So far, no country has formally announced that it will join the ISF. Even states that were expected early on to take part have yet to do so. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, whose country was considered a leading candidate to join the force, said earlier this week that "the questions we raised have not been fully answered. Therefore, there is no final decision regarding the participation of Azerbaijani military personnel."

With this vacuum, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is attempting to push his country's forces into taking part of the ISF. As Israel Hayom previously reported, Netanyahu vetoed Turkish military involvement at the outset of the process, citing Erdogan's close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, his sympathy for Hamas, and his persistent antisemitism.

The US accepted Israel's position. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said publicly that the administration would not force Israel to accept the participation of countries it does not want involved.

Still, with more than two months having passed since the end of the war and the force still not established, Turkey is renewing its efforts. Recent reports claim Erdogan's forces are already prepared for deployment. At the same time, new messages have been conveyed to Jerusalem urging Israeli officials to reconsider Turkey's inclusion in the ISF. Netanyahu, however, continues to reject these proposals.

The post Turkey pushes for role in Gaza force despite Israeli veto appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Israel Hayom has learned that Azerbaijan – an ally of Israel that considered joining the force several weeks ago – conveyed in recent days the message that it will not agree to endanger the lives of its soldiers in Gaza. In Baku, as in other countries, officials are currently discussing participation in the ISF as part of reconstruction processes and maintaining calm, but not at the stage currently required of disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Strip.

During Thursday's cabinet session, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disclosed to ministers a fundamental agreement exists between him and President Donald Trump's representatives: if no alternative actor emerges to eliminate Hamas, and if the organization refuses voluntary disarmament, Israel assumes the mission. Both Netanyahu and IDF representatives at the Kiryat Gat international headquarters hear explicit American commitments to Gaza demilitarization, as Trump's plan stipulates.

"Hamas growing stronger"

During Thursday's Diplomatic-Security Cabinet session, IDF and Shin Bet representatives briefed ministers that Hamas has not only failed to surrender weapons as pledged, but actively exploits the period for renewed armament and force building. The Shin Bet representative stated, "Hamas is exploiting the ceasefire to strengthen its power to prepare against us, in case we enter to operate in the red side of Gaza, and also to appoint officials in the organization."

The intelligence assessment stressed the organization exploits dual-use materials entering Gaza through international supply channels to rearm. The terrorists additionally gather IDF ordnance fragments, converting them for their purposes, including explosive device production. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted in this context, "every day the Americans search for who will demilitarize Gaza, they (Hamas) grow stronger."

Netanyahu added, "it's clear from all contacts that if there's no external force, we're demilitarizing." Netanyahu also disclosed he demanded Americans postpone Gaza rehabilitation until demilitarization implementation. "I told the Americans that they must ensure demilitarization on the ground of Hamas, before any rehabilitation," he stated.

According to him, "The Americans agree that there won't be rehabilitation in the green side (held by the IDF) as long as there's no rehabilitation in the red side (held by Hamas)." It should be noted that according to sources close to the White House, this principle is accepted by Jared Kushner and he currently doesn't expect Gaza rehabilitation to begin before the military threat posed by Hamas is removed.

Israel Hayom has learned that Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir detailed at the previous cabinet meeting, last Thursday ten days ago, from which points in the Gaza Strip the IDF must not withdraw under any circumstances. According to the chief of staff, even if the unexpected occurs and Hamas lays down its weapons, the IDF must show presence in the area. Zamir's position is also that reconstruction of Gaza should not be agreed to in any part of the Strip without demilitarization being carried out.

The post International force for Gaza unlikely as countries refuse to deploy troops appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The UN Security Council has advanced preparations for a resolution on Gaza's future implementing President Donald Trump's comprehensive peace framework, responding to Indonesian and Azerbaijani demands for Security Council authorization before deploying troops as the primary component of an international stabilization force in the Strip.

The ISF is designed to be the sole military force in Gaza under Trump's framework, with responsibility for dismantling terror infrastructure and demilitarizing the Strip.

The post Security Council draft reveals plan for international force in Gaza through 2027 appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Indonesia has a longstanding history of contributing troops to international policing missions under the United Nations, including to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Israel has maintained close and longstanding relations with Azerbaijan across various fields, including security cooperation.

The move to deploy troops from these two Muslim-majority countries comes after Israel blocked Turkey's participation in the Gaza force. Israel Hayom has learned that the US accepted Israel's position, and Turkish forces will not take part in military operations in Gaza.

