Transcript [00:00] This week, Prime Minister Netanyahu was [00:02] in Washington for meetings at the White [00:04] House and also to attend a memorial [00:06] service for the late Senator Lindsey [00:08] Graham. The visit comes amidst a pause [00:11] in fighting between Iran and the United [00:13] States, and it also comes as Syrian [00:16] interim president Abu Muhammad al-Jolani [00:19] says he's interested in a security [00:22] agreement with Israel. Meanwhile, there [00:24] was a large flare-up of violence in [00:26] Judea and Samaria over the past week, [00:28] prompting the IDF to begin a large-scale [00:31] anti-terrorism sweep in the area. All [00:33] that is just ahead on this week's [00:35] edition of VFI News from Israel. [00:50] Before we dive into the news about [00:52] what's going on here in Israel this [00:54] week, I need to ask you to join me in [00:57] praying for the people of France and [00:58] Spain. Now, these two countries in [01:01] Western Europe have been hit by [01:02] monstrous wildfires, prompting the [01:04] largest forced evacuation of civilian [01:07] populations since the Second World War. [01:10] Hundreds of thousands of residents of [01:12] cities you've heard of like Bordeaux in [01:14] France and Madrid, the capital of Spain, [01:16] as well as dozens of smaller towns and [01:19] villages you've never heard the names [01:21] of, have had to flee at very short [01:23] notice. Now, it's unclear when they'll [01:25] be able to return to their homes or if [01:28] their homes will be there when they [01:29] return to them. Many of those who had to [01:32] flee are elderly people, and the stress [01:34] of all this is likely to lead to many [01:37] deaths beyond those from the direct [01:39] cause of the fires themselves. [01:41] There are also some serious natural [01:43] disasters playing out in Japan and China [01:46] this week, and I'm not forgetting the [01:48] massive fires burning in Canada and [01:50] Minnesota, which are sending enormous [01:53] clouds of smoke as far away as America's [01:55] capital city, Washington, D.C. [01:58] It all brings to mind the prophecies [02:00] from Joel chapter 2 verses 30 to 31 and [02:04] Malachi chapter 4 verse 1. Now, I won't [02:06] read those passages just now, but I urge [02:09] you to read them when you're done [02:10] watching this report. And once again, [02:12] I'll ask you to join me in praying into [02:15] them. We are living in prophetic times, [02:17] friends, and we have to be familiar with [02:19] the prophetic scriptures in order to [02:21] pray effectively. And on that note, I [02:23] just want to make a comment that [02:25] recently Spain just cut off all [02:29] diplomatic relations with Israel. Makes [02:32] you wonder. [02:33] Well, speaking of things to pray about, [02:35] a moment ago I mentioned Washington D.C. [02:38] And that's where Israeli Prime Minister [02:40] Benjamin Netanyahu was this week, [02:42] visiting the White House for high-level [02:44] consultations with President Trump. He [02:47] also attended a memorial service for the [02:49] late Senator Lindsey Graham, who was one [02:52] of Israel's best friends in the United [02:55] States Congress for the 30 years he [02:57] served there before dying of an apparent [02:59] heart attack earlier this month. [03:01] Now, by the time you watch this report, [03:04] Netanyahu's visit to the United States [03:06] will be over and he'll be back in [03:08] Israel. Now, in a way, there's nothing [03:10] very unusual about an Israeli Prime [03:12] Minister visiting the White House, [03:14] especially Netanyahu, who has been there [03:16] six times in President Trump's second [03:19] term, more than any other world leader. [03:22] Amazing. [03:23] The remarks made to the press by Israeli [03:25] and American officials both before and [03:27] after these visits also tend to follow a [03:30] familiar pattern, and we'll probably [03:32] only find out what they really talked [03:34] about months or years from now. However, [03:37] events surrounding the visit give us [03:39] some clues. [03:41] Past Sunday, President Trump announced [03:43] that the United States military would [03:45] pause offensive operations against