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Johnson re-elected speaker on contentious first ballot, House passes rules package with ICC sanctions

by admin January 4, 2025

written by admin

The House also agreed to a rules package that includes a measure to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court as it seeks the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Andrew Bernard

(JNS)

The U.S. House of Representatives re-elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as speaker on Friday on a dramatic first ballot after Johnson persuaded Republican holdouts to switch their votes.

Nine Republicans initially declined to vote for Johnson when their names were called in the alphabetical roll-call vote for speaker, leaving Johnson with 210 votes to 215 for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.)

Six of those Republicans subsequently voted for Johnson when their names were called a second time, but Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Keith Self (R-Texas) voted for other candidates, leaving Johnson short of an overall majority.

Johnson later left the floor with Norman and Self, who minutes later returned to the clerk’s desk to change their votes for Johnson, leaving Massie as the lone Republican holdout in the speaker vote.

Norman and Self reportedly had phone calls with President-elect Donald Trump before changing their votes.

Johnson ultimately secured 218 votes, all from Republicans, the minimum required to secure a majority among the 434 members-elect present.

While Republicans will control both chambers of Congress and the presidency after Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20, the difficulty in securing Johnson’s speakership on the first ballot points to the fractious House coalition that Trump and Johnson will have to navigate.

Trump congratulated Johnson. “The people of America have waited four years for common sense, strength and leadership,” Trump wrote. “They’ll get it now, and America will be greater than ever before.”

A letter from the board of the House Freedom Caucus, signed by most of the holdouts, said that they ultimately chose to back Johnson to ensure the timely certification of Trump’s election, but laid out some of their demands for their continued support of the speaker, including spending cuts and border security measures.

“There is zero room for error on the policies the American people demanded when they voted for President Trump,” they wrote. “We demand the House of Representatives deliver—quickly.”

The selection of a House speaker from among the majority party has been a formality for the past century but has become increasingly contentious in recent years on the Republican side of the aisle.

John Boehner resigned the speakership in 2015, amid a looming battle with the party’s right flank, and his successor Paul Ryan declined to run for reelection in 2018 after frequently butting heads with Trump.

In 2023, eight Republicans joined with every Democrat to oust then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy with a motion to vacate the speakership, the first time that procedure had been executed in American history, and Johnson was subsequently elected speaker.

Johnson survived a motion to vacate in May after he received the support of most Democrats and all but 11 Republicans.

After Johnson’s re-election as speaker on Friday, the House also agreed to the rules package for the 119th Congress by a vote of 215 to 209.

The package increases the threshold for a motion to vacate from one member of the majority to nine.

It also includes a provision to ease the passage of a bill instructing the president to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court over arrest warrants that it has issued for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The text of the underlying bill, which passed the House 247-155 in June, instructs the president to impose sanctions on any member of the ICC enaged in “any attempt to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute” U.S. citizens or the citizens of U.S. allies not party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, including Israel.

“The ICC’s actions against Israel are illegitimate and baseless, including the preliminary examination and investigation of Israel and applications for arrest warrants against Israeli officials, which create a damaging precedent that threatens the United States, Israel and all United States partners who have not submitted to the ICC’s jurisdiction,” the bill says.

“The United States must oppose any action by the ICC against the United States, Israel or any other ally of the United States that has not consented to ICC jurisdiction or is not a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC,” it adds.

Image: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) addresses an estimated 200,000 at the “March for Israel” rally in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023. Source: Screenshot.

January 4, 2025 0 comments

‘We exposed the Iranian terror machine operating in Yemen,’ Danon says

by admin January 3, 2025

written by admin

The Israeli envoy to the United Nations said that “we do not shy away from threats and will not remain silent in the face of Iranian attempts at incitement and lies.”

Andrew Bernard

(JNS)

Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, hit back at Iran on Thursday after the Islamic Republic denied responsibility for arming the Houthi rebels in Yemen with ballistic missiles and other advanced weaponry.

