Tuesday, August 15, 2023

08/15 Links Pt1: PA PM Shtayyeh's Straight-Faced Lies to US Delegations; Israel fears UNSC may limit UNIFIL’s power to monitor Hezbollah’s hostility

From Ian:

Palestinians: Prime Minister Shtayyeh's Straight-Faced Lies to Official US Delegations
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh has shown that he can include two lies in one short sentence.

During the meeting [with a US Democratic delegation], Shtayyeh blamed Israel for the fact that the Palestinians have not held general elections for nearly two decades. He also accused Israel of "attempting to combat the Palestinian democracy." Shtayyeh's remarks, reported by the Palestinians' official news agency Wafa, show that Palestinian leaders apparently think that many foreigners, especially Americans, are stupid enough to believe anything that comes out of their mouths.

Shtayyeh lied both when he claimed that Israel was responsible for obstructing Palestinian elections and that Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip enjoy democracy.

"The truth is Abbas canceled the elections because all credible public opinion polls showed that this month's legislative vote would have decimated the ruling clique of his Fatah party and ushered in a whole new politician configuration. This would have seen Abbas's rivals Marwan Barghouti and Nasser Al-Qidwah emerge as the new leaders of Fatah. If this scenario were to occur, a whole class of millionaires who turned the Palestinian struggle into a lucrative industry, generously funded by 'donor countries,' was at risk of losing everything. .... There is nothing that Abbas can say or do at this point to restore the people's confidence in his authority. Arguably, he never had their confidence in the first place. By canceling the elections, he has crossed a red line, thus placing himself and a few others around him as enemies of the Palestinian people, their democratic aspirations, and their hope for a better future." — Ramzy Baroud, editor of The Palestine Chronicle and author of five books,, arabnews.com, May 3, 2021.

So, evidently Abbas's decision to call off the elections really did have nothing to do with Israel. It was mainly the result of Abbas's totally justified fear that his divided Fatah faction would once again be trounced by Hamas.

Yet, Shtayyeh seems unwilling to allow the facts to get in the way of his straight-faced lies. In the past two years, Shtayyeh has been repeating his lie, that the elections were canceled because of Israel, on almost a weekly basis. He has repeated this lie to virtually every foreign dignitary or delegation he meets with, including, recently, the US Democratic Congressional delegation.
Conflicting Polls Show Arab Youth Want More Traditional Values, But Also Reform
A just-published survey suggests that Arab youth are returning to traditional values. The survey contrasts starkly with another — only partially released — poll, in which a growing number favor religious reform.

The conservative trend in the just released 15th Arab Youth Survey 2023 conducted by a Dubai-based public relations company reflects an earlier Arab Barometer poll. At the same time, those polled in the youth survey offered seemingly contradictory responses to questions.

If accurate, the trend casts a shadow over social reforms enacted by leaders such as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed, which have enhanced women’s rights and professional and leisure opportunities, and created Western-style entertainment industries.

Bin Zayed has gone further than MBS by reducing, if not removing, restrictions on alcohol consumption and cohabitation. The Saudi crown prince is believed to want to follow suit.

Earlier this year, the Saudi Tourism Authority surprised many by announcing that LGBTQ tourists would be welcome in the kingdom.

Similarly, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, alongside Bahrain, recently released the “Barbie” movie, in contrast with Kuwait and Lebanon, which banned the movie because it violated religious and social norms.

It’s not clear how the release of “Barbie” and the welcoming of LGBTQ tourists sit with 54 percent of those polled in the Arab Youth survey, who emphasized the importance of religion, tradition, and family in their personal and public lives.

In a similar vein, 76 percent were concerned about the loss of traditional values and culture. Sixty-five percent overall and 72 percent in the Gulf prioritized preserving religion and tradition instead of creating a tolerant, liberal, and globalized society.

Seventy-three percent disagreed that religious values held the Arab world back. More than sixty percent wanted their country’s laws to be based on Sharia.
Israel fears UNSC may limit UNIFIL’s power to monitor Hezbollah’s hostility
Israel fears the United Nations Security Council may limit the power of its peacekeeping force to monitor Hezbollah’s military activity against Israel on the northern border with Lebanon.

The 15-member security council is slated to approve at the end of the month an annual resolution that extends the ability of its peacekeeping unit, known as the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, to operate.

