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Friday, September 02, 2022

09/02 Links Pt1: ‘The games must go on’: Athlete recounts Munich massacre and problematic aftermath; Thirsty for war and fame: Gen-Z Palestinian terror influencers

From Ian:

Thirsty for war and fame: Gen-Z Palestinian terror influencers
According to the latest statistics, more than 60 shooting incidents occurred in the West Bank in the first part of August, and 60 shooting attacks were carried out against Israeli security forces during arrest raids in the area in recent months. These numbers are higher than in all of 2021 combined.

In addition, another 220 shooting incidents were thwarted by the IDF and Shin Bet. These numbers are relatively high to the numbers we got used seeing to in the past decade.

The Palestinian terrorists with whom the IDF is dealing are also different from those it faced in recent years. To a large extent, it can be said that they are merciless, strive to engage in combat, refuse to surrender easily, and equally important - thirsty for publicity and versed in social media. The most well-known among the latest "famous" Gen-Z terrorists was Ibrahim al-Nablusi, who was killed by Israeli security forces three weeks ago while evading arrest.

Al-Nablusi became a Palestinian social media terror "influencer," having recorded himself at funerals and during shooting attacks, which he later published to online platforms.

Earlier this week, a friend of a wanted Palestinian "succeeded" to film him shooting at IDF forces as they closed in to arrest him (and he later turned himself in). Each video of this kind glorifies the militant in question, who then immediately becomes a local hero and in some cases, a national one, like al-Nablusi.

These new-age terrorists also don't have any distinct organizational affiliation. They see their local Palestinian identity as more important than being affiliated with a particular terror group.

The growing involvement of Islamic Jihad members in the shooting attacks, as well as Fatah operatives who are now collaborating with them, raises suspicions that we are witnessing a development that is beyond spontaneous. Hamas certainly won't object to this move. It contributes greatly to incessant attempts of persuading Palestinians in the West Bank to carry out attacks against Israel.

In the early years of the Second Intifada, Hezbollah invested quite a lot of funds in an attempt to incite the West Bank by supporting Fatah and Tanzim operatives in the Nablus area. Such a scenario is also possible now.

Above all, the current escalation in the West Bank makes it clear for the umpteenth time that despite the Israeli attempt to lavish the Palestinians in the West Bank with economic benefits and bury its head in the sand in the process. Since 2009, the Palestinians continue to oppose Israel's wild dream of truce through "deluxe occupation."
‘The games must go on’: Athlete recounts Munich massacre and problematic aftermath
With the Games suspended for the first time in Olympic history, the team prepared for a complete cancellation.

However, they were halted for only 34 hours, with then-IOC president Avery Brundage declaring “the Games must go on.”

Langhoff said it was “doubly difficult” for his side to focus on their sporting objectives after the attacks.

The team lost against the Soviet Union and ultimately finished fourth.

Despite the harrowing experience, the team found little understanding from the East German public upon returning home.

“Only medals counted,” he recalled. “For us in the GDR [East Germany], finishing fourth was a shock to the system. I mean, there wasn’t a prison camp, but only places one to three were financially rewarded.”

The East German government, allied with the PLO and hostile to Israel, officially called the hostage-taking a “tragedy,” while there was hardly any mention of the atrocity in the media.

The Communist authorities “completely ignored this attack and didn’t include us in any evaluations or anything else… [they] were only concerned with being successful in the competition,” Langhoff said.
Germany agrees to $28m. in compensation for families of Munich Olympics victims
Germany and the families of Israeli athletes murdered at the 1972 Munich Olympics have agreed on a compensation offer totaling 28 million euros ($28 million), said an interior ministry spokesperson on Friday.

Last month, the families had said they were unhappy with the latest German compensation offers and that they planned to boycott a ceremony on Monday in Munich marking the 50th anniversary of the attack in protest. How will the reparation be paid to victims' families from the 1972 Munich Massacre?

The federal government will contribute 22.5 million euro, while 5 million euros will come from the state of Bavaria and 500,000 euros will come from Munich, said the spokesperson.