“I am not surprised that the Iranian representative was distressed when we exposed the Iranian terror machine operating in Yemen,” Danon stated. “The Islamic Republic is the last nation that can preach morality—this is a regime that finances, arms and operates terrorist groups that are setting the Middle East aflame.”

“We do not shy away from threats and will not remain silent in the face of Iranian attempts at incitement and lies,” he said. “When the Iranian regime creates chaos and manipulates proxies into terrorist puppets, we will continue to protect our citizens and stand up to any threat with determination and strength.”

On Monday, Iran’s U.N. representative, Amir Saeid Iravani, wrote to the U.N. Security Council and António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general, to accuse Israel, the United States and the United Kingdom of trying to “scapegoat” Iran at a Security Council meeting about Yemen earlier that day.

“Accusations of Iranian interference in the Red Sea are baseless fabrications designed to inflame tensions and serve as a pretext for further destabilization of the region by the United States and its allies,” Iravani wrote. “The Security Council must not be swayed by Israel’s propaganda, which seeks to divert attention from the ongoing atrocities and ethnic cleansing by this apartheid regime in Gaza.”

He added that Iran “categorically denies” violating a U.N. arms embargo on the Houthis and said that accusations that Iran was interfering in Yemen were “baseless fabrications.”

The United States and its partners have long alleged that Iran is the main supplier and sponsor of the Houthis, based on the similarity of the weapons systems they use and arms seizures in the Red Sea. Iran’s use of smugglers and cutouts has made smoking-gun evidence elusive.

Barbara Woodward, the U.K. ambassador to the United Nations, said on Monday that Iran’s role in backing the Houthis is “clear.”

“Iran bears responsibility for the actions of its proxies, and it must cease its illegal activity which is destabilizing the region and threatening international peace and stability,” she said. “Its longstanding financial and military support to the Houthis has enabled and exacerbated Houthi aggression.”

In his speech to the council on Monday, Danon said that if the Houthis don’t cease their attacks on Israel, they will be eliminated, just as Israel killed the leaders of other terrorist groups that threatened the Jewish state.

“Let this be your final warning,” Danon said. “This is not a threat, it is a promise: You will share the same miserable fate.”

The Security Council will meet on Friday morning, in an emergency session about Israeli attacks on the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, at the request of Algeria, which serves as the Arab and Muslim world’s de facto Security Council member.

“Hamas cynically exploits civilian buildings for terrorist purposes and uses civilians as human shields. All of Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip are consistent with international law,” Danon stated. “We will continue to take all necessary measures to protect Israeli citizens. We will continue to fight until all the hostages return home.”

Image: Amir Saeid Iravani, Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, addresses the U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Dec. 5, 2024. Credit: Evan Schneider/U.N. Photo.

January 3, 2025 0 comments

Community JTVC Breaking News

IDF reservist group urges US lawmakers to support total victory

by admin January 2, 2025

written by admin

Discussions revolved around bolstering deterrence and preventing further atrocities against the Jewish people on all fronts.

(JNS)

Gilad Ach, CEO of the Israeli Reservists—Generation of Victory organization, met with members of Congress in Washington recently to seek their support for “total victory” in Israel’s current multi-front war.

Ach, a major in the IDF reserves, spoke with congressmen Brian Mast (R-Fla.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) and Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.). Discussions revolved around bolstering deterrence and preventing further atrocities against the Jewish people.

Ach emphasized the need to establish buffer zones along Israel’s northern and southern borders. He stressed the importance of international partnerships in supporting Israel’s military efforts and attaining security goals.

“The partnership between Israel and the United States has always been a cornerstone of our national security. Engaging with members of Congress during this critical time ensures that Israel’s voice is heard and that we collaborate to develop strategies for lasting peace and security,” he said.

Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, replied to Ach by saying, “May God bless you and your families as well. We love our great relationship with our dearest and closest friend, the State of Israel.”

