Saturday, June 15, 2024

Johnson says House will take Garland subpoena to court after DOJ's response to contempt vote - Misty Severi

 

by Misty Severi

Johnson said the DOJ's decision is "another example" of the Biden administration's two-tiered system of justice, and that the House would move to enforce the subpoena of Garland in federal court. The contempt order comes after Biden invoked executive privilege over the tapes, but Congress has received a transcript of the interview.

 

House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed disappointment Friday in the Justice Department's (DOJ) decision not to prosecute Attorney General Merrick Garland after the House voted to hold him in contempt for not fulfilling a subpoena, but said he plans to move forward by taking the subpoena to federal court and certifying the contempt reports.

The DOJ said Garland's refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena does not "constitute a crime." The subpoena instructed Garland to turn over an audio recording of President Joe Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents. The House voted to hold Garland in contempt on Wednesday.

"The House disagrees with the assertions in the letter from the Department of Justice, and as Speaker, I will be certifying the contempt reports to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia," Johnson said in a post to X. "It is sadly predictable that the Biden Administration’s Justice Department will not prosecute Garland for defying congressional subpoenas even though the department aggressively prosecuted Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro for the same thing."

Johnson said the DOJ's decision is "another example" of the Biden administration's two-tiered system of justice, and that the House would move to enforce the subpoena of Garland in federal court. The contempt order comes after Biden invoked executive privilege over the tapes, though Congress has received a transcript of the interview.

Garland blasted the House's contempt vote in a statement Wednesday, claiming that House Republicans were turning their power into a partisan weapon.

"Today’s vote disregards the constitutional separation of powers, the Justice Department’s need to protect its investigations, and the substantial amount of information we have provided to the Committees," Garland said in a statement after the vote. “I will always stand up for this department, its employees, and its vital mission to defend our democracy."


Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

Source: https://justthenews.com/government/congress/johnson-says-house-will-move-forward-certifying-contempt-reports-despite-dojs

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As US Is Being Encircled by Enemies, the US Administration Wants Israel to Surrender to Terrorists - Majid Rafizadeh

 

by Majid Rafizadeh

Instead of supporting Israel's right to defend itself against coordinated and sustained attacks, the Biden administration's public wavering suggests a pro-terrorist shift in US policy away from Israel. This shift represents a betrayal that leaves Israel in [a] no-win position

 

  • While Russian warships, including a nuclear submarine, this week docked in Cuba, and with China building a major deep-water port in Peru that could serve the Chinese military, the US administration is pressuring only Israel to allow the Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas to win the war it launched against Israel on October 7.

  • Instead of supporting Israel's right to defend itself against coordinated and sustained attacks, the Biden administration's public wavering suggests a pro-terrorist shift in US policy away from Israel. This shift represents a betrayal that leaves Israel in the no-win position of either rejecting US proposals, or allowing Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups to keep trying to advance their goal of ultimately destroying Israel.

  • When Iran itself, and not a terrorist proxy, launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel from Iranian soil on April 13, 2024, the assault was an act of war.

  • The result had been that Iran's proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon is now engaged in unremittingly raining down rockets, attack drones and guided missiles throughout Israel's north. The Biden administration might not even have asked the Iranian regime to order its other terrorist proxy Hezbollah to stop.

  • Asking Israel to do nothing against Hamas and Hezbollah after eight months of escalating aggression is akin to asking the United States, after the 9/11 attacks, to leave Al Qaeda untouched and allow it to remain in power.

  • Meanwhile, there has evidently been no pressure put on Qatar or Iran to lift a finger to stop the Gaza war. And Hamas official Ghazi Hamad disclosed last week that Egypt and Qatar have exerted no pressure on Hamas whatsoever to accept Biden's proposed ceasefire, and that media reports about threats to expel Hamas leaders from Qatar are false.

  • On one hand, the Biden administration keeps warning Israel against defending itself, while on the other, it keeps waiving sanctions, thereby providing the Iranian regime with billions of dollars that fund, arm, and sponsor terrorist organizations including Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis -- all of which are committed to eradicating Israel.

  • Worse, this US largesse is enabling the Iranian regime to race toward completing its nuclear weapons program.

  • Israel is being advised to exercise restraint and not retaliate while facing escalating threats from the very enemies bolstered by the people asking them to exercise restraint.

  • The "ring of fire" strategy -- apparently expanded to the hostile axis of Russia, China and Iran -- is now coiling around the US, as well as installing potential fighters and saboteurs "inside the gates."

  • The financial resources that Iran gains from waived sanctions, and channels into furthering its agenda with Qatar, Hamas and Hezbollah, simply increase their ability to conduct aggressive actions against Israel and the US, destabilize the region -- and with its new Russian and Communist Chinese axis -- seriously jeopardize the Free World.

The financial resources that Iran gains from waived sanctions, and channels into furthering its agenda with Qatar, Hamas and Hezbollah, simply increase their ability to conduct aggressive actions against Israel and the US, destabilize the region -- and with its new Russian and Communist Chinese axis -- seriously jeopardize the Free World. Pictured: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hosts Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, on June 21, 2023. (Image source: khamenei.ir)

While Russian warships, including a nuclear submarine, this week docked in Cuba, and with China building a major deep-water port in Peru that could serve the Chinese military, the US administration is pressuring only Israel to allow the Iran-backed terrorist group Hamas to win the war it launched against Israel on October 7.

When an ally is attacked by terrorists, the fundamental principle of an alliance dictates that the victim must be provided unwavering support to defeat the terrorists and dismantle the terror infrastructure completely, ensuring that the terrorists cannot regroup to launch further attacks.

Without such a commitment, it, the trust between allies erodes, and terrorists are emboldened. The situation has become particularly dire for Israel, which has been facing brutal attacks on multiple fronts. Despite these assaults, the Biden Administration has not only failed consistently to support Israel after it was invaded on October 7, 2023, accompanied by thousands of missiles, but has also pressed for policies favoring Hamas and its sponsors and enablers, Qatar and Iran.

