🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 438, 2023 - December 17, 2024 🎗️
🎗️Day 438 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
*7:15am - south - rockets - Netiv Haasara - Gaza border communities
Two IDF soldiers killed in building collapse in southern Gaza
Two IDF soldiers were killed in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, the military announces.
One of the slain troops is named as Maj. (res.) Moshiko (Maxim) Rozenwald, 35, a company commander in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 7107th Battalion, from Modiin.
The IDF names the second soldier killed in yesterday’s building collapse in southern Gaza’s Rafah.He is named as Sgt. First Class. (res.) Alexander Anosov, 26, a squad commander in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 7107th Battalion, from Modi’in.
MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTIONAccording to an initial IDF probe, the two soldiers were killed and two others were moderately wounded after a building they were in, in the Rafah area, collapsed. The building apparently collapsed because it was already heavily damaged. No explosives or a Hamas booby-trap were identified in the area, the probe has found.
Two IDF soldiers killed in building collapse in southern Gaza
Two IDF soldiers were killed in the southern Gaza Strip yesterday, the military announces.
One of the slain troops is named as Maj. (res.) Moshiko (Maxim) Rozenwald, 35, a company commander in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 7107th Battalion, from Modiin.
He is named as Sgt. First Class. (res.) Alexander Anosov, 26, a squad commander in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 7107th Battalion, from Modi’in.
MAY THEIR MEMORIES BE A REVOLUTION
According to an initial IDF probe, the two soldiers were killed and two others were moderately wounded after a building they were in, in the Rafah area, collapsed. The building apparently collapsed because it was already heavily damaged. No explosives or a Hamas booby-trap were identified in the area, the probe has found.
Hostage Updates
The rumor mill is working overtime and there are many positive signs that a deal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is brewing. It is important to remember that there is no deal until there is a deal. Since July, Hamas has been ready for a deal in stages according to the Israeli demand, but Hamas emphasized that without an Israeli commitment to end the war in the second stage, including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including international guarantees to end the war, Hamas will not agree to a deal. It is also important to remember that Hamas has been ready since September for a comprehensive deal to end the war, return all the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and even agreed to give up control in Gaza. What is brewing now, perhaps, is a major Egyptian-Qatari effort to reach a deal in stages. Their pressure is also seen in the rumor that Hamas has submitted a list (apparently partial) of hostages that they know are alive. Mahmoud Abbas was hastily invited to come to Cairo tonight - apparently Egyptian pressure on him to agree to an outline for running Gaza with the support of the Palestinian Authority, but not really under Abbas. Hamas is under tremendous pressure from the Palestinians in Gaza to bring an end to the war. One of Hamas' leaders, a Gazan who is in Cairo, was severely beaten up along with his son while shopping at the City Stars mall in Cairo by exiled Gazans who recognized him. Hamas in Gaza is quite broken up and they know that they can no longer control Gaza. Public anger against Hamas is erupting throughout Gaza. At the same time, Hamas will not agree to release all the hostages if the IDF remains in Gaza, and even if there is a temporary ceasefire, it will not last if Israel intends to prevent the free movement of a million Gazans who want to return to their homes that no longer exist. Gaza is completely destroyed. Someone told me yesterday that Jabalia no longer exists - it has been wiped out. This is the situation in most parts of the Strip. I welcome any hostages who are released, but I say that a comprehensive deal can be reached that returns everyone, and it is a shame that the Israeli government is still willing to sacrifice Israeli hostages. Gershon Baskin. Dec 17,2024 -- As my brother wrote, the rumor mill is working overtime. Earlier Reuters reported that Netanyahu was on a plane to Cairo probably to finalize a hostage and following that report, there was a report based on assumption that his trip to Cairo was the reason that the judges in his criminal trial agreed to cancel today's trial session, since the Military Censor has forbidden reports on the reason. It turns out that Netanyahu did not go to Cairo and in fact, was on the Syrian Golan Heights. All reports and information about the hostage negotiations are all speculation, spins and assumptions. As my brother wrote today and so many other times "There is no deal until there is a deal"!
Progress in Negotiations for a Deal: A Meeting of Working-Level Teams in Qatar – and the Gaps Between Israel and Hamas | Exclusive Report
The meeting of teams in Qatar aimed to pave the way for further negotiations at the senior level • Netanyahu asked Trump to exert pressure on the mediators and clarified: only a phased framework will ensure Hamas cannot deceive Israel • The Prime Minister maintains a veil of secrecy, with a senior official claiming: “The Cabinet is like a press conference; bringing the issues there will torpedo the negotiations.” As Trump prepares to enter the White House, he has turned the hourglass and begun pressuring Hamas to move towards a deal. Signs of compromise are also emerging from Israel, with Defense Minister Israel Katz stating, contrary to his previous remarks, that the Philadelphi Route and Netzarim Corridor will not pose an obstacle. The positive signals, the hurdles, and Netanyahu's secrecy—full details published with the approval of the censor.
Positive indications are emerging from both sides, reflected on the ground. A delegation of working-level teams traveled to meet their counterparts in Doha to explore ways to advance the deal. The meeting, held in light of indications that Hamas is willing and ready to talk, was intended to pave the way for continued negotiations at a senior level. Should the process move forward, the upcoming meetings will become “summits” involving higher-level officials. For now, the gaps between the sides remain significant, with the main sticking point being the number of captives to be released. There are also disagreements regarding the deployment of forces on the ground and disputes over prisoners.
At this stage, discussions are focused only on the first phase of the deal. Israeli officials mention Hamas’s flexibility but note that there will naturally be flexibility on Israel’s part as well. A source familiar with the details emphasizes that, in any case, this will be a difficult deal, involving the significant release of high-profile prisoners (“Sinwar-types”). The decisions are tough, so resolutions will not be reached tomorrow or the day after. There is still a long way to go, with many critical milestones and obstacles to be overcome. However, this negotiation has a clear deadline: Trump’s inauguration as President on January 20.
“We are doing everything in our power to assist in the return of the captives. We are working hard on this,” Trump said. “I had a very good conversation with Bibi. We discussed what’s going to happen. I will be very available on January 20, and we’ll see. I issued a warning: if the captives are not returned home by that date, the gates of hell will open upon them (Hamas) – with great force.”
This evening, on the “Main Edition,” we revealed additional details about the recent conversation that took place two days ago between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Trump. In this discussion, and in other conversations between senior Israeli officials and senior officials in the emerging U.S. administration, the necessity of a phased framework for the release of captives was emphasized.
The Demand to Trump: Pressure the Mediators, Support a Phased Framework
Netanyahu stressed to Trump that only a phased framework will ensure Hamas cannot deceive Israel or the mediators. According to him, this framework is suitable for anyone who wants the war to end, as it preserves Israel’s ability to resume fighting should Hamas violate its commitments.
As we reported yesterday, the Prime Minister asked the President-elect to exert pressure on the mediators to influence Hamas to increase the number of captives to be released – and to disclose their identities. This issue, as stated, constitutes the core of the dispute between the parties.
Netanyahu's Veil of Secrecy
To prevent leaks and political upheavals, the Prime Minister and the negotiation teams are maintaining, for now, a veil of secrecy. Ministers in the Cabinet emphasized that, as of now, they themselves have been exposed to very few details in the closed discussions. For example, yesterday the issue of the deal did not come up in the Cabinet, as the Prime Minister himself refrained from holding discussions on the matter until the conditions mature—despite repeated requests from several ministers.
“The Cabinet is like a press conference,” a senior official told N12. “Bringing the issues there will definitely torpedo the negotiations. There is an understanding that only when things mature and are brought for discussion will everyone make their decisions.”
From the Prime Minister’s Office, it was stated: “Netanyahu is doing everything to maximize the number of live captives who will return, as happened a year ago. The war will end when Israel achieves all its objectives in Gaza.” link
US President Joe Biden pledges to free the remaining 100 hostages still in Gaza, while addressing his final White House Hanukkah party.
“I’ve gotten over 100 hostages out. I will not stop until I get every single one of them home,” Biden says to cheers from hundreds in the audience.
