Thursday, June 06, 2024

06/06 Links Pt1: Who's Really Prolonging the Gaza War?; Israel’s Two-Front Crisis; IDF says 20-30 terrorists were in targeted UNRWA school

From Ian:

WSJ Editorial: Who's Really Prolonging the Gaza War?
After Oct. 7, President Biden told Israel to scale down its ground invasion of Gaza. Then he supported Egypt's decision to trap Gazans in the war zone. When the Israelis defeated Hamas in northern Gaza, he pressured Israel to "shift to the next phase" by sending most troops home and fighting with less firepower in southern Gaza. Israel did so, and it very slowly won in Khan Yunis.

Next, Mr. Biden tried to stop Israel from invading Rafah. He cut off weapons as leverage. Israel eventually invaded Rafah, but with fewer troops to satisfy the President. That means a slower operation. His decision to pressure Israel, while going soft on mediators Egypt and Qatar, has also given Hamas reason to draw out hostage talks and continue the war.
John Podhoretz: Israel’s Two-Front Crisis
Joe Biden did something extraordinarily beneficial at the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war: He moved two aircraft carriers to the Mediterranean and parked them right off the shores of Lebanon. The purpose was unmistakable. America was telling Hezbollah to keep quiet and stay out of it while Israel went to war with Hamas down south. It didn’t quite work, since intermittent rocketry still led Israel to evacuate much of its northernmost population. But it worked well enough.

Something happened quietly a few months ago. The carriers left. The USS Gerald Ford returned to Norfolk. The USS Eisenhower was redeployed to the Red Sea to deal with the shipping crisis. And guess what? Without American deterrence, Hezbollah has been emboldened, the more so as time has gone on.

Another 70,000 Israelis have been newly evacuated from the North as bombardments from Lebanon have become extraordinarily savage. The town of Kiryat Shmoneh is on fire. A Druze village was unmercifully attacked. Israel is wracked with uncertainty. It cannot allow Hezbollah’s depradations to continue. It must respond. It must restore deterrence by raising the cost to Hezbollah of its actions. But it’s still got Rafah to finish. And it’s still trying to navigate the weird situation of the past two weeks, in which an “Israeli proposal” for a ceasefire and hostage release created a new sense of urgency for negotiations with Hamas—a proposal offered and re-offered that Hamas has, by my count, now rejected five different times.

Joe Biden made this all public with his strange speech “accepting” Israel’s proposal to which he then doodled a conclusion on top that said “end of war end of war” like Annette Funicello in a beach party movie writing “Mrs Frankie Avalon” over and over on her chemistry notebook. For nearly two weeks now, America has said the ball is in Hamas’ court because the Israeli proposal is so good (while Biden and others say Bibi wants to keep the war going because he’s mean or something). Hamas has replied, in effect, “well, if it’s in our court, we’re keeping the ball. Drop dead.” And still the Bidenites keep on, insisting if Hamas wants a good future for the Palestinian people it will accept the deal. What does Hamas have to do to convince these supposed experts that it has no interest in a “good future for the Palestinian people”—that what it wants are dead Jews and a crippled Israel on its way to destruction?

No matter. The tattered coat upon a stick who resides in the White House has grabbed onto this “proposal” like a walker and will not let go. And the fact that Biden and his people are doing what they can to prevent Israel from finishing its work has given Hezbollah the opportunity to open what appears to be a second front against Israel in this proxy war whose real master is in Tehran.
Daniel Henninger (WSJ): Don't Blame Israel First
As reports come out of the Biden administration about ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, bear in mind that the goal of one side in the discussions remains the elimination of the sovereign nation of Israel.

Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose wealth subsidizes Hamas's military operations, has said, "The perpetual subject of Iran is the elimination of Israel from the region."

The debate over the terms of the current Israel-Hamas ceasefire proposals turns mainly on whether a stop to the fighting would be permanent or temporary, following a hostage and prisoner exchange.

The Biden administration's proposal for a six-week ceasefire includes the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza. Such a departure surely would be interpreted as a victory for Hamas.

Hamas's military leader, Yahya Sinwar, the primary architect of the Oct. 7 invasion, apparently believes he has Israel bogged down in a quagmire and that international opinion has turned the Jewish state into a pariah, pushing the Israelis toward a settlement on his terms.

A belief has emerged in what passes for world opinion that if Mr. Netanyahu can be forced out of office, a "moderate" Israeli leadership will emerge, and somehow the war will end. Yet the assumption that any successor Israeli government would allow the Sinwar-led Hamas to emerge intact in Gaza is incredible.

The debate over the Israel-Hamas war has fallen deeply into a moral imbalance. The conflict has little hope of changing until the statements of foreign leaders, analysts, the media and Mr. Biden begin to impose serious political and moral pressure on the man who put this horror in motion: Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar. Blame him first.


Australian Green Party leader Adam Bandt:


Debate deepens in Israel over Biden’s multi-stage truce framework
Professor Boaz Ganor, president of Reichman University and founder of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, told JNS that not all of the details of the framework have been publicized, and that it is reasonable to assume that there are many additional issues left to iron out.

It appears, however, that “the Americans are trying to bridge over a central and deep gap between the sides—the ultimate demand made from the start by Hamas that the deal lead to the end of the war and to an Israeli withdrawal, as opposed to the firm Israeli position, which holds that after the deal, and certainly so long as the deal is not completed or is delayed maliciously by Hamas, Israel will be able to continue the war in Gaza,” he said.

The U.S. effort includes ambiguous phrasing, such as calling for an end to combat activity but not an end to the war, and various promises, some of which are contradictory, made to both sides in an effort to reach an agreement that will “at least enable the first stage of the deal,” said Ganor.

It appears that at this stage, Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar “has not yet reached breaking point, in which he is willing to abandon or mute his strategic goal, and he could even be convinced that continuing the war will harm Israel and its international standing more than it will damage Hamas,” he said.

According to Ganor, it also appears as if the Israeli government has not reached the conclusion that an end to the war is an Israeli interest, even if it might end up advancing a comprehensive deal vis-à-vis Hamas.

“Over all of this hovers mutual suspicion, according to which Sinwar does not believe Israel will refrain from renewing the war despite promises by intermediaries,” while Israel remains deeply suspicious that Hamas will continue to deceive Israel and the entire world and refrain from releasing all of the hostages and the bodies of dead hostages, he said.

