Israel elections April 2019, September 2019, March 2020, March 2021.

[Yayattasa]

In a turn of events that is likely to boost support for Netanyahu, it seems that Trump is preparing to recognise the Golan heights as Israeli territory.

Unwarranted provocation, Trump is trying to save Netanyahu.

[Prodromos]

Unwarranted provocation, Trump is trying to save Netanyahu.

From what I gather Trump's been planning the policy shift for months, so I don't know if it was timed to shore up Netanyahu's reelection prospects.

[NorseThing]

Pres. Trump is simply looking for things to do that others have in the past made words to support, but no actions to support the words.

'Israel's Sovereignty over the Golan Heights' - CNN.com



This is simply a logical follow up on the embassy announcement. We already know Pres. Trump's position on international organizations so is this really a shocker?

[sumskilz]

it seems that Trump is preparing to recognise the Golan heights as Israeli territory.

Another neo-Nazi dog whistle.

Unwarranted provocation

It's amazing Trump is willing to so quickly throw away all the goodwill he's built up with the Syrian regime.

Pres. Trump is simply looking for things to do that others have in the past made words to support, but no actions to support the words.

A tweet sure, but to actually make a declaration, that changes everything. I should probably drive up to the Golan to visit Syria again before it's too late. I'm not really welcome in the rest of the country.

In other news:

A poll commissioned by the Washington Post indicates that a large majority of Arab Israelis intend to vote in the upcoming elections — and most favor joining a government coalition.

The results of the poll conducted last week by the University of Maryland showed that Israel’s Arab minority — some 20 percent of the population — is increasingly participating in national elections, and can significantly impact the right-left political balance in the Knesset and the makeup of the next Israeli government...

The poll revealed that a large majority of Arab Israeli voters support joining the governing coalition after elections, even as the leaders of the largest political parties insisted they would not invite the Arab parties into their government...

If offered the opportunity, 73.1% of respondents said they backed Arab parties joining the government, while 21.1% said they opposed it.

Arab Israeli politicians have long objected to joining the government and have never been invited into a coalition, though some — including Hadash leader Ayman Odeh — have recently suggested they could aid center-left candidates, under certain conditions.

Benny Gantz’s pledge not to include Arab parties if his centrist Blue and White faction won the election did not appear to faze Arab voters, as just over half, at 54.1%, said they believed it was still possible.

And...

The Blue and White Party would defeat the Likud, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have a much easier time forming a government than challenger Benny Gantz if elections were held now, according to a new Smith Research poll taken for The Jerusalem Post.

The poll found that the Right-Center bloc of Likud, New Right, Union of Right-wing Parties (URP), United Torah Judaism, Shas, Kulanu, Yisrael Beytenu and Zehut would win 65 seats. The Left-Center bloc of Blue and White, Labor, Meretz, Hadash-Ta’al and United Arab List-Balad would win 55.

Blue and White would win 30 seats, compared to 31 predicted by a Smith Research poll taken at the beginning of March. Likud would win 27, down two from the last poll.

The rest of the field was crowded with Labor at eight seats, Hadash-Ta’al at eight, United Torah Judaism at seven, New Right, Shas and URP at six, Meretz and Kulanu at five and Yisrael Beytenu, United Arab List-Balad and Zehut at four.

Zehut did not cross the 3.25% threshold in the last Smith poll. MK Orly Levy-Abecassis’s Gesher party did, but got 2.8% in the current poll.

No major shifts really, considering the margin of error in each poll.

[Ludicus]

Unwarranted provocation, Trump is trying to save Netanyahu.

In fact, a provocation.

France says Israeli sovereignty over Golan breaks international law

Trump provocatively tweeted on Thursday that Washington should recognise Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. However, international reaction was overwhelmingly critical.
“The Golan is a territory occupied by Israel since 1967. France does not recognise the Israeli annexation of 1981,” the French ministry said in a daily briefing, adding that UN Security Council resolutions had recognised the annexation as null and void

.
Obviously...

[nhytgbvfeco2]

In fact, a provocation.

France says Israeli sovereignty over Golan breaks international law
.
Obviously...

Considering Syria refuses to take it back in return for peace, there is not much that Israel can do about it even if it wanted to. The Syrians have already in the past rejected such a deal, and to have it as an occupied territory forever wouldn't exactly be optimal. So Israel annexed it, and gave citizenship to those living there.

[nhytgbvfeco2]

After having recently fired 2 rockets at Tel-Aviv, today yet again Hamas fired a rocket into Israel, this time into a city north of Tel-Aviv that wasn't covered by iron dome, to a distance of 120 km.
The rocket scored a direct hit on a house, injuring 7, including two 12 year olds, a 3 year old and a 6 month old, and killing 4 dogs.


Netanyahu has decided to cut short his current stay in the USA, cancelling his intended appearance at AIPAC, and return to Israel after his meeting with Trump.
This creates a serious dilemma. On the one hand, Hamas cannot be allowed to get away with their recent actions, which also included a riot within an Israeli prison during which a Hamas operative stabbed a security guard and ended with 11 prisoners injured. However, a serious action cwould put at risk the election, with turnout likely suffering greatly as standing in line isn't adviseable with rockets being fired.
Personally, I predict that nothing serious will start until after the election, after which we might be seeing a new war in Gaza. Hamas is playing a dangerous game, reportedly angering the Egyptian delegation that was in Gaza trying to negotiate some kind of truce, in what is likely a bid to win concessions from Israel to achieve quiet for the election.

