Lebanese president vows to resist Israel by ‘all available means’
BEIRUT – Lebanese President Aoun appeared to defend Hizbullah as necessary to resist Israel on Monday (20th), after an Arab League statement accused the group of terrorism and noted it is part of Lebanon’s coalition government.
“Israeli targeting still continues and it is the right of the Lebanese to resist it and foil its plans by all available means,” President Michel Aoun’s office quoted him as saying in a Tweet.
The Arab League met on Sunday (19th) to discuss what it called Iranian interference in Arab countries, and accused Tehran’s ally Hizbullah of terrorism.
(reuters.com)
Drill to be held in Tel Aviv region Tuesday for response to unconventional terrorism
A drill for response to biological unconventional terrorism is being held in the Tel Aviv District and at Holon’s Wolfson Hospital Tuesday (21st).
Various emergency bodies will be participating in the exercises, as well as relevant government ministries: the Israel Police, the Ministry of Health, Magen David Adom, firefighting services, Home Front Command and the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
(ynetnews.com)
Nasrallah ‘proud of delivering anti-tank missiles to Gaza’
Hizbullah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah boasted in a speech Monday (20th) that his organization shipped anti-tank missiles to the Gaza Strip. “I’m proud and honored to say we sent Kornet missiles to the Gaza Strip. We’re using our own weapons in Syria as well, he said.
Touching on Lebanon’s political turmoil following the surprise resignation of Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, Nasrallah remarked, “I wish to remind the Arab League ministers and public opinion that the single greatest threat to Lebanon security and stability is the Israeli occupation.”
(ynetnews.com)
Hamas rejects Arab League labeling of Hizbullah as terrorists
The Palestinian terror group Hamas rejected on Monday (20th) an Arab League resolution labeling Lebanon’s Hizbullah a terrorist organization.
In a statement, Hamas said it “rejects the description of the Lebanese Hizbullah resistance movement as terrorist. Rather, Israel’s actions against Palestinians should be labeled terrorism,” it added.
(afp.com)
Iran completing its land-bridge to Israeli border – Jonathan Spyer
Regime forces in eastern Syria are 1.5 miles from the strategic border town of Abu Kamal – the last link in the Iranian “land-bridge” from the Iraq-Iran border to the Mediterranean Sea and the border with Israel -while the U.S.-supported mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) remains 15.5miles north of the town.
Control of the border crossing at al-Qaim/Abu Kamal and of the roads leading west from it will enable the Iran-led alliance to transport fighters and weaponry in both directions.
This means that in a future confrontation with Hizbullah, Israel could see its enemies reinforced by supplies and volunteers from other Iranian clients.
Tehran is presently pressing forward. As the Iranians continue to solidify and extend their gains in Syria, the likelihood will grow of direct friction with Israel’s enforcement of redlines.
(jpost.com)
Poem in PA-sponsored kids magazine encourages rock-throwing
A kids magazine partly supported by the Palestinian Authority published a poem that said the Muslim Prophet Mohammad encouraged youth to throw stones at Jews.
“Sing by the order of Prophet Mohammad that we carry a rock/ that we throw it at the people of the Gharqad [tree],” reads the poem published in Zayzafuna’s October issue.
Muslims say the Jews plant the Gharqad [tree] to protect themselves and hide behind.
(timesofisrael.com)
Israel to see rainfall, flooding throughout the week
Providing hope for the Sea of Galilee’s decreasing water level, Israel’s weather forecast for the coming week includes both rainfall and possible flooding. The rains will cover most of the country with a chance of flooding along the coast, up to and including Thursday (23rd).
(israelnn.com)
BDS resolution defeated at University of Maryland – Jeffrey Herf
On November 15th, the Student Government Association of the University of Maryland, College Park decided not to support a resolution introduced by the Students for Justice in Palestine which called for the university to divest from U.S. companies investing in Israel.
The Student Affairs committee rejected the resolution by a vote of 1 in favor and 21 opposed. In the Government Affairs committee the vote was 0 in favor and 14 opposed.
Many student legislators at Maryland appeared to take the view that the Student Government should not have a foreign policy.
Moreover, the counter-mobilization by Jewish organizations as well as non-Jewish students who opposed such attacks on Israel was indispensable.
(timesofisrael.com)
Egypt welcomed the Balfour Declaration – Ayman S. Ashour’
In 1917, and for over a decade, the Balfour Declaration was not seen by most Egyptian intellectuals as detrimental to the Palestinians.
The Governor of Alexandria, Ahmad Ziour Pasha – later Prime Minister of Egypt – went to a party in the city celebrating the Balfour Declaration that culminated in his sending a telegram to Lord Balfour to thank him.
At the time, a delegation of leading Muslims and Christians traveled to congratulate the Jews of Palestine.
The Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar officially hosted Chaim Weizmann in 1918, as well.
(egyptianstreets.com)
Israeli satellite to help global agriculture flourish
The United Nations is expected to announce this week that Israel will head efforts to assist agriculture worldwide through the analysis of satellite images derived from its Venus satellite.
The Venus vegetation and environment monitoring microsatellite, launched into space in late July, was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries in collaboration with the French space agency CNES.
The UN is scheduled to hold a special session this week to debate an Israeli draft resolution calling for advancing agricultural technologies in developing countries which is expected to pass.
(israelhayom.com)
