Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 18-19/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: Hezbollah is as an Iranian army, did not liberate the south; rather, it occupies Lebanon
The necessity of defeating Hamas, the mullahs, and all branches and groups of the Muslim Brotherhood
Elias Bajani/Video and Text/Dangers and Disasters of the Victory of the Jihadist and Terrorist Iranian Governance Model, Represented by its proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)/ & Baku Haram
Lebanese front widens as civil society vows to establish neutrality
Much higher likelihood of war in Israel's north in coming months, army chief says
Hamas fires rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel
Israel-Hezbollah border skirmishes: Latest developments
Bou Habib: War on Lebanon would not be easy for Israel
Report: Berri re-focuses on presidential vote to protect country
Reports: Hezbollah remains open to US diplomatic efforts
Lebanon still has a chance as Qatar advances to Asian Cup knockout stages
Bilateral Security Discussions: Interior Ministers Focus on Drug Trafficking and Regional Cooperation
Mikati: We stand by Iraq against the Iranian bombardment suffered by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Saudi ambassador meets French counterpart in Yarze
Lebanon's wheat purchase: European traders uncover details of 72,000-ton tender
Israeli Defense Minister: We must prepare for the deterioration of the security situation in the north, and we may impose a military solution for the residents to return to their homes
Has the Countdown to War in Lebanon Begun?/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday 18 January 2024
Hezbollah rejected US overtures, still open to diplomacy to avoid wider war/Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily/Reuters/January 18, 2024

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 18-19/2024
In Davos, Israel's president calls ties with Saudi Arabia key to ending war in Gaza
Lenient Ruling against Murderers of Coptic Christian Raises Questions
Egyptian Christian Persecution/Justice for Soad Thabet
Israel's political turmoil: Opposition targets Netanyahu's policies amidst US-Israeli tensions
EU lawmakers call for 'permanent ceasefire' in Gaza with conditions
Israel's air defense intercepts 'suspicious aerial target' over Red Sea
Iran targets Erbil: Intricate dynamics of Kurdish-Israeli relations
Reuters' sources: Explosion heard near US base in northern Iraq
Israeli strike kills 16 in southern Gaza
Dehumanizing Israeli rhetoric, a key component to South Africa's genocide case
Palestinians die in hospitals, 60,000 wounded overwhelm remaining doctors
Iraqi leader again demands US-led coalition leave
Armed drone shot down near US base in northern Iraq — sources
9 civilians dead in strikes on Syria attributed to Jordan
US strikes in Yemen after Houthis re-designated 'terrorist' entity
US imposes new sanctions linked to Russia

Titles For The Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on January 18-19/2024
Biden Administration's 'Pathway' to a Palestinian Terror State/Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/January 18, 2024
The blood libel at The Hague/Anti-Israeli genocidaires accuse Israelis of genocide/Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/January 18, 2024
Israel Should Boycott Turkey/Sinan Ciddi/Townhall/January 18, 2024
Iran seeking to expand its influence in the fog of Gaza war/Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/January 18, 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 18-19/2024
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: Hezbollah is as an Iranian army, did not liberate the south; rather, it occupies Lebanon
January 18, 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2pEpzd-H0A&t=209s
The Shiite sect in Lebanon has been held hostage by the terrorist Iranian armed proxy, Hezbollah, since 1982. Hezbollah was not a voluntary choice for the Lebanese Shiites; instead, it was forcibly imposed upon them and on all the Lebanese in the 1980s during the Syrian occupation era, in an agreement between the Iranian Mullahs and the Baathist Assad regime.
Hezbollah gained complete control over the Shiites in Lebanon in favor of the Mullahs' regime in 1988, following armed battles in the Iqlem Al Tefah Region with the Shiite Amal movement. After defeating Amal, Hezbollah forcefully subjugated its armed presence, rendering it a subservient entity. Since then, Amal has become a symbolic facade executing Hezbollah's agenda without independent decision-making power.
Since 1982, Hezbollah has isolated the Shiites from other Lebanese, the Lebanese state, Arabs, and has forcefully dominated their decisions, representation, educational, religious, economic, and social institutions. Hezbollah imposed 27 parliamentary deputies on the Shiites by force, recruited Shiites men to fight on various battlefields for the Mullahs' regime in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Gulf countries, and in many Western and American countries.
Hezbollah proudly asserts that it is a military force under the command of the Iranian Supreme Leader, with all its possessions, weapons, and capabilities in all fields originating from Iran and in service to Iran.
Contrary to its false claims of being a resistance devoted to the liberation of Palestine since its creation in 1982, Hezbollah is, in fact, an Iranian army under full Iranian command.
In 2000, Hezbollah claimed to liberate South Lebanon, but it actually occupies the entire country.
In conclusion, Hezbollah's status is Iranian, rooted in Iranian ideology, completely subservient to Iran and its regime, and serves as one of its prime Jihadist terrorist military proxies.

The necessity of defeating Hamas, the mullahs, and all branches and groups of the Muslim Brotherhood
Elias Bejjani/January 16/2024
Can anyone imagine what the situation of Lebanon and the rest of the countries would be like if jihadist Hamas won the war, and behind it were the mullahs, ISIS, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood? They will certainly take us back to the law of the jungle and to pre-lithic eras

Elias Bajani/Video and Text/Dangers and Disasters of the Victory of the Jihadist and Terrorist Iranian Governance Model, Represented by its  proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)/  & Baku Haram
Elias Bejjani/January 17, 2024 The Video is in Arabic)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyIYzVche54&t=32s
There is a significant and vast difference between the culture of life, peace, and human rights represented by most Arab countries, led by Lebanon and the Gulf states, and the culture, schemes, delusions illusions, and hallucinations of the so-called political Islam embodied by ISIS, Al-Nusra, Baku Haram, and the Muslim Brotherhood in all its jihadist branches. In the same diabolical and jihadist category, we can freely list the terrorist, jihadist, and expansionist regime of the Iranian mullahs, along with all its terrorist proxies like the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, PMF, and others.
The model of political Islam, with all its sectarian variations, knows nothing but invasions, wars, destruction, expansion, bigotry, hatred, eternal enmity. This evil model practices its destructive, oppressive, revengeful, arbitrary, dictatorial, suppressive, and impoverishing culture and satanic education and governance in Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Gaza. The unprecedented destruction caused by Hamas in Gaza is a bold example.
As for the Western and civilized model, it strives for peace, stability, decent living, securing and maintaining the rule of human rights, respecting humanity, democracy and freedom.
Therefore, the victory of the Hamas's model and its sponsor Iran will only bring disasters of all kinds and forms not only to the region. (Middle East), but definitely to the whole world.
It is imperative to defeat Hamas, the mullahs, and all branches and groups of the Muslim Brotherhood, or otherwise the whole world will know no peace or stability at any level.
Can anyone imagine what the situation in Lebanon and other countries will be like if the jihadist war led by the Iranian mullahs are victorious? Surely, they will  drag humankind to the law of the jungle and for stone age and prehistoric eras."

Lebanese front widens as civil society vows to establish neutrality
Updated 18 January 2024
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/January 18, 2024
BEIRUT: Hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel expanded into new territory on Thursday as Lebanese civil society figures appealed for national neutrality.
In response to the violence, which began 103 days ago, Lebanon’s deputy speaker of parliament called for urgent diplomatic action.
“The idea of opening the war front is extremely dangerous, and the only solution is through diplomatic means,” said Elias Bou Saab, who also serves as a liaison between the Lebanese government and US envoy Amos Hochstein.
His comments followed a meeting with Egypt’s ambassador to Lebanon, Alaa Moussa. Bou Saab urged the “importance of continuing to exert diplomatic efforts to reach a solution to end the war and then transition to the post-ceasefire stage in Lebanon, including the issue of demarcating the land borders.”
Meanwhile, Lebanese civil society figures at a major gathering repeated demands for the country to remain neutral in the Israel-Hamas war.
The Greater Lebanon State Gathering drew heads of religious communities, political parties, and diplomatic, social, academic and union leaders to the Maronite Patriarchate headquarters. Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi oversaw the event. Former President Amin Gemayel called for “reclaiming Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and unity by establishing neutrality.”
He added: “The time has come for Lebanon to rescue itself by having all components embrace being fully Lebanese first. “This would complete Lebanon’s national identity and unify it without privileges, only guaranteeing it through a strong and capable state unless we want Lebanon to be divided into areas of influence based on the interests of others at the expense of the national interest.”Former Minister Ashraf Rifi demanded “reclaiming sovereignty, lifting guardianship, protecting the constitution and activating institutions.”
He added: “We vow to prevent Lebanon from being turned into an arena for settling regional scores. We will restore the state’s stature.
“The army and legitimate security institutions will be the only ones responsible for security. We vow to confront militia weapons, liquidation, assassination and terrorism.”Activist Hayat Arslan called for “positive neutrality,” adding that it “protects us, adheres to international resolutions, and makes Lebanon a state of law and institutions.”
On Thursday morning, Israeli media reported the firing of at least five shells from Lebanon toward the Al-Manara settlement in the Upper Galilee region.
An Israeli drone bombed a car in Souk El-Khan near Kawkaba on Thursday. Israeli artillery also fired two shells at the outskirts of Kawkaba.
An Israeli drone fired a missile into the garden of a home in the center of the town of Kawkaba, causing serious damage to the site but no casualties. A shell also fell between houses in the town of Hula. Israeli jets carried out strikes on the outskirts of the towns of Rab El-Thalathine, Al-Taybeh and Odaisseh.
The Marjayoun Plain was shelled by the Israeli army, which also targeted the area between Al-Dhayra and Yarin, and the eastern outskirts of Mays Al-Jabal with heavy smoke and phosphorus bombs. The Israeli army also fired into forest areas adjacent to the town of Aita Al-Shaab. Jets were seen flying over the western sector, reaching the villages and towns of the Tyre district. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X: “Air Force warplanes raided Hezbollah infrastructure in the Odaisseh area, and the Israeli army attacked Kfarkela and Marjayoun.”Adraee added that “two shells were fired from Lebanon toward the Arab Al-Aramshe area and landed in open areas.”
On Thursday morning, the Israeli army targeted the vicinity of the Al-Abad military site overlooking the town of Hula, and also hit Tallet Hamames, the Marjayoun Plain, and the Hura and Aaziyyeh areas in Deir Mimas.
Israeli reconnaissance planes continued to fly over the villages of the western and central sectors throughout the night, reaching the outskirts of the Litani River.
This coincided with the launching of flare bombs over the border villages adjacent to the Blue Line. On Wednesday evening, the Israeli army escalated its attacks, with jets bombing the outskirts of Tyre’s Qalileh town, an extension of the Mieh Mieh Palestinian refugee camp. The bombing raid killed Hamas member Walid Hassanein, who was later mourned. Others from the refugee camp, including Mohammed Azzam and Abou Nayef, were wounded.

Much higher likelihood of war in Israel's north in coming months, army chief says
Agence France Presse/January 18, 2024
Israel's army chief has said the likelihood of war breaking out on the country's northern border with Lebanon has become "much higher". "I don't know when the war in the north is, I can tell you that the likelihood of it happening in the coming months is much higher than it was in the past," Israeli army chief Herzi Halevi said in a statement during a visit to northern Israel. The Lebanese-Israeli border has seen near daily exchanges of fire between Israel's army and Hezbollah. Hamas's armed wing said Wednesday it had fired 20 rockets from southern Lebanon towards Israel in response to the "massacres" in Gaza and the killing of the group's deputy leader in Beirut earlier this month. The Israeli army said Wednesday it had carried out air strikes in southern Lebanon, including on "terrorist infrastructure sites and a number of active launchers".Israel on Tuesday launched its most intense attacks on a single location in Lebanon's south, targeting a border valley with air strikes and artillery.Over 190 people have been killed in Lebanon during more than three months of violence, including more than 140 Hezbollah fighters and over 20 civilians, among them three journalists, according to an AFP tally. In northern Israel, nine soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to Israeli authorities.

