuclear Review Act, sponsored by Senators Bob Corker (R-TN) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), would empower Congress to intervene in the talks. If the Corker-Menendez bill passes, all 535 members of Congress will insert themselves into the talks and have the power to veto any deal,” warns the NIAC release.
Representing the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) at an annual anti-Israel convention– which calls for America to terminate its relationship with the Jewish State– NIAC research director Reza Marashi said that Jews in America are responsible for the United States’ endorsement of Israel’s supposed “mistreatment of Palestinians.”Sanitizing Iran, Demonizing Israel
The Washington, D.C.-based NIAC, which many have alleged is a lobbying group working on behalf of the Iranian regime, has in the past released an ad that accused Americans who support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over President Barack Obama as being more loyal to Israel than to the United States.
Marashi began answering an audience member’s question by channeling a quote supposedly spoken by Harry Truman, the President who first recognized the State of Israel immediately after it had declared independence in 1948.
“As it pertains to mistreatment of Palestinians and America’s unwillingness to stand up to Israel, I think it was Harry Truman that once said that… he compared the amount of Zionists he had as constituents versus the amount of Arabs he had… I don’t remember the exact quote,” said Marashi.
The NIAC director then accused Jews in America of manipulating elected officials into taking a pro-Israel stance on foreign policy.
In tandem with this polishing of the Iranian regime’s image come the appeals to support the deal because the most “dangerous” leader in the Middle East—aka Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—is against it. That was the core message of an on-air rant by MSNBC host Chris Matthews, who, in addressing U.S. Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) decision to seek the Republican presidential nomination, targeted “neocons and the piggish money behind them” as the true enemy. All the “neocons” want, according to Matthews, is a foreign policy that creates “pro-Israel democracies” in the region.Radical Left-Wing American Jewish Leaders Who Oppose Right-Wing & Left-Wing Israel
It doesn’t require a huge leap of the imagination to figure out that “neocons” here is code for a different word that starts with the letter “J.” (Matthews shrieked at one point, “Let’s just lay out who these people are!”) His words may have been uglier and cruder than the White House would have liked, but the message is the same: you are either with us or against us, and if you’re not even willing to entertain the idea that Iran’s promises can be taken at face value, then you must be as crazy as Netanyahu is.
There’s a little less than three months between now and June 30. We can expect much more of the above as we head towards the deadline, which is precisely why pro-Israel voices must not feel cowed or intimidated. Obama the so-called “peacemaker” is creating a situation that will generate war and conflict for future generations inside and outside the Middle East. That is why, even though the president’s chorus will mock us for saying this, we should say it anyway: Ultimately, we oppose this deal because it condemns our children to growing up in a world where democracies are in retreat, at the same time as totalitarian regimes (like North Korea and, yes, Iran) possess weapons of mass destruction.
This week, Israeli Knesset Member Eitan Cabel of the Zionist Union – a fierce and constant critic of Benjamin Netanyahu noted that he “stood behind the Prime Minister over the “extremely worrisome” nuclear framework agreement with Iran.” Cabel wrote on his Facebook page that he “refuse[s] to join the flock of followers applauding the nuclear deal with Iran,” and that the consensus in Israel on the issue of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons was above party or political differences, saying that, “this time, it is definitely not a matter of Right or Left.” He stated, “With all the criticism there is about how [Netanyahu] conducted the struggle against the agreement, the struggle itself is just. Against a nuclear Iran, there is no opposition or coalition. We are all Israelis.”Corker Optimistic as Senate Committee Set to Vote on Iran Bill
Unfortunately, many in the American Jewish establishment continue to make it clear that their belief in liberalism is more important than Judaism and/or Israel.
As author Norman Podhoretz famously wrote in “Why Are Jews Liberal” that “To most American Jews, then, liberalism is not, as has often been said, merely a necessary component of Jewishness: it is the very essence of being a Jew. Nor is it a ‘substitute for religion’: it is a religion in its own right, complete with its own catechism and its own dogmas and, Tertullian-like, obdurately resistant to facts that undermine its claims and promises.” He adds “where the Torah of contemporary liberalism conflicts with the Torah of Judaism, it is the Torah of liberalism that prevails and the Torah of Judaism that must give way.”
