Wednesday, September 11, 2024

09/11 Links Pt1: Gen. McColl: I fought in Iraq — I know Israel’s doing all it can to save civilians; Hamas makes half billion from ‘humanitarian’ aid

From Ian:

Seth Mandel: The Free World Has a Duty to Let Israel Win This War
The discovery of Hamas’s tunnels, along with the Israeli military’s release of Hamas’s tunnel-training handbook, offers lessons. “First, traditional intelligence systems must put greater emphasis on the tunnel systems of Iran (concealing its nuclear program), North Korea (hiding not only nuclear weapons but also the launchers to deploy them) and terrorist groups.” To do this will require the refinement of technology and the sharpening of human intelligence wherever such tunnels are found—such as in Gaza. Underground systems of this size and complexity are newly discovered territory.

Next, once we get a picture of these tunnels from the inside, Stavridis implores the West to train its militaries specifically for combat underground and to integrate engineering units into that training.

From there, the focus would shift to improving technology: “These include intelligence systems that can detect and measure tunnel complexes from space or using long-dwell drones. (This would potentially include hyperspectral technology — high-resolution imaging based on information across the electromagnetic spectrum — to see the movement of earth as tunnels are expanded.) Also necessary are unmanned above-ground capabilities — sonic, infrared and light-detecting — that can operate ahead of human troops to reduce casualties. It would be useful to find new ways to make life underground unpalatable: reducing air and water for example, or by creating unpleasant vapors.”

That last part is complicated at the moment, as Stavridis notes: Hamas is still holding innocent hostages in the tunnels. They cannot all simply be flooded or destroyed at will, nor can they be used to test air-and-water reduction with civilians still in them. So long as that remains the case, Stavridis writes, “count on other adversaries to take a page from Hamas’ book and start conflicts by kidnapping a substantial number of civilians or military personnel.”

As always, the military innovations developed by terrorists and rogue states for use against Israel will be used against the rest of the world. Israel’s discovery of those tunnels came too late to save its own people from a massive attack. But the lessons here can save millions in the future.

Unless, of course, the West forfeits those lessons. Stavridis says nothing about the end game of this war, because that is not the subject of his column. But the pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire that would leave part of Hamas and part of its underground infrastructure permanently intact and uninvestigated would be a global calamity.

Israel must win this war, and it must be allowed to define victory for itself. The dismissive comments from Joe Biden and others that total victory is either impossible or unidentifiable are dangerous nonsense. Hamas must be defeated completely and those tunnels must serve as a textbook for military strategists. No one in the West who truly values life and liberty should want any corner of this tunnel system left unseen or untouched. Israel’s sacrifices can only pave the way for the upholding of the security of the free world if the free world desires that very safety and security for itself.
General Sir John McColl: I fought in Iraq — I know Israel’s doing all it can to save civilians
The level of casualties in Gaza is significant and will undoubtedly result in criticism of the IDF. The alternative is to clear the buildings by hand with the inevitable loss of life that would entail, especially as Hamas terrorists wait for IDF entry to set off lethal booby traps via remote detonators. Rebuilding Gaza will take an enormous international effort.

The IDF briefed us that 1,500 aid trucks were flowing into the Gaza Strip weekly and gave assurances that the quantity of food and medical supplies that they carry is sufficient to meet the needs of those displaced.

While it was not possible to verify these claims we did see a significant number of aid delivery trucks as we moved along the Philadelphi corridor near Rafah. We also saw drone video footage which appeared to show that some of the trucks entering Rafah and other towns were being intercepted at gunpoint by Hamas terrorists before reaching the refugees.

The perspectives that we gained were as a result of a relatively short visit; they are not comprehensive or definitive. However, they do indicate that there is balance missing in the reporting of events in Gaza.

In our discussions with senior officers, officials and politicians, including the defence minister and the prime minister, we urged them to open up the conduct of operations as fully as possible to objective media reporting.

There are obvious safety problems but they can and must be overcome. Journalists, too, must make a greater effort to report more accurately. I came away from the trip satisfied that the IDF’s operations and rules of engagement were rigorous compared to the British Army and our western allies.

War is terrible, but sometimes necessary. And Israeli soldiers are fighting in conditions of extraordinary complexity and risk. It’s time for the world to have its eyes opened to that.
Ruthie Blum: Restating the obvious: Hamas isn’t negotiating
Protesters took to the streets of Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Beersheva, Netanya and other locations across Israel on Saturday night in what is being reported as one of the largest demonstrations in the state’s history. According to some figures, there were some 500,000 people at the main rally in the White City and an additional 250,000 spread out elsewhere.

Whether or not these numbers are accurate, anybody observing the crowds in person or on TV could see that they were massive. The explanation for the exceptional turnout was twofold.

