English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For August 29/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
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Bible Quotations For today
King Herod, Herodias’s Daughter & The Beheading Of John The Baptist
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 06/14-29/:”King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 28-29/2024
UN Security Council renews peacekeeping force in Lebanon
Lebanese Foreign Ministry praises UN Security Council for renewing UNIFIL mandate
Lebanon's PM Mikati acknowledges global support and reaffirms commitment to Resolution 1701 following UNIFIL mandate renewal
Severe phosphorus inhalation case in Khiam, South Lebanon: Health Ministry
Hope for Lebanon's healthcare: Hospitals see budget increase as Health Ministry aims for recovery
Hezbollah targets Israeli troops in response to attacks deep inside Lebanon
Israeli Drone Strike Kills Four, Including Islamic Jihad Official
Tensions Intensify in Lebanon as Israel Targets South and Bekaa Regions
The Blue Line: A Withdrawal Line, Not a Border
Hezbollah still in shock, assessing damage from Israel's pre-emptive strike - IDF Col.
UN demands halt to escalating attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces
FPM: Kanaan Chose to Resign Through the Media
‘Scorched Earth’, Israel’s War on Lebanon’s Environment

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 28-29/2024
US places sanctions on Israeli nonprofit, settler official over West Bank violence
Rescued Israeli pleads for hostage deal with Hamas
Israeli military says it failed to protect civilians in settler attack on Palestinians
Palestinian officials say Israeli raids across occupied West Bank have killed 9
Israeli forces launch strikes across Gaza, push tanks into central Khan Younis
WFP suspends Gaza movement after vehicle fired on
Gaza teen amputee recalls nightmare of losing arms in Israeli strike
A US Navy carrier strike group and a few other warships fired $1.16 billion in weapons battling the Houthis in the Red Sea
Iran says Houthis agree to truce so tugboats can reach damaged oil tanker
Houthis: We did not agree to a temporary truce; we only allowed towing of Sounion tanker
Yemen's Houthis will let salvage crews access oil tanker they set ablaze in Red Sea
Palestinian officials say Israeli raids across occupied West Bank have killed 9
Iran operated fake human-resources firm to root out unfriendly spies, researchers say
FBI: Gunman spent months seeking a target, then settled on Trump

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on August 28-29/2024
Christians must counteract antisemitism with acts of solidarity/Avery Chenault/Jerusalem Post/August 28/2024
Walking a fine line between persuasion and reporting in political media/Yisraeh Medad/Jerusalem Post/August 28/2024
Islamist delusions: Hidden truths behind the Arab-Israeli conflict/Mohamed Saad/Jerusalem Post/August 27/2024
Iran's War Against Israel - From the West Bank/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/August 28, 2024
Two sworn enemies hold the key to ending the war in Gaza. Does either man want a deal?/Joseph Krauss/The Associated Press/August 28, 2024
Russians are waking up to Putin’s Ukraine folly/Ilan Berman, opinion contributor/The Hill/August 28, 2024
Who’s to Blame? Historic American Church Transformed into a Mosque/Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/August 28/2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on August 28-29/2024
UN Security Council renews peacekeeping force in Lebanon

Michelle Nichols/UNITED NATIONS (Reuters)/ August 28, 2024
The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to extend a long-running peacekeeping mission in Lebanon for another year, but Israel's ally the United States said changes should be made to the operation's mandate in the future. The U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) - established in 1978 - patrols Lebanon's southern border with Israel. The mandate for the operation is renewed annually, and its current authorization was due to expire on Saturday. "Today's unanimous vote is proof of the international community's interest in Lebanon," Lebanon's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Hadi Hachem told the council. "It is a clear message from your honorable council in favor of stability and a ceasefire. It is a gesture of hope for all Lebanese who reject war, violence and destruction, the Lebanese who want to give peace a chance," he said. The vote by the 15-member Security Council came just days after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Israeli military engaged in one of the most intense exchanges of fire between them over the last 10 months amid fears that Israel's war in Gaza would become a wider regional conflict. Speaking to reporters before the vote, Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters on Wednesday: "I have a message for the Lebanese people: You and your government have a choice to make. Confront Hezbollah today, or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction. "Do not let Hezbollah and Iran dictate your future. If you fail to act, the devastation that follows will be on your hands. Israel does not seek war, but as we demonstrated this week, we will not hesitate to defend our people," Danon said. UNIFIL's mandate was expanded in 2006 - when the council adopted resolution 1701 following a monthlong war between Israel and Hezbollah - to allow peacekeepers to help the Lebanese army keep parts of the south free of weapons or armed personnel other than those of the Lebanese state. That has sparked friction with Hezbollah, which effectively controls southern Lebanon despite the presence of the Lebanese army. Hezbollah is a heavily armed party that is Lebanon's most powerful political force. "Extending UNIFIL's mandate, which this resolution does, supports our goal of regional de-escalation, which is now more important than ever," Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Robert Wood told the council. "Going forward, we need to address the ways in which Hezbollah and other malign actors in Lebanon prevent the full implementation of Resolution 1701, constrain UNIFIL's ability to operate freely and threaten U.N. peacekeepers, safety and security," he said.

Lebanese Foreign Ministry praises UN Security Council for renewing UNIFIL mandate
LBCI/August 28, 2024
Lebanon's Foreign Ministry expressed "deep gratitude" to the United Nations Security Council after voting to extend the United Nations Interim Force mandate in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another year. In a statement, the ministry specifically thanked France. It also thanked Algeria, a non-permanent council member, for their active involvement in the extension process. The ministry also extended its appreciation to all other member states that supported the extension, emphasizing the importance of UNIFIL's presence in southern Lebanon, especially given the current regional instability. Reaffirming Lebanon's commitment to supporting UNIFIL, the ministry underscored its dedication to ongoing cooperation and coordination with the peacekeeping force. The ministry highlighted that the foundation for lasting stability on Lebanon's southern border is the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, along with other relevant international resolutions. These resolutions call for the preservation of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity, demand Israel's withdrawal to internationally recognized borders, and insist on an end to ongoing Israeli violations of Lebanese territory.

Lebanon's PM Mikati acknowledges global support and reaffirms commitment to Resolution 1701 following UNIFIL mandate renewal
LBCI/August 28, 2024
On Wednesday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved the renewal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate for another year. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati emphasized that extending UNIFIL's mandate is crucial for maintaining stability in southern Lebanon and expressed gratitude for the ongoing support and cooperation from the Security Council. Mikati reaffirmed Lebanon's commitment to working closely with UNIFIL to address the challenges and threats to stability in the south. He also reiterated Lebanon's commitment to implementing relevant international resolutions, including Resolution 1701. In his statement, Mikati expressed Lebanon's profound gratitude to the Security Council members for their dedicated efforts in renewing UNIFIL's mandate. He acknowledged France's crucial role in achieving consensus and its ongoing support for Lebanon's stability. Mikati also thanked the United States for understanding Lebanon's unique situation and supporting UNIFIL's mandate during this critical time. He appreciated the friendly and allied countries supporting the extension, especially Algeria, for leading the campaign and consistently standing by Lebanon. He concluded by thanking all Security Council members who voted in favor of the extension. He added: "We must also extend our appreciation to Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib for his efforts in securing this decision in line with Lebanon's highest interests."

Severe phosphorus inhalation case in Khiam, South Lebanon: Health Ministry
LBCI/August 28, 2024
The Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Health Ministry reported on Wednesday that Israeli artillery shelling with phosphorous bombs on the town of Khiam in South Lebanon resulted in one citizen suffering from asphyxiation. The injured individual was treated in the emergency department at the Marjayoun Governmental Hospital.

Hope for Lebanon's healthcare: Hospitals see budget increase as Health Ministry aims for recovery
LBCI/August 28, 2024
Lebanon's healthcare system has faced severe challenges during the ongoing economic crisis, leaving many patients struggling to receive necessary medical care. Patients relying on the Health Ministry have been particularly affected, with hospitals often demanding cash payments to cover the difference between what the ministry pays in Lebanese lira and the actual cost of procedures. In some cases, hospitals refused to provide essential medical supplies like stents unless patients paid in cash. These were undoubtedly difficult times for both patients and hospitals.  However, there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The Health Ministry is working to restore hospital services for patients covered by the ministry, who make up 70% of the Lebanese population. This effort comes with an increased budget for the ministry, which now stands at $370 million, with $200 million allocated specifically for hospitals.  As a result, the ministry has raised the spending caps for hospitals that treat ministry patients, allowing them to accept more patients and expand healthcare coverage. Some hospitals have already used up their allotted funds due to the high number of ministry patients they have treated, and their caps will be increased accordingly. Others have not been as active in treating ministry patients, using their funds for other purposes. In response to the crisis, the ministry had previously reduced the number of surgeries it would cover from 3,200 to 122, focusing only on emergency operations. Now, they plan to add 50 more procedures to the list. Additionally, services such as coronary stents provision, which had been discontinued, are being reinstated. A pivotal step to encourage doctors who left the country to return is the ministry's decision to restore the pre-crisis payment rates for doctors treating ministry patients. The ministry is also working on 25 projects to expand sections of public hospitals. Moreover, a partnership between some public hospitals and major private hospitals is expected to be announced soon. While there is still a long way to go, these steps suggest that Lebanon's healthcare sector is on the road to recovery, with hopes of returning to its pre-crisis state, if not better.

Hezbollah targets Israeli troops in response to attacks deep inside Lebanon
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/August 28, 2024
BEIRUT: Hezbollah said it launched an “aerial attack with an assault drone on the newly established headquarters of the Israeli army’s Western Brigade south of the Ya’ara settlement” on Wednesday that “accurately struck the positions of officers and soldiers.” The group said the assault was a response to an “Israeli attack on Tuesday night against a truck on the Baalbek-Homs international road.” The truck was reportedly loaded with ammunition and military logistical equipment. One person was “slightly injured” in that attack, the Ministry of Health’s Emergency Center said. A security source said the vehicle was part of a three-truck convoy but only one was hit by the strike, adding: “The truck caught fire and explosions were heard coming from it.” Hezbollah imposed a security cordon around the scene of the attack and prevented residents from approaching. Many people living nearby left the area temporarily out of fear for their safety. Less than 10 hours before the attack on the truck, Hezbollah member Mohammed Hassan Taha, from the city of Baalbek, and three Palestinian members of the Islamic Jihad movement were killed by Israeli forces in a combat-drone strike on their vehicle while they were traveling from Syria to Lebanon. The incident happened on the Damascus-to-Beirut road at a checkpoint near Al-Zabadani junction. The Israeli army said it “struck Hezbollah targets deep inside Lebanon.” Reconnaissance aircraft and combat drones remain active around the clock each day, hunting for Hezbollah members. The drone attack that killed Taha was at least the third Israeli assassination of its kind in the area in the past two months. Previous targets have included Yasser Qarnabesh, a former assistant to Hezbollah’s secretary-general, and Syrian businessman Baraa Al-Qaterji.
Further evidence on Wednesday of escalating tensions included at least four Israeli airstrikes that targeted areas on the outskirts of Toumat Niha in Western Bekaa, and the launch of rockets toward the Lebanese border town of Aitaroun. Another town close to the border, Markaba, was reportedly hit by phosphorus bombs. Israeli shelling also caused fires in olive groves and other agricultural areas in Al-Jabeen and the Tair Harfa triangle. Lebanese Civil Defense teams fought the blazes with support from the Lebanese Armed Forces. Eleven months of Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon have left dozens of front-line towns scorched, entire neighborhoods razed, more than 110,000 residents displaced, and farmers unable to tend their lands. Health Ministry figures indicate that the death toll in Lebanon during the conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah is at least 564, mostly Hezbollah leaders and members, and 1,848 people have been wounded. On the Israeli side, 24 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed and hundreds of people injured, according to media reports.

