Tuesday, September 19, 2023

09/19 Links Pt1: Can Israel and the PA Continue to Cooperate?; Blood money: Biden’s Iran deal endangers the Middle East; Arab states, EU unveil plan to entice Israel-PA to sign peace deal

From Ian:

MEMRI: He Said It All Already In 2018 And More: Jews Poison Wells – Mahmoud Abbas's Antisemitism And Holocaust Denial In Perspective
The statements made by PA President Mahmoud Abbas at the 11th session of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, on August 24, 2023 (see MEMRI TV clip),[1] which drew international criticism from the media and politically, were not new.[2] They were very similar to statements he made in April 2018 (see MEMRI TV clip below). These statements are in fact part of a comprehensive antisemitic ideology Abbas has espoused and elaborated on over the years. This ideology includes blaming the persecution of Europe's Jews, from the Middle Ages to the Holocaust, on their behavior or "social role" in Europe, while repeating classic antisemitic tropes such as the Jews' avariciousness – yet at the same time questioning the scope of the Holocaust and the authenticity of the gas chambers. Another central theme in this ideology is accusing the Zionist movement of collaborating with the Nazis and of resembling the Nazis in its ideas and methods. Abbas' accusations against the Zionist movement and Israel likewise incorporate antisemitic themes such as allegations about poisoning wells (see MEMRI TV clip below).

Abbas' ideas have been expressed in numerous publications and speeches over the years, many of which have been discussed and documented by MEMRI.

The following is a review:
Abbas In 2018 Speech: The Persecution Of The Jews In Europe Throughout History Was Due To "Their Function In Society, Which Had To Do With Usury, Banks, And So On"
In an April 30, 2018 speech before the Palestinian National Council in Ramallah (see clip below), Abbas made remarks very similar to his recent comments, saying: "The Jews who moved to Eastern and Western Europe had been subjected to a massacre by one country or another every 10-15 years, since the 11th century and until the Holocaust in Germany… [But] the anti-Jewish [sentiment] was not because of their religion, but because of their function in society, which had to do with usury, banks, and so on."[3]

Abbas' In His Doctoral Dissertation: The Number Of Jews Killed By The Nazis Is Unclear, But, Whatever The Number, The Zionists Collaborated With The Nazis In This Crime; After The War They Perpetrated Similar Crimes Against The Palestinians
Some of Abbas' ideas were set out in his 1982 doctoral dissertation, submitted to the Oriental College in Moscow and titled "The Secret Connection between Nazism and Zionism – 1933-1945." In this dissertation, a copy of which has been obtained by MEMRI, Abbas sought to de-legitimize the Zionist movement by arguing that it collaborated with the Nazis in the annihilation of the Jewish people in order to prompt Jews to emigrate to Palestine. As evidence of this he cited a 1935 agreement between the Nazi authorities and representatives of the Zionist movement which facilitated the escape of part of German Jewry to Palestine in exchange for their property. Abbas stated further that, during the war itself, the Zionists continued to collaborate with the Nazis: “The activity of the Zionist organizations during the war did not ease, but rather exacerbated, the position of broad Jewish sectors in the European countries, many thousands [sic] of which became victims of the Hitlerite genocide.” Therefore, he argued, some of the Zionist leaders share the blame for the Nazis’ crimes against the Jews.

Abbas wrote in the dissertation that after the war, the Zionists used the issue of the Holocaust “to justify the genocidal policy towards the Arab people of Palestine, which is implemented by Israel’s Zionist government with the support of the U.S. and of the international Zionist centers. This policy actually repeats the wicked [crimes] committed by the Nazis towards the Jews during WW2, and its goal is to establish a sort of empire in the Middle East: Greater Israel.”

As evident from his reference to the “thousands” of Jews killed by the Nazis, Abbas' dissertation also questions the scope of the Holocaust, stating, “There are no precise statistical or verified scientific data regarding the total number of the [Jewish Holocaust] victims,” he wrote. “According to data presented by the British [sic] researcher R. Hilberg,[4] whose research focuses on the Holocaust, the number of victims of the Hitlerite genocide of the Jews during the WW2 reached 896,000. According to other estimates, prevalent mainly in Israeli and Western literature, this number is significantly larger and reaches six million people.”[5] It should be noted the figure 896,000, which Abbas' attributes to Raul Hillberg, was never proposed by this scholar. Abbas cited p. 670 of Hilberg's The Destruction of the European Jews as the source of this data. However, an examination of this source shows that no such figure is mentioned.
UAE condemns Mahmoud Abbas' claim that Hitler killed Jews because of 'social role'
The UAE foreign minister has condemned Mahmoud Abbas' claims that Hitler fought with the Jews 'because of their social role and not because of their religion'.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan said the remarks on Jews and the Holocaust by the Palestinian Authority (PA) leader that have drawn widespread accusations of antisemitism were “irresponsible”.

During a speech at his Fatah party’s Revolutionary Council last month, Abbas also claimed the Jews were one of the causes of Germany’s loss in World War I, a false claim which Hitler initially peddled.

The Palestinian leader also repeated the 'Khazar Myth' that he has peddled often over the years, stating that Ashkenazi Jews descend from Turkish Khazars who converted, rather than biblical Jews.

