English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 12/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have
fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what
is true
First Letter of John 01/01-10/:”We declare to you what was from the beginning,
what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and
touched with our hands, concerning the word of life this life was revealed, and
we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was
with the Father and was revealed to us we declare to you what we have seen and
heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is
with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so
that our joy may be complete. This is the message we have heard from him and
proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we
say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie
and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son
cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just
will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that
we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August
11-12/2024
Thwarting the 'black cloud': Could Israel strike first against Hezbollah?
- analysis
UN vehicle carrying Irish troops damaged in strike
Six Irish soldiers caught up in air attack in Lebanon village
IDF doubles number of drones in North amid heightened tensions between Israel,
Iran, Hezbollah
Lebanese on edge amid fears of all-out Israel-Hezbollah war
Rockets fired from Lebanon hit Israeli site, fire reported near Kiryat Shmona
Israeli army claims to have struck Hezbollah targets in South Lebanon: Weapons
depot, military buildings hit
Conditional support: Lebanon seeks international assistance to reinforce
military presence in south
Optimism on averting Israel-Hezbollah conflict despite fear of preventive strike
Hezbollah says launched 'squadrons of drones' at Israel after Sidon attack
Two Hezb Members Killed in Israeli Strike in Taybeh
UNIFIL Affirms Close Cooperation With Lebanese Army
Hezb Disturbed by FPM MPs Resignations
Southern Front: Shepherd Injured by Israeli Gunfire in Wazzani
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai: The Country is Sinking and Disintegrating
Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Audi: Drums of War Are Beating
Whilst Lebanon Lacks a President
PSP Secretary-General says to LBCI that Berri does not want dialogue without
Lebanese Forces party
‘Damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ scenario haunts Hezbollah/Dr. Dania
Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/August 11/2024
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August
11-12/2024
Israeli intel believes Iran will attack
directly within days
Palestinian gunmen kill Israeli in West Bank attack, Israeli military says
These are the goals Iran wants to achieve by attacking Israel - interview
Hamas leader Sinwar wants a ceasefire deal, mediators say, but Netanyahu’s
stance unclear
Hamas wants Gaza mediation based on past talks, refuses to attend future
negotiating rounds
Hamas warns Israel against attacking West Bank refugee camp
Iran attack on Israel could last for days, will come by 'surprise' - report
Hamas blasts Israel’s ‘false’ narrative around school massacre
Israel widens evacuation orders in southern Gaza after a deadly strike on a
school-turned-shelter
Iran’s New President Names Oil Minister in Cabinet Rollout
Iran's new president picks pragmatist as top diplomat in proposed cabinet
Iran's Revolutionary Guards hold military drill in western Iran, IRNA says
Kamala Harris says 'too many' civilian deaths in Gaza
Biden says Gaza cease-fire still possible, working ‘literally every single day’
to stop escalation of war
Montreal Pride parade interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters
Top Iraqi Shiite cleric warns of Middle East escalation
China supports Iran in defending security, says foreign minister
Airstrike Kills Several Pro-Iran Fighters in Eastern Syria
Ukraine and Russia trade accusations over fire at occupied nuclear plant
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on August
11-12/2024
A great existential threat: A Harris presidency's impact on Israel/MARTIN
OLINER/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
Israel’s continuous appeasement of terror attacks is leading to all-out war/AVI
ABELOW/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
Iran Knows It Cannot Win a War against Israel/Con Coughlin/Gatestone
Institute./August 11, 2024
Iran-Israel Conflict: The War between the Two Regional Powers/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq
Al-Awsat newspaper/August 11/2024
‘Why Won’t I Respond?’/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 11/2024
Risk of all-out war grows as Iran, Israel cross red lines/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab
News/August 11/2024
Iranian regime finds that those who set the fires can get burned as well/Ali
Hamade/Arab News/August 11/2024
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on August
11-12/2024
Thwarting the 'black cloud': Could
Israel strike first against Hezbollah? - analysis
AMIR BOHBOT/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
A few elements in the security system are pushing for "surprises" that will not
necessarily escalate the reaction of Iran and its allies but will deter them.
Amid the US show of force in the Middle East, the political echelon is in a
dilemma regarding whether it should continue to preserve the northern arena as a
secondary front, remaining vigilant and on high alert for fear of a reaction by
Iran and its allies, or launch a preemptive strike and deprive Hezbollah of
strategic capabilities such as precision missiles, rockets, long-range missiles,
and weapons stockpiles? This question is only heightened in view of the call for
quite a few elements within the security system, who are pushing for “surprises”
that will not escalate Iran’s and its allies’ reactions but will deter them from
taking action that will lead to the killing of civilians in Israel, are making.
The IDF is having an impact on Hezbollah and positions its leader, Hassan
Nasrallah, in countless dilemmas every day concerning the military activities he
can take against Israel. The security establishment estimates that Nasrallah
does not really enjoy full freedom of action and is waiting for Tehran to
dictate the framework of his organization’s response. Tehran is itself debating
the military retaliation. Iran is reportedly evaluating what kind of offensive
might trigger an all-out war with Israel.
The 'black cloud' scenario
Senior officials in the defense establishment warned of a strategic change in
the Middle East since Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran all operate in joint
coordination. For this reason, they must be considered as one whole until
further notice. Some in the security system call this change in perception the
“black cloud.” The sources estimated that Iran prefers a “battle of attrition”
that will exact a price from Israel rather than a broad military response that
will bring the region to the brink of war. On the other hand, the Biden
administration embraces Israel and holds frequent talks with it. Defense
Minister Yoav Gallant has had over 100 conversations with his counterpart, US
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, since the beginning of the war. In recent
weeks, the two have sometimes spoken daily and even twice a day to coordinate
intelligence and developments. One of the sources said that the Iranians are
weary of what the Americans are capable of doing against Iran, keeping in mind
that the White House has a president who will be replaced in a few months and
therefore may not desire an occurrence in the Middle East that would damage US
President Joe Biden’s legacy.
UN vehicle carrying Irish troops damaged in strike
BBC/ August 11, 2024
A United Nations (UN) patrol vehicle with six Irish soldiers on board was caught
up in an air attack in a village in south Lebanon on Saturday. Eight troops,
including six Irish and two Polish, were on an armed patrol when there was a
drone or air attack on a village. Tanáiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál
Martin said none of the soldiers were injured in the attack, but damage was
caused to the vehicle in which they were travelling. Speaking in Dublin on
Sunday, Mr Martin said the incident is still under investigation.
'An explosive blast'
In a statement, the Defence Forces said the attack happened at about 20:00 local
time. It explained the two-vehicle patrol in the IRISHPOLBATT area of operations
in UNIFIL south Lebanon was "caught in an explosive blast of unknown origin".
"The Defence Forces can confirm all personnel are safe and accounted
for," it said. There were no casualties, and both
vehicles and all personnel recovered to the Irish position of UNP 245."It said
that the124th Infantry Battalion will "continue to conduct framework operations
and remain the eyes and ears in South Lebanon for the international community".
Providing details of the incident, Mr Martin said: "Essentially about eight
soldiers, two armoured vehicles, six Irish and two Polish, they were on routine
patrol and there was an attack, either drone or airstrike on the village that
they were patrolling through. "They had come out, it seems, from the other end
of the village. And shrapnel or whatever appears to have pierced the vehicles."
'A serious incident'
Mr Martin said: "We have ideas as to who would have made that particular attack
but I would say at this stage, we will be making representations on foot of
this, on the basis that both the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) and Hezbollah must
fulfil their obligations to peacekeepers."There have been almost daily exchanges
of fire across the Israel-Lebanon border since the day after the start of the
war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza on 7 October. Hezbollah has said it is
acting in support of the Palestinian group that is also backed by Iran. Both
groups are proscribed as terrorist organisations by Israel, the UK and other
countries. The Tánaiste said there are "thousands of peacekeepers in Lebanon to
keep the peace". "It's the most noble, objective thing to do and we take the
full protection of our soldiers very seriously," he said. Mr Martin said he will
receive further information later on Sunday about the incident. "It is a serious
incident and one I am very concerned about," he said.
"It illustrates the danger of a wider escalation of the war to Lebanon in terms
of the danger to peacekeepers and the civil population in Lebanon," Mr Martin
added.
"And it's matter of greatest concern."
Six Irish soldiers caught up in air attack in Lebanon
village
Cate McCurry/PA Media: UK News/ August 11, 2024
A United Nations patrol vehicle with six Irish soldiers on board was caught up
in an air attack in a village in south Lebanon on Saturday. Eight troops,
including six Irish and two Polish, were on an armed patrol when there was a
drone or air attack on a village. Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal
Martin said none of the soldiers were injured in the attack, but damage was
caused to the vehicle in which they were travelling. Speaking in Dublin on
Sunday, Mr Martin said that the incident is still under investigation and
further clarity on the incident would be given later.
“Essentially about eight soldiers, two armoured vehicles, six Irish and two
Polish, they were on routine patrol and there was an attack, either drone or
airstrike on the village that they were patrolling through,” he said. “They had
come out, it seems, from the other end of the village. And shrapnel or whatever
appears to have pierced the vehicles. “They were safe and emerged unscathed, and
are back at camp. “I would prefer to await further
investigation (from Defence Forces) to identify the source of that. “We have
ideas as to who would have made that particular attack but I would say at this
stage, we will be making representations on foot of this, on the basis that both
the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) and Hezbollah must fulfil their obligations to
peacekeepers. “There are thousands of peacekeepers in Lebanon to keep the peace.
It’s the most noble, objective thing to do and we take the full protection of
our soldiers very seriously and I have already been in touch with the (Defence
Forces) chief Anthony McKenna of staff about this. “We will be receiving further
information later this afternoon, but it is a serious incident and one I am very
concerned about. “It illustrates the danger of a wider
escalation of the war to Lebanon in terms of the danger to peacekeepers and the
civil population in Lebanon. “And it’s matter of greatest concern.”
IDF doubles number of drones in North amid heightened
tensions between Israel, Iran, Hezbollah
YONAH JEREMY BOB/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
Late Sunday, the IDF attacked Hezbollah in multiple parts of southern Lebanon,
and the Lebanese terror group fired multiple rockets into open areas of northern
Israel.
On Sunday, Army Radio reported that the IDF has doubled the number of drones
flying in the North to recognize in real-time any attempted launches at Israeli
territory.
In fact, The Jerusalem Post has found that the Army Radio report was
exaggerated, and that while the number of drones being used in the North has
increased significantly, it has not fully doubled. The increase comes amid
heightened tensions between Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran following the July
elimination of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and the killing of Hamas
political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Also, multiple reports indicated by
Sunday afternoon that a drone attack had killed two Radwan Hezbollah operatives
riding a motorcycle in the town of Taybeh in southern Lebanon, though the IDF
had not commented on the incident yet at press time. For Hezbollah’s part, it
fired an anti-tank missile into northern Israel from Lebanon, which crashed into
Netua. The hit caused damage to the community, but no casualties were reported.
Anti-tank missiles seldom trigger alarms, and the IDF has had trouble shooting
them down, as well as rockets, due to their low-altitude flight trajectory. IDF
attacks Hezbollah in multiple parts of southern Lebanon. Late Sunday, the IDF
attacked Hezbollah in multiple parts of southern Lebanon, and the Lebanese
terror group fired multiple rockets into open areas of northern Israel.
Meanwhile, the IDF sent out leaflets calling on the civilians in the Aljalaa
area in northern Khan Yunis to evacuate, the military said on Sunday. The
directive follows rocket fire and terrorist activities that were carried out
from that area, the IDF added, noting that the military was readying to operate
in the area in response. As such, the IDF stated civilians should evacuate to
the adjusted humanitarian area. The instructions were issued via SMS messages,
phone calls, and Arabic media broadcasts, among other things.
IDF's third invasion of Khan Yunis
This comes amid the IDF's third invasion of Khan Yunis. Last week, IDF
spokesperson in Arabic, Avichai Adraee, called on residents of the area to
evacuate certain other areas of Khan Yunis localities, such as the town of
Khuza’a, the suburbs of al-Qarara and Bani Suheila, and the Abasan neighborhoods
The IDF previously invaded Khan Yunis from December 2023-April 2024, and a
second time in late July, with the third invasion coming only eight days after
the second invasion. To date, the military has not explained why it reinvaded
Khan Yunis so fast after having withdrawn a second time. In the deep south Rafah
area of Gaza, the air force struck and eliminated a terror cell that was
identified by IDF observers as it exited a tunnel shaft, the military said on
Sunday. In addition, troops of the IDF’s 98th Division attacked the area from
which Gazan terrorists launched rockets on Saturday toward the Gaza border
community of Kissufim. An additional terror cell was eliminated in the Rafah
area by troops of the Nahal Brigade in conjunction with the IAF after forces had
identified the squad entering a military building in their vicinity. The
military added on Sunday that its aircraft struck some 30 Hamas terror targets
throughout Gaza, among which were anti-tank positions, storage facilities, and
military buildings.
In Syria
In eastern Syria, an airstrike on a vehicle near the porous border with Iraq
killed at least five fighters from pro-Iran units, two security sources in the
region told Reuters. One of the sources said the strike was carried out by a
drone but could not specify which military the drone belonged to. The second
source said it targeted fighters as they changed shifts at a checkpoint. Swathes
of Syria's eastern border with Iraq are controlled by armed groups aligned with
Iran, and who fought on behalf of Syria's armed forces throughout the country's
civil war. They include Iraqi armed groups that also control the Iraqi side of
the frontier. The border is now a smuggling hub, with weapons brought across
from Iraq into Syria and other goods flowing into Iraq.
