Deliberations on MK Limor Son Har-Melech's "death penalty for terrorists" bill commenced Monday morning before the National Security Committee under Chairman MK Zvika Fogel.

The Otzma Yehudit MKs' decision to come sporting noose-shaped lapel pins was supposed to show their determination to secure capital punishment for terrorists and conveying the message that "terrorists are condemned to die." The pin bears the same color as that worn over the past two years in solidarity with the Gaza hostages held by Hamas.

During the hearing, Ben-Gvir declared, "We all wore these pins, which represent one method we'll employ to carry out the terrorist death penalty statute. Naturally we have the guillotine option, the electric chair option, and lethal injection as well. Since reports emerged that physicians refused to participate in implementing the law, I've fielded 100 inquiries from doctors asking Itamar, just say when."

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Whether these launchers were deployed as part of Hezbollah's broader effort to restore military capabilities or as preparation for shorter-term retaliation to potential IDF-initiated operations remains unclear. Recent weeks brought reports that Israel prepares for extensive operations in southern Lebanon, given the Lebanese Armed Forces' failure (or refusal) to secure the territory.

Yesterday, Lebanese Armed Forces chief Rodolphe Haykal stated operations advance as planned, yet Israeli sources note Hezbollah rebuilds infrastructure faster than expected, forcing Israel to act independently. Israeli activity seems designed partly to pressure Lebanon's government – via the United States and France – while threatening war renewal.

In the Gaza front, IDF forces leverage Hamas ceasefire violations to impose costs on the organization. Initial responses targeted specific violations – operatives crossing the yellow line faced elimination – but now each incident triggers broader strikes (yesterday brought elimination of mid-level Hamas military wing operatives). Palestinian accusations that Israel seeks to destroy the agreement sound exaggerated currently, as Israel apparently pushes the organization toward full agreement compliance, while three deceased hostages remain in Gaza.

Israel won't risk combat resumption without explicit American approval. President Donald Trump currently embraces the agreement – he hosted released living hostages at his office last week – and actively promotes subsequent phases, including unprecedented economic deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, some carrying significant Israeli implications. Jerusalem exploits this to pressure Hamas and its Doha and Ankara sponsors, though unlike the Lebanese model, Israeli operational latitude appears limited.

The Judea and Samaria front currently appears most volatile, amid sharply increased Palestinian terror activity and violent incidents – some constituting actual terror – by Jewish extremists. IDF and Shin Bet forces must allocate greater attention to this theater, whose impact exceeds its geographic boundaries: developments there could affect all other theaters and ignite them, carrying extensive political consequences. Last week, the prime minister and defense minister vowed forceful action against Jewish violence, yet senior officials report field measures remain "insufficient and weak." They describe this as "playing with fire" risking loss of control.

Behind activity across these three fronts, Israeli concern about Iranian developments grows. Various international media reports suggest that five months after the first Iran war concluded, parties edge toward a second Iran conflict. Israel particularly worries about accelerated Iranian missile production (reports indicate Iran already possesses missile quantities matching pre-war levels), plus continued refusal to cooperate with the Atomic Energy Committee on its nuclear program.

This intense security activity won't diminish significantly soon. Intensity levels may shift, but challenges persist, requiring defense forces to maintain extensive, complex deployments. Against this backdrop, government efforts advancing the draft evasion law become more conspicuous, directly opposing IDF requirements and Israeli society's needs while spotlighting government preference for immediate interests over long-term state and citizen welfare.

A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute, highlighted by Lilach Shoval, reflects this dynamic. Results underpin low public government trust, with officials perceived as evading October 7 accountability. This contrasts with the IDF, maintaining high public confidence despite troubling declines in commander trust and investigation credibility. The Israeli public views the IDF as a protected institution: preserving this status demands internal reform plus insisting government halt efforts weakening military strength.

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Sources in Washington said that despite the positive atmosphere in the talks and the success in reaching agreements on Saudi investments in the US and other civil matters, security issues remain unresolved and contacts on the subject will continue. Regarding normalization with Israel, the Saudis presented a stubborn position stating they would be ready to begin talks only upon the full conclusion of the war, through the completion of Phase B of the Donald Trump plan.