Speaking before Biden is Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who has led the administration’s efforts to combat antisemitism.
“Tonight, I am rededicating myself to fighting antisemitism and hatred of all kinds,” Emhoff says, pledging to continue his efforts after the administration’s term ends in just over a month.
Introducing Biden is deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology Anne Neuberger, who thanks the president for “pay[ing] a shiva call” to Israel, referring to his visit to Israel days after Hamas’s October 7 onslaught.
Biden reiterates his belief that you don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist.
“And I’m a Zionist,” he says to applause.
On the menu at the Hanukkah party are latkes, pareve sour cream and thin cuts of beef tenderloin, along with jelly- and chocolate-filled donuts.
The Deal Under Discussion: 60 Days of Ceasefire, Hostage Return, and Prisoner Release
The American media reported, citing an official Hamas source, that the terror organization is not insisting on ending the war in the first stage of the deal or on an Israeli military withdrawal. According to the report, the deal would begin with a 60-day ceasefire. The official stated that Hamas insists on the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza. Additionally, Hamas demands the release of security prisoners in exchange for the hostages.
According to the reports, while Hamas does not publicly compromise on its demands, in practice, it appears to be softening its positions to bring them closer to Israel's. The Washington Post reported that last Friday, Hamas provided Israel, through mediators, with a list of live hostages. link Like so much of the 'information' being distributed about a hostage deal, these statements are unofficial and likely speculation and spin. No Hamas official has come out publicly with these statements nor has anyone from any of the negotiating teams. As opposed to most of the previous hostage discussions, information is apparently not leaking by any side and details are being kept very close to the vest. This is actually a good thing. The bad thing is that the Israeli officials who do make nominal statements and are supposedly more in the know, insist that only a phased deal is acceptable to Netanyahu which means only a small amount of hostages would be released in the first phase, most likely lasting 60 days and the rest of the hostages left behind will continue to deteriorate, weaken and many will die in these 60 days of winter. And there is always strong doubt that we will reach a second phase as Netanyahu chose to cancel the first deal while there was still a chance to get more hostages home in November 2023. Netanyahu will maintain his priority of his personal and political needs over the lives of the hostages, so if it isn't in his interest to continue with the deal to the next phase, the remaining hostages are literally doomed.
Hamas asserts a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza is possible if Israel “stops setting new conditions,” according to a statement.
The statement comes after sources briefed on meetings related to the ceasefire talks told Reuters that a deal is expected to be signed in the coming days. link This statement is absolutely crucial. It wasn't Israel who was each time setting new conditions. It was Netanyahu who did that and each time it was to kill the possibility of any deal being confirmed because it would hurt his political position. Everyone of the negotiating teams and country's leaders knew that Netanyahu was doing this and why and it frustrated all of them. Everyone is hoping that the conditions are right for Netanyahu to finally agree to a deal and stop killing them, so that the hostages can truly come home: the living to rehabilitation and the dead to proper burial. Unfortunately, there will also be hostages who's whereabouts will never be known and they will forever be lost in Gaza.
- With deal seemingly imminent, Egypt said urgently summoning Palestinian Authority head
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to arrive in Cairo tomorrow, according to remarks by the PA envoy in Egypt Diab al-Louh quoted by Arab media.
According to the Saudi Asharq news outlet, the official reason for the Palestinian leader’s trip is an invitation by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to attend the preparatory meeting of the D-8, an economic forum of eight developing Islamic countries of which the Palestinian Authority is not a member, ahead of a summit of the same organization that will kick off in Cairo on Thursday.
The pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Al Mayadeen channel reported earlier today that Abbas was summoned by Egypt for an “urgent visit,” amid growing indications that a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas is imminent.
Hostage Updates
The rumor mill is working overtime and there are many positive signs that a deal for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is brewing. It is important to remember that there is no deal until there is a deal. Since July, Hamas has been ready for a deal in stages according to the Israeli demand, but Hamas emphasized that without an Israeli commitment to end the war in the second stage, including a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including international guarantees to end the war, Hamas will not agree to a deal. It is also important to remember that Hamas has been ready since September for a comprehensive deal to end the war, return all the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and even agreed to give up control in Gaza. What is brewing now, perhaps, is a major Egyptian-Qatari effort to reach a deal in stages. Their pressure is also seen in the rumor that Hamas has submitted a list (apparently partial) of hostages that they know are alive. Mahmoud Abbas was hastily invited to come to Cairo tonight - apparently Egyptian pressure on him to agree to an outline for running Gaza with the support of the Palestinian Authority, but not really under Abbas. Hamas is under tremendous pressure from the Palestinians in Gaza to bring an end to the war. One of Hamas' leaders, a Gazan who is in Cairo, was severely beaten up along with his son while shopping at the City Stars mall in Cairo by exiled Gazans who recognized him. Hamas in Gaza is quite broken up and they know that they can no longer control Gaza. Public anger against Hamas is erupting throughout Gaza. At the same time, Hamas will not agree to release all the hostages if the IDF remains in Gaza, and even if there is a temporary ceasefire, it will not last if Israel intends to prevent the free movement of a million Gazans who want to return to their homes that no longer exist. Gaza is completely destroyed. Someone told me yesterday that Jabalia no longer exists - it has been wiped out. This is the situation in most parts of the Strip. I welcome any hostages who are released, but I say that a comprehensive deal can be reached that returns everyone, and it is a shame that the Israeli government is still willing to sacrifice Israeli hostages. Gershon Baskin. Dec 17,2024 -- As my brother wrote, the rumor mill is working overtime. Earlier Reuters reported that Netanyahu was on a plane to Cairo probably to finalize a hostage and following that report, there was a report based on assumption that his trip to Cairo was the reason that the judges in his criminal trial agreed to cancel today's trial session, since the Military Censor has forbidden reports on the reason. It turns out that Netanyahu did not go to Cairo and in fact, was on the Syrian Golan Heights. All reports and information about the hostage negotiations are all speculation, spins and assumptions. As my brother wrote today and so many other times "There is no deal until there is a deal"!
Progress in Negotiations for a Deal: A Meeting of Working-Level Teams in Qatar – and the Gaps Between Israel and Hamas | Exclusive Report
The meeting of teams in Qatar aimed to pave the way for further negotiations at the senior level • Netanyahu asked Trump to exert pressure on the mediators and clarified: only a phased framework will ensure Hamas cannot deceive Israel • The Prime Minister maintains a veil of secrecy, with a senior official claiming: “The Cabinet is like a press conference; bringing the issues there will torpedo the negotiations.” As Trump prepares to enter the White House, he has turned the hourglass and begun pressuring Hamas to move towards a deal. Signs of compromise are also emerging from Israel, with Defense Minister Israel Katz stating, contrary to his previous remarks, that the Philadelphi Route and Netzarim Corridor will not pose an obstacle. The positive signals, the hurdles, and Netanyahu's secrecy—full details published with the approval of the censor.Positive indications are emerging from both sides, reflected on the ground. A delegation of working-level teams traveled to meet their counterparts in Doha to explore ways to advance the deal. The meeting, held in light of indications that Hamas is willing and ready to talk, was intended to pave the way for continued negotiations at a senior level. Should the process move forward, the upcoming meetings will become “summits” involving higher-level officials. For now, the gaps between the sides remain significant, with the main sticking point being the number of captives to be released. There are also disagreements regarding the deployment of forces on the ground and disputes over prisoners.
At this stage, discussions are focused only on the first phase of the deal. Israeli officials mention Hamas’s flexibility but note that there will naturally be flexibility on Israel’s part as well. A source familiar with the details emphasizes that, in any case, this will be a difficult deal, involving the significant release of high-profile prisoners (“Sinwar-types”). The decisions are tough, so resolutions will not be reached tomorrow or the day after. There is still a long way to go, with many critical milestones and obstacles to be overcome. However, this negotiation has a clear deadline: Trump’s inauguration as President on January 20.
