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Monday, August 05, 2024

08/05 Links Pt1: Philadelphi tunnel vision; Labour’s naivety is now a danger to Britain; UN admits UNRWA staff involved in Oct 7 Hamas attack on Israel

From Ian:

Ruthie Blum: Philadelphi tunnel vision
It is thus a relief and an expression of his leadership that Netanyahu is not budging on key conditions for a deal with the devil. One of these, which Hamas has nixed, is a list of the hostages still alive.

Another is Israeli control over the Philadelphi Corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt and the Netzarim Corridor, which cuts the Strip in two, from the Israeli border to the Mediterranean Sea. Naturally, neither Hamas nor Cairo agrees to this stipulation.

That Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Israel Security Agency director Ronen Bar and Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, head of the IDF’s Missing and Captive Soldiers Division, consider it an obstacle to a deal they fear will evaporate if it’s not reached immediately is a travesty.

Apparently, Mossad chief David “Dadi” Barnea isn’t on board with that assessment, though he’s lumped in with the rest of them in reports on the “rift” between Netanyahu and his “defense chiefs.”

According to the press, citing anonymous officials, the latter feel that the prime minister “doesn’t care about the hostages.” Channel 12’s Guy Peleg, a leading Bibi-basher, went as far as to say in a radio interview that Netanyahu wants them dead.

The public isn’t buying it, particularly not now, with the exposure on Sunday of a huge terror tunnel under the Philadelphi Corridor. A fraction of the sprawling network of cross-border tunnels in the area, this one is 10 feet high and equally wide—massive enough to enable Humvees and other large vehicles to transport weapons, building materials and terrorists from Egypt to Rafah.

This is why Cairo was so opposed to the IDF incursion into Rafah. It knew full well what it’s been hiding for all these years from its Israeli peace partners.

The tunnel in question was discovered by the fighters of IDF Division 162 and is being examined by the Yahalom Unit of the Engineering Corps. Plans for its destruction are underway. Part of it will be blown up and the rest sealed with concrete and iron.

Disturbingly, the IDF brass didn’t publicize the finding until a photo of the tunnel was posted online by one of the soldiers in the field. It was only after the image began circulating on the internet that the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit had to come clean with inquiring journalists.

This probably won’t stop Netanyahu’s critics from insisting that he’s sentencing the hostages to death by not giving in to Hamas. But most Israelis aren’t that stupid or wicked.

The picture of the tunnel was sufficient for most of the populace to grasp its greater significance. It was the only “leak” this week worthy of praise rather than censure.
Col. Kemp: Labour’s naivety is now a danger to Britain
It increasingly appears that the Labour Party and its supporters are less changed than many hoped after Jeremy Corbyn’s days as leader. Mollifying anti-Israel supporters now seems to transcend sticking up for our most important ally in the Middle East and, by doing so, supporting our own national interests.

The Government’s stance is also a counterbalance to the Royal Air Force’s probable role in defending Israel if the expected large-scale attack comes from Iran and its proxies in the coming days. RAF jets are preparing now to take to the skies to help intercept the missile and drone barrage Israel is bracing for. The Government will not order this willingly but because the United States demands it. If it happens, it will provoke anger among the anti-Israel mobs. But Labour may soon be able to point to arms restrictions, not to mention the other measures it has taken in the four weeks it has been in power.

That includes restoring funding to UNRWA, which the previous government withdrew following allegations some employees were linked to the October 7 massacre. It also includes cancelling the Conservatives’ formal objection against the International Criminal Court’s plans to issue arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and defence minister. Just as arms restrictions against Israel risk fracturing a military and intelligence relationship that would be more damaging to us, this virtue signalling over the ICC works against our own national security interests. The jurisdictional overreach by the court could be turned on our own political leaders and Armed Forces in the future.

Labour’s approach of appeasement is also extremely dangerous internationally. Together with a similar posture across the Atlantic, it encourages Iranian aggression against Israel as well as other friendly countries in the region.

The same applies to the jihadist threat more widely. If Israel does not prevail against its enemies, this will inspire greater extremist violence from those who want to attack us directly. After his meetings in Israel, Healey called for an immediate ceasefire, but that is the only way for Hamas to ensure its survival. Likewise his talk of a two-state solution in the aftermath of October 7, and his party’s declared intent to recognise a Palestinian state without conditions, will be seen as rewarding terrorism.

What is actually needed at this moment is full backing for Israel and the hardest line against Iran. Too many Western politicians think the ayatollahs and their proxies think like us. They don’t. They despise and exploit weakness and they respect strength. Labour has yet to grasp that staunch support for our allies and strong opposition to our enemies will be more likely to contain violent escalation both in the Middle East and at home.
Europe’s Israel betrayal is a disaster for Ukraine
After the October 7 massacre, the European Union was quick to condemn the “indiscriminate attacks”, assure Israel of “solidarity” and endorse its right to defend itself.