The American response was that the Saudis are giving Hamas veto power, as Hamas refuses to advance to talks or disarm, partly due to Iranian pressure on several regime officials. Iran aims to torpedo or delay such normalization, which strengthens the regional alliance against it.

A second demand raised by the Saudis is the full establishment of the path to establishing a Palestinian state. Reports indicated that Israel, meaning Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, must publicly confirm his commitment regarding this clause in the Donald Trump plan and the Security Council resolution. As Israel Hayom revealed, Riyadh made clear in early contacts that it could not sign onto joining the Abraham Accords and normalization with the government in its current composition, meaning with the right-wing parties of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

This concerns not only statements by the right-wing MKs against a Palestinian state or Saudi Arabia itself, but mainly their push to expand the settlements. A Saudi diplomatic source told Israel Hayom that it is clear to the Saudi leadership that in the current government, Netanyahu will struggle to advance the basic conditions for promoting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Saudis do not rule out talks with Israel soon, and even reaching agreements on civil and economic matters – but they rule out normalization and official accession to the Abraham Accords with the current Israeli government.

An Arab diplomatic official said the prevailing assessment is that such official talks would begin with the war's conclusion phase, but unofficial talks and contacts between the countries would continue and even accelerate before then, due to pressure from Donald Trump. "We estimate that the acceptance of Saudi security requests, or at least most of them, will be announced then," the official said. The official referred here to the supply of advanced weapons types, including F-35 stealth aircraft.

Regarding the issue of selling the advanced aircraft to Saudi Arabia, Israel did not object in principle but asked the US for two things. First, Israel asked to supply the Saudis with models that do not possess the most sophisticated systems available for the aircraft. Donald Trump said Tuesday that in his opinion it is possible to give Saudi Arabia and Israel the same systems, but the Pentagon and the State Department believe Israel's qualitative edge must be preserved in this aspect.

The president added that Israel is aware of the entire issue of the aircraft sale, and it will be very satisfied with the results of this move, meaning it will gain in other places. The second request is receiving specific security items and access to technologies that until now existed only in the hands of the US military and were not sold to Israel. There is some progress here, although the entire request was not fulfilled.

An Israeli security official criticized the diplomatic level for not sharing the management of contacts with the administration with the relevant security echelon, noting that in the past this level was involved in talks such as these. The official said the approach to the security echelon occurred only after the objection in principle to the sale had already been removed.

The IDF, incidentally, is not very concerned about the sale of F-35 aircraft to Saudi Arabia, as the Israeli qualitative edge lies in the levels of technology integration of the aircraft with other technologies and systems, as well as in the much higher skill of the Israeli pilots.

In the diplomatic bottom line, Israel has swallowed a bitter pill in the form of consent to the "path to a Palestinian state" clause. It will swallow another bitter pill or two regarding weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region. The first and major return, the hostages and remaining in Gaza, has been accepted. Now the diplomatic return is awaited, though its political price will be high.

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The rally

The "Torah Cry" rally comes amid the efforts by MK Boaz Bismuth, from Likud, to introduce new legislation that would end the blanket exemption Haredim have on joining the IDF as part of the mandatory service that applies to virtually all Jews and Druze in Israel. The protest, nicknamed the "Million Man Rally" because organizers planned to gather roughly one million people at the event, was scheduled to start Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Jerusalem's entrance and continue approximately two hours, according to event organizers.

Organizers urged the public intending to reach the capital to do so during early morning hours. Large national transportation groups reported strong response to arrive at these times.

The rally, whose concept had been abandoned multiple times because of disagreements about its character, was expected to draw participation from Litvaks, Hasidim and Sephardim, unlike most highway demonstrations which primarily include members of the extremist Jerusalem Peleg faction.

Traffic arrangements

Route 1 will close to traffic beginning at 12:00 p.m. until the rally concludes – in both directions – from the Latrun region until Jerusalem's entrance. Police stressed that city entry will be permitted only for pre-organized buses. Route 443 will stay open to traffic.

