Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that he would not shy away from a clash with the US as part of his efforts to counter Iran’s nuclear program to ensure Israel’s survival.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony for newly appointed Mossad chief David Barnea, Netanyahu vowed that “Israel will deny Iran nuclear weapons” even if that complicates its relations with “our greatest friend: the United States.”
According to Netanyahu, Israel might have to ultimately choose between “friction with the US and removing an existential threat” and it will choose the latter, which he said was constantly growing, but he added that he hoped Israel would not have to make that choice.
Netanyahu added: “The greatest threat we face is the existential threat created by Iran’s attempts to get nuclear weapons. This could be in the form of threatening us – a small and clustered country – with annihilation, or with tens of thousands of missiles that would get a nuclear umbrella. This could pose a threat to the Zionist enterprise and we must counter this without stopping.”
Netanyahu certainly has Israel’s most pressing issue at the top of the list. We applaud him for holding firm in assuring that Iran NEVER gets nuclear weapons.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Tuesday for meetings with the country’s leadership. The declared mission of the meeting was to “support their efforts to solidify a ceasefire” following the end of Operation Guardian of the Walls.
This is Blinken’s first visit to the Jewish state since taking office as the US’ top diplomat.
He met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu warned Blinken that Israel “will give meaning to our commitment to our self-defense if Hamas breaks the calm and attacks Israel. Our response will be very powerful.” On Iran, he expressed hope that the US “will not go back to the old JCPOA, because we believe that deal paves the way for Iran to have an arsenal of nuclear weapons with international legitimacy. Whatever happens, Israel will always reserve the right to defend itself against a regime committed to our destruction, committed to getting the weapons of mass destruction for that end.”
Additionally, Netanyahu said that “there could be a situation in which our paramount goal – ensuring that the ayatollahs do not put a stop to the existence of the Jewish people, which has continued for thousands of years – will require us to make courageous and independent decisions. The State of Israel will not allow Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons.”
“In any case, with or without an agreement [between the US and Iran], we will do everything to prevent Iran from arming itself with nuclear weapons and this is because it concerns our existence,” he underscored.
Israel and the US have common goals of peace, security, and prosperity. We know Israel’s plan is based on Sovereignty and security of the country. However, the way in which the US intends to accomplish these goals is dangerous for all concerned. We are secure knowing that Netanyahu holds firm to his commitment that Iran never obtains nuclear weapons. Unfortunately, we know the US is delirious to get Iran back into the “deal.”
Blinken underscored that “Biden made crystal clear throughout the violence that the US fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks such as Hamas firing rockets indiscriminately against civilians.” That’s a very nice statement, but the root of the problem is that Iran must cease funding Hamas. We wanted to hear Blinken condemn all of this. Why didn’t he?
We know the current US administration fully understands that Iran is the problem. They’ll never admit it though. What exactly buddying up to Iran – the #1 state sponsor of terror – holds for US politicians may seem like a mystery to some. The moment of clarity is when you understand that using anti-Semitism for their selfish agendas and power grabs are the reason. All of this is deeply alarming especially in light of the chilling rise of anti-Semitism in the US – most recently the attacks on the streets of US cities. With the in-your-face and unapologetic displays of a growing anti-Semitic US Congress, and the weak Biden “leadership” and his puppeteers, we remain concerned for the safety of Israel and the Jewish people.
A measure in the US Senate would require the Biden administration to obtain congressional approval before inking a deal with Iran. This is according to a copy of the draft amendment obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
The amendment would establish a significant roadblock in the Biden administration’s bid to reenter the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. The Republican-backed amendment would prevent the Biden administration from signing any new deal without Senate approval.
With the body divided along party lines, it is likely the amendment will be broadly supported by the GOP and opposed by Democrats.
AFSI thanks the GOP for introducing this critically needed amendment. Spearheading the amendment is Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and its co-sponsors James Risch (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and John Barrasso (R-WY). We pray the Senate’s initiative will successfully block Biden’s dangerous liaison with Iran.
Please take a moment to contact these legislators to thank and support them for their introduction of this amendment to block Biden from re-entering the Iran deal! Each Senator’s name is linked to their contact information.
During the 11 days of the IDF’s counterterrorism Operation Guardian of the Walls, Gaza-based Hamas launched some 4,360 rockets toward the State of Israel, of which about 3,400 crossed into Israel, about 680 fell in the Gaza Strip, and about 280 fell into the sea.
About 90% of the rockets fired into Israel were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. 12 Israelis were killed by the attacks or while running for shelter.
The IDF attacked some 1,500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror targets in the Gaza Strip.
These targets included Hamas’ Metro underground city strategic project. About 100 km of tunnels were destroyed.
25 senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad senior commanders were killed, as well as over 200 additional terrorists.
About 340 launch pits were bombed, as well as 70 multi-barreled launchers and 35 mortar launchers.
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) also hit five banks dealing in terrorist funds, and nine high-rise buildings used as a terrorist infrastructure.
The IDF thwarted Hamas’ attempts to launch cross-border raids, hit dozens of anti-tank squads, and prevented a paragliders attack.
