Author: AFSI Staff

The defense ministry’s harassment of the Homesh Yeshiva continues as Minister Benny Gantz fights for his political future in the Knesset. Earlier this week an IDF bulldozer piled up dirt around the yeshiva’s parking lot overnight, blocking access to the lot. The bulldozer trapped several cars belonging to yeshiva staff and students.

The defense ministry also announced Wednesday that it began construction of a 45-kilometer, high tech security barrier in northern Samaria. Homesh, evacuated and cut off from Israel “proper” in 2005 on the whim of then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, will be on the wrong side of this wall. Millions will be invested in securing a largely isolated area of northern Samaria while holes in the security fence near major Israeli communities are big enough for thousands of illegal Arabs and their cars to get through.

The continued demoralizing treatment of Homesh is shameful. It pains us to admit that Israel’s biggest enemy in this case comes from within. We choose to remain positive and have our eye on a new coalition forming either soon or through new elections in September. We pray Israelis elect a prime minister who together with a new cabinet can treat Homesh properly – as the legally owned land under Israeli sovereignty that it is.

Sources:
Gantz’s Defense Ministry Invents New Ways to Torment Homesh Residents, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 22, 2022

Israel begins building 28-mile long West Bank security barrier, by i24NEWS, June 22, 2022

A report released today by UN Watch reveals 20 new cases in which teachers employed by UNRWA incite violence and anti-Semitism on social media.

A computer teacher, Nihaya Awad, endorsed Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli civilians after last years’ “war.” Regarding Jews, Lebanon teacher Elham Mansour posted on Facebook that “By Allah, …Kill them and pursue them everywhere, they are the greatest enemy….All Israel deserves is death. Our greatest enemy is Israel, death and destruction to you…”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan said, “Not only has UNRWA not properly addressed the manifestations of anti-Semitism among its employees, but now we see that the phenomenon is only expanding and that more workers are openly calling for the murder of Jews while the UN and the organization are doing nothing. Can this agency fall any lower?”

This report exposes that there are more than “a few bad apples,” as UNRWA has claimed and proves that there is systemic anti-Semitism. The agency should be defunded! However, if funding is granted to UNRWA, what will be done to guarantee that the dollars are used for real education and no radicalization?

Sources:
New report reveals: UN teachers call for murder of Jews, by Israel National News, June 23, 2022

Amb. Erdan calls for freeze on UNRWA funding until teachers who call to murder Jews fired, by Israel National News, June 23, 2022

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid have decided to dissolve the current government and hold new elections. The decision was made after the two exhausted efforts to preserve the current coalition, which has seen numerous crises in recent months.

The two will submit a bill to this effect for approval by the Knesset next week. Yair Lapid will become prime minister during the transition period as per the coalition agreement.

Naftali Bennett will now go down in Israel’s history as the shortest tenured prime minister, to be topped of course by Lapid, assuming he doesn’t prevail in the forthcoming election. It is our fervent hope that the damage done by Bennett’s coalition will be fully reversed by a new government after the next set of elections. The Israeli people deserve better than what they’ve put up with in the last year.

Source:
Knesset dissolves: Lapid to become PM, by Gary Willig/Israel National News, June 20, 2022

This story appeared before today’s announcement that Israel’s current government will dissolve.

Israel’s Ministerial Committee for Legislation rejected a bill Sunday which would apply Israeli sovereignty over large swaths of Judea and Samaria.

The Religious Zionist Party blasted the committee’s decision in a statement Sunday afternoon. “A government with the Islamic Movement which relies on the Joint Arab List cannot even pass the Judea and Samaria Regulation Law – and now even shoves away the open hand the Opposition is offering.” Clearly, this government cannot remain in power. “The people of Israel deserve a Jewish, Zionist government, and we will establish one soon.”

Yes, the people of Israel do deserve a Jewish, Zionist government. Based on today’s breaking news that the government will dissolve, we pray we can look forward to a new government this Fall that will take the application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria seriously and make it happen. It is the only legal and ethical thing to do.

Source:
Ministerial committee rejects bill to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, June 19, 2022

Sources inside Israel’s Likud party predicted on Wednesday that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition would soon end, expecting that Nir Orbach would join the opposition in the vote to end it.

He is expected to vote to dissolve the parliament (Knesset) next Wednesday, a move that could lead to elections in October, according to Israeli media. Alternatively, a government could be set up within the current Knesset without new elections, if another candidate can assemble a majority. Rumors swirl that negotiations are aiming in that direction. Barring that, if Orbach does cast the deciding vote, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid will become interim prime minister until a new government is formed.

An assessment of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s coalition shows it is troubled and not working in the best interests of the country, the people and Sovereignty. We’re waiting to see how this report develops.

Source:
Israel: Orbach expected to vote on dissolving parliament, Likud sources say, by i24NEWS, June 16, 2022

The IDF postponed the demolition of terrorist homes who participated in recent attacks on Israelis until after Joe Biden’s visit to Israel next week on July 13.

One report states the demolition scheduled for next Tuesday was postponed in order not to lead to a deterioration in the security situation in Judea and Samaria ahead of Biden’s visit. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett demanded the demolition be postponed and that the IDF reevaluate the necessity.

