Tuesday, January 14, 2025

01/14 Links Pt1: No final answer from Hamas regarding hostage deal; Hegseth: ‘I support Israel destroying, killing every last member of Hamas’

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: The Deal: A Guide for the Perplexed
What’s good about this for Israel:
—The reunions of more than two dozen hostages with their families is obviously top-of-mind. The country has been tormented for fifteen months over its missing, during which time Hamas’s cruelty has been boundless. Hostages have been tortured, abused, starved and humiliated—children and adults alike—and many of their families have been left to wonder if they are even still alive. Unlike Hamas, Israelis so value the lives of their fellows that every returned captive brings some relief to a suffering country.

—Israel will also have delivered for Donald Trump, whose envoys bulldozed all Israeli concerns so that he could begin his second term with a win. Delivering for an incoming president rather than an outgoing president means Israeli leaders believe (or live in hopes) that their concerns on other regional issues will be heard. That could mean an improvement in the flow of U.S. arms and aid, cooperation on limiting or destroying Iran’s nuclear program, support for Israel’s operations in Syria and Lebanon, Saudi normalization, and a suitably aggressive posture toward the ICC and the UN as well as any countries that are tempted to join their extrajudicial harassment of Israel and Israelis.

—Retaining some control over the Philadelphi Corridor is crucial to preventing the resumption of smuggling routes underneath Rafah and into Egyptian territory. Holding buffer zones along the rest of the border means the Israeli communities in the “Gaza envelope” will be better protected and will facilitate the deployment of troops back into Gaza hotspots. So long as Israeli troops control both sides of all Israel-Gaza borders, those borders will be more secure than they have been, arguably since 1948.

—Any significant reduction in fighting, even if temporary, will boost Israel’s economy and relieve some of the strain on its 300,000 reservists.

What’s bad about this for Israel:
—The withdrawal of troops to a buffer zone will guarantee Hamas survives for now and coalesces support and recruits while it has the chance. In turn, that means the IDF will be back in the parts of Gaza it is currently leaving. The war goes on under the façade of “peace.”

—The honeymoon from conventional Western policy toward the Middle East is over. In Trump’s first term, he put together a team of envoys that questioned stale thinking and thereby facilitated perhaps the most important regional diplomatic breakthroughs since the 1979 Egypt-Israel peace deal. This team featured US Ambassador David Friedman, Jared Kushner, Jason Greenblatt and others. This time, Trump’s envoy is Steve Witkoff, who is content to carry the outgoing Biden administration’s policies across the finish line, which are based on the age-old—and failed—protection of Hamas’s legitimacy and a bias toward the status quo.

—Israel has agreed to leave the Netzarim Corridor, a road that bisects Gaza and enables the IDF to contain recurring spurts of violence from spilling over into the rest of the enclave. That corridor begins right near Kibbutz Be’eri, where Hamas terrorists slaughtered over 100 civilians and took thirty hostages in the early hours of its Oct. 7 invasion. Israel’s disengagement from the corridor will mean it is facilitating the return of Gazans to their homes in the north before many of Israel’s own citizens can safely return to their homes near Gaza.

—The release of violent Palestinian terrorists and inmates will represent security threats, boost loyalty to Hamas and in some cases Hamas’s manpower, and incentivize the taking of future hostages. Hostage-taking, in fact, will be seen as the only successful method of Palestinian “resistance” and the only consistent advantage that terrorist groups have over the West.

—Qatar, the longtime patron of Hamas, facilitated this deal, and in doing so, displayed the considerable influence it will have over a Trump White House.

What’s good about the deal for the Palestinians:
—The ability for many to return to their homes amid a reprieve in Gaza’s longest war. Israel will continue providing the strip with humanitarian aid.

What’s bad about it for the Palestinians:
—Hamas was the reason for the devastation in Gaza, and Hamas is being left in power, which means any reprieve is temporary.

~The survival of Hamas, even in a greatly weakened state, means Mahmoud Abbas will die without seeing the return of the Palestinian Authority to the territory it lost to Hamas. This means Hamas’s influence in the West Bank will surge despite Israel’s devastation of it. The Hamasification of the West Bank, in turn, would sound the death knell for Palestinian self-determination, since there will be no Palestinian party to negotiate with Israel and both Palestinian territories will slide into Iranian satrapy.
Will Palestinians Give Peace a Chance?
If there's ever going to be lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the Palestinians must do something they've avoided for nearly 80 years: accept the permanency and legitimacy of the Jewish state.

Since Oct. 7, most Israelis have become increasingly disillusioned when it comes to peace with the Palestinians. On the Palestinian side, a series of recent polls found that many Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank still believe Hamas was justified in carrying out their Oct. 7 assault. Moreover, Palestinians remain broadly opposed to the idea of a two-state solution, the favored approach of international politicians, scholars, and peace advocates for decades.

Since Israel's founding, the complete ideological rejection of any Jewish state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea has been a pillar of Palestinian identity. Treating Israel as anything but a blemish or temporary aberration that can and will be undone with enough determination would be sacrilege in many Palestinian homes. It is precisely this maximalist Palestinian ideology that is at the heart of the conflict.