The US and Israel have both carried out strikes in Syria against Iran-aligned
factions.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Lebanese on edge amid fears of all-out Israel-Hezbollah
war
Agence France Presse/August 11/2024
Fears of a major escalation between Israel and Hezbollah have left many Lebanese
on edge, exacerbating mental health problems and reviving traumas of past
conflicts in the war-weary country. One 29-year-old woman, who lives near the
southern city of Sidon, said she dreaded the thunderous, explosive boom of
Israeli jets regularly breaking the sound barrier. "I feel the house will fall
down on top of me... Sometimes I freeze... or start crying," said the woman, a
contract worker for a non-governmental organization. She was 11 years old when
Israel and Hezbollah went to war in the summer of 2006, and said bombs fell near
her house. "Sometimes, unconsciously, you remember it," said the woman,
requesting anonymity in a country where mental health issues are often
stigmatized. "These sounds give you flashbacks -- sometimes you feel you're back
at that time," she said. Since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel sparked the
Gaza war, Hezbollah has traded near daily cross-border fire with the Israeli
army in support the Palestinian militant group, sending tensions soaring.
Lebanon has been on a knife's edge since a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs
last week killed Hezbollah's top military commander, just hours before the
assassination, blamed on Israel, of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh in
Tehran. Iran and Hezbollah have vowed revenge, amid fears that retaliatory
attacks could spiral into all-out war, with airlines suspending flights to
Lebanon and countries imploring foreign nationals to leave.
Panic attacks
"I already had been suffering from anxiety and depression... but my mental
health has deteriorated" since October, said the woman, who can no longer afford
therapy because her work has slowed due to the hostilities. "You feel afraid for
the future," she said. Before the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, Lebanon endured a
grueling 1975-1990 civil conflict in which Israel invaded the south and in 1982
besieged Beirut. The current cross-border violence has killed more than 560
people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including at least 116
civilians, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, including in the
annexed Golan Heights, 22 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according
to army figures. Laila Farhood, professor of psychiatry and mental health at the
American University of Beirut, said "cumulative trauma" has left many Lebanese
with stress, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Individuals transmit their anxieties to their children as cross-generational
trauma," she told AFP. "What is happening now triggers previous traumas,"
causing some people to have panic attacks, said Farhood, who specializes in war
trauma and its impact on Lebanese civilians. On Tuesday, Israeli jets broke the
sound barrier over central Beirut, causing intense sonic booms that rattled
windows and nerves, just two days after the anniversary of a catastrophic blast
at Beirut's port in 2020. "I had my first panic attack," said Charbel Chaaya,
23, who studies law in France and is living with his family near Beirut. "I
couldn't breathe, my legs felt numb... in that very first moment, you don't know
what the sound is -- just like what happened on August 4," he said.
'Uncertainty'
Layal Hamze from Embrace, a non-profit organization that runs a mental health
center and suicide prevention hotline, said people in Lebanon now are "more
susceptible to any sound.""Baseline, the adrenaline is already high. It's a
stressful situation," said Hamze, a clinical psychologist. "It's not only the
Beirut blast," Hamze added. "The natural or automatic response" is to be
frightened, she said, and while "maybe the older generation... are a bit more
used to" such sounds, they could trigger "the collective trauma."Some on social
media have urged people to stop letting off fireworks -- a ubiquitous practice
for celebrations -- while humorous skits making light of difficulties like
flight cancellations have also circulated. With coping mechanisms varying
greatly, some people are "going partying", while others "are reaching out to the
community more", which helps them feel they are not alone, Hamze said. Dancer
Andrea Fahed, 28, whose flat was damaged in the port blast, said she panicked
when she heard this week's sonic booms. She said she felt "lucky" to be a
dancer, because with her community "we laugh together, we move together... you
let go of a lot of things."But she said the "uncertainty" was a constant
struggle, and now leaves her windows open, fearing another blast could shatter
everything. "Anything can happen," Fahed said. "If it's happening with that
intensity in Gaza, why wouldn't it come here?"
Rockets fired from Lebanon hit Israeli site, fire reported near Kiryat Shmona
LBCI/August 11/2024
Al Jazeera said on Sunday that four rockets were launched from southern Lebanon
towards an Israeli site in the Upper Galilee. Additionally, the Israeli Channel
12 reported that a fire broke out south of Kiryat Shmona due to a rocket
launched from Lebanon.
Israeli army claims to have struck Hezbollah targets in
South Lebanon: Weapons depot, military buildings hit
LBCI/August 11/2024
The Israeli army reported on Saturday evening that it attacked a weapons depot
and Hezbollah military buildings in Hanine, Aita al-Shaab, Khiam, and Blida. It
added: "We bombed several drones ready for launch and a Hezbollah member in
Lebanon.""Our fighter jets bombed a Hezbollah building in Tayr Harfa after
detecting a Hezbollah member entering it," the Israeli army claimed.
Conditional support: Lebanon seeks international assistance
to reinforce military presence in south
LBCI/August 11/2024
In light of escalating tensions in the south and the looming threat of a
comprehensive war between Hezbollah and Israel, Lebanon is intensifying its
diplomatic efforts to restore stability. The Lebanese government has
communicated to diplomatic delegations in Lebanon the necessity of equitable
implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, emphasizing the pivotal
role that the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
will play. To this end, Lebanon has committed to bolstering its military
presence along the southern border, announcing the recruitment of additional
military personnel, and seeking international support for the Lebanese Army.
Currently, the fifth and seventh brigades and the fifth intervention regiment,
totaling about 4,000 soldiers, are stationed along the southern border.
However, to reinforce this presence and ensure adequate security, the Lebanese
Army must deploy an additional 6,000 troops, bringing the total to 10,000. Such
an increase in human resources comes with significant logistical and financial
challenges. The cost of recruiting and equipping each soldier ranges between
$3,000 and $4,000, making the total estimated cost of this deployment plan
around $1 billion—an amount that Lebanon cannot afford without external
assistance. Lebanese Army Commander General Joseph Aoun has been advocating for
this support in international meetings, including the army support conference in
Rome last March and meetings in Paris with the French and Italian army
commanders in April. Nonetheless, the understanding is that international
support is contingent upon a ceasefire and a resolution on the southern front,
which would create the conditions necessary for establishing new military posts.
The United States continues to support the Lebanese Army, with reports
indicating that during a meeting between General Aoun and US envoy Amos
Hochstein, the latter promised to advocate for a US-hosted conference to support
the Lebanese Army in implementing Resolution 1701 once the political scene is
conducive. European contacts are ongoing to secure further support, along with
the US, with potential involvement from another Western country. While the
Lebanese Army awaits the fulfillment of these promises, sources indicate that
the core of implementing Resolution 1701 lies in achieving a political solution
and a comprehensive settlement, not just in increasing military presence.
Optimism on averting Israel-Hezbollah conflict despite fear
of preventive strike
Naharnet/August 11/2024
There is major optimism as to the possibility of reaching a solution that would
spare Lebanon a major war, a Lebanese government source told Kuwait’s al-Anbaa
newspaper. A highly informed Lebanese source meanwhile told the daily that,
according to diplomatic messages received by Lebanon, “the issue is no longer
about convincing Iran and Hezbollah not to retaliate, but rather about
convincing (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu not to go to a preemptive strike in
Lebanon and Iran.”The source added that Netanyahu might be seeking to strike “a
bank of targets that he considers vital for Hezbollah, as well as the Iranian
nuclear program, specifically the Arak nuclear reactor.”Informed Lebanese
sources meanwhile told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the West is exerting
diplomatic efforts to “end the latest wave of tensions and return the status quo
to how it was prior to the two Israeli assassinations in Dahieh and Tehran.”This
is aimed at “granting international diplomacy a chance to end the war in Gaza
and subsequently the war in south Lebanon and the Red Sea,” the sources said.
“It seems that the diplomatic contacts and military reinforcements have
succeeded to a certain extent in containing the escalation, due to a U.S. desire
not to decend into a war and an Iranian desire not to grant Netanyahu a chance
to implicate Washington in a battle that it has been trying to avoid for the
past 10 months prior to its presidential election,” Asharq al-Awsat added.
Hezbollah says launched 'squadrons of drones' at Israel
after Sidon attack
Agence France Presse/August 11/2024
Hezbollah said it launched on Saturday explosive-laden drones at a north Israel
army base following the killing of a Hamas commander in south Lebanon a day
earlier. Hezbollah fighters launched "squadrons of explosive-laden drones" at
the Michve Alon base near the Galilee town of Safad "in response to the attack
and assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the city of Sidon" on
Friday, the group said in a statement. Hezbollah's media office said it was "the
first time" the group had targeted that base. On Friday, an Israeli strike on a
vehicle in the south Lebanon city of Sidon killed a Hamas commander, the
Palestinian militant group and the Israeli military said. Hamas said in a
statement that Samer al-Hajj was killed "in a Zionist strike in the city of
Sidon." The Israeli military said that its aircraft struck the Sidon area and
"eliminated" Hajj, whom it identified as "a senior commander" for Hamas in
Lebanon. It was the first strike of its kind in Sidon since Hamas launched its
October 7 attack on Israel, triggering war in Gaza and prompting its Lebanese
ally Hezbollah to begin trading near-daily cross-border fire with the Israeli
army in a bid to tie down its troops. Ten months of cross-border violence has
killed some 562 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including at
least 116 civilians, according to an AFP tally. On the Israeli side, including
in the annexed Golan Heights, 22 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed,
according to army figures.
Two Hezb Members Killed in Israeli Strike in Taybeh
This Is Beirut/August 11/2024
An Israeli airstrike on Sunday afternoon targeted a motorcycle near the Taybeh
public school, resulting in the death of two Hezbollah members and injuring two
others, according to Al-Markazia news agency. Israeli artillery also targeted
the Tarash neighborhood in Mays al-Jabal, at Mouhaybib and the outskirts of
Kfarchouba, near the high school. Moreover, Israeli fighter jets broke the sound
barrier over Beirut, the South, Chouf and Tyre, at low altitude. The Israeli
army also declared “attacking military buildings belonging to Hezbollah in the
Odaisseh region.”This morning, Israeli fire on the outskirts of Wazzani wounded
a shepherd, as Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several strikes against
Israel. The pro-Iranian group targeted the “spy equipment” at the Malkiya site
“with a dive drone, hitting it directly, which led to its destruction.”Hezbollah
also targeted several gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the
Birkat Risha, Rahib and Marj positions, “hitting them directly.”Hezbollah also
claimed shelling the area around the Mitat barracks with rockets. In parallel,
Israeli media reported that “four rockets were fired from Lebanon towards the
settlement of Matat in the Upper Galilee, landing in open areas without causing
any injuries.” Israel’s Channel 12 reported that “a fire broke out south of
Kiryat Shmona due to a rocket fired from Lebanon.” On Saturday, the pro-Iranian
group announced, in a statement, that it had attacked the Mahava Alon base.
“This operation targeted the positions of officers and soldiers at the base,
hitting them directly and causing confirmed casualties,” the statement added. It
was the first time that Hezbollah has targeted this base, located west of Lake
Tiberias in the Upper Galilee.
UNIFIL Affirms Close Cooperation With Lebanese Army
This Is Beirut/August 11/2024
UNIFIL Spokesperson Andrea Tenenti asserted that “UNIFIL is continuing its
missions in coordination with the Lebanese authorities, including joint patrols
with the Lebanese Armed Forces,” noting that “nothing has changed.”In a
statement issued on Sunday, he reiterated “the forces’ determination to work
closely with the Lebanese army to defuse tensions on the ground.” Tenenti’s
position comes after a dispute between the Lebanese army and UNIFIL forces
during a joint patrol in Kfar Hammam. In the incident, the French patrol changed
its route, the Lebanese officer objected, and the patrol then withdrew from the
wrong location and completed its predetermined route. A few minutes later, an
Israeli drone targeted the location, creating great confusion that even reached
the commander-in-chief of the Lebanese army, General Joseph Aoun, who then
opposed the action of the French forces.This is not the first time such an
incident occurs, as three months ago the same thing happened in Aita al-Shaab
with French troops, and after leaving the area, an Israeli drone attacked a
Hezbollah missile platform.
Hezb Disturbed by FPM MPs Resignations
This Is Beirut/August 11/2024
Hezbollah is reportedly concerned by the wave of resignations of Free Patriotic
Movement (FPM) MPs from the party led by Gebran Bassil, the latest of whom was
MP Simon Abi Ramia. Political circles close to the pro-Iranian party reveal that
Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah blamed Bassil for the “breakups”
within the FPM, stressing that “now is not the time, on the eve of the
presidential election, for the movement to lose a number of its MPs, weakening
its position.”The circles explain that Bassil “has moved closer to Hezbollah
again” in an effort to restore the alliance between them. Bassil has reportedly
requested a meeting with Nasrallah to discuss the foundations for a new
alliance, but the latter was not pleased with Bassil’s conciliation moves after
losing a number of his bloc’s MPs. Information indicates that Bassil’s proposal
for a new alliance is based on him abandoning the nomination of Jihad Azour as a
presidential candidate, in exchange for dropping Sleiman Frangieh, the candidate
of the “Shiite duo,” Amal and Hezbollah. Bassil put up a list of four potential
candidates to choose from, including two former ministers and two military
figures, who would be “reassuring and acceptable by the duo.”Only then would
Bassil side back with Hezbollah and Amal permanently, in a move aimed at
weakening the opposition, especially the Lebanese Forces, and disrupting their
efforts to secure the signatures of 65 parliamentarians in order to petition
Speaker Nabih Berri to convene a parliament session to elect a president.
Southern Front: Shepherd Injured by Israeli Gunfire in
Wazzani
This Is Beirut/August 11/2024
After a relatively calm Sunday morning on the southern front, Israeli gunfire
targeted the outskirts of Wazzani, injuring a shepherd. Meanwhile, Hezbollah
claimed several strikes against Israel. The Iran-backed party said it destroyed
“spy equipment” at the Malkiya site “with a drone strike” and targeted the
vicinity of the Mitat barracks with rockets. They also targeted several
gatherings of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Birkat Risha position,
Rahib and Marj, “directly hitting” them as well, according to successive
statements. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that “four rockets were fired from
Lebanon towards the Matat colony in the Upper Galilee, landing in open areas.”
The Israeli Channel 12 reported that “a fire broke out south of Kiryat Shmona
due to a rocket fired from Lebanon. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported
that “a center dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled people
in the Upper Galilee, a region bordering Lebanon, was severely damaged yesterday
(Saturday) in a drone attack carried out by Hezbollah.”On Saturday, Hezbollah
announced that it had attacked the Mahava Alon base, targeting officers’ and
soldiers’ positions directly and causing casualties, according to a statement.