Hamas fires rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel
Associated Press/January 18, 2024
Hamas said it has fired 20 missiles from Lebanon toward a military barracks near Israel's northern coast. Wednesday's attack was the first rocket attack from Lebanon by the Palestinian militant group since late December and came a day after at least 25 rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel in one of the strongest bombardments in more than a week. A statement from Hamas said Wednesday’s attack was partly a response to the presumed Israeli airstrike that killed top Hamas official Saleh Arouri on Jan. 2 in the Beirut suburbs. It was not immediately clear if there were damage or casualties in Israel. The Israeli military said its warplanes and artillery struck launch sites in southern Lebanon. Hamas later announced that one of its fighters, from the Mieh Mieh Palestinian refugee camp near the city of Sidon, had been killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon. In recent days, the intensity of cross-border fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has escalated. Regarding the prospects for another cease-fire agreement in Gaza and a release of hostages, Hamas political official Osama Hamdan told reporters in Beirut that the group had “presented a vision” to Egypt in Qatar in response to proposals put forward by those two countries, but accused Israel of “stalling” in its response. The Hamas official also criticized the international community for its concern about getting medication to the dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, when more than 2 million Palestinians there have been living for months in dire conditions without access to health care.

Israel-Hezbollah border skirmishes: Latest developments
Naharnet/January 18, 2024
Israeli drones carried out airstrikes Thursday morning on a house in Kawkaba, a village in the Hasbaya District as artillery shelled the southern border towns of Aitaroun, Blida, Mays el-Jabal and the Marjaayoun valley. Later in the day, Israeli warplanes struck the outskirts of Rab Tlatine, al-Taybe, and al-Odaisseh. Hezbollah for its part targeted Berkat Risha and a group of soldiers in the Israeli Adamit post. On Wednesday Hezbollah targeted five Israeli posts in northern Israel and Hamas fired 20 missiles toward a military barracks near Israel's northern coast, the first rocket attack from Lebanon by the Palestinian militant group since late December. In recent days, the intensity of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has escalated. Israel on Tuesday launched its most intense attacks on a single location in Lebanon's south, targeting a border valley with air strikes and artillery. Over 190 people have been killed in Lebanon during more than three months of violence, including more than 140 Hezbollah fighters and over 20 civilians, among them three journalists, according to an AFP tally.In northern Israel, nine soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to Israeli authorities.

Bou Habib: War on Lebanon would not be easy for Israel
Naharnet/January 18, 2024
Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has warned Israel that a war on Lebanon would not be “easy” for it and that “rockets will fall on it from all sides.”“The Houthis are playing an international role and what they are doing is related to Gaza. Our stance is in harmony with the Arab stance and we don’t want an expansion of the war,” Bou Habib said in a TV interview. “An internal war would ruin the country and if we were asked to choose between a regional war and a civil war we would pick the regional, because it would have an end, contrary to civil war,” Bou Habib added. “There is a de facto situation in the South and Hezbollah is a Lebanese group that understands the country’s interest,” the minister went on to say, noting that the Lebanese government is “opposed to the launching of rockets by some non-Lebanese groups.”Over 190 people have been killed in Lebanon during more than three months of cross-border clashes, including over 140 Hezbollah fighters and over 20 civilians, among them three journalists. In northern Israel, nine soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to Israeli authorities. The fighting has also displaced tens of thousands of Lebanese and Israeli residents on both sides of the border and Israel says it is keen on returning its residents to their homes even if that required a military campaign.

Report: Berri re-focuses on presidential vote to protect country
Naharnet/January 18, 2024
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has reportedly urged all parties to elect a president. "Berri has directly called all the parties concerned with the presidential file to seize the opportunity to protect the country by electing a president," Ain el-Tineh sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Thursday. The source added that Berri is "always ready" for any effort that would break the presidential impasse and is discussing the presidential file in all his meetings with envoys and ambassadors. The Speaker has encouraged the Qataris to resume their presidential efforts, the source said. An earlier report in al-Liwaa newspaper claimed that senior Lebanese officials had contacted the Qatari leadership, including during caretaker PM Najib Mikati’s meetings in Davos, asking it to send Qatari envoy Jassem bin Fahad Al-Thani to Lebanon as soon as possible in order to revive the presidential election file. Doha and the five-nation group for Lebanon -- which also comprises the U.S., France, KSA, and Egypt -- have sought to facilitate the presidential election file in Lebanon but Qatar's efforts stopped with the eruption of the Gaza war. Crisis-hit Lebanon has been without a president since Michel Aoun's term ended in October last year, with neither of the two main blocs -- Hezbollah and its opponents -- having the majority required to elect one. France has warned Lebanon that the presidential vacancy is weighing on the country's ability to overcome its crises and to prevent a security deterioration amid risks of escalation of cross-border fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

Reports: Hezbollah remains open to US diplomatic efforts
Naharnet/January 18, 2024
Hezbollah has rebuffed U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein’s ideas for ending the border skirmishes with Israel but remains open to U.S. diplomatic efforts to avoid a ruinous war, a media report said, quoting Lebanese officials. "Hezbollah is ready to listen," a senior Lebanese official familiar with the group's thinking said, while emphasizing that the group saw the ideas presented by veteran negotiator Hochstein on a visit to Beirut last week as unrealistic. One suggestion floated last week was that border hostilities be scaled back in tandem with Israeli moves towards lower intensity operations in Gaza, the reports quoted three Lebanese sources and a U.S. official as saying.

Lebanon still has a chance as Qatar advances to Asian Cup knockout stages
Naharnet/January 18, 2024
Host and defending champion Qatar became the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the Asian Cup tournament on Wednesday after a 1-0 win against Tajikistan. Akram Afif scored his third goal in two games to secure victory at Al Bayt Stadium and ensure Qatar goes through as Group A winner.
It is all a far cry from the World Cup when, as host, Qatar exited the competition at the group stage after three straight losses. After back-to-back draws, China likely needs at least a point against Qatar to have a chance of advancing to the knockout stage. A 0-0 draw with Lebanon left both nations' hopes of reaching the round of 16 in the balance. China was a quarterfinalist in each of the last two Asian Cups and is second in Group A on two points. But it has the daunting task of facing Qatar in its final game and is at risk of being overtaken by Lebanon or Tajikistan. "We know that we depend on ourselves and that is something that every team would like to be in that position before the last game," China coach Aleksandar Jankovic said. "No matter (if) we play against a host country ... Qatar with their World Cup experience, we still depend on ourselves and I always like to be in this kind of situation." Lebanon hit the woodwork twice and China saw an effort cleared off the line at Al Thumama Stadium. Lebanon lost 3-0 to Qatar in its opening game and is bottom of the group with one point, but still has a chance to progress. Lebanon, China and Tajikistan could still advance as runner-up or one of the best third-place teams.. "It's a very important point for us especially after a tough defeat against Qatar," Lebanon coach Miodrag Radulovic said. "We hit two posts, but unfortunately we didn't score again. I'm satisfied with this point because we are still in the game to the end for the next round."
Hassan Maatouk and Hasan Srour hit the bar for Lebanon either side of halftime.Wu Lei thought he'd broken the deadlock for China in the 65th minute, but his close-range range shot was hooked off the line. China came close to scoring in the first half when Lebanon goalkeeper Mostafa Matar twice denied Zhang Yuning in one threatening attack. Substitute Lin Liangming should have been more clinical late in the match, but headed wide when unmarked right in front of goal.

Bilateral Security Discussions: Interior Ministers Focus on Drug Trafficking and Regional Cooperation
LBCI/Thursday 18 January 2024
During his official visit to Qatar, Caretaker Minister of Interior Bassam al-Mawlawi, met with his Jordanian counterpart, Mazen Abdullah Hilal Al-Faraya.
Discussions focused on security matters of mutual interest, particularly the fight against drug trafficking. The occasion provided an opportunity to present the efforts of the security agencies in both countries to control smuggling operations, especially towards the Gulf Arab states. Agreement was reached to continue the discussions at the earliest convenience. Additionally, alMawlawi discussed preparations for the upcoming meeting of Arab Interior Ministers in Tunisia at the end of the next month with the Tunisian Minister of Interior, Kamal Al-Faqi. He also addressed the current developments in the region with the Ministers of Interior of Oman, Hamoud bin Faisal Al-Busaidi, Palestine, Ziyad Mahmoud Hebo al-Raih, and Yemen, Ibrahim Ali Ahmed Haidan.

Mikati: We stand by Iraq against the Iranian bombardment suffered by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
LBCI/Thursday 18 January 2024
The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati discussed the outcomes of his communications in Davos with various foreign leaders, heads of governments, and foreign ministers during a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Abdallah Bou Habib. Mikati elaborated on the situation in southern Lebanon, particularly in light of the recurrent Israeli attacks on the region, and emphasized the call for an end to Israeli aggression on Gaza. The conversation also delved into the results of the ministerial-level meeting of the Arab League, held on Wednesday, and the statement issued following the meeting. Mikati reiterated unwavering support for any Arab state facing aggression and stated, "We stand by Iraq against the Iranian bombardment suffered by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq."On another note, Mikati received the Army Commander, General Joseph Aoun, along with a delegation from the family, thanking him for his condolences on the passing of the Army Commander's mother.

Saudi ambassador meets French counterpart in Yarze
LBCI/Thursday 18 January 2024
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon, Walid Boukhari received on Thursday at his residence in Yarze French Ambassador to Lebanon, Hervé Magro.
During the meeting, discussions were held on the most prominent political developments in both the Lebanese and regional arenas, in addition to efforts exerted to expedite the presidential elections process so that Lebanon can overcome its various crises as quickly as possible, given the ongoing developments in the region. Furthermore, the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries were reviewed, along with ways to enhance them in various fields.

Lebanon's wheat purchase: European traders uncover details of 72,000-ton tender
LBCI/Thursday 18 January 2024
European traders revealed on Thursday that they believe the Lebanese government has purchased approximately 72,000 tons of wheat flour in a tender this week, and the entire quantity is expected to originate from Ukraine.
The wheat was needed for fast shipment to Beirut. The purchase process included 30,000 tons at an estimated price of $250.50 per ton, excluding unloading costs and inclusive of cost and shipping, with shipment scheduled between January 20th and February 15th. Additionally, ten thousand tons were bought for $252.00 per ton, excluding unloading costs and including cost and shipping, for shipment between January 18th and February 15th. Another 32,000 tons were acquired at $252.50 per ton for shipment between the fifth and twentieth of February.
Traders stated that the financing for the purchase would come from the World Bank as part of its ongoing program to buy wheat to assist Lebanon in its challenging financial situation. These reports reflect traders' assessments and further estimates for prices and quantities may become available later.

Israeli Defense Minister: We must prepare for the deterioration of the security situation in the north, and we may impose a military solution for the residents to return to their homes
LBCI/Thursday 18 January 2024
On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, emphasized the need to brace for a potential deterioration in the security situation in the northern regions.
He suggested that a military solution might be considered to facilitate the safe return of residents to their homes.

