Weekend long read

1) At the INSS, Tamir Hayman discusses ‘Security Concerns of the Gaza Ceasefire and Hostage Release Agreement’.

“The most acute problem of the ceasefire agreement is its gradual and staged implementation, with a troubling transition between the first and second stages. Stage two includes the release of Palestinian terrorists convicted of particularly heinous crimes, the cessation of IDF operations in Gaza, and withdrawal of all IDF forces from the Strip. Unfortunately, chances are great that this ceasefire will only be partial, as Hamas does not know where all the bodies of the slain hostages are located. It is likely that Hamas will make false claims as to the whereabouts of the slain as an “insurance policy” to prevent Israel from renewing the war.”

2) At the Alma Center, Dana Polak looks at ‘The Test of The Israeli-Hezbollah Ceasefire’.

“On January 26, the 60-day mark will be reached since the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah, yet its full implementation remains uncertain.

The agreement mandates that only the Lebanese security forces and the Lebanese army can carry weapons or operate their forces in southern Lebanon. In addition, they must take action to dismantle all the weapons and terrorist infrastructure that Hezbollah has established in the area south of the Litani. The most significant test of the agreement will be the Lebanese army’s activity in areas south of the Litani, where the IDF did not maneuver on the ground and where a large number of weapons and Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure remain unaddressed.”

3) MEMRI reports on ‘The Comprehensive Islamist Activity Of Sheikha Moza, Mother Of The Qatari Emir’.

“It should be noted that, since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Sheikha Moza has used her position to promote Hamas’ narrative, without condemning or distancing herself from the atrocities committed by this terrorist organization against Israeli civilians, including women and children. Sheikha Moza even claimed that Israel uses artificial intelligence to “invent stories and fabricate events.” Since October 7, she has consistently praised the “steadfastness” of the people of Gaza and even eulogized slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7 massacre.”

4) At WINEP Hanin Ghaddar and Ehud Yaari explain why ‘Lebanon’s New Prime Minister Approaches the Next Crossroads on Hezbollah’.

“His emphasis on the port blast is most significant internally. For years, Hezbollah and its political allies worked hard to stop Judge Tarek Bitar from concluding his investigation of that disaster. Just two days after Salam was appointed, however, Bitar charged ten new suspects in the case. If this process goes swiftly, Hezbollah officials and their allies may soon be indicted—an unprecedented action by the Lebanese judicial system.”

5) At the JST, Ben Cohen and Toby Dershowitz report on ‘A Break in the Argentina Murder Case Tied to Iran’.

“On January 10, 2025, an Argentinian federal court’s investigation affirmed that Nisman’s death, which some had sought to depict as a suicide, was in fact a murder. The report concluded that Nisman was murdered because of his work investigating the role of Iran in the bombing and that of Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner in a cover-up during her time in office.”

 

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