1. The UAE’s ambassador in Washington has hinted
that his country is no longer bound by its commitment not to enrich uranium, as
Iran is allowed to carry out such enrichment under its recent deal with Western
powers, according to a senior American congressman "He told me, 'Your
worst enemy has achieved this right to enrich. It's a right to enrich now that
your friends are going to want, too, and we won't be the only country,'"
said Rep. Ed Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, regarding
the recent comment made by Yousef al-Otaiba during a telephone call. However,
the UAE embassy said that its official policy has not changed. In a
2009 agreement with the US, the UAE promised not to engage in uranium
enrichment or the reprocessing of spent fuel to extract plutonium.
2.
Russian
President Vladimir Putin said Friday that his country had contacted Israel,
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and other Arab countries to discuss cooperation in
the war against terror.
3.
Agriculture Minister Uri
Ariel (Jewish Home) on Friday morning called for the return of Joseph's Tomb in
Shechem (Nablus) to Israeli control. About 150 Palestinian Arabs on Thursday
night arrived at the compound and tried to burn it down. Reportedly Palestinian
Authority (PA) security forces dispersed the rioters by firing in the air, and
then Palestinian firefighters put out the fire. Initial reports indicated that
damage was inflicted to the women's prayer area. "The arson of one of the
holiest sites to the Jewish nation is an additional low, and the result of
Palestinian incitement," said Ariel. "Even as the Palestinians
shamelessly lie about (Israel) harming the status quo on the Temple Mount, they
themselves are burning and desecrating the holy sites of Israel, and this
cannot be forgiven." Switching to a call for action, Ariel concluded by
saying, "I call on the prime minister to return the control of Joseph's
Tomb to the hands of Israel." Yisrael Beytenu chairman MK Avigdor Liberman
also responded to the incident, saying, "the arson of Joseph's Tomb
tonight proves that the management of the Palestinian Authority is no different
from that of ISIS (Islamic State), and after the Palestinian youths took
machetes and knives to kill Jews now they're also burning holy places and
historical heritage sites, just like ISIS members do to heritage sites of the
human civilization in Iraq and Syria." "The arson at Joseph's Tomb by
a Palestinian mob that was incited by the lies of (PA Chairman Mahmoud) Abbas
and led by Fatah activists only raises the surprise over those who even today
refuse to see the bloody writing on the burned walls which says that Abbas
never was, is or will be a partner, and yet they still call and are ready to
meet and speak with him." According to the 1994 Oslo Accords, Joseph's
Tomb was supposed to remain under full Israeli control. But in 2000 amid the
Second Intifada terror war, hoards of Arab rioters invaded the tomb - which
housed a synagogue and a yeshiva - ransacked it and burned it to the ground,
while parading Jewish holy books and desecrating them. Local Muslims later
declared the site as a mosque, as the IDF reduced the Jewish presence to a
once-monthly visit. Under previous agreements with Israel, the Palestinian
Authority (PA) is required to protect Jewish holy sites under its control, and
to allow secure access for Jewish worshipers. However, in 2011 Yosef Livnat was
murdered at Joseph's Tomb by none other than PA policemen as he visited the
holy site with fellow yeshiva students. Livnat was the nephew of former
Minister Limor Livnat (Likud). The site has often been the target of firebombs
and massive riots. The most recent attempt to burn it down took place in late
July.
4. Dore Gold, director-general of Israel’s Foreign
Ministry, said Friday that the burning of Joseph’s Tomb by a Palestinian mob
overnight is reminiscent of the actions by Islamic extremists in areas
stretching from Afghanistan to Libya. He added that it shows what would happen
if the holy sites in Jerusalem were administered by the Palestinians, saying
that only Israel is capable of protecting the holy sites of all
religions in the city.
5. In Jerusalem, 6,000 police and soldiers are on
guard for fresh Palestinian outbreaks of mob violence and terror attacks. Troops
are standing by at potential flashpoints in Judea and Samaria.
6. Ahead of the UN Security Council session in
New York Friday evening, King Abdullah of Jordan, Secretary of State John Kerry
and the offices of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian leader
Mahmoud Abbas are engaged in an intense effort to set up a top-level
US-Israeli-Palestinian meeting to try and restore calm.
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