Yesterday I wrote about the fact
that Netanyahu is making one last effort to secure a toughening of the US stance
on Iran, thus:
"Israel desperately wants to see
the Obama Administration harden its position on Iran immediately — to
convey to Iran that if it does not halt its nuclear program, its regime will not
survive....'increased pressure on Iran,' led by the US, notably
including the revival of 'a real military threat'"
Today we see a response
from US officials, ostensibly designed to reassure our
government: Don't worry, they are saying, we're not going to ease the
sanctions on Iran, even if we do want to "test" Rohani with direct talks that
will take his measure.
“'We are open to direct talks, and
we want to reinforce this in any way [we can],' a senior US official said,
adding that the administration sees 'words that indicate Iran might be going in
a different direction.'"
~~~~~~~~~~
So, the question is whether
they are totally and willfully obtuse, or they think we are idiots. Our
prime minister will not play the fool. He didn't simply ask that sanctions
be retained, or even strengthened. He asked for a real military
threat -- the only thing that might have an effect.
I don't know who the senior
US official quoted in the above article is, but anyone who suggests that the US
sees "words that indicate Iran might be going in a different direction" and
takes them seriously IS a fool, in my book.
Does Netanyahu have his
answer, then? It would seem so.
~~~~~~~~~~
This morning Netanyahu addressed
the Iranian issue at the weekly Cabinet meeting:
"A month has passed since
elections were held in Iran, and
Iran continues to race toward the development of military nuclear
capability."
[under President-Elect Hassan
Rohani's leadership Iran is] "expanding and perfecting
its [uranium] enrichment while simultaneously developing a plutonium reactor to
produce material for a nuclear bomb.
"At the same time, Iran is also
developing its ballistic missile force. These [developments] threaten not only
us, but the entire West. We are determined to stand behind our demands,
which must also be the demands of the international community,"
The demands: "Stop all uranium production, remove all enriched material [from the country] and close the illegal nuclear facility in Qom.
"We believe that now more than ever, in light of Iran's progress, it is important [that the international community] tighten the economic sanctions and make Iran face a credible military option."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404691,00.html
Credit: topnews
~~~~~~~~~~
Here you have it all: Since Rohani won the presidential election, Iran has continued to expand its enrichment program and develop its ballistic missile force. And a US official gives credence to words that suggest Rohani might be going in a different direction.
~~~~~~~~~~
It's difficult to imagine that the US official cited above, and his associates, could have failed to note this:
"Iran could develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States by 2015, a new U.S. intelligence report released and declassified for publication on Friday has determined.
Surely better if those ballistic missiles not have nuclear tips. Wouldn't you think?
~~~~~~~~~~
The demands: "Stop all uranium production, remove all enriched material [from the country] and close the illegal nuclear facility in Qom.
"We believe that now more than ever, in light of Iran's progress, it is important [that the international community] tighten the economic sanctions and make Iran face a credible military option."
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404691,00.html
Credit: topnews
~~~~~~~~~~
Here you have it all: Since Rohani won the presidential election, Iran has continued to expand its enrichment program and develop its ballistic missile force. And a US official gives credence to words that suggest Rohani might be going in a different direction.
~~~~~~~~~~
It's difficult to imagine that the US official cited above, and his associates, could have failed to note this:
"Iran could develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States by 2015, a new U.S. intelligence report released and declassified for publication on Friday has determined.
"The report, the Foreign Ballistic and Cruise Missile
Threat Assessment, was prepared by the National Air and Space Intelligence
Center with significant contributions from the Defense Intelligence Agency
Missile and Space Intelligence Center and the Office of Naval
Intelligence...
"U.S. intelligence says that Iran has ambitious ballistic
missile and space launch development programs and continues to attempt to
increase the range, lethality, and accuracy of its ballistic missile
force."
http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=10643Surely better if those ballistic missiles not have nuclear tips. Wouldn't you think?
~~~~~~~~~~
It is worth noting, as well, that
since the election won by Rohani a month ago, there have been 61 executions of
Iranians, including six women and a 15 year old boy. Some were done in public
view.
The new, more moderate
Iran.
~~~~~~~~~~
With regard to the major explosion
in Latakia, Syria, on July 5th, which was thought to be aimed at the destruction
of recently-arrived Russian Lakhont PL-800 anti-ship
missiles...
We've now got two different
stories. First, yesterday, CNN came out with a report, based on
information from "US sources" -- unnamed, of course -- indicating that the
missiles were taken out by IAF planes.
And now, today, the Sunday
Times (London) is saying that the attack was launched from a Israeli
Dolphin class submarine, which fired cruise missiles at sea, destroying 50
Lakhont missiles in an arms depot.
