Democracy dies in DHS? #DeepStateDiaries show proposed 9/11 reboot against domestic wrongthink - Greg Piper

 

​ by Greg Piper

Trump supporters, military members and religious people more likely to be domestic terrorists, according to since-disbanded Homeland Intelligence Experts Group's notes.

 

 

With polling consistently suggesting most Americans fear for the future of democracy depending on the winner of the 2024 presidential election, and that democracy tops concerns for single-issue voters, internal meeting notes from a Department of Homeland Security panel suggest the Biden administration fears the wrong kind of democracy.

America First Legal, founded by former Trump White House adviser Stephen Miller, is dribbling out redacted "#DeepStateDiaries" handed over by DHS to resolve AFL's litigation alleging that last year's creation of the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group, also disbanded under the settlement, violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act because of its heavy partisan tilt.

The advisory group to DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis and Office of the Counterterrorism Coordinator included two Obama administration proponents of the Trump-Russia collusion hoax, CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and 98% of its members' political donations went to Democrats, AFL claims.

Group members identified what they considered a disproportionate number of Americans being identified as proper targets of surveillance and intelligence collection due to their likelihood of becoming "domestic violent extremists": supporters of now-presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, the "religious" and members of the military, according to snippets of notes released by AFL.

Internal discussions included getting parents to report their children to the feds for alleged extremism and teachers to report their students, by reclassifying it as a "public health" issue, the notes show. 

Members also brainstormed reframing DHS's "See Something, Say Something" campaign after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which they conceded largely failed to convince Americans to report potential terrorist threats, as "See Something, Help Someone" to get Americans to report purportedly extremist neighbors.

The latest tranche, released Monday, includes discussions on using the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot to justify intelligence "[c]ollection based on sites where they [analysts] expect to see indicators [of extremism]," referring to speech online.

This circumvents First Amendment restrictions on targeting "a particular person for a particular reason," the notes say, acknowledging that prior to the riot, analysts were wary of such collection and the FBI had "cultural inhibitions" against collecting "actionable intelligence" that could have predicted the riot.

 

CIA chief John Brennan & intelligence community chief James Clapper effectively argue here that January 6 should have ended the First Amendment. https://t.co/rgGEY85zCc

— Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) June 24, 2024

 

Another discussion refers to the raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound and "reason to be concerned about a violent reaction," to justify expanded surveillance, according to AFL.

The documents "prove there is a pronounced difference between how I&A operated … before and after January 6," the legal group said. "They demonstrate how the standards followed under the Trump administration to respect Constitutional rights and civil liberties are apparently no longer followed under the Biden administration."

DHS did not respond to Just the News queries for its response to AFL's characterization of the internal notes and how the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group's proposals would not be a threat to democracy.

The notes echo the Biden administration's characterization of common political views as a threat to national security, from the Justice Department's tacit conflation of parental protests at school board meetings with "domestic terrorism" to a longtime FBI employee's top-secret security clearance review.

FBI officials subjected the employee to a political litmus test, asking witnesses whether he was known to support former President Trump, had expressed concerns about COVID-19 vaccines or had attended a Second Amendment rally, months before revoking his security clearance, Just the News reported earlier this month.

House Weaponization of the Federal Government Subcommittee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, responded by asking Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz to investigate the alleged use of political litmus tests to push out conservative employees and demanded an explanation for the politicized questions from FBI Director Christopher Wray.

While protecting democracy is a talking point associated with the political left, especially in the context of Trump's alleged threats to voting rights and separation of powers, a national survey of likely General Election voters this month suggests more Americans see the criminal prosecution of the presumptive Republican nominee as a threat than a boon to democracy.

Polling firm Cygnal found 39% believe Trump's convictions in the hush-money trial will weaken democracy, and 35% believe it will strengthen democracy. The gap is slightly bigger between those whose trust in the legal system decreased after the convictions (42%) versus increased (37%).

While just under half saw the legal proceedings as legitimate compared to a "witch hunt" (45%), the former fell by 4 percentage points and the latter rose by the same amount from the prior month, Cygnal said.

