The "Middle East and Terrorism" Blog was created in order to supply information about the implication of Arab countries and Iran in terrorism all over the world. Most of the articles in the blog are the result of objective scientific research or articles written by senior journalists.
From the Ethics of the Fathers: "He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say, it is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but you are not exempt from undertaking it."
Smoke-filled rooms? Should Biden opt to step aside, it is far from certain that Vice President Kamala Harris would be the automatic stand-in on the party ticket.
As Democratic powerbrokers attempt
to pressure President Joe Biden into bowing out of reelection, his
departure could set up a messy selection process for his replacement
that circumvents the primary electorate and threatens to send the party
back to the days of Tammany Hall.
Biden, 81, has faced calls to step aside as the party nominee in the
wake of his disastrous performance in a CNN presidential debate against
former President Donald Trump. During that event, Biden often appeared
lost on stage and stumbled over both stairs and his answers, which
reignited longstanding concerns over his age, mental acuity, and fitness
for office.
Should Biden opt to step aside, it is far from certain that Vice
President Kamala Harris would be the automatic stand-in on the party
ticket. The imminent approach of the party convention, moreover, could
lead to last-minute jockeying for the top slot.
For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Democratic Party politics
were dominated by Tammany Hall, a New York City-based executive
committee that maintained political control through mafia-like tactics
and behind-the-scenes power-broking.
A potentially brokered convention post-primary with little voter
influence could see the party return to such machine politics, an ironic
development in light of the party’s repeated insistence that Trump, the
Republican nominee, represents a “threat to Democracy.”
"President Biden's campaign manager saying he is absolutely staying
in the Presidential race sets the stage for a drama of 'the bosses
versus Biden'," former House Speaker Newt Gingrich posted on Friday. "He got 14,500,000 votes in the primaries. The bosses got zero."
"The spirit of Tammany Hall has returned to the Democratic Party as
Boss Pelosi, Boss Obama, Boss Schumer and Boss Jeffries seek to
repudiate over 14 million Democrats and replace the sitting President,"
he continued. "There is no precedent for Washington bosses throwing out
the votes of the American people to impose their will on the nation."
Heavy hitters seeking his ouster
Major Democratic lawmakers have publicly called on Biden to step
aside, while several more power brokers have reportedly done so in
private. Thus far, however, those seeking his ouster remain a minority.
Among the most high profile lawmakers urging Biden to step aside are Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Peter Welch of Vermont. Rep. Adam Schiff,
D-Calif., this week also called on Biden to “pass the torch,” warning
that "[a] second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of
our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President
can defeat Donald Trump in November."
Reports also emerged this week that Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had shown Biden unfavorable polling data while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had privately urged Biden to reconsider his election bid.
Biden not leaving
But Biden, the White House, and his campaign have been adamant that
he has no plans to step aside and will carry forward to the general
election.
Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on Friday asserted
that "Absolutely the president is in this race, you've heard him say
that time and time again… He is the best person to take on Donald
Trump."
"That is not happening, period," White House spokesperson Andrew
Bates said of plans for Biden to exit the race. "The individuals making
those claims are not speaking for his family or his team – and they will
be proven wrong. Keep the faith."
"Let me say this clear as I can. I’m staying in the race,” he wrote.
“I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the
best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024.”
The “voters voted”
“Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period. End of story. Voters voted. He won overwhelmingly,” the campaign declared in late June.
Though the Democratic National Convention has yet to formally declare
Biden the party nominee, the process has essentially concluded. Biden
won every nominating contest with the notable exception of American
Samoa.
Facing challenges from Minnesota Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips and Hollywood guru Marianne Williamson, Biden overwhelmingly won
the most delegates in the primary, notching 3,896 of the necessary
1,976. “Uncommitted” trailed with a mere 36 while Phillips placed third
with only four.
Writing to Capitol Hill Democrats earlier this month, Biden highlighted his performance in the primary, asserting that “the voters have spoken clearly and decisively.”
“I received over 14 million votes, 87% of the votes cast across the
entire nominating process. I have nearly 3,900 delegates, making me the
presumptive nominee of our party by a wide margin,” he said. “This was a
process open to anyone who wanted to run. Only three people chosen to
challenge me. One fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an
independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly
defeated.”
“The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me
to be the nominee of the party,” he went on. “Do we now just say this
process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say? I decline to do
that.”
Biden’s gaffes and age concerns aren’t new
While Biden’s awkward and stumbling answers during the debate have
been widely cited as the immediate impetus for the calls to stand aside,
such mannerisms from the president are hardly new and neither are
concerns over his age. The only new thing is mainstream media finally
broke their silence on the issue after Biden's disastrous debate
performance.
New York magazine's
Olivia Nuzzi, a long-time Democratic stalwart, wrote that there was a
"conspiracy of silence" regarding Biden's infirmities, and that although
reporters knew about Biden's issues, they refused to acknowledge it to
readers for fear of echoing "right-wing media."
The president’s reference to a candidate who “attacked me for being
too old” was an apparent knock at Phillips, who repeatedly highlighted
Biden’s age throughout the campaign. Phillips in January told Axios he believed that Biden would be unable to complete another term in office.
"At that stage of life, it is impossible ultimately to conduct, to
prosecute the office of the American presidency in the way that this
country in the world needs right now,” he said. “That is an absolute
truth."
Biden’s penchant for making awkward gaffes or telling questionable
stories, moreover, is a longstanding matter, and significantly predates
the 2024 Democratic primary.
The University of California at Santa Barbara
catalogued his record of plagiarism and fabrications going back to at
least the 1980s, including allegations from the Trump camp that as a
student at Syracuse Law School in 1965, Biden plagiarized five pages from a law review journal "without quotation or attribution."
During his failed 1988 presidential campaign, Biden plagiarized from
speeches by British politician Neil Kinnock, Robert Kennedy,
and President John F. Kennedy.
His awkward utterances, moreover, have been so frequent that Trump has compiled them for campaign materials, last month releasing a supercut of Biden’s awkward phrasings.
"America is a nation that can be defined in a single word:
aseemfhuuthimaafuutheemscuseme," he said in one. "All men and women
created by the go you know... you know the thing," Biden said in
another.
Current polling looks bad, but it’s only July
Polling data currently show Trump with a modest lead over Biden, earning 47.7% support to the incumbent’s 44.7% in the RealClearPolitics polling average.
But July polling has generally not reflected the overall outcome of
the November election. At this point in 2020, for instance, Biden led
Trump by 8.6%, but only won by about 4.5%.
In 2016, moreover, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton led
Trump by 2.7% in the same metric. Though she ultimately won the popular
vote by roughly 2.1%, Trump won the election.