Ganor added that Hamas would thus likely try to stretch out the entire process, while sniping at the IDF and trying to attack Israel from other arenas.
The Imbalance at the Heart of the U.S. Ceasefire Proposal
Meanwhile, Hamas announced yesterday that it rejects the recent American and Israeli offer for a cessation of hostilities and an exchange of hostages for prisoners. The U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan, however, told NBC that the offer remains on the table and negotiations are still ongoing. Robert Satloff takes a close look at one of the problems with the proposed deal: the U.S. promises to “ensure” (in President Biden’s words) that Israel fulfills its end of the bargain, and Egypt and Qatar have “assured” the president that they will hold Hamas to its obligations:

Egypt and Qatar have shown themselves to be woefully incapable of influencing Hamas over the past eight months, so the idea that there is any value in their “assurances” regarding the group’s future behavior is risible. By contrast, any U.S. administration necessarily has considerable leverage on Israel’s actions given Jerusalem’s reliance on U.S. rearmament and diplomatic backing to sustain its military operations.

This imbalance—in which the United States guarantees Israeli adherence while other states ineffectually guarantee a terrorist group’s adherence—sets a worrisome precedent that problematic actors will be eager to cut-and-paste into future deals. But, Satloff explains, some of these problems could be fixed. For instance, the U.S. could promise “to punish Hamas through measures such as securing the arrest and extradition of Hamas leaders who reside in Qatar and elsewhere.” Thus far, Washington has made no indication that such steps have even been considered.
US lays out hostage deal details in expanded UNSC resolution
Israel is not a member of the UNSC, but its acceptance of the resolution is important to the US. Jerusalem, in turn, wants to back the resolution and has highlighted the US elements of the text it would like to see changed.

The latest draft welcomes “the new ceasefire proposal,” which US President Joe Biden first laid out in a speech in Washington on Friday, May 31.

The resolution clarifies that the deal “is acceptable to Israel,” “calls upon Hamas to also accept it,” and “urges both parties to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”

The US is pushing for the backing of the 15-member Security Council for the deal as part of an intense diplomatic initiative to draw wide international support for the deal.

It explained in the resolution that the hostage proposal would enable the following outcomes spread over three phases, which would see the return of the remaining 124 hostages and an end to the Gaza war.

Biden in his speech, spoke of the first phase, which would last six weeks. It would see a lull in the fighting and the return of what has been termed the humanitarian hostages, these being the women, elderly, ill, and infirmed.

The UNSC text described phase one as “a full and complete ceasefire with the release of hostages including women, the elderly and the wounded, the return of the remains of some hostages who have been killed.”

It would also include the “withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas in Gaza, the return of Palestinian civilians to their homes in Gaza, as well as the safe and effective distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale throughout the Gaza Strip to all Palestinian civilians who need it.”

Phase two, “upon agreement of the parties,” would see “a permanent end to hostilities, in exchange for the release of all other hostages still in Gaza, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.”

Lastly, phase three would see “the start of a major multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza and the return of the remains of any deceased hostages still in Gaza to their families.”

The resolution also deals with two elements outside the scope of the proposal that relate to a two-state resolution to the conflict.

The resolution, “rejects any attempt at demographic or territorial change in the Gaza Strip, including actions that reduce the territory of Gaza, such as through the permanent establishment officially or unofficially of so-called buffer zones.”

It also, “Reiterates its unwavering commitment to achieving the vision of a negotiated two-state solution where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders, consistent with international law and relevant UN resolutions, and in this regard stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.”
Hamas said to have rejected ceasefire proposal
Hamas has rejected the Israeli hostage-ceasefire deal, claiming that it is fundamentally different than the one presented by U.S. President Joe Biden on May 31, the Saudi daily Asharq al-Awsat reported on Thursday.

The Gaza-based terror group sent a clarification memorandum to the Palestinian terror factions on Wednesday, the text of which was seen by the news outlet. It claims that the current proposal “does not promise a permanent ceasefire, the occupation’s forces will remain in Gaza, and when they receive the hostages, they will renew the destruction against our nation.”

Hamas is demanding an end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Strip, two conditions Jerusalem rejects. The Israeli War Cabinet’s goals remain the same: returning the hostages, defeating Hamas as a military and political force in Gaza and ensuring that Gaza can never again threaten Israel. Hamas has pledged multiple repeats of its Oct. 7 atrocities.
Palestinian statehood is like DEI: both have a problem with Jews
Neither Palestinian statehood nor DEI advocates are particularly concerned about performance. Failure to perform is what landed university presidents like former Harvard head Claudine Gay before Congress to explain their inability to keep Jewish students safe last year. Revelations of plagiarism and subpar hiring standards are what subsequently sent Gay packing. In the end, DEI provided an easy explanation (not necessarily the correct explanation) for why Harvard hired Gay in the first place. As shifts in college admissions, military readiness or corporate excellence suggests – DEI will always celebrate the bottom rather than lift it to the top.

Ultimately, what DEI and Palestinian statehood have most in common is also the easiest to overlook – a shared hatred of Jews. With its focus on race-based hierarchies and categorised grievances, DEI will always leave Jews in last place. Despite its noble intentions (and necessity), DEI cannot exist without victimhood, and victimhood cannot exist without perpetrators. And Jews have always served as history’s most maligned and idealised perpetrators – even as their accusers fail to articulate a crime.

Statehood, of course, from the Palestinian perspective, has never maligned Jews more, what with those increasing calls for sovereignty “From the River to the Sea.” Even as Israel remains reluctant to embark on its own round of negotiations, pro-Palestine rhetoric appears more unwilling than ever to tolerate any Jewish presence in the Levant.

“There is no longer a place for a two-state solution for any Palestinian,” declared Wissam Rafidi, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine at the three-day People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit this past weekend. “The only solution is one democratic Palestinian land which will end the Zionist project in Palestine.” That land, added Rafidi, could continue to feature rule by Hamas, which is “part of the resistance of the Palestinian people.” Look to October 7 to guess where this might end.

For today, at least, with racism still a reality in America and chaos raging across the Near East, both DEI and a Palestinian State cannot be fully discounted. But with their overreliance on outcomes rather than effectiveness, each reveals the folly of a progressive extreme desperate for wins simply for the sake of winning. Yes, DEI and agitation over a right to statehood can be tools for achieving a fairer future for all. But without moral clarity and accountability, injustice can be the only outcome.
"Ali Baba and the 40 thieves": Emirati-Palestinian shouting match blew up Blinken meeting
A meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a group of Arab officials about a month ago flew off the rails after an unusual shouting match between the UAE foreign minister and a senior adviser to the Palestinian president, according to five sources with knowledge of the incident.

Why it matters: The heated spat reflects skepticism over the Palestinian Authority's planned reforms and disputes among Arab leaders, both of which could challenge the Biden administration's efforts to forge a post-war strategy for Gaza.

