Saturday, January 25, 2025

01/25 Links: Freeing hostages should be a standalone imperative; Hamas parades 'victory' in hostage deal: The message behind the spectacle; Israel: UNRWA has five days to leave Jerusalem

From Ian:

Irwin Cotler: Freeing hostages should be a standalone imperative
The singling out of Israel for selective opprobrium and indictment, coupled with indulgence of Hamas demands, only prolonged the painful process, and the pernicious paradigm that underpinned it. In not condemning Hamas’ outrageous demands, the international community delayed a ceasefire and thereby contributed to the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike.

The Canadian government was missing in action, thereby prejudicing this process and the cause of the hostages. As a major G7 country and founding nation of the rules-based international order and its multilateral institutions like the UN, Canada’s foreign policy positions matter in influencing other countries and shaping the global narrative.

The government could have more clearly called for “the immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages,” without referencing any other considerations in the same statement. While negotiations are the means through which this would be achieved, the rhetoric surrounding it matters, and “unconditional and immediate” underscores the illegality of hostage-taking and reinforces international norms against it, while increasing pressure on Hamas. Many others, such as the U.K. government, have effectively done so.

Far too often, the Canadian government linked the recovery of hostages to other considerations or conditions including a ceasefire, two-state solution (which we otherwise support), and the broader situation in the Middle East, thereby encouraging other countries to do the same and emboldening Hamas intransigence.

In echoing false accusations against Israel like the Al-Shifa hospital bombing — where the evidence revealed that the bombing was by Palestinian Islamic Jihad — and becoming the first G7 country to ban sales of defence materials to Israel, Canada further marginalized Israel amidst hostage negotiations, strengthened Hamas, and was marginal amongst major allies. Even Hamas issued a statement thanking the Canadian government for its positions.

As counsel to families of hostages and victims of October 7, we have been supporting the ongoing investigations by U.S. law enforcement, which led to the issuance of indictments against Hamas perpetrators. While Canada had initiated criminal investigations for Russian crimes against Ukrainians, ISIS crimes against Yazidis and others, and Canadian victims of terrorism and kidnapping abroad, the government has opted not to pursue justice and accountability for the Jewish Canadian victims of Hamas.

This did not only hurt Israelis and Palestinians, but also Canadians, who are at increasing risk of being abducted abroad. As hostage-takings rise around the world, Canada’s words and deeds inadvertently normalized the largest international hostage-taking in history, thereby undermining the international norms against it and putting all Canadians abroad at risk.

As the hostage recovery and ceasefire agreement is implemented, all Canadian public officials and parliamentarians can support its success by continuing to emphasize the standalone nature of the hostage crisis, and the need for the return of all the hostages, including human remains being illegally held captive. Particular reference should continue to be made to Toronto-native Judi Weinstein, who deserves a dignified burial and her Canadian family the closure of a funeral and gravesite. As well, specific support should be extended to hostages with close Canadian connections, such as Omer Neutra, Agam Berger, and Hadar Goldin.

The current hostage crisis and concomitant rise of other global hostage-takings — and Canada’s insufficient leadership therein — demonstrates the need for a new approach.

When Parliament resumes in March, it should adopt Bill C-353, the Foreign Hostage Takers Accountability Act, which makes important improvements to the legislative framework to combat hostage-taking.

Canada should also establish a standalone office for freeing hostages with a dedicated staff and an integrated whole-of-government approach, headed by a Special Envoy or Ambassador. This would be in line with our major allies, where the U.S. already has a Special Envoy — the cornerstone of a bipartisan foreign policy priority — and the U.K. is in the process of establishing one, after having already appointed an ambassador and team specifically for the October 7 hostages.

Grounded in the Canada-led Declaration on Arbitrary Detention in State to State Relations endorsed by 79 states — and wherein hostage-taking by terrorist state proxy would logically be within its mandate — Canada should convene a global task force of states against hostage-taking with concrete collective actions against hostage-takers and their state backers.

