🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 433, 2023 - December 12, 2024 🎗️
🎗️Day 433 that 100 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!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*9:00am - south - hostile aircraft - 3 drones suspected launched from the East (either Yemen or Iraq) in the southern areas - Gaza border communities, Ashkelon
*11:55pm yesterday - terrorists shooting attack on civilian bus at the checkpoint of the tunnel road leading to Jerusalem (close to my home and we go through this checkpoint regularly)-4 people injured, at least one 10 year old boy was killed. Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha, 10 from Jerusalem is the 10 year old boy killed by terrorist shooting last night.
MAY HIS MEMORY BE A REVOLUTION
Hostage Updates
Hostage Updates
Palestinian Islamic Jihad says it sent delegation to Cairo for Gaza hostage deal talks
Palestinian Islamic Jihad says that a delegation including its chief, Ziad al-Nakhala, arrived in Cairo earlier today to discuss developments related to talks on a hostage deal with Israel
Arab mediators tell the Wall Street Journal that Hamas has yielded a key demand for a potential hostage-ceasefire deal and will allow Israeli troops to remain in Gaza during the truce on what the outlet says would be a temporary basis.
Hamas for months has insisted that it would not agree to another deal unless it includes a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
An Arab diplomat told the Times of Israel yesterday that there appears to be “indications” that the sides are willing to show flexibility regarding the terms of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, particularly from the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors that border and bisect the Gaza Strip respectively.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the two sides are considering a 60-day ceasefire in which up to 30 hostages — including US citizens — would be released. Israel would in return release Palestinian prisoners and allow larger amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the report says.
The mediators tell the outlet that on Sunday the terror group submitted a list of hostages including US nationals, women, older hostages and those with medical conditions. The names of five dead hostages were also on the list, the report says.
It was the first time a list of hostages has been handed over since the temporary ceasefire last November, the Journal says.
The report says hostages would be set free soon after the deal comes into effect, and Hamas would then begin to establish the whereabouts of the remaining hostages and their conditions.
The report says Israeli negotiators are pushing for more hostages to be released in the initial phase of the ceasefire, but have agreed to a gradual withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor. The outlet says that Israel told mediators it will reposition troops in parts of Gaza, but rejected a proposal to restrict its presence in areas including the north of the Strip.
Mossad chief met with Qatari PM in Doha to discuss hostage deal — source
Mossad chief David Barnea met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in Doha on Wednesday to discuss a potential hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal, a source familiar tells The Times of Israel, confirming an Axios report.
In late October, Qatar ousted Hamas’s leaders from Doha and later announced its decision to halt mediation efforts due to frustration with both sides’ refusal to seriously engage in talks. Last week, though, al-Thani confirmed that Doha had resumed its mediation efforts amid pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump who is seeking a deal before he returns to office on January 20.
Talks have been quietly progressing behind the scenes in recent days, the source says. link There has been lots of speculation about these talks and whether or not we are close to a deal. Most of us no longer get optimistic about any of these talks because they always break down, most of the time because of Netanyahu's refusal to give the negotiating team the real mandate to close a deal as it would mean ending the war. Now, there are very few people in the know making comments about any of the talks and/or negotiations. This is the only thing that could give us a little optimism and may indicate that the government (Netanyahu) is prepared to make a deal. However, he is still not prepared to end the war but to make a small deal that could possibly bring about 30 hostages home. That means leaving the rest of the living hostages (numbers are unknown) in mortal danger of dying or being killed. Any deal that doesn't bring home all the hostages in a single phase is not a good deal!!!
Hostage’s father confirms PM told groups of families different things on prospects for deal
Dani Miran, whose son Omri Miran is held hostage in Gaza after being kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, confirms that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told two separate groups of relatives different things about the prospects of a potential deal.
Netanyahu met separately on Sunday evening with two different hostage family groups in Jerusalem — the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the majority of families, and the Tikva Forum, which represents a hawkish minority who have been significantly more supportive of the government’s handling of the war than the main forum.
Dani Miran tells Channel 12 that Omri’s wife Lishay was in the first meeting, in which the premier said that a deal was brewing.
He says that his two sons attended the second meeting and heard that “at this stage there is no deal.”
Miran says the meetings were held approximately an hour apart.
The issue was raised when Netanyahu lashed out at the media in a press conference on Monday at which Channel 12’s Yolan Cohen attempted to highlight that she spoke to families he met with in the two separate meetings and that they told her he said different things.
Netanyahu, who had already accused Cohen of “lies” in her reporting, interjected that “it’s hard for you to hear the truth,” before his spokesman moved the press conference on to the next question. Link Unfortunately, Netanyahu fits the old joke "you know when he's lyings? When he's moving his lips." His press conference the other evening was more lies than truths and it seems to get worse with each of his public statements. Because he is a habitual liar, all those around him do the same in order to protect 'the boss'. That is the simple reason that I always say to believe the other side whenever the PMO, Netanyahu or an unnamed official (who is speaking for Netanyahu) make any claims that are disputed.
Sullivan meets with PM, ministers and top security officials in US push for hostage deal
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top officials in Jerusalem amid what is seen to be the Biden administration’s final push for a hostage-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Pictures released by the Prime Minister’s Office show Sullivan meeting with top ministers, in addition to defense officials including Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, Mossad head David Barnea, and the government point man on the hostages, Gal Hirsch.
After meetings in Israel, Sullivan is set to travel to Qatar and Egypt — the two Arab countries mediating between Israel and Hamas along with the US.
Ninety-six of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 38 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the Israeli military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014.
Arab mediators tell the Wall Street Journal that Hamas has yielded a key demand for a potential hostage-ceasefire deal and will allow Israeli troops to remain in Gaza during the truce on what the outlet says would be a temporary basis.
Hamas for months has insisted that it would not agree to another deal unless it includes a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
An Arab diplomat told the Times of Israel yesterday that there appears to be “indications” that the sides are willing to show flexibility regarding the terms of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, particularly from the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors that border and bisect the Gaza Strip respectively.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the two sides are considering a 60-day ceasefire in which up to 30 hostages — including US citizens — would be released. Israel would in return release Palestinian prisoners and allow larger amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the report says.
The mediators tell the outlet that on Sunday the terror group submitted a list of hostages including US nationals, women, older hostages and those with medical conditions. The names of five dead hostages were also on the list, the report says.
It was the first time a list of hostages has been handed over since the temporary ceasefire last November, the Journal says.
The report says hostages would be set free soon after the deal comes into effect, and Hamas would then begin to establish the whereabouts of the remaining hostages and their conditions.
The report says Israeli negotiators are pushing for more hostages to be released in the initial phase of the ceasefire, but have agreed to a gradual withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor. The outlet says that Israel told mediators it will reposition troops in parts of Gaza, but rejected a proposal to restrict its presence in areas including the north of the Strip. link As I have said in the past, all the details of a supposed hostage deal being written about is very speculative, much of it coming in from drips and drabs of water cooler talk, others from assessments and past understanding, and others just for some people to have their 15 minutes. Although we can be in for a surprise, there is little reason to be optimistic. And until Netanyahu tells the negotiating team "Bring them home", it is almost impossible for them to make any deal that does not include ending the war.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad says it sent delegation to Cairo for Gaza hostage deal talks
Palestinian Islamic Jihad says that a delegation including its chief, Ziad al-Nakhala, arrived in Cairo earlier today to discuss developments related to talks on a hostage deal with Israel
Arab mediators tell the Wall Street Journal that Hamas has yielded a key demand for a potential hostage-ceasefire deal and will allow Israeli troops to remain in Gaza during the truce on what the outlet says would be a temporary basis.
Hamas for months has insisted that it would not agree to another deal unless it includes a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
An Arab diplomat told the Times of Israel yesterday that there appears to be “indications” that the sides are willing to show flexibility regarding the terms of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, particularly from the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors that border and bisect the Gaza Strip respectively.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the two sides are considering a 60-day ceasefire in which up to 30 hostages — including US citizens — would be released. Israel would in return release Palestinian prisoners and allow larger amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the report says.
The mediators tell the outlet that on Sunday the terror group submitted a list of hostages including US nationals, women, older hostages and those with medical conditions. The names of five dead hostages were also on the list, the report says.
It was the first time a list of hostages has been handed over since the temporary ceasefire last November, the Journal says.
The report says hostages would be set free soon after the deal comes into effect, and Hamas would then begin to establish the whereabouts of the remaining hostages and their conditions.