First, the entire country was reeling from the recovery the previous weekend of the bodies of six hostages who had been executed in cold blood by their Hamas captors a mere two days or so before they were discovered by Israel Defense Forces troops. The victims of the barbarians who abducted them 11 months ago were identified as 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin; Eden Yerushalmi, 24; Almog Sarusi, 25; Alexander Lobanov, 32; Carmel Gat, 40; and IDF Master Sgt. Ori Danino, 25.

It was believed by the families of these and other hostages that the first stage of a rumored deal for their release would have seen at least three of the above on the list to return home.

The second reason for the increase in participants in the otherwise waning anti-government protests—the key goal of which all along has been to topple Prime Minister Benjamin (“Bibi”)Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition—is the looming one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre.

Not a single Israeli is apathetic to the terrifying plight of the 101 remaining captives, and all can only imagine with horror what the spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings and children of the captives are going through every minute of every hour of every day.

To make matters worse, the war against terrorists in Gaza is continuing and claiming the lives of heroic soldiers, while the north is being bombarded by Hezbollah rockets and drones.


Hamas makes half billion from ‘humanitarian’ aid, pays its terrorists
Hamas has profited by at least a half billion dollars from humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday.

Approximately 200 aid trucks enter the Palestinian enclave daily. “It’s actually become the main oxygen pipeline for the terrorist organization,” reported Channel 12‘s Almog Boker.

Hamas steals the humanitarian aid and sells it to the population. It then uses the money to finance recruitment, Boker said, noting that 3,000 terrorists have been added to Hamas’s payroll in northern Gaza.

Israelis on both right and left have condemned the ongoing aid theft by Hamas, their anger rekindled by last week’s murder of six Israeli hostages in captivity.

The Tzav 9 (“Order 9”) protest group has led the movement against Jerusalem’s decision to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Strip.

“There is no logic in bringing the trucks directly to the hands of Hamas terrorists,” the organization said. “It is up to the entire nation to stand up so that this miserable and intolerable reality will end. No aid should go in until the last hostages return.”

Although the estimated $500 million that Hamas is reaping was first reported back in May, the government treats the aid as proof of its positive conduct towards Gazan civilians, with spokespeople for the Prime Minister’s Office regularly counting off the number of trucks entering the Strip during press briefings.

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue of Hamas exploiting aid for its benefit at a Sept. 4 press conference in Jerusalem, promising that Israel would in time strip the terrorist group of its ability to use the aid for financial gain.

He noted that Israel has largely deprived Hamas of cash by taking control of the Rafah border crossing, leaving Hamas with humanitarian aid as its only source of funds.

“They don’t have [Rafah]. So we’re choking them. But there’s one thing that they have, which is the distribution of food,” Netanyahu said.

“We let all those trucks come in, and Hamas’s strategy is to steal, hoard and gouge. That’s what they do. … They steal the food. They charge exorbitant prices from the Gazans. And that’s how they continue, [or] they hope to continue, to survive. And we have to take that away from them,” he said.
Netanyahu: Jerusalem to cooperate with Jordan to reinforce eastern border
Jerusalem will work with Jordan to strengthen the Jewish state’s eastern frontier to maintain “peace and security” in the border area, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday amid a rise in terrorism throughout Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.

“We are fighting on multiple fronts,” Netanyahu said during a visit to the border with the Hashemite Kingdom, speaking alongside Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry with authority over civilian issues in Judea and Samaria.

“In this multifront battle, we know we need to secure our eastern border with Jordan. It is a border of peace,” he continued. “We cooperate with the Kingdom of Jordan to ensure that it remains so.

The premier noted that “challenges are increasing” as Iran, and its terrorist allies are increasingly using the porous border to smuggle weapons and know-how into Judea, Samaria and Israeli cities.

“We will work to erect a stronger barrier here to stop smuggling attempts. We do it in coordination with our neighbors. We must ensure that this border remains a border of peace and security,” he concluded.

As part of the visit, Netanyahu and Smotrich received an operational briefing from IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, Central Command chief Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth and Jordan Valley Brigade commander Col. Aviv Amir, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.

‘Death to Israel!’

On Sunday morning, a Jordanian terrorist murdered three Israeli border guards at the Allenby Bridge border crossing. Following the attack, all three land crossings between Israel and Jordan were briefly closed.

Amman’s foreign ministry condemned the incident some 14 hours later, denouncing the “targeting [of] civilians for any reason” while accusing Jerusalem of “escalatory steps” that provoked the terrorist shooting.

On Sunday evening, thousands of Jordanians rallied in support of the slain terrorist in Amman. According to pictures posted to social media, protesters hoisted signs that read in Hebrew, “Death to Israel!” They also chanted “Mohammed Deif is still alive,” referring to the commander of the so-called “military” wing (the Al-Qassam Brigades) of Hamas, who was killed in an Israeli Air Force strike on July 13.