On Sept. 5, 1972, members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage at the poorly secured athletes' village by Palestinian gunmen from the radical Black September group.

Within 24 hours, 11 Israelis, five Palestinians and a German policeman were dead after a standoff and subsequent rescue effort erupted into gunfire.


Mark Regev: Boris Johnson: UK PM who washed dishes in Israel to exit Downing Street - opinion
How Boris Johnson made a difference for UK-Israel ties
When prime minister Theresa May named Boris as foreign secretary in 2016, many thought it a strange pick, the splashy Boris not necessarily a natural choice for Her Majesty’s chief diplomat. Yet my contacts assured me that his appointment would be good for the Anglo-Israel relationship. This assessment proved accurate: I witnessed at least two occasions in which he made a difference.

The first event was the Balfour Centenary. November 2017 marked the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration when, as the First World War raged, Great Britain promised its support for Zionist aspirations and came out in favor of the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people.

The Palestinians and their UK supporters demanded that Britain use the centenary to atone, calling on London to publicly acknowledge that British support for Zionism had been a terrible mistake inaugurating a “century of injustice.” They did not merely seek a formal governmental apology, but insisted that to make amends, Britain should grant official recognition to the PLO’s self-declared State of Palestine.

By contrast, Israelis, British Jews, and Israel’s many UK friends sought a public celebration of the occasion, urging London to embrace Britain’s historic support for Zionism and to champion the contemporary Anglo-Israel partnership.

IN RESPONSE to these conflicting appeals, Whitehall produced an artful compromise. Tobias Ellwood MP, then-Under Secretary of State for the Middle East, dutifully informed Parliament of the Foreign Office’s position: Britain would neither apologize nor celebrate.

But if the initial position was a fudge, the UK’s prime minister and foreign secretary were apparently having none of it. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was officially invited by the British government to come to the UK on the centenary. May hosted him for lunch at Downing Street and that evening he attended a celebratory banquet at London’s prestigious Lancaster House, with both May and Johnson in attendance.

At the time, Boris wrote: “I am proud of Britain’s part in creating Israel.” While reiterating the UK’s support for a two-state solution, Boris praised the Balfour Declaration for its “incontestable moral goal: to provide a persecuted people with a safe and secure homeland,” adding that he cherished the UK’s “indispensable” role in the “creation of a great nation.”


UN Takes Almost a Year To Say That China’s Genocide Could Be a Crime
The United Nations on Wednesday finally released a long-delayed report that admitted China's genocide of its Uyghur minority "may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity," the New York Times reported. The report did not use the word "genocide."

The report, which was released by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, found that China has undertaken "arbitrary and discriminatory detention" of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities and that "allegations of sexual and gender-based violence, including of rape," were credible.

Both the United States and an independent tribunal in the United Kingdom have declared China's actions to be genocide.

U.N. investigators had the report on High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet's desk nearly a year ago, the Times reported, but Bachelet, a former socialist president of Chile, delayed releasing it. Bachelet, whose term ended minutes after her office released the report, visited China in May, where she praised Communist Party officials and failed to mention the Uyghur genocide.

Bachelet said at a recent news conference that "she had given priority to reaching agreement with Beijing."

International Service for Human Rights program director Sarah M. Brooks told the Times that the report is "the bare minimum" Bachelet and her office could have done. Diplomats in Beijing told the paper that the late release prevents Western governments and human rights groups from building "a robust response in the Human Rights Council, which starts its last session of the year in 12 days."


Cristina Fernández de Kirchner: the request for a sentence of 12 years in prison
Interview with Daniel Santoro, a journalist for Argentina's Clarín newspaper, about the request for a 12-year prison sentence for former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner accused of corruption.


Israeli soldier stabbed near Hebron, moderately hurt; attacker shot dead
An Israeli soldier was moderately hurt in a stabbing attack near the West Bank city of Hebron Friday afternoon, close to the settlement of Kiryat Arba, the military and medics said.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, the alleged Palestinian stabber was shot by the wounded soldier’s comrade. The Rescuers Without Borders emergency services said the assailant had died.

The stabbing victim, in his 20s, was taken to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem after sustaining a moderate injury, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service.

