English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For July 28/2024
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2024/english.july28.24.htm

News Bulletin Achieves Since 2006
Click Here to enter the LCCC Arabic/English news bulletins Achieves since 2006 

Click On The Below Link To Join Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FPF0N7lE5S484LNaSm0MjW
اضغط على الرابط في أعلى للإنضمام لكروب Eliasbejjaninews whatsapp group

Elias Bejjani/Click on the below link to subscribe to my youtube channel
الياس بجاني/اضغط على الرابط في أسفل للإشتراك في موقعي ع اليوتيوب
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAOOSioLh1GE3C1hp63Camw

Bible Quotations For today
When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.’"
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12/10-12/:"And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.’""

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 27-28/2024
Netanyahu: Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for Majdal Shams attack, like it has never paid before
IDF: Our attack on Lebanon will be decisive and decisive
Avichay Adraee, IDF Spokesperson for the Arab Media twittes
Israel shoots down drone launched toward Karish gas field
Israeli FM says approaching 'moment of an all-out war' against Hezbollah, Axios reports
Attack on Majdal Shams: Hezbollah Accused
Israel army states 'will prepare response' against Hezbollah after deadly rocket strike
Lebanese Officials Address Majdal Shams Attack
Lebanon denounces civilian targeting, urges halt to hostilities
Hezbollah official to Reuters: We are not responsible for the strike on Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights
Majdal Shams incident under close watch by US diplomats: Source affirms to LBCI
Israel Claims to Have Intercepted Drone from Lebanon in Israeli Waters
Hezbollah’s Drone to Karish: Mere Reconnaissance or Attempted Attack?
Four Hezbollah Fighters Killed on Southern Front
Hasbani: Ain al-Tineh Trying to Isolate LF, Opposition United
Hasbani Criticizes Government and UNHCR Inaction on Syrian Migrants

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 27-28/2024
Rocket kills 10 at a football pitch in Israeli-occupied Golan
Rocket attack on town in Israeli-controlled Golan Heights kills 10, rescue official says
170 killed in days-long Israeli operation, says Gaza civil defense
Israeli strike on Gaza school 'kills 30'
Israel orders the evacuation of an area designated as a humanitarian zone in Gaza
Khan Yunis fighting displaces 180,000 Gazans in four days: UN
Egypt’s presence at Gaza talks highlights its ‘pivotal role’ in region, says analyst
Harris’ team rejects Israeli notion that her comments could harm ceasefire talks
Where is the outrage?
India's Modi says Pakistan using 'terrorism, proxy war' to stay relevant

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on July 27-28/2024
‘Christians Should Stand Up’: What the Left Fears Most/Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/July 27/2024
The Biden Administration Empowering Deadly Houthi Terror Group/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/July 27, 2024
Now is the time for Britain to be bold about defense spending/Luke Coffey/Arab News/July 27, 2024
UK targets reform of ‘Hotel California’ immigration system/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/July 27, 2024
G20 leaders must embrace Lula’s efforts to end global hunger and poverty/Ranvir S. Nayar/Arab News/July 27, 2024

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on July 27-28/2024
Netanyahu: Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for Majdal Shams attack, like it has never paid before
Markazia/July 27, 2024
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for its missile attack on Majdal Shams. According to a statement issued by the Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu told the leader of the Druze community in Israel in a phone call that: “Hezbollah will pay a heavy price, a price it has never paid before.” This came after a number of people were killed and injured on Saturday in a missile attack on the town of Majdal Shams in the Golan. The Israeli army accused Hezbollah of being behind the strike, but the Lebanese group “categorically denied it,” according to its statement. For his part, Israeli President Isaac Herzog accused Hezbollah on Saturday of “brutally attacking and killing” children in a missile attack on the Golan Heights. Herzog said in a statement that "Hezbollah terrorists brutally attacked and murdered children today, their only crime being that they went out to play soccer. They did not return."

IDF: Our attack on Lebanon will be decisive and decisive
Markazia/July 27, 2024
The head of the IDF's Northern Command, Major General Uri Gordin, warned that when the decision is made to launch an attack on Lebanon, it will be "a decisive and decisive attack." During his inspection of the Golani Brigade's combat team, Gordin said: "We are committed to changing the security reality here in the north. The residents of Metulla and all the residents of the north will be able to return to their homes. The battalion and the brigade are doing an excellent job in completing the defensive work," adding: "There is a lot of offensive activity. We have already eliminated more than 500 in Lebanon, the vast majority of them Hezbollah, and destroyed thousands of infrastructures." He stressed that "when the time comes and we start the attack, it will be decisive and firm," noting that "the reality that we are building now by targeting the other side allows us to carry out this attack in a very qualitative manner."

Avichay Adraee, IDF Spokesperson for the Arab Media twittes
X site/27-28/july/2024
*I can reveal the identity of the field commander in #Hezbollah who directed the launch of the rocket towards Majdal Shams, and he is Ali Muhammad Yahya, commander of the launch complex in the Shebaa area.
Despite his attempts to deny it: Hezbollah is responsible for the massacre in Majdal Shams and the killing of children and youths in the football stadium
*From an analysis of the operational systems in the IDF, it appears that the launch of the rocket towards the center of Majdal Shams was from an area located north of the village of Shebaa in southern Lebanon.
According to reliable intelligence information possessed by the IDF, the terrorist Hezbollah is behind the launch.
*Majdal Shams... a massacre committed by Hezbollah's terrorism, which has crossed all boundaries.
Terrorism that violated the sanctity of life.
The Majdal Shams massacre is an unforgettable scene that breaks hearts and pains souls.
Innocent lives were taken, and smiles disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Terrorism has no religion, no homeland, and no humanity.
*Since October 8, we have been fighting fiercely in the north. The difficult incident that occurred this evening is the most dangerous in terms of targeting defenseless civilians, as 11 children were killed - a national disaster in Israel. Hezbollah is behind this disaster and bears responsibility for its repercussions and results. We embrace the families of the dead and wounded and all members of the Druze community, citizens of the State of Israel
*Urgent Field indicators indicate that Hezbollah fired a Falak 1 missile towards the Majdal Shams area. There is no other terrorist organization in Lebanon that possesses this type of missile.
Hezbollah is responsible for the massacre in Majdal Shams and the killing of children and young men in the soccer stadium

Israel shoots down drone launched toward Karish gas field
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/July 27, 2024
BEIRUT: The Israeli military said that one of its missile ships had intercepted a drone launched from Lebanese territory toward Israel’s Karish gas field in the Eastern Mediterranean on Saturday. Israel’s Army Radio said: “The drone, which came from Lebanon and was downed by a military ship in cooperation with the Israeli Air Force, was heading toward the Israeli Karish gas field,” adding that it was “likely” an intelligence drone, “but it remains unclear whether it was armed or conducting reconnaissance.”Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the ship — in cooperation with the Air Force — intercepted a drone that was flying “from Lebanon over Israel’s economic waters.”Hezbollah did not immediately claim responsibility for the drone, but its military media has previously published footage from 2022 titled “In the Crossfire,” which documents gas extraction coordinates on Israel’s coast. At the time, there was a maritime border demarcation crisis between Lebanon and Israel over the issue of gas extraction from disputed areas. Also on Saturday, Israel targeted the outskirts of Jebbayn in the western sector and the outskirts of Mays Al-Jabal with artillery, and Israeli military aircraft struck the border village of Kfarkila, destroying two houses and injuring their residents. Israel’s Channel 12 said that four missiles were fired toward Kiryat Shmona, and one missile was launched toward Arab Al-Aramsheh in western Galilee from Lebanon, with no casualties reported. Israeli military aircraft broke the sound barrier in two waves over Chouf, Iklim Al-Kharoub, Saida, Jezzine and its surroundings, and Beirut’s southern suburbs. Hezbollah said it targeted “espionage equipment in the Maskaf Am site” and “Al-Jardah point with missile weapons” on Saturday, and that it had launched “an aerial attack and targeted with a squadron of assault drones the positions and bases of officers and soldiers from an armored force that was recently stationed north of the Yiftah Barracks, hitting their tents and causing injuries among them, in response to the Israeli aggression on the town of Markaba on Friday.” The Markaba attack resulted in the death of two Hezbollah fighters. Sirens sounded in Yiftah in the Galilee panhandle, while Israeli media reported that “two explosive-laden drones exploded in the Ramot Naftali in Upper Galilee.”Ali Fayyad, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, speaking at the funeral of a Hezbollah member, accused the US of being “a full partner in all the crimes committed against Lebanon and the Palestinians on various levels.” Fayyad said: “The hand that clapped yesterday in US Congress for (PM Benjamin) Netanyahu is a partner in every drop of blood that fell in Gaza or southern Lebanon and is no different from the hand that drops tons of explosives on women and children.” Fayyad stressed that Hezbollah “will continue to confront Israel until the aggression on Gaza (ends) and (Gaza) achieves its goals and wins, regardless of how long the war may last and how great the sacrifices may be.”He continued: “Israel today is at its weakest point in history, while our resistance is at its strongest.”