Israel signed a peace treaty with Jordan in 1994, but the kingdom has a majority Palestinian population and its government has taken an increasingly hostile tone since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre of some 1,200 people in southern Israel and the ensuing war in the Gaza Strip.
Egypt is embarrassed to admit failure to control Philadelphi, says exiled analyst
Egyptian human rights activist, author and analyst Dalia Ziada at her home in Washington DC, August 28, 2024 (screenshot)

A major sticking point in the floundering ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas revolves around control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a 14-kilometer (8.7-mile) strip of land along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the case for maintaining an Israeli military presence in this area, calling it a “strategic imperative” to prevent the Hamas terror group from rearming, as he explained during a press conference.

But both Hamas and Egypt have vehemently opposed the possibility of the IDF remaining in the Philadelphi Corridor.

While Hamas’s objection is self-evident – the Philadelphi Corridor is often referred to as the terrorist organization’s “pipeline for oxygen” as it is Gaza’s only contact with the outside world aside from Israel – Egypt’s resistance has baffled many, since Cairo already shares a long border with Israel that runs for over a hundred miles, south of the Gaza Strip.

In a recent interview with The Times of Israel, Egyptian analyst Dalia Ziada viewed Cairo’s stance very critically.

“Egyptian negotiators should approach Israel from a point of view of cooperation, rather than applying pressure,” said Ziada, who recently relocated to Washington, DC.

“The national security of our two countries is interdependent,” she added. “Israel has helped Egypt in the past against Islamist militias in Sinai, and cooperation between the two countries has been very successful in the past. Why doesn’t Egypt do the same with Israel now?”

At the same time, Ziada noted that the rhetoric around Hamas has become more positive in official Egyptian media discourse after October 7. Hamas is no longer referred to as a terror organization but as a “resistance group,” even though its gunmen have killed Egyptian soldiers and civilians in Sinai in the past.

Ziada saw three reasons for Egypt’s refusal to cooperate with Israel over the controversial corridor: the opposition of Sinai Bedouin tribes, the embarrassment of the Egyptian leadership over its failure to secure its border with Gaza, and the potential backlash from Egyptian society and the Arab world at large.

For at least two decades, Bedouin tribes in Sinai have profited from smuggling all sorts of goods, including weapons, to Gaza through tunnels beneath the border. Despite an Egyptian effort in 2015 to flood and close these tunnels in cooperation with Israel, Ziada noted, the tribes and Hamas found ways to resume their operations within two years, thanks to the complacency of corrupt members of Egyptian security forces.

Today, “Egypt is careful not to raise outrage among the tribes in Sinai by closing their source of income again, especially under the current economic crisis,” Ziada said.

In recent months, after the IDF took control of the Philadelphi Corridor, it has uncovered dozens of tunnels crossing into Egypt, including one large enough for vehicles to drive through.

Ziada believes Egyptian security authorities are embarrassed to admit that there were corrupt officials in their midst who allowed the tribes to reopen tunnels with Gaza.

“All the official statements coming out of Egypt are insisting that tunnels do not exist, despite the very clear footage that the IDF has shown of the tunnels,” Ziada said. “Their discovery is proof that the Egyptian army has failed in doing its primary job of securing the borders and protecting Egypt’s national security. Now [they are confronted with the possibility that] the Israelis are going to play this role and protect the border instead,” Ziada said.


Britain’s Deluded Politicians Gesture Impotently at Israel
Much as university presidents seem to prefer symbolic over substantive actions against anti-Semitism, Israel’s critics (outside of Iran) seem equally—and blessedly—enamored with symbolism. Douglas Murray examines what’s been happening in Britain, where, thanks to a constitutional reform known as devolution, the Welsh and Scottish parliaments can join Westminster in fretting about Israel, even if no war in history has ever come to an end due to calls for a ceasefire:

Last October, before Israeli ground operations in Gaza had fully begun, the Welsh Senedd took a vote on the war. You may ask yourself what the Welsh parliament has to do with any war in the Middle East. And you would be right to ask such a question. But it seems that it is a question members of the Welsh Senedd did not think to ask.

On that occasion, more than a third of the members of the Welsh Senedd called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Yet here is the thing. In no world that ever has existed or ever will exist could such a vote mean anything. To the best of my knowledge, the leadership of Hamas do not take instructions from the Welsh Senedd. At no point since this war began on October 7 last year will Yahya Sinwar have asked his guards in the tunnels under Gaza whether their campaign of terror is approved of or disapproved of by members of the Welsh Senedd.

The other thing that really gets [England’s] MPs to feel like they are significant is . . . when they get into things like “demanding” an end to hostilities in the Middle East. [Here is Foreign Secretary] David Lammy standing up in the Commons . . . and declaring a partial weapons embargo on Israel in the hope that it will affect the outcome of the war. Britain does not have a thriving defense industry, so we ought to be careful about how much of this our government gets up to.

