Lonny's War Update- October 222, 2023 - May 15, 2024
Day 222 that 132 of our hostages in Hamas captivity
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*9:05am-south - rockets Sderot, kibbutzim Ibim and Nir Am
*10:00am- south - rockets Sderot, kibbutzim Ibim and Nir Am -The Sderot municipality is reporting 2 rockets fired toward the city, one was intercepted and one scored a direct hit on an unoccupied building. Two women were injured on their way to the protected area and evacuated to the hospital in light condition. Warning sirens also sounded in Ibim and Nir Am. --The IDF acknowledges that one of the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at Sderot earlier today was not intercepted, as it initially had claimed. Damage was caused in the strike to an unoccupied building.
“The incident is under review,” the military says.
Hostage Updates
For the first time since the war began: Special discussion on hostages to be held at UN Security Council
After claiming a discussion on the hostages issue "could harm negotiations", Council members agreed to hold a discussion on the topic. The event will include former hostages released from Hamas captivity and families of hostages. "The struggle for the hostages must be global and resolute," said a hostage's family member . Ambassador Erdan: "Israel will not stop until pressure is exerted on Hamas"
The UN Security Council will hold a discussion solely on the hostages issue on Thursday - for the first time since the war began. The discussion will include families of hostages and former hostages released from Hamas captivity, including Shushan Haran, released from captivity whose fiancé Tal Shaham is still held in Gaza, and Ayelet, the mother of the late Yonatan Samerani, whose body is held in Gaza.
Unlike previous discussions where hostages' families attended the UN or met with its representatives, on Thursday a special discussion dedicated solely to the hostages issue will take place. Despite efforts by Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan to hold the discussion earlier, Council members claimed such a discussion "could harm negotiations."
The Israeli delegation has worked for months and exerted pressure on Council members, especially the U.S., to make the discussion happen. Gili Roman, brother of Yardan Roman-Gat released from captivity, will participate in the discussion: "The struggle for the captives must be global and resolute because it is a humanitarian issue affecting every citizen in the world." "We requested and expected a Security Council discussion for months and I'm pleased it is finally happening at the initiative of the U.S. and in cooperation with Germany and other countries," Gili added. "We now need firm statements and actions from them more than ever. I intend to emphasize in the discussion the criticality of joint and resolute action for Carmel and all the hostages, whose future largely determines the personal security of citizens worldwide."
Ambassador Erdan said "Following unrelenting diplomatic efforts, we have brought about the Security Council convening for the first time to discuss solely the situation of our hostages and advancing ways to exert pressure for their release. I thank the U.S. for agreeing to demand holding the discussion. The Council will finally have to look in the eyes of hostage Shushan Haran and the mother of the late Yonatan Samerani and internalize that Israel will not stop until the captives are released and that the address for exerting pressure is the monstrous Hamas terror organization."
Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari was invited by the U.S. to provide an expert opinion on the actions against female hostages and hostages in Hamas captivity. Halperin-Kaddari initiated the Dina Project to collect and document evidence of gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas militants. "The discussion will place special emphasis on the long-term implications of captivity on the captives themselves, their families, and society as a whole."
"The American-initiated discussion, which will allow stating the obvious at the UN's most important forum - enforced disappearance and captivity constitute a blatant violation of international law and the laws of war - should be welcomed," Prof. Halperin-Kaddari clarified. "Every state is obligated to act for the immediate and unconditional release of all female and male captives. The Security Council must act directly against any entity, including states, assisting Hamas directly or indirectly, in order to end this terrible situation." link
Gaza Fighting
- IDF reveals Hamas terrorists use UN vehicles, UNRWA compound as cover in Rafah -
Several terrorists and gunfire can be seen near UN vehicles and in the area of UNRWA's logistics warehouse compound in eastern Rafah, which is a central point for the distribution of UNRWA's aid. The IDF revealed on Tuesday that during operational activity in eastern Rafah on Saturday, terrorists were identified in UNRWA’s central logistics compound alongside UN vehicles.