Area community residents, such as Shoresh, Mevasseret Zion, Beit Meir, Neve Ilan, etc., along with those employed in these communities, will be permitted to pass.

These streets will close to traffic within Jerusalem:

Givat Shaul Street will close to vehicle traffic in both directions. Jaffa Street will close from HaTurim Street to Jeremiah Street in both directions. Givat Shaul-Ramot interchange will close in all directions. Ben Zvi/Rabbi Shmuel Baruch Street will close toward the city entrance. Shazar Boulevard will close toward the Givat Shaul interchange. Herzl Boulevard will close from Rabin Junction toward the String Bridge. Malchei Yisrael-Sarei Yisrael junction will close toward Nordau Circle and Jeremiah Street.

Additionally, access roads and further closures on surrounding streets leading to gathering locations, the city entrance zone and central Jerusalem are expected to close for varying time periods as needed.

Yitzhak Navon Railway Station at Jerusalem's entrance will close from 2:00 p.m. until operations resume after the rally ends. Israel Railways stated that "all train lines and stations except Yitzhak Navon will function as usual."

Initially, the railway station was supposed to shut at 12:30 p.m., but after pressure applied on police and the Ministry of National Security, the closing time was pushed to 1:30 p.m. Ultimately, officials announced the final train to Jerusalem would arrive Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at Navon Station.

Earlier, Shas chairman Aryeh Machluf Deri contacted railway management to get answers about the decision to shut Yitzhak Navon Station. "Such a decision will cause tens of thousands to get stranded throughout the country and block intersections. This is an illegitimate decision that will block a huge public from arriving and praying. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pledged to work to find a solution immediately."

Sources in the rally leadership who spoke with Israel Hayom voiced frustration regarding the railway matter – which seems not to be reaching resolution. "We expect the arbitrary decision to shut the railway station in Jerusalem to be reversed," they said. "This is a decision that will trigger complete chaos. If the crowds who planned to arrive in Jerusalem stay in the cities, they will simply head out for spontaneous protests on the main routes throughout the country. We hope the railway crisis will be resolved – and if not, we'll examine splitting the protest."

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The statement clarified that a criminal investigation has been launched regarding the video's publication, with potential involvement of Military Advocate General personnel being probed. Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir approved the chief military prosecutor's leave request, "pending clarification of additional details on the matter," the statement said.

In July 2024, the Military Police initiated an investigation into suspected abuse of a Palestinian terrorist at the Sde Teiman facility. Throughout the investigation, a video recording the soldiers' purported conduct leaked to media outlets, displaying an assault on the terrorist by five reserve soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention center. The accused soldiers rejected the suspicions, asserting they acted to control a terrorist who assaulted them and that the force they employed was proportionate. Right-wing sources argued the leak harms Israel as a moral nation.

Defense Minister Israel Katz responded to the decision, saying, "Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir informed me that following a criminal investigation proceeding in the Sde Teiman recording leak matter, and examination of Military Prosecution personnel involvement in the matter, the decision was made that the chief military prosecutor would take leave. I welcome and back the decision – we're talking about a serious matter that generated a blood libel against IDF soldiers domestically and internationally, and it must be examined and investigated completely."

The attorney general's office also announced an investigation would commence, with the High Court of Justice updated on the development. "Following information obtained recently, the attorney general decided to instruct the opening of a criminal investigation concerning offenses related to publishing the video from the Sde Teiman matter. At this stage, as the investigation continues, no additional details can be disclosed."

MK Tzvi Succot reacted on X to the IDF spokesperson's announcement regarding the investigation's launch. "Amid Israel's most difficult war in history, the chief military prosecutor opted to accuse IDF fighters as though they participated in raping terrorists. The video leaked from investigation materials in the chief military prosecutor's custody, along with the groundless charges the chief military prosecutor circulated about the fighters, transformed into insane anti-Israel propaganda globally during wartime – straight to jail!"

