1) At the Jerusalem Journal, Sara E Brown writes about the IAGS declaration.
“On September 1, the International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS) drew international headlines by declaring that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The vote — taken by just 129 of an estimated 500 members — was based on discredited sources, a faulty reading of international law, and deeply prejudiced assumptions.”
2) Writing at Ynet, Nadav Eyal explains why ‘Empty gestures make Mideast peace harder’.
“By linking recognition to the Gaza war, countries around the world present Palestinian statehood not as a solution but as a punishment. Naturally, this angers Israelis and further erodes what little desire exists for a Palestinian state. It also fractures the legitimacy of the very idea by making it appear the outcome of terror and animosity toward Israel and the U.S., rather than compromise and a political process. It is also futile: when British or French officials are asked what practical effect recognition will have, they admit the move is largely symbolic.”
3) At the INSS, Tamir Hayman and Ofer Guterman discuss ‘Trump’s Initiative for the Gaza Strip: Risks and Opportunities’.
“President Trump’s initiative for the Gaza Strip, which received the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and of Arab states, represents an important attempt both to break the deadlock in which Israel has found itself in its war against Hamas and to move from a bilateral confrontation framework to a multilateral process involving the United States and Arab states. The initiative also signals a welcome intention to integrate political and military efforts—through the reconstruction of the Strip and the cultivation of a governmental and ideological alternative to Hamas—as vital components of a multidimensional strategy to eradicate the organization. The initiative is positive for Israel, especially if Hamas accepts it, but also in the more likely case that it rejects it.”
4) MEMRI reports that ‘The Palestinian Authority Has Not Stopped Its Pay-To-Slay For Prisoners And Families Of Martyrs’.
“The Palestinian Authority (PA) is currently paying out the salaries to Palestinian prisoners, contrary to Western media reports that these payments have been stopped. As a matter of fact, the PA has not suspended its practice of “pay to slay” – that is, paying salaries to between 35,000 and 40,000 Palestinian prisoners who carried out attacks on Israelis, including civilians, and to the families of “martyrs,” i.e. terrorists killed in these attacks. All the PA actually did was to issue a presidential decree on February 10, 2025 technically changing how the funds are paid: in accordance with socioeconomic criteria instead of the severity of the crime. This allows these payments to be presented as social assistance instead of encouragement of terrorism.”
5) At the FDD, Ahmad Sharawi reports on ‘The Quiet Return of Hezbollah’s Smuggling Network in Syria’.
“Hezbollah may not be fully up and running in Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, but it is still seeking to take advantage of the instability in the country, along with other militant groups. The Iranian-backed terror group is still using Syria as a corridor to arm its forces in Lebanon, and just as troubling, a Syrian official confirmed that remnants of Iran-linked militias continue to operate in Quneitra, close to Israel’s border.”
