Current Events and Links

Prophetic Significance of Israel

UN Chief Calls for Independent Probe Into Gaza Clashes

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an "independent and transparent investigation" into the deadly clashes along the Israel-Gaza border Friday that killed at least 15 Palestinians and and injured about 1,400 others

Source:

UN fails to condemn Israel's use force on unarmed Palestinians - Al Jazeera

UN chief calls for independent investigation into Gaza deaths - Economic Times

Prophetic Significance of Israel

Reports say Israeli jets hit Hezbollah positions along Syria-Lebanon border

Ma. 26, 2018 -

Arabic media outlets reported that Israeli jets struck a number of Hezbollah positions along the Lebanon-Syria border on Sunday night, in reports that were not confirmed by either Hezbollah or the IAF.

Source:

Ending a decade of silence, Israel confirms it blew up Assad’s nuclear reactor

Mar. 21, 2018 -

The State of Israel on Wednesday formally acknowledged that its air force blew up a Syrian nuclear reactor in the area of Deir Ezzor in the pre-dawn hours of September 6, 2007.

Israel had also bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1991, before it was operational. At that time they admitted their defensive action. Their policy became known as the Begin Doctrine, named for Menachem Begin, who was prime minister at the time.

Their message is that Israel will not accept the construction of a capability that threatens their existence.

Source: Times of Israel

Sec. of State nominee 'Very positively disposed' to Israel, strong critic of Iran deal

Mar. 15, 2018 - Officials in Jerusalem say that...

CIA Director Mike Pompeo, US President Donald Trump’s candidate to replace ousted Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, is a huge opponent of the Iranian nuclear deal and someone with a very positive attitude toward Israel.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Hezbollah in Lebanon fears Israeli attack, declares state of emergency

Mar. 8, 2018 - According to journalist Kamal Halaf, Israel and the U.S. are conducting secret military maneuvers.

Citing sources in Hezbollah, Halaf added that US military leaders gave the IDF a green light to attack Hezbollah in Lebanon. The only thing preventing Israel from launching a surprise attack is fear of retaliation from the Iranian-backed group.

Source: Jerusalem Post

U.S. and IDF troops, in major joint drill, simulating battle on 3 fronts - Jerusalem Post

Top general says IDF gearing up for war in 2018

Feb. 19, 2018 - Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, head of Israeli Defence Force Operations, warned that Israel may be drawn into war with Iran and their allies in Syria and Lebanon.

“The year 2018 has the potential for escalation [of military conflict], not necessarily because either side wants to initiate it, but because of a gradual deterioration. This has led us to raise the level of preparedness.”

Source: Times of Israel

Russia Condemns Iran's Calls to Destroy Israel, but Also Tells Jerusalem That Tehran Is Not the Problem - Haaretz

Israel, Iran Face Off in Munich Over the Future of the Middle East - CBN

Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza after soldiers wounded

Feb. 18,, 2018 - After four Israeli soldiers were wounded by an explosive device along the border between Israel and Gaza, Israel struck 18 weapon-manufacturing Hamas sites and training infrastructures in Gaza.

The military says the targets included weapon-manufacturing sites and training infrastructures of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza.

Source: Fox

Defense mininster vows to 'eliminate' terroristts behind Gaza attack - Jerusalem Post

Netanyahu: Iran is the greatest threat to the world

Feb. 18,, 2018 - During Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, he said that Iran advocates "master faith" just like Nazi Germany used to advocate "master race". He also warned:

"The commander of the Revolutionary Guard, [Mohammad] Ali Jafari, said: 'We are on the path to the rule of Islam worldwide' ... I think it is in my judgment the greatest threat to our world."

Netahyahu also warned that Iran is trying to build a contiguous empire that would extend Iran's control all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. He added that Israel would continue to oppose Iran's attempt to establish a permanent presence in Syria.

Source: Al Jazeera

UAE, Jewish group express concern about Turkey, Iran expansionism in meeting - Jerusalem Post

Analysis: The Syrian War is now threatening world peace

Feb. 17, 2018 - With the near-expulsion of ISIS from Syria it seemed that tensions would decrease in the area but, according to York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, Southern Syria has become the world's most dangerous war zone, even more dangerous than the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S. strategy now is to undo the land corridor leading from the Iranian border to the Golan Heights and the Mediterranean Sea.

Source: Israel National News

How Israel could take the fight directly to Iran - Israel is not seeking an escalation, [but] its so-called “red lines” – namely, the transfer of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran’s military entrenchment in Syria – continue to be violated - Jerusalelm Post

Ahead of Munich confab, Netanyahu says he won’t accept limits on Syria strikes - Times of Israel

Netanyahu to UN chief: Israel won’t allow Iran to establish foothold in Syria - Times of Israel

Israeli Strikes in Syria Risk Forcing Russia to Adopt pro-Iranian Stance

Feb. 16, 2018 - This analysis of the recent clashes between Israel, Syria and Iran suggests that Iran is playing down their involvement because it could harm their position with the U.S. about the future of the Iranian nuclear agreement.

Iran is part of a troika, including Russia and Turkey, that has unsuccessfully sought a diplomatic solution to the war. Iran doesn’t want to open another military front with Israel, which could lead Israel to start a war against Hezbollah.