Israeli Drone Strike Kills Four, Including Islamic Jihad Official
This Is Beirut/August 28/2024
An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle on Wednesday on the Damascus-Beirut road near the Zabadani Bridge, close to the Syrian-Lebanese border, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including Firas Qassam, the head of operations for the Islamic Jihad movement. The deceased include three Palestinian members of the Islamic Jihad movement and a Hezbollah fighter. Among them was Mohammed Hassan Taha from Baalbeck, Lebanon. Hezbollah has since confirmed Taha’s death and mourned his loss. Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed that the strike successfully targeted Firas Qassam. Adraee stated that Qassam was pivotal in developing operational plans for Islamic Jihad in Syria and Lebanon and played a key role in recruiting Palestinian fighters for Hezbollah to carry out operations against Israeli targets. Adraee added that the strike occurred as “Islamic Jihad operatives were on their way from Syria to Lebanon to carry out operations on behalf of Hezbollah.”

Tensions Intensify in Lebanon as Israel Targets South and Bekaa Regions
This Is Beirut/August 28/2024
The security situation in Lebanon deteriorated on Wednesday following a series of Israeli airstrikes that resulted in several deaths and injuries. An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle on Wednesday afternoon on the Syrian-Beirut border near the Zabadani Bridge.
The attack resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including Firas Qassam, head of operations for the Islamic Jihad movement, three Palestinian members of Islamic Jihad, and a Hezbollah fighter named Mohammed Hassan Taha from Baalbek.Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee confirmed that Qassam was a key figure in operational planning for Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. Earlier in the day, Israeli forces conducted multiple attacks across southern Lebanon. This included artillery shelling and airstrikes targeting the towns of Khiam, Aitaroun, Odeisseh, and Markaba. Furthermore, phosphorus shelling resulted in a citizen suffering from suffocation, who was treated later at the Marjayoun Governmental Hospital. Additionally, shelling from Israeli positions caused fires in olive groves and large agricultural areas. In response to the earlier Israeli airstrikes, Hezbollah struck the new headquarters of the Western Brigade south of Yarra, targeting positions and officers. Hezbollah also struck the Ruweiset al-Alam position in the Kfarchouba hills and the Bayad Blida site, both with missile weapons.
Wednesday morning was marked by an Israeli drone strike on the Baalbek-Homs international road, targeting a pickup truck carrying military equipment. The strike resulted in explosions from the truck’s ammunition, causing temporary displacement of local families and setting up a security cordon in the area. The Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center reported one person with minor injuries.

The Blue Line: A Withdrawal Line, Not a Border
Sana Richa Choucair/This Is Beirut/August 28/2024
Since the outbreak of armed conflict in South Lebanon on October 8 between Hezbollah and Israel, the Blue Line has been a topic of constant discussion. There is a common misconception that this line represents the border between Lebanon and Israel. What exactly is the Blue Line? On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah established a “support front” in southern Lebanon for Hamas in its conflict with Israel, which had erupted the day before. Since then, various international and local key players, including the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), have called for a cessation of hostilities on both sides of the Blue Line and for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. There is a common but incorrect assumption that this line represents the border between Lebanon and Israel. So, what exactly is the Blue Line?
A Withdrawal Line Established in 2000
In June 2000, the United Nations established the Blue Line, a 120-kilometer withdrawal line, to confirm the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory after 22 years of military occupation in southern Lebanon, which began with the 1978 invasion.
According to a press release on UNIFIL’s official website, “This line does not constitute an international border and does not determine any future border agreements between Lebanon and Israel.” On May 22, 2000, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan issued a report on the implementation of Security Council Resolutions 425 and 426 (1978). These resolutions call for Israel’s complete withdrawal from Lebanese territory and appoint the UNIFIL.However, the presence of the Israeli state in Lebanon lasted for 22 years and included several military operations: Operation Litani (1978), Operation Peace for Galilee (1982), Operation Accountability (1993) and Operation Grapes of Wrath (1996).
“On April 17, 2000, I formally received notification from the Israeli government of its intention to withdraw Israeli forces from Lebanon beginning in July 2000,” states Kofi Annan’s report. Following this notification, the Secretary-General took the necessary steps to oversee the Israeli withdrawal under UN supervision. In this context, the request was made to “determine the delineation of a line in accordance with Lebanon’s internationally recognized borders, using the best available information, including cartographic data,” as per the text. The report references the international border between Israel and Lebanon, “established under the 1923 agreement between France and Great Britain,” and points out that this boundary “was reaffirmed in the Israel-Lebanon General Armistice Agreement signed on March 23, 1949.”As part of this initiative, on June 6, 2000, the UNIFIL Commander-in-Chief officially provided the concerned parties with a map of the withdrawal line, known as the Blue Line. A list of 198 coordinates defining the entire length of the Blue Line was separately sent to the parties on June 23. These two documents remain the only official reference for the withdrawal line. While Lebanon accepted both the map and the list of coordinates, Israel recognized only the map as the official reference. Both parties committed to fully respecting the line as defined by the United Nations, agreeing that UNIFIL would serve as the sole guardian of the Blue Line and the final arbiter in the event of any violations. However, both countries have expressed reservations about specific points along the withdrawal line. Lebanon disputes 13 areas, including the Shebaa Farms and the Kfarchouba Hills. Meanwhile, Israel has not provided details on the number or locations of its contested areas.
The Blue Line Uncovered
In the spring of 2007, UNIFIL initiated a project to visibly mark the withdrawal line on the ground in collaboration with the involved parties. The goal was to clearly define the line for both the public and military personnel, to prevent violations and accidental crossings.
UNIFIL estimated that more than 541 markers would be needed, with 4 markers placed per kilometer, to ensure the line is clearly visible along its 120-kilometer length.
As of March 2023, 272 markers had already been installed. Each marker location is agreed upon by the parties before a marker is placed on site and made visible with a blue barrel.
The 1949 Armistice Line
The armistice agreement between Israel and Lebanon was signed in Ras al-Naqoura on March 23, 1949. This agreement is part of a series of bilateral accords finalized in 1949 under UN supervision, between Israel and four neighboring countries: Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. These agreements followed the first Arab-Israeli war, which erupted after the declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948. Referred to as the Palestine War (May 15–June 11, 1948), the conflict aimed to protect the Palestinian people from the newly established Israeli state. On January 7, 1949, a ceasefire ended the hostilities, and negotiations began on the Greek island of Rhodes on January 12. The 1949 Lebanese-Israeli armistice agreement established a demarcation line, which military forces are prohibited from crossing and within which military presence is to be purely defensive. This armistice line follows the international border between Lebanon and Palestine as defined in Article V of the Paulet-Newcomb Agreement of March 7, 1923. This agreement provided the first official delineation between the territories of Greater Lebanon and Palestine at that time. The 1923 demarcation line became the benchmark boundary, adapted with some modifications in subsequent agreements. The 1949 commission adopted the 38 separation points established by the Paulet-Newcombe Agreement and added new ones, bringing the total number of boundary points to 141.
The Official 1923 Border
The Paulet-Newcombe Agreement, dated March 7, 1923, establishes the boundary between French-mandate Syria and Lebanon and British-mandate Palestine. Lieutenant Colonels Paulet and Newcombe, representing France and Britain respectively, were responsible for mapping the borders and drafting the agreement. This agreement builds on the final report (drafted on February 3, 1922) of the French-British convention of December 23, 1920, which delineated the borders between Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. The agreement was then submitted to the League of Nations, the predecessor to the United Nations. Three maps are appended to this report, detailing the boundary lines as determined by the Commission. The convention identifies 38 reference points for the borders between Lebanon and Palestine. This agreement is part of the broader effort to delineate the mandate zones in the Middle East, a process that began with the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreements. After World War I and the fall of the Ottoman Empire, France and Britain delineated the borders to define the territories under their respective mandates.
The Blue Line in Resolution 1701
After the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1701 on August 11, 2006, asking for an immediate and complete ceasefire.The resolution calls for the Lebanese government to deploy its army in South Lebanon and reinforce the mandate of the UNIFIL. Resolution 1701 specifically calls for the establishment of a buffer zone, defining the area south of the Litani River as “demilitarized.” Under this resolution, Hezbollah and other militias, including Palestinian groups, are not allowed to maintain an armed presence in this area.
The resolution also emphasizes respect for the Blue Line and affirms Lebanon’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence within its internationally recognized borders, “as stipulated by the armistice agreement of March 23, 1949.”Moreover, the Blue Line is described as “the best approximation of the 1923 borderline and the 1949 armistice demarcation line,” according to the UNIFIL press briefing.

Hezbollah still in shock, assessing damage from Israel's pre-emptive strike - IDF Col.
Jerusalem Post/August 28/2024
Colonel Anan Abbas said the IDF meticulously prepared the preventative attack on Hezbollah's rocket launchers for months. Colonel Anan Abbas, Head of Control at the Northern Command's central operations room, revealed in an interview with Maariv on Tuesday that the recent operation against Hezbollah required months of meticulous preparation. "Hezbollah is trying to assess the extent of the damage they've sustained," he said. "We attacked thousands of launchers and crippled Hezbollah’s capabilities, and our operations [haven't finished yet]. It appears Hezbollah is still in shock. They're trying to comprehend the extent of the damage inflicted on them, and they’ll fully understand it in the coming days. Right now, they’re just beginning to grasp what happened and how it unfolded," Abbas explained. Earlier in the week, the IDF emphasized that while the operation was primarily tactical, it sent powerful signals to Hezbollah—messages that could potentially lead to broader strategic shifts. "It seems Hezbollah was genuinely surprised," noted Abbas. "Their shock comes from the sheer number of planes we deployed simultaneously, striking an overwhelming number of targets in a very short time. They're also astonished by the precision of our strikes—how we managed to accurately hit so many targets, neutralize their assets, and do so without harming civilians or causing collateral damage.""This operation took months of preparation," he said, highlighting the extensive intelligence-gathering, target identification, and strike planning that went into it. In addition to airstrikes, the IDF also employed artillery fire from several batteries, which targeted various locations in Lebanon. Returning normalcy to the North. "Our mission is to ensure the residents of northern Israel can return to their homes safely," Abbas continued. As part of his role, he continually updates the Northern Command Commander on potential targets in Lebanon. "Since the war began, we’ve conducted over 7,000 strikes in Lebanon and eliminated more than 550 Hezbollah operatives, including some of their top commanders."Despite Hezbollah’s attempts to launch a significant attack on Israel on Sunday, the Northern Command was well-prepared for their tactics, and the IDF delivered a decisive response to halt the assault.

UN demands halt to escalating attacks between Hezbollah and Israeli forces
Edith M. Lederer/UNITED NATIONS (AP)/August 28, 2024
The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday demanded a halt to the increasing attacks between Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants and Israeli forces and warned that further escalation “carries the high risk of leading to a widespread conflict.”Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah pulled back after an exchange of heavy fire across the U.N.-drawn boundary between Lebanon and Israel over the weekend. But their decades-old conflict is far from over and regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza are still high. The Security Council demand that Israel and Hezbollah halt hostilities — which is not legally binding — came in a French-drafted resolution unanimously approved by its 15 members, urging the “relevant actors” to restore “calm, restraint and stability.”“The risk of open warfare remains real, and we are mobilized alongside our regional and international partners to avoid a regional conflagration,” France’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Nathalie Broadhurst, said before the vote. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, told reporters that he had a message for the Lebanese people: “You and your government have a choice to make, confront Hezbollah today or watch as your country is dragged into chaos and destruction.”Lebanon’s representative, Hadi Hachem, was far more diplomatic, thanking the council after the vote for its clear message “in favor of stability and a cease-fire.” And he urged members: “Let’s work together, not only to end the escalation” but toward “a just and comprehensive peace.”The resolution extended for another year the mandate of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL, which was created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after a 1978 invasion and has been there ever since. The Security Council expanded the mission after a 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah so that peacekeepers could deploy along the Lebanon-Israel border to help Lebanese troops extend their authority into their country’s south for the first time in decades. That resolution also called for a full cessation of Israeli-Hezbollah hostilities, which has not happened.
Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon frequently accuse the U.N. mission of collusion with Israel, while Israel has accused the peacekeepers of turning a blind eye to Hezbollah’s military activities in southern Lebanon. During the ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, UNIFIL facilities or vehicles have been hit by shelling or gunfire on several occasions. Earlier this month, UNIFIL said three peacekeepers on patrol were lightly injured when an explosion happened near their vehicle. Israel’s Danon blamed Hezbollah for launching unprovoked attacks against Israel starting the day after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel, which ignited the war in Gaza. Since then, he said, more than 8,000 rockets, 300 explosive drones and 1,500 anti-tank missiles have been launched against Israel, forcing over 60,000 Israelis in the north to leave their homes. Danon accused Hezbollah of firing from southern Lebanon — within UNIFIL’s area of operations — in violation of the 2006 cease-fire resolution and showed the council photos that he claimed were near some of its facilities.
There will be no stability while Hezbollah’s “massive military buildup” is ignored, he said.
Israel is determined to return its civilians to their homes, and while it favors diplomacy, Danon warned that “time is running out.” If diplomacy fails, “we will use all the necessary means to restore calm and stability to the north of Israel," he said. Israeli ally the United States supported Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah attacks. “Lebanon should not be a haven for terrorist organizations or a launch pad for attacks against Israel,” U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood told the council, saying that Iran is violating the arms embargo in the 2006 resolution by providing Hezbollah with the majority of weapons it fires against Israel. Algeria, the Arab representative on the council, and Russia said the crisis in Lebanon and the wider Middle East has deeper roots. Nacim Gaouaoui, Algeria’s deputy U.N. ambassador, underscored the importance of UNIFIL’s role in ending hostilities but said it’s “a critical moment for our region because of the brutal assault on the unarmed Palestinian people, in particular in the Gaza Strip.” “My delegation believes that the leading reason for instability in the Middle East is the occupation of Arab territory,” he said. “The end of occupation is the condition for peace and security in the region.”
That view was echoed by Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, who said, “It is clear that the current political military escalation is linked directly to the fact that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict remains unresolved and the unprecedented escalation in Gaza.”

FPM: Kanaan Chose to Resign Through the Media
This Is Beirut/August 28, 2024 
The Free Patriotic Movement declared on Wednesday that “MP Ibrahim Kanaan chose to submit his resignation from the party through the media, despite an appointment scheduled with him next Friday,” announcing that “the movement will issue detailed statements later on this issue.”On its official Facebook account, the FPM also revealed that “Ibrahim Kanaan resigned after he was summoned on Tuesday to the Council of Elders and refused to attend three consecutive times to the political body.”

‘Scorched Earth’, Israel’s War on Lebanon’s Environment

Cian ward/This Is Beirut/August 28, 2024  
Israel’s attacks on Lebanon have left the border area a “scorched earth”, as it targets the environment in the hope of creating an uninhabitable ‘security’ zone. “Everyone has left out of fear of the war, nobody can live under the bombing, there is no life here anymore,” says Michel , a farmer from the border village of Wazzani. Ten months of war have left southern Lebanon a “scorched earth,” Hicham Younes, the head of the Green Southerners, a Lebanese environmental NGO, told This is Beirut.The human toll has been severe – 116 civilians have been killed according to AFP’s latest tally, and over 100,000 displaced. Yet, Israel’s strategy is multidimensional, inflicting not just a human cost, but rendering Lebanon’s environment yet another ‘martyr’.But Michel will not let war force him from his land, “[it] is the work of my lifetime, my whole life I have tried to build a heaven, how can I just leave it behind.”
Nature under threat
Firefighters putting out fires in Blida, photo from The Green Southerners
As Lebanon balances on the edge of a precipice, the scope of the war, and the environmental devastation wrought upon the country, has been growing for months.
According to Lebanon’s National Early Warning System Platform (NEWSP), 17 million square meters of land have been damaged since October – equivalent to 2381 soccer fields – a figure that has doubled since January. Such destruction has had dire effects for a region renowned for its diverse ecosystems and unique landscapes, says Younes, adding that southern Lebanon “provides crucial habitats for various endangered species, including sea turtles, sharks and the Mediterranean monk seal.” “The region’s ancient oak forests also offer refuge to endangered striped hyenas, golden jackals and Egyptian mongoose.” The war is putting these vital natural habitats under threat with “the significant loss of bushlands, old oak and pine forests … causing local biodiversity degradation, and soil contamination.”Younes believes that Israel “aims to damage agriculture and natural habitats, disrupt the local ecology with the goal of making the area uninhabitable.”One of the most pernicious effects has come from wildfires, which have become increasingly prominent over southern Lebanon’s hot dry summer. Ameneh Mehvar, a researcher at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) told This is Beirut that they have recorded over 6,400 Israeli attacks on Lebanon since October, and that “these attacks have caused extensive forest and farmland fires” with at least 125 incidents documented over the last 10 months. She adds that “dozens of fires have broken out due to Israel’s use of highly incendiary munitions, including white phosphorus.”
White phosphorus
Israel’s indiscriminate use of white phosphorus has been condemned as ‘unlawful’ by Human Rights Watch. This is Beirut spoke to Antoine Kallab, Associate Director of the American University of Beirut’s Nature Conservation Center, who, alongside Leila Rossa Maouwad, wrote a report on the impact of white phosphorus. According to Kallab, white phosphorus “has a legitimate use to camouflage the movement of soldiers.” However, “there are no troops directly on the border, and its use in villages, businesses and homes … suggests that they are using this weapon for its other characteristics.”White phosphorus “generates intensely toxic reactions at a high temperature that can cause damage to the human body, as well as the ecosystem, agriculture and land. The heat is intense enough to burn down property, forests, vegetative areas – as well as humans” says Kallab. In June, Lebanon submitted a formal complaint to the UN Security Council condemning Israel’s use of white phosphorus to deliberately burn woods and forests. According to the Green Southerners, its danger comes both from direct exposure to its toxic burns, and as a potentially long-term ‘environmental contaminate’. Kallab found in his report, that it may lead to soil acidification, and contamination of water supplies, which can significantly damage agricultural viability due to flora suffering from desiccation, dieback and wilting. Whilst, it is difficult to ascertain the true scale of damage in Lebanon, says Kallab, because systematic analysis is currently too dangerous, studies from Ukraine have found its use there to have left a considerable impact.
An agricultural disaster zone
In the words of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, southern Lebanon has become an “agricultural disaster zone.”According to the UNDP, southern Lebanon is a key agricultural center, accounting for almost 22% of the country’s agricultural land, and 80% of the region’s economy. Mikati reported that 800 hectares of agricultural land have been completely destroyed alongside 34,000 head of livestock, with a 75% loss of income for local farmers. In July, a single drone strike on a farm in Jezzine killed 300 animals, reportedly worth $100,000. For Michel, the last 10 months have brought hardship. “We can’t give the land the same attention. We try to remove weeds, to fertilize, to spray the trees [with pesticide], but we do it fast because when the Israeli bombing starts we have to stop.”“We can’t access part of our land because it’s too dangerous, about 300 dunums of nectarine and plum trees aren’t accessible, that is around 600 tones of fruit we can’t harvest.”As the war makes it harder to farm, basic costs are rising. “I used to get our tools from Kfar Kila, but now Kfar Kila is totally destroyed, so we have to go to Nabatieh … but things are getting more expensive and I am accruing debts,” says Michel.
Harming the roots of communities
According to Action Against Hunger, 47,000 olive trees have been destroyed. For Younes, the impact is profound because “some olive groves are hundreds of years old and deeply intertwined with the local identity. Harming these perennial trees is akin to harming the roots of the communities.”With over 100,000 displaced, the region is largely empty. “There is nobody on the roads, there is no one left, it is all empty … all of them have been displaced from their land, homes and villages, they left everything behind and fled,” says Michel. According to Kallab, such displacement disrupts the natural patterns of life “destroying the interlinkages between communities, and their inherited sense of history and culture in a place.”
A scorched earth strategy
Lebanese army removing unexploded ordnance, photo provided by Michel
The question remains as to why Israel has put Lebanon’s environment in its crosshairs. According to Kallab, “when you target the natural environment, you target a community’s ability to remain in that environment, … when you target the land’s ability to grow food, the farmer and the community around them can no longer survive – they have to move.” “Whilst one can hypothesize Israel’s intentions, the fundamental problem, when targeting the environment, is that you can’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. It is a way to punish local communities for Hezbollah’s actions, in an attempt to shift support away from the group.” adds Kallab.
Ecocide
Does the deliberate, extensive and systematic destruction of the environment could constitute an ecocide (environmental genocide)? According to Maud Sarlieve, an international human rights and criminal lawyer, a legal definition of ecocide does not exist. “It’s a concept, it’s not law” says Sarlieve, “the fundamental problem is how do you define ‘environmental destruction’… Does an individual chopping down a tree count as ecocide?”She points out that “in the context of war, environmental destruction is often the lowest priority, and so we can use the concept [of ecocide] to mobilize interest in the environmental impact of war, in order to strengthen the existing protections on the environment.”Whilst they do exist, “the protections have not been used to hold States responsible for environmental damage in times of conflict.”However, according to Sarlieve, this is a developing field of international law, and recent cases relating to Ukraine and Palestine may open up pathways for justice in the future.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 28-29/2024
US places sanctions on Israeli nonprofit, settler official over West Bank violence
Simon Lewis/Reuters/August 28, 2024
The U.S. imposed sanctions on an Israeli nonprofit and a Jewish West Bank settlement security official on Wednesday in Washington's latest effort to punish Jewish settlers it accuses of extremist violence against Palestinians. Hashomer Yosh, a non-governmental organization that says it helps protect settlers, provided material support to an unauthorized West Bank outpost already subject to sanctions, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. The official is Yitzhak Levi Filant, a civilian security coordinator at the Yitzhar settlement who led a group of armed settlers in February to set up roadblocks and conduct patrols aimed at forcing Palestinians from their land, Miller said. "Extremist settler violence in the West Bank causes intense human suffering, harms Israel’s security, and undermines the prospect for peace and stability in the region," Miller said in a statement. The statement called on Israel to hold those responsible for the violence accountable. The sanctions freeze the U.S. assets of those targeted, denying them access, and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. The sanctions will be imposed under an executive order on West Bank violence that President Joe Biden signed in February. It has been used to impose sanctions on a Palestinian militant group as well as Jewish settlers and those supporting them. Pro-Israel advocacy groups and dual U.S.-Israeli citizens have filed a lawsuit challenging the order, alleging that the order broadly penalizes anyone who opposes the creation of an independent Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that "Israel views with utmost severity the imposition of sanctions on citizens of Israel" and there will be "a pointed discussion with the U.S." Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has occupied the West Bank of the Jordan River, which Palestinians want as the core of an independent state. It has built Jewish settlements there that most countries deem illegal. Israel disputes this and cites historical and biblical ties to the land. The Biden administration in February said settlements were inconsistent with international law, signaling a return to long-standing U.S. policy on the issue that had been reversed by the previous administration of Donald Trump. Netanyahu's ultra-nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir denounced earlier sanctions against settlers.

