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Gaza Bomb Lands in Israeli Playground, Vehicle Set on Fire by Arson Balloon

November 4, 2018 Peace and Conflict

Last Thursday’s incident wasn’t the first car damaged by a Gaza attack. Illustrative results of past Gaza attack. Photo Courtesy of IDF Spokesperson.

The Gaza arson attacks using balloons and kites have destroyed significant amounts of land and killed many animals. Last week, torching a car was added to the list. The IDF Spokesperson’s Twitter feed posted a video on Thursday showing a jeep in flames. “Imagine if YOUR car in YOUR neighborhood went up in flames. This just happened—an explosive balloon launched from #Gaza at #Israel set this car on fire,” said the Tweet caption. According to a report in The Times of Israel, the vehicle that was set ablaze by the arson balloon when it drove over the incendiary object, setting the fuel system on fire. While there were no injuries, the car was notably damaged.

An even more serious attack occurred the same day, as an explosive device apparently attached to a balloon landed in a kindergarten playground, according to same article in The Times of Israel. The school was evacuated and the explosive device was safely removed by Israeli security forces.

That hasn’t been the only threat to children by Gazan explosives. The IDF Spokesperson’s Twitter feed also posted a picture of a cluster of colorful balloons along with a larger balloon featuring a cartoon character—and a bomb attached. “It’s safe to say that most children would be attracted to these balloons. However, these balloons are far from safe—they were launched by terrorists in #Gaza and landed in #Israel. An explosive was attached to the balloons,” said the Twitter post. … Continue Reading

Palestinian Leader Briefed by Omani Leader on Israeli PM Visit, Peace Process

October 31, 2018 Peace and Conflict, Peace Process

Abbas met with Oman for update regarding peace process. PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Illustrative. Photo Courtesy of UN Photo/Marco Castro

In another sign the recent visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Arab nation of Oman could be a turning point in regional affairs, Omani leader Sultan Qaboos bin Said sent a letter addressing Netanyahu’s visit to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The letter was delivered in person on Wednesday by Oman’s Foreign Minister, Yousef bin Alawi, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency.

The Oman News Agency reported that the letter provided an update on efforts on pursuing peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Notably, the Palestinian report said nothing about the peace process, with the Palestinians repeatedly rejecting out of hand a-yet-to-be-revealed peace plan by the Americans.

However, the Middle East region in general seems to approve of Netanyahu’s visit. Israeli Prime Minister spokesman Ofir Gendelman reposted on Twitter a poll in Arabic by RT Arabic—a Russian Arabic news group—showing noticeably positive feelings about the Israeli trip to Oman. Tweeted Gendelman, “There’s considerable Arab popular support for PM Netanyahu’s historic visit to Oman. In this online survey, 66% said the visit served ARAB interests. Over 49,000 people participated.” … Continue Reading

US Says Hamas Must Change, While Israel Notes 1000s of Animals Killed by Gaza Arson

October 21, 2018 Peace and Conflict

Hamas has been harming Israelis for a long time. Illustrative results of Gaza rocket attack. Photo Courtesy of IDF Spokesperson.

The main United States negotiator for Middle East peace called for Hamas to change it’s ways and recognize Israel in an Op-Ed on Friday, and one day later, another attack by Gaza terrorists had Israel noting that arson and explosive attacks had killed thousands of animals in addition to property damage. Jason Greenblatt, an assistant to US President Donald Trump and US Special Representative for International Negotiations, wrote in The Jerusalem Post last week an entire piece talking about the crisis in Gaza and what Hamas must do to improve the lives of their citizens. The op-ed was a response to an interview done by Hamas political leader Yahya Sinwar calling for the betterment of the lives of Gazans and noting that war is not the ultimate answer.

Aside from the obvious of renouncing terrorism, Greenblatt called for Hamas to recognize Israel, allow the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza in a true political reconciliation, and accept the agreements the Palestinians have previously signed with Israel. The US envoy also hinted at human rights improvements to change the corruption and suppression Hamas employs in Gaza today.

Greenblatt noted that the outcome in Gaza is up to Hamas, and one day after the American’s editorial, a fuller picture of Hamas’ violence against Israel was tweeted out by the IDF following yet another attack. … Continue Reading

After Gaza Terrorists Bomb Border Fence in ‘Organized Attack’, Netanyahu Threatens ‘Very Powerful Blows’

October 14, 2018 Peace and Conflict

PM Netanyahu. Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)

After the latest explosive attack by Gaza terrorists against Israel’s border fence and subsequent attempt to infiltrate Israeli territory, Israel has had enough of months of regular terror attacks from the Gaza Strip. “Hamas, apparently, has not internalized the message. If they do not stop the violent attacks against us, they will be stopped in a different way and it will be painful—very painful,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday in comments released by his office.

“We are very close to a different kind of activity, an activity that will include very powerful blows.”

Netanyahu’s comments follow similar warnings from Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who told Ynet that war was on the table in the fight against Hamas. Lieberman noted that Israel had tried every other option besides a full-on conflict with Gaza, but that they had reached the point where the next move was to “deliver the hardest blow imaginable on Hamas.” He said the Security Cabinet would determine if Israel would launch a new operation in Gaza. … Continue Reading

Marking Alliance with US, Israel Says We Want Iran to Get Out of Syria, Yemen

October 11, 2018 Peace and Conflict

PM Netanyahu aboard the USS Ross. Photo courtesy of Kobi Gideon (GPO)

On a day in which the Israelis welcomed a United States naval warship to dock at the Israeli port of Ashdod for the first time in 19 years, telling someone else to leave was a theme in the comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu marking the occasion. Saying there’s “nothing like the American-Israeli alliance,” Netanyahu said on Thursday, “We are committed to preventing Iran from expanding its empire. We want them to go back to Iran, get out of Syria, get out of Yemen, get out of Iraq and stop building war and misery, creating misery everywhere they go.”

Netanyahu said the US-Israel alliance is manifested “most especially in the sharing of military intelligence and in military cooperation against terror, against the aggressive force of Iran in this region.”

The US and Israel have both been vocal about Iran meddling in other nations’ affairs. The Israelis have taken action to prevent Iran from establishing a militaristic foothold in Syria, where the Iranians have backed the regime for years. As for Yemen, the US has highlighted the Iranian weapons that have been delivered to the Houthi rebels battling the Saudi-backed Yemeni regime and have even been turned on Saudi targets. … Continue Reading

Israel Tells Germans They Will ‘Take Strong Action’ If Gaza Attacks

October 6, 2018 Peace and Conflict

PM Netanyahu and German FM Heiko Maas. Photo courtesy of Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)

Against the backdrop of months of attacks of various types from Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week issued another round of warnings to the terrorists in the Gaza Strip—this time in comments with Germany’s Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas. A recap of the meeting issued by Netanyahu’s office said the Israeli leader “made it clear that Israel would take strong action against Gaza for every action against Israel and the residents of the south.”

Germany is one of the top six most powerful nations in the world in the diplomatic arena, and should Israel need to launch military strikes in Gaza, they may need political support on the global stage. The same day as Netanyahu’s warning, thousands of Gazans rioted against Israel and worse.

“A mob of approx 20K Gazans are burning tires, throwing bombs and grenades, and attempting to break through the border fence with Israel, which 10 armed terrorists did, until we stopped them. In response, an IDF aircraft carried out two strikes in Gaza,” the IDF Spokesperson posted to Twitter last Friday. … Continue Reading

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