But it wasn’t long before European governments retreated from their staunch promises and moved toward equivocation. Some have now settled on a new playbook of moral inversion that would once have been unthinkable among Western nations.

What European leaders do not appreciate is how changing attitudes towards Israel could backfire by laying the groundwork for a parallel turn against Ukraine by the United States. In Washington, critical members of the coalition supporting Kyiv expect reciprocal support for Jerusalem on both sides of the Atlantic.

So far, European governments have resisted moves to stop supplying the Israeli military with armaments, but some leaders are building the foundation for such a betrayal.

The EU foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, said the Union now faces a “difficult” choice between support for Israel and respect for the rule of law. His comments reflect a misguided ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which found that Israel’s offensive in Rafah was putting Palestinian civilians at risk. But Hamas uses these civilians as human shields.

In May, Spain, Norway and Ireland chose to recognise the state of Palestine, violating the long-established principle that recognition must await a bilateral peace agreement in which Palestinians recognise the Jewish state. Borrell seemed to scoff at the notion that this premature recognition was in any way a reward for Hamas terror.

Testiness and chastisement have also characterised the rhetoric from Europe’s leaders towards Israel, led by French President Emanuel Macron’s insistent calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire that would allow Hamas to retain power in Gaza.

A far greater betrayal of Israel may still lie ahead as some call for Western governments to halt arms exports to the country. Though Britain’s exports are relatively small (the US is by far the biggest supplier, accounting for over 60 per cent of Israel’s imports of major conventional arms between 2019 and 2023), we may soon lead the way.


Time has run out for ‘Gaza first, Lebanon later’
In the absence of initiating a war to eradicate Hezbollah, the least Israel must do is address the two most immediate threats: a cross-border ground invasion and the short-range rocket fire on border towns. Addressing the first will require some form of ground maneuver to establish a buffer zone in Lebanese territory. Addressing the second requires extensively damaging Hezbollah’s missile and rocket stockpiles. If both of these minimal goals can be achieved, then Israel could consider settling it there and postponing the inevitable larger conflict to sometime in the coming few years, and use the intervening time to re-arm and prepare itself.

Given this situation, high-profile assassinations are only useful as an opening blow. On their own, they do not provide any solution for the situation in the north or address the continued threat from Hezbollah. They throw the organization off balance for a while, and this is a valuable first step before more significant action that will bring lasting change to the situation, but if we stop there Hezbollah will replace its losses and we’ll be back where we started.

There is political benefit to the assassinations, as Israel’s allies view them as surgical strikes against legitimate targets, whereas for Hezbollah and Iran they constitute a severe affront to their honor which precludes anything but an escalatory response. Thus when the Iranian-led axis inevitably attacks Israel, Jerusalem will receive begrudging international acceptance to expand the campaign, as it will be clear that Hezbollah is the one dragging us into a broader war.

Israel is now on standby for an Iranian-led attack and is busy preparing to defend its population. Hopefully it will succeed in preventing any significant damage to life and property, but it would be a grave mistake to treat the attack according to the actual damage caused, rather than the damage intended. Israel does not need more corpses to justify broader action against Hezbollah or even against Iran directly. Any self-respecting country must take with grave seriousness the severity of the attack itself, and not hide behind its sophisticated defensive capabilities to justify avoiding conflict.

We are at a historic moment of truth. The time for the “Gaza first, Lebanon later” strategy has run out. Israel must face the fact that it is at war with Iran and all its proxies. Now is the time to turn this terrible war that was forced upon us into an opportunity to change the balance of power and shape the reality around us.
Mr. Blinken, a ceasefire will only harm Israelis and Gazans
Yet despite this unbroken history of Palestinian annihilationism and the savagery of Hamas’s most recent invasion, Israel has waged this war in accordance with the highest ethical standards in the long and sad history of human warfare. America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan involved a substantially higher ratio of civilian-to-combatant deaths than Israel in Gaza, even though Hamas’s terror brigades are among the most civilian-embedded forces in military history.

It also bears mentioning that the Hamas dictatorship has brutally suppressed its Palestinian citizens since long before the current war. Since Oct. 7, Hamas has fired on its own citizens, who seek to utilize Israeli escape routes from military actions and who merely approach food aid convoys to feed their families. Gazans have repeatedly told global media outlets that Hamas hordes all the incoming aid for its terror cadres, preferring to let their own population starve.

A ceasefire would let Hamas tighten its iron grip over Gaza, allowing it to continue brutalizing its own people and using them as human shields.

Hence, despite Blinken’s perfunctory assurances, a ceasefire would do nothing to advance the cause of peace. To the contrary, it would enable the continued mass slaughter of Israelis; the continued brutalization of Palestinians in Gaza; and the continued danger of an Iranian proxy on Israel’s southwest border.

No one committed to peace and decency should be advocating such a policy, much less pressuring Israel to adopt it. Both Palestinians and Israelis deserve better; namely, to be freed from the murderous brutality of Hamas. Freed not just until the next Hamas war but permanently freed from a Hamas that has been permanently destroyed.

