Last week, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem issued a joint statement asserting their exclusive authority over the Christian flock in the Holy Land. The letter condemned &#8220;Christian Zionism&#8221; as a damaging ideology that harms Christian unity and serves political agendas. This prompted a sharp rebuttal from U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee and an extensive deconstruction from evangelical circles.
The original statement claimed that the historic Apostolic Churches are the sole representatives of the Christian faith in the region. It accused &#8220;local individuals&#8221; of advancing ideologies that mislead the public and interfere with the internal life of the church. The Patriarchs expressed concern that these individuals—likely referring to a massive delegation of 1,000 U.S. pastors that visited in December 2025—were being welcomed at official levels by the Israeli government, which they viewed as a threat to the indigenous Christian presence.
U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee responded by rejecting the notion of &#8220;exclusivity&#8221; in representing the Christian faith. His response focused on several key points.
Huckabee argued that no single sect should claim a monopoly on the Christian viewpoint, noting that the evangelical tradition is a &#8220;global and growing&#8221; force. He asserted that the foundation of Christianity is Judaism. He argued that if God could break His covenant with the Jewish people, Christians would have no assurance that He would keep His covenant with them. &#8220;The thought that God is even capable of breaking a covenant is anathema to those of us who embrace Holy Scripture as the authority of the church. If God can or would break His covenant with the Jews, then what hope would Christians have that He would keep His covenant with us?&#8221; he stated.
Huckabee redefined the term, stating that a Zionist is simply someone who believes the Jewish people have a right to live in their ancestral homeland. He expressed confusion as to why anyone claiming the &#8220;moniker &#8216;Christian'&#8221; would not also be a Zionist. He urged the Patriarchs to focus on shared truths—such as the sanctity of life and marriage—rather than jurisdictional disputes.
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In response to the statement of non-evangelical churches in Israel, I issued the following. I hope you will read prayerfully.
I love my brothers and sisters in Christ from traditional, liturgical churches and respect their views, but I do not feel any sect of the Christian… <a href="https://t.co/jqohEWk0xJ">pic.twitter.com/jqohEWk0xJ</a>
&mdash; Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/2013697566295101916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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A viral social media post by an Evangelical Christian further deconstructed the Patriarchs’ letter, arguing it was an &#8220;institutional-political statement&#8221; rather than a theological one. The critique followed several lines of reasoning.
The post noted a &#8220;critical omission&#8221;: the Patriarchs’ letter cited only one verse (Romans 12:5) regarding unity, but failed to address the numerous scriptures regarding God’s covenant with Israel. The critique highlighted that the letter ignored Romans 11:29, which states God’s calling is &#8220;irrevocable,&#8221; and Jeremiah 31:35-37, which ties Israel’s existence to the permanence of the sun and stars.
The deconstruction argued that the decline of the Christian population in the Holy Land is not caused by Christian Zionism. It provided statistics to shift the focus: In Bethlehem, the Christian population was 86% in 1950, but dropped to approximately 12% by 2026.
The post cited economic collapse, Islamist intimidation, and property disputes under Palestinian Authority control—factors unrelated to Evangelical theology—as the primary causes of emigration.
The post argued the letter was a response to &#8220;anxiety over loss of control.&#8221; By bypassing traditional hierarchies to meet with Israeli officials, external Christian groups threatened the Patriarchs&#8217; &#8220;monopoly on the Christian voice.&#8221; The critique labeled the Patriarchs’ claim of &#8220;exclusive representation&#8221; as a &#8220;category error,&#8221; asserting that theological beliefs do not require ecclesiastical permission.
The critique slammed the letter for being strategically vague. By not naming the &#8220;local individuals&#8221; or specific &#8220;activities,&#8221; the Patriarchs created an &#8220;ambient guilt&#8221; that allowed them to signal disapproval without having to engage in a documented theological debate.
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<a href="https://t.co/k9dJ8q9HYB">https://t.co/k9dJ8q9HYB</a>
&mdash; Insurrection Barbie (@DefiyantlyFree) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/2013140558416318846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
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While the Patriarchs appealed to historic institutional authority, Huckabee and the Evangelical response appealed to the literal interpretation of Biblical covenants, suggesting that the &#8220;unity&#8221; requested by the Jerusalem leaders was actually a demand for institutional submission.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Holds Nomination Hearing For Mike Huckabee To Be Ambassador To Israel

