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In-Depth Issues:
Netanyahu Will Meet Trump in Washington on Monday - Zolan Kanno-Youngs ( New York Times)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is set to meet with President Trump at the White House on Monday, in the second such visit by the Israeli leader since the president's inauguration in January.
Netanyahu's office said the two leaders would "discuss the tariff issue, the efforts to return our hostages, Israel-Turkey relations, the Iranian threat," and other issues.
Israel's Military Commander Sees a Year of War - Rory Jones ( Wall Street Journal)
Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, 59, the new Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, is leading Israel's renewed push into Gaza to free hostages and force Hamas to surrender.
He is preparing to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers in a major ground offensive - backed by the Israeli government - to root out remaining Hamas militants.
In a major shift in tactics, Zamir wants to deploy enough troops to occupy Gaza indefinitely and control the distribution of humanitarian aid.
IDF Has Killed 250 Hamas Terrorists in New Gaza Operation - Yonah Jeremy Bob ( Jerusalem Post)
The IDF has killed 250 Hamas terrorists since it renewed hostilities in Gaza on March 18, IDF Chief Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin said Thursday.
He said attacks, mostly from the air force, would pave the way for more ground troops to enter deeper into Gaza.
He added that the IDF had targeted 12 senior Hamas officials, often with the help of the air force.
Hamas Grapples with Internal Chaos and Pay Delays - Einav Halabi ( Ynet News)
Hamas is facing major operational difficulties in Gaza following the targeting of numerous senior figures in its political bureau by Israel, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Thursday.
Israeli strikes have disrupted salary payments to Hamas government employees in Gaza, with political and military ranks receiving only 60% of their pay during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Iranian Plot to Kill Rabbi in Azerbaijan Foiled - Mary Ilyushina ( Washington Post)
In the fall, an officer from Iran's Quds Force met with Agil Aslanov, a drug trafficker from Georgia.
The officer handed Aslanov a photo of Rabbi Shneor Segal in Azerbaijan and detailed instructions on how to kill him. Aslanov agreed to kill Rabbi Segal for $200,000.
The plot, foiled by the State Security Service of Azerbaijan in January, also involved a plan to attack an education center.
Segal's case is the latest assassination attempt orchestrated by Iran, often using criminal proxies, as part of its escalating campaign against Jewish and Iranian diaspora targets worldwide.
This surge in targeted attacks intensified after Oct. 7, 2023. German prosecutors have accused Iran of using criminal proxies to attack synagogues and a school in 2023.
In March 2024, police in Peru arrested an Iranian Quds Force member and two local accomplices over a plot to attack an Israeli national.
Iran Orders Advisers to Leave Yemen - Akhtar Makoii ( Telegraph-UK)
Iran has ordered military personnel to leave Yemen, abandoning its Houthi allies as the U.S. escalates its air strike campaign.
A senior Iranian official said the move aimed to avoid direct confrontation with the U.S. if an Iranian soldier was killed.
The official also said Iran was scaling back its support of regional proxies to focus on direct threats from the U.S. instead.
Tehran's primary concern was "Trump and how to deal with him. Every meeting is dominated by discussions about him, and none of the regional groups we previously supported are being discussed," the source said.
"The view here is that the Houthis will not be able to survive and are living their final months or even days, so there is no point in keeping them on our list."
"They were part of a chain that relied on [Hizbullah leader] Nasrallah and [Syrian President] Assad, and keeping only one part of that chain for the future makes no sense."
Report: U.S. Deploys Additional THAAD Missile Defense Battery in Israel - Lior Ben Ari ( Ynet News)
The U.S. has transferred an additional THAAD missile defense battery to Israel, as well as two Patriot missile batteries, the Saudi-owned Al-Hadath news channel reported Saturday.
THAAD is a platform with capabilities similar to Israel's Arrow system.
Brig.-Gen. (res.) Zvika Haimovich, former head of Israel's air defense array, said, "Each battery comes with dozens of interceptors, significantly adding to Israel's firepower."