Going forward, earnest diplomats and committed mediators who have continually avoided this long-held rejectionist view will need to wake up, get real, and have honest discussions with Palestinians. As a first step, outsiders should resist the common knee-jerk reaction of dismissing hard truths. The deep-seated Palestinian vision anchored to endless struggle and never-ending resistance is what keeps the conflict going.

Unless the Palestinians finally acknowledge Israel's right to exist, no land, no new borders, and no other concessions will lead to lasting peace. Palestinians have the power to end the conflict - and it's time we recognize that.
Terrorist releases in exchange for hostages threaten even more Israeli lives
Many Israelis will say that the hostage release deal under discussion is sad but necessary—that it is the government’s moral obligation to free as many hostages as possible, as soon as possible, despite the high price, and that the suffering of our hostages and their families is intolerable on the personal and national levels.

Many will say that giving freed hostages a national hug will be the greatest triumph of all—something so necessary for Israel’s collective spirit and its resilience over the long term.

Many Israelis might feel this to be so even if the deal entails a near-total withdrawal of the Israel Defense Forces from the Gaza Strip. In other words, even if Hamas retains power and survives to fight another day.

However one finesses the diplomatic and defense dilemmas here, there is one additional grand security calculus that seems absent from public discourse: the piercingly high price of releasing many Palestinian terrorists from Israeli jails which will be part of any deal.

The released terrorists assuredly will strike again with God-only-knows how many Israeli casualties in the future. Their release certainly will incentivize future kidnappings, pour gasoline onto the terrorist fires already raging in Judea and Samaria, and catapult Hamas toward its intended takeover of Judea and Samaria, too.

I know this because its has been the case with every previous terrorist release. Israel has repeatedly erred by letting terrorists loose to murder more Israelis.

Each time, in advance of every deal, the Israeli “security establishment” arrogantly and falsely has assured Israeli politicians and the public that it “would know how to manage the situation,” i.e., how to track the terrorists and crush any nascent return to terrorist activity without too much harm done.

But this has never proven to be true. Every deal involving the release of terrorists has led to more bloodshed, planned and carried out by these released terrorists.


Netanyahu coalition member urges Trump to reject current Hamas deal
Members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Knesset coalition have at times opposed the deal that the Jewish state is negotiating with the Hamas terror group. But Ohad Tal, who chairs the Religious Zionism Party’s Knesset faction, made the unusual decision to reject the negotiations publicly and not only to do so while traveling abroad, but in remarks at President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

“Mr. President, I want to use this important podium here at this event in Mar-a-Lago to tell you,” Tal said at the event, which he attended with Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, on Tuesday.

“You know more than any other leader in the world to differentiate between good and evil,” Tal added, to much applause. “I call you from here, from this important podium, not to support a deal that will leave this total evil of Hamas in power.” (Trump did not appear to be in attendance.)

Israel signaled its support for the current proposed hostage deal—which reportedly calls for the release of thousands of terrorists and an Israeli withdrawal from strategic areas—after being pressured by Steve Witkoff, whom Trump named as his Middle East envoy, according to widespread Hebrew media reports.

Witkoff, who met recently with Netanyahu, told Sean Hannity, of Fox News, on Jan. 9 that the Qatari prime minister and Israeli negotiators are “doing God’s work.” (JNS sought comment from the Trump transition team.)

Tal stated ahead of his trip to the United States that his party is united against a “bad deal that leaves many of the hostages in Gaza and that releases terrorists with blood on their hands.”

“Israel must continue its military pressure and unleash hell on Gaza until Hamas is defeated and all of the hostages are returned,” Tal stated prior to the trip.

The Religious Zionism Party, which holds seven seats in Netanyahu’s 68-member governing coalition, slammed the “surrender deal” on Monday as a “catastrophe” for the Jewish state.

“We will not be part of a surrender deal that includes the release of arch-terrorists, halting the war, undermining the achievements that were secured with many lives lost and abandoning numerous hostages,” stated Bezalel Smotrich, the party leader and Israeli finance minister.

Seven members of Netanyahu’s Likud Party also came out against the terms of the emerging deal on Monday, per Kan News.
No final answer from Hamas regarding hostage deal, official tells 'Post'
No final answer was given from Hamas regarding a hostage deal, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Associated Press reported, citing two officials involved in the negotiations, that Hamas has agreed to the proposed ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of numerous hostages.

According to the report, an Israeli official noted that while progress had been made, the final details were still under discussion.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the draft agreement, which was authenticated by both an Egyptian and a Hamas official.

All three officials spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the closed-door negotiations.

Qatar, a key mediator in the talks, described the current situation as the “closest” the parties have come to an agreement.

The closest point
"We have handed over drafts of the ceasefire agreement to both sides, and talks are now ongoing on the final detail," the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Tuesday.

"We have overcome the major differences. This is the closest point we have been to a deal over the past months," the statement added.


Hamas Is Demanding the Release of Senior Terrorists Serving Life Sentences
As part of the ongoing negotiations for a hostage deal, Hamas has submitted a list of Palestinian prisoners it demands to be released from Israeli prisons, including senior terrorists serving life sentences.

Hamas's list includes Abdullah Barghouti, currently serving 67 life sentences, and Marwan Barghouti, sentenced to five consecutive life terms and an additional 40 years in prison.

