by Lucy Williamson
As news of the ceasefire spread through Israel’s northern communities, sirens blared three times this evening warning of incoming rockets from Lebanon. In the sky above the northern city of Nahariya, Israel’s air defence interceptors shot up to block them, triggering loud explosions.
“We gave the Lebanese government a chance and they failed to uphold the agreement; they didn’t disarm Hezbollah,” said Maor, a 32-year-old truck driver whose house was hit by a rocket last year. “If we don’t do it, no one will. It’s a shame they stopped. It seemed like there were significant achievements this time.”
This ceasefire announcement has taken Israel by surprise – reportedly even within the government own security cabinet.
“A ceasefire must come from a position of strength in order to service the national interests of Israel,” said the former IDF Chief of staff and Yashar party chief, Gadi Eisenkot.
“A pattern has developed in which ceasefires are imposed upon us – in Gaza, in Iran, and now in Lebanon. Netanyahu does not know how to convert military achievements into diplomatic gains.” (At the same time, Iran says it has reasserted control over Hormuz after US refuses to end blockade.)
Delusion of Making Deal with Iran
As President Donald Trump signalled growing optimism Friday about a potential deal with Iran to end the war amid a temporary ceasefire, claiming there were “no sticking points”, Iran swiftly denied any readiness to relinquish its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, and it did not confirm another Trump claim, that it was ready to halt its support for proxy terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah. (The entire command structure needs to be destroyed in Iran.)
Food for Thought: by Steven Shamrak
Once again, Israel is “PROHIBITED” to win the war, against enemies (Hamas, Iran, Houthis, and Iran) who attacked the Jewish state, by their ‘best friend’. Maybe it is time for Israel to start behaving as any independent country would, and finally say, quoting President Trump – “Enough is Enough”!
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Young Jews are More Optimistic
A new global survey of Jewish communities suggests a striking generational divide and highlights how rising antisemitism and perceptions of Israel. A large majority of 1,428 Jewish participants, 88%, said they see Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, and 85% said its existence is essential to Jewish continuity. According to the report, 74% of Jewish young adults worldwide and 67% in Israel believe they can positively influence the future of their community.
It is “Judea and Samaria” – History Matters
The Tennessee General Assembly voted to ban in all official State documents the use of the term “West Bank”, in favour of the more historically accurate name Judea and Samaria. The move came after a campaign led by local Jewish and Christian Leaders. “Judea and Samaria are the Biblical, geographical, historical, and legal terms used for thousands of years to describe the mountains overlooking Israel’s coast. Even international law and early United Nations documents recognized these names – Judea and Samaria. These names matter. Because history matters,” said Evangelical Christian Zionist leader Laurie Cardoza-Moore.
The US President Donald Trump has already announced a “historic” call between the leaders of Israel and Lebanon “for the first time in 34 years,” but President Joseph Aoun rejected a US request to speak with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The call was reportedly meant to take place two days after the landmark meeting in Washington between Israeli and Lebanese representatives. An official statement from the Lebanese presidency made no mention of Netanyahu or any potential call. (Lebanon does not want peace with Israel. At the same time, a lot of Lebanese want to get rid of Hezbollah and have their country back. Complete defeat of Hezbollah is the only option.)
Northern Israelis Slam Ceasefire
Residents of northern Israel reacted with shock to news of a temporary ceasefire announced in Lebanon. The announcement came from U.S. President Donald Trump. Only two hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video saying, “I accepted the request and agreed to a timeout, or more precisely a temporary ceasefire of 10 days.”
Lebanese-Israeli Talk was about Future Talks
Lebanese-Israeli talks under US auspices have resulted in agreement on a framework that falls short of a formal ceasefire but is expected to pave the way for negotiations aimed at disarming Hezbollah and advancing toward bilateral peace. The November 2024 ceasefire agreement, which did not achieve its primary objective of disarming Hezbollah and failed to ease the impact of ongoing Israeli military activity on Lebanese civilians. While agreeing to a 10-day ceasefire with Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We have two fundamental demands for these peace talks: First, the disarmament of Hezbollah. Second, a sustainable peace agreement, peace through strength.” (Neither one of them the other side is able or willing to deliver.)
150 Hezbollah Terrorists Eliminated
In the 24 hours prior to the ceasefire understandings taking effect, the IDF struck hundreds of terrorists and terror infrastructure used by Hezbollah. In the strikes, the IDF struck over 150 Hezbollah terrorists, along with approximately 300 military infrastructure sites, including launchers, command centers, and weapons storage facilities across several areas in Lebanon.
Quote of the Week:
“Whether people like Israel or not, they (Jews) have proven to be a GREAT ally of the United States of America. They are courageous, bold, loyal, and smart and, unlike others that have shown their true colours in a moment of conflict and stress, Israel fights hard and knows how to WIN!” – President Donald Trump – So, why doesn’t he let Israel win the war against its enemies?
Israel National News
Dozens of bereaved families affiliated with Hagevura Forum on Wednesday morning sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for a transition to the final stage of decisive military action against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The appeal comes following the expiration of an ultimatum given to the terrorist organization to disarm. According to the families, the ultimatum allowed Hamas time to regroup but failed to produce any diplomatic results.
In their letter, the families warned against complacency: “What was clear from the outset is now clear to all: The terrorist organization has no intention of giving up its weapons. Any attempt to rely on international actors is doomed to fail.”
The bereaved families, who lost loved ones in the war, stressed that Israel’s security must remain solely in Israeli hands, warning, “No one will do the State of Israel’s work for us. The only one who can remove the threat is the IDF. You pledged that Gaza would no longer pose a threat – now stand by your word. In their deaths, our loved ones commanded us victory and courage.”
Read previous Editorials here.