I reckon, Hamas has achieved, in a way succeeded in it's brutal way -- among others,
Palestine Statehood is actively trending on the International domain
more and more countries recognising Palestine Statehood
push for Palestine United Nations membership -- if not for US Veto
destabilise Israel's economy, political turmoil, civil unrest
'occupied' territories in the spotlight
settler violence in 'occupied' territories -- sanctions
pro-Palestinian demonstrations worldwide
antisemitism on the rise Disgraceful
Israel seemingly more and more isolated
Israel's allies' support seemingly dwindling -- with friends! like this....
Israel accused of genocide and crimes against humanity
Israel forced to negotiate with terrorists Hamas
International Court of Justice [ICJ] action against Israel
International Criminal Court [ICC] proceedings against Israel [without the principle of “complementarity”] Complementarity requires the ICC to let the nation in question's legal system move first before any action is taken by the Court
Middle East crisis — explained NPR npr.org by Aya Batrawy August 16, 2024 Abu Bakr Bashir contributed reporting from London
DOHA, Qatar — A Hamas leader says they will give up governing Gaza but won’t lay down arms
Extracts: Basem Naim, a leader in Hamas’ politburo, continues to defend Hamas’ decisions, despite the unprecedented cost Palestinians have paid in Israel’s retaliation
Naim says before October 7, 2023 the world had been looking past the Palestinians, ignoring their plight Another Arab country, Saudi Arabia, was inching closer to establishing formal relations with Israel
Quote
“We were nearly deleted from the agenda of the region and international community,” Naim says “I think today the situation is totally different”
Twelve F-22 Raptors of the US Air Force depart the UK for a deployment to the Middle East in response to trouble in the region. Two C17 Globemasters are also featured transporting equipment, and fighter jets based at RAF Lakenheath.
Twelve F-22 Raptor Advanced Tactical Fighters from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska stopped at RAF Lakenheath on Tuesday, 6th August, before then departing on Thursday, 8th August. The air superiority fighter jets, built to be stealthy, are being deployed to the Middle East as part of the US government's response to rising tensions in the region. A Carrier Strike Group, an Amphibious Ready Group, other aircraft, and assets are also being deployed.
Hundreds of aviation enthusiasts and interested parties gathered at the RAF Lakenheath viewing area on the Suffolk/Norfolk border to watch the 5th generation fighter planes take off. The aircraft departed on Thursday morning. Various F15 Strike Eagles and F35 Lightning IIs based at RAF Lakenheath also departed for local training. The deployment of F22s is being supported by KC-46 Pegasus fuel tankers and C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft (seen at the end).
Benjamin Netanyahu, the longest-serving Israeli prime minister, first came to power 29 May 1996 election [sitting Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated 04 November 1995 by Yigal Amir, an Israeli extremist Jew] Netanyahu's almost 17 year cumulative tenure is longer than that of anyone else who has led Israel, a country only two years older than he is, governing what is widely regarded as the most right-wing government in Israel's history and a polarizing figure on the world stage "who has led Israel to the terrible place they are now in” -- Global pariah on the world stage
Hamas claims very costly wins against Israel -- True
economic toll The Bank of Israel estimated in November that the war would cost about USD53 billion through to 2025 based on forecasts of increased defence and other spending against a backdrop of lower tax revenue. Israel has not seen this scale of military activity in terms of duration, intensity and cost in recent times
Israeli war costs economy over $67.3 billion: Israel’s budget deficit reached 8.1% last July, Economists say The economic toll of the war may cost Israel an estimated $400 billion in lost economic activity over the next decade – threatens Israel's economic future.
