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Wednesday, January 08, 2025

01/08 Links Pt1: The IDF should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; Bodies of hostages Youssef and Hamza Ziyadne retrieved from Gaza; Will Trump Follow Through?

From Ian:

Michael Gove: The IDF should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
The West has cause to be grateful that the Netanyahu government chose not to follow the Biden-Blinken lead. Rather than show the sort of weakness that would have won sympathy from the White House but won no battles on the ground, the Israeli government demonstrated the sort of strength that is the only path to enduring peace. By crippling Hamas’s ability to fight and removing its military leadership, then neutralising much of Hezbollah’s offensive capacity and taking similar steps with its leaders, Israel dealt devastating blows to the terrorist organisations dedicated to its destruction. And it advanced the cause of peace more widely.

The daylight into which the prisoners of Syria’s jails at last stumbled was daylight that dawned following Israel’s actions in weakening Hezbollah, Hamas and their sponsors in Iran. The pillars propping up Assad’s regime had been shaken to their foundations by Israel. And it is to Israel’s credit that its government did not stand idle as Assad fell. The prompt action the IDF took in southern Syria in the days after Assad’s departure helped ensure the weapons he had stockpiled would not fall into the wrong hands.

More than that, the toppling of Assad, following Hezbollah’s humiliation and Hamas’s defeats, has set the seal on a truly terrible year for Iran’s ayatollahs. Their direct attacks on Israel have failed. With their proxies diminished and their allies defeated, the Iranian regime looks weaker than at any time since 1979. That is not just good news for Israel, whose destruction Iran’s leaders are committed to, but Iran’s own people who yearn to breathe free.

Let it not be forgotten that Assad’s demise is also a setback for Putin’s Russia. Weakened by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it could not afford the troops or the resources to maintain its murderous ally in the Middle East. And it has lost more than a regional puppet and prestige in the global south. The loss of its naval and air bases in Syria weaken its ability to refuel and reinforce its mercenary armies in Africa. Whatever steps may be taken towards peace in Ukraine this year, they take place against a backdrop in which Russia is weaker following Israel’s actions.

Terrorists defeated, tyrants toppled, democracy defended and Ukraine strengthened: None of this would have happened if the Biden-Blinken team had had their way. Maybe it’s time Joe and Antony made amends to Bibi before they leave office on January 20. Words are all very well, but what about something more tangible? Why not nominate the men and women of the IDF for the Nobel Peace Prize? Provocative, perhaps. But as a sign that Team Biden finally recognises that it’s weakness that really is more provocative than strength, it would be truly enlightening.
Seth Mandel: To End a War
The preference for freezing wars instead of ending them is one of the more dangerous trends in Western policymaking. What was once widely recognized as an innovation of Vladimir Putin’s Russia has somehow become Plan A among a panicky Western public that refuses to look more than a few hours into the future.

And the insistence on applying this policy to Israel’s war against Hamas recalls the adage “it was worse than a crime; it was a blunder.” In this case, pressuring Israel to freeze its conflict with Hamas in place is more than immoral; it is irrational.

Throughout the history of warfare, postwar settlements have been driven and judged by whether they made renewed conflict more or less likely. It was understood that ceasefires simply for the purposes of allowing belligerents to rearm for the next battle do not constitute “peace.” Making such ceasefires the end goal of negotiations is a recipe for permanent war in every global hotspot.

Further, fears of one side not sticking to its commitments make it harder to strike peace deals. If one has an enemy that cannot be trusted to uphold agreements, but one still wants to end the cycle of violence, what option is left? Total victory.

Author and political scientist Dan Reiter, in his book How Wars End, estimates that, “Over the 1914-2001 period, nearly one third of all interstate war ceasefires (56 out of 188) eventually broke down into renewed war.” In the case of Israel and Hamas, renewed war is assured. What do people expect Israel to do here?

Reiter offers three forms of total victory that break this pattern: annihilation, annexation, and imposed regime change.

Israel is obviously not pursuing the first—evacuating millions to safe zones in a war that has resulted in about 20,000-25,000 civilian Palestinian deaths by definition rules out any discussion of annihilation.

Israel isn’t pursuing the second—annexation—because it has only moved in the opposite direction, having relinquished its occupation of Gaza entirely. Israel also continues to conduct multilateral diplomacy to determine who might be able to govern Gaza both interim and long-term, and that diplomacy does not include Israeli annexation even as an option.

Third and last is imposed regime change. This is the option Israel has chosen.
Seth J. Frantzman: In 2025, Israel’s Gaza Campaign Is Not Over
The tough choices ahead for Israel relate to several key factors in the Gaza war. First of all, Hamas took 250 hostages on October 7, of whom ninety-six are thought to remain in Gaza. Recently, Hamas released a video of one of the hostages. However, Hamas has refused to provide Israel with a list of the total number and names of the hostages who remain alive. Despite various reports over the last six months, The Israeli prime minister’s office clarified on January 6 that a recent list of hostages circulating in the media was “not provided to Israel by Hamas but was originally given by Israel to the meditators in July 2024.” Despite reports of a deal taking shape, Hamas appears to be stalling. Changes may occur once President-elect Donald Trump takes office later in the month. Trump has said several times recently that he wants the hostages released or else “there will be hell” for Hamas.

The hostage deal appears to have been stuck for a year with little progress. It requires a rethink in terms of a strategy. Leaving living and dead hostages in Gaza for a long period of time would appear to be a macabre end to the October 7 attack and send a message that Hamas can get away with its crimes. On the other hand, the Israeli political leadership appears wary of a deal similar to the one in 2011 when one Israeli soldier held hostage in Gaza for five years was released in exchange for 1,000 Palestinians, many of them convicted terrorists. Some, like Yayha Sinwar, were even involved in the October 7 attack.

