Wednesday, February 14, 2024

02/14 Links Pt1: The UN is siding with terrorists; How Hamas’s Western Supporters Sacrifice Palestinians; Hezbollah rocket kills one, wounds 8 in Safed

From Ian:

Gil Troy: Israel's Gaza war is self-defense, no apologies needed
Every day, Israel takes unprecedented measures to minimize civilian harm in Gaza. It uses less firepower than is optimal, distributes maps revealing its strategies, warns civilians to flee potential targets, and pauses occasionally so civilians (and Hamasniks in street clothes) can escape. Such self-imposed ethical constraints sacrifice surprise, risking Israeli soldiers’ lives.

“No military has ever implemented any of these practices in war before,” West Point’s urban warfare expert, John Spencer, explained in Newsweek.

“No military in modern history has faced over 30,000 urban defenders in more than seven cities using human shields and hiding in hundreds of miles of underground networks purposely built under civilian sites, while holding hundreds of hostages. The sole reason for civilian deaths in Gaza is Hamas. For Israel’s part, it’s taken more care to prevent them than any other army in human history.”

Apparently, I missed the graduate school lectures describing the times America stopped short of winning to please an ally or provided humanitarian aid during wartime – for the enemy to steal.

When rampaging through the Supernova music festival, Hamas kidnapped 22-year-old Omer Weinkert, who suffers from colitis. Shai, his father, wonders why his own Israeli government supplies 100 trucks’ worth of aid daily to Omer’s captors and the so-called “innocents” who would rip his son to shreds – while Omer suffers.

“If we continue to feed the lion, what’s the reason for it to stop?” Shai asks. “Release the hostages and receive the aid; otherwise, it should stop.”

ONLY HILLARY CLINTON has taken responsibility for America’s role in the Hamas buildup and the American “concept” that Hamas is pragmatic. She admitted that on October 6 there was yet another internationally imposed ceasefire – and Hamas broke it, again. Her honesty acknowledges the impossible choices Israel faces.

During the 2014 Israel-Gaza war, the great peacenik, Amos Oz, asked a skeptic: “What would you do if your neighbor across the street sat down on the balcony, put his little boy on his lap, and started shooting machine-gun fire into your nursery?”

In America, I met many smart, caring people. No one effectively answered Oz’s now updated question, “What else would you have Israel do after October 7?” Nor could they convince me why Israel shouldn’t crush Hamas in Rafah. And no well-meaning peaceniks, who had long demanded Israeli ceasefires, apologies, and concessions, acknowledged their faith in the “concept” that prompted this massacre.

Why aren’t they – and the guilty Palestinians – apologizing?
Jehad al-Saftawi: Hamas Built Tunnels Beneath My Family’s Home in Gaza. Now It Lies in Ruin
Meeting masked men is something we are used to in different aspects of Gazan life. We argued. I told him my uncle, who was a member of Hamas and prosecutor in its government, would stop them from building a tunnel. The masked man insisted they would continue as they pleased. He said I should not be afraid and that this would just be a small closed room to remain buried underground. No one can enter or exit. He said that only in the case of an Israeli ground invasion in this area and the displacement of residents would these rooms be used to supply weapons.

“We don’t want to live above a stockpile of weapons,” I told him, just before he forced me to leave.

Construction continued, and Um Yazid continued to report to us about late-night activity. Hamza and I visited every few weeks, always finding the same gate, never sure what we could do, or what was really happening behind it. Our uncle assured us we had nothing to fear.

In February 2014, I got married and left my family’s house. The same year, my mother, Hamza, and my two young sisters moved to the newly-finished house. Before they did, Hamza and I dug again and this time found nothing but sand for 3 ft., then a large cement slab. We covered it over, believing Hamas had finally closed off the “room” at our uncle’s insistence.

In the years since, my family or their neighbors heard sounds or movements from time to time. They wondered sometimes if there really were tunnels, if they were active. My family was too afraid to speak about this with anyone, so it was our secret. It felt shameful even though we knew we were deeply opposed to whatever Hamas had done on the other side of that cement slab.

When something goes unspoken for so long, it begins to feel impossible that the truth will ever be known. I always looked forward to a time in the future when my family and others like us would be allowed to speak about these tunnels, about the perilous life Hamas has forced upon Gazans. Now that I am determined to speak openly about it, I don’t know if it even matters.

My family evacuated to the south shortly after Oct. 7. Months after, we received photos of our house and neighborhood, both of which are in ruins. I may never know if the house was destroyed by Israeli strikes or fighting between Hamas and Israel. But the result is the same. Our home, and far too many in our community, were flattened alongside priceless history and memories.

