Monday, March 03, 2025

03/03 Links Pt1: Why International Law Allows Israel to Lay Siege to Gaza; Damning IDF probe: Social media leaks enabled Hamas raid on Nahal Oz; Israel files ICJ complaint regarding hostage held in UNRWA facility

From Ian:

Washington’s U-turn on Ukraine a ‘challenge’ for Israel, experts say
According to Chatham House senior fellow and former Knesset member Ksenia Svetlova, “what happened in the White House with Zelensky shows that the U.S. doesn’t have a constant policy or permanent allies. If there are no permanent allies, if Ukraine is thrown into the trash after all these years … no one is immune.”

According to Svetlova, the fact that the Biden administration froze some weapon shipments to Israel amid domestic political pressure shows that “there are no holy cows, not even Israel.”

“Even in the current term, Trump can change. If there are no constant interests or doctrines, that means anything can change. Israel must be prepared to become like Ukraine,” she said.

Emmanuel Navon, CEO of European pro-Israel organization ELNET and an international relations lecturer at Tel Aviv University, argued that while Trump could theoretically change his mind at any time, Israel is in a different situation because it has strong backing in Trump’s coalition of supporters.

“Ukraine is a place that most Americans don’t really care about, especially not Trump’s constituents,” Navon said. “Israel is important to evangelical voters. Trump cares about his voters and they care about Israel, not Ukraine.”

As for the cease-fire agreement that the Trump administration is trying to negotiate between Russia and Ukraine, Svetlova warned that Trump is “forcing an agreement without a security guarantee [for Ukraine] after three years of a war started by a violent neighbor … No defense will come of that.”

Yet, Svetlova said there is no comparison to the Trump administration’s involvement in Israel-Hamas cease-fire negotiations, where Israel has every advantage over Hamas – with the notable exception of the hostages.

Rather, Svetlova said, Trump’s approach to Ukraine could be a warning sign to Israel that he may push an Iran nuclear deal that is not sufficiently robust.

“It’s a matter of life and death for Israel,” she said. “The Saudis and Emiratis are in the same boat. [The countries] need to seriously discuss a policy not to cross Trump but also not to be a victim of this kind of coercion.”

The fact that Ukraine policy is creating a rift between the U.S. and Europe is also a problem for Israel when it comes to a coordinated response to the Iranian threat. The U.K., Germany and France are the only Western countries with the power to snap back all pre-2015 sanctions on Iran, an ability that expires in October.

Svetlova suggested that Israel plays a mediating role between the U.S. and Europe on Iran, pointing out that “sanctions will be much more effective if there is unity in the Western world on this. Any division is not good for us.”

Navon described European leaders as “completely horrified” at the Trump-Zelensky meeting.

Still, Navon said that there is an opportunity for Israel in the Trump administration’s confrontational attitude towards Europe, citing Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech in Munich last month: “He castigated the Europeans, but said that if you want America to have your back, you have to be more respectful of our common Western values based on Christianity.”

He noted that the European right sees Israel as “one of the pillars of Western civilization” defending those values.

“This is great for Israel because you have quite a few conservative parties in Europe who are open to this message and supportive of Israel,” Navon added. “Israel can use this rift between the U.S. and Europe to its advantage.”
Khaled Abu Toameh: Why Arabs Don't Want To Receive Palestinian Ex-Prisoners
The Jordanians and Lebanese, for their part, have not forgotten how Palestinians sparked civil wars in their countries in the 70s and 80s.

[The Arab countries'] refusal to take in Palestinian prisoners probably arises from the fact that these countries actually do not care about the Palestinians and even consider them an ungrateful people and troublemakers. Many Arabs also seem to have lost faith in the Palestinians' ability to implement reform and end rampant financial and administrative corruption in their governing bodies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

"The Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization. Help us modern-minded, secular, liberal Muslims marginalize their influence by declaring what they are: a terrorist organization." — Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, in testimony before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, July 11, 2018.

"In point of fact, nothing would be more pro-Muslim than the marginalization of the Muslim Brotherhood and its direct affiliates. Making the Muslim Brotherhood radioactive would allow the light to shine upon the most potent antagonists in Muslim communities: those who reject political Islamist groups and believe in liberty and the separation of mosque and state." — Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, in testimony before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, July 11, 2018.

"Call on American Muslim leaders to take a position on the Muslim Brotherhood and its overarching theo-political ideology. I ask my fellow Muslims: Will they be the side of freedom, liberty, and modernity, or will they be on the side of tyranny of the Muslim Brotherhood, Turkey's AKP, the Iranian Khomeinists, or Pakistan's Jamaat e-Islami?" — Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, in testimony before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, July 11, 2018.

