Today’s Top Stories
1. Mahmoud Abbas is cracking down on Hamas and threatening to break up the national unity government. Avi Issacharoff argues that it’s time to take Abbas very seriously:
[Abbas] and his people are determined to make dramatic moves in relation to both Hamas and Israel. For Hamas, an ultimatum: there will be partnership in Gaza and the disarming of the military wing, or Abbas will announce the failure of Palestinian reconciliation, and the rehabilitation of Gaza will go nowhere. And at the same time, a timetable will be laid down for Israel to respond to his diplomatic initiative, and if it is not accepted the PA will join various international forums and cease security cooperation with Israel.
2. A French journalist who was held hostage by ISIS says the Brussels Jewish Museum terrorist tortured him in Syria with other prisoners. Mehdi Nemmouche might even be shed light on the identity of James Foley and Steven Satloff’s murderer.
Mr Hénin said he had kept quiet about Mr Nemmouche’s role in his detention to protect the Western hostages still being held.
He decided to speak out following a report yesterday in Le Monde newspaper, which quoted French intelligence sources naming Mr Nemmouche as his captor.
3. From Haaretz: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggests an international force — primarily from EU countries — deploy in Gaza to “monitor rehabilitation and prevent the rearming of Hamas and other terror groups.” Hamas responded that any international force would be considered “occupation.”
4. How Plausible Hamas’s Deniability? If Hamas doesn’t regard the murder of three Israeli teens as a rogue operation, why should Israel?
5. IDF “Secret Weapons” Slur Revived: Medical professionals with a history of libeling Israel revive accusations of experimental weapons being used on Gaza.
6. BDS Buster of the Week: 14-Year Old Shelly Dvir: A 14-year-old girl’s unexpected success teaches us there’s power in speaking out against haters.
7. Gene Simmons and KISS sure know something. Israel’s included in the band’s world tour. Share this image.
Israel and the Palestinians
• Correction of the Day via the Washington Post:
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to Israel’s occupation of “Palestinian lands” in the West Bank. The Israeli-occupied territories are disputed lands that Palestinians want for a future Palestinian state. This version has been corrected.
• According to the Irish Independent, the Irish peacekeeping forces would have been captured by the Al-Nusra Front if not for IDF intervention:
Senior sources said that there would “almost certainly” have been UN casualties or deaths if it wasn’t for the help given by the Israeli military, which has posts on high ground overlooking the UN observer bases in Quneitra. The Israeli assistance was described as “decisive” in the success of the mission.
The Israelis were able to guide the Irish-led rescue troops and help it avoid concentrations of the more heavily armed al-Nusra force. There are also unconfirmed reports that the Israelis directed fire at the Islamists to stop them from attacking the Filipino and Irish soldiers.
• According to Israeli media reports, Palestinians are making their way to Iraq and Syria to join up with ISIS.
• Having learned from Operation Protective Edge, Israel’s preparing for a very long and violent war with Hezbollah. The Times of Israel writes:
The report said Hezbollah has an estimated 100,000 rockets — 10 times as many as were in the Hamas arsenal — and that its 5,000 long-range missiles, located in Beirut and other areas deep inside Lebanon, are capable of carrying large warheads (of up to 1 ton and more), with precision guidance systems, covering all of Israel.
• The Christian Science Monitor‘s Christa Case Bryant takes a jaundiced look at Hamas’s “victory.”
• Israel’s ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Modai, squared with Irish lawmakers critical of the Gaza war. Many sought had sought Modai’s expulsion.
• Forget the ALS ice bucket challenge. Israel now faces Megan Marzec’s “blood bucket challenge.” The president of Ohio University’s student senate posted a video denounced “genocide in Gaza,” plugged the boycott-divestment-sanctions movement (BDS), and then dumped a bucket of fake blood on herself. The sound quality of the video is lousy, so you may need to read Channel 10.
A groundswell of students are demanding Marzec’s resignation, and the student paper slammed the president. Marzec’s fighting with the senate too now. It tweeted an apology for the stunt which Marzec insists was an act of her “own prerogative.” More background and links at The Post. Looks like Marzec deleted her Twitter account too.
• In Canada, MP Shaul Mofaz discussed his $50 billion peace initiative with the National Post.
• Peru and Chile sent their ambassadors back to Israel weeks after recalling them in protest of Operation Protective Edge.
- The family of Gil-ad Shaer invited reporters to their home, in a moving evening that broke down barriers.
- AP bureau chief responds to ex-reporter Matti Friedman’s charges of bias.
- Australian Minister of Education slams BDS for campus anti-Semitism.
