Israel Archives - Foreign policy

Engineer Michael Peres Furthers Israel-Philippines Bond via Launch of a Viral News System

Published on April 2, 2020April 3, 2020

What started off as a community interested in Israel and Middle Eastern news turned out to be a significant platform that brings nations together, rallying support for the Jewish state.

Known on social media as Mikey Peres, entrepreneur Michael Peres could not believe that the community he started would help bridge old ties between Israel and other sovereign nations, just like the Southeast Asian country, Philippines.

When Peres, a software engineer operating multiple start-ups in Seattle Washington, launched the Facebook community Israel Now / Israel Breaking News in December 2019, among its first active members were people from the Philippines.

“When engaging with voices from all around the world, I was surprised to learn that the most passionate supporters of Israel weren’t even Jewish, and from the least expected corners of the world,” said Peres.

Today, the news system got over 3 million views and the Facebook community group ballooned to 19,000+ members, rising to the top 8 biggest support groups on Facebook, in less than three months after its launch.

According to Peres, he created the page to provide an avenue for people like him who share a similar passion for Israel and Middle Eastern politics to come together.

Peres, created the FB community group along with the news website israelnow.news, which provides independent reporting and commentary on a diverse range of Israel, middle-eastern and Jewish issues; and the news aggregator site israelnow.app that streams real-time news reports about Israel and the Middle East.

These three platforms compose the novel news company Israel News Now, a non-political and non-partisan American-based broadcasting network covering Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

For the Filipinos of the Philippine islands in Asia, it is surprising that people of Malay descent would be among the most vocal to express favourable sentiments for Israel.

“We love Israel and we stand with Israel,” said Emilita Famor who is currently an overseas Filipino worker in Tel Aviv.

“I love and support Israel, the chosen people of God,” said Rodolfo Cruz from Metro Manila, the Philippines’ capital.

“We have the same God, we are their spiritual brothers, said Elsa Lincuna Claver from Southern Philippines, noting the religious background that Israel is the people of God written in the Bible and the Philippines being a majority Christian country recognizes the Bible as the basis of faith.

Filipinos were friends of the Jews even during the time of the Holocaust.

It is worthy to note that the Philippines and Israel share a special bond of friendship dating back the Holocaust era when the sovereign country opened its doors to accommodate Jews from Europe fleeing the brutality of the Nazis.

Historically, from 1937 to 1941, the Philippines saved over 1,200 Jewish refugees, some of whom are still alive today. Then Philippine President Manuel Quezon even planned to bring in 10,000 more Jews but plans were spoiled by the impending Asian war.

As recognition of the Philippines’ compassion to the Jews, Israel has granted visa-free entry to Filipino tourists since 1969 and erected the Open Doors Monument in Tel Aviv as gratitude to Quezon for giving refuge to the Jews.

Moreover, the Philippines are considered an ally of the Jewish state for being the only country in Asia that signed in favour of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, which paved way for the creation of the State of Israel in 1947.

Today, this friendship reverberates in many corners of the social media. Filipinos will always be supporters of Israel even in this present generation.

A Facebook video of vlogger Hananya Naftali summarized the love and support of Filipinos for Israel on the Jewish states celebration of 71st Independence day.

The Philippines Blesses Israel For Independence Day

The Philippines blesses Israel for its Independence Day! 🇮🇱🇵🇭

Δημοσιεύτηκε από Hananya Naftali στις Τετάρτη, 8 Μαΐου 2019

Hundreds of Filipinos, young and old alike, also wrote their independence day wishes at the comment section of the video post, saying they will always stand with Israel.

Israel Travel Tips – A 2020 Guide To The Holy Land

Published on February 11, 2020

Travel

A trip to the Holy Land of Israel is surely one of the trips that will remain in your most beautiful memories for a lifetime. The holy places that are visited on this occasion, as well as landscapes that are several thousand years old, will leave you breathless. However, before traveling, you will need to know some key things about the country you are headed to. So here are our few tips.