The intensity of Trump's unfavorability rating actually fell after his convictions, and his lead expanded in a one-to-one matchup against President Biden, making strong month-to-month gains with black voters as well as college-educated men and women, Cygnal found.

"For the first time since February, the Republican Party is not seen as more extreme than the Democrat[ic] Party," Cygnal said. The GOP narrowed a 31-point gap with Democrats on which party is more extreme to black voters by 25 points in May alone.

National #poll takeaway: Voters are less likely to view the cases against former President Trump as legitimate, and 40% of Independents say his convictions actually weaken democracy. pic.twitter.com/k1dplB9O4I

— Cygnal Polling & Analytics (@cygnal) June 13, 2024

 

AFL said the #DeepStateDiaries show the Homeland Intelligence Experts Group had been meeting for up to four months before DHS announced its creation. 

Though the feds redacted names in the production, AFL speculated a DHS official was speaking in a seeming complaint that "state and local partners" were not mandated to report alleged extremism to the department, resulting in "limited access" to this information.

A bullet point refers to "challenges" from civil liberties and privacy concerns, and another asks how the feds can "get into local communities in a non-threatening way" to convince people to "safely" snitch on neighbors they might consider extreme.

"We see people who go off the rails," another speaker said. "We need people to say something" and "a nationwide campaign to push it to the locals." Yet another asked whether DHS could use the "industry ecosystem" of companies "internally collecting open sources, and a speaker believed to be DHS responded, "We can collect it" if the collection is lawful and the manner disclosed.

One speaker bluntly identifies "supporters of the former president" as "most" of the domestic terrorism threat. Another said "we should be more worried" about religious and military people because "researchers" associate them more with "extremists and terrorism."

/4 The documents indicate that under the Biden Administration, the federal government has used January 6 to justify expanding efforts to collect intelligence on what they deem “DVE” or “Domestic Violent Extremists.”

— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) June 24, 2024

The only pages of the production released in full by AFL as of Monday, as opposed to screenshots of discussions, show grousing about congressional pushback on DHS's secretive Overt Human Intelligence Collection Program, the subject of an expose by Politico a year ago.

A committee markup led by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., had stripped DHS's Office of Intelligence and Analysis to "intentionally collect" intelligence on U.S. persons except for information gathered by state, local, tribal, or territorial entities, and it was passed in the National Defense Authorization Act.

"Always having a foreign nexus" to justify intelligence collection "is not consistent with statutory orders or mission," the notes say. 

Another speaker says "You" – apparently meaning DHS – had been criticized alongside the FBI for not being able to predict the Jan. 6 riot, yet the congressional response was to "take away the authority that you have, rather than insist you use them." The FBI had testified "they do not think they have authority to do it." 

This shows a group member urging the DHS component to "lean into using practices" disavowed by the FBI, rejected by the Senate and "generally oppose[d]" by Congress, AFL said.

 

Greg Piper

Source: https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/democracy-dies-dhs-deepstatediaries-show-proposed-911-reboot-against

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Chinese entities own farmland next to 19 US military bases across the country: Report - Candace Hathaway

 

​ by Candace Hathaway

China could be using land to surveil military sites.

 

Chinese entities own farmland near 19 United States military bases across the nation, according to a recent report from the New York Post.

The news outlet released a map showing the locations of the China-owned land in the U.S. and their proximity to some of the nation's most strategically important bases. The Post noted that some of the sites include Fort Liberty in Fayetteville, North Carolina; Fort Cavazos in Killeen, Texas; Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California; and MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida.

Robert S. Spalding III, a retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, told the Post that the lands' "proximity to strategic locations" is "concerning."

He warned that the Chinese Communist Party could use the farmland to conduct intelligence collection. Spalding noted that the property owners could also be "influential in local politics."

"It is alarming we do not have laws on the books that would prevent the Chinese from buying property in the US," he told the Post.

Sources told the news outlet that the properties could be used to create reconnaissance sights or install tracking and other surveillance technology.

Morgan Lerette, a former contractor for Blackwater, told the Post, "The Chinese are, or will, use this farmland to learn more about US military capabilities, movements, and technology."

"This will allow them to better understand how to transition their military from a defensive strategy to an expeditionary one," Lerette added.

