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Thursday, November 14, 2024

11/14 Links Pt1: What an "America First" Policy Means for Israel; HRW's Bogus Gaza "Displacement" Report: Erasing Hamas and Manipulating Facts

From Ian:

Seth Frantzman: Israel must press ahead and finish off either Hamas or Hezbollah – for peace
The IDF is now deployed on two fronts. Five divisions – the bulk of the army – is in the north. Three divisions are operating in Gaza, while two have the job of securing the Gaza border and corridors across the Strip, one of which is south of Gaza City and the other runs along the Egyptian border. In essence, this leaves the IDF with only one division that can act as a mobile hammer against Hamas. It is not hard to transfer forces from the northern to southern fronts. The IDF moved the 98th Division from Gaza to fight in Lebanon in early September. Other units have moved from one area to another.

Israel faces numerous hurdles next year. Fewer IDF reservists are turning up to their units due to the strain of being called up for ten months out of the last year. Israel’s defence budget is ballooning, possibly creating more economic challenges for the country. Essential tools for the war effort such as D-9 bulldozers from the US are also taking time to arrive. Armoured vehicles have seen so much unprecedented action that the IDF now has to outsource repairs for them. This is what a long, intense war looks like.

But for all the challenges ahead, Israel has many opportunities. The incoming Trump administration is expected to be very supportive of Israel. This may deter Iran and its proxies, or at least give Israel a blank cheque to wipe the floor with them if need be. However, a blank cheque can also be deceptive. Israel will have the support it needs but it will need to decide what to do with all these open options.

Handing Hamas or Hezbollah a clear defeat is necessary for peace. Israel has eliminated the leaders of both groups, but the groups have vowed to carry on the war. They also have backing from abroad; Russia, Iran, China, Turkey and other countries have an interest in this war continuing, each for their own reasons. A clear victory on one of the fronts is therefore a setback for Iran in the region, and would also bolster the US and the west globally.
Trump admin will bring ‘new thinking’ to hostage deal stalemate, father of murdered captive says
Relatives of hostages, whom Hamas holds in Gaza, came out of a Wednesday afternoon Oval Office meeting with U.S President Joe Biden hopeful about future progress amid the lame duck period and transition of White House administrations.

JNS asked the family members if Biden had committed to do anything differently in the final two months of his tenure to secure a deal that would release the hostages.

“The fact that there is a new administration that will put new thoughts on the table, new thinking, and I think that–by itself—is a welcome progress,” Ruby Chen, the father of the Israeli-American hostage Itay Chen, whose body is being held in Gaza, told JNS. “We have been in a stalemate for a couple of months on the hostage deal.”

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, said earlier in the day that the Biden administration “sent a signal” to Trump’s team that it is prepared to coordinate on a hostage deal.

There has been no agreement in place since Hamas broke a ceasefire following last November’s agreement, which resulted in the release of 50 Israeli hostages over a four-day pause in fighting. Some 101 hostages remain in Gaza, 97 of whom were abducted on Oct. 7. It isn’t known publicly how many are alive.

Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of Israeli-American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, told reporters that family members “came away absolutely understanding that with that same energy and investment, President Biden and his team will continue working to gain the release” of all the hostages “every moment up until Jan. 20,” the final day of Biden’s presidency.

Dekel-Chen said that the families are also calling on the incoming Trump administration “to use these next two months not to learn necessarily about the hostages, but to take action immediately with their counterparts in the national security structure of the United States government to make it happen now—before Inauguration Day.”
I am a Palestinian in Gaza. Hamas must cede control and release the hostages
Do not believe the liars who boast from hotel stages and appear on misleading satellite channels. Do not trust the pompous leaders, their assistants, the foolish drummers, or any spokesperson who lacks honor or piety. They are nothing but merchants of lies and fraud.

Believe us—the people of Gaza. We are the residents of worn-out tents, the living saints who see and witness everything. We alone know what has happened and what is happening. We feel the fire of war that was imposed upon us, on a morning we never could have imagined. It fell upon us like a day of reckoning, separating the industry of life from the game of death. We have become targets for bombings and displacement, with no one to protect or help us.

Do not believe the liars, and do not listen to those who invoke our name from afar. Do not call us heroes or steadfast. We are the unfortunate, displaced, exhausted, and suffering.

We have lost everything—everything, except our trust in our Lord to take revenge on those who brought this oppression upon us, who left us prey to be devoured by the occupation. We will also hold accountable those who kill, uproot, and rob us of our land, as well as those who profit from our pain.

This is our reality—plain and honest—not the lies of the deceitful or the claims of fools. Effective intervention must come from the Palestinian leadership led by President Mahmoud Abbas, recognized as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. Hamas must cede its control, allow a ceasefire, and facilitate the release of abductees in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The leadership must bear full responsibility, working with the world and Israel to rebuild Gaza and address all issues, paving the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state living in peace and stability alongside Israel.


Seth Mandel: Why the EU Might Suddenly Get Serious About Foreign Policy
One might think that after the Amsterdam pogrom and the following riots, and with France trying to keep a lid on the boiling pot of anti-Zionism the day of a soccer match with Israel’s visiting national team, it would be poor timing to renew a public campaign of incitement against the Jewish state. And one would be right. But Josep Borrell isn’t interested in turning down the temperature.

Why would Borrell even expend the energy to do this? The likeliest explanation is that his successor isn’t the power-mad supra-nationalist that Borrell has been. Former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who resigned earlier this year in order to begin the transition to the EU’s foreign-policy office, will take the wheel. Deutsche Welle reports that, “According to EU lawmakers, Estonian experts and an Israeli insider DW spoke with, Kallas is expected to adopt a balanced approach and take the lead from member states instead of trying to own the policy.”

Estonia’s major preoccupation is with Russia, and for good reason. In June, Estonian courts convicted and sentenced a university professor for spying for Russia, “part of a campaign of sabotage, electronic warfare and information gathering” on the part of Moscow. In May, Russia removed the demarcations of its border with Estonia.

As Russia continued to wage its war of aggression in Ukraine, Estonia built its first new military base since 1991. That base will host U.S. military personnel beginning next year.

