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

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

Netanyahu Talking Iran, Israeli ‘Freedom of Action’ in Syria with World Leaders

Israel and Russia are taking Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin. Illustrative. Photo courtesy of the office of the President of Russia.

Just days after a discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be leaving on Monday for Europe to meet with the leaders of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. On the docket for all these conversations: Iran, including Iranian forces in Syria.

“While I will discuss with [the European leaders] developments in the region, the emphasis will be on Iran, first of all on continuing to block Iran’s nuclear program,” said Netanyahu on Sunday in comments released by his office. Secondarily, the Israeli leader said he would discuss “the blocking of Iran’s plans for expansion and aggression throughout the Middle East, especially in Syria.”

To that end, Israel has reportedly struck multiple Iranian targets in Syria, in addition to a variety of reported strikes to prevent the transfer of advanced weaponry to Hezbollah terrorists. Netanyahu highlighted that Israel will continue to operate militarily in Syria. Said the Israeli Prime Minister, “I will also insist on a basic principle: Israel retains—and will continue to retain—freedom of action against the establishment of an Iranian military presence anywhere in Syria.” … Continue Reading

Iranian Foreign Minister Filmed Saying ‘Death to America’ and Britain

Iran’s top diplomat chants “Death to America”. American flag. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Iran’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, has been filmed joining in with a crowd chanting, “Death to America” and “Death to Britain.” The video, which was originally published by the Young Journalists Club news group in Iran but does not indicate the date of the event, also shows the crowd chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to Muslims who do not support us!”

The clip with English subtitles was posted to Twitter last week by Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Ofir Gendelman. In the tweet, Gendelman noted, “Here is Iran’s ‘moderate’ Foreign Minister @JZarif CAUGHT chanting ‘Death to America, death to Britain.’ Iran calls daily to annihilate other countries and sponsors terrorism worldwide. As Iran’s nuclear archives proved, it worked on developing nukes. Don’t let Iran do that.”

Zarif has repeatedly opposed the United States for backing out of the international nuclear deal between Iran and the major world powers, so his anti-American sentiments are already known. The British, however, were also a recipient of a Zarif “death” chant, and they remain a partner to the Iran nuclear deal. … Continue Reading

Inciting Palestinians Bring War Crimes Charges against Israel at Int’l Court

Peaceful Palestinians? Illustrative Palestinian banner of gunmen and Dome of the Rock. By Joshua Spurlock

The Palestinians officially submitted a request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday alleging war crimes charges against Israel, even as their own people continue incitement and acts of terror against Israel. Ofir Gendelman, spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, noted this dichotomy in a series of Twitter posts responding to the ICC submission.

“It is absurd that the Palestinian actions vis-à-vis the Court come at a time when the Palestinians continue to incite to acts of terrorism, while exploiting women and children as human shields for violent attacks against the security of Israel’s citizens,” tweeted Gendelman. In a separate post he noted the Palestinians “continue to exploit the Court for political purposes, rather than work towards resuming the peace process with Israel.”

As an example of that ongoing incitement, Gendelman later posted an photo of Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas published by Abbas’ office showing him reading a newspaper with a vicious cartoon on the back depicting an Israeli soldier feeding poison to a Palestinian baby.

Commenting on the image, Gendelman tweeted, “Zoom in on the racist cartoon on the backpage of the PA’s OFFICIAL paper, reminiscent of Nazi cartoons. The ‘moderate’ leader made sure that anti-Semitism is alive & well in the PA.” … Continue Reading