Israel could choose to continue negotiations in Gaza with limited military incursions, as has been the norm over the past year after fighting became less intense in the spring of 2024. However, Israel’s initial military campaign in Gaza was designed to apply military pressure to secure hostage deals. That pressure largely ended in the spring of 2024 after the first deal took place in late November 2023. Israel could choose to renew pressure on Hamas and try to remove the group from areas it controls in Gaza, such as the central Gaza Strip. The IDF has never entered central Gaza in force, despite the long war, leaving Hamas in charge of key urban areas such as Deir al-Balah and Nuseirat.

The hostage deal and military pressure are not the only challenges in Gaza. A related challenge is the question of whether Hamas will be replaced as the governing authority in Gaza. When the war began, Israel’s political leadership compared Hamas to ISIS and said it would be crushed in the same way ISIS was defeated. ISIS was removed from areas in Iraq and Syria after a multi-year campaign between 2014 and 2019. However, Israel’s goals in Gaza appear to have shifted since October 2023 statements about removing Hamas completely.

After fifteen months of war, there is no alternative being put forward for controlling Gaza. Hamas continues to control all the areas where civilians are present in Gaza. What this means is that, unlike the war on ISIS, where civilians were able to leave areas such as Mosul and move to IDP camps under the control of the Iraqi government or the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, civilians in Gaza have not been provided a non-Hamas option for civilian rule. This is why Hamas is able to continue recruiting and also able to continue to control areas where humanitarian aid is supplied. In essence, this puts Hamas astride the supply lines and in possession of many key urban areas in Gaza.

When the October 7 War began, Hamas was able to call on support from other Iranian-backed groups in the region. Hezbollah began attacks on Israel from Lebanon. The Houthis in Yemen began attacks on Israel and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq began attacks on U.S. forces and also prepared to target Israel. This multi-front war made it difficult for Israel to vanquish all these enemies. However, fifteen months later, things have changed in Israel’s favor. Hezbollah is greatly weakened. The Iranian-backed militias in Iraq appear to have stopped their drone attacks on Israel. The Assad regime, which was a conduit for Iranian weapons transfers to Hezbollah, fell on December 8. This leaves Hamas and the Houthis still standing, although Hamas has been greatly weakened since 2023. Israel also faces increasing attacks from the West Bank by groups linked to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other armed factions.

The overall challenge for Israel in 2025 now returns to Gaza. Although the Iranian nuclear program and other fronts remain, Gaza is where the war began and where it will have to end. A long war in Gaza fighting Hamas for years does not appear to be in Israel’s interest. However, leaving Hamas in control would inevitably enable the group to reconstitute its threat to Israel. Replacing Hamas requires a strategy and coordination with other countries that want to see a peaceful, stable Gaza.


Bodies of hostages Youssef and Hamza Ziyadne retrieved from Gaza
Israel Defense Forces located the bodies of hostages Youssef and Hamza Ziyadne during military operations in the Gaza Strip, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Wednesday evening.

In a statement shared by the Defense Ministry, Katz expressed his “deep condolences to the Ziyadne family upon the discovery of the bodies of Youssef and Hamza, who were kidnapped by Hamas murderers on Oct. 7 and were rescued in a heroic operation by our soldiers.”

“We continue to do everything to fulfill our supreme moral obligation—the return of all the hostages, living and dead, to Israeli soil,” he added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his “deep sorrow over the bitter news that the Ziyadne family received today.

“We hoped and worked for the safe return of the four members of the family held hostage by Hamas,” the Israeli leader added. “I send heartfelt condolences to the family. I thank the IDF and Israel Security Agency for their determined action for the return of our hostages.

“We will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased,” the premier’s statement concluded.

The IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) confirmed that Youssef’s remains were found in a tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. The statement did not immediately confirm Hamza’s death, though it said that the findings in the tunnel raised “serious concerns” for his life.
Netanyahu offers condolences to Ziyadne family: ‘We hoped and worked for their safe return’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offers condolences from himself and his wife Sara to the Ziyadne family.

“We hoped and worked for the safe return of the four members of the family from Hamas captivity,” says Netanyahu. “We returned the children Bilal and Aisha on November 23, and we wanted to return Youssef and Hamza in the same way.”

The IDF said that Youssef’s body had been recovered and that it was investigating findings that could indicate the fate of Hamza, although both the family and Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the bodies of both men had been found.

Netanyahu thanks the IDF and Shin Bet for their ongoing determination to bring the hostages back.

“We will continue to make every effort to bring all of our hostages home,” he says, “both the living and the dead.”
Rescued Bedouin hostage eulogizes childhood friend Youssef Ziyadne
Rescued hostage Farhan al-Qadi eulogizes his former neighbor and fellow hostage Youssef Ziyadne after his body was recovered from Gaza.

“Everyone in our home is crying, we hoped to see them alive,” says al-Qadi, a fellow Bedouin Israeli who was kidnapped on October 7 and rescued by the IDF from a tunnel in Gaza in August 2024.

“Youssef, my friend, my neighbor, my childhood friend. It’s very hard. We need to end this war and bring them home, everyone. He was a friend to everyone, a father to everyone, he doesn’t deserve this — nobody does.”


Never forget, never forgive: Families of PS752 victims gather on fifth anniversary
Families of those killed in the downing of Flight PS752 gathered at the crash site in Shahedshahr, Tehran Province, on the fifth anniversary of the tragedy under the slogan "Never Forget, Never Forgive."

The Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down by missiles from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on January 8, 2020, shortly after takeoff, killing all 176 people onboard, including the crew.

For three days after the incident, authorities concealed the fact that the plane had been shot down, repeatedly claiming the crash was an accident.

Masoud Ebrahim, whose daughter Niloufar was one of the victims, began his speech with the phrase “Woman, Life, Freedom” and honored “all those who have lost their lives and suffered oppression over the past 46 years.”

He said, “We didn’t know that everyone in [Khamenei’s] circle had gathered to decide to down the plane.”

