Category: Articles

Israeli aircraft struck a series of targets in the Gaza Strip early Monday in response to a series of rocket launches out of the Hamas-ruled territory. It was the third consecutive night of fighting between the enemies.

On Sunday, A man and a boy were lightly wounded while running to a bomb shelter in Sderot. A 53-year-old man was evacuated to hospital with light injuries. On Saturday night, a 29-year-old man suffered injuries while running for shelter.

Tensions have been heightened following last week’s escape from an Israeli prison by six Palestinian inmates, as well as struggling efforts by Egypt (with its Islamist leadership) to broker a long-term cease-fire following 11 days of consecutive terror attacks back in May.

The Israeli military reported three separate rocket launches late Sunday and early Monday above several localities near the Gaza Strip. According to the IDF, at least two of the launches were intercepted by its Iron Dome rocket defense system.

In response, the IDF said it attacked a number of Hamas targets, including several outposts, as well as a warehouse where the military said the terrorist group used to store weapons, ammunition and which served as a gateway for a tunnel into Israeli territory.

A member of the military Spokesperson Unit said in a statement, “The IDF will not accept a situation in which terrorist organizations act against the Israeli home front. The military will continue to respond strongly to terrorist acts from the Gaza Strip and considers Hamas responsible for everything that happens in the Strip.”

Egyptian negotiators passed a message from Israel to Gaza, warning that continued rocket fire would trigger a “very violent” response that may lead to a military operation in Gaza, Lebanon’s Al Akhbar newspaper reported.

Sources:
Israel hits Hamas targets in Gaza after rockets fired for 3rd day in row, by Associated Press via Ynetnews.com, September 13, 2021

Report: Egypt warned Hamas of ‘very violent’ reaction to continued rocket fire, by Arutz Sheva Staff, September 13, 2021

IDF attacks Hamas outposts, Iron Dome intercepts rocket, by Elad Benari/Arutz Sheva, September 13, 2021

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid presented on Sunday what he called a “new vision” for Israel’s relations with the Gaza Strip. He proposes that Israel “must move toward a multi-year process in Gaza of economy in return for security.” Lapid said that the aim of such a move is “to create stability on both sides of the border. This is not a proposal for negotiations with Hamas. Israel will not award prizes to a terrorist organization and weaken the [Palestinian] Authority (terrorists too) that works with us on a regular basis,” Lapid said. (Does “working with us” mean that Israel lends them money and they take it and continue their “Pay for Slay”)

Shortly after Lapid’s speech at a conference at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism Policy of Reichman University, a rocket was fired by Gaza terrorists toward Israeli communities for the third straight night. Thankfully it was intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system.

What guarantee does Lapid have that changing Gaza’s current economic reality and employing international investment will bring diplomatic progress toward peace? Has he forgotten that many EU nations consistently fund illegal communities built on legally owned Jewish land? Could involving the international community end up backfiring on Israel? Strict terms to not interfere with Israel’s Sovereignty would be mandatory as we see it. How will his plan stop terrorists from launching rockets or arson balloons at Israeli communities? Until the good people in Gaza can rise up freely and work peacefully with Israel – and the Arab terrorists and haters of Israel are pushed back totally- we don’t see how his plan can accomplish anything.

Source:
Lapid proposes ‘new vision’ for Gaza, promises economic steps for Hamas quiet, by Aaron Boxerman/Times of Israel, September 12, 2021

Right before Rosh Hashanah, the American Federation of Teachers in San Diego, Local 1931, issued an anti-Israel statement.

This statement is worth reading in full, because not only does it say that Jews have no right to self-determination, but it relies on lies in nearly every sentence to make that point.

Teachers who teach bigotry and lies are supremely unqualified to be teachers.

This AFT statement is an outrageous litany of lies, supported by people who are supposed to care about the truth. It is full of bigotry while written by those who are supposed to teach children to treat people equally. It is hypocrisy in its purest sense.

The kindest thing that can be said about these teachers is that they are uneducated on the truth about Israel. More likely, they are blatantly anti-Semitic. Fire them now.

Read the Elder of Ziyon’s blog for the full statement.

