DAY 356 OF THE WAR:Ceasefire Talks? Israel Continues Attack on Lebanon Amid Limited Hezbollah Strikes on Israel; Anti-Terror Ops in the West Bank; Combat in Gaza; and Business News

Tel Aviv Diary, September 26, 2024

This morning, reports emerged of an imminent ceasefire, expected to occur within the next few hours. The rumors originated from a Sky News report, which initially confirmed that Prime Minister Netanyahu was engaged in the negotiations and appeared receptive to an agreement. According to the reports, the United States and France were advocating for a 21-day ceasefire to facilitate discussions that could potentially result in a permanent truce, including Hezbollah's withdrawal beyond the Litani River.

However, the ceasefire proposal quickly faced criticism from across Israel's political spectrum. Far-right politician Ben-Gvir threatened to bring down the government if a ceasefire deal was reached, while left-wing leader Yair Golan called for Israel to deploy ground forces into Lebanon. Shortly after, Netanyahu, speaking from his plane en route to New York, denied considering a ceasefire, even though he allegedly gave the U.S. a green light for its initiative.

Despite the political tensions, the morning in Israel remained relatively quiet, with no significant attacks—except for an overnight strike on Eilat by Iraqi Shiites, which caused minor damage to the port. The last rocket attack from Lebanon had occurred the previous afternoon. Nonetheless, at around 11:00 AM, the silence was shattered by a major rocket attack on the Acco area. Fortunately, most of the rockets fell into the sea, and the Iron Dome intercepted the remainder. Later in the afternoon, additional rocket barrages targeted the Safed area and Kiryat Shemona, marking a resurgence of hostilities.

Overnight, the Israeli Air Force continued its operations in Lebanon, targeting key crossing points between Lebanon and Syria as one of its primary objectives. These strikes were intended to disrupt Iran's efforts to supply Hezbollah with additional arms. The airstrikes were part of a broader, ongoing strategy to weaken Hezbollah's capabilities and restrict its access to weapons and reinforcements.

In a significant development during the afternoon, Israel successfully executed an airstrike assassination of Muhammad Hossein Srur, commander of Hezbollah's drone unit. The strike occurred in the Dahiya area of Beirut—just a block away from where a similar assassination had taken place two days earlier. This action marks a continued effort to dismantle Hezbollah’s leadership and cripple its operational capabilities

SO, WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Clearly, the U.S., France, and other international actors are eager to avoid a broader conflict. Netanyahu, who has historically been hesitant to deploy ground forces, would prefer to avoid a ground war in Lebanon. This reluctance explains why Netanyahu authorized the Americans to pursue a ceasefire plan. For Israel, a ceasefire now would be successfully separate the conflict in Gaza from the situation in Lebanon. Nasrallah has consistently said he would not agree to a ceasefire as long as fighting persists in Gaza, so achieving such a separation could be considered a significant victory for Israel.

From Israel’s perspective, however, the problem with a ceasefire is the risk that Nasrallah might use it as a strategic pause. If Hezbollah intends to resume hostilities, a 21-day ceasefire would provide them with the perfect opportunity to replenish their depleted armaments, restore disrupted communications, and generally recover from the recent Israeli offensive. Militarily, granting Hezbollah this period of respite would be a considerable gift and would risk forfeiting all the momentum Israel has gained over the past week.

This is a difficult decision, and if I were advising the Israeli government, I would only support the plan if it explicitly stated that the ultimate objective is to negotiate an enhanced version of UN Resolution 1701. Should Hezbollah reject this agreement, it is crucial that the U.S. fully backs Israel’s military efforts to enforce the new terms. Anything less would significantly undermine Israel's strategic objectives.

Netanyahu is fully aware of all these considerations. Initially, Netanyahu was willing to let the Americans pursue the ceasefire plan. However, as political pressure mounted within Israel, he has since denied having prior knowledge of the proposal—likely in an effort to manage domestic opposition to the idea. Tonight, the White House has explicitly called him out, stating that Netanyahu was involved in the ceasefire plan from the beginning.

WEST BANK

In the past 24 hours, IDF forces, the Shin Bet, and the Border Police conducted an extensive anti-terror operation in Jenin and northern Samaria. The operation resulted in the arrest of four wanted individuals, the discovery and destruction of explosive devices and roadside bombs, and the seizure of various weapons. The operation extended throughout the night, with 22 additional suspects arrested across multiple villages, including Safa, Jammal, Beit Ummar, and Dura. During the arrests, more firearms and explosive devices were confiscated or destroyed.

This recent activity is part of a larger, ongoing campaign by Israeli security forces in Judea and Samaria. This week alone, the operation resulted in the arrest of 57 wanted individuals, the seizure of 100,000 shekels in funds linked to terrorism, 10 firearms, and various pieces of military equipment. Since the outbreak of the war, more than 5,250 wanted individuals have been arrested in the region, underscoring the scale and intensity of Israel's counter-terrorism efforts in the West Bank.