Key blocs are lining up behind Biden
Even with Democratic calls for Biden to step aside growing, some key
Democratic blocs have lined up behind the incumbent president,
potentially reinforcing his resolution to remain in the race.
BOLD PAC, the political wing of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, on
Friday offered its endorsement to the commander-in-chief, with PAC
chair Rep. Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., saying “President Biden and Vice
President Kamala Harris have delivered for the Latino community and CHC
BOLD PAC is proud to endorse them for re-election,” according to The Hill.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., meanwhile, held an Instagram
Live on Thursday evening in which she insisted that those pushing for
Biden to leave the ticket would not necessarily support Harris for the
ticket.
“If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe
Biden to leave that they will support Vice President Harris, you would
be mistaken,” she said, according to The Hill.
“A lot of people don’t love that we have the same exact match-up all
over again, which is to say that the debate didn’t change much at all.
It didn’t really change a lot in terms of people’s perceptions, in terms
of where the electorate is at and going into the debate.”
She further warned that replacing Biden could prompt Republican legal challenges to the choice of another nominee.
Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X.
The strike on Yemen’s oil infrastructure is a microcosm of a larger strategic narrative.
Smoke rises from a fire following an Israeli air strike in Hodeidah, Yemen in this handout photo released on July 20, 2024. (photo credit: HOUTHI MEDIA CENTRE/Handout via REUTERS)
Israel’s attack on a strategic oil refinery in Yemen
is more than a tactical strike in the complex conflict between Israel
and Yemen. It sends an unambiguous message to Iran: Israel can and will
disrupt the energy lifeline of the Middle East. Energy, as a critical
element of national and regional security, is at the heart of this
strategic maneuver. By targeting essential energy assets, Israel
underscores the vulnerability of its adversaries' economic and military
capabilities, which heavily depend on a stable energy supply.
The
Yemeni oil facility, while significant, is not the primary target of
Israel’s strategic calculations. Instead, it demonstrates what can be
achieved on a larger scale—precisely, a hint at the potential
vulnerability of Iran’s critical oil infrastructure, most notably Khark
Island.
Khark
Island, located in the Persian Gulf, is Iran’s principal oil export
terminal, handling most of the country’s crude oil exports. This
facility is not merely an economic asset but a critical node in Iran’s
geopolitical leverage and capacity to fund regional activities and
proxies. By showcasing its ability to strike similar targets in Yemen,
Israel is effectively placing Iran on notice that Khark Island and other
vital infrastructure could be next.
This maneuver
aligns with Israel’s broader strategic doctrines of deterrence and
preemption. Israel has long been aware of the multifaceted threats posed
by Iran, ranging from nuclear ambitions to the support of militant
groups in the region. In targeting critical Yemeni oil infrastructure,
Israel demonstrates its willingness to engage in unconventional and
asymmetric warfare, disrupting supply chains and economic resources that
fuel hostile activities.
An Israeli F15 Fighter Jet taking off is seen at an unidentified
location in this screen grab from a video released July 20, 2024.
(credit: Israeli Army/Handout via REUTERS)
Moreover,
the attack highlights Israel’s operational reach and intelligence
capabilities. Yemen is not a neighboring country, and the logistics of
such a strike are complex. By successfully executing this operation,
Israel underscores its ability to project power across the region,
reinforcing its strategic posture and deterring adversaries through
demonstrated action rather than mere rhetoric.
Regional instability
This
move also reminds the international community of the broader
implications of regional instability. The global economy is intricately
linked to the steady flow of oil from the Middle East. Any significant
disruption, especially involving major export terminals like Khark
Island, would have profound economic consequences worldwide. By
illustrating the potential for such disruptions, Israel is implicitly
urging global powers to take the Iranian threat seriously and to support
efforts to curb Tehran’s destabilizing activities.
The
strike on Yemen’s oil infrastructure is thus a microcosm of a larger
strategic narrative. It is a clear indication that Israel is prepared to
take decisive action to protect its national security interests and to
ensure the stability of the region. By connecting this action to the
vulnerability of Khark Island, Israel communicates a potent warning: the
lights in the Middle East can be turned off, and those who threaten
regional peace and security will face significant consequences. The role
of energy in maintaining security is paramount; disrupting an
adversary's energy supply is a powerful method of undermining their
ability to operate and project power.
In the volatile and interconnected world of Middle Eastern geopolitics,
such messages are essential. They serve not only to deter adversaries
but also to galvanize allies and neutral actors to acknowledge and
address real threats. As the international community watches these
developments, the clarity of Israel’s message should resonate: the era
of unchecked aggression and proxy warfare must end, and those who
perpetuate it will find themselves vulnerable to the very tactics they
employ. The centrality of energy in these dynamics underscores the
profound impact that control over energy resources and infrastructure
has on the security and stability of nations.
Morielle I. Lotan is the founder of Mile Advisory and an expert on energy and security.
In February, the US defended Israel's military "occupation" and argued to the World Court that Israel faced “very real security needs.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the press at the port of Ashdod, in Ashdod, Israel, May 1, 2024.(photo credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/POOL)
The United States criticized "the breadth" of the top UN court's opinion in which the International Court of Justice
said Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, with
Washington saying it will complicate efforts to resolve the conflict.
"We
have been clear that Israel's program of government support for
settlements is both inconsistent with international law and obstructs
the cause of peace," a US State Department spokesperson said on Saturday
in an email.
"However,
we are concerned that the breadth of the court's opinion will
complicate efforts to resolve the conflict and bring about an urgently
needed just and lasting peace, with two states living side-by-side in peace and security," the State Department added.
The ICJ stated on Friday that Israel’s "occupation" of the West Bank and east Jerusalem,
as well as its associated policies of settlement, annexation, and
discrimination in those areas, are illegal and must end, issuing the
first of its kind advisory opinion on the subject.
The US's defense
In
February, the US defended Israel's military "occupation" and argued to
the World Court that Israel faced “very real security needs.”
Public
hearing held by ICJ to allow parties to give their views on the legal
consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories
before eventually issuing a non-binding legal opinion in The Hague,
Netherlands, February 21, 2024. (credit: PIROSCHKA VAN DE WOUW/REUTERS)
Richard
C. Visek, the acting legal adviser at the US State Department, urged
the panel of judges at the World Court not to call for Israel’s
immediate withdrawal from the West Bank.
In
this instance, Visek argued that only the establishment of an
independent Palestinian state “living safely and securely alongside”
Israel could bring lasting peace. He called for negotiations between the
two parties and condemned violence and unilateral actions.
According to the report, farmers will see costs rise at least 34% as a result of net-zero emissions policies and corporate ESG reporting requirements. Families' annual grocery bills will go up by 15%.
