Category: Articles

The National Assembly of France passed a historic decision Tuesday night that anti-Zionism is a modern form anti-Semitism. This decision comes as rising anti-Semitism, including acts of violence, have taken place in France.

The motion passed with 154 in favor and 72 opposed in the parliament’s lower house. It was proposed by lawmaker Sylvain Maillard of LREM, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party.

World Zionist Organization vice chairman Yaakov Hagoel told The Jerusalem Post that he welcomed this “important decision…and expects other countries in Europe to pass a similar decision. I am very happy that the mask has been removed,” he said, “anti-Zionism is antisemitism. This disguise tried to legalize anti-Semitic and racist motives against the Jewish people – enough to make people hate.”

AFSI feels that this is a good start in recognizing that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. Ultimately we are interested to see how individuals and groups who commit acts of anti-Semitism will be held accountable. We want the rest of Europe (and the world) to follow France’s lead and enact legislation of their own to declare anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. We know It’s long overdue.

Sources:
French parliament praised for anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism decision by Ilanit Chernick, The Jerusalem Post – December 4, 2019

University of Bristol adopts IHRA definition of anti-Semitism by Ilant Chernick, the Jerusalem Post – December 5, 2019

Israel’s new Defense Minister Naftali Bennett ordered a new Jewish neighborhood at the site of an old Jewish marketplace in Hebron on Sunday.

Bennett instructed the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories and the Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria to inform the Hebron municipality of the plan, Arutz7 reports.

The new neighborhood will lead to a continuous Jewish presence from the Cave of the Patriarchs, where, according to the Bible, Abraham purchased a burial plot for his wife Sarah, to the Avraham Avinu Jewish neighborhood. It will “double the number of Jewish residents in the city.”

The new community will be established in the market complex. The banner in this photo shows that the land was purchased by Jews over 200 years ago in 1817! Our friends at Im Tirtzu, along with the Jewish Community of Hebron, hung this banner together. (Im Tirtzu will be hosted by AFSI in a special program this coming Wednesday evening. Have you RSVP’d yet?)

While this may sound like old news made new again, AFSI looks forward to seeing the construction vehicles there and having this long fought for dream turned to reality!

Sources:
Israeli defense minister OKs new neighborhood in Hebron, will double Jewish population by World Israel News (WIN), World Israel News Staff – December 1, 2019

Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar openly dares to take on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as leader of the Likud party.

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz is prepared to join Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in making compromises ahead of the December 11 deadline to form a government and prevent a third election in under a year, sources close to Gantz said on Sunday.

Sources:
Gideon Sa’ar dares to openly take on Netanyahu Sa’ar is fully aware of the difficult path he has embarked on by Gil Hoffman, The Jerusalem Post – November 29, 2019

Benny Gantz, Netanyahu readying compromises on unity by Gil Hofman, The Jerusalem Post – December 2, 2019

Friday marked the 72nd anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s passage of Resolution 181, which led to the establishment of the State of Israel.

Israel’s current UN ambassador, Danny Danon, celebrated the occasion with a tweet, saying the Jewish state “continues to exemplify the Zionist ideals, fulfilling our ancestors’ dreams.”

Sources:
Israeli Diplomats Celebrate 72nd Anniversary of UN Decision That Led to Jewish State’s Founding by The Algemeiner, The Algemiener – November 29, 2019

Last week Benny Gantz returned the mandate to form a coalition back to President Reuven Rivlin. What’s next in the election process?

Recent reports tell us that MK Shlomo Kari said he received a “green light” from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to promote legislation that would have Israelis choose between the heads of the two most popular political parties in Israel: the ruling Likud and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party. This new election showdown would also potentially be the third round of elections in 12 months. A third election could also signal the end of Netanyahu’s leadership as it is highly questionable that he could receive a mandate to form a government while indicted or at the trial stage.

Meanwhile, an attempt to overthrow Prime Minister Netanyahu FROM WITHIN LIKUD continues as Gantz begins attempting to put together a majority to form a government. Jerusalem Post report HERE.

Omar Shakir, leader since 2016 of Human Rights Watch in Israel, will be expelled from the Jewish state today due to his support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

AFSI supports this latest move by the State of Israel. An enemy of the Jewish State does not belong anywhere in Israel!

Wednesday evening Blue and White leader Benny Gantz concluded he could not form a coalition and handed the mandate back to President Reuven Rivlin.

Today, Rivlin handed back the mandate to the Knesset. In the process he blasted both Gantz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to put together a coalition.

The next step in this process allows for any lawmaker to put together a coalition and hopefully avoid the need to conduct a third round of elections. Israel’s Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit handed down indictments today against Netanyahu in all three cases against him. Does this signal the end of any chances for a unity government?

The Israeli public is losing patience with this entire state of affairs. This “…miserable political situation” is a first in Israel’s history, said Rivlin, who also urged lawmakers to ask themselves, “What is my duty to the State of Israel?” How many politicians will put their country before themselves? This may be an opportunity to put that question to the test.

Immediately following this weeks US policy change regarding the legality of Judea and Samaria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved advancing a Jordan Valley annexation bill. The bill would have Israel apply Sovereignty to the Jordan Valley.

The bill was proposed several weeks ago by Likud MK Sharren Haskel who said, “The bill has the prime minister’s full backing. There is no reason that this important bill won’t pass in the plenum with an 80-member majority.”

In an official statement this week, the Trump administration announced that it does not view Israeli “settlements” (Jewish communities) in Judea and Samaria as illegal.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made the announcement Monday evening. This welcome decision comes after a year-long review conducted by the US State Department’s legal office, The team met with international law experts as well as officials from different governments to hear their opinions. We know there was no need to debate the issue but it shows the Trump administration took careful steps to review this before making it official.

This is a historic reversal of hateful and anti-Semitic US policy under prior administrations since 1978 (under Jimmy Carter’s administration) known as the Hansell Memorandum, held that establishing Israeli civilian communities in the areas beyond the 1949 armistice lines are “per se inconsistent with international law.”

This decision also negates the European Union’s ridiculous ruling that Jews can’t live in or have businesses in Judea and Samaria.

The Trump decision also puts the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement to shame. BDS has always relied on the argument – and false claim – that Jews are “illegal occupiers” of the Jewish homeland.

Thank you President Trump for advancing the truth about Judea and Samaria: Jewish land that has always belonged to Israel and has always been, without a doubt in our minds, legal under international law.

Watch Secretary Pompeo make the historic announcement below and a second video with comments by Nadia Matar of The Sovereignty Movement.

Pompeo’s statement on “settlements” is a diplomatic turning point ~Caroline Glick

Videos below: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo makes historic announcement. Nadia Matar: President Trump is not afraid of being on the side of justice.

Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted four rockets that were shot over the Golan Heights early on Tuesday morning. The IDF confirmed that the four launches were identified from Syria and aimed at Israeli territory.

Israeli residents reported hearing explosions and Syrian media reported that explosions were heard at Damascus Airport.

Do Israelis retaliate against Syrian missiles under Defense Minister Naftali Bennet’s watch?