In advance of that meeting, Israeli and Lebanese delegations are expected to attend the UN this week to discuss the mandate’s renewal with UNSC members.

The UNSC is slated on Tuesday to meet with representatives from the 48 member states that contribute to the 10,500-member force.

Last year, the security council included a paragraph that bolstered UNIFIL’s independence, insisting that the peacekeeping force should have freedom of movement to such an extent that it did not need to coordinate its activity with the Lebanese army.

In paragraph 16, last year’s resolution stated that “UNIFIL does not require prior authorization or permission to undertake its mandated tasks.” It added that “UNIFIL is authorized to conduct its operation independently.”

That was followed by paragraph 17, which stated that UNIFIL could conduct “unannounced patrols.”

Lebanon pushing to require UNIFIL to coordinate its movement with Lebanese Army
Lebanon, according to diplomatic sources, is pushing for the UNSC to rescind that language in favor of text that would require UNIFIL to coordinate its movements with the Lebanese army.

Israel fears that such coordination would allow Hezbollah to know of UNIFIL’s movement in advance. It’s a situation that would hamper its ability to monitor Hezbollah’s military action against Israel and could endanger its troops.

A Lebanese military tribunal in June formally accused five members of Hezbollah and the allied Amal Movement of killing an Irish UN peacekeeper in December 2022.

The mandate is expected to be renewed. The debate is focused on whether or not UNIFIL will be given enough power to effectively operate.




Israel’s autonomous Africa policy
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s anticipated trip to Morocco is a necessary step towards broadening Israel’s diplomatic relations with the region. By delineating shared areas of understanding, Israel can enable Africa to view an alliance with the Jewish state through the prism of partnership rather than paternalism.

Historically, Israel has adjusted its relations with Africa in alignment with U.S. policy, but this has failed to yield strategic dividends.

This may be changing, however. To its credit, actions taken by Israel’s current government demonstrate a resistance to policies that conflict with Israel’s national interests.

For example, Israel refused to join 38 Western countries and sign on to an American-led initiative condemning the Hungarian government for recent legislation that includes a law banning the promotion of homosexual content to minors. There was an obvious reason for this decision: Hungary is a crucial ally of Israel and one of the Jewish state’s most fervent defenders at the U.N.

While the U.S. was likely disappointed with Israel’s decision, the episode failed to attract much media attention.

Another example is Netanyahu’s firm stance on withholding sophisticated weaponry such as Iron Dome from Ukraine. This decision is rooted in responsible concerns about sensitive information ending up in Iranian hands.

Israel has also successfully managed its relations with Russia on the issue of Syria. After an Israeli government review of the issue failed to yield a meaningful policy change, the Biden administration tempered its rhetoric. Reports have suggested that Israeli assistance to Ukraine was not a discussion point during Biden’s meeting last month with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

In other words, Israel’s unwillingness to compromise its security needs to placate White House demands was quietly accepted by the U.S.

Israel should take a similar position in regard to Africa. An autonomous Israeli policy of cementing African alliances will foil Iran’s attempts to enter Africa and help reverse anti-Western sentiments rising on the continent. The White House may object, but such a policy is clearly in Israel’s best interests.
JNS: Saudi/Israel Normalization: What's the deal? | Our Middle East
Is normalization a fact or a fiction fantasized by a misguided White House? Would a Saudi/Israel normalization even be good for Israel? Does Saudi Arabia even want peace with Israel?
In this episode of Our Middle East, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs President Dan Diker speaks with U.S.-based Middle East analyst Irina Tsukerman of the Arabian Peninsula Institute about the “security mayhem” of the Middle East.

They discuss
- what really is going on in Saudi Arabia and what are their interests
- if public normalization is advantageous or even possible for Israel
- Washington's missteps and misunderstandings of the players involved
- Russia and China's involvement in the region.
and much more.


German team quantifies Jordanian drinking water black market
According to the projections of the researchers, the importance of water deliveries by tanker truck will continue to increase.

“Household dependence on water tanks will increase 2.6-fold by 2050 – from 4.6% of the population to 12%,” predicted co-author and UFZ economist Prof. Erik Gawel.

The main reasons for this are high population growth and decreasing groundwater supplies. Some households will also no longer be able to use this type of water supply because of increasing water prices.

