The Israel Defense Forces fired artillery shells into Lebanon after two rockets were launched at northern Israel from Lebanese territory, triggering sirens in the Western Galilee area. One of the rockets was intercepted by Israel’s air defenses, while the second fell in an open area, the IDF said. No injuries or damage were reported.
BREAKING: 2 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel. 1 of the rockets was intercepted by the Iron Dome Aerial Defense System & the 2nd rocket fell in an open area inside Israel.
We remain prepared to defend Israel on all fronts.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 20, 2021
The incident took place about four hours after the Syrian military said Israel carried out an overnight aerial strike southeast of Syria’s northern Aleppo province. The IDF did not comment on the statement or on similar reports in Arab media.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor that has activists on the ground in Syria, said the Israeli strikes targeted weapons depots that belong to Iranian-backed militia operating in the area. The group said the strikes were followed by loud explosions, adding that the weapons depots were located inside Syrian military posts.
Footage from the recent #Israeli attacks southern #Aleppo, #Syria. pic.twitter.com/RiBp3AiUk6
— Barzan Sadiq (@BarzanSadiq) July 19, 2021
In response to fears of growing Iranian entrenchment on its northern frontier, the Jewish state has repeatedly struck Iran-linked facilities and weapons convoys destined for a proxy of Tehran – the Lebanon-based Hezbollah terrorist group.
US President Joe Biden welcomed Jordan’s King Abdullah to the White House on Monday. Among other things, the two discussed the situation in the Middle East.
“The President expressed his strong support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and respect for Jordan’s special role as custodian of Muslim holy places in Jerusalem,” the White House statement reads, adding that “the President expressed US support for engagement between Jordan and the new Israeli government, as demonstrated by their bilateral agreement earlier this month to improve Jordan’s access to fresh water and increase Jordan’s exports to the West Bank.”
Biden also “commended the important role Jordan plays in the wider stability of the region and welcomed the recent trilateral summit in Baghdad between Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt.”
Washington and Jerusalem are working on scheduling a meeting soon between the US President and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Monday that while Israel wants to see a peaceful and prosperous Gaza Strip, the Hamas terror organization that rules it seeks the opposite.
In a video address posted on the Arabic-language Facebook page of the IDF’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Gantz wished Palestinians a happy Eid Al-Adha (“Festival of the Sacrifice”), and stated: “Our policy is clear. Security stability and a return of Israel’s sons held illegally by Hamas are the key to a better economy and to a better future for the whole region. I very much hope we can improve the future on behalf of all of us.”
Hamas is holding the remains of two Israeli soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, as well as keeping captive two Israeli civilians who entered Gaza, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed — both of whom suffer from mental-health issues.
Vermont-based ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry’s announced on Monday that it will stop selling its products in the West Bank. It is inconsistent with its values for its ice cream to be sold in “occupied Palestinian territory,” the company posted on Twitter.
Ben & Jerry’s will end sales of our ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Read our full statement: https://t.co/2mGWYGN4GA pic.twitter.com/kFeu7aXOf3
— Ben & Jerry’s (@benandjerrys) July 19, 2021
Ben & Jerry’s is also ending its partnership with its local distributor, possibly as the Israeli company was unwilling to take part in a future distribution agreement that differentiated between Israel’s 1948 borders and Jewish communities located in the West Bank.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called the manufacturer’s decision “a disgraceful capitulation to antisemitism, to BDS, to all that is evil in the anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish discourse.”
The ice cream company said that it will continue selling its goods in Israel under a new arrangement.
A delegation of foreign ambassadors to the US and UN began a week-long visit in Israel, hosted by Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations and United States Gilad Erdan and sponsored by the American Zionist Movement. Diplomats from Australia, Argentina, Bhutan, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Kenya, Guatemala, Ukraine and Tonga are participating.
“There is nothing stronger than sight; a visit to Israel reveals the truth and leaves a mark on everyone who comes here,” Erdan said, adding: “I set a goal for myself to bring to Israel as many ambassadors to the US and UN as possible to strengthen our position in the world and prove Israel’s right to defend itself.”
The itinerary includes Israel’s northern and southern borders and communities, a tour of Hamas and Hezbollah terror tunnels, and security briefings. The delegation will also visit historical and religious sites, as well as high-tech hubs.
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The behind-the-scenes trip includes:
- 5-star accommodations at the Inbal Hotel, Jerusalem
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- Tour of the Lebanon border with an anti-terrorism expert
- Insider’s look into the complexities of the disputed West Bank
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Recommended Reading
- Why Is Support For ‘Freedom of Worship for Jews’ on the Temple Mount So Controversial? (Jonathan S. Tobin, Jewish News Syndicate)
- Cowardice in the Guise of ‘Values’ (Yifat Erlich, Israel Hayom)
- The Final Countdown to Abbas’ Rule Is Gaining Pace (David Hacham, Algemeiner)
- Report: Antisemitism Rose 365 Percent In UK Due to Israel-Gaza War (Jeremy Sharon, Jerusalem Post)
- How Israel Became a Judo Powerhouse (Cnaan Liphshiz, Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
