Friday, January 24, 2025

01/24 Links Pt1: Hamas names four hostages to be released on Saturday; Gaza Hospital Leaders Are Also High-Ranking Hamas Members

From Ian:

Caroline Glick: Israel must win this war
To win the peace of the Middle East, Trump must walk away from Biden’s failed policy of standing with Iran and its terror proxies Lebanon and the Palestinians in Gaza. He must restore his first term’s doctrine of supporting America’s allies against America’s enemies.

If Trump backs Israel in returning to the battlefield to secure Hamas’s defeat in Gaza, and maintaining its buffer zones in Gaza permanently to prevent the area from threatening the Jewish state in the future, then he will build the foundation for a long-term peace between Israel and the Arabs of the region.

If President Trump stands with Israel and backs its requirement for a security zone inside Lebanon that will prevent Hezbollah and other terror forces from invading northern Israel, and if he stands with Israel in its efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear installations and supports the Iranian people that have fought for their freedom from the regime for decades, then he will restore America’s standing as the only significant superpower in the region.

If he fails to do these things, then he will cede the U.S.’s position to China. China has been a beneficiary of Biden’s weakness and determination to realign the U.S. away from its allies and toward Iran and its terror armies.

As for Israel, the dilemma is whether to sacrifice its future collective security for the salvation of the hostages today, or to secure its national survival. Israelis who support the first option speak of the damage to Israel’s soul if we accept that the hostages may continue to suffer.

For those who receive their news from most Israeli media outlets, the dilemma isn’t too large. With a few notable exceptions, the Israeli media have been serving the public a diet of demoralization for nearly a year. Israel cannot win, they are told. There is no purpose to the fight. All it does is prolong the suffering of the hostages. The only reason we are still fighting is that the man they have spent the past decade demonizing—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—refuses to quit. He refuses to capitulate despite the futility of the fight, because fighting is the only way he stays in power.

The media—like the Biden administration— prefer to ignore the strategic ramifications of Oct. 7, which they prefer to present as a one-off. The Palestinians aren’t really the people who beheaded their victims, and who mutilated their bodies as they butchered them. That was a mistake, or something. And anyway, fighting is futile. Bring them home.

This week, former Israeli ambassador to the United States Michael Oren wrote an article resonating this view. Oren admitted that the deal means that Hamas wins the war. But then he counters that Israel will save its soul by showing its devotion to the lives of its hostages by losing. “Our victory is moral, deep and long lasting,” he crooned.

The problem with Oren’s argument and the broader claim of the deal-at-any-price advocates is that the war is not futile. Our heroic soldiers are winning and can win. And they must win. Oct. 7 will only be a one-off if Hamas is annihilated and Gaza remains pacified forever. They are willing to pay a steep price to secure the freedom of 33 hostages, but the fight cannot be forsaken.

Hostage taking is the cruelest form of psychological warfare. And it is the most powerful weapon that Israel’s enemies have in their arsenal. They know that while they sanctify death, the sanctification of life is the foundational creed of the Jewish people.

Those who seek a deal at all costs are right about the soul of Israel. Our collective soul was bludgeoned on Oct. 7, and the wound remains unhealed every day the hostages remain in Gaza. As the years pass, the wound will become a scar that every Israeli and every Jew on earth will carry till the end of time. But our ability to carry those scars requires Israel to survive.

Oct. 7 showed us our enemy. And now that we have seen it, we cannot ignore the truth. For the nation of Israel and the State of Israel to survive, Israel must win this war no matter what the cost.
For Peace in the Middle East, Trump Must Move the US Al-Udeid Air Base from Qatar to the United Arab Emirates
"This is Qatar's classic game: support the Islamist terrorists and then present itself as a mediator, liaison, and even peacemaker – the arsonist playing firefighter. As in Afghanistan, as in Egypt in 2010, and as in every Muslim country. In every Muslim country where there is a battle between the Islamists and the secularists, Qatar supports the Islamists, as in Gaza supporting Hamas for years, building its military might and enabling October 7." — Colonel Yigal Carmon (ret), MEMRI, January 21, 2025.

[Syria's de facto leader Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa], who claims to have broken completely with Al Qaeda, apparently did so only because of strategic disagreements, not because he suddenly abandoned its plan to create an Islamic state in Syria.

Hurrying to the next scandal, the Biden administration practically threw itself at Sharaa's feet. It rushed to meet with the terrorist leader, then immediately removed the $10 million bounty for his arrest, without even waiting to see what he would do.

The US cannot continue to reward terrorism. President Donald J. Trump would do well to declare as a Foreign Terrorist Organization the Muslim Brotherhood, which is the font of all Sunni Islamist terrorism and is effectively promoted worldwide by Qatar's television bullhorn, Al-Jazeera. Trump would also be well-advised to move American forces completely out of Qatar's enormous Al-Udeid Air Base, headquarters of the US Central Command, transfer them to the United Arab Emirates, and effectively cut ties with Qatar, a country "pretending to be an ally."