It was the first time Hezbollah has struck this base, located west of the Sea of
Galilee.
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai: The Country is Sinking and
Disintegrating
This Is Beirut/August 11/2024
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai once again called on political leaders to end
“the obstruction and elect a president of the Republic” during the Sunday mass
in Diman. “Lebanon has been in a presidential vacuum for two years less than
three months now, and the country is only sinking,” he declared. He added, “the
word of God liberates, unites and gathers, and if every official listened to the
word of God, he would change many of his negative positions, the first of which
is the obstruction of the election of a president.”
Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Audi: Drums of War Are Beating
Whilst Lebanon Lacks a President
This Is Beirut/August 11/2024
Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Audi reiterated that “the country
remains without a president to lead the salvation and reform process” as “the
world is boiling around us, the drums of war are beating, and anxiety about the
future is gripping the Lebanese.” During his Sunday sermon, he highlighted that
the country “lacks an effective government that can keep up with the situation
and developments.”He also stressed that the leaders “have led the country and
the people to the depths of hell, disregarding the rights of the people and the
salvation of the country, working only for their interests.”“The people must
wake up from the spell of sectarianism, tribalism and factionalism cast by the
leaders,” he warned.
PSP Secretary-General says to LBCI that Berri does not want
dialogue without Lebanese Forces party
LBCI/August 11/2024
The Secretary-General of the Progressive Socialist Party, Dhafer Nasser,
revealed that Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri does not want to proceed
with dialogue without the Lebanese Forces or in the absence of any party. He
stated, "We agreed with him on this issue, as how can any president govern if
elected without an understanding?"Nasser also dismissed the possibility of an
internal solution before the war ended. On LBCI's "Nharkom Said" TV show, he
stressed that they are not interested in engaging in disputes, but he also
asserted that no one has the right to lecture them on sovereignty. Nasser
clarified that communication and discussions are ongoing through various
channels in the relationship with the Lebanese Forces Party. He pointed out that
differences arise over Gaza and the South, with some linking these issues to
their views on Hezbollah, whereas they maintain a distinct perspective.
He noted that the disagreement with the Lebanese Forces over Gaza and the South
stems from their tendency to link these issues to their stance on Hezbollah,
while they treat each issue separately. He mentioned that Gebran Bassil's group
is now more open regarding the Free Patriotic Movement. He added that, similar
to their relationship with the Lebanese Forces, they have a shared understanding
and agreed to maintain communication to resolve differences. Regarding the
condolences offered by Walid Jumblatt to Hezbollah, Nasser explained that such
gestures are not unprecedented and are considered normal.
He added, "Despite our differences on many internal issues and our views on the
war, our relationship with Hezbollah continues. We do not wish to have a
political relationship with Hezbollah in private while criticizing them
publicly."
He continued, "Our stance on Israel has not changed between 2006 and today, but
the intensity of internal divisions varies." He also addressed the current issue
of rents, asserting that the ongoing alarm is intentional. He said Walid
Jumblatt's concern for the Druze community is ongoing and closely tied to
general issues, stating that Jumblatt often makes decisions that, while
significant, can be costly in terms of public opinion.Nasser views the Israeli
goal as extending beyond Gaza, with fears about the West Bank, including
attempts to displace Palestinians, annex the West Bank to Israel, and dismantle
the Palestinian Authority. Nasser believes Netanyahu does not want the
negotiations to succeed and is waiting for the US elections.
‘Damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ scenario haunts
Hezbollah
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab News/August 11/2024
Since Oct. 7 Hezbollah has lost many of its operational leaders to Israeli
strikes. One of the most recent targets was Fouad Shukr, a senior military
leader of the group. He was designated a terrorist by the US State Department,
which put a $5 million bounty on his head in 2017. On July 30, Shukr died in an
Israeli attack in Beirut. The killing of such a senior commander leaves
Hezbollah’s leadership facing a dilemma over whether to respond or not. In
either case, they will face grave consequences. Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s
leader, said in a televised address last Thursday that the response will come
when it suits them, and when they find a proper target opportunity. Social media
has been full of anecdotes mocking the group and also Iran. Unlike Iran,
however, Hezbollah faces not only external enemies, but also internal threats.
The group cannot afford to show weakness to its domestic enemies. Thus a
response is all but imperative.
However, in Tehran, the situation might be looked at differently. Ayman Safadi,
Jordan’s foreign minister, has been shuttling around the region trying to find a
formula for de-escalation. What is proposed now is that Iran gives up on its
promise to avenge the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in return
for a ceasefire in Gaza. On Aug. 8, US President Joe Biden, Egyptian leader
Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani issued a
joint statement calling for a truce, and for an end to the suffering of the
people of Gaza and the families of the hostages.
A Lebanese news website said that Hezbollah will avenge the killing of its
senior military leader regardless of the mediators’ efforts. Hezbollah needs to
re-establish deterrence. There is nothing that can stop Israel from continuing
its assassinations in the wake of Oct. 7. Some of these killings were likely
based on intelligence gathered through its networks of informers over the years.
No one knows who they are still after. Hezbollah’s main aim will be to stop the
string of assassinations. Can that be done without reestablishing deterrence,
and making Israel understand that for each killing it will pay a heavy price?
However, if Hezbollah does respond, it will also face grave consequences. The
problem with war is that it has many unknown unknowns. Hezbollah does not know
how Israel will respond. The conflict can quickly cross the established rules of
engagement. Will Israel turn Lebanon into Gaza? Will a ceasefire allow the group
a graceful exit? Possibly, but a truce does not guarantee that Israel will halt
the assassinations, especially since these have been quite successful. Yoav
Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, has said previously that Lebanon is a
separate issue from Gaza. Hence, a ceasefire may not mean that Israel would
leave Hezbollah alone.
The group cannot afford to show weakness to its domestic enemies.
Shukr’s killing shows one thing clearly: The group has been infiltrated. Who
could have known where the Hezbollah commander would be staying? The information
must have come from within a close circle. The group is also technologically
inferior to Israel, which is another sign of weakness. Hezbollah is supposed to
be a resistance to Israel, but the latter has been able to hunt it down easily.
The group’s main objective is to stop the assassinations. How can they do that?
If they land a painful blow, it might deter Israel, or encourage it to further
hit the group and the country.
If Israel devastates Lebanon, Hezbollah’s enemies will blame it for pushing
Lebanon into a situation the country cannot handle. Even if Hezbollah handles
the strike militarily, it will be difficult to handle it politically. In 2006,
the majority of Lebanese stood together at the time of the Israeli attack.
Divisions began emerging only after the strike. This time, if Israel attacks,
the divisions will be deeper and opposition to the group will be stronger.
There is another issue: the weak support Hezbollah has internally. A study by
the Washington Institute think tank showed that while 93 percent of Shiites have
a positive view of the group, only 29 percent of Christians and 34 percent of
Sunnis view it favorably. Those divisions might lead to civil war. Hence, either
choice will leave the group facing grave consequences. If Israel hits Lebanon
heavily, Hezbollah’s opponent will blame the group for the calamity. This might
result in a civil war. If Hezbollah does nothing, its internal enemies will be
strengthened and its supporters disappointed. The group is in a difficult
situation.
The 2006 war may have shown Hezbollah’s strength, but the current conflict has
revealed its vulnerability. That is a bad message to send to both Israel and its
internal enemies. What will it do? Will it offer concessions to its opponent
internally in order to create some consensus? Will it offer concessions on the
election of a president in return for support for its struggle with Israel? The
group does not trust anybody, and it will be difficult to surrender control
without trust in other Lebanese factions.
The other option is to protect itself and avoid involving the country in a war
that could involve a third party. In my last article, I mentioned that Lebanon
should accept Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s offer to intervene. However,
this would mean it would have to share influence with the Turks. They did accept
sharing influence with the Russians in Syria because the other option was to
lose Syria altogether to the opposition. With Turkiye, they will probably have a
better deal than with the Russians. The Russians are not using their air defense
in Syria. Israel goes wherever it wants, and kills the Iranian and Hezbollah
personnel it wants. Turkiye could be asked to protect Lebanese airspace.
Whatever decision Hezbollah favors, it faces a hard choice. The group will only
make concessions when it realizes the current situation is unsustainable. Does
it understand this? We still do not know.
*Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on
lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace
Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August
11-12/2024
Israeli intel believes Iran will attack
directly within days
Walla/August 11/2024
This represents a shift from recent assessments, which suggested that
international pressure was restraining Iran from launching a direct attack
against Israel. Iran might carry out an attack on Israel in the coming days,
potentially even before the upcoming Thursday summit on the hostage deal
negotiations, according to two sources familiar with the matter. This represents
a shift from recent assessments, which suggested that international pressure was
restraining Iran from launching a direct attack against Israel. The most recent
evaluation by the Israeli intelligence community, formed within the past 24
hours, indicates that Iran has decided to directly target Israel in retaliation
for the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh. The
sources noted that this marks a significant change from recent assessments,
which suggested that international pressure was preventing Iran from executing a
direct strike against Israel.
Internal debate in Iran
A source with knowledge of the situation revealed that in recent days, there has
been an internal debate in Iran between the Revolutionary Guards and the new
Iranian president and his advisors. The debate centers on the nature and timing
of the response to Haniyeh's assassination. The Revolutionary Guards have been
advocating for a more severe and widespread response than the April 13 attack,
while the president and his advisors believe that such a harsh response should
be avoided. Another source familiar with the situation said that the situation
"remains fluid," with the internal debate in Iran ongoing, which means that
Iranian decision-making could still change. IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari
posted on X that there is no change in the Home Front Command directives
following reports of an upcoming Iranian attack, saying that they will inform
the public if any changes are necessary and that the IDF is monitoring enemy
forces throughout the Middle East - with an emphasis on Iran and Hezbollah.
Palestinian gunmen kill Israeli in West Bank attack,
Israeli military says
Reuters/August 11, 2024
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -An Israeli was killed and another wounded on Sunday by
Palestinian gunmen who opened fire on a main road in the occupied West Bank,
Israel's ambulance service and military said, with the armed wing of militant
faction Hamas claiming responsibility. The Israeli military said it was pursuing
the suspected assailants, blocking routes and conducting searches. Later in the
day, Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades said its West Bank-based fighters killed an
Israeli soldier at point-blank range near the settlement of Mehola in the Jordan
Valley and "returned to their bases safely."It said the operation came in
retaliation for Israel's strike on a school where displaced Palestinians were
sheltering in Gaza City on Saturday, which the civil defence service said had
killed at least 90 people. The Israeli military said it had struck a Hamas and
Islamic Jihad militant command post in this attack and killed 19 militants. The
Hamas and Islamic groups rejected the Israeli military statement. Violence in
the West Bank, already on the rise before the war in Gaza, has escalated
further, with stepped-up Israeli military raids, settler violence and
Palestinian street attacks.
These are the goals Iran wants to achieve by attacking
Israel - interview
MAARIV/August 11, 2024
Dr. Hani Suleimani discusses his views on the growing tensions between Iran and
Israel following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Iran is likely
trying to showcase its military strength, send deterrent messages to Israel, and
demonstrate its conventional military capabilities, Dr. Hani Suleiman, a
researcher on Iranian affairs, told the Saudi Al-Hadath channel on Saturday. In
the interview, Suleiman discussed his views on the growing tensions between Iran
and Israel and the potential response following the assassination of the head of
Hamas's political leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Suleiman said, "This is aimed at
Israel and the US, as well as the militias under Iran's influence, to rebuild
trust that was damaged due to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. Iran is still
in a difficult situation. Even if it decides to respond, it is uncertain about
the proportionality of its response." Suleiman continued, "Iran is carefully
considering its actions because there will be many consequences, particularly in
light of American pressures. Reports have mentioned a secret visit by an
American delegation to Iran via Turkey to convey warnings and reassurances in an
attempt to curb Iranian defiance." "In this context, I believe Iran is trying to
send discouraging messages while possibly upgrading its air defense systems and
UAVs. The lack of deterrence and control in these areas could have very negative
consequences for Iran's future. Therefore, Iran insists on maintaining
deterrence, but it faces the challenge of preventing an escalation of conflict."
He added, "Nasrallah himself mentioned Israel's anticipation of a response, and
some Iranian officials have emphasized that Israel's apprehension is a form of
Iranian deterrence. Israel is stuck in fear and worried about Iranian threats,
and they speak about this situation as if it were a response, perhaps to
preserve the dignity of their supporters. I believe Iran is using time
strategically to calm the atmosphere and possibly contain the crisis and
emotional tensions.""There is a certain retreat and lowering of expectations,"
Suleiman explained. "I think this is a realistic assessment of the situation,
acknowledging the significant consequences of an Iranian response. Therefore,
Iran is trying to apply pressure through maneuvers and new bargaining tactics,
including discussions about the Iranian nuclear threat and interactions with the
international community. There are also pressures from direct American
communications through intermediaries, whether regional countries or others," he
continued. At the end of the interview, he stated, "The US is trying to
maintain ambiguity with Iran and dissuade it from aggressive actions. However,
the US may eventually show understanding if Iran conducts a symbolic,
qualitative, or limited attack that does not escalate the conflict. I believe
there is an attempt to contain the situation, and if Iran cannot be fully
dissuaded, at least to manage the situation with minimal response."