"Develop foreign policy mechanisms to disincentivize Qatari and Turkish Government facilitation of the Brotherhood and ultimately think about suspending Turkey from NATO." — Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, in testimony before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, July 11, 2018.

"And please stop engaging Muslim Brotherhood legacy groups in government, media, and NGOs, and recognize their Islamist terrorist sympathies." — Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, in testimony before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, July 11, 2018.

Such a designation would also make it far more difficult for the countries that support the Muslim Brotherhood, especially Turkey and Qatar, to keep on doing so. The Muslim Brotherhood has already been declared a terrorist organization by the governments of Austria, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Gaza standoff: Netanyahu and Hamas' high-stakes cease-fire gamble
Over the weekend, Israel and the U.S. announced that they had agreed upon a framework whereby the cease-fire would be extended for 50 days, and in exchange Hamas would release the remaining hostages, both living and dead, in two separate batches. Hamas so far appears to be rejecting the proposal. Ron Ben-Yishai explains the strategic logic at play, and why Gaza’s terrorist rulers may feel themselves under a new kind of pressure:

The main threat is the credible risk of an Israeli military operation to reoccupy Gaza. Five IDF divisions are already positioned around the Strip, ready for rapid deployment. . . . . Second, internal pressure within Gaza is mounting as civilians demand relief. In an effort to intensify this leverage, Israel announced this morning that it was halting humanitarian aid to Gaza so long as Hamas continues to reject the [new cease-fire] plan.

The third and strongest pressure point is U.S. support. President Donald Trump has shown no signs of losing interest in resolving the crisis.

Hamas, for now, is playing tough, banking on the assumption that Israel would avoid resuming large-scale military operations for fear of endangering the hostages. But recent statements from Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz suggest that if Hamas refuses the deal, Israel may be willing to take that risk.


Why International Law Allows Israel to Lay Siege to Gaza
The Israeli government announced that it will halt humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza if Hamas does not agree to the terms it is offering. This threat has already sparked a predictable hue and cry from the usual sources about war crimes, international law, and starving children. Of course, these accusations have been leveled for some time—including by the International Court of Justice—based on then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s declaration on October 9, 2023 of “a complete siege” on Gaza. Since that complete siege was lifted twelve days later, and Israel at the time did not control the Gaza-Egypt border, this was but another libel. And even if Israel does resort to siege tactics, Gaza at the moment has weeks’ if not months’ worth of humanitarian supplies.

Still, since the slanders are apt to come fast and thick if Israel sticks to this policy, it’s worth considering the legal questions it raises. I’ll have more on the subject in the days to come, but now I can refer you to a thorough treatment of the question by Avraham Russell Shalev from 2024:

The U.S. Department of Defense Law of War Manual explains the basic logic behind siege warfare: “It is lawful to besiege enemy forces, i.e., to encircle them with a view towards inducing their surrender by cutting them off from reinforcements, supplies, and communications with the outside world. In particular, it is permissible to seek to starve enemy forces into submission.”

Similar judgments can be found in the equivalent texts used by the United Kingdom and France. Moreover, the Geneva Conventions and associated documents lay out certain restrictions on siege warfare, implying that it is not ipso facto prohibited. Shalev identifies two essential points in the international law on the subject:

Humanitarian-aid obligations are passive—there is no requirement for a party actively to supply aid to enemy civilians. Rather, the obligation entails allowing the free passage of food and supplies provided by third parties unless there are valid reasons for withholding them.

The free passage of humanitarian relief is conditional.

That is, Israel would only be required to allow the influx of humanitarian aid if Hamas meets certain conditions, which Shalev examines. He concludes:

Israel’s initial closure actions appear to align with certain interpretations of the laws of armed conflict. . . . Concerns persist that the criticism of Israeli siege tactics represents a lex specialis directed solely at Israel, rather than a standard applied universally to other states in similar circumstances.


US backs Israel’s aid suspension after Hamas rejects ceasefire extension
The United States has given its support to Israel’s announcement on Sunday morning that it is suspending all humanitarian aid to Gaza after the Hamas terrorist organization rejected a ceasefire extension proposed by Washington.

“Israel has negotiated in good faith since the beginning of this administration to ensure the release of hostages held captive by Hamas terrorists. We will support their decision on next steps given Hamas has indicated it’s no longer interested in a negotiated ceasefire,” U.S. National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told Axios on Sunday night.

The European Union condemned Hamas’s refusal to extend Phase 1 of the ceasefire but also warned of the humanitarian impact of Israel’s decision to stop aid shipments.