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yariv Levin also commented, noting the timing with legislation passage dividing the attorney general's position. "It's no coincidence that right after passing the bills concerning legal counsel to the government in preliminary Knesset reading, we learned about the decision to authorize launching a criminal investigation in the Sde Teiman matter, and about the chief military prosecutor's leave. Appointing the Shin Bet chief and the Public Ombudsman for Judges, along with promoting legal legislation and the resolute struggle to reveal truth and apply equal enforcement, are generating historic transformation before our eyes. I'll persist fearlessly until justice is entirely achieved."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated, "The investigation concerning Sde Teiman and the chief military prosecutor's 'leave' departure represents a dramatic shift in protecting democracy from criminal behavior disguised as legal action. Everyone implicated in the matter should be held accountable, including the Attorney General herself, who initially attempted to sabotage the investigation with a deceptive High Court of Justice statement."

At Honenu, the organization defending several soldiers charged in the Sde Teiman matter, officials praised the investigation's opening regarding the video leak. The organization now weighs stopping the mediation procedure in the case and demanding indictment withdrawal against Unit 100 fighters. Attorneys Adi Keidar, Nati Rom, and Moshe Polsky described this as an essential measure, arguing the video leak aimed to tarnish the fighters' standing and harmed the IDF's and state's reputation.

Simultaneously, Honenu's lawsuit against Channel 12 News, reporter Guy Peleg, and the IDF for 2 million shekels ($564,000) in defamation damages regarding the video's publication is currently under consideration. The attorneys additionally insisted that all personnel connected to the matter's investigation be removed from their roles.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an urgent meeting Tuesday afternoon after his testimony in court was cut short due to security developments.

Video: IDF forces delineating Yellow Line / Credit: IDF

Israel is examining a series of punishment measures against Hamas for repeated agreement violations. Some of the sanctions under consideration include moving the yellow line westward, meaning expanding Israeli-controlled territory; re-entering the Netzarim Corridor to restrict Palestinian movement; reducing aid convoys and limiting entry of goods; and continuing the closure of the Rafah crossing.

A first penalty step was already decided when Hamas operatives were banned from working with the Red Cross in Israeli-controlled areas. The move was approved earlier this week to locate fallen hostages.

Netanyahu already faces pressure from cabinet members, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to "let all hell break loose." Smotrich sent a letter to the prime minister stating, "I intend to demand that the prime minister order the IDF to immediately rearrest all the terrorists released to the West Bank in the hostage deal in response to Hamas's repeated violations."

Ben-Gvir wrote on X, "The fact that Hamas continues playing games and not immediately transferring all our fallen soldiers' bodies proves the terror organization still stands on its feet. The time has come to break those legs once and for all. Now we don't need to 'extract a price from Hamas' for the violations. We need to extract its very existence from it and destroy it completely – in accordance with the central objective defined for the war of revival. Mr. Prime Minister, enough hesitation – give the order!"

Another person who called on Netanyahu to respond forcefully was his main electoral rival and former prime minister, Naftali Bennett. "Not 'we'll settle accounts' and not 'painful response.' Hamas is cancer. Hamas must be destroyed," Bennett wrote.

"Not Learning from Mistakes"

The family of fallen hostage Hadar Goldin responded, "Hamas continues the psychological terror as in all 4,107 days they have held him, except this time Hamas made a mistake from which there will be no way back – this is an act of terror that Hamas is now doing personally and deliberately against US President Donald Trump. We are confident President Trump will respond uncompromisingly, especially in light of the ultimatum he set for the terror organization Hamas. Not only did Hamas not meet its commitment but also in its attempt to humiliate the most powerful man in the world."

"We call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to act according to his commitments, which were guaranteed by all the mediators, including Emir of Qatar Mohammed bin Thani, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Once again, the State of Israel, as has been its pattern for the past 11 years, does not learn from systematic past mistakes, 'pays in advance' to the terror organization Hamas for all its demands despite Hamas violating the agreement already in the first stage – to transfer all information on the location of the fallen soldiers, with all necessary efforts to find and return all the fallen."

"The family and the entire public will continue the uncompromising struggle to return to Israel's soil the heroic soldier Lt. Hadar Goldin. We call on the people of Israel to take to the streets and not give up until the return of the last fallen soldier immediately!"