In the footage, several terrorists and gunfire can be seen near UN vehicles and in the area of UNRWA's logistics warehouse compound in eastern Rafah, which is a central point for the distribution of aid on UNRWA’s behalf in the Gaza Strip.
Following the event, representatives of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) conveyed the findings to senior officials in the international community and called on the UN to conduct an urgent investigation into the matter.
Hamas presence threatens civilian safety
In addition, COGAT representatives warned the UN against the presence of terrorists in the area and the seriousness of the danger their presence brings to the logistics center compound concerning the continued protection of the organization's facilities. The IDF promised at the end of the announcement that it would continue to act in accordance with international law to distribute aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip. Foreign Minister Israel Katz commented on the footage on X, formerly Twitter, saying, "Hamas terrorists firing at civilians from within a UNRWA facility next to UN vehicles in Rafah. No lie from Antonio Guterres and Philippe Lazzarini will hide the truth: UNRWA is an arm of the terrorist organization Hamas." Katz also called for the resignation of Lazzarini as the Commissioner-General of UNRWA. Watch the astounding video here - 3 IDF brigades maneuvering in the Gaza Strip; 100 militants eliminated on Independence Day | IDF activity in Gaza:
Three IDF brigades are currently maneuvering in the Gaza Strip - in three focal points: Jabaliya, Zeitoun, and Rafah • Since entering Rafah - 100 militants have been eliminated and 10 underground tunnels destroyed • Brigade commanders to Lt. Gen. Halevi: There are captives in Rafah, we are determined to create conditions for their swift return • Documentation: Hamas militants firing next to UN vehicles - inside an UNRWA compound
Back to intense fighting - in the air, sea and ground:** IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Daniel Hagari updated last night that three brigades are currently maneuvering in the Gaza Strip - in three different focal points: Jabaliya in the northern Strip, Zeitoun in the central Strip, and Rafah in the south. Hagri also said that IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi visited eastern Rafah today - and received an unusual update from the brigade commanders: "In the Rafah area too there are hostages, we are determined to do whatever is required to create the conditions for their swift return home to us."
At the press conference held on the Gaza border, Hagari updated that the forces eliminated around 100 militants during the maneuver in Rafah, around 80 militants during the recurring maneuver in Jabaliya, in a place the forces "had not entered before" according to Hagari, and around 150 militants in the Zeitoun area. According to him, just on Independence Day alone around 100 militants were eliminated across the Strip. In addition, since the start of activity in Rafah, the fighters have destroyed around 10 tunnel routes, rocket launchers and weapons and ammunition caches.
Brig. Gen. Hagari was asked whether the decision not to create a "governing alternative" to Hamas is causing our forces to repeatedly fight in areas they have fought before. "There is no doubt that a governing alternative to Hamas would put pressure on Hamas, but that is a question for the political echelon," Hagri responded. Link - Hagari, obviously is not going to talk to the press about the political issues that are affecting the IDF operations in Gaza. He had to be very careful with his words here but they were very clear. It is obvious to the whole world that a governing alternative is one of the most crucial things that must happen in Gaza. The only one preventing that from happening is Netanyahu and the costs of this are extremely high: lives of our soldiers who have to keep returning to places that they have already fought and fight again, the civilian lives that are lost in these returning battles, the inability to make any progress to get our hostages home, the continuation of the war because without any strategy, there is no end.
The United States and Israel agreed that the operation in Rafah will not significantly expand - before holding talks. The talks between senior U.S. administration officials and their Israeli counterparts are also expected to address the day after the war in Gaza. As reported yesterday, two senior U.S. administration officials told CNN: "The administration assesses that Israel has positioned enough troops on the outskirts of Rafah to fully enter it in the coming days."
Meanwhile, American sources told The New York Times that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is not in Rafah, but rather remains in tunnels in the Khan Yunis area. According to the report, this is information agreed upon by both American and Israeli intelligence.
What caused Egypt to stop transferring aid through Rafah?