Israeli FM says approaching 'moment of an all-out war' against Hezbollah, Axios reports
Reuters/July 27, 2024
Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel was approaching an all-out war against Hezbollah and Lebanon after a rocket attack on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed ten people on Saturday, Axios reported. "The Hezbollah attack today crossed all red lines, and the response will be accordingly. We are approaching the moment of an all-out war against Hezbollah and Lebanon," Katz told Axios.
The Lebanese group has denied any role in the attack.

Attack on Majdal Shams: Hezbollah Accused
This Is Beirut /July 27, 2024
Israeli emergency services announced on Saturday that rocket fire from Lebanon into the Golan Heights in northern Israel had left 11 people dead and 34 injured, including seven children in critical condition, according to Magen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross. The Israeli army, for its part, accused Hezbollah of firing a rocket at Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.Following the deadly attack, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held an assessment meeting with Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Herzi Halevi and other senior defense officials, his office said. Foreign minister Israel Katz said there is no doubt that Hezbollah has crossed all red lines and that Israel faces all-out war, according to Al-Jazeera, as Israeli Prime Minister Benajmin Netanyahu held consultations with his military secretary, Roman Gofman. Netanyahu’s office said in a publication on platform X that the Prime minister will later hold an assessment of the security situation with the heads of the defense establishment. Knesset member and former Israeli Defense Minister Abigdor Lieberman declared that “(Hassan) Nasrallah is responsible for the murder of children in Majdal Shams, and it is time he paid the price.” In return, a Hezbollah official told Reuters, “We are not responsible for the strike on Majdal Shams.” Hezbollah issued a statement categorically denying “all accusations and false allegations in this regard.” Nonetheless, the Israeli army rejected Hezbollah’s denial and stressed that the pro-Iranian group carried out the deadly rocket attack.

Israel army states 'will prepare response' against Hezbollah after deadly rocket strike
AFP/July 27, 2024
The Israeli military said Saturday it "will prepare a response" against Hezbollah after rockets fired from Lebanon killed 10 people in the Golan Heights. "We will prepare for a response against Hezbollah... we will act," military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters, adding Saturday's rocket fire was the "deadliest attack on Israeli civilians since October 7" when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel sparking war in Gaza.

Lebanese Officials Address Majdal Shams Attack
This Is Beirut/July 27, 2024
Former MP Walid Jumblatt received a phone call from US envoy to the Middle East Amos Hochstein who expressed his concern over the developments on the southern Lebanon front in light of the Majdal Shams incident. Jumblatt stressed “the need to immediately stop the Israeli aggression on Palestine and Lebanon.”He highlighted that there was “no difference between the martyrs in southern Lebanon, the Golan and Palestine who fall as a result of this [Israeli] aggression,” noting that he will “continue the efforts to try not to expand the war within what is available.”He warned of the Israeli enemy’s long-standing efforts to ignite strife and fragment the region, urging vigilance alongside the Resistance and all resistors facing Israeli criminality and occupation. The former MP also expressed the need for an immediate cessation of aggression and shooting and called for unity in Lebanon, Palestine and the Golan to avoid falling into “Israel’s trap of incitement and division.”He extended condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and the people of the Golan. For his part, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri asserted on Saturday that “the resistance’s denial of involvement in the recent incident in Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan confirms Lebanon’s commitment and non-responsibility for the event.”During a call with the United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Berri confirmed that despite the violations of the provisions of Resolution 1701, Lebanon and its resistance remain committed to this resolution and the rules of engagement that prohibit targeting civilians. Berri emphasized that Lebanon, particularly its southern villages and border areas, has been subjected to continuous Israeli aggression for over nine months. He highlighted that the Israeli military, using internationally prohibited weapons such as white phosphorus, has targeted civilians, agricultural areas, emergency crews and media personnel. Furthermore, the Lebanese government issued a statement condemning all acts of violence and attacks against civilians, calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts. The statement stressed that “targeting civilians is a flagrant violation of international law and contradicts the principles of humanity.”Moreover, Druze leader of the Arab Unification party Wiam Wahab wrote on X, “Our blood is not cheap, and we demand an independent investigation involving the United Nations to reveal the circumstances of the massacre in Majdal Shams.” To recall, Israeli emergency services announced on Saturday that rocket fire from Lebanon into the Golan Heights in northern Israel had left 11 people dead and 34 injured, including seven children in critical condition.The Israeli army accused Hezbollah of firing a rocket at Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, which the pro-Iranian group had denied.

Lebanon denounces civilian targeting, urges halt to hostilities
LBCI/July 27, 2024
In a press release following the recent incident on Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights, the Lebanese government condemned "all acts of violence and aggression against all civilians."It called "for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts."The press release added: "Targeting civilians is a flagrant violation of international law and goes against the principles of humanity."

Hezbollah official to Reuters: We are not responsible for the strike on Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights
LBCI/July 27, 2024
A Hezbollah official denied to Reuters any responsibility for the party's involvement in the strike that targeted Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Saturday. This comes after the Israeli emergency services reported the injury of 11 people due to the strike.

Majdal Shams incident under close watch by US diplomats: Source affirms to LBCI
LBCI/July 27, 2024
An American diplomatic source confirmed to LBCI that: "We are aware of the Majdal Shams incident and are closely monitoring it."The source added in remarks earlier on Saturday that: "There is no further information to add at this time."

Israel Claims to Have Intercepted Drone from Lebanon in Israeli Waters
This Is Beirut/July 27/2024
Despite the prevailing impressions among most official, diplomatic, internal and external security entities that the confrontations on the southern border front with Israel could expand into a full-scale war, fears have grown that the reality on this front, which has effectively turned into a front of attrition, will be prolonged indefinitely. On Saturday morning, the Israeli army announced that an Israeli Navy missile ship intercepted a drone that entered Israeli economic waters from Lebanese territory. Meanwhile, the Israeli army spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, wrote in a post on his “X” account: “A Navy missile ship intercepted a drone in the economic waters of Israel”.Additionally, sirens sounded this morning in Kiryat Shmona and its surroundings in the Galilee Panhandle in northern Israel. Channel 12 of Israel reported the detection of four rockets fired from Lebanon towards Kiryat Shmona without any reported injuries, and another rocket fired from Lebanon towards Arab al-Aramshe in western Galilee, also without any injuries.On the Lebanese side, the outskirts of the town of Al-Jabin, in the western sector, were being subjected to Israeli artillery shelling. For its part, Hezbollah claimed two attacks. At 07:58, it targeted espionage equipment at the Meskafaim site “with appropriate weapons and direct hit.” At 08:25, Hezbollah targeted the Jurdah point with rocket weapons.

Hezbollah’s Drone to Karish: Mere Reconnaissance or Attempted Attack?
Bassam Abou Zeid /This Is Beirut/July 27/2024
The Israeli army announced shooting down a drone coming from Lebanon over the Israeli maritime economic zone where oil and gas wells are located, notably the Karish field. Israel continues to extract gas and oil from this field despite the ongoing war in Gaza and southern Lebanon. According to the Israelis, the destruction of this drone was carried out in coordination between air and naval forces. The video released by the Israeli army shows a significant explosion upon the drone’s destruction. This raises questions as to whether the drone was equipped with explosives targeting the Karish field. If that had been the case, the war between Israel and Lebanon could have escalated dramatically. Was this Hezbollah’s intention? Some reports suggest that this drone was of the “Hudhud” type and was sent on an additional reconnaissance mission towards the Karish field to film and send a message to the Israelis: this field, along with other Israeli oil installations, is within Hezbollah’s reconnaissance and firing range. If this was the case, one might consider the mission a failure, although Hezbollah had previously succeeded in using the “Hudhud” for reconnaissance at the port of Haifa, in the Golan region, and at the Israeli air base of Ramat David. This is not the first time Hezbollah sends drones into the Israeli maritime economic zone. During the negotiations for delineating maritime borders, it repeatedly threatened to take military action against the Karish field if the negotiations failed. Consequently, in July 2022, it sent drones towards Karish, but they were also shot down. The negotiations continued and led to an agreement about three months after this incident, on October 31, 2022.

