Day 441 — Friday, December 20

Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon on Wednesday warned that the Iranian ayatollah regime threatens world peace with its acts of global terrorism and ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons. 

“The Islamic regime of Iran is a danger to the entire world. The recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran’s nuclear progression, alongside the recent letter from the UK, France and Germany, highlighting Iran’s, and I quote, ‘significant non compliance,‘ were cries for immediate action,” Danon argued.

“This is not about a hypothetical future. The danger is already here, looming on the horizon,” he continued. 

Danon also urged the UN Security Council to implement “crushing” sanctions against Iran’s ability to fund global terrorism. He called for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be officially designated as a terrorist organization.

The ambassador argued that the international community currently has a chance to “liberate the world from the most corrupt, most violent, most destabilizing regime.”

The IRGC and its elite Quds force have played a central role in building the “ring of fire” against Israel, consisting of Iranian-backed terror proxies, such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, militants in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Houthis in Yemen. 

Danon directly addressed the Iranian people in his UN speech. 

“I am telling the Iranian people, we know the cost of freedom and the courage it demands,” the Israeli ambassador said. He urged freedom-loving Iranians to take back their country.

“Your fight is not just for yourselves but for the millions of lives the regime has destabilized and destroyed. In your hands lie the power to restore the beautiful Iranian nation, to rebuild a land rich in history, culture and resilience,” Danon said, urging Iranians to “take action now.” 

He reminded listeners that the Jewish Maccabee fight for freedom against the powerful Greek Empire will be commemorated in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah this month

“With a statement to human courage, to the will of a small but determined people who refused to bow to tyranny,” Danon said. 

All Israel News

Day 441 — Friday, December 20

Shalom from under the missile-less, rocket-free, siren-silenced skies of the Jezreel Valley! What a blessing it is to be able to drive to work in the morning without having to keep one eye on the road and one eye looking up. It’s true, we are not officially at peace. There is still fighting going on in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank. However, for the most part, the action is taking place outside our borders with very few aerial or ground terrorist attacks.

I can’t say that it is back to how it was before the black day of October 7, 2023. It can never again be how it used to be. In some ways we are better off now than we were then. In others, we are worse. One positive is that we have a buffer zone in both the north and the south. No longer can terrorists simply pour over the border. We’ve ensured there are enough cameras, kilometers, and guns to mow down any attempt at a Hamas-style redux coming from Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza. We’ve also decimated the manpower, weaponry (both ground and aerial), and leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Assad, too, is gone from Syria, and we’ve made sure that the massive store of weapons that he left behind is less than usable for any rebel groups who have rushed in to fill the leadership vacuum. It’s true that the Houthis still like to lob a missile at us every now and then just so they can feel relevant, but the sand is quickly running out of their hourglass. Payback is coming soon – in fact, you’ll see in breaking news below, it has already begun. Vengeance is coming to the Houthis and it will destroy once and for all the last bent spoke of Iran’s axis of evil.

All of that helps me to look at this coming season of Hanukkah and Christmas with true hope. With both holidays, we celebrate God’s provision coming at just the right time. Many will unite with their loved ones to rejoice over the birth of the Messiah, while those of us here in Israel will gather together as families to celebrate our festival of lights. But for many of us Israelis, the celebration will be different than it once was.

Think of a child who receives a Hanukkah gift or a Christmas present. There is joy and exuberance. They may shout and dance and maybe even run around the house. With each passing year, however, the celebration calms incrementally. Often, a grandfather’s delight is expressed with a smile, a hug, and a thank you, all from the comfort of his favorite chair. Part of that mellowing is age and maturity. Much of it, though, is life experience. Suffering and struggle often quiet the soul. This Hanukkah, there will be joy, but it will be tempered. As a people, we Israelis have aged over these last 14 months. Our gladness is moderated by both a very deep sorrow at what so many of our people have suffered and a greater perspective which recognizes that we have survived this fire but the global flames of antisemitism still burn.

Don’t get me wrong, there will be laughter and joy in my house as we celebrate. However, we will take time out to remember the hostages, to pray for the families who have lost loved ones, and to ask God’s healing for our soldiers who have been wounded and contentment for those who will spend this Hanukkah away from home. We will beseech the Lord to keep His hand of protection on Israel and we will pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I ask that you join us in these prayers.

Day 440 — Thursday, December 19

Israel rejected Turkish accusations on Tuesday following Ankara’s condemnation of Israeli military actions in Syria, as Turkey escalates its own operations in the war-torn country. The rising tensions have deepened the rift between the two nations and sparked concerns over regional stability and the fate of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces fighting ISIS.

On Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized Israel for expanding settlements in the Golan Heights, calling it part of Israel’s “expansion of borders through occupation.” Turkey urged Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a cease-fire between Israel and Syria.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the agreement void, arguing it no longer applied after forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad abandoned their positions on the Syrian side during the country’s civil war. Netanyahu has described the Golan Heights as a vital security buffer and integral to Israel’s defense strategy against Iran and Hezbollah, which operate in Syria.

On Tuesday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a response on X. “Turkey has systematically encroached on Syrian territory… Approximately 15% of Syria’s territory is under Turkish-backed control. In these areas, the Turkish currency is in use, and Turkish bank branches and postal services have been operating.

“Furthermore, the Turkish military bombards infrastructure in the northeastern autonomous region of Syria using aircraft and UAVs. Turkey supports jihadist forces that operate against Kurds in Syria. The last country that can speak about occupation in Syria is Turkey… There is no justification for Turkish aggression and violence against Kurds in Syria!”

As Turkey deepens its presence in Syria, analysts warn that clashes with Israel could become unavoidable. Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak of Tel Aviv University’s Moshe Dayan Center drew parallels to Turkey’s interventions in Libya and Azerbaijan. “If Turkish forces move into proximity with Israeli operations or allies, the risk of unintended confrontations will rise dramatically,” he told TPS-IL news agency.

Yanarocak warned of growing risks. “The skies are the limit for how far this situation could deteriorate,” he said. “It’s time to pay attention.”

Fox News

Day 440 — Thursday, December 19

The Israeli Air Force struck Houthi targets in Yemen overnight Wednesday, after intercepting a missile over central Israel fired by the Iranian-backed terror group.

A school in the Ramat Efal neighborhood of Ramat Gan, just east of Tel Aviv, suffered severe damage when interceptor shrapnel hit it. According to the mayor, the impact caused a partial collapse of the central building, prompting the cancellation of classes for the day. No injuries were reported.

According to the IDF, the IAF strikes were carried out in two waves by 14 fighter jets, refuelers, and spy planes.

The jets were already en route to Yemen when the Houthis launched the ballistic missile at around 2:35 a.m. The first wave of strikes occurred at 3:15 a.m., targeting the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea as well as the Hodeidah and Salif ports. Eight tugboats, used for guiding ships into the ports, were also destroyed.

