Author: AFSI Staff

Israel’s Ministerial Committee has approved legislation advanced by the Land of Israel Caucus and Knesset member Moshe Solomon that will repeal a pre-1967 Jordanian law banning the sale of land to Jews in the Land of Israel.

The bill, approved Sunday and signed by more than 40 Knesset members from across the political spectrum, will allow Israelis to purchase land directly from Palestinian Authority citizens in Judea and Samaria. Up to this point, Israelis could only purchase such land through companies registered with the Civil Administration, and only after receiving a transaction permit from the supervisory body.

Entitled “Elimination of the Discrimination in the Purchase of Real Estate in Judea and Samaria”, the bill was previously proposed by Religious Zionism chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich.

The pro-Israel Sovereignty Movement likewise offered its congratulations, praising the Land of Israel Caucus “who led to the cancellation of the racist Jordanian law that prevented the sale of land to Jews in Judea and Samaria.”

Sovereignty Movement leaders Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar said they see the amendment of the law as “a necessary and expected step, which constitutes an additional stage on the way to a national awakening that will be completed with the full application of Israeli sovereignty over the entire area.”

Source:
Israel to Repeal Old Jordanian Ban on Land Sales to Jews, by Hana Levin Julian/Jewish Press, January 26, 2025

President Donald Trump suggested last Thursday that he would prefer to address the crisis over Iran’s proximity to nuclear breakout time without Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. (Just in case he has authorized shipment of 2000 pound bombs that had been previously been denied to Israel.)

Trump was asked by reporters in the Oval Office if he would support Israeli strikes, and responded, “We’ll have to see. I’m gonna be meeting with various people over the next couple of days. Hopefully, that can be worked out without having to worry about it.”

“It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go that further step,” Trump said. “Hopefully that can be worked out. Iran hopefully will make a deal, and if they don’t make a deal, I guess that’s OK too.” Implying that an Israeli strike is still an option on the table.

President Trump surprised everyone during his first term with the initiative and success of the Abraham Accords. Will he be able to build upon that success in the case of Iran? We eagerly wait to see what out-of-the-box proposal President Trump presents to stop Iran, its proxies and its dangerous nuclear enrichment activities.

Source:
Trump: ‘It Would Be Nice’ to Solve Iran’s Threats without Israeli Attacks, by David Israel/Jewish Press, January 24, 2025

Earlier this month, Palestinian gunmen murdered three Israelis and wounded eight more in a shooting attack on a major road in Samaria near the Arab village of Funduq. Regavim revealed that the attack followed a wave of illegal Palestinian construction, suggesting a correlation between the land grab via construction and Palestinian terrorism targeting Jews.

Regavim reported on “the shocking scale” of unauthorized Palestinian building activities in the vicinity of Funduq village. Dozens of buildings have been erected in the region, which, according to the Oslo Accords, is categorized as Area C and is under complete Israeli civil and security jurisdiction.

“The total neglect of the Funduq area effectively places it under the de facto control of the Palestinian Authority, thus presenting a dual threat,” Regavim said in a statement. “This endangers road users who are vulnerable to attacks and poses a strategic risk to Israel by establishing territorial continuity and obstructing access to Israeli communities.”

We believe that Israel must move to reclaim all land in Judea and Samaria, in Area C as well as the rest of the ancestral homeland. Illegal construction should be stopped immediately. If Israel does not act as the Sovereign, this abomination will likely continue and does not bode well.

Source:
Regavim: Terrorist Attack Took Place Following Massive Illegal PA Construction, by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz/Israel365News, January 24, 2025

Over the past day, IDF soldiers operated against threats posed to the soldiers in the Gaza Strip, despite the terms of the ceasefire that came into effect.

In the southern Gaza Strip, IDF troops operating in the area in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire agreement identified several armed suspects who posed a threat to the troops. The IDF troops in the area operated to thwart the threat and eliminate the Islamic Jihad terrorist Akram Atef Farhan Zanon.

Additionally, in several areas throughout the Gaza Strip, masked suspects were identified approaching IDF troops, who fired warning shots to distance them.

“The IDF is determined to fully maintain the terms of the agreement in order to return the hostages. The IDF is prepared for any scenario and will continue to take all necessary actions to thwart any immediate threat to IDF soldiers,” according to an IDF spokesperson.

On Thursday, a group of about 15 Arab rioters attacked Jewish shepherds near the town of Mitzpe Yair in the Mount Hebron area. On Wednesday, two Jewish youths were injured by Arabs as they shepherded their flocks near the town of Susya. During the attack, a group of about 15 Arabs attacked the Jews with rocks and clubs. Together with the Arab rioters was a group of extreme leftist activists.

The attacks today and yesterday are not in line with the latest ceasefire agreement nor are they ordinary criminal activity. They are continued acts of terrorism against the Jewish people and the State of Israel. Will Israel call an end to this “deal” due to these and other Hamas violations? Turning the other cheek cannot go on forever.

Sources:
IDF forces work to thwart ceasefire violations in Gaza, by Israel National News, January 22, 2025

Twice in 24 hours: Jewish shepherds attacked on Mt. Hebron, by Israel National News, January 23, 2025

A top-level delegation from the Yesha Council, representing Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, was in Washington, D.C., this week as invited guests for President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Speaking to the Israeli press in the VIP gallery at the Capital One Arena, where the pre- and post-inauguration festivities took place, Yesha Council chairman Israel Ganz said the council was looking forward to continuing its relationship with the new administration.

Gantz stated, “President Trump has done so much for Israel. We hope he will continue assisting the communities of Judea and Samaria to develop and flourish while strengthening Israel’s security. We are here to thank the president, deepen ties and ensure that, with God’s help, the bonds between Israel and the United States continue to grow.”