Rescued Israeli pleads for hostage deal with Hamas
George Wright - BBC News and Jaroslav Lukiv - BBC News/August 28, 2024
A Bedouin Arab man rescued in Gaza has urged Israel to reach a deal with Hamas to free all the remaining hostages, as details of his suffering in captivity have emerged. Kaid Farhan Elkadi, 52, was rescued on Tuesday in a "complex operation in the southern Gaza Strip", the Israeli military said. After returning to his village in southern Israel on Wednesday, Mr Elkadi said his "happiness is not complete as long as there are detainees" on both sides. Meanwhile, a former Israeli mayor said Mr Elkadi had been hardly exposed to sunlight for eight months. In a separate development on Wednesday, Israel announced that it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier killed in last October's attack by Hamas on Israel. The soldier's name was not publicly released at the request of his family. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said "a bold operation" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country's security service reflected "our commitment to bringing all the hostages home". US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators are trying to broker a ceasefire deal that would see Hamas release the 103 hostages still being held, including at least 33 who are presumed dead, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Israel rescues Bedouin hostage held by Hamas in Gaza
Mr Elkadi was kidnapped by Hamas during the 7 October attack on Israel, and is the eighth hostage rescued by Israeli forces since the start of the war in Gaza. On Wednesday, he returned to his home village of Karkur in the Negev desert after being discharged from hospital. Surrounded by reporters and members of his Bedouin community, Mr Elkadi pleaded for all the hostages to be released. “It does not matter if they are Arab or Jewish, all have a family waiting for them. They also want to feel the joy. "I hope, I pray for an end to this," he said, revealing that he had the same message during Tuesday's phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I told Bibi Netanyahu yesterday, ‘Work to bring an end to this.'”
Mr Elkadi was allowed to go home after undergoing hospital examinations. The father of 11 earlier told his relatives "about difficult days, a very cruel captivity", Ata Abu Medigam, ex-mayor of the southern Israeli town of Rahat, told Israel's Haaretz newspaper.
"He spoke about one of the hostages who was held captive with him for two months and died next to him," Mr Medigam said. Mr Elkadi had also started worrying about losing his eyesight, Mr Medigam added. "He would check his eyes to see if they were still working and functioning - he would put his fingers on his eyes to check his reflexes." Mr Elkadi also told his relatives that one of his fellow detainees had died next to him during his time in captivity, Mr Medigam said. The Israeli military said forces had found Mr Elkadi in an underground tunnel "when he was alone". In a statement, the military said no further details about the rescue could be published "due to considerations of the safety of our hostages, the security of our forces, and national security". But some details have been emerging about Mr Elkadi's time in captivity. His cousin, Fadi Abu Sahiban, said Mr Elkadi did not get preferential treatment due to being a Muslim. "They didn't give him concessions because he's a Muslim. He says they let him pray, that's the only thing they allowed him to do," he told Haaretz. Mr Elkadi had no way of communicating with the outside world and was in constant fear of bombs overhead, his cousin said. He "would hear the shelling of the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] endlessly, he said his body was shaking", said Mr Abu Sahiban. "Every day he was sure was his last day, and not only because of his captors, but also because of the shelling of the army. He said that every day is a life-threatening situation." Mr Elkadi, a grandfather of one, worked for many years as a security guard at Kibbutz Magen, close to the Israel-Gaza border, where he was abducted. The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. More than 40,530 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. Indirect talks to broker a ceasefire and the release of hostages have continued in Cairo in recent days, but so far there has been no sign of a breakthrough over key sticking points. They include Mr Netanyahu’s demand that Israel keep troops along Gaza’s border with Egypt, which Hamas has rejected. Two other Bedouin Arabs - Yousef Zyadna and his son, Hamza - are among the remaining hostages who are still alive, while the body of a third, Mhamad el-Atrash, is still being held by Hamas. Another Bedouin, Hisham al-Sayed, has been held captive in Gaza since 2015.

Israeli military says it failed to protect civilians in settler attack on Palestinians

Reuters/ August 28, 2024
JERUSALEM - The Israeli military said on Wednesday that it had failed to protect civilians when settlers carried out a deadly attack on a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, amid mounting international pressure on Israel to crack down on such violence. Four suspects have been arrested over the attack in the village of Jit on Aug. 15, when around 100 settlers went on a rampage, burning cars and houses and killing at least one Palestinian. Additional arrests are planned, the military said. In a report on its investigation into the incident, the Israeli military said troops and police initially failed to manage the situation and should have acted more decisively. "This is a very serious terror incident in which Israelis set out to deliberately harm the residents of the town of Jit," Avi Bluth, the head of the army's Central Command, said. "We failed by not succeeding in arriving earlier to protect them."The report also said that off-duty members of a rapid response security team from a nearby settlement arrived in uniform without authorisation and "acted contrary to the authority defined for the members of the rapid response team". Two members of the rapid response team were disciplined and their weapons confiscated. The Jit attack was larger than recent raids by West Bank settlers but hardly unique, with violence against Palestinian villages already on the rise as settlement construction has spread unchecked across the West Bank and Israel wages war in Gaza after a cross-border assault by Palestinian militants. However the Jit incident, coinciding with rising pressure on Israel from its Western allies to curb settler violence, drew unusually strong criticism in Israel as well, including from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and settlement leaders. Prosecutions over settler violence are relatively rare. On Wednesday, just as the findings of the investigation were published, the United States imposed sanctions on a Jewish West Bank settlement security official and on Hashomer Yosh, a non-governmental organisation that says it helps protect settlers. Most countries deem Jewish settlements built on land Israel captured in a 1967 war to be illegal. Israel disputes this and cites historical and biblical ties to the land. Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent state.

Palestinian officials say Israeli raids across occupied West Bank have killed 9
Julia Frankel/The Associated Press/August 28, 2024
JERUSALEM / Israel launched raids across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, where its forces killed at least nine Palestinians and sealed off the volatile city of Jenin, according to Palestinian officials. Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there. Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military. The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp. The Israeli military confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarem but did not provide further details. Over 600 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began over 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Most have died during such raids, which often trigger gunbattles with militants.Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups and to prevent attacks on Israelis, which have also risen since the start of the war.The Palestinian Health Ministry said seven people were killed early Wednesday in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two in Jenin. The ministry identified the two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state.
Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centers.

Israeli forces launch strikes across Gaza, push tanks into central Khan Younis
Nidal al-Mughrabi/CAIRO (Reuters)/ August 28, 2024
Israeli forces sent tanks deeper into Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip and launched strikes across the enclave as they battled Hamas-led militants, killing at least 34 Palestinians on Wednesday, according to medics. Residents of Khan Younis said Israeli tanks made a surprise advance into the centre of the city, and the military ordered evacuations in the east, forcing many families to run for safety, while others were trapped at home. Palestinian health officials said the Israeli strikes in Khan Younis killed at least 11 people. In the central city of Deir Al-Balah, where at least a million people were sheltering, an Israeli airstrike killed eight Palestinians near a school housing displaced families, medics said. In Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, journalist Mohammed Abed-Rabbo was killed along with his sister in an Israeli attack on their house, medics said. Gaza's Hamas-run government media office said Abed-Rabbo's death raised the number of Palestinian journalists killed by Israeli fire to 172 since Oct. 7. In recent days, Israel has issued several evacuation orders across Gaza, the most since the beginning of the nearly 11-month-old war, prompting an outcry from Palestinians, the United Nations, and relief officials over the shrinking of humanitarian zones and the absence of safe areas. The Israeli military said it ordered the evacuation in areas where Hamas and other militants staged attacks, including rocket firing into Israel. The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad said fighters were engaged in clashes with Israeli forces in different areas across the territory, firing anti-tank rockets and mortar fire. More than 40,500 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza's health ministry. The crowded enclave has been laid to waste. Most of its 2.3 million people have been displaced multiple times and face acute shortages of food and medicine, humanitarian agencies say.

WFP suspends Gaza movement after vehicle fired on
Reuters/August 28, 2024
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) temporarily suspended movements across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday after it said one of its clearly marked vehicles was struck by at least ten bullets while approaching an Israeli military checkpoint. WFP said in a statement that the convoy of two armored vehicles had received "multiple clearances by Israeli authorities to approach" the checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza bridge on Tuesday evening. No one in the vehicle struck was hurt.