Iran, [03:49] and Iranian leaders made a similar [03:51] announcement. So, we'll see how long [03:53] this pause in kinetic operations last. [03:56] But, even if it's only for a few days, [03:58] it'll give everyone in the region a [04:00] chance to clean up some of the damage [04:02] from earlier rounds of fighting and [04:04] otherwise catch their breath. [04:06] Now, the United States military candidly [04:09] admitted that further strikes were [04:10] somewhat pointless because they had run [04:13] out of strategic military targets to [04:15] hit. I assume that the United States [04:17] target list was informed by Israeli [04:19] intelligence, which is known to have [04:21] deeply penetrated the Iranian regime at [04:24] all levels. So, if the Pentagon has run [04:27] out of things to bomb, it must mean a [04:29] whole lot of stuff got hit and very [04:31] hard. [04:32] However, the regime is not ready to give [04:34] up. Despite a long list of problems, [04:37] many of which predate the hostilities [04:39] with the United States, that they have [04:41] absolutely no ability to even begin to [04:44] address and are already making life for [04:47] ordinary Iranians almost impossible. [04:50] This even includes a growing shortage of [04:52] fuel for use by the civilian economy in [04:55] a country which has some of the largest [04:57] known reserves of oil and natural gas in [05:00] the world. Now, speaking of which, [05:02] outside Iran, the price of oil [05:05] immediately fell sharply on these [05:07] announcements and I'm sure you're all [05:09] happy out there. But, it is still high [05:12] by historic standards and all over the [05:14] world individual households, small [05:16] businesses, and large corporations are [05:19] paying through the nose for pretty much [05:22] everything and that includes consumers [05:24] here in Israel. As in case no one ever [05:27] told you, we pay almost $10 per gallon [05:30] of ordinary 95 octane gasoline here and [05:34] a lot more for diesel. Now, this is [05:36] making everyone's life more meshugana, [05:39] more difficult, and contributing [05:41] mightily towards a heightened sense of [05:43] personal and collective crisis in this [05:45] country. Now, that's sense of crisis has [05:49] been exacerbated by a very hot summer, [05:52] which has, as has happened elsewhere, [05:54] sparked some very serious fires, [05:56] including one which destroyed several [05:59] homes and outbuildings in the community [06:01] of Havat Gilad on July 18th. Now, the [06:04] initial statement by police said that it [06:06] was likely started by a careless smoker [06:09] throwing their cigarette butt into some [06:11] dry grass. Whether that's the real story [06:14] or not, this explanation was rejected by [06:16] residents who believed the fires were [06:19] deliberately set by Palestinian [06:21] arsonists. Whatever the actual truth is, [06:24] friends, the incident raised the [06:26] rhetorical temperature in Judea and [06:28] Samaria, and in the subsequent days, [06:31] there were more brush fires near Jewish [06:33] communities that police suspect might [06:35] have been arson attacks. In one such [06:38] incident near the community of Itamar, [06:41] north of Jerusalem, there was a stabbing [06:43] attack which wounded a Jewish man [06:45] attempting to help put out the fire, [06:47] while the two attackers were eliminated [06:49] at the scene. But then, last Friday, an [06:52] incident occurred which set off a much [06:55] bigger crisis that the IDF, Shin Bet, [06:57] and Border Police are still trying to [06:59] get a handle on. It started when a group [07:01] of Israeli young men and teenage boys [07:03] went for what they described as a hike [07:06] very near the Palestinian village of [07:08] Tal. Some young men from the village [07:10] came out to confront this group of [07:13] Jewish hikers, and in the ensuing chaos, [07:16] a young Palestinian man managed to take [07:18] a rifle from one of the security guards [07:21] who was part of this hiking expedition. [07:23] This resulted in an exchange of fire [07:26] between villagers, some of whom also had [07:28] weapons, and the hikers, several of whom [07:31] were armed. Now, a group of