“We are doing everything in our power to assist in the return of the captives. We are working hard on this,” Trump said. “I had a very good conversation with Bibi. We discussed what’s going to happen. I will be very available on January 20, and we’ll see. I issued a warning: if the captives are not returned home by that date, the gates of hell will open upon them (Hamas) – with great force.”
This evening, on the “Main Edition,” we revealed additional details about the recent conversation that took place two days ago between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Trump. In this discussion, and in other conversations between senior Israeli officials and senior officials in the emerging U.S. administration, the necessity of a phased framework for the release of captives was emphasized.
The Demand to Trump: Pressure the Mediators, Support a Phased Framework
Netanyahu stressed to Trump that only a phased framework will ensure Hamas cannot deceive Israel or the mediators. According to him, this framework is suitable for anyone who wants the war to end, as it preserves Israel’s ability to resume fighting should Hamas violate its commitments.As we reported yesterday, the Prime Minister asked the President-elect to exert pressure on the mediators to influence Hamas to increase the number of captives to be released – and to disclose their identities. This issue, as stated, constitutes the core of the dispute between the parties.
Netanyahu's Veil of Secrecy
To prevent leaks and political upheavals, the Prime Minister and the negotiation teams are maintaining, for now, a veil of secrecy. Ministers in the Cabinet emphasized that, as of now, they themselves have been exposed to very few details in the closed discussions. For example, yesterday the issue of the deal did not come up in the Cabinet, as the Prime Minister himself refrained from holding discussions on the matter until the conditions mature—despite repeated requests from several ministers.“The Cabinet is like a press conference,” a senior official told N12. “Bringing the issues there will definitely torpedo the negotiations. There is an understanding that only when things mature and are brought for discussion will everyone make their decisions.”
From the Prime Minister’s Office, it was stated: “Netanyahu is doing everything to maximize the number of live captives who will return, as happened a year ago. The war will end when Israel achieves all its objectives in Gaza.” link
US President Joe Biden pledges to free the remaining 100 hostages still in Gaza, while addressing his final White House Hanukkah party.
“I’ve gotten over 100 hostages out. I will not stop until I get every single one of them home,” Biden says to cheers from hundreds in the audience.
Speaking before Biden is Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who has led the administration’s efforts to combat antisemitism.
“Tonight, I am rededicating myself to fighting antisemitism and hatred of all kinds,” Emhoff says, pledging to continue his efforts after the administration’s term ends in just over a month.
Introducing Biden is deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology Anne Neuberger, who thanks the president for “pay[ing] a shiva call” to Israel, referring to his visit to Israel days after Hamas’s October 7 onslaught.
Biden reiterates his belief that you don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist.
“And I’m a Zionist,” he says to applause.
On the menu at the Hanukkah party are latkes, pareve sour cream and thin cuts of beef tenderloin, along with jelly- and chocolate-filled donuts.
The Deal Under Discussion: 60 Days of Ceasefire, Hostage Return, and Prisoner Release
The American media reported, citing an official Hamas source, that the terror organization is not insisting on ending the war in the first stage of the deal or on an Israeli military withdrawal. According to the report, the deal would begin with a 60-day ceasefire. The official stated that Hamas insists on the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza. Additionally, Hamas demands the release of security prisoners in exchange for the hostages.
According to the reports, while Hamas does not publicly compromise on its demands, in practice, it appears to be softening its positions to bring them closer to Israel's. The Washington Post reported that last Friday, Hamas provided Israel, through mediators, with a list of live hostages. link Like so much of the 'information' being distributed about a hostage deal, these statements are unofficial and likely speculation and spin. No Hamas official has come out publicly with these statements nor has anyone from any of the negotiating teams. As opposed to most of the previous hostage discussions, information is apparently not leaking by any side and details are being kept very close to the vest. This is actually a good thing. The bad thing is that the Israeli officials who do make nominal statements and are supposedly more in the know, insist that only a phased deal is acceptable to Netanyahu which means only a small amount of hostages would be released in the first phase, most likely lasting 60 days and the rest of the hostages left behind will continue to deteriorate, weaken and many will die in these 60 days of winter. And there is always strong doubt that we will reach a second phase as Netanyahu chose to cancel the first deal while there was still a chance to get more hostages home in November 2023. Netanyahu will maintain his priority of his personal and political needs over the lives of the hostages, so if it isn't in his interest to continue with the deal to the next phase, the remaining hostages are literally doomed.
Hamas asserts a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza is possible if Israel “stops setting new conditions,” according to a statement.
The statement comes after sources briefed on meetings related to the ceasefire talks told Reuters that a deal is expected to be signed in the coming days. link This statement is absolutely crucial. It wasn't Israel who was each time setting new conditions. It was Netanyahu who did that and each time it was to kill the possibility of any deal being confirmed because it would hurt his political position. Everyone of the negotiating teams and country's leaders knew that Netanyahu was doing this and why and it frustrated all of them. Everyone is hoping that the conditions are right for Netanyahu to finally agree to a deal and stop killing them, so that the hostages can truly come home: the living to rehabilitation and the dead to proper burial. Unfortunately, there will also be hostages who's whereabouts will never be known and they will forever be lost in Gaza.
- With deal seemingly imminent, Egypt said urgently summoning Palestinian Authority head
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to arrive in Cairo tomorrow, according to remarks by the PA envoy in Egypt Diab al-Louh quoted by Arab media.
According to the Saudi Asharq news outlet, the official reason for the Palestinian leader’s trip is an invitation by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to attend the preparatory meeting of the D-8, an economic forum of eight developing Islamic countries of which the Palestinian Authority is not a member, ahead of a summit of the same organization that will kick off in Cairo on Thursday.
The pro-Hezbollah Lebanese Al Mayadeen channel reported earlier today that Abbas was summoned by Egypt for an “urgent visit,” amid growing indications that a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas is imminent.
Gaza and the South
- Katz: Israel to maintain security control over Gaza after war, with full freedom to act
Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel will continue to rule over Gaza militarily after the war.
“Once we defeat Hamas’s military power and ruling power in Gaza, Israel will control security in Gaza with full freedom to act, just as in Judea and Samaria,” he says, in reference to the West Bank.
“We will not allow any terrorist activity against Israeli communities and citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the pre-October 7 reality.” link Katz is a yesman and mouthpiece of Netanyahu, so this statement can be viewed as coming directly from Netanyahu's mouth. This is not only a dangerous statement, it is a plan to appease his extreme right wing messianic coalition partners who want to settle all of Gaza and transfer out the Palestinian population and it is a sure fire way to destroy our economy and the civilian population who serve in the reserves as well as endanger and guarantee the continued killings of our soldiers for as long as we maintain the military governing of Gaza. This plan means that Israel is responsible for all municipal functions of the occupied area (food distribution, health services, education, garbage, and the list goes on and on) and will require the constant presence of tens of thousands of soldiers. It has been estimated by the army financial offices (who know how to calculate this onus) that it will cost Israel 25 billion shekels a year/$7 billion). And this is after the devastating impact of a war for the last 14 months that will be felt by every citizen for more than a decade due to new tax burdens to cover the costs of the war. This isn't leadership, this isn't protecting the country. It is further abandonment by this corrupt and failed government to damn the future of everyone living here, Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Furthermore, Katz's use of the West Bank as the example of how we will 'manage' Gaza should set off an alert the size of the Empire State Building. For 57 years, we have been occupying the West Bank and its population, depriving them of civil and human rights, maintaining their governing with Military law that oppresses them while their settler 'neighbors' enjoy the full benefits of Israeli law and beyond. Anyone who doesn't see the harm that we have caused another people and the terrible price that we have paid for this occupation (not only in economic terms but social behavior and norms) is willfully blind and ignorant. When anyone says that the Palestinians in the West Bank have it better than in the neighboring Arab countries, it is infuriating. None of these people have been in a Palestinian village to see up close how they live under military rule. They've most likely never been in a Israeli Arab village as well. And if asked if they would be willing to change places with any of the Palestinians under our military occupation, you will never see anyone's hand raised.
And anyone who really believes that our occupation allows them to have good lives and prevents the growth of terror organizations and the nurturing of terrorists is only deluding themselves. The very nature of an oppressive military occupation breeds resistance and never ending warfare. That is what Katz and his spineless leader Netanyahu have in store for all of us.
