Thursday, September 20, 2018

9/20/18

Settlers enter Al-Aqsa in force to mark Jewish holiday Hundreds of Jewish settlers and Israeli police forced their way into East Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Tuesday to mark the Jewish Yom Kippur holiday, according to a Palestinian official.

Plane shot down over Syria puts Russia-Israel relations to the test The downing of the Russian Il-20 transportation jet by Syrian air defense systems over what Moscow described as "Israeli provocation" is probably the single most important crisis Russia has experienced in Syria since the killing of dozens of its mercenaries in Deir ez-Zor at the hands of the US military in February.

PM says Israel obligated to continue defending itself At memorial ceremony Netanyahu stresses that Israel will do everything to prevent war, but if forced into conflict, will act with full force.

Hezbollah 'has precision rockets despite Israeli strikes in Syria' The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah movement says it has acquired sophisticated rockets despite Israel's efforts to prevent it obtaining them.

COMMENTARY: Reclaiming the Honour of Zion As Jews across Europe come under increasing fire, and the scandal of anti-Semitism continues to wreak havoc in Britain's Labour Party, there is an ever-present danger of misunderstanding as to what it's all about.

Russia to beef up air defenses, aircraft to curtail Israeli air operations in Syria Russian President Vladimir Putin's response to the downing of the Il-20 by Syria was mild in tone, but his reference to a probe in depth and extra security for Russian troops was coldly menacing.

Russia shuts E. Mediterranean to air and sea traffic for "military exercise" The Russian Defense Ministry suddenly announced Thursday morning, Sept. 20, the closure of the eastern Mediterranean to air traffic and shipping - from the Syrian and Lebanese coasts to Cyprus -due to a snap "military exercise."

European Union has a plan for Asian infrastructure but will it collide with China's belt and road? New 'sustainable' initiative could result in a fourfold increase in bloc's investment in the region, officials said.

China has the largest army in the world (and no effective way to use it) In recent years, China's People's Liberation Army has undergone a massive modernization effort that has sought to not only expand their military presence around the world, but also to serve as the military backbone behind a broader diplomatic initiative.

Jonah and the Whale The Book of Jonah is read in the synagogue on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the sacred Day of Atonement.