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Afshain Afzal
By Afshain Afzal
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his speech to Congress on 24 July 2024, specifically targeted Iran by saying, “In the Middle East, Iran’s axis of terror confronts America, Israel and our Arab friends. This is not a clash of civilizations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilization. It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life.” He also said, “Iran is virtually behind all the terrorism, all the turmoil, all the chaos, all the killings. In the Middle East Iran is virtually behind all the terrorism; all the turmoil, all the chaos, all the killings and that should come as no surprise. When he founded the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini pledged we will export the Islamic revolution to the entire world.”
Ironically, when Prime Minister Netanyahu said “Today it is Israel’s fight in the frontline of the civilization, I do appeal to America Give us the tools faster and we will finish the job faster,” and “America and Israel today can forge a security alliance in Middle East to counter the growing Iranian threat,” he did not mean that with these tools Israel would finish Iran. There was an impression that Israel, the US and its allies are going to give a final ultimatum before Israel “finishes the job”. But as traditionally being followed in the past, Israel instead of planning to destroy Iranian military and nuclear capabilities and its ruling in the Middle East, forged an unwritten alliance with Iran, Hezbollah and Houthis to eliminate Hamas and those who are clash with the opposing religious, social and political ideologies.
As planned since decades, Netanyahu announced three conditions in his speech, “War in Gaza will end tomorrow if Hamas surrenders, disarms and return the hostages. But if they don’t Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and its ruling Gaza and bring all its hostages home. He claimed that after we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza will emerge, my vision is to demilitarize and de-radicalize Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza but for the foreseeable future we must retain overriding security control there to prevent resurgence of terror and ensure that Gaza never posses a threat to Israel”. He added, “A new generation of Palestinians will no longer be taught to hate Jews but rather to live with peace with us.”
To comprehend the Truth, extracts of Netanyahu's speech to Congress 24 May 2011, must be highlighted where he said, “ The truth is that Israel needs unique security arrangements because of its unique size… Israel on the 1967 lines would be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth, it is therefore absolutely vital for Israel’s security that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized. And it is vital Israel maintains a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. Solid security arrangements on the ground are necessary not only to protect the peace; they are necessary to protect Israel in case the peace unravels. For in our unstable region, no one can guarantee that our peace partners today will be there tomorrow.” He also said, “The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the United Nations will not bring peace. It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict end.… so I say to President Abbas: Tear up your pact with Hamas! Sit down and negotiate! Make peace with the Jewish state! And if you do, I promise you this. Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian state as a new member of the United Nations. It will be the first to do so.”
Now when we are clear but Israeli criminal and hegemonic designs that existed even over a decade back to eliminate Hamas and like-minded political leadership, there should be no sympathy with Netanyahu or Israeli war criminals. An invitation to war criminals and state-sponsored terrorists as an official guest and allowing deliver a speech at the US Congress has set a new precedent. The message is clear, “the world stands divided”. Netanyahu might be a role model for a couple of thousand Americans but a majority of American taxpayers, Jews, Christians, and Muslims are angry over the dirty politics being played over the dead bodies of thousands of orthodox Palestinians. On 26 July Palestinians are going to declare their independence and are issuing the “Charter of Peace”, world must recognize the new state of Palestine, which existed the centuries.
By Afshain Afzal
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on visit tot he United States where he is scheduled to meet US President Joseph Biden and US Vice President Kamala Harris. As planned earlier he was invited by the House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, who announced that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would have a platform to share his government’s vision for defending democracy, combatting terror, and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region. Accordingly, Netanyahu has been invited to address the US Congress on Wednesday 24 July 2024. Israeli Prime Minister intend to convince America that Israel would remain a key US ally in the Middle East regardless who the American people choose as their next president.
The provisions of the Terrorism Act 2006, Part – I, Subsection 3, which includes the glorification provision and greatly expands the amount of speech that is “likely to be understood” as encouraging terrorism. Subsection 3 provides that statements that are likely to be understood by members of the public as indirectly encouraging the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism . . . include every statement which (a) glorifies the commission or preparation (whether in the past, in the future or generally) of such acts or offences; and (b) is a statement from which those members of the public could reasonably be expected to infer that what is being glorified "is being glorified as conduct that should be emulated by them in existing circumstances". Section 20, which provides definitions for terms found in Part 1, indicates that “glorification” includes “any form of praise or celebration.” Section 20 also states that “conduct that should be emulated in existing circumstances” includes speech referring to conduct that serves as an illustration of the type of acts that should be emulated.
