Tuesday, October 17, 2023

10/17 Links Pt1: Hamas’s Strategy of Human Sacrifice; It's Only a War Crime if Israel Is Doing It; Why Are So Few Talking About the Hostages?

From Ian:

Hamas’s Strategy of Human Sacrifice
This is not simply a human-shield strategy, where the aim is to deter an attack by using innocent lives as a barrier. Hamas is doing something far more insidious: it’s ensuring the mass death of Palestinians. Here is Hamas official Ali Baraka summing up the difference between the two worldviews: “The Israelis are known to love life. We, on the other hand, sacrifice ourselves. We consider our dead to be martyrs.”

When Hamas fires rockets at Israel and kills, captures, and rapes civilians there, they know Israel will retaliate. Hamas leaders put their assets in civilian buildings not in hopes that Israel will hold fire, but in a cold calculation that the retaliation will do terrible harm to Palestinian civilians—despite the extraordinary efforts Israel’s army makes to avoid it. Hamas is working to maximize, not minimize, that harm. This is to generate international pressure on Israel to end its retaliation—and to strengthen Israel’s enemies in their depiction of the Jewish state as a villain.

Israel has moral and practical reasons for avoiding harm to Palestinian civilians. Israelis pride themselves on acting humanely, even in war. Their military officers—like those in the U.S. military—distinguish between civilian and military sites and never purposefully target the former. Even when attacking senior terrorist leaders, Israel tries to avoid harming their family members, let alone unrelated civilians. To avert collateral damage, Israel routinely provides warnings of attacks, even though they increase risk to Israelis and decrease an attack’s chances of success. In the current war, Israel has notified Gazans in various neighborhoods that there would soon be attacks there and they should hasten to designated safe areas.

Hamas’s strategy is innovative in the worst way. For everyone who aspires to strengthen moral constraints on warfare, it is a huge step backward. It is savage, cynical, and unnatural—but what’s worse, it’s effective. That is why it’s being used.

Innocent Palestinians deserve sympathy. But when Americans, Europeans, and others misdirect their outrage at Israel, failing to grasp Hamas’s responsibility, they are encouraging the very cruelty they intend to condemn.

Blame for the purposeful sacrificing of innocent Palestinians goes first and foremost to Hamas, to be sure, but also to those of us in the outside world duped by this strategy.

Schools, hospitals, and mosques will be bombed in the coming days. This is what Hamas wants, what it has made sure will happen. Those, however well-intentioned, who blame Israel are complicit in Hamas’s war crimes.

It’s time to place the blame rightly and stop incentivizing Hamas’s crimes against the Palestinians (let alone against the Israelis). For the sake of both Palestinians and Israelis, and to honor basic decency and law, it is the least we can do.
All those who question the sickening violence of the Hamas attack against Israel must read the words of these forensic scientists struggling to identify the 297 bodies that were so brutalised as to be unrecognisable
The charred remains were so disfigured that at first they did not realise it was two people.

But when pathologists gently began to examine, they could see the bodies were those of an adult and a child. And they were hugging tightly.

That is how it had ended for them, trapped in a room as Hamas terrorists set fire to their home. As the horror of burning to death came to them, the adult had nothing left to offer but to hold that terrified child in their arms.

And as unbearable as that is, it is by no means an isolated case here at Israel's National Centre of Forensic Medicine, where the bodies of the victims of the Hamas attack are being identified. Scientists charged with this grim task told me it is common to have to carefully separate the fused remains of two helpless people who, in their final moments, had found all they could do was embrace in death.

No wonder several professional pathologists broke down in tears yesterday as they tried to explain their vital work to me.

This is the real-life version of Silent Witness, the television drama about pathology experts piecing together forensic clues to solve a case.

Of the 959 bodies so far brought to the Shura military base, the ones that are hardest to identify are taken to the forensics centre here in Tel Aviv, where teams of scientists are working around the clock to find out who they are.

They are acutely aware that the tormented families of the missing are beyond desperate – they just need to know.

The work itself could scarcely be more upsetting. Some victims were shot then set on fire, others trussed up with wire cords and condemned to a burning hell.

As of yesterday, there were 297 bodies so hideously brutalised as to be unrecognisable to anyone. It is the wretched job of these pathologists to try to work it out.

Sometimes, all they have to go on are a few fragments of bone. That is literally all that is left of someone.
Foreign media given unprecedented access to forensic institute to witness atrocities
For the first time since it opened in 1954, on Monday Israel’s National Center of Forensic Medicine (Abu Kabir) in Jaffa allowed reporters to see and photograph the dead bodies inside.

The stench of death and putrefaction was overwhelming on Abu Kabir’s bottom floor where bodies that await specialized examination and bone fragments are unloaded for DNA extraction or study by anthropologists.

Some of the journalists couldn’t stomach viewing the horrific scenes in the autopsy rooms as the center’s teams worked reverently and professionally, burying their emotions for the moment.