After yet another of Iran's other proxy terrorist militias, Hezbollah, not only joined Hamas in attacking Israel but has kept escalating its attacks, the response from the Biden administration has been to warn -- not Hezbollah or Iran against warmongering – but Israel. Instead of supporting Israel's right to defend itself against coordinated and sustained attacks, the Biden administration's public wavering (such as here, here and here) suggests a pro-terrorist shift in US policy away from Israel. This shift represents a betrayal that leaves Israel in the no-win position of either rejecting US proposals, or allowing Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups to keep trying to advance their goal of ultimately destroying Israel.

When Iran itself, and not a terrorist proxy, launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel from Iranian soil on April 13, 2024, the assault was an act of war.

The response from the Biden administration was again to warn Israel not to retaliate, defend itself or fight back. The administration went even further and suggested that Israel should consider the situation a "win-win" scenario, simply because Iran's barrage of more than 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missile and attack drones at a country smaller than New Jersey did not inflict significant damage. By suggesting that Israel should be content that the attack did not cause major harm, and by withholding essential military support, the administration is minimizing the seriousness of the threat posed by Iran's actions. The result had been that Iran's proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon is now engaged in unremittingly raining down rockets, attack drones and guided missiles throughout Israel's north. The Biden administration might not even have asked the Iranian regime to order its other terrorist proxy Hezbollah to stop.

Asking Israel to do nothing against Hamas and Hezbollah after eight months of escalating aggression is akin to asking the United States, after the 9/11 attacks, to leave Al Qaeda untouched and allow it to remain in power. Would the U.S. have listened to such a recommendation?

Meanwhile, there has evidently been no pressure put on Qatar or Iran to lift a finger to stop the Gaza war. And Hamas official Ghazi Hamad disclosed last week that Egypt and Qatar have exerted no pressure on Hamas whatsoever to accept Biden's proposed ceasefire, and that media reports about threats to expel Hamas leaders from Qatar are false.

On one hand, the Biden administration keeps warning Israel against defending itself, while on the other, it keeps waiving sanctions, thereby providing the Iranian regime with billions of dollars that fund, arm, and sponsor terrorist organizations including Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Houthis -- all of which are committed to eradicating Israel.

Worse, this US largesse is enabling the Iranian regime to race toward completing its nuclear weapons program.

The Biden administration has also been massively strengthening the capacity of Iran and its proxies to carry out military operations against Israel, block shipping in the Red Sea and attack even US troops at least 170 times in the region. Three US servicemembers were killed, and at least 183 others wounded, including 131 with serious brain injuries.

Israel is being advised to exercise restraint and not retaliate while facing escalating threats from the very enemies bolstered by the people asking them to exercise restraint.

This policy muddle raises serious questions about the reliability of the United States as a steadfast ally. By not taking decisive action to support Israel, the administration is also sending a warning of inconsistency and weakness to all prospective allies, and encouraging them to rely on America's adversaries instead.

The consequences of this approach are unfortunately far-reaching. They affect not only the immediate security of Israel but also the credibility of the United States on the global stage, the broader stability of the region, and the very preservation of the US, which is currently being encircled by enemies.

The "ring of fire" strategy -- apparently expanded to the hostile axis of Russia, China and Iran -- is now coiling around the US, as well as installing potential fighters and saboteurs "inside the gates."

Allies, such as Israel and Ukraine, depend on military assurance in times of crisis -- not airy promises before and after them -- to know they will not be left to stand alone.

The financial resources that Iran gains from waived sanctions, and channels into furthering its agenda with Qatar, Hamas and Hezbollah, simply increase their ability to conduct aggressive actions against Israel and the US, destabilize the region -- and with its new Russian and Communist Chinese axis -- seriously jeopardize the Free World.

 
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

Source: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20704/encircled-by-enemies

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Police take down Islamic State-linked servers across Europe and US - Reuters

 

by Reuters

Servers were taken down in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Iceland, while Spanish police arrested nine "radicalized individuals," the organizations that coordinated the actions said.

 

Police across Europe and the United States have in the past week taken down a large number of servers that supported media outlets linked to Islamic State, European police and justice organizations Europol and Eurojust said on Friday.

Servers were taken down in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Iceland, while Spanish police arrested nine "radicalized individuals," the organizations that coordinated the actions said.

The servers supported websites, radio stations, a news agency and social media content with a global reach, they added.

"They communicated directives and slogans of Islamic State in over thirty languages, including Spanish, Arabic, English, French, German, Danish, Turkish, Russian, Indonesian and Pashto. Several terabytes of information were uncovered," Europol and Eurojust said.

 
Reuters

Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-806253

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Palestinians' Heroes: Murderers, Rapists and Kidnappers of Babies - Bassam Tawil

 

by Bassam Tawil

[T]he Biden administration has communicated to the Palestinians that the October 7 atrocities have heightened their likelihood of creating a terror state ruled by the Iranian regime and its Palestinian proxies, which would be used as a launchpad to murder more Jews and destroy Israel.

 

  • Support for Hamas also coincides with the Biden administration's and some European nations' ongoing promotion of creating a Palestinian state right next to Israel. This move would not only open the door for more atrocities against Israelis, but would also put Israel in grave danger because the Palestinian state, even under the supposedly watchful eye of a chaperone, would essentially be ruled by the same murderers and rapists who took part in the October 7 carnage.

  • These European nations — Ireland, Norway, and Spain — have sent a message to the Palestinians that the only way they can get international recognition for their state is by murdering Jews.

  • In a similar vein, the Biden administration has communicated to the Palestinians that the October 7 atrocities have heightened their likelihood of creating a terror state ruled by the Iranian regime and its Palestinian proxies, which would be used as a launchpad to murder more Jews and destroy Israel. This is evident in the administration's continued support for a "two-state solution."

  • Most Palestinians know what the Biden administration does not want to know: that the PA leadership cannot be trusted to implement any reforms or combat financial and administrative corruption.

  • In addition, 54% of Palestinians polled support an "armed struggle" against Israel, an 8-point rise from the previous poll three months ago.

  • The results of the poll also confirm what a Palestinian state would look like: it will be a terror state funded and armed by Qatar and Iran.

  • This tenacity is exactly why there is no substitute to destroying Hamas.