Four Hezbollah Fighters Killed on Southern Front
This Is Beirut/July 27, 2024
Late in the afternoon, Hezbollah announced the death of four of its fighters, Naim Ali Farhat, Mohammad Ali Moustafa Mreish, Ahmad Hikmat Moussa and Hassan Helal al-Saidi. Earlier, the Israeli Air Force conducted two raids on houses in Kfar Kila, killing four people, including two Palestinians. The Israeli army also announced that it had attacked a Hezbollah group entering a military building and a warehouse in Kfar Kila. For his part, Hezbollah stated that, in response to the targeting of Kafr Kila, “we fired Katyusha rockets at the Harmon brigade headquarters in the Maaleh Golani barracks” and “we targeted the Ramim barracks (currently occupied by Golani brigade troops) with a Burkan missile”.In addition, two fires in Mays al-Jabal and behind the municipality of Odeisseh broke out as a result of Israeli shelling. The outskirts of the village of Al-Jabin, in the western sector, and the northeastern outskirts of Shebaa were also targeted by Israeli artillery fire. Two fires broke out in Mays al-Jabal and behind the municipality of Odaisseh following Israeli bombardments. The outskirts of the village of al-Jabin, in the western sector, were also subjected to Israeli artillery fire. Israeli warplanes broke the sound barrier in the airspace over Chouf, Iqlim al-Kharrub, Saida, Jezzine and Tyre, causing loud explosions. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for two attacks in the morning, targeting spy equipment at the Misgav Am site and the Jurdah point. Later, the pro-Iranian group said it had targeted a deployment of Israeli soldiers north of the Yiftah barracks, striking their tents and inflicting injuries. Hezbollah also claimed to have shelled positions in al-Sammaqa and Manara.

Hasbani: Ain al-Tineh Trying to Isolate LF, Opposition United
Hasbani Criticizes Government and UNHCR Inaction on Syrian Migrants
This Is Beirut/July 27, 2024
Former Deputy Prime Minister, MP Ghassan Hasbani, denied claims from “Ain al-Tineh” that the Lebanese Forces (LF) are the only party opposing Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. “Ain al-Tineh is trying to isolate the LF,” he said, adding that all opposition parties share the same positions.
In an interview with “Voice of All Lebanon,” Hasbani stated, “We have proven that MPs can consult with each other without anyone presiding, as we did recently when over 95 MPs discussed the opposition’s roadmap.”He reiterated that Berri should hold a session for electing a President in open rounds, emphasizing that “the constitution relies on MPs’ goodwill and did not anticipate obstruction.” He added, “The constitution does not require prior formal dialogue to elect the President. Any new convention outside the constitution will cause a greater collapse.”Hasbani noted that the “Hezbollah” and “Amal” blocs are delaying meetings with opposition forces to review their presidential roadmap. “The Parliament is hijacked,” he asserted, “and its Speaker holds the key,” insisting he (Berri) is the gateway to choosing the President, not electing him. “The most dangerous statement is that they will not open the Parliament until they know who the next President is,” he added. On early parliamentary elections, Hasbani explained that this step would not modify the current balance of power as it would produce a similar Parliament. Regarding the southern front, Hasbani raised concerns about Hezbollah’s involvement in the war, asking why other fronts like Syria, Jordan and Egypt did not intervene. “Because all countries use diplomatic, financial, and moral pressure to stop the war that Hamas initiated,” he added. He highlighted that “if the international community is concerned, it should support implementing Resolution 1701, which imposes state authority over all Lebanese territories. Lebanon is incurring significant costs, and eventually, we will reach the implementation of 1701 or a similar resolution.”

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on July 27-28/2024
Rocket kills 10 at a football pitch in Israeli-occupied Golan
Reuters/July 27, 2024
JERUSALEM/BEIRUT: Ten people, including children, were killed in a rocket attack on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, Israel’s ambulance service said, with Israel accusing Hezbollah of the strike but the Lebanese group denying any role.Israel’s military said it was preparing a response to the rocket attack, the deadliest strike in Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since the start of the conflict in Gaza. Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire in areas at or near the Lebanese-Israeli border, in a conflict that has stirred fears of a full-blown war between the heavily armed adversaries. The Israeli ambulance service said 13 more people were wounded by a rocket fired from Lebanon that hit a football pitch in the Druze village of Majdal Shams. “We witnessed great destruction when we arrived at the soccer field, as well as items that were on fire. There were casualties on the grass and the scene was gruesome,” Idan Avshalom, a medic with the Magen David Adom ambulance service, said.A witness told Reuters: “It landed in the soccer pitch, all of them are children ... many bodies and remains are in field we don’t know who they are.” She asked not to be named. The attack on the soccer pitch followed an Israeli strike in Lebanon that killed four militants on Saturday. Two security sources in Lebanon said the four fighters killed in the Israeli strike on Kfarkila in southern Lebanon were members of different armed groups, with at least one of them belonging to Hezbollah. The Israeli military said its aircraft had targeted a military structure belonging to Hezbollah, after identifying a militant cell entering the building. At least 30 rockets were then fired from Lebanon across the border, the military said. “According to an IDF situational assessment and the intelligence in our possession, the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” the military said. In a written statement, Hezbollah said: “The Islamic Resistance has absolutely nothing to do with the incident, and categorically denies all false allegations in this regard.”Hezbollah claimed at least four attacks, including with Katyusha rockets, in retaliation for the Kfarkila attacks. However senior Hezbollah media representative Mohammad Afif denied responsibility for the strike on Majdal Shams. Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire since October, after Hamas’ attack on southern Israel triggered the Gaza war, in their worst escalation since 2006. The Golan Heights were part of Syria until 1967, when Israel captured most of the area in the Six Day War, occupying it and annexing it in 1981. That unilateral annexation was not recognized internationally, and Syria demands the return of the territory.

Rocket attack on town in Israeli-controlled Golan Heights kills 10, rescue official says
BEIRUT (AP)/July 27, 2024
A rocket attack Saturday on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights wounded several people, including children, hours after an Israeli airstrike on south Lebanon killed three members of the militant Hezbollah group. Hezbollah said it struck a military base in the Golan Heights in retaliation for Israeli attacks on a village in Lebanon. Hezbollah chief spokesman Mohammed Afif told The Associated Press that the group “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.”The Israeli military said in a statement Saturday that according to intelligence in its possession, “the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”“The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children, earlier this evening,” the statement said. Israel’s Magen David Adom paramedic service initially reported 11 people wounded, nine critically, and all between the ages of 10 and 20. Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan aired footage of some being rushed to ambulances on stretchers from a soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams. “These were kids at a soccer field,” Beni Ben Muvchar, head of the local council, told Israeli Channel 12. “Today a red line was crossed,” he said, urging Israeli leaders to start targeting top Hezbollah commanders. The Israeli military said one projectile was identified crossing from Lebanon toward the area, adding it was cooperating with the MDA to evacuate the wounded. Channel 12 aired footage of a large blast in one of the town's valleys. Hezbollah said in a statement that its militants firing Katyusha rockets at an Israeli army post in the Golan Heights was in response to Israeli airstrikes on villages in south Lebanon. The group said earlier three of its members were killed on Saturday without specifying where. Israel’s military said its air force targeted a Hezbollah arms depot on the border village of Kfar Kila, adding that militants were inside at the time. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed them in 1981. Israel and Hezbollah have traded near daily fire since the war in Gaza started after Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct.7 killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel launched an offensive that has so far killed more than 39,000 people, according to local health authorities, displaced over 80% of the territory’s people and triggered a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip.Over the past weeks, the exchange of fire along the Lebanon-Israel intensified with Israeli airstrikes and rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah striking deeper and further away from the border. Since early October, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed more than 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members, but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed.

