Fwd: Divisive, Divisive! Arlene From Israel November 25, 2018

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Arlene from Israel <arlene@arlenefromisrael.info>
Date: Sun, Nov 25, 2018, 6:13 PM
Subject: Divisive, Divisive!
To: <faigerayzel@gmail.com>

From Israel: Divisive, Divisive! November 25, 2018 Monitoring the news since my last posting, I have encountered the following and more: – MK Avigd

Like   From Israel: Divisive, Divisive! November 25, 2018 Monitoring the news since my last posting, I have encountered the following and more: – MK Avigdor Lieberman, until very recently defense minister, said – referring to our prime minister's comments to the public about it being a sensitive time for security – "I think it's irresponsible to discuss intelligence information with the public…" – Minister Moshe Kahlon, who is part of the coalition, said: "I won't lift a hand to bring down the government. I think the coalition will fall on its own…" – Prime Minister Netanyahu chastised Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan, who is part of Netanyahu's Likud faction, for saying Israel is "closer than ever" to retaking Gaza. I had thought that Erdan was speaking at the prime minister's behest, but apparently not. – Former IDF deputy chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, slammed Bennett, saying: "Minister Naftali Bennett is weakening the army and the State of Israel. It's a pity he expressed himself as he did, maybe it's good for his electorate ... It's very sad…The legal issue has never limited the IDF's ability to act." – Minister Bennett, quickly responding that he would not take back what he said, insisted that a "surplus of legalization is costing lives…It's important for me to say that we have a very serious problem in the defense establishment, which leads to the hands of our fighters becoming increasingly shackled by legal chains." -- While former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon criticized Golan, saying that, "…it is not right that an officer who is still serving, and has not finished the cooling-off period, will attack an incumbent politician - whether his claims are justified or not." Credit: Clipart Library And on it seems to go. I find it disheartening, troubling, that in these difficult times we are not seeing a more cohesive spirit in the land. ~~~~~~~~~~ And yet, I'm going to look on the bright side, for positive attitudes are still out there – if we but seek them. Hopefully that divisiveness will dissipate. At the end of this post I share a remarkable video. Here, I call your attention to an extraordinary op-ed, written last week by an IDF soldier who was wounded in the Second Lebanese war (emphasis added): "TO BE A part of the IDF disabled veterans is to be part of a larger family of tens of thousands of people in this country, people who are truly salt of the earth. We are a large family in which one's religion, background and political views are completely irrelevant. People for whom the country is above all else and they have given themselves, in the full sense of the meaning… "Today is the Day of Recognition of Israel's Disabled and Victims of Terror… "…today is an opportunity to stop for a moment and take a step back from the crazy reality of our country and be united…in the end the country belongs to all of us and we are all part of it, and we have paid a very heavy price for it, and we continue to pay a heavy price for it. Even if we do not all agree on the path, we all agree on the final analysis: we have no other country. Let us put aside our differences and be united, at least for today." https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/To-be-a-part-of-the-IDF-disabled-veterans-572473 ~~~~~~~~~~ These wonderful words were written by Yoseph Haddad, an Arab Israeli. As a member of Reservists on Duty, he has gone into the US to speak truth, in order to combat the lies about Israel told on college campuses. Credit: Love of the Land ~~~~~~~~~~ As I am speaking of lies told about Israel on college campuses, I want to radically switch gears and share some information that illustrates what we are up against and why it is so very important that we unite in standing strong: On November 18, a group known as Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) held a closed national conference on the campus of UCLA. Regrettably, efforts to stop it were unsuccessful. A group called Students Supporting Israel (SSI) demonstrated outside of the conference, and a couple of SSI members found their way into the conference to make a statement on behalf of Israel (they were ejected). They are to be commended for their determined attempt to speak up for Israel (although I would have been grateful for an opportunity to provide these good people with additional information to advance their cause). A video was made of the SSI protest, which can be seen on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SSIonCampus/videos/709667259415279/ Please see it. Note that in the conference there were calls for "Long live the intifada." This is a call for violence. Outside the conference, as can be seen in the video, were posters showing SJP activists who had tweeted statements such as: "Let's stuff some Jews in the oven," and "We should just stone all the Zionists to death." My friends, when I saw this, my blood ran cold. It is vile enough that there are campaigns against Israel on US campuses. Campaigns that accuse Israel of being an "occupier" of "Palestinian land," and that say Israel is an "apartheid state"; campaigns that promote BDS and promulgate lies. But the vicious and virulent anti-Semitism encountered here is horrendous. I believe it is something that must be exposed as broadly as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~ It is not difficult to trace the veracity of what was on those posters. Google is enormously helpful here. But what I would like to