Meanwhile, Qatar, despite its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s move, calling it a violation of the agreement and international humanitarian law. Another mediator, Egypt, also criticized the Israeli decision. “Using aid as a weapon of collective punishment and starvation in Gaza can’t be accepted or permitted,” said Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty.

Since the ceasefire began on Jan. 19, 25,200 aid trucks carrying food, water and medicine have entered Gaza, alongside more than half a million tents and 2,100 fuel tankers. Israeli officials estimate that Hamas has stockpiled supplies sufficient for four to six months.

According to Hebrew media reports, additional measures under consideration by Jerusalem include cutting off electricity and water supplies, targeted strikes on Hamas assets, blocking the entry of temporary shelters and heavy machinery for rubble clearance, and maintaining Israel’s presence along the Philadelphi Corridor.

Moving the Gazan population from the north to the south of the Strip again and resuming the war at full force are also being considered.

Israel has accepted the U.S. proposal for a 50-day extension over the Ramadan and Passover holidays. Under the proposal, half of the remaining hostages (living and deceased) are to be freed on the first day; the rest will be released if a “permanent” ceasefire is agreed upon.
Israel might return to war in 10 days if no agreement reached
Negotiations over the continued release of hostages held in Gaza have stalled, sources familiar with details of the talks told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

“Nothing is currently moving on this front,” they said.

Officials estimated that if no agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas, Israel would return to fighting in Gaza in about a week and a half.

“Hamas is currently rejecting [US Middle East envoy Steve] Witkoff’s proposal, so it is very difficult to make progress,” one official said.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Witkoff’s plan involves the release of half of the living hostages and the return of half of the bodies on the first day of the continued deal. The rest of the hostages and bodies would be returned on the 42nd day, which would be the final day of the ceasefire.

However, some claim that the terrorist organization has not rejected the proposal. According to a source familiar with the negotiations, “Hamas has neither accepted nor rejected the Witkoff proposal.”
As Israel, US align on new hostage proposal, Qatar urges sticking to existing framework
A senior Qatari official said Sunday that the best way to extend the teetering ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of more hostages was through the existing framework that the sides signed onto in January, and appeared to dismiss the new proposal being pushed by Israel and the United States as less likely to succeed.

“Right now, there are a lot of ideas being thrown around to maintain the ceasefire,” said Majed al-Ansari, who serves as an adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and as spokesperson for its foreign affairs ministry.

“We were hoping that the second-phase negotiations would start and that preparation for phase two would kick off. That hasn’t happened until now, and until that happens, there is no sustainability in the talks,” warned Ansari in his office in Doha in a rare interview with an Israeli media outlet.

The remark appeared to constitute tacit criticism of Washington’s approach from Doha, which to date has largely praised the Trump administration’s efforts in the hostage talks, particularly for getting the deal over the finish line even before the inauguration.

According to the terms of the phased agreement that went into effect on January 19, Israel and Hamas were supposed to have begun holding negotiations regarding the terms of the second phase on the 16th day of the deal, February 3.

Israel has largely held off on holding those negotiations, as phase two ultimately requires that in exchange for the remaining living hostages, Israel fully withdraw from Gaza and permanently end the war — something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would not accept before Hamas has been fully dismantled.


Avigdor Liberman: Egypt to control Gaza: Avigdor Liberman reveals his 'day-after' plan in 'Post' exclusive
No more one-sided relationship with Egypt
Thus, the relationship cannot continue to be one-sided. If we want to solve the problem in Gaza, we need to get Egypt to play its part. It is not clear whether Egypt wants to solve the problem in Gaza or perpetuate it. Judging by Egypt’s conduct, one gains the impression that Egypt’s strategy is to preserve the problem to keep Israel occupied with it.

In this way, Egypt maintains its status as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, while at the same time profiting from smuggled goods passing from Sinai to Gaza as well as from goods passing “officially” through the Rafah crossing.

In practice, Egypt collaborates completely with Hamas. All of the positions they convey in the context of mediation efforts are coordinated with Hamas. Moreover, Egypt’s deployment in Sinai is well in excess of that permitted by the security annex of the Camp David Accords. In some cases, they have done so with Israel’s permission; in other cases, they have unilaterally exceeded the manpower and weaponry permitted by the agreement.

While Israel is preoccupied with Hamas, Egypt has been engaged in a dizzyingly rapid force buildup, purchasing new weapons in large quantities. Moreover, in all of Egypt’s war exercises, it is Israel that serves as the target adversary, not Libya, Saudi Arabia, or any other country.

The entire framework of relations between the US and Egypt and between Israel and Egypt needs to be reviewed. Unfortunately, in this domain, as in others that have cost Israel dearly, the political and security establishment is beholden to an outdated approach, unwilling to consider new ideas, and, in particular, unwilling to contemplate posing demands to the Egyptian side.

