News Digest — 8/29/24
Netanyahu On Northern Border: When Will The Story End? ‘When We restore Security’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday (28th) toured the northern border.
At the start of the visit, the Prime Minister visited the IDF Northern Command headquarters where he received an operational briefing by the Head of Northern Command, Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordon on the significant strike against Hezbollah as part of a pre-emptive attack to lift the threat from the terrorist organization, which was carried out early last Sunday morning (25th).
Prime Minister Netanyahu then visited a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee together with the Head of Northern Command and 92nd Division commander Brig.-Gen. Shai Klefer, where he spoke with Golani Brigade 13th Battalion fighters and commanders, and representatives from the kibbutz emergency squad.
“I am here on the Lebanese border with the Head of Northern Command, commanders, and our soldiers, who are doing amazing work,” Netanyahu stated.
“A few days ago, we foiled a surprise attack by Hezbollah against the State of Israel. We destroyed thousands of intermediate-range rockets that were aimed at the Galilee and the Golan Heights. I repeat – thousands of rockets.”
We thwarted all of the drones that were directed against the State of Israel, at the Galilee and the center of the country, and they were destroyed. This was a great success but I will not tell you that it was enough. On the contrary. I said the simple truth; it is not the end of the story. When will that be? Only when we are able to restore security and the residents safely to their homes,” the Prime Minister continued.
He added: “This is neither mere words nor a slogan – this is a national goal of the highest order. We are committed to achieving it and we will achieve it, with your help and with G-d’s. Thank You”
The Prime Minister was accompanied by his Chief-of-Staff, Tzachi Braverman, his Military Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman and his Spokesperson, Dr. Omer Dostri.
IAF Kills PIJ Terrorist Faris Qasim, Three Others On Syria-Lebanon Border
The Israel Air Force killed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist Faris Qasim on the Syrian-Lebanese border, the military announced on Wednesday (28th).
The IDF stated that Qasim, belonging to the Operation’s Division, had been responsible for the advancement for its operational plans in both Syria and Lebanon and for enlisting Palestinian terrorists into the ranks of Hezbollah.
“An Israeli drone strike on a car crossing through a Syrian checkpoint near the border with Lebanon on Wednesday (28th) killed three members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and one member of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah,” Reuters reported earlier, citing sources.
According to the sources, the car was not transporting weapons. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah or from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror organizations.
Local Syrian official Abdo al Taqi told a Syrian radio station that a car was targeted on Wednesday morning (28th) on the road between the Syrian capital, Damascus, and Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, and four people were killed.
Wednesday’s (28th) drone strike came hours after an Israeli airstrike hit a pickup truck in northeast Lebanon near the Syrian border. A security source told Reuters that the vehicle was carrying military equipment, likely a damaged rocket launcher on the way to be repaired.
Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and other armed factions have launched rockets and drones at Israel from southern lebanon. The groups have strong ties to Iran and to Syria’s government and have transported fighters and weapons through the porous Syrian-Lebanese border.
Israel has targeted weapons shipments and other military infrastructure in Syria for years and has stepped up its strikes there since the Hamas terrorist group attacked Israel on October 7.
Later on Wednesday (28th) the military said it struck several Hezbollah terror infrastructures in Ain El Tineh in Lebanon.
In addition, air force jets struck a building in Odaisseh in southern Lebanon, containing Hezbollah terrorists, having been identified by IDF troops of the 91st Division.
On Wednesday afternoon (28th), a rocket crossed into Israeli territory, following rocket alerts that sounded in Upper Galilee. The military noted that the rocket had crashed in an open area.
Danon To Hezbollah: ’Withdraw from Border Now Or You Will Lead Lebanon To Ruin’
During a UN Security Council meeting to extend UNIFIL’s mandate in southern Lebanon, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon presented images that prove that Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel from facilities adjacent to UN bases.
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday (28th) unanimously approved the extension of UNIFIL’s mandate in southern Lebanon for another year.
This decision comes as Hezbollah continues its ongoing barrages of rocket fire from Lebanon on Israel – attacks funded by Iran, and fired near UNIFIL bases and using UNIFIL soldiers as human shields.