"It would allow the Chinese to research what is moving and how to combat it. It's easy to identify mobilization if you know what to look for," he continued. "Listening to GIs at a bar talking … Local storage units being rented out near a base is an indicator troops are leaving… A train carrying tanks, Strykers [armored fighting vehicles], and [Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles], followed by an increased number of cargo planes landing and leaving a joint base like Lewis-McChord in Washington state, would indicate when US forces are moving."

Chen Tianqiao, a billionaire and CCP member, according to the Post, is the second-largest foreign owner of farmland in the country.

Jonathan D.T. Ward, senior fellow with the Hudson Institute and the founder of Atlas Organization, told Fox Business that the U.S. needs to "force a divestiture of assets in the U.S. by communist party members or affiliates and they shouldn't earn any money on it."

In March, Kansas lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting foreign adversary-tied entities, which includes China, from purchasing land near its military installations.

 

Candace Hathaway

Source: https://www.conservativereview.com/chinese-entities-own-farmland-next-to-19-us-military-bases-across-the-country-report-2668564270.html

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Republicans: Why are illegal border crossers with terrorist ties being released? - Bethany Blankley

 

​ by Bethany Blankley

The senators express alarm after eight Tajikistan nationals with alleged terrorist ties to ISIS illegally entered the U.S. and were released by Border Patrol agents or used the CBP One app through the president’s and Mayorkas’ “lawful pathways” program to enter the U.S. instead of being vetted, arrested on the spot and prevented entry.

 

(The Center Square) -

A group of 21 Republican U.S. senators, led by Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, are demanding answers from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas about federal agents releasing illegal border crossers into the U.S. who weren’t properly vetted and were later discovered to have alleged terrorist connections.

They sent a letter to Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray after the U.S. House Intelligence Committee chairman and a retired CIA director raised warnings about potential terrorist attacks happening on U.S. soil before the end of the year, The Center Square reported.

“President Biden is derelict in his duty to protect and defend our country,” Budd said. “These incidents highlight the extreme national security risks posed by the open southern border. We need to expose what happened here, and make sure it never happens again. We need to secure the border and stop the chaos.”

The senators express alarm after eight Tajikistan nationals with alleged terrorist ties to ISIS illegally entered the U.S. and were released by Border Patrol agents or used the CBP One app through the president’s and Mayorkas’ “lawful pathways” program to enter the U.S. instead of being vetted, arrested on the spot and prevented entry.

“We are deeply concerned by reports that a wiretap shows that one of the now-arrested individuals was talking about bombs and that the target of the wiretap was previously released by federal authorities at the southern border with a court date of next year,” they said. They are referring to Border Patrol agents releasing inadmissible illegal foreign nationals into the country by giving them "notice to appear" documents to appear before an immigration judge several years into the future, The Center Square has reported.

Because the alleged terrorists weren’t properly vetted, as is a consistent problem identified by the Office of Inspector General, it was only after they were released that the FBI expressed alarm and they were found and arrested, CBS News reported. The OIG has also found that CBP agents were releasing known and suspected terrorists into the country because of "ineffective practices and processes."

Their arrests were made after Wray in April testified before Congress that Islamic terrorist and other national security threats were coming through the border. He referred to an “increasingly concerning … potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, akin to the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia concert hall,” referring to ISIS-Khorasan, ISIS’s Afghan affiliate. In March, he also testified that ISIS-connected smuggling organizations were coming through the border and the FBI was investigating.

The senators point to “multiple recent releases of aliens on the terrorist watchlist into the United States,” including from Afghanistan, Jordan, Somalia, Uzbekistan and others.

They cite an example of an Afghan national and suspected member of the terrorist group Hezb-e-Islami (HIG) who illegally entered the U.S. in California and was arrested on March 10, 2023. Instead of being processed for removal, he was enrolled in an Alternatives to Detention monitoring program for two weeks and then “allowed to roam free in the U.S. for ten months, unmonitored, until ICE agents arrested him again due to potential terrorist ties,” the senators said.

Another example is of a Somali national on the FBI Terrorist Watchlist as “a confirmed member” of the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab, who illegally entered the U.S. in California in March 2023. Instead of being processed for removal, he was released into the country. Nearly one year later, he was arrested in Minnesota for his alleged involvement in the use, manufacture or transportation of explosives or firearms, they said.