The IDF said the two soldiers were securing the Route 60 highway, which passes near the Palestinian city, when the assailant attacked them.

According to Palestinian media reports, clashes erupted at the scene following the attack.

Army Radio reported that the stabber, 19, was a member of the Palestinian Authority security services. The station said he arrived at the military position by taxi.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid wished the injured soldier a speedy recovery and hailed the other soldier at the scene who “acted with determination to neutralize the terrorist.”

“We will continue to fight anyone who tries to harm our citizens and soldiers. Shabbat Shalom to all the soldiers of the IDF and the security forces. Take care of yourselves,” the premier added.
Israel's Top 5 Most Elite Units
You probably are aware that Israel has some of the strongest military and police forces in the world. Here are the nation’s top 5 MOST ELITE units.




Russia said to tell Iran to leave Syrian sites amid rise in apparent Israeli strikes
Russia has demanded that Iran and its militias withdraw from positions across Syria, amid an apparent uptick in airstrikes attributed to Israel in recent weeks, according to a Friday report.

A-Sharq Al-Awsat, a Saudi-owned daily published in London, cited Syrian officials as saying Russian officers called on their Iranian counterparts during a Wednesday meeting at the Hama Military Airport in central Syria, to leave several sites in the country.

The report said the three Russian officers demanded they evacuate the Iranian military headquarters in the western Hama province, which is situated next to the Syrian army’s Regiment 49 base.

The base is considered an important military site to Syria, as it is used to store missiles for the S-200 air defense system, as well as other Russian-made military equipment, the report said.

Another site the Russian officers demanded the Iranians evacuate was close to the coastal city of al-Hamidiyah, south of Tartus, the report said. In July, Syria accused Israel of targeting a site in the town, in a rare morning airstrike.

The report said the calls came as Russia was seeking to maintain stability in Syria, and to deprive Israel of targets to bomb in areas Russia sees as important. An airstrike attributed to Israel last month hit several Iranian sites close to Russia’s main naval base in Syria, at the port city of Tartus.
Iranian octopus is only losing tentacles in Syria
The killing of Muhandis and Soleimani was only a temporary setback for Iran, which has continued to entrench in Syria. It has increasingly relied on drones flown from the country, and more recently from Iraq and Iran, to try to strike at Israel.

US-Israeli cooperation on Syrian issues, including Israeli airstrikes, has been instrumental in confronting Iran’s threats. American fighter jets shot down Iranian drones that were heading to Israel in February.

However, whether the US is shooting down drones or striking the truck of an IRGC-affiliate, or whether Israel is continuing to carry out its campaign between wars, the Iranian octopus lives. The “whack-a-mole” strategy of taking out missiles or storage rooms presents Iran with material losses but no real deterrence.

It is Iran’s militias and Iran’s attempt to entrench in Syria that are causing the tensions, but Iran’s goal is to shift some of the burden of the conflict in Syria onto the US, hoping to draw US forces into greater tensions in the east, where it has been busy backing the fight against Isis.

Iran is gambling that the US doesn’t want more problems in Syria or Iraq. At the same time, it is gambling that Russia, which backs the Syrian regime, doesn’t want it destabilised by the US or Israel.

With reports that Russia is moving its S-300 missile systems out of Syria to Ukraine, the Kremlin will be telling the Syrian regime that it is even less protected than in the past.

This is potentially an opening for the US and Israel to do more against Iran in Syria.

However, past policy has been precision strikes against emerging threats, meaning the ball is always in Iran’s court.

Iran is the one that chooses when to send drones and when to move missiles. The campaign between the wars is a reaction to Iran and Iran holds the keys to a swathe of Syria.

Until Israel, the US or their partners come up with a way to take the keys away from Iran, the ball will always be in Tehran’s hands.
Syrian Opposition Figure: Hezbollah Refuses to Return Missiles, Tanks to Syria
In an interview with the Al-Arabiya Network (Saudi Arabia) on Aug. 26, Syrian opposition activist Asaad Al-Zubi stated that Hezbollah refuses to return weapons handed to it by the Syrian regime.

