Weekly roundup of world briefs

Sa’ar hails Trump’s executive order to curb ‘disease’ of Jew-hatred

(JNS) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Thursday praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order to counter the scourge of Jew-hatred.

“Thank you, President Trump, for your executive order to combat the disease of antisemitism. This critical step sends a clear message: the antisemitic support for Hamas’ October 7th atrocities will not be tolerated,” tweeted Sa’ar.

“Your important decision helps ensure the safety of the Jewish people on campuses and elsewhere in America,” he added.

Trump signed a sweeping executive order on Wednesday that he said both reinstates an order combating Jew-hatred from his first term, which the Biden administration “effectively nullified,” and “directs additional measures to advance the policy thereof in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, against the people of Israel.

“These attacks unleashed an unprecedented wave of vile antisemitic discrimination, vandalism and violence against our citizens, especially in our schools and on our campuses,” the president stated. “Jewish students have faced an unrelenting barrage of discrimination, denial of access to campus common areas and facilities, including libraries and classrooms, and intimidation, harassment and physical threats and assault.”

The order states that U.S. policy is “to combat antisemitism vigorously, using all available and appropriate legal tools, to prosecute, remove or otherwise hold to account the perpetrators of unlawful antisemitic harassment and violence.”

‘Israel stands with the American people’ after deadly plane crash

By JNS Staff

(JNS) — Israeli opposition Leader Yair Lapid on Thursday extended his condolences to the American people following the deadly crash between a passenger plane and military helicopter over Washington, D.C on Wednesday night.

“We are all deeply shocked at the tragic plane crash near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Israel stands with the American people at this difficult moment,” tweeted Lapid.

American Airlines confirmed that 60 passengers and four crew were aboard the commercial jet that crashed into the Potomac River late on Wednesday.

“American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington, D.C. (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA,” according to a statement from the airline.

At least 18 bodies were recovered, CBS News reported, citing a police official.

Three U.S. soldiers were aboard the Black Hawk helicopter.

‘All options’ on table to block Iran from nuclear weapons, per bicameral resolution

(JNS) — Five members of Congress from both houses and on both sides of the aisle introduced a resolution on Friday stating that “all options should be considered to address the nuclear threat the Islamic Republic of Iran poses to the United States, Israel and our allies and partners.”

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) signed the resolution, which demands that the Iranian regime stop enriching uranium and stop making or owning nuclear warheads or vehicles that could carry such weapons.

“If the Iranian ayatollah and his henchman obtain a nuclear weapon, it would be one of the most destabilizing and dangerous events in world history,” Graham stated. “They are trying to acquire a nuclear weapon as part of their religious agenda to purify their faith, destroy the Jewish state and drive Westerners out of the Middle East.”

“A nuclear-armed Iran is an existential threat to Israel and a nightmare for the world,” Graham added. 

Fetterman stated that “Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is a threat we cannot ignore.”

“The United States, Israel and our allies cannot afford to sit back while the Iranian regime continues down this dangerous path,” he added. “This resolution sends an unmistakable message: all options are on the table to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.”

On day one of Israeli ban, UNRWA Jerusalem operations largely intact

(JNS) — The U.N. Relief and Works Agency’s field office in the Ma’alot Dafna neighborhood of Jerusalem has been cleared out but its neighborhood facilities kept operating on the first day that Israeli law banned the entity from operating in Israel, according to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for António Guterres, the U.N. secretary-general.

“What I know from the conversations I’ve had is that there is very little news to report. There was, in front of our headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah area, there was a small demonstration early this morning that disbanded very quickly,” Dujarric told reporters during a press briefing on Thursday. “What my colleague told me is that there were more reporters than demonstrators.”

Though vacated, the building still flies the flag of the United Nations, Dujarric said. He added that staff emptied the facility of files, computers and vehicles, and the roughly 50 international staff members, who no longer held valid Israeli visas, went to Jordan. (The U.N. flag has reportedly been taken down and replaced with an Israeli one.)

“My understanding is that the headquarters building is empty of staff. There is some security office, security guards—civilian, unarmed local security company that we contract with that are there,” Dujarric said, “but the UNRWA staff is doing what it should be doing, which is working in the clinics and other other places they work in the region.”

“The humanitarian operation in Gaza continues, including with UNRWA’s work there,” he added. “UNRWA says that it is committed to staying and delivering.”