Israel Hayom has also revealed that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates declined to participate in the mission. Additionally, President Donald Trump has made clear that US troops will not enter Gaza. The idea of deploying Qatari soldiers to demilitarize Gaza was never considered, leaving Azerbaijan and Indonesia as the last viable options.

The process of coordinating the deployment of troops from Indonesia and Azerbaijan is underway but still in its early stages. One obstacle is Indonesia's insistence that any international force must be authorized by a UN Security Council resolution.

Talks toward securing such a resolution have begun. However, Israel remains wary of Security Council resolutions, citing bitter past experiences and the inability to enforce decisions effectively. At the same time, France is pushing to include the establishment of a Palestinian state in the proposed resolution, a step to which Israel is firmly opposed. Intense negotiations are ongoing among the involved parties in an effort to reach a mutually acceptable formulation.

There is skepticism in Israel about whether such a resolution could pass, and whether an international force—if formed—would be capable of carrying out its mandate. For now, the political directive to the defense establishment is to give the US-backed plan a chance. However, many believe that at some stage, Israeli military action will be necessary to achieve these goals.

Another unresolved issue under discussion is whether the IDF would retain operational freedom to act against Hamas threats in Gaza, similar to how it currently operates against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The post Indonesia and Azerbaijan to lead Gaza Stabilization Force appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

This describes the individual sometimes dubbed "rabbi to kings." Schneier's persona has been linked for years with Arab and Muslim state leaders worldwide, from Saudi Arabia's monarch to Azerbaijan's president, from Qatar's emir to the United Arab Emirates' ruler. In an exclusive Israel Hayom interview, Schneier discusses diplomacy and pragmatism through the lens of faith and stated that for him the real prize is not political, but spiritual.

"I'm the 18th generation rabbi in my family," he begins. "I've always wanted to be a rabbi – and to appreciate what it means to be a rabbi."
Schneier received ordination in 1983 by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, yet his calling extends beyond the synagogue and community he founded in the Hamptons, New York. "In my office… one wall has photos with kings and presidents, but the other side overlooks the synagogue. That's what gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment."

"In my family, you have to make two contributions – both congregationally, spiritually, and also from the social-action point of view," he continues, and consequently, in 1989 he founded the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, to restore the historic alliance between African Americans and Jews forged during the civil rights movement in the United States. "Martin Luther King comprehended that whoever struggles for his own rights can only do so if he also battles for others' rights. King was a great champion of Israel… He had zero tolerance for antisemitism."

After two decades leading it, he decided to pursue a new direction, "I thought that the great challenge of my generation would be to find the path to narrow the divide between 16 million Jews and 1.8 billion Muslims. And that's what sent me off on my global journey."

Schneier recounts how Muslim world doors opened before him. "My great patron was the late King of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah… he introduced me to the King of Bahrain, who introduced me to the Emir of Qatar, who introduced me to the ruler of the UAE, who introduced me to [Azerbaijani leader] Aliyev — and then Kazakhstan… Even i24NEWS today said, 'this is the one who planted all the seeds for the Abraham Accords.'"

"I say everywhere – in Riyadh, Doha, Baku, Ankara – anti-Zionism is antisemitism. Israel is not some political 77-year-old aspiration; it's at the very core of our religion." He adds, "How can you be a Jew and not be a Zionist? Why would you bifurcate? … I am, in this work, a watchdog when it comes to Israel." The leaders, according to him, value his consistency.  "One of these leaders said to me, 'Presidents and heads of state, ambassadors — they come and go, and you're always there. We all need a rabbi.'"

Beyond his community position in the Hamptons, he was appointed special advisor by the King of Bahrain to the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence based in Manama, and in 2022 served as interfaith consultant to the World Cup organization in Qatar, whose reputation in Israel naturally transformed completely following the war.

"The Qataris always come through for me… I served as interfaith advisor to the World Cup. I had three conditions: 15,000 Israelis, direct flights between Doha and Tel Aviv, and kosher food," he states, "I brought two rabbis from Turkey...  check, check, check [referring to all three conditions being met]." Qatar itself naturally leveraged the treatment of Israelis to bolster its image, while preserving relations with Israel's adversaries in the Middle East.

He portrays his warm relationship with Aliyev, Azerbaijan's president, whom he calls "like family for me. There's nothing Aliyev wouldn't do for Israel." He recalled telling one Arab leader that if he wanted to normalize relations with Israel, he should simply follow what Azerbaijan does.