Hamas leader Sinwar wants a ceasefire deal, mediators say,
but Netanyahu’s stance unclear
Jeremy Diamond, CNN/Sun, August 11, 2024
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar wants a ceasefire deal — at least, that’s the message
Egyptian and Qatari mediators have conveyed to Israeli officials in recent days
ahead of a critical summit later this week, an Israeli source familiar with the
matter said. Whether the Israeli prime minister wants one remains shrouded in
uncertainty. Netanyahu’s allies have told journalists and other government
officials that the Israeli prime minister is ready to make a deal, regardless of
the impact on his governing coalition, two Israeli sources said. But the Israeli
security establishment remains considerably more skeptical of Netanyahu’s
willingness to strike a deal given fierce opposition from far-right ministers in
his coalition. “Nobody knows what Bibi wants,” one Israeli source said,
referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. What is clear is that Netanyahu is going
to face a mountain of pressure this week from the United States to agree to a
ceasefire and hostage release deal. US officials have made clear to their
Israeli counterparts they believe the time to reach a ceasefire deal is now in
order to avoid a wider regional war, the Israeli source said. The Hostage and
Missing Families Forum, a powerful voice in Israel, has also called on Israel
and Hamas to finalize a hostage and ceasefire deal. ”A deal is the only path to
bring all hostages home. Time is running out. The hostages have no more to
spare. A deal must be signed now!”, the forum said in a statement on Thursday.
At the same time, Netanyahu’s coalition partners have made it clear they do not
want Israel to strike a deal with Hamas. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel
Smotrich called the proposed ceasefire deal a “surrender deal” on Friday.
Writing on social media platform X he said: “I call on the Prime Minister not to
fall into this trap and not to agree to a shift, even the slightest, from the
red lines he set just recently, and they are also very problematic.” White House
national security spokesperson John Kirby rebuked Smotrich’s comments, saying
“his arguments are dead wrong.”However, Netanyahu’s political future largely
depends on his coalition partners – several of whom have already threatening to
leave the government and cause its collapse if he agrees to the deal. The
Knesset (Israeli parliament) is currently out of session for its summer recess,
which would make it harder – although not impossible – for Smotrich and National
Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to collapse the current government. And
Israeli sources indicated that Netanyahu may call for elections if a ceasefire
deal is reached, which would allow him to control the timing of such elections.
Delegations working ‘around the clock’
Mediators are set to convene with Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams in Cairo
or Doha next week. But negotiations are already underway with technical
delegations working “around the clock” through key details ahead of Thursday’s
meeting, the Israeli source said. The talks come at an extremely tense time in
the Middle East. A pair of high profile assassinations in Lebanon and Iran in
recent weeks has sparked fears of retaliation that could lead to a wider
conflict. Israel last week killed Fu’ad Shukr, the top military commander of
Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group. The next day, Israel is widely
believed to have assassinated Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran,
in what is seen as a major embarrassment for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)
which was hosting Hanuyeah. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its
involvement in that incident. There are indications that Iran will reconsider
the scale and timing of its retaliation against Israel if there is a ceasefire
in Gaza, a possibility that has put added pressure on Israel to reach a deal in
order to avoid the risk of an all-out regional war. Sinwar, the leader of Hamas
in Gaza and, according to Israel, one of the masterminds behind the deadly
October 7 terror attack was named the new head of the group’s political bureau
following Haniyeh’s assassination. Sinwar has not been seen in public since
October 7 and is believed to be hiding in the tunnels trenched beneath Gaza.
Haniyeh has played a key role in ceasefire talks but Sinwar’s role has been more
limited, given the his difficulties in communicating with the outside world. The
talks come after an Israeli strike on a school and mosque compound killed
scores, sparking international outrage. Israel said it was targeting a Hamas
command center and had killed several fighters. Following the strike US Vice
President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, said Saturday
that “far too many” civilians have been killed in Gaza, saying a deal “needs to
get done now.”
Hamas wants Gaza mediation based on past talks, refuses
to attend future negotiating rounds
Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
Hamas claims that they have been "keen to make the efforts of the mediators
Egypt and Qatar successful to reach a ceasefire agreement."Palestinian terrorist
group Hamas said on Sunday it had asked mediators to present a plan based upon
past talks instead of engaging in new negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire deal.
They said they agreed to the proposal by the mediators on May 6 and welcomed the
UN Security Council Resolution 2735 - which calls on the terrorist group to
accept a ceasefire deal but then accused Israel of rejecting it and saying that
the country is not serious about a ceasefire deal. Hamas claims that they have
been "keen to make the efforts of the mediators Egypt and Qatar successful to
reach a ceasefire agreement." They have also claimed to have "provided all the
necessary flexibility and positivity in order to achieve the goals and interests
of our people."
Claiming to have responded to negotiations
Hamas said that they've responded to negotiations proposed on July 2 and called
on mediators to submit a plan to implement what they presented on that day based
on US President Joe Biden's statements and the UN Security Council's resolution.
They also urged mediators to pressure Israel to accept what they proposed. Hamas
then accuses Israel of "going to more rounds of negotiations or new proposals
that provide cover for the occupation’s aggression and give it more time to
perpetuate the war of genocide against our people."An Israeli senior official
who is involved in the negotiations claimed on Sunday that the Hamas
announcement is "a tactical move in preparation for a possible attack by Iran
and Hezbollah and to try to obtain better terms for the deal," Walla reported.
The Israeli senior official added, "If Hamas does not come to the table, we will
continue to crush their forces in Gaza."
Reuters contributed to this report.
Hamas warns Israel against attacking West Bank refugee
camp
Adam Schrader/UPI/August 11, 2024
Aug. 11 (UPI) -- Hamas warned Israel on Sunday against attacking a West Bank
refugee camp after remarks from Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz indicated
his support for bombing it.The resistance militia called Katz's remarks "a clear
expression" of Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people. According to the
Palestine Chronicle citing Israel's state-run broadcaster, Katz had called for
the Jenin camp to be treated the same as Gaza and urged for the evacuation of
civilians. "We warn against the criminal plans of the Zionist extremist
government towards the occupied West Bank, which are revealed by the statements
of the terrorist Katz," Hamas said. Hamas also condemned recent statements by
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir
-- an illegal migrant living on Palestinian land in the West Bank. "Starving and
annihilating two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is a just and moral
matter," Smotrich had said. Meanwhile, Israeli troops are closing entrances to
Palestinian cities in the West Bank, leaving residents fearing that their
movement will soon be restricted. The Palestine News Agency, also known as WAFA,
reported that military restrictions were imposed around Jericho with military
checkpoints set up at the entrances to the city. And at the village of Jouret
al-Sham'a, south of Bethlehem, Israeli forces installed an iron gate at the
village's only entrance, according to the head of the village council. He
expressed fears to WAFA that Israel would "besiege its residents" and limit
their freedom of movement. Meanwhile, Israeli forces stormed the West Bank
villages of Kardala and Bardala in the northern Jordan Valley and closed
existing military checkpoints at Tayasir and Hamra. "We affirm that these
ongoing crimes, killings, terrorism, intimidation, and systematic sabotage
practiced by the Nazi enemy government and army in the cities and camps of the
West Bank will not succeed in dissuading our free people, their valiant
resistance, and their revolutionary youth from the choice of steadfastness on
this land," Hamas said. Hamas vowed that Palestinians would remain resistant to
Israeli occupation until the independent state of Palestine is fully established
with Jerusalem as its capital.
Iran attack on Israel could last for days, will come by
'surprise' - report
MATHILDA HELLER/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
"Iran's response to this crime of the Zionist regime will be definitive and
there is no doubt about it."
"Iran's aerial operations against Israel could last three to four days," said
Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of the Iranian Parliament's National
Security Commission, Iran International reported on Saturday night, citing an
interview published by 'Iran Watch.' Ardestani reportedly told Iran Watch that
Iran "is certainly prepared for the consequences of such an attack and will be
ready for any subsequent developments." He added that the Iranian response would
"be carried out by surprise and may even last three to four days." He told the
interviewer that "bloodshed would be carried out" to avenge Hamas leader Ismail
Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran while attending the inauguration of new
Iranian president Pezeshkian. "Therefore, Iran's response to this crime of the
Zionist regime will be definitive and there is no doubt about it." Ardestani
also told Iran Watch that prolonging the response, or making Israel wait for the
response, was in Iran's favor as Israel "feels every night that it is in limbo,
and keeping Israel in limbo is part of the revenge operation." "Adopting a
policy of patience and waiting is part of the revenge process of the Islamic
Republic." Many experts have claimed that psychological warfare is part of
Iranian strategy. David Menashri, an Iran expert at Tel Aviv University, told
The Media Line “Israel is not that good at the game of patience like Iran, so it
will be interesting to see if it will act first. Iran is clearly winning the
psychological warfare at the moment.” Ardestani did however confirm to Iran
Watch that Iran would respond when "appropriate" but that it must happen "by
surprise."
Israel-Hamas negotiations
Referring to claims by Iran's mission to the UN on Friday that Tehran would
honor any Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal accepted by Hamas, and therefore may
refrain from attacking, Ardestani said that this would indeed be the only
situation in which Iran would not retaliate. However, he added that the state of
negotiations between the two sides showed "that it is unlikely that the two
sides will reach such an agreement in the future, and for this reason, the
Islamic Republic will not let go of the bloodshed of Martyr Haniyeh." When asked
if the attack would be similar in nature to "Operation True Promise" - the name
given by Iran to the drone and missile attack on Israel in April - Ardestani
said that it might be similar, but of a greater scale. "In the previous phase,
about 300 drones and missiles were fired at the occupied territories, and this
time, the number of projectiles may increase to, for example, about 600 war
projectiles." Ardestani also alluded to the potential joint involvement of
Iranian proxies in an attack on Israel, potentially Hezbollah in Lebanon. "This
time, like the previous time, the resistance groups of the region will
definitely accompany the Islamic Republic in providing its response," he added.
April attack
Speaking on the April drone attack, Ardestani stated that the then-intention was
not to "escalate tension in the region" but to "prove to America that Iran was
capable of penetrating the protection umbrella created over [Israel] and
entering the territory." However, he claimed that, unlike the previous attack in
which the US was notified before it occurred, "this time we will definitely not
inform the enemy."Regarding the coalition of countries which took part in
intercepting aerial threats in April, such as Jordan, Ardestani said it was
"unfortunate" that these nations "defended the Zionist regime under the pretext
of defending their airspace."He also seemingly threatened the countries by
saying that if Israel chooses to attack Iran with missiles or jets using the
skies of these countries (with permission), then this would "create a challenge
for those countries."Western diplomats told KAN on Monday that such a coalition
would be possible to restore the regional coalition should Iran attack again.
Speaking on the assassination of Haniyeh, Ardestani told Iran Watch that the
Intelligence Ministry in Iran believed no infiltration took place, seemingly
referring to claims that IRGC agents were hired by Israel to plant the
explosives. However, he said his "personal analysis was that, considering the
circumstances that occurred in this assassination, infiltration must have played
a role in it."Iran Watch - or Didban Iran - is a Iranian news site edited by
journalist Saeed Seif-Ali, according to Committee to Protect Journalists. Seif-Ali
was arrested along with other journalists during the Mahsa Amini protests in
2022.
Hamas blasts Israel’s ‘false’ narrative around school
massacre
Adam Schrader/(UPI)/August 11, 2024
After Israel killed more than 100 people sheltering inside a school in Gaza on
Saturday, Hamas pushed back against what it called Israel's false narrative that
the facility had been used as one of its command centers. "The narrative of the
criminal occupation army about the martyrs of the massacre in the Al-Tabin
school in the Daraj neighborhood that they are members of Hamas and Islamic
Jihad is misleading and false," Hamas said in a statement. Hamas said Israel
killed civilians sheltering in the school and noted that Israel incorrectly
listed 19 names claimed by the Israeli military to have been members of
Palestinian militias. The militia asserted that Israel made the false claim in a
desperate bid "to justify its heinous crime in light of the widespread
international criticism to it." Hamas added that those killed included children,
university professors and clerics. "We confirm that the aforementioned
allegations of the occupation army are false and baseless," Hamas said. "No one
among them was a gunman, and they were all civilians who were targeted while
performing the dawn prayer."Israel and its supporters have long lied or made
false claims about Palestinians and Hamas amid an information war running
parallel to the fighting in Gaza. In the 2008 conflict, Israel denied using
white phosphorous in populated areas before evidence proved otherwise and it was
forced to acknowledge using the controversial chemical warfare. Other times,
Israel makes accusations about the militia without providing concrete evidence
to the public, making it hard to discern reality, such as in 2021 when it
conducted a strike on a high-rise building in Gaza City used by international
journalists that it said was used by Hamas, without providing evidence. Hamas
also hit out at British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, characterizing his
comments about the school massacre as a "heinous alignment with the occupation's
false narrative." Lammy had called on Palestinian fighters to "stop endangering
civilians" without calling on Israeli fighters to do the same amid the conflict.
"It is a blatant attempt to evade his country's legal, political, and moral
responsibility for the continuation of this brutal genocide, by continuing to
provide political and military support to the Zionist occupation," Hamas added.
Hamas instead demanded that Britain and the United States "immediately back
down" from making any statements or taking actions that would make them "actual
partners in the war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and genocide committed in the Gaza
Strip."
Israel widens evacuation orders in southern Gaza after a deadly strike on a
school-turned-shelter
Wafaa Shurafa And Samy Magdy/DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP)
/August 11, 2024
The Israeli military ordered more evacuations in southern Gaza early Sunday, a
day after a deadly airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in the north killed at
least 80 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. The airstrike was
one of the deadliest attacks in the 10-month war. Israel has repeatedly ordered
mass evacuations as its troops return to heavily destroyed areas where they
previously battled Palestinian militants. The vast majority of Gaza's population
of 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times, in the besieged
territory 25 miles (40 kilometers) long by about 7 miles (11 kilometers) wide.
The latest evacuation orders apply to areas of Khan Younis, Gaza’s
second-largest city, including part of an Israeli-declared humanitarian zone
from which the military said rockets had been fired. Israel accuses Hamas and
other militants of hiding among civilians and launching attacks from residential
areas.
The humanitarian zone has steadily shrunk during the war with the various
evacuation orders. Hundreds of thousands of people have crammed into squalid
tent camps with few public services or sought shelter in schools, though the
United Nations says hundreds of those have been directly hit or damaged. Khan
Younis suffered widespread destruction during an air and ground offensive
earlier this year. Tens of thousands fled again last week after an evacuation
order.
