Author: AFSI Staff

The Israeli Cabinet approved a 1.3-billion- shekel ($434 million) plan to establish and develop dozens of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Tuesday.

“Together with [Settlements and National Missions] Minister Orit Strook, we formulated a decision that will enable the rapid establishment of communities through pioneer neighborhoods in the coming days, in parallel with the permanent development process of the communities.”

According to the Cabinet decision, which was adopted on June 14 and first published by Channel 12 News on Tuesday, the government will finance rapid initial construction consisting of prefabricated buildings, including up to 15 homes and two public buildings at each location.

AFSI Insight
AFSI welcomes the Israeli Cabinet’s approval of a $434 million investment plan to strengthen communities throughout Judea and Samaria, viewing it as a major step toward securing Israel’s biblical heartland. We believe that building homes, schools, roads, and public infrastructure is the strongest response to those who seek to weaken Israel’s historic and legal claims to the region. Rather than temporary measures, AFSI sees this investment as reinforcing permanent Jewish presence and advancing Israeli sovereignty. AFSI urges the government to continue translating words into action by expanding communities, supporting residents, and ensuring that Judea and Samaria remain an inseparable part of the State of Israel.

Source:
Israeli Cabinet OKs $434 million plan for building, developing Judea and Samaria towns, by JNS Staff, July 15, 2026

The Government on Tuesday approved the proposal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar to establish a new program called ‘Masa Diplomacy,” a dedicated track within the ‘Masa’ project aimed at equipping young Jewish people from the Diaspora with the tools to advocate for the State of Israel in the international arena.

The launch of the program comes against the backdrop of unprecedented challenges facing Israel in the international sphere, including the rise of anti-Semitism, delegitimization, and the spread of disinformation. The program will provide its participants with knowledge, tools, and skills in the fields of advocacy, public diplomacy, and addressing the challenges of international discourse, alongside strengthening their connection to the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

AFSI Insight
Israel’s decision to launch the Masa Diplomacy program is a welcome acknowledgment that the battle for Israel’s future is being fought not only on the battlefield, but in the arena of public opinion. By training young Diaspora Jews to become informed advocates, Israel is investing in a new generation that can challenge the flood of misinformation, anti-Semitism, and anti-Israel propaganda spreading across campuses, social media, and international institutions. The program aims to strengthen Israel’s global public diplomacy through young Jewish leaders.

AFSI believes this initiative is an important step, but it must be accompanied by a clear and unapologetic presentation of Israel’s historic, legal, and biblical rights to the Land of Israel—including Judea and Samaria. Effective advocacy is rooted in truth, not political expediency. The world must hear Israel’s case from knowledgeable voices who are prepared to confront false narratives with facts, conviction, and moral clarity.

Source:
Facing global hate, Israel launches new public diplomacy program, by Israel National News, July 14, 2026

Channel 14 journalist Tal Meir recently quoted Yair Golan as saying that if his political camp returns to power, it will “prevent further annexation, fight Jewish terrorism, and evacuate the farms and outposts.”

Whether or not these statements are ever carried out, they remind us of a simple truth: as long as Israeli sovereignty has not been applied, the future of the communities in Judea and Samaria remains vulnerable to the outcome of every election.

Over the past four years, new communities have been established, farms have been built, roads have been paved, and enormous resources have been invested in developing Judea and Samaria.

Yet as long as the legal status of the region remains unresolved, every change of government can reopen the debate over their future. This is precisely why sovereignty matters.

AFSI Insight
The growing network of Jewish farms throughout Judea and Samaria has become a strategic frontline in securing Israel’s heartland, but these communities are increasingly under political and legal attack. As Yehudit Katzover and Nadia Matar argue, efforts to dismantle farms and communities would reverse years of pioneering settlement and weaken Israel’s hold on vital territory. Rather than retreating under international pressure, Israel should seize this moment to apply sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, ensuring permanent protection for these communities and ending the uncertainty created by temporary military administration. Sovereignty is presented not only as a historic right but as the essential safeguard for Israel’s security, agriculture, and future in its ancestral homeland.

Source:
The Farms Are Under Threat – Now Is the Time for Sovereignty, by Yehudit Katzover and Nadia Matar/The Jewish Edition, July 13, 2026

Cabinet Minister Orit Strock outlined to Arutz Sheva – Israel National News her vision for expanding Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, calling for future settlement efforts to extend into Areas A and B as well as Area C.

According to Strock, the current government has reversed the damage caused by the Oslo Accords and the 2005 Disengagement in Area C, but this is only the first stage of the process.

“The entire Land of Israel is ours – not only Area C, but also Areas B and A,” Strock said. “There are 1.3 million dunams of land that are free of any settlement, and we need to take them because they are ours. We need to move into Area A.”