The question for Blinken is which matters more: The sentiments of some American “swing-state” voters or the lives and livelihoods of innocent Israelis and Gazans? As the stepson of a Holocaust survivor, Mr. Blinken should not find this a difficult question to answer.
UN admits UNRWA staff involved in Oct 7 Hamas attack on Israel
The United Nations has said nine staff members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNWRA) may have been involved in the October 7 attacks on Israel by the terror group Hamas.

Speaking on Monday, UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told Reuters: "For nine people, the evidence was sufficient to conclude that they may have been involved in the seventh of October attacks.”

He said they would be fired for taking part in the attacks which saw more than a thousand Israelis killed and hundreds taken hostage.

Haq said the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, had found at least nine individuals had been involved in the attack, after concluding an investigation into the alleged involvement of 19 Unrwa staff members.

He said: “OIOS made findings in relation to each of the 19 Unrwa staff members alleged to have been involved in the attacks.

"In one case, no evidence was obtained by OIOS to support the allegations of the staff member's involvement, while in nine other cases, the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient to support the staff member's involvement.”

Haq said all the nine members of Unrwa staff that were involved in attacks were men.

He said: "For us, any participation in the attacks is a tremendous betrayal of the sort of work that we are supposed to be doing on behalf of the Palestinian people."

The investigation was launched by The United Nations after Israel said it found evidence that 12 Unrwa staff took part in the Hamas massacre. Following the revelations, several countries including the US, the UK, and Germany suspended funding to Unrwa, before restoring it last month.

Israel has since claimed that some 450 Unrwa staff were involved in Gaza terrorist groups, nearly 10 per cent of the body’s staff in Gaza.

Unrwa employs 32,000 people across its area of operations, 13,000 of them in Gaza.
UNRWA: Investigation completed: allegations on UNRWA staff participation in the 7 October attacks

Israeli envoy: UN’s UNRWA probe a disgrace, ignored info on many more with terror ties
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, rejects the UN’s probe of UNRWA that found nine employees may have been involved in the October 7 attacks, calling it “a disgrace” and “too little too late.”

Erdan says the probe “ignored the thousands of of agency employees involved in Hamas terrorism… Israel gave the UN precise details on over 100 UNRWA employees who are members of Hamas.”

In light of the information Israel provided the UN, he says, “the findings of the probe are another disgrace for the UN, which continues to refuse to accept reality.

“If that’s not enough, recently the secretary general decided to give UNRWA-Gaza the 2023 UN Secretary General’s Award. The secretary general should resign and UNRWA should be shut down.”


A frazzled Israel on tenterhooks braces for Iranian attack
There were near-hourly threats from Iranian officials of an impending attack.

The omnipresent former Israeli generals and defense analysts were working overtime in the television studios, where even in a news-saturated country, the dizzying sequence of events of the last week was an anomaly.

Then came the word from the U.S.’s top diplomat on Sunday evening that an Iranian attack on Israel was imminent, expected within the next 24 to 48 hours.

Israel has been on pins and needles for the fifth straight day on Monday amid the deep uncertainty and the wait, perhaps intentionally planned to wear it down by the powerful existential foe the Islamic Republic. This is not just one or more of Iran’s proxies, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, which Israel is more accustomed to battling.

Even after the killing of Hezbollah’s top “military” commander in Lebanon in the wake of the massacre of 12 Druze children on their Golan Heights soccer field by a rocket fired by the Lebanese terror group, followed by the assassination of the Hamas leader in Iran last week, there was neither celebration nor joy in Israel, despite the national feeling of justice done.

A sense of realism has sunk in after nearly 10 months of war against Hamas in Gaza following the Oct. 7 massacre. The murder of an elderly man and woman as they walked in the park by their home in the Tel Aviv suburb of Holon on Sunday morning—and the fifth birthday on Monday of the second youngest of the 115 hostages still being held in captivity in the Strip—underscores the continuing threat far from the country’s borders and the unresolved situation nagging at Israel’s soul.

While there is palpable anxiety over an Iranian attack, widespread panic is not apparent.

There is no crowd of shoppers at supermarkets, crowding for bottled water and toilet paper as in crises past; there has been no mad rush for the airport to get out of the country even at the height of summer vacation time when Israelis were already long anxious to take a breather from nearly a year of war.

In fact, tens of thousands of Israelis whose flights were canceled by foreign airlines hurried to get back home over the last several days, often paying exorbitant prices or having to travel to an alternate country, such as Cyprus or Greece, to find a flight for the last leg of the journey.
I’m grateful for what ‘might be our last normal day’
A week ago, on Saturday night, my son asked me if we could go to Tel Aviv the next day. “You know,” he said, “because it might be our last normal day.”

So far, we have managed to have eight “might be our last normal day” days.

