Wednesday, July 29, 2026

07/28 Links Pt1: Eli Lake: Mr. President, Give Up on a Nuclear Deal with Iran; How global elites weaponize anti-Israel hostility to conceal misconduct and crime; It’s time to demythologize the mystique of Palestinianism

From Ian:

How global elites weaponize anti-Israel hostility to conceal misconduct and crime
The dismissal of International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, a British-Pakistani lawyer, by the court’s member states marks a watershed moment, not just for international law, but for our understanding of how modern “lawfare” is weaponized as a personal shield.

For months, the global public was led to believe that Khan’s aggressive pursuit of arrest warrants against Israeli leadership was a principled stance on human rights. However, the timeline tells a far more cynical story.

The allegations of coercive sexual misconduct against Khan were formally reported internally to senior ICC officials and the court’s independent watchdog before he launched his lawfare campaign and sought arrest warrants against Israeli officials.

Confronted with an impending career-ending scandal, Khan played the ultimate survival card: he targeted the Jewish state.

By aggressively seeking arrest warrants for Israel’s prime minister and defense minister, Khan orchestrated a calculated diversion. This move was designed to align him with the Western political Left and their Islamist coalition allies, who command significant influence over mainstream media narratives.

The strategy was clear: leverage anti-Israel bias to frame any subsequent scrutiny of his personal behavior as a retaliatory, politically motivated attack. In the early stages, the tactic worked seamlessly. The mainstream media accommodated this narrative, focusing on institutional friction rather than the severe allegations of misconduct that have now led to his formal dismissal.

This playbook, using hostility towards Israel as an emergency exit from domestic or personal ruin, is becoming a disturbing trend among contemporary leaders. On May 27, 2026, the offices of Spain’s Socialist Party, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, the EU’s anti-Israel-in-chief, were raided by the police.

This escalation follows the formal indictment of his wife on corruption and influence-peddling charges. There are other ongoing corruption charges against those close to Sánchez, including the recent indictment of Spain’s former Socialist prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero over corruption linked to Venezuela and oil schemes.

Sánchez’s relentless diplomatic assaults on Israel may be initially seen as aligned with his coalition’s Leftist ideology, or as a professed concern for the human rights of the oppressed.

However, more vicious attacks on Israel also serve a highly functional domestic purpose: convincing a progressive base that internal judicial scrutiny is merely a shadow campaign directed by Jerusalem.

In Persian culture, there is a precise term for this behavior: riya (ریا). Riya is the practice of flagrant hypocrisy, where one projects a false public image to conceal a darker reality. In Iran, modern history has taught citizens a painful truth: the louder a public figure performs ideological purity, the larger the crime they are attempting to hide.

Under the Islamic Republic, a mafia cartel operating under a religious guise, hyper-demonstrative piety is the standard armor for systemic financial and political corruption. The legendary Persian poet Hafez famously identified riya and deceit as the absolute pinnacle of societal moral decay.

Steps toward accountability
Today, Western elites are recycling this ancient vice. Antisemitism is a chronic human disease akin to latent tuberculosis. It exists asymptomatically across millions.

However, when activated by political opportunity, it breaks out into lethal destruction, from the horrors of the Holocaust to the atrocities of October 7. The contemporary Western Left and its Islamist allies have seamlessly repackaged this bias under the acceptable veneer of “anti-Zionism.”
Brian L. Cox & John Spencer: Arresting Netanyahu in America Would Be Illegal
This is what Mamdani left out. He will commit a criminal offense if he orders the prime minister to be arrested during a visit to New York City, as Netanyahu is expected to do in September to attend sessions at the UN General Assembly.

Here is why: New York law establishes that restraining another person is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in prison. It becomes a class E felony if the restraint exposes the person “to a risk of serious physical injury.”

The law defines “restrain” as restricting “a person's movements intentionally and unlawfully.” There is no question the act would be intentional. The Constitution makes the rest clear. It would be entirely unlawful.

The ICC may have issued a warrant, but it has no legal force in this country because America never ratified the Rome Statute. President Bill Clinton signed it, but the Bush administration withdrew the signature, and no president has ever submitted the treaty to the Senate. Without Senate approval, the Rome Statute has no legal standing in the United States.

There is no ambiguity. An ICC warrant cannot be enforced anywhere in this country. Attempting to act on it would be unlawful.

Although Mamdani only exercises governing authority within New York City, Ro Khanna’s call for President Trump to arrest Netanyahu extends beyond the confines of a single municipality. Regardless of the location, arresting the prime minister on the basis of ICC warrants would also constitute the intentional tort of false imprisonment.

