Today’s Top Stories
1. Iranians chanted “Death to Palestine” as they demonstrated over the collapsing economy and Tehran’s support for terror groups. Protests continued today, with reports of demonstrations in Qom, Mashhad, Kermanshah, Rasht, Shiraz, Isfahan and Hamadan — not all of which were verified.
Videos posted to social media showed protesters chanting: “Death to Palestine,” “No to Gaza, no to Lebanon” and “Leave Syria and think of us.” Chants of “We don’t want the ayatollahs” and “Death to the dictator” were also heard at some rallies.
The demonstrations indicate widespread anger at the regime for spending billions of dollars on regional proxy wars and supporting terrorist groups, instead of investing it on the the struggling economy at home.
More on the protests at the Wall St. Journal (click via Twitter). There was a lot of buzz over Sohrab Ahmari‘s reaction.
https://twitter.com/sohrabahmari/status/1011252617492787200
2. Israel has agreed to set up a seaport for Gaza in Cyprus. It’s contingent on Hamas releasing two Israeli captives and the bodies of two IDF soldiers.
“As soon as all the details are closed and ‘locked and loaded,’ we will appeal directly to the public in Gaza, going over the heads of Hamas,” a senior defense source told the television station. “We will clearly and openly put the benefits package on the table [and say], ‘This is possible, this is the price. Take it or leave it.’” . . .
Hadashot assessed that the developments would put further pressure on Hamas if it blocks the proposal, as it would then need to explain to the public in Gaza and Arab states why it is preventing the rehabilitation of the Strip.
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3. Prince William’s visit to Israel is underway. He spent the day touring Yad Vashem, where he met with Holocaust survivors who came to Britain on the Kindertransport. He also honored his great-grandmother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, who Yad Vashem recognized as a “Righteous Among the Nations” for saving Jewish lives in Greece during World War 2 and is buried in Jerusalem.
The Duke of Cambridge also visited President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although officials have stressed that the visit is not political, President Rivlin asked the royal to convey a message of peace to Mahmoud Abbas. As this roundup was published, Prince William was due for other engagements in the Tel Aviv area.
The 36-year-old Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, is the first senior British royal to pay an official visit to Israel. A small number of previous royal visits were classified as “private visits.”
There was also an awful lot of talk about football…..#RoyalvisitIsrael #internationallanguageofdiplomacy pic.twitter.com/hsP6ZPKU9j
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) June 26, 2018
4. Gaza Baby Libel: Equal Narratives; Unequal Treatment: If the media spread a Hamas blood libel that Israel was responsible for the death of an eight-month old Gazan baby, why did so many not bother to cover the subsequent reports that it was a lie paid for by Hamas?
In the News
• Israeli missiles hit an “arms depot for Hezbollah” near Damascus International Airport overnight, according to Arab reports.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is mulling an invitation to join Russian President Vladimir Putin at the World Cup final in Moscow. Mahmoud Abbas already has plans to attend the match and meet with Putin. There’s no certainty the two will meet even if Netanyahu attends.
As far as I can recall, Netanyahu and Abbas haven’t had a face to face encounter since shaking hands at the 2016 funeral of Shimon Peres.
• Worth reading: Haaretz examines in depth the fire damage caused by Gaza terror kites. The destruction of crops and nature reserves described is bad enough, but this made me pause:
The damage isn’t just to the landscape. The residents in the area are breathing the smoke and suffering from it. This is particularly palpable among high-risk groups like children and asthmatics.
“There has been an increase in asthma attacks in children,” says Dr. Nataly Shveydel, director of Clalit clinics at the kibbutzim Nir Am, Mefalsim, Erez and Or Haner. “In the last few weeks, many babies susceptible to asthma had attacks, and this is not the season when that usually happens.”
Haaretz also included drone footage.
• Save the date: The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court scheduled Sara Netanyahu’s fraud trial to begin on July 19.
• Moroccan migrant arrested in Spain over alleged hate speech against Jews.
• After banning Jewish flags last year, Chicago Dyke March displays Palestinian flags.
Commentary
• What can intersectional feminism do to include Jewish women? Mia Brett offers three suggestions.
But intersectional feminism must include Jews — otherwise it simply isn’t intersectional. So when we’re uncomfortable in justice spaces, there needs to be a conversation.
• Here’s what else I’m reading today:
– Ron Prosor: It’s about time that a Royal visited Israel. But why did it take so long?
– Nadav Shragai: A necessary lesson on Jerusalem’s status
– Bassam Tawil: Palestinians: The only acceptable peace plan
– Reuven Berko: The West’s love affair with Abbas: The end of an era
– Herb Keinon: After Erdogan’s victory, what should Israel do?
– Masada Siegel: A Syrian ends up at a seder (click via Twitter)
– Benny Avni: Protests in Iran prove Trump is getting it right
• For a sense of what the critics are saying, Dalia Hatuqa weighs in on the Arab world throwing the Palestinians under the bus.
Featured image: CC BY Jon S;
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