Yom Rishon
Sunday
13 Nisan 5784
April 21 2024
Our OneIsrael Campaign For Our Soldiers
IDF soldiers on the ground need basic protective gear, armaments, and supplies.
Even during the recent Iranian attacks soldiers were forced to lie in open trenches to protect themselves from incoming missiles and drones as they have been doing for months on the Gaza and northern borders.
OneIsrael is now engaged in a campaign to help protect our soldiers. This campaign will extend through Passover and to Shavuot.
Please consider donating to our campaign by clicking on the donate button in the right hand column on this page. All donations go directly to our soldiers.
Thank you to those of you who have already contributed to the protection of our brave men and women in uniform!
Quotations of the Day
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On the Hostage Situation:
“Only 40 hostages are probably still alive. We know this because it is much easier to gather intel now that we are in Gaza. Hamas is trying to keep everything very secret. They will never release all the abductees and the bodies . . .”
Shin Bet Officer 1 (unnamed)
“Negotiations are a lost cause. We cannot negotiate for bodies by releasing hundreds or thousands of additional terrorists.”
Shin Bet Officer 2 (unnamed)
These comments appeared in a newspaper interview today, and unfortunately confirm what we have been writing here for months. The officers were unnamed because the hostage situation is so sensitive here with families hoping that their loved ones are still alive.
The comments coincide with the latest “negotiations” failure which occurred when HamISIS said it could not find 40 living hostages.
***
On the Decision of the Biden Administration to Sanction the Netzah Yehuda Battalion
Ultra orthodox soldiers of the Netzah Yehuda Battalion.
By way of context, the Netzah Yehuda Battalion (Judah’s Eternal Battalion) is an elite fighting group composed of strictly ultra- orthodox Jewish men. It is the IDF’s only all-volunteer force.
Renowned for their fierce fighting, they were initially based in Judea and Samaria until the Palestinians fraudulently complained that the soldiers were “violating their rights.” Subsequently, following a demand from the Biden Administration, they were moved to the northern border.
The Netzah Battalion is noted for its ferocity in battle.
More recently they have been deployed to Gaza.
Yesterday, the Biden Administration took the extraordinary step of announcing that it is going place sanctions on the entire Netzah Yehuda Battalion. According to Washington, the sanctions will prevent its soldiers and officers from taking part in training with the United States Army, or participating in activities that receive American funding.
Reaction this morning has been swift:
“It is forbidden to impose sanctions on the Israel Defense Forces! I have been working in recent weeks against the imposition of sanctions on Israeli citizens, including in my conversations with senior American government officials.
At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low. The government headed by me will act by all means against these moves.”
PM Netanyahu
“A decision to impose American sanctions on the IDF while Israel is fighting for its existence is absolute madness. We warned that the Biden administration’s sanctions against the settlers will continue for the IDF and the entire State of Israel. This is part of a planned move to force the State of Israel to agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state and abandon Israel’s security.”
Finance Minister and Deputy Defense Minister Bezalel Smotrich
“The Netzah Yehuda Battalion is an integral part of the IDF. It is subject to military law, and it operates in accordance with international law. The State of Israel has a strong and independent judicial system, which knows how to investigate and investigate any violation of the law or deviation from IDF orders, and that is what we will do. I have great respect for our American friends, but imposing sanctions on the unit is a dangerous precedent, and also sends the wrong message to our common enemies in time of war. I will act so that this decision does not pass.”
Benny Gantz, member of the War Cabinet and head of the State Camp Party
The Bidenite decision to sanction an IDF Unit is egregious in itself and will undoubtedly lead to other countries sanctioning Netzah Yehuda and other IDF combat battalions.
But even more than that, the decision to single out the one ultra-orthodox Jewish battalion smacks of something else which your humble servant will leave it to you, dear reader, to put a name to.
*****
UPDATE 10:00 AM
On the Ground in Gaza
*The Palestinian terrorists in Gaza continue firing missiles at Israeli border communities with a strike on Kissufim last night at 20:49 pm. The IDF responded by destroying the launch site, as it did the previous night after the attack on Sderot. But still . . . the missiles keep falling.
*The IDF continues to attack Rafah in limited fashion. An IAF strike killed 3 terrorists in the Shavoda neighborhood of central Rafah.
*More attacks took place in and around Gaza City.
On the Ground in the North
Hezbollah terrorists fired numerous missiles into northern Israel yesterday and today: Evan Menachem (14:00); Metzuba, Shlomi (17:50); Shlomi, Rosh HaNikra (10:20 am today). In addition suicide drones were launched at Beit Hillel, Kiryat Shmona, Tel Hai (12:59); Kiryat Shmona, Margaliot, Misgav Am, Tel Hai, Dafna (12:28); Dafna, Kibbutz Dan, Snir (11:52); Metulla, Beit Hillel, Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Yuval (10:40).
An IAF air strike destroyed a Hezbollah installation in El Mayadin, and another strike was reported in Hayam in southern Lebanon
On the Ground in Judea and Samaria
*A combined Palestinian terror attack took place this morning at the Beit Anon Junction. One Palestinian terrorist tried to stab our soldiers and was shot and killed. A fellow terrorist opened fire from a nearby hill and was also shot and killed.
*For almost 2 days, the IDF, Shin Bet and Border Police have been engaged in an operation to counter terrorism in the Noor al-Shams area. Thus far our forces have eliminated 13 terrorists, captured eight others, uncovered explosives, and located and confiscated many M16 rifles and other weapons.
Since the beginning of the activity, eight IDF soldiers and a Border Policeman were wounded with minor and moderate injuries, all the soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment at a nearby hospital.
Washington Takes Away and Gives
The U.S. Congress has approved a military aid package for the Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel.
Apparently 16.5 billion dollars is earmarked for Israel including:
4.4 billion for Operation and Maintenance
801.4 million for Army Procurement of Ammunition
5.2 billion for other Procurement,
198.6 million for unspecified military purchases
3.5 billion under the Foreign Military Financing Program
2.44 billion under an unclear section – for the Ministry of Defense
By the way, 9.1 billion was also approved for humanitarian aid to our enemies in Gaza.
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.