At least six people are wounded in the rocket strike that hit a community center in the northern border community of Arab al-Aramshe, first responders say.One is listed in serious condition, and the other five are in moderate and good condition, according to initial reports cited by medics.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
- Wednesday, April 17, 2024
- Elder of Ziyon
- Arab al-Aramshe, Bedouin, drone, Hezbollah, Hezbollah war crimes, Israeli Arabs, northern border
Tuesday, April 09, 2024
- Tuesday, April 09, 2024
- Elder of Ziyon
- Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Zahedi, Naharnet
An Iranian general killed in a strike in Syria's capital was a member of Hezbollah's Shura Council, the powerful Lebanese group's decision-making body, a source close to the movement said.The April 1 air strike levelled the Iranian embassy's consular annex in Damascus, killing seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members, including two generals.One of them was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the Quds Force, the Guards' foreign operations arm.Zahedi was the only non-Lebanese on Hezbollah's eight-member Shura Council, the equivalent of the powerful Shiite Muslim movement's political bureau, led by secretary general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the source said, requesting anonymity because the matter is sensitive.Nasrallah in a speech Monday paid homage to Zahedi and his colleagues killed in the strike, which Tehran and Damascus have blamed on Israel.Zahedi "lived with us for long years, away from the spotlight, and provided important services to the resistance in Lebanon and the whole region," Nasrallah said Friday during a televised address.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
- Tuesday, September 12, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Ain El-Hilweh, Arab apartheid, blame Israel, conspiracy theories, Fatah, Hezbollah, Lebanon, media silence, NGO silence, Palestinian refugees, Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek, useful idiots, VDL News, victimhood
But the Association of Muslim Scholars had a much better conspiracy theory blaming Israel for the infighting - one that they don't even realize shows how little they care about Palestinians.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|
Tuesday, September 05, 2023
- Tuesday, September 05, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Abdullah Hassan Mohammed Sobeh, hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Lebanon, media silence, Netanya, PIJ, rockets, Tulkarem, West Bank
One of the Hamas terrorists arrested by Israeli forces in Jenin on Monday was Abdallah Hassan Muhammad Zubah. He is known to be one of the major forces behind the nascent West Bank rocket firing attempts.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
- Thursday, August 31, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- "pro-Palestinian", Arafat, Big Lie, David Ben Gurion, hamas, Hezbollah, iran, Iranian proxies, Islamic Jihad, Nazi, social media, Yasser Arafat
- Thursday, August 31, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Blue Line, China, Green without Borders, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Nothern Ghajar, Russia, UAE, UNIFIL, USA
We know UNIFIL has been unable to access a range of troubling sites across the Blue Line, including illegal firing ranges, Green Without Borders sites, rocket launch sites, and tunnel sites. It is clear the main purpose of these sites is to facilitate Hizballah’s operations in southern Lebanon along the Blue Line. This constrains the Mission from fully achieving the directives set forth in the mandate and hinders the Mission’s ability to reduce the likelihood of conflict.
A key point of contention was language introduced by resolution 2650 saying that, pursuant to the Agreement on the Status of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (SOFA), which was signed between Lebanon and the UN in 1995, “UNIFIL does not require prior authorization or permission to undertake its mandated tasks” and that it “is authorized to conduct its operation independently”....During the negotiations, China and Russia apparently supported Lebanon’s position and requested the removal of language introduced in resolution 2650 on UNIFIL not needing prior authorisation to undertake its tasks and demanding that the parties guarantee UNIFIL’s freedom of movement, “including by allowing announced and unannounced patrols”. These members demanded the replacement of this text with language saying that “UNIFIL shall benefit from freedom of movement in coordination with the government of Lebanon”. While recognising that coordination between UNIFIL and the LAF is a valuable factor, it seems that the penholder and several other members held the view that coordination is not a precondition for UNIFIL to carry out its mandated functions.The draft resolution placed in blue on 29 August attempted to bridge these diverging positions. Although it retained language reaffirming that, pursuant to the SOFA, UNIFIL does not require prior authorisation to undertake its tasks and that it is authorised to conduct its operations independently, the phrase “while continuing to coordinate with the Government of Lebanon, as per the SOFA” was added and the reference to “announced and unannounced patrols” was removed. However, it seems that the UAE was particularly unhappy with these changes, apparently leading France to reinsert the language on “announced and unannounced patrols” in the revised draft resolution put in blue yesterday. The reference to coordination with the Lebanese government “as per the SOFA” still appears in the revised text.
