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Wednesday, December 04, 2024

12/04 Links Pt1: The Mideast Diplomats Trapped in the ’90s; Our friends, the French; Itay Svirsky’s body retrieved from Gaza for burial

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: The Mideast Diplomats Trapped in the ’90s
In his first term as president, Donald Trump’s successful Mideast diplomacy required him to break through the wall of stale conventional wisdom that had been constructed by a tunnel-visioned DC establishment. He may have to do so again.

Watching experienced Mideast diplomats process reality is a great way to see a person unlearning every relevant lesson in real time. The New York Times interviewed outgoing UN Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland, and the article makes for frustrating reading. Here’s how it opens:

“In September last year, the top United Nations envoy for the Middle East peace process left a meeting with Hamas leaders in Gaza thinking that he had helped avert a major escalation.

“The veteran Norwegian diplomat, Tor Wennesland, said he believed that Hamas had agreed to reduce recent tensions along the Israel-Gaza border in exchange for more work permits for Gazan workers.

“But Hamas had bluffed Mr. Wennesland, along with the Israeli leadership and much of the international community. Days later, the group’s fighters attacked Israel, setting off the deadliest year in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

It’s a familiar story. Hamas fooled everybody and plunged the region into bloody chaos. So what’s the lesson that Wennesland learned from this? That focusing on steadily improving the quality of life in Gaza and making peace between Arab states and Israel were big mistakes. “Both approaches, Mr. Wennesland said, ultimately failed to solve the main issue driving the conflict in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank: the lack of a permanent settlement between Israelis and Palestinians.”

Let’s just spell it out. The current conflict is the result, according to Wennesland himself, of negotiators and politicians in Israel and abroad falsely believing that Hamas was interested in political stability, not war. So the decade spent helping Palestinians on the ground and spreading peace and reconciliation throughout the Middle East should have, instead, been spent trying to get Hamas to agree on a political settlement?

This aversion to reality is almost comical. Wennesland thinks the mistake was trusting Hamas and so the fix would be to treat Hamas as an honest broker.

As the interview develops, it just goes further off the rails. The failure to achieve a two-state solution “was also linked to how Western leaders — distracted by the migration crisis in Europe, the coronavirus pandemic and, finally, the war in Ukraine — had stopped convincing Israelis of the need for a two-state solution and Palestinians of the need for a united front, Mr. Wennesland said.”
Jonathan Tobin: Trump voices the moral clarity on hostages the world needed
We don’t know yet what impact President-elect Donald Trump’s bombshell statement about the fate of the Israeli hostages still held by Hamas will be. But in one post on his Truth Social site, he neatly summarized what has been lacking in terms of American leadership when it comes to the fight against Iranian-funded Islamist terrorism for the past four years.

Trump’s post—with its characteristic bombastic tone and use of capital letters for emphasis—was very different from the public statements of the Biden administration foreign-policy team in recent months on the same topic or that of any other world leader. The United States has condemned Hamas, but in the last year has been primarily focused on pressuring Israel to give up its campaign to eliminate the terrorists and agree to a ceasefire with only a partial release of the hostages. That would effectively hand the perpetrators an undeserved victory for the massacre of 1,200 men, women and children in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Instead, Trump put the onus for achieving the release of the hostages—something all decent people should support—on the Palestinians. They were responsible for that rampage of mass murder, torture, rape and kidnapping. But by specifying that the “All HELL TO PAY” would be felt throughout the Middle East, he was also sending a powerful message to Hamas’s foreign backers. Iran, as well as nominal U.S. allies like Qatar and Turkey, who have provided the terrorists with aid and diplomatic cover are also now on notice to secure the hostages’ freedom lest they, too, face Trump’s wrath once he returns to the White House on Jan. 20.

It’s true that the Biden administration has been working on trying to broker a deal that would lead to the release of at least some of the 101 hostages (approximately 60 are believed to be alive) that are still unaccounted for. But there has been no such unambiguous message from Washington about what it expects from the Hamas terrorist organization or its allies in the Muslim and Arab worlds. Instead, and in keeping with its consistent efforts to undermine and topple the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since Israelis elected it in November 2022, Biden has wanted Netanyahu to make concessions that wouldn’t return all the hostages at once and that would hand over Gaza to the weak and corrupt Palestinian Authority, which has, despite its rivalry with Hamas, never condemned the atrocities that took place on Oct. 7. That is a formula to ensure that Hamas would soon return to power there, leaving Israel in as much danger as it was when the Palestinians started this war.

Wanting Israel to ‘finish’ and win
Trump has made no secret of his desire for a clean slate in the Middle East when he takes office, with Israel having completed its wars against both Hamas in the south and Hezbollah to the north. While that puts Netanyahu on notice that the next administration is hoping not to be distracted from its domestic priorities by conflict in the Middle East, Trump was equally clear that he had no compunctions about the severity of Israeli military actions in Gaza or Lebanon. He just wants the Israelis to “finish” and achieve “victory” over Hamas—an idea that the Biden team has consistently opposed. Once that victory is achieved, Trump is obviously hoping to pick up where he left off when he left office four years ago by building on the 2020 Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and four Arab and Muslim-majority nations.

Many of Trump’s critics were predictably appalled by his hostage post because of its tone and what they consider to be his bias in favor of Israel and against the Palestinians. Despite starting the war with barbaric atrocities and sticking to their goal of wiping Israel off the map and committing genocide against the Jews, Hamas and its supporters—a category that includes what may well be a majority of Palestinians as well as their cheerleaders in the international media and on American college campuses—expect themselves to be depicted as the sole victims in the conflict.

Biden’s willingness to kowtow to that mindset has undermined his administration’s efforts to end the war.
Bassam Tawil: Arabs No Longer Buying the Lies of Hamas, Hezbollah
"Where is the victory? How much did it cost? What defeat is more terrible than such losses? How can one claim victory in the face of a massacre that has destroyed all the logic of resistance? It's not too late to ask Hezbollah to explain its unilateral and deadly decision to open the confrontation [with Israel] under Iran's cover." — Nabil Bou Monsef, prominent Lebanese journalist, kataeb.org, November 27, 2024.

