Tuesday
Yom Shleeshee
28 Tevet 5785
January 28 2025
UPDATE 9:00 PM ISRAEL TIME
The View from Ashdod
Anyone watching the 300,000+ Palestinians returning to northern Gaza yesterday with no vetting whatsoever can only come to one conclusion.
The Gaza war is over.
Does anyone seriously believe that Israel will resume the war at the end of Phase One of the Agreement? Or that those 300,000 will be pushed to central Gaza again?
To believe that either will happen is a delusion.
Take a look at two announcements from the IDF spokesman yesterday:
Announcement 1:
“Over the past day (Sunday), IDF troops operated against threats posed to them in the Gaza Strip.
In the central Gaza Strip, IDF troops identified several gatherings of dozens of suspects who were advancing toward the troops and posed a threat to them. The troops fired warning shots at the suspects.
The IDF calls the residents of Gaza to follow its announcements and avoid approaching the troops deployed in the area.”
Announcement 2:
“Over the past day, IDF troops precisely operated against suspects who posed a threat to the troops operating in the Gaza Strip.
In a number of areas in the Gaza Strip, several suspects were identified approaching IDF troops and posing a threat to them. The troops fired warning shots to distance them.
In northern Gaza, the troops identified a suspect who posed a threat to them and fired warning shots to distance him. The suspect did not move away, and since he continued to pose a threat to the troops, additional shots were fired in order to remove the threat.
Moreover, in central Gaza, an IDF aircraft fired to distance a number of suspicious vehicles that were moving northward in an area that is not authorized for passage according to the agreement, and without inspection, in violation of the terms of the agreement.
The IDF is determined to fully maintain the terms of the agreement in order to return the hostages. The IDF is prepared for any scenario and will continue to take any necessary actions to thwart any immediate threat.”
In short, the IDF on the ground is now reduced to firing warning shots to keep terrorists away, and the IAF in the air is firing to keep threatening vehicles at a distance.
Almost certainly, a terrorist may occasionally be killed and a raid may take place every now and then, but the war is for all intents and purposes over.
On the Ground in Judea and Samaria
Now that the wars in Gaza and southern Lebanon have subsided and perhaps ended, the IDF is moving to expand Operation Iron Wall aimed at rooting out terrorists in Judea and Samaria.
That operation continued apace yesterday.
The IDF Spokesman speaking last night:
“Earlier today (Monday), during a joint IDF and ISA counterterrorism activity, an IAF aircraft struck and eliminated Ihab Abu Atiwi, a terrorist who served as the head of the Hamas terrorist organization in Tulkarm, and an additional terrorist.
Abu Atiwi was involved in numerous shooting attacks, including an attack on an Israeli vehicle at the Ramin junction on July 16, 2024, in which three Israeli citizens were injured.
His elimination is part of the intensive counterterrorism operations conducted by the ISA and IDF against terrorist networks in northern Samaria.
Additionally, a short while ago, as part of the counterterrorism efforts in Judea and Samaria, IDF, ISA, and Israel Border Police forces initiated a counterterrorism operation in Tulkarm.”
The Netanyahu Trial Farce
By now, it is well known that PM Netanyahu has not fully recovered from his prostate removal surgery and subsequent “unexpected” infection. He has lost considerable weight and appears very pale and exhausted.
Of course, that didn’t matter to judges two days ago when Netanyahu asked for cancellation of his testimony this week. All they agreed to was “truncated” testimony from 9:00-2:00 three days a week with breaks as needed by the prime minister.
However, this morning has come news that Netanyahu’s testimony for today has been canceled.
Why?
Because one of the judges is sick.
One doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
On the President Trump Front
President Trump continues to try to drum up support for countries to take in residents of Gaza. So far, Jordan and Egypt have rejected his calls; yesterday’s it was Albania’s turn to say that it has not agreed to take in 100,000 Gazans.
On a separate issue, President Trump signed an executive order yesterday calling for the construction of an Iron Dome defense for the U.S.
It appears that PM Netanyahu will fly to Washington this weekend and will meet President Trump early next week.
And so it goes in Israel this morning . . . so far . . .
A student from Malawi, who had worked with an Israeli health volunteer in his country battling AIDS, came up to us as we walked down the street in the UC-Davis Picnic Day Parade and wanted to carry the Israeli flag.