AFSI Insight
Housing and Settlements Minister Orit Strock’s call to expand Jewish building into Areas A and B of Judea and Samaria reflects the growing recognition that the Oslo framework has failed to bring peace or security. AFSI has long maintained that dividing Israel’s biblical heartland created dangerous security realities while undermining Israel’s historic and legal rights.

Strengthening Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria is essential to Israel’s security, defensive depth, and national future. AFSI supports policies that replace failed temporary arrangements with lasting Israeli sovereignty and a stronger Jewish presence in the heartland.

Source:
Strock urges: Settle Areas A and B of Judea and Samaria, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, July 13, 2026

Giv’at Ze’ev was officially granted city status on Sunday, ending decades as a local council after the declaration was signed by Central Command Commander Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth. The move followed extensive work by professional teams from the Defense Ministry’s Settlement Directorate and the Interior Ministry.

Home to more than 35,000 residents, Giv’at Ze’ev is expected to benefit from expanded municipal authority and planning capabilities. Mayor Yossi Asraf hailed the decision as “a historic moment for Giv’at Ze’ev,” calling it “an enormous boost” for the Jerusalem area. He said the new status would strengthen the municipality’s ability to provide services, promote development, and address the needs of its growing population.

AFSI Insight
AFSI welcomes the designation of Givat Ze’ev as the fifth city in Judea and Samaria, and sees it as another important step in strengthening Israel’s presence in its ancestral homeland. This recognition reflects the community’s growth and permanence while reinforcing the reality that Judea and Samaria are vital to Israel’s security and future.

AFSI applauds Israeli leaders for taking another concrete step that advances sovereignty. AFSI believes this progress should continue with policies that strengthen infrastructure, housing, security, and legal recognition for all Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria. Rather than retreating from its ancestral homeland, Israel must continue to build, develop, and secure it for future generations.

Source:
Givat Ze’ev declared the fifth city in Judea and Samaria, by Israel National News, July 12, 2026

The government approved on Sunday the allocation of approximately NIS 27 million to develop and construct hotels in Judea and Samaria to promote tourism in the area.

The stated goal of the initiative is to build hotels to transform this region from a “day-trip destination” into a destination for overnight stays, allowing tourists to extend their visits.

The government also plans that the initiative will boost the local economy by increasing tourism. According to the Tourism Ministry, the lack of available planning reserves for hotels is one of the main obstacles to developing the tourism industry in Judea and Samaria.

AFSI Insight
AFSI welcomes the Israeli government’s approval of NIS 27 million to expand hotel construction and tourism infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, viewing it as another important step toward strengthening Israel’s permanent presence in its biblical heartland. Tourism is more than an economic initiative—it reinforces the Jewish people’s historic, legal, and national connection to the land while encouraging greater appreciation of the region’s archaeological, religious, and strategic significance.

AFSI rejects claims that Jewish development in Judea and Samaria is illegitimate. Israel has every right to build, invest, and encourage tourism throughout its ancestral homeland. AFSI views this funding as part of a broader effort to strengthen Israeli sovereignty and ensure the long-term growth and security of the region. We also look forward to staying at these hotels when they are built as this will greatly enhance our Chizuk Missions. 🙂

Source:
Gov’t approves NIS 27 million for hotel construction in West Bank to promote tourism, by Keshet Neev/Jerusalem Post, July 5, 2026

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday spoke about the exchange of strikes between the US and Iran, declaring an end to the ceasefire agreement.

At the NATO summit, Trump was asked whether the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran had ended. He responded, “To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore.”

He added, “They’re led by sick people… I’ll speak to our negotiators. They want to negotiate – they’re good people… but they have to come back to me. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them.”

“These are evil sick people,” he continued. “They’re cancer, and you know what you have to do – you have to cut out cancer early.”

AFSI Insight
President Trump’s declaration that the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran is “dead” underscores what AFSI has maintained all along: the Iranian regime cannot be trusted to honor agreements or abandon its long-standing pursuit of nuclear weapons and regional aggression. Tehran’s actions have repeatedly demonstrated that diplomacy without verifiable enforcement only provides the regime with time and opportunity to strengthen its military capabilities. Trump’s remarks reflect growing recognition that negotiations with a regime committed to Israel’s destruction are unlikely to produce lasting security.

AFSI believes the focus must now shift from failed diplomatic efforts to sustained pressure on Iran through strict sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and unwavering support for Israel’s right to defend itself and achieve victory over its enemies. We continue to argue that only a policy of strength and deterrence—not concessions or unenforceable agreements—can prevent Iran from threatening Israel, the United States, and the broader Middle East.

Source:
Trump: MoU with Iran is dead, they are crazy, by Israel National News, July 8, 2026

Hamas announced Monday the resignation of its Gaza “Emergency Committee,” the Hamas-run administrative body governing the Strip, in what the terror group described as a step toward transferring authority to the technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). The announcement addresses one of the central conditions of the ceasefire brokered by President Trump in October 2025, yet mounting evidence shows Hamas has no intention of relinquishing actual control over Gaza.

