Finland's Prime Minister is 36 years old, went out clubbing till 4am, left her work phone at home and was therefore unreachable to get a text telling her she needed to quarantine.
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US + British intelligence assessments:
-Russian army has lost 7k soldiers in 3 weeks of fighting; 14-21k injured; 3 generals KIA
-Russian invasion has stalled on all fronts
-Ukrainian resistance remains "staunch & well-coordinated"
-All major cities remain in Ukrainian hands
Israeli journalist Ron Ben Yishai (Yediot Ahronot) reporting from Babi Yar in Kyiv says memorial hasn't been destroyed or damaged. Closest Russian armament hit tv tower 300m away from new memorial, 1km away from old memorial (HEB).
When #SaudiArabia took the lead over #Argentina thru wonderful goal. Local announcer’s reaction is priceless.
Haaretz, per Arab diplomat: Oman, Bahrain, UAE ambassadors present at WH for peace plan launch weren’t briefed on entire plan. After seeing full details these 3 states supported unanimous Arab League position rejecting Trump proposal
BOOM: It's official - Yair Lapid informs the president that he has a government in hand. Netanyahu is on his way out.
7-12 days until government actually sworn in. Bibi will keep applying pressure on Yamina MKs to defect. It's his only remaining out. New era in Israel is close.
Netanyahu’s son, Yair, explaining to an evangelical crowd in Alabama how there’s no such thing as a Palestinian people.
(Great find by Tal.)
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Replying to @talshalev1
דוגמית: יאיר נתניהו מסביר למאות נוצרים אדוקים באלבמה שאין דבר כזה עם פלסטיני 
1:02
Hebron, today, IDF soldier to Breaking the Silence activist: “Ben Gvir is going to make order in this entire place…you’re screwed, it’s over. You’re done making this place into a ‘whorehouse’…everything you do here is against the law. I decide what’s legal.”
Filipino Twitter exists & it’s AMAZING. I tweeted about Duterte visit to Israel - almost everyone believed it’s a cover for medical treatment. Dismissed conspiracy theories until I looked at official schedule again. Massive holes during the 4 days:
No one in Israel has ever uttered the phrase “Pompeo Doctrine.” This isn’t a joke. Today was the first time anyone heard it.
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From the pool just now: State clarifies that “Pompeo doctrine” is not a label they use, they’re just quoting the way it is commonly called in Israel. twitter.com/nickschifrin/s…
Since I have you all here…my story from this week on Israel, Iran, the US and a looming crisis in the Middle East - thanks to Trump and Bibi Netanyahu newlinesmag.com/reportage/why-
Israel state of play:
-Mass spontaneous street demos & h’way closures nationwide from Beer Sheba to Jlem to Tel Aviv to Carmiel
-Largest trade union federation to join protest incl general strike
-University presidents to suspend studies
-Reservist protest spreading exponentially
This is what Netanyahu issued 4 years ago. At no point just now did he call Biden president or president-elect
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I congratulate Donald Trump on being elected the 45th President of the United States of America.
Now it’s official: Israel will require anyone returning from overseas, from anywhere, into quarantine. Including America. 260k Israelis will likely enter retro-active quarantine.
This will effectively stop all travel. #FortressIsrael
A raft of former Israeli security officials now says the Iran nuclear deal was better than nothing and that Trump's 2018 withdrawal (at Netanyahu's urging) was a major strategic mistake that only advanced Iran's nuclear program. newlinesmag.com/reportage/why-
A brief history <THREAD>
Mayor of Lod, mixed Arab-Jewish city, calls on live tv for Netanyahu to declare state of emergency & send in military to restore order. Violent rioting reported across Arab sector in Israel. Even more than Gaza (which is bad enough) this is v worrying although scale still unclear
Philippines President Duterte to visit Israel next week for 4 days. All coverage is closed to media except Yad Vashem photo op. What a joke.
