Thousands flock to Hebron, Israel, to tomb of Bible patriarchs and matriarchs

JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief

Thousands of Jews flock to Hebron to the tomb of biblical patriarchs and matriarchs

Thank you to the over 20,000 visitors who visited #Hebron for Shabbat Chayei Sarah and all those who made this a special and meaningful weekend during difficult times. pic.twitter.com/RAFjq41Lgy

— Jewish Community of Hebron – Hebron Fund (@TheHebronFund1) November 25, 2024

This past weekend, Jews around the world read the Torah portion of Chayei Sarah – the fifth portion of the Book of Genesis. As is customary, thousands of Jews – organizers estimated some 20,000 (which was a restricted number this year because of the security situation) flocked to the Judean town of Hebron to pay their respects to the tomb of the patriarchs and matriarchs, in particular Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

CAIR forced to open to reveal funding sources after lawsuit against former employee backfires

Controversial Muslim group CAIR forced to reveal sources of funding after defamation case against former employee backfires https://t.co/H0grWqDMyp pic.twitter.com/HVb6QXaz0e

— New York Post (@nypost) November 26, 2024

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, will be forced to open its books and reveal its sources of funding after a defamation suit it filed against a former employee completely backfired.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Schultz ruled Monday that CAIR’s donors, funding sources – including potentially foreign ones – and any assets owned by the group are all within the “scope of permissible discovery” as part of former chapter leader Lori Saroya’s lawsuit against the controversial Muslim rights group.

WATCH: Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu responds to murder of Chabad rabbi in UAE

Northern Israeli officials, hostage families unhappy over proposed ceasefire

The hostages’ families oppose a ceasefire in Lebanon that doesn’t involve releasing all the hostages from Gaza. They want Israel to use its leverage in Lebanon for a hostage deal.

They say a separate Hezbollah ceasefire violates the Jewish value of mutual responsibility. pic.twitter.com/IOGY7PDIFi

— Eylon Levy (@EylonALevy) November 25, 2024

“A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon that does not include an arrangement to ensure the security of the communities along Israel’s northern border would be a disaster,” Moshe Davidovich, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council, said on Tuesday.

“If a ceasefire agreement is signed between Lebanon and Israel and it does not include a significant arrangement to restore the security of the residents of the front-line communities before they return home — including a buffer zone near the border with a strong international force and the removal of Hezbollah beyond the Litani River — it will be a disaster for generations,” he stated.

Defense Ministry advances plan to build border fence along entirety of border with Jordan

Israeli Minister of Defense, Israel Katz has ordered the Defense Ministry and Military to begin extensive planning for a Security Barrier that will following the Eastern Border of Israel, with both Syria and Jordan. The Barrier is expected to stretch over 200 Miles, featuring… pic.twitter.com/pEfb5Y7Zqt

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 26, 2024

The Defense Ministry says it has begun “detailed engineering planning” to establish a fence along the entire border with Jordan to prevent infiltrations into the country — an expensive undertaking that has made little progress in the past.

Gorka: ‘No such thing as Palestine’

Sebastian Gorka, appointed yesterday by Trump as Senior Advisor for Counterterrorism: “There is no such thing as Palestine; it’s a name invented by the Roman Empire.”
A must-watch fiery interview! pic.twitter.com/NWMAC9nbs8

— Im Tirtzu (@IMTIzionism) November 24, 2024

Sebastian Gorka, Donald Trump’s pick as his senior director for counter-terrorism, has made several statements in favor of Israel recently, including that “Palestine” doesn’t exist and that IDF generals should forget about diplomacy and focus on defeating terrorists militarily.

U.N. fires special advisor on Prevention of Genocide for refusal to label Israel’s actions in Gaza as ‘genocide’

The UN has decided to fire its Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide.

Alice Wairimu Nderitu from Kenya is being forced out because she publicly said that Israel’s operations in Gaza don’t meet the definition of genocide. pic.twitter.com/eceOYCHryM

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 26, 2024

“Can anyone with integrity survive at the U.N.?” the Wall Street Journal’s editorial asked on Tuesday, arguing that the U.N. was refusing to renew the contract of Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu due to her determination that Israel’s actions in Gaza could not be defined as “genocide.”

Israel approves multi-billion shekel defense procurement package

Israel Approves Multi-Billion Shekel Defense Procurement Package

The Israel Military Procurement Ministerial Committee approved several major acquisitions, including Project “Reshef”—the Israeli Navy’s next-generation missile ship—and hundreds of new JLTVs.

— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) November 25, 2024

Under the agreement, the Defense Ministry will purchase five advanced Reshef corvettes from Israel Shipyards to replace the aging Nirit-class corvettes, which will be taken out of service after four decades. Production of the ships in Israel will provide jobs to hundreds of workers in the north.

Iran threatens Israel with ‘response beyond imagination’ in retaliation for late October strike

“The Zionists have crossed the red lines of the Islamic Republic. Iran will never tolerate aggression against its territory and will not leave it unanswered,” Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri said on Tuesday.

“The response to Israel’s recent aggression has… pic.twitter.com/PjGBq6rTNH

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) November 26, 2024

“The Zionists have crossed the red lines of the Islamic Republic. Iran will never tolerate aggression against its territory and will not leave it unanswered,” Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Mohammad Bagheri said on Tuesday.

Islamic Republic’s work on pharmaceutical based agents

WILD REPORT FROM @TheGoodISIS

New Report Highlights Iran’s Work on Pharmaceutical-Based Agents (PBAs):

•The growing use of drones in the Middle East increases the risk of Iran or its proxies deploying PBAs like fentanyl and medetomidine.

•Concerns focus on potential use… pic.twitter.com/rCKeDf8PUP

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 26, 2024

Multiple Iranian security complexes have been preparing production of fentanyl and medetomidine based incapacitating and lethal agents. These complexes have been working on pillars of producing those weapons: large-scale cost-efficient synthesis of the compounds with maximum potency, evaluating a stable chemical mixture based on those agents that can be aerosolized using a propellant, and developing the delivery of the agents through grenades, bullets, or drones.

Three suspected Uzbek murderers of Chabad rabbi in UAE could face death penalty

The Emirati Ministry of Interior confirmed on Monday that the three suspects arrested for the murder of Chabad-Lubavitch emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan are Uzbek nationals.

Security authorities identified the suspects as Olimpi Toirovich, 28, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, also 28, and Azizbek Kamlovich, 33. The ministry circulated pictures of the three men in custody.

Additionally, the ministry announced the initiation of legal proceedings against the suspects, with reports indicating the defendants could face the death penalty.

IDF soldier gravely injured in Oct. 7 battles, succumbs to his wounds

May his memory forever be a blessing. ️ pic.twitter.com/ncrU254oHM

— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) November 26, 2024

Sergeant First Class Yona Betzalel Brief, aged 23, from Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut, died Tuesday morning after being severely injured in combat on Oct. 7, 2023.

Brief served as a combat medic in the Duvdevan Unit, Commando Brigade, and was severely injured during combat in the communities near the Gaza Strip. He becomes the 805th IDF soldier to be killed since Oct. 7.

Israel Police thwarts huge ammo transfer to Samaria terrorists

: Israeli police seize large ammo transfer to Samaria terrorists

WATCH | @IL_police stop more than 20,000 bullets near the Megiddo Junction, intended for “terrorist elements in #Judea and #Samaria.” pic.twitter.com/9dM6qbHVS4

— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) November 25, 2024

Officers of the Israel Police’s Northern District over the weekend seized a shipment of more than 20,000 bullets intended for “terrorist elements in Judea and Samaria,” the police announced in a statement on Sunday.

Two residents of Ma’ale Iron, a local council that consists of five Arab Israeli villages near Megiddo, were arrested.

IDF troops reach banks of Litani river for first time since 2000>

IDF confirms: IDF has reached the Litani river 10KM from Israel’s border

IDF forces, including the Alexandroni Brigade, 769th Brigade, Golani, and Shaldag units, have reached the Litani River for the first time since 2000. They uncovered and destroyed dozens of Hezbollah rocket… https://t.co/2BJCa5g5tB pic.twitter.com/wEVg2rkGha

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) November 26, 2024

The IDF’s 91st Division has reached the Litani River in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon, as well as the Wadi Saluki area, and the military says troops located dozens of Hezbollah weapons and sites in both areas.

It is the first time since 2000 – when Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon – that IDF troops have reached the Litani River.

Israel’s gov’t rubber-stamps Leiter appointment as Israel’s ambassador to U.S.>

Israeli Cabinet unanimously approves appointment of settlement supporter Yechiel Leiter as ambassador to US https://t.co/vxWlabQRnQ#Israel #USIsraelRelations #MiddleEast #AmbassadorAppointment @YechielLeiter pic.twitter.com/ROWVE1zzdq

— All Israel News (@all_israel_news) November 25, 2024

Israel’s government on Sunday unanimously approved the appointment of Yechiel Leiter as ambassador to the United States.

Leiter will replace Michael Herzog – the outgoing ambassador and older brother of the Israeli president – on Jan. 24, four days after the Trump administration takes office.