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Netanyahu was testifying Tuesday morning in his trial at the Tel Aviv District Court, and the meeting was expected to occur after the testimony concluded. The prime minister was expected to meet with senior security officials to address Hamas' repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has yet to return 13 deceased hostages still in its possession. Monday evening, Hamas transferred to the Red Cross, and from there to Israel, the coffin of someone the terror organization claimed was one of the 13 deceased hostages still held.

At the Institute of Forensic Medicine, officials could not identify the deceased, as DNA tests did not match any of those remaining in captivity in Gaza. In light of the developments, Netanyahu was expected to convene a security consultation later Tuesday to discuss how to respond to Hamas' actions.

According to Israeli assessments, Hamas could immediately transfer five deceased hostages to Israeli territory, with several additional deceased hostages recoverable with some effort.

All options under consideration

In recent days, Israel has been examining a series of punitive measures against Hamas for the delay and the delivery of a body that is not one of the 13 hostages, following President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Hamas.

Some of the sanctions include moving the "yellow line" westward – expanding the area of Israeli control, renewed entry to the Netzarim Corridor to restrict Palestinian movement, reducing aid convoys and limiting product entry, and continued closure of the Rafah Crossing.

The measures are being coordinated with the US, which has not ruled out the moves but requested additional time before they are implemented. In talks between Minister Ron Dermer and US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, Dermer warned against erosion of the American threat's impact after Hamas violated President Trump's ultimatum.

"Don't let Hamas play cruelly with families of the deceased"

Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves on the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet, sent an urgent letter to Netanyahu calling for convening the cabinet to discuss response measures.

Smotrich wrote, "Against the backdrop of Hamas' repeated violations of the ceasefire conditions and the first stage of President Trump's plan and against the backdrop of the lack of progress in dismantling and demilitarizing Gaza, I ask you to urgently convene the cabinet today for discussion to formulate a package of strong and determined responses and to ensure our adherence to the central war objective of destroying Hamas and removing the threat emanating from Gaza toward Israeli citizens."

"We cannot allow Hamas to deceive Israeli citizens and play with cruel cynicism with the emotions of the families of the deceased hostages."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said, "The fact that Hamas continues playing games and has not immediately transferred all the bodies of our deceased – this alone shows that the terror organization is still standing on its feet. The time has come to break those legs once and for all."

"Now we don't need to exact a price from Hamas for the violations. We need to exact from it its very existence, and destroy it completely, once and for all – according to the central objective defined for Operation Rising Lion. Mr. Prime Minister, enough hesitating – give the order!"

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Four coffins were transferred to Israel on Tuesday night, including three deceased Israeli hostages – Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch, and Eitan Levi. The fourth one was supposed to be another Israeli hostage, but Hamas apparently used the body of a Palestinian resident of Gaza, although it is unclear if this was a mistake or deliberate.

The Prime Minister's Office released an official statement this morning, which read: "Following the completion of the identification procedure by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in collaboration with the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, IDF representatives notified the families of the hostages Uriel Baruch, Staff Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, and Eitan Levi that their loved ones had been repatriated to Israel and their identification was finalized. The Government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Baruch, Nimrodi, and Levi families, as well as all families of the deceased hostages. The Government and the State of Israel's entire hostage and missing persons apparatus are determined, committed, and are operating relentlessly to return all of our fallen hostages for a respectful burial in their homeland. The Hamas terrorist organization is required to uphold its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the agreement's implementation; we will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all the deceased hostages, every last one. May their memories be blessed".

Aside from the statement, no operational decision has yet been made. The Rafah crossing was not scheduled to open this morning in any event, as the logistical deployment for its opening has not yet concluded. Furthermore, the political echelon has not yet issued a directive regarding the suspension or decrease of humanitarian aid.

A similar case happened when the body of Shiri Bibas was supposed to be handed over to Israel during the previous hostage deal. In the previous exchange on February 20 of this year, Hamas transferred a body to Israel, claiming it was that of Shiri Bibas, a resident of Nir Oz who was kidnapped and murdered in captivity with her two sons – Kfir Bibas and Ariel Bibas. After a protracted examination at the National Center of Forensic Medicine, the body was then discovered to belong to a Palestinian woman who lived in Gaza, and following fury and threats from Israel, Shiri Bibas's body was subsequently transferred and identified.

