Author: AFSI Staff

“These are things I have been saying for a year and a half, every time I talk about the Temple Mount, what made you remember it now?” National Security Minister and Otzma Yehudit Chairman Itamar Ben Gvir tweeted on Wednesday, and added, “On my watch, there will be no racist discrimination against Jews, who are the only ones not allowed to pray, and what’s more, in the holiest place for the Jewish people.”

During Wednesday’s “Israel’s Return to the Temple Mount” conference in the Knesset, Ben Gvir stated, “It’s no secret that I had an argument with the Prime Minister about closing the Temple Mount to Jews in the last ten days of Ramadan. I thought it was forbidden to close the Temple Mount even for a minute. There will be no discrimination against Jews on the Temple Mount, that’s what I strive for.”

Source:
Ben Gvir Alienates Allies by Allowing Jewish Prayer on Temple Mount, by David Israel/Jewish Press, July 24, 2024

The Supreme Court accepted a petition filed by Palestinian Authority Arabs who had illegally squatted at the archaeological site of Khirbet Zanuta, located in Area C, demanding that the IDF allow and secure their return to the site.

The Supreme Court also accepted the claim of the squatters that they were threatened by settlers in the area, although no evidence was presented to that effect. According to the judges, the State is obligated to assist the squatters to return.

Meir Deutsch, Regavim CEO, said that “adopting the false narrative of ‘settler violence’ without presenting a shred of evidence is serious and constitutes a dangerous precedent. Not only did the invaders of Khirbet Zanuta gain a full decade of non-enforcement of the building code – taking advantage of the ‘get out of jail free’ card that the Supreme Court had given them and the wink-and-nod of the state authorities, now, the state adds insult to injury and instead of restoring the site and preserving it, it allows the lawbreakers to return to the site and resume their invasion and destruction of the site.”

First Israel is obligated to fund legal assistance for terrorists and now the State is obligated to assist the return of squatters on land that legally belongs to Israel. The powers that be need to shape up and come to their senses. The Supreme Court must remember whose country this is. Do these decisions overturn government policy?

Source:
Supreme Court accepts Palestinian Arab land claim near Hebron, by Israel National News, July 23, 2024

To no one’s surprise, the International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ) ruled on Friday that Israel’s policies in our ancient homelands of Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem are illegal and against international law. Furthermore, the ICJ said Israel is illegally exploiting the natural resources of the region. The ruling is non-binding – not legally, and not morally.

Immediate and swift calls to apply sovereignty poured in:

“The decision of the International Court of Justice in The Hague proves for the umpteenth time – this is a definite anti-Semitic and political organization. We will not receive moral preaching from them, it is time for governance and sovereignty.” ~Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said [translated].

“We call on the prime minister to immediately begin applying sovereignty to Judea and Samaria.” ~Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council.

“Now, in the face of the world’s lies and moral depravity, the Israeli government must lead to a new level of upright national stature by applying Israel’s sovereignty over Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.” ~Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar of The Sovereignty Movement

International law expert Professor Eugene Kontorovich weighed in on the meaningless decision by the court. He pointed out, among many important points, that “the ICJ is just the judicial arm of the UN – an organization that runs several Hamas front organizations, and whose SG said of Oct 7th, that it didn’t happen without a context.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded point blank: “Israel is not an occupier in its own country, not in our eternal capital and not in the land of our forefathers.”

Sources:
PM responds to Hague decision: ‘Israel is not an occupier in its own country’ by Israel National News, July 19, 2024

ICJ Rules Israel Acting Illegally in Judea and Samaria by Jewish Press News Desk, July 19, 2024

HAGUE-SHMAGUE- SOVEREIGNTY NOW! By The Sovereignty Movement Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Monday morning for Washington, where he will meet with US President Joe Biden. Netanyahu will deliver a politically precarious speech before Congress at a time of great uncertainty following Biden’s withdrawal from the presidential race and amid domestic pressure on Israel’s leaders to reach a deal with Hamas for the release of the hostages held in Gaza.

Striking a bipartisan tone, Netanyahu said he intended to reaffirm to the US that “regardless of who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains its most indispensable and strongest ally in the Middle East.”

Standing on the airport tarmac on Monday, however, Netanyahu stressed that “in this time of war and uncertainty, it is important that Israel’s enemies know that America and Israel stand together — today, tomorrow, and always.”

AFSI wishes Prime Minister Netanyahu success on his highly anticipated visit to Washington, D.C., and his address to the United States Congress. Between the war in Israel and the political chaos in the U.S., we know that the major points Netanyahu will discuss in his speech will be a welcome reminder to many and a much-needed wake-up call to the haters of Israel.

Source:
Netanyahu departs for Washington amid turmoil in the US, disputes at home, by Lazar Berman, TOI Staff and Agencies/Times of Israel/July 22, 2024

Biden Administration officials are mulling the option of imposing sanctions against two Israeli government ministers, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir

Axios reported on Saturday quoting three US officials, that the Biden administration is weighing sanctions against the two ministers, who are seen by the administration as responsible for the unrest and security situation in Judea and Samaria.

