Aletho News

A winnable nuclear war? New Pentagon document shows US military thinks so

RT | June 19, 2019

The Pentagon document laying out the US doctrine of nuclear operations was publicly available for about a week, then made ‘official use only.’ What’s inside is a chilling reminder that Washington sees nuclear war as winnable.

“Nuclear Operations,” or Joint Publication 3-72, was dated on June 11 and made private since, but not before it was downloaded by Steven Aftergood, an activist at the Federation of American Scientists (FAS). It is currently available on the FAS website as a PDF.

The publication “provides fundamental principles and guidance to plan, execute, and assess nuclear operations.” The rest of it is in the same matter-of-fact tone, even when discussing practical consideration of potentially world-ending weapons. … continue

US exceptionalism: Exploiting certain Syrians, ignoring others

By Eva Bartlett | RT | June 19, 2019

Syria and Russia have been evacuating civilians from yet another region starved by its Western-backed terrorists. But Western corporate media ignore this and instead continue spinning nightmarish war propaganda on Syria.

Predictably, copy-paste Syrian reports emanate from Western governments and corporate media feign concern for civilians in Idlib while negating to mention that the Idlib governorate is an Al-Qaeda hotbed. … continue

Special envoy calls for armed guards at synagogues & Jewish schools

RT | June 19, 2019

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for combating anti-Semitism has called for an armed presence at Jewish institutions across the US, insisting synagogues, schools and community centers beef up on security.

The appointee, Elan Carr, said American Jews face a “time of danger” and must take steps to protect themselves from attacks and persecution, according to the Jerusalem Post.

“Any synagogue, every JCC [Jewish community center], should have guards,” Carr told an interviewer on Wednesday at a conference in Israel. “God willing, may they never be needed, but they should be there.”

President Trump tapped Carr to be the State Department’s pointman on anti-Semitism issues in February, after complaints from Democrats and Jewish advocacy groups pressured him to fill the position, which sat vacant for the first two years of his term. … continue

UK: Pro-Israel activists plead guilty to harassing Palestine solidarity campaigners

MEMO | June 19, 2019

Two London-based pro-Israel activists have pleaded guilty to harassing Palestine solidarity campaigners and will now face fines and a community order.

Jonathan Hoffman and Damon Lenszner appeared at Hendon Magistrates’ Court in the UK capital, having been accused of threatening and harassing pro-Palestine campaigners at a demonstration in October.

The campaigners had been protesting outside the Puma store in London’s famous Carnaby Street, calling on consumers to boycott the sportswear giant in protest against its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA). The IFA includes teams located in Israel’s illegal West Bank settlements and has therefore been outed by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement as complicit in Israel’s occupation.

October’s incident was caught on camera, with the video showing both Hoffman and Lenszner aggressively chanting “terrorist supporters off our streets” while waving Israeli flags. The pair can be seen shouting in the face of one demonstrator, Sandra Watfa, before Lenszner pushes away a second protester who attempts to help her.

Though Watfa tries to continue reading her statement, she is forced to turn around and demand Hoffman “stop touching [her]”, a demand he ignores.

In court, the judge called Hoffman and Lenszner’s behaviour “aggressive bullying”, before imposing a fine and a community order on the duo. … Full article

Justice is still being sought nine years after Israel’s attack on the Mavi Marmara

By Gülden Sönmez | MEMO | June 19, 2019

On 31 May, 2010, Israel carried out a deadly attack on human rights activists trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. After boarding the Mavi Marmara during a dawn raid whilst it was sailing in international waters, Israeli soldiers killed nine aid workers and injured several others; one of those injured succumbed to his wounds a few years later. The assault was met with international outrage, but nine years on the victims of the attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla are still seeking justice. I was on board the Mavi Marmara on that day and witnessed the ordeal of my fellow passengers. Since then, as a lawyer, I have been working closely with the victims in their quest for justice.

The victims of the attack and their families took their case to the International Criminal Court (ICC). On 14 May 2013, an application was made to the ICC on behalf of the Comoros, where the Mavi Marmara was registered, against several Israeli politicians and military officials. These included the late Shimon Peres, who was President of Israel at the time, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They were accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity during the attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. … continue

Jewish Settlers Attack Palestinian Civilian, Set Fire to Fields in West Bank

Palestine Chronicle – June 19, 2019

Jewish settlers attacked a Palestinian civilian today and set fire to fields in two different locations in the northern West Bank, local officials said.

