Officials and politicians don’t want to lost control. Meanwhile, they have neither the time or the talent to do the job.

By Barry Shaw, ARUTZ SHEVA

It is disgraceful how incompetent the Israeli government is when it comes to public diplomacy. It’s not only shockingly bad, it’s actually dangerously damaging to us.

They are so bad that, if I were Donald Trump, I would tell all of them, “You’re fired!”

What a bunch of losers! They can’t even hold back a bunch of degenerates in the BDS movement.

Actually, they don’t deal with this problem at all. They complain about it. They scratch their heads and throw money around various ministries to make it look as if they’re doing something, but they do nothing effective at all, just wasting valuable funds that should go to those who are fighting against our demonization.
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By Michael Garfinkiel, PJ MEDIA

French socialist Christiane Taubira — the minister of justice, also known as the “keeper of the Seals” — formally resigned last week over what she called “a major political disagreement” with French socialist President François Hollande on anti-terror policies.

At stake was a constitutional amendment known as the Protection of the Nation Constitutional Act (Loi constitutionnelle de Protection de la Nation) that would strip persons who join ISIS or other jihadist networks, or who commit “grave crimes against the life of the Nation,” of their French citizenship.
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By Norman Bailey, WORLD TRIBUNE

The U.S. and Europe — the traditional pillars of Israeli foreign diplomatic and economic relations — are crumbling.

Since Israel’s independence, its most important economic and financial partners have been in Europe and the U.S. In the past few years, however, this situation has changed dramatically.

On the plus side, Israel’s position in the Middle East has improved, despite the chaos that has overtaken the region since the so-called “Arab Spring” of 2011. Not only is Israel militarily stronger, but due to the threats from Iran and Islamic State, Israel’s relations with its Sunni Arab neighbors have undergone a dramatic transformation, as those countries realize that Israel can be an important asset. Thus far this rapprochement has been largely behind the scenes, but no less marked because of that.
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By Clifford May, ISRAEL HAYOM

The global conflict now underway is often called “unconventional.” Among the ways that is true: The West has decided to fight with half measures while attempting to “address the grievances” of their enemies and those who might be inclined to join them.

War is — and always will be — hell. The Law of Armed Conflict is not meant to change that — only to make it a little less hellish. There are weapons you agree not to use. In exchange, your enemy doesn’t use those weapons against you. You treat captured combatants humanely. You expect the same when your soldiers are taken prisoner.

It’s a rational and enlightened concept and, in the global war of the 21st century, it has failed spectacularly. Those who call themselves jihadis feel bound only by their reading of Islamic law, not by the Geneva Conventions and other international obligations and restrictions.
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T. Belman.  Remember during the last Gaza war, Obama kept pushing Israel to enable Turkey and Qatar to arrange a ceasefire on their terms.  Israel and Egypt said no and kept them out. Now under Obama’s pressure, no doubt, both Turkey and Qatar have insinuated themselves.

DEBKA

Qatari envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi with Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza

Few Israelis, including the people who wake up at night to the clatter of Palestinians in Gaza digging tunnels under their floors, have never heard of Mohammed Al-Emadi. But his importance to their lives cannot be overestimated, because, as DEBKAfile reveals here, he is the Persian Gulf Emirate of Qatar’s de facto ambassador to the Gaza Strip and to Israel.

He is moreover Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s secret weapon against Hamas’s terror tunnels.
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New budget requests show cooperative programs down by over $100 million, no new Iron Dome funding after 2017, amid defense aid standoff.

By Ari Yashar, ARUTZ SHEVA

Pentagon documents released on Tuesday indicate that the 2017 budget requests of the US Defense Department include a total of $145.8 million for Israeli missile defense programs, a sharp drop in financial support amid a standoff over American military aid.

The aid, meant for Israel’s missile interceptor programs including the short-range Iron Dome, medium-range David’s Sling and Arrow ballistic missile interceptor, includes far lower figures than those recorded the year before in 2016, reports Reuters.
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T. Belman. During the last Gaza War, Bennett lead the fight to get Israel to destroy about 30 tunnels. Just this month he led the fight to get Israel to once again destroy the tunnels. He was ridiculed by Yaalon for his troubles. Israel at first refused to allow concrete into Gaza but then relented somewhat.  It is this concrete that is being used in the construction of the tunnels.

Security appraisal reveals over 1,000 Hamas terrorists are working on one central tunnel breaching deep into Israel for a massive attack.

By Shimon Cohen, ARUTZ SHEVA
An IDF appraisal of the current security threats published on Wednesday morning estimates that over 1,000 Hamas terrorists are currently working on digging one central terror tunnel leading deep into sovereign Israeli territory.

