WEDNESDAY’S “NEWS IN REVIEW” ROUND-UP

Contents: | Weekly Quotes |  Short Takes   |  On Topic Links

On Topic Links

Donald Trump Has a Coherent, Radical Foreign Policy Doctrine: George Friedman, Realclearworld, Jan. 20, 2017

Experts Wary As World Praises Iran for Honoring Terms of Nuclear Deal: Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News, Jan. 19, 2017

The Dangers of a Unilateral Israeli Withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem: Hirsh Goodman, JCPA, 2017

The Islamization of France in 2016: Soren Kern, Gatestone Institute, Jan. 18, 2017

"We do not have a clear idea of where the new president will head, but we do have some broad outlines… (Trump is) going to reverse the cornerstone of seven decades of American foreign policy…It will work with friends and allies on shared interests, but only when such friends and allies are prepared to bring real assets to the table. That, by the way, is going to apply first and foremost to Europe.” — Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy will scale back U.S. involvement in global affairs and be guided by narrow economic interests, Harper said. The speech represents Harper's most sweeping foreign policy pronouncement since 2015. Harper said the U.S. global retreat will create significant risks and be the "first big game-changer in American foreign policy under Trump." The second will be a major shift on China. "Under Trump, the United States will cease to view the rise of China as benign…It is more profoundly concerned that the massive trade imbalance means America is financing the rise of a geopolitical adversary," Harper said. (Huffington Post, Jan. 19, 2017)

"[P]eace between Israel and the Palestinians can only be negotiated directly between the two parties…the United States will work closely with Israel to make progress towards that goal." —President Trump, in a phone call with Netanyahu. In their first phone call since taking office, Trump also invited Netanyahu to Washington. Trump emphasized the importance the U.S. sees in its "close military, intelligence, and security cooperation with Israel," as well as the "deep and abiding partnership between the two countries." Trump and Netanyahu agreed to continue consulting closely on a number of issues, including the Iranian threat. "The President affirmed his unprecedented commitment to Israel's security and stressed that countering ISIL and other radical Islamic terrorist groups will be a priority for his Administration," the statement said. The conversation between the two was "very warm," sources in Netanyahu’s Bureau said. The subject of moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was not mentioned in the statement. (Ha’aretz, Jan. 23, 2017)

“Israel continues to be a huge ally of the United States…(Trump) wants to grow closer with Israel and make sure that it gets the full respect that it deserves in the Middle East and what he’s going to do as I mentioned yesterday… We’re going to have a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and we’ll continue to discuss that.” — Sean Spicer, White House Press Secretary. Spicer said Trump “has asked his team to get together” in response to the news that Israel has approved the construction of 2,500 new housing units to be built in Judea and Samaria. Earlier this week, more than 600 new housing units were approved in various Jerusalem neighborhoods, including several Arab sections. Most of the new units are to be built in existing Jewish communities in the “major settlement blocs” with the majority close to the 1949 Armistice Line, also known as the “Green Line,” according to Netanyahu and Israel’s Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. (Jewish Press, Jan. 24, 2017)

“We are returning to normal life in Judea and Samaria.” — Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Netanyahu and members of his government have bristled at the harsh condemnations of settlement growth by the Obama administration, which condemned the Jewish communities as “illegitimate” and “an obstacle to peace.” Israeli officials stressed that most of the 2,500 new units would be built in lands that leaders here say will always remain in Israel, regardless of any future peace deal with the PA. (Washington Post, Jan. 24, 2017)

“Once again, the Israeli government has proved that it is more committed to land theft and colonialism than to the two-state solution and the requirements for peace and stability…Such a deliberate escalation of Israel’s illegal settlement enterprise constitutes a war crime and the flagrant violation of international law and conventions, in particular UN Security Council resolution 2334 (anti-settlement resolution passed by the UN Security Council last month—Ed.)… It is evident that Israel is exploiting the inauguration of the new American administration to escalate its violations and the prevention of any existence of a Palestinian state.” — Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the PLO Executive Committee. The Palestinian leadership condemned the approval of 2,500 homes in Judea and Samaria as “land theft and colonialism,” and said Israel’s announced settlement expansion was encouraged by the new Trump administration. (Times of Israel, Jan. 24, 2017)

