Something Happening Here – News Brief from the Levant

This originally appeared at Jewschool

Explosions
Currently, Israel is engaged in a Gaza-Southern Israel back and forth of rockets and airstrikes. A teen was killed in a Golan Heights explosion originating from Syria and Israeli Forces are responding with fire on pro-Assad fighters.

Goals
Israel still hasn't found the 3 teenagers who are presumed kidnapped since they went missing on June 12th (though they have found other young people). Neither has anyone presented any evidence that it was, in fact, Hamas as the government claims.
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Israel has arrested around 350-400 Palestinians and killed 5, including a 15 year old and two in their 20’s. Israel has been raiding places from the North to the South of the West Bank, including Area A, which Is supposed to be under Palestinian security. According to the Israel government the mission has one goal: Find the teenagers and weaken Hamas.

Wait, that’s two goals. Why do they keep calling it one goal?

“Diplomacy”
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of Israel is threatening to kick out the top UN official in Jerusalem who was accused of passing funds from Qatar to the Hamas government in Gaza.

PA president Abbas has condemned the kidnapping and sent is cooperating on security in helping to search for the missing teens, and called on Netanyahu to send condolences back for the Palestinians killed in Operation Brother’s Keeper. So far, Netanyahu has not reciprocated.

Asylum 
And 2300 African asylum seekers remain held in Holot Desert Prison, but not quietly.

Update
It was rightly pointed out that the the destruction of Bedouin communities such as Al Arakib ought to be thought of as part of the "same wave of violence".