We made it to Ganei Yehoshua in Tel Aviv, to Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem, to bowling (twice!), to hang out with cousins and to spend time with grandparents. All the time with the threat of major attacks hanging over our heads.

On “might be our last normal day” days, everyone is an expert about when “something” might happen: “Definitely not today. But today might be our last normal day.”

The malls and cafes are as full as ever. Everyone appears relaxed. But there is an energetic tension in the air. And people jump at the slightest rumble in the sky.

On “might be our last normal day” days, Israelis excel at just going about their business. It is a sign of resilience to be able to ponder your existence while sitting on the beach reading a book or sipping an ice coffee next to the pool.

It is not that we are naïve, ignorant, or have our heads in the sand. It is not that we are in denial. We all know what may be in store. There are no illusions.

But we choose to live our fullest lives.

On Thursday night, I had the privilege of hearing Iris Chaim. Iris is the mother of Yotam Chaim who was kidnapped by Hamas to Gaza, escaped and then was mistakenly shot by our own forces.

Iris spoke about her optimism during the days of Yotam’s captivity and how she refused to give up hope that he was alive and would return. She spoke about being asked if she was afraid to be disappointed. She acknowledged knowing and understanding that events may not unfold as she hoped for. She insisted, however, that she wasn’t going to sit around waiting to be disappointed.

And neither will we.
We won’t sit around waiting to be disappointed, attacked or killed.
We will hope for the best even as we prepare for the worst.
Emily Schrader: Iranians side with Israel, even against their own regime
For 45 years, the Iranian people have been subjected to a dictatorial Islamic government that prioritizes support for terrorism and enables rampant levels of corruption, over the wellbeing of the people, the Iranian economy, and the future of the state itself.

The regime has faced several attempted popular uprisings but has repeatedly squashed them with appalling barbarity and violence against their own people. Now, instead of fixing problems at home, the Islamic regime in Iran is making every effort to launch a war against Israel.

Ynetnews spoke with Iranians in the aftermath of the historic assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil to see their feelings and reactions regarding a potential war against Israel. As there are currently Iranians on death row for speaking to Israeli media, we cannot publish the names of the Iranians interviewed for their own protection.

Overall, the Iranian people are extremely pro-Israel and reject the regime’s warmongering, but multiple Iranians expressed concern about operating on Iranian soil. F, from Tehran, stated, "I was worryingly happy as he got what he deserved, but I’d rather he was dealt with someplace else." He added after, "I also had a good feeling that potentially some Iranians were involved."

When asked about the possibility of an all-out war between Israel and the Islamic Republic, most of the Iranians Ynetnews spoke with expressed more fear of the Islamic Republic than of the IDF. "I personally am not scared of Israeli retaliation because I know that IDF and Israeli officials see us Iranian people on their side and would do whatever they deem necessary to minimize the collateral damage as they did with the case of Haniyeh."

"However, what I’m definitely scared and worried about is the extent and nature of the regime’s avenging effort! After all, they are a lousy breed of ideologically driven individuals who barely know what they’re doing and that can inflict collateral damage on both sides… so I’m more worried about the IRGC than the IDF for sure," said F.

A, from Ahvaz, who has previously been imprisoned for his activism against the regime, told Ynetnews that "all Iranians" were delighted by the assassination. "Iranians are really happy," he said, adding "We are really against the regime of the Islamic Republic and Hamas, Hezbollah and the Taliban, who are all connected with the murderous regime of the Islamic Republic…we hope that all these people will be destroyed as soon as possible.”
Blinken to G7: Iran, Hezbollah could attack within 24 hours
Iran and its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah could attack Israel as early as Monday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his counterparts from the G7 countries on Sunday.

Three sources briefed on the conference call confirmed the top American diplomat’s remarks to Axios reporter Barak Ravid.

Blinken convened the meeting with the G7 allies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom—to coordinate ahead of the expected offensive by Iran and its terror proxies against the Jewish state.

He stressed that reducing the impact of the expected Iranian drone and missile strikes offered the best hope of preventing an all-out war, according to the report.

While Washington believes Iran and Hezbollah will retaliate against Israel for the targeted killings last week of Hezbollah mastermind Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, it is unclear regarding what form that retaliation will take, said Blinken.

Nor, he added, does Washington know the exact timing of the expected attack. However, he emphasized that it could start as soon as the next 24 to 48 hours, meaning as soon as Monday.

Washington was attempting to “break the escalatory cycle” by limiting the attacks by Iran and its proxies and also by restraining Israel’s response to them, said Blinken according to Axios.

“Blinken asked the other foreign ministers to apply diplomatic pressure on Iran, Hezbollah and Israel to maintain maximum restraint,” the report continued.

He also stressed to the G7 allies that the bolstering of U.S. forces in the Middle East region was for defensive purposes only.
Iran Humiliated: How Will They Respond? | JLMinute
While Western culture might champion restraint, the Middle East requires force. Israel made it clear over the past week with the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran that it will not allow the Islamic Republic of Iran to be top dog, despite U.S. President Joe Biden's incessant demands.