IDF [07:33] artillery soldiers who were stationed [07:36] nearby rushed to the scene, but by the [07:38] time they got there, several shots had [07:39] been exchanged. And when the shooting [07:42] stopped, the Israeli security guard who [07:45] had lost his rifle was dead along with [07:48] four Palestinian villagers. Several [07:50] other people were wounded including an [07:52] IDF officer who later died from his [07:55] wounds. Now, the IDF, Shin Bet, and [07:57] border police immediately announced that [08:00] they were deploying large forces into [08:02] the region to conduct a sweeping [08:05] counterterrorism operation, but that was [08:07] not good enough for many Jewish [08:09] residents in these communities in Judea [08:11] and Samaria. They began to attack the [08:14] Palestinian villages setting fires to [08:16] vehicles, buildings, and even a mosque. [08:19] Agricultural fields were also set on [08:21] fire which is a really bad idea in my [08:24] humble opinion since fires can spread [08:26] very quickly and they don't ask if the [08:28] next field, house, or car, or orchard [08:31] they're spreading to is owned by a Jew [08:33] or an Arab. However, in this context, [08:36] it's important to note that the IDF [08:38] reported 867 incidents of nationally [08:42] motivated property crime by Jews against [08:45] Palestinian Arabs in 2025 [08:48] which was up from 682 incidents in 2024. [08:53] This is, of course, happening in the [08:55] context of the war that Hamas launched [08:57] on Israel on October 7th, 2023. [09:01] It was a massive quantum shift if you [09:03] ask me. [09:04] Since that day, Israeli security [09:06] services have arrested around 24,000 [09:10] terror suspects throughout Judea and [09:11] Samaria while around 1,100 others [09:14] decided not to be taken alive. I can't [09:17] neglect to mention that internal feuds [09:20] between different armed factions in the [09:21] Palestinian cities, especially in Jenin, [09:25] Nablus, and Tulkarm have also resulted [09:28] in thousands of Palestinian deaths and [09:29] injuries over the last few years. Iran's [09:32] IRGC has smuggled large quantities of [09:35] weapons and ammunition into these areas [09:37] to try and make problems for both the [09:40] Palestinian Authority and Israel. This [09:43] is all part of Iran's ring of fire [09:45] strategy to bring pressure to bear on [09:48] all of Israel's borders. Now, this [09:50] strategy has had a great deal of success [09:52] and despite the terrific beating they've [09:54] taken, the IRGC doesn't seem to be ready [09:57] to give up on this strategy. Israelis, [10:00] especially those living in Judea and [10:02] Samaria, are sick and tired of being [10:05] pushed and they're pushing back, which [10:07] is understandable. But, in my humble [10:09] opinion, they're doing exactly what the [10:11] IRGC wants them to do. By attacking [10:14] Palestinian villages in Judea and [10:16] Samaria, they're just giving the already [10:18] overstretched and understaffed IDF, Shin [10:21] Bet, and border police one more job to [10:23] do. They're also making it easier for [10:26] Israel's critics in Western countries [10:28] and we'll talk more about that in a [10:29] moment. But, first, we need to talk for [10:32] a moment about what this is doing to [10:34] Israel's economy. [10:35] The short answer to that question is [10:38] that it's putting even more pressure on [10:40] an economic engine which is already [10:42] under tremendous strain. As I've [10:44] mentioned before on this program, [10:46] Israel's tourism industry is flat on its [10:48] back and this new wave of violence in [10:51] Judea and Samaria, no matter what the [10:53] reasons are for it, are going to make [10:55] tourists even less likely to come visit [10:58] us. The large deployment of the IDF into [11:00] the area means more reservists are going [11:03] to have to stay mobilized for longer, [11:06] away from their homes, sadly, their [11:08] families, and their jobs. Now, the [11:11] government has estimated that every [11:13] mobilized reservist costs the economy [11:15] 50,000 shekels a month, which is an [11:18] enormous burden on all of us. And this [11:20] is why here at Vision