Source:
American Federation of Teachers – San Diego issues an anti-Israel statement filled with antisemitism and lies, by Elder of Ziyon, September 13, 2021

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met today with the heads of the Yesha Council.

The meeting dealt with issues related to the development of the communities in Judea and Samaria and the strengthening of local authorities in the area. It was agreed to continue working together to advance the issues.

The meeting was attended by Yesha Council Chairman David Elhayani, Secretary General Amana CEO Zeev Hever, Yesha Council CEO Yigal Dilmoni and Yesha Council Deputy Chairman Matanya Shapira.

This is the first official meeting between Bennett and the leaders of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria since the inauguration of the new government. Bennett promised that construction in Judea and Samaria would not stop but would continue at the same pace as in recent years. “I am committed to the settlements,” the prime minister clarified. “There will be no construction freeze, but there will also be no annexation.”

That Bennett is committed to the continuity of new construction in Judea and Samaria
(which was proceeding at a trickle) is something. However, to fail to apply Sovereignty avoids the truth about Israel’s legal rights to the land. Similarly, we are still shaking our heads at Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s meeting last week with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas and his subsequent agreement to lend the PA NIS 500 million – UNCONDITIONALLY. Who is Bennett’s priority when it comes to ensuring a safe and secure Israel – Jews or Arabs? He can’t have it both ways.

Source:
Bennett: I told the Americans we would not stop building, by Arutz Sheva Staff, September 9 2021

A guard tower overlooking the entrance to the tunnel used in the escape of six security prisoners from Gilboa Prison earlier this week was unmanned at the time of the prison break.

With the tunnel’s exit just a few meters away from the guard tower, initial reports had suggested the guard had fallen asleep on the job while the group escaped. But citing guards from the prison facility, the Ynet news site said that there was in fact nobody at the guard post at all.

The report said that the reason for the post being unmanned was unclear, and that a camera was pointed at the tunnel’s opening, but nobody was looking at the video feed.

Another news outlet reported that the tower had been vacant for over a month at the orders of the prison commander Freddy Ben Shitrit due to a manpower shortage.

This crack in Israel’s security is obviously disturbing and puts the country’s safety at risk. How did this security measure fall through the cracks? We will watch for an answer and trust that the problem will be addressed immediately.

Sources:
Guards say tower overlooking tunnel used in prison break was unmanned, by TOI Staff, September 9, 2021

Questions plague Israeli security forces after jailbreak, by AFP via Ynetnews, September 8, 2021

“I’m not going to put a date on it but we are getting closer to the point at which a strict return to compliance with the JCPOA does not reproduce the benefits that that agreement achieved.” That statement was by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken who told reporters Wednesday, sending out a warning to the Islamic Republic following a scathing report by the IAEA.

The nuclear watchdog said it had been “seriously undermined” after a number of inspections were banned by local authorities.

We pray the United States comes to the full realization that Iran is not serious about abiding by any agreement and should never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. No amount of US diplomacy can change a terrorist mentality with the goal of wiping Israel off of the map. Sanctions imposed by the Trump administration MUST stay in place!

Memo to Secretary Blinken: Time to wake up and face reality. This means no Iran “deal” of any kind – ever. That should be obvious to you now.

Source:
Blinken warns: U.S. close to giving up on Iran deal, by Eitan Divinsky/Arutz Sheva, September 8, 2021

What Is the Iran Nuclear Deal?, by Kali Robinson/Council on Foreign Relations, August 18, 2021

The Israeli government on Sunday requested yet another six-month delay from the Supreme Court, hoping to push off the implementation of a court order requiring the eviction of dozens of Bedouin squatters from an illegal encampment east of Jerusalem.

The Regavim Movement slammed the Bennett government over the state’s response in the Khan al Ahmar case, which was submitted to the High Court Sunday evening.

The government requested an additional six month delay of the deadline to submit its official position to the court in the matter of the illegal outpost on Route 1, slated for demolition over a decade ago. WHY? During this additional half-year period, the state intends to submit a confidential document to the court detailing all the considerations that impact the enforcement of demolition orders at the site.