Consumers’ Research,
a consumer advocacy nonprofit group, launched a six-figure campaign
this month to raise awareness about the threat posed by environment,
social and governance (ESG) on agriculture. This effort will, according
to Consumers’ Research, will drive up the cost of operation on America’s
farms and increase food prices at a time when consumers are already
struggling with the impacts of inflation on their grocery bills.
“A lot has been made of the net zero push on the fossil fuel
industry, and people are starting to wake up to the implications it has
on the electrical grid. The reason we launched this campaign is we want
to make sure people understand it goes farther than that — all the way
to the apple that you buy at the grocery store,” Will Hild, executive
director of Consumers’ Research, told Just the News.
The six-figure Consumers’ Research campaign includes television ads
airing in Washington, D.C., and New York, a billboard in Times Square, a website, a series of mobile billboards in D.C., New York City, and Charlotte, North Carolina, and a digital campaign.
Targeted
Agriculture has become a favorite target of climate activists and the
ESG movement. Earlier this year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) released a report on models for financing a “sustainable transition” in agriculture.
“Global food systems need to shift rapidly to more sustainable forms
of production as part of broader food system transformation efforts.
Food systems accounted for more than 30% of global greenhouse gas
emissions in 2020,” the report warns.
Modern agriculture has led to massive increases in crop yields
for just about every crop across multiple regions of the globe, but
according to the WEF report, it’s causing climate change, destroying
rainforests, and draining global freshwater supplies.
Among other initiatives it proposes, the report says farmers should
be “offered a flexible stack of financial and non-financial services” to
get them to switch to regenerative agriculture. Regenerative farming is
an organic approach to agriculture that, among other things, uses manure instead of modern fertilizers.
In 2022, Sri Lanka became an organic farming experiment when it banned modern pesticides and fertilizers, which resulted in a complete collapse of the Asian nation’s agriculture sector and economy.
Hild said the ESG movement is pushing American farms in the same
direction. While ESG standards are thought of as something that’s
adopted by corporations, Hild said these are filtering down to the
family farm. The banks, he explained, are going to start using their
loan portfolios to put net-zero emissions requirements into finance.
These standards would assess the emissions along the entire supply
chain, what’s called Scope 3 emissions.
This means that getting a loan or crop insurance, both of which are
vital to family farms, would require the operations to hit emission
reduction targets.
Blackrock CEO “Larry Fink sitting on Wall Street like a fat cat is
going to be dictating what the Johnson family farm can do,” Hild said.
Blackrock has been a key proponent of ESG initiatives in the world of
finance.
The Buckeye Institute, a free-market think tank, released a report
earlier this year estimating the cost of compliance with net-zero
emissions policies and corporate ESG reporting requirements on American
farms. According to the report, farmers will see costs rise at least
34%.
When these costs are passed onto the consumer, a family with an
annual grocery bill of $8,320 can expect that to go up by 15% to $9,650.
The cost of American cheese will rise an estimated 78%, beef 70%, and
sugar 43%.
Disappearing farms
In a video on the Consumers’ Research campaign website, Stephanie
Nash, who helps run a dairy farm near Nashville, Tennessee, told Hild
how her family moved the family’s operations from California to
Tennessee due to water availability concerns and burdensome regulations,
which she said drove up the cost of the operation.
Among the requirements in California are digesters,
which reduce the methane given off by animal wastes. Nash said, besides
the cost, there’s another problem with regulatory compliance.
“Eventually the government is going to ask for more,” she said.
The dairies receive carbon credits for their digesters, but the Nash
family worried what happens when the government asks for more carbon
credits and they have none to give.
Dairy farms across the U.S., Nash explained, are disappearing. As a
result of the high cost of operations, Nash said, there were
approximately 75,000 dairies in the U.S. in 2003, and there are
approximately 25,000 today.
“ESG has been a big factor on how we can be as producers, how we as
farmers and ranchers are able to produce food for America and the
world,” she said.
Hild said the problem with these agricultural-related ESG measures is
they’re set by people who have never farmed and have no idea what it
takes to make an agricultural operation work. He said it’s the
embodiment of what former President Dwight Eisenhower meant when he said
that “farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a
thousand miles from the corn field.”
“It's really easy to plan all this stuff out when you don't have to actually do it in the real world,” Hild said.
If this nation and its leaders and citizens can wise up enough to embrace the truth and blow past the conspiracy theories, we can, once again, become that beacon of hope.
The biggest “conspiracy theory” out there has been promoted for years
by a whole slew of Democrats on the far left, including Joe Biden.
Phrased in many ways, it boils down to this: “Trump is Hitler!”
Saturday’s slaughter at a presidential campaign stop in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a result of that big lie.
One local man was shot to death, two others were hospitalized in
critical condition, and the leading presidential candidate was spared
injury or death only through miraculous intervention.
You did not have to be an Old Testament prophet or The Amazing
Kreskin to have predicted where all the fiery rhetoric from the left was
going to lead. Even The Babylon Bee stated the obvious
within hours after the attempted assassination of President Donald
Trump: “Party That Called Trump ‘Hitler’ For 8 Years Shocked As Someone
Tries To Assassinate Him.”
The left is nothing if not disciplined adherents to commandments
counter to the famous “Ten.” Saul Alinsky, along with Joseph Goebbels,
fashioned rules and regulations for tyrants and rabble-rousers to follow
in order to stir up chaos and disorder. Chief among these regs is
accusing your opponent of doing the very thing that you yourself are
doing.
This diversionary tactic has been most apparent these past eight
years by laying upon the shoulders of Trump and his supporters charges
of promoting hate speech, division, and violence. In fact, Americans
were warned that democracy itself was in danger of being blown apart by
MAGA, a movement whose very name, spelled out, they cannot bring
themselves to utter: “Make America Great Again.” Their twist on MAGA?
Don’t focus on what you think is positive. Absorb what we tell you: MAGA is a code for racism, sexism and white supremacy.
What’s good now, the left will tell you, is that equity has replaced
equality; DEI excludes intolerant Conservative Christians; boys-as-girls
are proudly breaking female sports’ records; jailing political
dissenters shows we are tough on the First Amendment; bestowing leniency
to violent criminals by handcuffing law enforcement officers reflects
compassion; and propping open the southern border displays our
magnanimous generosity to people of every race, creed, color, and
violent inclination.
One thing that the left did not count upon was the Hand of God. And
how could they? They don’t believe in a loving God who not only exists
but is still involved in the affairs of men and women—and of individual
nations. The only indication that the left has even the slightest
interest in any Supreme Being is when they curse His name.
But Saturday evening’s tragedy in Pennsylvania proclaimed loud and
clear that there may yet be hope for a future America that “comes to its
senses,” like the prodigal son, and turns back to God, the
compassionate father.