Originally Posted by Kangaroo Don
Israel seemingly is not the mighty and powerful it was --
No doubt Hamas has achieved, in a way succeeded in it's brutal way -- all you had listed and more
Quote
Naim says Israel’s image as a nation representing “Western values of human rights and democracy” has been shattered by the war. He says the war also showed Israel’s reliance on US including in shooting down Iranian aerial strikes in April 2024
Naim says before October 7, 2023 the world had been looking past the Palestinians, ignoring their plight
“We were nearly deleted from the agenda of the region and international community,” Naim says “I think today the situation is totally different”
Basem Naim, a leader in Hamas’ politburo: Palestinian militants used parachutes, speed boats and explosives to infiltrate Israel’s border in the attack. Naim says Hamas was surprised by how quickly Israel’s defenses crumbled
Kfar Aza, Israel: A visual investigation in collaboration with @WashingtonPost provides a detailed examination of how Hamas was able to breach Israel’s vaunted security barrier on October 7, 2023 and carry out its attack.
Extracts:
Iron wall
completed in 1996 and billion dollar upgrade in 2021 dubbed the Iron wall, separating Israel from the Gaza strip -- the 40 mile long 20 foot high barrier, with deep underground concrete layer to block Hamas tunnels, outfitted with sensors, cutting-edge surveillance tools and remote controlled machine guns above ground
Israel's Fatal complacency
fragile barrier giving Israel a false sense of security, leaving it blind to it's own vulnerabilities and to the meticulous plan taking shape on the other side of the Iron wall, multiple Hamas training videos some posted on social media before the attack
Originally Posted by Hollander
Israel Knew Hamas’s Attack Plan More Than a Year Ago A blueprint reviewed by The Times laid out the plan for the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli officials dismissed it as aspirational and ignored specific warnings.
perhaps that was Hamas' tactic and it worked Well, Hamas -- Hamas played this one beautifully It's never been done before -- infiltrate Israel’s border
There was so much research, planning, training over a long period, by Hamas and not secretive either brewing in plain sight.... right under Israel's nose
Extracts: Norwegian foreign minister decries Israeli government’s ‘extreme and unreasonable’ decision, vows Oslo will continue working for ‘viable Palestinian state’ despite setbacks
Norway will be closing its Representative Office in the Palestinian West Bank town of Al-Ram “until further notice” the foreign minister said on Friday, following a decision by Israel to revoke the accreditation of Norwegian diplomats working there.
Earlier this month, Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced that it would be revoking the diplomatic status of eight Norwegian diplomats who dealt with the Palestinian Authority, in response to Oslo’s recognition of a Palestinian state earlier this year 2024
Quote
The dramatic step would serve to show the Norwegians that there was “a price for anti-Israel conduct” Foreign Minister Israel Katz said at the time
The diplomats were told that they would have their accreditation revoked within a week and their visas in three months. They were all offered the option to apply for new accreditation.
In a statement on Friday, Norwegian Foreign Ministry Espen Barth Eide said that Oslo considered the decision by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be “extreme and unreasonable”
In light of the closure of the West Bank Representative Office, nearly 30 years after it opened in 1995 Barth Eide said Norway was “working to determine” the best way to move forward
The Hamas terror group published an official statement on Sunday evening in which it rejected the terms for a hostage release-ceasefire deal which were discussed in Doha on Thursday and Friday, and blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for putting up new obstacles in the talks.
Netanyahu, for his part, reportedly told cabinet ministers earlier on Sunday that he was pessimistic about the chances for a deal, especially given that Israel had been effectively negotiating with mediating countries rather than with Hamas, which refused to send a delegation to the latest round of talks.
“The chances are not high,” the Kan public broadcaster quoted Netanyahu as telling ministers.
Netanyahu’s pessimism, coupled with Hamas’s rejection of the terms discussed in Doha, appeared to contradict reports from mediators that the negotiations were making progress, with a potential successful end in sight.
Biden says Gaza ceasefire deal ‘still possible’ and ‘we’re not giving up’
Netanyahu is to host visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on Monday, his ninth visit to the Middle East since the war in Gaza. Blinken is then set to fly to Cairo, where talks on a deal are ongoing.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) says its forces successfully destroyed one Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen.
The Iran-backed Houthi terrorists have launched repeated drone and missile strikes on ships they perceive as bound to or related to Israel or the United States since November to show their support for the Palestinians in the Gaza war.