Another is an Uzbekistan national with alleged ties to ISIS who illegally entered the U.S. in Arizona in February 2022. He was arrested by Border Patrol agents and instead of being processed for removal, he also was released into the U.S. In May 2023, the Uzbekistan government issued an international notice that he was wanted for his ties to ISIS, “which U.S. officials failed to discover until March of this year,” the senators note.

They also point to two Jordanians “posing as Amazon subcontractors attempted to breach Marine Corps Base Quantico” last month as examples of DHS failures. One had overstayed his student visa by roughly 18 months; the other illegally entered the U.S. in California in April. Instead of being detained and processed for removal, he was released on his own recognizance to appear before an immigration judge. One of the men was on the Terrorist Watch List.

These are in addition to the greatest number of known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) illegally entering the U.S. in the last nearly three fiscal years, according to CBP data. In fiscal 2024 through June 20, 316 KSTs have been apprehended, with the majority, 199, at the northern border, according to CBP data.

The greatest number of KSTs to ever be apprehended in U.S. history was in fiscal 2023 of 736; with the majority, 487, apprehended at the northern border, including an Iranian with terrorist ties, The Center Square first reported.

The senators asked DHS to respond to questions about the names and identities of arrested KSTs, where they illegally entered the U.S., if they claimed asylum, what the vetting process was, if they were connected to ISIS or other terrorist organizations, among other questions.

DHS was given a deadline of Tuesday to provide the requested information.

 
Bethany Blankley

Source: https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/republicans-why-are-illegal-borders-crossers-terrorist-ties-being

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Attorney General: 3,000 haredim must be immediately drafted into IDF - Israel National News

 

​ by Israel National News

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara says following Supreme Court ruling that haredi students cannot avoid IDF service that thousands of haredim must be drafted immediately, more must be drafted in the future.

 

Gali Baharav-Miara                                                                      Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara published her position after the Supreme Court's ruling regarding the Draft Law stating that there is no legal basis to allow haredi yeshiva students to avoid being drafted into the IDF like other parts of Israeli society.

"The security system must act immediately to implement the Supreme Court's ruling om the recruitment of yeshiva students who are obligated to serve in the military, in accordance with the needs of the army and its capabilities. In accordance with this framework, the security system has already committed to act to recruit 3,000 yeshiva students in the current recruitment year, and this is in addition to the average number of recruits in recent years," Baharav-Miara wrote.

She clarified that "this is an initial number for immediate recruitment, which does not fully reflect the current needs of the army and the promotion of the principle of equality in the burden, and the defense system must act to present a recruitment plan that includes an increase in this number."

The attorney general also warned against continuing to provide funding to yeshivas or students who avoid conscription following the court ruling.

According to her, "a recruitment plan must be presented, which includes taking the necessary steps to maximize the recruitment potential and to increase the aforementioned number of 3,000 recruits, in light of the current needs of the army and to promote equality in the burden. It should be mentioned that, in accordance with the court's ruling, the obligation of the security system to recruit yeshiva students began as early as 01/07/2023."

In its ruling earlier today, which was unanimous, the Supreme Court wrote, "At this time, there is no legal framework which allows differentiation between yeshiva students and others who are eligible for enlistment."

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court convened, with a panel of nine judges, to discuss petitions demanding the conscription of yeshiva students due to the lack of legislation on the matter, as well as the revocation of budgets from yeshivas that do not enlist their students.

Israel National News

Source: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/392105

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Bauer and Rose: Democrats Openly planning their own insurrection + the Real Reason Biden embargoing Arms to Israel - Just the News

 

​ by Just the News

Gary and Tom discuss some of today's pressing issues.

 

In this episode of The Bauer and Rose Podcast, Gary Bauer and Tom Rose dive into the latest controversies and political maneuvers shaking the foundations of American democracy and international relations. The episode kicks off with a humorous yet critical discussion on the Washington Post's controversial hiring decisions during Pride Month, highlighting the backlash and internal conflicts within the newsroom.