Despite how intensively Abu Kabir’s staff are working as they try to establish the identity of the most degraded remains of the mass-murderous Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities on October 7, it was felt important to make room in their tight quarters for journalists to document these atrocities for the world to see.

There are still hundreds of unidentified bodies, and forensic experts at Abu Kabir and from the IDF and police are working around the clock to provide definitive answers for the victim’s families.

Dr. Hagar Mizrahi told the journalists that as of Monday morning, 959 body bags containing remains in various states had arrived at the IDF’s Shura base near Ramle and 504 victims had been positively identified. There were still 297 bodies or bags of remains unidentified, most of which were expected to be transferred to Abu Kabir for advanced forensic examination.

At least 1,300 Israelis — the majority of them civilians — have been killed and at least 199 have been taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza (Hamas claims an additional 50 Israelis are being held by other groups).


It's Only a War Crime if Israel Is Doing It
Once again self-proclaimed international law experts are throwing around terms that they do not understand to accuse Israel of atrocities as it responds to a vicious attack from the terrorist group Hamas.

Today, these "experts" are concerned about the war crimes of "forcible transfer" and "deportation" as Israel tries to save innocent Palestinian civilians by warning them to leave Hamas strongholds.

Here is another short primer on international law: Saving civilian lives is not a war crime. Terms matter, and there is a difference between an evacuation and a forcible transfer. Saving innocent people is what any army is supposed to do and literally the opposite of what Hamas has done and continues to do.

But don't take my word for it, let's ask the United Nations what the war crimes "forcible transfer" and "deportation" mean when the entity involved is not Israel (emphasis added):

What are the crimes of deportation and forcible transfer? Forcing persons to leave the area where they reside can be a crime against humanity, a war crime or both. If they occur in the context of a widespread or systematic attack against the civilian population, deportation and forcible transfer are crimes against humanity. Deportation and forcible transfer occur when individuals are forced by expulsion or coercion from the place they were lawfully present, and there was no basis under international law for their displacement. When persons are displaced across an international border, it is called deportation. When such displacement occurs within a national boundary, it is called forcible transfer. Forced displacement does not require physical force and can be caused by the threat of force or coercion, duress or psychological oppression. A person is lawfully present in an area if they have a right under domestic or international law to be there, including refugees and stateless persons. International law allows the involuntary removal of persons only where it is strictly for the security of the persons or for imperative military reasons, but only for as long as the removal is necessary.

This is not, in fact, a close call.

Israel is attacking Hamas, not targeting the civilian population.


Why has the Gaza ground invasion been delayed since Friday?
While achieving strategic "surprise" would be impossible given that Hamas started this war, the IDF would also like to achieve at least a tactical surprise against Hamas, which requires planning.

A number of other delaying factors could be US pressure to avoid civilian casualties, domestic concerns about Israeli hostages in Gaza, and giving more time for Palestinians to evacuate.

Another factor is the US and world response to date.

Currently, Israel feels huge support and like it has more time to work with to deal with Hamas.

One question that arises at this point though is whether top IDF and civilian leaders are misjudging the clock.

According to Hamas' numbers, already a couple thousand Palestinians are dead and many more wounded. In 2014, when 2,000 Palestinians were killed, at least half were civilians despite the IDF's attempts to avoid civilian casualties.

Such is the fog of war.

The second that those numbers balloon, which will likely be when the invasion starts in a real way, there will be powerful US and world pressure to stop.

Also, the Post has confirmed from many sources that no one has yet decided what will happen to Gaza after the IDF will supposedly topple Hamas' rule.

This and all of the other above factors have left top Israeli officials huffing and puffing for new superlatives for what they will do to Hamas...while still basically having done very little new for about a week.

Only after the war will we know whether this extra time was spent wisely crafting a smarter and more effective invasion and post-invasion plan, or whether the delay will be looked back on as having wasted precious days to "change the reality in Gaza" and avoid future near term Hamas attacks.
ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS - DAY 11

Jonathan Tobin: Hamas weaponizes sympathy for civilians they help kill

A Positive Exit Strategy From Gaza

Eliminating Hamas: Obstacles and Opportunity
Is it possible for the IDF to fulfill the mission of eliminating Hamas? Hamas, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, is a significant religious political movement in Palestinian society with broad popular support. In 2006, it won the Palestinian Legislative Council elections. Hamas' popularity on the Palestinian street has dramatically increased after positioning itself as the "defender of the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

Israel will have difficulty uprooting Hamas, which is deeply rooted in Palestinian society. Still, the IDF can eliminate its military leadership in Gaza, together with its military infrastructure, such as the tunnel system, rocket depots, production workshops, drone systems, and more.

There are a series of additional steps Israel could take to weaken the power of Hamas. An international campaign should be launched to demand that Qatar expel the Hamas leadership from its capital, Doha. The Israeli Mossad should pursue the leaders of Hamas worldwide as it pursued the "Black September" organization that massacred Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics in 1972.