introduce to my readers is a site known as Canary Mission, which: "…documents people and groups that promote hatred of the USA, Israel and Jews on North American college campuses. "Canary Mission investigates hatred across the entire political spectrum, including the far right, far left and anti-Israel activists. "Every individual and organization has been carefully researched and sourced…" https://canarymission.org/ Canary Mission has a good deal of material on SJP. See: https://canarymission.org/campaign/UCLA https://canarymission.org/organization/Students%20for%20Justice%20in%20Palestine "Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a malicious student group who target Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus…. "The group's focus, however, is almost entirely on its anti-Israel campaigns, including BDS resolutions, Israel-Apartheid initiatives, drives comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, mock checkpoints, "die-ins" and public rallies…. "SJP activists frequently intimidate and harass Jewish and pro-Israel students. SJP members have physically assaulted Jewish students, aggressively disrupted pro-Israel events…" Individual members of SJP can also be tracked on the Canary Mission website. ~~~~~~~~~~ But there is something that is perhaps even more disgraceful – an anti-Israel group that identifies as "Jewish": Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). This is what Canary Mission has to say about this group (emphasis added): "Jewish Voice For Peace (JVP) is an American-based anti-Israel organization whose purported mission is to seek 'an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.' "JVP seeks to drive a wedge between American Jews and Israel and 'to build Jewish communities that reflect the understanding that being Jewish and Judaism are not synonymous with Zionism or support for Israel.' "JVP also works to reduce support for Israel from the American public at large and to curtail social, economic and diplomatic support to Israel from the United States government. "To achieve their goals, JVP staunchly supports and promotes Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement initiatives in academic, social, and economic institutions. The group provides 'a façade of Jewish legitimacy' to BDS campaigns and other initiatives that seek to demonize and delegitimize Israel, and reportedly views itself as the '"Jewish wing" of the Palestinian solidarity movement.' "In 2010, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) accused JVP of being 'the largest and most influential Jewish anti-Zionist group in the United States" that 'uses its Jewish identity to deflect allegations of anti-Semitism leveled against the anti-Israel movement in order to provide it with a greater degree of legitimacy and credibility.' In 2013, an ADL report claimed that JVP consistently co-sponsors 'rallies to oppose Israeli military policy that are marked by signs and slogans comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, demonizing Jews and voicing support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.'" https://canarymission.org/organization/Jewish%20Voice%20For%20Peace ~~~~~~~~~~ Jewish Voice for Peace has a rabbinical council, which put out a defense of SJP and its planned conference. Reading this served for me as a counterweight to the sense that my blood had run cold. For by the time I was done reading their material, my blood was boiling. This so-called rabbinical council speaks out against anti-Semitism, naturally. It could not very well overtly endorse anti-Semitism. And it acknowledges that anti-Semitic comments have shown up that are "allegedly" by activists of SJP, but then advances the position that "some of the screenshots [of SJP members putting out anti-Semitic tweets] are fabricated. How do they know this? It is their "understanding." No independent research – just, so they were told. Other anti-Semitic tweets, this group says, were written by students before they joined SJP. In case you wonder how joining SJP helps these students abandon their virulent anti-Semitism, the rabbinical council explains: "…that is why SJP plays such a crucial role. After joining SJP, students have the opportunity to learn about the difference between Israel and Jews and build profound relationships of solidarity with Jews." https://www.nationalsjp.org/calls-to-action.html Profound relationships with Jews who are anti-Israel, obviously. This attempt to separate Israel and Jews cannot stand. It is a canard of the most vile sort. Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people, a legitimate expression of Jewish longing for a sovereign homeland. Anyone who expresses antipathy to Israel, wishes Israel gone, denies Israel the legitimacy accorded any other state, is anti-Semitic. ~~~~~~~~~~ I felt a responsibility to share this information with my readers. And I hope that you, in turn, will alert others to what is going on here. Sometimes these groups cover themselves so that people are not quite aware of what they are. Please, share this broadly. ~~~~~~~~~~ In my next posting I will return to other issues. Here, as promised, I will end on a high note. It is six months since the remarkable Miriam Peretz delivered a speech – referred to as "The Speech of the Century" – on having been awarded the Israel Prize. But I thought now was a good time to share it. Miriam is a beacon of hope and joy. Please, take the time to listen to this. You will be inspired, awed, uplifted. And you will know with people such as this we will be OK. https://israelunwired.com/the-speech-of-the-century-that-everyone-is-listening-to/ Credit: Moti Milrad ~~~~~~~~~~ See my website: https:/www.arlenefromisrael.info © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. ©2018 Arlene from Israel | arlene@arlenefromisrael.info Web Version   Preferences   Forward   Unsubscribe     Powered by GoDaddy Email Marketing ®

