Showing posts with label Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Show all posts

Monday, March 2, 2015

Political Activist: ‘Blacks Must Continue to Support Israel’

Political Activist: ‘Blacks Must Continue to Support Israel’

Political activist Star Parker
Political activist Star Parker (Facebook)
The dailymail.com of the United Kingdom reported recently that the White House sent a message to members of the Black Caucus to "skip" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress on March 3. Syndicated columnist, author and conservative political activist Star Parker says this "sends a powerful message to Americans—especially the black community—that being black requires opposition to Israel.
"Members of the Black Caucus have agreed to make a spectacle out of Israel and walk out of Benjamin Netanyahu's speech," Parker said. "We must not let this happen. We must show the media that the black community is NOT united with the president nor the Black Caucus.
"Like abortion, homosexual marriage and gun rights, African-Americans are once again not represented by the black liberal leadership. We need to tell the truth! Blacks have long supported Israel—Dr. Martin Luther King was outspoken in his support of Israel and today there is a street named for him in Jerusalem. We can destroy the impact that the Black Caucus will have when they walk out.
On Thursday, Parker plans to hold an emergency press conference with many black pastors whom she invited to Washington, D.C.
"In front of the media, we will stand firm with Israel," Parker says. "And we will stand against the Black Caucus who want to try to speak for the black community."
Parker is feverishly attempting to raise funds for the press conference by Thursday. She says it will cost a total of $25,662 to do so, and she already has raised more than $16,000. If you wish to donate to this cause, please click here and visit urbancare.org.
"You know we will get the media's attention," Parker said. "We did it before when black pastors stood with me in support of gun rights. We did it again when we demanded Congress to protect black babies and black women from predatory abortionists. Your sponsorship of this press conference will go a long way to change our culture."
Did you enjoy this blog? Click here to receive CHARISMA NEWS by email.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Obama Accuses Israel of Lying About Iran Deal

Obama Accuses Israel of Lying About Iran Deal

Thursday, February 19, 2015 |  Ryan Jones  ISRAEL TODAY
The Obama Administration on Wednesday suggested that the Israeli government was being less than honest regarding the details of negotiations between the US and Iran regarding the latter’s defiant nuclear program.
But a senior and respected Israeli politician said the White House is risking Israel’s future for the sake of its own selfish interests, and so Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must go forward with a controversial appearance before the US Congress next month.
“There’s no question that some of the things that the Israelis have said in characterizing our negotiating position have not been accurate,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest, who insisted on the importance of keeping the details of talks with Iran private.
State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki conveyed a similar assessment: “I think it is safe to say not everything you are hearing from the Israeli government is an accurate reflection of the details of the talks.”
Israeli leaders say the deal America is negotiating would leave the Iranian nuclear program largely intact, trusting to the word of the mullahs to not develop a nuclear weapon. Of course, if the Islamic Republic clandestinely continued on that path and ultimately tested an atomic bomb, it would be at that point too late to do anything about it.
Due to the increased and vocal Israeli opposition to the impending deal, officials in Jerusalem last week said they had largely been shut out on the issue by the Obama Administration.
Israel’s Channel 2 News reported that Jerusalem was no longer receiving full and regular briefings from Washington regarding the Iran nuclear talks. One official told The New York Times that while certain briefings are still maintained, “they are empty.”
The White House staunchly denied the report, but European officials who spoke to the Times said there was some truth to the allegation.
“European officials say that the Israeli reports, while overblown, are not entirely based on fiction,” reported America’s leading newspaper. “One recalled a recent call from Wendy Sherman, the No. 3 State Department official and lead American negotiator with Iran, saying she had cautioned against telling the Israelis too much because the details could be twisted to undermine a deal.”
But senior Likud candidate Benny Begin, son of legendary former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, said Israel is not twisting anything, and that the agreement Obama is prepared to sign with Iran is a real threat to the Jewish state.
“We are not just talking about a bad agreement, we are talking about an agreement that poses an great danger to the security of Israel,” Begin told Army Radio, explaining that with “Iran’s leadership calling for the arming of the West Bank, in a military sense, Israel now shares a border with Iran.”
Begin argued that despite all the opposition, it was important for Netanyahu to go forward with a March 3 appearance before the US Congress. “Not every American congressman knows the facts or details of this thing from Israel’s perspective,” he noted. “And learning about that could change the minds of some.”
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Giuliani: Netanyahu Congress Visit a 'No-Brainer'

Giuliani: Netanyahu Congress Visit 
a 'No-Brainer'
Courtesy GPO
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani supports Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to address a joint session of Congress in March.

