Arab media lashed out at Jewish “settlers” on Wednesday accusing them of “storming” the Al-Aqsa Temple Complex, also known as the Temple Mount. It’s true that a record 1500 Jews entered the area, but they did so peaceably and legally.
Palestinian media went a step further, calling them “invaders”. There is irony in that accusation, since “Palestine” comes from the word “Philistine” which means “invader”. If you want to learn more about Sukkot, or the Feast of Tabernacles, you can read my short commentary.
Iranian Weapons Convoy Targeted by Israeli Airstrikes
Iran sent a convoy of weapons through Iraq into Syria with a mission of getting them into the hands of Hezbollah. They never made it. Saturday night, just west of Damascus, Israeli airstrikes took the convoy out. Then Monday night, further Israeli strikes targeted military assets, damaging several buildings and wounding two Syrian soldiers.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned nations that are seeking to normalize relations with Israel. “The definite position of the Islamic Republic is that countries that make the gamble of normalization with Israel will lose. They are betting on a losing horse,” said Khamenei.
The angry eye of Iran is particularly locked on Saudi Arabia. It seems the Iranians feel that the Saudis used them, only pretending to desire better relations with them and with China. They believe that in reality it was just a ruse to get the American’s attention, so that they could get a better military security deal.
Their anger is at a level that if an explosion or two happens at a Saudi oil installation in the next couple of weeks, no one should be surprised.
More Diplomatic Victories for Israel
Less than 80 years after the end of World War II and the Holocaust, Israel has signed an agreement to sell Germany its Arrow 3 missile defense system, developed in partnership with the United States. “It is, without exaggerating, a historic day for both our countries,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, as he signed the agreement with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant in Berlin.
Meanwhile, in Riyadh yesterday, Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi made history as the first Israeli politician to officially deliver a speech in Saudi Arabia. After addressing his audience in English, he concluded his words by offering a blessing in Arabic, asking that “God would bring peace between us.”
Iran Fears a Second Mahsa Amini Type Incident
Last Sunday, Armita Geravand, a 16-year-old student, was assaulted by Iran’s morality police for not properly wearing a hijab. She was on a subway train when she was accosted, during which time her head was slammed against a pole. Geravand is now in a coma in Tehran’s Iranian Air Force Hospital.
It has been just over one year since 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was beaten to death by this same religious goon squad. The killing of Amini led to months of social upheaval resulting in the deaths of over 500 protestors and the imprisonment of thousands.
The government is hurriedly trying to quash the story before the sparks of discontent with the Islamic regime are once again fanned into flames.
Pakistan Terror Attack Kills 54
In Mastung, Baluchistan province, Pakistan, 500 worshippers had gathered to celebrate the birthday of Muhammad. Into this crowd, the Islamic State sent one or two suicide bombers. In the resulting carnage, 54 were killed and more than 70 were wounded.
This was the latest in a series of attacks that took place in the area over the last week.
Putin Hosts Libya and Sudan
Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last Thursday. That same day, Putin also met with South Sudan President Salva Kiir. Both meetings reported deepening relationships.
Why is this important? In the coming Ezekiel 38 war, there are two countries joining Russia, Turkey, and Iran in their attack against Israel. Those countries are Libya and Sudan.
Pentagon Warns Low Ukraine Funding Could Affect US Military Readiness
As weapons stockpiled for the US military were funneled off to Ukraine, the plan was to replenish that war material so that American forces remained fully supplied. But the money allocated for that replenishment is just about out, and, according to Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord, the US has “already been forced to slow down the replenishment of our own forces to hedge against an uncertain funding future.”
This could quickly affect America’s military readiness. In the meantime, as a stopgap, the US will transfer a large quantity of seized Iranian weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
Across the pond, Great Britain has run out of military equipment that they can donate to Ukraine. “We’ve given away all we can afford,” an anonymous military official told The Daily Mail.
Unprecedented Ousting of US Speaker of the House
In a move unprecedented in American politics, a Speaker of the House was removed by his own party. Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy was challenged by a group of GOP conservatives, led by Congressman Matt Gaetz, after he agreed to an unapproved deal with the Democrats to keep the government open. After heated inner-party debate, eight Republicans and all the Democrats voted to remove McCarthy.
After the last presidential election, I committed to doing my best to keep my personal opinion on American politics to myself. But let me just say this about the current state of the Republican party – Oy vey, people!
After Defeat to Azerbaijan, Armenians Push Back Against Turkey
Just days after Armenia was forced to give in to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California held a conference on Turkish foreign policy.
Protestors showed up, offended that the school would focus on Turkey, a long-time foe of Armenia, during a time of mourning over those lost in the fighting and the continuing plight of thousands of Armenians who were displaced by the conflict and the many others who are left in a precarious situation in the now hostile region.
When Turkish diplomats exited the forum, chants turned to bottles which turned to fists. “It’s incredibly shameful that USC Annenberg chooses to host an event like this in this time of mourning,” said Sonia Meroian, a board member on the Armenian Student Association.
Kurdish Suicide Bomber Leads to Heavy Retaliation
A member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) ran toward the entrance of the Turkish Ministry of the Interior in Ankara on Sunday and blew himself up. Two police officers were wounded. A second bomber was killed in a shootout before he could detonate his explosives.
Later in the day, Turkish jets attacked 20 targets of the PKK in northern Iraq.