I wonder if Lammy actually imagines he is a pivotal figure in this conflict? Does he believe himself to be an expert on warfare in densely populated civilian areas? Or, if pressed, would he explain that war is a bad thing and that what people need to do is seek peace? I suspect so. What delusions some of our politicians dwell in.


Trump: Israel ‘Will Not Exist Two Years From Now’ Under Harris
Former president Donald Trump said Israel "will not exist two years from now" if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected president, arguing that she "hates Israel" and would give financial support to Iran.

Trump made the comments during the ABC News presidential debate on Tuesday, where Harris reiterated her call for a ceasefire deal and a two-state solution.

The debate comes a week after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, including 23-year-old American citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, and as the Biden-Harris administration continues to push for a ceasefire agreement between the Israeli government and the terrorist group.

"She hates Israel. If she's president, I believe that Israel will not exist within two years from now," said Trump. "I've been pretty good at predictions, and I hope I'm wrong about that one."

Trump noted that Harris declined to meet with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his recent visit to Washington, D.C., choosing instead to speak at a college sorority event.

Harris was the first senior administration official to call for an Israeli ceasefire last March, drawing praise from anti-Israel politicians such as Congressional Progressive Caucus chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.).

During the debate, Harris—who has declined to rule out blocking arms shipments to Israel—said she supports Israel’s right to defend itself but also criticized the Jewish state for the Palestinian death toll.

"Israel has a right to defend itself," she said. "How it does so matters because it is also true, far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed, children, mothers."

She said she would "always give Israel the ability to defend itself, in particular, as it relates to—as it relates to Iran, and any threat that Iran and its proxies pose to Israel. But we must have a two-state solution."


IDF 'expresses deepest regret' over death of US citizen Aysenur Ezgi Eygi
Israel's military expressed "deep regret" on Tuesday over the killing of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a US and Turkish citizen.

The Israel Defense Forces said that she was killed during a violent riot at the Beita Junction near Nablus, the West Bank, last Friday. "It is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by IDF fire which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot," an inquiry said.


ICC prosecutor accused of making ‘false’ remarks about Netanyahu
The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has been reported to the Bar Standards Board for making allegedly “false” statements about Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant in his statement announcing he would pursue arrest warrants for the Israeli leaders.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has also claimed that Karim Khan KC misled the court by failing to provide it with “exonerating evidence” sent to the ICC by the legal advocacy group.

UKFLI alleged that the chief prosecutor “asked the court to ignore any information or evidence other than the material he originally filed in his applications for arrest warrants”.

This, the legal group claims, breaches the rules of the ICC as well as the Code of Conduct of the English Bar.

On May 20, Khan made a statement announcing applications had been made for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant – as well as Hamas terror chiefs Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and the late Ismail Haniyeh – for alleged war crimes.

“Those applications have not been published,” said UKLFI, “but the prosecutor made a public statement on the day he filed them in which he purported to summarise the grounds on which they were based.”

Those grounds centred around a charge that Israel, under the leadership of Netanyahu and Gallant, “intentionally and systematically deprived the civilian population in all parts of Gaza of objects indispensable to human survival” by imposing a complete siege on the territory.

UKLFI claimed that the allegations relied on a report published on March 18 “which claimed that famine was present in parts of the Gaza Strip and imminent in others”.

A subsequent review published on June 4 by the Famine Review Committee for the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification found that the March report, “was based on seriously inadequate information and was ‘implausible’”.


'Absence of command': IDF officer highlights security failures in Oct. 7 civilian probe testimony
IDF active-duty officer A, who fought against Hamas in the Gaza border communities on October 7, criticized senior IDF leadership during his testimony before the October 7 civilian probe committee on Tuesday.

"Had we waited for orders, there would not be anyone to save. Those who determined the outcome of October 7 were the tactical, fighting forces," emphasized A. "We were told the border barrier was impenetrable above and below ground. As a result, we gradually stopped proactive operations in the area," A explained.

A further explained that the barrier misled the military, leading to reduced ground forces: "The intention was to use the infantry forces as a reserve only, minimize proactive operations, and reduce patrols along the fence to protect our troops. There was a heavy reliance on technological capabilities in the area. In reality, these assumptions did not hold up. In recent years, this has also been the approach in the north."

A further criticized IDF command, stating, "One of the lessons I took from October 7 was the absence of command and control. There was simply none, not at the division, brigade, or unit level. This caused insane friendly fire incidents that I only learned about a year later, not at the time."

Command failures
He explained that the senior military command did not function correctly: "I only realized that the Gaza Division was defeated four months later through a TV report. If we had waited for orders, no one would have been left to save.”

He concluded his testimony by emphasizing that “People simply took their equipment and engaged the enemy. I’ve never seen fighters charge forward like that to save lives."