Also, the elimination of Hezbollah's No. 2, Fuad Shukr; Israel prepares for every scenario; Biden scolds Netanyahu while holding up weapons transfers; and terror strikes Israeli cities.


Biden, Jordanian king discuss de-escalation, ceasefire, hostages
U.S. President Joe Biden and Abdullah II, the king of Jordan, spoke on Monday about “their efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including through an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal,” according to a White House readout.

Biden thanked the Jordanian king “for his friendship and affirmed unwavering U.S. support for Jordan as a partner and ally in promoting regional peace and security,” the White House said.

The president also congratulated the king, the crown prince and the princess on the latter’s new baby girl, Iman, who was born over the weekend, per the White House.
FDD: Israel Braces for Possible Iranian Proxy Attack From West Bank
Latest Developments
Along with attacks on other fronts, Iran may use Palestinian proxies in the West Bank to carry out its threatened retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders abroad, an Israeli broadcaster reported on August 5.

According to the Army Radio report, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) scrambled several infantry companies over the weekend to protect civilian communities in the Sharon region, along the West Bank boundary, based on intelligence reports that they could come under imminent attack by Hamas terrorists under Iranian instruction.

The IDF did not immediately comment on the report. Over the weekend, Israeli drone strikes eliminated nine terrorists in the area of Tulkarm, a West Bank city within driving distance of the Sharon, saying some of them were en route to carry out an attack.

Expert Analysis
“While public attention in Israel and the West rightly is focused on ‘big picture’ threats from state actors like Iran, Hezbollah’s Lebanon, and the Houthis’ Yemen, the Iranians are also seeking a strategic surprise in the form of an October 7-style outrage carried out by Palestinians in or around the West Bank. If successful, it would serve the terrorist axis’ interests by shifting the energies of Palestinian terrorism from the Gaza Strip, where it is waning under Israel’s offensive, to the West Bank.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“Israeli officials have avoided explicitly naming the conduit for Iranian munitions-smuggling to the West Bank: Jordan. The Hashemite Kingdom has seen Tehran try to destabilize it directly, and indirectly through friction with Israel, for many months. Did the Jordanian foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, mention any of this during his landmark visit to Iran this week? Or did he prefer to stay in the comfort zone of condemning Israel, the neighbor that has reliably shored up the kingdom’s security for more than five decades?” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

No Change in IDF Home Front Policy
On August 4, in an apparent allusion to the threats emanating from the West Bank, IDF chief spokesperson RADM Daniel Hagari said in a press briefing: “The IDF and ISA have already thwarted numerous attacks in which Claymore-type explosives were smuggled into the country’s territory. We are determined to continue acting against Iranian terrorism where it may be.”

Noting an uptick in visits by concerned Israeli citizens to the IDF’s Home Front Command in recent days, Hagari emphasized: “We are working to provide you with the necessary warnings to prepare for any threat, and unless stated otherwise, there is no change to the Home Front Command’s defensive policy.” He also announced the introduction of a new service for transmitting security alerts to cellphones, called “Personal Message,” that does not require an app, and which appears immediately on the user’s home screen.


Rockets fired at Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase housing US forces, security sources say
Two Katyusha rockets were fired at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base on Monday, which hosts US and other international forces in western Iraq, security sources said.

It was not clear if the attack caused any casualties or damage inside the base, the sources said.

One security source said the rockets fell inside the base.

This report comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, as several sources believe that Iran may attack Israel as early as Monday in retaliation to recent assassinations widely attributed to Israel.

US forces have previously been targeted in the region, including three US service members killed and at least 25 wounded in a drone attack on an output in Jordan near the Syrian border in January.

The incident in Jordan was the first time that US troops had been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the war in Gaza.


Iran tells Arab nations it will strike Israel despite war risk
Iranian officials have told Arab diplomats that Tehran is determined to strike Israel even if doing so sparks a regional war, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday.

The United States has asked European nations and other allies to convey a message to Tehran not to escalate, the Journal said. U.S. officials have also been pressing Israel to lower tensions, according to the report.

The Islamic Republic’s apparent rejection of calls for restraint came as Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi arrived in Tehran on a rare visit to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other officials.

The London-based Arabic-language Asharq Al-Awsat news site cited a Jordanian political source as saying on Sunday night that Safadi stressed to the Iranians the “neutrality of Jordan’s airspace.”

Amman’s top diplomat reportedly noted that the Arab kingdom had condemned the alleged Israeli assassination of Hamas terrorist Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, claiming that the July 31 move was an attempt by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “spread conflict in the region.”

Pezeshkian was said to have told Safadi that “the Zionists’ arrogance” would not go unanswered, according to Tehran’s official IRNA news agency.