‘I Hope You Read Prayerfully’: Huckabee Slams Critics Of Christian Zionism

Evangelical Christianity

Israel

Mike Huckabee

Religion

World

The following is an edited transcript from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1893-children-terrified-leftist-mob-storms-church-in-minneapolis?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">The Michael Knowles Show</a>.
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A very controversial statement — at least according to the internet — has just come out of Jerusalem. And not just from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the chief Catholic prelate there, but from the heads of the other historic churches as well: the Armenian Church, the Syriac Church, the Greek Orthodox Church — all the Apostolic churches of Jerusalem.
Here is what they said. In a statement titled On Unity and the Representation of the Christian Communities in the Holy Land:
<blockquote>The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in the Holy Land affirm before the faithful and before the world that the ﬂock of Christ in this land is entrusted to the Apostolic Churches, which have borne their sacred ministry across centuries with steadfast devotion. </blockquote>
Here is the controversial line:
<blockquote>Recent activities undertaken by local individuals who advance damaging ideologies such as Christian Zionism mislead the public, sow confusion, and harm the unity of our flock. These undertakings have found favor among certain political actors in Israel and beyond, who seek to push a political agenda which may harm the Christian presence in the Holy Land and the wider Middle East.</blockquote>
The statement goes on for several more paragraphs and concludes with: “May the Lord, who is the shepherd and guardian of souls, grant wisdom for the protection of His people and the safeguarding of His witness in the sacred land.” 
It is signed by the patriarchs and heads of the churches in Jerusalem.
So what is this about?
We’ve heard a lot about Zionism — the nationalist ideology that arose in the 19th century and sought to return Jews to the Holy Land, where they had lived millennia earlier, though not in large numbers for quite some time. We’ve also heard about Christian Zionism, which is a specifically Christian theological take on that project.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1893-children-terrified-leftist-mob-storms-church-in-minneapolis?elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Recent+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel">WATCH: The Michael Knowles Show</a></h3>
But who exactly are these “local individuals” sowing discord and undermining proper Christian authority?
I had to look into this, because as a Catholic I don’t exactly keep up with every niche Protestant trend. And I think the patriarchs are referring to a man named Robert Stearns, who styles himself “Bishop Robert Stearns.” He is not part of any Apostolic Christian community, but he calls himself a bishop anyway. He is also a vociferous advocate of Christian Zionism.
Here’s a sample of what he recently said:
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“Christian” Zionist Robert Stearns apologizes to Jews at Jerusalem Post conference for 2,000 years of “Christian history” hurting Jewish people.
He says it&#8217;s “irrelevant” if Jesus was the Messiah and claims to be part of a new Christian group “serving Zion.”
Follow: <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AFpost</a> <a href="https://t.co/aHhMgOfpA3">pic.twitter.com/aHhMgOfpA3</a>
— AF Post (@AFpost) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFpost/status/2011500100624040442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Credit: @AFpost/X.com
I was trying to be sympathetic here, but this is just ridiculous. It violates the law of non-contradiction — a principle we’ve known about since at least Aristotle. Opposing statements cannot both be true in the same respect.
Christ’s return cannot be both His first coming and His second coming. It’s one or the other. And if you’re a Christian, I’m happy to break it to you: it will be the second coming. You actually have to believe that.
This attempt to be cute or accommodating doesn’t resolve anything. It just empties theology of meaning.
Stearns also claims that the existence of the modern State of Israel is of biblical and prophetic necessity — that it is required for the end times to unfold. I know plenty of people share this view. But here’s the thing: this theology is new. Really new. Less than two centuries old. It is not the traditional Christian position, and it is not the correct one.
Which brings us back to the Jerusalem statement.
Is it shocking? Is it anti-Israel? Is it a break with tradition?
No. Not at all.
In fact, the position expressed by the patriarchs lines up perfectly with long-standing Vatican teaching. Here is something from 1985 — forty years ago, and two decades after the Second Vatican Council. This declaration from the Vatican goes out of its way to speak respectfully of Jews and is in no way anti-Semitic:
<blockquote>The history of Israel did not end in 70 A.D., but continued, especially in the numerous diasporas, which led Israel to carry to the whole world a witness, often heroic, of its fidelity to the one God… while preserving the memory of the land of their forefathers at the heart of their hope.</blockquote>
That reference, by the way, is to the Passover Seder.
Notice what’s happening here. The Vatican is not talking about the Church as the new Israel — which Christians have always believed — but about the historical, earthly Israel of the Jewish people. It acknowledges their witness, their fidelity, and even their attachment to the land.
But then comes the key clarification:
<blockquote>Christians are invited to understand this religious attachment, which finds its roots in biblical tradition, without, however, making their own any particular religious interpretation of this relationship.</blockquote>
And just to make it unmistakable, the Vatican adds:
<blockquote>The existence of the State of Israel and its political options should be envisaged not in a perspective which is in itself religious, but in their reference to the common principles of international law.</blockquote>
Bingo.
That is exactly what the patriarchs of Jerusalem are reaffirming. And they are completely right.
This is why I would not call myself a Zionist, or a Christian Zionist, or any other kind of Zionist. Not because I dislike Jews — I don’t. Not because I oppose the State of Israel — I don’t.
I am broadly supportive of the nation-state of Israel but not because of Zionist religious claims, which I don’t believe are true. I do not believe Jews are entitled to the Holy Land because of a theological premise. As a Christian, I believe the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New Testament. Christ is the New Covenant. The Church is the spiritual Israel. Those Old Testament promises are fulfilled — not suspended, not postponed.
And I also don’t believe that occupying a piece of land 2,000 years ago grants a perpetual title deed. If that were the case, we’d have to hand Mount Rushmore back to the Lakota Sioux. I don’t believe that logic anywhere.
That said, I still broadly support Israel because I don’t like the alternatives. I don’t want Iran running the Holy Land. I don&#8217;t think the Muslims have been particularly protective of the holy sites. The Ottoman Empire is gone. Baldwin’s Kingdom of Jerusalem isn’t coming back anytime soon. The real-world options are limited.
From the standpoint of international law, the Jews were granted territory by the British Empire, recognized by the United Nations, and then defended it through war. Like it or not, under the modern nation-state system, that matters.
But that isn’t Zionism. And it certainly isn’t biblical prophecy.
You can support Israel without subscribing to the relatively novel theology of Christian Zionism. You can like Jews without turning geopolitics into eschatology.
I love the Jews. I grew up in New York. I’m extremely philosemitic. If you told me I had to choose between hanging out with the guys making pastrami sandwiches or the guys making shawarma, I’m choosing pastrami 100 times out of 100. Okay — 999 times out of 1,000.
And you can do that without embracing a theology invented in the 19th century and dressed up as ancient Christianity.
That is clearly what the patriarchs of Jerusalem are saying. And anyone pretending this is antisemitic, radical, or some kind of rupture with tradition is, frankly, completely insane.

Skyline of the Old City in Jerusalem from north, Israel.

