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In-Depth Issues:
Israel: Time Is Running Out to Disrupt Tehran's Nuclear Program - Nicholas Vinocur ( Politico)
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar told Politico that Iran had enriched enough uranium for a "couple of bombs" and was "playing with ways" to weaponize its enriched nuclear material - "so we don't have much time."
Sa'ar added that the chances of a diplomatic path being successful were "not huge," and that failure to stop Iran's nuclear program would be a "catastrophe for the security of Israel."
"In order to stop a nuclear Iranian program before it will be weaponized, a reliable military option should be on the table," he said.
Failure to do so would trigger a "nuclear race in the Middle East with Egypt, Saudis, Turkey."
Israel Says It Won't Withdraw from Gaza-Egypt Border - Mick Krever ( CNN)
"We will not exit the Philadelphi Corridor," an Israeli source told CNN, referring to the strip along the Gaza-Egypt border.
"We will not allow Hamas murderers to roam again with trucks and rifles on our borders, and we will not let them strengthen themselves again through smuggling."
Israel to Protect Druze Village in Syria - Emanuel Fabian ( Times of Israel)
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz instructed the Israel Defense Forces on Saturday to "prepare to defend" the Druze-majority city of Jaramana on the outskirts of Damascus in Syria which was "currently under attack by the forces of the Syrian regime."
"We will not allow the extreme Islamic regime in Syria to harm the Druze," Katz said.
Israeli leaders have regularly spoken with foreign leaders about the importance of protecting the Druze in southwestern Syria, along with Syria's Kurds.
Golan Druze have asked Israel to allow Syrian Druze to work in their towns on the Golan Heights.
A pilot program is being drawn up by Maj.-Gen. Ghassan Alian, the IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, who is Druze.
When the Assad regime in Syria fell in December, the IDF moved to capture the buffer zone between the countries on the Syrian side of the border as a defensive measure.
The UN considers Israel's takeover of the buffer zone a violation of the 1974 disengagement accord.
Israel says the accord had fallen apart since one of the sides was no longer in a position to implement it.
IDF Captured Hamas Attack Plans Targeting Israeli Communities in Judea, Samaria, and the Seam Zone - Hanan Greenwood ( Israel Hayom-Times of Israel)
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told a conference of regional council heads on Thursday, "We have captured Hamas attack files aimed at targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria and the Seam Zone" along the pre-1967 lines.
"The communities in Judea and Samaria serve as Israel's defensive shield. When Judea and Samaria are secure, major cities are protected."
"We must take an offensive stance in Judea and Samaria and decisively defeat the enemy."
The defense minister said the main takeaway from the Oct. 7 attack was that Israel cannot allow radical organizations to be present near any of its borders.
He hailed the success of the truce's first phase, which saw 25 hostages returned alive alongside the bodies of eight dead.
Israeli General Dismisses Rumors of Imminent Egyptian Military Threat - Yoav Zitun ( Ynet News)
Brig.-Gen. Itamar Ben Chaim, commander of the IDF's 80th Division, responsible for securing Israel's border with Sinai, told residents living near the Israeli-Egyptian border that there is no threat of war with Egypt.
"We do not believe it is a realistic scenario in the immediate future... meaning in the coming years," he said.
Israel Favors Keeping Russian Bases in Syria to Counter Turkey - Maya Gebeily ( Reuters)
Israel is lobbying the U.S. to let Russia keep its military bases in Syria to counter Turkey's growing influence in the country.
Israeli officials have told Washington that Syria's new Islamist rulers, who are backed by Ankara, pose a threat to Israel.
"Israel's big fear is that Turkey comes in and protects this new Syrian Islamist order, which then ends up being a base for Hamas and other militants," said Aron Lund, a fellow at the Century International think-tank.
Israel's Foreign Minister Defends Vote on Ukraine - Ben Sales ( JTA)
After Israel joined the U.S. to vote against a UN resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the vote was a bid to align Israel's stance with the efforts of its closest ally, the U.S., to bring an end to the three-year war.
"We voted with the Americans and I do believe that Russia is the aggressor," Sa'ar told Politico.
"We haven't changed our mind, but we thought it is right to give a chance to the initiative of America to try to end this war and solve it by peaceful means."
Barnard College Expels Wannabe Hamasniks for Disrupting a Class - Editorial ( Wall Street Journal)
Two student activists who disrupted a class at Barnard College to shout Hamas propaganda have been expelled, Columbia University's anti-Israel student coalition announced last Sunday.
On Wednesday, masked anti-Israel activists stormed a Barnard building to demand the expulsions be reversed. A staff member was physically assaulted and sent to the hospital.