According to a source involved in coordination with Egypt, Cairo was outraged by the video soldiers distributed in the morning of taking control of the Rafah crossing, and conveyed a message to Israel that they will not allow the entry of aid through the crossing. The IDF is investigating the unsupervised distribution of the video.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar visited Egypt about three weeks ago to coordinate the operation at the Rafah crossing. In that meeting, Israel promised it was a limited operation to clear terror infrastructure at the crossing, and Egypt promised to continue transferring fuel trucks. However, the Rafah crossing has been closed since the IDF took control of the Gaza side of the crossing about a week ago. Egypt announced it will not allow aid trucks to pass into the Gaza Strip until Israel announces when the crossing will reopen.
As a result, Israel asked Egypt to open the crossing for the transfer of goods and humanitarian equipment to the Strip. The Egyptian Foreign Minister responded: "The Israeli control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, and the Israeli military activity near the crossing, endangers the lives of aid workers and truck drivers, which is the main reason for the inability to deliver aid through the crossing." link
The United States and Israel agreed that the operation in Rafah will not significantly expand - before holding talks. The talks between senior U.S. administration officials and their Israeli counterparts are also expected to address the day after the war in Gaza. As reported yesterday, two senior U.S. administration officials told CNN: "The administration assesses that Israel has positioned enough troops on the outskirts of Rafah to fully enter it in the coming days."
Meanwhile, American sources told The New York Times that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is not in Rafah, but rather remains in tunnels in the Khan Yunis area. According to the report, this is information agreed upon by both American and Israeli intelligence.
What caused Egypt to stop transferring aid through Rafah?
According to a source involved in coordination with Egypt, Cairo was outraged by the video soldiers distributed in the morning of taking control of the Rafah crossing, and conveyed a message to Israel that they will not allow the entry of aid through the crossing. The IDF is investigating the unsupervised distribution of the video.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar visited Egypt about three weeks ago to coordinate the operation at the Rafah crossing. In that meeting, Israel promised it was a limited operation to clear terror infrastructure at the crossing, and Egypt promised to continue transferring fuel trucks. However, the Rafah crossing has been closed since the IDF took control of the Gaza side of the crossing about a week ago. Egypt announced it will not allow aid trucks to pass into the Gaza Strip until Israel announces when the crossing will reopen.
As a result, Israel asked Egypt to open the crossing for the transfer of goods and humanitarian equipment to the Strip. The Egyptian Foreign Minister responded: "The Israeli control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing, and the Israeli military activity near the crossing, endangers the lives of aid workers and truck drivers, which is the main reason for the inability to deliver aid through the crossing." link
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah
The military says a barrage of some 60 rockets was launched from Lebanon at northern Israel earlier, mostly targeting Mount Meron, atop which sits a sensitive air traffic control base. At least one heavy rocket was fired at the Biranit army base on the Lebanon border amid the barrage on Mount Meron. Several of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses, while some caused “minor damage,” the IDF says.
Hezbollah claims responsibility for the attacks, saying it targeted the Mount Meron base with dozens of rockets, as well as the Biranit base with additional projectiles.
There are no injuries, according to the IDF.
The terror group says the attacks are a response to the killing of a top field commander in an IDF drone strike last night. link
A top Hezbollah field commander was killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday night, the military said. In response to the death of the commander, the terror group launched a barrage of some 60 rockets at a sensitive air traffic control base in northern Israel
Hussein Ibrahim Makki, according to the Israel Defense Forces, was a senior commander in the terror group’s so-called Southern Front unit. He had previously commanded Hezbollah’s coastal division.
Makki was targeted while driving near Tyre, according to the IDF and Lebanese media. Emergency responders said two others were wounded in the strike. Hezbollah announced Makki’s death, saying he was killed “on the road to Jerusalem,” its term for operatives slain in Israeli strikes. The terror group did not refer to Makki as a commander or list a role for him.
The IDF said Makki “planned and carried out many terror attacks against the Israeli home front amid the war.” The military says that more than 30 Hezbollah commanders have been killed in its strikes in southern Lebanon amid the war in the past seven months. On Wednesday morning, in response to the killing of the commander, Hezbollah fired a barrage of some 60 rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel, mostly targeting Mount Meron, located some eight kilometers (5 miles) from the Lebanon border.
