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1. Israel and US Near Deal for F-35 Advanced Fighter Plane
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Israel is nearing a $3 billion deal for 19 advanced F-35 warplanes that would give it a significant military advantage, Pentagon Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Vice Admiral Jeffrey Wieringa, told Reuters.
"The ball is in their court. I am waiting for them to make a decision any day," he added. Lockheed Martin, the plane’s manufacturer, has not commented on the status of the deal, but Lockheed is known to be anxious over sales because of European countries’ reviews of spending programs.
Wieringa added that the Obama administration and the Pentagon view Israel’s buying the F-35 as “part and parcel" of American security policies.
Lockheed Martin has promoted the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter as the centerpiece for 21st century global security while strengthening international political and industrial partnerships. The fighter plane combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
One of the sticking points in the purchase by Israel has been its desire to incorporate Israeli systems in the plane.
Weiringa did not disclose what specific radars and other equipment would be included with the F-35 fighters for Israel, but sources reported that Israel is satisfied with the technology in the final agreement.
2. Iran and Saudi Arabia Closing in on Cooperation
by Hillel Fendel
Shiite Iran and Wahhabi Saudi Arabia, historically not on the best of terms, are making overtures towards each other. Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that disagreements and differences between the two countries “merely serve the interests of the Zionist regime and enemies of the region and the Muslim world.”
The two countries, separated by Iraq and the Persian Gulf (in northwest-southeast order), were at major loggerheads during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980’s and shortly afterwards. Relations have gradually thawed since then, however – though Saudi Arabia has reason to fear that Iran’s emerging nuclear power could be used against it.
Saudi Arabian Fears Iranian Nukes
In fact, Saudi Arabia has given tacit approval to a unilateral Israeli strike against Iran. The London Times reported last month that it is common knowledge in Saudi Arabian defense circles that the Saudis have given permission for Israeli bombers to pass over the kingdom on their way to Iran and they will look the other way.
Despite this, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast told reporters that conditions are now ripe for expanding and boosting ties and cooperation with Saudi Arabia. "Iran and Saudi Arabia are two major countries of the region, with very high potentials for cooperation," he said.
Just this past Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal told a French daily that Iran "deserves" to be treated as a leading force in the Middle East.
"The ground is now prepared for promoting [our mutual] relations to the highest level possible," the Iranian spokesman said.
Iran’s desire for a rapprochement with Saudi Arabia comes as the United States takes a tougher line against Iran and Russia declines to send it missile-to-air defense systems.
On the other hand, Iran took a similar position nearly a year ago, when Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that Iranian and Saudi leaders are determined to create proper ties between them. The two “have various goals and prospects at the bilateral, regional and international levels, although they have different viewpoints in some regional issues," he said at the time.
3. Ambassador Shalev: Isolating Israel More Dangerous than Iran
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
The growing worldwide attempt to make Israel illegitimate is more of a danger than Iran to the existence of the Jewish State, according to Gabriella Shalev, outgoing Ambassador to the United Nations. Jewish leaders throughout the world have warned that anti-Zionism is a reincarnation of the anti-Semitism during the Nazi era.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Shalev said, “Israel is the most isolated, lonely country in the world” and is on the defense against a new kind of weapon. The Arab world “did not succeed in the wars, then the economic boycott failed, then the terrorism failed; now it is delegitimization."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that Israel should be "wiped off the map,” but its potential to become a nuclear power is shadowed by the new anti-Israel culture. Shalev cited a slew of lawsuits against Israeli officials in European courts and the singling out of Israel for condemnation in the United Nations as two blatant examples of the campaign to quietly destroy the Jewish State.
Many of the suits were spawned by the report by retired Jewish South African Judge Richard Goldstone, who headed a United Nations Human Rights Commission panel that accused Israel of war crimes in the war against the Hamas terrorist infrastructure. His accusations were largely based on testimony by Hamas supporters.
A researcher at the American Task Force on Palestine, Hussein Ibish, told the Washington Times that while criticism of Israel for maintaining sovereignty in post-1967 Israel is legitimate, calling for boycotts of Israel that question the legitimacy of Israel as a country is counter-productive.
Shalev, who leaves her post August 31, has been considered to be on excellent terms with U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Susan Rice, who praised Shalev last week.
Rice said that the United States always will defend Israel on the diplomatic front and will continue to maintain its qualitative military edge. However, the Obama administration has not stepped forth to oppose efforts for an international investigation focusing on Israel’s involvement in the May 31 clash with IHH terrorists on a ship they tried to steer to Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Subsequent reports have shown that the Turkish government sponsored the ship, and Ankara’s foreign minister recently met with Hamas’ overall leader, Khaled Mashaal.
