ֿֿDAY 83 OF THE GAZA WAR: – Israel And Hezbollah Edge Closer To All Out War, How Dare Our Government Think About The Day After, Investment Down 56% in 2023
Tel Aviv Diary, December 28, 2023
Events seem to be dangerously escalating in the North. Today, Hezbollah launched repeated attacks on Kiryat Shmona, inflicting further damage on what has now become a ghost town. Previously, the town of Kiryat Shmona was home to 22,000 residents. Of particular concern was the launch of a suicide drone headed southward towards Akko and the “Krayot,” a cluster townships, north of Haifa. The initial drone was successfully intercepted, and subsequently, another drone was shot down over Lebanon. It appears that neither Israel nor Hezbollah desires an all-out war. Nevertheless, both parties are involved in a dangerous game, each under the assumption that the other does not want a war. This situation is fraught with danger, as there is a substantial risk of a misjudgment by either side.
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In Gaza, fighting continues relentlessly in both Khan Younis and the central refugee camps. Defense Minister Galant visited the troops in Khan Younis and commented on the unprecedented nature of their combat, particularly in the tunnels. There are an estimated 150 kilometers of tunnels under the city, and the efforts of thousands of soldiers are focused on navigating that labyrinth in search of Hamas leaders and in the hopes of rescuing hostages. Sadly, the IDF released the names of three additional soldiers killed yesterday in Gaza
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ATTACK NEAR JERUSALEM
Tonight, two people were injured in a stabbing attack at the Mazmuria checkpoint outside of Jerusalem. The assailant, an Arab-Israeli, was killed on the spot.
SYRIA
Syrian media reported that Israel conducted an attack in the area of Damascus tonight.
Judith Weinstein MURDERED BY HAMAS
Kibbutz Nir Oz announced that Judith Weinstein, an American-Israeli, had been murdered on October 7th and that her body is being held captive by Hamas. The White House released a statement from President Biden expressing his and Jill's devastation at the news. Biden stated:
This tragic development cuts deep, coming on the heels of last week’s news that Judy’s beloved husband, Gad Haggai, is believed to have been killed by Hamas. We are holding Judy and Gad’s four children, seven grandchildren, and other loved ones close to our hearts.
I will never forget what their daughter, and the family members of other Americans held hostage in Gaza, have shared with me. They have been living through hell for weeks. No family should have to endure such an ordeal.
FINAL REPORT ON HOSTAGES ACCIDENTALLY KILLED BY IDF SOLDIERS
The final report on the accidental killing of the hostages by the IDF was released and revealed several new facts. The hostages were initially held in an underground bunker and managed to leave a note at the entrance reading — “SAVE US." This note was discovered more than a week before the tragic event, but it was mistakenly believed to be a trap for the soldiers. A few days later, Golani troops entered the building where the hostages were held and killed the terrorists guarding them. The troops heard people yelling “SAVE US, WE ARE HOSTAGES,” in Hebrew.
Another significant revelation was that after the first two hostages were killed, the IDF commander in the area called for the soldiers to cease fire, and then asked the third hostage to come out, after which, another soldier shot and killed that hostage. He claimed he had not heard the order to ceasefire. The Army Chief of Staff summed up this tragedy succinctly:
The IDF failed at every level in this tragic event. The hostages did everything possible to indicate their presence, but it was overlooked.
THE DAY AFTER???
Next week, Secretary Blinken is scheduled to return to Israel. Blinken expects to hear from Israeli leadership about their plans for the governance of Gaza post-combat. The heads of the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet have all requested a discussion on the same subject, leading Netanyahu to finally schedule the first war cabinet meeting. However, upon hearing about the upcoming meeting both Ben-Gvir and Smotrich threatened to leave the coalition, prompting Netanyahu to cancel the gathering.
The crisis continues over Ben-Gvir’s decision to replace the head of Israel’s prison service. Ben-Gvir remains steadfast, despite statements from Likud MKs and representatives of religious parties insisting that agreements must be honored. The agreement for Gantz to join the current government explicitly stated that no key positions would change during their tenure. Netanyahu’s record of keeping agreements is questionable, to say the least, leaving the resolution of this crisis unclear.
STUPID POLITICS
In a move that highlights the current government's decision-making, (based on an agreement at the coalition's inception), Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Energy Minister Israel Katz will swap their respective governmental roles next week. This change is based on an agreement established at the beginning of the coalition. Netanyahu promised Katz, a powerful figure in the Likud central committee, that he could become Foreign Minister after one year.
ISRAEL’S SUPREME COURT
The Israeli Supreme Court made history in several areas today. First, in a circumstance reminiscent of the US Supreme Court’s incident involving the leaked draft of the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a right-wing Israeli journalist obtained a leaked copy of the high court's preliminary decision on whether to overturn the Knesset approved law which eliminated the reasonableness clause in judicial review. The draft indicates an 8-7 decision favoring the repeal of the law.
In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court unanimously declared that under Israel's current adoption laws, same-sex couples are permitted to adopt a child. They stated that although the law's wording refers to a man and woman, its intent is to ensure the child's welfare. Understanding the fact that in today’s society, it is widely recognized that a loving same-sex couple can be just as effective parents as their heterosexual counterparts.
The Supreme Court also made an additional decision in a smaller, yet interesting case. The Mayor of Givatayim, who uses his personal Twitter account to post city announcements, had blocked a resident who criticized the mayor's handling of pedestrian deaths. The Supreme Court ruled that since the mayor uses his personal account for public purposes, he may not block residents.
LATEST POLITICAL FORECAST
A new poll released by Israel Channel 13, conducted by Camil Fuchs, shows that the Likud party, led by Netanyahu, is notably trailing, with his existing coalition projected to secure a total of 45 seats. The Likud party performs significantly better under a leader other than Netanyahu. It is likely that Netanyahu will make every effort in his power to prevent elections.
BUSINESS
A summary of the money raised by the Israeli High tech companies in 2023
In 2023, Israeli high-tech fundraising totaled $6.9 billion in 392 rounds.
While the war is ongoing, in Q4/2023, Israeli tech companies raised $1.45 billion in 75 deals, a decrease of 15% and 16%, respectively, compared to Q3/2023.
In Q4/2023, Seed rounds climbed to $220 million in 31 rounds.
The foreign investors' share in Q4/2023 investments grew compared to the Israeli investors' participation
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Israeli tech fundraising in 2023 totaled $6.9 billion in 392 deals.
The data reflects a 44% decrease in the number of deals and a 56% drop in the amount of raised capital compared to 2022
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