The terror group has targeted Mount Meron several times amid the ongoing war, launching large barrages of rockets at the mountain, as well as guided missiles at the sensitive Israeli air traffic control base that sits atop it. Amid the barrage, at least one heavy rocket was fired at the Biranit army base on the Lebanon border.
Several of the 60 rockets were intercepted by air defenses, while some caused “minor damage” to the Mount Meron base, the IDF said. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it targeted the Mount Meron base with dozens of rockets, as well as the Biranit base with additional projectiles.
There were no injuries, according to the IDF.
The terror group said the attacks were “part of a response to the assassination,” referring to Makki.
The strike on the top commander came hours after an Israeli civilian was killed and five soldiers were wounded in a Hezbollah anti-tank guided missile attack against a military position near the northern community of Adamit. link
The military says a barrage of some 60 rockets was launched from Lebanon at northern Israel earlier, mostly targeting Mount Meron, atop which sits a sensitive air traffic control base. At least one heavy rocket was fired at the Biranit army base on the Lebanon border amid the barrage on Mount Meron. Several of the rockets were intercepted by air defenses, while some caused “minor damage,” the IDF says.
Hezbollah claims responsibility for the attacks, saying it targeted the Mount Meron base with dozens of rockets, as well as the Biranit base with additional projectiles.
There are no injuries, according to the IDF.
The terror group says the attacks are a response to the killing of a top field commander in an IDF drone strike last night. link
A top Hezbollah field commander was killed in an Israeli drone strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday night, the military said. In response to the death of the commander, the terror group launched a barrage of some 60 rockets at a sensitive air traffic control base in northern Israel
Hussein Ibrahim Makki, according to the Israel Defense Forces, was a senior commander in the terror group’s so-called Southern Front unit. He had previously commanded Hezbollah’s coastal division.
Makki was targeted while driving near Tyre, according to the IDF and Lebanese media. Emergency responders said two others were wounded in the strike. Hezbollah announced Makki’s death, saying he was killed “on the road to Jerusalem,” its term for operatives slain in Israeli strikes. The terror group did not refer to Makki as a commander or list a role for him.
The IDF said Makki “planned and carried out many terror attacks against the Israeli home front amid the war.” The military says that more than 30 Hezbollah commanders have been killed in its strikes in southern Lebanon amid the war in the past seven months. On Wednesday morning, in response to the killing of the commander, Hezbollah fired a barrage of some 60 rockets from Lebanon at northern Israel, mostly targeting Mount Meron, located some eight kilometers (5 miles) from the Lebanon border.
The terror group has targeted Mount Meron several times amid the ongoing war, launching large barrages of rockets at the mountain, as well as guided missiles at the sensitive Israeli air traffic control base that sits atop it. Amid the barrage, at least one heavy rocket was fired at the Biranit army base on the Lebanon border.
Several of the 60 rockets were intercepted by air defenses, while some caused “minor damage” to the Mount Meron base, the IDF said. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying it targeted the Mount Meron base with dozens of rockets, as well as the Biranit base with additional projectiles.
There were no injuries, according to the IDF.
The terror group said the attacks were “part of a response to the assassination,” referring to Makki.
The strike on the top commander came hours after an Israeli civilian was killed and five soldiers were wounded in a Hezbollah anti-tank guided missile attack against a military position near the northern community of Adamit. link
West Bank
Politics and the Region
- US: Israel can’t totally defeat Hamas in Gaza, end game needed: US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said "I don't think we believe that that is likely or possible and that this looks a lot like situations that we found ourselves in after 9/11..."
Israel can not achieve total victory over Hamas in Gaza, top US officials said as they urged Israel to refrain from a major Rafah operation and to consider diplomatic options instead.
“Israel has a responsibility to connect their military operation to a truly clear, strategic endgame,” Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.