The report says Israeli negotiators are pushing for more hostages to be released in the initial phase of the ceasefire, but have agreed to a gradual withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor. The outlet says that Israel told mediators it will reposition troops in parts of Gaza, but rejected a proposal to restrict its presence in areas including the north of the Strip.
Mossad chief met with Qatari PM in Doha to discuss hostage deal — source
Mossad chief David Barnea met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani in Doha on Wednesday to discuss a potential hostage release and Gaza ceasefire deal, a source familiar tells The Times of Israel, confirming an Axios report.
In late October, Qatar ousted Hamas’s leaders from Doha and later announced its decision to halt mediation efforts due to frustration with both sides’ refusal to seriously engage in talks. Last week, though, al-Thani confirmed that Doha had resumed its mediation efforts amid pressure from US President-elect Donald Trump who is seeking a deal before he returns to office on January 20.
Talks have been quietly progressing behind the scenes in recent days, the source says. link There has been lots of speculation about these talks and whether or not we are close to a deal. Most of us no longer get optimistic about any of these talks because they always break down, most of the time because of Netanyahu's refusal to give the negotiating team the real mandate to close a deal as it would mean ending the war. Now, there are very few people in the know making comments about any of the talks and/or negotiations. This is the only thing that could give us a little optimism and may indicate that the government (Netanyahu) is prepared to make a deal. However, he is still not prepared to end the war but to make a small deal that could possibly bring about 30 hostages home. That means leaving the rest of the living hostages (numbers are unknown) in mortal danger of dying or being killed. Any deal that doesn't bring home all the hostages in a single phase is not a good deal!!!
Hostage’s father confirms PM told groups of families different things on prospects for deal
Dani Miran, whose son Omri Miran is held hostage in Gaza after being kidnapped from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on October 7, confirms that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told two separate groups of relatives different things about the prospects of a potential deal.
Netanyahu met separately on Sunday evening with two different hostage family groups in Jerusalem — the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the majority of families, and the Tikva Forum, which represents a hawkish minority who have been significantly more supportive of the government’s handling of the war than the main forum.
Dani Miran tells Channel 12 that Omri’s wife Lishay was in the first meeting, in which the premier said that a deal was brewing.
He says that his two sons attended the second meeting and heard that “at this stage there is no deal.”
Miran says the meetings were held approximately an hour apart.
The issue was raised when Netanyahu lashed out at the media in a press conference on Monday at which Channel 12’s Yolan Cohen attempted to highlight that she spoke to families he met with in the two separate meetings and that they told her he said different things.
Netanyahu, who had already accused Cohen of “lies” in her reporting, interjected that “it’s hard for you to hear the truth,” before his spokesman moved the press conference on to the next question. Link Unfortunately, Netanyahu fits the old joke "you know when he's lyings? When he's moving his lips." His press conference the other evening was more lies than truths and it seems to get worse with each of his public statements. Because he is a habitual liar, all those around him do the same in order to protect 'the boss'. That is the simple reason that I always say to believe the other side whenever the PMO, Netanyahu or an unnamed official (who is speaking for Netanyahu) make any claims that are disputed.
Sullivan meets with PM, ministers and top security officials in US push for hostage deal
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan meets with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and top officials in Jerusalem amid what is seen to be the Biden administration’s final push for a hostage-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Pictures released by the Prime Minister’s Office show Sullivan meeting with top ministers, in addition to defense officials including Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, Mossad head David Barnea, and the government point man on the hostages, Gal Hirsch.
After meetings in Israel, Sullivan is set to travel to Qatar and Egypt — the two Arab countries mediating between Israel and Hamas along with the US.
Ninety-six of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 38 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the Israeli military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014.
Arab mediators tell the Wall Street Journal that Hamas has yielded a key demand for a potential hostage-ceasefire deal and will allow Israeli troops to remain in Gaza during the truce on what the outlet says would be a temporary basis.
Hamas for months has insisted that it would not agree to another deal unless it includes a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
An Arab diplomat told the Times of Israel yesterday that there appears to be “indications” that the sides are willing to show flexibility regarding the terms of the IDF’s withdrawal from Gaza, particularly from the Philadelphi and Netzarim Corridors that border and bisect the Gaza Strip respectively.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the two sides are considering a 60-day ceasefire in which up to 30 hostages — including US citizens — would be released. Israel would in return release Palestinian prisoners and allow larger amounts of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the report says.
The mediators tell the outlet that on Sunday the terror group submitted a list of hostages including US nationals, women, older hostages and those with medical conditions. The names of five dead hostages were also on the list, the report says.
It was the first time a list of hostages has been handed over since the temporary ceasefire last November, the Journal says.
The report says hostages would be set free soon after the deal comes into effect, and Hamas would then begin to establish the whereabouts of the remaining hostages and their conditions.
The report says Israeli negotiators are pushing for more hostages to be released in the initial phase of the ceasefire, but have agreed to a gradual withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor. The outlet says that Israel told mediators it will reposition troops in parts of Gaza, but rejected a proposal to restrict its presence in areas including the north of the Strip. link As I have said in the past, all the details of a supposed hostage deal being written about is very speculative, much of it coming in from drips and drabs of water cooler talk, others from assessments and past understanding, and others just for some people to have their 15 minutes. Although we can be in for a surprise, there is little reason to be optimistic. And until Netanyahu tells the negotiating team "Bring them home", it is almost impossible for them to make any deal that does not include ending the war.
Gaza and the South
IDF says it struck 2 groups of terrorists who planned to seize humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza
Israel Defense Forces says it carried out strikes on two groups of terrorists operating on a route used to transport humanitarian aid in Gaza earlier this morning.
“All of the terrorists who were eliminated were Hamas terrorists who planned to violently take control of humanitarian aid trucks and transfer them to the Hamas terrorist organization,” the IDF says in a statement. “The strike was intended to allow the humanitarian aid to reach the residents of the Gaza Strip safely.”
“We emphasize that the IDF did not attack humanitarian aid trucks and that the aid truck transit route remained open and active,” the military says.
Hamas-run authorities had earlier claimed that the strikes hit guards who were securing the trucks.
Seven guards were killed in a strike in Rafah, while another strike left five guards dead in Khan Younis, spokesman Mahmud Basal of the Hamas-run Gaza civil defense agency told AFP.
The Israeli military has said that attacking and stealing aid is an ongoing problem, especially in southern Gaza. COGAT, the military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, has said convoys are attacked by Hamas terrorists and known crime families.
The IDF has issued an evacuation warning to several neighborhoods of Gaza City, following rocket fire from the area at Israeli troops operating in the Strip.
“Terror organizations are once again firing rockets from this area. The specified area has been warned several times in the past,” Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman says, publishing a map of the zones that are to be evacuated.
Civilians in the area are called to move to shelters in the center of Gaza City.
IDF says it struck 2 groups of terrorists who planned to seize humanitarian aid trucks in Gaza
Israel Defense Forces says it carried out strikes on two groups of terrorists operating on a route used to transport humanitarian aid in Gaza earlier this morning.
“All of the terrorists who were eliminated were Hamas terrorists who planned to violently take control of humanitarian aid trucks and transfer them to the Hamas terrorist organization,” the IDF says in a statement. “The strike was intended to allow the humanitarian aid to reach the residents of the Gaza Strip safely.”
“We emphasize that the IDF did not attack humanitarian aid trucks and that the aid truck transit route remained open and active,” the military says.
Hamas-run authorities had earlier claimed that the strikes hit guards who were securing the trucks.
Seven guards were killed in a strike in Rafah, while another strike left five guards dead in Khan Younis, spokesman Mahmud Basal of the Hamas-run Gaza civil defense agency told AFP.
The Israeli military has said that attacking and stealing aid is an ongoing problem, especially in southern Gaza. COGAT, the military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, has said convoys are attacked by Hamas terrorists and known crime families.
The IDF has issued an evacuation warning to several neighborhoods of Gaza City, following rocket fire from the area at Israeli troops operating in the Strip.
“Terror organizations are once again firing rockets from this area. The specified area has been warned several times in the past,” Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman says, publishing a map of the zones that are to be evacuated.
Civilians in the area are called to move to shelters in the center of Gaza City.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
- IDF: Troops captured Syrian tanks, seized weapons cache at former Syrian army post
IDF troops captured several Syrian tanks during operations in southern Syria in recent days, the military says.
A Syrian army tank captured by IDF troops in southern Syria, in a handout photo issued on December 11, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)Four IDF brigade-level task forces under the 210th Bashan Regional Division are currently operating inside Syria, in the buffer zone between the countries and some cases slightly east of it.
The 474th Golan Regional Brigade captured the tanks during their scans of the buffer zone area. According to the IDF, the tanks were not in recent use.