Over the past 14 months, Hamas and Hezbollah have dragged the Palestinians and Lebanese into wars that have claimed the lives of thousands of people -- all to serve their patrons in Iran. Instead of admitting their defeat, both in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, the terrorists, at the behest of Iran's mullahs, are continuing to sell imaginary victories to the Arabs to encourage them to join the Jihad (holy war) against Israel.


Israeli-German hostage’s body retrieved from Gaza for burial
Israeli security forces retrieved the remains of slain hostage Itai Svirsky from the Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said in a joint statement on Wednesday night.

“In a Shin Bet operation assisted by the IDF, the body of the hostage Itai Svirsky was brought for burial in Israel from Gaza,” the statement said. Svirsky’s family was said to have been informed on Wednesday after forensics determined that the body was indeed that of the captive.

According to Israel’s Channel 12 News broadcaster, the operation to retrieve Svirsky’s body was carried out in recent days in central Gaza.

Svirsky, 38, a Tel Aviv resident with dual German-Israeli citizenship, was visiting his elderly parents at Kibbutz Be’eri for Shabbat and the Simchat Torah holiday on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists launched the cross-border assault. Both of his parents were murdered by Hamas.

An estimated 10% of the 1,100 residents who lived in Be’eri were killed in the Oct. 7 attacks, with an equal number of its residents kidnapped during the murder spree and infiltration of Israel’s southern border.

On Jan. 16, the kibbutz announced that Svirsky and fellow hostage Yossi Sharabi were killed in captivity. The confirmation came shortly after Hamas released a propaganda video purporting to show their bodies.

Svirsky sister, Merav, previously told Channel 12 that IDF representatives informed her that her brother was likely executed by his Hamas guards during military operations in the area where he was held captive.


IDF: Hamas likely murdered six hostages in Khan Yunis
Hamas terrorists likely executed the six Israeli hostages whose bodies were recovered from southern Gaza on Aug. 20, the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday following a comprehensive probe.

While the military said it was not possible to determine with absolute certainty how Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Yoram Metzger, Avraham Munder, Haim Peri and Nadav Popplewell were killed, their bodies were found with gunshot wounds, unlike their six guards, who are believed to have died in an Israeli Air Force strike in the area.

The army probe noted that investigators were unable to conclude when the hostages were shot—before the strike, during it, or after it. However, the IDF believes the six men would not have survived the airstrike regardless.

At the time of the Feb. 14 IAF strike, Jerusalem “had no information, not even a suspicion, that the hostages were in the underground compound or its vicinity,” according to the statement, which stressed that the strike would have been called off “had such information been available.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi presented the final findings of the investigation to the families of the slain hostages on Wednesday.

“In this prolonged war, which began on a very difficult day, the mission of returning the hostages alive accompanies us at every moment,” said Halevi. “The IDF is confident that the combat advances their return, but in the context of combat we have also made mistakes.”

Following the death of the six captives, it was decided that any airstrike meeting “specific criteria” must be preapproved by the IDF Intelligence Directorate’s Headquarters of the Hostages and Missing Persons.

Hamas propaganda has repeatedly accused the IAF of killing hostages during the 14-month-long aerial assault on the Gaza terrorist group.

Immediately after the six corpses were recovered from the Hamas tunnel over the summer, their families were informed that bullet fragments were discovered in at least some of their remains.

The IDF had determined the deaths of five of the captives several weeks earlier, with only Munder presumed alive until the retrieval operation.
Summary of the Investigation Regarding the Circumstances of the Deaths of Six Hostages in a Hamas Underground Tunnel
Today (Wednesday), the investigation regarding the deaths in an underground tunnel in the Khan Yunis area of the hostages Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Haim Perry, may their memory be a blessing, was concluded by the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Herzi Halevi, and presented to their families.

The investigation was conducted by the Southern Command, the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters, the Intelligence Directorate, and operational commanders from the Israeli Air Force who examined the circumstances of the hostages' deaths and the preceding events.

On February 14th, 2024, a precise strike was carried out by IAF jets on an underground site belonging to Hamas' Khan Yunis Battalion in western Khan Yunis, targeting senior battalion-level commanders.

On August 20th, 2024, the bodies of the six hostages, along with the bodies of six Hamas terrorists, were recovered from an underground tunnel near the site of the strike.

The pathological examination found indications of gunshots on the bodies of the hostages, while no gunshot wounds were found on the bodies of the terrorists. Due to the extended time that had passed, it was not possible to determine with complete certainty the precise cause of death of the hostages or the exact timing of the gunfire.

It is highly probable that their deaths were related to the strike near the location where they were held. According to the most plausible scenario, the terrorists shot the hostages close to the time of the strike. However, it is also possible that the hostages were shot by other terrorists post-mortem; it is even possible that the hostages were killed prior to the strike in the area.

At the time of the strike, the IDF had no information, not even a suspicion, that the hostages were in the underground compound or its vicinity. Had such information been available, the strike would not have been carried out.

The investigation revealed that the strike was preceded by the required planning and approval processes in accordance with the protocols at the time. Since the IDF had no intelligence or suspicion regarding the presence of hostages at or near the strike location, the operation did not require approval from the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters.

Following this tragic event, it was decided that any strike meeting specific criteria must be approved by the Headquarters.

In the months following the strike, intelligence analysis conducted by the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters identified the location where the hostages' bodies were being held. The bodies were subsequently recovered by IDF and ISA forces and were brought to Israel for burial.


Benjamin Weinthal: Exclusive: A look at Hezbollah's plan to terrorize and invade northern Israel
Fox News Digital secured a rare view into the inner workings of Hezbollah’s "Conquer the Galilee" plan – named after the region in northern Israel – via an IDF interrogation of a Hezbollah terrorist and a review of the Lebanese organization’s strategic warfare plans.