The Iranian regime has vowed revenge following last week’s killing of Haniyeh, Hamas’s top political leader, who died in an explosion at his Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps guesthouse in Tehran. Both Iran and Hamas have accused Jerusalem of carrying out the assassination.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct attack on the Jewish state following the alleged bombing of the secure compound, The New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing Iranian officials.


Iran issues flight warning notice to pilots ahead of expected attack on Israel
Iran has issued a NOTAM, a notice alerting an aircraft of dangers en route, for the center, west, and northwest of the country, advising aircraft to change their routes. Attack may occur Monday, sources say

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a G7 conference call on Monday that an attack carried out by Iran and Hezbollah against Israel could begin as early as Monday.

According to Barak Ravid on Axios on Sunday, citing three US and Israeli officials, the attack could occur on Monday.

In comparison to Iran's April 13 attack, Israel was anticipating a “more aggressive” attack this time around, an Israeli official also told CBS News.
Jordan, Saudi FMs tell Iran it must stay out of air space if it attacks Israel - report
The Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi informed Tehran that if it responds to Israel's assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Jordan will not allow it to enter its airspace, Sky News Arabia reported.

Riyadh has declared it will not allow Iranian missiles or drones to pass through its airspace en route to Israel, a senior member of the Saudi royal family told Kan News on Monday evening. The official emphasized, "Riyadh will not allow any foreign object to pass through."

This statement was also sent directly to Iran.

Safadi made this statement during his visit to Tehran on Sunday.


The full inside story of how Israel assassinated Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran – minute by minute
As has been universally assumed (although not confirmed by the Israeli government) Israel was indeed responsible for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.

But the JC can reveal that the explosive device placed under his bed was planted by two Iranians recruited by the Mossad from the Ansar al-Mahdi security unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the very people who were supposed to secure the building and its guests.

The Iranians themselves realised this after the assassination, when the guards were seen on security camera footage on the day of the assassination moving stealthily in the hallway towards the room where Haniyeh planned to stay, opening the door with a key and entering the room.

Three minutes later the guards (who were offered a six-figure sum each as well as immediate relocation to a northern European country) were captured on camera calmly leaving the room, going down the stairs towards the main entrance of the building, leaving and then getting into a black car. The guard at the parking lot checkpoint recognised them and opened the gate without asking any questions. An hour later they were smuggled out of Iran by the Mossad.

Reports have suggested that the device was placed in Haniyeh’s room weeks or months before the explosion. This is wrong. Security cameras show it was placed on the day of the explosion, at 4:23 pm - some nine hours before it was activated when Haniyeh entered his room. The explosion, which was set off remotely by a robot, took place after midnight, at exactly 01:37am local time.

To prevent possible detection, the Mossad planted a flat brick explosive, 3 inches wide by 6 inches long, that was fastened to the bottom of the bed. To minimise harming innocent civilians, they used a bomb known for its precision which targeted only Haniyeh’s room. As a result, only one specific area of the building was damaged (see the image on this page).

Haniyeh’s assassination, which was decided on after October 7, necessitated a complicated set of arrangements from a network of Mossad spies dispersed throughout Tehran, including local Iranian collaborators who had been active in Iran long before the Gaza War. Over the past 20 years Israel has been gathering intelligence about Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons. This intelligence, in addition to the recruitment of the two IRGC members enabled the success of the operation.

Following the decision to carry out Haniyeh’s assassination, the Mossad began searching for a suitable opportunity to strike. It emerged when Haniyeh was invited to Tehran for the new Iranian president’s inauguration. The Mossad, with the assistance of intelligence unit 8200 (the IDF unit responsible for clandestine operations), intercepted phone calls between the organisers of the inauguration and the invited guests. When Haniyeh confirmed his arrival, the Mossad began executing the plan: eliminate Haniyeh in the guest house where he usually stayed during his visits to Tehran.

Mossad then sent its own agents to visit the area regularly to supply the operational logistics, map every street and alleyway, identify potential escape routes and check the building’s security measures. But the agents encountered difficulties when arriving in the area. The guest house was perched on a hill and surrounded by a forest of towering trees, which made it very difficult to observe the building clearly. But Israeli improvisation and creativity then kicked in. Five agents dressed themselves in green clothing and simply climbed the trees closest to the building while camouflaged by the green colour of the trees. Now the view was clear for them.


Ismail Haniyeh: A Eulogy by Jeremy Corbyn (satire)
On Wednesday I awoke to the horrible news that the man I had once invited for Tea at the House of Commons was now dead, another victim of Zionist Aggression. My dear friend Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, and I am Literally Shattered. (Side Note: Whomever sent me the so called “meme” of Mr. Haniyeh being hit by a “Love missile going straight to the heart” like some middling 1980’s power ballad, let me reiterate: That Is Not Funny.) When the pundits offered temporary “Band Aid” Solutions to the Crisis in Palestine, what my friend Ismail offered were Solutions. Solutions that were in fact rather Final.

