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With US Or Against US? America’s ultimatum to Arab leaders

By Robert Inlakesh – Al Mayadeen – February 18, 2025

For 15 months, the majority of the Arab and Muslim World’s leaders sat back as the first live-streamed genocide took place inside the land of Palestine. Praying for a return to the status quo that once supported their rules, they have now been faced with an ultimatum. Now, it’s time to pick a side.

While US President Donald Trump presented his idea of clearing out Gaza’s civilian population, taking control of the territory, and reconstructing it, he did so using the tone of someone believing such actions would be humanitarian in nature. In reality, what was being proposed was an invasion, mass murder, and ethnic cleansing.

To be clear, the likelihood of such an invasion occurring is slim, not least because it involves an enormous amount of planning to implement correctly and there is simply no evidence that any moves are being made in this direction. However, the threat of such a monstrosity alone has proven enough to instantly mobilise the Arab and Muslim nation’s leaderships in a way we have not witnessed in decades.

Suddenly, they woke up, after behaving as if the people of the Gaza Strip were not being mass murdered on an industrial scale, on the land of the Prophets, on the land of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Holy Sepulchre. Not even the invasion of Lebanon, the murder of some 3,000 people, nor the occupation of more Syrian lands, nor the threats of annexation in the West Bank, had mobilised these leaders. The screams of Gaza’s youths, the tears of Gaza’s mothers, the honor stripped from the tortured and raped, nothing registered.

But now, for the first time, we feel a pulse. Why? Because everyone’s head is on the chopping block. A glimpse was caught of what Donald Trump’s proposed future could cause and the likes of Jordanian King Abdullah II realised they are just another Arab in the eyes of the Israeli-US alliance, nothing more and nothing less. The only reason they remain is because they capitulate. This was Trump’s true message; it was not so much as a threat but a reminder.

Without delving too deep into the issue of an American invasion of Gaza, it would prove disastrous in so many ways that it seems unrealistic on the face of things. This is not least due to the enormous costs involved in a US occupation that could travel north of hundreds of billions in US taxpayer dollars, while the US soldier casualties would be high and place enormous domestic pressure on Trump. This would likely be America’s new Vietnam, as the star-spangled coffins would trigger outrage across the States.

A US invasion would also fail to achieve the objectives set out by Trump, because Palestinians will not leave willingly and this could easily turn into a situation where the US army picks up from where the Israelis left off; inflicting Genocide. If the ethnic cleansing would work partially, the destabilizing effects would be horrific.

As mentioned above, the majority of the leaders of Arab and Muslim nations may have stood aside and allowed the Gaza Genocide to unfold, yet their populations are now more motivated to defeat the Zionist occupiers than ever before.

Opening the ‘gates of hell’

When Hamas announced that it would postpone the weekly prisoner exchange arrangement until the Israelis allowed sufficient humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, Donald Trump’s reaction was to threaten opening the “gates of hell”. Despite the threats that came from Trump and Netanyahu, the Israelis caved under pressure and were quickly set to allow the prisoner exchange to go ahead as planned.

Whether the US President is truly the mastermind behind his own rhetoric or not, which is quite frankly unlikely, reading between the lines has actually helped achieve four objectives:

  1.  The outrageous and illegal proposals that Trump has put forth have helped save the image of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in front of his extremist coalition.
  2. The rhetoric has therefore given the Zionist regime more wiggle room to reach the second phase of the agreement, as the more extreme elements in the regime now feel as if they will get to complete their ethnic cleansing, settlement, and occupation endeavors.
  3. Upon the initial conclusion of the ceasefire agreement, the momentum in terms of popular understanding of power dynamics – manufactured as a result of the ongoing media war – had Hamas painted as the victor and the Zionist regime a loser. Trump managed to suddenly shift the conversation and manipulate popular understandings of who is in control and “winning” the war.
  4. It has brought together the Arab and Muslim leaders who were previously inactive or distant from the post-war Gaza plan.

Donald Trump is actively speaking as if he is a more extreme Zionist fanatic than Netanyahu, but is yet to follow through on any of his threats. If he continues to speak in such a way, it is possible that the US will have to start following through on some of the President’s rhetoric, however, in order for Washington to maintain credibility.

The reality in the region is that the leaderships of West Asia are still trying to revert back to the status quo that existed pre-October 7, 2023. Now they are having to come to terms with the fact that this is no longer an option.

