Hamas faces a severe financial setback as it lacks cash to pay its members, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing Arab intelligence officials.

Israel’s discontinuing of humanitarian aid, which Hamas pilfered for monetary gains, and the IDF strikes targeting Hamas officials responsible for distributing funds have contributed to this trend, according to the officials.

Hamas also exploited the humanitarian aid to increase the flow of money, such as taxing merchants, collecting taxes, and using foreign cash to buy humanitarian aid, which was then sold in Gaza for a profit, according to Western, Israeli, and Arab officials, detailing the terror group’s financial web.

Funding is what has kept Hamas in business – the business of working toward its goal of destroying Israel. What a great day it will be to look forward to the time when the phrase “follow the money” no longer applies to Hamas. We trust that day will be very soon.

Source:
Hamas in financial crisis, unable to pay terrorists after Israel cuts Gaza aid – report, by Jerusalem Staff, April 17, 2025

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron following the latter’s announcement that he intends to recognize a Palestinian state and a meeting with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to discuss said recognition.

The Prime Minister’s Office wrote in a statement that “during the conversation, the Prime Minister expressed fierce opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state and said that this would constitute a huge prize for terrorism.”

The statement added: “The Prime Minister pointed out to the President of France that to this day, no Palestinian body – including those of the Palestinian Authority – has condemned the October 7th massacre; and that in the Palestinian Authority, the children are educated to destroy Israel, and the murderers of Jews are awarded monetary prizes.

“The Prime Minister told the President of France that a Palestinian state that would be established just a few minutes from Israeli cities would become an Iranian stronghold of terrorism; that the vast majority of the Israeli public opposes that categorically – and that this has also been the Prime Minister’s consistent and longstanding policy.”

France’s position may be good for Macron but is wrong for Israel. Even after the October 7 massacre in Israel Macron still lives in a world of delusion and self-serving political ideals. He has no understanding of, or concern for the true intention of the mental state of the PA Arabs – that is, to kill Jews and destroy Israel.

Source:
Netanyahu to President Macron: ‘A Palestinian state would be a huge prize for terrorism’, by Israel National News, April 15, 2025

The Trump administration has halted approximately $2.3 billion in federal funding allocated to Harvard University following the school’s refusal to comply with directives from the White House targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, Reuters reported.

According to an announcement on Monday from the US Department of Education, the decision encompasses a freeze on $2.2 billion in grant money, as well as $60 million in federal contracts previously designated for the Ivy League institution.

“Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges—that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” stated the department’s task force on combating antisemitism,” announced the US Department of Education.

While Harvard has not issued a detailed public response to the funding suspension, the dispute marks a significant escalation in tensions between the federal government and elite universities over the direction and governance of campus policies related to diversity and civil rights compliance.

Now, with no government funding, and Harvard stating no government should dictate to it what it can teach and who it can admit and hire, it will be interesting to see what lessons, if any, they learn from this. Will this storied Ivy League institution now become a haven for anti-Semitism and other forms of hatred? So far, they haven’t passed the test of understanding the fine line between free speech and hate.

Source:
Trump admin freezes $2.3 billion in Harvard funding, by Elad Benari/Israel National News, April 15, 2025

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded his diplomatic visit to Washington and made a statement before boarding his flight back to Israel.

In his statement, he said, “I am now completing my second visit to the US in two months. This was a very warm visit with my friend President Donald Trump. You could feel the great closeness and friendship between us, and it was expressed in the topics we discussed.”

The main topic of the talks was Iran: “We agree that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. This can be done by agreement, but only if that agreement is a Libyan-style agreement. When you come in, you blow up the facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under US supervision and with US implementation – that’s good. The second possibility is that it won’t be. Let them just drag out the talks, and then the option is military. Everyone understands this. We discussed this at length.”

Netanyahu’s visit comes just days after the Trump administration announced global tariffs that will affect nearly every U.S. trading partner, including Israel. The Prime Minister’s trip to DC was suddenly added to his travel schedule. We are hard pressed to believe that discussion of tariffs was the catalyst for this last minute visit. Once it was learned that Netanyahu was going to DC to meet with President Trump, rumors immediately began to swirl that the real purpose of his visit was to discuss the growing threat of Iran. Given that Netanyahu stated Iran was the main topic of the talks with President Trump and that it was discussed “at length” kind of says it all.

Source:
PM’s message after US trip: ‘Eliminating Hamas and Iran’s nuclear program’, by Israel National News, April 8, 2025

The deal the Trump Administration is attempting to reach with the Iranian government on Iran’s nuclear program would allow Iran to maintain a civilian nuclear program, i24NEWS reported Tuesday evening, citing a source familiar with the talks.

“Iran will be able to maintain a civilian nuclear program for electricity production, such as the reactor in Bushehr, even if it has to completely dismantle its nuclear [weapons] program,” the source stated.

The source added, “Trump said that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, military nuclear facilities no, but civilian nuclear yes. Therefore, even if the facilities that contain the centrifuges and enable uranium enrichment have to be destroyed, Iran will be able to retain a civilian nuclear program.”

On Monday, US President Donald Trump stated during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US will begin “direct talks” with Iran on Iran’s nuclear weapons program this weekend.

