π️Lonny's War Update- October 291, 2023 - July 23, 2024 π️
π️Day 291 that 120 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!ΧΧΧ Χ Χ¦ΧΧΧ Χ’Χ Χ©ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧΧ€ΧΧ ΧΧΧΧͺ
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*5:55pm yesterday - north - rockets Manara, Margaliot, Kiryat Shemona*6:00pm yesterday - north - rockets- Beit Hillel, Kfar Giladi, Kfar Yuval, Metulla, Maayan Baruch, Misgav Am, Tel Hai
*7:30pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft Dafna, Sha'ar Hayeshuv
*8:10pm yesterday - north - rockeets Kiryat Shemona, Manara
*10:45pm yesterday - north - Hosen, Kepe'in, Tzuriel, Kisra Samia, Elkush, Fasuta
*8:50am- south - rockets Nir Oz, Nirim, Ein Hashlosha
*2:25pm - north - hostile aircraft - Netua, Fasuta, Shomera, Even Menahem, Elkush, Matat, Horfeish, Meron Field School, Peki'in, Zva'on, Tzuriel*2:30pm - north - hostile aircraft - Meron Field School, Peki'in, Zva'on, Tzuriel, Sasa, Hosen, Kfar Veredim, Kisra Samia, Haganoz, Safsufa, Kfar Hoshen, Jish-Gush Halav, Merom Hagalil, Bar Yochai, Kadita*2:45pm - north - rockets - Kfar Giladi, Margaliot, Misfav Am, Kiryat Shemona, Tel Hai*3:05pm - north - rockets Margaliot, Kiryat Shemona
*3:10pm - north - rockets Beit Hillel
*3:55pm - north - rockets Beit Hillel
*3:55pm = north - hostile aircraft - Neot Mordechai
**An IDF officer was killed by a grenade explosion in the Gaza Strip this morning, but not during operational activity, the military says.
The Military Police has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident. The findings will be submitted to the Military Advocate General for review, the IDF says. The officer is not immediately named.
May his memory be forever blessed
*7:30pm yesterday - north - hostile aircraft Dafna, Sha'ar Hayeshuv
*8:10pm yesterday - north - rockeets Kiryat Shemona, Manara
*10:45pm yesterday - north - Hosen, Kepe'in, Tzuriel, Kisra Samia, Elkush, Fasuta
*8:50am- south - rockets Nir Oz, Nirim, Ein Hashlosha
*2:25pm - north - hostile aircraft - Netua, Fasuta, Shomera, Even Menahem, Elkush, Matat, Horfeish, Meron Field School, Peki'in, Zva'on, Tzuriel
*3:10pm - north - rockets Beit Hillel
*3:55pm - north - rockets Beit Hillel
*3:55pm = north - hostile aircraft - Neot Mordechai
**An IDF officer was killed by a grenade explosion in the Gaza Strip this morning, but not during operational activity, the military says.
The Military Police has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident. The findings will be submitted to the Military Advocate General for review, the IDF says. The officer is not immediately named.
May his memory be forever blessed
Hostage Updates
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Sunday condemned a Likud MK and his aide over what it described as an “attack” on protesters, insisting that “there is no place for violent discourse and disrespectful behavior toward the families of the hostages.”
Several relatives of hostages currently held in Gaza by Hamas approached deputy Knesset speaker MK Nissim Vaturi at the Knesset complex in Jerusalem and challenged him over his expressed opposition to a potential hostage-ceasefire deal.
Videos posted to social media showed what appeared to be Vaturi’s parliamentary assistant attempting to physically block one of the protesters from filming their interaction in a Knesset hallway. Vaturi is one of eight Likud lawmakers who wrote to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend that they would refuse to back a hostage release deal unless significant changes are made to the proposal.
“I and other family members approached him to ask him why he sent the letter,” Yuval Baron, the son-in-law of hostage Keith Siegel, was quoted as saying by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“The event was photographed by one of the family members. Chana, MK Vaturi’s parliamentary assistant, grabbed her phone violently. The MK joined in aggressively and pushed me and Inbal, the cousin of abductee Tal Shoham.”
The Times of Israel has not seen any footage of Vaturi’s direct participation in a physical altercation. In the video he seemed uninterested in engaging with the protesters as they assailed him for his opposition to a deal, and walked away as the aide tussled with the activist who was filming.
The protesters continued to follow Vaturi as he headed toward the lawmakers’ wing of the building, with Inbal Tzach, whose cousin has been held in Gaza since October 7, calling out to him that the hostages were underfed.
“What, the truth hurts? Believe me, captivity hurts more,” she called after him. “There are 120 people who haven’t eaten or drunk for nine months, they haven’t seen the light of day.”
Turning around, Vaturi shot off: “Did you eat this morning?” He then walked away.
In their letter to the prime minister, Vaturi, along with fellow Likud MKs Amit Halevi, Hanoch Milwidsky, Dan Illouz, Moshe Saada, Ariel Kellner, Shalom Danino, and Tali Gotliv, demanded that a hostage-ceasefire deal see the release of all captives at once, rather than in several stages.
They also demanded that Israel not commit to withdrawing from the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza or the so-called Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, and that a significant IDF presence must remain along every significant route in Gaza. Last month, Vaturi charged that anti-government protesters, who have been regularly demanding early elections and the release of hostages held in Gaza, are a “branch” of Hamas. He later attempted to backtrack the comments, claiming they were “taken out of context.” video of the disgusting treatment by a Knesset Member Vaturi and some of the other signatories of that letter have been utterly disgusting and abusive of the hostages' families. They are among the politicians who have made efforts to vilify the families and the supporters of the hostages and build a campaign making the hostage situation (that they caused as the government when it happened) a political situation and not one of unity and government responsibility. They have shirked all responsibility and claim that the families and the supporters are leftist who are against the government and are traitors, just as Vaturi claimed that they are a branch of Hamas. He was not taken out of context. It was exactly the context that he meant. He and the others are utterly vile.
All of the country’s top security chiefs are in agreement that if a truce and hostages-for-prisoners deal is reached with Hamas, the IDF can stand to fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip for the first six weeks of a potential deal, the Kan public broadcaster reports.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar have all reportedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they support such a deal, arguing that the relatively short period of time would not allow Hamas to regroup and rearm in a significant manner.
“We are aware of the security ramifications, but this is the time to prioritize releasing the hostages, whose time is limited,” the four have told the premier, the report says, adding that their position brings into account issues such as control of the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, and the return of Gazans and terror operatives to the Strip’s north.
Channel 12 news reports similar details, saying Netanyahu pushed back against the security chiefs’ flexibility during a long discussion yesterday.
Halevi reportedly told the premier: “We will know how to create all the flexibility needed to honor the terms of the deal. This is the time to combine the military pressure and the negotiations and see how to move forward [to a deal].”
The network says Netanyahu did not give in on his demands, and so they appear in the response that Israel will convey to the mediators as talks are renewed on Thursday, even though there is a possibility that Hamas will therefore say no.
As things stand, the delegation to resume talks is expected to be at a working team level — without senior officials — though that could change, the report says.
The family of one of the two Gaza hostages declared dead today by Israel blames his death on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, calling the failure to return him alive “much, much greater than the failure of October 7” when he and 250 others were kidnapped and 1,200 were killed in the Hamas onslaught.
Alex Dancyg, 75, and Yagev Buchshtav, 35, have been confirmed by the IDF to have died several months ago while the IDF was operating in Khan Younis, where they are believed to have been held together by Hamas.
File: Yuval Dancyg, right, attends a press conference at the Italian Jewish Center in Rome, November 22, 2023, with other representatives of families of Israelis abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7, shortly after they met with Pope Francis at The Vatican. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)“This isn’t how it was supposed to end,” writes Yuval Dancyg, Alex’s son, on Instagram. “You were abducted alive and breathing from your bed on that cursed morning, and you should have returned home alive and in one piece. I’m sorry we didn’t succeed in this task.
“In the last few months I was exposed more and more to the number of people you inspired and to what an amazing legacy you left behind,” Yuval adds. “I promise to carry this legacy with me to every place and to tell your story.
“Now is the time for grieving and memorializing. The time to settle the score with those responsible for what happened will come,” he adds, possibly referring to Hamas, and potentially also to the Netanyahu government.
Another son of Alex, Mati Dancyg, is more explicit, saying that “Dad didn’t just die — he died for the sake of Netanyahu’s government of destruction” and calling on the public to protest the government.
The premier “is continuing to thwart and sabotage any chance for a deal” and is “choosing to save his rotten government rather than save the lives of Israeli citizens whose abduction he himself is responsible for,” he charges.
“The sacrificing of the hostages out of political motives is a much, much greater failure than the failure of October 7. This isn’t just criminal negligence, it is full-on treason,” Mati adds, calling for no IDF soldier to be endangered by being sent on a military mission to retrieve Alex’s body.
MK Moshe Gafni, the head of one of the two factions that make up the United Torah Judaism coalition party, has expressed support for an immediate deal to free the remaining Gaza hostages at any price, Channel 12 reports. “We are in favor of doing an arrangement for the release of the hostages, all of them, now,” the ultra-Orthodox politician is heard in a recording, reportedly while meeting five relatives of hostages this morning, adding that the Jewish principle of redemption of captives “is one of the most important commandments in the Torah, if not the most important.
“But here it is completely clear that this is also a case [in which on the line is] saving lives. Our position, I’m telling you here in this room, within these four walls, and I say it to the prime minister: Today, we have to free the hostages at any price.”
In contrast, several prominent religious Zionist rabbis said in a letter earlier today that the deal currently on the table would endanger the lives of all Israelis, arguing that this consideration trumps those mentioned by Gafni.
Several leading rabbis of the religious Zionist community come out in an open letter against a hostage deal with Hamas, arguing that an Israeli-proposed agreement on the table that would withdraw troops from Gaza and swap Israelis in Gaza for Palestinian security prisoners would endanger more Israelis.
“The prices demanded to free the hostages endanger all Israelis, old, young and women,” the letter reads. “For example: releasing all the dangerous monsters so Hamas can rebuild its collapsed army, withdrawing from strategic areas and stopping the fighting before Hamas is defeated.”
The letter claims the dangers posed by the deal outweigh the Jewish imperative to free captives. It is believed that 116 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 44 confirmed dead by the IDF.
“We suggest to our leaders that God will present good counsel on how to redeem the hostages while ensuring the continued existence and well-being of the State of Israel,” the letter continues.
The letter — whose signatories include Ramat Gan chief rabbi Yaakov Ariel and leading hardliners such as settler leaders Dov Lior and Elyakim Levanon and Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu — may deal a fresh blow to hopes that the religious Zionist flank of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition could agree to a deal should terms with Hamas be reached.
American hostages' families: Any speech Netanyahu gives to Congress will be a failure without deal:
"If he's not coming here to close a deal, then there are enough things that he needs to focus on, including getting the deal done," Jonathan Dekel-Chen said.
The families of the eight American hostages remaining captive in Gaza made clear on Monday morning their expectations for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday speech before Congress: Any address he gives that isn’t the announcement of a deal will be a total failure.
This is the message the families will share across the two days – leading up to Netanyahu’s highly anticipated remarks – that will be packed with press conferences, meetings with lawmakers and the Pentagon, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Netanyahu himself.
The families addressed reporters Monday morning shortly after the IDF announced the deaths of hostages Alex Dancyg and Yagev Buchshtab, who were likely mistakenly killed by Israeli forces during battles in Khan Yunis several months ago.
Dancyg, 76, was kidnapped on October 7 from Nir-Oz, and Buchshtab, 35, was taken from Nirim.
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, a dual American-Israeli citizen, whose 35-year-old son Sagui Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir-Oz, told reporters that Dancyg is the seventh hostage taken from Nir-Oz who was alive on October 8 and was subsequently killed in the course of the months since then.
“This is the clearest possible sign that there is simply no more time,” Dekel-Chen said. “The fantasy that there’s some better deal coming, or that it may be possible to wait out this or that administration, is no more no less than a death sentence for the hostages who still might be alive, and forget recovering the bodies of those who have already been murdered.”
