Welcome to this week’a news roundup.
Quotes of the Week:
“Hamas is not a terrorist group.” —Martin Griffiths, United Nations (Guess that means the UNRWA worker who was just found to have kidnapped an Israeli on October 7 wasn’t a terrorist either.)
“One should not continue focusing on October 7.” — Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh
Top News:
* The Histadrut called for PM Netanyahu’s resignation and new elections.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/union-chief-calls-for-elections-says-pm-should-resign-threatens-to-join-protests/
* Pro-Trump Republicans Turning Isolationist. This is barely making the news, but Israel is likely to look back on this as a watershed moment. US friends: You’ve asked what you can do. Do something about this, and quickly.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-787026
* The International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan threatened war crimes charges against Israelis if the IDF invades Rafah.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-786722
* UNRWA’s Philippe Lazzarini in the New York Times admitted, “Our employees are part of the social fabric in Gaza and its ecosystem. And as part of the social fabric in Gaza, you also have Hamas.”
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-786447
* Immediately after the Moody downgrade of Israel, the shekel moved to 3.66 from 3.68, hardly a dramatic shift and the main Tel Aviv 125 index went up slightly.
https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2024-02-11/israels-finance-minister-blasts-moodys-downgrade-of-the-the-countrys-credit-rating
* Israel is setting up tent cities so they can move Gazan civilians from Rafah to safety before they go in to find the hostages and finish off Hamas forces.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-plans-to-move-rafah-civilians-to-15-tent-cities-along-the-coast-report/amp/
For more details on Israeli incursion into Rafah, see my Tuesday post:
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-130-rafah-and-beyond?r=3cvqw&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
And the rest of the news, in roughly chronological order:
It’s not just UNRWA: Journalists in Gaza are also Hamas affiliates: in this case, a Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist is also a Hamas commander.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-786392
* In a joint operation of the IDF, Shin Bet, and Israel Police in Rafah, two Israeli hostages were freed Sunday: Fernando Simón Herman (60) and Louis Harr (70), both abducted October 7th.
Their condition is good, and they were transferred for medical examinations to the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.
Related:
None of the aid sent to the hostages was distributed to them, despite it being part of the deal for allowing medications into Gaza.
And in a lovely footnote: South Africa protested the daring and successful Israeli rescue of two hostages to The Hague, by asking for “urgent additional measures” for the 'developing circumstances in Rafah.” #CantMakeItUp
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-786434
* Mahmoud Abbas proposed a Palestinian unity government headed by Dr. Muhammad Mustafa, the head of the Palestinian Investment Fund, and possibility to include Hamas. Hamas is meeting with Fatah to discuss this unity government.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-786423
* Terror: In the Old City; of a policeman in Beitar Ilit; of a soldier near Bethlehem; a hit and run of civilians at the Gush Etzion junction; three terrorists infiltrating from the West Bank’s Jericho with knives, guns and detailed infiltration plans; in Qalqaliya; in Jenin; a car ramming in Beitar Ilit; attack at Kibbutz Merav; and a shooting attack in Gedera in the south by a Palestinian from East Jerusalem identified with ISiS. Another East Jerusalem resident was arrested near Karmiel after being found with an anti-tank missile launcher.
Sadly, though I try to include supporting links for everything in this roundup, there are too many terrorist incidents and too long a list of links; plus, many of the incidents are not even covered in the English press.
Some of the terrorism details are reported in the mainstream Israeli media but later deleted; others make it into the unofficial press but are never included in the mainstream media articles at all. I’m unsure if this is military censorship, self-regulation of the press, incidents that are later discovered to be mistakes, or another reason, but occasionally you will read things here whose sources have inexplicably vanished.
* On this week’s anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, Iranian crowds of millions marched, chanting, “Death to Israel, Death to America.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-marks-islamic-revolution-with-demand-to-expel-israel-from-united-nations/amp/
* Israel had hoped Egypt would take custodianship of the Philadelphi Corridor in Rafah. Instead, Egypt won’t do it, won’t let Israel do it from its side of the border, and have threatened a cessation of the peace treaty. Egypt has brought in water canons to if necessary prevent Gazan civilians from fleeing into Egypt.
