Iran prepares attack on Israel; Jerusalem approves plan to counter-strike Iran TV7 Israel News 12.04

Shalom and good evening, this is TV7 Israel News broadcast to you from Jerusalem; And in today’s top stories; Iran pledges to strike Israel – with a looming attack that may put both countries on a course of direct collision. Jerusalem emphasizes its unwavering determination to achieve all of its goals vis-à-vis Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The United States, France, Britain and Germany, among others, voice Ironclad support for Israel versus Iran – while China and Russia call for restrain. Israel will not relent, as Jerusalem determined set a date for the IDF’s planned offensive into the Southern Gaza Strip’ border-town of Rafah. Israel’s top political brass have reiterated in recent days that the withdrawal of the 98th Division from Khan Younis, leaving the 162nd Division – including the Givati Brigade – to operate in a number of strategic and tactical locations in the northern part of the enclave did not spell an end to the war on the Islamist Hamas and its terror affiliates. We will complete the elimination of Hamas's battalions, including in Rafah. No force in the world will stop us. There are many forces trying to do this but it will not help because this enemy, after what it has done, will not do this again. Neither will it exist. We are committed to doing this, and each one of you now, at this base, will contribute in one way or another to completing the goal. This must be. After doing such a thing to our country (on October 7th) – it will not be done any more. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went on to re-highlight Jerusalem’s war goals, citing four distinct objectives. We have three objectives: One – to return our hostages, all of the field observers, and not just them, but everyone together. We will return them all. The second objective: Eliminating Hamas. The third objective: To ensure that Gaza will never again constitute a threat to Israel. There is a fourth objective: Hamas is part of Iran's axis of evil, which aims to destroy us. And when we defeat Hamas, it is not only defeating Hamas – it is defeating the axis. Everyone in the Middle East and beyond is sitting in the stands and watching who will win on this field, Israel or Iran and its proxies. Who will win? (Soldiers: Israel!) one-hundred percent. You already know it. Alongside Jerusalem’s uncompromising counter-offensive vis-à-vis Hamas in Gaza; It has adopted in parallel a couple of measures to further enhance the flow of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave. While Hamas continues to hold 133 hostages and use Gazans as human shields, Israel continues to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and find new ways to increase this effort. We are constructing the northern crossing, a new land crossing from Israel into northern Gaza to enable more aid to flow directly to civilians in the areas that have been challenging for the trucks to access. This new measures enable us to bring more aid and trucks destined for Gaza from overseas, including the via land crossing with Jordan. It is worth noting that on Wednesday, the IDF Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) inspected and transferred a staggering 741 trucks into the Gaza Strip. However, out of the 741 trucks, the U.N. alongside other International Aid Organizations had distributed merely 267 trucks, of which 146 carried food. Meanwhile at the United Nations Headquarters in New York; The Palestinian Authority is banking on the sinister political climate vis-à-vis Israel to try and persuade the U.N. Security Council to adopt a binding resolution that would pave the road to an un-negotiated recognition of a Palestinian state. It was sent to the Security Council through the Secretary-General of the U.N. It was a historic moment then and now, that historic moment has been revived again. We sincerely hope after 12 years since we changed our status to an observer state, that the Security Council will elevate itself to implementing the global consensus on the two-state solution by admitting the state of Palestine for full membership. In response to the Palestinian Authority’s attempt to evade a negotiated solution, irrespective of the likelihood that talks would facilitate any breakthrough; Israel regards the Palestinian ploy as a “blatant violation of the UN charter.” To the Palestinians, the only solution is a solution where the Jewish state ceases to exist. This is not how you resolve a conflict. This is how you ensure more bloodshed, more violence, and many more October 7ths. An agreement can be agreed upon only at the negotiating table, not by forcing it unilaterally here in New York. The U.N. has been sabotaging peace in the Middle East for years, but today marks the beginning of a point of no return. While the majority of rational states have indicated to Israel that they would not agree to recognize a Palestinian state unless it is part of a negotiated solution; A number of left-leaning governments are openly considering the proposition. We are now 30 years on from the Oslo Accords. Thirty years on from the Accords that put Palestinian statehood at the end of a process. And the failure of this approach by all parties over decades – as well as the Netanyahu Government’s refusal to even engage on the question of a Palestinian state – have caused widespread frustration. So the international community is now considering the question of Palestinian statehood as a way of building momentum towards a