They have also targeted Israel with missiles and drones.
A senior police officer says that a truck explosion in Tel Aviv that killed the driver could have been an attempted terror attack.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Tel Aviv Police District Commander Peretz Amar says that the explosion was caused by a bomb and that the identity of the dead man holds the key to the motive.
“It is difficult to identify the body,” says Amar. “We know that he is not an innocent civilian, but somebody who was carrying an explosive device.”
“Was this criminal or a [terror] attack? The identity of the man is crucial to determining this,” he says, adding that the possibility it was an attempted attack is heightened by the findings at the scene.
Amar says that a passerby who was injured in the explosion might be able to assist the probe.
After a slow start, Israel has killed a significant number of senior Hamas military personnel in the territory
These include Mohammed Deif, its military chief in Gaza and his deputy, Marwan Issa. Dozens of lower-level commanders have died in Israeli strikes
This has hurt Hamas badly and gone some way to mitigate the fear and trauma in Israel after the militant Islamist organisation’s surprise attacks on 7 October last year that killed almost 1,200 people, most of them civilians and led to about 250 being taken hostage
Israeli security officials believe too that the country has restored the deterrence that has been central to its strategic defence for decades. Maybe so -- but it occurred to me....
Hit and Run terror 1. terrorists drones surveying inner Israel, raining missile barrage, salvo of rockets, drone attacks, suicide bombers 2. also drone and missile strikes on ships in the Red Sea 3. and now that the terrorists know Israel is not the Fort Knox everyone thought Israel was.... 4. No more -- no way any one can get into Israel
Netanyahu is in no hurry to do a deal One factor may be the prospect of the collapse of Netanyahu's ruling coalition as right-wingers adamantly opposed to concessions peel away. This would leave the veteran politician potentially facing prison if continuing corruption trials end badly for him
Another may be Israeli public opinion Polls show Netanyahu remains deeply unpopular and a substantial proportion of Israelis favour a deal to bring back the hostages But the ratings of Netanyahu’s Likud party have ticked up again in recent weeks
Hamas new leader Yahya Sinwar does not appear to want a deal either Sinwar's 40-year career within Islamist militancy has been marked by unremitting dedication to the eventual destruction of Israel and much brutal violence
SPOILER
If Israel managed to kill Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the 07 October 2023 attacks, the political and legal prospects of the prime minister would brighten
Now believed to be hiding in a tunnel under Gaza, Sinwar was held for 23 years in Israeli prisons before being released in 2011 in a prisoner exchange -- 13 years later....
According to one Israeli former interrogator who worked at the institution where Sinwar was held, the 61-year-old is “1,000% committed and 1,000% violent – a very, very hard man”
This month, Sinwar was picked to succeed Haniyeh, a relative pragmatist, at the head of Hamas The choice consolidated the authority of the most intransigent of senior officials of the fractured organisation and one close to Tehran. Few observers think this improves the chances of a ceasefire deal
Sinwar now appears to believe that Hamas is in a strong position in negotiations, with civilian suffering in Gaza increasing international pressure on Israel and so potentially forcing further concessions
He knows too that a shadowy Hamas administration still exists in much of the territory and that the organisation is able to recruit new fighters
According to a June report in the Wall Street Journal, emails to other Hamas leaders in Doha earlier this year reveal Sinwar’s belief that even hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths are a “necessary sacrifice” and his commitment to “move forward on the same path we started” whatever the cost -- whilst Sinwar if he is hiding in a tunnel under Gaza or living in luxury elsewhere....
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps in ceasefire negotiations and the next step is for Hamas to accept ahead of further negotiations expected to take place later this week.
“The next important statement is for Hamas to say yes, and then, in the coming days, for all of the expert negotiators to get together to work on clear understandings on implementing the agreement,” Blinken said at a press conference in Tel Aviv.
The announcement by Blinken and the Israeli prime minister’s office that Israel had agreed to the bridging proposal followed a three-hour meeting between the top US diplomat and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem earlier Monday.