And this is the legacy of Hamas. They began destroying my family home in 2013 when they built tunnels beneath it. They continued to threaten our safety for a decade—we always knew we might have to vacate at a moment’s notice. We always feared violence. Gazans deserve a true Palestinian government, which supports its citizens’ interests, not terrorists carrying out their own plans. Hamas is not fighting Israel. They’re destroying Gaza.
Seth Mandel: How Hamas’s Western Supporters Sacrifice Palestinians
One line in Saftawi’s piece jumped out at me: “Now that I am determined to speak openly about it, I don’t know if it even matters.”

There are a number of ways that can be interpreted, and I won’t speak for Saftawi. But it must be distressing for people like him to see that even as it loses to Israel on the battlefield, Hamas is winning the battle to define what is regarded as “pro-Palestinian” in the West. Saftawi wants peace and self-determination for the Palestinians to be the ultimate goal. American progressive activists, professors, students, and even members of Congress don’t want that for Saftawi’s family. The war on Israel is useful for them. AOC doesn’t have to sacrifice her home; she just has to be willing to sacrifice Saftawi’s, which she’s happy to do. Tenured professors on six-figure salaries and gold-plated health-insurance plans don’t have to worry about the dangers posed by a weapons stockpile under their children’s bedrooms. To them, the forever war against the Jews is highly sustainable.

The most important thing to understand about the “decolonization” lie is that it is incompatible with a Palestinian state and an extended peace in the region. It is a return to making the existence of Israel the problem.

This is not a mere interpretation: Protesters gleefully chant, “We don’t want no two states, we want ’48.” That’s the irony of President Biden taking action against Jewish settlers in the West Bank, with UK Foreign Minister David Cameron now following his lead and doing the same: They are making a distinction that their pro-Palestinian constituents don’t recognize.

Biden and Cameron don’t think a Jew living in Tel Aviv is an obstacle to peace. The anti-Zionist activists scaring them into enacting these sanctions disagree. But Saftawi, a Palestinian from Gaza, sides with Biden and Cameron. It’s his family’s home that’s lying in rubble, and the people supposedly advocating for him want it to stay that way.


Hamas Exploitation of Hospitals for Hostage Taking: The Legal Imperative to Investigate Aiding and Abetting of War Crimes
As mentioned above, many of the released hostages (as well as what is seen in the October 7 CCTV footage) have reported that they were transited through and held at hospitals during their captivity, but were not provided any medical treatment there. Others have reported that they received medical treatment at hospitals or by medical staff at other locations. Under the tribunals’ jurisprudence, those who saw and/or interacted with the hostages, and violated their duty to report their presence, potentially could incur aiding and abetting liability for ‘tacit approval’ of the hostage taking or by serving as a ‘silent spectator’. It should be investigated, therefore, who gave permission and direction to Hamas or other armed groups to use hospitals to conceal hostages or to transit them through hospitals to be held elsewhere, such as in tunnels and bunkers near or under hospital grounds. It should also be determined if, and by whom, hostages were treated at the hospital, if and who released those hostages into the custody of the captors, and if those individuals informed anyone of these events.

More broadly, acts of omission, such as failing to report the presence of hostages, have severe consequences aside from the individual health and well-being of captives. Under international humanitarian law, hospitals have protected status and should not be attacked. This status is lost if they are used by a party to the conflict to commit, outside their humanitarian functions, an ‘act harmful to the enemy.’ Acts that are considered to be harmful to the enemy include that the ‘hospital is used as a base from which to launch an attack; as an observation post to transmit information of military value; as a weapons depot; as a center for liaison with fighting troops; or as a shelter for able-bodied combatants.’ In addition to the presence of combatants, weaponry, and tunnels, the use of a hospital to conceal and/or transit hostages, are also potential examples of causing ‘harm to the enemy’. By withholding information of such activity, hospital staff placed the facility at risk of losing its protected status and leaving it vulnerable to military attack. The loss of protected status harms not only patients and staff, but also civilians sheltering on hospital grounds. The withholding of such information also degrades the integrity of humanitarian aid frameworks, by compromising the obligations of humanitarian organisations operating at the hospitals.