At 4:30 a.m., the second wave targeted the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, hitting two power stations, the Haziz and D’Habban, according to reports in Yemen.

Houthi-affiliated media reported casualties.

“Over the past year, the Houthi terrorist regime has been operating with the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias, in order to attack the State of Israel and Israeli civilians,” the IDF stated following the strikes.

“The conducted strikes degrade the Houthi terrorist regime, preventing it from exploiting the targets for military and terrorist purposes, including the smuggling of Iranian weapons to the region,” the statement continued. “The IDF is determined to continue operating against all threats posed to the citizens of the State of Israel, wherever necessary.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Houthi leaders after the overnight operation that “the long arm of Israel will reach you. Whoever raises a hand [against us] will have it severed. Whoever harms [us], will be harmed many times over.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog commended the IAF operation in an X post on Thursday morning.

“In the last few hours, we have seen the tremendous ability and bravery of the Israeli Air Force, defending our people against an attack by the Iranian terrorist proxy, the Houthis in Yemen, and striking them with powerful force,” Herzog wrote.

“I thank each of the brave servicemen and women of the Israeli Air Force and the IDF for defending our people from terrorists who seek to terrorize Israel and the Middle East,” he added.

On Monday, a Houthi missile triggered air-raid sirens in the greater Tel Aviv area. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency response group said it had treated five people who were lightly injured while running for cover.

Earlier on Monday, an Israeli Navy ship intercepted a Houthi drone over the Red Sea before it crossed into Israeli territory.

JNS

Day 439 — Wednesday, December 18

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited on Tuesday the summit of Mt. Hermon located on the Syrian side of the border. This area was captured by Israeli troops last week as part of an operation to secure the buffer zone after the fall of the Assad regime.

“We will stay in this important place until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel’s security,” Netanyahu declared.

The prime minister was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, Head of the IDF Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, and other officers.

They held a situation assessment “in light of the fact that events in Syria are occurring at a dizzying pace and the consequences could be far-reaching,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Netanyahu “received an updated operational briefing from the commanders in the field and issued directives on the continued deployment of the IDF. He commended the IDF operations in the area, and the regular and reservist fighters for organizing quickly and for the sharp and professional implementation.”

The IDF had quickly taken over the demilitarized zone along the Golan Heights frontier with Syria, as well as strategic positions outside of it, after the posts were abandoned by the soldiers of the Syrian army upon the collapse of the Assad regime, almost two weeks ago.

“The collapse of the Syrian regime created a vacuum on Israel’s border and in the buffer zone established by the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement,” the PMO has stated. “This deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.”

Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that the meeting on Mt. Hermon was meant “to decide on the deployment of the IDF in this important place until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel’s security.”

“This is nostalgic for me,” Netanyahu continued. “I was here 53 years ago with my soldiers in the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit. The place has not changed. It is the same place but its importance for the security of Israel has only been underscored in recent years, and especially in recent weeks with the dramatic events that have occurred below us in Syria.”

“We will determine the best arrangement that will ensure our security,” the prime minister emphasized.

In a separate statement, Katz stressed the strategic importance of the summit, dubbing it “the eyes of the State of Israel, to identify threats near and far.”

“The IDF is here to protect the Golan Heights communities and the citizens of Israel from any threat, from the most important place where it can be done. I instructed the IDF to quickly complete the establishment of the area – including the construction of fortifications and defensive measures and the regulation of the soldiers’ conditions – in order to fully prepare for the possibility of a prolonged stay there.”

The IDF recently announced it would prepare insulated shelters, winter gear, and other essential equipment for the troops stationed on the peak of the Hermon Mountain range, which is expected to receive heavy snowfall soon as the winter months approach.

All Israel News 

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel will continue to rule over Gaza militarily after the war.

“Once we defeat Hamas’s military power and ruling power in Gaza, Israel will control security in Gaza with full freedom to act, just as in Judea and Samaria,” he says, in reference to the West Bank.

“We will not allow any terrorist activity against Israeli communities and citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the pre-October 7 reality.”

Times Of Israel

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

A Columbia University professor who called Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel “awesome” will be teaching an upcoming course on Zionism at the Ivy League school. 

The class led by Joseph Massad will cover the “History of the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala) in 19th century Europe and the development of Zionism through the current peace process between the state of Israel and the Arab states and the Palestinian national movement,” according to a description on Columbia’s website. 

The day after Hamas launched its bloody attack on Israel, Massad posted a column on the website The Electronic Intifada, saying, “The sight of the Palestinian resistance fighters storming Israeli checkpoints separating Gaza from Israel was astounding, not only to the Israelis but especially to the Palestinian and Arab peoples who came out across the region to march in support of the Palestinians in their battle against their cruel colonizers.” 

“No less awesome were the scenes witnessed by millions of jubilant Arabs who spent the day watching the news, of Palestinian fighters from Gaza breaking through Israel’s prison fence or gliding over it by air,” he added. 

Columbia University and Massad did not immediately respond to requests for comment by Fox News Digital. 

Rep. Ritchie Torres, a staunch ally of Israel in Congress, criticized the class on X, saying, “Why should U.S. taxpayers subsidize ideological indoctrination that glorifies the mass murder, maiming, mutilation, rape, and abduction of Jews and Israelis?” 

“Joseph Massad, who is an apologist for October 7th (calling it “astounding” and “incredible”), is going to teach a course on Zionism at Columbia University. What’s next at Columbia? [Former Ku Klux Klan leader] David Duke teaching a course on antiracism.” 

Columbia international and public affairs adjunct professor Lawrence Rosenblatt reportedly has resigned because of the class. 

Fox News

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

A bill proposing a change in the policy regarding the entry of Israelis into the Gaza Strip was submitted to the Knesset on Monday.

According to the proposal, the current restriction in the Disengagement Law that prohibits Israeli citizens from entering Gaza would be repealed.

In explaining the bill, MK Avichay Buaron (Likud), who submitted the proposal, stated, “The entry ban is reminiscent of dark periods in Jewish history.”

The proposal further states, “The war against fundamentalist Islam in Gaza must end with the loss of its control over the land. This is the most painful price for them, and it must be the outcome.”

“Therefore, one of the first steps the Knesset must take today is to erase the disgraceful stain of a ‘zone forbidden to Jews’ from Israel’s legal code regarding the Gaza Strip, just as it did for northern Samaria, and allow full freedom of presence and movement in Gaza, as in all parts of the Land of Israel.”

The bill seeks to stipulate that the provisions prohibiting Israeli entry would no longer apply to the Gaza Strip.

Identical bills have previously been submitted to the Knesset by MK Amit Halevi and MK Limor Son Har-Melech.