The return of hostages must continue to be urgently pursued as a humanitarian imperative until all are free. It is a legal obligation of the first order, as every day hostages remain in captivity is an ongoing Crime Against Humanity. Canada can now help free the captives in Gaza while combating the global scourge of hostage-taking by exercising global leadership.
Seth Frantzman: Hamas parades 'victory' in hostage deal: The message behind the spectacle
HAMAS MADE it clear that this exchange on Saturday is a military affair. It kidnapped the women from Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023. The women were sheltering in an area that was supposed to be safe. They were part of an IDF unit of women lookout observers who were unarmed and had been stationed on the border.

Hamas kidnapped the women from Nahal Oz base on October 7. The women were sheltering in an area that was supposed to be safe. They were part of an IDF unit of women observers who were unarmed and had been stationed on the border.

Many members of the unit, which is mostly women, were massacred. They had no real protection at the Nahal Oz base. The base was not designed to be able to withstand a mass assault of the type that Hamas conducted. In addition, it took many hours before the surviving women IDF soldiers were actually kidnapped on October 7.

The realities of October 7
In addition, it took many hours before the surviving women IDF soldiers were actually kidnapped on October 7. The kidnapping was caught on video taken by Hamas members that was later recovered. It shows five of the women being kidnapped. However, two other members of the unit were also kidnapped alive.

Ori Megedish was rescued from Gaza in the first days of the ground offensive in late October. Noa Marciano was kidnapped alive but she was later killed near Shifa hospital.

Agam Berger, who was kidnapped alongside Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag, is still held in Gaza.

The images of these five women, who were 18 and 19 years old when they were abducted from Nahal Oz on October 7, have been common sights across Israel. The image of Naama Levy being pulled by her hair out of an IDF jeep that the Hamas members stole on October 7 has become one of the most jarring images of the war as well.

The kidnapping was caught on video taken by Hamas members that was later recovered. It shows five of the women being kidnapped. However, two other members of the unit were also kidnapped alive. Ori Megidish was rescued from Gaza in the first days of the ground offensive in late October. Noa Marciano was kidnapped alive, but she was later killed near Shifa Hospital. Agam Berger, who was kidnapped alongside Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, and Liri Albag, is still being held in Gaza.

These images have been seen worldwide. Hamas knows this, and it staged the spectacle in Gaza on Saturday to exploit these images as much as possible. Hamas also wanted to show that it can deliver the women soldiers back to Israel in a ceremony in which the women appear healthy.

This is all part of Hamas propaganda designed to showcase the terror group as if it were a normal organization. In contrast to the images from October 7, of the women being roughly pushed and made to walk over gravel in bare feet, some of their faces and clothes bloodied, the terrorist group is trying to show that all is well in Gaza. This is Hamas’s “total victory” moment.
2023: The Woman in the Hamas Video Is My Daughter
You have seen the video of my daughter Naama Levy. Everyone has. You have seen her dragged by her long brown hair from the back of a Jeep at gunpoint, somewhere in Gaza, her gray sweatpants covered in blood. You may have perhaps noticed that her ankles are cut, that she’s barefoot and limping. She is seriously injured. She is frightened. And I, her mother, am helpless in these moments of horror.

On October 7, Naama had been sleeping at Kibbutz Nahal Oz, and was awakened by the chaotic sound of a missile barrage. At 7 a.m., she sent me a WhatsApp message: “We’re in the safe room. I’ve never heard anything like this.” That was the last I heard from her.

The next day, I saw the video, but the woman in the footage was so bloodied and disheveled it was hard to tell if it really was her. Naama’s father called and confirmed the terrible news.