Last month, Deutsche Welle reported that Estonia has been running evacuation drills in the south of the country to prepare for a possible Russian attack. “It is not a secret, where we are living. We are not alone in the Baltic region,” Lt. Col. Raul Kütt, commander of the southern division of Estonia’s Defense League, told the paper. “The same applies to Latvia and Lithuania. And we don’t know what the outcome of the Ukrainian conflict will be. Can it spread? In order to be ready for the worst-case scenario, we still have time to exercise these kind of activities.”

For the European Union to have an incoming foreign-policy chief who is focused on the safety and security of Europe, rather than using his platform to cater to elite anti-Israel sentiment, would obviously be good for Europe. Israel is pretty happy about it too. “EU-Israel relations can only improve under the new leadership,” the American Jewish Committee’s Daniel Schwammenthal told DW. The paper also quoted an Austrian parliamentarian expressing his hope that Kallas “will be better than her predecessor.”

That last one is a low bar—but that’s nobody’s fault but Borrell’s.
What an "America First" Policy Means for Israel
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's approach to the world is embodied by the phrase "America First." Due to the historical baggage of this phrase, many have interpreted it as identifying him with the isolationist trend in U.S. foreign policy that seeks to turn its back on allies around the world.

However, a leading institute in developing a platform for the second Trump administration called the "America First Policy Institute" emphasizes that their approach is not a call for the U.S. to withdraw from its role as the leader of the free world. Rather, "America First" means building a powerful military while being highly selective regarding its use, in order to keep U.S. troops out of unnecessary and unending wars.

It is also a call to work with allies hand-in-hand, while requiring them to carry their full weight of their own security needs. A prominent voice on grand strategy in Trump's circle, Elbridge Colby, emphasized this week that the U.S. is interested in strong allies who stand on their own two feet and do not expect the U.S. to risk its soldiers to protect them.

Applying this thinking to the Middle East, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has made it clear that the America First approach sees a strong Israel acting alongside strong Gulf states as a counterweight to Iran.
Trump team preparing plans to topple Iran regime, Israeli sources say
High-level Israeli sources have revealed to Israel Hayom that the Trump circle is formulating strategic plans targeting Iran's current regime, marking a potential dramatic shift in US policy toward Tehran. These sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, emphasized that Israeli-American strategic cooperation would focus specifically on challenging Iran's current leadership structure.

Analysis of recent developments suggests that this emerging US stance may have influenced Tehran's recalculation of its planned retaliation against Israel. Officials note that dismantling the current Iranian power structure would effectively cut off funding to Tehran-backed groups targeting Israeli interests, thereby neutralizing their operational capabilities.

Iranian sources, speaking to Sky News Arabia yesterday, confirmed that Tehran is suspending its planned response to Israel in light of Trump's recent primary victories in the US presidential race.

According to these sources, Iran's planned operation – dubbed "Operation True Promise 3" – has been put on hold pending potential negotiations with Trump, following diplomatic messages conveyed through Iraqi channels. The operation follows two previous initiatives, "True Promise" and "True Promise 2."
Ayatollah Khamenei Committed a Major Strategic Blunder
It is Iran that seeks to destroy Israel, not the other way around. For 45 years, since the Islamic Republic of Iran's founding in 1979, the Iranian regime had pursued its self-imposed mission of the destruction of Israel and its people through funding, arming, and supporting groups and militias prepared to attack the Jewish state.

On April 13, 2024, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei decided that the time had arrived to change tactics and launched Iran's first direct onslaught on Israel - an aerial assault that involved hundreds of drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles.

Khamenei committed a major strategic blunder. His anticipated military and propaganda triumph turned into a humiliation. His failure was to underestimate the effectiveness of Israel's security and armed forces. Within a week, Israel had responded with airstrikes on Iranian military sites in Syria and Iran. Israel also pursued its hunt for Hamas and Hizbullah leaders.

Khamenei then opted for a second, bigger, and more focused attempt, using 200 advanced Fattah-1 and Kheibar Shekan missiles, targeting military and intelligence locations. This second Iranian attack, on Oct. 1, was only marginally more damaging than the first. Most missiles were intercepted by Israeli and U.S. defense systems. Israel responded on Oct. 25 in a manner that respected President Biden's wishes, with heavy air strikes on Iranian military targets.

Khamenei has affirmed repeatedly that the very purpose of his revolution was to destroy Western-style democracy and its way of life and to impose Shi'ite Islam on the whole world. He identified the U.S. and Israel as his prime targets. Whether the West wishes to acknowledge it or not, in combating Iran, Israel is fighting for the free world as a whole.
The U.S. and Israel's National Security
During my tenure as Israel's Ambassador to the U.S. and UN, I witnessed firsthand how the differing approaches between the Trump and Biden administrations affected Israel's national security. President Biden deserves gratitude and appreciation for military aid and defending Israel at the UN.

However, the Biden administration's pressure on Israel and frequent public criticism complicated achieving war objectives, gave hope to our enemies, and delayed the end of fighting, the return of hostages, and prospects for regional peace.

Regrettably, the Biden administration's strong desire to return to the nuclear deal with Iran and its insistence on old paradigms regarding the Palestinian issue led to opposite results. Palestinians entrenched in their refusal and continued inciting and funding terror. Hamas and Hizbullah hoped American pressure to end the war would cause Israel to abandon its objectives.

Ending the war in Gaza and Lebanon requires defeating Hamas and Hizbullah and restoring Israeli deterrence. Otherwise, we'll be condemned to recurring wars in our region. Only Israel's clear victory will bring long-term stability and quiet.

Israel's enemies understood that, given the difficulty of defeating us on the battlefield, they could exploit the UN's distorted structure to block Israel and embarrass the U.S. The UN and its organizations - including the Human Rights Council, The Hague court, UNRWA and others - have become weapons in terrorist organizations' hands.

The U.S., as the UN's largest funder, should completely cease transferring funds to an organization that has lost its way and values until necessary reforms are implemented.
Israel was ‘on the verge’ of normalising relations with Saudi Arabia before October 7
Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana discusses the possibility of a normalisation deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“We were on the verge of expanding the circle of peace even further, which Hamas was trying to stop on October 7,” Mr Ohana told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“Israel is very determined to expand the circle of peace.