The first draft text included a new preambular reference “expressing concern at the continued occupation of northern Ghajar,” a village which straddles the Blue Line, “and an adjacent area north of the Blue Line”. This is in addition to operative language already contained in resolution 2650 urging Israel to expedite the withdrawal of its army from northern Ghajar. Although the UAE proposed “condemning” the occupation, it appears that this change was not made, while the term “occupation” was replaced by “the continued Israeli presence” to accommodate the US’ position on this issue.Following requests by some members—including China, Russia, and the UAE—both references to northern Ghajar were changed during the negotiations to “northern Ghajar and an adjacent area north of the Blue Line, in the outskirts of the town of Al-Mari”, to reflect more closely the language preferred by Lebanon to refer to this area. While this language still appeared in the draft that was put in blue on 29 August, the reference to “the outskirts of the town of Al-Mari” was removed from the amended draft that was put in blue yesterday in a likely concession to the US, which had consistently opposed this language during the negotiations.
Tuesday, August 15, 2023
- Tuesday, August 15, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- 2016 terror, 2023 terror, Amnesty, civilian casualties, civilian infrastructure, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah, HRW, incitement, iran, Iranian proxies, media silence, missiles, NGO silence, Second Lebanon War
Monday, August 07, 2023
- Monday, August 07, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Germany, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah, LGBTQ2S, Queers for Palestine, The Lion's Den, woke, z can't make this stuff up
@Chris on #general -@Chris on July 31, 2023:To the person who was wearing a Hezbollah t shirt on the beach stage, I'm sorry if my complaint caused you upset. I unfortunately felt triggered by the t-shirt because the party leader recently encouraged the killing of queer people. I understand that wearing the t-shirt was used as a trendy fuck you to the hypocrisy of what is called terrorist vs what is not, and I understand being told that it's not ok to wear it by a white man can be triggering - however, given that whole is about celebrating queerness, I feel that perhaps there are other symbols to wear that are less complicated politically and more inclusive to the different experiences of people. I'm sorry again that it happened this way, I hope you are ok now. To the security people who listened to me and talked to the person, thank you. I wish you let me speak to him directly, it would have been validating and perhaps he would have understood the nuances of my views given that I'm Lebanese myself, but I also understand you wanted to make sure we are both heard.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|
Monday, July 31, 2023
- Monday, July 31, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Ain El-Hilweh, Area A, building a state, clan clashes, hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Lebanon, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian refugees, Palestinian State, security chaos, unrwa
Clashes renewed Sunday in the Ain al-Helweh Palestinian refugee camp near Sidon between the secular Fatah Movement and hardline Islamist groups.TV networks said the fighting resumed after a senior Fatah commander was killed in an ambush.An Islamist had been killed and six people including children had been injured in overnight clashes in the camp.Key Sidon highways were closed to traffic on Sunday as stray bullets and shells landed in various areas of the major southern Lebanese city.Clashes between rival groups are common in Ain al-Helweh, which is home to more than 54,000 registered Palestinian refugees who have been joined in recent years by thousands of Palestinians fleeing the conflict in Syria.By long-standing convention, the Lebanese Army does not enter Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, leaving the factions themselves to handle security.That has created lawless areas in many camps, and Ain al-Helweh has gained notoriety as a refuge for extremists and fugitives.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|
Friday, June 30, 2023
- Friday, June 30, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Alma, Blue Line, escalation, foreign policy, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah, iran, Israel, Lebanon, media silence, Shebaa Farms, Syria, UNIFIL, UNSCR 1701
Washington is urging the Lebanese government to pressure Hezbollah into removing an outpost erected in the occupied Shebaa Farms, Israeli media reported on 29 June.Walla news outlet cited anonymous Israeli and US officials as saying that the outpost represents a “miscalculation on Hezbollah’s part, which does not take into account the potential Israeli response. Therefore, this incident has the potential for serious escalation.”“Our goal is for the outpost not to be there. We prefer Hezbollah evacuate its people itself over us bombing them. We have made this clear to the US, and the Americans made it clear to the Lebanese,” the report cites an Israeli official as saying.According to Walla, Hezbollah began erecting the first tent in April. The Israeli army reportedly did not realize this until a second tent had been set up.Israel tried to handle the situation “under the radar in quiet talks” with UNIFIL for weeks.Other Israeli media outlets say Tel Aviv set a deadline to remove the tents, and that it would deal with the resistance group “on its own,” sparking fears of a wider confrontation.Beirut has acknowledged that the outpost is south of the UN-recognized Blue Line, separating Lebanese and Israeli territories.
Last week I wrote, "Israeli territory is being stolen by a terrorist group. It seems unbelievable that Israel would outsource the solution to the impotent UN."