“The issue of settlements has become an obsession…There are many indications that the Palestinians saw it was not a big nuisance or constraint prevents negotiations. But in the eyes of Washington, for some reason, it is becoming the central issue.” — Dore Gold, former Israeli ambassador to the UN, former Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and advisor to Prime Ministers Sharon and Netanyahu. According to Gold, the outgoing Obama administration was hostile to Israel’s positions, especially the settlements, and the settlements were a bigger issue to Obama than to the Palestinians. Gold was present during the entire history of the Netanyahu-Obama relationship. Now that Obama has finished his term, Gold accuses the former administration of arrogance. “They developed an attitude that no matter what the Israeli Government says and no matter what the Arabs say, they know better what the needs of both sides.” (Jewish Press, Jan. 24, 2017)

“It struck me recently that I’ve spoken a lot about the Iranian regime and not enough about the Iranian people, or for that matter, to the Iranian people. So I hope this message reaches every Iranian…By calling daily for Israel’s destruction, the regime hopes to instill hostility between us. This is wrong. We are your friend, not your enemy. We’ve always distinguished between the Iranian people and the Iranian regime.” — Prime Minister Netanyahu. Netanyahu reached out to the Iranian people on Facebook, slamming the regime that he said oppresses them. While stopping short of calling on the Iranians to revolt, he described a brutal dictatorship preventing them from living the Western lives they ostensibly seek. Israelis and Iranians “can work together for a more peaceful and hopeful future for both of us,” he said. “We must defeat terror and tyranny and we must ensure that freedom and friendship win the day.” (Times of Israel, Jan. 21, 2017)

“Whatever Trump does, does not concern us at all, as we have our own options. However, it is an international agreement which demands the full commitment of the whole world.” — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Iran will retaliate if Trump nixes the July 2015 nuclear agreement, the Islamic Republic’s top diplomat said. “We will surprise him the same way he likes to surprise the others,” Zarif was quoted as saying. “It is up to the US to decide to behave in front of the international community,” Zarif stated. “It seems the others are worried about Trump’s in-campaigning remarks, especially about the issue of Palestine and some other issues, but we are not at all worried, and we wait to see.” The fate of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the Trump era remains unclear. In a pre-election interview, senior Trump adviser David Friedman — who has since been picked to serve as the next US ambassador to Israel — said a Trump administration would “reengage with the world powers in a way that seeks to reintroduce leverage on Iran.” (Algemeiner, Jan. 20, 2017)

“In the past, we have spoken publicly about the flaws of the (JCPOA), which in the end has not halted but only delayed Iran’s path to a bomb—and at the considerable price of abandoning Western leverage against Iran. To respond effectively, the Donald Trump administration should not rip up the deal on day one—that would make U.S. actions and not destabilizing and threatening Iranian behaviors the issue. We need to isolate Iran, not ourselves. But we must raise the costs of continued Iranian intransigence, and to that end, the incoming Trump administration should adopt a more expansive strategy towards Tehran: namely by addressing those vital issues beyond the scope of the agreement, specifically Iran’s chronic regional meddling.” — Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida and a board member of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), and Dennis Ross, cofounder of UANI, and special assistant to President Obama from 2009 to 2011. (Time, Jan. 19, 2017)

“When he says, ‘We’re going to build the wall,’ he means it, and when he says, ‘We’re going to renegotiate trade deals,’ he means it…Second-guessing or undercutting or trying to change Donald Trump is a fool’s errand…People who watched this campaign should have discovered that by now.” — Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s senior White House adviser. (New York Times, Jan. 21, 2017)

