|
In-Depth Issues:
There's No Such Thing as a Time-Bound Path to a Palestinian State - Seth Mandel ( Commentary)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly demands that Israel must initiate a "time-bound path" to a Palestinian state.
Apparently, there will be a fully functioning state living in peace and security alongside the State of Israel.
There are no prerequisites for the Palestinians as far as the world is concerned.
But there is no such thing as a time-bound path to a Palestinian state.
The reason there is a peace process is because there are actions that must be taken, building blocks put in position and in the right order.
Greece's New Deterrence Doctrine - Bill Giannopoulos ( Greek City Times)
On Nov. 30, Greece's Defense Minister Nikos Dendias - representing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis - unveiled the core elements of Greece's radically updated national defense strategy.
A new strategic vision focuses on the eastern Aegean and the wider Eastern Mediterranean.
For the first time, primary responsibility for defending the Aegean will move from surface warships to long-range missile artillery systems deployed on the islands and the mainland.
"This liberates the fleet...from static territorial defense duties," Dendias explained.
Greek frigates will be able to project power flexibly throughout the Eastern Mediterranean instead of remaining anchored to Aegean patrol cycles.
Israel Is a Partner as Greece Prepares for a Drone War - Alexander Olech ( Defence24.com-Poland)
Athens is building one of the most advanced counter-drone shields in Europe, relying on Israeli technologies and joint defense projects.
Athens assesses that the mass use of unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles, and loitering munitions will be a permanent feature of future wars.
Greece has entered the largest modernization period in the history of its armed forces.
A main element of this plan is the "Achilles Shield," the Greek equivalent of Israel's national air defense system, to be launched by 2027.
Athens is moving away from an obsolete, inconsistent mix of Russian and American systems to a modern, unified and interoperable multi-layered defense that has proven itself in combat and is adapted to counter-drone missions.
India to Procure More Israeli Drones - Vishu Adhana ( ANI-India)
India has initiated the procurement of more Israeli Heron MK-II drones, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), according to sources in the Israeli defense industry.
Discussions are also now underway to manufacture the advanced UAV in India.
Heron drones are primarily deployed for long-range surveillance on both the Chinese and Pakistani frontiers and have proven highly effective.
Thailand Buys Israel's Barak Air Defense System - Daisuke Sato
( Defence Blog)
The Royal Thai Air Force has selected the Barak MX air and missile defense system from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) as part of its plan to upgrade national base protection.
It would become the most advanced air defense asset in Thailand's arsenal.
Thailand's decision comes amid growing regional concerns. Neighboring states such as Cambodia and Myanmar are fielding long-range strike assets including China's PHL-03 rocket systems and North Korea's Scud-class ballistic missiles.
The proliferation of UAVs, loitering munitions, and cruise missiles further increases the need for reliable intercept solutions.
Why Does No One Object to Eight Officially Islamic States but Cannot Tolerate One Small Jewish State? - Nils A. Haug ( Gatestone Institute)
Israel is the rightful and eternal ancestral homeland of the Jewish people.
Much of the world nevertheless seems eager to believe lies about Israelis being colonialists - despite the inconvenient fact that the Jews fought colonialism, administered by the British.
Jews have been rooted to Israel (Zion) for nearly 4,000 years, backed by a promise in Genesis 15:18 that God made to the ancient father of all Jews: Abraham.
Muslims have been around only since the exploits of Mohammed - who died in 632 CE.
It would be considered laughable for the natives of any other country to be asked to defend their right to exist; why are Jews expected, after almost 4,000 years on the land, to explain their rights to Israel being their homeland?
Does anyone ask if Germany has a right to exist? Or Kazakhstan?
In today's uncomfortable reality, jihadists do not seem even slightly interested in giving up murdering Jews.
A strong and secure Israel will come only through a dynamic policy of self-defense that will be able to meet those striving for the country's elimination with determination.
The world is not just getting less safe for Jews. It is also rapidly becoming less safe for Christians, Hindus and Muslims deemed by other Muslims to be not Muslim enough.
No one seems to mind having eight officially Islamic states (Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen) and 18 states where Islam is the state religion, and one officially Anglican state, England, but they apparently cannot tolerate one small Jewish state.
