Israel’s 130th Day of War

On day 130 of the war IDF soldiers continued to operate in west Khan Yunis and push forward their offensive, while the soldiers of the 7th Armored Brigade killed over 30 terrorists in clashes in the city, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said earlier today.  Paratroopers killed terrorists who attempted to hide themselves among the civilian population, and soldiers in the 414 Nesher Intelligence Battalion identified and killed terrorists carrying explosives on motorcycles.  When one of the terrorists was spotted pointing a gun at an IDF vehicle, the soldiers reacted immediately and killed the terrorist.

Mossad Head David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronan Bar, and IDF Lt.-Gen. Nitzan Alon left Israel this morning for a meeting in Cairo with the US” CIA Director William J. Burns, Egyptian Intelligence Director Abbas Kamel, and the Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani.  During the meeting, they will discuss efforts to free more hostages from Hamas captivity.  Israel went under urging from US President Biden who believe there remains potential for a negotiated hostage release deal.

UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese will be prohibited from entering Israel, Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel said in a joint statement on Monday.  The two ministers stated: “The era of Jews being silent is over. If the UN wants to return to being a relevant body, its leaders must publicly disavow the antisemitic words of the special envoy – and fire her immediately.

“Preventing her from entering Israel might remind her of the real reason why Hamas slaughtered babies, women, and adults.” The announcement comes following Albanese’s comments last week, which garnered severe backlash.  Responding to French President Emmanuel Macron, who said the October 7 massacre was “the largest antisemitic massacre of our century,” Albanese stated in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “The victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism but in response to Israel’s oppression.”

Egypt’s foreign minister dampened speculation that the country’s peace treaty with Israel would be at risk if Israel invaded Rafah, a city on Gaza’s border with Egypt. In recent days, Israeli officials have said they plan to send ground troops into Rafah as the next stage in our war against Hamas. More than a million Palestinians, the majority of Gaza’s population, have been sheltering in the city. Over the weekend, the Associated Press quoted two Egyptian officials and a Western diplomat saying that a mass influx of Palestinians into Egypt could endanger the treaty. And on Saturday, Josep Borrell, the European Union foreign policy chief, said an Israeli invasion of Rafah would “lead to an unspeakable humanitarian catastrophe and grave tensions with Egypt.”  But on Monday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry denied the AP report and said that Egypt would uphold the its accord with Israel, which the countries signed in 1979.  “A peace agreement between Egypt and Israel already exists, which has been in effect for the past forty years, and we will continue it,” Shoukry said at a press conference in Slovenia, where he is on an official visit.

Future Leadership

Another hidden gem, as it were, of potential leadership in Israel is Dr. Zohar Raviv

Dr. Raviv is an internationally recognized Jewish thought-leader and educator, currently serving as the International VP of Educational Strategy for Taglit-Birthright Israel.

Raviv’s professional experience spans Israel, North America, South America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia. He holds a BA in Land of Israel Studies from Bar-Ilan University, a Joint MA in Judaic Studies and Jewish Education from Brandeis University, as well as an MA in Near Eastern Studies and a PhD in Jewish Thought—both from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor).

Raviv plays a central role in shaping Birthright Israel’s educational philosophy, language, and pedagogy, and is a leading voice in some of the global paradigm shifts concerning contemporary Jewish identity, Israel-world Jewry relations, and the overall mandate of Jewish education in the 21st century.

You can get a sense of his thinking by looking at an op ed of his that appeared in today’s Jerusalem Post here…..

https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-786534

He would bring a different perspective to government based on his in-depth experience with the next generation of diaspora Jews, many of whom may very well end up living here.

The IDF announced the death of another 7 soldiers yesterday bringing the total number of casualties since the start of the Gaza incursion to 230.   That means a lot of parents, grandparents, children, spouses and siblings will be missing a relative for the rest of their own lives.  There are, of course, no words of consolation that can be offered to the families of those who gave their lives to save Israel except to say how grateful and respectful are of the commitment, dedication and bravery of the fallen.   Hopefully those who have been killed occupy a special place at the right hand of the One above.  May their memories be blessed.