Israel , Jews > NOT THE CHURCH!> Till they say??>> Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas "logically" could happen in a Thursday interview with Bloomberg. "I say that with all of the caution that comes with that statement because we've been very close before," he told The Big Take on Thursday. "But what's changed is this: Hamas knows that the cavalry is not coming to the rescue," Blinken continued. "For months and months, It hoped it would get a wider war with Hezbollah, with Iran, with Iranian-aligned groups, coming in and creating more problems from Israel on more fronts and helping Hamas endure." "The fundamental question right now is 'Is Hamas finally prepared to say yes?'" Blinken told The Big Take. "If it does, we get the hostages back. We get a ceasefire. We get an immediate, dramatic improvement in the lives of Palestinian children, women, and men who've been caught in this horrible crossfire since October 7 of Hamas's making. "If they really purport to care about the Palestinian people, they will say yes and do it now." https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-834237 Following several instances in recent months where Pope Francis appeared to endorse Palestinian narratives, Amichai Chikli, Israel's Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, issued a strongly worded protest letter to the Pope. Chikli began his letter: “H.H. Pope Francis, Shalom. It is a well-known fact that Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem, as described in Chapter 2 of the Gospel according to Matthew: ‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king.’” The minister’s first argument referenced a nativity scene featuring the baby Jesus lying in a manger draped with a Palestinian keffiyeh that was showcased in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Italy. After significant backlash, the Vatican chose to remove the display shortly later. “It is a well-known fact that Jesus was born to a Jewish mother, lived as a Jew, and died as a Jew,” Chikli continued. “It is also a well-known fact that the term ‘Jew’ originates from Judah, the fourth son of Leah, from whom the Tribe of Judah descended.” “It is a well-known fact that there were those who sought to eradicate the connection between the Jews and Judah; one of the most prominent of these was Emperor Hadrian,” Chikli wrote, before recapitulating the events of the Bar Kokhba Revolt of 132 C.E. “Two weeks ago, you took part in a display that echoes the Palestinian narrative, portraying Jesus as a Palestinian Arab. There is no other way to understand the decision to present his image in a cradle, wrapped in a keffiyeh. Had this been a one-time matter, I would not have written,” Chikli emphasized, before turning to the second event that prompted him to write the letter. ... Chikli charged: “You echoed the new blood libel, insinuating that the State of Israel ‘might be’ committing genocide in Gaza. You mentioned that allegations of genocide in Gaza should be carefully investigated.” In conclusion, Chikli wrote: “Your guidance, actions, and leadership have tremendous influence worldwide. This is why I kindly ask you to clarify your position regarding the new accusation of genocide against the Jewish state. Truth and God are one.“ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he would not "agree to end the war before we remove Hamas" in an interview with Wall Street Journal editorial writer Elliot Kaufman, which was later published in the US newspaper on Friday. "We’re not going to leave them in power in Gaza, 30 miles from Tel Aviv. It’s not going to happen,” he said amid calls by many to accept a lasting ceasefire-hostage release deal in the Palestinian enclave. The Journal op-ed notes that the Israeli prime minister only envisions such a deal to be a partial one if the Palestinian terrorist organization is still intact. The Israeli leader told Kaufman that Israel is "winning big" against its opponents with the weakening of Hamas and Hezbollah and the dismantlement of Syria's Assad regime, the op-ed notes. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/benjamin-netanyahu/article-834296 Several families of hostages being held in the Gaza Strip have recently received signs of life from their loved ones, Channel 12 News reported on Friday evening. According to the report, the signs of life were received after a lengthy period during which almost no signs were received, except for videos released by the Hamas terror organization. The signs of life were received by the families of several hostages, whose identities were not disclosed to protect their privacy. However, the report noted that there are families who have not received any signs of life from their loved ones for many months. Channel 12 News also reported that the message received by families of hostages who spoke with officials with knowledge of the matter was that negotiations for a deal are ongoing. The families were told that there has been substantial progress and that initial agreements could be reached within a week to ten days. According to the sources who spoke with the families, the military pressure is positively influencing Hamas' position in the negotiations. However, the families were also informed that Hamas could "stall" the negotiations at any moment. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/401067
Blinken: Hamas realizes 'cavalry not coming,' should agree to a ceasefire and 'do it now':
Israeli minister in letter to Pope Francis: 'Jesus lived and died as a Jew':
PM Netanyahu: 'I’m not going to agree to end the war before we remove Hamas' - WSJ:
Report: Signs of life received from several hostages:
