Escalation x2

Q. On Sunday, PM Netanyahu announced that his government intended to fire Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, radically exacerbating relations between the government and the security community and fueling an atmosphere of national crisis. What happened?

A. The backdrop is criticism of Netanyahu by the Shin Bet domestic security service that has emerged into public view. Of special note is an investigation into suspicious links between Netanyahu’s senior aides and the Qataris (“Qatargate”) when Qatar was, with Bibi’s okay, funding Hamas prior to October 7. 

A public threat by Bar’s predecessor, Nadav Argaman, to expose additional problematic acts by the prime minister helped escalate the situation. The Prime Minister’s Office accuses both Shin Bet heads, current and former, of losing the PM’s trust and undermining an elected government that enjoys a popular mandate.

The Bar firing, an affair that is developing as we write, is linked to Gaza, which in turn is linked to Yemen and the Trump administration. See more below. But first, the second front of escalation.

Q. On Saturday, the US launched an air and naval offensive against the Houthis in northern Yemen. The IDF is attacking select terrorist targets in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Hostage talks with Hamas are stalled and Israel is threatening to renew the Gaza war. Can we expect missiles and rockets on Tel Aviv?

A. The short answer is: we should be prepared at least for missiles from Yemen and possibly for symbolic rocket fire from Gaza. That could mean cancellations by airlines and security-related complications for daily life in parts of Israel, not to mention possible casualties.

Yossi Alpher is an independent security analyst. He is the former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, a former senior official with the Mossad, and a former IDF intelligence officer. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions.

1. Bills, Resolutions
2. Letters
3. Hearings
4. Selected Members on the Record
5. Selected Media & Press releases/Statements

1. Bills & Resolutions

TARGETING FREE SPEECH/PROTEST FOR PALESTINIAN LIVES/RIGHTS

HR 2065: Introduced 3/11/25 by McDowell (R-NC) and 9 Republican cosponsors, “To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide penalty enhancements for committing certain offenses while in disguise, and for other purposes.” Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Also see press release, Rep. Addison McDowell Introduces the Unmasking Hamas Act to Strengthen Penalties for Criminals in Disguise; U.S. lawmakers look to add tougher penalties for those who commit crimes in masks (Fox News 3/11/25)

 S. 936 [bill text]: Introduced 3/11/25 by Cotton (R-AR), “A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to apply a 6 percent excise tax on large endowments of certain private colleges and universities, and for other purposes,” aka the “Woke Endowment Security Tax Act.” Referred to the Committee on Finance.  Also see Cotton’s X-thread 3/11/25: “Today, I introduced two bills aimed at reforming the rotten culture on university campuses. First, any pro-Hamas protestor convicted of a crime should be ineligible for federal student loans, and federal student loan relief. The American people should not be on the hook for the tuition of Little Gaza inhabitants. Second, our elite universities need to know the cost of pushing anti-American and pro-terrorist agendas. The WEST Act would tax the largest university endowments to help pay down the national debt and secure our southern border.” Also see: press release – Cotton Reintroduces Woke Endowment Security Tax Act to Tax College Endowments; Exclusive — Sen. Tom Cotton Proposes Tax on ‘Woke’ Universities’ Endowments (Breitbart 3/11/25)

 S. 937 [bill text]:  Introduced 3/11/25 by Cotton (R-AR),”A bill to establish that an individual who is convicted of any offense under any Federal or State law related to the individual’s conduct at and during the course of a protest that occurs at an institution of higher education shall be ineligible to receive a Federal student loan or for forgiveness, cancellation, waiver, or modification of certain Federal student loans” aka the “No Student Loans for Campus Criminals Act.”  Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Also see Cotton’s X-thread 3/11/25: “Today, I introduced two bills aimed at reforming the rotten culture on university campuses. First, any pro-Hamas protestor convicted of a crime should be ineligible for federal student loans, and federal student loan relief. The American people should not be on the hook for the tuition of Little Gaza inhabitants.Second, our elite universities need to know the cost of pushing anti-American and pro-terrorist agendas. The WEST Act would tax the largest university endowments to help pay down the national debt and secure our southern border.” Also see: press release – Cotton: Taxpayers Shouldn’t Pay for Campus Criminals

S. 982: Introduced 3/12/25 by Banks (R-IN) and Ricketts (R-NE), “A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose campus polices relating to responding to certain incidents of civil disturbance, and for other purposes” aka the “No Tax Dollars for College Encampments Act.” Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.