DAY 520 IN CAPTIVITY: Trump Administration Negotiates Directly With Hamas, IDF Spokesman Hagari Not Promoted, Eizenkot Says IDF Actions in the War Differed from What War Cabinet Approved
Tel Aviv Diary, March 9,2025
Tomorrow, an Israeli delegation will travel to Doha at the request of Qatar and the United States to engage in negotiations. The specific agenda for these talks is not yet clear. Israelis were surprised to learn that the U.S. has been holding direct negotiations with Hamas, focusing primarily on securing the release of the last living American hostage, along with other hostages.
It has now emerged that the Trump administration did not inform Israel about its previous direct negotiations with Hamas. Given the current state of relations between Netanyahu and Washington, he might have little choice but to accept whatever terms are stablished by the Trump administration.
In recent days, conflicting reports have surfaced regarding the situation with Hamas. Some sources assert that an agreement has been reached to extend the ceasefire and release additional hostages; while others suggest that discussions on a second-phase agreement have begun. However, there are also reports indicating that negotiations have stalled without any progress.
The only confirmed fact is that we are now in the second week following the conclusion of the phase-one ceasefire. Despite this, no additional hostages have been released, and no new humanitarian aid has entered Gaza. This evening, Israel’s Energy Minister declared he is cutting off electricity to Gaza. However, in reality, Israel already provides very minimal electricity to the Strip.
Today’s Zoom Briefing
IDF SPOKESMAN CAREER ENDS
On Friday, it was announced that the newly appointed IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, had informed Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari that he would not be promoted to Major General, effectively ending his future in the IDF. Consequently, Hagari decided to resign.
Zamir’s decision came in the wake of a right-wing campaign against Hagari. Throughout the war, Hagari has been the public face of the IDF, frequently appearing on our screens during Israel’s most difficult moments over the past two years—often without the presence of any other government spokesperson.
On a few occasions, Hagari's frankness, as evidenced by statements like “Hamas, as an idea, cannot be wiped out,” exceeded the level of candor tolerated by the government. Zamir evidently decided against opposing the government’s stance on Hagari’s fate.
To put this into perspective:
74% of the public holds a positive opinion of Hagari, while only 19% view him negatively.
By contrast, 31% have a positive opinion of Prime Minister Netanyahu, while 63% hold a negative view.
Meanwhile, one commentator made an interesting observation: Individuals promoted to Major General, must wait before entering politics. However, since Hagari was not promoted and remains a Rear Admiral, he is free to enter the political arena immediately, should he choose to do so.
SHABBAT-TARBUT [Shabbat of Culture]
On Friday, I attended an event with my son known as “Shabbat-Tarbut,” an event often held on Fridays. This particular gathering was held in a very unusual setting—David Ben-Gurion’s house. Remarkably, the session was conducted inside his library, surrounded by the thousands of books Ben-Gurion had accumulated over his lifetime. The topic was highly relevant, focusing on the relationship between the Army Chief of Staff and the Prime Minister. The event featured journalist Roy Sharon as the host and included Gadi Eisenkot, a Member of Parliament and former Chief of Staff; Dov Tamari, a military historian and former Chief Intelligence Officer in the IDF; Hagay Segal, author of Messiah in the Morning Field: Rediscovering Ben-Gurion; and Nelly Markman, CEO of Beit Ben-Gurion in Tel Aviv.
MK Eisenkot, a former IDF Chief of Staff and a potential contender for Prime Minister, shared several compelling insights. He was originally part of the war cabinet, joining a few days into the war. Eizenkot disclosed that the actual course of the war deviated significantly from the plans they had approved—though he did not explain why. Eizenkot discussed his efforts to establish a formal security doctrine for Israel, a framework that does not currently exist and never has. He expressed his regrets, the most significant being his failure to take more decisive action against Hamas.
Additionally, Eisenkot revealed some new information. In 2018, when Avigdor Lieberman advocated for an Israeli invasion of Gaza to dismantle Hamas, Eisenkot opposed the idea. At the time, the IDF had uncovered six major attack tunnels in the North, and intelligence had obtained Hezbollah’s plan involving 9,000 Elite Radwan fighters to infiltrate and seize northern Israel. Eisenkot assessed the threat from Hezbollah was more urgent and more significant than that from Gaza, arguing that Israel should prioritize addressing Hezbollah before Hamas.