for Israel, I [11:23] continue to share with you every week. [11:25] We are continuing to assist families, [11:28] Holocaust survivors, and communities in [11:30] financial distress through several [11:32] projects. If you want to know more, [11:34] please visit our website [11:36] visionforisrael.com [11:38] and please watch this short video. [12:19] >> [music] [12:26] [music] [12:46] >> For years, Vision for Israel has been [12:48] hosting the Holocaust survivors and [12:51] terror victims and widows and orphans [12:54] and children at risk and high risk. And [12:56] of course, that after the October 7th, [13:00] people were really in distress. And a [13:03] lot of the Holocaust survivors, they had [13:06] these kind of bad pictures from the past [13:08] that would come back to them. And many [13:11] of them were having to deal with their [13:13] emotional state of being in depression [13:17] and being you know, not able to cope [13:19] with the horrible tragedies that took [13:21] place. So, we initiated to inviting them [13:25] again to do these musical mornings. And [13:29] what we do is we bring a musician, we [13:31] bring food, they're doing dancing and [13:34] everything. And it's just a very light, [13:36] enjoyable time. [13:38] >> [music] [13:38] >> And I tell you, when they come to us, [13:40] most of them are telling us that when [13:42] they come, they just feel peace. They [13:45] just feel joy. And they said, "You know, [13:47] something is very special about your [13:49] place. We just love coming to your [13:51] place. Please invite us again." And it [13:53] was like always repeat feeding the same [13:55] thing. [13:56] >> I think one of the great things [music] [13:58] about serving the Holocaust survivors is [14:01] as they are getting older very quickly, [14:05] 10 to 15,000 [14:07] of the survivors are passing on into [14:10] eternity every year. And so we owe a [14:13] great debt to this generation of [14:17] Holocaust survivors who we want to keep [14:20] their memories, their biographies, their [14:22] history alive. [14:24] And when we host an event for the [14:27] Holocaust survivors, I'm reminded of the [14:29] words that I love so much in Job chapter [14:32] 29, [14:33] >> [music] [14:34] >> verse 13, it says, "The blessing of a [14:36] perishing man [14:38] >> [music] [14:38] >> came upon me, and I caused the widow's [14:40] heart to sing for joy." [14:43] And whenever the Holocaust survivors [14:46] come, many of them who are widows and [14:49] widowers, of course, are these elderly [14:52] women who love to dance, who love to [14:56] grab my arms and just swing me around. [14:59] And I'm amazed at the energy that they [15:01] have [15:02] to dance and to sing and to have fun and [15:06] to make the most out of life, which I [15:09] think is so rewarding, such a blessing [15:12] for us. We've even been able to dedicate [15:15] ambulances that we donated to the [15:18] service of Israel in in [15:20] to make [music] [15:21] and uplift their own continents and [15:24] happy to be part of something giving [15:26] back to the community. So, it really is [15:29] a blessing and I think we owe the [15:31] Holocaust survivors a great debt and to [15:33] keep their memories alive. [15:38] >> Welcome back, friends. In the second [15:40] half of this week's report, we're going [15:42] to take a look at some of the [15:43] longer-term issues Israel faces, [15:46] starting with its relations with [15:48] neighbors to the north. We actually have [15:50] some good news on this front because [15:52] Syria's interim president Ahmed [15:54] al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad [15:57] al-Jolani, said in an interview with Al [16:00] Jazeera aired Sunday that he is quietly [16:02] negotiating with Israel to come to an [16:05] agreement regarding security. He even [16:08] said he's hopeful that this could lay [16:09] the groundwork for a comprehensive peace [16:11] agreement between Jerusalem and [16:13] Damascus. He added that these [16:16] negotiations are being closely watched [16:18] and occasionally assisted by the United [16:20] States and several other countries in [16:22] the region and have already made some [16:24] progress. There