The new order came in leaflets dropped from the sky. As smoke rose on the
horizon, hundreds of families carrying belongings in their arms left homes and
shelters, seeking elusive refuge. One child carried a stuffed Hello Kitty doll
as others walked through rubble-filled streets. “We don’t know where to go,”
said Amal Abu Yahia, a mother of three, who had returned to Khan Younis in June
to shelter in their severely damaged home. It was the fourth displacement for
the 42-year-old widow, whose husband was killed when an Israeli airstrike hit
their neighbors’ house in March. She said they went to Muwasi, a sprawling tent
camp along the coast, but couldn't find space. Ramadan Issa, a father of five in
his 50s, fled Khan Younis with 17 members of his extended family, joining
hundreds of people walking toward central Gaza. “Every time we settle in one
place and build tents for women and children, the occupation comes and bombs the
area," he said, referring to Israel. "This situation is unbearable.” Gaza's
Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants,
says the Palestinian death toll from the war is approaching 40,000. Aid groups
have struggled to address the staggering humanitarian crisis, while
international experts have warned of famine. The war began when Hamas-led
militants burst through Israel's defenses on Oct. 7 and rampaged through farming
communities and army bases near the border, killing around 1,200 people — mostly
civilians — and abducting around 250 people. The United States, Egypt and Qatar
have spent months trying to mediate a cease-fire and the return of the roughly
110 remaining hostages, around a third of whom Israeli authorities believe to be
dead. Talks were due to resume on Thursday.
The conflict has threatened to trigger a regional war, as Israel has traded fire
with Iran and its militant allies across the region. In the occupied West Bank,
which has seen increased violence since the war began, Israel's military said
that a Israeli civilian was fatally shot in an attack by “terrorists” in the
area of Mehola Junction. The military said “terrorists” opened fire from a
passing vehicle at other cars, and another civilian was wounded. Soldiers were
pursuing the attackers. Israel's airstrike on Saturday hit a mosque inside a
school in Gaza City where thousands of people were sheltering. The Gaza Health
Ministry said 80 were killed and around 50 others wounded during morning
prayers. The Israeli military said it killed 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad
militants. Hamas and Palestinian activists disputed that, saying two of the 19
had been killed in earlier strikes, and others were known to be civilians or
opponents of Hamas. Gaza City and the rest of the north have been surrounded by
Israeli forces and largely cut off from the world, and it wasn't possible to
independently confirm the accounts from either side. The U.N. human rights
office says Israel has carried out “systematic attacks on schools,” which have
served as shelters since the start of the war, with at least 21 hit since July
4, leaving hundreds of people dead, including women and children. European
leaders and neighbors of Israel condemned the strike, while the U.S. said that
it was concerned about the reports of civilian casualties. “Yet again, far too
many civilians have been killed," U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris told
reporters. “We need a hostage deal and we need a cease-fire,” she said. “The
deal needs to get done and it needs to get done now.”
Iran’s New President Names Oil Minister in Cabinet Rollout
Golnar Motevalli/Bloomberg/ August 11, 2024
Mohsen Paknejad, a former deputy in the state-run National Iranian Oil Co., has
been named as Iran’s new oil minister, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News
Agency reported. President Masoud Pezeshkian, who was elected last month,
presented his proposed cabinet to parliament on Sunday. The list of nominated
ministers has to be approved by lawmakers before they can take office. Iran is a
prominent member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, producing
more than 3 million barrels of oil a day in data compiled by Bloomberg. Paknejad
was an adviser to former oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, who served under
Hassan Rouhani. Paknejad also held the position of acting managing director of
the National Iranian Oil Co. from November 2018 until the start of the following
year.
Iran's new president picks pragmatist as top diplomat in
proposed cabinet
Reuters/August 11, 2024
Iran's new president presented his cabinet to parliament on Sunday for a vote of
confidence, state media reported, proposing seasoned pragmatic diplomat Abbas
Araqchi as foreign minister at a time of heightened regional tensions. President
Masoud Pezeshkian is shaping his cabinet at a time of an increased risk of
escalation of the conflict in Gaza into a broader regional war, after the recent
killings of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran and
of Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut drew threats of retaliation
against Israel. Following the death of hardline President Ebrahim Raisi in a
helicopter crash in May, Pezeshkian won a snap election last month by promising
to improve ties with the world, promoting a pragmatic foreign policy, and to
ease social restrictions at home.
Pezeshkian's proposed cabinet lineup requires lawmakers' approval and parliament
speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that parliamentary commissions will start
reviewing his candidates on Monday. Araqchi, 61, who was Iran's ambassador to
several countries, including Japan, played a key role in negotiating Tehran's
2015 nuclear agreement with six world powers, which then-U.S. President Donald
Trump exited in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran. Araqchi later led Iran's
negotiators during multilateral efforts - ultimately unsuccessful - to revive
the pact via indirect diplomacy with Washington before he was replaced by
hardline Ali Bagheri Kani in 2021. The president's powers are limited in the
Islamic Republic by those of the Supreme Leader, who is commander-in-chief of
the armed forces, appoints the head of the judiciary and has the last say on
major policies.
Tensions between Iran and the West have increased over Tehran's fast-advancing
nuclear programme and its threats to "harshly punish" Israel over the
assassination of Haniyeh. Tehran and Hamas accuse Israel of carrying it out,
though it has not claimed or denied responsibility for the killing.
Separately, Iran's president nominated Mohsen Paknezhad as oil minister, who has
served as deputy oil minister overseeing hydrocarbon resources between 2018 and
2021. Pezeshkian has also nominated Farzaneh Sadeq as the road and
transportation minister. If approved by the parliament, she would become only
the second woman cabinet minister in the Islamic Republic's history. The first
one was appointed in 2009 by hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who was president at
the time. Under the president's proposed lineup Raisi's Intelligence Minister
Esmail Khatib would keep his position in the new cabinet.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards hold military drill in western Iran, IRNA says
Reuters/August 11, 2024
Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are holding military drills in the western
parts of the country that will continue until Tuesday, Iran's official news
agency announced on Sunday. The drills, which started on Friday, are ongoing in
the western province of Kermanshah close to the border with Iraq to "enhance
combat readiness and vigilance," an armed forces official told IRNA. The drills
are taking place as Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the killing
of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh's on July 31 in Tehran. Iran and Palestinian
Islamist group Hamas accuse Israel of carrying out Haniyeh's assassination on
July 31. Israel has not claimed or denied responsibility for the killing, which
has fueled further concern that the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza
Strip was turning into a wider Middle East war. In a statement, Israeli Defense
Minister Yoav Gallant warned Iran and its Lebanon-based proxy Hezbollah:
"Whoever harms us in a way that has not been done in the past, is likely to be
hit in a way that hasn’t been done in the past."He added that Israel did not
want war breaking out on additional fronts, but that it must be prepared. Cited
by Iranian media, Revolutionary Guards deputy commander Ali Fadavi said on
Friday that the Iranian supreme leader's orders regarding the harsh punishment
of Israel and revenge for Haniyeh are clear and will be implemented in the "best
possible way".
Kamala Harris says 'too many' civilian deaths in Gaza
Sofia Ferreira Santos - BBC News/August 11, 2024
US Vice-President Kamala Harris has condemned the loss of civilian life in an
Israeli air strike against a school building in Gaza on Saturday. More than 70
people were killed at the building which sheltered displaced Palestinians, the
director of a hospital has told the BBC. Ms Harris said "far too many" civilians
had been killed "yet again"and reiterated calls for a hostage deal and a
ceasefire, echoing comments made by the White House. An Israeli military
spokesman said al-Taba’een school "served as an active Hamas and Islamic Jihad
military facility", which Hamas denies.
Israel accepts proposal to attend ‘urgent’ new ceasefire talks
Israel Gaza war: History of the conflict explained
Who are the leaders of Hamas?
Speaking at a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona, Ms Harris said Israel had a
right to "go after Hamas" but also has "an important responsibility" to avoid
civilian casualties. Saturday's air strike has been criticised by Western and
regional powers, with Egypt saying it showed Israel had no desire to reach a
ceasefire or end the Gaza war. Fadl Naeem, head of al-Ahli Hospital where many
of the casualties were taken, said around 70 victims were indentified in the
hours after the strike - with the remains of many others so badly disfigured
that identification was difficult.
Israel's military said it had "precisely struck Hamas terrorists operating
within a Hamas command and control centre embedded in the al-Taba'een school". A
statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency
said "at least 19 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists" were "eliminated" in the
attack. IDF spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said “various intelligence
indications” suggest a “high probability” that the commander of Islamic Jihad’s
Central Camps Brigade, Ashraf Juda, was at the Taba’een school when it was
struck.
He said it is not yet clear whether the commander was killed in the attack. The
BBC cannot independently verify casualty figures from either side.
The Israeli spokesman said the casualty figures released by Hamas officials "do
not align with the information held by the IDF, the precise munitions used, and
the accuracy of the strike". Hamas described the attack as a "horrific crime and
a dangerous escalation" in Israel's "war of extermination against the
Palestinian people".US National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said
Hamas had been using schools "as locations to gather and operate out of". "But
we have also said repeatedly and consistently that Israel must take measures to
minimise civilian harm," he added.
Israel has attacked several such shelters in Gaza in the past few weeks.
According to the United Nations, 477 out of 564 school buildings in Gaza have
been directly hit or damaged as of 6 July, with more than a dozen targeted
since.
Al-Taba’een school housed more 1,000 people - having recently received dozens of
displaced people from the town of Beit Hanoun, after the Israeli army ordered
them to leave their homes. The building also served as a mosque and the Israeli
strike hit during dawn prayers, witnesses said.
Jaafar Taha, a student who lives near the school, told the BBC the sound of the
bombing was followed by screaming and noise. "'Save us, save us,' they were
screaming," he said. "The scene was horrific. There were body parts everywhere
and blood covering the walls."Salim Oweis, spokesman for the UN children's
agency, Unicef, told the BBC the attack was "really outrageous". "All those
schools are really packed with civilians, children, mothers and families, who
are taking refuge in any empty space whether it's a school or it's a mosque,
whatever it is, even in hospital yards." This strike has again drawn graphic
attention to a controversial dynamic of the Gaza war. Israel claims that Hamas
is using civilian infrastructure to plan and carry out attacks, and that is why
it has been targeting hospitals and schools - sites protected under
international law. Hamas has consistently denied the accusations.
Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in an attack on Israel on 7 October,
taking 251 others back to Gaza as hostages. That attack triggered a massive
Israeli military offensive against Gaza and the current war. More than 39,790
Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli campaign, according to Gaza's Hamas-run
health ministry.
Biden says Gaza cease-fire still possible, working
‘literally every single day’ to stop escalation of war
Miranda Nazzaro/The Hill/August 11, 2024
President Biden said he believes a cease-fire deal in the Israel-Hamas war is
“still possible” before the end of his Oval Office term in just more than five
months. When asked on “CBS News Sunday Morning” if a cease-fire between Israel
and the Palestinian militant group Hamas is attainable, Biden said, “Yes, it’s
still possible.” “The plan I put together endorsed by the G7, endorsed by the …
U.N. Security Council, et cetera, is still viable,” Biden added in the
interview. “And I’m working literally every single day to — and my whole team,
to see to it that it doesn’t escalate into a regional war. But it easily
can.”His comments come days after Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
and Qatari leader Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani issued a joint statement
urging Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire and hostage-release deal
currently on the table. “The time has come to conclude the cease-fire and
hostages and detainees release deal,” the leaders said in the statement last
Thursday. “The three of us and our teams have worked tirelessly over many months
to forge a framework agreement that is now on the table with only the details of
implementation left to conclude.”“There is no further time to waste nor excuses
from any party for further delay,” they added. “It is time to release the
hostages, begin the cease-fire, and implement this agreement.”The leaders also
called for talks to resume in Doha or Cairo beginning on Aug. 15, adding they
were “prepared to present a final bridging proposal that resolves the remaining
implementation issues in a manner that meets the expectations of all
parties.”U.S. officials have hinted for weeks that talks are approaching the
final stages, while some have admitted there are still key implementation
details to be sorted out. The deal for a cease-fire and the release of hostages
would build upon a proposal from Biden in May, which would involve the most
vulnerable hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary
cease-fire. Israeli troops would also be required to withdraw from densely
populated areas in Gaza. Hamas is believed to still be holding about 115
hostages in Gaza after more than 10 months of fighting since the militant group
attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking roughly 250
people hostage. About 105 of the hostages were released in a brief November
truce. Israel has waged war against Hamas in Gaza, where the violence has left
more than 39,000 Palestinians dead. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been
forced out of their homes and into shelters, where humanitarian aid is in low
supply.
Montreal Pride parade interrupted by pro-Palestinian
protesters
CBC/August 11, 2024
Pro-Palestinian protesters halted Montreal's Pride parade for about an hour
Sunday afternoon. Surrounded by dozens of police officers, the protesters
wrapped themselves in an orange banner that read "no justice no peace" and
chanted "free Palestine."The Pink Bloc, an anti-capitalist 2SLGBTQ+ group, was
behind the protest. The parade eventually made its way around the protesters and
continued its planned route while the protesters marched down the other half of
René-Lévesque Boulevard and dispersed at a Metro station. It was unclear whether
the protesters intended to halt the parade or were prevented from marching by
police. Other community organizations Helem, Mubaadarat and Sapphix said they
tried to collaborate with Fierté Montréal organizers and launched a petition
pressuring the festival to publicly take a pro-Palestinian stance. It also
demanded Fierté Montréal end its TD sponsorship as the bank has several
investments in weapon manufacturing companies used by Israel. Dozens of police
officers surrounded the pro-Palestinian protesters who interrupted the parade.
Though Fierté Montréal didn't issue such a statement, the groups nonetheless
participated in the march, wearing white and carrying Palestinian flags. They
walked with a trans contingent and chanted "Pride is a protest," and "we won't
be silenced, stop the violence."People on the street raised their fists and
chanted "free Palestine" as the contingent went by. At 2:15 p.m., the parade
came to a standstill to observe a minute of silence commemorating all those who
died of HIV/AIDS and homophobic attacks. The pro-Palestinian marchers used this
time to blast the sound of fighter planes through loudspeakers and lie on the
ground, some with red paint on their chests, in a die-in to draw attention to
Israel's attacks on Gaza. At a news conference on Sunday evening, head of Fierté
Montréal Simon Gamache said staff negotiated with protesters on-site and the
protests remained peaceful. Because Pride festivals around the world have been
interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters this year, Gamache said the festival
had an action plan.