Source: Haaretz

Russia Can Keep the Peace Between Israel and Iran - But following the hostilities over the weekend, does Putin want to? - The Atlantic

Russian official: If Iran attacks Israel, we’ll stand with you - Times of Israel

The next Iranian-Israeli engagement in Syria is due in late April, early May

Feb. 12, 2018 - In April or May Iran is planning to move a special Russian-backed Iraqi Shiite force from southern Iraq into Syria to expand its anti-Israel war front.

The Iraqi group is composed of 5,000 Shiite fighters, who are undergoing special training course for combat in Syria.

Source: DEBKAfile

Syria explained: Why other countries poked their noses in a tiny nation’s civil war - The ongoing conflict has already drawn in several other nations, including the United States, Russia and Turkey - USA Today

Israel squares off for showdown with Iran in Syria - On Saturday, Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone of Israel's intention to counter Iran's actions, while Putin urged the Israeli leader to avoid any steps that could escalate tension. - Al Jazeera

Israel to be key player in the next chapter of Syria's war - Jerusalem Post

Israel caused serious harm to Syria’s air defenses, says IAF second-in-command

Feb. 10, 2018 - According to Israeli Air Force Staff Commander Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar. an unmanned Iranian drone invaded Israeli airspace. Israeli jets responded by attacking Syria's air defenses targets. In the process one Israeli jet was shot down.

Bar, the Israeli Air Force’s second-in-command said the response was “the biggest and most significant attack the air force has conducted against Syrian air defenses” since 1982, during the First Lebanon War.

Source: Times of Israel

F-16 crashes due to Syrian fire, pilot in serious but stable condition - Times of Israel

Israeli fighter jet crashes under Syria fire, military says - The IDF... struck targets inside Syria in the latest raids, including three aerial Syrian defence batteries and four Iranian military sites - BBC

Israel's military strikes in Syria, downs Iranian drone - first round of strikes targeted Syrian troops and their Iranian-backed allies, including Hezbollah, in central Syria ... The second round hit outposts in the southwestern suburbs of Damascus, - Fox

Despite missiles and sirens, Israelis not worried about northern threat - Telegraph - UK

Riding high after IS defeat, Iranian axis tries its luck with Israel, US - Times of Israel

Netanyahu: Airstrikes Dealt 'Severe Blows' to Iran, Syria - "We will continue to strike at every attempt to strike at us. This has been our policy and it will remain our policy." - NewsMax

Preparing for war in the north, Israel boosts air defenses - Jerusalem Post

IDF: War with Iran a matter of time - Israel National News

IDF Chief of Staff: War with Gaza likely in 2018

Feb. 2, 2018 - Israeli Defense Force Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot warned that decaying humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, caused by Hamas' mismanagement, may lead to another round of war.

According to Eizenkot, a severe shortage of electricity and food during the cold winter makes it increasingly likely that Hamas will seek an escalation with Israel as a way of distracting the populace from its lack of basic services.

Meanwhile, the Israeli media said that Israel is considering sending direct humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to keep war from breaking out.

Source:Israel National News

Fury in Israel as Poland proposes ban on referring to Nazi death camps as 'Polish'

Jan. 28, 2018 - A controversial bill has been proposed in Poland that would make it illegal to refer to Nazi death camps as "Polish,"

The controversial bill marks a dramatic step by Poland's nationalist government to enforce its official stance that all Poles were heroes during the war. Historians say many Poles collaborated with the Nazis and committed heinous crimes.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Poland was trying to rewrite history.

Source: Telegraph- UK

Poland’s president promises to review Holocaust bill - Hinting at Israeli fear that Holocaust survivors could be prosecuted for testimony, Andrzej Duda says everyone has right to 'personal memories' of war crimes. - Times of Israel

U.S. to convert existing Jerusalem facility into embassy for 2019 opening

Jan. 19, 2018 - Amid conflicting reports of the timetable for the move of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Trump administration announced that it will retrofit existing facilities it has used in Jerusalem for diplomatic functions for nearly 70 years. The emphasis on the new construction will be security.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal quoted US officials on record, who said the State Department plans to reconfigure an existing consular facility that the US has operated out of Arnona in West Jerusalem since 1948.

Source: Jerusalem Post

Analysis: Pence's Middle East trip meant to highlight evangelical roots

July 19,, 2017 - Vice President Mike Pence leaves today for a Middle East visit. He plans to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. .

Pence's office says he is going overseas to "reaffirm our commitment to work with the United States' allies in the region -- to defeat radicalism that threatens future generations."

He plans to reaffirm US commitment to work with our allies in the region to defeat radicalism. Also, According to CBS News' White House and senior foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan, Pence wants to emphasize the importance of evangelical beliefs ar to him and to Trump supporters.

Source: CBN

- DEBKAfile

Trump’s top peace envoy heads to Israel for meeting with Quartet

Jan. 17, 2017 -

Trump’s top peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt, will arrive in the region Wednesday to meet with envoys from the Middle East Quartet to advance an Israeli-Palestinian accord.

The search for peace will continue in the aftermath of President Trump's announcement that the U.S. will move its embassy to Jerusalem, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's threat to withdraw from the process.

Source: Times of Israel

2,700-year-old seal impression cements existence of biblical Jerusalem governor

Jan. 2, 2018 - Last week an extremely rare seal impression was discovered in Jerusalem’s Western Wall plaza. It has the inscription “Belonging to the governor of the city.”

According to site excavator Dr. Shlomit Weksler-Bdolah, “This is the first time that such an impression was found in an authorized excavation. It supports the biblical rendering of the existence of a governor of the city in Jerusalem 2,700 years ago.”

Source: Times of Israel