Driving the news: The April 29 meeting took place in Riyadh on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting.
- In addition to Blinken, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE attended as well as Palestinian minister Hussein al-Sheikh, who is Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' closest deputy.
- The goal of the meeting was to discuss a joint post-war strategy for Gaza.

Behind the scenes: According to the sources, during the meeting al-Sheikh said the Palestinian Authority is conducting reforms and created a new government as the U.S. and Arab countries asked, but it isn't getting enough political and financial support.
- Toward the end of the meeting the Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed pushed back and said he hasn't seen any significant reform inside the Palestinian Authority, the sources said.
- According to two sources, the Emirati foreign minister then called the Palestinian leadership "Ali Baba and the forty thieves" and claimed senior officials in the Palestinian Authority are "useless" and therefore "replacing them with one another will only lead to the same result."
- "Why would the UAE give assistance to the Palestinian Authority without real reforms?" he asked.
Egyptian ambassador faced "tense" grilling from U.S. lawmakers over botched ceasefire proposal
Egypt's ambassador to the U.S. Motaz Zahran was raked over the coals in a call with U.S. House members last month over a botched ceasefire proposal that preceded Israel's invasion of Rafah, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The episode reflects longstanding tensions between many pro-Israel U.S. lawmakers and the Arab countries that have served as mediators between Israel and Hamas.

- Egypt and Qatar have continued to play key roles in efforts to forge a ceasefire and hostage deal between the two sides, Axios' Barak Ravid reported.

Driving the news: At issue on the call was Hamas' announcement in early May that it had accepted an Egyptian-Qatari brokered ceasefire proposal, according to three lawmakers who spoke to Axios on the condition of anonymity to offer details of a private discussion.
- Israeli officials said the announcement caught them off guard and accused Egypt of giving Hamas a new proposal without coordinating with Israel.
- CNN reported weeks later that Egyptian intelligence quietly changed the terms of a proposal that Israel had signed off on earlier in May.
- Shortly after the episode, which strained relations between Israel and the U.S., Israel began military operations in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.


What we're hearing: During the call, Zahran was asked if he feels Egypt "lost credibility" from the incident, according to one of the House members, who said the ambassador got "so mad" in response.
Call Me Back PodCast: The last Israeli to negotiate with the Palestinians – with Tzipi Livni (Part 2)
Hosted by Dan Senor
Tzipi Livni has served as a minister of eight different cabinet ministries under three prime ministers: Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, and Benjamin Netanyahu. Her positions have included Justice Minister, Foreign Minister and Vice-Prime Minister. She has also been the official leader of the opposition.

As foreign minister, Tzipi Livni led negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, she was a key government figure during Israel’s disengagement from Gaza and during Hamas’s subsequent takeover of Gaza. She was foreign minister during Israel’s Second Lebanon War and during Israel’s operation to take out Syria’s nuclear reactor.

She began her service as a member of the Likud Party, and then the Kadima Party, and later the Hatnua Party and Zionist Union.

Earlier in her career, Tzipi served in the Mossad (including in the elite unit famous for being responsible for the assassinations following the Munich massacre).

No major Israeli political figure has had more recent experience trying to negotiate a two-state solution than Tzipi Livni.


US sanctions ‘militant’ Palestinian group in Judea, Samaria
The U.S. State Department is sanctioning the Palestinian terrorist group Lions’ Den, Foggy Bottom announced on Thursday.

The department called the group, which Washington does not designate as a foreign terrorist organization, “a militant Palestinian group centered in Nablus’s Old City in the West Bank.”

Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman, noted that Lions’ Den claimed responsibility for “several” drive-by shootings in the area of Nablus in October 2022.

“Lions’ Den members opened fire at Israeli vehicles driving close to the nearby settlement of Elon Moreh, injuring a taxi driver and damaging vehicles,” Miller added. “In a separate attack, numerous shots were fired toward the West Bank settlement of Har Bracha.”

Miller added that Lions’ Den “fighters” hurt and killed Palestinian civilians “during clashes between Palestinian fighters and Palestinian Authority security forces in Nablus.”

“In April 2024, Palestinian media reported that Lions’ Den fighters targeted Israeli forces with small arms at an Israeli checkpoint in Nablus,” he added.

Miller did not say why Washington was sanctioning the group in June when the department cited attacks dating back to October 2022.


Accusing Israel of genocide is factually wrong
ISRAEL HAS no intention of destroying the Palestinians, “in whole or in part.” Its intention has been, and continues to be, to destroy Hamas as a terrorist organization. What is deeply troubling, however, is the frequent nonchalant association of “genocide” with Israel as if it were a given – often to cheering audiences without giving the matter and its implications serious thought.

In mid-May, I attended the Mailman School of Public Health graduation ceremony at Columbia University. I was shocked to hear the speech delivered on behalf of the student body. The speaker accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, at five points in her presentation, to the cheering of several thousand students, guests, and faculty members.

To level such an accusation in such a setting at an Ivy League university with a significant Jewish student body was appalling.

The normalization of associating genocide with Israel, as if it is a matter of fact, is extremely dangerous, mainly because the majority of non-Jews do not differentiate between Israeli Jews and Diaspora Jews, which risks, in this case, the safety of Jewish students.

Moreover, this sort of narrative, casually expressed, gives free rein not only to the Jews’ traditional enemy, white supremacists but also to other non-Jews who need an easy way to express their innate hatred of Jews – and gives rise to endemic antisemitism.
Aharon Barak resigns from Hague panel, citing family-personal reasons
Former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak has resigned from the panel of judges at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, according to Israeli media, on Wednesday.

The move was for "personal-family" reasons. He thanked the Court for the cooperation he received from the staff and the judges.

Barak was selected to serve as Ad Hoc Judge on the Court by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a right that a country can exercise if no judge of the country's nationality is present on the bench.

Judges do not necessarily have to be of the same nationality as the government which selects them.

The government will now need to decide whether to select a new judge to replace Barak.
Give ICC prosecutor ‘taste of own medicine,’ senators tell US attorney general
Four Republican senators are urging Merrick Garland, the U.S. attorney general, to investigate the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, whom they accused of having “broken American law by materially supporting terrorism through his unjust and unjustified targeting of Israel’s prime minister and defense minister.”

The ICC, a judicial arm of the United Nations in The Hague, took “action against Israel—which Hamas requested and now applauds” that “manifestly provides ‘material support’ to Hamas by attempting to isolate Israel politically and diplomatically through legal advocacy for Hamas,” per the letter, which Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) led.