"Biden failed miserably. Trump should not recycle Biden's approach, and should recognize that Qatar and Erdogan are enemies despite their incredible skill in presenting themselves as friends, and as firefighters when they are actually arsonists. Trump would achieve the release of all the hostages if he were only to hint that it is conceivable that the CENTCOM base could be relocated out of Qatar. In fact, he owes this to the Saudis and the Emiratis, who are his true allies. If Trump clings to Qatar and Erdogan against these allies, he should not then wonder why his true allies, the Saudis and the Emiratis, are drifting towards America's adversaries, China and Russia" — Yigal Carmon, MEMRI, January 9, 2025.
Kassy Akiva: These Gaza Hospital Leaders Are Also High-Ranking Hamas Members
Several leaders of Gaza hospitals are high-ranking members of Hamas, while many others have terrorist ties, a Daily Wire review of Arab media reports and social media posts found.

The Daily Wire previously exposed that Kamal Adwan Hospital director Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, whose recent detainment caused international uproar for his release, was characterized in Arab media as a Hamas colonel. His social media posts show his support for Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israeli civilians.

But Abu Safiya is not the only Gaza hospital leader with ties to Hamas. He is joined by current and former leaders of the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and Gaza European Hospital near Khan Yunis.

Dr. Saleh al-Hams, Nursing Director of Gaza European Hospital
Dr. Saleh al-Hams, the nursing director of the Gaza European Hospital, has made several public posts on Facebook that indicate his strong ties to Hamas. In 2017, al-Hams uploaded a photo of himself wearing a military camouflage jacket and a hat adorned with the logo of Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades. He donned the same outfit in a photo at a 2018 event with others wearing Hamas logos.

In a 2020 post, al-Hams shared images of Hamas members and a child holding a rifle, with a caption reading: “Our resistance is more than paying the price for the victory of the undermined and whoever stands with us in truth, we do not support him in unjustness and whoever doesn’t like it should prepare the preparation list for the next confrontation to be the alternative.”

Al-Hams celebrated Hamas’s October 7, 2024 attack on Israel the following day, calling it a “gift.”

“I did not imagine that I would enter the threshold of fifty years, that I would live to fill my eyes with moments of pride and dignity as I live them today, and to receive a gift as I received them yesterday and today,” he wrote.

In another post, Hams shared a video of victims of the California wildfires receiving medical treatment, where he states Gaza hospitals were bombarded by Americans’ missiles, adding “you tasted from the same cup, and the response was divine.” In a second post about the victims of the wildfires, he wrote, “I hope you’re having a reflective moment to review your attitudes.”

Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, Head of Al Shifa Hospital
Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, the head of Al Shifa Hospital — who was awarded the Arab Doctor of the Year Award in 2024 — has participated in Hamas events, including an event celebrating the terror group’s 32nd anniversary. According to a 2019 article from Pal Times, Salmiya spoke at the event alongside Hamas officials, where he thanked Hamas and spoke about martyrs.

“During the speech of the martyrs’ families, Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya thanked the Hamas movement and the family of the Sheikh Ahmed Yassin Mosque for this wonderful gesture, through which Hamas and the family of the mosque confirmed that they are loyal to the blood of the martyrs, the sons of the neighborhood from all factions,” the article read.

Salmiya, a pediatrician, was arrested in November 2023 and remained in Israeli detention for seven months on suspicion of allowing his hospital to serve as a Hamas command and control center that also held hostages. Tunnel networks were found under Shifa Hospital, and hundreds of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad gunmen were killed in fights with the IDF at the complex. The body of 19-year-old Israeli hostage Noa Marciano was found in a building next to the hospital. In May, her parents claimed a doctor at the hospital killed Marciano, Jewish News Syndicate reported.

Salmiya — who claims he was tortured in prison — sparked significant controversy in Israel, which followed a directive from the National Security Council directing Israeli security agency Shin Beit to create a list of prisoners to be freed due to lack of space in jails. The Shin Bet reportedly reprimanded the senior official who approved Salmiya’s release.

In 2014, Salmiya uploaded a photo to Facebook of himself with a Qassam Brigades logo at the bottom. In 2013, he posted a photo of a man in a Hamas headband, with the caption: “My enemy is coming to you, coming from every house, alley and street. Our hope is for tomorrow, God willing.” In 2014, he shared a graphic of the Al Qassam Brigades logo on an airplane. The next day, he shared an image with fighters of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad with the caption, “Brothers in blood, brothers in arms, this is the true unity.”

Salmiya has also used his Facebook page to praise a November 2022 terror attack at a Jerusalem bus stop where a 15-year-old boy was killed and 14 others were injured. Salmiya has also publicly mourned terrorists including Udai Tamimi, who killed an Israeli soldier when opening fire at the entrance of Ma’ale Adumim.

According to investigator David Collier, Salmiya’s brother, Khalid Abu Salmia, was a leader of the al-Qassam Brigades before he was killed in a targeted strike in 2004.


Hamas names four hostages to be released on Saturday
Hamas announced the names of four hostages it plans to release on Saturday in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel in the second round of exchanges in the ceasefire-for-hostages deal.

The terrorist group intends to free Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, Hamas’s pseudonymous spokesman Abu Obeida announced via Hamas-controlled media on Friday.

The four women were part of a military unit based at Nahal Oz on the Gaza border that Hamas overran on Oct. 7.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that it had received the list from Hamas and said it would comment later.

Israel, in turn, is expected to release some 200 Palestinian prisoners, including prisoners with life sentences.

Under the terms of the deal, Hamas was supposed to release female civilian hostages before releasing soldiers. One civilian woman, Arbel Yehoud, remains a hostage. It’s not clear if her exclusion from Saturday’s release will complicate the agreement.

