Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington, D.C. last night, welcomed by Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon and newly appointed Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter.
Netanyahu's plane from Israel was forced to take an extended flight path to the United States, flying only over countries that have committed to not enforcing the ICC's outrageous arrest warrants issued against Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Today, Netanyahu met with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, following a meeting the two of them had last week in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu will meet with President Donald Trump tomorrow, and on Wednesday with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. On Thursday, he'll meet with bipartisan congressional leaders.
Meanwhile, a White House official said today that President Trump will soon issue an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the U.N. Human Rights Council, notorious for its extreme anti-Israel bias, and prohibiting future funding for UNRWA, the U.N. agency whose employees participated in the October 7 attacks.
Freed hostage Emily Damari was held in an UNRWA facility
Mandy Damari, the mother of freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari, said Friday that Emily was held by Hamas in UNRWA facilities, and that her captors refused to give her medical treatment.
Emily lost two fingers in her left hand after being shot by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
"Hamas held Emily in UNRWA facilities and denied her access to medical treatment after shooting her twice," Mandy said. "It’s a miracle that she survived, and we need to get aid to the remaining hostages now."
Iran's missile program poses a serious threat to America's allies
Iran yesterday unveiled a new ballistic missile that it said was capable of traveling over 1,000 miles, in a ceremony attended by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran launched two unprecedented direct attacks on Israel last year, in October and April, using its arsenal of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones. Most of the drones and missiles were intercepted by Israel's advanced missile defense systems and some by American fighter jets.
Meanwhile, Iran is developing nuclear missiles with a range of over 1,800 miles using North Korean designs, according to reports.
Iranian military experts have also been working on producing a nuclear warhead capable of being fitted to existing missiles able to strike Europe and Israel.
The United States must increase the pressure on the Iranian regime, including by returning to maximum enforcement of economic sanctions.
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Dan Senor speaks with with Nadav Eyal about the hostages released from captivity, the ongoing negotiations for the next phase of hostage releases, Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, and the future of the Middle East.
U.S. working to block Hezbollah from appointing Lebanese government minister
The United States is pressuring top Lebanese officials to not allow Hezbollah or its allies to nominate the country's next finance minister, according to reports.
The United States is seeking to capitalize on Israel's success in degrading Iranian-backed Hezbollah, and reduce the influence the terror group has over Lebanon.
Hezbollah has selected all of Lebanon's finance ministers since 2014, in coordination with its Shi'ite ally the Amal Movement.
Last week, Reps. Darin LaHood and Darrell Issa, co-chairs of Congress' U.S.-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, wrote in a letter to the White House that "Lebanon's new government must not allow any members of Hezbollah, or their political party proxies, to serve in the new government."
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Freed hostage Agam Berger attends IDF ceremony for her sister Bar
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