11/18/21

 * Ukraine tells EU leaders: Prepare for war with Russia Paris and Berlin must brace themselves for an outbreak of fighting between Russia and Ukraine, Kiev's foreign minister has warned amid unsubstantiated rumors that Moscow is building up its military forces at the shared border. 

* First joint naval exercise by Israel and Gulf states signals Iran worries In a move almost unthinkable only three years ago, Gulf Arab navies have held their first joint military exercise with Israeli warships, co-ordinated by the US Navy. 

* Why is Iran returning to the negotiating table? The answer is simple: The 2015 nuclear deal is good for Iran. But negotiations or no, Israel must prepare for the possibility it will have to defend itself. 

* Biden-Xi talks: China warns US about 'playing with fire' on Taiwan  Chinese President Xi Jinping has used a virtual summit with US counterpart Joe Biden to warn that encouraging Taiwanese independence would be "playing with fire". 

* Bennett: No matter what happens with Iran talks, we'll defend ourselves  PM Naftali Bennett and DM Benny Gantz stressed that Israel will defend itself, no matter what happens between Iran and the world powers. 

* Arab spy chiefs found an inner circle in Cairo, embrace Syria with US nod A group of Arab intelligence directors got together for a secret rendezvous in Cairo last week, DEBKA's sources reveal. 

* Israeli couple arrive home after being held in Turkish prison as suspected spies Israel thanks President Erdogan for helping end saga of Natali and Mordy Oknin, arrested last week for photographing his Istanbul palace; couple thanks "entire nation of Israel"

* GENERAL MICHAEL FLYNN CALLS ON AMERICA TO BECOME "ONE RELIGION" General Michael Flynn, Trump's first (albeit short-lived) National Security Adviser, made a speech, citing the New Testament as saying that the US needed to be "one religion." 

* Israel, Jordan to sign UAE-mediated energy and water agreement The agreement is meant to help Israel and Jordan deal with the challenges of climate change. 

* Palestinian fatwa bans Muslims from following 'modern Abrahamic faith' The council warned that calls to follow the "modern Abrahamic religion are dangerous and tantamount to apostasy." 

11/4/21

 * REPORT: THE GREATEST THREAT TO ISRAEL TODAY IS LEBANON The voice of Hashem breaks cedars; Hashem shatters the cedars of Lebanon. Psalms 29:5 

* Massive Israel drills launched to simulate major war offensive by Iran and proxies Israeli's military and civilian authorities launched a large-scale war drill on Sunday, Oct. 31 to prepare for a pro-Iranian precision rocket blitz from Lebanon targeting civilians and infrastructure. 

* ISRAEL: US MARINES TRAINING WITH IDF IN PREPARATION FOR CONFRONTATION WITH IRAN - REPORT O mortal, turn your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him Ezekiel 38:2 

* Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Bennett-Lapid government Right-wingers hold largest protest event since Likud opposition leader Netanyahu lost premiership in June

* Palestinians reject offer to delay their Jerusalem eviction Palestinian families on Tuesday rejected an offer that would have delayed their eviction by Jewish settlers in a tense Jerusalem neighborhood, where protests and clashes helped ignite the 11-day Gaza war in May. 

* No peace until Israel destroyed! - The PA on the 104th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration Fatah: "The Balfour Promise" a promise from one who has no ownership to one who has no right. Lest we forget!!

* Pentagon: China to have 1,000 nukes by 2030 US says PRC accelerating building of nuclear weapons, will quintuple number of warheads by end of the decade. 

* China and the Crisis Presidency of Joe Biden How does a president who is struggling on so many fronts lead a nation against China, its biggest geostrategic competitor? 

* Pentagon says world will have three "great powers" and US will be "challenged" We're entering into a tri-polar world with the US, Russia and China being all great powers. Just by introducing three vs two you get increased complexity.

Iran's foreign minister was in Moscow to discuss a range of issues with Russian offici 

* Feels like winter, but some see hope in Arab Spring A military coup in Sudan has dealt another blow to democracy in the Arab world, months after a power grab by the president of Tunisia, where the 2011 Arab uprisings were born.

10/26/21

 * Sudan coup: Military dissolves civilian government and arrests leaders A coup is under way in Sudan, where the military has dissolved civilian rule, arrested political leaders and declared a state of emergency.

* Red Cross warns aid groups not enough to stave off Afghan humanitarian crisis  The Red Cross on Friday urged the international community to engage with Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers, saying that aid groups on their own would be unable to stave off a humanitarian crisis. 

* 'Sudanese diplomat: Apparent coup won't dramatically affect Israel normalization' Unnamed official quoted saying arrested PM Hamdok had intended to travel to Washington soon to sign the deal; warns military takeover could eventually erode public support for move

* Iran Turns East Conservative President Ebrahim Raisi, deeply distrustful of the West, looks to deepen ties with China and Russia.

* Iran expanding uranium enrichment at Natanz site, says UN nuclear watchdog Limited number of centrifuges set up to enrich beyond 20%, but product is not being kept, IAEA says in report seen by Reuters

* Iran believed to be responsible for last week's attack on U.S. military base in Syria Iran is believed by the U.S. to be responsible for last week's attack on al-Tanf, a base in southern Syria where U.S. troops are located, according to a U.S. official.

* Iran's Khamenei urges reversal of Arab-Israeli normalisations Supreme Leader Khamenei says some governments 'made big errors' and 'sinned in normalising' relations with Israel.

9/10/21

 * Iran's Nuclear Weapons Weeks Away Since the Biden administration assumed office, the nuclear talks with Iran have gone nowhere.

* Dermer: ‘World won’t stop Iran from acquiring nuclear bomb’  “No one wanted North Korea and Pakistan to get nuclear weapons, but it happened,” says former Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer in a special holiday interview.

* Lapid in Moscow: If the world doesn’t stop a nuclear Iran, Israel will act Foreign minister tells Russian counterpart that while Israel recognizes Moscow’s interests in Syria, ‘we’ll maintain our ability to defend ourselves’; Lavrov to visit Israel soon.

* Lebanon gets new government amid deepening crisis A new government has been announced in Lebanon - over a year after the previous administration quit following the devastating Beirut port explosion.