  • [Hamas official Ghazi] Hamad also said that Egypt and Qatar have exerted no pressure on Hamas whatsoever to accept Biden's proposed ceasefire, and that media reports about threats to expel Hamas leaders from Qatar are false.

  • Or is it possible that this is why they want Hamas to win? To see the Jews finally get their comeuppance for having had the gall not to accept their role as crushed victims after World War II, but instead to work hard and transform a land of malaria-infested swamps, sand dunes and deserts into a successful modern state?

  • "Israel should swiftly and decisively eliminate Muslim Brotherhood terrorist forces in Gaza." — Amjad Taha, political strategist and analyst from the United Arab Emirates, X, June 12, 2024.

More than eight months after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, most Palestinians continue to voice support for the atrocities committed by the Iran-backed terrorist group, including the murder, rape, beheading and burning of hundreds of Israelis. Support for Hamas also coincides with the Biden administration's and some European nations' ongoing promotion of creating a Palestinian state right next to Israel. Pictured: Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists share a moment of friendship for the crowds in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on November 28, 2023. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images)

More than eight months after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, most Palestinians continue to voice support for the atrocities committed by the Iran-backed terrorist group, including the murder, rape, beheading and burning of hundreds of Israelis.

This ongoing support for Hamas comes amid US-led efforts to end the current war in the Gaza Strip, a move that would effectively keep Hamas in power to prepare for its next massacre of Israelis.

Support for Hamas also coincides with the Biden administration's and some European nations' ongoing promotion of creating a Palestinian state right next to Israel. This move would not only open the door for more atrocities against Israelis, but would also put Israel in grave danger because the Palestinian state, even under the supposedly watchful eye of a chaperone, would essentially be ruled by the same murderers and rapists who took part in the October 7 carnage.

Three public opinion polls conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) after the October 7 Hamas-led attack have shown that an overwhelming majority of Palestinians support the crimes committed on that day, and which claimed the lives of 1,200 Israelis.

The first poll, conducted in December 2023, found that Palestinian support for the massacre stood at 72%. The second poll, conducted in March 2024, showed that 71% of Palestinians support the massacre. The third poll, published on June 12, found that two-thirds of the Palestinians believe the atrocities were "correct." According to the latest PSR poll, only 17% of Palestinians believe that the October 7 massacre was "incorrect."

One of the reasons why most Palestinians continue to support the October 7 massacre is because they believe that the murder, rape and beheading of Israelis has "revived international attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and that it could lead to increased recognition of Palestinian statehood," PSR noted in its analysis of the June 12 poll.

This indicates that the majority of Palestinians see the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by some European countries, together with the Biden administration's demand for "a concrete, time-bound and irreversible path to a Palestinian state," as a reward for the horrors of October 7.

These European nations — Ireland, Norway, and Spain — have sent a message to the Palestinians that the only way they can get international recognition for their state is by murdering Jews.

In a similar vein, the Biden administration has communicated to the Palestinians that the October 7 atrocities have heightened their likelihood of creating a terror state ruled by the Iranian regime and its Palestinian proxies, which would be used as a launchpad to murder more Jews and destroy Israel. This is evident in the administration's continued support for a "two-state solution."

The poll showed that most Palestinians (61%) would prefer to see Hamas control the Gaza Strip after the war, as opposed to only 16% who favored a "new Palestinian Authority with an elected president, parliament and government." Only 6% chose the current Palestinian Authority (PA) without Mahmoud Abbas, and another 6% chose the return of the PA to the Gaza Strip but under his control.

Unsurprisingly, the poll also showed that if a Palestinian presidential election were held today, most Palestinians would vote for a candidate who has Jewish blood on his hands: arch-terrorist Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life terms in prison for his role in the murder of five Israelis, would win 42% of the vote, followed by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh (27%) and Mahmoud Abbas (5%). Nearly 90% want Abbas to resign, as the level of dissatisfaction with his performance stands at 86%.

When asked which political party they support, the largest percentage selected Hamas (40%) followed by Abbas's ruling Fatah faction (20%), while 8% choose other or third-party groups, and 33% said none of them or did not know. The previous PSR poll, conducted three months ago, showed that 34% of Palestinians supported Hamas and 17% selected Fatah. This means that support for Hamas during the past three months has witnessed a 6-point rise.

In another sign of Hamas's rising popularity among the Palestinians, 32% said they would vote for Hamas in a new parliamentary election, while Fatah would get only 17%. The percentage of Palestinians who believe that Hamas is the most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinians has also risen from 49% three months ago to 51% today.

In a blow to the Biden administration's effort to "revitalize" the PA, an overwhelming majority (72%) of Palestinians believe that the new government appointed by Mahmoud Abbas and headed by Mohammad Mustafa will not succeed in carrying out reforms. Another 77% of Palestinians believe that the new government will not succeed in combating corruption.

Most Palestinians know what the Biden administration does not want to know: that the PA leadership cannot be trusted to implement any reforms or combat financial and administrative corruption.

In yet another blow to the Biden administration, the latest poll found that 65% of Palestinians oppose the idea of a "two-state solution."

In addition, 54% of Palestinians polled support an "armed struggle" against Israel, an 8-point rise from the previous poll three months ago.

The results of the PSR poll again reaffirm that a majority of Palestinians continue to support a terrorist group whose goal is to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamist state. They also show that the Palestinians' favorite leaders are murderers, rapists, and kidnappers of Jewish babies.

The results of the poll also confirm what a Palestinian state would look like: it will be a terror state funded and armed by Qatar and Iran.

Hamas has already pledged to carry out more October 7-style atrocities against Israelis. Hamas Official Ghazi Hamad said that he would repeat the October 7 attack time and again until Israel is annihilated, and that everything Hamas did was justified. This tenacity is exactly why there is no substitute to destroying Hamas.

Hamad also said that Egypt and Qatar have exerted no pressure on Hamas whatsoever to accept Biden's proposed ceasefire, and that media reports about threats to expel Hamas leaders from Qatar are false.