Two UNRWA schools in Jerusalem are still operating, and the U.N. agency continues to administer operations in the Shuafat neighborhood, which it considers a refugee camp. 

JNS asked Dujarric at the press conference if UNRWA has received any updated directives given the new circumstances on the ground.

“The directive is that UNRWA will continue to do its work until it no longer can, which is what is going on today,” he told JNS. “There are no instructions or directives for UNRWA not to work in close cooperation with other U.N. agencies. They are part of the U.N.’s humanitarian system, whether in Gaza or in other places.”

Sara Netanyahu investigated for alleged witness tampering

(JNS) — Israeli prosecutors confirmed on Thursday that they are conducting a criminal investigation of Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged witness tampering and obstructing judicial proceedings in 2019.

The prosecutors confirmed the existence of the probe to opposition lawmaker Naama Lazimi of The Democrats party, Ynet reported Sunday. The investigation concerns reports that Mrs. Netanyahu had ordered an employee to harass or malign a witness in her husband’s corruption trial.

To many critics of Netanyahu, the probe against his wife is a fresh indication of a pattern of abuse of power. To the couple’s many advocates, it is indicative of a vendetta they believe is being waged against them in the media and the State Attorney’s office.

Uvda, the flagship investigative journalism program of Israel’s Channel 12, in December, reported that Sara Netanyahu ordered a subordinate to “aggressively go after” the former secretary of billionaire Arnon Milchan, a witness against the prime minister.

“We need to go aggressively after Hadas Klein, Arnon Milchan’s secretary, who has been slandering us for years, lying, maligning and acting unconscionably’,” Sara Netanyahu wrote in a text message to the subordinate, according to Uvda.

Uvda is not cooperating with police in the investigation, and has not divulged the evidence for the text message, according to Ynet. 

Sara Netanyahu has said that nothing in the Uvda exposé proves or indicates witness tampering and that the show was an attempt at character assassination.

Benjamin Netanyahu called it an attempted political persecution. He has denied all allegations attributed to him in his ongoing trial on bribery and breach-of-trust charges.

Argentine FM Gerardo Werthein visits Western Wall

(JNS) — Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein visited the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Sunday morning, accompanied by his country’s ambassador to Israel, Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish.

The visit, which included prayer and a tour of the Jewish holy site, was part of Werthein’s first official trip to Israel since his appointment on Oct. 30.

He was welcomed by Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, and Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. They expressed gratitude for Argentina’s strong support for Israel and the Jewish people under President Javier Milei’s leadership.

Werthein, who is Jewish, donned tefillin and prayed for the peace and security of Israel and Argentina, reaffirming the close ties between the nations.

“Coming here is emotional and unique; the feeling is indescribable. I feel protected here and pray for the peace of the Jewish people and the State of Israel and an end to hatred,” Buenos Aires’s top diplomat said.

He also toured the newly inaugurated “Gateway to Heaven” exhibit, an immersive experience that uses advanced technology to showcase Jewish history and the enduring connection to the Western Wall across generations.

Werthein, a 69-year-old businessman and former ambassador to the United States, was sworn in on a Torah at an inauguration ceremony at the Buenos Aires headquarters of the Argentine Foreign Ministry, known as the Cancillería, on Oct. 30.

In another deviation from protocol, Milei, in his short speech at Werthein’s searing-in ceremony, quoted from the weekly Torah portion, or parsha, using the Hebrew term.

Israel targets unauthorized vehicle on Gaza pedestrian route

(JNS) — An IDF drone strike on Sunday targeted a suspicious vehicle moving north from central Gaza, which violated the inspection requirement under the ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terrorist group, the military said.

An Israeli security source also confirmed to Channel 12 News earlier Palestinian reports that a vehicle was hit along al-Rashid Road, the coastal corridor through which tens of thousands of Gazans passed through last week as part of the terms of the truce.

“The IDF attacked a vehicle in the Gaza Strip that was traveling in an area where, according to the agreement, only pedestrians are allowed to pass,” the source said.

According to the Palestinian reports, one person was killed and several were injured in the attack.

Gazan vehicles crossing the Netzarim Corridor to travel between southern and northern Gaza are to use the Salah al-Din Road, the Strip’s main highway, where there is an inspection regime in effect.

“The IDF is determined to fully uphold the terms of the agreement to secure the release of the hostages, remains prepared for any scenario, and will continue taking all necessary actions to eliminate immediate threats to IDF soldiers,” the army said.