IDF says it destroyed Gaza tunnel used by Hamas to attack and kill soldiers
A tunnel in northern Gaza’s Jabalia used by a Hamas cell in an attack that killed three soldiers in October was recently discovered and destroyed, the military says.
In the attack on October 10, three reserve soldiers of the 460th Brigade were killed by a roadside bomb.
The IDF says Givati soldiers located the tunnel shaft where the cell had been holed up, which connected to a 500-meter-long underground passage. Combat engineers then demolished the tunnel. video
- Amid PA crackdown in Jenin, videos seem to show gunmen acknowledging ties to Iran
Unverified videos circulating on social media show Palestinian gunmen in Jenin acknowledging their connections to the Islamic Republic of Iran and its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and pledging their commitment to Tehran’s objective of exporting the Islamic Revolution.
“From here, from Palestine, from the Jenin Battalion, from the free and honorable people of Palestine, we send our greetings to the Islamic Republic of Iran, to Imam Ali Khamenei, and we will soon establish the state of the Imam Mahdi,” a masked gunman says in one of the videos.
That figure is mostly revered in the Shiite Islam that is practiced in Iran, and is less relevant to the Sunni Islam practiced in the Palestinian territories, raising questions about the authenticity of the videos, with some critics of the PA claiming that the clips have been fabricated by the PA as part of its propaganda against rival factions.
Over the past days, Palestinian Authority security forces have been engaged in a crackdown on terror groups in Jenin, and on Saturday killed the local leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Yazid Jaysa.
On Sunday, the US reportedly asked Israel to approve the urgent delivery of military assistance to the PA as it attempts to restore order in Jenin. Some have viewed the PA’s ongoing crackdown on armed factions in Jenin as an attempt by Ramallah to prove it can assert military control over West Bank territories under its jurisdiction, in preparation for a role it seeks to play in the future governance of the Gaza Strip.
Since at least 2022, Iran has inundated the West Bank with arms, smuggling them across the border from Jordan to foment unrest with Israel, according to a report published in April by The New York Times.
The Islamic Republic has long provided financial support to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups as part of its Axis of Resistance against Israel, which has suffered heavy blows after the decimation of the military capabilities of Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon and the fall of the Iran-backed Assad regime in Syria.
Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel will continue to rule over Gaza militarily after the war.
“Once we defeat Hamas’s military power and ruling power in Gaza, Israel will control security in Gaza with full freedom to act, just as in Judea and Samaria,” he says, in reference to the West Bank.
“We will not allow any terrorist activity against Israeli communities and citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the pre-October 7 reality.” link Katz is a yesman and mouthpiece of Netanyahu, so this statement can be viewed as coming directly from Netanyahu's mouth. This is not only a dangerous statement, it is a plan to appease his extreme right wing messianic coalition partners who want to settle all of Gaza and transfer out the Palestinian population and it is a sure fire way to destroy our economy and the civilian population who serve in the reserves as well as endanger and guarantee the continued killings of our soldiers for as long as we maintain the military governing of Gaza. This plan means that Israel is responsible for all municipal functions of the occupied area (food distribution, health services, education, garbage, and the list goes on and on) and will require the constant presence of tens of thousands of soldiers. It has been estimated by the army financial offices (who know how to calculate this onus) that it will cost Israel 25 billion shekels a year/$7 billion). And this is after the devastating impact of a war for the last 14 months that will be felt by every citizen for more than a decade due to new tax burdens to cover the costs of the war. This isn't leadership, this isn't protecting the country. It is further abandonment by this corrupt and failed government to damn the future of everyone living here, Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Furthermore, Katz's use of the West Bank as the example of how we will 'manage' Gaza should set off an alert the size of the Empire State Building. For 57 years, we have been occupying the West Bank and its population, depriving them of civil and human rights, maintaining their governing with Military law that oppresses them while their settler 'neighbors' enjoy the full benefits of Israeli law and beyond. Anyone who doesn't see the harm that we have caused another people and the terrible price that we have paid for this occupation (not only in economic terms but social behavior and norms) is willfully blind and ignorant. When anyone says that the Palestinians in the West Bank have it better than in the neighboring Arab countries, it is infuriating. None of these people have been in a Palestinian village to see up close how they live under military rule. They've most likely never been in a Israeli Arab village as well. And if asked if they would be willing to change places with any of the Palestinians under our military occupation, you will never see anyone's hand raised.
And anyone who really believes that our occupation allows them to have good lives and prevents the growth of terror organizations and the nurturing of terrorists is only deluding themselves. The very nature of an oppressive military occupation breeds resistance and never ending warfare. That is what Katz and his spineless leader Netanyahu have in store for all of us.
IDF says it destroyed Gaza tunnel used by Hamas to attack and kill soldiers
In the attack on October 10, three reserve soldiers of the 460th Brigade were killed by a roadside bomb.
The IDF says Givati soldiers located the tunnel shaft where the cell had been holed up, which connected to a 500-meter-long underground passage. Combat engineers then demolished the tunnel. video
Unverified videos circulating on social media show Palestinian gunmen in Jenin acknowledging their connections to the Islamic Republic of Iran and its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and pledging their commitment to Tehran’s objective of exporting the Islamic Revolution.
“From here, from Palestine, from the Jenin Battalion, from the free and honorable people of Palestine, we send our greetings to the Islamic Republic of Iran, to Imam Ali Khamenei, and we will soon establish the state of the Imam Mahdi,” a masked gunman says in one of the videos.
That figure is mostly revered in the Shiite Islam that is practiced in Iran, and is less relevant to the Sunni Islam practiced in the Palestinian territories, raising questions about the authenticity of the videos, with some critics of the PA claiming that the clips have been fabricated by the PA as part of its propaganda against rival factions.
Over the past days, Palestinian Authority security forces have been engaged in a crackdown on terror groups in Jenin, and on Saturday killed the local leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Yazid Jaysa.
On Sunday, the US reportedly asked Israel to approve the urgent delivery of military assistance to the PA as it attempts to restore order in Jenin. Some have viewed the PA’s ongoing crackdown on armed factions in Jenin as an attempt by Ramallah to prove it can assert military control over West Bank territories under its jurisdiction, in preparation for a role it seeks to play in the future governance of the Gaza Strip.
Since at least 2022, Iran has inundated the West Bank with arms, smuggling them across the border from Jordan to foment unrest with Israel, according to a report published in April by The New York Times.
The Islamic Republic has long provided financial support to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror groups as part of its Axis of Resistance against Israel, which has suffered heavy blows after the decimation of the military capabilities of Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon and the fall of the Iran-backed Assad regime in Syria.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
The Surprising Statement of the Lebanese Politician: Let’s Make Peace with Israel
Wiam Wahhab, closely affiliated with Hezbollah, was interviewed on the Lebanese Al-Jadeed channel and made an unusual statement: "I suggest that the Shiites normalize relations." According to him, the axis of resistance ended with the elimination of Soleimani and Nasrallah: "There is no winner except Netanyahu."
The Druze-Lebanese politician Wiam Wahhab, known for his closeness to Hezbollah, gave an interview yesterday (Sunday) to the Lebanese Al-Jadeed channel and delivered a surprising statement. "Resolution 1701 is a guarantee for you. It is an internationally protected area. Move toward peace (with Israel - ed.) — that is my opinion, if anyone asks me," he said.
"We had this axis that was a metaphor for Qassem Soleimani and Hassan Nasrallah," Wahhab added, leader of the Lebanese Arab Unification Party. "Soleimani was killed, and with him, half of the axis. The rest of the axis is no longer there. Who still believes in this axis?" he wondered. "I suggest that the Shiites normalize relations."
Wahhab claimed that he acted as a mediator conveying messages between Israel and Syria. According to him, these messages were transmitted through a third party to General Maher al-Assad, the brother of Bashar al-Assad. "They think Bashar is lying and that he is skilled, so they don’t trust him," he said. Wahhab noted that in order to stop Syria from assisting in arming Hezbollah, Israel intended to cut off the weapons transfer corridor from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria.
