(AP-NBC News) Italian authorities arrested nine people linked to three charitable organizations suspected of sending $8.2 million to "associations based in Gaza, the Palestinian territories, or Israel, owned, controlled, or linked to Hamas," anti-terrorism prosecutors said Saturday. Among those arrested was Mohammad Hannoun, president of the Palestinian Association in Italy, described by prosecutors as the "head of the Italian cell of the Hamas organization." The EU has listed Hamas as a terror group. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi wrote on X that the operation "lifted the veil on behavior and activities which, pretending to be initiatives in favor of the Palestinian population, concealed support for and participation in terrorist organizations."

(New York Times) Abdi Latif Dahir - Israel on Friday became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland, an autonomous region that broke away from Somalia 34 years ago. Somaliland, in northwestern Somalia, declared independence in 1991 as Somalia descended into civil war and chaos. Since then, Somaliland has governed most of the territory it claims, largely in peace and stability. The move drew swift condemnation from Somalia, Egypt, Turkey and Djibouti. Somaliland, which has about five million people, has an elected parliament and its own currency, flag, military and police force. It has been described as an oasis of relative calm in a region torn by conflicts.

(Jerusalem Post-Ynet News) Tzvi Jasper - Ahmed Abu al-Roub, 34, from Qabatiya in the West Bank, ran over and killed Samson Mordechai, 68, in Beit She'an on Friday. He later stabbed to death Aviv Maor, 18, near Tel Yosef. He also rammed and wounded a 16-year-old boy in Beit She'an and wounded a 37-year-old man outside of Afula, before the terrorist was wounded and neutralized.

(Ynet News) Itamar Eichner - Prime Minister Netanyahu will meet President Trump in Florida on Monday for discussions on a range of diplomatic and security issues. From Israel's perspective, the demilitarization of Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas are foundational issues for any progress on reconstruction and governance in Gaza. Netanyahu wants to understand how the international stabilization force (ISF) the U.S. is assembling would carry this out. During a recent meeting of Israel's security cabinet, it was reported that the U.S. has secured commitments from three countries to send troops to Gaza. From Israel's perspective, countries such as Turkey and Pakistan cannot be part of the stabilization force. Israel is conditioning the transition to the second phase on the return of the body of killed hostage First Sgt. Ran Gviliy. There is hope that a focused effort will yield results in the coming days. Israel wants to ensure that the plan guarantees genuine disarmament of Hamas, not symbolic gestures or maneuvers, and the same applies to the demilitarization of Gaza. Israel seeks to ensure a complete break from Hamas and minimal ties to the Palestinian Authority. A senior Israeli official said after Thursday's cabinet meeting: "In Israel there is significant doubt whether the international force will succeed in disarming Hamas, but it must be given the opportunity. As for Hamas, intelligence assessments show it is still active, rearming and rebuilding." Regarding Syria, the army of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was seen chanting "To Jerusalem" and "We are coming to Gaza" during the anniversary of Assad's fall, and fighters were seen wearing ISIS patches. In such a situation, Israel cannot rely on or view al-Sharaa as a stable partner. Israel wants a demilitarized zone in southern Syria that does not threaten Israel, to protect the Druze population to prevent another massacre, and to prevent Damascus from becoming a depot for advanced weapons systems. On the possibility of reaching a security arrangement with Syria, the official said: "We thought it could happen faster, but they are unstable."

(Ynet News) Yoav Zitun - The IDF Artillery Corps this month received Elbit Systems' new all-Israeli wheeled, self-propelled howitzer. The SIGMA 155 will replace the aging U.S.-made M109 Paladin tracked artillery system. It features automatic shell loading, a reduced crew of 3 soldiers instead of 7, firing ranges of up to 40 km. (25 miles), and a firing rate of eight shells per minute. The fact that loaders will no longer be required could allow SIGMA 155 battalions to be fully open to female combat soldiers.