He also accused the United States and Great Britain of inventing the idea of Jewish statehood, according to a translation of the remarks by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry said: “Sheikh Abdullah condemned the irresponsible statements made by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas regarding Jews and the Nazi Holocaust, emphasising the importance of tolerance and human brotherhood values in the UAE's approach to building peaceful and prosperous societies.

“He also underscored the UAE's rejection of hate speech, extremism in all its forms, religious intolerance, racism and racial discrimination.”
JCPA: Can Israel and the Palestinian Authority Continue to Cooperate?
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated that Israel is preparing for the “day after Abu Mazen” and that Israel aims to maintain the PA.

Since it is evident to any objective observer that no single, unified Palestinian Authority, as envisaged by the Oslo Accords, actually exists today, after Abbas leaves the political scene, Israel, according to the Prime Minister, will strive to maintain the pretense of the existence of that body. It is unclear, however, whether Israel will strive to preserve the despotic rule of Fatah over Fatahland while simultaneously maintaining the internal Palestinian rift with Hamastan.

The advantage of maintaining the pretense is that, irrespective of the identity of the despotic leader chosen, the Fatahland leadership will continue to govern and provide for the needs of the Palestinian population, however poorly, thereby relieving Israel of that burden.

While the task of the new Fatahland leader would not be simple, it comes with a potentially multi-billion-dollar dowry, the perks of traveling the globe as a national leader, and the ability to enrich those close to him.

The disadvantage of maintaining the pretense is that to survive internally, the new Fatahland leader must prove his fighting credentials and that he is not just another Israeli stooge. Will that mean the new leadership of Fatahland will continue the pugnacious practices and policies of Abbas, incite terror and the murder of Jews, squander billions to reward terrorists, attack Israel in international forums, and continue undermining Israel’s legitimacy?

When 87-year-old Mahmoud Abbas leaves the political scene, the “Palestinian Authority” will enter a new phase. Abbas’ legacy to the Palestinians is the destruction of the PA as one unified entity. Instead of fighting terror, Abbas embraced the internationally-designated terror organization Hamas and insisted that the terrorists be allowed to participate in the PA elections. Abbas similarly squandered billions of shekels/dollars inciting terror and murder and incentivizing and rewarding terror and terrorists. Abbas also spearheaded the use of lawfare to attack and delegitimize Israel. The PA under Abbas was little more than a glorified terror organization.

Nonetheless, the Israeli security establishment, which has sunk deep into the Oslo paradigm, has managed to convince Israel’s government that maintaining the semblance and pretense of the existence of the “Palestinian Authority” – i.e., the presence of Fatahland – is in Israel’s best strategic interest.

Will Israel’s government continue its willful blindness to the wrongdoings of the Palestinians to maintain this pretense? Will Israel continue funding all the disastrous policies of the Fatahland leader and grant him all the privileges and perks of being the Palestinian leader, even if the Palestinians had no say in his selection?


‘100% carrots’: Arab states, EU unveil plan to entice Israel-PA to sign peace deal
Nearly 30 foreign ministers from countries in Europe and the Middle East met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Monday to unveil a new initiative aimed at reviving the long-dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

The “Peace Day Effort” was driven by the European Union, Saudi Arabia, the Arab League, Egypt, and Jordan, who agreed at the event to produce a “Peace Supporting Package” in the coming months that will maximize dividends for Israelis and Palestinians, once they reach a peace agreement.

Participants agreed to form three working groups that will be tasked with producing the components of the package. One working group will outline potential post-peace regional, political, and security cooperation mechanisms. A second working group will develop proposals for economic cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, innovation, transportation, natural resources, and the environment. A third working group will develop proposals for cooperation in humanitarian, inter-cultural, and human security issues.

Participating countries also agreed to assess the initiative’s progress every three months before presenting the finalized Peace Supporting Package by September 2024.

The main architect of the initiative, EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Sven Koopmans, told The Times of Israel in a Sunday interview that the plan’s contributors are “envisaging… what regionally and globally everybody would contribute the moment that there is an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.”

He clarified that those behind the Peace Day Effort are not trying to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, since only the parties themselves can do this. “What we are now starting to do is to say, ‘If you reach that agreement… this is what we would contribute as your neighbors, as your friends and potential future friends to your peace.'”

The EU envoy said the package would also include incentives for the Syrian and Lebanese governments to make peace with Israel, without elaborating further.


Poll shows most Americans view Israel as a partner; fewer see it as sharing US values
As President Joe Biden prepares to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week in New York, a new poll finds that while Americans generally view Israel as a partner or ally, many question whether his far-right government shares American values.

The poll results from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the meeting come during a new period of tension between the Biden administration and Israel. Those tensions are caused by Netanyahu's proposed judicial overhaul that has sparked mass protests in major Israeli cities, ongoing disagreements over how to deal with Iran and how to approach the Palestinians, and comments from Netanyahu's political allies that have irked US officials.

Despite the friction, Biden, who spoke out in barely disguised opposition to the judicial plan, and Netanyahu are expected to project a solid partnership in which the US continues to support Israel's security.

Biden will also emphasize that the US is continuing to work on expanding the Trump-era Abraham Accords, which normalized Israeli relations with several Arab countries, to include Saudi Arabia. However, there is little sign of an imminent breakthrough on that front.