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, reacted in a post on the X network: "Enough of the disgrace. Right after the gates were opened for hundreds of trucks, Hamas very quickly reverted to its well-known tactics – to lie, deceive, and abuse families and bodies. The Nazi terror understands only force, and the sole path to resolving issues with it is to wipe it from the face of the earth."

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"The claims regarding the mistreatment of Greta Thunberg and other detainees from the Hamas–Sumud flotilla are brazen lies. All the detainees' legal rights are fully upheld. Interestingly enough, Greta herself and other detainees refused to expedite their deportation and insisted on prolonging their stay in custody. Greta also did not complain to the Israeli authorities about any of these ludicrous and baseless allegations – because they never occurred."

Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who filmed himself calling the flotilla participants terrorists after they were transferred to Israel, also addressed the matter.

"I came to visit Ketziot Prison, and I was proud that we are treating the 'flotilla activists' as supporters of terror," he said. "Anyone who is a supporter of terror is a terrorist, and they are entitled to the conditions of terrorists. If any of them believed they would arrive here and receive a red carpet and fanfare – they were mistaken. It would be advisable for them to deeply feel the conditions in Ketziot Prison, and to think twice before approaching Israel again. That is the operating procedure." Israel Hayom has previously reported on a proposal by Ben-Gvir to detain her as a terrorist, although it is unclear if plan was ever adopted.

The Israeli Navy intercepted the 42 boats in the flotilla carrying hundreds of activists last week, including Thunberg, who tried to breach Israel's maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip during Yom Kippur. The vessels were diverted to Ashdod Port, where passengers were handed over to Israeli Police.

The operation, dubbed Shield of the Horizon. According to the military, within 12 hours naval forces gained operational control over the flotilla, preventing what was described as a coordinated attempt to violate Israel's legal blockade on Gaza.

Activists imprisoned after a Gaza-bound flotilla was intercepted on Yom Kippur have accused Israeli authorities of serious mistreatment, with their lawyer Sena Eliküčük preparing to submit a complaint to UN human rights bodies, the Swedish outlet Aftonbladet reports. Eliküčük told the the local press, "I intend to report these violations of human rights to the relevant UN authorities."

Sweden's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which urged Israel to provide adequate care, informed Thunberg's family she had a suspected bed bug bite during detention – a message Eliküčük also received. "They are definitely treated badly," she told TT, and may file a joint ICC complaint.

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For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the American president's decision marks a moment to feel relieved. He now possesses a devastating answer for the right-wing sector of the coalition and members of the Likud who continually press for sovereignty. As is recorded in the Book of Esther: "For a writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no one reverse." What Donald Trump determined is now fact – and nothing can be done about it.

The Yesha Council, which managed a very successful and sophisticated campaign both domestically and in Washington, was able to elevate the idea of sovereignty high in public opinion, but it appears the council failed to accurately pick-up the broader diplomatic mood. It was evident in recent weeks that in light of the international anti-Israeli sentiment sweeping countries, it was just unthinkable to further antagonize the international community with that move.

Instead of insisting on sovereignty until the very end, the Yesha Council could have proposed a wise compromise to Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, and Benjamin Netanyahu: We will forgo the idea of sovereignty, and in return, the French president will withdraw from the initiative to recognize a Palestinian state. As this did not occur – the bitter outcome now is that Israel both received the international recognition of a Palestinian state and forfeited the sovereignty option – without any compensation. The missed opportunity is unfortunate.

However, there is also a somewhat positive angle to Donald Trump's decision. The American president effectively saved Israel from itself. Sovereignty at this juncture would have exacted extremely heavy political and economic costs, primarily in the form of European sanctions even more severe than those still anticipated to arrive. It is highly questionable how successfully Israel could have practically implemented sovereignty on the ground, given that it has more than enough critical issues on its plate to deal with these days.

Sovereignty will absolutely come eventually – but gradually, at a more appropriate time and under better circumstances. Sometimes the truest friend is the one who understands when to say "no."

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