Jordan has championed policies to secure Israel’s right to defend itself, and praised the Israeli Defense Forces’ resilience and commitment to safeguarding the nation.

“To all you reservists out there—thank you for being in the fight,” said Mast, who lost both legs while serving as a U.S. Army explosive ordnance disposal technician in Afghanistan in 2010 and is slated to chair the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

“Stay resolute, stay motivated. I know it’s not easy to be away from your families, but when you’re in the fight and have a nation depending on you, you know the calling is worth the sacrifice. Stay strong and make sure you do your duty every single day,” Mast said.

Ach expressed confidence that under President Donald Trump’s leadership, Israel will receive continued military support, unhindered by limitations imposed by previous administrations.

“The support of the U.S. and its leadership in the new administration is essential for Israel to overcome the challenges we face and secure a prosperous future for our citizens,” he said.

The Israeli Reservists—Generation of Victory movement advocates for Israel’s “total victory” in the Iron Swords war, as well as for the rights and recognition of IDF reservists on the home front.

Image: IDF Maj. (res.) Gilad Ach (left), CEO of the Israeli Reservists—Generation of Victory, meets with Rep. Brian Mast (center) of Florida, chairman-designate of the House Foreign Affair Committee, in Washington, December 2024. Credit: Courtesy.

January 2, 2025 0 comments

Community JTVC Breaking News Opinions

Jerusalem doesn’t belong to you, President Erdoğan

by admin January 1, 2025

written by admin

The Waqf’s own guide recognizes, that the Jews and Holy Temple were there long before the Arabs began their occupation of Jerusalem.

Leonard Grunstein

(JNS)

In response to loud chants of “Mr. President, take us to Jerusalem” from a crowd of young people in Mardin, Turkey, during a Dec. 22 speech, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shockingly responded, “Patience brings victory,” instead of chiding the crowd about their inappropriate demand.

Lest there be any misunderstanding about the intent of this exchange, Erdoğan has implied a number of times since 2020 that Jerusalem belongs to Turkey. Indeed, Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, Erdoğan’s coalition partner, in an address the very next day, reportedly declared that the goal was for Turkey to take Jerusalem. This is in line with the resurgent neo-Ottoman posture of Erdoğan.

By way of background, the Land of Israel, including Jerusalem, was conquered and controlled by the Ottoman Empire, with Istanbul as its capital from 1517 to 1917.

The Ottoman Empire was on the losing side of World War I, and under the Treaty of Sèvres of 1920, portions of its former empire were ceded to the victorious allies to establish or reconstitute sovereign states. One such reconstituted country was the Jewish State of Israel, and Article 95 of the Treaty laid the groundwork for its re-establishment within boundaries to be determined by the Principal Allied Powers. The Treaty of Lausanne of 1923 with Turkey, in effect, reaffirmed the foregoing, as detailed in the San Remo Resolution of 1920 and unanimously adopted by the League of Nations in 1922. The United States also confirmed it in the Anglo-American Convention of 1924.

In summary, under treaties to which the Ottoman Empire and Turkey are bound and under international law, the Jewish people’s right to return to their homeland of Israel (then called Palestine), join fellow brethren there and reconstitute the Jewish State there was recognized. As Winston Churchill stated in 1922, the Jews had returned to Palestine “as of right and not by sufferance, and that this was based on their ancient historical connection.”

Erdoğan’s musings are just another one of the baseless positions circulated by biased sources promoting a false narrative and ideologically motivated revisionist history to undermine the legitimacy of the Jewish State of Israel. As a matter of fact and law, the nations of the world in the League of Nations and the United States unanimously confirmed the legal right of the Jewish People to the whole of the area west of the Jordan River, then called Palestine and now known as Israel.

