Joe Biden Will NOT Help Israel

President Trump accomplished a lot for Israel. Can Joe Biden do the same?

Binyamin Rose

November 10, 2020 3:30 pm

JERUSALEM (JTA) — American presidents often vie for the designation as the best friend Israel ever had in the White House. 

That competition sometimes starts early. Joe Biden first brandished his pro-Israel credentials to me at a Christmas party in December 1981 that he and his wife, Jill, threw in their Wilmington, Delaware, home for members of the Delaware press corps.

Biden and I were not strangers. As news director of WDOV Radio in Dover, the state capital, I had interviewed him many times that year, including after Israel’s surprise attack on Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor. Biden, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was disturbed that Prime Minister Menachem Begin acted without giving the U.S. advance warning, but he understood why Begin launched the attack.

That evening in his living room Biden — who knew I was Jewish — thanked me for attending even though it was a Christmas and not a Hanukkah party. Perhaps thinking that I was feeling a bit uncomfortable (I wasn’t), he added: “I want you to know I’m Israel’s best Catholic friend.” 

This is the type of quote a journalist never forgets, especially now that Biden was just elected America’s 46th president.    

While approximately 70% of Jewish-American voters chose Hillary Clinton in 2016, supporters of Israel found much to celebrate during the Trump presidency. Crass as President Donald Trump could be, when it came to Israel, his actions spoke louder than his words.

Now that Biden has been elected, it’s his turn to prove his friendship with deeds, not just words. And he has a tough act to follow.

In Jerusalem, there is much trepidation that a Biden administration will be indistinguishable from what a third term for President Barack Obama would have resembled. 

While most American Jews voted for Obama, he had a tenuous relationship with the pro-Israel community. His Iran nuclear deal alarmed Israelis of all political stripes, who are unified in the view that Iran poses an existential threat to Israel and will gladly cheat on any agreement it signs with Western powers. Obama outraged right-wing Israelis with the cold shoulder he turned to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and exasperated the political left for his failure to exert heavy pressure on Israel to make sacrifices for peace with the Palestinians. 

Biden’s campaign trail announcements have aroused similar anxieties, with plans to reenter the Iran deal and prioritize Israeli-Palestinian peace, which no U.S. president has been able to broker because neither side seems to want it. 

Israelis are enthused over the recent diplomatic breakthroughs with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan. They were hoping Saudi Arabia would be the next domino to topple, but that’s looking remote, especially if Biden chooses to soothe tensions with Iran and reassess the U.S.-Saudi relationship.   

If Biden tries to roll back the clock to the Obama era in the process of repudiating Trump’s “deal of the century,” this may well deter other Arab nations from reaching agreements with Israel, hindering hopes for a broader, regional peace.  

Having said that, Biden and Obama are two different people. Personality matters in politics. The chemistry that two leaders form or fail to form is a critical element in how relations between two nations will progress.

Biden is not the slightest bit aloof or professorial, as Obama was often accused of being. He’s earned the moniker of “Uncle Joe.” The chatty style we saw from him in debates and on the campaign trail — including his gaffes — is vintage Joe Biden. 

And Netanyahu doesn’t need an introduction to the president-elect. The Israeli leader opened Sunday’s Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem by noting his “long and warm personal connection with Joe Biden for nearly 40 years … as a great friend of the State of Israel.”

Obama and Netanyahu never developed such chemistry. I’m not really sure Netanyahu had that with Trump, either. I’ve covered Netanyahu, in Israel and abroad, in meetings with foreign leaders. He has a lot of swagger, but always appeared off-balance in Trump’s presence. Netanyahu may prefer Trump’s peace plan, but Netanyahu’s cautious nature stood in sharp contrast with Trump’s capricious streak.

All of this assumes that Netanyahu has more years ahead of him politically than Biden does. There was much scuttlebutt during the campaign that Biden would be only a one-term president, or that health issues might force him to step down sooner. His debate performance put many of those rumors to rest, but Netanyahu, as he approaches his 12th consecutive year as prime minister, has never stood on shakier ground. 

Netanyahu’s trial in a Jerusalem District Court on breach of trust and fraud charges will be in full swing just as Biden takes the oath of office in January and will be a major distraction. And even before we turn the page on the calendar year, the Knesset faces a Dec. 23 deadline to pass a budget. Failure to do so means new elections. Recent polls showing the right-wing Yamina party led by Naftali Bennett gaining popularity means Israel’s next government could swing sharply to the right, obstructing any plans that Biden has to prioritize the Israeli-Palestinian track.

During his long U.S. Senate career, and as vice president, Biden has dealt with every Israeli prime minister from Golda Meir to Netanyahu and understands Israel’s security concerns as well as any American leader.

Israeli leaders appreciate that about Biden. Congratulating Biden on his election victory, Israel’s former ambassador to the United States, Danny Ayalon, tweeted “I was Israel’s Ambassador to the US when @JoeBiden chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He and his committee director @ABlinken (who will have a big role in the new administration) were always accessible, helpful, and supportive friends of Israel.”

At the same time, in a Zoom conference call with the foreign press in Jerusalem that I joined a week before the election, Ayalon, who was a member of the Israeli delegations to Israeli-Palestinian peace conferences in Sharm el-Sheikh (1997), at the Wye Plantation (1998) and at Camp David (2000), expressed his strong hope that the Biden administration will not drive in reverse in the Middle East now that the Trump peace process policies have been vindicated. 

“Will we get stuck again, and again see daylight between Israel and the U.S.?” Ayalon asked. “Or will Biden realize, in realpolitik terms, that this issue [the Israel-Palestinian track] is not high on the agenda of the region, except for maybe the Palestinians and the Iranians?”