His words echoed those uttered by UN National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to reporters on Monday, when he is said, “Military pressure is necessary, but not sufficient to fully defeat Hamas.” “If Israel's military efforts are not accompanied by a political plan for the future of Gaza and the Palestinian people, [then] the terrorists will keep coming back and Israel will remain under threat.
“We are seeing this happen in Gaza City. So we're talking to Israel, about how to connect their military operations to a clear strategic end game,” Sullivan stated as he prepared to travel to Saudi Arabia and Israel this weekend. His words, alongside those issued by Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, marked the clearest statements the Biden Administration has made, which appeared to call for Israel to engage in diplomacy to end the war.
They spoke as the possibility of a pause to the war through a hostage deal, seems unlikely in the near future, despite Patel's insistence that talks were ongoing. link
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims that Israel will “set its sights” on Turkey if it succeeds in defeating the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip. Erdogan has cut trade ties with Israel, maintained close ties with Hamas, and repeatedly lambasted Israel and its “Nazi” leaders since the war was sparked by the terror group’s massacre on October 7. He has voiced support for Hamas, which is classed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union, among others. “Do not think that Israel will stop in Gaza,” Erdogan tells his party lawmakers in the parliament in the capital Ankara. “Unless it’s stopped… this rogue and terrorist state will set its sights on Anatolia sooner or later,” he claims, referring to the large Turkish peninsula also called Asia Minor that comprises more than half of Turkey’s territory. “We will continue to stand by Hamas, which fights for the independence of its own land and which defends Anatolia,” adds Erdogan. Israel has never claimed any part of Turkey belongs to it, and it is unclear what Erdogan is basing his claims on. Link - I've heard loony before but this goes way beyond. I have no idea whatsoever Erdgogan's end game is making a crazy statement like this. I guess we will have to wait and see.
Some 80 retired American flag officers sign an open letter calling for the US to “unequivocally stand by” Israel.
The letter, originally published May 10 and released in an updated version by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America yesterday, says that “US support for the only Jewish state should be clear, unwavering, and not conditioned.”
The missive comes after US President Joe Biden’s administration said last week that it would stop supplying offensive weapons to Israel that could be used in a major Gaza offensive.
The generals and admirals warn that Iran and its armed proxies “are watching closely to see whether the United States will stand by one of its closest allies fighting in self-defense, even when the going gets tough.”
“Israel is a visceral part of the West with its liberal democracy, ethnically diverse population, and support for individual rights,” say the officers, adding that Israel has “fought in accordance with the laws of armed conflict.”
They also emphasize how important the relationship with Israel is for American national security, citing Israel’s intelligence, technology and military experience. “Israel’s military and intelligence services have also often protected US soldiers and civilians and provided critical intelligence,” they add.
The signatories include former head of the US Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie, past Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Philip Breedlove, former US Strategic Command commander Gen. Kevin Chilton, and several recent commandants of the Marine Corps. Link -- Doing something like this is for show only. Joe Biden has been the most supportive president in American history to Israel, in talks, in action, in money, in weapons. He has 40 years of showing support and this last year goes above and beyond anyone's wildest expectations. Among the Democrats, Biden is between a rock and a hard place. He has the 'progressive left' against all or most of his support of Israel, especially sending weapons, and he has the traditional Israel supporting Democrats who don't want to hear him doing anything that they believe is against Israel or not supporting Israel enough. And then there are the Republicans, who Netanyahu has sided with for years and who promote blind support for Israel no matter what and use anything they can against Biden. So when Biden held back the one shipment of bombs and bomb mechanisms (to make dumb bombs into smart bombs), they grabbed hold of that and said he wasn't supportive of Israel. Biden did that, as he said to prevent them being used in a situation like the Rafah Operation which has the potential to kill more massive numbers of non-combatants. He didn't halt weapons, especially anything needed for our defenses such as for Iron Dome. It was one shipment that Republicans are using to turn him into the devil. And by not halting any other shipments, he is alienating himself from a number of the groups that he needs to win the next election.
