Thursday, January 23, 2025

01/23 Links Pt1: Congress Bill Sanctioning Palestinian Government Over 'Pay-to-Slay'; IDF to stay in southern Lebanon after deadline; Son of ME Crime Boss Charged with Sydney anti-Semitic attacks

From Ian:

Melanie Phillips: Art of the deal or rout of the real?
As Jewish Insider has reported, one of the key people hiring isolationist staffers to fill Pentagon roles is Dan Caldwell, a Koch-affiliated policy adviser who has often criticized America’s close relationship with Israel.

There can be no doubt that Trump and Witkoff genuinely wish Israel well. However, there’s a potentially lethal flaw in their view of the world.

On Fox, Witkoff was asked about the comment by Hamas official Abu Marzouk, who told The New York Times: “We’re prepared for a dialogue with America and achieving understandings on everything.” Witkoff replied: “I think it’s good if it’s accurate. We were able to demonstrate that President Trump’s policies, peace through strength, they work; everybody listens.”

Saying the release of the three hostages was the essential “hopeful moment,” he said that “we needed to show people we could stop the violence, and we could have conversation, dialogue. So this is the beginning of that, and hopefully, everything over there can be settled in that way. If it’s possible, everyone will become a believer.”

This is laughably naive and ill-informed. It ends up in the same place as liberals like the Bidenites, for whom everything can be negotiated because they assume that everyone is governed by reason.

The Witkoff view is that everything can be negotiated because when Trump brings his fist crashing down everyone jumps. It’s true that everyone jumps. But the Islamists play the longest game in town. Behind a series of feints, they will regroup, recalibrate and adapt to suddenly emerge stronger than ever, precisely because they have not been defeated.

Which is why Witkoff’s further reported comment, that he wants to solve tensions with Iran over nuclear weapons “diplomatically … if people are willing to adhere to their agreements,” is even more troubling as are the rumors that Trump has already reached out to “negotiate” with Iran.

In the Islamists’ world, no agreement is anything other than a stratagem to defeat their enemy—with deceit Divinely mandated as a means to advance the Islamic cause.

The Witkoff view of the world doesn’t appear to factor in that Islamists aren’t motivated by self-interest. The prospect of peace and prosperity for the region means little to people who believe that they are the warriors of God himself in purging the world of Israel, the Jews and the Christians, and conquering it for Islam.

For people who set their clock in the seventh century, waiting out four years of Trump is just another small delay that they will try to leverage to their advantage. This advantage may not become apparent until Trump has left office. But Israel can’t live with the threat of more Oct. 7-style massacres after 2028.

Of course, it’s possible that Trump does indeed realize all this. After all, most of his major appointments are of people whose commitment to Israel is deeper and more uncompromising than among many Diaspora Jews. It’s possible that he will come through strongly for Israel and help it see off its foes.

But it’s also possible that the art of the deal turns into the rout of the real.
GOP-Controlled Congress Considers Bill Sanctioning Palestinian Government Over 'Pay-to-Slay' Program
The Republican-controlled Congress is moving on legislation that would authorize wide-ranging sanctions on the Palestinian government and any international partner that has aided its terrorist payment program, known as "pay-to-slay," according to a copy of the bill obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

Republicans in the House and Senate jointly introduced the bill with broad backing, signaling that the measure is an early priority in both legislative chambers. The legislation would impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) for providing millions of dollars to imprisoned terrorists and their families. It also would sanction any "foreign persons" known to facilitate these payments or help the Palestinian government administer the program.

Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) is shepherding the bill in the Senate, with Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) introducing the House version. Eight Senate Republican leaders, including Texas's Ted Cruz, South Carolina's Lindsey Graham, Florida's Rick Scott, North Carolina's Ted Budd, and Tennessee's Bill Hagerty, are also backing the bill.

The measure is likely to garner broad support in the GOP-controlled House, which has already moved on separate legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court for its persecution of Israel on the international stage. In the Senate, it would need at least some Democratic support to cross the upper chamber's 60-vote threshold. Both parties overwhelmingly supported a similar 2018 law, the Taylor Force Act, which forced the American government to freeze Palestinian aid until the terrorist payments program ends.

The latest bill, dubbed the PLO and PA Terror Payments Accountability Act, builds on the 2018 law by sanctioning not just the Palestinian government but its international enablers, a provision that could impact foreign financial institutions and the United Nations, which provides financial resources to both the PLO and PA.

"Despite the enactment of the Taylor Force Act, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority have continued their system of compensation that incentivizes, encourages, rewards, and supports acts of terrorism," the bill states.

In an attempt to build further pressure on the Palestinian government, the legislation targets a host of affiliated entities that have helped keep cash flowing to imprisoned terrorists. Those entities include: the Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners, the Institute for the Care of the Families of the Martyrs and the Wounded, the Palestine National Fund, and the National Association of the Families of the Martyrs of Palestine.

Sanctions, meanwhile, would be applied on any foreign financial institution that facilitates transactions on the Palestinian government’s behalf.

"The Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization continue to support terrorism against Israel by providing hundreds of millions of dollars per year in their reprehensible ‘pay-for-slay’ program," Cotton told the Free Beacon. "Anti-Semitic Palestinian terrorists know they can expect payment as a reward for killing Israelis and Americans—with thousands of Palestinian terrorists tied to October 7 eligible for these terror payments."

