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WEDNESDAY’S “NEWS IN REVIEW” ROUND-UP

 

 

 

 

 

On Topic Links

 

Gaza on the Brink: Evelyn Gordon, Commentary, June 2, 2017

A Wake Up Call for British Jews: Isi Leibler, Algemeiner, June 13, 2017

Why the Rise of Corbyn's Labour Party Should Worry the West: Michael J. Totten, Atlantic, June 13, 2017

Watch: Eyewitnesses Tell of the Liberation of Jerusalem: Arutz Sheva, June 11, 2017

 

 

 

WEEKLY QUOTES

 

“The time has come to dismantle UNRWA and have its parts be integrated into the UN High Commission for Refugees.” — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for the closing of UNRWA, the UN agency dealing with Palestinian refugees. Two days after the announcement of a tunnel that was discovered underneath a UNRWA-run school in Gaza, Netanyahu said he told US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley during her visit to Israel that it was time to “re-examine UNRWA’s continued existence.” Created in 1949 in the wake of Israel’s War of Independence, UNRWA, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, operates schools and provides health care and other social services to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. (Times of Israel, June 11, 2017)  

 

“The UN must act immediately to ensure that their structures and institutions are not being used to harbor the terror infrastructure of Hamas…This tunnel verifies what we have always know, that the cruelty of Hamas knows no bounds as they use the children of Gaza as human shields. Instead of UN schools serving as centers of learning and education, Hamas has turned them into terror bases for attacks on Israel.” —Israel’s ambassador to the UN Danny Danon. Hamas was accused for digging a tunnel underneath the Maghazi Elementary Boys A&B School and the Maghazi Boys School in Gaza. The incident wasn’t the first time Hamas has used UNRWA premises for its purposes or the first time the agency has been otherwise linked to the terror group. Israel has long claimed that some of UNRWA’s employees support terrorist activities and spread antisemitism online. (Times of Israel, June 11, 2017)

 

“At its root, UNRWA effectively argues that — regardless of the reality — all Palestinians are refugees and victims of an Israeli "occupation." The organization has financial and political interests in maintaining this fiction: As long as the Palestinians are refugees, UNRWA is in business. Success is measured by the contributions it receives and prerogatives it assumes…But with hundreds of thousands of real refugees flooding over the Middle East and Europe, UNRWA's claims, along with those of Palestinian refugees kept in camps by Arab states, ring more and more hollow. If the State of Israel has finally begun to see UNRWA as part of the problem rather than a permanent band-aid, there may be a real chance to remove one problem that has long ensured that conflict will never end.” — Asaf Romirowsky. (New York Daily News, June 12, 2017)

 

“The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level…We have to stop the funding of terrorism…The time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding – they have to end that funding – and its extremist ideology in terms of funding.” — US President Donald Trump. Trump is ramping up pressure on Qatar to stop what he calls a “high level” of financial support of terrorism, even as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tries to calm the worst diplomatic crisis in the Persian Gulf in years. Trump’s demand that there be “no more funding” by Qatar for extremists groups contradicted the message delivered Friday by Tillerson, who had urged Qatar’s neighbours to ease their blockade while calling for “calm and thoughtful dialogue.” Only an hour later, Tillerson sat in the front row in the Rose Garden as Trump enthusiastically embraced the move by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and others to punish Qatar. (Global, June 10, 2017)

 

“Given the closeness of the result, Jewish voters, who are concentrated in a small number of highly marginal seats, may potentially have helped preserve May’s premiership. Early indications had predicted that…Labour would pull off a number of upset victories in the north London “bagel belt”. Finchley and Golders Green, Hendon and Chipping Barnet were all slated to fall to Corbyn’s party. Finchley and Golders Green – where an estimated one in five voters are Jewish – and Hendon would have been particularly sweet victories for the party. Both were contested by leading lights in the Jewish Labour Movement who had faced criticism within the community for attempting to unseat pro-Israel Tory incumbents. In the end, Labour sharply reduced the Tories’ majorities in each but failed to capture them.” — Robert Philpot. As the UK elections showed a drift back to Labour that cost Theresa May’s Conservatives its majority, British Jews seemed to move sharply in the opposite direction. A poll last week had indicated that 77 per cent planned to vote Tory and only 13 per cent Labour, and nothing in the results appeared to contradict those findings. (Times of Israel, June 9, 2017)