Cease all stalling of the deal
He said the families expect their prime minister to cease all stalling and torpedoing hopes for a negotiated return of hostages and ceasefire in Gaza, and stop the suffering of the people of Gaza.
Liz Hirsh Naftali, great aunt of four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan who was kidnapped on October 7 and released in the first ceasefire deal after 51 days in captivity, said the group of mostly dual American-Israeli citizens hold a unique position among the constellation of hostages families, giving them a different kind of power.Their American passport requires the United States government to do everything it can to release the hostages, she said. And this week, she added, the American-Israeli families can meet Netanyahu in their country, in English, to have these conversations.“Anything short of Prime Minister Netanyahu coming to America to address our Congress, to address our public, shy of a deal that he is about to sign, which he has committed to already, is a failure,” Hirsh Naftali said, echoing Dekel-Chen. “That is the one thing the American public is waiting to hear, and that is the one thing that our legislators are waiting to hear.”It’s been months since the American-Israeli families have met with their prime minister.When Ronen and Orna Netura, parents of 22-year-old hostage Omer Neutra, met with Netanyahu in January after repeatedly pressing his staff for a meeting, Orna said the prime minister couldn’t give any assurances when, or if, their son would be released.“We expect to hear this on Wednesday and in one or two meetings that we’ll be having with him separately, to declare that Israel is going to sign this imperfect agreement with Satan, meaning Hamas,” Dekel-Chen added. “But it is a national necessity, and anything less than that would be a total failure of his leadership.”
Instead, in their meeting, Orna said Netanyahu was very focused on military achievements and his commitment to the Jewish state.
Orna said she and Ronen have been torn, both as parents of a hostage and as Israelis, but that seven months after their meeting with Netanyahu, enough is enough. The military and government have had ample time, Orna said, and she’s lost any patience or understanding for them.
Dekel-Chen, who until October 7 lived on Kibbutz Nir-Oz where 51 people were killed and another 79 were taken hostage, said that Netanyahu has not spoken with the kibbutz members directly, despite their requests to see him.
“So think about that,” Dekel-Chen said. “A head of state who has simply ignored an entire community that was wiped off the face of the earth by an attack from a terrorist organization that he had sworn to destroy many times over during his many, many years of premiership.”
However, Dekel-Chen said, Netanyahu had chosen to come to the US and accept his invitation to address a joint session of Congress, which had to mean something other than just political theater in Israel.
Before their meeting on Monday night with Netanyahu, the families will meet with Sullivan for the 10th time in almost as many months.
Ruby Chen, father of 19-year-old Itay Chen, confirmed by Israeli officials in March as killed on October 7, said he expects Sullivan to give the families an update on the deal parameters, as well as an understanding of what’s missing to get to the finish line.
Chen said it’s premature for Netanyahu to come to the US now, especially given Sunday’s announcement that he’s sending an Israeli negotiating team to hostage talks on Thursday, which is why he shouldn’t have boarded the plane to DC.
This is the contradiction that the families are here to call out, demanding change, Dekel-Chen said – because he’s here in the United States. It’s sacred ground, Dekel-Chen said, it’s not a place for political theater.
“He has many things on his plate,” she added. “If he’s not coming here to close a deal, then there are enough things that he needs to focus on, including getting the deal done.”
Netanyahu's address comes at a pivotal moment in Washington following Biden's decision on Sunday to withdraw from the presidential race.
Rachel Goldberg, the mother of 23-year-old hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, said Biden has been incredibly supportive, helpful, and transparent as can be, adding she's not concerned about Biden's decision impacting hostage negotiations.
"I think that [Biden] is so committed to getting these people home, specifically the American eight, but all of the hostages, that if anything, this allows him to focus more laser concentration on that goal that he is so passionate about," Goldberg said.
She added Vice President Kamala Harris has met with the American-Israeli families twice since October 7 and has been "absolutely aligned with President Biden, extremely supportive, extremely open, very patient and very generous with her time."
We don't see them wavering in their commitment to see this to its fruition and get our loved ones back, Goldberg said.
Last week at the Republican National Convention, the Neutras revealed that former President Donald Trump called them in the early weeks following October 7.
Ronen Neutra described the call as "short" and that Trump was "very sympathetic."
The Post has reached out to Harris' office as well as a spokesperson for the Trump campaign to see if they are planning to meet with the hostages' families this week and if they will be meeting with Netanyahu. link
Hostage Updates
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum on Sunday condemned a Likud MK and his aide over what it described as an “attack” on protesters, insisting that “there is no place for violent discourse and disrespectful behavior toward the families of the hostages.”
Several relatives of hostages currently held in Gaza by Hamas approached deputy Knesset speaker MK Nissim Vaturi at the Knesset complex in Jerusalem and challenged him over his expressed opposition to a potential hostage-ceasefire deal.
Videos posted to social media showed what appeared to be Vaturi’s parliamentary assistant attempting to physically block one of the protesters from filming their interaction in a Knesset hallway. Vaturi is one of eight Likud lawmakers who wrote to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend that they would refuse to back a hostage release deal unless significant changes are made to the proposal.
“I and other family members approached him to ask him why he sent the letter,” Yuval Baron, the son-in-law of hostage Keith Siegel, was quoted as saying by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
“The event was photographed by one of the family members. Chana, MK Vaturi’s parliamentary assistant, grabbed her phone violently. The MK joined in aggressively and pushed me and Inbal, the cousin of abductee Tal Shoham.”
The Times of Israel has not seen any footage of Vaturi’s direct participation in a physical altercation. In the video he seemed uninterested in engaging with the protesters as they assailed him for his opposition to a deal, and walked away as the aide tussled with the activist who was filming.
The protesters continued to follow Vaturi as he headed toward the lawmakers’ wing of the building, with Inbal Tzach, whose cousin has been held in Gaza since October 7, calling out to him that the hostages were underfed.
“What, the truth hurts? Believe me, captivity hurts more,” she called after him. “There are 120 people who haven’t eaten or drunk for nine months, they haven’t seen the light of day.”
Turning around, Vaturi shot off: “Did you eat this morning?” He then walked away.
In their letter to the prime minister, Vaturi, along with fellow Likud MKs Amit Halevi, Hanoch Milwidsky, Dan Illouz, Moshe Saada, Ariel Kellner, Shalom Danino, and Tali Gotliv, demanded that a hostage-ceasefire deal see the release of all captives at once, rather than in several stages.
They also demanded that Israel not commit to withdrawing from the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza or the so-called Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, and that a significant IDF presence must remain along every significant route in Gaza. Last month, Vaturi charged that anti-government protesters, who have been regularly demanding early elections and the release of hostages held in Gaza, are a “branch” of Hamas. He later attempted to backtrack the comments, claiming they were “taken out of context.” video of the disgusting treatment by a Knesset Member Vaturi and some of the other signatories of that letter have been utterly disgusting and abusive of the hostages' families. They are among the politicians who have made efforts to vilify the families and the supporters of the hostages and build a campaign making the hostage situation (that they caused as the government when it happened) a political situation and not one of unity and government responsibility. They have shirked all responsibility and claim that the families and the supporters are leftist who are against the government and are traitors, just as Vaturi claimed that they are a branch of Hamas. He was not taken out of context. It was exactly the context that he meant. He and the others are utterly vile.
All of the country’s top security chiefs are in agreement that if a truce and hostages-for-prisoners deal is reached with Hamas, the IDF can stand to fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip for the first six weeks of a potential deal, the Kan public broadcaster reports.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar have all reportedly told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they support such a deal, arguing that the relatively short period of time would not allow Hamas to regroup and rearm in a significant manner.
“We are aware of the security ramifications, but this is the time to prioritize releasing the hostages, whose time is limited,” the four have told the premier, the report says, adding that their position brings into account issues such as control of the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, and the return of Gazans and terror operatives to the Strip’s north.
Channel 12 news reports similar details, saying Netanyahu pushed back against the security chiefs’ flexibility during a long discussion yesterday.
Halevi reportedly told the premier: “We will know how to create all the flexibility needed to honor the terms of the deal. This is the time to combine the military pressure and the negotiations and see how to move forward [to a deal].”
The network says Netanyahu did not give in on his demands, and so they appear in the response that Israel will convey to the mediators as talks are renewed on Thursday, even though there is a possibility that Hamas will therefore say no.
As things stand, the delegation to resume talks is expected to be at a working team level — without senior officials — though that could change, the report says.
The family of one of the two Gaza hostages declared dead today by Israel blames his death on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, calling the failure to return him alive “much, much greater than the failure of October 7” when he and 250 others were kidnapped and 1,200 were killed in the Hamas onslaught.
Alex Dancyg, 75, and Yagev Buchshtav, 35, have been confirmed by the IDF to have died several months ago while the IDF was operating in Khan Younis, where they are believed to have been held together by Hamas.
“This isn’t how it was supposed to end,” writes Yuval Dancyg, Alex’s son, on Instagram. “You were abducted alive and breathing from your bed on that cursed morning, and you should have returned home alive and in one piece. I’m sorry we didn’t succeed in this task.
“In the last few months I was exposed more and more to the number of people you inspired and to what an amazing legacy you left behind,” Yuval adds. “I promise to carry this legacy with me to every place and to tell your story.
“Now is the time for grieving and memorializing. The time to settle the score with those responsible for what happened will come,” he adds, possibly referring to Hamas, and potentially also to the Netanyahu government.
Another son of Alex, Mati Dancyg, is more explicit, saying that “Dad didn’t just die — he died for the sake of Netanyahu’s government of destruction” and calling on the public to protest the government.
The premier “is continuing to thwart and sabotage any chance for a deal” and is “choosing to save his rotten government rather than save the lives of Israeli citizens whose abduction he himself is responsible for,” he charges.
“The sacrificing of the hostages out of political motives is a much, much greater failure than the failure of October 7. This isn’t just criminal negligence, it is full-on treason,” Mati adds, calling for no IDF soldier to be endangered by being sent on a military mission to retrieve Alex’s body.
MK Moshe Gafni, the head of one of the two factions that make up the United Torah Judaism coalition party, has expressed support for an immediate deal to free the remaining Gaza hostages at any price, Channel 12 reports. “We are in favor of doing an arrangement for the release of the hostages, all of them, now,” the ultra-Orthodox politician is heard in a recording, reportedly while meeting five relatives of hostages this morning, adding that the Jewish principle of redemption of captives “is one of the most important commandments in the Torah, if not the most important.
“But here it is completely clear that this is also a case [in which on the line is] saving lives. Our position, I’m telling you here in this room, within these four walls, and I say it to the prime minister: Today, we have to free the hostages at any price.”
In contrast, several prominent religious Zionist rabbis said in a letter earlier today that the deal currently on the table would endanger the lives of all Israelis, arguing that this consideration trumps those mentioned by Gafni.
Several leading rabbis of the religious Zionist community come out in an open letter against a hostage deal with Hamas, arguing that an Israeli-proposed agreement on the table that would withdraw troops from Gaza and swap Israelis in Gaza for Palestinian security prisoners would endanger more Israelis.
“The prices demanded to free the hostages endanger all Israelis, old, young and women,” the letter reads. “For example: releasing all the dangerous monsters so Hamas can rebuild its collapsed army, withdrawing from strategic areas and stopping the fighting before Hamas is defeated.”
The letter claims the dangers posed by the deal outweigh the Jewish imperative to free captives. It is believed that 116 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 44 confirmed dead by the IDF.
“We suggest to our leaders that God will present good counsel on how to redeem the hostages while ensuring the continued existence and well-being of the State of Israel,” the letter continues.
The letter — whose signatories include Ramat Gan chief rabbi Yaakov Ariel and leading hardliners such as settler leaders Dov Lior and Elyakim Levanon and Safed Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu — may deal a fresh blow to hopes that the religious Zionist flank of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition could agree to a deal should terms with Hamas be reached.