IDF infantry captured a Rawdan terrorist in the south Lebanese village of Aita al-Shaab in mid-October. The IDF videotaped the terrorist’s interrogation. In matter of fact military language, the operative outlines Hezbollah’s chilling plan to "Conquer the Galilee."

Hezbollah’s war aim, according to the terror operative, is "Occupying the Galilee."

"They said they want to enter (Israel), they want to breakthrough. The Rawdan forces is essentially on the frontline, to gather information and (build) invasion tunnels," said the man whose name could not be disclosed by the IDF for intelligence reasons.

When questioned about securing information, he said, "Gathering information about the settlements, positions, the quantity of weapons and tanks, using intelligence equipment. The entry into Israel was planned for the morning. They wanted to execute the operation, starting with a very strong attack – thousands of rockets, Burkan missiles, everything… War plans, essentially."

Terrorists from Hezbollah train in Lebannon
He continued about Rawdan’s approach to Israeli civilians. "Those they encounter, we’ll fight. Face to face, us and them, and those who want to surrender can do just that, just like I did, then I came here. Same thing. We take those who surrender as prisoners, take them and bring them (into Lebanon)."

For the Israeli civilians who refuse to surrender, the Rawdan terrorist uttered one word about their fate: "Kill."
Has Israel repeated the mistake of 2006 with its ceasefire?
The new ceasefire agreement reiterates Resolution 1701’s requirement for the “disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon” but does not require the LAF to take any action against Hezbollah troops deployed north of the Litani River. It only requires the prevention of future smuggling of weapons into Lebanon. Only Hezbollah installations south of the river are mentioned for dismantling.

So why did Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agree to the ceasefire?

Israel asserts while the U.S. denies that the Biden administration threatened to block further weapons deliveries and would not veto another U.N. ceasefire resolution. Just a week earlier, Netanyahu had boasted of repeatedly defying Biden; however, this time, he acknowledged that Israel needed its weapons resupplied. After agreeing to the ceasefire, Netanyahu said the issue was resolved, and the administration subsequently announced a $680 million arms sale to replenish precision weapons depleted during the war.

When Bush discussed the 2006 ceasefire, he also referenced the geopolitical situation that is relevant today. “I remember right after Hezbollah launched its rocket attacks on Israel, I said, this is a clarifying moment. It’s a chance for the world to see the threats of the 21st century, the challenge we face,” Bush said on Aug. 21, 2006.

But the world did not see it that way. Hezbollah was allowed to build up its arsenal to the point where it threatened not only Israel but regional stability.

Bush also recognized the Iranian threat. “They encourage a radical brand of Islam. Imagine how difficult this issue would be if Iran had a nuclear weapon,” Bush said. He thought the danger could be managed through the U.N., which passed a Security Council resolution demanding Iran cease its enrichment activities.

He was wrong again. A decade later, the Iranian nuclear threat had grown to the point that President Barack Obama negotiated a deal to halt its progress towards acquiring a bomb. That deal failed, as did Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign and Biden’s appeasement strategy. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) now reports that Iran has enriched uranium to 32 times the amount allowed under that agreement and could produce multiple atomic bombs if its stockpile is further enriched to weapons-grade levels.

There should have never been any doubt that the war in Lebanon would end on Biden’s terms. As I wrote last November, presidents, and not prime ministers, end Israeli wars. Netanyahu capitulated but, predictably, claimed victory even though Hezbollah was not destroyed (a tiny fraction of its forces was killed), it continues to exert influence over the country, and Iran can quickly rebuild it.

Israel does derive short-term benefits: saving the lives of soldiers, the acceleration of U.S. weapons deliveries, the opportunity to focus on Iran and finish off Hamas, and getting a desperately needed respite for reservists. It is not clear, however, that the ceasefire achieved the war’s objective of allowing the residents of the north to return to their homes, given that Hezbollah was firing more than 100 rockets a day before the ceasefire and could do so again at any time.

Israel has a better claim to victory in the south. The IDF has killed most Hamas terrorists, and the survivors are no longer firing rockets. As in the north, however, the American president will determine the outcome. President-elect Donald Trump has made it clear that he wants the war to end before he is inaugurated. There will be a heavy price, but Netanyahu will likely comply to avoid Trump’s wrath.
Reward UNIFIL’s epic failure and corruption in Lebanon by shutting it down
Given UNIFIL’s shameful failure to prevent Hezbollah from arming and occupying Southern Lebanon, plus UNIFIL’s renewed responsibility to rein in Hezbollah, last week’s ceasefire seems bound to collapse.

In short, UNIFIL is simply another multimillion-dollar boondoggle, like UNRWA, that needs dismantling … one more reason for a dramatic cut in U.N. funding by the United States.

Like other U.N. organizations, UNIFIL is well-financed and staffed but ineffective. Initially set up in 1978 to monitor Israel’s withdrawal from Southern Lebanon following an attack by the PLO, UNIFIL’s mandate was expanded following the 2006 Second Lebanon War, which Hezbollah began by invading Israel, killing eight soldiers and taking two hostages. Per U.N. Resolution 1701 in 2006, UNIFIL was to ensure that Southern Lebanon would be “an area free of any armed personnel, assets, and weapons other than those of the Government of Lebanon and of UNIFIL.”

Today, UNIFIL has 10,000 soldiers and a budget of $550 million, of which the United States pays one-third. Many of its soldiers come from hostile Muslim countries that have no relations with Israel. Others come from China, Ireland and Spain, which practice anti-Israel policies—hardly forces motivated to protect Jews from Muslim terrorists.

UNIFIL allowed Hezbollah to arm itself to the teeth—amassing a huge arsenal of more than 200,000 rockets and missiles. The Iranian-backed terrorist group planned to use Southern Lebanon as a base from which to launch an Oct. 7-style attack on Israel. Hezbollah placed its armed positions within sight of UNIFIL observation posts, yet the U.N. peacekeepers did nothing to stop them. UNIFIL failed to investigate even one of the more than 3,000 Hezbollah arms depots and other military sites targeted by Israel since October 2023.

