Category: Articles

Yesterday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office ordered 12 outposts in Judea and Samaria be connected to the state’s official power grid. Aside from the fact that this move is long over due, it is also seen as Netanyahu’s latest gesture to the Jewish community there just 8 days before the March 2 elections.

Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ronen Peretz, wrote in a letter to the Defense Ministry’s adviser on settlement affairs, Avi Roeh, that the dozen hilltop communities handpicked for the upgrade “were established many years ago on [what is considered] state land, often times with the government’s encouragement and out of security considerations.”

Source:
PM orders 12 illegal outposts be hooked up to power grid, 8 days before election, by Jacob Magid. Times of Israel – February 24, 2020 

Police arrived at the home of former MK Yehuda Glick Tuesday night to execute a search. This latest targeting of Glick follows his arrest on the Temple Mount Tuesday morning because he was walking too slowly. This gave the appearance as if he was engaged in prayer, which is forbidden to Jews at the site of two holy temples.

After the interrogation Glick was released to his home under restrictive conditions even though they did not find anything.

This is a vengeful political stunt by the Israel police. The country has real problems to deal with, such as, security and forming a government. We do not want to hear how they waste their time like this. It’s no wonder the public loses confidence and trust in its leaders.

Source:
Vindictive Police: 6 Detectives Search Yehuda Glick’s Home following Temple Mount Arrest, by David Israel. The Jewish Press – February 19, 2020

Members have officially been appointed to a joint US-Israel committee to begin the process of Sovereignty. The committee is being tasked with drawing up a map in specific detail of the areas in Judea, Samaria and in the Jordan Valley in which Israel will apply its Sovereignty.

President Trump appointed the US members of the committee, who are to include US Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman, his senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone and National Security Council director for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs Scott Leith.

Americans For A Safe Israel welcomes the news of this important first step. As you surely know, SOVEREIGNTY is our favorite topic and we look forward to hearing much more on this in the days and weeks to come.

Source:
US-Israel Sovereignty Mapping Committee Announced, by Hana Levi. the Jewish Press – February 15, 2020

Former Likud MK and prominent Temple Mount activist Yehudah Glick has been released from police custody Tuesday, hours after he was detained during a visit to the Mount, apparently due to walking “too slowly” during his tour.

“The situation where, under Israeli sovereignty, Jews cannot freely walk around the Temple Mount without police supervision over their steps, is delusional and absurd,” said Yamina candidate Sarah Beck in response to Glick’s earlier arrest. “The policy of persecuting… Jews alone encourages Muslim extremism.”

“It would be better for the State of Israel to take steps against incitement and violence rather than against peaceful Jews who are only seeking to fulfill God’s commandments.”

Source:
Former MK Yehudah Glick released hours after his arrest on Temple Mount, by Jeremy Sharon, Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman. Jerusalem Post – February 18, 2020 

They make headlines for “price tag” hate crimes against Palestinians or for clashing with Israeli troops at outpost evacuations.

In fact, the so-called “hilltop youth” — who seek to settle every corner of the biblical land of Israel — have long been identified as a national security threat placed under the jurisdiction of the highest levels of law enforcement.

But in recent years, some government officials have begun shifting their approach, considering the root causes that have led hundreds of teenagers to abandon their homes for the West Bank hilltops and recognizing that tackling the phenomenon also requires an education-based approach.

Source:
Program for rehabilitating ‘hilltop youth’ sees them as dropouts, not criminals, by Jacob Magid. Times of Israel – February 14, 2020

The Trump administration’s recently released “Peace to Prosperity” plan has proved to be controversial, but it includes one provision on page 16 that gets to the core of the Middle East conflict it seeks to solve: “People of every faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.”

Whomever disagrees with this stipulation is very simply put, not interested in a genuine and lasting peace.

AFSI agrees 100% with this. Petra Marquardt-Bigman’s article in The Algemeiner this week says the 1941 alliance between Adolt Hitler and Haj Amin al-Husseini has left a “poisonous legacy.” She covers this issue quite well and it is today’s suggested reading.

Source:
Analysis: Poisonous legacy of ‘Hitler’s Mufti’ makes peace impossible, by Petra Marquardt-Bigman. The Algemeiner – February 12, 2020

Earlier this week, the United Nations Human Rights Council issued a report on companies it blacklisted due to their business ties to Israel’s “settlements” in Judea and Samaria.

As expected, Israel’s condemnation was swift. President Reuven Rivlin stated, “Boycotting Israeli companies does not advance the cause of peace and does not build confidence between the sides. We call on our friends around the world to speak out against this shameful initiative which reminds of dark periods in our history.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Whoever boycotts us will be boycotted. The UN Human Rights Council is a biased body that is devoid of influence. Instead of the organization dealing with human rights, it only tries to disparage Israel. We strongly reject this contemptible effort.”

An emergency meeting of Barkan Industrial Area representatives was held this morning, together with Samaria Regional Council Chairman Yossi Dagan and with the participation of MK Eli Cohen, Minister of Economy.

Decided on were a list of steps to be taken by the Samaria Regional Council together with the industrialists to combat the UN decision and to assist the factories. Among the many steps to take, they voted to file a class action against the UN in accordance with the BDS Law.

AFSI reminds everyone that the UN Human Rights Council is made up of many member nations who are among the worst offenders of human rights abuses in their own countries.

Sources:
Israel Denounces ‘Shameful’ UN Report on Companies Active in West Bank Settlements, by Algemeiner Staff and Agencies. The Algemeiner – February 12, 2020

Samaria council to file class action suit against leaders of UN Human Rights Council, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – February 13, 2020

More agricultural theft and destruction in the Gush Etzion area, this time in the Migdal Oz plantations. Tzvika Klein, the cherry orchard owner who absorbed the destruction, tells of the incident and says local Muslims are responsible for the act. “Jews don’t come there and our neighbors are Arabs,” he says.

“We’re there every day. Because of the bad weather we didn’t get there for two days. When we arrived this morning we saw the damage: About 30 young cherry trees uprooted and a computer panel with a solar cell that charges the irrigation center batteries was stolen. In the process, they also damaged electrical wires and broke a cabinet.”

Source:
Agricultural warfare again hits Gush Etzion, by Shimon Cohen in Arutz Sheva. February 11, 2020

Today we are a little more than one week from President Donald Trump’s presentation of his Vision for Peace.

In that week, people have proclaimed him and his team anything and everything from the Messiah to Judas. The truth is he and his team are neither. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and Ambassador David Friedman are loyal patriots to the United States and the greatest friends Israel has ever had in the White House.

Let’s remember where we were as recently as December 2016. We were abandoned at the UN and were dictated the terms of a UN/EU style peace plan from then Secretary of State John Kerry. That was certainly a low point in international relations for our great state of Israel.

Read the full letter in Israel Hayom, February 6, 2020 HERE

Someone in the Palestinian Authority should get President Mahmoud Abbas a map — because he seems to be lost and confused. You’d think he’d respond to President Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan by traveling to Jerusalem or Washington to negotiate ­directly with Israel. Instead, he’s coming to the Big Apple.

On Tuesday, he will speak before the UN Security Council and seek a vote condemning the American plan. This isn’t the first time Abbas has taken a very wrong turn.

Editor’s note: A late breaking Arutz Sheva report today states: PA withdraws request for UN vote on US Mideast plan: diplomats

Source:
Mahmoud Abbas makes noise at UN again rather than try to negotiate peace, by Danny Danon. New York Post – February 9, 2020