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Heavy fighting raged overnight and into Sunday across Gaza, including in the devastated north.

The article reports on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Despite international calls for a cease-fire, heavy fighting continues, with Israel pressing ahead with its offensive. The United States has supported Israel's actions by vetoing U.N. Security Council efforts to end the fighting and providing military ammunition. The conflict has resulted in the displacement of a significant portion of Gaza's population, causing a humanitarian crisis with severe shortages of food, water, and other basic necessities. The article also highlights the criticism faced by Israel for civilian casualties and the impact on the Palestinian population. The situation has raised concerns about the collapse of the humanitarian system and the implications for peace and security in the region.

I believe that the catastrophic loss of life will continue to increase until there is a total surrender from Hamas forces, or they are weakened to the point in which they no longer pose a threat. Hopefully in the near future Israeli government officials will sort out how to address the Palestinian refugee problem, because if they don’t, they have more potential terrorist attacks on their hands. The pressure being put upon Netanyahu’s cabinet is immense and most of them will not make it through the next election cycle, so you could see a radically different policy agenda coming from the Israeli government in the next couple years.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/11/17/how-hamas-breached-israel-iron-wall/

The Iron Wall was a 1 billion dollar defense project that was supposed to defend against such attacks similar to what occurred on October 7th. The underestimation of Hamas’s coordination and organization is one of the glaring failures of the Netanyahu led government. Hamas was able to detect,locate, and neutralize long range cameras and sophisticated sensors that would have been critical in neutralizing the terrorist attacks that occurred. The failure of the multiple world renowned defense systems in the state of Israel, is something that is going to be a critical issue to address for the Israeli government, as their citizens may never feel as safe again as they once had. It will be interesting to see after a new coalition is formed, (assuming) what sweeping defense changes will be made.

Israel says it has entered Gaza's largest hospital in a "targeted operation against Hamas".

Hamas forces appear to be on their last leg, as we now have US intelligence confirmation that Hamas had entrenched themselves in Al-Shifa hospital. This is presumably for military strategical purposes, and it is no surprise to me at all that they were within the hospital. I saw wide speculation and debate regarding whether or not Hamas had a presence at the hospital, even after confirmation from the Israeli government. Now that the US has confirmed that information, I have seen the conjecture begin to fizzle out - and turn more into certainty. Terrorist organizations do terrorist things, and this is one of them. I personally believe the pressure of Israel’s assault on Gaza has deterred even more he neighboring Arab states from getting involved, and the Palestinian authority has essentially left them adrift.

https://m.jpost.com/opinion/article-772536

Journalist David Weinberg feels the only way that legitimacy in national security is restored for the State of Israel, is with the complete obliteration and destruction of the Hamas terrorist organization. The writer is senior fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy. His viewpoint that there is absolutely no room for negotiation, and the only thing that is obligatory to the Israeli government is to kill Hamas as quickly as possible. His view that there cannot be a restored sense of national strength without the elimination of Hamas, is one I agree with on the Israeli side. I don’t agree that Israel should entirely ignore the wishes of their international allies in this endeavor. The government also needs to be focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a situation which I believe they are in part responsible for creating. Flattening Gaza without accounting for all of the innocent lives there, would make the state of Israel just as terroristic as Hamas, so there is a careful line to be drawn.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/netanyahu-idf-will-control-gaza-after-war-we-cant-rely-on-an-international-force/

Israeli PM Netanyahu has explicitly stated that the control of Gaza will fall into Israeli hands following the war against Hamas. This is something that will incense the surrounding nations who have clearly voiced their support in ending any Israeli presence in Palestinian territory. I think that Netanyahu’s personal vendetta against Hamas could potentially get in the way of the most easy route to peace. His government is unlikely to survive this massive breach of security, and if Netanyahu’s government is going down, he is certainly

bringing Hamas with him. I think that all security measures will be taken in full by the Israeli government to make sure that Hamas is entirely (at least visibly) eradicated, before there are any talks of the area possibly being under some other international entities’ supervision.

Israeli officials, still facing public fury over the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack that killed over 1,000 civilians, may decide a full-scale

Following the attacks that killed over 1,000 Israeli civilians, many nations hope to avoid a full scale invasion of Gaza by the Israeli government. Whether or not that will be the case, remains to be seen. Qatar helped negotiations take a step in the right direction on Friday, securing the release of an American mother and daughter held hostage by Hamas. Qatar has been a successful mediator in the past, but the fact they have harbored Hamas leadership there before, complicates the negotiations. Israeli security experts believe that this is probably a manipulation tactic by Hamas who is performing both a military operation and political campaign. I personally believe no matter the amount of hostages released by Hamas, the ground invasion will still take place, which will result in devastating casualties. I don’t think that Qatar will stand in the way of Israel's determination to entirely eliminate Hamas as a future threat.

Two aid convoys recently entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing during Israeli bombing.