Eizenkot was adamant that Israel must investigate the October 7th massacre by means of a National Commission of Inquiry. He proposed to the government that that the commission should initially interview only former Army officials for the first three months. He also recommended that the inquiry should begin its examination February 2015, when he became the Chief of Staff.
Dov Tamari delved into Israel's historical inability to establish a comprehensive security policy. Tamari pointed out that Israel has never had a formal security doctrine throughout its history, a fact that surprised several Chiefs of Staff who had endeavored to modify the IDF’s security doctrine—only to be surprised that no such doctrine existed. He discussed Ben-Gurion’s security approach—challenging the common misconception, that it was simplistically based on just three elements. In reality, Ben-Gurion advocated a far broader and nuanced set of security principles. Tamari highlighted a particularly impactful quote from Ben-Gurion, stating, “A day’s delay in mobilizing the reserves can mean the difference between the survival or destruction of the country.”
IRAN
Over the weekend, President Trump sent a letter to Iran, proposing negotiations for a new nuclear deal, and cautioning about the repercussions should talks fail. Iran rejected Trump’s offer, although this rejection might be a negotiating tactic.
SYRIA
Yesterday, the new Syrian regime carried out a massacre, killing close to 1,000 Alawites in a coastal region. Despite the magnitude of the atrocity, the world has remained strangely silent.
BUSINESS
Otorio
Armis strengthens its OT/CPS security offerings as it eyes public markets. This is Armis' third acquisition in less than a year, previously acquiring AI security startup CTCI and risk prioritization startup Silk Security. Armis, a leader in cyber exposure management and security, has acquired Israeli startup Otorio, a provider of operational technology (OT) and cyber-physical systems (CPS) security. The company did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition, but the deal is valued at approximately $120 million, according to market estimates.
Otorio’s Titan platform will be integrated into Armis’ Centrix cloud-based cyber exposure management suite, enhancing its OT/CPS security capabilities. The move also allows Armis to offer an on-premises CPS security solution for industries requiring air-gapped environments, such as energy, utilities, and manufacturing.
Armis founders. (Armis)
Founded in 2018 by Daniel Bren and Yair Attar, Otorio specializes in cybersecurity for industrial environments, providing proactive protection against cyber threats in critical sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, and utilities. The company’s expertise in securing air-gapped and converged environments aligns with Armis’ broader vision of securing industrial operations.
Metis
Dynatrace, the AI-powered observability platform with a $16 billion market valuation on the NYSE, has announced the acquisition of Israeli startup Metis, an AI-driven solution for database observability. While the acquisition value has not been disclosed, it is estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars. The move comes as organizations continue to grapple with the growing complexity and volume of cloud-native databases, a critical infrastructure component for modern businesses. The integration of Metis' cutting-edge technology into Dynatrace's portfolio promises to enhance the platform's ability to provide expert-level recommendations, automatic remediation, and powerful insights into database performance, all through the lens of artificial intelligence.
Metis co-founders Roee Kriger (CEO) and Itay Brown (CTO). (Photo: Metis)
Metis was founded in 2021 by Roee Kriger (CEO) and Itay Brown (CTO). The company has raised $5 million from UpWest and Spider Capital, as well as additional private investors, including Operator Partners and Alex Sirota. The company has approximately 10 employees in Tel Aviv.
Previously, Kriger held various management positions at the Prime Minister’s Office, Trusteer (which was acquired by IBM for $1 billion), and Redbend (which was acquired by Harman for $250 million). Brown is a serial entrepreneur; he founded Skgiraffe, which was acquired by ServiceNow, and Twingo, which was acquired by CommIT.
As cloud-native databases become ubiquitous in software development, managing their health and performance has emerged as a significant challenge. While these databases offer flexibility and scalability, they often require constant monitoring to prevent production issues that could disrupt services and applications. Developers, under constant pressure, may struggle to address these challenges without specialized expertise in database performance optimization.
