News Digest — 11/8/24
Netanyahu To Dutch Prime Minister: Israel Views Amsterdam Pogrom With Utmost Severity
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on Friday morning (8th), spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Shoof following the anti-Semitic pogrom in Amsterdam Thursday evening (7th) and emphasized the great importance of the Dutch government ensuring the wellbeing of all Israelis in the Netherlands, including those who were wounded and injured in the disturbances.
Netanyahu said that he views with utmost gravity the planned anti-Semitic attacks against Israeli citizens and requested that security be increased for the Dutch Jewish community.
The prime minister thanked his Dutch counterpart for expressing shock over last night’s events and for saying that it was an extraordinary and anti-Semitic event.
Pursuant to the Israeli Prime Minister’s directive, Israeli planes were sent to the Netherlands to bring back the Israeli citizens, including the wounded.
Since the outbreaks of the attacks, Prime Minister Netanyahu has been in direct contact with his Military Secretary and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who have received regular updates on the situation and have monitored the implementation of his directives.
In addition, President Isaac Herzog condemned the pogrom and wrote: “We see with horror this morning, the shocking images and videos that since Oct. 7, we had hoped never to see again: an anti-Semitic pogrom currently taking place against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and Israeli citizens in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
“This is a serious incident, a warning sign for any country that wishes to uphold the values of freedom. I give my full support to the cooperation now taking place between the governments, and trust that the authorities in the Netherlands will act immediately and take all necessary measures to protect, locate, and rescue all Israelis and Jews under attack, and to eradicate the violence against Jewish and Israeli citizens by all required means,” Herzog said.
‘A New Kristallnacht:’ Jewish, Israeli Figures Express Horror Over Amsterdam Pogrom
Israeli leaders and international Jewish figures have reacted with horror to the scenes of violent anti-Semitism that unfolded in Amsterdam on Thursday night (7th) following a Maccabi TLV-Ajax soccer match.
The pogrom against Israeli fans, which resulted in multiple wounded and three missing, is now apparently under control, according to Dutch officials.
The Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM) called the attacks on Israeli soccer fans “a new Kristallnacht.”
“Exactly 86 years after Kristallnacht, when Nazis, along with ordinary Germans hunted Jews through the streets of Europe, we see their ideological heirs rampaging through the streets of Amsterdam once again seeking to spill Jewish blood,” said CEO of Cam Sacha Roytman Dratwa.
“Thousands of Islamists, who are today’s neo-Nazis in ideology and action, in a clearly premeditated and organized fashion, targeted Jews in what feels to many as a loud echo from history.”
Dratwa stressed a difference between 1939 and today: The State of Israel.
“The Jews won’t wait around like they did in ‘39,” Dratwa added. “They’ll leave, leaving you to deal with the extremism that has been allowed to fester.”
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir expressed a similar sentiment, writing that “This is not only an injury to Jews and Israelis, but a warning sign to all European countries against radical Muslim violence. Those who turn a blind eye to Islamic terrorism in the Middle East will meet it at home in Europe and the West.”
“Today, the victims were Israelis: tomorrow it will be you Europeans.”
The President of United Hatzalah, Eli Beer, said, “This is what happens when terrorists are allowed into Europe.”
“Tonight, in central Amsterdam, young Jews were attacked by Palestinians, facing attempted lynchings – the police were absent or arrived too late. This is happening in the heart of Europe, and it’s only the beginning. In Israel, we confront this daily, but now it’s spreading to Europe.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon addressed the situation, calling for the UN to condemn the pogrom.
“These are the true faces of the supporters of the radical terrorism we are fighting,” he wrote.
“The Western world needs to wake up now!! This is the time when the UN should immediately and clearly condemn the violence of the Palestinians and their supporters. The Dutch authorities must take decisive action against terrorism now.”
Former War Cabinet minister Benny Gantz said that the pogrom “penetrates the soul of every Jew, with difficult images that remind of us dark and painful days,”
He asked the Dutch government to do everything it could to protect Israelis with all the means at its disposal against the anti-Semitic terrorists.
Israel Strikes Deep In Lebanon; Kills 60 Hezbollah Terrorists
Sixty Hezbollah terrorists were killed over the past day in Israeli airstrikes on 20 targets north of Lebanon’s Litani River, including in Baalbek, the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday morning (7th).
Among the targets hit was the launcher used in Wednesday’s (6th) rocket barrage on central Israel, the largest on the center since the war began over a year ago. Weapons storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure were also destroyed.
