News Digest — 10/15/26
Colombia Opens Embassy In Jerusalem, Becoming Tenth Country To Do So
Colombia on Wednesday (14th) opened its embassy in Jerusalem, making it the tenth country to take the symbolic step of backing Israeli sovereignty in the holy city.
The embassy’s opening was attended by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and visiting Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar.
“Today we are taking a concrete step toward restoring diplomatic relations between us—relations that should never have been severed. Israel is a strategic partner—it always has been, and from now on, it will be even more so,” Escobar said, according to a Foreign Ministry readout.
Colombian Ambassador Tania Gilinski echoed that sentiment in her remarks, saying the countries’ ties will continue with “even greater determination and strength.”
Sa’ar similarly hailed the move, calling it “a recognition of the simple political fact that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital.”
“This is the beginning of a golden age in relations between our two countries,” he said.
Colombia’s new right-wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella, announced his intentions to open the embassy following his election months ago, saying the two countries would have a relationship “like never before” once he takes office.
Colombia is the tenth country to open an embassy in Jerusalem, alongside the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Fiji, Somaliland, and Nauru. Other countries – including Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia – maintain embassy branches in the capital.
IDF Chief Of Staff: ‘Potential For Escalation Has Grown, We’re Ready For Every Scenario’
IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir visited Central Command on Wednesday (14th), where he held a situational assessment and operational briefing amid heightened security alerts and concerns over potential escalation on multiple fronts.
The visit was attended by Central Command Commander MG Avi Bluth, Judea and Samaria Division Commander BG Kobi Heller, 98th Division Commander BG Meni Liberty, 96th Division Commander BG Oren Simcha, and additional brigade and battalion commanders, alongside representatives of the Shin Bet and Israel Border Police.
During the visit, Zamir toured the area of the Judea Brigade, reviewed operational challenges and the missions assigned to forces operating in Judea and Samaria, and approved plans for continued military activity.
“In light of the increased number of alerts across all fronts and the sensitivity of this period, the potential for escalation has grown,” Zamir warned.
“To ensure greater operational control on the ground, we have reinforced our forces across all areas, including deploying the 98th Division to strengthen security and stability in the area. We have reinforced our troops and raised our level of readiness, and we continue preparing for scenarios in which attempts may be made to catch us by surprise.”
The Chief of Staff stressed the importance of maintaining operational readiness and preventing terrorist attacks.
“During this sensitive period, we must maintain vigilance and readiness on every front, preserve our freedom of operation, and swiftly thwart threats. We pursue and combat terrorism wherever it exists. The IDF is at a high level of readiness to launch extensive offensive operations against anyone who attempts to harm Israeli civilians.”
Zanir also addressed violence against civilians in Judea and Samaria, particularly during the ongoing harvest season.
“Attacks and violence against innocent people do not reflect Israeli or Jewish values. Such acts must be condemned and eradicated using all means available to the State of Israel.
“We are currently in the olive harvest season. The IDF will continue operating to enable the harvest to take place while maintaining public order and ensuring the safety of all populations in the area.”
Marking one year since Operation “Returning Home.” Zamir recalled the military’s efforts to secure the return of hostages held in Gaza and highlighted the role played by the 98th Division.
“Throughout the war, the mission of bringing home the hostages, both living and deceased, was the guiding principle behind our actions. The 98th Division played a significant role in operations to bring the hostages home, acting with determination and dedication until the return of the last hostage.”
Zamir concluded by praising the troops and commanders of the 98th Division, 96th Division, and Judea and Samaria Division for their service throughout the war.
“All of you have served with dedication and professionalism throughout the war and achieved significant accomplishments. I trust that you will continue to carry out your missions with excellence.”
Israel Will Seize More Lebanese Territory If Hezbollah Joins Iranian Attacks, DM Warns
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Wednesday (14th) that Israel would seize additional territory in southern Lebanon if Hezbollah joins Iran in launching a new attack against the Jewish state.
Speaking during a visit to Israeli military positions in southern Lebanon, Katz outlined plans for a major ground offensive that would expand Israel’s permanent security zone to include areas surrounding Nabatiyeh and the Litani River.
“If Hezbollah joins Iran in attacking Israel, it will face a severe blow and lose more territory in southern Lebanon,” Katz declared.
The defense minister said the IDF was prepared to launch another ground maneuver and would incorporate any newly captured territory into Israel’s existing security zone.
He also warned that Israeli military operations would force large numbers of Lebanese civilians to evacuate northward, including residents of areas extending toward the Awali and Zahrani rivers.
According to Katz the evacuations would allow the IDF to conduct extensive strikes against Hezbollah’s military infrastructure while pushing the threat posed by the terrorist organization’s drones farther away from Israeli border communities.
The operation would also include evacuating Beirut’s southern Dahiyeh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, ahead of major attacks on the terrorist infrastructure there.
Katz delivered the remarks while touring the first line of villages in southern Lebanon alongside Northern Command chief MG Rafi Milo, 91st Division commander BG, Yuval Gaz and other senior officers.
During the visit commanders briefed him on Operation Silver Plow, an ongoing Israeli military effort to demolish Hezbollah infrastructure in territory held by the IDF.
