An open letter to Minister Naftali Bennett

By Aliza Bodner, JPOST

Last week, a committee appointed by the Diaspora Affairs Ministry which you head made public a report recommending that the government strengthen ties with a potential 60 million individuals worldwide who have some “affinity” to Judaism. According to the 152-page report, this includes individuals who “do not even see themselves as Jewish.”

Minister Bennett, why are you investing in a plan to seek out potential Jews when the government has still not upheld its previous rulings to bring the remaining 8,000 members of the Jewish community in Ethiopia to Israel, who have been waiting in some cases for over 20 years to receive approval from the Israeli government to immigrate to Israel and reunite with their loved ones.
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“Assad’s regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map and the world if the Iranians do try to harm Israel or its interests from Syrian territory.”

By Ben Caspit, JPOST

If  the Iranians act against Israel from Syrian territory, Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime will be those that pay the price.”

That is the clear message from senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment and IDF after the top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called a strike on the Syrian T-4 air base “Israel’s crime” and said the alleged act would “not remain without response.”

“Assad’s regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map and the world if the Iranians do try to harm Israel or its interests from Syrian territory,” said senior officials in the defense establishment.
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 Israel can bring down Assad, but if Russia joins the fight, the US will need to join, too. 

By Res. Major-General Amos Yadlin, INN

Two significant events are developing in the north: The US is discussing operations against Syria, after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons; and Iran is discussing a response to Israel’s alleged attack on the T-4 airbase in Homs.

These two events seem to be separate, but they could consolidate into a very significant development.
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By Sawsan Al Shaer, ALARABIYA

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sent a strong message to the world that Saudi Arabia is capable and intent on eliminating terrorism. This message constitutes a new language for Saudi Arabia in its relations with the international community.

There is also the message he conveyed in his interview with The Wall Street Journal, where he said that the international community must keep pushing Iran economically and politically to avoid a direct military confrontation in the region, adding that “sanctions will create more pressure on the regime.”

“We have to succeed so as to avoid military conflict,” the royal said. “If we don’t succeed in what we are trying to do, we will likely have war with Iran in 10-15 years.”

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Dismissing criticism of Israel over reported strike on air base in Syria, ordinary Arabs urge Israel to continue raids on President Assad’s arsenals, Iranian assets • “Luckily for Arabs, Israel is unwilling to accept Iranian control in Syria,” man writes.

By Daniel Siryoti, ISRAEL HAYOM

Arab social media users on Monday lauded Israel following a reported airstrike on a Syrian air base that killed 14 people, including Iranian military personnel.

Syria and allies Iran and Russia accused Israel of bombing the T4 airbase in Homs – an area that has been targeted by the Israeli Air Force in the past – but no official Israeli source has corroborated the reports.

In stark contrast to the condemnations and warnings against Israel by officials in Syria, Russia and Iran, many ordinary Arabs used social media to urge Israel to continue bombing Syrian-Iranian weapons positions across the war-torn country.
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By Richard Goldberg, NY POST

Within hours of learning that Bashar al-Assad launched another horrific chemical-weapons attack on his own people, President Trump tweeted there’d be a “big price to pay.” He should follow his instincts by holding Assad accountable, increasing his leverage over Vladimir Putin and breaking Iran’s strategic foothold in Syria.

The tragedy of Syria is largely rooted in two decisions made by Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama. The first was a refusal to act on his own declared red line for military action in response to the use of chemical weapons, which invited Russia and Iran to dominate the region.
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The culture war intensifies.

By Sohrab Ahmari, COMMENTARY

Drive down Massachusetts Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares in the tony, hyper-educated city of Cambridge, and you will spot two handsome Episcopal churches located a few blocks apart. Both houses of worship are usually festooned with rainbow flags, Black Lives Matter banners, statements on transgender rights and so on. The churches epitomize what might be called “Harvard Christianity”—a Christianity that is fully conformed to modern liberalism and the opinions of the meritocrats who teach and study at the elite university nearby.

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Trump still wants a summit of Gulf leaders to resolve Qatar blockade
Saudi king scrambles to counter crown prince’s Israel remarks

THE NEW ARAB

The United States approved a deal to sell Qatar $300 million in guided missiles on Monday, on the eve of President Donald Trump’s White House meeting with Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The Gulf emirate is a long-standing American military ally and host to the largest US air base in the Middle East, but ties have been clouded by a crisis with its Arab neighbors.

Led by US allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Qatar’s regional rivals launched a diplomatic and trade blockade last year, and Trump initially appeared to take Riyadh’s side.
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This resolute stance, shared by all branches of Israeli security, was recently presented to political officials. IDF chief and Defense Minister Lieberman clarify that increased Iranian military presence in Syria will be perceived as a red line

By Amos Harel, HAARETZ

Security officials support an offensive and determined approach to stop Iran from gaining a foothold in Syria. This tough stance, shared by all branches of Israeli security, was recently presented to political officials. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot have made clear a number of times over the past few months that increased Iranian military presence in Syria will be perceived as a red line and that Israel will act to protect its security interests.

Last week, the presidents of Russia, Iran and Turkey met in Ankara to discuss the situation in Syria. The meeting raised major concerns in Israel. The impression is that Russia is now backing Tehran in its continued military actions in Syria, even if it means increased friction on the border with Israel.