“It was with great anticipation and excitement that we watched the inaugural proceedings for the installation of America's 45th President. Beginning with the laying of the wreath at Arlington Cemetery, to the concert in front of the Lincoln memorial, to today's swearing- in ceremony at America's Capitol, Americans were treated to a breath of fresh air. The beautiful Trump family, along with the entire retinue of dignitaries, created a feeling of optimism for the future. When Rabbi Marvin Heir pronounced the pledge to Jerusalem, "If I forget thee O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its cunning", our hearts were filled with pride and gratification. It is wonderful to live in a country where dedication to Jerusalem may be proclaimed openly on the world stage. We are looking forward to the U.S. Embassy being moved to Jerusalem and to countless positive programs between the U.S. and Israel – two real allies on the world stage.” — Americans for a Safe Israel. (AFSI, Jan. 20, 2017)

“I have a running war with the media…They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth, and they sort of made it sound like I had a feud with the intelligence community…The reason you’re the No. 1 stop is, it is exactly the opposite…I love you, I respect you, there’s nobody I respect more.” — President Trump. Trump said journalists were responsible for any suggestion that he was not fully supportive of intelligence agencies’ work. Trump also took issue with news reports about the number of people who attended his inauguration, complaining that the media used photographs of “an empty field” to make it seem as if his inauguration did not draw many people. “We caught them in a beauty,” Trump said of the news media, “and I think they’re going to pay a big price.” (New York Times, Jan. 21, 2017)

“These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong.” — Sean Spicer, White House press secretary. Spicer said that Trump had drawn “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration,” a statement that photographs appear to show to be false. Spicer said photographs of the inaugural ceremonies were deliberately framed “to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall.” Spicer also admonished a journalist for erroneously reporting Trump had removed a bust of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office, calling the mistake — which was corrected quickly — “egregious.” (New York Times, Jan. 21, 2017)

"Yes, I'm angry. Yes, I am outraged. Yes, I have thought an awful lot about blowing up the White House…But I know that this won't change anything. We cannot fall into despair…It took this horrific moment of darkness to wake us the f–k up…It seems as though we had all slipped into a false sense of comfort, that justice would prevail and that good would win in the end…Well, good did not win this election. But good will win in the end." — Madonna, one of a number of celebrities on Saturday who spoke out as part of Women's Marches in cities across the world. But of those high-profile speeches, Madonna's was particularly confrontational. She said that the march represented the beginning of a "revolution" and affirmed that "we will not back down." (CNN, Jan. 21, 2017)

“At the risk of undermining the resistance, here are a few notes of cautious optimism. I do not believe that Mr. Trump’s agenda is racist or sexist or that he hates Mexicans or even Muslims (peaceful ones, that is). Most of his closest advisers are reasonably sane. (In fact, I’d feel incredibly relieved if Jared and Ivanka ran the White House while he tweets away.) Many of his cabinet appointments are fine, and some are outstanding. Rex Tillerson, his secretary of state, has Vladimir Putin’s number. He is tough and crafty. He makes John Kerry look like a eunuch. I hate to say it, but if Mr. Trump can juice the economy and avoid a war, he could prove pretty popular. Meantime, the Democrats are all but dead. They have no comeback strategy and no younger generation of potential leaders. They’re going to lose more Senate seats. At the state level, they have only 16 governors left.” — Margaret Wente. (Globe & Mail, Jan. 20, 2017)

"The Assyrian Army pleaded for direct military support, training and 5 million from the Obama administration to sustain their military forces against ISIS.  Obama gave them zero dollars, yet he quietly sent 221 million to the Palestinian Authority on his last day in office". — Lt. Col. Sargis Sangari, CEO of the Near East Center for Strategic Engagement, and an advocate for closer ties between Israel, Assyrian Christians, and Egyptian Copts. According to a report, the Obama administration released $221 million of aid to the PA, just hours before Trump’s inauguration.  Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP lawmakers had placed holds on it over moves the PA had taken to seek membership in international organizations. (Truth PR, Jan., 2017)