Gaza teen amputee recalls nightmare of losing arms in Israeli strike

Ramadan Abed/GAZA (Reuters)/August 28, 2024
Teenager Diaa al-Adini was one of the few Palestinians who found a functioning hospital in war-ravaged Gaza after he was wounded by an Israeli strike. But he did not have much time to recuperate after doctors amputated both of his arms. Adini, 15, suddenly had to flee the overwhelmed medical facility after the Israeli military ordered people to leave before an attack in its war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas. He made it to an American field hospital. Many Palestinians have been displaced during the conflict, moving up and down and across the Gaza Strip seeking safe shelter. They are unlucky most of the time. Scrambling to save your life is especially difficult for Palestinians like Adini, who require urgent medical care but get caught up in the chaos of the war, which erupted after Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, by Israeli tallies. Memories of better days provide limited relief from reality in Gaza. Israeli strikes have reduced most of one of the most crowded places on earth to rubble as rows and rows of homes are destroyed. “We used to swim, challenge each other, and sleep, me and my friend Mohammed al-Serei. We used to jump in the water and float on it," said Adini, who walked on a beach with his sister Aya recalling the few distractions from before. His sister placed a towel over the place where his arms used to be and wiped his mouth.
'I CANNOT REPLACE MY AUNT'
The strike hit when he was in a makeshift coffee house. The teenager, who spent 12 days in hospital before he was displaced also lost his aunt, her children and grandchildren in the war. "As for my arms, I can get other ones fitted but I cannot replace my aunt," he said.
Israel responded to the Hamas attack in October -- the country's bloodiest day in its 75-year history -- with a military offensive that has killed at least 40,500 people and wounded 93,778 others, according to Gaza health authorities. Israel says it goes out of its way to avoid civilian casualties and has accused Hamas of using human shields, an allegation it denies. The suffering is unlikely to end anytime soon unless mediation by the United States, Egypt and Qatar secures a ceasefire. And even then, there is a possibility hostilities will resume. So all Palestinians can do is hope for treatment at the few functional hospitals as they face a humanitarian crisis -- severe shortages of food, fuel, power and medicine, as raw sewage increases the chance of disease. “God willing, I will continue my treatment in the American hospital, and get limbs," said Adini. He dreams of being like other children one day; to live a good life, get an education, drive cars and have fun. His sister Aya hopes that he can go back to his camera and iPad.

A US Navy carrier strike group and a few other warships fired $1.16 billion in weapons battling the Houthis in the Red Sea
Jake Epstein/Business Insider/August 28, 2024
The US Navy fired $1.16 billion worth of munitions fighting the Houthis from October to mid-July. The substantial figure covers the cost of weapons launched by the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and a few other ships. Warships and aircraft affiliated with the strike group fired some 770 munitions.
A US Navy carrier strike group and a few other warships that spent months battling the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in and around the Red Sea fired $1.16 billion worth of munitions during active combat operations, a Navy spokesperson told Business Insider on Wednesday. This previously unreported figure covers the total cost of the 770 munitions that the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group launched from October 7 to mid-July and underscores the significant financial toll of America's ongoing counter-Houthi mission. "US Navy ships have maintained a presence in and near the Red Sea to deter threats and protect shipping since the launch of near-daily attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis in November 2023," the spokesperson said. "In that effort, a variety of weapons have been employed by the carrier strike group, including aircraft as well as vessels operating with the strike group and independently," they added. These weapons include surface-to-air missiles, land-attack missiles, air-to-air missiles, and air-to-surface weapons. The Eisenhower carrier strike group — consisting of the aircraft carrier Ike, several destroyers, and a cruiser — deployed to the Middle East last fall and spent months defending shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden from relentless Houthi missile and drone attacks. US warships and aircraft attached to the carrier strike group routinely intercepted Houthi missiles and drones and carried out airstrikes against the rebels in Yemen. The Eisenhower left the region in June and was replaced by the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. The spokesperson said the cost of munitions expended by American warships between October and July does not cover the Roosevelt's ongoing deployment. In April, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro shared that US naval forces had already fired nearly $1 billion in munitions to counter threats from Iran and its proxy forces over the previous six months. The new figure means the Navy fired some $160 million worth of munitions between mid-April and mid-July.The tempo of Houthi attacks has somewhat slowed, but the rebels remain an active threat to merchant vessels. Last week, for instance, they struck an oil tanker in the Red Sea, forcing a French warship to evacuate its crew. Last week also marked the most recent US military action against the Houthis. American forces destroyed a rebel missile system in Yemen.

Iran says Houthis agree to truce so tugboats can reach damaged oil tanker
Reuters/August 28, 2024
UNITED NATIONS: Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group has agreed to a temporary truce to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach the damaged Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea, Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York said on Wednesday. “Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area,” Iran’s UN mission said. “In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request.”The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah. It was still on fire in the Red Sea and now appears to be leaking oil, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday. The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, said they attacked it. The group has been attacking ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza. Yemen’s Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed on allowing the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group. Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said on Tuesday that a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them. Iran’s UN mission responded on Wednesday: “The failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted.

Houthis: We did not agree to a temporary truce; we only allowed towing of Sounion tanker
Reuters/August 28, 2024
Mohammed Abdul Salam, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Houthi group, told Reuters on Wednesday that the group did not agree to a temporary truce but only allowed the towing of the oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group.

Yemen's Houthis will let salvage crews access oil tanker they set ablaze in Red Sea
Michelle Nichols and Mohamed Ghobari/UNITED NATIONS/ADEN (Reuters) /August 28, 2024
Yemen's Houthi group has agreed to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach a damaged crude oil tanker in the Red Sea, Iran's mission to the United Nations said on Wednesday, after the Iran-aligned militants attacked the Greek-flagged vessel last week. The Sounion tanker is carrying 150,000 tonnes, or 1 million barrels, of crude oil and poses an environmental hazard, shipping officials said. Any spill has the potential to be among the largest from a ship in recorded history. "Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area," Iran's U.N. mission in New York said. "In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request," it said. Yemen's Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed to allow the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group. The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen's port city of Hodeidah. There have been seemingly conflicting reports about oil escaping from the ship. Reuters has not independently confirmed if the oil is leaking or spilling from the vessel. The Houthis, who control Yemen's most populous regions, said they attacked the Sounion. The militants began aerial drone and missile strikes on the Red Sea in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers. The Pentagon said on Tuesday a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them. In a statement on Wednesday, Iran's U.N. mission said "the failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted." (This story has been refiled to fix the byline)

Palestinian officials say Israeli raids across occupied West Bank have killed 9

Julia Frankel/The Associated Press/August 28, 2024
Israel launched raids across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, where its forces killed at least nine Palestinians and sealed off the volatile city of Jenin, according to Palestinian officials. Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza triggered the ongoing war there. Palestinian militant groups said they were exchanging fire with the Israeli military. The governor of Jenin, Kamal Abu al-Rub, said on Palestinian radio that Israeli forces had surrounded the city, blocking exit and entry points and access to hospitals, and ripping up infrastructure in the camp. The Israeli military confirmed it was operating in the West Bank cities of Jenin and Tulkarem but did not provide further details. Over 600 Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed by Israeli fire since the war in Gaza began over 10 months ago, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Most have died during such raids, which often trigger gunbattles with militants. Israel says the operations are required to dismantle Hamas and other militant groups and to prevent attacks on Israelis, which have also risen since the start of the war. The Palestinian Health Ministry said seven people were killed early Wednesday in Tubas, another West Bank city, and another two in Jenin. The ministry identified the two killed in Jenin as Qassam Jabarin, 25, and Asem Balout, 39. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three for a future state. Israel has built scores of settlements across the West Bank, which are home to over 500,000 Jewish settlers. They have Israeli citizenship, while the 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank live under Israeli military rule, with the Palestinian Authority exercising limited control over population centers.

Iran operated fake human-resources firm to root out unfriendly spies, researchers say

Christopher Bing/Reuters/ August 28, 2024
An Iranian hacking group ran a fake professional recruiting business to lure national security officials across Iran, Syria and Lebanon into a cyber espionage trap, according to new research by U.S. cybersecurity firm Mandiant, a division of Alphabet's Google Cloud. Researchers said the hackers are loosely connected to a group known as APT42 or Charming Kitten, which was recently accused of hacking the U.S. presidential campaign of Republican candidate Donald Trump. APT42 is widely attributed to an intelligence division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, an expansive military organization based in Tehran. The FBI has said it is investigating APT42’s ongoing efforts to interfere in the 2024 U.S. election. The mission uncovered by Mandiant dates back to at least 2017 and was active until recently. At different times, the Iranians made their operation appear as if it was controlled by Israelis. Analysts say the likely purpose of the impersonation was to identify individuals in the Middle East who were willing to sell secrets to Israel and other Western governments. It targeted military and intelligence staff associated with Iran’s allies in the region. “The data collected by this campaign may support the Iranian intelligence apparatus in pinpointing individuals who are interested in collaborating with Iran’s perceived adversarial countries,” the Mandiant report said. “The collected data may be leveraged to uncover human intelligence (HUMINT) operations conducted against Iran and to persecute any Iranians suspected to be involved in these operations.”Iran's mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mandiant found that the digital spies used a network of websites impersonating human resources companies to manipulate Farsi-speaking targets. The bogus firms were named VIP Human Solutions, also known as VIP Recruitment, Optima HR and Kandovan HR, among others. They leveraged dozens of inauthentic online profiles on Telegram, Twitter, YouTube and social media platform Virasty, which is popular in Iran, to promote the front companies. Nearly all the associated internet accounts have since been removed. “VIP Recruitment, a center for recruiting respected military personnel into the army, security services and intelligence from Syria and Hezbollah, Lebanon,” said a statement on one of the websites. “Join us to help each other impact the world. Our duty is to protect your privacy.”The hackers cast a wide net by using various social media platforms to disseminate links about their fake HR scheme. It is unclear how many targets ultimately fell for the ruse. The collected data, which included addresses, contact details and other resume-related data, could still be exploited in the future, Mandiant said.

