Author: AFSI Staff

The Prime Minister’s Blocking of the Sovereignty Law, by Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar

Recent reports indicate that the Sovereignty Law, approved by the Knesset plenum two months ago, has been effectively blocked. Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz transferred the bill from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to the Knesset Committee, which he chairs- reportedly following instruction from the Prime Minister. The law is now frozen without debate or formal decision. This is not a minor procedural matter; it represents a significant national opportunity that has been lost, unless it is overturned.

As elections approach, the public seeks leadership that makes decisions. The people recognize determination and understand how to reward it. The choice is still open: continue hesitation or take a clear national decision. Israel’s long-term future demands the latter.

Source:
The Prime Minister’s blocking of the Sovereignty Law, by Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar/Israel National News, January 15, 2026

Israel’s security establishment assesses that even if a US strike on Iran takes place, there is no certainty that Iran will respond with direct fire at Israel, Kan Reshet Bet reported.

According to the report, Iran understands that firing at Israel would lead Israel to respond, escalating the regional conflict.

However, Israel is taking no risks, and preparations continue at the highest level, accounting for possible retaliatory fire from Houthi rebels in Yemen or Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The security establishment believes that if a US decision is made to act in Iran, Israel will receive early warning, allowing for appropriate preparations on the home front.

On Wednesday night, IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin issued a statement reading, “I am aware of the reports over the past day and especially in recent hours, and I wish to clarify: the IDF is closely monitoring developments. In recent days, the Chief of Staff has been conducting ongoing situation assessments. We are maintaining full oversight and are prepared for any development. The Chief of Staff has instructed to strengthen defensive readiness across all units.”

Iran is currently confronting its most significant challenge to date. Israel is maintaining a posture of defensive preparedness to address any potential threats to the Jewish Nation State. Both Israel and the citizens of Iran stand to gain enormously from a possible collapse of the Iranian regime. Are the days of the Ayatollah numbered? Is the United States playing a deception game with Iran? At this moment, it appears to be a wait and see game, one in which we hope good prevails over evil.

Source:
Security echelon estimates: US strike won’t necessarily lead to attack on Israel, by Israel National News, January 15, 2026

First Report: Finance Minister and member of the security cabinet Bezalel Smotrich sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding that a dedicated discussion be held in the Cabinet regarding the conclusions of the Shamgar Committee.

The Shamgar Committee was appointed in 2012 after the Second Lebanon War. Its conclusions were submitted in 2012, but they remained classified and have never been ratified by a government decision or legislation.

Smotrich is calling for the advancement of a legislative proposal to anchor those conclusions on how to address kidnappings in law. He stated “The incentive given to our enemies to use kidnapping terrorism obligates us to formulate a clear, consistent, and balanced policy that will reduce the incentive for kidnappings and protect the security of Israel’s soldiers and citizens.”

It is time to ratify the conclusions of the Shamgar Commission. Profoundly difficult and distressing events have transpired over the years, particularly following the October 7 attacks. The mass release of terrorists in exchange for hostages should be curtailed, if not entirely ceased. This constitutes another facet of Israel’s security that requires reinforcement.

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Smotrich demands Cabinet discussion on legislation to address kidnapping threat, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, January 12, 2026

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Tuesday the immediate suspension of contacts with several UN agencies and international organizations, following a review by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the wake of the United States’ withdrawal from similar bodies.

Among the organizations from which contacts were severed, Israel has already terminated its relations with the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, after it included the IDF in the “blacklist” alongside terrorist organizations; with UN Women – which ignored sexual violence against Israeli women on October 7; with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), which have published anti-Israel reports for years.

Little can be articulated regarding individuals who reject Israel’s right to exist and those who dismiss the atrocities of October 7. Their ongoing refusal to acknowledge the truth is detrimental to Israel. If they devoted even half the time they squander on criticizing Israel to addressing genuine and pressing issues, we might witness an improved world. It seems likely that they do not desire such an outcome.

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Foreign Minister announces: Immediate suspension of contacts with UN agencies, by Israel National News, January 13, 2026

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel intends to scale down, over time, the US security assistance package that currently stands at $3.8 billion a year, a move that surprised many Israelis but was coordinated with senior defense officials and delivered with their backing.

These officials say they understand for some time that a new model will be needed as Washington shows stronger isolationist tendencies, while Israel seeks greater independence for its defense industries. They stress the process is being managed and claim this may be the right moment to design an alternative to the existing memorandum of understanding (MOU) that could ultimately bring significant funds into Israel’s defense sector and, later, the broader economy.

Israel is a highly developed and robust nation. It appears that the moment has arrived for Israel to advance to the next phase and achieve military independence from the United States by funding its own security requirements. As it stands, the lion’s share of US Aid to Israel must be spent to buy arms from the US. Although the journey for Israel to attain this goal may be gradual, Israel has the technical and now the financial means to develop its own defense industry and this represents a significant and necessary development.

Source:
Israel reconsiders the future of US military aid, by Lilach Shoval/Israel Hayom, January 12, 2026

The Israel Defense Forces has held a series of high-level situational assessments over recent days led by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, following the escalating unrest in Iran.

The move comes as the regime in Tehran faces a renewed and volatile wave of internal protests, clashes answered by murderous repression by the Islamic Republic against its citizens.