 

“We wanted to understand what has made Israel into the country that it is today, a country of extraordinary dynamism. The notion of the ‘startup nation’ is just a part of the story. It’s much more than that. It’s a state with spirit and culture that has evolved in an environment that is not easy and never has been…Our Israeli partner is recognized globally for its capacity to commercialize ideas developed by its entrepreneurs and institutions. That’s why the delegation returns to Quebec with a wealth of knowledge that will permit us to accelerate the transformation [of its own ecosystem].” — Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard. Couillard concluded an economic and institutional mission he led to Israel and the West Bank by meeting with Netanyahu, the first such encounter between leaders of the Quebec and Israel. Couillard said he is confident that as a result of the mission Quebec and Israel will create mutually beneficial partnerships, particularly in innovation. He is considering opening a Quebec office in Israel to further strengthen the ties. (CJN, May 26, 2017)

 

“We want to make sure that the world understands that in any potential deal, if we ever do a deal with the Palestinians, the city of Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people, period. If we need any proof, put a shovel in the ground anywhere you want, and you will see Jewish roots going back 2,000, (or) 3,000 years. Legally, this is our land more than anybody else’s land.” — Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. Last week marked the 50th anniversary of what Barkat called the “reunification” of Jerusalem, when Jordanian forces were expelled in the Six Day War. (National Post, June 7, 2017)

 

“In June 1967, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) saw that Egyptian divisions, so formidable on paper, were built up along the major roads through the Sinai. Israel saw the spaces between them as gaps to be exploited. They seized and retained the initiative.” — U.S. national security adviser H.R. McMaster, in an address to Jewish activists on the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Six-Day War. While today’s security landscape may seem dire, McMaster asserted that opportunities must be found and exploited, much like Israel did in 1967. “In this department, Israel has adapted and performed amazingly well. It acted on opportunities, when others might only see difficulties…By understanding the past, we can ensure that we ask the right questions, make fundamentally sound approaches to day’s problems and opportunities.” As an example of potential opportunities, McMaster cited the convergence of interests among Israel and Gulf Cooperation Council states, which he said is leading to a “reassessment of regional relationships…Today their interests are converging. This is an opportunity,” he said. (Defense News, June 5, 2017) 

 

“I would like to bring to your attention the recent escalation of massacres, destruction, and kidnappings against the indigenous Coptic Christians of Egypt. In fact, such atrocities have been taking place over four decades, but have been ignored by local governments. It is indeed alarming that tens of Churches and Christian institutions were destroyed and personal properties looted by Muslim neighbors after the ousting of the first Islamist government in 2012. Still, this wave of religious violence against the Copts continues unabated…Copts feel as if they are living in a state of war, particularly when young Coptic girls are being kidnapped by Muslim men and are regularly raped, tortured and forced into Islam. Perpetrators are never brought to justice…The Copts of Egypt, who still represent the largest Christian community in the Middle East, are now left in a volatile situation facing an imminent danger of further dwindling numbers, official systematic discrimination, religious incitement, and mass aggression that may lead to genocide.” — Nabil A. Malek, President of the Canadian Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Canadian Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, May 14, 2017)

 

Contents

 

 

SHORT TAKES

 

GUNMAN SHOOTS TOP CONGRESSMAN IN VIRGINIA (Washington) — House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot Wednesday at a baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. His wounds were not believed to be life-threatening. Alexandria police said a suspect in the shooting was in custody. Several other people also were hit, including two police officers. Scalise is known as one of Israel’s most unshakable allies in Congress. He spearheaded a resolution rejecting UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which accused Israel of “flagrant violations” of international law. Scalise was also a strident critic of the Obama Administration’s negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. During a visit to Israel in 2013, he slammed the interim agreement reached with Iran. (Times of Israel, Algemeiner, June 14, 2017)

 

