Author: AFSI Staff

The government passed a decision today to act to preserve and develop historical heritage sites in Judea and Samaria.

Gush Etzion Regional Council Mayor, and Chairman of the Yesha Council, Shlomo Ne’eman said in response to the decision: “We thank the Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu and all the members of the government who today approved such a significant budget for the development and preservation of the antiquities sites in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.”

There are over 3,000 antiquity sites throughout Judea and Samaria, of which some 80% are in Area C. According to the Prime Minister’s office, some 1,000 sites have already been damaged.

Over many years archeological sites have been damaged along with illegal construction near these sites. Without sovereignty applied throughout Judea and Samaria, much illegal activity still takes place. We look forward to the swift implementation of this plan and pray it is not too little too late.

Source:
Govt. to preserve, develop Judea and Samaria heritage sites, by Israel National News, July 17, 2023

A day before Israel celebrates Ze’ev Jabotinsky Day on the 18th of July and to mark 100 years since his formative essay “The Iron Wall”, a poll demonstrates that Israeli youth have little familiarity with Jabotinsky, or knowledge of his writings, or the Revisionist movement in general.

The survey, conducted for Jabotinsky Day by the Shiluv polling agency for the Middle East Forum’s Israel Victory Project, surveyed 500 Jewish youths aged 16-25 years old.

Though 100 years old, Zeev Jabotinsky’s teachings and principles, his words, his books, have 100% relevance in today’s Israel. Jabotinsky felt defeating one’s enemies was critical to Israel’s survival. It was true then and even more so now. It is imperative that youth be exposed to the educational resources and proper outlets to properly understand this, especially when so many enemies of Israel come from within.

Source:
Ahead of Jabotinsky Day, Young Israelis Unfamiliar with Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Revisionist Movement, by Jewish Press Staff, July 17, 2023

The Knesset on Monday night approved the first reading of the law to reduce the cause of reasonableness. The “Reasonableness Standard Bill” is an amendment to the Basic Law: The Judiciary, that would block Israel’s courts from applying what is known as the “reasonableness standard” to decisions made by elected officials. The law was approved by a majority of 64 to 56.

All members of the coalition voted in favor of the law, while all members of the opposition voted against it. After the vote, the members of the coalition applauded, while the members of the opposition shouted, “Shame.”

The vote was preceded by a heated discussion, which began with the remarks of the chairman of the Constitution Committee, MK Simcha Rothman, who presented the proposal. “It is balanced, responsible, and significantly different from what should have been enacted,” Rothman claimed. “The cause of reasonableness is a cause that the State of Israel managed to do without for many years, and still during the dark years, believe it or not, the sun rose every morning.”

While the approval of the first reading is a small step in the judicial reform process, it’s an enormous leap forward for Israel. Reports are saying the number of protestors has dwindled again. In the end, democracy and the truth always win and there’s no stopping it.

Sources:
Knesset approves reduction of reasonableness cause in first reading, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, July 11, 2023

Protest movement fails Netanyahu’s ‘reasonableness’ test, by Alex Traiman/JNS, July 12, 2023

Besides blocking the roads for millions of citizens of Israel, in their righteous anger and frustration, the anarchists have really started to lose it.

Early Tuesday morning, the anarchists placed a baby on the road to block traffic. They later tried to claim it was photoshopped and that no one actually put a baby on the road to block the cars, but the photographer confirmed to reporter Amit Segal that the photograph is real.

While we’re shaking our heads, we’re not surprised. It’s well known that the PA uses children as human shields to protect them from defensive action by Israel’s security forces. That the Israeli left has gone this far in their quest to take down the government and make their statement is an outright travesty. That they are following tactics used by the PA is even worse. It speaks volumes about the lengths of evil they will go to just to hold on to their politics.

Source:
Anarchists Use Baby to Block Road; Attack Reporter and Policemen; Block Ambulances, and More, by Jewish Press News Desk, July 11, 2023

It’s a cliché that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, one is free to have an opinion on who is at fault for violence in Judea and Samaria (aka the West Bank). But honest journalism forbids distorting and omitting material context to conform to the journalist’s preconceived opinions. Inaccurate coverage serves no one, especially not the victims of violent conflict.

Yet misrepresentation of facts pervades Western media coverage of the background and context surrounding violence in and emanating from the “West Bank.”

Source:
Debunking the media narrative on Judea and Samaria violence, by David M. Litman/JNS, July 13, 2023

Tonight the Knesset is expected to approve a first reading of the bill that would prohibit judges from applying a reasonableness standard to the actions of elected officials.