(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - Is U.S. policy legitimizing Hamas? Three months after the October ceasefire, the terrorists show no sign of disarming. Instead Hamas negotiates with White House envoys and regional powers as it settles in for the long haul. The Administration dignifies Hamas as a continuing negotiating partner. President Trump's peace plan says, "Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors." So far, no progress. "Hamas and other factions agree to not have any role in the governance of Gaza....There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision of independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use." Hamas governs half of Gaza and has not surrendered a single weapon. In the face of these violations, the Trump Administration pressures Israel to sit on its hands. When the Israelis occasionally strike senior Hamas terrorists, including those responsible for the Oct. 7 massacre, the White House scolds Jerusalem for threatening the peace. Every day Hamas fails to disarm and surrender power is a ceasefire violation. Accepting it legitimizes Hamas's presence. Trump's comments throughout the war suggest he understands that there can be no peace so long as Hamas is in power. But his envoys seem willing to trust that economic development alone will save Gaza. This has been tried and failed. Whatever gets built is knocked down in the next war that Hamas starts. Will the Trump envoys be remembered as the team that saved the hostages or the team that saved Hamas?

(Ynet News) Roni Green Shaulov - From the Ridge 70 observation point in the Sheikh Zayed neighborhood of northern Gaza, the view stretches clearly to the buildings of Sderot, the chimneys of the Rotenberg power station in Ashkelon, the large Israeli flag erected in Netiv HaAsara after the Oct. 7 massacre, and additional Israeli communities just a few kilometers away. No buildings remain standing between Ridge 70 and Israeli communities. Col. Omri Mashiach, commander of the IDF's Northern Brigade in the Gaza Division, said, "The enemy is weak, but it has not abandoned its ambitions. There are still attempts to create friction, such as sniper fire, explosive charges and anti-tank missiles, but instead of this happening along the border with the communities, it happens at the 'yellow line.'...If I were a resident of the border communities, I would understand that the situation has fundamentally changed. The efforts visible here can truly provide a strong sense of security. Our role is not to sleep, so residents can." As a result of IDF activity, several security-related changes have been implemented in the western Negev, including reopening Zikim Beach, resuming rail service between Sderot and Ashkelon, and removing the concrete barrier along the access road to Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Northern Brigade forces have been operating for months along the "yellow line" in northern Gaza, destroying terrorist infrastructure above and below ground in Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahia, and eliminating any immediate threat to Israeli forces and the State of Israel. During operations, dozens of terrorists who crossed the "yellow line" and posed an immediate threat were killed. IDF combat engineers destroyed more than four km. of underground tunnel routes used by Hamas.

(Ynet News) Yoav Zitun - The IDF has practiced implementing lessons from Oct. 7 to defend against a future massive terrorist infiltration. Air force helicopter pilots will be able to attack armed militants on their own authority, suspected infiltration routes into Israeli territory will be bombed within minutes, numerous landing zones have been established near borders, standby companies will be airlifted and intervention teams from elite units will be automatically deployed. The Air Force has doubled its minimum readiness for surprise invasion scenarios, including attack and transport helicopters for troop movement, UAVs and fighter jets.

(Jerusalem Post) Yonah Jeremy Bob - Part of the IDF plan for preventing Oct. 7-style invasions of Israel is that helicopters should be deployable to mow down and bomb invaders. Significant aspects of the air force helicopter units have been shifted from other tasks to border defense.

(Times of Israel) Former hostage Romi Gonen told Israel's Channel 12 in an interview that she was sexually assaulted by four different men during her time in captivity.

(Ha'aretz) Amira Hass - Hamas has just published an assessment of its Oct. 7 attack and the aftermath. Yet the people of Gaza can't be partners to the picture of achievements and resilience described in the document released Wednesday. In conversations with friends and family, even loyal Hamas supporters in the enclave have questions about the attack and the considerations behind it. They aren't getting answers. One Gazan wrote that the text shows "disdain for their blood and suffering...a blatant ignoring of reality, an attempt to convince people that the biggest tragedy in the modern history of Palestine and Gaza was a 'national necessity' and a historic achievement." A woman who left Gaza at the beginning of the war read Hamas's document and concludes that "these people will never admit their fatal mistakes and will never feel the suffering and tragedies of our people, since they are insensitive and have no conscience." These two writers were never supporters of the rival organization, Fatah, and cannot be suspected of being pro-Israel. But they are also among the not-so-few people in Gaza demanding that Hamas take some responsibility and not just bask on its self-congratulatory laurels for the "glorious crossing" of the border. Continuing the long tradition of exaggerating the number of dead Israelis in military clashes with Hamas, Hamas claims that 5,942 Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza. Overall, they claim that Israel suffered 13,000 fatalities on all fronts (Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza).

