Day 476 Swords of Iron – “Will the ceasefire hold?”
Chaim starts by saying he’s very excited about the hostages who are supposed to be released on Shabbat (the next day) but he also wants to raise the alarm about a warning that’s being issued for the possibility of yet another front in this war opening up, this time on the Egyptian border. There are terrorists in the Sinai, and Iran might try to exploit this situation to menace Israel from that direction as well.
Chaim also mentions the supposed “Nazi salute” that Elon Musk supposedly threw out recently. He says that Israeli Prime Minister defended Musk from what was obviously an innocent act of overexuberance. But, Chaim also says that he wonders where all the people who tried to make a big deal about this incident were when Hezbollah actually was making Nazi salutes, very brazenly, and anti-Semites who supported Hamas in this war were doing the same on university campuses and elsewhere.
Chaim also talks about President Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. Chaim says he hopes this man will be a good friend of Israel. He is going to be visiting Gaza and all the points where sensors are being set up so Hamas can’t rebuild their positions and terror tunnels. Chaim says that this is also necessary in Lebanon because Hezbollah is trying to rebuild their fighting positions in southern Lebanon, near Israel’s border. There is supposed to be a cease-fire, but Hezbollah isn’t honoring its part of the agreement, and the IDF keeps finding all kinds of weapons and materials meant to be used in a war against Israel in southern Lebanon.
Chaim talks about some of the units who are part of this effort, including his own unit, the Ya’alom combat engineers.
Chaim says all this work is necessary to ensure that Hezbollah does not have the capability to attack Israel the way Hamas did on October 7th. The residents of northern Israel, including those people who the Aliyah Return Center has helped, are at risk.
Also at risk are the Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria, and Operation Iron Walls has been launched to restore security in this region, especially in and around the city of Jenin.
Chaim says that the incoming Trump Administration is helping Israel and supporting Israel in many ways, including by declaring that the Iranian nuclear weapons project must be and will be stopped, hopefully by economic sanctions and diplomatic measures but if not, by military force.
Chaim says that, in general, Trump’s comeback is a game changer for the whole world. He says it’s an amazing time to be alive and we’re seeing amazing things. This includes the shutting down of UNRWA, which has served as a shield and cover for Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations.
They allowed Hamas to hold hostages in UNRWA facilities in Gaza and the UNIFIL organization was completely useless in denying Hezbollah the ability to build their terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Chaim talks about seeing Hezbollah positions set up within sight of UNIFIL bases in southern Lebanon.
The UN’s efforts to be part of the solution in this part of the world have been an utter failure, and instead, they have become a big part of the problem.
Chaim says that instead of the UN, we should look to the Lord to help us in this time, and in this context, he quotes Psalms 44:6-7; For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us.