“Observing the protests surrounding the transfer of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, I cannot help but notice the amazing paradox. People who are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who destroyed our churches, [of those] who jumped out of the Pale of Settlement with revolvers in 1917, now their grandchildren, working in various very respectable places — on radio stations, in legislative assemblies — continue the work of their grandfathers and great-grandfathers.” — Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy chairman of Russia's State Duma and great-grandson of writer Leo Tolstoy. St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in the world and an important tourist spot in the city. Yet despite its heritage, recently announced plans to transfer the cathedral from the state to the Russian Orthodox Church have sparked protests in the city. Tolstoy had been asked to comment on the protests over the transfer of the church. Alexander Borod, the president of the Russian Federation of Jewish Communities, said that Tolstoy's statement was “the same old, false anti-Semitic myth, whose obvious deceitful nature is clear to any educated person.” (Washington Post, Jan. 24, 2017)

Contents

ANNEXATION BILL PUT OFF UNTIL AFTER TRUMP-NETANYAHU MEETING (Jerusalem) — With an eye to coordinating steps with Washington, Israel’s security cabinet decided to postpone a discussion on annexing Ma’aleh Adumim until after Netanyahu meets with Trump. The two are expected to meet in the coming weeks. Netanyahu told the cabinet that Ma’aleh Adumim, one of the most well-known Israeli settlements, will be a part of sovereign Israel in any final arrangement, “but it is not right at this time to take unilateral steps not coordinated with the administration,” he said. Construction in Jerusalem will continue without any limitations, Netanyahu said, and added that they would soon announce widespread building inside the settlement blocs. (Jerusalem Post, Jan. 22, 2017)

MOST ISRAELIS SUPPORT SOVEREIGNTY OVER JUDEA AND SAMARIA (Jerusalem) — A new poll by the Maagor Mohot Research Institute finds that a majority of the Israeli population would like to see Israeli sovereignty being applied over Judea and Samaria. 29 percent of those asked support the establishment of autonomy under Israeli sovereignty, 19 percent support a gradual application of Israeli sovereignty, while 29 percent believe that Israeli sovereignty should be fully and immediately applied. Only seven percent supported the establishment of a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria. The poll also reveals that the vast majority of the Israeli public believes that a Palestinian state will not be established because of persistent refusal on behalf of the Palestinian Arabs. (Arutz Sheva, Jan. 20, 2017)

TERRORIST SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STONING DEATH (Jerusalem) — The Jerusalem District Court handed down a sentence in the case of a stoning attack that cost the life of Jerusalem resident Alexander Levlovich in 2015. Abed Muhamad Abed Rabu Dawiyat, age 19 at the time, led three others in hurling stones at Levlovich’s car as he drove down the street towards home, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and sending it crashing into a light pole. Dawiyat was sentenced to 18 years in prison following his conviction on manslaughter charges. It’s the longest sentence in Israeli history ever handed down for such attacks. A bill to increase the penalty for stoning attacks was passed into law just a few weeks after Levlovich was killed. (Jewish Press, Jan. 25, 2017)

ISRAEL ENTERS 'NEW ERA' OF MISSILE DEFENSE WITH ARROW-3 (Jerusalem) — Israel strengthened its defense against Iranian missiles with the transfer on of Arrow-3 interceptors from the Israel Missile Defense Organization to the IAF. The Arrow-3 will form the uppermost layer of Israel’s multi-layered defense system, along with the Arrow-2, David’s Sling and Iron Dome system. Together the systems will counter threats posed by mid-range missiles used by terrorist groups in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the threat posed by Iranian missiles. The Arrow-3 is highly maneuverable system designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the earth’s atmosphere. (Jerusalem Post, Jan. 18, 2017)