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Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part series based on a WND interview with investigative reporter Peter Schweizer about his new book “Secret Empires: How Our Politicians Hide Corruption and Enrich Their Families and Friends,” which shows how lawmakers, on a massive scale, are avoiding scrutiny through “corruption by proxy,” using family and friends as “middlemen.” In part one, he explains why he now believes term limits for federal lawmakers are justified. In part two, he explains how the corruption of American politicians has helped prop up North Korea’s rogue regime. In part three, he talks about President Obama’s astonishing “smash and grab” scheme and warns of pitfalls President Trump faces through his family members in the White House and through his global real estate empire, which now is managed by his sons.

‘Secret empire’ exposed as Trump confronts nuclear threat

By Art Moore,  WND

As President Trump angles for a meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to confront the rogue communist regime’s nuclear threat, the role of neighboring China looms large.

It’s China, according to many political analysts, that has kept Pyongyang’s communist government on life support and, therefore, holds a key to forcing Kim to shut down his nuclear weapons program.

One deal that has particularly benefited Pyongyang is a joint venture with the state-owned Chinese conglomerate Wanxiang to mine copper in the Paektu Mountains, near the China border.
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Today’s advocates oversell the benefits of unfettered reason. They dismiss the contributions of tradition, religion and nationalism to human progress.

By Yoram Hazony, WSJ

A lot of people are selling Enlightenment these days. After the Brexit vote and the election of President Trump, David Brooks published a paean to the “Enlightenment project,” declaring it under attack and calling on readers to “rise up” and save it. Commentary magazine sent me a letter asking for a donation to provide readers “with the enlightenment we all so desperately crave.” And now there’s Steven Pinker’s impressive new book, “Enlightenment Now,” which may be the definitive statement of the neo-Enlightenment movement that is fighting the tide of nationalist thinking in America, Britain and beyond.

Do we all crave enlightenment? I don’t. I like and respect Mr. Pinker, Mr. Brooks and others in their camp. But Enlightenment philosophy didn’t achieve a fraction of the good they claim, and it has done much harm.
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JCPA

An interview with Professor Eugene Kontorovich by Sarah Haetzni-Cohen

A version of this interview first appeared in Hebrew in Makor Rishon on March 23, 2018.

Professor Eugene Kontorovich is the head of the international law department of the Kohelet Policy Forum and a fellow of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. He teaches at the Law Faculty of Northwestern University. Born in Ukraine, Professor Kontorovich spent most of his adult life in the United States. Several years ago, he moved to Israel with his family.

Q: From the viewpoint of international law, how can the legal position of Judea and Samaria [West Bank] be defined?
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By Amir Taheri, ALSHARQ AL-AAWSAT, Friday, 6 April, 2018

Earlier this week Russian President Vladimir Putin, still beaming from his re-election victory, tried to heighten his global profile with a much-advertised “summit” with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

(A brief tripartite sitting with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani was later added as a footnote to “exchange views” on Syria.)

At tactical level Putin and Erdogan need each other.

Erdogan gives Putin, who is asserting himself as the arbiter of Syria’s future, as an “Islamic” cover to counter claims that Russia, having bombed large parts of Syria into rubble and killing tens of thousands of civilians, is now at war with Islam. It is no accident that Kremlin’s recent “advice” to Muslim preachers in mosques across the Russian federation includes the claims that Putin’s moves in Syria are backed by Erdogan.
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THE TIMES

Polling booths in Hungary were kept open as voters still queued at 7pm when they were due to closePETER KOHALMI/AFP/GETTY

The hardline populist prime minister of Hungary celebrated a landslide third consecutive term last night, sounding alarm bells in Brussels.

Preliminary results suggested that Viktor Orban was on course to regain the two-thirds parliamentary “supermajority” he won in 2010 and 2014 after he campaigned against the European Union’s ambition to settle migrants and increase the pace of integration of member states.

The majority gives the prime minister, 54, carte blanche to alter Hungary’s constitution, making it almost impossible for the fragmented opposition to topple him. “We have won,” Mr Orban told supporters as results were published. “Hungary has won a great victory.”
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By Dr. George N. Tzogopoulos

BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 788, April 8, 2018

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In July 2010, then Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou visited Jerusalem and met his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. A few weeks later Netanyahu traveled to Athens and held discussions with Papandreou. The long-term significance of those visits could not be acknowledged at that time. But almost eight years later, it is now clear that those talks were a catalyst for the rapprochement that has occurred between two countries that have had a difficult relationship for decades. Greece and Israel are growing ever closer by establishing a strategic partnership and exploring ways to further deepen it.

The deterioration of relations between Israel and Turkey that began at the end of 2008 led the Israeli leadership to look for alternative alliances in the Eastern Mediterranean. A rapprochement with Greece, traditionally at odds with Turkey, made theoretical sense but was practically difficult due to the Greek sympathy with the Arabs and the Palestinian cause. Careful diplomacy was thus required.

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YOU WILL NEVER HEAR A BETTER DEFENSE OF ISRAEL BECAUSE NO ONE CAN DO A BETTER JOB THAN DAVID KEYES