* An EU army: The end of NATO or an unrealistic solo venture with little chance of success? Following the US’ disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, there have been renewed calls for the creation of a European Union military force.

* The War on Terror Was Never Turkey’s Fight For 20 years, Turkey has had an ambiguous relationship with the US war on terror.

* Palestinians declare Friday ‘day of rage’ in support of prisoners Top Fatah official visits families of escaped inmates as Day of Rage commences.

* Libyan presidential contender offers Israel recognition for backing A high-ranking Israeli security official paid a secret visit to Tripoli in the last week of August as guest of Col. Saddam Haftar, son of Libyan National Army chief, Maj. Gen, Khalif Haftar, US intelligence sources report.

* Is Israel Ready? Iran Is Upgrading its Drone Arsenal The Fotros drone is the Iranian Predator drone.

* Iran, China and Russia make PR hay from U.S. Afghanistan withdrawal “They were right there staring us in the face the whole time,” Barnett Rubin, a former senior adviser at the State Department, said.

9/7/21

 * Rosh Hashannah (New Year) Guide for the Perplexed, 2021 Did you know that the New Jewish Year is the only Jewish holiday celebrated upon the appearance of a new moon? This and much more. Op-ed.

* IDF chief says Israel accelerating Iran strike plans, acting throughout Mideast Aviv Kohavi also defends top brass amid anger over border cop’s death: ‘If we don’t back them up we’ll end up without commanders’

* Maps of “Palestine” in PA summer camps teach children about a world without Israel The Palestinian Authority unremittingly teaches Palestinians - and in particular youth - that all of Israel is “Palestine” and that Israel has no right to exist in any borders.

* Afghan Fallout: Biden Ruins America's Most Important Relationship — India President Biden's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has ruined, perhaps for decades, America's most important bilateral relationship of this era.

* Israel has Five Reasons Why it Will Not Lose a War Don't try to fight Israel, you'll regret it.

* Turkey realigning ties with Egypt and Gulf rivals Analysts say fresh round of talks between Turkey and Egypt comes amid changing dynamics in the Middle East.

* Poland imposes state of emergency on Belarus border The Polish parliament has backed a state of emergency on the Belarus border amid a surge in migration and upcoming Russian-led military exercises.

* Opinion: Germany must call off Angela Merkel's Chinese love affair For years Berlin has mollycoddled China in the hope that billions of euros in investments would prompt it to shun its authoritarian ways. Beijing's belligerence shows the tactic has backfired, says DW's Ashutosh Pandey.

* Analysis: Israel still the ‘strong horse’ Israel’s rising stature as a military power in the region is clearly a by-product of the new U.S. policy decision to reduce its own military presence in the Mideast, creating a power vacuum that only Israel is capable of filling.

* The dual call of the Shofar Why do we need two sets of shofar blasts?

8/13/21

 * Israel will pay a price for being on wrong side of the US-China fight America's greatest adversary is not Iran, Islamic terrorism, or even Russia. It is China, and Israel is on the wrong side of those battle lines.

* Bennett cut down plans for new settlement homes to avoid angering US — report According to Kan, PM took number of houses set for approval down by 1,000 ahead of planned first meeting with Biden.

* Israel seeks to coordinate "Plan B" with U.S. on Iran if nuclear talks fail Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told CIA Director Bill Burns in a meeting on Wednesday that the U.S. and Israel should start working on a joint strategy for a scenario in which Iran elects not to return to the 2015 nuclear deal, Israeli officials told me.

* GOP Lawmakers Blast EU for Sending Senior Official to Iranian President’s Inauguration EU touts support for human rights while legitimizing election of Ebrahim Raisi.

* Afghanistan faces CIVIL WAR as rival factions & Al-Qaeda seek foothold in country, UK defence secretary says Internal conflicts in Afghanistan could lead to civil war and create a breeding ground for terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has warned, as a Taliban offensive closes in on Kabul.

* The Abraham Accords a year later: Challenges and hope The Abraham Accords were announced a year ago, in August 2020.

* Tehran: Nuclear diplomacy is contingent on a new agenda. New Anti-West FM tipped by Raisi “The continuation of [nuclear] negotiations based on the past pattern will not be considered,” DEBKAfile quotes this new decision reached this week by the Iranian leadership, led by the head of the National Security, Adm. Ali Shamkhani, a top adviser to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

* Problem Child From the headlines, one would think Poland is at war with the European Union.

* EU foreign policy chief urges Afghan government to work with Taliban The Afghan government should engage with the Taliban to reach an inclusive settlement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday as the militant group made rapid gains amid spiralling violence and worries of a refugee crisis.

* Afghanistan: Taliban offensive puts Iran in a bind The situation along the border between Afghanistan and Iran remains tense as more and more Afghans, including soldiers, flee to escape the Taliban offensive.

8/12/21

 * Recent Israel-Lebanon escalation shows Iran and Hezbollah are interlinked...an attack against one is seen as an attack against both Israel has started talking tough about going to war with Iran. Then Hezbollah sent a reality check.

* Palestinians: Israel not doing a ‘favor’ by authorizing homes The Civil Administration is expected next week to advance plans for building the new homes in Area C, which is exclusively controlled by Israel.

* Israel preparing to resume settlement building in West Bank Minister says there are plans for 2,000 new housing units for Jewish settlers in Palestinian territories.

* Fatah official brags that 12% of jihad terrorist prisoners are from Palestinian Security Forces Jibril Rajoub’s brag that 12% of jihadi prisoners are from the Palestinian Security Forces should be a further reminder that the “Palestinian resistance” has always been an Islamic jihad against the State of Israel, presented as a “resistance” to gull the Left.

* Israel gives CIA chief Burns dossier claiming Iran's Raisi is 'demented extremist' US foreign intelligence chief visits ME at time of great tension between Jewish state, Islamic Republic.

* In Sheikh Jarrah, anonymous actors and an absent state have created a powder keg Israel sees a real estate dispute hijacked by propagandists; Palestinians say it’s part of an Israeli policy to erase them in Jerusalem. Who’s right? And why does it resonate so?