It appears that President Trump himself has been stirred in a whole
new direction. He sails into this week’s GOP convention with plans to
scrap his original, feisty-rhetoric acceptance speech to deliver a
message of unity to this incredibly divided nation.
If this nation and its leaders and citizens can wise up enough to
embrace the truth and blow past the conspiracy theories, we can, once
again, become that beacon of hope not only for our own people but for
those across the world “longing to be free.”
A version of this article appeared previously at American Thinker.
"The amount of intelligence in the hands of Shin Bet and Military Intelligence allows us to dismantle Hamas from within."
IDF soldiers uncover Hamas tactical gear, cartridges, and weapons in Gaza City, the Gaza Strip, July 20, 2024.(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
The IDF and Shin Bet have uncovered a treasure trove of Hamas
intelligence, consisting of stacks of documents, files, and computers,
including guidelines on what to do if someone is suspected of being part
of the LGBTQ community and a phrasebook of Hebrew words to help
terrorists communicate in Hebrew, which included phrases such as "Take
off your clothes."
Among
the findings were operational tables, equipment lists, classified maps,
and instructions on what to do if captured, leading to the conclusion
that Hamas's military wing has transformed into a professional army
right under the nose of Israeli intelligence.
"The
amount of intelligence accumulated so far in the hands of Shin Bet and
Military Intelligence allows us to dismantle Hamas from within," said a
senior security official exposed to the heaps of documents.
Over the years, the IDF and Shin Bet have pointed out that Hamas has transformed its military wing into an army.
However,
as intelligence analysts delved into the gathered materials, they
discovered the extent of this transformation and the level of
professionalism reached by the terrorist organization.
Hamas weapons and equipment found in Shifa hospital. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
The
intelligence included Excel tables showing the readiness levels of
special units, companies, battalions, and brigades, including the scope
of training, weapons, and ammunition.
It
also included documentation of orders in the various units and the
review of equipment lists for each fighter, protocols of meetings,
discussions, and the decision-making process at senior and junior
levels.
Security officials stated that the level of order and organization was a significant surprise for the intelligence community.
"Hundreds
and thousands of interrogations of terrorists and senior leaders would
not have yielded such intimate intelligence on their methods of order
and organization in such a short period," said a military official
exposed to the intelligence material.
The
order and organization enforced by Hamas was based on a "rulebook" that
was not accessible to everyone and was maintained by the senior
command, which issued directives and operations across the Gaza Strip.
For
example, during the ground maneuver, official documents of the
terrorist organization were found, including procedures and
investigations of those suspected of being part of the LGBTQ community.
Procedures of Hamas for those in the LGBTQ community
The
official documents of Hamas's "rulebook" reveal brutal behavior against
anyone suspected of belonging to the LGBTQ community.
Additionally,
documentation of interrogations and testimonies about aggressive
questioning focused solely on sexual preferences and orientations was
found, indicating that those suspected of being part of the LGBTQ
community faced a single fate – death.
Documents
were also recovered that held detailed plans by Hamas on how to operate
worldwide in regions such as Europe, Jordan, Egypt, the US that were
far from the eyes of foreign intelligence organizations and under the
radar of the media.
The documents revealed that Hamas developed a plan tailored to the population in each country.
Another
document detailed a plan to ignite unrest in the West Bank and
undermine the Palestinian Authority (PA) by infiltrating its security
mechanisms and encouraging internal rebellion to overthrow and take
control of the PA gradually.
The
IDF Intelligence Division gathered various equipment, such as weapons
from Russia, North Korea, Iran, Egypt, Libya, and others, to trace not
only their usage but also to learn about procurement and assistance
routes.
Among
the items found were over 150 pickup trucks and more than 350 Chinese
motorcycles smuggled through tunnels under the Philadelphi Route, which
were used by over 4,000 terrorists from 75 infiltration points to attack
Western Negev settlements and military outposts on October 7.
Educating with antisemitism
Literature from the Hamas education system was also found. Among the items discovered were approximately 1,500 antisemitic books,
indicating a systematic process of instilling hatred and promoting
terrorism against Israel from the first day of education in the Hamas
system.
Items
included children's books teaching how to murder Jews by running them
over or stabbing them, a book by senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Zahar
titled "The End of the Jews," and other literature that places all
responsibility for wars in the Middle East on Israel, advocating for the
murder of all Jews.
Additionally,
booklet about senior terrorists were found, as well as special
documentation from Hamas summer camps funded by foreign donations and
photos of babies on home sofas alongside shrapnel grenades and mortar
shells.
Another
procedure the Military Intelligence carried out was linking Hamas's
plans to the documents and weapons found in Israeli territory after October 7 and in Palestinian territory during the ground operation.
The
military equipment supported the operational idea of prolonged presence
in Israeli territory, which included medical equipment, weapons for
amputating limbs using Kalashnikov rifles with bayonets or machetes,
special forces rifles (Russian Kalashnikovs), and other rifles for the
rest of the forces.
Documents
found on the bodies of the terrorists included Israeli work permits, as
well as maps of settlements and IDF bases, marking important points
such as the locations of senior officials' offices, armories, clinics,
and more.
The
most prominent map was of the Tel Nof Airbase, detailing the locations
of squadrons, commanders' offices, and kibbutzim such as Nahal Oz and
Be'eri.
It
included the locations of dining halls where the terrorists initially
planned to concentrate most of the hostages before transferring them to
Gaza.
One of
the terrorists tore the map of Be'eri into small pieces, but an
observant soldier noticed it and passed the pieces to intelligence
personnel, who then reassembled it.
The
accuracy of the information on the bases and settlements, including the
lifestyle within them, indicated Hamas's systematic and high-level
intelligence gathering.
Some
documents also revealed the corruption within Hamas, showing how they
not only accumulated assets but also used them. United Nations Relief
and Works Agency (UNRWA) apartments were registered in the name of Hamas
military leader Mohammed Deif's wife.
Apartments
of Mohammed Sinwar, Hamas head Yahya Sinwar's brother, were found to be
received from UNRWA and then rented to Palestinians, according to
rental contracts in possession of Military Intelligence. Documentation
of Hamas operatives working for UNRWA was also found.
"After
consolidating all Hamas infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, based on what
we saw in maps and documents and what was actually discovered, it is
clear that Gaza was constructed as one large military base, including
the use of kindergartens, schools, clinics, hospitals, and mosques,"
said a source who reviewed Hamas documents. The source added, "They
intended to infiltrate a large number of IDF bases, including Air Force
bases."
On the
bodies of terrorists with name tags, photos, and numbers, a
"phrasebook" was found that allowed them to communicate in Hebrew with
civilians and soldiers during the raid. It included phrases like: "Take
off your clothes," "Strip," "Take off your pants," "Children here and
women there."
