From PressTV
Israel’s Lieberman calls for beheading of Arab Israelis
The Israeli foreign minister has called for the beheading of all Arabs living in the occupied territories, only because of their opposition to the policies of the Tel Aviv regime.
Avigdor Lieberman said on Sunday that all Arabs who reside in occupied Palestine and oppose Israel for its discriminatory policies against the Palestinians should be decapitated.
“… those against us, it cannot be helped, we must lift up an ax and behead them — otherwise we will not survive here.” Lieberman said.
The extremist Israeli politician, who leads the Yisrael Beytenu party, made the remarks during a campaign event ahead of the general election slated for mid March.
Lieberman has repeatedly called for taking harsh measures against the Arabs living in the occupied territories, whom Lieberman call terrorists because of expressing their solidarity with the Palestinians. He has even called for issuing death penalties for those who publicly denounce Israeli’s policies against the Palestinians.
Click here for the full story
From PressTV
Israel set to expand settlement activities in Jordan Valley
The Israeli military has reportedly cancelled the status of a training zone in the Jordan Valley in yet another attempt to further expand the regime’s illegal settlement activities in the area.
Israeli media reported on Sunday that in mid January, the military ordered to reduce the size of the Firing Zone 912 to allow the expansion of the nearby Ma’aleh Adumim settlement.
The area, which was declared a firing zone more than 40 years ago, covers approximately 150 dunams (about 37 acres).
It extends from Ma’aleh Adumim, located east of al-Quds (Jerusalem) to the Dead Sea in the east and Umm Daraj in the south.
Israeli officials have already unveiled plans for the construction of 88 settler units in the area, called Nofei Adumim.
Click here for the full story
From PressTV
Israel forces shoot dead Palestinian fisherman off Gaza coast
Israeli forces have gunned down a Palestinian fisherman off the coast of the Gaza Strip, a spokesman for the Palestinian Health Ministry says.
The 32-year-old Palestinian man died at hospital in Gaza City after the Israeli naval forces fired at him and two other fishermen who were in the same boat on Saturday, Ashraf al-Qudra said.
According to the spokesman, the two other fishermen were arrested by Israeli forces.
The Israeli army has not yet commented on the shooting.
From Russia Today
Netanyahu govt more ‘frightening’ than all Israel enemies, ex-Mossad chief tells crowds
Israel is suffering the “worst crisis since its creation” under Netanyahu’s leadership, a former Mossad director told a crowd of up to 50,000 in Tel Aviv. The anti-government rally was orchestrated and funded from abroad, said the ruling Likud party.
Delivering his keynote speech, Meir Dagan, the former Mossad director spoke of the government’s lack of vision and inability to properly direct the country surrounded by enemies.
“I am frightened by our leadership. I am afraid because of the lack of vision and a loss of direction. I am frightened by the hesitation and the stagnation [of Israel’s government]. And I am frightened, above all else, from a crisis in leadership. It is the worst crisis that Israel has seen to this day,” Maj. Gen Dagan told a receptive crowd in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, held under the banner of ‘Israel wants change.’
From Ynet News
Netanyahu says Israel won’t cede land to Palestinians, despite reports, docs claiming otherwise
Despite past speech, commitments to world and Palestinians, Netanyahu now says Israel won’t withdraw from West Bank; report says Netanyahu aide Dermer promised Blair ‘Palestinian state along 67′ borders’ during past talks.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will not cede territory due to the current climate in the Middle East, appearing to rule out the establishment of a Palestinian state, in statements which contradict his famous 2009 Bar Ilan speech in which he vowed his commitment to the two-state solution.
Meanwhile, Ron Dermer, who was Netanyahu’s aide at the time of the speech and now serves as Israel’s ambassador to the US, reportedly promised Quartet leader Tony Blair that Israel would not only give the Palestinians a state, but one along the lines of 1967 ‘Green Line’. The commitment were made in writing sometime during Netanyahu’s 2009-2013 term as prime minister and were published by Israel’s Channel 10 this Sunday.