is intelligence sharing [16:27] on areas of mutual concern, presumably [16:30] including Hezbollah and the Iranian [16:32] efforts to support its Lebanese proxy. [16:35] Al-Sharaa said he hopes that in time [16:38] this could lead to a withdrawal of IDF [16:40] forces from the buffer zone in southern [16:43] Syria, where they have been deployed [16:45] since the overthrow of the Assad regime [16:47] in December of 2024. [16:50] Above all, he very specifically said [16:53] that he has no interest in a military [16:55] confrontation with Israel. And on the [16:57] contrary, he's hoping to cooperate with [16:59] Jerusalem on a host of mutually [17:02] beneficial projects and issues. He also [17:04] said he has no interest in getting into [17:07] confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon, [17:09] but he is interested in assisting [17:12] Lebanon's internationally recognized [17:14] government in disarming Hezbollah. Wow. [17:18] It is worth noting that he has already [17:20] ordered his forces to block and [17:21] intercept Iranian shipments of weapons [17:24] to Hezbollah. [17:25] On the one hand, this means that [17:27] Hezbollah isn't getting these weapons. [17:29] On the other hand, the Syrian forces are [17:31] keeping what they confiscate for their [17:33] own use. And that could be problematic [17:36] for Israel at some point. But for now, [17:38] it's helpful that Hezbollah has lost a [17:40] source of war-making material. [17:43] Meanwhile, back at the ranch, al-Julani [17:46] stated a version to entering the battle [17:47] in Lebanon is both good news and bad [17:49] news for Israel because it would [17:51] massively complicate matters for Israel [17:54] if Syrian forces were to enter Lebanon. [17:57] But it also means that the IDF continues [18:00] to face Hezbollah almost alone unless, [18:02] of course, you count the Lebanese Armed [18:04] Forces, which are theoretically being [18:07] deployed in areas of southern Lebanon in [18:09] order to deny Hezbollah the use of those [18:12] areas. Well, we'll have to wait and see [18:14] if the LAF is up to the task. But it [18:17] also means that the IDF continues to [18:19] face Hezbollah almost alone unless, of [18:22] course, you count the Lebanese Armed [18:24] Forces, which are theoretically being [18:26] deployed in areas of southern Lebanon in [18:29] order to deny Hezbollah the use of those [18:32] areas. We'll have to wait and see if the [18:34] laugh LAF is up to this task. Don't [18:37] laugh. But they have taken some [18:39] preliminary steps that they need to [18:41] take, and there is reason for cautious [18:43] optimism. [18:45] However, there is still a threat from [18:47] what's left of Hezbollah's arsenal of [18:48] rockets, missiles, and drones, which [18:51] their Iranian masters might order them [18:53] to fire into Israel at any time. This is [18:56] also the case with the Houthis in Yemen. [18:59] Where have they been? Who entered the [19:00] war this week by attacking Saudi oil [19:03] tankers attempting to exit the Red Sea [19:06] through the Bab al-Mandab Strait. If and [19:09] when the regime in Tehran decides that [19:11] it's time to once again pick a fight [19:13] with Israel, we can assume that they [19:15] will order both Hezbollah and the [19:17] Houthis to fire rockets, drones, and [19:19] ballistic missiles at this country, our [19:22] country. That's right. It is for that [19:24] reason that here at Vision for Israel, [19:27] we are continuing to supply bomb safety [19:29] shelters and other equipment to [19:31] communities all over Israel. In fact, [19:33] we've already placed 538 safety bomb [19:37] shelters across the northern and [19:39] southern borders of Israel. So, if you [19:41] want to know more about our projects, [19:43] you can visit our website [19:44] visionforisrael.com, [19:46] and please watch this short video. [19:56] >> [music] [20:14] [music] [20:41] [music] [20:49] >> Welcome back, friends. Our next story is [20:51] about something we haven't been [20:53] reporting on much lately, and that's the [20:54] situation in the Gaza Strip. Amidst the [20:57] much larger conflict with Iran, Gaza [21:01] kind of fell off the radar lately, but [21:02] there