GAZA

While all eyes have been focused towards Lebanon, limited combat continues in Gaza. The IDF Spokesman described the ongoing fighting as follows:

In the past week, during a joint operation by the IDF and the Shin Bet, an Israeli Air Force aircraft targeted and eliminated the terrorist Suleiman Jawad Suleiman Abu Lafi in Rafah. Suleiman facilitated the transfer of weapons to the Gaza Strip and coordinated attacks in the West Bank from Gaza. His brother, Abdullah Abu Lafi, also a terrorist associated with the Islamic Jihad, was killed in the same strike.

In another airstrike, Israeli fighter jets, guided by the Shin Bet and the 215th Fire Brigade, eliminated a commander of Hamas' Nukhba force and a terrorist who participated in the deadly attack on Israeli border communities on October 7th.

The 162nd Division continues to operate in the Rafah area, and within the past 24 hours, Israeli forces have neutralized approximately 15 terrorists.

NATIONAL DISGRACE FOR THE GENERATIONS

In a profoundly reprehensible incident, one of the markedly most disgraceful moments in recent Israeli history, some Likud activists threw eggs at Eli Albag, father of Liri Albag, one of the abducted female soldiers currently held captive by Hamas. Activists pelted police officers with eggs, as well. This reprehensible incident occurred last night, as some families of hostages protested outside Likud headquarters. While two lone Likud Ministers, MK Eli Dallal and MK Miki Zohar, along with President Herzog, condemned the act, Prime Minister Netanyahu remained silent.

PUBLIC OPINION REGARDING THE WAR

Two notable statistics have emerged. The first, from a year ago a week after the war began, shows that only 1% of Israelis believed the conflict might last a year, with most expecting it to conclude within three months. Today, 70% of Israelis support expanding the military operations in Lebanon.

SEVERAL WORTHWHILE READS

This article provides an interesting analysis of the developments in Intersectionality. It appears that when Muslims gained political influence in Michigan, they adopted notably conservative stances on LGBTQ issues. Furthermore, the Muslim Mayor of Hamtramck, the only Muslim minority city has now endorsed Donald Trump. Here’s the link:

Intersectionality Dies In The Suburbs Of Detroit

This article from 2004 in The New York Times by Andrew Baker, originally published in the International Herald Tribune, offers an intriguing retrospective: Anti-Semitism: A chance for Europe to check a wave of hate

A LOOK AT WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A LEBANESE JEW

Today, I came across this tweet by Isaac Choua discussing what it was like to be Lebanese Jew.  I thought it was worth sharing. Isaac Choua can be found on Twitter as @ChouaIsaac

I'm a Lebanese 🇱🇧 Jew.

The narrative often presented around this image is misleading: “These PLO fighters were protecting the synagogue.” This couldn’t be further from the reality faced by Jews living in Lebanon during that time. This was NOT their modus operandi.

In fact, the Lebanese president deployed the army to protect our community during the Yom Kippur War (1973) — no aggression was directed at us. So, who would the PLO have been protecting us from, if not from themselves?

One of the first Jews killed in our community was my friend’s great-grandfather. He was killed by a sniper while serving as the community’s gravedigger. His body lay unattended in the street for days, too dangerous to retrieve due to the sniper’s presence. The sight of animals desecrating his remains is a memory seared into my mother’s mind—a cruel irony given his role in the community.

In the 1970s, Lebanon was engulfed in a brutal civil war, largely exacerbated by the PLO forces expelled from Jordan after Black September. They attempted to seize control of Lebanon, destabilizing Lebanon. Amidst this chaos, the PLO established strongholds and viewed us as enemies, simply because of our identity. We weren't their only target, but this is the Jewish perspective—from my family and from others who eventually found refuge in New York and Israel after passing through Lebanon.

My family fled Lebanon in 1977 to escape the escalating violence, but my uncles remained. They witnessed Israel’s bombing of the Maghen Abraham synagogue in 1982—a devastating event for our community as this synagogue was our gem, our symbol.

For my uncle, the relationship with Israel was deeply complicated and fraught with mixed emotions.

The PLO’s presence in Beirut was not just political; it was deeply personal. In Wadi Abu Jamil, our Jewish neighborhood, they stored weapons in the very places we lived and prayed. Even the Maghen Abraham synagogue itself was used for storing arms. These weren’t rumors; these were events witnessed by the very people whose lives were threatened—my uncle among them.

Beyond Lebanon, the situation was similarly dire. In Syria, Palestinians didn’t just fight against Israel; they became enforcers for Hafez al-Assad’s regime, targeting Jewish communities there as well. The New York Times reported in 1974 that Jews in Damascus were virtual prisoners in their own homes during the Yom Kippur War, fearing retribution from both Palestinians and Syrians.

Many Syrian Jews fled through Lebanon en route to Israel—many at the time saw Lebanon as “Gan Eḏen” (Garden of Eden) and wanted to stay longer (I've heard this from multiple members of the community).