Strikes were also conducted on Hezbollah targets in Nabatieh and the Dahieh area south of Beirut on Wednesday (6th), according to the IDF.
Among the targets hit in Dahieh were a Hezbollah stronghold, command centers, weapons storage facilities and terrorist infrastructure, according to the military.
“All the targets were embedded in the heart of a civilian area, an additional example of Hezbollah’s cynical exploitation of Lebanese civilians as human shields, the IDF said.
Prior to the strikes, numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk to civilians, including using precise munitions, surveillance, and issuing advance warnings to the population in the area.”
According to Lebanese media reports, slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s Uncle and his family were killed by an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon on Wednesday (6th). Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike on his bunker in Beirut on Sept. 27.
In the early hours of Thursday morning (7th), Israel conducted an airstrike on a Hezbollah target “within yards” of runways at Beirut-Rafic Hariri Airport, according to the Daily Telegraph.
According to the British newspaper, which published a video of the strike, up to three missiles were fired at a building located between two runways at Lebanon’s only international airport. The IDF had previously issued an evacuation notice for the area.
One of the 10 rockets launched at central Israel by Hezbollah shortly before noon on Wednesday (6th) hit a parking lot at Ben Gurion Airport, temporarily halting flights at the country’s main international airport. There were no injuries reported.
Hezbollah launched 170 projectiles into Israeli territory in total on Wednesday (6th), one of which killed an IDF soldier in the country’s north.
The soldier was identified on Thursday morning (7th) as Sgt. Ariel Sosnov Sasonov, 20, of the 605th Combat Engineering Battalion, from Jerusalem.
Hezbollah’s Massive Underground Combat Sites – Bassam Tawil
Iran-backed Hezbollah spent the past 15 years building a vast network of tunnels in Lebanon as part of its preparedness for war with Israel. Some of the tunnels were to be used for invading Israel to carry out atrocities like those committed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. The funds used to build the tunnels could have alleviated Lebanon’s financial crisis, but Hezbollah chose instead to invest in preparing for war and terrorist attacks against Israel.
Iran and North Korea helped Hezbollah set up a network of tunnels in Lebanon significantly larger than the Hamas tunnels. The current IDF operation in southern Lebanon foiled Hezbollah’s plan to invade Israel. Even if Hezbollah says it will withdraw to the north of the Litani River, the tunnels enable it to easily violate that pledge.
Hezbollah and Hamas bear full responsibility for the death of thousands of Lebanese, Palestinians and Israelis since Oct. 7. The two terrorist groups started the war, at the behest of their patrons in Iran, with the intention of killing a large number of Israelis and eliminating Israel. The vast network of tunnels they built in Lebanon and Gaza are an indication of their determination to pursue their Jihad (holy war) against Israel.
The current war in Lebanon and Gaza must not end without the destruction of all the tunnels and the total defeat of Hezbollah and Hamas. Those who are pushing for an immediate ceasefire are only empowering Iran and its terror proxies, paving the way for another Oct. 7-style massacre. (Gatestone Institute)
Opinion – It’s Time For All Jews To Consider Coming Home To Israel – Steven Burg
The events of October 7, 2023, marked a seismic shift in the Jewish world. As we have just passed the first anniversary of that tragic day, it’s clear that nothing will ever be the same for Jews around the globe. The rise in anti-Semitism, coupled with the unwavering strength and resilience of Israel has brought us to a critical juncture in Jewish history.
Throughout our long Diaspora, Jews have consistently contributed to and improved the societies we’ve inhabited. We’ve won Nobel prizes, advanced scientific discoveries, and enriched cultures worldwide. Yet, time and time again, this dedication has been met with persecution, violence, and expulsion.
The United States, a beacon of freedom and democracy, has been no exception to this pattern. Recent events – from the shooting of a Jew on his way to synagogue in Chicago to the appointment of individuals with openly anti-Semitic views to positions of power – demonstrate that even in America, Jewish safety is not guaranteed.
Israel, however, stands apart. We transformed Israel into a land flowing with milk and honey. Farms were built, industry was created, and Torah study and scholarship reached new heights. Innovation and entrepreneurship seemed to be flowing out of the faucets.
We also learned the lessons of our exile and built one of the strongest militaries in the world. It was staffed by young Jews who knew that they may one day have to give their lives for their brothers and sisters. The bravery and courage that accompanied this effort was breathtaking. As Prime Minister Golda Meir said to then-senator Joe Biden in 1973: “We Israelis have a secret weapon… We have nowhere else to go.”
