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Business Insider Follow Story by ashoaib@insider.com (Alia Shoaib) • 4h Smoke rises over a buildings in Gaza City on October 9, 2023 during an Israeli air strike. Sameh Rahmi/Getty Images© Sameh Rahmi/Getty Images An Israeli minister suggested that a nuclear weapon could be dropped on Gaza. Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu swiftly distanced himself from the remark by Amichai Eliyahu, a heritage minister. Netanyahu also suspended Eliyahu from meetings of Israel's cabinet. 1 / 12 1 11 powerful images of the wave of surprise attacks on Israel by Palestinian militants including burning tanks and rocket barrages©Amir Cohen/REUTERS Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war after Hamas launched a surprise attack. Hamas has fired thousands of rockets at Israel in "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm." Insider compiled 11 dramatic images showing the consequences of the surprise attack on Israel. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war after Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched thousands of rockets in a surprise attack on Saturday. "The Israel Defense Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organization will pay heavy price for its actions," Israel Defense Forces said in a statement, per Insider. Hamas' military commander Mohammad Deif called on Palestinians in Israel and those in neighboring Arab countries to join the attack, which he called "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm," in a rare statement, per the Washington Post. Palestinian militants infiltrated Israeli territory by land, sea, and some even used motorized paragliders as the attacks continued. Images show the scale of the attacks, including captured Israeli military vehicles, buildings aflame, and Israelis fleeing areas targeted by Hamas. Latest reports from Israeli media say 40 Israelis have been killed so far, with a further 740 people wounded by the Hamas bombings and raids. Israel's foreign ministry claimed that Hamas fighters were wantonly murdering civilians, per Sky News. Here are 11 dramatic images as the conflict unfolds. See more An Israeli minister on Sunday suggested dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza, and was swiftly suspended from part of his role. Amichai Eliyahu, Israel's heritage minister, made the remark in a radio interview, in which he also said he believed "there are no non-combatants in Gaza," Israel's Haaretz news site reported. Eliyahu is part of Israel's far-right Otzma Yehudit party, itself part of the fragile coalition forming Israel's government as it wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. When asked by the interview whether a nuclear weapon could be used on Gaza, Eliyahu responded: "That's one way." Eliyahu also advocated for Israel taking control of the strip's territory and expelling Palestinians, who he suggested could go "to Ireland or deserts," per The Times of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded within a few hours. His office released a statement that Eliyahu's nuclear weapon comment was "not based in reality." It said Israel's military was operating in "accordance with the highest standards of international law to avoid harming innocents" — a claim heavily disputed by observers and advocates in Gaza. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also criticized Eliyahu's comments, and noted that Eliyahu was not directly involved in carrying out the war. Al JazeeraHeavy battles reported between Israeli forces and Palestinian fighters in northern Gaza 8:55 "It's a good thing that people like this are not in charge of Israel's security," Gallant said. Netanyahu suspended Eliyahu from Cabinet meetings until further notice, the Associated Press reported. The outlet noted that the move had "no practical effect." Eliyahu later tried to walk back his comments, AP reported, saying: "Anyone reasonable would understand that the comment was metaphorical. But we definitely need to respond powerfully and disproportionately to terrorism." Following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel that killed some 1,400 people, Israel has been bombarding Gaza with air strikes and executing a ground invasion. Some 9,000 people have been killed in Gaza, its authorities said, many of them children.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced on Wednesday to deny a report his government had approved a shipment of weapons to Palestinian security forces after hard-right ministers in his coalition expressed outrage. Israel's Army Radio reported that the United States had supplied 1,500 assault rifles to Palestinian security services in the occupied West Bank with Israel approving the deal on condition the weapons be used against the militant Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups. Hardline Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose party backs policies favouring nationalist settler groups, reacted angrily, demanding that Netanyahu issue a public denial, while his coalition ally, Finance Minister Bezalel Smothrich, was reported by Israeli media to be "seething". this sounds crazy!!!!

Bloomberg Follow Israel’s Top Spy Worried Russia Could Sell Iran Advanced Weapons Story by Marissa Newman •9h (Bloomberg) -- Israel believes Russia could sell advanced weaponry to Iran, the director of the Mossad intelligence agency said, in rare public criticism of Moscow by an Israeli official. “We are concerned that the Russians will meet Iran’s demands to supply it with weapons and raw materials that will put Israel at risk,” Mossad’s David Barnea said in a speech on Sunday. Iran has been seeking sophisticated new air-defense systems from Russia, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News in March. Russia hasn’t said if it will supply the S-400s, which Israeli officials believe would hamper their ability to strike Tehran’s nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly vowed it won’t allow arch-nemesis Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and frequently threatens military action. Russia and Iran have bolstered their ties over the war in Ukraine, while Israel has issued only mild criticism of Moscow to keep its relations warm with the Kremlin on Middle East issues. In his public remarks Barnea said his agency foiled over two dozen planned attacks by Iran targeting Jewish and Israeli sites around the world this year, without providing specifics. The Mossad director threatened to strike Iranian officials and policymakers “from the bottom all the way to the top” should any attack plot linked to Iran harm Jews or Israelis. Israel’s retaliation would strike “deep inside Iran, in the heart of Tehran,” he warned.