We know what Biden hopes to achieve on this visit and that is to gain favor from the PA by reiterating his support for the delirious and dangerous “two-state solution.” At the same time, the official White House announcement also stated that “…he will meet with Israeli leaders to discuss Israel’s security, prosperity, and its increasing integration into the greater region.” That sounds good, but we have very low expectations for this visit. We know Biden will not acknowledge and advocate for the truth about why the Sovereign Nation of Israel has a right and must defend itself against terrorist forces that seek its total elimination. Biden’s “leadership” is much too weak and he doesn’t possess the kind of guts needed to take a proper stand to truly support Israel. This trip will be nothing more than optics for him. We think Biden would do much better for all concerned if he saved money in the White House budget and stayed home.

Sources:
Report: Demolition of Terrorists’ Homes Postponed through Biden’s Visit, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 15, 2022

Dizengoff terrorist house demolition delayed until after Biden visit, by Eliav Breuer/Jerusalem Post, June 15, 2022

A bill seeking to disband the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry investigating Israel has gained support in recent weeks, amassing 34 co-sponsors since its introduction this spring.

The COI Elimination Act was introduced by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) in late March. It would designate that it is U.S. policy to “seek the abolition” of the COI and “combat systemic anti-Israel bias at the United Nations Human Rights Council and other international fora.”

The legislation would also trim the U.S.’s annual contributions to the U.N. The COI was established following the May 2021 “conflict” between Israel and Gaza terrorist groups. The COI is nothing more than a baseless, never-ending and hostile investigative tool to delegitimize Israel.

Rep. Steube said, “The ongoing anti-Israel commission formed by the U.N.’s discredited Human Rights Council directly obstructs peace in the Middle East and intentionally targets the only democracy in the region. Our U.S. tax dollars have no place funding an anti-Israel commission.”

Well said!! Thank you Rep. Steube for introducing this important legislation and for standing up for Israel.

Source: Legislation seeking to shut down U.N.’s Commission of Inquiry on Israel gains momentum, by Marc Rod/Jewish Insider, June 15, 2022

MK Nir Orbach issued a press release late today and informed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett that “in the current state of affairs – I can have no part in the coalition.”

Prior to Orbach’s announcement, as part of the effort to calm “rebel MK’s” within the Lapid-Bennett coalition, especially MK Orbach, all of a sudden coalition officials became committed to leaving the Homesh community in northern Samaria alone. Homesh won’t be evacuated in the coming months according to a Reshet Bet radio report as of Monday morning.

The coalition leadership understands that the evacuation of Homesh will bring about the dissolution of the government by Yamina and New Hope. Saving Homesh was originally a temporary political move to gain back support from Orbach in an attempt to save Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s obviously disintegrating coalition. (Orbach also wanted the Judea and Samaria law passed.) Should the government collapse totally, it’s expected that Homesh will be demolished. The temporary saving of Homesh is desperate and disgraceful politics and not a sincere application of Israel’s sovereign rights to Homesh and the land on which it sits.

It’s been a year now since PM Bennett took office. While we pray the second year is more stable and productive than the first, it’s highly unlikely to happen. It’s also likely a second year may see new leadership.

Sources:
Report: To Stay Intact Lapid-Bennett Coalition Won’t Evacuate Homesh, by David Israel/Jewish Press, June 13, 2022

MK Orbach: Coalition can’t continue in its current form, by Israel National News, June 13, 2022

Israel on Sunday announced it will join the European Union’s “Creative Europe” program that promotes cultural cooperation between artists in member-nations. Israel considers the program essential to increasing cooperation with Europe and developing Israel’s cultural scene, the Foreign Ministry said.

The agreement includes a “territorial clause” that only recognizes what the EU determines to be sovereign “Israeli territories,” something that angered groups and regional council heads in Judea and Samaria suitable to participate. As a result of the clause, Jewish communities legally owned by Israel in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights will be excluded from the program. How can we ask for boycotts of countries that refuse to recognize Judea and Samaria while taking part in a program that does the same? This is insanity! The Foreign Ministry is doing millions of its citizens a great injustice by joining in.

Every time Israel enters into an agreement like this, it consistently sends a message to the world that Israel has no rights to her “territories.” Unfortunately, we have MK Yair Lapid to thank for this latest blow that says these areas in Israel are not “sovereign territories.” Again, SOVEREIGNTY IS THE ANSWER!

Source:
Settlements excluded from EU cultural program joined by Israel, by ILH Staff, June 13, 2022

Roughly one thousand people gathered at the fourth Youth Sovereignty Convention last Thursday. Hosted by the co-chairwomen of the Sovereignty Movement, Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, the aim was to strengthen the governance and enforce Israeli sovereignty in eastern Jerusalem.

“Today, we in Beit Orot, promise –To turn Jerusalem into the metropolis of Greater Jerusalem will be our greatest happiness. Dear Youth, The Land of Israel is waiting for you, Jerusalem is waiting for you. Greater Jerusalem will be established thanks to you, and from Zion, G-d willing, Jewish sovereignty will go forth, over the entire Land of Israel,” stated the co-chairwomen.

MK Bezalel Smotrich said, “In the Golan Heights, they applied sovereignty within 24 hours. We must dismantle the Civil Administration, establish new communities, preserve the territories of Judea and Samaria, acquire land for Jews and restore security. (In our June 7 newsletter Gilad Ach of Ad Kan exposed how Israel’s Civil Administration is working only on its own behalf in Judea and Samaria, one more reason to dismantle it.)

Miracle after miracle have occurred to turn Israel into the world power it is today. We believe for Israel to continue to grow in all ways, Zion must be a part of it. In order to ensure that Zion/Jerusalem remains in the sovereign control of the Israelites, a Jerusalem metropolis is the best answer we’ve heard to date.

Source:
‘Enforce Israeli law and sovereignty in east Jerusalem’, by Israel National News, June 10, 2022