The conversation takes a serious turn as Gary and Tom analyze the alarming revelations from America First Legal about the DHS intel group's surveillance tactics targeting Trump supporters, military personnel, and religious individuals. They discuss the broader implications of these actions for civil liberties and the potential for increased domestic spying under a second Biden administration.

Also, Gary and Tom outline the dire consequences of a second Biden term, including more censorship, a nuclear Iran, higher taxes, increased federal regulations, and the erosion of constitutional liberties. They emphasize the potential for a weaponized justice system and the long-term impact on American democracy.

Later, Tom and Gary address the Biden administration's slow-walking of arms to Israel, examining the strategic objectives of Hezbollah and the potential dangers for Israel's national security. They criticize the U.S. government's actions as undermining Israel's ability to defend itself against Hezbollah and discuss the broader geopolitical implications.

Finally, Gary and Tom reflect on the cultural and societal challenges facing America, from the influence of woke ideology to the threats posed by external adversaries. They stress the need for strong leadership and a unified effort to defend the values that underpin Western civilization.

Just the News

Source:https://justthenews.com/podcasts/bauer-and-rose-podcast/bauer-and-rose-democrats-openly-planning-their-own-insurrection

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Julian Assange reaches plea deal with US that would avoid jail time - Misty Severi

 

​ by Misty Severi

The plea deal would seek a 62-month sentence, which would count as time served because he was imprisoned in London while fighting an extradition to the U.S. He would then be allowed to return home to Australia.

 

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the United States on Monday that would allow him to avoid any time in prison, according to new court documents.

Assange, who was facing up to 175 years in prison if convicted of his crimes, agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge related to his company's mass release of classified documents, according to CNN. 

The plea deal would first see him brought to the Northern Mariana Islands, and then seek a 62-month sentence that would count as time served because he was imprisoned in London while fighting an extradition to the U.S. He would then be allowed to return home to Australia.

The Wikileaks founder was originally indicted on 18 charges in 2019 that centered on his company's decision to release classified U.S. military documents that were provided by former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in 2010 and 2011. The records consisted of thousands of pages of intelligence cables that included information about Guantanamo Bay detainees, the War in Afghanistan, and documents that could have endangered confidential U.S. sources.

U.S. officials claimed that Assange coerced Manning into obtaining and handing over the documents. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for her part, but her sentence was commuted by former President Barack Obama during his presidency, NBC News reported.

Assange previously fled to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he remained for seven years until his asylum was revoked. He was then removed and arrested in London, where he has remained for five years while fighting an extradition to the U.S.

The deal comes after a London court ruled last month that Assange could have a full hearing on whether he would be discriminated against in the U.S. as a foreign national. 

President Joe Biden said he was considering the deal in April. But the deal will still need to be approved by a federal judge.

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/courts-law/julian-assange-reaches-plea-deal-us-would-avoid-jail-time

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Netanyahu: IDF moving north as intense Rafah fight ‘about to end’ - JNS

 

​ by JNS

The interview came as Iran-backed Hezbollah continued to launch drones and anti-tank missiles at the Galilee.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears on Channel 14's "The Patriots" show, June 23, 2024. Credit: Screenshot.

With intense fighting in the Gaza Strip winding down, Jerusalem will deploy more troops to the northern border to defend against increasing Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Channel 14 on Sunday night.

“The intense phase of the fighting against Hamas is about to end,” he told “Patriots” host Yinon Magal, adding: “It doesn’t mean that the war is about to end, but the war in its intense phase is about to end in Rafah.”

He added that the Israeli military will continue to “mow the grass” in Gaza constantly to prevent the enclave from becoming a threat again.

After the end of the current phase of the war in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces will “redeploy some forces to the north…primarily for defensive purposes, but also to bring all the residents of the north home,” said the premier, in reference to the tens of thousands of citizens who have been displaced due to the war.

“If we can do it politically, that would be great. If not, we will do it in another way, but we will bring everyone back home—all the residents of the north and the south.”

Any political solution for the northern border “will not be an agreement on paper,” he emphasized, but “will include the physical removal of Hezbollah from the border, and we will have to enforce it.”

Regarding the faltering hostage talks with Hamas, Netanyahu reiterated that he will not agree to the terror group’s demands.