Binyamin Rose

Binyamin Rose is the editor at large of Mishpacha magazine, the dominant media influence on America’s Orthodox Jewish population today. Based in Jerusalem, Binyamin has traveled to 26 countries to interview leading newsmakers and politicians worldwide.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.

Israeli Soldiers Invade Palestinian Farmlands Outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

Israeli Soldiers Invade Palestinian Farmlands In Central Gaza

On Tuesday, Several Israeli tanks and bulldozers invaded Palestinian farmlands east of Deir al-Balah city, in central Gaza, and bulldozed sections close to the perimeter fence.

Media sources said the Israeli tanks, and bulldozers, came from the Kissufim military base, across the fence, southeast of Deir al-Balah, and advanced dozens of meters into the Palestinian lands.

They added that the tanks fired many live rounds and smoke bombs during the invasion, and while bulldozing the lands and installing sandhills. Army surveillance drones were also flying over the area.

The invasion is one of the constant violations against the besieged Gaza Strip, and include attacks targeting workers, farmers, and fishermen.

Hamas Wants Calm, But the Situation outside the Temple Walls Is Volatile: Revelation 11

Hamas Wants Calm, But the Situation in Gaza Is Volatile

A Palestinian police officer stands outside the Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Aug. 11, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ibraheem Abu Mustafa.

JNS.org – Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Gaza just marked two noteworthy dates. The first was the 25th anniversary of the death of Fathi Shkaki, the terrorist group’s leader, who was assassinated in Malta; and the second was marking three years since 10 of the group’s members were killed when Israel demolished a cross-border underground attack tunnel.a

These two dates came and went without incident. Another event, however, which will be commemorated next week, could be different: The first anniversary of the assassination of PIJ leader in Gaza, Baha Abu al-Ata. Despite its promises, PIJ still hasn’t avenged his death.

The organization’s leaders in Damascus are prodding their people in Gaza to fall in line with Hamas and prioritize calm over escalation with Israel. However, this moderate line isn’t accepted by all the group’s members, chief among them al-Ata loyalists. The Israel Defense Forces is preparing for them to possibly take action next week. Although PIJ’s leadership is trying to prevent this from happening — the terrorist who fired the most recent rocket two weeks ago, in contravention of orders, was apprehended and badly beaten — the authority it wields is only partial and cannot keep every terrorist in check or rocket on the ground.

In Israel, of course, officials prefer peace and quiet, but there are those who will view a PIJ attack as a window of opportunity: If recalcitrant operatives on the ground do something, it will be possible to act against the group (even if it means several days of hostilities). It’s also safe to assume that Hamas would want Israel to neutralize, on its behalf, those seeking to undermine stability in Gaza; by not responding to al-Ata’s assassination last year, Hamas showed it doesn’t particularly grieve over the removal of its adversaries from the chessboard, and certainly isn’t willing to risk its own critical interests for them.

November 11, 2020 7:04 am

The situation in Gaza has never been worse (which has been said, correctly, many times), with the coronavirus pandemic thrown into the mix with economic misery. If Gaza survived the first wave of the pandemic in impressive fashion — mainly due to sealing its borders — the current wave is hitting the enclave hard. Although the number of daily COVID-19 tests being conducted is low, the latest figures show a morbidity rate of over 10% and a growing number of patients in serious condition, to the point of testing the capacity of Gaza’s hospitals.

Add to this Gaza’s dire economic troubles, which the pandemic has exacerbated. Thousands of laborers who worked in Israel have been home for months now, and merchants too are forbidden from coming and going. This has meant another spike in unemployment and a significant drop in the purchasing power of Gazans, many of whom are struggling to buy even basic goods.

In Israel, officials are very concerned about this situation. The worry is that in its desperation, Hamas will abandon the path of calm and revert to the path of hostility. Hence Israel is working to advance a series of economic projects in Gaza. The idea is to accelerate employment and manufacturing over financial aid. The person appointed to manage this plan is Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Eshel, but thus far things have moved along slowly, both due to the constraints imposed by the coronavirus and Israel’s insistence on solving the issue of its captive and missing soldiers and civilians as a precondition for any other progress.

One thing that has been resolved, specifically, is the matter of Qatari aid to Gaza. The monthly payment was transferred to Gaza two months in advance this time ($27 million per month, of which $17 million is earmarked for aid and $10 million for purchasing fuel). Israeli officials, however, are working with the authorities in Doha to ensure similar aid for months to come in the hope that it facilitates a long-term calm that will allow the sides to discuss a more solid arrangement.

In Israel, officials don’t think the United Arab Emirates will help with the Gaza matter, at least not right now. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, which the UAE has outlawed, and is a patron of Qatar — which is aligned with the UAE’s main regional foe, Iran.  Until this fight is settled (under the umbrella of the United States), the Emiratis aren’t likely to help Gaza, especially when doing so would come at the expense of the Palestinian Authority, which, despite Abu Dhabi’s unfavorable view of it, is still preferable to the Hamas alternative.

With that, Israeli officials are toying with the idea of the UAE replacing the United Nations’ Gaza-based refugee agency for the Palestinians (UNRWA), to which the US and other countries have frozen funding due to widespread corruption in the organization. The Americans also want the definition of refugee status to be reformed and could help establish an alternative mechanism that will sever Palestinian dependence on international aid and create other avenues to allow Gazans to make a dignified living.

These steps will wait until the US election is firmly decided. Gazans aren’t the only ones following the drama in America: The entire Middle East is holding its breath, particularly Iran. The prevailing belief is that any administration will seek a revised nuclear deal with Iran. The question is what type of deal it is. Israel wants to ensure that beyond just the nuclear issue, the deal also addresses Iran’s military build-up and support for terrorist groups (chief among them Hezbollah in Lebanon and armed groups in Gaza).

