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🔴 Update — European Union decision

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, welcomed the decision by European Union foreign ministers to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, calling it a historic decision.

According to Sa’ar, the move will criminalize and significantly hinder IRGC activities in Europe, deliver a major economic blow to a structure that controls a substantial share of the Iranian regime’s economy, and send a clear message of support to Iranian men and women fighting for their freedom.

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Paris – Brussels – Madrid – Rome.

After months of European hesitation, a decisive shift is underway. France, followed by Spain and Italy, has signaled support for classifying Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization at the European Union level — a move widely seen as a clear diplomatic victory for Israel.

Israel sets the diplomatic pace

This shift did not happen by chance. It is the result of a deliberate and highly visible Israeli diplomatic strategy, led by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Through repeated public statements and direct appeals to European capitals and EU institutions, Israel pushed to convert long-standing moral condemnations of Tehran into concrete legal and political action.

Israel’s message has been consistent: the IRGC is not merely a regional military actor, but the core instrument of Iran’s internal repression and external terror operations.

France breaks the logjam

The turning point came when French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that France would support adding the IRGC to the EU’s terrorist list.

For Paris — long regarded as cautious on the issue — this marked a strategic shift, instantly altering the balance inside the EU.

France’s move acted as a political catalyst, making continued European inaction far more difficult to sustain.

Spain and Italy follow

Soon after France’s announcement, Spain and Italy indicated that they, too, were openly aligned with this position.

Their support is particularly significant: both Madrid and Rome had previously been among the more reserved capitals, wary of diplomatic fallout with Tehran.

Together, France, Spain and Italy now form a core group of major EU member states, reshaping the internal dynamics of the debate.

Brussels under growing pressure

Israel’s diplomatic push did not stop at national capitals. Gideon Sa’ar also directly challenged the European Commission, including its president Ursula von der Leyen, urging Brussels to move beyond rhetoric and adopt binding EU-level measures.

With several of the EU’s largest states now aligned, the pressure on European institutions is mounting.

A strategic precedent for Israel

Listing the IRGC as a terrorist organization still requires unanimous approval by all EU member states.

However, the alignment of France, Spain and Italy has dramatically narrowed the space for opposition.

For Israel, the significance goes beyond Iran:

this episode demonstrates its ability to shape Europe’s security agenda, linking human-rights abuses, regional terrorism and global security — and transforming political pressure into tangible diplomatic momentum.

Despite a fractured shoulder and medical leave, elite police officer Ran Gvili rushed into combat on October 7, 2023. At the entrance to Kibbutz Alumim, he helped stop dozens of Hamas terrorists and saved an entire community.

A wounded officer who ran toward the fire

On the morning of October 7, 2023, as rocket sirens echoed across southern Israel, Staff Sergeant Ran Gvili was supposed to be recovering.

He was 24 years old, on medical leave at his parents’ home in Meitar, suffering from a fractured shoulder after a motorcycle accident. Surgery had already been scheduled. Doctors had told him to rest.

Instead, when the first red alerts sounded, Ran put on his uniform, took his personal weapon, and headed straight toward the fighting.

From medical leave to the front line

Ran’s initial goal was to reach the Nova music festival area to help civilians under attack. On the way, he encountered fellow members of his elite Yasam unit (Border Police special forces operating in the Negev) and joined them.

The group was small—six to seven Yasam fighters and one officer in civilian clothes—but they moved quickly toward the attacked kibbutzim.

At the entrance to Kibbutz Alumim, they came face to face with a large Hamas force: dozens of heavily armed terrorists carrying AK-47s, RPGs, and grenades, attempting to breach the community.

The stand at the gate of Alumim

According to testimonies from his comrades, Ran Gvili took the initiative.

He led the engagement, opening fire first and drawing his team into combat. The clash was intense and chaotic. Despite being outnumbered, the group managed to neutralize at least 14 terrorists—bodies later found just hundreds of meters from the kibbutz gate.