We should not forget that funding, arming and supporting individuals, and entities involved in terrorism or war crimes by the International Courts makes them equally involved in the crime. The acts of glorification are to be suppressed because they can contribute to one’s ‘radicalisation’. The American taxpayers and honourable members of Congress must understand that Prime Minister Netanyahu has been branded by the International justice system as one directly involved in the genocide of Palestinians and war crimes as well as he is defying arrest warrants issued by the International Court. No doubt, criticism and flat refusal to honour the orders and measures of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ) speaks of criminal mindset has send a negative message to other nations to follow the same path of state-sponsored terrorism.
By Afshain Afzal
There can be no doubt that Israel has claimed that it attacked Yemen’s Hodeidah port in which six people were killed and 83 others injured. Such long-distance attack creates suspicion but the Israeli Air Force has a fleet of RAM, Boeing 707s and B767 equipped with a boom refueling system similar to the KC-135. Israel is desperately waiting for US Boeing KC-46A aerial refueling tanker as part of September 2021, $927 million US-Israel foreign military sale contract. The pieces of information gathered pinpoints at US Air Base at Djibouti. There is only a minute chance that US provided Tel Aviv with KC-46A aerial refueling tanker ahead of 2025 delivery date and it might be used in the attack of Hodeidah port. But we have a statement from Central Command saying that US did not participate in the attack.
Statement in which Saudi Arabia, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has no relation or involvement in targeting Al Hodeidah and the Kingdom will not allow any entity to violate its airspace. This means that Saudi space was not used in Israel's attack on Yemen's port, which also matches the information by the company dealing with imageries. The timely wise statement by Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki compelled Washington to issue a reciprocal statement that clarified US’ noninvolvement in Hodeidah port attack. Houthis are yet to be recognized and lack official status as yet, but being Muslim brethren are equally respected. It was not an attack on Houthis but Israelis have attacked the sovereignty of Yemen.
If we recall, in January 2024, Djibouti's Prime Minister Abdul-Qadir Kamil Muhammad confirmed that Djibouti rejected US demand to install anti-Yemen MIM-104 Patriot air defense system launchers and other missiles in the Red Sea but Pentagon was not permitted and were asked to use Djibouti base against Yemen.
Israelis and allies are trying to divide the Muslim leadership so that they remain each other’s enemies and keep importing costly weapons from the West. For the same reason, Israel authorities claim that they informed Saudi Arabia in advance about its attack on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah on Saturday and their aircraft refueled by Saudi Arabia. Riyadh denied any such permission allowing warplanes to pass through Saudi airspace to bomb Houthi targets.
The fact cannot be denied that Israeli-Western allies have decided to open new war fronts in the Muslim countries, which are supporting Independent Palestine and implementation of ICJ and ICC verdicts against Israel for their genocide and other war crimes. The latest misadventure of attack on Yemen Hodeidah port is part of the conspiracy coupled with Western propaganda through their agents and allies regarding the fake re-emergence of Al Qaida and ISIS and the deployment of foreign forces. It is high time that Muslims and allies remain united to bring peace in this world.
JERUSALEM, 22 July 2024 (TON): Israel military said Sunday that its Health ministry found type-2 poliovirus in environmental samples collected from different sewage samples taken from areas of Gaza and started vaccinating its troops in Gaza against polio and supplying vaccines for the Palestinian population. No human cases have been reported.
A number Israel’s Defence Forces and reserves have refused to allow vaccination on the ground,” “In Torah law you are not permitted to inject yourself with a vaccine that offers no significant medical curative benefit to the patient”. Such vaccines are forbidden in Jewish communities and they have been refusing to vaccinate their children. A Jew religious leader has said that Palestinians should also refuse as Jews do not allow their children to be vaccinated in Israel or in other countries.
The vaccine being used for the Palestinian population was banned in Israel and declared dangerous by the Israeli Health officials and authorities in other countries.
Army authorities have begun "a broad vaccination operation for all ground troops, both regular and reserves followed vaccination of Palestinian population," said a military statement.
The statement said UN agencies also found type-2 poliovirus in six environmental samples collected on 23 June 2024.