4. Washington Health Food Store Boycotts Israel
by Hillel Fendel
A small, two-store concern in Washington State, displaying an arguably shallow and anti-Semitic view of the complexities of the Middle East, has decided to boycott Israel until it agrees in effect to cease being a Jewish state.
This would be one of the results should Israel give in to the boycott demands, one of which is to “promote the rights” of hundreds of thousands of Arabs to return to Israel.
The Olympia Food Co-op announced its boycott of Israel last week. The company has two health food stores in Olympia, Washington - about an hour’s driving time from Seattle, hometown of the late anti-Israel activist Rachel Corrie, who was killed while protesting in Gaza against Israel’s demolition of tunnels used to smuggle weapons for Palestinian terrorists.
The co-op announced last week that its boycott of Israel was designed to “compel Israel to follow international law and respect Palestinian human rights.” This vague demand was spelled out more specifically towards the bottom of the official boycott declaration. In answer to the question, “When will the boycott end?” Olympia answered:
“When Israel ends its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantles the Wall; [when] Israel recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; [and when] Israel respects, protects and promotes the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.”
Thus, after nearly 20 years of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Olympia – whose mission statement includes the goal of working for “social justice” – has determined that the only “socially just” solution is for Israel to accept the entirety of the PA position and to withdraw from 100 percent of Judea and Samaria. Israel must also, according to the Olympians, dismantle the partition wall that Israel says has prevented dozens of Palestinian terrorist attacks and saved possibly hundreds of Jewish lives.
In addition, Olympia has resolved that Israel has not yet recognized the fundamental rights of Israeli-Arabs. In fact, however, Israel did so on the very day of its founding, and continues to do so today. Arabs have always served in the Knesset, and benefit from the same rights as Jews, Christians and other Israeli citizens. The United States, by way of comparison, granted blacks the formal right to vote nearly a century after it was founded – and it took nearly another century for unequal application of voter registration requirements to be outlawed. The first black Congressman was elected only in 1870.
Finally, Olympia has determined that its own interpretation of controversial UN Resolution 194 is the correct one. In fact, however, Israel and others have long claimed that the resolution only calls for the repatriation “at the earliest practicable date” of those refugees who “wish to live in peace with their neighbors.”
In addition, it is a matter of consensus in otherwise-polarized Israel that the implementation of such a clause would render Israel a non-Jewish state – such that those who support it are arguably taking a non-Jewish and even anti-Semitic stance.
Noah Sochet, a Co-op member and boycott organizer was quoted in Haaretz as saying, “As a US citizen and as a Jew, I’m proud to say that my Co-op no longer underwrites the suffering in Palestine.”
5. Alleged Mossad Agent Fighting Extradition from Poland
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Alleged Mossad agent Uri Brodsky, accused of being part of the Dubai assassination ring, is fighting a Polish order to extradite him to Germany for trial. Brodsky’s lawyer argued that Polish law prevents extradition in cases of politically motivated offenses. The trial date for the appeal is August 5.
Germany wants to charge Brodsky for allegedly obtaining a German passport under false pretenses. He is not accused of spying.
Brodsky was arrested in June at the Warsaw airport, and a Polish court earlier this month authorized his extradition, although without implying he is guilty. It explained that the German warrant was legal and that Brodsky was correctly identified as the suspect in question.
Poland has denied Israeli requests to allow Brodsky to return home. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that despite close ties with Israel and the painful history of the Holocaust, it could not legally deny Germany’s demand.
The ring that carried out the January assassination of Hamas co-founder Mahmoud al-Mabhouh is suspected of having cloned or illegally forged 26 passports from Europe and Australia. Dubai police have accused the Mossad spy agency of Israel of being behind the elimination of Mabhouh, who was suspected of having been in Dubai to carry out a weapons smuggling deal.
One of Brodsky's lawyers, Krzysztof Stepinski, told the Associated Press, "I believe we will win. I strongly believe that he will be back to Israel.”
It is not known if Brodsky is his real name. His passport was issued in the name of “Michael Bodenheimer,” a descendant of a German Jew who lives in Israel.
6. Israel Tells UN It Will Restrict Use of White Phosphorous
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Israel told the United Nations it will limit its use of white phosphorous in war, although the United States and Russia also use the material which is legal for military targets. The IDF also will attach an humanitarian affairs officer to combat units in war.