According to a report by MEMRI, he claimed that the Syrian regime transferred chemical weapons to Lebanon in order to conceal them from Western inspectors, but Hezbollah has stated that they would not be returned to Syria.

Furthermore, Zubi stated that Hezbollah got shoulder-fired missiles, anti-tank missiles and modern tanks, and has no intention of ever returning them, despite appeals from the Syrian regime, which reportedly sorely needs them.

“But Hezbollah kept all the modern weapons that it took [from the Syrian army], including shoulder-fired missiles — and among those modern anti-tank missiles — and most importantly, 400 tons of chemical WMDs,” said Zubi.

He added: “When inspectors came to Syria to search [for chemical weapons], the [Syrian] regime transferred 400 tons [of them] to a region in Jabal Sannin [in Lebanon] to hide [the chemical weapons] with Hezbollah.”


Israel makes final push to curb Iran nuclear deal
Gen. (Res.) Amir Avivi joins host Calev Ben David to discuss Israel's ongoing effort to curb the Iran nuclear agreement that the parties are close to finalizing




Deny Iran's president a UN visit visa
President Joe Biden should deny Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his delegation entry into the United States for the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which starts Sept. 13.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has continually proven in recent months that it has no interest in acting like even a moderately civilized nation. First, Raisi, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. since 2019, has an atrocious human rights record. As the "Butcher of Tehran," Raisi was in charge of the executions of thousands of Iranian dissidents in 1988. Iran’s human rights violations continue to this day toward its own citizens.

Second, Raisi has a history of spewing antisemitic rhetoric against the Jewish state of Israel. Part and parcel of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's broader ambition of a second Holocaust, this rhetoric reflects Raisi's comfort with the evil that defines Khamenei's regime.

Third, Iran is shamelessly supporting Russia's war against Ukraine by supplying Moscow with combat drones to use in its assault on Europe.

Finally, there's Iran's continued pursuit of terrorist assassination campaigns against former Trump administration officials such as John Bolton and dissidents such as Masih Alinejad. These plots are tantamount to acts of war. It would be absurd for Raisi to be able to visit New York City at the same time he is plotting to kill some of its residents.
Why the Proposed Deal With Iran is TERRIBLE for Israel | The Israel Guys
While the world panders and deliberates, one of the world’s most dangerous, radical regimes is racing towards nuclear capability with a publicly sworn statement of destroying Israel and America. The US, EU and others are pushing hard to establish a new agreement with Iran, even if it only means slowing their nuclear breakout time by five years.

Not only should we be worried about an Iranian nuclear capability that could kill millions of people around the world, but Iran also has a proxy army with more than 100,000 fighters in Lebanon.

As the world pushes towards a pathetic, useless agreement with Iran, we should pray that American leaders push back against the forces of evil, and pray that Israel would have the strength to stand on their own if needed, even if it means attacking Iran directly.


Iranian wrestling champion praises Adolf Hitler as his inspiration
The Iran International news organization reported that Greco-Roman wrestler Mohammad Ali Geraei, who finished in fifth place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, cited Hitler as well as boxing legend Muhammad Ali as his inspirations while talking to an Iranian publication on Saturday.

Israel’s official Persian-language Twitter page condemned Geraei’s comments, saying in a post, “The problem is the ayatollahs’ anti-Semitic government that presents the biggest criminal in history as a hero. Like Hitler, the ayatollahs sacrifice the Iranian people for their goals.”

Israel’s English-language Twitter account added, “Our role models: parents, teachers, doctors. Iranian wrestling champion Mohammad Ali Geraei’s role model: Hitler. … When the Iranian regime normalizes anti-Semitism and violence against Jews, this is the result.”

Sardar Pashaei, an Iranian activist who was a Greco-Roman wrestling champion and former head coach of Iran’s Greco-Roman wrestling team, told The Jerusalem Post he was “very sad” to see how Iranian athletes “have become government puppets and have to learn the lesson of hate instead of friendship.”

“Geraei’s words are like rubbing salt on the wounds of millions of people whose families were victims of hatred,” said Pashaei, who is now an American citizen.




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