Huge story breaking in Israel this am from Calcalist: Israel Police planted NSO Pegasus spyware on dozens of public figures incl social protest leaders, journalists/editors, senior officials in ministries, business leaders, Netanyahu’s son and advisors, mayors & more. Bombshell
Netanyahu, ashen faced, in complete denial mode. Not backing down inch: this is all coup attempt against rightwing PM, outside considerations by police/prosecutors, investigators need to be investigated
As if his own handpicked AG, his former aide, didn’t just issue indictments
I may have made actual news in the Philippines:
1. Duterte’s aide responds on air to speculation Israel visit is cover for medical treatment
2. Compares me/my head to an opposition senator
(See thread. Thankfully my new Filipino followers got my back :-))
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Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s chief aide, Sec. Bong Go, reacts to this tweet by a journalist in Israel: “Tingin ko pinsan ni (Cong.) Alejano yan, pareho sila ng ulo” @gmanews twitter.com/NeriZilber/sta…
Nearly deserted Ben Gurion Airport. It's been a few days but nature already taking back the earth.
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בהיעדר טיסות, בנתב"ג מאפשרים לחיות הבר לחצות את מסלול ההסעה
צילום: מבצעים רש"ת
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To the Israel Police: It's not a crime in the State of Israel to fly the Palestinian flag, it's not a crime to chant slogans (of whatever nationality), it's not a crime to hold a funeral procession. Behavior of forces in Jerusalem today is disgraceful.
Israeli FM Lapid:
-Israel to vote in favor of UNGA resolution condemning Russia
-Will provide Ukraine humanitarian aid
-US was and remains most important ally
-US understands Israel’s unique position: security border w Russia (ie Syria) & Jewish/Israeli community still in Ukraine
.'s demands:
-Haredi army conscription law
-Civil marriages
-Easier Jewish conversion process
-Western Wall compromise bill
-Core education in Haredi schools
-Public transport & supermarkets open on Sabbath (local decision)
The man isn't messing around.
Netanyahu’s son (and political advisor) confirms that his dad’s policy is to divide Palestinians bw Gaza and West Bank, keep Gaza under Hamas rule, and bury creation of Palestinian state.
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Replying to @ShabtaiShavit and @YoazHendel1
חתיכת אידיוט! מפחיד לחשוב שהיית בתפקיד ביטחוני. אתה הרי יודע טוב מאוד שהכסף לעזה עובר עשרות שנים. ההבדל היחיד שבמקום שיעבור דרך אבו מאזן והוא יהיה עם היד על השאלטר, הוא כסף קטארי שעובר דרכנו ואנחנו עם היד עם על השאלטר ויכולים להעניש את חמאס בהתאם לאינטרסים שלנו. והופקדנו סופית
Per Ch12 Netanyahu WILL be indicted on bribery charges (as well as fraud & breach of trust). One more hour till AG himself confirms. This is worst case scenario for Bibi who will give his own statement later in eve.
Complete anarchy in several Israeli cities tonight as Jewish thugs and Arab thugs run amok. Police appear helpless. Many Israeli politicians have issued statements already calling for calm, to lower the flames, and halt the violence - except for one: the prime minister.
Pfizer vaccine only 64% effective in halting Delta variant infection, but still 93% effective in stopping serious illness, per Israeli Health Ministry study (via Ynet)
Others have said it but it’s worth repeating - these are some of the bravest people in the world right now
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Student protesters at Tehran’s Beheshti University take pains to avoid trampling on US and Israeli flags painted on entrance walkway
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Point can’t be stressed enough: this is the Israeli prime minister’s son, an unofficial/official advisor to his father, on a major hasbara mission to right-wing America.
For the many American Jews apparently preparing aliyah plans: not sure you’re quite aware what’s been going on in Israel lately.
Big scoop by Gili: Israel set to ship vaccines to countries around the world - starting w Honduras - in exchange for their support. Vaccines being used as political chips internationally, while Palestinian rollout has yet to really begin is both bad health policy & a disgrace.
