Author: AFSI Staff

“Our demand is clear—a complete ceasefire. We will not suffice with less than this.”

This is what Prime Minister Netanyahu demanded at the start of his weekly cabinet meeting. The full objective is to restore quiet and calm to the residents of southern Israel and the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip.

The current Egypt-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Gaza Strip was protested by Minister Uri Ariel (Bayit Yehudi) stating that there can be no ceasefire when someone intentionally comes to kill you.

Education Minister and Security Cabinet Member Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) is calling for a new strategy to deal with Hamas and said, “We must not allow the situation to continue in which Hamas dictates the pace of life of the residents of the State of Israel.”

For the first time a construction crane was seen deep in the Shomron for building a Jewish community. The crane was brought in for new construction at the Chitzim Yeshiva in Itamar.

Itamar is among the many places that the AFSI Chizuk Mission visited on its April trip.

More HERE.

The End Begins

Left-wing NGO and underminder of Israel, Freedom Protection Council, will no longer receive funding from the EU.

According to the EU statement, the decision to stop the funding is a direct result of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “diplomatic efforts.”

Netanyahu stated: “This is only the beginning. We will continue to take determined action against organizations that seek to delegitimize the State of Israel and strive to defame the state and the IDF around the world.”

Story HERE.

On the same subject, Netanyahu recently rebuked Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide when the two met in his office in Jerusalem on Sunday, accusing Norway of overtly funding anti-Israeli activity.

The Israel Defense Forces issued its latest report on the attacks agains Israel.

Hamas began shooting projectiles at Israeli civilians starting at 7:37 pm on Wednesday evening and launched them consistently until early Thursday morning.

In response, IDF fighter jets struck 12 terror targets in Gaza, including a factory used to manufacture parts for terror tunnels and concrete, a maritime terror tunnel shaft along the coast, and several terror sites in military compounds, among them rocket manufacturing facilities and a central logistical military complex.

Read the full IDF report HERE.

19 injured, 1 critical in rocket attacks from Gaza against southern Israel.

Rocket strikes Be’er Sheva for the first time since 2014.

Sderot children in bomb shelters. Hamas comfy in their beds. Read what Yesh Atid MK Yair Lapid has to say about this.

Yarin Shitrit, 16, wounded in the leg while running to a protected area during the attacks. He spoke to Arutz Sheva about the lack of freedom residents of the south have while under fire.

We’re feeling triumphant today.

We’ve learned that reports are now surfacing that Trump administration officials have criticized the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as recently as this past Sunday. They’ve characterized the UNRWA organization as a fundamentally flawed, cash-strapped organization hampering Palestinian growth.

Full story HERE.

Now that the atmosphere under President Trump is changing, his support is seen as the key to building more Jewish homes, said Yesha Council head Hananel Durani Wednesday to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

The Yesha Council and Huckabee celebrated the construction of 900 new homes, 600 of which are in the final stages of building.

Full story HERE.

On AFSI’s April mission trip we visited the wheat fields of Yitzhar with Ayelet and Akiva HaCohen whose drive and determination have created a very successful flour mill. Neighboring Arabs are constantly planning to burn down the fields. AFSI agreed to help with building a fire wall. Helen Freedman recently corresponded with Ayelet and Akiva to see if they were safe from the fires.

“Today we had another fire that the Arabs torched, this time closer to our house, but we weren’t worried because we knew the fire wall path that we paved with your contribution would stop it and that is exactly what happened!  

Below are a few pictures of the fire stopping as it approaches the path and the security car on the path making sure it doesn’t pass it.”

Ayelet and Akiva HaCohen

Read about the squad of US firefighters who are volunteering (and not all are Jewish) to protect Israel’s south from the Hamas kite terror attacks HERE. Thank you!

Recognize Golan Heights Sovereignty

EMET has launched a petition today calling on the US Administration to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

Because of the seven-year brutal Syrian civil war, the Islamic Republic of Iran has taken advantage of the situation, and Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces have penetrated as far south as the Syrian town of Quneitra. Iran is determined to build a land bridge stretching from Tehran to Beirut to Damascus and to the Mediterranean Sea.

A United States recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights is critical at this time, to ensure the safety and national security interests of the U.S. and Israel, and it would send a strong message to Tehran that their hegemonic aspirations must not go on, unchallenged.

Members of Congress have called for U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, but it is important that the American people send a message to the Administration as well.

We encourage everyone to sign and share the petition with your friends, colleagues, and contact lists.

Right now Israelis are huddling in bomb shelters, trying to protect their families from Hamas terror rockets. They need to hear from us. Tell the Israeli people you are with them by adding your name at ISupport Israel

When 100,000 signatures are reached, the names will be delivered to the Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office.

Courtesy of The Israel Project