Conference of Presidents leaders, visiting the Gaza border on Feb. 21 during their 45th annual Israel leadership mission, were briefed by Israel Defense Forces commanders. Photo: Avi Hayun/Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations.

JNS.org – Delegates from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations visited the Israel-Gaza border and the Israeli Air Force’s F-35 fighter squadron on Thursday during the group’s 45th annual leadership mission to the Jewish state.

The participants started by being the first tour by a foreign party to witness the barrier that Israel has been constructing along the Gaza border.

They also got an in-depth briefing about the Hamas threat of digging tunnels to infiltrate and attack Israel, in addition to the unrest at the Gaza-Israel border, where the delegates were told that more than half of the rioters killed since the turmoil began in May have been Hamas members.

“This a war. This is not a riot. This not the ‘yellow vests,’” said the deputy commander of the Israel Defense Forces’ Gaza division, alluding to the recent rambunctious protests in France that included those as part of “yellow-vests” protests in France yelling antisemitic profanities this past week at French Jewish philosopher Alain Finkielkraut.

Finally, the delegates became the first foreign group to tour the F-35 squadron and received a briefing from Maj. M., the squadron’s executive officer, in addition to experiencing an up-close look at the jet, along with witnessing a booming take-off.