Prime Minister Netanyahu has instructed Israeli negotiators not to return to Cairo to resume the negotiations. Reportedly, the heads of both the Mossad and the Shin Bet have urged Netanyahu to instruct the negotiators to continue the talks. The American administration has also expressed its disappointment with Israel’s stance. It remains unclear why Netanyahu is adopting this position, as attending the talks does not imply agreement to any terms. However, Netanyahu may believe it appears strong to his base to avoid the talks. Unfortunately, this stance projects the perception — whether accurate or not — that Israel is not interested in reaching an agreement. This may be a viable negotiating strategy, but is a poor PR tactic. Moreover, Netanyahu did not consult with Gantz and Eisenkot before making this decision to call back negotiators. While it's uncertain whether this will lead Gantz and Eisenkot to withdraw from the government, it is undoubtedly pushing them closer to the threshold where they feel their views are disregarded, at which point they may decide to sever ties with Netanyahu.
IN THE NORTH
The situation in the North deteriorated further today, when Hezbollah launched a barrage of 8 rockets targeting Safed and the Israeli base located there, serving as the headquarters for the Northern Command. One of the rockets, not intercepted by the Iron Dome, struck the base near the women's barracks, catching many soldiers off guard as they scrambled to reach shelters. Sadly, Staff Sgt. Omer Sarah Benjo (20) was killed, and another seven soldiers were wounded. It should be highlighted that schools in Safed lack safe rooms to protect children in the event of an attack.
Today’s attack, coupled with yesterday’s strike on Kiryat Shmonah in which two people were wounded, may create the impression of an escalation by Hezbollah. However, the base in Safed has been targeted previously, and Kiryat Shmonah has been subjected to rocket fire since the beginning of the war. Regrettably, during the last two days rocket fire has resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities. In response, the IDF conducted a series of air strikes against Hezbollah targets up to 30 kilometers from Israel’s border. The attacks reportedly resulted in multiple Lebanese casualties.
There has been increasing demand for the government to take military action to stop Hezbollah’s attacks. However, this is much easier said than done. An all-out war with Hezbollah would result in thousands of rockets and missiles being fired at Israel. The outcome will likely not be as bad as we fear, but certainly more than we would like.
As seen in previous wars, our Air Force will be unable to halt Hezbollah rocket and missile launches. Consequently, existing war plans dictate a rapid ground assault on areas in Central Lebanon near Beirut, where the missile launchers are situated. While the IDF is capable of executing such an operation, it may not be advisable given the current engagement of so many of its forces in Gaza. Undoubtedly, the IDF is preparing for a potential attack, but it is in our best interest to strive to reach a diplomatic resolution. Even if we achieve a decisive victory over Hezbollah, success would yield little benefit as long as the current regime remains in power in Iran. There are no long-term solutions to our difficulties with Hezbollah.
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It is worth noting that since the onset of the war, Hezbollah has reported 220 of its members killed, indicating that we continue to exact a toll for their attack.
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IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi toured the Northern border today, and during his visit to Metulah Halevi said the following:
I want you to know one thing — we will not finish fighting until we are able to return the residents to Metulah and all the communities in the North, and guarantee them with an extremely high level of security. Now you ask me how will this happen? We are in uniform, and even when you go home, your role is to think about preparedness for war. This is our primary mission, this is a matter about which no one disagrees, and we are now focusing on being prepared for war in the North.
This dialogue between us [the Army] and the local leadership here [in the North] is very, very important. So I'm telling you, ultimately, we will be ready for war. The IDF Chief of Staff continued, If this [current conflict with Hezbollah] doesn't end in war, it won't end in compromising on achievements. Hezbollah will not be here on the fence; we will push back all their capabilities. There will be much more quiet, there will be much more stability, and then we will tell the residents they can return. Will this happen tomorrow? Probably not, it will take some time. From my conversation with the leadership, I think the residents prefer we take a bit more time, if it means achieving a more favorable outcome.
GAZA
The IDF is coming close to completely gaining full control of Khan Younis, with one major objective being Nasser Hospital. The Army finally convinced 4,000 people seeking shelter on the hospital grounds to depart. Numerous Hamas members were detained, from amongst the masses that left the hospital. The IDF has not yet entered the hospital, which serves as a major center of Hamas.
Yesterday, Al Jazeera reported that one of its reporters had been injured at the hands of the IDF. Today, the IDF provided proof that in addition to being a reporter, the individual in question was also a deputy commander in Hamas.
Tonight Hamas succeeded in firing a round of rockets toward Ashkelon, all of which were intercepted.
El Al's stock rose significantly by 18.7% since February, 32% since the start of 2024, and 91% since the end of October 2023. The decision by Ryanair's to cancel flights to Israel through April due to a dispute over fees was one factor. This development further consolidated El Al's near-monopolistic position at Ben Gurion Airport, with its market share soaring to 79.29% by December 2023 from 21.62% in December 2022. The airline also saw a 7.8% increase in passenger numbers in December 2023 compared to 2022.
The reduction in foreign competition, especially after Wizz Air's announcement not to fly to Israel partly due to technical issues with A320 Neo planes, and the reluctance of foreign aircrews to stay overnight in Tel Aviv, have bolstered El Al's dominance.
The fact that both American airlines and the British company British Airways are not rushing to reinstate their routes to Israel leaves the field open for El Al (which held a 33% share of the flights to New York before the war). Additionally, partnerships, like the one with Delta, have enabled El Al to expand its North American destinations. Furthermore, the lack of competition has led to higher ticket prices, particularly on routes to North America, with significant increases in average ticket prices for El Al flights
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A PIECE OF HISTORY
Balfour Declaration
The outbreak of World War I divided the Zionist movement, whose headquarters had been in Germany. With the advent of the war, the Zionist movement became divided with centers in England, Germany, and the United States. Up until the outbreak of the war, the British goal had been to ensure the unity of the Ottoman Empire. Once the war began, the British began to set their eyes on parts of the Ottoman Empire. The spokesman of the Zionist movement in Great Britain was Chaim Weizmann, a Russian émigré who had studied in Germany and was a noted chemist. Weizmann charmed the British leadership into considering the idea of creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Many years later, Sir Ronald Storrs described Weizmann as:
A brilliant talker with an unrivaled gift for the lucid exposition as a speaker almost frightening convincing, even in English. In Hebrew, and even more in Russian. Overwhelming with all that dynamic percussiveness which Slavs usually devote to love and Jews to business, nourished, trained and concentrated upon the accomplishments of Zion.
Weizmann's ability to influence the British deliberation on the matter of establishing a Jewish homeland was helped by the contributions Weizmann made to the war effort, by developing a crucial chemical used for explosives. More importantly, as the British advanced on Palestine, the postwar future of the area was of concern to the British government. Lloyd George and Lord Balfour believed an alliance with the Jewish people would strengthen the British claim on Palestine. The British felt they would gain support from both the British and American Jewish communities, where Zionists had become more prominent. Louis Brandeis, leader of the American Zionist movement, had been appointed to the US Supreme Court. The deliberations on issuing the declaration for the establishment of a Jewish homeland took place among people naturally sympathetic to Zionist aspirations.
On November 2, 1917, the British government issued their declaration supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The declaration was in the form of a letter written by Lord Balfour to Lord Rothschild. The letter stated:
His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country
