News Digest — 5/29/24
Terrorists Opened Fire At Village East Of Netanya
Terrorists from the military wing of Hamas from Tulkarm continue to shoot at the nearby village of Bat Hefer, located less than 12 and a half miles east of Netanya.
On Wednesday morning (29th) three terrorists opened intense fire at houses in the village and caused damage to property. The attack ended without casualties.
The terrorists drove by car to the hill adjacent to the village, wearing green ribbons on their heads, like the Nukhba terrorists in the October 7th massacre.
Chairman of the New Hope party, MK Gideon Sa’ar commented: “The shooting from Jenin towards Gilboa and from Tulkarm towards Bat Hefer is intolerable and requires immediate and effective response. It’s time for the war cabinet to do something.”
Recently, the residents reported shootings and attempted intrusions by Arabs in the surrounding area. On Monday morning (27th), nearly 20 Arabs tried to cross the separation fence using ropes – eleven of them succeeded.
After identifying the crossing, military forces arrested 19 Arabs who were without weapons or other dangerous items. The army stated that there is no fear of a security incident and the issue is under investigation.
Also on Monday (27th), the military wing of Hamas published a recording of terrorists from Tulkarm firing at Bat Hefer, but no casualties were reported.
Galit Shaul, head of the Emek Hefer Regional Council, sent a letter to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant urging an emergency meeting on the matter.
Netanyahu: We Are Committed To Returning All Citizens To Their Homes
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Tuesday (28th) visited the IDF Northern District Intelligence Branch base, together with Intelligence Branch Commander Maj, Gen. Aharon Haliva and Unit 8200 Commander Brig. Gen. Y.
The prime minister was briefed on the intelligence picture and the threats in the northern sector. He also spoke with officers and soldiers serving at the base and heard from them about their service and their sense of making a contribution at this time, in which they are taking a direct and significant part in all aspects of the fighting – from assisting the forces taking part in operations, to the decision makers.
Prime Minister Netanyahu then went to a post on the northern border where he met with Golani Brigade Reconnaissance Unit fighters. Golani Brigade Commander Col. Adi Garon and Reconnaissance Unit Commander Lt. Col. David Cohen briefed the prime minister on their operational activity in the sector, in the context of which they are fighting and thwarting Hezbollah terrorists on a daily basis by identifying them in the field.
The Prime Minister also spoke with the fighters and was impressed by their desire to engage the enemy as well as their determination to restore the residents of the north to their homes.
“I am here with the soldiers of the Golani Brigade and the Golani Brigade Reconnaissance Unit, a splendid unit that is fighting in Gaza, in Judea and Samaria, and now here on the northern border. They have lost friends but have an exceptional fighting spirit and marvelous achievements, together with their fellow soldiers,” Netanyahu said.
“We are visiting here in the north the day after the Government passed a decision on a plan for NIS 3.5 billion in immediate aid for the residents of the north, for rebuilding the communities and for assisting them. Our hand is still extended afterwards because we are committed – in both the civilian and military spheres – to returning the residents safely to their communities and their homes,” he said.
Netanyahu emphasized, “This commitment is one of the objectives of the war and we are not conceding it. I want to tell you that I am here together with you. I hear you and I see your determination. I see the fire in your eyes and I would tell the citizens of Israel: This is the Iron Wall of the State of Israel.”
“Together with these amazing fighters and their friends, we will achieve this objective. Thank you very much. I salute you. The entire people of Israel salutes you. Well Done,” he said.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by his Chief-of-Staff Tzachi Braverman, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi and his Ministry Secretary, Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman.
Deadly Gaza Fire Likely Sparked By Hidden Terrorist Weapons, Says IDF
The Israeli military on Tuesday (28th) announced that a fire which killed dozens of Gazan civilians over the weekend was likely not directly caused by an IDF airstrike on a nearby Hamas command center, but was probably the result of a secondary explosion involving hidden terrorist munitions.
IDF chief spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters Tuesday (28th) that a preliminary investigation into Sunday night’s (26th) airstrike in the Tel Sultan area west of Rafah indicated that the deadly blaze appears to have been caused by the detonation of munitions in or around the Hamas facility hit by the Israeli strike.
