Entry sign to the state of Florida. Credit: Flickr.
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DeSantis invite for students to transfer to Florida yields five applicants
Intro
“Over the coming months, they will have a tough decision to make—pack up and leave, or stay and endure continued hatred,” the governor said.
text

New data shows that an effort by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to respond to antisemitism in higher education has led to nominal results so far.

In January, DeSantis announced an “emergency measure” during Florida’s State of the State address that would allow Jewish students and others experiencing religious discrimination to potentially receive in-state tuition, with application fees waived, as part of the process. 

He said of the measure that “the pro-Hamas activities and rampant antisemitism we’ve witnessed throughout the country on these campuses has exposed the intellectual rot that has developed on so many university campuses over the years.”

At the same time, the Republican governor acknowledged in his address that those considering a move “will have a tough decision to make—pack up and leave, or stay and endure continued hatred.”

According to state records, at least five individuals have expressed interest in transferring. It’s not clear if any or all are Jewish.

State Rep. Anna Eskamani said she thought the measure was “more political than actually intentional.”

JNS contacted DeSantis’s office and was referred to the Florida Department of Education.

Amy Farnum-Patronis, director of the office of university communications for Florida State University in Tallahassee, confirmed that the school had one application via the executive order.

Althea Johnson, director of media relations at the University of South Florida in Tampa, said one student is going through the transfer for the summer semester.

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Israel's National Security Council (NSC) concluded last week that the earthquake swarm occurring near the Greek island of Santorini in recent days could lead to a larger quake, capable of triggering a tsunami that would threaten the Israeli coast.

After experts presented their positions, the NSC instructed the government ministries to prepare for such a possibility.

Given Israel's approximately 900 kilometer distance from the center of the quake swarm, the Jewish state would have about a two-hour warning of an incoming tsunami, according to a summary of the debate.

"The emergency bodies and government ministries are required to prepare for the fact that the State of Israel may encounter a tsunami wave," the summary continued.

Ariel Heiman, a geologist and senior researcher at the INSS Institute for National Security Studies, told Israel's Channel 12 News that even in the event of a tsunami from a strong earthquake in the Greek region, Israel will have enough time to prepare.

"About 2,000 earthquakes have occurred in the past week in Santorini," continued Heiman. "The magnitude ranged between 4 to 5.3, with 24 of them in the last 24 hours. These tremors are the result of the collision of the African plate with Europe, a phenomenon that also causes volcanic eruptions," he said.

While such a significant cluster of tremors can presage a larger quake, there is also a "considerable probability" that the phenomenon will fade, he added.

The danger Israel faces, if any, is only from a tsunami wave, he explained.

"Israel is about 1,200 kilometers away from Santorini, and a strong earthquake will not be felt, and even if it is, it will not cause damage," he said.

"At the same time, since the epicenters of the earthquakes are in the sea, a strong earthquake is liable to produce tsunami waves, and these may also reach our shore," he added.

"Therefore we must be vigilant, but not worried. This is an opportunity to remember and remind that a strong earthquake in Israel is not a question of if, but only of when, and it is important that we properly prepare for this threat," he said.

According to the Israel Defense Forces' Home Front Command website, deadly tsunamis have reached Israel’s shores in the past, including in the years 1222, 1303, 1870 and 1908.

Santorini itself was devastated by a large volcanic eruption in the 16th century, known as the Minoan eruption. It generated 115- to 492-foot high tsunamis that ravaged the northern coastline of Crete.

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Israeli forces in Gaza on Saturday fired on a suspect after warning shots were ignored, in just one of several incidents straining the fragile ceasefire with Hamas.

The suspect was moving toward Israel Defense Forces troops in southern Gaza, who “fired warning shots to distance him,” according to the IDF Spokesman's office. They fired additional shots to “remove” the suspect after he ignored the warning shots, the statement said. It did not say whether the man was hit.

In another incident, the Israel Air Force fired in the direction of “suspicious vehicles that were advancing northward from the central Gaza Strip along a non-approved route,” without passing through an agreed-upon inspection route, according to the statement. The statement did not specify whether any of the vehicles were hit.

