Author: Orit ben Tzvi

Orit is Israel Rising's regional and threat analyst. She has a degree from IDC in Middle East Diplomacy and has served both intelligence related activities for the IDF as well as advised privately for firms doing business in the region.
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Bibi Netanyahu: “Whoever attacks us – we will attack him.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu travelled to Katzrin yesterday, the capital of the Golan to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the renewed city.

Netanyahu said the following about the shelling that occurred in the area just a day before:

“We are here celebrating the fortieth anniversary of Katzrin, the capital of the Golan Heights. I said that we will not tolerate spillover and that we will respond to every firing. During my speech, shells from the Syrian side landed in our territory, and the IDF has already struck back. Whoever attacks us – we will attack him. This is our policy and we will continue with it.”
The IDF has responded with attacks against Syrian regime forces whenever there has been spillover from the battles the FSA, ISIS, and Assad and his allies are fighting.
Last week, FSA related militias tacitly backed by Israel launched a major offensive against regime forces.  Israel used the spillover to target Assad’s soldiers and weaponry.
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RUSSIAN REDEMPTION: Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein Returns to Russia a Free Man

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein delivered a historic speech today in Moscow before the Russian Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament. Speaker Edelstein, who was invited for an official visit by Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko, gave the speech 30 years to the day after he served a three-year sentence in a Soviet labor camp for his Zionist activities.

Edelstein opened up with the following statement:

“Thirty-three years ago I was imprisoned here in Moscow by the authorities of the Soviet Union for teaching the Hebrew language. I was imprisoned because I was teaching the language which spread to the world the ideas of rejecting tyranny, upholding the rule of justice, love of mankind and the hopes of freedom; the language in which the prophets of Israel foretold the day on which `Nation shall not lift up sword against nation; nor will they learn war anymore.` I was imprisoned because I worked to disseminate the language in which Abraham, the founder of the Jewish religion, was told ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’”

“Today, I stand before you as the Speaker of Knesset Yisrael, and, in the same language which I was imprisoned for teaching, I bless you with the ancient Jewish blessing: `Shalom Aleichem`! Even in my finest dreams, I never believed I`d reach this moment. For me, this brings double closure: For me, Yuli Edelstein, and for the entire Jewish nation, which I stand here as its representative.”

Edelstein touched on the success of Israel as well as the coninuted security challenges it faces. He urged great cooperation and communication in fighting terror.

The speech itself was the first spoken by any Israeli leader.  The honor is usually reserved for heads of state.  Jewish life in Russia under the Soviet regime was constantly threatened.  Despite the geopolitical differences between Putin and the West, Jewish life in Russia today is flourishing.

At the conclusion of his speech, Speaker Edelstein asked to convey a blessing in Hebrew from Jerusalem, “the eternal capital of the Jewish People, from which the message of justice and the war against evil has been coming out for nearly 3,000 years.” He then recited the following verse from Psalms: “Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say: ‘Peace be within thee.’ For the sake of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.”

(Information in this article ​was Communicated by the Knesset Media and Public Relations Division)

 

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Are these the Final Borders Between Israel and “Palestine?”

This map has been circulating the web lately as possible outline for final borders between Israel and a demilitarized “Palestine.”

Image Source: Al- Monitor and Partners for a Progressive Israel

 

While the official policy of Israel Rising is to not support any sort of concessions to the creation of a sovereign Arab state within Israel’s heartland, the above borders would win the majority of Israel’s support. It should be noted that no “Palestinian” leader will ever support these border.  If anything the above map may very well be a long term interim deal where Israel annexes the grey and yet “Palestine” agrees to call these disputed in order to gain a state.

The problem with this approach is that Palestinian leaders will never truly end the conflict.  Any Israel is a bad Israel because a Jewish State essentially means that it is they who are the interlopers.  Afterall the entire Land of Israel is has always been historically Jewish.  Only due to the colonial asperations of the Roman Empire as well as Jihad of 7th and 8th Century Muslims were the Jews forcibly removed from their homeland.

By accepting the historic claims of Israel, the Palestinians render their claims baseless.

The above map is just another in a long line of giving in to international pressure no matter how attractive the final borders may seem.

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PUTIN RESPONDS: “White House Threats Against Syria Are Unnacceptable”

With the White House catching even the State Department off-guard with its veiled attack on “Syrian preparations” for another chemical weapons attack, Russia countered with its own statement.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov released the following statement pushing back on the Trump Administration:

“We heard about this statement. We do not know what is the basis for this. And of course we categorically disagree with the ‘another attack’ wording,” Peskov told reporters.”We also consider any similar threats to the legitimate leadership of the Syrian Arab Republic unacceptable.”

Peskov continued: “Cases of chemical toxic substances’ use by Daesh terrorists have been repeatedly recorded. There is a potential threat of the repeat of such provocations. However, I repeat that I don’t possess exact information and I believe that my colleagues from special services and the Defense Ministry will share it [information] if they possess it.”

Although no evidence was stated by the White House of Syrian preparations, Assad has been known to own stockpiles of illegal Sarin Gas.  Russia has often times blamed ISIS for Assad’s chemical weapons infractions.

That being said, the following statement by Nikki Haley is a bit odd.

This sort of statement backs up Russia’s assertions and would in fact invite a chemical weapons attack by ISIS just so Syria can be blamed.

If the White House is right about Syria, then everyone there should pull back from Twitter usage as to not give the Russians anymore ammunition for their disinformation and propoganda campaign.

If the White House is not right about Syria then we are witnessing the makings of a false flag attack in real time.

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IRAN: “We Caused Our Missiles To Miss On Purpose…”

Last week Iran fired six ground to ground missiles at Deir el-Zour, more than 600 kilometers (370 miles) away in Eastern Syria, reportedly at ISIS. Most reports indicated that the missiles missed their mark and fell apart hitting the desert.

While Iran has never disagreed on those two points, the Mullahs have pushed back on the reasons for the stunning miss.

State TV’s website quoted the airspace division chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh as saying “we had coordinated the fall of the engines in the desert in Iraq” in advance.

“The missiles we used were two-stage, it means that the engine separates from the warhead,” said Hajizadeh.

Impact on Israel

Israel reported that the warheads missed their mark, while three didn’t even reach Syrian territory.  If the report is correct, Iranian missile technology, at least the kind that was used on Sunday is not as advanced as orginally thought.  Does this mean Israel should rest easy?

No. The Iranian regime is also very good at playing games.  They could have launched those missiles purposely showing off faulty technology to throw the West off.

This is a lot better than the official explanation given for the reason why Israel was able to track downed missiles:

“Pity those who call themselves experts and do not understand that these were the first-stage engines (that fell), while the warheads hit targets.”

Either the Iranian regime doesn’t know the Russians, USA, and Israel all recorded missiles that missed their mark or they are just face saving.  Either way, unless this is a ruse, the Mullahs are in far worse shape than we thought.