Arutz Sheva

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

It was a bit of an eventful weekend—surprise, surprise—in Syria once again. If you thought Israel was through with destroying Bashar al-Assad’s military assets, preventing them from falling into the hands of Islamic jihadists who have overrun the country… think again. Before I detail the latest Israeli strike, which caused an explosion so enormous that it registered on the Richter scale, let me set the scene.

In the past week, Israel has carried out over 300 air strikes in Syria, taking out everything from chemical weapon stockpiles to Syria’s Air Force and Naval Fleet.

Many may argue that Syria’s military wasn’t much to begin with, being filled with outdated equipment. They would be right. However, that does not mean that these weapons, equipment, and fighter jets did not have the capability to hurt not only Israel but the people of Syria. There is always the possibility that the jihadis would use those fighter jets to target their own people. Perhaps the Christians, Kurds, Drews, and the more moderate Muslims in that country would have been in the jihadis crosshairs.

Israel did Syria a favor, it did itself a favor, and it did the world a favor by destroying approximately 80% of Syria’s military machine that was built up over decades by Bashar al-Assad with help from Iran, Russia, and others.

On December 7th, when the jihadis overran Damascus, it was a whole new day in Syria—for better or for worse. Bashar al-Assad fled Syria to Russia, where he’s now living in exile and has been granted Asylum. That is when the IDF began wisely, preemptively, and swiftly hammering the Syrian military arsenal, including missile stockpiles of the Iranian regime.

On Saturday, Mohammed al-Jolani, the head of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is the main Jihadi group that’s taken over in Syria, said to Israel that now there are “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria.”
Al-Jolani privately is none too pleased that that arsenal has been eliminated. I’m sure he would have loved to have had his claws on it and used it to advance his Jihadi cause, not only to try to conquer all of Syria but perhaps cross the border, flooding into Lebanon, Iraq, or beyond. He has a lot less weaponry with which he can do that now, thanks to Israel.

Israel is treating it this way: Assad was the devil we did know, and the jihadis are the devil we don’t know. Before Israel has an ISIS-style caliphate take root in Syria, it’s probably not a good idea for the jihadis to get their hands on chemical weapons and a fleet of fighter jets.

Despite al-Jolani’s threat on Saturday, Israel continued on Sunday with a massive barrage against targets in Syria near the Mediterranean coast. Israel used what is being called by major media outlets globally an “earthquake bomb.” Whether its first use by Israel was on Sunday or possibly previously in Beirut, this was at least the first public unveiling. It registered on the Richter scale and caused a significant mushroom cloud—that’s how massive this “earthquake bomb” was.

These were the heaviest air strikes carried out in the region in 12 Years. 2012 was the last time we saw explosions this large in scope. That’s saying something.

Day 437 — Monday, December 16

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a statement on Sunday in which he recounted his conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump and detailed the challenges facing Israel.

“I spoke again yesterday with my friend, US President-elect Donald Trump. It was a very friendly conversation, very warm, and very important. We spoke about the need to complete Israel’s victory and we spoke a lot about our efforts to free the hostages. We are constantly continuing to work tirelessly to bring the hostages home, both the living and the deceased. And I add, the less we talk about it the better, and that way, with God’s help, we will also win,” Netanyahu stated.

Regarding the security situation on Israel’s various borders, Netanyahu stated: “A year ago I said something simple: We will change the Middle East, and we are indeed changing it. Syria is not the same Syria, Lebanon is not the same Lebanon, Gaza is not the same Gaza, and the head of the axis – Iran – is not the same Iran. It also felt the might of our arms.

“We are working forcefully and thoughtfully to achieve security against all countries in the region and to bring stability and security to all our borders. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t challenges ahead, there certainly are. Both against Iran, its bleeding proxies, and all other potential threats, since the reality is dynamic, it changes quickly.”

He mentioned Israel’s activities in Syria. “We have no interest in a confrontation with Syria. We will decide Israel’s policies on Syria based on the reality on the ground. I remind you that for decades Syria was an actively hostile state to Israel. It attacked us again and again, it allowed others to attack us from its territory, and it allowed Iran to arm Hezbollah from its territory.

“To make sure that what was won’t be again, we conducted a series of strong actions in recent days. Together with Defense Minister Katz, I instructed the IDF to eliminate the potential threats from Syria and to prevent terrorist entities from taking control near our borders. Within a few days, we destroyed the capabilities that the Assad regime built over decades. We did this to make sure that dangerous weapons wouldn’t be pointed at us again from Syrian soil. We also struck the weapon supply lines from Syria to Hezbollah. Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said this yesterday outright: ‘Hezbollah lost its military supply line through Syria.’ This of course is additional evidence of our strong blow to the Iranian axis as a whole.”

“I wish to clarify and warn: we must prevent the re-arming of Hezbollah. This is Israel’s ongoing test, we must succeed. I tell Hezbollah and Iran unequivocally: to prevent you from harming us, we will continue to act against you as much as needed, on every front and at all times.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 437 — Monday, December 16

Israel filed two appeals on Friday against the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

The appeals, filed by Dr. Gilad Noam from the Attorney General’s Office, focused on what Israel argued were serious procedural deficiencies in the decision by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

The first appeal addressed Israel’s contention that Khan should have provided new notification of his investigation into the allegations regarding the prosecution of the war in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7 invasion and massacre. He instead relied on notification issued in 2021 of an investigation the court had initiated at the time.

The second appeal dealt with Israel’s claim that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over Israelis.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on November 21 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza.

The allegations related in particular to charges that the two leaders had committed the war crimes of directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza and of using starvation as a method of warfare by hindering the supply of international aid to Gaza. Israel has strongly rejected the substance of the allegations, insisting that it has funneled massive amounts of humanitarian aid through the crossings along the Gaza border, and that any problems with the distribution of that aid to the Palestinian civilian population are a result of inefficient operations by the aid organizations on the ground, difficulties arising from the ongoing conflict in the territory, and the looting of aid by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.

Israel has also rejected allegations that it targets civilians, insisting that civilian casualties caused by the operation have resulted in large part due to Hamas’s tactic of embedding its fighters and installations within Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

Times Of Israel

Day 436 — Sunday, December 15

In his first official comments on the Israeli actions in Syria in recent days, the leader of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group which expelled the Assad regime, Ahmad al-Shara, said he doesn’t want to get dragged into additional conflicts.

Al-Shara, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, told a Syrian TV channel that now that Iranian forces had left Syria, Israel has “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria.”

Al-Shara emphasized Syria would not be dragged into additional conflicts that may lead to further destruction, vowing instead to focus on rebuilding the country after over a decade of civil war.

“We are not about to enter into a conflict with Israel. Israel intended to invade Syria because of the Iranian presence there – but now it doesn’t need to,” he said.