And what a danger Ben Gvir and Smotrich pose. While these two MKs fight every day for Israel’s safety and sovereignty in ways that are consistent with international law, the soon to be defunct Biden administration just can’t resist more schemes to gain voters by demonizing Israel.

Source:
Report: Biden Administration Mulls Sanctions Against Israeli Ministers Ben-Gvir, Smotrich, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, July 21, 2024

The Knesset on Wednesday night approved a proposal which establishes the position of the Knesset against the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan.

68 MKs voted in favor of the proposal, 9 voted against, and there were no abstentions.

The proposal says, “The Israeli Knesset firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan. establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel will pose an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region.”

This historic vote makes it undeniably clear to the world that Israel is the sole arbiter that determines its destiny and development of the country. With this initiative now firmly in place, we pray that very soon we hear that the application of Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria is declared

Source:
Before PM visit to Washington: Knesset establishes its position against Palestinian state by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, July 17, 2024

After unusually heavy overnight bombing on Tuesday sent sirens wailing in dozens of communities in Israel’s north, residents of the region are calling upon the Israeli army to step up its military operation against the terror group.

Hezbollah fired salvos which included at least 80 rockets targeting the Western Galilee, triggering air raid alerts in numerous localities, including the city of Nahariya.

There were no injuries in the attack, but the bombing sparked multiple fires in the north and caused damage to homes and property. As of Tuesday morning, firefighters were working to battle the blazes.

“Our children are going to sleep scared and wake up terrified by sirens,” says resident of the Galilee region. Some residents are even going as far as to say Israel is showing weakness to the enemy.

There’s a delicate balance between defending the country against terrorist hostilities and a declaration of war against Hezbollah. As the IDF tries to balance the scales, residents live with the new normal in the north suffering the consequences of terrorist attacks. When the AFSI Chizuk Mission was in Jerusalem in May, there were many refugees from Kiryat Shmona. It is heartbreaking to think that their lives have not yet and possibly never will return to normal.

Source:
‘Hezbollah bombing is the new normal,’ says angry evacuee by World Israel News Staff, July 17, 2024

Former Shin Bet director Avi Dichter is warning that the Philadelphi Corridor — the strip of land that was supposed to serve as a buffer between Gaza and Egypt — must remain in Israeli hands following the conclusion of the October 7th war.

“The Philadelphi axis must return to being under Israeli control, as it was since the 1967 war until the departure from Gaza in September 2005,” Dichter wrote in a post on the X social media platform.

Israel cannot finish the job by giving up operational control of the Philadelphi Corridor it recently gained. This corridor ultimately became an arms smuggling route for terrorist activity. It must remain under Israel’s control so that it best limits the flow of arms into Gaza and improves the security of the country.

Source:
Dichter: Philadelphi Corridor Must Remain in Israeli Hands by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, July 17, 2024

Americans for a Safe Israel/AFSI condemns the assassination attempt on the life of former President Donald J. Trump that took place at a campaign rally in Butler, PA on Saturday, July 13.

We wish President Trump a continued recovery and hear that he has returned to his daily routine at least as far as making his tee time yesterday. We pray that he will be fully able to return to all his activities. Our thoughts are with the family of Corey Comperatore who, by protecting his family, was killed in Saturday’s dark incident along with those injured and shattered from this senseless act.

Though it’s not our intention take the focus away from the victims of the weekend’s traumatic shooting, we sincerely pray that the left and right of Klal Yisrael will use this now historic moment to not only reflect on their true intentions, but cease the increasing intensity of harmful lies, vicious verbal attacks and false rhetoric intended to destroy political opponents. For many years, emotions in Israel, sometimes volatile, have reached a breaking point. Enough is enough. Power trips need to cease and the good of the country must be the primary focus. The temperature needs to be turned down before Israeli society deteriorates and people get hurt, including the leader of the only Democratic and peaceful nation in the Middle East, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As Israel continues to fight a major war for the survival of the country, the unconscionable attack witnessed on Saturday in Butler, PA serves as a resounding wake-up call: Unity, a Whole Israel, and Sovereignty must be the shared goals. Anything less is unacceptable.

What will Israeli MK’s and lawmakers do? Read more:
After attempt on Trump, cabinet watches video of alleged incitement against Netanyahu by Times of Israel Staff and Sam Sokol
In 2-hour debate after the cabinet secretary shows clips, several ministers warn that incitement against the Prime Minister is even worse than in the US, blame attorney general, law enforcement for failing to act.

Civil Administration officers and security forces came early Monday morning to demolish an illegally built gas station in Hizma in the Binyamin region.

Security sources noted that the gas station has been used for cover for acts terror and rock attacks against Israeli vehicles traveling on Route 437 and nearby roads. In addition, the site’s very nature presented a security threat, and therefore, the Civil Administration classified it as a top-priority location for enforcement.

The Civil Administration emphasized that “any illegal structure that is used for actions that undermine the stability in Judea and Samaria or present a security threat will be on the top of the list for enforcement.”

Source:
Civil Administration demolishes illegal gas station in Binyamin region by Israel National News, July 15, 2024