FBI: Gunman spent months seeking a target, then settled on Trump
Reuters/August 28/2024
The gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump mounted a "sustained, detailed effort" to attack a major gathering of some sort before deciding to target the Republican presidential candidate at a Pennsylvania rally in July, FBI officials said on Wednesday. FBI officials said Thomas Crooks, 20, searched more than 60 times for information about the Republican presidential candidate and his then-rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, before registering for the Trump rally in early July. "We saw ... a sustained, detailed effort to plan an attack on some events, meaning he looked at any number of events or targets," Kevin Rojek, the FBI's top official in western Pennsylvania, said in a telephone briefing to reporters. Rojek said Crooks became "hyper-focused" on the Trump rally when it was announced in early July "and looked at it as a target of opportunity." Rojek said the FBI has not yet been able to determine what motivated Crooks to try to assassinate Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Crooks' computer activity showed he was interested in a mix of ideologies but did not show definitively that he was motivated by a particular left-leaning or right-leaning point of view, Rojek said. FBI officials said they had not found any evidence indicated that Crooks had worked with other people, or had been directed by a foreign power. There were no traces of illicit drugs or alcohol in his system. The assassination attempt prompted questions about how Crooks was able to climb a nearby building and fire eight shots at the former president before being killed by a Secret Service sharpshooter. Several congressional and government probes are examining the event's security measures. The FBI, meanwhile, is investigating Crooks himself. Officials said they had gained some understanding of his mindset, even if they still did not know what motivated him. Crooks searched for Trump's campaign events as early as September 2023, FBI officials said and began searching in April for campaign events for both candidates near where he lived in western Pennsylvania. He also searched for the dates of both the Republican and Democratic presidential conventions, they said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on August 28-29/2024
Christians must counteract antisemitism with acts of solidarity - opinion
Avery Chenault/Jerusalem Post/August 28/2024
As the new semester begins, college campuses brace for a repeat of last year's disruptions. With student groups planning October 7 events, antisemitism remains a pressing issue.
As another school semester begins, college students will start a new year in the shadow of last year’s encampments. Some are already planning for a repeat of the disruption as student organizations in support of Palestine are already reserving campus space for October 7 resistance events, a year after the murder of 1200 Israelis. Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, DC with a group of Christian college students sponsored by Passages. These students came from a variety of different backgrounds. Many have witnessed encampments and antisemitism on their own college campuses.
Our purpose for being in DC was to learn about the roots of our Christian faith and how to be better Christian advocates for Israel and the Jewish people. We did this by visiting the US Holocaust Memorial, attending lectures on Jewish-Christian relations, and meeting with Israeli friends and partners to learn about their experience in the Jewish state following October 7. Just a few days before we landed in DC, the city erupted in anti-Israel protests. These featured burning American and Israeli flags, vandalizing a historical monument with inverted red triangles, and holding up posters with swastikas painted on them.
As I stood outside Union Station, which saw the worst of the protests, remnants of the vandalism were still visible. While there had been attempts to conceal the damage, hateful sentiments still shone through like painful scars. Antisemitism leaves its mark. The world’s oldest hatred continues to rage today.
In DC, I met over 200 Christian young adults willing to travel great distances (for some, the other side of the globe) to be equipped and educated to stand against antisemitism. Through Passages, I have met many other young people who share the same desires. Standing in front of the vandalism with these students offered a new perspective on the fight against antisemitism today.
I share this with you because hateful voices are often loud, but despite the noise, there are still many who want to be a voice for truth amidst the hatred.
The need for non-Jewish allies to stand with our Jewish friends and neighbors has never been more relevant, and there are many young people willing to stand against antisemitism today. In the past year, antisemitism has skyrocketed by 400%. Gen-Z is the most antisemitic generation since the Holocaust. Last semester’s encampments, pro-Hamas protests, and students shouting, “Hamas we love you,” serve as painful examples of this hatred.
Hatred toward any people or group on campus should never be acceptable.
As college students pack their bags and prepare to move back to campus, questions worth asking themselves are: “How will I stand against hate on my campus?” and “How will I stand against antisemitic rhetoric in my community, or hatred and bias on social media? Specifically, Christian college students can play a unique role as advocates in this fight. Sadly, Christians have not always expressed solidarity with the Jewish people. In fact, they have sometimes created disunity between the groups, and at times, perpetuated and even participated in the hatred and violence against the Jewish people throughout history. Now is the time to change that narrative. The Christian faith cannot be separated from its Jewish roots. Just as we are told in the Bible, we can be light amid darkness and division. It was the Jewish people who wrote, disseminated, and protected so many of the holy scriptures we read today. This alone is one reason among many that Christians need to stand with the Jewish people. Hatred towards the Jewish people is hatred towards a people whose faith is the basis of our own. Historically, many Christians have stayed silent in the face of antisemitism. May it not be said that Christians stayed silent in the face of antisemitism today. Through Passages, I have been blessed to meet many students who strive to do this.
I have met students who stood alongside their Jewish peers as their campus celebrated the October 7 massacre. I have met students who are deeply troubled by the rise in antisemitism and desire to stand with the Jewish community against this hatred. I have met students who visited Israel during the current war with Hamas to volunteer, bear witness, and share these experience on their own campuses and with their communities. These students are both an inspiration and an example to me.
As antisemitism leaves its mark of hatred and division, let us counteract this by leaving our mark of support and solidarity. Antisemitism shouldn’t be a problem the Jewish people fight alone. Antisemitic incidents on campus, violent protests, and hatred don’t affect just Jewish students. It’s a fight that belongs to everyone who values humanity and desires peace.  Now is the time to stand boldly against antisemitic hatred on campus.
The writer works for Passages, a Christian organization dedicated to taking Christian students to Israel and mobilizing young people to support the Jewish state on campuses and in communities across the US, and to stand up against antisemitism.

Walking a fine line between persuasion and reporting in political media - opinion

Yisraeh Medad/Jerusalem Post/August 28/2024
A new analysis shows how the media can manipulate our understanding of events. From false reports to biased narratives, the media's role in shaping reality is crucial and controversial. As Nick Enfield explained in a piece published in the Quillette online magazine last week, most of us take the language versions of the world to be reliable. These originate in news reports, articles, and speeches. When we believe that we understand something clearly, this has a “thought-terminating effect.” With confusion thereby gone and replaced with assumed clarity, we become, quoting the philosopher C. Thi Nguyen, “satisfied.”But what actually is happening is a form of “cognitive vulnerability,” Enfield adds. That condition facilitates the manipulation of people by any system of thought that is “seductively clear.”If you assume that the above analysis is on the mark, it becomes even clearer how important our media are in acting as agents of the facts of contemporary events. Their importance lies in providing a balanced, comprehensive, and fair presentation of what has happened and what those events could mean. That responsibility is important, even crucial.
For example, on August 19 at the Democratic Convention, PBS’s Judy Woodruff, depending on a report by Barak Ravid in Axios, repeated a claim that Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the matter of a Gaza ceasefire. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement denying that claim. Woodruff eventually admitted that she made a “mistake,” as the call never took place. On Aug. 15, Ravid cited two US sources. He wrote, “One source said Trump’s call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the deal, but stressed he didn’t know if this is indeed what the former president told Netanyahu.” Either Ravid was fooled or he allowed himself to be fooled. For sure, the public was fooled.
A few days later, on August 21, Netanyahu’s office found itself having to deny a report on Israel’s Channel 11 that the prime minister agreed that Israel would withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor. I’ve lost count of the numerous denials and retractions. In July, Netanyahu denied he added new conditions to the US-backed truce proposal. In June, while the US announced that it didn’t know what Netanyahu was talking about after he attacked Biden for “withholding weapons,” it turned out that weapons were held up while other supplies were delayed.
In May, he denied that the IDF warned him before October 7 of Hamas’s intention to attack Israel. It turned out that the “warning” concerned a risk of potential action by Hamas and Hezbollah due to the judicial reform crisis. Oddly enough, he received severe criticism for doubting the loyalty of the protesters when he accused them of encouraging Israel’s enemies.
Either reporters have lost the ability to collect facts, or they see themselves simply as conduits for leaks and behind-the-back maneuverings. Israeli media used to be political mouthpieces
We need to recall that Israel’s newspapers, when there were many, a long time ago, were overwhelmingly organs of political parties. Hatzofeh, of the Mizrachi national religious party, closed in 1992. Davar, the organ of the Histadrut/Mapai conglomerate, closed in 1983. Herut, the daily of the Herut party, the Likud’s forerunner, closed back in 1965. Haaretz, although owned by the Schocken family, presented the views of the General Zionists for many decades.
That has all changed if one ignores the dailies of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) press. What does continue, however, is the very obvious political engagement of the remaining media outlets, including broadcast, electronic, and digital outlets.
For example, on the day it was announced that the bodies of four hostages had been found and retrieved from Gaza, the media began to flow with the question of who or what had killed them. As the day wore on, the radio and newspapers’ websites continued to push the question of whether they had died in an earlier Israeli air attack. Relatives were questioned, and the theme gathered resonance. No one in the media – neither an editor, a director, a reporter, or an interviewer – thought the issue was perhaps too delicate or that perhaps it could wait. Obviously, the chance to blame the government for their deaths, even indirectly, was too much not to pass over. By the next day, autopsies had been performed on the remains, and the families themselves revealed that bullets or bullet fragments were the cause of death. For a media that accuses the government, and Netanyahu in particular, with callousness, this unnecessary raising of an emotional and quite personal issue in such a public manner highlights the true media concern: the government and its head.
ON TISHA B’AV, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Temple Mount compound. Sensing an opportunity, more than a dozen youths prostrated themselves. The police, knowing the minister’s views, did nothing to halt the procedure. Josh Breiner, Haaretz’s police affairs reporter, sent an update to the paper’s website in which he complained the police were acting in contravention of the law and the legal judgments. Unfortunately for him and his editor, he erred. Israel has no law prohibiting Jewish worship on the Temple Mount. Indeed, the 1967 Law for the Protection of Holy Sites explicitly permits worship. Moreover, since 1993, then under Aharon Barak, the High Court of Justice has decided over and over again that the rights of access and worship are fundamental even if it agrees the police can prohibit such acts in the interest of public order. It is only government policy, the “status quo,” that has interfered with those rights until now. Within a few hours, Breiner’s news item was altered.
The public, perceiving this phenomenon of bias, has lined up – impressively, if the ratings are to be believed – behind new outlets like Channel 14 and the Israel Hayom newspaper. Unfortunately, the issue of partisan balance continues. Instead of the public being divided on the style of writing, the presentation or variety of content, or even something mundane like “blonds vs. brunettes” as newscasters, it is the point of view that divides rather than the reliability of one’s media. If the media becomes part and parcel of the political arena, if it sheds its professionalism, if it does not abide by its own code of ethics, if it promotes narratives that are unsupported by facts or are published to serve one political camp rather than to aid its readers to make better decisions and protect Israel’s democracy, that media will be more of a problem than the various problems they are seeking to deal with.
*The writer is a researcher, analyst, and opinion commentator on political, cultural, and media issues.