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פרסום ראשון ב-@kann_news: ישראל תעביר חיסונים למדינות בעולם בתמורה לתמיכתן בהן. היום יגיע לישראל מטוס מהונדורס על מנת לקבל חיסונים מהמלאי הישראלי. גורם ישראלי המכיר את הנושא לכאן חדשות: הונדורס היא המדינה הראשונה ולא האחרונה לקבל חיסונים
Final vote count in #Israel:
Anti-Netanyahu bloc (incl Meretz + Balad): 2,330,464
Pro-Netanyahu bloc: 2,303,964
Smaller parties wasted another 100k votes, likely mostly anti-Netanyahu. Food for thought when discussing Israeli demographics & how this election should have ended
Emirati prince buys 50% stake in Israel's most racist football club, Beitar Jerusalem. Beitar is favorite of rightwing politicians and has never fielded an Arab player. Radical fan group "La Familia" partial to chants about prophet Mohammed & burning Arab villages. Good luck.
Things in Israel extremely normal these days
9th straight week of anti-govt/pro-democracy protests. Likely the biggest so far just by size of Tel Aviv rally tonight
Since he won the election early last month Bibi Netanyahu has given interviews to Bari Weiss, Chuck Todd & Jordan Peterson. Much easier to spin rhetorical circles around non-expert foreign interviewers (and sell books) than deal w real Q’s about his incoming disaster of a govt
Lori Gilbert Kaye, murdered by a white supremacist at #Poway Chabad. Reportedly came to say Kaddish for her mother. Husband-a doctor-called to resuscitate victim and only then realized it was his wife. There are simply no words. May her memory be a blessing.
Israeli PM Bennett: "I view with utmost severity the Russian Foreign Minister's statement. His words are untrue and their intentions are wrong. Goal of such lies is to accuse the Jews themselves of the most awful crimes in history, which were perpetrated against them...
“One Ugandan woman had to crawl through a sewer pipe to get into the airport.” Good recap of the Kabul evac effort
Naftali Bennett & Ayelet Shaked, to their credit, took the tougher path here. Gideon Sa'ar held the line against his old party. But real hero of this story is Yair Lapid, who gave up the top spot (again), built a coalition from hard right to left to Islamists, and got rid of Bibi
Spare us the takes re PM Bennett being more of a danger than PM Netanyahu. He’ll be the weakest PM in Israeli history (6 seats), w Meretz & Merav Michaeli’s Labor back in power, Religious Zionism & Ben Gvir out of power, and Lapid the real force behind the coalition.
Former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot: The fact that US withdrew in 2018 [from Iran nuclear deal] released Iran from all restrictions and inspections in the deal, even if there were holes, and brought Iran to most advanced position today with regard to its nuclear program.
Netanyahu’s hands shaking as he delivers remarks this morning at start of cabinet meeting
This Tweet from @NeriZilber has been withheld in response to a report from the copyright holder. Learn more.
Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv closed in both directions. “Day of Resistance”
Pro-democracy (anti Netanyahu) demo in Tel Aviv. No solid numbers yet but may be largest demo in #Israel since 2011 social justice mvmnt. Masses of ppl nowhere near stage.
Spare a thought for Bahrain tonight
Emiratis got F-35s for peace. Sudan got de-listing & cash for peace. Morocco got Western Sahara for peace
Bahrain may be the only one that actually made a "peace for peace" deal
“Machiavelli needs to take private lessons from Netanyahu” -Avigdor Liberman
Wait till they hear about Arafat
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Replying to @alexbkane
Hey there - this event and my involvement was presented to my team differently from how it’s now being promoted.
Thanks for pointing it out. Taking a look into this now.
-Bailed on Netanyahu
-Didn't enjoy her trip to J'lem
-Does enjoy her half naked balcony cigarette
...Britney is now a real Tel Avivite
After fleeing Kyiv, Sofiia found herself alone in Warsaw w no proper documentation. So she did the only thing she could think of: waited outside the Israeli embassy & approached the first person she could. My story on the Ukrainian refugees in Israel
How negotiations w Hamas go:
-Halt terrorism? No
-Recognize Israel? No
-Abide by past agmnts? No
-Reasonable prisoner swap deal? No
-Real PA presence back in Gaza? No
-Disarmament? Hahaha
-What do you want? Free rein
-What leverage do you have? Rockets. And 2 million Gazan lives
Israeli Right: Allowing family unification (ie official status) to Palestinians inside Israel is mortal demographic danger to state’s Jewish character
Also Israeli Right: Keeping millions of Palestinians under our rule is completely sustainable, everything will be fine
What does Hamas want?