Montreal police say there were no arrests or injuries.
'They cannot erase us'
Drag queens, leather-clad gay men, people in banana costumes waving trans flags,
couples draped in rainbows and community organizers flooded downtown Montreal
Sunday as the city held its annual Pride parade. This year's theme was We Are
the Rainbow, and thousands of people marched along the two-and-a-half-kilometre
route from the corner of René-Lévesque Boulevard and Metcalfe Street to the
heart of the Village under the high sun. Sexual health non-profits, a gay choir,
a queer line dancing group, organizations helping queer refugees, legal aid
clinics and activists participated in the parade. While the atmosphere was
festive, several floats displayed banners reminding attendees that the fight for
gay and trans rights is far from over. People held banners saying "protect trans
kids" and "when LGBTQ rights go backward, society goes backward."For Iris De Lys,
it's important to show up at Pride because it's a reminder that the community
has "been here forever" and that it's "not going anywhere." "No matter how they
think, what they want to do with the politics, we'll still be there and they
cannot erase us," she said. Nina Mora, who attends Pride events almost every
year, came to the parade with her girlfriend. She said it's fun to be surrounded
by other people in the community. "It's pretty alive, like everyone's very
present today," she said. Nina Mora, right, attended the parade with her
partner. She says there's power in numbers and the atmostphere was 'pretty
alive.'
Protest the night before
But not everyone in Montreal's queer community felt jovial. On Saturday night,
the Pink Bloc held a "Rad Pride" protest. Demonstrators danced to Abba songs,
chanted slogans and held signs saying "no cops at Pride" and "no pride in
genocide," criticizing Fierté Montréal corporate sponsors like TD. They accused
Fierté Montréal of "pinkwashing" — appealing to 2SLGBTQ+ communities to deflect
attention from harmful practices. "In accepting dirty money from corporate and
capitalist interests, Fierté signs off on the genocidal investments of its
partners," the Pink Bloc wrote in an Instagram post. The protest ended with two
arrests and riot cops using tear gas on the crowd. Police also opened an
investigation after shop windows on Ste-Catherine Street were smashed.
Top Iraqi Shiite cleric warns of Middle East escalation
Agence France Presse/August 11/2024
Iraq's top Shiite Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has warned of the
risk of a regional escalation with potentially "catastrophic consequences"
following the killing of two Iran-backed militant leaders. Sistani also urged an
end to the "genocidal war" in Gaza, where the civil defense agency said an
Israeli air strike Saturday on a school housing displaced Palestinians killed
more than 90 people. "Once again, the Israeli occupation army has committed a
huge massacre... adding to its series of ongoing crimes" in Gaza, Sistani said
in a rare statement since the start of the 10-month-old war.
The recent high-profile killings of two leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah increased
the danger of "major clashes" that could have "catastrophic consequences" for
the region, he warned. "We once again call on the world to stand against this
terrible brutality," Sistani said, urging Muslims "to unite in order to press
for an end to the genocidal war" in Gaza. On July 31, Palestinian militant group
Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an attack, blamed on
Israel, in the Iranian capital. It came hours after Israel killed Hezbollah
senior military commander Fouad Shukur in a strike on the Lebanese group's
stronghold in south Beirut. The assassinations, which prompted vows of
retaliation by Iran and Hezbollah, are among the most serious in a series of
tit-for-tat attacks that has heightened fears of a regional conflagration
stemming from the Gaza war. Most of Gaza's 2.4 million people have been uprooted
by the war triggered by Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel. Gaza's civil
defense agency said Saturday's strike on a school housing displaced Palestinians
killed 93 people. Israel's military accused militants of using the building as a
command center. AFP could not independently verify the toll which, if confirmed,
would appear to be one of the largest from a single strike during the Gaza war.
China supports Iran in defending security, says foreign minister
Reuters/August 11, 2024
China supports Iran in defending its "sovereignty, security and national
dignity", Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi told Iran's acting foreign minister
in a phone call on Sunday, according to a statement by China's foreign ministry.
In the phone call, Wang repeated Beijing's denunciation of the assassination of
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, saying the strike had violated
Iran's sovereignty and threatened regional stability. Iran and the Palestinian
Islamist group Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out strike that killed
Haniyeh. Israel has not claimed or denied responsibility for the killing, which
has fueled concern that the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip was
turning into a wider Middle East war. Iran has vowed to "harshly punish" Israel
over the assassination. Wang told Ali Bagheri Kani, Iran's Acting Foreign
Minister, that the killing of Haniyeh had "directly undermined the Gaza
ceasefire negotiation process and undermined regional peace and stability,"
China's foreign ministry said. "China supports Iran in defending its
sovereignty, security and national dignity in accordance with the law, and in
its efforts to maintain regional peace and stability, and stands ready to
maintain close communication with Iran," Wang was quoted as saying. Iranian
President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday nominated Abbas Araqchi as the country's
foreign minister. Araqchi had been Iran's chief negotiator in nuclear talks from
2013 to 2021.
Airstrike Kills Several Pro-Iran Fighters in Eastern
Syria
Asharq Al Awsat/August 11/2024
An airstrike on a vehicle in eastern Syria near the porous border with Iraq
killed at least five fighters from pro-Iran units, two security sources in the
region told Reuters. One of the sources said the strike was carried out by a
drone, but could not specify which military the drone belonged to. The second
source said it targeted fighters as they changed shifts at a checkpoint. Swathes
of Syria's eastern border with Iraq are controlled by armed groups aligned with
Iran and who fought on behalf of Syria's armed forces throughout the country's
civil war. They include Iraqi armed groups that also control the Iraqi side of
the frontier. The border is now a smuggling hub, with weapons brought across
from Iraq into Syria and other goods flowing into Iraq. The US and Israel have
both carried out strikes in Syria against Iran-aligned factions.
Ukraine and Russia trade accusations over fire at
occupied nuclear plant
Reuters/August 11, 2024
(Reuters) - Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of starting a fire on the grounds
of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on Sunday, as Ukraine
urged residents to remain calm and reported no sign of elevated radiation. The
U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) nuclear watchdog, which has a
presence at the vast six-reactor facility, said its experts had seen strong,
dark smoke coming from the northern area of the plant in southern Ukraine
following multiple explosions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused
Russia of lighting a fire which he said was visible from the Kyiv-held city of
Nikopol which looks out onto the Russian-held plant. Evgeny Balitsky, a
Russian-installed official in the occupied south, accused Kyiv's forces of
causing the fire by shelling the nearby city of Enerhodar which, like the plant,
was captured by Russia soon after its February 2022 invasion. The IAEA said
there had been no reported impact on nuclear safety at the site. "Team was told
by (the nuclear plant) of an alleged drone attack today on one of the cooling
towers located at the site," it wrote on X. Yevhen Yevtushenko, a local
Ukrainian official in Nikopol said there was "unofficial" information that
Russian forces had set fire to a large number of automobile tires in the cooling
towers. Zelenskiy published grainy video showing belching black smoke that
appeared to be coming out a cooling tower with a blaze burning at its foot.
"Currently, the radiation indicators are normal. But as long as Russian
terrorists retain control over the nuclear plant, the situation is not and
cannot be normal," he said. The Russian management of the facility said
emergency workers had contained the fire and that there was no threat of it
spreading further."The fire did not affect the operation of the station," it
said. The six reactors at the plant located close to the front line of the war
in Ukraine are not in operation but the facility relies on external power to
keep its nuclear material cool and prevent a catastrophic accident. Moscow and
Kyiv have routinely accused each other of endangering safety around it.
The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources on August
11-12/2024
A great existential threat: A Harris
presidency's impact on Israel - opinion
MARTIN OLINER/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
Had Harris attended Netanyahu’s speech, or at least taken a few minutes to read
it, perhaps she would have realized that her words were wrong, and silence would
have been a much better choice.
On July 25, I had the honor and privilege of attending Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s spectacular speech to Congress. He beautifully articulated the
tremendous threats Israel is facing, the historical connection of the Jewish
people to the Land of Israel, the sensitivity of the current situation, and how
far Israel goes to prevent harm to civilians – beyond what any army has ever
done in history.
The unprecedented applause Netanyahu received from both sides of the aisle as he
articulated his vision emboldened Israel against its enemies and could have gone
a long way toward ending the war with the best possible outcome for Israel’s
future security. Except there was one problem. I was at the speech, but I am not
the vice president of the United States and the current front-runner for the
presidency. And the woman who is made a point of not being there.
Vice President Kamala Harris should have been sitting on the dais behind
Netanyahu at Congress that day to demonstrate her commitment to America’s top
ally. But more importantly, she ought to have been there to listen to one of the
world’s elder statesmen and learn from him. Her decision to go, instead, to a
sorority sent a message to Israel’s enemies that if she got elected, God forbid,
they could do whatever they wanted to the Jewish state, and she would look the
other way.
Just in case Iran and its proxies did not get that message, she sharpened it
following her meeting with Netanyahu, when in a completely unnecessary and
frightening address to the public, she described her conversation with the prime
minister of Israel as “frank.” “I also expressed with the prime minister my
serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death
of far too many innocent civilians,” she said in an accusatory tone. “And I made
clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there, with over
two million people facing high levels of food insecurity and half a million
people facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity.”
Was Harris aware that while she spoke, there were hundreds of trucks of food and
aid waiting on the Gazan side of the border that Israel let in, but the UN was
not delivering? Did she not know that it was Hamas and the UN that deserved her
scolding? “What has happened in Gaza over the past nine months is devastating –
the images of dead children and desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety,
something was appointed by former US president Donald Trump and were displaced
for the second, third, or fourth time,” she said, lecturing and shaming
America’s ally. “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot
allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering. And I will not be silent.”
Harris should have attended Netanyahu's speech to Congress
Had Harris attended Netanyahu’s speech, or at least taken a few minutes to read
it, perhaps she would have realized that her words were wrong, and silence would
have been a much better choice.
I WANT to commend the editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, Zvika Klein, for
taking a bold stand against a potential Harris presidency in his most recent,
well-articulated, Friday column, and American voters who read the Post should
realize the importance of his message. “Harris as president could be a disaster
for Israel and the Jewish people,” was his headline on Jpost.com. Yet, Klein did
not go far enough. A Harris presidency not only ‘could be a disaster for Israel
and the Jewish people,’ it would be the greatest existential threat Israel has
ever faced.
American voters need to wake up and realize that Kamala Harris is a dangerous
radical who wants the United States as we know it brought down. Her sympathy is
not with Israel but with the people of Gaza, who invaded Israel on October 7,
murdered 1,200 people, kidnapped more than 250, and raped numerous people of all
ages. Kamala’s victory would persuade Iran to escalate its nuclear weapons
program, its proxies to intensify their rocket fire, and Qatar to continue
harboring terrorists. The Democratic Party has replaced President Joe Biden as
its presidential candidate with a woman who is to the Left of Bernie Sanders.
She then added insult to injury by picking progressive running mate Tim Walz to
push the ticket even further leftward while rejecting Josh Shapiro, the
pro-Israel Jewish governor of the key state of Pennsylvania – which could decide
the election in November. She gave in to the Squad with that choice, and she
would let them decide her Middle East policy if she were elected.
Living in a democracy gives you the freedom to vote on a lot of issues that are
important to you. Perhaps, if these were less sensitive times, or if there was a
candidate such as Biden, with decades of calling himself pro-Israel, Jewish
voters could afford to cast their ballots based on their views on abortion or
the environment.
But now Israel is in the middle of a seven-front war, the world is fraught with
danger, and the Democratic candidate for president is a foreign affairs novice
whose views on Israel are downright scary.
Voters need to keep in mind that they will be selecting the leader of the free
world, not just someone they might want to spend time with. Presidential
candidate Donald Trump has been the best US president for Israel, and voters
know he can be trusted to keep both America and Israel safe. He owes it to the
world to win and to stop being his own worst enemy. Harris and Walz, by
contrast, have no advantages, and letting her take over the White House would
make America less safe and put Israel in great peril.
WE HAVE seen what happens when American Jews set aside their differences and
unite to defeat anti-Israel candidates. Synagogues in New York that have barred
politics from the pulpit for decades permitted weekly addresses against Jamal
Bowman until he lost. And the diverse Jewish community of St Louis joined
together last week to force out antisemitic congresswoman Cori Bush.
The time has come to do what worked in New York and St Louis on a national level
in order to ensure Harris’s defeat and send a message that being anti-Israel is
not an electoral asset. Harris must be beaten so handily that no party will ever
again field a candidate who is not a strong supporter of the Jewish state.
Then, the next time Netanyahu or another Israeli prime minister comes to
Washington, the future leaders of the US will be there as they should be,
listening and applauding.
The writer is chairman of the Religious Zionists of America, president of the
Culture for Peace Institute, and a committee member of the Jewish Agency. He
currently serves as a member of the US Holocaust Memorial Council, appointed by
former US president Donald Trump. The views expressed here are his own.
Martinoliner@gmail.com
Israel’s continuous appeasement of terror attacks is
leading to all-out war - opinion
AVI ABELOW/Jerusalem Post/August 11/2024
Israel publicly declaring the desire for diplomacy instead of war might seem
like a prudent way to avoid unnecessary conflict with the West.
In the realm of military strategy, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War has stood the test
of time. His principles have guided countless leaders and warriors through the
annals of history.
One of the most compelling aspects of the Chinese general’s 6th century BCE
strategy is the idea of appearing weak when you are strong and strong when you
are weak, aiming to subdue your enemy without engaging in direct conflict.
Intriguingly, Israel seems to have been embodying the principle of weakness for
decades. While it might be strategic if by design, it has instead been through a
series of unfortunate strategic disasters.