Regarding the war, Wahhab emphasized: "There is no winner except Netanyahu. No one else will do it for us. I was a cog dealing with the devil to protect my tribe."
Meanwhile, three weeks after the ceasefire in southern Lebanon took effect, the work remains incomplete. Forces are still deployed in the field, continuing operations until the withdrawal from Lebanon is finalized. Last night, before the cameras of Israel’s Channel 12 News, the scale of destruction in the villages was documented and revealed.
"The destruction is immense," explained Brigadier General Shai Kapler, commander of the 91st Division, who is closely familiar with the achievements. It is almost impossible to locate a structure that hasn’t been destroyed or damaged. "We are enforcing a lot and implementing this agreement on the ground without compromise," added Major Hytham Rabah of the 91st Division.
The real test will begin in six weeks when the IDF is required to withdraw. link
The leader of the Syrian revolution, Abu al-Jilani: "We are committed to the agreement with Israel from 1974. Syrian territory will not be used to attack Israel. The international community must also ensure Israel's commitment to the agreement."
Residents of Villages in the Syrian Golan and Rebels Hand Over Weapons to the IDF
Israeli security forces continue to operate in the buffer zone to establish a defensive line for the residents of the Golan Heights • As part of the effort, numerous weapons captured by rebel forces after Assad’s fall are being collected, including chemical warfare materials • The IDF is preparing for a prolonged stay in the buffer zone and collaboration with local residents.
The IDF continues to operate in the buffer zone and Syrian villages beyond the border. In exclusive footage revealed this evening (Sunday) on the "Main Edition," Syrian villagers are seen together loading numerous trucks with weapons collected beyond the Israeli border and transferring them into Israeli territory.
Hundreds of ammunition boxes, mortars, bombs, grenades, and weapons of various types are being handed over to Israeli security forces by the rebels and residents of Syrian Golan villages. This is one of the main reasons the IDF maintains control over strategic points along the Syrian border, from Mount Hermon southward.
The many weapons that are handed over to the security forces Photo: News 12
"We found several weapons loaded with chemical warfare materials," report soldiers on the ground. "You can see cheap grenades filled with chemical substances that need a mechanism to activate them. There are boxes filled with grenades containing chemical agents that cause irritation and must not be touched directly."
The army of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against rebel forces since the outbreak of the war more than a decade ago. Now, after the rebels gained control of chemical weapons stockpiles, these are being handed over to the IDF and making their way into Israel.
Syrian rebels next to IDF soldiers | Photo: News 12
Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the army to prepare for a prolonged presence in the buffer zone, at least until international pressure prevails, along with the stabilization of the new regime in Syria. The defense establishment is working to establish full cooperation with the residents of villages beyond the border, who have already cooperated with Israeli security forces to prevent hostile elements from entering the area. These efforts may contribute to the IDF’s decision to establish a defensive line for the residents of the Israeli Golan from the buffer zone, as long as it remains feasible. link
Syria rebel leader: We won’t become ‘launchpad for attacks’ on Israel; IDF must leave buffer zone
The head of the Syrian rebel group the led to the ouster of Bashar al-Assad argues that the emerging leadership won’t let Syria become a staging ground for attacks on Israel or other countries.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously went by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani, also says in an interview with The Times, a British outlet, that Israel must stop bombing Syria and withdraw from the buffer zone between the countries which Israel seized after Assad’s fall.
Israel says the move is defensive and temporary until matters clear up in Syria amid the upheaval, arguing that a 1974 disengagement deal that created the demilitarized zone has collapsed since there’s nobody on the Syrian side to uphold it and that the move is aimed at preventing jihadists from taking over the area and threatening Israel.
“Israel’s justification was the presence of Hezbollah and Iranian militias, so that justification is gone,” al-Sharaa claims.
“We are committed to the 1974 agreement and we are prepared to return the UN [monitors],” he adds. “We do not want any conflict whether with Israel or anyone else and we will not let Syria be used as a launchpad for attacks. The Syrian people need a break, and the strikes must end and Israel has to pull back to its previous positions.”
The Surprising Statement of the Lebanese Politician: Let’s Make Peace with Israel
Wiam Wahhab, closely affiliated with Hezbollah, was interviewed on the Lebanese Al-Jadeed channel and made an unusual statement: "I suggest that the Shiites normalize relations." According to him, the axis of resistance ended with the elimination of Soleimani and Nasrallah: "There is no winner except Netanyahu."
The Druze-Lebanese politician Wiam Wahhab, known for his closeness to Hezbollah, gave an interview yesterday (Sunday) to the Lebanese Al-Jadeed channel and delivered a surprising statement. "Resolution 1701 is a guarantee for you. It is an internationally protected area. Move toward peace (with Israel - ed.) — that is my opinion, if anyone asks me," he said.
"We had this axis that was a metaphor for Qassem Soleimani and Hassan Nasrallah," Wahhab added, leader of the Lebanese Arab Unification Party. "Soleimani was killed, and with him, half of the axis. The rest of the axis is no longer there. Who still believes in this axis?" he wondered. "I suggest that the Shiites normalize relations."
Wahhab claimed that he acted as a mediator conveying messages between Israel and Syria. According to him, these messages were transmitted through a third party to General Maher al-Assad, the brother of Bashar al-Assad. "They think Bashar is lying and that he is skilled, so they don’t trust him," he said. Wahhab noted that in order to stop Syria from assisting in arming Hezbollah, Israel intended to cut off the weapons transfer corridor from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria.
Regarding the war, Wahhab emphasized: "There is no winner except Netanyahu. No one else will do it for us. I was a cog dealing with the devil to protect my tribe."
Meanwhile, three weeks after the ceasefire in southern Lebanon took effect, the work remains incomplete. Forces are still deployed in the field, continuing operations until the withdrawal from Lebanon is finalized. Last night, before the cameras of Israel’s Channel 12 News, the scale of destruction in the villages was documented and revealed.
"The destruction is immense," explained Brigadier General Shai Kapler, commander of the 91st Division, who is closely familiar with the achievements. It is almost impossible to locate a structure that hasn’t been destroyed or damaged. "We are enforcing a lot and implementing this agreement on the ground without compromise," added Major Hytham Rabah of the 91st Division.
The leader of the Syrian revolution, Abu al-Jilani: "We are committed to the agreement with Israel from 1974. Syrian territory will not be used to attack Israel. The international community must also ensure Israel's commitment to the agreement."
Residents of Villages in the Syrian Golan and Rebels Hand Over Weapons to the IDF
Israeli security forces continue to operate in the buffer zone to establish a defensive line for the residents of the Golan Heights • As part of the effort, numerous weapons captured by rebel forces after Assad’s fall are being collected, including chemical warfare materials • The IDF is preparing for a prolonged stay in the buffer zone and collaboration with local residents.
The IDF continues to operate in the buffer zone and Syrian villages beyond the border. In exclusive footage revealed this evening (Sunday) on the "Main Edition," Syrian villagers are seen together loading numerous trucks with weapons collected beyond the Israeli border and transferring them into Israeli territory.
Hundreds of ammunition boxes, mortars, bombs, grenades, and weapons of various types are being handed over to Israeli security forces by the rebels and residents of Syrian Golan villages. This is one of the main reasons the IDF maintains control over strategic points along the Syrian border, from Mount Hermon southward.
"We found several weapons loaded with chemical warfare materials," report soldiers on the ground. "You can see cheap grenades filled with chemical substances that need a mechanism to activate them. There are boxes filled with grenades containing chemical agents that cause irritation and must not be touched directly."
The army of former Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against rebel forces since the outbreak of the war more than a decade ago. Now, after the rebels gained control of chemical weapons stockpiles, these are being handed over to the IDF and making their way into Israel.