Both sides described the meeting as constructive. Netanyahu committed to sending senior negotiators to “complete this process” in either Qatar or Egypt, Blinken said.
It is unclear what exactly is in the “bridging proposal.” It was put forward last week by the US, with the support of Qatar and Egypt, following two days of high-stakes talks in Doha.
On Sunday evening, Hamas and Netanyahu traded accusations suggesting that a deal may still be far off.
Hamas suggested it had rejected the proposal. Hamas said the latest proposal didn’t include a permanent ceasefire and introduced new conditions on the exchange of prisoners, among other issues.
The group blamed Netanyahu for “obstructing” a deal from being reached and reiterated its desire to enact a three-phase proposal presented by US President Joe Biden, which would include the release of hostages from Gaza, a “full and complete ceasefire,” and the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. It called on mediators to “compel the occupation to implement” that plan.
Netanyahu shot back, saying Israel will not be “giving in to Hamas’s demand” to end the war in Gaza as a condition of a deal. “The Prime Minister has strongly insisted on this fundamental demand, which is vital to achieving the goals of the war, and Hamas changed its position,” a statement from his office said Sunday.
“The Prime Minister will continue to work on advancing a deal that will maximize the number of living hostages and which will enable the achieving of all of the war objectives.”
At his news conference Monday, Blinken said he could not “speculate on exactly what Hamas’s intentions are,” but expected to learn more in his conversations with Egyptian and Qatari officials on Tuesday.
“We’ve seen public statements, but we’ve seen public statements before that don’t fully reflect where Hamas is,” he said.
Other key sticking points in talks include Israel’s insistence on controlling the border between Gaza and Egypt, having a veto over which Palestinian prisoners are released and preventing the movement of armed men from southern Gaza to the north.
hey well it's been long time since i logged on... tbh i'm home and everything is regular for me, but i don't like it that dues is ban from the site... it's sucks to be here without him ! i really love dues he's the man ! we keep in touch till this day ! i hope that turnball will cancel his ban so that dues will be here with us !
please turnball do it please it's been 10 months that he's out from here !
A senior police officer says that a truck explosion in Tel Aviv that killed the driver could have been an attempted terror attack.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Tel Aviv Police District Commander Peretz Amar says that the explosion was caused by a bomb and that the identity of the dead man holds the key to the motive.
“It is difficult to identify the body,” says Amar. “We know that he is not an innocent civilian, but somebody who was carrying an explosive device.”
“Was this criminal or a [terror] attack? The identity of the man is crucial to determining this,” he says, adding that the possibility it was an attempted attack is heightened by the findings at the scene.
Amar says that a passerby who was injured in the explosion might be able to assist the probe.
crazy situation ! 2 friends of mine live in the area in TLV, like 3 min from there ! so lucky he accidently bombed himself out lol
Israelis feared the attack presaged a dark shift in the conflict, sparking memories of the second intifada, the armed Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation between 2000 and 2005 that was marked with bombings in malls, on buses and outside nightclubs
Hamas’s armed wing said in a statement that it worked with Palestinian Islamic Jihad to execute the “martyrdom operation” — a term the militant groups use to refer to suicide bombings
It was not immediately clear however whether the attacker planned to kill himself or was intending to plant the bomb before it exploded
Israeli police and Shin Bet, the country’s internal security service, said in a joint statement that a “powerful explosive device” detonated in a “terrorist attack” and injured one person, adding that they are still investigating
The explosion occurred near the Shimon Bar Yochai Synagogue as more than 100 people were praying, according to Rabbi Avraham Meshulam
Quote
“It shook the synagogue,” Meshulam, 73 told The Washington Post
“The windows shattered, people screamed and there was chaos People thought it was a missile from Iran In the end, it turned out to be a terrorist”
Israeli police spokesman Eli Levy told Israeli military radio that if the explosion had occurred a few meters closer to the worshipers “we would have woken up to a huge disaster”
Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said the attacker was Palestinian and that an explosive device in his backpack “exploded before he managed to reach a more heavily populated area”
At the scene of the bombing Sunday night, shrapnel marks pitted the road where a black plastic body bag lay behind red and white police cordons
Police held back onlookers as first responders searched the area with flash lights Nearby, a white Nissan truck with a smashed windshield was parked