UNIFIL served at Hezbollah’s pleasure. The terrorist group prohibited UNIFIL from patrolling broad swaths of territory and routinely harassed, assaulted, and even killed the force’s personnel. In an interview with a Danish news site, a former, unnamed U.N. soldier said UNIFIL was “completely at Hezbollah’s mercy” and that their ability to report anything was extremely limited because Hezbollah terrorists would confiscate their devices if they attempted to collect evidence.

But UNIFIL is not only incompetent, it is also corrupt. Captured Hezbollah terrorists recently testified that their group paid UNIFIL operatives for their cooperation, including the use of their outposts and security cameras to observe Israel’s military movements.

Hezbollah uses UNIFIL as human shields. The IDF recounted multiple incidents when Hezbollah’s fire came from areas next to UNIFIL posts, including one that killed two IDF soldiers. Israeli forces also discovered Hezbollah tunnel entrances adjacent to UNIFIL posts.

Mainstream media won’t report these travesties. Indeed, an NPR article titled “What is the U.N. peacekeeping force stationed in Lebanon?” fails to mention Hezbollah’s bribery of UNIFIL or its use of peacekeepers as human shields.

Israel tried to protect UNIFIL, only to be condemned. Israel’s leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, implored UNIFIL to leave their positions for their own safety, but these appeals fell on deaf ears. It was also the IDF’s policy during the war always to warn UNIFIL whenever Israel operated in their vicinity so they had the chance to move out of harm’s way.

Instead of praising Israel, however, for trying to protect UNIFIL, world leaders condemned it. Italy and France, for example, denounced Israel for firing on UNIFIL positions, calling its actions outrageous.
Our friends, the French
With the ink dry on the International Criminal Court’s phony arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the chorus of European village idiots is already clamoring for more.

In addition to imprisoning Israel’s prime minister, they wish to expand France’s Oct. 5 arms embargo of Israel to all of Europe. The effort is gaining traction. The ICC’s endorsement of “war crimes” gives cover to supporters of terror, antisemites and the willfully ignorant. A crescendo is coming.

This is not the first French embargo of Israel or France’s first betrayal of the Jewish state. France, once a staunch Israeli ally, announced its last embargo on June 2, 1967.

That was just 72 hours before the start of the Six-Day War, as more than 130,000 Egyptian soldiers and 900 tanks had been massed on Israel’s southern frontier. Jordan mobilized 56,000 soldiers and 270 tanks to Israel’s east. Syria was poised to attack from the north with 50,000 men.

“Our basic objective will be the destruction of Israel,” said Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. The war’s aim, according to other Arab leaders, includes targeting and murdering Jewish civilians.

A well-intentioned but fruitless plan by then-President Lyndon Johnson to bust open Egypt’s naval blockade, “Operation Red Sea Regatta,” amounted to nothing. Israel’s last major ally and arms supplier was France.

For 15 years beginning in 1953, the Franco-Israeli relationship had been strong and bilateral. Israel had provided ground forces to help France and the United Kingdom briefly retake the Suez Canal in 1956. Israeli experts served in support roles in the French military. Israeli submarine crews trained with French counterparts. The French played a role in helping Israel become a nuclear power.

Yet, in 1967, as Arab armies surrounded Israel, France quit without warning. French President Charles de Gaulle announced the end of the alliance and the beginning of an embargo. It was effective immediately.

France started by impounding 50 Mirage 5J fighter bombers that Israel had bought and paid for six months earlier for $200 million. Moreover, Israeli aeronautical engineers have helped France improve the design and performance of the Mirage over the years.

The jets were badly needed to defend civilian populations. The 11th-hour embargo was one of the greatest betrayals of modern diplomatic history.

In 1967, the Israeli public found France’s fecklessness infuriating, dangerous and confusing. Today, Israelis shrug.
Macron announces French-Saudi conference for Palestinian state
French President Emmanuel Macron announced and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will host a conference in June on the establishment of a Palestinian state, Macron announced on Tuesday.

“In the coming months, together we will multiply and combine our diplomatic initiatives to bring everyone along this path,” he said, in comments made during a visit to Saudi Arabia.

Asked whether France would recognize a Palestinian state, the French president said he would do so “at the right moment” and at a time “when it triggers reciprocal movements of recognition.

“We want to involve several other partners and allies, both European and non-European, who are ready to move in this direction but who are waiting for France” he added.

Ireland, Spain and Norway recognized a “State of Palestine” in May, though no such country exists.

Macron also spoke of an additional, simultaneous goal to “trigger a movement of recognition in favor of Israel,” which could “provide answers in terms of security for Israel and convince people that the two-state solution is a solution that is relevant for Israel.”

Saudi Arabia and Israel appeared close to a normalization agreement following the Abraham Accords. However, the process was derailed by the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023.

In November, Saudi Arabia reiterated its position that the kingdom will not formalize relations with Israel without a pathway to a Palestinian state. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud then accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly come out forcefully against the prospect of unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
French government toppled in no-confidence vote, deepening political crisis
French opposition lawmakers brought the government down on Wednesday, throwing the European Union's second-biggest economic power deeper into a political crisis that threatens its capacity to legislate and rein in a massive budget deficit.

Far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined forces to back a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his government, with a majority of 331 votes in support of the motion.

Barnier was expected to tender his resignation and that of his government to President Emmanuel Macron shortly.

No French government had lost a confidence vote since Georges Pompidou's in 1962. This time, Macron had ushered in the crisis by calling a snap election in June that delivered a polarized parliament.

With its president diminished France now risks ending the year without a stable government or a 2025 budget, although the constitution allows special measures that would avert a US-style government shutdown.

France's political turmoil will further weaken a European Union already reeling from the implosion of Germany's coalition government, weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House.