Before that day, every video our family had taken of Naama was joyful—dancing with friends, laughing with her three siblings, and simply enjoying life. Naama is only 19, but she’ll always be my baby girl. A girl who truly believes in the good of all people. She enjoys athletics and dreams of a career in diplomacy, and her greatest passion is helping those in need. As a girl, she was a member of the “Hands of Peace” delegation, which brings together American, Israeli, and Palestinian youths to promote global social change.

But now, one video, totally unrepresentative of the life she had led until October 7, is how the world knows her.

It has been deeply disturbing to see the United Nations and feminist organizations refuse to acknowledge that Hamas raped and committed appalling sexual crimes against women, simply because the victims are Jewish. It took two months for some to finally admit the scale and the brutality of the horror. Meanwhile, Israeli experts are gathering the evidence. Shari, a volunteer worker at the Shura military morgue, told The Washington Post about what she documented: “We saw many women with bloody underwear, with broken bones, broken legs, broken pelvises.”

The same monsters who committed those crimes are holding my daughter hostage.

There are seventeen young women still in captivity. They range in age from 18 to 26. I think of what they, and my Naama, could be subjected to at every moment of the day. Each minute is an eternity in hell.

On Monday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said that one of the reasons Hamas doesn’t want to release the young female hostages “is they don’t want these women to be able to talk about what happened to them during their time in custody.”

Everyone knows exactly what he means.

What would you do if your daughter were being held hostage by violent rapists and murderers for two months? Perhaps the better question is: What wouldn’t you do?


Joy for four captives, but Hamas keeps civilian woman in Gaza
Four female IDF soldiers reunited with their families in Israel on Saturday after surviving 477 days in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Footage released from the long-awaited reunion at the army’s Re’im Camp in the western Negev showed the elated parents embracing their daughters with relief and tears. IDF soldier Naama Levy meets her parents at the IDF’s Re’im Camp near the Gaza Strip, Jan. 25, 2025. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

Following a medical inspection, the IDF confirmed that Liri Albag, 19, Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, and Naama Levy, 20, were all in good health.

“Mother, you’re a lioness,” Gilboa told her mother. “She traveled the whole world for you,” her father added, to which the mother said, “You know I would do anything for you.” Karina Ariev and her parents at the IDF’s Re’im Camp near the Gaza Strip, Jan. 25, 2025. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

The Ariev family issued a statement, saying, “Our hearts are filled with immense gratitude and joy. After 477 long and tumultuous days of pain, worry and endless anxiety, we have finally been blessed to embrace our beloved Karina, hear her voice, and see her smile that fills us with light once again. Our Karina is a symbol of courage, resilience, and determination, and we are beyond words proud of her.”

The Arievs added, “At the same time, our hearts go out to the family of Agam Berger [also abducted from the Nahal Oz base on Oct. 7, 2023] and all the other women who are still waiting for their miracle. We will not rest or stay silent until everyone comes home. We will continue to act and support with love and belief that together, we can overcome anything.” Former captive Liri Albag and her parents at the IDF’s Re’im Camp near the Gaza Strip, Jan. 25, 2025. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

Albag’s family released a statement as well, expressing the “feeling of relief and happiness [that] envelops us after 477 long and unbearable days of nerve-wracking waiting. We finally had the chance to see Liri, hug her and know that she is with us, in her safe place, surrounded by the love of her family. Liri demonstrated incredible strength and survived hell, and we are so proud of her steadfastness in such impossible conditions.

“At the same time, our hearts are with the families of Arbel Yehud, Agam Berger, the Bibas family and all the other captives who are still waiting to return home. Our thoughts are with them, even in these moments of joy, and we are determined to fight until the last captive comes home.”
First photos show tears and hugs as hostages are reunited with their parents
Photos show the tearful embraces as the four released hostages were reunited with their parents at a military base near Re’im.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag were handed over to the Red Cross in Gaza this morning.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas was supposed to free female civilian hostages before soldiers. One civilian woman, 29-year-old Arbel Yehud, remains in Gaza. It is not clear whether her exclusion from today’s release will complicate the agreement.