Israel offers Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza in exchange for hostages
Israel’s chief negotiator for hostages and missing persons, Gal Hirsch, proposed offering Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar safe passage out of Gaza in exchange for the 101 hostages in the terror group's captivity, a Tuesday Bloomberg interview revealed.

According to the report, the proposal to allow Sinwar's escape from Gaza has been on the table for two days, yet it is unclear what Hamas's response has been and whether they would accept it.

The offer was made with the intent of developing new solutions for a deal as ongoing negotiations "look more and more dim," Hirsch explained.

It should be noted that Israeli officials have been offering Sinwar mixed proposals behind the scenes of either passage out of the strip or immunity.

“I’m ready to provide safe passage to Sinwar, his family, whoever wants to join him. We want the hostages back. We want demilitarization, de-radicalization of course — a new system that will manage Gaza," Hirsch stated.

“In parallel, I must work on plans B, C, and D because I must bring the hostages back home,” Hirsch added. “The clock is ticking; the hostages do not have time."

Hirsch also explained that until this point in negotiations, Hamas "has sought to dictate terms rather than negotiate."

Hamas still to pay 'high price'
Regarding the six hostages that were murdered in a Rafah tunnel by Hamas terrorists at the end of August, Hirsch emphasized that "there will be a price for these murders."

The report also noted that Israel, in the past, has discussed the option of allowing Hamas leaders to have freedom through exile.

In May, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in the podcast "Call Me Back" that such an option has always been discussed, but noted that he thought "the most important thing is that they [Hamas] surrender. If they lay down their arms, the war is over," Netanyahu explained.
Khan Yunis chief letter begs Sinwar for help with collapsing brigade
The now-deceased Hamas Khan Yunis Brigade Commander Rafah Salame wrote a letter in May, addressed to Gaza Chief Yahya Sinwar where he pleaded for help and described how his forces were significantly damaged, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed on Wednesday.

Salame wrote to Sinwar, and his brother Muhammad Sinwar, that 90-95% of his rockets were gone.

Further, he said that 65-70% of his anti-tank missiles were gone.

Hamas's remaining forces in the Khan Yunis Brigade
In addition, he stated that at least 50% of his forces were killed and that only 25% remained to fight, with another 25% wounded or fleeing.

Even that remaining 25% he said were starting to fall apart.

Salame asked for reinforcements from Sinwar.

Gallant added that help never came from the Sinwar brothers since they were also fleeing from place to place to avoid being caught or killed, and later the IDF found the letter in one of Hamas' headquarters.

On July 13, the IDF assassinated both Salame and Hamas military chief Muhammad Deif in an air strike near Khan Yunis after weeks of tracking the two.

Most of the Khan Yunis brigade was already beaten by early February.


Two IDF soldiers die and eight wounded in helicopter crash in Gaza
Two Israel Defence Forces soldiers were killed and eight were wounded, half of them seriously, when an Air Force helicopter crashed in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday night.

According to a preliminary military probe, the UH-60 Black Hawk had been en route to Rafah with a medical team to evacuate a seriously wounded soldier.

"It appears that the crash was not caused by enemy fire, and the cause is still being investigated," the IDF said.

The names of the soldiers who died will be made public at a later date, added the military.

There have been no changes to Israeli Air Forces activities over the Gaza Strip.

The death toll among Israeli troops since the start of the IDF ground incursion in Gaza on October 27 now stands at 340, and at 706 on all fronts since the Hamas-led October 7 massacre, according to official military data.

Additionally, Chief Inspector Arnon Zamora, a member of the Border Police’s Yamam National Counter-Terrorism Unit, was fatally wounded during a hostage-rescue mission in Gaza in June, and civilian defence contractor Liron Yitzhak was mortally wounded in May.
Warrant Officer (Res.) Daniel Alloush killed in helicopter crash in Gaza
Warrant Officer (Res.) Daniel Alloush was one of the soldiers killed in a helicopter crash in Rafah, Gaza, the IDF reported on Wednesday.

Daniel Alloush, aged 37, from Tel Aviv, leaves behind his wife, Kim Rekhess, and their two young children, Tommy Leo (5) and Nico Michael (1).

Knesset member Merav Ben-Ari (Yesh Atid) wrote about Daniel: "Alloush, our dear and beloved Alosh. My student, and later my friend and neighbor. Kimi's husband, and Nico and Tommy's father. You weren’t just the salt of the earth— you always had a smile and light in your eyes. A perfect father and spouse. I see your name and picture but still can’t believe it."

Condolences pour in
Daniel's friend, Hadar Segal, shared on Facebook: "Daniel, a classmate from Alliance High School in Ramat Aviv, was an amazing person and a true hero. He had a captivating smile and was loved by everyone. My heart breaks from his loss in the helicopter crash in Rafah. I will remember him forever."