"We saw about 200 intercepts during the last barrage from Iran, up from around 100 in April. We can expect even more in future scenarios involving Iran, and this addition improves our chances of defense."
Why the Abraham Accords Still Matter - MP Jon Pearce (Labour) ( Jewish News-UK)
As chair of Labour Friends of Israel, I was the first British MP to travel between Israel and the UAE - an unimaginable reality before the historic Abraham Accords in 2020.
My flight - one of 18 daily ones which shuttle between the two countries - was chockful of young Israeli families off on holiday and businesspeople.
What was so remarkable about the journey is how quickly it has become normal.
The truth is that despite the terrible war in Gaza, the Abraham Accords demonstrate how durable peace is when underpinned by shared values and a commitment to security and prosperity.
A principal goal of Hamas's 7 October attacks was to scupper the burgeoning process of normalization with Israel.
Indeed, Israel's further integration into the region will be key to maintaining security for Israel and moderate Arab states alike.
During my visit to Israel, Israelis were sent to shelters from ballistic missile attacks launched by the Houthis, which targets Israel with Tehran-supplied advanced weapons.
In Abu Dhabi, I was briefed on how the Houthis have similarly fired missiles at the UAE in recent years.
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News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
- U.S. Senate Rejects Effort to Block Arms Sales to Israel - Patricia Zengerle
The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted 82-15 and 83-15 to reject two resolutions of disapproval to block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel offered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) urged defeat of the Sanders resolutions, saying, "They would abandon Israel, our closest ally in the Middle East, during a pivotal moment for global security." (Reuters)
See also Fewer Senators Vote to Block U.S. Aid to Israel - Marc Rod
Support for efforts to block aid to Israel shrank among Senate Democrats, with just 15 voting on Thursday in favor of a pair of resolutions to block weapons sales to Israel, down from 19 who supported similar resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders last year. Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Angus King (I-ME), who supported some or all of last year's Sanders resolutions, opposed both of the new resolutions.
(Jewish Insider)
- Israel Strikes 3 Airbases in Syria Where Turkey Intended to Deploy Forces
Israeli airstrikes hit three air bases in Syria where Turkey sought to deploy its forces as part of a planned joint defense pact with the new Syrian government. Turkish military teams in recent weeks visited the T4 and Palmyra air bases in Syria's Homs province and the main airport in Hama province. Another planned visit to T4 and Palmyra on March 25 was cancelled after Israel struck both bases just hours beforehand.
Strikes at T4 "destroyed the runway, tower, hangars and the planes that were grounded. It was a tough message that Israel won't accept the expanded Turkish presence," said a regional intelligence official who reviewed photographs of the damage. "T4 is totally unusable now," said a Syrian source who is close to Turkey. Syria's foreign ministry said Israeli strikes resulted in the near-total destruction of the Hama base.
Noa Lazimi, a researcher at the Misgav Institute for National Security, said Israel was concerned that Turkey could establish Russian anti-aircraft systems and drones at T4. "The base would enable Turkey to establish air superiority in this area, and this poses a serious concern for Israel because it undermines its operational freedom in the region." (Reuters)
- Inspectors Say More than 100 Chemical Weapons Sites Could Remain in Syria - Megha Rajagopalan
More than 100 chemical weapons sites are suspected to remain in Syria, left behind after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, according to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which seeks to enter Syria to assess what remains of Assad's notorious military program. The sites are suspected to have been involved in the research, manufacturing and storage of chemical weapons. Experts are concerned about the potential for militant groups to gain access to poorly secured chemical weapons facilities.
"There are many locations that we don't know about because the old regime was lying to the OPCW," said Raed al-Saleh, the leader of the Syria Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets. Nidal Shikhani, who leads the Chemical Violations Documentation Center of Syria and has worked with the OPCW for years, said his group had identified dozens of new locations based on interviews with Syrian government scientists living in Europe.
(New York Times)
- U.S. Lobbies UN Human Rights Council - Emma Farge
While the U.S. announced a halt to its engagement with the UN Human Rights Council, it lobbied publicly and behind the scenes to blunt a proposal by Pakistan to create a new body to investigate Israel's actions in the "Occupied Palestinian Territories." The version of Pakistan's proposal passed on Wednesday by the council did not include the creation of the new body. The council already has a commission of inquiry on the Palestinian Territories.