Shiri Bibas, 33, 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.

Israel has been glued to its screens for the handover of Karina, 20, Daniella, 20, Naama, 20, and Liri, 19.
Hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag return to Israel
Hamas hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag have been handed over to the Red Cross.

The transfer happened in Palestine Square in Gaza City this morning, surrounded by armed men in balaclavas and a crowd of onlookers.

Members of the Al-Quds Brigades, also known as Palestinian Islamic Jihad, were also present, CNN has reported.

Hamas fighters escort the female Israeli hostages to hand them over to a team from the Red Cross (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)

Hamas fighters escort the female Israeli hostages to hand them over to a team from the Red Cross (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images)

The IDF said Israeli Air Force helicopters were ready to take the four hostages to a hospital after an initial check-up at an army facility near the border.

After that, they are slated to meet their parents for the first time since being kidnapped 477 days ago.

In exchange, Jerusalem is expected to release 200 Palestinian terrorists (50 for each soldier — 30 serving life sentences and 20 who were supposed to remain in prison for up to 15 years).

Terrorists who were “convicted of murder, of manufacturing weapons used for murder, or of directing the carrying out a fatal attack” are to be deported to the Gaza Strip or abroad, instead of to Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem.

Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, Hamas was supposed to free female civilian hostages before soldiers. One civilian woman, 29-year-old Arbel Yehud, remains in Gaza. It is not clear whether her exclusion from today’s release will complicate the agreement.

Shiri Bibas, 33, 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.

Israel has been glued to its screens for the handover of Karina Ariev, 20, Daniella Gilboa, 20, Naama Levy, 20, and Liri Albag, 19.
Joy and tears for friends and families of released hostages
The friends and families of the four released hostages have reacted with joy at their handover today.

Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag were seen on a stage in Palestine Square, Gaza City, before being taken into ambulances and driven to the Israeli border.

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Liri the hero,” Albag’s friends told the Ynet news site. “We saw Liri coming back. She waved her hand and she seems fine. It’s crazy. We were really worried, but she’s a hero.”

Gilboa’s family told Channel 12 news that they were delighted to see her walk out of the Hamas vehicle.

“She is a hero. We were so happy to see her on her feet,” they said.

One of Levy’s friends told Ynet that the four women were “amazing” and that they had been concerned that they would not be on their feet.

“I have no words to describe the feelings now to see Naama back on her feet along with three other amazing, heroic girls,” the friend says.

“We don’t know what she went through there, and we can only imagine the hell. I thought the worst, I dreamed that she was coming out in the worst possible condition, sitting or lying down or worse.”

Female surveillance soldier Agam Berger remains in Hamas captivity. The five women were taken from the Nahal Oz base on October 7.
‘No showers, no food, cooking for terrorists’: Hostages reveal torment in captivity
Three Israeli women released from Hamas captivity last week have shared accounts of their time in Gaza, shedding light on months of physical and psychological torment, according to an N12 news site report.

The women described being moved between civilian homes and Hamas tunnels. They were kept in unsanitary conditions for months and often denied showers, medical care, and access to proper hygiene facilities. Some were held in complete darkness for extended periods and suffered from severe hunger.

In addition to their physical suffering, the hostages were subjected to forced labor. Some were made to cook meals and clean toilets for their captors. They were forbidden from crying or holding hands, further compounding their psychological distress.

'Crime against humanity'
Despite the trauma, small glimmers of hope emerged during their ordeal. One woman, whose birthday fell during her captivity, overheard her family wishing her a happy birthday on the radio, which lifted her spirits. Others saw news coverage of protests demanding their release, which strengthened them.

Some hostages spent time with the children of Hamas fighters, even playing with them, while a few learned Arabic during their imprisonment. Enlrage image

The women revealed that some were initially held together but were later separated. These separations, combined with the harsh treatment and lack of communication, deepened the sense of isolation they endured.