The IDF crowned its achievements as “significant,” stating “some of which are unprecedented.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Friday after the ceasefire came into effect that “Israel didn’t initiate this conflict. We were attacked in an unprovoked manner by the Hamas terrorist organization that fired four thousand rockets into our capital and into our cities. No country will sit aside when it’s attacked in such a criminal fashion. Israel is no different.”
As was expected, the UN Security Council failed to mention and condemn Hamas in any way. Israel continues to remain on high alert so it can be prepared for any scenario in order to defend its Sovereignty and legal rights. AFSI hopes for (but does not necessarily expect) a lasting ceasefire and, as much as possible, a return to normal life for the Israeli people.
Thousands gathered on Sunday for a pro-Israel rally in New York in response to Operation Guardian of the Walls and a series of anti-Semitic attacks on Israeli and Jewish American communities in the United States.
The demonstration, “United Against Antisemitism. United Against Terror. United for Us,” took place at Ground Zero as well as 14 other cities across the US, among them Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, Austin, Denver, Houston, and more. It was organized by the Israeli American Council together with 100 other Jewish community organizations.
The World Trade Center site in downtown New York was chosen because it is a symbol of America’s resilience in the face of terrorism and hatred.
Despite recent displays of Arab hatred perpetrated against Jews on the streets of New York City, California, Florida, and other states, AFSI applauds the Jewish community and its friends for showing up in strong numbers to let the enemy know we all stand strong with Israel and the Jewish people.
Israel’s three most senior cabinet members – PM Benjamin Netanyahu, DM Benny Gantz, FM Gabi Ashkenazi – spoke with US counterparts.
The latest flare-up in violence between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and Israel might be drawing down, after a night of reduced rocket fire – approximately 70 in the 12 hours from 7:00pm to 7:00am according to the Israel Defense Forces.
The military said that at least 10 rockets fell inside Gaza and that the Iron Dome missile defense system maintained its success rate of downing 90 percent of the rockets fired at Israel.
Despite Biden’s call for a ceasefire, Netanyahu has stated that the operation would take as long as it needed to degrade the ability of Hamas to attack Israel. Israel doesn’t need Biden or his Israel bashing staff budding in, especially when they are so desperate to stay cozy with Iran.
Why is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu behaving the way that he is during Israel’s latest crisis? There is no doubt that Netanyahu is showing the influence of and ideological compass of his father, Benzion Netanyahu. Benzion was a disciple of Ze’ev Jabotinsky.
“It is an excellent rule to begin an article with the most important point, but this time, I find it necessary to begin with an introduction, and, moreover, with a personal introduction.
I am reputed to be an enemy of the Arabs, who wants to have them ejected from Palestine, and so forth. It is not true.
Emotionally, my attitude to the Arabs is the same as to all other nations – polite indifference. Politically, my attitude is determined by two principles. First of all, I consider it utterly impossible to eject the Arabs from Palestine. There will always be two nations in Palestine – which is good enough for me, provided the Jews become the majority. And secondly, I belong to the group that once drew up the Helsingfors Programme , the programme of national rights for all nationalities living in the same State. In drawing up that programme, we had in mind not only the Jews, but all nations everywhere, and its basis is equality of rights.
I am prepared to take an oath binding ourselves and our descendants that we shall never do anything contrary to the principle of equal rights, and that we shall never try to eject anyone. This seems to me a fairly peaceful credo.
But it is quite another question whether it is always possible to realise a peaceful aim by peaceful means. For the answer to this question does not depend on our attitude to the Arabs, but entirely on the attitude of the Arabs to us and to Zionism.
Now, after this introduction, we may proceed to the subject.
At least 10 synagogues were attacked and burned in the past week of Muslim riots across the country while 28 mosques were exposed as weapons storage sites, the data show.
Data from the Central District of Fire and Rescue show that from last Tuesday, 10 synagogues and government institutions in the city of Lod in the center of the country have been set on fire. No mosques were attacked or burned.
The data also show that 28 mosques were exposed as weapons caches, where rocks and Molotov cocktails were prepared and stored.
Similarly, 22 Muslim prayer houses were documented being used to incite riots against Jews.
112 Jewish homes have so far been burned in Muslim riots, compared to one house of an Arab family in Jaffa, which turned out to have been set on fire by Arabs.
No looted Arab homes have been reported so far while 386 looted Jewish homes were documented.
A total of 673 Jewish homes were vandalized and 12 Arab homes were damaged.
849 Jewish-owned cars were set on fire, as opposed to 13 Arab-owned cars.
Conversely, Jews who used weapons in self-defense were arrested by the police, while so far, no Arabs were arrested for the use of firearms, despite the injury of several Jews in shooting incidents.
Over 5,000 incidents of rock-throwing at Jews were recorded, as opposed to 41 such attacks on Arabs.
The terror attacks against Israel have not let up and Israel’s defense forces continue to strike back hard to rout out the terrorists determined to wipe Israel off the map.
Israel uses phone calls and roof-knock munitions to evacuate Gazans ahead of airstrikes. “We select warheads with the necessary lethality to hit those who need to be hit and to reduce the impact on others,” Israeli official explains.