ISRAEL CEDES TO PA DEMAND, CUTS GAZA ELECTRICITY BY 40% (Gaza) — Israel’s security cabinet agreed to cut the electricity it sends to Gaza by 40 percent, now that the PA has said it intends to only pay 60% of its monthly bill. The 2 million people in Gaza will now have only two to three hours of power a day, down from four hours of electricity they have lived on since April. The drop in electricity is part of the PA’s push to pressure Hamas to rescind its control of Gaza. The plant, which had provided between 90 to 120 MGW, shut down because it could not afford the tax. This left Israel, which provides Gaza with 125 MGW of power as Israel’s sole provider of electricity. Egypt also provides power, but its three electricity lines are rarely operational. (Jerusalem Post, June 12, 2017)

 

PA STILL PAYING TERRORISTS, DESPITE US CLAIMS (Washington) — The PA is still providing stipends to terrorists sitting in Israeli jails, despite claims by US officials that the PA was reversing its policy. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson claimed that the PA had “changed that policy” following pressure from the Trump administration. Tillerson said the issue of PA funding for terrorists “was discussed directly with President Abbas,” during his visit to Washington. "They have changed that policy and their intent is to cease the payments to the families of those who have committed murder or violence against others. We have been very clear with them that this is simply not acceptable to us," he said. But a senior Israeli official said there was no evidence the PA had taken any steps to change its policy of funding terrorists. “In Israel, we don’t see any change whatsoever in the Palestinians’ policies, as they continue to fund terrorists’ families.” (Arutz Sheva, June 14, 2017)

 

ISRAEL MULLS EXPELLING AL-JAZEERA (Tel Aviv) — Israel is reportedly considering closing down the al-Jazeera news bureau in Jerusalem alongside a broader Sunni Arab campaign to pressure the Gulf nation of Qatar over its close ties to Iran and backing for terror groups. The satellite news network is based in Qatar and is seen by much of the region as loyal to the monarchy. Saudi Arabia and Jordan have already closed the al-Jazeera bureaus in their territories, but the move might be more difficult for Israel. Most of al-Jazeera’s 34 employees in Israel are Israeli citizens, according to the report, so their right to work in the country in any business that isn’t illegal is protected under the Basic Law: Freedom of Vocation. In addition, al-Jazeera would likely appeal to the High Court of Justice against any state move to shut it down, claiming freedom of the press. (Jerusalem Post, June 13, 2017)

 

I.S. CAPTURES TORA BORA, ONCE BIN LADEN’S AFGHAN FORTRESS (Kabul) — Tora Bora, the mountain redoubt that was once Osama bin Laden’s fortress, fell to I.S., handing the extremists a significant strategic and symbolic victory. Taliban fighters who had previously controlled the extensive cave and tunnel complex fled overnight after a determined, weeklong assault by the I.S. Hazrat Ali, a member of Parliament and a prominent warlord from the area who helped the Americans capture Tora Bora from Al Qaeda in 2001, said that the offensive was prompted by the American decision to drop the so-called mother of all bombs on an I.S. network of tunnels in Achin District in April. The 20,000-pound bomb was thought to be the largest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed. I.S. then decided to shift its refuge to the Tora Bora caves and tunnels, Ali said. (New York Times, June 14, 2017)

 

I.S. TERRORISTS IN SUICIDE VESTS LAUNCH MAJOR MOSUL COUNTER ATTACK (Mosul) — Dozens of I.S. terrorists wearing suicide vests penetrated Iraqi police lines in Mosul on Wednesday. Starting around 3 a.m., I.S. launched seven car bombs at the front lines south of the Old City, their last remaining foothold. Simultaneously, 25 fighters wearing suicide vests attacked them from behind their lines. The fighters had sneaked down the Tigris River and attacked with the assistance of “sleeper cells,” which provided vehicles for them. After eight months of battle, I.S. fighters have been penned into the narrow streets and alleyways of Mosul’s historic city center, as well as a small area around a hospital just to the north. (Washington Post, June 14, 2017)

 

