News Digest — 3/11/25
IAF Strikes Targets Belonging To The Syrian Regime In order To Eliminate Future Threats
IAF fighter jets struck radars and detection assets used for constructing aerial intelligence assessments in southern Syria early Tuesday morning (11th), the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said.
In addition, command positions and military sites containing weapons and military equipment belonging to the Syrian regime in southern Syria were struck.
“The presence of these assets in southern Syria posed a threat to the State of Israel and IDF activities. These targets were struck in order to eliminate future threats,” said the IDF statement.
The statement followed Syrian media reports on Monday night (10th) of strikes in the town of Saasaa and Qatana in the Damascus area.
Earlier, Syria reported strikes targeting military facilities of the former Assad regime in the southern part of the country.
Last week, the IDF confirmed a strike on weapons belonging to former Israeli president Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.
“Due to recent developments in the area, it was decided to strike military infrastructure at the site. The IDF continues to monitor developments in the area and will act as necessary in order to defend the citizens of the State of Israel,” the IDF said at the time.
Two weeks ago, Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israel was striking targets in Syria, saying “The Israeli Air Force is currently striking with force in southern Syria as part of the new policy we have defined of demilitarizing southern Syria–and the message is clear: we will not allow southern Syria to turn into southern Lebanon.”
“We will not compromise the security of our citizens. Any attempt by Syrian regime forces or terrorist organizations in the country to establish themselves in the security zone in southern Syria will be met with fire,” it added.
That confirmation came as the IDF struck military targets in southern Syria including command centers and multiple sites containing weapons.
IDF Chief Cancels All Holiday Leaves For Soldiers, Citing October 7 Failures
LG Eyal Zamir is changing the long-standing military protocol that grants large-scale leave during holidays–one of the lessons learned from October 7, saying the dramatic move aims to ensure there is no day in the year when a significant portion of the IDF is on standby.
IDF Chief of Staff LG Eyal Zamir has canceled all routine holiday leaves for soldiers, saying the army must remain on alert year round in the wake of the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas.
Speaking to senior military commanders, Zamir said mandatory service members and career officers would still be entitled to vacations, but the long-standing practice of scheduled unit-wide leaves during holidays would be canceled.
The decision follows military investigations into the failures of October 7 when Hamas exploited the reduced troop presence along the Gaza border during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah to launch its unprecedented terror attack.
The findings showed that Hamas was aware of the Israeli military’s predictable holiday schedules, with its leader, Yahya Sinwar, reportedly noting that on holidays and on Fridays, “They don’t leave many people.”
Military officials say holiday leave suspension is particularly significant for combat units and command centers that manage border security. The military has already increased its permanent force deployment along Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank during holidays as a result of the war.
Despite the cancellation of scheduled leaves, individual soldiers will still be granted time off, but Israel’s military will remain on full operational footing year-round to prevent future lapses in readiness.
This week Purim will be celebrated in Israel, beginning on Thursday evening (13th), and ending Friday evening (14th).
New Knesset Bill Would Nullify Oslo Accords, Restore Israeli Control Over All of Judea, Samaria And Gaza
A former Israeli government minister and his party are pushing legislation that would undo the legal recognition of the Palestinian Authority and restore Israeli control over all of Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
On Sunday (9th) former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announced that he and the other members of his Otzma Yehudit faction have drafted and submitted to the Knesset a bill which would annul the Oslo Accords, and subsequent deals between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
“Together with my fellow members of the Otzma Yehudit party, I have submitted a bill aimed at canceling the Oslo Accords, the Hebron Agreement, and the Wye Agreement,” Ben Gvir tweeted.
“According to the proposal, these agreements will be completely annulled and the State of Israel will restore the previous status, including the return of territories that were transferred as part of these agreements.”
“Additionally, laws enacted to implement these agreements will be repealed, and the Prime Minister will be granted the authority to establish regulations for their implementation.”
In September 1993, then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin signed the first Oslo Accord with the Palestine Liberation organization chairman Yasser Arafat, laying the foundation for the legal recognition of the PLO in Israel and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
Two years later, Israel and the PA signed the second Oslo Accord, under which Israel transferred additional territory to the PA and established Areas A, B, and C in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
While Israel retained security and civil control over Area C, spanning roughly 60% of Judea and Samaria, the PA was given full control over Area A, and management over civil affairs in Area B.
Under the 1995 agreement, Israelis were barred from entering Area A without special dispensation.
“More than three decades after the start of the peace process, it is time to recognize that these agreements have harmed Israel’s security, cost thousands of lives, and led to the strengthening of terrorist organizations in Judea, Samaria and Gaza,”the bill’s explanatory notes read.
“The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel would pose an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and destabilize the region. It would only be a matter of time before Hamas would take control.
“These agreements have brought thousands of ‘peace victims’ upon the State of Israel, undermined its security and strategic standing, and, above all, paved the way for the establishment of a terrorist state within Israel’s borders.”
Hamas Alarmed About Emigration Of Young Gazans (Frontpage Magazine)
Much of the world has chosen to dismiss or denounce Trump’s proposal for the Gaza Strip. That plan expresses Trump’s belief that Gaza could be turned into a highly desirable, mostly residential property, with a long and beautiful beachfront, once the rubble is removed, and the unexploded ordnance, and the other explosives with which Hamas booby-trapped so many civilian buildings, could also be collected and safely detonated.
No Gazans would be forced to leave; the plan envisions a voluntary and temporary exodus, with Gazans returning, in staggered numbers, once some part of Gaza has again been rebuilt with what Trump envisions as attractive new and solid housing.