(Reuters)
News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
- IDF Refutes Claims It Had Targeted Gaza Medics - Emanuel Fabian
The Israel Defense Forces reported Saturday on its investigation of an incident in Gaza on March 23 during which troops fired on Palestinian emergency vehicles. The IDF said that at least six of those killed had been posthumously identified as Hamas operatives, denied that any of those killed had been executed, and said its troops had not attempted to hide the incident but rather had informed the UN of the location.
The incident occurred during the IDF's new offensive in Rafah's Tel Sultan neighborhood.
After the incident, the IDF commander at the scene had the bodies collected in one spot, covered them with sand, marked the burial spot, and the UN was promptly notified of the spot to come and collect the bodies.
The army said that burying bodies in this way was an approved, regular practice during fighting in Gaza, to prevent wild dogs and other animals from eating the corpses. The damaged vehicles had been pushed off the road by a bulldozer in order to open it to traffic. (Times of Israel)
- Senior Israeli Official Says Multiple Countries Interested in Taking in Gazans - Lazar Berman
A senior Israeli official briefing reporters during Prime Minister Netanyahu's trip to Hungary said Friday that Jerusalem is in contact with multiple countries about taking in Palestinians from Gaza. He cited a poll that found 60% of Gazans are interested in emigrating.
"Gaza is in ruins - because of Hamas, not because of us," he said. But Israel is not interested in permanently occupying the area. While Israel will retain overall security control over Gaza, it wants to transfer control to a "consortium of Arab countries" led by the Gulf states who would manage the area until further notice, he said.
Amid reports of Israeli airstrikes on bases in Syria that Turkey was seeking to use, the official said, "We are not looking for conflict with Turkey. And we hope they're not looking for a fight with us. At the same time, we don't want Turkey establishing itself on our borders. Establishing military bases, naval and air bases under Turkish protection is something we want to prevent. There are red lines."
Regarding new tariffs on Israel imposed by the U.S., he said he discussed the issue with President Trump during a phone call on Thursday. "I believe we will enter a dialogue with them....In the end, most of it is solvable." (Times of Israel)
The official reiterated that "In the end, there will be no Hamas in Gaza, and no Iranian bases within striking distance of our cities." Regarding the hostages, the official revealed that, at the start of the war, some security officials doubted any hostages could be rescued, but "so far, we've rescued 147 hostages alive. At least 21 are still alive [in Gaza]."
Addressing accusations that Netanyahu initiated Qatari funding to Hamas, the official clarified that the transfers began under former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and were later supported by all Israeli security organizations to prevent a humanitarian collapse in Gaza. "This funding replaced financial aid once provided by the Palestinian Authority, which Mahmoud Abbas cut off. The idea was to prevent a humanitarian disaster, not to buy serenity."
Discussing Iran, the official said, "We want to ensure Iran never gets nuclear weapons. Whether a diplomatic solution is possible, I'm doubtful." (Ynet News)
Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis:
The Gaza War
- IDF Paves Way for Major Ground Operation in Gaza - Meir Ben Shabbat
The expansion of IDF ground operations in southern Gaza, which includes evacuating the population to the humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi and capturing the Morag Corridor that separates Khan Yunis from Rafah, is designed to increase pressure on the Hamas leadership to accept Israel's demands regarding the hostages. Simultaneously, it will support a major ground operation if negotiations fail.
Together with expanded operations in the Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun sectors in northern Gaza, intensified targeted airstrikes throughout Gaza, and the blockade that is beginning to affect the public in Gaza, these actions are intended to push Hamas to release a larger number of living hostages without an Israeli commitment to end the war.
The writer, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy, is a former Israeli national security advisor and head of the National Security Council who served for 30 years in the Israel Security Agency. (Israel Hayom)
- Gen. Amidror: "If We Want to Save the Lives of as Many People in Gaza as Possible...the Only Way Is to Destroy Hamas Totally" - Shosh Bedrosian
If the people of Gaza and Israel want to return to a normal life, Israel must completely destroy Hamas, according to Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former head of Israel's National Security Council.