Although the poll showed that Americans overwhelmingly view Israel as more of a friend than a foe, it also found that they are divided on whether Israel is a country with which the US shares common interests and values.

About 4 in 10 Americans described Israel as a partner with which the US should cooperate, but they also said the country does not share US interests and values, the poll found. Only about 3 in 10 said Israel is an ally that shares US interests. Republicans (44%) are more likely than Democrats (25%) to call Israel an ally with shared values. About 2 in 10 Americans described Israel as either a US rival or an adversary.


JPost Editorial: We must reassert Jewish ties to 'Palestinian' land
What is at issue here is the deliberate erasure of the Jewish people’s connections to the cradle of Jewish civilization.

While some of the sites’ official UNESCO descriptions include muted references to their Jewish ties, many do not, in keeping with the Palestinian leadership’s longstanding policy of ignoring, underplaying, denying, or simply erasing the Jewish people’s attachment to this land.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, whose doctoral dissertation was based on Holocaust denial, is perhaps the most prominent practitioner of this abhorrent policy. He has consistently denied that the Jews have any historical connection to Israel or to their eternal capital, Jerusalem.

“They [Israel] dug under al-Aqsa… they dug everywhere, and they could not find anything,” he told a UN gathering in May. “The ownership of al-Buraq Wall [the Western Wall] and al-Haram al-Sharif [Temple Mount] belongs exclusively and only to the Islamic Waqf alone.”

That Abbas and other Palestinian leaders spew such ahistorical drivel is nothing new; sadly, we have come to expect it. But for a UN body to go along with their distortions of history and their erasure of the Jewish people’s connections to its land brings shame on the UN and on the membership of the body in question.

The United States rejoined UNESCO in July in large part, it said, to serve as a check on the body’s anti-Israel bias. Of UNESCO’s 206 members, the overwhelming majority have diplomatic relations with Israel and some are close allies of the Jewish state.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with his counterparts from around the world at the UN this week, he should insist that they stop playing along with the Palestinians’ attempts to erase the Jewish people’s ties to their homeland.


Palestinians' new method of encroaching on Israeli territory: B&Bs
Against the backdrop of the picturesque landscapes of vineyards, Palestinians have been illegally developing a cottage industry of luxurious vacation compounds in Area C – territory where Israel should have full control under the provisions of the Oslo Accords.

Nestled deep within the heart of Judea and Samaria, these vacation homes and resorts cater to Palestinians by providing a unique experience, complete with spacious guest houses, pristine lawns, inviting pools, and gourmet dining establishments.

One such establishment, located in the Palestinian village of Batir not far from the Jewish community of Beitar demonstrated just how popular they are. After being asked on Facebook about its availability, it responded that "in August, the occupancy is full, sorry." For a fee of NIS 1,200 ($315) guests can get a bed and breakfast experience for an entire day in such a complex.

The watchdog Regavim, which has been closely monitoring these trends, has shared with Israel Hayom some of the findings showing the systematic expansion of these luxury vacation accommodations far from the scrutiny of Israeli authorities. What makes this even more intriguing is that some of this activity has been endorsed and backed by the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism, with their stated objective being "to prevent settlers from taking over the territory," according to Regavim.

Field coordinator Menash Shmueli of Regavim's Judea and Samaria division recently used drone technology to document at least four such compounds, with one of the most significant establishments situated in the village of Batir.

"They started this six months ago in that village, with the B&Bs situated on the border of the Green Line, where there's no fence, affording views of Jerusalem," Shmueli explained. Batir, in recent years, has transformed into a tourist destination, boasting archaeological digs, high-end dining, and other forms of entertainment. This is further complemented by the absence of a security barrier due to it being a UNESCO-designated area.

In the city of Jericho, the Regavim team located an establishment situated partially in Area A (where there is full Palestinian control) and with another part in Area C, bordering the Hasmonean Palaces archaeological site.
‘They’re animals’: Abbas blasts EU over its stance on Palestinian elections
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas smeared the European Union at a private event on Monday evening, saying Brussels failed to follow through on assurances it would help Ramallah hold parliamentary and presidential elections in 2021, according to two individuals present.

“They’re animals,” he said, using the derogatory Arabic word “حيوانات” (ḥaywānāt), which can describe someone who doesn’t listen and misbehaves.

On Tuesday afternoon, Abbas’s spokesperson issued a statement flatly denying that the term was used.

While the 87-year-old Abbas has been known to use colorful language behind closed doors to express his dissatisfaction with world leaders and countries he feels have undermined the Palestinian cause, the decision to direct his anger at the EU appeared noteworthy given that Brussels has been Ramallah’s largest benefactor for years.

The latest verbal assault also comes as Abbas is particularly isolated on the global stage following a speech he gave earlier this month during which the PA leader again claimed that Hitler targeted Jews during the Holocaust because of their “social behavior,” not because of enmity toward Jews.

The Monday remarks were made at an annual meeting Abbas held with leaders of the Palestinian-American community while he was in New York City to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

The two individuals present — who spoke to The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity due to fears of retribution — said Abbas shared his frustration over how the EU conducted itself vis-à-vis a recent Palestinian attempt to hold elections.
At UNGA, Guterres decries ‘escalating violence, bloodshed’ in ‘occupied Palestinian territory’
António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, offered a bleak picture of the world in his opening remarks at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 19.

