07/17 Links Pt1: Pakistan Arrests Mastermind of 2008 Mumbai Attacks in Which Jewish Center Was Targeted; US won't sell F-35 jets to Turkey; How Silwan Became an Arab Neighborhood ~ EoZ

From Ian:

Pakistan Arrests Accused Mastermind of 2008 Mumbai Attacks in Which Jewish Center Was Targeted

Pakistan authorities on Wednesday arrested Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of a four-day militant attack on the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008, on terror finance charges, a spokesman for the chief minister of Punjab province said.

The arrest came days before a visit to Washington by Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has vowed to crack down on militant groups operating in Pakistan.

Saeed, designated a terrorist by the United States and the United Nations, is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, the militant group blamed by the United States and India for the Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 160 people.

He has denied any involvement and said his network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups.

A spokesman for Punjab Governor Shahbaz Gill said Saeed was arrested near the town of Gujranwala in central Pakistan.

“The main charge is that he is gathering funds for banned outfits, which is illegal,” the spokesman said.

David Singer: Burying the PLO and Resurrecting Jordan in the West Bank

President Trump’s “deal of the century” – aimed at ending 100 years of conflict between Jews and Arabs over the territory once called “Palestine” – continues to flounder in the face of
· The PLO’s outright rejection of Trump’s deal – even before its details have been published
· Jordan’s continuing refusal to agree to negotiate with Israel when the deal is released

Jordan comprises 78 per cent of former Palestine and is the only sovereign Arab state to have ever occupied (albeit illegally) the West Bank – 4 per cent of former Palestine - between 1948 and 1967. Former Israeli Prime Minister – Ariel Sharon – proposed his own deal in 1992.

Sharon warned against granting autonomy to West Bank Arabs – something that occurred in 1993 after Oslo Accord I was signed and 95 per cent of the West Bank Arabs came under PLO administrative control:

“We must face a simple fact. Autonomy will inevitably lead to Palestinian statehood. The self-governing Authority will enjoy international recognition and command universal attention. Every self-respecting state will open a mission there.

Journalists will coo over keffiyeh-wrapped PLO murderers glowing with a romantic halo. The chairman of the Authority will sit in his office adorned with a wall to wall picture of another chairman, arch-murderer Yasser Arafat. And there will be a PLO flag in the front of the building.”

27 years later, autonomy has not translated into statehood – due to the PLO’s racist policy of refusing to accept the right of Jews to live in the West Bank – the ancient biblical, historic and legally-designated heartland of the Jewish people.

Netanyahu wary of West Bank-Gaza corridor in Trump peace plan

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his advisers told Trump administration officials they have reservations about the proposal for a passage connecting the West Bank and Gaza as part of the White House Middle East peace plan, sources briefed on the matter tell me.

Why it matters: The proposal was part of the economic portion of the U.S. plan. It was revealed by the White House to Netanyahu and his aides two weeks before the plan was made public, Israeli officials say. Netanyahu has publicly stressed several times that Israel will keep an open mind about the plan.

The big picture: The economic plan focused almost exclusively on boosting the Palestinian economy and on investments in infrastructure, health and education. But the $5 billion proposal for a highway and railway between the West Bank and Gaza has political significance.

- It showed the U.S. sees the West Bank and Gaza as one territorial unit in any future peace deal. That's in conflict with Israel's policy, in place for over a decade, of keeping the West Bank and Gaza separate.
- The main reservation Netanyahu and his aides conveyed to the Trump administration had to do with security, the sources say.
- They say Israel gave U.S. officials examples of how even today — with no transportation corridor and Israel in full control of Gaza’s borders — Hamas attempts to transfer operatives, messages and know-how from Gaza to the West Bank by exploiting entry permits granted for humanitarian reasons.

At summit with Russia, Israel and US demanded Iran leave Lebanon, Iraq — report

During a trilateral meeting between the national security advisers of Israel, the US and Russia in late June, Jerusalem and Washington demanded that Moscow ensure the withdrawal of Iran’s forces from Lebanon and Iraq, as well as from Syria, Channel 13 news reported Tuesday.