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News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
- Video: Freed Israeli Hostage Recounts the Horrors of Hamas Captivity - Ilana Dayan
In a televised interview on Israeli Channel 12, Eli Sharabi, 52, who was held hostage by Hamas for 491 days, said: "During the first 3 days, my hands are tied behind my back, my legs are tied, with ropes that tear into your flesh, and a bit of food, a bit of water during the day. I remember not being able to fall asleep because of the pain. The ropes are already digging into your flesh, and every movement makes you want to scream, and your hands are also tied behind your back so your shoulders really, really hurt and no position is good enough."
"And there are moments you just pass out. You lose consciousness, you wake up after 2 or 3 hours and the pain continues. I beg them to at least tie my hands in the front and then I'd be able to relax, everything would be okay. And they refuse. But after 3 days they untie us."
"You work on your survival all the time, and look for solutions all the time. If you're in pain, you look for a way not to be in pain. If you're hungry, you look for a way not to be hungry."
"Do you know what it is to open a fridge? People should really think when they open a fridge at home. It's everything to open a fridge. The very concept of a free man who can take a piece of fruit out of it. That's what you dream of every day. You don't care about the beatings you get, and they beat you, they break my ribs. I don't care."
"The hunger. Give me another half a pita. You feel your gut stuck to your spine, you can see your gut actually go inward at some point, and you can't believe that's what's happening to your body. In the worst times you eat once a day, a bowl of pasta. It's about 250 to 300 calories a day, which is a tenth of what I need. That's the amount we eat for 6 months. And when you ask for something more, and suddenly someone throws you a dry date, it seems like the best meal in the world to you." (YouTube)
See also Former Israeli Hostage Recounts Hearing of Wife and Daughters' Deaths - Lauren Izso
Eli Sharabi recalled the moment after his release
when he learned that his wife Lianne and daughters Noiya and Yahel were killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. When he reached an IDF post where psychologists and a family friend, a social worker, awaited, "I said, 'Bring me my wife and the girls.' She told me, 'Osnat (his sister) and Mom are waiting for you.' It was clear that there's no need to tell. Because at that moment, she had already told me. It's clear that the worst has happened." (CNN)
See also After Watching Interview: Trump Invites Released Hostage Eli Sharabi to White House on Tuesday (Jerusalem Post)
- U.S. Approves $3 Billion Arms Sale to Israel
The U.S. State Department has approved the sale to Israel of 35,529 general-purpose bomb bodies for 2,000-pound bombs and 4,000 bunker-busting 2,000-pound bombs worth $2.04 billion for delivery in 2026. A second package valued at $675 million was for 5,000 1,000-pound bombs and corresponding kits to help guide the "dumb" bombs, for delivery in 2028. A third notification was for $295 million worth of Caterpillar D9 bulldozers. (AP)
- Dispute over Disarming Hamas Bedevils Efforts to Extend Gaza Ceasefire - Gerry Shih
The first, 42-day phase of the hostage-ceasefire deal expired on Saturday. Israel and Hamas, along with the U.S. and Arab government mediators, appear far from reaching an agreement to proceed to the second phase of the ceasefire, which would involve the release of all Israeli hostages still held by Hamas, Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, and a permanent end to the war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded that Hamas lay down its arms and leave Gaza as a precondition to ending the war. For Hamas, giving up its weapons would contradict its stated raison d'etre of waging armed struggle against Israel.
(Washington Post)
News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
- Israel Endorses U.S. Plan to Continue Gaza Ceasefire until Mid-April - Lazar Berman
After the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire ended on Saturday, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said Israel was endorsing U.S. special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff's proposal to extend the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover. According to the proposal, half of the remaining hostages - living and dead - would be released on the first day of the extended ceasefire in exchange for Palestinian security prisoners, and the remaining captives would be released at the end of the period if a permanent ceasefire is reached. The total may include 22 living captives and 32 bodies.
Netanyahu's office said Witkoff had suggested the outline due to his impression that "at this stage, there is no option to bridge the gaps between the sides on ending the war." Hamas has so far rejected the U.S. plan.
(Times of Israel)
See also Israel Halts Humanitarian Aid to Gaza after First Phase of Hostage-Ceasefire Deal Expires - Amichai Stein
"With the completion of the first phase of the hostage deal and in light of Hamas's refusal to accept the Witkoff framework for continuing negotiations - which Israel had agreed to - Prime Minister Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, the entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza will be halted," the Prime Minister's Office announced on Sunday. An Israeli official said the move came in full coordination with the U.S. (Jerusalem Post)
See also Israel Estimates Aid which Already Entered Gaza Will Last Five Months -
Jonathan Lis (Ha'aretz)
- Palestinian Injures 14 in Car Ramming near Pardes Hanna
A Palestinian from Jenin living in Israel illegally injured at least 14 pedestrians at Karkur Junction near Pardes Hanna on Thursday, including a young woman in critical condition. Police caught up with the driver about 4 km. from the scene in a shopping center and he was neutralized while attempting to ram a police car.
