Middle East News Nov. 16,17

IRON DOME ACTIVE
The IDF has deployed Iron Dome anti missile batteries in the center of the country in the shadow of Islamic Jihad threats to retaliate for the destruction of their terror tunnel two weeks ago.

In a video uploaded over the weekend, IDF Maj. Gen. Yoav (Poli) Mordechai warned in Arabic, "It should be clear: any response by Islamic Jihad, whatever it may be, will be responded to by Israel with power and determination, not only against Islamic Jihad but also against Hamas. We advise the Islamic Jihad leadership in Damascus to be careful and get things under control. Leaders of Islamic Jihad in Damascus—Ramadan Shalah Ziad Nakhaleh—get your hands around this quickly because you are the ones who will be held responsible.”

Despite the rising tensions along the Gaza border, Israel is working with Palestinian officials in Gaza to improve the water treatment system to improve the drinking water for the population of Gaza.

NO PEACE YET
In a statement released by the US Consulate General in Jerusalem yesterday, US negotiator Jason Greenblatt, pictured above, said that the US is not yet prepared to present a proposal to jump start negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Greenblatt said, “We are not going to put an artificial timeline on the development or presentation of any specific ideas and will also never impose a deal—our goal is to facilitate, not dictate, a lasting peace agreement to improve the lives of Israelis and Palestinians and security across the region.”

Greenblatt added that the decision not to present a proposal now comes after spending “a lot of time listening to and engaging with the Israelis, Palestinians and key regional leaders over the past few months.”

TERROR PAYMENTS
On Wednesday, November 15, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee will consider the Taylor Force Act, a bill that would freeze U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) until it stops using American tax dollars to reward Palestinian terrorists for murder of or attacks on Israelis and Americans. The bill currently has 150 co-sponsors.

The legislation is named for Taylor Force, a 28-year-old Vanderbilt University graduate student and U.S. Army veteran who was stabbed to death by a Palestinian terrorist in March 2016 during a trip to Israel. Another 10 people were injured in the attack. Under Palestinian law, the family of Force’s killer is rewarded with a life-long pension that amounts to three times the average Palestinian salary in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority (PA) currently spends $344 million in foreign aid money a year on monthly salaries to terrorists and their families. 

NETANYAHU BIOGRAPHY
If you’re interested in learning more about the longest serving Prime Minister in Israel’s history, you should read this new biography called The Netanyahu Years, by Ben Caspit. The book is basically divided into 3 parts. The first part traces Netanyahu’s life from his childhood through his rise to the PM’s office. The second part focuses on his tumultuous relationship with US President Obama and the third part on the Iranian threat.

While the author of the book doesn't seem to be Netanyahu's biggest fan, it is still a relatively balanced and factual account of the PM. But a warning: you might not like what you learn.