IDF launches major new counterterror operation in Jenin as Netanyahu vows to fight ‘Iranian axis’ everywhere
New ‘Operation Iron Wall’ follows months of fighting between terrorists and PA

All Israel News Staff | Published: January 21, 2025

The Israeli army and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the city of Jenin located in Samaria on Tuesday.

“On the directive of the Security Cabinet, the IDF, the ISA and the Israel Police have today begun an extensive and significant military operation to defeat terrorism in Jenin – 'Iron Wall',” Netanyahu stated.

“This is an additional step in achieving the objective that we have set – bolstering security in Judea and Samaria,” the premier added.

“We are acting methodically and with determination against the Iranian axis wherever it reaches – in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Judea and Samaria – and we are still active.”

The first Palestinian reports said large numbers of military vehicles had entered Jenin, and Israeli aircraft opened fire from the sky. According to the latest updates from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, two people were killed and some 25 were wounded in clashes so far.

Israeli media said the operation is expected to last for at least several days, and is carried out by IDF troops including special forces, as well as Border Police and Shin Bet forces.

Despite statistics showing a decrease in terror attacks in Judea and Samaria, Channel 12 News recently cited Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar warning the political echelon that the quiet could be treacherous.

“The significant decrease in the scope of attacks in Judea and Samaria is deceptive and does not reflect the scope of terrorism on the ground,” Bar told the cabinet some two weeks ago.

“We recognize a consistent trend of weapon upgrades since ‘Guardian of the Wall,’ a transition from Molotov cocktails to shooting and from shooting to bomb attacks” Bar warned.

“Israel should learn from Oct. 7 not to allow the strengthening of terrorist elements, and therefore a broad move that changes the situation must be made to collapse and eliminate the phenomenon of the battalions in Judea and Samaria and allow us freedom of action.”

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday also warned that, “The threat to the settlements, the towns and the settlers in Judea and Samaria and the border areas is getting worse.”

Speaking in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday, Katz noted that “Our enemies here and now recognize the possibility that this is the only arena that is open today – the only place where there are confrontations, shootings and terrorism against the State of Israel, and therefore the Iranian axis which has operated continues to operate to produce terrorism through financing, targeting and arming.”

Therefore, the defense minister said, he ordered the IDF to “act strongly to protect all settlements and residents.”

According to Channel 12, the operation has been planned for months and was started today due to the failure of the operation of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces to root out the terror in Jenin, and the ceasefires that were implemented in Gaza and Lebanon.

“In their view, the operation has already achieved its goal: they showed the Palestinian public and the entire world that they will no longer accept armed presence on such a scale,” an IDF official told Ynet News.

“This is also their way of signaling to the US and the European Union that they have armed force to control the Gaza Strip instead of Hamas, at least in the parts where Hamas has been beaten the most by the IDF.”

Despite reported agreements by leaders in the Jenin refugee camp and the PA, members of the Islamic Jihad-affiliated Jenin Brigade detonated two explosive devices on a vehicle belonging to the PA forces on Monday.

According to Israeli security sources, the PA killed 10 terrorists, including a senior officer, and arrested some 340 terrorist operatives in around a month and a half of fighting. They also found 290 explosive devices, no less than 23 car bombs and many drones.

The PA reportedly lost six of its fighters in the clashes.

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Psa 83:1-5
1 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:

Israel is going to be doing some deep cleaning in many places.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Israel is going to be doing some deep cleaning in many places.

And no more of those pathetic lectures from the White House and State Department.

I am sure DJT and Bibi have a plan.

Moroccan US green-card holder stabs 4 Israelis in Tel Aviv before being shot dead
Attacker was flagged upon arrival to Israel but still allowed to enter the country

All Israel News Staff | Published: January 22, 2025

Four Israelis suffered stab wounds when a Moroccan man attacked them with a knife on a Tel Aviv street on Tuesday evening. IDF commando soldiers on leave, who by chance were nearby, quickly shot and killed the attacker, Israeli media reported.

Two men were in moderate condition, and two others in good condition after the attack, the Magen David Adom rescue service said.

The attack was identified as 29-year-old Moroccan citizen Abdelaziz Kaddi, a U.S. green card holder, who entered Israel on Jan. 18 with a tourist visa.

Upon arrival in Israel, Kaddi was flagged by airport security and was questioned by representatives of the Shin Bet, who decided to approve his entry to the country.

“Arrived on a connection flight from Poland. Single without family, no friends. No hotel address. There were all the suspicious signs,” wrote i24 legal affairs correspondent Avishai Greenzeig.