Israel should arrest all Hamas leaders in Judea and Samaria. Israel must demand from Turkey the closure of the offices of Hamas in Istanbul that direct the terrorism in Judea and Samaria.
The Biden Administration Tries to Hide What It Knew About an Impending Massacre, While Leaving U.S. Backing for Iran Untouched
The continuing proliferation of conflicting and contradictory stories leaked by U.S. intelligence services regarding what they knew—and, more importantly, didn’t know—about the planning for Hamas’ assault on Israel, is more than just a D.C. bureaucratic comedy act. Taken together, the profusion of leaks suggests there are people in offices and agencies across the Beltway who are worried they’ll be blamed for missing signals and human intelligence outlining plans for the largest one-day massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

The gaps in U.S. knowledge of the attacks and Iran’s role must also be understood in the context of a separate but related intelligence scandal. As Tablet reported six days before the attacks, the Biden administration’s former Iran envoy Robert Malley supported and facilitated an Iranian spy ring and brought one of the clerical regime’s assets, Ariane Tabatabai, into the government. She is still at the Pentagon, where as chief of staff to the assistant director of defense for special operations, Christopher Maier, she holds top secret clearances. It’s hardly surprising then that the administration is eager to conceal Iran’s supporting role in the Hamas operation and clear the American spy services of any foreknowledge of the murderous incursion of the Iranian-backed terrorist group into southern Israel, no matter how unlikely such claims are in reality.

“We were not tracking this,” a senior U.S. military official told NBC News the day of the attacks. “There’s no particular reason why the U.S. would be training enormous intelligence assets on Hamas, which has never been a threat to us,” former U.S. diplomat Dennis Ross insisted. “It’s pretty hard to say this was a failure on our part. But I think it’s unmistakable that it’s an Israeli intelligence failure.”

Indeed, Israel’s own failures are plain and glaring. At least 1,400 Israelis were killed within Israel’s borders, and the country’s intelligence officials will have to answer to the Israeli public, and investigators, for the massive intelligence and operational failures that led to the slaughter of civilians on a massive scale.

But Ross is wrong: Hamas has long been an obvious threat to the United States and to American lives. Indeed, Hamas violence against Americans is why Congress passed the 2018 Taylor Force Act to prevent the United States from funding the “Pay for Slay” program by which hundreds of Hamas terrorists and their families benefited directly from over half a billion American taxpayer dollars that the United States funnels to the Palestinian Authority.
George Mason Law Prof Eugene Kontorovich: Biden holding Israel from taking out Hamas



Russia rejected at UNSC for failing to call out Hamas

IDF intel chief says he ‘bears full responsibility’ for not warning of Hamas attack
The head of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate said Tuesday he bears responsibility for the intelligence failures that led to the Hamas terror group carrying out its surprise onslaught on October 7 that killed some 1,300 people in Israel, most of them civilians.

“In all my visits to Military Intelligence Directorate units in the last 11 days, I sat down and stressed that the beginning of the war was an intelligence failure,” Maj. Gen Aharon Haliva said in a missive.

“The Military Intelligence Directorate, under my command, failed to warn of the terror attack carried out by Hamas,” Haliva said. “We failed in our most important mission, and as the head of the Military Intelligence Directorate, I bear full responsibility for the failure.”

“What needs to be investigated, we will investigate, in the deepest and most comprehensive way, and draw the conclusions,” he added. “But now, there is only one task, to fight back and to win.”

Haliva was the latest in a string of defense officials to say they bear responsibility for the deadly invasion carried out by Hamas, after the head of the Shin Bet security agency and IDF chief of staff, who made similar remarks in recent days.

Meanwhile, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi came under fire Tuesday for seemingly indicating he did not feel the government had anything to apologize for.

In comments to Army Radio, Karhi said “I keep hearing ‘apologize, take responsibility, ask for forgiveness’ — for what?”

After a wave of criticism in the media and on social media, Karhi issued an apology in which he said that the quote was taken out of context: “I apologize! God forbid I did not intend to sound crass or to shirk responsibility. The opposite! I immediately added that of course there is responsibility for leadership — my intention was to say that we should not be dealing with that during a time of war.”
IDF lookouts say their warnings about Hamas were ignored - report
As questions remain about how Israel failed to thwart Hamas's assault, IDF lookouts told N12 on Monday that they had repeatedly warned their commanders of unusual incidents along the border, but were ignored.

"A day before everything happened, I saw people with maps," said one lookout to N12. "They were looking at the fence and pointing at it. I told everyone: 'Listen, something is going to happen. I see them planning things.' I noticed that something was different on the front. I even told the person next to me in jest: 'Listen, they're going to storm our post.' It just looked different."

The lookout added that despite her warnings, her commanders "discounted" her concerns, telling her "Hamas is just a bunch of punks, they won't do anything."

"I wasn't seeing things, it wasn't something usual. We saw a ton of exercises. We would always look at them as if it was Channel 12. It was fun. It was interesting that they were doing exercises."

"We would look at this and we would say 'f&%*, come on, one day is this is going to be on us, this s&*%, that we're so indifferent about this?'"

