We are facing a significant escalation in the Golan
Sources in the defense establishment say that the rockets that landed in the northern Golan Heights on Saturday (21st) were likely not mere “spillover” from the Syrian civil war, but had been intentionally fired into Israel.
In response, on Saturday (21st), the IDF destroyed three Syrian artillery launchers after five rockets landed in the northern Golan Heights.
There reportedly was no fighting going on in the area in Syria at the time.
“Whether errant fire or not, this is an exceptional incident and any future occurrences will force the IDF to intensify its responses” the IDF said in a statement.
(jta.org; israelhayom.com)
Palestinian man drops rock on 12-year-old Israeli boy playing in Hebron spring, army says
A Palestinian man drop a large rock on an Israeli boy playing in a spring in the city of Hebron, knocking him unconscious, according to the army.
The 12-year-old boy on Saturday (21st) then fell into Abraham’s Well spring, located in the city’s Jewish enclave. His friends pulled him out of the water and called for help. He was taken to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem, where he required 10 stitches in his scalp.
The IDF spokesman said security forces were searching for suspects.
“Such violence is nothing less than terror,” he said.
(jpost.com; reuters.com)
Israel strongly condemns terrorist attack in Egypt
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)
Saturday, October 21,2017
“Israel strongly condemns the severe terrorist attack in the al-Wahat al-Bahriya area in Egypt, and sends condolences on behalf of the people of Israel to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the people of Egypt. We send wishes for a quick recovery to the injured.”
“There is no difference between the terrorism that strikes in Egypt and the terrorism that strikes in other countries. Terrorism will be defeated quicker if all countries are united in taking action against it.”
(imra.co.il)
Egypt’s el-Sisi vows to quash terrorism after police ambush
CAIRO – In his first remarks after a deadly attack on the country’s police force, Egypt’s president vowed on Sunday (22nd) to press ahead with the country’s war against terrorism, secure its borders and hunt down militants.
The Associated Press and other media outlets reported that the death toll from Friday’s (20th) attack reached 54 making it one of the worst attacks against Egypt’s police in years.
El-Sissi said, “Egypt will continue its confrontation against terrorism and those financing and standing behind it, with strength, decisiveness and efficiency, until it’s curbed.”
(ynetnews.com; ap.com)
Abu Marzouk: Disarming Resistance not discussed in Cairo talks
A leader of Hamas, Moussa Abu Marzouk said in an interview with CNN Arabic that “resistance arms” was not discussed with the Fatah movement during recent talks in Cairo, noting that resisting the Israeli Occupation is an unalienable right of the Palestinian people.
Marzouk added that Hamas totally rejects any Israeli impositions which attempt to foil the Palestinian reconciliation.
(arabic.cnn.com)
Hamas delegation in Tehran
A high profile delegation from Hamas headed by the deputy head of the political bureau, Saleh Al-Arori, arrived in Tehran on Friday (20th).
The delegation held several meetings with high profile Iranian officials to discuss some important issues including the Palestinian Cause, joint relations, and the conflict with the Israeli Occupation.
A top aide to Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei praised Hamas for not abandoning its armed struggle against israel, during a meeting Saturday (21st).
(timesofisrael.com)
UN envoy chides Hamas leaders for urging Israel’s destruction
The United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process chided Hamas leaders Sunday (22nd) for urging the destruction of Israel, and said Palestinians should make resolving the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip the focus of their efforts.
Nickolay Mladenov’s comments came after senior figures in the Hamas terror group declared that a reconciliation with rival Fatah does not mean that Hamas will end its efforts to wipe out the Jewish state.
(timesofisrael.com)
Tillerson demands Iranian militias leave Iraq
U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson on Sunday (22nd) demanded that Iranian “militias” leave Iraq at a press conference in Riyadh, where U.S. diplomats are holding talks with top Gulf officials.
Shortly before leaving Riyadh for Doha, Qatar, Tillerson told reporters that an independent and prosperous Iraq would be a foil to Iran’s “malign behavior.”
(afp.com)
Palestinian mission in Colombia tweets Arafat’s quote calling for Israel’s destruction
RIO DE JANEIRO – The Palestinian mission to Colombia tweeted from late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat calling for the destruction of Israel.
In a Spanish-language post Last week, the mission wrote, “Our goal is the end of Israel, and there can be no compromise or mediations….We don’t want peace. We want WAR and victory – Yasser Arafat,” according to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The tweet was quickly removed from the Palestinian mission’s account – no explanation or apology was offered.
Marcos Sermoneta, Israel’s ambassador to Colombia, told the Spanish newspaper Diario del las Americas in an interview published Friday (20th) that the tweet reflects the Palestinian’s true position against Israel.
Arafat’s quote appeared in the Washington Post newspaper in March 1970, long before he became head of the Palestinian Authority.
(jta.org)
Hizbullah official: Kurdish defeat is a victory over U.S. and Israel
Hizbullah’s executive council deputy head Sheikh Nabil Qaouk has called the routing of Kurdish Peshmerga forces from Kirkuk by Iranian-backed Iraqi troops a victory by the resistance over the United States and Israel.
“Our victory in Kirkuk is a victory over the US and Israel and an answer to Trump’s threats to Iran,” Qaouk said on Sunday (22nd), during a religious ceremony in the southern Lebanese town of Bazouriyeh.
(jpost.com)