Time Follow The American Public's Views on Israel Are Undergoing a Profound Shift. Washington Hasn't Caught Up Story by Yasmeen Serhan • 6h ago When Israeli President Isaac Herzog addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, there will be some notable absences. At least five progressive U.S. lawmakers, including Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and Cori Bush, confirmed that they will be skipping Herzog’s speech in protest of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in the occupied territories, which some Democrats recently described as “racist” and akin to apartheid. While these Democrats may be in the minority among their congressional peers, their positions are more mainstream than the D.C. establishment might suggest. Polls this year have shown that the gap between the American public and those elected to represent them is widening when it comes to U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly among Democrats. This year, for the first time, an annual Gallup survey found that Democrats’ sympathies lie more with Palestinians than Israelis by a margin of 49% to 38%. The survey found that sympathy toward Palestinians among U.S. adults is at a new high of 31%, while the proportion not favoring either side is at a new low of 15%. That’s a remarkable shift from only a decade ago, when sympathy toward Palestinians stood at just 12%. During that same period, sympathy toward Israelis has declined from 64% to 54%. Other recent surveys, carried out by researchers at the University of Maryland and Ipsos, reveal similarly noteworthy trends. A new poll published on the eve of Herzog’s address found that, in the absence of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, three-quarters of Americans would choose a democratic Israel that is no longer Jewish over a Jewish Israel that denies full citizenship and equality to non-Jews. The U.S. and the wider international community are still officially committed to a two-state solution, but many experts believe it’s no longer viable as a result of Israeli settlement expansion. Americans are also increasingly less likely to describe Israel as a democracy. When asked to describe the way Israel looks in a poll conducted between March and April, only 9% of respondents chose “a vibrant democracy,” a common descriptor for Israel among U.S. officialdom. The rest chose “a flawed democracy” (13%), “a state with restricted minority rights” (7%), and “a state with segregation similar to apartheid” (13%). Some 56% responded with “I don’t know.” Shibley Telhami, a Middle East expert at the University of Maryland who conducted the poll, tells TIME that the percentage of “don’t knows” was surprising. He says that this suggests that those polled “are either uncertain or they’re uncomfortable answering.” These shifting opinions coincide with a particularly tense period in Israel, which over the past year has been marked by unprecedented and sustained protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing government’s efforts to weaken the judiciary, the sole administrative check on their power. It has also featured an uptick in violence in the occupied Palestinian territories, which have been subject to deadly raids and, in the case of Huwara, what one Israeli general described as a “pogrom” carried out by Israeli settlers. The violence has resulted in the killing of at least 174 Palestinians this year, according to the U.N., putting 2023 on course to become the deadliest for Palestinians on record since the body began recording the number of fatalities in 2005. At least 23 Israelis have been killed in the occupied territories during the same period. While lawmakers such as Tlaib (the first Palestinian American woman elected to Congress) and Omar have long been critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians—they were banned from visiting the country in 2019—disquiet over Israel’s rightward shift has been growing among Democratic lawmakers in recent years, including among traditionally pro-Israel politicians on Capitol Hill. “We have always said that the U.S.-Israel relationship is built on shared interests and on shared values, but clearly we do not share the values of someone like Ben-Gvir,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a leading Democratic lawmaker on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Israeli newspaper Haaretz following a recent visit to the country, referencing one of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. More videos WIONUS-Israel's head of states to meet in Washington And it’s not just politicians. Noura Erakat, an associate professor at Rutgers University and author of Justice For Some: Law and the Question of Palestine, tells TIME that there has been a “serious shift” across academic associations, the arts, and other social justice movements when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “There is now clear and robust support and understanding of Palestine as a freedom struggle,” she says. There has also been a notable shift within the American Jewish community, where the subject of Israel has become more polarizing in recent years. A 2021 Pew survey found that while more than half (58%) of American Jews express an attachment toward Israel, markedly fewer approve of its government’s leadership (40%) or its efforts toward achieving peace with the Palestinians (33%). But this disquiet has yet to manifest itself within Washington—a reality that was best exemplified in recent days by the uproar over comments made by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the Democratic chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, who came under fire for referring to Israel as a “racist state.” Jayapal ultimately walked back her comments—explaining that she doesn’t believe the “idea” of Israel as a nation is racist, but that the discriminatory policies perpetuated by its government are—though not before being denounced by congressional Republicans (some of whom dubbed the remarks “anti-Semitic”) and many of her own Democratic colleagues. A resolution affirming that Israel “is not a racist or apartheid state” was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday, with 412 lawmakers in support and 9 against. Nor has this shift been acknowledged within the White House. Despite President Joe Biden’s criticism of Netanyahu’s governing coalition—one composed of ultranationalist and pro-settlement leaders that the President described as “one of the most extremist” he’s seen—his administration has resisted calls to leverage U.S. aid to Israel or to ensure that U.S. funding isn’t used in the military detention of Palestinian children. On Monday, Biden extended an invitation to Netanyahu for a face-to-face meeting in the U.S. after months of delays, though it is as yet unclear if such a meeting would take place in the White House. U.S. lawmakers are undoubtedly aware of this widening gap. “They would have to have their heads buried in the sand not to see a world changing around them,” says Erakat. But American public opinion doesn’t always dictate U.S. policy, nor is this issue as front of mind as more pressing foreign policy concerns, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine. “Obviously, policymaking is not just about public opinion,” says Yousef Munayyer, a senior fellow at the Arab Center in Washington, D.C. and an expert on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “In the United States in particular, it’s about elections, it’s about interest groups, and it’s also about American geopolitical interests. And all of those things coming together have made it easier for American policymakers to hold on to the old pro-Israel policies than to be responsive to a base that is increasingly calling for change.” The question is how long that remains sustainable. “This is going to continue to shake the U.S.-Israel relationship,” Munayyer adds. “When exactly that translates into policy change is not something we can tell.”