The estimation, published in Yedioth Aharonoth, shows a sharp break from past activity when Hamas worked on constructing dozens of smaller tunnels simultaneously. Around 30 such tunnels were destroyed in 2014 Operation Protective Edge, but Hamas has since been busy rebuilding the system.
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T. Belman. This bothers the hell out of me. We are legally in the right to demolish EU financed illegal homes.  We should not compromise on this one iota. We should demolish 90 such homes rather than the token 9 we demolished. Our refusal to allow them to be part of the Palestinian negotiations should remain as long as the labelling is in force. There is nothing to negotiate.

Israeli official says labeling of settlement products was ‘unilateral and adopted Palestinian narrative – that’s no way to conduct respectful dialogue.’

Barak Ravid, HAARETZ

Two months after freezing EU out of peace process, Netanyahu meets with Mogherini

Israel and the European Union have begun quiet talks toward resolution of the crisis growing out of the European Union’s decision to label products made in the settlements in European marketing chains, and to restart discussion on the Palestinian issue, which was halted by Israel three months ago.

Officials in Jerusalem said Israel and the EU are working toward reaching understandings that would include mutual steps to bring the relationship back on track.
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“The situation is unacceptable and the ones who suffer the most are first and foremost Arab civilians,” says Inspector General Roni Alsheich.

By Ben Hartman, JPOST

The level of crime and the number of illegal firearms in the Arab sector is unacceptable and a plague upon the lives of Israel’s Arab citizens, National Police Commissioner Insp.-Gen. Roni Alsheich said Tuesday.

“The situation is unacceptable and the ones who suffer the most are first and foremost Arab civilians, and afterwards the other sectors of society. There is a very powerful desire in the Arab sector to strengthen the police work there, and over the decades we haven’t done this.”

Alsheich’s comments came during a committee meeting held at the Knesset as part of a day-long salute to police held by the parliament during which Alsheich also laid out some of his goals as commissioner.
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T. Belman. The bottom line issue is whether Turkey will be given a say in Gaza and get Israel to lift the blockade. Turkey should not be allowed to get a victory on Gaza yet Netanyahu is saying that both sides must compromise. Wrong. Israel should not lift the blockade or let Turkey in.

Diplomats say Israeli and Turkish negotiating teams will meet on Wednesday for talks on reconciliation agreement.

By Elad Benari, ARUTZ SHEVA

Israeli and Turkish negotiating teams will meet in Switzerland on Wednesday for another round of talks in an attempt to finalize a reconciliation agreement, Western diplomats close to the talks told Haaretz on Tuesday night.

Participating in the talks on the Israeli side will be Joseph Ciechanover, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s representative, and acting National Security Adviser Jacob Nagel.

Turkey will be represented in this round by Under Secretary of State Feridun Sinirlioglu, according to Haaretz.
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Iran’s “sweet surrender” would never have been possible without the sophisticated and determined pressure of one country; Saudi Arabia, and one man; Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.

By Mudar Zahran, JPOST

On Jan 1/16, Iran’s official media confirmed the state had filled the Arak nuclear reactor core with concrete. In short: Iran has killed its flagship nuclear site and its nuclear program is now limited to smaller projects, paperwork, research and, of course, propaganda videos.

But how could this have happened? While the US-Iran nuclear deal does dictate that Iran must reduce the operational capacity of the Arak nuclear reactor in particular, nobody could have believed Iran would have jumped to execute this part of the deal so quickly. Iran has been known to never give up anything except for handsome rewards.
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T. Belman. Most of the comments at AT were outraged by this analysis. AT titled it “The Assad Republicans Are Wrong”

There is a serious dispute among the Republican presidential candidates on one of the most important foreign policy issues facing America. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump want the United States to join with Russia and Iran in backing Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad as a necessary policy to fight the ISIS terrorist group. Marco Rubio is willing to use U.S. military forces to defeat ISIS and set up a no-fly zone over the non-Assad controlled regions of Syria, thereby containing Assad and putting a check to the expansion of the power of the Kremlin-Iran alliance across the Middle East.

Experts warn similar crackdowns on free speech coming to America

WND

The unprecedented influx of Muslim migrants into Europe is fueling civil unrest as well as government repression directed against the native population, say experts who warn similar crackdowns on criticism of Islam could be coming to America.

In recent days, police in the Netherlands questioned and threatened to charge citizens who made Internet posts protesting government plans to resettle migrants in their communities.

