Today’s Top Stories
1. An Israeli drone strike is said to have killed a Palestinian Islamic State fighter in Sinai. The reported attack occurred after Islamic State in the Sinai took credit for firing two rockets at Israel earlier this week. Both landed in open areas, causing no damage. Arab media reports picked up by the Times of Israel identified the Palestinian man as Zaher Abu Sitta of Gaza.
It’s not the first time Islamic State in the Sinai claimed without proof that it was attacked by Israel. Allegations of Israeli intervention in the Sinai are intended to embarrass the Egyptian military, which is fighting jihadist insurgents in the Sinai peninsula. Israel hasn’t responded to the reports.
2. Russia agreed to keep Iranian and Hezbollah and forces away from the Israeli-Syrian border.
The Jerusalem Post picked up on Arab reports that visiting Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu told Israeli officials that Moscow was willing to extend a 10-15 km (6-9 miles) off-limits zone, but not to the full 40 km (about 25 miles) which Israel seeks.
Join the fight for Israel’s fair coverage in the news
3. The IDF raided eight Palestinian TV stations and production companies around the West Bank suspected of “distributing incitement materials.” One station was directly affiliated with Hamas, another with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. More at Haaretz and Ynet.
4. Balfour Declaration: Haters Declare War: Israel-bashers in the media associate the Balfour declaration with historical wrongs, slavery, apartheid, colonialism and more.
Israel and the Palestinians
• Israel expanded Gaza’s authorized fishing area from six to nine nautical miles.
• A Palestinian artists union is threatening to expel members if they engage in “normalization” with Israel — specifically by participating in a Jerusalem cultural festival.
• Overcoming opposition, Israel elected to UN space committee.
• Soldiers shot and wounded a Palestinian who charged them with a knife near the Gush Etziyon Junction today. Ynet coverage.
• Spanish newspaper regrets discussion of British soccer club’s ‘Jewish origin.’
Commentary/Analysis
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
– Prof. Eyal Zisser: Hamas sets sights on PLO
– Ron Ben-Yishai: Land of terror: ISIS alive and kicking in Sinai
– Shmuel Rosner: UNESCO Shmunesco
– Raphael Ahren: Israel’s planned withdrawal from UNESCO unlikely to improve anything
– Crystal Nix-Hines: Trump’s withdrawal from UNESCO a huge gift to the Palestinians
– Julie Nathan: Zionism, explained to a Muslim friend.
– Pinhas Inbari: How Palestinian “unity” talks put Iran in the mix
– Spengler: Why Europe’s new nationalists love Israel
– Jacob Rothschild: Britain can be proud of helping to create Israel
Featured image: CC BY-SA Karsten Seiferlin; Shoygu via Wikimedia Commons; Balfour via Wikimedia Commons with additions by HonestReporting;
For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.
Before you comment on this article, please remind yourself of our Comments Policy. Any comments deemed to be in breach of the policy will be removed at the editor’s discretion.
