Author: AFSI Staff

UNRWA spokesman Sami Masha’a announced that the UAE has slashed its annual payments to UNRWA from $51.8 million in 2019 to only $1 million in 2020. That’s a reduction of over 98%.

Palestinian media is claiming that this came as a result of pressure from the Trump administration. Perhaps, but the Abraham Accords were announced in August and the UAE didn’t pay anything beyond the token amount all year.

It isn’t only the UAE, though. The entire Arab world pledges very little to UNRWA – and pays even less. According to an expert in UNRWA, Essam Adwan, the Arab world pledges to pay only 7.8% of UNRWA’s budget yet pays less than 5%.

How is it the Arab world isn’t funding UNRWA the way other countries are? Maybe they know UNRWA needs a house cleaning and numbers audit.

Source:
Arab states pay less than 5% of UNWRA’s budget, by Elder of Ziyon. Elder of Ziyon Blogspot, February 8, 2021

Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman yesterday criticized Biden’s decision to improve U.S. ties with the Palestinians. He listed a host of reasons opposing the move, including corruption and incitement against Jews.

A day earlier, acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Mills told the Security Council that Biden plans on reopening the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Washington. Biden also plans to reinstate some aid to the Palestinians in a bid to restore “credible engagement” with them and work towards resurrecting the long-dead two-state solution.

Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman tweeted, “Not so fast guys! PLO mission in DC is against Federal law, Pals still paying terrorists and UNRWA is corrupt and incites hatred of Jews. Please don’t go there!”

Needless to say, AFSI does not applaud the Biden administration’s decision to restore ties with terrorists whose only goal is to wipe Israel off of the map. May Biden’s dream of resurrecting the delusional two-state solution remain dead and buried forever.

Separately, but certainly related, a senior US State Department official announced earlier this week that the Biden administration “embraces and champions” the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism. If Biden is to “embrace” this definition then he needs to have a better understanding of the PLO/PA goals to destroy Israel. Israel is a Jewish State where Jews live. Biden’s support of the PLO/PA cancels out any acceptance of the IHRA working definition of anti-Semitism.

Sources:
Fmr. Ambassador David Friedman Slams Biden Decision to Renew Palestinian Ties, by Deborah Brand. Breitbart, January 27, 2021

Biden admin ’embraces’ IHRA anti-Semitism definition shunned by progressives, by Jacob Magid. Times of Israel, February 2, 2021

At the largest illegal dump in Judea and Samaria, untreated waste continues to pollute the entire ecosystem. Worst of all is that no indictments against the perpetrators have been issued.

Under the cover of the first corona shutdown, the Ramallah Municipality dumped thousands of truckloads of untreated refuse into an abandoned quarry at the headwaters of Nahal Makoch. The Civil Administration admits: Only three trucks were impounded, and no indictments were filed against the criminals. Regavim stated: “The mountain of waste remains, despite the Civil Administration’s claims to the contrary.”

“Almost a year has passed, and not one of the authorities responsible for dealing with hazards of this nature has taken responsibility,” said Eitan Melet, Regavim’s Field Coordinator for Judea and Samaria. “The criminals got off virtually scot-free, without any criminal indictments, no clean-up costs, no punitive fines – while the entire ecosystem is paying a heavy price.”

Why is this matter allowed to persist? Time is wasting away – no pun intended. An answer is needed now along with swift action to clean up this illegal dumping ground on Jewish owned land.

Source:
Arab ‘Mount Trashmore’ Dump Fast Becoming a Permanent Fixture in Jewish Samaria, by Jewish Press News Desk. Jewish Press, February 2, 2021

The Psagot Winery sits on the peaks of the Binyamin region mountains in Judea and Samaria, north of Jerusalem and just east of Ramallah. Yaakov Berg and his wife are owners of Psagot Winery. Recently, Yaakov expressed his hope that “peace with the Emirates will change our relationship with Palestinians.”

Israel – UAE relations are slowly changing thanks to the Trump administration having brokered the Abraham Accords. Could we be starting to see less politics and more of what mutually benefits both sides?

Miri Ovadia, Binyamin regional council spokesperson said, “we are now having conversations about business, technology, tourism and culture—not just political conversations. In Judea and Samaria, we have been saying for years that it is possible to live side by side with Arabs.” The normalization agreements have “contributed a lot to people’s feelings that this is how the world should be.

There is so much work to be done before a real and lasting peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors is achieved. Nevertheless, stories like this one give us a cautious glimmer of hope for the future.

Source:
UAE embraces trade with Israeli-owned businesses in Judea and Samaria, by Eliana Rudee. Jewish News Syndicate, February 3, 2021

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said that Israel is still keeping open the possibility of taking action against Tehran’s nuclear project if necessary.

“Israel has a clear objective: that Iran not be nuclear. It is not just an Israeli interest. It is first and foremost a global and regional interest,” Gantz said in an interview with an Egyptian television outlet broadcast on Sunday.

“The IDF and Israel’s defense establishment are holding onto the option of taking action against Iran’s nuclear project if that is what has to be done,” he said, according to quotes from the interview provided by his office. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Gantz’s position is in keeping with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi’s assessment, which was reported in our newsletter last Thursday.