Has the Countdown to War in Lebanon Begun?
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al-Awsat/Thursday 18 January 2024
The dangerous escalation of military operations on the southern Lebanese front, with Israeli raids to hitting targets around 40 km from the border as to US mediation efforts of Amos Hochstein, have instigated the countdown to an Israeli war on Lebanon that threatens to demolish the country.
War seems almost inevitable. Indeed, the people running Lebanon have a “flawed” conception of reality and the balance of power, and the situation in Gaza, despite the costs incurred by the Israelis, also leads us to this conclusion. Another Gaza will emerge after this barbaric Zionist war ends, and boasting about resilience in the face of genocide and displacement is misguided, especially since Hamas and its allies have been weakened.
Despite the conflicts and crises within Israel, the enemy is about to begin the third phase of this war: targeted special operations. Moreover, it has changed the situation to its advantage as it vies to ensure that "October 7" never happens again, not in Gaza or elsewhere! It is clear that the wars of the Resistance Axis, including the Iranian ballistic missile strikes in northern Syria and Erbil, have sped up American plans to redraw the Middle East!
The scene that concerns us as Lebanese citizens: Netanyahu threatens, and Nasrallah makes threats. The enemy’s Chief of Staff says that Lebanon will face dire consequences if a war with Hezbollah were to erupt, prompting Najib Mikati, who holds the highest position in the government, to rush to brandish the slogan of "the unity of the arenas," declaring that "talk of calm in Lebanon alone is illogical, simultaneously demanding a "ceasefire in Gaza"! It seemed as though he were announcing a decision to push Lebanon to destruction.
The newspaper "Al-Akhbar" rejoiced at "the state cover Prime Minister Najib Mikati has granted Hezbollah internationally, which cannot be overlooked!" This is a perilous situation that is extremely detrimental to the national interest. It removes the small gap between the state’s stance and the stance of Hezbollah and the axis of resistance, undermining Lebanon’s already fragile peace and leaving the country’s destiny to the whims of Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias that further foreign interests!
Since the war on the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip began over 100 days ago, and Hezbollah began launching attacks to "distract" the enemy and "support" Gaza, delegations have sent explicit messages to "the Party" regarding what needs to happen to ensure calm on the southern front. Mikati, who has abandoned his responsibility to the nation, refused to play the role of a postman receiving and sending messages to "the Party." He became "the announcer," speaking on behalf of "the resistance" and its axis and turning his back on the Lebanese. He has refused to do his duty of preserving their interests, rights, security, dreams, and future! Thus, he strengthens "the Party's" grip on the state and decision-making. Hezbollah has become the state and Lebanon is the state of "the Party"! In doing so, he has decided to put the heads of its citizens and country under the guillotine of the Israelis, who threaten the Lebanese with more destruction than we saw in Gaza!
Hezbollah has linked the demand for a ceasefire on the southern front to the end of the war on Gaza, mirroring the position of Tehran, which has threatened to escalate on every front if the assault does not end(...) The Iranian proposal of escalation on more than one front, from Lebanon and Iraq to Yemen, aims to preserve the influence that the Iranian regime has built and establish a foothold in the Palestinian question. Because Washington's prioritization of security solutions has cast a shadow on the supposed "deal" it is working on, Hassan Nasrallah has publicly rejected a multi-pronged temporary compromise proposed by the American envoy: calm on both sides of the Blue Line, allowing for the return of displaced Lebanese and Israelis to their homes. Next, establishing a framework for negotiations on a mechanism for implementing UN Resolution 1701, and finally, indirect negotiations over the 13 border points that have been disputed since the Blue Line was drawn in 2000 after the Israelis withdrew from Lebanon.
Supporters of "the Party" have said that "the US proposal is equivalent to a coup that does away with what the resistance has achieved." It breaks the link between a solution in Gaza and the South, and America’s priority is ensuring that settlers can return to their homes... This position reflects a misreading of every dimension of the situation on the ground, from Gaza to the South, as well as blatant disregard for the specter of an impending creeping war on Lebanon. They overlook the repercussions of the comprehensive collapse that has befallen the country, and they talk about the price that has already been paid. 200 casualties have fallen and more than 100,000 people have been displaced, the losses in the towns of the south exceed the losses of the 2006 war... And on top of all that, Israeli warplanes come and go as they please, and it has made intelligence breaches on the ground. These breaches are evident from the assassination of Al-Arouri and, before that, the attack on “Radwan” figures, including the son of MP Raad, and then the assassination of field commander Wissam Al-Tawil with an explosive device that blew up as he was driving to his home in Kharbata Salam. On Tuesday night, an Israeli force sneaked into Aita al-Shaab and removed mines, according to the Israeli spokesman, and there are many other similar incidents.
All of that only covers a fraction of the factors that have left Lebanon exposed, and Amos Hochstein's visit was a final warning. The push for calm is met with a lack of responsibility from those with the power to avert war and protect lives. Surreal positions are being voiced, the most prominent of which is a statement by the Secretary-General of Hezbollah. If aggression on Gaza stops, and "then in Lebanon, we will see what happens. He also reiterated that Hezbollah was ready for a war "without limits" with an army that he calls "exhausted, terrified, and defeated.” He tells us Netanyahu's government will have no choice but to submit to the resistance, stop the war, and opt for negotiations! Here, the question arises: Why stop the war and why negotiate? If the resistance in Gaza, the "distraction" from Lebanon, and the Houthi "support" from Yemen have turned the Israeli army into a collection of terrified, defeated brigades, why insist on a ceasefire in Gaza and reject it for southern Lebanon?

Hezbollah rejected US overtures, still open to diplomacy to avoid wider war
Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily/Reuters/January 18, 2024
Summary
Hezbollah rejects suggestion fighters withdraw 7 km from border
Iran-backed group 'not closing' doors-senior Lebanese official
Lebanese mediators communicate U.S. ideas to Hezbollah
U.S. envoy visits Israel and Lebanon in bid to restore calm
Hezbollah says doesn't want total war, while fighting for Gaza
BEIRUT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Iran-backed Hezbollah has rebuffed Washington's initial ideas for cooling tit-for-tat fighting with neighbouring Israel, such as pulling its fighters further from the border, but remains open to U.S. diplomacy to avoid a ruinous war, Lebanese officials said.
U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein has been leading a diplomatic outreach to restore security at the Israel-Lebanon frontier as the wider region teeters dangerously towards a major escalation of the conflict ignited by the Gaza war. Attacks by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on shipping in the Red Sea, U.S. strikes in response and fighting elsewhere in the Middle East have added urgency to the efforts.
"Hezbollah is ready to listen," a senior Lebanese official familiar with the group's thinking said, while emphasising that the group saw the ideas presented by veteran negotiator Hochstein on a visit to Beirut last week as unrealistic.
Hezbollah's position is that it will fire rockets at Israel until there is a full ceasefire in Gaza. Hezbollah's rejection of the proposals presented by Hochstein has not been previously reported.
Despite the rejection and Hezbollah's volleys of rockets in support of Gaza, the group's openness to diplomatic contacts signals an aversion to a wider war, one of the Lebanese officials and a security source said, even after an Israeli strike reached Beirut on Jan. 2, killing a Hamas leader.
Israel has also said it wants to avoid war, but both sides say they are ready to fight if necessary. Israel warns it will respond more aggressively if a deal to make the border area safe is not reached.
Such an escalation would open a major new phase in the regional conflict.
Branded a terrorist organisation by Washington, Hezbollah has not been directly involved in talks, three Lebanese officials and a European diplomat said. Instead, Hochstein's ideas were passed on by Lebanese mediators, they said. Reuters consulted eleven Lebanese, U.S., Israeli and European officials for this story. One suggestion floated last week was that border hostilities be scaled back in tandem with Israeli moves towards lower intensity operations in Gaza, the three Lebanese sources and a U.S. official said.
Another suggestion is that Hezbollah keep its fighters at least 7 km (4 miles) from the border, two of the three Lebanese officials and an Israeli official said. The proposal was communicated to Hezbollah, the Lebanese officials said.
That could leave fighters much closer than Israel's public demand of a 30 km (19 mile) withdrawal to Lebanon's Litani River, as stipulated in a 2006 U.N. resolution.
However, Israel believes most anti-tank missiles fired from further than 7 km would not land on northern Israeli communities, according to the Israeli official, who was briefed on war cabinet discussions, but requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the conversations.
Hezbollah has dismissed both ideas as unrealistic, the Lebanese officials and the diplomat said. The group has long ruled out giving up weapons or withdrawing fighters, many of whom hail from the border region and melt into society at times of peace.
Israel would also want to see Hezbollah's elite Radwan force kept north of the Litani and a United Nations peacekeeper force "beefed up," the Israeli official said.
Israel's Prime Minister's office declined to comment on "reports of diplomatic discussions" in response to questions from Reuters for this story.
Spokespeople for Hezbollah and the Lebanon government did not immediately respond to detailed requests for comment. The White House declined to comment on Reuters' reporting.
Hezbollah has, however, signalled that once the Gaza war is over it could be open to Lebanon negotiating a mediated deal over disputed areas at the border, the three Lebanese officials said, a possibility alluded to by Hezbollah's leader in a speech this month.
"After the war in Gaza, we are ready to support Lebanese negotiators to turn the threat into opportunity," one senior Hezbollah official told Reuters, speaking on the condition of anonymity. He did not address specific proposals.
Hezbollah previously held fire during a 7-day Gaza truce in late November.
Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy, in response to a Reuters question at a media briefing on Wednesday, said there was "still a diplomatic window of opportunity," to push Hezbollah away from the border.
Hochstein has a track record of successful mediation between Lebanon and Israel. In 2022, he brokered a deal delineating the countries' disputed maritime boundary - an agreement sealed with Hezbollah's behind-the-scenes approval.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, in whose cabinet Hezbollah has ministers, has said Beirut was ready for talks on long-term border stability.
During his Jan. 11 visit to Beirut, Hochstein met Mikati, the parliament speaker and army commander. He said publicly at the time that the United States, Israel and Lebanon all preferred a diplomatic solution.
Hochstein was hopeful "all of us on both sides of the border" could reach a solution to allow Lebanon and Israel to live with guaranteed security, he told reporters.
IRAN
The spearhead of the Iran-aligned "Axis of Resistance", Hezbollah was drawn into a battle it has said it did not expect when Palestinian ally Hamas stormed Israel on Oct. 7, triggering a conflict that has also spilled into the Red Sea, where U.S. strikes have targeted Yemen's Houthis over their attacks on shipping.
Hezbollah has said its campaign has aided Palestinians by stretching Israeli forces and driving tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes.
It has come at a cost, with around 140 Hezbollah fighters and at least 25 Lebanese civilians killed, as well as at least nine Israeli soldiers and a civilian. The intensity has been growing in recent weeks.
Hezbollah, founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982, is the most powerful and influential of the groups Iran backs. It has played a big part in Tehran's wider foreign policies.
Sources familiar with Hezbollah thinking have said it knows all-out war would be ruinous for Lebanon, a country already destabilised by years of financial and political crises, and where Hezbollah's vast arsenal has long been a point of contention. Experts say the cache includes more than 100,000 rockets.
Even as Iran-aligned fighters draw U.S. fire elsewhere in the region and Iran launches strikes in Syria and Iraq, Tehran would be loathe to see Hezbollah and Lebanon subjected to massive destruction, not least because it has previously had to foot the bill of reconstruction, said Mohanad Hage Ali, deputy director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, a think-tank based in Beirut.
Iran's foreign minister on Wednesday said attacks against Israel and its interests by the "Axis of Resistance" will stop if the Gaza war ends.
Hage Ali said Hezbollah clearly wanted to avoid full-scale conflict. It did not want to be left in a situation where Israeli strikes continue or intensify in Lebanon after the Gaza war ends or is significantly scaled back, he said.
"A process in which it can engage, or support, the Lebanese state as it negotiates would provide the benefits of de-escalation," he said.
'THREATS AND INDUCEMENTS'
The diplomacy faces significant complications, and many observers see a serious risk of an escalation in fighting. Israel has said its army will act if diplomacy cannot restore security to northern Israel.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the group had heard "threats and inducements".
The threat, Nasrallah said in a Jan. 15 speech, was the warning that Israel would move forces to its northern border as it shifts to the next phase of the Gaza war. Hezbollah was ready for war and would fight without "any limits, rules or boundaries", he said.
But he has also alluded to diplomatic possibilities, saying in a Jan. 5 speech that once the Gaza war was over Lebanon had "a historic opportunity" to liberate land.
Those comments were widely interpreted as reflecting the possibility of a negotiated deal settling the status of disputed border areas.
Four Lebanese officials briefed on the matter said Hochstein has discussed ideas aimed at advancing such a deal, but he had not presented any draft proposals. The officials did not provide details of the ideas.
An Israeli official told Reuters Israel's government has "relayed lots of demands," without giving details. "One way or another, our 80,000 northern residents will be returning home," the official said.
France has also been involved in de-escalation efforts. A source familiar with French thinking said Nasrallah's public comments alluding to a possible border deal were "direct messages to the Americans and to the French".
"He's telling us: 'the door is open'".
Reporting by Laila Bassam and Maya Gebeily; Additional reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Tom Perry in Beirut and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel

Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 18-19/2024
In Davos, Israel's president calls ties with Saudi Arabia key to ending war in Gaza
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP)/January 18, 2024
Normalizing ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia would be a key element of ending the war with Hamas and a game-changer for the entire Middle East, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Thursday at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss town of Davos.
“It’s still delicate, it’s fragile, and it will take a long time, but I think that it is actually an opportunity to move forward in the world and the region towards a better future,” Herzog said. It comes days after Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said on a Davos panel that the kingdom agreed “regional peace includes peace for Israel.” He said Saudi Arabia “certainly” would recognize Israel as part of a larger political agreement. “But that can only happen through peace for the Palestinians, through a Palestinian state,” he said. U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken also reiterated in a talk at Davos that a pathway to statehood for Palestinians could help improve Israel’s security and its relations with other countries in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government, however, are opposed to the concept of a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Herzog, whose ceremonial role is meant to serve as a national unifier, said public support for it is low because traumatized Israelis are focused on their own safety following Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 rampage. He displayed a photo of Kfar Bibas, the youngest Israeli held hostage in Gaza whose first birthday is Thursday. “When nations come forward and say ‘two-state solution,’ they have to first deal with a preliminary question, which is a core question for human beings: Are we offered real safety?” Herzog said. “Israelis lost trust in the peace process because they could see that terror is glorified by our neighbors.”
Herzog also stressed the global implications of Hamas' attack on Israel, which he said is just one of the proxies of the “empire of evil emanating from Tehran.”
Amid the conflict in Gaza, Iran has taken military action against what it called an Israeli intelligence operation in Iraq and launched attacks in Pakistan and Syria. Iran-backed rebels in Yemen known as Houthis also have upended global shipping by attacking vessels in the Red Sea, triggering retaliatory strikes from the U.S. and Britain. “The Houthi issue is a number one priority, because it raises the cost of living for every family in the universe, a little tribe of 50,000 people, amassed with the weapons of an empire,” Herzog said. On Wednesday in Davos, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian insisted Iran’s strike in Iraq, as well as against an alleged militant base in Pakistan, are part of his country’s right to self-defense and accused Israel of “genocide” in its campaign against Hamas, which has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also condemned the war in Gaza during a Davos talk Thursday, saying “the international community has failed.”
But Sudani sought to balance his position between the U.S. and Iran, saying Iraq has “interests” and “strategic partnerships” with both. He also reiterated calls for U.S.-led coalition forces to withdraw from Iraq, saying their presence is no longer justified because the Islamic State group is “no longer a threat to the Iraqi people.”The Iraqi and Israeli leaders were headliners in Thursday's flurry of activity in Davos venues where world leaders, corporate titans and other elites mingle. Norway Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told The Associated Press that a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians “might seem far away right now, but it could also be closer than we think.” "A lot of people who used to pay lip service to this are now actually more worried than in the long run, that absent of such a development, we will have a continued escalation of violence,” he said.
The four-day confab at Davos — which has been criticized as a talkfest about weighty ideas but few solutions — has taken up a vast array of topics, such as climate change and artificial intelligence, a technology that may offer both economic promise and peril.
Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, made his Davos debut after leadership turmoil late last year. During a panel on technology and humanity, he faced gentle questioning about the boardroom bust-up as well as a lawsuit by the New York Times to stop OpenAI from using its stories to train AI chatbots. At breakfast panel on the meeting's sidelines Thursday focused on Ukraine's fight against Russia, Polish President Andrzej Duda called for frozen Russian assets in Western banks to be used for Ukraine. He said $60 billion earmarked for Ukrainian reconstruction by the U.S. and 50 billion euros ($54 billion) by the European Union were “crucial.” British Foreign Secretary David Cameron urged the EU and U.S. to move forward with stalled aid packages and for allies to remember that together their economies are 25 times bigger than Russia's. "All we need to do is make our economic strength show, make it pay, and we will be able to help Ukraine bring this to a conclusion,” said Cameron, who met with Iran's foreign minister at Davos. Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, arrived to speak out against hatred, including Islamophobia, saying there's been “a crisis of antisemitism” since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Speaking to a group of businesswomen, Emhoff, who said “I love being Jewish,” noted that his concerns about antisemitism surged after he drove by a highway sign that read “Kanye was right” — an allusion to antisemitic comments by the rapper formerly known as Kanye West. Ye has since apologized. “And it just pissed me off — it just struck a chord. And I knew I had to do more," Emhoff said Thursday. What came next was what he called the first national strategy to fight antisemitism in the U.S. A day earlier, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with several former hostages and relatives of those still held by Hamas, as did some 150 business leaders — including CEOs Albert Bourla of Pfizer, Andy Jassy of Amazon and Michael Dell of Dell computers. “Nili Margalit and Moran Stela Yanai, who were released from Hamas captivity, told participants about the hostages they left behind and the urgent need to reach a deal to bring them home before it is too late,” according to a group formed by hostages' families.

Lenient Ruling against Murderers of Coptic Christian Raises Questions
Raymond Ibrahim/Coptic Solidarity/January 18/2024
A court ruling concerning the murder of a Christian man has left many of Egypt’s Copts disappointed and, once again, feeling discriminated against.
Background: In April, 2022, three masked men pulled up near the workshop of Rani Ra’fat, a 28-year-old Coptic engineer. Once the Christian appeared, a hail of fire was opened on him. He died on the spot; 22 bullets were found in his body. His killers then fled the scene.
Then, on May 13, one of the murderers made a brief video. While beaming a great smile and congratulating himself for his deed, he proudly identified himself as Faisal Abdul Nasser, and said that he did not know his victim, but that he was moved to the act after reading the Koran and because he is “loyal to Allah”: I am the one who killed that Christian of al-Daba, and—by Allah, by Allah, by Allah—I am delighted that I killed him! I killed him on behalf of Muhammad’s umma [i.e., the Muslim world], because he is a polytheist who associates another [Christ] with Allah, and his own Bible confirms this…. No Christian polytheist, who doesn’t believe in our lord, Muhammad, can just come and profane our women! He is a polytheist and my heart was inflamed. I had read the Koran and my heart was inflamed with fire, so I killed him. He is not permitted to touch someone [a woman] who believes in Muhammad the messenger of Allah… I neither knew him [personally] nor the woman he was reportedly involved with. However, when I read the Koran, my heart was set afire. I am zealous over and sacrifice for Islam. I have no problem surrendering myself [to the police]. This is a state issue: It is not permissible for a Christian who associates others with Allah to be involved with a Muslim woman…No one incited me to do this, only my heart—because I am loyal to Allah.
While Islam permits Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women, the reverse—a non-Muslim man marrying a Muslim woman—is forbidden. Because Islamic culture is ultra-patriarchal, the logic behind this dichotomy holds that, since the man has authority over the woman, it matters little if the woman is not a Muslim. If anything, their relationship only confirms that “infidels” are subservient to Muslims. On the other hand, if the man is not a Muslim, but the woman is, then that marriage would lead to an “infidel” having authority over a Muslim—which is totally unacceptable.
Despite this man boasting of his deed, and saying that he had nothing personal against his Christian victim; despite that he and the others used illegal machine guns, were dressed in camouflage, and even opened fire on security forces—they did not get what many expected them to get—and what others have gotten for far less—that is, the death sentence. Faisal, the main culprit who made the video, and the two others who opened fire alongside him, received life in prison. The three others got between 10 and 15 years. As critics point out, had their victim been a Muslim, they—certainly the main culprit—most likely would have been sentenced to death. Indeed, the victim’s lawyer said he will appeal the verdict.
Even so, the reader is left to imagine what their punishment would have been if they were Christians who murdered a Muslim for “zeal” of God. But, as it happens, the slain victim was a Christian—and Islamic sharia makes very clear that the blood of Muslims and “infidels” are not equal, and that under no circumstances should Muslim authorities execute a fellow Muslim, so long as his crimes and murders are directed at non-Muslims. In the clear-cut words of Muhammad, “Let no Muslim be killed on account of an infidel” [or kafir, “non-Muslim”; recorded in Sahih Bukhari and other canonical collections].
This divisive and demeaning teaching is not limited to “radical Islam.” It is (as discussed here) mainstream. For example, in a 2018 video, Egyptian cleric Samir Hashish said the following about the hadith “Let no Muslim be killed on account of an infidel”:
The hadith itself is of course authentic… However, the hadith does not mean that whoever, without cause, kills any of the People of the Book [Christians and Jews] has done rightly. Not at all—the hadith did not say this; it did not say those who do this are right. The hadith simply excludes the death penalty from among the possible punishments. In other words, the Muslim who kills a non-Muslim without cause—is he wrong or not? He’s wrong. Is he to be penalized or not? He is to be penalized—but without the death penalty. Let him be judged any which way, but do not kill him. Why? Because of what the hadith says. The prophet said, “Let no Muslim be killed on account of an infidel.” Why? Because their blood is not equal. The blood of the Muslim is superior. Call it racism or whatever you want, but of course the blood of the Muslim is superior. This is not open to debate.
Once again, then, Egypt’s Copts are reminded that, despite all the talk that all Egyptians—Christians and Muslims—are “one,” the supremacist and discriminatory teachings of Islam have robbed them of justice.

Egyptian Christian Persecution/Justice for Soad Thabet
Coptic Solidarity/January 18/2024
Do you remember Soad Thabet, the 70-year-old Coptic woman who was stripped naked, dragged, and paraded through her village by a Muslim mob, then was forced to flee her home along with her family seeking safety? Do you remember how she stood firm for her right to justice, but the courts betrayed her, allowing her attackers to be acquitted? Adding insult to injury, the attackers have threatened to sue Mrs.Thabet! Coptic Solidarity wants to give a voice to Mrs. Thabet along with other Copts who, more often than not, are deprived of equal treatment before the law simply because of their Christian faith.
This is why we are participating in the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit this January 30-31 in Washington DC. By partnering with like-minded organizations and building alliances across the world, we keep their stories alive, grow awareness about their grievances, and give them a chance to receive justice.  This is a strategy that works if we stay the course. In the case of Asia Bibi who was jailed for years in Pakistan over accusations of blasphemy, she was eventually released when her story became a global stain on her country’s conscience.
Now, here is the catch. Participating in the Summit costs money, and we cannot do it without your support. Your donation, even a small amount, goes a long way in assisting individuals like Mrs. Thabet. Donate $50 or more, and you will also receive a Coptic Solidarity gift of appreciation.
Thanks for your continued support to seek justice for Mrs. Thabet and equal citizenship rights for all Copts in Egypt!
Please be sure to claim your Coptic gift while supplies last by pressing on the button below.
With Gratitude,
Caroline Doss JD, President Coptic Solidarity

Israel's political turmoil: Opposition targets Netanyahu's policies amidst US-Israeli tensions
LBCI/January 18/2024
In an unprecedented internal Israeli move during the war period, opposition forces are seeking to overthrow the Netanyahu government's policies. On this basis, the Labor Party will present a no-confidence motion in the Knesset, while other opponents coordinate with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the day following the war. This comes after his unsuccessful talks with Benjamin Netanyahu, following his rejection of Blinken's plan, which was initiated and endorsed by Saudi Arabia. According to NBC News, which leaked details of the plan, Saudi Arabia would accept normalization with Israel if Tel Aviv agreed to establish a Palestinian state. The plan includes the reconstruction of Gaza and its governance through the Palestinian Authority. Netanyahu unilaterally rejected this proposal, leading to direct coordination of the plan between Blinken and opposition figures like Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz. This deepened the US crisis with Netanyahu on one hand and internal Israeli discord on the other. This crisis adds to the disagreement over the post-Gaza war situation. There is a rise in right-wing voices within Netanyahu's government calling for the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Netanyahu insists on keeping the army in Gaza until 2025, threatening the continuation of war on land, sea, and air. Given this situation, Israeli reports suggest that the army will not achieve its objectives in Gaza even if it continues to fight for two or three years. There is growing public pressure to finalize a prisoner exchange deal, coinciding with a widespread campaign led by security and military officials to an immediate ceasefire. As the Israeli army intensifies its fighting in the northern, southern, and central parts of the Gaza Strip, a report reveals the entry of large groups of reserve soldiers in response to frustration and reluctance to perform military service. Simultaneously, informed sources disclose an increase in the number of soldiers who have suffered physical disabilities to 12,000.