With Turkey, Schneier was involved in the thawing of relations between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Isaac Herzog in 2021. "The Turkish ambassador to Washington called Erdoğan from my office… I said it would be a wonderful opportunity for President Erdogan to call President Herzog – which he did. And by March 2022 we had the famous reconciliation meeting in Ankara." Schneier adds that "Erdogan was a big disappointment to me because of his absolute hatred for Netanyahu... Erdogan loves Herzog. Loves him."

He characterizes Hamas as "a perversion of Islam," saying that the war in Gaza "is a war against evil, not a war of religion." According to him, there are 12 Muslim countries that support or express sympathy for Israel. Muslim leaders support Israel's right to defend itself.

Schneier believes the agreement to release the hostages and ceasefire signals a regional transformation. "If Hamas doesn't behave... not only will they have to deal with the Israelis, they'll have to deal with the Americans — and good luck to them." He notes that is an unprecedented opportunity. If Gaza is demilitarized and administered by an Arab consortium and provided economic hope, everything can be transformed.

Regarding the Abraham Accords, Schneier enumerated Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Oman, Syria and Lebanon, as countries that may normalize relations with Israel in the near future. However, he indicated that "There's going to be very little movement in the Arab world until… Israelis recognize that everyone wants to see a Palestinian state – even if only symbolic."

Schneier participated in the "Peace to Prosperity" conference in Bahrain in 2019, and is convinced that Jared Kushner was correct, that money and hope can alter perception. He recalls Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's words, "MBS said to me, 'Rabbi, you probably think I want to normalize relations with Israel because of Iran. That's the second reason. The first is Vision 2030 – the economic transformation of the kingdom that I cannot accomplish without Israel.'"

Schneier divides the region into two blocs, "You have the Saudi bloc – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, even Qatar – and you have the Iranian bloc… Why doesn't anyone recognize that blessing?"

He expresses concern about the situation in New York and the weakening of Jewish influence in the city, and warns against Zohran Mamdani's rise, He [Mamdani] will finesse every issue – police, education, even prostitution – except one: Israel. He won't even recognize Israel as a democratic Jewish state."

At the conversation's conclusion, he sends a warm message to Israelis, "For American Jews, Israelis are a great source of inspiration. We enjoy the security and the strength we have in the Diaspora only because of the State of Israel… It has restored the honor and the dignity of the Jewish people… There's never been a better time to be Jewish than today."

The post In pursuit of normalization: How an American rabbi befriended Arab monarchs appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Against this backdrop, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told The National that Egypt is pushing for a UN Security Council resolution on the matter "as soon as possible."

In an interview, he outlined the general framework of the international force and the mandate that a "peace council" would receive to oversee aid funding. However, he stressed that it would be unacceptable for foreign actors to administer Gaza, saying that the task force should only provide support for Palestinians to manage their own affairs.

"First, we need a Security Council resolution to adopt this plan as early as possible and to give legitimacy to the international force," Abdelatty said, noting that it was essential to define the mission's scope and objectives. "This is very important. Egypt is ready to participate in any framework, but under certain parameters."

Earlier Monday, Egypt's Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that Cairo opposes Israel's vision of maintaining an IDF presence in Gaza. In this context, the report said Egypt is coordinating with France and Britain to promote a Security Council resolution on the rapid deployment of international forces in the enclave. Sources estimated that an agreement on the resolution's wording could be reached within days to prevent the collapse of the ceasefire deal.

The post Report: Egypt to lead force in Gaza with 4,000 troops from Muslim countries appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Trump hosted Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for what he called a "historic peace summit" in Washington. "Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to 'TRUMP'," he wrote on his social media platform.

In a joint gesture, Aliyev announced that he and Pashinyan would submit a joint letter nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

The two countries, Shiite majority but secular Azerbaijan, a close Israeli ally, and Christian Armenia, had been locked in a bloody dispute over borders and ethnic enclaves since the collapse of the Soviet Union, most notably over Nagorno-Karabakh. That region, under Armenian control since the 1990s, was recaptured by Azerbaijan in 2023, leading to the exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians.

Ultimately, it was Trump's resolution of the core territorial dispute that paved the way for the breakthrough agreement.

Although the two sides had reached terms back in March, the signing was delayed due to Baku's demand that Armenia amend its constitution to remove any language suggesting territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Pashinyan, weakened politically at home, had initially refused, fearing electoral defeat.

At the heart of the agreement is a provision granting the US exclusive rights to build a strategic transportation corridor through the South Caucasus. The corridor will connect mainland Azerbaijan with its autonomous Nakhchivan exclave via the Zangezur corridor, which runs through Armenian territory.