“What happened in Syria is a victory over the Iranian project which is dangerous for the entire region,” he said, adding that HTS was “able to end the Iranian presence in Syria, but we are not enemies of the Iranian people.”

The comments were the first time al-Shara had directly commented on Israeli actions in the past few days. In addition to the airstrikes, IDF troops also captured the demilitarized zone along the Golan Heights frontier, as well as several strategic points to the east of the zone, within sovereign Syrian territory.

Following al-Shara’s comments, the IDF released a statement by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi.

Without directly referencing al-Shara, Halevi stressed: “We do not interfere in what is happening in Syria and we have no intention of running Syria. We do absolutely intervene in what determines the security of the citizens of Israel, and we advanced to prevent terrorist elements from entrenching themselves close to our border.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem on Saturday for the first time commented on the fall of the Assad regime, for whom its troops were among the most important pillars propping up the regime over the past decade, together with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and its other proxy militias.

Qassem now claimed that his group had only supported the Assad regime to help “strengthen the capacities of the resistance across its territory towards Lebanon and Palestine.”

He expressed his hope that the new Syrian government would not normalize relations with Israel. “We can only judge the new forces when they take clear positions and the situation normalizes in Syria,” he said.

Qassem also acknowledged that “Hezbollah has lost the military supply route through Syria, but he said that this is a small detail that can change over time. This route can be restored with the new regime, just as we can find new ways.”

All Israel News 

Day 435 — Saturday, December 14

Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders was presented with an award by the legislature of Israel during his solidarity-showing visit over its fight against radical Islam.

Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana awarded the the Jabotinsky Prize for Liberty to Dutch MP Geert Wilders this week as the Party for Freedom (PVV) leader toured Israel, where he held  diplomatic meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and members of the Israeli cabinet.

“This award is a fitting tribute to a man who, for so long, embodied Jabotinsky’s courage and conviction. He has confronted the lies propagated by institutions like the ICC [International Criminal Court], which distort justice and reward terror. In America, we are seeing President Trump assemble a dream team. Geert brings that same optimism to Europe, where it is needed even more,” Speaker Ohana said of the main power behind the government of The Netherlands.

Wilders, a leading critic of radical Islam, has long been a staunch supporter of the Jewish state, having volunteered for a year in the West Bank during his youth. During his diplomatic mission to the country this week, Wilders continued to advocate for Israel’s rightful control of the West Bank, describing the Jordan Valley settlements in Judea and Samaria as Israel’s “bulletproof vest” without which it would cease to exist as a country.

Upon receiving the award from the Knesset, Wilders said: “This is not the time to be silent, but to stand up and support Israel. After the October 7, 2023 massacre, where 1,200 innocent Jewish lives were lost, the world was shocked, but as so often, unfortunately, only for a short time, after which too many countries, politicians and institutions like the UN and the ICC started bashing Israel for rightfully defending itself and its people against an existential threat.”

Wilders said that his mission to Israel was intended to show his “full and never-ending support” against the “evil powers” of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The PVV leader lamented that alongside the hatred of Jews by radical Islamists, the anti-Israel sentiment is being driven by the “self-hatred of woke Westerners who no longer believe in fighting for the truth.”

The Dutch populist reiterated his warning that should Israel fall in its battle, the “West will be next” and therefore wished to demonstrate by his journey to Israel that there are still “political leaders in Europe that are not afraid to come here and say out loud, here and in Europe, very clear, that we will never, ever abandon you and we’ll be always at your side.”

In October, writing exclusively for Breitbart London, Mr Wilders argued that European patriots should stand by Israel, hailing the country as a model for Western nations to follow to preserve their own national identities.

“What we need today is Zionism for the nations of Europe. The Europeans should follow the example of the Jewish people and safeguard the sovereignty of their nation-states,” the populist leader wrote.

Wilders said that while globalist elites in Europe have sought to dismantle their own nation states in favour of a “supranational institution” in the EU, “the Jewish nation proudly reasserted itself as a sovereign nation-state and vigourously defended its borders.”

This, Wilders argued, was the principal reason why the Western left despises the state of Israel, as it serves as a “beacon for nations striving to maintain their national identity.”

Breitbart

Day 435 — Saturday, December 14

After incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz vowed that the next U.S. administration would reinstate the maximum pressure policy on the Iranian regime, The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported that pre-emptive strikes on the regime’s nuclear facilities are also being weighed by President-elect Donald Trump.

According to the report, the transition team is weighing several options for how to deal with the regime, which reportedly tried to assassinate Trump and, in recent months, has sharply increased its stockpile of fissile material.

A member of the transition team said the United States must take more action against Iran, which “is actively trying to kill President Trump.”

“That certainly influences everybody’s thinking when it comes to what the relationship is out the gate,” the source added.

A report from the Office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) recently warned that “Iran now has enough fissile material to make more than a dozen nuclear weapons,” but has not yet decided to proceed.

Despite Trump’s aversion to starting new wars and his stated desire to reduce U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, the WSJ said a military option to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb has received more serious consideration in recent weeks.

The regime lost several of its terror proxies over the past months, as Israel has nearly destroyed Hamas in Gaza, decapitated Hezbollah in Lebanon, and seen the Assad regime in Syria collapse under the pressure of a rebel onslaught.

When asked about the possibility of war with Iran, Trump said that “anything can happen” during an interview with Time that was published on Thursday. “It’s a very volatile situation,” he added.

While Trump reportedly considered a pre-emptive strike on Iranian nuclear facilities at the end of his previous term, the regime is now weaker than it has been in decades, presenting an opportunity for the president-elect to take dramatic action at the start of his second term, which begins on Jan. 20, 2025.

“If you were going to actually do something to neutralize the nuclear-weapons program, this would be it,” Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told WSJ.

The newspaper cited four people familiar with the transition team’s plans, who said that two broad options are currently under discussion.

The first strategy envisions a massive ramping up of military pressure with the deployment of additional American forces to the region. This could include the sale of advanced bunker-buster bombs to Israel, enabling it to target fortified nuclear facilities without direct U.S. involvement. 

The second option is a combined approach, using the threat of military strikes alongside new sanctions, aiming to pressure Iran into accepting a diplomatic solution.

“You’re going to see a huge shift on Iran,” Trump’s incoming national security advisor, Waltz, said.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and Trump had spoken three times on the phone and emphasized that they were seeing “eye-to-eye on the Iranian threat in all its aspects, and on the dangers they reflect. We also see the great opportunities facing Israel, in the area of peace and its expansion, and in other areas.”

All Israel News

Day 441 — Friday, December 20

Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon on Wednesday warned that the Iranian ayatollah regime threatens world peace with its acts of global terrorism and ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons. 

“The Islamic regime of Iran is a danger to the entire world. The recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran’s nuclear progression, alongside the recent letter from the UK, France and Germany, highlighting Iran’s, and I quote, ‘significant non compliance,‘ were cries for immediate action,” Danon argued.