Another friend added: "It has now been made public that this angel in the form of a man, Daniel Alloush, fell in the helicopter crash last night. Even in your final moments, all you did was help others. We are shattered, dear brother, and we will love you until our last day."
'Family man' Tom Ish-Shalom killed in helicopter crash in Gaza
Multiple individuals familiar with fallen Warrant Officer Tom Ish-Shalom described him as a "family man" - adding that he would be remembered not only by his wife and three children but those whom lived by, volunteered and served with him.

Ish-Shalom, whowas killed in a helicopter crash in Rafah, Gaza, was the devoted husband of Carmit and father to Yotam, 13, and twins Mia and Gaya, 11.

The 28-year-old from Moshav Nes Harim was born in Hanita, a kibbutz in northern Israel. Ish-Shalom lived in Ein Gedi in southern Israel for several years before settling in Nes Harim, near Jerusalem.

National Unity MK Chili Tropper spoke of his personal relationship with Ish-Shalom, stating "He is a neighbor and a friend from the moshav. Carmit's husband and the father of Yotam, Gaya, and Mia. A loving and beloved family man. Tom was a quiet, modest person who loved the sea, traveled around the country, and always volunteered. He had also volunteered to return to the operational reserves in Unit 669. It's hard to imagine that he won’t be seen on the streets of the moshav or at prayers in the synagogue."

"Tom, Daniel, and their teammates are the heroes of this war. Their faces are always covered, their identities hidden. In the shadows, they fought until they fell. Only after their passing were their faces revealed to the nation. My heartfelt condolences to dear Carmit and the whole family. Condolences also to the Alloush family. May their memory be blessed."

In Moshav Nes Harim, it was noted, "Tom and Carmit chose to live here. Living in a mixed, religious-secular community was important to them as a message of connection and unity. He was a true friend, always ready to lend a hand and help, give, and contribute—all with a smile, kindness, and liveliness. Tom loved the sea, diving, sailing, and kayaking, and enjoyed traveling around Israel."


Soldier killed in ramming attack in West Bank, terrorist apprehended
IDF Sgt. Geri Gideon Hanghal was killed in a ramming attack that occurred near Givat Assaf in the West Bank on Wednesday.

Hanghal, 24, from Nof Hagalil, was a soldier from the 90th Battalion, Kfir Brigade.

Hayil Dhaifallah, 58, drove his gas tanker with Palestinian license plates and sped up at the junction. He crashed into the bus stop and critically injured Hanghal. Soldiers were present and an armed civilian neutralized Dhaifallah, who was from the Palestinian town of Rafat near Ramallah. The military set up roadblocks in the area of the attack.

The IDF stated that there had been an initial suspicion of the truck being rigged with explosives, which was ruled out.

The military and Border Police have mapped out the residence of the attacker in the area of Rafat to examine the potential demolition of the building.

The attack comes on the heels of a number of attacks in the West Bank, where tensions continue to rise with near-daily attacks and raids by the military. Seven people were killed just in the last week – three at the Allenby Bridge, and three near Hebron.

'He died a hero'
Hanghal made Aliyah in 2020, with the help of Shavei Israel, an organization that works in conjunction with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency for Bnei Menashe.

Nof Hagalil Mayor Ronen Plot noted that Hanghal was part of the Bnei Menashe community in the city, “a community that is very near and dear to my heart, filled with good, modest people who love the State. Like his friends, Gideon saw in his service a worthy pursuit, loved the army, was proud of his uniform, contributed to Israel’s security, and had a promising military future.”

The chairman of Shavei Israel, Michael Freund, said he was “devastated by the murder of Gideon” who had always “dreamed of serving in the IDF, even though he was 20 when he moved to Israel, he insisted on joining a combat unit to defend the country.”

“He died a hero and we mourn his loss,” Freund added.


Seth Frantzman: What does Hezbollah hope to achieve with its war of attrition?
Hezbollah's expectations
The question arises: Did Hezbollah expect a long war of attrition? It is clear that war is not in Israel’s interest – but it is in Hezbollah’s? However, the organization has become so strong in Lebanon in the last decade that it is not too big to fail. Thus, it has to continue to show that it can hold up its end of the attacks; it can’t slack off.

This is why, every day, Hezbollah tries to show that it is doing something, trying to alternate the sectors it attacks and increase and decrease the tempo of attacks, as well as the mix of rockets, missiles, and drones it uses. On Wednesday, it claimed to have carried out a number of attacks on various sites. It claimed it targeted IDF soldiers in one site it called “Matla” and then claimed that it “targeted a gathering of occupation soldiers around the ‘Al-Raheb’ site, the ‘Ruwaisat Al-Qarn’ sites, and the ‘Zabdin’ barracks, in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms, with rocket weapons, and achieved direct hits,” according to pro-Iran Al-Mayadeen.

One of the network’s journalists claimed to confirm a Hezbollah attack targeting Metulla in northern Israel. Hezbollah also claimed it targeted Shtula and Arab el-Aramsha, two other villages on the northern border. Shtula has been evacuated, but Arab el-Aramsha, a Bedouin Arab village, has not.