American hostages' families: Any speech Netanyahu gives to Congress will be a failure without deal:
"If he's not coming here to close a deal, then there are enough things that he needs to focus on, including getting the deal done," Jonathan Dekel-Chen said.
The families of the eight American hostages remaining captive in Gaza made clear on Monday morning their expectations for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Wednesday speech before Congress: Any address he gives that isn’t the announcement of a deal will be a total failure.
This is the message the families will share across the two days – leading up to Netanyahu’s highly anticipated remarks – that will be packed with press conferences, meetings with lawmakers and the Pentagon, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Netanyahu himself.
The families addressed reporters Monday morning shortly after the IDF announced the deaths of hostages Alex Dancyg and Yagev Buchshtab, who were likely mistakenly killed by Israeli forces during battles in Khan Yunis several months ago.Dancyg, 76, was kidnapped on October 7 from Nir-Oz, and Buchshtab, 35, was taken from Nirim.
Jonathan Dekel-Chen, a dual American-Israeli citizen, whose 35-year-old son Sagui Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir-Oz, told reporters that Dancyg is the seventh hostage taken from Nir-Oz who was alive on October 8 and was subsequently killed in the course of the months since then.
“This is the clearest possible sign that there is simply no more time,” Dekel-Chen said. “The fantasy that there’s some better deal coming, or that it may be possible to wait out this or that administration, is no more no less than a death sentence for the hostages who still might be alive, and forget recovering the bodies of those who have already been murdered.”
Cease all stalling of the dealHe said the families expect their prime minister to cease all stalling and torpedoing hopes for a negotiated return of hostages and ceasefire in Gaza, and stop the suffering of the people of Gaza.
Liz Hirsh Naftali, great aunt of four-year-old Abigail Mor Edan who was kidnapped on October 7 and released in the first ceasefire deal after 51 days in captivity, said the group of mostly dual American-Israeli citizens hold a unique position among the constellation of hostages families, giving them a different kind of power.Their American passport requires the United States government to do everything it can to release the hostages, she said. And this week, she added, the American-Israeli families can meet Netanyahu in their country, in English, to have these conversations.“Anything short of Prime Minister Netanyahu coming to America to address our Congress, to address our public, shy of a deal that he is about to sign, which he has committed to already, is a failure,” Hirsh Naftali said, echoing Dekel-Chen. “That is the one thing the American public is waiting to hear, and that is the one thing that our legislators are waiting to hear.”It’s been months since the American-Israeli families have met with their prime minister.When Ronen and Orna Netura, parents of 22-year-old hostage Omer Neutra, met with Netanyahu in January after repeatedly pressing his staff for a meeting, Orna said the prime minister couldn’t give any assurances when, or if, their son would be released.“We expect to hear this on Wednesday and in one or two meetings that we’ll be having with him separately, to declare that Israel is going to sign this imperfect agreement with Satan, meaning Hamas,” Dekel-Chen added. “But it is a national necessity, and anything less than that would be a total failure of his leadership.”
Instead, in their meeting, Orna said Netanyahu was very focused on military achievements and his commitment to the Jewish state.Orna said she and Ronen have been torn, both as parents of a hostage and as Israelis, but that seven months after their meeting with Netanyahu, enough is enough. The military and government have had ample time, Orna said, and she’s lost any patience or understanding for them.
Dekel-Chen, who until October 7 lived on Kibbutz Nir-Oz where 51 people were killed and another 79 were taken hostage, said that Netanyahu has not spoken with the kibbutz members directly, despite their requests to see him.
“So think about that,” Dekel-Chen said. “A head of state who has simply ignored an entire community that was wiped off the face of the earth by an attack from a terrorist organization that he had sworn to destroy many times over during his many, many years of premiership.”
However, Dekel-Chen said, Netanyahu had chosen to come to the US and accept his invitation to address a joint session of Congress, which had to mean something other than just political theater in Israel.
Before their meeting on Monday night with Netanyahu, the families will meet with Sullivan for the 10th time in almost as many months.
Ruby Chen, father of 19-year-old Itay Chen, confirmed by Israeli officials in March as killed on October 7, said he expects Sullivan to give the families an update on the deal parameters, as well as an understanding of what’s missing to get to the finish line.
Chen said it’s premature for Netanyahu to come to the US now, especially given Sunday’s announcement that he’s sending an Israeli negotiating team to hostage talks on Thursday, which is why he shouldn’t have boarded the plane to DC.
This is the contradiction that the families are here to call out, demanding change, Dekel-Chen said – because he’s here in the United States. It’s sacred ground, Dekel-Chen said, it’s not a place for political theater.
“He has many things on his plate,” she added. “If he’s not coming here to close a deal, then there are enough things that he needs to focus on, including getting the deal done.”
Netanyahu's address comes at a pivotal moment in Washington following Biden's decision on Sunday to withdraw from the presidential race.
Rachel Goldberg, the mother of 23-year-old hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, said Biden has been incredibly supportive, helpful, and transparent as can be, adding she's not concerned about Biden's decision impacting hostage negotiations.
"I think that [Biden] is so committed to getting these people home, specifically the American eight, but all of the hostages, that if anything, this allows him to focus more laser concentration on that goal that he is so passionate about," Goldberg said.
She added Vice President Kamala Harris has met with the American-Israeli families twice since October 7 and has been "absolutely aligned with President Biden, extremely supportive, extremely open, very patient and very generous with her time."
We don't see them wavering in their commitment to see this to its fruition and get our loved ones back, Goldberg said.
Last week at the Republican National Convention, the Neutras revealed that former President Donald Trump called them in the early weeks following October 7.
Ronen Neutra described the call as "short" and that Trump was "very sympathetic."
The Post has reached out to Harris' office as well as a spokesperson for the Trump campaign to see if they are planning to meet with the hostages' families this week and if they will be meeting with Netanyahu. link
Senior security official: There's a possibility to
bring back 30 hostages alive now
Ahead of the expected meeting with Netanyahu, Biden is
likely to pressure the PM to stick to the outline and reach a deal • Meanwhile,
Netanyahu stands firm on his demands regarding the Philadelphi Corridor and
preventing armed individuals from moving to northern Gaza; security
organization heads claim: There's no mechanism to prevent armed individuals from
crossing • Senior US administration officials: The window of opportunity is
narrow, we'll soon reduce our involvement in the Middle East • The delegation
heading for negotiations will be of working-level only
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington
is taking place at a critical time for the hostage release deal negotiations.
Last night (Monday) we reported on the "Central Edition" that all
parties involved in the negotiations say "this is the moment."
Additionally, a senior security official told Channel 12 News: "Netanyahu
may be waiting for the recess or introducing complications into the
negotiations, but we must always remember - against these things, there's a
possibility to bring back 30 hostages alive now, and with each passing day, we
don't know what will happen to them."
According to those involved in the negotiations,
"It's money time," and Netanyahu's visit is "critical," or
as a senior White House official told a senior Israeli official: "There's
a narrow window of opportunity. After the visit, naturally, we (the administration)
will reduce our involvement in the Middle East, we'll be busy with elections,
especially now after the political drama."
Another issue is that when President Biden and PM
Netanyahu meet at the White House, Biden will be able to pressure Netanyahu to
drop his demands and tell him to agree to the proposed outline. Meanwhile,
Netanyahu isn't backing down from his demands, and in a discussion about the
negotiations held the day before yesterday with the Defense Minister, Shin Bet
head, Mossad chief, and Major General (ret.) Nitzan Alon, the PM insisted on
military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor.
According to security sources, they said in the
discussion: "Tunnels aren't built in 6 weeks of ceasefire, so there's no
significance to IDF presence in the Philadelphi Corridor if it breaks the
agreement." Additionally, Netanyahu said he insists on a mechanism
regarding the Netzarim Corridor, to which all organization heads responded:
"We tried and searched, but despite all efforts, there's no mechanism to
prevent armed individuals from moving to northern Gaza. This is a demand that
will collapse the deal." The IDF Chief of Staff, who spoke in the
discussion with Netanyahu and security system heads, said: "We'll know how
to create all the necessary flexibility to meet the deal's conditions. It's
time to combine military pressure and negotiations and see how to move
forward." link
Biden in first statement after withdrawal: I will continue to work for the return of hostages - we are close to it
During Kamala Harris's first speech as part of her election campaign, the incumbent President called and congratulated her • In his remarks, he addressed the war in Gaza and clarified: "We are still in this struggle together" • Harris in her speech mainly referred to economic measures, gun restrictions and preventing abortion bans that she plans to promote • "We believe in a bright future - this is not the future Trump is fighting for," she said • It was also reported that she will meet with Netanyahu at the White House this week
US President Joe Biden, who withdrew from the US presidential race and is in isolation due to contracting the coronavirus, delivered his first telephone statement tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) during the speech of his deputy Kamala Harris - who is now running for president herself.
In his remarks, Biden addressed the war in Gaza: "We must continue to work towards its end. I will work closely with the Israelis and Palestinians to try to understand how we can end the war and bring all the hostages home - I think we're close to that. Let me be clear - we're still in this struggle together, I'm not going anywhere." Biden also congratulated his deputy and expressed his support for her, but not before turning to his campaign team and saying: "I know yesterday's news was surprising and hard to hear, but it was the right thing to do."
These words came during Harris's first speech as part of the election campaign she is leading due to Biden's withdrawal. "My intention is to win the nomination and win," Harris said. "We believe in a bright future where everyone has an opportunity. This is not the future Donald Trump is fighting for - he will weaken the middle class and take us backwards." In her speech, she mainly referred to economic measures, gun restrictions and preventing abortion bans that she plans to promote if elected president. Earlier last night, it was reported that Harris had already reached half of the delegates needed to win the presidential nomination. Her campaign headquarters also announced that $81 million was raised in the 24 hours since Biden's withdrawal announcement.
Shortly after her speech, one of Harris's advisors told N12 that she will meet with PM Netanyahu at the White House this week. The meeting will be held separately from the expected meeting with President Biden. However, due to a previously planned trip, the Vice President will not be present at Netanyahu's speech to Congress. The same advisor also said that throughout her career, Harris has been committed to Israel's security - and this remains the case today. During the meeting, she is expected to discuss the war in Gaza with PM Netanyahu and reiterate that Israel has the right to defend itself against threats from Iran and its proxies in the region. One of her advisors also said that she will condemn Hamas's brutal attack and sexual violence, and is also expected to raise the issue of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the deaths of innocent people.
Harris will emphasize that this is the time to end the war - in a way that Israel will be safe, all hostages will be released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza will end and they will be able to enjoy the right to dignity, freedom and self-determination. The two will also discuss efforts to achieve a ceasefire, N12 was told. link It is absolutely above and beyond that Biden's first remarks after his monumental decision to step out of the race for President, was about the hostages and the war in Israel. It is nothing less than outstanding as he never lets up on his support for Israel and his extraordinary concern and actions to get our hostages home. If our Prime Minister put in an iota of the same concern and action as President Biden, our hostages would have been home in November 2023 and not still be lingering and dying in Gaza for 191 days. We need to be on our hands and knees thanking and appreciate Biden and, at the same time, cursing and yelling at the top of our lungs at Netanyahu for not bringing them home and demanding with every breath that he leaves his political agenda behind and do what he should have done a long time ago and BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!!
46 hostages are no longer alive and their bodies are in captivity
With the announcement of the deaths of hostages Yigav Buchshtav and Alex Danzig in Hamas captivity, the number of hostages who are no longer alive stands at 46 • Out of 120 hostages held by Hamas: 74 are defined as alive, including 12 women, two children and 60 men • At least 13 of the hostages died after the hostage release deal in December
It has been 290 days since 120 hostages have been in Gaza, and their time is running out, and for some, it has ended. In the shadow of last night's (Monday) announcement of the deaths of Yigav Buchshtav and Alex Danzig in Hamas captivity, according to official data in Israel, 46 hostages are no longer alive and their bodies are in captivity. Additionally, at least 13 of the hostages died after the end of the hostage release deal in December.
As of today, 74 hostages in Hamas captivity are defined as alive. Among these 74 hostages are 12 women (including 5 female soldiers), 2 young children, and 60 men, six of whom are over 60 years old.