The Palestinian government pays around $16 million a month to imprisoned terrorists, including nearly 900 Gaza-based Hamas fighters captured in the wake of Oct. 7, according to estimates.
A Turkish Perspective on the Gaza War: "What Victory Is This?"
Turkish news outlet 10Haber reported on Tuesday that a Hamas delegation arrived at the headquarters of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in Istanbul on the morning of Oct. 7. As news of the assault on Israel unfolded, members of the Hamas delegation reportedly shouted "Allahu Akbar" and celebrated, while Turkish officials present remained silent.

A senior Turkish intelligence officer asked the Hamas delegates: "You've gone 1-0 against Israel, but...understand that Israel won't leave the score at 1-1....We know Netanyahu and Israel. They'll take it to 10-1, or even 12-1."

The article's author continued, "Don't you see the devastation behind you? What victory is this? Do you never look at the balance sheet? 46,000 people are dead. More than 100,000 are injured, many of whom will live with those injuries - amputated hands and legs - for the rest of their lives. Over a million people have been displaced from their homes. 90% of Gaza's homes and workplaces are in ruins. Schools and hospitals have been flattened. Electricity is gone. You've lost all your regional allies. Your leadership has disappeared. Hizbullah, your closest supporter, is not even on its knees - it's flat on the ground."

"Israel has entered Lebanon. Tons of bombs fall daily on your allies in Yemen. Assad, the only leader who supported you militarily, has fled. His successors now say, 'We won't allow further actions against Israel from Syria.' Your entire leadership team has been killed. Two, even three future generations have been destroyed. Yet you stand there making victory signs. What kind of victory is this?"

"Why did you brutally murder 1,200 people - young and old, men and women - including those enjoying a music festival? Why did you abduct hundreds, causing dozens to die underground?...Let us be clear: the fingers that yesterday pointed at Israel will now point at Hamas....Anyone seeking true peace in Gaza must now deliver the necessary message to these reckless individuals who make victory signs.
MEMRI: Arab Journalists on Gaza War: If This Is Victory, What Does Defeat Look Like?
Arab journalists took to X to slam Hamas officials for presenting the Gaza war and the ceasefire agreement as a victory, despite the immense destruction in Gaza, the displacement of hundreds of thousands, and the death of tens of thousands. Saudi media figure Yahya Al-Shabraqi wrote: "If you see this blood and destruction as a 'victory,' I'd like to know how you would describe a defeat." Abd Al-Hak Snaibi, a Moroccan security commentator, wrote: "The people [of Gaza] are glad that the tragedy and bloodshed may be at an end, and their joy has nothing to do with victory."

Saudi businessman and blogger Monther Aal Al-Sheikh Mubarak shared a cartoon showing Hamas political bureau member Khalil Al-Hayya giving his "victory speech" while surrounded by a sea of corpses.

Saudi researcher Muhammad Al-Hababi wrote: "After over a million innocent civilians have been displaced, who before the war had electricity, food and water, and whose children went to school and shaped their future, today none of these things are available. All of Hamas's leaders and fighters have been killed, yet there are still some who say 'we won, and thank you, Iran.'"

Saudi journalist Hussein Al-Waday wrote: "If Hamas thinks it has gained a victory, then it's a victory over the Palestinians, for it has destroyed their lives and future and defeated their cause."

Iraqi politician Faiq Al Sheikh Ali wrote: "As for Israel, it pulverized Hamas, completely demolished Gaza, killed many of its people, and totally humiliated Iran, removing it from the equation of the conflict. This is defeat by any criterion."


Israel awaits Friday Hamas list on status of remaining first phase hostages
Israel is on high alert for the publication of Hamas's two lists on Friday, it was announced on Thursday.

One list is expected to include the names of three kidnapped female soldiers as well as the name of Arbel Yehud from Nir Oz, who, according to intelligence estimates, is being held by a Salafi group linked to Islamic Jihad in Khan Yunis.

Four female hostages are set to be released on Saturday as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal.

Hamas is also supposed to pass on a list of the status of the remaining 26 hostages held in Gaza who are on the release list for the first phase.

For the first time, Israel will, therefore, receive official information about the fate of the Bibas family: Parents Shiri and Yarden and children Ariel and Kfir.

Israel has already prepared to put pressure on Hamas if it tries to "play games" with the lists.

Among other things, Israel is committed to completing the entry of up to 4,200 aid trucks into Gaza by Saturday afternoon.


Unpacking Trump's First Days & the Hostage Deal w/ Ruthie Blum | Think Twice
JNS senior contributing editor and “Israel Undiplomatic” co-host Ruthie Blum—a former adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office—joins JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin to discuss the first days of Donald Trump’s presidency and the complicated and not-so-perfect hostage deal between Hamas and Israel.

Will the Palestinian terror group remain in power and has Jerusalem lost the war as a result of the deal? Did Trump follow through on his word? Is he a true friend to Israel or will his isolationist policies be detrimental to the Jewish state?


We are so close: Families of hostages not set to be released in stage one call to see deal through
The families of Rom Braslavski and Edan Alexander sat outside the Prime Minister’s Office Thursday, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure that the hostage deal continues and that all the hostages are brought home.