Shiri Bibas, another female civilian hostage, was taken with her two children, and they are included on the list of the 33 hostages to be released. Hamas, however, claimed in November that they were killed.

Of the hostages whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7, 91 are currently in Gaza, including 30 who are believed to be dead. Hamas also holds three additional hostages taken before the 2023 attacks.

Hamas is expected to provide an update on Saturday on the status of the remaining hostages, and another five weeks of exchanges are expected as part of the first round of the ceasefire deal.


Eight murderers to be allowed back into Israel in hostage deal
Eight terrorists who murdered Israelis are expected to be released in Israel as part of the cease-fire and hostage-release deal with Hamas, according to an analysis by Lt.-Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.

Among the nearly 2,000 predominantly Palestinian prisoners set to be let out in the framework of the deal, 73 are Israeli citizens or legal residents — the status of most Palestinians in east Jerusalem. Of those prisoners, 45 will be released in Israel. Twenty-one of the prisoners with Israeli citizenship or residency are terrorists serving life sentences for killing people. Though murderers are supposed to be deported in the framework of the deal — likely to Qatar or Turkey — eight of them will be able to live freely in Israel.

Five of the murderers to be released into Israel are Hamas members, and three are from Fatah, the dominant party in the Palestinian Authority. All of them killed Israelis in 2001-2003, during the Second Intifada.

Hirsch analyzed the list of prisoners published by the Israeli Justice Ministry on Saturday and found that he was familiar with many of them and their crimes from his time as the IDF’s former director of the Military Prosecution for Judea and Samaria — the official name used by Israel for the West Bank.

One of the terrorists to be released into Israel is Nasim Zaatari, one of the bombers of the No. 2 bus in Jerusalem, an attack that killed 23 people, including 1-year-old Shmuel Taubenfeld and Shmuel Zagari in 2003.

Fahmi and Ramadan Mashahra blew up bus No. 32A in Jerusalem in 2002, killing 19 people. Fahmi will be released back into Israel, while Ramadan will be deported.

“Both Zaatari and Mashahra exploited their Israeli residency and the blue ID cards they held [like all Israeli adults] to carry out deadly attacks,” Hirsch wrote. “Under the [Palestinian Authority’s] Prisoners and Released Prisoners Law of 2004 … Zaatari and Mashahra were paid over 1 million NIS [over $281,000] each as rewards for murdering Jews.”

The Shin Bet has said that over 82% of terrorists freed in exchange for captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011 returned to terrorism, Hirsch noted.


Seth Frantzman: Trump admin's first steps in Mideast: Saudi ties, sanctioning Houthis
The new designation has raised eyebrows in the Gulf. It should be recalled that the Houthis tried to take over Yemen’s port of Aden in 2015, and this triggered an intervention by Saudi Arabia and other countries. However, the civil war in Yemen, with the Saudis on the side of the government against the Houthis, became a difficult war.

The Houthis targeted Riyadh with ballistic missiles and attacked Saudi Arabia with drones. Iran used this as a test bed for its missiles and drones. Eventually, a ceasefire was signed, and the countries involved in the war all sought to distance themselves from it. They also felt the US and the West were not being supportive enough.

Now, voices are rising that say that the new order by the White House could isolate the Houthis and weaken them. According to experts who spoke to the UAE media Al-Ain Al-Akhbariya, “disastrous repercussions will befall the Houthi militias following this classification, including the group losing its participation in a comprehensive peace process, and it will allow the Yemeni government and its regional and international allies to make a decisive military decision to end the coup.”

For the first time in a while, there is optimism. Al-Ain quotes Yemeni politician Khaled Salman, who said the designation is “a prelude to dismantling the Houthi entity attached to the Iranian body, and a prelude to the process of breaking the last nail and depriving Iran of waging war to defend it through tools.”

Salman told Al-Ain that the classification is “a blow to the Houthis who practiced three-dimensional trade, blackmailing major shipping companies, smuggling weapons to terrorist groups, collaborating with them, and striking at the interests of the West and the economies of Washington’s allies from Saudi Arabia to Egypt.” This is a step toward dismantling the group.

This may be too optimistic a belief, but clearly, the White House is putting wind in the sails of the region. It is part of a wider effort of the new Trump doctrine, which is designed to bolster friends and allies.

The new US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and discussed the importance of deterring Iran. Gulf media sees this as another pillar of Trump’s policy, designating Houthis and backing Saudi Arabia and Israel. These are important moments.

Saudi Arabia is celebrating the tenth anniversary of King Salman assuming power this week. Meanwhile, Riyadh has also indicated it could invest up to $600 billion in the US, according to a report in the Associated Press about a phone call with Trump.

Other issues are in motion in the region. Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, is expected to come back to the region soon. He may visit Gaza to see the ceasefire up close, according to reports. His recent comments in an interview with Fox News have raised eyebrows in some pro-Israel circles. What is important now is that the ceasefire deal continues and hostages continue to be released on time.
Rubio stresses support for Israel as ‘top priority’ in first call with Netanyahu
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to keep up Washington’s “steadfast support” for Israel, speaking in his first call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, according to a State Department readout.

Israel is a “top priority” for the new administration, said Rubio, who on Monday became the first of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks to make it through Senate confirmation in a 99-0 vote.