"I remember their exercise by heart: they would shoot, lay on the ground, and throw a grenade. In the end that's what happened to me. They shot at me, threw grenades at me."

The lookout added that the farming activity in the area in the month before the attack "looked weird."


Poll: American Support for Israel Soars After Hamas Slaughter
American support for Israel has skyrocketed in the week since Hamas slaughtered nearly 1,500 Israelis in an unprecedented assault on the Jewish state, according to a poll.

Nearly 70 percent of those surveyed from Oct. 11 to 13 said they support Israel in its latest conflict with Hamas, according to a poll conducted by the Senate Opportunity Fund, a conservative nonprofit, and provided to the Washington Free Beacon. This includes 62 percent of self-described liberals and 77 percent of those who say they are conservative.

Support for Israel is considerably higher now than it was during the country’s last skirmish with Hamas, which took place over 11 days in June 2021. At that time, just 43 percent of those polled said they support Israel in the conflict, with 30 percent of self-identified liberals expressing support for the Jewish state. Seventy-eight percent of conservatives polled at that time said they backed Israel.

The findings indicate that Hamas’s widely reported war crimes—which include the rape, murder, and torture of women and children—has galvanized the American public behind Israel’s cause. While far-left Democrats in Congress, including anti-Semitic members of the Squad, have called on Israel to halt its war effort and claim the country is targeting innocent Palestinians, a vast majority of the American public is not buying this rhetoric.

Sixty-eight percent of those polled said they "support Congress voting for aid to Israel in the form of funding and military equipment," a priority that Democratic lawmakers like Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) and Ilhan Omar (D., Minn.) have called to end. Liberal and conservative voters are united in backing military aid to Israel, with 70 percent of the former and 73 percent of latter saying Congress should supply Israel with military equipment.


One Tank Facing Hundreds of Terrorists
When Hamas infiltrated southern Israel and began its massacre, Captain Bar and his tank crew of four found themselves facing hundreds of terrorists trying to climb the fighting vehicle, damaging the communication system, and piercing the oil tanks. The IDF fighters drove through the targeted towns of Nirim, Ein Hashlosha, and Kissufim, and single-handedly eliminated over 70 terrorists.

"I saw wounded soldiers on the way, but the mission was clear to us," Bar said. "I understood I needed to save hundreds of residents, not a few soldiers. It breaks the heart to see wounded and killed fighters on the ground, but you have to turn off your emotions because breaking down is not a solution. In war, you act calmly."

He recalled the sudden rocket barrage that began on the morning of Oct. 7 and said, "We immediately jumped into the tanks. Our commander informed us that terrorists had infiltrated near Nirim. We drove in that direction, and less than a minute later, near Ein Hashlosha, we came across a group of four terrorists with cars and motorcycles. They shot at us, but we managed to eliminate them."

"I continued driving with a faulty engine, and we took down squad after squad. We continued like this until Re'im when the engine gave out." The tank crew joined up with an infantry force, while Bar and the gunner walked to a nearby base. "In front of the outpost, dozens of terrorists surrounded us, and we ran inside....I organized the outpost....It was 25 of us against 60 terrorists, and we managed to push them back."
From Carpark to World's Largest Underground Hospital in 30 Hours
In 30 hours last week, staff transformed the level three basement carpark at Haifa's Rambam hospital into a huge underground hospital, equipped with 1,300 beds, complete with fittings for oxygen, medical and sanitary supplies.

"The facility has three floors....On regular days, it is a parking lot and in emergency, it becomes the biggest underground hospital in the world with 2,000 beds," said Michael Halberthal, director general of the hospital.

Work was ongoing in basement level two, where 700 beds will be installed. Basement level one could be turned into a decontamination room and a triage area in case of a chemical attack.

The hospital also has food, petrol, oxygen and medical supplies enabling it to be self-sufficient for three days.
Egyptian Gaza aid arrives at border but no plan for delivery yet

UNRWA says Hamas stole aid and then walks back claim
Executive director of United Nations Watch, Hillel Neuer breaks down the information.




IDF Wipes Out Family of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza



Why Are So Few Talking About the Hostages?
One of the striking things about the coverage of the Israel/Hamas war is how underreported the story of the hostages Hamas took has been.

Obviously, we know about the hostages. How could we not, since they have been a key part of Hamas’ strategy to hamstring Israel’s conduct in the war? Hamas has counted on those hostages to help shield themselves from attacks–although that strategy hasn’t worked that well.

It’s not that the media hasn’t reported that hostages were taken, but reporting the fact that they exist is not quite the same as explaining why Hamas took them.

They are human shields. They are a currency that Hamas intends to use in order to get a better deal from Israel.

This is profoundly immoral, of course, but more importantly, it exemplifies Hamas’ attitude toward human life. It is a window into Hamas’ moral core.

The nature of Hamas’ crimes explains exactly why Hamas must be utterly destroyed, and why the war must be prosecuted to the point where that happens.