were some developments this week [21:04] that require our attention. [21:07] To start with, IDF operations, [21:09] especially air strikes on high-profile [21:11] Hamas operators and those who [21:13] participated in the October 7th, 2023 [21:17] massacre of Israelis have continued. [21:20] Last Saturday, a strike took out [21:22] Brigadier General Abdel-Nasser [21:24] al-Maqadma, [21:26] the head of the Hamas-led police force [21:29] in the northern Gaza Strip and the Hamas [21:31] governor of the area. Now, he was one of [21:34] five Hamas terrorists Israel took out on [21:36] Saturday with air strikes, even while [21:38] IDF ground forces continued to control [21:41] about 64% of the strip, standing guard [21:44] along the so-called yellow line, which [21:47] marks the end of IDF control and the [21:49] beginning of de facto Hamas control. [21:52] Now, meanwhile, on Sunday, Israel's [21:54] security cabinet voted to approve the [21:57] entry into Gaza of 200 troops from the [21:59] so-called international stabilization [22:02] force, which will be under the authority [22:04] of the so-called board of peace. [22:07] It seems kind of surreal to even be [22:09] talking about this stuff, but just a bit [22:11] less than a year ago, President Trump [22:14] was here in Jerusalem launching this [22:16] idea of a board of peace, which would [22:18] oversee a transition in the Gaza Strip. [22:21] Now, the entry of this stabilization [22:23] force that would disarm Hamas and take [22:25] over the policing role the Hamas forces [22:28] have been playing in the strip was [22:29] supposed to be the first step in the [22:31] process. [22:33] Well, we've all been distracted from [22:34] this by the war with Iran, which I'll [22:36] talk more about in a moment, but Hamas [22:39] is still there in Gaza. It is refusing [22:41] to disarm voluntarily, no surprise [22:44] there, and so it might be necessary to [22:47] disarm them by force. We'll have to see [22:50] how that goes, but candidly, I'm [22:51] skeptical for the same reasons I'm [22:54] skeptical that the Lebanese National [22:56] Army will disarm Hezbollah in Lebanon. [22:58] In any case, a senior Israeli official [23:01] told the media that the security cabinet [23:03] also voted to give this international [23:05] stabilization force immunity under [23:08] Israel's immunities of international [23:10] organizations law, and it will operate [23:12] in full coordination with the IDF when [23:15] it enters areas of Gaza that the IDF [23:18] does not control. The official also said [23:21] that this does not mean the IDF will be [23:23] withdrawing from Gaza, but instead it [23:25] will continue to be deployed on the [23:27] yellow line until Hamas has been [23:29] completely disarmed and the Gaza Strip [23:32] has been fully demilitarized. This [23:35] official also declared that, quote, only [23:37] countries with which Israel has a peace [23:40] agreement and with which are not acting [23:42] against the state of Israel or its [23:44] officials in international forums will [23:47] be eligible, unquote, to contribute [23:50] troops to this international [23:51] stabilization force. The official [23:54] continued by saying that at this stage [23:56] the force is expected to consist of [23:58] approximately 200 personnel from [24:01] friendly countries such as Uganda and [24:03] Morocco. What this official didn't say, [24:06] but which is kind of obvious, is that no [24:08] troops from Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, or [24:11] Pakistan, all of which expressed an [24:14] interest in contributing troops to this [24:16] force, will in fact be entering Gaza [24:18] anytime soon. Board of Peace High [24:21] Representative for Gaza, Nickolay [24:23] Mladenov, posted a statement on X that [24:27] he welcomed steps by Israel that enabled [24:29] the deployment of the international [24:31] stabilization force in Gaza in [24:33] accordance with UN Security Council [24:35] Resolution 2803. [24:38] That's what he said on X. Now, the focus [24:41] now is on ensuring that we move forward [24:43] with the 20-point plan for Gaza, [24:45] including the implementation of the road [24:47] map as presented by the