If the legislation passes this first vote, the leaders of the protest movement against the government’s judicial overhaul are planning to respond with a massive “day of disruption” which they say will include “significant actions” including blocking intersections throughout the country, as well as protests at Ben Gurion airport and in front of the US Embassy.

Chairman of the Constitution Committee, MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionism party, has said publicly that he has no intention of softening the bill for the second and third readings, despite being ordered to do so by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel is about to enter a new chapter that will begin to restore one democratic portion of the judicial oversight process thereby improving it to benefit the Israeli people as the legally elected majority makes good on its campaign promises. The left seeks to create opposition that will paralyze the country in an attempt to bring down the present government. We hope that the disruption that they attempt to cause will be acted upon swiftly and that those who lead and participate in such anti-government actions will be held accountable for their actions.

Source:
The reasonableness standard is about to be canceled by Israel’s government. Mass protests are planned, by Ynetnews, July 10, 2023

After terrorist fire rockets from the Jenin area towards the Jewish community of Shaked in northern Samaria today, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, called for an extensive military operation that would “eradicate” terror in the area.

After stating that residents expect the government to change, he addressed the government: “Today it is already clear to everyone that there is no escape. There are no fake stories and no excuses. The government must order the IDF to immediately launch a larger, broader, more thorough and in-depth operation in all of northern Samaria.”

“The common denominator of all these attacks: the shooting attacks and the rocket fire is the displacement of Jewish communities from northern Samaria 18 years ago by Sharon government,” said Dagan.

The Palestinian Authority has rejected Israel’s recent demands stemming from yesterday’s Security Council vote to make changes so that Israel would strengthen their terrorist agency. It refuses to stop acting against Israel in the international arena, to end pay-to-slay and to cease illegal construction in area C. Israel’s vote to boost the PA amounts to rewarding them for bad actions. It’s time to strengthen Israel and the only way for that to happen is for the IDF to go into terrorist hotbeds, as Dagan demands, and clean house once and for all.

Source:
‘Bigger operation needed that will end with victory’, by Israel National News, July 10, 2023

The state has submitted its response to the petition to the Supreme Court requesting an order to vacate the Yeshiva in Homesh.

The state’s answer states that since the Supreme Court issued a conditional order, the state decided to recognize the construction, transferred the ownership of the surrounding state lands to the Samaria Regional Council, and that procedures are underway to approve construction.

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, said, “This is the beginning of a moral and, above all, just correction of values. In the end, justice prevails, even if it is delayed. It will come. The settlement in northern Samaria is the security barrier of the entire State of Israel. This is the right Zionist act at this time.”

This development is what a right-wing government in action looks like…advancing the building of the Land to which it has sovereignty and legal rights!

Source:
State to Supreme Court: ”We won’t evict Homesh Yeshiva’, by Israel National News, July 28, 2023

Eight people were injured, five seriously in a terrorist ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv Tuesday afternoon. As of this writing, two women remain sedated and in serious condition.

The terrorist has been identified as a 23-year-old resident of the Mount Hebron region. Armed civilians and a police officer who saw what was happening intervened and shot and killed the driver.

The attack comes one day after a teenage terrorist stabbed a Jewish man in Bnei Brak, and as Israeli security forces are engaged in a large-scale military operation in Jenin.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said in response to the attack: “Our enemies want to harm us in Tel Aviv, in Eli, and everywhere in the Land of Israel, and against them we need to show unity and determination in Tel Aviv, in Eli, and everywhere in the Land of Israel.

Sources:
8 injured in ramming attack in Tel Aviv, by Israel National News, July 4, 2023

Two women still sedated and in serious condition after Tel Aviv terror attack, by Times of Israel Staff, July 5, 2023

IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari said Tuesday regarding the IDF counteri-terrorism operation in Jenin that all but 10 terror targets were eliminated on the first day of the campaign. “We arrested about 128 wanted persons and nine terrorists who were involved in the fighting were eliminated.”

Just as this two-day operation ended, sirens were sounded Tuesday night in Sderot and in the communities near the Gaza Strip border. Locals reported hearing sounds of explosions in the area, which the IDF confirmed to be five rockets launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory. “The IDF Aerial Defense Array successfully intercepted all the rocket launches,” it said.

The City of Sderot reported that the remains of one of the rockets hit a home in the there. Thankfully, there were no injuries, but damage was caused to a wall in the home. The family members were in a protected space at the time of the rocket attack.

Sources:
All but 10 terror targets eliminated in Jenin operation, IDF spokesperson says, by Lilach Shoval and Hanan Greenwood/Israel Hayom

As IDF withdraws from Jenin: Five rockets fired from Gaza towards Israel, by Israel National News, July 5, 2023