Itamar Ben-Gvir waves a flag at the so-called ‘Flag March’ in Al-Quds on June 15.
Tensions are high in Al-Quds on Thursday as thousands of Israelis are expected to take part in the provocative so-called ‘Flag March’ in the Palestinian capital and the Old City’s Muslim Quarter.
Israeli occupation Security forces were gearing up for the controversial march, with 3,000 police officers being deployed across the holy city, Israeli media reported.
The Flag March is staged by Israeli settlers every year to mark what they call the “unification of Jerusalem”, in reference to Israeli occupation of the holy city in 1967.
Watch: Hundreds of Israeli settlers gather to take part in the provocative “Flag March” in the occupied Palestinian city of Lod, today. pic.twitter.com/ltK1REnwZO
Several members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Negev and Galilee Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf and ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem Minister Meir Porush were slated to take part in the march, according to The Times of Israel.
Hamas: “Zionist March Won’t Pass”
Meanwhile, reports suggested that there were concerns over the possibility of Palestinian resistance operations and rocket fire from Gaza.
Hamas resistance movement threatened the Israeli occupation against holding the march.
Spokesperson Abd al-Latif al-Qanou said the battle over the Al-Aqsa Mosque is “open and ongoing,” issues call for supporters to gather to “protect and escalate the different arenas.”
Hamas spokesman in the West Bank Abdul-Latif Al-Qanou.
Senior Hamas official Salah al-Bardawil stressed in a statement that “the Zionist Flag March will not pass, and the response will inevitably come.”
Meanwhile Gaza’s Balloon unit – responsible for launching balloons ferrying incendiary and explosive devices into occupied territories in the past – said it would resume activities Thursday.
“Israel Not Interested in Escalation”
Meanwhile, the Egyptian mediator has reportedly relayed a message to the Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza that the Zionist entity is not interested in an escalation.
Al-Akhbar Lebanese daily reported that the Egyptian mediator stressed the Israeli government has no intention to change the status quo in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Al-Aqsa Incursions
Israeli settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Al-Quds early on Thursday, ahead of the scheduled ‘Flag March’.
Hundreds of settlers reportedly entered the mosque within an hour, as the Israeli occupation forces increased security in Al-Quds.
Since the morning, at least 824 colonial Israeli settlers break into Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsq Mosque courtyards in commemoration of the so-called “Jerusalem Day”, Israel’s occupation of Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/Rdm9KG3t5z
The incursion occurred as occupation forces in the area tightened their measures and prevented Palestinians from entering the mosque for morning prayers.
The Old City of Al-Quds was put on high alert, with over 3,000 police officers deployed to protect the planned Israeli rampage.
The parade this year comes on the heels of last week’s brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza. The 5-day offensive resulted in the deaths of 33 Palestinians, including women and children.
Additionally, Israeli occupation forces have been carrying out raids and arrests in the occupied West Bank on daily bases, with raids taking place in several cities including Nablus and Jenin.
Palestinian Red Crescent said it teams dealt with a rubber bullet injury and cases of suffocation during Thursday’s incursions in other areas, including Nablus, Beit Ur al-Tahta, Burqa, and Beit Lahm.
The head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh says that the Resistance was unified in its battle against “Israel” thanks to efforts made by Palestinian Resistance groups, Iran, and Hezbollah.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, speaks after a meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Bierut, Lebanon, 28 June 2021 (Reuters)
The Resistance had the upper ground in the last battle of Operation Avenging the Free as it managed its work through the joint operations room, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh said on Sunday.
Haniyeh said that the Resistance “thwarted the enemy’s attempt to impose new equations” by “singling out Al-Quds Brigades or driving a wedge between them [Resistance groups],” adding that the Resistance worked in harmony as integrated all its abilities to achieve the goals it set out for the battle.
Haniyeh extended his greetings and appreciation to the Joint Operations Room, mentioning particularly the Al-Quds Brigades for the leading role it adopted in the battle, as he thanked the countries and people who aided the Resistance in altering the balance of power with “Israel”. The leader pointed to Iran and Hezbollah’s exceptional role in completing that process.
Furthermore, the Hamas official thanked the Arab Republic of Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations for their mediation efforts that ensured a cease-fire that was agreed to Saturday night.
“Israel” launched an assassination campaign against leaders of the Palestinian Resistance, murdering 3 leaders alongside children and family members on Tuesday. Haniyeh described the assassinations as treacherous, adding that they will not bring security to “Israel”.
“The assassination of the leaders will bring more resistance,” Haniyeh said, adding that the enemy miscalculated and will pay the price for the crimes it committed.
The Israeli aggression on Gaza lasted for 5 days and led to the martyrdom of 33 Palestinian, 30% of whom were children, as Israeli bombs injured 190 others, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza.
In a statement on Saturday, the Operations Room said that “a round of fighting, resistance, and steadfastness has ended, but our resistance has once again emerged more powerful and aggressive.”
Former Israeli Security and Finance Minister and current head of the “Israel is Our Home” party, Avigdor Lieberman, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Gaza Strip policies and said, “It is not possible to live between one round of fighting and another, just as much as another Hezbollah in the south cannot be tolerated.”
Lieberman explained that “Hamas was sitting in the same operations room with the Islamic Jihad,” noting that “Hamas is the one that determines the rules of the game and no one is making it pay.”
Related Videos
Special Coverage | A reading of the results and repercussions of the victory of the resistance in Palestine
Millions marches in a number of Yemeni cities under the title “Revenge of the Free” in solidarity with Gaza
Three Islamic Jihad commanders who were martyred by Israeli strikes on Gaza (Tuesday, May 9, 2023).
Israeli occupation carried out a wide-scale aggression on Gaza early on Tuesday, killing 13 Palestinians including three senior Islamic Jihad commanders.
Al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad’s military wing, pronounced the martyrdom of commanders Khalil Al-Bahitini, Tareq Ezzeddine and Jihad Ghannam along with members of their families in several strikes that targeted a number of sites in Gaza City, Rafah and Khan Yunis.
Four women and four children were among people martyred. Twenty others were injured in the aggression, dubbed by the occupation army as “Operation Shield and Arrow,” according to Israeli media.
lsraeli warplanes hit Gaza Strip, killing 12 Palestinians including children. pic.twitter.com/4wlsOC8CbS
The Islamic Jihad warned that the Israeli aggression won’t go unanswered.
“Blood of the martyrs will increase our resolve, resistance will continue,” the resistance group said in a statement.
Watch: “I want my dad..”
A Palestinian girl fearfully cries as her father was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the besieged Gaza Strip while people were peacefully sleeping. pic.twitter.com/SGVd1lLKHb
Spokesman of Al-Quds Brigades Abu Hamza vowed that the resistance will heroically confront the Israeli aggression against Palestinian people.
In a speech posted on his Telegram channel, Abu Hamza said the Israeli occupation committed flagrant massacre by killing the resistance commanders in Gaza along with their wives and children.
Abu Hamza, Spokesman of Al-Quds Brigades
“We pronounce martyrdom of three of our commanders Jihad Ghannam, Khalil Al-Bahitini and Tareq Ezzeddine.”
He pledged allegiance to the martyrs, vowing to follow their path. “Thousands will come after our martyred commanders, as this path shall be ended by the defeat of the occupation.”
Abu Hamza affirmed that the “Israeli terrorist crime won’t but increase the Palestinian people adherence to resistance choice.”
In this context, he called on Palestinian people to rally behind resistance.
The 3 Commanders
The Jerusalem Post identified Bahitini as the commander of the Al-Quds Brigades in the northern Gaza Strip, and the most senior operational commander in the resistance group who was responsible for the rocket fire toward the occupied territories in the past month.
The Israeli media outlet said Ezzeddine was responsible for the communications between the movement and its branches in the West Bank and “for transferring funds and coordinating incitement efforts” in the occupied territories.
“Ghanem was one of the most senior and veteran operatives in the movement and served at one point as the commander of the Al-Quds Brigades in the southern Gaza Strip,” The JPost reported, claiming that in his latest position, Ghanem “was responsible for coordinating the transfer of funds and weapons from the Islamic Jihad to Hamas.”
Shelters Opened
The Israeli occupation military said it conducted the assassinations in three separate locations simultaneously with 40 fighter jets, helicopters and other aircraft.
An Israeli settler enters a public bomb shelter in Ashkelon, in the Zionist entity’s south (Tuesday, May 9, 2023).
Following the strikes, Israeli ‘Home Front’ Command has given the go-ahead for settlements bordering Gaza to begin evacuating Israeli settlers, with officials estimating that fighting will last at least three days, Channel 13 outlet reports.
According to the channel, settlements “already have plans drawn up for such an eventuality, along with arrangements for where residents who must leave home for fear of rocket attack can be housed.”
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has okayed the army to call up reserves troops as needed, in any field, The Times of Israel reported.
Hamas Says ‘Israel’ to Pay Price
Hamas politburo head Ismail Haniyeh said Israeli actions won’t bring it security, but rather more violence.
“The enemy made a mistake in its estimations and will pay the price for its crime,” he said.
Haniyeh stressed, meanwhile, that the “resistance is unified,” seemingly indicating that his group will back Islamic Jihad in the coming fight, or will even join in.
Image prepared by Al-Manar Website showing Al-Quds Brigades fighters and martyr Sheikh Khader Adnan.
