GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War – Day 285

Lots Of Big Talk

Worst Government In Israel’s History

Some in the Israeli government leveled that criticism when talking about Prime Minister Netanyahu as we learn from an article from i24news.tv:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded on Wednesday to criticism against him in the Knesset, Israel's parliament: "The more your campaign fails on the streets, the louder you get."

This was in response to those opposing him attacking him:

The Opposition brought a debate before the Knesset with 40 signatories, slamming Netanyahu for "standing at the helm of the worst government in Israel's history, which has abandoned and continues to abandon its citizens."

Strong words indeed. And there continues to be mounting pressure for a hostage deal as well:

This comes after protests against the Netanyahu government escalated in recent weeks, brought out after reports of a nearing ceasefire deal with Hamas that would potentially release more than 100 hostages held by Hamas and other Gazan terrorist groups.

The PM was pretty defiant in his response:

"I will not respond to everything that was said here," Netanyahu said. "Hamas is indeed under pressure because we are killing its commanders, killing thousands of its terrorists. We entered the Philadelphia Route, and we are holding it by the throat."

"The more pressure on Hamas, the more the trolling campaign intensifies," he added.

He also mentioned how he defied intense pressure when the IDF went into Rafah:

"I stood against all international pressures and we entered Rafah," he said. "In the Middle East, strength and determination are appreciated, not weakness and capitulation. Your pressure on me will not help. The voice of the people and the bravery of the warriors believe in the path I lead. Your way is to lose in war and to abandon the abducted."

Hitting back is Yair Lapid who would likely run against Netanyahu if new elections were held:

Opposition leader Yair Lapid hit back, asking him: "Are you going to announce next week in your speech to Congress that you agree to a hostage deal? Are you going to stand on the stage of Congress and say, 'I agree to the hostage deal, we are bringing our boys home, we are bringing our girls home?'"

Lapid added this about the PM speaking to the US Congress:

Lapid bid him to "go in peace, return in peace, our blessing accompanies you," if that is what he will say. "This is the right thing to do, this is the moral thing to do," he added. "Stand there, tell the world, 'On my watch they were taken captive, I take responsibility, I am bringing them home.'

Lapid then took another swipe at Netanyahu blaming him for the Iran nuclear deal:

"If this is not your plan, if you are traveling there to blabber empty words again, don't go. Don't shame us again. Enough damage was done in 2015 when, because of your irresponsible speech in Congress, you brought the nuclear deal with Iran upon us."

I’m certainly not against robust free speech but winning this war by pounding the living daylights out of Hamas is working. These politicians need to unify behind ending the terrorist threats once and for all. If Netanyahu does that these opposition leaders will be eating crow next.

And On The Northern Front

Hezbollah is telling Israel they fully intend to launch missiles into previously not hit areas as discovered in an article from The Jerusalem Post:

Hezbollah will hit new targets in Israel if it keeps killing civilians in Lebanon, the group's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday, noting a spike in the number of non-combatants killed in Lebanon in recent days.

This was said in response to their claims that the IDF killed innocent citizens:

Five civilians, all Syrians and including three children, were killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Tuesday and at least three Lebanese civilians were killed the day before, according to state media and security sources.

"Continuing to target civilians will push the Resistance to launch missiles at settlements that were not previously targeted," Nasrallah said, in comments made during a televised address to mark the Shi'ite holy day Ashoura.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed terrorist group, refers to all Israeli population centers as settlements and does not recognize Israel.

Hezbollah has now added the targeting of civilians to their reasons for attacking Israel. They also are attacking in support of Hamas:

Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's ensuing military offensive in Gaza.

Iranian proxies are also fighting against Israel in support of Hamas:

Iran-aligned groups in the region, including Shi'ite armed factions in Syria and Iraq and Yemen's Houthis, have also been firing on Israel since shortly after Oct. 7.

Hezbollah is losing more and more soldiers:

In Lebanon, the fighting has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

It looks like Hezbollah will launch an all-out assault on Israel at the drop of a hat. And they appear ready to drop them at any time. But Israel is also ready.

In An Instant

We are told in a report from The Times Of Israel that the IDF can attack Hezbollah very quickly if need be:

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in a fresh warning to Hezbollah says the Israeli military can “in an instant” begin an offensive in Lebanon.

Such an offensive is getting close:

He says it will be “fast, surprising and sharp,” while adding that Israel is “approaching a decision-making crossroad.”

Gallant, who’s said things like this in the past let Hezbollah know that things can escalate fast:

“We are waging a limited war in the northern region. We are using a small part of the IDF’s power, but things can change in a second, from a main effort in the south to a main effort in the north, and it will be quick, surprising, and very sharp, it can also happen as a result of [Hezbollah’s] action,” Gallant tells reservists of the Oded Brigade in northern Israel.

He also warned Hezbollah that, unlike them, the IDF isn’t constrained by how the war goes anywhere else, and is also open to ending the fighting diplomatically:

“This region has nothing to do with what is happening in the south. If Hezbollah wants to reach an agreement with us and reach a situation where it withdraws from the border line to areas beyond the Litani River as stipulated by the UN resolution, then we will reach an agreement with it. It can be while fighting Hamas and not while fighting Hamas,” he says.

Here’s what we know after listening to all parties about the fight against terrorists. Hamas wants Hezbollah to help them take out Israel. Hezbollah is attacking Israel because they are attacking Hamas and also their citizens. If Hezbollah really does target more of Israel and the IDF opens up on them, Iran will join the fighting. In short, I don’t see diplomacy ending any of this, but I would be welcome to the idea since less lives will be lost. However, after listening to all sides, I also don’t see a deal that will placate all sides. Whether we like it or not, there will be a regional conflict if Israel wants to never again be attacked by terrorists from all sides. And I might add that scenario is laid out in Bible prophecy.