Based on President Trump’s tweets, publicized policies (i.e. gutting everything but the military) and choices for appointed positions, it’s hard to believe anything positive is actually happening in Washington; however, if you read the MEMRI report on Russia “Abandoning” Iran, what’s changing at the UN, or IPT’s report on finally getting some help for that former CIA agent in Portugal, it makes you wonder. Is it all a ploy to baffle us with bullshit? Why obfuscate the good stuff? 

 

To anyone in New York this weekend: The Metropolitan Republican Club is hosting a preview of Clarion Project's documentary "Faithkeepers The Movie." Click here for more details.

 

Iranian Official Boasts of "Guerilla Movement" within the U.S. - Candice Malcolm (Toronto Sun-Canada)

 

Freed Jordanian Who Killed 7 Israeli Girls Shows No Remorse - Omar Akour (AP-Washington Post)

Partners for Peace?

Fatah: Kill 37 Israelis, become a role model for Palestinian women - Nan Jacques Zilberdik  (PMW)

Palestinian Marchers Seek Abbas Resignation over Israel Ties- Mohammed Dareghmeh  (McClatchy) ... criticizing his security coordination with Israel.  

Palestinian Children Pretend to Execute Israeli Soldier - as Teachers at Schools Funded by UK Tell Pupils that Terrorists Are Heroes - Ian Birrell  (Mail on Sunday-UK) 

The PA-EU Plan to Seize Land between Jerusalem and Jericho - Josh Hasten  (Jerusalem Post)
How Hamas is Winning Hearts and Minds in Europe - Avi Issacharoff  (Times of Israel)

 

Russia appears to deploy forces in Egypt, eyes on Libya role - Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Lin Noueihed (Reuters) 

Is Russia Abandoning Iran in Syria? - Yigal Carmon, A. Savyon and Anna Mahjar-Barducci (MEMRI) Iran currently feels that Russia is abandoning it in favor of other vital interests, such as reaching understandings with the U.S. to promote the lifting of sanctions, and with Turkey as its senior regional partner.  High-ranking American-Russian coordination (ostensibly for the purpose of defeating ISIS) is taking place at a time when the Trump administration, which is known for its anti-Iranian regime stance, is organizing the Gulf states and other Arab countries into what the Arab media refers to as an "Arab NATO" against Iran.

 

The South African Who Doesn’t Know What Apartheid Is - Daniel Pomerantz (Times of Israel)

 

Islamic nations use debate on freedom of religion to attack LGBT rights - (UN Watch)

US demands UN pull report accusing Israel of apartheid (Times of Israel)

Secretary of State Tillerson to UN Rights Council: Reform or We're Leaving - Colum Lynch and John Hudson (Foreign Policy)

Ex-CIA Officer's Case Shows How to Get Things Done in D.C.  (IPT News) Team Trump worked with their Portuguese and Italian counterparts to secure DeSousa's freedom – a stark contrast with the Obama administration.