IRAN THREATENS ‘IMMEDIATE RESPONSE’ TO IAEA VISIT TO ISRAEL: Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdullahian criticized the visit of Israel by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi.
He said the visit “goes against the objective status of the agency.” He also threatened that “any action by the United States and the three European countries in the Agency will undoubtedly be met with an appropriate, effective and immediate response from Iran.” Earlier, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr. Rafael Grossi, and told him that “Israel reserves the right to self-defense and action against Iran in order to halt its nuclear program.” Bennett further noted that “Israel prefers the diplomatic route in order to deprive Iran of any possibility of developing nuclear weapons. The international community must be mobilized to take action against Iran, by all means, in order to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.” (INN / VFI News)
IRAN NOT PROVIDING ‘CREDIBLE’ ANSWERS ON MATERIAL AT UNDECLARED SITES: International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi on Monday, June 6, said Iran has still not provided satisfactory answers over the presence of uranium at three facilities.
“Iran has not provided explanations that are technically credible in relation to the agency’s findings at three undeclared locations in Iran,” Grossi said Monday, addressing a quarterly meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna. “Nor has Iran informed the agency of the current location, or locations, of the nuclear material and/or of the equipment contaminated with nuclear material, that was moved from Turquzabad in 2018,” he said. Grossi noted that in order for the IAEA “to be in a position to provide assurance that Iran’s nuclear program is exclusively peaceful, the agency remains ready to re-engage without delay with Iran to resolve these matters.” Bennett warned Grossi that Iran is pushing ahead on developing a nuclear weapon while misleading the world with “false information and lies” to conceal its work. The IAEA chief tweeted after their meeting that he and Bennett had “important exchanges on topical issues.” Major European countries and the United States are expected to seek to censure Iran at the IAEA meeting amid stalled talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal. (TOI / VFI News)
ISRAELI NAVY WRAPS UP ‘COMPLEX’ SUBMARINE EXERCISE IN RED SEA: The Israeli Navy wrapped up a “complex” and “lengthy” submarine drill in the Red Sea on Thursday morning, June 2, the military said.
Defense commentators characterized the publication of the drill’s details as an apparent message to Iran. During the exercise, the INS Tekuma Dolphin-class submarine was escorted by Saar 5 and 4.5 Class Corvettes in the Red Sea, in a drill simulating “achieving maritime superiority,” the Israel Defense Forces said. The drill aimed to attain that goal while maintaining maritime freedom in the Red Sea, and “increasing the operating area of the Navy.” “Navy troops returned this morning from a complex exercise in the Red Sea. The lengthy exercise simulated various scenarios including achieving superiority and freedom of sailing in the Red Sea,” said Israeli Navy chief Maj. Gen. David Salama. “The Navy will continue to strengthen its operational capabilities and increase its areas of activity,” he added. The drill came during a major month-long exercise dubbed Chariots of Fire, the military’s largest in decades. It has aimed at preparing for hostilities erupting in multiple theaters at the same time, while focusing on fighting the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. During drills over the Mediterranean Sea, the Air Force simulated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Military officials said the drills were aimed at raising the competence and readiness of troops and top brass for war on multiple fronts, as well as coordination with other emergency organizations, local authorities, and government ministries. (TOI / VFI News)
ISRAEL, SAUDI ARABIA MAKE DEAL FOR SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS IN STRAITS OF TIRAN FOR FLYOVER RIGHTS: Israel is set to agree to new security arrangements allowing Egypt to transfer control of two islands in the Straits of Tiran to Saudi Arabia, US President Joe Biden is expected to announce on his trip to the region at the end of the month.