Because the average distances between wells and sales markets have increased from 13 to 20 km and water extraction is becoming more costly, the price for water could increase from $3/m3 in 2016 to $4/m3 in 2050. Poorer households will thus reach their financial limits – especially because the price for this is already almost five times higher than for tap water.

“However, the prices are not arbitrarily inflated but rather realistically reflect the production, personnel, and transport costs,” Gawel added. For poorer sections of the population living in areas with an insufficient public water supply, the high prices for water will become a growing problem. “In these cases, the state would have to intervene. For example, by improving the state water supply or subsidizing the purchase of water for these populations,” he said.

However, the uncontrolled extraction of drinking water not only has social consequences but also affects groundwater supplies. In regions where the proportion of illegal wells is particularly high, around the capital Amman and the city of Zarqa, the groundwater level is dropping quickly – and in some places by 3.5 meters per year.

Even now, wells have to be drilled to a depth of 220 meters to be able to extract water from them. The extraction of well water for tanker trucks greatly contributes to this development and, in some parts of the country, accounts for one-third of the over-extracted water.

As for how to stop the black market, the Jordanian government is now shutting down illegal wells.

“Although this stabilizes the decline in the groundwater table, it has negative consequences for the poorer Jordanians who are dependent on the supply of drinking water via tanker trucks and can thus no longer afford the water.”

"The scale of the water deliveries shows how insecure access to drinking water already is in Jordan. The population is also growing rapidly – especially because the country has taken in many refugees from Iraq and Syria. The problems of drinking water supply will not disappear but rather become increasingly more pressing,” Klassert concluded.
Former Trump advisor blames Jews for their own deportations to Auschwitz
The Auschwitz Museum has slammed comments made by former Trump adviser who blamed Jews for their own deportations at the hands of the Nazis.

In a recent speech, Michael Flynn, a Christian nationalist, suggested mothers were complicit in handing over their young children to go on trains to Auschwitz.

He said “Any mother who would be told, ‘Give me your child, give me your baby, we’re going to separate you, we’re not just going to put you into a club coach car. We’re going to stuff you like a sardine into a train.’”

He went on to claim “there weren’t any guards,” implying that Jews could have simply left or said no to Hitler’s soldiers.

A clip of his speech was posted on Twitter and has been viewed over 8 million times.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial said: “The assertion that Jews could have easily resisted during deportations to extermination simply due to their numerical strength compared to the guards oversimplifies the dire circumstances they faced.”

Flynn, who lasted 22 days in the White House as a national security adviser to former US President Donald Trump, was speaking at an event in Michigan described as “A Celebration of America’s Freedom and Future.”

It is not the first time Flynn has made headlines for Holocaust denial and antisemitism.
Turkish Newscaster Defends Airing Jewish Blood Libel
One of Turkey’s most prominent newscasters on Monday defended his interview with a lawyer who raised the possibility that Jewish men might murder non-Jewish virgins.

In an interview on his YouTube channel on Saturday, Fatih Altaylı, a TV presenter and print journalist formerly with the Habertürk newspaper, spoke with lawyer Rezan Epözdemir about the decade-old murder of Münevver Karabulut, a 17 year-old girl whose body was mutilated in a case that continues to garner widespread attention in Turkey. Epözdemir represents the Karabulut family.

Discussing potential motives for the 2009 murder, Epözdemir said that because the man convicted of Karabulut’s killing was of partial Algerian-Jewish descent, the court had considered the possibility that Karabulut had been killed in a supposed coming-of-age ritual called the “Rite of the Unleavened” that requires Jewish men to kill non-Jewish virgins.

“There was an argument during the trial phase. Unleavened Rite. A family of Algerian descent. Of Jewish origin,” Epözdemir said. “This was the reason for the execution of many families of Jewish origin in the Ottoman Empire. Rite of the Unleavened … What is it?…A man who has reached the age of 18 will prove his coming-of-age by murdering a young virgin girl…It was there today, even I read it in the press a few places. There is such a type of ritual. [It] also entered the minutes in the [court] file.”