13 hostages who were killed since the deal in November
As we published last night on the "Central Edition", a senior security official told Channel 12 News: "It's possible that Netanyahu is waiting for the recess and it's possible that he's introducing complications into the negotiations, but we must always remember - against these things, there's a possibility to bring back 30 hostages alive now, and with each passing day, we don't know what will happen to them." link
Hostages who Israel received signs of life after October 7 and were killed before the November Hostage deal
Senior security official: There's a possibility to
bring back 30 hostages alive now
Ahead of the expected meeting with Netanyahu, Biden is
likely to pressure the PM to stick to the outline and reach a deal • Meanwhile,
Netanyahu stands firm on his demands regarding the Philadelphi Corridor and
preventing armed individuals from moving to northern Gaza; security
organization heads claim: There's no mechanism to prevent armed individuals from
crossing • Senior US administration officials: The window of opportunity is
narrow, we'll soon reduce our involvement in the Middle East • The delegation
heading for negotiations will be of working-level only
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington
is taking place at a critical time for the hostage release deal negotiations.
Last night (Monday) we reported on the "Central Edition" that all
parties involved in the negotiations say "this is the moment."
Additionally, a senior security official told Channel 12 News: "Netanyahu
may be waiting for the recess or introducing complications into the
negotiations, but we must always remember - against these things, there's a
possibility to bring back 30 hostages alive now, and with each passing day, we
don't know what will happen to them."
According to those involved in the negotiations,
"It's money time," and Netanyahu's visit is "critical," or
as a senior White House official told a senior Israeli official: "There's
a narrow window of opportunity. After the visit, naturally, we (the administration)
will reduce our involvement in the Middle East, we'll be busy with elections,
especially now after the political drama."
Another issue is that when President Biden and PM
Netanyahu meet at the White House, Biden will be able to pressure Netanyahu to
drop his demands and tell him to agree to the proposed outline. Meanwhile,
Netanyahu isn't backing down from his demands, and in a discussion about the
negotiations held the day before yesterday with the Defense Minister, Shin Bet
head, Mossad chief, and Major General (ret.) Nitzan Alon, the PM insisted on
military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor.
According to security sources, they said in the
discussion: "Tunnels aren't built in 6 weeks of ceasefire, so there's no
significance to IDF presence in the Philadelphi Corridor if it breaks the
agreement." Additionally, Netanyahu said he insists on a mechanism
regarding the Netzarim Corridor, to which all organization heads responded:
"We tried and searched, but despite all efforts, there's no mechanism to
prevent armed individuals from moving to northern Gaza. This is a demand that
will collapse the deal." The IDF Chief of Staff, who spoke in the
discussion with Netanyahu and security system heads, said: "We'll know how
to create all the necessary flexibility to meet the deal's conditions. It's
time to combine military pressure and negotiations and see how to move
forward." link
Biden in first statement after withdrawal: I will continue to work for the return of hostages - we are close to it
During Kamala Harris's first speech as part of her election campaign, the incumbent President called and congratulated her • In his remarks, he addressed the war in Gaza and clarified: "We are still in this struggle together" • Harris in her speech mainly referred to economic measures, gun restrictions and preventing abortion bans that she plans to promote • "We believe in a bright future - this is not the future Trump is fighting for," she said • It was also reported that she will meet with Netanyahu at the White House this week
US President Joe Biden, who withdrew from the US presidential race and is in isolation due to contracting the coronavirus, delivered his first telephone statement tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) during the speech of his deputy Kamala Harris - who is now running for president herself.
In his remarks, Biden addressed the war in Gaza: "We must continue to work towards its end. I will work closely with the Israelis and Palestinians to try to understand how we can end the war and bring all the hostages home - I think we're close to that. Let me be clear - we're still in this struggle together, I'm not going anywhere." Biden also congratulated his deputy and expressed his support for her, but not before turning to his campaign team and saying: "I know yesterday's news was surprising and hard to hear, but it was the right thing to do."
These words came during Harris's first speech as part of the election campaign she is leading due to Biden's withdrawal. "My intention is to win the nomination and win," Harris said. "We believe in a bright future where everyone has an opportunity. This is not the future Donald Trump is fighting for - he will weaken the middle class and take us backwards." In her speech, she mainly referred to economic measures, gun restrictions and preventing abortion bans that she plans to promote if elected president. Earlier last night, it was reported that Harris had already reached half of the delegates needed to win the presidential nomination. Her campaign headquarters also announced that $81 million was raised in the 24 hours since Biden's withdrawal announcement.
Shortly after her speech, one of Harris's advisors told N12 that she will meet with PM Netanyahu at the White House this week. The meeting will be held separately from the expected meeting with President Biden. However, due to a previously planned trip, the Vice President will not be present at Netanyahu's speech to Congress. The same advisor also said that throughout her career, Harris has been committed to Israel's security - and this remains the case today. During the meeting, she is expected to discuss the war in Gaza with PM Netanyahu and reiterate that Israel has the right to defend itself against threats from Iran and its proxies in the region. One of her advisors also said that she will condemn Hamas's brutal attack and sexual violence, and is also expected to raise the issue of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the deaths of innocent people.
Harris will emphasize that this is the time to end the war - in a way that Israel will be safe, all hostages will be released, the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza will end and they will be able to enjoy the right to dignity, freedom and self-determination. The two will also discuss efforts to achieve a ceasefire, N12 was told. link It is absolutely above and beyond that Biden's first remarks after his monumental decision to step out of the race for President, was about the hostages and the war in Israel. It is nothing less than outstanding as he never lets up on his support for Israel and his extraordinary concern and actions to get our hostages home. If our Prime Minister put in an iota of the same concern and action as President Biden, our hostages would have been home in November 2023 and not still be lingering and dying in Gaza for 191 days. We need to be on our hands and knees thanking and appreciate Biden and, at the same time, cursing and yelling at the top of our lungs at Netanyahu for not bringing them home and demanding with every breath that he leaves his political agenda behind and do what he should have done a long time ago and BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!!
46 hostages are no longer alive and their bodies are in captivity
With the announcement of the deaths of hostages Yigav Buchshtav and Alex Danzig in Hamas captivity, the number of hostages who are no longer alive stands at 46 • Out of 120 hostages held by Hamas: 74 are defined as alive, including 12 women, two children and 60 men • At least 13 of the hostages died after the hostage release deal in December
It has been 290 days since 120 hostages have been in Gaza, and their time is running out, and for some, it has ended. In the shadow of last night's (Monday) announcement of the deaths of Yigav Buchshtav and Alex Danzig in Hamas captivity, according to official data in Israel, 46 hostages are no longer alive and their bodies are in captivity. Additionally, at least 13 of the hostages died after the end of the hostage release deal in December.
As of today, 74 hostages in Hamas captivity are defined as alive. Among these 74 hostages are 12 women (including 5 female soldiers), 2 young children, and 60 men, six of whom are over 60 years old.
13 hostages who were killed since the deal in November
As we published last night on the "Central Edition", a senior security official told Channel 12 News: "It's possible that Netanyahu is waiting for the recess and it's possible that he's introducing complications into the negotiations, but we must always remember - against these things, there's a possibility to bring back 30 hostages alive now, and with each passing day, we don't know what will happen to them." link
Hostages who Israel received signs of life after October 7 and were killed before the November Hostage deal
Gaza
- The IDF confirms it has launched a new ground offensive in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, following intelligence of Hamas operatives and infrastructure in the area.
According to the IDF, Hamas has been attempting to regroup in Khan Younis, three months after the military withdrew from the city in southern Gaza.
The offensive is being carried out by the 98th Division, which had previously operated in Khan Younis for four months.
The IDF says that aircraft and artillery struck some 30 sites belonging to terror groups in Khan Younis earlier today, as the offensive began.
The targets included a rocket launching site used in an attack on southern Israel earlier, weapon depots, observation posts, tunnel shafts, and buildings used by Hamas, according to the military.
The IDF says airstrikes and tank shelling also killed several terror operatives.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, around 70 Palestinians have been killed in strikes in Khan Younis since this morning, which cannot be verified.
This morning, the IDF called on Palestinians to evacuate eastern Khan Younis and some areas of the designated humanitarian zone, following repeated rocket attacks on southern Israel.
The IDF had warned that it was readying to “forcefully operate” against terror groups in the Khan Younis area.
The Israeli military releases footage showing gunmen climbing onto trucks carrying humanitarian aid in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip.
According to the IDF, Hamas operatives frequently try to hijack aid deliveries heading along a designated route.
In the past week, troops of the Nahal Brigade raided a school adjacent to the “humanitarian route,” where a group of gunmen were holed up. The IDF says the gunmen had been planning to take control of the route where the aid trucks drive.
The Nahal troops used drones to kill the gunmen, and later found a tunnel shaft in the school’s courtyard, the IDF says. Video of attack and tunnel in Rafah
Seventy Palestinians have allegedly been killed and more than 200 wounded by Israeli fire on the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says, in unverified figures that don’t differentiate between combatants and civilians.
It says some of the wounded are in “dangerous condition.”
The IDF warned civilians to evacuate the area today, but it has not acknowledged any military operations there, nor did it respond immediately to a Times of Israel request for comment.
IDF raids Khan Younis, despair in Gaza grows: "Sinwar, in the name of Allah, stop the war"
The IDF's raid on the terror city - sparked local anger against Hamas and its leaders • "My life has been destroyed," said one resident, addressing Sinwar: "You're sitting in tunnels, eating and drinking, while the people are being destroyed" • Behind the renewed raid on Khan Younis: Intelligence that reached Israel led to the decision
Hours after this morning's (Monday) raid on eastern Khan Younis - voices from within Gaza against Hamas and Sinwar are intensifying. Gazans, who fled as the IDF entered the city, called the operation in the city a "Nakba". This comes after convoys of residents were seen fleeing westward towards Muwasi throughout the day. "Sinwar, in the name of Allah, stop the war in Gaza!" said one Gazan resident. "We have no life left. Look at my sandal. Is there a Muslim whose sandal looks like this? Sinwar, we're destroyed, our homes are ruined. You're sitting in tunnels, eating and drinking, while the people are being destroyed, look. 40 years, 45 years I've been building this house, my life is destroyed, my children are ruined and my house is destroyed."
**"Praying to Allah that Hamas' tyrannical rule will end"**
Another resident from Gaza expressed his anger at Hamas: "All the people of the Gaza Strip, all of them, except for those who profit from it and they are a tiny minority, hope for Hamas' destruction. With utmost honesty, they hope for Hamas' destruction as soon as possible. I, as a Gazan and as a displaced person, pray to Allah that Hamas' rule will end, this tyrannical rule." The anti-Hamas voices from Gaza indicate that anger is greater than fear. These are Gazans who have probably lost everything and are speaking out of desperation.
**Behind the decision: Why did the IDF raid the city again?**
The IDF's air and ground raid on Khan Younis this morning was renewed due to precise intelligence. According to it, Hamas is attempting to recover in the area - above and below ground. When Israel identified this, it was decided to raid the city again using two brigades. This move is part of focused raids that the IDF is conducting in the Strip when it identifies a rehabilitation attempt by Hamas. Earlier, Gaza reported that tanks entered the eastern part of the city. This came after the IDF instructed residents in the eastern humanitarian part to evacuate westward - due to expected activity against terror infrastructure. As the IDF entered the area, residents evacuated.
The IDF updated that as part of the operation, more than 30 terror infrastructures were attacked - and terrorists were eliminated through airstrikes and tank fire. The Air Force also struck weapons depots, observation posts, underground shafts, and buildings used by Hamas.
Additionally, the IDF earlier released footage showing armed terrorists taking over humanitarian aid trucks. In the footage from Rafah, terrorists are seen arriving in a vehicle with drawn weapons towards the trucks entering the humanitarian corridor - and taking them over. Also, near the humanitarian corridor, forces raided a school where terrorists had fortified themselves - who were eliminated. An operational shaft used by the terrorists was found in the school yard. In the "Brazil" neighborhood of Rafah, fighters destroyed an underground route hundreds of meters long, which included several floors and levels. link
According to the IDF, Hamas has been attempting to regroup in Khan Younis, three months after the military withdrew from the city in southern Gaza.
