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Friday, October 14, 2022

10/14 Links Pt1: Lapid's Two State Solution; Ruthie Blum: It makes sense to be suspicious of the maritime deal; Israel must prepare for a nuclear Iran

From Ian:

Lapid's Two State Solution
What did Yair Lapid mean by his foregoing statement? Did he mean 2 states in an undivided Jerusalem or Jerusalem undivided as an Israel state with the Palestinian Arab state established elsewhere? If the former, he would find a majority in Israel would not accept this. If the latter, no Palestinian Arab or Arab leader would accept it.

What he should have done was to make use of an expert historian to proof positive Jewish indigenous rights to the Land of Israel, After all, during Temple Times , we learn of the Jews and the Romans. Subsequently the Greeks. The words, "Palestinians" and Arabs" don't appear until many centuries later.

To begin with, he could share the words of Lloyd George, who was outraged by the claim that Arabs had been treated unfairly in Palestine---":

"No race has done better out of the fidelity with which the Allies redeemed their promises to the oppressed races than the Arabs. Owing to the tremendous sacrifices of the Allied Nations, and more particularly of Britain and her Empire, the Arabs have already won independence in Iraq, Arabia, Syria, and Trans-jordania, although most of the Arab races fought throughout the War for the Turkish oppressors---[In particular ] the Palestinian Arabs for Turkish rule."[ A Mandate for Israel by Douglas J. Feith].

Perhaps the greatest lesson for Lapid is demonstrated by history - Appeasement mostly does not work and it certainly does not win.
Ruthie Blum: It makes sense to be suspicious of the maritime deal
Jaw-dropping press conference
LAPID’S PRIME-time press conference was just as jaw-dropping. Lauding the great “achievements” that Israel made by (ostensibly) rejecting a set of Lebanon’s additional demands, he boasted that the cabinet had approved the deal and thanked Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron for their help and support. Oy.

He proceeded to acknowledge that the agreement “staves off the possibility of a flare-up with Hezbollah,” quickly averring that “Israel is not afraid of Hezbollah. The IDF is stronger than any terror organization, and if we went to battle, we would deal it a heavy blow. That being said, if it’s possible to prevent war, it’s the job of a responsible government to do so.”

Questioned by a reporter about the government’s consent to circumvent a Knesset vote, he blabbered about the legality of the decision. Then he let the cat out of the bag.

“In light of the utterly profligate behavior of the opposition, we didn’t think that it would be [the] right [thing to do],” he explained.

In other words, the risk of Hezbollah interference in Israel’s gas mining is smaller in Lapid’s eyes than a potential parliamentary thumbs-down. Which brings us to Iran.

Biden's horrific foreign policy
DESPITE THE ongoing protests across the Islamic Republic that are providing a glimmer of hope about the ultimate fall of the regime, the US administration is continuing to convey its desperation to revive the nuclear pact and fill Tehran’s coffers with billions of dollars. This travesty is typical of Biden’s horrific foreign policy.

Israel cannot afford to follow in such ill-fated footsteps. Nevertheless, National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata defended the gas deal on the ridiculous grounds that it “goes against Iran’s interest in Lebanon and weakens Hezbollah’s hold on the government in Beirut.”

Really?

No wonder Udi Adiri, Israel’s longtime lead maritime border and gas extraction negotiator, resigned a couple of weeks ago in exasperation over the contents of the document that was crafted against his better judgment. This didn’t have an effect on what is going to be a signed, sealed and delivered deal on October 31, the day of Aoun’s exit and 24 hours before Israelis head to the polls.

No, you don’t have to be a maritime expert to grasp the magnitude of the gambit. Common sense and experience ought to suffice, if not in Israel’s soon-to-be-shuffled halls of power, then at least at the ballot box.
'All my family and friends turned against me when I enlisted in the IDF'
The Israel Defense Forces' Desert Reconnaissance Battalion is one of a kind: not only are its fighters volunteers, but they come from Muslim, Christian, and Circassian backgrounds, often having left their families and friends, who opposed their enlistment, behind.

They have served on the border with the Gaza Strip for many years, protecting Israel and putting their lives on the line.

According to one of the fighters, "there are people here whose identities cannot be revealed not because of the operational aspects, but because of what would happen to them if their photos or names were made public." The unit was established in 1986 in order to regulate the enlistment of Bedouin youth in the IDF. What began as a small unit has over time grown into a battalion.

When the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993, the unit became operational and was stationed along the Gaza border. During the Second Intifada, between 2000 and 2005, the fighters participated actively in operations in the strip, especially the Philadelphia Route, combating underground tunnels and the spread of terror.

In January 2002, four of the battalion's fighters were killed in an attack on an outpost near the Kerem Shalom border crossing, where several years later Gilad Shalit would be captured, and where the fighters carried out patrols with us, the journalists, in the dead of night.