Why Christian Zionism Is Not Traditional Christianity

Christianity

Jerusalem

Jesus Christ

Jews

Michael Knowles

Zionism

President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” is off to a turbulent start with controversy over its $1 billion permanent membership fee and unusual lineup of invitees, with everyone from Russian President Vladimir Putin to anti-Trump socialist Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reportedly receiving invitations. 
The board, officially announced by Trump on Truth Social last week, is intended to oversee the new technocratic transitional government for Gaza: the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
“It is my Great Honor to announce that THE BOARD OF PEACE has been formed,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115901692370933354">posted to Truth Social</a> on Thursday. “The Members of the Board will be announced shortly, but I can say with certainty that it is the Greatest and Most Prestigious Board ever assembled at any time, any place.”
Although the board has been introduced as being Gaza-focused, the large list of roughly 60 known invitees so far has led some to question if it will address other world conflicts or <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/trump-board-of-peace-un-blair-gaza-peace-plan-b2903210.html">even rival</a> the United Nations.
In the letter to world leaders, Trump called it the “most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled, which will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration.”
According to a draft charter reported by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/trumps-1-billion-a-seat-diplomacy-club-takes-aim-at-the-u-n-2bccd9f9?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqfvPlMmNhrIlJgDz7UvxfNd0u3Fqnav8BAv73LsUrc47zvL8sBJ_ryQ3l1V2Kw%3D&amp;gaa_ts=696e60b5&amp;gaa_sig=ybWCqp-03SFwzr8kCccUdFBjqFyY_dJcaxc7Ut-nuWJjrDE9uBdBsuHCLDlZZ3nSTPoSksS7Lrf-OkV4An3o-A%3D%3D">The Wall Street Journal,</a> countries could either serve a three-year term or pay $1 billion for <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2012684845109874988">permanent</a> membership. Bloomberg, which also reviewed a copy of the draft, reported that it grants Trump ultimate authority over both membership and decision-making.
The list of invited countries continues to grow as leaks and social media posts reveal new names, with some leaders publicly expressing excitement. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, for example, <a href="https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2012853496568053801">said it was an</a> “honorable invitation” and accepted. Argentine President Javier Milei also <a href="https://x.com/JMilei/status/2012495664546992638">called it</a> an honor to be invited by Trump’s board to “promote lasting peace in regions affected by conflict, starting with the Gaza Strip.”
Other Western countries were less thrilled, with France reportedly set to decline the invitation, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/france-likely-to-decline-trump-invite-to-gaza-board-of-peace-says-source/">according to AFP</a>. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he agreed to the board in principle but is still working out the details.
<div id="attachment_1029935" style="width: 455px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1029935" class="size-large wp-image-1029935" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-445x576.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Purple-And-Beige-Playful-Daily-Baby-Routine-Infant-Schedule-Flyer.jpg 1159w" sizes=" (max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" />(The Daily Wire)</div>
Some of the most surprising invitees include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko — often called Europe’s last dictator — and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who <a href="https://brazilreports.com/trumps-second-term-what-it-means-for-brazil-and-lula/6718/">openly supported</a> Kamala Harris over Trump in the 2024 election and last year <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/america-votes/article/brazils-lula-says-trump-wants-to-be-emperor-of-the-world/#:~:text=Brazilian%20President%20Luiz%20Inacio%20Lula,Brazilian%20products%20such%20as%20steel.">referred to</a> him as a “wannabe emperor of the world.”
According to <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/01/statement-on-president-trumps-comprehensive-plan-to-end-the-gaza-conflict/">the White House</a>, the Board of Peace will have an Executive Board made up of several high-profile figures: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio; Steve Witkoff, United States Special Envoy to the Middle East; Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law; former British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair; Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management; Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank; and Robert Gabriel, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor.
The Board of Peace will oversee the NCAG, which will be headed by Ali Shaath, who hails from Gaza, is a civil engineer, and previously served as deputy minister for transportation of the Palestinian Authority.
The NCAG faced criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following domestic uproar over the inclusion of representatives from Qatar and Turkey — both countries that have had ties to Hamas. Netanyahu <a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-883875">stated on Monday</a> that no Turkish or Qatari forces would be allowed to operate in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu’s office said the board “runs contrary to its policy.”
Hamas has stated that it will dissolve its governance once the new committee assumes control, as required under Trump’s peace plan, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-drone-strike-governance-f59c7e742149366e67549e7dd2e10309">Associated Press</a>. It remains unclear whether the terrorist organization will willingly disarm.
Upon announcing the NCAG, Witkoff said the United States expects Hamas to “comply fully with its obligations,” including the return of the body of Ran Gvili, the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza.
“Failure to do so will bring serious consequences,” Witkoff said.
The Palestinian Authority <a href="https://x.com/HusseinSheikhpl/status/2011445660499775945">publicly welcomed</a> the launch of the second phase, signaling rare alignment with the Trump administration. 
In a statement, Palestinian Authority President Hussein Al Sheikh said the Palestinian Presidency “welcomes the efforts undertaken by President Donald Trump to complete the implementation of his peace plan,” and announced its support for the NCAG as well as the “Board of Peace.”

Gaza summit in Egypt

Trump Asked Putin To Join His ‘Board Of Peace.’ Here’s What That Means.

What To Know About Trump’s Board Of Peace

Argentina

Donald Trump

France

Hungary

United Nations

When Iranian airspace closed on Wednesday night, it seemed like an American attack was imminent.
Some military assets moved, American bases had degrees of evacuations, and tension spiked. But the attack never came.
Experts now warn that this is not an end to the standoff, but a strategic maneuver in what they call the “fog of Trump” — the president’s typical unpredictability, which leaves both allies and adversaries scrambling to guess his next move.
According to Jonathan Schanzer, the Executive Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, it is clear that things were happening Wednesday night, but something changed.
“The bottom line is, it appears that Trump had made a decision, reversed his decision, and may yet reverse it again,” Schanzer told The Daily Wire, “This is the fog of Trump, not the fog of war. Everything appeared to be moving toward an operation, and then that operation was apparently called off. What happens next is a big question.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump <a href="https://x.com/KassyAkiva/status/2011535254729941113/video/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shifted his tone</a> regarding the Iranian regime. He had previously threatened to strike if protesters were killed, but stated from the Oval Office that he believed the “killings in Iran have stopped.” Many observers saw this as part of Trump’s strategy to add confusion ahead of a potential strike. He reiterated this stance Thursday morning, while still leaving the possibility of action on the table.
“I’m not going to tell you that,” he said when <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/iran/trump-leaves-us-military-action-unclear-iran-says-wont-execute-protest-rcna254153" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> asked if he had ruled out military intervention.
Some have suggested that Trump was testing Iran’s readiness by observing how they reacted to what appeared to be preparations for an American strike.
Al Jazeera reported that Trump communicated to Iran that he is not planning to strike, while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that the question isn’t whether the operation will happen, but whether it “should be bigger or smaller.”
There are mixed signals, and according to Jason Brodsky of United Against Nuclear Iran, that is precisely the point.
“I think what you have seen over the last few days has been a concerted psyop, or psychological operation, that has been meant to confuse the decision-making of the Islamic Republic of Iran while the U.S. prepares for a military strike and moves assets into place,” Brodsky told The Daily Wire.
Both Brodsky and Schanzer point to the importance of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2026/01/15/us-navy-supercarrier-uss-abraham-lincoln-heading-to-the-middle-east/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly moving</a> from the South China Sea to the Middle East, a voyage that will take about a week.
“I think that the most important data point that we received over the last 24 hours has been the U.S. moving the USS Abraham Lincoln from the South China Sea into the CENTCOM theater,” Brodsky said. “I think President Trump likes to keep all options open, but I think that they’re laying the groundwork for the eventuality of potential military action.
During the 12-Day war between Israel and Iran over the summer, Trump was also mulling striking Iran and suggested he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-decide-on-iran-strike-before-july-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">would make</a> his decision “within the next two weeks” before striking Iranian nuclear sites just a few days later.
“I think we saw this kind of mixed messaging before the U.S. strikes on Iran&#8217;s nuclear program during the 12-Day War and it was part of a concerted effort, reportedly, to throw off the Iranians,” Brodsky said. “That kind of veering and mixed messaging is part of the strategy.”
There are reports that Arab nations and Israel urged Trump to exercise caution. The Arab states reportedly asked him not to attack Iran, while Israel requested a temporary delay on a strike.
According to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/us/politics/trump-iran-israel-us.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times</a>, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that Trump postpone plans to strike Iran. Some have suggested the request was driven by the need for Israel to ready itself in case the regime responded to American action by striking the Jewish state. On Wednesday, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin <a href="https://x.com/IDFSpokesperson/status/2011507729450348656" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that the IDF is on full alert and taking steps to strengthen its defensive readiness.
“The region is on high alert,” Schanzer said. “The Israelis are preparing for a potential onslaught of ballistic missiles from the Iranian regime. This has been the threat—that if the U.S. attacks, then the Israelis will take the brunt of it.”
So far, the Iranian regime has threatened to attack American bases in the Middle East if Trump decides to attack.
Schanzer emphasized that the situation is far from over. He noted that Trump is operating with “maximum flexibility” while weighing risks and seeking the best outcome from his advisors.
“I think something can very easily still happen,” he said. “The easiest thing to do would be to take out the tech that has halted the flow of information with the 8-day internet blackout. You could allow the Iranians to begin to communicate freely with themselves and with the rest of the world; that’s an important step.”
He added that cyber, economic, and diplomatic options are on the table.
On Thursday morning, the Treasury Department announced a new round of sanctions targeting the Iranian regime in response to its ongoing crackdown on protesters. The sanctions designate several senior Iranian security officials responsible for directing the regime’s bloody response to demonstrators, including: Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security, Mohammad Reza Hashemifar, commander of the Law Enforcement Forces in Lorestan Province, and others.
Regardless of what move Trump decides to take, Brodsky says Trump showed unprecedented support to Iranians by speaking out against the regime and encouraging Iranians to keep protesting and take over their institutions, and that help is coming.
“The president has gone further than any American president in history by being on the side of the Iranian people,” he said. “I think that there is a need to demonstrate how help is coming, and I think that the president and his team know that. It’s just very important that we follow through.”