Consider the recent events following Israel’s elimination of a senior Hezbollah
leader in Beirut. Israel has experienced close to 10 months of unprovoked rocket
bombardment from the terrorist group in Lebanon. Israeli homes and communities
on the Lebanon border are destroyed. Communities are ghost towns, and 80,000
residents evacuated their homes. There have been countless deaths from the
Hezbollah attacks, including the killing of a Jewish couple driving in their
car, the recent killing of 12 Israeli Druze children at their community soccer
field, and the recent killing of a 28-year-old Israeli man. Yet with all of
this, Israel has still not engaged in the proper military maneuvers necessary to
end Hezbollah’s war against us so that Israeli residents can return to their
homes and live peacefully without fear of being killed at any moment.
Israel’s targeted strike eliminating Fuad Shukr is not putting an end to their
war against us. That was an act that was too little, close to 10 months too
late, and that will not put an end to Hezbollah’s war against us and allow
everyone to return to their homes to live peacefully. Israel’s Defense Minister
Yoav Gallant was quick to assure the world that Israel is not seeking war with
Hezbollah, emphasizing a preference for diplomacy. This statement, however, is
being misconstrued by our enemies as a sign of weakness rather than a strategic
position aimed at avoiding escalation. I’m sure Defense Minister Gallant means
what he says, and that itself is highly worrying, since Israelis have no trust
in international diplomacy.
BACK IN 2006, the United Nations decided upon UN Resolution 1701, which ended
the Second Lebanon War. The resolution forbids Hezbollah from having forces
south of the Litani River and smuggling weapons and rockets into Lebanon. While
UNIFIL was tasked with enforcing the resolution, it failed in this mission, and
the international community has never enforced Resolution 1701. Hence, Israelis
have no trust in international diplomacy to end Hezbollah’s war against us and
guarantee security for Israelis to return to their homes. The failure of the
international community to hold up international law thereby protecting Israel
is directly responsible for the war against Israel from Lebanon today.
While Israel publicly declaring the desire for diplomacy instead of war might
seem like a prudent way to avoid unnecessary conflict by the West, it
inadvertently sends the opposite message to our adversaries. By declaring a
desire for peace or diplomacy while refraining from substantial military
operations to destroy Hezbollah, Israel’s actions are interpreted as weakness
rather than a genuine strategy to de-escalate tensions. This paradox is
reminiscent of Sun Tzu’s assertion: “Appear weak when you are strong, and strong
when you are weak.”
In Israel’s case, this strategy appears to be a matter of happenstance rather
than deliberate design. Israeli leaders, convinced that their posture of
restraint will prevent full-scale war, are unintentionally encouraging further
aggression. The paradox becomes evident when we consider historical patterns:
efforts at peace over the past 30 years have led to more conflict rather than
peace. Before 1993, when I served in the IDF, the worst terror attacks we
experienced in Israel were stabbing attacks because, at the time, the Arab
Muslims in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza did not have guns, weapons, rockets, or US
military training.
Oslo Accords were completely ineffective
That all changed with the 1993 Oslo “peace” accords.
Israeli leaders Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres made significant concessions in
the Oslo Accords by giving away ancestral Jewish lands in Judea, Samaria, and
Gaza to arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat and his globally recognized terrorist
organization called the Palestine Liberation Organization or Fatah. In addition
to giving away our land, they gave him weapons and trained Arafat’s security
forces. These actions were intended to foster peace and the implementation of
the two-state solution. Instead, they emboldened Arafat, Fatah, the Palestinian
Authority, Hamas, and other terrorist groups, which resulted in a barrage of
suicide bombings across Israel.
At the time, Rabin, Peres, and the pro-appeasement strategy Israeli press called
the massive amounts of Israeli deaths due to terror attacks “sacrifices of
peace.” That was their way of trying to convince the Israeli public that the
weakness of recognizing an arch-terrorist and his terror organization as a
“peace partner” was the right thing to do. That was just the beginning of
increased terrorist hostility that has only grown worse and worse.
Similarly, in 2000, prime minister Ehud Barak’s decision to withdraw Israeli
Defense Forces from Lebanon in the middle of the night was perceived as a
strategic retreat aimed at furthering peace in the region by removing another
point of friction and conflict between us and our enemies. Yet, the
middle-of-the-night South Lebanon pullout in 2000 resulted in Hezbollah taking
over southern Lebanon and amassing a formidable arsenal of over 150,000 rockets,
further threatening Israel’s security.
THE 2005 disengagement from Gaza, where Israel expelled nearly 10,000 Jews from
their homes and dismantled 21 Jewish communities in the Gaza border region, is
another glaring example. This move, intended to bring about peace and the
opportunity for the Arab Muslims in Gaza to create a “Singapore in the Middle
East,” with trillions of dollars in international aid, only emboldened our
enemies. They turned Gaza into a terror launching pad against Israel, using
billions or trillions of dollars of international aid to develop rockets and
create hundreds of kilometers of terror tunnels.
These historical diplomatic actions over the past 30-plus years reflect a
pattern of attempting to negotiate peace through concessions and withdrawals,
which has consistently backfired. We have enough proof from our short past as a
modern nation to reasonably predict the failure of appeasement strategies in the
future.
We know from experience that our enemies interpret these gestures as signs of
weakness rather than steps toward genuine peace. The consistent outcome has been
increased aggression and a perception of Israel as vulnerable and unprepared for
substantial conflict.
Interestingly, while Israeli leaders have not been consciously employing Sun
Tzu’s strategy, the unintended consequence of their actions aligns with his
principles. By projecting an image of weakness for decades, Israel’s enemies are
being drawn into a situation where the Jewish state will be forced to use a more
decisive military action against Hezbollah and Hamas that will most probably
lead to Israel liberating and remaining in southern Lebanon and Gaza.
TO SECURE lasting peace, Israel will have to address the root of the problem by
eliminating Iran’s threats on our borders posed by Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah
in Lebanon. This approach, while seemingly at odds with the current strategy of
appearing restrained, is the only step that will ensure that Israeli citizens
can return to their homes up North and down South, without the constant fear of
rocket attacks and terrorist infiltration.
While Israeli leaders have not intentionally followed Sun Tzu’s strategic war
advice, the continued approach of the Oslo Accords, based on appeasement and
weakness towards a genocidal enemy, has led to a situation where Israel’s
strength is obscured by an outward appearance of weakness. This irony will
ultimately force Israel into a more comprehensive conflict resolution strategy,
a full-out war with Israel’s full strength, to destroy Hezbollah’s military
capabilities in southern Lebanon.
The unintended alignment with Sun Tzu’s principles highlights a broader
strategic paradox: sometimes, appearing weak when strong can lead to the very
conflict one seeks to avoid. In this case, it may just mean that Israel’s
leaders will do what they need to instead of what they want to, achieving what
is best for the people, albeit not by design.
**The writer is the host of the Pulse of Israel daily broadcast and the CEO of
12Tribe Films Foundation.
Iran Knows It Cannot Win a War against Israel
Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute./August 11, 2024
[T]he likelihood of Iran launching another attack against Israel in retaliation
for Haniyeh's assassination appears to be receding, not least because Tehran is
well aware that, in any major military confrontation with Israel, it will
inevitably be the loser.
Israeli officials also believe that the initial assault will not originate from
Iran. The latest intelligence assessment by Israeli officials, reported on
August 7, indicates a shift in expectations regarding the source of the
anticipated attack.
Cooperation between Israel and Russia has often resulted in the Russians turning
a blind eye when Israel attacks Iranian positions in Syria, even though Russia
and Iran are supposed to be allies working together in their joint venture to
keep Syria's Assad regime in power.
In responding to Iran's desperate plea for more arms, therefore, Putin may be
reluctant to take any action that could upset his delicate relationship with
Israel.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have risen considerably since Israel was
accused of carrying out the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau leader
Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran shortly after the swearing in ceremony for Iran's
President Masoud Pezeshkian last month. Although Israel rarely confirms or
denies its involvement in overseas assassinations, the Iranian regime has been
quick to accuse Israel of killing Haniyeh, who reportedly died after a bomb
exploded in his guest apartment in northern Tehran. A senior Hezbollah
commander, Fuad Shukr, was assassinated in Beirut the previous day, in an
operation for which Israel took credit.
Since then, the Iranian regime, together with the Hezbollah terrorist group it
supports in southern Lebanon, have vowed to exact vengeance against Israel,
prompting fears among Western diplomats that Tehran is seeking to provoke a
major war in the Middle East. Speaking at the UN shortly after the
assassinations, Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran's ambassador, warned that Tehran would
not hesitate to exercise its right to self-defence, pointing a finger at Israel
for the assassination Haniyeh on Iranian soil.
In a letter to the United Nations on July 31, Iravani described the attack as "a
severe infringement on [Iran's] sovereignty" that violated international law,
adding: "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not hesitate to exercise its inherent
right to self-defense."
The prospect of a major escalation in hostilities has prompted the US, the UK
and France to warn their nationals to leave Lebanon in anticipation of conflict
between Israel and Hezbollah, which has been launching near-daily attacks
against northern Israel since October 7. Western military forces have been put
on standby in the region to facilitate the evacuation of Western civilians if
required.
Even so, the likelihood of Iran launching another attack against Israel in
retaliation for Haniyeh's assassination appears to be receding, not least
because Tehran is well aware that, in any major military confrontation with
Israel, it will inevitably be the loser.
Only a few days ago, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Iran was
preparing a two-prong attack against Israel, with Tehran launching another
missile assault from Iranians soil, while Hezbollah launched an attack from
southern Lebanon.
That assessment has now been scaled down, with US officials reporting that
Hezbollah is likely to carry out its own attack against Israel independent of
whatever action Iran may be considering.
After days of waiting for Iran to launch an attack, Israeli officials also
believe that the initial assault will not originate from Iran. The latest
intelligence assessment by Israeli officials, reported on August 7, indicates a
shift in expectations regarding the source of the anticipated attack.
Iran's reluctance to become involved in another direct confrontation with Israel
is based on the humiliation it suffered in April, when its efforts to launch a
combined missile and drone attack against Israel ended in ignominious failure.
Of the 300 or so missiles and attack drones launched at Israel, only one managed
to reach its target, causing minimal damage, with the majority of the
projectiles being intercepted by Israel and its allies before reaching their
targets.
Of even greater concern for Iran was the ease with which Israeli warplanes
penetrated Iran's air defences to carry out a retaliatory attack against an
Iranian air base on the outskirts of the central Iranian city of Isfahan, long
regarded as the cradle of Iran's nuclear programme.
By targeting Isfahan, the Israelis were sending a clear signal to the ayatollahs
that their prized nuclear installations -- which Western intelligence says are
being used to develop nuclear weapons -- are vulnerable to attack by the
Israelis.
Iran's concern about its military vulnerabilities explains why the ayatollahs
have now turned to Russia to provide military assistance in their hour of need.
Iran has previously played a key role in supporting Russia's military campaign
in Ukraine, where Iranian attack drones are regularly used to target key
Ukrainian infrastructure. With the prospect of renewed hostilities with Israel,
the Iranians clearly believe that it is payback time so far as their alliance
with Russia is concerned, a point they were keen to make during the recent visit
to Tehran by Sergei Shoigu, Russia's former defence minister and a key ally of
Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During Shoigu's talks with Pezeshkian and senior Iranian security officials, the
Iranians called on Russia to provide advanced air defence systems, as well as
Su-35 fighter jets. The Russians, though, will need to tread carefully in
deciding how much support to provide their Iranian allies. Putin long enjoyed a
strong personal relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one
of Moscow's few bilateral ties that survived the Russian leader's disastrous
decision to invade Ukraine in 2022.
From Israel's perspective, moreover, there is a strategic necessity to maintain
ties with the Russian military, as the Russians continue to control most of the
airspace in Syria as a result of their military intervention to keep the brutal
regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad in power.
Cooperation between Israel and Russia has often resulted in the Russians turning
a blind eye when Israel attacks Iranian positions in Syria, even though Russia
and Iran are supposed to be allies working together in their joint venture to
keep Syria's Assad regime in power. In responding to Iran's desperate plea for
more arms, therefore, Putin may be reluctant to take any action that could upset
his delicate relationship with Israel.
**Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor and a
Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
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not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Iran-Israel Conflict: The War between the Two Regional
Powers
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 11/2024
We are witnessing significant changes as a result of the ongoing conflict
between the two regional powers, Iran and Israel, which has been escalating
since last October. We are in an advanced stage of the conflict, with both sides
defending their positions and attempting to exploit the crisis to weaken the
other.
In these confrontations, Israel has emerged as more powerful and aggressive on
all fronts, seemingly indifferent to the potential risks. The assassination of
Ismail Haniyeh, the chief negotiator for Hamas, in an act that violates even the
norms between warring enemies, is an example of this, as it was carried out on
Iranian soil on the first day of the new president’s term.
Israel also destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus and killed a commander
of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) abroad, actions that also
violate international law, though Israel insists the building was not under
diplomatic immunity. This is in addition to the ongoing daily military
operations in Gaza, resulting in unprecedented levels of killing and
destruction.
Why does Israel present itself as more powerful, bold, and ruthless? Netanyahu
explained in an interview with Time magazine that the primary and most important
reason is the restoration of Israeli deterrence.
Israel has launched direct attacks on the heart of Iran, abandoning decades of
the prevailing regional warfare strategy, which was limited to skirmishes with
Tehran’s regional proxies. Simultaneously, its attacks on these proxies have
become more violent; Israel has crippled Yemen’s Hodeidah port, almost the only
one available to the Houthis, setting fire to dozens of oil tankers and
destroying cargo cranes there.
Against Hezbollah, Israel has assassinated its most prominent leaders in
operations demonstrating its technical and intelligence superiority, and it has
also eliminated a full cadre of Hamas leaders in Beirut, Tehran, and Gaza
itself.
The final point is Netanyahu’s ability to maintain his leadership despite heavy
losses; the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza now surpasses Israel’s
losses in the 1967 War, the War of Attrition, and the 1973 War combined, yet he
still enjoys overwhelming popular support in Israel.
Israel’s new policy is one of excessive force, limitless revenge, and reckless
bravery that could ignite a wide regional war.