Also listed are Ahmed Saadat, secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), who planned the assassination of Israeli Minister Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001.

Others include Ibrahim Hamed, the mastermind behind 90% of suicide bombing attacks during the Second Intifada between 2000 and 2005, and Abbas al-Sayyed, the principal planner of the 2002 Passover massacre in Netanya who was sentenced to 35 life terms.


Commentary PodCast: Bad Deal
The details of the ceasefire/hostage negotiations in Doha between Israel and Hamas are not viewed favorably on today's podcast, to put it mildly, and suggest there may be danger ahead when it comes to the Trump administration and what it's willing to do to claim successes. And we also view unfavorably Jack Smith's report on how, yeah, he woulda gotten Trump convicted if it weren't for you meddling voters!


Naama Levy’s Australian cousin: ‘We’re waiting for good news’
Naama Levy’s cousin Zack Shachar has told The AJN he is feeling “optimistic” about the prospects of a hostage deal, but shared that her family has not received any recent signs of life.

“We’re waiting,” said Shachar.

“We’re stressed, but we’re waiting for good news. I think that this time, unlike previous times, I personally feel more optimistic. There are indications that it’s going to happen and I hope that it will.”

Shachar has tirelessly advocated for the release of Levy and the rest of the hostages almost every weeke in Sydney, joining with Together With Israel in holding rallies and publicly reading the names out of every innocent captive in Gaza.

Hamas recently released a disturbing propaganda video of hostage Liri Albag, who was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base along with Levy, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger and Daniella Gilboa.

Shachar said Levy’s parents and family members in Israel are “not doing great”.

“I mostly get the updates from my parents about my uncle and my auntie, and you can’t really describe it,” he said, before adding the family is just “waiting”.

The video of Levy being pulled by her hair, in bloodied pants, wrists tied behind her back, and bundled from the back of a Jeep was one of the many horrific moments captured of the Hamas attacks on October 7.

Another was the kidnapping of the Bibas family – Yarden, Shiri, Ariel and Kfir – from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Yarden’s aunt Michal Keshet also lives in Sydney and, like Shachar, has kept the plight of the hostages front of mind.

Baby Kfir was just nine months old when he was kidnapped, and this week will turn two – his second birthday in the tunnels of Gaza.

According to officials, the first stage of the potential hostage deal would see Hamas release 33 “humanitarian” hostages – children, women, female soldiers, the elderly and the sick. Israel believes most of the 33 are alive, but noted that Jerusalem has not yet received any confirmation of their status.

If the first stage is carried out, then on the 16th day of the deal coming into effect, Israel will begin negotiations on a second stage to free the remaining captives – male soldiers and men of military age – and the bodies of slain hostages, the officials said.

They denied an earlier report that claimed the first Israeli hostages would only be released a week into the ceasefire taking effect. It is believed that 94 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.

The officials also said that pressure and threats from incoming US President-elect Donald Trump had helped bring Hamas to the table, and they stressed that Israel was working with both teams, including Biden envoy Brett McGurk and Trump official Steve Witkoff, and that the administrations were also coordinating with each other.
Cousin of Israeli hostage speaks out amid speculation of imminent hostage deal
Sky News host Sharri Markson is joined by Ashley Waxman Bakshi, who is a cousin of an Israeli held hostage by Hamas.

There are reports about an imminent ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas being struck in Qatar.

“We’ve been praying for this since October 7,” Ms Bakshi said.

“We can’t breathe waiting.”




A grim report: This is what the lives of returning hostages will look like
A new report has revealed the expected medical and psychological state of the returning hostages, as hospitals prepare to receive them as hostage-ceasefire deal negotiations reach final stages. Sheba, Ichilov, and Beilinson hospitals are geared up for critical care.

One year after 105 hostages were released from Gaza as part of a prisoner-hostage exchange deal, survivors and their families continue to face significant health, psychological, and social challenges. A medical report by the health team of the Hostage Families Forum highlights that many survivors returned suffering from severe malnutrition, untreated injuries, and deep psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The report paints a grim picture of the survivors, many of whom returned with multi-system injuries, both physical and psychological. Survivors experienced significant weight loss due to severe malnutrition. Poor sanitary conditions in captivity led to digestive issues and skin infections.

Physical injuries, such as fractures and nerve damage left untreated, resulted in long-term disabilities.

The psychological damage caused by captivity is at least as severe, if not worse, than the physical harm. The combination of violence, isolation, and uncertainty during captivity left lasting emotional scars. Many survivors suffer from PTSD, reporting intrusive thoughts, nightmares, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, and avoidance behaviors.

Many describe feeling as though they are "still in Gaza." These symptoms were especially acute among those who experienced violence or were separated from their families during captivity, though not exclusively.

Children, in particular, struggle to process their experiences, with some exhibiting developmental regression and heightened anxiety. The ongoing war in Israel, exposure to sirens, and other security threats exacerbate this hypervigilance.

The families must also contend with the lasting consequences of captivity. The report underscores the critical need for long-term support rather than arbitrary cessation after one year.