Although this may seem hyperbolic, the “Israel” that everyone knew from before is no more, it no longer exists. To those who have studied the issue closely, this was somewhat inevitable. Right now, we are living through a scenario that occurred prior to 1948, where the Zionist regime had to try and define itself. For some time, they managed through their military superiority to pacify those around them or overcome armed confrontations with brute force, all while developing their economy and pretending as if they were operating a European State in the Eastern Mediterranean.

This was never going to last, not least because the Palestinian to Jewish population inside the borders of historic Palestine had become roughly 50/50. On top of this, the fastest growing Jewish group has been the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox), who do not serve in the army and don’t even believe in the worth of modern Nation States. Yet, all Israelis wanted the West Bank and to rule over occupied Jerusalem. With land concessions to the Palestinian Authority off the table, there were only ever going to be two options that the Zionists were going to have to choose from: Commit a genocide or mass ethnic cleansing; or both.

With the rise of right-wing nationalist religious fundamentalism, the secular-leaning right-wing system that modelled itself off of “Western Liberal Democracies” suddenly found itself under threat. Prior to October 7, 2023, this was a dominant theme in Israeli politics, where the religious ultra-nationalists were challenging the somewhat contradictory vision that was held onto by around half of the Israeli Jewish population.

What happened here is that the secular-leaning Israelis were trying to cling onto their delusion that they could simply live in a liberal Jewish supremacist Apartheid colony forever and expect a level of stability that they had long enjoyed due to the overwhelming power of their military. On the other hand, the extremist right-wing coalition of Benjamin Netanyahu that won power in late 2022 began to present an alternative vision in a way that hadn’t been done before.

Then came the wakeup call, Hamas launched Operation al-Aqsa Flood, and the Zionists were forced to wrestle with the fact that you cannot continue oppressing the Palestinian people and expect them to simply go away or give up on their struggle for national liberation. Because of the racist collective narcissism trained into the minds of the Zionist settlers, they reacted in the most emotional way possible. This is why Zionists in the West have also been working overtime to suppress any criticism; their racism is being challenged.

The knee-jerk reaction of the Zionists was to think “how dare these people challenge our supremacy”. For the first time in its history, the Zionist Entity had been militarily torn to pieces and proven incapable of overcoming an indigenous resistance force armed primarily with light weapons and self-produced armaments. US-Israeli supremacy in West Asia appeared to be crumbling, so the occupying entity and its imperialist backer responded in the only way they know how, mass murder.

What happened in Gaza was a frenzy of racist violence that was supposed to “teach a lesson” to the Arab and Muslim peoples that they will remain forever inferior. The genocide was calculated to send a message: resist our supremacy and you will die.

Two things are now happening:

  1. The “Israel” of the past died, now it is scrambling to redefine and recreate itself.
  2. The US is attempting to revive its efforts to transform the region through normalisation and the construction of new trade routes, but is going to do so using maximum force in order to put down any semblance of dissent.

So where does this all fit into Donald Trump’s crazy threats? It’s simple. The United States is projecting its intention to remodel the entire region. This message is clear, yet it won’t likely come through a US invasion of Gaza, rather from putting tremendous pressure on the nations of the region to capitulate and work as slaves of the US-Israeli alliance.

If Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia do not capitulate, their leaderships will be replaced by ones that do. In the event that either a US invasion of Gaza or mass ethnic cleansing occurred, Egypt would be destabilised and likely face a limited Israeli incursion into the Sinai, while the Jordanian government could be toppled, or at the very least the nation will be totally destabilised, then, in the backdrop, Saudi Arabia could also be in the cross-hairs.

Hundreds of thousands of Gazans being ethnically cleansed into the Kingdom of Jordan would inevitably birth a new Palestinian Resistance front also, which could happen regardless at this point.

The ethnic cleansing of Palestine between 1947-49 left a major scar on the Arab World as a whole, one that has never healed. What just occurred in Gaza is a much deeper wound that will inspire Resistance until the end of the Zionist regime. Although it is often not factored into the equation, the Israelis also murdered 3,000 people in Lebanon too, including the late Secretary General of Hezbollah, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah.