As the leaders in the West increasingly lose their moral compass and kneel to appease the radical Jew-haters in their midst, the Jews hold the moral high ground; their critics and enemies do not.
|
|
News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
- House Unanimously Approves Barring Anyone Tied to Hamas's Oct. 7 Attack from Entering U.S. - Elizabeth Elkind
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill on Monday barring anyone linked to Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel from moving to the U.S. The legislation, the "No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act of 2025," was introduced by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.).
"What this does is place them in the same category as Nazi collaborators in the Holocaust," McClintock said. A parallel effort was introduced earlier this year in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).
(Fox News)
- U.S., Syrian Forces Locate and Destroy ISIS Weapons Caches in Southern Syria
Forces from U.S Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Syrian Ministry of Interior located and destroyed more than 15 sites containing ISIS weapons caches in southern Syria on Nov. 24-27. U.S. military personnel worked with Syrian forces in identifying and eliminating the ISIS weapons storage facilities across Rif Damashq province during multiple airstrikes and ground detonations. The operation destroyed mortars and rockets, assault rifles, machine guns, anti-tank mines, and materials for building improvised explosive devices.
(CENTCOM)
- Pro-Palestinian Mob Attacks Anti-Israel Italian Newspaper - Fiamma Nirenstein
About 100 pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the Turin offices of La Stampa during a journalists' strike on Nov. 28, vandalizing the newsroom, spraypainting threats and hurling manure at the entrance. The masked assailants overturned desks, wrote slogans against journalists, called for a "free Palestine" and demanded the revocation of an expulsion order for an imam from Turin, Mohamed Shahin.
Ironically, La Stampa had emerged as the Italian newspaper most consistently engaged in anti-Israel propaganda after Oct. 7, portraying Israel as violent and malevolent while Hamas's savagery faded into the background. (JNS)
News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
- Palestinian Terrorist Who Rammed Israeli Soldier Eliminated - Elisha Ben Kimon
A Palestinian lightly wounded a female IDF soldier in a ramming attack at the Okafim Junction north of Hebron on Monday. Hours after the attack, "the terrorist was identified by security forces in the city of Hebron, in the vehicle used in the attack. During the arrest attempt, the terrorist tried to flee while endangering the soldiers. The forces responded with gunfire and he was eliminated," an IDF spokesperson stated.
(Ynet News)
- Two Wounded in West Bank Stabbing Attack
Following a report regarding a suspect near Ateret in the Binyamin region, IDF soldiers were dispatched to the area. "While confronting the suspect, he began to stab the soldiers, who responded with fire and eliminated him," the IDF said.
(Jerusalem Post)
Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis:
The Gaza War
- A Response to Ben Rhodes' New York Times Piece on Gaza - Maj. (ret.) John Spencer
The New York Times Dec. 1 opinion piece, "This Is the Story of How the Democrats Blew It on Gaza," by Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security adviser under President Obama, is appalling for anyone who cares about the truth. This feature-length essay repeats misinformation, inserts falsehoods, and advances a moral narrative that bears no resemblance to the laws of war or the realities of modern conflict. If these arguments are taken seriously inside Washington, they threaten not only Israel's security but America's.
An explicit condition of the rules-based order since 1945 is that sovereign nations may defend themselves after an armed attack. It is the most basic tenet of the UN Charter. Israel did not choose this war. It was launched against Israel on Oct. 7 when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250. Any democratic state, including the U.S., would have responded with immediate and overwhelming military force to achieve their goals as quickly as possible. That is the standard the author refuses to apply to Israel.
Only the uninformed or the deeply biased believe Israel intentionally targets civilians. These accusations are false, and to pretend the facts are ambiguous is not analysis. It is distortion. The argument that President Biden gave Israel unconditional support is also false. The administration held up key arms shipments. Israeli soldiers were forced to adapt operations in real time because of delayed or restricted U.S. support.
The laws of war do not judge outcomes alone. They judge intent, precautions, proportionality, distinction, and military necessity. Israel has taken more measures to reduce civilian harm than any military in history
and often put its own soldiers at greater risk to protect civilians.
The author also invokes the biggest lie of this war, the claim that Israel is committing genocide. There is no genocide in Gaza. Israel has no intent to destroy in whole or in part the civilian population of Gaza. It sought to destroy Hamas as a military and political organization while doing more to feed, house, vaccinate, provide medical care, and prevent harm to the civilian population than any nation in history.