The demand was seen as a condition for US and Israeli support for a long-term arrangement to secure peace in war-ravaged Syria.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton and his Israeli counterpart Meir Ben-Shabbat specifically mentioned Iran’s construction of precision missile facilities for Hezbollah in Lebanon, and its arming of Shiite militias in Iraq with long-range missiles capable of reaching Israel.

A top US administration official told Channel 13 that Russia was told an Iranian exit from Syria would solve nothing if the problem merely moved to Lebanon or Iraq.

The Israelis and Americans suggested that as a first step Russia ensure the removal of Iranian heavy weaponry from Syria, including missiles and long-range rockets.

There was no word on the Russian response to the Israeli and American demands. Following the meeting, Russia’s national security adviser Nikolai Patrushev spoke out on behalf of Iran, supporting its ongoing military presence in Syria, which Israel sees as a threat to its security.

Iranian official in Syria: Israel does not have a future in the region

Syrian President Bashar Assad met in Damascus with Hussein Amir Abdullahian, the special assistant to the speaker of Iran's Shura Council for Political Affairs, the Italian news agency Ansa reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, Assad reiterated his support for the Islamic republic against the "aggressive policies of the American administration."

However, according to the pro-Ayatollah Iranian news agency Mehr, Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict were also discussed during the meeting.

Mehr quoted Abdullahian describing "the occupying regime of Israel as a destabilizing cancer and the root cause of insecurity and instability in the region," adding that "the Zionists do not have a future in the region."

The Iranian official also called the peace plan promoted by the US administration "a new conspiracy to redraw the map of the region."

Trump says US won't sell F-35 jets to Turkey, blames Obama for Russian missile system purchase

President Trump has announced that the U.S. is going to halt sales of its F-35 stealth fighter jet to Turkey because the country received a new missile defense system from Russia – an exchange he claims was spurred by actions from the Obama administration.

Trump, speaking during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, suggested the U.S. ended up in this scenario as a result of the past president’s administration imposing too many conditions for Turkey to purchase the U.S.-made Patriot missile system, an alternative to the Russian S-400 system they recently obtained, according to The Wall Street Journal.

U.S. officials previously have expressed concerns about Moscow’s potential intelligence gathering if Turkey came to be in possession of both the advanced American aircraft and the Russian missile-defense technology.

Imam with ties to terror organization to speak on State Dep't religious panel

An imam of an organization connected to a co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism case will speak as part of a panel at the US State Department’s annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington on Wednesday, JNS reported.

Mohamed Magid, who was born in Sudan in 1965 and emigrated to the US in 1987, is currently imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center in Virginia.

ADAMS, a network of mosques and Islamic community centered in the Washington area, is affiliated with the Islamic Society of North America, a co-conspirator in the case of the Holy Land Foundation.

The foundation was the largest Islamic charity in the US until 2001, when it was designated as a terrorist organization. Its assets were seized and the organization was closed down. Several employees of the charity were jailed for providing material support to Hamas and for related offenses.

Magid was the Islamic Society's East Zone representative, before becoming vice president and then president. The US government listed the charity in the Holy Land Foundation case as among “individuals/entities who are and/or were members of the US Muslim Brotherhood.”

Hiring Pro-Hamas Aide Completes Elizabeth Warren’s Anti-Israel Pivot

Warren’s failure to comment on Berger’s support for anti-Semitic terrorists reveals a watershed moment in Warren’s campaign. To speak is an act, but in the world of campaigns, to remain silent may require equal deliberation. It seems here is no exception.

It is likely Warren sees an opportunity to remain silent about Berger as a way of offering tacit support to the far-left, anti-Israel progressives of her base. Unlike her attack on Broidy, which required Warren to go on the offensive, here she is able to shore up support from radical anti-Israel groups by simply saying nothing.

Those curious about the direction of the Democratic Party on Israel need not look any further than Warren’s campaign for a blueprint of the anti-Israel pivot. In 2014, Warren defended the right of the Israeli military to shoot at rocket launchers in self-defense against Hamas, even if Hamas placed those rocket launchers in Palestinian hospitals and schools. Now she is hiring those who admire Hamas.