170 killed in days-long Israeli operation, says Gaza civil defense
AFP/July 27, 2024
GAZA: Gaza’s civil defense agency said Saturday that Israel’s military operation around Khan Yunis has killed about 170 people and wounded hundreds since it started on Monday.“Since the beginning of the Israeli military operation in the Khan Yunis area, we are talking of approximately 170 martyrs and hundreds of wounded,” agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. He said many people had been displaced again on Saturday as the Israeli operation continued. “The questions is where will these residents go?” Basal said. “Anyone who sees the situation in Khan Yunis will witness thousands of people spread out on the ground, on the roads, in areas that unfortunately are not suitable for living. “With no other options available, they are exposing themselves to death.”Earlier on Saturday the military issued new evacuation orders for residents of the southern city, after retrieving the bodies of five Israelis and warning of new operations. The United Nations said more than 180,000 Palestinians have fled Khan Yunis since the Israeli operation began on Monday. The evacuation orders and “intensified hostilities” have “significantly destabilized aid operations,” it added, reporting “dire water, hygiene and sanitation conditions” across the Palestinian territory. The Israeli military said it launched the operation to halt rocket fire from the area, which already saw heavy fighting earlier this year. On Wednesday, it said troops had retrieved the bodies of five Israelis from the area. They had been killed during the Hamas attacks of October 7 and their bodies taken back to Gaza, the military said. On Saturday, it ordered residents from more parts of Khan Yunis “to temporarily evacuate to the adjusted humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi” — the second such adjustment made to the sa

Israeli strike on Gaza school 'kills 30'
Mallory Moench - BBC News/July 27, 2024
Israel's military has struck a school near Deir al-Balah, a city in central Gaza, killing at least 30 Palestinians and injuring more than 100, according to the Hamas-run ministry of health. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Telegram that a Hamas command and control centre was embedded inside the Khadija School. The IDF added that Hamas used the compound as a hiding place to direct and plan attacks and store weapons. Gaza’s health ministry said footage showed the victims were civilians and most of them were children. The BBC verified a video that shows children among the injured. Gaza's civil defence service said the school was sheltering displaced people. Hamas condemned the attack in a statement on Telegram, saying "displaced, sick and wounded people, most of whom were women and children" were killed. Verified video from the scene shows a chaotic situation, with people running around a compound covered in rubble. Men carry two bloodied children in their arms while a woman hugs another, and a group carries an injured man on a stretcher. A body lies on the ground covered in a blanket. The IDF said that before the strike it took steps to reduce the risk to civilians "including the use of appropriate munitions, aerial surveillance and additional intelligence”. Gaza's health ministry said 53 people had been killed and 189 injured since Saturday morning due to IDF bombing in Deir al-Balah and the southern city of Khan Younis. The strike occurred as Israel continues its months-long military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The war started when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. The Deir al-Balah strike was reported as the IDF ordered civilians on Saturday morning in southern parts of Khan Younis to evacuate to an "adjusted humanitarian area" in al-Mawasi, a region along the coast. The IDF said it was about to “forcefully operate” after reporting “significant” rocket fire towards Israel from southern Khan Younis and “precise intelligence indicating that Hamas has embedded” infrastructure in the humanitarian area. The Israeli military warned civilians that “remaining in this area has become dangerous”.The IDF released maps showing a further reduced humanitarian area in al-Mawasi. The military shrank the zone on Monday when it ordered the evacuation of part of the humanitarian area ahead of an operation against Palestinian fighters who had apparently regrouped there. After the evacuation orders, Gaza's health ministry said at least 70 people were killed by Israeli strikes around Khan Younis.

Israel orders the evacuation of an area designated as a humanitarian zone in Gaza
AP/July 27, 2024
KHAN YOUNIS: Israel’s military ordered the evacuation Saturday of a crowded part of Gaza designated as a humanitarian zone, saying it is planning an operation against Hamas militants in Khan Younis, including parts of Muwasi, a makeshift tent camp where thousands are seeking refuge. The order comes in response to rocket fire that Israel says originates from the area. It’s the second evacuation issued in a week in an area designated for Palestinians fleeing other parts of Gaza. Many Palestinians have been uprooted multiple times in search of safety during Israel’s punishing air and ground campaign. On Monday, after the evacuation order, multiple Israeli airstrikes hit around Khan Younis, killing at least 70 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, citing figures from Nasser Hospital. The area is part of a 60-square-kilometer (roughly 20-square-mile) “humanitarian zone” to which Israel has been telling Palestinians to flee to throughout the war. Much of the area is blanketed with tent camps that lack sanitation and medical facilities and have limited access to aid, United Nations and humanitarian groups say. About 1.8 million Palestinians are sheltering there, according to Israel’s estimates. That’s more than half Gaza’s pre-war population of 2.3 million. The war in Gaza has killed more than 39,100 Palestinians, according to the territory’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The UN estimated in February that some 17,000 children in the territory are now unaccompanied, and the number is likely to have grown since. The war began with an assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took about 250 hostages. About 115 are still in Gaza, about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities.

Khan Yunis fighting displaces 180,000 Gazans in four days: UN
AFP/July 27, 2024
KHAN YUNIS, Palestinian Territories: More than 180,000 Palestinians have fled fierce fighting around the southern Gaza city of Khan Yunis in four days, the United Nations said Friday, after an Israeli operation to extract captives’ bodies from the area. Recent “intensified hostilities” in the Khan Yunis area, more than nine months into the Israel-Hamas war, have fueled “new waves of internal displacement across Gaza,” said the UN humanitarian agency, OCHA. It said “about 182,000 people” have been displaced from central and eastern Khan Yunis between Monday and Thursday, and hundreds are “stranded in eastern Khan Yunis.”The Israeli military on Monday ordered the evacuation of parts of the southern city, announcing its forces would “forcefully operate” there, including in an area previously declared a safe humanitarian zone.On Wednesday, Israel said five bodies of captives seized during Hamas’s October 7 attack that triggered the war had been recovered from the area.Israel’s military said on Friday that its forces had “eliminated approximately 100 terrorists” in the city this week.
Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said the captives’ bodies were pulled from underground tunnels and walls in “a hidden place.”Troops “were near those fallen bodies in the past, we did not know how to reach them” until this week, Halevi said in a statement.
Witnesses and rescuers said heavy battles continued around eastern Khan Yunis on Friday. The Nasser Hospital said 26 bodies were brought to the medical site. The October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,197 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Out of 251 people taken hostage that day, 111 are still held in the Gaza Strip, including 39 the military says are dead. Israel’s retaliatory offensive against Hamas has killed at least 39,175 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. According to UN figures, the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.4 million people have been displaced at least once by the fighting.

Egypt’s presence at Gaza talks highlights its ‘pivotal role’ in region, says analyst
MOHAMED SHAMAA/Arab News/July 27, 2024
CAIRO: The presence of Egyptian delegates at a scheduled meeting in Rome to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza underscores Cairo’s “pivotal role” in the region, political analyst and MP Osama Al-Ashmouni told Arab News on Saturday, adding that it also shows Egypt’s unquestionable commitment to the Palestinian cause. Egypt — along with Qatar and the US — has been involved in months of mediation efforts aimed at ending the war that has raged in the Gaza Strip for more than nine months. A senior source told the Cairo News Channel that a meeting involving Egyptian, US, and Qatari officials and the head of Israeli Intelligence will take place in Rome on Sunday, in the hopes of developing an agreement that would immediately halt military engagements and guarantee the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The source said Egyptian authorities have stressed the importance of reaching an agreement that ensures the free movement of Gaza’s citizens and a complete withdrawal from the Rafah crossing. Al-Ashmouni told Arab News that Egypt “has been a stalwart supporter of the Palestinian cause throughout its history, offering tremendous support to defend the rights of the Palestinian people and their quest to reclaim their occupied land and establish a Palestinian state.”Al-Ashmouni added that Israel “consistently disseminates falsehoods and continues its deceptive practices and lies, whether in distorting Egypt’s role in supporting the Palestinian cause or by trying to portray itself as the victim, thereby reversing the roles of victim and perpetrator. “It is crucial for attendees at the Rome meeting to recognize this, as the conscience of the free world should not heed the fabrications spread by the Israeli propaganda machine, despite the international community’s passive stance on Israel’s actions, which include crimes against humanity and war crimes against the unarmed Palestinian people in Gaza.”Al-Ashmouni expressed his hope that the negotiations in Rome would prove effective, although he anticipates that Israel will continue what he called its policy of sabotaging peace negotiations. Journalist Mahmoud Mosalam, a member of the Egyptian Senate, told Arab News that Egypt plays a crucial role in mediation talks amid “intense accusations by Israel and other parties who would prefer Egypt to withdraw from the role.”Mosalam added: “They allege that Egypt is facilitating arms smuggling to the resistance, and some American media outlets falsely claim that Egypt has altered texts from previous negotiations.”He hopes the negotiations in Rome, which will also include Palestinian and Italian officials, “will be fruitful and help Gaza emerge from its severe crisis, a situation akin to actual genocide.”He added that the recent outpouring of global support for the Palestinian people gives them an opportunity that they must seize and said it is inevitable the war will end, which would present the Palestinian leaders with “significant responsibilities,” including the reconstruction of Gaza and the reorganization of the Palestinian administration in preparation for a “comprehensive resolution” of the Palestinian issue.