The overall responsibility for the Gaza Strip should rest with Egypt, as it did prior to 1967, under the auspices of an Arab League mandate. These are 22 Arab countries that can back the initiative both financially and from a military and organizational standpoint. Egypt would be responsible for the provision of electricity, water, fuel, and commercial goods into Gaza to the roughly one million Palestinians who would remain there.

Trump’s initiative pertaining to the relocation of Palestinians offers, for the first time, a genuine opportunity to change things for the better by providing a real and practical solution to the core problems that have cumulated in Gaza. It opens the path to curtailment of terror, alongside a pragmatic and responsible management of the area to foster employment, economic growth, and prosperity.

We must make an effort – the US and Israel – to convince the Egyptians to play an active role in implementing Trump’s bold vision and to confidently rebut arguments raised against it, which at their core are little more than a reflection of conventional, unimaginative thinking.
Egypt’s alternative to Trump plan sidelines Hamas, leaves key questions unanswered
Egypt has drawn up a plan for Gaza that would sideline Hamas and replace it with interim bodies controlled by Arab, Muslim and Western states, according to a draft seen by Reuters, as Arab countries scramble to counter US President Donald Trump’s proposal to take over the devastated Strip and oust its residents.

Egypt’s vision, which is due to be presented at an Arab League summit on Tuesday, does not specify whether the proposal would be implemented before or after any permanent deal to end the war in Gaza.

The proposal also does not detail a central role for the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, which has sought to lead Gaza’s reconstruction. Nor does the draft proposal say how Hamas would be pushed aside, how the Strip would be rebuilt, or who would pay to rebuild it.

A preamble outlining the objectives of Egypt’s plan said there would be “no major international funding for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Gaza if Hamas remains the dominant and armed political element on the ground controlling local governance.”

Egypt, Jordan and Gulf Arab states have for almost a month been scrambling to formulate a diplomatic offensive to counter Trump’s plan, which has sparked outrage in Arab and Muslim countries. A number of ideas have been proposed, with Egypt’s considered the frontrunner.

The plan firmly rejects the US proposal for mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza, which Arab states, such as Egypt and Jordan, see as a security threat.

The draft proposal was shared with Reuters by an official involved in Gaza negotiations who wished to remain anonymous because the draft has not yet been made public. Reuters was unable to determine whether Arab leaders would support the draft proposal.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the group knows of no such proposal by Egypt.


Israel files testimony to World Court regarding hostage held in UNRWA facility
Israel has filed a written submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in which it has detailed what it says are the connections of employees of the UNRWA Palestinian aid agency to Hamas and terror activity, including testimony from a freed Israeli hostage that she was held by the terror organization in an UNRWA facility in the Gaza Strip.

In December last year, the ICJ took up a request by the UN General Assembly to issue an advisory opinion on Israeli legislation banning the operations of UNRWA in Israel, and prohibiting state agencies from having any contact with the controversial agency, making its operations in Gaza and the West Bank more difficult.

Israel’s law was challenged in the UN General Assembly by Norway, which claims that it violates international law and what it said were Israel’s obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the civilian population of Gaza, in which UNRWA had played an important role.

On Friday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry (MFA) filed a document to the court opposing what it said was a “distorted process” whose outcome was “predetermined,” and which the MFA said disregarded the involvement of UNRWA staff in the events of Hamas’s October 7 invasion and massacre.

“The process ignores the atrocities of October 7 and the shameful involvement of UNRWA employees in the October 7 massacre and terrorist activities,” said the MFA.

“This is a fundamentally flawed process in which, through the automatic political majority against Israel at the UN, the institutions of international law are used for making political decisions,” the ministry added.

The MFA said that the submission filed to the ICJ “exposes the deliberate bias” in the request for an advisory opinion, as well as “the links of UNRWA employees to Hamas activities, the deep involvement of UNRWA employees in terrorist activities, the use of UNRWA facilities for terrorist activities, and the numerous violations of the neutrality to which UN institutions are committed.”

The Kan public broadcaster reported that the document, which has not been made public, also included testimony from one of the freed Israeli hostages about being held in an UNRWA facility.


ICJ elects Japanese judge Yuji Iwasawa as new president, replacing Nawaf Salam
The International Court of Justice on Monday appointed Yuji Iwasawa as its new president, replacing Nawaf Salam, the new prime minister of Lebanon.

The 70-year-old will head the court until Salam’s term was due to expire, February 5, 2027, the ICJ said in a statement.

Iwasawa has been a member of the court since June 2018. Before joining the ICJ, he was professor of international law at the University of Tokyo and chair of the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Often dubbed the “world court,” the ICJ, which sits in the Peace Palace in The Hague, rules on disputes between nations. It is the UN’s highest court.