Giuliani arrived in Israel over the weekend to speak at a two-day business conference. He met with Netanyahu on Sunday.

The former mayor told the Jerusalem Post the upcoming congressional address has been blown way out of proportion. Netanyahu is obviously well qualified to speak on the Iranian threat, he said.

Giuliani called House Speaker John Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu "a no-brainer," saying he had little reason to believe President Barack Obama would care.

"The prime minister has addressed Congress before," Giuliani told Israel's Channel 1. "Right now Congress is holding hearings on Iran so this would be the perfect time to ask him to speak."

The former New York City mayor says 70-75 percent of Americans support Netanyahu and an even higher percentage support the State of Israel.

Responding to Minority House Leader Nancy Pelosi's warning that Democrats may boycott the speech, Giuliani said he didn't think "they will make that mistake."

"It would be a terrible mistake…to insult the prime minister by not being there for his speech," he said. "I don't think they will make that mistake."

Monday, January 26, 2015

Iran: Goal Remains Israel's Full Obliteration

Iran: Goal Remains Israel's Full Obliteration

Sunday, January 25, 2015 |  Israel Today Staff
A top Iranian general last week reiterated that one of the Islamic Republic’s chief military goals remains the “full obliteration” of the Jewish State of Israel, according to Iran’s state-run PRESSTV.
Iranian forces “will continue and deepen support for the Muslim combatants and fighters in the region until full removal of this very epitome of evil from the geopolitics of the region,” said the chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Maj.-Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari (pictured), in reference to Israel.
Jafari was responding to last week’s assassination of another Iranian general, Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, who was killed when Israel targeted Hezbollah field commander Jihad Mughniyeh near the border of the Golan Heights.
Iran has long supported, facilitated and directed Hezbollah terrorism against Israel.
Jafari’s remarks also come days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to make a controversial appearance before the US Congress in an effort to convince Washington to impose stricter sanctions on Iran.
Israel remains convinced that Iran is seeking to attain nuclear weapons, and that those weapons would be aimed at the Jewish state.
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

17 Injured in Tel Aviv Bus Stabbing - CBN News

17 Injured in Tel Aviv Bus Stabbing

Associated Press Photo
JERUSALEM, Israel -- An elite unit of prison service officers apprehended a 23-year-old resident of Tulkarem, an Arab city under Palestinian Authority control, who injured 17 people in a stabbing spree on a Tel Aviv bus Wednesday morning.
The officers chased the terrorist as he fled on foot, stopping him with a gunshot wound to the leg.
"We've heightened security in and around Tel Aviv and we are still searching to make sure there are no further terrorists in and around the area," Israel Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said.
Paramedics transported the injured to three different area hospitals. Four remain in serious condition and four in moderate condition. Israel's Channel 2 reported that 80 units of blood were needed for the injured.
The terrorist reportedly stabbed the driver first to prevent him from opening the doors to allow passengers to escape. The Dan bus company issued a statement praising the driver's "resourcefulness, bravery and heroism," saying he tried to protect passengers even after sustaining a deep stab wound that penetrated his liver.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed P.A. Chairman Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) for these attacks.
"The terrorist attack in Tel Aviv is the direct result of the poisonous incitement being disseminated by the Palestinian Authority against the Jews and their state. This same terrorism is trying to attack us in Paris, Brussels and everywhere," Netanyahu said, pointing out that Hamas, the Palestinian faction ruling the Gaza Strip, quickly praised the attack.
"It is Hamas -- Abu Mazen's partners in a unity government -- that hastened to commend this attack. This is the same Hamas that announced it will sue Israel at the International Criminal Court in The Hague," he said. "Abu Mazen is responsible for both the incitement and the dangerous move at the ICC in The Hague."
Hamas officials called it "a brave and heroic act" against "Zionists" in Tel Aviv and a response to Israel's "crimes."

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Canadian FM: Shoulder to Shoulder with Israel

Canadian FM: Shoulder to Shoulder with Israel

PM Benjamin Netanyahu with Canadian FM John Baird



JERUSALEM, Israel -- Canada has more than Israel's back. It's standing by Israel's side, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird said on Monday.

Canada -- whose prime minister, Stephen Harper, is an evangelical Christian -- is one of the most pro-Israel countries in the world right now.

"As I've said before, Canada doesn't stand behind Israel; we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with it," Baird said during a press conference in Jerusalem with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu welcomed Baird as "a great champion of peace and security and as a great champion of the truth." He said Baird had consistently "demonstrated a willingness to stand up for what is right and to oppose what is wrong."