Braslavski’s father, Ofir, called on the public to join him in standing outside the PMO in a statement released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Jerusalem.

“Four hundred and seventy-five days have gone by, and my Rom is still not home. He is waiting. We are waiting,” Ofir said.

“But now there is light at the end of the tunnel; kids are starting to come home. We are so close, but the journey is not over.”

“We must not let this end here. We must go on to the next stage; we must bring everyone back,” he added.

“Keep going, keep pushing, bring back the hope. Rom and all the hostages need you. Come stand by my side, stand for them.”

Braslavski, a 21-year-old, was taken captive from the Nova festival while working as a security guard. Just 19 when he was taken captive, Braslavski has marked two birthdays while in captivity.

He is not on the list of hostages slated to be released in the first stage of the ongoing hostage deal.

Varda Ben Baruch, grandmother of Alexander, joined Ofir Thursday, standing outside the PMO and calling for the deal to continue to its next stages.

“Edani, my dear and beloved grandson, is coming soon, there is light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

“You will walk by this light and come home. We will meet, we will hug, and we won’t let go. You were born to be free.”
Doron Steinbrecher's sister: 'My ray of sunshine has returned to me'
"After 471 days of hell - my ray of sunshine has returned to me," the sister of released hostage Doron Steinbrecher, who returned on Sunday from Hamas captivity, wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

Yamit Steinbrecher thanked everyone who supported her during the days her sister was captive in Gaza, and called for continuing the fight to return the kidnapped.

"You were my air when I could no longer breathe," she wrote. "We are so privileged to have Doron back. But there are other families waiting. Come out. Support. It's not over until everyone is back."

On Sunday, after 471 days in Hamas captivity in Gaza, Steinbrecher, along with Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, returned to Israel as part of the first phase of the hostage deal. The women arrived at the hospital after meeting with their mothers at the reunion location in Re'im. After this, they were escorted to Israel by an elite IDF unit and Shin Bet.

On the day of her release, Doron Steinbracher's family said: "After 471 difficult days, our beloved Doron is back in our arms."

The people of Israel
"We want to thank from the bottom of our hearts everyone who supported and accompanied us along the way. Special thanks to the people of Israel for the warm embrace, the unwavering support and the strength you gave us in the most difficult moments. Thank you also to President Trump for his involvement and support, which were very meaningful to us."

"Our heroic Doron, who survived 471 days in the Hamas dungeons, begins her rehabilitation journey today. We will continue to stand by all the families and do everything we can until all their loved ones return home."


Pro-Israel Sen. Dave McCormick to chair key subcommittee on the Middle East
Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) will chair a key subcommittee on Middle East affairs, ascending to the role after campaigning as a resolute defender of Israel and fierce critic of Biden-era policies that enabled Iran’s terror network in the region, The Post has learned.

The freshman senator will take up the gavel for the influential Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, according to sources familiar the matter, which will be announced later by the full committee’s chairman James Risch (R-Idaho).

“I am honored to chair a subcommittee on such critical issues,” McCormick told The Post. “I see this as a great opportunity to strengthen the US-Israel alliance, expand the Abraham Accords, grow US-India cooperation, and delve deeply into regional energy, economic, and security issues.”

“I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues to deter the Islamic Republic of Iran, stamp down the terror threat, and realize his vision for a more peaceful Middle East,” he said. “I am hopeful my background and perspective will allow me to lead this subcommittee in a manner that is good for Pennsylvania and the country.”

The panel, which was headed up by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) during the last Trump administration, oversees US policy in the region, as well as its posture toward international organizations like the United Nations.

Specifically, it focuses on “terrorism and non-proliferation,” “crime and illicit narcotics,” “US foreign assistance programs” and “the promotion of US trade and exports.”

Iran and its proxies have escalated conflict in the region throughout President Biden’s term, with Hamas killing 1,200 Israelis and 46 Americans in an Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel — the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust — that immediately erupted into a war in the Gaza Strip.

Last year, the US deployed thousands more troops as well as fighter jets and ships to the Middle East and later engaged in direct strikes on Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen to deter a broader regional war.

Before the 2024 election, hackers from an Iranian paramilitary group also targeted Trump’s campaign and tried to leak sensitive communications to Biden aides in an effort to tank the Republican’s candidacy.
McConnell speaks out against Trump administration’s isolationist Pentagon hires
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is urging the Trump administration to “steer clear of Pentagon advisors who make their Obama and Biden predecessors look tough by comparison,” as Republicans grow increasingly concerned over recent high-ranking hires at the Department of Defense opposed to U.S. engagement in the Middle East — and the individual who hired them.

In a rebuke of the viewpoints held by at least one recent Pentagon hire and the staffing process that resulted in their appointments, McConnell, the longtime former Senate Republican leader, told Jewish Insider he finds it “alarming” that such individuals had survived the vetting process given each of their well-documented records on Middle East policy.

“President Trump has committed to restoring peace through strength and standing with Israel. But the folks staffing up his Pentagon operation don’t appear to have read the memo,” McConnell said in a statement to Jewish Insider.

