Author: AFSI Staff

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Wednesday to “finish the mission” in the southern Gaza border city of Rafah, where at least four Hamas terror battalions and its leadership are preparing to defend their iron-fisted control over the enclave.

Speaking in a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem with representatives of hostages’ families and bereaved families from the Heroism Forum and the Hope (Tikva) Forum, Netanyahu pledged to continue the war until all of its goals are achieved.

“The idea that we will halt the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question. We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there – with or without a deal — in order to achieve the total victory,” Netanyahu told the gathering.

Israel must reach the goals of this war and win the fight against terrorism along with freeing the hostages, whether alive or not. Israel should not bow to any international pressure nor conceed to any demands by Hamas.

Source:
Netanyahu Vows to ‘Finish the Mission’ in Rafah, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, April 30, 2024

The Sovereignty Movement supports Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who calls on the Prime Minister to respond assertively to steps being taken by the PA, to sever all ties, including economic, with its leaders, to cause its collapse and apply Israeli sovereignty over the entire area of Judea and Samaria.

This step is called for not as punishment to a terrorist regime, which persecutes Israel and works toward its destruction, but as a historic necessity and an expression of justice, morality, and the dream of generations of the Jewish People, full Israeli sovereignty over the entire area of the Land of Israel.

The movement appeals to the Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, and calls on him to join the Finance Minister’s declaration in the spirit of what he wrote in his book, “A Place among the Nations.”

“The governments of Israel have sufficed with presenting security considerations in explaining what Israel must add to strengthen the area of Judea and Samaria. The Arabs, in contrast, do not hesitate at all to assert their right over the land and often resort to false historical claims, which only few among the foreign media deign to dispute.“

Source:
Moves Made by the PA Necessitate Sovereignty, by Hiim Zah, GPO/The Sovereignty Movement, April 30, 2024

Defense Minister Yoav Galant is stopping extensive plans in Judea and Samaria, which are only waiting for his approval after being approved by the highest echelons in the government.

There has long been pressure to promote these plans, including declaring thousands of square meters in the Jordan Valley as state land and the restitution of Jewish buildings that were confiscated in 1929 in Hebron. Gallant has so far not advanced the plans.

Minister Bezalel Smotrich sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating he will not agree “to stop actions that are within my authority to promote settlement in Judea and Samaria, some of which are being delayed by the Defense Minister, from non-substantive considerations that harm the settlement.”

Despite this being a time of war, we trust the implementation of the already approved plans to build and expand Jewish communities will move forward without further delay.

Source:
‘Defense Minister is delaying operation in Judea and Samaria’, by Israel National News, April 26, 2024

The Israel Defense Forces are preparing to evacuate Gaza civilians to safer areas in the southern part of the enclave in advance of a looming invasion of the city of Rafah, which straddles Gaza’s border with Egypt.

At least four battalions of Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization remain unscathed and active in the city, and it is believed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his No. 2, Mohammed Deif, are both holed up there along with many of the Israeli hostages who remain their captives.

Approximately two-thirds of Gaza civilians are also sheltering in the city, having moved south at the encouragement of the IDF which provided safe zones for their transit from the combat areas in the north.

During his Passover message to the nation on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alluded to the approaching invasion, saying, “In the coming days, we will increase the military and diplomatic pressure on Hamas because it’s the only way to release our hostages and achieve our victory.”

Finish the job.

Sources:
IDF Prepares to Evacuate Gaza Civilians, Invade Rafah, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, April 24, 2024

Hamas chief Sinwar exited tunnels, met with terrorists aboveground – report, Jerusalem Post Staff, April 24, 2024

Following the October 7th massacre on southern Israel, the government of Israel submitted a severe report to the UN, that included testimonies and evidence that Hamas committed sexual crimes on women and girls.

Despite the gruesome details documented in the report to the UN, UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has decided not to include Hamas in the UN’s blacklist of organizations suspected of committing acts of sexual violence during conflict.

The Minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of the Status of Women, May Golan, said that “The UN and Secretary General António Guterres always manage to break a new record of hypocrisy, antisemitism and the continuous cover-up of sexual crimes! Countless testimonies of difficult and shocking cases of rape and massacre of Israeli women that were committed on October 7th, were not enough for the Secretary General to include the Hamas Nazis in the blacklist of those suspected of committing sexual violence during a conflict.”

Source:
Minister for Social Equality: ‘UN an antisemitic, extremist and dangerous institution’, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, April 25, 2024

An independent UN review of UNRWA, the UN’s agency for “Palestinian refugees”, released its report on Monday.

The panel, headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, found “neutrality-related issues” in UNRWA but also claimed that Israel had yet to provide evidence for allegations that a significant number of its staff were members of terrorist organizations.