Katz praised the soldiers participating in the operation and reiterated that Israel has no intention of relinquishing its existing security positions in Lebanon or Syria.
“As the prime minister and I have made clear, we will not withdraw from the security zones,” he said.
The defense minister also issued a personal warning to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem, accusing his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, of bringing devastation upon Lebanon’s shiite community.
Katz warned that Qassem could bring about the community’s complete destruction and ultimately suffer the same fate as Nasrallah who was eliminated in an Israeli strike in September 2024.
The latest threats come amid renewed speculation about a possible confrontation between Israel, the US and Iran, with Israeli officials warning that Tehran and its regional proxies could launch attacks ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections.
Hezbollah entered the regional war in March 2026 by launching attacks against Israel following the start of US and Israeli military operations against Iran.
Danon, Waltz Met With Latin American Envoys At UN
Danny Danon and Mike Waltz, Israeli and U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations, respectively, met with ambassadors from Latin American countries Wednesday (14th) to strengthen diplomatic cooperation and build support for joint initiatives at the global body, Danon told JNS exclusively.
The meeting, which a spokesman for the Israeli mission to the global body told JNS was the “first of its kind,” focused on expanding cooperation within the United Nations and strengthening ties between the countries in economics, technology and innovation.
“Latin American countries are important partners for Israel and together with the United States, we are working to deepen our ties and strengthen diplomatic cooperation,” Danon told JNS.
“The alliances we are building are reflected not only around the negotiating table but also in the voting halls of the United Nations,” he said.
The gathering was part of a joint Israeli-American effort to expand diplomatic partnerships with Latin American countries and to “promote cooperation on issues of mutual importance,” Danon’s office said.
“The more we expand our network of partners, the more we can advance joint initiatives, shared interests and meaningful decisions on the international stage,” Danon told JNS.
“The relationships we strengthen today will translate into diplomatic influence in tomorrow’s UN votes,” he said.
(jns.org)
The Cult Of Palestinianism Is Fundamentally Anti-British – Stephen Daisley
Why has Britain been such a focal point for anti-Israel activism since Oct. 7, 2023? Our open-borders immigration policy has played its part. As, too, has our insistent, suicidal tolerance of people and cultures.
But there is something else at work. Palestinianism is outwardly anti-Zionist, but inwardly it grows from a sense of grievance against the British, their empire, and London’s historical sympathy for a Jewish state. They hate Israel, but they blame Britain. To the Palestinianists, Britain means the Balfour Declaration, the original sin which enabled the entire Zionism project.
Britain would rather not face up to the enmity felt for it by the Palestinianists. We have more than enough mobs who hate our guts, thank you very much. Our fatal mistake is listening to them in good faith and striving to strike a reasonable balance between their campaign and that of their Israeli enemies.
In doing so, we insist upon a false equivalence that treats these two causes as morally equal. This approach cannot survive honest scrutiny.
The cause of Zionism, the establishment and maintenance of a Jewish state in the ancient land of Israel, has produced an advanced democracy, with highly educated citizenry and burgeoning markets in technology, medical science, and military material. By whichever metric you choose, the state of Israel is an objective good and has brought many benefits to Western civilization. (Telegraph-UK)
Dublin Hotel Cancels 70 Rooms Booked For Antisemitism Conference delegates
The Herbert Park Hotel In Dublin, Ireland canceled a reservation for 70 rooms intended for delegates attending an international conference on combating antisemitism, after learning the purpose of their visit.
This was first revealed by Maurice Cohen, Chairman of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, during a reception at the Irish Foreign Ministry.
According to Cohen, hotel management canceled after questioning whether the gathering was connected to the Israel Defense Forces, despite it being a civilian conference.
The European Jewish Congress called the incident “deeply disturbing.”
“That a hotel would cancel accommodation for participants in a conference dedicated to combating antisemitism, while raising questions about supposed links to the Israeli military, reflects precisely the kind of prejudice and suspicion that such gatherings seek to confront.”
“It is profoundly troubling that those working to combat antisemitism should themselves encounter such treatment. Jewish organizations and those standing against hatred must never face exclusion or discrimination because of their work.”
The conference in question was the 15th meeting of the Special Envoys and Coordinators Combating Antisemitism (SECCA) Forum, organized by the World Jewish Congress in partnership with the European Commission and convened as an Associated Event under Ireland’s rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Jewish community leaders from across the world joined government envoys, representatives from international organizations and technology company executives in Dublin, this week, from 12-14 October.
Leaders representing the 17 large communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism, connecting the Delegacion de Asociaciones Israelitas Argentinas (DAIA), Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), Canada’s Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF), Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Board of Deputies of British Jews alongside the Anti-Defamation League and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations from the United States, also joined the forum following a series of high-level meetings in London earlier in the week.
The gathering included a meeting with Ireland’s Taoiseach, Michael Martin.
The delegates were officially welcomed by Irish ministers despite current Ireland-Israel tensions.
At the start of Tuesday’s agenda, Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Colm Brophy said he was “very pleased to welcome Jewish community leaders”… and said “I find it troubling the increase in antisemitism and other forms of racism especially online in recent years.”
A Herbert Park Hotel manager declined to comment on the cancellation allegations on Tuesday evening (13th) according to Ynet. Another request for comment had been forwarded to the hotel’s corporate management.