It appears that Israel is treading carefully, not wanting to start a war over this but not willing to back down.
It first gave UNIFIL a chance to get involved and do its job to ensure that all of Southern Lebanon, let alone Israeli territory, is not occupied by an Iranian militia. Israel informed UNIFIL of the tents in April, but they have proven to be worthless:
According to Kan news, which originally reported on the Iranian proxy’s armed presence inside Israel proper, the IDF approached UNIFIL regarding the matter some time ago, but the watchdog only came to the site following diplomatic pressure from Israel at UN Headquarters.
Upon inspection, UNIFIL confirmed that tents set up and manned by Hezbollah have indeed been established on the Israeli side of the internationally recognized Blue Line in the contested Mount Dov region, an area claimed by Israel, Lebanon and Syria and also known as the Shebaa Farms.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote that Hezbollah’s actions constitute a violation of UN Resolution 1701, enacted following the end of the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and ratified by both countries. The resolution calls for armed groups besides the official Lebanese military and UNIFIL to remain north of the country’s Litani River.
The letter also contained photographs of the Lebanese position in Israel.
Furthermore, the former public security minister noted that Hezbollah has built 27 outposts along the Blue Line over the past year, and that he expects the UN to take action on the matter, as these positions also violate Resolution 1701.
“Our goal is for the outpost not to be there,” an Israeli official was quoted as saying. “We prefer Hezbollah evacuate its people itself over us bombing them. We have made this clear to the US and the Americans made it clear to the Lebanese.”
According to the Ynet news site, Israeli officials believe UN peacekeepers will not be able to act against the post and are looking to the US and France instead. The outlet claimed Israeli officials had set a deadline for the position to be removed, after which it will get rid of the tents itself, a move that could spark a wider conflagration.
Alma Research, which watches Hezbollah closely, believes that the terror group wants a war.
In our assessment, Hezbollah intends to reach an escalation that will lead to a broad military conflict with Israel, out of an internal interest in strengthening its power in Lebanon. Hezbollah is trying to escalate with a defiant presence on the border, the Megiddo attack, firing rockets, and now the placing of tents on Israeli territory. Israel for the time being is not dragged in. Last summer, Nasrallah gave ideological and religious approval for a military conflict and as far as Hezbollah is concerned, he has carried out significant power-building in recent years and is ready for a conflict. Continued provocations or a broad conflict is a win-win for Hezbollah.
The strategy is Iranian, not Lebanese
I believe that Israel's best card to play is the Lebanese people itself. While they hate Israel, they hate Hezbollah and Iran as well, and they do not want to be dragged into a new conflict that only benefits Iran.
The Lebanese media has been muted in this issue. I believe that unless Hezbollah dismantles the tents quickly, Israel should publicly say - but with the intent that the Lebanese hear - that the situation is intolerable and that Israel will bomb the tents on Israeli territory.
Israel should make a public deadline, announce the date that the tents would be bombed, emphasize that these are on Israeli territory, and then bomb them if they are not removed.
Israel must emphasize that it has no intention of attacking Lebanon - unless attacked first. If Hezbollah responds with rockets, the gloves will come off.
The UN agrees where the Blue Line is so Hezbollah's claim that the territory is Lebanese will not impress more residents.
If the Lebanese people publicly call for Hezbollah to withdraw, it would have a hard time pretending that it is defending Lebanese interests.
The entire Shebaa Farms issue is just an excuse by Hezbollah to maintain its massive arsenal for the pretense of "defending Lebanon." Everyone knows it is a joke. But Lebanese lives are in the balance, and it must be made clear to the world that Iran and its Hezbollah proxy are trying to start a war that would only hurt the Lebanese people.
It is clear that Israel cannot allow an enemy to wantonly grab its land. No state would. Israel's patience so far has been somewhere between heroic and foolhardy.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|
Monday, June 26, 2023
- Monday, June 26, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Hezbollah, iran, Lebanon, opinion poll, Shiite Muslims
Among these Shia respondents, only 58% classify Iran as primarily a friend of the country. Meanwhile, a quarter see Iran as either an enemy or a competitor. In the case of Sunni and Christian respondents, those who see Iran as an enemy jumps to 66% and 83% respectively. Notably, the proportion of Lebanese overall who see Iran as an enemy is effectively the same proportion as in Saudi Arabia or the UAE—and a larger proportion than in Egypt, Jordan, or Kuwait. Just 18% of Lebanese overall characterize Iran as first and foremost a ‘friend.’Also notable was that 54% of Lebanese Sunnis disagree that “a major American or Israeli military strike on Iran would be too dangerous, and a bad idea for our country.”