President Trump Spends Weekend At Mar-A-Lago Estate In Palm Beach

The Fog Of Trump: How Unpredictability Keeps Iran Guessing

Iran

Military

In a recent <a href="https://x.com/joelmowbray/status/1999584250774061488?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">podcast episode</a>, Tucker Carlson <a href="https://x.com/joelmowbray/status/1999584250774061488?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">asked</a>, “Where do Christians feel more comfortable in Qatar or Israel?” If his foolish comments weren’t so dangerous, they would almost be laughable.
Carlson said,
<blockquote>But if the deeper question is, “Where do Christians feel more comfortable in Qatar or Israel?”, I mean, it&#8217;s sort of hard to know what people actually think. So maybe the best way to measure that is by where they live. So there are twice as many Christians living in Qatar as there are in Israel. Twice as many. At least twice as many. Did you know that? Again, not promoting Qatar. I&#8217;m not moving there. But there are twice as many Christians living there. So if it&#8217;s like an ISIS state where people are beheaded for proclaiming the name of Jesus, why are there twice as many in Qatar as there are in Israel? And why are there so many Christian churches in Qatar? All, or at least most, on land granted to them by the government. Again, not promoting Qatar, just saying if you&#8217;re telling me that this is a country whose values are so far from mine that even to go there is a crime of some kind, you&#8217;re lying. Or we have very different values. Extremely different values. So why are they telling me that?</blockquote>
His words are lies in sheep’s clothing. He is defending a regime that has made its name not on religious freedom, but for its support of the Muslim Brotherhood — which the Trump administration is in the process of designating a terror group.
Carlson, who has spent two years attacking my home of Israel, based his argument on the fact that more Christians live in Qatar than in Israel.
Yes, there are roughly twice as many Christians in Qatar as in Israel — about 400,000 versus 188,000. But let’s get the facts straight. The Christians living in Qatar are almost entirely migrant workers, people who have no legal rights as citizens.
Carlson asks, “And why are there so many Christian churches in Qatar?”
There are exactly six government-sanctioned churches in Qatar. Six churches serving hundreds of thousands of people. And to make it even worse, they are all right next to each other under the close supervision of the government.
To be clear, it is illegal for Qatari citizens to convert from Islam to Christianity, and Qataris <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/qatar/">are not allowed</a> to enter Christian churches. In fact, every person entering a church in Qatar must submit an ID.
The migrant workers who do attend often live and work under conditions that have been widely condemned as modern-day slavery.
Contrast that with Israel, a country where Christians are fully recognized citizens, including my community of indigenous Aramean Maronite Christians. We vote, we serve in the military, and we even hold elected office in the Knesset. Israel’s Christians are not confined to a single gated area or monitored by state authorities. We are free to worship openly, participate in society, and contribute to the nation’s cultural and political life.
There are more Baptist churches in Israel (17) than there are total churches in Qatar. In fact, Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the native Christian communities are growing. Carlson took the only possible data points to show anything positive about Christian existence in Qatar and still got it all wrong.
As a Christian Israeli working to inspire the next generation of believers in our homeland, I can say with confidence: Israel protects religious freedom in ways that Qatar can only dream of.
Qatari Christians live in fear, are under constant surveillance, and have no path to citizenship or full participation in society.
Christians must understand where true freedom exists and where it is merely an illusion sold by regimes with an agenda and their influencer mouthpieces.
For Israel’s Christians, faith and citizenship go hand in hand. For Christians in Qatar, faith comes at the price of subjugation, invisibility, and in many cases, abuse.
We must call out lies like this, not just for Israel’s sake, but for the safety and understanding of Christians worldwide. Truth matters, and it will set you free.
* * *
Shadi Khalloul, founder and chairman of the Israeli Christian Aramean Association, is one of Israel’s most compelling voices for coexistence, minority rights, and Christian identity in the Middle East.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Aerial view of the West Bank cornice business center in Doha, Qatar

I’m A Christian Living In Israel. Tucker Carlson Is Wrong About Qatar.

I'm A Christian Living In Israel. Tucker Carlson Is Wrong About Qatar.