Families brought items belonging to their loved ones to the site to honor their memories, videos of the gathering shared by the Association of Families of PS752


The January surprise
However, a surprise in January echoed what Biden’s opponents warned about—though not in the way they imagined.

In a New York Times interview, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a startling revelation: the administration’s policies undermined Israel’s war effort. This was no mea culpa, as the title of the interview indicated that Blinken believed he and Biden “made the right calls.”

In an acknowledgment of what analysts have said for more than a year, Blinken confessed that the impediment to a hostage deal was U.S. policy: “Whenever there has been public daylight between the United States and Israel, and the perception that pressure was growing on Israel, we’ve seen it: Hamas has pulled back from agreeing to a ceasefire and the release of hostages.”

Knowing this, the administration still did not change its policy of condemning Israeli policies, giving Hamas hope that Biden would force Israel to accept the terrorists’ demands. This is the problem virtually every president has failed to understand; that is, one-sided pressure on Israel only emboldens the enemies of peace.

The bigger surprise came in Blinken’s disclosure of the administration’s original sin that set the worst outcomes of the war in motion. He said he flew to Israel five days after Oct. 7 in advance of the president’s planned trip to Jerusalem to show American solidarity with Israel. “I told the prime minister,” Blinken said. “I’m going to call the president and tell him not to come if you don’t allow this [humanitarian] assistance to start flowing.”

This threat forced Israel to abandon its initial strategy. It was under no legal obligation to provide humanitarian supplies. The government wanted to impose a siege on Gaza—a legitimate military tactic aimed at isolating Hamas while minimizing casualties among Israeli soldiers. This decision had catastrophic consequences:

Hamas Survival: Aid meant for civilians was stolen by Hamas, providing a lifeline that has prolonged its operations.

Hostage Crisis: By easing the siege and creating “daylight” between Washington and Jerusalem, the administration gave Hamas confidence to hold hostages longer, resulting in the deaths of dozens, including Americans.

Humanitarian Crisis: Biden forced civilians to remain in a conflict zone instead of evacuating them outside Gaza, where they would have had easy access to assistance. This allowed Hamas to use them as human shields, leading to thousands of unnecessary deaths.

Global Condemnation: Israel bore the blame for the worsening conditions in Gaza, with the United States contributing to the outcry by repeatedly criticizing Israel for failing to mitigate the problem it created.

Internal Divisions: Prolonging the hostage crisis deepened divisions within Israel. The administration also made no secret of its desire to see Netanyahu toppled.

Micromanaging the War: By pressuring Israel not to launch a ground operation in Gaza immediately and to delay its move into Rafah, withholding or slow-rolling weapons systems, and dictating what Israel could target in Lebanon and Iran, the administration prolonged the war.

For many Jews, these policy choices—driven by the same Obama-era advisers who previously undermined the State of Israel—outweigh the unprecedented arms sales, unwavering vetoes at the United Nations and critical deployment of American forces to protect Israel from external threats.

As the January surprises reveal, the legacy of Biden’s Israel policy is a paradox: extraordinary support coupled with avoidable missteps that exacerbated the war’s toll.
Caroline Glick: Blinken Makes Shocking Admission About Hostage Deal
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reveals the real reason why the hostages aren’t home yet; an Israel Defense Forces soldier narrowly escapes imprisonment in Brazil after an arrest warrant for "war crimes" is put out; and the Nov. 5, 2024, election results are ratified by Congress, officially confirming Trump's return to the White House in less than two weeks.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Current Events in U.S.-Israel Relations
01:18 The Hin Rajab Foundation and Its Impact
02:39 IDF Veteran's Arrest Warrant in Brazil
05:09 The Narrative Against Israel and Its Soldiers
07:24 Biden Administration's Role in Criminalizing Israel
08:44 Blinken's Controversial Interview and Its Implications
12:00 Legitimizing Claims Against Israel
15:14 Humanitarian Assistance and Its Consequences
19:18 The International Criminal Court's Pursuit of Israel
23:29 Future of U.S.-Israel Relations and Potential Sanctions
27:14 U.S. Support and Military Aid to Israel
31:43 Reimagining the American-Israel Relationship
34:31 Israel's Military Independence and Strategic Goals
39:25 Regional Security and Military Control
43:14 Israel's Achievements and American Interests
51:04 Building a Stronger Future for Israel and America


IDF soldier who escaped war crimes investigation in Brazil arrives in Israel
The Israeli soldier who was forced to flee Brazil after the country’s Federal Court ordered police to open a war crimes investigation into him has returned to Israel, according to Hebrew media reports.

The soldier, who was named as Yuval Vagdani, landed in Israel Wednesday morning after he was forced to hurriedly end his vacation in Brazil. He spoke to the Kan broadcaster about his ordeal after he landed.

“I woke up in the morning, opened the phone and suddenly saw eight calls – the Foreign Ministry, my brothers, my mother, consuls,” he told Kan. “I knew something was up.”

Vagdani said he was in Brazil for his “dream trip” after a long stint in the reserves, and that he had planned the trip for over four years.

Being forced to flee Brazil “felt a little like a bullet in the heart,” he said.

According to Channel 12, Vagdani was “smuggled” into Argentina with the help of the Foreign Ministry, and from there was able to fly to Miami, and then Israel.

Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, Vagdani told Channel 12 that he learned from his mistakes and wouldn’t upload videos from Gaza. “I won’t go back to Brazil again,” he added.


Seth Mandel: Will Trump Follow Through?
In the early days of the Hamas-Israel war, a mural appeared in Israel portraying Joe Biden as Captain America with the word DON’T in large letters spraypainted underneath his shield. It was a reference to President Biden’s warning to other Iran-backed militaries not to expand the war. As we know, those militaries ignored the president.

Yesterday in Tel Aviv, a new billboard went live, apparently thanks to the Tikva Forum, a hostage-advocacy group. It has a picture of Donald Trump with his fist raised in the air after a bullet grazed his ear at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. It calls for “all” the hostages to be returned by January 20, the date of Trump’s inauguration. Next to that graphic are the words “OR THE FIRE OF HELL WILL OPEN.”