EU lawmakers call for 'permanent ceasefire' in Gaza with conditions
Agence France Presse/January 18/2024
The European Parliament on Thursday called for a "permanent ceasefire" in Gaza -- but on condition that all Israeli hostages are released immediately and Hamas dismantled. Fighting has ravaged Gaza since Hamas' unprecedented October 7 attacks on Israel that allegedly resulted in the death of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel is conducting relentless bombardment and a ground offensive which have killed at least 24,448 Palestinians, around 70 percent of them women, children and adolescents, according to Gaza health ministry figures. Militants seized about 250 hostages during the October 7 attacks, around 132 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza. The parliament called in a resolution "for a permanent ceasefire and to restart efforts towards a political solution provided that all hostages are immediately and unconditionally released and the terrorist organization Hamas is dismantled". The non-binding resolution was backed by 312 lawmakers, with 131 voting against and 72 abstaining. The 27-nation EU has struggled to come up with a unified position on the conflict, with some countries such as Germany staunchly backing Israel and others being more pro-Palestinian. Those splits played out at the European Parliament. The center-right European People's Party opposed an initial demand for an unconditional ceasefire, arguing that restricted Israel's right to defend itself. "Calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as proposed in the resolution undermines Israel's right to self-defense and further endangers the life of the hostages," the group said.

Israel's air defense intercepts 'suspicious aerial target' over Red Sea
Associated Press/January 18/2024
The Israeli army says it intercepted a “suspicious aerial target” over the Red Sea near the southern city of Eilat on Thursday. There were no reports of casualties or damage, but the launch of the interceptor set off air raid sirens in the coastal city.
The military did not say whether the object was a drone or missile, or who may have fired it. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have fired drones and missiles at Israel in the past, but most have fallen short or were intercepted and shot down. In November, a drone exploded in the yard of a house in Eilat, causing no injuries.The Houthis have attacked container ships in the Red Sea in what they portray as a blockade of Israel linked to its war against Hamas in Gaza. The attacks, which have disrupted global trade, have continued despite U.S.-led airstrikes against the rebels in recent days.'

Iran targets Erbil: Intricate dynamics of Kurdish-Israeli relations
LBCI/January 18/2024
In a period of conflicts, Iran has targeted Erbil, framing the incident as a strike against Mossad activities in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. So, is there an Israeli presence in Kurdistan? Iran, along with Syria, has long accused the leadership of the Kurdistan region of covert ties with Israel despite the absence of official public relations. Kurdish leaders, including former President of the Kurdistan Region and leader of the Democratic Party of Kurdistan, Masoud Barzani, have acknowledged that establishing relations between Kurds and Israel is not a crime.
Israeli officials have expressed consistent support for the creation of an independent Kurdish state, deeming relations between Israel and Kurdistan as ideal. Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki once referred to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq as the "Second Israel," drawing parallels between Jews and Kurds, both ethnic minorities seeking independence. The Jews are an ethnic minority with a state, and the Kurds are an ethnic minority distributed among Iraq, Turkey, and Iran, seeking an independent state.
In the contemporary political landscape, Mustafa Barzani, the historical Kurdish leader and descendant of a family that has faced successive governments in Baghdad since the establishment of contemporary Iraq, built good relations with Israel. Rumors of his visit to Israel in the 1960s surfaced, along with media reports suggesting military and intelligence support provided by Tel Aviv to the Kurds over the years. Regardless of the extent and precision of this cooperation, Israel considers the Kurdistan Region strategically valuable, enhancing its regional position, especially given the region's proximity to adversarial nations like Iraq, Iran, Syria, and, to a lesser extent, Turkey. Despite all this, Kurdish-Israeli relations remain unofficial, with Israel never providing explicit support for the region's independence. The Kurdistan Region, having an autonomous rule, maintains foreign policy ties with the federal government in Baghdad.
The geopolitical map is intricate, and Erbil becomes a potential escalation ground between two of the Middle East's most significant adversaries.

Reuters' sources: Explosion heard near US base in northern Iraq
LBCI/January 18/2024
Sources informed Reuters on Thursday about the sound of an explosion near a US base in northern Iraq. Additionally, reports indicate the downing of an armed drone in the vicinity of a US military facility.

Israeli strike kills 16 in southern Gaza
Associated Press/January 18/2024
An Israeli airstrike on a home killed 16 people, half of them children, in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, medics said early Thursday. The military continued to strike targets in areas of the besieged territory where it has told civilians to seek refuge. There was meanwhile no word on whether medicines that entered the territory Wednesday as part of a deal brokered by France and Qatar had been distributed to dozens hostages with chronic illnesses who are being held by Hamas. More than 100 days after Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7 attack, Israel continues to wage one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history, with the goal of dismantling the militant group that has ruled Gaza since 2007 and returning scores of captives. The war has stoked tensions across the region, threatening to ignite other conflicts. More than 24,000 Palestinians have been killed, some 85% of the narrow coastal territory's 2.3 million people have fled their homes, and the United Nations says a quarter of the population is starving. Hundreds of thousands have heeded Israeli evacuation orders and packed into southern Gaza, where shelters run by the United Nations are overflowing and massive tent camps have gone up. But Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets in all parts of Gaza, often killing women and children. Dr. Talat Barhoum at Rafah's el-Najjar Hospital confirmed the death toll from the strike in Rafah and said dozens more were wounded. Associated Press footage from the hospital showed relatives weeping over the bodies of loved ones. "They were suffering from hunger, they were dying from hunger, and now they have also been hit," said Mahmoud Qassim, a relative of some of those who were killed. Internet and mobile services in Gaza have been down for five days, the longest of several outages during the war, according to internet access advocacy group NetBlocks. The outages complicate rescue efforts and make it difficult to obtain information about the latest strikes and casualties.
WAR REVERBERATES ACROSS REGION
The war has rippled across the Middle East, with Iran-backed groups attacking U.S. and Israeli targets. Low-intensity fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon threatens to erupt into all-out war, and Houthi rebels in Yemen continue to target international shipping despite United States-led airstrikes. Iran has launched a series of missile attacks targeting what it described as an Israeli spy base in Iraq and militant bases in Syria as well as in Pakistan, which carried out reprisal strikes against what it described as militant hideouts in Iran early Thursday. It was not clear if the strikes in Syria and Pakistan were related to the Gaza war. But they showcased Iran's ability to carry out long-range missile attacks at a time of heightened tensions with Israel and the U.S., which has provided crucial support for the Gaza offensive and carried out its own strikes against Iran-allied groups in Syria and Iraq. Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas to ensure it can never repeat an attack like the one on Oct. 7. Militants burst through Israel's border defenses and stormed through several communities that day, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Israel has also vowed to return all the hostages remaining in captivity after more than 100 — mostly women and children — were released during a November cease-fire in exchange for the release of scores of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Family members and supporters were marking the first birthday of Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli hostage, in a somber ceremony Thursday in Tel Aviv. The red-haired infant and his 4-year-old brother Ariel were captured along with their mother, Shiri, and their father, Yarden. All four remain in captivity.
MEDICINES BOUND FOR HOSTAGES ENTER GAZA
The agreement to ship in medicines was the first to be brokered between the warring sides since November. Hamas said that for every box of medicine bound for the hostages, 1,000 would be sent for Palestinian civilians, in addition to food and humanitarian aid. Qatar confirmed late Wednesday that the medicine had entered Gaza, but it was not yet clear if it had been distributed to the hostages, who are being held in secret locations, including underground bunkers. Hamas has continued to fight back across Gaza, even in the most devastated areas, and launch rockets into Israel. It says it will not release any more hostages until there is a permanent cease-fire, something Israel and the United States, its top ally, have ruled out. Gaza's Health Ministry says at least 24,448 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, with over 60,000 wounded. It says many other dead and wounded are trapped under rubble or unreachable because of the fighting. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths but says around two-thirds of those killed were women and children. Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because it fights in dense residential areas. Israel says its forces have killed roughly 9,000 militants, without providing evidence, and that 193 of its own soldiers have been killed since the Gaza ground offensive began.

Dehumanizing Israeli rhetoric, a key component to South Africa's genocide case
Associated Press/January 18/2024
Fighting "human animals." Making Gaza a "slaughterhouse." "Erasing the Gaza Strip from the face of the earth." Such inflammatory rhetoric is a key component of South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide at the U.N. world court, a charge Israel denies. South Africa says the language — in comments by Israeli leaders, soldiers and entertainers about Palestinians in Gaza since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack sparked war — is proof of Israel's intent to commit genocide. Israeli leaders have downplayed the comments, and some in Israel say they're a result of the trauma from Hamas' attack. Rights groups and activists say they're an inevitable byproduct of Israel's decades-old, open-ended rule over the Palestinians and that they've intensified during the war. They say such language has been left unchecked, inciting violence and dehumanizing Palestinians. "Words lead to deeds," said Michael Sfard, a prominent Israeli lawyer. "Words that normalize or legitimize serious crimes against civilians create the social, political and moral basis for other people to do things like that."The genocide case against Israel opened last week at the International Court of Justice at The Hague. South Africa is looking to prove that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and that Israel has specific intent to commit genocide. It is using the litany of harsh statements as part of the evidence in its case.
THE COMMENTS
With the ground offensive getting underway in late October, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the Bible in a televised address: "You must remember what Amalek has done to you." Amalekites were persecutors of the biblical Israelites, and a biblical commandment says they must be destroyed. South Africa argued that the remarks showed Israel's intent to commit genocide against Palestinians. Netanyahu denied that this week and said he was referring to Amalek as a way to describe Hamas and its attack.
Two days after the Hamas attack, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was "fighting human animals," in announcing a complete siege on Gaza.
Deputy Knesset speaker Nissim Vaturi from the ruling Likud party wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Israelis had one common goal, "erasing the Gaza Strip from the face of the earth." Israeli Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu, from the far-right Jewish Power party, suggested that Israel drop a nuclear bomb on Gaza and said there were "no uninvolved civilians" in the territory.
Israeli soldiers caught on video made similar remarks as they sang and danced in the early days of Israel's ground offensive. On Oct. 7, a journalist wrote on X that Gaza should become "a slaughterhouse" if the roughly 250 people taken hostage by Hamas were not returned. Military officials and two Israeli pop singers are also cited by South Africa for making inflammatory comments. "The language of systemic dehumanization is evident here," lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi said for South Africa in remarks before the court. "Genocidal utterances are therefore not out in the fringes. They are embodied in state policy."South Africa is asking for a series of legally binding rulings declaring that Israel is breaching "its obligations under the Genocide Convention" — a decision that could take years — and for a binding interim order that Israel cease hostilities, a ruling on which is expected in the coming weeks.
ISRAEL'S RESPONSE
Defending Israel in court, lawyer Malcolm Shaw said the remarks were made mostly by officials with little role in determining Israeli policy, calling them "random quotes" that were misleading and had been in some cases repudiated by Netanyahu. But Roy Schondorf, a former Israeli deputy attorney general, said in an interview that the statements still carried risk, even out of context: "It would have been better if some of these remarks had not been said."Israel argued that its justice system would take action against unacceptable speech. But critics say statements against Palestinians have gone unpunished or undenounced. Lawyer Sfard appealed to the country's attorney general earlier this month on behalf of a group of prominent Israeli figures, demanding to know why the rhetoric hasn't been reined in. In a statement two days before the case launched at the world court, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said calling for intentional harm to civilians could amount to a criminal offense and that Israeli authorities were examining several such cases, without elaborating. The comments appeared to be aimed at heading off the South African accusations. Overall, Israel vehemently denies the charges at the world court. Israel says it's fighting a war of self-defense against Hamas after it killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israeli officials say the country adheres to international law and does its utmost to protect civilians, blaming the high death toll on Hamas for embedding in civilian areas. More than 24,000 people have been killed in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza. Israel also says it is Hamas that exhibited genocidal actions with its attack and genocidal intentions with its violent speech against Israelis, including promises to repeat the Oct. 7 assault and the group's commitment to Israel's destruction.
THE RHETORIC'S MOVE TO THE MAINSTREAM
The war is being fought under Israel's most hardline government ever, dominated by far-right Cabinet ministers with a long record of controversial remarks well before Oct. 7. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich once called for "erasing" a Palestinian West Bank town. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir talked of the supremacy of freedom of movement for Jewish West Bank settlers over that same right for Palestinians. And since Oct. 7, such speech has moved further into the mainstream. Israelis, like Palestinians, have been hardened by decades of deadly conflict and its sense of intractability. Some in Israel say the trauma of Hamas' unprecedented attack unleashed the current discourse. "The intense collective trauma gave free rein to the expression of dark feelings of revenge that in the mainstream was less pleasant to utter until today," deputy editor-in-chief Noa Landau wrote in the daily Haaretz. She said the statements reflected "the social zeitgeist."While little appears to have been done to confront violent rhetoric directed at Palestinians, Palestinian citizens of Israel who have shown empathy for people in Gaza are facing a crackdown, according to Adalah, a legal rights group. Police say the speech amounts to incitement, promotes violence or shows support for terror groups. Adalah says at least 270 Palestinian citizens of Israel have had some sort of interaction with law enforcement — arrests, investigations or warnings, with at least 86 charged for speech offenses. Some Jewish Israelis who expressed sympathy for Palestinians have also faced arrest or sanction by their employers. Aeyal Gross, a professor of international law at Tel Aviv University, said that how Israel responds to the inflammatory rhetoric matters in the case with South Africa, because Israel, as a signatory to the Genocide Convention, is prohibited not only from committing genocide but also from inciting to genocide. Gross said that it was probably too late for Israel to take steps that show it doesn't condone such speech. Punishing such remarks could have sent a message to the court as well as to Israeli society that the state doesn't tolerate incendiary rhetoric. "It's important because it would have said, 'It's not our intent,'" he said. "But it's also important because it would have meant we are sending the soldiers on the ground a message not to act in this way."