Meanwhile, the IDF says the 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade completed an operation on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, during which the troops located and seized a cache of weapons at a former Syrian army post.
The final two brigades, the Paratroopers and Commando are carrying out defensive operations in the buffer zone area, the military adds.
- Syrian rebel leader says he’s working with international groups to secure potential chemical weapons sites
Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, tells Reuters that the group he leads, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is working with international organizations to secure possible sites where chemical weapons may be located.
The group had already said that it will not use those weapons under any circumstances.
Shaara says in a written statement shared exclusively with Reuters by his office that the group is now working to “dissolve the security forces of the previous regime and close the notorious prison,” where the regime of toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad is estimated to have held tens of thousands of detainees.
He reiterates that he will form a government of technocrats. The current transitional government is set to rule until March 2025, according to a statement by his group.
The Pentagon, in response, says the US welcomes his comments about securing potential chemical weapons sites, but cautions that “actions have to meet words as well.”
IDF troops captured several Syrian tanks during operations in southern Syria in recent days, the military says.
Four IDF brigade-level task forces under the 210th Bashan Regional Division are currently operating inside Syria, in the buffer zone between the countries and some cases slightly east of it.
The 474th Golan Regional Brigade captured the tanks during their scans of the buffer zone area. According to the IDF, the tanks were not in recent use.
Meanwhile, the IDF says the 810th “Mountains” Regional Brigade completed an operation on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon, during which the troops located and seized a cache of weapons at a former Syrian army post.
The final two brigades, the Paratroopers and Commando are carrying out defensive operations in the buffer zone area, the military adds.
Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, tells Reuters that the group he leads, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is working with international organizations to secure possible sites where chemical weapons may be located.
The group had already said that it will not use those weapons under any circumstances.
Shaara says in a written statement shared exclusively with Reuters by his office that the group is now working to “dissolve the security forces of the previous regime and close the notorious prison,” where the regime of toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad is estimated to have held tens of thousands of detainees.
He reiterates that he will form a government of technocrats. The current transitional government is set to rule until March 2025, according to a statement by his group.
The Pentagon, in response, says the US welcomes his comments about securing potential chemical weapons sites, but cautions that “actions have to meet words as well.”
- 'Syrian Government in Exile' calls for Abrahamic peace in talk with Israelis
In an unprecedented encounter, leaders of a group dubbed the “Syrian Government in Exile” (SGE) engaged in a remarkable dialogue session with the Israeli public, offering a vision of unprecedented cooperation and mutual understanding between Syria and Israel.
The online meeting was organized by Tom Wegner, founder of the Middle East Center, a platform fostering dialogue, collaboration, and understanding between diverse communities in the Middle East.
Speakers included representatives from the SGE, as well as Israeli MK and member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Ohad Tal.
‘More Hebrews than the Hebrews’
At the heart of the discussion was Jamal Sabbagh, the head of the Syrian Government in Exile, who praised the IDF and the Free Syrian Army for their efforts to remove the Iranian influence in the region, which he dubbed “terrorist militias.”
Sabbagh was unequivocal in his gratitude, specifically acknowledging Israeli leadership’s "wise policy" and efforts to bring about what he termed the "Abrahamic peace" in the region.
The Syrian leader expressed a profound desire to move beyond historical animosities, emphasizing their vision of an EU-like system across the Middle East, where each region and community would have its own autonomy, and stressing that their forum aspires to represent all Syrian people, from Kurds to and moderate Sunni fighters who fought against ISIS.
Amal Sharkasi, the SGE’s foreign relations charge d’affaires, highlighted Syria's historically diverse and tolerant society, recalling a time when religious coexistence was the norm.
According to Sharkasi, before the Assad era, Syria espoused a model of interfaith harmony, including examples such as Christian Prime Minister Fares Al-Khouri and Jewish doctors in Aleppo who treated patients from all faiths free of charge.
Dr. Ziad Karim, the communication director of the SGE, stressed that these are critical moments in human history, emphasizing the shared destiny and mutual responsibility of all actors.
"We are not living on an isolated island but in a shared fate," Karim said. He advocated for a public discourse focused on construction rather than destruction, with a particular emphasis on protecting future generations from the "swamp of extremism." Karim poignantly continued: "The Abrahamic peace is a roadmap to mutual understanding and a future where wisdom embraces humanity above all else."
From the Israeli side, MK Ohad Tal is a member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee.
Tal highlighted the significant transformation of Israel’s status in the past year, describing it as moving from a status of being an existential threat – to the ongoing disintegration of radical forces.
He emphasized the potential for collaborative efforts against common challenges, specifically mentioning the Iranian Axis and radical Sunni movements.
The conversation also featured representatives from Iraq, such as Abou Musa Al-Iraqi, a tribal delegate, as well as a local anonymous peace activist who operates social media accounts dubbed the “virtual embassy of Iraq to Israel.”
Both added another dimension to the dialogue, discussing the continued presence of Iranian militias in Iraq and calling for actions to facilitate peace.
Perhaps most striking was the explicit rejection of historical antagonisms. The Syrian Government in Exile repeatedly extended a hand of friendship, using language that emphasized kinship and shared heritage.
They described themselves as "more Hebrew than the children of Israel" and called for a return to mutual respect and coexistence, also bringing up the holocaust as a dark moment in human history that must be taught to all people in the region and learned from.
‘Peace through strength’
The Syrian Government in Exile was formed in late 2019 following what SGE described as a “political deadlock among opposition forces.” Their primary objective was to bring what they deemed the “authentic Syrian voice” to the international stage, with the struggle against the Iranian influence in the region as their primary concern.
The scope and impact of the exiled activists appear pale in comparison to those of the militant groups on the ground, yet they presented themselves not as a traditional political entity but as representatives of a new vision – one that “prioritizes human dignity, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence.”
During the discussion, both sides acknowledged the complex challenges ahead, especially the involvement of radical forces, whether Iranian-backed militias or extremist Sunni movements, which would not be easily overcome.
Despite this, conversations consistently returned to the concept of "Abrahamic peace,” a vision based on the Abraham Accords of 2020. Both the SGE delegates and the Israeli speakers portrayed this approach not just as a diplomatic strategy but as a moral imperative for human progress.
Following the session, MK Ohad Tal told The Jerusalem Post: “The meeting we held tonight with representatives of the Syrian government in exile and Muslim leaders from Iraq is a historic meeting, mainly because after a series of secret meetings I have held with them in recent months, this meeting is already a public meeting, open to the public.
“The past year has accelerated deep processes in the Middle East. The Israeli victories and the disintegration of the Iranian-Shiite axis are allowing more and more tribes, peoples, and countries in the Middle East to reveal their desire to get closer to Israel, the understanding that has developed in them that Israel is not the problem as they thought for many years - but rather the solution.
“Alongside the great challenges that still await us, both from Iran and its proxies and from the Sunni Islamist militias, unprecedented historical opportunities are also developing to create new collaborations that will help build a better future that, this time, will truly fulfill the dream of peace, stability, and prosperity. From the strength of Israel, a peace that is based on true mutual respect and true acceptance of our common existence here.”
link
- Syria’s ruling body will suspend constitution and parliament, Syrian source saysSyria’s newly formed administration will suspend the existing legislature and constitution after toppling president Bashar al-Assad, a source close to the newly formed Syrian government tells Reuters on Thursday.The source also indicates that the new ruling body would create a committee of experts to make amendments to the constitution.
Israeli Air Force says it has achieved total air superiority above Syria
After over a decade of evading air defenses over the skies of Syria during a campaign against Iran’s supply of weapons to Hezbollah, the Israeli Air Force says it has achieved total air superiority in the area.
An Israeli bombing campaign earlier this week across Syria, aimed at taking out advanced weaponry that could fall into the hands of hostile elements following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, also destroyed the vast majority of the air defenses in the country.
According to the military, the IAF destroyed 86% of the former Assad regime’s air defense systems across Syria, totaling 107 separate air defense components and another 47 radars.
The numbers include 80% of the short-to medium-range SA-22, also known as the Pantsir-S1; and 90% of the Russian SA-17 medium-range air defense system, also known as the Buk.
Both Russian-made systems had posed challenges to the IAF during its so-called campaign between campaigns — or Mabam, as it’s known by its Hebrew acronym — aimed at countering Iranian weapon deliveries to Hezbollah in Lebanon and attempts by Iran-backed groups to gain a foothold in the country, which began in 2013.
Only a handful of air defense systems now remain in Syria, and they are not considered a major threat to the IAF, which says it can operate freely across the country’s skies.