"We're all engaged in a great battle against the terrorism of militant Islam. Israel has been continually attacked by this scourge and so has Canada recently. Indeed many parts of the world are suffering from this violent attack,' Netanyahu said.

"To fight Islamist terrorism, we need clarity and courage. Canada has both. You know who is the aggressor; you know who is the defender. You know that Israel legitimately defends itself against the war crimes of Hamas and other terrorist groups," he continued.

"You know that it's a travesty of justice to haul Israel to the dock in The Hague, and you know that the entire system of international law could unravel because of this travesty," he said.

Netanyahu repeated an earlier statement that Israel would not have its hands tied by the International Criminal Court in its fight to defend itself against terrorism.

The ICC announced it was launching a preliminary investigation against Israel on possible war crimes charges relating to its 50-day war against Hamas last summer. There have been no attempts to investigate Hamas despite its rocket fire against Israeli civilians and using its own civilians as human shields.

Baird said that his grandfather had fought in World War II and stayed in the Canadian armed forces for decades after that.

"The great struggles of his generation were fighting fascism and then in the Canadian forces during the Cold War fighting communism. Well the great struggle of our generation is terrorism," Baird said.

"And far too often the State of Israel and the Jewish people around the world are on the front lines of that struggle. And as I've said before, Canada doesn't stand behind Israel; we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with it."

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Senator: UN Risks Funding Cut for Meddling in "Peace Process"

Senator: UN Risks Funding Cut for Meddling in "Peace Process"

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) warned in Jerusalem Saturday that there will be a "violent backlash" from the U.S. Congress if the United Nations attempts to "take over the peace process" in the Middle East.
Standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Graham said the House and Senate, both slated to be controlled by Republicans after the first week of January, will act, "if there is any effort by the UN Security Council to set the terms of peace negotiations, avoiding direct talks.  President Obama in 2011 said the United Nations was not the right venue when it came to discussing the peace process in reaching a two-state solution.  I agree with what President Obama said in 2011."
Graham's comments come a day after Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told al-Arabiya that the Palestinians will push the UN Security Council to vote Monday for an Israeli Defense Forces pullback to pre-1967 borders.
Erekat also compared Netanyahu with the leader of the Islamic State or ISIS.
The Jerusalem Post quoted part of Netanyahu's response Saturday night to the comparison:  "This is the same Palestinian Authority that joins hands with Hamas, incites constantly against Israel, the kind of incitement that has led to an attack that we witnessed just two days ago of a Molotov cocktail thrown at a little girl, and I commend our security forces for apprehending the terrorists."
Netanyahu continued, "But the same Palestinian Authority is going to try to bring the UN Security Council a resolution that seeks to impose on us conditions that will undermine our security.  And I want to assure you that we will stand firmly and reject such a dictate.  We always have; we always will."
Graham cautioned that "any effort by the French, the Jordanians or anyone to avoid direct negotations between the Israelis and Palestinians over the peace process, anyone who tries to take this to the UN Security council," will face congressional resprisals.
He also backed Netanyahu's warnings about the P5-plus 1 nations reaching a bad deal with Iran concerning its nuclear weapons program.
"If Iran walks away from the table, sanctions will be re-imposed," Graham said.  "If Iran cheats regarding any deal that we enter into with the Iranians, sanctions will be re-imposed.  It is important to let the Iranians know that from an American point of view, sanctions are alive and well.  So we will be following your counsel and advice," he told the prime minister.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Landmark Bill Enshrines Israel as Strategic Partner - CBN News