As soon as the occupation authorities announced at dawn on Tuesday martyrdom of Sheikh Khader Adnan, events across Palestine and the Zionist entity escalated, risking a new confrontation between the resistance and the Israeli enemy.
Dozens of rockets were fired from Gaza on settlements bordering the coastal enclave, as shootings occurred in the occupied West Bank in a clear retaliation of the cold-blooded assassination of the senior Islamic Jihad official who was on his 87th day of hunger strike in protest against Israeli arbitrary detention.
Meanwhile, Palestinian prisoners were mulling to go on mass hunger strike in rejection of the Israeli policy of administrative detention.
More than 100 rockets were fired from Gaza into the occupied territories between Tuesday and Wednesday, with Israeli media reporting some failure in the Iron Dome Israeli defense system in attempts to down the Palestinian rockets.
The Islamic Jihad resistance group’s military wing Al-Quds Brigades published a video entitled “We Haven’t Started Yet,” in a clear message to the Israeli enemy that the retaliation to the assassination crime of Sheikh Adnan will be wide-scale.
The video below, translated and subtitled by Al-Manar’s Areej Fatima Al-Husseini shows Al-Quds Brigades fighters preparing rockets to be fired at occupied territories.
Intensive Calls to Avoid Confrontation
In parallel, the Islamic Jihad and Hamas movements received intensive calls from mediators, during which they demanded these two movements not to respond to the assassination crime from the Gaza Strip, and to avoid a new military confrontation with the occupation during the current period, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported, citing well-informed sources.
However, the resistance responded that “the crime of assassinating Adnan won’t go unanswered, with the aim of deterring the enemy and preventing it from repeating such crimes against the prisoners,” according to the paper.
Indeed, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad held consultations about the nature of this response, which included parties in the axis of resistance, while “Al-Akhbar” learned that it was decided, as a result of the consultations, that the initial response would be from the West Bank, which witnessed, since yesterday morning, two operations that resulted in the injury of three soldiers from the occupation army, to be followed by responses from various arenas, including Gaza.
Resistance Pounds Occupied Territories
Shortly after, the Gaza Strip witnessed a series of tensions, which began with the firing of three missiles from the Strip towards the settlements of Gaza envelope, in parallel with the occupation army intensifying its flight over Gaza, and strengthening its preparations for the possibility of launching more missiles, by deploying the “Iron Dome” in the so-called “Gaza envelope” area and in around Tel Aviv.
In the afternoon on Tuesday, the occupation artillery targeted a resistance observation point east of the Gaza City, in response to the rocket fire, as stated by the enemy army spokesman, who also instructed the residents of the areas bordering the coastal strip to stay in places close to shelters.
As a result of this development, warning sirens sounded, more than once, in the settlements bordering Gaza, before the outcome of yesterday’s rockets, until the end of the dawn on Wednesday, reached more than 100 rockets and missiles, launched from Gaza, injuring more than 10 settlers, some of them seriously, as one of the rockets fell in Sderot settlement.
Subsequently, the Joint Room of Palestinian Resistance Factions claimed responsibility for shelling of the settlements bordering Gaza, describing it as “a preliminary response to this heinous crime that will trigger responses from our people in all arenas and places of engagement.”
The resistance’s joint room also confirmed that the issue of prisoners “will remain at the top of the priorities of the resistance’s leadership in all circumstances,” warning the enemy against escalating its aggression.
“Any crime or foolishness won’t remain unanswered, and the resistance is fully prepared to defend its people everywhere,” the Palestinian sources said as reported by Al-Akhbar.
Israeli Assessment, Reported ‘Ceasefire’
On the other hand, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu conducted a security assessment that lasted for hours, in which security officials, the army chief of staff, and the defense minister participated. After the meeting, Israeli media circulated leaks that the occupation army has recommended to launch a so-called “expanded response campaign” to Gaza rockets in Gaza.
The Hebrew media quoted several security and political sources confirming that the situation is about to “a round of exchanges of fire, which may last for a day or two.”
According to Kan, the Israeli security system prepared itself for various scenarios, including “launching rockets from southern Lebanon, and shooting and running over operations in the West Bank and the interior.”
And on the mediation level, Egypt entered, as usual, in an attempt to stop the rocket fire, in exchange for the release of the martyr Khader Adnan’s body. However, according to Israeli media reports, Tel Aviv “strongly refused to release the body.”
However, Reuters news agency reported that the Zionist regime and the Palestinian resistance groups have reached a ceasefire early Wednesday morning, noting that the deal was mediated by officials from Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations.
While Israeli occupation forces kill, bomb, assault, and arrest innocent Palestinians, their social media platforms seem to be turning such heinous acts into jokes in search of desperate likes.
Young dancing soldiers, jumping on TikTok trends, memes, and jokes… it all sounds “fun” doesn’t it?
However, if there would ever be a backstage of the Israeli occupation forces’ social media platforms, it would be a room full of blood, murderous weapons, and the bodies of thousands of murdered Palestinians.
What happens backstage is a pure whitewashing of Israeli crimes for the sake of some desperate interaction and affection. Attacking Gaza? Let’s make an infographic about how many “terrorists” there are in the Strip. Palestinians defending themselves against Israeli attacks? Let’s film a short clip about our soldiers crying to get some emotions out of our audience.
And this is how it works… for them…
Know your audience: Who are they targeting?
In 2012, Fast Company conducted an interview with IOF Spokesperson at the time, Eytan Buchman, in which he spoke about certain insights on how Israeli forces get things done regarding their social media platforms.
During the interview, the spokesperson said the Israeli army is “a very young army” and that’s where “the innovation comes from.”
“… most people come in when they’re 18. Males serve for three years and women serve for two years. This forms a parity where people find themselves between 18 and 21 and inside military operations. The idea of flexibility and innovation is always encouraged.”
The Israeli spokesperson went on and talked about how “innovation” usually makes it to the world and how it “opens up new horizons.” He even recalled one of the soldiers who had to pay for the IOF WordPress account “using her own credit card… instead of dealing with the military bureaucracy.”
He said, during the interview, that there are “two primary interactions with social media. The first is the interactive media branch, which is responsible for outreach to different audiences online. The second is desk offices from traditional media, such as Leibovitch… In some cases, we also maintain Facebook pages and websites in specific languages in order to reach out to certain regions.”
Ironically, the spokesperson bragged about how the IOF is operating on different social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Google+, and even Pinterest in order to increase the occupation’s “legitimacy, to be transparent… to combat misinformation that being flooded out from inside Gaza.”
Legitimacy and transparency by ‘Israel’? Think again.
Whether it’s jumping on trends, trending music, or even memes, the IOF’s strategy on TikTok does the job of completely victimizing the occupier while criminalizing the occupied.
For example, in one of the TikTok videos, during New Year’s Eve, the IOF account posted a wrap-up about the year 2022, as part of the relevant TikTok trends where one would recall moments that took place during the year with background music playing A Sky Full of Stars, asong by Coldplay.
Zooming out, the video had no sight of Israeli occupation forces committing any massacres, murders, bombings, arrests, or assaults on Palestinians. The short video completely altered reality, failing to mention Israeli crimes and showcase Israeli weapons, its soldiers ‘in action’, and its warplanes.
Playing innocent, the IOF captions the video with: “This year was filled with highs and lows, but we pushed through every challenge. How was your 2022?”
The videos are endless.
In 2021, on TikTok, the IOF jumped on the “She’s Gonna Be A Victoria’s Secret Supermodel” trend where they filmed one of their tanks, with the caption: “We’re serving looks since 1948.”
Of course, the IOF will make no mention of the 1948 Nakba (catastrophe) during which Zionist gangs committed horrific massacres in Palestine against Palestinians, killing and forcefully expelling them from their motherland. This date is marked by “Israel” as its “independence”.
The only thing that “Israel” has been “serving” since 1948 is aggression, occupation, and colonization of an entire population.
In another instance, the IOF posted a video on TikTok on Easter with an Israeli soldier running with the writing on the video “POV: Us on easter morning looking for chocolate eggs [chocolate emoji].”
There was no context for the footage. Was it an Israeli soldier running toward a Palestinian to beat him as what always happens? If so, why chasing a Palestinian would be turned into a joke on social media? One comment said he was probably “hunting the Christians celebrating Easter.”
Palestinian Orthodox Christians in occupied #AlQuds are celebrating the #HolyFire ceremony under occupation and siege imposed by the Israeli occupation forces at a time when "Israel" hopes to excise the Arab identity of Al-Quds, comprised of both Christian and Muslim rituals,… pic.twitter.com/T4xv8tWOeS
On International Women’s Day, the IOF account on TikTok posted “Women get the job done,” with a video of a girl being trained in the IOF as she is filmed going on missions while holding weapons and on a tank. At the end of the video, the girl is seen having this “dreamy” look on her face after the end of her shift, making the military occupation of Palestine look “dreamy” to the audience.
Of course, there was no mention of the following. In January this year, the Israeli occupation launched a large-scale campaign of brutal repression against Palestinian prisoners, most notably female prisoners as they were subjected to brutal practices by Israeli authorities.
Israeli occupation forces usually brutally assault Palestinian women stationed at Al-Aqsa Mosque while harassing, expelling, and arresting many others.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 5, 2022
If this is their definition of women empowerment, the IOF needs a whole new dictionary.
‘Is this a parody account?’
Not a single Ramadan has passed without the Israeli occupation forces, along with the illegal settlers, attacking Palestinian worshippers.