KURDISTAN SETS INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM (Baghdad) — After years of postponements, war against I.S., genocide by Saddam Hussein, civil war and infighting, the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq will vote on a referendum for independence this fall. Since the 1990s, the Kurdish region of Iraq has enjoyed an autonomous status. In 2005, the region held a referendum in which 98% of 1.9 million people voted for independence. Israel has an historic friendship with the Kurds dating back to the 1960s, when Israelis trained Kurdish fighters to resist the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein, who launched a genocidal campaign against Kurds in the 1980s. Israeli members of Knesset and the prime minister have expressed support for the rights of Kurds to seek independence. (Jerusalem Post, June 9, 2017)

 

NIAGARA REGION VOTES TO CONDEMN BDS (Toronto) — The Niagara Regional Council voted to condemn the antisemitic boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. On Thursday, the Council voted 21-2 in favour of the motion to condemn BDS after hearing deputations from Jewish advocacy groups. The motion was introduced after the Niagara Centre NDP Riding Association formally requested that the Ontario NDP support BDS. Ontario recently adopted the European Centre on Racism and Xenophobia’s definition of antisemitism, which includes the denial of the Jewish right to self-determination and the application of double-standards to the State of Israel. (B’nai Brith, June 9, 2017)

 

SWITZERLAND VOTES TO BAN FUNDING ANTISEMITIC GROUPS (Zurich) — The Federal Assembly of Switzerland passed a resolution prohibiting the government from funding organizations that promote racism, antisemitism, hatred and incitement. A similar resolution was passed by the assembly's National Council two months ago. According to NGO Monitor, the primary channel for Swiss funding of Israeli and Palestinian organizations is the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Secretariat, a joint funding mechanism used by Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Norway. The secretariat funds organizations that support the BDS movement and that wage lawfare against companies that do business with Israel. (Israel Hayom, June 14, 2017)

 

FRENCH AUTHORITIES ACCUSED OF COVERING UP JEW’S SLAYING BY MUSLIM (Paris) — A European Parliament member and prominent French intellectuals protested the omission of antisemitism from a draft indictment of a Muslim for the murder of his Jewish neighbor. Frédérique Ries, a lawmaker from Belgium, criticized French authorities’ handling of the investigation into the April 4 incident, in which Sarah Halimi was tortured and thrown out of her third-story apartment to her death, allegedly by Kobili Traore, who lived in her building. “French authorities have treated her murder with icy silence,” Ries said in reference to the fact that Traore, who had no history of mental illness, was placed at a psychiatric institution and has not been charged with a hate crime despite evidence suggesting he killed Halimi because she was Jewish. In a voice recording of the incident, Traore is heard shouting “Allahu akbar,” calling Sarah “Satan” and calmly praying after her killing. (Forward, June 9, 2017)

 

LONDON MAYOR SEEKS ISRAELI EXPERTISE ON SECURITY (Tel Aviv) — London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said that his office has been in contact with Israeli security officials in his bid to boost security amid a deadly spate of Islamist terror attacks. Khan said that he and his colleagues, including Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, had learned “lots of things” in their contacts with Israeli officials, “things like putting in place the barriers we have done in London.” Khan also said that hate crime in his city had risen sharply in the wake of the London Bridge attack on June 3. Provisional statistics for June showed a 40 percent increase in all racist incidents, including those of an antisemitic nature, compared to the daily average this year, the mayor said. (Algemeiner, June 13, 2017)

 

ISRAEL AND NEW ZEALAND RESTORE TIES (Tel Aviv) — Israel said it will restore its diplomatic relations with New Zealand, returning its Israeli ambassador to Wellington, months after the two countries had a falling-out over a UN Security Council resolution condemning settlements. The announcement came the day after New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English sent a letter to Netanyahu expressing regret over the damage to ties that were caused by New Zealand’s co-sponsoring of UN Resolution 2334. The contentious resolution, also co-sponsored by Senegal, Malaysia and Venezuela, declared that Israel’s policy of building settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank has “no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.” (Times of Israel, June 13, 2017)

 