“The Syrian air defense array is one of the strongest in the Middle East and the blow caused to it is a significant achievement for the Air Force’s superiority in the region,” the IDF says.
The new freedom of aerial action also brings the IAF new opportunities. If in the past, the IAF would not fly directly over Damascus when carrying out strikes on Iran-linked targets in the capital, it now can. The IAF can also send surveillance drones over the Syrian capital without the fear of them being shot down by the advanced Russian-made air defense systems.
While the Iran-backed Assad regime has fallen, Israel still will operate over Syria to ensure that advanced weapons from the former government’s army do not reach Hezbollah in Lebanon or any other group hostile to Israel in the region.
The bombing campaign on Sunday and Monday, which began hours after Assad’s regime fell, also hit Syrian airbases, weapon depots, weapon production sites, and chemical weapons sites, in addition to the air defense systems. The strikes destroyed hundreds of missiles and related systems, 27 fighter jets, 24 helicopters, and more.
A total of 1,800 munitions were used in the strikes, taking out nearly every site of “strategic military capabilities” that Israel was aware of.
The IDF assesses that it did not destroy all of the Assad regime’s military capabilities, and Hezbollah will most certainly try to get its hands on advanced weapons that were so far spared. The chances of weapons from Syria finding their way to Hezbollah in Lebanon are considered to be high, according to the IDF’s assessments.
To prevent weapons from reaching Hezbollah, the IAF has bombed all of the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon, leaving just one of them, Masnaa, open for pedestrian traffic. The IAF says it is constantly monitoring the crossings to ensure that Hezbollah does not return to use them for weapon deliveries.
At the same time, the military also believes it has dealt a major blow to the weapon manufacturing capabilities of the entire Iran-led axis, in Lebanon, Syria, and in Iran itself with October’s strike in response to Tehran’s ballistic missile attack.
- 'Syrian Government in Exile' calls for Abrahamic peace in talk with Israelis
In an unprecedented encounter, leaders of a group dubbed the “Syrian Government in Exile” (SGE) engaged in a remarkable dialogue session with the Israeli public, offering a vision of unprecedented cooperation and mutual understanding between Syria and Israel.
The online meeting was organized by Tom Wegner, founder of the Middle East Center, a platform fostering dialogue, collaboration, and understanding between diverse communities in the Middle East.
Speakers included representatives from the SGE, as well as Israeli MK and member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Ohad Tal.
‘More Hebrews than the Hebrews’At the heart of the discussion was Jamal Sabbagh, the head of the Syrian Government in Exile, who praised the IDF and the Free Syrian Army for their efforts to remove the Iranian influence in the region, which he dubbed “terrorist militias.”
Sabbagh was unequivocal in his gratitude, specifically acknowledging Israeli leadership’s "wise policy" and efforts to bring about what he termed the "Abrahamic peace" in the region.The Syrian leader expressed a profound desire to move beyond historical animosities, emphasizing their vision of an EU-like system across the Middle East, where each region and community would have its own autonomy, and stressing that their forum aspires to represent all Syrian people, from Kurds to and moderate Sunni fighters who fought against ISIS.
Amal Sharkasi, the SGE’s foreign relations charge d’affaires, highlighted Syria's historically diverse and tolerant society, recalling a time when religious coexistence was the norm.
According to Sharkasi, before the Assad era, Syria espoused a model of interfaith harmony, including examples such as Christian Prime Minister Fares Al-Khouri and Jewish doctors in Aleppo who treated patients from all faiths free of charge.
Dr. Ziad Karim, the communication director of the SGE, stressed that these are critical moments in human history, emphasizing the shared destiny and mutual responsibility of all actors.
"We are not living on an isolated island but in a shared fate," Karim said. He advocated for a public discourse focused on construction rather than destruction, with a particular emphasis on protecting future generations from the "swamp of extremism." Karim poignantly continued: "The Abrahamic peace is a roadmap to mutual understanding and a future where wisdom embraces humanity above all else."
From the Israeli side, MK Ohad Tal is a member of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee.
Tal highlighted the significant transformation of Israel’s status in the past year, describing it as moving from a status of being an existential threat – to the ongoing disintegration of radical forces.
He emphasized the potential for collaborative efforts against common challenges, specifically mentioning the Iranian Axis and radical Sunni movements.
The conversation also featured representatives from Iraq, such as Abou Musa Al-Iraqi, a tribal delegate, as well as a local anonymous peace activist who operates social media accounts dubbed the “virtual embassy of Iraq to Israel.”
Both added another dimension to the dialogue, discussing the continued presence of Iranian militias in Iraq and calling for actions to facilitate peace.
Perhaps most striking was the explicit rejection of historical antagonisms. The Syrian Government in Exile repeatedly extended a hand of friendship, using language that emphasized kinship and shared heritage.
They described themselves as "more Hebrew than the children of Israel" and called for a return to mutual respect and coexistence, also bringing up the holocaust as a dark moment in human history that must be taught to all people in the region and learned from.
‘Peace through strength’
The Syrian Government in Exile was formed in late 2019 following what SGE described as a “political deadlock among opposition forces.” Their primary objective was to bring what they deemed the “authentic Syrian voice” to the international stage, with the struggle against the Iranian influence in the region as their primary concern.
The scope and impact of the exiled activists appear pale in comparison to those of the militant groups on the ground, yet they presented themselves not as a traditional political entity but as representatives of a new vision – one that “prioritizes human dignity, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence.”
During the discussion, both sides acknowledged the complex challenges ahead, especially the involvement of radical forces, whether Iranian-backed militias or extremist Sunni movements, which would not be easily overcome.
Despite this, conversations consistently returned to the concept of "Abrahamic peace,” a vision based on the Abraham Accords of 2020. Both the SGE delegates and the Israeli speakers portrayed this approach not just as a diplomatic strategy but as a moral imperative for human progress.
Following the session, MK Ohad Tal told The Jerusalem Post: “The meeting we held tonight with representatives of the Syrian government in exile and Muslim leaders from Iraq is a historic meeting, mainly because after a series of secret meetings I have held with them in recent months, this meeting is already a public meeting, open to the public.
“The past year has accelerated deep processes in the Middle East. The Israeli victories and the disintegration of the Iranian-Shiite axis are allowing more and more tribes, peoples, and countries in the Middle East to reveal their desire to get closer to Israel, the understanding that has developed in them that Israel is not the problem as they thought for many years - but rather the solution.
“Alongside the great challenges that still await us, both from Iran and its proxies and from the Sunni Islamist militias, unprecedented historical opportunities are also developing to create new collaborations that will help build a better future that, this time, will truly fulfill the dream of peace, stability, and prosperity. From the strength of Israel, a peace that is based on true mutual respect and true acceptance of our common existence here.”
link - Syria’s ruling body will suspend constitution and parliament, Syrian source saysSyria’s newly formed administration will suspend the existing legislature and constitution after toppling president Bashar al-Assad, a source close to the newly formed Syrian government tells Reuters on Thursday.The source also indicates that the new ruling body would create a committee of experts to make amendments to the constitution.
Israeli Air Force says it has achieved total air superiority above Syria
After over a decade of evading air defenses over the skies of Syria during a campaign against Iran’s supply of weapons to Hezbollah, the Israeli Air Force says it has achieved total air superiority in the area.An Israeli bombing campaign earlier this week across Syria, aimed at taking out advanced weaponry that could fall into the hands of hostile elements following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime, also destroyed the vast majority of the air defenses in the country.
According to the military, the IAF destroyed 86% of the former Assad regime’s air defense systems across Syria, totaling 107 separate air defense components and another 47 radars.
The numbers include 80% of the short-to medium-range SA-22, also known as the Pantsir-S1; and 90% of the Russian SA-17 medium-range air defense system, also known as the Buk.
Both Russian-made systems had posed challenges to the IAF during its so-called campaign between campaigns — or Mabam, as it’s known by its Hebrew acronym — aimed at countering Iranian weapon deliveries to Hezbollah in Lebanon and attempts by Iran-backed groups to gain a foothold in the country, which began in 2013.
Only a handful of air defense systems now remain in Syria, and they are not considered a major threat to the IAF, which says it can operate freely across the country’s skies.
“The Syrian air defense array is one of the strongest in the Middle East and the blow caused to it is a significant achievement for the Air Force’s superiority in the region,” the IDF says.
The new freedom of aerial action also brings the IAF new opportunities. If in the past, the IAF would not fly directly over Damascus when carrying out strikes on Iran-linked targets in the capital, it now can. The IAF can also send surveillance drones over the Syrian capital without the fear of them being shot down by the advanced Russian-made air defense systems.
