Dozens Killed in Belgian Terror Attacks

Today’s Top Stories

1. Terror in Belgium: At least 34 people were killed and more than 130 injured in two explosions at Brussels Airport and a third at the city’s Maelbeek metro station. The station is located near both European Union and NATO headquarters. At least one attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.  The Daily Telegraph and CNN live-blogged the unfolding news and The Atlantic had a nice roundup of what’s known so far.

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said more suspects may still be at large. European countries boosted security measures, and Turkish police are searching for three Islamic State terrorists said to be planning a “sensational” attack. The attacks may be related to the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, a suspect in the Paris terror attacks who was apprehended in Belgium last week.

No one has claimed responsibility, but multiple reports say gunshots and shouts in Arabic were heard in the airport just before the explosions. Supporters of Islamic State celebrated the attacks on social media.

One Israeli national has been confirmed injured. According to the JTA, that individual resides in Belgium.

To its credit, the BBC used the word terror on its home page — no quote marks, in its own words — which rightly violates its own editorial guidelines.

2. The US presidential candidates gave their speeches at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. You can watch the full speeches delivered by Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, John Kasich, and Ted Cruz. And Bernie Sanders, who opted not to attend the conference, gave a foreign policy speech in Salt Lake City yesterday. You’ll have to listen to the speeches and draw your own conclusions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the conference this morning by video link. The main takeaway? His hope that the US will reject a UN resolution on Palestinian statehood.

Netanyahu used his AIPAC speech to prepare the organization for a possible last battle against Obama over the US veto at the UNSC

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) March 22, 2016

3. Bulgarian prosecutors do not believe that the death of a Palestinian fugitive at the Palestinian embassy in Sofia was murder, though the investigation is not complete. The Sofia Globe writes:

Zayed was a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, who in 1986, was convicted of killing Eliyahu Amedi, a yeshiva student. Zayed escaped and managed to eventually make his way to Bulgaria. He sought refuge in the embassy after Israeli authorities learned of his whereabouts and asked Bulgaria to extradite him.

4. Newsweek: Israelis Shooting Dead Suspicious Palestinians: Newsweek falsely claims that Israeli “security personnel have been shooting dead or injuring any Palestinian targeting or suspected of planning to target Israeli civilians.”

5. HonestReporting’s USA director, Gary Kenzer will be conducting several events in the Manhattan area during the first weekend of April.

Due to the recent cancellation of one event, Gary’s schedule has an opening. If you would like to host an event in the area on the afternoon of Sunday, April 3, please call Gary toll free 866-508-7884.

Israel and the Palestinians

• Shortly after a poll found that most Palestinians support return to an armed intifada, Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Brussels terror attacks, saying,

Abbas affirmed that the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people abhor terrorism and reject attacking civilians.

You can see the full survey results at the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research.

• Yemenites are outraged over rumors that the evacuation of 17 Jews resulted from a secret understanding between Israel and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Who would have thought we’d see this Twitter hashtag described by the Jerusalem Post?

The opponents to this “secret deal” between Israel and the Houthis launched a social media campaign defaming Houthis as traitors under the hashtag, “The Houthis are Israeli agents.”

I liked CNN‘s look at the clandestine Israeli airlift of 17 Yemenite Jews, which nicely juggled the personal sides of the story, and some of the broader issues involved.

• Shabbat recipe causes a stew on Facebook

Foreign Ministry’s Arabic language Facebook page posts recipe for tibit, Iraqi Jewish Shabbat stew. Iraqi commenters respond positively, while Palestinian commenters accuse Israelis of using blood of children as ingredient.

• During a visit to Israel, the head of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Francis Gurry, said BDS should not have impact on intellectual property rights.

Around the World

• Deciding to make an example of of the City University of New York, the New York state senate slashed $485 million, “saying it was to ‘send a message’ that the colleges were not taking enough action in response to campus anti-Semitism.” The JTA explains:

At the City University of New York, Jewish students at four campuses — Brooklyn College, Hunter College, the College of Staten Island and John Jay College — have complained of being harassed, slurred and silenced by hostile pro-Palestinian students.

More on the story at Politico, which says there’s a political component to the senate’s move.

• One year after Alberto Nisman’s death, signs of progress in Argentina probe.

Commentary/Analysis

• Cute video from Love Israel about press coverage of Israel.

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

– Boaz Bismuth: Israel was in their hearts
– Jonathan Ferziger and Michael Arnold: Debt-pinched Palestinian premier longs for AIPAC-like power
– Ariel Ben Solomon: Does ISIS Turkey attack on Jews mark a new trend?
– Zvi Mazel: Face off between Hamas and Cairo
– Wall St Journal: Divesting of campus outrage (staff-ed via Google News)

Featured image: CC BY-SA The Next Web Photos with additions by HonestReporting; intellectual property CC BY-SA The Blue Diamond Gallery;

For more, see yesterday’s Israel Daily News Stream and join the IDNS on Facebook.

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