The left and far right punished Barnier for opting to use special constitutional powers to ram part of an unpopular budget, which sought 60 billion euros in savings in an effort to shrink the deficit, through parliament without a final vote.


Trump taps Abraham Accords negotiator as hostage affairs envoy
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump announced his selection of Adam Boehler to be the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs in the incoming administration.

Boehler previously led negotiations on the 2020 Abraham Accords, the agreement that normalized diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain that was later expanded to include Sudan and Morocco.

Trump touted Boehler’s experience as a negotiator and his unanimous confirmation by the Senate as the first CEO of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation in a post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.

“He has negotiated with some of the toughest people in the world, including the Taliban, but Adam knows that no one is tougher than the United States of America, at least when President Trump is its leader,” the incoming president wrote. “Adam will work tirelessly to bring our great American citizens home.”

According to the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation—named for a journalist killed by ISIS in Syria in 2014—there are currently 46 American nationals known to be held captive unjustly in 16 countries.

Seven U.S. citizens are currently being held by Hamas in Gaza after being taken by the terrorist group during Hamas’s terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Four of the seven have been confirmed as dead, with Hamas continuing to hold their corpses.

Trump said on Monday that there would be “hell to pay” if Hamas did not release its hostages by inauguration day on Jan. 20.

“Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied history of the United States of America,” Trump wrote. “Release the hostages now.”


UN seeks $47 billion in aid as donor appetite shrinks while crises multiply
The United Nations on Wednesday sought $47 billion in aid for 2025 to help around 190 million people fleeing conflict and battling starvation at a time when this year's appeal is not even half-funded, and officials fear cuts from Western states, including the top donor, the US.

Facing what the new UN aid chief Tom Fletcher describes as "an unprecedented level of suffering," the UN hopes to reach people in 32 countries next year, including those in war-torn Sudan, Syria, Gaza, and Ukraine.

"The world is on fire, and this is how we put it out," Fletcher told reporters in Geneva.

"We need to reset our relationship with those in greatest need on the planet," said Fletcher, a former British diplomat who started as head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) last month.

The appeal is the fourth largest in OCHA's history, but Fletcher said it leaves out some 115 million people whose needs the agency cannot realistically hope to fund.

"We've got to be absolutely focused on reaching those in the most dire need, and really ruthless."

The UN cut its 2024 appeal to $46 billion from $56 billion the previous year as donor appetite faded, but it is still only 43% funded, one of the worst rates in history. Washington has given over $10 billion, about half the funds received.
UN approves major conference in push for Palestinian state
An Israeli diplomat accused the United Nations of fixation on anti-Israel resolutions brought by the world’s worst human-rights abusers just hours before the General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution approving a high-level conference in support of the two-state solution.

On Tuesday, the General Assembly voted by a 157-8 margin, with seven abstentions, in favor of holding a conference in June 2025 aimed at adopting “an action-oriented outcome document” to “urgently chart an irreversible pathway towards the peaceful settlement” of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the implementation of a Palestinian state.

Argentina, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the United States voted no. Cameroon, Czechia, Ecuador, Georgia, Paraguay, Ukraine and Uruguay abstained.

The text of the conference was annexed to a seven-page resolution condemning Israeli community-building beyond the so-called Green Line, and into eastern Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. It also rejects any demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip and urges a Palestinian state to be formed along the 1949 armistice lines.

The Australian government, under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, continued to break from its long-held positions on the conflict, voting in favor of the resolution and increasing tensions between Jerusalem and Canberra. Australia has voted no or abstained on matters of Palestinian statehood since 2001.

“A two-state solution remains the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence—the only hope to see a secure and prosperous future for both peoples,” James Larsen, Australia’s U.N. ambassador, said before the vote.

Just a day earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar summoned Australian Ambassador Ralph King for a formal reprimand, dressing him down for Australia’s refusal to issue a visa to Ayelet Shaked, a former Israeli minister.

Sa’ar told King that the decision was “based on baseless blood libels spread by the pro-Palestinian lobby” and was contrary to the values of democracy, free speech and friendship shared by the two countries.

Australia denied the visa on the grounds that Shaked could undermine social cohesion because of her history of anti-Palestinian rhetoric.

Canada, long an ally of Israel at the United Nations, continued its backpedaling under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Anne Bayefsky: Elon and Vivek should tackle US funding for this boondoogle organization and score a multimillion dollar win
In the search to eliminate waste and unaccountable spending, a $20 billion annual savings plan is immediately available to incoming President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): American taxpayer dollars flowing to the United Nations.

Each year the U.S. provides nearly a quarter of the U.N.’s total expenses, including assessed or mandatory "regular" funding of more than $3 billion and voluntary contributions that have vacillated between $10 and $15 billion in each of the past two years. Taking into account in-kind support services, the total is likely even higher. U.N. demands and U.S. subsidies have ballooned, with U.S. payouts almost doubling over the last decade.

Alarm bells ought to ring out for Americans both because of how the money gets spent and where it is going.

Here are a few of the rabbit holes where your money ends up. U.S. taxpayers pay for U.N. tax-free salaries; for U.N. lounges set up for watching sports games with bargain prices for food and drink; for media campaigns and other festivities to celebrate the "International Day of Neutrality" invented by Russia, Afghanistan and friends, and the "International Day of Banks." Elon Musk's mother confident DOGE can tackle wasteful government spending: 'Going to make it work' Video

U.S. dollars for peacekeepers include the blue helmets in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) who have kept busy observing Hezbollah rearm, build terror tunnels, take up positions among Lebanese civilians, and fire at Israelis.

The surging expenses of the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights – from your wallets – have included staffing and support for a Chinese "Independent Expert" on "international financial obligations of states on the full enjoyment of all human rights," an "expert" on "a democratic and equitable international order" who advocated that the International Criminal Court tackle American crimes against humanity, and an "expert" on "International Solidarity" created at the behest of Cuba.