(Ynet News)
- Israel Tightens Security on Northern Front
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that the Israel Air Force struck Syrian regime positions last week after the new government in Damascus attempted to deploy forces in demilitarized zones near Israel's border. "The new regime attempted to staff positions and outposts, and the air force struck and neutralized them," he said. "We will not allow the demilitarization agreement to be violated, nor will we allow any emerging threats."
He added that Israel's presence in strategic locations in Syria would continue indefinitely to prevent Iranian influence and terrorist threats. "We made a decision in real-time to prevent Iran from rescuing the Syrian regime and bringing in militias....We deployed air force jets, and the Iranian aircraft turned back."
Regarding southern Lebanon, Katz said, "We will remain in the buffer zone in Lebanon indefinitely - this depends on the situation, not on time. We have received a green light from the U.S."
Regarding Judea and Samaria, he said, "For over two years, Iran has been supplying weapons, funding, and guidance to establish battalions and create an eastern front against Israeli communities." Israeli forces would maintain a presence in terrorist strongholds in Palestinian refugee camps, particularly in Jenin and Tulkarm. "Jenin's refugee camp is now empty of residents, and the IDF is inside....The soldiers and commanders say they are finally allowed to do what is necessary, and by staying put, they no longer have to enter and exit these areas repeatedly." (Jerusalem Post)
Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis:
The Gaza War
- A "Reconstruction for Demilitarization" Plan for Gaza - Dennis Ross and Assaf Orion
President Trump transformed the general thinking about Gaza and the day after with his call for Palestinians to be relocated. But it is a call that runs counter to the prevailing narrative among Palestinians and Arabs who fear that temporary relocation will lead to inducing Palestinians to leave their homeland permanently.
President Trump put his finger on a real issue. So long as Hamas is controlling Gaza, there will be no reconstruction and no calm. Investment in Gaza will simply not be forthcoming so long as Hamas retains power. Donors and investors know Hamas will divert materials, try to reconstitute itself, and, even if it takes years, prepare to launch attacks against Israel again. Who will invest knowing that destruction is again guaranteed?
Gaza can be rebuilt around the principles of "reconstruction for demilitarization" and Hamas's removal from power. Palestinians who would like to leave should be able to do so.
With 100,000 already in Egypt, that is already happening. For most Gazans, the approach should not be about forced relocation outside of Gaza but movement to zones in Gaza where real needs would be addressed.
Egypt and a number of Arab states are now constructing a plan for Gaza that will remain hazy about Hamas, implying that Hamas will be out of government but not necessarily out of influence. It should come as no surprise that no Arab state wants to put forces into Gaza to fight Hamas. But for their plan to be credible, it must ensure that Hamas cannot rebuild itself militarily.
Our approach would divide Gaza into four functional zones: areas where armed Hamas are still present; safe humanitarian havens where aid and services are provided under Arab guardianship; areas for reconstruction, potentially controlled by the U.S. and/or Arab countries; and areas ready for repopulating. The first two areas will be cordoned and cleared of terrorists, arms, and tunnels. Hamas leaders and fighters will have the option to surrender or go into exile before the IDF clears these areas.
Amb. Dennis Ross, counselor at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, served as special assistant to President Obama and Middle East Envoy to President Clinton.
IDF Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Assaf Orion is an International Fellow with the Washington Institute. (National Interest)
Israel and the West
- Israel's Standing with the EU Is Improving - Nissan Shtrauchler
The EU and Israel held a meeting of their Association Council in Brussels on Feb. 24, co-chaired by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. Sa'ar noted that "The increasing defense budgets across the continent create diverse opportunities for our defense industries."
Sa'ar added, "Israel's standing vis-a-vis the European Union is significantly improving in our favor due to three major developments. First is [former EU foreign policy chief Josep] Borrell's term ending and Kaja Kallas [of Estonia] taking over with her pragmatic approach to Israel. Another important element is the victory of Israel's friend Friedrich Merz in the German elections."
