Today’s Top Stories
1. Egyptian MP Tawfik Okasha was attacked in parliament for hosting Israel’s ambassador, Haim Koren, for dinner. If you’re wondering what Okasha and Koren discussed, Reuters reports:
Koren confirmed to Reuters that he and his staff had a three-hour dinner meeting at the Egyptian lawmaker’s home on Wednesday evening.
“He proposed the meeting, at which he raised ideas of us helping Egypt in the areas of water, agriculture and education – to try to set up a number of schools with Israeli training,” Koren told Reuters by telephone.
“I offered to work on putting this together, and that we meet again. I will soon be inviting him over to our place. He showed great courage. He knew he would be attacked, and nonetheless he stood firm on his convictions.”
The "crime" of a dinner with #Israel's amb could get an #Egyptian MP ejected from parliament: https://t.co/lHm9pnSzhQ Ain't peace beautiful?
— Daniel Pipes دانيال بايبس (@DanielPipes) February 28, 2016
2. The tangled alliances of the Syrian civil war got even more confusing. It appears that Russia’s using Israeli-made drones to support the Assad regime, which benefits Iran and Hezbollah according to YNet.
Join the fight for Israel’s fair coverage in the news
3. According to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavusoglu, Jerusalem and Ankara are close enough on re-normalizing ties that Israel and Turkey may make a joint statement “in the coming days.” Israeli media picked up on Hurriyet coverage.
4. Meet Israel’s First Bedouin Diplomat: HonestReporting invites you to hear from Ishmael Khaldi about his unique experiences climbing up Israel’s diplomatic ranks, fighting against BDS in San Francisco and London, and more.
Where: The Agron Guest House, 6 Agron St., Jerusalem
When: Monday, March 7
Time: 7:00 PM prompt (doors open 6:15 PM)
Cost: 50 NIS to offset expenses
Details: For more info or to pre-register (required) click here.
Israel and the Palestinians
• Israel and Jordan made progress on an agreement to install security cameras on the Temple Mount. According to Haaretz, a team of Jordanian technicians will arrive in Jerusalem in the coming days to work out technical arrangements.
The cameras will be installed in the large plazas and in a few other locations in the Temple Mount compound but contrary to Israel’s demand, no cameras will be installed in the mosques.
The minister said that the cameras will broadcast simultaneously to Jordanian and Israeli control rooms. Transmissions will be live, 24 hours a day.
• The Fatah-run Awdah TV station interviewed ordinary Palestinians who came out against the involvement of children in stabbing attacks. Many blamed Palestinian media for confusing and inciting their kids. See Palestinian Media Watch (video or transcript).
• According to Israeli media reports, Israel and the European Union are discussing a new framework agreement that will “redefine the implementation of cooperation between Israel and the EU in a range of areas, such as industry, trade, energy, the environment, agriculture, economic questions, and on the political level as well.”
Nevertheless, the separate marking of products from Israeli settlements in the territories on which the EU decided will remain, and the EU’s foreign ministers will not back down from it. Similarly, as with all its agreements with Israel, this agreement too, as far as the EU is concerned, will not apply beyond Israel’s 1967 borders.
• Israeli police arrested two Palestinian brothers in Hebron — both Hamas members — for carrying out several shooting attacks towards the end of 2015 that wounded a number of Israelis. The Jerusalem Post reports their sniper rifle, submachine gun, and silencer were all home-made.
In recent weeks, untraceable home-made guns have added to Israeli security headaches.
ISA arrested 2 Palestinians who perpetrated shooting attacks in Hebron. Their scoped rifle was hidden in a mosque. pic.twitter.com/MOuzCwQtVz
— Ofir Gendelman (@ofirgendelman) February 29, 2016
• A US appeals court ruled that victims of a 1997 Jerusalem terror attack can seize $9.4 million of Iranian funds. Details at the Jerusalem Post.
Mideast Matters
• UN Security Council Resolution 1701 was passed after the 2006 war in Lebanon; most notably, it called for the disarming of all armed groups in Lebanon (including Hezbollah) and allowed UNIFIL to be the only armed force south of the Litani River. Hard to believe that was a decade ago. Israel’s mission to the UN released a report stating the Resolution 1701 was violated 2,374 times in 2015. Israel should place its trust in the UN, right?
Additionally, there were 589 violations involving the UN-delineated Blue Line border between Israel and Lebanon, and 653 Hezbollah patrols along the border fence.
Two incidents in which Israel was attacked, including two rockets fired at Nahariya, were also recorded . . .
• The Guardian published a book excerpt on how how Islamic State and the people it inspires use media to spread propaganda and fear.
Come to think of it, The Guardian’s interest in this ain’t surprising since the paper also gives a free media soapbox to Islamic terrorists like Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal.
• Whoda thought? An Egyptian parliamentarian says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mediated between the US and Egypt for the White House’s recognition of Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s regime.
Around the World
• Soccer fans accost Jewish-Italian sportscaster in London.
David Guetta says 20 young Fiorentina supporters hurled anti-Semitic abuse at him after Tottenham ousted their team from championship.
• SABC News and YNet picked up on Shimon Peres’ visit to South Africa. His meeting with Winnie Mandela happened to coincide with Israel “Apartheid” Week, but that’s between the Israel-bashers and “The Mother of the Nation.”
Shimon Peres and Winnie Makaziwe Mandela signing 'Jewish Memories of Mandela' this afternoon in Sandton @SAJBD pic.twitter.com/YZptepgxyN
— Wendy Kahn (@BroadattheBoard) February 28, 2016
• Israeli reporter Yaniv Halili joined Jewish students at University College London battling Israel “Apartheid” Week.
• Daily Telegraph: George Galloway’s firm goes bust, owing £100,000 tax. Miranda Media Ltd was set up to channel the London mayoral candidate’s pay from Iran’s Press TV.
Commentary/Analysis
• Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog got an op-ed platform in the New York Times. “Only separation can lead to a two-state solution,” he argues.
• Here’s what else I’m reading today . . .
– Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler: What do when media shows bias against Israel
– Dan Margalit: Palestinian lone wolves escalate attacks
– Yossi Klein Halevi: Israel’s options in a chaotic Middle East
– Jonathan Tobin: Obama’s BDS bill stand hurts peace
– Moshe Arens: Israeli governments flaunt ‘united Jerusalem’ while doing nothing for its Arab residents
– Ariel Ben Solomon: Iran election doesn’t change much, but gives regime legitimacy it craves
– Wall St. Journal: Moderation, Tehran style (staff-ed, click via Google News)
Image: CC BY-NC-SA Ross Pollack; Khaldi via YouTube/Al Jazeera English;
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