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Thursday, November 23, 2023

11/23 Links Pt1: Hamas Can Never Again Decide Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die; IDF arrests director of Gaza's Shifa Hospital; Netanyahu: I instructed the Mossad to act against Hamas

From Ian:

Aviva Klompas: Hamas Can Never Again Decide Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die
After 75 years believing Israel would protect Jews from being lined up and singled out for life or death, Oct. 7 awakened a sobering realization that even the Jewish state's military, economic, and technological strength offer no guarantees. Instead, Hamas—with its founding mission to annihilate Israel and Jews—is deciding who will come to their timely or untimely end.

For all the post-Holocaust promises of "never again," international support for Israel eroded rapidly once Israel went on the offensive and launched a ground invasion into Gaza. Today, the voices calling for a ceasefire are far louder than those affirming Israel's right to defend itself.

It is abundantly clear that "never again" was an empty promise. And so, the Jewish State must reset the course of Jewish history and restore the promise of Jewish security, first by bringing home every hostage and then by destroying Hamas's ability to wage war against Israel and extinguish Jewish lives.

Hamas has spent the past 15 years terrorizing and murdering Israelis with suicide bombers, rockets, mortars, incendiary balloons, roadside explosives, and tunnels built to infiltrate communities and kill and kidnap Israelis. And now they have proved themselves capable of perpetrating the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

The threat posed by the genocidal terror group must be eliminated once and for all. To be sure, Israel must abide by the laws of war and make maximum efforts to avoid civilian casualties. Critics can disagree with how Israel is waging war in Gaza—but they have no right to deny Israel's duty to free the rest of its hostages and defend its citizens.

The goal of peace-loving people should not just be an end to this current war; it should be to end all wars between Israel and Hamas. And the goal of Israel must be to ensure that no enemy will ever again decide who among the Jewish people shall live and who shall die.
Haviv Rettig Gur: Hostage deal, even if it fails, shows Hamas’s desperation
Or put another way, Hamas doesn’t know how long its retreat will take and is preparing for all contingencies.

If Hamas reneges, the war resumes, and whatever emotions Israeli leaders may feel — a palpable sense of guilt hangs over every cabinet deliberation — they will broadcast a collective shrug and return to the business of Hamas’s demolition.

Gallant’s grim victory
There’s a bottom line here. On October 29, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with the families of the hostages at IDF Headquarters in Tel Aviv. His message to them was buried in the avalanche of news from the front — the IDF had launched its ground war just 36 hours earlier.

The families were desperate. They said the ground war felt like a death sentence for their loved ones. Gallant’s response essentially laid out the Israeli strategy thus far.

Hamas, he said, “is making cynical use of all that is precious to us. They understand our pain and our anxiety.” But for that very reason, there was no way to simply negotiate the hostages out of Gaza.

The ground war would accomplish what political pressure could not. It was “inseparable from the effort to return the hostages. If Hamas doesn’t face military pressure, nothing will move.”

The war now moves south and will drive a whole new potential civilian humanitarian crisis. Hamas in Khan Younis will be just as trapped, but it will have far more troops available, a clearer understanding of IDF strategy and Israeli implacability, and a longer time to have readied the battlefield. It is there that the bulk of Hamas’s forces will find themselves in a pitched battle for survival — and where the hostages will serve as Hamas’s last available currency for buying pauses to regroup, resupply and, if the offer to Israel is generous, even escape.

From Gallant’s perspective, that’s just as it should be.
John Podhoretz: This Is Not a Time for Celebration
The release of 50-plus hostages over the course of four or five days is a positive development in the sense that their restraint and possible literal torture will be at an end. But for many of these children and the parents who will accompany them, the trauma will not be over. Some will learn of relatives dead, and will be dealing emotionally and physically with what happened during their captivity. According to Israel’s Channel 12, the soldiers who will be bringing them out have been instructed not to answer the question, “Where are mommy and daddy,” only to reassure them that they are now safe. Those soldiers are also being told to ask if the children are hot or cold and whether they want or need to be carried, or want their hands held. Read that without tears springing to your eyes and tell me you’re still human.

Then there’s the fact of the 180-190 hostages who will continue to be kept by the demons in Gaza as bargaining chips, and it needs to be said: This is not a time to celebrate. Nothing “good” will be happening over the next couple of days. And I suspect Israeli public opinion, which is the only thing that matters now, will not greet the release of these children and women by thinking, as so many parlous American Jewish leftists will, “Oh good, now we can make sure the ‘ceasefire’ remains and Israel will be halted in its forward movement to destroy Hamas.” Oh, no, you moral bottom-dwellers: Israel is more likely to come out of this more hardened, more determined, and less inclined toward any kind of conciliation. They will, instead, demand of their government that it win this war with dispatch, and then they will turn their attention to the domestic failings that have brought it on. And what we in America think about it will be of no moment to them—except inasmuch as they will take strength from our support, our prayers, our continuing struggle against the people here in America who wish them and the Jewish people harm—and our love.