In Israel, there are many things which nearly everyone across the political spectrum agrees on – issues of survival.
Leading Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are nearing a deal on legislation that would allow Congress to review any nuclear agreement with Iran, according to Politico. If this agreement is achieved, the chances that the bill will receive a veto-proof majority will be greatly improved.Majority leader backs Iran nuclear bill, says House will approve it
“Key congressional negotiators are confident they can strike a bipartisan agreement,” reports the website, hours ahead of the committee vote on the bill, which would allow Congress to block President Barack Obama from quickly lifting legislative sanctions on Tehran.
The current haggling between Republicans and Democrats centers on the length of the time period that Congress would have to debate any deal reached with Iran before sanctions are lifted.
Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) is reportedly now willing to allow this timetable to be shorter than the 60-day waiting period specified in earlier versions of his bill.
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Monday the House will act after the Senate on legislation giving Congress the power to review an emerging Iran nuclear deal.Obama lobbies Jewish groups to back Iran deal
The California Republican told reporters that he spoke with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, earlier in the day. McCarthy said he told Corker that if the Senate approves the bill, the House will vote on it.
“It’s my intention to bring it to the floor of the House and move it,” McCarthy said at a news conference as Congress was returning from a two-week spring break.
Republicans and Democrats maintain that Congress should have a say on an international deal with Tehran to curb its nuclear program and have lined up behind legislation. The White House has pushed back, threatening a presidential veto while warning that the bill could scuttle the delicate talks involving the United States, Iran and five world powers.
US President Barack Obama sat down with over a dozen Jewish leaders and political supporters Monday in two separate meetings, in an effort to defuse fears over the terms of a framework long-term nuclear deal with Iran, and to assure them of his commitment to Israel.AIPAC Says President Obama ‘Should Welcome Congressional Review’ of Iran Nuclear Deal
The meetings were part of the administration’s broader effort to defend the emerging Iran deal before an increasingly skeptical Congress and public.
Participants in the first meeting said that they first met with National Security Adviser Susan Rice, who had also defended the US-led negotiations with Iran at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual policy conference last month. After about 20 minutes, the president entered the room and stayed for over an hour. Representatives of groups both supporting and opposing the terms of a framework deal with Iran said that Obama was “generous” with his time.
Major pro-Israel lobby the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Monday said that President Obama should welcome congressional review of any nuclear deal reached between the US and Iran.Russian Missile Sales to Iran Cross White House ‘Red Line’
In a statement endorsing the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, AIPAC said, “If the agreement achieves US objectives, it will withstand congressional scrutiny, and the president should welcome congressional review.”
The group explained, “An agreement with such profound national security implications as this one must be subjected to the constitutional system of checks and balances that is the bedrock of our democracy.”
Russia’s announcement on Monday that it will proceed with the sale of advanced missile systems to Iran crosses a so-called “red line” established by the Obama administration in 2010, according to comments by senior administration officials.Kerry phones Russian FM, objects to missile supply to Iran
Following years of dissent from the United States, Russia announced on Monday that it would proceed with the sale of the advanced S-300 air defense missile system to Iran, which has been vying to purchase the hardware for years.
The announcement sparked criticism from the Obama administration, which has been pressuring Iran since at least 2010 to withhold the sale.
Russia’s previous ban on selling Tehran the powerful defense system was hailed as a coup by the Obama administration and promoted by it as an example of President Obama’s ability to rein in Russian intransigence on the military front.
However, Monday’s announcement by Russia threatens to complicate an already fractured relationship with Moscow and throw into further jeopardy the ongoing negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.
Experts have warned that the reversal threatens to split the international coalition currently working to halt Iran’s nuclear program—a narrative that the White House is working to downplay
The White House said Kerry made the US opposition clear in a phone call to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The call came as Lavrov argued that a preliminary agreement over Iran’s nuclear program made a 2010 ban on sending missiles to Iran no longer necessary.Iran says Russian missiles could arrive this year
White House press secretary Josh Earnest indicated the move could endanger plans to ultimately lift sanctions on Iran as part of a final nuclear deal. He said unity and coordination with nations like Russia is critical to the success of the negotiations.