There have been natural disasters. Climate change. Disruptive technologies. Existential threats. “Our world is becoming unhinged,” he said. “Democracy is under threat. Authoritarianism is on the march. Inequalities are growing. And hate speech is on the rise.”

He focused on specific areas of concern. Russia’s war in Ukraine. Civil war in Sudan. Millions displaced in Congo. Syria in ruins.

He did not mention Iran, but he did reference Israel without naming the Jewish state.

“In the Middle East, escalating violence and bloodshed in the occupied Palestinian territory is taking a terrible toll on civilians,” Guterres said. “Unilateral actions are intensifying and undermining the possibility of a two-state solution, the only pathway to lasting peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis.”
Jordanian king at UNGA: Palestinians deprived of right to ‘fulfill their own national identity’
The region will keep suffering until the world “helps lift the shadow of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict—the central issue in the Middle East,” Jordanian King Abdullah II said on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly.

The king spoke after António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, referred in his opening remarks to “escalating violence and bloodshed in the occupied Palestinian territory” that “is taking a terrible toll on civilians.”

Abdullah also lashed out at Israel in his remarks.

“Seven and a half decades on, it still smolders. Where are we going? Without clarity on where Palestinians’ future lies, it will be impossible to converge on a political solution to this conflict,” he said. “Five million Palestinians live under occupation—no civil rights; no freedom of mobility; no say in their lives.”

The king claimed that whereas Israelis can freely express their national identity, “the Palestinian people are deprived of that same right.”

“The basic requirement for that right is the establishment of their own independent and viable state, on the June 4th, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living alongside Israel in peace, security and prosperity,” he continued.

The Jordanian monarch said that 2023 has been the deadliest in 15 years for Palestinians. “Delaying justice and peace has brought endless cycles of violence,” he said. “Jerusalem is a flash point for global concern.”

He added that Jordan remains committed to safeguarding Jerusalem’s identity. “But preserving Jerusalem, as the city of faith and peace for Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, is a responsibility that we all share,” he said. “We must not abandon Palestinian refugees to the forces of despair.”

Abdullah called for “sustainable funding” for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East—a body that has been accused of spreading antisemitic teachings.
Biden touts 'positive impacts' in region; says Iran must 'never' get bomb
Biden also expressed an optimistic tone on the Middle East, celebrating the recently announced trade corridor linking India to Europe through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel.

He said that this "groundbreaking effort," which was announced in the recent G-20 meeting in New Delhi, "will spur investment and opportunities across two continents" and was part of the "efforts to achieve a sustainable integrated Middle East." He noted that this "demonstrates how Israel's greater normalization and economic connections with its neighbors are delivering a positive impact even as we work tirelessly to support a just and lasting peace, with two states for two people." He also warned that the US would work to ensure that "Iran never acquires nuclear weapons."

On Wednesday, Biden will have his first face-to-face meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Netanyahu regained power last December.
Biden addresses UN General Assembly on two-state solution and Israel's normalization
In an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden reflected on recent diplomatic milestones and outlined his vision for a more equitable world amid conflict in Ukraine and growing tensions in the Middle East and Asia


Israeli Political Activist’s Comments on CBS 60 Minutes Decontextualized on Social Media
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States has piqued the interest of the foreign media, breathing new life into coverage of the long-running crisis surrounding the Israeli government’s efforts to legislate a package of judicial reforms.

These reforms and the opposition to them were the subject of a 60 Minutes feature on CBS. During the broadcast, host Lesley Stahl interviewed members of the Brothers and Sisters in Arms organization — IDF reservists who have played a prominent role in the anti-government protests that have taken place over the past several months.

During the course of the interview, air force reserve pilot Shira Eting made a statement that has since gone viral. Let’s explain.
If you want pilots to be able to fly and shoot bombs and missiles into houses, knowing they might be killing children, they must have the strongest confidence in the people making the decisions.

Putting the judicial reform to one side, Eting is raising the moral issues that all IAF pilots face when carrying out an operation — the imperative to avoid the deaths of civilians where at all possible. There are plenty of examples of pilots aborting their missions if civilians, including children, are suddenly in the line of fire.

However, as HonestReporting has documented countless times, the international media holds Israel to double standards and errs on the side of condemning Israel, despite evidence that proves how far Israel goes to prevent civilian deaths.

Israel’s enemies do not distinguish between right and left, Otzma Yehudit and Meretz. Eting’s statement to an international audience can and will be used to smear all Israelis, regardless of their political persuasion.

The Child Killer Blood Libel
It is unfortunate that Eting did not expand on her comments to give them some much-needed context. After all, Israelis are all too familiar with the ethical issues that the IDF is forced to confront on a daily basis.

In an environment where Palestinian terrorists operate from within built-up civilian areas, civilian deaths are a tragic and unavoidable consequence of military operations to defend Israel and its people from terror.

The IDF operates according to a strict code of ethics as well as oversight from the military’s and Israel’s state legal authorities.

Israeli society would find the charge that its soldiers are lacking in morals to the extent that they would deliberately kill children to be incomprehensible.

Sadly, this isn’t the case for a foreign audience and any Israeli interviewed on a US (or other) media outlet needs to be fully aware of just who they are talking to.

As recently as July 2023, a BBC News presenter claimed in an interview with former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett that “The Israeli forces are happy to kill children.”

