Israel Update 3.8.23

During these difficult times in Israel, a reminder that domestic politics are outside the scope of this Update. HRG

TERRORIST ATTACKS

Six people were wounded, one seriously in a terrorist shooting attack near a shopping mall in Ma’aleh Adumin on Tuesday afternoon. The terrorist was shot by an off-duty Border Police officer.

Later on Tuesday evening, a terrorist was shot after attempting to carry out a stabbing attack at a West Bank junction. Read more here

An Israeli woman was injured by flying glass when a Palestinian terrorist opened fire at a car hitting it 6 times on Wednesday near the West Bank Hamra intersection. Her husband and two children were also in the car but were not injured.Read more here

HEZBOLLAH PROVOCATIONS ON ISRAEL’S NORTHERN BORDER

Since March when a terrorist infiltrated 45 miles into northern Israel, detonating a powerful bomb at Megiddo Junction, multiple incidents on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon have heightened tension. In June, UNIFIL, the UN peacekeeping mission on the Israeli-Lebanese border, confirmed that Hizbullah had established an outpost within Israeli territory, setting up and manning two tents on the Israeli side of the internationally-recognized Blue Line in the Mount Dov region. One tent remains.

In July alone, these incidents were recorded:

Two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards Israel, one of them landing in Lebanese territory and the second near a disputed area at the border. According to Lebanese sources one rocket landed near the Lebanese border village of Wazzani and the second near the disputed village of Ghajar, which straddles the Israel-Lebanon border. An IDF spokesman said they had “found no incident within Israeli territory” but that an explosion had taken place “beyond the border fence.”

Two men were filmed climbing the security barrier and stealing an IDF surveillance camera.

Several men approached the security fence near Metulla. They threw rocks and started a fire by the fence.

Hezbollah activists with face masks and dressed in military camouflage fatigues were seen walking along the border with Israel.

Hizbullah operatives and dozens of armed Lebanese army soldiers briefly entered Israeli territory on 5/7 near Kibbutz Menara and stayed on the Israeli side of the border for about 20 minutes. During this time, the IDF did not use dispersal methods, taking a cautious approach and attempting to resolve the issue via liaison channels with the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.

An anti-tank missile was fired towards Ghajar*.

Last Sunday, Hezbollah operatives were filmed waving the terrorist organisation’s flag and crossing a UNIFIL boundary marking the border between the northern part of Ghajar, considered part of Lebanon, and the southern part of the village, considered part of Israel.

Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, lodged a complaint against Lebanon with the Security Council on July 27, demanding that the Lebanese government and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) take immediate action to prevent the ongoing construction of military infrastructure by Hizbullah on Israel’s northern border.

It should be noted that Hizbullah’s actions constitute a violation of UN Resolution 1701, enacted following the Second Lebanon War in 2006. The resolution calls for armed groups apart from the Lebanese army and UNIFIL to remain north of the Litani River.

*Ghajar is an Alawite village, captured by Israel from Syria in 1967. In 1981 it was annexed by Israel and its residents offered full Israeli citizenship. The village’s northern neighbourhood has since expanded into Lebanon. The UN recognises the Blue Line runs through the village, but Israel has built the fence around the northern perimeter to ensure security.

Sources: reuters Jpost lorientlejour Bicom

THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

Since the IDF’s operation in Jenin on July 3-4, Palestinian security services have been actively working against suspected terrorist activities in the city, surprising Israel with their intensity and speed.. This was, in retrospect, also part of the IDF operation’s objectives. The Palestinian security services arrested dozens and began reclaiming the PA’s sovereignty and enforcing public order in the city. On Monday IDF forces arrested two Hamas terrorists in the city. Read more here

However:

The IDF last Thursday found remnants of a rocket that was launched from Jenin toward northern Israel but fell inside the West Bank. Several attempts have been made by Palestinians in the West Bank recently to launch rockets. The day before, a tunnel, believed to be dug for offensive purposes, reaching dozens of metres under the Jenin refugee camp was revealed in a video posted on social media amid IDF concerns that terrorists were rebuilding their infrastructure in the camp. Read more here

Every summer, P.A. summer camps indoctrinate children with the message that Israel does not exist, presenting all of Israel as “occupied Palestine,” Israeli cities as “Palestinian cities” and the map of the world in which “Palestine” replaces Israel.Haifa, Jaffa, Tiberius, Acre, Ashkelon, Lod, Beit Shean, Safed, Nazareth, Be’er Sheva, Jerusalem, Ramle and the Negev – all are presented as “Palestinian”. Read more here