It isn’t a particular secret that the Democratic Party has struggled to quell the rising anti-Israel sentiment percolating within it. Warren’s gradual shift offers a roadmap for those wondering how quickly (and dramatically) a traditionally pro-Israel Democrat can make the progressive anti-Zionist swivel. The answer, it seems, is a mere five years.

.@GovHowardDean, what an utter disgrace you are. I hope your Jewish wife also tells you to STFU! https://t.co/vwadlcruCH
— Ozraeli Dave (((דיויד לנג))) (@Israellycool) July 16, 2019

WJC calls on UNHRC to protect Jewish communities from violent hate groups

Terry Newman (Israel) of the WJC Jewish Diplomatic Corps urges the UN Human Rights Council to combat extremism in all its forms and to protect Jewish communities from violent hate groups.

By 1938, the situation between Jews & Arabs in the Holy Land was beyond resolve. The only option was separation. In 1947, when the land was partitioned, the Jews accepted. The Arabs rejected it hoping to capture it all & kick out the Jews.
Please watch this newsreel from 1938.📽️ pic.twitter.com/8hkEiP8HrS
— American Zionism (@americanzionism) July 17, 2019

'We're leaving France because of antisemitism,' says Jewish couple

“We’re leaving because of the situation for the Jews in France,” said Simon and Alice Midal, long-time residents of Levallois-Perret, a wealthy suburb northwest of Paris.

At 76 years old, the couple has decided it is time to bid adieu to France, and will be on a flight together with some 100 immigrants leaving on Wednesday.

A delegation of journalists on a tour with the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) met with the couple – pillars of the Jewish community here – on Tuesday.

After working in leadership positions within several Jewish organizations including B’nai B’rith, the European Jewish Congress and the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions, Midal said the rising tide of antisemitism in France has made him and his wife realize that it was time to leave.

Both were born in Switzerland in 1943, where their Parisian parents had fled to escape the Holocaust.

“We’re both retired, but we’re very proud Zionists,” he explained. “We were in youth movements and the Jewish scouts, all which were very Zionistic.”

Midal said antisemitism in France has become catastrophic, and that notwithstanding laws against racism, including antisemitism, there is little enforcement.

French MP: Paris should be more supportive of Israel

France should be “more courageous” in its foreign policy and “more capable” of identifying its true friends in the region, French parliamentarian Constance Le Grip, formerly an adviser to then French President Francois Sarkozy, said on Wednesday.

Le Grip, a member of The Republicans who acknowledged that as a member of the opposition in the French parliament it easy to be critical, said Paris should be more clear on”what we want, and which countries we support.”

“I would like my country to be more supportive of Israeli democracy, and on some issues not be so naive,” she said. “It sounds bizarre to say that President {Emmanuel] Macron and the Fench government can be naive on some issues, but – nevertheless – on some issues I am not sure that trying to be totally balanced allows you to be understood, listened and effective.”

Le Grip is part of the largest-ever French parliamentary delegation – made up of some 35 members --, currently visiting Israel for four days on a trip sponsored by ELNET, an NGO dedicated to strengthening Europe-Israel relations. The delegation spans the political spectrum in France, except for the far-Left and far-Right. For most people this is their first trip to Israel.

Speaking at the cafeteria in Yad Vashem, before going with the delegation to a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Le Grip took issue with her country – and even much of her party's – position on the Iranian nuclear deal. “I would like France to be clear on some issues, such as our attitude vis-a-vis Iran,” she said. “I didn't consider that the nuclear agreement was good – I was very skeptical of the agreement.”

Germany: Nest of Middle Eastern Spies

The report, considered the most important indicator of internal security in Germany, draws a bleak picture and raises questions about the government's apparent passivity in face of mounting threats.... Meanwhile, the Erdoğan-aligned Islamist movement Millî Görüş (Turkish for "National Vision"), which has around 10,000 members in Germany, is the second-largest Islamist group in the country (the Salafist movement is now the largest Islamist grouping in Germany). Millî Görüş is strongly opposed to Muslim integration into European society.