“Saudi Arabia is one of the most, maybe the most, important country in the Arab world, so it’s a goal worth achieving.”


U.S. Will Not Limit Israel Arms Transfers after Improvements in Aid to Gaza
The Biden administration said Tuesday that Israel has made progress in increasing the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza and will not limit arms transfers to Israel as it had threatened to do a month ago. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said, "We, at this time, have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of U.S. law."

The Biden administration last month set a deadline expiring Tuesday for Israel to "surge" more food and other emergency aid into Gaza or risk scaled-back military support. Israel opened a new crossing in central Gaza for aid to enter, announced an expansion of the coastal "humanitarian zone," and connected electricity for a desalination plant. Israel's new foreign minister, Gideon Saar, said Monday he was confident "the issue would be solved."

COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, said Tuesday that 900 truckloads of aid are sitting uncollected on the Gaza side of the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south. "Before the [international aid] organizations give out grades, they should focus on distributing the aid that awaits them," COGAT said.


NGO Monitor: HRW's Bogus Gaza "Displacement" Report: Erasing Hamas and Manipulating Facts
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has a 30-year history of systematic false accusations and strident advocacy in its reports and statements regarding Israel. Many of the individual staff members who have written these documents have been shown to lack the qualifications and knowledge of the issues, including with respect to international law, that they claim to address. HRW also takes at face value factual claims from terror organizations such as Hamas, with no attempt at verification, while automatically rejecting Israeli claims, and on this basis, they express judgements regarding “military necessity”, proportionality, and similar legal terms despite the total absence of any knowledge regarding the military situation.

The latest publication, “‘Hopeless, Starving, and Besieged’: Israel’s Forced Displacement of Palestinians in Gaza” (November 14, 2024) is another blatant example in this series.

The central claim of the report is HRW’s alleged determination that “There is no plausible imperative military reason to justify Israel’s mass displacement of nearly all of Gaza’s population, often multiple times.”

This is not only speculative – HRW admits that “it is impossible for Human Rights Watch to fully interrogate the military strategy of the Israeli military” – but also arbitrarily dismisses explicit statements from Israeli officials as to the military rationale given the specific conditions and threats emanating from Gaza:
Israel justified the mass evacuation order as being for the safety of the civilian population and stated military reason for displacing the population was centered on the presence of Hamas fighters and military infrastructure, including Hamas’ extensive tunnel infrastructure, which the Israeli military identified as a threat. Israel’s evacuation order claimed that Hamas fighters were utilizing civilian areas for military purposes, thereby necessitating the displacement of civilians to minimize casualties during military operations.

At no point in the report does HRW substantively and factually address these essential dimensions of combat in Gaza following 16 years of Hamas preparation for underground combat. Instead, HRW diverts attention by manipulating quotes – entirely removed from the context in which they were made – from Israeli officials that are interpreted to imply non-military motives.

If this were a serious report and HRW a serious organization, it would devote considerable space to investigating the extent of Hamas’ embedding in and beneath civilian infrastructure throughout Gaza, analyzing the phenomenon of Hamas fighters returning to areas where combat operations had subsided, and examining realistic military options to counter these formidable challenges. HRW does nothing of the sort. The term “tunnel” – assuredly a main element of any valid analysis of confronting Hamas Gaza – appears only four times in this report, and only when quoting or paraphrasing IDF claims; HRW did not in any way evaluate the role of tunnels in this report. The single example brought by HRW of Hamas exploiting civilian areas for military operation is “Human Rights Watch understands and has criticized Hamas and other Palestinian groups for firing rockets from populated areas.”
Israel rejects HRW accusations of ‘forcible transfer,’ ‘ethnic cleansing’ in north Gaza
Israel on Thursday denied allegations by Human Rights Watch that the IDF had forcibly displaced Gazans and that its actions in more than a year of war amount to “crimes against humanity.”

“Time and again, Human Rights Watch’s rhetoric regarding Israel’s conduct in Gaza is completely false and detached from reality,” foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said in a statement.

In a report published on Thursday, the New York-based rights group said it had “amassed evidence that Israeli officials are… committing the war crime of forcible transfer”.

“Statements by senior officials with command responsibility show that forced displacement is intentional and forms part of Israeli state policy and therefore amount to a crime against humanity,” Human Rights Watch added. “Israel’s actions appear to also meet the definition of ethnic cleansing” in the areas where Palestinians will not be able to return, HRW said.

HRW said the 172-page report’s findings were based on interviews with displaced Gazans, satellite imagery, and public reporting conducted until August 2024.

“Contrary to claims in HRW’s report, Israel’s efforts are directed solely at dismantling Hamas’s terror capabilities and not at the people of Gaza,” said Marmorstein.

He also charged that the Hamas terror group “uses civilians as human shields and embeds terror infrastructure within residential areas.”

“Israel will continue to operate in accordance with the law of armed conflict,” the spokesman added.


Questions for the president-elect on Middle East policy
Two months remain before Donald Trump takes office and a lot can happen in the Middle East during that time. Israel dodged one imminent bullet when the Biden administration decided to ignore the calls for it to cut off arms deliveries to Israel. Though aid agencies and critics insisted Israel did not meet the requirements set out by the administration for increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza, Biden decided Israel had done enough to satisfy his demands. More likely, he did not want to enrage the incoming president by withdrawing support for Israel’s war effort.

In his remaining time, Biden undoubtedly hopes to achieve a foreign-policy victory to remediate his tarnished legacy. Prospects are not good. He may intensify efforts to reach ceasefires in the Middle East and secure the release of the hostages but neither Hamas nor Hezbollah are willing to make a deal. This gives Trump the opportunity to be the peacemaker he has promised to be.

Besides assurances about peace, Trump gave few clues as to what his policy toward the Middle East will be. It’s possible that, like in his first term, he won’t have one. Nevertheless, he will ultimately have to answer these questions:

You have said you expect Israel to end its war with Hamas before you are inaugurated. What if the war doesn’t end? Will you pressure Israel to accept a ceasefire? How? Will you consider cutting off arms to Israel?

You have said Israel should win; what does that mean to you?

