ICEJ NEWS

Headlines from Jerusalem, 15 September 2017
“Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad” Psalm 53:6

TOP STORY

Iran Massively Increases Financial Support to Hezbollah
Reports surfaced this week that Iran has increased its financial contribution to the Lebanese Shi’ite terror militia Hezbollah from approximately $200 million a year in 2015, the year the JCPOA nuclear agreement was signed, to over $800 million so far in 2017. Iranian support to the Islamist terror militia Hamas, which had been frozen in the initial stages of the Syrian civil war when Hamas declined to support the Assad regime, has been restored and now totals between $60-70 million annually.
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NEWS BRIEFS

Netanyahu in Mexico for Final Stop on Latin America Tour

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Mexico City late on Wednesday night and spent Thursday in meetings with Mexican political, social and business leaders. “Mexico is an economic power, one of the 12 largest economies in the world, and it can go higher. We have to be here, and be here in a big way,” he told his hosts at one such meeting. Business and trade were also at the top of the agenda during his afternoon meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.
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Turkey Buys Russian Air Defense System

A spokesman for the office of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters on Thursday that Turkey is still a dependable and stable member of the NATO alliance, despite this week’s purchase of a Russian-built S-400 air defense system. However, concerns about the sale expressed by Turkey’s NATO allies were dismissed by Erdogan, who said during a meeting with his political faction on Wednesday. “They have gone mad because we signed an S-400 deal, so what? We will take matters into our own hands.”

Russia Denies Israeli Request for ‘Buffer Zone’ in Syria

Reports emerged late Thursday that Russia has denied an Israeli request for a 60 km “buffer zone” between the positions of Iranian-backed militias in Syria and the Israeli border on the Golan Heights, saying instead that they can only guarantee a 5 km “buffer zone”. The reports came following a week in which Russian submarines fired cruise missiles at positions occupied by the Islamic State (IS) terror militia in Syria, even as the sixth round of “peace talks” aimed at ending the conflict got underway in Kazakhstan.

Israelis Busily Making Holiday Preparations

Israel’s Agriculture Ministry released figures Thursday showing that Israelis are stocking up on fish, pomegranates, apples and honey, traditional foods eaten during the upcoming holiday of Rosh HaShana. Grocery stores around the country have erected special displays to make buying these items easier for customers.

OPINION

The Trump-Netanyahu Meeting, An Opportunity for Policy Coordination
Amos Yadlin, Avner Golov, INSS

Prime Minister Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump in New York in late September. With the events in the Korean peninsula in the background, the two leaders will almost certainly discuss the lessons for preventing nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.
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WEEKEND FEATURE

An In-depth look at Iranian activities in the Middle East
Analysis from the Atlantic Council think tank

Much is said about Iran’s “destabilizing activities” throughout the Middle East, but often without fully describing the activities, tools, and methods Iran uses to wield influence in neighboring states. What do we really know about Iran’s activities in the region? What are the primary factors driving Iran’s foreign policy?
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GET INVOLVED

Jerusalem Jubilee

Join Christians from around the world and send your congratulations today. Your name and message will be added to a special Jerusalem Jubilee 50th Congratulations book and presented to the Mayor of Jerusalem.
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Feast of Tabernacles 2017: 6-11 Oct

The 2017 Feast will be an historic convocation with great prophetic significance as Israel celebrates 50 years since the reunification of Jerusalem. You don’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience to celebrate this Jubilee feast in the “City of God”!
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Today’s news was written and compiled by Aaron Hecht.

ICEJ News is a free email service providing news and comments on Middle East affairs compiled by journalists at the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and supported by donations from subscribers.

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