Survivors and their families often experience survivor’s guilt and tormenting thoughts, especially as some relatives, friends, or fellow captives remain in captivity under unbearable conditions for over 400 days. This emotional burden complicates the healing process, as many struggle to reconcile their freedom with the suffering of others.


Hegseth: ‘I support Israel destroying, killing every last member of Hamas’
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Pentagon faced tough questions from Democrats at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday about his drinking, allegations of sexual misconduct and comments about the role of women in the military.

A former Fox News host and retired Army major who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pete Hegseth denied the allegations from Democrats on the Senate Committee on Armed Services about his personal conduct and said they were part of a “coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media.”

“I’m willing to endure these attacks, but what I will do is stand up for the truth and for my reputation—false attacks, anonymous attacks, repeated ad nauseam, printed ad nauseam as facts,” he said.

Hegseth’s nomination is expected to be one of the most contentious of Trump’s picks to get through Senate confirmation given his background as a Fox News firebrand, who has been deeply critical of Democrats and “woke” diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the military, as well as accusations about his personal life.


Hillel Neuer on The Daily Wire: "UNRWA is perpetuating war. It must be dismantled"
Hillel Neuer joined the Morning Wire with John Bickley to discuss why it's time for the West to defund UNRWA.




Pro-Israel judge poised to take over ICJ presidency
Judge Julia Sebutinde is set to assume the presidency of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), marking another milestone in her groundbreaking career as well as a significant shift for the court.

The Ugandan jurist, who recently made headlines for her robust defence of Israel against South Africa's genocide allegations, will take the helm following current President Nawaf Salam's departure.

Salam has been appointed Prime Minister of his native Lebanon by new president Joseph Aoun, whose election, backed by the US and Saudi Arabia, represents a major blow to Iran and its proxy Hezbollah.

Born Julia Semusso in February 1954 in Uganda's Central Province to a civil servant father and homemaker mother, Sebutinde's journey to The Hague reflects a remarkable career. Her ascent began with her 1996 appointment to Uganda's Supreme Court, where she distinguished herself by leading three pivotal anti-corruption investigations in her homeland.

The judge's international prominence grew with her 2005 appointment to the Special Court for Sierra Leone war crimes tribunal, where she played a crucial role in the landmark trial of Liberian President Charles Taylor.

Her appointment to the ICJ in February 2012 broke new ground as she became the first woman from Africa to serve on the court.

Sebutinde's recent ruling on the Israel-Hamas War has particularly resonated in international legal circles. She dismissed South Africa's requests for temporary injunctions to halt the Gaza war, asserting that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people is fundamentally political rather than legal in both its nature and historical context, and therefore falls outside the court's purview.

Her stance, however, has created diplomatic ripples. Uganda's UN Ambassador Adonia Ayebare publicly distanced his administration from her position, emphasizing that her ruling did not reflect Ugandan government policy.
Lebanon's next PM extends hand to Hezbollah, aims to rebuild Lebanon
Lebanon's Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his hands were "extended to everyone" in a gesture to the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group that accused opponents of seeking to exclude it by nominating him for the post.

President Joseph Aoun formally designated Salam, who has been serving as presiding judge at the International Court of Justice, to form the next government on Tuesday after he won the backing of a majority of lawmakers the previous day.

Salam's nomination has reflected a dramatic shift in the power balance in Lebanon, a result of the heavy blows dealt to Hezbollah in last year's war with Israel, compounded by the ousting last month of its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad.

It follows last week's election of Aoun, the former head of the Lebanese army who has U.S. and Saudi support.

Speaking after the meeting, Salam said he was committed to rebuilding from last year's war between Israel and Hezbollah, and that it was time for "a new chapter" in Lebanon "rooted in justice, security, progress and opportunities."

Reconstruction "requires the full implementation of (U.N.) Resolution 1701 and all provisions of the ceasefire agreement and the imposition of the enemy’s complete withdrawal from the last occupied inch of our lands," he said, referring to Israel.

Hezbollah had wanted outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati to keep the job, and believed this had been secured under the terms of a political understanding by which its lawmakers endorsed Aoun as president last week, Hezbollah sources say.

But Salam emerged with the endorsement of 84 out of parliament's 128 lawmakers, among them Christians, Druze and Sunni Muslim MPs, including both Hezbollah allies and opponents.


ICC prosecutor objects to Israeli appeal of Netanyahu, Gallant arrest warrants
International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan objected on Tuesday to Israel’s appeal of the war crimes arrest warrants that were issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

The warrants constitute the darkest legal crisis Israel has ever encountered and have led to diplomatic bouts between Israel and other states, some of which have been more aggressive in seeking to arrest IDF soldiers than others – although the ICC itself has not gone after soldiers just yet.

On November 21, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber, a lower court, approved the warrants.

A few weeks later, in mid-December, Israel appealed to its Appeals Chamber – the institution’s top court – to reverse the decision.

The appeal rested mainly on Articles 18 and 19 of the Rome Statute, which established the court and to which Israel and the US are not signatories – raising, both directly and indirectly, a plethora of errors it said the lower court committed in its decision.

Some of the issues relate to whether Palestine is a country, whether Israel’s legal establishment properly investigates itself, whether Israel needed to be given more specifics by Khan about any probe after October 7, which radically changed the region, and whether a head of state from a democratic country, like Netanyahu, has special immunity.