The offensive is being carried out by the 98th Division, which had previously operated in Khan Younis for four months.
The IDF says that aircraft and artillery struck some 30 sites belonging to terror groups in Khan Younis earlier today, as the offensive began.
The targets included a rocket launching site used in an attack on southern Israel earlier, weapon depots, observation posts, tunnel shafts, and buildings used by Hamas, according to the military.
The IDF says airstrikes and tank shelling also killed several terror operatives.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, around 70 Palestinians have been killed in strikes in Khan Younis since this morning, which cannot be verified.
This morning, the IDF called on Palestinians to evacuate eastern Khan Younis and some areas of the designated humanitarian zone, following repeated rocket attacks on southern Israel.
The IDF had warned that it was readying to “forcefully operate” against terror groups in the Khan Younis area.
The Israeli military releases footage showing gunmen climbing onto trucks carrying humanitarian aid in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip.
In the past week, troops of the Nahal Brigade raided a school adjacent to the “humanitarian route,” where a group of gunmen were holed up. The IDF says the gunmen had been planning to take control of the route where the aid trucks drive.
The Nahal troops used drones to kill the gunmen, and later found a tunnel shaft in the school’s courtyard, the IDF says. Video of attack and tunnel in Rafah
Seventy Palestinians have allegedly been killed and more than 200 wounded by Israeli fire on the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says, in unverified figures that don’t differentiate between combatants and civilians.
It says some of the wounded are in “dangerous condition.”
The IDF warned civilians to evacuate the area today, but it has not acknowledged any military operations there, nor did it respond immediately to a Times of Israel request for comment.
IDF raids Khan Younis, despair in Gaza grows: "Sinwar, in the name of Allah, stop the war"
The IDF's raid on the terror city - sparked local anger against Hamas and its leaders • "My life has been destroyed," said one resident, addressing Sinwar: "You're sitting in tunnels, eating and drinking, while the people are being destroyed" • Behind the renewed raid on Khan Younis: Intelligence that reached Israel led to the decision
Hours after this morning's (Monday) raid on eastern Khan Younis - voices from within Gaza against Hamas and Sinwar are intensifying. Gazans, who fled as the IDF entered the city, called the operation in the city a "Nakba". This comes after convoys of residents were seen fleeing westward towards Muwasi throughout the day. "Sinwar, in the name of Allah, stop the war in Gaza!" said one Gazan resident. "We have no life left. Look at my sandal. Is there a Muslim whose sandal looks like this? Sinwar, we're destroyed, our homes are ruined. You're sitting in tunnels, eating and drinking, while the people are being destroyed, look. 40 years, 45 years I've been building this house, my life is destroyed, my children are ruined and my house is destroyed."
**"Praying to Allah that Hamas' tyrannical rule will end"**
Another resident from Gaza expressed his anger at Hamas: "All the people of the Gaza Strip, all of them, except for those who profit from it and they are a tiny minority, hope for Hamas' destruction. With utmost honesty, they hope for Hamas' destruction as soon as possible. I, as a Gazan and as a displaced person, pray to Allah that Hamas' rule will end, this tyrannical rule." The anti-Hamas voices from Gaza indicate that anger is greater than fear. These are Gazans who have probably lost everything and are speaking out of desperation.
**Behind the decision: Why did the IDF raid the city again?**
The IDF's air and ground raid on Khan Younis this morning was renewed due to precise intelligence. According to it, Hamas is attempting to recover in the area - above and below ground. When Israel identified this, it was decided to raid the city again using two brigades. This move is part of focused raids that the IDF is conducting in the Strip when it identifies a rehabilitation attempt by Hamas. Earlier, Gaza reported that tanks entered the eastern part of the city. This came after the IDF instructed residents in the eastern humanitarian part to evacuate westward - due to expected activity against terror infrastructure. As the IDF entered the area, residents evacuated.
The IDF updated that as part of the operation, more than 30 terror infrastructures were attacked - and terrorists were eliminated through airstrikes and tank fire. The Air Force also struck weapons depots, observation posts, underground shafts, and buildings used by Hamas.
Additionally, the IDF earlier released footage showing armed terrorists taking over humanitarian aid trucks. In the footage from Rafah, terrorists are seen arriving in a vehicle with drawn weapons towards the trucks entering the humanitarian corridor - and taking them over. Also, near the humanitarian corridor, forces raided a school where terrorists had fortified themselves - who were eliminated. An operational shaft used by the terrorists was found in the school yard. In the "Brazil" neighborhood of Rafah, fighters destroyed an underground route hundreds of meters long, which included several floors and levels. link
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
A suspected drone that entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon earlier this eveningwas shot down by air defenses over northern Israel, the IDF says.
Sirens sounded in several communities in the Galilee panhandle during the incident. No damage or injuries were caused.
Meanwhile, fighter jets struck several Hezbollah targets in Ayta ash-Shab, a facility in Yater, and additional sites in Khiam and Hanine, the IDF adds.
Six firefighting teams backed up by six planes are working to extinguish a large blaze in northern Israel.
The fire is located between Kibbutz Tel Katzir south of the Sea of Galilee and Mevo Hema in the Golan Heights, according to Fire and Rescue services.
Firefighters are working to control the fire before it reaches populated areas and agricultural fields.
- Hamas refuses a bilateral meeting with representatives from the rival Palestinian faction Fatah in the Chinese capital Beijing, Palestinian media reports.
A suspected drone that entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon earlier this eveningwas shot down by air defenses over northern Israel, the IDF says.
Sirens sounded in several communities in the Galilee panhandle during the incident. No damage or injuries were caused.
Meanwhile, fighter jets struck several Hezbollah targets in Ayta ash-Shab, a facility in Yater, and additional sites in Khiam and Hanine, the IDF adds.
Six firefighting teams backed up by six planes are working to extinguish a large blaze in northern Israel.
The fire is located between Kibbutz Tel Katzir south of the Sea of Galilee and Mevo Hema in the Golan Heights, according to Fire and Rescue services.
Firefighters are working to control the fire before it reaches populated areas and agricultural fields.
- Hamas refuses a bilateral meeting with representatives from the rival Palestinian faction Fatah in the Chinese capital Beijing, Palestinian media reports.
Officials announced last week that senior officials from the Hamas terror group would sit down with Fatah, which runs the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, during the course of the current week, in a renewed bid for reconciliation after multiple failed attempts.
The Hamas delegation was supposed to be headed by its Qatar-based political chief Ismail Haniyeh, while the Fatah delegation was to be led by deputy head Mahmud Alul, according to Fatah sources.
The Palestinian News Network (PNN) reports that Haniyeh has been replaced at the last minute by senior official Musa Abu Marzouq and that the Hamas delegation also includes politburo members Fathi Hammad, who lives in Turkey, and Beirut-based Ali Barakeh.
Hamas, however, refused to participate in the bilateral with Fatah yesterday, PNN reports. It is not clear if the meeting of all Palestinian factions that was scheduled to take place today will go ahead as planned.
Hamas has no immediate comment.
The two groups have been bitter rivals since Hamas fighters ejected Fatah from the Gaza Strip after deadly clashes that followed Hamas’s resounding victory in a 2006 election.
Several previous reconciliation bids between Hamas and Fatah have failed, but calls have grown since October 7, with violence also soaring in the West Bank where Fatah is based. China hosted Fatah and Hamas in April but a meeting scheduled for June was postponed.
- Israeli fighter jets and drones struck more than 35 targets in the Gaza Strip over the past day, the IDF says.
The targets included a primed rocket launcher in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, buildings used by terror groups, and other infrastructure, according to the military.
Additionally, the IDF says a drone strike killed a member of Hamas’s Nukhba force who participated in the October 7 onslaught and was involved in fighting Israeli troops in Gaza.
The strikes come as troops continue to operate in southern Gaza’s Rafah.
Over the past day, the IDF says troops with the 401st Armored Brigade killed dozens of gunmen in the northwestern Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, in close-quarters combat and by calling in airstrikes.
Troops with the Givati Brigade also killed several more gunmen during operations in Rafah, the IDF says.
Meanwhile, in central Gaza, the IDF says reservists of the Alexandroni Brigade killed several more terror operatives.
West Bank and Jerusalem
- The Shin Bet security agency says it recently foiled plans by a West Bank terror cell from the Aqabat Jabr camp to carry out a kidnapping attack.
According to the Shin Bet, members of the cell dug a hole in the ground where they intended to hold the Israeli hostages.
Troops recently arrested Muhammad Tarik, 19, and Amin Qatash, 20, residents of Aqabat Jabr, near Jericho, over their involvement in the plot. A third member of the cell was detained by the Palestinian Authority security forces, according to the Shin Bet.
The Shin Bet says Tarik and Qatash established the cell, purchased firearms and other weapons, and recruited others to carry out a kidnapping alongside shooting and explosive attacks against IDF troops and civilians in the West Bank.
“It emerged that the cell dug a hole in which they planned to hide the hostages. The hole’s opening was camouflaged and located near the house of one of the cell members,” the agency says. The Shin Bet says a makeshift submachine gun, an explosive device and other military equipment were seized.
Last week, the suspects were charged with a series of serious security offenses, including charges related to their attempted kidnapping plans.
The Department for Internal Police Investigations (DIPI) files an indictment against two Border Police officers, Jarees Hilo and Sarel Avshara, for assaulting and injuring a suspect after having detained him, causing him to pass out as a result of his wounds.
According to the indictment, during a routine patrol in Jerusalem after midnight on March 8, 2023, four police officers came across a group of youths in the area of the A-Tur and Ras al Amud neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, who were “swearing and joking” inside a car parked close to a gas station.
One of the police officers requested that the youths show their identity cards, and when one of them refused, the officers conducted a body search and found pepper spray on him.
The youth was then detained and driven by the police officers to a nearby parking lot. During that time, two of the officers beat the suspect, punching him in the chest and face and hitting him over the head with an unidentified object, the indictment says.
When the patrol car got to the parking lot, the suspect refused to get out of the vehicle and was forcefully dragged out of the car by one of the police officers, being dragged across the ground.
He was then told to go home by one of the police officers, and he managed to make his way back to the gas station but lost consciousness when he arrived, having sustained internal bleeding around his left eye and on his forehead. He was subsequently taken to Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital for treatment.
Hilo and Avshara have been indicted over the incident, while the patrol car driver and the fourth officer have not been charged.
The indictment is the latest in a series of such charges leveled by DIPI against police officers for violent behavior since the Public Defender’s Office publicly rebuked DIPI for failing to crack down on the phenomenon at the end of June.
According to the Shin Bet, members of the cell dug a hole in the ground where they intended to hold the Israeli hostages.
Troops recently arrested Muhammad Tarik, 19, and Amin Qatash, 20, residents of Aqabat Jabr, near Jericho, over their involvement in the plot. A third member of the cell was detained by the Palestinian Authority security forces, according to the Shin Bet.
The Shin Bet says Tarik and Qatash established the cell, purchased firearms and other weapons, and recruited others to carry out a kidnapping alongside shooting and explosive attacks against IDF troops and civilians in the West Bank.
“It emerged that the cell dug a hole in which they planned to hide the hostages. The hole’s opening was camouflaged and located near the house of one of the cell members,” the agency says. The Shin Bet says a makeshift submachine gun, an explosive device and other military equipment were seized.
Last week, the suspects were charged with a series of serious security offenses, including charges related to their attempted kidnapping plans.
The Department for Internal Police Investigations (DIPI) files an indictment against two Border Police officers, Jarees Hilo and Sarel Avshara, for assaulting and injuring a suspect after having detained him, causing him to pass out as a result of his wounds.
According to the indictment, during a routine patrol in Jerusalem after midnight on March 8, 2023, four police officers came across a group of youths in the area of the A-Tur and Ras al Amud neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, who were “swearing and joking” inside a car parked close to a gas station.