(Israel Hayom) Saeed Ibrahim - When dictator Siad Barre, the former President of Somalia, unleashed genocide against the people of Somaliland in the 1980s - a systematic campaign of extermination that would claim over 200,000 lives and reduce our cities to rubble - the international community remained silent as our people were slaughtered. But one country refused to be complicit in that silence. Israel stood alone in bringing Barre's atrocities before the UN Security Council. That act of moral courage in our darkest hour is seared into Somaliland's collective memory. The UN, predictably, did nothing. For 34 years since, it has denied Somaliland's right to exist while propping up the failed state of Somalia - more concerned with preserving colonial borders than protecting human lives or honoring democratic will. Israel and Somaliland have both fought for every inch of their existence, built democracy where others predicted chaos, and refuse to apologize for their right to exist. The writer is the founder and editor of the Somaliland Chronicle.

(Ynet News) Itamar Eichner - The Mossad on Thursday openly accused Qatar not only of backing Al Jazeera, which it said "encourages hatred, antisemitism and terror," but also of responsibility for "spreading false narratives and incitement against the State of Israel worldwide across multiple platforms." The agency sought to correct what it viewed as a false impression that it had effectively "defended" Qatar over the years or served as its advocate. Mossad officials stressed that the agency was well aware of Qatar's negative role and viewed it as an enemy state that hosts terrorists and funds antisemitic activity on campuses under the banner of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Mossad was the Israeli intelligence body responsible for maintaining contacts with Qatar due to the absence of formal diplomatic relations and these focused on the hostages. Officials said Qatar was seen by the Mossad as the most effective mediator in hostage negotiations. "The country that held the switch to the hostages' lives was Qatar," officials said.

(Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs) Lt.-Col. (ret.) Jonathan D. Halevi - Over two decades, Qatar has provided Hamas with political sanctuary, legitimacy, funding channels, and diplomatic cover, hosting its leadership and enabling strategic planning despite public denials of supporting terrorism. From at least 2014 onward, Hamas leadership developed a long-term, genocidal strategy aimed at eliminating Israel, expanding military capabilities, and planning a multi-front assault that closely resembled the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Qatar-hosted and Qatar-supported clerical networks linked to the Muslim Brotherhood framed jihad against Israel as a religious obligation, endorsed mass violence against Jewish civilians, and later issued charters justifying Oct. 7 and calling for global mobilization. Qatari-funded charities, cash assistance, and support for UNRWA in Gaza simultaneously provide humanitarian aid while reinforcing Hamas's governance, military infrastructure, and control over civilian institutions. The writer, a senior researcher of the Middle East and radical Islam at the Jerusalem Center, is a co-founder of the Orient Research Group Ltd.

(Washington Post) Editorial - Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam insists his government is on track to meet an end-of-year deadline to disarm Hizbullah south of the Litani River, a key requirement of its deal with Israel. But many are skeptical about the sincerity of the government's commitment to full disarmament. The more the Lebanese government is pressed to accomplish on its own, the less Israel must do - and the less Hizbullah can use Israel as a scapegoat to justify its existence. Doubts remain about the ability of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to get the job done. Last month, they refused to search private property in the south for weaponry. Meanwhile, Hizbullah continues taking steps to rebuild with help from Iran. The mullahs in Tehran are funneling money through Dubai to reconstitute their favorite terrorist proxy force. The most important thing President Trump can do is apply consistent pressure on the government in Beirut.