According to a military official, the IDF is monitoring developments in Iran, but stressed that “the protests are an internal Iranian matter.” Nevertheless, he said, “the IDF is prepared defensively and is continuously improving its capabilities and operational readiness. We will be equipped to respond with power, if need be. The IDF will continue to operate to protect the citizens of the State of Israel.”

As Israel remains vigilant and prepared to defend itself, the streets of Tehran are engulfed in flames. We believe that this is far beyond protestation. This is revolution! Observing the revolution as it develops throughout Iran, the crisis is an evolving situation that changes by the minute. The possible downfall of the Islamic Republic could lead to significant geopolitical and ideological ramifications, the complete extent of which are only beginning to be understood. The global community is observing with great anticipation, and there is a strong hope that the transformative changes taking place will herald a new era of peace for Israel—one devoid of terrorism.

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Military official: IDF is monitoring Iran developments, by Yaakov Lapin/JNS, January 12, 2026

A new community was inaugurated Sunday in Samaria as part of an announced plan to almost double the region’s Jewish population to one million residents.

The first ten families were welcomed in a ceremony to their new trailer homes in Rechavam, located at a strategic point along the Trans-Samaria Highway, amid a chain of communities viewed by local leaders as strengthening security along the vital route.

“We are privileged to make the dream of returning to Zion come true… amidst all the difficulties of the war,” said Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Council. “We are working according to an organized plan – a million in Samaria,” he added citing efforts to identify land, establish communities and farms, and steadily expand Jewish presence in the area.

The new community is named for the late Rechavam Ze’evi, an IDF general who founded the Moledet party and was the tourism minister in October 2001 when he was assassinated by Palestinian terrorists.

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New settlement inaugurated in Samaria, by Batya Jerenberg/World Israel News, January 12, 2026

Touring the newly established Shir LeDavid Farm in western Samaria, Sovereignty Movement co-chair Nadia Matar praised the farmers’ work.

Matar warned, however, that the farmers’ efforts remain fragile and could be undone without the implementation of full Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria. “If a left-wing government comes to power, everything you see here could be uprooted. Without sovereignty, Israel is basically sending a message to the world that yes, many Jews live here and we have farms and cities, but we haven’t truly decided yet what we’re doing.”

“The moment we will have application of Israeli sovereignty, the status of Judea and Samaria will be irreversible,” she said.

Sovereignty Movement co-chair Yehudit Katsover stated that while there is no perfect solution for Judea and Samaria, she sees sovereignty as the best path forward. “The Arab’s desire to take over Israel didn’t just start with the Oslo Accords [in the 1990s], but this is from way before,” she said. “They say this land is theirs, but history, archaeology, international law from the [1920] San Remo Conference, is on our side,” she explained.

We believe it’s time for the government to do what is right for Israel and advance the declaration of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. Renewed diplomatic and legal efforts have not fallen off the radar to try and advance a Palestinian state and predetermine Israel’s borders without Israel’s consent. The realities on the ground are that Israeli law, security and responsibility, and a future rooted in historical and strategic truth must be a priority.

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Sovereignty Movement highlights importance of safeguarding Israel’s state land in Samaria, Judea, by Josh Hasten/JNS, January 8, 2026

Israel is moving forward on a long-delayed residential construction project east of Jerusalem that has far-reaching political implications, while separately advancing a large housing expansion in Karnei Shomron (Samaria), (a town that is in easy commuting distance for many Israelis), aimed at meeting population growth needs.

The Housing Ministry has issued a tender for 3,401 housing units in the E1 corridor, the area between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim. Construction firms have until March 16 to submit bids.

The E1 project has long been regarded as “diplomatically sensitive” because development in this area blocks the creation of a “Palestinian state” with Jerusalem as its capital. By establishing continuous Israeli urban territory east of Jerusalem, E1 prevents the geographic division of the capital and eliminates the possibility of a “Palestinian” corridor severing Jerusalem from its eastern suburbs.

The E1 tender represents a strategic turning point around Jerusalem itself. After years of diplomatic hesitation, Israel has now moved the project from political argument into the implementation phase—where facts on the ground, not statements, determine the future. We pray that this process continues to its logical and practical end – an undivided Greater Jerusalem!

Source:
Israel Advances Strategic E1 Housing Project; Major Expansion Approved in Karnei Shomron, by The News Desk/The Jewish Edition, January 7, 2026

Minister of Energy Eli Cohen on Monday instructed the Israel Electric Corporation and Jerusalem’s water corporation, “Hagihon,” to begin the process of disconnecting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from the infrastructure, while sending pre-disconnection warning letters to the organization’s public buildings in the neighborhoods of Ma’alot Dafna and Kafr Aqab.

The minister’s directive is an additional stage in the fight to end the activities of UNRWA, which Minister Cohen referred to as a “terror supporter.”

Cohen has also instructed that additional UNRWA facilities be located and that the new law, which the Knesset approved last week, be implemented. The law, which was co-sponsored by MKs Yulia Malinovsky and Limor Son-Har-Melech, allows UNRWA public buildings to be disconnected from infrastructure services.

The long-anticipated dismantling of UNRWA has begun. If UNRWA cannot be adequately substituted and deliver authentic humanitarian services, we find no justification for its reinstatement.

Source:
Israel begins process to disconnect UNRWA facilities in Jerusalem, by Hezki Baruch/Israel, January 5, 2026