The logical explanation for these changes and behavior is the October 7 attack,
which Israel viewed as an existential threat, and its current battles aim to
restore its influence and image. In truth, the existential fear didn’t originate
from that moment alone, but from years of successful Iranian encroachment that
has now surrounded Israel – from the east with Iraq, from the north with Syria
and Lebanon, from within with Hamas in Gaza and parts of the West Bank, and the
Houthis in the far south. The large-scale October attack can be seen as a
natural outcome of Hamas’s confidence in Iran’s growing power.
The current war will pause temporarily for a few years, but with the continued
pressure from the Iranian encirclement, Israel’s options will become tougher –
either direct war with the master in Tehran or making significant regional
concessions to him, with the understanding that nuclear weapons are only usable
in a total destructive war, or if Iranian forces reach the gates of Jerusalem,
all of which are unrealistic scenarios.
Washington is pressing Bibi Netanyahu to accept ending the Gaza war, but he
continues to stall, aiming to extend the conflict for a full year, marking the
anniversary of the Hamas attack, which is just two months away. If Iran and
Hezbollah launch their expected retaliatory attack on Israel, the crisis may
accelerate towards a political solution rather than the opposite, because both
Israel and Iran understand the dangers of escalation, which began like a slow
tennis match and has grown as attacks are exchanged.
The war was initially contained regionally, but now Russia has entered the fray,
providing Iran with defensive weapons this week to “protect” Iran against
Israel’s superior air power, with a suggestion from Putin to execute a
“restrained response” against Israel, “avoiding civilian casualties.” This
effectively announces Russia’s involvement, just as it did in the Syrian war.
Russia has different objectives; it is neither with Iran nor against Israel.
Russia seeks to expand crises in East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to
pressure Washington to halt the war in Ukraine. With these new developments –
the American Iron Dome in Israel and Russian missiles in Iran – the balance of
power returns, highlighting the need for a peaceful solution to avoid the risks
of escalation and deadly errors in military operations that could lead to a
full-scale regional war.
‘Why Won’t I Respond?’
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/August 11/2024
If a headline were to be given to Benjamin Netanyahu’s interview with the
American Time magazine, it should be, “Why Won’t I Respond”! This interview was
not about explanation or justification, but rather a declaration that he will do
what he wants without regard for anyone else.
During the interview, Netanyahu did not explain why he is taking certain
actions; instead, he focused on how he envisions the future and what he believes
he should or should not do. I continually emphasize that Netanyahu’s assessment
is crucial, as understanding your enemy is essential. I previously addressed
this in my article last February, titled: “How to Understand the Enemy.”
“The Godfather has a famous quote that applies to politics and is worth keeping
in mind: “Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgment.” This quote is
particularly relevant to our thinking on how to deal with Israeli Prime Minister
Netanyahu, as well as any enemy in the region.”
Therefore, Netanyahu’s interview with “Time” magazine was a “manifesto,” or
Netanyahu’s doctrine for the next stage, not only in Gaza, but in the region.
When I say that he seemed indifferent, this is a fact, and not an exaggeration.
This was evident in his reply when he was asked: “Are you worried that this is
shaping the perception of Israel for the next generation of not only Americans
but everywhere, and that this will have long-term implications for your
security?”
He gave a sarcastic answer that could be understood by the Israeli and American
readers. He said: “Yes, but being destroyed has bigger implications on Israel’s
security, so I’d rather have bad press than a good obituary.”
Meaning, he prefers to live with a bad reputation to achieve his interests and
the interests of Israel, rather than die with a good reputation.
What confirms his resolve to escalate and act independently now was a report by
our newspaper last Friday, indicating that opinion polls place Netanyahu at the
forefront of the Israeli scene, ahead of Benny Gantz, leader of the “Official
Camp” party, who has fallen back to second place.
As I have repeatedly stated, Netanyahu’s actions are in anticipation of the
outcome of the US presidential elections in November. If Democrat Harris wins,
she will face a new reality that must be dealt with. If Republican Trump
achieves victory, it will simply be a matter of implementing a previously
agreed-upon plan of action.
None of this resulted from Netanyahu’s intelligence, but rather from the
mistakes made by Hamas and its backers, Iran and Hezbollah, as well as the Oct.
7 operation. Hamas and its allies believed they were conducting an operation on
the brink of the abyss, without realizing that the abyss has two edges – one of
which Netanyahu is standing on. The situation became even more dire and complex,
and turned into a grave error when Yehya Sinwar took leadership of Hamas. This
move effectively eliminated any possibility of engaging in political
maneuvering, transforming the movement into a one-dimensional faction, much like
other marginalized groups.
This is the realistic analysis, as we are dealing with a balance of power, and
there is no room for emotion in politics, especially in matters of war. Politics
is the art of the possible, not about shouting or accusations of betrayal, as
Hezbollah and the Brotherhood tend to do, ignoring the fact that one of their
own once saved an Israeli government. As Netanyahu said in his interview with
Time magazine, “previous governments even made a coalition with a party that is
affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood” in Israel! The takeaway here is an
insight into Netanyahu’s thinking - so who truly understands?!
Risk of all-out war grows as Iran, Israel cross red
lines
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/August 11/2024
Following the direct retaliatory attacks between Israel and Iran in April, the
long-standing practice of engaging in indirect conflict through proxies and
shadow wars has apparently come to an end. This significant shift toward direct
confrontation heightens the risk of an all-out war. As the frequency of these
direct attacks increases, it underscores the escalating tensions and the
potential for broader conflict.
Iran has communicated its intent to strike Israel, according to Israeli Foreign
Minister Israel Katz. This revelation comes amid intense diplomatic efforts to
prevent further military escalation that could trigger a direct war between Iran
and Israel. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto conveyed this message to
Katz after receiving it from Ali Bagheri, Iran’s acting foreign minister. Katz
emphasized the importance of the international community holding Iran
accountable for any aggressive actions. The involvement of Hungary as an
intermediary highlights the broader international implications of this conflict.
It is important to point out that understanding the underlying objectives of
both Israel and Iran is crucial. Some analysts suggest that Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might feel emboldened following US President Joe
Biden’s decision not to seek reelection. Previously, Biden had urged Israeli
leaders to avoid actions that could lead to a wider regional war. For instance,
after Iran launched missile and drone attacks that were largely intercepted by
the US, Biden advised Netanyahu to consider the situation a victory and refrain
from retaliating, thereby preventing further escalation. This restraint was seen
as a pragmatic approach to maintaining regional stability. However, with Biden
stepping down, Netanyahu may perceive an opportunity to adopt a more aggressive
stance, believing that the absence of direct US pressure provides a strategic
advantage to address long-standing security concerns with Iran more forcefully.
Some may argue that Netanyahu may be seeking a direct confrontation with Iran
rather than continuing to engage its proxies, such as Hezbollah and the Houthis.
If this is the case, it could potentially draw the US into the conflict, despite
its reluctance to engage in another Middle Eastern war. The dynamics of such a
direct confrontation would significantly alter the geopolitical landscape,
compelling the US to reassess its strategic priorities and commitments in the
region. This potential shift from proxy warfare to direct engagement marks a
critical juncture in Israeli defense policy as well, and has profound
implications for regional stability and international security.
From the perspective of the Iranian government, retaliatory strikes against
Israel could be a means to maintaining its standing after the killing of a Hamas
leader in Tehran. Iran aims to project strength to its conservative base and
regional allies, asserting its influence on both the regional and global stages.
The loss of such a high-profile ally within its borders represents a significant
blow to Iran’s prestige. Responding forcefully is seen as a necessary action to
reaffirm its position as a dominant regional power, and to deter future acts
against its interests.
However, it is worth noting that Iran likely seeks to avoid an all-out war with
Israel for several reasons. Such a conflict would inevitably involve the US,
significantly altering the military balance of power. Iran’s military
capabilities would be no match for the combined forces of the US and Israel.
Iran’s struggling economy cannot sustain a full-scale conflict. In addition,
Iran’s struggling economy, marked by high inflation and unemployment, cannot
sustain a full-scale war. The economic toll of extended military engagement
would be devastating, further weakening an already vulnerable economy. Moreover,
the international sanctions regime has crippled Iran’s ability to finance and
sustain prolonged military operations, making a drawn-out conflict
unsustainable.
Widespread protests in Iran have highlighted the population’s dissatisfaction
with the sociopolitical and economic situation. Engaging in a war would further
strain the government’s resources and exacerbate domestic unrest. The recent low
turnout in Iran’s presidential and parliamentary elections reflects this public
discontent. Most likely, the Iranian leadership is acutely aware that a war,
particularly one with Israel, would divert critical resources away from
addressing domestic issues, potentially leading to greater civil unrest and
further destabilizing the regime. The social contract between the Iranian
government and its populace is already under severe strain, and a costly war
could push it to the breaking point.
Iran’s strategy of announcing its intention to attack in advance could be an
attempt to minimize the risk of escalation and avoid an all-out war with Israel.
By giving notice, Iran allows for the other parties to prepare and reduces the
likelihood of significant damage, as seen in the April attack when most missiles
were intercepted. Iran has also publicly stated that it seeks to avoid regional
tensions. This strategy of signaling intent serves multiple purposes, providing
a psychological warning to Israel, and mitigating the risk of a preemptive
strike or full-fledged war.
Ultimately, Israel’s response to an imminent Iranian attack will be decisive. A
restrained reaction, as in the past, could prevent an escalation into an all-out
war. Conversely, a more extensive response could lead to a broader conflict. The
choices made by Israeli leadership in the coming days will be critical in
determining the trajectory of this conflict. The outcome of this crisis will
hinge on whether Israel opts for measured retaliation or a more comprehensive
military campaign against Iranian interests.
In summary, the current situation is perilous, with former red lines between
Iran and Israel having been crossed. This increases the likelihood of an
inevitable all-out war, contingent on the actions and reactions of both nations.
The potential for broader regional conflict looms large. As the world watches,
the decisions made in the coming days and weeks will be critical. The stakes are
high, as this issue involves not only regional, but also global security.
• Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian American political
scientist.
X: @Dr_Rafizadeh
Iranian regime finds that those who set the fires can get
burned as well
Ali Hamade/Arab News/August 11/2024
One thing is for sure: Iran and Hezbollah are discovering, day after day, the
limits of their murderous confrontation game against Israel. This is a game
played with the blood of Lebanese, Palestinians, Iraqis, Syrians, and Yemenis.
However, the danger level has reached a peak for the Iranians and their main
armed wing in the region, Hezbollah in Lebanon. The shattering retaliation
against Israel that was promised in the days following the assassination in
Tehran on July 31 of the chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh,
has not been delivered. Nor has Hezbollah retaliated to the killing of one of
its commanders a day earlier in a southern suburb of Beirut. Instead, only the
dozens of videos that flooded social media have served to promote the image of
the “resistance.”We are now faced with a reality that seems fluid. The
escalation of the conflict might decline in light of intensifying US and Western
negotiations with Tehran that aim to find a way for the regime, and its armed
wing in Lebanon, to climb down from its threats which have been broadcast widely
on social media and TV.
Why is that? Simply because the party that wants to retaliate to an offense that
happened in Tehran, and to a huge loss in the southern suburb of Beirut, will
not simply throw themselves into a diplomatic mess with the Americans, thus
indirectly, with the Israelis.
This is a far cry from what happened on April 13 and 14, when Iran retaliated
against the bombing of its consulate in Damascus on April 1.
Every single party involved has agreed to firstly, save Tehran’s face, and also
to spare Israel major losses. That was a good day, as we say.
Now, however, the situation is different because Israel is actively trying to
start a fight: a new war that, one way or another, would cast a shadow over the
disaster in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to set one trap after
another in an attempt to drag Hezbollah down a slippery slope.
According to a Western diplomat in Beirut, Israeli authorities are not afraid of
the prospect of Iranian attacks that could cause serious damage in Tel Aviv or
other large residential areas. This would justify an even more brutal Israeli
retaliation in the heart of Tehran, Isfahan or even Qom, Iran’s religious
capital.
The same goes for attacks by Hezbollah, the secretary-general of which was eager
to list in detail for his devoted audience, during his most recent televised
appearance on Tuesday, the industrial targets in Israel that might be targeted
by his Iran-aligned militia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues
to set one trap after another in an attempt to drag Hezbollah down a slippery
slope that leads to a fatal error and justifies an Israeli military campaign
that includes attacks on Beirut and vital targets in other parts of Lebanon.
This suggests the Israelis perhaps are ready to embark on a large-scale,
longer-term confrontation in Lebanon. Observers who closely monitor diplomatic
engagement with Iran can see that serious work is being done in an effort to
persuade Iran to choose deescalation, and for good reason: Not only could the
results be very costly for Israel should Tehran follow through with its threats,
it would be extremely costly for Iran and its allies as well.
This is the gist of the messages Hezbollah has been receiving from the British
and Americans, delivered through the Lebanese government, which has completely
surrendered to the will of the militia. These messages describe impatient
Israeli authorities who are waiting for Hezbollah to put into action the threats
of its secretary-general so that they can escalate the war to extreme limits.
This greatly diverges from the position that prevailed during the first 10
months of this war of attrition against Israel in which Hezbollah is now taking
part. The current phase is very dangerous. Iran feels it must respond to
Israel’s presumed assassination of Haniyeh on its territory. Hezbollah also
feels it has to respond to the assassination of the No. 2 in its hierarchy in a
strike that took place in the heart of the southern suburbs of Beirut. So the
search is on for a smart diplomatic solution that would allow both sides, the
Iranians and the Israelis, to step back from a difficult and dangerous situation
and avoid a potentially devastating war that looms larger than ever. The main
question remains: Will the Americans, through the Biden administration, manage
to pull off a peacekeeping feat that would inevitably benefit Democratic
candidate Kamala Harris in the presidential election on Nov. 5? In short, the
regime in Iran, long a master of playing with fire, might now be realizing that
pyromaniacs can get burned as well.
*Ali Hamade is an editorial journalist at the Annahar newspaper in Lebanon. X: @AliNahar