Diplomatic agreements may lead to Israel-Iran escalation, former Navy commander warns

Diplomatic agreements may lead to Israel-Iran escalation, former Navy commander warns

JP

Israel must prepare for repeated rounds of fighting with Iran, former Navy commander Maj. Gen. (res.) Eliezer Marom warned in an interview with 103FM on Monday.

According to Marom, the Middle East has entered a new phase in which diplomatic agreements do not necessarily create stability, and may even lead to escalation.

Marom opened with a direct reference to the Iranian threat and the implications of emerging agreements.

"We are in a long war with Iran, and Israel needs to prepare every few months for an operation or war with Iran that will last several days or weeks. If the agreement is signed, we need to understand that and prepare for it," the former senior officer warned.

During the interview, he analyzed the emerging ceasefire agreement and its regional significance for Israel, and sharply criticized the conduct of Israel’s political leadership.

"The inner circle around the prime minister does not exist. One person is making decisions, and here even Ron Dermer, who understands America and did good things with this administration, simply left and went," he said. "He should be called up for reserve duty."

Marom also addressed diplomatic moves surrounding Lebanon, saying Israel should move diplomatically and do so quickly.

"President Trump, in what he signed last night, is approving Iran's conquest of Lebanon. Do you understand that? He is now signing an agreement with the Iranians about Lebanon. The president of Lebanon should be offended by this, and all the leaders in the Middle East who are listening to this, Sisi, Erdogan, and bin Salman, should understand that this is a bad agreement."

He later added that he sees a preferable diplomatic alternative. "The IDF recommended doing this earlier; let's move quickly toward an agreement on Lebanon, and along the way thwart Iran's taking over Lebanon. The only thing that can be done diplomatically right now is to close an agreement with the Lebanese and say that once the Lebanese Army is strong enough, we will give southern Lebanon back to it. President Aoun accepts this, and we need to move along this path," Marom said.

When asked about the possibility of escalation, he answered firmly: "And what will happen if Iran responds to every Israeli action on Lebanese soil?" "Then let there be missiles, please. This agreement is bad for us in any case. If they want to return to fighting? I hate to say it, but from Israel's perspective, this is a preferable alternative," Marom said.

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Vance slams Israeli ‘freakout’ over Iran deal, says Trump only world leader who still likes Israel

Vance slams Israeli ‘freakout’ over Iran deal, says Trump only world leader who still likes Israel

ToI Staff

US Vice President JD Vance castigated Israeli officials on Thursday for not backing the US’s nuclear deal with Iran, accusing far-right cabinet ministers of lacking appreciation for American support, as he made the case for the newly signed memorandum of understanding at a White House press briefing.

“You have seen people within Bibi’s cabinet, who have come out and attacked the deal, and in some ways very personally attacked the president of the United States,” he told reporters, using a nickname for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he exempted from his explicit ire.

“Number one, Donald J. Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time. And he happens to be the head of state of the world’s superpower,” Vance said.

“If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world.”

“The other thing that I would say is that over the last three months, two thirds of the defensive weapons that have protected your homeland, have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars,” he said.

“The problem for Israel is not Donald J. Trump. And anybody in Israel who thinks their biggest problem is the president of the United States needs to wake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in,” Vance concluded.

Vance’s comments referred to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, far-right partners of Netanyahu who have both called for Israel to disregard the terms of the deal, describing it as a danger to the country’s security.

Earlier, Vance told The New York Times that he found “this whole freakout in Israel a little bit odd,” suggesting that concern over the deal came from unjustified mistrust of the US.

“It’s clear that large segments of the Israeli political system and population are very sensitive about this deal,” he said. “But I also think they’re picking up on some misinformation about the deal and running with it and sort of panicking about it.”

Asked how he’d respond to the ministers, Vance said: “I guess my response to them would be: What is your exact proposal? You’re a country of nine million people. You can’t just kill your way out of solving every single national security problem that you have.”

With the deal in effect, Tehran obtained large-scale economic relief and agreed in principle to a subsequent dilution of its enriched uranium.

However, the MOU did not resolve any of the war goals declared by the US and Israel following their joint strikes that kicked off the war in February. Rather, it pushed off discussion of Iran’s nuclear program and other core issues to a 60-day negotiation period, which Vance said began on Thursday.

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The Long Tradition of Wealth-Extracting Socialists

The Long Tradition of Wealth-Extracting Socialists

Emmanuel Rincon

For centuries, some of the most prominent advocates of socialism have spent their lives condemning the accumulation of wealth while privately amassing fortunes of their own. In many cases, they have even used revolutionary rhetoric as a vehicle to gain power and extract wealth from productive sectors of society.

From Karl Marx to Vladimir Lenin, from Fidel Castro to Hugo Chávez, many of these figures denounced private wealth and entrepreneurship, despite the fact that few, if any, lived according to the austere principles they publicly promoted. Instead, many enjoyed lives marked by privilege, luxury and the very economic advantages they claimed to despise.

This pattern is not confined to communist regimes. In the United States, self-described socialists have often criticised wealth accumulation – until they themselves became wealthy. Senator Bernie Sanders is among the most notable examples. For years, Sanders condemned millionaires and argued that extreme wealth accumulation was immoral. Yet after purchasing multiple homes and earning millions of dollars through book sales criticising capitalism, his rhetoric shifted largely toward attacking billionaires instead.