Israeli officials have strongly condemned Hamas, accusing the group of violating international law. “The suffering of these women must not be forgotten,” said one official. “Every day they spent in captivity is a crime against humanity.”


IDF: Hamas failed to uphold agreement, worried over Bibas
The IDF’s commitment to securing the return of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza remains steadfast, IDF Chief Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated on Saturday. Speaking at a press briefing, Hagari provided updates on efforts to reunite families with their loved ones.

“Since the October 7 massacre, our mission has been clear: to bring home all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Today, as part of this ongoing effort, we welcomed back four more hostages after 477 days in captivity,” Hagari said.

The hostages—IDF soldiers Daniella Gilboa, Liri Albag, Naama Levy, and Karina Ariev—were among those abducted during the Hamas-led October 7 attacks.

“Today, we salute and embrace these brave soldiers and their families as they reunite after such a long and painful separation,” Hagari added.

The spokesperson also addressed the broader situation, emphasizing the urgency of freeing the remaining 90 hostages still in Hamas captivity.

“Hamas didn't meet its obligations to prioritize the release of Israeli female civilian hostages,” he noted. “We remain steadfast in our determination to bring home Arbel Yehud, as well as Shiri Bibas and her two young children, Kfir and Ariel, whose wellbeing is of utmost concern.”

Hagari acknowledged the efforts of international mediators, including the United States, Qatar, and Egypt.

“We deeply appreciate their work and expect them to ensure Hamas adheres to its commitments under the agreement,” he said.


Left behind: The story of Agam Berger, the ‘mystery braider’ in Hamas captivity
Israelis celebrated across the country on Saturday morning, rejoicing upon the release of four of the five Israeli IDF observer hostages: Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa, Karina Ariev, and Naama Levy.

However, the happiness wasn’t complete since one name was missing: Agam Berger, the fifth soldier and the "mysterious braider," who will remain in captivity until next week.

An enigma, Berger has become a symbol of strength for those still held hostage in Gaza. Quiet strength, politeness, and unbreakable spirit woven together all make up her story.

It wasn't long before it emerged that this was Agam Berger, the 20-year-old IDF observer from the Nahal Oz base.

When the first hostages returned in November 2023, their braided hair was something to wonder about. Freed captives spoke of someone among them who carefully braided their hair before they left.

Her mother, Merav Berger, told Israel Hayom that "Agam braided the hair of the girls she knew were being released, even though she had to stay behind.It was her way of sending them off with love and strength.”

Representing hope
These complicated and meaningful braids came to represent hope: a silent reminder that the ones still captive had not been forgotten and still dreamt of being released.

One freed hostage, Chen Goldstein-Almog, once said, "Perhaps somebody in Gaza, in an attempt to signal the world, was braiding the hair of those getting released." Israel Hayom thus described the braids as "a touching and silent farewell, a way of holding onto hope.”

Agam was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023, along with four female soldiers. Very little has been reported about life in captivity, but testimonies from freed hostages speak of their dire conditions.

Yet, Berger became a source of strength and comfort to others. One released hostage told Israeli media, "Agam braided our hair before we left. It felt like she was giving us a piece of her strength to carry with us.”


Due to Hamas breach of deal, Israel halts movement of Gazans north
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement with Israel that took effect on Jan. 19, Hamas is obligated to release civilian women and children hostages before freeing female soldiers. But on Saturday, the terrorist organization released four IDF soldiers while keeping civilian Arbel Yehud in captivity.

Hamas was also supposed to say on Saturday how many of the 33 hostages to be released in the first stage of the ceasefire are alive. It has not done so. It did claim that Yehud is alive and well, and will freed as part of the next batch of captives on Feb. 1.

Israel postponed its response to Hamas’s breach of the agreement until the safe return of the four hostages. Now that they are in Israeli custody, discussions took place, leading to the decision to suspend the return of displaced Palestinians from southern Gaza to the northern Strip until Yehud is back in Israel.

