Israeli security officials have recommended that the government work to de-escalate a stand-off with Iran in which both sides have accused each other of recently attacking merchant ships.
With a new administration in Washington that is still in the process of developing a regional policy while attempting to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, aggressive action from Israel would not be the right course, one official advised.
According to local media, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi also supports calming the situation. He is scheduled to accompany President Reuven Rivlin this week on a short trip to Germany, France, and Austria, where they will meet with the presidents of those countries to discuss Iran’s nuclear program and regional security issues.
Last week, an Iranian investigator stated that Israel is the likely suspect behind a recent attack in the Mediterranean that damaged an Iranian cargo ship.
Meanwhile, a leading international shipping journal has claimed that an Iranian tanker deliberately spilled oil into Israeli waters. Lloyd’s List’s findings correspond with much of Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel’s description of the events leading up to last month’s environmental disaster. Gamliel called the oil spill “eco-terrorism.”
Regional tensions have heated in recent months, as Tehran has repeatedly violated the terms of its nuclear accord with world powers ahead of possible talks with the Biden Administration.
Starting Tuesday, flights to Israel will be allowed from all destinations. The government made the decision during a late-night meeting. Despite effectively opening the Jewish state to the world, the limit of 3,000 passengers entering the country per day will remain.
Under current airport regulations, flights could only be authorized from a limited set of cities, including New York, Paris, and Frankfurt. The change is expected to facilitate the return of Israelis from abroad who wish to vote in the upcoming March 23 election.
However, the Health Ministry will retain the authority to cancel a specific flight if it is believed to endanger public health.
The opening of Israel’s skies comes as the R rate, which measures how many people each coronavirus patient infects on average, has continued to decline and currently stands at 0.76 – the lowest it has been in weeks.
About 5.18 million Israelis have received at least one jab of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, including 4.25 million who have received both shots.
Israel is lobbying the United Nations to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said. If the international body adopts the definition, officials from countries like Iran would be in violation of official UN policy should they engage in Holocaust denial.
“The UN’s adoption of the official definition can limit some of the incitement against Israel at the UN that some of the member-states have grown accustomed to and will also better equip all UN to fight antisemitism,” Erdan added.
The Jewish state’s UN envoy recently met with High Representative Miguel Moratinos, responsible for the United Nations’ efforts to fight Jew-hatred. The two discussed steps that can be taken to curtail the spread of anti-Jewish racism, including the possibility of the UN embracing the international standard for defining antisemitism.
So far, 30 countries, as well as many non-governmental organizations, have adopted the IHRA definition. Amongst other things, it identifies anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism. Should the United Nations proceed, the implementation process would likely take a few months.
The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC), the communal organization that unites Jews in Persian Gulf countries, has planned multiple programs to support local Jews during the upcoming Passover holiday.
Among the Passover initiatives, the AGJC has arranged for the shipment of nearly 650 pounds (300 kilos) of matzah to Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The organization will also provide kosher food for the holiday.
UAE-based Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie on March 24 will lead a Zoom session on the topic of “Seder Essentials,” focusing on the major themes of Passover, along with a Q&A session. Moreover, on March 31, the AGJC leadership will host a celebration for US troops stationed at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi. The program will be broadcast online for the benefit of other US bases in the region.
The AGJC was established in the aftermath of the UAE and Bahrain establishing diplomatic relations with Israel in September as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
Recommended Reading
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New Dead Sea Scrolls Discovered in Judean Desert Caves (Yori Yalon, Associated Press, Israel Hayom)
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Israel Is Not to Blame for the Failure of the Iran Nuclear Deal (Jacob Nagel, Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
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Middle East Arms Imports Surged by Quarter in Recent Years: Report (i24News)
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France to Return Klimt Painting ‘Sold’ During Nazi Era (Reuters)