"Although (Egypt is) a poor country, it's the strongest army in the Middle East today - 4,000 tanks, 2,000 modern ones, hundreds of the most advanced aircraft, and a navy of the best there is.
For years, they've been building highways into Sinai. We're the target. They're not building the army for anywhere else.”
https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/article-786386
* A report on social media and how it is influencing Oct 7 and aftermath - badly, of course — including the massive army of bots, avatars, and sock puppet accounts.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/delete-your-account-how-social-media-may-be-metastasizing-terror-in-service-of-hamas/
* The Knesset voted to close the Israeli branch of the news outlet, Al Jazeera. Unclear if this decision is connected to this week’s revelation that an Al Jazeera journalist is a senior Hamas leader.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/knesset-advances-bill-to-allow-ban-of-al-jazeera-would-also-require-political-will/
* The shooting by a woman at Lakewood Church in Houston Sunday shouldn’t be in this round-up, except her gun apparently had the words “free Palestine” written on it, ABC 13 reported. A 57-year-old man and child were injured, the child critically.
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/joel-osteen-church-shooter-wrote-free-palestine-on-rifle-report/amp/
* UN special rapporteur for Palestinians Francesca Albanese was banned from Israel for her justification of Oct. 7. “The victims of 7/10 were not killed because of their Judaism, but in response to Israel’s oppression,” she wrote.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/un-special-rapporteur-for-palestinians-banned-from-israel-after-appearing-to-justify-oct-7-massacre/
* The US imposed sanctions on four West Bank residents, sparking fear that they may impose similar sanctions on Israeli army officers operating in the West Bank. (Aside from other problems, soldiers do not choose their stations, so penalizing soldiers posted to the West Bank seems unfair.)
https://www.timesofisrael.com/uk-slaps-sanctions-on-west-bank-settlers-for-egregious-violence-following-us-move/amp/
* European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell suggested the US cut military aid to Israel. “If the international community believes that this is a slaughter, that too many people are being killed, maybe we have to think about the provision of arms," he said.
https://www.reuters.com/world/eus-borrell-suggests-us-rethink-military-aid-israel-2024-02-12/
* The Senate was poised to pass the combined Israel/Ukraine aid bill, but it will assuredly fail in the House.
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/senate-on-verge-of-passing-95-3-billion-ukraine-israel-aid-package-55d07d5a
* Senator Chris Van Hollen (Democrat-Maryland) accused Israel of war crimes. “Kids in Gaza are now dying from the deliberate withholding of food. That is a war crime. It is a textbook war crime. And that makes those who orchestrate it war criminals.” He said Biden should cut off all aid to Israel until Israel allows more aid into Gaza. (Apparently Senator Van Hollen hasn’t read the reports about Hamas confiscating the aid being shipped in.)
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4465080-senate-democrat-accuses-israel-textbook-war-crime-gaza/amp/
Article and video on Hamas confiscating humanitarian aid:
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/middle-east/palestinian-territories/1702285314-caught-on-camera-hamas-terrorists-steal-humanitarian-aid-beat-civilians
* Personal details of 600+ Australian Jews were posted online; Australia to outlaw such ‘doxxing.’
https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Technology/wireStory/australia-ban-doxxing-after-pro-palestinian-activists-publish-107182048
* Families of hostages took their 100+ person delegation to The Hague, to file a complaint against Hamas at the International Criminal Court for war crimes including genocide, kidnapping, sexual violence, and torture on October 7.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hostage-families-set-to-take-off-for-hague-to-bring-war-crimes-case-against-hamas/
* More accounts of sexual violence by Hamas
https://www.timesofisrael.com/terrorist-sexually-assaulted-hostage-at-gunpoint-freed-captive-recounts-testimony/
* Hezbollah attacked extensively up north, in the Tsfat area, apparently aiming at the Northern command base and a hospital. Seven civilians injured, at least one female soldier dead.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/eight-injured-in-rocket-attack-one-person-in-serious-condition-safed-hospital-says/
* Republicans are calling for the US to bomb Kharg Island. (90% of Iran's crude oil departs from there; bombing it would devastate the Iranian economy.)
https://m.jpost.com/international/article-784253
* Reporting no breakthroughs in the hostage talks.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-delegation-returns-from-cairo-after-hostage-talks-end-without-breakthrough/
* Yemen threatening Saudi Arabia and Jordan to let their soldiers through to attack Israel. Supposed quote: "The people of the Saudi regime and the Jordanian regime, if you do not open the way for us to go to Jihad in "Palestine", we will open it by force."