Rubio “congratulated the prime minister on Israel’s successes against Hamas and Hezbollah and pledged to work tirelessly to help free all remaining hostages held in Gaza,” Washington’s readout stated.

He also stressed that he looked forward to “addressing the threats posed by Iran and pursuing opportunities for peace.”

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately issue a readout of Netanyahu’s first official conversation with the incoming secretary.

During a separate phone call with Rubio on Thursday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar voiced Israel’s appreciation for Trump’s “decisive executive actions against the ICC, the Houthis and removing the unjust sanctions against Israelis in Judea and Samaria,” Sa’ar announced in a statement.

Sa’ar and Rubio spoke about “regional issues and bilateral topics,” per the Israeli readout, as well as what Sa’ar called “the politicized ‘international legal institutions’ and the steps that must be taken in that regard.

“We are committed to working hard and closely with President Trump and his administration to deal with our common challenges and to expand our alliances. I invited Secretary Rubio to visit Israel and we agreed to meet soon,” the statement from Jerusalem’s top diplomat concluded.
Turkey’s Syrian Ambitions, and What They Mean for Israel
One of the challenges facing military planners is the need to prepare not just for the threats of today, but for the threats of tomorrow. After the failures of the 2006 Lebanon war—and as Hizballah dramatically increased its missile arsenal and military capabilities—the IDF and the Mossad worked tirelessly to ensure the next confrontation would be a success. These efforts contributed to the celebrated pager operation, the precise targeting of Hizballah’s leadership, and so forth. By contrast, the IDF was unprepared for a major ground operation in Gaza, which it didn’t expect would be necessary.

Budgeting for the old threats as well as those that haven’t yet emerged was the task of an Israeli blue-ribbon commission known as the Nagel committee, which recently released its final report. The committee determined that, with the fall of Assad and Iran on its back foot, Turkey could easily emerge as Israel’s most formidable enemy. There are good reasons to think this might be an exaggeration, but growing Turkish power should still be taken seriously.

Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak takes a close look at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s agenda in Syria and beyond:

Today, with the regime in Syria ousted, Erdoğan’s popularity is soaring. His supporters portray him as “the conqueror of Syria.” Unsurprisingly, neo-Ottoman rhetoric has become a prominent feature of public discourse. Both mainstream institutional media and Erdoğan’s propaganda outlets frequently reference Ottoman history to emphasize Turkey’s organic ties to Syria.

These media outlets not only highlight the historical fact that the Turks dominated the region for 402 years but also seek to deepen the Turkish public’s connection to Syria by invoking the armed struggle of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish republic. In 1918, as commander of the 7th Army, Ataturk fought the British on the “Palestine front.” The emphasis on Ataturk’s battles, along with his view that Syria and “Palestine” were integral parts of the Ottoman-Turkish homeland, aims to win over nationalist and secularist segments of Turkish society in support of Erdoğan’s neo-Ottomanist foreign policy.

Ankara has sought not only to dismantle the Alawite-dominated regime and counter Iranian and Russian influence but also to become the primary architect of Syria’s future—provided that Qatari-EU reconstruction money is channeled via Turkey. Turkey aims to extend its sphere of influence and consolidate its position as a regional power in line with the Ottoman legacy.
UN received report on Oct. 7 Hamas sexual crimes better than expected, its author says
In November, the month before she released a report about the sexual violence that Hamas committed on Oct. 7, 2023, Yifat Bitton, an Israeli law professor, told JNS that the report would focus on “what people missed,” rather than the “hardcore evidence” the police would find.

JNS spoke with Bitton again on Jan. 19 about the report’s takeaways and what response it has drawn.

Bitton told JNS that diplomats and senior officials at the United Nations received her Jan. 16 presentation of the report well, despite the global body’s silence about the sorts of sexual crimes that Hamas committed on Oct. 7 detailed by her work.

“Due to the fact that my report was methodological and completed by an independent agent like myself as an expert in the field with a team of lawyers, who are not just Israeli feminists but global feminists, I was hopeful that the report would get more positive attention than was initially expected,” Bitton said.

“It is heartwarming to have seen that happen in real time,” she said. “It was important for them to understand the new trends of terrorism that are not particular to Israelis and Palestinians.”

“If it happened in Israel and we weren’t prepared for it, it can happen to other countries too,” she added.

As Israel continues to grapple with the aftermath of Hamas’s attacks, Bitton hopes the international community will acknowledge the extent of Hamas’s crimes.

Bitton told JNS that with hostages returning to Israel, “it’s becoming clearer what they endured.”

“This may create a new willingness to speak out about what happened, to recognize the reality of these crimes and to challenge the silence that’s persisted,” she said.


Trump denies Witkoff will lead diplomatic efforts with Iran
President Donald Trump refuted reports that Steve Witkoff, his Middle East envoy, will take over the Iran file, while also lauding Witkoff for his work helping negotiate the cease-fire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

“No,” Trump said on Thursday after signing a series of executive orders, when asked by a reporter whether he would put Witkoff in charge of Iran strategy and speaking directly with the Iranians. “But he’s certainly somebody I would use. He’s done a fantastic job. He’s a great negotiator.”

Trump declined to answer a question about whether he would support an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Instead, he said he hopes for a diplomatic solution with Iran.

