Amidst a spike in tensions between the US and Iran over the weekend, the IDF is reportedly beefing up its own preparations to respond to potential threats from Iranian-backed proxy groups in the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon. Meanwhile, senior Trump Administration officials were fanning out across the region on Monday, including a visit to Israel by US National Security Adviser John Bolton who arrived in Jerusalem Sunday evening to prepare for a tri-lateral meeting Monday afternoon with his Israeli and Russian counterparts, Meir Ben-Shabbat, and Nikolai Patrushev.

Ahead of meetings in Manama, Bahrain this week during which economic aspects of the Trump Administration’s so-called “deal of the Century” are set to be formally unveiled, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told foreign reporters in Ramallah on Sunday that his faction was prepared to re-open negotiations with Israel, but only if there is a recognition that Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem is in fact “occupied” Palestinian territory and the “vision” of a two-state solution is re-affirmed. The statements came amidst a chorus of derision for the American plan, details of which have already been released by the White House, from the wider Arab world, even as some moderate governments allied with Washington expressed cautious optimism for its prospects.

Turkey’s political scene was in an uproar Sunday following the rerun election for mayor of Istanbul which saw the AKP party of Turkish strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan once again defeated by opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu. The margin of his victory was substantially larger than in the first poll in March, leading many analysts to say that if the AKP was trying to regain an important political post, the effort has backfired and any further attempts to deny Imamoglu his office might lead to widespread unrest in the strategically important country.

Israeli sports fans had much to cheer about over the weekend as Rhythmic gymnast Liroy Ashram hauled in four medals, two gold and two silver, at the 2019 European Games in Minsk and a large delegation of players from the National Football League (NFL) in the US visited the Jewish State. The visiting NFL players included a delegation of 15 past and present athletes associated with the New England Patriots, who greeted local football enthusiasts at the Kraft Family Sports Complex in Jerusalem on Friday. Separately, Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson is touring Israel as part of a documentary film project and has enthusiastically shared his experiences with his large number of fans on social media.

Forlorn hopes that Israel might avoid the election scheduled for 17 September were decisively crushed on Sunday evening when Blue and White leaders Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid issued a public statement that they have decided to reject overtures from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to join forces and overturn the bill that dispersed the Knesset and form a national unity government. Gantz added that the idea had been worth examining but that in the end it appeared that it would be of more benefit to Netanyahu than Blue and White. Likud officials replied that reports of their attempt to reach an agreement that would make another election unnecessary were vastly exaggerated by Blue and White.

The meeting of the national security advisers of the US, Russia, and Israel in late June is an achievement for Israel’s policy, which navigates between the interests of Moscow and Washington and is a party to the superpowers’ dialogue on the future of Syria and the Iranian intervention in that country. The choice of Israel as the venue for the meeting was meant to emphasize its regional role, and it is also possible that both Washington and Moscow have an interest in voicing support for Israel in the context of Syria and of Iran. Israel has an interest in being involved in talks regarding regional issues, but in doing so, it might be inviting a measure of risk, too.

The Trump Administration in the US released part of its so-called “deal of the century” for achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians over the weekend. Details of the plan include a $50 billion package of infrastructure projects and other benefits to the Palestinian administered areas in the West Bank and neighboring Arab countries to absorb Palestinian refugees and their descendants. (PDF)

As the ongoing campaign of airborne arson against communities bordering the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip continues amidst the threat of even more deadly attacks by Iranian-backed terrorist groups in the Strip as well as along Israel’s northern border continues, the ICEJ is standing with these embattled communities. We are currently appealing for funds to help provide civilian first responders with fire fighting equipment, bomb shelters and life saving vests. More long term, we are also continuing to provide professional counseling to those who have been traumatized by this ongoing campaign of war and terror. Please join us in standing with the Jewish People in this time of crisis.