During the interview, which has been viewed more than 1.2 million times on YouTube, neither Altaylı nor Epözdemir say clearly that the “rite” is an antisemitic fiction.
JPost Editorial: Smotrich demolished a Jewish outpost and upheld Israeli law
Illegal construction, both Israeli and Palestinian, is rampant throughout the West Bank, and Israeli authorities have struggled to get a handle on it, faced as they are with legal, diplomatic, and political hurdles. According to various NGO tallies, there are dozens of illegal Israeli outposts scattered across the West Bank, and Palestinians have built homes, businesses, and other structures without proper permits throughout the territory.

Smotrich had previously come under fire for approving far fewer demolitions in illegal Israeli outposts than had been taking place previously, with the number of demolitions plummeting from about 25 a month last year to an average of two per month since he assumed the West Bank construction and enforcement portfolio in February. And, as the sources close to him noted, the current government has endeavored to retroactively legalize several such outposts.

The question, however, is not whether Jews should be allowed to settle in Judea and Samaria; Smotrich clearly believes they should. The question is whether they should be permitted to do so without official approval – and on privately owned Palestinian land.

The High Court has consistently upheld the rights of Palestinian families on whose private land structures have been built unlawfully, ordering the state to remove the structures and grant the families access to their land. This is manifestly just, and it has nothing to do with whether Jews should be able to live in the territory.

In authorizing the removal of the structures at A’yira Shachar, Smotrich made an important and welcome statement about the necessity of upholding the rule of law for all – Israelis and Palestinians alike. We hope he and his fellow ministers continue to do so.
Court releases main suspect in killing of Palestinian in Burqa to house arrest
A court on Tuesday ordered an Israeli suspected of killing a Palestinian during a recent clash in the West Bank be released to house arrest, rejecting law enforcement’s request to keep him in custody.

Police filed an appeal against Yehiel Indore’s release, which the Jerusalem District Court rejected. Indore was then released to house arrest later Tuesday under restrictive conditions.

A police representative said during the remand hearing that Indore, who is suspected of fatally shooting 19-year-old Qusai Jamal Matan during a clash in the Palestinian village of Burqa on August 4, remained silent during interrogation on Monday and has refused to “go out for [crime scene] reconstruction in the field after consulting with his lawyer,” citing his medical condition, Ynet reported.

Indore was seriously injured in the incident, allegedly from a rock thrown by a Palestinian that hit his face, and spent most of his time in custody in a hospital before being transferred on Sunday to a Prison Service medical facility.

The police representative, arguing for a remand extension on Tuesday, said the Burqa incident “did not start with the wounding of Indore and the killing of the Palestinian. It started a few hours before and ended after.”

Lawyers representing Indore, who has claimed self-defense, hailed the Jerusalem court’s decision, arguing that “in his physical and mental state” he should not remain under arrest.

“The claim of self-defense here is clear, and if this is not self-defense, this claim can be erased from the law books,” Nati Rom of the far-right Honenu legal aid group said in a statement.
Firefighter succumbs to wounds, marking 3rd death in pit rescue attempt
A firefighter who was hospitalized in critical condition after falling into a pit during a rescue mission succumbed to his wounds on Tuesday, the Galilee Medical Center announced, marking the third death in the incident.

Dekel Marciano, 33, from Ma’alot-Tarshiha, fell into the hole in the northern village of Deir al-Asad on Sunday during an attempt to extract a Palestinian laborer who had earlier plunged inside.

“[Marciano] suffered from multiple injuries to his lungs, vascular system, and kidney, and possibly brain damage,” a doctor at the Galilee Medical Center said.

He was connected to a dialysis machine, the hospital said Tuesday, but his wounds were too extensive and “in the early morning, during his last hours, his family was called to his bedside.” Marciano left behind a wife and three children, including a newborn, according to Hebrew media.

The Palestinian laborer — named as Samad Al-Aramin, 20 from Hebron — and another firefighter who had fallen into the hole – Adnan Assad, 40, from Beit Jann — were both declared dead on Sunday.

After having lost contact with the firefighters when they descended into the hole, a police officer at the scene said that “additional firefighters descended with protective clothing. We found the two firefighters in very serious condition, and then the young man.”
Hamas and Islamic Jihad seen importing Gaza military tactics to the West Bank
Palestinian terror groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been exploiting the power vacuum in the northern West Bank to strengthen their military presence and replicate the fighting tactics against Israel that they developed in Gaza, according to a new report.