A mistake often made by the imperialists and settler colonialists is assuming that because a population appears pacified today, it will also be tomorrow. In reality, revolutions and resistance movements take time, with mass mobilisation sometimes occurring due to what could be perceived as mere chance when it emerges.

Meanwhile, the US is now offering the same option to the Arab and Muslim World that was presented by George W. Bush Jr. upon his announcement of the so-called “War on Terror”: “You are either with us or with the terrorists!”

It may be presented in a different way, but the truth is that there is no way to play the role of holding a middle-ground position. Now is the time, submit to being a slave, even losing your territory, pride and stability; or you decide to resist. The problem for a nation like Jordan is that if you resist, you may also be overthrown.

Donald Trump’s comments for now were designed to force the Arab and Muslim leaders to come to a joint consensus and present an alternative plan to his insane proposal, which appears to be working. Interestingly enough, it appears as if this is actually helping to allow for the Gaza ceasefire to reach phase 2.

Unfortunately for these leaders, the Palestinian issue they now face is not over with Gaza. In the event of the Israelis annexing the West Bank, this could eventually trigger the downfall of the Palestinian Authority and/or initiate a major uprising. In such a scenario, the Israeli military could then seek to ethnically cleanse large swathes of the West Bank too. The destination of these displaced refugees could also end up being Jordan.

Even former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned, in his second last address about foreign policy, of the collapse of the normalization agreements between the Zionist regime and its neighbours in Amman and Cairo. Speaking at a conference organised by the Atlantic Council, Blinken used the first part of his speech to espouse pure Israeli propaganda, before speaking candidly on a few issues towards the latter half of his address. He stressed that without a so-called “Two-State solution”, the normalisation deals with Egypt and Jordan could collapse.

If a resistance front opens inside Jordan, it could be the beginning of the end for the Zionist regime. Jordan shares the largest, mostly undefended, land border with occupied Palestine. Once a major resistance movement is rooted there, the war would expand in such a way that no one is capable of predicting. It is also clear that the Zionists seek to continue their aggression against Iran, Yemen, and to degrade Hezbollah at all costs in Lebanon.

All of what is mentioned above will not likely just unfold overnight, everything takes time. Yet there is no question that the war is far from over.

February 18, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Israeli presence is occupation; we’ll reclaim our land: Lebanese president

Al Mayadeen | February 18, 2025

A statement from the Lebanese presidency on Tuesday emphasized the necessity for Israeli forces to fully withdraw from Southern Lebanon as mandated by the ceasefire agreement.

The statement, issued following a meeting between President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, reaffirmed Lebanon’s full commitment to Resolution 1701, despite ongoing Israeli violations.

The statement, delivered by the presidential spokesperson Najat Charafeddine, emphasized the role of the Lebanese Army and its readiness to deploy in Southern Lebanon to ensure the security of its people.

The presidency’s statement referenced the joint declaration by the American and French presidents before the ceasefire decision, in which both parties affirmed their collaboration with “Israel” to fully implement Resolution 1701.

It further said that the attendees of the tripartite meeting will seek the UN Security Council to compel the occupation to abide by the resolution. The attendees also discussed the presence of the occupation in the South, and that Lebanon is committed to regaining full control over its land by all means.

The statement highlighted that the attendees will continue negotiations with the International Monitoring Committee and the International Red Cross to secure the release of Lebanese held by “Israel.”

On Monday, President Joseph Aoun stressed that the presidential office is following up on contacts at various levels to push “Israel” to comply with the ceasefire agreement.

At dawn Tuesday, the Israeli occupation army withdrew from all border villages in southern Lebanon, except for five positions where it stated it would maintain a presence. This withdrawal coincides with the expiration of the deadline for implementing the ceasefire between Lebanon and “Israel.”

A security source, speaking anonymously to Agence France-Presse, confirmed, “The Israeli army has withdrawn from all border villages except for five specified locations. The Lebanese Army is gradually deploying, but progress is hindered by the presence of explosives in some areas and damage to the roads.”

Additionally, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Southern Lebanon reported on Tuesday morning that Israeli occupation tanks and vehicles had once again advanced into the town of Kfar Chouba.

February 18, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation | , , | Leave a comment

Netanyahu To Rubio: Let’s ‘Finish the Job’ Against Iran

By Tyler Durden | Zero Hedge | February 16, 2025

Trump’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Israel where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, after which they gave a joint address before reporters in Jerusalem.