Amidror said the only way for Israel to leave Gaza is by eliminating all remnants of Hamas - its fighters, commanders, terrorists, and infrastructure.
"If we want to save the lives of as many people in Gaza as possible, and to free Gaza from the atrocities of Hamas, if we want to give the people of Gaza any chance to rebuild Gaza and to live a normal life...the only way is to destroy Hamas totally." (ILTV-Ynet News)
- The IDF Is Killing Fewer Civilians than Other Armies Do - Jake Wallis Simons
A year ago, I wrote about "the devastating proof that Hamas is faking its death figures." Last week, it emerged that Hamas had quietly dropped 3,400 "identified" deaths from its casualty figures, including 1,080 children. These deaths never happened, but they had been verified by the UN and parroted by gullible - or ideologically blinkered - media.
Further analysis of the data showed that among those old enough to be fighting for Hamas, 72% of the dead were male, a testament to the care and precision of the IDF on a battlefield often crowded with human shields.
Moreover, Hamas had unscrupulously included natural deaths in the list of supposed victims of the IDF, including infant mortality rates of around 780 each year. This amounted to 8,300 fatalities that any reporter acting in good faith would remove from the total.
If we take into account Israel's figures that 20,000 of the dead were combatants, that means about one civilian is killed for every fighter. This is a humanitarian feat that has never been equaled by any other army, in spite of the fact that Hamas herds its own people into the firing line. That is the true story of this war. But 98% of news reports repeat numbers provided by Hamas.
Every human life is sacred and it is macabre to talk about the grim arithmetic of death.
But those on my side of the argument have no choice but to respond in such terms to the obsession with casualty numbers that has characterized coverage of this war. Do you have any idea how many civilians were killed when we destroyed Islamic State, or waged war in Afghanistan and Iraq? No? That tells you something.
The writer is editor of the Jewish Chronicle-UK.
(Telegraph-UK)
U.S.-Israel Relations
- The Expected Impact of New U.S. Tariffs - Sharon Wrobel
Israel was not spared from President Trump's sweeping imposition of tariffs on global imports and was hit Wednesday with a 17% tariff on products exported to America. Israel has lifted all remaining duties on U.S. imports. Experts believe that the Israeli leadership, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, will seek to negotiate a reduction of the tariff to the lower baseline rate of 10%, before it is officially implemented in the coming days, and will eventually attempt to have it scrapped altogether.
Finance Ministry Chief Economist Shmuel Abramzon said Thursday that Israel will negotiate with the U.S. administration about canceling or softening the announced tariff on Israeli goods.
"We have a good channel with the U.S. administration, and I believe that through dialogue and negotiations, we will succeed in making a change." Israel's exports of goods to the U.S., which include diamonds, machinery, optical devices, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and electronic equipment, amounted to $22 billion last year. The trade deficit for the U.S. amounted to $7.4 billion.
Leo Leiderman, chief economic adviser to Bank Hapoalim, noted that most of Israel's exports to the U.S. are not in goods but services, including financial and consulting services as well as exports of services in the high-tech industry. Abramzon added that "The current understanding in Israel is that the new tariffs won't be imposed on exports of services from Israel to the U.S., which means that our economy will be impacted more moderately, as more than 50% of our exports are services and the country's high-tech industry is largely likely to be spared."
In 2023, about 70% of Israel's tech exports were software services. Of the remaining 30% - physical goods - items like semiconductors and pharmaceuticals are largely likely to be excluded, as they are covered by uniform global tariff regimes. Hence, around 30% of tech exports will potentially be affected by tariffs - mainly machinery, industrial equipment, and similar goods. Leiderman believes that in certain areas, such as semiconductors, Israel could negotiate special treatment or be exempted, as the U.S. suffers from a chip shortage. (Times of Israel)
Israeli Security
- Russia Arms Israel's Enemies - Yaakov Katz
During Israel's recent ground offensive against Hizbullah, the IDF confronted the overwhelming presence of Russian-made weaponry inside southern Lebanon. Operating in Hizbullah-controlled territory, the IDF uncovered homes converted into makeshift arsenals, packed with advanced Russian arms. Crates filled with anti-tank missiles, mortars, and rockets - many marked with Russian export codes - provided evidence of a pipeline stretching from Moscow through Damascus, and directly into Hizbullah's hands.
