Israel News for 8-3-18
ISIS Stopped
An Israeli Air Force jet attacked a group of armed ISIS-affiliated terrorists in the Syrian southern Golan Heights early Thursday, killing 7 of them. The terrorists were approaching the border fence. The incident took place near the area still controlled by an ISIS-linked group, which has about 300 fighters and is the only one in the Syrian Golan that has not yet surrendered to the Syrian army.
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Ceasefire Talks
According to a report today in Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar, a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel is close to becoming a reality. The agreement is being facilitated by Egypt and a special UN Mideast envoy.
According to Al Akhbar, the first stage of the ceasefire agreement will come into effect within a week and will include an end to “March of Return” protest activities on the Israel-Gaza border. In return, the Kerem Shalom border crossing will resume activity and the Rafah border crossing with Egypt will be reopened on a more permanent basis.
The second stage will include the improvement of living conditions in the Gaza Strip and the complete removal of the blockade. Israel will allow the transfer of goods into the strip and increase the electricity it provides Gaza.
The third stage of the plan will include the launch of UN humanitarian projects already proposed in the past, including the construction of a sea port for Gaza in Ismailia, Egypt, an airport in Sinai, and construction of a power plant in Sinai. In addition, the reconstruction of Gaza will move ahead.
Israel’s Security Cabinet is set to discuss the agreement on Sunday.
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Fuel Stopped
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has decided to stop all fuel shipments to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom border crossing as a result of continued terror activity from Gaza. The ban will remain in place until further notice. Last week the crossing was opened as a result of a drop in incendiary balloon launches from Gaza.
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Gaza Water
The European Union announced yesterday that it had completed construction of the largest solar energy field in Gaza, which will power the Southern Gaza Desalination Plant. The desalination plant currently provides clean water to 75,000 inhabitants of Khan Younis and Rafah. The new energy field’s output of 0.5 megawatts, and further investment from the EU, will increase the output to provide drinking water to 250,000 people in Southern Gaza by 2020.
The EU is also working on other projects to ease the water crisis in Gaza. These include supporting an Oxfam plan to rehabilitate brackish desalination plants; working to reduce the amount of water that leaks out of the system, currently a staggering 40 percent; and assisting the Palestinian Water Authority.
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Arms Aid
The US Senate passed legislation approving $500 million in anti-missile defense aid and $50 million in anti-tunnel assistance for Israel. An AIPAC statement said, “This bipartisan legislation authorizes increases in US security assistance to Israel, and it encourages expanded weapons stockpiles and new US-Israel cooperation in anti-drone technologies, cybersecurity and space.”
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Gay Parade
Around 22,000 people participated in the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem yesterday, the largest turnout ever for the annual event. Police said 2,400 police officers, both in uniform and undercover, were stationed in the area and were aided by observers and special forces units.
To our best knowledge there were no gay pride parades in Gaza, the Palestinian authority, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or any other Muslim country. Maybe the Europeans should think about that when deciding whom to support?
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