“It’s alarming that people can clear vetting after claiming U.S. interests in the Middle East are ‘minimal to nonexistent,’ suggesting that America should ‘militarily retrench’ from the region, or claiming that providing Israel even defensive assistance against Iran-backed terrorists is escalatory. The administration would be wise to steer clear of Pentagon advisors who make their Obama and Biden predecessors look tough by comparison,” he continued.

McConnell, who now chairs the Senate Rules Committee and the Senate Appropriations subcommittee responsible for defense funding, was quoting prior writings from Michael DiMino, Trump’s pick for deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, and Dan Caldwell, reportedly a top advisor to Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, who has been playing a role in the transition staffing process at the Pentagon.

DiMino, who was sworn in on Monday, said last February that the U.S. has “minimal to nonexistent” interests in the Middle East and the U.S.’ role in the region had not provided any benefits domestically or geostrategically.

Caldwell argued in a piece in Foreign Affairs in November that the U.S. “should militarily retrench from regions in which American interests are less pronounced, such as Europe and the Middle East, especially when the United States’ current responsibilities can be outsourced to relatively wealthy and capable allies.”


IDF to stay in southern Lebanon after deadline
The IDF will stay in southern Lebanon after day 60 of the ceasefire but it’s still unclear for how long, according to sources in the defense establishment and ministers, who convened on Thursday night to discuss the situation.Sunday will mark 60 days since the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect on November 27.

The agreement drafted by US envoy Amos Hochstein dictates that the Lebanese Army will be deployed in southern Lebanon during the first 60 days, dismantling Hezbollah camps and equipment. After day 60, Israeli forces are expected to completely withdraw from Lebanese territory.

Israeli officials, however, have said the Lebanese Army is not doing the job fast enough.

“The deployment is not according to the schedule, and the work they are doing on the ground is minimal”, two Israeli officials told The Jerusalem Post.

The security cabinet met on Thursday to debate how long Israel should stay in southern Lebanon considering the Lebanese side hasn’t fulfilled its part of the agreement.

The hope, or as some officials call it, “the dream,” is that the Trump administration will allow Israel to leave a permanent military outpost in southern Lebanon near the border. Changes in Lebanon's political landscape

In recent weeks, as reported in the Post, Trump officials told senior Israeli officials: “We don’t want this deal to fall apart.”

Two Western diplomats told the Post that now that there is an anti-Hezbollah prime minister and president, a permanent Israeli presence will cause Hezbollah to proclaim that only it can make Israel leave, a statement that might increase the terrorist group’s political power in the country after attempts to downgrade its political influence.Israeli officials stressed that whatever the decision is, the government wants Washington to agree to it.

“The last thing we want, is the US pulling out of the mechanism that is supposed to monitor the ceasefire, which will leave the Lebanese Army by itself, in charge of dismantling Hezbollah camps, and we all know how well that can turn out to be,” one Israeli official told the Post.
Are the Lebanon, Gaza ceasefires about to pop?
On Sunday, the 60-day period for the IDF to withdraw from southern Lebanon expires.

On Saturday, the IDF is due to withdraw from Netzarim, opening the floodgates for a potential million plus Palestinians to return to northern Gaza from southern Gaza. There are also supposed to be in the near future Palestinian Authority-affiliated officials handling aspects of the Gaza-Egypt Rafah Border Crossing, a highly controversial matter for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

On February 3, the IDF and Hamas are due to start negotiations over making the current 42-day ceasefire permanent and about what the post-war Gaza order will look like.

All of this could blow up in a moment, and war could return to one or both fronts in an instant. Will it?

At press time, all Israeli defense officials, Lebanese officials, and Western officials were waiting to hear what the Israeli cabinet would decide in terms of whether to try to extend the IDF stay in some parts of southern Lebanon or complete the withdrawal. There were leaks from an Israeli official that at least there would not be a complete withdrawal on Sunday itself, but this left plenty of room for interpretation.

While Netanyahu has asked the support of US President Donald Trump to keep around five IDF positions in Lebanon, and the military itself has asked for another 30 days to ensure Hezbollah weapons on the Lebanon-Israeli border get destroyed, there has been pushback from Trump.

In theory, Trump probably does not care much if Israel overstays the deal somewhat, but if this led to Hezbollah firing rockets and a renewal of the war on the northern border, he would probably be furious with Netanyahu.

This is exactly what Hezbollah has threatened, including a detailed and updated threat on Thursday night. But are they serious? And would they really roll the dice all out if the IDF just stayed another 30 days or another 15 days?

Part of this is the Israeli-Lebanese government-Hezbollah sides all trying to shape the terms of the post-war order within Lebanon and on the border.


Israel Is Eliminating the Perpetrators of the October 7 Massacre
Following the murder of Israeli athletes by the Black September organization at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, the Mossad launched a long-term operation to eliminate those responsible.

After the October 7, 2023, massacre, the Israel Security Agency (ISA) formed a dedicated task force, "Hamal Nili," to map, locate, and eliminate those who participated in the massacre.

Israel has already eliminated dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists who participated. A senior ISA official emphasized that the task force will remain active until all the perpetrators are neutralized.

The "Hamal" has compiled a detailed list of perpetrators using intelligence gathered from various sources, including interrogations of captured terrorists.