Lt. Col. Guy Madar, 33, married and father of five from the Karmei Katif settlement in southern Israel, has been commanding the battalion for the past three months. He grew up in the Givati Brigade, and when he reached the rank of major general, he naturally wanted to continue his service in the purple brigade.

But today, he says, he could not be prouder of his fighters, even though sometimes the Arabic language, which is used outside of operational activity – as that is only conducted in Hebrew – is a challenge for him.

"I manage. The soldiers know Hebrew, and othertimes, they help me. My ambition is to learn Arabic. This is my first job as a battalion commander, but I got to know the Bedouin patrol unit because they are trained in a Givati base. But you only think you know something before you actually do it. Before that, there are a lot of preconceived notions. When I joined, I discovered how amazingly they operated. I grew up in Givati and I wanted to be an officer in Givati, and I will honestly say that at first, I was a little disappointed because I had a lot of fears, we all have our prejudices. It was only when I joined that I found out how serious this unit is. The fighters really don't get the appreciation they deserve.

"When I say that I am the commander of the Bedoun patrol unit, everyone tells me that it must be challenging and asks how I manage. My answer is that it is like any fighting unit in the IDF. That it is a group of fighters who want to contribute. They are strong, good fighters, and know the sector like the back of their hand. I have a company commander who has been here since 2013. Everyone who comes across the unit discovers that they are wonderful guys, not spoiled, who just want to fight and contribute to the country."


US toughens penalties against Arab League boycott
The United States Commerce Department is enhancing penalties for companies engaging in the Arab League’s boycott of Israel, a fading remnant of the Arab world’s isolation of the Jewish state.

Matthew Axelrod, assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement, unveiled the Biden administration’s new rules at a meeting of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in Washington last Thursday.

In addition to increased penalties for boycott participation, companies and individuals will have to admit to violations before attempting to settle charges. The new rules also subject U.S. companies to fines if their foreign subsidiaries participate in the boycott

“Anti-Semitism too often manifests itself in attempts to delegitimize Israel through conspiracy theories and through discourse that dehumanizes Jewish people,” Axelrod said. “I want to ensure that we in the Commerce Department are doing what we can to have the strongest possible anti-boycott enforcement program.”

The U.S. Congress made compliance with the boycott illegal in 1977. U.S. companies and individuals face criminal and civil penalties for participating in it. Additionally, companies are required to inform the Commerce Department if they are asked to participate in the boycott. The law covers any foreign government-imposed boycott of a U.S. ally but has generally been applied to instances involving Israel.


Lebanese president approves maritime deal with Israel
Lebanon and Israel both claim around 860 square kilometers (330 square miles) of the Mediterranean Sea that are home to offshore gas fields.

The agreement to demarcate the maritime border comes after months of talks mediated by senior US official Amos Hochstein, and would mark a major breakthrough in relations between the two countries, which have formally been at war since Israel's creation in 1948.

"This indirect agreement responds to Lebanese demands and maintains all our rights," Aoun said in a televised speech.

Aoun made the announcement hours after meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Speaker Nabih Berri, who had received copies of Hochstein's latest iteration of the agreement earlier this week.

US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said that both countries agreed to "formally" end their maritime border dispute, and that their leaders both told him they were ready to take next steps.

Israel's Cabinet on Wednesday voted in favor of the US-brokered deal by a "large majority" of its ministers. The agreement will be forwarded to the Knesset for a two-week review period before a final Cabinet vote.

Lebanon hopes that demarcating maritime borders will pave the way for gas exploration to help lift it out of its crippling economic crisis.


18 arrested as violence continues to escalate in east Jerusalem
Eighteen Palestinian rioters were arrested overnight Friday in clashes and raids in east Jerusalem, where tensions have been surging high, the Israel Police said.

The latest escalation comes following months of tensions in the West Bank after a series of deadly terror attacks in Israel led to the IDF launching an extensive counterterrorism campaign, known as Operation Breakwater.

Violence increased further after the military increased activities in the Shuafat refugee camp in search of the suspected killer of Sgt. Noa Lazar, who was killed at a nearby checkpoint last week.

The flashpoint east Jerusalem neighborhood of Shimon HaTzadik, also known as Sheikh Jarrah, was at the center of Thursday night's disturbances.

Far right-wing lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir drew his pistol during the riots, saying his life and the life of the residents were being threatened. He later accused the police of being "afraid to shoot."

Fifty rioters have been detained since Wednesday as the search for Lazar's killer continues.


Palestinian rivals agree to elections, but questions remain
Rival Palestinian factions convening for negotiations mediated by the Algerian government decided on Thursday to end 15 years of strife through elections that would be held within a year, Palestinian and Algerian officials told Reuters.

Back home in the West Bank, though, there remained skepticism that the Palestinian factions would bring any tangible reforms after prior electoral promises failed to materialize, according to the report.

In preparation for an Arab summit in Algiers next month, the heads of 14 factions, including President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah organization and the Islamist party Hamas, met for two days.

