Monday
Yom Shnee
3 Adar 5785
March 3 2025
BREAKING NEWS 11:00 AM:
A few minutes ago, a Palestinian terrorist arrived by bus in Haifa at the Lev Hamifratz Mall (near the central bus station). He stabbed a 70-year-old man to death, and three more who are in critical condition including a man and woman in their 30s and a 15 year old boy; two others are in fair condition. The terrorists were eliminated by civilians and soldiers at the scene.
The Israeli-Arab terrorist was a self-described Palestinian from Shfaram.
The View from Ashdod
Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir: The Incoming IDF Chief of Staff
As you may not know, Israel will have a new IDF Chief of Staff as of Wednesday. Herzi Halevi is stepping down early because as he said: “I am responsible for what happened on October 7.”
Yes he is.
He established an IDF command structure that was completely asleep at the wheel ignoring repeated warnings from observers on the border and even from undercover agents in Gaza. Halevi is responsible as those Chiefs of Staff immediately before him for an IDF culture that prized cyber abilities and techological assets above all.
Thus, despite the hugely meritorious performance of the IDF in the aftermath of October 7 in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Yemen, and even in Iran, Halevi will forever be remembered by history for being in charge on October 7.
Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir (photo above) is taking command, and he has already indicated that he intends to clean house or has he says “the stables”. Those who are likely to be forced out are Head of Military Intelligence Shlomi Binder; Commander of the Home Front Command Rafi Milo; Commander of the Air Force Tomer Bar; and Head of the Operations Directorate Oded Biyuk–not to mention their underlings.
PM Netanyahu has said this about Zamir:
“Even when he served as my military secretary, I was impressed by Eyal Zamir’s dedication to the country and the IDF, as well as his offensive strategic approach.”
Some of that “offensive strategic approach” can be seen in that Zamir has already ordered a meeting of all commanders in the south on Wednesday, and has ordered all existing attack plans in Gaza trashed because they were not “offensive” enough.
On the Ground in Gaza
As we noted yesterday, Phase 1 of the hostage/ceasefire agreement is over, and nothing has been agreed upon to replace it. Israel continues to insist on extending Phase 1 and Hamas releasing all the hostages. Hamas continues to insist on moving to Phase 2, having the IDF completely pull out of Gaza, and dribbling out the hostages 3 at a time.
Yesterday saw considerable IDF/IAF activity in around Gaza with 4 terrorists killed in encounters with the IDF in northern and southern Gaza. This morning, we are hearing explosions here in Ashdod coming from the direction of Gaza.
In the meantime, the government has stopped all “humanitarian” aid deliveries to Gaza, and is now even threatening to cut off Gaza’s electricity and water. As we noted yesterday, cutting off “humanitarian” aid is a futile gesture given the tens of thousands of trucks that have entered Gaza since the beginning of the ceasefire. And whereas the Trump administration said yesterday that it completely supports the cutoff of aid, it is doubtful that it would say the same thing about electricity and water.
And so it goes in Israel so far this morning . . .
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.