Harris’ team rejects Israeli notion that her comments could harm ceasefire talks
Kylie Atwood, MJ Lee and Kayla Tausche, CNN/July 27, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris’ office on Friday is rejecting a suggestion from a senior Israeli official that the vice president’s remarks on Thursday that forcefully criticized Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas could have made a ceasefire deal harder to reach.“I don’t know what they’re talking about,” a Harris aide told CNN, in response to a senior Israeli official being quoted in The Times of Israel: “Hopefully the remarks Harris made in her press conference won’t be interpreted by Hamas as daylight between the US and Israel, thereby making a deal harder to secure.”
Harris declared that she would “not be silent” about the suffering in Gaza amid the war after her meeting with Netanyahu. She also said that Israel has a right to defend itself but “how it does so matters,” staking out her lane as an empathetic and strong voice for the Palestinian suffering, just days after she became the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. But the vice president’s office on Friday sought to clarify that her message to Netanyahu behind closed doors mirrored that of Biden. “President Biden and Vice President Harris delivered the same message in their private meetings to Prime Minister Netanyahu: it is time to get the ceasefire and hostage deal done,” an aide to the vice president told reporters, adding that the meeting was “serious and collegial.”Harris has already made some public comments about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war that had a similar tone to her remarks after the Netanyahu meeting on Thursday. She emphasized the need for an “immediate ceasefire” in March, taking a long pause before adding the rest of the approved sentence: “for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table.”Harris’s office pointed out that her comments on Thursday “tracked with her previous comments on the conflict.”“She started with rock-solid support for Israel and then she expressed her concern about civilian causalities and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as she always does,” said the aide, responding to reporters’ questions. But her comments marked the first time that she spoke about the conflict since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee as she is faced with the challenge of defining her position on the politically charged issue of the Israel-Hamas war. Her remarks on Thursday were not a major surprise to some administration officials who have been privy to her team’s views in interagency meetings.Multiple US officials say that Harris’ team has often advocated for putting more pressure on Israel during interagency conversations over the course of recent months since October 7. For example, Harris’s aides have been advocates for sanctions on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank, one source said. Harris’s aides have also opposed the idea of possible low-level engagement with far-right members of Netanyahu’s Cabinet – such as Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir – making the case that engagement would be elevating their views, one official said. So far, the Biden administration has decided against reaching out to them. Biden administration officials acknowledged that there might be some tension in the coming weeks as Harris develops her voice and her policy on the Israel-Hamas war. She has created that tension within the administration in the past on this issue. But now, they say that the tension could be worth it, given the ultimate goal of trying to draw in voters as she is at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket. “She’s not substantively different than the president, but she’s tonally different,” one administration source told CNN. A close friend familiar with Harris’ views expected “zero” chance she would break with Biden on policy, while acknowledging the opportunity for her to introduce more nuance, especially now that she’s the party’s candidate. “She’s allowed to support Israel but also want the war to end.”Arab American leaders say that throughout the course of the Israel-Hamas war, Harris’ team has been “much more responsive” to the frustrations of their community when it comes to the Biden administration’s policies. “Harris and her office threw us a lifeline early on,” Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute. “I spoke with her and she demonstrated compassion and empathy. She wanted to know what she could do to be responsive to our concerns.”

Where is the outrage?
Credit: anews/July 27, 2024
The Bishops' Conference of France on Saturday criticized the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games for the reenactment of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper by drag queens. "This ceremony unfortunately included scenes in which Christianity was mocked and ridiculed, which we deeply regret," the religious organization said in a statement. "We thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity with us. This morning we think of all Christians on all continents who have been hurt by the exaggeration and provocation of some scenes."
The parody had also caused criticism on social networks beyond the Catholic Church. Reactions ranged from "provocation" and "anti-Christian" to "disrespectful" and "blasphemous."

India's Modi says Pakistan using 'terrorism, proxy war' to stay relevant
Reuters/July 26, 2024
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Pakistan was trying to stay relevant through "terrorism" and "proxy war" but such a strategy would never succeed. The nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have uneasy relations and India has, for decades, accused Pakistan of backing Islamist militants fighting its rule in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both claim in full but rule only in part. Modi spoke at an event to mark the 25th anniversary of India's short military conflict with Pakistan in the Himalayan region of Kargil. The arch rivals have also fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir. Modi said Pakistan had been unsuccessful whenever it tried to further its plans but had "not learned anything from its history". "I want to tell these patrons of terrorism that their unholy plans will never be successful...Our brave (forces) will squash terrorism, the enemy will be given a befitting reply," he said. Pakistan has previously denied such accusations by India, saying it only provides diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination in the Muslim-majority region. In a statement later on Friday, Pakistan's foreign ministry said it stood resolute in its ability and intent to "safeguard its sovereignty against any aggression". "While Pakistan is ready to counter India's aggressive actions, it remains committed to promoting peace and stability in the region," the foreign ministry said. There has been a recent spate of militant attacks in the Hindu-majority Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir - as the territory is formally called - with almost a dozen Indian soldiers killed this year. Indian-Pakistani relations have been largely frozen as the two countries downgraded their diplomatic ties in tit-for-tat moves in August 2019 after New Delhi scrapped Kashmir's special status and split it into two federally administered territories. Ties deteriorated after a suicide bombing of an Indian military convoy in Kashmir was traced to Pakistan-based militants, prompting India to carry out an airstrike on what it said was a militant base in Pakistan. Earlier this year, Pakistan said there was credible evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of people on its soil - accusations that India termed "fake". Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said last month that India would look for a solution to cross-border terrorism, which "cannot be the policy of a good neighbour".