The PSR poll results show that most Palestinians have become so radicalized that they look up to murderers and rapists as heroes and role models. It is an outcome should be noted by the Biden administration and those Europeans who are desperate to see a Palestinian state and are pushing for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Or is it possible that this is why they want Hamas to win? To see the Jews finally get their comeuppance for having had the gall not to accept their role as crushed victims after World War II, but instead to work hard and transform a land of malaria-infested swamps, sand dunes and deserts into a successful modern state?

Amjad Taha, a political strategist and analyst from the United Arab Emirates, commented:

"If a ceasefire means Hamas terrorists, rapists, and kidnappers of babies remain in Gaza, then no one in Israel, Gaza, or the Middle East wants that. Keeping Nazis in power and giving them a moment to breathe is unacceptable. Israel should swiftly and decisively eliminate Muslim Brotherhood terrorist forces in Gaza."


Bassam Tawil is a Muslim Arab based in the Middle East. The work of Bassam Tawil is made possible through the generous donation of a couple of donors who wished to remain anonymous. Gatestone is most grateful.

Source: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20703/palestinians-heroes

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Federal judge blocks Biden Title IX rule in 4 states: 'Abuse of power' - Timothy H.J. Nerozzi

 

by Timothy H.J. Nerozzi

Federal judge in Louisiana calls President Biden's mandatory protections for 'gender identity' a 'threat to democracy'

 


A federal judge has blocked President Biden's expansion of Title IX in four states, calling the mandatory gender identity protections an "abuse of power."

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty granted a preliminary injunction on Thursday, and referred to the Biden administration's unilateral Title IX changes as a "threat to democracy."

"This case demonstrates the abuse of power by executive federal agencies in the rulemaking process," Doughty said in his ruling. "The separation of powers and system of checks and balances exist in this country for a reason."

Doughty ruled that the changes were inadmissible because the term "gender discrimination" as used in the establishment of Title IX "only included discrimination against biological males and females at the time of enactment."

'PUTTING OUR GIRLS AT RISK': BIDEN'S TITLE IX CHANGES CHALLENGED BY NEARLY 70 GOP LAWMAKERS

Biden speaks at White House

President Biden speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 31. (Michael Reynolds/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Doughty ruled that the changes were inadmissible because the term "gender discrimination" as used in the establishment of Title IX "only included discrimination against biological males and females at the time of enactment."

The ruling blocks implementation of the changes in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and Idaho.

Title IX is a longstanding civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in schools and other education centers that receive federal funding. 

SIX STATES SUE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OVER NEW TITLE IX PROTECTIONS FOR TRANS ATHLETES IN GIRLS' SPORTS

Under the administration's new rules, sex discrimination would include discrimination based on gender identity as well as sexual orientation. 

READ THE JUDGE'S RULING — APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

The latest update, from April, expands the definition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity — a move that critics say would undermine hard-won protections for women and girls. 

A school would not be able to separate or treat people differently based on sex, except in limited circumstances, under the provisions. 

Critics say that the change will allow locker rooms and bathrooms to be based on gender identity.

LGBTQ+ students who face discrimination would be entitled to a response from their school under Title IX, and those failed by their schools can seek recourse from the federal government.

Advocates have hailed the change as necessary to protect transgender students. The rule is set to take effect Aug. 1.

Lawsuits against the Biden administration's changes — similar to the Louisiana case — are underway in states across the country.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind and Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.


Timothy H.J. Nerozzi is a writer for Fox News Digital. You can follow him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and can email him at timothy.nerozzi@fox.com

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-blocks-biden-title-ix-rule-4-states-abuse-power

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Editor's Notes: Embracing Israel's new allies on the European right, despite troubling past - Zvika Klein

 

by Zvika Klein

In recent years, the political landscape of Europe has shifted significantly towards right-wing parties, and the recent European Parliament elections solidified this trend.

 

A detailed digital painting of Geert Wilders, a 60-year-old Dutch politician with distinctive silver hair, shown from the side and very close up.  (photo credit: Illustration. DALL·E)
A detailed digital painting of Geert Wilders, a 60-year-old Dutch politician with distinctive silver hair, shown from the side and very close up.
(photo credit: Illustration. DALL·E)

“Keep strong, my Israeli friends, in fighting Hamas. The UN, USA, and Europe don’t understand you are fighting an existential war. Against the dark forces of hate and destruction called Hamas. I’ll always support you.” This quote, which would probably resonate positively amongst most Israelis and Jews, was said by a far-right political leader who may become the Netherlands's next Prime Minister. 

Meet 60-year-old Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician who founded and has led the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) since 2006, holding a parliamentary seat since 1998. Known for his right-wing populism, anti-immigration stance, opposition to Islam, and Euroscepticism, Wilders has been a controversial figure, particularly after withdrawing his party's support from the Rutte cabinet in 2012 over budget disagreements. Raised Roman Catholic, his political views were significantly shaped by his travels to Israel and the Arab world, and he has been under constant armed protection since 2004 due to his outspoken views.

According to reports, Wilders met with far-right leaders in Brussels earlier this week to discuss European Parliament cooperation. At the same time, the formation of the new Dutch cabinet, including members from several political parties, is estimated to be able to establish a new and historic right-wing coalition.

In recent years, the political landscape of Europe has shifted significantly towards right-wing parties. This trend was solidified by the recent European Parliament elections, where right-wing factions made substantial gains across the continent. Once considered a fringe politician, Wilders has moved into the mainstream of Dutch politics, reflecting a broader trend that Israel can no longer afford to ignore.

Who is Geert Wilders, and other European figures?

Wilders has long been a controversial figure in European politics. Known for his staunch anti-Islamic rhetoric and nationalist views, Wilders and his PVV party have been viewed with suspicion and concern by many, including within Israel. However, the political reality in the Netherlands has changed. Wilders’ PVV made significant gains in the recent elections, forming a coalition government with other right-wing parties. This shift emphasizes the need for Israel to reassess its stance toward engaging with right-wing European leaders.

 Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders speaks to media in The Hague, Netherlands after polls closed in an EU election on June 6, 2024.  (credit: Lewis Macdonald / Reuters)Enlrage image
Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders speaks to media in The Hague, Netherlands after polls closed in an EU election on June 6, 2024. (credit: Lewis Macdonald / Reuters)

As an example, speaking after the elections, Wilders emphasized his support for Israel, stating, "Israel is a beacon of democracy in the Middle East. We must support Israel in its fight against terrorism and stand firmly by its side."