It is sometimes confused with the International Criminal Court, also based in The Hague, which tries individuals for the world’s worst crimes, including suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The ICJ is currently dealing with several especially high-profile cases.

It is weighing on a case that Israel is allegedly committing genocide in Gaza, in the war that began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas led a devastating cross-border assault, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.

Israel has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting that none of its actions targets civilians and that it takes numerous steps to protect them.


What is the IDF, Shin Bet narrative against Netanyahu for Oct. 7?
With the IDF having disclosed last week in extreme detail its failures to block Hamas’s October 7 invasion, and with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refusing a state commission of inquiry into his actions after nearly 18 months, much of the media are now performing their own analysis of the head of government.

The central potential points of vulnerability for Netanyahu are claims that he:
1) was the primary or key co-architect of the policy of containing and trying to deter Hamas versus pursuing other options with the Palestinian Authority, the Saudis, and other moderate Sunni groups;
2) was the primary or key co-architect of the policy of facilitating Qatar sending millions of dollars per month to Hamas;
3) weakened the IDF in real terms and harmed Israeli deterrence vis-à-vis Hamas and other Iranian proxies in terms of perceived weakness due to the judicial overhaul;
4) vetoed several instances in which the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) wanted to assassinate top Hamas leaders who pressed for the October 7 mass invasion;
and 5) cannot blame the IDF for failing to try to update him about the pre-invasion signs as it was Netanyahu’s intelligence officer and personal military secretary who decided not to wake or update him.

Netanyahu's narrative
None of these points is one-sided, but Netanyahu’s failure to allow an independent review of these issues does not bode well for taking his narrative on them at face value.

For example, he can legitimately argue that the defense establishment supported containing and deterring Hamas and facilitating Qatari payments to keep Hamas from starting a sudden “needless” war over a lack of financing, as occurred in 2014.

But there is another side to this: It is possible that Netanyahu could have pursued a more aggressively diplomatic option directly with the Palestinians, or with a Saudi normalization package – normalize ties with Israel and oust Hamas, in the effort towards a broader resolution with the Palestinians.
Internal IDF probe: Battle for Nahal Oz base ‘biggest failure’ of Oct. 7
A probe by the Israel Defense Forces into the capture of its Nahal Oz military base by Hamas and Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7, 2023, which was made public on Monday, described the ability to defend the border outpost as “the biggest failure” that day. At the same time, it highlighted the heroism of the soldiers who risked their lives to fend off the attack.

The investigation, which was shared with local media on Monday night, revealed that Nahal Oz, just half a mile from the Gaza border, was supposed to be a forward base but was treated as a rear outpost amid financial constraints. It was overrun in just under two hours.

As the terrorists launched their assault at 6:29 a.m. on Oct. 7, 162 soldiers were stationed at Nahal Oz—only 90 of them armed. Of the 90, 81 were trained as combat soldiers.

The probe noted that Nahal Oz’s perimeter was secured by a single guard, plus three other guards stationed inside the outpost to prevent the theft of weapons, adding that the battle for control was decided within minutes.

Some 215 terrorists from Hamas’s Shejaiya Battalion led the assault, according to the probe. They managed to kill 53 soldiers, in addition to kidnapping three troops and seven female IDF observers.

The IDF fighters deployed to Nahal Oz, working in cooperation with the Israeli Air Force, managed to eliminate 71 terrorists during the firefight.

By analyzing hundreds of social-media posts from IDF soldiers at Nahal Oz, Hamas managed to create an accurate map of the base and knew where soldiers slept, as well as the location of shelters, communication equipment, surveillance cameras and the war room.

“The best time to attack the outpost is first light. The recommended day of attack—the weekend and on Jewish holidays when some soldiers are at home on leave,” a seized Hamas file read. “The recommendation: high-trajectory [rocket] fire that will bring the soldiers into shelters.”

The probe highlighted the bravery of Golani company commander Maj. Shilo Har-Even, 25, who despite being seriously wounded led counter-attacks against terrorists at Nahal Oz until he was killed in battle.

Hamas also faced fierce resistance from IDF Warrant Officer Ibrahim Kharuba, 39, a Bedouin soldier who fought to protect the defenseless female observers. During the battle, Kharuba was said to have told the lookouts that it would be an honor to die protecting them and the Jewish state. A devout Muslim, he was killed in a shootout.

Following the probe, Har-Even and Kharuba were both recommended for the Medal of Valor, the Jewish nation’s highest military decoration.


