Author: AFSI Staff

Today, the High Court of Justice (HCJ) is scheduled to hear a petition submitted by Peace Now on behalf of more than a dozen Arab residents of Bethlehem, who demand that the State of Israel allocate land in the area slated for construction of Givat Eitam, a new neighborhood of Efrat to be built on Israeli state land in Gush Etzion. The petition claims that Israel’s policy of land allocation discriminates against Palestinians.

According to Peace Now, the allocation of the land to the Efrat Municipality for construction of Givat Eitam – in Area C, the portion of Judea and Samaria placed under full Israeli jurisdiction under the Oslo framework – is tainted by racial and national discrimination and disregards the interests of the Palestinian residents of the general area who allegedly have a “connection” to the land. In an earlier stage of the case, a panel of High Court justices headed by Chief Justice Hayut issued a conditional order instructing the Israeli government to explain why it does not consider allocating land to the Palestinian petitioners – but Peace Now was not satisfied and petitioned the High Court for a temporary injunction to freeze all planning procedures for the new neighborhood until a final judgement is handed down in the case.

Israel should never have to justify why it will not allocate land to Palestinian Arab petitioners and furthermore, it does not need to answer to left-wing Jew hating NGO’s like Peace Now. This lawsuit is another attempt to delegitimize Israel. We pray that Prime Minister-Elect Benjamin Netanyahu chooses a new Justice Minister that can put a stop to this one-sided political show and put NGO’s like Peace Now in their place, which is not in any part of “Yisrael Shelayma.”

Photo courtesy of Regavim

Source:
Will High Court Force Jewish Town of Efrat to Allow Palestinian Authority to Build in New Neighborhood?, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, November 14, 2022

After more than 20 years since the Israeli government decided to establish Dror, a Jewish community of 2,500 families or 10,000 residents, and the defeat of countless Bedouin lawsuits against the plan, work began last week to finally turn the plan into reality.

In the area where the community was planned stood the illegal Bedouin village of Umm al-Khiran, which the state wanted to evacuate. In 2004, representatives of Umm Al-Khiran appealed to the Magistrate’s Court in Be’er Sheva against the decision to establish Dror, claiming that the state was the one that established their village in the 1950s.

Today we celebrate a brand-new Zionist future in the south, a small Jewish town that will serve as a bulwark against Bedouin expansion, help put a stop to Bedouin crime, and help establish a contiguous, safe Jewish State between Tel Aviv and Eilat.

Source:
10,000-Strong Jewish Community Starts Building in the Negev after 2 Decades of Bedouin Lawsuits, by David Israel/Jewish Press, November 10, 2022

With a full 100% of the votes counted, the right-religious bloc has won 64 seats in the next Knesset.

Americans For A Safe Israel congratulates Benjamin Netanyahu on what is his victorious win and stunning comeback as Prime Minister of Israel. Netanyahu won not only the 61-seat Knesset majority required to form a government, but this Likud leader’s bloc surpassed 61 and locked in a whopping 64 seats.

The citizens of Israel went to the voting booth in unprecedented numbers. This spoke volumes and the voters were heard in what is now known as the largest voter turnout in the Jewish Nation State since 1999. After five general elections held in under four years, Israel’s election gridlock is finally – thankfully – OVER!

We look forward to Netanyahu being able to form a pro Zionist and stable government that reverses the damage of his predecessors, especially the many concessions to the Palestinian Authority while overlooking longstanding unmet needs of its Jewish citizens.

Under Netanyahu’s leadership we wish to see:
The Zionist dream continue to grow and flourish with the values envisioned by its founders – values that lead Israel toward progress.
The Temple Mount become the holy site it was intended to be where Jews who wish to ascend it are not demonized and attacked. All religions must be welcomed to do their praying on the Mount.
A full reform of Israel’s justice system.
Netanyahu stand firm and not bow to any United States or world pressure on matters that concern Israel’s self-governance, construction and development of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, including the country’s security and self-defense.
The application of Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria become a reality with its territorial integrity restored.
Jewish citizens of Judea and Samaria become a high priority and that life there will be made safe and secure for everyone.