Not every war is about existential issues, however much we speak of them that way. Some wars are about settling issues using the force of arms, while others are about the survival of one side or the other. What lengths to which the combatants can morally go to win the war are at least partially determined by the war aims of the combatants.

This includes collateral damage, or put less clinically, the number of inevitable civilian casualties that are a horrible consequence of any war.

Hamas’ actions, not only on the horrible day of their initial attacks but subsequent to those attacks, explain why Israel must take extraordinary measures to eradicate Hamas. Hamas’s war aims are not resolving a territorial dispute but rather the extermination of an entire people. They don’t currently have the means to achieve that goal, but they are willing to use “any means necessary” to do so.


‘They’re shooting us mummy’: Last voice note of Israeli hostage to family calling for UK help



‘This is inhumane’: Hamas blocks Red Cross and the UN from visiting Gaza Strip
Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum says Hamas has committed an “inhumane” act by blocking the Red Cross and the UN from visiting the Gaza Strip.

Israel declared a state of war on October 7 following a surprise attack launched from Hamas, where the Palestinian militant group fired thousands of rockets as far north as Tel Aviv and infiltrated the south of the country.

“We have reports that they’re treating the hostages in the most inhumane way which is not surprising considering the massacre that went on, the torture that went on for hours,” Ms Hassan-Nahoum told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“We have a girl there, this 13-year-old, she’s autistic, she was on the special Olympics judo team, what’s happening with her?

“My friend has a son who’s kidnapped, we know they shot off his arm, we don’t know if he’s received medical attention, he’s there, we don’t know if he’s alive or dead.”




The Israel Guys: Will ISRAEL's WAR With HAMAS Turn Into World War III?
Israel is about to launch a massive ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, to wipe out the terror organization of Hamas who killed 1,400 Israelis in a brutal massacre last week.

Israel is also being threatened on their northern border by the Iranian proxy Hezbollah. Israel is preparing for a full-scale war with Hezbollah as well. Inside Judea and Samaria, Israel is threatened by the four or five terror organizations that operate in these Palestinian towns.

The US has brought two aircraft carriers into the mediterranean in the attempt to deter Hezbollah and Iran from attacking Israel.




PA Prime Minister tells Gazans to ignore Israel’s evacuation warnings prior to bombings to serve as human shields for Hamas
Official PA TV broadcasts statement by PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh at the start of a PA governmental meeting

PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh: “The [PA] government warns against the [Israeli] military order (i.e., warnings) that seeks to expel our people in the Gaza Strip and the creation of a new Nakba (i.e., “the catastrophe,” the establishment of the State of Israel), and we emphasize that our people will not leave its land and will not be expelled from it, regardless of how great the sacrifices may be.”
[Official PA TV, Oct. 16, 2023]

PA Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh made this statement in response to Israel’s warnings to Gazan civilians to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip and move south, prior to a planned Israeli ground campaign to eliminate Hamas’ terror infrastructure in Gaza, in response to Hamas’ terror war on Israel:

Hamas war on Israel October 2023 - At least 1,300 Israelis were murdered and over 3,300 wounded, in addition to at least 199 Israelis who were abducted into the Gaza Strip, in a Hamas terror war that began when approximately 2,500 Hamas terrorists broke through Israel's security fence at the Gaza Strip border and launched a surprise attack, taking control of several Israeli towns and attacking a music festival on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret (Simchat Torah), which fell on the Sabbath, Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas terrorists also fired at least 5,000 rockets at Israeli population centers. In response, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to counter the Hamas terror threat. Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon joined Hamas' terror war starting from the following day, attacking Israel from the north.




Rishi Condemns Hamas Attack as "Pogrom", Confirms At Least 6 Brits Killed



Israel Calls on Pope Francis to Issue ‘Clear and Unequivocal’ Condemnation of Hamas Terror Attack
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has sharply criticized the Vatican’s lukewarm words on the October 7 Hamas terror attack in Gaza, calling for an “unequivocal condemnation” of the lethal aggression.

The Times of Israel reported Sunday that Cohen told the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, that Israel “expects the Vatican to come out with a clear and unequivocal condemnation of the murderous terrorist actions of Hamas terrorists who harmed women, children and the elderly for the sole fact that they are Jews and Israelis.”

“It is unacceptable that you put out a statement expressing worry primarily for Gazan civilians while Israel is burying 1,300 who were murdered,” Cohen added.

On October 11, Pope Francis appealed for the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by the Hamas terror group but also criticized Israel’s “total siege” on Palestinians in Gaza.

“It is the right of those who are attacked to defend themselves, but I am very concerned about the total siege under which the Palestinians are living in Gaza, where there have also been many innocent victims,” Francis said.

“Terrorism and extremism do not help reach a solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, but fuel hatred, violence, revenge, and only cause each other to suffer,” he said.


Ben Shapiro: Human Rights Don’t Require The West To Commit Suicide
Moral pseudo-sophisticates argue that the more evil the enemy, the more the West ought to capitulate; Muslim nations refuse to help civilians in Gaza; and the Republicans still can’t pick a Speaker of the House.