The blood libel of Israeli child killers is out there and Israelis cannot assume that an American audience such as the viewers of CBS 60 Minutes sees Israel’s fight to defend its people in the same moral terms that Israelis do.

Appallingly, it is sometimes quite the opposite.


MEMRI: Arabs, Including Saudis, Assess The Costs And Benefits Of Normalizing Relations With Israel
In the ongoing debate surrounding the prospects and implications of the possible normalizing of relations between Saudi Arabia, a nation of significant economic, regional, and religious importance, and the state of Israel, Arab intellectuals, including Saudis, have offered differing perspectives as they navigate the potential costs and benefits of such a move. While the opposition, primarily comprising Saudi dissidents residing outside the country and anti-government Islamist figures, argue that such a step could pave the way for the overthrow of the Al-Saud ruling dynasty, supporters believe that with careful consideration, Saudi Arabia could realize multiple gains and contribute to the stabilization of a highly volatile region by resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and strengthening its military capability and economy.

This discussion has gained momentum in recent times, particularly following an official Israeli delegation's visit to Riyadh to attend UNESCO meetings. Critics of the Saudi regime view this as a significant step toward normalizing relations with Israel. In this report, we will explore the arguments put forth by both sides in favor of or against the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, as well as the potential costs and benefits discussed as associated with such a move.

Those who oppose normalizing relations with Israel often base their rejection on the historic enmity between Muslims and Jews, viewing such a move as a form of religious treason and a challenge to the divine guidance regarding the supposed eternal enmity between Jews and Muslims, as stated in the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

For example, Saudi Dr. Hanan Al-Utaybi, who has over 34 thousand followers on the X platform (formerly Twitter) downplayed any potential economic, political, and other benefits that Saudi Arabia might gain from normalizing relations with Israel. In a post published on September 13, 2023, she urged her audience to remember the divine warning: "Never will the Jews or the Christians be satisfied with thee unless thou follow their form of religion (Quran 2:120)."[1]

Turki Shalhoub, an X user with over one million followers and one of the most active users of the hashtag #Saudis_Will_Not_Normalize, argued in a post published on September 12, 2023: "Entering the Arabian Peninsula by non-believers is forbidden... So, how about those who want normalization with those who occupy the first of the two Qiblas, the Prophet's Night Journey, and shed the blood of Muslims and the innocent?"[2]

While there are no reliable indications that Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel in the near future, Saudi dissidents and critics of the Saudi government believe that the kingdom's government, led by Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman (MBS), has been diligently working towards that goal, referring to his internal policies and measures as steps in the direction of normalization.

The U.K.-based Saudi dissident Alya Al-Hwaiti, who has over 90 thousand followers on X, claimed in a post published on September 13, 2023, that normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel has been expected since 2018. She pointed to events such as Saudi Arabia's purchase of Israeli spyware Pegasus in 2017 and the imposition of a blockade on Qatar in June 2017 as factors contributing to this expectation. According to her, even the imprisonment of prominent clerics and radical preachers was designed to silence them and prevent them from opposing normalization with Israel. After accusing the House of Al-Saud of concealing having Jewish roots (an allegation trumpeted as an insult by opponents of the Saudis, including the regime in Iran)[3], Al-Hwaiti expressed certainty that the House of Saud will be overthrown as soon as they declare normalization. She called on the people of Saudi Arabia to "receive the glad tidings, prepare, and sharpen their swords."[4]
A Third of Saudis Want Business With Israel Now, Even Without Formal Ties; “Muslim Rights” Top List of Public’s Terms for Full Normalization
A unique new public opinion poll from Saudi Arabia sheds light on popular attitudes there toward a potential deal to “normalize” relations with Israel.

In this exceedingly rare systematic survey, even without a formal agreement with Israel, a significant minority of Saudi society is favorably disposed toward business ties with it. Around a third say that when it comes to “some initial steps short of official relations,” they would approve this one: “Cooperate with Israeli technology companies on things like climate change, cybersecurity, and water resource management.”

That proportion is slightly higher (33%) among Saudi adults under 30 years old than among their elders (28%). Overall, this represents a slight decline (possibly due to the current Israeli government’s hard-right tilt) compared with responses to very similar questions over the past three years, where the level of acceptance of allowing “business ties” with Israel approached 40%.

Other Unilateral Overtures to Israel Are Not Popular
In sharp contrast, however, other overtures toward Israel in advance of a formal accord—even ones already in effect—garner very little popular support. A mere 14% agree to “give Israeli civilian airplanes permission to fly over Saudi Arabia to other destinations.” Only 13% would “allow Israeli sports teams to participate in events in Saudi Arabia.” And, not too surprisingly, a negligible 7% would “invite Israel’s prime minister to attend an international conference in Saudi Arabia.”
Recovery efforts continue after Morocco Quake
A week after the 6.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Marrakesh, recovery efforts are underway. The exact number of people left homeless remains unknown, but around 50,000 homes were damaged. i24NEWS Correspondent Hamdah Salhut remains in Morocco covering the situation as it unfolds.


Mossad to investigate Iran-linked weapons smuggling along Jordan border
The Mossad will be conducting an investigation on weapons smuggling from the Jordanian border in connection with various terror attacks in Israel, according to a Tuesday morning Army Radio report.