Military
sources indicated that Hamas systematically integrated religious
justification for their brutal acts into all their books, pamphlets,
speeches, and notebooks, using Quranic verses and fatwas (religious
rulings), including decisions on mutilating bodies and amputations.
Furthermore,
documents and interrogations revealed that battalion commanders in the
military wing received religious authorization to write fatwas under the
title of Sheikh to justify their actions against the Israeli population
and soldiers, showing the terrorists there was no contradiction between
the orders and Islam.
This
can explain why Hamas killed anyone in their path during the October 7
raid, including Bedouins who were labeled by Hamas as "collaborators"
and Thai workers labeled as "infidels."
In
the clothing of the commander of the raid on Sderot, a handwritten note
was found in which he stated that according to the Quran, their souls
would ascend to heaven and, in exchange for their sadistic actions
against soldiers and civilians, including torture, they would be
welcomed into paradise.
There
were also terrorists found with pocket notebooks influenced by Abdullah
Azzam, one of the founders of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, who
declared that killing purifies the soul.
To sow fear that will remain in Israeli memory
Another
systematic effort revealed during the analysis of intelligence gathered
from both the Palestinian and Israeli territories included the work of
combat collection and documentation.
This
was found to be intended not only for military intelligence gathering
and operational accuracy but also to instill terror, create a
psychological imprint of fear on the Israeli side, undermine public
trust in the army and state institutions, and create a sense of chaos
and insecurity.
Techniques
included smearing bloodstains using blood-soaked hands on the walls of
hostages' and victims' homes, and leaving notes and graffiti to threaten
that they would "return next year."
The
effort for collection and documentation was divided between routine and
war times, which explains why all the Nukhba fighters entered with
GoPro cameras on their heads. "Hamas wanted the atrocities and the
spread of fear to remain in Israeli memory. If it's not clear, on
October 7 and for weeks afterward, Israeli citizens feared that
terrorists would come to their homes because they saw the videos.
The
purpose of documenting the videos was to create a psychological impact.
They invested a lot of learning, practice, and effort into this," a
security source explained to Walla.
It
is also important to highlight that the effort for preemptive
intelligence gathering included a systematic process of military
doctrine, training, and acquisition of advanced equipment similar to
elite units in the US Army and the IDF (they make equipment comparisons
in documents revealed to the Walla system), as seen in the years leading
up to the war.
The
booklet includes activities such as ambushes, covert observations,
overt operations visible to the enemy (IDF), and documentation
activities during the raid into Israel.
While
Israel underestimated Hamas' intentions and the quality of its military
wing compared to the quality of Hezbollah fighters, Hamas organized
itself as a professional army.
This is how a Hamas operational photographer should act
In
addition to incorporating these into the instructional booklets, Hamas
operational documentation photos were found, capturing the activities of
forces, military infrastructure, and classified assets on masts, posts,
tanks, APCs, and jeeps, which the IDF has classified as "top secret."
During
the training phase for the photographers, two key points were
emphasized: the selection of the operational photographer - "must be
precise, tactically disciplined, patient, not hasty, able to keep
secrets about his role, avoid gossip, and ensure his details and
missions are unknown, making it easier for him to move around without
raising suspicion."
Another
condition for the operational photographer's mission, highlighted in
the booklet, was that "it is advisable to prepare in advance press cards
belonging to a real or fictitious media organization, provided it is
not clearly affiliated with any group considered hostile to the enemy.
Remember that your military uniform may incriminate you, so keep that in
mind. Stay calm and act as if you are about to undergo a long period
of captivity, as this will help you maintain psychological cohesion and
reduce feelings of frustration or false hope, which is one of the
quickest ways to weaken your resolve."
According
to the documents, the leadership of Hamas's military wing defined the
act of "photography" as a central and strategic task, as important as
training for war, with the goal of influencing the enemy and generating
propaganda for the Palestinian public and supporters of Hamas
resistance.
This
included electronic warfare, computer network operations, psychological
operations, military deception, and operational security.
Their
training involves photographing scenarios that simulate the atmosphere
of battles and military operations, including sounds of gunfire and
explosions, in both open areas and built-up environments
‘Captain Ella’ tells the ‘Magazine’ about her work as IDF spokesperson to the Arab world.
Head of the Arabic media desk at the IDF Spokesperson
Unit Major "Captain" Ella Waweya; highest ranked Arab Muslim IDF
soldier. 20.7.2024.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
The walls of the office of Maj. Ella Waweya, 34, at the IDF
spokesperson headquarters in northern Tel Aviv, are dotted with
diplomas, certificates of merit, and family pictures, as well as
beautiful Arabic calligraphy of the Quran, alongside a Druze flag, a
cross, a small copy of the Zohar (Jewish mysticism book), and flags of
participating Abraham Accords countries.
“I don’t leave anyone behind,” she says, smiling.
Waweya
has served in the army for 10 years. She hails from the Arab Israeli
town of Kalansuwa, where all the citizens are Muslim Arabs. Her formal
title is deputy spokesperson for the Arab world and head of the Arab
communications department, working under IDF Arabic spokesperson Col.
Avichai Adraee.
“In
my area at that time there were no soldiers in the IDF – certainly not
female soldiers; though some did enlist in the police,” she says. She
enlisted at the relatively late age of 24, after first securing a
bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in government
studies.
“Ten
years later, there are now 10 soldiers from Kalansuwa [in the IDF], and I
believe I’m allowed to take credit for that,” she adds proudly. “I come
home in my uniform, and people ask questions about the army. Those who
want to join, I accompany from A to Z.”
Head
of the Arabic media desk at the IDF Spokesperson Unit Major ''Captain''
Ella Waweya; highest ranked Arab Muslim IDF soldier. 20.7.2024.
(credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
What led you to enlist?
It
all started with a dilemma I felt regarding my identity. I was 12
during the Second Intifada, and the only channel we used to watch was Al
Jazeera. Interestingly, Shireen Abu Akleh had just started her
position, and we would see her and her aggressiveness while reporting.
I
looked at her and said to myself: ‘I want to be a journalist, but not
like her.’ My message would be different, coming not from a blindly
Palestinian point of view but as part of my identity dilemma. People
always wanted to define me, whether as an ‘Arab of ’48’ or an Israeli
Arab. Everyone defined me differently – except for myself.
I
had actually wanted to be a doctor, but by then I already wanted to be a
journalist. I wanted to show ‘my side,’ even though at that time I
didn’t know what it was exactly.
At
age 16, I got my ID as is customary in Israel. It was blue. I realized
that I am Israeli and thought to myself that if I am Israeli, I must do
something about it. The state brought me this identity, and I was
looking for ways to associate myself with being Israeli. There was no
awareness back then, and the Internet was not very developed, so I
couldn’t learn online. I had to wait with these feelings bubbling inside
me.