Fifty years later this reality has become increasingly apparent. The Jewish people will never leave Israel, ever again. We are here to stay and we will fight like lions against anyone who attacks our people.
There is no doubt for anyone who has witnessed the thousands of rockets that have been launched against Israel that the Almighty is standing alongside us, shielding us from catastrophe. The war has only strengthened our resolve. We will defend our people with unwavering determination.
IT IS IN this context that I make a call that I’ve long hesitated to voice: It is time for all Jews to consider coming home to Israel. I don’t make this statement lightly. As a lifelong American citizen, I have deep love and respect for the United States. The American story of Revolution and the spread of freedom is one of awe-inspiring achievements.
I have always viewed American history with awe and reverence. It is the story of a ragtag group of revolutionaries who took on the greatest monarchy in Europe to create a land filled with liberty and freedom. I have always felt that God must have looked at the great American experiment with love and admiration as they broke free from the shackles of tyranny and spread freedom around the world.
However, at this point in history, the right place for Jews is to be back home in Israel. I don’t say these words lightly and I take my responsibilities as a Jewish leader very seriously. These words that I write now come straight from my heart. I am conflicted as I write them because I truly love America with all my heart.
However, the world has fundamentally changed. The future of the Jewish people is being built in Israel, and our homeland will be immeasurably strengthened by the talents and contributions of Jews from around the world.
This call to return is not just about seeking refuge from anti-Semitism. It’s about actively participating in the miraculous rebirth of Jewish sovereignty in our ancestral homeland. As David Ben-Gurion said, “In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.”
The sacrifices being made by Israelis are immense. We’ve lost precious soldiers like Capt. Abraham Yosef Goldberg, a charismatic educator and father of eight who spent 260 days in reserve duty since October 7. These heroes remind us of the price of our freedom and the depth of our commitment to our land.
At the same time, we’ve seen unexpected allies emerge. From progressive politicians like Rep. Ritchie Torres and Sen. John Fetterman – support for Israel has come from surprising quarters.
However, these bright spots cannot overshadow the broader trend of increasing hostility toward Jews worldwide. The time has come for world Jewry to shift from sending philanthropic contributions to Israel to sending themselves.
This is not an easy decision. It requires leaving behind familiar lives, careers and communities. But it is a decision that aligns with the arc of Jewish history and the promise of a Jewish future.
Israel is not just a refuge, it is our home. It is where we can fully express our identity, contribute to our people’s future, and live in a society built on Jewish values. It is where we can stand tall, unafraid and proud of who we are.
The call to return is about more than physical relocation. It’s about reconnecting with our roots, participating in the incredible story of Israel’s rebirth, and ensuring a strong, vibrant future for the Jewish people.
The writer, Aish’s CEO, is the chairman of Aish Ha’am, a new party that will be running for the World Zionist Congress this spring. He also serves on the board of governors of the Jewish Agency, as an executive board member of the Rabbinical Council of America.
UN Must Stop Protecting Israel’s Terror Foes In Gaza And Lebanon – Hillel Neuer
On October 7, 2023, members of the UN organization UNRWA actively took part in the Hamas terrorist massacres in Israel. Last week, the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed that the terrorist who commanded the attack that led to the abduction of American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin and other hostages was an UNRWA employee.
Meanwhile, in the months since Oct.7, members of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have provided cover, intentionally or not, for Hezbollah terrorists as they rained down more than 10,000 missiles, drones and rockets on Israeli civilians. The only function UNIFIL performs at this point is to shield Hezbollah‘s terrorist operation, which continues to threaten Israel from its northern border,
A top Hamas commander killed in Lebanon turned out to be a principal of an UNRWA school – and the head of the country’s UNRWA Teachers Union. A Hamas command room was discovered inside UNRWA headquarters in Gaza. That’s why last week , Israeli lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to bar the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants from operating within Israel, and severely curtailing its activities in Gaza and the West Bank.
Just like Hamas subverted UNRWA, Hezbollah has subverted UNIFIL. As the IDF uncovers Hezbollah stockpiles of weapons and bunkers in southern Lebanon, their proximity to UNIFIL positions is striking. Under UNIFIL’s watch, Iran’s terrorist proxy built an arsenal of 150,000 missiles and became far more powerful than Lebanon’s own military.
For UNRWA and UNIFIL to continue operating in their present form is untenable. These organizations must be dismantled – so that Gaza and Lebanon can be freed from the control of violent extremists and their enablers.
The writer is executive director of United Nations Watch in Geneva,
