Category: Articles

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement yesterday about the recently published findings of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) investigation into UNRWA and calls for the full and transparent release of all findings of the investigation.

The recent resignation of UNRWA’s Commisioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl is only a first step in a long process that is needed to eliminate corruption, increase transparency, and prevent further politicization of the agency.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz stated: “UNRWA’s conduct illustrates that the agency is part of the problem, and not part of the solution. The agency perpetuates the refugee issue in a political manner, and in doing so distances any possibility for a future resolution. The international community needs to find a new model that will provide humanitarian assistance to those who truly need it, and must remove from the agenda the futile idea of the return of the refugees.”

Friday night, Arab terrorist groups fired 10 rockets into Israel. One house in Sderot (owner Rinat Cohen) sustained damage but thankfully it’s a miracle there were no injuries. The photo here shows a car hit by shrapnel.

Sderot Mayor, Alon Davidi, called for an operation to eradicate Hamas. How much longer can the residents and their children in the South live this way?

According to the IDF, Israeli Air Force jets carried out strikes back at Hamas targets in response to the launching of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory earlier in the evening. “The IDF sees with great severity rocket attacks against Israeli territory, is in a high state of readiness, and will continue to act as necessary against attempts to harm Israeli civilians.”

While Israel believes PIJ was behind the rocket barrages, the IDF holds Hamas responsible “for all acts in and emanating from the Gaza Strip.”

EU condemns rocket fire from Gaza: ‘Unacceptable and must stop immediately’ ~TOI Staff

New Right Chairwoman and former Justice Minister MK Ayelet Shaked submitted a bill yesterday, to apply the State of Israel’s law, jurisdiction and administration to the Jordan Valley, Gush Etzion and Maale Adumim areas.

Shaked explained that there is a window of opportunity that should not be squandered. “There is currently a window of political opportunity and readiness from the US for such an annexation process, which will not return. Therefore, we must not hesitate or wait, and must take advantage of this window of opportunity immediately and begin the process of applying sovereignty over these areas.”

Shaked also noted that this is another reason that Israel should not be dragged into additional elections.

AFSI agrees. THE TIME FOR SOVEREIGNTY IS NOW!!

Minister Smotrich Pushing ‘Sovereignty Through Transportation’ ~Ariel Kahana

In recent weeks, Israel’s military has begun to believe that Tehran intends to eventually retaliate against Israel’s regular airstrikes against its forces and proxies in the region.

In response, Amikam Norkin, Israeli Air Force chief, said yesterday that the military’s multi-tiered network of air defense systems were “on alert” amid a general threat of attack by Iran.

“Even as we speak, Arrow, Patriot, David’s Sling (pictured here) and Iron Dome batteries are on alert,” Norkin said.

AFSI reported earlier this week that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran intends to attack Israel from Yemen, which may make intercepting such a strike more difficult as the IDF’s intermediate and long-range air defenses are better positioned to shoot down incoming attacks from Israel’s north, rather than from the south.

Is Israel Equipped to Win a War Against Iran? ~Anna Ahronheim

Following years of legal hurdles and international pressure against “normalizing” the school due to its location in Samaria, Ariel University Medical School was inaugurated.

The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson School of Medicine at Ariel University accepted 70 students in it first class and is the sixth medical school in Israel. The school will benefits both Jews and Arabs and will help curb the shortage of doctors in Israel.

“A new medical school has opened in Samaria,” said an enthusiastic U.S. Ambassador David Friedman during his toast at the event. “How many people ever thought those words would be spoken?”

This week, US Senator from Vermont and current Democratic candidate for President, Bernie Sanders, made another ignorant and foolish comment regarding Israel. (While Sanders’ comment was the worst, this report by prof. Eytan Gilboa talks about all Democratic candidates and their need to attack US Military aid to Israel.)

Speaking at the JStreet Conference on Monday, Sanders stated he believes that US military aid to Israel should be given to Gaza instead for humanitarian aid.

Does Sanders truly believe this is the right thing to do? Or is he playing virulent politics against Israel to bolster himself? Maybe he’s just downright ignorant of fact. A self-hating Jew, possibly. He does believe in Israel’s right to exist (not in any form that would allow for a safe Jewish state). So what’s his problem?

WE ALL KNOW BETTER AND AFSI CALLS THIS OUT FOR WHAT IT IS: ANTI-SEMITISM.

Senator Sanders, your comments foment the hate that harms Israel and the Jews. Shame on you, Bernie Sanders!!

