Not a suprise: Reports that freed Israeli hostages had been held in U.N. shelters in the Gaza Strip amount to “a very serious allegation,” Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, told JNS on Wednesday. “We call on … Continue reading →
I don’t usually write posts on Sundays unless something momentous happens. I consider the release of three female hostages momentous. I’ve written a great deal about the politics and strategy involved, and almost certainly I will again. But today I … Continue reading →
Hamas is not known for keeping its word. Netanyahu has issued this statement today: “We will be unable to move forward with the framework until we receive the list of the hostages who will be released, as was agreed,” Netanyahu. … Continue reading →
… can be found in this video, IMHO. Highly recommended: Israel isn’t just negotiating with terrorists for hostages. It is negotiating with a terrorist-controlled neighbor that isn’t exactly a country but wants to be one and has the backing of … Continue reading →
Israel says not so fast: Israel’s government is aiming to vote Saturday night, local time, to accept the terms of a ceasefire and hostage agreement, multiple outlets reported, delaying implementation of a deal that negotiators hoped to go into effect … Continue reading →
The main elements of a hostage deal seem to be in place. You can read about them here, but they’re essentially what I wrote about yesterday in this post. A few details remain to be ironed out, and Netanyahu’s cabinet … Continue reading →
I consider it all rumor until it happens, if it happens – and one of the many things we don’t know is whether it will actually happen. But here are some of my thoughts on the matter. Because it has … Continue reading →
It’s now a week till Trump’s Inauguration Day – which is also Martin Luther King Day, by the way – and once again there are rumors that a hostage deal is nigh. We’ve heard such rumors before. Are they real … Continue reading →
If you’ve got the time, these two videos are rewarding. I ordinarily listen to these sorts of “talking heads” videos at a faster than normal speed. The first is a Caroline Glick interview on the topic of Lebanon and the … Continue reading →
Recently Trump has reissued his warning to Hamas about the hostages: When pressed by American political commentator Hugh Hewitt on the specific meaning behind his warning, Trump elaborated with characteristic intensity: “If those hostages aren’t released by the time I … Continue reading →
I’ll start with RIP, as well as the observation that I voted for him twice. And yet I think he did a lot of harm as president. The harm was not driven by animus towards America, however; it was just … Continue reading →
You would think it was the very least Hamas could do: provide a list of living hostages who might be freed in any deal with Israel. But apparently even that is too much, according to Hamas: On Wednesday, Israeli officials … Continue reading →