A Journey To Israel

Few places in the world are both a “hot spot” and an attractive tourist destination. Israel, with its developed religious, historical, health and rural tourism – is one such place. The diversity of its territory is amazing and delightful. In this country, there are as many as nine climate zones. You can see forests, deserts, mountains, but also the lowest point of the planet. This country also has four seas: the Mediterranean and the Red as well as the unique, Dead Sea and the freshwater Galilee sea. In winter you can ski in Hebron while in the summer you can admire corals, fish and dolphins in the Bay of Eilat. Israel is indeed a very special place on earth. Almost everything has been written about this country. You just need to see it.

Documents For Going To Israel

You certainly have to prepare the documents, however, the number of papers you need depends on the fact from which country you travel to Israel. Specifically, some countries have a visa waiver agreement. However, the authorities have the right, based on Israeli internal regulations – to deny entry to foreigners or to shorten the length of their visit. In this regard, due to high-security standards and prevention of illegal immigration, Israeli border authorities carry out a thorough screening and examination of passengers about the reasons for their stay. All these ceremonies and border crossings can take up to 2-3 hours, depending on the size of your group.

Less Known Rules

Rather than a stamp in your visa, the customs assistant gives you a little light blue “Stay permit” paper document. You must keep this paper until you leave Israel. On the back of such a document, it says that it serves as your residence permit. This standard was presented so that you would not have a problem visiting some countries like Malaysia – which are not extremely glad that you have been to Israel. Therefore, the authorities have chosen not to strike the stamp on the visa. However, if you have any doubts about the conditions of travel, stay and employment – you should contact the Embassy of the State of Israel in your country.

Luxurious Enjoyment

This country is a beautiful and sacred place, but it can also offer you a true luxury, enjoyment of privacy and comfort – so you will feel as if you are miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city. According to Golan Exposure, exclusive seaside resorts and condos are just a fraction of what this country has to offer. Numerous, almost ideal resorts can be considered your private oasis. If you love exploring, you can arrange a private tour, where on the return you will be greeted by friendly hosts with a cocktail in the yard, or you can go for dinner at one of the Arabesque restaurants. Israel is a truly amazing place – see for yourself.

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is also called the “city of peace,” and it is the capital and central point of the visit to Israel. Its Old Town is completely built of stone, narrow hills, with tall, thick walls that, due to its turbulent past and present, divide this zone into a Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Muslim neighborhood. The central part of the Old Town is where the famous Solomon Temple once stood. In its place are now rising two Islamic shrines – the Golden Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa mosque. The only remaining part of the ancient Jewish Temple is the Wailing Wall, in front of which a large number of people pray to God every day.

Tel Aviv

What you will notice first in Tel Aviv are the palm trees that are everywhere. There is also plenty of green space, especially in front of apartment buildings where you can see some really small gardens. Since people here are very proud of their country, you will often see Israeli flags on the fronts of buildings. Modern architecture stands out amongst the huge buildings. The White City of Tel Aviv, or White city, is a term referring to the collection of over 4,000 Bauhaus or international style buildings in the 1930s when German Jews immigrated to the city. That’s why many architecture lovers adore Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv has thus become a city where most young people live, a huge percentage of those between 18 and 34 who are trying to succeed here. According to the Youthful Index, it has been named the best city for youth in the Middle East, ranking 14th in the world by a list led by New York, London, Berlin, San Francisco and Paris.

Other Israel Landmarks

Particularly interesting is the historic port of Jaffa, which carries a strong Arab heritage with elements of all Mediterranean styles. Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Lord Jesus Christ, Nazareth with its historical heritage and the Church of the Annunciation, the Jordan River and the site of baptism of Jesus and finally the beautiful Netanya, a place on the Mediterranean coast – are just some of the unique experiences that await visitors to the cradle of spiritual culture and civilization. We must not forget the unique experience that is only possible in Israel – floating in the Dead Sea.

How Many Days Are Enough To Visit This country?