Will you send additional aid to Israel to help it defeat its enemies and ensure that weapons like 2,000-pound bombs embargoed by the Biden administration are delivered?

What steps will you take to free the hostages? Do you believe you can negotiate a deal with Hamas? Should U.S. troops become more directly involved in the search for the American hostages?

What is your position on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza? Will you pressure Israel as Biden has to allow more aid in regardless of whether Hamas is stealing it? Will you pressure Egypt to allow Gazans to leave so they can be safe and have unfettered access to assistance?

What do you want to see happen after the war in Gaza ends? Biden said that he would not accept an Israeli presence in Gaza; what is your view? Do you support Israel establishing a buffer zone near its border and one for the Philadelphi Corridor?

Who do you expect to govern Gaza? Will you accept the Palestinian Authority with or without a Hamas element? Will the United States contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza?

In your first term, you cut off aid to UNRWA. Biden restored it. Israel has outlawed the organization, and we now know that members of its staff participated in the Oct. 7 massacre and that the organization was complicit in aiding Hamas. Will you cut aid to UNRWA again? Will your U.N. ambassador seek to replace it with another aid agency?
Trump nominations ‘a big middle finger’ to anti-Israel progressives
President-elect Donald Trump officially named Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as his choice to be secretary of state on Wednesday.

Rubio joins a slew of pro-Israel officials Trump has tapped in recent days, including former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as his U.N. ambassador with a seat in the cabinet.

Brian Katulis, a senior fellow for U.S. foreign policy at the Middle East Institute, told JNS that the picks signal a strong departure from how the Biden administration handled foreign policy in the Middle East and the U.S.-Israel relationship.

“It’s a big middle finger to those on the so-called progressive left and others in the Biden camp, who essentially had a different theory of the case that failed in the election,” Katulis said.

Blaise Misztal, vice president for policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, told JNS that Trump’s focus so early in the transition process on Israel-related foreign policy picks is a mark of how his second administration will approach the region.

“That, in and of itself, signals that President Trump and his administration are going to take the region, the Middle East, the threats confronting Israel, seriously and take the U.S. friendship with Israel seriously,” Misztal said. “The people that we’ve seen are known to be tremendously strong friends of Israel, first and foremost, but also very clear-eyed about the threats that the United States and Israel face together in the region.”

The Trump team has reportedly chosen Brian Hook, the former U.S. special representative for Iran and one of the architects of the “maximum pressure” sanctions policy against the Islamic Republic, to lead the transition at the U.S. State Department.

Misztal told JNS that Hook, who is one of several former Trump administration officials who has a permanent security detail because of Iranian death threats, will understand the dangers that Tehran poses.
Nearly 90 congressional Democrats call for sanctions on Smotrich and Ben Gvir
A group of 88 Senate and House Democrats, including some key Democratic leaders, called on President Joe Biden to sanction Israeli Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The lawmakers’ letter calling for the aggressive move against the Israeli officials was sent at the end of October, but was not released publicly until Thursday, after the Biden administration declined to withhold additional weaponry from Israel, as some progressive Democrats had demanded.

The letter comes as leaders in the U.S. and Middle East are keeping a close eye on whether the Biden administration will seek punitive action against Israel in the waning days of the administration; such sanctions have been one possibility floated by policy analysts.

The letter calls for sanctions under a new executive order by the Biden administration earlier this year for individuals and groups responsible for inciting violence in the West Bank.

“Violent settlers, fueled by the inflammatory rhetoric and incitement to violence by members of the Israeli cabinet, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and empowered by extremist organizations like Regavim and Amana, have carried out over 1,270 recorded attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, averaging more than three violent attacks per day,” the lawmakers said.

“With radical officials in the Netanyahu government continuing to enable settler violence and enact annexationist policies, it is clear that further sanctions are urgently needed,” they continued.

The lawmakers said that Smotrich is “tak[ing] steps to advance illegal and dangerous annexation of the West Bank” and has “significantly compromised the overall health and stability of the West Bank economy.”
Trump picks Matt Gaetz, with checkered record on antisemitism, for Attorney General
Former President Donald Trump announced that he’s planning to nominate ethically-embattled, far-right former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as his attorney general, tapping a figure with a checkered record on antisemitism for a role with key responsibilities in addressing discrimination and hate crimes.

The announcement that Trump sought to nominate Gaetz, a scandal-plagued figure widely disliked among his House Republican colleagues, was met with a skeptical reaction from some Senate Republicans — though Trump could try to force the confirmation through as a recess appointment without a Senate vote.

Gaetz, who resigned hours after the announcement, had been under investigation by the House Ethics committee for allegations including sexual misconduct, illicit drug use and corruption. An explosive final report was expected within days, according to news reports, but now may never see the light of day.

Earlier this year, Gaetz was one of the most vocal Republican critics of the House-passed Antisemitism Awareness Act, claiming that the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism would label the Bible as antisemitic because, he said, “the Bible is clear” that Jews killed Jesus —tapping into a long-recognized antisemitic trope.

“This evening, I will vote AGAINST the ridiculous hate speech bill called the ‘Antisemitism Awareness Act,’” Gaetz said before the vote. “Antisemitism is wrong, but this legislation is written without regard for the Constitution, common sense, or even the common understanding of the meaning of words. The Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of this bill!”

Gaetz faced condemnation in 2018 for inviting Holocaust denier and white nationalist Charles Johnson as his guest to the State of the Union address. He claimed to be unaware of Johnson’s history. Even after being made aware of Johnson’s past comments, Gaetz defended him, saying that Johnson is “not a Holocaust denier, he’s not a white supremacist.”
Van Hollen: I Have Concern Huckabee Has Strong Religious Views About Israel
On Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) stated that he is concerned that President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be United States Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, opposes a two-state solution with Israel and Palestine and is an Evangelical who has strong religious views about the subject.

Host Andrea Mitchell said, “He has said that Palestinians have no right to the land on the West Bank, they just happen to live there. He’s also talking about the possibility of annexing the West Bank, which would abrogate all of these U.N. resolutions, Camp David, the two-state solution, what is your reaction to him? He’s an Evangelical Christian and has strong religious views about this based in the Bible.”