Axios Follow Rockets fired from Lebanon toward Israel in major escalation Story by Barak Ravid • 17m ago Rockets fired from Lebanon toward Israel in major escalation© Provided by Axios World Air raid sirens went off on Thursday afternoon in northern Israel as dozens of rockets were fired from Lebanon. The big picture: It's the most serious escalation between Lebanon and Israel since the 2006 war. The escalation comes a day after a violent escalation between the Israeli police and Palestinian worshipers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The rockets were fired around 3pm local time. Most were intercepted by the Iron Dome system, the Israeli military said. No group immediately claimed responsibility. The military wing of Hezbollah on Thursday morning issued a statement expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people and "the resistance factions" and stressed it backs any step they will take in order to defend the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Get more international news in your inbox with Axios World.

Hi there, To be clear, I am a white American Protestant from a conservative area in my country. I dislike the special treatment the Republicans give Israel and think it's bizarre. It has harmed my nation greatly. I have read on the disputes the Islamic world has with Israel and offer a question. What should Israel and the Israeli people do to make right with Palestine and fix the dispute that has been going on for the last 70 years? I don't understand it at all and would like to know what you think should be done. Thanks in advance.

"Israel vs Iran Military Power Comparison 2023 covers all major defense parameters to compare Iran vs Israel Power Comparison 2023 here you can find how powerful is Israel Military Power 2023 and How powerful is Iran Military Power 2023 one can also find who is the most powerful country between Israel and Iran In this Israel vs Iran Military Comparison you can find Israeli airforce vs irani airforce irani navy vs Israeli navy israeli army vs irani land forces comparison." The above may be seen as a preliminary information. Final conclusion can not be drawn as many of the defense capabilities of Iran have been kept hidden, i assume. Any remarks from SC members will be appreciated. wasalam

Salaam, Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Saudi Arabia (apparently) and now Morocco: https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/12/10/israel-morocco-agree-to-normalise-relations-in-us-brokered-deal#click=https://t.co/banbRgkQLn Who's next in the chain of normalization and how can this change the political situation in the Middle-East in favor of Israel?

On a very serious note, Sunni brothers really need to check the works Im posting in the comments below. These works identify SUFYANI I, predict the rise of SUFYANI II in this decade and more importantly notify the already over first coming of DAJJAL and warn against the more dangerous second coming of DAJJAL masquerading as Mahdi, ALL FROM SUNNI PROPHECIES ONLY. More than just theories, most of the matter in these works consists of almost ascertained facts, fulfilled prophecies and prophecies very close to being fulfilled.

In nineteen hundred and forty-eight the forces of the Zion-swine, to take the land of olives and grapes, invaded Palestine, but no more would they advance, since the White and Blue like lightning ran from the forces of the Resistance ! They burned their way through Jaffa, and laid Dair Yassin on the rack, in Nazareth and in Haifa marched the men whose hearts were black, they shot wives and children while they used to sing and dance. but the White and Blue like lightning ran from the forces of the Resistance ! Many mothers and grannies would cry, for their young children of fifteen years, Shebaa Farms' flames lit up the sky, but our yellow men knew no fear. God's party with all their strength gave them no chance, and the White and Blue like lightning ran from the forces of the Resistance ! The Zionists were caught taken out and shot by the brave and the valiant few, Ahmed Yassin, al-Rantisi and Sulaimani, and Nasrallah's valiant crew, though we're not free yet we won't forget until our last dying stance, how the White and Blue like lightning ran from the forces of the Resistance !