In Kufl Haris village, north of Salfit, Jewish settlers threw rocks at a Palestinian house in the village, injuring 64-year-old Mahmoud Bouzieh in the hand, according to Abdul Rahim Bouzieh, director of the village’s municipality.

In the village of Madama, south of the city of Nablus, settlers set fire to olive fields, according to Ghassan Daghlas, a local official.

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been demanding international protection against Jewish settlers’ attacks, often supported by the Israeli army.

Palestinian from Jerusalem dies of injuries sustained two weeks ago

Palestine Information Center – June 19, 2019

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM – A Palestinian citizen on Wednesday succumbed to serious injuries he sustained when Israeli plain-clothes officers brutally assaulted him recently in Shu’fat refugee camp, east of Occupied Jerusalem.

Two weeks ago, undercover Israeli soldiers severely beat 60-year-old Mousa Abu Mayyala during his presence outside his home in the camp, causing him to suffer serious internal injuries, including fractures in his ribs.

He had been admitted to a hospital in Jerusalem since the attack before doctors pronounced him dead on Wednesday morning.

Child Released A Month After Losing His Leg When Israeli Soldiers Shot Him With Expanding Bullet

IMEMC News – June 19, 2019

Israeli soldiers released, Tuesday, a Palestinian child from the al-Khader town, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, a month after they shot him with an expanding Dumdum bullet in the leg, leading to an amputation.

The Palestinian child, Mahmoud Hussein Salah, 14, was abducted by the soldiers who shot him, and was later moved to Shaare Zedek Israeli Medical Center, where his left leg was amputated, due to the severe injury he sustained.

Salah said his dream was to become a famous soccer player, before the soldiers shot him with a Dumdum expanding bullet, in direct violation of International Law. … continue

Revealed: Israel established committee in 1967 to devise ways of encouraging Palestinian emigration

MEMO | June 19, 2019

Newly uncovered documents have revealed that Israeli authorities began looking for ways to encourage Palestinian emigration immediately after occupying the West Bank in 1967.

According to +972 Magazine, the discovery was made by Omri Shafer Raviv, a PhD student in the Department of Jewish History at Hebrew University. The study uses official government documents from the 1967 war and its aftermath that have only recently been declassified.

The documents uncovered by Shafer Raviv show that “mere weeks” after the Six-Day War, “Israel enlisted teams of academics in the country to find ways to encourage Palestinians to emigrate from the newly occupied territories”.

In July 1967, then-Prime Minister Levi Eshkol assembled a committee of academics “and sent them into the territories to study the newly-occupied population”.

The objective of the committee was two-fold: “to create a body responsible for ‘long-term planning’ in the occupied territories”, and, says Shafer Raviv, to find ways to ensure Palestinians did not resist the military regime while looking for ways to encourage them to leave altogether. … Full article

Morsi left unconscious for 20 minutes before first aid administered

MEMO | June 19, 2019

The Independent has reported today that prison guards in the courtroom where Morsi collapsed on Monday left the former president of Egypt for over 20 minutes before administering first aid, despite the fact that people around him were calling for help. […]

Despite claims from the Attorney General that Morsi was “transported immediately to hospital,” witnesses told the Independent that “no one bothered to help.”

“He was left slumped for while till the guards took him out. An ambulance arrived after 30 minutes. Other detainees were first to notice his collapse, they started shouting. Some of them, who are doctors, asked the guards to let them treat him or give him first aid,” said Abdullah Al-Haddad who was at the court to support his father and brother who were also on trial that day.

“Neglecting him at the beginning was deliberate. The first thing the prison guards did after detainees started shouting was to get family members out of the courtroom.” … Full article

Reports: Egypt-Israel tensions peaked during Morsi’s tenure

MEMO | June 19, 2019

Relations between Israel and Egypt were strained the most during the rule of the former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Israel’s Walla said yesterday.

“During his tenure in 2012-2013, Morsi called for amending the clauses of the Camp David peace agreement, which was signed between Egypt and Israel in 1978,” the news agency added, explaining that the accord had “limited Cairo’s movement in the Sinai Peninsula close to the Israeli borders with the Gaza Strip.”

Morsi’s only speech at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the Israeli website pointed out, was focusing on the Palestinian issue and “never mentioned Israel’s name”.

