SPECIAL REPORT: U.S., Israel and the Threat From Iran

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.