In 2010, during a speech he delivered in Tel Aviv, Wilders said, “If the Jews are denied the right to live in freedom and peace, soon we will all be denied this right. If the light of Israel is extinguished, we will all face darkness. If Israel falls, the West falls.”

On October 7, Wilders said, “When Israel is under attack, we are all under attack. Islamic terrorists hate Jews, Christians, and all non-muslims. Jerusalem, Paris, Rome, and Amsterdam are all targets. It’s a war between freedom and barbarity. So let us all vigorously support our Israeli friends!”

“If Jerusalem falls into the hands of the Muslims, Athens and Rome will be next. Thus, Jerusalem is the main front protecting the West. It is not a conflict over territory but rather an ideological battle, between the mentality of the liberated West and the ideology of Islamic barbarism.”

Israel's historical reluctance to engage with right-wing and far-right parties in Europe is understandable. Many of these parties have roots in or associations with xenophobic and antisemitic movements. For instance, the National Rally in France, led by Marine Le Pen, has a history deeply intertwined with her father Jean-Marie Le Pen’s antisemitic remarks. Similarly, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been criticized for its members’ statements that downplay the Holocaust and its anti-immigrant stance.

Despite their problematic histories, many of these right-wing parties have expressed strong support for Israel in recent years. This support has become particularly evident since the Hamas attacks on October 7. For example, Alice Weidel of the AfD has called for cutting aid to Palestinians and redirecting support to Israel, emphasizing the need to back Israel's right to defend itself. 

For example, the Sweden Democrats, led by Jimmie Åkesson, have expressed strong support for Israel, especially in light of the recent conflicts. On October 15, 2023, Åkesson emphasized that "Sweden must stand with Israel against terrorism and international bias.”

After the October 7 attacks, Le Pen attended a significant march against antisemitism in Paris on October 17, stating, "France and Israel share common threats. Our partnership should reflect our shared values and mutual interests." In addition, Herbert Kickl, leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), expressed unequivocal support for Israel’s right to self-defense post-October 7. On October 25, Kickl said, "Austria must advocate for Israel within the EU, ensuring that biased resolutions against Israel are opposed and supporting Israel's security measures.”

The recent European Parliament elections further illustrate the strengthening of European right-wing parties. Parties like Italy's Brothers of Italy, France's National Rally, and Hungary’s Fidesz have all made significant gains, reflecting a broader shift towards conservative and nationalist policies. This political shift is reshaping national politics and influencing EU policies on immigration, security, and foreign relations.

Given these developments, Israel must adopt a more nuanced approach to its relations with European right-wing parties. This does not mean ignoring their problematic pasts or endorsing all their policies. Instead, it involves a strategic engagement focusing on shared interests, particularly in security, counter-terrorism, and economic cooperation. That is precisely what diplomacy is all about. 

Engaging with these parties can help Israel ensure continued support within the EU on critical issues. For instance, by fostering relationships with right-wing leaders like Wilders, Israel can secure backing for its security policies and counter-terrorism efforts within European institutions. Similarly, aligning with parties that support Israel's stance against antisemitism can strengthen Israel’s diplomatic position in Europe.

While engaging with right-wing parties, Israel must also remain vigilant about their historical and ideological baggage. This requires a careful balance, acknowledging past grievances while leveraging current political opportunities. Diplomatic efforts should focus on building alliances that benefit Israel's national interests while holding these parties accountable for any actions or rhetoric that contradict Israel's values.

The implications of this political shift are significant for Israel. The rise of right-wing parties in Europe means that Israel must navigate a complex and evolving political landscape. Engaging with these parties can provide Israel with crucial support on critical issues within the European Union.

Furthermore, this engagement can help Israel counteract antisemitic rhetoric and policies within Europe. By working with right-wing parties that support Israel, Israel can promote a more balanced and supportive environment for Jewish communities across Europe. This is particularly important in light of the recent rise in antisemitic incidents and the need for solid advocacy against such threats.

Don’t think I am ignoring the problematic pasts and even, at times, present problematic attitudes of far-right European politicians. For example, the German AfD has faced criticism for its members' revisionist comments about the Nazi era. Björn Höcke, a prominent AfD politician, once referred to Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial as a "monument of shame" and called for a "180-degree reversal" in the way Germany approaches its Nazi past. 

In addition, Wilders believes the LGBT community in Europe is threatened by mass immigration from Muslim countries, asserting that Islam opposes freedoms such as expressing affection, marrying, and having children. He claims that, like Christians, Jews, and women, gay people are among the first to suffer from Islamization. He went on to say that he is “against Islam,” something that many would see as extreme and provoking. He also criticized the promotion of "woke indoctrination" among young children. He described it as a "woke dictatorship," advocating that transsexuals should only be allowed to change gender with the approval of a doctor or psychiatrist. His party's manifesto speaks against "gender insanity" being taught to schoolchildren, reflecting his broader views on Islam and immigration. Though these views don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with Western culture, supporting Israel should be a main priority for Western countries. Still, unfortunately, many have turned their backs on Israel.

In a situation like this, how can we turn our backs on those political leaders who have been supporting us since October 7, many years before? 

Israel is becoming isolated from many Western countries, liberal democracies that should be the first to support us against radical Islam. But they aren’t. Therefore, we cannot ignore our semi-new allies.


Zvika Klein

Source: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-806144

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US providing Israel with unprecedented amount of intelligence, but with restrictions - Washington Post

 

by Washington Post

A notable example of such capabilities was Israel’s recent hostage rescue operation, the official said.

 

An IDF Black Hawk helicopter is seen taking off from the Palmachin Airbase in central Israel on April 2023 (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
An IDF Black Hawk helicopter is seen taking off from the Palmachin Airbase in central Israel on April 2023
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

The US has provided Israel with intelligence capabilities never before seen prior to October 7, a senior official told The Washington Post on Friday. 

A notable example of such capabilities was Israel’s recent hostage rescue operation, the official said.