Wanting to destroy your enemy is not genocide. It is war. War is not illegal, and in some cases it is necessary. Every nation, including the U.S., has faced the moral dilemma of civilian deaths in a legitimate war of self-defense. Nations must prioritize their own citizens and their own survival. That is a foundation of the laws of armed conflict. Supporting an ally in a lawful war of self-defense is not a betrayal of our values. It is an expression of them.
The writer is chair of urban warfare studies at West Point's Modern War Institute.
(X)
- Why Qatar Should Have No Role in Gaza - Khaled Abu Toameh
Delegations from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey met in Cairo on Nov. 25 to discuss implementation of the second phase of President Trump's plan for ending the war in Gaza. The meeting underscores Qatar's apparent eagerness to play a central role in post-war Gaza. As a long-time supporter and funder of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Qatari regime's main goal seems to be ensuring that Hamas remains in power in Gaza.
Qatar is the only Arab country that hosts the entire leadership of Hamas. It has been providing political and financial aid to the terror group since 2007. Qatari (along with Iranian) support has enabled Hamas to stay in power for 18 years and launch its Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.
The assumption that Qatar could play a role in maintaining peace or launching a process of deep deradicalization in Gaza is delusional. Qatar continues to be affiliated with the extremist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. This ideology considers non-Muslims (and Israel) as enemy No. 1.
In an Oct. 19 column in the Qatari government daily Al-Sharq, Ahmad al-Muhammadi, an imam and preacher in Qatar's Waqf Ministry, explained that the enmity between Muslims and the Jews and Christians is existential and deeply rooted. He presented Islam as the truth and Christianity and Judaism as falsehood and heresy. He clarified that this enmity would continue "as long as the communities of unbelief persist in their deviation." He called on Muslims to beware of slogans of tolerance and asserted that Islam is "a religion that neither compromises nor reconciles."
Since Oct. 7, Qatari media have consistently expressed unreserved support for Hamas and for terrorism and armed violence against Israel. Bringing Qatar into Gaza is effectively placing the fox inside the chicken coop.
The writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. (Gatestone Institute)
The Muslim Brotherhood
- Why the Muslim Brotherhood Is a Threat to Israel and Europe - Ayoob Kara
The Muslim Brotherhood is not an alternative to extremism. It is the ideological engine that drives it. The Brotherhood's worldview is built on the premise that Islam is not merely a religion, but is a political system destined to replace all others. Its long-term objective - articulated openly by senior officials and documented in European intelligence memos - is to reshape societies from within. The Brotherhood's genius lies in its ability to use democratic tools to advance an anti-democratic ideology.
Hamas is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Oct. 7 atrocities were the physical expression of a doctrine the Brotherhood helped craft over decades. European authorities have confirmed that Brotherhood-linked organizations are driving radical messaging that fuels street unrest and societal division. The Brotherhood seeks to dismantle the very freedoms that protect minorities.
Calls to confront the Brotherhood are not attacks on Islam. These are a defense of Muslim communities, not an attack on them. The first victims of the Muslim Brotherhood are often Muslims themselves: women, dissidents, secular reformers, minorities, and anyone who rejects political Islam. Ignoring the ideological roots of extremism is not tolerance; it is negligence. The question is whether free societies will find the courage to defend themselves.
The writer, an Israeli Druze, served as a member of the Knesset in four terms between 1999 and 2021, and as Minister of Communications. (JNS)
- The Muslim Brotherhood and "Resistance Axis" - Partners in Destruction - Nadim Koteich
President Trump's designation as Foreign Terrorist Organizations of certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon closes a chapter that Western capitals had avoided for years - a delayed recognition of what our region already knows: The Muslim Brotherhood is not a reformist movement, but a cross-border organization that uses chaos to survive and threaten Arab and Muslim countries.
The climate before the October 2023 attack was paving the way for peace projects in the region, coupled with strategies for economic normalization and infrastructure integration with Israel, Arab countries, Europe and India. Saudi Arabia was seeking a political and economic turning point that would reshape the Middle East based on economy, development and interests, as well as reining in ideologies. This would have accorded the Palestinian cause a diplomatic path.
The Al-Aqsa Flood Operation of Oct. 7 has dashed all of these hopes indefinitely. The perpetrators of the Al-Aqsa Flood dealt heavy blows to regional efforts that would have put an end to political Islam.