The corridor had long been a major sticking point. Baku had sought an extraterritorial route allowing goods to pass from Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan and Turkey without Armenian border checks, while Yerevan feared it would undermine its sovereignty and open the door to future territorial demands.

The American-brokered compromise allows for a middle path: the route will be built and operated by a newly established US corporation but will remain under Armenian law within Armenia's Syunik Province. The corridor is set to be named the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity", or TRIPP.

The agreement represents a stinging diplomatic defeat for the Kremlin, which has long viewed the South Caucasus as its backyard. Moscow, bogged down in Ukraine, has been unable to dedicate resources to the region.

The post Major foreign policy win for Trump as Armenia and Azerbaijan sign peace deal at White House appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Iran and Azerbaijan began a joint military exercise on Sunday in the Karabakh region, which was captured by Baku from Armenia approximately two years ago, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The report indicates IRGC forces crossed the border Sunday morning into the area where the joint "Aras 2025" exercise will take place. A similar exercise was conducted last year between the two countries, which share a border and maintain a complex relationship. However, the decision to conduct this exercise in territory captured from Armenia – traditionally an Iranian ally – suggests a potential warming of relations between Baku and Tehran.

Video: Iran and Azerbaijan's joint military exercise

The exercise, featuring special forces from both the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Azerbaijani military, will continue until May 21. General Vali Madani, the IRGC Ground Forces Deputy Commander for Operations and commander of the joint exercise, said that special forces crossed the land border at Bileh Savar in Ardabil province in northwestern Iran to participate in the drills.

"This exercise represents a significant step in strengthening security along our shared border and addressing potential threats," Madani added. The backdrop to these exercises includes the notably close relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel, which encompasses arms sales and diplomatic mediation between Jerusalem and Ankara regarding the situation in Syria. An Azerbaijani military delegation previously visited Iran's Ardabil province last November to observe an earlier exercise called "Aras 2024."

The post Azerbaijan conducts military drill with Iran while maintaining Israeli alliance appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The talks are expected to focus on several key regional and bilateral issues. Chief among them is the ongoing Israeli-Turkish dialogue, facilitated by Azerbaijan, regarding Syria. The agenda will also include discussions on Azerbaijan potentially joining the Abraham Accords, particularly in the economic and commercial spheres, and ways to further deepen bilateral relations between Israel and Azerbaijan, as well as their ties with the United States and Central Asia.

The planned meeting follows recent diplomatic activity in the region, including the visit of US envoy Steve Witkoff to Baku and an Israeli-Turkish negotiation round also hosted there. This flurry of diplomatic engagement comes amid a backdrop of high-level regional contacts, including a public letter of thanks from former US President Donald Trump to President Aliyev for Azerbaijan's role in mediation efforts, and successive meetings between Aliyev and the presidents of Turkey and Syria.

Aliyev's active mediation and engagement are turning him into a pivotal diplomatic player, uniquely positioned to bridge divides among various regional actors and contribute to regional stability in the Middle East.

The post Netanyahu to visit Azerbaijan appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The visit follows "technical talks" held in Baku two weeks ago between senior Israeli and Turkish delegations, aimed at preventing military friction between the two countries in Syrian territory. President Aliyev recently met separately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syria's new ruler, Ahmad al-Sharaa (al-Julani), making Netanyahu's visit appear as a natural continuation of these diplomatic efforts.

Aliyev, who typically keeps his country's international dealings and ties with Israel under wraps, recently made a rare public statement: "Both countries are close friends of Azerbaijan. We are allies with Turkey, and Israel is a friendly nation to Azerbaijan. Over many years, this mutual friendship has proven itself during difficult times for both countries. Therefore, the current tension between them is very concerning and a matter of great worry for us. As is well known, Azerbaijan played a modest role in facilitating the first successful reconciliation between Turkey and Israel in 2023."

In addition to the Turkish-Syrian issue, Netanyahu and Aliyev are expected to discuss the full spectrum of bilateral and regional relations. Israel and Azerbaijan maintain strategic ties, including the supply of oil and its derivatives to Israel—a flow that continued uninterrupted through Turkey even during wartime. Azerbaijan shares a border with Iran, and relations between the two neighbors remain highly strained. The Islamic Republic has made repeated attempts to carry out terrorist attacks on Azerbaijani soil, including plots targeting Israeli diplomats.

According to foreign reports, Israel sells Azerbaijan advanced weapons systems. Recently, Energy Minister Eli Cohen visited Azerbaijan and signed cooperation agreements. Netanyahu's last visit to the country took place in 2016.

The post Amid regional tensions, Netanyahu expected to visit Azerbaijan appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.