Category: Articles

Ireland’s parliament on Tuesday approved legislation called The Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill banning the import of goods produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, marking one of the most far-reaching trade measures adopted by a European country.

The center-right coalition government said the legislation was drafted in response to the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which declared Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and Gaza illegal under international law.

The move follows months of criticism from Washington. In June, the U.S. State Department warned that the proposed legislation amounted to “unhelpful virtue-signaling” that “does not serve the cause of peace in the Middle East, help feed Gazans or work toward the outcomes Ireland says it seeks.”

AFSI Insight
AFSI condemns Ireland’s decision as a discriminatory political measure that singles out Jewish communities while ignoring territorial disputes and occupations elsewhere in the world. This bill is not a step toward peace but an endorsement of the anti-Israel boycott movement, rewarding efforts to delegitimize Israel rather than encouraging negotiations. AFSI maintains that Judea and Samaria are the heartland of Jewish history and that Jews have every legal and moral right to live there. AFSI warns that targeting Israeli businesses and families under the guise of international law risks fueling antisemitism, undermining democratic allies, and damaging Ireland’s own relationship with Israel and its Western partners.

Source:
Ireland approves bill banning imports from Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, by JNS Staff, July 8, 2026

For the first time in 2,000 years, Jewish authorities are conducting conservation work at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, where, according to the Bible, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah are buried.

The maintenance and safety upgrades for Judaism’s second holiest site include electrical renovations, air conditioning, improved drainage, new lighting and a fire protection system.

The renovation is helping transform the site into a world-class destination, Yishai Fleisher, director of international and government affairs for the Jewish Community of Hebron, told JNS on Thursday.

“It has a really high-end look and feel and, of course, it will make worship inside much more pleasant, more moving and more spiritual. It also shows the State of Israel is engaging with the site and recognizes its importance to our heritage, tourism and the identity of Israel,” Fleisher said.

AFSI Insight
Israel’s decision to undertake conservation work at the Tomb of the Patriarchs represents far more than a preservation project—it is a powerful affirmation of Jewish history, heritage, and sovereignty in Hebron. This project is a long-overdue correction of decades of neglect and political obstruction. Preserving and protecting the Tomb of the Patriarchs ensures that future generations will be able to access and appreciate one of the foundations of Jewish civilization. The effort also reinforces Israel’s responsibility as the guardian of Jewish holy places, particularly in Judea and Samaria, where historical and religious sites are often subject to competing political claims.

At a time when Jewish ties to Hebron are frequently challenged or minimized internationally, the conservation work sends a clear message: Jewish history in Hebron is neither temporary nor negotiable. AFSI welcomes this historic initiative as an important step in safeguarding the Jewish people’s ancestral heritage and strengthening Israel’s presence at one of its most sacred sites. We thank Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who transferred approval authority from the P.A. to an Israeli body, clearing the way for the renovations.

Source:
First time in 2,000 years: Israel carrying out conservation work at Tomb of the Patriarchs, by Amelie Botbol/JNS, July 5 , 2026

The Palestinian Authority is preparing to lay the cornerstone for a new mosque at Solomon’s Pools, the ancient Jewish waterworks site just south of Jerusalem and adjacent to Efrat in Gush Etzion.

The move comes as Israeli ministers and Knesset members have begun taking public steps to return the historic site to Israeli control, arguing that its placement under Palestinian Authority control during the Oslo process was the result of a cartographic mistake.

Solomon’s Pools, a massive ancient water system near Bethlehem, has long been considered one of the most impressive hydraulic engineering projects in the Land of Israel. Israeli officials who recently toured the site described it as a Jewish heritage treasure that has been neglected, deliberately damaged, and politically exploited under PA control.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also toured the site, said there is no comparable historical water system anywhere else and called it “absurd” that such an important heritage site remains under PA control.