It’s not subtle. It’s also not exactly what Trump has been saying word-for-word, but close enough. At a chest-thumping press conference at Mar-a-Lago yesterday, the president-elect repeated a version of it: “If they’re not back by the time I get into office, all hell will break out in the Middle East.”

Trump was not actually at the microphone at that moment. His incoming Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was taking questions on the region and Trump had moved a few feet away to give Witkoff the floor. A reporter asked Witkoff if he thinks Hamas might be waiting for Trump to take office to make a deal, and Witkoff said “No. I think they heard him loud and clear. It better get done by the inaugural.”

Another reporter then asked Trump directly what he meant by “all hell will break loose” and the president-elect took back the podium, repeating his threat and adding a vote of confidence for Witkoff: “Great negotiators are very rare, like a great surgeon.”

He also reminded the assembled press that Hamas started this war and is still holding Americans hostage. He told of meetings at which grieving parents ask him to get their son or daughter’s body back from Gaza.

There was a higher-than-usual amount of bluster sprinkled throughout Trump’s presser yesterday. At one point, he said he could not promise that he wouldn’t deploy troops to reclaim the Panama Canal and annex Greenland, and he joked that the Gulf of Mexico will soon be known as the Gulf of America.

But the threat to Hamas over the hostages is the one with the clock on it, and it’ll end one of three ways: 1. Trump is bluffing; 2. Trump isn’t bluffing; 3. We’ll never know because a deal is struck before the inauguration.
What Trump can change in 100 days
Iran still has tremendous sway over Hamas, and if the hostages who were taken on Oct. 7 have not been released by Jan. 20, any U.S. action against Iran will likely convince the Gaza-based terror group that it has no choice but to free them all. Dismantling the Iranian regime will stabilize the entire Middle East.

Trump can also facilitate the release of all of the hostages still being held captive in Gaza by letting Israel attack Hamas unimpeded. The Biden administration has restricted the Jewish state’s ability to fight to total and complete victory, forcing Israel to wage a war with one arm tied behind its back. Recent reports of increased recruitment by Hamas mean that Israel has more work to do. Trump is likely to let Israel finish the job, unencumbered by the previous administration’s demands.

Other areas of the world will need Trump’s immediate attention, such as the war launched by Russia on Ukraine in February 2022. Both sides have reason to want to end the fighting, and Trump will likely capitalize on this after he is sworn into office. Chinese aggression towards Taiwan also must end, and Trump will need to take action to protect Taiwan. Additionally, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey has been allowed to run roughshod over U.S. interests in recent years; he cannot be allowed to have unrestricted influence and control over parts of Syria.

As for the United Nations, here to Trump must act. The U.N. Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA) must be defunded immediately. Its staff was complicit with Hamas in Oct. 7 and has ties with the terror group. Further, the whole funding structure of the United Nations must be revisited and made more equitable as the United States carries too much of the financial burden for the international body.

With regards to funding, U.S. support to Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas must be terminated until he guarantees and proves adherence to the Taylor Force Act, ending the “pay for slay” system.

Trump should allow Israel to annex Judea and Samaria, just as he did the Golan Heights during his first term as president. This should be done unconditionally. Israel should also be allowed to re-establish its 22 Gush Katif communities that were closed as part of the so-called Gaza disengagement of 2005. That should never have happened. Trump can correct this mistake by allowing Israel to rebuild these once-flourishing communities.

As president, he will have four years to change America and the world. If history is any indication, his first 100 hours and days in office will likely bring many new efforts.
Eric Trager to fill top Middle East slot on Trump’s National Security Council
Eric Trager, currently a staff member for Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a former Washington Institute for Near East Policy fellow, is set to be the National Security Council senior director for the Middle East and North Africa in the new Trump administration, two sources familiar with the selection told Jewish Insider.

Brett McGurk, who has played a key role in shaping the Biden administration’s Middle East policy, is currently the NSC coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa.

Trager, whose research has focused on Egypt and the Muslim Brotherhood, has also previously served as a staff member for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Middle East and North Africa issues and as an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, the University of California and the University of Pennsylvania.

He authored a 2016 book, Arab Fall: How the Muslim Brotherhood Won and Lost Egypt in 891 Days, assessing the rise and fall of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in the early 2010s, the state of Egyptian politics and the possibility of a Muslim brotherhood resurgence. The book included interviews with Muslim Brotherhood leaders including former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.

He has also written about Qatar’s role in the Middle East and Doha’s relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, on his Twitter account, Trager has reposted comments from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ted Budd (R-NC) and Rick Scott (R-FL) about the conflict in the Middle East, particularly the plight of the hostage families and criticism of the Biden administration’s Gaza pier operation, withholding of aid from Israel, calls for a cease-fire and U.S. southern border policy.

He also re-shared criticisms of the Qatari government — characterizing officials in Doha as aiding Hamas and calling on the Gulf nation to expel Hamas leaders — and of the Lebanese Armed Forces. His most recent re-post, from May 2024, was of Wicker condemning the International Criminal Court prosecutor for seeking arrest warrants against Israeli officials.
White House’s Kirby: No genocide in Gaza even though civilian toll is ‘unacceptably high’
Pressed on why the US formally recognized the genocide in Sudan while refraining to do so in the case of Gaza, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby insists that it’s because no genocide is unfolding in the coastal enclave.

“The IDF isn’t waking up every day and putting their boots on the floor, saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to go kill some innocent people because they happen to be Palestinian,'” Kirby says during a press briefing.

“That doesn’t mean that there haven’t been too many civilian casualties in this conflict… and we have been nothing but direct with our Israeli counterparts about our concerns on that and about trying to get them… to be more discriminate about the civilian toll in Gaza. It’s unacceptably high… but that is not the same as saying genocide,” he argues.