This is Rubio’s first Middle East visit since becoming America’s top diplomat. He and Bibi called for the total elimination of Hamas and the return of all the remaining hostages, following three being released on Saturday, including an American dual citizen.

Importantly, Netanyahu declared that Israel and the US should “finish the job” against Iran, a week after Trump in a Fox interview said the choice is on Tehran – either they can do a new deal to monitor their nuclear energy program or possibly get bombed into submission.

Rubio called the Islamic Republic the greatest source of instability in the region, and as a longtime supporter of Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

“Hamas cannot continue as a military or a government force… they must be eliminated,” Rubio additionally stated alongside Netanyahu, warning that the “gates of hell” could once again be opened against Hamas.

As for Netanyahu, he affirmed: “We discussed Trump’s bold vision for Gaza’s future and will work to ensure that vision becomes a reality.” This vision has been roundly rejected by Arab states, especially Egypt and Jordan.

Trump earlier this month restored “maximum pressure” and fresh sanctions targeting Iranian oil exports, which reflects the policy of his first term, when he pulled the US out of the JCPOA nuclear deal with Tehran.

“Maybe they are trying to get new defense as we speak but their defense is largely gone… Iran is very nervous. I think they’re scared. I think Iran would love to make a deal and I would love to make a deal with them without bombing them,” Trump had said in the remarks just under a week ago.

“Everybody thinks Israel with our help or our approval will go in and bomb the hell out of them,” Trump had added. “I would prefer that not happen. I’d much rather see a deal with Iran where we can do a deal, supervise, check it, inspect it,” the president continued.

That’s when Trump made one of the more interesting and provocative comments of the interview…

There’s two ways to stopping them: With bombs or a written piece of paper.

So Rubio has reiterated this ultimatum from Jerusalem, with full approval of Netanyahu standing by his side. Iran has meanwhile said it won’t respond to such threats, and has described that even if it wanted a deal, it can no longer trust Washington given it agreed to the JCPOA nuclear deal under Obama, and then Trump pulled out of it in 2018.

February 17, 2025 Posted by | War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , | 2 Comments

Forced displacement of Palestinians from occupied West Bank ‘largest since 1967’

The Cradle | February 17, 2025

The mass displacement carried out by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank is the largest since 1967, according to experts cited by the New York Times (NYT) on 17 February.

“What makes this moment unprecedented is not only the scale of the displacement but also the accompanying discourse, which increasingly normalizes the idea of permanent forced displacement,” said Maha Nassar, a Palestinian historian at the University of Arizona.

“This represents a significant escalation in the longstanding conflict, one that threatens to fundamentally alter the political and demographic landscape of the region,” she went on to say.

At least 55 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli army began its operations in the occupied West Bank last month – which were kicked off by a massive assault on Jenin and its refugee camp that remains ongoing.

The operation quickly expanded to include other cities and towns, including Tulkarem, Tubas, and Nablus.

In Jenin and Tulkarem alone, at least 26,000 Palestinians have been uprooted from their homes. Israeli forces have been destroying houses and wiping out infrastructure. Homes that have not been destroyed are being emptied out, taken over by occupation forces, and transformed into military posts.

“The Israelis have two objectives – first, to push refugees from the northern West Bank toward the central areas, aiming to erase the refugee camps entirely. The second goal is to eliminate resistance and weaken the Palestinian Authority’s ability to govern,” a displaced resident of Tulkarem told NYT.

The Israeli army launched a new raid in Nablus on Monday, after a violent raid in its Old City a day earlier – which injured at least 14, including several children.

Video footage showed Israeli forces opening fire on school children in the Old City of Nablus on Sunday.

Reinforcements have continued to arrive in Jenin and Tulkarem. In Jenin, the assault has been ongoing for nearly a month.

The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) warned last week that the forced expulsion of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank is “escalating at an alarming pace.”

“Jenin Camp stands empty today, evoking memories of the Second Intifada. This scene stands to be repeated in other camps,” UNRWA stated, noting that 40,000 Palestinians have recently been displaced from the occupied West Bank.

“Repeated and destructive operations have rendered the northern refugee camps uninhabitable, trapping residents in cyclical displacement,” the UN agency added.