According to the Post, citing current and former US and Israeli intelligence sources since the October 7 massacre, the US has increased intelligence gathering on Hamas.

As such, the US is reportedly sharing an extraordinary amount of drone footage, satellite imagery, communications intercepts, and data analysis using advanced software, some powered by artificial intelligence.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar attends a rally in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip January 7, 2016 (credit: REUTERS)Enlrage image
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar attends a rally in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip January 7, 2016 (credit: REUTERS)

The unique intelligence capabilities provided by the US

The report cited Israeli officials who said Israel is grateful for the American aid, which in some cases provided unique capabilities that it lacked before Hamas’s attack.

However, according to the US daily, the Biden administration prohibited Israel from using any intelligence provided by the US to target "regular" Hamas terrorists in military operations and that the intelligence was only intended to locate hostages as well as the terrorist organization's senior leadership - including Yahya Sinwar, who planned the events of October 7, and Mohammad Deif, chief of Hamas’s military wing.

A senior official in the US security establishment told the Post, “If we managed to unilaterally get information that we could act on, and we thought we could actually get US people out alive, we could act, but there was genuinely very little information specifically about US hostages.”


Washington Post

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-806221

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'Nasrallah realizes the IDF can kill him': Hezbollah leadership shaken after Israeli elimination - Shaked Sadeh

 

by Shaked Sadeh

"The powerful elimination worries Hezbollah members. They now understand that the IDF knows much more about them than they know about us," says Professor Amatzia Baram.

 

Hassan Nasrallah (photo credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)
Hassan Nasrallah
(photo credit: AZIZ TAHER/REUTERS)

Approximately 250 rockets were launched on Wednesday towards northern Israel, disrupting the holiday calm with successive alerts. Rockets that exploded in open areas caused fires. In the city of Tiberias, a siren was activated for the first time since October.

These launches come after the assassination of senior Hezbollah official Sami Taleb Abdullah, whose rank was equivalent to a brigadier general in the IDF. 

For the past 20 years, Abdullah had led rocket fire toward Kiryat Shmona, the Galilee panhandle, and the Golan Heights. He is the highest-ranking Hezbollah commander to have been killed so far in the war.

Abdullah was also active during the Second Lebanon War, serving as a brigade commander and developing rockets in the region. 

Yesterday, following attacks on Kfar Blum and after recent intelligence gathering on him, the IDF precisely assassinated Taleb using a fighter jet. The operation was led by the Northern Command chief in collaboration with the Intelligence Directorate and the Air Force.

 Supporters wave flags as they wait for Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to speak, April 8, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)Enlrage image
Supporters wave flags as they wait for Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to speak, April 8, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/MOHAMED AZAKIR)

"The powerful elimination worries Hezbollah members. They now understand that the IDF knows much more about them than we do. Additionally, the operation indicates that Hezbollah's field security is not airtight and that the organization's intelligence system has been penetrated to such an extent that we were able to eliminate such an important sector commander. The IDF managed to infiltrate their networks and systems and identify the right people for elimination," says Professor Amatzia Baram, suggesting that this also impacts the leader of the terrorist organization.

Hezbollah leadership worried

He further added, "[Hezbollah Secretary-general Hassan] Nasrallah realizes that the IDF has the ability to kill him whenever it wants, and I believe this worries him quite a bit. Contrary to popular belief, Nasrallah is not a suicidal Shiite yearning for death (martyrdom). He understands that he would be next in line to die if a full-scale war breaks out. This poses a significant danger for him. Additionally, the elimination is a significant success in the psychological warfare against the terrorist organization, as it leads to great concern among the commanders, who know they could be next."

The professor also referred to the possible responses from the terrorist organization following the significant assassination. 

"The last time we eliminated senior Hezbollah commanders, the terrorist organization increased the amount of fire as a 'punishment' and fired more rockets and missiles at Israel,” he said. “However, they did not cross the unspoken red lines set in the limited war."

"Now, Hezbollah might increase the scope of fire, but in my opinion, they will not significantly extend the range. The important point is the type of targets they attempt to hit. So far, the terrorist organization has not tried to hit a large civilian target, but rather only a few military targets, which is the critical line that separates provoking Israel from starting a full-scale war. In my opinion, Hezbollah is ready for a large-scale war but does not want it and, therefore, will not try to attack civilian targets," Baram added.

"From their perspective, starting a war would be a big mistake, as then the US would have legitimacy to join the fight. They still remember Biden's statement that if Hezbollah initiates a full-scale war against Israel, the US would join the war against them, which the terrorist organization and the Iranians fear. On the other hand, if Israel started the war, the Americans would not be obligated to join the fighting. There are constant talks between Tehran and Beirut, with the Iranians urging Nasrallah to escalate only in a limited manner, targeting military objectives only and not civilians, and not to focus fire on cities with civilian populations," the professor explained.

"Yesterday, Hezbollah directed a drone towards Haifa. In a different scenario, where the terrorist organization aimed 100 warheads at the city, the effect would be different, and Israel would have the legitimacy to start a full-scale war," Baram continued. "Israel might want Hezbollah to cross the red line, but the terrorist organization will not do so."

"The current limited escalation does not justify Israel starting a full-scale war, and the crucial question is if Hezbollah might take an action that would leave the Americans no choice but to join the war against them, according to Biden's commitment,” Baram stated. “Even after the powerful elimination, Hezbollah has not changed its view that the war of attrition in the North should continue along the same unspoken red lines.”


Shaked Sadeh

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-806019

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Reaffirmed: Masks make 'little to no difference' after 15-month review prompted by NYT columnist - Greg Piper

 

by Greg Piper

Cochrane's rationale doesn't explain timing: Formal debate between authors, critics ended in December. Pro-mask activists who touted scarlet letter against study, trashed its lead author remain quiet. "The damage has been done," scientist says.

 


 

Fifteen months after caving to pro-mask public figures by applying a scarlet letter to its research questioning the effectiveness of masks against influenza and COVID-19 – over the strident objections of its authors, whose critics declared victory – a U.K.-based international research collaborative funded by American taxpayers has reached an anticlimactic conclusion.