This Ramadan alone and for three nights in a row, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque and attacked Palestinian worshippers practicing Itikaf.
During these attacks, Israeli occupation forces use rubber bullets and smoke and stun grenades against the unarmed worshippers.
On March 2023, the IOF page wished Muslims “a meaningful and peaceful holiday” with audacity. This prompted one Twitter user to question whether the account was a parody account.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 5, 2022
Memes to defeat the ‘enemy’: Social media 101?
On a Twitter post on Valentine’s Day, the IOF posted three photos about “Hamas’ love language” where they mentioned quotes and previous news about Hamas. One of the pictures hinted that Hamas fires rockets “without any occasion” as part of its “gift giving” while completely disregarding the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Gaza Strip, and in the West Bank.
Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas seem to be the IOF’s favorite opponents on their social media platforms. In one of their posts on Halloween, the IOF posted a costume for the occasion named “Hamas terrorist”, while describing what the costume includes.
The caption that was posted was: “If you see this walking down the street, it’s not a costume…” The comments on the post varied, with some people saying this was an IOF costume and others writing “FREE PALESTINE”.
“Do YOU know what the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza is? Watch to find out.” With this caption, the IOF decided to describe a video they posted about the Islamic Jihad Movement. The video said the Palestinian faction is focused on the “destruction of the state of Israel.”
The video received a backlash. People in the comments slammed the video with some saying, “Since when defending and dying for the liberation of your own country is terrorism?” Others stated the fact that “Israel” is an occupation by saying, “Why don’t u tell the people how u came into power? Did u not steal their land and harm Palestinian citizens?”
The IOF social media team also got on the “Little Miss” trend where people make comedic characters that sum up their personality and are called Little Miss “something”.
This was also slammed by social media users. When the IOF posted a picture that says “little miss combats terrorism in the Middle East,” people started to reply “Little Miss Terrorism in the Middle East” and “Little Miss War criminals.” In another picture of the same trend, people started commenting “Little miss makes me sick to my stomach…” and “Ethnic cleansing but make it quirky,” hinting at using memes to hide Israeli crimes against Palestinians.
While the obsession seems to grow against whoever resists the Israeli occupation and defends the Palestinian lands, the Palestinian narrative has always triumphed and excelled over the Israeli one.
During Seif Al-Quds Battle, many pro-Palestine accounts started to publish videos and infographics about the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip in 2021.
Even Israeli media admitted that the most popular posts that were made then were in support of the Palestinians.
“…The most viral example had nearly 2 million likes on Bella Hadid’s Instagram page… Another popular infographic from @paliroots had over 500,000 likes. In comparison, most of the IDF’s videos and photos had likes in the tens of thousands, and only occasionally topping 100,000.”
– The Forward
At one point, during the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip, the IOF social media team seemed desperate enough to copy the same format of a Pro-Palestine post while changing the whole narrative to become pure Israeli propaganda.
While the IOF’s social media account may look “glorious” and “fun” to some from the outside, there is no mention of the brutal Israeli administrative detention policy, there is no mention of killing children, there is no mention of uprooting Palestinian olive trees, there is no mention of ethnically cleansing a whole indigenous population, just as there is no mention of Israeli illegal checkpoints and settlements. There is not even any mention of “Israel” being the OCCUPATION it is!
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah responded to the threats of the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu by similarly saying in an intimidating tone, “You Will See!”
Sayyed Nasrallah abstained from commenting on the missile fire from Southern Lebanon at the Zionist settlements, stressing that reassuring the Zionist enemy is forbidden.
Hezbollah will resort to silence and avoid clarifying the missile fire from Southern Lebanon in order to keep ‘Israel’ confused and terrified, according to the Resistance Leader.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that the Israelis themselves acknowledge that the response to the missile fire from Lebanon was feeble due to the balance of deterrence maintained by the Resistance, highlighting the strategic reflection of the Zionist keenness on avoiding any direct clash with Hezbollah.
“The Israelis have boasted the only achievement of avoiding any direct clash with Hezbollah.”
Sayyed Nasrallah said that the Israeli raids did not target any site for Hezbollah or Hamas, but that an irrigation canal and a banana farm were hit.
His eminence maintained that all the Israeli threats are useless, rather they reinforce the Resistance commitment to accumulate all the required capabilities in order to sustain the balance of deterrence and confront any Zionist aggression on Lebanon.
Any Zionist attack on the Lebanese territories or any person present in Lebanon will be responded to without any hesitation, Sayyed Nasrallah maintained.
Addressing Hezbollah central ceremony marking International Quds Day in Beirut’s Dahiyeh, Sayyed Nasrallah warned the Israeli enemy of any folly against Al-Aqsa Mosque, Al-Quds, West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon or Syria may lead to an all-out war in the whole region.
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that Imam Khomeini announced Al-Quds International Day more than 40 years ago in order to be an occasion of voicing and expressing solidarity with Palestine.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that marking Al-Quds International Day sends a message of solidarity with the sacrificing Palestinian people, adding that Muslims and Christians as well as Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of Resurrection in Palestine are not left alone.
His eminence pointed out that Marking Al-Quds International Day is also aimed at intimidating the Israeli enemy that feels concerned and has made void threats to all the surrounding countries.
Hezbollah Secretary General highlighted the developments that occurred since last year’s Al-Quds Day and reviewed their effects on the Palestinian cause.
To begin with, Sayyed Nasrallah underlined the recession of the US hegemony all over the world, shedding light on the Venezuelan sample.
America was obliged to back off in Venezuela after a political and economic siege, according to Sayyed Nasrallah.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that one of the most important factors behind the regional changes is the milestone US defeat in Afghanistan, “which was wailed by the Israeli officials”.
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that ‘Israel’, Gulf states, and other regional countries have become convinced that the US is unreliable for protection, adding that some Arab countries have started to consider dialogue and agreement as a way to maintain the regional stability.
Sayyed Nasrallah noted that USA is now concentrating on the confrontation with Russia and China more than Eastern Asia and the Middle East, adding that this is worrying the Israelis.
Such developments move towards a multipolar world system that cannot be ruled by the USA alone, according to Sayyed Nasrallah.
Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that the US administration moves according to its interests, adding that it even imposed the normalization deals on the Arab countries and that the Israeli officials falsely claim they have made this “achievement”.
The US political decline will lead to the decline of the normalization deals as well as the Israeli deterrence power and strategic status.
The powerful emergence of the axis of the resistance from the global war run by the US which employed states and criminal organizations will affect the conflict with the Israeli enemy, Sayyed Nasrallah said, recalling the bets on the collapse of the the Resistance coalition.
Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted Syria’s recovery and the restoration of its diplomatic ties with a number of the Arab countries, including Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi, UAE and Egypt, mentioning also the issue of Syria’s return to the Arab League and the Turkish endeavor to normalize relations with Damascus.
Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that Yemen, which we have supported since the beginning of the war in 2015, is witnessing positive developments pertaining the peace talks, noting that this would leave positive effects on the axis of resistance, Palestine and Al-Quds.
Hezbollah Chief hailed Algeria’s return to support the Palestinian cause displayed by the expelling of the Zionist delegation from the African Union Summit,
Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted Iraq’s considerable recovery from its crises, adding that the axis of resistance bets on the Iraqi people support to the Palestinian cause and underlining their enormous human and materialistic capabilities.
Sayyed Nasrallah also mentioned Iran development and steadfastness in face of the siege, isolation and recent trivial riots, adding that the Iranian-Saudi agreement has speedily started showing its positive outcomes.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that Iran-KSA pact frustrated the normalization schemes and the Israeli plot to establish coalition against Iran, adding that the concentration of the attack on the Islamic Republic is caused by the fact that it is the main supporter of the regional countries and resistance movements.
Hezbollah Leader indicated that the recent rift which appeared in the Zionist entity over the judicial amendments which reflect an existential war waged by Netanyahu and the right groups against the rest of the political parties.
This war would have turned to be bloody had not the US administration interfered few weeks ago to prevent the escalation would threatened the army, businessmen and all the Zionist society, according to Sayyed Nasrallah, who also highlighted the lack of confidence in the Israeli army and the military readiness to make sacrifices for the sake of the occupation entity.
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that the escalating armed resistance in the West Bank, the popular steadfastness, sacrifice and support to the resistance fighters inside and outside Palestine, the youths participation in the heroic clashes with the Zionist occupation forces despite the discrepancy of military capabilities, the Palestinian persistence and insistence on defending Al-Aqsa Mosque in spite of the Israeli aggression versus the Zionist confusion and fear, and the growing capabilities of the resistance in the Gaza have maintained the certainty of victory.
Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that Syria considers several factors before deciding a response to the Israeli raids as its army units are deployed along hundreds of kilometers in face of the terrorist groups, warning Israeli enemy must beware that Syria may get rid of the current formula and respond at a certain time to the Zionist raids.
West Bank
Hezbollah Secretary General reiterated that the West Bank is indeed the shield of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling for supporting the West Bank and its resistance financially and militarily in order to sustain its steadfastness.
Sayyed Nasrallah asserted that all who can dispatch weapons to the West Bank, must do that, adding that the political support provided by the Arab and Muslim states is also important.
Sayyed Nasrallah warned the US and ‘Israel’ against any folly in the region will lead to a major war, warning the Zionist enemy against tampering with the Islamic and Christian sanctities in Palestine.
The Israeli army was taken aback by the allegations of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said on 10 April that cross-border attacks on Lebanon last week targeted Hezbollah positions.