Only through pro Zionist values can Israel truly achieve progress toward ensuring its safety, security and a strong future. Only through pro Zionist action can Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria become a reality.

The finally tally is:
Likud = 32 seats
Yesh Atid = 24
Religious Zionism = 14
National Unity = 12
Shas = 11
United Torah Judaism = 8
Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al = 5
Labor = 4
Meretz, Balad and the Jewish Home did not pass the electoral threshold.

Sources:
With 95.5% of votes counted, right-wing majority holds strong, by Israel National News, November 3, 2022

With 99% of votes counted, far-left party knocked out of Knesset for the first time, by Israel News Staff, November 3, 2022

The outgoing government undermined Israel’s national security, economy, social fabric, international relations and standing worldwide. In light of this, the ever astute Caroline Glick, in her recent article, discusses the job that lies ahead for Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu’s new government will face multiple crises from its first moments in office. Consider just two: The rapidly escalating Palestinian Arab terror campaign and concurrent strategic land grab in Judea and Samaria, and the steadily escalating lawlessness and irredentist violence of Israeli Arabs.

Israel’s radical legal system, from the Attorney General to the state prosecution to the Supreme Court, has systematically undermined the IDF’s ability to seize the initiative in the fight against Palestinian terrorists. They have interfered on everything ranging from the rules of engagement to battlefield tactics. The courts’ decisions have nothing to do with the law. They are predicated on the political and ideological convictions of unelected judges.

Voters gave Netanyahu and the right the largest mandate the nationalist camp has received in two decades. They expect the incoming government to clean up the mess that Lapid and his colleagues are leaving behind, and to push Israel forward. The only way for Netanyahu and his partners to meet these expectations is by making far-reaching reforms to the legal system.

Source:
Legal reform, now, by Caroline Glick/Israel National News, November 7, 2022

While members of the United Nations Security Council on Friday expressed alarm over the rising number of Palestinian casualties, Israel’s ambassador urged them to take a look at the underlying reason: ongoing security operations meant to stop a brutal escalation in terrorism.

“Israel is in the midst of a terror wave,” Israeli envoy Gilad Erdan told the council during Friday’s quarterly debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Since the start of this year alone, there have been over 4,000 Palestinian terror attacks perpetrated against Israelis. Car ramming, rock throwing, fire bombings, stabbing, shootings, rockets and many other acts of Palestinian violence have become a fact of life for millions of Israelis.”

We applaud Ambassador Erdan’s steadfast work in fighting for the truth about Israel in the shameful halls of the United Nations. AFSI looks forward to a continuation of this vital effort – and more – with the new government.

This is another example of the UN being totally useless and run by countries that in many cases lack any form of acceptable government.

Source:
Israeli envoy tells UN Palestinian terror behind rising West Bank casualties, by Mike Wagenheim/JNS, October 31, 2022

Roi Kais, the Arab Affairs Correspondent Kan for Israel’s Channel 11 translated and presented the presentation of Elias Bou Saab, the Deputy Speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, as to how Lebanon out-negotiated Israel and the Americans on the shared maritime border and offshore gas fields, compromising on nothing, while getting the Israeli-US side to compromise on every single point.

It seems Israel did not fight hard enough for its best interests. Lebanon saw through Israel’s game and then rejected one offer after another, plus they added more threats and conditions. The US showed how desperate they were for a deal. It was obvious to everyone in Israel as Interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid kept sweetening the pot with nothing in return that he wanted to close the deal before the upcoming elections,. The US needed to close the deal before Benjamin Netanyahu’s possible return to office, who would scuttle the fire sale.

Moral of the story: never negotiate against yourself – EVER!.

Source:
Step-by-Step: How Lebanon Out-Negotiated Israel, Amos Hochstein and Yair Lapid, by Jewish Press News Desk, October 30, 2022

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi arrived Sunday morning at the scene of Saturday night’s deadly shooting attack in Kiryat Arba. He expressed his appreciation to the military security coordinator for his response to the attack.