Yet Ismail’s breadth of knowledge and expertise never ceased to amaze me. I will never forget the time I invited him to our Islington Gardening Allotment’s “Compost for Palestine” Gala. Mr. Haniyeh showed an interest in our gardens that left me quite chuffed. In fact, he wandered the garden intently studying the rocks and the trees. He said that if you listened closely, they would speak to you. Now this is a message of Environmental Stewardship that many in Government would be wise to emulate. Yet for some reason, Ismail seemed adamant that we never plant any gharqad trees, an eccentric behavior that I simply took in stride.

I will miss our outings to watch football together, especially when we cheered whichever team was playing Tottenham that day. He even taught us a traditional Palestinian Football Chant entitled “Khaybar Khaybar Ya Yahud.” It was quite catchy.


One wounded after 15-rocket barrage from Gaza
A 37-year-old man was lightly wounded when Gaza terrorists fired a rocket barrage at southern Israel on Monday, according to the Magen David Adom emergency medical service.

Fifteen projectiles entered Israeli territory, the IDF said. The military’s aerial defense array intercepted several projectiles, with several others hitting near Kibbutz Re’im and the Gama Junction.

MDA paramedics and medical personnel treated the victim at the scene for an injury to his lower limbs. He was then transported to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon for further evaluation and treatment.
Seven IDF soldiers wounded in Rafah blast
Seven Israel Defense Forces troops were wounded, four seriously, in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday.

According to an initial investigation, the soldiers from the IDF’s 205th “Iron Fist” Reserve Armored Brigade’s 9215th Battalion were wounded when a terrorist threw a grenade towards them in the southern city of Rafah.

The fighters returned fire, killing the assailant.

In addition to the four who were seriously hurt, two were listed as being in moderate condition, and one was lightly wounded. All were evacuated for immediate medical treatment in Israel, and their families were informed, the military said.

Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades “military” wing claimed earlier on Monday that it had attacked IDF soldiers in the Zalata area, east of Rafah.

IDF ground forces entered the Gaza Strip on Oct. 27 following weeks of airstrikes in response to the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, in which Arab terrorists murdered some 1,200 people, wounded thousands more, and abducted more than 250 men, women and children to the enclave.

The death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the Gaza ground incursion on Oct. 27 stands at 329, and at 689 on all fronts since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, according to official military data.


IDF eliminates Hamas’s economy minister in Gaza
Hamas’s economy minister was killed during an Israel Defense Forces operation in the Gaza Strip on Sunday, according to the military.

Abed al-Zeriei was also an operative in the manufacturing department of Hamas’s military wing, the IDF said.

“The Manufacturing Department operates to increase Hamas’ weapons capabilities, including by exchanging information with other terrorist organizations across the Middle East,” according to the IDF.

Al-Zeriei also played a “significant role” in directing the terrorist group’s efforts to take control of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and managing the enclave’s “Hamas-controlled” markets, the statement continued.

“Furthermore, he was responsible for the distribution of fuel, gas, and funds for terrorist purposes,” according to the IDF.


IDF kills Hamas terrorist Jaber Aziz, commander of a Hamas battalion, while hiding in a school
The IDF struck Hamas terrorist Jaber Aziz, Commander of Hamas's Al-Furqan Battalion, and several other terrorists who were operating in a Hamas command and control center that was embedded within the "Hassan Salame" and "Nasser" schools in Gaza City on Sunday, the IDF reported Monday evening.

Aziz was in this role since 2020, and was previously the Deputy Commander of the Al-Furqan Battalion, Deputy Commander of the Zaytun Battalion, and the Commander of the Zaytun Battalion.

Aziz played a significant role in planning the October 7 attack and led the preparations and training of the Al-Furqan Battalion. He also infiltrated Gaza border communities on October 7. Responsible for directing numerous terror attacks against Israel

He has been responsible for directing numerous terror attacks against the IDF and Israel throughout the war. Aziz was a key operative in Hamas' Gaza Brigade.

His elimination significantly degrades the capabilities of the Hamas terrorist organization, according to the IDF.


Iran’s ongoing effort to destabilize Judea and Samaria
Iran is continuing its efforts to flood Judea and Samaria with weapons, IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari warned on Sunday, a day after the Israel Defense Forces eliminated two terrorist cells in the Tulkarem area.

One of the cells was en route to carry out an attack when it the car it was traveling in was hit by an Israeli airstrike, according to the IDF. All five members of the cell were killed.

According to Hamas, one of the casualties was a commander of its Tulkarem brigade, while Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed the other casualties, according to Reuters.

Hours later, the IDF and Israel Security Agency jointly announced the elimination of a second cell via an airstrike in the Tulkarem area. Troops from the IDF’s elite Duvdevan unit directed the airstrike on four terrorists who were shooting at Israeli forces, according to the statement. Palestinian media reports later identified one of the casualties as a local Hamas commander.

Following the counterterror operations in the area, the IDF released images of ammunition seized, much of which, according to Hagari, arrives in Judea and Samaria from Iran.

