Double agent’s assurance that Hamas was not planning operation contributed to lack of preparation

All Israel News Staff | Published: May 14, 2025

The Israeli intelligence community is reportedly investigating whether a Palestinian agent of the Shin Bet in Gaza was in fact a double agent, who helped Hamas conceal its intentions for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks according to reports in Hebrew media.

Several interrogations with senior Hamas officials were published this week. In those interrogations, it was revealed that some were actually double agents, feeding Israel information but often doing so in a way that served Hamas’ interests.

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Peloni:  Is this really the policy which the US wants to pursue?  Freeing up funds for a terror regime while cooperating with a state sponsor of terror?  This is every side of a bad idea.  In imbeds instability into a region which has been too long run by policies which prefers instability, something which Trump’s Riyadh speech of 2017 opposed.

Will Fund Syria’s New Regime, Led By HTS Terror Organization, Just As It Funded Hamas

Qatar, Syria | Special Dispatch No. 11975 | MEMRI | May 13, 2025

Qatar, the world’s greatest financer of extremist Islamist elements such as the Muslims Brotherhood and jihadi terror organizations, is now mobilizing to support the new Syrian regime headed by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, until recently known as Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, leader of the Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) terror organization. Starting next month (June 2025),  Qatar, with U.S. approval, will help pay the salaries of the Syrian public sector, thus enabling HTS to retain its control of Syria amid the deep economic crisis in the country. This move is reminiscent of Qatar’s provision of billions of dollars to Gaza under Hamas, with Israel’s consent, which enabled the terror organization to survive and to build up its military strength.  

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Peloni:  Al Shaara, aka Al Jolani, has done nothing to deserve lifting of sanctions beyond making promises of inclusive policies back up by acts of sectarian violence.  This gift of stabilizing Turkey in yet another state to which it has no right reinforces the well established precedent of the US succumbing to Saudi demands.

Ahmad Sharawi | May 14, 2025

Arab League President Costa meets then interim President of Syria (By © European Union, 1998 – 2025, Attribution)

“I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,” said President Donald Trump on May 13 during a speech at an investment forum in Riyadh at the start of his tour of the Gulf Arab states. The next day, Trump met with Syrian interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa alongside Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined by phone. Trump pushed Sharaa to join the Abraham Accords, expel foreign fighters and Palestinian terrorist organizations, and take control of ISIS detainees. Sharaa reaffirmed Syria’s 1974 disengagement agreement with Israel, expressed interest in counterterrorism cooperation, and pitched Syria as a future trade and energy hub open to U.S. investment.

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Peloni:  Gadi Taub provides an analysis of the conception which led to the October 7 slaughter.  He also discusses his recent interview with PM Netanyahu

Peloni:  Amb. Ettinger discusses the distictions which set Iran apart from other nations.  With its fanatical, apocalyptic, religious vision of toppling the collective Sunni state, Iran will come to focus its efforts on toppling the West.  He explains that Iran has proxies extending to Mexico and South America with the drug cartels, beyond those in the middle east, which are capable of carrying out this apocalyptic vision directly against the US.  Amb. Ettinger also discusses the threat coming from Tucker Carlson and others who try to trivialize the significant threat from Iran based on a Western perspectives which misconstrue Iranian ambitions.

Francisco Gil-White | An MOR series | May 12, 2025

If you didn’t read PART 3 yet, you may do so here:


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Janet Levy: PAY ATTENTION! What is Donald Trump’s Israel Du Jour Policy?

Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia with the billionaire globalists in tow for a “Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum.”  Elon Musk, Palantir’s Alex Karp, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman, Larry Fink and others WEFers were present.  Trump ended up signing a $600 billion dollar economic deal with the kingdom.

Trump and the Crown Prince also closed agreements on Energy, Defense, etc.

Regarding the Qatari offer of a luxury jet, DJT said, “It’s a great gesture from Qatar.  I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer.”  Sounds like a blatant conflict of interest with a terrorist, slave state that jeopardizes policy toward Israel.  (NOTE:  Qatar funds Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, the Taliban and ISIS and harbors the Muslim Brotherhood).

Trump now opposes bombing Iran and his displeasure with Waltz and Hegseth reportedly stems from their staunch support for an Israeli attack on Iran, the regime that shouts “Death to America,” “Death to Israel.”

The fact that the president arranged a ceasefire with the Houthis without Israeli involvement after they targeted Ben Gurion Airport is concerning.  He now might allow Iran to enrich uranium for “civilian” use.  The entire free world should be very nervous.

Meanwhile, Trump’s nominee Steve Witkoff was recently quoted as saying, “We want to bring the hostages home, but Israel is not willing to end the war. Israel is prolonging it — despite the fact that we don’t see where else we can go and that an agreement must be reached.”

Emerald Robinson | The Right Way | May 13, 2025

Click link below to read article

https://www.emerald.tv/p/did-trump-break-up-with-netanyahu

Peloni:  The following was written by Ted Belman’s cousin, Yonasan Bender, which his daughter Aliza was kind enough to forward to me to share with his readers.  It the most fitting tribute I have read of Ted, and I am very thankful to his family for sharing it.

Yonasan Bender

I realize since I was late I wasn’t able to say a few words but I had prepared something and I wanted to share them with you.

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Sundance | May 13, 2025

Click on Photo for Video of Trump’s speech

Celebrating a close and mutually beneficial relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, President Trump delivers remarks to an audience of both American and Saudi business leaders.

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Peloni:  Highly recommended video

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Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative” | May 13, 2025

*47 years of US negotiation with the Ayatollah regime suggest that US policy makers have been impressed with the, supposedly, pragmatism of Iranian negotiators. However, while the US considers agreements with the Ayatollah regime and its proxies (e.g., the Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah) a step toward reconciliation and peaceful coexistence, the Ayatollah regime considers negotiation as a step toward the realization of its ideology – a global domination of all walks of life by Shia Islam, headed by Shia clerics.

*While US policy makers tend to take history, ideology and religion lightly, assuming that Money Talks, the Ayatollah regime is determined that Ideology Walks. Furthermore, as documented by its 47-year-old track record of rogue exportation of the Islamic Shia Revolution, the Ayatollah regime’s ideology transcends financial and diplomatic accords and benefits.

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Peloni

It is with the greatest sadness that I have to report that Ted Belman, Editor of Israpundit for more than twenty years, has passed away at the age of 87.  It was my very great honor to have worked so closely with Ted over the past few years.  Ted was a visionary thinker, capable of thinking both inside and outside of the box, gaining insights into topics which he shared with his readers in the thousands of articles which he penned over the years and the innumerable posts which he posted and reflected upon.  While focusing on topics relating to Israel and the Middle East specifically, and geopolitics more generally, he made Aliyah to Israel in 2009.

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