Palestinians die in hospitals, 60,000 wounded overwhelm remaining doctors
Associated Press/January 18/2024
Palestinians are dying every day in Gaza's overwhelmed remaining hospitals which can't deal with the tens of thousands people hurt in Israeli's military offensive, a U.N. health emergency expert said Wednesday, while a doctor with the International Rescue Committee called the situation in Gaza's hospitals the most extreme she had ever seen. The two health professionals, who recently left Gaza after weeks working in hospitals there, described overwhelmed doctors trying to save the lives of thousands of wounded people amid collapsing hospitals that have turned into impromptu refugee camps. The World Health Organization's Sean Casey, who left Gaza recently after five weeks of trying to get more staff and supplies to the territory's 16 partially functioning hospitals, told a U.N. news conference that he saw "a really horrifying situation in the hospitals" as the health system collapsed day by day. Al-Shifa Hospital, once Gaza's leading hospital with 700 beds, has been reduced to treating only emergency trauma victims, and is filled with thousands of people who have fled their homes and are now living in operating rooms, corridors and stairs, he said.
"Literally five or six doctors or nurses" are seeing hundreds of patients a day, Casey said, most with life-threatening injuries, and there were "so many patients on the floor you could barely move without stepping on somebody's hands or feet." The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza estimates that 60,000 people have been wounded, with hundreds more wounded per day. Since Israel declared war against Hamas following its surprise attacks into the country's south on Oct. 7, it has repeatedly accused the Islamic militant group of using Gaza's hospitals as cover for military activities. It singled out Al-Shifa in Gaza City, saying Hamas had hidden command centers and bunkers underneath the hospital's sprawling grounds. In late November, the Israeli military unveiled what it claimed was a Hamas military facility under the hospital. Casey said he was able to reach Al-Shifa three times with deliveries of medical supplies, fuel and food, but once it took 12 days because of Israeli refusals, mainly for security or operational reasons. At Al-Ahli Hospital, also in Gaza City, the situation was also dire, he said.
"I saw patients who were lying on church pews, basically waiting to die in a hospital that had no fuel, no power, no water, very little in the way of medical supplies and only a handful of staff remaining to take care of them," he said. Last week, Casey said, he visited the Nasser medical complex, the main hospital in Khan Younis, which is at 200% of its bed capacity with only 30% of its staff, so "patients are everywhere, in the corridors, on the floor.""I went to the burn unit where there was one physician caring for 100 burn patients," he said. Even in Rafah in the south near the Egyptian border, where Israel has urged Gazans to move, Casey said the population has skyrocketed from 270,000 a few weeks ago to almost a million, and the city doesn't have the health facilities to deal with the massive influx of displaced people. Gaza historically had a strong health system with 36 hospitals, 25,000 health workers and many specialists, he said, but 85% of the territory's 2.3 million people are now displaced, and that includes health workers, doctors, nurses, surgeons and administrative staff. Casey said many of these medical professionals are in shelters, under plastic sheeting on streets in Rafah, and not in hospitals. One hospital director told him his plastic surgeon couldn't do surgery because he was out collecting sticks to burn as firewood to cook food for his family. What's needed first and foremost to help the tens of thousands of injured Gazans and people with health issues is a ceasefire and the safety and security that would bring, Casey said, but that's not enough.
"It's really the overall package," he said, saying medical supplies first need to overcome obstacles and inspections and get into Gaza, and then they need to get to the hospitals where they're needed. But without health workers, medical supplies, and fuel to run the generators at hospitals and health facilities, "you can't do the surgeries, you can't provide the postoperative care," he said. Casey said the World Health Organization is trying to mobilize international emergency medical teams to support Gaza's hospitals and provide care. It has also supported the establishment of several field hospitals over the last six weeks or so, he said. "The numbers of medical evacuations going outside of the Gaza Strip is very limited," he said. "We know that there are thousands of people who would benefit from higher-level care that can no longer be provided within the Gaza Strip," including cancer patients and people with complex injuries.
"People are dying every day," Casey said. "I've seen children full of shrapnel dying on the floor because there are not the supplies in the emergency department, and the health care workers ... to care for them."
Speaking at another press briefing, Dr. Seema Jilani, a pediatrician and the International Rescue Committee's senior technical advisor for emergency health, said she just went to Gaza for two weeks in collaboration with Medical Aid for Palestinians and what she saw was "harrowing, and scenes out of nightmares."
Jilani, who previously worked in hotspots including Afghanistan, Iraq and Lebanon, said "In my experience of working in conflict zones around the world, this is the most extreme situation I have seen in terms of scale, severity of injuries, number of children that have suffered that have nothing to do with any of this."
Jilani worked in the emergency room at Al-Aksa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, the only hospital in the middle area of Gaza. On her first day, she said, she tried to save an approximately 1-year-old boy whose right arm and right leg had been blown off, without any of the necessary medication. Next to him was a dying man with "flies ... already feasting on him," she said. Jilani said she treated children with injuries from traumatic amputations to extreme burns, sometimes seeing the smoke from nearby Israeli bombings. "And one day a bullet did indeed go through the intensive care unit." After she left, Jilani said, the hospital ran out of fuel and the lights went out. She doesn't know how the babies she treated are doing, or whether they were evacuated.

Iraqi leader again demands US-led coalition leave
Agence France Presse/January 18/2024
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani on Thursday repeated his call for the U.S.-led international anti-jihadist coalition to depart his country amid soaring regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. "The end of the international coalition mission is a necessity for the security and stability of Iraq," he said during a televised event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "It is also a necessity for preserving constructive bilateral relations between Iraq and the coalition countries." Sudani, whose government relies on the support of Iran-aligned parties, has repeatedly said in recent weeks he would like to see foreign troops leave Iraq. His remarks came after the United States carried out strikes on pro-Iran groups in response to attacks since mid-October on American and other coalition forces deployed in Iraq since 2014 in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group. At least 130 attacks, including 53 in Iraq and 77 in Syria, were recorded between October 17 and January 11, according to the Pentagon. Most of the drone or rocket attacks targeting foreign troops have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-linked armed groups that oppose U.S. support for Israel in the Gaza war.
A US drone strike in early January killed a military commander and another member of Harakat al-Nujaba, a faction of Hashed al-Shaabi. The Hashed is a collection of mainly pro-Iranian former paramilitary units now integrated into the Iraqi armed forces. In his remarks on Thursday, Sudani said it was also necessary to "immediately begin a dialogue, to reach an understanding and a timetable regarding the end of the mission of international advisers."The United States has about 2,500 soldiers in Iraq and nearly 900 in Syria supporting the anti-IS coalition. Since the end of 2021, the coalition in Iraq said it halted all combat mission and is stationed on Iraqi military bases purely in and advisory and training capacity. Sudani said the coalition was no longer needed. "Today, according to the analysis of all specialists in Iraq and among our friends, ISIS does not represent a threat to the Iraqi state," he said, using another acronym for IS.

Armed drone shot down near US base in northern Iraq — sources
REUTERS/January 18, 2024
BAGHDAD: Defense systems shot down an armed drone on Thursday over Irbil airport in northern Iraq, where US and other international forces are stationed, security sources said. But Iraqi Kurdistan’s counter-terrorism service denied the incident and said in a statement no drone was shut down. Two security sources confirmed that an armed drone was intercepted and shot down at around 7:10 p.m. local time and a blast was heard near the airport.

9 civilians dead in strikes on Syria attributed to Jordan
Agence France Presse/January 18/2024
At least nine civilians, including two children, were killed Thursday in air strikes on Syria likely to have been carried out by Jordan against drug-traffickers, a monitor and media outlet reported. The kingdom has tightened controls along its frontier with Syria in recent years and its armed forces occasionally announce operations to foil drug and weapon smuggling attempts from its war-torn neighbour. "Jordanian warplanes carried out air strikes targeting residential areas and a warehouse in southeastern province of Sweida, killing at least nine people, including two girls and four women," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, describing it as a "massacre". The first strike on a house in the village of Urman killed a man, his wife and their two daughters, along with his brother and his wife, said the Britain-based group. The bodies of a man, his mother and aunt were found at the second house that was targeted, added the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground in Syria for its reports. The Suwayda24 news website reported that air strikes "likely to have been carried out by the Jordanian air force" killed at least 10 people in Urman. Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said Jordan's armed forces often carry out deadly strikes on civilian homes "on the pretext of fighting drug trafficking". On this occasion, he said, it remained unclear if the two men targeted in the latest strikes were drug-traffickers. Rayan Maarouf of Suwayda24, an outlet run by citizen journalists, said however that the men who were killed, along with family members, were believed to have been drug-traffickers. On January 5, Jordan's official Al Mamlaka television station said the country's air force had carried out two raids in Syria "as part of the pursuit of drug-traffickers". Jordan was reportedly behind air strikes in Syria on December 18 that killed five people, including a woman and two children. One of the main drugs smuggled out of Syria is the amphetamine-like stimulant captagon, for which there is huge demand in the oil-rich Gulf.

US strikes in Yemen after Houthis re-designated 'terrorist' entity
Agence France Presse/January 18/2024
American forces targeted 14 missiles that were ready to launch in Yemen, the U.S. military said Wednesday, after Washington re-designated the Iran-backed Houthi rebels as a "terrorist" entity for their attacks on merchant vessels.
The Houthis -- who have already faced multiple rounds of air strikes in response to their targeting of international shipping -- struck a U.S.-owned bulk cargo carrier in the wake of the designation announcement, and vowed to continue attacks they say are in support of Palestinians in Gaza. U.S. forces "conducted strikes on 14 Iran-backed Houthi missiles that were loaded to be fired in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen," Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. "These missiles on launch rails presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region and could have been fired at any time, prompting U.S. forces to exercise their inherent right and obligation to defend themselves," CENTCOM said. Hani Kayed, a 44-year-old resident of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, told AFP he heard an explosion at around 2:16 am (2316 GMT Wednesday) in the east of the city near the airport. Hodeida and the city of Taez were among the targets of the first round of U.S. and UK strikes in Yemen last week. Houthi media outlet Al-Masirah TV said both were hit again in the latest strikes, along with three other areas. The United States announced earlier on Wednesday that it would return the Houthis to a list of "terrorist" entities. "The Department of State today is announcing the designation of Ansarallah, commonly referred to as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group, effective 30 days from today," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement. "During the 30-day implementation delay, the U.S. government will conduct robust outreach to stakeholders, aid providers, and partners who are crucial to facilitating humanitarian assistance and the commercial import of critical commodities in Yemen," he said.
U.S.-owned ship targeted -
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the designation "is an important tool to impede terrorist funding to the Houthis, further restrict their access to financial markets, and hold them accountable for their actions.""If the Houthis cease their attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the United States will immediately reevaluate this designation," Sullivan said in a statement. The Houthis, however, said they would not call off their strikes. "We will not give up targeting Israeli ships or ships heading towards ports in occupied Palestine... in support of the Palestinian people," the group's spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam told Al Jazeera TV, adding that they would respond to new strikes on Yemen by the United States or Britain. While the Houthis say they have been attacking Israeli-linked vessels, Washington says dozens of countries have connections to the ships that have been targeted in the vital waterway.
The rebels have also declared American and British interests "legitimate targets," and Huthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in televised remarks that they targeted a U.S. vessel called the Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden. CENTCOM confirmed the vessel had been targeted on Wednesday, saying a drone was launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen and hit the U.S.-owned and -operated, Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier ship.
Military and diplomatic pressure -
"There were no injuries and some damage reported. M/V Genco Picardy is seaworthy and continuing underway," CENTCOM said in a social media post.
The "terrorist" designation is part of Washington's strategy to put pressure on the Houthis, which also includes military action and the establishment of an international coalition to help protect shipping from the rebels' attacks. On Tuesday, the U.S. military said it destroyed four anti-ship missiles in Yemen that posed an imminent threat to military and civilian vessels. The United States and Britain targeted nearly 30 sites in Yemen with more than 150 munitions last week, while U.S. forces later attacked a Houthi radar site in what was described as "a follow-on action" to the previous strikes. In 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration removed his predecessor Donald Trump's last-minute designation of the Houthis as both a foreign terrorist organization and a specially designated global terrorist group. The removals came in response to fears from aid groups that they would need to pull out of Yemen because they are obliged to deal with the rebels, who effectively are the government in vast areas including the capital Sanaa. The United States decided to use the specially designated global terrorist designation now because it "provides better flexibility to achieve the aims that we have in terms of carving out and safeguarding humanitarian assistance, as well as the broader well-being of the people of Yemen," a senior administration official said.

