War is bad, but good things happen when evil is defeated. We periodically bring you updates on some of those, as Israel’s defensive war continues.
CHANGE. DELIVERED. A day after the Hamas massacre in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came out to address a grieving nation as terror groups and their supporters celebrated. What he said was profound but also ambitious: Israel’s response “will change the Middle East.” Now, that change can be seen unfolding across the region.
THE CHANGE NOW UNDERWAY IN SYRIA demonstrates how Israel’s self-defense actions against Iranian proxies are ushering in a broader transformation, putting the forces allied with Iran’s axis of evil in trouble. Granted, some of what is happening in Syria raises serious concerns.
Israeli Prime Minister’s Words Prove Prescient: ‘We Will Continue To Work With America And Our Arab Partners To Transform Our Region. Together We Shall Defend Our Common Civilization.’ Those were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s words on July 24, 2024, when he addressed a joint Congressional session on the Capitol. That was before Israel went on to eliminate the terror chiefs of both Hamas and Hezbollah, decimate large parts of both terror organizations, eliminate Iranian officers in Syria, and neutralize critical elements of Iran’s air defense systems.
Israeli Prime Minister’s Words Prove Prescient: ‘We Will Continue To Work With America And Our Arab Partners To Transform Our Region. Together We Shall Defend Our Common Civilization.’ Those were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s words on July 24, 2024, when he addressed a joint Congressional session on the Capitol. That was before Israel went on to eliminate the terror chiefs of both Hamas and Hezbollah, decimate large parts of both terror organizations, eliminate Iranian officers in Syria, and neutralize critical elements of Iran’s air defense systems.
Skeptics Proven Wrong. The Israeli strategy has been largely successful and has forced analysts and experts to sit up and review some of their previous skepticism. We have selected two pieces here for a deep-dive to help understand the significance of what Israel has achieved so far in its stated goal of reshaping the regional dynamics:
– Israel seeks to reshape Middle East, with force and US backing | The Hill
– Israel’s Long Campaign To Reshape The Middle East | Financial Times
ACTING AGAINST ANTISEMITISM IN FRANCE. Good news amid a surge in antisemitism in France: The French Parliament passed a bill aimed at toughening legislation against antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia, particularly concerning foreigners seeking French nationality.
SUNY’s LESSON FOR THE IVY LEAGUE ON ANTISEMITISM. The State University of New York (SUNY) issued a ‘cease and desist’ notice to campus student organizations that use the institution’s name in their antisemitic activities. Daniel Rosen, the president of the American Jewish Congress (AJCongress), highlighted the significance of this action in a piece for the Boston Globe titled: What SUNY can teach the Ivy League about curbing antisemitism. He argued that Ivy League universities should follow suit.
Click here to see the slides and here for Daniel Rosen’s op-ed in the Boston Globe.
A WARNING TO HAMAS. On the Senate floor on Dec. 4, 2024, the incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune issued a warning to Hamas terror organization: “As president trump’s statement Monday about his commitment to freeing these hostages immediately should be a warning to Hamas that the United States will no longer tolerate the captivity of our citizens.”
Click here to play Senator Thune’s clip.
U.S.-Israel High-Level Meetings. In December 2024, several notable meetings occurred between American and Israeli officials, focusing on regional security and diplomatic efforts, signaling to Israel’s enemies and the international community the close and robust collaboration between the United States and Israel in addressing regional security challenges. Some examples:
- December 2: U.S. military officials met with Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati to discuss the Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire, highlighting U.S. involvement in regional stability efforts.
- December 4: President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, held high-level talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, aiming to negotiate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
- December 4: Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser to President-elect Trump, met with Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, to discuss ceasefire efforts in Gaza and address the Iranian threat.
Check out past editions of the newsletter and other significant updates from Israel’s self-defense war.
