HISTORIC: The President of Argentina Javier Milei lights a torch at the Israeli Independence Day ceremony.
It's the first time in the history of our country that a foreign leader receives this honor.
A president who makes history for his unwavering support and a people who will always be grateful to him 🇮🇱
📸 Shlomi Amsalem
It's the first time in the history of our country that a foreign leader receives this honor.
A president who makes history for his unwavering support and a people who will always be grateful to him 🇮🇱
📸 Shlomi Amsalem
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*Foreign Minister Sa’ar at an Independence Day Reception at the President’s Residence with the Foreign Diplomatic Corps:*
*”We made a historic decision to negotiate directly with Lebanon after more than 40 years. Unfortunately - Lebanon is a Failed State. A state that is de-facto under Iranian occupation through Hezbollah. But this also leads to a conclusion: Hezbollah is a common enemy of Israel and Lebanon. Just as it threatens Israel's security, it harms Lebanon's sovereignty and threatens its future. We don't have any serious disagreements with Lebanon. There are a few minor border disputes, that can be solved. The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah.*”
*”Tomorrow the direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will resume in Washington. I call on the Government of Lebanon: Let's work together against the terror state that Hezbollah built in your territory. This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us. It requires moral clarity and the courage to take risks. But there is no real alternative for ensuring a future of peace for you and for us. And for you, for Lebanon - a future of sovereignty, independence and freedom from the Iranian occupation.”*
There are a few minor border disputes, that can be solved.
The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah.
Full Remarks:
*Esteemed President of Israel Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal,
Religious Leaders,
Distinguished Ambassadors,
Our dear Alon Ohel,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
***
Theodor Herzl, according to his own testimony, had a childhood dream:
"One night, as I was going to sleep, I suddenly remembered the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The story of the historical exodus and the legend of the future redemption, which will be brought about by King Messiah, became confused in my mind…. One night I had a wonderful dream: the Messiah came…. and the Messiah turned to me: “Go and announce to the Jews that I will soon come and perform great miracles for my people and for the whole world."
Today - an outside observer can look at our immense challenges, problems and difficulties - and be struck by the resilience of our people.
But you should know, my friends, that we are grateful.
The Jewish people are a people who remembers.
We remember our long years in exile. The pains of our persecution.
The inferno of destruction.
We - that were privileged to be born and to grow up in the sovereign, independent State of Israel - are simply grateful for our good fortune.
We are proud to raise children and grandchildren here.
We are determined to safeguard the miracle that we received from the Founding Fathers of Israel:
A Jewish state in the land of our forefathers.
When Israel was founded in 1948, the small community here had just 650,000 Jews.
Today, over 7.7 million Jews, including Olim with the Right of Return, live in Israel.
Over 11 times the amount than when our country was born!
Who would've believed this could happen?
In a very short time - in historical terms - the majority of the Jewish people will live in Land of Israel - for the first time in 2,000 years.
What happened to the Jewish people in the last century - is unprecedented in the history of nations:
The return of Jews from over a hundred countries, speaking different languages - to our ancestral homeland after 2,000 years.
The foundation of a strong, prosperous state - economically, scientifically, technologically and militarily.
No doubt this attests to the will power and vitality of our nation.
But it also attests to our faith in realizing an ancient dream, rooted in the Holy Bible:
The Return to Zion.
The Zionist movement is what brought about this miracle - by restoring the ability of the Jewish people to defend themselves by themselves.
*”We made a historic decision to negotiate directly with Lebanon after more than 40 years. Unfortunately - Lebanon is a Failed State. A state that is de-facto under Iranian occupation through Hezbollah. But this also leads to a conclusion: Hezbollah is a common enemy of Israel and Lebanon. Just as it threatens Israel's security, it harms Lebanon's sovereignty and threatens its future. We don't have any serious disagreements with Lebanon. There are a few minor border disputes, that can be solved. The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah.*”
*”Tomorrow the direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will resume in Washington. I call on the Government of Lebanon: Let's work together against the terror state that Hezbollah built in your territory. This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us. It requires moral clarity and the courage to take risks. But there is no real alternative for ensuring a future of peace for you and for us. And for you, for Lebanon - a future of sovereignty, independence and freedom from the Iranian occupation.”*
There are a few minor border disputes, that can be solved.
The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah.
Full Remarks:
*Esteemed President of Israel Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal,
Religious Leaders,
Distinguished Ambassadors,
Our dear Alon Ohel,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
***
Theodor Herzl, according to his own testimony, had a childhood dream:
"One night, as I was going to sleep, I suddenly remembered the story of the Exodus from Egypt. The story of the historical exodus and the legend of the future redemption, which will be brought about by King Messiah, became confused in my mind…. One night I had a wonderful dream: the Messiah came…. and the Messiah turned to me: “Go and announce to the Jews that I will soon come and perform great miracles for my people and for the whole world."
