Netanyahu: ‘Virtually All’ Arab States See Israel as ‘Vital Ally’

PM Netanyahu and The Economic Club of Washington Pres. David M. Rubenstein. Photo courtesy of Haim Zach / GPO

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said he is witnessing something he’s never seen in his entire life. It’s something that he sees as “a new hope on the horizon,” something offering the potential for real Middle East peace, and as he said, “it’s not related to the Palestinians.”

“Because of the growing danger of Iran, more and more, I would say virtually all the Arab countries, no longer see Israel as their enemy, but as their vital ally in countering the threat of militant Islam,” said Netanyahu in a visit to the Economic Club of Washington according to comments published by his office.

Netanyahu noted they have stopped ISIS terror attacks, including those targeting “big airlines” and that counterterrorism includes sharing intelligence with Arabs. And then there’s the threat of Iran, and the uniting of the Israeli and Arab efforts against them. “Out of this curse comes a blessing. The blessing is this extraordinary relationship between us, and I think that ultimately we might be able to shift the ground,” said Netanyahu. “I don’t think it’s really available right now but I don’t discount that it could happen.” … Continue Reading

Bahrain Arrests Dozens of Iranian-Trained Terrorists Plotting Attacks

Iran provides weapons to terrorists and insurgents. US Amb. to UN Nikki Haley showing Iranian-made weapons used in Middle East conflict. Illustrative. Photo courtesy of UNITED STATES MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS.

The Iranian terrorism octopus extended its reach into the neighboring country of Bahrain recently, home to a major United States Navy base. However, their plots were apparently foiled as the Bahrainis on Saturday announced they arrested more than 100 suspected terrorists part of a group created and backed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC), as well as confiscated a variety of weapons and explosives. A report from the government-affiliated Bahrain News Agency said that four dozen of the terrorists were trained at facilities belonging to the IRGC—Iran’s most powerful paramilitary group that includes forces used to conduct international attacks.

The Bahrainis believe that the terror network intended to target government officials and oil infrastructure “with the objective of disturbing public security and harming the national economy,” the Bahrain News Agency said. The plot in Bahrain comes as Iran has been actively involved in Syria and Yemen’s civil wars, sponsors Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, has allies in Iraq and recently infiltrated Israeli airspace with a drone in an unusual escalation.

Dr. Jonathan Spyer, Director of the Rubin Center for Research in International Affairs at the IDC Herzliya in Israel and a Middle East expert, told The Mideast Update in an email that Iranian actions in Bahrain are “not new,” but that the Iranian ambitions are growing. “This is the latest evidence of IRGC subversive efforts,” said Dr. Spyer on Sunday. “Iran currently feels emboldened due to its successes in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.” … Continue Reading

Netanyahu and Trump to Discuss Peace, Iran; Tehran Wants Syria to ‘Drive Out’ US

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right). Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Kobi Gideon (GPO)

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Donald Trump meet on Monday, the security of the entire world will be the topic—or at least, two key factors in that security. Netanyahu—in comments released by his office before leaving for the US on Saturday evening—said that some of the issues the leaders would discuss would be Iran’s nuclear program and regional aggressions and “advancing the peace process” with the Palestinians.

“Advancing these issues is important for Israel and for the security of the entire world,” said the Israeli leader, who noted the conversation would come ahead of Trump’s imposed deadline for fixing the Iranian nuclear deal later this spring.

While Iranian aggressions have been a growing concern for the Middle East—including a recent drone incursion by Iranian forces from Syria into Israel—the US isn’t too far away to be threatened by the Iranians as well. On Sunday, a military official in the circle of Iran’s Supreme Leader called for Syria to push out US troops from the Middle Eastern country. … Continue Reading

Israel Arrests ISIS Cell Plotting Another Temple Mount Shooting

Member of terror cell plotting Temple Mount attack arrested by Israel. Photo courtesy of ISA

Israel has prevented an ISIS terrorist cell from launching another shooting attack on the Temple Mount patterned after the deadly assault last July, which killed two Israeli Police officers and set off a wave tensions and conflict over the holy site. And that’s not the only religious violence prevented: Members of the ISIS cell had also thought about attacking churches and synagogues as well, according to the investigation by the Israeli Security Agency (ISA).

The three terrorists who were plotting the attacks were apprehended in January and February, according to an ISA press release that announced the arrests on Monday. The ISA said the Temple Mount shooting attack was prevented “thanks to precise intelligence information that led to the timely arrest of the cell members even before they managed to procure weapons.” … Continue Reading

Israel Says Hamas Confiscates Fuel for Terror Profit, Made Gaza A ‘Powder-Keg’

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.

It’s not just Israelis who are being harmed by the actions of Hamas, which rules Gaza—the terror group has confiscated millions of liters of fuel not to power the civilians in Gaza but to make money to fuel their “terror machine”, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesman tweeted on Sunday.

Dozens of trucks carrying 2 million liters of fuel intended for Gaza’s power station went into Gaza the day before, but Ofir Gendelman tweeted that Hamas “did not use them to generate power.” That would have given Gazans more hours of electricity each day, but Gendelman’s post to Twitter noted that “Hamas doesn’t care. Its leaders have 24/7 power anyway.”

Instead of Hamas acting to benefit their people in Gaza, the spokesman followed up to tweet that “Hamas took this vast quantity of fuel that could provide electricity for the people of Gaza, and it will sell it, taking all profit to fund its terror machine. This is Hamas’ priority and only interest.” … Continue Reading

‘Historic’ US Jerusalem Embassy Move to Align with Israel’s 70th Birthday in May

U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right). Illustrative. Photo courtesy of Kobi Gideon (GPO)

The United States will make history official this May when they formally move their embassy to Israel to Jerusalem, which will be done to line up with the 70^th anniversary of the modern State of Israel on May 14. Just over two months after US President Donald Trump announced the plan to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Israel’s true capital, the US State Department announced last Friday that the US would use an interim facility for their embassy and move the Ambassador and “a small staff” this year rather than wait until a new embassy is built.

The same day as the State Department press release, President Trump said he faced pressure not to make the embassy decision he announced last December, but he believed he should. “I was hit by more countries and more pressure and more people calling, begging me, ‘Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t do it,’” said Trump in a speech published to the White House website. “I said, ‘We have to do it. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the right thing to do. We have to do it.’ And I did it.”

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the escalated timetable for the move. “This is a great moment for the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu on Saturday in comments released by his office. “President Trump’s decision to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem will make our Independence Day celebration even happier. Thank you, President Trump, for your leadership, and for your friendship.” … Continue Reading