It is suggested that much of the uproar and machinations regarding the Temple Mount are inspired by pseudo-Muslims (not pious ones) with political and ideological driven agendas unrelated to prayer at the Al-Aksa mosque. Instead, it appears they callously tread in the Al-Aksa mosque, clad in shoes, despite the Islamic prohibition against doing so, dressed in inappropriate apparel, like shorts and T-shirts, and without head covering. They also play soccer and conduct other non-prayer activities on the Temple Mount without regard to its sanctity. This includes despoiling the Al-Aksa mosque, throwing rocks, setting off explosive devices, breaking windows, arson and other despicable acts. This abusive behavior by their fellow Muslims should offend the Muslim authorities in charge of the site. Yet, they don’t seem to have taken any actions to prevent a reoccurrence, nor does there appear to be a public outcry against the perpetrators or the laxness of the Muslim authorities.

At the same time, there are all sorts of negative reactions, protests and rancor when non-Muslims quietly and reverently pray elsewhere on the Temple Mount. This is wholly inconsistent with the usual religious sensibilities and kindness practiced by those treasuring the sanctity of a site, be it a synagogue, church, mosque, ashram, Buddhist temple or other place of worship almost anywhere else in the world.

In this regard, it is interesting to note that the Ottoman Empire agreed, pursuant to the Treaty of Paris of 1856 at the end of the Crimean War, that Christians and Jews were legally permitted to pray on the Temple Mount.

It is important to note that the 1925 “A Brief Guide to Al-Haram Al-Sharif” (i.e. the Temple Mount), published by the Supreme Moslem Council, the Waqf, refers to the seminal Jewish link to the Temple Mount (citing Samuel II, 24:25), saying this, too, is the spot, according to the universal belief, on which “David built there an Altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.”

The pseudo-Islamist temple deniers should be universally reviled for their impudent rejection of their own religious traditions and beliefs in favor of absurd propaganda.

The guide also focuses on Muslim history and its first encounter with the Temple Mount and notes that the Muslim period’s starting point is the year 637 CE, when Caliph Omar first occupied Jerusalem. This is a striking rebuke to those who falsely assert that Arab Muslims were indigenous to Jerusalem. As the Waqf’s own guide recognizes, the Jews and their Holy Temple on the Temple Mount were there first. This was more than 1½ millennia before the Arabs arrived and began their occupation of Jerusalem.

The guide also explains that the Dome of the Rock is not a mosque. The actual Arabic name of Qubbat al-Sakhrah is more precisely translated as the dome over the “foundation stone.” This accords with Jewish tradition, which refers to this stone as the Even Shetiyah “foundation stone.” It is where the Holy of Holies portion of the Beit Hamikdash, the Holy Temple, was located. Hence, the use of the Arabic term al-Quds for the Temple Mount is derived from Bayt Al-Maqdis, which is Arabic for the Hebrew term Beit Hamikdash.

The Al-Aksa mosque is located outside the holy precincts of the Jewish Temple and is situated on the southern extension of the Temple Mount platform built by Herod. As Al-Tabari, a 9th-century respected Muslim historian, explained, this was Omar’s intention so that Muslims would pray towards Mecca, consistent with Islamic practice and not the place of the Jewish temple as required by Jewish custom. In this regard, it should be noted that 13^th-century Ahmad Ibn Taymiyya declared about the site of the Dome of the Rock: “Men of knowledge who were companions or followers of the Prophet chose the best path and did not exalt the Rock, because it is a quibla mansukha, like the Sabbath, … so too, the Rock is exalted only by Jews and some Christians.”

It is astonishing that the words of this noted Sunni scholar are simply and callously ignored in favor of the dictates of political ideology by Erdoğan.

As to Erdoğan’s other fatuous remarks about Jerusalem, pictures are worth a thousand words. Just view photographs of the Temple Mount in the 19th century when the Ottoman Empire controlled the area. These photos show an abandoned site with the Dome of the Rock and other structures in disrepair. They do not depict what might be expected if this were indeed a highly venerated site, important to the Muslim religion, which, after all, was the official and dominant religion of the Ottoman Empire that occupied and was in firm control of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, at the time.