The ICC Appeals Chamber will weigh whether it wants to continue its drive against Israel at a moment when the war may be ending and when US President-elect Donald Trump is sure to make the ICC pay for hassling the Jewish state.

Notably, the lower court ruled against Israel after Trump’s election win was announced.
Why no warrant for the PM of Palestine? ICC wants its cake and eat it
So the ICC is telling us that a part of the State of Palestine, Gaza, invades Israel on October 7th and brings back hostages, but this was done without the contribution or knowledge of the Prime Minister of Palestine?

This is curious, indeed. Surely, if one country invades another, the Prime Minister of that country should be aware of the fact in advance and have some say over the matter. The obvious conclusion is that either,

1. A warrant should be issued for the Prime Minister of Palestine and his minister of interior; or
2. Gaza is not a part of Palestine, despite the “vision and hope” of UN GA Resolution 67/19.

If the latter, and Gaza is not part of The State of Palestine, then the ICC has no jurisdiction over acts committed by Israel in Gaza and should immediately withdraw its warrants. Any claim by the ICC to have territorial jurisdiction over Gaza as part of Palestine is inconsistent with its actions in pursuing warrants for members of Hamas, and only Hamas, rather than senior members of the State of Palestine.

Issuing warrants for Hamas leaders, and not leaders of the The State of Palestine, indicates that Gaza is a separate state for purposes of jurisdiction and not part of The State Palestine. This inference would conform with reality: in 2007 Hamas kicked the Palestinian Authority out of Gaza. Since then, it had its own government structure with the following ministries:
Ministry of Interior: Oversees internal security, police forces, and civil defense.
Ministry of Health: Manages public health services, hospitals, and medical facilities.
Ministry of Education: Responsible for primary and secondary education systems.
Ministry of Higher Education: Oversees universities and higher education institutions.
Ministry of Social Development: Provides social services and support to vulnerable populations.
Ministry of Public Works and Housing: Handles infrastructure development and housing projects.
Ministry of Agriculture: Manages agricultural policies and supports farmers.
Ministry of Economy: Oversees economic policies, trade, and industry.
Ministry of Finance: Manages fiscal policies, budgeting, and public expenditures.
Ministry of Justice: Oversees the legal system and judicial affairs.
Ministry of Labor: Responsible for employment policies and labor relations.
Ministry of Transportation: Manages transportation infrastructure and services.
Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology: Oversees communication services and IT infrastructure.
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities: Manages cultural heritage sites and promotes tourism.

The elephant in the room is the fact that Gaza is a de facto state, with at least three of the criteria of the Montevideo Convention3, separate from the the Palestinian Authority, which represents the State of Palestine, and which was kicked out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007. There has been no formal connection between Gaza and the State of Palestine since that year. This state of affairs is evidenced by the Beijing Declaration of July 2024, which aims to reconcile Hamas and Fatah, which controls the Palestinian authority, as well as twelve other Palestinian factions.

This Declaration presupposes that Gaza has no current relationship with either the PLO, Fatah, or the Palestinian Authority, which represent the State of Palestine.

The idea that the de facto state of Gaza is part of the State of Palestine is absurd and the ICC extending its jurisdiction to include conduct that occurred in Gaza is a legal nonsense. The ICC should either issue warrants for the leadership of the State of Palestine or withdraw its warrants for the conduct of Israeli citizens in the de facto state of Gaza. The ICC can’t have its cake and eat it.


Imam ridiculed by Sean Hannity is giving benediction at Trump’s inauguration
An imam who was previously ridiculed by Fox News host Sean Hannity for his refusal to acknowledge Hezbollah as a terrorist organization is among the religious leaders scheduled to deliver benedictions at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week.

Imam Husham Al-Husainy, who leads Karbalaa, a prominent Islamic education center in Dearborn, Mich., was asked by Hannity in a 2007 Fox News interview whether Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. “First of all — first of all, Hezbollah is a Lebanese organization,” Al-Husainy replied. “And I’ve got nothing to do with that. But there is a biblical meaning of Hezbollah. It is in Judaism and Christianity and Islam meaning people of God and that means yes.”

The U.S. designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. Al-Husainy appeared on Hannity’s show, alongside liberal journalist Alan Colmes, on the heels of delivering an invocation at the Democratic National Convention winter meeting in January 2007, where he gave “remarks that have raised so many questions,” Hannity said at the time.

“Mr. Husainy, what you said was, ‘Stop the war, the violence, the oppression and the occupation,’” Hannity said, playing a clip from the DNC speech. “Yes, sir,” Al-Husainy responded.

Hannity pressed Al-Husainy, “Who were you calling an occupier, if not for the United States? You were calling the United States an oppressor and an occupier, and now you seem to be backtracking…”

“Those were not my words,” the imam responded, adding, “because one-third of this globe is occupied by one people or another. There is so many kinds of occupation. Political, psychological.”

Later in the interview, Hannity asked, “Will you believe, will you admit that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, sir?”

“That is your explanation,” Al-Husainy answered. “Is it?” Hannity asked. “But Hezbollah — sir, you give me time to explain,” Al-Husainy continued.