“I’m not prepared to end the war and leave Hamas in place. I am prepared to do a partial deal, that’s no secret, that would return some of the hostages to us,” he said.

The appearance on the right-wing channel marked Netanyahu’s first interview with the Hebrew press since the start of the war eight months ago.

The interview came as Iran-backed Hezbollah continued to launch drones and anti-tank missiles at the Galilee, wounding three Israelis on Sunday, two of whom were listed as being in serious condition.

Asked about the growing prospect of war with Hezbollah, Netanyahu said, “We will do what is necessary. I can assure the citizens of Israel that if we are required to take on this challenge, we will do it. We can fight on several fronts, and we are also preparing for it.”

The Israeli leader also sent a message of unity.

“The God of Israel will not give us another chance. History gives a quota of miracles, and we have already performed many miracles, but it is up to us now,” he said. “It won’t happen miraculously; it depends on mobilizing our national will.”

JNS

Source: https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-idf-moving-north-as-intense-rafah-fight-about-to-end/

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'Lebanon doesn't want war': Online campaign targets Hezbollah - Ohad Merlin

 

​ by Ohad Merlin

Hashtags and social media campaigns led by Lebanese media personalities attempt to restrain Hezbollah from what they deem ‘destruction of the state.'

Illustration depicting Iran gobbling down Lebanon

(photo credit: Courtesy Social Media)

 

As Israel and Hezbollah exchange deadly blows at the border and threats of an imminent war are sounded daily, some activists and media personalities in Lebanon who oppose the Iranian-backed terrorists of Hezbollah have come out with a series of videos and online campaigns in what appears to be a last-ditch effort to turn public opinion in the Land of Cedars against the prospects of war with Israel.

One salient example of these efforts is the hashtag “Lebanon doesn’t want war,” which had almost 40,000 appearances over the last month alone, garnering roughly 100,000 engagements and a potential reach of almost 30 million users. The hashtag was also accompanied by a series of infographics and other hashtags, such as “Disarming Hezbollah is vital” and “Resolution 1701,” which were shared by a wide array of Lebanese activists on social media.

Some commentators directly addressed Hezbollah and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah. Nancy Nessrine Lakiss, a Lebanese journalist from Elsharq press, posted a picture showing a white dove with the slogan “We shout for peace, not for war,” adding: “Hezbollah published a video from its military media provoking Israel, so Israel decided to threaten us with bombing the airport. Please have mercy on us! How can you bear this much blood and death? Who will build Lebanon again? And if it is built, who will live in the houses after all this destruction and killing?”

In another viral post, Lakiss turned directly to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, demanding: “Mr. Nasrallah, you negotiate for the rights of the Palestinians, but have you forgotten their actions during our civil war, such as violating our women? Do you value the blood of the Lebanese in your decisions regarding the war? Justice must begin with our country first!

A Christian user named Chris shared a video showing the testimony of an elderly displaced lady who left her home in Southern Lebanon with her family, adding: “Do you want to liberate Jerusalem? You want to destroy Lebanon, displace its people, and kill them ... You are worse than the enemy ... You are the devil himself... Just let this people live … let these people raise their children in a country in peace and security!”

Image calling for peace. (credit: Courtesy Social Media)

Another user taunted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah: “Lebanon has gone underground...in the image of Nasrallah. From a country that is friendly and open to countries around the world: American, European, Arab, Gulf, and others, a Lebanon towering above the cedars of the mountains – It is now ruled from underground!”

Economic, social, and political repercussions

Other users focused on the economic, social, and political repercussions of a war between the Iranian-backed militia and Israel. Christian anti-Hezbollah activist and writer Raymond Hakim shared the hashtag alongside a graphic showing scenes of destruction, with the writing “A destroyed life – this is what wars bring upon Lebanon,” also adding, “When I see what is happening in our Arab capitals, I ask myself: why does Iran hate us so much?”

A user named Joyce Saadeh posted a graphic from the popular Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, reading “The militia of Hezbollah destroys the summer season,” adding: “You know the truth, and the truth will free you. Lebanon doesn’t want war”.