In five to seven days you can just feel a little of the atmosphere. So if you can – make sure you stay longer. We believe that Tel Aviv would appeal to every young person, while Jerusalem is more for the elderly and religious people – and those who like to learn more about the historical heritage of this country. Israel is an unusual country, a fusion of different religions and cultures – it is both progressive and traditional. Travelling to this country is like coming out of a screening of a good movie – where the end is not fully revealed but lets you decide for yourself what you watched. One thing is for sure: You will see a lot of interesting things and bring great impressions from a trip like this.

Why you should go to Had Nes

Published on June 1, 2019November 13, 2019

Travel

Had Nes is a settlement in Israel, which is created as a community settlement in the Golden Heights. It is located close to the Jordan River and it is under the Golan Regional Council jurisdiction. If you are planning on visiting this region, you will be able to see amazing sights, try amazing things, and have a lot of fun. Hence, here are some reasons to visit Had Nes, as well as some things that you should see and visit while staying there:

1. Banias Waterfall

This waterfall is one of Israel’s northern delights and it is a very popular place for tourists, as well as locals. The waterfall is fed by the melting snow of the highest mountain in Israel, Mount Hermon. This place is also popular for amazing trek routes, with routes that pass Crusader and Roman remains, and delicious Druze pita places. The Banias is also famous for being a Christian pilgrimage place, as it is firmly believed that Jesus Christ sat there with his students and asked them to share their thoughts on how people saw him and his teaching. You can opt for relaxing close to the waterfall, jumping in the clear water, or you could hunt down the amazing pitas!

2. The accommodation is perfect

There are some really great places that you can stay at. There are cool and trendy hotels, that will all offer great accommodation for a relatively cheap price. For example, the luxurious Eden’s Boutique offers customers free Wi-Fi, free parking, an indoor pool, a spa, air condition, and a big bonus, it is pet-friendly. It is located in the heart of Had Nes and it offers customers magnificent views of the Kinneret. Hence, you will be able to find great accommodation options while in Had Nes.

3. Mount Bental

It is all about the amazing views from Mount Bental. Also, there is a historic site for the people interested in battles that happened here. This mountain is actually one of two craters and it stands 1.171 meters above the sea level, and the amazing views that stretch to Syria will provide you with images that you will never forget.

4. The food is amazing

While in Had Nes, you will be able to experience some amazing meals that will mesmerize your taste buds. Do not forget to taste traditional meals such as falafel, hummus, shakshouka, couscous, and za’atar are widely popular with tourists. There are amazing restaurants where you will be able to sit down and relax after a long day of sightseeing.

5. The Nimrod Fortress

If you are interested in medieval fortresses, you should not miss the Nimrod Fortress. It is located on the slopes of Mountain Hermon and after a lot of restoration, you can explore this medieval work of art that was built in 1229.

6. Taste great wines

Israeli wine came a long way in the last few years, and the Golan Heights Winery is one of the best places to try some delicious wine. This winery was awarded the 2012 New World Winery award. You can visit the visitor center and opt for a tour of the wine making process and taste their four main brands: Gamla, Golan, Mount Hermon, and Yarden.

Conclusion

These were only some things that you could experience, see, and try in Had Nes and you will certainly have the time of your life at this wonderful, mesmerizing place.

If you plan to visit Israel, click here to find some of the best private tours to this wonderful country online.

Top 12 Technologically Advanced Countries of the World

Published on February 18, 2019June 5, 2019

Technology

We can thank technology for the many amazing benefits we get to experience, from everyday things like staying in touch with our loved ones to those more extraordinary achievements, like traveling to space. Seeing as how every nation is different, it’s normal to have different needs, which is why every country has used technology in its own way to improve the life of its citizens. Some were more successful than others and therefore, in no particular order, here are some of the most technologically advanced countries.