This smuggling route is thought to be connected to Iran's growing involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Bedouin who ran for Knesset pleads guilty to sharing Israeli intel with Iran
Israel's southern District Attorney's Office reached a plea agreement on Tuesday with Bedouin businessman and contractor Yacoub Abu al-Qia'an, who was convicted of contacting a foreign agent and passing on information to an enemy state - Iran.

The plea agreement stipulated that Abu al-Qia'an, previously slated to run for Knesset in 2019 on Moshe Ya'alon's Telem list, would spend twelve months in prison.

"The accused pleaded guilty and was convicted of the offenses...of providing information to an enemy and contacting a foreign agent," read the statement from the district attorney. "Due to the accused's willingness to confess, and in light of the fact that the accused was at no point charged with the intention of compromising the security of the state...the parties reached an agreement under which the state will issue a prison sentence."

Other accused Iranian spies in Israel
An Iranian Jew was arrested by the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on August 11 on suspicion of spying for Iranian security forces, the agency announced.

The suspected spy, who has relatives in Israel, was detained upon landing here and admitted that he had come to gather intelligence and take photos for Iranian security officials.
Arab MK includes Israeli boy killed by Gaza fire in montage of slain Palestinian kids
Veteran Arab Israeli lawmaker MK Ahmad Tibi came under fire Tuesday after he included the photo of a Jewish Israeli boy in a montage that was supposed to be of Palestinian children killed by the IDF.

The mother of Ido Avigal, 5, who was killed in May 2021 by a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip that hit a residential building in Israel, responded by demanding Tibi remove the image, which he later did.

Tibi, of the Hadash-Ta’al party, had posted the montage as a response to a remark by Israel Hayom journalist Yehuda Schlesinger, who earlier posted to X, formerly Twitter, that the IDF “does not bomb homes with children [inside].”

Schlesinger made the comment in the wake of an interview by the leaders of the Brothers and Sisters in Arms, a prominent protest group against the government’s judicial overhaul efforts, to CBS’s “60 Minutes.”

Shira Eting, a former combat helicopter pilot, told the show in reference to Israeli strikes on terrorists’ homes, “If you want pilots to be able to fly, and shoot bombs and missiles into houses knowing they might be killing children, they must have the strongest confidence in the people making those decisions.”

The interview was filmed in July and broadcast on Sunday night as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on a long-awaited trip to the US.


Palestinians riot on Israel-Gaza border after Jews visit Temple Mount
Pia Steckelback breaks down why demonstrations have returned to the Gazan border as hundreds riot near the Israeli security fence.




PA minister asks Allah to “purify” Muslim holy sites “from the defilement of the criminal infidels” - on eve of Jewish New Year
Official PA TV, broadcast of Friday prayers and a sermon by PA Minister of Religious Affairs Hatem Al-Bakri at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron

PA Minister of Religious Affairs Hatem Al-Bakri: “Allah, purify the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Ibrahimi Mosque from the defilement of the criminal infidels, O Master of the Universe.” [Official PA TV, Sept. 15, 2023]

The PA minister made this antisemitic statement on the eve of the Jewish New Year when large number of Jews would visit the Western Wall which the PA considers part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Ibrahimi Mosque - The "Cave of the Patriarchs" in Hebron is known to Muslims as the "Ibrahimi Mosque." It is the site where the Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs other than Rachel are buried as related by the Bible; its structure housing the cave was built by King Herod roughly 2,000 years ago during the Second Temple period. After Hebron was occupied by Muslim Caliph Umar in 637 CE, the site was converted into a mosque. Islam co-opted the Jewish tradition regarding the site being the burial place of the patriarchs




MEMRI: Egyptian Journalist Praises Moderate Cleric 'Abdallah Bin Bayyah, Who Comes Out Against Extremist Islamic Organizations' Distorted Understanding Of Jihad
In a June 5, 2023 article in the Egyptian state daily Al-Ahram, journalist Muhammad Hussein Abu Al-Hassan presented and praised the approach of Sheikh 'Abdallah Bin Bayyah, head of the UAE's Fatwa Council,[1] who challenges the Islamist organizations' interpretation of the tenets and commandments of Islam, especially the commandment jihad. Bin Bayyah argues that the extremists use their distorted interpretation of Islam to encourage armed violence and thus tarnish the image of this religion. Therefore, he and the group of intellectuals and clerics he heads seek to present the true meaning of the tenets of Islam, which are peaceful and moderate.

The article outlines Bin Bayyah's understanding of jihad, namely that it does not refer primarily to fighting at all, but to promoting peace and good deeds. Moreover, military jihad is the responsibility of the state and can be waged only based on the decision of the authorities and only for purposes of defending life, the homeland or the religion, not for the purpose of forcing Islam on non-Muslims. Bin Bayyah also stresses that Islam forbids killing innocent people regardless of their faith, ideology, race or gender and regards the killing of innocents as a crime against humanity.

Abu Al-Hassan concludes by stating that the world sorely needs Bin Bayyah's project.