Time
passed, but the thoughts did not stop. When I started my bachelor’s
degree, I decided to take part in National Service at the Meir Medical
Center in Kfar Saba. During my time there, I remember playing chess with
one of the security guards, a Bedouin, during a sleepy night shift. He
suddenly asked me, ‘Why didn’t you go to the army?’ And I said. ‘I
wanted to, but they wouldn’t want me because I’m an Arab woman.’ He
connected me with Col. Yossi Haddad, who was the head of the Bedouin
tracker unit, to whom I give credit for my enlistment.
When
I finished my degree in 2012, I took part in a press conference in
Eilat. There was a panel regarding recruitment of the haredim
[ultra-Orthodox] headed by then-IDF spokesperson Polly Mordechai and
esteemed journalist Roni Daniel. One ultra-Orthodox person stood up and
started explaining why he and his society shouldn’t enlist in the army.
I was 21 and asked to speak. I told that person: ‘Shame on you!
As a Muslim Arab, I wish I could join the army!’ Suddenly everyone
started clapping. I didn’t understand why, but at the end of the panel
both Mordechai and Daniel turned to me, commending me for what I had
said. Mordechai asked his secretary to take my details to help me
enlist. From there, everything started to unfold.
Suddenly,
phone calls began to come, and I was offered a post at the IDF
Spokespersons Unit, at first as a non-officer commander. I was mainly
happy to know that I would be a commander. In fact, I had no idea that
there were so many functions in the IDF. I thought that there were only
combatants and thought I’d enlist in Caracal [an all-female or mixed
combat unit in the IDF].
This week, you celebrated 10 years in the IDF. How do you feel about it?
It
was the best decision I ever made. Enlisting was a personal decision; I
didn’t consult anyone. The environment was not one that encouraged
enlisting; I just decided one day to get up and get on that bus.
At
the enlisting office, all the new recruits arrived with their parents,
hugged them, and waved their emotional goodbyes. I had no one to say
goodbye to. Only a year and a half into my military service did my
parents find out that I was in the army. I have lived away from home
since age 19 due to my studies, and my parents thought that I was just
studying and working.
Head
of the Arabic media desk at the IDF Spokesperson Unit Major ''Captain''
Ella Waweya; highest ranked Arab Muslim IDF soldier. 20.7.2024.
(credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
When someone asks
me for advice about enlisting and lying about it to their parents, I
stress that my story should not be understood as an encouragement to
lie. But I do stress that they must know how to make these personal
decisions and do what is right for them.
In 2015, you received a mark of honor from the president.
I
was featured in the newspaper with a pixelated picture, reading
something like ‘Cadet Ella from Kalansuwa, a trailblazer, serves in the
IDF. Only her mother knows and she took it hard, but she is proud to
serve...’ etc. This was false because nobody knew it back then. But then
my parents saw the article and recognized the blurry photo. The fact
that I was the only Ella from Kalansuwa also gave it away. Both my
family and I began getting some unpleasant messages from people around
us.
But we
didn’t look back, we looked toward the future. I used to cry when I
talked about it, but today I actually laugh because of all the changes
we went through. Look at the difference between that picture and this
one (she points at the newspaper clip and then at a photo on the other
side of the room showing her mother, wearing a hijab, awarding Waweya
her army ranks).
If
you ask me to describe my mother with one word, I would say she’s a
hero. She also went through a lot and suffered due to my decision to
join the IDF. Today, my mother is ill with cancer, and when I get to the
hospital, the doctors are always waiting to meet me because she tells
them about me, and it makes me understand how proud she is of me. During
the war, she told me to come to her chemotherapy appointment wearing my
uniform.
The
same goes for my siblings, who are very proud of me and trust me, even
with the smallest things. They think the fact that I’m a soldier means
that I’m an expert in everything security related, so they ask me for
tips about getting through the airport, for instance. They also ask me
to lift heavy things when they need help, also because I’m a soldier.
This means that the army has a good name, that people believe it is
powerful.
In this time of war, what does your job entail?
I
manage communications through the Middle East and Arabic department.
I’m responsible for everything that happens in digital media and for
interviews with the Arab media. We work a lot with Arab media outlets,
and we strive to present the truth about Israel and the IDF. Our job is
to speak for the IDF. If we don’t talk about what happened on Oct. 7,
for instance, the Arab world will just not know anything about it. Arab
media has a lot of influence on Arab public opinion, and they often see
only one side. We work to present a different side and try to influence
what happens at home. This is true even for my mother. When she watches
Al-Hadath or al-Arabiya [Saudi channels], she also wants to see a person
in uniform telling her our narrative. This makes the image more
balanced.
How do you find working with the Arab media?
There
are channels that serve as outright mouthpieces of Hamas, spewing the
same lies of Hamas. Take Al Jazeera, for example. Just a few months ago,
they outrageously lied about IDF soldiers allegedly raping Gazan women.
We also work on monitoring, analyzing, and understanding what is being
said in the media, and thus make our messages more precise and on topic.
When Al Jazeera put forward such a lie, we responded forcefully, and
even the former director of Al Jazeera had to tweet that Al Jazeera’s
lie went too far. That’s our influence.
I sometimes use irony and sarcasm while being interviewed. I was interviewed by a Russian Arabic-language outlet, Russia Al-Yawm.
The presenter quoted a survey about how Gazans think that Hamas won,
and I answered: ‘Of course they have won – in destroying the future of
Gazans, the schools, the mosques, the hospitals. If this is victory,
then Ahlan wa Sahlan. So you want to tell me that they have won? It will
take them years to rebuild the infrastructure in Gaza. Here, things are
re-blooming. Yes, they murdered and destroyed, but we can look back,
learn our lessons, embrace each other, and move forward.’
I
also explain that the real victory is that the war has managed to unite
all of the citizens of Israel. You see how Christians, Bedouins,
Muslims, and Jews all chip in, prepare food for soldiers, and help each
other. Everyone here experiences the same pain.
Another
strategy that my team and I apply is the juxtaposition of Hamas leaders
on the one hand, and the people of Gaza on the other.
Only
this week, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said to an Al-Arabiya presenter:
‘Have you ever heard anyone from Gaza complain about what is
happening?’ And I say, ‘Wa hayat rabbak [“Oh, come on”] – just
take a look at Gaza networks.’ We published Meshaal’s interview with
authentic videos of Gazans who complain about the situation and Hamas.
He doesn’t grasp what his people are going through because he is simply
not there.
We
try to reach the hearts of the masses by coming up with catchy messages.
We came up with a rhyming slogan that says ‘The leaders are in bliss,
but the people are in hell.’ We brand Hamas leaders as leading a ‘jihad
of hotels.’