One of the police officers requested that the youths show their identity cards, and when one of them refused, the officers conducted a body search and found pepper spray on him.
The youth was then detained and driven by the police officers to a nearby parking lot. During that time, two of the officers beat the suspect, punching him in the chest and face and hitting him over the head with an unidentified object, the indictment says.
When the patrol car got to the parking lot, the suspect refused to get out of the vehicle and was forcefully dragged out of the car by one of the police officers, being dragged across the ground.
He was then told to go home by one of the police officers, and he managed to make his way back to the gas station but lost consciousness when he arrived, having sustained internal bleeding around his left eye and on his forehead. He was subsequently taken to Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital for treatment.
Hilo and Avshara have been indicted over the incident, while the patrol car driver and the fourth officer have not been charged.
The indictment is the latest in a series of such charges leveled by DIPI against police officers for violent behavior since the Public Defender’s Office publicly rebuked DIPI for failing to crack down on the phenomenon at the end of June.
Politics and the War (general news)
The Knesset approves the first reading of a trio of bills aimed at shutting down UNRWA, amid a wave of popular anger against the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants in the wake of the October 7 attack and the ongoing war.
The first bill, which would ban the organization from operating on Israeli territory, passes 58-9.
The second, aimed at stripping UNRWA personnel of the legal immunities and privileges afforded to United Nations staff in Israel, passes 63-9.
The third, which would brand UNRWA — short for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East — a terrorist organization and require Israel to cut ties with it, passes 50-10.
All three bills will now be returned to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for preparation for the second and third readings necessary for the legislation to become law.
Yisrael Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovsky, who sponsored the legislation branding UNRWA a terrorist organization, welcomes the vote, stating that “there is not a day that the IDF spokesperson does not publish new findings from the field that link UNRWA to terrorism.”
The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Israel alleges that some 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to terror, and that educational facilities under the organization’s auspices consistently incite to hatred of Israel and glorify terror.
During the debate, New Hope lawmaker Sharren Haskel denounces the organization as the “cornerstone” of the conflict while MK Ofer Cassif, the only Jewish member of the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta’al party, argues that the bill will “block access to the education system” for many Palestinian children in East Jerusalem.
- Netanyahu prepares for high-stakes meeting with lame-duck President Biden
As Netanyahu meets Biden, who isn't seeking re-election,
the political landscape shifts. This unique meeting could redefine US-Israel
relations and impact Biden's legacy.
In his nearly 17 years as prime minister, Benjamin
Netanyahu has had many meetings with US presidents. None, however,
like the one he is scheduled to have on Tuesday with US President Joe Biden.
Proceed
with caution
Because when he meets Biden, he will be meeting a lame-duck
president. But a lame-duck president not only with a little more than two
months until he moves out of the White
House, as is generally the case, but who -- unless he is deemed unfit to
finish out his term -- will serve for another half-year. That’s a long time.
Netanyahu’s experience with lame-duck presidents up until now
has not been overly successful.
In December 2016, in the waning days of Barack Obama’s
presidency, the US allowed a strongly critical anti-settlement resolution to
pass the UN Security Council, a resolution it was clear that incoming President
Donald Trump opposed. This move capped eight years of a very rocky relationship
between Obama and Netanyahu.
Trump’s lame-duck period from his election defeat in November
2020 to Biden's inauguration on January 20 was also not a moment to remember
for Netanyahu, as Trump -- who contested the election results -- was furious at
Netanyahu for congratulating Biden on his victory. The once-fabled
Trump-Netanyahu bromance went downhill from there, though there are efforts now
underway to patch things up.
These experiences with lame-duck presidents will have to be in
the back of Netanyahu’s mind, or in the back of the mind of some of his
advisors, when he meets Biden.
That Biden is no longer running for the presidency changes the
dynamics of the meeting in a number of ways.
For instance, if Biden had hoped to midwife a hostage agreement
that would lead to an end to the fighting in Gaza and to greater calm in the
Middle East as a significant achievement before the November 5 election, he
would have had to use significant leverage on Netanyahu.
Now, however, that leverage is diminished as the cost to
Netanyahu -- or, for that matter, any foreign leader -- in bucking Biden is
much less, knowing that the president will not be in power in six months' time.
Biden knows this as well, however. And he may very well use the
meeting with Netanyahu to demonstrate to the world -- through pressuring the
prime minister publicly -- that he is still very much in charge.
Six months is a long time, and Biden needs to project strength
abroad, despite the US domestic chaos. One way to project that strength could
be in pushing harder for a ceasefire in Gaza. Furthermore, since he is not running
for re-election, Biden could have more freedom to push for a comprehensive
ceasefire deal without worrying about the political consequences.
Then, of course, there is the legacy issue.
Generally, presidents start thinking seriously about their
legacy toward the end of their second term. Since Biden is now not going to
have a second term, legacy thoughts must be going through his mind and the mind
of those in his cabinet. Biden may feel that one issue that would help secure
his legacy would be putting an end to the current war.
Even more than a ceasefire, Biden would love to see his “grand
Mideast bargain” play out -- a new regional architecture based on
accommodations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and a US-Saudi security
agreement.
The chance of this happening now are almost nil, though movement
of any sort in that direction could help cement a positive foreign policy
legacy. Since the Saudis are conditioning accommodation with Israel on movement
toward a Palestinian state, Biden -- in search of a legacy -- might try to push
hard on that issue in his waning days.
Biden’s announcement that he will not run again changes
Netanyahu’s calculations as well, primarily because it may possibly reduce the
chances of a Trump victory in November.
One argument that had gained traction in recent weeks was that
Netanyahu was biding his time until November, running out the clock, in
anticipation of a Trump victory and a Republican administration that would
place fewer constraints on Israel than the current one regarding the waging of
this war. This is the reason, according to this argument, why Netanyahu
added new conditions to the hostage agreement -- such as not withdrawing from
the Philadelphi Corridor that runs along the border with Egypt or the east-west
Netzarim Route that splits Gaza in two.
If, indeed, Netanyahu was banking on Trump beating Biden in
November, ushering in a Republican administration led by the man whom Netanyahu
once referred to as “the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House,”
then Biden’s stepping down now and his desire to hand the torch to Vice
President Kamala Harris may change Netanyahu’s calculation as this dramatically
changes the dynamics of the presidential race. If a Trump victory after the
president’s horrendous debate appearance last month looked like a good bet, a
Trump victory over Harris may -- despite what Trump is saying -- is by no means
a given.
For one thing, if she gets the nomination -- and that, in
itself, is still a big if -- it is likely to have an energizing effect on the
youth and some progressives who were reluctant to support Biden because of his
support for Israel. Remember, Biden is a president who declared loudly and
proudly that he is a Zionist, not necessarily a proclamation that resonated
with a good part of the progressive wing of his party.
Don’t expect Harris to make a similar declaration. Instead,
expect her to articulate more sympathy and support for the plight of the
Palestinians, something she has done over the last several months, and
something that could bring out those voters who would not vote for Biden
because of his support for Israel. Though these voters are not legion, they are
well placed in key battleground states like Wisconsin and Michigan.
Prior to the 2020 election, Harris, in a virtual event with
Jewish Democratic donors, pledged that a Biden-Harris administration “will
sustain our unbreakable commitment to Israel's security, including the
unprecedented military and intelligence cooperation pioneered during the
Obama-Biden administration and the guarantee that Israel will always maintain
its qualitative military edge." And it did.
Harris is a moderate Democrat with strong ties in the Jewish
community and a good record on Israel. Her tone in recent months has been more
critical of Israel than that of Biden himself, and some attribute this to a
good-cop, bad-cop strategy within the administration, with her being notably
more free to criticize Israel than Biden.
Some may look at her Jewish husband as insurance of a policy
that will be supportive of Israel, but that -- in and of itself -- is no
guarantee. Her husband, Dough Emhoff, has been an active liaison with the
Jewish community and has been very engaged in combatting antisemitism. He has
been much less involved, at least publicly, in any type of pro-Israel advocacy.
The Knesset approves the first reading of a trio of bills aimed at shutting down UNRWA, amid a wave of popular anger against the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants in the wake of the October 7 attack and the ongoing war.
The first bill, which would ban the organization from operating on Israeli territory, passes 58-9.
The second, aimed at stripping UNRWA personnel of the legal immunities and privileges afforded to United Nations staff in Israel, passes 63-9.
The third, which would brand UNRWA — short for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East — a terrorist organization and require Israel to cut ties with it, passes 50-10.
All three bills will now be returned to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for preparation for the second and third readings necessary for the legislation to become law.
Yisrael Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovsky, who sponsored the legislation branding UNRWA a terrorist organization, welcomes the vote, stating that “there is not a day that the IDF spokesperson does not publish new findings from the field that link UNRWA to terrorism.”
The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Israel alleges that some 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to terror, and that educational facilities under the organization’s auspices consistently incite to hatred of Israel and glorify terror.
During the debate, New Hope lawmaker Sharren Haskel denounces the organization as the “cornerstone” of the conflict while MK Ofer Cassif, the only Jewish member of the Arab-majority Hadash-Ta’al party, argues that the bill will “block access to the education system” for many Palestinian children in East Jerusalem.
As Netanyahu meets Biden, who isn't seeking re-election, the political landscape shifts. This unique meeting could redefine US-Israel relations and impact Biden's legacy.
In his nearly 17 years as prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has had many meetings with US presidents. None, however, like the one he is scheduled to have on Tuesday with US President Joe Biden.
Proceed with caution
Because when he meets Biden, he will be meeting a lame-duck
president. But a lame-duck president not only with a little more than two
months until he moves out of the White
House, as is generally the case, but who -- unless he is deemed unfit to
finish out his term -- will serve for another half-year. That’s a long time.
Netanyahu’s experience with lame-duck presidents up until now
has not been overly successful.
In December 2016, in the waning days of Barack Obama’s
presidency, the US allowed a strongly critical anti-settlement resolution to
pass the UN Security Council, a resolution it was clear that incoming President
Donald Trump opposed. This move capped eight years of a very rocky relationship
between Obama and Netanyahu.
Trump’s lame-duck period from his election defeat in November
2020 to Biden's inauguration on January 20 was also not a moment to remember
for Netanyahu, as Trump -- who contested the election results -- was furious at
Netanyahu for congratulating Biden on his victory. The once-fabled
Trump-Netanyahu bromance went downhill from there, though there are efforts now
underway to patch things up.
These experiences with lame-duck presidents will have to be in
the back of Netanyahu’s mind, or in the back of the mind of some of his
advisors, when he meets Biden.
That Biden is no longer running for the presidency changes the
dynamics of the meeting in a number of ways.
For instance, if Biden had hoped to midwife a hostage agreement
that would lead to an end to the fighting in Gaza and to greater calm in the
Middle East as a significant achievement before the November 5 election, he
would have had to use significant leverage on Netanyahu.
Now, however, that leverage is diminished as the cost to
Netanyahu -- or, for that matter, any foreign leader -- in bucking Biden is
much less, knowing that the president will not be in power in six months' time.
Biden knows this as well, however. And he may very well use the
meeting with Netanyahu to demonstrate to the world -- through pressuring the
prime minister publicly -- that he is still very much in charge.
Six months is a long time, and Biden needs to project strength
abroad, despite the US domestic chaos. One way to project that strength could
be in pushing harder for a ceasefire in Gaza. Furthermore, since he is not running
for re-election, Biden could have more freedom to push for a comprehensive
ceasefire deal without worrying about the political consequences.
Then, of course, there is the legacy issue.
Generally, presidents start thinking seriously about their
legacy toward the end of their second term. Since Biden is now not going to
have a second term, legacy thoughts must be going through his mind and the mind
of those in his cabinet. Biden may feel that one issue that would help secure
his legacy would be putting an end to the current war.
Even more than a ceasefire, Biden would love to see his “grand
Mideast bargain” play out -- a new regional architecture based on
accommodations between Israel and Saudi Arabia and a US-Saudi security
agreement.