Source:
Yesha Council delegation gets warm welcome in Washington, DC, by Josh Hasten/JNS, January 22, 2025

The Yesha Council released the data from its annual population report on Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, indicating an increase of 12,297 residents during 2024.

As of early 2025, the region’s population was 529,704, constituting approximately 5.28% of Israel’s total population.

The report emphasized that the population growth rate in the region is 2.38%, more than double the national rate, which currently stands at 1.1%. The report also noted that over the past decade, there has been a 36% increase in the population of Judea and Samaria.

The head of the Binyamin Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, Yisrael Ganz said: “The data illustrates the great and significant work that is taking place in Judea and Samaria. Every year we see how settlement continues to grow and strengthen and is a living example of the Zionist vision that is being realized.”

Ganz continued, “Now, we expect the government to move to the next stage and act to properly apply sovereignty to this region of the country and, as is appropriate, to stop discrimination against the country’s dedicated citizens.”

Read “A Zionist and economic response: Establishing new neighborhoods and communities in Judea and Samaria” by Guy Amit in Israel National News

Source:
Judea and Samaria Passes Half Million, Breaking Demographic Records, by Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz/Israel365News, January 21, 2025

Doron Steinbrecher, 31, Romi Gonen, 24, and Emily Damari, a 28-year-old Israeli-UK national, were the first hostages freed Sunday evening in a phased deal. In exchange, Israel is releasing 90 imprisoned Palestinian terrorists. Of the 90, 78 will return to their homes in Judea and Samaria and the remaining 12 will be released to eastern Jerusalem. They will be transported to release points from the Ofer Prison to release points in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.

The ceasefire went into effect on Sunday morning at 11:15am after Israel confirmed receiving an hours-overdue list of the hostages to be returned.

The first phase of the ceasefire will see 33 Israeli hostages freed over several weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. The exact number will depend on how many of the 33 hostages are alive.

Source:
Three Hostages Back in Israel After 471 Days, by Pesach Benson/TPS, January 19, 2025

On Sunday, 78 terrorists were released from Ofer Prison as part of the hostage release deal. In response, Jewish residents in Judea and Samaria blocked roads intended for the return of the released terrorists to their homes, in an effort to “prevent the next massacre.”

Their online message forums warned, “All residents of Judea and Samaria are in danger. The locations of these villages are close to major roads and settlements in Judea and Samaria. There is almost no settlement in Judea and Samaria that does not have a village nearby where a freed terrorist is returning. “We are guarding our lives. We will not go like sheep to the slaughter! Everyone is now going out to block Ramallah.”

Two weeks after two women and a policeman were murdered in a shooting attack in Samaria, a Jewish presence was re-established Sunday morning in the murderers’ village. Jewish activists arrived at the village and called for improved security measures and the demolition of illegal shops in the area. Sunday night, Kedumim Council Chairman Ozel Vatik stated in a letter to residents, “Our fight to change the reality and eliminate the threat of Funduq is succeeding!” Their activism brought success to establish a Jewish presence point in Funduq. After discussions with senior officials from the Civil Administration, the army, and the police, numerous changes will be taking place.

Source:
Settlers Rev Up Activism with Terrorists’ Release: Won’t Go Like Sheep to Slaughter!, by David Israel/Jewish Press, January 20, 2025

A diplomatic source said on Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is insistent on finalizing all the details of the hostage deal before bringing it to the vote of the Security Cabinet and the Cabinet.

“Netanyahu strongly refused Hamas’s demand to change the deployment of troops in on the Philadelphi Corridor and thus he is standing firmly against Hamas’s other demands today, which deviate from the understandings that were reached during the negotiations. It seems that this insistence bears fruit, but until the matters are completely finalized, Prime Minister Netanyahu will not convene the Cabinet and government.’

Earlier in the evening, Shas Party Chairman Aryeh Deri announced that Israel and Hamas have overcome the obstacles on the path to implementing the hostage deal.

“A few minutes ago I received a final message that they overcame all the obstacles and the deal is underway. Now they are dealing with the final technical wording. I want to congratulate Prime Minister Netanyahu, he’s responsible for the deal,” Deri stated.

News is coming out minute by minute on the fate of this “deal.” Right now we can only be certain that Netanyahu will decide when to bring it for a vote. We can also hope that in addition to freeing hostages, Israel is getting a sizable benefit from this deal – most likely from the incoming US administration. Mike Waltz, Trump’s incoming National Security Advisor has stated that following the release of terrorists, if Israel needs to “go in again to eliminate Hamas we are with them.”

Source:
Diplomatic source: Cabinet will not meet until deal is finalized, by Israel National News, January 16, 2025

Residents of the Gaza envelope communities are enraged that the IDF has begun to build a high stone wall near Sderot, saying this proves that the army has not changed its old and failed security perceptions,

“As soon as I saw the wall,’ said a resident of the city whose son was murdered along with 1,200 others during the Hamas invasion last October 7, “I realized that nothing has changed nor will change here. We’re back to October 6.”

Yarin Sultan, a member of the Israel Envelope Forum, also sharply criticized the move: It is “another link in a chain of conceptual failures. The state continues to cling to outdated approaches that are satisfied with cosmetic treatment [of the problem] and do not provide real security to the residents of the south.”

The army said in response that the wall was being built so that train service can recommence to the town. “The IDF is working on a variety of efforts to enable the return of the train, including tailored military operations and an ongoing situation assessment,” said its spokesperson. This is with the understanding that this is an important strategic national infrastructure and a central factor in the process of restoring the western Negev.”

Source:
‘We’re back to October 6’ – IDF builds wall around Sderot, by Batya Jerenberg/World Israel News, January 16, 2025