“The extent of ICC-Hamas coordination is unknown, but express statements by Mr. Khan and others associated with the prosecution suggest that the coordination may have been extensive,” the letter added.

Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) were the other signatories.

“Hamas, which has governed Gaza for nearly 20 years, is a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization. Federal law prohibits any material support to terrorist groups, including ‘expert advice or assistance,’ which the law defines as ‘advice or assistance derived from scientific, technical or other specialized knowledge,'” the senators wrote.

“The use of an international organization to advance the interests of a terrorist organization can qualify as material support, particularly when done ‘in coordination’ with such groups,” they added.

The senators wrote that Hamas requested and applauded the ICC’s action against the Jewish state which “manifestly provides ‘material support’ to Hamas by attempting to isolate Israel politically and diplomatically through legal advocacy for Hamas.”


Despite Spain, Ireland, and Norway, most of Europe supports Israel at a record level
In a significant shift from most European countries' foreign policies, Spain, Norway, and Ireland have recently announced their decision to recognize the Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. This move, considered by many a political statement due to its impracticality, is seen by Israel’s critics as a huge victory, while Israel’s supporters see it as yet another regrettable diplomatic decision as the IDF expands operations around Rafah. For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.org

Daniel Shadmy, the spokesperson of the European Leadership Network (ELNET) in Israel, an NGO fostering Israeli-European ties, explained to The Media Line that these three countries' decisions need to be contextualized in a larger perspective of Europe’s relations with Israel. “Israel’s relationship with Europe has been quite positive, especially since October 7, resulting in a high level of support of most countries that continues to this day.”

“In fact, while the US has been debating on withholding weapons meant for Israel,” Shadmy continued, “most European countries, led by Germany, continue to purchase Israeli defense technology to protect their own citizens in programs that cost billions of dollars.”

Shadmy also pointed out that despite the decision made by Spain, Ireland, and Norway, European support for Israel remains strong in government circles as well as among the population. “Since October 7, Europeans have shown unprecedented support for Israel, including the UK, Germany, France, and Italy. From rejecting the accusations by the ICJ and the ICC to the adoption of the definition of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance of anti-Semitism, most European countries are actively supporting Israel in the ways they can.”
Spain to ask to join South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel
Madrid announced on Thursday it will apply to join South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

“We take the decision because of the ongoing military operation in Gaza,” said Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares. “We want peace to return to Gaza and the Middle East, and for that to happen we must all support the court.”

Spain is the second European country after Ireland to request to intervene in the case, joining Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Libya and the “State of Palestine.“

The European Jewish Association criticized Spain’s move in a statement, saying that Madrid had “lost its way.”

“The Spanish Government has lost its way. They have lost their sight. They have lost their bearings, and they are deaf to what happened on October 7th,” the statement reads.

“There is no genocide in Gaza. There is a war—a horrible war—but a war nonetheless. A war, we remind the Spanish government, that could be over tomorrow if Hamas released what remains of the hostages they dragged to Gaza after murdering, raping and beheading many innocent Israelis, including babies, women and the elderly,” it continues.

“A clear message has been sent to Jews everywhere in Spain and across Europe by the Spanish government: ‘We do not recognize the right of Jews to defend yourselves against terror.’ That it comes from a country that expelled Jews, burned them at the stake, and whose Vice-President herself called for Jewish genocide ‘from the river to the sea,’ only confirms the sad depths to which the Spanish government has now sunk.”


IDF soldier killed during Hamas infiltration attempt from Gaza
The IDF announced on Thursday afternoon that a soldier was killed during a pre-dawn infiltration attempt from Gaza by Hamas terrorists that was thwarted by Israeli forces.

The slain soldier was named as Warrant Officer Zeed Mazarib, 34, a tracker in the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade, from the Lower Galilee Bedouin village of Zarzir.

His death brings the total number of slain military personnel since the start of the Gaza ground operation on Oct. 27 to 294, and to 646 on all fronts since the start of the war on Oct. 7.

Hamas took responsibility for the attempt, in which Israeli forces killed three terrorists who tried to infiltrate into Israel from the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip.

The gunmen opened fire at troops as they approached the security fence, with soldiers returning fire. An Israeli drone that was monitoring the terrorist cell’s movements struck two of them, with the third being killed shortly thereafter by tank fire.

“We emphasize that the terrorists did not cross the fence built along the Gaza Strip,” the IDF said, adding that the incident was under review.

According to an initial IDF probe, the attempted infiltration took place around 4 a.m., with the terrorists using foggy weather for cover. They were spotted by surveillance officers monitoring cameras.

Desert Reconnaissance Battalion troops arrived to the area on the Gaza side of the border, across from the Israeli border kibbutzim of Kerem Shalom and Holit. At around 5 a.m., the terror cell fired at troops around 400 meters from the border.

The cell was armed with assault rifles and RPGs.


Hezbollah drone kills IDF soldier in northern Israel
An Israel Defense Forces reservist was killed in a Hezbollah drone attack on the Druze town of Hurfeish near the Lebanon border on Wednesday evening, the military announced on Thursday morning.

The casualty was identified as Sgt. (res.) Refael Kauders, 39, from Tzur Hadassah. Nine other soldiers were also wounded, one of them seriously.

The IDF is investigating why the attack did not trigger air-raid sirens. Hurfeish is located more than 3 kilometers (nearly 2 miles) from the Lebanese border and its residents have not been evacuated.

Kauders’s death raises the Israeli military’s death toll on all fronts to 644 since the start of the war on Oct. 7.

Hezbollah took responsibility for launching the two drones towards a soccer field, with Lebanon’s Al-Mayadeen outlet claiming that “the Islamic Resistance fighters targeted…a deployment of Israeli enemy soldiers in the Baram Forest with rocket weapons and hit them directly.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog commented on the attack during his speech at Jerusalem Day celebrations in the capital, saying Israel cannot remain indifferent to Hezbollah terrorism.

“Israel is attacked every day, for long months, by Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, who crudely violate international treaties, said Herzog. “The world must wake up and understand that Israel is left with no choice but to defend its citizens.”


Rafah operation to end within weeks, IDF projects
The Israeli military estimates that the operation in Gaza’s Rafah city will be completed within a few weeks, in line with initial estimates.

The operation is “progressing and precise,” and its objectives will be fully achieved by the end of the month, with a focus on the underground infrastructure both in Rafah itself and under the Philadelphi Corridor, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

Concurrently, IDF operations continue elsewhere in Gaza.

With the conclusion of the intensive operation in Rafah, decisions will need to be made regarding both the Gaza Strip and the situation along Israel’s northern border.