(Jerusalem Post) William Daroff - Jews everywhere are confronting a period of danger and moral testing. Antisemitism no longer hides at the margins. It organizes, radicalizes, and kills. The global surge in antisemitism does not arise organically. States and terrorist organizations deliberately export violence, incitement, and ideology far beyond Israel's borders. The same actors who target Israel actively work to destabilize Jewish life worldwide. What begins in Israel never ends there. During Israel's campaign against Hamas, calls for a "ceasefire" from anti-Israel activists exposed their true intent. They demanded that Israel should halt its defense. Hamas and its allies, it seemed, could continue attacking Israeli civilians without consequence. That same moral inversion now fuels violence across the Diaspora. Selective outrage and the erasure of Jewish vulnerability have moved from protest rhetoric to physical attack. Since the truce between Israel and Hamas took effect in early October, violence against Jews worldwide has intensified. When the world delegitimizes Jewish self-defense, Jewish life everywhere becomes more vulnerable. In Israel, a deeper clarity is evident. Israeli society understands that security cannot be subcontracted, that moral clarity cannot be outsourced, and that Jewish continuity demands courage. The festival of Hanukkah rejects the idea that Jews must justify their existence on terms set by others. Israel embodies that refusal. Only in Israel do Judaism, Christianity, and Islam coexist freely and openly under the protection of law. That reality stands in sharp contrast to the regions controlled by the forces whose narratives dominate much of today's international discourse. The writer is the CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

(Toronto Sun-Canada) Brian Lilley - Pro-Palestine protesters disrupted Boxing Day shopping at the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto on Dec. 26. These people have decided that you can't enjoy anything without their interruption. They seem to control the streets and both public and private spaces in Toronto. They used multiple megaphones indoors to blast their message "Free, free Palestine!" and damage the hearing of those unfortunate enough to be nearby. This is about domestic support here in Canada for a terrorist group on the other side of the world. The protesters were calling for the destruction of Israel and they were also calling for violence to ensure this happens. "Intifada right now," a woman screamed into the megaphone. Intifada is the term used to describe several armed uprisings against Israel using suicide bombings, gun and knife attacks against civilians, and blowing up cafes and public buses filled with civilians. If you don't think that what we saw at the Eaton Centre on Friday is connected to what we saw at Bondi Beach where 15 were killed at a Hanukkah festival, then you aren't paying attention.

(Forward) Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin - A billboard in Times Square proclaims: "Jesus is Palestinian." Many will believe it - but that statement is a mistake. Jesus was a Jew, born to Jewish parents, and lived as a Jew. He taught from the Hebrew Scriptures. He worshiped in the Jerusalem Temple. He observed Jewish festivals. He debated Jewish law with other Jews using Jewish modes of argument. In the New Testament, Luke 4:16 says, "On the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom." In John 4:9, a Samaritan woman asks Jesus: "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me." Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, refers to Jesus as a Jewish figure executed in Judea. No serious historical study of Jesus elides this basic truth: Jesus was a Jew. You might ask. "Didn't he live in Palestine?" The short answer is: Not yet. When Jesus lived, the Land of Israel was called Judea. It was under Roman rule. The name "Palestine" comes from the ancient people known as the Philistines, a perennial enemy of the Israelites. After the Romans crushed Jewish independence, they deliberately renamed the province in an effort to sever Jewish historical ties to the land, as well as to humiliate them by naming the land after their ancient foes. The writer is co-founder/co-director of Wisdom Without Walls: an online salon for Jewish ideas.

(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Robert Satloff - The near miraculous release of all live hostages and return of the remains of all the dead hostages except one was an objective few independent observers thought possible. Yet only two of the five war aims endorsed by the Israeli government have been implemented: the return of the hostages and establishment of a significant Israel Defense Forces (IDF) security perimeter within Gaza to prevent an October 7–style recurrence. Despite considerable diplomatic activity, none of the other three aims has been achieved and none seems even to be on the horizon: the disarmament of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza, and the creation of a peaceful Palestinian-led civilian administration led by neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority. Instead, the most likely scenario is an ad hoc postwar status quo in which Gaza is effectively divided between an Israel-controlled zone, covering 53% of the territory and 15% of the population, and a Hamas-controlled zone covering 47% of the territory and 85 percent of the population. Israel is likely to limit its Gaza activities to defending its zone of control and preventing illicit Hamas resupply efforts and hit-and-run attacks. Launching a major operation soon to disarm Hamas would appear unlikely since Israel is reluctant to take action that would indicate the collapse of President Trump's achievement. On the international front, Israel can count among its successes the ability to sequence its conflicts with regional adversaries, made possible through U.S. military and diplomatic support, thus preventing Iran and its proxies from realizing the full potential of their "ring of fire" to overwhelm Israeli defenses. Moreover, none of Israel's five Arab peace partners - Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco - suspended their treaties or broke relations during the war.