* The Radicalization of the Israeli Arabs The May 2021 riots by the Israeli Arabs, like their October 2000 precursor, were not an act of social protest but a nationalist/Islamist insurrection in support of an external attack.

* What is in store for the world? Based on Rabbinic sources: The true intentions of the ruthless Islamic State of Iran-Persia at this time in history.

* Europe: Mass Protests Against Covid-19 Vaccine 'Passports' Protests are erupting in cities across Europe in response to government efforts to impose so-called Covid passports, documents that show proof of immunization against Covid-19.

* If no more two-state solution, then what? - opinion ENCOUNTERING PEACE: THIS IS not a shallow argument of one state or two states; the political solutions of the future will probably be much more complex.

8/11/21

 * Hezbollah’s Rocket Fire on Israel Reveals Iran’s Hand Hezbollah’s recent escalation is a product of Iran’s ongoing mission to leverage its position amidst the nuclear negotiations and prop up its image domestically.

* Iran’s Raisi taps minister wanted for role in Buenos Aires Jewish Center bombing New interior minister Ahmad Vahidi sought by Interpol; the president’s pick for top diplomat, Hossein Amirabdollahian, is an avowed anti-Westerner with ties to IRGC, Hezbollah.

* Iran Fantasizes That It Has Israel On the Run Iranian leaders have a rich fantasy life. Possibly It has something to do with their deep belief in the Return of the Hidden Imam.

* Iran’s General Salami (Again) Says ‘Decline and Collapse’ of Israel Is Imminent Major General Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), on Tuesday again boasted the demise of Israel is fast approaching, adding it is “not a wish anymore, but a reality that will come true in the near future.”

* No Persian Empire: Why Iran Is Far From America's First Priority It would make little sense to commit heavy resources to offset a secondary worry such as Iran—especially if the opportunity costs were losing out in the Western Pacific, the Mediterranean, or elsewhere around the Eurasian periphery.

* China: Crisis-Testing US Presidents China has tested the mettle of all recent US presidents, usually early in their terms of office, and China's Communist Party (CCP) has already certainly been testing President Joe Biden.

* Russia, China Hold Joint Military Exercise for First Time: A Precursor to Gog-Magog War, Says Rabbi On Monday, China and Russia held joint military exercises and for the first time, they were hosted on Chinese soil. 

* Pro-interfaith Norwegian imam said Jews should be killed In one post from 2019, Noor wrote that Jews “put the world in danger” and it is “necessary to kill them.”

* US pressures Israel to open Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem Administration officials have worked to delay a bill proposed by Knesset member Nir Barkat, which if passed into law would essentially prevent the move from materializing.

* Afghanistan Fallout Could Lead to Three Million Migrants Trying to Reach Europe German humanitarian development worker Sybille Schnehage has predicted as many as three million Afghan asylum seekers could head to Europe in the near future.

8/10/21

 * The Address for a Response to the Lebanese Attacks on Israel Is Gaza, Not Beirut Even if Hezbollah is responsible for the latest rocket attack on the Galilee, Hamas is culpable for the security deterioration in southern Lebanon due to its efforts to expand its terrorist activities to the territory of neighboring Arab states.

* Iran’s new president meets with Hamas, Hizballah, Houthis, and jihadis from Iraq Raisi is wasting no time in getting to work to aid and abet the global jihad, while Biden’s handlers are doing all they can to ensure that Raisi will have billions to finance his jihad activities.

* Iran’s pre-emption doctrine against Israel, UK, US - analysis Heat up northern Israel, to show it can strike anywhere it wants if it is pressed about the tanker attack.

* In Jerusalem, Bahrain’s Top Diplomat Slams Obama’s Iran Deal for Creating Middle East Havoc On a visit to Israel, a top Bahraini diplomat said the Obama-led 2015 Iran nuclear deal had done nothing but leave the region with more turmoil, violence, hatred and death.

* Thousands of Russian, Uzbek and Tajik troops rehearse turning back enemy offensive on Afghan border amid fears of Taliban incursions Large-scale wargames have been held in Tajikistan, bringing together soldiers from three former Soviet republics to practice targeting enemy combatants and securing the border with neighboring Afghanistan, as the US withdraws.

* Chinese cyber spies 'posed as Iranians while targeting Israeli government' According to threat intelligence researchers, the hackers attempts to conceal their origin was more likely an effort to slow down response efforts than actually frame Iran.

* Levite Sings 'Song of Ascents' On The Stairs Leading to Holy of Holies Echoing his ancestors from 2,000 years ago, a Levite musician ascended to the Temple Mount and in the face of Muslim opposition, sang the Song of Ascents in the same spot his ancestors sang the same verses in the service of the Temple.

* ‘We may lose US’ if liberal Jews continue backing BDS, BLM — Diaspora minister Nachman Shai conflates Israel boycott movement with Black Lives Matter, which was criticized for antisemitic remarks made by some of its leaders but won support of many US Jews.

* Bennett's Rosh Hashanah Threat: If People Don't Get Vaccinated, They Won't Hear the Shofar Did Naftali Bennett just threaten to cancel the Messiah?

* For anti-Zionists, ‘Palestine’ does not stop at the Green Line When Israel’s enemies speak of “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” they don't mean just the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria. Op-ed.

8/9/21

 * Hezbollah could escalate attacks on Israel, Nasrallah says Hezbollah 'wanted to show that Israeli air strikes would be responded to and in an appropriate manner'.

* Iran’s Ruthless New President Takes Over As Supreme Leader Calls for ‘Competent, Jihadi, Intelligent Management’ Ebrahim Raisi, who is one of the people responsible for the murder of 5,000 dissidents in Iran in 1988, became the president of the Islamic Republic on Tuesday.

* Iran's Raisi sets sight on Palestinians, Yemen and Iraq - analysis Iran has a tendency to use proxies, pushing others to defend and die for it in its regional wars. 

* Israel Hopes Qatar Will Help Keep Gaza Peaceful While Israel used to be more critical of Qatar’s role, it appears the new government in Israel is taking a new stance on this issue publicly.