As of this writing, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Blue and White Chairman MK Benny Gantz met yesterday evening in Tel Aviv for coalition talks

Netanyahu’s Likud and Blue and White issued a joint statement stating that during the meeting, the “two discussed the existing political options. It was also agreed that the negotiating teams will continue to be in contact.” It appears that Gantz is willing to agree to Netanyahu’s request to serve first in a Unity government rotation but will not agree to include the most religious groups into the coalition.

While no progress was made, another meeting is expected.

In the meantime, Israeli citizen Rachel Avraham is outraged that Israel is missing many opportunities as a result of no government being formed. AFSI has expressed this serious concern as well. Read Rachel’s Israel Hayom Opinion: Electoral crisis causing Israel to miss major opportunities.

Are Jews in Israel being kept safe?

Just days ago anarchist-backed Arabs together with left-wing agitators invaded a farm in the Jordan Valley. The farm is there legally and is one of just a few in this small village in “Area C.” It is owned by a former resident of Kfar Darom in Gush Katif. While many cameras were rolling, the owner stood alone, protecting his family and property.

Reportedly, NGOs will help to secure this farm and others where Israelis are working peacefully to settle and hold on to Eretz Yisroel. We, as part of Am Yisroel, look with great anticipation towards the day when Sovereignty is declared and the government takes a greater role in keeping our brethren safe.

Take note of this video report.

In the building of the land we will be comforted.

LAND FOR PEACE NEVER WORKED.

Two parcels amounting to approximately 250 acres of Israeli agricultural land are slated to be turned over to Jordan soon. This land is in Naharayim in the Jordan Valley and Tzofar in the Arava.

Local resident, Orna Shimoni, points out that during the treaty negotiations between Israel and Jordan 25 years ago “these are lands [then-prime minister Yitzhak] Rabin gave King Hussein as a gesture, in an attempt to forge warmer peace.” They were not necessary for the treaty’s signing. Hussein was only asking for peace and water. But they were given with the understanding that they would be perpetually leased back to the Israelis who worked the land in the true Zionist spirit.

The local’s belief is confirmed by retired Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, who served as chief negotiator vis-à-vis the Jordanians and helped hammer out the language of the treaty. He agrees that the spirit of the agreement intended for the lease to be extended after 25 years.

So now, with all the leverage that Israel has over Jordan with it’s ever-increasing need for water and it’s agreement to import natural gas from the Leviathan fields, why would the government allow Jordan to take this land in violation of the spirit of the agreement?

Read more HERE.

During this morning’s speech at the state memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel will never be dependent on other countries for its self-defense. He also warned Iran that it would not ignore its constant threats to destroy Israel.

The lessons from the Yom Kippur War are very clear and relevant to today: Israel cannot not afford to sit idly by as dangers to its existence increase.

“The IDF is prepared to pre-empt any threat, defensively and offensively, with crushing strength, in weaponry and in spirit,” Prime Minister Netanyahu said.

With President Trump’s announcement of US withdrawal of troops in Syria, and in the event Iran attacks Israel, can Israel still rely on the US? What are concerns for Israel now? David Horovitz discusses in his Times of Israel analysis HERE.

Read our own Helen Freedman’s letter to the editor of The New York Post below.

Letter to the Editor: The New York Post

Trump’s decision to have the U.S. quit Syria leaves the Kurds, who have been remarkable fighters and allies of America, to fend for themselves. Surrounded as they are by Iraq, Syria, Iran, Turkey and Armenia, the Kurds are about 35 million people without a country. Despite this, with America’s help, they succeeded in routing ISIS, the fearsome jihadi terror group. With America out of the picture, it is likely that ISIS will be encouraged to regroup.

With all of Trump’s positive and courageous actions in Israel and the Middle East, it is believed that his greatest accomplishment was withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018. That “deal” was an Obamanation which gave Iran great wealth and sanctions relief, enabling Iran to advance its ballistic missile program and spread weaponry amongst its satellites in the Middle East. In addition, Iran is attempting to create a land bridge to the Mediterranean by conquering a direct path through Iraq and Syria into Lebanon where Hezbollah has thousands of missiles aimed at Israel.

As America retreats from Kurdish controlled Syria, Senator Lindsay Graham, one of the foremost experts on national defense, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, along with former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, all strong supporters of President Trump, have been critical of his decision. The Kurds consider it a “stab in the back.” Israel is alarmed as to what this means in terms of strengthening Iranian resolve to eliminate the Jewish state. Trump is accustomed to using economic muscle to convince leaders to keep their promises and behave. It usually doesn’t work with despots. Trump declares he will only fight where it is to America’s benefit. Proving that America is a reliable ally might be of great benefit. Let’s hope the President will reverse his decision on abandoning the Kurds.

Helen Freedman