The analysis, published last week by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), highlights the various indications pointing at a new military infrastructure emerging in the Jenin and Nablus areas — resembling what already exists in the coastal enclave ruled by Hamas since 2007 — thanks to the dwindling control of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority over the area.

Among these indications are local manufacturing of weapons and advanced explosive devices; excavating tunnels; launching rockets; and fostering cooperation among different terror organizations, similar to the “Joint War Room” they set up in the Gaza Strip.

Like in Gaza, the main actors on this new terror front are Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). Both groups enjoy significant financial and military support from Iran, and both groups regularly thank Iran publicly for the aid it sends to Gaza and the West Bank. For instance, in a June 30 interview with the Iranian Arabic-language newspaper Al-Vefagh, PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhaleh said that armament of the West Bank has been taking place in accordance with instructions issued in 2014 by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who put forth a plan to “smuggle arms into the area, or buy them from the Israelis themselves.”

In recent months, however, it appears that explosive devices have been increasingly developed in the West Bank itself, and are more powerful than in the past. For example, the report mentioned that a large explosive device that was detonated on June 19 against an IDF armored vehicle on its way out of Jenin weighed 80 kilograms (176 lbs), and was allegedly produced by the engineering unit of the Jenin Brigade, a cross-factional group that emerged in September 2021.
IDF kills two Palestinian gunmen during Jericho raid
Two Palestinian terrorists were killed on Tuesday during an exchange of fire with Israeli forces near Jericho in the Jordan Valley.

The firefight broke out during an early morning Israeli arrest raid in the Aqbat Jabr camp, located southwest of Jericho.

The IDF said in a statement on Tuesday that “during the activity in the camp, suspects fired toward the Israel Border Police, who responded with live fire. Hits were identified.”

Palestinian sources identified the two fatalities as Kosai Amr Alwalji, 16, and Mohammad Rabhi Najum, 25.

They were both reportedly affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group.

Until two years ago, Najum worked as a lifeguard at Kibbutz Kalya, which is located near the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea next to Qumran National Park. He was fired after arousing the suspicion of the security coordinator of the kibbutz, HaKol HaYehudi (Jewish Voice) reported.

“Two young men were rushed to the hospital with bullets in their chests,” the Jericho Hospital’s director told the Reuters news agency.

Residents told the news agency that the raid lasted less than an hour.

Israeli forces arrested the target of the raid, Muhammad Nasr Abu al-Asal, 20, at his home, according to Ynet News, which cited the director of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club in Jericho, Eid Brahma.

Arrests were made and weapons were confiscated during overnight counterterror operations throughout Judea and Samaria, the army said.


Palestinian group attempts to fire another rocket from Jenin
The Palestinian al-Ayyash Brigades terrorist group claimed to have fired a rocket from the Jenin area toward the Israeli town of Shaked on Tuesday morning, with the IDF saying the attempt to fire the rocket failed and the launcher and remains of the rocket had been located.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated that sappers arrived at the scene to examine the rocket remains and the findings would be handled by security forces. IDF soldiers were conducting a manhunt for the Palestinians suspected of being behind the rocket fire attempt.

The al-Ayyash Brigades have made repeated claims of rocket fire toward Shaked, with shrapnel found in the area after at least some of the claims were made. The group has also published videos of members of the group firing rudimentary rockets.


Rocket launch attempted from Jenin area toward Jewish settlement
For the sixth time in recent months, a rocket launch was attempted from within the West Bank toward nearby Jewish settlements. i24NEWS senior defense correspondent Jonathan Regev reports on the latest attempt and how Iran might be involved.




Man convicted of giving Hamas NIS 4 million via Wakf affiliated org.
A man was convicted of financing Hamas with NIS 4 million over the course of a decade through a charity affiliated with both the terrorist organization and the Jordanian Wakf, the Jerusalem District Court ruled on Tuesday.

Faris Totah, who had previously been imprisoned in 2004 for Hamas activism, was accused of raising and transferring around NIS 100,000 to the Janat Zakat Al-Quds Association every three months from 2012-2022. Totah claimed that he had only transferred sums to the charity at such a level in the last two years.

Almost NIS 70,000 was seized by authorities. Totah claimed that he had been saving up for a new car, but Khaled Sabah, Totah's boss, said that the money was destined for him. Sabah later retracted this statement.