Van Hollen responded, “Well, Andrea, it’s good to be with you. And I definitely have the concerns that you just laid out here. It will be an interesting hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when we get to that point. Because anybody who knows the Middle East recognizes that the best long-term solution to guarantee both Israel’s security and the dignity and security and rights of the Palestinian people is a two-state solution. What Mike Huckabee has said is just the opposite. He supports this concept of a greater Israel, Israel controlling the entire territory from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. That’s a Mike Huckabee vision. It’s a vision that has been embraced by the far right in Israel, including members of the Netanyahu government…so this is a recipe, if he continues to pursue these views, for continued instability and violence in the Middle East. So, this is not a good signal. Hopefully, we’ll see what Mike Huckabee says, again, at the time of his confirmation hearing.”


FBI Arrests ISIS Supporter Plotting Houston Terrorist Attack
The FBI arrested Houston resident Anas Said for planning a terror attack on U.S. soil and supporting ISIS terrorists, officials announced on Thursday.

The 28-year-old, who was taken into federal custody last week, admitted to providing material support to ISIS, investigating how to execute an attack on local military recruiting centers, and boasting that he would commit a "9/11-style" attack if he had the necessary resources. He also admitted to creating ISIS propaganda and offering his home as a refuge to ISIS members.

Said was coordinating the foiled attack from his far west Houston apartment, according to the FBI.

A search of Said's personal devices revealed pro-ISIS images and messages, including communication with the official media outlet for ISIS. Said has been charged with creating at least five videos and two images that were sent to an ISIS social media and web designer for publication.

"Today is a great day. We’ve taken a suspected terrorist off the streets of Houston," Douglas Williams, special agent in charge of FBI Houston, said of the arrest in a Thursday morning news conference.


Australia takes anti-Israel stand, approves a Palestinian sovereignty text
Australia changed some of its traditional voting patterns at the United Nations, taking a stand against the Jewish state in two preliminary resolutions overwhelmingly approved by the General Assembly Second Committee.

Australia was among the 159 countries to vote in favor of an annual text supporting permanent Palestinian sovereignty over its natural resources on Wednesday.

It was also one of 161 nations to support a resolution in the same committee holding the IDF responsible for the Jiyeh Power Station oil spill in Lebanon and demanding compensation from Israel.

The draft texts still need to go before the UN General Assembly for a final vote. The sovereignty vote does not indicate Australian recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Last year, Canberra had abstained on the sovereignty vote and stood with Jerusalem in opposing the oil slick vote, but this year, it approved of both texts.

The votes were part of a slew of 17 anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian resolutions that the UNGA will approve by the end of this year.

With so many countries voting against it, every vote lost is seen as a defeat for Israel, and the ones gained a victory.
‘Sickening capitulation’: Labor vote to support sovereignty of a Palestinian state
Sky News host Chris Kenny has slammed the “sickening capitulation” from the Albanese Labor government.

Labor has now voted to support the sovereignty of a Palestinian state.

Mr Kenny said it was Labor “caving in” to the Palestine support.


Albanese government criticised over backing ‘permanent sovereignty’ of Palestinians in UN vote
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer has criticised the Albanese government for supporting a United Nations vote on Palestinian sovereignty over their natural resources.

The Albanese government shifted Australia’s vote in the UN to recognise the “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” for the first time in more than a decade.

Since 2011, Australia has abstained from voting on the question of sovereignty over natural resources.

“These resolutions are completely meaningless. They're just symbolic gestures. And if you're going to vote for the resolution, you must believe that somehow in doing so, that's going to make a difference,” Mr Downer told Sky News host Chris Kenny.

“This resolution is not making any difference.”


Australia backing the UN’s resolution ‘rewards Hamas’ for the October 7 atrocities
Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana claims the Australia-backed UN resolution essentially rewards Hamas for the October 7 attack.

Australia has backed a UN resolution to recognise the ‘permanent sovereignty’ of Palestinians in the occupied territory.

“It is a great idea if you want to reward Hamas for the atrocities of October 7,” Mr Ohana told Sky News host Sharri Markson.

“It is a perfect idea if you want to send a clear message to the entire terrorist organisations throughout the world that this is how to get the job done.”




US balks at ‘unbalanced’ UN resolutions ‘unfairly critical of Israel’
A U.S. political adviser to the United Nations said on Wednesday that two United Nations resolutions—on “oil slick on Lebanese shores” and “permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory”—are anti-Israel.

“The United States remains disappointed that this body has again taken up this unbalanced resolution that is unfairly critical of Israel, demonstrating a clear and persistent institutional bias directed at one member state,” Nicholas Koval said of the Lebanon resolution. “One-sided resolutions like those introduced here today only distract from efforts to advance peace.”

“Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad and unwavering against all Iran-backed threats, including Hizballah. We continue to work on restoring calm and achieving a diplomatic solution that allows Israelis and Lebanese citizens to safely return to their homes in both northern Israel and southern Lebanon,” he added. “The United States will continue to oppose every effort to delegitimize Israel. As such, the United States once again vote a ‘no’ on this one-sided resolution.”

Of the resolution on permanent sovereignty, Koval used the same language about U.S. disappointment with the U.N. committee for the “unbalanced” resolution that “is unfairly critical of Israel.”

“One-sided resolutions will not help advance peace. Not when they ignore the facts on the ground. One-sided resolutions are purely rhetorical documents that seek to divide us at a time when we should be coming together. And one we must not cling to longstanding lines of division,” he said. “If member states are serious about promoting the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, they should seek to end the persistent bias within the United Nations against Israel.”


UNRWA schools in Gaza: Principals, staff identified as members in terror units
In July, Israeli intelligence published an expose showcasing that over 10% of UNRWA’s senior education staff in Gaza were members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad. The findings, shared with the agency as well, were quoted as casting a dark shadow over the organization’s claims of providing neutral and non-extremist education to Palestinian children.