Under economic sanctions, Iran has reduced its aid to Hezbollah and PIJ by tens of percent. If they are lifted, this figure will significantly increase, immediately, and the results will be felt on the ground. Hamas too — which for now is only flirting with Iran — could devote itself to Iran in exchange for a permanent and stable source of revenue. For now, Hamas is keeping the radical axis at arm’s length and, as stated, prefers calm and non-escalation. We mustn’t extrapolate from this that Hamas has become a peaceful organization; the recently detected attack tunnel in Gaza indicates that Hamas is continuing to prepare for war and is examining ways to bypass the underground barrier Israel has built around Gaza.

This tunnel is extraordinary for several reasons. It was built far deeper underground than usual, perhaps to test the capabilities of Israel’s border barrier. The barrier — and the technology it incorporates — rose to the challenge admirably, although it’s doubtful Hamas will learn the lesson. It’s more reasonable to assume it will try again, in other sectors and in other ways.

For now, Hamas will try avoiding an escalation. Its directive in this regard is crystal clear, but the situation at ground level is still highly combustible. The anniversary of al-Ata’s death is just one possible ignition switch. Meanwhile, dozens of Hamas inmates contracted COVID-19 amid an outbreak at Gilboa Prison in Israel. In theory, none of these factors are enough to trigger an escalation, but compounded with the pandemic, the economic situation, and the frayed nerves of the terrorist operative on the ground in Gaza, we could soon find ourselves in a new fight with Gaza.

Yoav Limor is a veteran Israeli journalist and columnist for Israel Hayom.

This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.

Israeli Navy Shoots, Injures Two Palestinians outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

Israeli Navy Shoots, Injures Two Palestinians off Gaza Coast

The Israeli Navy shot and injured two Palestinian fishermen, on Saturday, off the northern coast of the besieged Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Information Center reported.

Local fishermen committee said an Israeli navy ship opened fire with rubber-coated steel rounds at the fishing boat, injuring Mohamed al-Sultan, 26, and his 12 year old brother.

The two were sailing off the coast of Beit Lahia in the northern occupied Gaza Strip.

The Jerusalem Press described the wounds as mild, no further details were available.

The Israeli occupation state imposed a land, air, and sea blockade upon the coastal enclave in 2007, causing high rates of unemployment and poverty, resulting in the current humanitarian crisis.

Israeli navy ships regularly harass and open fire at Palestinian fishermen, sailing within the stipulated boundaries.

Israel to build new settlement outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

Israel to build new settlement near Gaza

JERUSALEM

The Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved the construction of a new settlement near the border with the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli Channel 12.

Ahead of the cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the government will approve the building of a new settlement near Gaza.

“This is a great news for Israel, this is great news for the communities in the Gaza border area,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli daily Yediot Ahronoth reported that the new settlement will house around 500 families and it will be named as “Hanun”.

The Israeli government said it will allocate one million NIS ($ 296,000) for the development of the infrastructure in the new settlement, which will be within the area of Israel’s Sdot Negev Regional Council.

There was no comment from the Palestinian authorities on the report.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is regarded as occupied territory under international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there illegal.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.

Hamas wants calm in Gaza, but nations continue to trample outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11 \

Hamas wants calm in Gaza, but situation on the ground is volatile

On their own, several upcoming and ongoing events wouldn’t trigger an escalation, but compounded with the coronavirus, the economic situation and the frayed nerves of the terrorist operative on the ground in Gaza, and we could soon find ourselves in a fight with Gaza.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza this week marked two noteworthy dates. The first, the 25th anniversary of the death of Fathi Shkaki, the terrorist group’s leader who was assassinated in Malta; and the second date, marking three years since 10 of the group’s members were killed when Israel demolished a cross-border underground attack tunnel.

These two dates came and went without incident on the part of the terrorist organization. Another event, however, which will be commemorated next week, could be different: The first anniversary of the assassination of PIJ leader in Gaza, Baha Abu al-Ata. Despite its promises, PIJ still hasn’t avenged his death. Moreover, the organization’s leaders in Damascus are prodding their people in Gaza to fall in line with Hamas, and prioritize calm over escalation with Israel.

This moderate line isn’t accepted by all the group’s members, chief among them al-Ata loyalists. The IDF is preparing for them to possibly take action next week. Although PIJ’s leadership is trying to prevent this from happening – the terrorist who fired the most recent rocket two weeks ago, in contravention of orders, was apprehended and badly beaten – but the authority it wields is only partial and cannot keep every terrorist or rocket on the ground in check.

In Israel, of course, officials prefer the peace and quiet, but there are those will view a PIJ attack as a window of opportunity: If the recalcitrant operatives on the ground do something, it will be possible to act against the group (even if it means several days of hostilities). It’s also safe to assume that Hamas would want Israel to neutralize, on its behalf, those seeking to undermine stability in Gaza; by not responding to al-Ata’s assassination last year, Hamas showed it doesn’t particularly grieve over the removal of its adversaries from the chessboard, and certainly isn’t willing to risk its own critical interests for them.

Manufacturing over aid

The situation in Gaza has never been worse (which has been said many times and is always proven correct). Seemingly, the bottom of the barrel of poverty and despair is especially deep but has now sunk to new depths with the coronavirus thrown into the mix with economic misery. If Gaza survived the first wave of the pandemic in impressive fashion – mainly due to drastic steps of sealing its borders – the current wave is hitting the enclave hard. Although the number of daily tests is low, the latest figures show more than a 10% positivity rate and a growing number of patients in serious condition, to the point of testing the ability of Gaza’s hospitals to function.