‘The emaciation of Hamas will happen’: Israel prepares for ground assault on Gaza Strip
Former Israeli ambassador to Australia Mark Sofer says the “complete and utter emaciation” of Hamas will happen amid its conflict with Israel.

“There is no doubt whatsoever that the complete and utter emaciation of Hamas will happen,” Mr Sofer told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.

“How? That’s a question for the military and the strategists.”

The Hamas-Israel conflict has entered its ninth day after the Hamas militant group performed an unprecedented assault on Israel.

Gaza residents have been told to move south as Israel’s military prepares for an expected ground assault in an attempt to eradicate Hamas and its leaders.


Hamas and Hezbollah are ‘in love with death’: Greg Sheridan
The Australian's Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan says US President Joe Biden’s decision to visit Israel is “quite courageous”.

Mr Sheridan told Sky News Australia the US President will be the “number one terrorist target in the world”.

“This is a massive act of solidarity with Israel.

“Biden and Antony Blinken are not standing with Israel just metaphorically, they are literally standing side by side with the Israeli Prime Minister.

“This is a message to other actors in the region, particularly Iran.”


Hamas senior leader says there were no plans to target civilians in Israeli attack | 7.30



America cleaning up a mess 'it helped create’ in Israel: James Morrow
Sky News host James Morrow says America is trying to “clean up a mess it helped create” in Israel and Gaza.

Mr Morrow’s comments come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed US President Joe Biden will visit Israel on Wednesday.

“American policy that has under Biden and when Barack Obama was president as well – allowed Iran to enrich itself, to send money to Hamas and Hezbollah.

“That has strengthened their hands over the years.

“We’re kind of reaping the whirlwind of those very bad decisions.”


James Morrow 'very concerned' with Joe Biden's Israel visit
Sky News host James Morrow says he is “very concerned” about US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel.

Mr Morrow joined Sky News to discuss the implications and security measures which Biden would potentially undertake upon arrival.

“I am concerned here that Biden is going to offer a show of support but also tell Israel to pull its punches,” he told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“Which means Israel will not be able to eliminate Hamas when it needs to.

“This sort of tragedy will happen again.”


Hamas terror attacks have brought out 'deep-seated hatred' of Jewish people
The last few weeks of tension and horrific terror attacks against Israel have brought out people claiming to be pro-Palestine as having deep-seated hatred towards the state of Israel, says Executive Council of Australian Jewry CEO Alex Ryvchin.

Mr Ryvchin joined Sky News Australia to draw attention to a deep-seated hatred towards Jewish people and of Israel.

“Hitting out in its darkest, most traumatic period of time,” he told Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin.

“Attempting to draw equivalences between the state of Israel and the terrorists that it needs to fight.

“There’s a very clear distinction between reasonable objections of matters of policy and something far more deep-seated and something far more elemental which is often a contempt for the Jewish people.”


If Russia gets involved with Israel-Hamas conflict it will be a ‘really big problem’
Former Labor MP Michael Danby says US President Joe Biden might be able to “restrain” Israel from certain operations in their conflict with Hamas.

This comes as Mr Biden plans on visiting Israel amidst the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

Mr Danby told Sky News host Peta Credlin that the Americans will “try and not get involved” with their aircraft carriers off the coast of Lebanon if Hezbollah gets involved.

“But there’s a very big danger.

“If the Russians get involved then it’s a really big problem.”


Adam Bandt sought to 'hijack' parliament's 'strong motion of support' for Israel
Greens Leader Adam Bandt has sought to “hijack” parliament's “decent and strong motion of support” and turn it into a rant against Israel, says Sky News host Chris Kenny.

“Yep, Israel is the war criminal according to the Greens – Israel should just accept its people being murdered and not try to defend them," Mr Kenny said.

Mr Kenny said while this approach was expected from the Greens, the teals are “just another shade of green”.

“Look here as two teals members, Kylea Tink, the Member for North Sydney and Sophie Scamps, the Member for Mackellar, vote with the Greens to accuse Israel of war crimes and accuse Israel of being the root cause of this ongoing violence.

“The people of North Sydney and Mackellar need to remember this – is this what they voted for? Is this why they gave the teals their vote, to try to save the planet, and to give succour to terrorist groups and kiss goodbye to Israel?

“What a disgrace.”


Albanese Government ‘need to be transparent’ on helping Australians in Israel
Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham says the Albanese government “need to be transparent” on the help they are providing for Australians in Israel.

Mr Birmingham said he wants the Albanese government to be transparent on “how many Australians are seeking to leave” and “how many will be supported” through the Qantas flights to Tel Aviv.

“We want to see … as many Australian citizens who are seeking to leave Israel safely evacuated as possible,” he told Sky News Australia.

Three repatriation flights were announced by the Albanese government with the second flight leaving Israel on Monday.

“If there is only one more flight planned – is that going to ensure that all Australian citizens who are seeking support to leave have successfully been evacuated,” Mr Birmingham said.

“If not how many Australian citizens is the government proposing to leave there without plans or assistance in place to help them leave.”


