Israel News for 9-3-2024

News Update

Today is the start of the month of Elul, the month preceding the High Holidays, during which we are meant to repent for our sins, beseech the Almighty for forgiveness and strengthen our relationship with Him. Sadly, Israel is divided much like it was prior to October 7th.

The six hostages who were brutally executed by Hamas in a tunnel beneath Rafah, shortly before they were discovered by IDF forces searching the tunnels, were laid to rest yesterday. Hundreds of thousands of Israel’s took to the streets to demonstrate against the government and condemn Prime Minister Netanyahu for not agreeing to a deal with Hamas that would have ostensibly saved the lives of the six, who managed to stay alive for 331 days under the most inhumane conditions before being murdered. The Histadrut, the primary labor union in the country, called on its 800,000 members to strike yesterday. Most did.

But the Prime Minister continues to insist that the only way to ensure Israel’s security and to force Hamas to free the hostages is to continue military pressure against them and to retain Israeli troops along the Philadelphi corridor, the area along the Gaza-Egypt border through, and under, which Hamas has been able to smuggle the bulk of its weapons. He asserts that Hamas will never release any hostages unless it’s back is to the wall and it has no other way out, and that the demonstrations and divisiveness in Israel is playing directly into the hands of Hamas — it is exactly what Hamas is trying to foment as a way to weaken the country and force it to give up the fight and allow Hamas to continue to exist as the ruling force in Gaza.

The majority of Israel, including some families of hostages, still seems to support the Prime Minister, even though the IDF and the Defense Minister have said that troops should be withdrawn from the Philadelphi corridor in order to reach a deal.

Foreign Minister Katz instructed Israeli embassies around the world to urge top officials around the world to take action against Hamas and Iran. Many Republican US members of Congress are urging the Biden Administration to pressure Iran to force Hamas to release the hostages. Iran is, after all, Hamas’ main sponsor and puppet master. Why then isn’t the White House threatening to start destroying Iranian oilfields if the hostages are not released — specifically the 7 Americans still in captivity? Doesn’t the administration have a responsibility to bring those American’s home?

Instead of simply pressuring and criticizing  and threatening Israel, whoever is actually running the country should give Iran an ultimatum — either get those hostages freed or lose your oil. My guess is that there’d be a very good chance that this nightmare would come to an end, quickly.

Unfortunately, the current administration has decided to pledge its full support for Israel’s right to defend itself from extinction, but not for Israel to defeat Hamas and Hezbollah and live with the kind of security that every country deserves. So it continues to pressure Israel and accept Iranian, Hezbollah and Hamas terror.

Israel needs to stand united now more than ever, as Hamas and its worldwide supporters attempt to divide and dishearten us.