During the fighting, Ran was wounded in the hand and leg. Yet he remained composed. Over the radio, he calmly called for assistance, without panic, while continuing to block the entrance.

By physically holding the line at the gate, Ran and his team prevented the terrorists from entering the kibbutz.

Why Alumim was saved

Thanks to this resistance—combined with the kibbutz’s internal emergency response team—no Israeli residents of Alumim were killed that day.

(Some foreign workers were tragically murdered elsewhere in the area.)

The terrorists were ultimately pushed back.

Ran Gvili was mortally wounded during these exchanges. His body was later taken to Gaza by the attackers.

“Alone against dozens”: myth and reality

Ran Gvili is often described as having fought “alone against dozens.” The reality is more precise—and no less extraordinary.

• He was part of a very small team, fewer than ten fighters.
• They faced an overwhelming force, estimated at around forty terrorists.
• At certain moments, the team was split, and Ran operated at the most exposed positions.
• His leadership and personal risk-taking were decisive in stopping the assault.

For the residents of Alumim, the conclusion is simple: without Ran and his team, the kibbutz would likely have been overrun.

A hero remembered at Alumim

Today, the residents of Kibbutz Alumim consider Ran Gvili their savior.

A memorial stands at the entrance to the community. A sign reads:

“Rani, hero of Israel, we are waiting for you at home.”

A Portuguese citizen and a Sephardic legacy

Ran Gvili was not only an Israeli hero. He was also a Portuguese citizen, through his Sephardic ancestry and Portugal’s 2015 law recognizing descendants of Jews expelled from the Iberian Peninsula.

His family history reflects the broader Sephardic diaspora: centuries in Iberia, expulsion and persecution, migration through the Mediterranean world, and eventual rebuilding in Israel.

This citizenship was not symbolic. Ran embodied the positive meaning of historical reparation: public service, responsibility, and sacrifice. He served as an elite police officer, worked tirelessly, and ultimately gave his life protecting civilians.

A return after 843 days

On January 26, 2026—843 days after his death—Ran Gvili was finally brought home.

His return closed a long and painful chapter for his family, his comrades, and the residents of Alumim. He was laid to rest in Israel, honored as the hero he was.

A legacy that endures

Ran Gvili’s story is not only about a battle.

It is about responsibility in moments of collapse, about choosing action despite fear and pain, and about standing between civilians and violence when it matters most.

He did not retreat.

He held the line.

And because of that, an entire community lived.

Rest in peace, Rani. Israel will not forget you.

Geopolitical analysis

As tensions with Iran persist and the global order continues to fragment, Israel is quietly but deliberately strengthening its strategic presence in the Caspian Sea region. The diplomatic tour of Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, accompanied by a high-level economic delegation, marks a significant step in this long-term strategy.

In Baku, the message is unmistakable: Israel is consolidating stable, forward-looking alliances well beyond its immediate regional environment.

🇦🇿 Baku, a Strategic Partner for Israel in a Volatile Region

In Azerbaijan, Gideon Sa’ar met with President Ilham Aliyev, whom he publicly described as “a visionary leader who has guided his nation toward impressive achievements.”

The Israeli foreign minister emphasized the exceptional level of trust between the two countries, highlighting Azerbaijan’s consistent support for Jewish life and religious freedom — a politically meaningful reality in a region often marked by hostility toward Israel.

“I arrived in Baku with a high-level business and economic delegation. Our shared goal is to deepen cooperation in energy, defense, water, agriculture, tourism, and more. We are strengthening our strategic relations,” Sa’ar stated.

🇮🇷 Azerbaijan as a Quiet Strategic Lever vis-à-vis Iran

Azerbaijan occupies a unique geopolitical position: it shares a direct border with Iran, enjoys political stability, and maintains pragmatic relations with Israel.

Without provoking open confrontation, this partnership allows Israel to:

• expand its strategic depth vis-à-vis Tehran;
• rely on a sovereign, pragmatic Muslim-majority state;
• reinforce regional deterrence through indirect but credible means.