Defense Minister Israel Katz has instructed the army to prepare for a prolonged presence in the buffer zone, at least until international pressure prevails, along with the stabilization of the new regime in Syria. The defense establishment is working to establish full cooperation with the residents of villages beyond the border, who have already cooperated with Israeli security forces to prevent hostile elements from entering the area. These efforts may contribute to the IDF’s decision to establish a defensive line for the residents of the Israeli Golan from the buffer zone, as long as it remains feasible. link
Syria rebel leader: We won’t become ‘launchpad for attacks’ on Israel; IDF must leave buffer zone
The head of the Syrian rebel group the led to the ouster of Bashar al-Assad argues that the emerging leadership won’t let Syria become a staging ground for attacks on Israel or other countries.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, who previously went by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Julani, also says in an interview with The Times, a British outlet, that Israel must stop bombing Syria and withdraw from the buffer zone between the countries which Israel seized after Assad’s fall.
Israel says the move is defensive and temporary until matters clear up in Syria amid the upheaval, arguing that a 1974 disengagement deal that created the demilitarized zone has collapsed since there’s nobody on the Syrian side to uphold it and that the move is aimed at preventing jihadists from taking over the area and threatening Israel.
“Israel’s justification was the presence of Hezbollah and Iranian militias, so that justification is gone,” al-Sharaa claims.
“We are committed to the 1974 agreement and we are prepared to return the UN [monitors],” he adds. “We do not want any conflict whether with Israel or anyone else and we will not let Syria be used as a launchpad for attacks. The Syrian people need a break, and the strikes must end and Israel has to pull back to its previous positions.”
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
Politics and the War (general news)
- Annual survey: Less than 20% of Israelis rate country’s situation as good/very good; 58% believe democracy in danger
Fewer than one in five Israelis rate the country’s overall situation as “good” or “very good” in the Israel Democracy Institute’s 2024 Israeli Democracy Index.
At the same time, some two-thirds of Israelis still believe the country is a good place to live. The survey finds a strong sense of belonging to the state among a majority of Jews and a smaller majority of Arabs despite challenges.
The survey was initially conducted in May 2024 and then revisited in October. It thus does not reflect the most recent political and regional events, including the ceasefire in Lebanon and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
The poll finds that 58% of Israelis believe Israeli democracy is in danger. Among Jews, the figure is 54%; among Arabs, it is 77.5%.
Trust in the police has gone down to 37%, especially after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The IDF enjoys the highest levels of trust among state institutions, at 77%.
The Index finds that sentiments of national cohesion had peaked after October 7 and have since gone down, though they are still higher than in previous years. Right-left political disputes are regarded as most the important issue among Jews, while tensions between Jews and Arabs is the main issue among Arabs.
Only 25.5% of Jews think the state can be trusted, compared to 81% who say they can rely on their fellow Israelis in times of need; 62% of Arabs believe they can trust their fellow countrymen. link In my 41 years of living in Israel, I have never seen the country at such a low point. As this poll shows, the majority of Israelis believe that our democracy is in danger. In fact, it has been in danger for years but most Israelis were purposely blind to the fact that democracy cannot exist when millions of people that fall under the State's legal responsibility have almost no civil and human rights and absolutely no rights to decide on their fate. Between the river and the sea are equal amounts of Israeli Jews and Palestinians, mostly Muslims, both Israeli citizens and not, approximately 7 million of each, yet the Jews retain more rights than most of the Muslims who are citizens and certainly considerable more rights than the non citizen Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. However, beyond this demographic problem of diverse democratic rights, the greater danger now is that of this government who have been acting since its installation as the government, to destroy the basic democratic laws and institutions that make up democracy. Even though a manual of instructions to destroy a democracy doesn't exist as such, there are well known things, historically that have been done to destroy a democracy and become an autocracy and dictatorship. The first things that gets attacked and abusively changed through undemocratic laws are the judicial system, the free and independent press, the police and the educational system. This government, from day one focused on overthrowing the judicial system which brought the largest continuous demonstrations in our history with hundreds of thousands in the streets every week to protest and prevent this judicial overthrown. This happened to be a catalyst for Hamas to choose a time when it viewed the country and the people's resolve at a very low point, to attack. October 7 brought a freeze to the government's attempts to overthrow the judicial system and all hoped that it dashed the government's appetite for it. Unfortunately, this corrupt and failed government still views judicial overthrow as one of its major necessities and even throughout the worst parts of the war, with soldiers and hostages dying everyday, they continued to push their laws through, albeit more quietly. Now, they are back to being vocal about it and they have no regard for the wishes of the public or their fears and are trying to bring down the very little of democracy that we have left.
- An Israeli civilian from Jerusalem has been arrested for carrying out missions on behalf of Iran and planning a terror attack, the Shin Bet security agency and police say, in the latest in a series of plots involving civilians allegedly recruited by Iran that security agencies say have been foiled in recent months.
The suspect, Arlder Israel Amoyal, 23, was detained in November over suspicions he was “committing security offenses related to contact with intelligence officials of the Iranian regime and carrying out security missions in Israel under their direction, for financial gain,” according to the Shin Bet.
The investigation found that since October, Amoyal was in contact with Iranian intelligence elements via social media. The Shin Bet says he was first in contact with a profile using the handle “Arianna,” who later transferred him to “John,” who became his handler.
According to the investigation, Amoyal was aware that John was an Iranian operative, but he still agreed to carry out surveillance and other missions, including photographing various addresses and spraying graffiti. The Shin Bet says Amoyal took photos of a paper with the words “Making Peace” in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, graffitied the word “Sinwar” in Tel Aviv, and took photos of several houses and streets in Netanya and Jerusalem.
Amoyal purchased a GoPro camera to film his actions, and he sent footage to his handler, the agency says. He also edited a video of a car burning, the Shin Bet says, although it is unclear if he set it on fire.
In addition, Amoyal allegedly searched social media to purchase a firearm and silencer, along with materials to manufacture a bomb. The Shin Bet says he watched instructional videos on how to build an explosive device in order to carry out a terror attack in Israel.
Amoyal also worked to recruit others to carry out missions for Iran, especially people with criminal backgrounds, the agency says.
According to the Shin Bet, Amoyal suggested to his handler to set fire to a police cruiser and to act to shut down power to the Jerusalem light rail. He filmed various areas of the light rail in an attempt to locate the power supply and sent the footage to John, the agency says.
Amoyal was rewarded with cryptocurrency for his actions, the Shin Bet adds.
An indictment is expected to be filed against Amoyal in the coming days.
Fewer than one in five Israelis rate the country’s overall situation as “good” or “very good” in the Israel Democracy Institute’s 2024 Israeli Democracy Index.
At the same time, some two-thirds of Israelis still believe the country is a good place to live. The survey finds a strong sense of belonging to the state among a majority of Jews and a smaller majority of Arabs despite challenges.
The survey was initially conducted in May 2024 and then revisited in October. It thus does not reflect the most recent political and regional events, including the ceasefire in Lebanon and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
The poll finds that 58% of Israelis believe Israeli democracy is in danger. Among Jews, the figure is 54%; among Arabs, it is 77.5%.
Trust in the police has gone down to 37%, especially after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. The IDF enjoys the highest levels of trust among state institutions, at 77%.
The Index finds that sentiments of national cohesion had peaked after October 7 and have since gone down, though they are still higher than in previous years. Right-left political disputes are regarded as most the important issue among Jews, while tensions between Jews and Arabs is the main issue among Arabs.