Landmark Bill Enshrines Israel as Strategic Partner

Congress has unanimously approved legislation declaring Israel a "major strategic partner" of the United States.
The United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2014 is viewed as historic because it strengthens the friendship the two nations have enjoyed for nearly 70 years.
The landmark legislation expands cooperation in several areas, like energy, agriculture, defense, and intelligence.
It provides Israel with another $200 million worth of military equipment -- a weapons stockpile both nations can use in the event of war.
Israel's status will be upgraded to expedite trade licensing, and Israeli citizens may be allowed to enter the United States without a visa.
Congressional approval comes at a time when relations between the two countries are at an all-time low.
The White House's dislike of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is apparent, with administration officials having made disparaging remarks about the Israeli leader in the past.
In addition, many Israelis feel the United States is pressuring the Jewish state to accept further concessions with Hamas, a designated terror group that has pledged to destroy the Jewish state. 
Nevertheless, Natan Sharansky, chairman of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Israel, told CBN News he believes the United States will remain friends with Israel because the nation is the only representative of the free world in the Middle East.
"That's why inevitably we have and will continue to have strong cooperation between America and Israel," he explained. "And I have to say that our security cooperation, the cooperation at the levels of our armies and intelligence is very close and very deep."
Sharansky believes what is most important to Israel is that America continues to lead the free world, "and when America is not ready to lead, we will all have a problem."
But some of Sharansky's fellow Likud Party members and some members of the U.S. Congress don't like the direction the Obama administration is leading, especially on the issue of Iran's nuclear program.
They predict the United States will eventually negotiate an agreement that will lead to Iranian development of nuclear weapons.
That's something Sharansky says Israel will never accept.
"Of course we would prefer that the free world would realize the depth of the threat to freedom in the world and will take care of Iran," he said. "But if the free world will not do it, Israel will have no choice but to deal with this problem."
While many see the historic Strategic Partnership Act as a step in the right direction, deep strains in the friendship may still lie ahead.
Watch video: CBN News

Thursday, December 4, 2014

iSRAEL'S Early Elections: Who Wins, and Who Thinks They'll Win?

Early Elections: Who Wins, and Who Thinks They'll Win?

Wednesday, December 03, 2014 |  Ryan Jones   ISRAEL TODAY

It’s official. The current government in Israel is dissolving. An early election has been set for March 17, 2015. The nation is about to be plunged into yet another season of political campaigning.
The question on the minds of just about everyone is who benefits most from this move, and, equally important, who thinks they will benefit, but might be sorely mistaken?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu triggered the early election process by firing the two leading left-wing ministers in his cabinet - Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni - in hopes that going to the polls would deliver a less fractious 20th Knesset, enabling him to form a government that, in Netanyahu’s words, doesn’t include an “internal opposition.”
Surveys conducted by Channel 2 News and Channel 10 News shortly before Netanyahu’s announcement showed that most Israelis blamed the prime minister for the early elections, but that a plurality of voters would choose his Likud party in the upcoming poll.
According to both surveys, Likud will win 22 seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset in March, making it easily the largest party. Next would be the right-wing Jewish Home faction with 17 seats, followed by the left-wing Labor Party (13), a new right-wing party headed by former Likud heavyweight Moshe Kahlon (12), and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu faction with either 10 or 12 seats.
Lapid’s Yesh Atid party is predicted to fall from 19 to just nine seats, while Livni’s Hatnua faction will win just four mandates, barely passing the 3.25 threshold to make it into the Knesset.
If those numbers hold true, Netanyahu might get his wish of being able to form a majority coalition made up of only right-leaning parties that largely share his views on issues ranging from the peace process to economic reforms.
There is much speculation that Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett had a hand in bringing about the early election given that he and his party stand to gain the most. Jewish Home is the only party predicted to grow by more than 50 percent, and Bennett could then make a strong case for demanding the position of defense minister, putting him on track to one day take the prime minister’s chair.
Those on the left see a different outcome.
“The state of Israel isn’t stuck with Bibi anymore,” declared Labor MK Stav Shafir, referring to Netanyahu by his popular nickname.
Shafir continued by calling on left-wing voters: “This is our chance, the democratic camp in Israel led by the Labor party, to show that it is possible to do things differently. This is our time to bring the change that the public in Israel wants so badly.”
Earlier in the week, Shafir’s boss, Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog, insisted that despite the current poll numbers, he will be the next prime minister of Israel. “I think today it is clear that I present an alternative to [Netanuahu],” he told Channel 10. “I believe I’ll lead the next government.”
Further afield, US Secretary of State John Kerry said he hoped that whatever government comes next will help advance his own failed efforts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a failure that Kerry and the Obama Administration largely blame on Netanyahu.
Last, and certainly least, is Hamas, which tried to connect the dissolution of the Knesset to the summer’s Gaza war, even though security issues played little-to-no role in the disputes between Netanyahu, Lapid and Livni.
“The collapse of the Israeli coalition is another example of our victory and of Netanyahu’s defeat in Gaza,” declared ever-informative Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri.
PHOTO: The 19th Knesset votes unanimously for its own dissolution. (Flash90)
Want more news from Israel?
Click Here to sign up for our FREE daily email updates from ISRAEL TODAY.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Netanyahu heads to Amman for emergency talks - Joel Rosenberg

As Radicals try to blow up Israel-Jordan relations & ignite “Third Intifada,” Netanyahu heads to Amman for emergency talks. Here’s the latest.