The Troubles of Linda Sarsour | Frontpage Mag

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/272032/troubles-linda-sarsour-ari-lieberman

Fwd: This Jew thanks you, Mr. Trump, and so do the GOP Jewish candidates - Israel National News

Bsd

Thank you Cindy Grosz for saying what many of us have been thinking and saying each and every day since Donald Trump has been elected President. How can we adequately express our deepest gratitude to a President that has stopped ISIS and Iran in their tracks reversing a very dangerous rise of evil. 

A day doesn't go by without thanking G-d for Trump's  miraculous victory despite the forces of evil colluding together to thwart the will of the people.

We see how President Trump has been a true friend and supporter of Israel and has empowered individuals who love Israel. President Trump understands that the enemies of Israel are G-d's enemies and that those who Bless Israel will be Blessed.

As powerful as President Trump is, he seems to understand that G-d created and owns the entire Land and has Chosen to give the Promised Land to the Nation of Israel. (See 1st Rashi Commentary on the Torah, the Book of Breishit  Genesis)

President Trump has deep respect  of the Bible, the Scriptures. Trump's base across the country are Believers in the Bible.

Moving the Embassy to Jerusalem and cutting funding to UNRWA and to the PA shows that Trump puts his money where his mouth is. He is a man of integrity, a man of his word and a man of action.

I and many others feel as does Cindy.

 As the mainstream Press doesn't typically cover such expressions of gratitude, we certainly hope you too will follow Cindy's lead and use social media and any medium out there to help spread the word. 

May the forces of evil dissipate like the dust in the wind

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: cindy grosz <thefivetownscorner@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 6, 2018, 7:36 PM
Subject: This Jew thanks you, Mr. Trump, and so do the GOP Jewish candidates - Israel National News
To: <thefivetownscorner@gmail.com>

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/22823

This Jew thanks you, Mr. Trump, and so do the GOP Jewish candidates

Many of us find Jewish named Sanders, Feinstein, Blumenthal, Nadler and The Minority Leader, Schumer embarrassing as they sell themselves to a party that no longer respects them or us.

Cindy Grosz (INN:CG)

Cindy Grosz is an award-winning pro-Israel and Education activist.  She works on exposing corruption in schools, improving oversight on classroom curriculum and ending anti-Semitism in education situations.  She also helps educators fight discrimination in the hiring and firing practices of school staff.

More from the author ►

Over Yom Tov, I caught up on my reading and found an article I read that touched me personally as its main theme was troubling to me.  The article highlighted Trump's frustration with American Jews not supporting him more.

Two things struck me;  those quoted in the article have ties to the Obama administration and that here was something President Trump said that was so controversial and still did not get picked up by multiple media outlets.

Mr. President, here's The Truth:

President Donald J. Trump, I wake up every morning and say "Thank You, President Trump." So do many of my friends. If you believe the article that was written, you would think that I was not on your side.

I am a white, college graduate, businesswoman living in suburbia, in a very blue state.  I was expected to vote for a woman.  I would definitely vote for a woman, Nikki Haley gets my vote, should she decide to run.  I was expected to vote for a candidate whose daughter married a Jew.  I chose the daughter who made Shabbos, Kosher and Chabad part of their everyday routine. I am expected to have sympathy for immigrants.  My ancestors came here legally, respected authority in schools, law enforcement agencies, places of employment and elected officials from all parties.  They saluted our flag and honored our veterans.  

Fake news will never cover us, or our support for you and the administration.

You Have More Support Than You Think

While the New York State GOP is in shambles, even some Democratic candidates and elected officials publicly announce that they "Vote Trump" and Democratic everything statewide.  Names like Assemblyman Dov Hikind come to mind.  

According to both Noah Silverman, Congressional Affairs Director of the Republican Jewish Coalition and Michael Celler, Director of Jewish Engagement for the Republican National Committee, Republican Jewish candidates are popping up all over the country in local, state and national elections.