Now, a detailed investigation by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) has identified twelve UNRWA school principals and deputy principals as active members of terrorist organizations, with many holding commanding positions in the terror units. “This discovery directly contradicts UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini’s recent assurances to the UN General Assembly about his agency’s commitment to tolerant and anti-extremist education,” an institute spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post. ‘Bus bombing as a barbecue party’

IMPACT-se focused on 5 UNRWA school principals identified by the IDF as serving in Hamas. For instance, at Al-Zaytun Boys Preparatory and Elementary Schools, principal Mohammad Juma Shuwaideh served as a squad commander in Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade. Similarly, both the principal and deputy principal of Al-Maghazi Boys Preparatory School B, Khaled Said Mustafa Al-Massri and Ahmad Samir Mahmoud El Khatib, operated as squad commanders in Hamas’s Khan Yunis Brigade.

One of the most alarming findings was the discovery of Hamas tunnels beneath two of these educational institutions – Al-Maghazi B and Al-Zaytun A. “This physical evidence of militant infrastructure directly beneath classrooms raises serious questions about the exploitation of educational facilities for military purposes by Hamas,” the spokesperson said.

The investigation of the school materials revealed deeply concerning educational practices within these schools. At Al-Zaytun School, fifth-grade students were taught to glorify Dalal Mughrabi, the terrorist responsible for the 1978 Coastal Road Massacre that claimed 38 Israeli lives. Classroom materials presented Mughrabi as a “combat leader” and “hero,” encouraging students to name their children and streets after her.

The educational content extends beyond historical revisionism to active incitement. UNRWA-branded examination materials include questions stating that “Liberating the al-Aqsa Mosque and making sacrifices for it is a duty for all Muslims.” At Al-Maghazi, teaching materials celebrated violence, including a disturbing reference to a firebomb attack on an Israeli bus as a “barbecue party.”


US hands Lebanon draft proposal for ceasefire with Israel, sources say
US ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson submitted a draft truce proposal to Lebanon's speaker of parliament Nabih Berri on Thursday, as part of an intense push to end the IDF-Hezbollah war, two political sources told Reuters, without revealing details.

There is agreement on certain elements of a deal, but also sharp disagreements over Israel’s security demand, that the IDF would retain the ability to strike at Hezbollah if necessary to prevent it from rearming.

Lebanese officials say that "direct enforcement" by Israel has not been formally floated to Lebanon, but that it would be rejected by Beirut.

"The idea that Israel can enforce at any time - that is unthinkable," one of the political sources said on Thursday.

Samir Geagea, Hezbollah's fiercest political opponent in Lebanon, told Reuters he opposed granting Israel that option but said Lebanon had little power to stop it, especially if an excuse remained in the form of Hezbollah's armed presence.

Johnson has been a typical conduit for diplomacy with Hezbollah while Berri has been the Lebanese official most open to a ceasefire.


IDF officer killed in Lebanon, bringing military death toll to 794
Israel Defense Forces Lt. Ivri Dickshtein, 21, was killed in action battling Hezbollah terrorists in Southern Lebanon, the IDF said on Thursday night.

Dickshtein, a resident of Elazar in the Gush Etzion region of Judea, was a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion. A combat officer from the brigade was seriously wounded in the same incident.

The Binyamin Regional Council, which administers large parts of southern and central Samaria, said that Dickshtein, who grew up in the community of Eli, is survived by his wife, parents and five siblings.

His father, Col. (res.) Ilan Dickshtein, previously commanded the IDF’s Etzioni Brigade and the Golani Reconnaissance Battalion. According to Israel’s Kan News public broadcaster, the family lives on the same street as the parents of Capt. Shilo Rauchberger, who was killed by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, as well as those of Capt. Roy Beit Ya’akov, who died in a “friendly fire” incident in May.

“We lost Ivri, a combat officer—the best of Binyamin’s sons—who grew up and was educated here, fought like a hero and fell in defense of the people and their land,” council head Israel Ganz said in the statement.

“The community of Eli, along with the other towns in Binyamin, is at the forefront of the war and is paying a painful price for the revival of the Jewish people in their land,” Ganz said.

On Wednesday, six IDF soldiers were killed in a firefight with Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon, while a seventh was moderately wounded. All of them served in the Golani Brigade’s 51st Battalion.

The Golani soldiers were ambushed at short range by Hezbollah terrorists after entering a structure where the army had not yet operated. An hours-long firefight ensued, which ended with at least one terrorist dead and the area falling under IDF control.

The death toll among Israeli troops since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border terrorist massacre now stands at 794, according to IDF figures.




Druze in Lebanon Block Hizbullah Weapons Movement
Residents of the Druze village of Dahr al-Ahmar, in the Bekaa district of Rashaya, stopped a van carrying weapons on Wednesday.

The army intervened and requisitioned the weapons found in the vehicle.

A video circulating on social networks shows angry residents filming missile-like objects in the back of a white van containing numerous bags.

A journalist wrote on X: "After the liquidation of party cadres and the appointment of new ones, it's clear that Hizbullah's new leaders don't have enough experience in arms smuggling."

"The residents of Rashaya easily discovered the Hizbullah vehicles carrying weapons and missiles and banned these vehicles from hiding in their area."
UN to bolster UNIFIL for post-truce support in Lebanon, peacekeeping chief says
The United Nations intends to bolster its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon to better support the Lebanese army once a truce is agreed but would not directly enforce a ceasefire, UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said on Thursday.

The peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL is deployed in southern Lebanon to monitor the demarcation line with Israel, an area that has seen more than a year of hostilities between Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters.

Diplomatic efforts to end the fighting have centred on UN resolution 1701, which ended the last round of conflict between the two heavily-armed foes in 2006 and requires Hezbollah to remove fighters and weapons from areas between the border and the Litani River, which runs about 30 km (around 20 miles) from Lebanon's southern border.

UNIFIL's failures in southern Lebanon
Israel has for years accused UNIFIL of failing to implement the resolution, and now says peacekeepers must get out of the way as Israeli troops fight Hezbollah. UNIFIL troops have refused to leave their posts, despite repeated Israeli attacks that have wounded peacekeepers.

"I think that has to be very clear. Implementing the 1701 is the responsibility of the parties," said Lacroix, speaking to reporters on a three-day visit to Lebanon. "UNIFIL has a supportive role, and there is a lot of substance in that supporting role."