Netanyahu: I instructed the Mossad to act against Hamas
The Mossad has been instructed to act against Hamas leaders wherever they are, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Wednesday night as he defended a partial hostage deal that includes a four- to nine-day pause in the Gaza war.

“It was a hard decision, but the right decision,” Netanyahu said regarding the deal.

He spoke one day after the government approved an agreement by which up to 98 hostages would be freed in exchange for the first pause in the war and the release of three times as many jailed Palestinian women and minors.

Netanyahu struck a harsh note as he assured reporters that Israel’s security services had Hamas in its scope.

“I instructed the Mossad to act against Hamas leaders where they are,” Netanyahu said as he hinted that Israel could target them outside of Gaza, including in Qatar.

On Tuesday, Hamas told Lebanese media that the deputy commander of the Lebanese branch of its al-Qassam Brigades, Khalil al-Kharaz, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon.

According to Lebanese reports, Kharaz's vehicle was targeted south of the Tyre peninsula on a road between Chaaitiyeh and Qlaileh, 14 km from the Israeli border.
Hamas Leaders Make Billions While Killing Israelis and Impoverishing Palestinians
The ironies of “social justice” leftists supporting Hamas — a group of self-proclaimed genocidal jihadists — are indeed endless.

“Colonizer!” is one of the leftists’ favorite words to shout at those they’re told to hate, including Israel. The fact that Arab countries have historically been big colonizers — and that the main intent of Hamas is global colonization in the form of a caliphate — are merely inconvenient truths.

Then there’s the fact that followers of Sharia law have a well-documented history of throwing gay people off of rooftops, “honor killing” women who don’t obey the hyper-patriarchal codes, and enslaving and persecuting minorities. Indeed, one could argue that the only two things truly shared by some leftists and jihadists is a fondness for dead babies and unthinking conformity.

But perhaps the most humorous cognitive dissonance is that these neo-Marxists are willing to be jailed for supporting billionaires who rule over an impoverished group of people. It’s Jihadi Marxism: empower the rich, pampered and privileged, while their people starve and are used as human shields. Stalin would certainly have approved.

Hamas’ three top leaders alone are worth a stunning $11 billion, enjoying a life of luxury in the sanctuary of Qatar. Hamas runs an “office” in Qatar’s capital, Doha, and leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Mousa Abu Marzook, and Khaled Mashal maintain an opulent lifestyle that Western jet-setters would envy.
Givati Brigade raids upscale neighborhood of Hamas elite in Gaza

Mission Brief: The Official Podcast of the IDF: From Helicopters to Hospitals and What's Underneath Them
This week's Mission brief starts by exposing the cynical use of medical facilities by Hamas, taking you deep into the tunnel beneath Shifa Hospital.

Lt. Masha Michelson, an officer in the International Press Office, shares her firsthand experience, revealing the shocking truth about how Hamas turns hospitals into combat zones.

We then shift our focus to real medical care, from the heroic efforts of medical officers responding to the October 7th massacre to the search and rescue operators extracting wounded IDF soldiers from Gaza.

This episode underscores the stark contrast between the abuse of medical facilities by terrorist organizations and the unwavering commitment of IDF medical staff to save lives.

Join us as we uncover the battlegrounds of care in this intense episode.
IDF reveals: This is how Hamas operates in Gaza's refugee camps

Israel-Hamas war: How quickly can Hamas recover from Gaza defeat?

US warship shoots down Houthi drones over Red Sea

IDF soldiers briefed on how to interact with child hostages they meet

Caroline Glick Show: The Israel Hamas Hostage Deal EXPLAINED
Israel has agreed to a deal to release Palestinian prisoners with "no blood on their hands" in return for hostages. Is this a good deal for Israel or is this a trap to defeat the war effort against Hamas?

Caroline Glick goes inside the Israel-Hamas hostage deal to find out.




Will the Red Cross finally do its job?

Israeli spokesman left speechless by ridiculous question

IDF arrests director of Gaza's Shifa Hospital

Nothing to See Here: EU Claims No Evidence Palestine Aid Gone to ‘Unintended Purposes’

Douglas Murray Joins TalkTV To Discuss Man Who Watched Hamas Murder His Family

"Prisoner Swaps EXTREMELY Painful For Israel" - Douglas Murray On Delayed Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal



Who Is Hannah Katzir? Elderly Israeli Hostage Reported Dead UN, women's orgs. ignore Hamas’s sexual violence against Israeli women

Lord Cameron visits scene of Hamas massacre in Israel as he voices hopes of 'progress' in push for pause in violence

IDF Lieutenant Colonel discusses Gaza ceasefire deal delay
Sky News host Andrew Bolt sits down with IDF Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner to discuss the Israel-Hamas war with Hamas set to release 50 of the Israeli hostages taken on October 7 in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners.