Besides our two Jewish R incumbents, Lee Zeldin and David Kustoff, we have a record number of candidates all over the country including:
Joe Kaufman
Bryan Leib
Phillip Aronoff
Beverly Goldstein
Joseph Schneider

Lena Epstein is running to represent Michigan's 11th district.   She is on running on positions on a number of issues that are defined by her experiences as an automotive industry business leader, wife, and mother.

"I co-own and manage Vesco Oil Corporation, my family's 3rd generation distributorship. I worked hard to earn the respect of tough as nails business leaders – many of them who were not used to dealing with a businesswoman in the automotive industry. Now we run one of the largest women-owned businesses in Michigan with over 200 employees."

"I will do the same thing in Washington, D.C. when I work across the aisle to find commonsense solutions to some of America's most pressing problems.  We can work together for lower taxes, good quality healthcare, and safer neighborhoods for our children and grandchildren. I am running for Congress to work in a bipartisan manner for better paying jobs, safer immigration, and security here at home. I will inspire our state and our country with a positive vision of the future.  

"We can have an America that allows every person – regardless of background – the opportunity to succeed. I will represent every Michigan citizen as we work tirelessly to unite behind our shared ideals of freedom, safety, and opportunity for our families. I support our President, because a successful American Presidency leads to a successful America."  If elected, Epstein will be the first Jewish Republican Woman elected from a campaign with both parties nominating women."

Naomi Levin is running for a seat in the House of Representatives in New York's 10th Congressional District, against Jerry Nadler.  Polls reflect Levin is his strongest competitor yet.

As the daughter of refugees, Naomi Levin learned early in life to value the freedoms protected by the United States Constitution. Her parents witnessed firsthand the devastation communism wrought in Russia and came to America in the late 1970s to raise their family in a land of opportunity, far from the oppression they experienced.

Naomi speaks four languages, including Russian and Hebrew, spoken by many in the district. Naomi received a dual degree in Biology and Computer Science and has been working as a Software Engineer.  Several months ago, long before most people even think about midterm elections, several people contacted me to learn more about a young woman about to announce a challenge to Congressman Jerrold Nadler. The 10th district is located on New York's Upper West Side and in parts of Brooklyn that include Boro Park, very Jewish neighborhoods.  Levin is making national news by her appearances on Fox and Friends and The Blaze. She has been endorsed by Jon Voight and Anthony Scaramucci.

Daryl Kipnis and his family are not only political allies when it comes to Israel, they are my partners comparing shopping for kosher food, playing Jewish geography and observing traditions like fasting on Tisha B'Av or going to a Jewish themed cultural event.  His three young children have sung Hatikvah to me and have called me while making the blessing over challah dough on a Friday morning.

I call Daryl Kipnis New Jersey's version of my friend, New York's Congressman Lee Zeldin. Both are 37-years-old, married with young children and both support President Trump's policies supporting Israel and American Jews.

Kipnis is running for New Jersey's 12th congressional district against Bonnie Watson Coleman.

"As a modern orthodox, observant Jewish-American, I stand firmly with the state of Israel and understand its importance to not only my faith, but to the security of the United States and the role it plays in the stability of the Middle East," Kipnis told me.  Not since the days of Joe Lieberman has walking on Saturdays taken on a new meaning in Washington.

Ameer Benno is running to represent New York's 4th Congressional District.  He has ties to Israel like no other candidate.  According to his bio, "I am the son of an immigrant. My father was born in a [Jewish] refugee camp in Tel Aviv in 1946 – two years before the birth of the State of Israel. Despite their poverty, my grandparents were staunch Zionists and immensely proud of their Jewish identity. I carry that torch today."

"My father fought for Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. Thereafter, he came to the United States in pursuit of education. While working full-time, he attended community college in the evenings.

"My mother's grandparents had come to the U.S. in the early 1900s from the Ukraine to escape the pogroms. They settled in Albany, NY where they started a small grocery store. They founded and built their community synagogue, which still flourishes today. In fact, it was at this synagogue in Albany that my father met my mother."  

Benno recently returned to Israel on a mission with Gov. Mike Huckabee in support of Judea and Samaria.

And More Proof Jews Support Trump

A new poll finds 82% of Jewish Israelis approve of Trump's international affairs and over 90% think positively of the United States.  Even Bret Stephens, a critic, published an Opinion piece in  The New York Times, finding himself grateful to the president.


