Saturday
Yom Shabbat
15 Adar 5785
March 15 2025
The Photo of the Day (anonymous photographer):
Sunrise Over The Kineret (Sea of Galilee) This Morning
The Shabbat Fact of the Morning
Did you know that in 2024, Israel bought $31.5 billion in weapons from the United States?
Some weapons were given as part of foreign aid packages, but most of the weapons were bought by Israel.
UPDATE 9:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
On the Ground in Gaza
*Hamas continues to reorganize primarily in locations around what used to be schools. Yesterday, the IAF eliminated 4 terrorists near one of these schools in the Zeitoun neighborhood in northern Gaza.
*The IAF also eliminated more terrorists who were planting explosives in central Gaza near where IDF troops remain located.
*The effort to release hostages remains stalled for the moment. Hamas pounced on the idiotic Boehler proposal and says that it agrees to release the five Americans being held (1 who is alive–Eden Alexander, and 4 who are dead). It is demanding in return that the IDF withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor and buffer zone–and release of more Palestinian terrorists. You will remember from yesterday’s blog and Adam Boehler is no longer on the scene.
Israel steadfastly refuses these terms and is sticking to the Witkoff plan. Tonight PM Netanyahu and his Cabinet ministers will meet and decide on the next steps.
On the Ground in the North
In Lebanon:
From the IDF spokesman:
“In an assessment of the situation, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, with the participation of the Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the head of the IDF’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, the commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, and other senior IDF and security officials, clarified that the IDF will remain at the 5 points that control the buffer zones in Lebanon, indefinitely, for the sake of protecting the residents of the north, and this is without any connection to future negotiations on points of dispute on the border. The Defense Minister instructed the IDF to strengthen and consolidate our hold on the outposts and to prepare for an extended stay at the 5 points that are controlled by the IDF. “
On the Ground in Judea and Samaria
From the IDF Spokesman:
*”A number of suspects were identified outside the community of Harsha. IDF forces rushed to the spot and opened fire on the suspects. The suspects fled the scene and the forces began searching the area for them. There is no fear of infiltration into the settlement.”
And:
*”IDF surveillance recently identified a number of suspects in Israeli territory who crossed the border with Jordan in the Amakim area. Upon identification, IDF forces rushed to the spot and captured suspects.
Prior to the arrest, some suspects approached the forces in a manner that posed a threat to them. The forces responded by firing at the suspects, and hits were identified. There were no casualties among our forces.”
On the Economic Front
The following mixed bag of basic statistics were released yesterday:
—Annual inflation now stands at 3.4%.
—The consumer price index jumped 0.6% due to a series of price increases – starting with the VAT increase, as well as the increase in the price of property taxes, water, electricity, and numerous consumer goods.
—Apartment prices and rents are rising at the rate of 8% per year.
—The price of fresh fruit including bananas and strawberries rose 10.5% last month.
—The price of vegetables decreased by 7.1% last month.
—The price of clothing decreased by 3% last month.
The bottom line is that while the inflation rate stays low, it is extraordinarily expensive to live in Israel–and virtually impossible for young couples to buy an apartment.
On that note we wish our soldiers and you dear readers:
Shabbat Shalom!
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.