Israeli Affairs Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein stated “The problem with UNRWA-Gaza isn’t that of a few bad apples; it is a rotten and poisonous tree whose roots are Hamas. The Colonna report ignores the severity of the problem and offers cosmetic solutions that do not deal with the enormous scope of Hamas’ infiltration of UNRWA. This is not what a genuine and thorough review looks like. This is what an effort to avoid the problem and not address it head on looks like,”

The finding of this report should be of no surprise to anyone. The UN has yet to show itself to be fair and unbiased agency that lives up to its stated mission. The UN’s double standard and demonization of Israel continue in any way they can implement it.

Source:
UN probe on UNRWA: Israel didn’t provide evidence staff were terror group members, by Elad Benari/Israel National News, April 22, 2024

Israel early last Friday morning attacked Iran with a retaliatory strike, as explosions were reported near a military base in Isfahan.

The Tasnim news agency reported that nuclear sites in the province of Isfahan are “absolutely safe,” denying foreign media reports about an incident at a nuclear site in Isfahan. ABC News reported, citing a US official, that Israel delivered a missile strike on a “facility in Iran.”

The Israeli attack fell on the 85th birthday (according to the secular calendar) of Iran’s supreme leader, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei. L’havdil, the attack also fell on the 122nd birthday (according to the Hebrew calendar) of the late Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, z”l, who would have been delighted with the news of the attack, but probably wonder why so little and so late.

The attacking side in Iran managed to achieve higher damage than the one caused in the Iranian attack, with one tenth of the armaments. Now Iran realizes that if indeed Israel carried out the attack, it can attack nuclear facilities next time with relative ease. In addition, the move paves the way for military action in Rafah.

The Israeli attack on Iran could have been more destructive than what was delivered. Israel’s intention was to signal to Iran that Israel has full ability to – and will – defend itself and can paralyze Iran’s defenses. Did Iran get the message? We wait to see. Israel must remain vigilant in the coming weeks, especially with the Passover holiday upon us.

Source:
Reports: Israel Attacked Military Base in Isfahan, Iran, by David Israel/Jewish Press, April 19, 2024

On Friday, Axios reported that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was considering applying the Leahy Law, which prohibits the U.S. from funding foreign police and military units suspected of human rights abuses. Blinken said, “I’ve made determinations; you can expect to see them in the days ahead,”

The US proposal would deny military aid to the ultra-Orthodox IDF Unit Netzah Yehuda. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called proposed sanctions ‘the height of absurdity” and a “moral low.”

It was also reported that the ultra-Orthodox IDF unit Netzah Yehuda would face US sanctions over the death of an 80-year-old Palestinian-American suspect Omar Assad, who died of cardiac arrest while he was handcuffed.

Perfect timing Mr. Blinken. Your boss funds and emboldens Iran, which seeks the destruction of Israel, a war is raging against Israel, and Israel fights for its very survival. You just couldn’t resist an opportunity to dig in further and stab the Jewish Nation State in the back.

Source:
Netanyahu slams ‘absurd’ proposed US sanctions against IDF unit as ‘a moral low’, by Vered Weiss/World Israel National News, April 21, 2024

Egyptian officials are gearing up for an Israeli invasion of Rafah, which the Biden administration reportedly approved in exchange for a promise from Israel that it would not launch an intense retaliatory attack on Iran.

“The American administration showed acceptance of the plan previously presented by [Israel] regarding the military operation in Rafah, in exchange for not carrying out a large-scale attack against Iran,” an unnamed official told Qatari-owned news site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

A Western diplomat confirmed that claim, stating that via “political maneuvering,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was able to “obtain American approval for the military operation in Rafah,” by promising to avoid a major counterattack in Iran.

It is possible Israel never had a plan in the first place to respond to Iran’s initial attack with an intense retaliatory strike. If they did, it would open up a can of worms the entire Middle East does not want to see, especially Israel. We trust that Israel will make its own decisions and take the actions to defend itself that it deems necessary.

Source:
US agrees to Rafah invasion for ‘small’ Iranian strike: Egyptian official, by World Israel News

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir recently established a special team within the Judea and Samaria Police precinct under his command, to operate against left-wing agents provocateurs in the liberated communities.

The team includes several precinct detectives who collaborate with Immigration Police and Interior Ministry officials. Their goal is to search and locate activists who damage the security and stability in Judea and Samaria.

A security official explained that “the role of the model we established is to respond to three main issues:

1. Foreign citizens who come here from all over the world straight to the territories and create provocations against IDF soldiers in different places.
2. Tourists who come here under the guise of a visit but arrive at the same places of friction in Judea and Samaria.
3. Israeli citizens who confront IDF soldiers in various locations.

The attacks against residents in Judea and Samaria from not only terrorists but the Central Command needs to stop. We trust Ben Gvir’s action as an intermediary will put a stop to the ongoing and baseless harassment of residents.

Source:
Ben Gvir Establishes Police Unit to Remove Leftist Provocateurs from Judea and Samaria, by David Israel/Jewish Press, April 17, 2024