From: JNS News

From: JNS News To: Subject: Senate committee backs Friedman as Israel envoy amid robust Jewish world debate Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2017 21:46:57 +0000 MARCH 9, 2017 Senate committee backs Friedman as Israel envoy amid robust Jewish world debate Should Trump retain the State Department's envoy on anti- Semitism concerns? Facing more powerful enemies, Israel's military steps up training PLO names youth camp after terrorist who killed 37 Israelis, including 12 children SUBSCRIBE TO JNS NEWSLETTER FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND David Friedman, President Donald Trump's nominee for ambassador to Israel, during his recent Senate confirmation hearing. Senate committee backs Friedman as Israel envoy amid robust Jewish world debate By Paul MillerlJNS.org The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday approved President Donald Trump's designated ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, following a groundswell of support for the nominee from conservative and centrist pro-Israel organizations and staunch opposition from liberal Jewish groups. Read more. BACK TO ARTICLE INDEX Should Trump retain the State Departments envoy on anti- Semitism concerns? EFTA00711663 By Ariel Ben Solomon/JNS.org With recent reports indicating that the Trump administration's planned budget cuts could extend to the State Department's Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, the potential nixing of the position shines a light on questions regarding the specific nature of the envoys work and the future utility of the position. Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, told JNS.org that his group "strongly supports having a special envoy on the condition that it is the right person who will emphasize Muslim anti-Semitism, which is the driving factor for the increase of anti-Semitism in Europe, in the U.S. and on college campuses." Read more. Former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti- Semitism Hannah Rosenthal (left). BACK TO ARTICLE INDEX Facing more powerful enemies, Israel s military steps up training By Yaakov LappinlJNS.org The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has significantly stepped up the scope and frequency of its combat training, as sub-state jihadist enemies around the Jewish state build up their power. In the event of any future large-scale conflict—whether it be against Hezbollah in Lebanon or in Syria, against Hamas in Gaza, or against other foes—Israeli military planners believe they will need a ground offensive involving maneuvering divisions, in addition to the use of massive firepower against enemy targets. "The IDF's readiness is very high. It would not be a good idea to test it; said Gabi Siboni, an Israeli defense consultant and a former military commander. Read more. EFTA00711664 Israeli soldiers participate in a drill simulating the infiltration of terrorists from Gaza in southern Israel. - NCI< TO ARTICLE INDEX PLO names youth camp after terrorist who killed 37 Israelis, including 12 children (JNS.org) The Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Supreme Council for Youth and Sports recently announced that it will name a youth camp after Dalal Mughrabi, a female Palestinian terrorist who masterminded a terror attack that killed 37 Israeli civilians, including 12 children. During that 1978 attack, known as the Coastal Road massacre, Palestinian terrorists hijacked a bus on Israel's Coastal Highway near Tel Aviv and embarked on a murderous rampage with Kalashnikov rifles, mortars, grenades and explosives. It remains the deadliest terror attack ever carried out in Israel. The PLO's decision to name a youth camp after the attack's orchestrator, Mughrabi, was received enthusiastically by the District Governor of Ramallah Laila Ghannam, who praised the initiative for "remembering the pure-hearted martyrs" and insisted on a "solidarity rally" to commemorate the terrorists who carried out the massacre, Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) reported March 5. Ghannam's lauding of the initiative was prominently featured on the PLO Council for Youth's official Facebook page. According to PMW, an organization that monitors Palestinian incitement, "it is far from surprising- that the PLO Council for Youth would name a camp after a Palestinian terrorist. The council is headed by Jibril Rajoub, a Palestinian official with a history of endorsing, promoting and glorifying terrorism. The charred remains of a hijacked bus from Palestinian terrorist Dalai Mughrabrs 1978 Coastal EFTA00711665 Road massacre. BACK TO ARTICLE INDEX 'IJNS NEWS: A wide-ranging weekly update on the Middle East and the Jewish worldr Unsubscribe I )( Nate your profile I Forward to a friend Copyright C) 12016I' All rights reserved. JNS 214 Lincoln St. Suite 418 Allston. MA 02134 Add us to your address book EFTA00711666