The ISA's systematic pursuit seeks to ensure that no perpetrator escapes accountability.
IDF knew of ‘unusual’ Hamas activity hours before Oct. 7 attack, per report
The Israel Defense Forces detected preparations for Hamas rocket fire and other “unusual activity” in the Gaza Strip on the eve of the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border massacre but decided not to raise the alert level, according to intelligence documents cited by Ynet on Thursday.

The decision not to brace for a possible assault was made by “wide consensus” across the Military Intelligence Directorate and the broader army, according to the report. This was part of an attempt to avoid burning sources, amid other “calming indications” suggesting that Hamas was merely preparing an exercise.

The information was reportedly included in official records seen by top government and security officials and presented in their arguments in favor of the resignation of IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi.

Halevi announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his “responsibility for the IDF’s failure” during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, in which Gaza terrorists murdered some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

At 2 a.m. on Oct. 7, the Israeli Air Force command center was informed of unusual activity in the Hamas aerial units, according to Ynet. At the same time, additional indications of preparations for rocket launches were reported.

The alarming signs were reportedly discussed in a phone conversation that included OC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman and senior IDF officers, as well as representatives of the air force and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). The chief of Military Intelligence and the head of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, did not participate, according to the report.

OC Operations Directorate Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk was updated on the call and ordered some action to be taken.

“After consulting with the deputy head of Shin Bet, the commander of Southern Command, the operations commander and the intelligence research department chief, there are three possible scenarios,” Basyuk wrote according to files obtained by the Hebrew outlet.

The three scenarios he outlined according to the report were a Hamas drill, preparations by the terrorist group to defend against an IDF assault, or preparations “for an operation against Israel in the coming hours, including incursion from the sea or a strike on the gas rig, breaching the border, abduction, shooting attack, rocket attack or an aerial incursion.”


Shin Bet chief in Jenin: Impossible to defeat terror without attacking
Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director Ronen Bar visited the Palestinian city of Jenin in northern Samaria alongside Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi on Thursday, the third day of the “Iron Wall” counter-terrorism operation in the area.

“It is impossible to be victorious over terrorism through defense,” Bar declared in remarks published by the IDF. Noting that Israel has been dragged into a multi-front war, he stated, “Now it’s time for Samaria.”

“First of all, well done on the operation—a great intelligence operation, as well as in the field,” Bar said after a situational assessment. “I am very happy with what I’m hearing—intelligence, Shin Bet, Border Police and IDF are operating well in the field, saving lives and achieving objectives.”

Commenting on Thursday’s elimination near Jenin of two terrorists who were involved in a Jan. 6 shooting attack that left three Israelis dead in al-Funduq, the Shin Bet director promised to “also get to the third.”

“I think there is significant value in closing the circle,” said Bar. “First, a terrorist who carried out an attack wants to carry out another attack, so this neutralizes a threat. Second, it sends a message that no one walks away from terror alive. And third, it is also a message to the families [of the terrorists].”

Halevi noted that the IDF has been monitoring and operating against the “concentration of terrorism in northern Samaria for a long time.”

Jenin has become a haven for “those who want to organize an attack and those who carried out an attack and are looking for a safe place,” he explained, saying it is “very appropriate to go hard on the Jenin camp.”

“We need to be prepared for continuous operations in the Jenin refugee camp, to handle pressure and, at the same time, know how to do other things as well,” the IDF chief of staff said. “Few casualties on our side, many casualties for the enemy, destruction of infrastructure. I think such a continuous effort will bring the Jenin refugee camp to a different place.”
During Ongoing Jenin Operation, IDF Eliminates Terrorists Who Killed Three Israelis
Latest Developments
2 Gunmen Killed by IDF in Jenin: The IDF said it eliminated two Palestinian terrorists during counterterrorism operations in the West Bank who were responsible for murdering three Israelis in a January 6 attack. Mohammed Nazal and Qutaiba al-Shalabi were killed in a firefight when IDF special forces and Shin Bet agents surrounded a building in Wadi Burqin, on the outskirts of Jenin, and utilized the “pressure cooker” tactic to force the terrorists from their barricaded positions. Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar said that Israeli security forces would continue searching for the third perpetrator of the attack and would “get to him” eventually as well.

Hamas and PIJ Both Claim Terrorists: Both Nazal and al-Shalabi were members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization’s Jenin branch, according to the IDF. Hamas also published a statement praising the now deceased men for carrying out the January 6 attack, which occurred near the West Bank village of al-Funduq. On January 8, Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades claimed joint responsibility for the attack alongside the PIJ’s al-Quds Brigades and the Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade.

Operation ‘Iron Wall’ Enters Third Day: The IDF’s extensive “Iron Wall” counterterrorism operation in Jenin, initiated to counter Iranian-backed terror threats emanating from the West Bank enclave, continued on January 23. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the IDF was applying lessons learned from its war against Hamas in Gaza during the raids, with the Israeli Air Force carrying out several strikes while providing close air support to troops on the ground. Hundreds of soldiers are participating in the ongoing operation, which the IDF says has so far killed 13 Palestinian terrorists.