Terrorists took Kfar Aza in an hour. Recapturing it took the IDF days, probe finds
On the morning of October 7, 2023, some 250 terrorists swarmed into the unsuspecting Gaza border community of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, murdering and abducting dozens of residents as Israeli forces struggled to reach the area for several hours, in what would later become one of the longest battles of the onslaught.

Residents were left to fend entirely for themselves for almost the first two hours of the onslaught. The army — plunged into complete disarray by the shock attack on dozens of towns and military posts — failed to come to their rescue as terrorists moved from home to home, kidnapping, brutalizing and massacring civilians well into the afternoon.

On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces presented its probe into the battle at the kibbutz — only the second made public as the military carries out detailed investigations of some 40 battles that took place that day. It highlighted the heroism of Kfar Aza’s local security team and other Israeli forces that participated in the fighting, as well as the army’s colossal failures that allowed throngs of terrorists to overrun the kibbutz and hold it for hours.

The probe concluded that the IDF “failed in its mission to protect” the residents of Kfar Aza, largely because the military had never prepared for such an event — an Israeli community being captured by terrorists, as well as a widescale attack on numerous towns and army bases simultaneously by thousands of terrorists.

Unlike other towns attacked on October 7, fighting in Kfar Aza, a community of around 950, lasted for days after the initial attack, as dozens of terrorists fortified themselves inside homes across the kibbutz.
'Wild new era': IDF's foothold in Syria, Gaza and Lebanon may change Middle East
The Middle East, Israel, and its neighbors are in a wild new era where the IDF has forces newly stationed in three areas that Jerusalem does not make any claim to: Syria, Gaza, and Lebanon. In the West Bank, forces have been stationed for an extended period, with the IDF claiming a significant portion of that area.

What do these military positions mean for the future, and what options and pitfalls do they open up?

Syria: A spontaneous act by the IDF
Syria is the most unexpected and unpredictable of the three. There was never any plan to be in Syria because the Assad regime, which had an army, was expected to run the show indefinitely.

Israel’s move into Syria on December 7-8 was a spontaneous act done to cut off the possibility of a sudden invasion by newly empowered Syrian jihadists before they had time to organize the idea.

But a funny thing happened after that, which many originally thought would only last a few months. The Trump administration basically told Israel that it did not care if the IDF stays there, that the new Syrian government has taken longer than expected to sort out its affairs, and so the pressure on Jerusalem to leave was minimal compared to expectations.

In the post-October 7 era, why would Israel give away an extra security zone?

Saturday night’s events expressed why it is both useful and dangerous to have the buffer zone. On Saturday night, there was internal fighting between elements connected to the new regime and some Druze militias in a neighborhood near Damascus.

In response, Israel issued threatening statements indicating it could intervene on the side of the Druze.

The positive side is that Israel can project power to deter invaders and even military actions anywhere near its border. The negative side is that this conflict had nothing to do with Israeli security, and getting drawn into an internal Syrian conflict could create new dangers for Israel that never existed before.

Is Israel heading into an indefinite presence in Gaza?
In Gaza, Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal that would lead to a full IDF withdrawal from Gaza. But, with support from the Trump administration, Jerusalem is seeking to expel Hamas from Gaza before it carries out a full withdrawal.

That could mean that Israel would hold a 700-1,100 meter security perimeter in Gaza for a long time. This provides significantly more security to the Gaza border communities.

On the other hand, if Gazans start marching or protesting Israel’s presence in the enclave without firing on the IDF, any deaths that result from repelling such marching would be hard to defend before the International Criminal Court. Right now, only Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant are in such potential trouble.

An indefinite presence in Gaza without some kind of UN recognition could expose rank-and-file soldiers to a travel ban in around 125 countries that are part of the ICC.

Also, while some Israelis want the war to resume, those who do not may see the security perimeter as a potential trap for restarting the war.


One killed, four wounded in Haifa terror attack
One person was killed and four others wounded, three seriously, in a suspected terrorist stabbing attack in the Haifa area in northern Israel on Monday morning, according to Hebrew media reports.

Magen David Adom spokesperson Zaki Heller reported that a 70-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition, a man and a woman around 30 years of age and a 15-year-old boy were seriously wounded, while a woman around the age of 70 was in moderate condition. The four were transported to nearby Rambam Hospital for further treatment.

The slain victim was identified as Hassan Karim Dahamsheh, a 70-year-old resident of the Arab village of Kafr Kanna in the Lower Galilee.

The hospital director reported that there was no danger to the lives of those injured in the attack.

The assailant started stabbing passengers on a bus and continued stabbing people after departing the vehicle at the Haifa Bay central bus station on Histadrut Boulevard, adjacent to the Lev HaMifratz Mall and the nearby railway station, before he was shot and killed by a security guard and a civilian, according to Hebrew media reports.