Lacroix said the peacekeeping mission would work with the Lebanese army to "support the implementation of a settlement" and was already in discussions with contributing nations to assess UNIFIL's needs, including with advanced technology, without necessarily increasing troop numbers.


IDF says it hit 30 Hezbollah sites in Beirut, Palestinian terror targets in Damascus
Israeli warplanes on Thursday hit Hezbollah sites in Beirut after the military issued warnings to residents in targeted areas to evacuate their homes, saying they were located near assets belonging to the terror group. Footage shared by Lebanese media showed one of the strikes in the vicinity of Beirut’s international airport, as a passenger plane was seen taxiing in the background.

Jets also struck sites in Damascus belonging to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed carrying out airstrikes in Syria, saying it targeted several buildings and command centers belonging to the PIJ. Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said the strikes killed 15 and wounded 16 others.

The strikes targeted two residential buildings in the Mezzeh district of the capital and the nearby city of Qudssaya, SANA said.

The Israeli military said the strikes were a “significant blow” to the Gaza Strip-based Palestinian terror group and its operatives.

The IDF has carried out numerous strikes in Syria in recent months, where Hezbollah has a presence, and which the terror group uses to smuggle arms into Lebanon. Other Iranian-backed terror groups that attack Israel also operate there.

Islamic Jihad carried out the October 7 onslaught alongside Hamas, and its operatives have also been involved in launching attacks on Israel from Lebanon, alongside Hezbollah.


IDF destroys 32-barrel rocket launcher in southern Lebanon
A Hezbollah 32-barrel rocket launcher was discovered and destroyed during one of many ongoing operations in southern Lebanon, the IDF revealed Thursday in newly released footage.

The Commando Brigade, including elite units Egoz, Maglan, and Duvdevan, has been conducting targeted ground raids for weeks in Hezbollah's 'combat compounds' throughout the mountainous terrain.

According to the IDF, some of these compounds from which Hezbollah terrorists direct attacks toward Israeli communities are embedded within Lebanese civilian areas.

In one scan that was published, soldiers located the rocket launcher, which was aimed toward Israel.

The rocket launcher, along with numerous additional weapons and combat equipment, were all confiscated and destroyed.


Hamas Support Waning in Gaza
Israel's Channel 12 on Sunday offered a peek into the mindset of displaced women and children from Jabalia in northern Gaza. Some residents cursed Hamas for the devastation it wreaked on their lives.

"I swear I was happy when you killed [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar, who caused destruction and killed our children," one woman shouted. "God willing you'll destroy them."

Mark, a European aid worker, reported that when Hamas fires rockets, a rare occurrence these days, only teenagers seem to cheer on the street.

"Adults then invariably tell them there is nothing to cheer about. Every rocket that is fired causes trouble. It will elicit an Israeli reaction and bombings for the following week."

"People have come to see Hamas as a problem. I have yet to come across any adult who openly supports Hamas or claims it can bring a solution."

Rashid, an anti-Hamas activist from Deir al-Balah, said, "Most people in Gaza are against Hamas; they want a future without it."

"One good thing about the war is that they can now curse it openly on the streets without fear of retaliation."


Caroline Glick: Quiet Coup Drags Bibi to Court During War
Establishment powers in Israel have decided to join the seven-front war against the Jewish state by targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In addition to managing the war, the premier will be held in court for seven hours a day in a courthouse unprotected from rocket fire and drone attacks.

Sounds crazy? It is. Worst of all, the deep state is attacking Netanyahu and the right-wing government on other fronts as well.


Should Israel Now Go for Broke With Annexation? | Israel Undiplomatic w/ Mark Regev & Ruthie Blum
In this episode of Israel Undiplomatic, hosts Mark Regev and Ruthie Blum discuss the recent political changes in the US, particularly focusing on Trump's appointments and their implications for Israel. They explore the potential shifts in US foreign policy, the role of the UN, and the ongoing debate about civilian casualties in conflict. The conversation also touches on the historical context of annexation and the dynamics of the peace process with Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the importance of a strong Israel for regional stability.

Chapters
00:00 The Shifting Political Landscape
03:04 Trump's Foreign Policy and Its Implications
05:47 Comparing Current and Incoming US Administration Policies
09:07 The Role of the UN and US Support for Israel
12:01 The Debate on Civilian Casualties in Conflict
14:53 The Future of US-Israel Relations
18:03 Annexation and Its Historical Context
20:49 The Saudi Peace Process and Regional Dynamics


Call me Back Podcast: The Future of Gaza - with Haviv Rettig Gur
In recent weeks, with the IDF focusing most of its attention on the Northern front, the media has been paying less attention to what’s actually happening in Gaza. What would constitute the Gaza War being over? Is there any progress on a Day After Plan for Gaza? What is the status of hostage negotiations and other efforts to free the hostages? What would the future (medium-term/long-term) Israeli presence in Gaza look like?

To help us connect these dots, Haviv Rettig Gur returns to the podcast.

Haviv Rettig Gur is the political analyst at The Times of Israel. He was a long time reporter for the Times of Israel. Haviv was also a combat medic in the IDF where he served in the reserves.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
06:51 What has been happening in Gaza over the past few weeks?
08:56 Is there a distinction between the Egypt-Gaza border and the Philadelphi Corridor?
15:18 What is happening in Northern Gaza?
18:58 What do we know about the remaining hostages?
25:31 Netzarim and Israeli settlements in Gaza?
36:07 Wear and tear on IDF forces
42:57 What is the Israeli societal attitude towards all of these issues?




Harper NonFiction acquires Douglas Murray's book about Middle East and the West
Harper NonFiction has acquired author and journalist Douglas Murray’s book about the Middle East and the West. Harper NonFiction publisher, Joel Simons acquired world all-language rights to On Democracies and Death Cults from Matthew Hamilton at the Hamilton Agency along with Broadside Books executive editor Eric Nelson, who is overseeing publication at HarperCollins in the US.

In the book, Murray draws on his on-the-ground reporting in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, "taking readers on a harrowing journey through the horrific aftermath of the 7th October attack". The synopsis continues: "In the book, Murray argues Israel’s commitment to fundamental Western values—capitalism, individual rights, democracy and reason—contrasts with the ideology of Hamas, which openly proclaims its love of death over life, seeking to undermine democratic values and perpetuate a culture of violence."