“The IDF is committed to fully implementing the conditions of the agreement for the return of the hostages,” and “is prepared for any scenario,” the army said.

The weekend friction follows similar incidents last week.

The IDF on Friday redeployed from the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza to outposts along the perimeter of the Strip as part of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.

Also last week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered security forces to prepare a plan that would enable the departure of Gazans who wish to leave the Strip.

His order followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement last week of his relocation plan for the enclave.

During the first phase of the ceasefire, that went into effect between Israel and Hamas on Jan. 19, Hamas is to release over 33 hostages over 42 days in exchange for more than 700 Palestinian prisoners and more than 1,000 detainees. So far, 16 of those hostages have been released. Israel has redeployed in the Gaza Strip as part of the agreement and has allowed the return of civilians to much of the Gaza Strip.

Under the agreement, Hamas and Israel are to discuss the terms of the ceasefire’s second phase during the first phase, which is due to end on March 1.

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An Israeli delegation arrived in Doha, Qatar on Saturday night to continue the negotiations on the ceasefire with Hamas. U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is mediating the latest round of talks.

The working-level team includes Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch and officials from the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), Mossad and Israel Defense Forces. They were authorized to travel to the Qatari capital for technical discussions following the Gaza-based terrorist group's release of three hostages and Israel's release of 183 Palestinian terrorists on Saturday under the first phase of the truce.

The Israeli Security Cabinet will convene on Monday to determine the negotiation team's mandate, according to Hebrew media reports.

Hirsch expressed anger over the poor physical condition of the three hostages released on Saturday, saying that Israel has raised objections with mediators and will respond accordingly.

Jerusalem is evaluating the possibility of reducing aid shipments into Gaza, according to Israel's Channel 12 News.

According to Israeli estimates, there are 76 hostages still in Hamas captivity in Gaza, including 73 abducted during the Oct. 7 attacks.

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After a week-long stay in the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, departed for the Jewish state early Sunday.

Their flight from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland was briefly delayed due to de-icing, and was expected to arrive in approximately 10 hours.

During his visit to Washington, the Israeli premier became the first foreign leader to meet with newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. Netanyahu also met with senior Trump administration officials, congressional leaders on Capitol Hill, evangelical Christian leaders and Jewish students. His visit did not include sit-downs with leaders of Jewish organizations.

During a meeting at the Willard InterContinental Hotel on Friday, Netanyahu urged 30 Jewish college students and recent graduates to stand up against antisemitism, emphasizing that strength earns respect, according to Jewish Insider.

“If you fight, you’ll be respected. If you bow your head, you’ll be despised,” he told attendees from universities such as Harvard and Georgetown.

Standing aside Netanyahu, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pledged “ironclad” support for the Jewish state on Friday.

“As Prime Minister Netanyahu said Tuesday at the White House, when our enemies see daylight between Israel and the United States, they will exploit it,” said Johnson following a closed-door meeting with the prime minister. “We all know that is true, and that’s why strong, decisive leadership is so crucial in this time.”

Originally scheduled for Thursday, the meeting was postponed due to budget talks at the White House.

Following Johnson’s remarks, Netanyahu also talked about the close relationship between the United States and Israel, which he said was only reinforced during his visit this week, including his meeting at the White House with Trump.

“I was deeply moved by the reception that we got, the substantive things that we discussed—making sure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon and also making sure Hamas is destroyed,” said Netanyahu. “We’re not going to have a future for Gaza or a future for peace in our part of the world if Hamas remains there.” 

“It sets the tone for this great strengthening of the American-Israeli alliance,” he added. “It’s not only an alliance between governments. It’s an alliance between peoples.”

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Anyone checking Geert Wilders's Twitter account last week might have mistaken it for an Israeli feed. As millions of citizens in Israel shed tears of joy with the families of Karina, Daniella, Liri and Naama—the female IDF lookouts released from Hamas captivity, the Dutch politician posted their photos accompanied by four hearts and an Israeli flag, with two hashtags: Israel and Freedom.