The vast majority of Lebanese remain staunchly opposed to relations with Israel, either in the case of humanitarian aid or economic ties. And in contrast to those in the Gulf, a large proportion of Lebanese (62%) believe that Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza on their southern neighbor are a positive development for the region.
Iranian proxy Hezbollah might still have veto power over Lebanese politics, but their strength among the Shiites is not resulting in any sympathy from the Lebanese population as a whole.
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
- Wednesday, June 21, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Blue Line, Golan, Hezbollah, IDF, Kan News, Lebanon, Shebaa Farms, Six Day War, Syria, UNIFIL, UNSCR 1701
During a discussion held last week in the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee of the Knesset, it was revealed that a Hezbollah force invaded the sovereign territory of the State of Israel, in the Mount Dov sector, and established an armed military position there. This was announced today (Wednesday) for the first time in the program "Hatze Hayom".These facts were discovered and discussed by several members of the Knesset in a meeting held last Tuesday in the committee, with the participation of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Members of the Knesset drew the Prime Minister's attention to an unusual and serious incident that is taking place on the northern border.According to what was said in the discussion, in recent weeks a Hezbollah force crossed the Blue Line on Mount Dov and set up two tents inside Israeli territory. The position is manned by Hezbollah with several armed men on its side (between three and eight) who are stationed in front of the IDF soldiers within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel.The IDF spokesman's response: "The issue is recognized and being dealt with in front of all the relevant parties."
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
- Tuesday, June 13, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Alma, analysis, Hezbollah, Lebanon, terror tunnels
In our opinion, explosive-filled terror tunnels are one of the threats and “surprises” that might be expected in a future confrontation with Hezbollah. The threat of terror tunnels is another layer in the underground infrastructure of Hezbollah’s “Land of the Tunnels” in Lebanon, which comprises attack tunnels, infrastructure tunnels, and strategic tunnels. In October 2021, we released an article regarding Hezbollah’s “Land of the Tunnels” underground infrastructure in Lebanon.The usage of explosive-filled tunnels is less recognized. These tunnels are packed with explosives that run beneath a community, security facility, or geographical location where an explosion might harm the enemy. The tunnel is filled with tons of explosives and is sealed and activated at a determined moment.Using these tunnels causes significant destruction. Due to their immense force and underground location, explosive charges in tunnels of this type, unlike bombs or missiles from the air, have the effect of an earthquake rather than a bomb and can thus destroy a community or an entire facility.The utilization of this strategy during World War I is a distinct example of this. The Germans and the British excavated hundreds of such tunnels beneath no man’s land and extended defensive lines, wreaking havoc on the opposing side.The Battle of the Messines Ridge (now French territory), which began on June 7, 1917, with a sequence of explosions of nineteen tunnels out of twenty-six excavated, is particularly noteworthy. Each tunnel contained a total of twenty-one tons of explosives. More than 400 tons of explosives exploded in total. The impact of the explosion could be heard as far away as London.As a direct result of the explosion, it is estimated that 10,000 Germans were killed or buried alive beneath the mounds of dirt, and thousands of startled German soldiers were captured.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|
Monday, June 12, 2023
- Monday, June 12, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Al Akhbar, Arab News, border controls, Fajer Al-Saeed, Freedom of Expression, Freedom of the Press, Hezbollah, Joseph Al-Kosseifi, Kuwait, Lebanese Press Editors’ Syndicate, Lebanon, Ya Libnan
There was uproar in Lebanon on Thursday after Kuwaiti media writer and producer Fajer Al-Saeed was prevented from entering the country.
Al-Saeed was stopped at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday evening, with Lebanon’s General Security rejecting a request from Kuwaiti Embassy officials to allow her to spend the night there before leaving on the first flight to Kuwait.Instead, she was deported back to her country on Thursday morning after spending the night at the airport.Joseph Al-Kosseifi, head of the Lebanese Press Editors’ Syndicate, told Arab News: “We are against obstructing the work of any journalist in Lebanon — whether Lebanese or visiting from abroad.“What happened requires clarification. Some claim that Al-Saeed was prevented from entering Lebanon due to an Israeli stamp on her passport, while others argue that her bold stance against Hezbollah was the reason...."
Ya Libnan also blamed Hezbollah:
One analyst who did not want to be named for fear on his life told Ya Libnan, "There is always a Hezbollah official at the airport who decides if a person can enter Lebanon or not , because the General Security is controlled by Hezbollah."
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
|