The Netherlands

Are you aware that the Dutch are credited with a lot of things we take for granted? For example, the telescope and the microscope, as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, all originated in the Netherlands. They have taken their innovativeness to a whole new level with all sorts of medical and scientific instruments among other things. Moreover, the Netherlands is also considered to be the “new Silicon Valley” due to a huge number of booming tech hubs all over the country.

Finland

While Nokia might be the first thing that comes to mind, this Scandinavian country has so much more to offer. Finland is definitely a pioneer in the field of mobile communication as well as bioscience and environmental science. One thing that makes the citizens of Finland very happy is the fact that they have one of the best healthcare systems in the world.

Germany

Germany being on this list is no surprise. You might be aware of the fact that their research and development efforts have contributed to nanotechnology and space travel. They are leaders in the field of medicine, engineering, infrastructure and military technology. The government supports various universities and organizations which focus on preparing new generations of scientists.

Canada

Many people tend to neglect Canada’s technological advancements, but the boom this country experienced in the past decade tells us that they are a force to be reckoned with. Almost 2% of the GDP goes to research and development, which presents an amazing opportunity for growth in all fields. Vancouver has become a great city for mobile tech startups, while Ontario and Montreal are thriving when it comes to tech and R&D.

India

India is full of skilled workers so it’s no wonder that it has become the center for all kinds of outsourcing work, from customer support to accounting. More and more companies are investing in India, including Microsoft and Apple, and this boom is expected to continue. Luckily, India is more than prepared to take on more work as its real estate sector is booming and providing more investment opportunities for all.

Japan

It is well-known that Japan is one of the giants in the technological field. Plenty of companies that are dominant on the world stage are from Japan, such as Mitsubishi, Toyota, Nintendo, Sony and Canon. In recent years, we have also started associating Japan with bullet trains, smart toilets and robotic technology, but this Asian country is unstoppable when it comes to making our lives much easier (and more fun).

Singapore

According to opencompanysingapore.com , Singapore has established itself as a major tech hotspot as many big companies from all over the world are opening their offices there. The IT industry is in full bloom and venture capitalists are constantly investing in new startups. Moreover, having the fastest fixed broadband speed in the world is certainly a huge plus.

South Korea

Another giant of technological advancements that comes from Asia is South Korea. This country is well-versed in all fields and has greatly contributed to making everyday activities much easier. For instance, they make everything from phones and computers through trains and planes to robots. South Korea also has incredible internet speed that is three times faster than that of the US. The biggest South Korean companies include Samsung, LG and Hyundai, which can all go toe to toe with their counterparts in the US or Europe.

Russia

These space pioneers still have an interest in developing the best technologies for space exploration. Moreover, they are also famous for their advanced defense system with their inventive military equipment. Russia puts great emphasis on education and supports new generations as they are expected to continue the development of nuclear energy, medicine and different kinds of technology. And, of course, we cannot forget about their very talented hackers who have also appeared in the news in recent times.

The United States

Alongside Russia, the United States is also known for its space technology, which keeps improving. With companies such as SpaceX constantly developing, this field should be closely watched. Furthermore, the US is home to Silicon Valley which inspires up-and-coming software engineers to give this career a go. Many of today’s biggest tech companies started as a small startup in the Valley and plenty of new ones are launched every day. Apple, Microsoft, IBM, Google and Uber are just some of those that made it. These businesses keep reaching new heights and developing new products, whether it’s a variety of AI assistants or introducing AirPods.

China

When you think of China, what is the first thing that comes to mind? It probably isn’t space exploration. However, China is the first country to land a probe on the dark side of the moon. They also launched the Hongyun Project, where they sent a satellite into space in order to provide stable internet access to the rural regions of the country. Furthermore, they are utilizing solar power to the fullest by building solar expressways and floating solar power plants. And we cannot forget to mention the company that creates 3D-printed buildings!

Israel

Finally, another country that is amazing at space science – Israel. In addition to that, they have also developed quite an innovative defense industry and the first drone with real-time surveillance. The agriculture industry is another thing Israel can be proud of as they have managed to maximize the crop’s growth in a naturally arid area of the world.