Congress has long been skeptical about U.N. uses of American money, so much so that they have insisted upon an annual report on "United States Participation in the United Nations." The most recent report during the Biden administration was published in March 2024 and covered the year 2022. Here is its astonishing conclusion:

"It is increasingly challenging for the United States to identify cost savings at the U.N. given the growing demands that U.N. member states place on the organization." United Nations facade

DOGE can respond to this apparent brain-freeze with the proper course of deserved financial oversight. The U.N. budget, which covers everything from well over 100,000 long-term employees, administrative costs, peacekeeping, and a broad range of agencies and subsidiary bodies, deliberately lacks the transparency necessary to end misuse and corruption.


"Israel will not be deterred...by Hamas terrorists [or] their apologists [or] one-sided resolutions"
"Israel will not be deterred. Not by Hamas terrorists. Not by their apologists. And certainly not by one-sided resolutions, designed to undermine our sovereignty." – Reut Shapir Ben-Naftaly, Israeli diplomat addresses the United Nations General Assembly about the UN resolutions against Israel.


IDF orders five soldiers to return from Europe over arrest warrant fears
Five IDF soldiers who served in Gaza and traveled to Europe were told by the army to return to Israel due to fears of arrest warrants issued against them, N12 reported on Wednesday.

The soldiers had reportedly filmed themselves while serving in the Gaza Strip, the report noted.

No criminal proceedings or investigations had been opened against the soldiers in question, N12 reported. Risk assessment carried out by IDF, Justice Ministry, NSC

The military's directive was issued after a risk assessment carried out by the IDF, the Justice Ministry, and Israel's National Security Council, which took into account the country and complaints made against the soldiers.

N12 reported that in one incident, a reservist who traveled to Cyprus in November quickly boarded a return flight to Israel after local authorities sought to summon him for questioning.
Hezbollah trying to seize weapons stockpiles despite ceasefire
Hezbollah has been attempting to access weapons stockpiles in Lebanon that have remained since the ceasefire came into effect, according to intelligence collected by the IDF. The Israeli military, with significant contributions from the Israeli Air Force, is continuing to gather intelligence throughout Lebanon to monitor the the terrorist organisation's activities.

Sources informed Israel Hayom that this intelligence operation aims to ensure that Hezbollah does not restore its capabilities. Although Israel has not officially announced this policy, it implicitly rejects France's claims that the ceasefire agreement prohibits the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other surveillance tools to monitor Hezbollah's actions and infrastructure.

These intelligence-gathering efforts have revealed that Hezbollah members are attempting to reach locations where the terrorist organization had left weapons and other materiel. Their apparent goal is to transport military hardware and assets to northern Lebanon, where Israeli operations are less frequent, or to conceal them from Israeli detection.

Israeli leadership, both political and military, have emphasized that strict enforcement of the ceasefire will continue.


Iran’s mullahs must feel ‘full force’ of America’s power: Douglas Murray
Author Douglas Murray has expressed hope that President-elect Donald Trump will put pressure on Hamas and governments in the Middle East supporting the terrorist organisation when he enters office.

Mr Murray urged President-elect Trump to send a “clear message” that the Israeli hostages must be returned by Hamas.

“The mullahs in Tehran should feel the full force of American power as they have Israeli power,” Mr Murray told Sky News host Rita Panahi.




Trump Takes the Reins! Middle East Scrambles Before Inauguration | Israel Undiplomatic
What exactly did U.S. President-elect Donald Trump mean when he said on Dec. 3 that there will be "all hell to pay" if Hamas doesn't release the remaining 100 hostages from the Gaza Strip? #Trump #hostages


The Israel Guys: "Hamas Knew What They Were Doing" The Deadly Plan Behind the Hostage Crisis
The mother of one of the Israeli hostages who has been held in Gaza by Hamas for almost 14 months just passed away without seeing her son’s return from Gaza. His daughter wrote a post on Facebook that got me thinking about how Hamas knew what they were doing this whole time and just how sinister their plan was.


Quillette: Should We Get Rid of UNRWA?
The article "Close Down UNRWA," authored by Richard Goldberg, argues for the cessation of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), claiming it effectively operates under the influence of Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Goldberg critiques Australia's consideration to resume funding, citing evidence that UNRWA employees were involved in violence against Israel, particularly in the lead-up to a significant massacre on October 7, 2024.

UNRWA is portrayed as a political tool rather than a genuine refugee agency, perpetuating the Palestinian refugee narrative without providing a path towards sustainable peace or addressing humanitarian needs through alternative channels. Goldberg asserts that many existing agencies could deliver aid effectively, making UNRWA redundant.

He highlights issues of corruption and lack of accountability within UNRWA, including allegations of complicity in terrorism and mismanagement of funds. The article calls for a redirection of international aid to other organizations capable of meeting humanitarian needs while emphasizing the necessity for counterterrorism vetting processes to prevent support from reaching terrorist entities. Ultimately, the article insists that continuing to fund an agency linked with terrorism poses moral and security risks for donor countries.

Richard Goldberg: Close Down UNRWA terrorist organization

00:00 - Introduction: Criticism of UNRWA and its funding.
01:08 - Overview of UNRWA's purpose and its founding.
02:17 - Discussion on the permanence of Palestinian refugee status under UNRWA.
03:12 - How UNRWA encourages a narrative of disenfranchisement.
03:53 - Description of UNRWA facilities as "refugee camps" and their actual nature.
04:20 - Allegations of UNRWA supporting terrorism and links to Hamas.
05:41 - Transparency issues and lack of accountability within UNRWA.
06:49 - Concerns over UNRWA's ongoing financial appeals and unsustainable spending.
07:30 - Possible alternatives to UNRWA and existing UN agencies.
09:04 - Importance of educational reform in UNRWA schools.
10:12 - Conclusion: The necessity of rethinking UNRWA's role.