AFSI Insight
This is another attempt by the PA to alter the character of a site with deep Jewish historical significance and to strengthen Palestinian claims over an area long connected to Jerusalem and the Jewish people. Solomon’s Pools, an ancient water system that supplied Jerusalem for centuries, is increasingly becoming a focal point in the broader struggle over heritage, sovereignty, and control in Judea.

AFSI supports Israeli initiatives to restore oversight, preserve the archaeological site, and ensure access for Israelis and visitors. Neglect of important Jewish historical sites under Palestinian administration has endangered their preservation and weakened recognition of their Jewish roots.

This is not merely about construction of a mosque, but about safeguarding Jewish history, preventing the erasure of Israel’s heritage, and reinforcing Israel’s responsibility to protect and develop sites of national and biblical importance throughout Judea and Samaria. The plans must be halted without any delay.

Source:
PA Moves to Plant Mosque at Solomon’s Pools as Israel Pushes to Restore Control, by The News Desk/The Jewish Edition, July 7, 2026

Continued activity at Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain complex is fueling new concerns over Tehran’s compliance with its nuclear agreement with the United States, with a Washington-based nuclear watchdog citing fresh satellite imagery and the continued absence of international inspections at the site.

The Institute for Science and International Security said the International Atomic Energy Agency has never been permitted to inspect the facility, which is buried deep within Iran’s Zagros Mountains.

According to The Institute for Science and International Security, imagery captured in late June indicates that work at the underground installation has not stopped. The institute said such activity appears incompatible with the memorandum of understanding, arguing that Iran is expected to preserve existing conditions at nuclear-related sites until inspection and verification measures are completed.

AFSI Insight
Iran’s reported construction of a new underground nuclear facility while simultaneously engaging in negotiations with the United States reinforces a longstanding concern: the Iranian regime has consistently used diplomacy to buy time while advancing its nuclear ambitions. We are not surprised by this report, and it continues to raise serious questions about Tehran’s intentions and its willingness to honor any future commitments.

This development underscores why Israel cannot rely on promises from a regime that openly calls for its destruction. Any agreement that fails to require full transparency, verifiable inspections, and the complete dismantling of Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure risks endangering not only Israel but regional and global security. The lesson remains clear: vigilance, strength, and credible deterrence—not wishful thinking—are essential to preventing a nuclear-armed Iran.

Source:
Iran caught building underground nuclear facility while negotiating with US, by Vered Weiss/World Israel News, July 4, 2026

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined to say directly whether he supports reestablishing Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, saying in a television interview Tuesday that he prefers “actions” to declarations.

During a wide-ranging interview on Channel 14’s “The Patriots,” Netanyahu was asked whether Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s recent claims that Israel has already drafted plans to establish three towns in northern Gaza were true.

Netanyahu did not give a yes-or-no answer, instead stating that he prefers “action” over “talk.”

“The big question is whether one should act or to talk,” Netanyahu said. “Sometimes you have to separate the two. Therefore, I will not say any more on the subject.”

Netanyahu has previously avoided fully endorsing a return to Gaza settlements, while insisting that Israel must maintain overriding security control after the war.

AFSI Insight
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s latest remarks suggesting that Jewish communities could one day return to Gaza mark a significant departure from the failed assumptions of the 2005 Disengagement. While he stopped short of announcing a formal policy, his refusal to rule out renewed Israeli settlement reflects a growing recognition that abandoning strategic territory brought Hamas to Israel’s doorstep—not peace. AFSI believes that any lasting solution for Gaza must ensure permanent Israeli security control, eliminate the terrorist infrastructure once and for all, and reject international pressure to recreate the conditions that enabled October 7. Today marks 1000 days since that horrendous massacre and 1000 days of war on 7 fronts. The completion of this war must leave Israel in the best possible situation. Gaza must have a different future; it must never again become a launching pad for jihadist terror against the Jewish State.

