Shalom and good evening, this is TV7 Israel
News broadcast to you from Jerusalem; And in today’s top stories;
Iran pledges to strike Israel – with a looming attack that may put both countries on a course
of direct collision. Jerusalem emphasizes its unwavering determination
to achieve all of its goals vis-à-vis Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The United States, France, Britain and Germany,
among others, voice Ironclad support for Israel versus Iran – while China and Russia call
for restrain. Israel will not relent, as Jerusalem determined
set a date for the IDF’s planned offensive into the Southern Gaza Strip’ border-town
of Rafah. Israel’s top political brass have reiterated
in recent days that the withdrawal of the 98th Division from Khan Younis, leaving the
162nd Division – including the Givati Brigade – to operate in a number of strategic and
tactical locations in the northern part of the enclave did not spell an end to the war
on the Islamist Hamas and its terror affiliates. We will complete the elimination of Hamas's
battalions, including in Rafah. No force in the world will stop us. There are many forces trying to do this but
it will not help because this enemy, after what it has done, will not do this again. Neither will it exist. We are committed to doing this, and each one
of you now, at this base, will contribute in one way or another to completing the goal. This must be. After doing such a thing to our country (on
October 7th) – it will not be done any more. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went on
to re-highlight Jerusalem’s war goals, citing four distinct objectives. We have three objectives: One – to return
our hostages, all of the field observers, and not just them, but everyone together. We will return them all. The second objective: Eliminating Hamas. The third objective: To ensure that Gaza will
never again constitute a threat to Israel. There is a fourth objective: Hamas is part
of Iran's axis of evil, which aims to destroy us. And when we defeat Hamas, it is not only defeating
Hamas – it is defeating the axis. Everyone in the Middle East and beyond is
sitting in the stands and watching who will win on this field, Israel or Iran and its
proxies. Who will win? (Soldiers: Israel!) one-hundred percent. You already know it. Alongside Jerusalem’s uncompromising counter-offensive
vis-à-vis Hamas in Gaza; It has adopted in parallel a couple of measures to further enhance
the flow of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave. While Hamas continues to hold 133 hostages
and use Gazans as human shields, Israel continues to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid
into Gaza and find new ways to increase this effort. We are constructing the northern crossing,
a new land crossing from Israel into northern Gaza to enable more aid to flow directly to
civilians in the areas that have been challenging for the trucks to access. This new measures enable us to bring more
aid and trucks destined for Gaza from overseas, including the via land crossing with Jordan. It is worth noting that on Wednesday, the
IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) inspected and transferred
a staggering 741 trucks into the Gaza Strip. However, out of the 741 trucks, the U.N. alongside
other International Aid Organizations had distributed merely 267 trucks, of which 146
carried food. Meanwhile at the United Nations Headquarters
in New York; The Palestinian Authority is banking on the sinister political climate
vis-à-vis Israel to try and persuade the U.N. Security Council to adopt a binding resolution
that would pave the road to an un-negotiated recognition of a Palestinian state. It was sent to the Security Council through
the Secretary-General of the U.N. It was a historic moment then and now, that historic
moment has been revived again. We sincerely hope after 12 years since we
changed our status to an observer state, that the Security Council will elevate itself to
implementing the global consensus on the two-state solution by admitting the state of Palestine
for full membership. In response to the Palestinian Authority’s
attempt to evade a negotiated solution, irrespective of the likelihood that talks would facilitate
any breakthrough; Israel regards the Palestinian ploy as a “blatant violation of the UN charter.” To the Palestinians, the only solution is
a solution where the Jewish state ceases to exist. This is not how you resolve a conflict. This is how you ensure more bloodshed, more
violence, and many more October 7ths. An agreement can be agreed upon only at the
negotiating table, not by forcing it unilaterally here in New York. The U.N. has been sabotaging peace in the
Middle East for years, but today marks the beginning of a point of no return. While the majority of rational states have
indicated to Israel that they would not agree to recognize a Palestinian state unless it
is part of a negotiated solution; A number of left-leaning governments are openly considering
the proposition. We are now 30 years on from the Oslo Accords. Thirty years on from the Accords that put
Palestinian statehood at the end of a process. And the failure of this approach by all parties
over decades – as well as the Netanyahu Government’s refusal to even engage on the
question of a Palestinian state – have caused widespread frustration. So the international community is now considering
the question of Palestinian statehood as a way of building momentum towards a two-state
solution. Recognizing a Palestinian state – one that