The Pentagon also expressed concern about the move, saying it was “unhelpful.”
“Our opposition to these sales is long and public. We believe it’s unhelpful,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters.
“We are raising that through the appropriate diplomatic channels,” he said.
Iran expects Russia to deliver the S-300 air defense missile system by the end of the year, the head of the Iranian security council said Tuesday.Ya'alon: Russia's S-300 deal with Iran is 'direct result of Lausanne agreement'
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday lifted a five-year ban on delivery of the missile system to Iran, drawing criticism from the United States and Israel. The S-300 would significantly bolster the Islamic Republic’s military capability by providing a strong deterrent against any air attack.
Iran had responded to the Russian ban by filing a lawsuit with a court in Geneva seeking $4 billion in damages for breach of contract.
Ali Shamkhani, who heads Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said Tuesday in Moscow that the lawsuit will be withdrawn only after delivery of the S-300s, which he hoped would happen by the end of the year, Russian news agencies reported. Iran would receive five batteries, the reports said.
Russia's decision to lift a ban on the sale of the advanced S-300 air defense system to Iran is a "direct result of the framework agreement reached in Lausanne," Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Tuesday, referring to the recent nuclear agreement between the P5+1 and Tehran.Lavrov: S-300 Does Not Threaten Israel
Ya'alon said that a storm is raging around Israel, and that Iran is "continuing to arm itself, and arm others." Moscow's S-300 deal with Iran is "something we have been warning about even before the details [of the agreement] were concluded. It was clear, even then, that sanctions will be lifted, and that of course this will influence and strengthen the Iranian economy."
Meanwhile, Ya'alon said, Iran continues to arm elements around Israel, particularly Hezbollah in the North, while supporting combat in Syria, and the Houthi-Shi'ite takeover of Yemen.
"This issue was not discussed at all, and this is one of the biggest holes in the agreement. It is outside of the framework agreement, and this is certainly very disturbing. I hope that there will be time in the coming months to fix this," said the defense minister.
Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, on Monday defended his country’s decision to lift a ban on the delivery of S-300 anti-missile rocket systems to Iran, saying the S-300 system does not pose a threat to Israel.Iran: S-300 Supply Will Help Regional Stability
Commenting on the decision, Lavrov was quoted by Russia Today as saying that the embargo on S-300 deliveries was no longer necessary, due to the progress in Iran’s nuclear talks made in Lausanne on April 2.
During the talks in Switzerland, the sides have made “substantial progress in resolving the Iranian nuclear program,” Lavrov said, adding, “The political framework of the final deal agreed upon was highly praised by the international community.”
“We believe that at this stage there is no longer need for this kind of embargo - from the Russian side it was unilateral and voluntary,” he added, according to Russia Today.
Iran’s Defense Minister, Hossein Dehqan, on Monday welcomed Russia’s decision to lift a ban on the delivery of S-300 anti-missile rocket systems to his country, claiming the decision would help maintain stability in the region.Iran nuclear talks to resume on April 21, Zarif says
“The expansion of cooperation [with Russia] and improving cooperation with other neighboring countries in various fields can be very effective in establishing sustainable stability and security in the region,” Dehqan said, according to Iran’s PressTV.
“Extra-regional threats and the spread of terrorism....have increased the need to further expand cooperation [between the two countries]...,” he added.
Nuclear talks between Iran and world powers will resume on April 21 at the deputy level, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday, in what will be the first meeting since a major breakthrough two weeks ago.All sanctions must go before final deal, says Iranian Foreign Minister
Iran and the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, and Germany reached a preliminary deal on Iran's disputed nuclear programme this month and are aiming to reach a final accord by the end of June.
"My colleagues, with the deputy to (European Union foreign policy chief) Federica Mogherini and other political directors from the E3+3 will get together next Tuesday to start drafting," Zarif said during a visit to Madrid.
As US Secretary of State John Kerry is to ask Congress for more time to negotiate a final nuclear deal with Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday (April 14) the sanctions imposed on his country should be lifted in the first stage of the deal.Iran lawmakers demand 'fact sheet' on nuclear deal
Zarif said no good agreement can be achieved with the threat of sanctions hanging over Iran.