Hamas has largely avoided suicide attacks in recent years as it sought more international acceptance, said HA Hellyer, a senior associate fellow in international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies in London
Quote
The attack in Tel Aviv “represents clear desperation” Hellyer said “They want to try and give the Israelis a bloody nose at home in the same way they are getting all this pain”
The level of bloodshed in Gaza, where tens of thousands of people have been killed in Israel’s war against Hamas and in the occupied West Bank where nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed since October in Israeli military raids and attacks by radical settlers, has drawn a large recruitment pool for militants, Hellyer said
In such an environment, Hellyer added, Palestinian opposition to such operations, which are “seen as hard to justify religiously” will probably “be more muted”
Israel’s security agencies say they have thwarted several plots to carry out suicide bombings in Israel in recent months. Around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage on October 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants overran southern Israel
The last suicide attack inside Israel took place in 2016 when an attacker detonated a bomb on a Jerusalem bus, injuring 21 people; while Hamas later identified the 19 year old Palestinian assailant, it stopped short of claiming responsibility
Hamas warned that such operations “will resume prominently” as long as the war in Gaza continues
HA Hellyer: and in the occupied West Bank where nearly 600 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023 in Israeli military raids and attacks by radical settlers
Originally Posted by Kangaroo Don
Again, Israel is not doing themselves any favours Every life is equally precious whether Israeli, Palestinian or
Michael Milshtein, a former head of Palestinian affairs for Israeli military intelligence, pointed to a “dramatic escalation in the rate of terror in the West Bank” in the months since which he said has been overshadowed by the war in Gaza and rising tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border
“It seems that maybe another front is being opened” Milshtein said “These are going to be very bad years for Israel”
Tel Aviv: — Hamas claimed responsibility for a bombing that shook Tel Aviv on Sunday 18 August 2024 night as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived to promote a US backed cease-fire proposal in Gaza which he described as potentially a last-ditch chance to restore calm to the Middle East
While the Biden administration has said that a deal could be concluded as early as this week, the explosion in Tel Aviv on Sunday night — about an hour after Blinken touched down in the city — underscored the peril of the moment and the risk of escalation
If Israel managed to kill Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the 07 October 2023 attacks, the political and legal prospects of the prime minister would brighten
Maybe so -- but it occurred to me.... “1,000% committed and 1,000% violent – a very, very hard man” belief that even hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths are a “necessary sacrifice” and his commitment to “move forward on the same path we started” whatever the cost marked by unremitting dedication to the eventual destruction of Israel and much brutal violence -- leaders dime a dozen
Basem Naim, a leader in Hamas’ politburo: Palestinian militants used parachutes, speed boats and explosives to infiltrate Israel’s border in the attack. Naim says Hamas was surprised by how quickly Israel’s defenses crumbled
Israel was mocked their straw defenses, straw Dome
Originally Posted by Kangaroo Don
Well, Hamas -- Hamas played this one beautifully It's never been done before -- infiltrate Israel’s border
There was so much research, planning, training over a long period, by Hamas and not secretive either brewing in plain sight.... right under Israel's nose
Around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 were taken hostage on October 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants overran southern Israel -- ran amok surprise attack, brutal carnage on Israeli soil and leaving with hostages because of Benjamin Netanyahu, Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence failure, IDF delay getting there "led Israel to the terrible place they are now in” -- Global pariah on the world stage
Israeli security officials believe too that the country has restored the deterrence that has been central to its strategic defence for decades. Israel’s security agencies say they have thwarted several plots to carry out suicide bombings in Israel in recent months -- Horse bolted October Israel's worst security failure
From The Times of Israel August 21, 2024 IDF recovers bodies of 6 hostages from Gaza, including one hitherto presumed alive
All 6 had been taken alive on Oct. 7; Avraham Munder 78 found dead in Khan Younis tunnel with bodies of Alex Dancyg 75 Yagev Buchshtav 35 Chaim Peri 79 Yoram Metzger 80 and Nadav Popplewell 51
From Israel National News August 20, 2024 Bereaved families to PM: For the sake of Israel's children - say NO to a reckless deal
Parents of fallen soldiers urge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say 'no' to a deal which will harm Israel's security. 'Look into the eyes of our children, make a deal - but not one that harms Israel's security.'