* Biden's hope of renewed Iran nuclear deal gives way to tensions Slow pace of talks between the WH and Iran about reentering the nuclear deal and recent tensions point to a possible change in US strategy.

* Empowering Iran Paves the Road to Disaster Iran recently rejected a draft proposal from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, China, and Russia, under which the U.S. would return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA) in exchange for Iran’s full compliance with the limitations of that deal.

* IRGC on alert for possible US/ Israeli retaliation for drone strike on ship Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps is braced for a possible US or Israeli strike in reprisal for the drone attack on the Israeli-operated Mercer Street on Aug. 3 and the death of two crewmen.

* Opinion: Why does the media ignore the only true democracy in the Middle East? Israeli democracy has been quietly improving for years, even according to the media’s own metrics.

* Jihad murder is having a successful trial run in Nigeria- and the media are ignoring it All the news that’s fit to print? Ignored by the media, the 43.000 Christians killed by Jihad in Africa are not deemed newsworthy. Op-ed.

* "Their Goal Is Really to Eradicate Christianity": Persecution of Christians, June 2021 A Muslim father of four abducted a 13-year-old Christian girl, forced her to convert to Islam, and then "married" her.

8/7/21

 * Why the next major war is likely to start in Taiwan If the United States and China get into a shooting war, there is a good chance it would start in Taiwan, which the Chinese communists view as a renegade province.

* Don't do 'anything foolish,' Iran warns Israel 'In another brazen violation of Int'l law, Israeli regime now blatantly threatens Iran with military action'

* Iranian Defense Minister threatens to raze Tel Aviv and Haifa Iran's Defense Minister: If Israel launches a preemptive attack on Iran, we will raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.

* Palestinian factions applaud Hezbollah rocket attack on Israel Hamas welcomed the Hezbollah attack and said that it fully supports the "resistance in Lebanon" in its fight against "the Zionist aggression."

* Growing Number of Saudis Declare Jerusalem Israel's Capital, 3rd Temple Construction The Trump initiated Abraham Accords is still enjoying ripple effects to this day.

* Turkey Signals Sweeping Regional Ambitions A nationalist Turkish television station with close ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has dug up a 12-year-old map that projects Turkey’s sphere of influence in 2050 as stretching from southeastern Europe on the northern coast of the Mediterranean and Libya on its southern shore across North Africa, the Gulf, and the Levant into the Caucasus and Central Asia.

* ICC prosecutor gave PA advance notice but asked to “keep secret” her decision to open an investigation The response of the Palestinian Authority to the decision of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) again exposed the level of collusion between the two.

* PA Leaders Continue To Deny Existence of Jewish Temples Tisha B’Av is a Jewish day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem (586 BCE and 70 CE) and the forced exile of most of the Jewish people from the land of Israel.

* Hizballah joins Iran offensive with 19 rockets against N. Israel – most knocked out by Iron Dome and Patriots The Lebanese Shiite Hizballah joined Iran’s offensive against Israel on Friday morning, Aug. 6, by letting 19 rockets fly from Lebanon against Upper Galilee population centers and IDF posts on Mt. Hermon, drawing retaliatory IDF air strikes against “the rockets’ launch sources.”

* Iraqi convert to Christianity: ‘Muslims are triumphantly declaring that the pope has surrendered to Islam’ Well, yeah, and long before he went to Iraq, too. See, for example, here and here.

8/6/21

 * Hezbollah claims rocket barrage towards Israel from Lebanon The Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted 10 rockets, with 6 falling in open areas The others fell inside Lebanon.

* IDF conducting 'extensive' attacks in Lebanon Defense establishment is preparing 'additional options' for response to rocket fire, source says.

* Sons of Jethro Pevent Hezbollah From Firing Rockets at Israel On Friday, Hezbollah fired 19 rockets at Israel. There were no injuries in Israel from the rocket attack but the attack could have been even worse.

* After Gantz threatens attack, Iran warns Israel: ‘Don’t test us’ ‘ANY foolish act against Iran will be met with a DECISIVE response,’ tweets spokesman for Tehran’s foreign ministry.

* Middle East Mayhem: Israel and Russia Could Be at War Within the Decade Could Israeli air strikes in Syria trigger war between Israel and Russia?

* Jordan’s “Incitement Force” on the Temple Mount The Jordanian Minister of Religions recently revealed that 850 Jordanians are working at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on behalf of Jordan’s Ministry of Religion.

* Israel, Iran and the West Both the U.S. and the U.K. have announced that they are convinced Iran attacked the Israeli-linked ship, the MV Mercer Street, in the Gulf of Oman. 

* Turkey and the West: Drifting Further Apart In theory, Turkey is a NATO ally. In theory, also, Turkey is in negotiations with the European Union for full membership. In reality, both are illusions.

* Polish minister suggests country could quit EU due to ‘blackmail’ over judicial reforms Poland’s justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, has indicated that his government could consider leaving the EU bloc over “illegal blackmail” attempts by its top court amid a dispute over proposed judicial reforms.

* Egypt Could Face Extreme Water Scarcity Within The Decade Due to Population, Economic Growth According to the Joseph narrative in the Book of Genesis, the sons of Jacob who were living in Hebron experienced a severe famine that lasted for seven years.

8/5/21

 * Israel is ready to strike Iran, says defense minister, amid simmering tensions with enduring foe Israel’s defense minister has said the country’s armed forces are ready to strike Iran should it become necessary, as tensions rise further after an Iran-linked attack on an Israeli tanker killed two people.

* First Israeli air strike in Lebanon in 15 years after rocket attack Israeli jets struck “terrorist targets’ in the Marjayoun region of South Lebanon early Thursday, Aug. 5, in retaliation for a three-rocket salvo against the Galilee town of Kiryat Shemona a day earlier.

* 'Israel needsIsraeli airstrikes against Lebanon are a dramatic shift in policy - analysis It is said that no one blinks in south Lebanon without Hezbollah knowing — how could it not have known about a Palestinian group's plans?

* Dismantle Iran now "The Iranian supreme leader makes Hitler look good." Iran spreads "havoc and destruction" in the Middle East. 