The military is preparing for campaign in the north against Hezbollah, however it has clarified that a recent call-up of an additional 50,000 reservists is related to the Rafah operation, not the situation in the north.
In major discovery, IDF locate one of Hamas's last weapons factories in Rafah
The IDF on Thursday announced it had discovered a weapons factory in Rafah.

The Tzabar Battalion made the discovery while conducting targeted operations in the Rafah area.

Besides the factory serving Hamas as a way to continue to build and develop new weapons, from rockets to anti-tank missiles, to lighter weapons, the facility had dozens of weapons which were already ready for use.

In addition, nearby the IDF used a drone to find a boobytrapped house which contained dozens of mortars which likely have been part of the source of regular mortars fired on the IDF by Hamas from Rafah and other areas.

Weapons factories discovered in Gaza
Few weapons factories have been found since most of them were already discovered by early February in northern Gaza, central Gaza and Khan Yunis of southern Gaza. Footage of weapons located by the Givati Brigade in the Rafah area (IDF Spokesperson Unit)

The discovery of this latest factory could be the last such revelation or at least one of the few remaining such facilities which Hamas still had in operation until now.
IDF vs UNRWA: How many Gazans dead in UN school strike were terrorists?
The IDF said on Thursday that approximately 20-30 Palestinians killed by its airstrike on a UNRWA school in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip earlier in the morning were likely all or mostly terrorists.

According to UNRWA, however, at least 35 Palestinians were killed, with some estimates closer to 45, and with the Hamas-affiliated Gaza Government Media Office saying 14 children and 9 women were killed and that 74 others were wounded including 23 children and 18 women.

The army said airstrikes attacked three specific locations within the compound that different groups of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists were using as command centers and staging areas for planning and carrying out attacks on the IDF defense line separating northern and central Gaza.

The IDF said this was the fifth time it engaged terrorists operating within a UNRWA facility. Names of terrorists killed publicized

In addition, the military late Thursday publicized the identities of nine of the terrorists it said it had killed and already identified.

The IDF said it would continue to identify and publish the names of additional terrorists it had identified at the location, to demonstrate that they were combatants and not innocent civilians.

However, the fact that the IDF only identified nine terrorists and did not specifically reject concrete claims regarding 14 children being killed, though IDF sources had said they had not seen credible evidence of civilian deaths earlier Thursday, left open the possibility that the military had killed both dozens of terrorists and a sizable number of civilians, including children.

The IDF had not responded at press time to additional queries on this point.

Of the nine terrorists identified, those from Hamas were: Matzav Hafat Daryush and Rashid Bavli.

Those from PIJ were: Salim Afash, Abd al-ati Masmach, Ahmad Tzalach Mansour, Ali Hasin Bana, Mohammed Barham, Mahmoud Machtasav, and Ahmad Hatib.

Earlier, the army said it was continuing to review the incident to make sure that a small number of civilians were not also killed along with the terrorists.

However, the IDF said that so far, both before and after the operation, intelligence has indicated that the targets – the terrorists – were killed by a precisely planned strike in an area separate from where all or most of the civilians were residing.

The army said the operation had been planned for many days and that it was even called off and delayed twice to get more exact intelligence and to be more sure that civilians would not be harmed.


IDF Is Causing Massive Damage to Hizbullah
Senior IDF officers assess that Israel "is causing massive damage to Hizbullah."

The officers emphasized that Hizbullah forces are getting worn down due to consistent IDF attacks after the IDF eliminated over 320 operatives, including the commander of the Radwan Force, a special operations unit.

"Hizbullah operatives fear to move freely in southern Lebanon because they are being effectively hunted by IDF aerial and intelligence efforts," one officer said.

Hizbullah must now deal with internal challenges. In the past month, hundreds of Hizbullah reservists refused to enlist.
New IDF Counter-Terror Unit for Gaza Border Towns
The IDF has announced the formation of a new counter-terrorism unit that will operate in Gaza border communities, made up of residents of the area who are ex-special forces.

The unit, known as LOTAR Otef - referring to the Gaza envelope - was established Monday, "as part of learning the lessons that have emerged from the initial investigations into the events of October 7," the IDF said.

Hundreds of reservists have already applied to serve in LOTAR Otef, and will begin training in the coming weeks.
WSJ: Plenty of Food Aid Is Getting to Gaza. If Palestinians Are Starving, It Is Hamas's Fault
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court accuses Israel's Prime Minister and Defense Minister of "intentionally using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare." Yet the facts disprove the accusation. A new study by a group of Israeli academic nutritionists and physicians finds that more food is being delivered to Gaza today than before the war.

The study analyzed airdrops and food shipments delivered by land from January through April 2024, based on shipping details provided by international donors. The study revealed that the supply provided an average of 3,374 calories per person daily, well above the 2,100 recommended minimum standard. In a survey conducted on March 20 by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, 96% of Gazans said they could access food and water.

The study illustrates that the ICC case is factually baseless. Israel has taken concrete actions to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid into Gaza in the heat of battle. This should be recognized as a new standard for the world - the furthest thing imaginable from a war crime.
Inside the fierce debate over aid to Gaza
However, Col. Elad Goren, who heads the civil department of COGAT, told JI that it was the responsibility of U.N. agencies and other international humanitarian organizations to ensure that aid reached the civilian population.

“From our side, everything is open,” he said. “If they want to bring in 700 trucks a day then we can facilitate it, there is no problem.”

Goren said that one of the biggest problems was the U.N.’s poor distribution system and its lack of manpower.

“In order to understand why they have a distribution challenge you first have to look at their trucks,” he said. “There is a limited number of trucks inside Gaza and we have asked the U.N. and other agencies to purchase more trucks and bring them into Gaza. Unfortunately, we are eight months into this war and only around 15 new trucks have entered Gaza.”

“For such a large logistical operation, I was hoping that we would see at least 150 new trucks going in,” Goren continued. “We also have a lot of criticisms of the international organizations because they do not have enough manpower.”

“If we compare their work here to other places around the world, such as Yemen, Iraq or even Ukraine, they brought in thousands of people from international organizations to take part in the humanitarian effort,” he said. “Here we are only seeing around 60 people and that is a very low number.”

“Of course, Gaza is a war zone, it’s small, it’s highly populated and it is very crowded,” Goren added. “Also, Hamas is fully embedded with the civilian population, and they are sabotaging humanitarian efforts so they can criticize Israel and force us to end this war.”
US announces another $90 million in aid to Gaza
Samantha Power, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, announced on Wednesday that Washington would provide another $90 million in aid for the Gaza Strip.