Source:
Gantz: Israel will take military action against nuclear Iran if needed, by TOI Staff and Judah Ari Gross. Times of Israel, February 1, 2021

Herb Zweibon left an indelible imprint on pro-Israel activism. Our own and future generations were immeasurably enriched by the gift of his long and creative life.

A true giant of pro-Israel activism in America passed away ten years ago this past Tu B’Shvat. Herb Zweibon, the chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel / AFSI, died on Tu B’Shvat, January 19, 2011. He is still sorely missed.

Source:
A giant of pro-Israel activism remembered, by Moshe Phillips. World Israel News, January 31, 2021

About 10 MKs from the right-wing factions call on the prime minister and the defense minister to do everything in their power to prevent the destruction of the Maoz Esther outpost.

The call was issued two weeks after it was announced that the security establishment was planning to destroy the home where Ahuvya Sandak lived as well as several others following the end of the 30-day mourning period for his death.

The letter was signed by Likud MKs May Golan, Amit Halevi, Shevach Stern, Ariel Kallner, Shlomo Karai, Miki Zohar and Etty Atia, MK Yitzhak Pindros of United Torah Judaism and MK Matan Kahana of Yamina.  Where is the rest of the Knesset in calling for a stop to this imposition of a double standard on Jews by their state’s own security establishment?

The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, and the head of the Kiryat Arba Council, Eliyahu Libman, also joined the call.

They also criticized the defense establishment’s policy on hilltop communities. “Preventing the settlement of the people of Israel in their land is a terrible injustice,” they wrote. “This is doubly serious, because we do not touch the outposts of the Palestinian Authority, which is taking over the territories of our country.”

“We appeal to the Israeli government, after the tragic death of Ahuvya Sandak, to make an effort and bring together the young people who are working to bring to life the desolate areas of our country, and call for positive action,” the rabbis added.

Source:
Rabbis, MKs: Destroying settlements a terrible injustice ~Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva, February 1, 2021

The Security Cabinet will convene later in the week to discuss the defense budget for 2021, including an IDF request to add NIS 4 billion to its budget.

In addition, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi requested an additional NIS 3 billion in order to finance a possible attack on Iran to thwart its nuclear aspirations. In the passing year, the IDF already received an additional NIS 2.5 billion to field its budgetary requirements.

The new addition the army is now seeking is the bare minimum required by an Air Force estimate to prepare for the Iranian threat.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz are expected to support Kochavi’s demands as it remains unclear which stance the incoming Joe Biden regime in the United States would take on the Iranian issue.

Kochavi has already begun preparing blueprints for a possible attack in Iran, which may also entail skirmishes in the country’s north and south with Iranian-backed militias.

Source:
IDF requests billions in funds for potential Iran attack, by Ron Ben-Yishai. Ynetnews.com, January 26, 2021

WATCH: Address by the IDF Chief of the General Staff
The 14th INSS Annual Conference

Biden’s nominee to be US ambassador to the United Nations pledged yesterday at the UN to combat the anti-Israel bias.

“I look forward to standing with Israel, standing against the unfair targeting of Israel, the relentless resolutions proposed against Israel unfairly,” said Linda Thomas-Greenfield at her nomination hearing in front of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I look forward to working with Israel to develop a strategy with them for engaging with countries that would appreciate having Israel’s expertise to support their development efforts.”

Thomas-Greenfield, a 35-year diplomat, expressed hope that those countries that have normalized ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco – “will also see some opportunities to be more cooperative at the UN and more supportive of Israel’s presence there.” Thomas-Greenfield said America would work with its allies and other members of the UN Security Council to “ensure that we hold Iran accountable.”

But let’s not forget a few things. How will Iran be held accountable if Biden intends to take the US back into the horrendous 2015 Iran “deal”? What kind of impact does Thomas-Greenfield think the US can have if it re-joins the blatantly anti-Israel UN Human Rights Council? Action, not words, matter. Time will tell.

Source:
Biden’s pick for UN envoy pledges to combat anti-Israel bias, BDS, by News Agencies and ILH Staff. Israel Hayom, January 28, 2021

“Never again isn’t a slogan. This is our policy, and this is our mission, and we will always carry it out.”  Statement delivered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Earlier this week, Ambassador Gilad Erdan delivered an address to the United Nations. Erdan expressed his hope that the arrival of new UN council members would “…help rid this council of its old habits and bias against Israel and instead, focus on the real threat to peace and security: the tyrannical regime in Tehran.”

He also pointed out that Iran follows in the footsteps of the Nazi regime, “…there is another genocidal regime epitomizing the very words and actions of the Nazis. Iran does not try to hide its intention of destroying the world’s only Jewish state. Spreading antisemitism, denying the Holocaust and even proposing legislation calling for Israel’s destruction by the year 2041.”

Americans For A Safe Israel will never forget the tragic past of the Jewish people and how hard-fought the battle was to reclaim Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people. We proudly continue our mission to educate the public on the truth about Israel. “Never again” is part of that truth. It means Jews can live in the Land of Israel, free from the threat of terror attacks and the evil forces who seek to eradicate Israel from the map.

AM YISRAEL CHAI!! SAFE – SECURE – SOVEREIGN

Source:
Netanyahu: ‘Never again’ is Israel’s mission, by Lahav Harkov. Jerusalem Post, January 27, 2021

Israeli Ambassador Erdan says to UN Security Council: Remember Holocaust and look at Iran, by Arutz Sheva, January 26, 2021