February 17, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , | Leave a comment

Zelensky demands Israel-style guarantees, immediate EU membership

The Ukrainian leader also insists on a “strong package of missiles” and an army to equal Russia’s

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky © Getty Images / Foto Olimpik; NurPhoto
RT | February 17, 2025

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has outlined a wish list of security guarantees that he wants to be included in a peace agreement with Russia in an interview with NBC News. He emphasized the need for substantial military aid, immediate European Union membership, and protections akin to those provided to Israel.

His demands come as Russia and the US are expected to hold talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, dedicated to finding a resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Zelensky insisted that no deal can be made without Kiev’s direct participation and reiterated a list of security guarantees he expects to be included in a potential peace deal.

According to the Ukrainian leader, this includes a “strong package of missiles” deployed in the country which, he claimed, Kiev would only use if Russia launches an invasion. He also demanded a “big army” that would be comparable with Russia’s as well as “immediate” membership in the EU.

Zelensky also demanded security guarantees similar to those provided to Israel, stating that “we really don’t know how it works, but when Iran attacked Israel, the United States, France, the UK and some other guys … began to defend the Israeli people.”

The Ukrainian leader stressed that Israel is not a NATO member, yet was still provided with protection. He insisted that Kiev should be offered similar protection, apparently suggesting that NATO members should pledge to shoot down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference last week, Zelensky voiced similar demands after the US said that Kiev’s goal of NATO membership was “unrealistic.” Then, Zelensky stated that Kiev would need an army of some 1.5 million soldiers if it is left out of the bloc.

“If Ukraine is not in NATO, it means that Ukraine will build NATO on its territory. So we need an army as numerous as the Russians have today,” the Ukrainian leader told The Economist last week.

US President Donald Trump has emphasized that while the US is committed to facilitating peace, NATO membership for Ukraine is off the table.

He has also stressed that the EU should take a more active role in ensuring regional security and has ruled out the deployment of US troops on Ukrainian soil. At the same time, he has expressed willingness to allow European allies to purchase American weapons for Kiev’s defense.

Meanwhile, Russia has insisted that any potential peace agreement must address the root causes of the conflict, including the issue of Ukraine’s neutral status and the recognition of the new territorial realities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump are reportedly set to meet later this month with delegations from Washington and Moscow already working in Riyadh to set up the summit.

February 17, 2025 Posted by | Economics, Militarism, Russophobia | , , | Leave a comment

Israeli troops used 80-year-old Palestinian as human shield in Gaza before killing him

Press TV – February 16, 2025

Israeli forces have tied explosives around the neck of an elderly Palestinian man in the Gaza Strip and forced him to act as a “human shield” before killing him and his wife, according to an investigation by Israeli media.

The Israeli news website HaMakom revealed that the incident took place last May when Israeli soldiers from several different brigades amassed near the house of a Palestinian couple, both in their 80s, in Gaza City’s Zeitoun neighborhood.

“Fighters who were with the force at the time of the incident… said that in one of the houses in the neighborhood that the force cleared, an elderly Palestinian couple in their 80s was present,” the report said.

“They said they had nowhere to run, and that they could not evacuate to Khan Yunis. The man was walking with a walking stick and they said they simply would not be able to walk all the way there.”

The report added that the Nahal Brigade, the Carmeli Brigade and the Multidimensional Unit, decided to use the elderly Palestinian man, who was not named in reports, as a “human shield.”

An Israeli soldier told HaMakom that after explosives were placed around the Palestinian man’s neck, he was told “that if he does something wrong or not the way we want, the person behind him will pull the rope and his head will detach from the body.”

The soldier added, “That’s how he walked around with us for eight hours, even though he’s an 80-year-old man and even though he couldn’t run away from us. And that’s knowing that there’s a soldier behind him who can pull the rope at any second – and he’s done.”

According to the report, after the elderly Palestinian was forced to enter homes and tunnel allegedly used by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, the soldiers ordered him and his wife to leave the area for al-Mawasi, a small area that was just 1km wide and was being used to house hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.

However, it added, no other battalions were informed that the couple would be making their way south and within 100 meters of being allowed to leave they were both shot dead.

“They died like that, in the street,” another soldier was quoted as saying.

The report highlighted that the decision to use the elderly man as a human shield was part of a long-standing tactic called the “mosquito protocol” which involves Israeli soldiers ordering Palestinians to enter potentially booby-trapped locations – houses, tunnels, and other structures – ahead of the regime’s troops.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported in August that the Israeli occupation army had repeatedly used innocent Palestinians to enter homes and tunnels in its war on Gaza.