Christians

Middle East

Opinion

Qatar

Trump Administration

Tucker Carlson

A person saying she was inside Iran was able to share disturbing details about what is taking place inside the country as the dictatorial regime cracks down on protests across the country.
The insider was able to connect with Elina Shirazi, a senior political correspondent at the Daily Mail, over text during a gap in the countrywide internet blackout enforced by the Iranian government. During the brief exchange, the insider described troubling developments on the crackdown and protesters’ hope for international assistance in their struggle against the regime.
Since the regime crackdown on protesters began in earnest late last week, estimates of the death toll have ranged from hundreds to thousands. One text from the insider suggests that the real number is somewhere in the thousands.
“At least 1k only in tehran [sic],” the insider said. “Dead.”
“100 people [dead] in Shahrak Karevan in Afsarie area,” the insider added.
The hope of the protesters lies in “US and Israel intervention,” the insider said. “Without them we cannot succeed.”
“We need foreign power intervention. Institutions like [the] UN [have] proved to be useless doing nothing at [these] important moments in totalitarian countries like Iran. It has been [the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp’s] custom. People protest. IRGC shut down the internet and start mass killing,” the insider continued.
“US intervention is not another act of imperialism! Iranian people want to call the police. … There are people shot dead!” other messages said. “We cannot do it alone and without weapons against a regime that has shown no shame [in] mass killing its Iranian [civilians].”
The insider said that protesters are waving the flag of Iran under the Pahlavi monarchy, which ruled iran as shah before the family was exiled in 1979. Protesters are chanting “javid shah,” which means “long live the shah.” The phrase was considered unutterable not long ago, but has surged in popularity among protesters in the past few weeks.
The insider said an attack from Israel or the United States against the regime would “help the morale” of protesters, at least. The insider also expressed some hope that the protesters calling for regime change and the downfall of the Islamic dictatorship are having some success.
“The population is massive. We are occupying streets in every cities in the country,” the insider said. 
“But the regime has no shame killing everyone,” the following message said. “At what cost?”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨INSIDE IRAN: My conversation today, day 15 of the blackout protests, with someone inside Iran. Please watch and share as there is little communication coming out right now. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iran</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iranprotests?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iranprotests</a> <a href="https://t.co/iEJoZAFXr6">pic.twitter.com/iEJoZAFXr6</a>
— Elina Shirazi (@elinashirazi) <a href="https://twitter.com/elinashirazi/status/2010430938862452777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2026</a></blockquote>

Pro-Iranian protest in Lisbon

A Dispatch From Inside The Iran Protests

United States

Newly inaugurated New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has moved with immediate and controversial speed to strip away the pro-Israel infrastructure established by his predecessor, Eric Adams. While Mamdani framed his sweeping executive orders as a &#8220;fresh start&#8221; following the Adams&#8217;s indictment, critics and international observers, including Israel’s Foreign Ministry, have <a href="https://www.jns.org/mamdani-axes-all-adams-executive-orders-in-past-15-months-including-those-defending-jews/">characterized</a> the moves as a calculated expression of Mamdani&#8217;s long-standing hostility toward the Jewish state.
Within hours of taking office, Mamdani signed an <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/content/dam/nycgov/mayors-office/downloads/pdf/executive-orders/2026/eo1-prior-executive-orders.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_name=&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">executive order</a> revoking all mayoral directives issued after September 26, 2024. This action effectively axed several key protections for the Jewish community and measures aimed at strengthening ties with Israel:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>IHRA Definition: He scrapped the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) <a href="https://holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definition-antisemitism">definition of antisemitism</a>, a tool used by more than 30 countries to identify anti-Jewish hate, particularly when it targets Israel&#8217;s right to exist.</li>
<li>Anti-BDS Measures: He <a href="https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/zohran-mamdani-nyc-antisemitism/2026/01/02/id/1240493/">lifted</a> Executive Order 60, which barred city entities from boycotting or divesting from Israel.</li>
<li>Safety Buffers: He revoked directives aimed at creating protest-free zones around houses of worship, a move previously intended to protect synagogues from targeted demonstrations.</li>
</ul>
Mamdani’s early actions align with a political history defined by intense opposition to Israel. As a student, he founded a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and as a state legislator, he sponsored the &#8220;Not on Our Dime&#8221; Act, which sought to strip New York charities that provide aid to Israeli causes of their tax-exempt status.
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His rhetoric has been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leaked-docs-reveal-dsas-anti-israel-strategy-under-mamdanis-watch">equally severe</a>. Mamdani has:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Referred to Israel’s military operations as &#8220;genocide.&#8221;</li>
<li>Refused to affirm Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.</li>
<li>Linked the NYPD to the Israel Defense Forces through disparaging metaphors, claiming the &#8220;boot of the NYPD&#8221; is &#8220;laced by the IDF.&#8221;</li>
<li>Publicly praised members of the Holy Land Foundation, who were convicted of funneling millions of dollars to Hamas terrorists.</li>
</ul>
While Mamdani claims he will keep the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, the removal of the IHRA definition and the lifting of anti-boycott rules signal a fundamental shift. Internal documents from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) suggest a broader agenda to use Mamdani’s office to divest city pensions from Israeli bonds and terminate NYPD cooperation with Israeli security forces. For many in New York’s Jewish community, these first 24 hours represent the beginning of an era defined by the institutionalization of anti-Zionism at City Hall.

