Category: Articles

The Knesset has summoned representatives of the defense establishment, the Justice Ministry and the Settlements and National Missions Ministry to discuss the practical implications of applying sovereignty to Judea and Samaria.

Lawmaker Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionism Party will lead the hearing and said, “The time has come to decide the future of the State of Israel. This is an opportunity that must not be missed. Implementing sovereignty will, God willingly, determine the future of Judea and Samaria and the future of the entire State of Israel.”

The professed purpose of the hearing is to advance sovereignty over Judea and Samaria “immediately,” according to the report.

That advancing the application of sovereignty over Judea and Samaria is being discussed is a great thing and a step in the right direction. On the other hand, that the application of sovereignty has to be discussed to begin with drags on the process of what doesn’t need to be debated in the first place. Until the time comes when there is no question or internal debate as to Israel’s legal rights to Judea and Samaria, politics dictates that Israel go through this sham dress rehearsal.

Source:
Knesset to hold hearing on Judea and Samaria sovereignty, by JNS Staff, July 15, 2025

All three members of the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the “Occupied Palestinian Territory” have resigned, sparking renewed debate over the body’s credibility and longstanding accusations of anti-Israel bias.

The resignations came in a series of letters submitted earlier this month and surfaced publicly on Monday. Navi Pillay, the 83-year-old South African jurist who chaired the commission, cited “age, medical issues, and the weight of several other commitments.” Australian human rights expert Chris Sidoti called it “an appropriate time to reconstitute the commission,” and Miloon Kothari of India simply said it had been “an honor” to serve. Their departure, while not abrupt, signals a turning point for a body that critics have long claimed was fundamentally compromised in its approach.

Established in 2021 by the UN Human Rights Council, the commission was tasked with investigating alleged violations of international law by Israel and Palestinian actors. But its findings have overwhelmingly targeted Israel, prompting condemnation from Jerusalem, Jewish organizations worldwide, and even several Western governments. The body was unprecedented in its mandate, with no set end date, and was the council’s highest level of inquiry.

This is welcomed news indeed. Now let’s see a real gut rehabilitation of the UN Human Rights Council and the rest of the UN’s biased Israel hating agency.

Source:
All Members of UN Israel Inquiry Resign Amid Ongoing Bias Allegations, by Pesach Benson/TPS-IL, July 15, 2025

The Wall Street Journal reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Donald Trump that Israel would resume attacking Iran if the country resumes its pursuit of nuclear weapons.

According to the report, President Trump replied that he preferred a diplomatic solution but did not directly oppose the idea.

Despite the success of the 12-Day War there can be no true victory while there is a need to keep a close watch on the Islamic Republic in Iran and its potential to attack again. Israel must maintain a consistent policy of neutralizing perceived existential threats, particularly Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Israel must always maintain her fierce armed forces and acute vigilance.

Source:
Netanyahu tells Trump he will attack Iran again, by Israel National News, July 14, 2025

The Israel Police last week swore in the members of a brand-new first-response unit in a ceremony at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

The Judea and Samaria District’s YATAR unit comprises volunteers who reside in district communities, according to police.

The unit was established as a strategic initiative in the aftermath of the Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, with the goal of providing a quick, professional and effective response to any terror scenario or criminal incident, and to strengthen the personal sense of security for residents, police said.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said, “This isn’t just another Kitat Konenut [community rapid response team], it is a specialized unit whose familiarity with the area, the civilians and the high-risk zones makes it the first line of defense in real time,” said Ben-Gvir.

He added that the unit represents Zionism, the strengthening of sovereignty and governance in Judea and Samaria, and is a significant component in the deep transformation of security in Judea and Samaria which he said he was leading.

We welcome the launch of YATAR. However, if sovereignty were applied throughout Judea and Samaria, civilians would not need to be the first line to patrol and defend their communities.

Source:
Israel Police swears in new volunteer first-response unit in Judea and Samaria, by Josh Hasten/JNS, July 14, 2025

The Irish Parliament is expected to hold a final debate this Tuesday on legislation that would criminalize the import of products manufactured in Judea and Samaria.

In response, Samaria Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan sent a letter to senior officials in the Trump administration and members of Congress, urging the US to impose high tariffs on Ireland should the bill be passed.

Dagan warned that the law rewards Palestinian Authority terrorism and harms peace-seeking residents. He said the legislation is part of the global BDS movement, which the US has repeatedly condemned. “If Ireland passes an official law that boycotts Jews alone, it will crown itself as an antisemitic state,” Dagan wrote. “It would mark the first time since the Holocaust that a European nation enacts legislation specifically targeting Jews. A country that turns antisemitic, contrary to US policy, cannot be ignored by the free world. I call on the United States to impose economic sanctions on any country that supports such antisemitic boycott laws.”

We encourage our readers to contact their lawmakers with Dagan’s message. Follow this link to find your elected officials.

Source:
Samaria Council Head Yossi Dagan urges US to impose high tariffs on Ireland, by Israel National News, July 13, 2025

A new law aimed at preventing the granting of Israeli citizenship or residency status to relatives of terrorists was approved Wednesday in its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum. The legislation received broad support from members of both the coalition and the opposition.

The law disqualifies the possibility of granting “family reunification” to relatives of terrorists, thereby blocking their entry into Israel.

The initiative was the result of a long campaign led by MK Amit Halevi (Likud), together with Merav and Herzl Hajaj, the parents of Lt. Shir Hajaj, who was murdered in a 2017 terrorist attack in the Armon HaNatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem. The law also grants legal authority to deport terrorists’ family members who have already received temporary status in Israel.

Merav and Herzl Hajaj said, “This law was born from deep pain, but it may save lives and prevent further tragedies.

This is another step in dismantling the terrorist infrastructure. The Supreme Court can no longer rule that entry for Palestinians who claim they want to unite with family is acceptable when their real motives to commit terror against Israel are overlooked. We can also hope that it may in some way act as a deterrent for those committing acts of terror.

The photo in this article shows MK Amit Halevi with AFSI Director Judy Freedman Kadish in the Knesset. AFSI’s May Chizuk Mission to Israel had a productive meeting with MK Halevi (and also MK Ohad Tal) at the Knesset.

Source:
Law approved: ‘No more gifts for terrorists’ families’, by Israel National News, July 10, 2025

Following reports of the Jabari clan from Hebron contacting Minister Nir Barkat to establish a local emirate in Hebron and join the Abraham Accords, a storm has erupted in Palestinian Arab media.

Local tribes quickly disassociated themselves from the move, but the spokesperson for the Jewish community in Hebron, Noam Arnon, is convinced that it is an authentic initiative representing the will of the local public.

“In a clan of tens of thousands of people, there are diverse opinions, but the overall spirit is clear – a desire for clan leadership under Israeli sovereignty,” says Arnon. According to him, the movement is impossible without an Israeli sovereign infrastructure: “They have been rebelling against the PA for a long time. This is authentic local leadership that is no longer willing to live under the rule of ‘the corrupt ones’.”

In conclusion, he warns against establishing a Palestinian state: “If we don’t offer our sovereignty, the residents will be left with no way out under corrupt and terrorist rule. This is a historical responsibility that the State of Israel cannot shirk.”

On our Chizuk Mission’s May trip to Israel we ran into and met with our dear friend Noam Arnon when we were all at Ma’arat HaMachpela.

Source:
Noam Arnon: The sane majority in Hebron wants Israeli sovereignty, by Shimon Cohen/Israel National News, by July 8, 2025

A new investigation by the Regavim Movement’s Arab Research Department reveals that the Palestinian Authority has been building a systematic governance apparatus in the heart of Jerusalem for over a decade, in violation of the Oslo Accords and in direct violation of Israel’s legal authority.

The PA’s Ministry for Jerusalem Affairs operates as an official arm of the Palestinian government in Israel’s capital, with an annual budget of tens of millions of Shekels. Among other areas of activity, this ministry runs a compensation system for illegal Arab construction, provides legal representation against Israeli state institutions, and publicly conducts coordination with international organizations.

Meir Deutsch, Director General of Regavim: “The State of Israel enforces the law only sporadically and fails to act systematically or strategically to counter Palestinian plans. As a result, where Israel does not assert control, the PA fills the vacuum, establishing itself as the de facto governing authority, with the encouragement and substantial funding provided by foreign governments and international organizations. The result is the quiet by consistent loss of Israeli governance, the erosion of Israeli sovereignty, and the entrenchment of de facto Palestinian Authority sovereignty.”

Source:
Report: PA plans to establish autonomy in Jerusalem by 2030, by Israel National News, July 10, 2025

Five sheikhs from Hebron have proposed establishing an independent emirate in the city, severing ties with the Palestinian Authority, and joining the Abraham Accords, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The report states that the five sent a letter to Minister Nir Barkat, who has met with them more than ten times, in which they requested to replace the Palestinian Authority as the governing and policing entity, and to recognize the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.

In their letter, the sheikhs called for negotiations to establish a new arrangement to replace the Oslo Accords, which they said had brought “disaster and death.” They also proposed a formalized process for allowing workers from Hebron to enter Israel and pledged “zero tolerance for terrorism.”

“The Hebron Emirate will recognize the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, and the State of Israel will recognize the Hebron Emirate as the representative of the Arab residents of the Hebron district,” the sheikhs proposed.

A senior Israeli official told the newspaper that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the initiative but is waiting to see how it develops before making a public statement.

“No one in Israel believes in the Palestinian Authority, and you won’t find many Palestinians who do either. The Jabari sheikhs want peace with Israel and to join the Abraham Accords—there’s no reason to say no to them,” Minister Nir Barkat said in response to the report.

We did not see this one coming and certainly appreciate the truth being put forth for the public to read. This proposal is an initiative that draws inspiration from concepts like those of our dear friend, Dr. Mordechai Kedar, who has been advocating for years for tribal-based emirate type governance over a unified Palestinian state. It is a bold departure from traditional Palestinian leadership stances and holds promise as permanent solution to finally end a decades-long problem. It’s also a serious glimpse into how fed up many Arabs are with the Palestinian Authority. Certainly, the Jabari clan has signaled their interest in this type of cooperation for many years. That additional sheikhs proposed this speaks positive volumes. What has terrorism really achieved for the Arabs? Other than endless injury, propaganda and death, not much that we can see. We guess they’re finding out it doesn’t pay off in the long run.

Still, we cannot forget the pogroms of 1929 and the like and wonder if this is truly more of just a “taqiyya” type move, bowing to Israel’s strength until it may one day be overcome. Moving forward, we hope that Israel will trust but verify.

Source:
Hebron sheikhs propose independent emirate, seek ties with Israel and Abraham Accords, by Nitsan Keidar/Israel National News, July 6, 2025

Hebron Arab leaders back joining Abraham Accords, by Avi Abelow/JNS

Significant plans have been put into place to restore Israeli sovereignty over the tomb of Joseph, one of the most important religious sites in Judaism.

Since the Oslo Accords, Arabs attacked and murdered Jewish pilgrims visiting the site so regularly that in 2000, after a soldier was killed in a particularly brutal attack, the IDF withdrew permanent presence and visits became tightly controlled, occurring only monthly at most, and at night.

Return to Yosef – Jews United is a Knesset lobby comprised of politicians, activists, rabbis, and senior security officials. Last week they held a conference that outlined practical plans to overcome the current access issues.

Lobby Chairman Nachi Weiss stated: “Lacking a foothold at Joseph’s Tomb does not ease the security situation, it does the opposite. Terror intensifies in Shechem in the absence of a Jewish presence, and the nations of the world see us abandoning one of the most historically rooted Jewish heritage sites.

The lobby also emphasized that Israel cannot afford to leave Joseph’s Tomb as “the backyard of the country,” and that returning to the site represents the fulfillment of a dream, strong leadership, and loyalty to Jewish identity.

Israel must act now and apply sovereignty to this holy site; for the sake of Israel’s future, for the security of the country and to fully reclaim our historic right to Joseph’s Tomb.

Source:
Plans Put in Place to Restore Sovereignty to Significant Jewish Heritage Site Joseph’s Tomb, by Crystal Jones/TPS-IL, July 3, 2025