President Trump, you can't teach a dog new tricks overnight.  However, you are training us well.  Very few are as vocal or standing on the front line with you as I am in trying to Keep America Great!!  It be reflected in the polling places.


Cindy Grosz can be reached at cindyscorners@gmail.com

Sent from my iPhone

Hillary Clinton Campaign to Frame Trump and Manufacture Dirt that Trump Colluded with Russia Using FBI To Do Its Dirty Work Which then Leads FISA to Authorize Unjustified Warrants to Spy on Trump Associates and then Accuse Trump of Collusion with Russia to Discredit Trump and to Win Election and Now Using Dirt to Impeach Trump

Bsd



Why hasn't there been a Special Council assigned to investigate Hillary Clinton?  

Hillary Clinton and Obama has a history of colluding with Russia

• DOJ scrutiny opens door to new Uranium One investigation  December 22nd, 2017   http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/22/doj-scrutiny-opens-door-to-new-uranium-one-investigation.html 

While scrutinizing the 2010 approval, Republican lawmakers have also revived questions that first surfaced in 2015 about payments to both Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation from “interested parties.” 
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has renewed scrutiny, for instance, of a $500,000 fee Bill Clinton collected from a Russian investment bank for a June 2010 speech. Grassley wrote in an October letter that the bank’s senior officers include former Russian intelligence personnel, and sources had described the company as an “extension” of the Russian government.

• How about Hillary Clinton's campaign to rig the Democratic  primary.   https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrats-grapple-clinton-sanders-fallout-preparations-begin-2020/story?id=53473807
• This is minor compared to her campaign to collude with the FBI and the DOJ to obstruct justice to manufacture oppositional research, "evidence" on Trump colluding with Russia, using the FBI and DOJ to authorize unwarranted spying on Trump campaigners and associates in order to manufacture more oppositional research, basically dirt, to obstruct a fair election between Trump and Clinton.  Once Trump won, this manufactured oppositional  research, dirt,  is still being used to delegitimatize Trump's Presidency where impeachment is the goal.  Russia Scandal: Did Hillary Clinton Run FBI's Trump Investigation?https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/russia-scandal-did-hillary-clinton-run-fbis-trump-investigation/
• 
  Russian Collusion: It Was Hillary Clinton All Along
  https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/russia-scandal-did-hillary-clinton-run-fbis-trump-investigation/
  
  Russia-Trump Investigation: How Did Hillary Clinton Get FBI, FISA To Do Her Political Dirty Work?
  https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/russia-trump-investigation-how-did-hillary-clinton-get-fbi-fisa-to-do-her-political-dirty-work/
• All this is minor compared to Clinton's cover up of Benghazi and her illegal email server.
• This is minor compared to the deep corruption and empowerment of evil of the Clinton Foundation which fuels all of the above

Fwd: Modeling Insanity. Gaza by Arlene Kushner

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Arlene from Israel <arlene@arlenefromisrael.info>
Date: Thu, Aug 2, 2018, 5:40 AM
Subject: Modeling Insanity
To: <faigerayzel@gmail.com>

From Israel: Modeling Insanity August 2, 2018 Most of you are familiar with the saying, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and