Today - an outside observer can look at our immense challenges, problems and difficulties - and be struck by the resilience of our people.
But you should know, my friends, that we are grateful.
The Jewish people are a people who remembers.
We remember our long years in exile. The pains of our persecution.
The inferno of destruction.
We - that were privileged to be born and to grow up in the sovereign, independent State of Israel - are simply grateful for our good fortune.
We are proud to raise children and grandchildren here.
We are determined to safeguard the miracle that we received from the Founding Fathers of Israel:
A Jewish state in the land of our forefathers.
When Israel was founded in 1948, the small community here had just 650,000 Jews.
Today, over 7.7 million Jews, including Olim with the Right of Return, live in Israel.
Over 11 times the amount than when our country was born!
Who would've believed this could happen?
In a very short time - in historical terms - the majority of the Jewish people will live in Land of Israel - for the first time in 2,000 years.
What happened to the Jewish people in the last century - is unprecedented in the history of nations:
The return of Jews from over a hundred countries, speaking different languages - to our ancestral homeland after 2,000 years.
The foundation of a strong, prosperous state - economically, scientifically, technologically and militarily.
No doubt this attests to the will power and vitality of our nation.
But it also attests to our faith in realizing an ancient dream, rooted in the Holy Bible:
The Return to Zion.
The Zionist movement is what brought about this miracle - by restoring the ability of the Jewish people to defend themselves by themselves.
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Yes, Zionism: The same remarkable historical movement that is frequently denounced in the world today.
There hasn't been a more moral and successful movement in the past century than Zionism.
We have not taken anything that isn't ours.
We harmed only those who rose up to eliminate us: time after time, nonstop.
Our only "sin": is that we were successful.
We successfully stopped those who wanted to burn down the blooming garden of the Middle East.
The fact that the new antisemitism set the Jewish state and Zionism as its target -is shameful.
Because what is Zionism?
It's the right of the Jewish people to its own state in its historical homeland.
The right of the Jewish people to defend itself.
Its right to the same rights taken for granted for any other nation.
Israel's citizens were attacked by 8,000 missiles, rockets and drones from March 2nd by a neighboring state's territory: Lebanon.
It responded with precise actions - that no other military in the world is capable of, you Military Attaches know that - against the terrorists that de-facto took over Lebanon.
Would any other nation in the world be accused of ‘indiscriminate attacks’ for actions like these taken in self-defense?
And all this has been going on 26 years after we completely withdrew from Lebanon.
Israel's unforgivable "sin": It refuses to be eliminated by fanatical Jihadists.
Israel is strong.
And we don't have a choice: We must be strong, because if we're not, we simply won't exist.
Is Israel a model to condemn or a model to learn from and imitate?
We used to use the term "World Order".
The "World Order" is falling apart before our eyes.
Terror organizations of the past have become ‘terror states’ - after they took control of territories and their populations. In Lebanon. Gaza. Yemen. And more.
States are falling to pieces. Sudan. Libya. And more.
A state like Iran attacked over 10 states during the last war.
Economic terror is being used by Iran against the freedom of navigation and global trade through the sea.
Does the international community even have the pretension to enforce - by force - the basic world order, when the global economy is being damaged in such a way?
The luck of mankind - is that there is still a world leader like President Trump, willing to do what his predecessors ran away from:
Preventing nuclear proliferation to extremist regimes.
In what world will our children and grandchildren live in - if the free world will not have the basic willingness to defend its own security?
And on top of that - we are witnessing the manipulation of international public opinion, in which the truth is a lie, and a lie - is the truth.
Imagine:
What would've happened if Israel - which was condemned for its action in real time - didn't destroy Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981?
With nuclear weapons in the hands of Saddam Hussein?
What would've happened without Israel's 2007 strike on the nuclear reactor that Assad built?
The same Assad that butchered his own people with chemical weapons.
Probably, he would’ve been in power to this day.
A discussion about the truth would talk about what seems to be the international community’s limited ability to stand up to tyrants and extremist regimes.
These regimes threaten global security. They wait for cracks of weakness to fill the void left by the absence of a world order.
An honest discussion would also refer to the international community's weak ability to handle crises.
Yes: Israel is an exception.
A positive exception.
Our actions dramatically weakened the radical axis in the Middle East led by Iran.
All of the Middle East, Europe and the whole world - enjoy the fruit of our actions - even when they condemn them.
***
Israel has made huge concessions for peace throughout its history.
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Concessions that no other nation in history - that won wars and didn't lose them - had made.
Our aspiration is always for peace.