Add to this Gaza’s dire economic troubles, which have been exacerbated even further. Thousands of laborers who worked in Israel have been home for months now, and merchants, too, are forbidden from coming and going. This has meant another spike in unemployment and a significant drop in the purchasing power of Gazans, many of whom are struggling to buy even basic goods.

Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu Al-Ata (center) (Reuters/Mohammed Salem)

In Israel, officials are very concerned about this situation. The concern is that in its desperation, Hamas will abandon the path of calm and revert to the path of hostility. Hence Israel is working to advance a series of economic projects in Gaza. The idea is to accelerate employment and manufacturing over financial aid. The person appointed to manage this plan is Defense Ministry Director-General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Eshel, but thus far things have moved along slowly, both due to the constraints imposed by the coronavirus and Israel’s insistence on solving the issue of its captive and missing soldiers and civilians as a precondition for any other progress.

One thing that has been resolved, specifically, is the matter of Qatari aid to Gaza. The monthly payment was transferred to Gaza, two months in advance this time ($27 million per month, of which $17 million is earmarked for aid and $10 million for purchasing fuel). Israeli officials, however, are working with the authorities in Doha to ensure similar aid for months to come in the hope that it facilitates a long-term calm that will allow the sides to discuss a more solid arrangement.

In Israel, officials don’t think the United Arab Emirates will help with the Gaza matter, at least not right now. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, which the UAE has outlawed, and is a patron of Qatar – which is aligned with the UAE’s main regional foe, Iran.  Until this fight is settled (under the umbrella of the United States), the Emiratis aren’t likely to help Gaza, especially when doing so would come at the expense of the Palestinian Authority, which, despite Abu Dhabi’s unfavorable view of it, is still preferable to the Hamas alternative.

With that, Israeli officials are toying with the idea of the UAE replacing the United Nations’ Gaza-based refugee agency for the Palestinians (UNRWA), to which the US and other countries have frozen funding due to widespread corruption in the organization. The Americans also want the definition of refugee status to be reformed and could help establish an alternative mechanism that will sever Palestinian dependence on international aid and create other avenues to allow Gazans to make a dignified living.

Will the flirtation lead to devotion?

These steps will wait until the US election is decided. Gazans aren’t the only ones following the drama in America: The entire Middle East is holding its breath, particularly Iran.

The prevailing belief is that any administration will seek a revised nuclear deal with Iran. The question is the type of deal with it is; Israel wants to ensure that beyond just the nuclear issue, the deal also addresses Iran’s military build-up and support for terrorist groups (chief among them Hezbollah in Lebanon and armed groups in Gaza).

An aerial view of the location of the Hamas tunnel detected two weeks ago (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

Under economic sanctions, Iran has reduced its aid to Hezbollah and PIJ by tens of percent. If they are lifted, this figure will significantly increase, immediately, and the results will be felt on the ground. Hamas, too – which for now is only flirting with Iran – could devote itself to Iran for a permanent and stable source of revenue. For now, Hamas is keeping the radical-axis at arm’s length and, as stated, prefers calm and non-escalation. We mustn’t extrapolate from this that Hamas has become a peaceful organization: The recently detected attack tunnel in Gaza indicates that Hamas is continuing to prepare for war and is examining ways to bypass the underground barrier Israel has built around Gaza.

This tunnel is extraordinary for several reasons. It was built far deeper underground than usual, perhaps to infiltrate Israel underneath the barrier, and maybe to test the barrier’s capabilities. The barrier – and the technology it incorporates – rose to the challenge admirably, although it’s doubtful Hamas will learn the lesson. It’s more reasonable to assume it will try again, in other sectors and in other ways.

For now, Hamas will try avoiding an escalation. Its directive in this regard is crystal clear, but the ground level is still highly combustible. The anniversary of al-Ata’s death is one possible ignition switch; while the continued hunger strike of Maher Akhras – a PIJ activist from the West Bank being held under administrative detention – is also a matter of concern for the terrorist organization. Meanwhile, dozens of Hamas inmates contracted the coronavirus after an outbreak at Gilboa Prison in Israel. In theory, none of these factors are enough to trigger an escalation but compounded with the coronavirus, the economic situation and the frayed nerves of the terrorist operative on the ground in Gaza – we could soon find ourselves in a fight with Gaza for a few days.

Israel cleanses the nations outside the temple walls: Revelation 11

PCHR: “Wide-Scale Demolition Amounting to Ethnic Cleansing, Israeli Occupation Demolishes 70 Facilities in the Northern Valley Displacing 60 Palestinians”

The Palestinian Center For Human Rights (PCHR): On Tuesday evening, 03 November 2020, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carried out a large-scale demolition operation against civilian properties in Hemsa al-Foqa area in the northern Jordan valleys, eastern Tubas. Seventy homes and facilities were demolished, displacing 60 Palestinians (mostly children), in the 6-hour operation.

The demolitions were preceded by the confiscation of 16 vehicles and 5 water tanks in a nearby area in the valleys. Yesterday’s operation comes within an accelerated cam

paign by IOF to demolish and destroy Palestinians’ homes and properties in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, under the Israeli annexation and settlement-expansion schemes in what can only be considered an act of ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Palestinian population.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 12:00 on Tuesday IOF, accompanied by Israeli Civil Administration SUVs and construction vehicles, moved into Kherbet Hemsa al-Foqa in the northern Jordan valleys, eastern Tubas.