Democrat Zohran Mamdani becomes the first Muslim mayor of New York City

Mamdani’s First Act As NYC Mayor: Dismantle Pro-Israel Policies

antisemitism

New York

New York City

Politics

Zohran Mamdani

A CNN panel discussion quickly veered off the rails when one guest claimed that Israel had invaded Gaza in much the same way that Russia invaded Ukraine.
The conversation took place on &#8220;CNN NewsNight,&#8221; hosted by Abby Phillip, and spiraled out of control when &#8220;The Majority Report&#8221; host Emma Vigeland argued that the United States lacked credibility in addressing the conflict between Russia and Ukraine after supporting Israel.
&#8220;I do think that the kind of elephant in the room here is the United States completely losing, and the Biden administration is immensely complicit in this as well, moral standing throughout the world due to our complicity in the genocide in Gaza. Which has made it very difficult for us to speak to Ukrainian sovereignty and having a bully like the Russian government invading their sovereign territory&#8221; she said.
Conservative commentator Scott Jennings was clearly taken aback, but when he attempted to debate the point, Phillip called him off and said there wasn&#8217;t time. Jennings pressed onward regardless, undeterred.
&#8220;We have to debate this, Abby. Oh, we don&#8217;t have time for the anti-Israel propaganda?&#8221; he began, and everyone at the table began talking at once. &#8220;Unbelievable. October the 7th was fine? Yeah, unbelievable.&#8221;
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&#8220;Oh well, we let it unspool for two minutes. But sure. I mean, honestly, I don&#8217;t understand. Israel is our ally. Not a single word in your speech for the atrocities that were committed on October the 7th. Not a single word,&#8221; Jennings continued.
&#8220;There shouldn&#8217;t be,&#8221; Vigeland doubled down. &#8220;We should cut off arms tomorrow.&#8221;
&#8220;Not a single word for the idea that Israel has every right to defend itself,&#8221; Jennings said, and Vigeland could be seen laughing as he added, &#8220;Not a single word for the fact that Hamas right now is killing people inside of Gaza — their own people. You seem to lay it all at the feet of Israel. Israel, a democratic ally, and your own country, and you have no negative word for the terrorists who raped and murdered and kidnapped, zero.&#8221;
Vigeland protested, saying that B&#8217;Tselem, an Israeli &#8220;human rights group&#8221; that has a clearly anti-Israel agenda, had referred to the situation in Gaza as a &#8220;genocide.&#8221;
&#8220;None, none,&#8221; Jennings said. &#8220;And you still don&#8217;t. You still don&#8217;t!&#8221;

ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT-GAZA-HOSTAGES

CNN Panel Explodes When Liberal Guest Claims Israel Invaded Gaza Like Russia Invaded Ukraine

Gaza

Media

October 7

Scott Jennings

Ukraine-Russia War

President Donald Trump will become the first non-Israeli to receive Israel’s top civilian honor, the “Israel Prize,” announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference with the two leaders at Mar-a-Lago.
“In almost our 80 years, we’ve never awarded it to a non-Israeli, and we’re going to award it this year to President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “It’s going to be awarded to President Donald J. Trump for his tremendous contributions to Israel and the Jewish people.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Benjamin Netanyahu announces that President Donald Trump is being awarded with the &#8220;Israel Prize.&#8221;
It has never been awarded to a non-Israeli, according to Netanyahu. <a href="https://t.co/VK7OfJsRju">pic.twitter.com/VK7OfJsRju</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2005746113735717048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
The award will be for the newly established peace category. 
Netanyahu said that he hopes Trump will visit Israel on its Independence Day in May to accept the prize. 
“I have to say that this reflects the overwhelming sentiment of Israelis across the spectrum,” Netanyahu said of Israeli citizens who are often split on a variety of issues but are grateful to Trump for securing the release of all living hostages from Hamas captivity. 
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Trump learned that he was being awarded the prize by Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch, who called into the Trump-Netanyahu meeting.
“That really is a great honor,” Trump responded, adding that it was “really surprising and very much appreciated.”
Following his sixth meeting with Netanyahu this year, Trump said he is focused on the future of Gaza, including the objective of getting Hamas to finally disarm, adding that it would be “horrible for them” if the terror group does not.
&#8220;It&#8217;ll be horrible for them — horrible, really, really bad for them,” Trump said. “I don&#8217;t want that to happen, but they made an agreement that they were going to disarm.&#8221;
The president said that if Hamas continues to resist, the 59 countries that backed the ceasefire will get involved, adding, &#8220;This is a real peace in the Middle East.”
&#8220;Based on the fact that Hamas pledged, they swore that they were going to disarm. Now, if they&#8217;re not going to disarm, those same countries will wipe out Hamas,” Trump said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;Based on the fact that Hamas pledged, they swore that they were going to disarm. Now, if they&#8217;re not going to disarm, those same countries will wipe out Hamas.&#8221; &#8211; President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/mYIBfZzCV0">pic.twitter.com/mYIBfZzCV0</a>
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2005757621278761205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
Upon welcoming Netanyahu to his Palm Beach estate, Trump said he would support an Israeli military strike on Iran if its regime continues advancing its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.
“The missiles, yes. The nuclear, fast,” Trump said. “One would be yes, absolutely, the other was, we’ll do it immediately.” 
The president also noted that the Iranian people were expressing discontent as their country suffers from inflation, a “bust” economy, and the threat of violence or death when protesting.
“Every time they have a rioter, or someone forms a group, little or big, they start shooting people. You know, they kill people,” Trump said. “They’re vicious, vicious people.”
On Sunday and Monday, protests and strikes erupted across Tehran <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tehran-in-turmoil-irans-currency-collapse-triggers-civil-unrest-anti-regime-protests?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tehran+In+Turmoil%3A+Iran%E2%80%99s+Currency+Collapse+Triggers+Civil+Unrest%2C+Anti-Regime+Protests">following a historic collapse</a> of Iran’s currency, which reportedly plunged to 1.42 million rials to the dollar on Sunday.

President Trump Meets With Israeli PM Netanyahu At His Palm Beach Estate

Netanyahu Crowns Trump As First Non-Israeli To Win His Country’s Most Prestigious Award

Trump To Be First Non-Israeli To Win ‘Israel Prize,’ Netanyahu Announces After Mar-A-Lago Meeting