Government ‘disconnected from reality’
Australian Jewish leaders have slammed today’s move by Australia to join 156 other countries passing a resolution calling for Palestinian statehood and for Israel’s to rapidly withdraw from the “Occupied Territories”.

Carried 157-8, the resolution described Israel as “the occupying power” and called for adherence to “the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right to their independent state”.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said, “The government’s decision to once again distance itself from the US, our closest ally, as well as its own long-standing positions—shared by the Rudd and Gillard Governments—is deeply concerning.

“This shift reflects a foreign policy approach increasingly disconnected from both the reality on the ground and Australia’s broader national interests.

“The Biden Administration recently highlighted the UN’s ‘clear and persistent institutional bias’ against Israel, which undermines efforts to advance peace. It is perplexing and disappointing that our government refuses to acknowledge this undeniable reality.

“These resolutions do not make one single mention of the hostages; it is fundamentally contradictory to talk about peace without calling for the unconditional release of over 100 hostages who have been sitting in the dungeons of Gaza for more than 420 days. These resolutions won’t bring about peace, all they do is reward terrorism.”
AIJAC deeply disappointed by Australian vote change on “woefully one-sided” UN Resolution
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council is yet again deeply disappointed by the Australian Government’s change of vote on a UN General Assembly resolution – this one titled “Peaceful Settlement of the question of Palestine”.

AIJAC Executive Director Colin Rubenstein AM said, “This is a resolution that puts many obligations on Israel but asks nothing of the Palestinians. It is woefully one-sided – which is why, for more than 20 years, Australian governments of all stripes have always voted no, or abstained. And this year it was made even more extreme, with new demands Israel must unilaterally withdraw from all disputed territory as soon as possible without any negotiations and pay compensation to the Palestinians. This makes the Government’s decision even harder to comprehend.”

Dr Rubenstein continued, “By promising the Palestinians everything they want without imposing any obligations on them whatsoever, this resolution is simply a recipe for further conflict, not peace. The only way to reach peace is through negotiation and compromise between the parties. This resolution does nothing to acknowledge that Israel needs a willing partner for peace, and nothing to require the Palestinian Authority be reformed or Hamas be marginalised, both of which Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong has said are essential. It is therefore clearly against the conditions Senator Wong has said are necessary for a two-state peace.”

Dr Rubenstein concluded, “Unfortunately, we’ve come to expect half-hearted explanations by the Foreign Minister that she didn’t like some of the paragraphs in a resolution but voted for it anyway. These explanations don’t make sense when the resolution is so directly at odds with what she has stated are the minimum requirements for peace. Further, it is odd that Australia’s Ambassador to the UN said voting for this resolution doesn’t prejudge the outcome of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, when this resolution does exactly that. The Government can’t have its cake and eat it too.”
Australia shifts on Palestine UN motion after two decades of consistent position
Australia has shifted more than two decades of its consistent position at the United Nations on two of three motions which addressed the war in the Middle East.

Australia voted in favour of a motion which supported an irreversible pathway to Palestinian statehood and also set up the framework for a conference to be held next year.

Australia abstained on a second motion about Palestinian representation at the United Nations.

Australia officially voted no on a third motion which condemned Israel for the ongoing occupation of the Golan Heights.


Government backing the UN’s resolution ‘sharpens the betrayal’ of the Jewish community
Executive Council of Australian Jewry Co-CEO Alex Ryvchin slams the Labor government for its betrayal of the Jewish community.

Australia has backed a UN resolution calling for Israel to ‘end its unlawful presence’ in occupied Palestinian territories.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused the government of selling out the Jewish community to win votes.

“This has been going on for a long time now,” Mr Ryvchin told Sky News host Chris Kenny.

“The fact that it's happening during war time … it really sharpens the betrayal.”


‘Astonishing’: Labor’s support for Israel getting ‘weaker and weaker’
Sky News host Chris Kenny says the Australian Labor Party has gotten “weaker” at the United Nations over Israel.

“There was speculation, there have been steps along the way where this Labor government have been getting weaker and weaker at the UN on Israel,” Mr Kenny said.

“There was speculation overnight they would capitulate, but it must have been astonishing … to see this vote unfold.”


Australia has ‘dropped the ball’ by backing the UN’s resolution
Former Labor senator Graham Richardson claims Australia has “dropped the ball” by supporting the UN’s resolution.

Australia has backed a UN resolution calling for Israel to ‘end its unlawful presence’ in occupied Palestinian territories.

“I think Australia has dropped the ball on Israel,” Mr Richardson told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“We’ve just got to stand up and admit who our mates are.”


‘Caved to terrorism’: Chris Kenny slams Labor for ‘rewarding’ Hamas in UN vote
Sky News host Chris Kenny has slammed Foreign Minister Penny Wong for Australia’s stance in a United Nations vote which has “rewarded the murderous terrorists” of Hamas and Hezbollah.

The Albanese government has shifted more than two decades of its consistent position at the United Nations on two of three motions that addressed the war in the Middle East.

Australia voted in favour of a motion that supported an irreversible pathway to Palestinian statehood and also set up the framework for a conference to be held next year.

“The Australian abandonment of Israel, of Jewish Australians, and of strong democratic values on the international stage is almost complete now,” Mr Kenny said.

“The capitulation by the Albanese Labor government on the Middle East at the United Nations represents the abysmal appeasement of terrorism.

“Under Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Australia has rewarded the murderous terrorists of Hamas and Hezbollah with a public relations victory in the general assembly, breaking from Israel and the US, and voting in favour of a fanciful Palestinian state.”


‘Fled to Turkey’: Hamas leaders are ‘in Erdogan’s hands’
Former Labor MP Michael Danby says the leaders of Hamas have “fled to Turkey” and are now in the hands of Turkey's President.

“Hamas has fled from Qatar to Turkey,” Mr Danby told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“Hamas leaders are in Mr Erdogan, the President of Turkey’s hands.

“Mr Erdogan is positioning himself to be close to Donald Trump.