Jerusalem does not belong to Turkey, and Erdoğan’s apparent aspirations to re-create a neo-Ottoman colonial empire are nothing more than a dystopian nightmare.

Israel is a blessing to the world. Turkey should genuinely join the circle of peace under the Abraham Accords and enjoy the shared prosperity and mutual respect it engenders. May the blessings of peace prevail.

Image: The Dome of the Rock on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount as seen from the Mount of Olives observatory, April 24, 2023. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90.

January 1, 2025 0 comments

JTVC Breaking News Terrorism

IAF strike kills Hamas leader behind Nir Oz massacre

by admin January 1, 2025

written by admin

Abd al-Hadi Sabah orchestrated attacks against Israeli soldiers throughout the current war.

(JNS)

An Israeli Air Force strike killed Abd al-Hadi Sabah, a Hamas operative responsible for leading the deadly assault on Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in the northwestern Negev, the IDF announced on Tuesday night.

Sabah was a Nukhba Force platoon commander within Hamas’s Western Khan Yunis Battalion. He operated from a shelter in a designated humanitarian area in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Throughout the current war, Sabah orchestrated attacks against Israeli Defense Forces troops. His death was achieved through a coordinated effort between the Israeli Air Force, the IDF and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).

The military highlighted that measures were taken before the strike to minimize civilian casualties. The IDF and Shin Bet reiterated their commitment to targeting all individuals involved in the Oct. 7 assault, which resulted in some 1,200 fatalities, thousands of injuries, and the abduction of 251 individuals, of whom 96 remain in Gaza, along with four others taken earlier.

Kibbutz Nir Oz suffered some of the heaviest losses on Oct. 7, with a quarter of its residents killed or taken hostage.

Image: Hamas terrorist Abd al-Hadi Sabah inside Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion. He led the deadly assault on Kibbutz Nir Oz. On Dec. 31, 2024, the IDF announced his death. Credit: IDF.

January 1, 2025 0 comments

Community JTVC Breaking News Terrorism

Israel’s ambassador to UN condemns Houthi missile attacks on Israel

by admin December 31, 2024

written by admin

“We will defend our citizens, no matter how far the threat,” said Danny Danon at a press conference in New York.

Vita Fellig

(JNS)

Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, addressed the U.N. Security Council on Monday about continued attacks on the Jewish state by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen at a press conference in New York City.

“Less than two weeks ago, I received news that left me shaken,” he said. “A ballistic missile launched by the Houthis struck the school I attended as a child in the city of Ramat Gan, a place where my earliest memories were formed, my own school, my own hometown.”

To that end, he condemned the Dec 19. Houthi attack on Tel Aviv.

“The Houthis have unleashed an unrelenting bombardment of ballistic missiles on Israeli cities, targeting our population centers and millions of Israelis are waking up every night to the sounds of sirens almost every night,” Danon continued. “I will ask the security council, ‘What would you do if this were your children, your neighborhood, your city?’ Let me make one thing absolutely clear: We have had enough, and Israel will not stand by waiting for the world to act.”

In response to a continued bombardment of missiles towards the Jewish state, the Israel Air Force conducted a series of strikes within Yemen last week, hitting Houthi terror targets near Sanaa International Airport.

Danon said Israel cannot afford to wait for the United Nations to intervene on Israel’s behalf.

“We will defend our citizens, no matter how far the threat,” he said. “For those who remain silent when our schools and playgrounds are attacked, do not call for de-escalation when we respond, and do not equate those who launch missiles to murder with those who protect their people. We do not expect much from the U.N. but cause for restraint will not be tolerated.”

Danon added that Houthi leadership should consider the fate of Hezbollah and Hamas if they continue to target Israeli citizens.

“I’m saying to the leadership of the Houthis, perhaps you have not been paying attention to the lessons of this past year,” he stated. “Let me remind you what happened to Hezbollah, Hamas … and to all those who thought to destroy us, this is not a threat but a promise: You will share the same miserable fate.”

Image: The scene where a ballistic missile fired from Yemen hit a playground in Jaffa on Dec. 21, 2024. Photo by Jamal Awad/Flash90.

December 31, 2024 0 comments

JTVC Breaking News Terrorism

IDF detains hundreds of terrorists at Hamas hospital base

by admin December 29, 2024

written by admin

At least 15 of those arrested took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

(JNS)

Security forces apprehended more than 240 terrorists in a targeted operation against a Hamas command center in Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said in a joint statement on Saturday.

Fifteen among those arrested at the command center in Jabalia infiltrated Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023 invasion, the IDF and Shin Bet said.

“Despite repeated calls to refrain from allowing terrorists to exploit hospitals for military activities, IDF and Shin Bet intelligence identified that terrorists were once again using Kamal Adwan Hospital as a command center for its military operations in Jabalia,” the statement read.

ׅ“Following this intelligence, the IDF conducted and completed a targeted operation against the Hamas terror stronghold inside Kamal Adwan Hospital,” the military and Shin Bet added.

The IDF’s 401st Brigade encircled Kamal Adwan Hospital and killed terrorists in the vicinity, with Shayetet 13 (“Flotilla 13”) naval commandos entering the hospital and locating and confiscating weapons in the area, including grenades, guns, munitions and other military equipment, the statement continued.

Outside the hospital, “terrorists fired anti-tank missiles and RPGs at the troops and attempted to carry out additional attacks against the troops. The troops swiftly eliminated the terrorists. In addition, the [Israeli Air Force] conducted strikes that eliminated terrorists attempting to flee the area. There were no IDF casualties,” the military said.

Some Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terrorist group members tried to pose as patients or flee in ambulances, according to the statement.

The hospital’s director, Hussam Abu Safiya, was taken into custody as a Hamas terrorist suspect, the IDF and Shin Bet stated.

Before the operation, 350 patients and medical staff were safely evacuated from the hospital in a coordinated effort with the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit.

“Tens of thousands of liters of fuel, food, and medical supplies for the essential functioning of the hospital were also delivered to Kamal Adwan Hospital over this period.”

An additional 95 patients, caregivers and medical personnel were evacuated to the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza City, in coordination with local officials in the health authorities, and hundreds of civilians were able to leave the area for their own safety via defined evacuation routes, the IDF and Shin Bet said.

On Friday, the IDF pushed back against a flurry of reports that the military was responsible for a fire that broke at Kamal Adwan Hospital.

“Today, the IDF started a precise counter-terrorism operation in the area of Kamal Adwan hospital,” IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani wrote on X.

“While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital compound that is under control. After preliminary examination, no connection was found between IDF activity and the fire,” Shoshani said.

“Running with unsubstantiated reports on the cause of this fire shows nothing but questionable journalistic integrity,” he added.

Earlier on Friday, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza accused Israel of setting fire to the hospital, claiming that IDF troops were responsible.

“The occupation forces have taken dozens of the medical staff from Kamal Adwan Hospital to a detention center for interrogation, including the director, Hussam Abu Safiya,” the ministry added in a statement.

Meanwhile in Beit Hanun, east to Jabalia, IDF troops under the command of the 143rd “Gaza” Division operated against terrorist targets overnight Friday, the IDF said.

Artillery and fighter jets struck many of the targets before the entry of ground forces, the military added.

The IDF permitted residents who have yet to evacuate the battle zone to leave via orderly routes for their safety, the IDF said.

Image: Terrorists surrender to Israeli forces near Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, Dec. 14, 2023. Credit: IDF.

December 29, 2024 0 comments

Community JTVC Breaking News

Soldier rescues dog from Gaza

by admin December 27, 2024

written by admin

Chiquita “could have become a monster—but she chose not to.”

Roni Shkedy

(Israel Hayom via JNS)

Tal Scherzer, a 23-year-old from Arad, west of the Dead Sea, recently served in Gaza as a convoy driver in the 101st “Cobra” Battalion of the IDF Paratroopers Brigade. Scherzer says nothing prepared him for the unexpected love he found in the heart of the destruction.

For the past three months, he has been raising a dog he rescued from the ruins, driven by a belief in giving new chances to humans and animals alike.

“At the start of the war, we were stationed on the outskirts of Gaza, providing logistical support. One evening, while resupplying a platoon inside the Strip, the logistics officer suddenly started shouting, ‘Where’s Chiquita? Where’s Chiquita?’ I went up to him and asked what he was talking about,” Scherzer recalls.

“He told me about this amazing dog, a rottweiler, who had been following the troops for a few days. They had been feeding her, but it was time to move on. I couldn’t stop thinking about her after that.”

After seeing pictures of Chiquita, Scherzer says it was love at first sight.

“At one point, I went to my officer and said, ‘I don’t know if you’ll like this, but there’s a dog here—and I have to take her.’ My officer thought I was joking, but he went along with it. To his credit, he’s the kind of person who believes in giving everyone a chance.”

The rescue mission

That same evening, Scherzer returned to the unit and asked about the dog.

“The people in the area showed her to me, and she was amazing. There are many dogs in Gaza, and I wish we could save them all. But there was something in her eyes that told a different story. The only food I had with me was canned tuna, so I gave it to her. She ate it and stayed put.

“I tried to get her into my Humvee and wondered how she’d react if I tried to pick her up. In the end, I asked if anyone had some dog food. A soldier from the Oketz Unit [the IDF’s canine special forces unit] said he had some Bonzo dog food. I got a few cans, and as soon as she smelled it, she started following me. I got into the Humvee, and she placed her front paws on it but couldn’t climb in.”

Scherzer and his comrades had to leave the area.

“People started rushing me, but I said I wouldn’t drive until that dog came with us. I asked a friend to grab her and hold her in the back of the vehicle. He was hesitant because rottweilers are considered a dangerous breed. But I wholeheartedly believed that everyone deserves a second chance, no matter where they come from—whether human or animal,” Scherzer explains.

Eventually, he brought Chiquita to Israel, to a kibbutz near the border.

“As soon as we arrived, she jumped off the Humvee and started walking around. Then it hit me—maybe I’d made a mistake. She was still a dog from Gaza, possibly unvaccinated, and now she was roaming freely in the kibbutz. When we woke up the next morning, she was sitting right outside our quarters.”

Realizing she was friendly and loyal, Tal began considering how to care for her until his release from reserve duty.

“We gave her more tuna, and a friend from the area suggested a local kennel. We called them and asked if they could take her for a few weeks. They were shocked that she was a rottweiler from Gaza, but we convinced them. She stayed there for eight months.”

The war dragged on, and Scherzer says he constantly worried about Chiquita’s well-being at the kennel.

“I didn’t know how she was adjusting or when I’d be able to take her. Meanwhile, I paid for her vaccinations. According to the law, I had to have her spayed, and she was kept in isolation for 10 days away from other dogs. Finally, in September, when I was discharged from reserve duty, I went to pick her up.”

Chiquita has been living with Tal for four months now, and their bond continues to grow.

“At first, it took her a day or two to recognize me, but since then, she hasn’t left my side,” he says. “You can tell she’s grateful. She follows me everywhere, cries and gets excited when I come home.

“One of the things I’ve learned from her is that she could have become a monster, given that she had to hunt to survive in Gaza’s ruins—but she chose not to. She’s sweet, doesn’t make a mess, and is just a pure soul.”

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

Image: Tal Scherzer and Chiquita. Photo: Courtesy.

December 27, 2024 0 comments

JTVC Breaking News Terrorism

Terrorist murders woman in Herzliya

by admin December 27, 2024

written by admin

Security guards shot the attacker.

(JNS)

A 28-year-old terrorist from Tulkarem in Samaria stabbed and mortally wounded a woman near a nursing home on Kedoshi Hashoah Street in Herzliya on Friday morning.

Magen David Adom emergency personnel treated the victim, around 80 years old, at the scene and she was evacuated in critical condition to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), where doctors pronounced her death.

Security guards from the Israel Postal Company’s courier unit shot the lone attacker, who was then arrested by police. He had previously served time in an Israeli prison for a security offense. His condition is described as serious.

Image: Courtesy JNS Article

December 27, 2024 0 comments

JTVC Breaking News Terrorism

Israel considers opening the gates of hell to bring hostages home

by admin December 26, 2024

written by admin

There is a sense Trump is focused on the captives and securing a decisive victory to end the war. How this is achieved does not seem to concern him.

Ariel Kahana

(Israel Hayom via JNS)

Beginning on Jan. 20, 2025, “it will be possible to take additional actions in Gaza,” senior Israeli officials say.

The prevailing impression in Israel is that President-elect Donald Trump does not particularly care what measures Israel employs in the Gaza Strip. He has two clear objectives: the release of the hostages, and an Israeli victory to conclude the war. The methods to achieve these aims appear irrelevant to him.

In Jerusalem, as well as in the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, preparations for the Trump era are being kept under strict secrecy. When that moment arrives, if no deal has been reached by then, Israel is expected to reset the rules of engagement against Hamas.

Many of the tools restricted by Biden’s administration, alongside specific demands on Israel, will no longer apply.

A senior Israeli official expressed hope that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon—the head of the Missing and Captive Soldiers Section in the Military Intelligence Directorate—will seize the opportunity to operate “entirely out of the box.”

The official emphasized the need to break away from the current pattern, where the terrorist organization sustains itself through hostages or uses terrorists released by Israel to replenish its ranks.

Trump, Netanyahu — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, March 5, 2018. Photo by Haim Zach/GPO.

What actions could Israel take that are currently off the table?

According to the source, humanitarian aid that the Biden administration has insisted Israel deliver to Gaza will no longer matter to Trump. Reducing such aid, or taking full control over what enters the Strip, could worsen Hamas’s situation and increase pressure on the organization to release the hostages.

Another critical aspect is armaments. Trump has pledged to release all the weapons shipments currently delayed under Biden on his first day in office. Once the delayed bombs and shells arrive, the IDF will have the means to significantly expand its operations.

Additionally, the official noted that population transfers—if deemed necessary by Israel for dismantling Hamas or securing the hostages—would likely face little opposition under Trump. Israeli officials believe that the new administration will not demand accountability, with the message being: “Do what you need to do. We won’t dictate your actions.”

Kfir Brigade soldiers operating in Beit Lahia, the Gaza Strip. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

From Jan. 20 onward, Netanyahu would no longer need to justify measures such as providing fuel and dual-use materials to Gaza under U.S. pressure. Instead, he would have Trump’s support to halt these supplies entirely. Drastic measures from the war’s early days, such as limiting electricity and water, could be reinstated.

If no agreement is reached in the coming weeks, Israel could intensify alternative approaches, such as offering financial rewards or exile deals. While the IDF and Shin Bet have so far pursued this strategy cautiously, posters have been distributed across Gaza, and messages dictated by Hamas in hostage videos suggest that the offer has reached them.

However, deeper and more sophisticated efforts in this direction remain possible.

Israeli officials believe Hamas understands what may happen on Jan. 20, and this recognition has influenced its recent willingness to negotiate. Nonetheless, the organization’s recurring inflexibility may leave Jerusalem with no choice but to fulfill Trump’s expectations, opening the gates of hell on Hamas to bring the hostages home.

Originally published by Israel Hayom.

Featured Image: IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.

December 26, 2024 0 comments