The collaborative, Cochrane, said it will not require the authors of "Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses," an ongoing 18-year systematic review last updated in January 2023, to revise the "plain language summary and abstract" despite Editor-in-Chief Karla Soares-Weiser claiming the study had been "widely misinterpreted" as "masks don't work."

The June update to Soares-Weiser's March 2023 statement, which itself may have violated the Committee on Publication Ethics protocol by unilaterally changing the "interpretation and conclusions" of the authors, raises as many questions as it answers, particularly why the once-celebrated "gold standard" of evidence-based medicine took so long to do nothing.

Cochrane did not respond to Just the News queries for an explanation of the timing or why Soares-Weiser's name isn't on its June 6 response, which is credited to "The Editors."

The collaborative simply cited the "scientific debate" happening in the comment section of the paper, with back-and-forth between commenters and corresponding author John Conly of the University of Calgary medical school on behalf of the authors. The last response, by Conly, is dated Dec. 21, 2023.

Soares-Weiser posted her unilateral statement hours after New York Times columnist and Princeton sociologist Zeynep Tufekci quoted her in the column "Here’s Why the Science Is Clear That Masks Work."

The editor-in-chief criticized the study's initiator and lead, University of Oxford epidemiologist Tom Jefferson, for characterizing the findings in an interview as "no evidence" that masks "make any difference," which Soares-Weiser called "not accurate." YouTube continues to promote Soares-Weiser's view as of Friday.

"I got that highly consequential Cochrane misinterpretation corrected," Tufekci claimed on X and thanked Cochrane for "correcting the record," even though the review's content didn't change. Then-CDC Director Rochelle Walensky falsely told a congressional committee the review had been "redacted" – a factual error the committee fixed in the hearing record.

Tufekci told Just the News in the wake of the controversy she was not bullying or trying to discredit the authors by asking "questions about other people's work[, which] is normal." She does not appear to have addressed the update on her nearly 500,000-follower X account.

"Comments on intervention adherence, combining data from studies conducted against the backdrop of different circulating viruses, and summary versions of the review (including the plain language summary and abstract) have been addressed directly by the authors in their responses," the editors said June 6.

"Following engagement with the authors," the editors decided changing the abstract and summary intended for lay readers — which said masks "probably make little to no difference" – "would not impact the scientific integrity of the content."

Cochrane's shrug after "throw[ing the authors] under the bus," as Jefferson put it at the time, stood out to defenders of the research and its authors.

"No changes made to the plain language summary. Of course media not touching this," epidemiologist Allison Krug wrote on X.

The inaction is "devastating" for Soares-Weiser, University of California San Francisco epidemiologist Vinay Prasad, whose narrower review of community masking research in the law-medicine journal Health Matrix echoed Jefferson's, wrote in his newsletter Tuesday.

Prasad's research team "looked at all Cochrane reviews on topics with negative overall conclusions and wide confidence intervals" – the editor-in-chief's stated basis for changing the authors' interpretation – and found "they were always interpreted as negative except for this one case" in which Soares-Weiser changed it.

Former Senate Finance Committee investigator Paul Thacker, who used a U.K. law to obtain nearly unreadable emails among Cochrane staff on how to respond to his questions after Soares-Weiser's statement, obtained other communications unfavorable to Cochrane.

One author complained to Soares-Weiser that Tufekci had not been "referred to the usual Cochrane process" for journalists, in which they "agree to comply with the Cochrane policy and submit and provide full [conflict of interest] disclosures" that are paired with journalists' comments on papers. 

Thacker detailed Tufekci's alleged conflicts in response to her column, whom he and Heneghan both refer to as a "social media influencer."

Tufekci's column paraphrased Michigan State University emergency medicine department Chairman Michael Brown, who serves on Cochrane's editorial board, as saying the review "couldn’t arrive at a firm conclusion because there weren’t enough high-quality randomized trials with high rates of mask adherence." (The January 2023 update reviewed 78 randomized trials.)

Brown also told her he was "very confident" that mask mandates and other early-pandemic interventions prevented "much higher" deaths in "places like New York City."

But Brown apologized to an author "for how this transpired" because "I stood by the conclusions of the review" and Brown would be "throwing myself under the bus as the sign-off editor" if he contradicted their conclusions, according to Thacker. 

"Very naive to think you" and Soares-Weiser would talk to this "controversial writer" without first informing the authors and "trust them" not to "immediately publish what you said," the author responded, Thacker said.

Brown told Just the News that he thought Tufekci "captured the conclusions of the systematic review" in her paraphrase that it couldn't reach a "firm conclusion" because of too few "high-quality randomized trials with high rates of mask adherence."

But he said the Times did not make "explicit" his other comments, that he was not speaking for Michigan State or Cochrane, and that his apology "for how this transpired" was based on Tufekci apparently not contacting the authors for their thoughts, as he had suggested.

Jefferson and his collaborator Carl Heneghan, director of Oxford's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, republished Thacker's essay in their own newsletter. Heneghan's response to the "U-turn" crowed that "Cochrane leaders have recanted" but "the damage has been done," including through Walensky's false testimony and "zero coviders" who used it to "distort reality."

Thacker also created dossiers of medical academics and science journalists who wrote "disparaging stories and social media postings spurred by" Soares-Weiser's statement, documenting their allegedly weak, retracted or fraudulent mask research and false claims.

Tufekci provided Just the News a lengthy statement in response to Cochrane's decision and Thacker's allegations about her.

"Despite Paul Thacker's inexplicable insistence in making false claims about my role in clarifying the findings from the Cochrane review ... nothing has changed regardless of whether or not Cochrane review authors update their summary to prevent widespread misunderstandings of what their review concluded," she wrote in an email, provided in full in the linked PDF. 

"I merely helped clarified this basic misunderstanding after seeing it propagated widely, and multiple co-authors of that review as well as the editor-in-chief of Cochrane agreed with my attempts to correct this misinterpretation, and I quoted two of them in my article," Tufekci said.

