Friday, May 30, 2025

By: Kate Norman and Robyn Hill ~ Bridges for Peace

Friday, 23 May 2025 | Jerusalem Day, or Yom Yerushalayim will begin Sunday evening at sundown, as Israelis celebrate the reunification of the Jewish state’s capital 58 years ago in the Six Day War. 

A sea of blue and white will soon fill the city as Israel’s flags are waved with pride through the streets and Israelis dressed in white—symbolic of purity, joy, and celebration in Jewish tradition—will dance and celebrate together throughout the city. The Star of David and the Lion of Judah, the emblem of Jerusalem, will be displayed from the flagpoles and balconies of many homes. 

The event commemorates the end of the Six Day War on June 7, 1967—the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar. Ending the defensive war, the Israeli military broke the Jordanian chokehold over eastern Jerusalem and restored the city to Jewish sovereignty and with it access to the Western Wall among other sacred sites. 

Then-Defense Minister Moshe Dayan declared: “We have united Jerusalem, the divided capital of Israel. We have returned to the holiest of our holy places, never to part from it again. To our Arab neighbors we extend, also at this hour—and with added emphasis at this hour—our hand in peace.” 

Dayan also promised freedom and rights for Christians and Muslims in the city and called for unity. 

A highlight of the celebrations is the Flag March which will take its usual route from the Jerusalem Great Synagogue, into the Old City via Damascus Gate, before ending at the Western Wall. 

While the day is one of celebration, police are preparing for friction ahead of the Jerusalem Flag March. Thousands of Israelis will parade through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter towards the Western Wall and will prompt the closing of several roads to traffic as a result. With so many in attendance, police will be out in force to maintain order. 

Celebrations Clouded by Tensions 

The mood is already tense following the murder of Israeli mother Tzeela Gez, on her way to give birth to her fourth child, and the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C. Prime Minister Netanyahu ascribed the attack to “blood libels against Israel,” firmly indicating he feels the incitement and false accusations against the Jewish state sparked the violence. 

For many in Israel, the focus will likely be back on Jerusalem. Eastern Jerusalem is the site that the Palestinians want for the capital of their own sovereign state, as it includes the Temple Mount, where the first and second Jewish Temples once stood and where the Al-Aqsa Mosque now stands, the third holiest site in Islam. 

With the augmented security forces and high hopes for a peaceful day, the City of Gold is commemorating the day that it became wholly accessible to the Jewish people, once again their eternal, undivided capital. To this day, Jews face the direction of Jerusalem for prayer, faithfully honoring their traditions and beloved city. 

While the holiday itself does not attain the popularity of Yom Ha’atzmaut, or Israel Independence Day, nor is it considerably observed outside of Israel, it still holds significant meaning. The fact that thousands of Israelis travel (some even hike) to Jerusalem to display solidarity with the city, shows it holds special importance to the State of Israel. It’s a day that celebrates the existence and triumphs of the modern state and where many will cite a common phrase quoting Psalm 122:3, Ir shehubrah lah yahdaiv, “a city uniting all.” May this be our prayer over the weekend as Israelis ready themselves for another eventful week ahead.

Bridges for Peace office in Jerusalem will be closed on Monday to observe Shavuot (Pentecost)!

By: Itamar Eichner

Wednesday, 28 May 25 | Israel’s Security Cabinet has quietly approved the establishment of 22 new settlements in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], including the reestablishment of Homesh and Sa-Nur—two outposts evacuated during the 2005 disengagement from Gaza. The decision was made following a joint initiative by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. 

According to details obtained by Ynet, the approved list includes: Adi Ad, Ahiya, Nofei Prat, Atarot Adar, Inbar and Beit Horon North in the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council; Kedem Arava in the Megilot Dead Sea Council; Machane Gadi, Ir Hatmarim, Gevaonit, and Tabbat in the Jordan Valley Regional Council; Mitzpe Ziv, El Naveh, and another Kedem Arava in the South Hebron Hills; and in the Shomron Regional Council: Havat Yair, Ma'oz Zvi, Ma'alot Halhul, Afeka, Yonadav, Rehavam and Mount Ebal. Most of the settlement names are provisional. 

