Following the withdrawal by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his request for parliamentary immunity from prosecution on Tuesday, Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit filed an indictment with the Jerusalem District Court against him for bribery, fraud and breach of trust. His trial will begin within weeks and according to many analysts it is expected to impact on the Knesset elections scheduled to take place on 2 March.

US President Donald Trump was scheduled to unveil the full details of his long-anticipated “Deal of the Century” plan for peace between Israel and the Palestinians at noon on Tuesday following meetings on Monday with Israeli leaders at the White House. “This is an opportunity for peace,” Trump said, standing next to Netanyahu upon his arrival to the White House on Monday. “We’ll show a plan that has been worked on by everyone. We’ll see if it catches hold. If it does, that’d be great. If it doesn’t, it’s okay.”

Ahead of the formal unveiling Tuesday of US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Deal of the Century” the IDF has quietly deployed additional troops to the Jordan Valley and otherwise raised the level of preparedness for possible violence following the announcement. “The State of Israel is facing crucial days of establishing its permanent borders and applying sovereignty to Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria,” Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said. “The IDF and the forces in the field are prepared for every scenario. We are facing crucial days of setting boundaries and applying sovereignty…threats from the Palestinian side will not deter us.”

Caliph Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraishi,a senior official with the Islamic State (IS) terror militia, sent a directive to members of the group on Monday ordering them to begin plans to target Israel and Jewish communities around the world, with chemical weapons if possible. He added that “The Muslims who live in Palestine… will be at the forefront of the fight against the Jews [and] foiling the ‘Deal of the Century.’” He also directed a message specifically to Israelis and Jews, saying “Today we have begun a new phase in our struggle with you. Our eyes now look towards Jerusalem.”

The movement to Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS) Israel suffered another defeat this week when Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin announced that annual bilateral trade between Israel and Russia had risen above $5 billion, marking a full recovery from the dip suffered during the financial crisis earlier in the decade. He made the announcement at a recent meeting of the Russia-Israel Business Dialogue Forum, which was also attended by dozens of government and business leaders from both countries.

As Israel analyzes the U.S. peace plan, a number of valid points must be taken into consideration. Trump’s plan is the best it could have hoped for, especially in comparison with past plans offered by the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations. The plan aims to preserve Israel’s character as a safe Jewish and democratic state and provide Israel with suitable solutions to four main issues – borders, Jerusalem’s status, the Palestinian refugee problem and state security. This sends a clear message to the Palestinians that their repeated rejection of peace proposals carries a price and time isn’t in their favor.

The growing threat of a nuclear Iran and U.S.-Israeli efforts to contain it over the years. The two allies have long considered various diplomatic and military options for addressing their shared concerns, though there have been points of disagreement, particularly over the “sunset” limitations put forth in the 2015 nuclear deal. Given the recent assassination of Qods Force commander Qasem Soleimani, recalling the intersections and divergences between their Iran policies has become more valuable than ever. A panel of experts weighs in.

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