The White House spokesperson says slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his terror organization have been the ones with “genocidal intentions,” as demonstrated during their October 7 onslaught.
Trump envoy heads to Doha as hostage talks intensify
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was scheduled to be in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday to advance multilateral negotiations aimed at securing the release of the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

During a press conference on Tuesday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, Witkoff, a Jewish businessman and longtime friend of the president-elect, expressed optimism about the ongoing discussions.

“I believe they’re doing an excellent job in Doha,” Witkoff stated. “I’m hopeful that by the [Jan. 20] inauguration, we’ll have positive news to share on behalf of the president. It’s really the president’s vision, his reputation, and his words that are driving these negotiations,” he added. “So, hopefully, everything will come together, and lives will be saved.”

When asked whether a deal could be reached before his inauguration, Trump said, “There better be.” He reiterated his stark warning about the potential fallout if the hostages are not released.

“All hell will break loose if those hostages aren’t returned. I don’t want to undermine the negotiations, but if they’re not back by the time I take office, the Middle East will face chaos like never before. It won’t be good for Hamas or anyone else,” said Trump. “They should have released them a long time ago. In fact, the Oct. 7 attack should never have happened.”

Praising Witkoff’s efforts, Trump remarked, “Steve has a big job ahead of him. He’s a great negotiator and a respected figure over there. That’s what we needed—someone who understands the complexities of the Middle East and can communicate effectively. Many so-called experts don’t have that ability.”

Hamas still holds 100 hostages in Gaza. Israel believes that more than 60 are alive.
Blinken: ‘We’re very close’ to ceasefire-hostage deal, plan will be handed to Trump administration if not finalized
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says “we’re very close to a ceasefire and hostage agreement.”

“I hope that we can get it over the line in the time that we have left, but if we don’t, then the plan that President [Joe] Biden put forward for a ceasefire-hostage deal will be handed over to the incoming administration, and I believe that when we get that deal — and we’ll get it — it’ll be on the basis of the plan that President Biden put before the world back in May,” Blinken says during a press conference with his French counterpart in Paris.

Blinken says that the Biden administration has also spent significant time advancing an initiative for the post-war management of Gaza that includes arrangements for the Strip’s security, administration and reconstruction.

“There too, we’re ready to hand that over to the [Trump] administration so it can work on it and run with it when the opportunity is there,” he says.

He then highlights the work that the Biden administration has done to secure a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“All of that is ready to go if the opportunity presents itself, with a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as understandings on a pathway forward for the Palestinians,” Blinken says. “So there’s tremendous opportunity there.”
Trump reposts clip from prof who traffics in conspiracy theories, attacks Netanyahu’s ‘power’
President-elect Donald Trump shared a video clip featuring comments from a controversial professor who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories and denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the video, Jeffrey Sachs, an economist at Columbia University who has frequently stirred controversy over his views on foreign policy and other issues, calls Netanyahu a “dark son of a bitch” and accuses him of a decades-long plot to lure the U.S. into a series of military conflicts with Iraq, Syria and Iran.

“He has gotten us into endless wars, and because of the power of all this in U.S. politics, he has gotten his way,” Sachs says of Netanyahu, in a monologue that also attacked former President Barack Obama’s approach to Syria and alleged media efforts to cover up his involvement in the war-torn country.

Trump, who often touts his pro-Israel policies and says he enjoys a good relationship with Netanyahu despite past tensions, reposted the clip to his Truth Social account on Tuesday, drawing scrutiny from critics on social media.

Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, said in a brief text message to Jewish Insider on Wednesday that the post “is clearly referencing Obama’s failed policies and the corrupt media.”

But he did not respond to a request for clarification that Trump was not endorsing Sachs’ condemnation of Netanyahu, whom he described in the video as an “obsessive” leader “still trying to get us to fight Iran to this day.”

Sachs, who has increasingly pushed conspiracy theories on the Middle East and Russia, appears to be popular among some members of Trump’s inner circle.
House plans to vote on bill defending Israeli officials from ‘lawless, illegitimate’ attacks of Hague court
The U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on Thursday on H.R.23, the “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act,” according to a schedule published by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).

Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Brian Mast (R-Fla.), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reintroduced the bill, which would “shield Israeli officials from the lawless and illegitimate attacks of the so-called ‘International Criminal Court,'” per Roy’s office.

Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the Hague-based court—which is not part of the United Nations or its International Court of Justice—sought arrest warrants last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, then the defense minister.

The bill passed the House last Congress, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) didn’t bring it to the floor for a vote.

“The ICC is an illegitimate court that represents a massive threat to U.S. sovereignty,” Roy’s office stated. “The Trump administration was right to impose sanctions on the associates of the ICC if they dare go after U.S. citizens, servicemembers or our allies. Biden’s decision to reverse that policy was weak, embarrassing and wrong.”

Mast stated that the bill “sends a clear message to the International Criminal Court.”

“We may not recognize you, but you sure as hell will recognize what happens when you target America or its allies,” Mast stated. “The ICC’s attempt to obstruct Israel’s right to defend itself has only prolonged the war and prevented the release of American hostages by boosting Hamas’s morale.”

Roy said the International Criminal Court is “an illegitimate body that has no business interfering with our sovereignty or that of our allies.”
Thune preparing to bring up ICC sanctions bill
The Senate will soon vote on legislation sanctioning the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders over the war in Gaza, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on Wednesday.

Thune confirmed his plans to bring up the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act for a vote “soon.” The legislation is expected to be introduced after the Senate finishes considering the Laken Riley Act, Republicans’ high-profile immigration bill that’s set to be the Senate’s first order of business. The Senate is slated to begin considering that bill on Friday.

Speaking on the Senate floor about upcoming agenda items, Thune said that the upper chamber is “going to be taking a vote to support our ally Israel – something my friends across the aisle seem to struggle with from time to time.” He also referenced his pledge last year to move on ICC sanctions if they did not pass before the end of that Congress.