It's our DNA.
But we were badly burned by the policy of withdrawals.
The Oslo Accords, the formation of the Palestinian Authority, the unilateral withdrawals from Gaza and Lebanon:
Not only did these not bring us closer to peace.
They eroded our security.
What happened in reality - impacted our people. We are no longer willing to take irresponsible risks to our security.
We are a small state:
With narrow security margins and without geographic depth.
One of the lessons of October 7th:
Our citizens will no longer be the first line against the Jihadists.
To all who seek peace with us - we shall extend a hand in peace.
And whoever lives with us in peace - will benefit from it.
Peace is not meant to include a gamble on our security, future and existence.
This is not just the position of governments.
It is the mindset of the people.
***
We made a historic decision to negotiate directly with Lebanon after more than 40 years.
Unfortunately - Lebanon is a Failed State.
A state that is de-facto under Iranian occupation through Hezbollah.
But this also leads to a conclusion: Hezbollah is a common enemy of Israel and Lebanon.
Just as it threatens Israel's security, it harms Lebanon's sovereignty and threatens its future.
We don't have any serious disagreements with Lebanon.
There are a few minor border disputes, that can be solved.
The obstacle to peace and normalization between the countries is one: Hezbollah.
Tomorrow the direct talks between Israel and Lebanon will resume in Washington.
I call on the Government of Lebanon:
Let's work together against the terror state that Hezbollah built in your territory.
This cooperation is needed by you even more than by us.
It requires moral clarity and the courage to take risks.
But there is no real alternative for ensuring a future of peace for you and for us.
And for you, for Lebanon - a future of sovereignty, independence and freedom from the Iranian occupation.
The people of Israel want and have always wanted peace.
A real peace.
A peace that is not based on illusions, and on the abandonment of our future and security.
A peace rooted in security.
It requires patience and wisdom.
It requires the abilities to confront the enemies of peace.
To prevent them from establishing their strength - because they will always use it in the next phase.
Only if Israel will be strong enough - will there be security in this region.
For who else will be the obstacle, preventing the radical axis from taking over the region?
No one but Israel.
Dear Ambassadors,
You - more than anyone else - know that this is the truth.
As Uri Zvi Greenberg wrote:
"There is one truth and not two. As there is one sun and as there are not two Jerusalems".
Happy Independence Day!”
Credit - Shlomi Amsalem, GPO
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Remarks by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar ahead of tomorrow’s negotiation meeting between Israel and Lebanon.
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From Israel to Times Square 🇮🇱
Celebrating 78 years of freedom.
Celebrating 78 years of freedom.
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My dream is to get into a car and drive straight to Beirut, visit that beautiful city, and befriend the good people of Lebanon.
I shared this message of hope and peace with ambassadors, diplomats, military attachés, and faith leaders as we celebrated Israel’s 78th Independence Day at the President’s Residence today.
I shared this message of hope and peace with ambassadors, diplomats, military attachés, and faith leaders as we celebrated Israel’s 78th Independence Day at the President’s Residence today.
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Israel - starting on the 79th year of independence!
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“Pay-for-slay” is still ongoing.
Even after promises of reforms, the Palestinian Authority is still rewarding convicted terrorists.
This is incentivizing violence and terror.
https://freebeacon.com/national-security/palestinian-authority-has-paid-convicted-terrorists-released-as-part-of-gaza-ceasefire-deal-state-department-tells-congress/
Even after promises of reforms, the Palestinian Authority is still rewarding convicted terrorists.
This is incentivizing violence and terror.
https://freebeacon.com/national-security/palestinian-authority-has-paid-convicted-terrorists-released-as-part-of-gaza-ceasefire-deal-state-department-tells-congress/
The Washington Free Beacon
Palestinian Authority Has Paid Convicted Terrorists Released as Part of Gaza Ceasefire Deal, State Department Tells Congress
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has paid salaries to convicted terrorists Israel released from its prisons as part of its October 2025 ceasefire agreement with Hamas, the State Department formally determined in a non-public report to Congress obtained by the…
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Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar has appointed George Deek as Special Envoy to the Christian World. The appointment is intended to deepen Israel’s ties with Christian communities around the world.
Deek, a veteran diplomat with 18 years of experience, most recently served as Israel’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan and was the first Christian ambassador in Israel’s history. He is a recipient of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General’s Award for Excellence.
He is a member of the Arab Christian community in Jaffa and has been active in the community from a young age. His father, Youssef Deek, served for many years as Chairman of the Orthodox Christian community in Jaffa and in Israel.
Minister Sa’ar:
“The State of Israel attaches great importance to its relations with the Christian world and with its Christian friends around the world. I am confident that George, a respected and experienced diplomat, will greatly contribute to the friendship and strengthening of the ties between the State of Israel and the Christian world.”
