The UNRWA has also said that it was extremely important to conduct an independent investigation into Israeli allegations…reports Asian Lite News
Israel has said that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Near East (UNRWA) is “totally infiltrated” by Hamas and wants it to be replaced by another aid agency.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had conveyed this to the Ambassadors of the UN during a meeting with them on Wednesday at Jerusalem, a statement issued by Israel Prime Minister’s Office said.
Israel had conveyed to the UN and funding countries that 12 UNRWA staff members had directly participated in the October 7 attack when Hamas terrorists swarmed into Israel killing 1,200 people and holding 253 hostage.
Israel has in its report presented before the UN stated that of the 12 UNRWA staff who had directly participated in the attack, seven were UNRWA teachers, two were educational consultants and others were administrative staff of the Agency.
The UNRWA has also said that it was extremely important to conduct an independent investigation into Israeli allegations that 12 of its employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas onslaught against Israel.
According to a statement from Israel Government Press Office, Netanyahu told the UN ambassadors that the UNRWA has been in the service of Hamas, in its schools and many other things.
Israel Prime Minister said: “I say this with great regret because we hoped that there would be an objective and constructive body to offer aid. We need such a body today in Gaza, but UNRWA is not that body.”
A dossier prepared by Israel revealed that during October 7 massacre, an UNRWA teacher was accused of being armed with an anti-tank missile, while another teacher had been accused of filming a hostage being taken captive on October 7.
Another of the staff, who, according to the dossier was an elementary school teacher and had allegedly served as a Hamas commander and participated in the massacre in Kibbutz Be’eri, while a man employed by UNRWA as a social worker was allegedly involved in kidnapping of the body of a soldier.
Several rounds of mediatory talks held at the behest of Qatar, Egypt and the US at Doha, Cairo and Paris seems to be bringing in results….reports Asian Lite News
A ceasefire to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas for release of hostages is likely by the coming week.
According to Israel Defence Ministry officials, discussions are on at a higher level and a ceasefire leading to the release of a batch of women, elderly and sick Israeli hostages from the custody of Hamas will commence soon.
While Hamas has been insisting on a complete withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for the next round of ceasefire, Israel had backed out of it in total.
Several rounds of mediatory talks held at the behest of Qatar, Egypt and the US at Doha, Cairo and Paris seems to be bringing in results.
Sources in the Israel defense ministry told IANS that Israel side has agreed upon the release of a large number of Palestinians who have been arrested and jailed in Israel in exchange for the hostages in the custody of Hamas.
According to information available after the release of women, sick and elderly civilians in Hamas custody, a second batch of hostages would also be released in which women Israeli soldiers in Hamas custody would be freed.
CIA chief William Burns and Mossad Chief David Burnea were also present in the recent mediatory talks held at Paris and have ironed out certain issues pertaining to ceasefire during their talks with Qatar and Egyptian mediators.
Sources clarified that there could be a one month ceasefire in hostilities but Israel has not agreed for the safe passage of top Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif from Gaza into either Qatar or Turkey.
Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had clearly stated that the Israel army would smoke out Sinwar from his hideout and would kill him.
Instead, the Biden administration said “pauses” to allow aid into Gaza should be considered…reports Asian Lite News
The US does not support current calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war, the White House has said. Instead, the Biden administration said “pauses” to allow aid into Gaza should be considered.
“We do not believe that a ceasefire is the right answer right now,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. “We do not support a ceasefire at this time.”
Washington is “confident” of increasing the number of aid lorries entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt to about 100 a day, Kirby said.
“This first phase that we talked to the Israelis about is trying to get it up to about 100 [lorries] a day. We’re confident that we can get there in coming days,” he said.
Limited aid has entered Gaza from Egypt under a US-brokered deal, but its volume has fallen far short of the hundreds of lorries a day that aid agencies say are needed.
Israel said it was inspecting cargo to prevent weapons smuggling and guarantee that supplies are not seized by Hamas.
Israel declared war on Hamas after it launched an unprecedented wave of attacks inside Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and taking more than 230 people hostage.
More than three weeks on, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu categorically ruled out a ceasefire in Israel’s war against Hamas on Monday, as ground forces pushed into Gaza and freed one hostage.
“Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism,” Netanyahu said after demands from UN agencies for a truce.
