Israel reportedly struck site near Damascus
Israel’s military struck a Syrian military installation on the outskirts of Damascus late Monday night (4th), according to reports, which said the strike targeted a site in Jamarya, a suburb of Damascus.
“Israeli planes targeted the Jamarya region near Damascus including a scientific research center and warehouses where weapons and ammunition of the regime and its allies were stored,” Rami Abdel Rahmane, director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory told AFP.
An AFP correspondent in the capital also heard loud explosions.
(timesofisrael.com; afp.com)
Iranian bases in Syria: Imagine Iranian jets 124 miles from Israel – Brig. Gen.Shachar Shohat
If Iran is allowed to set up air bases in Syria, Israel’s entire strategic picture will change for the worse.
Today Iranian jets have to fly 1,242 miles to reach Israel, requiring mid-air refueling and prior intelligence.
Iranian air bases in Syria would mean planes stationed 124 miles from Israel, a proximity which would also allow the Iranians to have a better intelligence picture of Israel.
Presently, the Iranian enemy is located mostly to the east, and can, to a limited extent, attempt to attack from Israel’s north and south. But it cannot come from the West.
If Syria becomes home to Iranian bases, Iran could head west to the Mediterranean Sea, and then fly toward any Israeli coastal city, including Haifa, Tel Aviv and Ashkelon. The same holds true for Iranian drones.
This would require an entirely new line of defense – a front that does not exist today., and would represent significant danger to Israel. So it is vital to prevent Iran from moving into Syria.
(ynetnews.com)
Iran controls 70,000 fighters in Syria – Zvi Bar’el
The Iranian opposition has reported in detail the location of Iranian bases in Syria and the deployment of Iranian forces and its proxies in that country.
These forces number 70,000 and include members of the Revolutionary Guards, Afghan recruits operating as a militia (Al Fatemiyoun), Hizbullah fighters, and other foreign operatives.
(haaretz.com)
Israel arrests two for the murder of IDF soldier
Israel’s security forces on Saturday (2nd) arrested two suspects who are believed to be the terrorists who murdered IDF soldier Ron Kokia.
Kokia was stabbed to death on Thursday (11/30) while waiting for a ride in the southern city of Arad.
The Shin Bet identified the two suspects only as “residents of the Negev.”
(worldisraelnews.com)
Netanyahu hails ‘unprecedented changes’ in Arab states’ attitude to Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday (4th) that Israel is witnessing a wide ranging shift in the perception of Israel among Arab states.
Speaking at the start of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu said a recently conducted survey found that 50 out of 54 countries see Israel as a “powerful” state and that 47 of them including Arab states, want to improve ties with Jerusalem.
Netanyahu said that when it comes to the public in those states, as opposed to the governments, the shift is even greater, “in particular the changes in Arab states, which is unprecedented.”
(jpost.com; reuters.com)
France pushing for EU recognition of Palestine
PARIS – Ambassador of Palestine to France, Salman Al-Harfi Sunday (3rd) said the French government has expressed the desire to recognize Palestine, but as part of the European Union.
He told WAFA in a phone call that France wants to recognize a state of Palestine, but with other European countries taking part because it will safeguard the peace process.
(imra.org.il)
Abbas finding little support for campaign against Trump
Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas has been waging a battle against U.S. President Donald Trump’s intention to recognize Jerusalem as the official capital of the State of Israel but appears to be having trouble recruiting Arab leaders to the cause Israeli TV news reported Sunday (3rd).
According to the report, Abbas has been calling the leaders of the Arab and Islamic region to ask them to convene an emergency meeting of the Arab League.
Despite his appeals, however, the leaders of the Arab world are not cooperating. The only one who expressed willingness to help was Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is trying to prevent Trump from going through with the move.
(israelnn.com)
Innovation Nation – Benjamin Netanyahu
With 8.5 million people, Israel has more companies on NASDAQ than almost any other country outside North America and ranks third in the World Economic Forum’s ranking of most innovative economies. Israel recycles 87% of its waste water, five times more than the runner-up. Israeli cows produce more milk per animal than those of any other country.
People everywhere benefit from Israeli innovations in their mobile phones, car navigation systems, life-saving drugs, medical devices – and even the cherry tomatoes in their salads. Equally, Israel’s intelligence services have helped stop dozens of terrorist attacks in dozens of countries.
Our technological prowess has brought us many new friends, alongside our irreplaceable alliance with America. We negotiated economic pacts with Japan and China. Relations with India are booming. Many Arab countries now see Israel not as an enemy but as an indispensable ally in our common battle against militant Islam.
(economist.com)
Holocaust memorial in Athens with Elie Wiesel inscription, is vandalized
Vandals stripped away inscriptions on the Holocaust memorial in Athens written by Elie Wiesel,
The attack on the memorial commemorating the more than 60,000 Greek Jews killed during World War II, took place on Saturday, (2nd), according to the English language Greek Reporter.
“Elie Wiesel’s appeal to the passer-by to stand, to remember, to honor the victims of the Holocaust was turned into an act of vandalism, disrespect and insult,” said Minor Moisis, president of the Jewish community of Athens.
About 5,000 Jews now live in Greece.
(jta.org)
Florida governor cites Israeli company that will provide space suits to NASA
Florida Governor Rick Scott granted a special gift today to Tel Aviv-based company StemRad, whose anti-radiation shield will now be used by United States astronauts.
StemRad is the outstanding startup among a number promoted by the Florida Israel Business Accelerator, a project of the Tampa Jewish Community Centers and Federation.
Governor Scott is in Israel on a five-day trade mission which includes recruiting other Israeli companies to join StemRad in opening branches or subsidiaries in his state. He said, “There is a deep connection between Florida and the Jewish community in Israel, and we are happy to have found the economic platform to help Israel with another channel.”
The governor also took advantage of the event to repeat his support for the transfer of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem.
(israelnn.com)