Were funds transferred to Hamas through a charity?
The funds were allegedly sent to the families and orphans of slain terrorists, though Totah claimed that it was a legitimate charity sending funds to the needy and orphans. Sabah said that 90% of the funds went to families not part of Hamas.

The suspect worked for Khaled Sabah, a man who claimed in messages that during a trip to Turkey, he had been appointed one of the heads of Hamas in Jerusalem. Sabah was reportedly released from prison in 1994 after serving 12 years for offenses connected to operations with Fatah. He was said to have joined Hamas during his incarceration. Sabah's own court case is ongoing. The prosecution claimed that Sabah was not only a well-known Hamas operative but was on the Janat Zakat Al-Quds board and according to some testimonies worked for the Wakf.

Relatives and co-workers denied that Totah, Sabah, or the association were affiliated with Hamas. Totah claimed that he also didn't know that the organization or Sabah were affiliated with Hamas, and that he shouldn't be charged because the association wasn't on a terrorist watch list.

The court doubted that Totah wasn't aware of Sabah's connections, given the defendant's own past relations with Hamas, and his long friendship with Sabah.
Fatah moves closer to Palestinian Islamic Jihad in rare Gaza meeting
Leaders of the Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and the ruling Fatah faction held a rare meeting in the Gaza Strip on Monday evening during which they discussed ways of strengthening bilateral relations between the two sides.

The meeting was held one day after the leader of PIJ, Ziyad al-Nakhaleh, and his deputy, Mohammed al-Hindi, met in Beirut with Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary-General of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror militia.

A statement issued by Hezbollah said the talks focused on the “latest developments in Palestine, Lebanon, and the region,” as well as “threats facing the axis of resistance during the current phase.”

It was not clear whether the meeting in Beirut was linked to the discussions between Fatah and PIJ officials in the Gaza Strip.

Meeting comes amid high tensions surrounding PA arrests of PIJ members
The meeting in the Gaza Strip came amid mounting tensions between the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority and PIJ, the second largest armed group in the coastal enclave after Hamas.

The tensions reached their peak last month, when the Palestinian security forces arrested several members of PIJ’s armed groups in the northern West Bank. Since then, several PIJ members have been arrested by the Palestinian security forces in other parts of the West Bank.

The latest tensions between the two sides erupted after the Palestinian security forces arrested two PIJ gunmen from the village of Jaba’, near Jenin. The two, Murad Malaisheh and Mohammed Barahmeh, were reportedly on their way to join the fighting against IDF troops during last month’s large-scale Israeli military operation in Jenin Refugee Camp.
Only Muslims have a right to Western Wall, which was not part of the alleged Jewish Temple.

Palestinian American upon entering Israel, You can call my compatriot a terrorist, but he is a freedom fighter

Teens at Fatah summer camp taught to assemble rifles



PreOccupiedTerritory: Media Struggle To Fit Gaza Anti-Hamas Protests Into Customary ‘Israel Bad’ Framing (satire)
Journalism organizations whose reporting template calls for them to cast Palestinian suffering, wherever possible, as a function of Jewish malfeasance and cruelty, have faced difficulty in recent days covering the recent popular demonstrations in this coastal territory against the repressive, corrupt rule of the Islamist group that runs it, since the journalists have available no obvious or immediate way to cast blame for the repression and corruption on Jews.

News organizations and personnel accustomed to framing the situation in Gaza – from which Israel withdrew unilaterally in 2005 and removed thousands of its citizens, even their graves, and where not a single IDF soldier serves – primarily as Israel’s fault, regardless of the violence, cronyism, embezzlement, censorship, and abuse that the ruling Hamas faction inflicts on the Gaza Strip’s two million inhabitants, have struggled for the last several weeks to find a way to portray the protests – which Hamas has tried to suppress with live fire and the arrest in hospitals of the wounded – as Israel’s fault.