Conclusion
The abduction of over 240 people from more than 30 nations, including babies, children, the elderly, the disabled, and the gravely injured and ill, are unimaginable atrocities. The fact that Gaza’s hospitals were used to conceal hostages is egregious. Whether hospital staff were involved, and whether other actors were informed of these events, including UN agencies and NGOs, requires investigation and accountability by the UN, governmental donors, the ICRC, and other international aid organisations funding and operating at these hospitals. Should sufficient evidence be acquired, perpetrators should be prosecuted under domestic statutes and universal jurisdiction. Not only do the hostages and their families deserve justice, but the need to preserve the protected status of hospitals and medical workers, a core concept in international humanitarian and criminal law, and the integrity and credibility of the entire humanitarian aid system, is at stake.
Families of hostages fly to The Hague in suit against Hamas
Around 100 representatives of family members of the kidnapped flew to the Netherlands on Wednesday to file an official complaint against Hamas and its leadership at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Transported by El Al, family members of the captives held by Hamas and other terror organizations in Gaza following the October 7 massacre have departed to file their suit at the ICC. Family members noted that heading to the court was a critical step in bringing their loved ones home, not only as Israelis but as world citizens.

Ofri Bibas, the sister of Yarden Bibas, who was kidnapped with her two children Ariel and Kfir, the two youngest hostages, said: "This is not just our story—if we do not stop this, tomorrow it will become the story of the entire world.”

”Two children, one an infant and his older brother, still innocent of the world’s evils, along with their parents, are held captive by a terror organization whose members have killed, blinded, and committed unspeakable acts, and it doesn’t end there… We continue to receive numerous reports that these cruel acts are still happening today," Bibas added. Family members emphasize importance of bringing case to ICC

Other family representatives, from family members to romantic partners, stood at the gateway to the flight and shared reasons why they felt they needed to take their case against Hamas, and the devastating toll it has taken on them.

"On October 7, I suffered a devastating blow, one that I likely will never fully recover from," Ziv Abud, the girlfriend of Eliya Cohen said at the briefing.

"Today, I am here, flying to The Hague with the delegation, to file a complaint against the leaders of Hamas. Having experienced horrors, lost my loved ones, and with my partner still in the clutches of Hamas, I expect that this complaint, and the subsequent legal action, will bring personal justice for each family of the hostages, the bereaved families, those with broken hearts and spirits, and also global justice, clearly demonstrating that we are dealing with a sadistic and cruel terrorist organization," she said.


The UN is siding with terrorists
This anti-Israeli fervour pervades the UN. A few days ago, Francesca Albanese, UN special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, attempted to downplay the 7 October attack. In response to French president Emmanuel Macron’s statement calling the atrocity ‘the largest anti-Semitic massacre of our century’, Albanese wrote on X:

‘The worst anti-Semitic massacre of our century? No, Mr President. The victims of 7/10 were killed not because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression.’

This is an appalling statement. There is no doubt whatsoever that Hamas’s attack was motivated by genocidal anti-Semitism. Albanese’s comments amount to nothing more than vile victim-blaming.

Unfortunately, she is not the only UN official who has effectively blamed Israel for the mass murder and rape of its own civilians. Just a few days after 7 October, UN secretary-general António Guterres announced that ‘this most recent violence does not come in a vacuum’. The implication was that Israel brought this atrocity on itself by its treatment of the Palestinian people.

Even the UN organisations meant to advocate for victims of violence failed to defend those who suffered at the hands of Hamas terrorists. It took UN Women eight weeks to condemn the extreme sexual violence inflicted by Hamas on Israeli women and girls during the 7 October pogrom.

According to a report by UN Watch, in 2023, the UN General Assembly condemned Israel twice as often as all other UN member states combined. Was Israel really as bad as the other 192 UN members put together? These members include serial human-rights violators, such as Myanmar, China, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. Women in Iran have been whipped, tortured, incarcerated and killed just for failing to wear the hijab. Yet in the eyes of the UN, Iran was recently deemed fit to chair a meeting of the Human Rights Council.

The UN’s constant vilification of Israel and its tacit support for groups that seek to destroy it should dispel any notion that it is a neutral broker. Clearly, the UN has picked a side. In a war where Israel is defending itself against genocidal terrorists, the United Nations has chosen the terrorists. For shame.
Netanyahu: Israel won’t give in to ‘delusional’ Hamas demands
Hostages-for-ceasefire negotiations can only advance when Hamas drops sweeping demands that would strengthen the terror group, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following talks in Egypt.

“Israel did not receive in Cairo any new proposal of Hamas on the release of our hostages,” Netanyahu’s office stated, reiterating that his government refuses to “give in to Hamas’s delusional demands.”

Hamas has refused to back off from its demands for a permanent end to the war in Gaza and the release of hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, including terrorist murderers, from Israeli jails.

Bowing to the terror organization’s demands will lead to another massacre and a “major disaster” that no Israeli citizen will accept, Netanyahu warned in an address last week.

Negotiations in Cairo over a possible hostage release deal were initially expected to continue until Friday, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing an Egyptian government official briefed on the talks.