Though we've grown accustomed to the Dutch politician's unequivocal support for Israel in times of both joy and sorrow, his gestures continue to surprise. Unlike most of his political colleagues, Wilders, 61, doesn't calculate political expedience. He stands with Israel because he believes it's morally right, regardless of the cost. The two hashtags he attached to his post about the released hostages are, in his view, one and the same.

In an interview with Israel Hayom, Wilders predicts a bright future for these two causes dear to his heart—Israel and freedom—and points to the White House. He's convinced that Donald Trump's presidency marks the beginning of a wave.

"This wave actually started during his first term. Though he didn't win by a significant margin then, as he did this time, the political effects of his first victory were felt in Europe and beyond, and now his sweeping victory is creating an unprecedented wave. Even his opponents know he's at his strongest point and will have to live with this wave.

"After all, this isn't some remote country but the United States of America, the world's strongest superpower and NATO's central member, so the wave is inevitable and will have all kinds of implications—political, security, and cultural. Add to this Trump's fight against woke ideology and his professional, calculated attempt to withdraw from various unrealistic international agreements, like the climate accord—he's changing the world in almost every aspect, not just the U.S."

When asked if we're at the beginning of an entirely new political era, Wilders responds, "That's an excellent question, really. Generally, I believe Trump's return to the White House signals a major shift in global politics, both geopolitically and on every other level. The U.S. has a new president, whom I applaud and respect, if only for putting his people first. Fighting for your people, their sovereignty, their interests—that should be the purpose of politics. Not everything he proposes will benefit Europe, and Holland in particular—we'll oppose some ideas—yet I can say we lack leaders and elected officials who put their nations first, so I commend Trump for this, and it's indeed a good example for many others."

Amsterdam
Anti-Israel protesters block a road near Amsterdam on Apr. 15, 2024. Photo by Canaan Lidor.

Power to effect change

Wilders emphasizes that the phenomenon he's pointing to isn't unique to the U.S.—it's in full swing in Europe and has materialized in the Netherlands, where his party garnered more votes than any other in the recent election.

"The same kind of political forces—conservative to varying degrees, right-wing, patriotic—are winning elections. There are naturally differences between countries, but the real change is evident. Trump's return to the presidency is a positive change for the world, for Europe, and for Israel's existence. His entire worldview features a central characteristic that's surely important to my friends in Israel: Trump is the best American president Israel could have hoped for. He's a great supporter of you and your interests. He believes in Israel, he believes in a Jewish state.

"Just look at how he helped secure the hostage release deal. I'm aware of criticism about the deal, but without Trump, it wouldn't have been possible. Trump will defend Israel more than anyone else. He won't show friendliness toward hostile states like Iran, he won't act with appeasement like the Europeans or like the previous American administration regarding Iran or other Islamist states and organizations that aspire to destroy Israel. In one of his first decisions, Trump canceled the sanctions that the Biden administration had imposed on individuals and entities from Judea and Samaria."

Judea and Samaria—that's exactly how Wilders said it. Unlike many foreign statesmen, even the friendly ones, he doesn't need the artificial term "West Bank." He, unlike many others, knows the reality in this region firsthand, not from the brainwashing of anti-Israel elements or international organizations that provide platforms for various libels against Israel. In his youth, Wilders volunteered at Moshav Tomer in the Jordan Valley, where he worked and lived for about a year. Recently, during a visit to Israel, he returned to Samaria and learned about the importance of maintaining control there, touring what was once the Green Line and observing Israel's "narrow waist" from before 1967.

When asked whether the European and Israeli Left, which happily adopted woke ideology because it came from the U.S., would now embrace new trends as the winds from America shift, Wilders says, "I'm afraid it doesn't work that way with the left [smiles]. They won't admit to mistakes. Woke ideology is the suicide of national culture and national identity in so many ways. For years, citizens have understood the damage, and only left-wing intellectuals and the media refused to acknowledge it. People don't like to lose and change ideology, so woke supporters will resist, and it will take some time, but woke-ism will remain with very low support. If you talk to people on the street in Holland, and I'm sure the situation is similar in Israel, most have no connection to woke ideology."

