This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Amsterdam mayor nixes Christians for Israel rally because city 'cannot guarantee safety'
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema announced in a meeting with pro-Israel groups in the Netherlands who asked to hold a rally against anti-Semitism in the country scheduled for Thursday that it could not take place in Dam Square since the city couldn't "guarantee the safety of attendees at that location."
Frank van Oordt, director of Christians for Israel in the Netherlands, said the rally must take place. "We believe the rally must proceed, even if at a different location. We considered legal action but determined there wasn't enough time to pursue it effectively," he said.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon came into effect at 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, bringing an end to almost 14 months of Hezbollah-initiated fighting across the northern border, which began the day after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror onslaught in southern Israel.
Ted Cruz 'deeply disturbed' by Obama-Biden officials' pressure on Israel to accept ceasefire
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement Tuesday, in which he criticized the Biden administration for being "pathologically obsessed" with undermining Israel. Further, he wrote he was "deeply disturbed both by reports that Obama-Biden officials exerted enormous pressure on our Israeli allies to accept this ceasefire and by how those officials are characterizing Israel's obligations."
Biden takes credit for Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, says 'peace is possible'
"I applaud the courageous decision made by the leaders of Lebanon and Israel to end the violence. It reminds us that peace is possible," Biden said in a hopeful speech from the White House Rose Garden in which he announced that the deal would come into effect at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday morning.
Hamas intimates willingness to talk truce deal after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
A high-ranking Hamas official has told French news agency AFP Wednesday that the terror group is prepared to enter into a ceasefire arrangement mirroring the recent agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Though the source did not specify ceasefire terms, Hamas has maintained its demands for a permanent cessation of hostilities, backed by international guarantees and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.
IDF fires warning shots at suspected Hezbollah operatives encroaching on border
IDF forces on Wednesday morning responded to a ceasefire violation by the Hezbollah terrorist group.
During the incident, Hezbollah terrorists neared the Lebanese village of Kfarkela, which overlooks the northern Israeli town of Metula. Spotting the terrorists, the Israeli forces fired warning shots.
Reports emerged Wednesday that the three Uzbek nationals wanted for their alleged perpetration of the murder of Moldovan-Israeli Chabad emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan in Abu Dhabi last week, were apprehended in Turkey and promptly extradited to the United Arab Emirates.
Former N.Y. Gov. Cuomo joins Dershowitz's legal 'dream team' to fight ICC arrest warrants
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo – who is potentially eyeing up a run for New York City mayor – has joined forces with Harvard professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz on a so-called legal dream team to challenge the recently issued International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant.
Former Justice Minister: ICC decision breaches own foundational principles
Prominent human-rights lawyer and former Canadian justice minister Irwin Cotler, about whom it was recently revealed he has an Iranian bounty on his head requiring a 24/7 security detail, said in an interview the International Criminal Court's issuance of warrants for the arrest of Israel's Prime Minister and former defense minister Yoav Gallant went against the body's own foundational principles. "To me, that was a breach of his own principle of cooperation, let alone also the principle of complementarity," he said.
Netanyahu agrees to ceasefire after quid pro quo with France over ICC arrest warrants
France indicated that it may ignore the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials, a statement from the Élysée Palace said on Wednesday.
The statement reiterated that France would respect its international obligations and understood that the Rome Statute requires full cooperation with the ICC. However, it noted, "A State cannot be required to act in a manner inconsistent with its obligations under international law concerning the immunities of the States not party to the ICC."
IDF names Druze soldier killed in northern Gaza fighting
The Israel Defense Force released the name of the 13th Druze soldier to be killed in the Swords of Iron War – Sgt. Tamer Othman. He fell in a clash between Jabaliya and Beit Lahiya during a raid in the area and became the 806th Israeli military fatality since Oct. 7, 2023.
UNRWA announces closure of its East Jerusalem HQ
UNRWA has announced the closure of its East Jerusalem headquarters, following recent Israeli legislation severing ties with the organization. Palestinian employees have been notified that their positions at the Sheikh Jarrah (Shimon HaTzadik) facility will be terminated.
UNRWA's presidential office in Sheikh Jarrah houses the organization's legal department, which oversees the agency's legal matters across all areas of operation. The facility also includes the agency's spokesperson's office and its central communications department.