"The BfV has found that all Islamist organizations active in Germany harbor anti-Semitic ideas and disseminate them in various ways. These ideas represent a considerable challenge for peaceful and tolerant coexistence in Germany." — Annual report of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV), 2019

"The goal of HAMAS is the establishment of an Islamist state in the entire territory of 'Palestine' — also through armed struggle. A strategy paper written in 2017 states: 'Resistance to occupation by all means is a legitimate right guaranteed by divine laws. At the heart of it lies the armed resistance.' By 'Palestine' HAMAS means the area between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan, which also includes the territory of the State of Israel. Western countries such as Germany are seen by HAMAS as a haven where the organization focuses on collecting donations, recruiting new supporters, and propagating its propaganda." — Annual report of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, BfV), 2019

The BfV noted a "high number" of attempts by "covert Pakistani procurement structures" illegally to obtain technology for use in Pakistan's nuclear weapons program. The BfV also observed a "significant increase" in attempts by Iran to obtain technology for its missile program, which was not part of the Iran nuclear deal. The BfV reported that Syrian intermediaries were also continuing efforts to obtain products for weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons.

IDF, Shin Bet foil Hamas money laundering ring

The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) foiled a Hamas money-laundering network in the West Bank on Tuesday, the military has announced.

The operation exposed a money transfer network from the Gaza Strip to Ramallah that operated in coordination between senior Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip and their Hamas operatives in the West Bank.

“The network that we have now exposed operated under the guise of a civilian organization in an attempt to conceal the money’s origin and destination,” the military said in a statement.

The network was operated by a civilian traveling and passport issuing agency named “Al-Haramain,” according to the statement. The agency is owned by the Hani brothers and Firas Blbiesi, along with a money exchanger named Mohammad Swesi, all of whom operated from the Gaza Strip.

As part of the operation, IDF troops and Shin Bet officers arrested three suspected operatives of the Hamas-run cell in the West Bank: Ibrahim Mzfr-A Mazari’ and his brother Khaled from the village of Al-Nubani near Ariel, and Mohammad Abu Salim from Rantis.

Mazari and Abu Salim were both formerly incarcerated in Israeli prisons.

How Silwan Became an Arab Neighborhood

A recent article in the New York Times complained of a “right-wing Jewish settler group” that “has moved hundreds of Jews” into the predominantly Arab eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. But, notes Luke Moon, the article says nothing about the area’s history:

Silwan’s first inhabitants were Yemenite Jews who in 1881 spent six months traveling to Jerusalem. These Jews were inspired to travel the long, arduous journey on the [expectation] that the messiah would come to Jerusalem the following year. . . . Settling on the eastern slopes of the Kidron Valley, [they] built a thriving community and established a synagogue, the same synagogue that the “right-wing Jewish settler group” is rebuilding.

Perhaps an article that mentions the 5,000 Arab inhabitants of Silwan might mention how it became a Palestinian neighborhood when it started as a Yemenite Jewish village. As the inhabitants in Jerusalem felt more confident to move out of the walled city, the original village expanded to include not just Jews but also Muslim and Christian Arabs, too. An early British Mandate-period census shows Silwan to be a mixed village of almost 2,000 people, of whom the Jews made up about 10 percent. But during the 1936–39 Arab Revolt, the village of Silwan was ethnically cleansed of all Jews, and Arab families moved into the homes of Yemenite Jews. One might wonder if the descendants of those Yemenite Jews still have the keys to their homes.

Moreover, the very name Silwan derives from the Siloam Pool, the First Temple-era water source mentioned, as Moon goes on to explain, in both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, and significant to Jews and Christians alike.

Friday Sermon in Jatt, Israel: Once Muslims Come to Power, They'll Never Allow Infidels to Rule

Sheikh Ahmad Badran said in a June 28, 2019 Friday sermon in Jatt, Israel that was uploaded to the Internet that the infidels should know that when the Muslims rule over them according to Islam, there will not be a single law that is not Islamic. He said that Muslims will never allow non-Muslims to rule over Muslims because Allah said infidels will never have sway over Muslims. Referring to Muslims who say that they are exploiting democracy in order to come to power, Badran advised infidels to not be fooled and explained that once these Muslims come to power, they, too, will never allow infidels to rule over Muslims. He also explained that when the Muslim Brotherhood "flirts" with infidels by saying they support alternation of power, they are just putting on an act in order to rise to power. He added that Muslims do not accept under any circumstances a pluralistic system that combines Islam and heresy.

JCPA: The New Palestinian Intifada – In Lebanon

The Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have erupted in a new kind of Intifada: demanding integration in Lebanon, hence the desperate giving up of the “right of return.” The trigger for the turmoil among the refugees was the Lebanese Ministry of Labor actions against foreign laborers in the state, including the Palestinians, who, even after all the years that have passed, are still considered guests and cannot receive work permits.

The Syrian crisis caused a deep demographic change in Lebanon after one million Sunni Syrians flooded the country, including many Palestinians from the Syrian camps. The change has introduced many radical elements and reinforced various al-Qaeda groups in the camps in Lebanon. Lebanon doesn’t want them to set down roots in the country, and in any case, the Lebanese hate the Syrians and want to throw them out and to use the opportunity to get rid of the Palestinians.

Now, along comes President Trump with his plan negating the “right of return,” and Lebanon is signaling that it doesn’t approve. The Palestinians are signaling that they specifically want to be absorbed into Lebanon, and they don’t believe the PLO slogans of the right of return – “aliyah” – to Palestine.

Shtayyeh: Palestinians in Iraq will be given equal rights

Iraq has pledged to grant Palestinian refugees equal rights to Iraqi citizens and improve their living conditions, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said on Wednesday.

Speaking during the weekly meeting of the PA cabinet in Ramallah, Shtayyeh said that Iraq and the Palestinians have also agreed to establish joint firms in the private and public sectors.

Summing up his recent visit to Iraq, Shtayyeh said that the meetings between the two sides were very fruitful.

“The most important result [of the visit] is that our Palestinian brothers in Iraq (about 7,000 refugees) will receive the same treatment as Iraqi citizens and get all their rights,” he said.

Until 2003, there were nearly 35,000 Palestinians living in Iraq. Palestinians in Iraq say their situation deteriorated after the fall of Saddam Hussein, and they have since been facing discrimination and sectarian violence by the Iraqi government and Shia groups. As a result, many Palestinians were either killed or forced to flee to Syria and Jordan.

“The president, prime minister and parliament speaker of Iraq told me that they will honor all the rights of Palestinians in Iraq,” he said.

The Iraqi leaders, he added, confirmed that their country will fulfill its financial obligations to the PA in accordance with the resolutions of the Arab League.

In blow, Egypt prevents Hamas leader from leaving Gaza

Egypt is preventing Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh from departing for a fundraising trip to several countries, chief among them Iran, Gaza media reported Tuesday.

Hamas' official mouthpiece in the Strip, Al-Risala, claimed that Egypt and Israel are joining forces to undermine Hamas' ties with the Iranian regime.

Haniyeh has been trying for a while now to depart the Gaza Strip via Egypt for a number of Arab and Islamic states, with the aim of raising funds for his organization, which is in dire economic straits.

The London-based pan-Arab media outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted Egyptian sources as saying Cairo has informed Haniyeh that he would not be allowed to leave the coastal enclave through Egypt, due to his plans to visit Iran, Turkey, and Qatar. Egypt, like Israel, fears Iranian support for Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, in the form of large-scale weapons smuggling through Egypt to Gaza via the northern Sinai Peninsula.

Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Egypt. Iran is the group's chief backer.

Not all explosives used by Palestinian border units against IDF vehicles and troops are homemade. This was taken last Friday during the March of Return. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/3DrPy26pAF
— Joe Truzman (@Jtruzmah) July 16, 2019

It's time to hold Iran accountable for terrorism in Argentina

Moreover, by insisting Iran take responsibility for its murders in Buenos Aires, governments still adhering to the Iran nuclear deal could challenge criticisms that they have turned a blind eye toward Tehran’s support for terrorism and international assassinations.