The move follows another decision two weeks ago to officially resume Israel's land registration procedures in Area C of the West Bank—which is under full Israeli control, and to counter what it described as "unauthorized land settlement efforts" by the Palestinian Authority. That earlier resolution stated that any land registration activities undertaken by the Palestinian Authority in Area C lack legal standing and would not be recognized in any official Israeli proceeding. 

The Cabinet instructed the defense establishment to prevent further Palestinian land registration, including blocking the entry of professionals, halting foreign assistance to the process, and directly demanding the Palestinian Authority cease such activity.

By: JNS

Thursday, 29 May 2025 | During her meeting in Israel on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US Secretary of Homeland Security [DHS] Kristi Noem emphasized the importance of regional peace and ensuring Iran never acquires or develops nuclear weapons. 

The conversation was “candid,” according to the official DHS readout, with Noem reaffirming the United States’ commitment to Israel’s security and conveying US President Donald Trump’s support for Netanyahu’s leadership. The secretary also expressed condolences on behalf of the American people for the deaths of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, Israeli diplomatic staff killed in a terrorist attack in Washington, DC, last week. 

While in Israel, Noem also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, participating in a candle-lighting ceremony and tree planting to honor the fallen diplomats. Sa’ar called the visit a testament to the US–Israel alliance, declaring, “Israel will never surrender to terrorism.” 

An Israeli government readout of the meeting noted Noem’s appreciation for Israel’s security posture, including Netanyahu’s role during the ongoing conflict and the construction of the Egyptian border barrier. The meeting included Netanyahu’s senior security and foreign policy advisers and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee. 

Noem’s stop in Israel was part of a multi-country tour including visits to Italy, Bahrain and Poland aimed at strengthening US Homeland Security partnerships.

By: JNS

Wednesday, 28 May 2025 | The Yesha Council umbrella group of Judea and Samaria communities has launched a campaign calling on Israel’s government to extend sovereignty over the area to prevent another terrorist massacre. 

As part of the campaign, the group, which represents some 500,000 Jews living in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley, released a video illustrating the danger posed by Palestinian terrorist organizations in the territory. 

The minute-long clip depicts terrorists breaking through the security fence in northern Samaria with pick-up trucks and motorcycles and driving toward the Israeli city of Kfar Saba, abducting hostages to the Palestinian terror hub of Tulkarem, firing a RPG at Ben-Gurion Airport and attacking Israelis from Afula to Beersheva. 

“It’s either Israeli sovereignty or the seventh of October in the center of the country,” the video states. “Now is the time to apply Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria and prevent the next massacre.” 

“Judea and Samaria, the defensive shield of Israel,” the clip concludes. 

Israeli government ministers have reportedly warned key European nations that any unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state could prompt Jerusalem to extend sovereignty over parts of Judea and Samaria. 

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer reportedly warned France, the United Kingdom and other countries that the move could lead Jerusalem to annex Area C of Judea and Samaria as well as legalize outposts. 

“Unilateral moves against Israel will be met with unilateral moves by Israel,” Sa’ar told his counterparts, the Israel Hayom daily reported. 

The report came ahead of a French- and Saudi-led summit scheduled to take place next month in New York, where French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to promote coordinated recognition of “Palestine.” 

Late last week, Israeli Construction and Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf announced that Jerusalem would allocate 30 million shekels (US $8.42 million) to build more than a dozen cities and industrial zones in Samaria in an attempt to bring one million more Jews to the area. 

As of January 1, 529,704 Jews lived in communities throughout Judea and Samaria, amounting to approximately 5.28% of Israel’s population. 

Nearly 70% of Israeli citizens want Israel to extend full legal sovereignty over the disputed territory, according to a survey conducted on January 29. 

Meanwhile, 58% of Israeli Jews believe that communities in Judea and Samaria contribute to the security of the country, according to a poll the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) published on March 11.

By: Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 27 May 2025 | Two missiles launched from Yemen toward Israel were intercepted within three hours early Tuesday, triggering air raid sirens across parts of the Jordan Valley and the northern West Bank [Judea and Samaria], the military said. No injuries were reported. 