Meir Deutsch, Director General of Regavim, sharply criticized the state’s response, and the conduct of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. “From the first day of the current government’s term, we have stressed that deeds, not words, are what count. Today it has become clear that contrary to its oft-repeated declarations, this government is continuing along the dangerous trajectory set by its predecessor, conducting its law enforcement system according to the whims of foreign governments.”

The Bedouin encampment built in Khan al Ahmar is illegal and continues to exist on legally owned Jewish land in Judea and Samaria. Israel should no longer delay in exercising her Sovereign rights to remove this illegal outpost. Sovereignty should not take a back seat nor be beholden to other nations who demand that Israel act according to their wishes.

Source:
‘The Bennett government is continuing on a dangerous trajectory’, by Arutz Sheva Staff, September 5, 2021

The Israeli government scored an important victory in the Knesset Thursday, with a state budget plan passing its preliminary vote in the Knesset plenum.

The Knesset voted 59 to 53 in favor of the budget framework Thursday afternoon, enabling the budget plan to pass its first legislative hurdle.

If fully approved by the Knesset, the budget will be the first spending plan approved in the Knesset since March of 2018.

By statute, the government must secure passage of a spending plan by November 4, or face the automatic dissolution of the Knesset and snap elections – Israel’s fifth since 2019.

Understandings were reached on the controversial formation of a regulatory authority to streamline regulatory issues and bureaucratic hurdles. Meretz, a coalition member, has expressed concern that the reform will benefit business and industry at the cost of public health and the environment.

Netanyahu called the proposed Budget terrible. “It has cutbacks and raised taxes, in complete contradiction to your assurances,” he said. “You have harmed the farmers, the weaker classes, the periphery, the middle class.” Some sources have alleged that it benefits the “Israeli ruling class” that is helping Bennett maintain control of the government.

Despite those concerns, progress in getting a budget worked out still matters when it comes to having a functional State. We hope a fair and meaningful budget to benefit the country will be passed.

Sources:
First Budget Since 2018: Knesset passes state budget in preliminary vote, by Arutz Sheva Staff, September 2, 2021

Knesset approves key elements of state budget in first readings, by TOI Staff, September 2, 2021

Israel’s security services were successful in thwarting an unusual attempt to transfer advanced filtering equipment from the Hebron area in Judea and Samaria to the Gaza Strip. This equipment was apparently intended to be used by Hamas operatives as part of the organization’s terror tunnels project.

The shipment included filters, valves and even assembly instructions in Hebrew. The equipment was seized and an investigation has been launched by Israel’s security establishment.

Israel’s combined security agencies have thwarted thousands of attempts over the years to smuggle illicit materials and products into the Gaza Strip. This operation represents another successful mission in keeping safe and defending the country against terror.

Source:
Advanced equipment meant for Hamas tunnels seized by Israel, by World Israel News Staff, September 2, 2021

The joint statement of the President of the United States and the Prime Minister at the end of the meeting between the two emphasized a broad consensus between the parties on various issues, especially with respect to Iran and its nuclear armament.

However, on one issue Biden and Bennett agreed not to agree: construction in Judea and Samaria. It was decided that the Americans would not put pressure on Israel regarding the matter, and that Israel would not build there in a massive way. The status quo will continue as it was in previous governments. Biden, however, remains committed to the two state “dissolution”, which must be unacceptable to any sane Israeli government. Bennett, in his eagerness to please, does not appear to have made this point.

During the meetings in Washington, President Biden ordered the promotion of Israel’s entry into the visa waiver program, which, while not in effect yet, would serve both US citizens and Israeli citizens seeking to enter the United States.

This did not appear to be a news breaking meeting between the two. Niceties were exchanged and assurances of friendship and general statements in support of Israel were made. The burning issue of the US recognizing Israel’s legal right to build in Judea and Samaria, once again, received no support from the US.

Sources:
Report: Bennett and Biden agreed to disagree on Judea and Samaria construction, by Yoni Kempinski/Arutz Sheva, August 29, 2021

PM Bennett meets with US President Joe Biden, by Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, August 28, 2021

Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s Meeting with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of Israel, by The White House, August 27, 2021