Yom Shnee
Monday
18 Sivan 5784
June 24 2024
UPDATE 7:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
Netanyahu Comes Out Swinging
A boldly confident PM Netanyahu last night on Channel 14’s show Patriots.
In his first interview in Hebrew in a very long time, PM Netanyahu appeared on Channel 14’s Patriots show last night. In the interview, he minced no words on a number of subjects.
Concerning his recent video blasting the Biden Administration for slowing down weapons shipments:
” . . . about four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. For weeks we asked our American friends to speed up the shipments. We did it time and time again. We did it at the highest levels, and at all levels, and I want to emphasize – we did it in private rooms. We got all kinds of explanations, but one thing we didn’t get: the basic situation didn’t change. Certain items arrived in trickles, but the great mass of armaments remained behind.
After months of the lack of change in this situation, I decided to give it public expression. I did this out of years of experience, and knowing that this step is essential to unblocking the traffic jam. I expected that this would result in personal attacks against me from home and abroad, as happened when I opposed the nuclear deal with Iran, as happened and continues to happen when I repeatedly opposed the establishment of a Palestinian terrorist state, and as is happening now when I oppose ending the war while leaving Hamas intact. But I am ready to suffer personal attacks for the sake of Israel’s security.
As Prime Minister of Israel, my role is to do everything to ensure that our heroic fighters have the best means of combat. In light of what I have heard in the past day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future. But I would like to emphasize, and I have also said this to our American friends – We have one measure and it has always tipped the scales: the bravery and determination of our fighters – and with this weapon we will win. As Prime Minister of Israel, my role is to do everything to ensure that our heroic fighters have the best means of combat.”
Concerning Israeli residents on the northern and southern borders, the hostages, the departure of Gantz and Eisenkot from the Emergency Government, and new elections:
“We will return everyone home, residents of the north and the south. I am willing to make a partial deal that will return the abductees to us, but I am not ready to make a deal that will leave Hamas intact . . . Hamas is the one opposing the deal, not Israel. We will not leave Gaza until we return all 120 of our abductees, both living and dead. . . Gantz and Eisenkot did something that should not be done, they left the government during a war with 7 fronts, this is something that should not be done. I was elected by the public, we are in a democracy.”
Concerning the anti-government demonstrations every Saturday:
“There is a very organized minority here who change their intentions every time – sometimes about the corona virus, sometimes about the reform, but their goal is to overthrow the government and establish a left-wing government that will establish a Palestinian state here. Their agenda is fixed, the overthrow of the government.”
On the Ground in Gaza
*The IAF attacked a headquarters of UNRWA in Gaza City where HamISIS and Islamic Jihad terrorists were hiding. At least 30 were killed.
*Meanwhile humanitarian aid continues pouring into Gaza. This graphic comes from the IDF yesterday:
The sheer volume of food flooding the streets of Gaza is amazing. Here’s a photo from the Deir Al-Balach market yesterday:
There are more vegetables than in our local grocery store in Ashdod. These vegetables, by the way, are not imported.
On the Ground in the North
*Hezbollah terrorists fired barrages of missiles and anti-tank rockets into Metulla overnight. At least 2 IDF soldiers were wounded. In response, the IAF carried out large-scale airstrikes against Hezbollah assets in southern Lebanon.
*International news sources report that Hezbollah has huge storehouses of Iranian weapons, including Falaq rockets, Fatah-110 missiles, M-600 missiles, Cornet anti-tank missiles, and Burkhan ballistic missiles,missiles and explosives, at Beirut’s Rafic Al Hariri International Airport. Obviously these storehouses will be among the first hit should a full-scale war break out between Israel and Lebanon.
Not Without Friends
India and Israel working hand in hand in many areas..
Somewhat under the radar because of its apparent support of the Palestinians, India has been supplying Israel with artillery shells, light weapons, and advanced Hermes 900 drones since the war began.
Meanwhile in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders issues at least one tweet everyday in support of Israel:
In Internal Israeli Politics
Ever since our current Coalition Government was formed, your humble servant has said written that all of the attempts by the “Left” and the leftist media to break it up are doomed to failure.
The recent media focus has been on the so-called “Conscription Law” which calls for a fixed number of ultra-orthodox young men (3000) to be drafted in each recruiting cycle. The leftist media has done all it can to paint the ultra-orthodox parties (Shas and United Torah Judaism) as uncompromising and likely to break up the government if the proposed law is passed.
Yesterday, United Torah Judaism issued this statement confirming what we have constantly written here at OneIsrael:
“If the law that will be passed talks about the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox youth who do not study, even if the recruitment targets are more than 3,000, the ultra-Orthodox will live with that . . . The ultra-orthodox have no interest in overthrowing the government.”
Simply put, there is no way that a government headed by Gantz, Lapid, and Liberman would ever do anything except demean the ultra-orthodox at every turn and defund every yeshiva they could find–and the ultra-orthodox know this very well.
The media can publish a new election poll everyday if it wants to and the “Left” can wring its hands everyday calling for a new election, but the fact is that the next election is scheduled for November 2026.
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.