During the Security Council Session, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon presented images that prove that Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel from facilities adjacent to UN bases in southern Lebanon.
He noted that UNIFIL currently employs over 10,000 peacekeeping soldiers from over 40 countries, at a cost of over half a billion dollars.
“Both Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards must be designated as terrorist organizations worldwide. Sanctions against Iran must be intensified until their support for terror is crushed. The full implementation of resolution 1701 must be enforced. No more exceptions, no more delays. The time to act is now – before this conflict spirals into the regional war that Iran and Hezbollah want.” Ambassador Danon stated.
Ambassador Danon addressed Lebanon’s representative in the Council: “You and your government have a choice to make. Confront Hezbollah or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction. The time for action is now. Do not let Hezbollah and Iran dictate your future. If you fail to act, the devastation that follows will be on your hands.”
Ambassador Danon concluded by addressing Hezbollah directly: “Withdraw now, or you will bear responsibility for the pains and ruins of Lebanon. The choice is yours!”
Israeli FM Urges Evacuation Of Samaria During Anti-Terrorism Operation
The IDF has launched an extensive counter-terrorism operation in Northern Samaria in the Jenin and Tulkarm area to uproot infrastructure there funded by Iran
Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, urged the evacuation of Palestinians from Judea and Samaria in a similar manner to the way civilians are moved during operations in Gaza.
On Wednesday (28th) Katz posted on X, “The IDF is operating with force since last night, in the refugee camps of Jenin and Tulkarm to thwart Islamic-Iranian terror infrastructure that was set up there.”
Just as Hamas was armed in Gaza through the smuggling of weapons through Egypt, so Judea and Samaria terrorists are receiving weapons brought in through Jordan, and Katz stressed that Iran is behind it all.
“Iran is acting to create an eastern front in Judea and Samaria against Israel, modeling Gaza and Lebanon, by funding and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weaponry from Jordan,” he added.
Katz said Israel must “take care of the threat in the exact way terror infrastructure in Gaza is taken care of, including the temporary evacuation of Palestinian civilians and every other necessary step.”
The IDF has stepped up its anti-terrorism activities in northern Samaria after the recent increase in terror attacks, including the attempted suicide bombing in Tel Aviv carried out by a terrorist from the Tulkarm area.
During the operations which began overnight Tuesday (27th), at least 11 Palestinians were killed.
Several more Palestinians were arrested on suspicion of terrorism, and the anti-terrorism operation is expected to last several days.
IDF Kills Terrorists in West Bank Operation, Discovers Explosives Lab in Mosque
Five terrorists who were hiding inside a mosque were killed during a joint IDF, ISA and Israel Border Police counterterrorism operation in Tulkarm on Thursday (29th), the IDF announced. Other terrorists were arrested.
One of the terrorists killed was Muhammad Jabber,”Abu Shujaa,” the head of a terrorist network in Nur Shams, who was involved in the shooting attack that led to the murder of an Israeli civilian, Amnon Muchtar, in June, the IDF added.
The IDF also arrested a wanted Islamic Jihad terrorist in Tulkarm Wednesday night (28th), Army Radio posted on X.
According to Palestinian reports, the IDF soldiers entered the refugee camp dressed in civilian clothes and proceeded to enter the mosque. Army Radio and Arab media reported that a shootout took place between terrorists and IDF, during which multiple terrorists were killed.
During the operation, a Border Police soldier was lightly wounded and evacuated for further medical treatment.
The IDF also discovered a laboratory for the manufacture of explosive devices and a terrorist operations room while searching inside the Abu Bakr al Siddiq Mosque in the Jordan Valley, IDF Arabic Spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X on Thursday morning (29th).
The lab was discovered during IDF activities to thwart terrorism in the Far’a camp in the Jordan Valley. Terrorists had used the mosque as a base to carry out terrorist attacks against IDF forces, Adraee said.
While searching the facility, the IDF found explosive devices which it deemed “too dangerous to use or even move.”
“Addressing the situation and perceiving an immediate threat to IDF forces and civilians near the mosque, the IDF said it took the decision to immediately destroy the devices,” the spokesperson stated.
No damage was sustained to the prayer hall as a result of the explosives’ destruction, however a fire broke out, and was extinguished immediately.