The first alerts sounded around 5 a.m. in communities including Argaman, Beqaot, Gitit, Hemdat, Hamra, Mekhora, Maale Efraim, Masua, Maskiot and Roi in the Jordan Valley. Sirens also rang out in the northern West Bank towns of Bracha, Ahiya, Itamar, Elon Moreh, Ariel, Givat Harel, Givat Haroeh, Har Bracha, Havat Gilad, Yitzhar, Kfar Tapuach, Migdalim, Nofei Nehemia, Eli, Immanuel, Enav, Kedumim, Kida, Rehelim, Shvut Rachel, Shavei Shomron and Shiloh. 

At 7:42 a.m., the Israel Defense Forces said a second missile launched from Yemen was intercepted. According to the military, no additional sirens were activated during that event, in line with its alert policy. 

The missile fire follows a string of similar launches by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. On Sunday morning, a missile triggered sirens in Jerusalem, the Negev, the Judean Desert and the Judean Hills. That missile was also intercepted, the IDF said. 

The repeated launches have caused disruptions to air traffic. After Sunday’s sirens, planes were briefly held in the air and landings at Ben Gurion Airport were delayed. Emergency responders said there were no injuries or impact sites. Palestinian media reported that shrapnel fell near the city of Hebron. 

While the past two nights were quiet, sirens had sounded on multiple nights earlier in the week. Overnight Thursday into Friday, alarms were heard in central Israel and the Sharon region. The IDF said the incoming missile was intercepted. 

Another round of sirens sounded late Thursday morning across Jerusalem, the coastal lowlands, the Dead Sea area and parts of the West Bank. During the interception, a piece of an interceptor missile fell near Ein Shemer, close to Hadera, sparking a fire and causing smoke inhalation injuries. 

Early Thursday morning, a missile was intercepted by the Arrow 3 system. Shrapnel fell in the central city of Lod, damaging a house. One man was slightly injured while rushing to a shelter. 

The Houthi group later took credit for the attacks. The pro-Houthi Yemeni newspaper La’a called the barrage a “hat trick” targeting Israel’s main airport over 25 hours and said the group aims to expand its support for Gaza by focusing attacks on Ben Gurion Airport and the Port of Haifa.

By: Mike Wagenheim ~ JNS

Tuesday, 27 May 2025 | The United Nations hosted a preparatory meeting on Friday for an upcoming conference on imposing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

“The horrors we have witnessed in Gaza for over nineteen months should spur us to urgent action to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” said UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang of Cameroon at the meeting. “The devastating cycles of death, destruction and displacement cannot be allowed to continue.” 

The conference, which is set to take place June 17–20 in New York, is sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia. Organizers have said the goal is to produce an action-oriented outcome document detailing irreversible steps and concrete measures toward implementing a two-state solution. 

Friday’s meeting aimed to set expectations and finalize next month’s program. 

“We must urgently move from words to deeds. We must move from ending the war in Gaza to ending the conflict itself,” Anne-Claire Legendre, Middle East and North Africa adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron, said on Friday. 

Manal bint Hassan Radwan, who leads Saudi Arabia’s negotiating team, said that Friday’s meeting must “chart a course for action, not reflection.”  

Efforts to bring about an end to the Israel–Hamas war must be “anchored in a credible and irreversible political plan that addresses the root cause of the conflict and offers a real path to peace, dignity and mutual security,” she said. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is slated to speak at the June conference’s plenary session, and member states and observers are invited. 

Macron has indicated France could recognize a Palestinian state during the conference, drawing the ire of Israeli authorities, who insist such recognition, and even the conference itself, is a reward for Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel, which touched off the last 19 months of war. 

“Hamas is a genocidal death cult not interested in peace,” Jonathan Harounoff, Israel’s international spokesman to the United Nations, told JNS. “Peace in the region will come when 58 of our hostages are returned home from brutal captivity and when Hamas, which ignited the conflict we are now in with the October 7 massacre, no longer reigns as a political entity holding the Gazan population hostage.” 

While the Israeli mission has not yet given an indication as to whether it plans to participate in next month’s conference, Harounoff said that “Diplomatic discussions around peace that don’t urgently address and work to resolve these issues will be futile.”

