9/7/15

* 'Hamas's long-term goal is to replace us; Ours is to replace it' Hamas in Gaza has not swerved from its long-term goal of destroying and replacing Israel, and Israel's long-term goal is to replace Hamas with another entity, IDF Southern Command chief, Maj.-Gen. Sami Turgerman, said on Monday.

* Analysis: Russia taking advantage of West's inaction to keep Assad in power Russia's recent military buildup in Syria has sparked concern in Western capitals as Vladimir Putin again appears to be shrewdly calculating that the West will not significantly counter his moves.

* Netanyahu at Jordan fence launch: Israel must have control over all its borders A day after opposition leader Isaac Herzog called on the government to take in Syrian refugees, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went South to launch construction of the next section of a multibillion shekel security fence along the border with Jordan aimed at preventing infiltration from the east.

* Syrian Druse stand between ISIS and Israeli border, Druse sheikh warns Israeli Druse leaders told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that the southern Syrian Druse city of Sweida serves as the last barrier separating Islamic State from Israeli territory on the Golan Heights.

* UNRWA Teacher Glorified Har Nof Massacre in Sick Facebook Post Pressure is building on UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), the UN agency responsible for Palestinian Arab "refugees," as evidence mounts of a rampant culture of anti-Semitism among its employees.

* Iraq Starts Using F-16s Against ISIS Iraq has put F-16 warplanes acquired from the United States into action against the Islamic State (ISIS) group for the first time, the commander of the air force said Sunday, according to AFP.

* Migrant crisis: Influx will change Germany, says Merkel Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the "breathtaking" flow of migrants into Germany will "occupy and change" the country in the coming years.

* Israel unfazed by PA threat to end Oslo accords, declare Palestine occupied state Israel is unimpressed by reports about the Palestinians reportedly threatening radical unilateral moves at the United Nations, a senior Israeli official said Monday, accusing the Palestinian Authority of "brinkmanship" while reiterating Jerusalem's willingness to immediately resume bilateral peace negotiations.

* The Mideast Migrant Crisis Requires Mideast Solutions Political responses to crises are often tardy and embarrassingly fad-driven, as with the current global outcry over the image of a three-year-old Syrian boy washed up on the Turkish shore.

* Hamas could be removed in next conflict with Israel, general says Hamas could be toppled in a future confrontation with Israel, a senior Israeli officer said on Monday, attempting to counter the impression that Israel would maintain Hamas in power at all costs.