Plenty of other countries are achieving outstanding results as well. For example, France is even offering incentives to people to move there and open their own tech startups. With all the recent developments, our future is looking quite interesting.

The Main Threat For The US In The Middle East Is Not Iran; It’s Russia!

Published on May 23, 2018December 29, 2018

Donald Trump/Israel/News/Russia

The news that the US left the Iran deal was felt around the world like an earthquake. It brought out many questions, with one of them being will the Israel and Iran start an all-out war? The move is considered a catastrophe from the stance of foreign policy, and now the US must deal with the threat that Russia could further expand its influence in the Middle East.

Donald Trump’s decision to leave the agreement is similar to what Britain did with EU exit. It is a decision that affects the entire world. Like we said, Iran and Israel are closer to war with every passing day. This conflict could change the present and the future of the entire region, and not for the better.

The most significant change that occurred, and that is something Trump’s administration won’t admit, is that the US is no longer the most influential player in the Middle East; It’s Russia! With recent development, Moscow increased their authority in this region.

Of course, we all know there’s something more to this country than just matryoshka nestingdolls and vodka. Russia is one of the most powerful countries in the world. You would expect them to have at least a little influence on everything that goes on in this planet.

America is focused solely on the Iran deal, which can already be considered a dead agreement, missing their primary conflict. It’s not with Iran or with the Middle East as a region; it is with Russia. If the US doesn’t start dealing with this threat, it will lose much more than with cancelation of the deal, and it will be a catastrophe for the foreign policy.

At this moment the conflict between Israel and Iran seems inevitable. Israeli doesn’t want Iranian troops in Syria, while this is exactly what Iran wants in order to be the regions most powerful country. The smaller fights already started, the moment the US left the Iran deal.

Because of this development, America’s influence in the Middle East dropped in favor of Moscow. At the moment Putin has more control over this region than Trump. It can be seen through their actions when tensions in this region started to escalate. When Israeli F-16 fighter was shot down over Syria, Russia was the one who told them to calm down. The same happened when Iran lost seven soldiers to Israel attacks. Moscow was the one who told Israel to cease air strikes on Syria and one who calmed down Netanyahu when Iran became aggressive after the US left the nuclear deal. Russia is the central player in the Middle East, even if the US doesn’t want to admit it.

It will not come as a surprise if Israel accepts Russian aid in dealing with Iran. Yes, Tehran and Moscow are allies, but if what all parties involved want is peace, Russia can help them; the US no longer has this power. Many believe that Israeli/American ties are too deep to be cut off by Kremlin. But, Israel/Russia bond is equally deep. Just remember back in the 1990s more than 1 million Jews went from Russia to Israel. This was 20% of their population back in the day.

The second language in Israel is not English; it’s Russian! You have airlines flights from Israel to Moscow twice a day, and Netanyahu started spending more time with Putin than he is with Trump. Also, the rift between Israeli and American Jews is becoming more profound. For example, Natalie Portman decided to boycott 2018 Genesis Prize which is also known as Jewish Nobel Prize after showing support to Palestinians and criticizing the way they are treated by Israel. She is only one person in a see of people who share her sentiment.

The US leaving the Iran deal hasn’t only made Tehran its enemy once again, it brought out Russia as their biggest threat. Moscow is steadily becoming a leading player on the world’s battleground while Washington stands and does nothing.

What America needs to do is to lower the Russian influence in the region. What they should do is not another Cold War, but more of collecting back its allies one by one, starting with Turkey. The next in line should be Egypt and Lebanon. They should broaden their influence similarly to what Kremlin is doing right now. The US needs to regain its role as the peacemaker in the Middle East. The part that Moscow is playing at the moment, and they are doing it with a long-lasting American friend, Israel.