* Iran's new hardline President Ebrahim Raisi sworn in Iran's new president, Ebrahim Raisi, has been sworn into office, following his election victory in June.

* Why Jordan is pushing to normalise ties with the Syrian regime Analysis: King Abdullah's recent covmments to US media reflect Amman's latest overtures to the Syrian regime, with the push to normalise economic ties a prelude to re-engaging politically.

* What did you learn in camp today? To “praise” terrorists, admire “Martyrs,” and erase Israel A youth camp organized by Fatah’s Shabiba high school committees featured pictures of arch-terrorist Abu Jihad, who planned attacks in which at least 125 were murdered; mass murderer Dalal Mughrabi, who led the murder of 37 including 12 children in 1978; Abu Iyad, who headed the terror organization Black September and planned the murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972 among other attacks; and Abu Yusuf Al-Najjar, who was the Commander of Operations of Black September.

* Door is 'ajar' for diplomacy with Iran but inauguration of new president is 'crossroads' moment, says Dominic Raab London accused Tehran of attacking an Israeli-linked tanker off Oman last week, killing a British national and a Romanian - but Iran has denied involvement.

* Israeli defense minister threatens Iran with military action Israel’s defense minister warned Thursday that his country is prepared to strike Iran, issuing the threat against the Islamic Republic after a fatal drone strike on a oil tanker at sea that his nation blamed on Tehran..

* Disastrous Idea: A European Army Is Destined To Fail "I would rather fight a coalition than be a part of one," said Napoleon Bonaparte, a man who knew how to lead French armies to victory against multiple coalitions over nearly two decades.

8/4/21

 * Iran's Revolutionary Guard drone commander behind ship attack Saeed Ara Jani, head of Iran's IRGC Drone Command, was behind the attack on the Israel-linked Mercer Street ship, Gantz and Lapid revealed.

* Britain says UN Security Council ‘must respond to Iran’s destabilizing actions’ UK foreign secretary says he wrote to head of international body, along with Romania and Liberia, over Tehran’s ‘lack of respect for international law’ with deadly attack on ship.

* Saudi Arabia Says Sees an Emboldened Iran Around Middle East Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Tuesday he sees an emboldened Iran acting in a negative manner around the Middle East, endangering shipping, arming Yemen's Houthis and contributing to political deadlock in Lebanon.

* Gantz: Iran is 10 weeks from breakout to a nuclear weapon "Israel had warned the US that Iran would use a break in JCPOA talks to advance its nuclear program."

* PA leaders continue to deny existence of Jewish Temples Tisha B’Av is a Jewish day of mourning commemorating the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem (586 BCE and 70 CE) and the forced exile of most of the Jewish people from the land of Israel.

* Israel should maintain its Mediterranean alignment, despite signals from Ankara It should be made clear to Israel’s partners in the Eastern Mediterranean that any (unlikely) improvement in Jerusalem’s relations with Turkey will not come at their expense.Op-ed.

* Saudi FM praises Abraham Accords, puts Palestinian statehood first "Without solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in a sustainable, long-term way, we’re not going to have real, sustainable security in the region."

* Coming soon: America’s own ‘social credit’ system? China is in the process of expanding the “social credit” system they have been rolling out in phases since 2014.

* Ultra-Orthodox histrionics over religion, state may backfire - analysis Both ultra-Orthodox parties have denounced the government as “treif," have accused Bennett of being “a con artist” and repeatedly denounced the government for "destroying Judaism."

* Archaeologists unearth 1st Jerusalem evidence of quake from Bible’s Book of Amos 8th century BCE tremblors recorded by biblical prophet get new proof from current excavations in the City of David; scholars hope it will help them crack the city’s timeline

8/3/21

  * Hamas Ramps Up Terrorism in Judea-Samaria in Bid to overthrow PA Recent reports show that Hamas is increasing its efforts to carry out terrorist attacks inside Israel.

* Bennett Says Israel Able to 'Act Alone' Against Iran Over Ship Attack Israel is rallying global action against Iran over an attack on an Israeli-managed tanker off Oman last week but is capable of responding on its own if necessary, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday.

* NATO and European Commission condemn deadly attack on tanker near Oman Last week, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Iran of carrying out a "deliberate, targeted" assault which constituted "a clear violation of international law".

* Ebrahim Raisi takes over as Iran’s new president Raisi vows to free Iran of ‘tyrannical sanctions’ receives Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s endorsement.

* Bennett: Iran’s days of setting Middle East on fire are over The prime minister spoke of Israel's efforts to bring the international community to its side but added that “at the same time, we know how to act alone.”

* NYC: ‘Palestinian’ jihad supporters scream ‘Globalize the intifada,’ ‘We don’t want two states, we want all of it’ This would require the total destruction of Israel and the genocide of millions of Jews.

* Khamenei slams door on US nuclear talks, ups regional aggression “We are in very close contact and coordination with the UK, Israel, Romania and other countries, and there will be a collective response,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, Aug. 2, following the Iranian drone attack on an Israel ship on July 31 that killed two crewmen, a Briton and a Romanian.

* BIt’s Time for Biden to Leave a Bad Deal in the Past A change in Iranian presidents doesn’t change the badness of the Iran deal.

* Caroline Glick: How Putin understands the Lapid-Bennett government Russia’s decision to assist the Syrians in intercepting Israeli strikes on Iranian assets is a major strategic blow.

* 'Violations' the UN Security Council Does Not Care About' At the request of the Palestinian Authority (PA), the United Nations Security Council was again called to hold a session to discuss Israeli "violations" and "aggressions" against the Palestinians. The PA also demanded that the Security Council discuss the professed ongoing Israeli "siege" of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

8/2/21

* PM Bennett: Iran Made ‘Grave Mistake’ Attacking Israeli-Owned Ship Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday said Iran was “absolutely” to blame for an attack on an Israeli-operated ship off the coast of Oman that killed two people, adding the regime had made a “grave mistake” in doing so.