Report: Gaza Terror Groups Planned Coup Against Sinwar
The Hamas terror group is losing control of Gaza’s smaller terror groups, the Jewish Chronicle reported Wednesday (28th), citing Israeli military sources.
The report noted that some of the smallest organizations, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the Mujahideen Brigades, the al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, have “cut off” and no longer heed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s instructions. These groups hold an unknown number of hostages.
Only about 20 living hostages are held by Hamas, while the other terrorist groups hold the remaining hostages.
According to the Chronicle, 22 handcuffed hostages are still believed to be alive – out of 108 still in Gaza and those hostages are being forced into service as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s human shields.
Israel has also had opportunities to eliminate Sinwar – but the orders to do so were not given due to the risk to the hostages who surround him.
Last week, reports said that Sinwar is demanding that his life and safety be assured as part of any ceasefire-hostage swap deal.
Among the disagreements is Hamas’ insistence on prioritizing their own terrorists’ release above that of the other terror groups’ members, and the groups’ demands for fair representation in the deal.
The smaller groups also oppose any compromise with Israel, insisting that any deal include the release of all convicted terrorists currently serving time in Israeli prisons; they also reject the Israeli proposal that terrorists released in the deal be deported.
Survey: Almost Half Of Jewish Students Don’t Feel Safe Identifying As Jews On Campus
Almost half (44%) of Jewish students and recent graduates said they never or rarely feel safe identifying as Jews on their campus, a survey by Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF) revealed as the new school year is beginning in educational institutions throughout the United States.
Fully eight in ten say that they or someone they know have experienced anti-Semitic remarks from another student.
Sixty percent of the respondents said either they or someone they know have even received offensive or threatening anti-Semitic comments from faculty or staff at their educational institution.
The respondents could anonymously report specific incidents on the online survey, and one wrote, “My professor went on a rant about how there’s too many Jews in medicine. He also said that terrorism is just what the big army calls the little army, and said that Hamas is a group of ‘freedom fighters.’”
Fully 69% worry about their safety on campus, which is not a surprising statistic when combined with the fact that over half said that they or someone they knew have been physically threatened for being Jewish.
Nearly four fifths (78%) avoid certain places, situations and events on campus out of fear of whom or what they may encounter.
Overall, a whopping 83% of Jewish students and fresh alumni say anti-Semitism is a “very serious problem” on their campus, with another 12% agreeing that it is a “problem.”
Over half of them agreed that the Jew hatred is getting “bigger and bolder” every year.
ACF Executive Director Avi Gordon said, “The results…expose dangerous trend lines for Jewish and pro-Israel students on college campuses.”
“It is painfully evident that Jewish and pro-Israel students faced significant challenges during the 2023-2024 academic year,” he added. “The high-profile anti-Semitic incidents and the pervasive climate of fear on many of our nation’s campuses are well known.”
Anti-Israel encampments popped up on dozens of American college campuses, especially in the Ivy League universities, during the recent spring semester, as hundreds of students and outside provocateurs demonstrated, often violently, for the elimination of Israel and in many cases turned their hatred against innocent Jewish students for being “Zionists.”
They falsely accused the Jewish state of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip as it fights the Hamas terror organization that invaded the country on October 7 and murdered in brutal ways 1,200 people, including by raping and burning them to death.
While some universities shut down the protests quickly, others did not, showing an apathy to their Jewish students that has led to several private lawsuits and investigations by the federal government for the lack of compliance with anti-discrimination laws.
The question now is what will happen in the new semester. While some universities have come out with tightened guidelines to discourage anti-Semitism, in Columbia University, a leading hotbed of Jew hatred before the summer break, anti-Israel protesters picked up where they had left off, loudly calling for Israel’s destruction outside a school event Monday (26th) that was meant to welcome Jewish students.
“Jewish students have the right to learn in an environment free of hate, without fear for their safety,” said ACF when it released the results of its survey, which took place in May during the height of the campus mayhem.
ACF was established to combat anti-Semitism and demonization of Israel on college campuses throughout America by holding administrations accountable as well as by encouraging open dialogue and respectful debate on contentious issues.