Ismail al-Thawabta, head of Hamas’s government media office, told AFP that Mohammed al-Farra, head of the government’s emergency committee, “has officially submitted his resignation.” Hamas’s government said in its announcement that civil servants would continue working as usual, describing them as “public employees who are ready to work under the responsibility of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.”

An Israeli official dismissed the move outright, telling the Kan public broadcaster it was “spin without any meaning.” The official said Hamas fears being declared in violation of the ceasefire agreement and is stalling through theatrics.

AFSI Insight
Hamas’s announcement that it is stepping aside from governing Gaza should be viewed with extreme skepticism. AFSI believes this is a calculated public relations maneuver—not a genuine surrender of power. Hamas has made no commitment to disarm, dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, or abandon its genocidal ideology. As long as it retains weapons, leadership, and influence, any claim that it is “leaving” Gaza is meaningless. Reports indicate that while Hamas has proposed transferring civilian administration to a technocratic body, it has not agreed to relinquish its military capabilities, which Israel has consistently identified as the central issue.

AFSI maintains that Israel must not be pressured into accepting cosmetic political changes in place of real security. Gaza cannot have a peaceful future while Hamas remains armed and capable of rebuilding its terrorist network. Any post-war arrangement must ensure the complete removal of Hamas from both political and military power, the return of all hostages, and guarantees that Gaza can never again serve as a launching pad for attacks against Israel. Terror cannot simply change its title and expect the world to believe it has changed its nature.

Source:
Hamas says it’s stepping down from Gaza. Nobody’s buying it., by Tamar Stein/Israel365News, July 9, 2026

Ireland’s parliament on Tuesday approved legislation called The Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill banning the import of goods produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, marking one of the most far-reaching trade measures adopted by a European country.

The center-right coalition government said the legislation was drafted in response to the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which declared Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and Gaza illegal under international law.

The move follows months of criticism from Washington. In June, the U.S. State Department warned that the proposed legislation amounted to “unhelpful virtue-signaling” that “does not serve the cause of peace in the Middle East, help feed Gazans or work toward the outcomes Ireland says it seeks.”

AFSI Insight
AFSI condemns Ireland’s decision as a discriminatory political measure that singles out Jewish communities while ignoring territorial disputes and occupations elsewhere in the world. This bill is not a step toward peace but an endorsement of the anti-Israel boycott movement, rewarding efforts to delegitimize Israel rather than encouraging negotiations. AFSI maintains that Judea and Samaria are the heartland of Jewish history and that Jews have every legal and moral right to live there. AFSI warns that targeting Israeli businesses and families under the guise of international law risks fueling antisemitism, undermining democratic allies, and damaging Ireland’s own relationship with Israel and its Western partners.

Source:
Ireland approves bill banning imports from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, by JNS Staff, July 8, 2026

For the first time in 2,000 years, Jewish authorities are conducting conservation work at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, where, according to the Bible, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah are buried.

The maintenance and safety upgrades for Judaism’s second holiest site include electrical renovations, air conditioning, improved drainage, new lighting and a fire protection system.

The renovation is helping transform the site into a world-class destination, Yishai Fleisher, director of international and government affairs for the Jewish Community of Hebron, told JNS on Thursday.

“It has a really high-end look and feel and, of course, it will make worship inside much more pleasant, more moving and more spiritual. It also shows the State of Israel is engaging with the site and recognizes its importance to our heritage, tourism and the identity of Israel,” Fleisher said.

AFSI Insight
Israel’s decision to undertake conservation work at the Tomb of the Patriarchs represents far more than a preservation project—it is a powerful affirmation of Jewish history, heritage, and sovereignty in Hebron. This project is a long-overdue correction of decades of neglect and political obstruction. Preserving and protecting the Tomb of the Patriarchs ensures that future generations will be able to access and appreciate one of the foundations of Jewish civilization. The effort also reinforces Israel’s responsibility as the guardian of Jewish holy places, particularly in Judea and Samaria, where historical and religious sites are often subject to competing political claims.

At a time when Jewish ties to Hebron are frequently challenged or minimized internationally, the conservation work sends a clear message: Jewish history in Hebron is neither temporary nor negotiable. AFSI welcomes this historic initiative as an important step in safeguarding the Jewish people’s ancestral heritage and strengthening Israel’s presence at one of its most sacred sites. We thank Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who transferred approval authority from the P.A. to an Israeli body, clearing the way for the renovations.

Source:
First time in 2,000 years: Israel carrying out conservation work at Tomb of the Patriarchs, by Amelie Botbol/JNS, July 5 , 2026