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An Israeli man was killed and four other people were wounded during a Palestinian terror attack near the city of Hebron on Saturday night.
The attack began when a Palestinian terrorist opened fire on a Jewish father and son who were shopping at a Palestinian-owned convenience store at the entrance to the small Jewish community of Givat Ha’Avot. The father, identified as Ronen Hanania, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
In addition to Hanania, a responding paramedic, two Israelis (aged 19 and 49) and a Palestinian bystander were also shot during the attack.
The attack came to an end when a security officer ran over the terrorist with his car and an off-duty soldier shot him dead.
The terrorist has been identified as Muhammad Kamel al-Jabari, a member of Hamas whose brother was released from Israeli prison as part of the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner swap deal.
Following the attack, Defense Minister Benny Gantz held emergency consultations with senior defense officials while Prime Minister Yair Lapid issued a statement, praising those who helped neutralize the terrorist and declaring that “Terror won’t defeat us, we’ll take strong action.”
Since early 2022, Israel has been undergoing one of its worst terror waves in recent years, with shooting, stabbing, and rock-throwing attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians.
⭕️ Hebron: Celebrations in Ibn Rushd square in news of the death of a Jew after a gruesome terror attack in Kiryat Arba tonight. pic.twitter.com/PfZBgix9YV
— Chaim • חיים (@ChaimSmierc) October 29, 2022
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Following the recent signing of the maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon, US President Joe Biden has reportedly drafted a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, detailing Israel’s rights under the agreement and guaranteeing the United States’ commitment to the implementation of the deal.
According to reports, the letter states that the United States will support Israel’s ability to defend itself, will recognize the buoy line (which extends 3 miles into the Mediterranean Sea from Rosh Hanikra) as the status quo, will support Israel’s economic rights to the Qana field and will ensure that Hezbollah does not receive any of the Lebanese revenue from the gas field.
President Biden will likely sign the letter this week, although its final text is not expected to be released to the public.
Israel and Lebanon recently signed an American-mediated agreement that put an end to a decade-long dispute over the maritime boundary between the two countries.
Israel and Lebanon are still technically in a state of war and this agreement has no bearing on the land boundary between the two Middle Eastern states.
📺👇Prime Minister Yair Lapid signing the agreement on a maritime boundary between Israel and Lebanon, today (Thursday, 27 October 2022), at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem:
Credit: Omer Meron (GPO) pic.twitter.com/Kz4s9sp6H9
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) October 27, 2022
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Following Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s recent visit to Turkey and meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it is being reported that Gantz asked Erdoğan to stop housing Hamas officials in Turkey, claiming that they are responsible for terror attacks in Israel.
In addition, Gantz is said to have asked Erdoğan to inform Iran that Israel will not tolerate the transfer of arms from the Islamic Republic to Tehran-backed terror groups through Syria.
Gantz also thanked Erdoğan for helping save the lives of Israelis in Turkey this past summer, following Iranian threats to kill or kidnap them.
In recent months, Israel and Turkey have re-established warm diplomatic ties following a tense decade that included the withdrawal of each country’s ambassador.
It is believed that Turkey wants warm ties with the Jewish state in order to move closer to the United States as well as to resume the defense trade between the two countries.
Israel, for its part, is hoping for closer security cooperation between the two states in a bid to thwart the activities of Iran and its regional allies.
Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz has met with Turkey’s President Erdogan and Defense Minister Akar. pic.twitter.com/XtbVADdElS
— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) October 27, 2022
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With less than 48 hours until Israelis go to vote for the fifth time in three-and-a-half years, the final polls have been published by Israel’s top news channels.
According to the results of polls conducted by Channel 12, Channel 13, and the Kan public broadcaster, the right-wing bloc led by former Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will attain 60 seats, one seat short of a parliamentary majority.
These polls also found that the bloc led by Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid will number 56 seats while the Arab parties of Hadash and Ta’al will receive four seats.
A national election was called in Israel after the fragile coalition government of Naftali Bennett fell apart and the Knesset was dissolved in June. Since then, Yair Lapid has been serving as the caretaker prime minister until the elections.
Israel's election is only in three days. If you don't know who you're voting for yet, here is a rundown of all the parties running and their policies:
Report by @BreuerEliav https://t.co/RdE6StClUh
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) October 29, 2022
Recommended Reading
- What the Kanye West Scandal Can Teach the UN (Ben Cohen, Jewish News Syndicate)
- Israel Vulnerable to Online Threats Ahead of Vote – Experts (Ariel Levin-Waldman, i24News)
- Surfside, Samaria Regional Council Sign Sister-City Agreement Despite BDS Opposition (Tovah Lazaroff, Jerusalem Post)
- 11 Unexpected Numbers About Israel’s 25th Election (Nicky Blackburn, Israel21C)
- The Israeli Nonagenarian Who Voted in Every Single Election (Israel Moshkovitch, Ynetnews)