The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations made the announcement on the same day that the U.S. Department of Defense said that it projects the temporary pier anchored to the Gaza coast, which it used to deliver aid until the pier broke and required repairs, will cost $90 million less than expected.

It wasn’t clear if there was any connection between the $90 million increase and the projected $90 million in savings.

In remarks on Wednesday, Power said a deal on the table “would advance Israel’s security, allow for a massive surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and set the conditions for people to return to their home areas.”

The deal, which U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Friday, “offers a roadmap for ending the crisis altogether so that we can move towards a long-term reconstruction plan,” Power said. “But while we wait for Hamas to take this deal that’s on the table, we have to do everything we can to mitigate the suffering of millions of Palestinian civilians now.”

The U.S. official referred to Israeli “escalation of hostilities in Rafah.”

“Partners on the ground have told us that since May 7, they have seen a 500% increase in patients with blast injuries and a 600% increase in patients with gunshot wounds,” Power said. “Yet the majority of Gaza’s health centers are non-operational. And virtually all 2.3 million people in the Gaza Strip require emergency food assistance.”


Mark Regev & Ruthie Blum: The "Controversial" Jerusalem Day | Israel Undiplomatic
On Jerusalem Day, Fmr. Amb. to the UK Mark Regev and JNS columnist Ruthie Blum ask if the status quo in Israel's capital need to be changed? Has the unification of the city under Israeli control even more important after Oct. 7th? Lastly, has the war in Gaza taken away our ability to celebrate?

In addition, Ruthie and Mark argue over Washington's backing in the battle against Hamas and the war against Hezbollah.

"East Jerusalem Palestinians in a final status agreement, do you want to be part of Palestine or do you want to be part of Israel? What do they say? Either a plurality or a majority say they want to be part of Israel."

Chapters
00:00-3:41 What Jerusalem means to the right and to the left
3:41-8:14 Misconceptions about Jerusalem
8:14- 15:02 The Temple Mount and Jewish Sovereignty
15:02-20:20 Hezbollah in the North
20:20-30:07 Is Biden/the US helping or hurting Israel?
30:07 -32:35 Remembering former Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy


The Winston Marshall Show: "United Nations And Hamas Are In Bed Together" Melanie Phillips
Prolific author and Times columnist Melanie Philip joined me to discuss the ongoing war in Gaza, the failure of Human Rights, the moral corruption of international organisations and the endless stupidity of the British Conservative party.

Melanie has been a prophetic voice on many issues, best evidenced by publishing the book 'Londonistan' as early as 2006 and 'The Sex-Change Society' back in 1999.

She is as fearless with her opinions today as ever...


"If He Keeps His Trap Shut He’ll Win" Ben Shapiro On Trump, Biden and Israel-Hamas
Ben Shapiro joins Piers Morgan for a deep dive into current events affecting the US and Israel-Hamas war; first taking aim at the historic Donald Trump trial verdict but also picking apart Joe Biden’s performance as President. Lastly, Ben debates Israel’s attack on Rafah and demands for a ceasefire in Gaza.

00:00 - Introduction
01:16 - On Trump and his guilty verdict
05:45 - 'Lock Hillary Clinton up'
07:03 - Comparing Clinton's misdemeanors with Trump's
09:00 - On fundraising for Trump
10:45 - Votes and campaigning in the black community
14:00 - The Middle East - where are we at with the war?
14:58 - 'This could’ve been over in March if Israel finished the job in Rafah'
20:12 - “Hamas is not going to surrender”
21:30 - Who runs Gaza at the end of this?
22:38 - Crushing ideologies
23:31 - A two-state solution?
26:18 - “A tragic scenario”
29:10 - The media landscape
33:00 - Debating Norman Finkelstein
33:40 - His next move




‘Kangaroo court’: Douglas Murray slams ICC for suggesting it is ‘above criticism’
Author Douglas Murray has slammed the ICC as a “kangaroo court” for suggesting it is “above criticism” from senators in the United States.

The House of Representatives passed a bill to sanction International Criminal Court officials involved in seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the New York Post.

“The ICC responded by saying, if it's to criticise the court in this manner may itself be a crime,” Mr Murray said.


Briahna Joy Gray rolls eyes at October 7 survivor, disrespects rape victims
Briahna Joy Gray, a political commender and Bernie Sander's former press secretary during his 2020 presidential campaign, was slammed online this week for her treatment of an Israeli hostage family member during an interview with The Hill on Tuesday.

Yarden Gonen, the sister of Romi Gonen, who was abducted by Hamas on October 7, told The Hill in an exclusive published on Tuesday that her sister had made a final call to their mother before being abducted from the Nova Festival.

While Yarden was attempting to garner attention for her captive sister, Joy, also part of the broadcast, garnered the attention of social media users after she rolled her eyes. At the same time, Yarden pleaded with her that she believed women who were made victims of sexual violence by Hamas on October 7. A final call from Romi

In the call, Romi told her mother that she had been shot and was sitting in a car. The car Romi was sitting in had later been discovered empty.

The last time the family heard from Romi, they received a 10-minute phone call, which cut off at 10:58 a.m. Yarden said all they heard was shooting, bombing, and the sound of terrorists talking among themselves.

Days after the attack, Romi’s family had the call translated, Yarden said. The terrorists had been debating whether to take Romi to Gaza before eventually deciding in favor of the abduction.
Briahna Joy Gray slammed for ‘despicable’ act during interview with sister of Hamas hostage
Filmmaker Ami Horowitz has slammed political commentator Briahna Joy Gray for “one of the most despicable things on the air”.

The co-host of the online program ‘Rising’ appeared to roll her eyes during an interview when a family member of a Hamas hostage asked her to believe October 7 rape victims.

“Ultimately, I’m happy because it really exposes the truth of the left,” Mr Horowitz told Sky News host Rita Panahi.

“The antisemitism overrides even what supposedly are the core values of the left – that’s how deranged they are.”


The Israel Guys: Lebanon Strikes Cause MASSIVE Fires in Northern Israel
Attacks from Lebanon are ramping up on a daily basis with northern Israel almost completely going up in flames. Politicians from the left and right alike are slamming the government for their lack of leadership.

A report also just came out from a Hezbollah affiliated newspaper claiming that several countries have warned Beirut that Israel could invade Lebanon on a date very soon.


Major parties calling out Greens for ‘stirring up hateful’ rallies
Sky News host James Macpherson says both major parties in Australia have “called out” the Greens for “stirring up hateful pro-Palestinian rallies”.