On Friday, discussions revolved around whether to reopen strategic routes, including the Netzarim Corridor that runs east to west south of Gaza City and the coastal and Tantar routes, to allow the movement of Gazans. Israel decided to freeze all Palestinians movement north until compliance with the agreement is restored.

Despite Hamas’s breach of the terms, Israel has maintained the agreed ratio of prisoners to be released, even though the composition of released hostages has shifted. The initial agreement stipulated that more terrorists would be released in exchange for soldiers than for civilians.


Who are the Palestinian terrorist prisoners released as part of Gaza
As part of the agreed hostage-prisoner exchange deal, Israel released 200 terrorist prisoners on Saturday, according to Arab media reports.

This included more than half who were serving life sentences for terror attacks that killed dozens.

According to the reports, 114 prisoners were released from Ofer Prison and were transferred to Ramallah, 16 were taken to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, and 70 were deported to Egypt.

Egyptian media reported that the 70 prisoners will stay in Cairo for about a week and then will be transferred to other locations.

Among those released was 67-year-old Mohammed Al-Tous, the longest-serving Palestinian terrorist prisoner. Al-Tous has spent 39 years in Israeli prisons for the 1985 terror attack he committed.

Raed Al-Saadi, 57, was also released on Saturday during the prisoner release. Saadi was imprisoned in 1989 for carrying out attacks during the First Intifada, killing IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians. According to Arab media, he was supposed to be released in 2014 as part of a prisoner swap deal.

Some of the 70 deported terrorist prisoners were the Abu Hmeid brothers from Ramallah, Mohammed and Sharif, who were sentenced to life in prison. Nasser, their older brother, died in prison from cancer in late 2022, and his body is being held in Israel, according to Arab reports. He was a leader of the Fatah-affiliated armed terrorist group, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.


Trump releases thousands of one-ton bomb shipments frozen by Biden to Israel, official says
The White House released 1,800 one-ton bomb shipments previously frozen by former US president Joe Biden, an Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday.

The delivery was frozen back in May of last year due to the Israeli operation in Rafah.

Later on Saturday, US President Donald Trump wrote that "a lot of things" were on their way to Israel in a post on the social media platform Truth Social.

"A lot of things that were ordered and paid for by Israel but have not been sent by Biden are now on their way!" the post said.

In May, Biden warned Israel that he'd halt US weapons shipments earmarked for Gaza if the IDF embarked on a major military operation against Hamas in Rafah.


Israel: UNRWA has five days to leave Jerusalem
Israel notified the U.N. on Saturday that it must evacuate its personal from all U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) premises in Jerusalem no later than Jan. 30, as Knesset legislation banning the agency’s operations within the Jewish state will take effect on Thursday.

“Israel expects that UNRWA take all the necessary steps to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city within the stated time frame,” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said in a letter addressed to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.

Outlawing UNRWA in Israel “came as a direct response to the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and the agency’s persistent refusal to address the very grave and material concerns raised by Israel, and to remedy this intolerable situation,” the letter notes.

Danon stressed that months of talks with the U.N. to address the situation have been met with “blatant disregard,” to a point “beyond repair.”

The ambassador specified two properties in Jerusalem to be evacuated, one in the Ma’alot Dafna neighborhood and the other in the Kafr Aqab neighborhood, both in the capital’s northeast. He accused UNRWA of flouting Israeli rules in these premises and creating “safety hazards to its staff and local communities.”

The letter continues, “This conduct reflects a clear abuse of UNRWA’s immunities and disregard for local laws and regulations, contrary to its obligations under Article 21 of the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations.”

Danon emphasized that Israel’s demand fully aligns with its commitment to its obligations under international law and its readiness to cooperate with the U.N. and its agencies—as long as these are not infiltrated by terrorists.


