News Digest — 7/2/26
Huckabee: No Chance Of A Rupture In Israel-US Relations
Against the backdrop of reports in recent weeks of tensions between Israel and the US, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee made clear that in his view there was no possibility of a rupture in relations between the two countries, describing their bond as deep and unbreakable.
“When I hear people say, ‘It is possible America and Israel will split apart and no longer enjoy this extraordinary partnership,’ I say, ‘no, you’ve got to understand, we are not that stupid,” Huckabee said. He described the relationship as an “incredible marriage between Israel and the United States,” adding with humor that there was “not a chance” of a separation, partly because of the financial implications such a move would entail.
The remarks were made at a festive event hosted by the Israeli-American Council (IAC) to mark 250 years of US independence. The event was held in Israel with the participation of business leaders, philanthropists and public figures from both countries. Among those attending was businesswoman and philanthropist Prof. Miriam Adelson.
Huckabee went on to address the historical roots of the relationship between the countries, arguing that the United States was deeply influenced by Jewish heritage and the Ten Commandments when its foundations were shaped. “If the United States forgets its heritage and the God of Abrahem, Isaac and Jacob, it will not be the great nation it has become,” he said.
Businesswoman and philanthropist Shari Arison, who hosted the event said strengthening ties between the communities (US and Israel) was intended to “bring light to the entire world through peace and unity,”
Board Of Peace To Create ‘Hamas Free’ Zones, Encourage Gazans To Move To Israeli Side Of Gaza
The US-backed Board of Peace is preparing to open its first Hamas-free humanitarian zone in the Gaza Strip within weeks, beginning with a pilot program in Tel Sultan near Rafah, according to a report in Israel Hayom.
The project is intended to create protected areas for civilians who are not armed and are not affiliated with Hamas, while shifting food and medical aid into zones administered outside the terror group’s control.
The plan is part of the implementation of Section 17 of President Donald Trump’s Gaza framework, which calls for temporary rehabilitation in parts of the Strip no longer controlled by Hamas.
Multinational forces overseen by the Board of Peace are expected to deploy near the new zones and operate from a facility built at Camp Amitai near Gaza, Israel Hayom reported. They are expected to carry nonlethal weapons to help maintain order, while the IDF remains positioned beyond the so-called yellow line and continues to hold territory inside Gaza.
The program’s immediate goal is to separate civilians from Hamas’ governing and military structures.
Food, medical care and other services would be provided inside the shelters, with caravans used instead of permanent reconstruction.
Officials familiar with the plan said no concrete would be brought in at this stage, reflecting concern that building materials could be diverted for military purposes.
The concept is designed to pressure Hamas from two directions: Israel would continue expanding security control over parts of Gaza, while the Board of Peace would draw civilians into areas beyond Hamas’ reach. Officials who have seen the plans hope the process will gradually deprive Hamas of population, territory and resources.
Board officials told Israel Hayom that Gazans who enter the new areas would not be blocked from leaving. The intention, they said, is for the zones “not to be a prison.”
Critics, including some residents of Israeli communities near Gaza, argue that the effort is premature while Hamas is armed.
They warn that the group could still influence who enters and exits the zones, intimidate civilians or exploit the humanitarian compounds for its own purposes.
Israeli officials backing the plan say it is the most practical way to begin building an alternative to Hamas rule without waiting for the group to voluntarily disarm.
Officials familiar with the Board of Peace’s work said the Palestinian technocratic committee meant to help administer Gaza will not enter areas under Hamas control while the group retains its weapons.
“No one intends to wait for Hamas,” the officials said.
The dispute reflects the broader deadlock over Trump’s post war Gaza plan. Hamas has refused to disarm, while the United States has restrained Israel from fully resuming major combat operations. Within those limits, Israeli officials say the IDF is stepping up targeted strikes against Hamas members and trying to prevent the group from rebuilding its military capabilities.
“We are maneuvering within the American constraints, increasing the pace of eliminations while staying below the threshold of international criticism, and this will continue as long as Hamas is not prepared to demilitarize,” a political source told Israel Hayom.
The Board of Peace’s lead Gaza envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, warned the United Nations Security Council in May that the current division of Gaza could become entrenched, with Hamas continuing to control much of the population while Israeli troops remain in large parts of the territory.
“The risk is that the deteriorating status quo becomes permanent – a divided Gaza, Hamas holding military and administrative control over 2 million people across less than half the territory,” Mladenov said.
He said construction would not advance in areas where armed groups remained in control. “Reconstruction financing will not follow where weapons have not been laid down. No investment, no movement, no horizon,” he told the council.
The Board of Peace has also faced scrutiny over its legal structure and the scope of protections sought for its personnel and contractors. The Guardian reported last week that a draft resolution would grant broad immunity to board members, affiliated personnel, international forces and contractors operating in Gaza.
Danny Danon: No Terrorist Deserves A Paycheck Or Protection
One thousand days after the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dannny Danon, addressed the UN General Assembly during its debate on the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
In his remarks, Ambassador Danon condemned UNRWA, reminding member states that Israel had warned for years about Hamas’ infiltration of the agency. He noted that even UNRWA was ultimately forced to dismiss dozens of employees in Gaza over suspected ties to terrorist organizations.
Danon also called on the international community to listen to the victims of terrorism, learn from Israel’s decades of experience in fighting terror, and take a clear and uncompromising stand against terrorist organizations.