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TRAVEL ACROSS ISRAEL
Kibbutz Hanita
Our next destination will be the Kibbutz Hanita, situated along the Lebanese border. Kibbutz Hanita sustained significant damage during the recent war. Before the war, Hanita was home to 800 residents. The museum at the Kibbutz is well worth a visit.
During the recent Iron Swords War (October 2023), Kibbutz Hanita was evacuated, with residents moving temporarily to Kibbutz Ein Harod. In April 2024, the kibbutz was struck by a Hezbollah drone that severely wounded a reserve soldier.
Today, Kibbutz Hanita sustains itself through a combination of agriculture, tourism, and industry. Its agricultural operations include the cultivation of bananas and avocados, as well as dairy farming. Industrially, the kibbutz is home to notable enterprises such as Avery Dennison Hanita, previously known as “Kotlav Hanita,” which specializes in producing metallic-coated plastic films. Additionally, Hanita Lenses focuses on the manufacture of contact lenses and surgical implant lenses, contributing to the kibbutz's diverse economic base.
Significant archaeological discoveries were unearthed during the initial excavations of the kibbutz in 1938. These findings include remains from the Chalcolithic period around 4000 BCE, caves from the Middle Canaanite era, Phoenician inscriptions, and artifacts from the Hellenistic and Persian periods. Additionally, the ruins of an ancient Byzantine church were discovered, complete with a restored mosaic floor. Decorated burial caves, remnants of buildings, wells, and coins were also found. Many of these artifacts are currently on display in the kibbutz’s museum.
During the period of the Arab Revolt (1936–1939), and in accordance with the British government’s White Paper, Jews were prohibited from purchasing land in certain areas, including the site of today’s Kibbutz Hanita. Joseph Sinigaglia, a representative of the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet LeIsrael), along with his friend Eliezer Vinshal, initiated the purchase of lands in the northern Galilee region to establish a Jewish settlement. The landowner, Jamil Abu Abiad, an Arab lawyer and member of the Haifa city council known for land brokerage, mistakenly believed that Sinigaglia— who had distinctly Italian features—represented the Church and intended to establish a monastery. Through an Arab intermediary from Lebanon, the lands were eventually transferred and officially registered under the Jewish National Fund at the land registration offices in Acre.
Joseph Sinigaglia recounts:
In December 1937, Abraham Vinshal and his brother Eliezer approached me and requested my assistance in purchasing over 4,000 dunams along the Lebanese border. After consulting with Joseph Weitz and Dr. Granot, it became clear that the JNF supported the idea but lacked funds and was unsure if the Jewish Agency would cover the costs of settlement. We realized that if we didn’t force a decision, we would never reach the northwestern border. My Italian passport enabled me to appear as a non-Jewish buyer, and after the purchase was completed, the Arab gangs took revenge by killing my Arab guide, a man originally from Lebanon.
Today, a commemorative plaque honoring Joseph Sinigaglia is found at the site known as “Lower Hanita” (Hanita Araita).
The Arab Revolt endangered new, undefended settlements, leading to the creation of the “Tower and Stockade” (Homa u’Migdal) model—a fortified settlement built in a single day. The purchase of Hanita’s land—5,000 dunams of rocky, mountainous terrain—sparked controversy among Zionist leadership, as some argued that “Jews cannot live off mountain land” and worried the isolated Jewish outpost might fall within a future Arab state. Nonetheless, David Ben-Gurion approved the purchase in early 1938. By February, the JNF acquired approximately 14,000 dunams around Hanita
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On the morning of March 21, 1938, about 400 people, including 100 members of the Haganah’s Field Units commanded by Yitzhak Sadeh, participated in settling Hanita. Yosef Fein from Degania and Davidka Nammeri from Ashdot Yaakov led the operation. About 50 trucks transported equipment to a site east of the Arab village Al-Bassa. They initially established “Lower Hanita”, carrying supplies on their backs, donkeys, and camels.
The same night, settlers were attacked by local Arab militias; two settlers—Yehuda Brenner and Yaakov Berger—were killed. Despite ongoing attacks, settlers continued their work. Within five days, they managed to build a road to Lower Hanita. Overall, ten people fell defending the camp. By April 8, a road was completed to “Upper Hanita”, marked by an Arab tenant’s stone house. The settlement then moved there, leaving Lower Hanita as a training camp for the Haganah.