* Iran warns it will respond to any action over deadly tanker attack Tehran dismisses UK, US comments linking it to drone strike; Britain summons Iranian ambassador over incident

* Iran warns against any action over attack on Israeli-managed tanker Iran on Monday vowed to respond to any "adventurism", its foreign ministry said, after the US and Britain joined Israel in blaming Tehran for a deadly tanker attack, claims it denies.

* Analysis: Iran strikes hard-line pose ahead of new president Once a protégé of Iran's supreme leader is sworn in as president this week, hard-liners will control all parts of the Islamic Republic's civilian government.

* Iran and the Divisive Rule of the Mullah In an "audience" granted to a number of anti-Shah intellectuals just weeks after seizing power, Ayatollah Khomeini said that the regime he planned to install in Iran would have one guideline: "Doing the opposite of what the cursed Shah did."

* Is Underground Construction Under Jerusalem Preparing For Third Temple? No, But... When Philip Gilchrist, a non-Jewish architect from New Zealand, visited Jerusalem on Tuesday, he was shocked to see what he was sure were the beginnings of construction of the Third Temple.

* Supporting the troops Israel’s defense is our defense, as a Jewish community here in New York and around the globe. Op-ed.

* Facebook Seeks to Replace Religious Gatherings with Virtual Ones Facebook is getting into the business of religion and some people are concerned that the social media giant will try to take the place of God, choosing what the faithful may and may not say.

* 228 Republican Lawmakers Urge Supreme Court to Overturn Roe v. Wade Forty-four Senate Republicans and 184 House Republicans urged the Supreme Court to overturn the landmark abortion ruling Roe v. Wade when the justices review a Mississippi law during their next term.

* Pro-Palestinian Protesters in NYC Call to ‘Globalize’ Violent Uprising: ‘Only Solution’ to Israel Conflict Calls to “globalize” a violent intifada (uprising) against the Jewish state were front and center at a recent demonstration in Brooklyn attended by hundreds of Palestinian supporters, with other chants calling for the demise of the Jewish state and support of Palestinian liberation “by any means necessary.”

7/31/21

* Moscow’s changed line on Israel’s Syria raids followed first Putin-Biden summit Moscow confirms DEBKAfile’s exclusive of July 21, (Putin steps away from deal with Netanyahu for a blind eye on Syria air strikes), according to the Saudi publication Sharq al Awsat.

* Biden Administration Takes Side of Russia, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah Against Israel Israel has for years been able to bomb targets in Syria virtually at will.

* Israel issues stark warning to US: Iran's crossing nuclear threshold imminent Several Israeli officials including FM Yair Lapid and DM Benny Gantz relayed the message to US counterparts.

* The US Is Undermining the Abraham Accords Official announcements from Washington herald the reduction of the US military presence in the Middle East.

* Manufacturing of Unique Red Dye For Third Temple Begins On Sunday, a woman went out to collect tiny insects that once a year, produce the flame-colored dye that was used in the Temple.

* Communist China's New Plan: Digital Currency Communist China is adding another element to its toolbox of surveilling and controlling its population.

* The myth of "Occupied Palestinian Territories" -- Part 1 of 2 For those who still own an old encyclopedia that predates the mid-1960’s, look up “Palestinian.” Op-ed.

* Iran nuclear program poses very serious threat to Israel - INSS to Herzog Iran has made significant progress in high levels of uranium enrichment, uranium metal production and in operating advanced centrifuges.

* There Can Be No Stable EU-Russian Relationship Without Securing the Baltic States The undivided support of the EU and NATO is of foremost importance to maintain the balance against Russian until remedies for the systemic military and economic weakness of the Baltic and Eastern European countries are found.

* Erdogan says conversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque is ‘symbol of the revival’ of Turkish civilization A calculated insult to the tiny remnant of Christians in Turkey is a “symbol of the revival” of Turkish civilization. Erdogan thus suggests that a revived 

7/30/21

 * Reports of clashes in Southern Syria near Israel’s Golan If the situation deteriorates, it could have major ramifications for Israel and Jordan as well as the Syrian regime and pro-Iran element.

* After initial confusion, Israeli-operated ship confirmed to have been attacked off the coast of Oman A merchant vessel, operated by the company of Israeli billionaire, Eyal Ofer, has been attacked off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea. The incident is currently under investigation.

* Biden makes deal with Iraq to end US combat mission amid escalation by Iranian-backed jihad militias American combat troops are leaving their mission in Iraq and pulling out of the area by the end of the year.

* Gantz and Kochavi hold assessment following attack on Israeli-managed ship Israeli official: Iran is sowing violence and destruction in every corner of the region. Our campaign against them will continue.

* Iraq Can’t Escape the Next Iran-Israel Military Showdown Israel’s F-35 stealth fighters are positively supernatural: here, there and everywhere.

* Russia & China expanding yuan share in mutual trade, pushing out US dollar – Chinese Ambassador to Russia The share of the Chinese currency in trade between Russia and China has increased, as the countries boost efforts to move away from the US dollar in response to Washington's sanctions policies, according to a top Chinese diplomat.

* Thailand moves to strengthen EU ties amid US-China rivalry The Southeast Asian country is looking to revive trade and business with the bloc to avoid dependence on Beijing and Washington. Economists say a free trade agreement is to be expected within the next few years.

* EU foreign policy chief flags review of China strategy ‘in months’ The European Union is considering a review of its strategy towards China in the coming months, with growing cracks in the relationship since the suspension of their landmark investment deal and accusations of Chinese involvement in cyberattacks, reported the South China Morning Post.

* EU PARLIAMENT TARGETS CHRISTIAN GROUPS IN PRO-ABORTION CRUSADE Last month, the European Parliament (EPF) passed a resolution declaring that abortion was a “human right.”

* Unrest grows in Iran, but is the regime in danger? On Monday, the unrest reached the Iranian capital. Videos and reports from the Tehran protests show demonstrators chanting against the regime.

7/29/21

* Biden Administration Takes Side of Russia, Syria, Iran, Hezbollah Against Israel Israel has for years been able to bomb targets in Syria virtually at will.

* Bennett looking to strengthen Israel as a Middle East player - analysis Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s top priority is countering the Iranian threat to Israel, and that goes hand-in-hand with a more regional focus.