Salaam, In this post I seek to explore some disturbing and eerie similarities between the 3 nations mentioned in the title. Of course, this may all be coincidence, but I still would like to show you what I've found: 1. These 3 nations have a government that follows a deviated, extremist and political form of the 3 Abrahamical religions. As we all know, Saudi Arabia is a Salafist state, Israel is a Zionist state, and while the USA is supposedly laic, it was originally founded and populated by pilgrims who were Protestant dissenters, and today Evangelicalism is rampant. 2. These 3 nations are named after people. The USA, or United States of America: America is derived from Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian merchant and explorer. Israel is one of the names of Prophet Jacob (عليه السلام) and Saudi Arabia comes from Muhammad bin Saud (his father named Saud ibn Muhammad ibn Muqrin), founder of the Saudi state. 3. These 3 nations have good relations with each other. Without a doubt, Israels biggest supporter is the USA (those 3 billion $ each year speaks volumes); and while Saudi Arabia doesn't (still) recognize Israel, we all know they have relations and are "signing papers under the table", like we way. 4. These 3 nations hate Iran. Whatever your opinion is about the Islamic Republic of Iran, you can't deny that these 3 countries are united in their hatred for Iran. 5. These 3 nations were directly or indirectly founded by the British. The USA was a colony that later gained independence by revolting. Israel was formed after what previously was "Mandatory Palestine", a British entity in the Middle East. And finally the UK signed many treaties with the Saudis and was among the first countries that recognized Saudi Arabia. And we all know that during that era, if you were recognized by the UK, then your legitimacy was established. 6. These 3 nations are built on genocide and the eradication of ethnic and religious minorites of the land. The USA practically wiped out the Native Americans. Israel is killing and expelling the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia is cracking down on the Shia population and even on the Sunnis that don't agree with them; and non-Muslims are also treated badly. 7. These 3 nations have and still are committing foreign wars, genocide and killing millions of innocent people. The USA has committed many atrocities (Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Banana Republics, installing dictators in South America, and the list goes on...). Israel is eliminating all its enemies thanks to secret intelligence, not to mention all the wars it had with its Arab neighbors. Saudi Arabia is currently bombing and starving Yemen to death, and all the financial and military support it receives is from no other than the USA (what a surprise !). 8. These 3 nations are in the top 15 countries by military expenditure. So much money that could have gone to Education, Health, Infrastructure, but nah... 9. These 3 nations are very young in history standards. The USA was founded in 1776, Israel in 1948 and Saudi Arabia in 1932. 10. These 3 nations began as weak and poor, losing wars and suffering huge losses, but eventually became rich and superpowers. The USA began as a colony composed of pilgrims that were escaping religious persecution from Europe. Their beginning in the New World was very harsh, with many dying of starvation, cold, sickness and attacks by the Natives. The USA evolved very slowly, with many internal problems (like the Great Depression and other things) but is today the leading world superpower, with many calling it the New Rome. Israel began also as a colony with many Jews migrating from Europe, escaping hundreds of years of oppresion and massacres, and eventually the tables turned with them committing the same acts to the Palestinians, and with the help of the USA, Israel is considered a rich and developped country in the Middle East. Saudi Arabi began as literally a bunch of Arab bedouins lead by the Saud family, who despite being almost completely eliminated by the Egyptians and Ottomans 2 times, they eventually conquered the rest of Arabia, and with the discovery of oil, the economy skyrocketed ever since. 11. And last but not least, these 3 nations have eschatological importance and have been allusionned to in Qur'an and Hadith. I'm not an expert, but from what I know, there are Hadiths which say that Imam al-Mahdi (atf) will wage war on Rome (a possible reference to the USA). We all know about the Sufyani, who very possibly are the USA or Israel (or both). It is mentionned in the Qur'an: And We warned the Children of Israel in the Scripture, “You will certainly cause corruption in the land twice, and you will become extremely arrogant." (17:4). The second time that Bani Israil will cause corruption very possibly refers to modern state of Israel. And there's the well known hadith: "O Allaah bestow your blessings on our Shaam. O Allaah bestow your blessings on our Yemen." The people said, "O Messenger of Allaah, and our Najd." I think the third time the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "There (in Najd) will occur earthquakes, trials and tribulations, and from there appears the Horn of Satan." This very possibly refers to modern day Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism.

In the 1920s, the Iranian city of Qom developed as a prime center of Shia learning to rival Najaf and came to be regarded as the religious capital of Iran. Centuries ago, it had already been prophesied to play a major role in the end times: Imam Musa Kazim (عليه السلام). said: "A man will invite people to Allah from Qom. A crowd will gather around him. Indeed their hearts will be firm like iron pieces such that nothing can terrify or unnerve them. They will not get tired of war and will not get afraid. They will rely on Allah and they will be the real righteous." (Bihar al-Anwar: v.60 p.216 Iranian print) In the whole history of Qom, this prophecy by Imam Musa (عليه السلام). befits none but his descendant Ruhollah Musawi (Imam Khomeini), the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1989) and the anti-Zionist forces of the Islamic Revolution. Qom remains the ideological center of the Islamic Revolution. The forces of the "Qom" Movement (the Islamic Revolution) will support Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام). : Afwan Basri narrated from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (عليه السلام). that he said: "The Imam (Muhammad Baqir (عليه السلام).) asked me "do you know why they call the city Qom?", I said "Allah and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). know better". He said "indeed they call this city Qom because the people of Qom will gather around Imam Mahdi (عليه السلام). and will rise up with him, remain with him and help him"." (ibid.) About the forces vanquishing the Jews in the Holy Land in the end times, Imam Baqir (عليه السلام). said: "They are Mahdi (عليه السلام). and his companions." Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام). said about them: "I swear by Allah they are of Qom, I swear by Allah they are of Qom, I swear by Allah they are of Qom!" (Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn: tafsir surah 17 ruku' 1) Today the whole world knows that the greatest threat to the Zionist state of Israel is posed by the forces of Qom i.e. Imam Khomeini's movement.

