Category: Articles

Retired General John Abizaid has been nominated by President Trump as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, a position that has been open for several years.

Abizaid’s credentials are impressive and make him and ideal choice for this position:

• A former US Central Command commander who has a long background in the Middle East and its wars.
• Opposed the Iranian nuclear program but also urged Israeli restraint in confronting it.
• Saw some of Hezbollah’s first terrorist attacks as an observer for the UN in 1985 and has spoken about the threat of terrorism in the region.

Abizaid’s nomination as ambassador to Saudi Arabia comes at a crucial juncture for US-Saudi relations and also Riyadh’s role in the region.

A Palestinian Arab from Qalqilya was indicted for plotting to kill renowned pioneers of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, including Daniella Weiss and Moshe Zar.

Daniella Weiss is a close and dear friend of AFSI. Moshe Zar is a friend who bought land and gave some to a group of young idealists in memory of his son who was killed. That is Chavat Gilad. AFSI also installed cameras there in the spring.

Hearing that these two were targets of this vile plot hits us at AFSI particularly hard. We are longtime friends and admirers of these two brave leaders. Daniella’s bravery and strength was the driving force behind Kedumim where she served as Mayor for many years.

Moshe Zar’s bravery is legendary. Following his son, Gilad’s murder he gave land to young idealists who created the Yishuv of Chavat Gilad. AFSI has many close friends in that Yishuv and donated a security camera to the community just last Spring.

Airbnb announced that it will no longer list homes in Judea and Samaria following years of criticism of Airbnb for allowing such listings.

Airbnb stated, “We are most certainly not the experts when it comes to the historical disputes in this region.”

Obviously, we don’t like this. It would behoove Airbnb to educate itself on the truth about Judea and Samaria and not use an excuse and blame it on “historical disputes.” Moreover, we think this is anti-semtisim.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley says that in prior years the US abstained from voting ‘no’ on the annual UN resolution, “The Occupied Syrian Golan.” This resolution repeatedly condemns Israel and it’s “occupation” of the Golan Heights.

This year is different. Here is why the US voted ‘no’: “Given the resolution’s anti-Israel bias, as well as the militarization of the Syrian Golan border, and a worsening humanitarian crisis, this year the United States has decided to vote no on the resolution.”

Artuz Sheva report HERE.

The Jerusalem Post reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the Golan Heights is a part of Israel and will remain under its sovereignty forever.

Israeli NGO Shurat HaDin has placed Facebook and its Israeli branch under formal legal notice for allowing Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV to maintain Facebook and Instagram accounts.

In a nutshell, Shurat HaDin argues that because the state-owned TV channel in Gaza is run by Hamas, Facebook’s maintenance of its account is comparable to providing the organization with support and resources.

Israel suffered the most intense rocket attacks this week and we know that the hateful content Facebook allows continues to incite anti-Israel rhetoric. AFSI applauds the vital work of Shurat HaDin as it works to remove anti-Israel content from this social media platform.

Jerusalem Post story HERE.

Despite this week’s rocket attacks against Israel, a delegation of Spanish lawmakers visited Judea and Samaria to condemn Hamas terror and BDS.

Delegation member Juan Carlos Girauta commented: “Hamas missiles don’t differentiate between Israelis, neither should Europe. Boycotts of Israeli goods are anti-Semitic and detrimental to any efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region. When Europeans boycott Israel, they are actually boycotting peace, as Israeli industry brings together Israeli and Palestinians, bettering the lives of both.”

Initiated by the Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Jordan Valley Regional Council, the delegation will visit visit farmers, factories and industrial zones in Judea, Samaria, Jordan Valley and the Golan to witness Israelis and Palestinians working together – a stark contrast to the BDS narrative. We like that.

Arutz Sheva story HERE.

At the time of this writing, the IDF identified 200 rockets that were fired into Israel today. Of the 200 fired, the IDF reports its Iron Dome has intercepted 60.

Among the casualties: a 19-year-old Israeli man was seriously wounded; United Hatzalah reported that ten people were treated for injuries; multiple Israeli homes have been hit by rocket fire.

There have been some miracles. Among them is the bus that was targeted (photo below). Every person on the bus had already exited the bus BEFORE the rocket struck. Thank G-d there were no casualties here.

AFSI mourns the death IDF officer Lt. Colonel M., 41 and father of two, who was killed during an operation in the Gaza strip Sunday night. PM Netanyahu called him a “much-praised warrior…one day the full extent of his heroism will be told. The people of Israel owe him a great debt.”

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation, which generates ideas and policies for the Social Democratic Party, a governing party in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition government, was ready to present its Human Rights Award to the Women’s March USA on November 12. The award has now been rescinded.

Last week, the doctoral students associated with the foundation accused the Women’s March USA organizers of extreme antisemitism and support of the BDS campaign that specifically targets Israel.

“An organization that may support feminism, but discriminates against Jews and Zionists and denies Israel’s right to exist should not be honored by a democratic foundation that advocates diversity and speaks out against discrimination,” the students wrote in their letter.

AFSI applauds the doctoral students because they lead by example in affecting this important decision on behalf of the truth about Israel. We hope that more people, especially the younger generations, will follow their lead and stand for the truth about Israel.

Read the Jerusalem Post story HERE.

Selective Discrimination?

The Israeli Supreme Court has rejected a petition by the heads of the “Otzma Yehudit” party challenging a police decision to limit the use of metal detectors at the entrance of the Temple Mount to Jews and other non-Muslim visitors.

The petition states that equality was not being adhered to since only tourists and Jews are required to pass through metal detectors, while Muslims are not inspected at all.

Arutz Sheva story HERE.

JNS Daily Syndicate reports that the pro-Israel group, Im Tirtzu, was denied permission by Bar-Ilan University from distributing its “Nakba Nonsense” and “Palestinian Refugee Lie” booklets. These booklets have been distributed for years in other Israeli universities with no issue.

Bar-Ilan University responded, “If such booklets were distributed on a college campus abroad, with an Israeli flag or a Star of David hanging on someone’s nose, we would all agree that it is anti-Semitic and racist material.”

We have issue with this statement. There’s a huge difference between racist material and material whose purpose is to educate its people about the terrorist forces working against the very survival of the Jewish Nation State. The truth matters.