Visas Abruptly Canceled for 2 Palestinian Humanitarian Activists Detained at SFO, ABC 7
“‘They are men of peace, they are community leaders,’ said Ben Linder of J Street Silicon Valley. ‘Their tools and weapons are a camera and the written word.’”
Palestinian Activists Came to Speak at California Synagogue – But Face Deportation at the Airport, The Intercept
“‘These were Palestinian activists and humanitarians who were here to bridge relations with the Jewish community,’ said Ben Linder, who helped organize the tour and is co-chair of J Street Silicon Valley, a local chapter of the liberal pro-Israeli lobby. ‘They were being sponsored by Jewish synagogues – these are exactly the people we need in our country right now, to bridge the divide that we have happening globally. Yet our federal government is denying them a voice.’”
Israel Strikes Iran’s Nuclear Sites, Kills Military Chiefs and Scientists, Axios
“President Trump publicly opposed an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites on Thursday, saying he still believed a nuclear deal was possible. Hours later, Israel began targeting nuclear sites as well as the Iranian military’s top brass and senior scientists working on the nuclear program. Trump told Fox News late Thursday that the US was aware of the strikes ahead of time but was not involved militarily and hopes Iran will return to the negotiating table.”
Trump Urges Iran to Reach Nuclear Deal ‘Before There is Nothing Left’, CNBC
“Circumstances ‘will only get worse,’ but further bloodshed could still be prevented, Trump said. ‘Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire.’ Trump pulled the US out of the first Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal during his first presidential mandate, imposing a spate of wide-spanning and economically debilitating sanctions against Tehran at the time.”
Iran Not Complying with Nuclear Obligations, UN Watchdog Says, The Washington Post
“The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog Thursday declared Iran in breach of its nonproliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years, according to a copy of the resolution adopted by the agency’s board of governors and seen by The Washington Post. The resolution, from the International Atomic Energy Agency, cited ‘undeclared nuclear material and activities’ discovered by agency inspectors at three sites a number of years ago that Iran has never explained.”
Residents of Tehran Awake to Devastation, The New York Times
“Long lines were forming at gas stations and grocery stores were filling up as Iranians prepared for uncertain times. As of Friday morning, the government had not given a complete tally of casualties and only said that a number of civilians had been killed, including children. Dozens were injured.”
Iran Launches Drones at Israel as Israel Attacks Iranian Nuclear Sites and Top Commanders, IDF Says, CBS News
“Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in televised remarks that Iran had launched the drones, and that Israel’s air defenses were already ‘working to intercept the threats.’ Later Friday, an Israeli military official told reporters that while the threat wasn’t over, Israel had managed to intercept many of Iran’s UAVs.”
US Authorities Detain Two Palestinians Invited to Speak With Jewish Groups in California, Haaretz
“While the Trump administration has made its crackdown on pro-Palestinian student visa holders a central component of its attack on immigration and universities, this would appear to be the first case of Palestinian activists being denied entry into the US on political grounds.”
Humanitarian Workers Killed in Gaza Ambush Blamed on Hamas; Internet Cut in Territory, Reuters
“Locals said the internet was down across much of the Gaza Strip, adding to the chaos and confusion. The United Nations said the blackout was probably caused by Israel military activity damaging the last cable into the enclave.”
Palestinian Authority Hopes to Revive the Peace Process in New York, AP
“Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa told journalists in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday that next week’s gathering of diplomats and world leaders in New York provides the perfect place to revive peace efforts. ‘We hope that this will be a new beginning for relaunching a serious, time-based, just peace track,’ he said.”
A Precise, Chekhovian Logic Guided Israel’s Strike on Iran – But Chaos Could Come Next, The Forward
Rob Eshman writes, “Now comes the aftermath, which will, inherently, be much less precise and predictable. I worry for Israelis, who face the immediate threat of missiles and drones. And I worry for innocent Iranians. I worry for the 8,000-odd Jews who still live in Iran, along with Bahai, Azeri and other minorities, all of whom face the very real danger of retribution from a regime that will be desperate for scapegoats. I worry for American soldiers who may find themselves drawn into this war, as well as for Jews worldwide who could very well be targeted by a regime that has killed hundreds of Jews abroad in terror attacks, as in the 1994 Jewish center bombing in Argentina.”
In Gaza and in Iran: Military Pressure Alone Produces Neither Security nor Victory, Haaretz
The Haaretz Editorial Board writes, “We also mustn’t forget the connection between these two theaters. The longer the war in Gaza and the starvation of its residents continues, the harder it will be for Israel to mobilize a Western and Arab coalition to help defend it against Iran. The conclusion that arises from this is clear: Israel should encourage Washington in its efforts to secure a new and improved agreement with Iran, not open another, even more dangerous, front.”
Exclusive: American Security Contractor Unloads On US-Israeli ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’, Zeteo
An anonymous security contractor with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation writes, “We fell back, letting people get the aid. They were never aggressive towards us. They were only trying to get aid – aid, by the way, that consisted of flour, rice, lentils, tea bags, and noodles; things that need water. They don’t have any water. And we’re not giving out water. We soon had to fall back again, to a second perimeter. At that point, some personnel started firing warning shots in the air. We all got in a line and began pushing these people out. We’re telling crying women trying to pick up food for their families that they had to go. They were looking at this food on the ground that they desperately needed, and they couldn’t take it. It was absolutely horrific.”