Senior officials in Jerusalem told Ynet on Wednesday that the Jewish state is currently “waiting for an answer regarding negotiations that took place behind the scenes and wants to see if Hamas will descend from the tall tree it climbed when it set demands.”
Cruz demands DOJ launch criminal probe of US nonprofit allegedly helping terrorists
A handful of Senate Republicans are urging the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into a U.S.-based nonprofit that raises money for UNRWA, the United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians that critics have long said promoted an anti-Israel agenda in the Middle East and recently came under scrutiny for its alleged ties to Hamas.

Led by Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, Republicans in the upper chamber will send a letter this week to Attorney General Merrick Garland outlining their concerns about UNRWA USA, a nonprofit with a self-described mission to support the "work of UNRWA through fundraising, education, and advocacy in the United States."

"We write to call on you to open a criminal investigation into UNRWA USA, its principals, and its leadership for knowingly providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations, including Hamas," the lawmakers wrote. "This support facilitated and continues to facilitate terrorism, including the October 7 terrorist attack in which Palestinian terrorists killed or kidnapped dozens of Americans and over 1,200 Israelis.

"According to its 2021 annual report, UNRWA USA dispersed nearly $5 million in donations to UNRWA that year, making the organization UNRWA’s largest institutional donor."

Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz will send a letter to AG Merrick Garland this week calling on the DOJ to open a criminal investigation into UNRWA USA. (Getty Images)

According to the nonprofit's website, UNRWA USA was "created to educate the American public about the work of UNRWA (the U.N. Agency) to benefit Palestine refugees and fundraise for specific UNRWA projects where we can have an impact."

The lawmakers pointed to comments made in 2004 by then-UNRWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen, who told CBC TV he had no problem with having Hamas members on UNRWA's payroll, a chief concern that landed the U.N. agency in hot water in recent weeks after the terror group's invasion of Israel last fall.

"Oh, I am sure that there are Hamas members on the UNRWA payroll, and I don't see that as a crime," Hanson said in part at the time.
UN Watch: Hillel Neuer on i24 News: The UN inquiries into UNRWA are a sham
Hillel Neuer appeared on i24 News to discuss the UN's knowing about UNRWA ties to Hamas for years, the inquiries organized by the UN, and UN Watch's upcoming International Summit for a Future Beyond UNRWA.




The Israel Guys: UNDENIABLE PROOF of UNRWA’s Involvement in Terrorism Discovered in Gaza
You’ll never believe what Israel’s military just uncovered in Gaza City! Deep beneath UNRWA’s headquarters building, a massive Hamas tunnel was found. What was inside the tunnel however, was deeply incriminating for the organization that claims to simply be a humanitarian group who is dedicated to caring for Palestinian refugees in Gaza.

What did the IDF find? Electricity run from UNRWA’s building to the tunnel!

Israel then raided the UN building and found weapons, ammunition, explosives and intelligence assets proving that Hamas was using it as one of their offices.

And guess what? UNRWA has denied having any idea that their headquarters provided Hamas with electricity and that Hamas’ weapons were inside their building. All of the details coming up on today’s show.


UK wants 'absolute guarantee' of no repeat of UNWRA allegations, says Cameron
Britain wants an "absolute guarantee" that the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNWRA) will not employ staff who are willing to attack Israel, Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Wednesday, after allegations that some were involved in the October 7 violence.

Britain last month joined the United States in "temporarily pausing" funding for UNWRA following allegations that around 12 of its thousands of Palestinian employees were suspected of involvement in the Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war.

Donors such as Britain and the United States have indicated they will not resume support until the UN's internal investigation into the allegations ends. A preliminary report is due to be published in the next several weeks.

Asked what Britain needed to see in the report in order to resume funding, Cameron said: "What we're looking for is an absolute guarantee that this can't happen again. Let's be clear here that it looks as if there were people working for UNWRA who took part in the October 7 attacks on Israel. That is unacceptable."

"That's why we paused our funding. That's why these reviews are taking place," he told reporters during a trip to Bulgaria. "We need them to take place quickly because many UNWRA staff do an absolutely vital job inside Gaza, where they are the only network for distributing aid, to make sure that we get aid to people that need it very, very badly."


Biden admin. investigating potential Israel war crimes despite claiming the opposite - report
The Biden administration may have been investigating Israel's conduct in the ongoing war for potential war crimes, despite publicly claiming the opposite, the Huffington Post reported on Tuesday.

Recent reports from the Huffington Post indicate that while White House spokesperson John Kirby publicly denied formal assessments of Israel's actions in Gaza, internal sources who spoke to the outlet suggest otherwise.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the State Department has been conducting inquiries into potential violations of international law by Israel, particularly regarding the operation in Gaza.