Murray said: "I’m thrilled to be working again with Joel Simons, Eric Nelson and the teams at Harper NonFiction and Broadside, who were such formidable champions of The War On The West. This will be my most personal book to date. For the past year I have been living in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon collecting first-hand testimony of the massacres of 7th October. I wanted to see with my own eyes what had happened. But the book I want to write is not just about the events of that day, but about what it tells us. Not just about Israel, the Palestinians, the Middle East and the future of the West, but about what people do in extremis. From the people who step up to defend our societies to the people who want to destroy them."


How Global Anti-Semitism Relates to Immigration and Campus Culture of Censorship, with Bill Ackman
Megyn Kelly is joined by Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square, to talk about the rise of anti-Semitism throughout Europe and the United State, how unchecked immigration can lead to anti-Jewish violence, the post-October 7 rise of anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses, and more.




Robbie Keane’s wife says she feels unsafe in Ireland because he used to manage Maccabi Tel Aviv
Claudine Keane, wife of former Republic of Ireland footballer Robbie Keane, has spoken out about her family's safety concerns, following a wave of online abuse targeting her husband after his involvement with Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Keane, a former captain of both Ireland and Tottenham Hotspur, resigned from his role as manager of Maccabi Tel Aviv in June of this year, after a year in charge of the club.

The former player faced criticism from Irish people after being invited to present caps to players at an international training camp for the Republic of Ireland national team.

In a heartfelt post on social media, Claudine Keane said: “I would just like to remind a certain small group of individuals: my family, my children, and I live in Ireland, this is our home. I feel extremely uncomfortable and sometimes intimidated by some messages again from a small group that are hurtful, threatening and dangerous.”

She continued, “They not only genuinely put our safety and wellbeing as a family at risk, they are using a sportsperson as a political pawn and, in doing so, inciting hatred by making absolutely outrageous accusations. I always felt safe in Ireland until now.”

The Keanes’ distress comes in the wake of increasing tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has fuelled a rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric online.

Keane, who managed Maccabi Tel Aviv for just over a year, led the club to the Israeli league title earlier this year before leaving in June.


Mississauga mayor compares Hamas leader to Nelson Mandela ahead of vigil for Yahya Sinwar
Amid the ongoing controversy over a planned vigil commemorating Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the mayor of Mississauga, Ont., compared the deceased terrorist to Nelson Mandela during a council meeting on Wednesday.

The city and Mayor Carolyn Parrish have come under fire for saying that the vigil is protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and for refusing to do anything to prevent it from going ahead on public property, at Celebration Square, on Nov. 26.

Local councillor Joe Horneck questioned why the city couldn’t condemn the vigil in its communications, given that Sinwar is widely identified as a terrorist, including by the government of Canada. Sinwar is considered to be the architect behind the October 7 terror attacks against Israel and was killed Oct. 16 by Israeli forces in Gaza.

Parrish responded by drawing a comparison between Sinwar and Mandela, the anti-apartheid activist and first president of South Africa who died in 2013.

“I just want to point out — and I’m not being facetious — Nelson Mandela was declared a terrorist by the United States of America until the year 2008. Your terrorist and somebody else’s terrorist may be two different things,” the mayor said.
Fury as iconic 70-year-old city tradition is CANCELLED following threat from pro-Palestine protesters: 'Is nothing sacred?'
An iconic Aussie Christmas tradition celebrated for almost 70 years will not go ahead, amid fears the family-friendly event will be hijacked by pro-Palestine activists.

The famous annual Myer Christmas window-reveal planned for Sunday at its Melbourne CBD store in Bourke Street has been cancelled due to safety concerns.

The department store giant confirmed on Thursday that the beloved Christmas tradition will not go ahead.

'In light of recent developments and to ensure the wellbeing and safety of customers and team members, we will no longer hold an event on Bourke Street Mall for the unveiling of our Christmas windows,' a Myer spokesperson said.

'Myer's Christmas windows have long symbolised joy and community, and we remain committed to providing a safe and positive experience for all visitors.'

Pro-Palestine activist group Disrupt Wars plans to rally at Bourke Street Mall on Sunday.

'Christmas is cancelled, and there will be no joy or frivolity while children in Gaza are massacred,' the group posted on social media.

'Inconvenience those who would rather bury their heads in the capitalist machine than speak up against a genocide.'

An image on social media included the threat, 'Crash the Christmas windows.'

It will be only the second time the iconic Myer unveiling has been cancelled in its almost 70 year history.

The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

The cancellation of the time-honoured event has sparked anger from Jewish leaders.

'Is nothing sacred anymore?' community leader and Anti-Defamation chair Dr Dvir Abramovich told the Herald Sun

'This is not about free speech – it's a toxic hijacking of a family-friendly tradition that has no place in any community.

'Melbourne's Christmas windows are about peace, unity, and holiday magic, not about spreading discord and confrontation.

'We cannot allow the spirit of Christmas to be exploited as a vehicle for hatred or to spread anger and misinformation.'
Southwest Sydney barbershop owner under investigation by NSW Police over videos and posts appearing to glorify terrorism
Sky News Australia can reveal a southwest Sydney barber shop owner is being investigated by NSW Police over videos and other posts appearing to glorify terrorism.

Zac Zhour, the owner of Airds-based Z VIP Barber, posted two videos to Instagram last month appearing to be filmed at a site in Lebanon, in which the Hezbollah symbol, military uniforms and weapons were clearly on display.

Mr Zhour also recently published several posts to his Instagram and Facebook accounts glorifying the assassinated leaders of terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as an image depicting Hezbollah terrorists with the words “Jihad is the greatest deed”.

In another post, Mr Zhour poses with a young child making salutes, both wearing black headbands Sky News understands are worn by Shia jihadists in battle.

Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory says the posts are shocking.

“It's certainly very suspicious and it's something we would urge law enforcement to take seriously,” Mr Gregory said.

“This isn’t an isolated case. We’ve seen many incidents of the Muslim community expressing support for proscribed terrorist organisations since October 7.

“It's a great concern to Australia, it's a great concern to the Jewish community, to ordinary Australians and for social cohesion.”




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