Like   From Israel: Modeling Insanity August 2, 2018 Most of you are familiar with the saying, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." This is broadly attributed to Albert Einstein. While I find no verification of this, it really does not matter, for the point is well taken. Following here we see a stunning example of this thinking. Egypt and the UN are in the process of initiating a "new" diplomatic effort in order to prevent a major war in Gaza. It entails humanitarian relief for Gaza, establishment of unity between Hamas and Fatah (the major party of the PA) so that the PA would again operate in Gaza, and a promise by Hamas to refrain from terrorism. Is this not a breathtakingly innovative approach? clipartxtras ~~~~~~~~~~ I might not have even mentioned this if it were not for something else that happened last Friday: According to a Channel 10 report that was carried by several news sources, Prime Minister Netanyahu told senior cabinet ministers about "a new initiative" being launched for a diplomatic solution in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu was reported to have said that Israel would be cooperating with this effort, which has made considerable progress. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249663 Considerable progress?? ~~~~~~~~~~ This rather threw me because of the palpable insanity of the "diplomatic effort" with which our government is apparently about to cooperate. But even more so because of what Defense Minister Lieberman had said just over a week ago, when he declared that Israel would not continue to tolerate fires, kites and border clashes: Israel had "done everything in order to prevent a war in the Gaza Strip. "Anything that happens going forward in the Gaza Strip is the sole responsibility of the Hamas leadership." ~~~~~~~~~~ Since he made this statement – warning that further violence would result in a strong Israeli reaction – we see that: 1) The situation at the border fence has not diminished at all. This past Friday some 7,000 participated in riots; there were attempts to throw grenades, pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails at the IDF. https://www.timesofisrael.com/incendiary-balloons-from-gaza-spark-fires-at-college-and-kibbutz/ 2) We still must contend with multiple fires caused by incendiary devices. On Saturday a fire broke out at Sapir College in Sderot. On Monday, for the first time, one device (pictured) reached Be'ersheva, which is 40 kilometers (25 miles) away; it fell near Soroka Hospital. Israel Police Spokesman On that same day, 14 fires were started. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/249787 ~~~~~~~~~~ But it seems our response is going to be cooperation on this "diplomatic effort" rather than a strengthening of our stance. ~~~~~~~~~~ There have been reports – vigorously denied by the prime minister's office – that Lieberman and Netanyahu have been at odds regarding how tough a stand to take against Hamas. And so it is possible that Lieberman (left, below) meant what he said, above, but that he was restrained. Menachem Kahana/AFP ~~~~~~~~~~ But what I want to do is look at this from another perspective: Were Israel to have started a military operation in Gaza immediately after the announcement of the "new initiative," there would have been an international uproar: we would have been painted as the aggressor, shunning peaceful options in favor of military action and ruining what might have been a successful initiative as it was just getting started. I want to clarify that, in light of all that has transpired, we would have had a very legitimate right to move quickly to a military option, international uproar be damned. But this is most definitely not our prime minister's MO -- especially as Egyptian President el-Sisi made an appeal directly to the Israeli people on Sunday urging us "to seize a great opportunity for peace." https://www.timesofisrael.com/sissi-urges-israelis-to-seize-a-great-opportunity-for-peace/ MENA via AP We work with el-Sisi constructively in a variety of contexts, for example, with regard to jihadists in the Sinai. Should Netanyahu have figuratively spit in his eye by publicly undercutting his initiative? Has he, perhaps, deemed it the more prudent course to offer cooperation and then let it play itself out over a period of days before taking action that needs to be taken? Perhaps he sees his readiness to cooperate as providing us with the high ground when we do advance a military option. This is purely my speculation, because to me very little else makes sense. I do not think that Netanyahu remotely believes this initiative will succeed. ~~~~~~~~~~ On Monday, journalist Khaled Abu Toameh reported on the arrival of Fatah officials in Cairo for talks on the Egyptian initiative (emphasis added). "The PA insists that Hamas hand over full control over the Gaza Strip to the PA government, including security responsibilities. Hamas, for its part, has repeatedly rejected demands to disarm or allow the PA to deploy its security forces in the coastal enclave." United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov met with Netanyahu in recent days. (Was this meeting what prompted Netanyahu's statement about "progress"?) On Sunday Mladenov was also in Cairo. "The London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported on Sunday that Mladenov's efforts were aimed at securing a long-term ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and ending the Hamas-Fatah power struggle. "Palestinian sources told the paper that this was the last chance to end tensions along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. If Mladenov's mission fails, it would accelerate a major confrontation between Hamas and Israel even though the two parties are not interested in having one, the sources said… "'There are real fears that the current diplomatic efforts to avoid an all-out military confrontation could fail,' the unnamed Palestinian sources told the paper. 