mediators. [24:50] That's what they're saying, that's what [24:51] he said, and that's what maybe will [24:53] happen. Once Once it feels kind of [24:56] surreal to even be talking about this as [24:58] it seems like a lifetime ago that the [25:00] 20-point plan for Gaza and the board of [25:02] peace and all this stuff was being [25:04] rolled out. But it was actually only [25:06] about 9 and 1/2 months ago. For that [25:08] matter, it was only in January that mass [25:11] street protests broke out in Iran [25:13] culminating in a regime crackdown that [25:15] shocked the world and prompted President [25:17] Trump to declare to these protesters [25:21] that help is on the way. On Sunday, [25:24] Shahab Reza Pahlavi, the leader of the [25:27] Iranian diaspora communities in the [25:29] United States which fled their homeland [25:31] after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 was [25:34] in Israel to talk with Silvan Adams who [25:37] is the current president of the World [25:39] Jewish Congress. Without mentioning [25:41] President Trump by name Pahlavi [25:44] expressed exasperation at the current [25:47] state of affairs saying that the [25:48] protesters who were gunned down by the [25:50] IRGC in January {quote} didn't die so a [25:54] straight can stay open or for a nuclear [25:57] deal. They died for freedom. {unquote} [26:01] To switch briefly to commentary mode, I [26:03] think Pahlavi has an excellent point and [26:05] I myself have been absolutely appalled [26:08] at how the original reason President [26:10] Trump launched the campaign against the [26:12] regime that rules the Islamic Republic [26:14] has been almost entirely forgotten. [26:17] The regime has been badly beaten in the [26:19] kinetic battlefield and that continued [26:21] right up until a few days ago when [26:24] President Trump agreed to pause attacks [26:26] to give time for some more talks. But [26:29] they have won a victory of sorts by [26:30] completely changing the subject causing [26:33] our president, President Trump, who I do [26:35] respect and the whole world to forget [26:38] how this war started in the first place. [26:41] Once again, the protests were only 7 [26:44] months ago in January, but it feels like [26:46] a lifetime ago. Now we're almost out of [26:49] time for this report, so I'll just [26:50] briefly touch on some other big stories [26:53] from the past week. The United States [26:55] and Saudi Arabia have signed an [26:57] agreement to cooperate on building [26:59] nuclear power plants in the kingdom. [27:01] After some expressions of dismay at the [27:04] terms of this agreement, which were [27:06] voiced by some conservative voices in [27:08] America, President Trump posted on [27:10] social media that the agreement was [27:12] contingent on Saudi Arabia joining the [27:15] Abraham Accords and normalizing [27:17] relations with Israel. Saudi officials [27:19] were quick to push back against this [27:21] saying they had agreed to no such thing. [27:24] Well, I personally still have some hope [27:26] that Saudi Arabia will join the Abraham [27:29] Accords and after them Indonesia. But [27:32] for now, these countries have little [27:33] incentive to do so and some very good [27:36] reasons from their point of view, not [27:38] mine. [27:39] Now, I want to continue the tradition of [27:41] ending these reports with some good [27:44] news, great news. So, here it is. This [27:46] week, Greece signed an agreement to buy [27:48] almost 4 billion dollars worth of [27:51] radars, interceptors, and other [27:53] equipment and expertise, which would [27:55] allow the country to build an air [27:57] defense system similar to what Israel [28:00] has used to such great effort in this [28:02] war. Battle-tested Israeli systems like [28:05] David's Sling and the Barak MX will now [28:08] protect Greek cities. And this strategic [28:11] alliance between Athens and Jerusalem [28:13] has a strong long-term anchor. So, with [28:17] that, I'm Barry Segal and this has been [28:19] another edition of VFI News from Israel. [28:22] Don't you forget to love one another, [28:25] hug one another, and of course, pray for [28:27] the peace of Jerusalem. God bless you [28:29] and shalom.
