‘Evil Will Not Triumph:’ Witkoff Pledges Action Against Hamas And Iran; Calls For Unity
US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the Trump administration remains determined to see Hamas defeated, prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and expand the Abraham Accords at the Jerusalem Post Conference in New York, on Monday (19th).
He recalled that in January 2021, “President Trump left the Middle East transformed, Iran was reeling, its proxies starved of resources, and the Abraham Accords were a radiant promise of peace and prosperity.”
“Since October 7th, however, the world has witnessed Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah wage a cowardly, immoral war, hiding behind civilians and clutching hostages.”
“This is not just a conflict; it is evil. And let me be clear, evil will not triumph,” Witkoff stated.
Witkoff described the current administration as a force of action and hope, capable of restoring peace.
“But the mission is not ours alone. It is everyone’s mission,” he said, addressing both global Jewry and supporters of Israel. “You are the warriors of truth. The guardians of unity. You fight against anti-Semitism, your stand against fake news, and your unbreakable bond as a people are the heartbeat of Israel’s strength.”
“I have seen what happens when division creeps in, but I have also seen the power of the united front. America stands with you today, tomorrow and forever. I call on you to stand together, to rise as one, and to shine as a light to the nations of the world.”
Witkoff emphasized that “this conference is more than a gathering, it is a rallying cry.”
“Let us leave here inspired, emboldened, and united, ready to build a future where truth prevails, peace reigns, and the spirit of our people soars.”
He concluded: “Together, we can write the next chapter of hope.”
Report: Gaza Commander Killed In Israeli Raid Was Behind October 7th Kidnapping
A senior commander in the al-Nasser Salah al-Din Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, who was reportedly killed Monday (19th) in an Israel operation in Khan Younis, was tied to the kidnapping of former hostage Arbel Yehoud, Saudi-owned Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported.
According to the report, Ahmad Kamal Sarhan played a central role in Yehoud’s abduction from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack. The report cites terrorist sources claiming Sarhan was later responsible for guarding and moving Yehoud between Hideouts during her captivity.
The paper quoted unnamed sources within the terrorist group, who said Sarhan’s name was not explicitly mentioned in Israel or Palestinian official statements, but described details that match Yehoud’s case. She was released in January as part of a hostage deal reportedly following intense Israeli demands that created a diplomatic impasse prior to her release.
It remains unclear whether the objective of the raid was to arrest Sarhan or assassinate him. The Saudi newspaper report speculated the operation may have been part of an intelligence-driven effort, noting that Israel has a history of targeted killings using special forces, particularly when hostages may be nearby.
Eyewitnesses quoted by Gaza-based Safa News Agency, affiliated with Hamas, described a white bus arriving on Mars Street in the al-Mahatta neighborhood of Khan Younis. The bus reportedly appeared to be transporting displaced women and their belongings. Witnesses said nine individuals dressed as women – some with covered faces, others bare-faced – disembarked and approached Sarhan’s house.
According to the report, gunfire erupted inside the house, followed by rapid withdrawal of the Israeli unit under heavy aerial support. Sarhan’s organization later confirmed his death, describing him as a “special operations officer.”
Safa quoted residents as saying Sarhan was killed in his home and that Israeli forces detained his wife and children, transporting them to an unknown location.
Palestinian sources estimated the entire raid lasted about 20 minutes.
Houthis Setting Sights On The North
The military spokesperson for the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Yahya Saree, announced on Monday evening (19th), that the port of Haifa has been added to the group’s list of targets, to impose a maritime blockade on Israel.
In a statement, Saree called on all shipping companies to keep their vessels away from the port and refrain from directing ships there.
He added that the decision was made in response to “the Israeli escalation in Gaza.
On Sunday (18th), senior Houthi official Nasr al-Din Amer issued a warning on behalf of the rebels, stating that military actions targeting Ben Gurion Airport and other airports in Israel are expected to take place in the coming hours.
Amer stated that the threat was in response to the start of Israel’s Operation Gideon’s Chariots in the Gaza Strip.
Saree declared at the time that the Houthis’ operations “to impose a ban on air navigation at Israeli airports will continue until Israel ends its offensive and blockade against the Gaza Strip.”
Security Cabinet Approves Plan For High-Tech Security Barrier Along Jordanian Border
The security cabinet on Sunday (18th) announced its approval of Defense Minister Israel Katz’s plan to construct a high-tech security barrier along the eastern border with Jordan to strengthen Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley.
The project – slated to begin in June – will include a 264-mile multi-layered defense system from Hamat Gader in Israel’s north to the Samar Sands, north of Eilat.
The $1.4 billion initiative is expected to take three years and will combine a physical barrier with advanced sensors, mobile military units, and command infrastructure.
The plan also calls for bolstering Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley, which is part of the West Bank, by establishing “national mission centers,” including pre-military academies and national service frameworks.
Officials said strengthening the border will deter Iranian efforts to smuggle weapons into Israel and create a new terror front via Jordan.
“The establishment of a security fence along the Israel-Jordan border… is a critical strategic step against Iran’s attempts to turn the eastern border into another terror front,” said Katz.
“This is a strategic move that will bolster national security, reinforce our hold on the Jordan Valley, ensure Israel’s sovereignty for years to come – and deal a blow to Iran’s efforts to turn the eastern border into a terror front,” he added.
Work will begin on two priority segments totaling 50 miles, while planning continues for the remainder of the fence. The project is being coordinated by an inter-ministerial team led by the Defense Ministry’s director general MG (res.) Amir Baram.
Currently, there is an aging chain link fence equipped with sensors along some of the border that Jordan shares with Israel and the West Bank. Other sections are only equipped with barbed wire.
The new fence will run from Hamat Gader at the southern edge of the Golan Heights to the Ramon International Airport north of Eilat. An 18-mile portion of the border with Jordan, from Eilat to Ramon Airport , was already upgraded in a similar fashion to Israel’s border barriers with Egypt and the Gaza Strip in 2010.
The border’s porousness has made it a site of frequent gun-and drug-running. Officials say that weapons that have made it over the border – likely tens of thousands over the past decade – have fueled a surge in violence in the Arab community in Israel, and have been used by Palestinian terrorists.
It also allowed for migrants seeking work to enter Israel illegally.
The idea of boosting the border fence or building some sort of border wall has been floated repeatedly by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others for more than a decade. Although many see any such effort as unrealistic due to the sheer length of the border and the economic cost.
The project was revived after the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023 attack started the ongoing war. The onslaught also demonstrated the limits of border infrastructure, as thousands of terrorists breached Israel’s $1.1 billion, state-of-the-art border fence with Gaza, and proceeded to kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages.
Late last year, the Israel Defense Forces also announced the formation of a new division that will be tasked with defending the country’s border with Jordan.
In a statement, the IDF said the decision to launch the new eastern regional division was made following an examination of the military’s “operational needs and defense capabilities in the area,in accordance with the planning of the IDF’s force build-up, in the light of the lessons of war and the situational assessment.”
Turkish Citizen To Be Tried For Visiting Israel
A 29-year-old Turkish citizen who visited Israel last month and posted on social media a picture of himself next to an Israeli flag on a Tel Aviv beach will go on trial in September in Istanbul, JNS has learned.
Umut Ataseven was arrested, fired from his job at Turkish Airlines and forbidden to travel abroad after posting the picture in a WhatsApp group during an April visit to Israel.
A screenshot of the photo was subsequently poster on X with false allegations that he was a dual citizen who was taking part in a “genocide” against the Palestinians in Gaza as an Israeli soldier.
On his return to Turkey, he was fired from his job as a visa/passport officer for the Istanbul ground handling company of Turkish Airlines. Four hours later, Ataseven was taken into police custody.
Ataseven subsequently faced additional charges for incitement over an Oct. 7, 2023, X post following the Hamas massacre in which he wrote that a Palestinian state was “de facto over” in light of the single worst attack against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
“Those who see Hamas’ civilian massacre as legitimate to defend Palestine may also find the PKK legitimate one day in the future,” he wrote.
Ataseven, who has received death threats on social media maintains his innocence and plans legal action to fight against the case.
About 14,000 Jews live in Turkey.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as one of the most vociferous critics of Israel in the world during the war against Hamas in Gaza triggered by the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre.
Rockets, Resilience, And Children During War – Bazy Swirsky Rubin
I wonder every single day what the long term effects of war are going to be for my children. We were once at the park when a siren went off and my 9-year-old suddenly stopped being a child. He ran over to me, barked a command like an army sergeant, “You take the younger two, I’ll go grab my brother,” and ran to reach my 7-year-old and bring him to safety.
Time and time again, their father has had to leave them for months at a time. They are proud that Abba is a soldier keeping us safe, and they are confused and hurt that he has left them. We have picked up the shattered pieces of their hearts countless times, and rebuilt relationships in between army rounds, again and again.
They know the rules when a siren goes off. If you are outside, run to the nearest building and stand in the stairwell. If you are in the house mid-shower, dry off and come to the safe room. If it’s the middle of the night, make sure your siblings are all there and then go back to sleep.
When we run to safety during a siren, I’ve noticed some of my kids will shake. It’s the noise that scares them. To instill resilience in my children, we say things like, “Yay, now we have an excuse to be late for school!” Focusing on the funny and the positive is a lifesaver, and helps us snap back into reality.
At kindergartens or schools since Oct. 7, the kids are well-trained. As soon as we go into a bomb shelter, my kids start singing AM Yisrael Chai (The People of Israel Live), jumping on the beds and dancing. The movement sends our bodies a clear message. We are strong and we are unafraid. We teach our children that even when the ground shakes and there are rockets above, we have the power to persevere.