Regarding why no European country shows such a sharp rightward turn as what we're witnessing in the U.S., Wilders says, "I envy the U.S. My party won the Dutch elections by a large margin, like Trump. In a two-party system like in the U.S., that's enough, but not with us.

"Trump can change everything, hundreds of changes in one day, sometimes through presidential orders, while we—in Holland, Israel and most European countries—must negotiate, build coalitions and seek compromises. Even within one political camp, there are four or five parties, requiring agreements, which is why changes are so slow and few. Fortunately, Trump won, the Senate and Congress are with him, and he doesn't need compromises. He can decide and implement changes—that's an example we need to learn from."

When asked about Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership and whether it aligns with the new wave he described, Wilders says, "I think Netanyahu is one of the strongest leaders. I'm not a prime minister, but as head of the largest party, I know how difficult it is to manage and how slowly things move when you need a coalition. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, it's an example for all of us, and to form a government with a majority, you must compromise with various parties. And yet, look at what he has managed to achieve.

"He was attacked by the previous American president Biden, attacked by Russia, attacked by the left in Israel, attacked by almost everyone, and despite this, he defeated Hezbollah, nearly completed dismantling Hamas's capabilities, and delivered blows that made Iran weaker than ever before. He has done more in the war against the enemies of humanity, against radical Islam, than everything the European Union and the previous American administration did over decades. And all this under the constraints and limitations of a coalition government system and weekly demonstrations against his government. He fought for the interests of the State of Israel and the Jewish people, and he did it fantastically. I have enormous respect for him, and sometimes he doesn't get all the credit he deserves."

Logic will prevail

Since the Dutch general election in November 2023, Wilders has learned firsthand how difficult it is to govern and fulfill promises to voters when you need a coalition. His Party of Freedom achieved remarkable results—nearly a quarter of Dutch voters supported it—leaving all other parties far behind.

But the lengthy coalition negotiations haven't made things easier for the party leader. Additional parties from the center and right of the political map agreed to form a government with the Party of Freedom, but only on condition that Wilders would not serve as prime minister.

If that wasn't enough, not all components of the eventually formed government agree with his resolute positions regarding Israel. During its brief existence, we've been disappointed by some of its ministers at least twice—during the Muslim riots against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam's streets, and when government spokespersons threatened to enforce the International Criminal Court's arrest warrants and detain Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant if they came to the Netherlands. In both cases, the government's conduct was opposite to Wilders's position.

"Our government has only been in power for six months, and all four parties in the coalition are very different, so we had to compromise," he explains the difficulty. "Holland's immigration policy needs change and we demanded additional changes, but naturally the other parties had demands too. It's not simple, but we're achieving some of our goals. The longer the coalition holds, the more we'll know how to do and change. In coalitions of this type, it's difficult to implement policy changes quickly. This is the situation across Europe, except for [Prime Minister Viktor] Orbán's Hungary, because his party managed to secure more than half the parliamentary seats.

"There are many parties similar to mine that won elections or gained significant strength, but the coalition structure prevents them from governing. The direction is right, and it will continue: Trump's actions, our work in Holland, Orban's work, Netanyahu's work in Israel—they all create additional motivation. In Europe, except for Britain, there are no two-party systems. This delays changes but doesn't prevent them, and we still manage to advance our goals. If you had said a few years ago that my party would be in government, people would have gone crazy."

When asked whether we need to wait for the next election, when he'll be elected prime minister, to see the Dutch embassy moved to Israel's capital, Wilders stresses, "We demanded and included in our coalition agreement, in addition to a paragraph declaring our friendship with Israel, examining the possibility of moving the Dutch embassy to Jerusalem during the government's four-year term. It hasn't happened yet, but the term has just begun.

Unfortunately, support for Israel in the E.U., and even in Holland, isn't that popular. Many in the West aren't among Israel's friends, partly due to prolonged mass immigration from Muslim countries, and left-wing parties are becoming dependent on such voters. This doesn't affect my positions, of course. If you truly believe in something, if you're someone's friend, as I am Israel's friend for so many reasons, you won't let circumstances influence you. I've always supported Israel and been proud of it."