“For years Iran has been arming terror organizations in Middle East, including [creating] smuggling infrastructure for bombs,” he added.

These efforts include the smuggling into Israel of anti-personnel mines for use in terror attacks, said Hagari, noting that the IDF and ISA had disrupted many such plots. “We are determined to act against Iranian terror in all places,” he stated.


Call Me Back PodCast: Israelis anticipate the response — with Haviv Rettig Gur
Hosted by Dan Senor
Is the region ready for an Israel-Iran war? Is the U.S. ready?

What is the state of readiness of the IDF for such a war?

Is Israeli society ready for such a war?

Could such a war be avoided? What would de-escalation look like?

Most Israelis we have spoken to over the past few days have struck a balance between (tensely) trying to anticipate Iran’s next move and expressing confidence in Israel’s capacity for this new phase. One of those Israelis joins us for this episode. Haviv Rettig Gur of the the Times of Israel returns to the podcast.
The Commentary Magazine Podcast: Israel, Iran, and NVIDIA
Hosted by Abe Greenwald, Christine Rosen, John Podhoretz & Matthew Continetti Two guests today, for the first time on the COMMENTARY podcast! Jonathan Schanzer joins to talk about the Middle East and David Bahnsen joins to talk about the bad day in the market and what it portends.
Israel: State of a Nation: The False Estate | Lahav Harkov on why the media loves to hate Israel
Lahav Harkov, a Senior Political Correspondent for Jewish Insider, shares with Eylon Levy the complexities of media coverage during Israel's ongoing conflict. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, including the international media's obsession with Israel, the challenges Israel faces in the information war, and the unique aspects of the Israeli and international media landscapes.

Harkov offers insights on why the international media seems to focus disproportionately on Israel, often in a critical light, while larger conflicts around the world receive far less attention, if at all. She also addresses the organizational differences between Israeli and Palestinian messaging strategies, with Palestinians appearing more unified in their approach. The conversation touches on the role of journalists in Israel, the skepticism often applied to Israeli sources, and the perceived biases within major news outlets like The New York Times, BBC, CNN, and others.

This episode provides an in-depth look at the struggles Israel faces in shaping global perceptions during the war and highlights the challenges of maintaining journalistic integrity in a complex and often biased media environment.




Hezbollah launches ‘significant barrage of rockets’ into Israel
Former British commander Richard Kemp says within the last couple of hours there has been a “significant barrage of rockets” fired into Northern Israel by Hezbollah.

“I can’t remember the exact number, but it's quite a significant number,” Mr Kemp said.

“Frankly, nothing much out of the ordinary.”


Albanese government accused of 'politicising' the death of an aid worker in Gaza
Shadow Defence Minister Andrew Hastie has hit out at the Albanese government’s handling of the investigation into the death of Zomi Frankcom.

A special review into an Israeli strike which killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six of her World Central Kitchen colleagues has attributed the deaths to “serious failures” by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

Mr Hastie accused the government of politicising the death of Zomi Frankcom.

“I do have questions around the way that the government sought to politicise this using Mark Biskin to put pressure on the Israel government,” Mr Hastie told Sky News Australia.




Right-wing anti-Semitism still haunts the West
Today, as the Jewish affiliation for the left weakens almost everywhere, the right has a unique opportunity to not only expiate past wrongs, but also to bring Jews into the conservative mainstream. Jewish voters are most certainly headed towards the centre. Meanwhile, the right now celebrates the contributions of Jewish intellectuals like Leo Strauss, Norman Podhoretz and Nathan Glazer, as well as the Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro and talk-show host Dennis Prager. Overall, despite the outcroppings of anti-Semites, the Republicans are clearly more philosemitic than the Democrats. In fact, the anti-Israel caucus is almost entirely made up of Democratic progressives.

Yet for many in the Jewish elite, the perceived right-wing threat is just another reason to support the likes of Kamala Harris and her progressive, DEI regime. This is despite its hostility to Israel and its embrace of racial diversity quotas, which Jews have resisted for decades. Powerful Jewish organisations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) have long downplayed anti-Semitism from the left, including from groups like Black Lives Matter. Instead, they foolishly saw right-wingers as the main threat. To insist that the right is the main threat to Jewish survival, as some on the left still do, is clearly out of touch with contemporary reality.

Many Jews no longer believe this. But if conservatives wish to appeal to them and other minorities, Trump and the leaders of the populist right need to become ever more vigilant in weeding out hatred on their radical fringes. There are some promising signs in the reactions of Meloni to expel neo-fascists and embrace Israel. It is also encouraging to see the Trump campaign’s recent decision to eject Candace Owens from a fundraiser.

Today, even the Democratic loyalists of the ADL no longer deny that the left poses the greater threat to our beleaguered people. But a full shift of Jews to the right will not be possible until conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic purge their fringes. The ghost of right-wing anti-Semitism will not go away until it becomes more apparition than reality.




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