"The third and most significant factor is Donald Trump's election as U.S. president, which enhances Israel's standing internationally - many countries now wish to benefit from Israel's excellent connections with the White House." (Israel Hayom)
- When Arabs Kill Arabs, No One Bats an Eye
Luai Ahmed, a Yemeni-born Swedish journalist active on social media, told the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week, "I ask the UN, the Arab League, and everyone who has been waving the Palestinian flag since Oct. 7: 'Where is the flag of Yemen?' Half a million people have died [there] in the last 10 years. The biggest famine and humanitarian crisis in modern history. Why does no one care when half a million Yemenis die?" Ahmed also referenced Sudan and Syria where there are ongoing humanitarian crises, accusing the UN body of only acknowledging such crises where Israel could be blamed.
"Why is it that when Arabs kill millions of Arabs, no one bats an eye? Why does your report mention Israel 188 times - yet fails to mention the Islamic Republic in Iran even once? How can you speak about the conflict while ignoring the party who armed, trained, and funded the terror proxies - Hamas, Hizbullah, and the Houthis - who have been bombing Israel thousands of times?" (Jerusalem Post)
Palestinian Arabs
- Video: We Must Cease Deluding Ourselves that a Two-State Solution Is Available Now - Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch
Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch said Friday:
This was the week that finally ended the hope - at least in my lifetime - for a Palestinian and a Jewish state coexisting side-by-side. The Palestinians themselves strangled this fragile hope in its crib. I am committed to peace and coexistence and have been my entire life.
Even after the Palestinians rejected the state offered to them at Camp David on practically all the territory they said they wanted, and then launched a brutal killing spree in the restaurants, schools, hospitals, busses and streets of Israel, even then, I never gave up hope for a Palestinian state living by Israel's side in peace - until this week.
But until such time as the Palestinians themselves say they want peaceful coexistence, we must cease deluding ourselves that a two-state solution is available now. It is harmful to us and to the Palestinians themselves, who are deprived of the international support they need to create a culture of moderation and toleration, educating their children to love peace rather than hate Jews.
The writer, senior rabbi of Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in New York City, served as executive director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America. (X)
Arab World
- Arab TV Takes a Break From Bashing Israel for Ramadan - Judith Miller
During Islam's holy month of Ramadan, which began this weekend, TV viewership throughout the Arab world typically surges. For the 400 million Arabs in 22 Middle Eastern and North African countries, in previous years, almost every Arab TV network has devoted at least one of its Ramadan series to the perfidy of the "Zionist enemy" and the suffering of Palestinians. This year, none of the new series premiering during Ramadan focuses on Israel or the Palestinians.
Instead viewers will see series that focus on the Arab world's growing poverty and the evisceration of much of the Arab middle class. Explanations abound for the absence of Israel and the sacred cause of Palestine on Arab television. One possibility is that Arab governments, which control much of what is shown on broadcast networks and are eager for an extension of the ceasefire in Gaza, urged the media to avoid demonizing Israel.
Arab officials may also be seeking to defuse popular sympathy for President Trump's demand that they take in refugees while Gaza is being rebuilt. Yet there's still no shortage of rhetorical support in the Arab world for the Palestinians and their cause - on television and elsewhere. (Wall Street Journal)
Observations:
- Walking into Sen. John Fetterman's reception office in the Russell Senate Office Building, I first notice the walls. They are covered with images of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Atop each is a red banner reading KIDNAPPED. On one wall are images of those who remain in captivity; on the other are those who've been rescued or returned, alive or otherwise.
- I knew of Fetterman's unequivocal support for Israel after the Hamas attack. What I hadn't appreciated was the degree to which that support is now central to his political identity.
- After I enter his office, I mention the walls of the adjoining room. He begins a minor harangue on the outrages perpetrated by the Palestinians. "I've seen that video," he says - meaning the video recordings compiled by the Israeli government of the Oct. 7 murders - "and I can't believe.... Where does that kind of depravity and that hate, where does it come from?"
- "Even the Nazis, with all their depravity, all their evil, they tried to hide those kinds of atrocities. These people filmed it with their GoPros, and they cheered like they scored a goal. In the videos they call their parents and they're like, 'Hey, I just killed some Jews.' Where does that kind of hatred come from?"
- "That wasn't just Hamas, either. Let's not ever forget the majority of the Palestinians support what happened." Referring to the lurid ceremonies in which Hamas soldiers release hostages, Fetterman says, "Wow, you're so tough, terrorizing a woman that you've kept in a tunnel for over a year. Like, you're so tough with your s--- rifles parading around. That's why I'm always going to be on the Israeli side. All right? Yeah, print that."
- Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote for the imposition of sanctions on the International Criminal Court for charging Israeli officials with "war crimes." When the president suggested the U.S. could evacuate, rebuild and repopulate Gaza, Fetterman - virtually alone among Congressional Democrats - declined to express outrage.
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