The construction vehicles proceeded to demolish 70 civilian properties, including barracks and residential tents that sheltered 11 families (total 60 persons, mostly children). IOF demolished 11 residential tents, 27 barracks, some used for housing, and several barns, as well as, kitchens, mobile-lavatories, water tanks and other properties. IOF also confiscated two tractors and a private Subaru car.

Earlier on Tuesday, IOF moved into Khirbet Ibziq in northern Jordan valleys, eastern Tubas. The Israeli soldiers raided civilians’ houses and confiscated the following items: 9 tractors, 5 water tanks, 5 carts and 2 private vehicles. IOF aims at vacating the area and expelling its indigenous residents.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemns the Israeli demolitions and confiscation of Palestinian properties and warns against the threat of the continued Israeli attempts to displace Palestinians and out them from their lands by destroying their houses and confiscating/demolishing their properties. This is an Israeli systematic policy to impose a fait accompli to enforce its control and sovereignty on parts of the West Bank.

PCHR recalls that Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 prohibits “Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons ..” unless “the security of the population or imperative military reasons so demand.” Additionally, Article 7.1.d of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court stipulates that “Deportation or forcible transfer of population when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population is a crime against humanity.” Also, Article 6, 7, and 8 of the Rome Statute assert that “Deportation or forcible transfer of population” is a war crime.

PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations bodies to uphold their legal and moral duties and to urgently intervene to stop the Israeli occupation’s crime against Palestinians and to guarantee their protection.

For more information, please call the PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12, El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org

Israel Displaces More Palestinians Outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

PCHR: “Wide-Scale Demolition Amounting to Ethnic Cleansing, Israeli Occupation Demolishes 70 Facilities in the Northern Valley Displacing 60 Palestinians”

The Palestinian Center For Human Rights (PCHR): On Tuesday evening, 03 November 2020, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) carried out a large-scale demolition operation against civilian properties in Hemsa al-Foqa area in the northern Jordan valleys, eastern Tubas. Seventy homes and facilities were demolished, displacing 60 Palestinians (mostly children), in the 6-hour operation.

The demolitions were preceded by the confiscation of 16 vehicles and 5 water tanks in a nearby area in the valleys. Yesterday’s operation comes within an accelerated campaign by IOF to demolish and destroy Palestinians’ homes and properties in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, under the Israeli annexation and settlement-expansion schemes in what can only be considered an act of ethnic cleansing against the indigenous Palestinian population.

According to PCHR’s investigations, at approximately 12:00 on Tuesday IOF, accompanied by Israeli Civil Administration SUVs and construction vehicles, moved into Kherbet Hemsa al-Foqa in the northern Jordan valleys, eastern Tubas.

The construction vehicles proceeded to demolish 70 civilian properties, including barracks and residential tents that sheltered 11 families (total 60 persons, mostly children). IOF demolished 11 residential tents, 27 barracks, some used for housing, and several barns, as well as, kitchens, mobile-lavatories, water tanks and other properties. IOF also confiscated two tractors and a private Subaru car.

Earlier on Tuesday, IOF moved into Khirbet Ibziq in northern Jordan valleys, eastern Tubas. The Israeli soldiers raided civilians’ houses and confiscated the following items: 9 tractors, 5 water tanks, 5 carts and 2 private vehicles. IOF aims at vacating the area and expelling its indigenous residents.

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemns the Israeli demolitions and confiscation of Palestinian properties and warns against the threat of the continued Israeli attempts to displace Palestinians and out them from their lands by destroying their houses and confiscating/demolishing their properties. This is an Israeli systematic policy to impose a fait accompli to enforce its control and sovereignty on parts of the West Bank.

PCHR recalls that Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 prohibits “Individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons ..” unless “the security of the population or imperative military reasons so demand.” Additionally, Article 7.1.d of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court stipulates that “Deportation or forcible transfer of population when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population is a crime against humanity.” Also, Article 6, 7, and 8 of the Rome Statute assert that “Deportation or forcible transfer of population” is a war crime.

PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations bodies to uphold their legal and moral duties and to urgently intervene to stop the Israeli occupation’s crime against Palestinians and to guarantee their protection.

For more information, please call the PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

Gaza- Jamal ‘Abdel Nasser “al-Thalathini” Street – Al-Roya Building- Floor 12, El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org

Fighter: Violent Escalation Outside the Temple Walls Inevitable: Revelation 11

Fighter: Violent Escalation With Israel Inevitable

November 3, 2020

[Gaza — The Media Line] There is growing tension and concern of a new escalation of violence between Hamas in Gaza and Israel after the deadline given by Hamas two months ago requiring Israel to fulfill Palestinian demands as part of a truce passed on Sunday.

In late August, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators succeeded in reaching a conditional truce agreement between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, ending a round of violence that began in early August in protest of harsh conditions on Gaza.

As part of the understandings, Hamas agreed to suspend its border attacks in exchange for Israel allowing an increase in financial support to the Strip provided by Qatar in the form of humanitarian aid, in addition to implementing projects aimed at reducing the unemployment rate and solving the problem of frequent power cuts.

Hamas has accused Israel of neglecting most of the Palestinian demands and has threatened to robustly respond if it continues.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, said in a statement on Wednesday that “the occupation insists on maintaining the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, isolating Palestinian people in the West Bank, continuing the Judaization of Jerusalem, and building settlements.”

Al-Hayya confirmed that his movement “will no longer endure the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip,” signaling the possibility of a further escalation in violence.

A similar concern has been reported in Israeli media, including a report in the daily Haaretz, which quoted defense officials as being concerned about a “possible escalation in tensions with the Gaza Strip in the near future, perhaps even as early as the US presidential election on Tuesday.”