From The Times of Israel
Netanyahu pledges to keep fighting against Iran nukes
At start of cabinet meeting, PM says good deal would extend Tehran’s breakout time by years
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised Sunday to continue to fight against a possible Iranian nuclear weapon, less than a week after giving a controversial address before the US Congress.
Speaking at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that Israel would “continue to take all possible action to deny the largest terrorist state in the world the ability to produce the most dangerous weapon in the world, a weapon which is aimed – first and foremost – against us.”
Netanyahu also said that after his speech last Tuesday, “several of the major powers’ foreign ministers said that they do not see the need to reach an agreement forthwith and that they will wait until the right agreement is found. I hope that these words will find tangible expression.”
The prime minister emphasized that the “right agreement” would connect the lifting of the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program with the end of Iranian terrorism and its threats against Israel.
“The right agreement is one that extends by years Iran’s breakout time to achieve a bomb, given the feasibility of violating the agreement.”
Click here for the full story
From The Times of Israel
Netanyahu says two-state solution no longer relevant
Mashaal invited to Saudi Arabia, Hamas says; Liberman urges beheading of Arab Israeli terrorists
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday hailed indications that world leaders were not rushing toward a deal on Iran’s nuclear program, and said he hoped “these words will find tangible expression.” Shortly afterwards, President Barack Obama said the US would “walk away” from the talks if the deal was unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Israeli senior officials continued to spar over ex-Mossad chief Meir Dagan’s criticism of the prime minister, with Likud officials coming to Netanyahu’s defense and the Zionist Union’s Amos Yadlin backing Dagan. Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said the ex-intelligence chief was “wrong.”
In Israel, the leak of concessions to the Palestinians that the prime minister allegedly was willing to accept continued to reverberate. Yaakov Amidror, ex-aide to Netanyahu, said if the leak was indeed from Washington, as had been rumored, it would be a serious breach of trust and may nix future US-brokered peace talks.
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Daily Forward
What Do Israelis Think About Americans? Start With Disdain.
View Ally as Naive, Especially on Middle East Issues
Jerusalem — Though Israel is a famously fractious society, Israelis tend to agree on one thing: Their strongest supporters are an inherently dupable people.
“Most Israelis think Americans are pro-Israel and we can sell them anything, especially mud from the Dead Sea,” said David Lifshitz, the lead writer for the Israeli comedy show “Eretz Nehederet,” or “Wonderful Land.”
“Or — just regular mud with a ‘Dead Sea’ sticker on it.”
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Daily Forward
Why I Will Not Simply Accept Intermarriage
Our Community’s Future Should Trump Individual Choice
By Jeremy Kalmanofsky
Given pervasive intermarriage — 58% of all American Jews marrying since 2000 wed gentiles — it may seem improbable that my colleagues in the Conservative rabbinate will resist the tide indefinitely. But I hope we do. Conservative Judaism would be strengthened if we continue to insist that the integrity of Jewish marriages demands that both partners commit to living as Jews.
I don’t insist on endogamy because of any reactionary instincts. I enthusiastically support liberal policies on homosexuality and gender equality, even though these reject traditional norms.
Click here for the full story
From Russia Today
5 suspects arrested over Nemtsov murder, 1 ‘confessed’ – court
Two judges are reviewing the charges against the five people brought before the court by the prosecutors on Sunday.
Two of them are Zaur Dadaev and Anzor Gubashev, who were identified as key suspects in the killing of Nemtsov after their detention on Saturday.
The prosecutors asked the court to arrest the duo by April 28, the current deadline for the investigation, saying that otherwise they may flee or interfere with the investigation.
Click here for the full story
From The Times of Israel
White House names Israel critic to top Mideast post
Robert Malley, to become NSC point person on Middle East, has drawn fire for saying the Palestinians weren’t at fault for the failed peace talks in 2000
WASHINGTON — The White House named Robert Malley, a US negotiator at the 2000 Camp David talks, to lead the Middle East desk at the National Security Council.