While the Iran-backed Assad regime has fallen, Israel still will operate over Syria to ensure that advanced weapons from the former government’s army do not reach Hezbollah in Lebanon or any other group hostile to Israel in the region.
The bombing campaign on Sunday and Monday, which began hours after Assad’s regime fell, also hit Syrian airbases, weapon depots, weapon production sites, and chemical weapons sites, in addition to the air defense systems. The strikes destroyed hundreds of missiles and related systems, 27 fighter jets, 24 helicopters, and more.
A total of 1,800 munitions were used in the strikes, taking out nearly every site of “strategic military capabilities” that Israel was aware of.
The IDF assesses that it did not destroy all of the Assad regime’s military capabilities, and Hezbollah will most certainly try to get its hands on advanced weapons that were so far spared. The chances of weapons from Syria finding their way to Hezbollah in Lebanon are considered to be high, according to the IDF’s assessments.
To prevent weapons from reaching Hezbollah, the IAF has bombed all of the border crossings between Syria and Lebanon, leaving just one of them, Masnaa, open for pedestrian traffic. The IAF says it is constantly monitoring the crossings to ensure that Hezbollah does not return to use them for weapon deliveries.
At the same time, the military also believes it has dealt a major blow to the weapon manufacturing capabilities of the entire Iran-led axis, in Lebanon, Syria, and in Iran itself with October’s strike in response to Tehran’s ballistic missile attack.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- Young boy killed, several bus passengers wounded in West Bank terror shooting
Nearby Jerusalem hospital declares death of 12-year-old after he’s critically hurt in attack; other 3 victims treated for moderate and light wounds; IDF scouring area for gunman
A young boy was fatally shot and several people wounded in a terror attack targeting a Jerusalem-bound bus in the West Bank late Wednesday night.
The 12-year-old child was brought in critical condition to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in nearby Jerusalem, where doctors declared his death early Thursday following intensive efforts to save him. He was later named as Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha of the Beitar Illit settlement — where the bus had departed from.
Three others were hurt in the shooting: a woman who suffered moderate wounds and two other people who were lightly hurt.
|The bus was shot up by the gunman at a junction by the Palestinian town of al-Khader, the Israel Defense Forces said, before proceeding with the wounded to the Tunnels Checkpoint.
The terrorist remains at large. The IDF announced troops were setting up roadblocks while encircling Bethlehem as part of the manhunt.
A video clip filmed shortly after the shooting showed passengers fleeing the bus after it arrived at the checkpoint, as security forces there rushed toward the vehicle amid the sound of gunfire. It was not clear from the footage where all the shots emanated from. video during the attack
Nearby Jerusalem hospital declares death of 12-year-old after he’s critically hurt in attack; other 3 victims treated for moderate and light wounds; IDF scouring area for gunman
A young boy was fatally shot and several people wounded in a terror attack targeting a Jerusalem-bound bus in the West Bank late Wednesday night.
The 12-year-old child was brought in critical condition to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in nearby Jerusalem, where doctors declared his death early Thursday following intensive efforts to save him. He was later named as Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha of the Beitar Illit settlement — where the bus had departed from.
Three others were hurt in the shooting: a woman who suffered moderate wounds and two other people who were lightly hurt.
|The bus was shot up by the gunman at a junction by the Palestinian town of al-Khader, the Israel Defense Forces said, before proceeding with the wounded to the Tunnels Checkpoint.
The terrorist remains at large. The IDF announced troops were setting up roadblocks while encircling Bethlehem as part of the manhunt.
A video clip filmed shortly after the shooting showed passengers fleeing the bus after it arrived at the checkpoint, as security forces there rushed toward the vehicle amid the sound of gunfire. It was not clear from the footage where all the shots emanated from. video during the attack
West Bank settlers tried to steal sheep from Palestinian village of Susya, activist group says
Dozens of Israeli settlers are filmed harassing Palestinians in their southern West Bank village earlier today.
The settlers raided Susya from at least five different neighboring illegal outposts and tried to steal sheep as they threatened residents and chased away children returning from school, says Beyond the Herd, a solidarity group of Israeli activists that operates to support at-risk Palestinian villages in the southern West Bank.
Uniformed soldiers photographed at the scene accompanying the settlers attacked one of the Israeli activists who was trying to push back the settlers, while other troops tried to prevent those in Susya from filming the altercation, Beyond the Herd says.
As is often the case in such incidents of settler violence in the West Bank, no arrests were reported. Link
3 suspected of August assault on Palestinian accused of beating him to unconsciousness, dumping him near checkpoint
indictment filed against a police officer in the Yasam special patrol police unit, a Border Police volunteer, and a civilian reveals shocking details of how they allegedly assaulted and severely beat a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank, and then dumped at the side of a road by a checkpoint, unconscious and bleeding.
The indictment filed by the Department of Internal Police Investigations charges the three men with aggravated assault, abduction, and aiding an abduction, for their roles in a violent attack against the Palestinian man in August, as well as the illegal possession of weapons and other firearms offenses.
According to the indictment the three men, who are all friends, attacked a Palestinian man who was spending time with his friends at freshwater springs in the Nahal Auja area in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank, north of the Kochav Hashahar settlement.
The incident began when the Border Police volunteer, Dvir Oni, who was on active duty with another volunteer and IDF soldiers, asked to inspect the ID and telephones of the Palestinian men for a security check.
According to the indictment, a picture on the phone of the Palestinian victim showed him draped in a green flag, which made the police officers and soldiers suspect that he was connected with a terror organization.
One of the soldiers then handcuffed the man, after which Oni began violently assaulting him, slamming his head into a car, and kicking and punching him.
Oni then sent a message to the Yasam police officer, Tiran Galmodi, as well as Saar Ofir, a civilian, with his location, and the two men arrived a short while later with their faces masked and took the opportunity to beat the Palestinian man severely all over his body, the indictment alleges.
Galmodi, who was suspended from duty at the time of the incident, kicked the man in the head and beat him with a tree branch, and Ofir struck him on the eye with the butt of a dummy rifle he was carrying.
The men beat the victim so severely that he passed out during the assault.
He was then put into Galmodi’s car, and Galmodi and Ofir drove him to the Hamra Checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley and “dumped” him there, unconscious and bleeding. Only hours later did the man manage to get to a nearby road in order to get medical treatment.
He sustained broken bones and severe injuries to his head and body as a result of the assault.
In addition to the other charges, Galmudi is accused of obstructing the investigation by calling one of the soldiers involved in the incident and instructed him to give a false account of the events.
During the investigation, large amounts of illegally held weaponry and ammunition were found in the possession of Ofir and Galmodi, including assault rifles, hand grenades, and thousands of bullets.
Six other suspects in the case have yet to be charged.
Ofir, a resident of the Elkana settlement in the central West Bank, was previously arrested in July on suspicion of executing a Hamas terrorist captured by IDF troops in Gaza but charges were ultimately not filed in that case.
The Palestinian man suspected of opening fire at a bus in the West Bank last night, killing a 12-year-old boy, is named as Ezz Aldin Malluh, from Bayt Awa near Hebron.
The suspect initially attempted to surrender at Palestinian police stations, but while officers confiscated his weapon, they refused to let him in.
Defense officials say Massalmeh eventually turned himself in to authorities this morning. Last night, he shot up a bus traveling from the Beitar Ilit settlement to Jerusalem, as it passed a junction by the West Bank town of al-Khader.
Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha, 12, was killed in the terror shooting and several others were wounded.
West Bank settlers tried to steal sheep from Palestinian village of Susya, activist group says
Dozens of Israeli settlers are filmed harassing Palestinians in their southern West Bank village earlier today.
The settlers raided Susya from at least five different neighboring illegal outposts and tried to steal sheep as they threatened residents and chased away children returning from school, says Beyond the Herd, a solidarity group of Israeli activists that operates to support at-risk Palestinian villages in the southern West Bank.
Uniformed soldiers photographed at the scene accompanying the settlers attacked one of the Israeli activists who was trying to push back the settlers, while other troops tried to prevent those in Susya from filming the altercation, Beyond the Herd says.
As is often the case in such incidents of settler violence in the West Bank, no arrests were reported. Link
3 suspected of August assault on Palestinian accused of beating him to unconsciousness, dumping him near checkpoint
indictment filed against a police officer in the Yasam special patrol police unit, a Border Police volunteer, and a civilian reveals shocking details of how they allegedly assaulted and severely beat a Palestinian civilian in the West Bank, and then dumped at the side of a road by a checkpoint, unconscious and bleeding.