Another user posted a graphic featuring a map of Lebanon reading “10,452 km2 don’t want war,” adding: “Pray for the Lebanese people to live in peace without senseless wars!”

A journalist named Karen Boustany shared a headline by Al-Jazeera claiming that Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, the UK, Italy, and Spain called their ambassadors back home, adding: “If this news is true, then congratulations! Lebanon has officially become an integral part of the Islamic Republic!”

Another graphic, uploaded by journalist and lecturer Aline, shows Lebanese citizens standing in the midst of rubble. The graphic claims “a nonexistent future,” adding: “Our university students are graduating while gazing toward the airport. This means we are gradually becoming an old country, and the goal may be to fill the void with foreign people.”

Another user named Mohamad Alamin posted a graphic showing Cyprus being targeted by Hezbollah, adding: “Threatening nations of the world rips Lebanon’s relations apart.”

Another journalist named Saeer Sabil uploaded a caricature showing Hezbollah’s weapons as a bull pulling a cart representing Lebanon straight into the mouth of an Iranian cleric, adding, “The party of Satan (a derogatory name for Hezbollah) seeks to grant Lebanon in its entirety to the Mullah regime.”

Finally, a user named “The 2006 war will be remembered and shall not repeat” shared the hashtag alongside a graphic !” showing a Hezbollah drone claiming that it would “destroy Lebanon,” adding, “The south will be destroyed and, Lebanon will be destroyed – all in service of Iran and its ambitions and foreign policy.

For the past not to repeat, international resolutions must be applied, and Hezbollah must be disarmed from its illegal weapons. Fueling the conflict will destroy everything we have rebuilt!” 

 

Ohad Merlin

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-807388

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The IDF is on track to dismantle Hamas’s last brigade in Rafah - Yaakov Lappin

 

​ by Yaakov Lappin

Despite the relatively slow pace of the IDF operation in Rafah, the overall strategy is proving effective.

 

Israeli ground troops operating in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, June 1, 2024. Credit: IDF.

The Israel Defense Forces is pursuing a phased approach in its ongoing offensive against Hamas’s last stronghold in Rafah, Gaza. By dividing Rafah into sub-areas and deploying a single division—the 162nd—rather than two, the IDF and the Israeli Cabinet have taken a slower path, but one that has avoided another crisis with the United States. 

According to Israeli military assessments, Hamas’s final functioning brigade will be dismantled in Rafah within weeks. Its defeat will mark a major milestone in the war that began on Oct. 7 with Hamas’s mass invasion of southern Israel. Meanwhile, Hamas has lost its ability to smuggle weapons and contraband from Egypt’s Sinai into Gaza via the cross-border tunnels. This will severely harm Hamas’s ability to rebuild its terror army—assuming that Israel does not relinquish its control of the Gaza-Egypt border.

According to an IDF source, of Hamas’s four Rafah battalions, only two are currently functional.

The IDF has eliminated over 500 terrorists in Rafah, and has also discovered extensive tunnel networks under the city, and under the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border. Two of the tunnels destroyed by Israeli forces exceeded a kilometer in length.

IDF ground and air units are dismantling significant portions of Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure in the area. Much of this work is slow and extremely difficult, as Hamas employs asymmetric warfare tactics and stays out of sight until it strikes. 

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The Israeli Air Force has played a crucial role in these operations. IAF fighter jets and aircraft have been striking numerous targets across Gaza, and providing close air support for the 162nd Division in Rafah. The Israeli Navy has also been striking enemy targets from the sea. 

On June 20, the IDF reported that the Nahal infantry brigade, operating under the 162nd Division, had discovered large quantities of hidden weapons and tunnel shafts within and under civilian residences in Rafah.  

The IDF has learned an enormous amount about complex, large-scale urban warfare in recent months, and is applying those lessons effectively in Rafah. 

All of this has led to considerable, steady progress in the systematic erosion of the Rafah Brigade’s capabilities. 

The phased approach allowed for the safe evacuation of over a million civilians; the evacuations have continued at the local level. 

This has been crucial in avoiding civilian casualties as much as possible and avoiding a crisis with the U.S. Biden administration. However, this approach also gave Hamas the option of fleeing Rafah under the cover of the evacuations, possibly taking hostages with them.