“This is not about a hypothetical future. The danger is already here, looming on the horizon,” he continued. 

Danon also urged the UN Security Council to implement “crushing” sanctions against Iran’s ability to fund global terrorism. He called for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be officially designated as a terrorist organization.

The ambassador argued that the international community currently has a chance to “liberate the world from the most corrupt, most violent, most destabilizing regime.”

The IRGC and its elite Quds force have played a central role in building the “ring of fire” against Israel, consisting of Iranian-backed terror proxies, such as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, militants in Iraq and Syria, as well as the Houthis in Yemen. 

Danon directly addressed the Iranian people in his UN speech. 

“I am telling the Iranian people, we know the cost of freedom and the courage it demands,” the Israeli ambassador said. He urged freedom-loving Iranians to take back their country.

“Your fight is not just for yourselves but for the millions of lives the regime has destabilized and destroyed. In your hands lie the power to restore the beautiful Iranian nation, to rebuild a land rich in history, culture and resilience,” Danon said, urging Iranians to “take action now.” 

He reminded listeners that the Jewish Maccabee fight for freedom against the powerful Greek Empire will be commemorated in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah this month

“With a statement to human courage, to the will of a small but determined people who refused to bow to tyranny,” Danon said. 

All Israel News

Day 441 — Friday, December 20

Shalom from under the missile-less, rocket-free, siren-silenced skies of the Jezreel Valley! What a blessing it is to be able to drive to work in the morning without having to keep one eye on the road and one eye looking up. It’s true, we are not officially at peace. There is still fighting going on in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank. However, for the most part, the action is taking place outside our borders with very few aerial or ground terrorist attacks.

I can’t say that it is back to how it was before the black day of October 7, 2023. It can never again be how it used to be. In some ways we are better off now than we were then. In others, we are worse. One positive is that we have a buffer zone in both the north and the south. No longer can terrorists simply pour over the border. We’ve ensured there are enough cameras, kilometers, and guns to mow down any attempt at a Hamas-style redux coming from Lebanon, Syria, or Gaza. We’ve also decimated the manpower, weaponry (both ground and aerial), and leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Assad, too, is gone from Syria, and we’ve made sure that the massive store of weapons that he left behind is less than usable for any rebel groups who have rushed in to fill the leadership vacuum. It’s true that the Houthis still like to lob a missile at us every now and then just so they can feel relevant, but the sand is quickly running out of their hourglass. Payback is coming soon – in fact, you’ll see in breaking news below, it has already begun. Vengeance is coming to the Houthis and it will destroy once and for all the last bent spoke of Iran’s axis of evil.

All of that helps me to look at this coming season of Hanukkah and Christmas with true hope. With both holidays, we celebrate God’s provision coming at just the right time. Many will unite with their loved ones to rejoice over the birth of the Messiah, while those of us here in Israel will gather together as families to celebrate our festival of lights. But for many of us Israelis, the celebration will be different than it once was.

Think of a child who receives a Hanukkah gift or a Christmas present. There is joy and exuberance. They may shout and dance and maybe even run around the house. With each passing year, however, the celebration calms incrementally. Often, a grandfather’s delight is expressed with a smile, a hug, and a thank you, all from the comfort of his favorite chair. Part of that mellowing is age and maturity. Much of it, though, is life experience. Suffering and struggle often quiet the soul. This Hanukkah, there will be joy, but it will be tempered. As a people, we Israelis have aged over these last 14 months. Our gladness is moderated by both a very deep sorrow at what so many of our people have suffered and a greater perspective which recognizes that we have survived this fire but the global flames of antisemitism still burn.

Don’t get me wrong, there will be laughter and joy in my house as we celebrate. However, we will take time out to remember the hostages, to pray for the families who have lost loved ones, and to ask God’s healing for our soldiers who have been wounded and contentment for those who will spend this Hanukkah away from home. We will beseech the Lord to keep His hand of protection on Israel and we will pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I ask that you join us in these prayers.

Day 440 — Thursday, December 19

Israel rejected Turkish accusations on Tuesday following Ankara’s condemnation of Israeli military actions in Syria, as Turkey escalates its own operations in the war-torn country. The rising tensions have deepened the rift between the two nations and sparked concerns over regional stability and the fate of U.S.-backed Kurdish forces fighting ISIS.

On Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry criticized Israel for expanding settlements in the Golan Heights, calling it part of Israel’s “expansion of borders through occupation.” Turkey urged Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a cease-fire between Israel and Syria.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the agreement void, arguing it no longer applied after forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad abandoned their positions on the Syrian side during the country’s civil war. Netanyahu has described the Golan Heights as a vital security buffer and integral to Israel’s defense strategy against Iran and Hezbollah, which operate in Syria.

On Tuesday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a response on X. “Turkey has systematically encroached on Syrian territory… Approximately 15% of Syria’s territory is under Turkish-backed control. In these areas, the Turkish currency is in use, and Turkish bank branches and postal services have been operating.

“Furthermore, the Turkish military bombards infrastructure in the northeastern autonomous region of Syria using aircraft and UAVs. Turkey supports jihadist forces that operate against Kurds in Syria. The last country that can speak about occupation in Syria is Turkey… There is no justification for Turkish aggression and violence against Kurds in Syria!”

As Turkey deepens its presence in Syria, analysts warn that clashes with Israel could become unavoidable. Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak of Tel Aviv University’s Moshe Dayan Center drew parallels to Turkey’s interventions in Libya and Azerbaijan. “If Turkish forces move into proximity with Israeli operations or allies, the risk of unintended confrontations will rise dramatically,” he told TPS-IL news agency.

Yanarocak warned of growing risks. “The skies are the limit for how far this situation could deteriorate,” he said. “It’s time to pay attention.”

Fox News

Day 440 — Thursday, December 19

The Israeli Air Force struck Houthi targets in Yemen overnight Wednesday, after intercepting a missile over central Israel fired by the Iranian-backed terror group.

A school in the Ramat Efal neighborhood of Ramat Gan, just east of Tel Aviv, suffered severe damage when interceptor shrapnel hit it. According to the mayor, the impact caused a partial collapse of the central building, prompting the cancellation of classes for the day. No injuries were reported.

According to the IDF, the IAF strikes were carried out in two waves by 14 fighter jets, refuelers, and spy planes.

The jets were already en route to Yemen when the Houthis launched the ballistic missile at around 2:35 a.m. The first wave of strikes occurred at 3:15 a.m., targeting the Ras Isa oil terminal on the Red Sea as well as the Hodeidah and Salif ports. Eight tugboats, used for guiding ships into the ports, were also destroyed.

At 4:30 a.m., the second wave targeted the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, hitting two power stations, the Haziz and D’Habban, according to reports in Yemen.