Despite the warning signs, Kaddi wasn’t immediately turned back, but “He was transferred to a security questioning because he has an American green card,” Greenzeig explained.

Interior Minister Moshe Arbel expressed his appreciation for the security personnel at the airport but called on Ronen Bar, director of the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, to investigate the incident.

“I praise and appreciate the border inspectors of the Population and Immigration Authority who, in real time, identified and sought to prevent the terrorist from the attack in Tel Aviv from entering Israel upon his arrival at Ben Gurion Airport on Jan. 18 and handed him over for questioning by the security officials, who unfortunately decided to allow his entry to Israel.”

“I call on the head of the Shin Bet Ronen Bar to investigate the serious incident and draw lessons from it as soon as possible,” Arbel added.

The Shin Bet later stated that Kaddi “was subjected to a security assessment that included his interrogation as well as additional tests, at the end of which it was decided that there was no data to establish a reason to prevent his entry into Israel for security reasons. The case will be investigated.”

Kaddi was later found to have published and shared Islamist and anti-Israeli material on his social media pages, including pictures praising terrorists who were killed by Israeli security forces in Judea and Samaria.

According to Kan News, an IDF officer who lost a hand in combat in Gaza was on the scene of the attack and tried to stop the attacker.

Capt. A. told the news outlet: “I fought in Gaza about a year ago and was injured and lost my right hand. Today I am in the tactical command college, in the company commanders’ course.”

“I went out with my friends from the course to [the Tel Aviv neighborhood of] Nahalat Binyamin, and during the recreation a thug came and tried to stab one of us. As soon as I noticed the incident, I tried to hit the terrorist and we chased after him. I was injured and am being treated for a minor hand injury, and I expect to return to the company commanders’ course and continue as usual.”

Morocco and Israel have enjoyed good relations for years and signed peace agreements as part of the Abraham Accords in 2020. Since then, many Israelis, particularly those with Moroccan roots, have traveled to the North African country.

Faisal Marjani, a Moroccan citizen and the president and founder of the “Moroccan Coexistence Association” condemned the attack: “The Moroccan Coexistence Association condemns the cowardly terrorist act that harmed innocent citizens in Israel and confirms its firm position rejecting any form of violence and terrorism,” he told Ynet News.

“This despicable act reflects the escalation of the inciting and hateful words carried by a number of media outlets, led by Al-Jazeera, which continues to broadcast misleading information and spreads hatred against Jews and Israelis,” Marjani added.

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Psa 87:1-7
1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.
2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.
5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.
6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there. Selah.
7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

Who will succeed IDF Chief Halevi to rebuild Israel’s army after the Oct 7 failure?
DM Katz to interview 3 candidates for next IDF chief

All Israel News Staff | Published: January 22, 2025

With the IDF scoring impressive achievements across several fronts over the last months, it is easy to forget that just over a year ago, Israel’s vaunted fighting forces were humiliated and failed to defend the country’s borders against Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.

This week, both IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi and Southern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman announced their resignations citing this failure. Their departures are likely to trigger a wave of additional resignations among the top brass of Israel’s security forces, including those within the domestic intelligence service, Shin Bet.

Therefore, the question of who will be nominated to replace Halevi as the IDF’s next chief of staff will receive special significance, as he will have the opportunity to fill numerous top spots and mold the army in his image for the coming decade.

However, the next leader will be expected to drive the military’s renewal, not just in terms of manpower and weapons systems, but especially regarding the army’s strategic outlook, and to move away from the much-maligned "concepts" that led to the stunning failures of Oct. 7.

Defense Minister Israel Katz, who himself recently replaced Yoav Gallant, who led the security system during Oct. 7, announced he would soon begin interviewing the candidates for the position of chief of staff.

“It is of the utmost importance to choose the most suitable candidate to lead the IDF in this challenging period, and I intend to have an orderly and quick procedure for selecting the candidate for the position of the next Chief of Staff," Katz said.

“The IDF is the people’s army and it is entrusted with the ultimate responsibility for preserving the lives of soldiers and protecting the State of Israel, and I will choose the best candidate to fulfill the mission,” he vowed.

Katz has named three candidates for the position: Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Eyal Zamir, the current Director-General of the Defense Ministry; Maj.-Gen. Amir Baram, currently Halevi’s deputy; and Maj.-Gen. Tamir Yadai, who recently finished a stint as Ground Forces commander and is on vacation ahead of a planned retirement.