“In the attacks on Lebanon, in addition to the positions of Hamas, we also targeted the positions of Hezbollah in Lebanon,” the Israeli premier said during a news conference on Monday.
According to Yossi Yehoshua, the military affairs commentator for Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, “The army was very surprised to hear Netanyahu say that Hezbollah’s infrastructure was attacked in Lebanon,” as Tel Aviv took great care to only hit alleged Hamas targets.
Netanyahu’s sham allegation came during a press conference in which he also backpedaled on his decision to sack Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
“I’ve decided to put our differences behind us,” the embattled premier said about Gallant.
Earlier in his speech, Netanyahu took aim at the opposition led by former prime minister Yair Lapid, blaming him for the multiple crises gripping Israel.
“Our country is under a terrorist assault … [But it] did not start now. Under the previous government, the number of terror attacks doubled,” Netanyahu said before accusing Lapid and his officials of “showing weakness” and “emboldening Israel’s enemies.”
In particular, the premier pointed to the maritime border demarcation deal signed with the Lebanese government last year under US mediation, claiming that the agreement had instead been signed with Hezbollah “without getting anything in return.”
Netanyahu also blasted Israeli citizens and army reservists who took to the streets en masse to protest against his judicial overhaul plan, saying, “When you declare that the State of Israel is collapsing, how do you think our enemies interpret this?”
Monday’s speech came just hours after Israel’s Channel 13 released poll results showing that support for Netanyahu’s Likud party has nosedived.
According to the survey, more than two-thirds of voters disapproved of Netanyahu’s performance in office. If elections were held today, Likud would lose more than a third of its seats in the Knesset.
Two Palestinians were martyred by the Zionist gunfire on Tuesday during a clash in Deir Al-Hatab village in eastern Nablus.
The Israeli occupation forces detained the bodies of the two martyrs, claiming that they had opened fire at Elon Moreh settlement.
A fresh wave of violent clashes broke out early this morning between Palestinian resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of Jenin camp in the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian media reported that the occupation army dispatched a force to the outskirts of the camp, which then deployed snipers on rooftops, leading to the violent confrontations.
Several people were reportedly injured during this conflict. The occupation forces arrested the son of Maher Turkman, who is accused of carrying out the first Jordan Valley operation along with his martyred son and captive nephew.
In the midst of this, Palestinian resistance fighters reportedly detonated an explosive device during the occupation’s attempted storming, causing direct casualties.
Zionist Occupation Authorities Ban Settlers from Storming Al-Aqsa till End of Ramadan
The Zionist settlers will be banned from the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem) until the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Tuesday.
Before the decision, terrorist settler attacks on Al-Aqsa continued, as hundreds began at dawn today storming the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The settlers were led by former Knesset member Yehuda Glick and were attempting to enter the Mosque during the “Jewish Passover holiday”.
The occupation forces stationed at the mosque gates continued to prevent many worshippers from entering to perform the Fajr prayer. While the Mosque was open, those under 50 years old were not allowed to enter, according to one of its guards.
Meanwhile, Hamas Resistance Movement called on Palestinians to perform religious observance (Itikaf) at Al-Aqsa Mosque during the last ten days of the Holy month of Ramadan, warning the Israeli enemy that any folly against the Holy Shrine would destabilize the whole region.
In recent weeks, calls to storm Al-Aqsa have grown, with some illegal settler groups offering financial rewards for those who could do so.
Furthermore, dozens of illegal Israeli settlers stormed the Mosque on Monday under heavy protection from Israeli occupation forces.
The Palestinians have long been subjected to land seizures, home demolitions, and general disruption of their daily lives. The current situation with the Al-Aqsa Mosque is yet another flashpoint in this ongoing conflict.
The storming of the Mosque by Israeli occupation forces has been condemned by many around the world.
As Israel reportedly dropped ’50 tons’ of explosives on the besieged Gaza Strip, dozens of rockets were launched by the resistance towards adjacent settlements
Israel launched overnight airstrikes targeting several locations in southern Lebanon and the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday 7 April, in retaliation for rocket attacks launched from Lebanese territory that hit several Israeli settlements on Thursday morning.
Sources in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre say three loud explosions were heard at dawn on Friday near the Rashidieh camp for Palestinian refugees.
BREAKING NEWS: First footage of Israeli airstrikes near the Rashidieh refugee camp in Tyre, Lebanon pic.twitter.com/prEb1BRLqY
While the Israeli army claims the attack hit “terrorist infrastructures belonging to Hamas,” local reports say the missiles hit a banana plantation causing no material damage or casualties.
At the same time, Israeli jets conducted an indiscriminate blitz of the besieged Gaza Strip, dropping at least “50 tons of bombs” on alleged Hamas sites, according to an Israeli army spokesman.
The attack on what many consider to be the world’s largest open-air prison caused damage to dozens of civilian homes, agricultural land, and to the Al-Durrah Children’s Hospital in Gaza City, according to WAFA news agency.
In response to the blitz, the resistance in Gaza fired at least 44 rockets targeting adjacent Israeli settlements. No casualties were reported.
Israel’s overnight attack on Lebanon and Gaza was launched in response to a daring rocket attack launched by the Palestinian resistance on Thursday morning from southern Lebanon against northern Israeli settlements.
Early on Friday, the Lebanese army claimed to have found “several rockets prepared for launch” in a field in southern Lebanon.
Thursday’s resistance attack was set off by Israel’s brutal assault of Palestinian worshippers observing Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
Speaking from Beirut, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, said on Thursday that the Palestinian resistance “will not sit with their arms crossed” in the face of Israeli “aggression” against Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Similarly, the Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, warned that: “The resistance front has a high number of long-range missiles in its arsenal; but it is not using them at the moment.”
“One of the options that resistance fighters would take in case the Zionists commit a folly would be the launch of a significant number of ballistic missiles at sensitive Israeli centers,” Nasrallah stressed.
In response to Thursday’s attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency meeting of the security cabinet, during which he said that Israel “will hit back at our enemies, and they will pay the price for every act of aggression.”
“Our enemies will learn again that during times that we are tested, Israeli citizens stand together united,” the Israeli premier said.
Hebrew media reported on Friday morning that “the army will not resume its bombing if new attacks do not occur from Gaza and Lebanon,” as security restrictions were lifted on Israeli settlers living in towns close to the border with the Gaza Strip.
Following up the latest developments on borders with Lebanon and Gaza, the Zionist circles mourned the Israeli deterrence power and expressed sorrow over the deteriorating conditions of the occupation entity in face of the axis of resistance.
The Israeli circles described the axis of resistance as active, noting that the Zionist government has been committing mistakes utilized by the enemies of the Zionist entity.
The military reporter of Channel 12, Nir Devori, said that the same scenario of limited responses is repeated, highlighting the Israeli fight on multiple fronts.
Yaov Limor, a military analyst, warned against the threats posed by the “active” axis of resistance from Tehran through Gaza, stressing that the Israeli deterrence power has eroded.
The Zionist circles also compared between the confused and clumsy performance of the Israeli security cabinet and the important decisions taken during a meeting between Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and Hamas command.
Introduction to the newsletter: Cautious calm in southern Lebanon after the dawn of Israeli attacks that targeted several areas in the city of Tyre and its surroundings
Special Coverage | The resistance launches a new missile attack towards the occupation settlements | Presented by Ramy Abbas
حذّرت «حماس» من مخطّط لتدنيس المسجد وذبح القرابين داخله بدءاً من يوم الأربعاء المقبل (أ ف ب)
المقاومة تتأهّب عسكرياً
على بُعد ساعات من بدء تنفيذ الجماعات الاستيطانية خططها لاستباحة المسجد الأقصى تحت رعاية سلطات الاحتلال وبحمايتها، تكثّفت الاتّصالات في ما بين الوسطاء وفصائل المقاومة، التي حذّرت من تولّد ظروف مشابهة للوضع الذي ساد قُبيل معركة «سيف القدس»، مؤكّدة أن محاولة ذبح القرابين في المسجد «تجاوز خطير للخطوط الحمر، لا يمكن السكوت عنه»
غزة | في الوقت الذي ينوي فيه الصهاينة المتطرّفون تصعيد خطواتهم التهويدية ضدّ المسجد الأقصى عبر ذبح القرابين داخله، يستعدّ الفلسطينيون لمواجهة جديدة مع الاحتلال عنوانها منعه من تجاوز الخطوط الحمراء، توازياً مع استمرار جهود الوسطاء لمنع تفجّر الأوضاع بين المقاومة والعدو. وبحسب ما علمته «الأخبار» من مصادر مطّلعة، فإن الفصائل الفلسطينية أجرت، على مدار الأيام الماضية، مباحثات مع الوسطاء، أبلغتهم في خلالها بأن الخطوات المنوي تنفيذها في الحرم القدسي «تمثّل تهديداً حقيقياً وتجاوزاً للخطوط الحمراء»، وأن «هذا الأمر لا يمكن السكوت عليه»، محذّرة من أن «حكومة الاحتلال، بسماحها للمتطرّفين بمثل هذه الإجراءات، فإنها تلعب بصاعق تفجير كبير في المنطقة. ونبّهت الفصائل، المصريين والقطريين والأمم المتحدة على السواء، إلى أن تكرار محاولات فرض وقائع جديدة في المسجد الأقصى، إنّما يولّد ظروفاً مشابهة للحالة التي سادت قُبيل معركة «سيف القدس» عام 2021. وعلى هذه الخلفية، تستعدّ المقاومة لإمكانية التدخّل عسكرياً إذا لزم الأمر، فيما رفعت أذرعها العسكرية درجة تأهّبها تحسّباً لاحتمال وقوع مواجهة قريبة مع العدو، خصوصاً أن سلطات الاحتلال مستمرّة في إحكام سيطرتها على مدينة القدس، خاصّة الحرم القدسي (الذي اقتُحم 25 مرّة الشهر الماضي) ومحيطه، وواصل حملته الشاملة لإطباق الخناق على الأقصى والمصلّين من خلال سلسلة من الإجراءات والقرارات الهادفة إلى تهويد المدينة بالكامل، وفق ما أكده وزير الأوقاف والشؤون الدينية الفلسطينية، الشيخ حاتم البكري.
