February 21, 2018
Iran vows to ‘level Tel Aviv,’ if Israel attacks
Mohsen Rezael, secretary of Iran’s Expediency Council and former chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, said the Islamic Republic will “level Tel Aviv to the ground” if Israel carries out an attack, Fars News Agency, Iran’s semi-official news site, reported.
The senior Iranian official made the statement Monday (19th) in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the Munich Security Conference the previous day, during which he warned that Israel will not hesitate to attack if threatened.
(farsnews.com; Israelhayom.com)
Israeli schools drill for missile attack amid threats from Iran
Elementary schools across Israel held emergency missile attack drills this week, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not hesitate to attack Iran if threatened.
Last week Iran had probed Israeli defenses with a drone, to which Israel responded by bombing Iranian military installations in Syria.
On Monday (19th), an Iranian official threatened to level Tel Aviv to the ground if Iran was attacked.
(israeltoday.co.il)
Russia knocks Iran over vow to destroy Israel
Russia admonished Tehran on Monday (19th) for calls by Iranian leaders to destroy Israel, making rare criticism of Moscow’s ally in the Syrian civil war.
“We have stated many times that we won’t accept the statements that Israel, as the Zionist state, should be destroyed and wiped off the map. I believe this is an absolutely wrong way to advance one’s own interests,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was reported by the Tass state news agency as telling a conference in Moscow.
(tass.com; timesofisrael.com)
Iran has 10 military bases in Syria, two near Israel border
Iran operates 10 military bases in Syria and is training militias loyal to President Bashar Assad’s regime for a possible battle with Israel, with two key facilities located near the border with Israel, an analyst for an American think tank said in an article published Monday (19th).
Up to 20,000 fighters from various militias throughout the war-torn country have been trained by Iranian military personnel, giving Tehran its “true muscle” in Syria, according to the Monday report in The New York Times.
(nyt.com; timesofisrael.com)
Jerusalem among the safest cities, mayor says citing ‘zero misuse of guns’
Despite the constant threat of terror in Israel’s capital city, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has announced that “Jerusalem is one of the safest cities in the world.”
Supporting his claim, the mayor stated that the “murder rate in Jerusalem is only one per every 100,000 residents, which is lower than most major cities.”
“We have zero misuse of guns,” Barkat said.
(jns.org; worldisraelnews.com)
Danon, as Abbas walks out of UNSC: ‘You are no longer part of the solution’
NEW YORK – Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon delivered a harsh rebuke of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday (20th), telling the Arab leader that you “are no longer part of the solution.”
“The Palestinians need leadership that will speak to Israel and not run away from dialogue,” Danon said as the 82-year-old Arab leader left the Security Council hall, not staying to hear his counterpart’s response.
“When you speak before international forums you speak of peace,” Danon continued, but “When you speak to your people in Arabic, you convey a different message.”
“Mr. Abbas has refused to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and sit at the negotiating table,” the senior diplomat said. “Mr. Abbas you have made it clear that you are no longer part of the solution, but part of the problem.”
“Mr. Abbas you inspire a culture of hate inside your people, naming schools and public squares after violent terrorists,” he added.
(jpost.com)
Bennett: A nation that invents its past has no future
In response to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ UN speech, Israel’s Education Minister Naftali Bennett said: “A nation that invents its past has no future. Palestinian ancestors might have exiled 5,000 years ago, but south of here, in the Arabian Peninsula. I advise Mahmoud Abbas not to focus on an imagined past but rather on creating a practical future.”
(ynetnews.com)
Lieberman: Hamas using Gaza residents as live ammunition
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman visited the areas next to Gaza and talked about drawing conclusions from recent security incidents with senior military officers in order to plan ahead.
Lieberman said, “What is clear is that Hamas is using Gaza civilians as live ammunition, and when it sends civilians to confront Israel Defense Forces soldiers on the fence, it understands the prices, and it also used those civilians to carry out terrorist acts during demonstrations. As far as we’re concerned, this is intolerable. We are not going to continue this game and we will learn all the lessons.”
Over the weekend four Israeli soldiers were injured from an explosive device planted at the fence where the IDF patrols. Two were injured seriously and two lightly.
(israelnn.com)
Turkish students on Temple Mount declare “Jerusalem is Islamic” – Yori Yalon
Dozens of Turkish students from Istanbul University’s Anatolian Youth Association arrived at the Temple Mount last week, unfurled a sign declaring that “Jerusalem is islamic,” and tweeted a photo of the group with the sign.
The leader of the delegation wrote on social media:
“Jerusalem, the center of the world and humanity, belongs to the Muslims, as it has since the first man, on a daily basis. Zionist Israel must be defeated in these lands by the unity and solidarity of the Muslim nation.”
(israelhayom.com)
Israel plans post-harvest warehouses in Mandalay – Khin Su Wai
Avri Bar Zur, chief agronomist at the Israeli firm Oz Agribusiness Projects, said his company is in talks with the Myanmar government to build warehouses to help farmers with post-harvest production in the Mandalay region. “Farm infrastructure is needed to help farmers. If they know about post-harvest production techniques, they can store their products for several months and sell them when prices are high on the market,” he said.
(mmtimes.com)