“The IDF reiterates its call for Gaza residents to follow its instructions and to avoid approaching deployed forces in the area.”

Israel grants released Thai hostages residency status

(JNS) — Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel has granted residency status to the five Thai hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Jan. 30, Hebrew media reported on Sunday.

Thaenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakhan, Sriaoun Watchara, Saethao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak were among 31 foreign workers from Thailand who were kidnapped by Hamas-led terrorists during the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border assault on agricultural communities in Israel’s south.

The five were handed over by Hamas to a team of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Jan. 30 as part of the ceasefire deal with Jerusalem, before being escorted back to the Jewish state by Israeli security forces.

The Interior Ministry’s decision grants the former hostages the right to remain in the country and work if they wish to do so after an initial recovery period at Shamir Medical Center in Be’er Ya’akov, according to Kan News.

On Sunday, Arbel met with Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, who traveled to Israel to meet with the citizens who were released from Gaza, according to the report. Arbel told Sangiampongsa that an Israeli delegation had left for Thailand to examine new ways of cooperation.

Sangiampongsa also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday, Jerusalem’s top diplomat said. Sa’ar thanked Sangiampongsa “for the close cooperation in securing their release from cruel captivity in Gaza” and said he told his Thai counterpart that “both our nations were overjoyed last Thursday to see their freedom restored.”

“We will strengthen Israeli-Thai relations and I look forward to working closely together,” added Sa’ar.

At least one living Thai hostage, Pinta Nattapong, 35, remains in Hamas captivity, alongside two Thai citizens who were murdered and whose bodies are being held by the terror group. Rintalak Suttisak, 43, and Sahaot Banawat, 30, were both killed and kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel sees one of the driest winters in a century

(JNS) — The winter of 2024-2025 is looking to be one of Israel’s driest, yielding 55 percent of the average national precipitation thus far, the Government Water and Sewage Authority said on Sunday.

The water level of the Sea of Galilee, or Lake Kinneret, in Israel’s north, has risen by 2 centimeters this winter, and flow levels in the Jordan River are among the lowest recorded since 1960, a spokesperson for the authority said.

This means that the current winter is on par with that of 2009, which was the driest in a century.

The previous winter of 2023-2024 was unusually rainy, with a 121% increase in rainfall over the multiannual average.

Israel consumes about 2.5 billion cubic meters annually. In recent years, its massive desalination project has lessened its dependency on rainfall. Israel now desalinates 650 million cubic meters of water each year, accounting for 80% of its drinking water, according to an essay on the subject published last year by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot. 

In 2022, Israel began replenishing the Sea of Galilee with desalinated water from the Mediterranean Sea, becoming the first country to use seawater to refill a natural lake.

Israel also purifies and recycles for irrigation about 90% of the 600 million cubic meters that become waste and sewage water, significantly more than any other country, according to the Weizmann Institute.

“The Water Authority’s proper preparation, which includes strategic planning and intelligent management of water sources, allows us to continue to supply water to all the needs of the economy in a stable manner and ensures that the economy will not be affected by the dry winter in the immediate term,” Yehezkel Lifshitz, head of the Water Authority, told Channel 12.

“Options are being examined to increase water production and production capacity,” he said.

Israel unveils groundbreaking AI education plan for 2025

(JNS) — The Israeli Education Ministry announced on Monday that it is implementing a nationwide program to integrate artificial intelligence into the nation’s school system.

The initiative includes training 70,000 teachers to use AI in classrooms

and bringing in 3,000 training mentors from over 400 tech companies to support schools in incorporating new technologies and adapting AI tools to educational needs.

Additionally, five new AI tools, including chatbots, lesson-planning platforms and a learning interface based on the popular Minecraft video game will be introduced starting on Monday.

The program is designed for all students from 4th to 12th grade.

Participating companies include Google, Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia.

“Today, we are leading an unprecedented global initiative—connecting the education system with leading high-tech companies to train Israel’s teachers and students in artificial intelligence,” said Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch of the initiative.

“Together with the world’s most advanced technology industry and thousands of engineers, we are placing Israel at the forefront of AI-era education,” Kisch continued. “This is one of our most critical missions—providing the next generation with the tools and skills to succeed in the world of tomorrow.”

The initiative kicks off with special events and webinars in February, engaging over 70,000 educators to ensure successful implementation.