These investigations have been reportedly ongoing for months, with the State Department scrutinizing Israeli actions through various channels, including assessing potential human rights abuses that may contravene both US and international law.

Moreover, the Defense Department has also reportedly been involved in assessing Israeli conduct in Gaza since at least November, examining whether any apparent violations of international law implicate the United States, as revealed by The Huffington Post.

“For months, US officials have consistently stated that they are not evaluating Israel's adherence to international law in its actions in Gaza,” Annie Shiel, the US advocacy director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict nonprofit, noted.

“These evaluations are essential for the sincere application of US laws and policies, such as the Biden administration's Conventional Arms Transfer policy, which forbids the transfer of arms if the United States determines there is a higher probability that the arms will be utilized to perpetrate or enable serious breaches of international law.”

She contended that it was imperative for thee Biden administration to offer greater detail regarding its understanding of the American contribution to the "catastrophic civilian harm in Gaza" and the obligation of the US to avert additional harm.
White House spokesperson John Kirby slammed for saying that Israel is doing a better job at protecting civilians than 'our own military would'
White House spokesperson John Kirby was slammed after he claimed that the Israeli military is doing a better job at protecting civilians in Gaza than their American counterparts would.

Kirby was challenged by a reporter Tuesday regarding the Israeli Defense Forces' response to the terror attack by Hamas on October 7, which killed 1,200 Israelis.

The IDF has responded with a military operation that has killed over 28,000 Palestinians and displaced 2.3million, according to officials in Gaza.

Kirby said that he has seen the IDF 'take actions - sometimes actions that that even I'm not sure our own military would take - in terms of informing civilian populations ahead of operations, where to go or not to go. They have taken steps.'

This caused anger by many on social media, particularly on the left, where The Nation writer Jeet Heer argued: 'If I were in the Pentagon I'd be very upset that a government spokesperson was saying that the US military is less mindful of civilian life than the IDF.'

Kirby himself is a retired Navy Rear Admiral.


John Spencer: Urban warfare expert shares insights on Israel’s war in Gaza



IDF's rescue operation in Rafah reminiscent of Entebbe operation
Rafah operation gives Jews worldwide an 'energy boost'

I WAS REMINDED of Israel’s military tour de force in Entebbe when I read of the recent rescue of hostages Fernando Marman, 60, and Luis Har, 70, from a Rafah apartment. The reuniting of the hostages with their families and community members brought elation and joy to them.

But perhaps even greater, this military feat gave an “energy boost” to Israelis and to Jews throughout the Diaspora. This is so because after the mayhem of October 7 and the ensuing months of torment over the unknown fate of the hostages captured during the Hamas rampage in southern Israel, one could finally grab onto a small but symbolic handle. Why is this important?

In the Jewish tradition, we often celebrate small “handles of victory” in our eternal struggle against our enemies who are intent on our destruction. One need not look further than Hanukkah, the celebration of the rededication of the Second Temple after the Maccabees successfully reclaimed Jerusalem in their defeat of the Seleucid Empire.

Lighting the hanukkiah symbolizes how a minuscule amount of oil left in the Holy Temple after it was recklessly destroyed by the Greeks was able to miraculously last for eight days. What this teaches us is that small modicums of success should embolden us to pursue greater goals with courage and conviction.

The news of the rescue of Marman and Har struck me for another reason. They are both dual citizens of Israel and Argentina. Immediately, I recalled the small, but significant, gesture of Javier Milei, Argentina’s president, who just days before had visited Israel and announced plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem. In recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, this small but noteworthy gesture bolstered Israel’s nationalism and pride.

The Forward published a JTA story that said: “The embassy move would make Argentina the sixth country, and only the second major country, to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.” The story was accompanied by an unforgettable photo whose caption read: “Argentina’s President Javier Milei, right, cries with Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish during a visit to the Western Wall on February 6, 2024.” The simpatico captured in this photo, though an ephemeral expression of emotion, was invaluable. That is because it showed Argentina’s deep camaraderie for Israel during the stress and bedlam of war.

Wahnish, Argentina’s newly appointed ambassador to Israel, standing side-by-side with Argentina’s president, was a brief though significant event. Both men drew from the deepest emotions of their souls as they were overtaken by the significance of standing at the Western Wall in a show of solidarity with Israel.

This small gesture resonated among Israelis and Jews throughout the world. It gave hope where there was otherwise desolation and despair. The rescue of the Israeli captives, both dual citizens of Israel and Argentina, is undoubtedly minuscule in the context of the 134 remaining Israelis held in bondage by Hamas and their terrorist affiliates. The families of the hostages suffer a fate that knows no surcease from sorrow. Every moment is agonizing. They cannot even escape in their sleep, as their nightmares are unbearable.