Instead of destroying its foreign policy, the US should do that to Russia. They must gather their allies and make a push of decreasing Kremlin influence by making them deal with internal affairs. This shouldn’t be hard to do considering the levels of corruption, and lack of human rights that exist in both Russia and their puppet states from where they are pulling all of their influence.

Source: www.cnbc.com

Chaos in Israel Continues while the US celebrates

Published on May 17, 2018May 18, 2018

Israel/News

The United States have made a big move this May by relocating the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trumps administration is celebrating this move as there has been an official opening of the embassy this Monday.

Still, even with that being said, the peace hasn’t been reached. Well, it looks like the peace is far, far away. According to the first estimations, around 35,000 Palestinians lined the fence that separates the Gaza Strip and Israel. They were protesting, and at least 58 people have been killed by Israeli Defense Forces. That number is just way too big.

But, that’s not the end of it. At least 2,700 people have been injured as it is reported by the Palestinian officials and the Gaza Ministry of Health.

The protests have been going on ever since March 30th. Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Artema has invited the people to a peaceful demonstration with the hashtag #GreatMatchOfReturn, which references their desire for Israel to allow the return of the Palestinian families that were removed from the country when the state was founded back in 1948.

What inspired the protests is Trump’s announcement that he is going to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Gaza Ministry of Health has reported that over 100 people have died and around 11,500 have gotten injured since the protests began.

Well, Monday was their bloodiest day there is no doubt about that, which is the same day that the US celebrated the new embassy opening in Jerusalem. Israel has drawn a lot of criticism for their use of force against the people who protested.

While some are protesting peacefully, the others are using all kinds of bombs and different methods of trying to break through the barricade. It just seems that this thing is not going to go away easily.

Source: rollingstone.com

Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Decisions Disregard Future

Published on May 14, 2018May 18, 2018

Donald Trump/News

The US moved its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in a move that almost went unnoticed by world media but could have profound consequences on both Israel/Palestine relations and America. This step should be considered to be a historic one which could change the future of this region.

But, what’s important it will also change the future of the United States of America. This move is one of those that we are getting accustomed to seeing regarding President Trump. The decision seems justified right now if you look at what Trump’s supporters think but in the long run it’s going to affect US foreign policy, and it’s already causing diplomatic headaches.

Trump’s foreign policy can be described with a phrase ‘buy now, pay later.’ Most of his moves don’t have an immediate effect, but in the years to come, they could be costly. The moving of embassy to Jerusalem is another classic Trump decision. He claims that the cost of moving is not $1 billion as some of the staff members suggested, but closer to $400,000. This is true only in the short run. The value of $400,000 is just for moving to the temporary building, while the complete move to a whole new embassy will cost $1 billion. But, while the embassy gets completed, Donald Trump will be gone from the office, so this move and its cost don’t concern him too much.

What POTUS is looking at are the immediate costs of his foreign policy decisions. He’s either not aware of what some of his actions will cost in the long run, or he simply doesn’t care.

One of the things that every US presidents states as their agenda in the coming years after their appointment to the office is the normalization of Israeli/Palestine relations. But since stepping to the White House Trump didn’t show his plan for peace in the Middle East, and after moving the embassy to Jerusalem, Palestine ceased to communicate with his administration.

The Monday move coincides with the date of declaration of Israel independence and will cause massive protests among Palestinians. The moving of embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem shows that the US is not actually neutral regarding conflicts in the Middle East and now thanks to Trump’s decision many countries in this region are opposing their presence. The leading country is Iran, who is not satisfied with the manner in which Donald Trump pulled the US from Iran nuclear deal. At the moment it looks like Trump is deciding without regard for the consequences. If something goes wrong, Trump has no plan B, and that’s becoming obvious.

On another front, President Trump is working on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. While this move is being applauded by world media, it won’t come cheap. Even if Kim Jong Un accepts US terms on this subject, they will want something in return. NK will most likely ask for regional security guarantees and large economic support. Many analysts doubt that this deal can work. All of the other agreements with North Korea failed, and Trump showed that he has little respect for the contracts signed with other countries which he proved with Iran deal.