During his presidency, Morsi always stressed that the Palestinian issue was “at the top of his priorities.” At the time, he sent his Prime Minister Hesham Qandil to Gaza to express Egypt’s solidarity with the Strip. The move was said to have urged other Arab and international governments to take similar steps.

Morsi, aged 67, died on Monday after collapsing in court. Official Egyptian news stations reported that he had suffered a heart attack, however local activists said his death was a result of medical neglect and torture during his years in detention.

Morsi was Egypt’s first democratically elected president, having received the majority of the votes in the country’s 2012 elections following the ouster of long-time dictator Hosni Mubarak. He was overthrown in a bloody military coup led by then defence minister, now president, Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

Dutch-led investigators demand arrest of 4 people allegedly involved in MH17 downing

RT | June 19, 2019

International investigators have accused three Russians and one Ukrainian of shooting down Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in 2014, with the trial to start next year. Moscow has repeatedly criticized “inconsistencies” in the probe.

The report by Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on Wednesday said they collected enough evidence for murder charges to be presented to the Dutch court. … continue

Massive Embezzlement Scandal Threatens Juan Guaido’s Political Future

By Alexander Rubinstein | MintPress News | June 17, 2019

The big event that was supposed to be Guaido’s watershed moment has instead turned out to be a public-relations failure far worse than his quickly quelled attempted military coup. – Read article

Israeli Soldiers Uproot Palestinian Trees In Al-‘Isawiya

IMEMC News – June 17, 2019

Israeli soldiers uprooted, Monday, dozens of Palestinian olive trees in the western area of the al-‘Isawiya town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, reportedly “obscuring the view of surveillance cameras in the area.”

Mohammad Abu al-Hummus, a member of the Follow-Up Committee in al-‘Isawiya said the soldiers invaded the town since morning hours, and were extensively deployed in various roads and neighborhoods. … Full article

Israeli Minister’s Draft Bill: 3 Years In Prison for Supporting PA Activity in Jerusalem

Palestine Chronicle | June 18 2019

Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan has “proposed a new bill that would impose a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison for those who sponsor, finance, support or organize activities for the Palestinian Authority (PA)” in occupied East Jerusalem, reported Asharq Al-Awsat.

Currently, Israeli law “prohibits organization of activities in favor of the PA in Jerusalem, but does not penalize those who organize such activities”.

Erdan has thus “proposed a series of penalties amounting to 3 years imprisonment to completely prevent such activities.”

According to the report, Erdan has made the move after being briefed by the Shin Bet that “Palestinian activities in East Jerusalem have increased recently”, including “demonstrations, festivals and political seminars”.

The minister claims that the legislative amendment “will dramatically enhance the deterrence of those cooperating with the PA”, preventing “foothold of the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem”. … Full article

Pentagon announces $250 million in military aid to Ukraine

RT | June 18, 2019

The US will provide Ukraine with $250 million worth of military equipment, training and support, the Pentagon announced, saying Ukraine’s Navy and marines would be among the beneficiaries.

The Ukrainian military will get sniper rifles, grenade launchers, counter-battery radar systems, night vision equipment and communication devices, the Pentagon statement said. The inventory does not seem to deviate from what Kiev received as military aid from Washington over the previous years.

The statement said the package will bring total US security assistance to Ukraine to $1.5 billion since 2014, when a US-backed coup in Kiev ousted Ukraine’s elected government. … continue

Russia warns US against attempts to provoke war with Iran

Press TV – June 18, 2019

Russia has urged the United States to drop its “provocative” plans to deploy more troops to the Middle East, warning Washington against its “conscious” course of attempts to “provoke war” with Iran.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Moscow had repeatedly warned Washington and its regional allies about the “unthinking and reckless pumping up of tensions in an explosive region.”

“Now what we see are unending and sustained US attempts to crank up political, psychological, economic and yes military pressure on Iran in quite a provocative way. They (such actions) cannot be assessed as anything but a conscious course to provoke war,” he added.

“If that’s the case, the US should refrain from further reinforcement of its presence and from other steps, including dragging and pushing its allies in various parts of the world into stepping up pressure on Iran,” Ryabkov said. … continue

Pompeo Might Have The Perfect Carrot To Dangle In Front Of Modi’s Mouth

By Andrew Korybko | EurasiaFuture | 2019-06-18

The US is planning to include India on its International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) list in order to place it at par with its NATO allies, “Israel”, and a few others for the export of high-level military technologies, which could be the perfect carrot for Pompeo to dangle in front of Modi’s mouth during his visit to the South Asian state next week in order to get him to ditch Russia, and it might actually end up being part of the “surprise” that he recently hinted he has in store for his hosts. … continue

British weapons and personnel doing much of the killing in Yemen: Report

Press TV – June 18, 2019

A detailed report published by the Guardian newspaper has shown how Britain is massively contributing to Saudi Arabia’s devastating war on Yemen as it suggests that London is not only supplying the bombs that fall on Yemenis, but it provides the personnel and expertise that keep the war going.