The decisive element in a civil suit for false imprisonment under these circumstances would be that the defendant acted “without lawful authority.” Because ICC proceedings are not recognized by a country such as the United States that hasn’t ratified the Rome Statute, no governmental official has “lawful authority” to implement warrants issued by the international tribunal.

Any attempt to detain him would trigger federal jurisdiction. Israel and Netanyahu could take the offenders to federal court, and the financial and diplomatic fallout would be enormous.

Mamdani claims New York City is a “city of international law.” It is not. It cannot be. And no mayor can declare it otherwise.

The Big Apple is a metropolitan area in the State of New York, which is part of the United States of America. This means New York City is a city of constitutional law, just like every other municipality in the country.

And Ro Khanna asserts “America needs to cooperate with the ICC” because “it’s a matter of a rules-based international order.” This is false.

The “rules-based international order” is built on consent. While the United States agrees with most of the substance of the Rome Statute, this country has not acquiesced to the court’s jurisdiction by virtue of ratifying this multilateral treaty.

As such, arrest warrants issued by the ICC have no legal effect in America. This means arresting Benjamin Netanyahu would violate the rules-based international order as well as constitutional law that applies domestically across the United States.
Yisrael Medad: Going on a narrative offensive: It’s time to demythologize the mystique of Palestinianism
Rewiring the narrative
Historically, the relative success in the turnabout on Israel and Zionism has been a long process. Even if we ignore Jewish anti-Zionism thinking, amongst Jews as well as non-Jews, or take into consideration general anti-Jewish sentiment whether racist or religiously-motivated, surely we are in a very different place as regards control of the narrative.

In a recent piece posted in the +972 Magazine, we learn that France’s Rima Hassan, European Parliament member representing the La France Insoumise party, wants to break four taboos in the French public debate on Palestine.

They are: recognizing Zionism as a colonial ideology; defending the right of return; discussing the legitimacy of armed struggle; and moving beyond the two-state paradigm.

That is not a simple alteration of a narrative but, as the chant that has been increasingly sounded at anti-Israel rallies is formulated, Zionism must be eliminated. We are back in the 1950s and 1960s with the “Throw them into the sea!” sloganeering.

Yet, because of the internal squabbling in Israel over policies, the fundamental truths of the Zionist narrative have been misplaced in our public diplomacy material, as well as the fierce willingness to engage in confronting the waves of lies and fabrications assertively. It appears the “in” thing is to appear at the Oxford Union in evening dress.

Rabbi Irving Greenberg, however, provides another problem. Appalled by Hasan Piker’s claim of how much better Hamas is than Israel, he writes in the LA Jewish Journal on July 16 that Piker’s political voice promotes a “toxic narrative … untethered from reality.”

Piker, he continued, is an example of how “Palestinians’ allies have led [the Palestinians] to the dark side of their national aspirations – destroying Israel rather than building their own potential state.”

Greenberg does not address that toxicity’s success. He does not ask if that negativity should be a cause to punish those exploiting such a message or if, and he is a rabbi, an ethical conclusion could be drawn that should advance the idea that an Arab Palestine state would be immoral.

There exists a major underestimation of the damage and danger the Palestine narrative dominance represents. And now that the pro-Palestine camp has reduced the rhetoric to a zero-sum situation, demanding our elimination and that our existence as a Jewish state must be denied, the hasbara (public diplomacy) approach of defense and explaining Israel’s actions needs to be refashioned.

Money is available. According to reports, since October 2023, upwards of $100 million has been allotted to hasbara efforts, most on social media platforms. I probably haven’t seen all the output, but I am confident little of it was framed in an attack mode.

We need to be past that stage of weak, explanatory public diplomacy. Attention must be shifted. The burden of proof and defense must be placed on the pro-Palestine side. Should a Palestinian national identity of less than 100 years be preferred over a 3,000-year Jewish national identity?

Were not the Arab Muslim conquests of the seventh and eighth centuries the real colonization process in the Middle East?

Who is truly engaged in an “ethnic cleansing” if not Palestinianism? Who initiated genocidal violence, beginning in 1920? Should not the side that violates agreements be punished? Should a constant rejection of diplomacy and willingness to compromise be tolerated?

It is time to make major changes in attitude and approach and to reassert Zionism’s narrative.


UKLFI: Natasha Hausdorff on Karim Khan's removal and its impact on Netanyahu, the ICC & Israel
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has removed its Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, after member states voted that he had committed serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty.