Houthi-affiliated media reported casualties.

“Over the past year, the Houthi terrorist regime has been operating with the direction and funding of Iran, and in cooperation with Iraqi militias, in order to attack the State of Israel and Israeli civilians,” the IDF stated following the strikes.

“The conducted strikes degrade the Houthi terrorist regime, preventing it from exploiting the targets for military and terrorist purposes, including the smuggling of Iranian weapons to the region,” the statement continued. “The IDF is determined to continue operating against all threats posed to the citizens of the State of Israel, wherever necessary.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Houthi leaders after the overnight operation that “the long arm of Israel will reach you. Whoever raises a hand [against us] will have it severed. Whoever harms [us], will be harmed many times over.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog commended the IAF operation in an X post on Thursday morning.

“In the last few hours, we have seen the tremendous ability and bravery of the Israeli Air Force, defending our people against an attack by the Iranian terrorist proxy, the Houthis in Yemen, and striking them with powerful force,” Herzog wrote.

“I thank each of the brave servicemen and women of the Israeli Air Force and the IDF for defending our people from terrorists who seek to terrorize Israel and the Middle East,” he added.

On Monday, a Houthi missile triggered air-raid sirens in the greater Tel Aviv area. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency response group said it had treated five people who were lightly injured while running for cover.

Earlier on Monday, an Israeli Navy ship intercepted a Houthi drone over the Red Sea before it crossed into Israeli territory.

JNS

Day 439 — Wednesday, December 18

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited on Tuesday the summit of Mt. Hermon located on the Syrian side of the border. This area was captured by Israeli troops last week as part of an operation to secure the buffer zone after the fall of the Assad regime.

“We will stay in this important place until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel’s security,” Netanyahu declared.

The prime minister was accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, Head of the IDF Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin, Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, and other officers.

They held a situation assessment “in light of the fact that events in Syria are occurring at a dizzying pace and the consequences could be far-reaching,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Netanyahu “received an updated operational briefing from the commanders in the field and issued directives on the continued deployment of the IDF. He commended the IDF operations in the area, and the regular and reservist fighters for organizing quickly and for the sharp and professional implementation.”

The IDF had quickly taken over the demilitarized zone along the Golan Heights frontier with Syria, as well as strategic positions outside of it, after the posts were abandoned by the soldiers of the Syrian army upon the collapse of the Assad regime, almost two weeks ago.

“The collapse of the Syrian regime created a vacuum on Israel’s border and in the buffer zone established by the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement,” the PMO has stated. “This deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.”

Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that the meeting on Mt. Hermon was meant “to decide on the deployment of the IDF in this important place until another arrangement is found that ensures Israel’s security.”

“This is nostalgic for me,” Netanyahu continued. “I was here 53 years ago with my soldiers in the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit. The place has not changed. It is the same place but its importance for the security of Israel has only been underscored in recent years, and especially in recent weeks with the dramatic events that have occurred below us in Syria.”

“We will determine the best arrangement that will ensure our security,” the prime minister emphasized.

In a separate statement, Katz stressed the strategic importance of the summit, dubbing it “the eyes of the State of Israel, to identify threats near and far.”

“The IDF is here to protect the Golan Heights communities and the citizens of Israel from any threat, from the most important place where it can be done. I instructed the IDF to quickly complete the establishment of the area – including the construction of fortifications and defensive measures and the regulation of the soldiers’ conditions – in order to fully prepare for the possibility of a prolonged stay there.”

The IDF recently announced it would prepare insulated shelters, winter gear, and other essential equipment for the troops stationed on the peak of the Hermon Mountain range, which is expected to receive heavy snowfall soon as the winter months approach.

All Israel News 

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israel will continue to rule over Gaza militarily after the war.

“Once we defeat Hamas’s military power and ruling power in Gaza, Israel will control security in Gaza with full freedom to act, just as in Judea and Samaria,” he says, in reference to the West Bank.

“We will not allow any terrorist activity against Israeli communities and citizens from Gaza. We will not allow a return to the pre-October 7 reality.”

Times Of Israel

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

A Columbia University professor who called Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks on Israel “awesome” will be teaching an upcoming course on Zionism at the Ivy League school. 

The class led by Joseph Massad will cover the “History of the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskala) in 19th century Europe and the development of Zionism through the current peace process between the state of Israel and the Arab states and the Palestinian national movement,” according to a description on Columbia’s website. 

The day after Hamas launched its bloody attack on Israel, Massad posted a column on the website The Electronic Intifada, saying, “The sight of the Palestinian resistance fighters storming Israeli checkpoints separating Gaza from Israel was astounding, not only to the Israelis but especially to the Palestinian and Arab peoples who came out across the region to march in support of the Palestinians in their battle against their cruel colonizers.” 

“No less awesome were the scenes witnessed by millions of jubilant Arabs who spent the day watching the news, of Palestinian fighters from Gaza breaking through Israel’s prison fence or gliding over it by air,” he added. 

Columbia University and Massad did not immediately respond to requests for comment by Fox News Digital. 

Rep. Ritchie Torres, a staunch ally of Israel in Congress, criticized the class on X, saying, “Why should U.S. taxpayers subsidize ideological indoctrination that glorifies the mass murder, maiming, mutilation, rape, and abduction of Jews and Israelis?” 

“Joseph Massad, who is an apologist for October 7th (calling it “astounding” and “incredible”), is going to teach a course on Zionism at Columbia University. What’s next at Columbia? [Former Ku Klux Klan leader] David Duke teaching a course on antiracism.” 

Columbia international and public affairs adjunct professor Lawrence Rosenblatt reportedly has resigned because of the class. 

Fox News

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

A bill proposing a change in the policy regarding the entry of Israelis into the Gaza Strip was submitted to the Knesset on Monday.

According to the proposal, the current restriction in the Disengagement Law that prohibits Israeli citizens from entering Gaza would be repealed.

In explaining the bill, MK Avichay Buaron (Likud), who submitted the proposal, stated, “The entry ban is reminiscent of dark periods in Jewish history.”

The proposal further states, “The war against fundamentalist Islam in Gaza must end with the loss of its control over the land. This is the most painful price for them, and it must be the outcome.”

“Therefore, one of the first steps the Knesset must take today is to erase the disgraceful stain of a ‘zone forbidden to Jews’ from Israel’s legal code regarding the Gaza Strip, just as it did for northern Samaria, and allow full freedom of presence and movement in Gaza, as in all parts of the Land of Israel.”

The bill seeks to stipulate that the provisions prohibiting Israeli entry would no longer apply to the Gaza Strip.

Identical bills have previously been submitted to the Knesset by MK Amit Halevi and MK Limor Son Har-Melech.