Iran Has/Wants Nuclear Weapons? To date, no concrete evidence has been presented about the existence of a nuclear weapons program in Iran. Each and every inspect report by the IAEA and the National Intelligence Estimate has confirmed that Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program. Leader of Islamic Revolution has denounced nuclear weapons as un-Islamic and stated unequivocally that Islam forbids the “production and stock piling of nuclear weapons.” The Iranian fatwa against nuclear weapons is a registered document with the UN. Iran has been the only country to lobby for a nuclear-free Middle East. In contrast, Israel has yet to agree to a single IAEA inspection, and its nuclear weapons plant in Dimona is an open secret used to intimidate the Palestinians and neighboring countries. Iran Threatened to Wipe Israel off the Map? The world hears incessantly how Iranian president Ahmedinjad threatened to “wipe Israel off the map.” yet, not a single translation of this speech has been made to clearly prove he made this statement. In 2005, the newly-elected Ahmedinjad was giving a speech at a conference in Tehran about Zionism. He quoted the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini, and said, “Imam ghoft een rezhim-e ishghalgar-e qods bayad az safheh-ye ruzgar mahv shavad.” A direct translation of this is: “The Imam [Khomeini] said [the] regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time.” The words “wiped off the map” are not to be found in that sentence, and any amateur translator will tell you nagsheh, the Persian term for map, is not found in that sentence. In the speech, Ahmedinjad further stated that just as the Soviet regime had fallen, the Zionist one would too. He did not say Israel was going to be wiped off any map. Obviously when the Soviet regime collapsed, was Russia wiped off the map? In the same infamous speech, Ahmedinjad called for a Middle East where Muslims, Jews, and Christians would live in a real democracy and in liberty. For the record, Iran has not launched an attack on any nation in the past 300 years, but it has defended itself against assaults by other countries. Compare this track record to that of the biggest war monger in the Middle East, the same one that uses cluster bombs to take out innocent children. The Iranians are Eagerly Awaiting the Arrival of “US Democracy”? American-style democracy has taken over the Middle East; just ask the Iraqis and Afghans how happy they are post-American liberation of their countries. Operation Iraqi Freedom has only cost 1.3 million Iraqi lives to date. In the last Iranian elections, an overwhelming 85 percent of voters turned out to pick the next president, and practically every pre-election poll showed President Ahmedinjad with a significant lead over his opponents. However, the West continues to claim Iran is not a democratic country despite it being the only Middle Eastern country with transparent elections and a fully functional parliament. Western hypocrisy of this magnitude must be respected, and the West has yet to call its allies (Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia) for throwing political opponents in jail and never holding elections. By all instances, Iran is a democratic society, but to the United States and its allies, the very existence of a democracy in Iran is a threat. They removed this threat in 1953 when they overthrew the democratically-elected government and put in the totalitarian Shah. Speaking of democracy and sovereignty, the US would know a thing or two about those terms, considering for the past 30 years we have tried to overthrow the Iranian government and laid siege upon siege on the Iranian people. More recently, Congress voted to allocate 120 million dollars for anti-regime media broadcasts into Iran. It doesn’t end there. The US also generously donated 60-75 million dollars to fund and support violent underground extremist groups MKO, one of the largest anti-Iran terrorist organizations. Democracy in the Middle East is synonymous with murderous and catastrophic regime change. Iran Is Five Years Away from a Nuclear Bomb? Every few months, the United States and Britain try to scare us out of sleeping at night by saying Iran is five years away from a nuclear bomb. Here’s the problem: Iran has been “five years away from a nuclear bomb” for the past four decades. Obama was asked by a Washington Post reporter if he would “call on Israel to declare its nuclear program and sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.” The usually eloquent Obama stuttered his way through a response once he finally regained his composure and stated, “And, as far as Israel goes, I’m not going to comment on their program.” Maybe he should leave Iran’s peaceful program alone and worry about the nuclear warheads Israel and India have. http://shervinandpol...-few-questions/

https://www.fairobserver.com/region/middle_east_north_africa/Israel-videos-anti-Iran-Shia-Saudi-arabia-world-news-32349/ "The Israeli rhetoric in Arabic-language video clips (translated to English) that target a broad audience across the Middle East and North Africa emerged against the backdrop of a growing influence of conservative religious conscripts and officers in all branches of the Israeli armed forces. The videos featuring army spokesman Major Avichay Adraee were also designed to undermine support for Hamas, the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip, ahead of a visit to the Middle East by US peace negotiators Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt."

Watching Trump/Netanyahu's live 'Middle East peace plan; what's been dubbed 'The Deal of the century' which is more like the Steal of the century. It looks like they're out on a picnic. The 'deal' itself is pretty delusional to say the least. The ridiculous list detailing it will soon hit news outlets along with the Palestinians' response.

The UN's Internarional Criminal Court ICC Prosecuter believes that 'war crimes have been been or are being committed' in Palestine and intends to investigate. Israel has claimed that the ICC has no jurisdiction in such matters because Palestine is not a sovereign state. SubhanAllah at the level of arrogance. https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/12/1054121 I'm not one to support Aljazeera, but I found the following coverage on this issue interesting.