“It would really be nice if that could be worked out without having to go to that further step,” Trump said, regarding the possibility of strikes. “Iran hopefully will make a deal. I mean, if they don’t make a deal, I guess that’s okay, too.”
Trump must investigate Robert Malley for treason
With just minutes left in his administration, former President Joe Biden pardoned five family members. In so doing, he may not have clinched the title of worst president of all time, but he did win the gold medal for being the most cynical and dishonest.

Clearly, Biden did not want his successor, President Donald Trump, to do to his family and friends what the U.S. Department of Justice during his administration attempted to do to Trump, his family and his allies—weaponize the criminal justice system and attack political enemies for political gain.

In one respect, Biden is doing Trump a favor. By not spending time settling scores as some in his inner circle would like, the 47th president can stay focused on “making America great again” by implementing the policies he was elected to enact.

However, there is one pardon Biden did not issue and whose conduct cannot be glossed over or condoned—that of Biden’s special envoy to Iran, Robert Malley. As a May 6 letter to then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho)—former chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and current chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively—makes clear, Malley left government under a cloud warranting having his security clearance revoked.

“[W]e understand that Mr. Malley’s security clearance was suspended because he allegedly transferred classified documents to his personal email account and downloaded these documents to his personal cell phone,” they wrote. “It is unclear to whom he intended to provide these documents, but it is believed that a hostile cyber actor was able to gain access to his email and/or phone and obtain the downloaded information.”

Many believe that the “hostile cyber actor” in this case is Iran and that Malley downloaded the classified information to his phone so that it could be transmitted to the Islamic Republic. It is also believed that the information downloaded pertained to U.S. and/or Israeli intelligence regarding Iran’s nuclear program. In light of the Biden administration’s policy of weakness and appeasement toward Iran, Malley’s conduct must have been incredibly egregious for him to have lost his security clearance.


Israel’s UN envoy blasts Security Council for forgetting plight of youngest hostages
Danny Danon, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, lashed out at the U.N. Security Council on Thursday during a session the 15-member body held that focused on the suffering of children in the Gaza Strip.

“Why didn’t you hold a discussion on the situation of children in Israel?” he asked in the council’s chamber. “Children who suffer from ongoing terrorism. You are blind to their pain and their tears.”

The Israeli envoy was particularly incensed over the lack of mention of the Bibas brothers: Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 2. Hamas kidnapped the two boys and their parents—Yarden and Shiri Bibas—from their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, dragging them into Gaza. They have not been seen or heard from since.

Ariel was 4 years old at the time. Kfir was only 9 months old.

“Perhaps you have forgotten about little Kfir Bibas, but I promise you we haven’t,” Danon said, holding up a picture of the baby boy.

Kfir Bibas was “ripped from his bed” and “has remained in the darkness of Hamas’s terror dungeons,” Danon said. He slammed the council for caring only for “political agendas.” Otherwise, “this session would discuss Kfir Bibas and all those Israel children still suffering as well,” the Israeli envoy said.

Danon also criticized the International Committee of the Red Cross, from which Israel has “received no word, nothing” about the condition of the Bibas children.

“No visits from the Red Cross, no offers of assistance and no outrage from the United Nations,” he stated.


UN official: Small fraction of $4.1b. needed to sustain Gaza aid funded
Funding shortages may affect the United Nations's ability to maintain aid flows at target levels throughout the Gaza ceasefire deal, a UN official told Reuters.

Fifteen months of war has left more than 47,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, and most of the Strip in ruins, with hundreds of thousands of people homeless and reliant on outside aid for survival.

Daily deliveries have surged tenfold since the Sunday deal, according to UN data, surpassing the 600 trucks a day target set out for the first seven weeks of the ceasefire.

Muhannad Hadi, the UN humanitarian coordinator for the West Bank and Gaza, told Reuters late on Thursday he was "very happy" with how the first few days had gone but flagged funding as a concern. 'Funding is an issue'

"Funding is an issue. We need immediate funding to make sure that we continue providing the aid for the 42 days, but also after the 42 days, because we're hopeful that we'll go from phase one to phase two," he said after returning from Gaza earlier this week.

He described scenes of widespread joy and relief across the enclave, with many Gazans smiling and eager to return to the remnants of their homes and find work.

"I've received clear messages from the people: they don't want to continue depending on humanitarian aid. They want to rebuild their lives... We can't afford to let them down."

The UN is seeking $4.1 billion for the West Bank and Gaza this year, with nearly 90% set to go to Gaza. It is currently 3.6% funded.


The IDF’s High-Tech Investments Paid Off, but They Came at a High Cost
In fact, the money saved by cutting the training and modernization budgets needed to preserve the reserve brigades was not just left with the Ministry of Finance. Thousands of Hamas rockets did not kill hundreds or even tens of Israeli civilians, because they were selectively intercepted by a made-in-Israel system funded with the approval of the same chiefs of staff Baratz condemns. Likewise, when some 320 Iranian ballistic missiles arrived they did not kill thousands as they might have done, because they were intercepted by two layers of the Arrow ballistic-missile defenses and one high-altitude anti-aircraft missile system—capabilities that no other country has, not China, not Russia, not the U.S. Those countries do not have such systems not only because of their adherence to the doctrine of mutually assured destruction, but also because of their tremendous development costs (in 1969 I worked on the U.S. Safeguard anti-missile program and saw this up close) as well as their tremendous testing costs—no use intercepting a single missile, hundreds are needed for a proper test. But the Arrow developers agreed with their mothers that they were geniuses and went ahead with a hit-to-kill system (hitting an arrow with an arrow) without even one full-scale test.