Mr Macpherson said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was “particularly incensed” - however, Greens Leader Adam Bandt claims he has “done nothing wrong”.

“Cleary the Greens have been encouraging pro-Palestinian protesters to picket MPs electorate offices. The Prime Minister’s no less,” Mr Macpherson said.


Liberal MP joins crossbenchers in signing letter backing ICC’s ‘pursuit of Israel’
Sky News host Rita Panahi says Liberal MP Bridget Archer has signed a letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “along with more than a dozen crossbenchers” in “backing the International Criminal Court’s pursuit of Israel”.

Ms Panahi says the letter warned against efforts to “undermine the independence and the impartiality of the ICC”.

Her comments come as an ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for top Israeli officials for alleged war crimes in Gaza.


Daniel Greenfield: The Hamas Role in the Worst Massacre of Gay People in America
Nearly eight years after a Muslim terrorist committed the largest massacre of gay people in American history, LGBTQ Islamic terror supporters blocked the Philadelphia gay pride parade.

“Long live the Intifada,” members of Queers4Palestine chanted, referring to the Islamic terrorist campaign against the Jewish State, chanting that the gay pride parade was just like the KKK and the Israeli army. “From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!”

Protesting a gay pride parade in support of Hamas was a fitting prelude to the anniversary of the Islamic massacre at a gay nightclub which had its own Hamas connection.

On June 12th, 2016, Omar Mateen, an Afghan Muslim, conducted his own ‘intifada’ at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, murdering 49 people and wounding over 50 more partygoers.

The terrorist attack at a gay nightclub is commemorated every year in the gay community without a single reference to the fact that Omar was a Muslim terrorist killing for Islam.

Even though Omar Mateen had told coworkers that he had ties to Islamic terrorism, had been investigated by the FBI as an Islamic terrorist (he had convinced the FBI that his coworkers were ‘Islamophobes’) and there are recordings of him pledging allegiance to ISIS during the attack, every anniversary of the Pulse nightclub massacre makes no mention of the “I” word.

“My name is Islamic soldier,” Omar had told a law enforcement negotiator. “It’s the last month of the Ramadan… I fasted the whole day today. I fasted and I prayed.”

Omar had come from an Islamic terrorist supporting family. His father, who had run for president of Afghanistan, had publicly praised the Taliban. And there was also a Hamas connection.

Omar’s wife, Noor Salman, was born to ‘Palestinian’ parents and her first marriage had been arranged in her father’s “hometown” in Israel’s West Bank. The Salman family owns extensive property in the area including businesses and an apartment in which they live part of the time.

Her mother had cheered Hamas.
‘Fatties for Palestine’: Humiliating new low for unhinged pro-Palestine activists
'Queers for Palestine' are out and 'Fatties for Palestine' are in.

This week the unhinged pro-Palestine activists introduced us to a new subsect of the cause, 'Fatties for Palestine', and they’re coming for a university campus near you.

Sky News All Stars Rita Panahi, Liz Storer and James Macpherson explore the humiliating new lows of pro-Palestine protesters.


‘Queers for Palestine’ activists choose to ‘overlook’ treatment in the Middle East
Comedian Alex Stein says the ‘Queers for Palestine’ protesters are not stupid and are simply choosing to “overlook” how they would be treated in the Middle East.

Mr Stein attended a Dallas Pride event where he repeatedly went up to protesters saying they would not be accepted in Palestine.

“It’s just sad that when they get asked a hard question, they shut their mouth or they just chant something over and over so that they won’t have to actually answer,” he told Sky News Digital Presenter Gabriella Power.




British Foreign Office accused of cover-up over terror-linked Palestinian groups
The British Foreign Office is suspected of sending millions of pounds to terror-linked Palestinian groups and then covering it up to avoid a public backlash after having refused to disclose where the money went.

The United Kingdom granted the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) £4.6 million, or about $5.9 million, in 2022. For the fiscal year 2020-2021, the NRC received about £2,500,000 ($3.2 million) from the U.K.

NGO Monitor, a Jerusalem-based research institute, filed a freedom of information (FOI) request on March 25, 2021. It asked the U.K.’s Foreign Office, officially the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), for names of the beneficiaries.

The NRC is infamous in Israel as an NGO engaging in anti-Israel activities disguised as “humanitarianism.” It made headlines a few years back, when it tried to undermine the country’s judicial system by flooding its courts with cases.

NGO Monitor suspected that the Norwegian Refugee Council had funded Palestinian organizations with terror links, notably to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

A tip-off was the U.K. government’s growing reluctance to talk about the NRC’s beneficiaries.

“Up until 2018 or so, the government used to publish the names of all local NGO recipients of U.K. aid via the NRC,” Anne Herzberg, legal adviser at NGO Monitor, told JNS. “We began to see a marked decrease in transparency regarding NRC funding to local NGOs around 2018-2019.”
Majority of young Britons think Israel should not exist
A majority of Britain’s young people do not believe Israel should exist, a new UnHerd poll has revealed.

A preliminary finding of an exclusive survey of 1,012 voters about foreign policy, conducted by Focaldata and due to be released tomorrow on UnHerd, found that a striking 54% of 18-24-year-olds agreed with the statement that “the state of Israel should not exist.” Just 21% disagreed.

This finding dovetails with other UnHerd polling on the same issue. In a separate question, young respondents were asked who was more to blame for the war in Gaza. Half blamed the Israeli government, while a quarter answered Hamas. Only 19% responded “all equally”.

The war’s high degree of exposure online and on social media appears to have fuelled interest among Britain’s young. An AI-generated “all eyes on Rafah” graphic was shared more than 44 million times on Instagram recently, with pro-Palestine content also proliferating on TikTok. Critics have argued that the Chinese social media platform has deliberately promoted anti-Israel content, which TikTok has denied, citing the existing attitudes of its young user base.

These attitudes are reflected in further UnHerd polling, which asked young Britons about their level of interest in wars around the world. It found that Britons aged 18-24 are far more interested in the war in Gaza than they are in the Russia-Ukraine conflict or in US-China tensions. Among this group, 38% were very interested in Gaza and 28% were somewhat interested, compared with 19% and 44% who were very or somewhat interested in the war in Ukraine, respectively.
Islamists Keep Stabbing People. Why Aren’t We Talking About It?
Last week, a 25-year-old Afghan man went on a stabbing spree in a marketplace in Mannheim, in southwestern Germany, killing a police officer and wounding five other people.

In a video of the attack, the man, whose name has not been released, can be seen repeatedly stabbing several people—including the police officer, in the back of his head and neck—until another police officer shoots the assailant.

