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

June 17, 2018 Peace and Conflict

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

June 10, 2018 Peace and Conflict

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

Gaza Rocket Attacks Resume after UN Fails to Condemn Hamas

June 3, 2018 Peace and Conflict

Explosives can kill. Spent Palestinian rocket. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Gaza terrorists again launched rockets at Israel this weekend—shaking a fragile ceasefire that had been established between the sides—just one day after the United Nations Security Council failed twice on Friday to condemn Hamas actions in Gaza. An initial resolution on the recent Gaza border riots vetoed by the United States made “no mention of Hamas. None at all,” noted US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley in comments released by her office. Said Haley, “Instead, the resolution places all the blame on Israel… It is resolutions like this one that undermine the UN’s credibility in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

The resolution, according to the UN News website, was brought by Kuwait and called for the powerful Security Council to contemplate steps to “guarantee the safety and protection” of Palestinians, including a report on a potential “international protection mechanism” from the UN Secretary-General. The US, meanwhile, brought their own resolution calling upon Hamas and Islamic Jihad to “cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence.”

Ahead of the votes, Haley told the Council “you either support Hamas or not. This vote will tell the story.” In the end, 10 of the 15 nations on the Council voted for the anti-Israel Kuwaiti resolution, while 11 abstained on the US measure. The next day after the UN votes effectively ignored Hamas terrorism, Gaza rocket fire against Israel resumed. Over the weekend, the Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted multiple Gaza rockets while the Israeli Air Force hit over a dozen Hamas terror targets according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Twitter feed. … Continue Reading

Israel Hits Dozens of Terror Targets after Soldiers Injured as Over 70 Mortars, Rockets Fired from Gaza; World Powers Condemn Palestinian Violence

May 29, 2018 Peace and Conflict

Hamas has fired thousands of rockets at Israel over the years, among other acts of terror. Illustrative photo of spent Rockets fired from Gaza. By Joshua Spurlock.

Terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip unleashed a massive rocket and mortar assault on Israel on Tuesday—the IDF Spokesperson’s Twitter feed had counted more than 70 projectiles by late that evening with sirens indicating additional ones coming—and Israel responded by striking dozens of Hamas targets. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the fierce fighting, which called into question the possibility of a new Gaza war.

Meanwhile, multiple world powers expressed their dismay at the Hamas assault and the United States called for the attacks to be discussed by the powerful United Nations Security Council. The stunning escalation follows weeks of Hamas-led riots near the Gaza border and efforts to breach the Israeli security fence there.

Tweeted the IDF Spokesperson, “The Hamas terror organization again chooses to act against the interest of the residents of the Gaza Strip. After it failed during the violent riots along the security fence, it now chooses to conduct and allow a wide-scale attack against Israeli civilians.” … Continue Reading

Another Gaza Bomb Attack Foiled; Hundreds of Fire Kites Launched at Israel in Last Month

May 27, 2018 Peace and Conflict

Is war brewing with Gaza? Israeli tank. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

The Gaza terrorist attacks on the border fence with Israel continued over the weekend, including the planting of a booby-trapped pair of wire cutters armed with an explosive device. The Israelis detonated the bomb on Sunday without any injuries to IDF soldiers, according to a Twitter post from the IDF Spokesperson. The tweet noted that an Israeli tank fired at a military observation post in Gaza in response.

Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Ofir Gendelman, in his Twitter post on the incident, clarified that the targeted observation post belongs to the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. Gendelman also highlighted the intent of the planted explosive device. “This booby-trapped wire cutter was placed by Palestinian terrorists on the Gaza-Israel border fence, in order to kill IDF soldiers on patrol,” he tweeted.

That isn’t the only anti-Israel violence around the Gaza border lately. One of the latest methods of attack have been kites set on fire with the intent to start wildfires in Israel. The Times of Israel, citing a report from Hadashot TV on Saturday, said that over the last month, 300 such kites have been launched at Israel. 100 fires have been started as a result. … Continue Reading

Iran Threatens to Enrich Nuclear Fuel Higher than Ever If Demands Not Met

May 20, 2018 Iran Nuclear Program, Peace and Conflict

Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

With the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, the Europeans are striving to keep the accord from collapsing. The Iranians, for now, are playing along—but on this condition: If they don’t receive the economic benefits promised them, they will not only exit the deal and go back to their old nuclear program, they’ll make it more advanced than ever. And they may just do it secretly, away from the eyes of international inspectors.

“If our interests are not materialized, we will withdraw from the nuclear deal and will enrich [nuclear fuel] to 20% degree or any level that we want out of their sight,” Government Spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakh was quoted by the Fars News Agency as saying last week.

Previously, Iran claimed to enrich uranium to 20%—a medical-research-level grade much higher than needed for nuclear energy and well on the path to the 90% enrichment needed for nuclear weapons. So exceeding the 20% threshold would actually make Iran a greater threat than before. … Continue Reading

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