The building watchman spoke on his mobile intently, pacing up and down a quiet street in the Gaza Strip. In video footage caught by an onlooker, Jamal Nasman showed no panic. Yet what he was hearing was deadly serious.
He later told Reuters an Israeli officer had been giving him advance warning that the 13-story block he looked after would be the target of an airstrike. Israel said Hamas terrorists used the building.
Amid the fiercest escalation in fighting between Israelis and Palestinians since 2014, this is what Nasman said in last Tuesday’s call: “How much time do you want?” Nasman stops to listen. “Two or three hours? You said two or three hours, and then no one should be there?” Pause. “So I’ll go to the block and say no one should come?”
This is what the majority of the pathetic media refuses to tell you. They only report on Israel as the “apartheid’ state, the “aggressor,” the targeted “killer of the Palestinian people.” Let’s not forget that a certain percentage of anti-Semitic, Israel hating Democrats in Congress believe this garbage too. Thankfully, we know better.
7 ISRAELIS DEAD | DOZENS INJURED | OVER 1,600 ROCKETS FIRED AT CIVILIANS
Since our Monday newsletter earlier this week, Israel has experienced a relentless, non-stop barrage of terror attacks, incidents and disturbances that rapidly erupted, along with injuries – and unfortunately – loss of life.
What has transpired in Israel over the last few days is not terrorism – not just another bomb thrown, several rockets fired at Israel, or a stabbing attempt. The mainstream media outlets want you to believe that this is a “conflict” between Israelis and Palestinians or just Israel and Hamas “trading rockets.” And the Arab mobs inciting violence against Jews in Lod? The media calls it “civil war”, but truth says it’s a pogrom. What’s going on is an open WAR with the Arab goal of eliminating Israel. The TRUTH: this is now a show of force by Israel exercising her Sovereign and legal right to defend itself.
Americans For A Safe Israel mourns all those in Israel who have needlessly lost their lives during this reign of terror. We wish a Refuah Shlema to all those who have been injured and strength and comfort for the families and friends. We pray for the safety of millions of Israelis still at risk from rocket attacks who are forced to remain hiding in bomb shelters. We pray for the Israel Defense Forces and all of the Jewish Nation State’s security agencies that are working vigorously to protect and defend Israel.
The IDF continues to hurl significant blows to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip via five types of targets:
1. High-rise buildings belonging to the terrorist organizations in one way or another.
2. Hamas underground assets.
3. Elimination of senior officials.
4. Launch pits – the broad attack on the launch pits that started Tuesday night, was concluded Wednesday morning.
5. Activist homes – demolishing the homes belonging to terrorists who have gone underground, so that they come out of hiding homeless.
To date, the IDF has attacked more than 600 terrorist targets and destroyed most of the production line of Hamas and Islamic Jihad. The IDF and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) carried out a series of targeted killings of senior members of Hamas’ General Staff in Gaza City and Khan Yunis on Wednesday. Today, they destroyed Hamas’ internal security headquarters located in a 14-story building, as well as Hamas’ central bank.
We hear that Hamas was surprised by the intensity of the attacks from Israel this time around. Israel’s usual position of restraint seems to have taken a back seat. Israel has refused a ceasefire. The IDF has unleashed a show of full force to defend Israel’s Sovereignty and protect its people.
Just today, the IDF has called up 9,000 reservists and leaves of active combat units have been suspended. The IDF chief has requested an additional 2,000 reserves.
The situation is not slowing down and is getting worse. AFSI is not sure what is on the horizon, but we do know that Israel is facing very difficult days ahead The Israeli people are anxious, traumatized, and exhausted from several straight nights of running to and remaining for an unknown period of time in bomb shelters for their safety. They are fearful for the mental well-being of their children. “The children” means not just little kids terrified at the sound of sirens and being displaced underground from the security they know as home. It also means Israel’s other “children” – those who serve in Israel’s armed forces for the sole purpose of keeping Israel SAFE.
Americans For A Safe Israel stands with Israel and prays for a speedy end and lasting resolution to this vicious effort to wipe out the Jewish Nation State. We believe that it is time to pull out the stops and fight back with everything she has. As always we pray for peace and better days ahead for all of Am Yisrael.
Let’s stand strong together with Israel and pray for her with all our heart and soul.
The photo above shows fires set by Arabs in Lod and is courtesy of Tazpit Press Service/TPS. TPS has published a photo timeline of the violence – Click HERE.
The Innocent Victims of Terror Photos courtesy of the Israel Defense Forces
During a barrage of rockets from Gaza into central Israel, Israeli newbies in the maternity ward were taken from their cribs and held by their fathers in a fortified hallway while rockets rained over the hospital.
“I just put my baby to sleep when the sirens sounded. This evening I was terrified and cried because I was afraid for her life. We don’t have a bomb shelter in our apartment or even in the building. I was so shocked that I took her and ran outside without my phone or shoes.” Corrin spent the evening holding her baby daughter tight and continuously reassuring her as rockets were fired relentlessly over Tel Aviv.