But safety was an illusion. In the 1970s, my best friend’s family—Syrian Jewish refugees—were abducted right outside the Maghen Abraham synagogue. He was literally thrown into a barrel by Palestinians and held while the Jewish community negotiated his release for a large sum of money. Otherwise, he would have been sent back to Syria, where he would have faced torture or worse. This is just one personal story I'm sharing, with names and faces I can recall, but it’s emblematic of countless others.

Another friend’s grandfather was robbed at gunpoint by PLO thugs in front of his children. To call these people “protectors” is beyond absurd. My father risked everything to smuggle community members to safety in the mountains, navigating through dangerous PLO checkpoints to reach places like Aley and Bhamdoun.

You don’t have to believe me or these accounts. But these are not just stories; they’re the lived experiences of a community under siege. I know what my family and friends endured, and the scars that the PLO left behind are deep and lasting

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BUSINESS

Bluebricks

Bluebricks was founded in 2024 by serial entrepreneur Idan Yalovitz (CEO), who was one of the partners at Zest, which was acquired by WalkMe in 2021; Nitzan Gindi (Chief Product Officer); and Pini Vaknin (Chief Technology Officer). Today (Wednesday), Bluebricks announced the completion of a $4.5 million Seed-round. The round was led by Glilot Capital Partners and Flint Capital. Bluebricks also received investment from one of the world’s largest venture capital firms, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Other participants in the round included Raz Shaked, head of the DevOps group at Wiz, and Fresh Fund.

Bluebricks has developed a cloud infrastructure management technology that adds a semantic layer, agnostic to programming languages. This technology enables the automatic breakdown of massive codebases into smaller parts while preserving semantic connections, providing the organization’s DevOps or SRE teams with a single organized place for all necessary cloud configurations.

GEOX

The start-up GEOX, which developed a platform for assessing real estate risks from climate disasters, has raised $19 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Flashpoint Venture Capital, with participation from the Shoortech R&D Partnership and investors Ariel Maislos and Noam Lanir. This funding brings the company’s total investment to $23 million since its founding.

GEOX has developed a 3D technology that analyzes aerial imagery for automatic and highly accurate real estate asset assessment and early prediction of potential damages. The company’s system generates extensive, data-rich 3D information relevant to insuring private and commercial buildings, including precise location, roof size, type, condition, slope, and more.

TAMNUN

The Israeli startup Tamnun, which developed a managed service platform for fixing cloud vulnerabilities using experts, announced Wednesday that it raised $12 million in a Series-A funding round. The round was led by Bright Pixel Capital, with participation from new investors like Blu Ventures and Mindset Ventures, along with existing investors Merlin Ventures, Secret Chord Ventures, Inner Loop Capital, and Elron Ventures.

Tamnun is a hybrid platform managed through a combination of human expertise and AI, designed to detect and fix security breaches in the cloud without disrupting business operations. Founded by cloud security and AI veterans, the company optimizes and strengthens processes like prioritization, sorting, and prevention in order to support a continuous threat exposure management (CTEM) program.

Immunai

The American pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca will pay $18 million for the use of technology developed by the Israeli startup Immunai to optimize its oncology clinical trials. According to the deal's terms, AstraZeneca has the option to extend the collaboration and increase its scope by several tens of millions of dollars. Estimates suggest the agreement could reach $50 million over three years, making it the largest deal signed by the startup to date.

Immunai focuses on mapping the human immune system to enable the development of treatments for autoimmune diseases. The company has created a database (AMICA) – claimed to be the largest of its kind in the world – based on genomic and proteomic sequencing at the single-cell resolution of tens of thousands of patients. Using machine learning technology, the company extracts insights from the database, allowing for tracking immune system mechanisms, including responses to various drugs.

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A PIECE OF HISTORY

The Disengagement Plan Unveiled

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon unveiled the concept of some disengagement from the Palestinians during his speech at the Herzliya Conference. However, the proposal was an idea that both lacked details and faced considerable skepticism, with many doubting whether Sharon was truly committed to any substantive disengagement.

That all changed when Sharon provided an exclusive interview with Yoel Marcus of Ha’aretz on February 2, 2024. During their breakfast meeting, Sharon revealed to Marcus that his plan called for the unilateral evacuation of seventeen settlements in Gaza, impacting all 8,000 Jewish/Israeli inhabitants. Additionally, Sharon’s plan would include the evacuation of three settlements in the Northern West Bank.

The country was stunned. Prior to detailing his plan to Marcus, Sharon had discussed it with only a few people. Many in his own Likud party revolted, declaring their intention to oppose the plan. In response, Sharon initiated a major effort to develop support for his plan, arguing that it would enhance Israel's security.

In the meantime, Sharon authorized two high-profile assassinations of Hamas leadership. On March 22, 2004, the wheelchair-bound Ahmed Ismail Yassin, was killed by a helicopter-based missile. On April 27, 2004 Yassin’s successor, Abdel Aziz Rantisi was killed as well.

The two targeted killings mitigated some of the criticism Sharon faced within the right-wing. While opposition to Sharon’s plan continued, as we will see, Sharon was eventually able to convince the Knesset to approve his plan, which remains controversial to this day.