US imposes new sanctions linked to Russia
LBCI/January 18, 2024
The United States has imposed new sanctions linked to Russia, targeting an entity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its associated oil tankers, according to the US Department of the Treasury. These sanctions were placed on a UAE-based shipping company for violating the maximum imposed on Russian oil exports while using maritime services based in the United States. The Treasury confirmed that Hennessy Holdings is the beneficial owner of 18 vessels, one previously known for transporting Russian crude oil at a price exceeding $60 per barrel.

Latest English LCCC  analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 18-19/2024
Biden Administration's 'Pathway' to a Palestinian Terror State
Bassam Tawil/Gatestone Institute/January 18, 2024
By continuing to obsessively stick to the creation of a Palestinian state, the Biden administration is actually sending a message to Iran and its terror proxies that terrorism pays - that if they inflict more pain and casualties on Israel, the Americans will reward them with a state of their own next to Israel to facilitate their mission of continuing their Jihadist murder spree against Jews and finally obliterate Israel.
The poll further showed that if presidential elections were held today, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would receive 78% of the vote, as opposed to only 16% for Abbas.
The poll found that 64% of the Palestinians oppose the idea of a two-state solution, while 53% support a return to the "armed struggle" against Israel.
All polls conducted by the same center have consistently shown that a majority of the Palestinians believe that Hamas is more deserving of representing them than the PA. This means that if and when a Palestinian state is established, as the Biden administration is hoping, it will be ruled by Hamas and its masters in Iran... overlooking the few miles from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport.
The idea that creating another Arab state alongside Israel would "isolate" or "marginalize" Iran and its proxies is as wrong as it is dangerous. In reality, the establishment of a Palestinian state on any part of the West Bank or Gaza Strip would incentivize Iran and its clients to escalate their Jihad against Israel: it would send them the message that the more Jews you murder, the more land you get.
[T]his conflict is not about a settlement or a checkpoint or Jerusalem, but about Israel's right to exist in any form in the Middle East. What Blinken and the Biden administration seem unable to grasp is that there are still too many people among the Palestinians, and many other Arabs and Muslims, who have yet to come to terms with the right of a nation that is not Islamic to remain in its home in the Middle East.
Blinken is suggesting not a pathway to peace, but a prize to Hamas and the Palestinians for committing genocide.
By continuing to obsessively stick to the creation of a Palestinian state, the Biden administration is actually sending a message to Iran and its terror proxies that terrorism pays - that if they inflict more pain and casualties on Israel, the Americans will reward them with a state of their own next to Israel to facilitate their mission of continuing their Jihadist murder spree against Jews and finally obliterate Israel. Pictured: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman, Jordan on October 13, 2023. (Photo by Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
As Iran and its proxies in the Middle East are continuing the jihad (holy war) to murder Jews and eliminate Israel, the Biden administration has not abandoned their dream of creating a Palestinian terror state on Israel's doorstep. The last thing the Middle East needs is another Iran-dominated terror state that would destabilize security and stability and pose an existential threat to Israel.
In the past few years, everyone has seen how Iran has been working non-stop to export its Islamic Revolution. With the help of Iran's proxies in the Gaza Strip (Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad), Lebanon (Hezbollah), Yemen (Houthis) and Iraq and Syria (multiple militias operating under various names), Iran's mullahs have consistently targeted not only Israel and the US, but Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The mullahs in Tehran are using the Houthi militia to attack and block Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis have also claimed responsibility for a number of missile attacks on Israel.
Between 2015 and 2023, the Houthis launched numerous missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia from Yemeni territory.
Last year, four Bahraini servicemen were killed in a Houthi drone attack against forces of the Saudi-led coalition in Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.
In 2022, the Houthis fired "a large number" of drones and five ballistic missiles at the UAE's Abu Dhabi International Airport and oil refueling vehicles.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah has long been operating as a state-within-a-state and has dragged the country into a number of wars that have delivered nothing but ruin to the Lebanese people. In the past three months, Hezbollah, which is armed and funded by Iran, has been using the southern part of Lebanon as a launching pad to fire missiles into Israel, thereby increasing the prospects of another round of fighting.
Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, which they previously destroyed with war, continue to fire missiles and drones into Israel and US military bases.
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have carried out thousands of terror attacks against Israel, including firing tens of thousands of rockets into Israeli towns and cities, and dispatching suicide bombers to murder women, children and the elderly. This campaign of terrorism, mainly funded and armed by Iran, reached its peak with the October 7 massacre of more than 1,200 Israelis.
Were it not for Iran's financial and military aid, much of which came from the Obama and Biden administrations, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad would not have been able to accumulate so many weapons and build a vast and unprecedented network of tunnels in the Gaza Strip. "We will repeat the October 7 attack, time and again until Israel is annihilated.... Everything we do is justified," promised Hamas official Ghazi Hamad.
The missile and drone attacks on Israel and on ships in the Red Sea have not stopped, as well as at least 137 attacks on US troops in Syria and Iraq just since mid-October. In addition, there is increasing evidence that Iran has been arming and funding Palestinian terrorist groups also in the West Bank. On January 18, Israeli security forces killed three terrorists near the West Bank city of Nablus. The Israeli authorities revealed that the terrorists had received financing and instructions from Iran, as well as terror groups in the Gaza Strip and overseas.
As Israel is fighting Iran-backed terrorists in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, the Biden administration appears to be searching for ways to reward, rather than stop, the regime of the mullahs in Tehran and their proxies.
According to the Biden administration, the current war in the Middle East is the result of Palestinians not having a state of their own. "Creating a pathway to a Palestinian state is the best way to stabilize the wider region and isolate Iran and its proxies, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said," during his recent tour of the region, according to the Times of Israel.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Blinken said the region faced two paths, the first of which would see "Israel integrated, with security assurances and commitments from regional countries and as well from the United States, and a Palestinian state -- at least a pathway to get to that state."
The other path, Blinken added, "is to continue to see the terrorism, the nihilism, the destruction by Hamas, by the Houthis, by Hezbollah, all backed by Iran. If you pursue the first path ... that's the single best way to isolate, to marginalize Iran and the proxies that are making so much trouble -- for us and for pretty much everyone else in the region."
In Israel, Blinken repeated the assumption, which actually is false in the extreme, that ending the violence and tensions could be achieved "through a regional approach that includes a pathway to a Palestinian state."
By continuing to obsessively stick to the creation of a Palestinian state, the Biden administration is actually sending a message to Iran and its terror proxies that terrorism pays - that if they inflict more pain and casualties on Israel, the Americans will reward them with a state of their own next to Israel to facilitate their mission of continuing their Jihadist murder spree against Jews and finally obliterate Israel.
One does not have to be an expert on Palestinian affairs to know that a future Palestinian state would be controlled by Palestinians who reject Israel's right to exist. The most recent public opinion poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research showed that since the October 7 massacre, Hamas's popularity has increased. According to the poll, support for Hamas has more than tripled in the West Bank compared to three months ago. Support for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah faction has dropped significantly, with the demand for Abbas's resignation rising to 90%.
The poll further showed that if presidential elections were held today, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would receive 78% of the vote, as opposed to only 16% for Abbas.
The poll found that 64% of the Palestinians oppose the idea of a two-state solution, while 53% support a return to the "armed struggle" against Israel.
All polls conducted by the same center have consistently shown that a majority of the Palestinians believe that Hamas is more deserving of representing them than the PA. This means that if and when a Palestinian state is established, as the Biden administration is hoping, it will be ruled by Hamas and its masters in Iran. It means that Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Houthis and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would be overlooking the few miles from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport. It would mean copy-pasting the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip to the West Bank, bringing the danger to the center of Israel.
The idea that creating another Arab state alongside Israel would "isolate" or "marginalize" Iran and its proxies is as wrong as it is dangerous. In reality, the establishment of a Palestinian state on any part of the West Bank or Gaza Strip would incentivize Iran and its clients to escalate their Jihad against Israel: it would send them the message that the more Jews you murder, the more land you get. This is in addition to the likelihood that the new Palestinian state would be used as a launching pad to attack Israel.
The mullahs and their proxy terrorists must be laughing as they listen to Blinken and other US officials discuss the need to establish a Palestinian state. Such talk makes Americans look utterly oblivious to the reality of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, namely that this conflict is not about a settlement or a checkpoint or Jerusalem, but about Israel's right to exist in any form in the Middle East. What Blinken and the Biden administration seem unable to grasp is that there are still too many people among the Palestinians, and many other Arabs and Muslims, who have yet to come to terms with the right of a nation that is not Islamic to remain in its home in the Middle East.
Blinken is suggesting not a pathway to peace, but a prize to Hamas and the Palestinians for committing genocide.
*Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East.
© 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.