GAZA

Several thousand people briefly took to the streets across Gaza on Sunday to protest against chronic power outages and difficult living conditions, in a public show of discontent with the Hamas government. Hamas security forces quickly dispersed the gatherings. Protesters in one place burned Hamas flags. Police destroyed mobile phones of people who were filming. Protesters also criticized Hamas for deducting a $15 fee from monthly $100 stipends given to Gaza’s poorest families by Qatar. Read more here short video here

CO-OPERATION

Impressed by what they saw of Israeli research and innovation on a recent trip to Israel, a group of presidents and chancellors of prominent historically Black colleges and universities in the US have signed memoranda of understanding and plan to send students to study-abroad programmes at Israeli universities, and also have their faculties exchange knowledge and perform joint research with Israeli professors and researchers. Read more here

DEFENCE

Israel’s autonomous drones patrol gas fields far larger than the country itself. The observer drone is integrated with artificial intelligence, and its advanced pattern recognition detects suspicious activity.Read more here

Elbit Systems has successfully tested its latest Electronic Warfare (EW) Counter Measure Dispensing System (DESEAVER MK-4) on vessels of the Israeli Navy. The fourth-generation system provides 360-degree defence coverage, significantly enhancing the survival rate of surface vessels. The system can rapidly and accurately deploy decoys from multiple launchers to counter simultaneous threats, with precise positioning and timing.Read more here

JERUSALEM

A new suspension bridge connecting Jerusalem’s Mount Zion to the Valley of Hinnom was inaugurated on Sunday.
The 202-metre (663 feet) bridge will make Jerusalem’s Old City more accessible to pedestrians and offers a spectacular view of the area. Read more here

BUSINESS

Amazon.com is planning to invest $7.2 billion until 2037 in Israel, and has launched its Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing data centres in the country. The investment will contribute $13.9 billion to Israel’s GDP.Read more here

ECONOMY

According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, as presented on July 27, 2023… Israel’s high-tech export increased by 6.9% during the first five months of 2023. Industrial production in the high-tech sector expanded during the first five months of 2023 by 5.6% more than in 2022, as reflected by the 3% growth in the number of high-tech workers during the first five months of 2023. Israeli unemployment has declined to 3.5%, and its GDP grew by 3.2% during the first quarter of 2023, while industrial investment grew by 16.2%. Read more here

AGRI-TECH

Rehovot-based Grace Breeding has developed all-natural, biological-based fertilizers that have been proven to boost yields while using only half the amount of nitrogen required by standard fertilizer. Read more here

SOLAR ENERGY

Israel’s largest solar energy company, SolarEdge has signed a joint venture with Saudi company Ajlan & Bros Holding to support the deployment of smart renewable energy solutions in Saudi Arabia, aiming to reduce the country’s dependence on oil by the end of the decade.Read more here

SATELLITE

An Israeli-made reconnaissance satellite blasted into space Sunday from India.The DS-SAR satellite was made by Israel Aerospace Industries on behalf of Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency.Read more here

SPORT

Four Israeli football teams played recently in European competitions:

After a 1-0 loss in Moldova last week, Maccabi Haifa secured a 4-1 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol last night in Haifa, advancing to the third round of the UEFA Champions League qualifier with an aggregate score of 4-2.

In the Conference League, Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Petrocub 3-0, Beitar Jerusalem played to a goalless draw against PAOK Thessaloniki and Hapoel Beersheba beat Panevėžys 1-0.Read more here Read more here

VIDEO

A song advertising a Netanya sandwich shop, Lechem V’Havita has gone viral and become an unlikely summer hit in Israel. 3 min 12 sec View here

COMMENT & OPINION

30 years on from the Oslo Accords

Maurice Hirsch: The agreements between Israel and the PLO included reciprocal Palestinian commitments. Primary among these was the total abandonment of terrorism to advance their political agenda. Instead of demanding and ensuring strict PLO/PA compliance with their commitments to combat terror, Israel watched as the PLO/PA embraced Palestinian terror organizations and actively participated in terror.
Internationally-designated terror organizations responsible for the murder of thousands of Israelis operate freely in the PA-controlled areas. When Israel arrests terrorists, the PA still pays them substantial monthly payments to reward their participation in terror. Read more here