The most concerning finds were sophisticated Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, capable of penetrating even the most heavily armored Israeli vehicles. Other lethal systems included Fagot, Konkurs, and Sagger missiles.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressing the case in Washington that any agreement to end the war in Ukraine and relaxes sanctions on Russia must include provisions to curb Russian military support for Iran and Hizbullah. Recent reports claim that Russian missile experts have been spotted at multiple Iranian sites, working closely with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to enhance Tehran's ballistic missile capabilities.
The writer is a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute. (Newsweek)
Egypt
- We Are Living in Strange Times when the People Working Hard for Middle East Peace Are Persecuted - Dalia Ziada
For four days now, I have been under the attack of Egyptian social media and traditional media. What is my crime? A photo that I created in two minutes using AI of four women from the Middle East (Arab, Iranian, Israeli, and Turkish) who are sitting happily together, drinking coffee, and smiling peacefully.
The campaign against me reached its peak when an official request to revoke my citizenship was submitted to the ministerial cabinet in Egypt. They want to strip me of my Egyptian citizenship and identity because I am calling for peace in the Middle East!
Sixteen months ago, I had to flee Egypt, running for my life from radical Islamists who wanted to kill me for not being a good Muslim, a moral assassination by state-supervised media outlets, and several legal claims accusing me of committing high treason and spying for the Israeli Mossad. What was my crime then? Condemning Hamas's horrific terrorist attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023, and supporting Israel's right to defend its people against an act of terrorism.
We are living in strange times when people practicing antisemitism and radicalism are so loud and proud, while the people working hard for Middle East peace are persecuted and despised!
In case the Egyptian government goes crazy and decides to revoke my citizenship, I just want them to know: Your repetitive acts of injustice against me only make me stronger!
The writer, an Egyptian scholar, is a Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
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Observations:
- In order to counter Iran's destabilizing activities, the window is open for the U.S. to work with like-minded partners to advance opportunities in a region no longer held back by Iran's nefarious influence.
To press the advantage, Washington must be prepared to bring more to the table than pressure.
- Military force and sanctions are critical elements of strategy but insufficient on their own. The U.S. must lean into diplomacy as well, testing the possibility of a negotiated settlement that can prevent Iran's nuclear program from delivering weapons while also supporting new leaders across the region that oppose Tehran's interest in rebuilding its "axis of resistance."
- Regional developments since Oct. 7, 2023, have significantly reshaped the regional threat landscape.
In the aftermath of Hamas's attack, Israel, with U.S. support, has systematically dismantled Iran's proxy network in Gaza, Lebanon, and elsewhere. In Syria, Tehran lost its one Middle East strategic partner with the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.
- The combination of Israel's offensive strikes inside Iran and U.S.-led defensive action in the region has lowered the fear barrier in confronting Iranian aggression. Allies have demonstrated that Iran's complex conventional attacks and missile threats can be effectively countered. Tehran's military infrastructure is now exposed to future military action.
- In addition, the Iranian regime is under pressure at home due to years of mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions. Recent economic indicators reveal significant damage that limits the regime's ability to fund both domestic priorities and malign foreign activities. Yet sanctions alone cannot stop Iran's nuclear program.
- Today, Iran is perilously close to crossing the nuclear weapons threshold. Iran could have sufficient weapons-grade uranium for a weapon in just days and could produce a usable weapon in six months or less. The intelligence community has long assessed that Tehran's decision-making is the only thing precluding a breakout, not any technical inhibition.
The writer, Director of Research and Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, is a former deputy assistant secretary for the Middle East at the Pentagon. This is from remarks submitted to the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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