This comes as the four-day truce between Israel and Hamas is going to be delayed for at least a day.

“That hostage deal between Israel and the Hamas terrorists who run Gaza has been delayed,” Mr Bolt said.

“There was going to be a four-day truce starting right now.

“That’s been delayed now for at least a day.”


Hamas 'violated' 2014 ceasefire as IDF to remain 'vigilant' during negotiations
IDF Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus says Israelis have memories of the last negotiated ceasefire with Hamas in 2014 after it was violated.

His comments come after Israel and Hamas had negotiated a ceasefire and a hostage exchange which was set to go ahead on Thursday 7pm (AEDT).

However, neither the ceasefire nor the hostage exchange commenced as the IDF now remain vigilant following Hamas’ history during truces.

“That ceasefire was violated by Hamas – they attacked Israeli troops in Rafah and took the body of a Israeli officer and held him hostage,” Lt Conricus told Sky News Australia.

“We understand there is a context here; we have to be very vigilant on the ground throughout this entire operation.”




White House: We Want Pauses ‘Irrespective of a Hostage Deal’ But Israel Wouldn’t Do That

Ben Shapiro: Israel’s Hostage Deal With Hamas
Israel agrees to pause its campaign in Gaza for four days in return for 50 hostages held by Hamas; the Ukraine war stalls out as support for further escalation craters; and the media try to make people care about Trump rather than Biden’s failures.


The Israel Guys: BREAKING: Ceasefire Between Israel and Hamas! What Does This Mean?
A ceasefire agreement was just reached between Israel and Hamas to be put in place at 10:00 tomorrow morning. As part of the deal, Hamas is supposed to release 50 hostages and Israel is supposed to:
release up to 300 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons
stop airstrikes on Gaza
refrain from using surveillance drones in Gaza for six hours a day during the ceasefire.
And allow fuel to enter Gaza during that time and dramatically increase the amount of goods permitted into the Strip

Yeah, talk about proportionality!

Also, the Biden administration is delaying a shipment of 4,500 M-16 Rifles to Israel because they’re upset at National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.


Delay in Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal may be due to ‘selection’ of hostages
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer says the cause of the delay in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal seems to be the selection of the hostages to release.

The agreement includes the release of 50 Israeli hostages in exchange for the four day-ceasefire, and also the freeing of 150 Palestinian prisoners.

“Remember they took 240 hostages, the deal here is to release 50 of them, I think exclusively women and children,” Mr Downer told Sky News host Chris Kenny.

"So there seems to be some issue in relation to who is actually going to be released.

“But hopefully they will be released.”


Hamas trying to ‘bargain’ in hostage deal with Israel
Israel MP Sharren Haskel says Hamas are trying to “reach a little bit more” and bargain in their hostage deal with Israel.

Ms Haskel sat down with Sky News host Sharri Markson to discuss whether Hamas is “playing games” in their delay on the hostage deal.

This comes as Israel and Hamas have reached a deal for a four-day ceasefire and the release of 50 hostages from Gaza.

150 Palestinian women and children will also be released from Israeli jails.

But the Israel National Security Council says none will be released before Friday, when the fighting is due to pause. The reasons behind this delay are uncertain.


‘Complete nonsense’: Dave Rubin slams AOC over comments on Israel-Hamas war
The Rubin Report host Dave Rubin has blasted Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's comments for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“It's such complete nonsense, she basically said there’s no military solution,” he told Sky News host Paul Murray.

“Meaning you have to just have a ceasefire for some sort of kumbaya moment and everybody can come together and get over this stuff.

“Look, the Nazis were defeated militarily, we won World War II, world wars, and other wars were won militarily and then you get to a ceasefire, you get to an armistice agreement, you get to some sort of understanding between two waring factions

“The idea right now that the AOC and Ilhan Omar and so many people across the west are calling for a ceasefire – it is only because Israel is now winning, if there is a win to be had in this.”


'Real problem': 'Bias' in ABC's reporting of Israel-Hamas conflict
Shadow Fisheries, Forestry and Environment Minister Jonathon Duniam says there are "multitudes of examples” out there of the ABC’s biased reporting on the Israel-Hamas war and other issues.

“And on the Israel-Hamas conflict, it predates the bloodthirsty invasion of October 7,” he told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“There is a real problem there.