Pro-Palestinian Protesters at the University of Amsterdam
Demonstrators reinforce a barricade at an anti-Israel tent encampment at the University of Amsterdam, six months to the day after a violent citywide attack against Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer fans, on May 7, 2024. Credit: Umbrellafighter via Wikimedia Commons.

Regarding those immigrants who hate Israel also hating others, Wilders notes, "Exactly. Because of immigration from Islamic countries, our culture, humanism based on Judaism and Christianity, is under attack.

"The problem is that many European politicians stopped believing in culture and the nation-state idea, which preserves the identity and culture of the people who established the state. This took the form of cultural relativism, a dangerous approach suggesting all cultures are equal, while simultaneously the E.U. sought to take authority from nation-states.

"But democracy needs the nation-state. Just like Theodor Herzl, who believed Israel should be established as the Jewish people's nation-state to preserve their identity and enable Jewish self-determination and self-governance, I believe we need this in Europe too."

On how those who advocated abandoning nation-states in Europe promised it would reduce antisemitism, while we're actually seeing a surge in Jew-hatred in Europe, Wilders doubles down.

"Due to immigration from Muslim countries, antisemitism in Europe is rising. I'm shocked that after October 7, instead of seeing European capitals filled with masses demanding protection for Israel and support for the Jewish people in their struggle against terror and antisemitism, we witnessed millions with the wrong flags—Hezbollah flags, PLO flags, and even Hamas flags. They supported terrorists. Instead of opposing the violence manifested on October 7, they came out against Israel. The existential danger threatening Israel for decades has become an existential danger for Europe.

"We must stand against it—not just to oppose antisemitism and support Israel, but to save ourselves. We might be in bigger trouble than you today, the danger looming over us is just less tangible and visible than the war forced upon you.

"But the public isn't blind, they identify it—see the danger to Jews, see the danger to women, see the danger to our security, culture, and education. Therefore, I'm optimistic. We'll win this struggle. The logic of the majority will prevail, as it did in the U.S. with Trump's election, and as it did in Israel with Netanyahu's election," Wilders says.

"When suggested that despite his optimism, parts of Europe seem lost, Wilders says, "Yes, if you visit Sweden's Malmo, parts of Brussels, Amsterdam or Paris, it feels like you've arrived in an Arab country. But I'm a politician, so I must be positive. If we give up, how can we expect the public to fight? We must show leadership and ensure that even if sometimes it seems we're too late and the battle is lost, we don't have the privilege to think that way.

"On the other hand, we can't lose more time. We must be alert and strong, must lead and take the right steps to survive, culturally and physically. We mustn't forget there are many immigrants who behave properly and respectfully, integrate and live normal lives. We must respect them, and naturally they're welcome to stay, but for those who don't—we must treat the matter with utmost seriousness.

"A study by one of the Dutch universities revealed that between 60% and 70% of Muslims in Holland prefer sharia law over state laws, and 10% even want to fight to achieve this. That's more than 100,000 people, twice the number of soldiers in our army. They're not actively fighting us today, but their worldview directs them to fight if they see the need.

"They're not yet a majority, but this will be an enormous problem requiring immediate attention. We saw what happened when they decided to attack Maccabi Tel Aviv fans and hunt Jews in Amsterdam, in my country, like in World War II. It's shocking and shameful. Not all Muslims here are like that, but with those who are, we must deal harshly," Wilders says.

Target for Islamists

When asked what Israel needs to do to recreate the almost automatic support it enjoyed in Western European countries during the Cold War, Wilders adopts a sad tone.

"Unfortunately, the times of automatic support ended long ago. I recommend you stand your ground and not fear European politics. Don't seek unnecessary battles, but don't exaggerate Europe's opinion's importance, certainly not when Trump is in the White House and you're much less dependent on Europeans.

"This didn't start today either. I recently read the Venice Declaration, the E.U.'s first declaration on Middle East affairs, which first outlined the Union's common policy lines back in 1980. I found terrible things regarding Israel, and believe me—it hasn't changed since. European politicians always found ways to attack and criticize Israel, often for internal European political considerations. On the other hand, you now have many friends. Do what's good for you and focus on them. I'm one of them, perhaps the best of them."