“This is a yes or no? Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization? Yes or no? Is Hezbollah…” Hannity asked. “No,” Al-Husainy said.

“No. They’re not?” Hannity asked again. “What are you talking about? What are you talking — which question do you want me to answer?” Al-Husainy said.


Israel’s Assault on Hizballah Could Pave the Way for Peace with Lebanon
Last week, the Lebanese parliament chose Joseph Aoun to be the country’s next president, filling a position that has been vacant since 2022. Aoun, currently commander of the military—and reportedly supported by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia—edged out Suleiman Frangiyeh, Hizballah’s preferred candidate. But while Aoun’s victory is a step in the right direction, David Daoud sounds a cautionary note:

Lebanon’s president lacks the constitutional authority to order Hizballah’s disarmament, and Aoun was elected as another “consensus president” with Hizballah’s votes. They wouldn’t vote for a man who would set in motion a process leading to their disarmament.

Habib Malik agrees that hoping for too much to come out of the election could constitute “daydreaming,” but he nonetheless believes the Lebanese have a chance to win their country back from Hizballah and, ultimately, make peace with Israel:

Lebanon’s 2019 economic collapse and the 2020 massive explosion at the Beirut Port were perpetrated by the ruling mafia, protected ever since by Hizballah. [But] Lebanon’s anti-Iran/Hizballah communities constitute a reliable partner for both the U.S. and Israel. The Lebanese are desperate to be rid of Iranian influence in order to pursue regional peace and prosperity with their neighbors. Suddenly, a unique opportunity for peace breaking out between Israel and Lebanon could be upon us, particularly given President Trump’s recent reelection with a landslide mandate. It was under Trump’s first term that the Abraham Accords came into being and so under his second term they could certainly be expanded.

As matters stand, Lebanon has very few major contentious issues with Israel. The precisely targeted and methodical nature of Israel’s war in Lebanon against Hizballah and what has unfolded in Syria make this outcome a far more attainable goal.
Israel undermined the PA, Blinken charges in speech on ‘day after’ plan
In what could be his final speech on the job, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Israel of systematically undermining the Palestinian Authority, which he said should govern a unified Gaza Strip, in addition to Judea and Samaria after Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists concludes.

Presenting his plans on Tuesday for the “day after” the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., the Biden administration’s top diplomat reiterated that the P.A. and international partners should “run an interim administration with responsibility for key civil sectors in Gaza, like banking, water, energy, health, civil coordination with Israel.”

The envisioned interim body would “hand over complete responsibility to a fully reformed P.A. administration as soon as it’s feasible,” he said.

Blinken’s proposal, which he said would be shared with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, also calls for the U.S. to train and arm more security forces in the P.A., who would gradually take over from an interim force led by “partner nations.”

The legal position of the P.A. forces would be enshrined in a binding U.N. Security Council Resolution, the diplomat proposed.

The U.S. State Department has worked for months with partner nations to draw up proposals for managing security, governance, reconstruction and more in Gaza, Blinken noted, arguing that the international community cannot afford to wait until a ceasefire is put in place to launch such plans.

According to Blinken, the outgoing administration has stressed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Palestinian terror “cannot be defeated by a military campaign alone, that without a clear alternative, a post-conflict plan and a credible political rise to the Palestinians, Hamas or something just as abhorrent and dangerous will grow back.”
Nvidia blasts Biden admin over ‘misguided’ AI chip restrictions, praises Trump
The rules are scheduled to take effect after a 120-day comment period. That means the Trump administration should have broad leeway over how the measures are implemented and whether any changes are necessary.

Trump has named David Sacks, a venture capitalist who has called for looser regulation of the booming artificial intelligence sector, as his AI czar.

Representatives for Trump’s transition team and Sacks did not immediately return requests for comment.

Biden officials said the rules are necessary to protect US national security and prevent adversaries like China and North Korea from gaining access to advanced technology. But critics, including Nvidia, say they are too restrictive and could hurt innovation.

Foreign adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran already faced export bans on advanced AI chips. Under the new rule, more than 120 nations – including Israel, Switzerland and Mexico – could also face new limits on chip access.

A group of 18 close US allies, including the UK, Australia, Canada and Taiwan, won’t face any new restrictions, according to the White House.
‘60 Minutes’ slammed for relying on CAIR-connected sources for anti-Israel segment
CBS News is facing renewed accusations of anti-Israel bias over a “60 Minutes” segment criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the war in Gaza that relies largely on two former State Department officials with ties to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), whose executive director has drawn condemnation from the White House for praising Hamas.

The new segment, which aired on Sunday, appeared highly skeptical of Israel’s war against Hamas in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks — drawing almost exclusively on interviews with two disgruntled former officials who resigned from the State Department in protest of President Joe Biden’s support for Israel amid the ongoing conflict.

The former officials, Josh Paul and Hala Rharrit, claim the U.S. has been “complicit” in helping Israel to carry out alleged violations of international law — saying American weapons transfers have enabled “devastation” in Gaza that the administration has ignored.