In almost every previous escalation & war, group that rules #Gaza wanted tangible “things”: money, aid, loosening of blockade, greater access/mvmnt, etc. I've written about it countless times - 'logic' behind Hamas rocket fire. No such asks now.
1 <Thread>
Demo for economic relief. Tel Aviv, #Israel. Rabin Sq packed to over capacity. This is a massive protest.
Remarkable how after last Gaza ceasefire, throughout entire Eurovision week, weather/lightning/Hamas interns/renegade battalion cmndrs/Islamic Jihad all cooperated - no errant rocket launches, no escalation. Almost as if Hamas actually controls things.
As Macron visits Beirut, 36k Lebanese sign online petition demanding return of French mandate to Lebanon
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انفجار بيروت: أكثر من 36 ألف شخص يوقعون على عريضة تطالب بعودة الاحتلال الفرنسي للبنان بالتزامن مع زيارة ماكرون
bbc.in/30v10mm
Afghanistan: the only country to defeat three superpowers (Britain, USSR, USA)
For everyone in the #Philippines - I'll be going on ABS-CBN news' Early Edition program at 6am (Manila time) to discuss Duterte's recent trip to #Israel.
Live footage from the Israeli prime ministers office
GIF
read image description
ALT
Jared Kushner, 37, to NYT: “In every negotiation I’ve ever been in,” he said, “before somebody gets to ‘yes,’ their answer is ‘no.’” Because brokering the end of the world's most intractable conflict is exactly like a NYC real estate deal. nytimes.com/2018/09/13/wor
You misspelled Molotov cocktail
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Israeli police assault worshippers, close Al-Aqsa compound aje.io/77845
"It is clear to me that the defiance and steadfastness of these brave men and women holding the last line of defense of their city is something Putin has completely miscalculated." for , on the front lines.
Last week Israel refrained from killing Hezbollah cell that infiltrated across the border, precisely in order to avoid an escalation/war. But we're now supposed to believe that same Israel launched missile strike on central Beirut in the middle of the day? Ppl need to get a grip
Israel Police deny permit to planned 'Flag March' thru Jerusalem's Muslim Quarter this Thursday. Was clear provocation for political purposes & correct decision by top police brass. Also sign of how Bibi's power is eroding. Police brass will be serving under a new govt in days
Back in the Obama years, John Kerry floated idea of Saudi overflight rights for Israeli carriers in return for settlement freeze. Today Israel officially got overflight rights while being asked to provide nothing.
Respectfully senator that’s not what the tweet from Foreign Policy says. Or what the article reported. I know because I wrote it
Per Haaretz, Israel to transfer 1.2 million Pfizer does to Palestinians. Decision being moved forward by new Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) after previous Netanyahu government delayed implementation.
Israeli PM Bennett’s Saturday:
-Surprise flight to Moscow
-Meeting w Putin in Kremlin
-Flight to Berlin
-Meeting w Scholz
-2 calls w Zelenskyy
-1 call w Macron
-Flying back to Israel now, cabinet mtg tmrw am
Israeli PM Naftali Bennett in Moscow right now meeting w Putin. Israeli PMO says it is being done “in coordination and with the blessing of US administration.”
Former IDF West Bank commander Gen. Avi Mizrahi: "Since the Israeli govt, in the last decade, decided to weaken the PA, they can’t complain that the PA is weak and incapable of doing what we think it should. We, the State of Israel, we weakened the PA. And now we’re complaining."
"Nasrallah's been stuck for 12 years in a bunker. What's your excuse [for not recycling]?"