The decision follows allegations of sexual misconduct, which Khan denied, but it also comes after many months of controversy surrounding his handling of the ICC's investigation into Israel and his decision to seek arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

During this period reports have suggested that Khan rushed to apply for these arrest warrants, cancelling a scheduled visit to Israel and ignoring exonerating evidence, in a desperate attempt to persuade the complainant from pursuing her allegations.

In this interview, UKLFI Charitable Trust Legal Director Natasha Hausdorff examines:
• Why Karim Khan was removed from office.
• The legal framework governing the Prosecutor's duties under the Rome Statute.
• Why UK Lawyers for Israel argued Khan failed to comply with those duties.
• Khan's abrupt and inexplicable cancellation of his scheduled visit to Israel in May 2024 and his public announcement that he was applying for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders shortly after he was informed that allegations of his sexual misconduct had been reported to ICC officials
• The impact of his removal on the arrest warrants issued against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant
• What this means for the future credibility of the ICC

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:13 Why was Karim Khan removed?
05:37 Why the timing of the allegations matters
14:18 Did Karim Khan breach his legal duties?
21:28 What happens to the Netanyahu and Gallant warrants?
23:41 Does the ICC have a deeper institutional problem?
26:22 What should happen next?




Eli Lake: Mr. President, Give Up on a Nuclear Deal with Iran
President Trump has been giving diplomacy a chance since April and he has little to show for it. As Trump learned last month, the price for a temporary opening of the strait is too high. Trump would not only have to commit to reviving the economy of a regime that struggles to pay its soldiers, but also concede that Hizbullah, Iran's proxy in Lebanon, had a right to continue to hold that country hostage.

The negotiation to get the hard-liners in Tehran to sign a nuclear pact is folly. The main reason is that the nuclear program being negotiated has largely been destroyed. The only thing left to do is to secure what the president has called the "nuclear dust," what remains of the highly enriched uranium buried deep beneath the remains of Iran's underground facilities in Isfahan and Natanz.

But at this point it's hardly necessary. Iran's regime, for now and in the near to medium term, cannot get to that material either. And even if they could, they no longer have the centrifuge cascades or the workshops to turn that uranium into a nuclear weapon. Even still, if U.S. sensors and satellites detect an effort to secure that material, our military has the capability to end those efforts as they begin.

The right strategy now is to play a longer game. Stop trying to get the Iranians to admit defeat. For now, just keep the military and the blockade in place as they are. This will disabuse Iran's leaders of the hope that Trump is desperate to cut a deal that will revive its war machine and economy.

When Trump threatens war only to back away, he only makes the battered and impoverished regime in Iran look stronger than they really are. Their nuclear program, built up over three decades at the cost of hundreds of billions of dollars and international sanctions and censure, is today largely rubble and ash. That is an accomplishment of Israeli and American arms.
Trump's De-risking Strategy in the Iran War
The president has adopted a military strategy that can persist as long as he wants, with little likelihood of getting pulled into a quagmire (see Vietnam) or suckered into a humiliating retreat (recall Afghanistan).

The president is not just throwing bombs, and then more bombs until the Iranians quit. Nor will he expand the war with a massive influx of ground troops.

Trump's strategy is not escalation dominance; rather, he is de-risking - every time the Iranians fail to meet their obligations or retaliate, he takes more capabilities and assets of Iran off the table.

Every day the U.S. pounds Iranian targets adds month and years to the timeline it would take them to be the threat they were just a year ago.

The IRGC should not bet on the mid-terms as a political constraint on the president. It is clear he will not sacrifice strategic objectives for short-term political impact.
The Battle for Perception: Inside Iran's Wartime Media Strategy
The New York Times claimed that President Trump had hesitated to expand the campaign against Iran due to a growing shortage of Patriot interceptors, increased vulnerability of Arab allies to Iranian retaliation, and concern over the broader economic consequences of continued fighting. Within the Iranian media ecosystem, however, reported hesitation quickly became proof that the strategic balance had shifted toward Iran.

"America halted the escalation of war for fear of even heavier losses," declared Kayhan. When Trump insisted that the U.S. "had not retreated," the mere need to deny retreat was presented as evidence that the issue had already become central in Washington.

A single Western report was amplified repeatedly until it evolved into a story of Iranian strategic victory. The original report concerned a pause in escalation. Iranian newspapers translated it into an American admission of defeat.