The Haaretz report noted that “Hamas is also frustrated at the slow pace of Israel’s implementation of steps it had agreed to in understandings achieved through Egyptian mediation. According to these understandings, Israel was to have lifted restrictions holding up Gaza infrastructure projects.”

“So far, Israel has not eased these restrictions,” Haaretz reported.

“Again, the Israeli occupation is trying to retract from all commitments aiming at mitigating the catastrophic conditions of the Strip especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with the huge numbers of infected cases and the collapse of the [Gaza] health system.”

Nael Abuowdeh, Gaza-based head of the political bureau of the Almujahideen Palestinian movement, told The Media Line that “again, the Israeli occupation is trying to retract from all commitments aiming at mitigating the catastrophic conditions of the Strip especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic and with the huge numbers of infected cases and the collapse of the [Gaza] health system.”

Abuowdeh continued: “Given such procrastination, the public resistance sent several messages, 20 days ago, by launching waves of incendiary balloons toward the border areas to tell the occupation that we will not accept further prevarication nor imposing a new equation.”

“We are waiting for the green light from the higher leadership that if Israel continues to ignore our demands, violent escalation will be inevitable. All units will be on full alert and we will start firing incendiary balloons toward the border areas of the enclave.”

Abu Malek, the spokesperson of Ahfad Al-Nasser, the incendiary balloons unit in Gaza, told The Media Line that “we are in the process of preparing for the next stage.”

He added: “We are waiting for the green light from the higher leadership that if Israel continues to ignore our demands, violent escalation will be inevitable. All units will be on full alert and we will start firing incendiary balloons toward the border areas of the enclave.”

With the challenge of the coming winter’s rainy weather, Abu Malek said that the unit will use new firing methods, such as an explosive charge that has the effect of a rocket.

Abuowdeh suggested that there will be a dramatic and gradual escalation of public resistance activities beginning with launching balloons and up to a “military confrontation with the Israeli occupation.”

Most of the current indications support that theory; however, some observers are more optimistic.

“Everyone, including Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, is waiting for the results of the US presidential election.”

Mkhaimar Abusada, associate professor of political sciences at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, believes that none of the parties is concerned about an escalation, for several reasons.

“First of all, everyone, including Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, is waiting for the results of the US presidential election … and none is concerned with provoking tension until things get sorted out,” Abusada told The Media Line.

He continued: “Israel has fulfilled some of the demands regarding providing facilitation over the past two months. It allowed fishermen to work within 15 nautical miles, and the Kerem Shalom crossing border remained open, allowing the entrance of more goods.”

For Abusada, lifting the Israeli blockade and fulfilling Palestinian demands is closely tied to achieving progress in a prisoner swap deal between the two sides, which is unlikely to happen now.

Hamas has held two Israeli civilians in Gaza for five years, and is also believed to be holding the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed during the 2014 Gaza war.

“There is a strong pressure by the right and by the soldiers’ families on [Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu to halt any facilitation for Hamas in order to reach a swap deal. However, the process is taking place at a very slow pace,” Abusada said.

Jets Scramble Outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

An Israeli Air Force F-35 fighter jet in the Negev desert, December 29, 2016. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Jets Scrambled as Gaza Drone Crosses Border

By Hamodia StaffMonday, November 2, 2020 at 3:55 pm | ט”ו חשון תשפ”א

YERUSHALAYIM –

Israeli fighter jets were scrambled after a small drone was detected apparently crossing the border from Gaza on Monday.

The craft was sighted crashing in the Eshkol region. IDF sources have not said how the drone was brought down.

“During additional searches of the ground in the area, a drone was located a short time ago. It is being checked if this is the drone that is suspected of having crossed into Israeli territory,” the military said.

Violent Clash Outside the Temple Walls Imminent, Israeli Officials Worry: Rev 11

Violent Clash With Gaza May Be Imminent

Officials suspect Islamic Jihad wants to strike on anniversary of leader’s targeted killing, while Hamas is frustrated by the actions of Qatar and Israel

Amos HarelPublished on 01.11.2020

Defense officials are concerned about a possible escalation in tensions with the Gaza Strip in the near future, perhaps even as early as the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, they told the security cabinet on Wednesday.

The officials suggested one of the main factors behind their concerns centered on a group within the military wing of Islamic Jihad. They felt that these activists apparently want to mark the anniversary of the death of Islamic Jihad leader, Baha Abu al-Ata – who was killed by Israel in a targeted assassination last November 12 with a retaliatory attack. The killing of Abu al-Ata, which the army called “Operation Black Belt,” sparked two days of clashes with Islamic Jihad, during which time the militants fired 500 rockets at Gaza border communities.

Tunnels Under the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

Israel’s Underground Sensory Concrete Barrier Exposes Tunnel for First Time

by Seth Frantzman

Defense News

October 30, 2020

Route of the tunnel intercepted by the IDF on October 20. (IDF)

JERUSALEM — Israel located and exposed a tunnel being built from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory on Oct. 20 in the first detection by the Israel Defense Forces’ Sensory Concrete Barrier that is based along the border.

“The discovery of the tunnel last week is a huge achievement for the state of Israel and the Army,” said Maj. Amir, whose last name was withheld for security reasons. “It was very impressive and professional, and we managed to stop the enemy from advancing.”

The tunnel was located in Israel, across from the Palestinian city of Khan Yunis. While the tunnel did penetrate Israel’s border, it did not cross the Sensory Concrete Barrier and there was no threat to nearby Israeli communities, the IDF said.

“The Sensory Concrete Barrier, which was built over the last years and will be completed soon, provided the necessary indication for IDF engineering forces to locate the offensive terror tunnel,” according to the IDF.