“On Sunday (26th), we eliminated senior Hamas terrorists in a targeted strike on a compound used by Hamas in Rafah,” Hagari said.
“The strike was based on precise intelligence that indicated that these terrorists who were responsible for orchestrating and executing terror attacks against Israelis, were meeting inside this structure we targeted.
“Sadly, following the strike, due to unforeseen circumstances, a fire ignited, taking the lives of Gazans nearby. Despite our efforts to minimize civilian casualties during the strike, the fire that broke out was unexpected and unintended.”
Hagari emphasized that the airstrike was not carried out in the protected civilian zone established by Israel to shield Gaza civilians, and that the airstrike had utilized small precision munitions which were not capable of causing the deadly conflagration.
“Contrary to reports,we conducted the strike outside the area that we designated as a humanitarian area, that we called civilians to evacuate to. Our strike was over a kilometer and a half away from the al-Mawasi humanitarian area, what we call the safer zone.”
“The strike was conducted using two munitions with small warheads, suited for this targeted strike. We are talking about munitions with 17 kilograms of explosive material,” Hagari continued. “This is the smallest munitions that our jets can use.”
“Following this strike, a large fire ignited, for reasons still being investigated. Our munitions alone could not have ignited a fire of this size.”
Israel would nevertheless continue to investigate the incident, Hagari added.
“We are looking into all possibilities, including the option that weapons stored in a compound next to our target, which we did not know of, may have ignited as a result of the strike.”
In a phone call intercepted by Israeli intelligence, a Gazan who witnessed the explosion claimed the Hamas base exploded as a result of weapons stored inside.
“Yes, this is an ammunition warehouse. I tell you it exploded. The Jewish bombing wasn’t strong. It was a small missile, because it didn’t create a large hole. And afterward a lot of secondary explosions,” the man said.
Two senior Hamas terrorists were eliminated in the airstrike, which targeted the Hamas command-and-control center responsible for directing terrorist operations in Judea and Samaria.
Yassin Rabia, the director of this operations hub, was killed in Sunday night’s (26th) airstrike, along with another senior member of the unit, identified as Khaled Nagaar.
Later on Tuesday (28th), the IDF denied allegations it had carried out an airstrike inside the protected zone in al-Mawasi.
“Contrary to the reports from the last few hours, the IDF did not strike in the Humanitarian Area in al-Mawasi,” an army spokesperson said.
Former Israeli Foreign Minister: We Can Not Accept Hamas Murderers Living Next To Us – Laura Cellier
Israel’s former foreign minister and current Minister of Energy Eli Cohen highlighted the necessity of Israeli military operations in Gaza in an interview on Monday (27th). “The main thing we need to do right now is to completely destroy Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities.” Responding to criticism that Israel is not discussing its post-war plan for Gaza, Cohen noted, “When they set out to finish off the Nazis in Germany, nobody thought about what would come after them.”
“The State of Israel has the intention to have security control over Gaza, but it has no intention to be involved in any kind of civilian control over Gaza.” He suggested that international elements would handle civilian activities in Gaza during an interim period.
“Our primary focus remains on eliminating the immediate threat posed by Hamas and ensuring the security of Israeli citizens…. We in Israel can not continue to live here with these despicable murderers living next to us. Therefore, we will not agree to stop the war and we are going to continue to act against Hamas until we find the very last one of them.”
“We are saying very clearly that we will not agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state here. We gave Gaza to the Palestinians until the very last inch. Over the past 18 years there was not one Israeli in Gaza and they’re the ones who chose to commit that crime on Oct. 7.”
Cohen emphasized the importance of creating a security buffer between Israel and Gaza to protect Israeli civilians. The Israelis living in the communities near Gaza “are the ones who wanted peace the most, and the Palestinians used to work in these kibbutzim and moshavim, and the Palestinians entered their homes and massacred them.” (i24News)
“Moderate” Palestinian Terrorist Group Participated In Oct. 7 Massacre – Bassam Tawil
The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah faction headed by the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, participated in the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel. Many in the West consider Fatah, which dominates the PA, to be a “moderate” party that wants to live in peace and harmony with Israel. We have been told many times by Palestinian officials that Fatah’s armed wing was dismantled.