According to most experts and media reports, Zamir is the leading candidate.

Zamir is considered front runner to succeed Halevi due to his experience in the army as well as in the broader security system.

He reportedly has the trust of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and is seen as someone with the potential to renew the army, as he didn’t have a direct part in the failures of Oct. 7.

He had also demanded to increase the IDF’s ground troops long before the current war, which is widely seen as one of the main lessons the military will learn from the current multi-front fighting. When taking over as deputy chief of staff in 2021, Zamir warned: “In the face of a multi-arena campaign, the IDF needs a critical mass of both quality and quantity.”

Media reports suggest he is well-connected among the political echelon and the army’s brass, and in his position as Director-General of the Defense Ministry, has gathered experience in building up the military from the outside, while also establishing good contacts with the U.S. military.

Zamir might be seen as somewhat of an outsider as chief of staff, a position that has been dominated by former infantry commanders, most often paratroopers and special forces commanders.

He enlisted in the Armored Corps, rising through the ranks to fill numerous positions as combat commander. After commanding the 36th Armored Division, he was nominated as the prime minister’s military secretary in 2015.

He was already a candidate to become chief of staff in 2018 and 2022, losing out to Aviv Kochavi and Herzi Halevi, despite support from Netanyahu.

Current deputy chief of staff Maj.-Gen. Baram has had a more “traditional” career for a top IDF general. He rose through the ranks of the Paratrooper Brigade together with his current commander, Lt.-Gen. Halevi.

Baram led an anti-tank squad, the Paratrooper reconnaissance unit, and the special Maglan Unit before becoming commander of the Paratrooper Brigade, the 98th Division and finally, the IDF’s Northern Command.

Despite being in a commanding position during Oct. 7, he is not seen as one of those responsible for the failures, as his recent positions on the northern border and as deputy chief of staff were not directly connected to the army’s performance on the Gaza front.

According to Walla News, Baram had several differences of opinion with Halevi in recent years, which could also give him another important boost in the race.

The last, somewhat surprising candidate is Maj.-Gen. Yadai, who just recently began the retirement process but announced upon leaving his post, “My phone is available – if called, I will come.”

While also having begun his career as an infantry soldier, Yadai first joined the Golani Brigade, seen as the “brigade of the people” as opposed to the “elitist” Paratroopers.

Over the years, he commanded the special Egoz Unit and led the Golani Brigade during the Second Lebanon War, earning rave reviews as a field commander. He later served as head of the Home Front Command, the Central Command, and the Ground Forces Command.

At the beginning of the current war, Yadai pushed for his ground forces to enter Gaza and expressed confidence in the reserve troops, which was vindicated by their performance in the fighting.

As Yadai hasn’t yet served as deputy chief of staff, contrary to Zamir and Baram, media reports suggested he could be nominated as the next deputy if he doesn’t win the top spot.

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Psa 105:1-11
1 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:

Israeli President Herzog says Oct 7 'wake-up call' changed his view of two-state solution
All Israel News Staff | Published: January 22, 2025

While attending the World Economic Forum in Switzerland this week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog was asked about his opinion on the “two state solution”, and whether his stance has changed since the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion by Hamas.

Herzog, a former member of the Knesset and leader of the Labor Party, has been a long-time supporter of the two-state solution, but said that he “had a wake-up call following October 7.”

While he acknowledged “there must be a political move forward on the Palestinian front,” the president did not commit to a Palestinian state.

Herzog also said, “One has to understand the state of mind of Israelis, to come after such a horror and a national trauma, surrounded from seven different frontiers, and expect Israelis to say, ‘Hey guys, we are just – we are withdrawing, we’re pulling out from that settlement,’ or otherwise. That’s not realistic at all. It doesn’t make sense to Israelis. They need to see something that makes sense in terms of their personal security and safety.”

Speaking about the desire for peace, Herzog noted, “We should strive for peace, and they deserve to have peace just like us. But it requires them to disseminate and understand that terror is out of the question under any circumstances. There will be a moment where we’ll have to have real peace with our Palestinian neighbors. I dream of that day, but it will take time.”

Herzog also believes that including Arab nations from the Abraham Accordas well as more moderate nations like Saudi Arabia are key to continuing discussion about a future Palestinian state.

Regarding the willingness of Saudi Arabia to enter into an agreement similar to the Abraham accords, Herzog stated “it’s still delicate, it’s fragile, and it will take a long time, but I think that it is actually an opportunity to move forward in the world and the region towards a better future.”

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“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” (Psa 33:12)