The comprehensive report by Arron Merat published on Tuesday showed that Britain was doing much of the killing in Yemen as the country continues to provide Saudi Arabia with everything it needs to turn its southern impoverished neighbor into a graveyard.

“Every day Yemen is hit by British bombs – dropped by British planes that are flown by British-trained pilots and maintained and prepared inside Saudi Arabia by thousands of British contractors,” said Merat in the report. … continue

Yemen’s Abdul Salam: Some “Humanitarian” Organizations Provide Spy Services to Certain Countries

Al-Manar | June 18, 2019

Head of Yemen’s national delegation Mohammad Abdul Salam revealed that some “humanitarian” organizations are providing certain countries with spy services and intelligence reports, adding that the Yemenis have become able to find out their schemes.

Abdul Salam said that the humanitarian aids provided by those organizations to the Yemenis are insufficient, pointing out that their suspect role has turned stripped of the humane aspect.

Abdul Salam noted that those who sell weapons to the aggression countries cover up their crimes and are not qualified to provide humanitarian aid to the Yemenis. … Full article

Iran’s UK Ambassador: “Unfortunately We Are Heading Towards A Confrontation” With The US

By Tyler Durden – Zero Hedge – 06/17/2019

The Iranian Ambassador to the UK Hamid Baeidinejad warned that the United States and Iran are “unfortunately headed toward a confrontation which is very serious for everybody in the region.”

In an interview with Christiane Amanpour, the Ambassador reacted to rapidly escalating tensions between the two countries – late on Monday the US announced it was sending another 1,000 troops to the Middle East – as the United States continues to blame Iran for an attack on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

Ambassador Baeidinejad, a senior Iranian official within the Foreign Ministry, denied the allegations, and cautioned the White House would be “very sorry” to underestimate Iran, should a military conflict ensue. Baeidinejad stopped short of predicting the possibility of U.S. plans for a limited strike in the Persian Gulf, but argued that such plans may already be underway in a bid to spark a fight. … continue

The Arab Emergency Summit in Mecca: Provocative and Invective

By Elias Samo | Strategic Culture Foundation | June 18, 2019

When an Arab emergency summit is called to convene, one would naturally assume the existence of an urgent Arab crisis which requires immediate attention. So, when king Salman of Saudi Arabia called for an emergency Arab summit to convene in Mecca, the holiest Muslim city, the natural assumption was that there is an urgent Arab crisis to be dealt with, immediately.

Therefore, one had to assume the urgent Arab emergency summit meeting in Mecca on May 30, 2019, would have to do, though belatedly, with the ramifications of Arab states destroying Arab states, Muslims killing Muslims, Arabs killing Arabs. Or perhaps more specific urgent Arab matters such as the American recognition of a united Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel, the moving of the American embassy to Jerusalem, the declaration by Netanyahu of his intention to annex the major Israeli settlements with American acquiescence or with the American recognition of the Israeli annexation of the Syrian Golan, or the “Deal of the Century”. Surprisingly and unfortunately the summit dealt with none of the above. … continue

West’s black ops like virus, secretly destroying nations until it’s too late – Russian intel chief

RT | June 18, 2019

Western secret services are perfecting clandestine tools which are designed to weaken countries like viruses weaken bodies, the Russian foreign intelligence chief has said. This kind of warfare is currently used in Venezuela.

The criticism came from Sergey Naryshkin, who heads Russia’s foreign intelligence agency SVR. He said spies are constantly improving the tool used to dispose of governments that the West does not like.

“We are talking about creating a universal algorithm for conducting clandestine influence operations in a continuous manner and on a global scale,” he said. According to the official, this clandestine work “never stops and targets not only enemies, but also friends and neutral powers in the times of peace, crisis and war.”

It can be compared to the action of a virus; it can spend decades destroying a human organism without symptoms, and once diagnosed, often it’s too late to treat it. … continue

Ottawa hires hit man to overthrow Venezuelan government

By Yves Engler · June 17, 2019

Meet the hired gun Ottawa is using to overthrow the Venezuelan government.