Call me Back Podcast - with Dan Senor: A new U.S. president and the Middle East - with Tal Becker
Today, we are taking a step back to discuss many of the new opportunities across the landscape for the U.S. and Israel, as a new president takes office.

Our guest is Dr. Tal Becker, who serves as Vice President and Senior Faculty of the Kogod Research Center at Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Tal was the former Legal Adviser of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is a veteran member of successive Israeli peace negotiation teams and, most recently, represented Israel before the International Court of Justice and played an instrumental role in negotiating and drafting the historic peace and normalization agreements (the "Abraham Accords"). Tal earned his doctorate from Columbia University in New York City, and is the recipient of numerous scholarly awards, including the Rabin Peace Prize, and the Guggenheim Prize for best international law book for his book "Terrorism and the State".

Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
5:53 – Immediate Reactions to the Hostage Deal
10:15 – Strategic Signals of the Deal
12:35 – What Has Israel Accomplished in the Last Few Months?
15:40 – This Geopolitical Moment
20:24 – A Tour Through the Region: How Each Country Can Take Advantage of This Moment
25:11 – Where Does the Issue of the Palestinians Fit Into This?
32:18 – How Should Israel Think About Syria on a Practical Level?
35:49 – How Is Israeli Society Experiencing This Geopolitical Moment?
37:43 – U.S.-Israel Relationship
40:12 – Does This Deal Mean the End of the War?


Jonathan Sacerdoti: Creating a vaccine for the Woke Mind Virus—Gad Saad & Jonathan Sacerdoti on Trump, Trudeau and Islam
Professor Dr Gad Saad talks to Jonathan Sacerdoti as Donald Trump is sworn into office for the second time.


The Jew Function: TJF Talks #101 w/Jonathan Sacerdoti | Journalist, political analyst
Jonathan Sacerdoti is a British broadcaster, journalist, and TV producer. He covers stories relating to the UK and Europe, as well as terrorism and extremism stories, race relations, and Middle East analysis. He won a 2006 BAFTA for Scotland's Best Factual Program, received the 2010 Herzl Award from the World Zionist Organization, and in 2013 becamse the UK correspondent for i24mews. He is also an avid campaigner against antisemitism and he is one of the most articulate guests we've ever had. Join us.




Hezbollah terror flag openly displayed on the streets of Dublin
The yellow and green flag of Iranian proxy terror group Hezbollah was openly waved on the streets of Dublin on Saturday.

Crowds took to the streets days after a new government coalition administration was made official.

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) led the gathering from the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square across the city centre to Leinster House, where the Government sits, for a rally.

The march also condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Senator Alice-Mary Higgins said all the marches and actions in Ireland in solidarity send a strong message to the Government that “words are not enough”.

She called for action from the Government, including not allowing Israel to use Irish airspace to transport weapons.

IPSC chairperson Zoe Lawlor welcomed the “fragile ceasefire in place in Gaza”, but voiced her concern over how many Palestinians have been killed and conditions for those who remain there.

“Western governments have allowed this to happen – whether by actively facilitating Apartheid Israel’s brutal onslaught, or by doing absolutely nothing to stop it,” she said.

“Ireland is a case in point; before even taking office, the new Government is already bowing to pressure from the Trump regime and vowing to sideline the Occupied Territories Bill, while endorsing the viciously anti-Palestinian and free speech curbing IRHA ‘definition’ of antisemitism, opposed by human rights organisations around the world, including Amnesty and Human Rights Watch.

Hezbollah is not officially designated as a terrorist organisation in Ireland. In 2013, the European Union (EU) added Hezbollah’s military wing to its list of proscribed terrorist organisations, while allowing member states to maintain relations with its political wing. This distinction has led to varied stances among EU countries regarding Hezbollah’s status. Ireland, aligning with the EU’s position, has not extended the terrorist designation to Hezbollah’s political wing. Consequently, Hezbollah is not entirely outlawed in Ireland.