Only 25.5% of Jews think the state can be trusted, compared to 81% who say they can rely on their fellow Israelis in times of need; 62% of Arabs believe they can trust their fellow countrymen. link In my 41 years of living in Israel, I have never seen the country at such a low point. As this poll shows, the majority of Israelis believe that our democracy is in danger. In fact, it has been in danger for years but most Israelis were purposely blind to the fact that democracy cannot exist when millions of people that fall under the State's legal responsibility have almost no civil and human rights and absolutely no rights to decide on their fate. Between the river and the sea are equal amounts of Israeli Jews and Palestinians, mostly Muslims, both Israeli citizens and not, approximately 7 million of each, yet the Jews retain more rights than most of the Muslims who are citizens and certainly considerable more rights than the non citizen Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. However, beyond this demographic problem of diverse democratic rights, the greater danger now is that of this government who have been acting since its installation as the government, to destroy the basic democratic laws and institutions that make up democracy. Even though a manual of instructions to destroy a democracy doesn't exist as such, there are well known things, historically that have been done to destroy a democracy and become an autocracy and dictatorship. The first things that gets attacked and abusively changed through undemocratic laws are the judicial system, the free and independent press, the police and the educational system. This government, from day one focused on overthrowing the judicial system which brought the largest continuous demonstrations in our history with hundreds of thousands in the streets every week to protest and prevent this judicial overthrown. This happened to be a catalyst for Hamas to choose a time when it viewed the country and the people's resolve at a very low point, to attack. October 7 brought a freeze to the government's attempts to overthrow the judicial system and all hoped that it dashed the government's appetite for it. Unfortunately, this corrupt and failed government still views judicial overthrow as one of its major necessities and even throughout the worst parts of the war, with soldiers and hostages dying everyday, they continued to push their laws through, albeit more quietly. Now, they are back to being vocal about it and they have no regard for the wishes of the public or their fears and are trying to bring down the very little of democracy that we have left.
The suspect, Arlder Israel Amoyal, 23, was detained in November over suspicions he was “committing security offenses related to contact with intelligence officials of the Iranian regime and carrying out security missions in Israel under their direction, for financial gain,” according to the Shin Bet.
The investigation found that since October, Amoyal was in contact with Iranian intelligence elements via social media. The Shin Bet says he was first in contact with a profile using the handle “Arianna,” who later transferred him to “John,” who became his handler.
According to the investigation, Amoyal was aware that John was an Iranian operative, but he still agreed to carry out surveillance and other missions, including photographing various addresses and spraying graffiti. The Shin Bet says Amoyal took photos of a paper with the words “Making Peace” in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, graffitied the word “Sinwar” in Tel Aviv, and took photos of several houses and streets in Netanya and Jerusalem.
Amoyal purchased a GoPro camera to film his actions, and he sent footage to his handler, the agency says. He also edited a video of a car burning, the Shin Bet says, although it is unclear if he set it on fire.
In addition, Amoyal allegedly searched social media to purchase a firearm and silencer, along with materials to manufacture a bomb. The Shin Bet says he watched instructional videos on how to build an explosive device in order to carry out a terror attack in Israel.
Amoyal also worked to recruit others to carry out missions for Iran, especially people with criminal backgrounds, the agency says.
According to the Shin Bet, Amoyal suggested to his handler to set fire to a police cruiser and to act to shut down power to the Jerusalem light rail. He filmed various areas of the light rail in an attempt to locate the power supply and sent the footage to John, the agency says.
Amoyal was rewarded with cryptocurrency for his actions, the Shin Bet adds.
An indictment is expected to be filed against Amoyal in the coming days.
The Region and the World
- US strikes kill 12 Islamic State group members in Syria
American forces carried out air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria on Monday, killing a dozen of its fighters, the US military says.
“The strikes against the ISIS leaders, operatives and camps were conducted as part of the ongoing mission to disrupt, degrade and defeat ISIS,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) says on social media, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
The aim is to prevent “the terrorist group from conducting external operations and to ensure that ISIS does not seek opportunities to reconstitute in central Syria,” CENTCOM says.
“These recent strikes are in former regime and Russian-controlled areas ensuring pressure is maintained on ISIS,” it adds.
Washington is seeking to prevent the jihadist group from taking advantage of the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, which was overthrown by an Islamist-led rebel alliance that took the capital Damascus on December 8.
Personal Stories
Shortly before Sigal Levi was murdered, her mother accompanied her to buy a wedding dress for her upcoming wedding. That was the last time the mother and daughter met. Sigal was brutally killed in the Nova Festival massacre, three months before the day she had so eagerly awaited. In a moving act of closure, her mother decided to transform the pain into giving by donating the dress to another bride.
American forces carried out air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria on Monday, killing a dozen of its fighters, the US military says.
“The strikes against the ISIS leaders, operatives and camps were conducted as part of the ongoing mission to disrupt, degrade and defeat ISIS,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) says on social media, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
The aim is to prevent “the terrorist group from conducting external operations and to ensure that ISIS does not seek opportunities to reconstitute in central Syria,” CENTCOM says.
“These recent strikes are in former regime and Russian-controlled areas ensuring pressure is maintained on ISIS,” it adds.
Washington is seeking to prevent the jihadist group from taking advantage of the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, which was overthrown by an Islamist-led rebel alliance that took the capital Damascus on December 8.
"This dress carries so much meaning; I wanted whoever buys it to know its story."
"After Sigal was murdered, her wedding dress remained hanging in my bedroom," says Hani, Sigal Levi's grieving mother. "Every day, I would come home, sit on the bed, and look at the dress gathering dust, thinking about Sigal, her dreams, and the wedding date with Yossi that will never come to be."
One of the hardest decisions Hani had to make after her daughter was murdered at the Nova Festival was what to do with the wedding dress—a symbol of her beloved daughter and the joy that was abruptly stolen. "We bought the dress together, just a few days before October 7," she recalls with sorrow. "I remembered that Sigal had planned to donate the dress after the wedding. That was so typical of her; Sigal was a person full of giving."
Eventually, Hani decided to fulfill her daughter's wish. Sigal, a social worker who had spent the last years of her life working with at-risk youth, had wanted to donate the dress to others. Hani reached out to the Women’s Spirit organization, which operates a boutique selling wedding dresses at affordable prices, with all proceeds going to help women affected by violence. Hani’s story left no dry eyes among the organization’s volunteers.
"I came with my family to donate the dress. It was a very emotional day, filled with mixed feelings. It was important to us that whoever buys her wedding dress knows the story behind it—the story of Sigal," she shares.
"She Dreamed of Having Children of Her Own"
Sigal, 31 years old at the time of her murder, was the youngest of four children of Hani and her husband Michael. She grew up in Netanya and was supposed to marry her partner of the past three years, Yossi Atiya, on January 18 this year.
"She was happy with Yossi; she was joyful. They matched, and there was great love between them—I didn’t need more than that as a mother," Hani says about the couple.
Sigal’s excitement was evident when Yossi proposed to her. "They traveled to various places, so we were waiting for him to propose—and one day it happened. She called to tell me first, before the family group chat. She wanted me to know before everyone else."
Sigal had big plans for her wedding, always emphasizing acts of giving. She decided to have a partition at the wedding to honor Yossi’s religious family. She also planned small potted plants as table decorations and gifts for the guests, purchased as donations to children with special needs and at-risk youth.
Hani describes Sigal’s deep love for children:
"Sigal and Yossi already talked about how many kids they wanted to have and even adopted a small dog. She loved children and was waiting for the day she would have her own."
At work, Sigal also excelled with at-risk youth, forming deep connections with them. "She knew how to reach them, touch their hearts," Hani says.
Many of the youth Sigal had helped attended her funeral and the shiva, showcasing how deeply she impacted their lives.
A Life of Giving and Dedication
Sigal’s values of giving were also what led her to the party in Re’im on October 7. She attended the festival as a volunteer with Elem, an organization supporting youth in distress, to help young people at the event. Nine volunteers from Elem’s “Good People” initiative were at the festival, three of whom were murdered in the terrorist attack.
Sigal’s parents knew she was volunteering at a party but did not know it was in Re’im. "She kept texting Yossi," Hani recalls the last moments of her daughter’s life. "She told him they were evacuating the party. We didn’t know anything about it."
The pain of Sigal’s loss continues to reverberate, but her story, her values, and her wedding dress carry forward her legacy of kindness and giving.
Only later did Sigal's close friend inform her parents that she was at the party in Re'im. "Yossi spoke to her just moments before she was murdered," says Hani. "He called us afterward and told us he had a bad feeling."
At first, she was listed as missing. "At 8:20 in the morning, Yossi had his last conversation with Sigal. After that, no one heard from her. We hoped she had been kidnapped and was still alive," says her mother, recalling the mixed emotions that consumed the family at the time. "We’re French, so I reached out to the French consulate that same Saturday to ask for their help. The entire family went to hospitals in the south to look for her. We set up a command center and made calls around the world."