The IDF carried out airstrikes and artillery shelling in Lebanon in response to the attacks, and Al-Mayadeen reported that “The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed the death of a martyr, in a preliminary toll from the Israeli raid on the town of Mays al-Jabal.” Hezbollah published a photo of one of its members who it said was “martyred on the road to Jerusalem,” the term used for Hezbollah members who have fallen in the last 11 months of clashes. The tally is above 400 now.

As it continues to rise, the group must be asking itself what comes next. Will the fighting expand, and if so is that in Hezbollah’s interests? Or is a ceasefire in Gaza more in Hezbollah’s interests so it can catch its breath after eleven months of war?

Hezbollah has achieved much in its war by forcing 60,000 Israelis to evacuate the border. It is unclear what Hezbollah hopes to achieve at the moment. The war of attrition in the North does not appear to benefit either Israel, Lebanon, or even Hezbollah at that. However, it does benefit Iran and it may benefit Hamas.

However, it’s not clear how many more casualties Hezbollah wants to lose just to further Hamas’s ambitions.
IDF soldier seriously hurt in Hezbollah attack on northern kibbutz
A reservist in the Israel Defense Forces was seriously wounded on Wednesday after Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists fired dozens of rockets and anti-tank missiles at a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee.

“A reserve soldier serving in the town’s security department was seriously wounded as the result of an anti-missile strike in the Dan area. The soldier was taken to a hospital for medical treatment,” the IDF said.

Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center said the 39-year-old victim suffered a chest wound from missile shrapnel. “After undergoing a series of tests, the patient is currently being taken to the operating room. His condition is classified as serious,” a hospital spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the IDF, Lebanese terrorists launched some 60 missiles at the Jewish state within one hour on Wednesday afternoon. At least some of the projectiles were launched by the Lebanese branch of Hamas’s Al-Qassam Brigades “military” wing, the terror organization announced.

In response, IDF artillery and attack drones hit terror targets in Southern Lebanon, the military announced in a post on X.

“A force of the [IDF’s 810th] ‘Mountain Brigade’ identified and attacked an observation post of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the Shuba area of Southern Lebanon,” the army said.


France foiled 3 Olympic attack plots, with Israelis among the targets – official
French authorities foiled three plots to attack the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris and other cities that hosted the summer events, the national counterterrorism prosecutor said on Wednesday.

Olivier Christen said the plots included plans to attack “Israeli institutions or representatives of Israel in Paris” during the July 26 to August 11 Olympic competition. The prosecutor told broadcaster France Info that “the Israeli team itself was not specifically targeted.” He did not give further details.

In all, five people, including a minor, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the three foiled plots against the Summer Games, which were held against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza and Russia’s war in Ukraine. The suspects are facing various terrorism-related charges while they remain in pre-trial detention, the prosecutor said.

France was on its highest security alert in the months ahead of the Olympics and Paralympics, which wrapped up last week. During preparations for the Games, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin repeatedly warned that security threats included those from Islamic extremist groups, violent environmental activists, far-right groups and cyberattacks from Russia or other adversaries.

In May, members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an 18-year-old man from Chechnya on suspicion of being behind a plan to attack Olympic soccer events that were held in the southern city of Saint-Etienne.

The planned attack was to target “bar-type establishments around the Geoffroy stadium,” the prosecutor said. The suspect is accused of planning “a violent action” on behalf of the Islamic State group’s jihadist ideology.

Jihadists threats dominated the foiled plots and 80 percent of legal proceedings against suspects include the extremist ideology that still influences France’s youth, the prosecutor said. The Islamic State group continues to “spread propaganda,” he added.


Clementine Ford sinks to a new low as she makes an appalling claim about the deaths of Israeli hostages
Outspoken feminist writer Clementine Ford has doubled-down on a deleted post where she claimed that she does not believe Hamas soldiers executed Israeli hostages following the Palestinian terrorist group's October 7 attack.

Ford, a self-described pro-Palestine activist, initially made the statement in the comments section on another Instagram profile last week - accusing Israel's government of inventing the murder of hostages by Hamas soldiers.

About 250 Israeli hostages were taken by Hamas late-last year. According to the Israeli government, some 97 are still being held and a further 33 are presumed dead.

Last week, it was revealed the bodies of six hostages were found in tunnels in Gaza. Days later, Ford denied they died at the hands of Hamas in a comment posted on a meme that glorified the potential downfall of Israel.

The meme featured two photos of Hollywood star Tobey McGuire. In the first photo, he could be seen walking down the street with an uncomfortable expression, below the caption, 'My sister's wedding'.

The second photo showed McGuire dressed in a suit and smiling on the red carpet. It was captioned: 'Israel's downfall'.

