NETANYAHU: PUTIN STANDS TO BENEFIT FROM IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL WITH US: Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the United States to reconsider a nuclear deal with Iran, as any funds could end up helping Russia sustain its invasion of Ukraine.
“I believe that we should place heavy sanctions on Iran, and those who advocate lifting the sanctions, which is what this nuclear deal would do if it ever gets signed, would bring hundreds of billions of dollars not only to Iran, but to Russia’s coffers as well,” Netanyahu told American media in an exclusive interview. “So the people are saying, ‘Let’s take a tough stance against Russia’ – [it’s] actually taking a soft stance when they are willing to lift the sanctions on Iran,” added Netanyahu, who just released his memoir, “Bibi: My Story.” “I’d be a lot more consistent on that.” Israel’s election in two weeks will decide whether Netanyahu will return as prime minister after he narrowly lost the seat two years ago to a coalition of opposition parties. Netanyahu says that he approaches an election “assuming” that he will lose, but current polls show a slight majority in his favor. Israelis will go to the polls on November 1st. Netanyahu said that his first point of business, should he return as prime minister, would be to “complete the circle of peace” he started with Arab nations when he and then-President Trump initiated four peace deals that comprised the Abraham Accords, and the next phase would be to bring in Saudi Arabia. (FN / VFI News)
IRANIAN TROOPS MOVE INTO UKRAINE TO HELP RUSSIA WITH KAMIKAZE DRONES, US SAYS: Iranian troops have moved into Ukraine to help Russia use kamikaze drones that Tehran sold to Moscow to target Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, the White House said Thursday, October 20.
Russia purchased about 1,000 Shahed-136 drones from Iran at the end of August, “dozens” of which have been deployed across Ukraine since last month, US officials have said. “We can confirm that Russia’s military personnel that are based in Crimea have been piloting Iranian [drones,] using them to conduct strikes across Ukraine, including strikes against Kyiv,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. “In just recent days, we assess that Iranian military personnel were on the ground in Crimea and assisted Russia in these operations.” It’s the first time in the eight-month-long war that a nation other than Russia has sent troops into Ukraine, though Russia has considered Crimea its own territory since it illegally annexed the region in 2014. “Both Iran and Russia continue to lie about it, denying that Iran is providing weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine,” Kirby said. “They can lie to the world, but they certainly can’t hide the facts. And the fact is this: Tehran is now directly engaged on the ground and through the provision of weapons … that are killing civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.” (NYP / VFI News)
TEN IRANIANS KILLED IN UKRAINIAN STRIKES: Ten Iranians, training Russian soldiers, were reportedly killed in Ukrainian strikes over the past week, a Ukrainian official told media on Friday, October 21.
The report comes as American and Ukrainian officials warned that Iranians are training Russians to use Iranian drones in Crimea. The Ukrainian National Resistance Center claimed on Wednesday that Iranian instructors were overseeing the Russian launching of kamikaze drones from within annexed Ukrainian territory.
“The Russians took Iranian instructors to the territory of the temporarily occupied Kherson Region and Crimea to launch Shahed-136 kamikaze drones,” the government body alleged, citing Ukrainian underground resistance. “They teach the Russians how to use kamikaze drones, and directly monitor the launch of drones on Ukrainian civilian targets, including strikes on Mykolaiv and Odesa.” Pentagon Press Secretary Brig.-Gen. Pat Ryder stated on Thursday that “Iranians have been on the ground in Ukraine to assist Russia with the drone operations there.” A spokesman for the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stated on Friday that Ukraine had succeeded in downing 85% of the Iranian kamikaze drones fired by Russia. (JPost / VFI News)
GANTZ: ISRAEL MAY SUPPLY UKRAINE WITH ROCKET AND DRONE ALERT SYSTEM, BUT NOT WEAPONS: Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Wednesday, October 19, reiterated that Israel would not supply weapons to Ukraine to fight Russia’s eight-month-long invasion, but said Jerusalem could supply an early-warning system to the beleaguered nation to warn of incoming strikes, like the one used in Israel.
Speaking to a group of European Union ambassadors a day after Ukraine said it would submit a formal request for Israeli air defense systems like Iron Dome, Gantz ruled out the sale of such weapons. “Israel supports and stands with Ukraine, NATO, and the West. This is something we have said in the past and repeat today. Israel has a policy of supporting Ukraine via humanitarian aid, and the delivery of life-saving defensive equipment,” Gantz said in remarks provided by his office. “This being said, I would like to emphasize that Israel will not deliver weapon systems to Ukraine due to a variety of operational considerations. We will continue to support Ukraine within our limitations, as we have done in the past,” he said. “We have sent a request to the Ukrainians to share information about their needs for air defense alerts. Once we gain this information, we will be able to assist in the development of a life-saving civilian early-warning system,” Gantz added. (TOI / VFI News)
IRAN BLASTS WARMING SAUDI RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL: A top Iranian general warned Saudi Arabia Thursday, October 20, against ‘relying’ on Israel, claiming that the Jewish state “is collapsing” and will lead to disaster for the Saudi royal family.
Major General Hossein Salami, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, was quoted by the country’s semi-official outlet as warning the Al-Saud dynasty of Saudi Arabia against developing Riyadh’s relationship with Jerusalem. “This is our warning. Your house is that of a spider. You are relying on an Israel which is collapsing, and this will be the end of your era,” Salami said during an address at the Qom Islamic Seminary Thursday. Salami also demanded that the US and UK end their sanctions against Tehran, and threatened reprisals for any possible attack. “Whatever move you make against the Iranian nation, you will receive blows several times harder.” The general condemned the ongoing protests, launched in the wake of the death of a woman, Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by modesty police last month, blaming the demonstrations on Iran’s foes overseas. (INN / VFI News)
OVER 350 ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS OCCURRED ON US COLLEGE CAMPUSES LAST SCHOOL YEAR: A total of 359 anti-Semitic incidents took place on U.S. college campuses during the 2021-22 academic year, according to a report released by the Anti-Defamation League.
The ADL’s Campus Report documented instances of accusations or “genocide” and “ethnic genocide” levied against Israel, as well as the “ostracizing of Jewish students from campus organizations because of their assumed support for Israel or Zionism.” Among the incidents, there were 165 protests/actions, 143 anti-Israel events, 20 BDS resolutions and referendums, 11 incidents of vandalism, nine instances of targeted verbal and/or written harassment, and one physical assault. In response to the large number of incidents, the ADL announced that it would be “broadening its educational and programmatic investment on campus, including the launch of an expanded online resource to support students and combat anti-Semitism on campus.” The report provided information about the sources of funding for the student clubs responsible for many of the incidents, including Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. While most funds come from student activity fees, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund funds JVP, and Westchester Peace Action Coalition sponsors SJP. (I365N / VFI News)
CAN ISRAEL’S MARINE AGRICULTURE FEED THE WORLD’S FUTURE?: On Wednesday, October 19, the agriculture ministers of Israel and Bahrain signed a first-of-its-kind joint declaration for the promotion and expansion of cooperation between the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain in the fields of agriculture, livestock and food security.
Also agreed upon were the mutual sharing of knowledge, technology and diverse products to expand agricultural products and improve their production quality. “The issue of global food security is occupying us constantly – not only us, but the world. One of the solutions, in our point of view, is the production of food from the sea.” Director General of the Agriculture Ministry Naama Kaufman Fass said. The signing took place during the world’s first Sea the Future summit: an Eilat-based event that gathered aquaculture start-ups from throughout Israel, along with investors, ministers and other representatives from 25 countries to address the impending issue of global food security in the face of climate change, population growth and decreasing fertile areas for agricultural development. (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
