Author: AFSI Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he plans to authorize the construction of 3,500 homes in an undeveloped E1 area of Ma’aleh Adumim. We’ve heard these promises before, but this time it sounds like the real thing! Mayor Benny Kashriel said he believes Netanyahu intends to follow through because the professional staff has already been ordered to work on submission of the plans to the Higher Planning Council for Judea and Samaria.

“We are building up Jerusalem and the outskirts of Jerusalem. I gave an immediate directive, to deposit plans to build of 3,500 housing units in E1,” Netanyahu said.

The Yesha Council welcomed this news for the Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley. It said that the E1 plan would enable “strategic construction” that would link Ma’aleh Adumim to Jerusalem.

Source:
Netanyahu says authorizing 3,500 settler homes in West Bank’s E1, by Tovah Lazaroff. Jerusalem Post – February 25, 2020

The joint US-Israel committee tasked with mapping the areas in which Israel would apply its Sovereignty held its first meeting on Monday outside the Samaria city of Ariel.

At the meeting were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, his senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone, and Scott Leith, who is the director of Israeli and Palestinian affairs in the US National Security Council.

Ambassador Friedman said before the start of the meeting: “…we’re going to get to work right away. We hope to complete it as soon as possible, and complete it the right way for the State of Israel.”

Source:
US-Israel sovereignty committee holds first meeting by Ariel Kahana. Israel Hayom – February 25, 2020

Activists from the Regavim organization this week hung signs at 33 different points across Judea and Samaria warning of imminent passage into the borders of the “State of Palestine.” The points are in accordance with the proposed borders of the “State of Palestine” indicated on the “Deal of the Century” map publicized in recent weeks.

The red signs read: “Stop! You are entering State of Palestine” according to the “Trump Peace Plan.”

AFSI agrees. “This map is a catastrophe and we must not accept it.”

Source:
Signs across Judea and Samaria warn of entry into ‘Palestine’ as per ‘Deal of the Century’, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – February 25, 2020

The IDF struck multiple targets belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) on Monday after over 15 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip. This latest attack on Israel’s south is now in its second day.

The rockets fired on Monday reached the Netivot area for the first time since the PIJ began firing rockets on Sunday. (The photo here shows police searching a children’s playground where rockets landed.)

In an Army radio interview Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to bring back security to the residents of the South. He stated, “…I’m talking about a war. I only go to war as a last option, but we have prepared something you can’t even imagine.”

Source:
Netanyahu threatens war as sirens continue to wail in southern Israel, by Anna Ahronheim. Jerusalem Post – February 24, 2020

Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office ordered 12 outposts in Judea and Samaria be connected to the state’s official power grid. Aside from the fact that this move is long over due, it is also seen as Netanyahu’s latest gesture to the Jewish community there just 8 days before the March 2 elections.

Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ronen Peretz, wrote in a letter to the Defense Ministry’s adviser on settlement affairs, Avi Roeh, that the dozen hilltop communities handpicked for the upgrade “were established many years ago on [what is considered] state land, often times with the government’s encouragement and out of security considerations.”

Source:
PM orders 12 illegal outposts be hooked up to power grid, 8 days before election, by Jacob Magid. Times of Israel – February 24, 2020 

Police arrived at the home of former MK Yehuda Glick Tuesday night to execute a search. This latest targeting of Glick follows his arrest on the Temple Mount Tuesday morning because he was walking too slowly. This gave the appearance as if he was engaged in prayer, which is forbidden to Jews at the site of two holy temples.

After the interrogation Glick was released to his home under restrictive conditions even though they did not find anything.

This is a vengeful political stunt by the Israel police. The country has real problems to deal with, such as, security and forming a government. We do not want to hear how they waste their time like this. It’s no wonder the public loses confidence and trust in its leaders.

Source:
Vindictive Police: 6 Detectives Search Yehuda Glick’s Home following Temple Mount Arrest, by David Israel. The Jewish Press – February 19, 2020

Members have officially been appointed to a joint US-Israel committee to begin the process of Sovereignty. The committee is being tasked with drawing up a map in specific detail of the areas in Judea, Samaria and in the Jordan Valley in which Israel will apply its Sovereignty.

President Trump appointed the US members of the committee, who are to include US Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman, his senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone and National Security Council director for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs Scott Leith.

Americans For A Safe Israel welcomes the news of this important first step. As you surely know, SOVEREIGNTY is our favorite topic and we look forward to hearing much more on this in the days and weeks to come.

Source:
US-Israel Sovereignty Mapping Committee Announced, by Hana Levi. the Jewish Press – February 15, 2020

Former Likud MK and prominent Temple Mount activist Yehudah Glick has been released from police custody Tuesday, hours after he was detained during a visit to the Mount, apparently due to walking “too slowly” during his tour.

“The situation where, under Israeli sovereignty, Jews cannot freely walk around the Temple Mount without police supervision over their steps, is delusional and absurd,” said Yamina candidate Sarah Beck in response to Glick’s earlier arrest. “The policy of persecuting… Jews alone encourages Muslim extremism.”

“It would be better for the State of Israel to take steps against incitement and violence rather than against peaceful Jews who are only seeking to fulfill God’s commandments.”

Source:
Former MK Yehudah Glick released hours after his arrest on Temple Mount, by Jeremy Sharon, Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman. Jerusalem Post – February 18, 2020 

They make headlines for “price tag” hate crimes against Palestinians or for clashing with Israeli troops at outpost evacuations.

In fact, the so-called “hilltop youth” — who seek to settle every corner of the biblical land of Israel — have long been identified as a national security threat placed under the jurisdiction of the highest levels of law enforcement.

But in recent years, some government officials have begun shifting their approach, considering the root causes that have led hundreds of teenagers to abandon their homes for the West Bank hilltops and recognizing that tackling the phenomenon also requires an education-based approach.

Source:
Program for rehabilitating ‘hilltop youth’ sees them as dropouts, not criminals, by Jacob Magid. Times of Israel – February 14, 2020

The Trump administration’s recently released “Peace to Prosperity” plan has proved to be controversial, but it includes one provision on page 16 that gets to the core of the Middle East conflict it seeks to solve: “People of every faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.”

Whomever disagrees with this stipulation is very simply put, not interested in a genuine and lasting peace.

AFSI agrees 100% with this. Petra Marquardt-Bigman’s article in The Algemeiner this week says the 1941 alliance between Adolt Hitler and Haj Amin al-Husseini has left a “poisonous legacy.” She covers this issue quite well and it is today’s suggested reading.

Source:
Analysis: Poisonous legacy of ‘Hitler’s Mufti’ makes peace impossible, by Petra Marquardt-Bigman. The Algemeiner – February 12, 2020