- The government unanimously rejects last week’s UN General Assembly resolution upgrading the Palestinians’ status at the body, and says that the decision won’t have any impact on disputed territories or Israel’s rights anywhere in the Holy Land.
The government decision also stipulates that the UN move will not serve as a basis for any future negotiations, and does not help bring about a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We will not give a prize to the terrible massacre of October 7, which 80% of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank support,” says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement. “We will not allow them to create a terror state from which they will be able to attack us even more ferociously.” link In an expected and purposeless move, the extreme right government still thinks it has the veto over a Palestinian State and it does not. This stance is arrogant, pig headed and serves no one, especially not Israel. There is a growing movement in the world and more and more nations will recognize a Palestinian State. For us, I think this is crucial because when the time comes (and I hope it will be soon) that we will begin talks on a permanent solutions to the Israel/Palestine Conflict, it will serve each side much better when it will be 2 sovereign nations talking to each other and not a strong sovereign nation talking to a weak organization. It is what is needed for serious talks and negotiations.
- Netanyahu's Maneuver for Gantz: "I Will Advance the Draft Law Approved in the Previous Knesset"
The Prime Minister announced that he has instructed to promote the law that passed the first reading on Gantz's initiative, without mentioning that the same law was approved long before the war when the IDF's needs were different. A member of Gantz's party: "A pathetic ploy, an immoral PM." The initiator was Deri (Shas party - Haredi Sephardic), who previously called the law "harmful." Senior coalition members: "The real goal is to buy time." Details of the new-old law:The Prime Minister's Maneuver for His Partner in the Security Cabinet: On behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it was announced that "in order to bridge the differences and reach broad agreement, Netanyahu decided to advance the draft law that passed the first reading in the previous Knesset." Shas leader Arye Deri, who then called the proposal "harmful," was the one who proposed the current move. It remains unclear how United Torah Judaism, who then called the law "humiliating," will react. In any case, senior coalition members admitted that the chances of passing this law are slim to non-existent, and the real goal is to buy time.The Prime Minister's statement said, "The law was then prepared by the security establishment after thorough staff work and submitted by the then-Defense Minister Benny Gantz." Netanyahu instructed to bring the application of the principle of continuity on this bill proposal before the Ministerial Committee for Legislation tomorrow and called on all factions that supported the proposal in the previous Knesset to join.Netanyahu made no mention in his statement that the law approved in the first reading passed long before the start of the war - when the IDF's needs were entirely different.Gantz has repeatedly warned recently against passing the current draft exemption law, which he says will dismantle Israeli society from within. But about the law passed in the previous Knesset, he said then: "This is a first step towards the comprehensive service outline that I intend to promote, which will meet the security and social needs of the State of Israel decades ahead." Gantz has not yet responded, but his party member MK Orit Farkash-Hacohen did, tweeting: "Not a 'brilliant' political trick of the Prime Minister or anything. On the contrary. Only a Prime Minister as unethical as ours could, a minute after such a difficult Memorial Day, promote such a pathetic and transparent 'maneuver' at the expense of Israeli citizens. Simply put. What was right before October 7th is not right today."