Islamist delusions: Hidden truths behind the Arab-Israeli conflict - opinion

Mohamed Saad/Jerusalem Post/August 27/2024
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2024/08/133736/
Islamic terrorist organizations and movements share the same approach, driven by ideologies of hatred and hostility towards others.
Since the terrorist events of October 7, 2023, carried out by the Hamas militia, the world has been experiencing an unprecedented wave of polarization. The repercussions and consequences of these events have reached alarming levels in some countries, making it feel as if these nations have geographically relocated to the Middle East.
In light of what is happening, I feel a moral obligation to reveal all that is hidden and unspoken regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict. I plan to do this through a series of articles, hoping that some might change their positions and perspectives when they learn of the many hidden facts obscured behind the smoke screens launched by Islamic movements allied with leftist parties and organizations (to conceal the truth and information). I will go back in time, starting from July 8, 1937, when the Peel Commission Report was published. Officially known as the British Royal Commission, it was a high-level royal investigative committee chaired by Earl Peel, a member of the UK Privy Council and former British Secretary of State for India. The commission was formed in 1936 following the outbreak of the Arab revolt in the conflict zone. Its mission was to devise a final solution to the "Arab-Jewish" conflict. The committee's work concluded with a proposal to establish three regions: a British-mandated territory including Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and a corridor to Jaffa on the Mediterranean coast; a Jewish state in Galilee, with part of the western coastline; and the largest portion of the land to merge with East Jordan to form an Arab state. (It is very important to note that the proposed area for the Arab state was close to 25,000 square kilometers, while the proposed area for the Jewish state was around 2,500 square kilometers. Despite the historical right of the Jews to the land, they accepted the committee's proposals, confirming their desire to live in peace and end the conflict.) Golda Meir wrote in her memoirs that she was sitting with David Ben-Gurion when they learned of "the committee's proposals." Together, they went to consult with Chaim Weizmann to get his opinion and reach a decision. Weizmann told them, "A state is better than no state, and agreeing is better than refusing, and we hope the Arab side rejects it."
Arabs refused to live in peace
Indeed, this is exactly what happened: the Arabs refused to live in peace alongside the Jews. Years later, there was the involvement of the Arab spearhead, Amin al-Husseini (the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and head of the Supreme Muslim Council), in the "Final Solution," the Nazi plan to exterminate all Jews in Europe. Al-Husseini arrived in the German capital, Berlin, in the second week of November 1941. He had come from Italy, where he had met with Mussolini, Germany's strong ally. On November 28 of the same year, Hitler received al-Husseini at the Reich Chancellery, describing him as "the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and one of the most influential men in the Arab liberation movement."Before he met with Hitler, al-Husseini met with Joachim von Ribbentrop, one of the Nazi regime's leaders in Germany. Days later, al-Husseini was personally escorted on a tour to observe the genocide in the gas chambers at Auschwitz alongside Adolf Eichmann. Al-Husseini commented on the visit, saying that there was consensus between them and that Hitler told him, "The Jewish problem should be solved step by step." Al-Husseini received a promise that once the Middle East was occupied, "Germany's sole goal would be the extermination of the Jewish element residing in the Arab region under British protection." Al-Husseini's visit to Germany was engineered by his Lebanese secretary, Othman Kamal al-Haddad.
It is important to highlight a crucial point: all proposed solutions were always rejected by the Arab side, and the idea of two states, one Arab and one Jewish, was consistently discussed. This confirms that there was never a state called Palestine in any historical period. The Partition Plan itself, issued by the UN General Assembly under Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, stipulated two states, one Arab and one Jewish. If the Palestinian state existed, why was it not explicitly included in the resolution? The Arabs' rejection of the Partition Plan "at that time" and the actions of Amin al-Husseini, "the head of the Supreme Muslim Council," in his quest "to eliminate the Jews from the face of the earth" all align with the mentality that still persists today. This mindset continues to reside in the minds of Yahya Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, and all the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as the destructive arms of Iran in the Middle East, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and the Houthis. These Islamic terrorist organizations and movements share the same approach, driven by ideologies of hatred and hostility towards others. They embrace the delusions and hallucinations of global supremacy and the establishment of a supposed caliphate state.
**Mohamed Saad is a political analyst specializing in Middle East affairs and Islamic movements, an opinion writer, and a member of the Swedish PEN Association.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-816610

Iran's War Against Israel - From the West Bank
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/August 28, 2024
Armed and funded by Iran, the "battalions," whose members are affiliated with PIJ, Hamas and the ruling Fatah faction headed by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, began operating in the northern West Bank more than three years ago.
"Iran seeks as a strategic objective to surround Israel with a crescent of active fronts maintained by Iran and supported by Islamist client militias. As part of this, the [Iranian] regime is seeking to find a way to add an eastern component to this crescent – through Jordan to the West Bank... Tehran has succeeded in establishing and maintaining an arms route in which military materiel, brought from Iran into Lebanon, is then transported across the Syrian-Lebanese border, via Jordan, into the West Bank. "The maintenance of this route is of strategic importance to Iran. It is intended, over time, to flood the West Bank with weaponry, and by so doing, to eventually make this area a third front in the ongoing long war against Israel." — Jonathan Spyer, journalist, expert on radical Islamic groups, Jerusalem Post, July 5, 2024.
The PA's failure to crack down on the "battalions" means that Iran now has a small army in the West Bank. It will not be long before members of this army attack Israel in the same way as the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led invasion of Israel, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered, with many raped, tortured and burned alive. In addition, more than 240 Israelis, including babies, women and the elderly, were abducted to the Gaza Strip, where 109 of them are still being held as hostages.
Those who persist in advocating for the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel must take into consideration that doing so would lead to the rise of more Iran-backed "battalions" in the West Bank and other areas over which the PA is given control. Since the gunmen are frequently praised as "heroes" by many Palestinians, neither Abbas nor anyone who replaces him would have the courage to take them on.
Even if Abbas does go back to the Gaza Strip, it is not probable that he would be able to confront Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups there. As in the West Bank, new "battalions" and militias will no doubt spring up in the Gaza Strip under Abbas's PA to pursue the Jihad (holy war) to eliminate Israel and replace it with an Islamist state.
Armed and funded by Iran, new armed terrorist groups, whose members are affiliated with PIJ, Hamas and the ruling Fatah faction of the Palestinian Authority, began operating in the northern West Bank cities of Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas more than three years ago. Since then, gunmen belonging to these groups have carried out countless attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. Pictured: Palestinian terrorists in Jenin on March 8, 2023, at the funeral of fellow terrorists who were killed the previous day when they attacked Israeli soldiers. (Photo by Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP via Getty Images)
The armed wing of the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) announced on August 26 that five of its members were "martyred while performing their combat duty in the West Bank." One of the gunmen, Yazan Daraghmeh, a commander of the Tubas Battalion militia, was killed in a "work accident": while planting an explosive device that was supposed to be used against Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers in his hometown of Tubas in the northern West Bank. The four other gunmen, Oday Abu Naasa, Ahmed al-Anteer, Taher Raddad, and Mosab al-Muqasqas, were killed in recent clashes with the IDF. They belonged to similar armed groups in the cities of Jenin and Tulkarem, also located in the northern West Bank.
Armed and funded by Iran, the "battalions," whose members are affiliated with PIJ, Hamas and the ruling Fatah faction headed by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas, began operating in the northern West Bank more than three years ago.
Since then, gunmen belonging to these groups have carried out countless attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Recently, the gunmen started using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) against Israeli civilian and military vehicles. It is worth noting that some of these militias are based only a few hundred meters away from Israeli communities, both in the West Bank and inside Israel.
In May, Hamas terrorists in Tulkarem recorded themselves shooting toward Bat Hefer, an Israeli town near the border of the West Bank.
"Iran-supported Islamist militias are currently engaged in war against Israel on two fronts," wrote British-Israeli analyst and journalist Jonathan Spyer, an expert on radical Islamic groups.
"The main focus of combat remains, of course, the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
"A 'support front,' as is the preferred term, has been maintained by Lebanese Hezbollah since October 8 in the Israel-Lebanon border area.
"Iran seeks as a strategic objective to surround Israel with a crescent of active fronts maintained by Iran and supported by Islamist client militias. As part of this, the [Iranian] regime is seeking to find a way to add an eastern component to this crescent – through Jordan to the West Bank...
"Tehran has succeeded in establishing and maintaining an arms route in which military materiel, brought from Iran into Lebanon, is then transported across the Syrian-Lebanese border, via Jordan, into the West Bank.
"The maintenance of this route is of strategic importance to Iran. It is intended, over time, to flood the West Bank with weaponry, and by so doing, to eventually make this area a third front in the ongoing long war against Israel."
Many gunmen are said to have joined the "battalions" in the West Bank, especially in areas controlled by Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA security forces, however, haven't really done anything to disband or disarm the militias. This is the same PA that, since its establishment 30 years ago, did nothing except watch while Hamas expanded throughout the Gaza Strip, eventually taking control over the entire coastal enclave in 2007.
The PA's failure to crack down on the "battalions" means that Iran now has a small army in the West Bank. It will not be long before members of this army attack Israel in the same way as the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led invasion of Israel, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered, with many raped, tortured and burned alive. In addition, more than 240 Israelis, including babies, women and the elderly, were abducted to the Gaza Strip, where 109 of them are still being held as hostages.
Those who persist in advocating for the establishment of a Palestinian state next to Israel must take into consideration that doing so would lead to the rise of more Iran-backed "battalions" in the West Bank and other areas over which the PA is given control. Since the gunmen are frequently praised as "heroes" by many Palestinians, neither Abbas nor anyone who replaces him would have the courage to take them on.
Instead of ordering his security forces to crack down on the "battalions," Abbas appears to have other priorities. He is evidently planning to return to the Gaza Strip. In a recent speech before Turkey's Parliament, Abbas declared:
"I have decided to head with all members of the Palestinian leadership to the Gaza Strip, and I will work with all my energy to be with our people, as our lives are not more precious than the life of any Palestinian child."
On August 25, a committee set up by Abbas to prepare for the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip decided to "contact the political bureau of Hamas and other Palestinian factions in order to agree and reach an understanding with them" on Abbas's plans to head to the coastal enclave. Abbas, it seems, believes that he can reach an advantageous deal with Hamas, whose members staged a bloody coup against his PA in 2007 and were preparing to assassinate him.
The PA will never be able to assume control of the Gaza Strip as long as Hamas's military capabilities have not been destroyed. Even if Abbas does go back to the Gaza Strip, it is not probable that he would be able to confront Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups there. As in the West Bank, new "battalions" and militias will no doubt spring up in the Gaza Strip under Abbas's PA to pursue the Jihad (holy war) to eliminate Israel and replace it with an Islamist state.
Under the current circumstances, handing the Gaza Strip over to the Palestinian Authority would not only be seen as a big reward to Iran and its terror proxies but most likely lead to a major war.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do 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.

