Israel Sends Rescue Teams to Mexico after Quake

When disaster strikes anywhere, call Israel. Image of IDF Aid Delegation Search and Rescue Missions in Mexico City. Photo courtesy of IDF.

Groups of Israelis decided to spend their New Year’s holiday traveling to Mexico—but it wasn’t for a vacation. Search and rescue teams from the Israeli military and the iAID organization went to assist Mexico in recovering from last week’s devastating earthquake—and chose to help out during last week’s Rosh HaShannah holiday, also known as the Jewish New Year.

Israel received a request from Mexico to assist and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commissioned such help to leave for Mexico “as soon as possible,” according to a press release from his office last Wednesday. Later that same day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) team—consisting of dozens of soldiers—departed, arriving on Rosh HaShannah on Thursday last week, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Twitter feed. The Spokesperson’s Twitter feed posted that the IDF team then spent the next several days “helping survey buildings & rescue trapped civilians from the rubble”.

On Saturday, Netanyahu spoke by phone with the leader of the IDF delegation, Col. Dudi Mizrachi, and Israeli Ambassador to Mexico Yoni Peled. “You are shining Israel’s light in the world, a big light,” Netanyahu told them, according to a press release from his office. “It is important from a humanitarian standpoint and also to show the world the true Israel.”

Meanwhile, iAID, an international Israeli aid organization, sent a 15-person search and rescue team during the holiday as well and quickly received special access from the Mexican authorities to a sensitive site. … Continue Reading

Trump Still Says ‘Good Chance’ for Middle East Peace Deal

Will Trump achieve Middle East peacel? U.S. President Donald Trump (left) meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right). Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Kobi Gideon (GPO)

Despite the lack of apparent progress towards an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal and even as the Palestinians have come under pressure for paying terrorists, United States President Donald Trump still has hope. “We are giving it an absolute go,” said Trump of efforts to achieve peace in comments during Monday’s visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I think there’s a good chance that it could happen.”

Trump acknowledged in the comments, which were posted to the White House website, that “most people would say there’s no chance whatsoever,” but he believes in Netanyahu and the Palestinian leadership.

“I actually think with the capability of Bibi and, frankly, the other side, I really think we have a chance,” Trump said in his statement, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. Netanyahu, meanwhile, had an even bigger goal in mind. … Continue Reading

US Says Iran Won’t Have Leadership Position in Syria

U.S. Ambassador the U.N. Nikki Haley. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Mission to the UN

The Iranians have been providing ample support to their ally the Syrian regime in that nation’s civil war and now have tag-teamed to set up so-called “de-escalation zones” there as well. But despite Iran’s notable influence in Syria now, the United States is insisting they won’t be a part of Syria’s leadership moving forward.

After praising the coalition efforts fighting ISIS in Syria, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Friday, “I think we’re also looking at post-ISIS—what does that look like? And I can tell you, Iran is not going to be in charge, and Iran is not going to have any sort of leadership in that situation to where they could do more harm.”

Haley’s comments, published to the White House website, came in response to a reporter’s question about the “de-escalation zones” in Syria set up recently in a deal involving Iran. The BBC reported on Friday that Turkey and Russia were also in on the arrangement, which tone down the fighting in the area but still permit attacks on militant organizations. … Continue Reading

Trump on Iran Deal Plans: ‘You’ll See What I’m Going to Do in October’

Could Trump nix the Iran nuclear deal? Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

The nuclear deal between Israel and the major world powers may have been made before United States President Donald Trump took office. But he can still end America’s participation in what he called on Friday “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen”—and he could start to take that action this October. The Trump Administration has until October 15 to certify as to Iran’s compliance with the nuclear deal. Last week, despite slamming the deal, Trump was coy about his ultimate decision on whether or not he will clear Iran or shake things up by condemning Iran’s behavior.

“Certainly, at a minimum, the spirit of the deal is just atrociously kept, but the Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. It’s a deal that should have never, ever been made,” said Trump in comments released on the White House website. “And you’ll see what we’re doing in a couple of weeks. It’s going to be in October.”

The nuclear deal involved a number of nations, including European states, China, and Russia. But if the United States restarts sanctions on Iran, The New York Times reported that that would effectively scuttle the deal by nudging Iran to withdraw from the deal as well. … Continue Reading

Israel and Mexico Talk Business

PM Netanyahu and Mexican Pres. Nieto during Thursday’s visit. Photo Courtesy of Avi Ohayon (GPO)

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues his historic tour of Latin America, he meant business in his visit to Mexico. As in, he talked about business with 16 of the leading Mexican businesspeople during a breakfast where a key topic was investment in Israel. He then later met with Mexican Economy Secretary ldefonso Guajardo Villarreal at an event that included economic partners from both countries, and he also planned to talk about free trade during his later meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. It was all part of the first ever visit by an Israeli Prime Minister to Mexico.

“I began my visit in Mexico at a meeting with leading Mexican businesspeople, not for nothing, because the goal of this visit is economic,” said Netanyahu on Thursday in comments released by his office. “Mexico is a giant economy, among the 12 leading economies in the world. Soon it could be ranked even higher and we must be here, and in a big way… Israel is forging ahead, in Mexico as well.” … Continue Reading

With Trump Plans Unknown, Netanyahu Says ‘Fix or Cancel’ Iran Nuke Deal

Will Trump agree with Israel on Iran nuclear deal? U.S. President Donald Trump (left) meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right). Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Kobi Gideon (GPO)

Israel didn’t leave it open to speculation about their position on the Iranian nuclear deal ahead of a meeting with United States President Donald Trump, amid growing speculation that Trump could pull the Americans out of the international arrangement. “Let me take this opportunity and clarify,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday. “Our position is straightforward—This is a bad deal. Either fix it or cancel it.”

The blunt comments, delivered in a meeting with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri and published by Netanyahu’s office, line up with a report from Israel Radio and republished by The Washington Post that Israel has multiple changes to the deal to suggest to Trump in their upcoming meeting. The report said one concern for Israel is the “sunset clause” that allows Iran to increase its operational centrifuges after 10 years, which is used to enrich uranium into nuclear fuel. Israel wants that to be a more permanent limitation. Enriched uranium can be used for electrical power, or if enriched further, for nuclear weapons.

Among their other goals, Israel also wants a new determination to prohibit Iran from developing of advanced centrifuges. The opposition by Israel to the Iran deal as it currently stands isn’t new, but the United States may be more open than ever before to withdrawing from the current arrangement. … Continue Reading