Read the Reddit comments to understand what the thread was about, since the post has since been deleted. ....................................................................................... I'm so tired of the utterly nonsensical and VERY COMMON Sunni notion of 'I am happy to seek unity with Shias as long as they don't curse/insult/abuse any Sahaba, and especially NOT Aisha, Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman. Firstly, any Shia claim regarding the sahabi that happens to go against the Sunni narrative is considered insulting. Secondly, and more importantly, is that the same notion is true for Shias... You are insulting the Ahlul Bayt by not accepting them as divinely appointed leaders of Allah, and infallible individuals, and perfect preservers of the religion of Islam, and a high means of seeking closeness to Allah (intercession). Not only are you insulting revered Shia figures by not following them, you are commiting MAJOR shirk by giving a false attribute to Allah, by saying that Allah has not always appointed an infallible leader on this Earth, and that there currently isn't an infallible leader. Furthermore, the real kicker is that plenty of revered Shia figures, such as Abu Talib (رضي الله عنه), are considered kuffar by Sunnis. Is this not insulting? So, how can we Shias unite with Sunnis based on their own fallacious logic? Shias are the minority, and Sunnis are the majority. It makes Sunnis think that they are Orthodox and that they have to unite with Heterodox for political and humanitarian reasons, and that Shias must make [ridiculous] compromises. Shias are far more receptive to the unity message, because we actually understand Sunni Islam, and can see the commonalities. We understand that we can't make Sunnis compromise on their beliefs. Simply by being the minority within Islam, by nature we Shias already understand Sunni beliefs, whereas Sunnis have a basic strawman understanding of Shia beliefs... which is natural, considering that they are the majority. Anyways, the point of my post is the following: Let's compile a list of revered Shia figures that are not given their proper status by Sunnis, according to Shia Islam... with an explanation given. ...This is to show that we Shias and Sunnis can unite, but we cannot unite upon revered figures and imamah. ...This will also serve as a way of showing Sunnis that this argument of theirs makes no sense. Another important question we may ask is "What about commonly revered figures like Imam Ali (عليه السلام) who is given different status in both sects? Can we unite upon Imam Ali (عليه السلام)?" ...a common Sunni criticism of political unity is that "Ali ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) is given an improper status in Shia religion because they call upon him... tawassul (intercession) of the 'dead' is Shirk! So there is absolutely no room for unity since we can't even agree on the status of the sahabi" [yes, I am aware that the Imams (عليه السلام) are still alive, but Sunnis don't believe this...] I would love to hear your thoughts. Wassalam. JazakAllah Khair. Fi sabilillah.

How accurate is the following statement by the Government of Canada 'Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness' regarding Hizbullah??? Please help, thanks. https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/lstd-ntts/crrnt-lstd-ntts-en.aspx#30 Hizballah Also known as Hizbullah, Hizbollah, Hezbollah, Hezballah, Hizbullah, The Party of God, Islamic Jihad (Islamic Holy War), Islamic Jihad Organization, Islamic Resistance, Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, Ansar al-Allah (Followers of God/Partisans of God/God's Helpers), Ansarollah (Followers of God/Partisans of God/God's Helpers), Ansar Allah (Followers of God/Partisans of God/God's Helpers), Al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah (Islamic Resistance), Organization of the Oppressed, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth, Revolutionary Justice Organization, Organization of Right Against Wrong and Followers of the Prophet Muhammed. Description One of the most technically capable terrorist groups in the world, Hizballah is a radical Shia group ideologically inspired by the Iranian revolution. Its goals are the liberation of Jerusalem, the destruction of Israel, and, ultimately, the establishment of a revolutionary Shia Islamic state in Lebanon, modelled after Iran. Formed in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Hizballah carried out some of the most infamous terror attacks of the Lebanese civil war, such as the suicide bombings of the barracks of United States Marines and French paratroopers in Beirut, as well as the hijacking of TWA Flight 847. While all other Lebanese militias disarmed at the end of Lebanon's civil war in 1990, Hizballah continued to fight, waging a guerilla war against Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon. Following Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, Hizballah attacks against Israeli forces continued, concentrated on the disputed Shebaa Farms area. In 2006, Hizballah provoked Israel's invasion of Lebanon by kidnapping two Israeli soldiers and killing 8 others. On January 3, 2018, Hizballah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah announced that the group was working "to obtain all kinds of weapons that would enable it to achieve victory in the next war." Date listed 2002-12-10 Date reviewed 2018-11-21 EDIT: Also, any thoughts or feelings on Canada's statement?