Another thing that was bought with the money saved by cutting the reserve brigades was the Namer armored personnel carrier I experienced in a Gaza joy ride. At 65 tons, it weighs more than twice as much as its closest U.S. equivalent, the M2 Bradley, but it has more than three times as much armor (because it has no turret) and big screens to show what is happening outside, instead of narrow slits. The Namer is one reason why IDF casualties in Gaza’s urban combat remained far below American estimates, which were based on U.S. Marine infantry data collected in Fallujah (the Talmud’s Pumbedita) and Ramadi, where the Marines did not have to contend with tunnels.

Another destination of the money saved by sacrificing the number of reserve brigades was the funding of the locally made high-precision tactical air-launched missiles that enabled the Israeli air force to attack the distant Parchin target near Tehran with its shortest-range fighter bomber, the F-16, not to mention the funding of capabilities outside the IDF which were also employed to good effect, but for the further blow given to the ever-shrinking beeper industry. Money, as they keep telling us, is fungible.

But because I really know nothing of overall IDF decision-making, which Baratz has so closely studied, it is possible that Generals Moshe Ya’alon, Dan Halutz, Gabi Ashkenazi, Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot, Aviv Kohavi, and Herzi Halevi had nothing to do with the extraordinary achievements that greatly limited damage to Israel while its enemies as far away as Tehran suffered ruinous losses, and were only responsible for the mistakes—except of course for October 7, the least mysterious of blunders in military history: if you allow an armed enemy to exist right outside your front door, you shall be surprised.

So Baratz should simply have condemned Generals Ya’alon, Halutz, Asheknazi, Gantz, Eisenkot, Kohavi, and Halevi for their failure to confront the cabinet to obtain permission for all-out offensives against Hamas and Hizballah timed to achieve surprise in a moment of unusual tranquility, regardless of world reactions. There is always a next time.
Halevi's resignation was overdue, now's the time for a state inquiry
Now that Halevi has stepped down, for the IDF, his resignation represents an opportunity for renewal – a chance to recover from the mistakes that led to October 7 and chart a new path forward. The military must learn from its failures and adjust to reflect the changing realities of the region.

Politically, Halevi’s resignation will also have repercussions. Some may naively believe that it will shift the spotlight onto Netanyahu, increasing the pressure for him to step down too.

In reality, the opposite is likely to happen. Netanyahu’s supporters will argue that Halevi resigned because he had failed, and by extension, they will claim that Netanyahu did not fail and therefore has no reason to resign. Despite being false, this narrative will gain traction.

Halevi’s resignation is an important step in the right direction, but it is now up to the government to follow suit and commit to a rigorous independent investigation of the events that led to October 7. Only through such an inquiry can Israel hope to learn from its mistakes and emerge stronger.

On Wednesday, I boarded a taxi near Tel Aviv. The driver, a man in his 70s, mentioned he’d been driving for only three years. Curious, I asked what he did before. His answer stopped me cold.

He retired from the IDF in 2000 after 28 years of service. Most of that time, he said, he was an Air Force Technical Officer. But it wasn’t always that way.

Drafted in 1972 into the Armored Corps, he was stationed on the Golan Heights when the Yom Kippur War erupted on October 6, 1973. Just two days later, his tank was hit. Three friends were killed. He was injured and captured by the Syrians. For the next eight months, he was held in captivity.

As he recounted this, his voice cracked. “Everything happening now brings me back to those days,” he said, tears welling.

He told me of the horrors: relentless beatings, burns inflicted on his body, and months of agony at the hands of Syrian soldiers. Yet, he said, even in that nightmare, his situation was better than the hostages in Gaza. He had food, he said, and occasionally, there was a Red Cross visit.

And then he said this: “Israel must do everything to bring the hostages back from Gaza. If the government fails, it will betray the essence of what this country stands for.” This man, who endured unimaginable suffering, is asking us to remember who we are and what we stand for. His story is a lesson, one we cannot ignore.

Heroes like him don’t speak often, but when they do, we must listen.


‘On a clear day you see Damascus’: A rare visit to Mount Hermon
The transition between the Israeli and the Syrian Mount Hermon happens without fanfare. Decades-old concrete blocks and razor wire have been pushed aside, replaced by bulldozer tracks carving out what soldiers have nicknamed the “Tuscany Route”—a single path stretching from Israel deep into Syria.

This week, Israel Hayom received unprecedented access to the Syrian Hermon sector, captured by the IDF six weeks ago following the rebels’ victory in Syria and the fall of the Bashar Assad regime. This marks the first media tour of this strategically vital foothold, which has been seared in Israelis’ collective memory as a crucial post since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. IDF soldiers on the Syrian side of Mount Hermon. Credit: Used in accordance with Section 27A of the Copyright Law.

The deceptive quiet is matched only by the stunning vistas. On clear days, Damascus lies visible, 15 miles from the peak. The northern view sweeps across Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, the strategic Syria-Lebanon frontier, the Shouf/Chouf Mountains, and nearby, the Mount Dov (Shebaa Farms) area.