The indictment filed by the Department of Internal Police Investigations charges the three men with aggravated assault, abduction, and aiding an abduction, for their roles in a violent attack against the Palestinian man in August, as well as the illegal possession of weapons and other firearms offenses.
According to the indictment the three men, who are all friends, attacked a Palestinian man who was spending time with his friends at freshwater springs in the Nahal Auja area in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank, north of the Kochav Hashahar settlement.
The incident began when the Border Police volunteer, Dvir Oni, who was on active duty with another volunteer and IDF soldiers, asked to inspect the ID and telephones of the Palestinian men for a security check.
According to the indictment, a picture on the phone of the Palestinian victim showed him draped in a green flag, which made the police officers and soldiers suspect that he was connected with a terror organization.
One of the soldiers then handcuffed the man, after which Oni began violently assaulting him, slamming his head into a car, and kicking and punching him.
Oni then sent a message to the Yasam police officer, Tiran Galmodi, as well as Saar Ofir, a civilian, with his location, and the two men arrived a short while later with their faces masked and took the opportunity to beat the Palestinian man severely all over his body, the indictment alleges.
Galmodi, who was suspended from duty at the time of the incident, kicked the man in the head and beat him with a tree branch, and Ofir struck him on the eye with the butt of a dummy rifle he was carrying.
The men beat the victim so severely that he passed out during the assault.
He was then put into Galmodi’s car, and Galmodi and Ofir drove him to the Hamra Checkpoint in the northern Jordan Valley and “dumped” him there, unconscious and bleeding. Only hours later did the man manage to get to a nearby road in order to get medical treatment.
He sustained broken bones and severe injuries to his head and body as a result of the assault.
In addition to the other charges, Galmudi is accused of obstructing the investigation by calling one of the soldiers involved in the incident and instructed him to give a false account of the events.
During the investigation, large amounts of illegally held weaponry and ammunition were found in the possession of Ofir and Galmodi, including assault rifles, hand grenades, and thousands of bullets.
Six other suspects in the case have yet to be charged.
The Palestinian man suspected of opening fire at a bus in the West Bank last night, killing a 12-year-old boy, is named as Ezz Aldin Malluh, from Bayt Awa near Hebron.
The suspect initially attempted to surrender at Palestinian police stations, but while officers confiscated his weapon, they refused to let him in.
Defense officials say Massalmeh eventually turned himself in to authorities this morning. Last night, he shot up a bus traveling from the Beitar Ilit settlement to Jerusalem, as it passed a junction by the West Bank town of al-Khader.
Yehoshua Aharon Tuvia Simha, 12, was killed in the terror shooting and several others were wounded.
Politics and the War (general news)
- Motion calling to establish state commission of inquiry into Oct. 7 is rejected 43-51
A motion submitted by the National Unity party requiring the Knesset to hold a plenum discussion on establishing a state commission of inquiry into Hamas’ October 7 attack is rejected 43-51 and is removed from the parliamentary agenda.
Arguing in favor of the resolution, National Unity chairman Benny Gantz accuses members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition of “trying to cover up in order to evade responsibility” and “selling the security of the state for political needs.”
“Our people are not stupid, they understand exactly what you are trying to do. It will not help you,” he continues. “We see that you are ready to dismantle Israeli society, because of the lust for power.”
“The massacre cannot be whitewashed. An investigation of an event of this magnitude requires an organized and legally defined committee, which has expertise, has the time, the knowledge infrastructure and the resources to investigate. A state investigation committee is the only mechanism that exists to investigate this,” Gantz continues — arguing that a commission should begin probing Israel’s failures beginning with Hamas’ victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem casts doubt on the impartiality of the judiciary, saying that a “real, impartial investigation committee needs to be established.”
“We will not establish a state commission of inquiry. We will establish a people’s commission of inquiry…will ultimately investigate the whole truth, including the judges,” he says. link Netanyahu has definitely succeeded in getting all of his yes people and cronies to fight what should be seen as the most normal and required thing in the world, a State Commission of Inquiry. At the beginning of the war, most of those who voted against it today, stated the importances of a State Commission but after 14 months of Netanyahu's blatant escape from responsibility and knowledge of his absolute responsibility, they have chosen their political agenda over the good of the country. It is well known, even by the naysayers, that only an Independent State Commission can get to the bottom of all that went before October 7 and following that, the failed political management of the war. But they don't want to get to the bottom because it would fall of them, this failed government and mostly on the worst prime minister in Israel's history. They want to cover it all up and not come to terms that they were the sitting government that brought us the worst day in our history with more people killed in a single day and over 250 hostages taken. Their idea of a commission of inquiry is a government committee that they control, that won't have any powers to indict or even recommend indictments and with extremely limited powers to investigate, basically a clown committee that won't find them bearing any responsibility.
- Ben Gvir says bill to permit deporting terrorists’ families will soon apply to Arab MK
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir appears to call to deport Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh over comments he made regarding the Palestinian right to struggle against Israel.
Speaking at the Knesset Science and Technology Committee yesterday, the Hadash-Ta’al chair stated that, while Hamas’s attack on innocent civilians on October 7, 2023, constituted a “very deep moral injury,” he also believed that every nation “has a right to struggle against its conqueror.”
“This is true in every place in the world, and this is the right of the Palestinian people,” Odeh said, expressing his opposition to “harming innocent people.”
Calling Odeh the “representative of the terrorists in the Knesset,” Ben Gvir posts a video of the lawmaker’s remarks and quips that soon legislation allowing for the deportation of the families of terrorists “will also apply to you.”
The Knesset in November passed a bill permitting the deportation of family members of terrorists.
The controversial law gives the interior minister the power to expel a first-degree relative of someone who carried out an attack if they had advance knowledge and either: (a) failed to report the matter to the police, or (b) “expressed support or identification with an act of terrorism or published words of praise, sympathy or encouragement for an act of terrorism or a terrorist organization.”
Both the Justice Ministry and the Attorney General’s Office raised concerns about the legislation, which stipulates that those being expelled would be sent either to the Gaza Strip or other destinations, depending on circumstances. link Ben Gvir, the criminal minister who's police record or arrests, indictments and convictions are for support of Jewish Terrorism, the disciple of the racist Meir Kahana and who's Jewish Power party is the incarnation of the illegal Kach Party, is proud to push anti democratic laws, racist laws, laws that suit his extremist, messianic, racist ideologies. It was very clear that this bill in which this failed government passed to allow the deportation of Israeli citizens would go far beyond the initial implied and stated targets of families of terrorists, which in itself is a law enabling collective punishment. The ultimate targets are all those who oppose the extremist government, its actions and its ideologies. This law is a law to decimate democracy and civil rights.
- Motion calling to establish state commission of inquiry into Oct. 7 is rejected 43-51
A motion submitted by the National Unity party requiring the Knesset to hold a plenum discussion on establishing a state commission of inquiry into Hamas’ October 7 attack is rejected 43-51 and is removed from the parliamentary agenda.
Arguing in favor of the resolution, National Unity chairman Benny Gantz accuses members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling coalition of “trying to cover up in order to evade responsibility” and “selling the security of the state for political needs.”
“Our people are not stupid, they understand exactly what you are trying to do. It will not help you,” he continues. “We see that you are ready to dismantle Israeli society, because of the lust for power.”
“The massacre cannot be whitewashed. An investigation of an event of this magnitude requires an organized and legally defined committee, which has expertise, has the time, the knowledge infrastructure and the resources to investigate. A state investigation committee is the only mechanism that exists to investigate this,” Gantz continues — arguing that a commission should begin probing Israel’s failures beginning with Hamas’ victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem casts doubt on the impartiality of the judiciary, saying that a “real, impartial investigation committee needs to be established.”
“We will not establish a state commission of inquiry. We will establish a people’s commission of inquiry…will ultimately investigate the whole truth, including the judges,” he says. link Netanyahu has definitely succeeded in getting all of his yes people and cronies to fight what should be seen as the most normal and required thing in the world, a State Commission of Inquiry. At the beginning of the war, most of those who voted against it today, stated the importances of a State Commission but after 14 months of Netanyahu's blatant escape from responsibility and knowledge of his absolute responsibility, they have chosen their political agenda over the good of the country. It is well known, even by the naysayers, that only an Independent State Commission can get to the bottom of all that went before October 7 and following that, the failed political management of the war. But they don't want to get to the bottom because it would fall of them, this failed government and mostly on the worst prime minister in Israel's history. They want to cover it all up and not come to terms that they were the sitting government that brought us the worst day in our history with more people killed in a single day and over 250 hostages taken. Their idea of a commission of inquiry is a government committee that they control, that won't have any powers to indict or even recommend indictments and with extremely limited powers to investigate, basically a clown committee that won't find them bearing any responsibility.