Pro-Hamas protests erupt in Montreal after ceasefire agreement
Alexa Lavoie reports from Montreal as pro-Hamas protesters take to the streets after a temporary ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Hamas.




Police kill man who set himself on fire outside a Tunisian synagogue
A man set himself on fire in front of the Grand Synagogue in the Tunisian capital and was killed by police, the Interior Ministry said. A police officer and a passerby suffered burns.

The man started the fire after sundown Friday, around the time the synagogue holds Shabbat prayers.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the man advanced toward a law enforcement officer while ablaze, and a second officer opened fire to protect his colleague. The officer was hospitalized with burns, as was a passerby, the statement said.

The ministry did not release the man’s identity or potential motive for his act, saying only that he had unspecified psychiatric disorders.

Tunisia was historically home to a large Jewish population, now estimated to number only about 1,500 people. Jewish sites in Tunisia have been targeted in the past.

A national guardsman killed five people at the 2,600-year-old El-Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba after an annual pilgrimage in 2023. Later that year, anti-Israel protesters vandalized a historic synagogue and sanctuary in the southern town of El Hamma. And a garden was set ablaze last year outside the synagogue in the coastal city of Sfax.
Irish fury as President Higgins set to give Holocaust speech
A major row has broken out in Ireland over the announcement by the country’s national Holocaust institution, Holocaust Education Ireland, that President Michael Higgins has once again been invited to give the keynote address marking Holocaust Memorial Day.

It is due to be the sixth such address made on HMD by the Irish president. But it has also been a turbulent year in which President Higgins denied there was antisemitism in his country, attacked the Israeli embassy in Dublin, and denounced Israel over its war against Hamas. His inflammatory comments eventually led to a decision by the Israeli government to close its embassy in Dublin entirely.

Mr Higgins is due to speak at the national ceremony on January 26, the day before what is usually marked internationally as HMD. But his presence has aroused unprecedented criticism from both the Irish Jewish Representative Council and the country’s chief rabbi, Yoni Wieder.

Maurice Cohen, chair of the Rep Council, described the invitation to Mr Higgins as “inappropriate”, adding: “This solemn occasion demands respect, sensitivity, and a commitment to honouring the memory of victims.

“His participation risks offending many in the audience, both Jewish and non-Jewish, who expect dignity and unity on such a significant day.”

Rabbi Wieder said: “President Higgins has neglected even to acknowledge the scourge of contemporary antisemitism in Ireland, let alone do anything to address it. He has failed to take seriously the concerns put to him by representatives of the Jewish community, and back in May he described talk of antisemitism in Ireland as ‘a PR exercise’. With that attitude, I fear his address marking Holocaust Memorial Day will inevitably ring hollow for many Irish Jews”.

Oliver Sears, a Dublin art gallery owner who is president of Holocaust Awareness Ireland, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day belongs in the sanctity of the victims and their families. For us, this time is sombre, precious and inviolable. Given President Higgins’ grave insensitivity to Irish Jews, we are deeply disturbed that he will yet again cause further insult”.

A commentator on Twitter/X, calling himself Irish Jewish Voice, wrote: “This is a bloody disgrace. The president should never have been asked to make a speech at this Holocaust event …and if he had any respect at all he would decline the invitation.

Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, Yoni Wieder, added: “President Higgins has neglected even to acknowledge the scourge of contemporary antisemitism in Iireland, let alone do anything to address it. He has failed to take seriously the concerns put to him by representatives of the Jewish community, and back in May he described talk of antisemitism in Ireland as a ‘PR exercise’. With that attitude I fear his address marking Holocaust Memorial Day will ring hollow for many Irish Jews”.

Wieder continued: “It is so important that Irish politicians and public figures come together to honour the memory of victims of the Holocaust.Yet the awful irony is that many of them are turning a blind eye to a troubling increase in anti-Jewish hatred in Ireland today.”




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