Col. Liron Appleman, who commands the IDF’s newly formed Mountain Brigade, part of the 210th “Bashan” Division, led the initial force into the Syrian side of the Hermon, shortly after Assad’s fall on Dec. 8. The brigade’s troops advanced on D9 armored bulldozers, simultaneously clearing paths and sweeping for mines in challenging terrain. The narrow route required significant widening to facilitate northward movement and logistics support.

Snow blankets the highest elevations, and an incoming weekend storm has heightened alertness. Here, every factor—cold, power, heat, food—can become a survival issue. Add the many adversaries who, while currently quiet, could emerge from any direction.

The Syrian Hermon contains dozens of former Syrian positions. When IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi and OC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Uri Gordin visited the highest post on the entire mountain—dubbed H1 by Syria and “The Peak” by the IDF—they were forced to exit immediately due to the overwhelming stench.

These hastily abandoned positions yielded discarded uniforms, officer insignia and substantial weaponry: explosives, mines, RPG launchers, grenades and personal weapons. After collecting these materials, the IDF undertook extensive cleaning operations. Some positions contained what were apparently graves of soldiers who succumbed to disease or cold.

“The Peak” position underwent rapid renovation for habitability. All Syrian-era materials were removed, replaced by comprehensive facilities: showers, toilets, heating systems, a fully equipped kitchen, weather-appropriate bedding, furniture, clothing and abundant provisions.

For Appleman, this operation represented his service’s most complex challenge. His primary concern centered not on enemy action but on preventing his troops from becoming stranded in extreme conditions without adequate support.


IAF strikes terror cell within vehicle in Jenin during counterterrorism op.
During a counterterrorism operation in the northern West Bank on Friday evening, the Israeli air force struck a vehicle in the Qabatia neighborhood of the Palestinian village of Jenin, the IDF and Shin Bet announced in a joint statement.

In the counterterrorism operation, 10 terrorists were killed in total, 20 wanted persons were apprehended, and additional weapons were confiscated. Palestinian reports on the strike

At least 12 Palestinians have been killed in the operation, Palestinian health officials said, including two claimed by the armed wing of Hamas. The Israeli military said it had also arrested 20 wanted suspects and seized weapons.

Armored bulldozers and diggers have demolished houses and dug up roads in the crowded refugee camp adjacent to Jenin, a major center of armed militant groups, where thousands of people have left their homes.

Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he was deeply concerned about the use of unlawful lethal force and said the Jenin operation raised serious concerns about unnecessary or disproportionate force.

Fighting in Gaza has halted for the start of a six-week first phase of a ceasefire backed by the United States.

Israeli officials say the operation in Jenin is part of a multifront war against an axis of Iranian-backed groups in the West Bank, southern Lebanon, and Yemen.


Middle East Forum: "Israel's Urban War in Gaza: A Technical Analysis" with John Spencer
John Spencer, a leading expert on urban warfare, has made four trips to observe the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, during which he has studied both its efficacy and its morality. Putting the IDF’s conduct in a larger perspective, he asks fundamental questions: How has it fared compared to other Western armies? What are the special circumstances in Gaza? From an ethical point of view, how does the IDF rank?

John Spencer has advised senior U.S. Army leaders, including four-star generals. A former infantry soldier and commander, Spencer served in the US Army for 25 years, during which he undertook two combat deployments to Iraq. He is the chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point. He has published three books, most recently, Understanding Urban Warfare, (Howgate Publishing, 2022), and many articles. Since October 7, he has written and spoken extensively on the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. He holds a BA from Arizona State University and an MA from Georgetown University.


MirYam Institute PodCast: THE UNSPOKEN PERILS OF THE HOSTAGE-RELEASE DEAL
This episode features a read-out of my most recent op-ed, published by JNS.ORG on Thursday, January 23rd. A link to the oped is included in the show notes, as is an RSVP link to register for our exclusive, live conversation with John Spencer, Chair Of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point.

In my column, entitled "The Unspoken Perils Of The Hostage Release Deal," I outline the extreme danger into which the three hostages released last week were placed, while being transferred by the Red Cross en-route to being freed.

Surrounded by hundreds, even thousands of Gazans as they were, their lives were placed in unfathomable danger - irresponsibly so.

Here, I argue that their survival was nothing short of miraculous, and that nobody in Israel's policy making circles should make the mistake of assuming that such a miracle will be repeated in the context of further hostage releases.

We must do more to secure our people during their final moments in captivity.
Tikvah Fund: The Hostage Deal, a New Administration, and the Future of the Fight Against Hamas
On January 17, 2025—just days before President Trump began his second term in office—Israel's government approved a deal with Hamas to free Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. In the first stage of a potential three-stage agreement, Israel will receive 33 hostages, most of whom are alive, in return for a ceasefire, the release of nearly 2,000 imprisoned Palestinian terrorists, and redeployment of forces from most of Gaza.

On January 21, Tikvah's Jonathan Silver hosted a special briefing about the deal with former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and White House veteran and Tikvah Chairman Elliott Abrams.

Friedman is a longtime confidant of President Trump and was one of history's most consequential U.S. ambassadors to Israel. Abrams has served in foreign-policy positions under Presidents Reagan, Bush, and Trump, including as Deputy National Security Advisor, with a special focus on the Middle East and human rights.