As time passed, pieces of information started to trickle in. The family came to understand that Sigal had been murdered at the party. "Those were incredibly hard days. We learned that the van belonging to the organization she was volunteering for was burned, but we knew she had managed to get out of it. Despite all the horrors we heard—about the charred bodies—Sigal’s body remained intact," Hani painfully recalls. "I didn’t want to identify her, but they identified her by her teeth." Four days after that terrible day, Sigal was laid to rest in the Netanya cemetery.
"When I Donated the Dress, Everything Fell into Place"
The last time Hani saw her daughter was on the day Sigal tried on her wedding dress. "Everything connected to that dress feels symbolic to me," Hani says about a day she will remember for the rest of her life.
"Sigal didn’t like shopping," Hani recalls with a laugh. "She found a website selling wedding dresses on sale and asked me to go with her to Emek Hefer to see them. Yossi, her fiancé, also asked me to tell her not to buy the first dress she tried on but to try a few before deciding. But that’s exactly what she did—she bought the first dress she tried on. She didn’t want to look at any others. This was between Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot, just before October 7.
"Afterward, we sat down to eat, just the two of us. I didn’t even have a chance to take a picture of her in the dress to send to her sister, who was her best friend. I regret that to this day. I did try it on myself that evening so my husband could see it," she laughs. "I don’t have a memory of her in the dress, but I have my own memory."
After Sigal was murdered, Hani wrapped the wedding dress in a bag to protect it from dust. "It was hard for me to look at it. It was in my bedroom, right in front of my eyes. That’s why it wasn’t hard for me to donate it."
When Hani arrived at the Women’s Spirit wedding dress boutique, she felt she was doing the right thing. "Everything fell into place," she says. "The organization doesn’t help at-risk youth like Sigal did, but it supports women at risk, and that resonates so much with Sigal’s essence. It makes me happy to know I’m doing something she would have wanted."
"This dress has so much meaning," she adds. "It was important to me to know who purchased it and that she knows the story behind it. It’s not obvious that someone would agree to buy a wedding dress belonging to someone who was murdered and never got to marry.
"We got in touch with the bride and her mother and found out she had been in the same grade as Sigal. That moved us deeply. She told us about her wedding, sent a picture of herself in the dress, and we’ve kept in touch. She got married on June 27, which is also the birthday of my eldest son, who had certain things in common with Sigal."
"She Wanted to Give Meaning to the Lives of At-Risk Youth"
Sigal had a dream: to establish a coffee cart for at-risk youth. Her family has rallied around the project, which will be dedicated to her memory. "She wanted to give these young people purpose in life, to help them earn money and understand that things can be different," says Hani, adding with sorrow, "I miss the future with Sigal, not the past. She accomplished so much; her life was full. The greatest loss is the wedding and the children. I know she wanted so badly to be a mother. I never got to be the grandmother to her children. She had turquoise eyes, something so special—everyone who met her wrote about her eyes. I cried that I wouldn’t have grandchildren with turquoise eyes like hers."
"Despite all the pain, which will always stay with us, we chose life," Hani concludes. "It’s in our nature. We decided that stopping our lives wouldn’t help. I work, and we go out. We took all the children and grandchildren on a ski trip to Europe, and Yossi joined us too. I know that’s what Sigal would have wanted."
"I tried it on, and it fit me perfectly."
"When Sigal's family came to donate the dress," recalls Sivan Luria, the manager of the Women's Spirit boutique, "it was a particularly powerful and emotional moment because Sigal herself had planned to donate it after her wedding. The meeting with her family at the boutique was filled with emotions—we cried, we laughed, and above all, we were moved to meet a family that found a way to turn their pain into an act of giving and love. Sigal's sister-in-law even decided to join the boutique's team as a volunteer."
Sonia, who purchased the dress, also shares her feelings about the experience: "Sigal's dress was the first wedding dress I saw and tried on—and I immediately knew it was the one for me. It was simple, without any frills, and fit me perfectly. When I decided to take it, they told me it had been hers and shared the story behind it. I was in shock for about a minute and a half. But pretty quickly, I realized it made even more sense, and I knew I wanted it. While the story is heavy, I felt that if her family was incredible enough to donate the dress, then it was meant to fulfill its purpose and allow another couple to build their home in Israel.
"The wedding was a moment that, sadly, Sigal, her fiancé, and her entire family couldn't celebrate. But I could—partly because of them. However, this story isn't about me; it's about Sigal's mother, Hani, who is absolutely amazing. What she did is larger than life."
Sivan, the boutique manager, reflects on the unimaginable reality that the war brought to the boutique. There, wedding dresses donated by brides and designers are sold at affordable prices, with all proceeds dedicated to promoting the economic independence of women affected by violence.
"In the first few weeks, we met frightened, tearful brides, full of worry about an uncertain future—partners on the front lines, weddings planned but suddenly thrown into doubt. We fitted dresses amidst the sound of sirens, running to the shelter with brides dressed in wedding gowns and rifles slung over their shoulders."
"Our goal was clear: to be an island of joy and hope for every woman who walked into the boutique," Sivan adds. "We saw it as a mission. We opened the boutique at any hour we were asked, welcoming pregnant brides, reservists' brides, and women from all over the country. And even amidst the heavy grief and harsh reality, there were moments of happiness."
"There was another moment that left a deep mark on me," Sivan continues. "It was a meeting with a casualty officer who came to us on a rare day off, completely overwhelmed after weeks of intense work supporting families. She immediately apologized, burst into tears, and said she just couldn't choose a dress. The volunteers and I surrounded her with love, and in the end, after browsing the boutique, she connected with a dress, called her mother, mother-in-law, and sister, and left not only with a dress but also with a huge smile and a real moment of hope." link
Dark Legacy - The Abandonment of October 7th Hostages
Hit And RunSnir DaanThe Brother of Kineret that was brutally murdered in Be’eri, and whose niece Carmel Gat is still held hostage in Gaza. (Carmel was murdered by her Hamas captors, executed together with 5 other hostages - Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lonanov, Almog Sarusi, and Eden Yerushalmi
We always knew we have a strong army that will keep us safe and that we in turn will enlist and protect the country we’ve built.On October 7th the sky fell. The army was overwhelmed, terrorists roaming free in the western Negev, slaughtering, raping, and looting our families.“Why is this happening? Where is the army?”Abandonment.In addition, it turns out there are captives in Gaza. “How can this be? Why could this happen?”Abandonment.And worst of all, the days pass by and we still ask, “How is it possible that they are still there?”Isn’t it the state’s obligation to bring them back, and promptly?Abandonment.There are many ways to bring them back, but those who choose to abandon them, choose to do nothing.The inability to reach a decision is the root of this abandonment. The refusal to suffer the consequences for the event.There is a tendency to judge a traffic offender in hit and run accidents harshly. Especially one involved in accidents resulting in bodily harm or loss of life, while abandoning victims and leaving them with no aid. Such a driver is seen as breaking the law and destroying the basic elements necessary for the existence of a decent and moral human society.This is abandonment. There is no difference between the reluctance to bring our captives back and running away from the scene of an accident without offering help.My niece Carmel is still held hostage in Gaza. Despite all efforts to bring about a deal which would make it possible for her to come back, the prime minister chooses to ignore offers and even hinder and thwart all attempts, so he will not be forced to make a decision. So he can run away from the scene.This is lawless abandonment.Carmel was taken from her home. So were Alon, Yarden and Gefen, and Kineret as well. Kineret was dragged along the sidewalks of Be’eri and then brutally murdered. Alon and Gefen escaped and managed to return to Be’eri at night. On their own. Without the army’s help.Yarden returned in a hostage deal 54 days later.The same deal should have continued until all captives were released. For that to happen, demanding decisions needed to be made, but the prime minister preferred to run away from the scene.How do we keep going in such a reality of abandonment and betrayal, disregarding every moral value we were raised on?How can we move forward when our country is being led by a man who chooses, every day, to abandon its citizens?
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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