two-state solution. Recognizing a Palestinian state – one that can only exist side by side with a secure Israel – doesn’t just offer the Palestinian people an opportunity to realize their aspirations. It also strengthens the forces for peace and it undermines extremism. It undermines Hamas, Iran and Iran’s other destructive proxies in the region. So I say to you a two-state solution is the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence. While Australia, alongside Norway and a number of other Western-oriented nations, are considering a pre-negotiated imposition of a so-called two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict; Jerusalem is bracing itself for an Iranian attack. Following the brutal Iranian-facilitated onslaught of southern Israel by Hamas, the Iranian-proxy Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other terror groups on October 7th, alongside the addition of an Iranian instigated “low-intensity war” by Hezbollah from Lebanon against Israel since October 8th, and repeated attacks by Iranian proxies from Syria, Iraq and Yemen; An Israeli strike on a building next to the Iranian Consulate in Damascus on April first, claiming the lives of seven Iranian IRGC Quds Force officers – including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi who was in charge of the internationally designated terror group’s activities in Lebanon and Syria; Iran has pledged to launch a retaliatory strike against Israel, proper. Alongside a pledge to retaliate by the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei; Tehran’s top diplomat asserted during a subsequent visit to Damascus that Israel would be punished, while also attributing responsibility to Washington as an accomplice of Jerusalem. I want to say from here in Damascus with a loud voice: America is responsible for this terrorist attack and it must take responsibility. The Zionist entity will be punished. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and Military have raised their level of alert to the highest preparedness, while the IDF has also raised its level of alert, while in tandem, has received the necessary approvals to conduct retaliatory strikes against Iran. We are engaged in a multi-sector war. There is no reason to panic. However, there is no place for complacency either. We must be conscious to the situation and perpetually prepared. Know that IDF forces are prepared and operate in all sectors, in the south, north, in Judea and Samaria and in distant sectors. The IDF knows how to contend with Iran, both offensively and defensively. We have prepared for it. We have excellent defensive systems and we know how to operate with force against Iran in locations, both near and far. We act in cooperation with the United States and additional strategic partners in the region. General Halevi went on to stress that while Israel stands ready to face Iran – the threat emanating from the Islamic Republic is not merely an Israeli problem. Since the start of the war, Iran tries to hide and evades its direct involvement. Nevertheless, we know that it activates, directs, finances and transfers knowledge to all of its proxies in the region, from Hezbollah in Lebanon, through Judea and Samaria, all the way to Yemen. Iran doesn’t only threaten Israel. It threatens the entire Western and Arab worlds. Iran has been, and remains, a global problem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a visit to an F-15 Wing at Tel Nof Airbase, emphasized Jerusalem’s basic principle regarding its enemies. We are also preparing for scenarios of challenges from “other” sectors. We have established a basic principle: Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We are preparing to accommodate the state of Israel’s security needs, also defensively, and also offensively. U.S. President Joe Biden, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Schultz and French President Emanuel Macron have all voiced Iron Clad support for Israel – while warning Iran against escalating regional tensions into all-out-war. These days, all diplomatic telephone lines are running hot to prevent a regional escalation in the Middle East. Nobody should add fuel to the fire now. No one can have any interest in a conflagration with completely unforeseeable consequences. All players in the region are called upon to act responsibly and exercise restraint. With this in mind, I also spoke to my Iranian counterpart today. I don't have any calls to announce, but we have been engaged in a series of contacts, not just to his level, but other levels, too, to talk to foreign counterparts, to send this very clear message to Iran that they should not escalate this conflict. While the Biden Administration informed Iran that it had no involvement in the deadly strike on Damascus – U.S. officials have signaled Iran that the United States will not shy away from standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel – while the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was repositioned closer to Israel’s shores. Thank you for watching TV7 Israel News. I would like to encourage you to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and salvation of Israel. Moreover, if you’re blessed by our productions, which are exclusively donation-based and, as such, broadcast free of charge – please consider making a donation. You can do so via our website at www.tv7israelnews.com. I’m Jonathan Hessen, wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and God willing, we will see you during our next update – until then – Shalom from Jerusalem.