For these reasons, in any future negotiations over Iran, U.S. and European diplomats should demand Tehran hand over the red notice holders for trials in Buenos Aires.

For now, at minimum, the United States and Argentina’s other major allies should pressure governments not to admit the suspected AMIA bombers, and to arrest them if they ever again set foot on foreign soil.

Worldwide memorial services for the AMIA bombing are an important tradition, which for decades have kept alive hope among Argentine survivors and victims’ relatives that the attackers will one day be held responsible.

As the 25th anniversary approaches, the international community should recognize the tragedy in a new way—by committing to genuine efforts to hold these terrorists accountable.

Argentina Jewish Center Bombing Unpunished 25 Years Later

Pastor John Hagee, founder and National Chairman of the Christian-Zionist organization Christians United for Israel, talks to i24NEWS' Michelle Makori at the CUFI summit about securing the state of Israel and cracking down on the threat of Iran.

Pastor John Hagee: US, Israel Need to Team Up Against Iran

It's been a quarter century since the AMIA bombing in Argentina took place at the Jewish community center. Still, it's remains unpunished, suspected of being executed by an Iranian proxy. Our Dan Raviv has the story.

Argentina: Latin America's New Leader in Counterterrorism

Argentine President Mauricio Macri is taking a historic step and preparing to officially designate Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in Argentina, the first designation of its kind in Latin America.

Hezbollah, Lebanon's "Party of God," is first and foremost the primary terrorist proxy of the Islamic Republic of Iran. By calling and legally designating them for what they are -- a foreign terrorist group -- Argentine officials can now begin to anticipate Hezbollah's actions by communicating with more than 57 nations worldwide in the same counterterrorism language.

The purpose of anti-terrorism is to anticipate terrorist actions in order to neutralize them. It is hopeless to wait until an attack takes place and then take action. By designating Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization President Macri is leading Latin America in the global fight against Islamist terrorism. In doing so, he is also honoring the memory of the 85 Argentines who died in the 1994 AMIA attack and reminding us all that Iran and Hezbollah are very much a global threat.

Hassan Nasrallah: We Have Enough Missiles to Send Israel Back to the Stone Age

Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said in a July 12, 2019 interview on Al-Manar TV (Lebanon) that Hizbullah can target and strike any part of Israel, including Eilat, and that all of northern Israel is within range of Hizbullah's weapons. Pointing at a map of Israel, he turned his attention to Israel's coast, where he said most of Israel's population lives. He said Hizbullah can strike all the government buildings, military installations, airports, economic centers, commercial centers, industrial centers, ports, nuclear installations, oil refineries, and power stations that are in this area. Nasrallah implied that Hizbullah has thousands of missiles that it can use to send Israel "back to the stone age." Claiming that Israel is "weaker than a spider's web," he said that Israel's attempts to prevent Hizbullah from acquiring weapons by striking Syria have failed, since Hizbullah already has the weapons in its possession. He also said that Israel will not succeed in trying to get Iran to leave Syria and that any attempt on the part of Israel to stay out of a potential future conflict in the Middle East would be futile because Iran can bomb Israel "violently" and "swiftly" and because Israel would never be left out of any war in the region, no matter how it starts. He stated that any war against Iran would lead to a region-wide conflict.

Time to Intensify Pressure on Iran and the IAEA

As Iran's economic plight grows increasingly dire, the regime may have concluded that it cannot risk waiting another year and a half to outlast President Trump. Consequently, the regime adopted a new strategy of nuclear and military brinksmanship aimed at testing U.S. resolve, strengthening Iranian deterrence, and blackmailing the U.S. and Europe to gain sanctions relief.

America must not be intimidated. Instead, it should intensify its maximum pressure campaign and increase sanctions on Iran even further. In so doing, Washington can present Ayatollah Khamenei with a choice: Either renegotiate the nuclear deal, on our terms, or risk the collapse of Iran's economy and possibly your regime.