KOLKATA, 22 July 2024 (TON): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday announced her support for Bangladeshi refugees.
would keep the doors of her state open for people in distress from the neighbouring country and offer them shelter.
Banerjee said “ Whatever is happening in Bangladesh is their internal matter and we as a state cannot comment on this but we will welcome all refugees who will be dislodged from their home and hearth in Bangladesh and seek refuge in our state.”
Assuring all cooperation to Bengal residents whose relatives may have remained stuck on account of the escalating violence on the eastern side of the international border, she also extended assistance to Bangladeshis who came to Bengal but were facing difficulty in returning home.
TEL AVIV, 22 July 2024 (TON): Lebanon’s Hezbollah group claimed that its fighters fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel, targeting a kibbutz in retaliation for an Israeli drone strike earlier in the day that wounded several people including children. Lebanon claimed that Hamas also fired rockets from Lebanon toward an Israeli army post in the northern Israeli village of Shomera. Hamas leadership has denied responsibility of any such attack from Lebanon.
National News Agency reported on Saturday night, an Israeli airstrike on the southern coastal village of Adloun hit an arms depot and it was followed by a series of explosions that hit nearby villages with shrapnel in which three people were wounded in the nearby village of Kharayeb and hospitalized. The explosions lasted more than an hour after the airstrike.
The Israeli military said that about 45 projectiles were fired from Lebanon into northern Israel in three separate series of attacks. It said that these fell in open areas, causing no injuries, but triggering several fires in the Golan Heights.
By Afshain Afzal
Where there should be unity and consensus amongst all the Muslim countries and their supporters, a general impression was attempted by at least three entities or countries that they are the real dire hard Muslims and would not hesitate in sacrificing their countries for the Palestinian cause. The recent statements and actions by Yemeni Houthis, Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian leadership have solved much of the riddle. The timings of the Yemeni action on Friday 19th July 2024 coincided with the Judgment passed by the International Court of Justice. Interestingly, the same day on 19 July 2024, when Yemen's Houthi carried out an early morning missile attack on Israel's capital that killed one person and injured eight others, in the afternoon the International Court of Justice was to announce much awaited verdict on the legality or otherwise of Israel's occupation of Gaza and genocide of Palestinians post 7th October 2023. A common person of an average IQ can tell if such attacks would have a positive or negative bearing on the International Court’s decision, especially when there was consensus of the international community to recognize Palestine as an independent sovereign state. One wonders that when there are serious clashes on ideology and faith between Hamas on one side and Iranians, Hezbollah and Houthis on the other, what these coercive actions by the Troika would symbolize? Iran, Lebanon and Yemen are important Muslim countries and must act in consultations with other members of Ummah.
The attack by Yemen's Houthi on Israel's capital invited a reaction and put all the Muslim nations politically at defensive mode. Unless and until all Muslims abide the International Law and and contribute for peace in this world, there is no wisdom in projecting themselves as Ummah rather they should be excluded. In the past we saw the Iranian breaking the barriers and visited Saudi Arabia while Saudi Arabia and Yemen after reaching various stages of agreements are at the final stage to ink it. In the development post Israeli attack on Yemen's port, Saudi Arabia took a bold step to remove any misunderstandings and refused to allow Saudi land, sea and space to be used against Yemen or any other nation. The spokesperson of Ministry of Defence of Saudi Arabia, Brigadier General Turki Al-Maliki, said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has no relation or involvement in targeting Al Hodeidah and the Kingdom will not allow any entity to violate its airspace. This means that Saudi Arabian space was not used in Israel attack of Yemen's port and information provided by the company dealing with imageries is likely to be true.
As per Yemeni media, the strikes targeted oil facilities in the Al Hodeidah port on Yemen’s west coast, killing at least three people and injuring 87, most of them with severe burns. Israeli fighter jets did not fly over 1,000 kilometers to attack Yemen but reportedly used neighbouring Military Base at Djibouti. The Israeli chief spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a statement, “the aircraft that participated in the attack in Yemen returned safely to Israel moments ago.” Djibouti hosts military bases belonging to Germany, Spain, Italy, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China at a very little distance from one another. Saudi Arabia was also offered by Djibouti to establish a military base but same could not be completed as yet. However, the Federation of Saudi Chambers signed a contract with the Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority on 4 June 2024 to establish the Saudi Logistics City in Djibouti’s port free zone, which is in progress.