* The Israeli army suspects the country will be dealing with 20,000 additional soldiers in need of rehab this year. There are already 5,500 such soldiers in treatment.
https://tps.co.il/articles/israeli-defense-ministry-prepares-to-receive-20000-injured-soldiers-in-2024/
* Ismail Abu Omar, Al Jazeera reporter wounded in Rafah yesterday, is also a Hamas commander. Abu Omar infiltrated into Israel October 7 and filmed from inside Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’s massacre.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-al-jazeera-reporter-wounded-yesterday-is-also-a-hamas-deputy-commander/
* Gazan journalist in Time Magazine acknowledged Hamas using civilians as human shields.
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-787028
* Hostage virtual reality experience
https://www.timesofisrael.com/hoping-to-jar-world-leaders-hostages-cousin-rebuilds-captivity-in-virtual-reality/
* The UN General Assembly asks World Court if West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal
https://www.timesofisrael.com/back-to-the-icj-court-to-hear-claims-against-israels-56-year-rule-over-palestinians/
* The House passed a unanimous resolution condemning Hamas’ rape and sexual violence 418-0-1. Only Rashida Tlaib did not vote for the bill. She is the only Palestinian American in Congress.
https://www.newsweek.com/rashida-tlaib-hamas-sexual-violence-vote-1870247
* Hamas turned down the latest hostage offer, 1500 terrorist prisoners in Israeli jails in exchange for the remaining 100-something Israeli hostages.
https://m.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-787205
* The Hague rejected South Africa's request to stop the Israeli operation in Rafah.
* Leah Goldstein was un-invited to a women’s day event.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/female-cyclist-uninvited-womens-day-event-previous-israeli-military-service
* In Belgium, an Imam recited the Quran at Belgian parliament, a passage explicitly calling for the killing and kidnapping of Jews.
https://m.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-787452
* The US is likely to veto the UN Security Council calls for immediate ceasefire.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/un-likely-to-vote-tuesday-on-gaza-ceasefire-us-signals-veto/
* Situation heating up between (Taliban) Afghanistan and Iran.
https://www.rferl.org/amp/afghanistan-azadi-briefing-un-envoy/32822559.html
• Iran declared ownership of part of Antarctica; it announced plans to build a military base there.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1867551/iran-bizarre-claim-antarctica-south-pole/amp
* The US is scrambling to finalize plans for a Palestinian State before Ramadan next month. (Never mind that Hamas has already rejected a two-state solution.)
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-787044
* The Israeli cabinet unanimously rejected the imposition of a Palestinian State. (It is widely seen in Israel as a reward to Hamas for October 7.)
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/385389
* Israel is gearing up for Ramadan in a few weeks, when there are usually increased terror attacks from West Bank Palestinians.
Worth a read:
Republican Israel support turning isolationist
https://m.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/2024-02-15/live-updates-787029
Catch up on last week’s most-read pieces:
Had we but world enough and time: Two Hostages Rescued
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-129-had-we-but-world-enough
Rafah & Beyond
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-130-rafah-and-beyond
Proxies and Parenting
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-131-proxies-and-parenting
Throwback Thursday to War Day #35 Kristalnacht
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-132-throwback-thursday-on
Funny Friday
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-133-funny-friday
Last Week’s Sunday Round-Up
https://open.substack.com/pub/fernmusing/p/war-day-128-the-sunday-news-round
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Please keep in mind that numbers are sometimes corrected by the press after their initial publication; aka, there might be a disconnect between what the linked article ends up concluding and what I’ve written here.
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