[sumskilz]

The rocket scored a direct hit on a house, injuring 7, including a 3 year old and a 6 month old, and killing 4 dogs.

The family was certainly inside their bomb shelter, otherwise they would have been killed too.

For those that don't know, Hamas only has two types of rockets with that range.

Can't post the infographics as images because the forum is ed, but anyway:
https://postimg.cc/TK56RtWx
https://postimg.cc/56F7yTps

Air defense reservists were called up and two additional brigades were moved to the Gaza border, but yeah, the aforementioned reasons to avoid an escalation puts Netenyahu in an awkward position.

[Ludicus]

Gantz: If Netanyahu had a way to have me killed
Ouch.
-----
I have two questions
1. Netanyahu + Gantz = The deal of the century?
2- What is exactly the so-called "deal of the century"?
In my opinion, Palestine and the International community will never accept an unilateral US plan that will fail to fully a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, asking Palestinians to abandon East Jerusalem, the right of return, the demilitarization of the Palestinian state and the permanence of the illegal Jewish settlements on Palestinian land. Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[swabian]

If i had constantly missiles fired at my country, i would demand open war with the aggressor. How is that an illegitimate position?

[nhytgbvfeco2]

Gantz: If Netanyahu had a way to have me killed
Ouch.
-----

Yeah, Gantz seems to have lost it.

I have two questions
1. Netanyahu + Gantz = The deal of the century?

I don't think that I understand your question?

2- What is exactly the so-called "deal of the century"?

The details aren't out with, it is set to be revealed after the election.

In my opinion, Palestine and the International community will never accept an unilateral US plan that will fail to fully a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, asking Palestinians to abandon East Jerusalem,

And Israel will never withdraw to the 1967 borders. Changes have to be made.

the right of return,

I thought Israel was an apartheid state, why do they want to live in it?
Jokes aside, Israel will never accept this term. 0 Chance whatsoever. If the Palestinians ever want to have a state, they'll have to drop this demand.

the demilitarization of the Palestinian state and the permanence of the illegal Jewish settlements on Palestinian land. Of course that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Israel is willing to give up on most settlements, with a few key exceptions. We already gave up settlements in both the Sinai peninsula and Gaza, their existence isn't an obstacle.

[Aexodus]

Why does Hamas insist on making these provocations?

[swabian]

Why does Hamas insist on making these provocations?

"Insists".

Like it was a regular political faction that can be reasoned with. They are terrorists. They want Israel to be destroyed. Physically. Shooting rockets at Israel is their everyday busines. It's how they keep themselves alive because it justifies them infront of the sheeple they so generously choose to represent. By attacking Israel, they provoke reactions and then they exploit those reactions to perpetuate their fatalistic agenda. How is this so difficult to fathom?

[nhytgbvfeco2]

Why does Hamas insist on making these provocations?

A bid to gain concessions from Israel in return of peace, they were emboldened by the lax response to the 2 rockets fired at tel-aviv, so probably wagered that the IDF wouldn't react.
So far, it seems that they were wrong. The IDF has begun bombing Hamas targets inside Gaza just now, blocked off most roads towards the area surrounding it, including stopping train traffic going south, has ordered cities nearby to open all missile shelters, has called in reserves and is moving thousands of soldiers to the border.

[sumskilz]

Hamas derives its legitimacy from carrying on the conflict, but I'd say this i currently a factor: Rare protests erupt against Hamas’ 12-year rule over Gaza

From the article's summery:

Hamas appears to have resorted to brutal violence against its people by beating, torturing and detaining demonstrators, as the terror group attempts to curb largest ever anti-government rallies held in Gaza; 'Hamas doesn’t want us to scream. It wants us to die in silence'

[Papay]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-i...-idUSKCN1R310O

Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians and UN has condemnded Israel for shooting more than 6.000 protesters since last year. But obvliously what UN says doesnt matter right? Its too "diversified"

[sumskilz]

Yes, obviously a human rights council under the direction of most of the worst human rights abusers in the world is a bit too hypocritical to be take seriously, but what does that have to do with the elections in Israel?

[nhytgbvfeco2]

Israel has killed hundreds of Palestinians and UN has condemnded Israel for shooting more than 6.000 protesters since last year. But obvliously what UN says doesnt matter right? Its too "diversified"

The UNHRC is a joke, where the worst abusers of human rights in the world keep repeatedly getting elected to participate, including China, Saudi Arabia(4 times since 2006, for example) and Pakistan in the current makeup, aswell as many other abusers in previous years, and call out Israel at every opportunity. This isn't diversity, this is an outrage that such regimes are allowed the moral high ground.
Shooting 6000 sounds really bad, until you take into account that it was with rubber bullets.
Your own article also mentions this:

She accused the independent panel of ignoring “the very real threat” posed to 70,000 Israeli citizens living along the border by 1,300 rockets fired by Hamas militants during the period of inquiry, March 30-December 31.

[Papay]

You are crying about a rocket that wounded some people. And i remind you that before that rocket Israel has killed or wounded 6.000 demonstrators. I think its a bit hypocritical? But i dont expect something better from constant apologists of Israel crimes

[nhytgbvfeco2]

You are crying about a rocket that wounded some people. And i remind you that before that rocket Israel has killed or wounded 6.000 demonstrators. I think its a bit hypocritical? But i dont expect something better from constant apologists of Israel crimes

Those 6000 people weren't random civilians 80 miles away from the border sleeping in their homes at 5:30am.