تستعدّ المقاومة لإمكانية التدخّل عسكرياً إذا لزم الأمر
وحذّرت حركة «حماس»، في بيان أمس، من مخطّط المستوطنين لتدنيس المسجد وذبح القرابين داخله بدءاً من يوم الأربعاء المقبل، محذّرةً من أن هذا المخطّط «يصبّ الزيت على النار التي يتحمّل الاحتلال كامل المسؤولية عن تداعياتها». وإذ دعت «أبناء الشعب الفلسطيني إلى النفير، ورفع مستوى الجهوزيّة، وشدّ الرحال وتكثيف الرباط والاعتكاف في المسجد المبارك»، فقد أكّدت أن «الفلسطينيين لن يقفوا مكتوفي الأيدي أمام مساس العدو بالأقصى وتدنيسه إيّاه، واستخفافه بمشاعر ملايين المسلمين حول العالم». كذلك، حذّر رئيس المكتب السياسي للحركة، إسماعيل هنية، من نتائج الانتهاكات الإسرائيلية في القدس، لافتاً إلى أن «كلّ محاولات تصفية القضية فشلت أمام صمود الشعب الفلسطيني وتضحياته في غزة والضفة والأراضي الفلسطينية عام 1948 والشتات، وأيّ محاولات جديدة ستؤول إلى المصير نفسه». وجاءت هذه المواقف في وقت أفادت فيه مصادر فلسطينية بأن المندوب القطري، محمد العمادي، سيصل إلى قطاع غزة عبر معبر «إيرز» (بيت حانون) شمال القطاع خلال ساعات، حيث سيعقد لقاءً مع قيادة «حماس»، ويبحث معها كيفية الحفاظ على حالة الهدوء.
إلى ذلك، كشفت «كتائب القسام»، الذراع العسكرية لحركة «حماس»، أمس، عن استهداف الطيران الحربي الإسرائيلي مُسيّرة تابعة لها من نوع «شهاب» جنوب قطاع غزة، أثناء مهمّة تدريبية لسلاح الجوّ التابع للكتائب، مشيرةً إلى تمكّنها من الردّ عبر الدفاعات الجوّية على الفور، باستهداف الطيران المغير بعدد من صواريخ أرض – جو. وعلى رغم أن الناطق باسم جيش الاحتلال، أفيخاي أدرعي، قال إن الطائرة التي جرى اعتراضها لم تتسلّل إلى داخل مستوطنات «الغلاف» ولم تشكّل تهديداً، إلّا أن العدو كثّف من تحليق طائرات الاستطلاع التابعة له في أجواء القطاع، فيما عمدت الطائرات الحربية إلى تنفيذ غارات وهمية في السماء وفي عرض البحر.
In protest over abusive policies that are being implemented on the direct orders of the extremist Minister of “National Security”, Itamar Ben Gvir, Palestinian prisoners in “Israeli” detention centers launched a mass hunger strike.
Below is an infographic shedding light on the most prominent leader of the “Volcano of Freedom or Martyrdom” protest.
Palestinians performing the second Friday prayer of Ramadan at the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque (March 31, 2023).
Tens of thousands of Palestinians defied Israeli repressive measures in occupied Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and took part in Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the second week of the holy month of Ramadan.
Palestinian media reported unprecedented participation in Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa, with Shehab news agency putting the number of worshipers at 250,000.
Large numbers of worshipers on their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers pic.twitter.com/DcjeUJ4Fln
The Times of Israel reported that at least 52,000 Palestinians crossed into the occupied territories from the West Bank. It said that occupation forces were on alert in both Al-Quds and the West Bank, noting that 2,300 soldiers were deployed there.
Following prayers, hundreds of worshipers took part in anti-occupation protest during which Palestinians chanted slogans in praise of “martyrs” and in support of Hamas shadowy military chief Mohammad Deif.
A video circulating on social media showed an imam calling on the crowd to protect the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, before chanting slogans extolling the martyrs, with the audience shouting in response “We are the people of Mohammad Deif.”
تغطية صحفية: "حط السيف قبال السيف احنا رجال محمد ضيف.. هتافات الشبان بعد أدائهم صلاة الجمعة في المسجد الأقصى المبارك". pic.twitter.com/F9NAmtrGhD
Deif is the supreme commander of Ezzeddine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. A banner in support of Hamas and its military arm was raised on Al-Aqsa Mosque. The symbol of the Nablus-based resistance group Lions’ Den was also hung from one of the arches of the esplanade.
Other photos also showed Palestinian young men risking their lives climbing the Israeli segregation barrier in a bid to reach Al-Quds and pray at Al-Aqsa.
Picture: Palestinian young men risk their lives climbing the Israeli segregation barrier surrounding occupied Jerusalem in order to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city, today. pic.twitter.com/iVXqwKN5fB
Palestinian worshipers perform Tarawih prayers at the beginning of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of al-Quds, on March 22, 2023. (Photo via Twitter)
The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has censured the forcible removal of Muslim worshipers from the al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy month of Ramadan, saying that the move amounts to declaration of a religious war against Palestinians and is an attempt to change the sacred site’s Islamic identity.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement on Monday that 50,000 Palestinian worshipers had performed Tarawih prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque despite restrictions imposed on their entry to the mosque.
“Such Israeli measures are part of the Zionist enemy’s failed attempts to impose spatial and temporal divisions on the holy site,” Abu Zuhri said, calling for the constant presence of Palestinians at the al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard.
The Hamas spokesman then held the right-wing Israeli administration led by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu responsible for the repercussions of the recurrent assaults on Muslim worshipers at al-Aqsa Mosque.
He called on Arab and Muslim nations to support Palestinian worshipers while they defend the mosque, urging the international community to stop Israeli attacks which are a blatant violation of Palestinians’ right to worship.
On Sunday, the Grand Mufti of al-Quds Sheikh Muhammad Ahmad Hussein slammed the Israeli police for forcibly expelling Muslim worshipers from al-Aqsa Mosque, terming the move as a serious violation against Muslims.
He underlined that such a practice constitutes a provocation to the feelings of Muslims.
"لن تركع أمّة قائدها محمّد" هتافات المعتكفين بعد إخراجهم من المسجد الأقصى المبارك بالقوة. pic.twitter.com/7DYUX5rhH0
Sheikh Hussein also condemned plans by extremist groups to launch massive raids into al-Aqsa Mosque next April to celebrate Jewish holidays.
On Saturday night, a large number of Israeli police forces stormed the al-Qibli prayer building at al-Aqsa Mosque and forcibly expelled Muslim worshipers from it.
Video from the scene showed Muslim men and women praying, chanting “Allahu Akbar,” meaning “God is the greatest,” and shouting at police officers as the officers removed worshipers from the building and the complex.
Palestinians were blocked from entering the gates of the mosque, according to Palestinian reports. Footage from some of the gates showed Palestinians scuffling with Israeli forces who blocked the gates. A number of Palestinians were arrested at the scene.
Hardline Israeli legislators and settlers regularly storm the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied city, a provocative move that infuriates Palestinians. Such mass settler break-ins almost always take place at the behest of Tel Aviv-backed temple groups and under the auspices of the Israeli police in al-Quds.
عاجل | اللحظات الأولى لإفراغ قوات الاحتلال المسجد الأقصى من المعتكفين والاعتداء عليهم عند أبوابه. pic.twitter.com/y2UFgImfsj
The al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which sits just above the Western Wall plaza, houses both the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.
The Jewish visitation of al-Aqsa is permitted, but non-Muslim worship at the compound is prohibited according to an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of Israel’s occupation of East al-Quds in 1967.
Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:
‘Israel’ is alarmed by an “unusual incident” in which an explosive charge was detonated next to the Megiddo junction on a road near the West Bank seamline facing Jenin on Monday.
The incident, which injured a person seriously, was likely a roadside bomb of the type detonated in the past, mainly against Israeli occupation forces in south Lebanon during occupation before 2000, Haaretz Israeli daily reported on Tuesday.
Scene of a bomb blast at Megiddo junction in pccupied Palestine (Monday, March 13, 2023).
“The Shin Bet and IDF have been concerned for several months about increased attempts by terrorists in the West Bank to prepare explosive charges,” the paper’s Amos Harel said, referring to Israeli occupation forces.
Palestinian “Lone Wolves”
Meanwhile on Tuesday, a group named “Galilee Forces – Lone Wolves”, claimed responsibility for Megiddo junction attack, vowing to stage more attacks against Israeli occupation forces.
“One of our wolves planted a roadside bomb at Megiddo junction. The bomb went off and the wolves were unhurt after withdrawing the area,” the group said in a statement.
