The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, experienced a significant diplomatic setback on Tuesday when the US Congress decided to withhold military aid from Israel and refused to vote on funding for its Iron Dome defence system.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his government are facing public criticism after failing to respond to a rocket attack on Israel’s south, after vowing to do so.
Following the rocket attack from Lebanon into Israel last week, and following the quick release of the four Hezbollah terrorists who were responsible for shooting the rockets by the Deputy Attorney General of the Lebanese Government, Israel’s Ambassador to the US and the United Nations Gilad Erdan blasted the decision in a letter to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council.
Israeli Ambassador to the US and United Nations Gilad Erdan did not mince words when he rejected UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s statements on the recent Hezbollah attack on Israel’s north, in which he called on “all parties” for restraint.
“I’m looking forward to discuss, as we have discussed before, the challenges that we have with Iran, with the Palestinians,” Gantz said to Blinken before the meeting. “As far as Gaza concerned, we do look for stability and prosperity for everybody,” said Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
Yaakov Lappin: The Israeli military is developing a new system to intercept rockets at their ascent stage, using a network of sensors and missiles to destroy active enemy launchers within 10 to 15 seconds.
Alex Traiman: If sending Israelis in and out of bomb shelters for nearly two weeks is a victory for Palestinian factions, so be it. Israelis came out virtually unscathed. Yet many serious challenges lie ahead.
After several hours of quiet that followed a violent night, Islamic Jihad terrorists launched several barrages of rockets at Israel’s south on Monday afternoon.
J-Wire's Israeli correspondent Michael Kuttner watched as the Israeli anti-rocket defense iron dome took out Hamas rockets heading directly for Jerusalem. He reports from Efrat.