Although, American officials are championing that Tel Aviv conducted the attack on Al Hudaydah independently, without any military the US’ involvement but how can the Washington deny that Israel’s security has been a cornerstone of American foreign policy for every US Administration. Strategic partnership between the United States and Israel include addressing new and complex security threats, bridging Israel’s capability gaps through security assistance and cooperation. In fact, Israel is being used as billboard to sell the American and Israeli military technology and equipment. The US has accepted mission to transform the Israel Defense Forces into one of the world’s most capable, effective militaries to turn Israel's military industry and technology sector into one of the largest exporters of military capabilities worldwide. No doubt, these wars, conflicts and attacks on other nation’s sovereignties are aimed to sell arms, ammunition and high-technology equipment. Did anyone count how much innocent people got killed in this unending business? Israeli Rear Admiral Hagari claimed immediately after the 19th July attack, “A long-range Iranian-made drone hit the centre of Tel Aviv in the early hours of Friday in an attack claimed by the Yemen-based Houthi”. The question arises, did the Iranians attain such levels of missile technology? It is strange, the Israeli-US defence system failed to detect Houthi’s missile on 19 July but after the Israeli counter on Yemen's port on 20 July, the surface-to-surface missiles launched from Yemen on 21 July were intercepted. Why Israel did not react this time and attack Yemen? On the other hand, why instead of attacking these countries claimed to be threats for Israel, unarmed orthodox Palestinian Muslims and Hamas are being targeted to eliminate them from the face of the world?
By Afshain Afzal
In a latest development, a drone attack at Israeli capital Tel Aviv near the US Embassy on 19 July 20224, killed one person and injured five others. This has put a question mark on the Israeli and the US Air Defence capabilities. The Israeli Army Radio units, Israel’s Missile Defence Organization and US Missile Defence Agency are speechless about their defence system including Patriot systems; the credibility of US-Israeli-made Arrow 3 missile is also on stake. We saw a green signal from the US for $ 3.5 billion for sale to Germany in August last year that was likely to be signed in November 2023, but 7 October attack on Israel put the deal on the back burner. Despite claimed long-range interception capabilities at high altitudes above the atmosphere in the stratosphere, the German Bundestag Defence Committee probably has to reconsider the deal for its acquisition as part of the European Air Defence System.
Earlier, on 18 July 2024, the Israeli 120-member Knesset passed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Resolution could earn only 68 votes to nine a resolution as others either did not turn out or declined to support resolution including opposition leader Yair Lapid’s center-left Yesh Atid party, the Labor, Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al parties (a clear majority of eighty members of the Knesset could not be achieved). The Resolution read as, “The Israeli Knesset opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state on any piece of land west of the Jordan River... It will be only a matter of time before Hamas takes over such a Palestinian state and turns it into a base for radical Islamic terrorism in full alignment with the Iranian regime that aims to eradicate the State of Israel…" Interestingly, the Knesset already passed a resolution sponsored by Prime Minister Netanyahu rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state in February 2024, in which 99 of 120 lawmakers voted in support. However, Tel Aviv placed the Resolution for the second time as 168 countries have either recognized Palestine or in the process of recognizing a Palestinian state
Meanwhile, Israel is continuing the genocide of the orthodox Muslims in Gaza, West Bank and Lebanon. The leadership of Hamas including the government formed in exile in Eastern Europe has rejected the impression that the Israeli Defence forces are in occupation of Gaza or other Palestinian territories. In a statement, Hamas leader Muhammad said, “We will not let down the Palestinian masses and we are still in control of Gaza and adjoining. Hamas is abiding the international law and is giving tough resistance to Israeli intruders and would flush them out of Palestinian territories; we would declare independence on 26 July 2024, Inshallah…” Israel should allow Palestinians to govern their territories with due guarantees by the Arab and African Confederation of neighbouring states. This would ensure future generations of Muslims and Jews to live peacefully in this holy land of Prophets.
