Category: Articles

IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi arrived Sunday morning at the scene of Saturday night’s deadly shooting attack in Kiryat Arba. He expressed his appreciation to the military security coordinator for his response to the attack.

Initial investigations show that the shots were fired towards a store in which a father and son had entered. Five people were injured, one of them, Ronen Hanania, died of his wounds. His son Daniel was lightly wounded. Medic Ofer Ohana was seriously injured and as of yesterday afternoon AFSI received reports from his wife that his condition was stabilizing. Ofer, who runs the local Pina Chama ( a “warm corner” fo soldiers on duty), is a friend of many AFSI members.

In the Jordan Valley on Sunday afternoon, four young men were injured, one moderately and three lightly, in a terrorist ramming attack carried out at two different intersections in the Jordan Valley Sunday afternoon. A policeman and a security guard neutralized the terrorist at the Almog Junction.

We pray for the speedy recovery of all the victims. We pray that tomorrow’s elections in Israel bring forward the security, safety and sovereignty so desperately needed in Judea and Samaria.

Sources:
Chief of Staff visits scene of Kiryat Arba attack, by Israel National News, October 30, 2022

Kiryat Arba terrorist named as brother of Shalit deal terrorist, by Israel National News, October 29, 2022

4 hurt in double ramming attack in Jordan Valley, by Israel National News, October 30, 2022

 

 

 

 

Most of Israel’s commentators insist that Tuesday’s Knesset elections—the fifth in fewer than four years—are about the same thing the last four were about: Benjamin Netanyahu. If you vote for Netanyahu’s Likud Party, or for the other three parties in his right-religious bloc, then you are for Netanyahu. If you vote for caretaker Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, or for any of the members of his left-Arab bloc, then you are against Netanyahu. Nothing else is up for grabs.

In her JNS Brief, Glick succinctly states: Do we believe in our nation state and wish to preserve and defend it, or do we reject our national identity and national rights, and aspire to replace both with a globalist, progressive identity, devoid of Zionism and of Jewish sovereignty?

November 1 is all about Sovereignty and the day will prove to be a defining referendum on what the Israeli people really want for their future.

Source:
Jewish sovereignty is on the ballot, by Caroline Glick/JNS, October 30, 2022

 

Prime Minister Yair Lapid on Thursday signed the agreement on a maritime boundary between Israel and Lebanon, that will permit Israel’s neighbor to the north to start digging for underwater natural gas in an area that extends into Israel’s territory.

Lapid and Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun also did not sign the same document, but identical documents that will be submitted to the UN representative at the Rosh Hanikra crossing. Lebanon has been stressing throughout the years of negotiations with Israel that it does not recognize the Jewish State, nor has it given up its desire to see it be erased by its army of terrorists, Hezbollah.

Lapid regards the signing of this agreement as recognition by an enemy state. We say it is capitulation to an enemy. Legal scholars agree. “Nothing in this maritime agreement can be said to constitute a Lebanese recognition of Israel,” said Professor Eugene Kontorovich, director of International Law at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, which petitioned the Supreme Court against the deal.

Lapid signed the deal without the Knesset’s ratification, and since he also gave away Israeli territory in the bargain, he also ignored the legal requirement to hold a referendum on giving away parts of Eretz Israel no matter who is doing it. For a caretaker Prime minister to do such a thing with elections days away is an unthinkable act.

May the November 1 elections next week bring about a government to erase this disaster. David Israel writes in his article that the new government should “…hire an army of lawyers to get Israel out of this insult to its sovereignty.”

Sources:
Lapid Signs Controversial Maritime Deal with Lebanon – Enemy Country Insists on Separate Ceremonies, by David Israel/Jewish Press, October 27, 2022

Lapid hails signed Lebanon deal as ‘recognition’ by enemy state, by Debbie Reiss/World Israel News, October 27, 2022

 

Under the headline: “Israel or Palestine,” the Sovereignty Movement warns against steps taken by Minister Benny Gantz that promote, in practice, the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The movement expresses concern about what its members characterize as a right-wing mask behind which Benny Gantz conceals his political philosophy. “It is time to unmask the Defense Minister’s policy,” the ad says. “Gantz is a leftist, who, under the guise of IDF activity, is promoting a political program that endangers Israel.”