The terrorist was identified as an Israeli Druze named Yitro Shaheen, 20, a resident of Shfaram, an Arab city in the Northern District of Israel. He reportedly holds German citizenship. He had traveled abroad in recent months and returned to Israel last week.


Seven former hostages to fly to Washington to meet US officials
Seven released hostages are flying to Washington to meet with US government officials, the Hostages Families Forum announced on Monday morning.

They will "express their gratitude to the Trump administration for the president’s unwavering commitment to bringing all the hostages home and will provide firsthand testimony about the horrors of Hamas’ tunnels," the statement continues.

They will speak to government officials who "will hear about the urgency of returning all hostages immediately and in a single phase," according to the forum.

Hostages Families Forum named the released hostages as Eli Sharabi, Doron Steinbrecher, Keith and Aviva Siegel, Naama Levy, Omer Shem Tov, and Iair Horn.
Released hostage Agam Berger prays at Joseph’s Tomb in Samaria
Agam Berger, the Israel Defense Forces field observer who was released from Gaza on Jan. 30 after 482 days in Hamas captivity, prayed at Joseph’s Tomb in the Samaria city of Nablus (Shechem) overnight Sunday.

Berger, 20, was abducted by Hamas terrorists from the IDF’s Nahal Oz military outpost during the terror group’s Oct. 7, 2023 invasion, along with several other female field observers. She was released as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas that ended on March 1.

Berger, who has spoken extensively about how she kept faith during her almost 500 days in captivity, visited Joseph’s Tomb under heavy security together with her mother, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, Samaria Chief Rabbi Elyakim Levanon and military officials.

Berger and Dagan lit a candle at the site, and the Samaria council head presented her with a certificate of appreciation citing her words after being released: “I chose the path of faith.” Rabbi Levanon blessed Agam and her mother and led a prayer for the return of all the captives and for victory in the war against Hamas.

“No one must be left behind. They need us and our prayers—they need us to be strong for them,” Berger was cited as saying in Hebrew reports.


Family of hostage soldier Matan Angrest publishes first photo of him from captivity
The family of hostage soldier Matan Angrest has published the first photo of him from captivity, from a video received from Hamas.

The still photo joins an audio recording released several months back, in which Angrest begged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure his release, in comments likely dictated by his captors.

Angrest, 21, was taken from a tank at Nahal Oz during battles there on October 7, 2023.


'The prime minister dug your grave': Brother lays slain hostage Itzik
Family, friends, and supporters gathered to pay their final respects to Itzhak Elgarat, who was killed in Hamas captivity and laid to rest on Monday in Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Crowds gathered to stand along the side of the road and accompany Elgarat’s coffin, holding flags and carrying signs.

Elgarat’s brother, Danny, who has been one of the faces of the families’ fight to bring the hostages home, spoke at the funeral, harshly criticizing the government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Danny said his brother was “vanquished” by the prime minister, as Elgarat had managed to survive his captors, the injury he sustained on October 7, and many months of captivity, but not Netanyahu. The prime minister abandoned Elgarat, torpedoing hostage deals for the sake of personal political gain, Danny added.

Netanyahu, “The prime minister who dug your grave is the same prime minister afraid to come to your home, Nir Oz, and face the results of the abandonment,” he said.

The country turned its back on you
“Your coffin is wrapped in the flag of the country that you loved so much, and that turned its back on you,” he said.

Danny, who has been wearing a yellow star for months, drawing a connection between October 7 and the Holocaust, emphasized that Nir Oz has been through a holocaust and that his brother should have the star. He then placed it on his brother’s coffin.

“My brother, forgive me, forgive me for failing to bring you back alive. I must not have done enough. I was not able to bring the whole nation to rise up and save you and the other hostages,” Danny said, adding, “Netanyahu beat me in the fight for all the hostages.”

Danny touched on his brother’s last words to him on October 7. While on the phone, with one of his hands severely wounded, Elgarat tried to hold the door to his shelter shut to keep the terrorists out when he called out, “Danny, it’s the end. Danny, it’s the end.”

“I’m sorry. You were right,” his brother said. “You already knew it. We didn’t want to believe.”


Jonathan Conricus in conversation with Joel Burnie
Jonathan Conricus is a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, (FDD) focused on the Middle East. He served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for 24 years as a combat commander in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. He also served as a military diplomat, foreign relations expert, and international spokesperson. He recently retired as lieutenant colonel.


Israel’s Dilemma: Free the Hostages or Destroy Hamas? With Vivian Bercovici & Jonathan Conricus
Eli Sharabi video shocks the world. Will Hamas even agree to negotiate the release of additional hostages or will Israel be forced to return to war?