The brazenness of Ottawa’s intervention in the South American country’s affairs is remarkable. Recently Global Affairs Canada tendered a contract for an individual to coordinate its bid to oust President Nicolás Maduro. According to buyandsell.gc.ca, the Special Advisor on Venezuela needs to be able to:

“Use your network of contacts to advocate for expanded support to pressure the illegitimate government to return constitutional order.

“Use your network of civil society contacts on the ground in Venezuela to advance priority issues (as identified by civil society/Government of Canada).

Must have valid Government of Canada personnel TOP SECRET security clearance.”

The “Proposed Contractor” is Allan Culham who has been Special Advisor on Venezuela since the fall of 2017. But, the government is required to post the $200,000 contract to coordinate Canada’s effort to overthrow the Maduro government. … continue

Recruiting American Spies for Israel

Tax-exempt American foundations lay the groundwork

By Philip Giraldi • Unz Review • June 18, 2019

Israel never loses an opportunity to promote what it perceives to be its interests. That any nation would do just that most of the time should surprise no one, but Israel is perhaps unique in terms of how assiduously it works at creating situations that favor it through the use of corruption of foreign governments and subversion of existing institutions. For most countries, the actions of a minority that seeks to advance the interests of a foreign nation would face strong resistance, but Israel manages to get away with what it does due to the presence of powerful and wealthy diaspora communities, most particularly in the Anglophone countries, but also in France. … continue

FBI never saw CrowdStrike unredacted or final report on alleged Russian hacking because none was produced

Consortium News | June 17, 2019

The FBI relied on CrowdStrike’s “conclusion” to blame Russia for hacking DNC servers, though the private firm never produced a final report and the FBI never asked them to, as Ray McGovern explains. – Read article

Israel’s Secretive Nuclear Facility Leaking as Watchdog Finds Israel Has Nearly 100 Nukes

By Whitney Webb | MintPress News | June 17, 2019

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) — an international watchdog organization focusing on conflicts, the arms trade and nuclear proliferation — released a new report on Monday that claimed that Israel has nearly a hundred nuclear warheads, more than previously thought. … continue

Israeli Firm Boasts It Can Hack All iPhones, Flagship Samsungs

Sputnik – 17.06.2019

Israeli-based Cellebrite, whose clients reportedly included the FBI, has already been criticised over its refusal to cooperate with Apple and report the discovered vulnerabilities of the latest iOS, allowing the tech giant’s technicians to eliminate them and boost the security of its devices.

Israeli tech company Cellebrite, based in Petah Tikva and specialising in getting access to mobile phone data, has claimed on its website it has a solution “to unlock and extract crucial mobile phone evidence” from all iPhones and many Android-based devices, including flagship Samsungs.

The company marketed one of its products in this way. It promises clients to get “a full file system extraction” on any iOS and many high-end Android phones and pads, as well as a physical extraction for the latter.

The description says it can harvest not only 3rd party app data, chat conversations, downloaded emails and attachments, but also deleted content. … continue

The Broader View Reveals the Ugliest of Prospects

By Craig Murray | June 17, 2019

Standing back a little and surveying the events of the last couple of weeks, gives a bleak view of the current state of western democracy.

We have seen what appears to be the most unconvincing of false flags in the Gulf. I pointed out why it was improbable Iran would attack these particular ships. Since then we have had American military sources pointing to video evidence of a packed small Iranian boat allegedly removing a limpet mine from the ship the Iranians helped to rescue, which was somehow supposed to prove it was the Iranians who planted the alleged device. We also have had the Japanese owner specifically contradict the American account and say that the ship was hit by flying objects.

The Iranians certainly have a strange method of bomb disposal if they carry it out using unarmoured personnel, with as many as possible crammed into a small boat in immediate contact with the “mine”. It is also hard to understand why the alleged “limpet mines” would be four feet above the waterline. … continue

The Gulf of Credibility

By Craig Murray | June 17, 2019

I really cannot begin to fathom how stupid you would have to be to believe that Iran would attack a Japanese oil tanker at the very moment that the Japanese Prime Minister was sitting down to friendly, US-disapproved talks in Tehran on economic cooperation that can help Iran survive the effects of US economic sanctions.

The Japanese-owned Kokuka Courageous was holed above the water line. That rules out a torpedo attack, which is the explanation being touted by the neo-cons.