FDD Expert Response
“Realistically, Israel may never be able to eradicate terrorist groups in the West Bank. Still, there is a difference between managing a low-level insurgency and a coordinated campaign of terrorism backed by outside actors that has persisted for more than three years. With the Gaza war seemingly over and a weakened Iranian axis, severely degrading the infrastructure built by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the territory must be a priority for Israel. A sound strategy must be in place because the near-daily counterterrorism raids have not resolved Israel’s security challenges in the West Bank.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Responsibility for the January 6 terror attack was claimed by both Hamas and the PIJ, so their statements today praising the now deceased perpetrators make sense and suggest a more cemented Iran-backed Sunni terrorist axis may be forming between the two groups in the West Bank. This could be an attempt to reconstitute their forces after losing significant manpower fighting in Gaza, and the IDF’s latest operation in Jenin is indicative of how seriously Israel views this combined threat.” — Aaron Goren, Research Analyst and Editor


Hostage Deal Prompts Call to Cancel Released Terrorists' Israeli Citizenship or Residency
The list of terrorists set to be released as part of the deal to free 33 hostages from Gaza is deeply disturbing. Many of these terrorists are individuals I "know" from my time in the Military Advocate General's Corps or from assisting terror victims since my retirement.

Those set for release include 73 who hold Israeli citizenship or residency; 21 are serving life sentences - meaning they are murderers. Of the 73 to be released, 45 will be released into Israel, while the remaining 28 will be deported abroad.

Israeli law grants the Minister of the Interior the authority to revoke citizenship or residency for anyone who has violated their duty of loyalty to the state and committed acts of terrorism. But this has not been done due to legal objections in Israeli courts.

In international law, the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness regulates the circumstances under which a state may revoke an individual's citizenship. According to Article 8(3), a person's citizenship can be revoked, even if the decision leaves them stateless, if they have breached their loyalty to the state, explicitly violated a prohibition by receiving or continuing to receive financial compensation/salary from another entity, or acted in a manner that harms the vital interests of the state.

According to experience and security assessments, the ability to revoke citizenship or residency from Israeli terrorists is a powerful deterrent. However, as long as this tool remains unused, Israel forfeits a vital deterrent capability.
Jenin terror leader Zakaria Zubeidi to be released to Judea and Samaria
Zakaria Zubeidi, a former Fatah Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades commander in Jenin, is set to be released on Saturday in exchange for four Israeli hostages held in Gaza, Ynet reported on Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces has warned that any involvement in terrorism or possession of weapons post-release will make him a target.

Zubeidi, arrested in 2019 for shooting attacks and known for his 2021 Gilboa Prison escape, holds symbolic significance in the northern Samaria city. He was recaptured five days after his prison break.

Since he was not convicted of murder but of other terror offenses, he will not be deported abroad and is expected to be released back to Judea and Samaria.

The Fatah terror leader’s son, Mohammed Zubeidi, was among six people killed in an Israeli drone strike in Tubas in northeastern Samaria in September.

His anticipated release coincides with the IDF’s “Operation Iron Wall” targeting Jenin’s terror infrastructure. The operation includes air strikes, ground raids and controlled civilian movements to minimize harm to noncombatants.


Live from the Table: The Israel-Hamas War and a Vision for the Future with Ambassador Michael Oren
Michael Oren is an historian, former Israeli Ambassador to the US, and NYT bestselling author. He served as a Member of Knesset and as the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. In his new book, "2048: The Rejuvenated State," Ambassador Oren sets out his vision for Israel in honor of Israel's 75th Independence Day 25 years in the future.


Douglas Murray urges Trump administration to prioritise freeing Hamas hostages
Author Douglas Murray has called for “all of the hostages" to be returned from Gaza.

This comes amid the release of three Israeli hostages after 471 days in captivity.

“None of the hostages should have been in Gaza in the first place – they were stolen and it’s high time that all of them were given back,” Mr Murray told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio.

“I hope the Trump administration will make it clear that that is its priority.”




Melanie Phillips: ‘7 October was a war against civilisation’
The first three Israeli hostages were freed at the weekend under the terms of the new ceasefire deal struck between Israel and Hamas. Their return is a chilling reminder of the depravity of 7 October 2023, the day those hostages were first taken captive, and when more than a thousand Israelis were massacred and brutalised. In the weeks and months since, not only has this barbarism been largely forgotten in the West – many self-styled progressives have ended up siding with the barbarians.

As broadcaster and Times columnist Melanie Phillips puts it in her new book, The Builder’s Stone, the West failed the moral test of 7 October. Melanie was the latest guest on The Brendan O’Neill Show. What follows is an edited extract from their conversation. Listen to the full thing here.

Brendan O’Neill: What impact did 7 October have on you?

Melanie Phillips: It was a shattering event, because what happened on 7 October was something that very few of us thought would ever happen again. We knew about the hostility in the Arab and Muslim world. As Jews, we live with it all the time, both inside and outside Israel. But we never thought we would see again what can only be described as Nazi-style behaviour.

This was not just murdering Jews or murdering Israelis. This was the seeking out of Jews and Israelis. It was almost like a kind of ritual mutilation. Hamas militants beheaded some of them. They burned some of them alive. They tortured them. They raped them, both men and women. This was bestial and depraved behaviour and a level of sadism that Jews collectively remember from the Holocaust. And while we should not compare anything to the Holocaust, because it was sui generis in both scale and nature, this had very clear parallels and resonances.