'There is still no real progress, and this has created a pessimistic climate.'" https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Fatah-officials-UN-envoy-discuss-Gaza-crisis-in-Cairo-563709 ~~~~~~~~~~ "Palestinian sources" cited by Abu Toameh may have said that neither side is interested in a major confrontation, but recently I offered an assessment by an analyst who indicated that the military wing of Hamas indeed does seek war. On Tuesday, Abu Toameh had a follow-up article describing the Egyptian summons to Hamas to Cairo for reconciliation talks (emphasis added): "Mahmoud al-Aloul, the deputy head of Fatah, said on Monday that there was 'nothing new' with regards to the issue of the controversy with Hamas...He described the current Egyptian mediation efforts as an attempt to 'move the still water' and 'break the stalemate.'" https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Egypt-summons-Hamas-leaders-for-talks-on-reconciliation-with-Fatah-563791 ~~~~~~~~~~ A few comments here: There simply is not going to be a genuine reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, with a unity government in Gaza. (Not that this would be constructive in any event.) The rivalry and animosity between the two groups are enormous, and Hamas has absolutely no intention of disarming or turning its troops or arms cache over to Fatah. As to a "long term ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas, this is a possibility, but a dangerous business. We've been there and done that and look where we are now. A "ceasefire" from the Hamas perspective is a temporary cessation of hostilities, not a permanent cessation on which a peace treaty might be built. This cessation, known as a hudna, allows for time to strengthen militarily for the next round; this approach is sanctioned by Islam. From the Israeli perspective this would be simply kicking the can down the road. Once again, Hamas would call the shots in terms of when to break that "ceasefire." And when they did, they would be stronger than they are now. ~~~~~~~~~~ Responding to the continued launching of incendiary balloons, Defense Minister Lieberman has announced the shuttering of the Kerem Shalom crossing, with no gas or oil being brought in until further notice. (The crossing had been shuttered once before, but then was opened when there was a reduction in balloon launchings.) In light of the unrest that continues in the north, it might be prudent for Israel to consider other, more potent, ways to ratchet up actions without initiating a full ground war. Right now Hamas is generating the tension and we are simply responding to it, without noticeable effect. It is imperative for us to begin to control the situation – to set them off balance and make them afraid. Selective assassination of Hamas leaders would probably be a good place to start. These leaders advocate "martyrdom" for others, but never for themselves. In the end there may be no choice but to initiate that war. ~~~~~~~~~~ In the north, it is quieter because Syria is close to announcing victory, having defeated the ISIS enclave in Quneitra, and moved more broadly into the area adjacent to the Golan. But the relative quiet does not promise a stable and peaceful situation. There are innumerable jihad factions stationed within Syria, some loyal to Assad. There is an effort by the Syrian Kurds to secure one section of Syria as a Kurdish autonomy, something that Assad opposes. There are Iranians embedded within the Syrian army. There has been a slaughter of Syrian Druze not far from our border (something I will likely discuss further). Most significantly, there is the problem of Iran. Iranian forces – functioning as Iranian forces -- are not going to find their way to emplacement at Israel's border. Israel's demand, expressed to the Russians, that Iran leave Syria entirely was not successful. The Russians offered Netanyahu a plan for Iran to move back 100 kilometers from Israel's border, which he said was insufficient. In the end, according to Alexander Lavrentyev, President Vladimir Putin's special envoy to Syria, Iran has pulled its weapons back 85 kilometers (53 miles) from the Golan Heights. This is not really satisfactory to Israel, as Iran has weaponry that can travel a good deal farther then 85 kilometers. Lavrentyev has indicated that Iranian service personnel, whom he described as advisors, may be close to Israel's border. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5320601,00.html The Russians maintain that Iran is needed in Syria now as part of the team that will eradicate terror forces. The irony of this position should not be lost on anyone. ~~~~~~~~~~ Most troublesome, however, are the reports indicating that Iran will utilize its proxy Hezbollah to achieve its goal indirectly. From Yoav Limor we have this analysis (emphasis added): "The Iranian-backed Shiite terrorist group is already in Syria. Its operatives are fighting alongside the Syrian army and it has several hundred local villagers on its payroll, who engage in intelligence gathering. "This was a strategic decision by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who wants to turn the Golan border into an active war zone with Israel. "Hezbollah is likely to employ its familiar methods: joining local militias, importing its tactical abilities – anti-tank missiles, explosives and snipers – from Lebanon, and importing troops. "The first stage has already been completed, the second stage is in full swing and, unless Hezbollah is stopped, the third stage will become a reality in a few short years. "Stopping Hezbollah in its tracks is Israel's main challenge and doing so will become exponentially more difficult once the Syrian civil war officially ends. Until now, Israel has been able to use the chaos north of the border to eliminate any risk from that direction, but once the war ends, any use of force would have to be justified to others. "Legitimizing Israeli operations on this front is likely to become far more complex and the risk for a security escalation will be greater." http://www.israelhayom.com/2018/08/01/hezbollah-likely-to-replace-isis-on-israels-northern-border-idf-says/ sofrep ~~~~~~~~~~ See my website: https://www.arlenefromisrael.info © Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution. ©2018 Arlene from Israel | arlene@arlenefromisrael.info Web Version   Preferences   Forward   Unsubscribe     Powered by GoDaddy Email Marketing ®