Alongside the narrative of American retreat came a series of claims describing widespread Iranian attacks against U.S. bases across the region. The English-language Iran Daily declared that Iranian forces had "struck American bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait." Additional reports assigned operational names to the attacks, while claiming strikes against Amazon data centers in Bahrain and the near-total destruction of American infrastructure in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan.

However, adding names, locations, and operational details does not constitute verification. These claims should therefore be viewed as part of Tehran's messaging campaign rather than as verified operational facts.

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia become an Iranian force multiplier. Yemen conducts the attacks, Saudi Arabia absorbs the immediate pressure, and Iran leverages higher energy prices to argue that the regional campaign is working in its favor.

Tehran identified what it viewed as a possible moment of American hesitation and immediately converted it into an information asset. The hardline camp portrays Trump as a trapped president, American bases as destroyed, and rising oil prices as proof that Iran holds the initiative.
Walter Russell Mead: Don't Be So Sure that Tehran Is Winning
Uncertainty and drama have been part of Mr. Trump's deal-making since the 1970s. In his view, misdirection is key to the art of the deal. On top of that, Mr. Trump hopes to achieve ambitious objectives with limited costs, leading him to repeated bluffs, threats and tactical retreats as he maneuvers toward his goals.

Iranian diplomacy is equally opaque. From the 1979-81 hostage crisis to the present day, Iran's leaders befuddled successive American administrations by allowing supposed "moderates" to propose agreements that "hard-liners" at home veto at will. In situations like this, one needs to pay less attention to speeches and short-term moves, and look at the facts shaping the antagonists' options.

The Iranian regime, at least for now, has murdered its way to domestic security. Quite possibly no amount of economic suffering or isolation can overthrow the regime while its goons and thugs stand fast. Additionally, Iran has demonstrated its ability to hold the neighborhood hostage, restricting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and hitting energy infrastructure and American bases across the region.

Given all this, many Iranians believe they are winning the war. But Iran has problems too. Assets and relationships cultivated over decades in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria have been torched, and the longer the conflict lasts, the weaker Iran's regional networks are likely to become. And Iran can't indefinitely function as a society without economic relief.
The Syria Deal: An Opportunity Israel Cannot Afford to Trust
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's statement that Damascus is working toward a security agreement with Israel deserves serious scrutiny. While this could represent a strategic opportunity, opportunity must not be confused with certainty.

The Syrian regime remains fragile, its control over the country is partial, and figures with jihadist backgrounds have been incorporated into state institutions. It would therefore be a mistake to portray al-Sharaa as a man of peace who has undergone a complete transformation or reject all dialogue on the grounds that it must necessarily be a trap.

The right question is not merely whether al-Sharaa is a partner, but whether an arrangement can be designed that will protect Israel even if his intentions change or if his government is not strong enough to enforce its commitments. Renewed dialogue with Damascus should therefore not be based on trust in al-Sharaa or his intentions. It should rest on an agreement that reduces risks and formally safeguards Israel's essential security interests from the outset.

Effective security arrangements and the demilitarization of southwestern Syria must be established. The area must be free of heavy weapons, strategic systems, armed militias and any foreign military presence that threatens Israel.

The Druze issue must be included among Israel's demands. These should include guarantees of security and political representation, as well as an end to severe sectarian violence.

In the Middle East, a good agreement is measured not only by the intentions expressed on the day it is signed, but by its ability to withstand violations the next day.
Hezbollah is on America’s doorstep — our own ‘ally’ is enabling it
Brazil dismisses Hezbollah as a Lebanese problem with little bearing on it. That fiction puts Americans at risk.

The Lebanese Shiite terrorist group maintains an active presence in at least a dozen Latin American countries, and Brazil is one of its main nodes. Security analysts estimate that the Tri-Border Area, joining Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina, and home to roughly 30,000 Lebanese expatriates, channels at least $200 million annually to Hezbollah.

These networks raise the money through narcotics trafficking, cigarette and charcoal smuggling, document fraud, U.S. dollar counterfeiting, trade-based money laundering, and front companies in import-export, construction, and real estate. Regional reports in April 2025 placed about 400 Hezbollah field commanders and their families across South America, including Brazil. A month later, the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program offered $10 million for information leading to the disruption of this terrorist financial umbrella.

In 2006, the U.S. Treasury exposed the infrastructure’s regional depth by designating nine individuals and two entities in Assad Ahmad Barakat’s mob for supporting Hezbollah. But only an FBI alert after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack spurred Brazil’s Federal Police to launch Operation Trapiche.