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on July 27-28/2024
‘Christians Should Stand Up’: What the Left Fears Most
Raymond Ibrahim/The Stream/July 27/2024
“Christians should stand up.” By simply making that assertion on social media, police—accompanied by a head shrink—“visited” and questioned a man in his home in Australia (video here).
The man had made that assertion on social media following the stabbing of an Orthodox bishop by a Muslim inside a Sydney church. As the man can be heard questioning the police,
This is religious discrimination, right now, you know? Because you wouldn’t be knocking on Muslims’ doors if they had this conversation—so I already know why you’re here. This is religious discrimination.
He is, of course, absolutely correct: Muslims—to say nothing of leftists, antifa, blm, alphabet people (fill in the blank)—can make open calls to violence, praise the torching of churches, disparage their nations, etc., and the authorities won’t bat an eye, much less invade the privacy of their homes. But once a Christian responds to violence by calling on his coreligionists to merely “stand up,” then woe—all is woe!
Why? Because the one thing the Left fears more than anything else—to the point of being wise enough to seldom mention it, lest the Right figures out its Achilles’ Heel—is that Christians, who still make for sizeable majorities in the West, may one day reclaim their Christian heritage—their true Christian heritage, not the “Doormat Christianity” variety that was manufactured, nurtured, and led by subversive leftist elements, wolves in sheep’s clothing, seeking to undermine the West’s Christian ethos.
Consider an anti-Christian hit piece published by The Atlantic in 2022. Many had rightly condemned it as a smear against Catholics. Even so, the fears expressed within it, while exaggerated, do touch onto a certain truth: though the Left and all of its depraved elements have little to fear from Christians waging a physical “holy war” against them, they do have to fear the resurrection of the “church militant,” defined as “the Christian church on earth regarded as engaged in a constant warfare against its enemies, the powers of evil,” AKA, “the Left.”
This came out clearly after The Atlantic complained about “social-media pages … saturated with images of rosaries draped over firearms, warriors in prayer, Deus Vult (‘God wills it’) crusader memes, and exhortations for men to rise up and become Church Militants” (emphasis added).
“Rise up” is, of course, just another variation of “stand up” (which recently prompted Australian police to descend on the home of the aforementioned Christian man). Such phrases capture what the Left so fears Christians may one day do.
Consider my 2022 book, Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood Against Islam (there’s that idea of standing up again). Most of the men profiled in it sacrificed their lives—though they were emperors, kings, and lords who had much to live for—fighting in defense of the Faith.
These included Godfrey of Bouillon, a wealthy duke who forsook his many possessions in Europe to take the cross and fight for the cause of Christendom during the First Crusade; El Cid, who almost singlehandedly stopped and even turned the tides against the jihadist infiltration of Spain; Richard Lionheart, a king who nearly lost everything—and complained to God in Job-like fashion—in his attempt to liberate the Holy Land; Ferdinand III, the Castilian monarch who spearheaded the Reconquista and liberated Spain from Islamic tyranny; Louis IX, the French king and tragic hero who, never once complaining, sacrificed all that was dear to him in the cause of Christ; John Hunyadi, Hungary’s champion who fought both the jihadists and their elitist Western collaborators; Skanderbeg, the Albanian Braveheart who abandoned a life of wealth and honors to fight and die alongside his countrymen in the name of freedom; and even Vlad the Impaler—Hollywood’s bloodsucking “Count Dracula”—who defended his kingdom against Islamic invasions, including by fighting fire with fire (that is, impalement with impalement).
The contagiously inspiring image invoked by these men who boldly and unapologetically sacrificed everything to defend their faith is precisely what the Left does not want today’s Christians, of whatever denomination, to recollect as part of their heritage, a thing available to them to emulate in times of crisis—in short, standing up against evil. Much better they remain convinced that the highest virtue of their religion is to be passive doormats that never “judge” (a position that is also conveniently easier than taking a stand).
Incidentally, one need not be Catholic—I’m not—to be inspired by or associate with the aforementioned men and their self-sacrificial commitment: plenty of Orthodox and Protestant Christians also sacrificed much in order to defend their faith.
At any rate, from here, one realizes why, for decades, all departments in service of the Left—from the public school system to Hollywood—have done everything in their power to 1) emasculate men and 2) present “good” and “true” Christianity as being nothing more than a welcome doormat (the antithesis of church militant). Thus, the powers-that-be have idolized the effeminate and extolled the homosexual; they have portrayed sword-waving women as the true and only embodiment of courage, heroism, and self-sacrifice; they have demonized true masculinity—without which civilization perishes—as “toxic”; and, most insidiously, they have depicted any Christian who wishes to do anything other than “turn his other cheek” as being hypocritical, cowardly, greedy, self-serving, oppressive, etc.
One can go on and on as to how the Left has done everything, subtle and increasingly not so subtle, to neuter men, but the point should be clear: the first and foremost enemy of any one or thing—in this case, the Left—is men. As such, teaching men not to be men has been one of the most strategic ways to defeat men. Little wonder the lgb-whatever agenda has been to infiltrate and indoctrinate the minds of children—whether through schools and libraries, or television programming and books for children. While that agenda is dark on several fronts, one of its chief goals is to strip boys of their latent manhood while they’re still young and pliable—nipping them in the “bud,” as it were, so they become compliant in adulthood. For the record, I am not glorifying or calling for any kind of physical militancy. Unlike the aforementioned “Defenders of the West,” who had no choice but to fight, today’s Christians need not take up arms in a physical manner. Rather, if today’s Christians were simply to stand up — which in large and practical measure means if their men start behaving like men — and, most importantly, if they all believe in a Cause greater than themselves, then all the insane ills plaguing Western society would dissipate like vapor.

The Biden Administration Empowering Deadly Houthi Terror Group
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/July 27, 2024
[S]hortly after taking office, on February 12, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially removed the Houthis' designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This decision marked a significant shift in U.S. policy: it delisted a group that, according to a Yemeni government intelligence report, has close affiliations with Al Qaeda and ISIS, and, according to other reports, regularly commits crimes war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Biden administration's policy has involved releasing billions of dollars to the Iranian regime, and refraining from enforcing stringent sanctions against Iran. The influx of funds has doubtless enabled the Iranian regime to allocate substantial financial resources towards supporting and arming the Houthis as well as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
This flow of capital has not only sustained Iran's regional influence but is also prolonging the conflict in the region.
The US Navy, thanks to the Houthis, has reportedly been facing "its most intense combat since World War II" and has reacted by destroying three "small boats" whose crews attempted to board a container ship in the Red Sea; a fourth boat "fled the scene."
Responding to the Houthis was left to little Israel. Last week, its air force targeted Yemen's port city of Hodeida "in an attempt to prevent the ongoing delivery of weapons to the Houthi militia by Iran".
Yet, not one senior US official – not US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris nor Secretary of State Antony Blinken -- bothered to greet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "The Churchill of the Middle East," at the airport when he landed this week in Washington, D.C. In an additional snub, Harris boycotted his speech to Congress.
A former U.S. military official, speaking to CNN on the condition of anonymity, criticized the current approach, likening it to past unsuccessful efforts: "The US campaign against the Houthis appears to bear the hallmarks of many of these highly circumscribed, scrubbed campaigns of the past where we seek to avoid causing them actual pain."The administration... needs to redesignate the Houthis as a full-fledged "Foreign Terrorist Organization." In January, after pressure, the Houthis were ultimately named "Specially Designated Global Terrorists," a level below "Foreign Terrorist Organization", which enables them still to receive funding and enter the United States. Given the growing threat posed by these developments, and especially Iran's nuclear weapons program, it is imperative that the US take decisive steps to address the issue effectively before the situation further deteriorates into an even larger international crisis.
The US Navy, thanks to the Iran-backed Houthis of Yemen, has reportedly been facing "its most intense combat since World War II" and has reacted by destroying three "small boats" whose crews attempted to board a container ship in the Red Sea; a fourth boat "fled the scene." Responding to the Houthis was left to little Israel. Last week, its air force targeted Yemen's port city of Hodeidah "in an attempt to prevent the ongoing delivery of weapons to the Houthi militia by Iran".
Under the Biden Administration, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have effectively taken over the country, have significantly escalated their activities, culminating in a dramatic increase in their aggressive activities. They recently carried out an attack on Tel Aviv, Israel, resulting in one fatality and at least ten people injured. The assault marks the Houthis' first deadly strike into Israeli territory, reflecting a troubling widening of their actions. The Houthis have also expanded their offensive operations to paralyze maritime traffic, with more than 60 attacks on ships navigating the Red Sea, and have issued explicit threats against vessels travelling to Israel, further heightening tensions in the region and forcing massive disruption in commercial maritime traffic. Ships, increasingly unable to acquire insurance, are now forced to detour around the continent of Africa.
The Biden Administration played an important role in empowering the Houthis. First, it started by reversing a key policy from the previous Trump administration: shortly after taking office, on February 12, 2021, Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially removed the Houthis' designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This decision marked a significant shift in U.S. policy: it delisted a group that, according to a Yemeni government intelligence report, has close affiliations with Al Qaeda and ISIS, and, according to other reports, regularly commits crimes war crimes (here and here) and crimes against humanity.
The Houthis, furthermore, are significantly backed by Iran. It ensures that the Houthis remain well-armed, while the Biden Administration, in turn, keeps the Iranian regime financially supported.
The Iranian regime has been involved in smuggling prohibited weapons and advanced military technology to the Houthis in Yemen. A Reuters report highlights that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the U.S. State Department has designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, is a major supporter of the Houthis. The IRGC has been increasing its arms supplies to the Houthis through Oman, including providing them with anti-tank guided missiles, sniper rifles, cruise missiles and attack drones.
Iranian officials have openly acknowledged their support; for instance, Esmail Ghani, the deputy commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, confirmed as early as 2015 that those defending Yemen have received training from Iran: "Those defending Yemen have been trained under the flag of the Islamic Republic [of Iran]."The Biden administration's policy has involved releasing billions of dollars (for instance, here, here and here) to the Iranian regime, and refraining from enforcing stringent sanctions against Iran (here and here). The influx of funds has doubtless enabled the Iranian regime to allocate substantial financial resources towards supporting and arming the Houthis as well as Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Lebanon's Hezbollah. By easing financial constraints on Tehran, the administration's actions have directly bolstered Iran's ability to provide the Houthis with the necessary weaponry to intensify their operations.
This flow of capital has not only sustained Iran's regional influence but is also prolonging the conflict in the region.
The US Navy, thanks to the Houthis, has reportedly been facing "its most intense combat since World War II" and has reacted by destroying three "small boats" whose crews attempted to board a container ship in the Red Sea; a fourth boat "fled the scene."
Responding to the Houthis was left to little Israel. Last week, its air force targeted Yemen's port city of Hodeidah "in an attempt to prevent the ongoing delivery of weapons to the Houthi militia by Iran":
"The Israeli bombing raid on Saturday evening ignited huge fires at oil and gas storage tanks in Yemen's port of Hodeidah, on the country's Red Sea coast. Israel also targeted an electrical station and cranes that load and unload cargo at the port, according to officials in Israel and Yemen.
"Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Hodeidah port was the 'entry point for weapons that are supplied by Iran to its Houthi terrorist proxies. ‏The Houthis have used those weapons to attack Israel, to attack Arab states in the region, to attack many others.'"
Yet, not one senior US official – not US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris nor Secretary of State Antony Blinken -- bothered to greet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, "The Churchill of the Middle East," at the airport when he landed this week in Washington, D.C. In an additional snub, Harris boycotted his speech to Congress.
A former U.S. military official, speaking to CNN on the condition of anonymity, criticized the current approach, likening it to past unsuccessful efforts:
"The US campaign against the Houthis appears to bear the hallmarks of many of these highly circumscribed, scrubbed campaigns of the past where we seek to avoid causing them actual pain."
The Trump Administration's assassination of Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's IRGC, led to a halt in Iranian provocations against the U.S. for the remainder of his presidency. To effect meaningful change in the Houthis' behavior, it will unfortunately be necessary to deliver more decisive actions.
Without the US significantly diminishing the Houthis' military capabilities, as well as those of Iran, both will continue to present a considerable threat. The U.S. administration needs to take decisive action, starting with targeting the leadership of the Houthis. The administration also needs to redesignate the Houthis as a full-fledged "Foreign Terrorist Organization." In January, after pressure, the Houthis were ultimately named "Specially Designated Global Terrorists," a level below "Foreign Terrorist Organization", which enables them still to receive funding and enter the United States. This week, however, there has been bipartisan pressure to re-list the Houthis as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization," but the fate of such a bill in the US Senate is uncertain. In addition, to prevent further escalation, the U.S. must focus on addressing the root cause of the turmoil: the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its IRGC. Options could involve targeting Iranian ports used for oil exports, or striking IRGC facilities while rigorously enforcing existing sanctions. By aiming at Iran's critical oil infrastructure or military bases, the U.S. could send a clear message to Tehran, pressuring them to halt their support for the Houthi insurgency. So far, the policies and decisions of the Biden Administration have directly strengthened both Iran and the Houthis. By refusing to enforcing stringent measures, the Biden administration has provided these groups with all the support and resources they needed to redouble their hostilities without significant repercussions. Given the growing threat posed by these developments, and especially Iran's nuclear weapons program, it is imperative that the US take decisive steps to address the issue effectively before the situation further deteriorates into an even larger international crisis.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
© 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.