“After the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and former defense minister in November, I called on the Democrat leader to bring up an ICC sanctions bill that had already passed the House – again with bipartisan support. The ICC’s rogue actions only enable the terrorists who seek to wipe Israel off the map – and they cannot be allowed to stand unchecked,” Thune said.

“In November, I promised that if Leader Schumer wouldn’t bring the ICC sanctions bill to the floor, Republicans would. And we’ll soon fulfill that promise and have a vote to support our ally Israel,” he continued.

Thune said in a separate statement to Jewish Insider on Tuesday that, “It is long overdue for the U.S. Senate to consider and pass sanctions legislation in response to the ICC’s outrageous and unlawful arrest warrants against Israeli officials. I promised this would be a priority in the 119th Congress, and am hopeful that this legislation will pass with bipartisan support.”


Ireland files intervention in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at ICJ
The Irish government on Monday filed a declaration of intervention in the ongoing International Court of Justice case examining allegations Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The Irish government invoked Article 63 of the ICJ Statute and submitted its intervention to the court's registry in The Hague.

The Irish national broadcaster RTE reported in December that the Irish government had approved the proposal to intervene in the case.

Micheál Martin, the deputy premier and minister for defense and foreign affairs, told RTE that he was essentially asking the court to broaden its interpretation of “genocide” so that it would include what is taking place in Gaza.

The case, originally filed by South Africa at the end of December 2023, alleges violations by Israel of its obligations under the Genocide Convention regarding Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The court has already issued several provisional measures, including an initial order in January 2024 and additional measures in March and May 2024, following South African requests.


Chairman of Israel-Ireland Friendship League: Israel must continue to engage with Ireland
Malcolm Gafson, who for twenty years has served as chairman of the Israel-Ireland Friendship League (IIFL), was devastated last December when he learned that Israel had decided to close its embassy in Ireland.

He was in Amsterdam at the time, visiting his aunt, who was celebrating her 100th birthday, and couldn’t do much from there in terms of trying to persuade the Foreign Ministry to reverse their decision.

As a long-term member of the Likud Central Committee, Gafson has a little sway in that direction. Irish-Israeli diplomacy

When he made aliyah 45 years ago, he and diplomat Zvi Gabay lobbied for full diplomatic relations between Israel and Ireland. The two countries had established diplomatic relations in 1975 but did not have resident ambassadors.

It was not until the end of 1993 that embassies were opened in Tel Aviv and Dublin, with Gabay appointed as Israel’s first ambassador to the Emerald Isle.

Although the Iraqi-born diplomat subsequently had many other interests after completing his posting – most notably the struggle for the rights of Jews from Arab lands – he remained steadfast in his interest in Ireland until his death in July 2018 and was an honored guest at St. Patrick’s Day receptions and IIFL events.

The relationship between Israel and Ireland was always complex, partially because much of the largely Catholic population was antisemitic and also because of its pro-Palestinian stance. Two weeks before the opening of the Israel Embassy in Dublin, PLO leader Yasser Arafat opened a legation there.

Nonetheless, there were definitely times when the two countries, or rather the Jewish population of Dublin in pre-state times, were on the same page in striving to gain independence from British rule.


Report: Biden officials warn Trump team that UNRWA ban in Gaza could be ‘catastrophe’
Officials in the outgoing Biden administration have reportedly warned incoming Trump officials that an Israeli law that will effectively shut down UNRWA in Gaza could create a humanitarian “catastrophe.”

According to an Axios report citing three unnamed US officials, the outgoing State Department figures sought to brief their incoming replacements about a “looming crisis” once the law, passed by the Knesset last year, takes effect in a few weeks.

The report says that the officials briefed Trump transition executive Joel Rayburn about the situation and their concern over the implications of the ban, which they referred to as a “catastrophe waiting to happen.”


UN's Albanese cites Holocaust while supporting 'conspiracy theorist' anti-Israel academic
Jewish groups expressed outrage this week after United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967 Francesca Albanese on Saturday cited the Holocaust to explain her support for Iranian regime media producer and anti-Israel academic David Miller.

“Never again. We, the generation who grew up with a sense of deceit, guilt, and responsibility for the ignorant and coward ancestors of ours who made the Holocaust happen, we have a role to play today,” Albanese said in a now-deleted X/Twitter post. “I stand with justice, against racism, against apartheid, and with Professor Miller.”

Albanese had responded to Miller’s announcement that there was an appeal against an October UK tribunal ruling that anti-Zionist beliefs are protected under anti-discrimination laws, and his 2021 dismissal from the University of Bristol for anti-Israel remarks had been unfair.

“The university wants to overturn this,” Miller had warned in a call for donations. “If we win at the Employment Appeal Tribunal, we’ll strengthen this precedent, which is invaluable and necessary for pro-Palestinian campaigners across Britain and beyond.”


JPost Editorial: Israel must lessen dependence on foreign weaponry
Much has surprised Israelis in the post-October 7 world.

They were surprised by a threat 2,000 km. away in Yemen called the Houthis. They were surprised by the degree, depth, and intensity of antisemitism in the West. And they were surprised that the Jewish state was dependent on basic armaments – rifles, artillery shells, mortars, and bombs – from outside sources, primarily the US.

For many, the last surprise came as a jolt. Granted, Israel needed the US for major weapons platforms like fighter jets, aerial refueling aircraft, and heavy-lift helicopters. But for bombs and mortars? Wasn’t that a throwback to a bygone era, to the pre- and early-state days when Zionist arms merchants traveled the world looking for machine guns, mortars, and refitted planes to bring back to Israel?

Hadn’t Israel, now one of the world’s leading exporters of arms selling state-of-the-art weaponry around the globe, moved past that? Israel is still dependent on foreign weapons

Apparently not, as report after report appeared in the media about one country or another embargoing arms sales to Israel, and the Biden administration slow-walking the supply of certain armaments – while providing billions of dollars of other weapons – because of a discomfort with the way Israel was waging the war.