The Caspian Sea: Energy, Routes, and Strategic Autonomy

The Caspian region has become a central arena in global energy and resource geopolitics.

• Azerbaijan is a key oil and gas producer.
• Kazakhstan holds critical resources, including hydrocarbons, uranium, and strategic metals.

For Israel, the objectives are clear:

1. diversify energy partnerships beyond Russian and Iranian influence;
2. secure long-term cooperation and supply routes;
3. position Israeli companies in large-scale strategic projects.

Israeli Technology at the Core of Economic Diplomacy

The presence of a senior Israeli business delegation underscores a diplomacy built on innovation. Israel brings concrete solutions in high-impact sectors:

• water management and desalination;
• smart agriculture and food security;
• defense and cybersecurity;
• engineering, healthcare, and tourism.

This approach creates strategic interdependence: Israel exports not only technology, but resilience and long-term partnership.

Kazakhstan: Opening a New Diplomatic Horizon

The Kazakh leg of the visit fits into a broader trend: the gradual extension of the spirit of the Abraham Accords beyond the Middle East.

As a moderate Muslim state with international credibility, Kazakhstan positions itself as:

• a bridge between Israel, Central Asia, and the West;
• a stable partner in an increasingly multipolar world;
• a political signal countering efforts to isolate Israel diplomatically.

Jewish Communities and Strategic Soft Power

In both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, Jewish communities live in safety, with officially recognized religious freedom. For Israel, these communities represent:

• a historical and human bridge;
• a foundation of diplomatic trust;
• a tangible counterweight to regional antisemitic narratives.

The tour of Gideon Sa’ar in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan highlights a strategic reality often underestimated: Israel is not reacting to global change — it is anticipating it.

By anchoring itself in the Caspian geopolitical core, Jerusalem:

• strengthens indirect strategic pressure on Iran;
• secures access to energy and critical partnerships;
• expands its alliance network beyond traditional frameworks.

A quiet move — but a decisive one.

Elya News

Barcelona, January 25, 2026

Another disgusting antisemitic assault on Jewish memory: filthy vandals desecrated multiple graves in the Jewish section of Barcelona’s Les Corts cemetery, discovered Saturday. This sickening act of pure Jew-hatred has ignited rightful rage across the local Jewish community and the entire global diaspora.

The Jewish Community of Barcelona immediately shut down all Jewish cemetery sections citywide until Monday and told members to stay away this weekend. They are now compiling evidence, preparing criminal charges, and arranging proper Halakhic repairs with rabbinic leaders and the Hevra Kadisha.

Key Points from the Official Statement

Jewish sections remain closed until Monday.

We are gathering evidence to assess the damage and file formal complaints.

Rabbinic authorities and the Hevra Kadisha are racing to repair the desecration in full accordance with tradition and Halakha.

Updates will come only through official channels.

We demand swift, decisive action against these outrages that spit on the dignity of our dead and on civilized coexistence.

As the Talmud states: “Whoever honors the dead also honors the living” (Berakhot 18a).

Jewish Community of Barcelona

Reactions and the Pathetic “Investigation”

Authorities don’t yet call this what it obviously is: antisemitism. But let’s be real — in today’s Europe, where Jew-hatred is exploding unchecked, pretending this is just “random vandalism” would be willful blindness or cowardice. Synagogues firebombed, Jewish students terrorized, cemeteries defiled — the pattern is unmistakable. This isn’t isolated; it’s part of the same poisonous wave that never really went away. The Jewish community demands real justice, not empty statements, and the diaspora is done waiting for Europe to grow a spine.

This repulsive antisemitic attack on Barcelona’s Jewish cemetery is a direct assault on Jewish dead, on human decency, and on the very idea of civilization. In a continent rotting from resurgent Jew-hatred — often excused, minimized, or ignored by spineless leaders and complicit media — these acts are not anomalies; they are symptoms of a disease that history warns us never truly dies.

Updates will follow the moment new facts emerge. Elya News will not look away.

Sources: Official statement from the Jewish Community of Barcelona, El Periódico (January 25, 2026).