Working alongside Mossad, Brazilian authorities executed two arrest warrants and conducted 11 search-and-seizure operations across São Paulo, Brasília, and Minas Gerais. Investigators identified Syrian-Brazilian Mohamad Khir Abdulmajid and Lebanese national Haissam Houssim Diab as indoctrinators who recruited at least six Brazilians. They lured recruits to Beirut with large cash payments to plan attacks against Jewish and Israeli objectives. The possible targets included two Brasília synagogues, Israel’s embassy, and a Jewish cemetery. At least one recruit conducted surveillance for the Hezbollah-sponsored operation.

A 2024 Trapiche follow-up exposed the money trail. Police made one preventive arrest and carried out eight searches in Belo Horizonte, Uberlândia, Contagem, São Paulo, and Brasília. Proceeds from smuggled electronic cigarettes paid recruits’ airfare. The money moved through shell companies and a one-billion-real laundering structure identified by Operation Colossus investigators before reaching cryptocurrency wallets already flagged by terrorism-finance specialists. The charges carry a combined possible sentence of 75 years and six months; however, both alleged masterminds remain at large.

Trapiche exposed another dangerous shift: Hezbollah is recruiting Brazilians and exploiting contacts at Shiite cultural centers, including Brasília’s Islamic Beneficent Cultural Center, for cover, indoctrination, and operational support. Brazil’s roughly 90,000 Jews form Latin America’s second-largest Jewish community. Hezbollah has put them squarely in its crosshairs.

Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Honduras, and Guatemala have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Brazil still refuses, leaving Iran’s Shiite proxy intact and operational on its soil. That denial does not preserve neutrality; it protects the network.
Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan Forge a New Political-Security Axis
The London-based daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported on July 19 that Egypt had concluded a joint military exercise with Turkey that brought together Egyptian airborne and commando units alongside Turkish special forces, part of an accelerating process of military rapprochement between Cairo and Ankara.

The two countries signed a framework agreement on military cooperation during Turkish President Erdogan's visit to Cairo in February. Within a few months, the two militaries have conducted several joint exercises across air, land, and sea.

Senior Israeli security officials noted that Egypt also held a series of operational meetings with the Pakistani Navy and has conducted a series of joint exercises over the past year. From Egypt's perspective, Pakistan represents a partner of considerable strategic value.

According to senior Israeli security officials, the weakening of Iranian influence across several regional arenas, uncertainty surrounding future American engagement, the continuation of regional conflicts, and growing competition over trade routes and energy corridors are all driving Middle Eastern states to seek new regional security arrangements.

Senior security officials say Egyptian officials have assured their American counterparts that expanding cooperation with Ankara and Islamabad should not be interpreted as the formation of an anti-Israel alliance.

Nevertheless, Israeli security officials argue that the growing series of joint exercises, defense agreements, and high-level military exchanges among Egypt, Turkey, and Pakistan indicates that a much broader strategic partnership is quietly taking shape. They are gradually building interoperable capabilities across the air, maritime, and special operations domains.

Senior Israeli security officials say a new Sunni axis is emerging, preparing to fill the strategic vacuum expected to be left by the collapse of the Iranian-led Shiite "Axis of Resistance" following the anticipated fall of the regime in Tehran.
Joint US, Saudi attacks on Iran-backed forces in Iraq after unsuccessful Islamic Republic ‘surprise attack’
The United States and Saudi Arabia struck “multiple” terror and weapon sites in eastern Iraq, after Iran directed terrorists there to attack American troops and energy infrastructure in the kingdom, U.S. Central Command said on Tuesday.

The American and Saudi strikes were a “strong response to over 30 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” CENTCOM said. “The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful.”

CENTCOM said that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched “multiple” ballistic missiles from Iran at 5:45 p.m. Eastern Time “in an attempted surprise attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East.”

“All Iranian missiles were successfully intercepted,” CENTCOM said. “U.S. forces remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness.”

“Surprise Iranian attack on U.S. forces while Trump had frozen U.S. strikes to give talks a chance. This tells us all we need to know about this regime,” stated Hussain Abdul-Hussain, a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. “The only good Islamic Iranian regime is a dead one.”


Netanyahu, Trump meeting in DC ‘positive, productive’
U.S. President Donald Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday before the two leaders are due to attend the funeral of former South Carolina Republican senator Lindsey Graham.

The meeting, which lasted about an hour, comes amid questions about the direction of the war in Iran, with Trump continuing to pursue negotiations with the Islamic Republic after suggesting last week that he was prepared to carry out a “higher level” of strikes.

In a statement after the meeting, Netanyahu said it was “was one of the best conversations I’ve had with the president of the United States.”

