Category: Articles

The Israel Defense Forces can make use of administrative restraining orders to ban left-wing activists from the Judea and Samaria, according to orders issued Saturday night by Defense Minister Naftali Bennett.

It marks the first time the Defense Ministry has determined that blanket injunctions, as opposed to isolated ones here and there, can be used against left-wing activists.

“The circus is over. We will act harshly against domestic enemies that harm IDF soldiers and the country’s security,” Bennett said. He has asked the IDF Central Command, the general security establishment including the Shin Bet and the Israeli police force, to work on the matter.

What more can we say other than it’s about time to get tough on those who seek to harm the IDF and Israel? It’s totally unacceptable for such hostile organizations to conduct business against Israel in the manner that they do. Bravo MK Bennett!

Source:
Bennett to ban ‘left-wing anarchists’ from W. Bank, by Tovah Lazaroff. Jerusalem Post – January 18, 2020

Ateret Cohanim, an organization which works to protect Jewish property rights in Jerusalem and to redeem Jewish real estate in and around the Old City scored a legal victory Sunday, when a Jerusalem court accepted the group’s demand that property in eastern Jerusalem be returned to its Jewish owners.

The property in question was part of the ‘Kfar Hashiloah’ neighborhood: a Yemenite Jewish community established in the area in the 19th century which was destroyed during Arab riots prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. During Jordan’s occupation of the area beginning in 1948, the property was seized by local Arabs, becoming part of the Silwan neighborhood.

Americans For A Safe Israel gives a big Yasher Koach to Motti Dan and Daniel Luria and all the dedicated staff of Ateret Cohanim, not only for this enormous legal victory, but for their tireless and ongoing work to reclaim Jewish land and return it to Jewish hands.
This organization has our full support and plays an integral part in every one of our Chizuk Missions to Israel.

Source:
Court backs Jewish group’s demand that Jewish-owned property be returned, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – January 20, 2020

The IDF Military Intelligence Directorate presented its annual intelligence assessment to the political echelon Tuesday morning.

The findings indicate that Iran is continuing to advance at a slow pace and is capable of reaching enough material within a year to produce one nuclear bomb. Production of a missile capable of carrying the bomb will take another two years.

“We know exactly what is going on in the Iranian nuclear program. Iran thinks it will obtain nuclear weapons. I will say again – Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons,” stated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Source:
‘We know exactly what’s up with Iran’s nuclear program’, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – January 14, 2020

Israel approved the creation of seven Israeli nature reserves in Area C of the West Bank, just one week after Defense Minister Naftali Bennett announced that he had embarked on a campaign to ensure that the area remains under the control of the Jewish state.

According to the Defense Ministry, it’s the first time since the 1993 Oslo I Accord that such an approval had been issued. The Defense Ministry’s announcement of the move also includes the expansion of 12 already existing nature reserves.

“Today we are greatly strengthening the Land of Israel by developing Jewish settlement in Area C – with actions, not words. Judea and Samaria have natural sites with amazing views. We will expand existing sites and develop new ones…. I invite all Israeli citizens to get up and walk the land, to tour Judea and Samaria, hike, discover new things and to continue the Zionist enterprise.” Bennett said.

Source:
In Area C battle, IDF approves 7 Israeli West Bank nature reserves, by Tovah Lazaroff, Khaled Abu Toameh. Jerusalem Post –  January 15, 2020

AFSI is always concerned about the enemies from within who seek to harm Israel and Lea Tsemel is certainly one of them.

Israel’s Bar Association voted to reappoint controversial lawyer Lea Tsemel as the head of its Military Courts Committee on Sunday.

However, following widespread outrage from bereaved families of terrorism, the Bar Association decided to freeze her appointment on the following day. In the past few years, Tsemel has gained notoriety for defending terrorists. Her clients range from Abdel Aziz Salha, who took part in the 2000 lynching of two IDF soldiers in Ramallah, to – most recently – Arafat Arafiah, who murdered and raped 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher last year.

The Bar Association canceled the appointment after receiving a letter from more than 100 bereaved families of terrorism.

Source:
Israel’s Bar Association cancels appointment of lawyer who defends terrorists, by Deborah Dahan. Jerusalem Post – January 14, 2020

The European Union and the Palestinian Authority have developed a plan to destroy Israel; it’s called, “European Joint Strategy in support of Palestine (EJS),” and the “Palestinian Authority National Policy Agenda (PANPA).”