by joelcrosenberg
"His Majesty King Abdullah holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Amman on Thursday." (Photo courtesy of Royal Court/AFP/Jordan Times)
"His Majesty King Abdullah holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Amman on Thursday." (Photo courtesy of Royal Court/AFP/Jordan Times)
(Central Israel) -- Radical Islamists are trying hard to ignite a "Third Intifada," engulf Jerusalem in violence, and blow up relations between Israel and Jordan, twenty years after the two countries courageously signed a peace treaty.
A close look at events here in recent weeks suggest that without much prayer for the peace of Jerusalem, wise leadership,  patient diplomacy, and the grace of God, the Radicals could very well succeed.
But they haven't yet. With violence in and around Jerusalem spiking, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Amman on Thursday evening for emergency talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II and Secretary of State John Kerry. The goal: to find a way to de-escalate tensions -- quickly and carefully.
The three leaders also held a conference call with Egyptian President al-Sisi.
Initial reports indicate the meetings went well. All four men know the most grave threats to the region are Iran and ISIS and that they need to work together to survive. None want to allow the Radicals divide them at this critical time. But each knows events could spin out of control.
  • Please keep praying for peace.
  • Pray for these leaders and their families, for wisdom and protection.
  • Pray also for the Lord to show Christians how best to serve these leaders and help them work for peace and security for everyone in the epicenter, Jews, Muslims and Christians.
In the meantime, here is a timeline of the latest developments:
October -- Anti-Israeli riots and violence erupt on Temple Mount.
  • October 8th -- "With the opening of the Temple Mount to visitors...dozens of masked Palestinians threw rocks and shot fireworks towards the police forces stationed in the Mughrabi Gate area, lightly injuring three officers," reported the Jerusalem Post.
  • October 29th -- Terrorists attempted to assassinate a Jewish activist well-known for wanting Israel to build a Third Temple.
  • October 30th -- Israeli officials then briefly closed the Temple Mount to all visitors to reestablish order, while Fatah declared a "day of rage" in Jerusalem. "Police commander Edri also decided to restrict Friday Muslim prayers on the Temple Mount to men over the age of 50 and women of all ages," reported Haaretz. "His decision was based on intelligence information that Palestinian youths intend to disturb the peace at the conclusion of the prayers."
  • October and November  -- Increased Palestinian terrorist attacks on Israelis, using knives and cars.
November 4th -- Palestinian President Abbas says closure of Temple Mount "a declaration of war."
November 5th -- The government of Jordan suddenly recalled its Ambassador to Israel.
  • "Jordan has expressed growing alarm over Israeli actions in Jerusalem culminating in last week's one-day closure of the sacred compound housing Al Aqsa mosque -- a move that infuriated the Jordanian king, who is its official custodian," reported Reuters. "Tensions over the compound, the third holiest site in Islam and the holiest place in Judaism, have fueled daily clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians in Jerusalem in recent weeks. Jordan's government spokesman, Mohammad al-Momani, said Israeli security forces raided the compound's main mosque on Wednesday, describing this as 'a dangerous escalation.'"
  • Haaretz reported: "Jordan’s ambassador was not recalled on a whim. The move was coordinated with the United States, in talks held in Paris between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, and follows a long list of what Jordan says are Israeli efforts to Judaize all of Jerusalem and seize control of the holy sites on the Temple Mount. The formal explanation for Jordan’s move is derived from Israel’s obligation to consider Jordan’s preferred status with regard to the holy places, and coordinate any steps taken there with Amman."
November 6th -- Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called King Abdullah II to reassure him that the status quo agreement with Jordan regarding the Temple Mount would not change. "Netanyahu undertook to ensure the maintenance of the status quo on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during a phone conversation with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Thursday," reported Haaretz. "The phone call was initiated by Netanyahu. A statement published by the Prime Minister's Office said that Netanyahu also undertook to preserve the special status of Jordan regarding the Temple Mount and the Muslim holy places in Jerusalem, as specified in the peace agreement between the two countries. "Both leaders called for the immediate cessation of violent actions and incitement,' Netanyahu's bureau said. During the conversation, King Abdullah told Netanyahu that Jordan stands in absolute opposition to any action that infringes on the holiness of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, endangers it, or presents a change in the status quo. The Jordanian news agency Petra reported that Netanyahu promised Abdullah he would move to decrease the tensions in Jerusalem."
November 9th -- King Abdullah II canceled Jordan's participation in a planned event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty. The King "ordered two of his ministers -- the Minister of Water and the Minister of Energy -- and some 40 other Jordanian officials not to attend the 20th anniversary ceremony which is scheduled to be held in the Jordan Valley between the two countries," reported