Yet, the release of two of the Israelis held captive in Gaza since the October 7 massacre represents hope for their families, friends, and members of their community. It is an emotion we embrace as a momentary elation before we return to the anguishing reality that there are remaining hostages, IDF service members sacrificing their lives on the front lines, and many, many displaced Israelis whose lives have been torn asunder by having to flee their towns besieged by the Hamas invaders more than four months ago.

We embrace the miraculous release of Marman and Har as our “Entebbe moment,” and we add this recent victory to the annals of Jewish history!


FDD: 10 Things to Know About UNIFIL
7. UNIFIL’s mandate remains unfulfilled despite annual renewals, periodic upgrades
In August 2023, the renewal of UNIFIL’s mandate was complicated by disagreement over language concerning UNIFIL’s freedom of action and coordination with the Lebanese government. Previous U.S. administrations have threatened to veto UNIFIL’s annual renewal if changes weren’t made to its mandate. During a visit to Israel in late November 2023, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto called for a “thorough re-evaluation” of UNIFIL’s mission, citing cross-border attacks on Israel by Hezbollah as indications it is not working as intended. The “rules of engagement need to change,” he said.

8. Hezbollah leadership incites against UNIFIL
Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah claimed in an August 2023 speech that UNIFIL both works for Israel and violates Lebanon’s sovereignty. “This is why [the Americans] want UNIFIL to work for Israel. They want UNIFIL to spy for Israel. They want UNIFIL to replace the Israelis in places where they cannot [operate] … [Israel’s] drones are not as effective as they have been in the past, and their spies also have various problems. Where Israel’s drones, spies, and cameras cannot reach in order to obtain information, UNIFIL’s cameras are meant to replace them.” He further railed against UNIFIL conducting operations independent of the LAF and indirectly denied the funding and direction that Hezbollah receives from Iran by stating, “Now some wise guy might say that [Hezbollah] is also a military force. We are a Lebanese force, we are the Lebanese people, we are locals. We are not a foreign force.”

9. UNIFIL peacekeepers have been killed or injured in areas controlled by Hezbollah
In December 2023, UNIFIL said one of its soldiers had been shot by an unknown gunman and that an investigation had been launched. In October 2023, two mortar shells of undetermined origin hit a UNIFIL base, injuring one peacekeeper, hours after a shell landed inside a separate UNIFIL location. In December 2022, five Hezbollah-linked militants were charged with conspiracy and murder in a shooting attack that killed an Irish UNIFIL peacekeeper and injured three others. In June 2007, a car bomb killed six UNIFIL members and wounded two others.

UNIFIL members have also been caught in the crossfire of Hezbollah attacks on Israel. In January 2015, a Spanish peacekeeper was killed by an IDF mortar shell when the IDF returned fire after a Hezbollah attack killed two IDF soldiers and wounded seven others; while regretting the incident, Israel said it held Hezbollah and the Lebanese government responsible.

10. The U.S. contributes substantial sums to sustain UNIFIL – with insufficient return on investment
The United States contributes annually to UNIFIL’s budget even as the peacekeeping body fails to fulfill its mission. In 2023, Congress appropriated $143 million to UNIFIL, accounting for over one-quarter of the peacekeeping body’s approximately $510 million budget. Since the war in 2006, Washington has spent more than $2.5 billion to support UNIFIL. The United States has likewise invested a similar amount in the LAF since 2006, a portion of which is intended to facilitate cooperation between the LAF and UNIFIL in southern Lebanon. Neither the LAF nor UNIFIL lacks the funding or manpower necessary to carry out its responsibilities. The problem is a lack of will.
Hezbollah rocket kills one, wounds eight in Safed
A rocket fired from Lebanon by the Hezbollah terrorist group hit a building in the northern Israeli city of Safed on Wednesday, killing one soldier and wounding eight others.

The slain Israel Defense Forces soldier was named as Staff Sgt. Omer Sarah Benjo, 20, from Moshav Ge’a in the south of the country. She served in the 91st Division’s 869th Combat Intelligence Collection unit.

Her body was found under the rubble during searches of damaged buildings, Magen David Adom director-general Eli Bin said.

MDA medics and paramedics provided medical treatment to seven people, whom they transferred to Ziv Medical Center in Safed—three in moderate condition and four lightly wounded. They were all fully conscious.

Ido Merridor, spokesperson for Ziv Medical Center, later updated that eight patients were admitted—one in serious condition, one in moderate condition and six lightly wounded.