- Ben Gvir says bill to permit deporting terrorists’ families will soon apply to Arab MK
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir appears to call to deport Arab lawmaker Ayman Odeh over comments he made regarding the Palestinian right to struggle against Israel.
Speaking at the Knesset Science and Technology Committee yesterday, the Hadash-Ta’al chair stated that, while Hamas’s attack on innocent civilians on October 7, 2023, constituted a “very deep moral injury,” he also believed that every nation “has a right to struggle against its conqueror.”
“This is true in every place in the world, and this is the right of the Palestinian people,” Odeh said, expressing his opposition to “harming innocent people.”
Calling Odeh the “representative of the terrorists in the Knesset,” Ben Gvir posts a video of the lawmaker’s remarks and quips that soon legislation allowing for the deportation of the families of terrorists “will also apply to you.”
The Knesset in November passed a bill permitting the deportation of family members of terrorists.
The controversial law gives the interior minister the power to expel a first-degree relative of someone who carried out an attack if they had advance knowledge and either: (a) failed to report the matter to the police, or (b) “expressed support or identification with an act of terrorism or published words of praise, sympathy or encouragement for an act of terrorism or a terrorist organization.”
Both the Justice Ministry and the Attorney General’s Office raised concerns about the legislation, which stipulates that those being expelled would be sent either to the Gaza Strip or other destinations, depending on circumstances. link Ben Gvir, the criminal minister who's police record or arrests, indictments and convictions are for support of Jewish Terrorism, the disciple of the racist Meir Kahana and who's Jewish Power party is the incarnation of the illegal Kach Party, is proud to push anti democratic laws, racist laws, laws that suit his extremist, messianic, racist ideologies. It was very clear that this bill in which this failed government passed to allow the deportation of Israeli citizens would go far beyond the initial implied and stated targets of families of terrorists, which in itself is a law enabling collective punishment. The ultimate targets are all those who oppose the extremist government, its actions and its ideologies. This law is a law to decimate democracy and civil rights.
The Region and the World
- Iran Struggles to Digest Assad's Fall: Public Criticism and the Leadership's "Strange" Silence
The revolution in Syria deals a heavy blow to Tehran's regime, yet senior leadership refuses to address the situation officially. The commander of the Revolutionary Guards disclosed in a closed session of the Iranian parliament: "No Iranian forces or military advisors remain in Syria." Meanwhile, the conservative camp criticizes the "abandonment" of Assad, and mixed feelings are evident among the public.
Iran recently experienced one of its most painful setbacks following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Now, Iranian authorities are attempting to adapt to the new reality and reassess the future structure of the "axis of resistance." This blow comes at a particularly bad time for Iran—just days after Hezbollah suffered an unprecedented setback from the IDF.
Benny Sabti, an Iran researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), highlights that reactions in Iran are divided among various groups and players, each presenting a different perspective. First and foremost, there is the conspicuous silence of Tehran's leadership and its top officials. Even Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is expected to address the situation in Syria only in a speech tomorrow.
"There is a sense among the Iranian public that Iran foresaw the fall and the upcoming changes well in advance," Sabti adds. "Reports yesterday indicated that Iran had reached out to factions of the rebels and is trying to advance its interests. It appears that the regime is seeking a new path, possibly sensing that Assad's regime was too weak and corrupt, making it better to regroup and move forward."
In addition to the senior leadership, Sabti emphasizes the role of the conservative and extreme factions loyal to the regime. Many within these groups express outrage over Iran's perceived "abandonment" of Assad. "They are angry, asking, 'How could we forsake a 45-year ally?' (referring to the Assad regime as a whole, including Hafez al-Assad, since the Islamic Revolution in Iran). They criticize what they see as inaction. However, these factions lack real influence and primarily serve as noise-makers. In fact, it might even be advantageous for the regime to face criticism from this direction. Even members of Iran's parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Security Committee wield little real power."
Another group identified by Sabti is the Iranian public, where a significant portion expresses anger, especially after Iran's massive financial investment in Assad's regime. "The anger stems from the collapse of a regime they supported for 45 years with tens of billions of dollars. Publicly available figures in Iran suggest investments of $30–50 billion in Assad's regime, and just yesterday, suitcases containing $43 million in cash were found in the Iranian embassy building in Damascus."
"Enormous amounts of money were poured into this endeavor," Sabti underscores, "and now it has all gone to waste." He further notes that a small portion of the public dares to express joy, hoping that "the dominoes might also reach Iran, and if one dictator falls, ours might follow." He also mentions discussions about the downfall being linked to the hereditary nature of the Assad regime, hinting at speculation in Iran about Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, potentially succeeding him in the future. Nevertheless, Sabti clarifies that this discourse remains limited, mainly on social media, as Iranians naturally fear for their safety and recognize that the Revolutionary Guards are far more formidable than the Syrian army.
In Iran's official media, there is no overt criticism, but a noticeable change in tone regarding the Syrian rebels. The Iranian media, which previously referred to rebel groups as "terrorist organizations," has now begun calling them "opposition forces" following Assad's regime's downfall. link
Military officials: Israel preparing for potential strikes against Iran nuclear facilities
The Israeli Air Force is continuing its readiness and preparations for potential strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, following the weakening of Tehran’s proxy groups in the Middle East and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Israeli military officials.
The military believes that an isolated Iran may push further with its nuclear program.
Due to the dramatic changes in the Middle East, especially the fall of Assad which allowed the IAF to take out the vast majority of Syria’s air defenses, the Israeli military believes there is now an opportunity to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.
Personal Stories Itay Banjo, 30: Loved to cook for his friends ‘like a grandmother’Murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Supernova music festival on October 7
Itay Banjo, 27, from Haifa, was murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Supernova music festival on October 7.
Itay attended the party with his friend, Shani Kupervaser, and when the invasion began, the two tried to escape to Beersheba in Itay’s car. They were attacked by terrorists on the way and ended up in a roadside bomb shelter where they were eventually murdered.
For a week his family searched for any word of his fate, until they were informed that his body had been identified.
Itay was buried on October 15 in Haifa. He is survived by his parents, Zehava and Yaakov, and his brothers, Matan and Maor.
Born and raised in Haifa, Itay completed his mandatory military service in the Nahal Brigade, finishing with distinction, according to a state eulogy. After his release he worked to save up money before departing on a six-month trip around South America.
Upon his return, he started a degree in materials science at Ben-Gurion University. When he was killed, Itay had just begun his master’s degree at Ben-Gurion University, where he was also working full-time. In his free time, he liked to party and dance with his friends and was described by loved ones as an optimist.
His parents, Zehava and Yaakov told Haifa’s local news publication, Haipo, that Itay was their youngest son.
“He was a smart and funny kid who excelled at everything he did. He loved to get into mischief,” they said.
“Itay was a serious person, but he also loved parties, friends, and fun, and he combined the two perfectly. His hobbies were partying, going to the beach and Maccabi Haifa (soccer team),” said his brother Matan.
Even though it had been more than a decade since Itay graduated from high school, his teacher, Vera, remembered him as a social student who was an excellent friend.
“He was a boy with a huge heart, a fine sense of humor, and a massive smile. He was one of the pillars of his class, loved by everyone, teachers and students alike,” she said.
Brit, a friend of Itay’s from university, said he was easy to connect to.
“Outside of university life, he would always host people. He knew how to cook like a grandmother for her grandchildren, and he would produce excellent Friday night meals,” she said, adding that “most importantly, he was a true friend: always listening, and I always knew I could count on him for anything.”
Another university friend of Itay’s, Nitay, wrote that he was “a smart and intelligent person with a good head on his shoulders.”
“Itay was a person who was full of joy, always laughing, always making the mood lighter, a person who loved sarcasm,” he said.
Another friend, Yoav, wrote that Itay knew that he was new to Beersheba when he had just moved there and that Itay had made sure to look out for him and take care of him.
“I was always amazed by how smart he was and how he invested everything he had into success. In our conversations, Itay always made sure to say how lucky he was to have such loving and supportive parents, family, and friends,” he wrote. Read more 'Those We Have Lost' stories
The revolution in Syria deals a heavy blow to Tehran's regime, yet senior leadership refuses to address the situation officially. The commander of the Revolutionary Guards disclosed in a closed session of the Iranian parliament: "No Iranian forces or military advisors remain in Syria." Meanwhile, the conservative camp criticizes the "abandonment" of Assad, and mixed feelings are evident among the public.