Malley, whose appointment was announced on Friday afternoon, since last year has handled the Iraq-Iran-Syria-Gulf States desk. In replacing Philip Gordon, who has been Middle East coordinator since 2013, he assumes responsibility for Israel and the Palestinians as well as North Africa and the Persian Gulf.
He also assumes a more senior title, moving from senior director to special assistant. Malley already deals with Israel, and has attended meetings on the Iran-nuclear issue between his boss, National Security Adviser Susan Rice, and her Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen.
Malley drew some pro-Israel criticism for his published assessment in 2001 of the 2000 Camp David talks, in which he said that the prevailing narrative, that the Palestinians were at fault for their collapse, was a misapprehension and ignored Palestinian concessions and Israeli failures at the talks.
As the director of the Middle East Program at the International Crisis Group, a think tank, he also met multiple times with Hamas officials and said parties to the peace process must at some stage engage with the terrorist group, which controls the Gaza Strip.
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Iran’s Khamenei appears in public to curb rumors of near death
(JTA) — Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared in public following reports that he was hospitalized with late-stage cancer.
Photos of a healthy-looking Khamenei meeting Sunday with environmental officials in Tehran reportedly were posted online in order to “put an end to the Israeli-driven rumors” that the supreme leader was dying, according to Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency
Unofficial reports emerged last week that Khamenei, 75, had stage 4 prostate cancer and two years to live. Khamenei reportedly has had the cancer for a decade, but doctors discovered during a surgery last September that the cancer had spread.
Officials in Tehran have not commented on reports of Khamenei’s declining health.
Click here for the full story
From the Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Romania pledges to resolve restitution issues on Jewish property
(JTA) — Romania’s prime minister said he would try to resolve what critics have called flaws in the Balkan country’s process for offering restitution for Jewish property.
Victor Ponta offered the assurances at a meeting last week in Bucharest with a delegation from the World Jewish Restitution Organization along with representatives of the U.S. and Israeli governments and leaders of the local Jewish community.
Ponta appointed staff from his office to sit on a joint working group that was formed at the end of the meeting, according to Nachliel Dison, WJRO’s acting director. It will provide its recommendations on how to move forward within 90 days.
“This is a very important step forward in the restitution process,” WJRO’s chair of operations, Gideon Taylor, told JTA. “There has been a lot of progress in Romania, but there is much work ahead. Time is against us and, as survivors age, we need to finish quickly.”
Click here for the full story
From Ynet News
Obama vows US would ‘walk away’ from ‘bad deal’ with Iran
US president says that if US does not have assurances Iran not ‘cheating’ and there is ‘enough time to take action’ then they would snub much negotiated nuclear deal with Iran.
US President Barack Obama told CBS News on Sunday that he would “walk away” from a “bad deal” with Iran. The president told CBS’ “Sunday Morning” that “if we don’t have that kind of deal, then we’re not going to take it.”
Big gaps remain to be bridged if the sides are to reach a deal by the end of March deadline set by negotiators. The next round of talks is set to begin March 15.
Click here for the full story
From The Times of Israel
Poll: 84% of Americans oppose terms of Iran nuclear deal
Majority of US voters support using military action to stop Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Fox News survey finds
The majority of Americans do not believe the Obama administration has been aggressive enough in its effort to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and overwhelmingly reject the terms outlined in the prospective deal it is pursuing with Tehran, a poll found recently.
According to a survey conducted ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s March 3 speech to the US Congress, 57 percent of American voters asked said that the United States was not doing enough to stop Iran from advancing toward a nuclear bomb.
The poll, commissioned by Fox News, found 84% of voters thought it was a bad idea to allow the Iranians to obtain nuclear weapons in 10 years, in return for agreeing to freeze their program now.
Some 55% of the 1,011 polled said it would be a “disaster” if Iran obtained nuclear weapons, while 40% categorized it as “a problem that could be managed.”
Last week, Netanyahu delivered a speech to US lawmakers warning of the dangers posed by Tehran’s apparent pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Click here for the full story