The chance of this happening now are almost nil, though movement
of any sort in that direction could help cement a positive foreign policy
legacy. Since the Saudis are conditioning accommodation with Israel on movement
toward a Palestinian state, Biden -- in search of a legacy -- might try to push
hard on that issue in his waning days.
Biden’s announcement that he will not run again changes
Netanyahu’s calculations as well, primarily because it may possibly reduce the
chances of a Trump victory in November.
One argument that had gained traction in recent weeks was that
Netanyahu was biding his time until November, running out the clock, in
anticipation of a Trump victory and a Republican administration that would
place fewer constraints on Israel than the current one regarding the waging of
this war. This is the reason, according to this argument, why Netanyahu
added new conditions to the hostage agreement -- such as not withdrawing from
the Philadelphi Corridor that runs along the border with Egypt or the east-west
Netzarim Route that splits Gaza in two.
If, indeed, Netanyahu was banking on Trump beating Biden in
November, ushering in a Republican administration led by the man whom Netanyahu
once referred to as “the best friend Israel has ever had in the White House,”
then Biden’s stepping down now and his desire to hand the torch to Vice
President Kamala Harris may change Netanyahu’s calculation as this dramatically
changes the dynamics of the presidential race. If a Trump victory after the
president’s horrendous debate appearance last month looked like a good bet, a
Trump victory over Harris may -- despite what Trump is saying -- is by no means
a given.
For one thing, if she gets the nomination -- and that, in
itself, is still a big if -- it is likely to have an energizing effect on the
youth and some progressives who were reluctant to support Biden because of his
support for Israel. Remember, Biden is a president who declared loudly and
proudly that he is a Zionist, not necessarily a proclamation that resonated
with a good part of the progressive wing of his party.
Don’t expect Harris to make a similar declaration. Instead,
expect her to articulate more sympathy and support for the plight of the
Palestinians, something she has done over the last several months, and
something that could bring out those voters who would not vote for Biden
because of his support for Israel. Though these voters are not legion, they are
well placed in key battleground states like Wisconsin and Michigan.
Prior to the 2020 election, Harris, in a virtual event with
Jewish Democratic donors, pledged that a Biden-Harris administration “will
sustain our unbreakable commitment to Israel's security, including the
unprecedented military and intelligence cooperation pioneered during the
Obama-Biden administration and the guarantee that Israel will always maintain
its qualitative military edge." And it did.
Harris is a moderate Democrat with strong ties in the Jewish
community and a good record on Israel. Her tone in recent months has been more
critical of Israel than that of Biden himself, and some attribute this to a
good-cop, bad-cop strategy within the administration, with her being notably
more free to criticize Israel than Biden.
Some may look at her Jewish husband as insurance of a policy
that will be supportive of Israel, but that -- in and of itself -- is no
guarantee. Her husband, Dough Emhoff, has been an active liaison with the
Jewish community and has been very engaged in combatting antisemitism. He has
been much less involved, at least publicly, in any type of pro-Israel advocacy.
The fact that Harris may be America’s next president is something that Netanyahu is going to have to take into consideration when he meets her in the coming days, much more than he had to do in the past.
The stakes are high, and the US political dynamics are shifting rapidly. With Biden's presidency entering its twilight and a new era on the horizon, Netanyahu's diplomatic agility will be put to the test. How he navigates the changing situation right now will have significant ramifications down the road. With so much changing so fast, this is a visit to Washington unlike any he has had before. link
The Region and the World
- The "Air Demon" Revealed: Israel's New
Advanced Cruise Missile | First Publication
The "Air Demon" missile, developed by Israel
Aerospace Industries, is characterized by high survivability, accuracy, and
lethality • Weighing over 20 kg, the missile combines new capabilities and
allows for precise strikes from long distances at a relatively low cost • The
missile is equipped with an advanced electro-optical seeker, with thermal
capabilities allowing day and night operations, and the ability to home in on
laser designators • Here's what it looks like
Israel Aerospace Industries unveils the "Air
Demon" (WIND DEMON), the world's first lightweight cruise missile
developed in Israel. This is an air-to-ground cruise missile, launched from
airborne platforms (such as helicopters or aircraft) and can hit mobile and
stationary targets.
The missile, weighing over 20 kg, is equipped with an
electro-optical seeker and is characterized by high survivability, accuracy,
and lethality. The "Demon" provides a solution for modern warfare
needs by enabling precise strikes from a distance and long range, all at a
relatively low cost. This missile is fired according to a pre-determined
mission plan without the need for operator intervention and has stand-off
launch capability allowing the launching platform to avoid threats.
The new missile has high survivability due to, among
other things, a low flight profile and the integration of a robust navigation
system. According to Avi Elisha, manager of the MABAT missile plant at Israel
Aerospace Industries, "The Air Demon is based on IAI's advanced
capabilities in the field of missiles."
"We are seeing an increase in demand for
efficient and inexpensive systems that allow for prolonged combat," Elisha
added. "The Air Demon provides a precise answer to this need as the
missile offers many capabilities at a relatively low cost. This allows our
customers to purchase the system in relatively large quantities and gives them
the ability to fight over an extended period." link
Biden’s legacy and Netanyahu’s missed moment?
The coming months hold hope for Saudi normalization,
but only if the prime minister can put aside fear of his far-right coalition
partners
President Joe Biden’s
announcement that he will not seek re-election and instead focus the remainder
of his term solely on being president, has upended the American political
discourse less than four months before the presidential election. It also
transforms and, at least in the US, will do much to sideline, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington this week.
While there is already much to discuss regarding Biden’s
presidential legacy in the Mideast, an interesting question emerges. If Biden
no longer needs to focus on the campaign, can he do something
to enhance his legacy before the end of his term? Moreover, could
this intersect with Netanyahu’s visit?
Biden speaks with great passion about freeing the 116 Israeli
hostages in Gaza and is known to give out his cell number to the hostage
families. One can assume he will give their release his all.
Beyond this, there is no doubt that for Biden, a self-proclaimed
lifelong Zionist, peace between the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia, the most
powerful Arab state and guardian of the two holiest cities in Islam, would be a
crowning accomplishment. His administration has worked intensively in the last
year to make Israeli-Saudi normalization a reality under the guise of ‘regional
integration,’ which doubles as a bid to isolate Iran and form an Israel-Arab
alliance against it. Every few weeks, at least one of his key senior advisors
is in Riyadh. There is an Abraham Accord – why shouldn’t there be a Joseph
(Biden) Accord?
This is not just Biden’s dream: Israelis have long wanted to make
peace with Saudi Arabia. Indeed, when Netanyahu met then-Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton in 2009, his first question was whether there could be a
diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and Riyadh. Such a deal is more
important than ever for Netanyahu, who faces a reckoning over the failure of
October 7 and his broader role in dividing Israeli society, and seeks a legacy
achievement to cap off almost two decades as prime minister. Moreover, any deal
with Saudi Arabia would not just end Israel’s war with Sunni Arab states, it
would be the best chance to isolate Iran and its proxies in the Mideast.
Netanyahu has often claimed isolating Iran as an organizing
principle of his premiership. Yet, with the chance to advance just such a
deal in his speech to Congress, it is a tragic irony that Netanyahu is likely
to miss the moment due to Israeli domestic politics and fear of his far-right
coalition partners.
The case for Israel
The core case for an Israel-Saudi deal, always strong, has been
supercharged by October 7 and the ensuing war. The need to isolate Iran has
never been clearer for those seeking stability in the Mideast. While Hamas
leader Yahya Sinwar’s plan to ignite what Iranian regional mastermind Qassem
Suleimani (assassinated by the US in 2020) called the regional “ring of fire”
of militant groups and Iranian proxies surrounding Israel on October 7 failed
to generate the frequency or intensity of attacks he hoped for, he is
undoubtedly pleased that Israel is fighting on seven fronts: Gaza, the West
Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
The Houthi drone strike in Tel Aviv on Thursday, followed by
Israel’s retaliation at the Yemeni port of Hodeida, where Iranian missiles are
transferred to the Houthis, is a stark reminder that Iran is orchestrating the
regional effort against Israel. This is the first time Israel has ever hit
Yemen, and is one of the longest-range strikes ever conducted by the Israeli
air force – Tehran is closer to Eilat than Hodeida.
On the fateful night of April 13-14, Israel learned it is best to
face Iran as part of a broad-based coalition. The US, Britain, France, Jordan,
and Saudi Arabia, at different levels, joined Israel to rebuff more than 400
missiles and drones fired by Iran and its proxies. For Israel, this was a
glimpse into the future of a regional anti-Iran coalition, unimaginable only a
few years ago. Much credit should go to US Central Command (CENTCOM), whose years
of diligent behind-the-scenes work paid off brilliantly. Yet, one cannot assume
that this regional command will be able to sustain this coalition or deepen
cooperation amid the regional turmoil over the Palestinian issue. There must be
positive drivers to build on the now-proven potential of moderate actors
working together against Iran and other extremists.
The Case for Saudi
Arabia
Where peace with Israel was once unthinkable, Riyadh now sees real
value. There is a generational shift in leadership under Crown Prince Mohammad
Bin Salman, who is more flexible than his father and largely unbound by concern
for the status quo. While King Salman only envisioned peace with a Jewish state
at the end of a peace process, after a Palestinian state was established (Arab
Peace Initiative of 2002 and after Saudi Arabia was under pressure for 9/11),
the Crown Prince seeks only real commitments that the process will enable the
future possibility of a two-state solution. Saudi Arabia also sees the economic
and defense benefits of peace with Israel and access to its dynamic high-tech
sector. Yet, these have been offset by Israel’s unpopularity in the Arab world
during the Gaza War.
The Kingdom’s strongest reason for seeking peace with Israel is
the instrumental political value of linking it to what Riyadh wants most: a
US-Saudi defense treaty to safeguard against an Iranian attack. Saudi Arabia
likes people to realize it is not part of a NATO situation that would virtually
guarantee American retaliation. While such a treaty would struggle to gain the
required two-thirds support in the US Senate, combining it with Israel-Saudi
normalization could push the package over the threshold. Such a pact would be
the first since the defense treaty with Japan in 1960, a far less polarized
time in America.
What’s missing?
While core aspects of the US-Saudi deal have been agreed to behind
the scenes, two political components are missing. First, can Israel give the
Saudis the necessary political conditions for normalization by making
commitments on the Palestinian issue? This demand clearly stems from the
Saudis’ need for regional cover, especially amid the Gaza War, rather than
being the personal views of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia is
not asking for a specific date for a two-state solution, nor “irreversible
steps” toward an independent Palestinian state, as they did in previous months,
but they want to know Israel can commit to credible negotiations with
Palestinians that make “two states” a possibility, not a pre-ordained outcome
or a precondition.
Saudi
Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 24, 2019. (AP/Jacquelyn
Martin, Pool)
Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday would be an auspicious
public setting for such a statement. Yet fear of Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar
Ben-Gvir’s threats to bring down his government has apparently gripped the
prime minister, even though the Knesset will soon enter a three-month recess
where the threat of a no-confidence vote dissipates. If Netanyahu so chooses,
that is a lot of time to work with.
Second, can enough Democrats be found to support a US-Saudi
treaty? Democrats have been more apprehensive about the Saudis due to the
Kingdom’s strong support of the Republican Party, its ties to American big oil
corporations, and human rights violations, including the 2018 killing of Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
It seems only a Democratic president can sway sufficient
Democratic senators – along with many Republicans – to push support for a
defense treaty over the two-thirds threshold. As Richard Nixon persuaded
Republicans in his breakthrough visit to China in 1971, it could take a Biden
to win over skeptical Democratic senators for a treaty. Leading Republican
supporter of Israel Senator Lindsey Graham has made precisely this argument for
over a year.
Why, some would argue, wouldn’t the Saudis wait to see if Trump
wins? Those with Graham’s view don’t believe Trump can reach 67 yes votes on a
treaty since he will inevitably need Democratic senators on board. The Saudis
will not accept anything less than a defense treaty, since they see a
commitment anchored in American law as their best guarantee of defense against
Iran.