Initial investigations show that the shots were fired towards a store in which a father and son had entered. Five people were injured, one of them, Ronen Hanania, died of his wounds. His son Daniel was lightly wounded. Medic Ofer Ohana was seriously injured and as of yesterday afternoon AFSI received reports from his wife that his condition was stabilizing. Ofer, who runs the local Pina Chama ( a “warm corner” fo soldiers on duty), is a friend of many AFSI members.

In the Jordan Valley on Sunday afternoon, four young men were injured, one moderately and three lightly, in a terrorist ramming attack carried out at two different intersections in the Jordan Valley Sunday afternoon. A policeman and a security guard neutralized the terrorist at the Almog Junction.

We pray for the speedy recovery of all the victims. We pray that tomorrow’s elections in Israel bring forward the security, safety and sovereignty so desperately needed in Judea and Samaria.

Sources:
Chief of Staff visits scene of Kiryat Arba attack, by Israel National News, October 30, 2022

Kiryat Arba terrorist named as brother of Shalit deal terrorist, by Israel National News, October 29, 2022

4 hurt in double ramming attack in Jordan Valley, by Israel National News, October 30, 2022

Most of Israel’s commentators insist that Tuesday’s Knesset elections—the fifth in fewer than four years—are about the same thing the last four were about: Benjamin Netanyahu. If you vote for Netanyahu’s Likud Party, or for the other three parties in his right-religious bloc, then you are for Netanyahu. If you vote for caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, or for any of the members of his left-Arab bloc, then you are against Netanyahu. Nothing else is up for grabs.

In her JNS Brief, Glick succinctly states: Do we believe in our nation state and wish to preserve and defend it, or do we reject our national identity and national rights, and aspire to replace both with a globalist, progressive identity, devoid of Zionism and of Jewish sovereignty?

November 1 is all about Sovereignty and the day will prove to be a defining referendum on what the Israeli people really want for their future.

Source:
Jewish sovereignty is on the ballot, by Caroline Glick/JNS, October 30, 2022

Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday signed the agreement on a maritime boundary between Israel and Lebanon, that will permit Israel’s neighbor to the north to start digging for underwater natural gas in an area that extends into Israel’s territory.

Lapid and Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun also did not sign the same document, but identical documents that will be submitted to the UN representative at the Rosh Hanikra crossing. Lebanon has been stressing throughout the years of negotiations with Israel that it does not recognize the Jewish State, nor has it given up its desire to see it be erased by its army of terrorists, Hezbollah.

Lapid regards the signing of this agreement as recognition by an enemy state. We say it is capitulation to an enemy. Legal scholars agree. “Nothing in this maritime agreement can be said to constitute a Lebanese recognition of Israel,” said Professor Eugene Kontorovich, director of International Law at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, which petitioned the Supreme Court against the deal.

Lapid signed the deal without the Knesset’s ratification, and since he also gave away Israeli territory in the bargain, he also ignored the legal requirement to hold a referendum on giving away parts of Eretz Israel no matter who is doing it. For a caretaker Prime minister to do such a thing with elections days away is an unthinkable act.

May the November 1 elections next week bring about a government to erase this disaster. David Israel writes in his article that the new government should “…hire an army of lawyers to get Israel out of this insult to its sovereignty.”

Sources:
Lapid Signs Controversial Maritime Deal with Lebanon – Enemy Country Insists on Separate Ceremonies, by David Israel/Jewish Press, October 27, 2022

Lapid hails signed Lebanon deal as ‘recognition’ by enemy state, by Debbie Reiss/World Israel News, October 27, 2022

Under the headline: “Israel or Palestine,” the Sovereignty Movement warns against steps taken by Minister Benny Gantz that promote, in practice, the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The movement expresses concern about what its members characterize as a right-wing mask behind which Benny Gantz conceals his political philosophy. “It is time to unmask the Defense Minister’s policy,” the ad says. “Gantz is a leftist, who, under the guise of IDF activity, is promoting a political program that endangers Israel.”

Source:
The Sovereignty Movement: Unmasking Gantz’s Policy, by Israel National News, October 26, 2022