During the 15 months of the Israeli regime’s genocidal war against the people of Gaza that began in October 2023, over 48,000 Palestinians were killed, most of them children and women.

Amid severe shortages of essential resources such as food, water, and medical supplies due to deliberate restrictions, the Israeli war on Gaza has forcibly displaced almost all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.

On January 15, the Israeli regime, having failed to achieve any of its war objectives including the “elimination” of Hamas or the release of captives, was forced to agree to a ceasefire deal with the Gaza-based resistance movement.

February 16, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , , | 1 Comment

RAF operated surveillance flights over Gaza on captives release days

Al Mayadeen | February 16, 2025

The Royal Air Force (RAF) conducted surveillance flights near Gaza on each of the five days during the ceasefire when Palestinian Resistance released Israeli captives, Declassified UK revealed.

No such planes were observed heading toward the Strip on the remaining days of the truce.

No information is available on whether the sixth exchange saw similar reconnaissance flights.

The latest flight, operated by a Shadow R1 spy plane, took place on February 8, the same day three Israeli captives— Eli Sharabi, Or Levy, and Ohad Ben Ami — were released. Evidence uncovered by Declassified suggests the plane was airborne at the time of the release.

Other captives were freed on February 1 and on January 19, 25, and 30 as part of the ceasefire deal between “Israel” and Hamas. Among them was British-Israeli Emily Damari. RAF aircraft were also active during these releases, according to flight data.

The surveillance planes take off from Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, heading toward Gaza before switching off their transponders.

Before the ceasefire, these reconnaissance missions occurred almost daily, with the UK government claiming they were assisting “Israel” in locating captives.

‘What intelligence is RAF Akrotiri sharing with Israel?’

Labour MP Brian Leishman said, as quoted by Declassified, “The ongoing use of a British military base in Cyprus with spy planes flying near Gaza is concerning. The purpose of these flights, the activities they undertake, and what happens with any information they gather should be both questioned and explained.”

Campaigners in Cyprus are also skeptical of the UK government’s justification for the continued surveillance.

Melanie Steliou, a Cypriot actress and spokesperson for Social Alliance — a movement affiliated with Cyprus’ main opposition party AKEL — told Declassified, “The explanation that the flights from RAF Akrotiri are only for rescuing captives is not convincing.”

“Why are these flights continuing during a ceasefire? Why are they near Gaza during captive releases? What intelligence is RAF Akrotiri sharing with Israel?”

“Are they only sharing intelligence, or is the involvement of the bases at a greater level, creating even more risks for Cyprus and its people? These are legitimate questions,” Steliou said.

A spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) also said, as quoted by Declassified, “The UK’s operational mandate has been narrowly defined to focus on securing the release of the captives only.”

They claimed that RAF flights in the Eastern Mediterranean during the truce “did not enter Gazan airspace and at all times operated in accordance with the ceasefire and captive release agreement between Israel and Hamas.”

However, the UK military may be violating the spirit, if not the letter, of the ceasefire agreement. The original text of the deal between “Israel” and Hamas stipulated that during the first phase, “all aviation (military and reconnaissance) in the Gaza Strip shall cease for 10 hours a day, and for 12 hours on the days when captives and prisoners are being exchanged.”

This condition was meant to provide Palestinians with respite from Israeli bombardment and assure Hamas that “Israel” would not collect intelligence on captive movements or locations for use if the ceasefire collapsed.

The potential for the UK military to gather intelligence on Hamas during these releases raises concerns that “Israel” could later use such information to resume its offensive against Gaza. The Shadow R1 planes are capable of collecting data for “target acquisition”.

Cypriot concerns grow over British military presence 

The surveillance flights from Cyprus have sparked protests outside Akrotiri air base, where Britain retained 3% of the island following its independence in 1960.

Steliou stated, “What has been going on at the bases for the past 16 months has basically opened a Pandora’s box for the actual existence of the British bases in Cyprus. Cypriot citizens who in the past might have turned a blind eye to the activities on the British bases are now more aware than ever of the implications and the dangers these activities entail for the entire population.”

“We have a right as citizens of this island to know how the British bases are involved in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. These activities, amongst others, make the bases a target which consequently lead to Cyprus being a target,” Steliou added.