"... As long as this instrument of coercion and pressure is kept there, I think people will never have the peace of mind that is needed in order to implement a good agreement," Zarif said.
Zarif insisted all sanctions must go in the first stage of the deal.
"So what you need to do is to keep, to hold the government of the United States accountable for its international obligations and governments are accountable for their international obligations. So, as far as the agreement goes, whatever happens inside the US and however they want to spin it, all the sanctions, economic and financial sanctions that have been imposed on Iran by the UN, by the EU and by the United States must go in the first stage."
A majority of Iranian lawmakers on Sunday demanded the country's negotiators publish a "fact sheet" on a newly agreed framework nuclear accord, while denouncing details laid out in an American version.Israel: Iran steps up arms shipments to Hezbollah, Hamas
"In a letter, members of parliament asked for the publishing of an Iranian fact sheet, and so far 212 have signed it," Javad Karimi Ghodusi, a member of the 290-seat assembly, was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.
On April 2, Iran and world powers agreed on a framework accord to be finalised by the end of June to rein in Tehran's suspect nuclear programme in exchange for the lifting international sanctions.
Israeli officials revealed Monday that the Islamic Republic had stepped up its support for Lebanese Shiite terror group Hezbollah over the past few weeks.Shin Bet foiled Hamas plot to attack soldiers on Purim
According to a Channel 2 report Monday, Israel has observed an increase in Iran weapons shipments to Hezbollah members — in Lebanon and on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights. Iran has also sent weaponry to Hamas rulers in Gaza and is even attempting to arm Hamas members in the West Bank, the report said.
“Israel warns: Iran is acting in recent days and weeks to prepare and arm Hezbollah for conflict with Israel, on a large scale,” Channel 2’s diplomatic correspondent Udi Segal tweeted later Monday.
The TV report said Israel was alarmed that the sanctions relief Iran would enjoy if it reaches a deal on its nuclear program would free up “billions of dollars” for further such weapons shipments, and for Iranian support for terrorism. The TV report said the officials added that it was “hard to see” how the deal, so firmly backed by the US, could help the interests of Israel and other US allies.
The Shin Bet thwarted a shooting attack on IDF soldiers by a small Jerusalem-based Hamas cell made up of two Palestinian men formerly imprisoned in Israel, the security service announced Tuesday.Details of probe into kidnapping of IDF soldier during Gaza war leaked
The two members of the cell planned to shoot soldiers on duty at a checkpoint just outside Jerusalem during the recent Purim holiday last month, the Shin Bet said in a statement.
The two practiced their shooting skills, scouted a location for the planned attack in detail, and jointly purchased a getaway car that they intended to burn afterward, the statement alleged.
The investigation uncovered a Kalashnikov rifle, a 9-mm handgun and approximately 40 rounds in the men’s possession.
The head of the cell was 25-year-old Ma’an Shaer, an employee at the Abu Dis University cafeteria. Originally from the northern West Bank town of Burqa, Shaer served a two-year jail term in 2009 for planning shooting attacks against soldiers.
IDF military commanders have concluded a preliminary investigation into the incident that has become known as "Black Friday" in Rafah, the morning during last summer's Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in which a Givati Brigade unit working to unearth tunnels in the southern Gaza city was attacked despite a humanitarian cease-fire being in effect, and the late Lt. Hadar Goldin was kidnapped.For first time in 15 years, some Palestinian vehicles can enter Israel
The report is a preliminary probe by commanders analyzing the incident from a military perspective, not from a legal perspective. They make recommendations to the Military Advocate General, who makes the final decision about the legality of the incident in question and is not obligated to accept the commanders' version of events.
Army Radio released portions of the investigation on Tuesday, but it was not clear if the leaking of the probe's details was cleared with the Military Advocate General's office. The leaked details of the report reveal that senior IDF officials approved the decision-making of the commanders involved in the incident and of Givati Brigade commander Ofer Winter. Winter said during the investigation that "the Brigade's plan of operation took into account the cease-fire going into effect and was based on a situation in which, by 8 a.m., the forces would cease attacks and only after securing the territory, would initiate searches for tunnels. However this was not the situation, and when the cease-fire went into effect, forces from the patrol unit entered to search an area that had not been conquered and in an unsecured sector."