This became painfully evident on March 1, when three soldiers were killed and another 14 were wounded when an explosion went off in a booby-trapped building in Khan Yunis.

In the debate that followed the incident over why the IDF sent in troops to destroy the building, rather than doing it from the air, one reason proffered was that the IDF was reserving the type of bomb that would have been needed to level the building for other operations. In other words, Israel was afraid of running out of bombs, and the IDF was carefully monitoring its supply of ordnance to be able to fight a long war on numerous fronts.

The long-term danger of this type of dependence on the US for arms became even more acutely evident in November, when Sen. Bernie Sanders sponsored three different bills that would have embargoed future arms sales to Israel, including the sale of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bomb guidance kits that turn “dumb” bombs into precision-guided ones, as well as tank and mortar shells.

Though the bills were roundly defeated, about one-third of Democratic senators voted for the measures, something that justifiably causes concern when considering whether the US will continue to be as forthcoming in its sale of arms to Israel a decade from now.

It is for that reason that the signing on Tuesday of two deals worth NIS 1 billion with Elbit Systems is so welcome. One deal will provide the military with thousands of heavy bombs, and the other will build a facility to produce raw energetic materials – all previously imported – that are essential for manufacturing propellants and explosives for rockets and missiles.
Three soldiers killed in Gaza, bringing IDF wartime toll to 831
Three Israeli soldiers were killed fighting the Hamas terror group in the northern Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday night.

Two of the slain troops were identified by the IDF as 1st Sgt. Matityahu Ya’akov Perel, 22, from Beit El, and 1st Sgt. Kenew Kasa, 22, from Beit Shemesh. Both soldiers served in the 46th Armored Battalion of the 401st “Iron Tracks” Brigade, according to the IDF announcement.

The name of the third soldier killed in the incident was not yet cleared for publication, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari added.

Hagari said that in the same incident, an officer in the 46th Armored Battalion of the 401st “Iron Tracks” Brigade sustained serious wounds. The wounded officer was taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

Earlier this week, three IDF soldiers were killed in the northern Strip, where the military is fighting a resurgence of the Hamas terror group.

Sgt. 1st Class Ido Samiach, 20, from Ganei Tikva, a team sergeant in the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance unit, was killed in action on Tuesday.

Two soldiers were slain on Monday. They were named as Cpt. Eitan Israel Shiknazi, 24, of the Nahal Brigade’s 932nd Battalion, from Eli in Samaria; and Maj. Dvir Zion Revah, 28, a company commander in the 932nd Battalion of the Nahal Brigade, from Jerusalem.

The official death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the ground incursion in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 27, 2023, now stands at 399, and at 831 on all fronts since the Hamas-led terror attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Additionally, Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, a member of the Israel Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit, was fatally wounded during a hostage-rescue mission in Gaza in June, and civilian defense contractor Liron Yitzhak was mortally wounded there in May.


IDF commander: Hezbollah’s return to border villages
Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Northern Command, has expressed doubts about the ability of the Lebanese Armed Forces to uphold the truce agreement and warned that Hezbollah’s influence and rocket fire near the border remain a significant threat, Channel 12 News reported on Wednesday.

Despite plans for northern Israeli residents to return home by March 1, Gordin admitted that while efforts are underway, the IDF cannot prevent Hezbollah operatives and other Lebanese citizens from returning to villages near the border.

Earlier this month, Jerusalem unveiled a 3.4 billion shekel ($928 million) plan to encourage the return of around 60,000 residents who were evacuated from at-risk areas near the Lebanon border after Hezbollah joined the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8, 2023.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, announcing the plan, emphasized safety concerns. “The key to returning home is security. We do not intend to compromise on this issue. Hezbollah has suffered a very severe blow, and today we see determined and uncompromising enforcement. We will not allow the threat to re-emerge on the northern border nor for the northern residents,” Smotrich stated.

On Sunday, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that the Nov. 26 truce agreement could collapse if Hezbollah does not fully withdraw as outlined in the agreement with the Lebanese government.

“The first condition for the implementation of the agreement is the complete withdrawal of the Hezbollah terror organization beyond the Litani River, the dismantling of all weapons, and the [removal] of the terror infrastructure in the area by the Lebanese army—something that hasn’t happened yet,” Katz stated.

“If this condition is not met, there will be no agreement, and Israel will be forced to act independently to ensure the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes,” he concluded.


Gal Gadot denies she was forbidden to wear hostage pin at Golden Globes
Hollywood superstar Gal Gadot said Wednesday she was never told she couldn’t wear a hostage pin to the Golden Globes, weighing in on the controversy that has surrounded her in recent days, after a representative of hers told Hebrew outlet Ynet that Gadot had been forbidden from doing so by the rules of the award ceremony.

“It’s important for me to clarify: I was never forbidden from wearing a pin at the Golden Globes,” Gadot wrote on Instagram. “Some people chose to tell a story that never happened, and I prefer to focus on what’s real and truly important – our hostages.”

Gal wrote that “everyone expresses their support in a way that suits them. I chose to share a post with global reach and wear a yellow ring as a symbol of solidarity. What truly matters is that the hostages come home now. My heart is with the families waiting for them.”

The Golden Globes had already issued a statement on Wednesday denying that presenters were prevented from wearing yellow ribbon pins in solidarity with the Gaza hostages.

Gadot has faced backlash in recent days after appearing at the award ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday without the yellow ribbon pin, which over the last 15 months has become a way for Israelis to show support for the hostages abducted by the Hamas terror group during the October 7, 2023, attacks.

The 39-year-old actress, who stars as the evil queen in Disney’s soon-to-be-released new version of “Snow White,” walked the Golden Globes red carpet before taking to the stage to present the award for best male actor in a drama. Notably absent from her floor-length black gown was the yellow ribbon that has become synonymous worldwide with support for the hostages held in Gaza.