Wilders is less eager to discuss the price he pays for supporting Israel and for standing by principles and speaking truth, even if it angers those who don't want it. The price is heavy, and not just metaphorically. In September 2024, a Dutch court convicted two Pakistani political and religious leaders of incitement and death threats for calling to murder him and promising those who would take on the mission a fine reward in the afterlife.

A year earlier, another Pakistani was convicted of a similar offense and sentenced to 12 years in prison after publicly calling for people to murder the Dutch Party of Freedom leader.

"They probably will never serve their sentence," says Wilders, who knows Pakistan won't extradite those plotting to assassinate him, and might not even restrict their movements. He also knows there are many such people.

"Twenty years have passed since the murder of Theo van Gogh, a Dutch filmmaker who produced a film about Ayaan Hirsi Ali and the phenomenon of violence against women in Muslim society in Holland," Wilders recalls.

"Since then, both she and I have been under constant threats from Islamist terrorists. I remember how officers armed with machine guns took me and my wife from our home to a military barracks because they couldn't protect us at home. I haven't slept in my home for 20 years. We're forced to stay in a secure house provided by the authorities and move everywhere only under heavy security.

"I no longer remember my life as it was before I needed 24/7 police protection. In recent years alone, four or five fatwas have been issued against me, demanding every Muslim assassinate me and my family. These are very serious threats: I was on the assassination target list of Al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Taliban and Islamists in Pakistan, all just because I speak and act for freedom through completely democratic means.

"I believe in freedom, and I want to give my country freedom. I know certain ideologies, especially those that don't allow their supporters to recant and leave (as Islam mandates death for those who leave), don't like the idea of freedom. But freedom is dearer to me than anything, so I'll continue to support Israel, the only free state in the Middle East, and freedom in my country. I pay an impossible price for this, but I don't regret it because I know I'm doing the right thing."

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

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  • Words count:
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening reiterated that Israel will do “everything” to bring back all the hostages who remain in Gaza and vowed to eliminate Hamas, the terrorist organization that carried out the deadliest single-day attack in the Jewish state’s history on Oct. 7, 2023.

In a video statement released on X, Netanyahu welcomed Or Levy, 34, Eli Sharabi, 52, and Ohad Ben Ami, 56, who were released from Hamas captivity on Saturday morning and reunited with their loved ones in Israel.

Before their release, Hamas terrorists paraded the hostages on a stage in front of a raucous crowd of Palestinians in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah. The three men appeared frail and emaciated.

“Or, Eli, and Ohad returned home today. Sara [Netanyahu] and I embrace them and their dear families,” the prime minister said.

https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1888283249459286102

“Once again, we have seen [the true nature of] Hamas’s monsters. These are the same monsters who massacred our civilians and abused our hostages. And I say to them again: Their blood is on their own hands,” the premier said.

“We will do everything to bring back all our hostages. We will ensure their security. This is the instruction I gave to the delegation—to convey this to the mediators and to demand it,” Netanyahu continued, referring to the Israeli delegation departing for Qatar this weekend for talks on the terms of the second stage of the truce with Hamas.

“But beyond that, President [Donald] Trump completely agreed with me: We will do everything to bring back all the hostages, but Hamas will not be there. We will eliminate Hamas and bring our hostages home,” Netanyahu said.

Earlier, Netanyahu’s office released a statement welcoming home the captives. “The government of Israel embraces the three returnees,” it read, adding, “The shocking images that we have seen today will not go unaddressed.

“The government, together with all of the security officials, will accompany them and their families. The government of Israel is committed to returning all of the hostages and the missing,” it read.

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  • Words count:
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Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, has become the first person working for the court to be subjected to economic and travel sanctions by the Trump administration, two sources briefed on the matter told Reuters on Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to submit a report within 60 days naming people who should be sanctioned. Khan’s name was designated in an annex a day later, which was not yet made public, according to the report.

Those blacklisted are barred from entry into the U.S., along with their families, and their U.S. assets are frozen.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who met last week with Trump in the White House, praised the move during a visit to Congress on Friday.