In Calais, France, thousands of migrants have settled in a ramshackle settlement outside the city. Rather than removing them, the French government recently banned a demonstration by the Pegida group, which has called for resistance to Islam’s growing control over European life and the expulsion of the migrants.
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T. Belman. Til now I have preferred Ted Cruz. But then I saw an article explaining that the Israeli right prefer Rubia because they saw him as a Neocon, who would keep the US engaged in the ME compared to Cruz who was considered an isolationist. Isolationist he maty be but his support of Israel is right on.

by Jacob Kornbluh, JEWISH JOURNAL via Jewish Insider

The relationship between the U.S. and Israel will be reset by itself with the election of a Republican president in the fall, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said on Monday.

Addressing national security at BAE Systems Inc., an aerospace company headquartered in Nashua, N.H., Rubio was asked what he would do to reestablish warm relations with Israel if elected as president.
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Ottawa Hijab Day – Thursday, February 25^th, 2016

“Better Awareness, Greater Understanding, Peaceful World when non-Muslim women will wear a hijab for all or part of the day to be in solidarity with Muslim women. We walk with our sisters.”

Please do this instead: Do NOT wear a headscarf in “solidarity” with the ideology that most silences us, equating our bodies with “honor.” Stand with us instead with moral courage against the ideology of Islamism that demands we cover our hair.

~ Asra Q. Nomani & Hala Arafa ~
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By Caroline Glick, JPOST

Last week marked the 17th anniversary of Jordan’s King Abdullah’s coronation after the death of his father, King Hussein.

Abdullah’s ascension to the monarchy was unanticipated. His uncle Hassan was his father’s long-serving crown prince and was expected to inherit the throne. Hussein made the change in succession from his deathbed.
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The State wants to relocate the herding families that live in temporary illegal structures to the nearby village of Abu Dis, just outside of Jerusalem.

By Tova Lazaroff, JPOST

The High Court of Justice on Monday rejected a petition by 70 Jahalin Beduin families to remain on land that is part of the Ma’aleh Adumim settlement, according to the non-governmental group Regavim.

It issued a statement after a court hearing Monday. According to the court, a ruling was made in the case, but it has not yet been published.
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Former Russian Energy Minister Yuri Shafranik: U.S. Priorities ‘Are Directed Today toward Iran’   -VIDEO

PLUS

Russian Analyst On Pro-Regime Website: The West Wants To Bring About Russia’s ‘Mental Destruction’

On February 5, 2016, the pro-regime Russian website Pravda.ru[1] published an interview with Russian political scientist Elena Ponomareva[2] on the crisis in Syria and on other issues of global politics.

Asked why the West was criticizing Russia’s role and actions in Syria, she said that this was part of its media campaign against Russia. Whenever Russia makes achievements or grows strong, she explained, the West presents it as a “monster” and wages “an informational, ideological, economic, political and psycho-historical war” against it. This, not only in order to fight its leaders but in order to bring about its “mental destruction” and “destroy the legacy of Tolstoy, Pushkin and Dostoevsky so that they never come back.”
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DEBKA

US President Barack Obama has retracted on his pledge of an extra defense package to compensate Israel for the damage caused its security by the nuclear deal concluded with Iran last year. This flat refusal, reported here by DEBKAfile’s Washington sources, confronted Israeli officials when they met last week with heads of the National Security Council at the White House.
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T. Belman. Rubin is old school. I suggest that the US should partner with Russia. Cut a deal. Trump and Cruz both support this. Divide Syria and both defeat ISIS. Cede eastern Ukraine and Crimea to Russia. After all a majority of the citizens are Russian. Consider allowing Russia back into Libya in order to instill order in place of chaos. Libya can’t be allowed to be controlled by ISIS which would enable ISIS to control North Africa. Russian control of Syria would protect Europe from Muslim infiltration.

By Michael Rubin, COMMENTARY

When Governor Mitt Romney described Russia as the greatest geoplitical foe the United States faced, President Obama ridiculed him. “The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War’s been over for 20 years,” the president quipped. And yet today hardly an American warship departs Norfolk, Virginia or Mayport, Florida that is not tailed by a Russian submarine or shadowed by a Russian spy ship. Russia continues to prop up puppet states on Georgian territory, occupy Crimea and huge chunks of Eastern Ukraine, and sabre-rattle toward the Baltics. While the Kremlin suggests it has joined the international fight against the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh), the operations it has conducted — carpet bombing of non-ISIS targets and villages — constitute as clear a case of war crimes as anything conducted by any state in the last couple decades. While Hillary Clinton continues to insist the ‘reset’ policy she championed as secretary of state was a success, Russia has not only revitalized its nuclear arsenal and doctrine but it has actively begun to demonize the United States and its leaders as enemies.

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