Israel Targets Terror Kite Leader’s Vehicle in Response to Arson Attacks

Israeli aircraft fight back against terror from above. Illustrative image of F-35. Image courtesy of the Department of Defense website. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

The IDF is taking the fight to the terrorists who are aiming to unleash wildfires and explosives on Israeli territory using balloons and kites. Over the weekend, Israeli aircraft “targeted the vehicle of one of the leaders of the squads that launched arson and explosive balloons and kites from the northern Gaza Strip,” according to a Twitter post on Sunday morning from the IDF Spokesperson, representing an escalation in Israel’s response to the threat to their civilians.

“Recently, the IDF has warned numerous times against these launches. These are acts of terror that endanger Israeli residents living in southern Israel,” the IDF Spokesperson said as part of a series of Twitter posts. “The IDF is determined to continue to act with increasing intensity against these acts of terror. The Hamas terror organization is responsible for everything happening in and from the Gaza Strip, and it will bear the consequences.”

The kite and balloon-driven terrorism had continued over weekend, with Israeli Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld tweeting, “Policeman & firefighters responded to fires around Gaza Strip area after balloons & kites sent by terrorists landed in Israel’s open areas.” This followed a Rosenfeld post on Friday of a video showing Israeli bomb disposal units safely detonating an explosive device carried by balloon from Gaza on an Israeli highway. … Continue Reading

Israel, Putin Agree to ‘Counter Terrorism’ after Hezbollah Refuses Russian Call to Exit Syria

Will PM Netanyahu & Russian Pres. Putin work together to fight Hezbollah? Illustrative photo, courtesy of Amos Ben-Gershom (Israel GPO)

Russia vaguely but ominously stated their willingness to join Israel in opposing “international terrorism” last week, one day after news broke that Hezbollah had rebuffed a Russian call for the terrorist group to leave Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “expressed readiness to boost the coordination of their actions with regard to Syria, including in countering international terrorism” during a call together on Friday, according to a statement posted to the Russian Presidency’s website.

While Hezbollah was not mentioned by name, the “terrorism” reference was an unusual inclusion in the brief press release, as it did not appear in numerous Russian press summaries of Putin-Netanyahu calls throughout 2018. It also comes as the Hezbollah and Russia relationship is getting rocky, despite both being allies of the Syrian regime in that nation’s civil war.

Israel Hayom reported that Hezbollah was still in Syria as of last Thursday—according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights group—despite a Russian request for the Lebanese terrorists to leave Syria per a Russia-Israel agreement. The report specifically noted the Russians and Hezbollah had not battled each other yet—which would be a dramatic development—and raises questions about how far Russia is willing to go to keep it’s Syrian plan. Israel has already made it clear how far they will go. … Continue Reading

Austria Will Keep Reminding Middle East and Europe ‘Israel Is Here to Stay’

PM Netanyahu & Austrian Chancellor Kurz. Photo courtesy of Haim Zach (GPO).

According to this world leader, Israel’s security is a moral obligation and has promised to keep telling the Middle East and Europe that “Israel is here to stay.” Those words weren’t posted to Twitter by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but on the account of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

“It is our duty & obligation to ensure that the #Shoah will never happen again, to fight all forms of anti-Semitism w determination and to ensure that we will never forget these horrible crimes,” tweeted Kurz, referencing the Hebrew word for the Holocaust in a series of posts following a speech given to the American Jewish Committee in Jerusalem on Monday.

“As Austrians we will support #Israel whenever it is threatened. It‘s our moral obligation, our ‚Staatsräson‘, to be committed to the security of Israel which is not negotiable to us,” tweeted Kurz.

The strong, pro-Israel statements came the same day Kurz expressed similar sentiments to Netanyahu—and he’s bringing that attitude to the European Union presidency when his nation takes the mantle on July 1. … Continue Reading

Southern Israel Town Responds to Kite Terror with ‘Colorful Kite Festival’

Even Sderot bomb shelters are decorated for children. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Terrorists in Gaza have launched a new terror campaign against Israel as part of the regular riots near the fence between Gaza and Israel—kites lit on fire flown over the border intended to start wildfires. In response, one of the Israeli towns near Gaza—Sderot—has their own kite plan: a kite-making festival with a message of peace.

The town is hosting on Monday the workshop for children in the area that will allow each kid to make their own kites with a personal message in them. Afterwards, the children “will fly their kites replete with positive messages, in a kind of therapeutic activity,” said a press release from the Sderot Municipality Spokesperson.

Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi said in the press release, “As opposed to our neighbors from the Gaza Strip who have turned the wonderful hobby of flying kites into an act of terrorism, with terrible damage to agriculture, the children of Sderot and the surrounding communities are returning the kite to its source… Ours are kites of life, not death.” … Continue Reading

Israel Makes ‘Unprecedented Offer’ to Iranians, Agrees with Europe ‘Iran Needs to Leave Syria’

Prime Minister Netanyahu makes “unprecedented offer” to Iran. Illustrative image of Netanyahu. Photo courtesy of Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won part of the crucial fight with Iran in Syria last week by securing European support for an international agreement that, as he put it, “Iran needs to leave Syria, from all of Syria.” Meanwhile, the same day Netanyahu told his cabinet of the agreement on Iran in Syria, the Israeli leader also made an “unprecedented offer to Iran” by announcing a Farsi website that will literally give away plans to help Iranians solve their water crisis.

“The Iranian people are victims of a cruel and tyrannical regime that denies them vital water. Israel stands with the people of Iran. And that is why I want to help save countless Iranian lives,” said Netanyahu in a video published to Youtube. “…Israel has the knowhow to prevent environmental catastrophe in Iran.”

Just because Israel wants to help the Iranian people doesn’t mean they want to ignore malice from the Iranian regime. To that end, Netanyahu met last week with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May, focusing “first and foremost on Iran’s efforts to establish a military presence in Syria,” Netanyahu told his cabinet according to comments released by his office. Netanyahu said that the “goal of the trip” was “to a large extent, achieved.” … Continue Reading

Iranian Leader Calls Israel ‘Cancer’ on Twitter; Netanyahu Warns Germany that Iran Wants Religious War in Syria

Netanyahu and Merkel. Photo courtesy of Haim Zach / GPO

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while visiting the country where the original Holocaust was first devised found some common ground with the host nation of Germany—opposing the current proponent of a new Holocaust, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

On Sunday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei posted in English to Twitter, “Our stance against Israel is the same stance we have always taken. #Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated: it is possible and it will happen.” The shocking tweet included the hashtag “#GreatReturnMarch”, referencing the weekly Gaza riots near Israel’s border fence.

Speaking with Israeli ally and opponent of anti-Semitism German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Netanyahu alluded to the Holocaust in his condemnation of Khamenei’s comments. “This is amazing that in the beginning of the 21st century, somebody talks about destroying Israel. It means destroying another six million plus Jews,” said Netanyahu in comments with Merkel released by his office. “It’s quite extraordinary that this goes on, but this is what we face.”

It’s not only Israel that faces the Iranian threat. Netanyahu warned that Iran’s grander designs in Syria include an inter-Islam religious war between Shiites and Sunnis that would lead to an even greater refugee crisis for Europe. … Continue Reading