Israel’s former ambassador to China Matan Vilna’I told journalists on Tuesday that Beijing’s ramped up interest in contributing to the “peace process” between Israel and the Palestinians is a case of naked self-interest, as China worries that disruptions in the geopolitical balance in the Middle East would endanger energy supplies. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently presented a four point plan meant to achieve an agreement.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan hosted his Canadian counterpart, Ralph Goodale, at Israel Police National Headquarters in Jerusalem on Monday. The visit was meant to highlight cooperation between Israel and Canada in counter-terrorism training and related issues. “We are working to expand cooperation between the two countries as part of the establishment of an international coalition to combat terrorism and the incitement that nurtures it,” Goodale said.

A report issued this week by the self-described “human rights organization” Amnesty International declared that Iran’s clerical regime has carried out a brutal crackdown on human rights defenders in the Islamic Republic. The report, entitled “Caught In A Web Of Repression: Iran’s Human Rights Defenders Under Attack” is available online.

Police in Israel reportedly arrested five Palestinian individuals this week as part of a large-scale international investigation into illegal antiquities trafficking, with the American Christian-owned company Hobby Lobby named as the ultimate destination of the stolen artifacts. Hobby Lobby has reportedly cooperated fully with the investigation and is in the process of returning the stolen items as well as paying a $3 million fine.

Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat is currently undergoing treatments for what reports describe as a very serious respiratory disease and has been placed on a list of people needing a transplanted lung. In light of his condition, he has greatly reduced his workload and will be temporarily replaced by the PA’s intelligence chief, Majid Faraj.

While most of the Arab nations sought to defuse tensions in Jerusalem, Iran and Turkey sought to fan the flames by transferring money to Islamic organizations to continue the struggle to “defend Al-Aqsa.” But the interests of the Iranian regime and the Turkish president are not the best interests of the Palestinians or Israeli Arabs.

Highlights of Knesset Speaker Yuli Yoel Edelstein’s historic visit to Moscow, June 2017