By Simon Fenn ~ Bridges for Peace

Tuesday, 27 May 2025 | The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have stabilized a recently established buffer zone along the Syrian border, securing the Golan Heights against threats following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late 2024. Fortifying former Syrian outposts into solid Israeli positions, the IDF aims to prevent Syria’s tenuous power vacuum from spilling over into Israel. Drawing on lessons from the costly 1985–2000 “security zone” in South Lebanon, the IDF has adopted a precise, technology-driven strategy to maintain control while avoiding the missteps of the past. 

Assad’s fall left Syria fractured, with Ahmad al-Sharaa’s forces stabilizing the north but the south remains a volatile mix of militias and jihadist groups. The IDF established the buffer zone, a series of fortified posts, to deter hostile incursions after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Col. Benny Kata, commander of the 474th Golan Brigade, described the approach: “We’ve gone back to the days of border outposts, like in South Lebanon. This is an outpost. It operates like one. It’s a combat zone, with ready machine-gun positions, fragmentation grenades and missiles.” 

The Lebanon campaign, aimed at countering Hezbollah fighters, became a 15-year morass, costing Israel heavily in lives and public support before its withdrawal in 2000. The IDF has applied those lessons to Syria, particularly in intelligence and operations. In Lebanon, troops often lacked real-time data, making them vulnerable to ambushes. Now, the IDF uses drones, night-vision systems, AI-driven analytics and social media (Syrian) monitoring to track threats. 

The new IDF outposts, equipped with machine-gun nests and advanced sensors, reflect this modern approach. Unlike Lebanon’s static bases, the IDF’s posts are mobile, avoiding permanent infrastructure to prevent signaling long-term occupation. Convoys operate under strict security, and troops maintain vigilance in the rugged terrain. Kata explained the strategic choice of locations: “We chose the places where we operate. We didn’t overreach—we went into specific points that provide real defense for the Golan residents.” This focus on key areas overlooking Israeli towns has helped stabilize the buffer zone without overextending forces. 

The IDF has also addressed Lebanon’s logistical and morale failures. In the 1980s and 1990s, prolonged deployments and inconsistent supplies discouraged troops, especially among reservists. In Syria, the IDF ensures regular supplies and rest periods. 

The IDF learned from Lebanon’s mission creep, which eroded public support. In Syria, the mandate is narrow: secure the border, deter threats, and avoid entanglement. Kata emphasized restraint from involvement with local residents: “That kind of dependency could create responsibility, and I don’t want to be responsible for the population. They are Syrian citizens. I’m here to defend Israeli citizens.” By focusing on strategic points and minimizing civilian friction, the IDF has secured the zone while avoiding Lebanon’s escalation traps. Regular briefings with media and Golan communities maintain public support, countering fears that the IDF could become bogged down in a quagmire. 

Geopolitically, the buffer zone navigates a shifting landscape. With Russia distracted and Iran’s influence in Syria diminished, Israel secures its border without deeper involvement. Some Syrians view the IDF’s presence as stabilizing, others as an overreach. Kata acknowledged local risks: “The poverty and desperation here make that all too possible. You give someone 50 dollars, and he’ll go do whatever you want.” Unlike Lebanon, where aggressive tactics fueled resistance, the IDF’s measured approach has maintained relative calm. 

Critics warn of Lebanon’s costly failures, but supporters see the buffer zone as essential in light of Syria’s current volatile state. The IDF’s focus on technology, mobility, and clear objectives has stabilized the zone, with the outposts forming a robust frontline. As Syria’s south remains unstable, and the Syrian fledgling government attempts to secure its foothold, Israel faces the challenge of sustaining this stability without repeating South Lebanon’s protracted occupation.

By: JNS

Tuesday, 27 May 2025 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Monday with US Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), expressing gratitude for the American lawmaker’s “deep” support for the Jewish state. 

According to a readout from Jerusalem, McCormick praised Netanyahu’s leadership and the economic reforms he has implemented during his time in office. 

Later in the day, Netanyahu held talks with a bipartisan congressional delegation led by Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), which included Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) and Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas). 

Lawler lauded Netanyahu’s wartime leadership, stating that his “vigorous and determined policy during the war has changed the Middle East and turned it into a safer place,” according to the statement. 

Netanyahu, in turn, voiced appreciation for what he described as America’s “steadfast and unwavering support for the State of Israel and its just war.” 

The meetings followed Netanyahu’s Sunday discussions with Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Kristi Noem, the US secretary of Homeland Security.