She stressed that Social Alliance, AKEL, and other groups on the island have urged Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to demand answers from the British government.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Akrotiri in December and thanked RAF personnel there, saying, “Quite a bit of what goes on here can’t necessarily be talked about all of the time. We can’t necessarily tell the world what you’re doing.”

February 16, 2025 Posted by | Deception, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Israel’ targeting police officers in Rafah violates ceasefire: Hamas

Al Mayadeen | February 16, 2025

Hamas has denounced an Israeli drone strike that targeted police officers in Rafah this Sunday morning, killing three officers. The attack occurred while the officers were securing the entry of humanitarian aid, and Hamas has labeled it a “serious violation” of the ceasefire agreement currently in place.

In an official statement, the movement reiterated its belief that “Israel’s” actions show a deliberate disregard for the terms of the ceasefire. Hamas pointed out that “Israel” had promised to allow the entry of caravans and heavy machinery to Gaza but failed to follow through, as evidenced by their announcement today that these supplies would be denied entry. This breach adds to “Israel’s” ongoing failure to maintain the truce, according to the Palestinian movement.

The statement also criticized “Israel’s” delay in beginning the second phase of negotiations, casting doubt on its commitment to the agreement brokered by international mediators. Hamas further accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of obstructing the peace process, using the time to continue military aggression and pursue policies that could lead to further war crimes.

Hamas condemned the attack and all other violations of the ceasefire and humanitarian protocols, holding “Israel” fully responsible for the repercussions. The movement called on international mediators to step in and pressure “Israel” to fulfill its commitments, including stopping its violations of the ceasefire, implementing the full humanitarian protocol, and immediately starting the second phase of peace talks.

Israeli violations tantamount to agreement failure: Gaza Media Office

In a similar vein, Salama Maarouf, the Director of the Government Media Office in Gaza said earlier today that “Israel’s” refusal to allow the entry of mobile homes and heavy equipment to Gaza constitutes a clear violation of its commitments under the ceasefire agreement and its accompanying humanitarian protocol.

In statements to Al Mayadeen, Maarouf emphasized that “Israel’s” refusal is tantamount to declaring the failure of the ceasefire agreement, despite the Palestinian Resistance’s commitment to its obligations as long as the occupation upholds its own.

He added that the Israeli occupation’s actions are clear proof to the world which party is obstructing the agreement, underscoring the need for mediators to intervene and pressure “Israel” to fulfill its commitments.

Maarouf also highlighted that “the catastrophic living conditions endured by the Palestinian people in Gaza due to the genocide and humanitarian crisis cannot withstand further delays, evasion, or obstruction of the entry of shelter materials and other essential supplies.”

The Palestinian official urged mediators and the international community to assume their responsibilities, respond immediately to Gaza’s urgent needs, and put an end to the ongoing suffering by compelling “Israel” to cease its violations and its exploitation of the plight of 2.4 million people in Gaza.

The Government Media Office in Gaza has repeatedly pointed out that “Israel” continues to stall and delay the implementation of the humanitarian protocol, while the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates at an alarming rate.

Despite the entry of 801 aid trucks into the besieged Gaza Strip on Wednesday, humanitarian organizations warn that “Israel” continues to severely limit the flow of essential supplies, in violation of the ceasefire agreement with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas.

According to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the aid deliveries were made “through interactions with the Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire deal.” However, the agency cautioned that restrictions remain stringent, particularly on critical supplies like fuel and medical equipment.

It is noteworthy that Hamas intended to postpone the prisoner exchange set for February 15 due to the ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement before mediators intervened to overcome obstacles hindering the completion of the implementation of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. The violations include Palestinians being shot at, tanks trespassing the permitted distance, and preventing the entry of heavy equipment, medical supplies, and caravans.

February 16, 2025 Posted by | Deception, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , , | 1 Comment

Osasuna fans call for expelling ‘Israel’ from FIFA, UEFA

Al Mayadeen | February 16, 2025

Fans of Spain’s La Liga joined the wave of pro-Palestine protests sweeping European football stadiums during Saturday night’s match between Osasuna and Real Madrid.

During the game, Osasuna supporters displayed a banner reading, “Show ‘Israel’ the red card,” mirroring a similar sign waved by Scotland Celtic’s fans during Wednesday’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich. Both messages called for “Israel’s” suspension from FIFA and UEFA over its war on the Gaza Strip.