The Israeli government reported that it will gather information about the tunnel through a technical evaluation, but it has not released many details about how the tunnel was constructed. Decisions about how to neutralize or destroy it have not been released.

Gaza has been festooned with tunnels for years, some of which were used for smuggling from Egypt and others to carry out attacks inside Israel. The Israeli government holds the militant group Hamas responsible for activity in Gaza.

The tunnel threat peaked during the 2014 Israel-Hamas war when 32 tunnels, of which 14 penetrated Israeli territory, were discovered. Israel began work on an anti-tunnel barrier in the wake of the conflict, and the U.S. has supported Israel’s efforts with up to $120 million since 2016.

Israel has used a combination of new technologies as well as intelligence and surveillance methods to identify and destroy up to 20 tunnels since 2014. Israel also constructed a multilayer barrier around its territory, with its third section launched in February 2019. The underground portion, estimated at $833 million in 2018, was reported to reach “dozens of meters” into the ground, although today Israel does not release specifics about the final version of the underground barrier. The underground barrier, estimated to be fully complete in March 2021, will stretch about 40 miles around the strip.

Amir, who commands an engineering unit in Israel’s southern region where the Gaza Strip is located, compared the struggle against the tunnel threat to a chess game. His unit is responsible for the developing solutions to the threat and “locating and adapting technological means” to manage operations in the field. He told Defense News that the protective barrier worked quickly and accurately. In this chess game comparison, Hamas is always trying to find ways around Israel’s multiple layers of security, which include electro-optical sensors, UAVs and a maritime barrier.

Amir has experience against the tunnel threat going back to the 2014 war and said he has witnessed Israeli’s technological advances. However, most of the specifics of these advances, such as which sensors are on the barrier or how they operate, are a closely guarded secret.

The IDF officer said his team is pleased about its achievement. “Our forces and engineering forces are very confident in their capabilities, and any operational success entails great excitement that we were able to thwart something very big and keep the residents safe,” he said.

However, he added, Hamas will likely adapt and try other methods. “History speaks for itself. The enemy will always try to change himself and invest greater efforts and think of other ways. Of course the technology and the obstacle [of the barrier] are a very big challenge, and of course the barrier lowers the risk considerably.”

Israel’s experience with the barrier can help address other threats and potentially on other frontiers, the officer said. Each area near Israel’s border is unique, and the country has put in place sensors and technology combined with intelligence-gathering methods to provide a complete picture around the Gaza Strip. Amir said after the barrier is completed in March, the IDF will concentrate on the next step: preparing for new threats yet to come.

Already Israel has faced a threat of incendiary balloons following the country’s success over the last decade in using the Iron Dome air defense system to shoot down thousands of Hamas-launched rockets. Israel has used lasers against the balloons in some instances.

Seth Frantzman is a Ginsburg-Milstein Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum and senior Middle East correspondent at The Jerusalem Post.

Israel Prepares For War Outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

Israel Prepares For War On Multiple Fronts

On Thursday, Israel’s military completed a massive military exercise known as Lethal Arrow. The drill began on Sunday and simulated war on multiple fronts, in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and countries far from Israel’s borders.

An IDF spokesperson said the drill simulated a war against Hezbollah in Lebanon to the north and battle with other groups in Syria, Gaza, and “in countries that don’t border” Israel. The drill involved ground forces, fighter jets, and Israel’s Navy.

“We are preparing for a significant attack from the north and at the same time we can’t be surprised by attacks from the east from various ranges,” a senior IDF official said. “We are at war with an enemy with an arsenal of thousands of rockets and we are taking into account that there would be attacks from the east as well.”

Tensions have been high between Israel and Hezbollah since an Israeli airstrike in Syria killed a member of the Shia group. Israel regularly bombs Syria, although they rarely admit it. Israeli officials usually make vague statements about the strikes, and Israeli media paint whatever targets get hit as “Iranian.”

In August, Israel carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah observation posts inside Lebanon near the border after reports of shots being fired towards Israeli troops. Israel also frequently bombs Gaza in response to rocket fire or incendiary kites being sent from the besieged enclave.

Palestine Makes Threats Outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

 

‘Statehood now or face anarchy, violence and instability,’ Palestinians warn

“The option of ‘I’m taking my enemies down with me’ remains a Palestinian option,” states editorial in official PA daily.

Claiming that the United States and Israel are planning to “redesign” the Middle East via “normalization” and the US peace plan, the Palestinian Authority is threatening “anarchy, violence and instability.”

According to a report by Israeli NGO Palestinian Media Watch, an Oct. 13 editorial in the Ramallah-run Al-Hayat Al-Jadida daily, the PA lashed out at the Arab states that have recently signed peace agreements with Israel, stating that “a fire [will burn] generation after generation” unless the PA gets “Palestine.”

“Let the American administration and those doing its bidding not be deluded that it is possible to erase the strong Palestinian number from the equation of the conflict, whether by alternatives (!!) [parentheses in source] or by other means,” states the editorial.

“This is because the option of ‘I’m taking my enemies down with me’ remains a Palestinian option regarding which there is no disagreement, if the battle becomes a battle of life or death. The meaning of ‘I’m taking my enemies down with me’ will only be as follows: Either peace for everyone, or anarchy, violence, and instability.”

The PA defines “Palestine” as including all of the State of Israel – regardless of their claims to the international community that they are only interested in the West Bank and Jerusalem, according to Palestinian Media Watch.

The Palestinian Authority, as well as Hamas – the terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip, has strongly rejected the recent rapprochement between the Arab world and the Jewish state, which has seen the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan recognize Israel and seek full ties with in.