America should urge the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN body tasked with monitoring Iran's nuclear program, to strengthen its inspections of suspicious sites where Iran previously engaged in illicit nuclear activity, and to publish its findings. The Iran nuclear archive obtained by Israel identifies additional nuclear facilities, equipment, and activities previously unknown to the IAEA. The archive suggests that covert nuclear activity, especially in the weaponization arena, may continue today.

Iran Caught Smuggling Nuke Materials Out of U.S.

An Iranian national was caught by the Trump administration attempting to smuggle materials that can be used to enrich uranium, the key component in a nuclear weapon, out of the U.S., according to the Justice Department.

Behzad Pourghannad allegedly attempted to smuggle carbon fiber out of America and ship it to Tehran. Pourghannad was arrested in May 2017 in Germany and later extradited to the U.S. He arrived in America on Monday. On Tuesday, the Justice Department unsealed a three-count indictment charging Pourghannad and two others in the plot to export the sensitive nuclear materials.

Ali Reza Shokri and Farzin Faridmanesh, the two alleged conspirators, remain at large.

"Pourghannad is alleged to have sought to procure for Iran large amounts of carbon fiber—a commodity that can be used in the enrichment of uranium," Assistant Attorney General Demers said in a statement. "U.S. sanctions exist to prevent behavior, like this, which endangers our country, and the Department is committed to vigorously enforcing them. Pourghannad and others who would attempt to thwart these laws need to know that their actions, which benefit Iran’s destabilizing efforts and make Americans less safe, will not go unpunished."

The carbon fiber material could be used by Iran to fuel its ongoing enrichment of uranium, which has emerged as a flashpoint in the latest standoff between the Trump administration and Iran. Following a bevy of new sanctions by the U.S., Iran publicly breached restrictions on the amount of enriched uranium it can stockpile inside the country.

Israeli NGO Petitions Gibraltar Court to Sell Seized Iranian Tanker to Pay Off Terror Judgment

An Israeli legal NGO is officially requesting that a court in Gibraltar sell a captured Iranian oil tanker in order to pay a judgment against Iran in a terrorism case.

According to Radio Farda, Shurat HaDin-Israel Law Center, which uses lawsuits and other legal methods to combat terrorism, won a $178.5 million judgment against Iran in a US court.

The judgment was rendered in a lawsuit pertaining to family of a three-month-old boy killed in a Jerusalem car-ramming attack in 2014.

The Iranian tanker was seized earlier this month by British naval forces on suspicion that it was headed for Syria and thus evading sanctions on the Islamic republic.

Shurat HaDin’s head Nitsana Darshan-Leitner noted that the group’s petition would be filed Tuesday, although she did not know if a hearing would be granted, saying, “Anything can happen.”

Iran arrests Christian for not properly wearing hijab after assault

Iranian regime police arrested a young Christian woman, Fatemeh Mohammadi, last week for filing a complaint about being assaulted due to an alleged violation of the Islamic forced-hijab policy.

The website Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) wrote on July 12 that Mohammadi “was arrested by NAJA (Law Enforcement Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran) on July 9, 2019. She was arrested after a woman, Mousavi, harassed her because of her dress code and injured Mohammadi’s face. Mohammadi went to a police station to file a complaint against that woman but she was arrested instead.”

The woman, wearing the strict, full-body chador cloak, said that Mousavi assaulted Mohammadi, who was sitting on a bus, and demanded that she properly wear her head scarf. According to HRANA, "Mousavi attacked Mohammadi, pushed her chest with her hand and beat her face until her nails were covered in blood.”

The bus driver stopped the vehicle and the women went to a local police station where Mohammadi filed a formal complaint against Mousavi. But instead of arresting Mousavi, the police detained Mohammadi; she was released on bail on July 10.

According to HRANA, Mousavi defended her assault by stating that she is “enjoining good and forbidding wrong.”

Perhaps the UN should be less concerned about where in Manhattan the Iranian foreign minister cannot travel, and more concerned for women, minorities, human rights activists, dual citizens and others who are subjugated, persecuted and jailed by his regime. https://t.co/wXQduFhCSD
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) July 17, 2019

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