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The terrorist and #Hezbollah leader Hassan #Nasrallah is appears on a huge billboard in Tel Aviv. @DanielSal_87
Photo: Moti Kimchi
Israeli Defense Ministry approves 4000 Palestinian requests for legal status in West Bank - 1200 undocumented & 2800 Gazans officially changing address. This is a major positive development in all of these Palestinian lives (& their families)
Israel: 20% unemployment, million unemployed. 2 month old unity govt - most bloated in history - barely functioning. 4th elex in the air
Netanyahu: Arabs. Terrorists. Media. Leftists. Arabs. Terrorists. Media. Leftists. Arabs. Terrorists. Media. Leftists. Ad nauseaum
Rabin’s 2nd govt was most leftwing in Israeli history. True liberals/peace activists like Shulamit Aloni,
Yossi Sarid, Yossi Beilin ministers. 1st (& last) Israeli govt to seek/receive Arab political support, seat Arab minister (dep HeathMin). He’s a man worth commemorating
Lavrov, with zero self-awareness, as always: “We demand that Israel respect the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and, above all, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria."
Footage from inside the “Hotel Corona” (Tel Aviv’s Dan Panorama). Sunny Saturday afternoon. Infected w mild symptoms quarantined/recovering.
Per Israeli PMO: Bennett on his way from Moscow to Berlin to meet w Chancellor Olaf Schulz.
I’ve said this before but the specter of the Middle East possibly brokering peace talks for Europe…
Both Bibi & Trump will, w some reason, spin these peace deals w Israel (UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco) as historic diplomatic achievements. But they were only made possible bc Trump admin was willing to give/do things in Israel's favor that no other US admin was willing to do
Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot in first tv interview on ch12, now in politics w National Unity party: “It was a severe mistake to leave the Iran nuclear deal in 2018…Iran’s nuclear program at that time was halted.”
A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.
— John Le Carré
Israeli FM Lapid: “Foreign Minister Lavrov's remarks are both an unforgivable & outrageous statement & a terrible historical error. The Jews did not murder themselves in the Holocaust. The lowest level of racism against the Jews is to accuse the Jews themselves of anti-Semitism.”
Duterte govt attacked me for floating this idea during his visit. Filipino Twitter knew better though. #vindicated
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Philippines President Duterte himself raises questions about his health. Speculation was rife last month re medical treatment on his trip to Israel. theguardian.com/world/2018/oct
Coming out of the Abraham Accords, conceit was that Israel's new Arab partners would have *more* (not less) influence on Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Now is the time to put this to the test. UAE, Bahrain, Morocco & Saudi need to use their leverage & urge Israel to de-escalate
Sorry to rain on the parade but most Israelis tonight aren't focused on the peace deals.
They're about to head into lockdown again, unemployment is soaring, govt barely functions & elex are looming bc the PM is on trial. My latest
Idit Silman pulled a George Costanza today in the Knesset
1 month after she quit the govt and defected to the opposition, she attended the Yamina faction mtg today as if nothing happened and abstained in no-confidence vote
Israeli politics imitating a show about nothing
Truly insane thing to ponder: if ultra-Orthodox had only relented on *first* issue (army conscription) Liberman would've joined govt after April elex, Bibi would've had majority/immunity, no new elex, etc. History would be very different. Epic fail by Haredi politicians.
Yediot: Senior UAE official confirms that as part of peace deal w Israel, US will sell them F-35s. UAE official adds that Israel was party to agmnt & Netanyahu knew.
We need to stop talking about Israel, Iron Dome, and Ukraine. Zelensky raised it again last night in his speech to Israeli lawmakers
Israel has never exported the Iron Dome to any country - except (v recently) the US military. It hasn't happened. Not once.
<THREAD>
Israel & Palestinians & COVID vaccine:
-No Palestinian official has yet asked Israel to supply it w vaccines
-PA has approached COVAX WHO initiative for supply
-Israel set to run out of vaccines in ~10 days
-Unclear if PA/Gaza have logistical infrastructure to handle Pfizer vax
Netanyahu's son letting everyone know what he believes --
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Good Luck to Viktor Orban @Nigel_Farage ,@matteosalvinimi and @geertwilderspvv at the #EuElection2019 !
Israel’s policy aimed “to weaken Fatah and the PA so that it would not have a partner to negotiate with, and to strengthen Hamas through funds and [by easing measures] to claim that there is no partner to negotiate with.” -
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant (Likud) in speech to nation calls to halt judicial reform legislation until after holidays (early May) and enter into talks. Says rift in nation has seeped into IDF & other security bodies and is a threat to Israel’s national security.