St Louis Friends of Israel

10/22/2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a revised national security doctrine on October 18, framed around preemptive military action, expanded buffer zones and the pursuit of new regional alliances. Central to the presentation was a map showing competing geopolitical blocs across the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean, and it is that map that has drawn the sharpest attention from analysts watching Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.

The map groups Greece and Cyprus within a broader network of countries considered friendly to Israel, while Turkey appears alongside Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan in what the map labels the "Sunni Diamond" alliance. Iran and its network of allied groups are shown as a separate axis entirely. The map was originally produced by Germany's Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung foundation and was adopted by Netanyahu's office to illustrate Israel's new strategic framework.

The doctrine itself reflects lessons drawn from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the conflicts that followed. Its core priorities include preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, preserving Israel's freedom to conduct military operations unilaterally, and reducing dependence on outside powers, including the United States. Netanyahu warned during the briefing that a future US president could be "very hostile to Israel," making new partnerships essential.

For Athens and Jerusalem, the relationship has been building steadily through joint military exercises, energy cooperation, defense contacts and diplomatic engagement. Cyprus adds a further dimension, sitting close to major Middle Eastern flashpoints and key maritime routes. The publication of the doctrine has renewed discussion about whether these ties could evolve into more formal security arrangements.

Ankara is watching closely. Israeli-Turkish relations have deteriorated significantly over the Gaza war and competing interests in Syria and the broader Eastern Mediterranean. Closer coordination between Israel, Greece and Cyprus would represent a strategic pressure point for Turkey, whose regional ambitions increasingly put it in tension with all three countries.

Netanyahu's political opponents dismissed the doctrine as election theater, with former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot calling it "two hollow pages, full of slogans." The announcement came nine days before Israel's October 27 parliamentary elections.

10/21/2026

10/21/2026

As Israel heads into its first election since 2022, the October 7 attack, ensuing wars and an ongoing fight over accountability have weighed heavily on Israelis deciding who they will vote for.

Nowhere is the impact more immediate than in the Gaza border communities that bore the brunt of the 2023 invasion, where residents saw their towns overrun, neighbors killed or abducted, and long-held assumptions about their security collapse.

�Read more: https://www.timesofisrael.com/despite-the-horrors-of-oct-7-the-political-loyalties-of-many-gaza-border-residents-have-not-changed/

10/21/2026

Israeli ingenuity at its finest! Israeli defense company Rafael has unveiled a full-scale model of its advanced Sky Sonic interceptor at the AUSA defense exhibition in the United States, designed to counter one of the world’s most dangerous threats: maneuvering hypersonic missiles.

The Israeli-developed system is designed to intercept missiles traveling at more than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5+) that can change direction midflight.

Operating at altitudes of 20 to 70 kilometers, Sky Sonic aims to close a critical gap in existing missile defense capabilities. Its two-stage design combines a powerful rocket booster with a maneuverable interceptor and is designed to integrate with existing radar systems without requiring new infrastructure.

Another incredible example of Israeli innovation shaping the future of defense!

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10/21/2026

Over 75 retired senior U.S. military officials and legal experts signed onto a statement rejecting the claim that Israel had or is committing genocide in its ongoing fight against Hamas in Gaza. The letter, published by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) on the third anniversary of Hamas’ barbaric attacks on Israel, argues that civilian casualties cannot establish genocidal intent, and that Israeli evacuation warnings, humanitarian corridors, tactical pauses in fighting, and legal oversight of strikes serve as counterevidence against any claims of genocide.

Notable signatories include former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Philip Breedlove, former U.S. Strategic Command head Gen. Kevin Chilton, former Marine Corps commandant Gen. James Amos, former U.S. 7th Fleet commander Vice Adm. John Bird, and former CENTCOM deputy commander Vice Adm. Mark Fox.

The letter reads that “Many of the signatories to this letter have commanded United States armed forces in combat against enemies who regularly hide behind civilians and put those civilians intentionally in harm’s way. Fighting under those complexities is especially difficult. We understand that the loss of civilian life in Gaza is tragic. But we also know that such tragic outcomes do not necessarily violate the law of armed conflict,” adding that “Israel has not committed genocide but rather set a high bar for how to conduct urban warfare against an enemy who will stop at nothing, including the death of its own civilians.”

The letter offers yet another counter to the propaganda lie that the existence of a genocide in Gaza is widely agreed upon. In September, more than 5,000 prominent individuals, including former British premier Boris Johnson, actress Debra Messing, and dozens of authors and entertainment figures signed onto a similar letter rejecting the charge.
https://www.camera.org/article/the-news-you-didnt-hear-about-this-week-friday-oct-9-2026/

10/21/2026

More than 9,000 children from over 75 countries have received free heart treatment through Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart charity, according to The Jerusalem Post.

President Isaac Herzog hosted patients, doctors and supporters in Jerusalem on Friday. He said the organization deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and promised to help make it happen.

Based at Wolfson Medical Center in Holon, the charity treats children regardless of nationality or religion, including Palestinians and children from countries with no diplomatic ties to Israel.

It also trains doctors who return home to treat more children in their own communities.

“Few things leave me prouder to be Israeli,” Herzog said.

10/21/2026

BREAKING: UAE Approves 15-Storey Embassy Complex In Israel Six Years After Abraham Accords

Israel has approved plans for a permanent 15-storey United Arab Emirates embassy complex in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, marking another development in diplomatic ties established under the 2020 Abraham Accords.

The proposed building will include diplomatic offices and residential accommodation for the Emirati ambassador and embassy staff. The project is planned for a 2,500-square-metre site, with construction space of up to 15,000 square metres.

The approval comes amid reports of tensions between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv following a recent Flydubai flight incident. However, no construction or opening date has been announced.