“One thousand days after the October 7 massacre, the world must listen to the victims of terrorism and to the country that confronts terrorism every single day,” he said.
“No terrorist deserves a UN badge, a UN paycheck, or the protection of the United Nations. If we are serious about defeating terrorism, we must stand united against it, not provide it with legitimacy or immunity.” Danon concluded.
IDF Warns: Hamas Recruiting Youths, Manufacturing Rockets And Preparing For Next War
The IDF has recently identified signs that the Hamas terrorist organization is regrouping for a future conflict with Israel according to an internal presentation revealed on Channel 13 News on Tuesday evening (6/30).
The documentation detailed various steps taken by the terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip over recent months.
According to the report, Hamas is funneling significant efforts into military training and instruction for its elite Nukhba units, alongside expanding its recruitment operations. Among other details, it was noted that the organization is actively enlisting youths between the ages of 18 and 22.
The report further revealed that Hamas continues to develop its military capabilities, including the manufacturing of hundreds of improvised explosive devices (IEDS) and rockets every month. Concurrently, the organization is working to scale-up smuggling into the Strip, which includes drone components and other hardware, transferred through various channels. The report also pointed to the dissemination of operational plans ahead of a potential resumption of hostilities. According to the presentation, IDF officials are identifying advanced preparations on the ground, including the rehabilitation of capabilities that were damaged during the war.
Meanwhile, IDF forces continue to operate in the Gaza buffer zone, known as the “yellow line” which is designed to push threats away from Gaza border communities and prevent terrorist organizations from reestablishing themselves near the border.
According to the report, no special political military echelon discussions regarding the Gaza Strip have taken place in recent days. It further stated that the United States has conveyed messages to Israel indicating that, at this stage, there is no international legitimacy for another broad military campaign in the Strip.
Milei Urges Latin America To Embrace Isaac Accords In ‘Existential’ Fight Against ‘Evil’
Argentine President Javier Milei urged Latin American nations to join the Isaac Accords and deepen strategic ties with Israel, arguing the region stands at a historic crossroads as it confronts what he called an “existential” struggle between “good and evil.”
“From my first day as president, I made the firm decision to place Argentina on the right side of history,” Milei said Monday (6/29) during a speech to Latin American legislators affiliated with the Israel Allies Foundation, an international faith-based diplomacy organization.
“What this region decides in the coming years will determine which side of history we end up on.” he continued.
Earlier this year, the Argentinian leader and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally signed the Isaac Accords, a new framework aimed at deepening ties between Israel and Latin American governments while jointly addressing antisemitism and terrorism.
Modeled after the Abraham Accords–a series of historic, US-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab countries–the new initiative aims to strengthen political, economic and cultural cooperation between the Jewish state and Latin American governments.
Milei described the accords as “a moral, diplomatic, and cultural coalition” against antisemitism, terrorism, and drug trafficking, portraying it as a platform for like-minded governments to confront shared regional and global threats.
Words without action, he said, were not enough–the region already offered too many speeches and too much inaction while terrorism continued unabated.
“Latin America can take a clear stand,” the Argentine leader continued. “Neutrality is not an option just as it never has been in existential struggles.”
Milei’s remarks came amid a sweeping geopolitical realignment across Latin America, as an emerging bloc of conservative governments moves to deepen ties with both the US and Israel.
As Israel capitalizes on this growing regional momentum, the Abraham Accords seek to institutionalize expanding cooperation with Latin American partners through enhanced intelligence sharing, security coordination, and joint law enforcement efforts targeting Iranian proxy networks and transnational crime organizations operating across the hemisphere.
Latin America has long served as a key operational and financial hub for the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah, whose involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, and other illicit activities has helped bankroll its global terrorist operations.
Speaking earlier this year at The Algemeiner’s annual J100 gala in New York, Milei underscored What he described as the moral imperative of confronting evil at a pivotal moment for the West and its democratic values.
Morality as a state policy, he argued, demands courage–the willingness to do what is right even at the cost of friendships and to face an uncertain future without abandoning core values.
“Today, our moral sense tells us something with absolute certainty: The West is in danger,” he said. “The values that made this era of prosperity and common freedom possible are being eroded from the ground up.”
The Isaac Accords seek to anchor a new era of strategic cooperation between Israel and Latin America, expanding collaboration in technology, security, innovation, commerce, and economic development as governments across the region strengthen partnerships to confront shared security challenges.
The initiative will also seek to encourage partner countries to relocate their embassies to Jerusalem, formally designate Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, and shift longstanding voting patterns on Israel at the United Nations.
Since the start of the war in Gaza, and even more so amid the broader confrontation with Iran, Latin American countries have increasingly sought to align their domestic legislation with international sanctions networks targeting Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – all of which are designated as terrorists by the US, the United Kingdom, and European Union.
Once a formal designation is in place, authorities can immediately freeze a wide range of assets belonging to designated entities without the need for a prior criminal conviction.
The designation also makes it a criminal offense to provide such entities with material support–such as funding, transportation, housing or false documentation–while giving authorities additional tools to track and map a group’s logistical and financial networks.
In March, Argentina designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization, after previously designating the Palestinian group Hamas in 2024 and Hezbollah in 2019.
After Iran accused Buenos Aires of “siding with the aggressors” and violating international law with the move, the Argentine government declared Iranian charge d’affaires Mohsen Tehrani “persona non grata” and gave him 48 hours to leave the country.