The citizens of Gaza are currently facing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. The lack of access to basic resources in the Gaza Strip has thrust the world into action, to try to combat the dire conditions. Israel cut resources going into Gaza off, this includes food, fuel, and electricity. This is part of the Israeli operation to try to root out and eliminate Hamas. The difficulty with providing such aid is that it becomes very difficult and dangerous to ensure the aid does not fall into the hands of Hamas, and that it goes directly to the civilians. Hamas is intentionally entrenched within the civilian population to avoid detection, and provide a buffer of protection and difficulty between them and the advancing IDF forces. This means they could easily intercept any aid that isn’t controlled very carefully. Nations of the Islamic world including Turkey, UAB, Qatar, Jordan and Tunisia have all sent aid to the Gaza strip over the past few days. India, Rwanda, and members of the EU have also attempted to aid in disaster relief in the area. The first relief convoy of 20 trucks arrived into Gaza on Saturday, entering from Egypt at the Rafah border. This is miniscule compared to the amount of aid needed for the more than one million people displaced in the area.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2023/10/18/what-do-we-know-about-the-strike-on-the-hospital-in-gaza

The dispute between media sources as to which party was responsible for the explosion in Gaza is a fiasco. I find it abhorrent that a bunch of international media organizations would take the Hamas department of health at their word. I personally feel that there should be more credibility and support given to the state of Israel, especially facing such a horrific attack. The moral ambiguity that sets the tone in this article is something that makes me uneasy. There is a lot of disinformation floating around, and it’s costing innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives.

As part of the deal, Gantz and fellow party member Gadi Eisenkot will be sworn in as ministers and will join a war cabinet with Netanyahu an

The swift formation of an Emergency government has been constructed in the State of Israel. The war cabinet has been expanded to include Gantz and fellow National Unity party members. This was important for the Israeli government to unify during this time, and address the external threats at hand together. It was a decisive and necessary action in my opinion, alongside the massive military mobilization, that signifies strength and unity in a time of crisis for Israel. I theorize that this war will also bolster support for Netanyahu. As a comparison point, I often think of Bush’s leadership following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, as that time in American history was the most unified on an issue we have been in the past 25 years. We will have to wait and see if the war continues to strengthen the bond across the Israeli Knesset, or if relations will fall apart under the pressure of instability and war.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that the US did not have confirmation of an Iranian link to the attack.

The unprecedented attacks from the Hamas regime on Israel this past week have destabilized relations throughout the Middle East, and the threat of Iran joining the conflict has continued to loom over the past week. In a finding that may be considered to be good news by most, US intelligence shows that the Hamas attack actually surprised Iranian leaders, and that it was likely there was no coordination between the Iranian government and Hamas. If Iran was directly involved in the attack, I believe that you would see some large international players getting more involved in the conflict. It is absolutely paramount right now for this conflict to remain localized for Israel, they want no involvement from Lebanon, Iran or any of the other surrounding countries. The United States also has made their naval presence noticed in the region, deterring any other international actors from getting involved in the conflict.

A right-wing party plans a procession of Torah scrolls next week as a protest against "globalists" and "their new world order"

Two members of the Israeli government wrote a letter to the mayor of Beersheba, with the intention of making sure that there is not a permit provided for a demonstration by the anti-LGBT party Tzir Ne’eman. The two lawmakers who head a liberal party, say that extremist activity is provoked by such demonstrations, and that it has no place in Israel. I believe that freedom of expression is an extremely salient right, especially in Israel, where they are surrounded by countries that do not share the same privilege. Despite the fact that the ideas of Tzir Ne’eman are at the very least inflammatory, I think that their peaceful demonstration should be allowed, just as counter protests should be as well. It is a delicate issue to be able to balance, as the Israeli government still has to ensure the safety of all parties involved. It will be interesting to see as to whether or not the demonstration will be permitted, as if not, it is likely that far-right backlash could compromise the safety of LGBT persons even further.

Until Tuesday, all eyes had been focused on how political instability in Israel could prevent an agreement.

The House of Representatives came to a decision to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, the first time such a procedure has happened in US History. The political instability within the US could possibly lead to the downfall of the Saudi-Israel deal that has been so important to international relations in the region. The Israeli government believes that enemies like Iran will take this opportunity to attack, due to the fact that there is dysfunction going on with the US government, and now would be an opportune time to sabotage the Saudi deal. Daniel Kurtzer, former US Ambassador to Israel said that he does not think McCarthy’s removal would impact a pending Saudi deal. The dysfunction of the United States internally in my opinion, will have an effect on the result of the Saudi-Israel deal. This is due to the internal polarization that Republicans on Capitol Hill will not allow for a win to happen within the Biden Administration. There is enough spite between the two parties that the McCarthy oust could cause the deal to fall flat.