Source:
The Sovereignty Movement: Unmasking Gantz’s Policy, by Israel National News, October 26, 2022

A year and a half after signing an agreement with the government, according to which a yeshiva would be established in Evyatar, the government has yet to hold up its end of the agreement. Rabbi Chaim Druckman of Evyatar received the promise from Defense Minister Benny Gantz to build Evyatar and stated: “We received a promise regarding Evyatar, that was a year ago, and until now it hasn’t been fulfilled; promises must be kept.”

Nahala movement chairperson Daniela Weiss stated, “..it has come time we build a glorious town there.”

We’re praying and trusting that this coming Tuesday’s elections choose the leader that will keep its promise to Evyatar.

Source:
Rabbi Druckman: ‘A promise was made regarding Evyatar, and it wasn’t kept’, by Israel National News, October 27, 2022

 

Municipal leaders in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley sent a letter to their residents Monday in which they stated that Defense Minister Benny Gantz has completely halted construction planning work in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley despite his promises.

The letter noted that “In the past year, there was only one planning meeting instead of four as was agreed upon and customary until now.”

In an incident the day before, a group of yeshiva students who held a musical gathering on the site of the Derekh Emunah community south of Jerusalem, were violently and forcefully evacuated. During the incident, one of the participants was arrested and brought to the police station. The incident occurred several days after an Arab threw rocks at the arrested individual’s wife’s car and continues to walk freely without fear of arrest.

In a letter to Defense Minister Benny Gantz, MK Simcha Rotman complained about the minister’s policy regarding the “settlement” movement in general and the haredi “settlement” movement in particular. “You are not contributing to the residents’ feeling of security nor their trust in the security forces,” wrote Rotman.

Gantz’s ongoing, unprecedented and appalling lack of action sends the wrong message to the PA and threatens Israel’s safety and security. His title of Defense Minister should have been Enabler of Terrorism. November 1 is just 8 days away. Israeli citizens have the power to turn this around and restore integrity to their country.

Sources:
‘Defense Minister stops Jewish construction and encourages Arab construction’, by Israel National News, October 24, 2022

Haredi settlement movement: Gantz is plotting against us, by Israel National News, October 23, 2022

 

 

 

 

Members of the Regavim Movement erected a structure on Monday, decorated with Palestinian and European Union flags, near the Rosh Ha’Ayin home of Defense Minister Benny Gantz. The structure was built as part of the launch of Regavim’s most recent report on the status of land in Area C of Judea and Samaria. The “War of Attrition 2022” report reveals that the rate of illegal Arab construction has increased dramatically over the past year.

“In a matter of minutes, municipal patrol units and a police enforcement team arrived at the scene and demanded they evacuate the area,” commented Regavim.

It is notable that unlike the government’s immediate response to protect the home of the defense minister, no such response is forthcoming when Palestinian Authority Arabs illegally build homes and schools in IDF firing ranges and elsewhere in Area C, where Israeli jurisdiction is supposedly complete.

We love the creative ways our friends at Regavim bring issues to everyone’s attention!

Source:
Regavim Brings Illegal PA Construction to Benny Gantz’s Front Door, by Hana Levi Julian/Jewish Press, October 24, 2022

 

 

In an interview with the Arabic-language channel Hala TV, Prime Minister Yair Lapid embraced wholeheartedly the Arab terminology regarding the Temple Mount when he announced: “We are not changing the status quo at Al Aqsa.” He probably understands that when Arabs say Al Aqsa the are referring to the entire Temple Mount, not just the mosque. Regarding the Jews he said, “We permit the entry of Jews, but we don’t permit Jewish prayers on the Temple Mount. They ascend and are under supervision to make sure the status quo is not broken.” This is NOT and does NOT need to be the “status quo”. During AFSI’s last two visits, and at times previously, Jews were holding shiurim (learning sessions) and praying in an area of the Mount. THAT should be expanded.

