police recommendations. But publicly, he is in an un­tenable situation. Public faith in him has been dealt a serious blow and a dark cloud is hanging over his head. There was a good reason why he and his col­leagues demanded that former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert resign when he found himself in a similar sit­uation.(…) The good of the country and the stability of the system, especially in the face of security and diplomatic challenges, demand that the state attorney and attorney general duo drop everything else and make an immediate decision in the cases involving the prime minister.(…) We need to step away from the keyboard and shut our mouths and let legal offi­cials do their work without disturbance, without being slandered, without delay, and most of all, without fear. Isaac Herzog, IHY, 15.02.18 2. Israelischer Kampfjet abgeschossen Die Angriffe der israelischen Luftwaffe auf Ziele in Syrien hätten„den iranischen und syrischen Truppen einen schweren Schlag versetzt“, kommentierte Israels Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanyahu den jüngsten Schlagabtausch im Norden. Gut ein Dutzend Bombenangriffe waren die israelischen Piloten geflogen. Dabei kamen, Berichten einer syrischen Menschenrechtsorganisation zufolge, sechs Menschen zu Tode, darunter angeblich auch iranische Kämpfer. Die syrische Luftabwehr hatte vorher einen israelischen F16-Kampfjet beschossen, der im Norden Israels zum Absturz kam. Die beiden Piloten konnten sich mit Fallschirmen retten. Auslöser der seit Jahrzehnten schwersten Auseinandersetzungen zwischen Israel und Syrien war eine iranische Drohne, die zuvor in israelisches Gebiet eingedrungen war. Das israelische Verteidigungsministerium ließ Raketenabwehr­systeme stationieren, für den Fall, dass der Konflikt eskalieren sollte. Seit Beginn des syrischen Bürgerkrieges achtet die Regierung in Jerusalem behutsam darauf, nicht in die Kämpfe hinein gezogen zu werden. Einzig Waffentransporte an die libanesisch-schiitische Terrororganisation Hisbollah werde man aufhalten. Israelische Kampfjets griffen über die vergangenen Jahre wiederholt solche Transporte an, ohne dass es zu ernsthaften Vergeltungsmaßnahmen von syrischer Seite kam. “Die Regeln haben sich nicht verändert”, verkündete Netanjahu am Sonntag. Israel werde„auch in Zukunft jeden angreifen, der uns Schaden zufügen will“. In Jerusalem wächst die Sorge, dass sich Tausende schiitische Kämpfer aus dem Iran, aus Pakistan und Afghanistan dauerhaft in Syrien niederlassen und von dort aus jederzeit neue Provokationen gegen den Judenstaat lancieren könnten. Geplant ist offenbar die Errichtung einer Rüstungsfabrik sowie Luft- und Marinebasen. Step back from the brink of war (…) the downing of an Iranian drone(…) was a legit­imate and necessary action.(…) This action and its outcome – which could have(…) dragged Israel into large-scale military action(…) – requires a reevalua­tion of the policy of response in particular, and the strategy guiding Israel in its conduct in the Syrian war in general.(…) isolated incidents have explosive po­tential and can lead to military action that might get out of hand.(…) Israel must steer very carefully be­tween its desire to thwart further Iranian involvement in Syria and the outcome that this desire might pro­duce.(…) A military initiative that stretches the limits of Russian“permission” might lead to its cancellation, or at least place Israel on a collision course with Rus­sia – the only country operating in Syria that is willing to take Israel’s interests into account. Israel recently delivered a series of very clear messages, according to which it is prepared to act military to stop the grow­ing threats against it in Syria and Lebanon. At the same time, it states it does not want war. The balance between these two strategies requires huge military caution, good judgment and increased restraint when feeling angry and vengeful. The brink of war is too close, and we must step back from it. Editorial, HAA, 11.02.18 Iran wants Putin to intervene Israel and Iran(…) took another step closer to all-out conflict.(…) It is difficult to exaggerate the severity of the Iranian threat.(…) there is a real wolf on our door­step whose intentions are clear: to entrench itself in Syria and open an active front against Israel.(…) it appears the ensuing airstrikes were not improvised. And yet, Israel will have a hard time summing the day up as a success: the downing of an F-16 is a victory for the radical axis fighting Israel.(…) Syria(…) is sure to stand a bit straighter now. The downing of the Israeli jet will provide a tailwind for the regime to con­tinue challenging Israeli activity in the name of pre­serving its sovereignty. In this regard, Israel has an­other reason to worry: Damascus(…) merged its in­terests with those of Iran, and declared(…) that at­tacking Iranian targets on its soil is no different than attacking Syrian targets.(…) it is now clear that the Iranians are firmly on our fences. Yoav Limor, IHY, 11.02.18 3