Today, the methods have changed, but the underlying dynamic remains the same. In the past, activists and political leaders gathered in public squares to proclaim that society’s problems could be solved by restricting wealth accumulation and redistributing resources. In the digital era, many of these same ideas are promoted through livestreams, podcasts and social media platforms to audiences far larger than those of previous generations, while simultaneously generating substantial personal income through monetised content.

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Anti-Christian Hate Crimes Are Surging Across Europe—And The Warning Signs Are Also Flashing In America

Anti-Christian Hate Crimes Are Surging Across Europe—And The Warning Signs Are Also Flashing In America

Decision Magazine

Anti-Christian hate crimes are surging across Europe—and the warning signs are flashing in America too.

The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) released its May 2026 monthly analysis report, documenting a troubling spike in hostility. A total of “37 anti-Christian hate crimes targeting Christian places of worship, religious symbols, religious spaces, Christian institutions and Christian individuals” were recorded, marking an overall increase. 

The crimes included vandalism, desecration, physical violence, theft, incitement, vandalism paired with violence, disruption of worship, and arson-related attacks. “With 13 recorded arson-related incidents,” the report notes, “May represents the highest monthly figure recorded so far in 2026.” Though not exhaustive, the countries that bore the brunt of it included Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

OIDAC Europe details how “incidents affecting churches and Christian property whose anti-Christian bias could not be clearly established” were not included in the report, meaning the “statistical total” could be worse than presented. Over 27 additional thefts, 24 break-ins or attempted break-ins, 14 cases of vandalism, damage or graffiti, and nine fires are actively “under investigation or with unclear causes.”

In Greece alone, roughly 96% of “all recorded incidents” involved attacks related to religious sites in the country between 2024 and 2025, according to the May 2026 analysis.

“[A]nti-Christian hostility continues to extend beyond property damage,” OIDAC asserts. “[I]ncidents involving direct violence, intimidation, or serious danger to persons” are steadily becoming a “notable trend.”

For example, according to OIDAC Europe, “A Christian-run café in Leipzig had to close after its operators reported 26 attacks over a period of two and a half years, including repeated vandalism, graffiti attacks, damage caused by butyric acid, and other forms of harassment.” These attacks were allegedly “carried out by individuals associated with the far-left extremist scene and ultimately made the continued operation of the café financially impossible.”

The Barbara Chapel in Penzberg, Germany, was desecrated with “satanic graffiti.” A historic church bell tower was damaged in a shotgun attack in Greece, and Italy faced instances of graffiti that openly called for churches to be burned.

These aren’t abstract numbers, OIDAC Europe concludes, but vivid pictures of believers struggling to live out their faith without penalty. A café forced to shutter after relentless harassment. Worship disrupted by violence. These recorded cases reflect “a broader pattern repeatedly documented by OIDAC Europe in recent years, namely the pressure faced by Christian individuals and organisations that publicly uphold traditional Christian beliefs and values.”

And notably, this wave of hostility isn’t confined to Europe. Similar patterns are increasing sharply in the United States as well. 

According to the Family Research Council’s (FRC) own tracking of incidents against churches, the organization identified 1,384 acts of hostility toward U.S. churches between January 2018 and December 2024. Like in OIDAC Europe’s report, these attacks include vandalism, arson, bomb threats and other destructive acts that seek to intimidate faith communities.

FRC’s reports show a clear upward trend in attacks on houses of worship, with annual updates documenting accelerating incidents in recent years. Just as in Europe, these acts often target the physical spaces where Christians gather, while broader cultural pressures mount against those who hold to Biblical convictions on life, marriage and truth.

Bible passages to ponder amid rising hostility:

• Philippians 3:10
• Matthew 16:18
• John 16:33

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If America Empowers A Regime That Openly Calls For Israel’s Destruction...

If America Empowers A Regime That Openly Calls For Israel’s Destruction, There Will Be Significant Consequences

Brandon Holthaus

President Trump recently announced an agreement with Iran that pauses the current pressure campaign and reopens the Strait of Hormuz. While some view this as a diplomatic breakthrough, I believe it is a significant strategic error that could increase the vulnerability of both Israel and the United States.

The central question remains: What concessions has Iran made? Despite months of discussion about maximum pressure and Iran’s supposed weakening, these outcomes have not materialized. Instead, the United States has relaxed its stance, extended negotiations by sixty days, and presented this as a victory. I remain unconvinced.

This agreement resembles a temporary truce, historically known as an Islamic “hudna,” which allows them to feign peace while stalling to regroup and strengthen their position for future attacks. This pattern follows what Mohammed did with the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in AD 628 with the Quraysh tribe of Mecca. The treaty was intended to last ten years, but lasted less than two. During this period, Muhammad used the truce to regroup and strengthen his forces. He eventually broke the truce and conquered Mecca. The Iranian Regime has gained additional time, a key objective in past negotiations. The memorandum provides two more months for talks toward a broader agreement. President Trump has suggested Iran may be permitted to enrich uranium at low levels in the future. This raises serious concerns about Iran’s intentions, given its longstanding pursuit of nuclear capabilities.

Iran’s leadership, ideology, hostility toward Israel and the United States, sponsorship of terrorism, nuclear ambitions, and revolutionary vision for the Middle East remain unchanged. Given this continuity, it is unlikely that the outcome of negotiations will differ from previous efforts.

Historically, hostile regimes have used negotiations to gain time to regroup, rebuild, and strengthen alliances. The primary concern is not only Iran’s current actions, but also how it may leverage this additional time to enhance its position in the future.

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