Credit:
submarines.dotan
According to the Times
story, Israel's actions were closely coordinated with the US, which was not
pleased about Russia's delivery of the Lakhont missiles.
~~~~~~~~~~
Don't know if it matters which
version of the story is true, if indeed one is -- except insofar as it
might demonstrate a particular Israeli military prowess. They both
indicate Israel's seriousness of intent. "We've drawn
our red lines and we keep to them." Defense Minister Ya'alon had
said.
But what I ponder is the need to
talk about this at all -- above and beyond the desire to tell a full news
story. Are the "US sources," for example, eager to finger Israel in order
to make certain that the Russians don't assume an American involvement? Is
there a desire to render Israel more vulnerable?
~~~~~~~~~~
Dan Margalit, writing in Israel
Hayom, has another theory (emphasis added):
"Assuming -- again, for the sake of the game theory -- that
sources in the Pentagon leaked the information to the U.S. media, as they did
over the two previous attacks, then they obviously wish to see Israel
embroiled in a military conflict with Syria, to hasten Assad's fall and spare
the U.S. the need to intervene. That could lead to a myriad of
complications and that is not how allies and partners should treat each other.
It also constitutes, to some extent, a breach of trust."
What Margalit
suggests is that even if Israel did attack the Yakhonts -- which we now will
strongly suspect but cannot know with certainty -- it is in Israel's best
interest to officially deny this.
That is because
Assad said there would be repercussions for such an attack.
At the same time,
it serves Assad to deny that Israel attacked -- which is what he is doing.
Then he need take no action.
Margalit calls
this "Mutually Assured Denial."
~~~~~~~~~~
Routinely, the Machpelah, the Cave
of the Patriarchs, in Hevron, is shared between Jews and Muslims. This
past Friday, it was Muslims only because of their observance of Ramadan. When
Jews went there to pray Friday night, they were shocked to discover that the
site had been vandalized:
"Two mezuzot -
cases containing Jewish holy scriptures affixed to the doorpost - had been torn
off and stolen, and a third was damaged. Muslim worshippers had also thrown
mud and garbage around
the site, and uprooted parts of the garden
outside."
Credit:
ArielZellman
~~~~~~~~~~
As I'm writing, news has come out
of a mortar shell exploding in the northern Golan. There were no injuries
and authorities have judged this a "spillover" from the fighting in
Syria.
~~~~~~~~~~
But there is some good
news.
One of the problems with regard to
Jewish residents securing their rights in Judea and Samaria has been the fact
that the West Bank Land Registry is closed to the public. That means that
Jews challenged by Arabs find it difficult to make their case, as they cannot
peruse the legal record.
It's crazy. And it's one of
the problems addressed by the Levy report -- which calls for an opening of the
Registry.
Now, after 46 years of this
situation, the Jerusalem District Court has directed that, in one
particular case involving the community of Psagot, the Registry be opened
to Jews living on land that is contested by Arabs, so that they might
secure more solid information.
An article about this
was done by Haaretz. Regavim, an organization dedicated to defending Jewish
rights to the land, has put up this article, with comments. If you are
interested in details, see here:
~~~~~~~~~~
And there is yet another step
towards victory for Jewish rights in the land, involving the community of
Amona.
It has been the practice
of the High Court of Justice to order the evacuation of Jewish homes on land in
Judea and Samaria if an Arab claims ownership -- BEFORE there has been
adjudication of the ownership claims. This is yet another injustice
addressed by the Levy Report.
Now, a scheduled evacuation of
Amona has been delayed by the High Court until the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court
adjudicates conflicting ownership claims.
You might say, well, of course.
But maddeningly, this has not been routine procedure.
Amona -- a community that is
referred to in certain quarters as an "outpost" -- is on a hilltop
overlooking Ofra, within the jurisdiction of the Benyamin Regional Council, in
Samaria. Established in 1997, it is today home to about 200
families. It has a painful history with regard to forced evictions of
Jewish residents from their homes.
Residents of Amona charge that,
while Arabs -- under the tutelage of Yesh Din -- claim the land of Amona as
theirs, the Jewish purchase of land upon which their homes have been built has
not yet been fairly investigated.
Credit:
Temunot
~~~~~~~~~~
©
Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner,
functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be
reproduced only
with
proper attribution.
If
it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be
noted.
This material
is transmitted by Arlene only to persons who have requested it or agreed to
receive it. If you are on the list and wish to be removed, contact Arlene and
include your name in the text of the
message.
No comments:
Post a Comment