Saudi Arabia is determined to secure a military pact requiring the United States to defend the kingdom in return for opening ties with Israe

The United States ongoing negotiations with Saudi Arabia continues to change. The defense pact presented by the United States to Saudi Arabia is still possible, but the does not include the kingdom as a NATO ally. The deal is critical for Saudi-Israeli relations, and the Saudis are pushing for the Israeli government to recognize some form of Palestinian statehood. I find it unlikely that the current Israeli government would in anyway legitimize a Palestinian statehood claim. An alternative deal being presented that doesn’t need congressional approval is also possible. The deal would see advanced weaponry and assistance provided by the US to Saudi Arabia, if they are able to normalize relations. I don’t see the members of the Lekud party getting on board for such a deal, but only time will tell.

The United States and European Union Friday slammed comments by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir that his right

Comments made by Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, have received international criticism, from both the United States and the European Union. Gvir made comments that the lives of Israeli citizens outweigh Palestinians' right to freedom of movement in the West Bank. These statements make an assumption that any mobilization of Palestinians in the West Bank pose a security threat. The continuation of such comments in my estimation, will damage ongoing normalization talks in the region. The EU brought up once again that the settlements are a violation of international law in denouncing his comments. Gvir and his family reside in the West Bank, a territory that Israel has been leveraging for cheap housing development, at the expense of Palestinian freedom and resources. The response from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was as expected, condemning Gvir for dehumanizing the Palestinian people, inciting violence and destruction, and contributing to the mass persecution of the Palestinian people. I think that the Jewish Power party and their members are not concerned with the priorities of the Palestinians or the legitimacy of their issues. I would hope that there would be representatives more attune and sympathetic to this international crisis that would serve to resolve this conflict, not dismiss glaring issues, and further escalate. It is becoming more and more apparent to me that the dilemma of Israeli settlement in the West Bank is unlikely to be resolved whilst far-right Israelis hold the Knesset.

Hanegbi says Israel, PA having 'open' talks, sees change in Palestinians' approach | The Times of Israel

The national security adviser to the Netanyahu administration ,Tzachi Hanegbi, has disclosed that the Israeli government is willing to make significant concessions in order to reach normalization in relations with the Saudi government. It has been reported that senior officials on both sides are speaking in an open manner about what they want to get from the other side. It is also suggested that the Arab countries are actually interested in the success of these negotiations, and Hanegbi asserts, “ it is important that Palestinians are part of the process” in hopes for a deal to be made. I think that Israel would make sacrifices, but not to the point where it compromises national security. I find it unlikely that the buffer zone of Israeli settlements in the West Bank will be going anywhere anytime soon, or that a two state solution would go much further into development. The aims of Israel’s interest in this deal are to build forces that will mitigate the terror threat that Iran is posing, not to give up power to the Palestinians. I don’t see much that will be given up in significance on the Israeli government’s end, but only time will tell.

Week 2 Article 2

Palestinian officials push for more control of land in the occupied West Bank ahead of historic talks.

The Biden Administration has its eyes set on achieving a Israeli-Saudi pact in the coming months. Saudi Arabia has not recognized the State of Israel's existence since the founding of the country in 1948. Saudi Arabia would like the United States to agree on a civil nuclear development programme, where Saudi Arabia will be allowed to enrich uranium within the country, whilst the Americans wish for Saudis to recognize Israeli sovereignty. Since the Saudi government is sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, it would take some concessions from the Israeli government for there to be any chance of their state being recognized by Saudi Arabia, and for trade to flow between the two countries. Palestinian and Saudi security officials collaborated on demands for the deal to go through. They want expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank to stop completely, and they want the United States to re-open the consulate in Jerusalem for the Palestinian people. The Palestinians also demand control of Area C in the West Bank as part of the deal.

I personally believe the Saudi recognition of the state of Israel is not as important to the Israeli government as maintaining the buffer zone in the West Bank is. The prioritization on national security can not be severely compromised by this deal, and if the Saudis and Palestinian Authority demand a large area of the West Bank, I really don't see the Israelis legitimately coming to the table to negotiate.

Far-right activists in Ma'ale Adumim try to curb Palestinian presence in settlement | The Times of Israel

Today in class we talked about the economic incentive of living in the West Bank settlements, and how a lot of the people making up that area are highly religious, and supportive of the State of Israel.

The settlement of Ma’ale Adumim has a group of Israeli settlers that coordinated on WhatsApp, with the end goal of harassing and intimidating Palestinians, and their businesses. The group is called “Restoring Security” and they are run by right-wing municipal candidates Shiran Mirzai and Moti Peretz, who are in the Otzma Yehudit party.

There was backlash that such actions are none too different from early Nazism against Jews prior to the Second World War. The two candidates said the organization is in no way similar. I find the actions of the Restoring Security organization deplorable, and entirely destructive. There is no upside to intimidating and harassing Palestinians in the settlements, for a couple of different reasons. First, this emboldens a response from extremists on the other side of the conflict. Secondly, by conducting themselves in this way, Israeli settlers are creating bad optics for outside international influences. I think the Restoring Security organization should be disbanded.

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