The Foreign Ministry revealed the new policy after it was communicated to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday as part of Israel’s response to international criticism of the Operation Cast Lead campaign against the Hamas terrorist infrastructure in Gaza last year.
"The IDF has ... implemented operational changes in its orders and combat doctrine designed to further minimize civilian casualties and damage to civilian property in the future," the report said.
"In particular, the IDF has adopted important new procedures designed to enhance the protection of civilians in urban warfare, for instance by further emphasizing that the protection of civilians is an integral part of an IDF commander's mission.”
The IDF also is conducting nearly 50 investigations of possible criminal violations and improper conduct by ground troops, at least one of whom already has been charged.
A UN-sponsored report by retired South African Judge Richard Goldstone accused Israel of war crimes in the Cast Lead Operation, while barely only parenthetically commenting on Hamas atrocities.
The Palestinian Authority and Hamas have not responded to Goldstone’s criticisms of their actions.
In the war in Iraq in 2004, the United States used white phosphorus. In a description very similar to that issued by the IDF after Cast Lead, a Pentagon spokesman told the BBC said that white phosphorous was “used as an incendiary weapon against enemy combatants. One technique is to fire a white phosphorus round into the position because the combined effects of the fire and smoke—and in some case the terror brought about by the explosion on the ground—will drive them out of the holes so that you can kill them with high explosives.
Israel has pointed out that its use of white phosphorous was legal because it was employed against military targets, many of which Hamas placed behind civilian shields, in violation of rules of conduct in war.
However, the IDF told the United Nations that although it restricted the use of white phosphorous in Cast Lead, it “is in the process of establishing permanent restrictions on the use of munitions containing white phosphorus in urban areas.”
The United Nations has not passed any resolutions concerning the use of white phosphorous by U.S. Army soldiers and Taliban terrorists in clashes in Afghanistan. Burns have been found on civilians, and the U.S. commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan has confirmed that white phosphorus was used to illuminate targets or as an incendiary weapon to destroy enemy bunkers.
Israel often used the material as a smoke screen to protect soldiers from terrorists, who frequently used civilians as human shields.
Yemeni fighters have accused Saudi Arabian warplanes of dropping phosphorous bombs, but the Saudi government claims they were flares, which the IDF also said it often used in Cast Lead.
7. Israeli Team Helps Ease Chile’s Quake Trauma
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
South American is a popular spot for Israeli tourists, but a team of a different kind of Israelis returned last week from Santiago, where trauma specialists from the Rambam Medical Center trained Chile medics how to cope with mass casualty events such as this year’s massive quake.
The Teaching Center for Trauma Emergency and Mass Casualty Situations at Rambam shared life-saving knowledge and experience with 300 medical personnel, among them senior members of Chile’s air and ground forces and representatives of its rescue units and police force. News of the Israeli delegation spread, and 12 doctors and nurses from Paraguay also showed up.
Chile was hit four months ago by a powerful earthquake that registered 8.8 on the Richter scale and which was followed by a tsunami at the country’s southern coast, causing enormous damage. Residents of the area are still coping with the aftermath of the catastrophe, which destroyed entire areas and caused the collapse of numerous buildings.
Ironically, the Rambam team had been invited to lead the course more than half a year ago. The disaster revealed a lack of preparedness on the part of many Chilean bodies to handle mass casualty events, and the need for Israeli know-how and experience became all the more critical.
The course was initiated by Dr. Alfredo Mizrahi, a Jewish Chilean physician who works in Las Condes Hospital in Santiago. Dr. Mizrahi, a long-time friend of Rambam, initiated the first such course in Chile two years ago, on organizing a trauma center.
The recent course, held under the auspices of the Jewish community, included lectures and workshops under the direction of three Rambam representatives who led the delegation. "The response was incredible -- the participants were hungry for knowledge. They didn’t stop showing interest and asking questions, and at the end of the course we received many offers for cooperation and additional courses,” said Dr. Moshe Michaelson, director of the Trauma Unit.
A day before the course began, the delegation toured the tsunami disaster site, which is being renewed, in large part, with the support of Chile’s 15,000-member Jewish community. The community also donated two ambulances that were dedicated at a ceremony in the presence of the Israeli delegation members.
“The pictures here are very difficult,” said Gila Hyams, head of the Teaching Center for Trauma and Mass Casualty Situations. “Four months after the disaster there is still damage everywhere. Where hospitals once stood, there are now tents.”
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