He called the ICC “scandalous,” saying it “threatens the right of all democracies to defend themselves.” In November, the court issued arrest warrants for the Israeli premier and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.

Trump’s move targeting the Hague-based ICC over its investigations of U.S. citizens and U.S. allies is a repeat of a measure he took during his first term, when in June 2020 he ordered economic and travel sanctions against International Criminal Court employees involved in an investigation into whether U.S. troops committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

The tribunal on Friday decried the sanctions, vowing to back its staff and “continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all situations before it,” Reuters reported.

Two-thirds of the court’s member states, 79 in total, issued a joint statement warning that the U.S. measure could “threaten to erode the international rule of law.”

It added, “Sanctions would severely undermine all situations currently under investigation as the Court may have to close its field offices.”

Khan, who is British, paid a visit to New York as recently as Jan. 27 to brief the U.N. Security Council on Sudan.

As the chief prosecutor is a frequent traveler to New York, U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday that “we trust that any restrictions taken against individuals would be implemented consistently with the host country’s obligations under the U.N. Headquarters agreement.”

Trump’s order from Thursday includes a declaration of a national emergency to respond to the court’s “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.

“The ICC’s recent actions against Israel and the United States set a dangerous precedent, directly endangering current and former United States personnel, including active service members of the Armed Forces, by exposing them to harassment, abuse and possible arrest,” the order states.

Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the court, which is a stand-alone entity and is not part of the United Nations. Both Washington and Jerusalem assert that they are not subject to the tribunal’s jurisdiction.

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  • Words count:
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The Israeli Air Force on Saturday attacked Hezbollah forces in the Beqaa Valley in Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit said.

“An IAF aircraft conducted an intelligence-based strike on Hezbollah operatives in the area of the Beqaa in Lebanon,” the statement read.

“The strike was conducted after the terrorists were operating in a strategic weapons manufacturing and storage site belonging to the terrorist organization,” the military continued.

“The activity at the site is a broad violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” it stressed, referring to the ceasefire terms with Hezbollah signed on Nov. 26.

“The IDF continues to operate to remove any threat to the State of Israel and will prevent any attempt by the Hezbollah terrorist organization to rebuild its forces, in accordance with the ceasefire understandings,” the statement concluded.

This was the second consecutive day in which the IAF carried out attacks in the Land of the Cedars.

The Air Force conducted precision strikes overnight Friday inside Lebanon, targeting two sites containing Hezbollah weapons. The military did not specify the location of the sites.

On Monday, Israeli forces dismantled Hezbollah infrastructure in Southern Lebanon, as part of the Israel Defense Forces’ ongoing defensive operations there, the military said.

Soldiers from the 769th “Hiram” Territorial Brigade and 7th “Storm from the Golan” Armored Brigade located weapons storage facilities containing what the IDF said were significant stockpiles of military equipment.

Additionally, Israeli forces killed several Hezbollah operatives in the area and detained individuals who posed a threat to their mission.

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  • Words count:
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The Israel Defense Forces redeployed from the Netzarim Corridor in central Gaza to outposts along the perimeter of the Strip as part of the implementation of the hostages-terrorists swap agreement with Hamas.

“Forces from 162nd Division, 143rd Division and 99th Division under the Southern Command have been deployed at several points in the Gaza Strip region to strengthen the defensive layer for the residents of the western Negev and the State of Israel,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said on Friday.

Senior officers of the IDF’s Southern Command held a field assessment along with fighters on the ground in anticipation of the next phase of the release of the Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip, the military said.

The IDF began to withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor in late January, enabling the return of displaced Gaza residents to the northern Strip.

Defense Minister Israel Katz emphasized that Israel will continue to strictly enforce the ceasefires, both with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, warning that any violation will be met with a strong response. Meanwhile, Gazan residents have been cautioned against approaching IDF troops, including near the Rafah Crossing and the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border.

On Wednesday, IDF fighters fired on suspects who posed a threat to them in several parts of the Gaza Strip, the army said.

In one instance in southern Gaza, soldiers identified suspects and fired warning shots to distance them. After the suspects continued advancing toward the troops, the troops fired “additional shots to remove the threat.”

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