Australia's top lawyer is subjected to vile abuse from the Left - just for condemning Hamas' terrorist attack: 'There is no such place as Israel'

Labour MPs condemn Israel for 'war crimes' despite Keir Starmer's call to show a united front with the government against Hamas terror

Craig Murray Arrested After Backing Every Act of Armed Resistance By Hamas
Former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan and conspiracy theorist Craig Murray has been arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act after returning to the UK from a Pro-Palestine protest outside the Icelandic Parliament. It comes as no surprise considering his outrageous tweet supporting Hamas terrorists…

This isn’t the first time Murray’s been arrested. He was previously sentenced to eight months in prison after he was found to be in contempt of court over blogs written during the trial of the former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond. Rehabilitation clearly didn’t work for him…
Hamas Sympathiser Physically Attacks MP in Portcullis House
Yesterday Andrew Bridgen wrote an article for the Express which argued that the Tory MP Crispin Blunt, a noted Arabist and Palestinian sympathiser, claimed in a debate in 2021 that Hamas had “legitimate targets” in Israel. The article highlighted that Blunt is a paid director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), which last week tried to stop publication of accusations that Hamas had beheaded babies on the basis it would increase racism against Palestinians. Bridgen pulled no punches in his article…

Sitting at a table in Portcullis House this afternoon, Bridgen claims Crispin Blunt came out of the Adjournment restaurant after lunch and whacked him from behind on his head and shouted “You’re a bastard” before scarpering off. Bridgen says the karate chop to the head has been reported to the police. He wants an apology.

Guido has been unable to contact Crispin Blunt for comment.
Ofcom Suspends Director of Online Safety Over Anti-Israel Posts on Social Media
After Guido this morning exclusively revealed the vociferously anti-Israel views of their Director of Online Safety Supervision, Fadzai Madzingira, Ofcom has suspended her.

Ofcom has just told Guido: “Having reviewed these comments we’ve suspended this colleague, pending further investigation.”

Ofcom’s own code of practice says about public statements states

“… comments which might be though to have an adverse impact on Ofcom‘s reputation (noting that all comments or posts on social media should be considered to be in the public domain), and comments on Ofcom policy, should be avoided. So, should expressions of opinion on matters of political or public controversy which could be thought to compromise the Board’s reputation for impartiality on editorial or other decisions in the broadcasting sphere, or its objectivity in economic regulatory decision-making.”

It is obvious that an impartiality regulator can’t have staff publicly taking extreme positions on politically controversial subjects…


Israel war: Josh Hawley urges DOJ investigation into pro-Palestinian student groups
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the funding sources of pro-Palestinian student groups after the groups issued statements blaming Israel for recent terrorist attacks by Hamas.

In a Monday letter to Garland, Hawley noted that numerous student groups at schools such as Harvard, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Virginia had mobilized protests in support of Hamas and opposing Israel. Hamas launched a series of terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, and Israel has responded through a series of military actions in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 4,000 people, and Hamas is currently holding at least 200 hostages.

"In the wake of the brutal terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, we have witnessed an alarming rise in support for violence against the Jewish people," Hawley wrote. "Public reports indicate that several far-left student groups have lined up to effectively cheerlead Hamas’s genocidal war against the people of Israel."

The statements and protests by the student groups have drawn widespread condemnation from various stakeholders of the universities. Some critics, such as billionaire Bill Ackman, asked Harvard to publish the names of the students who signed the statements so that they could be blacklisted from job opportunities.

The Missouri senator, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, urged Garland to investigate the funding sources of the student groups for any possible ties to Hamas, noting "there is a long and sordid history of supposedly independent 'human rights' groups operating within American borders, that possess longstanding ties to foreign terrorist organizations."

"Hamas, as you are well aware, is designated a terrorist organization pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. DOJ should deploy all appropriate authorities to investigate any potential links to organizations that operate within the United States," the senator wrote.
Daniel Greenfield: Jewish Anti-Israel Leftists Struggle With Left’s Support for Hamas Murder and Rape
While most decent people responded with horror to the Hamas atrocities, the fringes responded with enthusiasm or defenses of the atrocities. The trouble though is that the Left stopped being a fringe and replaced liberalism as the driving ideological force of the Democratic Party. And the Hard Left became the driving force of the Left.

And the Hard Left supports Hamas. That’s uncomfortable for liberals and even leftists to deal with, but now even anti-Israel leftists are having trouble coping with the fact that their movement supports the rape and murder of Jews.

Now by anti-Israel Left, I don’t mean merely leftists that are critical of Israel. I mean leftists who built their careers on hating Israel and justifying the terrorists. Now that Hamas invaded a music festival, kidnapped, killed and raped women, and kidnapped an elderly “peace activist”, and massacred people like them on kibbutzim, they’re shocked that their ideological allies and friends are good with it.