The second terrible shock was simply the awfulness of what happened – the murders, the rapes, the beheadings, the burnings alive, the slaughter of children in front of their parents. Then, of course, there was the abduction of the hostages into Gaza. There was the sight of both militants and ordinary – if I can call them that – people exulting over all this and abusing the hostages, whether they were dead or alive.

The next terrible thing that happened was the aftermath. One would have expected, in a civilised world, that the West would have stood with Israel. But it turned on Israel. It represented everything Israel did to defend itself as aggressive, and completely ignored the fact that Israel was going to unprecedented lengths to preserve the lives of civilians. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an absolute tsunami of anti-Jewish hatred swept across Britain and the West.

This had a tremendous effect on me. It brought to a head something that I had long been considering – namely, the decline of the West. When the West turns on itself, what is it turning against? It’s turning against its core, foundational values. Those values were largely embedded by Christianity, but Christianity didn’t come out of nothing. Christianity came from Judaism. If the West wants to stop itself from going off the edge of the cliff, then what it has to do is reconnect itself with those foundational Jewish values.
Tablet PodCast: Saving Western Values: Rotherham and the Perils of Multiculturalism with Melanie Phillips
Elon Musk recently reignited discussion of a decade-old child sex scandal in England, in which more than 1,000 girls were groomed and raped by gangs largely composed of men of Pakistani descent. The scandal was mismanaged by the authorities, and British journalist Melanie Phillips joins us to share her take on why this is. She discusses how this tragedy was made worse by the impacts of multiculturalism and explains how this ideology puts the values of liberal democracy at risk. She also discusses her new book The Builder’s Stone: How Jews and Christians Built the West – and Why Only They Can Save It.


‘This is a campaign of domestic terrorism’
“These bastards will be rounded up by NSW Police,” vowed NSW Premier Chris Minns following Sydney’s latest antisemitic attack, this time shockingly on a childcare centre in Maroubra.

The Only About Children Early Learning Centre and Preschool – which is not Jewish but is located just metres from Maroubra Synagogue and a Jewish day school – was firebombed in the early hours of Tuesday and its walls daubed with “F**k the Jews”.

The incident came just four days after a van and car were set ablaze in Dover Heights, with the former home of Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin doused in red paint in what was seemingly a targeted attack.

“These scenes of a torched-out childcare centre on the same premises or block as a synagogue is completely heartbreaking,” said Minns.

“NSW Police are conducting a major investigation in relation to who is responsible for this vicious hate crime, but I think we know enough already without knowing the identities to know the kind of people that we are dealing with.”

Minns also promised that “extra resources are being put in” to the fight against hate crimes and that he was looking at changes to strengthen legislation, including Section 93Z which deals with incitement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who visited the site with Minns, described the attack as a “vicious crime” and said the perpetrators will face the full force of the law.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said the incident “should outrage and disturb all Australians”.

“This is yet another attack intended to harass, intimidate and menace the Jewish community. This isn’t just a string of antisemitic hate crimes – this is a campaign of domestic terrorism and needs to be treated as the crisis it is,” he said.

A childcare centre in Maroubra was firebombed.
Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler called the attack “beyond horrifying”.

“This is a deliberate attempt to instil fear in a Jewish community that has already endured well over a year of intimidation and violence,” he said.
BBC News fails to adequately inform on Australian organisation
Notably, the BBC’s report does not include any comment from the “Jewish organisation” which was the target of “alleged death threats” – the Australian Jewish Association – or the main Jewish organisation monitoring antisemitic incidents – the eighty-year-old Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

Notably, the BBC’s report does not include any comment from the “Jewish organisation” which was the target of “alleged death threats” – the Australian Jewish Association – or the main Jewish organisation monitoring antisemitic incidents – the eighty-year-old Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

The report does however include comment from an organisation established less than twelve months ago.

“The Jewish Council of Australia, which was set up last year in opposition to antisemitism, said that it “strongly condemns” this and all such incidents.

“These acts underscore the urgent need for cooperation, education and community dialogue to combat prejudice and promote understanding,” it said in a statement.” [emphasis added]

Turnbull and Armstrong’s portrayal of that statement does not inform readers that it went on to say:

“We urge politicians not to use these attacks for political point scoring or to spread other forms of hatred, such as Islamophobia or anti-Palestinian racism. Responses such as these breed racism and division rather than combating them.”

Similarly, their portrayal of the Jewish Council of Australia as having been set up “in opposition to antisemitism” fails to adequately inform BBC audiences, concealing the fact that in its February 2024 launch press release, the organisation stated:

“We will understand and address antisemitism as part of the broader problem of racism in Australia, rather than as a special case.”

The same press release included a very specific portrayal:

“Antisemitism is a real and evolving threat perpetuated by fascists and the far right.”

As it makes abundantly clear, the Jewish Council of Australia is primarily a niche political organisation: The report does however include comment from an organisation established less than twelve months ago.
“The Jewish Council of Australia, which was set up last year in opposition to antisemitism, said that it “strongly condemns” this and all such incidents.

“These acts underscore the urgent need for cooperation, education and community dialogue to combat prejudice and promote understanding,” it said in a statement.”