By stepping aside, Biden simultaneously upended a close election
race and freed himself to focus on cementing his legacy with a major
geostrategic win for the US, Saudi Arabia, Israel and moderate states in the
Middle East. But time is short. Once Biden exits the stage, will the
window of Saudi normalization with Israel be closed? Will everyone look
back at a Middle East moment of possibility as the road not taken?
David Makovsky is the Zeigler Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations. He has worked in the Office of the US Secretary of State in the past. On Monday July 22nd, he embarks on the fifth season of his Decision Points podcast focusing on Israel, US and the Gaza War. https://shows.acast.com/decision-points/episodes/allies-under-pressure-the-gaza-war-and-us-israel-relations link
Personal Stories
**The Tragedy of Yagev: The Kidnapping, Captivity with His Wife Rimon, and the Family's Struggle**
Before the sad news arrived, we accompanied the family of Yagev, who was kidnapped with his wife Rimon Kirsht. Rimon was with him for 53 days in Hamas captivity and was released as part of the hostage release deal in November. "A good soul, it wasn't supposed to end like this"
The IDF spokesperson announced today (Monday) that Yagev Buchshtab, who was kidnapped on October 7, died in Hamas captivity in Gaza. Last week, when his family still had hope that he would return alive from captivity in the upcoming deal, we accompanied family members in Kibbutz Nir'im. Although the kibbutz is evacuated, Yagev's father continues to visit the peanut field in Nir'im, about two kilometers from the border, every morning.
35-year-old Buchshtab was kidnapped from his home in the kibbutz on the morning of October 7 along with his wife Rimon Kirsht. Before the kidnapping, Rimon sent a recording to her mother: "Mom, I love you so much, I love you so much, I'm sorry I'm not there for you, I love you."
The neighborhood from which the couple was kidnapped is burned and slated for demolition, a harsh testament to the horror that took place there. Five civilians were murdered in the kibbutz and five more were kidnapped. In Gaza, only the bodies of Yagev and Nadav Popplewell now remain.
The last sign of life from Yagev came from Rimon on the day of her release from captivity. Since then, seven more long months of concern for his well-being have passed, and this morning came the tragic news that he is no longer alive.
Kirsht bid farewell to her husband today. "My last moments with Yagev were in hugs, kisses, 'I love you' and 'I love you'. He made sure to tell me that if I'm okay then he's okay, that it's just a few more days and he'll be home," she recounted. Kirsht was with Buchshtab in captivity in Gaza for 53 days and was released as part of the hostage release deal on November 29. "We had already planned how I would sit on the couch in Nir'im with all the dogs and cats, cooking and waiting for him. It was supposed to take a few days. It wasn't supposed to end like this, and my heart is broken. Yagev was a good soul, sensitive, beautiful and magical. I am his," she said. link
The "Air Demon" missile, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, is characterized by high survivability, accuracy, and lethality • Weighing over 20 kg, the missile combines new capabilities and allows for precise strikes from long distances at a relatively low cost • The missile is equipped with an advanced electro-optical seeker, with thermal capabilities allowing day and night operations, and the ability to home in on laser designators • Here's what it looks like
Israel Aerospace Industries unveils the "Air
Demon" (WIND DEMON), the world's first lightweight cruise missile
developed in Israel. This is an air-to-ground cruise missile, launched from
airborne platforms (such as helicopters or aircraft) and can hit mobile and
stationary targets.
The missile, weighing over 20 kg, is equipped with an
electro-optical seeker and is characterized by high survivability, accuracy,
and lethality. The "Demon" provides a solution for modern warfare
needs by enabling precise strikes from a distance and long range, all at a
relatively low cost. This missile is fired according to a pre-determined
mission plan without the need for operator intervention and has stand-off
launch capability allowing the launching platform to avoid threats.
The new missile has high survivability due to, among
other things, a low flight profile and the integration of a robust navigation
system. According to Avi Elisha, manager of the MABAT missile plant at Israel
Aerospace Industries, "The Air Demon is based on IAI's advanced
capabilities in the field of missiles."
"We are seeing an increase in demand for
efficient and inexpensive systems that allow for prolonged combat," Elisha
added. "The Air Demon provides a precise answer to this need as the
missile offers many capabilities at a relatively low cost. This allows our
customers to purchase the system in relatively large quantities and gives them
the ability to fight over an extended period." link
Biden’s legacy and Netanyahu’s missed moment?
The coming months hold hope for Saudi normalization,
but only if the prime minister can put aside fear of his far-right coalition
partners
President Joe Biden’s
announcement that he will not seek re-election and instead focus the remainder
of his term solely on being president, has upended the American political
discourse less than four months before the presidential election. It also
transforms and, at least in the US, will do much to sideline, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington this week.
While there is already much to discuss regarding Biden’s
presidential legacy in the Mideast, an interesting question emerges. If Biden
no longer needs to focus on the campaign, can he do something
to enhance his legacy before the end of his term? Moreover, could
this intersect with Netanyahu’s visit?
Biden speaks with great passion about freeing the 116 Israeli
hostages in Gaza and is known to give out his cell number to the hostage
families. One can assume he will give their release his all.
Beyond this, there is no doubt that for Biden, a self-proclaimed
lifelong Zionist, peace between the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia, the most
powerful Arab state and guardian of the two holiest cities in Islam, would be a
crowning accomplishment. His administration has worked intensively in the last
year to make Israeli-Saudi normalization a reality under the guise of ‘regional
integration,’ which doubles as a bid to isolate Iran and form an Israel-Arab
alliance against it. Every few weeks, at least one of his key senior advisors
is in Riyadh. There is an Abraham Accord – why shouldn’t there be a Joseph
(Biden) Accord?
This is not just Biden’s dream: Israelis have long wanted to make
peace with Saudi Arabia. Indeed, when Netanyahu met then-Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton in 2009, his first question was whether there could be a
diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and Riyadh. Such a deal is more
important than ever for Netanyahu, who faces a reckoning over the failure of
October 7 and his broader role in dividing Israeli society, and seeks a legacy
achievement to cap off almost two decades as prime minister. Moreover, any deal
with Saudi Arabia would not just end Israel’s war with Sunni Arab states, it
would be the best chance to isolate Iran and its proxies in the Mideast.
Netanyahu has often claimed isolating Iran as an organizing principle of his premiership. Yet, with the chance to advance just such a deal in his speech to Congress, it is a tragic irony that Netanyahu is likely to miss the moment due to Israeli domestic politics and fear of his far-right coalition partners.
The case for Israel
The core case for an Israel-Saudi deal, always strong, has been
supercharged by October 7 and the ensuing war. The need to isolate Iran has
never been clearer for those seeking stability in the Mideast. While Hamas
leader Yahya Sinwar’s plan to ignite what Iranian regional mastermind Qassem
Suleimani (assassinated by the US in 2020) called the regional “ring of fire”
of militant groups and Iranian proxies surrounding Israel on October 7 failed
to generate the frequency or intensity of attacks he hoped for, he is
undoubtedly pleased that Israel is fighting on seven fronts: Gaza, the West
Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
The Houthi drone strike in Tel Aviv on Thursday, followed by
Israel’s retaliation at the Yemeni port of Hodeida, where Iranian missiles are
transferred to the Houthis, is a stark reminder that Iran is orchestrating the
regional effort against Israel. This is the first time Israel has ever hit
Yemen, and is one of the longest-range strikes ever conducted by the Israeli
air force – Tehran is closer to Eilat than Hodeida.
On the fateful night of April 13-14, Israel learned it is best to
face Iran as part of a broad-based coalition. The US, Britain, France, Jordan,
and Saudi Arabia, at different levels, joined Israel to rebuff more than 400
missiles and drones fired by Iran and its proxies. For Israel, this was a
glimpse into the future of a regional anti-Iran coalition, unimaginable only a
few years ago. Much credit should go to US Central Command (CENTCOM), whose years
of diligent behind-the-scenes work paid off brilliantly. Yet, one cannot assume
that this regional command will be able to sustain this coalition or deepen
cooperation amid the regional turmoil over the Palestinian issue. There must be
positive drivers to build on the now-proven potential of moderate actors
working together against Iran and other extremists.
The Case for Saudi
Arabia
Where peace with Israel was once unthinkable, Riyadh now sees real
value. There is a generational shift in leadership under Crown Prince Mohammad
Bin Salman, who is more flexible than his father and largely unbound by concern
for the status quo. While King Salman only envisioned peace with a Jewish state
at the end of a peace process, after a Palestinian state was established (Arab
Peace Initiative of 2002 and after Saudi Arabia was under pressure for 9/11),
the Crown Prince seeks only real commitments that the process will enable the
future possibility of a two-state solution. Saudi Arabia also sees the economic
and defense benefits of peace with Israel and access to its dynamic high-tech
sector. Yet, these have been offset by Israel’s unpopularity in the Arab world
during the Gaza War.
The Kingdom’s strongest reason for seeking peace with Israel is
the instrumental political value of linking it to what Riyadh wants most: a
US-Saudi defense treaty to safeguard against an Iranian attack. Saudi Arabia
likes people to realize it is not part of a NATO situation that would virtually
guarantee American retaliation. While such a treaty would struggle to gain the
required two-thirds support in the US Senate, combining it with Israel-Saudi
normalization could push the package over the threshold. Such a pact would be
the first since the defense treaty with Japan in 1960, a far less polarized
time in America.
What’s missing?
While core aspects of the US-Saudi deal have been agreed to behind the scenes, two political components are missing. First, can Israel give the Saudis the necessary political conditions for normalization by making commitments on the Palestinian issue? This demand clearly stems from the Saudis’ need for regional cover, especially amid the Gaza War, rather than being the personal views of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia is not asking for a specific date for a two-state solution, nor “irreversible steps” toward an independent Palestinian state, as they did in previous months, but they want to know Israel can commit to credible negotiations with Palestinians that make “two states” a possibility, not a pre-ordained outcome or a precondition.
Saudi
Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets with Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 24, 2019. (AP/Jacquelyn
Martin, Pool)
Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday would be an auspicious
public setting for such a statement. Yet fear of Betzalel Smotrich and Itamar
Ben-Gvir’s threats to bring down his government has apparently gripped the
prime minister, even though the Knesset will soon enter a three-month recess
where the threat of a no-confidence vote dissipates. If Netanyahu so chooses,
that is a lot of time to work with.
Second, can enough Democrats be found to support a US-Saudi
treaty? Democrats have been more apprehensive about the Saudis due to the
Kingdom’s strong support of the Republican Party, its ties to American big oil
corporations, and human rights violations, including the 2018 killing of Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
It seems only a Democratic president can sway sufficient
Democratic senators – along with many Republicans – to push support for a
defense treaty over the two-thirds threshold. As Richard Nixon persuaded
Republicans in his breakthrough visit to China in 1971, it could take a Biden
to win over skeptical Democratic senators for a treaty. Leading Republican
supporter of Israel Senator Lindsey Graham has made precisely this argument for
over a year.
Why, some would argue, wouldn’t the Saudis wait to see if Trump
wins? Those with Graham’s view don’t believe Trump can reach 67 yes votes on a
treaty since he will inevitably need Democratic senators on board. The Saudis
will not accept anything less than a defense treaty, since they see a
commitment anchored in American law as their best guarantee of defense against
Iran.
By stepping aside, Biden simultaneously upended a close election
race and freed himself to focus on cementing his legacy with a major
geostrategic win for the US, Saudi Arabia, Israel and moderate states in the
Middle East. But time is short. Once Biden exits the stage, will the
window of Saudi normalization with Israel be closed? Will everyone look
back at a Middle East moment of possibility as the road not taken?
David Makovsky is the Zeigler Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the director of the Koret Project on Arab-Israel Relations. He has worked in the Office of the US Secretary of State in the past. On Monday July 22nd, he embarks on the fifth season of his Decision Points podcast focusing on Israel, US and the Gaza War. https://shows.acast.com/decision-points/episodes/allies-under-pressure-the-gaza-war-and-us-israel-relations link
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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