But the segment omits key details about the two subjects, including their connections to CAIR, the Muslim advocacy group whose leader, Nihad Awad, has said that he was “happy to see” Hamas’ terror attacks and argued that Israel does not have a “right to self-defense.” The White House denounced his comments as “shocking” and “antisemitic.”

Rharrit, a former career diplomat, has appeared at CAIR events, including an August panel discussing “how Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism fuel the Biden administration’s Gaza policy,” according to a flier. For his part, Paul — a former director in the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs — now serves as a senior advisor for DAWN, an anti-Israel group whose board members include Awad.

The segment, which also features a third former State Department official who resigned over the war, has drawn widespread scrutiny for what critics are calling a lack of balance in covering the conflict. Cecilia Vega, the “60 Minutes” correspondent who reported the segment, for instance, notes in her introduction that the “war has led to charges of genocide against Israel — and has been fueled by American weapons and billions of taxpayer dollars.”


Yahya Sinwar’s brother said to be rebuilding Hamas’s terror army
Hamas is reconstituting its terror army in the Gaza Strip, recruiting up to thousands of new Palestinian youngsters into its torn ranks, according to a report published on Monday by The Wall Street Journal.

After a relatively long period of almost no rockets being launched from the Hamas-ruled territory, the terror group managed to fire some 20 rockets into Israel in the past 14 days.

Moreover, 10 Israeli soldiers fell in battle in the area of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza over the past week.

“We are in a situation where the pace at which Hamas is rebuilding itself is higher than the pace that the [Israel Defense Forces are] eradicating them,” Amir Avivi, a retired Israeli brigadier general, was quoted as saying by the WSJ.

“Mohammed Sinwar is managing everything,” he added, referring to the younger brother of former Hamas leader and mastermind of the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the IDF in October.

According to the report, after the elimination of Sinwar, Hamas’s remaining leadership attempted to form a collective leadership council, but the organization’s members in Gaza opted to operate autonomously under Mohammed Sinwar.

A senior Israeli official from the IDF’s Southern Command told the WSJ that “We are working hard to find him.”


Overnight missile launch from Yemen triggers sirens across central Israel
A ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia triggered sirens across central Israel in the early hours of Tuesday morning, in the second such attack in a span of hours. The Israel Defense Forces reported multiple attempts to intercept the missile, which it said were “likely” successful.

The sirens, which sounded just after 3 a.m., startled millions of residents in the Gush Dan, Jerusalem Foothills and Sharon regions. Landings and takeoffs at Ben Gurion Airport were briefly suspended.

Eleven people sustained injuries while rushing to shelters, with four individuals experiencing anxiety-related symptoms, according to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service

According to the Israel Police, missile debris hit private residences in Mevo Beitar and Tzur Hadassah in the Jerusalem area. They also released an image of a large cylinder, identified as part of the Houthi missile, embedded in the roof of a home. Bomb disposal experts and other police forces were deployed to the affected sites.

A Houthi military spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, stating on Tuesday morning that it had targeted “the Israeli enemy’s defense ministry in Jaffa” with a ballistic missile.

The attack came just hours after the IDF shot down a missile launched at central Israel from Yemen by Houthi terrorists on Monday night, triggering air-raid sirens throughout Samaria, the army said.

“Following alerts that were activated a short time ago in several areas of the country, the air force intercepted one missile launched from Yemen,” the IDF stated. “The missile was intercepted before it crossed into Israeli territory; the alerts were activated according to policy.”


Couple, out for walk after overnight sirens, find chunk of Houthi missile on their roof
A couple who went out for a morning stroll Tuesday was surprised to discover that a large section of a ballistic missile had smashed through the roof of their home, narrowly missing them.

The missile was fired at Israel overnight by Yemen’s Houthi rebels and intercepted by the Israel Defense Forces.

However, debris after the interception landed in Mevo Beitar, a community on the outskirts of Jerusalem, with a large piece hitting the home of Zvika and Michal Wexler, the Ynet outlet reported.

Michal explained that like millions of other Israelis, the family was woken during the night by sirens that alerted them of the missile attack. They quickly sought refuge in their safe room, a thick-walled area built into newer Israeli homes.

Michal said the family did not hear any unusual noise. Loud booms from an interception are often heard by residents on the ground, even inside sealed safe rooms.

Unbeknown to the family, a section of the Houthi missile plunged from the sky and landed on their home, smashing through the roof.


Call me Back Podcast: We need to talk about Turkey - with Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak & Nadav Eyal
The collapse of Assad’s regime in Syria has created a new geopolitical reality, in which Turkey has emerged as a dominant regional power, both militarily and diplomatically. For Israel, this new reality entails certain risks, but also opportunities for cooperation?

What is Turkey’s next move - and what are Erdogan’s ambitions? And how is Israel preparing for this new order?

To help us understand, our guests are Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak and Call me Back regular Nadav Eyal.

Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, who moved to Israel from Turkey, is a researcher at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University, and an expert on contemporary Turkish politics and society. Yanarocak is the editor of Turkeyscope, and a member of the Middle East Network Analysis Desk. He is a frequent guest on Israeli media, where he regularly appears to discuss contemporary Turkish issues.