“Donald Trump may demand of Erdogan that he squeeze the Hamas leaders very hard.”




‘Barbarians’: Andrew Bolt speaks out on threats made against him
Sky News host Andrew Bolt speaks out on the “death threats” he has received over the years due to his outspoken beliefs as a media commentator.

“I’ve lost count of the death threats I’ve had as a commentator, I’ve got to tell you, but I haven’t forgotten the direction they come from,” Mr Bolt said.

“On the one hand; Islamists. On the other; the hard left, climate extremists and race activists.

“These are people who claim to be moral, so moral in fact, they feel licensed to act like barbarians.”
Threats against AJA - The Rita Panahi Show, Sky News
Sky News host Rita Panahi and guest Patrick Carlyon, senior writer and columnist at NewsCorp discussed implied threats against AJA people from an academic at the University of Sydney.

The University referred their employee to police but refused to take action themselves. Police say they have no record of the complaint.




On DSA call, AOC said she led whip effort against U.S. aid to Israel
On a promotional webinar with the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America on Tuesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) boasted of taking the lead role in organizing opposition to supplemental U.S. aid to Israel earlier this year.

The NYC DSA, which has long advanced anti-Israel policies, promoted an anti-Israel rally a day after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel last year, which featured chants expressing support for the attack. Ocasio-Cortez condemned that rally at the time. Despite her frequent and outspoken criticism of Israel and opposition to U.S. aid, Ocasio-Cortez has clashed repeatedly with the DSA and others on the left who’ve said she still hasn’t gone far enough.

The DSA nationally withdrew its endorsement of Ocasio-Cortez in July — in part at the request of the NYC DSA chapter — accusing the New York Democrat of being insufficiently anti-Israel and criticizing her for participating in a webinar on antisemitism. But those differences were nowhere to be seen during Tuesday’s Zoom event.

Ocasio-Cortez said on the DSA call that she had “led a whip operation to organize a record-high number of ‘no’ votes” on supplemental aid to Israel this year, “in order to withhold offensive weaponry on human rights conditions from the Israeli government.”

The package included offensive weapons but also defensive weapons systems including missile-defense interceptors, as well as humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

The New York congresswoman is considering a bid to become the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee — which would constitute a major step up in the Democratic House hierarchy for Ocasio-Cortez as she enters her fourth term on the Hill.

Ocasio-Cortez’s staff has similarly emphasized her central role in marshalling opposition to U.S. aid to Israel, as she fended off criticism from a vocal contingent on the left that said she had not been strong enough in her actions against Israel.


Pro-Palestine activists protest outside Sydney’s Great Synagogue
At least 70 pro-Palestinian activists gathered outside Sydney's Great Synagogue on Wednesday calling for sanctions against Israel, while members of the Jewish community were locked inside.

The protest group, Stop the War of Palestine, led the group of activists outside the Great Synagogue in Sydney to protest an event being held by the Israel Institute of Technology (Technion) from 6pm up until 8.50pm.

Protesters could be heard chanting 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' a slogan calling for the eradication of the state of Israel.

They also were seen holding up a massive banner calling for sanctions on Israel.

While police arrived on the scene, the Synagogue was in lockdown with those inside unable to leave, according to a senior source involved in the situation.

Authorities have since been able to identify a way to allow those gathered inside to leave the Synagogue.

NSW Police said that two men - one aged 37 and another aged 50 - "not associated with the event" were seen carrying a flag.

"The man – aged 37 – was approached by police for breach of peace and issued a move on direction, which he complied," authorities said in a statement.

"The second man ­– aged 50 – allegedly failed to comply with the move on direction, and issued an infringement notice for failure to comply."

The rest of the group "dispersed without issue", authorities said.
Reports of pro-Palestine protest outside Sydney’s Great Synagogue



Anti-Zionist Jews occupy Ottawa parliament demanding arms
Almost 100 anti-Zionist Jewish activists and at least two politicians occupied Parliament Hill’s Confederation Building in Ottawa demanding the establishment of an arms embargo against Israel, according to law enforcement, activist organizers, and local politicians.

Jews Say No To Genocide coalition activists sat in the building on Tuesday singing and raising banners calling for a “two-way arms embargo” – to cease the purchase and sale of military equipment between Canada and Israel.

New Democratic Party MPs Matthew Green and Heather McPherson joined the protesters during their sit-in, according to their Instagram accounts.

Fourteen activists were arrested and provided with trespass notices for Parliament Hill when Canadian law enforcement responded to the incident, according to the Parliamentary Protective Service, but were later released without charges.

Activist Judy Rebick addressed the protesters in a video published on social media by Jews Say No To Genocide, explaining that she wanted to devote herself to helping others, which to her was the “heart of Judaism.”

“I’m a secular Jew – and the trolls say, ‘oh, she’s not really Jewish’ – but I am Jewish, and I was born and raised to know that Jews believe in supporting oppressed people – they don’t oppress them,” said Rebick.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs condemned the coalition as a fringe group that had tried to “invade” MPs’ offices and argued that it did not represent the broader Jewish community. The sentiment was echoed by Mayor Jeremy Levi from the Montreal suburb of Hampstead, who noted that there were 400,000 Jews in the country and the coalition represented an extreme minority.

“Your attempt to distort the voice of the Jewish community will not go unchallenged,” said Levi. “We stand united, unwavering, and resolute in our support of Israel.”

Albanese praises activists
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese praised the activist coalition, contending that anti-Zionist Jews and Israelis were rekindling interfaith and communal bonds “that existed in the Arab world before 1948.”

"Fighting against Apartheid is not just a struggle for freedom in Israel/Palestine," Albanese said on X. "It is a blueprint for a more peaceful future for all of us."

In March, the Liberal Party-led government passed a non-binding motion calling for a halt to arms exports during the war. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly later confirmed that an arms embargo would become Canadian policy.
Trudeau silent as pro-Hamas protesters occupy Parliament building



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