"My effort to help correct the misrepresentation ... remains valid and correct, as attested by multiple co-authors of the review, since my clarification was based on the actual review and not whether or not the summary is eventually updated to make it harder to misinterpret it," she said. I've nothing to do with that process which doesn't change the fact that my own clarifications remain correct, valid and supported by multiple co-authors of that very review.

She invited Thacker to point her to other studies or "disagree with various findings ... without making false claims about either my own role in clarifying the findings of the Cochrane review or the actual findings of the review itself."

 

Greg Piper

Source: https://justthenews.com/accountability/cancel-culture/reaffirmed-masks-make-little-no-difference-after-15-month-review

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Targeted killings will not remove Hezbollah’s massive firepower threat - Yaakov Lappin

 

by Yaakov Lappin

The Lebanese organization's structure, Iranian funding and recruitment capabilities ensure a continuous flow of personnel to replace losses.

 

Hezbollah terrorists at a funeral for a slain comrade in Jwaya, Lebanon, April 17, ‎2024, Photo by mohammad kassir/Shutterstock.
Hezbollah terrorists at a funeral for a slain comrade in Jwaya, Lebanon, April 17, ‎2024, Photo by mohammad kassir/Shutterstock.

As the ongoing waves of Lebanese projectile and drone attacks on northern Israel demonstrate, targeted strikes, such as the elimination of high-ranking operatives like Sami Taleb Abdullah, aka Abu Taleb, on June 11, serve as tactical achievements but fall short of strategically degrading the severe threat posed by the Hezbollah terror army and its massive arsenal.

While targeted strikes can disrupt command and control temporarily, they do not degrade the underlying military capabilities of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

Hezbollah’s response to Abu Taleb’s assassination—firing over 300 rockets, and UAVs, at northern Israel within 48 hours, including targeting the Plasan Sasa defense company that manufactures armored vehicle parts, underscores its capacity to mobilize and implement large-scale, precise attacks rapidly, and how this ability is not dependent on any single commander.

A troubling pace

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has been making increasingly effective use of Almas guided anti-tank missiles, which are based on Israeli-made Spike missiles that were captured in the 2006 Second Lebanon War and reverse engineered by the Iranians, to target military bases in the north. Hezbollah has also used precise weapons to try and knock out Iron Dome air defense batteries. It is using the current conflict to adapt and learn at a troubling pace.  

Hezbollah’s widespread attack on the north on Wednesday demonstrates that the core threat lies not in any individual commanders but in the substantial firepower array that is entrenched deeply throughout 200 southern Lebanese Shi’ite villages, as well as in Beirut and in the Beka’a Valley.

Tuesday night’s Israeli Air Force targeted strike in the southern Lebanese village of Jwaya killed the most senior Hezbollah commander since the war began, and delivered a stinging blow to the Shi’ite Lebanese terror army, due to the intelligence infiltration of its activities. Yet this. unfortunately, will not be a game changer in terms of the threat posed to Israel.

Abdullah, who was commander of Hezbollah’s territorial Nasr Unit—the equivalent of a division commander—was killed along with three other Hezbollah operatives in the strike on a Hezbollah headquarters.

As the Alma Research and Education Center recently noted, the Nasr Unit, like the Badr and Aziz Units of Hezbollah, has a designated geographic territory in southern Lebanon from which it fires rockets, anti-tank missiles, UAVs and other weapons at northern Israel, and would be in charge of confronting any future Israel Defense Forces ground offensive.

The death of Abu Taleb, although a significant moral blow, did not cripple Hezbollah’s ability to retaliate swiftly and forcefully. On June 12, the immediate response from Hezbollah was a barrage of over 250 rockets into northern Israel, causing widespread fires and damage.  

Hezbollah’s military-terrorist infrastructure and expansive manpower pose the largest conventional threat to Israel. The limitations of targeted strikes as an approach is becoming increasingly evident, as is IAF’s ongoing campaign to strike at Hezbollah weapons storage centers and command posts in a limited fashion, in line with the Israeli War Cabinet’s directive.

Israel continues to prioritize the Gaza arena and the War Cabinet instructed the IDF to keep the northern flames from reaching high intensity. The north, meanwhile, continues to burn.  

Hezbollah’s military-terrorist apparatus is unprecedented. Its firepower arsenal can only be matched by a handful of military powers. Its extensive, well-organized and deeply embedded army nestles within Lebanese-Shi’ite civilian society. Hezbollah’s arsenal of more than 200,000 warheads includes tens of thousands of rockets and missiles, 140,000 mortar shells, precision-guided munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles. This arsenal allows Hezbollah to sustain prolonged conflicts and execute precision strikes against Israeli targets.

Hezbollah’s increasingly effective use of UAVs in recent days is another reminder of this persistent threat. Hezbollah is using the current conflict to rapidly learn how to launch UAVs at sensitive military facilities in Israel.

In recent weeks, Hezbollah has deployed drones with greater frequency and effectiveness, targeting military sites in northern Israel and terrorizing northern communities. On June 10 and 11, Hezbollah’s UAV attacks caused significant damage and fires in several locations in northern Israel.

100,000 men

With 50,000 active members and an equal number of reservists, Hezbollah maintains substantial manpower, allowing the group to absorb losses from targeted strikes and continue its operations with minimal disruption.

Hezbollah’s organizational structure, Iranian funding flow (estimated at around $700 million per year) and recruitment capabilities ensure a continuous flow of personnel to replace losses. Hence, even significant casualties among high-ranking members can be mitigated, allowing the group to sustain its operations over the long term.

As Israel has learned from eight months of war in Gaza, only a ground incursion could significantly uproot such an entrenched threat, but it is up to the Cabinet to decide, soon, whether to activate this option or to try and delay the next northern war, which could also draw in Iran directly.


Yaakov Lappin is an Israel-based military affairs correspondent and analyst. He is the in-house analyst at the Miryam Institute; a research associate at the Alma Research and Education Center; and a research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University. He is a frequent guest commentator on international television news networks, including Sky News and i24 News. Lappin is the author of Virtual Caliphate: Exposing the Islamist State on the Internet. Follow him at: www.patreon.com/yaakovlappin.

Source: https://www.jns.org/targeted-killings-will-not-remove-hezbollahs-massive-firepower-threat/

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