According to officials, the sides agreed in Algiers to “speed up the holding of presidential and legislative elections in all of the Palestinian territories including Jerusalem” within one year. The agreement was publicly announced later on Thursday.

The deal also acknowledged Abbas’s Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole representative of the Palestinian people, calling for elections to its national council within a year.


Doctor killed in Jenin clash with IDF fought alongside terrorists - Fatah
A Palestinian doctor and an armed gunman were killed amid clashes with IDF soldiers operating in Jenin on Friday morning.

The doctor was identified by Palestinian media as 43-year-old Dr. Abdallah Abu al Teen. He was responsible for licensing at the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Palestinian reports initially reported that he was shot and killed by a sniper but later the Palestinian Health Ministry stated that he was in critical condition. He died in hospital from his wounds.

Israel unsure who shot Palestinian doctor down
There were conflicting reports about who may have shot him and the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that they were investigating the circumstances of the shooting and if he was hit by Palestinian or Israel fire. The military is also looking into the possibility that he had participated in the shooting and therefore targeted by the force.

The military stressed after the incident that "the presence of uninvolved civilians in a combat zone constitutes a real mortal danger."

Shortly after his death, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades terror group claimed Abu Teen as a commander in the group and the Secretary of the Fatah Movement of Jenin Province, Atta Abu Armila, told the Palestinian Quds news agency that al Teen was killed while "fighting side by side with the resistance.”

The IDF said that during the operation, explosives were thrown and Palestinian gunmen opened heavy fire toward the forces who returned “accurate shots toward armed men identified in the area.”


Danny Ayalon: Israel must prepare for a nuclear Iran
Based on the bitter experience of 2015, Israel should avoid public fights with the US, or any move that can be regarded as meddling in internal American politics. It should avoid crossing the known boundaries – but without giving up on any of its principled objections to the would-be deal, and the dangers that it could bring.

It is not necessary for Israel to align itself with all American policies; rather, it must communicate discreetly with members of Congress. This isn’t about self-censorship, but rather, about how the message is delivered.

Israel is still obligated to exert every effort that it can, without harming ties, to object to the proposed nuclear agreement. If the US still decides to sign the deal in the end, Israel will have the ability to reserve its right to announce that it is not a party to the agreement and that it retains its freedom of action.

In such a scenario, Israel’s government should switch to a “Plan B” – a compensation package for Israel that would better position it to strike Iran’s nuclear program in the future. American officials, including the Ambassador to Israel Thomas R. Nides, have openly stated that they would not restrict Israel from acting if it felt compelled to do so.

This means that if Israel felt it needed to strike the nuclear program in the future, Jerusalem would have to alert Washington (in a way that would not jeopardize the information’s security). This has precedent.

I was a political adviser to ex-Israeli premier Ariel Sharon, when the Americans first arrived in Afghanistan in 2001, in the aftermath of 9/11. We received a call from then-president George W. Bush to warn us that the attack was coming and that there could be regional repercussions from Islamists. In 2003, a similar scenario played out prior to the American attack on the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq.

In assessing the Israeli government’s performance in its dealings with the US administration over the current Iran nuclear negotiations, the government receives a good grade. Both prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid have been able to strike the balance described above.

It must also be noted that Israel’s influence on this issue is limited. The US is driven by global economic and military interests, such as bringing down energy prices – something Iranian oil and gas can certainly help to do if sanctions are lifted – and prioritizing great power competition with China and Russia.

These are factors Israel must comprehend, even if it does not like them.

Israel will now have to make preparations for “Plan C” – defending itself against the threat posed by a nuclear Iran. It must fully utilize the delivery of military platforms that it can secure from the US to do so.
Iranian Official Linked to Hijab Violence Heads Up Pro-Migrant Charity
An Iranian official affiliated with the regime’s violent actions against women who refuse to wear hijabs is reportedly the co-director of a pro-migrant charity in the UK.

Saied Reza Ameli, who serves as Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution, also serves as the director of the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), a charity which has permission from the UK government to assist migrants trying to get into the country, it is claimed.

Iran is currently experiencing mass protests against the forced wearing of hijabs in the country, which came about after a 22-year-old woman was killed at the hands of the country’s “morality police”, after being detained for being “inappropriately” dressed

According to a report by The Times, the death of the woman was preceded by the implementation of tougher guidelines by Saied Reza Ameli’s Cultural Revolution council, with the Iranian official himself saying that the new guidelines were needed to promote “social health, protection of the family”.

The publication also claims that Ameli has been active in regard to the wearing of the hijab in Britain, with the official demanding that all uniforms in Britain for school and work include an option that allows people to wear the veil.

Ameli has also seemingly promoted such pro-hijab values through his IHRC charity, which he reportedly founded in 1997, which describes itself as “researching about and campaigning against Islamophobia” in both Britain and Europe.

The charity is also reportedly approved by the UK government to provide legal advice to migrants, with the organisation’s legal arm being described as claiming that it has helped nearly 200 migrants with “irregular immigration status” gain permission to stay in the country.




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