The second vessel, the Front Altair, is Norwegian owned and 50% Russian crewed (the others being Filipinos). It is owned by Frontline, a massive tanker leasing company that also has a specific record of being helpful to Iran in continuing to ship oil despite sanctions.

It was Iran that rescued the crews and helped bring the damaged vessels under control.

That Iran would target a Japanese ship and a friendly Russian crewed ship is a ludicrous allegation. They are however very much the targets that the USA allies in the region – the Saudis, their Gulf Cooperation Council colleagues, and Israel – would target for a false flag. It is worth noting that John Bolton was meeting with United Arab Emirates ministers two weeks ago – both ships had just left the UAE.

The USA and their UK stooges have both immediately leapt in to blame Iran. The media is amplifying this with almost none of the scepticism which is required. I cannot think of a single reason why anybody would believe this particular false flag. It is notable that neither Norway nor Japan has joined in with this ridiculous assertion.

Guilty or Not, Iran’s Fate Is in Trump’s Hands

By Tim Kirby | Strategic Culture Foundation | June 17, 2019

The USS Maine sank, someone shot something at somebody during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and many non-Iraqis triggered the invasion of Iraq by flying planes into skyscrapers. The media hyped attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman seem like another blatant attempt to pull the US into yet another war based on questionable pretenses. The information war regarding the incident is already very hot but ultimately the future of Iran is in Donald Trump’s hands. … continue

False Identities Become the New Weapon: War with Iran Promoted by Fake Journalists

By Philip Giraldi | American Herald Tribune | June 17, 2019

One of the claims made about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election was that Kremlin-controlled entities were using fake identities to create dissension and confusion on social network sites. This should surprise no one, if it is true, as intelligence operatives have been using false names since Sumerian times.

The concern over fake identities no doubt comes from the deception involved, meaning that if you are dealing with a real person you at least have some handle on making an assessment of what something means and what is likely to occur. A false persona, however, can pretend to be anything and can advocate or do something without any yardstick to measure what is actually taking place. In other words, if Mike Pompeo says something you know that he is a liar and can judge his words accordingly but if it is someone otherwise unknown named Qwert Uiop you have to wonder if he or she just might be telling the truth. You might even give them the benefit of the doubt.

A prime example of a false internet persona has recently surfaced in the form of an alleged “activist” invented by the Iranian terrorist group Mojahedin e Khalq (MEK). … continue

If Iran wants to block Persian Gulf oil exports, it will do it publicly: Military chief

Press TV – June 17, 2019

Iran’s military chief says if the Islamic Republic decided to stop oil flow from the Persian Gulf, it will do it publicly and there will be nothing covert about it.

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri made the remarks during a military ceremony in Tehran on Monday, in reaction to charges leveled against Iran by the United States and some of its allies accusing Tehran of being behind recent attacks on two tanker ships in the Sea of Oman and a previous attack on several commercial vessels off the coast of the Emirati port city of Fujairah.

The Iranian military chief noted that “the US and its stooges” are using recent maritime incidents as grounds to incriminate Iran, saying, “They must be aware of the reality that if the Islamic Republic of Iran were determined to prevent export of oil from the Persian Gulf, that determination would be realized in full and announced in public, in view of the power of the country and its Armed Forces.”

Major General Baqeri added, “Iran will not take any covet or deceptive steps like the deceitful and terrorist US, which has made the world insecure, along with its regional and international stooges.” … continue

For Israel, Annexation of the West Bank is a Long-established Goal

With Benjamin Netanyahu under pressure and the US signalling its support, the time to realise this catastrophic ambition may be fast approaching

By Jonathan Cook • The National • June 17, 2019

When Israeli prime ministers are in trouble, facing difficult elections or a corruption scandal, the temptation has typically been for them to unleash a military operation to bolster their standing. In recent years, Gaza has served as a favourite punching bag.

Benjamin Netanyahu is confronting both difficulties at once: a second round of elections in September that he may struggle to win; and an attorney general who is widely expected to indict him on corruption charges shortly afterwards.

Mr Netanyahu is in an unusually tight spot, even by the standards of an often chaotic and fractious Israeli political system. After a decade in power, his electoral magic may be deserting him. There are already rumblings of discontent among his allies on the far right.

Given his desperate straits, some observers fear that he may need to pull a new kind of rabbit out of the hat. … continue

Florida Passes Bill Suppressing Free Speech on Israel, Palestine

Palestine Chronicle | June 17, 2019

Israel has been granted protection from its critics by the state of Florida in recent amendments to the Florida Educational Equality Act (FEEA) that suppresses free speech.