Deek, a veteran diplomat with 18 years of experience, most recently served as Israel’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan and was the first Christian ambassador in Israel’s history. He is a recipient of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General’s Award for Excellence.
He is a member of the Arab Christian community in Jaffa and has been active in the community from a young age. His father, Youssef Deek, served for many years as Chairman of the Orthodox Christian community in Jaffa and in Israel.
Minister Sa’ar:
“The State of Israel attaches great importance to its relations with the Christian world and with its Christian friends around the world. I am confident that George, a respected and experienced diplomat, will greatly contribute to the friendship and strengthening of the ties between the State of Israel and the Christian world.”
X (formerly Twitter)
Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) on X
Minister of Foreign Affairs @gidonsaar Appointed @GeorgeDeek as Special Envoy to the Christian World
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar has appointed George Deek as Special Envoy to the Christian World. The appointment is intended to deepen Israel’s…
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar has appointed George Deek as Special Envoy to the Christian World. The appointment is intended to deepen Israel’s…
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*🔎LOCATED:* A 25-meter-deep underground Hezbollah command center inside a clothing store in Al-Khiyam.
Inside it were weapons and rooms used for managing terror operations by the terrorist organization’s operatives.
Inside it were weapons and rooms used for managing terror operations by the terrorist organization’s operatives.
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OVERNIGHT RECAP: Northern Israel
▪️Sirens sounded in Shtula following launches from Lebanon. The IDF intercepted the rockets & struck the launcher used to fire, along with an additional ready-to-launch launcher.
▪️3 Hezbollah terrorists were eliminated after unsuccessfully launching a surface-to-air missile toward an IAF aircraft.
▪️In 2 separate incidents, Hezbollah terrorists launched rockets and an explosive UAV toward IDF soldiers operating south of the Forward Defense Line in southern Lebanon.
These actions constitute blatant violations of the ceasefire understandings.
▪️Sirens sounded in Shtula following launches from Lebanon. The IDF intercepted the rockets & struck the launcher used to fire, along with an additional ready-to-launch launcher.
▪️3 Hezbollah terrorists were eliminated after unsuccessfully launching a surface-to-air missile toward an IAF aircraft.
▪️In 2 separate incidents, Hezbollah terrorists launched rockets and an explosive UAV toward IDF soldiers operating south of the Forward Defense Line in southern Lebanon.
These actions constitute blatant violations of the ceasefire understandings.
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This is an unprecedented large-scale humanitarian international effort, under the responsibility of the Board of Peace's CMCC.
Gaza is receiving aid massively, every single day.
Hundreds of trucks entering. Millions of meals produced. Medical supplies delivered.
Gaza is receiving aid massively, every single day.
Hundreds of trucks entering. Millions of meals produced. Medical supplies delivered.
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Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar:
"I welcome the great state of Missouri’s adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism - an important step in the global fight against antisemitism.
Thank you Governor Mike Kehoe for your leadership, and to Rep. George Hruza and Senator Curtis Ttrent for advancing this essential initiative.
The IHRA definition is a vital tool in confronting the ugly realities of antisemitism, including the delegitimization of the State of Israel."
"I welcome the great state of Missouri’s adoption of the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism - an important step in the global fight against antisemitism.
Thank you Governor Mike Kehoe for your leadership, and to Rep. George Hruza and Senator Curtis Ttrent for advancing this essential initiative.
The IHRA definition is a vital tool in confronting the ugly realities of antisemitism, including the delegitimization of the State of Israel."
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Forwarded from Gpo news
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Iran and Lebanon
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this afternoon (Friday, 24 April 2026) [translated from Hebrew]:
"I promised you that we would change the face of the Middle East, and that is exactly what we are doing. First and foremost, in Iran: I have had an excellent conversation with President Trump. He is applying very strong pressure on Iran, both economically and militarily. We are operating in full cooperation.
The same applies to Lebanon: We have begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this. We are maintaining full freedom of action against any threat, including emerging ones. We attacked yesterday and we attacked today. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the North."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this afternoon (Friday, 24 April 2026) [translated from Hebrew]:
"I promised you that we would change the face of the Middle East, and that is exactly what we are doing. First and foremost, in Iran: I have had an excellent conversation with President Trump. He is applying very strong pressure on Iran, both economically and militarily. We are operating in full cooperation.
The same applies to Lebanon: We have begun a process to achieve a historic peace between Israel and Lebanon, and it is clear to us that Hezbollah is trying to sabotage this. We are maintaining full freedom of action against any threat, including emerging ones. We attacked yesterday and we attacked today. We are determined to restore security to the residents of the North."
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