In the comments, Ford wrote: 'I don't for a second believe that Hamas executed those hostages. Israel's desperation stinks.'

While her initial comment appears to have been removed, Ford reiterated her views in a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.
Anti-Israel rioters clash with police in Melbourne
Thousands of anti-Israel and anti-war protesters clashed with police outside a defense expo in downtown Melbourne on Wednesday, leading to dozens of arrests.

Victoria state police said the demonstrators pelted officers with rocks, acid and suspected human feces as violence broke out in Australia’s second-largest city.

In what the Australian media said was the largest show of force in the city since 2000, when Melbourne hosted the World Economic Forum, more than 1,000 police officers were involved in the operation.

They deployed sponge grenades, flash-bang devices and irritant sprays to control the rioters. Law enforcement said that 24 officers required medical attention and 39 people were arrested. The offenses included assaulting, obstructing or hindering police, arson and blocking roads.

“Victoria police is appalled at the behavior of some of the protesters in attendance. If you wish to come and protest, do so peacefully. We will not tolerate criminal behavior,” the Victoria state police spokesperson said.

“Some police have been spat at by protesters, whilst other officers have been sprayed with a liquid irritant, some of which has been identified as acid,” the spokesperson continued.

The protests were organized by a collection of groups calling itself Disrupt Land Forces, including the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network. Videos and photos showed many rioters waving PLO flags and chanting anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian slogans through loudspeakers.

“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” a chant calling for the elimination of Israel, was heard at the protest.

They were protesting against the biennial Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Melbourne protest LIVE updates_ Anti-war demonstrators clash with police and reporters in fiery scenes
The biggest rally in 'two decades' rocked Melbourne on Wednesday morning when 1,200 anti-war protesters descended on the Melbourne Convention Centre where the Land Forces 2024 weapons expo is being held.

Almost 2,000 police officers, many of whom were drafted from interstate, attempted to corral the protesters but the scenes quickly turned ugly.

Some demonstrators set fire to bins and hurled horse manure, rocks and rotten apples at police, while riot cops unloaded rubber bullets and capsicum spray in response.

Two dozen officers have required medical treatment, while 33 protesters have been arrested for various offences, including arson and assaulting police.
Melbourne protest: 7NEWS reporter Teegan Dolling assaulted live on air as anti-war protest turns ugly
A 7NEWS reporter has been assaulted during a live TV cross after anti-war protesters in Melbourne swarmed her while she was on air.

Teegan Dolling was on the ground to cover the protest — which has attracted about 25,000 protesters and a massive response from police — and was talking to Sunrise hosts Nat Barr and Matt Shirvington when she was targeted in the frightening confrontation.

Chaos gripped the streets of Melbourne on Wednesday morning as people gathered to protest the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition, which will host senior international military, defence, government, scientific and industry delegations from around the world.

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Bricks, rocks and other projectiles were thrown at mounted police and their horses and faeces were thrown at police officers as the protest turned violent.

Dolling was standing close to mounted police and other officers, trying to make herself heard as a protester used a megaphone to chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” when she was surrounded.

Four protesters wearing masks surrounded her, pushing her and making rude hand gestures to the camera.

One woman with a keffiyeh around her shoulders covered the camera lens with her hand before Dolling tried to push her away.

Dolling eventually had to throw back to the studio in order to extricate herself from the escalating situation.

A visibly concerned Barr then called out the protesters’ behaviour.

“It’s not on if people are mishandling our reporter. Are you OK, Teegan?”


Dozens of officers injured as anti-war activists swarm the city
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Police have been pelted with acid as anti-war protesters caused mayhem in Melbourne on the opening day of the weapons expo.


Commuter chaos - Thousands of Melburnians caught in the mayhem
The protests caused bedlam on Melbourne’s road and rail network.




SJP, JVP and other activist groups sued for blocking traffic at airport
A man who missed his flight and a work appointment because of an anti-Israel protest at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago has filed suit against organizations and leaders behind the demonstration.

Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute (HLLI), a public-interest law firm that describes its mission as “dedicated to battling the progressive left’s agenda,” submitted the class action lawsuit on Monday on behalf of Christopher Manhart and others impacted by the April 15 activist disruption, which blocked traffic for three hours.

HLLI attorney Theodore H. Frank said “we support the right to protest, but a premeditated attack that injures innocents is not protected by the First Amendment.”

Defendants in the suit include the groups Jewish Voice for Peace, the Tides Center and its Community Justice Exchange, National Students for Justice in Palestine, American Muslims for Palestine, AJP Education Foundation, Inc., WESPAC Foundation, Dissenters and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights.

The disruption at O’Hare came as part of a nationwide effort called “A15 Action,” which on the same day also targeted the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

Frank said that “by holding the disrupters and their organizational sponsors civilly accountable, we hope to curtail foreign-sponsored and antisemitic actions that harm innocent Americans and put them at risk.”




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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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