Lebanon Supports Return To 1949 Armistice Agreement With Israel, Lebanese President Says
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said on Monday (14th) that Lebanon supports returning to the 1949 armistice agreement with Israel in an interview with the Qatari state-run Al-Jazeera television network.
The 1949 Armistice Agreements were signed between Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, and Syria and marked the end of the hostilities in relation to Israel’s War of Independence.
Aoun also said in the interview that the Lebanese army had discovered tunnels and ammunition depots in both the southern and northern parts of the Litani River, describing the army’s achievements in this regard as significant. Lebanon’s army has not deployed across the entire border area in the South due to Israel’s maintaining five points there, Aoun added.
Additionally, Aoun said that the army was “performing its duty and was ready to take responsibility for securing the borders.”
However, he also called for pressure to be applied on Israel, expressing his support for forming military, civilian, and technical committees to strengthen Lebanon’s southern borders.
Aoun addressed the relations between the Lebanese presidency and the Hezbollah terrorist group. He reportedly said that the decision to limit weapons to the state from Hezbollah had been made, and its implementation would occur through dialog, not force.
In the 1949 Armistice Agreement made with Lebanon, Israel consented to withdraw from the area that it occupied in southern Lebanon. An agreement was drawn up that outlined the borders of Israel and its surrounding countries.
US Approves Major Weapons Shipment To Israel As IDF Prepares For Gaza Offensive; Eyes Iran
The IDF is set to receive a major arms shipment from the United States in the coming weeks, including more than 3,000 munitions for the Israeli air Force, as part of its preparations for continued operations in the Gaza Strip and a potential strike on Iran, Israeli officials said Monday (14th).
The shipment, recently approved by the US administration, is intended to boost the Air Forces’ readiness for a large-scale campaign planned by the IDF Southern Command in the Gaza Strip. The delivery comes in addition to more than 10,000 aerial munitions expected to replenish Israeli stockpiles after 18 months of prolonged , multi-front fighting.
The shipment complements a previous deal for heavy munitions that Israel purchased from the US last year. The Biden administration had initially frozen the transfer, but US President Donald Trump reversed the freeze in recent weeks.
In February, the US government confirmed the approval of a major arms deal with Israel valued at $7.41 billion, which includes guided munitions, bombs and related equipment. The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress that the deal is intended to preserve Israel’s ability to defend itself.
According to the Pentagon, the equipment will come from existing US military stockpiles and American defense contractors including Lockheed Martin, Boeing and L3Harris. In a formal statement, the Pentagon said the deal would not alter the regional balance of power and would support Israel’s defense of its borders, critical infrastructure and civilian population.
The US State Department said the transactions are consistent with American policy to maintain Israel’s security and defense capabilities. The agreements will allow Israel to integrate the new systems seamlessly into its military and will not affect US military readiness, according to the official notice.
Huckabee: When I Arrive In Israel, I’ll Bring A Letter From The President To The Western Wall
Incoming US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke with Fox News following his confirmation by the Senate and revealed the first thing he is planning on doing upon arriving in the Holy Land.
“The first thing I’m going to do is to take a prayer that the President gave me on Thursday (10th) when I met with him at the White House, and I’m going to take it to the Western Wall and I’m going to place it there on behalf of the American people and on behalf of the President,” Huckabee declared.
He added, “I can’t think of a better way to begin my tenure than to let the people of Israel know that the President stands with them, he wants their safety, their security, and he wants the hostages home and that’s the first priority.”
Last Wednesday (9th), the US Senate voted to confirm the former Arkansas Governor as the US Ambassador to Israel.
The vote was 53 to 46 in Huckabee’s favor, with Republicans voting in favor and Democrats voting against the appointment.
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the lone Democrat to vote to confirm Huckabee.
Nukhba Terrorist Who Joined Hostage Ceremony Killed In IDF Strike
A Hamas terrorist who invaded Israel on October 7 and stood on stage during the release ceremony of Israeli hostages was killed in an IDF airstrike two weeks ago, the Israeli military said in a statement on Monday (14th).
Hamza Wael Muhammad Asafah, who was a member of Hamas’ elite Nukhba forces, served as a commander of the terror organization’s Deir al-Balah Battalion.
According to the IDF, Asafah was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike, which was carried out in coordination with support from the Shin Bet intelligence agency.
The strike occurred in early April, but the IDF was only able to confirm Asafah’s demise in recent hours.
“As part of his role in the terrorist organization, Asafah participated in the cynical hostage release ceremony of the freed hostages Eliyahu Sharabi, Ohad Ben-Ami, and Or Levy,” the military said.
The IDF stressed that it had taken measures to avoid harming civilians during the strike, but noted that Asafah was hiding among Gaza residents.
On October 7, 2023, some 6,000 Gazans invaded Israel at some 119 points along the border fence.
Approximately 3,800 of those Gazans were members of Hamas’ Nukhba forces. Another 2,200 who invaded that day included armed Gazans, who weren’t directly affiliated with Hamas or another specific terror group.
Bothe Nukhba forces and other Gazans perpetrated atrocities on the bloodiest day in Israeli history, including the slaughter of babies, children and the elderly, rape, mutilation, torture and kidnapping.
Hamas has often attempted to distance itself from the brutal acts of that day by claiming they were committed by Gazans who were not members of the terror group.