Amid criticism over her failure to wear the pin, a representative for the actress told Hebrew media outlet Ynet that she was not able to don it “because she is presenting an award and there are rules.”

The representative claimed that Gadot had been “tormented” by the supposed inability to wear the ribbon pin, and as a compromise, she instead “published a post [on Instagram] calling for the hostages’ release before the ceremony.”
Departing Palestine ambassador predicts recognition of Palestinian state
Departing de facto ambassador for Palestine Izzat Abdul Hadi believes a re-elected Albanese government would recognise a Palestinian state.

The ambassador will end his term as the head of the delegation of Palestine in Australia next week after more than 18 years in the role.

Liberal MP Julian Leeser told Sky News Australia he agrees with Mr Abdul Hadi’s prediction and is indicative of Labor "changing its foreign policy.”

“Labor will almost certainly recognise a Palestinian state,” he said.


Jewish community has been ‘terribly let down’ by the Australian government
The Herald Sun’s Senior Writer Patrick Carlyon discusses a top Palestinian envoy praising the current Australian government for breaking with Israel.

“The likelihood of a two-state solution is the least likely it’s been since 1948,” Mr Carlyon said.

“The Jewish community has felt terribly let down.

“We’ve seen outbreaks of antisemitism – they’re getting more and more common it seems.”




Sydney electric bike sharing program is ‘billboard’ for antisemitism — report
Vandals have turned an electric bike-sharing program in the Australian city of Sydney into a platform to target the local Jewish community with anti-Israel and antisemitic graffiti, with complaints that the bike operators are not doing anything to counter the problem for over a year, a report said Tuesday.

Bikes are being defaced and then driven around or left in neighborhoods with large Jewish populations, the Australian Telegraph newspaper reported.

The bikes are daubed with swastikas or slogans such as “Israel is hell,” “Zionists are Nazis” and “Israel is a terrorist state.”

They have been seen in Bondi, Rose Bay Coogee, Kensington, Maroubra, and Randwick.

Attacks on Australia’s Jewish community have proliferated since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, which killed 1,200 people, saw 251 abducted, and started the war in Gaza. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia during protests against Israel that have often targeted the Jewish community, and in December a synagogue was set on fire in Melbourne in what authorities described as a terrorist act.

The Australian Jewish Association told the paper it had received hundreds of complaints about the bikes since the start of the Gaza war.

It claimed that the private company operating the bikes, Lime, has ignored requests to remove the graffiti.


Disgusting message on $65 T-shirt sparks outrage - as designer gives atrocious defence
The Australian Jewish community has been outraged by the sale of T-shirts with anti-semitic slogans at a mosque.

The T-shirts were being sold outside Elsedeaq Heidelberg Mosque in Heidelberg Heights, in north-east Melbourne, in November last year.

Designed by activist Carla Scotto, the black T-shirts have bold white writing with the slogans 'bash Zionists', 'may God crush them' and 'support armed resistance'.



It also included Aboriginal activist messages including a burning gravestone inscribed 'The Colony'.

The T-shirts are also being sold nationwide to raise money for Indigenous Australians and for Palestinians in Gaza.

Imam Alaa Elzokm said he was unaware Ms Scotto had promoted and sold the $65 T-shirts outside the mosque.

Imam Elzokm added he did not approve of the T-shirts and the messages but diid not identify the sellers as members of his congregation.

On her website, Ms Scotto explained it was entirely her decision to design and sell the T-shirts, saying 'no one ever hired me to do it so f*** it, Enjoy!'


Met police finally agrees to direct Palestine marches away from synagogues after community outcry
The Metropolitan Police have agreed to direct the first Palestine march of the year away from synagogues on January 18 after a prolonged community outcry.

The announcement comes just a week after the JC reported that community leaders had pleaded with the force to move the Gaza march away from Central Synagogue amid concerns that the Met is failing to protect Jewish life in the city.

On Tuesday, a group of over 80 MPs and peers joined calls to reroute the march away from the Jewish building. In a letter to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, cross-party politicians demanded that the rally be rerouted.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Met admitted that the Gaza protest close to a shul in central London on Shabbat risked “causing serious disruption”.

The rally, organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) on Saturday, is currently planned to begin at the BBC headquarters in Portland Place, 500 metres from Central Synagogue.

After writing to the PSC to ask them to change their meeting point, the Met said they were “hopeful that the PSC will now alter their plans in light of our position”.

If the PSC does not reroute the Gaza march, the Met said they would consider using the powers of the Public Order Act, which allows the force to limit unlawful assembly and riots.

Board of Deputies vice-president Andrew Gilbert welcomed the Met’s decision to reroute the march, commenting "The Board have been working with the police and the Jewish community on the routes of the marches and appreciate the detailed work by the police and believe that this clarity from them is an important step forward.”


Pro-Hamas activist destroys Netanyahu’s wax statue in Mexico
A pro-Palestinian activist vandalized a wax statue of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a museum in Mexico City on Tuesday.

Video footage of the incident circulating on social media shows the masked individual smashing the statue’s face with a hammer after pouring red paint over it.

A PLO flag can be seen on the floor next to the replica.

The vandal then pushes the statue to the floor and says in Spanish: “Long live Palestine. Long live Sudan. Long live Yemen. Long live Puerto Rico.”

The incident occurred at the Museo de Cera wax museum in Mexico’s capital.

On the Instagram page of the BDS movement in Mexico, a post stated: “Destroying Netanyahu’s statue at the wax museum. At the base of the statue, a Palestinian flag and red paint symbolizing the blood of the residents of Gaza can be seen.”

The museum has yet to comment on the incident.

Last winter, Israeli hostage artwork was defaced in the southern Mexican city of Oaxaca.

Pro-Hamas rioters in May set fire to the Israeli Embassy in Mexico.




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