Russian Officials in Israel to Discuss Syria and Iran

Senior Russian officials were in Jerusalem on Tuesday for meetings with their Israeli counterparts, with discussions about the ongoing situation in Syria and relations with Iran at the top of the agenda. The meetings come amidst an escalating war of words between the Kremlin and Iran’s clerical regime, as well as an increasing willingness on the part of the EU and individual European governments to censure Iran over its conduct in Syria and its development of nuclear capable ballistic missiles.

Jerusalemites awoke Monday morning to the shocking news that a synagogue in the capital had been vandalized. Ritual objects including Torah scrolls and prayer books were damaged or destroyed at the synagogue in the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood, which has a history of tension between religiously observant and secular residents. “I am shocked at the desecration of a synagogue in Jerusalem,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “The police must immediately find those responsible in order to bring them to justice.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev hosted an event Monday at the Prime Minister’s Office to honor medal winners from the the Tel Aviv Grand Prix judo tournament, held last week with participants from 53 countries. “This is a great accomplishment for each one of you, but also a great accomplishment for the country,” said Netanyahu, adding that Israel’s increasing stature in the international sporting scene is also helping the Jewish State in the diplomatic and political arenas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Tuesday that he will not renew a 22-year old agreement which saw international observers participate in the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) project, which has been sharply criticized by Jewish residents of Hebron as facilitating activities against them. “Together we proved that it is possible to bring an end to the injustice and folly that has lasted for many years,” Hebron’s Jewish community said in a statement.

Moscow’s public demand that Israel stop its attacks in Syria places Israel’s longstanding air campaign at a critical juncture despite PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s avowed determination to sustain it for as long as necessary.

Some of the most respected analysts in Israel and allied countries take a look at the rise and fall of the great powers and their role in the Middle East, as well as local actors, international organizations, religious leaders and social movements.

The Core Beliefs of the ICEJ include a commitment to the restoration of Israel and blessing the Jewish People. These pillars of our organizational DNA are based on the Word of God, even as we recognize that we are standing on the shoulders of Christian leaders who came before us and recognized the times and the seasons in which they lived.