Threats on Our Borders | Inside Politics of the Middle East
Israel’s regional threats are shifting fast—and the stakes have never been higher. Former Israeli diplomat and Knesset member Ruth Wasserman-Lande joins Eylon Levy to analyze the instability on Israel’s borders and the global forces reshaping the Middle East after October 7.

With decades of experience in Arab affairs, diplomacy, and security, Wasserman-Lande offers unique insights into:
🔹 The shifting Middle East – Why October 7 wasn’t just an attack on Israel, but a turning point for the region.
🔹 Egypt’s military buildup – Why is Cairo violating its peace treaty with Israel?
🔹 The rise of radical Islam – How both Sunni and Shia extremists are competing for dominance.
🔹 Lebanon & Hezbollah – Can Lebanon reclaim its sovereignty, or is Iran too deeply entrenched?
🔹 Jordan’s fragile future – Is Israel’s longest, quietest border now its most unpredictable?
🔹 The myth of peace with Palestinians – Why a two-state solution could further destabilize the region.

Chapters
00:00 - Coming Up
00:59 - Welcome
02:33 - Where are we 500+ days into the war?
04:22 - How to frame Middle East conflict
06:45 - The Sunni/Shi’a Divide
11:14 - A worldwide Islamist caliphate
15:50 - Egypt’s Military Buildup
27:50 - Foreign Policy Recommendations
35:32 - What is going on in Jordan?
41:03 - Is a two-state solution still possible?
49:40 - Post-Assad Syria
55:47 - What’s Next in Lebanon?
1:02:05 - The Future of Israel’s Borders
1:05:12 - Wrap Up
1:06:47 - Outro


Commentary Podcast: The Oscars, Ukraine, and Gaza Aid
What's with all the "sex worker" talk at the Oscars? Why couldn't Adrien Brody just condemn anti-Semitism in his acceptance speech for a role in which he plays a Holocaust survivor? Who was to blame for the fight in the Oval Office? And what is the "Witkoff framework"?


Triggernometry: Why Evil Triumphs - Dennis Prager
Dennis Prager is an American conservative radio talk show host and writer. He is the host of the nationally syndicated radio talk show The Dennis Prager Show and founder of PragerU.

00:00 Introduction
06:30 The People Who Don't Fight Evil Fight Those Who Do Fight Evil
10:49 The West Has Lost Its Moral Framework
16:37 What Is The West And Where Does It Come From?
30:10 What Should We Do About The Decline Of The West?
38:10 A Religious World View Based On Reason Not Faith
50:34 Why Do People Hate Jews?
01:02:42 Why Are Jews Overrepresented In So Many Things?
01:07:31 What's The Thing We're Not Talking About That We Should Be?


Erin Molan: My reaction to Israel stopping aid to Gaza… Netanyahu and Trump aligned…
Israel has stopped aid going into Gaza.

America supports this.

The pressure must be applied to Hamas and Hamas only to release the hostages and end all suffering in Gaza and Israel!




‘Turkeys promoting Christmas’: Mardi Gras slammed for backing ‘extremists of Hamas’
Sky News host Chris Kenny slams the Mardi Gras parades promoting “anti-Israel” causes for backing groups which would see gays and lesbians persecuted.

“The gay and lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney, people who would be thrown off the nearest rooftop by the anti-gay Islamist extremists of Hamas, idiotically promoted its anti-Israeli cause,” Mr Kenny said.

“Turkeys promoting Christmas, that is what it is.”




New York state bill: Display terror flag, get four years behind bars
A New York State bill has been introduced that would criminalize the flying of terrorist groups’ flags, imposing penalties of up to four years behind bars.

The “Stand Against Flags of Enemy Terrorists Act” would “expand the definition of aggravated harassment in the first degree — a class E felony — to include instances when a person displays a symbol of a foreign terrorist organization with the intent to harass, annoy, threaten or another person,” The New York Post reported on Sunday.

New York recognizes that some symbols “cross the line” from free speech to inciting hate, “and the emblems of mass-murdering terrorist organizations certainly belong in that category,” Democrat Assemblyman Micah Lasher told the Post.

Protesters in the city have waved flags of U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and painted their symbols in public spaces, since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.

For example, some 150 anti-Israel protesters gathered at Washington Square Park in lower Manhattan, adjacent to the New York University campus, on Feb. 23 for a vigil memorializing Hezbollah terror leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom Israel killed in a Sept. 7, 2024 air strike.

Many of the protesters covered their faces with masks and keffiyehs.

They shouted “long live the intifada,” “there is only one solution, intifada revolution” and “resistance is justified when people are occupied.”




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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.

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