Fatah and Hamas both have decried the move as a “betrayal” of the Palestinian cause.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

The War Escalates Outside the Temple Walls: Revelation 11

With massive exercise in north, IDF prepares for war on multiple fronts

Lethal Arrow drill simulates fighting in Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and elsewhere against Iranian proxies and Palestinian terror groups

By Judah Ari Gross 29 Oct 2020, 6:01 pm

The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday completed its premier exercise of the year, a large-scale simulation of war in the north against Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies, and of a smaller conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Dubbed Lethal Arrow, the drill was meant to improve the military’s offensive capability, specifically the number of targets it is able to strike each day, according to senior IDF officers.

The exercise, which began Sunday, was the IDF’s largest of 2020, with both regular conscripted units and reservists taking part, though its size was scaled back significantly due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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“This exercise is a special exercise for three main reasons: one, we set for ourselves a goal of improving our attack capability; two, this is an exercise that draws a line from the level of the battalion all the way up to the General Staff, with all the coordination and cooperation [up the chain of command] and cooperation between the different branches [of the military]; and three, this exercise has a number of new elements that we are assimilating [into the military],” IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi said Thursday in a conversation with senior officers participating in the exercise.

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi, center, speaks with officers during a large-scale exercise Lethal Arrow simulating war in the north on October 29, 2020. (Israel Defense Forces)

IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman told reporters the drill simulated a worst-case scenario: a war against Hezbollah and related forces in Lebanon and Syria, terror groups in Gaza, and Iranian proxies “in countries that don’t border us” (he refused to specify which).

This included massive artillery bombardments on Israel — in the form of both simple rockets and advanced precision-guided missiles — as well as cruise missile attacks, Zilberman said.

Brig. Gen. Saar Tzur, the head of the 162nd Armored Division, which participated in the drill, said the military also simulated cases of Hezbollah seizing Israeli territory in cross-border raids. This was based on the Iran-backed terror group’s reported plans to capture border towns in the Galilee at the start of a future conflict.

“Our job was to limit them,” Tzur said.

According to Zilberman, the exercise was also a test of newly updated war plans for the IDF Northern Command, which were approved some two weeks ago. The border with Lebanon has been tense in recent months, following as-yet unfulfilled threats of retaliation by the Hezbollah, after one of the terror group’s fighters was killed in Syria in an airstrike attributed to Israel in July.

“We are prepared — after this exercise, we are even better prepared — and we are ready for any development, from a day of fighting to more than that,” Kohavi said.

“Lethal Arrow,” or Hetz Katlani in Hebrew, included the military’s first use of its so-called “Red Unit,” which was created earlier this year to act as enemy forces for exercises. The 99th Division, a multidisciplinary unit that was formed two months ago, also took part in the exercise for the first time, along with its Commando Brigade and the so-called “Ghost Unit,” which was created this year to test out new fighting styles, techniques and equipment, the military said.

The exercise was also one of the first to rely on the IDF’s Target Task Force, which was formed last year. “It was created a year ago and it is producing thousands of targets. And those thousands of targets are meant to be translated — when called upon — into accurate strikes at a level that as far as we know is historically unprecedented,” Kohavi said Thursday.

Most of the ground maneuvers in the exercise were carried out by the 162nd Armored Division, which includes the Nahal and Givati infantry brigades and the 401st Armored Brigade. The Israeli Air Force also participated in the exercise, including the F-35 stealth fighter jet, which carried out both offensive and defensive missions, according to Brig. Gen. Amir Lazar, head of the air force’s Air Division, which is responsible for exercises.

Tzur said his troops focused on rapidly identifying and destroying enemy targets.

“The goal I set for us was 100 targets a day. In some cases, we surpassed that,” he said, noting that those were in addition to the sites hit by the air force.

Lazar told reporters that in addition to practicing airstrikes on targets both near the border and far behind enemy lines, the air force also simulated extensive attacks on the home front.

“We see the northern arena as a serious challenge to the defense of the nation’s skies, both from cruise missiles and from drones of different types,” he said.

Hezbollah is believed to control an arsenal of some 130,000 rockets and mortar shells, most of them simple, so-called “statistic” munitions, but also a small but growing number of precision-guided missiles, which present a far greater threat to Israel.

Lazar said the F-35 was also used in some of these defensive operations and represented a “leap forward in the abilities of the State of Israel and the IDF.”

The air force also practiced working closely with ground forces, providing support to infantry and armored units, the military said.

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The Israeli Navy also participated “significantly” in the drill, the IDF said.

“The [navy] forces simulated defending the economic waters of the State of Israel, its strategic resources at sea, and offensive and intelligence-gathering capabilities against the enemy,” the military said, referring to natural gas platforms off the coast, which have been defined by the government as strategic national sites.

Though the drill included actual ground, air and sea maneuvers, with thousands of soldiers taking part, Lethal Arrow was predominantly a so-called “headquarters” exercise, focusing less on the ability of field movements and more on developing the communication skills and work flows in the command centers overseeing the conflict.

An IDF soldier from a technology unit takes part in a large-scale exercise Lethal Arrow simulating war in the north in October 2020. (Israel Defense Forces)

In addition, noncombat logistics, cyber defense and telecommunications units simulated their role in a future war, Zilberman said, adding that Lethal Arrow was effectively “exercises inside of exercises inside of exercises.”

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the exercise was far smaller than originally planned, though IDF chief Kohavi insisted that it be held.

“We limited use of conscripts and reservists as much as we could without sacrificing the exercise,” Zilberman said.

The spokesman said the military had yet to find any cases of infections tied to the exercise, but was monitoring the situation.