Nadav Eyal is a columnist for Yediiot. He is one of Israel’s leading journalists. Eyal has been covering Middle-Eastern and international politics for the last two decades for Israeli radio, print and television news. v Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
04:20 Hay’s background & expertise
05:58 Turkish-Israeli relations in the 1990s
07:07 How is the Ottoman Empire period relevant today, from the Turkish perspective?
10:30 Is there an ambition to return to the influence of the Ottomans?
12:46 Erdogan: Background & Evolution
16:43 What role has Israel played in the national discourse in Turkey?
31:03 Israel’s Perspective: Will Turkey fill the vacuum left by the axis of resistance?
35:07 Coup attempt against Erdogan
40:40 Could the reach of Turkey go all the way to the Golan Heights?
48:18 What steps are being taken in Israel with regard to Turkey?


Connecting to Our Jewish Past & Future w/Malcolm Hoenlein | TALX
Join Malcolm Hoenlein, the former executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and JNS CEO and Jerusalem bureau chief Alex Traiman for an enlightening conversation on the state of the Jewish world following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

Hoenlein recently received the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor from President Isaac Herzog and has some poignant thoughts on where the Jewish community should set its sights in the near future. #Judaism #israel


Biden’s Goodbye: Hostage Deal with Hamas at What Cost? | The Quad
In this episode, The Quad is joined by a special guest from California: podcaster and entertainer Barbara Heller. Heller shares her personal story and opinion on the wildfires ravaging California.

The panel also discusses the latest news from Israel concerning the captives in the Gaza Strip and how Jerusalem should handle the hundreds of terrorists that are reportedly being released as part of the hostage deal that is currently being negotiated with Hamas.

And, of course, get ready for the Scumbags and Heroes of the Week!

Chapters
00:00 California in Crisis: Fires and Emotions
08:05 Biden's Last Week: Hostage Negotiations and Political Tensions
15:12 The Scumbags of the Week
30:04 Heroes of the Week


Attorney-General in for a ‘shock’ with trip to Israel and Palestinian territories
Sky News host Andrew Bolt says Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is in for a “bit of a shock” in his trip to Israel and Palestinian territories.

“Anthony Albanese’s Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, his top lawman has jetted off to Israel today to show we are really friends,” Mr Bolt said.

“Even though the Albanese government treats Israel like an enemy.”




Palestinian protest scheduled during Maccabi Tel Aviv game in Madrid on Tuesday
A pro-Palestinian demonstration is planned for Tuesday in Madrid, coinciding with a EuroLeague basketball matchup between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Real Madrid. This has raised concerns regarding antisemitism and the potential for unrest.

A cultural event known as the "Gaza Biennale" is also set to occur in London on the same day. The Diaspora Affairs Ministry has issued a warning stating that these events are part of an ongoing initiative to enhance anti-Israel sentiment disguised as activism.

The protest in Madrid, organized by BDS Madrid, Bloque Bollero, and other groups, will commence at 8:00 p.m. at Plaza Salvador Dalí, situated close to the WiZink Center where the game is taking place. The ministry indicates that the demonstration seeks to contest what organizers label as “Israel’s strategy of sportswashing.” The ministry's report further explains, "The direct association with the Maccabi Tel Aviv game aims to increase visibility and convey a strong political message against normalization."

Online promotional activities have gained traction, with posts amassing over 1,000 likes and utilizing hashtags like #BoycottIsrael and #BoycottMaccabi. Organizers characterize the protest as "a call to reveal how Zionism employs international sports to divert attention from human rights abuses." The ministry cautioned about possible risks associated with this event, noting its central location in a busy area with accessible metro stations is likely to attract many participants.

The report underscored broader worries by pointing out that the protest corresponds with "a rise in antisemitic rhetoric within Spain, leading to an already volatile atmosphere." It also stressed that "Given the highly charged political context of this event, there exists a real threat of violence or confrontations with security personnel during or following the demonstration."
Police FORCED to protect Aussie Jews from violent Palestinian mob
In Melbourne’s CBD, a small but determined group of Jewish Australians and their supporters gathered to protest peacefully and reclaim their right to freely walk the city streets.

This followed a disturbing incident the previous week where police moved on members of the Lions of Zion group, led by Yaacov Travitz, for displaying Jewish identity at a local cafe.

The group, standing in solidarity, invoked their rights under the Summary Offences Act to protest. “It’s hoped we can stand here peacefully protesting as is our right,” Travitz stated, underscoring the importance of holding their ground without disruption.

Victoria Police were present early, with an officer telling the group, “Our role is to keep the peace and make sure that everybody is safe,” yet it was unclear how officers would legally move on the small group.

The gathering was met with visible tension as anti-Israel demonstrators arrived, necessitating a police barrier to separate the groups. Among the Jewish supporters was a man carrying both Australian and Israeli flags. “I’m Australian and proud to be Australian, and I’m Jewish and proud to be Jewish,” he said. He expressed frustration at the vilification of Israel, calling for an Australia where all citizens could coexist without fear.

Meanwhile, anti-Israel protesters challenged the group’s presence, with heated exchanges erupting. The protesters dismissed accusations of antisemitism and instead framed their activism as opposition to colonialism. Some even denied well-documented atrocities in an attempt to intimidate the Jewish group.






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This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For 20 years and 40,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.

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