Alongside the National Unity Party leader's reaction to the new initiative, another key question is the position of the ultra-Orthodox. In the previous Knesset, they fiercely attacked that same proposal - and now, they apparently do not agree that a proposal along those lines should be finally approved, in three readings. After its approval in the first reading, MK Moshe Gafni called the law "humiliating, pathetic, demeaning, anti-Jewish, anti-Torah. We need to tear it up." And Shas leader Deri, who led the new move, said then that it was a "harmful law whose sole purpose is to harm yeshiva students and take Torah scholars out of their studies."Netanyahu's announcement was made against the backdrop of the legal deadline - by next Monday, the government is required to submit an affidavit to the High Court on the draft law issue, something that has already put the entire political system on high alert. Through the new announcement, Netanyahu will be able to buy time with the High Court.Defense Minister Yoav Gallant made it clear publicly that he will not submit a proposal for legislation that is not agreed upon by all parts of the coalition, and during the discussions, he said, "I will not bring a draft outline that is a trick on the head of IDF soldiers." Today, he is expected to hold an evening press conference and address Netanyahu's new initiative as well.Israel Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman was the first to react to the new proposal. "Everyone must understand that the circumstances have changed completely," he wrote. "The State of Israel is under fire from the north, south, east, and Iran. This entire situation requires mandatory conscription for all. Every 18-year-old young man and woman - Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, or Circassian - must report for military or civilian service."Details of the New-Old Proposal:
• Setting practical enlistment goals gradually over 15 to 25 years
• From 2037 to 2046, enlistment targets will increase year by year at a rate of growth of the ultra-Orthodox population plus one percent, i.e., an effective increase of one percent of the annual cohort size.|
• Economic sanctions on yeshivas that do not meet enlistment targets - in a draft year where 95% of enlistment targets are not met, the amount of support will be reduced in the following fiscal year so that it does not exceed 80% of the base amount. The reduction will increase as years pass without meeting the targets, up to 20%.
• Possibility of repealing the law after several years if enlistment targets of 85% are not met for three years in the first three years.
• Lowering the exemption age to 23 (to 21 in the first two years and 22 in the third year).
• Options for shortened service starting at age 21:
a. Regular IDF service for three months on a designated track aimed at preparing for the reserve forces.
b. Regular IDF service for three weeks on a designated track aimed at training for emergency and rescue roles in the reserve forces, alongside participation in vocational training.
• Lowering the age for national service to 20 and for married individuals to 19. Link
Gantz's response just came in " Israel needs soldiers, not political games. The law from before the war is no relevant for the situation after October 7."
--This is just another strong sign of Netanyahu being far more concerned about maintaining his political position over the needs of the country. Everyone who is not Haredi recognizes that the haredi exemption situation is wrong and must be drastically changed. This includes the non Haredi parties in Netanyahu's coalition. The non Haredi extreme right religious parties have had many soldiers killed in this war and so many who have done 6 months reserve duty and are being called back for more. They recognize that there has to be shared burden in the military and this current bill which they supported before cannot be supported now.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims that Israel will “set its sights” on Turkey if it succeeds in defeating the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip. Erdogan has cut trade ties with Israel, maintained close ties with Hamas, and repeatedly lambasted Israel and its “Nazi” leaders since the war was sparked by the terror group’s massacre on October 7. He has voiced support for Hamas, which is classed as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and the European Union, among others. “Do not think that Israel will stop in Gaza,” Erdogan tells his party lawmakers in the parliament in the capital Ankara. “Unless it’s stopped… this rogue and terrorist state will set its sights on Anatolia sooner or later,” he claims, referring to the large Turkish peninsula also called Asia Minor that comprises more than half of Turkey’s territory. “We will continue to stand by Hamas, which fights for the independence of its own land and which defends Anatolia,” adds Erdogan. Israel has never claimed any part of Turkey belongs to it, and it is unclear what Erdogan is basing his claims on. Link - I've heard loony before but this goes way beyond. I have no idea whatsoever Erdgogan's end game is making a crazy statement like this. I guess we will have to wait and see.
Some 80 retired American flag officers sign an open letter calling for the US to “unequivocally stand by” Israel.
The letter, originally published May 10 and released in an updated version by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America yesterday, says that “US support for the only Jewish state should be clear, unwavering, and not conditioned.”
The missive comes after US President Joe Biden’s administration said last week that it would stop supplying offensive weapons to Israel that could be used in a major Gaza offensive.
The generals and admirals warn that Iran and its armed proxies “are watching closely to see whether the United States will stand by one of its closest allies fighting in self-defense, even when the going gets tough.”
“Israel is a visceral part of the West with its liberal democracy, ethnically diverse population, and support for individual rights,” say the officers, adding that Israel has “fought in accordance with the laws of armed conflict.”
They also emphasize how important the relationship with Israel is for American national security, citing Israel’s intelligence, technology and military experience. “Israel’s military and intelligence services have also often protected US soldiers and civilians and provided critical intelligence,” they add.