Whether Lapid’s words are intended to draw in Arab votes or if he really believes in what he says, he is harmful to the country and its security, the safety of its people, and the legacy of the Zionist heritage. Lapid continues to appease the Arabs while he denies Jews their legal rights. Doug Altabef,a Director of B’yadenu, which advocates for Jewish rights on the Temple Mount, the Chairman of the Board of Im Tirtzu, Israel’s largest grassroots Zionist organization, and a Director of the Israel Independence Fund queries in his Arutz Sheva OpEd, “How can such a person ask us with a straight face to elevate him to be the leader of a Jewish State?”

As Israelis prepare to go to the voting booth on November 1, it is our hope that the critical issues mentioned will be at the forefront of their decision making. Ballots need to be cast that secure the future Israelis were intended to have and not the future that the forum of leftist public opinion dictates they should have. We pray Israeli citizens vote wisely and that the next Leader of the world’s only Jewish Nation State – the one that Israel truly needs – is overwhelmingly elected.

Sources:
Veering Further Left, Lapid Bans Jewish Prayer on Temple Mount, by David Israel/Jewish Press, October 19, 2022

Lapid has disqualified himself from leading a Jewish State, by Douglas Altabef/Israel National News, October 20, 2022

 

 

The Religious Zionist Party launched its “Law and Justice Restart” program to reform the legal system and “strengthen Israeli democracy” on Tuesday at a press conference at Kfar HaMaccabiah.

MK Bezalel Smotrich, Chairman of the Religious Zionist Party and member of the committee for the selection of judges, together with MK Simcha Rothman, whose NGO Meshilut has been advocating for this for years, developed the plan over the last several months.

While changes have been talked about for a long time now, to date, nothing has been done and Rothman and Smotrich hope to change that. Smotrich said, “There is no right or left here…the program is relevant to every Israeli citizen. We all need to have a system here (in Israel) that will show justice.”

This important initiative cannot be underestimated and is overdue in being implemented. Judicial overreach being kept in check is mandatory and the system itself should fairly benefit all Israeli citizens. Plus, Israel’s judicial system needs to secure the public’s trust once again. The elected officials in the Knesset should not be able to be overruled by this small group of judges. For the country to continue to advance itself, the systems that are charged with governing it should reflect a Sovereign nation operating with free and democratic principles that don’t represent personal political interest or threaten its citizens.

Source:
Religious Zionist Party announces program to reform Legal System, by Israel National News, October 18, 2022

At a press briefing Wednesday evening, Lapid said that “after months of complex negotiations which reached their peak in recent days, we have succeeded in reaching a diplomatic-economic agreement with Lebanon on a maritime boundary between our countries.” Lapid called it a “great achievement for the State of Israel, for Israel’s security and for Israel’s economy.” He also said the benefits also extend to Israel’s citizens.

The maritime agreement was presented before Israel’s Security Cabinet and the Government, both of whom approved by a large majority the continuation of this process.

Mossad head David Barnea said yesterday at the meeting of the political-security cabinet that whoever claims that the new maritime border agreement is an achievement for Hezbollah does not understand the situation in Lebanon. According to him, this agreement is not good for Hezbollah, because it constitutes a de facto recognition of Israel by Lebanon, something that Hezbollah opposes. Barnea added that Hezbollah began to deal with the issue of the maritime border agreement in a serious way only last May, when the organization recognized that public opinion in Lebanon supports the agreement.

Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week criticized Lapid for a “historic surrender” and condemned his decision to approve the deal via cabinet vote only ahead of the upcoming November election.

This seems to be a political win – or shall we say it may mean votes – for Lapid but at what long-term cost to Israel? We are concerned that Hezbollah doth protest too much and that they will reap large economic benefits from this deal. From the mounting terror on the streets of Jerusalem to the hills of Judea and Samaria this deal appears to be adding fuel to the fire, something the Israelis certainly do not need more of.

Sources:
Lapid: Deal a great achievement for Israel, economy, and security, by Israel National News, October 12, 2022

Israel’s security cabinet approves maritime deal with Lebanon, by i24News, October 12, 2022

Mossad head: Maritime deal constitutes de facto recognition of Israel, by Israel National News, October 12, 2022