* Israel faces Russia policy change, or perhaps political posturing, regarding Syria Saudi media reported that Jerusalem and Moscow have in recent years “maintained a hotline that allowed the Israeli military to alert Russian forces of incoming strikes,” but now, “communication through the Israel-Russia deconfliction mechanism has effectively ceased.”

* Israel’s PM Bennett ‘Violence in the Arab community is a national calamity’ ‘Crime is a daily occurrence and fear reigns in the streets. It is a national mission’.

* Constrain Hezbollah before it drags region into war, Erdan tells UNSC UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan warned the United Nations that if UNIFIL did not take action to restrict Hezbollah, it would drag the entire region into a regional war.

* Do Not Assume a War With Iran Would Be Easy A weak opponent can exact a surprising cost on an arrogant foe.

* Report: Russia-Israel Relationship Takes Turn for Worst! As coordination on Syria Halted Lebanese media outlets as well as Saudi Arabia’s London-based Asharq Al-Awsat have reported that Israel’s freedom of action against Iran in Syria is dwindling as Russia makes changes to its policy vis-à-vis its relationship with Israel.

* South Africa slams African Union's decision to grant observer status to Israel The South African government has hit out at the African Union's move to grant observer status to Israel.

* European Health Union: Our number one priority The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted both the importance of our health care systems and the extent to which we have allowed them to deteriorate; we must reverse this process, says Alessandra Moretti.

* Saudi Arabia Turned to China and America to Build Its Missile Forces Riyadh appears to see itself as engaged in nothing short of an epic struggle for dominance of the Middle East, and has oriented its foreign policy around combating the perceived Iranian menace, even in places its influence is moderate at best.

7/28/21

 * Temple Mount doesn't loom large in the Jewish national psyche - here's why Both FM Yair Lapid and MK Merav Ben-Ari recently said that the Western Wall is Judaism's holiest site. Why is this such a common misconception?

* The myth of "Occupied Palestinian Territories" -- Part 2 of 2 There are 2 million “Palestinian refugees” in “Palestinian refugee camps” all living under “Palestinian” sovereignty in supposed “Palestine,” with Hamas sovereign in Gaza and Abbas’s Fatah reigning in the “West Bank” PA. Why are they refugees?.Op-ed.

* Iran nuclear program poses very serious threat to Israel - INSS to Herzog Iran has made significant progress in high levels of uranium enrichment, uranium metal production and in operating advanced centrifuges.

* EU urges new Lebanon PM to form government ‘without delay’ Najib Mikati, who has twice served as premier before, said he does not ‘have a magic wand and cannot achieve miracles’.

* China expanding its nuclear capabilities, scientists say China is expanding its capacity to store and launch nuclear missiles, US scientists say.

* There Can Be No Stable EU-Russian Relationship Without Securing the Baltic States The undivided support of the EU and NATO is of foremost importance to maintain the balance against Russian until remedies for the systemic military and economic weakness of the Baltic and Eastern European countries are found.

* Danny Yatom: US will allow Iran to achieve nuclear weapons Danny Yatom, former Mossad chief, warns Israel needs backup plan 'in case the worst of all happens.'

* Iran-Israel media information laundering - analysis Iran boasts of various threats that then get reprinted in Israeli media, making Iran say that Israel is concerned.

* Blinken Should Invite Kuwait to Join Abraham Accords If the Biden administration is serious about expanding the Abraham Accords, it has to show countries like Kuwait that peace is still one of Washington’s top priorities.

* Erdogan says conversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque is ‘symbol of the revival’ of Turkish civilization A calculated insult to the tiny remnant of Christians in Turkey is a “symbol of the revival” of Turkish civilization.

7/27/21

 * Israel issues stark warning to US: Iran's crossing nuclear threshold imminent Several Israeli officials including FM Yair Lapid and DM Benny Gantz relayed the message to US counterparts.

* After months of optimism, a return to the Iran nuke deal begins to look unlikely The Islamic Republic’s demands, along with progress in its program, make a return to the JCPOA seem much more difficult than when Biden came into office.

* Rashida Talib Calls for IRS to Target Pro-Israel Congressman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) sent a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen, urging her to review the status granted to “organizations that fund the expansion of Israeli settlements.”

* Flurry of Israeli Palestinian phone calls doesn't spell peace - 8 takes Eight reasons why the sudden flurry of regional conversations is unlikely to be a harbinger of good news for those who hope for a resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

* The myth of "Occupied Palestinian Territories" -- Part 1 of 2 For those who still own an old encyclopedia that predates the mid-1960’s, look up “Palestinian.” Op-ed.

* Communist China's New Plan: Digital Currency The real purpose of the new digital currency... seems to be... to challenge the long-standing global reign of the US dollar.

* China and Greece are Getting Closer. Joe Biden Should Worry. China’s influence in Europe is calculated to benefit Beijing’s long-term strategic goals that reach far beyond economic benefit.

* Global Markets: 2020-2022 Versus 1929-1932. Zero Hedge: Current levels of equity markets are not only divorced from their underlying economic and business realities but are repeating the madness of crowds that led to the Wall Street crash of 1929—1932.

* Giant anti-‘settler’ sign posted at Jerusalem entrance, approved by city The sign, paid for by the far-Left group Breaking the Silence, was approved by the Jerusalem Municipality.

* Biden should reconsider planned reversal of bipartisan US policy on Jerusalem The Biden administration is planning to open a new Palestinian consulate in Jerusalem — Israel’s capital and the location of the United States Embassy to Israel.

7/26/21

 * Moscow’s changed line on Israel’s Syria raids followed first Putin-Biden summit Moscow confirms DEBKAfile’s exclusive of July 21, (Putin steps away from deal with Netanyahu for a blind eye on Syria air strikes), according to the Saudi publication Sharq al Awsat.

* Syrian air defense units intercept Israeli missiles near Damascus, thwarting THIRD raid in a week – Russian Defense Ministry The Syrian military intercepted two missiles fired by Israeli fighter jets at the Damascus suburb of Set Zaynab over the weekend, thwarting the third airstrike in just a week, using Russian-made air defense systems.