In
the end, the people of Gaza are really in poor condition. Let this be
the headline. They are poor because this is the leadership that they
have, that the money coming from Qatar flows to the tunnels and not to
the infrastructures for the benefit of the Gazans.
Head
of the Arabic media desk at the IDF Spokesperson Unit Major ''Captain''
Ella Waweya; highest ranked Arab Muslim IDF soldier. 20.7.2024.
(credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
I saw a short clip
of a law student from Gaza who said, ‘My dream is lost,’ and it truly
touched me, precisely because I am a woman, an Arab, and an Israeli, who
has learned the morality and values of the IDF. The first thing that we
study in basic training is the IDF Code of Ethics document.
So
yes, I say that they are poor to have such bad leaders. The hadith
[Islam’s oral traditions regarding the prophet Mohammad] says: ‘All of
you are guardians, and all of you are responsible for your subjects.’
Hamas leadership is the exact opposite.
As a Muslim, do you use the Quran and Islamic traditions often in your content?
If I see fit to use a hadith,
I will use it in our media and in interviews. One of the edicts of
Muhammad before a war was not to kill a man, a woman, or an animal. When
you see the videos of investigations of Hamas militants, and you see
the father and son who admit that they both raped the same woman, is
this what Islam says? Is this what the prophet says? Not at all. And
shame on them. Such people are a shame to Islam. We call them najis [“impure”] in Arabic.
Regardless,
I usually prefer to use my colloquial dialect of Arabic rather than
speak in Modern Standard Arabic. I try to speak to the common people.
Those Hamas terrorists are also common people, they understand my
language. If needed, I can speak the Lebanese dialect or any other
dialect. I want to talk to their hearts.
Avichai [Adraee]
speaks as an official speaking to officials and enemies, he speaks to
the mind. I try to speak more to the heart and more down to earth. I’m a
simple person. I may be senior in rank, but that doesn’t mean much in
this game.
I
try to speak to people at their level. I feel them, and this is not just
an empty slogan. I want to make them aware of what is happening, since
they may be in a bubble and don’t see the whole picture. Let them come
to my office and look at all these certificates. I want the girls in
Gaza to be like me. May their life be full of certificates, excellence,
success, education. I don’t want any person to have their dreams taken
away from them as Hamas has done to this generation.
I
have several videos where I appeal to Gazan women specifically.
Mothers, sisters, daughters. I also sometimes direct my messages
directly to the terrorists. I ask them: ‘What kind of man are you?’ Arab
men have this image of ‘family honor.’ I tell them, ‘You kill, rape,
and burn – and leave your mother and sister without a home. Where is
your honor?’ When they try to harm us, they also inflict harm on their
own homes and people.
Some
would ask: Hamas does claim to speak in the name of Islam. Their name
is short for the “Islamic Resistance Movement” in Arabic, after all.
When
we said ‘Hamas is ISIS,’ that is exactly what we meant. ISIS is not
Islam. By the way, it should be emphasized that Hamas is even worse than
ISIS. Just look at what they are doing to their own people – they kill
them, steal their food, take away their aid. If the residents only knew
how much money went into Gaza and where it ended up. This is not Islam,
this is simply pure political corruption.
If
only Hamas cared about their people, Gaza would have become a paradise.
They have beaches, hotels, villas – but all of this goes to Hamas, not
to the common people. What came out of Oct. 7 in the end? Has [Hamas
leader] Yahya Sinwar really thought ahead? If he really guessed that all
this destruction would ensue and still kept on with his plan – his
people should wake up and do something about it.
Islam
will never tell you to kill and do what they did on Oct. 7. They hurt
innocent people on Simchat Torah. The horror movie compiled by the IDF
Spokespersons Unit shows two little children who ran to a bomb shelter
with their father, who is killed by Hamas militants right in front of
their eyes. The children return to the house, crying. One of them says
‘I can’t see anything!’ but the Hamas terrorist simply takes a Coca-Cola
bottle from the fridge, sits down, and drinks it calmly.
Another recording from the film shows a young terrorist calling his parents excitedly: ‘Yaba [“Daddy”], I killed 10 Jews with my bare hands!’ and his father answers him: ‘May Allah bless you!’ There are no words to describe this. This is certainly not the teaching of Islam.
How can you know that your messages come across to the other side?
The
relocation of populations from war zones is the best example of proving
that our messages are getting through. The army used all kinds of ways
to motivate the population. At first, they [the Gazans] didn’t budge,
but after we tweeted in Arabic showing maps of designated safe zones,
people started moving. That’s how you know it works. On TikTok, we can
also see that Gazans watch our content. That’s not to say that they
support us, but they certainly know that Hamas is lying to them.
Sometimes
there are follow-ups after we’re interviewed by the media. Even when
our contents face harsh criticism, it still means that people were
affected and that it got to them. I also don’t view criticism as
negative but as something that teaches us along the way. We ask for
feedback from people from all kinds of countries, those that have peace
[agreements] with Israel and those that don’t. When I read about the
discourse in the media and social networks, I understand how to address
the target audience.
As
I mentioned earlier, I complement Avichai; therefore, I must understand
what interests young crowds. Do they want to hear me threaten Hamas
leaders, or see me in the middle of an exercise with the Caracal unit?
Or would they prefer to see me running with a battalion or see a female
fighter arresting a Hamas terrorist? We build our strategy from these
questions.
When
the message is authentic, it works better. When it’s too edited or has
too many cuts, it won’t work. We try to learn from our mistakes. We are
now trying to build a brand of colors for my social media accounts, and I
don’t know if the branding will work. But this is exactly what trial
and error is all about.
What are the main characteristics of the media in this part of the world?
Take
Al Jazeera. There are always delays in interviews with Israeli guests;
that’s how they can control what is being said. This is done on purpose
so that people don’t hear everything they have to say. Israelis are only
brought on to claim that the TV channel are ‘neutral,’ but in fact it
is clear that there is a bias.
In
other places, there are some anchors who interrupt you constantly. I
believe in conversation. If you have decided to host somebody, let them
speak! Are you an anchor or a commentator? If you decide to interview
someone who asks questions, ask what the audience wants to ask, not
what’s in your gut and you want to get out.
In
another context, frequently in Arab media, when viewers see a person in
a uniform with medals, it automatically gives their words more
authority. We are also a trusted source for many. We sometimes receive
inquiries from journalists about issues not directly related to the
army, but they contact us because they know we are trustworthy.
Take
the story of the Al-Mamadani hospital. Hamas came out minutes later and
lied that Israel killed 500 people. It took us about three hours to
delve into the details and respond. This proves that we do not say
anything before the incident is thoroughly investigated. There is
pressure, the audience wants to understand more about what happened, but
we can’t issue a statement without properly investigating. This is why
they trust us in much of the Arab media and want to see us on their
screens.