Arutz Sheva

Day 438 — Tuesday, December 17

It was a bit of an eventful weekend—surprise, surprise—in Syria once again. If you thought Israel was through with destroying Bashar al-Assad’s military assets, preventing them from falling into the hands of Islamic jihadists who have overrun the country… think again. Before I detail the latest Israeli strike, which caused an explosion so enormous that it registered on the Richter scale, let me set the scene.

In the past week, Israel has carried out over 300 air strikes in Syria, taking out everything from chemical weapon stockpiles to Syria’s Air Force and Naval Fleet.

Many may argue that Syria’s military wasn’t much to begin with, being filled with outdated equipment. They would be right. However, that does not mean that these weapons, equipment, and fighter jets did not have the capability to hurt not only Israel but the people of Syria. There is always the possibility that the jihadis would use those fighter jets to target their own people. Perhaps the Christians, Kurds, Drews, and the more moderate Muslims in that country would have been in the jihadis crosshairs.

Israel did Syria a favor, it did itself a favor, and it did the world a favor by destroying approximately 80% of Syria’s military machine that was built up over decades by Bashar al-Assad with help from Iran, Russia, and others.

On December 7th, when the jihadis overran Damascus, it was a whole new day in Syria—for better or for worse. Bashar al-Assad fled Syria to Russia, where he’s now living in exile and has been granted Asylum. That is when the IDF began wisely, preemptively, and swiftly hammering the Syrian military arsenal, including missile stockpiles of the Iranian regime.

On Saturday, Mohammed al-Jolani, the head of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is the main Jihadi group that’s taken over in Syria, said to Israel that now there are “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria.”
Al-Jolani privately is none too pleased that that arsenal has been eliminated. I’m sure he would have loved to have had his claws on it and used it to advance his Jihadi cause, not only to try to conquer all of Syria but perhaps cross the border, flooding into Lebanon, Iraq, or beyond. He has a lot less weaponry with which he can do that now, thanks to Israel.

Israel is treating it this way: Assad was the devil we did know, and the jihadis are the devil we don’t know. Before Israel has an ISIS-style caliphate take root in Syria, it’s probably not a good idea for the jihadis to get their hands on chemical weapons and a fleet of fighter jets.

Despite al-Jolani’s threat on Saturday, Israel continued on Sunday with a massive barrage against targets in Syria near the Mediterranean coast. Israel used what is being called by major media outlets globally an “earthquake bomb.” Whether its first use by Israel was on Sunday or possibly previously in Beirut, this was at least the first public unveiling. It registered on the Richter scale and caused a significant mushroom cloud—that’s how massive this “earthquake bomb” was.

These were the heaviest air strikes carried out in the region in 12 Years. 2012 was the last time we saw explosions this large in scope. That’s saying something.

Day 437 — Monday, December 16

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a statement on Sunday in which he recounted his conversation with US President-elect Donald Trump and detailed the challenges facing Israel.

“I spoke again yesterday with my friend, US President-elect Donald Trump. It was a very friendly conversation, very warm, and very important. We spoke about the need to complete Israel’s victory and we spoke a lot about our efforts to free the hostages. We are constantly continuing to work tirelessly to bring the hostages home, both the living and the deceased. And I add, the less we talk about it the better, and that way, with God’s help, we will also win,” Netanyahu stated.

Regarding the security situation on Israel’s various borders, Netanyahu stated: “A year ago I said something simple: We will change the Middle East, and we are indeed changing it. Syria is not the same Syria, Lebanon is not the same Lebanon, Gaza is not the same Gaza, and the head of the axis – Iran – is not the same Iran. It also felt the might of our arms.

“We are working forcefully and thoughtfully to achieve security against all countries in the region and to bring stability and security to all our borders. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t challenges ahead, there certainly are. Both against Iran, its bleeding proxies, and all other potential threats, since the reality is dynamic, it changes quickly.”

He mentioned Israel’s activities in Syria. “We have no interest in a confrontation with Syria. We will decide Israel’s policies on Syria based on the reality on the ground. I remind you that for decades Syria was an actively hostile state to Israel. It attacked us again and again, it allowed others to attack us from its territory, and it allowed Iran to arm Hezbollah from its territory.

“To make sure that what was won’t be again, we conducted a series of strong actions in recent days. Together with Defense Minister Katz, I instructed the IDF to eliminate the potential threats from Syria and to prevent terrorist entities from taking control near our borders. Within a few days, we destroyed the capabilities that the Assad regime built over decades. We did this to make sure that dangerous weapons wouldn’t be pointed at us again from Syrian soil. We also struck the weapon supply lines from Syria to Hezbollah. Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem said this yesterday outright: ‘Hezbollah lost its military supply line through Syria.’ This of course is additional evidence of our strong blow to the Iranian axis as a whole.”

“I wish to clarify and warn: we must prevent the re-arming of Hezbollah. This is Israel’s ongoing test, we must succeed. I tell Hezbollah and Iran unequivocally: to prevent you from harming us, we will continue to act against you as much as needed, on every front and at all times.”

Arutz Sheva

Day 437 — Monday, December 16

Israel filed two appeals on Friday against the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.

The appeals, filed by Dr. Gilad Noam from the Attorney General’s Office, focused on what Israel argued were serious procedural deficiencies in the decision by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to seek arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

The first appeal addressed Israel’s contention that Khan should have provided new notification of his investigation into the allegations regarding the prosecution of the war in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7 invasion and massacre. He instead relied on notification issued in 2021 of an investigation the court had initiated at the time.

The second appeal dealt with Israel’s claim that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over Israelis.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on November 21 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza.

The allegations related in particular to charges that the two leaders had committed the war crimes of directing attacks against the civilian population of Gaza and of using starvation as a method of warfare by hindering the supply of international aid to Gaza. Israel has strongly rejected the substance of the allegations, insisting that it has funneled massive amounts of humanitarian aid through the crossings along the Gaza border, and that any problems with the distribution of that aid to the Palestinian civilian population are a result of inefficient operations by the aid organizations on the ground, difficulties arising from the ongoing conflict in the territory, and the looting of aid by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.

Israel has also rejected allegations that it targets civilians, insisting that civilian casualties caused by the operation have resulted in large part due to Hamas’s tactic of embedding its fighters and installations within Gaza’s civilian infrastructure.

Times Of Israel

Day 436 — Sunday, December 15

In his first official comments on the Israeli actions in Syria in recent days, the leader of the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group which expelled the Assad regime, Ahmad al-Shara, said he doesn’t want to get dragged into additional conflicts.

Al-Shara, better known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, told a Syrian TV channel that now that Iranian forces had left Syria, Israel has “no more excuses to carry out airstrikes in Syria.”

Al-Shara emphasized Syria would not be dragged into additional conflicts that may lead to further destruction, vowing instead to focus on rebuilding the country after over a decade of civil war.