It also released a video showing Israeli outposts that the group intends to target soon. “Target is monitored and the weapon is ready,” the Galilee Forces – Lone Wolves group said in the video.
Rise in Explosive Charges
Harel reported that there has been, recently, a rise in the level of explosive charges being made and the number of Palestinian operations, noting that such upsurge comes after the situation was relatively calm in the occupied territories following the Second Intifada.
Since the Second Intifada, there’s been almost no sophisticated know-how in the West Bank on the preparation of explosive charges, the report said, listing a series of attacks which took place in the last three months.
There is concern in the Zionist entity that Palestinian attacks in the West Bank will soon rise, Harel reported, citing a clear increase of attacks for close to a year.
“But intelligence agencies are concerned about another escalation ahead of Ramadan, which begins in about a week,” the Israeli journalist said.
Resistance Warns
In this context, Palestinian resistance threatened the Israeli occupation that changing the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque will trigger an “earthquake” in the entire region.
Marwan Issa, Deputy Chief of Staff of Hamas’ Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said that “allowing the resistance in the West Bank to take action, doesn’t mean that the resistance fighters in Gaza won’t patronize their brothers in the occupied territories.”
The Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has been accumulating power in order to reach the full liberation of Palestine, Issa stated.
“Spiderweb Theory”
On the other hand, Haaretz’ Harel correlated between rising motivation for Palestinian attacks and what he described as the Zionist entity’s “unprecedented political and constitutional crisis” represented by the mass protests over judicial overhaul planned by the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He cited recent remarks by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah about the Zionist entity’s collapse.
“Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah recently delivered two speeches in which he repeated his “spiderweb theory” regarding Israeli society’s weakness, which he initially presented after Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. Now he’s forecasting that an internal schism in Israel will lead to the country’s collapse, meaning that Israelis won’t be celebrating the country’s 80th anniversary in five years,” the Israeli journalist wrote in his Tuesday’s article.
In his latest speech last week, Sayyed Nasrallah described Israeli protests as historic and significant, noting that Israeli officials are now concerned about what he called the “third ravage” of the Zionist entity.
“Nasrallah is Not Completely Wrong”
In his article, Harel said that one of the worries occupying the Israeli “security system currently is that Nasrallah is not completely wrong.”
“Not only is the judicial controversy tearing Israelis into two camps, the rage against the regime coup led by the Netanyahu government is harming the military’s cohesion and may, in the long run, compromise its operational fitness. The biggest concern was raised in recent weeks by the Air Force, against a backdrop of growing protest by reserve pilots and navigators, the tumultuous discussions within squadrons and petitions in which hundreds of reserve pilots threatened to stop volunteering to fly should the extremist legislation pass in the Knesset,” Harel wrote.
The Prime Minister of Sanaa’s government, under the leadership of the Yemeni resistance group Ansarallah, Abdulaziz bin Habtoor, met with representatives of the Gaza-based resistance faction Hamas to discuss recent developments in Palestine.
Bin Habtoor confirmed that Hamas’s acting representative in Yemen, Moaz Abu Shamala, was present during the meeting, where he affirmed to the Palestinian representative that “the Palestinian cause was and will remain present in the conscience of the Arab and Islamic nations,” adding that one of the several moral positions of the Yemeni people is supporting the people of Palestine against Israeli suppression, as well as the sovereignty of a Palestinian state.
Bin Habtoor also praised the Palestinian faction’s resistance against the Israeli occupation and its mission to combat Tel Aviv to ensure regional security.
In response to Sanaa affirming its dedication to supporting Palestine, Abu Shamala expressed his appreciation for Yemen’s position.
Since the formation of Israel’s new far-right coalition government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel has increased its aggressive acts against the Palestinians in an attempt to wipe out the Palestinian resistance and acquire more control over Palestinian territories.
Last month, Yemen’s National Salvation Government (NSG) condemned the UAE’s eviction of residents from the Abd al-Kuri Island of the Socotra archipelago off the Yemeni coast, which Abu Dhabi has been carrying out as part of its long-active plan of transforming Socotra into an Israeli-Emirati military and intelligence hub.
This was confirmed by Yemeni journalist and activist Anis Mansour, who on 20 February strongly condemned the “bringing in of Israeli and Emirati forces to the island without the knowledge of the leadership or authorities, in a blatant challenge to Yemeni dignity and sovereignty.”
Mansour also claimed that the Saudi-led coalition plans to ‘secure housing’ in Hadhramaut for about 1,000 fishermen from the island to limit the island to the presence of Emirati-Israeli military and intelligence officials.
Israel is interested in the strategic archipelago because it serves as a potential flashpoint for a confrontation with Iran. In 2020, the Washington Institute published an analysis examining how Israeli submarines could potentially strike the Islamic Republic from positions near Yemen.
RELATED VIDEOS
What did he say to the preachers..? The speech of Mr. Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi during the expanded meeting of preachers and guides of the governorates
Time may be running out, and Sanaa’s patience will not last
فوجئ كثيرون، في المنطقة والعالم، بالبيان الختامي للمحادثات السعودية – الإيرانية برعاية صينية. البعض لم يكن على علم بأصل التفاوض الجاري منذ مدة غير قصيرة، وفوجئ باتفاق سيُعمل على تنفيذه خلال أسابيع. فيما يتصرف آخرون بشيء من الخشية من أن يحمل الاتفاق مفاجآت ليست في الحسبان، ومتناقضة مع السياسات التي كانت تعتمدها السعودية خصوصاً.
أهمية الاتفاق بين البلدين أنهما يمثلان مركز الصراع على ملفات المنطقة، وأن الطابع التنافسي طغى دائماً على علاقاتهما حتى عندما كانت في أفضل أحوالها. وهو امر تعزز بعد سقوط نظام صدام حسين، وتغييرات المشهد اللبناني بعد اغتيال رفيق الحريري، والتطورات التي عصفت بكثير من الدول بعد 2011. وقد تواجه الطرفان بشراسة في ساحات عدة، من العراق إلى سوريا والبحرين واليمن وصولاً إلى لبنان وفلسطين، وزاد الوضع تعقيداً بينهما إثر تولي محمد بن سلمان السلطة الفعلية في السعودية.
من الأفضل العودة إلى أهداف كل طرف كي تكون مراقبة الاتفاق أكثر واقعية، وحتى لا يذهب أحد بعيداً في التحليلات أو التمنيات، خصوصاً أن مسائل كثيرة عالقة في المنطقة يعتقد كثيرون أن حلها رهن اتفاق البلدين. وهذا تقدير خاطئ، ليس لعدم رغبة الطرفين في المساعدة على فضّ النزاعات، بل لكون الأطراف الأخرى، الإقليمية والدولية، تملك من القوة والنفوذ ما يمكّنها من عرقلة التفاهم، وتفجير ساحات كثيرة، وصولاً إلى تفجير الاتفاق نفسه.
منذ تولي آل سلمان الحكم في السعودية وإمساكهم بمفاصل القرار فيها، تصرّفت الرياض كطرف قادر على المبادرة إلى خطوات كبيرة تعزز نفوذها في المنطقة. وهي قبل أن تشن حربها المدمرة ضد اليمن، شاركت بفعالية في تعزيز الاختلال الأمني والسياسي والاقتصادي في العراق، وفعلت الأمر نفسه في سوريا عندما انخرطت في معركة إطاحة النظام، كما لعبت دوراً كبيراً في الانقلاب الذي قاده الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي في مصر. وكذلك الحال في فلسطين. فإلى البرودة التي سادت علاقتها بالأردن والسلطة الفلسطينية، قادت السعودية معركة قاسية ضد ابرز قوتين في المقاومة، معتبرة ان حماس تمثل امتداداً لحركة الإخوان المسلمين، وتصرفت مع الثانية على أنها ذراع إيرانية. وفي البيت الخليجي، قبضت الرياض على مركز القرار في البحرين مانعة أي مصالحة وطنية، وعاقبت قطر وحاصرتها، وكبّلت حكام الإمارات والكويت، وحاولت مراراً فرض ضغوط على سلطنة عمان. وتمثّلت ذروة هذه السياسة في حرب وحشية وعبثية ضد الشعب اليمني، قامت على حسابات خاطئة من كل النواحي، وأدركت السعودية بنتيجتها أن الولايات المتحدة والغرب الأوروبي لن يتوليا هذه المهمة عنها.
مطالب وهواجس سعودية
بعد كل ما حصل، تريد السعودية تحقيق الآتي:
أولاً، توازن فعلي مع الدور الإيراني في العالم العربي، وتوازن أكثر فعالية على صعيد إدارة ملف التدفق النفطي عبر الممرات البحرية.
ثانياً، الخروج بمكاسب من حرب اليمن، من خلال اعتبار إيران طرفاً يمكنه المساعدة على تحقيق تسوية تجعل السعودية طرفاً رابحاً أمام الحوثيين وبقية الأطراف اليمنية.
ثالثاً، تفاهم يعطي الرياض حق الفيتو في العراق، من خلال تفاهم مع السلطات العراقية، وليس عبر نفوذ المملكة على بعض القوى والشخصيات العراقية.
رابعاً، عقد مصالحة مع الدولة السورية، مع محاولة لجعل دمشق أقرب إلى السعودية، سواء في ملف اليمن، أوفي الموقف من حركات الإخوان المسلمين وقوى المقاومة، باعتبار أن ذلك سيؤدي حكماً إلى إضعاف نفوذ إيران في سوريا، وتالياً في لبنان وفلسطين.