“I have just finished an excellent meeting with President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “When I say excellent, it’s not just lip service. It was a conversation of full partnership, of mutual support, with an understanding of the shared goal to ensure that Iran will not have nuclear weapons, and also other goals.”

Trump stated that it was a “very good meeting,” during which “obviously, many important subjects were discussed.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu as “positive and productive.”

A senior source who accompanied Netanyahu to the White House said that Iran was the focus of discussion.

“The prime minister and president held an excellent and comprehensive discussion on the key issues of the day, first and foremost Iran,” the source said. “The leaders reaffirmed their ironclad commitment to ensuring that Iran never has nuclear weapons.”


Lapid blames Netanyahu for Israel’s isolation, vows reset if he returns to gov’t
Addressing one of the leading foreign policy think tanks in the United States, former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid presented his case on Monday for Israel’s diplomatic future should his opposition bloc form the country’s next government after the upcoming elections.

Speaking at the Atlantic Council in Washington, Lapid argued that Israel is increasingly isolated diplomatically and feuding with its allies — which he blamed primarily on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition — and he recommended that Jerusalem adopt a more measured and bipartisan approach going forward.

Lapid is visiting Washington this week, concurrent with Netanyahu; both of them are set to attend the funeral of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Tuesday.

Lapid said that a new government, primarily made up of current opposition members, would remove officials who advocate for nuking Gaza or who mock detained activists. He said the government should also apologize for the accidental deaths of children in war and express greater empathy more generally, as well as deploy police and soldiers to address what he characterized as Jewish terrorism in the West Bank.

He also said that Israel can’t act on the world stage with the same impunity that the United States can, that it needs to listen to its friends around the world instead of writing them off, should never fund digital influence operations against American leaders, should stay out of American partisan politics and must rebuild its relationships with Europe.

“Iran is an enemy. Hezbollah is an enemy. Hamas is an enemy,” Lapid said. “France is not the enemy. Sweden is not the enemy. [Sens.] Elizabeth Warren [D-MA], Jon Ossoff [D-GA] and Tim Kaine [D-VA] are not the enemy. The Democratic Party is not the enemy. [Vice President] JD Vance is not the enemy.”

He said that the next Israeli government should communicate to the U.S. and the world that “this was a crazy period, but it is over” and, going forward, “stay out of American politics,” as well as “firmly encourage” both AIPAC and J Street to move away from partisanship.

“To be pro-Israel is to be bipartisan to build a broad coalition of support. Do not boycott people who dislike us. Insist on meeting them and presenting our case,” Lapid said.


Israeli Submarine on Missions near Enemy Shores
Lt.-Col. R., 34, commands the INS Dolphin submarine. After the Iran war began on Feb. 28, he says, "It was a very intense period. There was a great deal of uncertainty and missions changed at sea based on ongoing situation assessments."

"We have seven operational theaters, and in every theater that includes a maritime arena, submarines can operate - whether on attack missions, defensive missions or intelligence-gathering missions. That applies to nearby theaters and distant ones, at every range you can imagine."

"It is a large platform that can be anywhere, and the enemy never knows where it is....A submarine can operate covertly and remain opposite the coast for 24 hours or more."

"That way, you can see when their guard changes, what observation posts they have, whether they are lit, what equipment they are operating and where they are operating it. You can identify a vehicle arriving at a house, a motorcycle, even a single person."

"When you're in a submarine, everything is fine. We're there, we're not in a hurry to go anywhere and no one can see us. That is an extraordinary advantage a submarine has that no other platform does."
Cabinet gives initial approval for international force in Gaza, with some 200 troops
The Israeli security cabinet on Sunday voted to approve the limited entry of the International Stabilization Force under the Board of Peace-led plan for Gaza, which would include 200 troops from “friendly countries,” Israeli officials told The Times of Israel.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir voted against the proposal, while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar voted in favor, an Israeli official said, without elaborating on whether there was any timeline for deploying the fledgling force.

ISF troops would first deploy along the borders of a pilot humanitarian zone in Gaza being planned by the Board of Peace in the area of the flattened city of Rafah.

The cabinet also approved granting the ISF immunity under Israel’s “Immunities of International Organizations Law,” according to a senior Israeli official, who added that the force will operate in “full coordination with the IDF” in areas that are outside of the Israel Defense Forces’ control.

The entry of any ISF personnel will still be subject to the specific approval of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Sa’ar, the official added, apparently indicating that the decision does not authorize the immediate deployment of the force.