Bereaved parents from the Heroes Forum on Tuesday met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following reports that a new ceasefire-prisoner swap deal with the Hamas terror group may be close.
Dani Steinberg, father of late Col. Yonatan Steinberg, a commander in the Nahal Brigade, said, "Let us offer the Prime Minister support in continuing to stand up to the pressures from within and without."
Itzik Bonzel, father of Sergeant Amit Bonzel, who fell in battle in Gaza, said, "This morning, we learned that the State of Israel does not have a list of which hostages are alive and which are dead. It is unthinkable that we are going into a deal which has future consequences for the State of Israel's security, without knowing all of the data."
Former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker who spent nearly four decades representing America’s interests in the Arab world, serving as US ambassador to Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Kuwait as well as to Afghanistan and Pakistan on why Arab states won’t accept Palestinians fleeing war Arab States Are Giving Palestinians the Cold Shoulder. Here’s Why Politico Magazine Q & A by By Michael Hirsh 21 February 2024
Extracts: Ryan Crocker warns that the current conflict between Israel and Hamas — and its potential resolution — depend on understanding the history from the Arab side and the reluctance of other Arabs to come to the Palestinians’ aid
they would have nowhere in the Arab world to go, says former US Ambassador Ryan Crocker Despite public support for Palestinian rights, in truth nearly every Arab state has long viewed the Palestinians with “fear and loathing” Crocker says
This is especially true of Egypt, which will continue to refuse to admit Palestinians from across the border, Crocker says.
What’s noteworthy in this entire conflict since 07 October 2023 has been the lack of reaction or response from the Arab world -- six month old news but seems unchanged though hard to verify -- Google was confusing!
Saudi Arabia continues to hold the door open for a peace agreement with Israel
The UAE, Morocco and Bahrain didn’t even withdraw their ambassadors
That lack of reaction Crocker thinks, is very telling If you needed another example that Arab states are not viscerally concerned about the Palestinians and their fate, this would be it
Jordan did [withdraw their ambassador] but of course with about half of its population being Palestinian, Jordan has a particular problem
Black September, the 1970 Palestinian Liberation Organization PLO effort to overthrow the Jordanian monarchy -- failed not just because of the prowess of the Jordanian military but also because the Syrians withheld the air support for the Palestinians they had promised and that allowed the Jordanians to win the day
The Syrian air force was under command of a general named Hafez al-Assad [later ruler of Syria] whose hatred and fear of all things Palestinian was intense
All in all, the Palestinians have been hamstrung by their so-called Arab brothers That was a line Crocker picked up in Lebanon — when someone calls you “brother” you know you’ve got to watch your back
Extracts: There are four sides to Gaza: 1. two sides that border Israel -- The Israeli government prevents people from entering Israel 2. one side that borders Egypt -- The Egyptian government prevents people from entering Egypt 3. one side that borders the Mediterranean Sea
What’s left is the Mediterranean Exit
Henderson says, he has heard over the years that the Israeli Navy patrols the sea to prevent people from leaving Gaza by sea But when I go on the web to confirm that, I can’t
All I can find is that the Israeli government has tight restrictions on the area of the sea in which people from Gaza can fish and also harsh restrictions on flotillas taking goods into Gaza
But I can’t find any evidence that the government prevents them from leaving And a friend who was in the Israeli Defense Force IDF tells me that he has never heard that the Navy prevented people from leaving
Originally Posted by Kangaroo Don
also haven't seen any of the 50odd Muslim countries offering refuge and taking in any Palestinians They all shut their borders real quick
Israel’s Iron wall vaunted security barrier -- breach by Hamas 07 October 2023
One side - Israel [The Negev region] 1. Jewish religious holiday Shemini Atzeret / Simchat Torah 2. Supernova Music Festival celebrating love and spreading joy 3. music and dancing
the Other side - Gaza Strip
Quote
Basem Naim, a leader in Hamas’ politburo: We [the Palestinians] were living in a prison. And we have tried to knock the doors of this prison
Naim says an entire generation of Palestinians was losing everything “No vision, no horizon … no scenario that this will end soon.”