In a video message published earlier this month, Abu Mohammed, the official spokesman for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, said: “On Oct. 7, our heroes in the brave unit participated in the invasion of the colonies surrounding Gaza and the [Israeli military] bases known as the Gaza Division, and together with our brothers in the Palestinian struggle organizations captured many Zionists. Some of them were transferred to us and some are still in our hands.”
Abu Mohammed disclosed that members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades are currently participating in the fighting against the Israeli army in Gaza and have carried out more than 470 “military missions” since Oct. 7.
In November 2023, Fatah released a video showing Fatah terrorists firing Kalashnikov rifles at an Israeli kibbutz. A Fatah terrorist then presented captured Israeli military equipment and said: “We have plundered from them…. Today we broke into the military post Nahal Oz [a civilian kibbutz] and we hit what we hit, we took as plunder what we took, and we killed soldiers and stepped on their heads.”
The video is clear evidence that Abbas’ Fatah loyalists have been working in coordination with Hamas. Their participation shows that there is little distinction between Fatah and Hamas. This is why, after Hamas is removed from power, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority cannot be trusted to rule Gaza. Both Fatah and Hamas are outspokenly proud of their attacks on Jews. They seem to be competing to prove to the Palestinians who can carry out more attacks against Israel. (Gatestone Institute)
Latest Saudi Textbooks Reflect An Increasingly Positive Shift Towards Jews, Israel – IMPACT-se
Saudi Arabia’s School Curriculum has shown positive improvements in tolerance and inclusivity and significant moderation of anti-Israel material, a new study by The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) revealed Tuesday (28th).
The study reviewed 371 textbooks published between 2019 and 2024, focusing on the same content highlighted in IMPACT-se’s previous study in 2023. It paid special attention to subjects in the Humanities, particularly the Arabic language, Islamic and Social Studies, Life and family Skills, Critical Thinking, Geography, History and Literature. The content of the textbooks is according to UNESCO-based standards of peace and tolerance.
The study revealed that almost all previously identified examples of hatred toward Jews and Christians were removed. Additionally, the level of negative portrayals of infidels and polytheists has been reduced. However, there are still examples that relate to the damnation of polytheists and infidels in hell.
Previous textbooks included accusations of “treachery and animosity” by Jews and Christians against Muslims, their plotting against Islam, their divine punishment of being turned into apes and pigs for worshiping the devil, and brandishing the belief in Jesus’ divinity as heresy, according to the IMPACT-se’s study.
The new textbooks describe atheism as a dangerous phenomenon that can lead to moral corruption, according to the study. In some examples, atheism is compared to terrorism and religious extremism. However, an explanation that said that atheism occurs in Muslims, whose souls have been taken over by the devil, has been removed.
The textbooks, the study says, references east Jerusalem as occupied, and as the capital of Palestine.
Regarding its references to Zionism and Israel, textbooks no longer describe Zionism as a “racist European movement” and no longer blame Zionists for the 1969 al-Aqsa Mosque arson. They also no longer say that Israel intended to expand its territory and take over religious sites as a cause of the Six Day War. Israel is still not recognized on maps. However, in some cases, Palestine also does not appear. Overall, 21 cases of anti-Israel sentiment in old textbooks were removed.
There has also been a decrease in content promoting jihad and martyrdom. This year, all “problematic” examples have been removed or altered, including removing an interpretation of jihad as a violent act, emphasizing the non-violent interpretation of jihad, such as the jihad of the “self” instead.
The study also reveals that in the new textbooks, radical religious ideologies are criticized, including extremist organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbollah, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Houthis. Counter-terrorism laws are taught in a new Application of Law textbook.
In the new textbooks, there is a new found focus on women’s contribution to Saudi Arabia, according to the report. There is still a traditional approach to gender roles in society and at home.
IMPACT-se has reviewed the Saudi school curriculum since the early 2000s as a result of the September 11 attacks in New York, which raised questions on the role of schools in radicalizing youth in the Middle East.