Turnbull and Armstrong’s portrayal of that statement does not inform readers that it went on to say:
“We urge politicians not to use these attacks for political point scoring or to spread other forms of hatred, such as Islamophobia or anti-Palestinian racism. Responses such as these breed racism and division rather than combating them.”

Similarly, their portrayal of the Jewish Council of Australia as having been set up “in opposition to antisemitism” fails to adequately inform BBC audiences, concealing the fact that in its February 2024 launch press release, the organisation stated:
“We will understand and address antisemitism as part of the broader problem of racism in Australia, rather than as a special case.”

The same press release included a very specific portrayal:
“Antisemitism is a real and evolving threat perpetuated by fascists and the far right.”

As it makes abundantly clear, the Jewish Council of Australia is primarily a niche political organisation:
Terrified Jews living in fear of new anti-Semitic attacks as son of notorious murdered bikie boss is charged with botched arson attempt
The son of a slain bikie boss is one of nine people charged over an anti-Semitic attack in an affluent Sydney suburb.

Adam Hawi, 21, was charged over his alleged involvement in an incident in Woolahra in November.

Several cars were damaged, a ute was torched and celebrity chef Matt Moran's Chiswick restaurant was scrawled with anti-Israel messages, with police estimating the incident caused up to $100,000 worth of damage.

Detectives allege that Hawi's car was used in the attack and that he refused to tell police who was behind the wheel, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

His next court appearance is in March.

Hawi is the son of former Commanchero boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi who was murdered as he left a Sydney gym in 2018.

His slaying sparked a series of brutal gangland hits across the city as rival gangs sought to wrest control of the drug trade.

Mohammed Farhat, 20, and Thomas Stojanovski, 19, faced court this week over the Woolahra incident.

They were each charged with 14 counts of destroying or damaging property, in addition to trespassing offences and offensive behaviour charges.


Man sentenced over Bondi antisemitic attack told police he acted under duress
A 31-year-old man sentenced to 10 months prison over his part in the antisemitic attack on a Bondi brewery last year told New South Wales Police he was acting under duress, court documents have revealed.

Guy Finnegan faced Sutherland Local Court on Thursday charged with destroy or damage property in company by use of fire, alongside his co-accused Craig Bantoft, 37.

Both men were arrested last year following investigations into the torching of Curly Lewis Brewing Co on October 17.

In a surprise twist, an agreed set of facts tendered to the court during the hearing revealed Finnegan claimed he had been given an ultimatum to carry out the attack.

The documents reveal the 31-year-old told police he owed drug money and had received threats against his life.

It is understood he did not reveal the name of the person to whom he claimed to owe money.

The revelation is consistent with a working theory put forward by state and federal police, with authorities investigating whether local criminals were being paid or otherwise coopted into committing antisemitic attacks.
Second man arrested in attempted Sydney synagogue arson
A second suspect was arrested for the vandalization and attempted arson of a Sydney Synagogue, the New South Wales Police Force announced on Thursday, a day after his co-conspirator had been charged for the antisemitic attack.

The 37-year-old man suspect in last Saturday's Newtown Synagogue incident was tasered and arrested at a Darling Harbour hotel by Strike Force Pearl.

The task force, established in December to investigate antisemitic crimes in Sydney, had on Wednesday arrested a 33-year-year-old man for alleged involvement in the attempted synagogue arson.

The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed the second arrest, saying on Facebook that it was "imperative that every perpetrator of these attacks has the book thrown at them."

Security footage released by NSW Police showed that two vandals had spray-painted red Nazi swastikas on the synagogue's building and fence and had allegedly attempted to set the house of worship on fire. The Newtown synagogue incident occurred the same day that a Queens Park home was graffitied with the words "F**k Jews,” and five cars and a trailer were vandalized. A day prior the Sydney Southern Synagogue was graffitied with the slogans “Hitler on top,” and “Free Palestine."

All of Australia's police commissioners met on Wednesday to discuss the recent rise of antisemitism and prejudice-motivated crimes.

The commissioners announced in a joint Thursday communique that the leading officers agreed to establish a dedicated antisemitism coordination group of deputy commissioners from each jurisdiction. The group will meet monthly to share information and intelligence and, when needed, assist in cross-state investigations and operations.

The officers also discussed high-visibility policing and direct community engagement.

"Commissioners agreed there has never been a greater need for law enforcement agencies to focus on the core role of policing – to reduce crime and the fear of crime, and to ensure community safety and that all communities feel safe. This is the foundation Australian policing is built on," said the commissioners. "Ongoing engagement with the Jewish community, as well as the many diverse communities that call Australia home, will continue to be prioritized by all jurisdictions."


Penny Wong 'not much of an improvement' over Sue Lines for Auschwitz delegation
Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson claims sending Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong instead of Senate President Sue Lines to the 80-year anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz is "not much of an improvement".

"I can tell you that the Australian Jewish community doesn't think that it is much of an improvement to have gone from Sue Lines, one of the most anti-Israel MPs in parliament, to Senator Wong, another of the most anti-Israel MPs," Mr Paterson told Sky News Australia.

"They [Australia's Jewish community] believe she has led the global vilification campaign against the state of Israel over the last 15 months."


And the Scumbags of the Week are... | The Quad
A lot has happened this week in Israel: 3 hostages have come home to Israel, the ceasefire has begun and Trump has been inaugurated.




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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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