Whether or not Iran agrees to this new proposal will surely reveal what their true intentions are regarding their nuclear capabilities.

Source:
Report: US will allow Iran to keep civilian nuclear program, by Israel National News, April 8, 2025

The amount of terror attacks committed during this year’s Islamic festival of Ramadan was down 80% compared to last year.

Typically, Israel has seen an increase in terror attacks during the month-long holiday. In 2024, there were 54 attacks, compared to just three this year.

In a joint statement released by the Israel Defense Forces and security organization Shin Bet, credit was attributed to the increase of anti-terror operations in Judea and Samaria.

The announcement outlined: “During the month of Ramadan, the IDF, Shin Bet, and Border Police operated throughout the Central Command area to thwart terrorism while strengthening defensive efforts.

“As part of these operations, 401 wanted individuals were arrested, 13 terrorists were eliminated, and 105 weapons were confiscated.

“During last year’s Ramadan, 27 significant terrorist attacks originated from Judea and Samaria—22 in the Samaria region and five in the Judea region.

“Security forces continue to work to prevent terrorism throughout Judea and Samaria in order to maintain the security of Israeli citizens,” said Police Commissioner Dani Levi.

Source:
Significant Decrease in 2025 Ramadan Terror Attacks, by Crystal Jones/TPS, April 2, 2025

Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich conducted a tour of Judea and Samaria on Tuesday, closely monitoring ongoing efforts to address unauthorized Arab construction while advancing the development of Jewish communities.

During the tour, Minister Katz stated: “Judea and Samaria constitute the historical heartland of Israel. The recent Swords of Iron War has further underscored the strategic importance of ensuring the security of Jewish communities in these areas, which serve as a safeguard for the nation. The State of Israel will remain steadfast in protecting its citizens and will not permit Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority to employ unauthorized construction as a means to undermine Jewish communities.”

Finance Minister Smotrich echoed these sentiments, declaring: “Since 1967, there has not been such a significant revolt in Judea and Samaria. The Israeli government is committed to fostering the development of Jewish communities and will not permit the unchecked expansion of unauthorized Arab construction, which has proliferated in recent decades.”

In conclusion, Smotrich affirmed: “The Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria are entitled to the same security as all Israeli citizens. This region, the cradle of our national heritage and the land of the Bible, is an inseparable part of our identity. We are here to stay.”

We pray they will not only stop illegal land takeovers but will also reverse damage that has already been done in the biblical heartland.

Source:
‘Will not neglect safety of Jewish residents, PA will not control areas in Samaria, by Israel National News, April 1, 2025

Fifteen mayors of Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria have signed on to an initiative calling for a permanent Jewish presence at Joseph’s Tomb in the Samaria city of Shechem.

The initiative, led by Rabbi David Ben-Natan, has also received support from Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan and Zvi Sukkot, a former lawmaker for the Religious Zionism Party.

The local leaders are demanding that Jerusalem restore Jewish rule over Joseph’s Tomb, return the Od Yosef Chai Yeshivah to its initial location in the tomb’s compound and allow the general public to visit and pray.

Israel Ganz, who heads the Binyamin Regional Council and the Yesha Council umbrella group, said: “The return of the yeshivah to Joseph’s Tomb is not only a religious matter, but a step of historical justice.

Justice, justice you shall pursue! (Deuteronomy 16:20)

Source:
Judea and Samaria leaders urge government to restore Jewish presence at Joseph’s Tomb, by JNS Staff, March 31, 2025

Arab media reported overnight Monday that dozens were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younes, in southern Gaza. According to the Qatari Al-Jazeera network, Hamas is feeling increasingly threatened.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told the cabinet: “Regarding Hamas in Gaza – the military pressure is working. It is working because it is simultaneous: on the one hand, it is pounding Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, and on the other, it is creating the conditions for releasing our hostages. This is exactly what we are doing.

“Last night, the Security Cabinet convened and decided to increase the pressure, which was already increased, in order to further pound Hamas and create the optimal conditions for releasing our hostages.”

“We are committed to returning the hostages and we are working to return them. As of today, the combination of military and diplomatic pressure is the only thing that has returned the hostages and not any of the empty claims and slogans that I hear in the studios from the self-professed experts.”

Source:
Increased Military Pressure in Gaza Is Working, Hamas Begging ‘International Community’ for Help, by David Israel/Jewish Press, March 31, 2025

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sunday morning approved a bill proposed by MK Avichay Buaron, which stipulates that funds paid by the Palestinian Authority to terrorists or their families will be considered proof of endorsement of terrorist acts and will be deducted from the tax revenues that Israel transfers to the Authority.

The new law stipulates that payments made in memory of terrorists or to their families will be regarded as an action constituting “endorsement” of terrorist acts, thereby obligating the Palestinian Authority to compensate the State of Israel for damages caused by acts of terror.

The Lavi organization, which took part in drafting the bill, stated, “The Palestinian Authority incentivizes harm to Jews, and it’s time for the State of Israel to demand compensation for the severe damages to life and property. This is a necessary and important step toward justice and political accountability.”

If only monetary damages were enough to compensate for the terrible losses cased by terrorists. It is a step in the right direction.

Source:
The price of terror: Palestinian Authority to pay Israel for attacks, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, March 31, 2025