Photos: Hizbullah Rocket Strikes Home in Israeli Arab Village - Hassan Shaalan (Ynet News)
    A Hizbullah rocket struck a home in Kafr Yasif, an Israeli Arab village in Western Galilee, causing heavy damage. "Fortunately, there were only minor injuries this time," said local resident Ibrahim Jeris.
    Abed al-Rahim, whose home was narrowly missed, recounted that he had just been in the area moments before the strike. "I wasn't a casualty by sheer luck," he said.

Israel to Provide U.S. Army with Protection Systems for Its Bradley Fighting Vehicles - Christine Casimiro (Defense Post)
    The U.S. has awarded Israel's Elbit Systems a $127-million follow-on contract to supply Iron Fist Active Protection Systems (APS) for its Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
    The Iron Fist APS provides 360-degree protection for light and heavy armored platforms against anti-tank rockets, anti-tank guided missiles, and drones.

D9 Bulldozer Shipment to Israel Stalled by U.S. - Yoav Zitun (Ynet News)
    A shipment of 134 D9 bulldozers, which Israel ordered and paid for, has been awaiting export approval from the U.S. State Department for several months, according to two security sources.
    The bulldozers often lead combat teams, clearing areas from explosive charges intended to detonate against Israeli infantry and armored troops, helping to save soldiers' lives.
    Forces on the northern front are required to clear thousands of acres of dense thickets, which Hizbullah uses to conceal bunkers and weapons depots close to Israeli towns.
    Additional delays involve a frozen shipment of heavy munitions and Israel's urgent request for additional Apache attack helicopters.
    However, the Americans have approved a dramatic increase in the acquisition of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) to replace older armored personnel carriers.

U.S. Waives Terrorism Sanctions on Palestinian Government - Adam Kredo (Washington Free Beacon)
    Just before Tuesday's presidential election, the Biden administration quietly waived mandatory terrorism sanctions on the Palestinian government.
    The State Department, in a non-public notice to Congress, determined that the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) are not complying with agreements to curb terrorism against Israel and end the "pay-to-slay" program, which rewards imprisoned terrorists for committing acts of violence.
    Those violations should trigger American sanctions, but the administration used its executive power to enable the Palestinian government to duck American sanctions for another 180 days.
    Congress passed a law in 2018 prohibiting economic aid unless payments to families of prisoners and "martyrs" are ended, but the administration has skirted the law, enabling millions of dollars to flow into projects bolstering the Palestinian government.
    The administration simultaneously pumped millions of dollars into Hamas-controlled Gaza.

U.S. Republican Party Spokesperson: Trump Wants Israel's Wars to End Soon, with Decisive Victory (Times of Israel)
    Republican Party spokesperson Elizabeth Pipko was asked by Israel's Channel 12 on Nov. 6 if President-elect Trump expects Israel to end the war against Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
    Pipko responded, "I would say he expects them to end it by winning it, 100%; that's how he always talks about ending wars."
    "He wants the war to end as soon as possible, like all rational people do, but he wants it to end with a decisive victory."

Netanyahu Appoints Yechiel Leiter as Next Israeli Ambassador to U.S. - Lazar Berman (Times of Israel)
    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday tapped Dr. Yechiel Leiter to serve as Israel's next ambassador to the U.S. beginning on Jan. 20.
    "Yechiel Leiter is a highly talented diplomat, an eloquent speaker, and has a deep understanding of American culture and politics," Netanyahu said.
    Leiter served as chief of staff to Netanyahu when he was finance minister, deputy director-general of the Education Ministry, and director-general of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
    His son, Maj. (res.) Moshe Leiter, was killed fighting Hamas in Gaza on Nov. 10, 2023. Netanyahu told the story of the fallen soldier during his speech to the U.S. Congress in July.

How Israel's Veteran Civilians Returned to Battle - Nathan J. Minsberg (Israel Hayom)
    In the aftermath of Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, hundreds of Israelis over age 45, many decades past their military service, voluntarily returned to uniform to defend their nation in its hour of need.
    The Har Zion 0710 Unit "was established overnight, with hundreds of people bringing their specialized all-terrain vehicles to the Gaza envelope area to assist in evacuating the wounded and fallen from the communities and the Nova festival site," Tamar Rein Fishburn, a member of the unit's command staff, explained.
    "We've developed capabilities for rapid deployment that can save lives....Our teams can access areas conventional military vehicles can't reach, allowing us to transport combat forces, facilitate rescue operations, and move essential equipment through challenging terrain."
    Beyond emergency response, the unit now supports humanitarian aid convoys and provides crucial mobility support across various operating theaters.
    The Har Zion Unit exemplifies Israel's civilian response to crisis, where age becomes irrelevant in the face of national need.
    When faced with existential threats, the distinction between civilian and soldier often blurs in Israeli society, replaced by a simple imperative to serve.