Category: Articles

Reports state that Israel’s coalition does not intend to bow down to American pressure to halt construction of new Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Instead, the coalition plans to introduce a bill next week to regulate Homesh.

At a cabinet meeting this week, Religious Zionism Minister of Settlement Orit Strock raised the urgent need to advance the issue of regulating Homesh considering the deadline set by the High Court of Justice requiring the government to explain why the yeshiva should not be evacuated.

In response, Justice Minister Yariv Levin informed Strock that this bill is scheduled to come up for a vote in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation this coming Sunday, and next Wednesday will be submitted for a first reading by the Knesset. Levin also promised that the bill would be given a high priority, and this was confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

It’s reassuring that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government is giving Homesh high priority. We eagerly await confirmation of measures that will regulate and SAVE Homesh.

Source:
Coalition Determined to Regulate Homesh Despite US Objections, by David Israel/Jewish Press, February 8, 2023

The Palestinian Authority is paving an unauthorized road through a nature reserve south of Jerusalem in violation of the Oslo Accords. Local Jewish leaders warn the move is a preliminary step towards the establishment of an illegal city to cut off a large portion of Judea from the rest of Israel.

Gush Etzion Regional Council chief Shlomo Ne’eman, in whose district the illegal road is being paved, warned that the Palestinian Authority’s blatant violation of the Oslo Accords highlights the lack of Israeli control over the area. “We see the establishment of an Arab town in every way shape or form, with infrastructure, water sources, roads, pouring of concrete, trucks, everything.”

As the clock continues to tick, lawlessness prevails. Time is of the essence and Israel must implement procedures to take back control of its land NOW.

Source:
Palestinian Authority building illegal city south of Jerusalem, Gush Etzion leader warns, by World Israel News Staff, February 7, 2023

Justice Minister Yariv Levin on Sunday shrugged off calls to slow the advance of his long overdue legal overhaul proposals, even as President Isaac Herzog joined for the first time those saying legislation should be halted in order to allow negotiations for a broadly agreed-upon reform.

Speaking to Channel 13, Levin said the legislation would not be halted “even for a minute.” After Levin’s interview aired, Herzog reiterated his calls to calm public discourse around the plans. “Stop the whole process for a moment, take a deep breath, allow dialogue to take place, because there is a huge majority of the nation that wants dialogue.” He added: “When I see people are threatening to murder the prime minister… it’s a terrible thing that needs to be eliminated and the stain removed.”

For a fifth straight weekend Israelis turned out by the thousands to protest the proposed judicial reforms. These are left wingers who now find themselves in the minority in the Jewish population of Israel and are up in arms about losing control. People who have a mature and factual understanding of the urgent need for these legal reforms understand that these moves will restore a system that was undermined chiefly by Aharon Barak who hid his changes to the courts powers in lengthy decisions and in rulings delivered when many people were on recess.

Threats and violence will accomplish nothing. The detractors must be made to understand that a democratic and codified legal system is necessary in order for Israel to advance its democratic process. Minister Levin has the blueprint. Since the cry to allow for negotiations is only a delay tactic, and the Chief Justice has refused to meet with the Law and Justice committee, no further dialogue is needed.

Sources:
‘NO DELAY OF JUDICIAL REFORM’: Israeli Justice Minister rejects pleas of President Herzog, by Lauren Marcus/World Israel News, February 6, 2023

Is judicial reform a threat to Israeli democracy?, by Alex /JNS, January 15, 2023

The cabinet approved the establishment of a new town called Hanun on Sunday. Hanun will be located in the Sdot Negev Regional Council, adjacent to the northern Gaza Strip. This lays the ground for about 500 new households in the area. The planning of the town began under the last government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hanun will provide a solution to those wishing to live in the Gaza border region who do not wish to join a moshav or kibbutz, where they would need to take part in an agricultural community.

Netanyahu stated: “We all feel that we are in a historic moment, because we are continuing the momentum of a town in the Gaza border area as an adequate response to terrorism and as an expression of fundamental Zionism and the settlement of Israel.”

Source:
New Israeli town near Gaza border set to bring in 500 families to region, by Tzvi Joffre/Jerusalem Post, February 5, 2023

The Israel Defense Forces targeted Hamas weapons production sites and storage facilities in the Gaza Strip in response to rockets launched toward Israel early Thursday.

The rockets targeted southern Israeli communities in Sderot and nearby Nir Am and Ibim. The Iron Dome missile defense shot down the rocket targeting Sderot, as the first siren sounded at 2:38am local time. Another alert came 10 minutes later in Be’eri, Sirens followed throughout the night in Kfar Aza nearby.

Magen David Adom treated a woman in her 50s who fell while running to a bomb shelter in Sderot. There were no reports of other injuries, but a large piece of shrapnel caused minor damage to a road, the Sderot municipality said. An eight-month-old baby broke his hip when he fell from his older sister’s arms while she was running for shelter in Sderot during the rocket fire.

The latest friction point appeared to be over the treatment of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel, with National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir having ordered the shutdown of two bakeries inside detention facilities that supplied security inmates with fresh bread.

We know Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “right-wing” government presents an enormous threat to Israel’s enemies who continually seek to harm and delegitimize it. The government is starting to exercise its legal and sovereign rights to restore processes and operations to their rightful level of integrity in the face of threats of copycat and revenge attacks that hang overhead. Israel’s defense and security forces must be ready at every turn to combat and prevent these attacks.