* The EU Needs to Think Long-Term in Its Relationship with Russia Disentangling long-term foreign policy priorities from the short- to medium-term domestic agenda in the United States and EU member countries might be a solution to the puzzle from the perspective of Russian decision-makers.

* Jordan's King Abdullah II confirms he met with Gantz, Bennett At a secret meeting, Bennett and Abdullah reportedly agreed that the two countries must heal rifts, using the water deal as a first step.

* Manufacturing of Unique Red Dye For Third Temple Begins On Sunday, a woman went out to collect tiny insects that once a year, produce the flame-colored dye that was used in the Temple.

* The US Is Undermining the Abraham Accords In contrast to the Trump administration’s tough stance on Iran, President Joe Biden’s willingness to negotiate with and reach a weak agreement with Iran undermines the strategic rationale for the normalization agreements between Israel and the Gulf states.

* A water crisis is creating nightmare conditions across the Middle East That the wars of the future will be fought over water rather than oil is an adage that feels like an increasingly terrifyingly reality as every year goes by.

* Will Lebanon Fall into the Hands of Iran? There is growing concern among the Lebanese and other Arabs that Iran is planning to exploit the severe political, economic and financial crisis in Lebanon to complete its takeover of the country.

* Iraqi militias grow in power as Iran’s military strongman proves too weak Esmail Qaani – successor to the assassinated Qassem Suleimani as Quds chief – lacks authority to stop attacks on US targets, sources say.

* The Gaza ceasefire is shaky and another war may be coming soon The persistent violence against Palestinians in Jerusalem and an Israeli desire for a revanche may rekindle hostilities.

7/24/21

 * Discreet Jewish prayer continues on Temple Mount  Temple Mount activists say there were no changes in procedures at the holy site after 1,600 Jewish visitors ascended to mark Tisha Be'av.

* Lapid pressed, Bennett folded: The political drama around Temple Mount worship  The PM wanted to make history, but regional and political realities intervened, and the alternate PM stepped in to defuse the crisis.

* Israeli Islamist Party Slams Jewish Worship on Temple Mount, Says Holy Site ‘Property of Muslims’  The Islamist Ra’am party, which is part of Israel’s motley ruling coalition, on Sunday joined a chorus of condemnation from the Arab and Muslim world over the ascent of hundreds of Jewish pilgrims to the Temple Mount to commemorate the Jewish fast of Tisha B’av, claiming the flashpoint site – Judaism’s holiest – is the “sole property of Muslims.”

* Mahmoud Abbas Prepares List of Demands On Israel If Negotiations Are to Resume  Mahmoud Abbas has prepared a list of 15 demands that, the PA claims, must be understood as a prerequisite to negotiations with Israel.

* 100,000 Muslims promise to give their lives for Al Aqsa  Muslims arriving at Temple Mount to mark Eid al-Adha chant anti-Israel slogans, promise to 'sacrifice their lives' for Al Aqsa Mosque.

* Putin steps away from deal with Netanyahu for a blind eye on Syria air strikes  Moscow was seen taking a radical new course on Israel’s air strikes over Syria after the raid near Aleppo early Tuesday, July 20.

* Israel: Islamic party says Temple Mount is ‘solely the property of Muslims, and no one else has any right to it’ The Ra’am Party, which is part of Israel’s current governing coalition, has claimed that “the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in its 144 dunams, is solely the property of Muslims, and no one else has any right to it.”

* Opinion: Jordan’s King Abdullah II has become Washington’s favorite Arab leader again  A photo released by the White House Monday told the story: a jaunty, beaming Jordanian King Abdullah II, followed by his son and heir, the Crown Prince Hussein, accompanied by a smiling President Biden.

* Nigeria: Muslims murder 3,462 Christians in 200 days The establishment media narrative is that Muslims are always and everywhere victims, and Christians always and everywhere oppressors. So this will get no attention.

* Pew survey shows majority of Catholics don't believe in 'Real Presence' TA new study about the level of Catholic belief in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist showed that a majority of Catholics do not believe that the bread and wine used at Mass become the body and blood of Christ.

7/23/21

 * Just how dangerous is Iran to the world? Assessing the danger that Iran poses to the world through its development of nuclear weapons, missiles and other weapons may be misleading.

* Why is Israel's state budget so important for the fight against Iran? In coordinated reports on two TV stations, reporters revealed that the IDF is upping its preparations again for a possible strike against Iran.

* Hezbollah’s notorious Unit 133 is back in business The recent interception of a weapons-smuggling attempt along the Lebanese-Israeli border is a sign of a larger development: Hezbollah’s unit in charge of orchestrating terrorism in Israel is expanding under new leadership.

* Interior Minister: 'No gov't if there's a construction freeze in Judea & Samaria' Interior Min. Shaked blames Religious Zionism chair for torpedoing right-wing government, promises to bring down gov't if US tries to force construction freeze in Judea and Samaria.

* De facto building freeze in Judea and Samaria under Bennett? U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the Biden administration was maintaining an anti-settlement expansion policy.

* Israel Fights Back: After Ben & Jerry’s Boycott, President Calls BDS ‘New Kind of Terrorism’ Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a harsh condemnation against boycotts of Israel after the ice cream makers Ben & Jerry’s announced its plans to end sales in what it termed the “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” calling them “a new kind of terrorism.”

* Will China rebuild war-ravaged Syria? Here’s why Beijing is doubling down on its newly minted partnership with Assad The recent visit of China’s foreign minister to Damascus as the first foreign guest since President Bashar Assad was sworn in for a second seven-year term is significant – and signals a shift that will annoy Washington and London.

* Demographic Expert Exposes the Lie of Arab Fominance in Judea and Samaria Yoram Ettinger is an expert on US-Israel relations, Middle East affairs, and Jewish-Arab demography.

* The American Colossus May Crumble The US is no longer the country that recovered from the Pearl Harbor disaster and won WWII, or that both morally and economically sustained itself throughout its prolonged ideological conflict with the Soviet Union.

* Why ‘the pandemic of the unvaccinated’ is a lie For days, the mainstream media have been playing a loop of reports that 99% of COVID-19 deaths are among unvaccinated people.