Terrorists in Samaria open fire on northern kibbutz
Palestinian terrorists in Samaria opened fire on Tuesday on the northern Israeli farming community of Meirav, located inside the country’s pre-1967 lines, a spokesperson for the kibbutz said.

There were no injuries in the attack, which took place as school buses were returning children to the community, but one home sustained damage, according to the spokesman.

The shots were reportedly fired from the Palestinian Arab village of Jalbun, about 220 to 330 yards from the kibbutz.

On Feb. 6, terrorists from Jalbun also targeted Kibbutz Meirav, with one bullet shattering a window and entering a house with children inside. The shootings have been commonplace in recent months, even before the start of the war with Hamas on Oct. 7, one resident told JNS last week.

Meirav is located on the slopes of Mount Gilboa, adjacent to the Green Line with northern Samaria.


South Africa Appeals To UN-Run ‘World Court’ to Block Israel’s Military Operation Against Hamas Terrorists in Rafah
South Africa on Tuesday appealed to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to block the Israeli military operations against the last remaining major Hamas stronghold of Rafah. The government of South Africa “appeals to the International Court of Justice, requesting that the court consider ordering Israel to refrain from attacking the Gazan city of Rafah,” The Times of Israel reported.

The African nation has filed the “urgent request” with The Hague-based United Nations court at a time when the IDF is gearing up to storm the terrorist bastion of Rafah, the southernmost part of Gaza, on the Egyptian border. Capturing Rafah is central to Israel’s twin objective of freeing the hostages and eliminating Hamas’s Gaza-based terrorist leadership.

“The IDF is preparing to stage an operation in Rafah to attack four largely intact Hamas battalions situated in the city. Israel believes senior Hamas leaders are also present in Rafah or below it the Hamas tunnel system, along with some of the Israeli hostages the terror group is holding captive,” the news website noted. The capture of the terrorist stronghold of Rafah will also close Hamas’s sole weapons supply and escape route.

South Africa, a country whose prominent politicians openly call for the genocide of minority White farmers, has joined the Arab states, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan, in preventing Israel from flushing Hamas out of Gaza and bringing its hostages home.


Helen Mirren, Liev Schreiber among celebrities condemning calls to bar Israel from Eurovision
A range of celebrities and Hollywood luminaries have signed onto a letter of support for Israel appearing in this year’s Eurovision amid a wave of calls for the country to be barred from competing.

The letter, organized by the nonprofit Creative Community for Peace, was signed by more than 400 people, including actress Helen Mirren, actor Liev Schreiber, singer Boy George, Sharon Osbourne, actress Selma Blair, music producer Scooter Braun, musician Gene Simmons and actress Emmy Rossum.

The letter reads in part: “We have been shocked and disappointed to see some members of the entertainment community calling for Israel to be banished from the Contest for responding to the greatest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.”

“We believe that unifying events such as singing competitions are crucial to help bridge our cultural divides and unite people of all backgrounds through their shared love of music,” the letter continues, concluding: “Those who are calling for Israel’s exclusion are subverting the spirit of the Contest and turning it from a celebration of unity into a tool of politics.”

Signatory Gene Simmons says in a statement that “those advocating to exclude an Israeli singer from Eurovision don’t move the needle towards peace, but only further divide the world.”

Calls to bar Israel have emanated from artists in a number of countries, most notably Iceland, Sweden, Finland and Ireland, but the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the Eurovision, has repeatedly rebuffed any such move.

Israel this year is sending 20-year-old Eden Golan to the contest later this year in Sweden, with her song to be announced next month.
Israel is ‘fighting for their existence’ against Hamas
Former Labor MP Michael Danby says Israel is “fighting for their existence” against Hamas.

Israel has received heavy condemnation over its response to the October 7 attacks.

“Hamas has promised to do October 7 again and again and again,” he told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“I’m so pleased the Israelis are in control of their own destiny themselves, they have to be careful of civilians, they have to have humanitarian corridors, they have to listen to the International Court of Justice.

“But above all, they have to defend themselves against this kind of barbaric behaviour of Hamas.”




Trudeau: Protest outside Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital a "Reprehensible" Show of Antisemitism
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "strongly" condemned Monday's raucous pro-Palestinian protest that blocked traffic outside Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto as a "reprehensible" display of antisemitism. He said hospitals are "places for treatment and care, not protests and intimidation....In Toronto and across Canada, we stand with Jewish communities against this hate."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford pointing to a federal law that prohibits people from intentionally blocking access to health-care facilities. "You want to protest? Go to city hall, come down to Queen's Park, jump up and down, do whatever you want," Ford said Tuesday. "But don't prohibit people going into a hospital when they're in there saving people's lives, because you never know, you may be the next person in that hospital and they'll be trying to save your life."