The forced departure from the default framing of Israel Bad has challenged reporters to focus on the failings and unfitness of the Palestinian leadership, rather than on “the occupation,” as is the reporters’ wont. It has also challenged editors used to giving prominence to news detrimental to Israel’s reputation, regardless its veracity or context, and to reckon with information that does not fit into the morality tale they have long sold about selfish, rapacious Jews and helpless, peaceful Arabs.
Hezbollah chief threatens to send Israel back to the Stone Age
Amid increased Israeli-Lebanese border tensions, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatens that if a war were to erupt Israel 'will cease to exist'. i24NEWS senior defense correspondent Jonathan Regev reports




MEMRI: Massive Campaign Promoting Spanish Translation Of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei's Memoir – Iran's Latest Strategy For Spreading Its Islamic Revolution In Latin America
Since its founding, the revolutionary regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran has made massive efforts to export the principles of its Islamic Revolution to the world at large. In the Middle East and Africa, this exporting of the revolution has been carried out by means of proxies such as Hizbullah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, the Shi'ite militias in Iraq, and Shi'ite clerics in Nigeria, all of which Iran provides with financial, political and organizational assistance so that they can gradually undermine local politics and establish local support bases.

In Latin America, Iran has employed a similar strategy. Recognizing Latin America's geostrategic significance as the U.S.'s "backyard," it has sought to export the revolution across the region through the influence of local Shi'ite clerics and political leaders who seek to gradually infiltrate local politics and garner countrywide support for anti-U.S. positions.[1]

These passionate pro-Iran leaders often collaborate with leftist politicians to promote the view that Iran's and Latin America's struggles are one and the same – that is, against the arrogant Western powers who oppress the free nations through moral degradation, economic slavery, and territorial colonization. To this end, the Iranian regime and its protégé Hizbullah have also traditionally used accounts on various social media platforms, including HispanTV,[2] Al-Mayadeen Español,[3] and Al-ManarTV en Español,[4] as well as Khamenei.ir,[5] Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's official accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Through these, they address local audiences in their own languages. In this way, Iran has sought to continue recruiting local operatives whom Iran hopes will realize, through sufficient exposure to the core values of the Islamic Revolution, that it is only through collaboration with the Islamic Republic of Iran that their Latin American nations will regain their political and economic sovereignty – which, in their view, is under threat from all Western powers.

In 2023, Iran's latest attempts to indoctrinate such Latin American operatives largely focused on promoting the book Celda No. 14 (Cell No. 14), the Spanish translation of the memoir of Supreme Leader Khamenei. The book, originally written by Khamenei in Arabic and subsequently translated into Farsi and Spanish,[6] is Khamenei's memoir of his imprisonment and exile in Iran prior to the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. The book has been massively promoted at multiple international bookfairs across Latin America, including in Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia, and represents the Iranian regime's latest attempt at igniting the revolutionary spark in the region – this time through cultural and literary exchange.


Biden gives Iran a $6 billion payday
Iran is throwing money and arms at the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the West Bank, making security in the Palestinian territory worse than it has been for decades. Israeli citizens now bear the brunt of this danger. Iran's partner, the Lebanese Hezbollah, is similarly agitating on Israel's northern border. Israel fears a revival of its 2006 war with Hezbollah.

At the same time, the IRGC's intelligence services plot the assassination of active and former U.S. officials and Iranian human rights activists. The IRGC is also plotting against U.S. military personnel in Syria and beyond. Iran's nuclear program is producing enriched uranium approaching weapons-grade purity. Iran's secret nuclear weapons research is advancing the regime's ability to build warheads and missiles. All this is only a fraction of the consequence of Biden's strategy of encouraging hostage-taking.

Russia, among others, revels in Biden's weakness toward Iran, for Russian President Vladimir Putin now knows he need only take innocent Americans hostage in order to trade for the release of his arms dealers and other thugs. The continued detention of the American Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is an example of this.

What contrary lesson could Russia or any U.S. adversary take from Biden's $6 billion bonanza for Iran? The answer is, none. Taking Americans hostage doesn't risk mortal reprisal but is being made a logical business. Tyrants, like anyone else, respond to incentives and are willing to respond in ways at which decent governments would balk. Another lesson is that the Biden administration is malleable even in its most critical obligation to protect Americans.

It is stunning that Biden and his acolytes do not recognize this. Their perspective focuses only on short-term advantage. It simply acts without proper regard for a wide array of consequences. In doing so, it encourages dire results down the road.