SPATE OF ANTISEMITIC ATTACKS HITS LONDON (London) — British police have opened investigations into a string of attacks against the Jewish community in north London over the weekend. A volunteer neighborhood watch program said that three separate hate crimes targeting “recognizably Jewish” residents of the Edgware district took place. On Friday night one family was pelted with eggs by unidentified assailants in a passing car. On Saturday, a brick daubed with swastikas and other antisemitic slurs was hurled though a window of local Jewish family’s home. Later that day, police discovered a swastika graffitied next to the words “Heil Hitler” and “F*** Jews.” (Times of Israel, Jan. 16, 2017)

AT LEAST 28 DEAD IN AL-SHABAAB ATTACK (Mogadishu) — The death toll from an attack on Wednesday on a hotel in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu has risen to 28. Terrorists with al-Shabaab, which claimed responsibility for the attack, rammed a car bomb into the gate of the Dayah Hotel before storming inside. The insurgents often launch bomb and gun attacks in the capital, saying they want to topple the Western-backed government and impose their strict interpretation of Islam on the nation. Last June, gunmen stormed the Nasa-Hablod hotel, killing at least 14 people. Two weeks before that, gunmen killed 15, including two members of parliament, at the Ambassador hotel. (CBC, Jan. 25, 2017)

RUSSIA SIGNS DEAL FOR SYRIA BASES (Damascus) — Russia signed a long-term agreement on Friday to greatly enlarge its military presence in Syria, more than doubling the space for warships in Russia’s only Mediterranean port and securing rights to an air base that may already be adding a second runway. The agreement covers the port in Tartus and an air base near Latakia, which have been pivotal in Russian assistance to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria in fighting an array of insurgents. It ensures Russia’s ability to deploy forces in Syria for the next half-century and perhaps beyond. The development came as Russia, Turkey and Iran prepared to convene Syrian peace talks in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on Monday. (New York Times, Jan. 20, 2017)

I.S. DESTROYS PART OF ROMAN THEATER IN PALMYRA (Damascus) — Islamic State militants have destroyed the facade of a second-century Roman theater and another ancient monument in the historic city of Palmyra, Syria. I.S. had destroyed part of the theater and severely damaged a tetrapylon, a square structure of four plinths, each with four columns. The Syrian state-run news agency said the tetrapylon had two columns still standing and appeared to have been “intentionally destroyed using explosives.” The smashing of the ancient structures was a further attempt by the group to impose its will by destroying monuments or artifacts that it says do not conform to its strict interpretation of Islam. (New York Times, Jan. 20, 2017)

Contents

On Topic Links

Donald Trump Has a Coherent, Radical Foreign Policy Doctrine: George Friedman, Realclearworld, Jan. 20, 2017—During the campaign for the American presidency, Donald Trump promised that in his administration only good things would happen. He was somewhat vague about what precisely was good and what was bad. In this, he was exactly like any other American presidential candidate.

Experts Wary As World Praises Iran for Honoring Terms of Nuclear Deal: Barbara Opall-Rome, Defense News, Jan. 19, 2017—Nonproliferation experts are warning that world praise conferred over the week on Iran for abiding by terms of a landmark nuclear deal are premature, and failure to hold Tehran accountable for ostensibly minor infractions will augur major violations to come.

The Dangers of a Unilateral Israeli Withdrawal from the West Bank and East Jerusalem: Hirsh Goodman, JCPA, 2017—The political debate in Israel took a remarkable turn in early 2016: Both sides of the spectrum, the Likud and Labor, came into alliance for one of the few times in Israel’s history, openly admitting that the goal of achieving a negotiated solution with the Palestinians, based on two states for two peoples, was unattainable – a mirage, at this point in time.

The Islamization of France in 2016: Soren Kern, Gatestone Institute, Jan. 18, 2017—The Muslim population of France was approximately 6.5 million in 2016, or around 10% of the overall population of 66 million. In real terms, France has the largest Muslim population in the European Union, just above Germany.