Rumors of War

May 8, 2018

“The chances of war in 2018 are growing… We are ready for war… The next war will be difficult and no simple matter. It will take between days and weeks, but in the end we will win.” —A senior IDF officer addressing military correspondents

 Rising Tensions in the North

“We are facing a new reality—the Lebanese army, in cooperation with Hezbollah, the Syrian army, the Shiite militias in Syria and above them Iran—are all becoming a single front against the State of Israel.”—Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman

“Darkness is descending on our region. Iran is building an aggressive empire: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, more to come. Now Iran is seeking to build permanent military bases in Syria, seeking to create a land bridge from Tartus, from Tehran to Tartus on the Mediterranean.

 And in addition to moving its army, its air force, its navy to Syria to be able to attack Israel from closer hand, it’s also seeking to develop, to build precision guided missile factories in Syria and Lebanon against Israel… I will not let that happen… We must stop Iran. We will stop Iran.”—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

“Iran has the capability to destroy Israel and given the excuse, Tel Aviv and Haifa will be razed to the ground.”—Ali Shirazi, liaison for Iran’s Supreme Leader on Holocaust Remembrance Day

Hezbollah “is stronger today and it has capabilities that can destroy the Israeli army.”—Mohammad Raad, member of Hezbollah’s Shura Council

“Our message to Russia is, you’re on the wrong side of history. Russia and Iran are on the wrong side of history. You’re known by the company you keep.”—US VP Mike Pence

“A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission accomplished!” —US President Donald Trump following a US-led coalition strike on Syrian chemical weapons facilities

“The American attack is an important signal to the axis of evil—Iran, Syria and Hezbollah… The use of chemical weapons crosses a red line that humanity can no longer tolerate.” —Yoav Gallant, member of Israel’s security cabinet

Violent Riots in the South

“Palestine and Jerusalem belong to us. We will… return to all of Palestine.”—Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas in Gaza

“Hamas has been working over the past few months—and with added vigor over the past few weeks—to turn the fence area into a warzone and terror zone. The violent riots in the vicinity are merely a pretext for attempts at carrying out attacks both above and below ground. Hamas continues to invest innumerable resurces in hopeless terror endeavors instead of investing in the welfare of the people of the Strip.”—IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis

 “This day, Jews will be behind stones, and the stones will speak, saying, ‘Come Muslims, and kill this Jew who is behind me.’” —A Muslim cleric, speaking at a riot location on the Gaza border, referencing a Koranic verse

“What the UN should be investigating is Hamas—its brutal terror attacks, calls for genocide of Jews, quest to destroy Israel and use of children as human shields.”—David Keyes, PM Netanyahu’s spokesperson

“We hope that our Palestinian brothers will not be dragged by Hamas’ terror plots, which will only harm the Palestinians. We must act for peace between the State of Israel and the Palestinians.”—A citizen from Iraq via Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arabic social media outlets

“There is no doubt that the Hamas terror organization is blocking any option for peace and is working to spread hatred and violence. Israel has internationally recognized sovereignty.” —A citizen from Saudi Arabia via Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arabic social media outlets

“The world must know about the harm Hamas does to the residents of Gaza and be neutral, instead of keeping quiet about Hamas’ conduct and pointing the finger at Israel alone.” —A citizen from Saudi Arabia via Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arabic social media outlets

Strong Allies

“Best wishes to Prime Minister @Netanyahu and all of the people of Israel on the 70th Anniversary of your Great Independence. We have no better friends anywhere. Looking forward to moving our Embassy to Jerusalem…!”—US President Trump on Israel’s Independence Day via Twitter

  “We value the relationships we have with our IDF counterparts. We will continue to work alongside them to promote stability throughout the region, not only for the purposes of this exercise, but in the event of any real-world contingency.”—US Army General Curtis Scaparrotti, commander for US European Command during a joint exercise between Israel and the US

“Today, together, we are writing a new chapter in our common story, a story of freedom, of justice, of peace, of hope. And it is because we are inspired by the same ideas, because we are animated by the same values that America and Israel have forged an eternal bond that can never ever be broken. God bless Israel. God bless America. And God bless the Israel-America alliance.”—PM Netanyahu speaking at AIPAC

New Alliances?

“Because of the growing danger of Iran, more and more, I would say virtually all the Arab countries, no longer see Israel as their enemy, but as their vital ally in countering the threat of militant Islam.”—PM Netanyahu addressing the Economic Club of Washington

 “I believe that each people, anywhere, has a right to live in their peaceful nation. I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land… Our country doesn’t have a problem with Jews.”—Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

“In recent years, a noticeable shift has taken place between Israel and the Sunni Arab world: the scope of common interests between them has widened, and they have found themselves successfully cooperating on a number of strategically important issues, such as security, energy, and the sharing of natural resources.”—Moshe Yaalon and Leehe Friedman in “Israel and the Arab States: A Historic Opportunity to Normalize Relations?”

Source: See individual quotes