The following are translated excerpts from Abu Al-Hassan's article: [2]
"Jihad has become one of the aspects of the unjustified connection between Islam and violence that is made by the rest of the peoples in the world. [This connection is made] even though the overwhelming majority of Muslims are innocent of any engagement in violence. But a gang of extremist movements has hijacked Islam, distorted its image, misrepresented its concepts – chief of them that of Jihad – accused [Muslim] societies of heresy, started wars and perpetrated the worst crimes [imaginable]. As for the others [i.e., the non-Muslim peoples across the world], they too are often far from pacifistic, for Arabs and Muslims have suffered hatred, military attacks, economic siege and political subjugation. [Yet] the accusation of terror has been directed at Muslims, which is a historic precedent of accusing an [entire] religion of terror!

"The Islamic concept of jihad has become a political-cultural concept, interpretated in ways that border on ideological fabrication. The distorted understanding of the commandment of jihad has led to a horrible confusion between jihad and violence. That is why a group of religious scholars and intellectuals are trying to present the accurate meaning [of this term], so as to undermine the efforts of those who spread violence, terror and takfir [i.e., accusing fellow Muslims of heresy]. One of the prominent figures who have undertaken this task is the great scholar Sheikh 'Abdullah Bin Bayyah, head of the UAE's Fatwa Council and of the Abu Dhabi Peace Forum.

The interpretation of religious texts and theoretical concepts that form [our] linguistic and ideological infrastructure is not born in a vacuum but is influenced by the political-cultural context. An erroneous understanding of [Islamic] concepts lays the groundwork for instilling a culture of violence in all its forms – from permitting the killing of people whose lives are strictly inviolable according to Islam [i.e., Muslims and their allies] to seizing funds or homes illegally. The jihadi organizations, for example, have carried out widespread acts of massacre and horror, [in the spirit of] ISIS' slogan 'We Have Come to Slaughter You,' and caused the greatest harm to the image of Islam: to the faith [itself] and to the [Islamic] nation, culture and history. What these organizations are interested in is seizing power in the country, not creating an enlightened society. They cannot tolerate coexistence with others. They interpret the Islamic texts in a distorted manner, or apply them to affairs they should not be applied to. This is a belligerent approach based on a reinterpretation of Islam in a new political context – which mixes the [concepts of] the near enemy and the far enemy[3] – and which bends the texts out of shape to make jihad a commandment incumbent upon all Muslims. This exacerbates armed violence by disguising it as jihad, against both Muslims and non-Muslims.

"Hence, [religious scholar 'Abdallah] Bin Bayyah… explains that distorting the meaning of jihad is one of the most heinous sins in terms of understanding the shari'a. He stresses that jihad is not a synonym for fighting. Not all jihad is fighting and not all fighting is jihad. Jihad, in its essence, is a means of [achieving] peace, for it is a collective term for all the good deeds that bring one closer to Allah: honoring one's parents, building mosques, building the country, helping the needy, defending the homeland, etc. That is the greater jihad. It is like a tree whose trunk consists of wise dialogue, da'wa [proselytizing], and the preaching of good deeds, so as to plant the truth of monotheism in people's minds. Historically and objectively, da'wa is achieved through godly dialogue that appeals to people's intellect and free will, and does not involve coercion… 'Whoever wants to believe, let him believe, and whoever wants to disbelieve, let him disbelieve' [Quran 29:110].
Lebanese TikTok user allegedly arrested after sharing image of Israeli flag
A Lebanese man has reportedly been arrested after showing the Israeli flag in a video he posted on TikTok.

In the video, which has since been removed from the social media platform, Ali Attieh could be seen with images of a Lebanese and an Israeli flag. In answer to a question which appeared on the screen above him “[What is] your favourite Arab country”, he turned his head in the direction of the Israeli flag, which is highlighted and stamped with a purple heart emoji.

As the flags of other Middle Eastern countries appear on the screen, the social media user continued to display his preference for Israel.

After the video was shared online, Attieh was reportedly arrested.

The Jerusalem Post quoted Lebanon’s general directorate of state security as saying on Monday: “Legal action was carried out against him under the supervision of the competent judiciary.”

Lebanese law bans contact between its citizens and Israelis, as well as the conducting of any form of business, although there are some exemptions for Christian clerics and people with relatives in Israel.


Tunisia hints Israel behind devastating Storm Daniel due to 'Zionist name'
The massive storm that devastated Libya’s Derna is somehow linked to Zionism because it was named “Daniel,” according to Tunisian President Kais Saied. In a conversation posted on social media on Tuesday, he can be heard making a series of comments about the storm and its name.

Storms are often named randomly in line with various methods of naming storms after women and men and using sequential letters of the alphabet. Nevertheless, Saied said the name “Daniel” was evidence of “Zionism’s growing influence.”

Derna has been devastated by the storm and floods. The Arabic-language Euro News news site also reported on Saied’s comments. Bodies were still being pulled from the sea, and thousands of people are missing and presumed killed, it reported. A quarter of the city is believed to be destroyed, the report said.

“Amid this humanitarian crisis, a statement by Tunisian President Kais Saied sparked a wave of criticism that deemed him busy with another topic that was not commensurate with the scale of the disaster,” the Euro News report said.

He had excoriated the name of the storm, as if the name itself had something to do with how devastating it was, and he claimed “Zionism has penetrated,” it said.