All we know about the dead police officer is his name was Rouven L., and he was 29, and he was trying to stop an attack on Michael Stürzenberger, a well-known blogger who has been critical of Islam. (Stürzenberger was wounded, but not critically.)

It took four days for anyone with a uniform or in office to say publicly what was obvious, which was that this had something to do with Islamism.

“Islam belongs to Germany, but Islamism does not,” Justice Minister Marco Buschmann tweeted Tuesday. “It is a deadly form of fanaticism. There is now clear evidence of an Islamist motive for the crime in #Mannheim.”

This latest violence is part of a gathering storm of Islamist stabbings, riots, and violent demonstrations engulfing the West, with Europe at the center of the maelstrom.
Model Legislation to Modernize Anti-KKK Masking Laws for Intimidating Protesters
Just as Ku Klux Klan members used white hoods to conceal their identities and terrorize their targets, modern activists are using keffiyehs, Guy Fawkes masks, balaclavas, and other inherently intimidating face coverings. Indeed, face-masking is pervasive among participants in demonstrations that are growing in frequency and disruptiveness.

Most recently, the pro-Hamas “protests” that have proliferated across college campuses and city streets involve activists who cover their faces explicitly for the purpose of making it impossible to determine who is engaged in violence, intimidation, and property destruction. Just as masks emboldened KKK activity a century ago, they are a central feature in the 360% surge in antisemitic incidents since Hamas’s attack on Israel last year.[1] New York City experienced about 2,000 protests in the half-year following October 7—including incidents involving more than 10,000 participants illegally blocking bridges and major infrastructure.[2] Cities across the country seem to be struggling to maintain order and check the growing number of attacks associated with these events on Jewish-owned businesses and other institutions.

There is an obvious and simple answer to protesters’ growing aggressiveness, an answer that proved effective against their forebears in the KKK: denying intimidating and violent protesters the right to conceal their identities via face coverings. Hamas supporters, Antifa, Patriot Front, and others act boldly so long as they can remain anonymous. Stripped of this anonymity and the intimidating power of the keffiyeh and black bandanna, they will be far less likely to engage in criminal behavior.
Police force 'hate crime hoaxer' Hash Tayeh to testify in violent kidnapping case
Controversial anti-Israel activist and Burgertory boss Hash Tayeh has been compelled to appear in court on Friday as Victoria Police attempt to force him to testify in a kidnapping and assault case.

Tayeh was questioned by detectives after a man was allegedly ambushed by three masked men, tied up, stomped on, and severely beaten with a hammer in a horrific attack.

Tayeh refused to fully cooperate during initial questioning but police believe he holds crucial information for the prosecution.

There is no suggestion Tayeh has involvement in the attack. However, detectives believe his testimony could shed light on the case, particularly regarding Laura Allam, a 27-year-old CEO of the Al Jannah Foundation, who has been charged in connection with the brutal assault.

Allam's co-accused, Mohammad Sharab, 37, a regular speaker at anti-Israel protests who has threatened Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini on camera, is also implicated. Another person charged is Ibrahim Al Azhari, with detectives still searching for a fourth unidentified assailant.

The victim, whose identity remains protected, was allegedly kidnapped, duct-taped, and driven to Duke Street Reserve in Sunshine in a white ute belonging to Al Azhari.

He was then beaten with a hammer while being threatened with death. The attack ceased only after he surrendered his iPhone and Apple Watch along with their passcodes.

From his hospital bed, the victim alerted his Jewish employer, fearing the attackers might use his phone to target sensitive information. Allegedly, a relative of one of the accused offered the victim $10,000 and replacement electronics to withdraw his accusations.


MEMRI: #QueersForPalestine – 'Axis Of Resistance' Houthi Imams: 'The Promiscuous, Deformed, And Homosexuals Were All Created By America'
Since the Hamas October 7 massacre, movements such as "Gays for Palestine" and "Queers for Palestine" have become an integral part of the pro-Hamas rallies in the West, supporting the genocidal slogan "From the River to the Sea."

Earlier this month, MEMRI published a collection of videos of prominent Palestinian Islamic, political, and cultural figures stating that Palestinian people "will not accept a single homosexual" on the land of Palestine, and that homosexuals "should be thrown head first from the rooftop of the tallest building."[1]

The following is a collection of videos of prominent figures from Ansar Allah, aka the Houthis, making statements such as "one of the heinous moral crimes of the Israelites in our age is that... they are promoting homosexuality, in violation of human nature and the laws of Allah," and "the promiscuous, deformed, and homosexuals were all created by America."

The Iran-backed Houthis, part of the "axis of resistance," have been assisting Hamas throughout the current Gaza war by firing ballistic missiles at the Israeli city of Eilat. They have also blocked and targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab el-Mandeb strait.

It should be noted that Houthi figures have accused Israel, where Gay Pride parades are openly held, of spreading homosexuality. Prominent Palestinian clerics have also accused Israel of bringing homosexuality to the Holy Land. Ironically, were members of movements such as "Gays for Palestine" and "Queers for Palestine" to live in Gaza or in any of the lands of the "axis of resistance," they would probably need to seek asylum in Israel.

In February 2024, amid the current Gaza war, an Israeli court decided that Palestinian LGBTQ+ individuals may do this. Tel Aviv District Court Judge Michal Agmon Gonen ruled that "Palestinians threatened due to their sexual orientation can apply for asylum."[2]


San Francisco Pride denies Israel float, but okays Palestinian groups
Jewish organizations expressed outrage after the San Francisco Pride parade on Wednesday denied there would be an Israeli float at the event but welcomed pro-Palestinian groups to participate.

"There is no Israeli float in the SF Pride Parade. SF Pride values the contributions of Jewish queer individuals in advocating for peace and acknowledge their enduring efforts. SF Pride is careful not to conflate Jewish groups and Jewish people living in America with the state of Israel," the pride parade organizers said in a statement addressing what it said was misinformation about its policies. "‍We have welcomed and continue to welcome pro-Palestinian groups to the SF Pride Parade. If more are interested, they can join the Resistance Contingent (with the SF Pride Board), or if such a group wants to have its own contingent, we invite them to request a fee waiver."

Are LGBTQ+ Israelis welcome at Pride?
The Bay Area Jewish Community Relations Council called on SF Pride to clarify that "everyone, including LGBTQ+ Israelis, are welcome at Pride."

"We are disheartened by this poorly worded statement from San Francisco Pride," said JCRC Bay Area. "No one should be singled out because of their ethnic identity."

NGO Stop Antisemitism called on supporters to contact organizers about their "discriminatory practices."




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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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