“And the Minister for Communications, rather than focusing on her Orwellian mis and disinformation laws, might do well to bring the ABC and its staff into line.

“And start reporting the facts as they’re required to under their charter.”


Swiss Government Preparing to Ban Hamas and Its Supporters

Saudi Crown Prince MBS Demands Israel Give Up East Jerusalem in BRICS Debut

Vatican denies Pope Francis used the word 'genocide' to describe events in Gaza after he met with Palestinians at his residence

Australia Opens the Door to Palestinian Refugees as Arab Countries Still Say ‘No’

‘Lot of red flags’: Concerns ‘corners have been cut’ for Palestinian temporary visas
Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson says the Albanese government granting hundreds of Palestinians temporary visas has a “whole lot of red flags” to it.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that the government had granted 860 temporary visas to Palestinians from October 7 to November 20.

Following the revelations, Labor has come under renewed scrutiny over its handling of the country’s borders, with questions raised over the security checks undertaken before more than 800 Palestinians were granted visas.

“Even just verifying the identity of these people will be difficult given the context, let alone doing adequate checks on their security and their associations,” Mr Paterson told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“I am really worried that corners have been cut here – that these visas have been issued without appropriate scrutiny.”




Muslim man CONFRONTS Avi Yemini on Israel-Hamas war

Pro-Palestine protesters calling for 'Jihad' CAN be prosecuted for 'encouraging terrorism' - despite police refusing to take action

Anti-Israel protestors halt Macy's Thanksgiving parade and GLUE themselves to street in NYC before being arrested - as New England Native American float sparks outrage by displaying Palestinian flag

FA Council member who said 'Adolf Hitler would be proud of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu' amid Gaza conflict RESIGNS from his post

Alarming moment Australian children say terror network Hamas is doing a 'GOOD JOB' and call for Israel to be eradicated - after bunking off school for pro-Palestine protest

‘Anti-Israel indoctrination at school level’: David Adler on students’ pro-Palestine activism
Australian Jewish Association President David Adler has called students' pro-Palestine activism “anti-Israel indoctrination at school level.”

“We have a number of concerns, firstly as Australians, we want our students actually learning things that they need to learn," he said.

“They are not supposed to be trained as political activists.

“The second point is that obviously we're very concerned that this is anti-Israel indoctrination, at school level, and if people haven’t seen it, it would be interesting to test the reaction of some of the Islamic chants that the students were following.”

About 500 young people, aged from kindergarteners through to year 12 students, took to the steps of Flinders Street Station in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon to protest Israel, despite pleas from politicians to remain in school.


‘Shameful’: Liberal MP condemns ‘disturbing’ student protest for Palestine
Liberal MP Julian Leeser has condemned a pro-Palestine student protest in Melbourne with thousands of students waking out of class on Thursday as part of the school strike.

Students flocked to Melbourne’s Flinders Street Station, where they rallied to “free Palestine” and blocked traffic before marching up Swanston Street.

“I think it raises two very important questions, firstly why are school children attending a protest on a school day … but the second thing that’s more disturbing is that school children are being taught that Israel has no right to exist,” Mr Leeser told Sky News host told Chris Kenny.

“They're being taught that the two-state solution is a bad idea because that is the effect of saying from the river to the sea it means that Israel should be wiped off the face of the map.

“That’s not something I think Australian school children should learning, I don’t think it's something that they should be embracing.

“I think that school children should be taught to embrace the only democracy in the Middle East and state of Israel, the only democracy that provides and respects human rights, the rights of women, the rights of religious minorities, the rights of LGBTI people.

“I think it’s shameful that they're chanting such slogans on the streets of our cities.”


Organisers of school strike for Palestine were ‘the leftiest of lefties'
Sky News host Paul Murray says the organisers of the student school strike for Palestine were the “leftiest of lefties” at universities.

Mr Murray’s comments come after hundreds of school students gathered in Melbourne for the School Strike for Palestine on Thursday.

“It was actually a fizzer,” Mr Murray said.

“According to The Age, there were kids in kindergarten there.

“It was only hundreds, thankfully not thousands.”


'So ignorant': School strikes for Palestine criticised over 'manipulation' claims
Sky News host James Macpherson has questioned how “this generation can be so ignorant” following the student strike for Palestine.

Mr Macpherson’s comments come after hundreds of students gathered in Melbourne to protest for Palestine, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“How can this generation be so ignorant – they’re calling for a ceasefire – well there’s a ceasefire on the table – it’s Hamas who haven’t yet signed it and come to the party.

“Why are so many adults at a kid's protest – unless they are simply manipulating these young children?

“Where are the parents of these kids?”




Seattle synagogue vandalized amid antisemitic hate crime





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