“Israel maintains that the IDF will continue to hold the Yellow Line [to which forces withdrew last October], and there will be no [further] withdrawal whatsoever until Hamas has been completely disarmed and the Gaza Strip has been fully demilitarized,” the official said.
Israeli envoy urges UN to designate Hamas, says terrorist group blocking Gaza plan
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, urged the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization and impose sanctions on the group, arguing that its refusal to disarm remains the primary obstacle to implementing U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan.

Speaking ahead of the Security Council debate on the Middle East, Danon said Hamas continues to block Trump’s 20-point plan, which the council endorsed in Resolution 2803 last year.

“While progress is made in Washington, the Security Council cannot bring itself to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization,” the Israeli envoy said. “Hamas is the main obstacle to implementing President Trump’s 20-point plan. It is time for this council to demand that they disarm.”

Danon said Israel has fulfilled its obligations under Resolution 2803, which “established a path forward for Gaza,” while Hamas has refused to do the same.

“The Board of Peace was created to set the stage for new, de-radicalized leadership,” the Israeli envoy said. “Countries have contributed to the International Stabilization Force. And aid is getting in at levels not seen since 2023.”

“But while Israel upholds its end of the deal, the main problem remains,” he said. “Hamas has refused to disarm.”

Danon accused the Security Council of failing to hold Hamas accountable and criticized the United Nations for not explicitly naming the terrorist organization in a recent statement about interference with humanitarian operations in Gaza.

“This failure to call out terrorists by name and designate them must end now,” he said.

He also rejected accusations that Israel is restricting humanitarian aid, disputed the “flawed” methodology of a recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification assessment and said Israel’s approval of the initial deployment of the International Stabilization Force would support reconstruction in a humanitarian zone free of Hamas control.


From a Soccer Field to a Symbol of Hope: Majdal Shams Two Years On
Exactly two years ago, on 27 July 2024, a rocket fired by Hezbollah struck a children’s soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in northern Israel, killing 12 children and teenagers. One of them was 11-year-old Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din. Today, on the second anniversary of the attack, a new playing field is being inaugurated at the site — a quiet symbol of resilience and remembrance.

The Druze form an Arab ethnoreligious minority of approximately 150,000 people in Israel, concentrated mainly in the north. Their monotheistic faith, which emerged in the 11th century from Ismaili Shiism, is characterised by esoteric teachings, a belief in reincarnation, and strong communal bonds. Within Israel’s pre-1967 borders, the Druze community has long maintained close ties with the state. Many serve in the Israel Defense Forces and share a history of mutual support that dates back to the late 19th century and the 1948 war.

The roughly 20,000–25,000 Druze living in the Golan Heights — in towns such as Majdal Shams (the largest, with some 11,000–12,000 residents), Mas’ade, Buq’ata and Ein Qiniyye — came under Israeli control after the 1967 Six-Day War and the territory’s effective annexation in 1981. A significant portion continue to identify as Syrian, decline Israeli citizenship (though acceptance rates have risen in recent years), and maintain family connections across the border.

Since 8 October 2023, Hezbollah has fired thousands of rockets and drones at northern Israel, including the Golan. The area around Majdal Shams remained relatively quiet in the early months of the conflict, but attacks on nearby military positions intensified during the spring and summer of 2024.

The strike on 27 July was the deadliest against Druze civilians in the region in recent decades and Hezbollah’s single most lethal attack on northern Israel since the war began. Shortly after 6:18 p.m. that Saturday, dozens of children and teenagers were playing soccer on the field beside a playground. Warning sirens sounded, yet an Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket, carrying a warhead of approximately 50–53 kilograms of explosives and launched from the Chebaa area of southern Lebanon, struck within seconds. There was no time to reach the nearby shelter. Twelve young people aged 10 to 16 were killed, among them Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din; between 30 and 42 others were wounded, many seriously.

Hezbollah immediately denied responsibility, stating that it had targeted a military base or that the impact resulted from an Israeli interceptor. Israel, the United States and later UNIFIL assessments attributed the attack to the group.
Herzog marks Majdal Shams attack, launches Druze plan
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday marked two years since the Majdal Shams tragedy, in which 12 children were killed in a Hezbollah attack, and announced the launch of a national Druze leadership initiative.

Speaking alongside Druze community leaders led by Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, Herzog introduced the “Dorna” program, aimed at strengthening leadership within Israel’s Druze community and expanding its influence across multiple sectors.

“The Druze community is an integral part of Israeli society, and its contribution to the resilience and future of the State of Israel is immense,” said Herzog.