Benjamin Netanyahu

Hamas

President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Mar-a-Lago on Monday, saying he would back another Israeli attack on Iran.
Taking questions prior to his sixth meeting with Netanyahu this term, a reporter asked Trump if he would support Israel striking Iran if the latter country continues advancing its missile or nuclear programs.
&#8220;The missiles, yes. The nuclear, fast,&#8221; Trump said. “One would be yes, absolutely, the other was, we’ll do it immediately.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“The missiles, yes. The nuclear, fast. One would be yes, absolutely, the other was, we’ll do it immediately.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/lTq9ocFh00">pic.twitter.com/lTq9ocFh00</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2005724769287872776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
The president also noted that the Iranian people were expressing discontent as their country suffers from inflation, a “bust” economy, and the threat of violence or death when protesting.
“Every time they have a rioter or someone forms a group, little or big, they start shooting people. You know, they kill people,” Trump said. “They’re vicious, vicious people.”
On Sunday and Monday, protests and strikes erupted across the Iranian capital of Tehran <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tehran-in-turmoil-irans-currency-collapse-triggers-civil-unrest-anti-regime-protests?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tehran+In+Turmoil%3A+Iran%E2%80%99s+Currency+Collapse+Triggers+Civil+Unrest%2C+Anti-Regime+Protests">following a historic collapse</a> of Iran’s currency, which plunged to 1.42 million rials to the dollar on Sunday, according to the Associated Press.
Trump and Netanyahu’s last meeting focused on the Trump-brokered 20-point plan for Gaza, which led to the release of all living hostages held by Hamas and the return of the bodies of every deceased hostage except Ran Gvili’s.
Over the weekend, Gvili’s parents met with Netanyahu when he arrived in Florida and with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff on Monday. The family called the conversation “very positive” and said that the three advisors “stressed that the return of Ran is of great importance to President Trump, and that significant efforts are being made to bring him back.” 
“We have one wonderful young man whose parents are right here now inside,” Trump said of the Gvili family. “He’s the only one left, and we’re doing everything we can to get his body back. The parents just said, hopefully he’s alive, and I said, ‘I love you to think that way.&#8217;”
Netanyahu also met with Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hours before his meeting with Trump.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I had a great meeting in Florida with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 🇮🇱🇺🇸
פגישה מצוינת עם מזכיר המדינה של ארה״ב, מרקו רוביו.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> <a href="https://t.co/zh2xaOrGhZ">pic.twitter.com/zh2xaOrGhZ</a>
— Benjamin Netanyahu &#8211; בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) <a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/2005661579212136478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
Last week, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netanyahu-announces-108-billion-domestic-arms-investment-ahead-of-trump-meeting?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Netanyahu+Announces+%24108+Billion+Domestic+Arms+Investment+Ahead+Of+Trump+Meeting">Netanyahu unveiled</a> a $108 billion plan to build an independent domestic arms industry amid ongoing debates on both sides of the aisle over foreign military aid to Israel and growing calls from some quarters to reevaluate American funding. 
Netanyahu said the investment will finance the expansion of Israel’s munitions production and other military capabilities over the next decade to “reduce our dependence on all players, including friends.” 
The United States <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/RL/PDF/RL33222/RL33222.50.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com">provides</a> Israel with roughly $3.3 billion each year, which is used exclusively to buy American defense equipment, along with an additional $500 million annually for joint missile defense programs.
Israel’s extremely cost-efficient “Iron Beam” laser system, which can shoot down missiles, mortar rounds, and drones, is expected to be delivered to the military by the <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-to-receive-iron-beam-laser-interceptors-at-the-end-of-the-month/">end of the month</a>. Each interception is estimated to cost as little as $2, which is a sharp decline from the Iron Dome interceptor missiles that can cost between $100,000 and $1 million each. 
The Iron Beam technology, which was developed with Israel’s Rafael Defense Industries and U.S.-based Lockheed Martin, is reportedly being shared with the U.S. Army’s directed energy program, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-unveils-iron-beam-laser-weapon-while-achieving-record-15b-arms-sales">reported Fox News.</a>

Trump Says He Supports Israel Attacking Iran Again As He Welcomes Netanyahu To Mar-A-Lago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday unveiled a $108 billion, decade-long investment to build an independent Israeli munitions industry.
The announcement comes ahead of Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump next week and amid growing calls from voices on both the Left and Right to reduce or cut off United States military funding for Israel. The meeting will be the sixth time Netanyahu has met with Trump since he was inaugurated last January.
“I approved, along with the defense minister and finance minister, a sum of NIS 350 billion [$108 billion] over the next decade to build an independent Israeli munitions industry,” Netanyahu said at an Israeli Air Force pilot graduation ceremony, the Times of Israel <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-investing-more-than-100-billion-into-independent-arms-industry-netanyahu-reveals/">reported.</a>
Netanyahu said such an investment is necessary to “reduce our dependence on all players, including friends,” following several countries imposing restrictions on its weapons sales, including under former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Netanyahu will meet with President Trump on Monday at Mar‑a‑Lago, as he prepares to unveil a new governing entity for Gaza. The new Gazan government will be supported by a Trump-led Board of Peace with former U.N. envoy Nickolay Mladenov as the representative on the ground, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/12/26/trump-netanyahu-meeting-gaza-mar-a-lago">reported Axios</a>. 
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have reportedly been coordinating with Arab partners and Turkey on the second-phase of the ceasefire, which includes disarming Hamas and demilitarizing the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu has long advocated for reducing Israel’s dependence on other countries for military equipment. Earlier this year he said Israel would become a “super-Sparta,” a remark that drew criticism until he clarified he was referring only to the defense industry, not the broader economy.
Israel is currently the world’s eighth-largest arms exporter with $15 billion in sales in 2024. However, the Jewish state has still relied on munitions and military equipment from other countries, especially since October 7, 2023.
Israel’s extremely cost-efficient “Iron Beam” laser system which can shoot down missiles, mortar rounds and drones is expected to be delivered to the military by the <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-to-receive-iron-beam-laser-interceptors-at-the-end-of-the-month/">end of the month</a>. Each interception is estimated to cost as little as $2, which is a sharp decline from the Iron Dome interceptor missiles that can cost between $100,000 and $1 million each. 
The Iron Beam technology, which was developed with Israel’s Rafael Defense Industries and U.S.-based Lockheed Martin is reportedly being shared with the U.S. Army’s directed energy program, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-unveils-iron-beam-laser-weapon-while-achieving-record-15b-arms-sales">reported Fox News.</a>
Since Israel’s war against Hamas began, several countries have restricted or halted arms exports to Israel, including Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States under former President Joe Biden.
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The United States <a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/RL/PDF/RL33222/RL33222.50.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com">currently provides</a> Israel with about $3.3 billion annually, which Israel uses exclusively to purchase American defense equipment, plus an additional roughly $500 million per year for cooperative missile defense programs.
Supporters of United States military aid to Israel say it strengthens American and Israeli security by deterring Iran, Hezbollah, and other terrorist groups. They argue that because the aid must be spent on American defense equipment, it also subsidizes American defense companies, supports domestic jobs, and allows technology to be tested in real combat which provides data that can improve the technology and United States military readiness.
A growing number of lawmakers on both sides have called for a reduction or an end to funding for Israel, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R‑GA), Thomas Massie (R‑KY), Ilhan Omar (D‑MN), Rashida Tlaib (D‑MI), Summer Lee (D‑PA), and Al Green (D‑TX), who voted in July for <a href="https://www.jta.org/2025/07/21/politics/aoc-faces-backlash-vandalism-after-voting-against-cutting-us-aid-from-israels-iron-dome?utm_source=chatgpt.com">a failed amendment</a> to cut $500 million from the Iron Dome program. 
There is a growing number of voices within Israel opposed to accepting American funding, arguing that it limits Israel’s freedom to conduct military operations and exposes the country to political pressure associated with the aid.

Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu Meets With Trump At The White House

Netanyahu Announces $108 Billion Domestic Arms Investment Ahead Of Trump Meeting

Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, Prof. Eugene Kontorovich, senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, contended that, under widely applied principles of international law, Israel has a strong sovereign claim to Judea and Samaria, the Biblical lands historically known as the central highlands north and south of Jerusalem.
Kontorovich cited specifically uti possidetis juris, which states that newly-formed states should inherit the administrative boundaries that existed at the moment they gained independence.
He noted that the term “West Bank” was introduced only after Jordan conquered and annexed the area in 1950; prior to that, the region was simply part of the British (League of Nations) Mandate for Palestine — given its name by the Romans in vengeance for their war against the Jews, by naming it after the Jews’ ancient enemy, the Philistines — which included all of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.
According to Kontorovich, when the Mandate ended in 1948 and Israel declared independence, it inherited the borders of the last highest-level administrative unit. Therefore, he contended that Israel’s borders initially extended to the entirety of what was called Mandatory Palestine, because no separate administrative subdivision existed for Judea, Samaria, or Gaza.
Kontorovich emphasized that the doctrine of uti possidetis juris has been applied consistently worldwide — in Latin America, Africa, the post-Soviet space, and the Balkans — often producing borders that include minorities or groups with competing historical or demographic claims. He cited examples such as Crimea and Nagorno-Karabakh to argue that actual control or demographic ties do not override inherited administrative borders. Thus, he maintains that Jordan’s 1948–67 occupation of Judea and Samaria, which he described as unlawful and accompanied by the expulsion of Jews, did not alter Israel’s underlying sovereign rights. Israel’s 1967 capture of the territory, he argued, therefore did not constitute the occupation of foreign land. Kontorovich concluded that while international law does not mandate a Palestinian state or 1949 armistice lines as borders, Israel remains free to negotiate and cede territory if it chooses.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) presented a historical-political narrative emphasizing repeated Arab rejection of partition. He noted that when Britain withdrew in 1948, a Jewish state (Israel) and an Arab state (Jordan) effectively emerged, but Arab actors sought to eliminate Israel, fueling the ongoing conflict. Fine stated that the distinct Palestinian national identity arose later to justify a third state and criticized expectations that Israel relinquish territory gained in defensive wars, contrasting this with American and broader historical practice. He cited Israel’s 2005 disengagement from Gaza as an example of territorial concessions leading to intensified violence. Turning to Judea and Samaria, he stressed the area’s deep Jewish historical significance and highlighted security concerns, while dispelling the idea of Israeli “apartheid,” as he pointed out:
<blockquote>
We hear about the apartheid state of Israel, and it is partly true. There is apartheid in Israel. I want to tell you, as I was driving through Judea and Samaria, a sign that I saw &#8230; basically said, “In this area, Jews may not enter.” &#8230; And the sign literally says, in English, in Hebrew, and in Arabic, Jews may not go here. I&#8217;m not aware of anywhere that is controlled by Israel where they say Arabs cannot go, where they say Christians cannot go.
</blockquote>
In December of 2024, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced a bill in the Senate to require all official U.S. documents and materials to use the historically accurate term “Judea and Samaria” instead of the “West Bank.”
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Referring to Judea and Samaria as the ‘West Bank’ is a slap in the face to historical truth. 
It’s time to call this region by its rightful name and stop playing into anti-Israel propaganda.<a href="https://t.co/tYwYMZkGMJ">https://t.co/tYwYMZkGMJ</a>
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTomCotton/status/1864694801217487019?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The bill, titled the “Retiring the Egregious Confusion Over the Genuine Name of Israel’s Zone of Influence by Necessitating Government-use of Judea and Samaria (RECOGNIZING Judea and Samaria) Act,” matched legislation in the House <a href="https://tenney.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-tenney-introduces-legislation-recognize-rightful-name-judea-and">sponsored</a> by Reps. Claudia Tenney (R-NY),  Randy Weber (R-TX), and Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY).
“The Jewish people’s legal and historic rights to Judea and Samaria goes back thousands of years. The U.S. should stop using the politically charged term West Bank to refer to the biblical heartland of Israel,” Cotton stated.
“The Israeli people have an undeniable and indisputable historical and legal claim over Judea and Samaria, and at this critical moment in history, the United States must reaffirm this,”  Tenney echoed. “This bill reaffirms Israel&#8217;s rightful claim to its territory. I remain committed to defending the integrity of the Jewish state and fully supporting Israel&#8217;s sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.”
The bill states that the U.S. government should “refer to the land annexed by Israel from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War by its historical names of ‘Judea and Samaria,’ with the land south of Jerusalem being considered ‘Judea’ and the land north of Jerusalem being considered ‘Samaria.’”
The great historian Flavius Josephus <a href="https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/josephus-wara.asp">wrote</a>, “Now as to the country of Samaria, it lies between Judea and Galilee.”
As for Judea, Josephus explained, “In the limits of Samaria and Judea lies the village Anuath, which is also named Borceos. This is the northern boundary of Judea. The southern parts of Judea, if they be measured lengthways, are bounded by a Village adjoining to the confines of Arabia; the Jews that dwell there call it Jordan. However, its breadth is extended from the river Jordan to Joppa.”
Josephus also explained how Jerusalem was central in Judea, writing, “The city Jerusalem is situated in the very middle; on which account some have, with sagacity enough, called that city the Navel of the country. Nor indeed is Judea destitute of such delights as come from the sea, since its maritime places extend as far as Ptolemais: it was parted into eleven portions, of which the royal city Jerusalem was the supreme, and presided over all the neighboring country, as the head does over the body.”
Virtually all of the events in the Old Testament occurred in Judea and Samaria; Hebron is considered the burial place of the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and where King David was crowned; Shiloh was where the Tabernacle rested for roughly 370 years; Joseph, who became the Egyptian pharaoh’s right-hand man, is buried in Shechem; Elon Moreh is where the Bible says God promised the Land of Israel to Abraham; and David fought Goliath in the Valley of Elah. These are just some of the Jewish biblical connections to Judea and Samaria.

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