Source:
Netanyahu drops hints on Gaza resettlement plans, by David Rosenberg/World Israel News, July 1, 2026

The Higher Planning Council granted final approval on Wednesday for plans to construct 229 housing units across Judea and Samaria.

Among the approved plans are 156 housing units in the community of Otniel, located in the Hebron Hills, following the completion of the planning process and the resolution of all objections.

Additionally, final approvals were granted for 52 housing units in Kfar Adumim and 21 housing units in Elkana. The plans are expected to facilitate the expansion of these communities in accordance with the authorized planning procedures.

Smotrich stated, “This is a national initiative that solidifies our hold on the ground.”

AFSI Insight
AFSI welcomes the approval of 156 new housing units in Otniel as another important step in strengthening Israel’s permanent presence in Judea. Along with additional homes approved for Kfar Adumim and Elkana, this decision reinforces the principle that Jewish communities should be allowed to grow naturally and securely in their historic homeland. The expansion follows the completion of all required planning procedures and reflects a commitment to building facts on the ground that enhance both security and national resilience.

For AFSI, communities like Otniel are not obstacles to peace—they are vital strategic and historic assets. Every new home strengthens Israel’s hold on the land, supports families committed to Zionism, and helps ensure that Judea and Samaria remain an integral part of Israel’s future. Continued development of these communities is essential to safeguarding Israel’s security and advancing the cause of Jewish sovereignty.

Source:
Major milestone for Otniel: 156 new housing units approved, by Israel National News, July 2, 2026

Residents of Kochav Yehuda Farm, located between the communities of Efrat and Tekoa in Gush Etzion, reported that dozens of Border Police officers, accompanied by Civil Administration inspectors and heavy machinery, raided the farm on Tuesday and demolished the home of the family living there, as well as the residential building used by the young men at the site.

According to the residents, the operation also destroyed the farm’s water tank, which supplied drinking water. They further claimed that Arab laborers were brought to the site to carry out the demolition and damaged equipment and building materials with hammers and axes.

The residents alleged that, in an unusual move and contrary to standard procedures, the family home was demolished without allowing them to remove their personal belongings and furniture. They said the contents of the home were buried beneath the rubble during the demolition.

AFSI Insight
Yet again, this latest demolition is evidence of and inconsistent Israeli policy toward Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria during wartime.

The demolition of Kochav Yehuda Farm is another troubling example of Israel undermining its own pioneering communities while they serve as the country’s first line of defense. Rather than strengthening Jewish presence in strategic areas of Gush Etzion, government authorities destroy homes, arrest residents, and displace families committed to safeguarding the land. AFSI believes these actions send the wrong message at a time when Israel should be reinforcing, not dismantling, communities that contribute to the nation’s security and sovereignty. The answer to threats against Israel is to build and strengthen Jewish communities throughout Judea and Samaria—not demolish them.

Source:
Kochav Yehuda farm in Gush Etzion demolished, by Israel National News, June 30, 2026

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the US-brokered agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon in a broadcast news conference immediately after the conclusion of Shabbat on Saturday night.

Speaking to reporters, Netanyahu said “a framework of understandings” was reached that “allows us to move toward ending the conflict and, with God’s help, later reach a peace agreement between the two countries.”

Under the agreement, “the United States and Lebanon recognized Israel’s right to maintain a security zone until no threat is posed to Israel from Lebanon,” he said. “This is a major blow to Iran and Hezbollah, and to Iran, which tried to force us to withdraw from south Lebanon,” Netanyahu noted.

The prime minister pointed to the security zone in southern Lebanon on a map depicting the “yellow line” that marks the border of the newly created buffer area.

“I want to remind you what was in Lebanon. Hezbollah had 150,000 missiles and rockets. And we eliminated about 90% of this huge stockpile,” Netanyahu said. “We shocked them with beepers, we eliminated Nasrallah, we killed the commanders of the Radwan Force. Just in the last two weeks we killed more than 200 terrorists.”