Joshua Leifer, the editor of Jewish Currently, a violently anti-Israel publication which had its most infamous moment defending the rape and murder of Jews in Hebron back when it was part of the Communist Party, expressed discomfort.
Minnesota AG Keith Ellison's Chief of Staff Promotes Pro-Hamas Rally
Democratic Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison's chief of staff on Sunday promoted a pro-Hamas rally in Minneapolis, where demonstrators called for Israel's eradication and told Israeli "settlers" to "fuck off."

Donna Cassutt, who has served as Ellison's chief of staff since 2019, advertised the rally in a Sunday tweet, which alerted Minnesotans that the "March for Palestine" was happening "today." More than 1,000 pro-Hamas demonstrators went on to attend the rally in Minneapolis. Attendees brandished signs and repeated chants with the slogan "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," which advocates for the destruction of Israel. One attendee, meanwhile, held a sign saying, "Settlers fuck off," while others called to "end U.S. aid to Israel."

Cassutt's promotion of the event comes as other prominent left-wing politicians face criticism over their own ties to pro-Hamas rallies in the wake of the terror group's unprovoked assault on Israel.

The Democratic Socialists of America, for example, sponsored an October 8 "All Out for Palestine" rally in Times Square, where attendees chanted that the terrorist assault was "justified." The rally prompted the party's prominent members, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) to distance themselves from the demonstration. Ocasio-Cortez last week said the "bigotry and callousness expressed in Times Square … were unacceptable and harmful."

But Ellison's office is yet to distance itself from the Minneapolis rally and did not return a request for comment. Ellison has also remained silent on Hamas's attack, with the Democrat failing to issue a statement on the terror group's mass killing of innocent Israelis.
Pro-Hamas demonstrators chant anti-Israel slogans in Ottawa
Many framed Hamas's operations as resistance against an oppressive Israeli military and accused the Israeli government of deliberately targeting civilians - including women, children, and babies.


Columbia University refuses to condemn professor who called Hamas attack ‘awesome’
Columbia University has refused to comment on the growing furor over a tenured professor who called Hamas’ terror attacks against Israel “awesome” — as a petition calling for his ouster gained more than 45,000 signatures.

Professor of politics and history Joseph Massad was accused of “condoning and supporting terrorism” in a Change.org petition created by 23-year-old student Maya Platek.

The teacher called Hamas’ attacks on Israel a “stunning victory” in an article he published on The Electronic Intifada a day after the conflict ignited.

“Regardless of one’s stance on the conflict, supporting and praising one of the worst acts of terrorism in history is never acceptable,” the petition reads.

“We call on Columbia University to hold Massad responsible for his comments and immediately remove him from the Columbia faculty.”

A letter of solidarity with Massad was issued in turn, condemning the petition against him and calling on Columbia President Nemat Shafik to “unequivocally guarantee his physical safety and his academic freedom.”




Sky News host slams ‘unashamed’ anti-Semitism
Sky News host Rita Panahi has slammed a Scottish woman for her “unashamed” anti-Semitism on the streets of Glasgow.

The woman was filmed shouting at Jews, telling them to remember where they were in 1940.

The clip was shared online by Glasgow Friends of Israel.

A pro-Palestine protest held in Glasgow attracted thousands of people as nearby streets were closed off.

“This is just incredible the things we are seeing on our streets, the ideas, the hate, the absolute unashamed anti-Semitism,” Ms Panahi said.


‘Useful idiots’: Rabbi Shmuley slams Greens move to condemn Israel
Author Rabbi Shmuley Boateach has blasted Hamas terrorists as a “disgrace” to Islam, calling them “fraudulent snake oil salesmen”.

Up to 199 Israelis are being held hostage in Gaza as conflict in the region intensifies.

One distressing video emerged of a hostage being paraded around semi-naked by Hamas terrorists.

“You are talking about sickos, you are talking about a level of a demented morality the likes of which the Western world has almost never seen and which the Palestinians seem kind of okay with,” Rabbi Shmuley told Sky News host Rita Panahi.

“They are dragging around a woman in her bra and underwear and you claim to be religious? You guys are sick.”


'It's sent shockwaves': UK Jewish schools targeted in vandal attack
Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi says a number of Jewish schools have closed and others have been vandalised with red paint – with the attacks said to have sent "shockwaves" through the Jewish community in those areas.

"Scotland Yard is treating the incidences as hate crimes," Ms Panahi said.

Ms Panahi spoke to Dr Philip Kiszely, a lecturer from the University of Leeds about the latest unfolding events.

"Philip, I do hear that from Jewish people I speak to a lot, that not just London but cities like Paris, Brussels – a number of cities throughout Europe, they no longer feel safe," Ms Panahi said.

"They no longer feel that they can be visibly Jewish – wear a Star of David, wear a Kippah, without being fearful of being attached."


Cops charge pro-Palestine protester who called for Jews to be 'wiped out' and claimed he worked on an Australian air force base

Cornell University professor calls Hamas terror attack ‘exhilarating’ and ‘exciting’

Seattle Antifa, anti-Israel activists threaten to block Israeli cargo ships from offloading supplies





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This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For 20 years and 40,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.

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