Israeli defense minister met with Syrian rebels, former IDF commander reveals in a first In a bombshell admission, a former senior Israeli commander has said that former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon personally met with Syrian rebels at the height of the Syrian war. Maj. Gen. Gershon Hacohen was speaking at an Israeli Democracy Institute conference when he made a stunning claim – Ya'alon, who was Israel's chief of defense from 2013 to May 2016, held a meeting with a group of Syrian rebels during his tenure. Hacohen, who was Israeli Defence Forces Staff Corps Commander before retiring in September 2014, said that he was also present at the never-before-reported meet-up. Hacohen refused to specify when the meeting took place and or the subject matter of the discussions. He, however, offered a brief portrayal of his three Syrian 'counterparts,' saying that Ya'alon asked one if he was a Salafist because the minister "wanted to understand who they were." The rebel Ya'alon addressed was apparently somewhat perturbed by the prospect of cooperation with Israel. "He [Ya'alon] asked one of them, 'Tell me, are you a Salafist?' And he said, 'I really don't know what a Salafist is. If it means that I pray more, then yes. Once I would pray once a week, on Fridays, now I pray five times a day. On the other hand, a Salafist isn't meant to cooperate with the Zionists," Haaretz reported, citing Hacohen's recollection of the meeting. Following Hacohen's revelation, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing its own sources, that the meeting did indeed take place and that the main topic on the agenda was “humanitarian assistance.” The JP's sources said the outcome of the talks was an agreement on humanitarian aid deliveries to the residents of the Syrian part of the Golan Heights. The effort, which reportedly started as a one-time goodwill gesture, expanded to become Operation Good Neighbor, which formally inaugurated its headquarters in June 2016. Since then, Israel has been openly assisting the rebels, but insists that its assistance is strictly humanitarian and includes treating wounded militants and their families, supplying them with fuel, medicine, food, clothing and other essential products. The operation was reportedly wrapped up this week after Syrian forces retook control over the Golan Heights from the rebels. However, numerous reports have suggested that Israel's support of the rebels is not as benign as Tel Aviv seeks to portray. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that the alleged humanitarian assistance, that had begun as early as 2013, included cash payments to rebel commanders who, in turn, used the money to pay militants' salaries and buy weapons and equipment. It was reported that one group received a monthly allowance of some $5,000 from the Israeli military. The handouts were conditional upon the rebels' ability to keep Hezbollah, which Israel sees as Iran's proxies, away from the border. Earlier this year, the Jerusalem Post was forced to hastily remove an explosive report on the IDF’s admission that it provided Syrian rebels with light weapons. The managing editor of the newspaper told RT in September that the story was taken down for "for security reasons evidently," while the IDF declined to comment on the issue. ISRAEL DEFENSE MINISTER MET SYRIAN REBELS

Allying against Iran: US is creating Arab NATO While the US envisages a new military alliance as a tool to counter potential threats from Iran towards the Gulf monarchies and the Middle East, there are a number of obstacles in the way of creating an Arab military bloc. According to Defense News, an Arab NATO would consist of six Gulf states, i.e. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, plus Egypt and Jordan. The commander of the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Maj. Gen. al-Khalifah, said that this is an American idea which was approved by the Arab Gulf countries, "but didn't take shape yet." He expects this alliance to be successful, although "we are still at the beginning." Back in October, the Bahraini foreign minister said that the Gulf security alliance could be formed by next year. Defense News sees at least one sign of progress there, as the Gulf countries are already involved in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that fights against Houthi rebels, mainly by carrying out airstrikes. "We have been sharing information between coalition fighters all along the operations [in Yemen], and we have been training alongside with the Gulf countries through joint exercises, and this enhances our capabilities," al-Khalifah said. Incompatible with Iran On the other hand, there are clear and tangible challenges on the way to creating this new military alliance, not least of them being the issues of interoperability. All the potential members operate different types of weapons and military equipment: the Egyptian Air Force operates the Russian MIG and the American F-16, while the Saudi Air Force has the American F-15SA and the European Eurofighter Typhoon, and the UAE is equipped with the F-16 and the French Mirage. But the issue of interoperability is not the only impediment for creating an Arab NATO as the relations between Qatar and other Gulf countries have not been fully restored since 2017 when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain cut ties with Qatar. All eight potential members of the new military alliance have concerns related to Iran and Iranian-backed armed groups operating in numerous countries across the Middle East. "Iran continues to cause risks to other nations and act as a destabilizing agent across this region. They aim to disrupt the balance of power and place at risk the livelihood of citizens," Commander of the US Air Forces Central Command Lt. General Joseph Guastella said during the 2nd Manama Airpower Symposium. According to Guastella, the experience of setting up and operating NATO itself could prove useful in establishing an Arab version of the alliance: "There is value in looking at what NATO has been able to do and the successes of an alliance that has guaranteed essentially stability for the region there for decades." Adding America and Israel into the mix "People have been talking about an Arab NATO for several years now," said Vladimir Sazhin, Senior Researcher at the Middle East Department of the Institute for Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to him, there are plans to get Israel to participate in the alliance that would bring together six monarchies of the Persian Gulf, Egypt, and Jordan. However, instead of becoming a full-fledged member of the Arab NATO, Israel would supply intelligence to the alliance. The US is expected to participate in a similar manner, providing all the necessary resources without officially joining the organization. "The idea to call it an 'Arab NATO' is something journalists came up with. In all of the relevant areas, this potential new alliance will be very much inferior to NATO. I don't believe that it will ever reach the level of NATO," said Sazhin. According to him, even if the bloc is ever established, it is unlikely to resemble NATO at all. There may be some formal organizational structures established, but there are serious doubts regarding their effectiveness and efficiency. Ultimately, all we see is propaganda and media noise, and not much actual progress, Sazhin said. Just how capable the Gulf monarchies are in terms of setting up a united front against Iran remains to be seen. "I very much doubt they would go through with this without the support of other countries. There is a very broad range of attitudes towards Iran among the Gulf states," Sazhin stressed. On one end of the spectrum, there is Saudi Arabia, on the other – countries like Qatar and Oman. The last two are not particularly anti-Iran. As for economic relations, the United Arab Emirates have very close ties with Iran. Tehran's relationship with Abu Dhabi provides it an opportunity to evade US financial and economic sanctions, the expert stated "I think that if there were an Arab military organization then it would most likely be lacking in efficiency and decision-making, but would be very active publicity-wise," Vladimir Sazhin said. "A summit with US President Donald Trump and monarchs of the Gulf countries was expected to take place back in autumn this year in the United States. It was believed that the main topic on the agenda would be the creation of a strategic Middle East alliance that experts already call an Arab NATO for the sake of simplicity," Elena Suponina, adviser to the director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, said. That summit was postponed until the first half of 2019. One of the reasons was the scandal around the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi political analyst. It created an atmosphere that compelled the US to refrain from any discussions regarding strategic cooperation. According to Suponina, that is not the only obstacle that stands in the way of creating such an organization. Firstly, relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar are somewhat clouded; secondly, there is still too much turbulence in the region. The plans are in place, but it would be very difficult for the Americans to make them come true, Suponina believes. Nevertheless, there is every reason to believe that the US is not giving up on these plans since in the upcoming years the main goal of the US in the region will be to contain Iran. This is exactly why America pursues the creation of, if not a full-fledged military organization, then at least something very close to it. Even that kind of alliance would be very useful for the US, the expert thinks. "Donald Trump's idea is to form an Arab NATO that would include Arabian monarchies and – by a long stretch of the imagination – Israel. This idea may sound benevolent, but so do many other plans that are not meant to happen," Evgeny Satanovsky, president of the Institute for Middle East Studies, said. Satanovsky believes that the new military alliance is meant to zero in on Iran. There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia wants to establish that alliance. However, it is very unlikely that the US will succeed in convincing Israel to join the club. Israeli society will never accept that offer. There is zero chance that an Arab NATO will become a reality, he said, adding that Israel doesn't really need any military help from the Arab countries to fight Iran. The Arab armies do not constitute any significant military power nor they are organized enough to be a force others can rely on if it comes to that. For the Arab countries, it is absolutely out of the question to be part of the same military alliance with Israel due to the kind of narrative that permeates their societies. The State Department and the White House – unsurprisingly – do not understand this, Satanovsky claims. It is absolutely clear that Saudi Arabia seeks to create an Arab or Islamic military alliance and to be at the helm. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has already damaged relations with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, cut relations with Qatar, and raised tensions between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan – all in pursuit of this goal. ARAB NATO