AFSI Insight
This agreement is less a Lebanon-Israel bilateral breakthrough and more a setback for Iran’s regional “proxy axis,” particularly its it affects its influence through Hezbollah. Netanyahu’s characterization of the deal as a “major blow” to Hezbollah is evidence that Iranian-backed deterrence structures are eroding. While acknowledging the agreement as “historic” in form, any diplomatic framework is only meaningful insofar as it preserves Israel’s right to defend itself and does not constrain IDF operations. The deal is a positive strategic development against Iran and Hezbollah, but only insofar as it does not limit Israeli military freedom or compromise long-term security control in the north.

Source:
Netanyahu Hails Historic Lebanon Deal as ‘Major Blow to Iran and Hezbollah’, by Hana Levi Julian/The Jewish Edition, June 27, 2026

At the conclusion of a meeting between Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi today (Monday), the former announced that the Defense Ministry’s Settlement Authority, led by him, has concluded staff work to establish three communities in the northern sector of the Gaza Strip, and that it is possible to begin executing the plan immediately upon receiving political approval from the Prime Minister.

“The Settlement Authority in the Defense Ministry, led by me, has completed the staff work, and we are ready to establish three communities immediately, the moment we get the green light from the Prime Minister. I call on the Prime Minister: grant the approval, let’s finish the mission and restore true security for the residents of the south,” Smotrich said.

He added that “the IDF is currently holding nearly 70% of the territory in the Gaza Strip. We have to complete the conquest of the remaining territory, defeat Hamas, and establish a strip of Jewish communities that will serve as a security belt for Sderot and the Gaza envelope communities. Wherever there is no settlement, there is no security. We are not returning to the pre-October 7th reality.”

AFSI Insight
This report denonstrates the strategic and ideological shift in Israel’s approach to Gaza, particularly focusing on sovereignty, long-term security control, and reestablishing Jewish presence in areas adjacent to or within the Strip.

Smotrich’s statement is part of a broader “post-Oslo” paradigm in which temporary military gains are not seen as sufficient and instead are framed as requiring a permanent Israeli presence on the ground. The proposal to establish “three communities in northern Gaza” is a concrete expression of this doctrine—linking “settlement” activity directly to national security rather than to traditional diplomatic frameworks.

Such initiatives are not isolated rhetoric but part of a consistent policy direction; rejecting the idea of territorial withdrawal, rejecting the viability of a Palestinian state in strategic border areas, and advancing “facts on the ground” to prevent future security threats. We pray that these proposed communities in northern Gaza will not be seen as symbolic. They will serve as practical security buffers intended to ensure long-term Israeli control and deterrence after the war.

Source:
Smotrich: We are prepared to establish three communities in northern Gaza, by Hezki Baruch/Israel National News, June 29, 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that there is “no room for two states” between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, arguing the war created broad public consensus against creating a Palestinian state.

“Before the war, the public was divided: although in my opinion most of the public was against it, a significant portion was in favor. I think that has changed,” Netanyahu told reporters, answering a question at a press conference in Jerusalem on Saturday night.

“That is a basis for agreement,” added the premier. “In my opinion, there is much more unity among the public than you see in the Knesset.”

AFSI Insight
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s unequivocal declaration that there is “no room for two states” between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River reflects the reality that decades of concessions, culminating in the Oslo Accords, have failed to produce peace or security. The atrocities of October 7 permanently shattered the illusion that another Palestinian state would coexist peacefully alongside Israel. Instead, it would create another terror enclave threatening Israel’s heartland.

AFSI welcomes this long-overdue recognition that Israel’s security, historical rights, and national future depend on maintaining sovereign control over Judea and Samaria. The time has come to move beyond failed diplomatic formulas and advance policies that strengthen Israeli sovereignty, expand Jewish communities, and ensure that Israel will never again be forced to gamble with its survival.

Source:
Netanyahu: ‘No room’ for Palestinian state between Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River, by JNS, June 28, 2026