There is currently a multinational force on the islands of Tiran and Sanafir, which Saudi Arabia does not want there once they control the islands. Under a soon-to-be-announced deal, Israel will agree to have the forces stationed on what will remain Egyptian soil, several kilometers away. In return, Saudi Arabia will allow Israeli airlines to fly over its airspace. Currently, only Israeli flights to the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain can fly over Saudi Arabia, as well as Air India flights to and from Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a Foreign Affairs magazine event this week that “Saudi Arabia is a critical partner to us in dealing with extremism in the region, in dealing with the challenges posed by Iran, and also I hope in continuing the process of building relationships between Israel and its neighbors both near and further away through the continuation, the expansion, of the Abraham Accords.” (JPost / VFI News)
IN NYC, HATE CRIMES UP 196% FROM 2020 TO 2021, ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS UP 24%: Hate crimes increased 196% in New York City from 2020 to 2021, the Anti-Defamation League reported Wednesday, June 1.
“Jews were the most targeted group in the city, accounting for 40% of hate crimes,” the ADL Center on Extremism and the Community Security Initiative (CSI) said in a report. There was a spike in antisemitic incidents during the May 2021 Israel-Hamas war. “During this time, incidents motivated by anti-Zionist sentiments included assault, arson threats, and harassment,” it said. It also found that New York ranks No. 7 in the country “for white supremacist propaganda efforts, with recent actions carried out by organized hate groups including Patriot Front, New Jersey European Heritage Association and White Lives Matter.” “The ongoing threat of extremist activity in New York State also includes a threat of violent extremism from foreign terrorist organizations, Islamist extremists and racially motivated violent extremists, all of whom promote antisemitic worldviews and regularly incite violence, targeting Jewish synagogues and community buildings,” the report said. The ADL and CSI urged elected officials and law enforcement to take “a series of steps to address rising extremism and the increasing threat of domestic violent extremism.” They called on state officials and the governor to double the New York Hate Crimes Grant Program’s funding from $25 million to $50m. “to fund approximately 1,000 projects across the state and to launch a commission on antisemitism that views the issue from the lenses of civil rights, intelligence, and law enforcement, and to create recommendations for comprehensive, whole-of-government responses to the challenge.” (JPody / VFI News)
200 ANTISEMITIC LETTERS SENT TO BAVARIAN POLITICIANS, PROSECUTORS, AND NGOS: Over 200 antisemitic letters were sent to politicians, public prosecutors and NGOs across Bavaria, Germany by an unidentified individual.
The unknown letter writer has been mailing letters containing antisemitic content, including Holocaust denial, since November 2020, the Süddeutsche Zeitung German language site reported. Letters were delivered to politicians, public prosecutors, judges, and radio station employees as well as student organizations. According to the Upper Bavaria North police, the recipients of the letters appeared to have been randomly selected. Police believe the letters were all sent by a single individual. They have been made aware of over 200 cases across Bavaria but the assumption is that there were substantially more letters that were mailed. “We assume that the number of letters is much higher,” an investigator from the Fürstenfeldbruck, Bavaria criminal investigation department said. The investigation is ongoing with police searching for additional letters. (INN / VFI News)
ISRAELI DESALINATION PROJECT SET TO GIVE ARIZONA CENTURY OF WATER: Visiting Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey advanced a major desalination project for his state in meetings with top Israeli officials on Tuesday, May 31, which he believes will secure water for Arizona for the next 100 years.
In Israel on a five-day trade mission on his third visit as governor, Ducey met with President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu. They discussed how Arizona can learn from Israel and cooperate with the Jewish state in making the Arizona desert bloom. He toured an extensive desalination plant, and wrote on social media that such innovations are part of the solution to secure his state’s water future. He said desalination had made Israel the world’s water superpower and a role model for Arizona. “My time is limited, but we have been working on this for a long time,” said Ducey, who cannot run again for reelection due to term limits. “Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states. People are flocking to the desert, where we have excellent water management, but we need a new great project to leave the state better than it was when we started.” (JPost / VFI News)
The suggestions, opinions and scripture references made by VFI writers and editors are based on the best information received.
Blessings from Jerusalem,
Barry Segal with the Editorial Staff