November 9th -- Jordan's Prime Minister ruled out the notion of canceling or ending the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, but condemned Israeli actions that appear to be changing the status quo agreement regarding the Dome of the Rock and the Islamic religious sites there. "The ongoing tension over Jerusalem’s flashpoint al-Aqsa Mosque compound is inflicting a 'stab wound' on the peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said on Sunday, though he said Amman would not cancel the 20-year agreement," reported the Times of Israel. "Israel and Jordan are committed to peace and to respect the peace treaty, but this commitment is not just applicable to one side, it is a commitment by both," Ensour told reporters in Amman. "Ensour said Israel’s actions at the site were the result of a 'clear' policy aimed at changing the decades-long status quo at the site, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews," noted the Times. "'The Jordanian government condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the events of recent weeks in Jerusalem, which are not the result of administrative errors or acts by a few extremists but rather a clear government plan to change the realities at the holy places,' he continued. Months of unrest in and around the plaza have been triggered by Palestinian fears that Israel was preparing to change the status quo to allow Jews to pray there — a suggestion that has been repeatedly rejected by Israel."
November 12th -- The King met with Palestinian Authority leader Abbas and condemns Israel. "Jordan's King Abdullah II met with PA President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday, after which the leader of the Hashemite Kingdom issued harsh criticism against the 'utterly condemnable' Israeli 'provocations' at the Temple Mount," reportedthe Times of Israel, based on Jordanian news services. "'The King reiterated that Israel’s repeated aggressions, provocative actions in Jerusalem, and targeting of the holy sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Al Haram Sharif, were utterly condemnable, adding that the continuation of the settlement policy will undermine all efforts to revive the peace efforts,' a statement published by the official Petra News Agency said."
November 13th -- Netanyahu met in Amman with King Abdullah and Secretary Kerry.
  • "His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday hosted a trilateral meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cool tempers arising as a result of Israeli policies in Jerusalem, which Amman has labelled as 'provocative,'" reported Agence France Presse and the Jordan Times. "Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi joined the Amman meeting over the phone. According to a Royal Court statement, the three sides also discussed ways to create a climate encouraging the revival of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.Netanyahu, the statement said, 'reasserted Israel’s commitment to keep the status quo in Jerusalem’s holy sites without change… and respect Jordan’s Hashemite leaders’ historical role as custodians of holy sites in Jerusalem.' During the meeting, His Majesty emphasised Jordan’s stand on the situation in Jerusalem, reiterating a call on Tel Aviv to take practical steps to keep the situation there intact, especially at Al Aqsa Mosque and its vicinity. Earlier this month, Jordan recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv to protest Israeli practices in the holy city, particularly the repeated violations of the sanctity of Al Haram Al Sharif compound, which houses Al Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine to Muslims all over the world."
  • "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas did not attend a meeting among Kerry, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah II,"reported the Times of Israel. "Kerry said it was 'not the right moment' for Abbas and Netanyahu to meet. Kerry said Abbas told him would do 'everything possible to prevent [further] violence.' 'We must create a climate where we can move forward in a positive and constructive way,' Kerry said at a press conference with the Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh following the summit. 'There is an urgent need to address these greatest tensions, and an imperative need to uphold the status quo at the Temple Mount,' he said, adding that the sides must take 'take affirmative steps to prevent violence and incitement.'....Kerry also praised the 'enormously constructive role of Jordan in trying to resolve these challenges.' He said Israel and Jordan, which has custodial rights at the Temple Mount, had also agreed to take steps to 'de-escalate the situation' in Jerusalem and to 'restore confidence.'"
November 14th -- Israel's Ambassador to Jordan praised the King as a moderate leader in the region. "Israeli Ambassador to Jordan Daniel Nevo lauded the Hashemite monarch King Abdullah II on Friday morning as a vital moderator in the region at a time when Israeli-Palestinian tensions were flaring," reported the Jerusalem Post. "Israel recognizes the importance of King Abdullah as the custodian of Islam's holy sites in Jerusalem," Nevo told Army Radio. "We have never renounced this [position] - on the contrary, we try to clarify it and collaborate as much a possible....[Abdullah] is very significant in Jordan and to the world, because the king is very harshly criticized when there is tumult."
———————————-
joelcrosenberg | November 14, 2014 at 11:20 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL:http://wp.me/piWZ7-39C