Under new definitions of anti-Semitism adopted by the American state, limits have been placed on discussions of the plight of the Palestinian people and underscoring the brutality of Israel’s occupation.

The bill is likely to open the door for criminal charges to be leveled against human rights activists and critics that advocate a single democratic state in which Israeli Jews, Palestinians, and all others are granted full, equal rights.

Supporters of the Palestine cause face the prospect of being silenced on the grounds that calls for equality under a single democratic state are deemed to be attempts to deny the Jewish people their right to self-determination and that such calls for non-discrimination question Israel’s right to exist. … continue

May 2019 report: 421 Palestinians seized by Israeli occupation forces, including 78 children and 6 women

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network – June 17, 2019

In May 2019, Israeli occupation forces arrested 421 Palestinians, including 78 children and 6 women. The Israeli occupation authorities seized 145 Palestinians from the city of Jerusalem, 59 from Ramallah governorate, 60 from al-Khalil governorate, 30 from Jenin governorate, 21 from Bethlehem governorate, 32 from Nablus governorate, 13 from Tulkarem governorate, 19 from Qalqilya governorate, 8 from Tubas governorate, 8 from Salfit governorate, 14 from Jericho governorate and 12 from the Gaza Strip.

The number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails reached 5,500 at the end of May, including 43 women. The number of imprisoned children in Israeli jails reached approximately 220.

The following summary highlights the realities faced by the detainees in prisons and detention centers and the most prominent actions by the occupation authorities during the month of May… continue

3 years and no conviction: Israel’s prosecution of World Vision staffer drags on

MEMO | June 17, 2019

A senior official of international charity World Vision remains on trial in an Israeli court, three years after he was first arrested, tortured, and charged.

According to a new report published by +972 Magazine, since 2016, Israel has not provided any evidence to Mohammad El Halabi or World Vision to prove its case, “and yet Halabi’s trial continues in an Israeli court, unresolved and with no end in sight”. … continue

Disinformation and False Accusations of Anti-Semitism

Permitting Israel’s Slow Motion Genocide of Palestinians

By Heather Stroud | Dissident Voice | June 16, 2019

The smearing of George Galloway and widely reported disinformation that there was no evidence to support the claim that Viva Palestina delivered aid, raises serious concerns, not just in this case, but far beyond.

It is seriously disturbing how disinformation and lazy ‘cut and paste’ journalism has become common place within the monopoly media of the UK. One wonders where the professional and serious investigative reporting of old has gone.

With regard to the ‘possibly liable’ headlines of several national newspapers: Gaza charity ‘may have delivered no aid’ ‘no evidence of charitable activity’ and so forth…, as a participant of  the Viva Palestina Convoy 2009/10, I can confirm that not only was medical aid delivered to Gaza, there is significant evidence to support this. The medical supplies were, in fact, accurately documented as required and submitted to customs officials in the countries we passed through. So, why didn’t the charities commission, the government and the mainstream journalists find any evidence? Why didn’t they speak to any of the hundreds of witnesses who would likely be willing to testify in a court of law, were they called upon to do so.

My conclusion is that they didn’t look, which brings us to the more serious question: why didn’t they look? … continue

German Author/Journalist Shot By Israeli Forces in Gaza

IMEMC | June 17, 2019

Jürgen Todenhöfer, German author and journalist, was in Gaza on June 14, participating in the weekly ‘Great March of Return’ demonstration, in solidarity with Palestinians, Days of Palestine reported.

Todenhöfer was videotaped holding a sign with the words, “Dear Israelis, please treat the Palestinians the same way you want to be treated!” In a show of outright disregard for human rights, an Israeli sniper shot this peaceful foreign activist with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his back.

Todenhöfer wrote on his Facebook page afterward, stating “Dear friends, one cannot ‘demonstrate’ more peacefully than I tried to do today at the border fence of Gaza.” Readers are encouraged to watch the video of this peaceful protester, here. He then said “There is no other constitutional state in the world where you are shot at for such a conciliatory sentence. It can’t go on like this.”

Not only does he report being a few hundred meters from the border, but that the Israeli soldier shot him in the back with a rubber bullet. The question is, what type of threat was this older gentleman, a few hundred meters away from the fence, with his hands up, facing away from the soldiers? … continue