Together, they discussed how this deal came about, the role the incoming Trump Administration played in the negotiations, the price that Israel will pay to return its hostages, and why Israel and Hamas agreed to this deal now.

They also looked ahead to what comes next. What does the deal indicate about a second Trump presidency's approach to Israel? Did Israel receive other American commitments in return for accepting these terms? Is the war against Hamas actually over or is this only a tactical retreat? How does the deal change Israeli domestic politics?


UKLFI: i24 news on Israel's relations with Iran past and future, including comments of Dr Efrat Sopher
Dr Efrat Sopher, Chair of the Board of Advisers of the Ezri Center for Iran and Gulf States Research at Haifa University and UKLFI Charitable Trust Trustee speaks in this piece by i24 news on Israel's relations with Iran past and future and the role played by Ambassador Meir Ezri (Hebrew)




Erin Molan: Palestinians are being brutally shot and killed… right now… it is horrific… this is a PSA
It is HORRIFIC and it’s all on camera…

It’s time to fire back up you guys… the ‘ceasefire now’, ‘stop the genocide’, ‘protect Palestinians’ types - they NEED you now… really… very seriously…

Clear the streets Western Democracies… the thousands are coming… and so they should be!

They should have always been there loudly and proudly fighting for innocents in Gaza by the way - like so many of us have been - they just accidentally marched for their killers (H_mas) - against their fellow victims (Israel) but luckily this should irrefutably clear any confusion up… 👌🙏




Mikie Sherrill embraces endorsement from progressive activist who supports ending U.S. aid to Israel
Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s (D-NJ) gubernatorial campaign accepted an endorsement from Patricia Campos-Medina, a progressive organizer and former Senate candidate who has called to end U.S. aid to Israel and expressed support for anti-Israel campus protests.

Sherrill said in a post she was “absolutely thrilled” to receive the endorsement.

Campos-Medina is also joining Sherrill’s campaign as a volunteer senior advisor and campaign surrogate.

Campos-Medina, in a Democratic primary debate for the open Senate seat in New Jersey last year, said she opposes further U.S. aid to Israel, calling to hold Israel “accountable” for “the genocide in the killing of Palestinians.”

“We need to stop arming Israel and giving them money and military power and take away their ability to keep killing innocent children in Gaza and Palestine,” she said at a rally when she ran for Senate.

Campos-Medina accused her Senate opponents of standing for “war-mongering” and not being true progressives because they refused to endorse that position — one that Sherrill herself has not endorsed. Sherrill voted in favor of supplemental aid to Israel and some other pro-Israel legislation in the House. She has not supported conditioning or suspending aid.


Dale Vince challenged over Gaza ‘genocide’ claim on BBC Question Time
Green energy tycoon Dale Vince has been angrily challenged by an audience member on the BBC’s Question Time show after accusing Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza, costing “150,000 lives and injuries”.

Founder of Ecotricity and Forest Green Rovers FC chair Vince began answering a question put to the panel on Donald Trump, but decided to switch the discussion to condemning those funding the “genocide” of Palestinians.

A man in the audience, who was applauded, responded: “How dare you say that. Genocide happened to six million Jews in the Second World War.

“Where is the equivalence? Did you mention the atrocity that happened on October 7 when Hamas and the Palestinians invaded Israel and killed innocent women, children? Do you understand that? How dare you say that?! You’re ill informed, my friend.”

Audience member challenges Dale Vince
Vince replied by claiming: “I’m aware of the atrocity of October 7. 1,500 Israelis lost their lives.

“Since then, the brutalisation of Palestine, of all of the people in Palestine, has taken 150,000 lives and injuries.”

The audience member said: “Is Israel allowed to defend its borders?”

At this point host Fiona Bruce said the man was making a “strong” and “passionate point” but urged him to allow Vince to continue.

Vince said: “So let me speak – 90 percent of the Palestinian population have been displaced. There’s been famine, all kinds of problems.

“Before the war, the Palestinians were a captive population with no control, no access to the outside world through ports and airports and stuff like that – they are captive in their own country.

“We’re talking 150,000 casualties versus 1,500. Neither is right.”

A former Tory minister also questioned Vince’s claims, saying: “Surely you’re not saying that justifies rape, murder.”

Vince replied: “No, of course not.”

Bruce then called for an end to the heated discussion, saying Israel/Palestine had previously been a regular topic on the BBC1 show.




Buy EoZ's books  on Amazon!

"He's an Anti-Zionist Too!" cartoon book (December 2024)

PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism (February 2022)

    
 

 



AddToAny

Printfriendly

EoZTV Podcast

Podcast URL

Subscribe in podnovaSubscribe with FeedlyAdd to netvibes
addtomyyahoo4Subscribe with SubToMe

search eoz

comments

Speaking

Speaking

translate

E-Book

For $18 donation








Sample Text

EoZ's Most Popular Posts in recent years

Search2

Hasbys!

Hasbys!

2019 Nobel Peace Prize nominee

Elder of Ziyon - حـكـيـم صـهـيـون



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.

Donate!

Donate to fight for Israel!

Monthly subscription:
Payment options


One time donation:

Follow EoZ on Twitter!

Interesting Blogs

Show All

Blog Archive

Copyright © Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News | Powered by Blogger
Blogger Templates