Iran recently experienced one of its most painful setbacks following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Now, Iranian authorities are attempting to adapt to the new reality and reassess the future structure of the "axis of resistance." This blow comes at a particularly bad time for Iran—just days after Hezbollah suffered an unprecedented setback from the IDF.
Benny Sabti, an Iran researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), highlights that reactions in Iran are divided among various groups and players, each presenting a different perspective. First and foremost, there is the conspicuous silence of Tehran's leadership and its top officials. Even Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is expected to address the situation in Syria only in a speech tomorrow.
"There is a sense among the Iranian public that Iran foresaw the fall and the upcoming changes well in advance," Sabti adds. "Reports yesterday indicated that Iran had reached out to factions of the rebels and is trying to advance its interests. It appears that the regime is seeking a new path, possibly sensing that Assad's regime was too weak and corrupt, making it better to regroup and move forward."
In addition to the senior leadership, Sabti emphasizes the role of the conservative and extreme factions loyal to the regime. Many within these groups express outrage over Iran's perceived "abandonment" of Assad. "They are angry, asking, 'How could we forsake a 45-year ally?' (referring to the Assad regime as a whole, including Hafez al-Assad, since the Islamic Revolution in Iran). They criticize what they see as inaction. However, these factions lack real influence and primarily serve as noise-makers. In fact, it might even be advantageous for the regime to face criticism from this direction. Even members of Iran's parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Security Committee wield little real power."
Another group identified by Sabti is the Iranian public, where a significant portion expresses anger, especially after Iran's massive financial investment in Assad's regime. "The anger stems from the collapse of a regime they supported for 45 years with tens of billions of dollars. Publicly available figures in Iran suggest investments of $30–50 billion in Assad's regime, and just yesterday, suitcases containing $43 million in cash were found in the Iranian embassy building in Damascus."
"Enormous amounts of money were poured into this endeavor," Sabti underscores, "and now it has all gone to waste." He further notes that a small portion of the public dares to express joy, hoping that "the dominoes might also reach Iran, and if one dictator falls, ours might follow." He also mentions discussions about the downfall being linked to the hereditary nature of the Assad regime, hinting at speculation in Iran about Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, potentially succeeding him in the future. Nevertheless, Sabti clarifies that this discourse remains limited, mainly on social media, as Iranians naturally fear for their safety and recognize that the Revolutionary Guards are far more formidable than the Syrian army.
In Iran's official media, there is no overt criticism, but a noticeable change in tone regarding the Syrian rebels. The Iranian media, which previously referred to rebel groups as "terrorist organizations," has now begun calling them "opposition forces" following Assad's regime's downfall. link
Military officials: Israel preparing for potential strikes against Iran nuclear facilities
The Israeli Air Force is continuing its readiness and preparations for potential strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, following the weakening of Tehran’s proxy groups in the Middle East and the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Israeli military officials.
The military believes that an isolated Iran may push further with its nuclear program.
Due to the dramatic changes in the Middle East, especially the fall of Assad which allowed the IAF to take out the vast majority of Syria’s air defenses, the Israeli military believes there is now an opportunity to strike Iran’s nuclear sites.
Itay Banjo, 27, from Haifa, was murdered by Hamas terrorists while trying to flee the Supernova music festival on October 7.
Itay attended the party with his friend, Shani Kupervaser, and when the invasion began, the two tried to escape to Beersheba in Itay’s car. They were attacked by terrorists on the way and ended up in a roadside bomb shelter where they were eventually murdered.
For a week his family searched for any word of his fate, until they were informed that his body had been identified.
Itay was buried on October 15 in Haifa. He is survived by his parents, Zehava and Yaakov, and his brothers, Matan and Maor.
Born and raised in Haifa, Itay completed his mandatory military service in the Nahal Brigade, finishing with distinction, according to a state eulogy. After his release he worked to save up money before departing on a six-month trip around South America.
Upon his return, he started a degree in materials science at Ben-Gurion University. When he was killed, Itay had just begun his master’s degree at Ben-Gurion University, where he was also working full-time. In his free time, he liked to party and dance with his friends and was described by loved ones as an optimist.
His parents, Zehava and Yaakov told Haifa’s local news publication, Haipo, that Itay was their youngest son.
“He was a smart and funny kid who excelled at everything he did. He loved to get into mischief,” they said.
“Itay was a serious person, but he also loved parties, friends, and fun, and he combined the two perfectly. His hobbies were partying, going to the beach and Maccabi Haifa (soccer team),” said his brother Matan.
Even though it had been more than a decade since Itay graduated from high school, his teacher, Vera, remembered him as a social student who was an excellent friend.
“He was a boy with a huge heart, a fine sense of humor, and a massive smile. He was one of the pillars of his class, loved by everyone, teachers and students alike,” she said.
Brit, a friend of Itay’s from university, said he was easy to connect to.
“Outside of university life, he would always host people. He knew how to cook like a grandmother for her grandchildren, and he would produce excellent Friday night meals,” she said, adding that “most importantly, he was a true friend: always listening, and I always knew I could count on him for anything.”
Another university friend of Itay’s, Nitay, wrote that he was “a smart and intelligent person with a good head on his shoulders.”
“Itay was a person who was full of joy, always laughing, always making the mood lighter, a person who loved sarcasm,” he said.
Another friend, Yoav, wrote that Itay knew that he was new to Beersheba when he had just moved there and that Itay had made sure to look out for him and take care of him.
“I was always amazed by how smart he was and how he invested everything he had into success. In our conversations, Itay always made sure to say how lucky he was to have such loving and supportive parents, family, and friends,” he wrote. Read more 'Those We Have Lost' stories
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
It is Inconceivable that Israel's Prime Minister Leaves People to DieNili MargalitA nurse who was kidnapped to Gaza from her home in Nir Ozand released from captivity after 55 days. Her father, Eliyahu (Churchill) Margalit was murdered in Nir Oz and his body was taken to Gaza.
It is currently summer in Israel and the temperatures are extremely high. Think about how, walking down the street in July and August, people say to one another, "It's hot as hell here" or "Oh, how is life even bearable in this heat?" Now imagine the hostages in the tunnels. As hot as it is for you, for them it is a million times hotter.I know because I've been there. It is steaming hot. Humid. Disgusting. The air is foul. It is hard to breathe.Can you bring to mind that feeling when you really want a drink of water but you can’t get any? A thought crosses your mind about what you are going to drink when you get home, or about a café, or a store where you can simply stop by to get something? A bottle of cold water. Iced coffee with plenty of ice. Anything. Just to quench your thirst.I want to tell you about thirst in the tunnels. There is no cold water there, not even clean water. You only get several sips a day of salty water.dark legacy 19 I wish I could tell those who are there, "Hold on, friends, I know the water tastes salty, repulsive, and disgusting, but do drink. Drink a little at a time, sip by sip. And not because you feel like it, because you must." A part of me stayed behind and is still there, compelled to make sure everyone drinks so they don't get dehydrated.I remember my first days over there. I didn't understand what was going on; what was happening to me. It is, after all, unthinkable. It doesn’t make sense. It is inconceivable. A day went by, and then another, and another.Altogether, 55 days. I remember refusing to believe a government could abandon its citizens like this. Yes, I didn't vote for the right-wing bloc, but still, how is it possible that I am stranded in Gaza? Forget about me - but the elderly? The sick? The children? How do you leave them behind?Bibi, counting the days is, by now, difficult. It is already more than nine months that you have allowed them to be kept there. During winter, you left them there in the unbearable cold without blankets in the same light summer clothing they wore when they were kidnapped. Now you are abandoning them in the terrible heat of June, July, and as things seem to develop, August as well.All of this is not reasonable; It has to be a dream. Not just a bad dream but a nightmare. Yet, it is still a dream because it is inconceivable that the Israeli government would knowingly do nothing, leaving Israeli citizens to rot, letting them perish. It is implausible that Israel's prime minister leaves people to die in the most inhumane way possible.People consider me strong and resilient but as the days go by, I realize that I got out of there with some help from the government, but mostly by luck. How is it possible that the other hostages are not as lucky as I was?20 dark legacy
When I returned from captivity, I met with many leaders from all over the world. My story seemed to inspire hope and motivation in them. They all encouraged me and were empathetic, but it has always been clear to everyone that the responsibility for bringing the hostages back lies, almost exclusively, with the Israeli government and its leadership.And as for me? Every night I wish I could go back to October 6th. However, if the clock can't be turned back - at least I wish I could wake up from this nightmare. Just let them come back home.
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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