“This will not happen,” he told foreign media, vowing his government would “fight until this battle is won”. The military has released images of Israeli mechanised infantry units grinding through the coastal sands of northern Gaza, while witnesses reported tanks on the outskirts of Gaza city on Monday.
Israel said it hit 600 targets in 24 hours, one of the most intense periods of bombing to date, and that a missing female soldier was rescued from Hamas inside Gaza.
The release of Private Ori Megidish was “secured during a ground operation” inside Gaza the army said, adding she had been reunited with her family in Israel and was “doing well”.
Netanyahu has vowed the war will “eliminate” Hamas, ensuring no possible repeat of the group’s attacks. His government has also promised to free the hostages taken by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups on October 7.
Israel’s campaign has flattened thousands of buildings and Gaza’s 2.4 million residents are under near-continuous bombardment, with little access to water, food, fuel and other essentials.
The UN has repeatedly called for a humanitarian truce in the violence, which the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza claims has killed more than 8,000 people, many of them children. On Monday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said the limited number of aid lorries entering the besieged territory were insufficient to meet the “unprecedented humanitarian needs” there.
“Nearly 70 per cent of those reported killed are children and women,” said UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini. “This cannot be collateral damage.”
Two weeks of full siege followed by the trickle of aid last week mean that basic services are crumbling and that medicine, food and water, and fuel are running out. The streets of Gaza have started overflowing with sewage, which will cause a massive health hazard very soon, he said.
In the latest blow, the communications blackout over the weekend has aggravated the panic and distress of people, he said.
The blackout meant that people could not communicate with their loved ones inside Gaza to know who was dead and who was alive, that they no longer knew whether they would receive bread from UNRWA, that they felt abandoned and cut off from the rest of the world, he said.
The communications blackout has accelerated the breaking down of civil order. Panic pushed thousands of desperate people to head to the UNRWA warehouses and distribution centers. A further breakdown in civil order will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for UNRWA to continue operating. It will also make it impossible to bring in convoys, he warned.
“I say this while being fully aware that UNRWA is the last remaining lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza.”
The horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on October 7 were shocking. The relentless bombardments by the Israeli Forces of the Gaza Strip are shocking. The level of destruction is unprecedented, the human tragedy is unbearable, said Lazzarini.
One million people, half the population of Gaza, were pushed from the north of the Gaza Strip toward the south in three weeks. The south, however, has not been spared from bombardment, with significant numbers of people killed, he said. “I have said many times, and I will say it again: no place is safe in Gaza.”
Accusing Israel of ‘massacres in Gaza,’ the representative stated, “Under international law, there is no justification for committing massacres. Israel is, on a daily basis, accused of perpetrating massacres in Gaza.”…reports Asian Lite News
Palestine’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyan Mansour, has slammed Israel, stating that killing more Palestinians will never make Israel more secure as he held the country responsible for the occupation of their land.
During an emergency session at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday, Mansour emphasized, “For 75 years now, Israel has explained, brazenly justified how it had to dispossess us, how it had to occupy our land, how it had to kill our people, all in full impunity.”
He continued, “Killing more Palestinians will never, never make Israel more secure. 75 years of experience should have been proof enough for those who want to learn there is no logic in this world, no moral in this world, and no law in this world that can justify the killing of people innocent children, women and men, as a pretext to make another secure.”
“The whole world is watching. They’re watching us. The events of the last ten days may shape the next ten years in our region and beyond. What happens next is decisive. If anyone thinks this is a situation under control for which you can plan and implement, they are making false and irresponsible assumptions. This is the kind of war where you know how it starts and have no clue how it ends until now,” he added.
Blaming Israel for ‘massacres in Gaza’, the envoy said, “There is no right to commit massacres in international law. Israel is perpetrating massacres in Gaza every single day. For over ten days now, you have witnessed it killing entire families, bomb shelters, schools, hospitals, residential buildings and convoys…You will all say civilian lives should be protected and yet some of you, until now, continue being unable to call for a stop to the assault, to call for an immediate ceasefire…:
“Had this Council called for a ceasefire two days ago and acted accordingly, it would have saved hundreds of lives. Maybe for some, saving hundreds of Palestinian lives is not such an important objective to pursue. But are you sure that Palestinian lives are the only ones you would be saving if you act? We told these Council months ago, act to save lives, all lives. You did not hear us then. Don’t make the same mistake now…This is the kind of war where you know how it starts and have no clue how it ends until now. It can be stopped and it should be stopped immediately. Any further delay is a risk no one should take,” he said.
He did not stop here but further went on denouncing Israel for the Gaza hospital blast.
“…the hospital massacre had such an impact on global public opinion that it had to change tactics and change its original story into a new one. So Israel will deny responsibility for the massacre in the Baptist Hospital Al Ahli, just as it made every effort to deny its responsibility in the killing of Sharina Abu Akli and Muhammad, and in the many massacres it had perpetrated over the decades…,” the envoy added.
The draft resolution on the Israel-Hamas war was not adopted on Wednesday after the United States vetoed the council’s call that would have asked for “humanitarian pauses” to deliver lifesaving aid to millions in Gaza.
Brazil, which headed the ‘call for action’ noted that the focus remains on the critical humanitarian situation on the ground. Brazil’s ambassador to the Security Council, Sergio Franca Danese, stated that his nation responded to a plea from Council members to develop a unified approach to the situation. Brazil is the Security Council’s President for October.
“We heeded the call with a sense of urgency and responsibility, in our view the Security Council had to take action and do so very quickly,” he said, according to the UN News.
“Council paralysis in the face of a humanitarian catastrophe is not in the interest of the international community,” he added.
Notably, 12 members of the UN Security Council voted in favour of the Brazil-led resolution, one (the United States) voted against it, and two (Russia, and the United Kingdom) abstained.
Explaining why the US went for veto, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that “this resolution did not mention Israel’s right of self-defence.”
“Israel has the inherent right of self-defence as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter,” she said, adding that the right was reaffirmed by the Council in previous resolutions on terrorist attacks, “this resolution should have done the same.”
Israel has been striking Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip since an October 7 assault by Hamas on Israeli communities near the Gaza border that caught Israelis off-guard. Fighting raged for days as the IDF initially struggled to clear out the terrorists.
More than 1,400 Israelis were killed and over 4,100 more injured. At least 199 hostages were taken to Gaza.
On Tuesday evening, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations, held a joint press conference with ambassadors from the Arab Group, a bloc of 20 Arab countries. Mansour called for an immediate ceasefire and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of lying about who is at fault for the hospital strike.
The UAE, which was initially supportive of Israel following Hamas’s Oct 7 attacks, has since fallen back into its role as the voice of the Arab world in the Security Council. The Emiratis issued a statement on Tuesday evening that “strongly condemns the Israeli attack that resulted in the death and injury of hundreds of people.” (ANI)
Israeli tanks and troops deployed near Gaza, indicating a potential ground assault on Hamas…reports Asian Lite News
As a “ground offensive” of the besieged Gaza Strip loomed, hundreds of Israeli tanks were deployed near the border in south Israel on Thursday, waiting for the all-clear from the country’s political establishment and the military top brass.
Israeli tanks and troops mounted on armoured vehicles were deployed in the region, seeming to suggest that a ground assault on Hamas in their backyard, Gaza, could begin any time soon.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said four rockets of nine launched from Lebanese territory were intercepted, adding that several anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon towards Israeli forces.
The IDF added that in response to the attacks, Israeli forces targeted the site in Lebanon from where rockets were fired into Israel and also struck at Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure using tank fire.
The Israeli forces also claimed to have thwarted and dismantled a terrorist cell using a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) of the IDF.
As Israel gears up for an all-out ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, one of the biggest challenges they face is Hamas’ extensive underground tunnel network in the area. Several experts have warned that in the event of a ground offensive, Israel will lose the clear advantage it has over Hamas in terms of firepower, as it will have to fight the enemy on its terrain.
The densely populated area with a network of tunnels is likely to pose a security challenge for the IDF as it prepares for a ground assault.
An Israel Defence Forces spokesperson on Wednesday said they were striking parts of the tunnel network, but it won’t be an easy battle.
Earlier, during a joint press briefing with US President Joe Biden, Netanyahu said the crimes that the Hamas terrorists perpetrated on civilians in Israel included rape, burning, kidnapping, and targeting small children, adding that the death toll from the Hamas terror attacks stood at 1,400 and was likely to mount.
“October 7 is another day that will live in infamy,” said Netanyahu.
He reiterated President Biden’s statement that “Hamas is worse than ISIS.”
He added, “On Oct 7 Hamas murdered 1400 Israelis in a single day….October 7th, is another day that will live in infamy. Mr President, you rightly said that Hamas is worse than ISIS. The civilised world must unite to defeat Hamas.”
Additionally, The United States deployed two carrier strike groups, each consisting of an aircraft carrier, its planes, and several escort warships, which appeared to have deterred Hezbollah from attacking Israel in a major war, The New York Times reported.
According to the NYT report, quoting American officials, the US and Israeli Intelligence agencies are working to determine whether Israel’s expected ground offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip could prompt Hezbollah to launch a large-scale military campaign against Israel from Lebanon.
The US-based daily reported that the officials have assessed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah does not want an all-out war with Israel, for fear of the damage it would do to his group and Lebanon. U.S. officials said that assessment could change as more intelligence is gathered and events unfold.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has vetoed proposals from his government of a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah, according to American officials and others briefed on the discussions.
Earlier, the US Defence Department reiterated its full support to Israel in the ongoing war on Hamas, saying that the US Secretary of Defence was in continuous touch with the Israeli authorities and leaders.
The US Department of Defence (DOD) said in a statement, “Since meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and members of the Israeli War Cabinet in Tel Aviv on Friday, Austin has remained fully engaged with the country’s leaders as the US works ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself from further attacks.”
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said in a statement, “Since leaving Israel, he has held calls with MOD Gallant … on a near daily basis and will likely have another call today”, adding, “We are working to meet Israel’s needs, which include air defence, precision-guided munitions, artillery and medical supplies.”
In addition to quickly sending military aid to Israel, the US has bolstered its presence in the region to deter further aggression.
Over the weekend, US Defence Secretary Austin directed the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean last week.
The Navy units are part of a broader bolstering of US forces in the region. Last week, the Air Force announced the deployment of F-15 and F-16 fighter squadrons and A-10 attack squadrons to the region, according to a US Department of Defence press release. (ANI)
Hundreds of people, including the sick, wounded, and forcibly displaced from their residences, were being accommodated at Al Ahli Baptist Hospital….reports Asian Lite News
The Arab Nations have strongly condemned the alleged Israeli attack that targeted Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in the Gaza Strip resulting in the death of at least 500 people and injury of several others.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deep regret for the loss of life and conveys its condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a swift recovery for all those injured.
The Ministry also stressed the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and to ensure that civilians and civilian institutions are not targeted. The Ministry further underlined the importance of the protection of civilians, according to international humanitarian law, international treaties for the protection of civilians and human rights, and the need to ensure that they are not targeted in conflict.
The UAE called on the international community to intensify efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire to prevent further loss of life, to avoid further fuelling the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to advance all efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace, while preventing the region from being pulled into new levels of violence, tension and instability.
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned the attack. The Secretary-General of the OIC Hissein Taha called the attack a “war crime” and a “crime against humanity.”
Taha held the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes, terrorist practices, and brutal attacks against the Palestinian people, which contradict all human values and constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
The Muslim World League (MWL) also denounced the act “in the strongest terms.”
MWL chief Sheikh Abdulkarim Al-Issa denounced in a statement this “brutal crime that devoids its perpetrators of all religious and human values, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities towards protecting civilians from these horrific massacres.”
Condeming the attack in the “strongest terms”, Saudi Arabia termed the attack “brutal” and called it “a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, including international humanitarian law,” according to foreign ministry.
The ministry also denounced Israel for its “continuous attacks against civilians despite many international appeals” to stop.
“This dangerous development forces the international community to abandon double standards and selectivity in applying international humanitarian law when it comes to Israeli criminal practices. It requires a serious and firm stance to provide protection for defenseless civilians,” a ministry statement said.
The Kingdom also stressed the necessity of opening safe corridors immediately to deliver food and medicine to civilians trapped in Gaza, and said it holds Israeli forces fully responsible for their continued violation of all international norms and laws, the Arab News reported.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi issued a statement on Tuesday, saying: “I condemn in the strongest of terms Israel’s bombardment” on a hospital in Gaza, and calling it a “clear violation of intl law.”
Kuwait on Tuesday “strongly condemned and denounced the Israeli occupation forces’ barbaric airstrike on the Baptist Al-Ahli Hospital in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of innocent civilians were killed,” the state news agency said.
“The occupation forces targeting of hospitals and public facilities is a violation of the International Humanitarian Law,” a statement by the foreign ministry said.
Qatar’s foreign ministry also issued a statement in which it strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike saying, “the expansion of Israeli attacks over the Gaza Strip to include hospitals, schools, and other population centers is a dangerous escalation.”
Jordan’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Tuesday strongly condemning the Israeli attack. King Abdullah said Israel’s bombing of the Gaza hospital was a “massacre” and a “war crime” that one cannot be silent about.
Israel Denies Responsibility
The Israel Defence Forces on Wednesday posted a video on social media which included multiple shots showing the deadly Gaza hospital explosion, saying it was caused by a “failed rocket launch” and not an airstrike.
The IDF posted the 30-second video on X and said : “A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City.
“IAF (Israel Air Force) footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation.”
Using images showing fire damage to several vehicles in the hospital parking lot, the IDF video suggests that a fire broke out at the hospital as the result of the failed rocket launch, reports CNN.
The IDF added that there were no visible signs of craters or significant damage to buildings that would result from an airstrike.
Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, IDF spokesperson Jonathan Conricus said the “first packet of information” was “evidence that clearly supports the fact that it could not have been an Israeli bomb”.
“There was no collateral or significant damage to the buildings around it. No crater, and nothing that is similar to locations where Israeli bombs have struck.”
Conricus also acknowledged that the IDF was slow to release information because it took hours for the Israeli military to “investigate and get to the bottom of the situation”.
The Islamic Jihad movement however, has denied Israel’s assertions that a failed rocket launch was responsible, claiming that it does not use public facilities such as hospitals for military purposes.
In a statement published on Wednesday , the group called the Israeli accusations as “false and baseless”.
Israel arrests more than 50 Hamas operatives after fatal shooting
A little bit of back story traced to the so-called Arab Spring is essential to explain the impending blood bath in Gaza and the possible geopolitical pathways that it is expected to reveal….writes Atul Aneja
Amid the fog of war, the accumulation of war material in the eastern Mediterranean stands out as the fulcrum that could define the course of the on-going Hamas-Israel war.
The US carrier task force led by the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is spearheading the amassing of mega-firepower in these waters.
The carrier group also includes armed- to the teeth warships comprising USS Normandy — a guided-missile cruiser. Besides, the USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney, and USS Roosevelt are part of the battle group. The Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile destroyer is also pulling in military heft into the task force.
A second US carrier group, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group will also be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean, the US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Saturday. The official purpose of the deployment is to “deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war following Hamas’s attack on Israel.”
The British, the essential junior partner of the Anglo-Saxon alliance after World War-2 are also pitching in with two Royal Navy ships, P8 surveillance aircraft, three merlin helicopters and a company of Royal Marines – to the eastern Mediterranean.
It is likely that the massive accumulation firepower has a dual purpose. One is to deter the Iran and its allies to enter the Gaza military theatre, as officially stated. But a broader geopolitical Israeli-western enterprise could also be in the works, with Iran, Syria, and Lebanese Hezbollah in its cross-hairs.
A little bit of back story traced to the so-called Arab Spring is essential to explain the impending blood bath in Gaza and the possible geopolitical pathways that it is expected to reveal.
After the success of western backed regime change projects in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya in 2011, the Obama administration trained its guns on Syria under the rubric of the Arab Spring. But that goal could not be accomplished on account of military intervention by Russia, which was diplomatically backed by China, especially during voting at the United Nations Security Council.
The turning point of the Russia-China stance was the killing of Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi on October 20,2011. Qadhafi was hounded by NATO backed Islamists, who then managed to accomplish regime change in a pivotal oil-rich North African state.
With the toppling of Qadhafi, high decibel alarm bells began to ring in Moscow and Beijing. So, instead of abstaining from western backed resolutions supporting the advance of the Arab Spring, Russia and China vetoed the resolution, amounting to consent and legitimacy, for toppling the Bashar Assad government in Syria.
After Qadhafi was brutally murdered in his home base at Sirte, both Russia and China concluded that the cascading Arab Spring was a giant geopolitical project. The question that then arose was—will the Arab Spring stop at the gates of the Arabia, or, instead, enter new territory, governed by “authoritarian” leaders? In Moscow and Beijing, it was concluded that regime change project post-Qadhafi would first target Syria, and thereafter go for the jugular in Iran.
Consequently, for both Moscow and Beijing in that order, Syria was identified as the first defence line to stall the supercharged regime change storm. In anticipation of regime change in Tehran, the two Eurasian giants saw Iran as their second defence line. It was understood that if Tehran fell, the Eurasian core, the existential bulwark for both Russia and China, would stand exposed to sweeping tide of serial regime changes.
Unsurprisingly Putin’s Russia was first off, the blocks, militarily intervening using air power to prevent Bashar’s fall. To fortify the Eurasian buffer, Russia and China also took the strategic decision of build a special relationship with Iran, which is now both a part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS grouping of the emerging economies.
Now fast forward to the accumulation of forces in the eastern Mediterranean and the Gaza crisis. After failing to achieve their objective of weakening Russia through the Ukraine war, NATO, this time with Israel is once again back in the Middle East targeting the “axis of resistance.” This phalanx in the Levant comprises Syria, Iran and Tehran backed Hezbollah. Incidentally the West has an axe to grind with Hezbollah. In 2006 the Shiite group had successfully fought Israel, thus embarrassing former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who anticipating quick Israeli success, had prematurely described the war as the “birth pangs” of a new Middle East.
So, the question that arises after Saturday’s surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, is whether Tel Aviv is now working with the West to accomplish the unfinished and maximalist agenda of regime change in Tehran? Is the accumulation of firepower in the eastern Mediterranean part of a bigger regional enterprise? Some Middle East watchers think that the Gaza counteroffensive has a bigger objective.
For instance, in an interview with Russia Today, Michael Maloof, former senior security policy analyst at the US Department of Defence, is of the view that Netanyahu would like Washington to get directly involved in the conflict with Hamas because he hopes to expand the war to Lebanon and Iran.
Maloof points out that deployment of USS Gerald R. Ford and five guided missile destroyers to the Eastern Mediterranean “meets Netanyahu’s wildest dreams.”
“He wanted the US involved in this conflict,” the former Pentagon official told RT.
Netanyahu “wants to open up the war with Lebanon, by attacking Hezbollah” in pursuit of his ultimate objective, “to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities,” Maloof added. For that to happen, “he has to have a Gulf of Tonkin moment, if you will.”
Maloof recalled how US President Lyndon Johnson essentially started the Vietnam War by sending ships to the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964. An alleged North Vietnamese attack on two US destroyers was then used as a pretext for direct involvement.
Reading the tea leaves well, Iran has gone into overdrive to curb Israel’s perceived geopolitical ambitions.
Unsurprisingly, during his visit to Lebanon that began on Thursday, Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, warned the United States to restrain Israel.
“America wants to give Israel a chance to destroy Gaza, and this is… a grave mistake,” he charged, adding, “if the Americans want to prevent the war in the region from developing, they must control Israel,” an AFP report quoted him as saying.
On the same visit which included stops in Baghdad and Damascus, Amir-Abdollahian stressed that on Saturday that it was still possible to prevent a regional expansion of Israel’s war Hamas, but time was running out.
“There is still a political opportunity to prevent a widespread crisis in the region,” Amir-Abdollahian told a press conference in Beirut.
But “maybe, in the next few hours, it will be too late”.
The Iranian minister warned that pro-Iran militants “have designed all the scenarios and are prepared, and their finger is on the trigger to shoot”.
There is no doubt for Hezbollah not to feel the heat of Israeli offenses which may pressure the latter to escalate its operational tempo to a certain point of threshold….writes Anant Mishra
With Israeli Defence Forces encircling Gaza, military experts are beginning to anticipate Lebanon’s response, with escalating border clashes pointing towards skirmishes along a second front.
If the conflict prolongs, this is a possible outcome that could engulf this limited war into a full-blown regional conflict. With Hamas threatening execution of hostages as a presumed leverage, the risk to miscalculate strategic/tactical decisions are higher for both sides.
That said, the sequence of violence appears to be limited yet stable along the Blue Line – the United Nations demarcated boundary corresponding to the Lebanese southern border, which has witnessed limited shelling, with some incursions.
According to a Beirut based expert on proxy militia, key leadership of anti-Israeli groups discussed coordination and cooperation at greater levels within the groups at wider extent in the last six months between Hezbollah in Lebanon, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and Hamas along with other Tehran-backed groups operating in Iraq, Yemen & Syria. Hence, it is incomprehensible for Hezbollah to simply stand aside and watch Israeli defence forces intensifying their offensives against Hamas in Gaza.
There is no doubt for Hezbollah not to feel the heat of Israeli offenses which may pressure the latter to escalate its operational tempo to a certain point of threshold. If the war in Gaza escalates, Hezbollah will employ offensive manoeuvres along the thin Blue Line. It may reiterate ambush tactics against Israeli foot patrols or intensify mortar/rocket strikes targeting Shebaa Farms, a mountainous region along the Lebanese southeastern border, under Israeli occupation since 1967.
It may covertly launch rocket attacks into Israel (without taking credit, under the assumption of Hamas led attack). It may rally Tehran backed proxy militia groups to target Israel from the Syrian Golan Heights, where the group continues to enjoy certain presence.
From a preliminary appearance, Hezbollah continues to provide covert support to Hamas below a certain threshold, with an intent to avoid any escalated response from Israel. If Hezbollah escalates, a response from the Israelis could result in an ending escalated driven cycle of violence. To prevent a full-blown escalated conflict, Iran may have tied down Hezbollah’s operation to limited support.
For Tehran, Hezbollah is the most potent external proxy component with military expertise, last resort perhaps to deter against and Israeli or US offenses against Iran. It is highly unlikely for Tehran to lay resources in the hands of Hamas that too, in a limited yet escalated conflict. By the same logic, Israelis do not wish to open a second front against Lebanon, instead prioritising rescue of hostages in Gaza and eliminating leftover Hamas fighters in the region.
It is highly likely for Hezbollah to reinforce Hamas fighters in case of an Israeli ground invasion. However, if the level of violence increases and Hamas appears to be pinned against an aggressive ground force, Hezbollah may be forced to indirectly support Hamas through tactical advisers, engaging Israeli defence forces through rocket attacks, relieving some pressure on Hamas fighters.
Hamas rejects Australia’s decision of listing it as terror group
It is highly unlikely for Israeli defence forces to employ a large-scale ground and air assault in Gaza and in Lebanon, simultaneously. Even for the highly trained and state of the art technology equipped Israeli Defence Forces, employing air power alone against Hezbollah will not be sufficient, giving necessary breathing space for the Hezbollah leadership to regroup. That said, reinforcing armour with sizeable ground forces deep into Lebanese’s territory will result in a serious loss of lives, a tactical gamble. That said, conducting a joint air and ground assault in Gaza and Lebanon simultaneously, is a critical decision for Tel Aviv, especially if Hamas fighters reinforce in smaller pockets elsewhere and strike. Confrontation with Hezbollah could escalate at least on the Syrian front, forcing proxies to target inside Israel from Iraq and Yemen.
For Hezbollah, if Tehran directs its leadership to assist Hamas with full force, the organizational leadership would do so at the cost of expunging all its military arsenal or might. This could expend all available resources in its expense, plunging Lebanon into an everlasting humanitarian misery, facing backlash even from its staunch Shia proponents in the country.
Taking the note of caution employed by Israel and Hezbollah on an escalated conflict, the best scenario for confrontation could be of sustained engagement between the two actors, largely localised along southern Lebanon and northern Israel, falling short of a full-blown war. In such a situation, Hezbollah may reinforce Quds Force with Radwan Brigade to conduct cross border skirmishes—which the group specialises. This could result in Israeli Air Force targeting critical infrastructure sites in Lebanon and conducting limited armour incursion crossing the Blue Line.
To prevent such an incursion, Hezbollah may resort to mass missile attack, forcing Israeli defence forces to call for long range precision guided munitions against key launch pads. Such engagements do not qualify for traditional definition of skirmish with the potency to escalate if either of the sides makes a tactical miscalculation. That said, Israeli Defence Forces may instead employ pre-emptive rocket strikes against known Hezbollah hide outs, with an intent to wipeout any potential arsenal, neutralising threat to Israeli cities.
With Hamas unpredictable and incomprehensible attack on southern Israel and Israel’s tactical encirclement of Gaza, the Israeli-Hezbollah engagement stands probable. With Israeli Defence Forces calling for reservists on the Southern Lebanon border, it is yet to see how this war unfolds.
Jordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNews
Jordan had concerns about the potential for an expanded regional conflict stemming from the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, as a significant portion of its population is of Palestinian descent…reports Asian Lite News
The Jordanian riot police used force to disperse a large group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators who were attempting to access a border area adjacent to the West Bank, which is under Israeli occupation, Daily Mail reported.
Thousands held anti-Israel demonstrations across the country. Jordan was worried a regional widening of violence arising from the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza could have repercussions for itself given that a large percentage of its population are Palestinians, Daily Mail reported.
Jordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNewsJordanian riot police disperse pro-Palestinian protesters trying to reach border with Israeli-occupied West Bank Pic credits @AlghadNews
Jordan lost the West Bank including East Jerusalem to Israel in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinian territory was seeing a rise in violence between Palestinians and the Israeli military and settlers even before the Gaza conflict erupted.
Witnesses today said police fired tear gas to halt about 500 demonstrators who had reached a highway security checkpoint outside the capital Amman, Daily Mail reported. The highway leads to a main border crossing into the West Bank.
The interior ministry had issued a ban against holding anti-Israel marches in the sensitive border area, but said other licensed protests would be allowed.
The outpouring of Arab anger against Israel over its siege and bombardment of Gaza retaliating for a devastating cross-border Hamas attack also fuelled a large rally on Friday in downtown Amman, Daily Mail reported.
Experts said that the Israel-Hamas conflict should not be allowed to dampen India-Iran ties….reports Mahua Venkatesh
Amid a new emerging world order, India is not only looking at resetting its trade and economic ties with Iran but is also keen to use it as a commercial transit hub.
“In addition to bilateral trade and investments, India is interested in using Iran’s commercial transit capacity due to its geographical location,” India’s Ambassador to Tehran Rudra Gaurav Shresth said, adding that trade and economic activities between the two countries have expanded in the last few years despite the US sanction on Tehran.
Experts said that the Israel-Hamas conflict should not be allowed to dampen India-Iran ties and New Delhi must continue its focus on connectivity.
Iran, which is strategically located, can provide easier and seamless connectivity between India and Europe. It provides access to the landlocked Central Asian nations through its corridors as well.
Both the countries have now pressed the pedal on the Chabahar Port project after much delay. The 7,200 km long International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is also expected to boost India-Iran ties and push trade between the two. Once the route is fully operational, Iran’s role as a transit hub will become amplified. According to Tehran Times, Iran will then be able to earn $20 billion in transit profits annually, something helping it reduce its dependence on oil revenues amid the American ban on the sector.
Meanwhile, Iran has indicated its interest in inking a Preferential Trade Agreement with India.
Hossein Selahvarzi, Head of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) who met Shresth noted that issues related to high customs tariffs and financial transfer that cause roadblocks in trade need to be resolved at the earliest.
Iran is among the six countries that have been given a go ahead to be part of the BRICS (Bazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) bloc. Iran is also a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
In August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Iranian President Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in South Africa to discuss matters of bilateral and regional importance including connectivity and trade.
That apart, several high profile visits of officials of both nations have taken place too.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval who visited Tehran in May met Raisi and discussed issues relating to connectivity and trade. Deputy NSA Vikram Misri too undertook a visit to Iran soon after. Several senior Iranian ministers including its Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics Brigadier General Mohammed Reza Gharaei Ashtiyani and the Deputy Agriculture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Borumandi have paid a visit to India.
Raisi has underlined the need to take India-Iran ties to a “new level” especially with a focus on economic and commercial engagements.
Until 2018 – when the US sanctions kicked in, Iran was one of the primary oil suppliers for India. “For New Delhi, letting go of Iranian crude supplies was a difficult transition as it moved to other suppliers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and as far as Nigeria and Angola to spread its energy import risk,” Observer Research Foundation said.