خامساً، التوقف عن لعب دور الثري الذي تُفرض عليه خوات في لبنان وفلسطين ومناطق أخرى. السعوديون مستعدون لإنفاق الكثير، لكنهم يريدون مقابلاً واضحاً، وهم أعطوا من يسعى إلى التحالف معهم درساً من خلال طريقة تعاملهم مع ابنهم «المدلل» سعد الحريري.
سادساً، تريد السعودية أن تثبت للغرب، وللإدارة الأميركية الحالية خصوصاً، أنها لم تعد البلد الذي لا يحرك ساكناً من دون موافقة أميركية، وأنها تجيد قراءة المتغيرات العالمية، وتريد انتزاع هامش حقيقي في السياسة والأمن والاقتصاد، من خلال طريقة تعامل مختلفة مع الأطراف الدولية المؤثرة، وفي مقدمها الصين. على هامش هذه المطالب الجوهرية، يمكن إيراد كثير من النقاط التي يجري تقديمها كمواد سجالية يومية، من نوع أن تكبح إيران جماح حكومات وقوى محور المقاومة، وأن تضغط لإسكات قوى بارزة من أنصار الله في اليمن إلى حزب الله في لبنان إلى قوى المقاومة في فلسطين. كما يمكن، أيضاً، طرح الكثير من العناوين التفصيلية، من بينها مثلاً ملف الانتخابات الرئاسية في لبنان.
الاسد وضع استراتيجية تمنع ابتزازه: علاقات ثنائية ومصالحات موضعية مع العرب
… ومطالب وهواجس إيرانية
أما من جهة طهران، فإن الأمور واضحة أيضاً، وتتمثل في الآتي:
أولاً، كسر العزلة المفروضة على إيران بسبب السياسات الأميركية التي تنصاع لها دول كثيرة في المنطقة من بينها السعودية، وألا يكون هذا الكسر سياسياً فقط، بل اقتصادياً أيضاً. وهي ترى في السعودية دولة كبيرة في الإقليم، لها قدراتها الكبيرة، بما يساعد طهران في تحقيق هذا الهدف.
ثانياً، احتواء الحملة التي تصوّر الجمهورية الإسلامية رأس حربة في معركة شيعية ضد السنة في العالم الإسلامي. وهي تدرك أن للسعودية دورها الكبير في هذا السياق، خصوصاً بعد الوهن الذي أصاب مصر من جهة، وتراجع قوة الإخوان المسلمين في المنطقة، وبعد تطبيع العلاقات بين دول وقوى عربية وإسلامية مع إسرائيل.
ثالثاً، تسعى إيران إلى عزل برنامجها النووي عن أي ملفات أخرى تتعلق بعلاقاتها مع دول الجوار. وهي أكّدت دائماً للسعودية وغيرها، واستعانت بأطراف عدة من بينها الصين، لتوضيح أن برنامجها النووي وبرامجها للصواريخ الباليستية لا تستهدف دول الجوار وفق الدعاية التي يروّجها الغرب.
رابعاً، تريد إيران تحقيق استقرار مستدام في منطقة الخليج، وهو أمر يحتاج إلى تسوية واقعية مع السعودية، تمكّنها من إشهار وتطوير علاقاتها الجدية مع بقية دول الخليج. كما تدرك طهران أن الرياض قادرة، بقوة، على المساعدة في تحقيق استقرار جدي في العراق وسوريا، وحتى في ساحات حليفة لها، كلبنان وفلسطين.
خامساً، تهتم إيران ايضا، بتطويق التدخل السعودي في شؤونها الداخلية. خلال جلسات التفاوض، عرض الإيرانيون على نظرائهم السعوديين الأدلة التي تثبت تورط السعودية استخباراتياً وتمويلياً وإعلامياً في الأحداث التي تشهدها إيران بين فترة وأخرى. علماً أن طهران تتفادى حمل هذا القميص علناً، كما تفعل الرياض بالحديث عن تدخل إيران في شؤون دول المنطقة، وهي لا تريد مساعدة السعودية أو غيرها في معالجة مشاكلها الداخلية، بقدر ما تريد من هذه الأطراف عدم التورط في مثل هذه الأحداث، لأنه سيكون لهذا التدخل ثمنه الكبير مع الوقت.
سادساً، تعتقد إيران أن لتطوير العلاقات مع السعودية تأثيراً كبيراً على النفوذ الأميركي في المنطقة، ويمكن أن يؤخر – أو ربما يعطل – المساعي لضم السعودية إلى برنامج التطبيع مع العدو، وهي تراهن على أن ابتعاد الرياض عن مشاريع التطبيع سيكون له أثره على الدول التي انخرطت في هذه المشاريع، وتشعر اليوم بأنها لم تجنِ أي مكاسب منها.
أي نتائج متوقعة؟
من خارج الدولتين، ثمة حسابات ورهانات وتوقعات تتعلق بتداعيات الاتفاق على ملفات المنطقة. وفي هذا المجال، يبدو واضحاً من معطيات وصلت الى جهات معنية، بأن ايران لم تدر ظهرها لمطلب المساعدة في معالجة ملف اليمن. لكن ما لا يعرفه كثيرون، هو انه خلال جولات التفاوض المباشر بين السعوديين وأنصار الله، سواء في صنعاء والرياض او تلك التي تحصل برعاية مسقط، باتت السعودية تدرك الهامش الضيق الذي يمكن لايران ان تتحرك فيه في اليمن، وأنه لا يمكنها ان تفرض على انصار الله خيارات تتناقض مع رؤيتهم. ولذلك سارعت الى عرض مشروع اتفاق يسمح لصنعاء السير قدما في مشروع حل. وفي هذا السياق، فقط، يصبح لايران دور جدي في تعجيل الامر.
أما في سوريا، فلم تبادر ايران أساساً الى حض دمشق أو منعها من اعادة التواصل مع أحد. لكن الرئيس بشار الاسد نفسه، وهو من له مصلحة باعادة الحرارة الى علاقات بلاده مع كل العالم، وضع استراتيجية تهدف، أولاً، إلى تعطيل اي محاولة لابتزازه. ولذلك، لا يبدي حماسة كبيرة للعودة الى جامعة الدول العربية، ولا يطرح الامر كحاجة ملحة. لا بل ان الاسد الذي يعرف تماماً محدودية تأثير الجامعة، يفضل السعي الى علاقات ثنائية ذات فعالية مع الدول العربية البارزة. وهو قادر على صياغة علاقات قوية مع السعودية ومصر والاردن والامارات، من دون ان يضطر الى علاقات مع قطر ودول اخرى تورطت بقوة في الحرب ضده. أضف إلى ذلك أنه يرغب في اعادة تنظيم العلاقات الثنائية، من دون رهن ذلك بطلبات منه في ملفات اخرى. فهو لا يجد نفسه معنياً بموقف يناسب السعودية في اليمن، ولن يقبل نقاشا حول حزب الله في لبنان. وحتى في ملف الاخوان المسلمين الذين خاض معهم حرباً شرسة، فإنه يميز أولوية الملف الفلسطيني. فهو لم يقبل مصالحة حماس ليحوّلها ورقة مساومة مع الاخرين. أما في العراق، فيرى الاسد نفسه طرفاً معنياً لا طرفا ثانوياً، وكذلك الأمر في لبنان، لكنه لا يجد نفسه مضطراً الآن لتحمل هذا العبء فيما اولويته اعادة اعمار سوريا وتنظيم موقعها في المنطقة.
وعليه، فان من ينتظر من اتفاق بكين نتيجة مباشرة على صعيد المعركة الرئاسية في لبنان، يكون قد قرأ بصورة خاطئة الاتفاق. لا السعودية ستغيّر موقفها الآن، ولا ايران تعتقد ان عليها الضغط على حلفائها في لبنان. وبالتالي، فان الخطوة المنتظرة تتعلق بمراجعة مرتقبة من الرياض لكل ما قامت به في لبنان طوال عقود عدة، وخصوصا في العقد الاخير.
Hamas Spokesperson Hazem Qassem announces that the Resistance is ready and continues to prepare itself for the engagement with IOF in case the latter cross the red lines.
Hamas Spokesperson Hazem Qassem (Archive)
Hamas Spokesperson Hazem Qassem confirmed, on Wednesday, that the Israeli occupation, with its behavior, has made the escalation unavoidable, not only in Palestine but in the entire region as well.
Qassem said, during an interview for Al Mayadeen, that “in parallel to the Israeli policy that may push in the direction of a big explosion, there is an increase in resistance and confrontation.”
"حكومة الاحتلال بسلوكها تدفع الأمور إلى تصعيد ليس فقط في #فلسطين بل في المنطقة"
The Hamas Spokesperson explained that “we are amid a major gradual escalation, contrary to all of Washington’s false claims about de-escalation.”
Qassem also pointed out that “the Resistance in Gaza, and specifically Al-Qassam Brigades, said its patience is running out in the face of Israeli attacks.”
"نحن في أتون تصعيد متدرج كبير بخلاف كل ما تتحدث عنه #واشنطن زوراً من خفض للتصعيد"
The spokesperson also stressed that “the Resistance is ready and preparing itself for taking action in the event that the occupation crosses the red lines,” adding that “the Resistance in Gaza provides a firm ground for Resistance operations across the West Bank.”