One Injured In South Hebron Hills Car Ramming
One Israeli was lightly injured in a suspected terrorist car-ramming attack near ad-Dhahiriya, southwest of Hebron in Judea, on Monday morning (14th), medical officials said.
According to the Hatzalah Judea and Samaria rescue group, the injured individual was treated by Israeli security forces before being evacuated to the nearby Otniel Junction, where they were met by paramedics.
Israeli security forces began a manhunt for the suspected terrorist, who reportedly fled the scene in his car after carrying out the attack.
“A report of a car-ramming incident at the ad-Dhahiriya intersection in the Judea Brigade area of deployment was received. The details are under investigation,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement posted on X.
EliramAzulai, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, in a statement sent his wishes for a full recovery to the victim.
“The terror in Hebron and ad-Dhahiriya is no different from the terrorism in Gaza, and I call on the minister of defense to fulfill our demand for a perimeter around the Jewish communities and the roads,” the local leader continued.
Azulai urged Defense Minister Israel Katz to immediately order the IDF to “evacuate the illegal construction adjacent to our communities,” adding, the security of our residents comes above all.”
Palestinian terrorists targeted Israeli Jews in Judea and Samaria at least 6,343 times in 2024 according to figures published by Rescuers Without Borders on February 17th.
The figures, which were cross-checked against official data from Israel’s security services, included 19 instances of vehicular assaults.
Twenty-seven Israelis were murdered in Judea and Samaria in 2024, and more than 300 others were wounded, the group said in its annual report.
Canadian Opposition Leader Vows To Deport Foreigners For Anti-Semitic Crimes
Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre vowed during a campaign event on Saturday (12th) to deport temporary visa holders who engage in anti-Semitic crimes if elected premier on April 28.
“We will bring in tougher laws to target vandalism, hate marches that break laws, and violent attacks based on ethnicity and religion,” Poilievre told reporters, according to the Agence France Presse (AFP).
“Anyone who is here on a visitor visa who carries out law-breaking will be deported from this country,” he added, accusing pro-Palestinian protesters of contributing to anti-Semitic hate crimes.
Police on Saturday (12th) condemned the rise in “targeting of synagogues and Jewish schools with hate, vandalism, violence and firebombings.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar last year urged Ottawa to “take the strongest possible stance” against Jew-hate after a Montreal synagogue was firebombed in the second such attack on the same congregation since the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in Israel’s south on Oct. 7, 2023.
“I strongly condemn the anti-Semitic attack on Montreal’s Beit Tikvah synagogue. This surge in anti-Semitism must not be tolerated! This is the second act of arson on Beit Tikvah–-the first synagogue attacked on October 7th,” Jerusalem’s top diplomat wrote in a statement on Dec. 18.
Canada is home to the world’s fourth-largest Jewish community of around 400,000 souls, with nearly half in Greater Toronto and nearly a quarter in Greater Montreal.
The North American country also boasts a large Arab population originating from countries such as Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rebuked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney last week following remarks in which the Liberal Party leader appeared to agree with a protester who accused the Jewish state of committing genocide in its war against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
During a rally in Calgary on April 8, an anti-Israel activist yelled, “Mr. Carney, there’s a genocide in Palestine” at the left-wing politician, who is seeking another term as prime minister in Canada’s national election after taking over from Justin Trudeau on March 14.
“I’m aware,” Carney told the protester: “That’s why we have an arms embargo.”
Asked the next day to clarify his response, Carney said he did not hear the word “genocide” and that he was just “stating a fact in terms of the arms restrictions.”
“Canada has always sided with civilization, so should Mr. Carney,” Netanyahu posted on X.
“But instead of supporting Israel, a democracy fighting a just war with just means against the barbarians of Hamas, he attacks the only Jewish state. Mr. Carney back-track your irresponsible statement.”
Bangladesh Renews ‘Except For Israel’ Inscription On Passports
Bangladesh has restored an “except Israel” inscription on passports, local media reported Sunday (13th), effectively barring its citizens from traveling to Israel.
Israel is a flashpoint issue in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, which does not recognize it.
The phrase “valid for all countries except Israel,” which was printed on Bangladesh passports for decades, was removed in 2021 during the later years of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure. However, Hasina’s government at the time clarified that the country’s stance on Israel had not changed.
Nilima Afroze, a deputy secretary at the home ministry, told Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BBS) news agency on Sunday (13th) that authorities had “Issued a directive last week” to restore the inscription.
“The director general of the department of immigration and passport was asked to take necessary measures to implement this change,” local newspaper The Daily Star quoted Afroze as saying Sunday (13th).
The Bangladesh population’s support for an independent Palestinian state was visible on Saturday (12th) when around 100,000 people gathered in Dhaka in solidarity with Gaza.
Demonstrators beat the images of US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi because of their support for Israel.
The Bangladesh National Party, headed by former minister Khaleda Zia, and other Islamist groups and parties expressed their solidarity with the rally.
The war in Gaza broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251.
A fragile ceasefire between the warring parties fell apart last month. Since then, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has said that 1,575 Palestinians have been killed. The numbers cannot be verified because the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
Israel has said it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities and stresses that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields, fighting from civilian areas including homes, hospitals, schools and mosques.