What Trump seems to be doing with matters of foreign policy is to tailor them to his needs regarding domestic support. What’s he’s working on is preparing the turf for another election and is gathering support. Instead, he should look to lead this country to safe future with smart foreign policy.

This is the opposite of what Barack Obama did. He looked to make decisions that will influence US foreign policy in the years to come rather than focusing on the immediate opinion of his supporters. An approach that was smart compared to today’s rushed and short-term plan. What Trump is buying cheap right now might be expensive for him and especially for America in the future.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Trump’s Decisions Are Leading Middle East to War

Published on May 11, 2018May 18, 2018

Donald Trump/Iran/Israel/News

After a meeting with Donald Trump, French president Emmanuel Macron made two statements. He said that Trump is going to pull the US from Iran deal and that as a consequence of that we are going to have another war in the Middle East. He got one thing right, and he’s not far away on the other.

Only hours after the US stepped out of Iran deal, the tensions escalated between Iran and Israel. The same day Trump made the announcement, Israeli troops were put on ‘high alert.’ The reservists are being called up, and bomb shelters are being prepared in expectations of Iran strikes.

Yesterday, Israeli officials went further and accused Iran of a rocket attack on Golan Heights, which was luckily an unsuccessful one. On the same night as a retaliation, Israeli bombers targeted Iranian outposts in Syria. The defense minister of Israel, Avigdor Liberman, stated that Israeli attacks on Iran’s military infrastructure in Syria were all on target.

The tensions between Iran and Israel are nothing new, but this time around, the conflict escalated too quickly. The new wave of violence is a cause to be concerned. The reporters from New York Times wrote: “While Israel and Iran have been conducting a shadow war in Syria for months under the cover of the civil war there, the conflict has now burst into the open.”

The conflict between these two countries is an ongoing matter almost for years, but due to the fact that it was shadow war on the territory of Syria, it wasn’t publicized. Iran is an ally of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, and they are using this friendship to wage war against their enemy – Israel.

Israel is not accepting these actions, and since 2012 they have launched more than 100 attacks on Iranian targets in Syria. Their goal is to keep Iranians away from Israel border and to stop the weapons deliveries to Hezbollah.

Last month one of the Israeli attacks killed seven Iranian soldiers, and so far Iran hasn’t retaliated, but after what Trump did, it’s only a matter of time. Now that the US is no longer present in Iran in any capacity the conflict between the two countries will escalate without a doubt.

Ian Bremmer, the founder, and president of the Eurasia Group commented on the Middle East situation: “The Iranians have not responded, and I am sure a part of the reason for that is that they don’t want to give the Americans any reason to leave the deal. Now that they have done so, I assume that the gloves are off for the Iranians, and it makes mutual military escalation between the Israelis and the Iranians much more likely.”

Another pressing matter is the Iranian nuclear deal. Now, after the US stepped out of the agreement and imposed sanctions on Iran, they will be returning to their old ways. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif talked about this possibility: “We have put a number of options for ourselves, and those options are ready including options that would involve resuming at a much greater speed our nuclear activities.”

If Iran fails to avoid an economic crisis, with the help of European countries who are willing to continue the agreement, going for nuclear weapons might be their only option. If Iranians start working on their nuclear arsenal Israel threatens that they will begin to target their nuclear facilities. This action would most certainly lead to war.

In the past, US administration wanted to avoid the war, but Donald Trump is not hiding from this option. Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu is also ready for a full-scale conflict. With Saudi Arabia support, the war seems imminent at this point.

U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark is one of the people who believe so: “Israel has several times sought U.S. help, or at least U.S. support and backup in striking Iran’s nuclear program. Under the Obama Administration, the answer was, No. Under President Trump, and with the emerging condominium of interests between the Saudi’s and the Israeli’s, the possibility of war between Israel and Iran is rising.”

President Trump said that he doesn’t want another war in the Middle East, but his decisions are saying otherwise.

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

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