International media has reported that the IDF has accelerated the pace of the Rafah operation in recent days. Reuters reported on June 21 that the IDF had taken control of the eastern, southern and central parts of the city and was now focusing on the northern and western sections. The intensified activity has led to a new wave of evacuations, with Gazans moving northward, according to the report. Reuters cited U.N. estimates that there are now fewer than 100,000 civilians left in Rafah, compared with over a million before the IDF ground maneuver. 

Despite the slower pace, the IDF’s strategy appears to have proven effective.

Meanwhile, the IDF’s destruction of Rafah’s massive tunnels network is crucial in cutting off supply lines and operational routes, significantly weakening Hamas’s overall capabilities.

Parallel to this effort in Rafah is the ongoing IDF effort to eliminate senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists, harming the terrorist groups’ command and control capabilities. On June 22, the Israeli Air Force attempted to eliminate Hamas’s head of operations, Raed Sa’ad, in a strike in Gaza City. At time of publication, it remained unclear whether the attempt was successful.

Yaakov Lappin

Source: https://www.jns.org/the-idf-is-on-track-to-dismantle-hamass-last-brigade-in-rafah/

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‘US will have difficulty defending Israel against Hezbollah’ - JNS

 

​ by JNS

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs noted that it is harder to repel the shorter-range munitions used by the Lebanese terror group, and warned that Iran could be drawn into the conflict.

 

Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attends a welcome ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Nov. 17, 2023. Credit: Chief Mass Communication Specialist James Mullen/U.S. Department of Defense.

The United States likely would not be able to help Israel defend itself against a broader war with Hezbollah in the way it did when Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones at the Jewish state in April, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Sunday.

Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown noted that it is harder to repel the shorter-range rockets from Lebanon, Associated Press reported.

An Israel-Hezbollah war also risks triggering a direct military response by Tehran, he added.

Iran “would be more inclined to support Hezbollah” than it is the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip, “particularly if they felt that Hezbollah was being significantly threatened,” Brown told reporters.

Brown said the Biden administration continues to urge Israel against widening the conflict in the north. Washington’s key message is “to think about the second order of effect of any type of operation into Lebanon, and how that might play out and how it impacts not just the region, but how it impacts our forces in regions as well,” he said.

The general stressed that the safety of U.S. forces remains a priority, noting that no U.S. bases have been attacked since February.

Hezbollah has attacked northern Israel nearly every day since joining the war in support of Gaza-based Hamas on Oct. 8, killing more than 20 people and causing widespread damage. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the ongoing violence.

Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has fired more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and suicide drones at Israeli border communities.

Last week, the IDF authorized operational plans for a campaign aimed at pushing Hezbollah north of the Litani River, which was also the stated goal of 2006’s UNSC Resolution 1701.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israel’s Channel 14 on Sunday that Israeli forces are being deployed to the northern border for defensive purposes “but also to bring all the residents of the north home.”

“If we can do it politically, that would be great,” he said of ongoing U.S.-brokered talks. “If not, we will do it in another way, but we will bring everyone back home—all the residents of the north and the south.”

Any diplomatic solution for the northern border “will not be an agreement on paper,” he emphasized, but “will include the physical removal of Hezbollah from the border, and we will have to enforce it.”

In a video message published overnight Saturday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed to “fight without restraints, without rules, without limits.” Nasrallah has also threatened that “an invasion of the Galilee remains on the table if the confrontation escalates.”

Senior U.S. officials have assured Jerusalem that the White House would offer Israel the security assistance it needs to fight the Iranian terrorist proxy, according to a report on Friday. However, the United States is not willing to deploy American troops on the ground in such a scenario, reports said.

During a meeting with Netanyahu in Jerusalem on June 17, presidential envoy Amos Hochstein reportedly rejected Israel’s demand that any diplomatic deal to end the conflict in the north be based on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701. 

Instead, he said it should include a range of options, including moving Hezbollah six miles from the border. He stressed that the U.S. was concerned about further escalation and called for calm on both sides.

JNS

Source: https://www.jns.org/us-will-have-difficulty-defending-israel-against-hezbollah/

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