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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BREAKING NEWS: Russian Ambassador Shot in Turkey, Will There Be War?

[This post has been updated]

News out of Turkey is reporting the following:

Russia’s ambassador to Turkey has been assassinated by an off-duty police officer in front of terrified witnesses allegedly in retaliation for the crisis in Aleppo. -Mirror


The attacker fired once in the air and then shot at the ambassador. Although it is too early tell who is behind the attack, the assassination attempt has the potential to start a dramatic increase in hostilities between Russia and Turkey.  Both nations have shared their share of animosity over the years.  Recently, a Russian aircraft was shot down by Turkey, killing the pilot.  Yet, the assassination attempt if traced to pro Erdogan would take relations to a new low, possibly igniting a regional conflict.

Bill Kristol is referring to the assassination Arch Duke Ferdinand, which triggered World War One.

Below is the situation right after the shooting. One can see the ambassador lying in a pool of blood.

Will There Be War?

If there was ever a trigger for a regional war this would be it.  Russia has been looking for a reason to shot down shipping traffic in the Bosphorous for some time and could use this to do it.  With weeks left to Obama’s turn, get ready for his administration to milk this for all its worth in terms of NATO involvement, especially since he knows Trump won’t aid Turkey.

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Israeli Company Moebius Medical Signs Deal With India’s Sun Pharma

Moebius Medical

Moebius Medical based in Israel has signed an exclusive global licensing deal with India’s Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.  The deal  involves the development of MM-II, a novel pharmaceutical candidate geared for the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis. According to Israel21C “MM-II is a non-opioid product that leverages the physical properties of proprietary liposomes to lubricate arthritic knee joints, to reduce friction and wear, and pain in the joints.”

Moebius Medical CEO Moshe Weinstein said, “The fact that our novel technology was conceived in Israel and developed within the RAD Biomed Accelerator, confirms the unique quality of the country’s biotechnology ecosystem. In fact, our technology was borne from the multidisciplinary cooperation between leading professors from three of Israel’s most prestigious research institutions: Prof. Yechezkel Barenholz of the Hebrew University, Prof. Izhak Etsion of the Technion Institute, and Prof. Dorit Nitzan of Hadassah Medical Center. I would especially like to thank Prof. Barenholz for his ongoing support of the company, together with Dr. Yaniv Dolev, whose vision and leadership in the company helped bring this partnership to fruition.”

MM-II is an intra-articular biolubricant injection.  The product is being developed to provide symptomatic relief of mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis pain. MM-II is based on patent-protected technology licensed by Moebius Medical from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Technion Israel Institute of Technology and Hadassah Medical Center.

Sun Pharma Global Head of Business Development Kirti Ganorkar said, “Our agreement with Moebius Medical for an osteoarthritis product is a part of our effort to build a branded product pipeline and enrich our global portfolio for pain products. We are encouraged to further develop MM-II and hope to bring a new innovative treatment to patients suffering from osteoarthritic pain.”

The agreement stipulates that Sun Pharma will fund further development of MM-II, and undertake its global commercialization. Moebius Medical has already completed a first-in-man clinical study at Hadassah Medical Center. The trial demonstrated the product’s quick action and potentially better results and relative safety for alleviating osteoarthritis pain as compared to Hyaluronic Acid injection.

Moebius Medical will conduct the requisite pre-clinical studies, and will be responsible for product development and manufacturing until the end of Phase-II studies. Mumbai based Sun Pharma will assume responsibility for further clinical studies, regulatory submissions and product commercialization.

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Amona Rejects Deal With Government, Forcing Bibi’s Hand

Whether or not the government raises Amona is yet to be seen, but one thing is clear, the village’s residents understand that their mission is not personal but one that is national. The residents of Amona rejected the deal forged between Bibi Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett last week in which the Regulation Law will be passed on the back of Amona’s destruction.  The government wants the country to believe that they offered the residents of Amona an amazing deal where they would be moved 100 meters and stay on the hillside. Yet, that is not the actual deal.

Amona released a statement last night saying why they rejected the deal:

“Over the past year we led our lives with a single purpose – the desire to remain home. A desire to stay on the Amona hill.

“The struggle we led resulted in many achievements for the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria. Among other things we brought the advancement of the Regulation Law.

“Unfortunately, in the final stretch of the campaign for our homes – we were left out of the Regulation Law. We are left facing a bitter truth of an expected eviction: The destruction of our homes and community, and trauma for our children and for us.

“We were willing to accept the destruction of our private homes, and a move from place to place, if only a Jewish community would remain on the hill. But the proposed arrangement does not provide any guarantee or commitment that we will indeed receive an alternative home. In light of this and in view of the uncertainty in the proposal, the residents of Amona decided tonight, after ten hours of debate, to reject the proposed layout.”

The government is cornered now.  Bennett staked his political future on standing up for the settlement enterprise and with this rejection and revelation of the deal’s finer points Naftali Bennett has far less street creds to ensure a base of support to grow on. As for Bibi, he is no Olmert interested in showing the left that he is willing to destroy Jewish homes based on a Supreme Court ruling heavily influenced by interference from countless international leftist organizations.  Destroying Amona will not go without a fight. Land of Israel activists will not let his government’s betrayal of promises he made go unanswered and may end his career the next time there is an election.

Amona may be razed, but by rejecting an awful deal the residents have put Judea and Samaria first by showing the hypocrisy behind government actions in the biblical heartland. If they were to have agreed to this deal they would have been subjected to being in a constant state of homelessness and owing thousands of dollars on their homes.  Their response will make the present government and future ones deal with communities in Judea and Samaria differently.

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With Visit to Azerbaijan is Bibi Preparing to Strike Iran?

For several years, Azerbaijan has played an important role in helping Israel, by providing a base of operations for clandestine missions involving intelligence gathering on Iranian nuclear progress. Azerbaijan is a secular Muslim nation that has had friendly ties to Jews and Israel.  It is known as the safest place for Jews in the Muslim world. 40% of Israel’s oil is said to be provided by Azerbaijan via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhancom (BTC) pipeline. Israel supplies state of the art weaponry to Azerbaijan in its off again on again war with Armenian separatists.

In November I reported on the possibility that Israel already has the ability with drone technology to use Azerbaijan to destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities at Arak. With Bibi Netanyahu’s state visit to Azerbaijan today, one has to wonder what the need is for a face to face with President Ilham Aliyev in Baku unless it is to further both covert and overt defense ties in relation to Iran and Azerbaijan’s on again and off again war with Armenia, an Iranian ally.

As Donald Trump prepares to take over the White House on Jan. 20th, the Iranian Nuclear Deal is likely to be scrapped. Azerbaijan will become ground zero for any Israeli response to Iranian aggression.

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