Biden, seeking reelection, might be about to bring five Americans home. But the way he's doing it makes it likely that many others will be taken hostage and make it certain that Iran will be able to rev up its global campaign of terror.
By Buying the Freedom of Captive U.S. Citizens, the Biden Administration Is Encouraging More Hostage-Taking
Last week, the White House told reporters of its plans to secure the release of five American citizens being held hostage by Tehran, in exchange for the release of $6 billion in funds that have been frozen due to sanctions. Shay Khatiri comments:

[T]he deal rewards the Islamic Republic for its malign behavior. Over the past few decades, the regime has frequently taken innocent foreigners as hostages, only to release them in exchange for cash, sanctions relief, or the release of Iranian criminals held in those countries. . . . The Islamic Republic’s hostage diplomacy has been so successful that other American adversaries are copying it. Russia, North Korea, and China have all kidnapped foreign citizens to get concessions from liberal democracies in recent years. This agreement will further encourage the tactic.

[Worse still, the deal] is a hint that the Biden administration has given up on stopping the Islamic Republic’s nuclear-weapons program. From $17 billion to less than $10 billion, the deal cuts the amount of Iranian money frozen by the U.S. [almost] in half, and will further establish that Biden has no stomach for a confrontation with the Islamic Republic—strengthening Tehran’s hand. Meanwhile, the administration continues to handcuff Israel to stop it from attacking Iran.

The five Americans to be released have names and faces, and we will be reminded of their stories in the days and weeks to come. But the many who will lose their freedoms and lives as a result of the regime’s hostage-taking and terrorism, [which] this deal encourages, will also be victims, and they’re likely to remain nameless and faceless. They deserve a voice—and, at minimum, an American administration that doesn’t actively incentivize the Islamic Republic’s evildoing—too.
Barry Shaw: Biden’s bad Iran deal is cause for dire Israeli concern
The headline in the NYT of June 14, 2023, read, “US Seeks Informal Agreement with Iran.”

That headline was deceptive, perhaps deliberately.

It claimed that the Biden Administration had been quietly negotiating with the Iranians, as the paper put it, “to limit Iran’s nuclear program and to free imprisoned Americans” when the opposite is true.

This deal, negotiated in secret in Oman, is more about Iranian blackmail than it is about stopping the malevolent military and nuclear progress made by Iran on many fronts.

This deal has the Biden Administration submitting to Iran’s illegal hostage-taking blackmail by unfreezing Iranian money from both Iraqi and South Korean banks, signifying a breach of the official sanctions imposed on Iran without any trustworthy Iranian commitment to stop their illicit nuclear military programs.

The amounts are given as almost $3 Billion from Iraq and an estimated $7 Billion from South Korea. That’s ten billion dollars in ransom payments by Biden to the Ayatollahs.

This deal, called an “unofficial deal,” de facto declares an end to the official sanctions against the malevolent regime in Tehran.

Let’s call this spade the bloody shovel that it is.

How can you have an official sanctions policy when the United States gifts Iran ten billion dollars?


House Foreign Affairs Chair Threatens To Block Afghanistan Funding Until Taliban Cut Off
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R., Texas) said House Republicans are prepared to "put a hold on" U.S. tax dollars that are flowing to the Taliban.

"I'm prepared in my position to put a hold on this funding until we get assurances it's not going right into the hands of the Taliban," McCaul said Sunday on Fox News in response to a Washington Free Beacon report that the Biden administration has sent more than $2.35 billion to Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country in 2021.

The payments persist despite warnings from lawmakers and officials that the funds could enter the hands of the terrorist regime.

McCaul on Sunday said, "We need some assurance that this is gonna go to the right hands," and if the Taliban can't provide assurance, "We need to be prepared to cut that funding off."

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has called for similar action, saying that as president she would cut all aid to Afghanistan.

McCaul also said he is "prepared to go forward" in subpoenaing Biden administration officials over the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. servicemen amid the White House's chaotic withdrawal from the country.

"We're prepared to go forward with subpoenas to get to the bottom because these Gold Star families ... deserve the truth as to what happened to make sure this never happens again," McCaul said.

McCaul added that the "story gets worse by the day" and that he will "not rest until we get to the bottom of it."
'Women don't exist' in Afghanistan 2 years after Taliban takeover
Two years ago today, the Taliban took over Kabul. Former spokesman to the Afghanistan Security Council Javid Faisal describes what life is like in Afghanistan now, where he says 'women no longer exist'.




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