Two sworn enemies hold the key to ending the war in Gaza. Does either man want a deal?
Joseph Krauss/The Associated Press/August 28, 2024
The latest flurry of Gaza cease-fire talks — the back-and-forth over now-familiar sticking points and appeals from around the world — obscures a grim truth about the monthslong efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war and free scores of hostages. Any deal requires the signatures of two men: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. They are sworn enemies, notoriously tough negotiators and know that the outcome of the talks will profoundly shape their legacies. In Sinwar's case, it could mean life or death. Both have strong incentives to end the war. But they may also think they stand to gain by holding out a bit longer, and that war is preferable to a deal that falls short of their demands. Here's a look at the two leaders and the constraints they face.
What does Netanyahu want?
Netanyahu has promised “total victory” over Hamas and the return of all the hostages held in Gaza — goals that many believe are incompatible.
He has come under tremendous pressure from the hostages' families and much of the Israeli public to make a deal to bring them home, even if it leaves a battered Hamas intact. The United States, which has provided key military aid and diplomatic support to Israel, is also pushing for such a deal. But Netanyahu's governing coalition relies on far-right ministers who want to permanently reoccupy Gaza and have threatened to bring down the government if he concedes too much. That would force early elections that could drive him from power at a time when he is on trial for corruption. It would also hasten a broader reckoning over the security failures surrounding the Oct. 7 attack in which Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 others — on Netanyahu's watch. Netanyahu has rejected calls for a government investigation until the war is over.
The longer the war drags on, the more likely Israel is to achieve something that looks like victory — the killing of Sinwar, the rescue of more hostages — and the longer Netanyahu has to repair his political standing and reshape his legacy. But it also comes with risks as the number of soldiers killed in action rises nearly every day and Israel becomes increasingly isolated because of the suffering it has inflicted on Palestinians. Netanyahu has clashed with his own defense minister over the endgame. Israeli media is filled with reports quoting unnamed senior security officials expressing frustration with Netanyahu, especially his demand for lasting control over two strategic corridors in Gaza. Some have gone so far as to accuse him of sabotaging the talks. Both Israel and Hamas say they have accepted different versions of an evolving U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal in principle, while suggesting changes and accusing the other of making unacceptable demands. Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, a local think tank, acknowledged the anger directed at Netanyahu but said it was impossible to know which leader was the greater roadblock. “If we saw Sinwar was serious about getting a deal, that would force Israel and Netanyahu to expose their cards,” Plesner said. The current situation is “almost like negotiating with oneself."
What does Sinwar want?
Sinwar wants to end the war — but only on his terms.
Israel's offensive has killed over 40,000 people, according to local health officials, displaced 90% of Gaza's population and destroyed its main cities. Hamas has lost thousands of fighters and much of its militant infrastructure.
Sinwar's only bargaining chips are the roughly 110 hostages still held in Gaza, around a third of whom are believed to be dead. And he needs much more than a temporary pause in the fighting if he hopes to salvage anything resembling victory from the Oct. 7 attack that he helped mastermind. That begins with assurances that Israel won't resume the war once some or all of the hostages are freed. He also needs Israel to withdraw from all of Gaza to ensure that the lasting impact of the Oct. 7 attack is not a permanent reoccupation of the territory. The release of high-profile Palestinian prisoners as part of a deal is a sacred cause for Sinwar, who was himself a long-serving prisoner freed in an exchange. And he needs assurances that Palestinians will be able to return to their homes and rebuild them.
“Sinwar is very much concerned with bringing negotiations to a conclusion, whether with regard to a cease-fire or an exchange of prisoners, because in both cases, Sinwar will have come out as the winner,” said Nabih Awada, a Lebanese political analyst and former militant who spent years in an Israeli prison with Sinwar. There are risks for Sinwar in drawing the talks out: More hostages are likely to die or be rescued as the war grinds on. Death, destruction and hardship in Gaza will continue, and could stoke Palestinian discontent with Hamas, with political implications down the line. Sinwar himself, who sits atop Israel's most-wanted list, could be killed at any time. But given the centrality of martyrdom in Hamas' history and ideology, he may feel that outcome is inevitable — and preferable to a deal that looks like defeat.
Can any external pressure help?
Egypt and Qatar have served as key mediators with Hamas, but their influence is limited. Any pressure exerted on Hamas' exiled leadership is unlikely to have much impact on Sinwar, who was appointed the overall head of Hamas after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. Sinwar is believed to have spent most of the past 10 months living in tunnels under Gaza, and it is unclear how much contact he has with the outside world. The United States has provided crucial military support for Israel throughout the conflict and has shielded it from international calls for a cease-fire. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden paused a shipment of hundreds of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) bombs to pressure Israel not to invade the southern city of Rafah — which it did anyway.
U.S. election politics could also blunt American pressure. Biden has shown little inclination to pressure Netanyahu, and Vice President Kamala Harris has offered no concrete policy changes. Donald Trump has urged Israel to finish up its offensive but would likely be even more accommodating to Netanyahu, as he was during his presidency. Any U.S. arms embargo is even less likely when Israel faces a potential retaliatory strike from Iran over the killing of Haniyeh. Instead, the United States has poured military assets into the region, taking some of the pressure off Israel.
Sinwar might have hoped that the targeted killings of Haniyeh and a top Hezbollah commander last month would widen the war. But that appears less likely, with both Israel and Hezbollah applying the brakes following a heavy exchange of fire over the weekend. The cease-fire talks have continued through it all, punctuated by fleeting moments of optimism. The mediators have spent recent weeks trying to hammer out a bridging proposal with Netanyahu, but it's still a work in progress. It has not yet been submitted to Sinwar.

Opinion - Russians are waking up to Putin’s Ukraine folly
Ilan Berman, opinion contributor/The Hill/August 28, 2024
Since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine some two-and-a-half years ago, the Kremlin has worked diligently to shape the domestic narrative surrounding the conflict. Among other things, it has done so by promoting a vision of a patriotic struggle against fascism, deploying extensive domestic censorship measures, obscuring damning figures about battlefield casualties and passing new laws that effectively criminalize any critical coverage of the conflict. Cumulatively, this campaign has succeeded in maintaining a comparatively high level of support from ordinary Russians for a fight that has lasted much longer and exacted a much heavier toll than authorities in Moscow originally advertised. But since mid-July, Ukraine’s unexpected incursion into Russia’s Kursk region — and Moscow’s inability to marshal a serious response to it — has shaken public sentiment within Russia.
By just how much? This is documented in a new study by OpenMinds, a Ukrainian data analytics and communications firm. By extensively parsing Russian social media and news outlets, it chronicles that the events in Kursk have impacted popular support for the war among ordinary Russians, as well as increased their dissatisfaction with the Kremlin.
Specifically, it notes a surge of content relating to the war as a result of Ukraine’s raid, as well as a significant decline in positive sentiment in posts, broadcasts and messages regarding the broader conflict. This, the study attributes to two causes.
First, it notes, “there have been fewer cheerful publications about the war” by Russia’s extensive state propaganda organs. Second, “there were more grievances compared to the previous two months … [both] blaming the Russian authorities and general panic regarding the incursion.”Local fears are indeed rising. Russia’s September 2022 “partial mobilization,” as Vladimir Putin’s domestic conscription effort was euphemistically known, proved to be profoundly unpopular at home, sparking a mass exodus of citizens eager to avoid the draft. Now, worries are rising anew that Moscow’s ongoing struggles on the Ukrainian front could prompt the Kremlin to launch a new effort to beef up its military ranks.
The study documents “a growing concern” for renewed mobilization to respond to Ukraine’s incursion. During the first week of Ukraine’s offensive, it notes, “approximately 39 percent of the publications about mobilization mentioned the Kursk incursion” as a potential precipitating factor. So significant was the furor that Russian lawmakers were forced to speak out publicly to refute rumors that plans for a new conscription drive were in the works. All this has profoundly constrained the Kremlin’s options. Ordinarily, Moscow would be quick to rally the country around Kyiv’s incursion, which it would invariably depict as an “existential threat” to its sovereignty. However, it hasn’t yet done so — something the OpenMinds study suggests is because “the Russian government understands the sociopolitical risks of a new wave of mobilization and fears the potential consequences related to it.”What all this might mean for Russia is still too early to tell. Policymakers in Moscow have initiated an array of measures in response to the Ukrainian incursion, ranging from declaring a state of emergency in Kursk as well as the neighboring Belgorod region, surging troops into the area, and creating new administrative units to manage the crisis). Still, as NATO officials have noted, Russia’s official response has been “slow and scattered” — at least so far. Whether it stays that way is still an open question. It’s already clear, however, that Ukraine has accomplished one of the principal aims of its daring military raid: to bring the conflict home to ordinary Russians and underscore that the war of choice embarked upon by their president carries potentially dire consequences for them personally.
*Ilan Berman is senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington, D.C.

Who’s to Blame? Historic American Church Transformed into a Mosque
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/August 28/2024
A large, historic Catholic church in New York is on its way to becoming a mosque, following its purchase by a Muslim organization.
On August 11, Fr. Ronald Vierling drew attention to the sale in a social media post: “St. Anne’s Church, Buffalo, NY. Permanently closed. Sold to the Islamic community for $250,000 who are converting the historic church into a mosque.”
According to one report, “St. Anne’s was built in 1886 by German immigrants. It had fallen into disrepair and become unusable for worshippers in recent years.”
Fr. Vierling’s post — which as of this writing had been viewed nearly 12 million times — sparked a backlash on social media. “Muslims get a church for $250k but I can’t buy a house in a decent neighborhood for less than $500k,” one X user wrote. “Selling off Catholic Churches to Islam to convert it into a Mosque borders Blasphemy and Stupidity!” wrote another.
Vierling responded on the following day by writing,
No anger should be directed against the Islamic community. The parish complex was made available for sale by the diocese. No doubt the changing demographics of the area and the inability to financially support the complex made the continuance of St. Ann as a viable parish possible. This scenario is being played out in once large, urban dioceses across the country. The significance of both of his posts — the first saying that Muslims bought and were transforming a church into a mosque, and the second saying that “no anger” should be directed at Muslims — are both true and important, though possibly for misunderstood reasons.Regarding the first post, know that, for Muslims, this is not a mere business transaction. A point is being made.
From its very origins, Islam always sought to convert the temples of other religions into mosques — victory mosques, to be precise. Past and present, one of the very first signs of Muslim consolidation was/is the erection of a mosque atop the sacred sites of the vanquished: the pagan Ka’ba temple in Arabia was converted into Islam’s holiest site, the mosque of Mecca; the al-Aqsa mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, was built atop Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem; the Umayyad mosque was built atop the Church of St. John the Baptist; and the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque upon the conquest of Constantinople (and again, recently).
For Muslims, the transformation of temples into mosques is the physical manifestation and validation of Islam’s ancient battle cry: Allahu akbar, which simply means “my god is greater than your god,” as seen by Allah’s taking up residence in the temple of his vanquished counterparts.
The transformation of Christian churches into mosques is especially emblematic of this phenomenon. Because most of the land Islam conquered (or stole) from Morocco in the west to Iraq in the east was for centuries Christian, most of the religious houses that were turned into victory mosques were churches.
Make no mistake of it: the transformation of St. Anne’s Church in Buffalo into a mosque is, for Muslims, another example of Islam’s triumph over its Christian nemesis. “Allahu akbar” will be chanted as the Muslim deity makes his residence in this vacated church.
Even so, Fr. Ronald Vierling saying, “No anger should be directed against the Islamic community” is also true. Muslims are, after all, only doing what is good for them and their religion. Who can blame them? They are not directly conquering anyone or annexing any building; the Catholic Church sold it to them. All fair and legal. This is the point that so many in the West, who are otherwise wise to Islam and its wiles, do not seem to understand: Muslims cannot be faulted for flooding Western Europe; or for having so many children (so that the number one name for newborn baby boys in several Western capitals is Muhammad); or for advocating for laws and behavior that conform to sharia. In doing all of these things, they are merely engaging in self-preserving and self-promoting activities, which is how all normal people behave.
As such, so too should they not be blamed for buying and turning churches into mosques.
Alarmed Christians or Westerners in general will get nowhere until they learn to point their fingers in the right direction — at themselves, or at least, at their “elected” leaders who allow Muslims to promote themselves over the native peoples of the West.
And then doing something about it. In short, yes, Christians should be angered that their churches are being pawned off to Muslims, who turn them into mosques; but Christian anger — if it is to be of any value — should be less directed against Muslims, whose actions are normal and representative of a people seeking to preserve and promote itself, and more toward themselves and their leaders, whose actions are suicidal and precisely what has led to so much Muslim empowerment and entitlement in the West.
**Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West and Sword and Scimitar, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the Middle East Forum.