How contrasting....
Re: Israel: 'State of war'
[Re: Hollander]
#1097551 08/21/2409:55 AM08/21/2409:55 AM
Ismail Haniyeh may have been the lesser of the two evils
Yahya Sinwar 1. The Architect of the October 7 Massacre 2. The Butcher of Khan Younis 3. The Eyes of a Murderer 4. The face of Evil
From: AJC Global Voice August 7, 2024 in 2018, he supported weekly violent Palestinian protests along the border fence between Gaza and Israel, where his cold calculus about sacrificing Palestinian life to defeat Israel came into full display.
“We make the headlines only with blood,” Sinwar said in an interview with an Italian journalist at the time. No blood, no news.” Experts have attributed the planning and execution of the brutal massacre of October 7 to Sinwar.
Amid Israel’s ongoing efforts to eliminate him, Sinwar has thus far refused to agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal that would help end the war.
According to messages sent by Sinwar to Hamas leaders involved in indirect negotiations with Israel, he has shown a willingness to sacrifice Palestinian civilian lives for his own advantage, calling Palestinian deaths “necessary sacrifices.”
He has also refused to end the fighting and has come out against Palestinian reconciliation and a postwar plan, calling efforts “shameful and outrageous.”
“As long as fighters are still standing and we have not lost the war, such contacts should be immediately terminated,” he said in December of last year. “We have the capabilities to continue fighting for months.”
Sinwar has indicated that he is willing to die in the fighting and has also likened the battle against Israel to the 7th-century battle in Karbala, Iraq, where the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was slain.
“We have to move forward on the same path we started,” Sinwar wrote. “Or let it be a new Karbala.”
If this thug Sinwar is the best Hamas got to put in the top spot, they are fucked. Israel took out in Libanon also the first Fatah commander since October 7.
Hamas new leader Yahya Sinwar: Extracts: Amid Israel’s ongoing efforts to eliminate him, Sinwar has thus far refused to agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal that would help end the war.
“As long as fighters are still standing and we have not lost the war, such contacts should be immediately terminated,” Yahya Sinwar said in December of last year. “We have the capabilities to continue fighting for months.”
Does Israel?
Originally Posted by Hollander
If this thug Sinwar is the best Hamas got to put in the top spot, they are f--ked. Israel took out in Libanon also the first Fatah commander since October 7.
You mean Israel? if not Israel already are....
These terrorists modus operandi Hit and Run brutal terror from ALL sides of this tiny nation and "this thug Sinwar's" unremitting dedication to the eventual destruction of Israel
I reckon, unless Israeli allies step-up -- standing shoulder to shoulder, together, to protect Israeli people, Israeli territorial integrity and sovereignty, including boots on the ground [even if unofficial] fighting alongside IDF I cannot see Israel making progress in this bloodied, brutal, monstrous, violent multi-pronged [Ukraine has just one, Russia] Guerilla warfare already raging on, over ten months
and now suicide bombings inside Israel
Real worry -- Israel is defending not winning and Time is running out. I doubt, Israel can keep up this defending, much longer -- needs to win but cannot do it on its own
Israel-terrorists Hamas continue to be a long, bloodied, brutal war because Israel's mighty and powerful allies have not stepped up