According to the PANPA, their mission is to “reassert full Palestinian sovereignty over the whole of its territory on the 1967 borders; to end Israel’s illegal, methodical and continuing expropriation of Palestinian land, resources and water; to lift the protracted siege of Gaza while ensuring a geographical link with the West Bank; to cease and reverse Israel’s calculated attempts to dismember east Jerusalem from the rest of Palestine; and to dismantle the illegal separation wall that entraps tens of thousands of Palestinians.”

Let’s not forget that the EU, in continuing violation of the Oslo Accords, also provides financial support for PA residents who move illegally into Area C, which under the accords is under full Israeli control. These Palestinean Arabs build homes without obtaining permits. The EU also funds illegal building by Bedouins in Israel as well as the NGOs which defend the Bedouins in the legal system.

Neither the EU nor the PA refer to history, since the connection of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel is well documented in text and archaeology. This joint effort is nothing more than an ongoing effort to demonize and delegitimize Israel, the only Democratic peace-loving nation in the Middle East.

Source:
The EU-PA/PLO strategy to destroy Israel, by Moshe Dann. Jerusalem Post – January 11, 2020

In the Samaria town of Havat Gilad, continuous power outages make it difficult for residents to live a normal life, especially when outages in cold and stormy weather leave families without a reliable source of heating. Imagine what it’s like for them to observe Shabbat in the dark. UNACCEPTABLE!

It’s been two years since the Israeli government recognized Havat Gilad as completely legal, yet the situation is the same as it was before regarding electricity. Residents of Havat Gilad are now demanding that Defense Minister Naftali Bennett immediately provide a solution for the issue.

Yael Shevach, whose husband Raziel was murdered in a terror attack in January 2018, told Arutz Sheva: “For many years we were not connected to the electric grid, and we suffered insufferable power outages. A few years ago we were connected to the electric grid, but in an amateur and primitive fashion, and we continue to suffer the same problems.”

Havat Gilad is a small community in Samaria that holds a special place in the hearts of AFSI and its many members. AFSI has visited there often and was especially alerted to the need for security after Rabbi Raziel Shevach’s murder. On May 15, 2018 a terrorist was apprehended using information recorded by a new camera system AFSI funded.

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Electricity problems in Havat Gilad have become ‘an existential problem,‘ residents say, by Nitzan Keidar. Arutz Sheva – January 9, 2020.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyau and President Donald Trump discussed in a phone call “critical bilateral and regional issues.” The phone call between the two followed just one day after the US took decisive action last week to eliminate IRGC’s Qassem Soleimani.

While specific details of the conversation were not given, Israeli officials believe Iran is unlikely to attack Israel in retaliation for the US airstrike that killed Soleimani in Iraq.

AFSI is grateful that Israel continues to have a true partner looking out for its best interests. We thank President Trump for his continued concern for and support of Israel.

Source:
Trump and Netanyahu discuss ‘critical’ issues after Iran missile strikes, by TOI Staff and Raphael Ahren. Times of Israel – January 9, 2020

US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, spoke at a major conference this week emphasizing that Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria are not in violation of international law.

Friedman has been in office three years now. “Since coming here I’ve worked to add one more item to a busy agenda: helping to find a fix to the issues that still linger from the Six Day War.”

Source:
US Amb Friedman: Jerusalem, the Golan – and now Judea & Samaria, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – January 8, 2020

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett toured the Jordan Valley on Monday with Jordan Valley Regional Council Chairman and Chairman of the Yesha Council David Elhayani.

On their tour, they observed the town of Petza’el from Highway 505. The observation provided the minister with a comprehensive overview of Arab construction and the massive takeover of state land in Area C. Subsequently, the minister passed through the emergency center of the Jordan Valley to the Council and the IDF, where they heard about the daily work of the hotline staff.

Bennett said: “I will start from the end: I am not from the UN. I am fully in favor of settlement [sic], this is my policy. As Minister of Defense, I have a clear position on expanding settlement [sic] in Judea and Samaria in the quickest, best and most powerful way. In Area C, there is a campaign here and we are on the scene. I have defined the mission of IDF and the security system to prevent all illegal Palestinian construction. This is political construction with the aim of gaining as much of our land as possible. Our goal is to build and maintain as much as possible in Area C. Our policy and the commander’s spirit are very clear.”

Source:
Bennett: Our goal is to prevent all illegal PA construction in Jordan Valley, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – January 6, 2020