Wednesday
Yom Reva’ee
11 Nisan 5785
April 9 2025
UPDATE 9:00 AM ISRAEL TIME
The View from Ashdod
You won’t read it anywhere, but the IDF and IAF continue pounding Gaza. We hear the explosions here all day and all night. Yesterday’s main target was the Deir Al-Balach neighborhood from which missiles were fired at Ashdod several days ago. Meanwhile, the IDF has amassed more soldiers in southern Gaza to take on the remnants of Hamas’ Rafah Brigade.
What you will read everywhere this morning are descriptions of the farce that played out yesterday at the “High Court of Justice” (actually only 3 of its 15 Justices).
It was a foregone conclusion that the leftists would once again overrule a decision of the government–this time the decision to fire Shin Bet Head Ronen Bar. And so they did after 11 hours of meaningless debate which featured screaming in the courtroom by bereaved parents who hold Bar mainly responsible for what happened on October 7.
The three judges–who knew exactly how they would rule before the hearing started–decided that they agreed with its leftist cohort Attorney General Baharav-Miara. Specifically, even though the government had the authority to fire Bar, it did not follow “correct procudure.” They concluded this despite the fact that there has never been a specified procedure for firing the head of Shin Bet.
So, the 3 leftist Justices unanimously issued an interim order prohibiting the government from firing the egregiously incompetent Bar, prohibiting PM Netanyahu from searching for a replacement, and prohibiting the government from treating Shin Bet deputies as the head of the organization. It further stated that the Netanyahu government must try to reach a “compromise” with Baharav-Miara (as if the Attorney General has the same status as the government).
In sum, for the thousandth time, the Court has usurped the power of the government. As we have written before, we here at OneIsrael wonder why we have an elected government at all when the Court overrules its every decision.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir who has just been invited by the Trump Administration to Washington summed it up best this morning:
“The ongoing erosion of the powers of an elected democratic government by an unelected Court, lacking checks and balances, which assumes powers in complete violation of the law, should worry anyone who fears democracy. There is no choice but to return to legal reform soon.”
The News from Iran
Following President Trump’s announcement that the U.S. is engaging in direct talks with Iran in Oman on Saturday, the Iranians moved some of their long-range ballistic missiles to their proxies in Iraq and issued this statement:
“Our defense is non-negotiable. How can Tehran dismantle the nuclear program when Israel has nuclear warheads? Who will protect us if Israel or other countries attack us?”
At the same time, Trump Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, Morgan Ortagus issued this statement:
“We will not fall into Biden’s trap of indirect talks with the Iranians pulling our noses. Not happening. The talks must be quick and focus on nuclear disarmament.”
On top of all of this, information leaked from the White House yesterday revealed that Trump has told the Iranians that the U.S. will agree to Iranian construction of a nuclear reactor “for peaceful purposes.”
On the Gaza Border with Egypt
Fort the second day, the Egyptian government bused in hundreds of Egyptian “protesters” to supposedly demonstrate against President al-Sisi’s proposal to open the Rafah Crossing and settle hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Gazans in the Sinai.
We write “supposedly” because actually the demonstrations have been ones of support for al-Sisi and ones designed to give him cover for rejecting President Trump’s relocation plans for Gaza residents.
Note the Egyptian flags and a sign praising al-Sisi in yesterday’s demonstration:
On the Ground in Lebanon
The IAF struck a Hezbollah weapons depot deep in the Beqaa region yesterday, among nunerous other targets.
On the Ground in Yemen
The U.S. carried out the most strikes since they began attacking the Houthis several weeks ago. Targets included a massive attack on Houthi assets in the capital Sanaa, a Houthi command center in the heart of a civilian neighborhood in the Hodeidah province in western Yemen, and another massive attack on a communications facility in Amran province.
On the Ground in Judea and Samaria
The IDF has gone crazy again, reducing checkpoint hours throughout Samaria and opening the Jalama Crossing near Jenin for entry of Israeli-Arabs. The IDF has even announced that commanders and fighters who move from Gaza to Judea and Samariaa will undergo a “retraining” on “ethical issues.”
All of this is because of what the IDF says are “a decrease in attacks in northern Samaria.”
Your humble servant is going to be ill.
Here’s a summary of some of that “decreased activity” yesterday:
*A female Palestinian terrorist yelling “Allahu Akbar” tried to stab soldiers at the Gitti Avishar Junction. She was shot and killed:
*Palestinian terrorists attacked motorists at the “Arab Checkpoint”; the terrorists escaped–a Palestinian woman was treated for trauma.
*Palestinian terrorists attacked a bus and car on Highway 443 near Hirbet Al Mizbach. A number of passenbers had to be taken to Sha’are Tzedek Hospital for treatment. The terrorists escaped.
*Palestinian terrorists attacked vehicles north of the Ma’ale Levona Junction. No Israelis were wounded. The terrorists escaped.
*Palestinian terrorists attacked an Israeli woman near the grave of Rebbetzin Menucha Rachel in the Jewish cemetery in Hevron. The woman suffered “minor” wounds; the terrorists escaped.
*Palestinian terrorists attacked vehicles near Meriha. No Israelis were wounded; the terrorists escaped.
*Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis with Molotovs on the Gush-Etzion-Jerusalem Road about a kilometer after the Al-Khader Junction in the direction of Efrat. The terrorists escaped.
*Palestinian terrorists attacked Israelis on the road between Ma’ale Amos and Evi Hanal. Israelis suffered “minor” wounds; the terrorists escaped.
*Terrorists attacked Israelis west of the T-Junction in Gush Etzion. The terrorists escaped.
By the way, all of the “decreased activity” above took place in the space of 5 hours. And, as you notice, with the exception of the stabbing attack at Gitti Avishar, all of the terrorists escaped.
Thanks to Rescue Judea and Samaria SSF for the reportage of terror attacks.
And so it goes this this morning in Israel . . . 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.