The Brotherhood does not want to save the Palestinians as much as it wants to benefit from keeping them as fuel for their projects. Trump's executive order is recognition that the Brotherhood is an obstacle in any reshaping of the region. It becomes a greater obstacle given the close alignment between the Brotherhood and the "Resistance Axis," who are waging a battle against one enemy: the stable Arab national state.
The writer is General Manager at Sky News Arabia.
(Asharq Al-Awsat)
Palestinian Arabs
- Who Failed the Palestinians? - Hen Mazzig
On Nov. 27, I took part in a debate at the Cambridge Union on the topic: "This House believes the international community has failed Palestine." Palestinians have been failed catastrophically. But who failed them and how? The proposition wants you to believe the international community failed because it didn't give the Palestinian leadership enough money, enough impunity, or enough land. They want you to believe that Palestine is a helpless victim of Western neglect.
My argument is the opposite. The international community failed the Palestinian people by indulging a political fantasy at the expense of human reality. For decades, they treated Palestinians as a geopolitical weapon to be sharpened against the State of Israel. Palestinians as human beings are deserving of dignity, but "Palestine" as a political project is run by factions who have spent decades holding their own people hostage.
There has been a hundred-year war. But it has been waged by Arab nationalists against every non-Arab, non-Muslim indigenous community in the region. The international community normalized the idea that Arab majorities should control the entire region, even at the expense of older indigenous cultures.
My own grandparents were among the 850,000 Jews violently expelled from Iraq, Tunisia, and across the Middle East. In 1941 with the violent terror attacks on the Jews of Iraq called the Farhud, my grandmother watched her best friend being raped and mutilated in the streets of Baghdad, just because she was Jewish.
A Middle Eastern Jewish civilization, indigenous to the region, was uprooted and erased within one decade. They received no UN agency. They received no perpetual refugee status. They received no annual resolutions. They were forced to move on. The international community treated Jewish refugees from Arab lands as people to be resettled. But they treated Palestinian refugees as pawns to be kept on a chessboard.
They created UNRWA - the only agency on Earth that passes "refugee status" down through generations, effectively forever. It was to ensure that a child born in Gaza today is not raised to build a future in Gaza, but is raised to believe their only future lies in a "return" to a war from 1948. The international community pays for schools that indoctrinate children to believe that statehood does not come from negotiation, but from the conquest of the land "from the river to the sea."
According to the latest data for 2024, Palestine was the single largest recipient of humanitarian assistance on the planet, receiving $3 billion a year. We pay for their welfare, so they can spend 100% of their own budget on warfare. The international community failed because, for 75 years, they prioritized the preservation of a political conflict over the preservation of human dignity. (Jewish News-UK)
Observations:
- UN Security Council Resolution 2803, adopted on Nov. 17, 2025, represents a serious attempt to restructure governance, security, and reconstruction mechanisms in Gaza. However, by refraining from expressly stating that the resolution was adopted under Chapter VII, the Council avoids establishing binding enforcement measures.
- Thus, the resolution's obligations are largely recommendatory rather than mandatory. This allows states to claim UN legitimacy for participation, while simultaneously preventing the Council and the UN itself from assuming direct responsibility for implementation or oversight.
- The resolution has been widely misinterpreted as conferring implicit recognition of Palestinian statehood. In fact, it establishes rigorous, multi-layered preconditions, all subject to assessment by a Board of Peace. These include
completion of a Palestinian Authority reform program, demonstration of secure and effective governance control over Gaza, faithful implementation of reform measures, and advancement of Gaza redevelopment under international oversight.
- Only after these criteria are met may the Board determine whether conditions exist for "a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood." The word "pathway" underscores that no predetermined or automatic outcome exists.
- The resolution provides that the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw as International Stabilization Force (ISF) control is established, according to standards, milestones, and timeframes linked explicitly to demilitarization and agreed upon by Israel, the ISF, the guarantors, and the U.S.
- Critically, the resolution maintains that Israel may retain a security perimeter presence until Gaza is deemed "properly secure from any resurgent terror threat." Only Israel possesses the intelligence capabilities to assess the persistence or resurgence of such threats, so Israel's security assessments will be indispensable. For Israel, the resolution provides essential safeguards by linking IDF withdrawal to verifiable demilitarization and by recognizing the need for ongoing Israeli security assessments.
The writer, former Legal Adviser and Deputy Director-General of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is Director of the Institute for Diplomatic Affairs at the Jerusalem Center.
|