The blood libel at The Hague/Anti-Israeli genocidaires accuse Israelis of genocide
Clifford D. May/The Washington Times/January 18, 2024
They say you can’t kill an idea and maybe they’re right. Among Hitler’s ideas: murdering Jews – every man, woman, and child.
Early in World War II, Winston Churchill observed that the deliberate and systematic destruction of a people was a “crime without a name.”
But in 1944, Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-born Jewish lawyer who fled to America where he advised the War Department coined one: genocide. The word is a combination of “genos,” the Greek word for race or tribe, and “cide,” the Latin word for killing. In 1948, the newly founded United Nations established the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the organization’s first human rights treaty.
It defines genocide as the “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.”
On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel where they murdered as many men, women, and children as they could.
In response, the South African government filed a lawsuit under the Genocide Convention to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
You know the punch line: It is not Hamas but Israel that South Africa is accusing of genocide.
A few reminders:
Israel was founded in part of the ancient Jewish homeland which for centuries had been under foreign imperialist rule.
There are many Arab and Muslim states, but Israel is the only state in the world where Jews constitute a majority.
It’s a country in which survivors of Hitler’s genocide and Jews expelled from Arab and Muslim countries have found refuge.
Israel’s Arab and Muslim citizens, roughly 20 percent of the population, enjoy rights unavailable elsewhere in the Middle East.
During multiple wars, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have done more to avoid civilian casualties than any other army in the world ever has. In Gaza, the IDF has provided advance warning to Palestinian civilians where it plans to fight, sending 7.2 million leaflets, 13.7 million texts, and making 15 million phone calls so far to help noncombatants avoid being used by Hamas as human shields.
So, to accuse the Israelis of genocide is a lie and a blood libel.
By contrast, Hamas is proudly genocidal. The Hamas Charter declares that “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.”
Hamas instructs Muslims to “fight Jews and kill them.”
Yet South Africa isn’t asking the ICJ to order Hamas to release the more than 130 hostages it’s now torturing in its tunnels and lay down its weapons.
No, South Africa – joined by other anti-Israeli and antisemitic governments – wants the ICJ to order Israelis to cease defending themselves so Hamas can deliver on its promise to repeat the atrocities of Oct. 7 – the worst assault on Jews since the Holocaust – “again and again.”
This is hardly the first time Israel’s enemies have combined lawfare with warfare.
Twenty years ago next month, the Palestinian Authority demanded that the ICJ condemn Israel’s construction of security barriers – the accusers called them “apartheid walls” and “Holocaust walls” – to prevent terrorists from infiltrating Israel from the West Bank.
Hamas is, of course, a client of the Islamic Republic of Iran whose rulers have been threatening and inciting genocide against Israel for 45 years.
Under the Genocide Convention, doing so is “a crime in and of itself,” as often noted by Irwin Cotler, the renowned Canadian human rights attorney. But Tehran hasn’t had to defend itself at the ICJ.
Another of Iran’s proxies, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, since October 8 has fired 2,000 missiles at Israel’s northern communities, killing Israeli civilians, and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes.
“If all the Jews gathered in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide,” Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has said. “It is an open war until the elimination of Israel and until the death of the last Jew on earth.”
Can genocidal intent be clearer than that?
A third Tehran proxy is Ansar Allah, better known as the Houthi rebels of Yemen. Its flags carry this slogan: “God Is the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, A Curse Upon the Jews, Victory to Islam.”
Three years ago, the Biden administration removed the Houthis from its Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list for what it called “humanitarian” reasons. No concern was expressed about its genocidal declarations.
Over recent months, the Houthis have been attacking commercial shipping off the Yemeni coast, along with U.S. naval vessels attempting to defend freedom of the seas. Last week, the Biden administration carried out strikes against dozens of Houthi targets. Undeterred, the Houthis fired a cruise missile at an American destroyer on Sunday and struck an American-owned ship on Monday.
And Iran’s rulers are certainly feeling no heat. On Monday, the Washington Free Beacon reported that the World Economic Forum invited Iran’s foreign minister to attend its annual gathering of “the world’s top businessmen and government officials.”
Meanwhile Russia’s ruler continues to slaughter Ukrainians while China’s ruler destroys the cultures of Tibet and East Turkistan (aka Xinjiang) and threatens Taiwan. With these and other neo-imperialists, South Africa is cozy.
Dr. Frans Cronje, former CEO of the South African Institute of Race Relations, described South Africa’s indictment of Israel at the ICJ as a “brilliant display of stigmatization and propaganda,” a significant contribution to Tehran’s “ideas war.”
Prominent among those ideas is the destruction of Israel, a national, ethnical, racial and religious group, the only surviving and thriving Jewish community remaining in the Middle East. Genocide, it turns out, is an idea that didn’t die in Hitler’s bunker. It’s alive and well and it’s now being directed against Israelis defending themselves from genocidal enemies and their Jew-hating accomplices.
*Clifford D. May is founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and a columnist for the Washington Times.

Israel Should Boycott Turkey
Sinan Ciddi/Townhall/January 18, 2024
Insult is continuously added to injury. Since the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used every opportunity to shore up his support for Hamas, while vilifying Jerusalem. At this juncture, it is high time for Israel to realize that it has options. It does not have to entertain Ankara’s vitriol, antisemitism and its support for terrorism—all of which undermine Jerusalem’s security on a daily basis. Israel should do what Erdogan pretends to want to do: boycott Turkish goods.
Take the latest development. On January 15, Sagiv Jehezkel, an Israeli soccer player, who played for Turkish team Antalyaspor was detained by Turkish authorities, and subsequently deported to Israel. His crime? After scoring a goal for his team during a game “Jehezkel jogged to the corner of the field, where a group of photographers was positioned. He pointed to a handwritten message on a band of tape on his left wrist that included a six-pointed Star of David and “100 days, 7/10” — a reference to the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7.”
Turkish authorities took action against Jehezkel for spreading “propaganda” and was subsequently “was charged under Turkey’s penal code for ‘inciting people to hatred and hostility.” Let us forget for a moment that this is an ambiguous legal provision. Did Jehezkel have legal representation in a court of law? Were his actions even deliberated before a judge and considered as freedom of expression? At what point was he found guilty, and who decided that deportation was the right course of action? Was his statement ever taken? Has he been offered any chance to appeal? What is clear from all of this is that due process was not even a factor when deciding to oust Jehezkel. On the other hand, the overall aim was to smear Israel, denigrate those who support their country’s efforts to fight terrorism and make an international spectacle out of it.
Similar acts have been taking place since October 7. As the military campaign to eliminate Hamas has progressed, Erdogan has used every opportunity to insult Israel. Shortly after the attacks, he referred to Hamas as a group of “mujahadeen” freedom fighters, attempting to underplay the terror attacks that saw the rape, mutilation and murder of over 1400 Israeli civilians. He has compared Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to a “Nazi” and referred to him as the “butcher of Gaza.” Institutionally, Ankara has continued to provide material aid to Hamas. Two shipments of goods was seized by Israeli authorities in the summer of 2023-prior to the October 7 attacks, and in December 2023. Both contained raw materials used to make weapons, and intended to be delivered to Hamas.
Inside Turkey, the Erdogan government has begun witch hunts against alleged Mossad agents. 33 individuals were arrested and charged in early January 2024, all “suspected of spying for Israel on Tuesday.” On New Year’s Eve, Erdogan’s son, Bilal Erdogan convened a massive pro-Hamas rally in Istanbul, attended by thousands, calling for Turkish citizens to boycott Israeli and American goods. As Bilal Erdogan’s voice bellowed from loud speakers, economists were calculating the increased level of trade between Israel and Turkey-over 30% since the October 7 attacks. Among the beneficiaries of bilateral trade are former Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim and Burak Erdogan (Erdogan’s other son). If you believe this all sounds too hypocritical and duplicitous, that’s because it is. Erdogan wants to have his cake and eat it. On the one hand, he revels in demeaning Israel in front of swaths of his supporters at public rallies. On the other, he stays silent on actually implementing the boycott against Israel he has long been crying for. There is a cherry on top of all of this: Erdogan has offered Turkey’s services as a mediator to end the war in Gaza, and act as a “guarantor” state to ensure the rights of Palestinians are safe guarded, while pursuing a two-state solution. You can’t make this up.
Israel can help Erdogan out. It can do what Erdogan cannot: boycott Turkish goods. It is admittedly difficult for Israel to turn on a dime and find alternative suppliers for what it readily buys from Turkey under existing contracts. However, if a Turkish soccer club can summarily terminate a player’s contract and deport him, it is only reasonable for Israel to terminate existing contracts with Turkish suppliers once alternate suppliers are located. Additionally, Turkey has been interested in participating in gaining access to the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), and pipe Mediterranean natural gas through Turkey. Jerusalem can and should prevent this and demonstrate to Ankara that actions have consequences. While the Israeli government is busy fighting Hamas, it can also act to halt Erdogan’s tempestuous and petulant childishness. An Israeli boycott of Turkish goods will dampen Erdogan’s bluster and offer him the opportunity to reflect and perhaps learn that even the realm of business is based on trust and decorum.
*Sinan Ciddi is a nonresident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on Turkish domestic politics and foreign policy. He is also an Associate Professor of National Security Studies at Marine Corps University (MCU).

Iran seeking to expand its influence in the fog of Gaza war
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/January 18, 2024
Much of the fear expressed early on in Israel’s war on Gaza that the conflict could spread has now been realized. Iran, in particular, has launched repeated attacks on its neighbors and beyond. A pattern is developing similar to what we witnessed during the days of the so-called Arab Spring, when Tehran exploited the peaceful protests in Arab countries, at times instigating them, to expand its influence, with considerable success. These actions belie Iran’s recently stated commitment to diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes with its neighbors.
Relying on proxies and affiliates, Iran is expanding its sphere of influence through repeated attacks and threats, including in Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and elsewhere. While some of these attacks could be seen as limited and direct responses to Israeli attacks, many of them are unrelated.
For example, on Monday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that it had launched a missile attack on a “headquarters of Mossad” in the Kurdish region of Iraq. However, the security council of the Kurdish Regional Government rejected that claim. It said that four civilians were killed and six injured after a house was hit in Irbil, the seat of Iraq’s Kurdish regional authorities. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein also rejected Iran’s claim that the target attacked was Mossad-linked and said that Tehran was attacking Irbil because it could not confront Israel directly. Iran, he said, was present in Lebanon and Syria, right next to the border with Israel, and it could also attack Israel from Iranian territory with its long-range missiles, but it chose to attack Irbil instead.
The same day, Iran fired ballistic missiles into Aleppo, claiming to target a terrorist group, but without corroboration from independent sources regarding the nature of the target. In Jordan, what are believed to be Iran-supported militias and their affiliated drug traffickers have carried out brazen armed attacks during recent weeks, leading to retaliatory airstrikes by Jordan on their hideouts in Syria.
While some of these attacks could be seen as limited and direct responses to Israeli attacks, many of them are unrelated
On Tuesday, Iran announced that it had launched a missile and drone attack against suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan. However, Islamabad has rejected the claim, reporting that two children were killed and three more injured in a small village in Balochistan.
In retaliation, Pakistan recalled its ambassador to Iran and blocked Tehran’s envoy from returning. On Thursday, it carried out retaliatory military strikes against what it described as “separatist militant hideouts” inside Iran.
Iran shares a 900 km border and enjoys normal relations with Pakistan. It could have used diplomatic channels to raise its concerns instead of attacking Pakistani villagers in their homes. Iran’s escalation has apparently raised serious concerns in Pakistan. In addition to the military and diplomatic actions taken by Islamabad, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, who is attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, and caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, who is visiting Uganda, will cut their trips short and return home.
Meanwhile, the US has said that it believes Iran was “deeply involved” in planning the ongoing operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The US and other international forces operating in the area have repeatedly intercepted Iranian-supplied arms on their way to the Houthis, including a missile cache just last week.
In October, the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks against Israel in response to its war on Gaza, but it later began targeting what they believed to be Israel-bound ships in the Red Sea. While the Houthis’ stated objective is to stop the war in Gaza, there is little evidence that their antics have influenced matters there. And since at least Nov. 19, the militia has widened its targets to include other vessels that do not necessarily have any links to Israel.
Further afield, an IRGC commander said in late December that the Mediterranean Sea “could be closed,” Iranian media reported, without explaining how that would happen, since Iran has no direct access to the Mediterranean itself. “They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways,” the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Brig. Gen. Mohammed Reza Naqdi, “coordinating commander” of the IRGC, as saying. At the time, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group had begun its attacks on merchant vessels sailing through the Red Sea, leading some shipping companies to switch routes. Naqdi talked of “the birth of new powers of resistance and the closure of other waterways.” He added that “yesterday,” the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz had become “a nightmare for them,” and “today, they are trapped … in the Red Sea.” Many of these attacks and threats are taking advantage of the devastating war in Gaza, which is now in its fourth month and where the official death count has exceeded 24,000, while the suffering and destruction have surpassed any this region has witnessed before.
A key contributing factor has been the failure of the UN Security Council to enforce international law, stop the war and deliver sufficient humanitarian assistance. When Israel is allowed to flout the rules of international law with impunity, with the support or acquiescence of great powers such as the US, UK and Germany, other countries will try to test those rules and do the same.
As a result, the longer Israel’s naked aggression against Gaza grinds on, the more likely other countries and armed groups are to also take the law into their own hands to expand their influence and settle scores, further destabilizing the region in the process.
Similarly, the lax enforcement of the arms embargo imposed on the Houthis by UNSC Resolution 2216 of 2015 has enabled them to build up their offensive capabilities to what we see today, allowing them to flout freedom of navigation.
A restoration of faith and respect for the global rules of conduct and the enforcement of international law is therefore sorely needed. While the US appears to be held hostage by a legacy policy of knee-jerk support for Israel, especially during an election season, other powers, big and small, need to step up to the plate. South Africa has done its part by taking legal action at the International Court of Justice against Israel, first for its actions in the West Bank and now against the war in Gaza, in the hope of stopping the war and providing accountability.
*Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the Gulf Cooperation Council assistant secretary-general for political affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not necessarily represent the GCC. X: @abuhamad1