Trump says Saudi King wouldn't last 'two weeks' without US support https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/03/politics/trump-saudi-king-intl/index.html

Israel Vows to create two more occupied lands Yemen and Afghanistan are the bulls eye.

1987 Mecca incident From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_Mecca_incident Jump to navigationJump to search Coordinates: 21°26′7.18″N 39°49′44.68″E hideThis article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article's factual accuracy is disputed. (May 2011) This article may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. (June 2011) The 1987 Mecca incident was a clash between Shia pilgrim demonstrators and the Saudi Arabian security forces, during the Hajj pilgrimage; it occurred in Mecca on 31 July 1987 and led to the deaths of over 400 people. The event has been variously described as a "riot" or a "massacre". It arose from escalating tensions between Shia Iran and Wahabbi Saudi Arabia. Since 1981, Iranian pilgrims had held an annual political demonstration against Israel and the United States,[1][2] but in 1987, a cordon of Saudi police and the Saudi Arabian National Guard had sealed part of the planned demonstration route, leading to a confrontation between them and the pilgrims. This escalated into a violent clash, followed by a deadly stampede. There is a controversy regarding the details of the incident, with both Iran and Saudi Arabia laying much of the blame on the other side. Some sources claim the death toll from the incident was 402 people: 275 Iranian pilgrims, 85 Saudi police, and 42 pilgrims from other nationalities.[3] Other sources claim that more than 400 pilgrims had died, and thousands more injured. After the incident, Iranians attacked the Saudi, Kuwaiti and French Embassies, abducting four Saudis from the embassy.[2] Ulrich Wegener (the person that was in charge of attacking to Iranian pilgrims) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search Ulrich Wegener Born 22 August 1929 Jüterbog, Germany Died 28 December 2017 (aged 88) Windhagen, Germany Allegiance West Germany Service/branch Bundesgrenzschutz Years of service 1952-Retirement Rank Brigadier General Unit GSG 9 Battles/wars World War II Lufthansa Flight 181 Operation Entebbe[1] Awards Commander's Cross of the Federal Cross of Merit Ulrich K. "Ricky" Wegener (22 August 1929 – 28 December 2017) was a German police officer and founding member of the counter-terrorist force GSG 9. After his retirement from GSG 9 Wegener worked as an advisor for the creation of counter-terrorism units of foreign countries, e.g. in Saudi Arabia.[2] Wegener was a member of the Security Committee.[7] http://sistani1391.blogfa.com/1391/08?p=2 ژنرال اولریخ وگنر، فرمانده نیروهایی امنیتی سعودی در زمان کشتار حجاج ایرانی در سال ۱۳۶۶

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/syria-us-accused-airstrike-1.4610753