can only exist side by side with a secure Israel – doesn’t just offer the Palestinian
people an opportunity to realize their aspirations. It also strengthens the forces for peace and
it undermines extremism. It undermines Hamas, Iran and Iran’s other
destructive proxies in the region. So I say to you a two-state solution is the
only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence. While Australia, alongside Norway and a number
of other Western-oriented nations, are considering a pre-negotiated imposition of a so-called
two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict; Jerusalem is bracing itself for
an Iranian attack. Following the brutal Iranian-facilitated onslaught
of southern Israel by Hamas, the Iranian-proxy Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terror
groups on October 7th, alongside the addition of an Iranian instigated “low-intensity
war” by Hezbollah from Lebanon against Israel since October 8th, and repeated attacks by
Iranian proxies from Syria, Iraq and Yemen; An Israeli strike on a building next to the
Iranian Consulate in Damascus on April first, claiming the lives of seven Iranian IRGC Quds
Force officers – including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi who was in charge of
the internationally designated terror group’s activities in Lebanon and Syria; Iran has
pledged to launch a retaliatory strike against Israel, proper. Alongside a pledge to retaliate by the Islamic
Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; Tehran’s top diplomat asserted
during a subsequent visit to Damascus that Israel would be punished, while also attributing
responsibility to Washington as an accomplice of Jerusalem. I want to say from here in Damascus with a
loud voice: America is responsible for this terrorist attack and it must take responsibility. The Zionist entity will be punished. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps
and Military have raised their level of alert to the highest preparedness, while the IDF
has also raised its level of alert, while in tandem, has received the necessary approvals
to conduct retaliatory strikes against Iran. We are engaged in a multi-sector war. There is no reason to panic. However, there is no place for complacency
either. We must be conscious to the situation and
perpetually prepared. Know that IDF forces are prepared and operate
in all sectors, in the south, north, in Judea and Samaria and in distant sectors. The IDF knows how to contend with Iran, both
offensively and defensively. We have prepared for it. We have excellent defensive systems and we
know how to operate with force against Iran in locations, both near and far. We act in cooperation with the United States
and additional strategic partners in the region. General Halevi went on to stress that while
Israel stands ready to face Iran – the threat emanating from the Islamic Republic is not
merely an Israeli problem. Since the start of the war, Iran tries to
hide and evades its direct involvement. Nevertheless, we know that it activates, directs,
finances and transfers knowledge to all of its proxies in the region, from Hezbollah
in Lebanon, through Judea and Samaria, all the way to Yemen. Iran doesn’t only threaten Israel. It threatens the entire Western and Arab worlds. Iran has been, and remains, a global problem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during
a visit to an F-15 Wing at Tel Nof Airbase, emphasized Jerusalem’s basic principle regarding
its enemies. We are also preparing for scenarios of challenges
from “other” sectors. We have established a basic principle: Whoever
harms us, we will harm them. We are preparing to accommodate the state
of Israel’s security needs, also defensively, and also offensively. U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister
Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Schultz and French President Emanuel Macron have all
voiced Iron Clad support for Israel – while warning Iran against escalating regional tensions
into all-out-war. These days, all diplomatic telephone lines
are running hot to prevent a regional escalation in the Middle East. Nobody should add fuel to the fire now. No one can have any interest in a conflagration
with completely unforeseeable consequences. All players in the region are called upon
to act responsibly and exercise restraint. With this in mind, I also spoke to my Iranian
counterpart today. I don't have any calls to announce, but we
have been engaged in a series of contacts, not just to his level, but other levels, too,
to talk to foreign counterparts, to send this very clear message to Iran that they should
not escalate this conflict. While the Biden Administration informed Iran
that it had no involvement in the deadly strike on Damascus – U.S. officials have signaled
Iran that the United States will not shy away from standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel
– while the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was repositioned closer to Israel’s
shores. Thank you for watching TV7 Israel News. I would like to encourage you to Pray for
the peace of Jerusalem and salvation of Israel. Moreover, if you’re blessed by our productions,
which are exclusively donation-based and, as such, broadcast free of charge – please
consider making a donation. You can do so via our website at www.tv7israelnews.com. I’m Jonathan Hessen, wishing you a Shabbat
Shalom and God willing, we will see you during our next update – until then – Shalom
from Jerusalem.