After six months, the initial settlers were replaced by the “Shimron” group, whose role was agricultural development, later joined by the “Segev” group. The early economy relied on orchards, vegetable cultivation, goat herding, dairy cows, and poultry, with limited success due to fragmented plots and lack of irrigation. Economic diversification attempts included a holiday resort and a metal-cutting tools factory.
At the outset of the 1948 War, Hanita and six other Western Galilee settlements were isolated within territory designated for the proposed Arab state. Children were evacuated to Haifa. On May 14, 1948, with the declaration of independence, Israeli forces broke the siege, reintegrating Western Galilee with the rest of Israel (Operation Ben Ami).
SITES TO VISIT
The Hanita Museum, situated in the historic stone house at Hanita Ilit (Upper Hanita), offers a comprehensive look into the area's past. This building, dating back to before the founding of the kibbutz, played a pivotal role as the first permanent structure occupied by settlers in April 1938, following their initial encampment at Lower Hanita (Hanita Tahtit). The museum commemorates the Homa U’Migdal (Tower and Stockade period), the Hebrew guards (Notrim), and features a range of archaeological discoveries.
Among its notable exhibits are unique mosaic floors, including a famed geometric mosaic. The museum also shows a film about the founding of Hanita, enhancing visitors' understanding of the historical significance of this location. This authentic site, as the museum is housed in a building symbolic of the successful establishment of the permanent settlement, offers visitors an immersive experience that vividly connects them to the challenging environment faced by the pioneers.
Main Exhibitions—The museum showcases three principal areas of interest:
1. The Tower and Stockade Exhibit
Explains the revolutionary Zionist settlement method developed in response to British land-purchase restrictions and Arab resistance in the late 1930s.
Displays original artifacts from the founding of Hanita, including:
Construction tools used by early settlers.
Personal belongings of the pioneers.
Documents, photographs, and maps depicting the rapid overnight settlement-building process.
2. “Notrim” and Hebrew Police Exhibit
Dedicated to the Jewish Notrim (guards) and police forces that protected Jewish communities during the British Mandate period.
Includes:
Original uniforms and weaponry of the Notrim.
Historical documents and photographs.
Personal stories illustrating their critical role in protecting isolated settlements.
3. Archaeological Exhibit
Features archaeological artifacts discovered at Hanita, providing insight into the site’s deep historical roots and diverse cultural past.
Highlights include:
Unique mosaic floors, especially the “Geometric Mosaic”, noted for its distinctive craftsmanship.
Artifacts from various historical periods, including Chalcolithic tools, Phoenician inscriptions, Hellenistic and Persian pottery, Byzantine church remains, and ancient coins.
The museum features interactive and multimedia displays that enrich the visitor experience. It includes a documentary film on the founding of Kibbutz Hanita, which vividly illustrates the dramatic and strategic establishment of the kibbutz, highlighting its historical significance. Additionally, the museum provides a digital archive. This searchable database offers in-depth information on key historical figures, such as Joseph Sinigaglia, Yitzhak Sadeh, and other early settlers, allowing visitors to delve deeper into the stories of those who shaped Hanita's early days.
The museum's outdoor area features a reconstructed Tower and Stockade site at Lower Hanita (Hanita Tahtit), which includes the original settlement layout, a watchtower, a stockade fence, and commemorative plaques honoring the ten pioneers who fell. Additionally, there are memorial plaques dedicated to early settlers and key figures who played significant roles in the survival of the kibbutz, including Joseph Sinigaglia. This outdoor exhibit provides a tangible connection to the early days of Hanita, commemorating the contributions and sacrifices of those who helped establish the community.
Educational and Visitor Experience
The museum offers guided tours focusing on:
Early Zionist settlement methods and their historical context.
Military and security challenges faced by settlers.
Archaeological and historical background.
Special educational programs are available for schools, youth movements, military personnel, and heritage tourists, providing a comprehensive historical understanding of the pioneering period.