The signatories include former head of the US Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie, past Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Philip Breedlove, former US Strategic Command commander Gen. Kevin Chilton, and several recent commandants of the Marine Corps. Link -- Doing something like this is for show only. Joe Biden has been the most supportive president in American history to Israel, in talks, in action, in money, in weapons. He has 40 years of showing support and this last year goes above and beyond anyone's wildest expectations. Among the Democrats, Biden is between a rock and a hard place. He has the 'progressive left' against all or most of his support of Israel, especially sending weapons, and he has the traditional Israel supporting Democrats who don't want to hear him doing anything that they believe is against Israel or not supporting Israel enough. And then there are the Republicans, who Netanyahu has sided with for years and who promote blind support for Israel no matter what and use anything they can against Biden. So when Biden held back the one shipment of bombs and bomb mechanisms (to make dumb bombs into smart bombs), they grabbed hold of that and said he wasn't supportive of Israel. Biden did that, as he said to prevent them being used in a situation like the Rafah Operation which has the potential to kill more massive numbers of non-combatants. He didn't halt weapons, especially anything needed for our defenses such as for Iron Dome. It was one shipment that Republicans are using to turn him into the devil. And by not halting any other shipments, he is alienating himself from a number of the groups that he needs to win the next election.
The government decision also stipulates that the UN move will not serve as a basis for any future negotiations, and does not help bring about a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“We will not give a prize to the terrible massacre of October 7, which 80% of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank support,” says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement. “We will not allow them to create a terror state from which they will be able to attack us even more ferociously.” link In an expected and purposeless move, the extreme right government still thinks it has the veto over a Palestinian State and it does not. This stance is arrogant, pig headed and serves no one, especially not Israel. There is a growing movement in the world and more and more nations will recognize a Palestinian State. For us, I think this is crucial because when the time comes (and I hope it will be soon) that we will begin talks on a permanent solutions to the Israel/Palestine Conflict, it will serve each side much better when it will be 2 sovereign nations talking to each other and not a strong sovereign nation talking to a weak organization. It is what is needed for serious talks and negotiations.
The Prime Minister announced that he has instructed to promote the law that passed the first reading on Gantz's initiative, without mentioning that the same law was approved long before the war when the IDF's needs were different. A member of Gantz's party: "A pathetic ploy, an immoral PM." The initiator was Deri (Shas party - Haredi Sephardic), who previously called the law "harmful." Senior coalition members: "The real goal is to buy time." Details of the new-old law:
• Setting practical enlistment goals gradually over 15 to 25 years
• From 2037 to 2046, enlistment targets will increase year by year at a rate of growth of the ultra-Orthodox population plus one percent, i.e., an effective increase of one percent of the annual cohort size.|
• Economic sanctions on yeshivas that do not meet enlistment targets - in a draft year where 95% of enlistment targets are not met, the amount of support will be reduced in the following fiscal year so that it does not exceed 80% of the base amount. The reduction will increase as years pass without meeting the targets, up to 20%.
• Possibility of repealing the law after several years if enlistment targets of 85% are not met for three years in the first three years.
• Lowering the exemption age to 23 (to 21 in the first two years and 22 in the third year).
• Options for shortened service starting at age 21:
a. Regular IDF service for three months on a designated track aimed at preparing for the reserve forces.
b. Regular IDF service for three weeks on a designated track aimed at training for emergency and rescue roles in the reserve forces, alongside participation in vocational training.
• Lowering the age for national service to 20 and for married individuals to 19. Link
--This is just another strong sign of Netanyahu being far more concerned about maintaining his political position over the needs of the country. Everyone who is not Haredi recognizes that the haredi exemption situation is wrong and must be drastically changed. This includes the non Haredi parties in Netanyahu's coalition. The non Haredi extreme right religious parties have had many soldiers killed in this war and so many who have done 6 months reserve duty and are being called back for more. They recognize that there has to be shared burden in the military and this current bill which they supported before cannot be supported now.
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