Blood money: Biden’s Iran deal endangers the Middle East
The Biden Administration’s approach to negotiations with Tehran has been consistently marked with a sense of desperation. The eagerness to engage diplomatically with the Islamic Republic, exemplified by the hastened revival of the ill-fated nuclear deal, sends a message to Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq about the White House’s desire to appease Iran. At the very least, Secretary of State Tony Blinken should have demanded a forthright accounting of the case of Robert Levinson, the retired FBI agent who was kidnapped in Iran back in 2007. Levinson is widely believed to have died in Iranian custody, but his body remains unrecovered.

The timing here was off as well. Iran is weeks away from producing sufficient fissile material to produce a nuclear bomb, a looming peril that would likely set off a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and introduce grave risk to American interests in the region.

Further, the release of funds came two days after the anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of authorities for violating the country’s mandatory hijab rules. As the regime is once again cracking down on protests just as it prepares to receive an influx of cash from DC. The deal sends a regrettable message not only to protestors. President Biden, who vowed to make Saudi Arabia a pariah state due to the kingdom’s human rights record, should have held the line here based on Tehran’s atrocious human rights record.

This juxtaposition raises uncomfortable questions about the consistency of American foreign policy in the pursuit of justice and human rights. Giving Raisi diplomatic credence on an international stage right now was a mistake. The move undermines the principles of justice, human rights, and the rule of law that should be at the forefront of any diplomatic endeavor. By engaging in dialogue with Raisi, we legitimized a regime that has systematically violated the most basic rights of its citizens.

Raisi’s past is stained with blood; he stands accused of overseeing some of the most heinous crimes against humanity in modern history. Last year, a Swedish court found a prison official guilty of war crimes, implicating Raisi in a policy of murdering prisoners of conscience, resulting in thousands of executions. This verdict mirrors an earlier prosecution in Germany, where Iran’s top leaders were held responsible for the state-sponsored assassination of regime opponents.

While the desire to bring American prisoners home was a noble one, the means by which the Biden administration pursued this goal were deeply flawed. The risk of diverting $6 billion into the wrong hands and the legitimization of a leader with a blood-stained past should have been deemed too great to ignore. We must stand united against the Iranian regime’s oppressive policies and its support for groups that seek to undermine global security.
Abe Greenwald: A Bad and Heartwarming Deal
Despite there being five people on both sides of the current equation, there’s no parity here. The U.S. charges foreign suspects for alleged crimes. Iran abducts American citizens for money and leverage. Among the Iranians that the U.S. just released, for example, is one Mehrdad Ansari. In 2021, Ansari was convicted and sentenced to more than five years in prison for illegally exporting to Iran military items that could be used in a nuclear program. Among the Americans released by Iran, on the other hand, is Morad Tahbaz, a conservationist and founder of the nonprofit Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, who was arrested for “contacts with the U.S. government.”

Then there’s the $6 billion. The Biden administration claimed that Iran can only use the funds for humanitarian purposes. But Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi immediately refuted this, telling NBC News’ Lester Holt that the money will go “wherever we need it.” A Biden official then countered that the $6 billion will be held in a Qatari bank and the U.S. will monitor each transaction to ensure that the money isn’t used for proscribed activities.

What the Biden administration certainly understands, and hopes that you don’t, is that money is fungible. Even if Iran spends a $6 billion windfall in U.S.-approved sectors of its economy, it suddenly frees up $6 billion from those sectors that can be re-allocated and spent anywhere. And Iran is not known for its humanitarian largess. That money is going to weapons and terrorism.

Which is why Iran takes American hostages to begin with. The U.S. unfroze billions of dollars to release Americans from Iran in 1980. It brought a miraculous end to a horrible crisis. But it meant that Iran would eventually return to taking hostages.

The best American response is also the most coldblooded: no rewarding hostage-takers. Instead, apply pressure and be vigilant about the regime’s provocations. But, unlike Iran, we’re too humanitarian to forgo indefinitely the chance at freeing one of our own. Combine that with the wrongheaded enthusiasm for rehabilitating Iran evinced by the Biden administration, and today’s deal was inevitable. Which means, Iran won’t stop. It’s a trap. And it’s easiest to be coldblooded about it once we’ve fallen into it yet again. Experts and Republicans are right to be skeptical.
Poll: Majority of Americans Oppose Iran Prisoner Swap
A majority of Americans oppose the Biden administration’s decision to award Iran with $6 billion in exchange for several prisoners wrongfully detained in the country, according to a poll.

Fifty-five percent of likely voters said last week they do not approve of the prisoner swap, according to a poll commissioned by the Senate Opportunity Fund, a conservative nonprofit.

Just 28 percent of the 800 national voters polled said they support the prisoner deal, with 17 percent saying they have no opinion. Of those who opposed the deal, 33 percent strongly opposed it, while 22 percent said they "somewhat disapprove."

The findings come as the five Americans released as part of the deal arrive in Qatar on their way back to the United States. The deal has generated fierce pushback among Republicans in Congress and could become an albatross for President Joe Biden as he seeks reelection. Congress was given no oversight over the deal, which many view as a prelude to a new nuclear deal with Tehran that will free up billions more.

The United States granted Iran access to around $6 billion in cash as part of the prisoner swap, money that the hardline regime in Tehran says can be spent in any manner it chooses. When billions were freed up as part of the 2015 nuclear accord, Iran spent much of that money fortifying its nuclear infrastructure, stockpiling missiles, and expanding its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, a designated terror group.




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