He believes that this removal of the rubble and then the building of infrastructure will be paid for by the rich Arab states of the Gulf – Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, – with not one penny coming from the American government.
Not all Gazans appear determined to remain in the Strip – some especially among the young – are eager to leave.
These are the people who find Trump’s proposal neither laughable nor offensive, and who hope it can be achieved. Right now, they want out. They want better lives.
But Hamas will try to force them to stay, even threatening them with death if they “abandon” the jihadist struggle in order to selfishly improve their private lot.
Now the IDF has found Hamas documents revealing the terror group’s great worry: that the young people in Gaza don’t want to remain where they are; they are sick of being used as human shields, sick of the war begun by Hamas on October 7, sick of being forced to remain among the rubble because of threats from Hamas.
Hamas sees the immigration of young Gazans from the Gaza Strip as a great concern since this population forms the nucleus of the terror group’s strength, according to a document seized by the IDF and exposed by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (MAITIC) on Thursday (6th).
According to unofficial data, approximately 250,000 young people have left Gaza since 2007, primarily due to economic conditions.
A survey revealed that 44% of young people in Gaza have considered emigrating mainly for “economic reasons”
The young people see no way to a better life as long as they remain in Gaza. Many of them want out.
The document published by the MAITIC, titled “Young People Chasing an Illusion,” and written by the Hamas’ Khan Yunis Brigade, a brigade within the terror group’s military wing, describes emigration as a serious threat to Hamas’ power… The document reveals how the terror group attempted to combat this trend through religious and nationalist rhetoric, portraying emigration as a betrayal of Islamic values and the Palestinian struggle… The document also revealed that Hamas stressed to the young men of Gaza that they should see themselves as warriors for Islam, jihadis, with a religious duty that must outweigh all considerations of private well-being.
The young are needed as sources for recruits in the Hamas terror organization and to serve as human shields, no matter what the economic conditions in Gaza are like.
However, it is eye-opening that the “Big Wig” Hamas leaders and their families, moved out of Gaza and currently live in Doha, Qatar in luxury, including Mousa Abu Marzook and Khaled Meshaal, as did Ismail Haniyeh until he was killed.
UN Recognition Of Hostage Families As Torture Victims, ‘Milestone In International Law’
In an interview with Ynet , Advocate Hila Kugler-Ramot, CEO of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, discussed the significance of a newly published UN report on hostage-taking, which recognizes both Israeli hostages held by Hamas and their families as victims of torture.
Speaking about the report’s findings, Kugler-Ramot emphasized its groundbreaking approach, “Dr. Alice Jill Edwards, the UN’s special rapporteur on torture, addressed hostage-taking comprehensively, covering both state and non-state actors. Her report made two major contributions: first, recognizing hostages as victims of torture, and second–and perhaps even more signifcant–acknowledging that their families also endure torture due to the psychological abuse inflicted by Hamas.”
The findings were presented at a special event at the UN in Geneva on March 5, led by the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and jurists, in partnership with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum and with support from the German Embassy in Geneva.
Among those attending the UN discussion were Lishai Miran-Levi, the wife of hostage Omri Miran, and Rivka Bukhbut, the wife of hostage Elkana Bukhbut. Kugler-Ramot stressed the significance of their testimonies.
“Their presence was essential,” she said. “They gave the world an unfiltered look at the horrifying reality their husbands are experiencing in captivity. But beyond that, they shed light on their own suffering and the toll this has taken on their children.”
Dr. Edwards, the special rapporteur, visited Israel and met with the families of hostages. According to Kugler-Ramot, this direct engagement had a profound impact on shaping the report’s conclusions.
When asked about the practical impact of the UN’s findings, Kugler-Ramot highlighted how the report could serve as a powerful tool for legal action and advocacy.
“With Dr. Edwards status as a leading global expert, this report can help push for accountability and justice,” she explained. “It also makes an important clarification–that soldiers taken captive are also considered victims of hostage taking, reinforcing international legal protections.”
Despite the report’s significance, Kugler-Ramot acknowledged that challenges remain in implementing its recommendations.
“This is a milestone in international law, but it’s only the first step,” she noted. Now we need UN member states to adopt these conclusions and act on them. That will be the real test.”
As efforts continue to secure the release of the hostages, Kugler-Ramot remains hopeful that this recognition will strengthen legal and diplomatic pressure on Hamas.
“This is just the beginning,” she concluded. “We will continue working to ensure that justice is served.”
New Jersey City Declared ‘Capital Of Palestine’ By Mayor In Fiery Speech
Paterson, New Jersey, is “the capital of Palestine in the United States,” according to Mayor Andre Sayegh, at an event on February 28 marking the start of Ramadan.
Sayegh also called Paterson the “fourth holiest city in the world” after Jerusalem, Mecca, and Medina.
He also called the city the “Mecca of New Jersey.”
Paterson is home to a growing Palestinian population with Palestinian flags and Arabic signage reportedly lining its streets.
The Hilal Lighting Ceremony where these statements took place was supported by organizations with strong pro-Palestinian ties, such as the Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) and the Islamic Center of Passaic County (ICPC), both of which have faced scrutiny for their controversial pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel rheteric, according to a JFeed report.
Other pro-Palestinian adjustments in Paterson over recent years have included renaming Main Street to “Palestine Way,” pushing the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) Movement, and declaring Paterson as a Palestinian-Islamic hub.