“We are not about to enter into a conflict with Israel. Israel intended to invade Syria because of the Iranian presence there – but now it doesn’t need to,” he said.

“What happened in Syria is a victory over the Iranian project which is dangerous for the entire region,” he said, adding that HTS was “able to end the Iranian presence in Syria, but we are not enemies of the Iranian people.”

The comments were the first time al-Shara had directly commented on Israeli actions in the past few days. In addition to the airstrikes, IDF troops also captured the demilitarized zone along the Golan Heights frontier, as well as several strategic points to the east of the zone, within sovereign Syrian territory.

Following al-Shara’s comments, the IDF released a statement by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi.

Without directly referencing al-Shara, Halevi stressed: “We do not interfere in what is happening in Syria and we have no intention of running Syria. We do absolutely intervene in what determines the security of the citizens of Israel, and we advanced to prevent terrorist elements from entrenching themselves close to our border.”

Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s leader Naim Qassem on Saturday for the first time commented on the fall of the Assad regime, for whom its troops were among the most important pillars propping up the regime over the past decade, together with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and its other proxy militias.

Qassem now claimed that his group had only supported the Assad regime to help “strengthen the capacities of the resistance across its territory towards Lebanon and Palestine.”

He expressed his hope that the new Syrian government would not normalize relations with Israel. “We can only judge the new forces when they take clear positions and the situation normalizes in Syria,” he said.

Qassem also acknowledged that “Hezbollah has lost the military supply route through Syria, but he said that this is a small detail that can change over time. This route can be restored with the new regime, just as we can find new ways.”

All Israel News 

Day 435 — Saturday, December 14

After incoming National Security Advisor Mike Waltz vowed that the next U.S. administration would reinstate the maximum pressure policy on the Iranian regime, The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported that pre-emptive strikes on the regime’s nuclear facilities are also being weighed by President-elect Donald Trump.

According to the report, the transition team is weighing several options for how to deal with the regime, which reportedly tried to assassinate Trump and, in recent months, has sharply increased its stockpile of fissile material.

A member of the transition team said the United States must take more action against Iran, which “is actively trying to kill President Trump.”

“That certainly influences everybody’s thinking when it comes to what the relationship is out the gate,” the source added.

A report from the Office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) recently warned that “Iran now has enough fissile material to make more than a dozen nuclear weapons,” but has not yet decided to proceed.

Despite Trump’s aversion to starting new wars and his stated desire to reduce U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East, the WSJ said a military option to prevent Iran from building a nuclear bomb has received more serious consideration in recent weeks.

The regime lost several of its terror proxies over the past months, as Israel has nearly destroyed Hamas in Gaza, decapitated Hezbollah in Lebanon, and seen the Assad regime in Syria collapse under the pressure of a rebel onslaught.

When asked about the possibility of war with Iran, Trump said that “anything can happen” during an interview with Time that was published on Thursday. “It’s a very volatile situation,” he added.

While Trump reportedly considered a pre-emptive strike on Iranian nuclear facilities at the end of his previous term, the regime is now weaker than it has been in decades, presenting an opportunity for the president-elect to take dramatic action at the start of his second term, which begins on Jan. 20, 2025.

“If you were going to actually do something to neutralize the nuclear-weapons program, this would be it,” Mark Dubowitz, chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told WSJ.

The newspaper cited four people familiar with the transition team’s plans, who said that two broad options are currently under discussion.

The first strategy envisions a massive ramping up of military pressure with the deployment of additional American forces to the region. This could include the sale of advanced bunker-buster bombs to Israel, enabling it to target fortified nuclear facilities without direct U.S. involvement. 

The second option is a combined approach, using the threat of military strikes alongside new sanctions, aiming to pressure Iran into accepting a diplomatic solution.

“You’re going to see a huge shift on Iran,” Trump’s incoming national security advisor, Waltz, said.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he and Trump had spoken three times on the phone and emphasized that they were seeing “eye-to-eye on the Iranian threat in all its aspects, and on the dangers they reflect. We also see the great opportunities facing Israel, in the area of peace and its expansion, and in other areas.”

All Israel News

Day 435 — Saturday, December 14

Dutch populist leader Geert Wilders was presented with an award by the legislature of Israel during his solidarity-showing visit over its fight against radical Islam.

Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana awarded the the Jabotinsky Prize for Liberty to Dutch MP Geert Wilders this week as the Party for Freedom (PVV) leader toured Israel, where he held  diplomatic meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, and members of the Israeli cabinet.

“This award is a fitting tribute to a man who, for so long, embodied Jabotinsky’s courage and conviction. He has confronted the lies propagated by institutions like the ICC [International Criminal Court], which distort justice and reward terror. In America, we are seeing President Trump assemble a dream team. Geert brings that same optimism to Europe, where it is needed even more,” Speaker Ohana said of the main power behind the government of The Netherlands.

Wilders, a leading critic of radical Islam, has long been a staunch supporter of the Jewish state, having volunteered for a year in the West Bank during his youth. During his diplomatic mission to the country this week, Wilders continued to advocate for Israel’s rightful control of the West Bank, describing the Jordan Valley settlements in Judea and Samaria as Israel’s “bulletproof vest” without which it would cease to exist as a country.

Upon receiving the award from the Knesset, Wilders said: “This is not the time to be silent, but to stand up and support Israel. After the October 7, 2023 massacre, where 1,200 innocent Jewish lives were lost, the world was shocked, but as so often, unfortunately, only for a short time, after which too many countries, politicians and institutions like the UN and the ICC started bashing Israel for rightfully defending itself and its people against an existential threat.”

Wilders said that his mission to Israel was intended to show his “full and never-ending support” against the “evil powers” of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The PVV leader lamented that alongside the hatred of Jews by radical Islamists, the anti-Israel sentiment is being driven by the “self-hatred of woke Westerners who no longer believe in fighting for the truth.”

The Dutch populist reiterated his warning that should Israel fall in its battle, the “West will be next” and therefore wished to demonstrate by his journey to Israel that there are still “political leaders in Europe that are not afraid to come here and say out loud, here and in Europe, very clear, that we will never, ever abandon you and we’ll be always at your side.”

In October, writing exclusively for Breitbart London, Mr Wilders argued that European patriots should stand by Israel, hailing the country as a model for Western nations to follow to preserve their own national identities.

“What we need today is Zionism for the nations of Europe. The Europeans should follow the example of the Jewish people and safeguard the sovereignty of their nation-states,” the populist leader wrote.

Wilders said that while globalist elites in Europe have sought to dismantle their own nation states in favour of a “supranational institution” in the EU, “the Jewish nation proudly reasserted itself as a sovereign nation-state and vigourously defended its borders.”

This, Wilders argued, was the principal reason why the Western left despises the state of Israel, as it serves as a “beacon for nations striving to maintain their national identity.”

Breitbart