There
are journalists from the Arab media whom I respect who come up with
questions that the audience truly wants to ask. A hard question is not
necessarily a hostile one. My mother at home also wants answers to
difficult questions, and our place is to answer the difficult questions
as well.
When
we’re asked about the casualties in the Gaza Strip – of course, there
are unfortunate casualties when Hamas uses people to conceal themselves,
hide weapons, and launch rockets. Give me one hospital in the US that
has weapons hidden in there. In Gaza there is, and that’s the
difference. So are schools, which have tunnels for terrorist purposes
dug under them. Even in mosques. Since when are mosques a place for
murder? Give me one Quranic verse or hadith that permits that.
Do people recognize you in the streets?
It
happens to me a lot that I just walk around, and people stop me and say
that they know me. In Paris, a man from Algeria started an unpleasant
conversation with me, but we ended it with a handshake and a selfie. I
believe in conversation, not in shouting. I could have taken a flag out
of my bag, turned on a camera to take pictures of myself, and shout. But
that is not a conversation.
In
September, I went to a Lebanese restaurant in New York (what can you
do? – there is no real food to eat in the US), and in every Arab
restaurant I went to, people recognized me. Even here on the street some
people recognize me. It’s fun, but it also depends on when. Asking for a
selfie while I’m in the middle of biting into my hamburger can be
irritating at times [she laughs].
I
also get contacted on social media, especially people from Gaza. They
ask me, ‘I am in Khan Yunis; can I leave and go somewhere else?’ I never
have enough time to answer everyone, but it’s important to answer
whomever I can because at the end of the day, this is what social media
is all about, and our goal is to have a conversation.
I
happened to meet with Gazans in person, too, at the Erez crossing. Some
came to receive medical treatment in Israel. At the end, they thanked
us for the medical treatment. Some of them also spoke to me against
Hamas.
What would your message to our readers be?
I
am a woman, an Arab, a Muslim, an Israeli, and an officer in the IDF.
This truly shows the democracy of our country, of our culture here, that
we can all be here together. The truth is never only one-sided. I say
to everyone out there: ‘Come and visit Israel, no matter your language
or religion. Come to our beautiful country for a few days and understand
what is going on in Lebanon; understand why our war is just.’
Let
them go and walk around in Judea and Samaria and see what happens if
you say that you’re Jewish, and they’ll understand straight away how
much we must fight to keep the Jewish people in the State of Israel
safe.
I say
this as a Muslim: We know how to live together, and that’s how it should
be. We need to help each other and remain together. It’s especially fun
to walk around Israel and hear all the languages and see the diversity.
Israel is not only about a conflict between Arabs and Jews. Israel is
fun. And even when there are frictions it’s because we are one family,
as we saw in this war which reunited us.
This is the title of the State of Israel – a family. So, it’s no wonder that people call each other ‘brother’ in the streets.
The Biden administration is reportedly frustrated with the Israeli government's policy of expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank, as well as Smotrich's and Ben-Gvir's support.
(L-R) National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich(photo credit: FLASH90)
The National Security Council at the White House held a significant meeting this past week to discuss escalating its measures against settlements in the West Bank.
This
included considering sanctioning Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whom the Biden
administration holds responsible for undermining security in Judea and
Samaria and leading the government’s policies there, according to
Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, who cited three senior American
officials on the matter.
The
report indicated that the Biden administration was frustrated with the
Israeli government’s policies of expanding Jewish settlements and
weakening the Palestinian Authority, noting that some ministers were
openly associated with extremist settler groups.
The administration also believed that the settlements were inconsistent with international law, Ravid noted.
The
meeting was convened at the White House following the Knesset’s
decision to advance the planning and construction of an additional 5,000
housing units in settlements and to legalize five outposts.
Israeli soldiers guard after an attack by Jewish settlers in Burin
village, near the West Bank city of Nablus, June 18, 2024 (credit:
NASSER ISHTAYEH/FLASH90)
Earlier this year, when
US President Joe Biden signed a new order sanctioning certain settlers,
White House officials advised him to target Smotrich and Ben-Gvir specifically.
According
to Ravid, a senior American official claimed that Biden rejected this
proposal, arguing that the US should not impose sanctions on elected
officials in democratic countries.
Since
then, sanctions have been imposed on some of Smotrich’s and Ben-Gvir’s
supporters and associates, but not on the ministers themselves. Now,
many officials in the Biden administration believe that this issue
should be reconsidered.
Towards
the end of the meeting, US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew suggested
engaging in dialogue with Smotrich first in an attempt to alter his
behavior.
US
officials stated that the meeting aimed to explore various options and
that no decisions were made. They emphasized that any decision on these
issues would need to be made personally by Biden.
Another topic discussed was the reversal of the Trump administration's
policy of labeling products from West Bank settlements as “made in
Israel.” All participants in the meeting were in favor of this move.
Discussed sanctions come amid ICJ ruling over Israel and the West Bank
Yesterday,
the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that "Israel's
presence in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is illegal."
Judge
Salem stated that "Israel still controls Gaza, including the passage of
people and goods, despite the 2005 disengagement. Israel's policies and
continued presence in the occupied territories must be legally
examined."
"The
settlement policy violates the Geneva Convention, which prohibits an
occupying power from transferring its civilian population into occupied
territory. There is significant evidence of encouraging Israelis to move
to the West Bank, both citizens and in the business sector."
Israeli
officials responded to the court's decision, emphasizing that it mixes
political and legal issues and does not contribute to resolving the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They noted that the ruling is an advisory
opinion and is not legally binding.
It
is believed that the Palestinians intend to present this opinion to the
UN Security Council, although all Western countries, including members
of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), oppose unilateral
approaches to coercing Israel without a political process.
Several
ministers, including Orit Strock, Bezalel Smotrich, and Itamar
Ben-Gvir, posted on their X (formerly Twitter) accounts in response to
the decision, calling for "Sovereignty now."
אף אחד מאיתנו לא כוסס את ציפורניו במתח לקראת פרסום ההחלטה הצפויה והידועה מראש. בית הדין הוא גוף פוליטי ואנטישמי, וצדק הוא הדבר האחרון שניתן לייחס לו.
את מקור הזכות שלנו על כל חלקי ארץ ישראל אנחנו שואבים מההבטחה האלוקית, מהתנ"ך ומההיסטוריה המפוארת ובת אלפי השנים שלנו, ושום החלטה…
Ben-Gvir added, "The decision of the International Court of Justice in
The Hague proves once again that this is a definitively anti-Semitic and
political organization. We will not accept moral preaching from them.
It is time for governance and sovereignty."