By Afshain Afzal
A brigade of shadows developed that comprises of out-class puppets being handled by Western puppet organizing companies. These puppets are so real that some of them are real humans while others are anonymous characters run through automated digital programs and Artificial Intelligence. These puppets have been planted everywhere to counter competitors, rivals, adversaries and enemies. With the capability to block the normal human mind, masses are hypnotized to believe and act according to the same scripts, which are meant for the puppets. Recruitment of die-hard after arresting, convicting, blackmailing and converting and setting free to destroy what all was sacred is the strategy practiced in the recent decades; a “Trojan Horse”. We saw threatening recorded audio messages of Abu Ubaida, who is always masked without growing older, should be believe him or we should believe in Ismail Haniyah and Ziad al Nakhalah who only gave statements to support 7th October attack on Israel to remain relevant for the collection of huge fundings?
We have seen hatred, wars and grave violations between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the past but ever since Palestinians were allowed self-governance over the West Bank and the Gaza, especially takeover of control by Hamas, the Palestinians adopted peaceful strategies to achieve their right to self-determination. Gradually, things went fine and we saw Israel’s partial success story in winning the hearts and minds of Arab nations for the normalization of bilateral relations when the Israeli delegation visited Saudi Arabia last year. It surprised everyone when first Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Palestine, Nayef al-Sudairi officially visited Palestine and presented his credentials to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at West Bank on 26 September 2023. Indeed, it was a major step towards the normalization of relations between Arabs and Jews.
In the backdrop, the question arises why when everything was going well for the Palestinians, any group loyal to the Palestinian cause would launch such a terrorist attack within a fortnight which could turn the Israelis, the Jews and the masses around the world against them? Through the media, we saw at least two Palestinian leaders, Ismail Haniyah and Ziad al Nakhalah who in televised speeches on 7 and 8 October 2023 respectively, accepted the responsibility of the attack on Israel and urged Arab countries to not normalize relations with Israel. Secretary General of Islamic Jihad, Ziad al Nakhalah went to an extent that he called on Israel to admit defeat to prevent more casualties and kidnappings. He also said that Qassam Brigades are in the grip of dozens of captured officers and soldiers, and they have been secured in safe places and resistance tunnels.
One wonders if these leaders are really loyal to the Palestine cause as they not only invited the Israelis and the world at large to develop hatred against Hamas, brand them as terrorists, provided an opportunity for their rejection as political leaders and endanger their lives in Gaza while these two leaders themselves were living in protection in Qatar and Lebanon.
There is no doubt that the Palestinians or Hamas has noting to do with those in leadership in Lebanon and Iran. If we carefully examine Hezbollah‘s statement soon after the 7th October 2023, attacks on Israel, “On the path to liberate the remaining part of our occupied Lebanese land and in solidarity with the victorious Palestinian resistance and the steadfast Palestinian people, the groups of the martyr commander Hajj Imad Moghniyeh in the Islamic Resistance carried out an attack this Sunday, October 08, 2023, targeting three Zionist occupation sites in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms region.”
We should also not forget that Ziyad al Nakhalah was second time arrested by Israelis in April 1988 and exiled to Lebanon in August 1988, where Al-Nakhalah became deputy secretary general of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in 1995 and was later elected Secretary General in September 2018. It was Al-Nakhalah, who arranged meeting of Hamas top leader Saleh al-Arouri with Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah on 25 October 2023. Many people consider Israeli drone strike and martyrdom of Saleh al-Arouri, Samir Findi, and Azzam Al-Aqraa on an office in the Dahieh near Beirut on 2 January 2024, as conspiracy against Hamas leadership hatched by their own people. Another Israeli drone targeted Basel Salah at town of Jadra in Nabatieh, Lebanon on 10 February 2024. Strange that the Hamas leadership was invited to visit Lebanon to die. It is high time that the world must realize that Hamas have adopted the path of peace and there is a conspiracy going against them. The genocide of Hamas and other Palestinians must end without further delay.
By Afshain Afzal
On Friday 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), presided over by honourable Judge Nawaf Salam will deliver its Advisory Opinion in respect of the “Legal Consequences Arising from the Politics and Practice of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem.
The reign of terror and total disregard for ethics and human rights by Israeli Defence Forces and allies has endangered peace and security not only in the Middle East but the entire world. The Israelis have expelled hundreds of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem in recent few days. There are authentic reports that over 370 Palestinian Muslims have been killed and many others have been injured. According to unconfirmed figures between 1500 and 2200 are missing. The peace-loving people of the world are hopeful that the International Court of Justice will uphold justice and stop terrorism and expulsions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem.