Qassem said, “The price that the occupation will pay in the event of any confrontation with Gaza will be too heavy for the occupation government and Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) to handle.” Moreover, the occupation is “terrified of Gaza possibly taking part in this battle” and, as such, is “instigating mediations out of fear” of the situation.
Regarding the US stance vis-à-vis the Palestinian cause, Qassem said, “The US position is always supportive of the occupation, and therefore it can never be relied upon.”
After Jenin massacre, ‘Israel’ fears response from Resistance
Israeli media reported that the Israeli security and military establishment is preparing for “retaliatory operations” after the Israeli Special Forces operation (Yamam) in Jenin yesterday, which led to the martyrdom of six Palestinians, including the one who carried out the Huwara operation.
The IOF carried out arrests, including the two sons of the Palestinian who carried out the Huwara operation, Abd Al-Fattah Kharrousha, whom the Al-Qassam Brigades mourned, while the IOF claimed that his two sons were involved in carrying out the shooting.
On March 7, occupation police issued “an order to double the state of vigilance and have a prominent presence in Al-Quds,” according to Israeli media.
Palestinian Resistance factions, including the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas, threatened to take revenge for the Israeli attack, during which a house was besieged and its occupants targeted.
The West Bank mourns its martyrs and the resistance factions call for a general mobilization
Occupied Palestine || A number of Palestinians were killed and injured when the Israeli occupation forces stormed Jenin and its camp
A general strike in the West Bank in response to the massacre of the Zionist enemy in Jenin
Israeli warplanes struck several targets in Gaza (Thursday, February 23, 2023).
Palestinian cities are observing on Thursday a day of rage over the brutal Israeli massacre in Nablus a day earlier. Few hours earlier, Israeli warplanes staged several air strikes on Gaza.
Nablus and several other cities across Al-Quds and the West Bank, as well as Gaza, were in general strike on Thursday, with residents outraged over the brutal assault which killed 11 Palestinians and injured more than 100 others earlier on Wednesday.
Shops, schools, universities and several other businesses were shut in Nablus, Al-Khalil (Hebron), Ramallah, Jenin and other Palestinian cities in mourning of the eleven martyrs who fell after Israeli occupation forces raided Nablus Old City on Wednesday.
The martyrs included 3 elderly men and a child, Palestinian media reported, adding that 7 of the injured were in critical condition.
Nablus residents bid farewell to the Palestinian martyrs on Thursday, with photos and videos of weeping families circulating on social media.
Watch: Palestinian mourners take part today in the funeral procession of Palestinian youth Mohamed Abu Sabah, who succumbed, earlier this morning, to serious injuries sustained in the belly about two weeks ago by Israeli gunfire during a military raid in the city of Jenin. pic.twitter.com/2WxZ9QXWX5
Earlier on Thursday morning, Israeli warplanes carried out bombing raids against two sites in the Gaza Strip.
Fighter jets hit targets in central Gaza and in the coastal enclave’s northern part, the occupation military said in a statement, noting that the assault was after “six rockets were fired into southern Israel in an apparent revenge attack for a deadly Israeli incursion into Nablus a day earlier.”
lsraeli warplanes launch a series of air strikes on Gaza Strip earlier this morning. pic.twitter.com/wZQOeMrBAf
Videos shared on social media showed a large explosion at a building near the coast, and a dark plume of smoke rising above the densely populated enclave in the early morning light.
Israeli occupation police earlier raised their alert level amid fears of a reprisal attack, as a spokesman for Hamas’s military wing issued a veiled threat.
Hamas’ Qassem Hazem said the resistance group was “closely monitoring the enemy’s escalating crimes against our people in the occupied West Bank, and its patience is running out.”
For his part, the Islamic Jihad leader Ziyad Al-Nakhala called the Israeli raid a “huge crime.”
“It is our duty as resistance forces to respond to this crime without hesitation,” he said.
Thousands of Palestinians rally in Gaza in solidarity with Al Aqsa Mosque and the Resistance in the occupied West Bank. (Photo: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
– Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of six books. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappé, is “Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak out”. Dr. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA). His website iswww.ramzybaroud.net
Though Israel’s past wars on Gaza have often been justified by Tel Aviv as a response to Palestinian rockets or, generally, as acts of self-defense, the truth is different. Historically, Israel’s relationship with Gaza has been defined by Tel Aviv’s need to create distractions from its own fractious politics, to flex its muscles against its regional enemies and to test its new weapons technology.
Though the Occupied West Bank – in fact, other Arab countries, too – has been used as a testing ground for Israel’s war machine, no other place has allowed Israel to sustain its weapon experimentation for as long as Gaza, making Israel, as of 2022, the world’s tenth largest weapons exporter.
There is a reason why Gaza is ideal for such grand, albeit tragic experiments.
Gaza is a perfect place for gathering information once new weapons have been deployed and used on the battlefield. The Strip is home to two million Palestinians who live squalid lives with virtually no clean water and little food, all of them confined within 365 km² (approx. 181 mi²). In fact, due to Israel’s so-called safety belts, much of Gaza’s arable lands which border Israel are off limits. Farmers are often shot by Israeli snipers, almost at the same frequency as Gaza’s fishermen are also targeted, should they dare venture beyond the three nautical miles allocated to them by the Israeli navy.
“The Lab”, an Israeli award-winning documentary released in 2013, discussed in painful detail how Israel has turned millions of Palestinians into actual human laboratories for testing new weapons. Gaza, even before, but especially since then, has been the main testing ground for these weapons.
Gaza has been ‘the lab’ for Israeli political experimentations as well.
When, from December 2008 to January 2009, then-Israel’s Acting Prime Minister Tzipi Livni decided to, in her own words, “go wild” by unleashing one of the deadliest wars on Gaza, the Israeli politician was hoping that her military adventure would help solidify support for her party at the Knesset.
Livni, at the time, was the head of Kadima, which was established in 2005 by former leader of the Likud, Ariel Sharon. As Sharon’s successor, Livni wanted to prove her own worth as a strong politician capable of teaching Palestinians a lesson.
Though her experiment then won her some support in the February 2009 elections, it backfired badly following the November 2012 war, where Kadima was nearly destroyed in the January 2013 elections. Eventually, Kadima vanished altogether from Israel’s political map.
This was not the first, nor the last time that Israeli politicians have attempted to use Gaza as a way to distract from their own political woes, or to demonstrate, through killing Palestinians, their qualifications as protectors of Israel.
Yet, no one has perfected the use of violence to score political points as much as Israel’s current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Returning as the head of Israel’s most extremist government in history, Netanyahu is keen to stay in power, especially since his rightwing coalition has more comfortable support margins in the Knesset than any of Israel’s five governments in the last three years.
With a rightwing, pro-war constituency that is far more interested in illegal settlement expansion and ‘security’ than economic growth or socio-economic equality, Netanyahu should, at least technically, be in a stronger position to launch another war on Gaza. But why is he hesitating?
On February 1, a Palestinian group fired a rocket toward southern Israel, prompting an Israeli response that was intentionally limited.
According to Palestinian groups in the besieged Strip, the rocket was fired as part of the ongoing armed rebellion by West Bank Palestinians. It was meant to illustrate the political unity between Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The West Bank is living its darkest days. 35 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army in January alone, ten of whom perished in Jenin in a single Israeli raid. A Palestinian, acting alone, responded by killing seven Jewish settlers in Occupied East Jerusalem, the perfect spark of what is usually a massive Israeli response.
But that response has been confined, thus far, to the demolition of homes, arrest and torture of the attacker’s family members, military sieges on various Palestinian towns and hundreds of individual assaults by Jewish settlers on Palestinians.
An all-out Israeli war, especially in Gaza, has not yet actualized. But why?
First, the political risks of attacking Gaza through a long war, for now, outweigh the benefits. Though Netanyahu’s coalition is relatively secure, the expectations of the Prime Minister’s extremist allies are very high. A war with an indecisive outcome could be considered a victory for Palestinians, a notion that could alone break down the coalition. Though Netanyahu could launch war as a last resort, he has no need for such a risky option at the moment.
Second, the Palestinian Resistance is stronger than ever. On January 26, Hamas declared that it has used surface-to-air missiles to repel an Israeli air raid on Gaza. Though the Gaza group’s military arsenal is largely rudimentary, much of it homemade, it is far more advanced and sophisticated compared to weapons used during Israel’s so-called “Operation Cast Lead” in 2008.
Finally, Israel’s munition reserve must be at its lowest point in a long time. Now that the US, Israel’s largest weapons supplier, has tapped into its strategic weapons reserve – due to the Russia-Ukraine war – Washington will not be able to replenish the Israeli arsenal with constant supplies of munition the same way the Obama Administration did during the 2014 war. Even more alarming for the Israeli military, the New York Times revealed in January that “the Pentagon is tapping into a vast but little-known stockpile of American ammunition in Israel to help meet Ukraine’s dire need for artillery shells …”.
Though Israeli wars on Gaza are much riskier nowadays compared to the past, a cornered and embattled Netanyahu can still resort to such a scenario if he feels that his leadership is in peril. Indeed, the Israeli leader did so in May 2021. Even then, he still could not save himself or his government from a humiliating defeat.
![What Is the “Volcano of Freedom or Martyrdom” Protest? [Part 2]](https://english.alahednews.com.lb/uploaded2/2021/images/Infographics%202023/March/29/2.jpg)
UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM 