Rocket-Fire from Gaza

Today’s Top Stories

1. In response to sirens heard in southern Israeli communities, and reported rocket-fire, the Israel Air Force struck an underground network of terror tunnels in the Gaza Strip overnight on Sunday.

2. De-escalation in Gaza? In contrast to the above story about rocket-fire, Qatari envoy, Mohammed al-Emadi, told reporters in Gaza City:

We confirm through our relationship with the two sides that they are not interested in escalation or engaging in a confrontation that could ignite the entire region.

3. Did a Netanyahu aid offer the attorney general position to a judge in exchange for halting an investigation into Netanyahu’s wife Sara?

4. The UN’s World Health Organization, NGOs and much of the media primarily blame Israel for decreasing medical travel permits for Palestinians in Gaza. But it appears the decrease is actually due to the Palestinian government itself.

5. Thank you to the Sunday Times Ireland for correcting their article. Indeed, Irish FM Simon Coveney’s own press release stated that he met Netanyahu in Jerusalem, not Tel Aviv.

6. Is Bibi the “most dangerous man in the Middle East?” The online news site Salon thinks so.

7.  In this report from Sophie McNeill on ABC News Australia, it appears that video footage of Tamimi has been deliberately cut mid-sentence to alter the impression that Tamimi was inciting violence – a key allegation in her trial.

Mideast Matters

• Swastikas and obscenities were found drawn around the entrance to the Polish Embassy in Israel on Sunday, one day after Poland’s prime minister made comments suggesting there were “Jewish perpetrators” of atrocities during World War II.

• Hezbollah said last week it could act against Israeli oil facilities if necessary. UN chief Guterres weighed in, saying he was worried about the possibility of a direct confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. He admitted that the latest signals from the parties do not seem to indicate this is likely but he added:

Sometimes a spark is enough to unleash this kind of a conflict.

• Israeli natural gas company announced a $15 billion export deal with Egypt. Though seemingly unrelated, this directly connects with the above story about Hezbollah as it all comes back to the tension and economic potential surrounding Israel’s natural gas resources.

Commentary/Analysis

• Marcus Sheff says in the Jerusalem Post that it’s time for UNRWA to face the truth about textbooks, pointing out:

According to the textbooks being read by half a million Palestinian children, the only solution available is victory via resistance, jihad, radical Islamism and defeating Israel once and for all.

(UNRWA is the controversial UN agency responsible for Palestinian refugees).

WATCH: HR’s Daniel Pomerantz catches UNRWA chief Chris Gunness contradicting himself on this very topic, on live television:

• Is Lebanon America’s friend? Successive US administrations believe it can be. Benny Avni believes they’re wrong.

• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .

–The UN’s Uncomfortable Truths about Iran – Amb. Nikki Haley
– UAE Leaders Tell Jewish Leaders of Concerns about Turkey, Iran Expansionism – Herb Keinon
– U.S. Wants Europeans to Commit to Improve Iran Deal – Arshad Mohammed, John Irish, and Robin Emmott

Featured image: CC BY Nick Page ;

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