Selma Blair apologizes for Islamophobic post calling for deportation of 'terrorist supporting goons' and saying 'Islam destroyed countries'
Legally Blonde actress Selma Blair has issued an apology for leaving an Islamophobic comment on social media, claiming she ‘inadvertently conflated Muslims with fundamentalists.’

Blair, 51, came under fire after eagle-eyed netizens spotted her comment beneath a video on Instagram.

In the February 2 post, the Cruel Intentions actress called for the deportation of Democratic representatives Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, who is Muslim herself, referring to them as ‘terrorist-supporting goons.’

The since-deleted comment read: ‘Deport all these terrorist supporting goons. Islam has destroyed Muslim countries and then they come here and destroyed minds. They know they are liars. Twisted justifications. May they meet their fate.’

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights organization, condemned the statement and called on her to apologize.

‘Based on the hateful and ignorant remarks that Ms. Blair made, we doubt that she has ever engaged in any meaningful interactions with her Muslim colleagues in Hollywood or other members of the American Muslim community,’ National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said.

‘We encourage Ms. Blair to apologize, and we also invite her to dialogue with our community.’

On Tuesday, Blair returned to social media to post a lengthy apology. ‘This is a time of great pain and anguish for many around the world, but it is also a time to learn and better understand how words matter,’ she wrote.

Blair claimed she had commented on a post ‘regarding two congress members who are against banning October 7th Hamas terrorists from entering the USA.’

The original post criticized Bush and Tlaib for voting present on the ‘No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act,’ which would prevent foreign nationals who participated in or facilitated the October 7 Hamas attacks from seeking immigration-related relief in the United States.


Shocking mismanagement of the Opera House protests must be investigated
It’s hard to see the illegal gathering as anything other than a bloodthirsty celebration of the massacre that had just occurred. In that, it wasn’t alone. As news broke, there were several incidents in Sydney’s Western suburbs of celebrations and fireworks. Islamic preachers expressed joy. Sheik Ibrahim Dadoun told a Lakemba crowd, ‘It’s a day of courage. It’s a day of pride. It’s a day of victory. This is the day we’ve been waiting for.’ The crowd responded by chanting, ‘Allah hu Akbar.’

As the night wore on, footage emerged of the police making their sole arrest for the evening, a Jewish man, for waving an Israeli flag. AJA began to receive reports of a crowd chanting, ‘Gas the Jews!’ AJA received footage that evening and shared it on social media the following morning.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley came under fire for her handling of the protest but refused to apologise to the Jewish Community, instead saying the public should be thankful that nobody was injured. Tell that to Anatoly Kirievsky, a Jewish man who had turned up to watch the lighting and was assaulted by multiple protesters.

Police timidity in the face of a mob chanting antisemitic slogans was the first of several incidents that have led some Australian Jews to question whether they have a future here. The community was shocked to see a convoy led by the first person in Australia to be charged with terrorism offences given a police escort into Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Victorian Police allowed a mob to gather outside a Caulfield Synagogue, following now-debunked claims of a ‘Zionist attack’ on an Arab-owned business. The rally, during Shabbat prayers, inevitably led to the Synagogue being evacuated for safety (a possible first for Australia) and to physical attacks on Jews. Shortly after, an anti-Israel group stormed the Melbourne hotel where families of the Israeli hostages and other victims were staying. No charges were laid.

In order to rebuild trust, there needs to be an inquiry into what happened on that night of infamy. On Australia Day, when police stopped a group of neo-Nazis from gathering, it became apparent that they have the powers they need.


Revealed: Ringleader of pro-Palestine protest mob who surrounded Tobias Ellwood's home branded Tony Blair 'inhuman scum' and stood against the Tory MP at the last general election
The ringleader of a pro-Palestine protest mob who surrounded Tobias Ellwood's family home is a passionate Corbynista who accused JK Rowling of 'vile transphobia' and branded Tony Blair 'inhuman scum'.

Corrie Drew was Labour's candidate for Bournemouth East in 2019 and came second with 16,120 votes to his 24,926. She was a committed supporter of Jeremy Corbyn and quit the party in 2021, the year after Sir Keir Starmer took over.

Ms Drew, who works in social media, claimed she had already been suspended for the 'crimes' of describing 'war criminal Tony Blair' as 'inhuman scum' and for calling Sir Keir 'Keith'.

She said she was 'ashamed' to be a member of a party which is 'to the right of the Tories' and 'works against the socialist principles it was founded on'.

Now 41, she first hit the headlines when running for Parliament by setting up online fundraisers to help her spend more time campaigning. She said that she was working part-time as a cleaner but needed money for rent, bills and food.




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