While continued Iranian financed attacks continue and escalate, one must wonder why the West is pointedly focused on aid to Ukraine and is not doing more to surreptitiously assist the revolutionaries inside Iran. The overthrow of the Islamic state would greatly reduce the existential danger to Israel and the great danger to all of the Western world. We pray that this is happening in secret.

Sources:
Tensions escalate as IDF strikes Hamas workshop in Gaza in response to rockets, by Hanan Greenwood/Israel Hayom, February 2, 2023

Sderot: 8-month-old baby breaks hip during Gaza rocket attack, by Israel National News, February 2, 2023

The Israeli government on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court for a four-month extension for submitting its response to a ruling demanding the implementation of demolition orders against the illegal Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar. It is the ninth time the state has requested a postponement.

Meir Deutsch, the director general of Regavim, said, “We were hoping for an appropriate response by a national right-wing government, as promised in the election campaign.”

Last month, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded that laws be applied equally to Israelis and Palestinians in Judea and Samaria. “I believe in the rule of law but there cannot be one law for Arabs and one law for Jews. The law should also be enforced on Khan al-Ahmar and dozens of illegal Arab outposts,” said Ben-Gvir.

The clock is ticking. It’s time for the government to act swiftly and evacuate this long-standing illegal encampment. What reason can it have for delay?

Source:
Israeli gov’t again asks court for delay in demolishing illegal Bedouin village, by Charles Bybelezer/JNS, February 1, 2023

The population in Judea and Samaria now makes up more than half a million people and crosses a major threshold. Community leaders predicted even faster population growth under Israel’s new ultranationalist government.

WestBankJewishPopulationStats published the report which is based on official figures that showed the population grew to 502,991 as of Jan. 1, rising more than 2.5% in 12 months and nearly 16% over the last five years.

The stats report is compiled by Former Member of Knesset Yaakov “Ketzaleh” Katz (National Union Party). In some years, Ketzaleh publishes an additional 6-month report after June 30.

Source:
Israeli settler population in West Bank surpasses 500K, by Reuters via Ynetnews, February 2, 2023

Friday night’s attack near the Neve Yaakov synagogue was the deadliest attack on Jewish worshippers Israel has seen since 2014. Friday night’s terrorist, Hayeri Alkam, appears to have acted alone. 45 suspects related to him were arrested, including his parents.

The seven victims are: Asher Natan, 14, Eli Mizrahi, 48, and his wife Natalie, 45, and Rafael Ben Eliyahu, 56, a resident of Neve Yaakov, whose son was seriously injured in the attack. Also identified were Shaul Chai, 68, a Gabai of a nearby shul; Ilya Sosnasky, age 26, and Irina Korolova.

On Saturday evening, Motzei Shabbat, a terrorist armed with a handgun was identified at the outskirts of the community of Kedumim and was neutralized by the community’s civilian security team. Also on Saturday, a report was received regarding a shooting attack at the Almog Junction. A terrorist arrived at a restaurant, fired one bullet, and fled the scene. After the terrorist fired one bullet, a firearm malfunction occurred, and he was unable to continue shooting.

As can be expected, Israel’s defense forces are exercising self-defense as they prepare for potential copycat attacks along with a response to this violation of Israel’s sovereignty. AFSI mourns the loss of the 7 innocent victims. We express our condolences to the families of those murdered in this horrific terror attack. We pray that the injured have a speedy recovery and that everyone in the community returns to normal life as soon as possible.

Sources:
7 Neve Yaakov Terror Victims Identified, by David Israel/Jewish Press, January 28, 2023

Weekend of terror: Terrorist neutralized in Samaria, by Israel National News, January 29, 2023

Arab starts to shoot in restaurant, but gun jams at last moment, by Israel National News, January 28, 2023

Likud MK Dannny Danon attacked a “Breaking news” update published on the New York Times website regarding the deadly terror attack in Jerusalem.

The update read: “A gunman killed at least five people at an east Jerusalem synagogue after a deadly month in the occupied West Bank”. Danon replied on Twitter and wrote: “Shame on you New York Times.”

There’s no credibility to be given for the ongoing Jew hatred reporting that comes from America’s “paper of record.” However, while AFSI loathes reporting even the slightest bit on this pathetic and unprofessional “news” source, we ask you – on behalf of Israel – TAKE ACTION! Call The New York Times today and tell them you’ve had enough of their biased and anti-Semitic reporting: (855) 698-1157.

Source:
Danon attacks NY Times headline: “Shame on you”, by Israel National News, January 28, 2023

MKs Moshe Solomon and Ohad Tal from the Religious Zionist Party on Sunday arrived for a visit at the yeshiva in Homesh. They came to visit as part of the process of enacting the law that would repeal the disengagement from northern Samaria. The law is expected to be brought up for a vote in the Knesset soon.

The two promised to make sure that their election promise is fully kept and that the law will be repealed. On the heels of Friday night’s terrible synagogue attack, MK Tal said, “the proper Zionist answer to this is simply to do what we promised in the election campaign. Repeal the disengagement law and return the Jewish settlement here to this place.”

We have faith in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Now we eagerly anticipate the implementation of critically needed actions – as promised.

Source:
MKs in Homesh: The answer to the massacre – a repeal of the disengagement law, by Israel National News, January 30, 2023