INDIA'S NAVY CHIEF FLIES IN TO ISRAEL AHEAD OF HISTORIC MODI VISIT (Jerusalem) — The head of the Indian navy will visit Israel for four days of talks aimed at boosting bilateral military cooperation. Admiral Sunil Lanba’s arrival comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s visit next month.  Lanba, who is also chairman of India’s chiefs of staff committee (CoSC), will meet with high-ranking officials of Israel’s defense ministry and visit Haifa Naval Base and other sites. India has become a major purchaser of Israeli military hardware in the past few years. Israel has supplied New Delhi with weapons systems, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. In the last five years defense trade between the two countries has averaged annual sales of over $1 billion. (Jerusalem Post, June 12, 2017)

 

ISRAEL ON VERGE OF SIGNING DEAL TO SELL ANTI-TANK MISSILES TO INDIA (Jerusalem) — Israel is on the verge of signing a $500 million dollar deal to provide India with Spike anti-tank guided missiles. It is expected that the deal — under the terms of which the Indian military will receive more than 8,000 missiles and 300 launchers, which are built by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems — will be finalized during Prime Minister Modi’s historic trip to Israel next month. Modi is set to become the first sitting Indian prime minister to set foot in Israel. His visit comes as Israel and India mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. (Algemeiner, June 13, 2017)

 

ISRAELI COMMANDOS TO TRAIN IN CYPRUS (Nicosia) — Israeli special forces will take part in a week-long training exercise in the Trodos Mountains, Cyprus. According to the Cyprus Mail the drill will focus on scenarios for occupying and liberating villages and survival strategies in the mountainous range which rises to a height of some 2,000 meters above sea level. Some 400 commandos will take part in the exercise. According to Haaretz, the drill will also include the use of Black Hawk helicopters. The exercise is believed to be the largest since the two countries started to hold joint exercises in 2014. In March, the two countries held a joint military exercise that tested Cypriot air defences. In May, Israel sent observers to a 22-nation maritime search and rescue drill. (Jewish Press, June 8, 2017)

 

MAY 2017 SEES ALL-TIME MONTHLY HIGH IN TOURISTS ARRIVING IN ISRAEL (Tel Aviv) — May 2017 marked a record monthly high in the number of incoming tourists arriving in Israel, thanks in part to increased funding for the tourism market and a change in how Israel tourism is marketed internationally. Since the start of 2017, tourism has brought Israel a revenue of $2.18 billion. May saw 347,000 tourists enter Israel, an increase of 16.7% over May 2016. In the first five months of 2017, 1.43 million tourists entered Israel, an increase of approximately 25% over the same period the previous year, and some 23% higher than the first five months of 2015. (Israel Hayom, June 9, 2017)

Contents

 

On Topic Links

 

Gaza on the Brink: Evelyn Gordon, Commentary, June 2, 2017—Gaza’s worsening electricity crisis provides a textbook example of why many so-called human-rights organizations no longer deserve to be taken seriously. The crisis stems entirely from an internal dispute between the Palestinians’ two rival governments, and since it can’t be blamed on Israel, most major rights groups have ignored it, preferring to focus instead on such truly pressing issues as—this is not a joke—playing soccer in the settlements.

A Wake Up Call for British Jews: Isi Leibler, Algemeiner, June 13, 2017 —British Jews and many other British nationals were shocked and dismayed with the outcome of last week’s general election in the UK. Contrary to expectations, Prime Minister Theresa May emerged with a staggering defeat, and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party — which dramatically increased its number of seats in parliament by almost 10% — ran almost neck and neck with the Conservative Party. May is now trying to maintain her minority government by aligning with the Democratic Unionist Party of Northern Ireland.

Why the Rise of Corbyn's Labour Party Should Worry the West: Michael J. Totten, Atlantic, June 13, 2017 —In the days since British Prime Minister Theresa May’s disastrous snap election, the Labour Party and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, have been taking in the sheer surprise of their upset near-victory: gaining 30 seats after being down some 20 points in the polls only weeks ago.

Watch: Eyewitnesses Tell of the Liberation of Jerusalem: Arutz Sheva, June 11, 2017 —The day Jerusalem was liberated was the culmination of thousands of years of love and longing for the Land of Israel. Watch the first hand story and the annual joyous celebrations of that miracle at Mercaz Harav yeshiva – in a new film sent to Arutz Sheva immediately after its translation into English.

 

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