For the first time in 15 years, a small number of vehicles with Palestinian license plates can enter Israel.Khaled Abu Toameh: PA arrests residents of West Bank's Balata refugee camp, sparking unrest in area
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai approved the entry of the vehicles for Palestinian doctors who work shifts and other hospital jobs in Israel, where immediate response time is essential.
"This is a significant step intended to assist doctors in completing their life-saving mission. The success of this step will be evaluated in accordance with an assessment of the security situation,” said Civil Administration head Brig.-Gen. David Menachem.
Vehicles with Israeli plates can enter areas A and B of the West Bank which are under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Vehicles with Israeli and Palestinian plates can travel on the roads in Area C of the West Bank.
Gunmen from the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank on Monday blocked the main southern entrance to Nablus in protest against the arrest of some of their friends by the Palestinian Authority.Hamas Factories ‘Operating Night and Day’ in Preparation for Next War With Israel
The gunmen prevented vehicles from entering the city or using nearby roads, witnesses said.
The gunmen warned that they would invite representatives of the Israeli media to the camp to talk about their problems if the Palestinian media continues to ignore them.
On Sunday night, the gunmen, who are affiliated with Fatah, marched inside the camp, firing shots into the air and demanding the release of their friends.
The protest was organized following the arrest of a gunman who is wanted for criminal offenses, the witnesses said. They said that the man, whose identity was not revealed, was shot in the leg during the arrest.
Balata has been the scene of tensions and armed clashes over the past few weeks between gunmen and Palestinian security forces.
Since last summer’s conflict with Israel, Gaza-based terror group Hamas has been tirelessly working to restore and build up its strength in advance of its next showdown with the Jewish state.PreOccupied Territory: Hamas Upgrading Human Dome Defense System (satire)
According to media watchdog MEMRI, Hamas leaders have boasted of renewing their excavation of attack tunnels and manufacture of rockets, in addition to building up their weapons stores in anticipation of war. Though Hamas is attempting to stay out of a military escalation with Israel at the present time, the group’s senior officials have stressed the need for ongoing arms development, and are bragging that their weapons factories are producing armaments almost non-stop.
MEMRI quoted Hamas interior minister Fathi Hammad saying, “Our hands are on the trigger and the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam factories are operating night and day. The day will come and Israel will pay a high price.”
“The resistance is planning and preparing, and will continue the jihad always, in preparation for the next liberation battle…”, Hammad said.
Military observers are reporting that Hamas, the militant Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, appears to be rebuilding and improving its Human Dome system in the wake of a punishing war with Israel last summer.
Human Dome proved effective during the 51-day war in both deterring certain Israeli strikes and by massive exploitation by the Hamas media apparatus of images of the dead or injured following strikes that did take a civilian toll. The system in fact became Hamas’s primary offensive weapon, which it wielded to much effectiveness with assistance from international sympathizers and news organizations.
Satellite and other surveillance data indicate that the militant organization has nearly completed its repair and upgrade of the system, which, unlike more technically sophisticated equipment, requires parts and machinery currently in short supply in the coastal territory. Human Dome only needs people, preferably women and children, to be strategically positioned in, near, or atop facilities of military value, and observers foresee no shortage of people in the Gaza Strip, of which children account for a disproportionate number. Military analysts see Hamas improving both the number and severity of casualties to those tactical assets to leverage that harm to hurt Israel politically and thus extract concessions.
Whereas in the previous several conflicts with Israel Hamas merely positioned Human Dome units in proximity to fighters, caches, tunnels, or bunkers, then waited for Israel to strike them and inflict casualties, analysts expect that in the next war the organization will not wait for incoming IDF missiles or shells to kill the civilians. Instead, bolstered by the international media’s haste to accept Israeli culpability for any casualties in Gaza, even those from misfired Hamas rockets, Hamas will itself target those civilians, and simply tell the media Israel did so.
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