He also thanked the initiative’s partners, including the Taib Foundation, Israel’s Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Ministry, the Forum of Druze Local Authority Heads and the Ma’ase Center.

Separately, IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Ariella Mazor published a video on X commemorating the 12 victims, writing: “Today, we remember the 12 lives lost in Majdal Shams.”


Commentary Podcast: Cherry-Pickaxe
Our friend Matt Continetti is back to discuss today's oval office meetings with president Zelensky and Prime Minister Netanyahu and the increased focus on the Iranian facility in Pickaxe Mountain, as well as how technology has shifted the modern battlefield. Plus, the Haley Stevens-Abdul El-Sayed debate pits the establishment against populist enthusiasm, the release of Anthony Fauci's diaries and Biden's interview with Robert Hurr, and Matt recommends The Oxford History of the French Revolution.




IRGC-linked outlet encourages supporters to kill Melania Trump, threatens son Barron
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published a video on Monday encouraging supporters to assassinate US first lady Melania Trump.

The Persian-language video, which used publicly available information, named several department stores in midtown Manhattan where the president’s wife is known to shop.

It mentioned security measures taken ahead of her visits, such as the removal of garbage cans from the street, that indicate she is likely to make a trip there.

The clip encouraged “freedom fighters” to use a nerve agent to poison Melania.

It named three of the first lady’s personal stylists and suggested they be bribed to poison her clothing.

At the end of the clip, a narrator threatened: “This is just the beginning; Barron Trump, wait for us!”


Kassy Akiva: Crowds Tried To Stop The Hangings. Iran Carried Them Out Anyway.
Just before dawn on Tuesday, hundreds of Iranians gathered in Isfahan hoping to stop two young men from being hanged. Instead, security forces violently dispersed the crowd and publicly executed 25-year-old Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and 28-year-old Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi.

Both men were convicted on charges stemming from clashes that Iranian authorities say resulted in the deaths of four security officers. Human rights groups say the men were sentenced after proceedings marred by allegations of torture, forced confessions, and closed-door trials.

The executions stem from the nationwide uprising that began in late December after a currency collapse, soaring inflation, and worsening living conditions sparked protests across Iran. Iranian regime forces responded with a sweeping crackdown that included internet shutdowns, mass arrests, and the widespread use of lethal force.

The executions, which reportedly took place at 3:40 a.m. local time, coinciding with the morning call to prayer, came despite last-minute appeals from United Nations experts, international human rights organizations, and the State Department.

Days before the hangings, State Department Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Riley Barnes condemned Iran’s execution campaign, saying the United States stood with “brave young Iranians who dared to raise their voices” and calling on the regime to release political prisoners and stop executing individuals for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights.

President Donald Trump has continued to call out the treatment of protesters and the executions, including last week, when he shared a graphic about the execution of another January protester, 23-year-old Gol-Mohammad Mohammadi.

“The latest one of 52,000, plus, innocent protesters. Savages!!! When will the Dumocrats wake up??? Trump posted.


Proxies & Propaganda: The Continuing Iranian Threat
The bombs may have stopped for now but the Iranian threat to the Middle East and the United States persists.

Over the past two weeks, the U.S. and the Islamic Republic engaged in a low-intensity conflict prompted by Iran firing on ships attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz along its southern coast. As the U.S. bombed Iranian military facilities in an effort to degrade Tehran’s use of force against international maritime traffic, Iran retaliated with attacks on American regional allies that are home to U.S. military bases, including Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan.

On Friday, July 24, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would hold off on unleashing greater military force against Iran in order to give another chance for negotiations between the two sides. Since then, neither the U.S. or Iran have officially attacked the other.

However, this does not mean that the Iranian threat to the Middle East and the United States has subsided. In fact, it appears that Iran may still be actively engaging in belligerent activities, just ones that are less overt as sending drones and missiles into neighboring countries.

One of the key ways in which Iran still threatens the Middle East is through the use of its wide Middle Eastern proxy network. By using its proxies to attack American bases and neighboring countries instead of directly attacking them, the Islamic Republic is able to claim plausible deniability while still keeping large swathes of the Middle East under the thumb of its terrorist regime.

Since the U.S. and Iran announced a few days ago that they were halting attacks, there have been drone strikes on Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq. Saudi Arabia accused Iran-backed militias in Iraq for this attack on its gas facilities.

While no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks on Iranian opposition forces in Iraq or on the Jordan-Israel border, it is highly likely that these were also committed by pro-Iran Iraqi militias.





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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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