Now is the time for Britain to be bold about defense spending
Luke Coffey/Arab News/July 27, 2024
Speaking this week at a major defense and security conference in London, the head of the British Army, Gen. Sir Roly Walker, delivered a stark warning: The UK has three years to bolster its defenses if it is to be prepared for a direct conflict with Russia.The timing of his comments was no coincidence. After 14 years of a Conservative-led government, the Labour Party swept back into office this month with a historically large majority of seats. One of the first defense policy initiatives from the new administration is a review of defense that will be carried out in the coming months. The announcement of the review was not surprising. In 2010, when the Conservative Party regained power after 13 years of a Labour government, a similar review took place. However, the strategic landscape has changed significantly since then. In 2010, the UK military had just withdrawn from Iraq and was deeply involved in fighting a deadly insurgency in southern Afghanistan. Now, the threats and challenges arising from low intensity counterinsurgency operations have diminished for the UK, but the era of great power competition has reemerged. Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is the starkest reminder of this shift.
Despite the reduction in the size of its armed forces over the years, the UK remains a global power. But this is not always guaranteed to be the case. What the new government decides to do during its upcoming defense review could have a significant impact worldwide. As Britain’s top defense and security policy experts hammer out new strategic guidance, four key points will need to be addressed. Firstly, it is likely the new British government will prioritize the security and defense of Europe above other regions. Defense Secretary John Healey has already referred to a “NATO first” approach when it comes to the defense review. The new government can build on considerable progress by its predecessor. The UK was considered one of the global leaders in support and the provision of arms for Ukraine, especially in the early days following the Russian invasion. Britain also maintains a sizable military presence in the Baltic states, to help deter a Russian attack against NATO. The issue of support for Ukraine is not politically controversial in the UK, and there will be cross-party backing for more involvement. We can expect assistance for Ukraine and the overall security of Europe to feature prominently in the upcoming review.
Secondly, the Indo-Pacific region will be another focal point. As with support for Ukraine, the Labour Party inherits a strong position regarding British involvement and influence in the region. The new government will want to build on the inroads made by its predecessor concerning UK-Japanese defense cooperation.Expect the UK to leverage existing relationships with countries such as Australia, New Zealand and India, so that it can play a greater role in the region. Whatever the UK decides about the Indo-Pacific during its defense review will be closely studied in Washington, where the focus on Asia is increasing. This will particularly be the case if Donald Trump wins the presidential election in November. British policymakers will undoubtedly consider this point as they formulate their defense strategy. As the new government settles into office and works on its first major defense review, Britain’s allies and adversaries will be watching closely. Thirdly, the Middle East will remain a critical area of focus. As Iran continues to threaten regional stability, it would be wise for the UK to at least maintain, if not bolster, its military presence in the region.
This is especially true in the Gulf, where Britain already has very close relationships going back decades. This region is particularly important for the Royal Navy. As the Houthis in Yemen continue to threaten international shipping in the Red Sea, and with Iran promoting the proliferation of drones and missiles among regional actors, it would be smart for the UK to leverage its existing relationships in the region.
Finally, the UK needs to maintain and modernize its nuclear deterrent. Britain has been a nuclear power since the 1950s. Its weapons serve as a key component of NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy. Some in the Labour Party have previously voted against renewing the country’s nuclear deterrent, and renewal could prove to be one of the most politically contentious issues for the party. However, now that it is back in power, it should follow the example of previous Labour-led governments and ensure that Britain’s nuclear deterrent is maintained and modernized. In particular, the Dreadnought-class submarine program, designed to replace existing Vanguard-class submarines by the 2030s, must remain on time and fully funded. To achieve all these goals and ensure that Britain remains a global power, additional resources and money will be required. As someone who was personally involved in the 2010 defense review after the Conservative Party took office, I know it will be no easy task for the Ministry of Defense to secure additional resources from the Treasury. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suggested that defense spending will increase to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2030 but his government has not yet outlined a plan to achieve this goal. Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China all pose challenges to the UK and its closest allies. In recent years, Britain’s armed forces have been operating on a shoestring budget. The British Army currently numbers 72,000 soldiers, the fewest since the Napoleonic era. The Royal Navy struggles to meet its global obligations and keep its two aircraft carriers seaworthy. It would be reckless to think this situation can continue. As the new government settles into office and works on its first major defense review, Britain’s allies and adversaries will be watching closely. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shocked the world; it was a reminder of how unpredictable geopolitics can be. When it comes to defense funding, the time to be bold is now, not when it is too late.
**Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey

UK targets reform of ‘Hotel California’ immigration system
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/July 27, 2024
It is both sad and true that the UK has evolved from being a sanctuary for those in need of protection after fleeing conflicts or persecution to the ultimate place for asylum seekers, economic migrants and victims of organized crime gangs that specialize in human trafficking. There are bogus student visa suppliers and shady companies profiting from skilled and unskilled workers, offloading low-paid workers onto the caving social security system of the UK once they earn their settled status. So, it is a welcome step to see that the country’s new interior minister, Yvette Cooper, is already showing a drive and a resolve to fix the chaotic immigration and settlement system she inherited after years of less-than-perfect immigration legislation and policies. Cooper, the home secretary since Labour’s landslide election win over the Conservatives earlier this month, deemed the last of these policies, the now-scrapped Rwanda plan, to be the “most shocking waste of taxpayer money ever.”In a stinging speech in Parliament this week, Cooper said the Tory government had created an asylum backlog that meant the system was like “Hotel California,” referring to the famous Eagles song. She said the previous government stopped processing thousands of cases, meaning people that have entered the asylum system since March 2023 would never leave it. She is promising to hire enough officers to process and clear the mounting backlog.
The plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, which was created as a deterrent to prevent migrants using small boats to reach the UK, wasted nearly £700 million ($902 million) without deporting a single person. Only four people went to the East African country voluntarily before Labour scrapped the relocation program. Cooper said the wasted money included “£290 million payments to Rwanda, chartering flights that never took off, detaining hundreds of people and then releasing them, and paying for more than 1,000 civil servants to work on the scheme.”
This is in addition to the more than £3 billion spent annually on housing and providing for asylum seekers in the UK while their claims are processed. Cooper said the previous Conservative government had planned to spend more than £10 billion on the Rwanda scheme in total.
Illegal migration is an issue being grappled with by governments across Europe, as more than 380,000 people are believed to have entered the EU through irregular routes in 2023 — an increase of 17 percent on the previous year. About 41 percent of those arrivals are believed to have come in small boats across the Central Mediterranean, 26 percent on land through the Balkans and 16 percent across the Eastern Mediterranean. The UK’s new Labour government has made a promising start after making border security one of its top priorities.
For years, a common approach to dealing with the migration crisis has remained elusive, fueling the ascendance of populist and far-right parties across Europe, destabilizing nations and causing rifts between allies and neighbors.
The UK’s new Labour government has made a promising start after making border security one of its top priorities. It has already taken steps to establish a Border Security Command to coordinate the work of all the agencies and departments involved and give them more powers to confront the people smugglers. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also made it a government target to help lead the Europe-wide efforts to combat organized immigration crime and the people-smuggling gangs trading in human lives, in cooperation with Europol, Frontex and individual member states. He even signaled he would be open to considering offshore processing arrangements similar to the one between Italy and Albania.
Although the government is cautious and is under no illusion that tackling the small boats issue will take time and require hard work, the initial indications show a holistic approach from Cooper, a veteran politician who claimed solving the problem will take “hard graft not sticking plasters.” For a start, thousands of immigration officers will resume processing the asylum and immigration claims that have been on hold since March 2023. In addition, she is reassigning the officers who were working on the Rwanda plan to working on return and enforcement programs, targeting illegal workers at businesses such as nail bars and car washes. All of the above is very welcome, as it shows someone is being responsible and it constitutes a departure from the previous idleness on migration — a topic that has often been used as a political football. With no easy fix for an issue that has long plagued the public discourse, the new government should go even further. It should dare to carry out a strategic review of the country’s points-based immigrant visa system and, where necessary, review the post-Brexit cancellation of the freedom of movement of skilled and unskilled workers from the EU. Meanwhile, it should speed up investment in training and mentoring programs to provide many Brits with the opportunity to rejoin the labor market and fill the shortages in the UK economy, which has suffered as a result of Brexit. These measures would help the economy achieve some of the targeted growth that this new government is banking on.
Going after nail bars, car washes, criminal gangs and even unscrupulous businesses trading in work visas — which sell dreams for high fees paid in advance only to offload more low-skilled, language-deficient staff that end up as a burden on social services, the country’s limited social housing and the under-funded education and healthcare sectors — is long overdue. In the UK, it is not difficult to notice the post-Brexit change in the quality of services in businesses up and down the country.
The new government has warned against expecting miracles and that its predecessor had left the country’s coffers extremely stretched and, therefore, the scope for change could be limited. But the power of a new government, as they say, stems not from its ideas but its enthusiasm and its willingness to try. Many governments have failed to solve the visa and immigration conundrum this country has often faced. But this time, there is a new team that is willing and driven to try and solve the problems and bottlenecks. The migration and asylum issue is multifaceted and complex. It deserves the attention of a serious government, which must try to make sure that, even if stemming the flow of new arrivals — and not just those coming on small boats — is impossible, then hard work can reduce the flow and control it in a way that ensures the UK stops being like “Hotel California,” or an asylum free-for-all. Instead, it should become a place where the majority of newcomers can live and thrive in safety, while contributing to a system that has, for decades, been key to catering for those in the greatest need of refuge. **Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy. He is also a media consultant and trainer.

G20 leaders must embrace Lula’s efforts to end global hunger and poverty
Ranvir S. Nayar/Arab News/July 27, 2024
On July 24, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in his role as the president of the G20 group of nations, launched a much-needed — and much-delayed — initiative to fight two of the world’s most basic but critical problems: hunger and extreme poverty.
These twin projects are among a clutch of initiatives Lula has announced as part of his program for Brazil’s year-long presidency of the G20. Others include global reforms of taxation to create a system that is more fair and ensures the wealthy are not able to avoid paying their share through clever accountancy or fudging of figures. Lula has also initiated a move to preserve forests through efforts to curb logging and deforestation activities in partnership with Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo; the three countries contain the largest combined area of tropical rainforest in the world. While all of these moves are much needed and important for the entire world, it is his latest initiative, a global war on extreme poverty and hunger, that is the most critical and urgent, as it addresses the pressing issue of the very survival of hundreds of millions of people around the world.
The eradication of hunger and extreme poverty figure high among the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, through the adoption of which the global community has pledged to eliminate both of these scourges by 2030. Between 2015 and 2019, some progress was made toward achieving both goals but since then, unfortunately, the world as a whole has seen a major backslide.
Extremely high food inflation began to grip parts of the world in 2019 and really took hold globally in 2020. Since then it has continued to ravage the world, affecting rich countries as much as poor ones. The situation took a further turn for the worse in 2022 with the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, and there is little sign that it will ease. The crisis caused by this double whammy has led to very severe consequences for the most vulnerable people around the world. Already extremely poor, they have been exposed to particularly high levels of food insecurity and face hunger on a regular basis. High food inflation and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused their situation to become even more precarious. The world as a whole, and some key regions and countries in particular, have experienced big slides in their efforts to tackle the issues and meet their commitments related to the Sustainable Development Goals. In 2022, according to UN figures, about 9.2 percent of the global population faced chronic hunger, compared with 7.9 percent in 2019. About 29.6 percent, or 2.4 billion people, lack consistent access to food, and as many as 900 million face severe food insecurity, an increase of 134 million compared with 2019. Lula has taken the lead and set out a road map for doing so. The other leaders simply need to sign on and resolve to fulfill their parts of the bargain in a fair and sincere manner.
With barely six years until the deadline for achieving the sustainability goals, the initiatives implemented by Lula could not have come soon enough. Here, the G20 has a key role to play. Its member countries are home to almost 70 percent of the global population. They are the 20 largest economies, accounting for almost 80 percent of global gross domestic product. As such, they have a special responsibility to tackle these and other global issues; there is no other group in such a good position to do so. There is another reason why the G20 should tackle these issues as a matter of priority. Some member countries have large numbers of people facing one or both the problems; India, for example, and Brazil itself. Despite a sharp drop in 2022 in the numbers of people affected, about 7 percent of Brazilians continue to live in extreme poverty and a similar proportion faces severe food insecurity.
The situation is much worse in India, which held the presidency of the G20 last year. Not only is it the most-populated country, it also has the largest number of people facing extreme food insecurity. The Global Hunger Index 2024 found that even though it is the biggest producer of milk, wheat, and numerous fruits and vegetables, India ranks 111 out of 125 nations in the world in terms of hunger and food insecurity. UN figures reveal the country is home to more than 190 million malnourished people, and as much as 75 percent of the population cannot afford nutritious food.
About 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty worldwide, mostly in Africa and Asia. More than a third of all the global poor live in South Asia, with India alone accounting for more than 225 million of them.
Such figures illustrate why the G20 must be at the forefront of efforts to tackle head on these two basic challenges of hunger and extreme poverty, and must ensure that Lula’s recent initiatives not only receive the wholehearted support of all members and associated organizations but that all G20 member countries, rich and not-so-rich alike, work together to address this wrong and put things right. Tackling both these problems would be a less daunting challenge if government leaders really got more serious about doing so. There is adequate food production and enough resources in the world to ensure that no one is forced to live in extreme poverty, and that every human being can enjoy at least three square meals every day that contain the right balance of nutrients.
Certainly, it would call for slight tweaks to government policies and international cooperation. But it would be relatively easy to achieve if the global leaders who will gather in November at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro made the decision to take effective action to rid the planet of these two scourges.
Lula has taken the lead and set out a road map for doing so. The other leaders simply need to sign on and resolve to fulfill their parts of the bargain in a fair and sincere manner.Achieving these two goals by 2030 might not solve all the problems the world faces but it would at least show that through sincerity and humanity it is possible to overcome these basic challenges the world continues to face.
**Ranvir S. Nayar is the managing editor of Media India Group and founder-director of the Europe India Foundation for Excellence.