Attention now turns to the Spanish League and how it will respond to the Osasuna supporters.

The Green Brigade, a prominent Celtic fan organization, urged football supporters worldwide to demand “Israel’s” exclusion from international competitions. In a statement on the X platform, the group announced: “At the start of the second half we will wave the sign calling on UEFA and FIFA to suspend Israel from all activity. We call on you to do the right thing, and join soccer fans around the world who support this message.”

“‘Israel’ is committing genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid. In the last 15 months, at least 382 Palestinian footballers and 235 other athletes have been killed, including 96 children and 286 youths. The Israeli occupation has destroyed 147 football facilities and 140 other sports venues across Palestine. These crimes have no place in our beautiful game,” the Celtic fans wrote.

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is expected to launch an investigation and impose sanctions on Celtic over its fans’ actions, likely including a financial penalty, as it has done in similar cases in the past.

February 16, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , , | 1 Comment

Russia’s Lavrov and US’ Rubio Hold Phone Talks

Sputnik – 15.02.2025

Russian and US foreign ministers have held a phone conversation at the initiative of Washington, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik.
Over the course of this conversation, Lavrov and Rubio:

  • Agreed to maintain a communication channel to address accumulated issues in Russian-American relations. This effort aims to remove unilateral barriers inherited from the previous administration that have hindered mutually beneficial trade, economic, and investment cooperation.
  • Expressed a mutual commitment to engage on pressing international issues, including the settlement of the situation around Ukraine, developments concerning Palestine, and broader issues in the Middle East and other regional matters.
  • Exchanged views on ways to promptly end the policy initiated by the Obama administration in 2016, which significantly tightened conditions for the functioning of Russian diplomatic missions in the US, prompting reciprocal measures.
  • Agreed to organize an expert meeting in the near future to coordinate concrete steps for the mutual removal of obstacles to the operations of Russian and US diplomatic missions abroad.
  • Reaffirmed their readiness to work together on restoring a respectful intergovernmental dialogue in line with the tone set by the presidents.
  • Agreed to maintain regular contacts, including for the preparation of a high-level Russian-American meeting.

February 15, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , | Leave a comment

House panel seeks Columbia Palestine protesters’ disciplinary records

Al Mayadeen | February 14, 2025

The US House Committee on Education and the Workforce demanded Columbia University turn over disciplinary records by the end of this month for students who participated in anti-“Israel” protests between April and January 2024, denouncing the Ivy League University’s handling of the students.

The House panel sent a six-page letter to the university leadership saying that the university failed to deliver its promise to students, faculty, and Congress that it’d address “anti-semitism”, saying that “Columbia’s continued failure to address the pervasive anti-semitism that persists on campus is untenable, particularly given that the university receives billions in federal funding.”

The letter cites the protesters taking over the campus last year, and students disrupting an Israeli professor’s lecture this semester. The letter adds that Columbia failed to properly discipline those responsible, which created a “hostile environment for members of Columbia’s Jewish communities.”

Trump cracks down on student protesters

Students across major universities in the US launched anti-war, pro-Palestine protests across the country, setting up solidarity encampments, with some students calling for their universities to cut ties with “Israel.”

Trump signed an executive order that allows the US government to use “all available and appropriate legal tools to combat anti-semitism, including prosecuting and deporting those accused of anti-Semitic harassment,” with the order targeting pro-Palestine student protesters.

The current US president vowed to expel student protesters from the United States and get rid of pro-Palestine protests to a group of donors saying, “One thing I do is, any student that protests, I throw them out of the country. You know, there are a lot of foreign students. As soon as they hear that, they’re going to behave.”

American-Zionist group World Betar compiled a list of names of students on Visas to send to Trump to deport them for joining in anti-“Israel” protests after the group launched a campaign to identify these students.

Columbia professor, NYU students persecuted over pro-Palestine activism

Earlier last month, Katherine Franke, a law professor and outspoken supporter of pro-Palestine students, parted ways with Columbia University on January 11, following an investigation into comments she made about Israeli students. This marked the consequence of activism surrounding Gaza on a major university campus amid the ongoing Israeli genocide.

Franke, a tenured professor, had supported pro-Palestine students amid protests at the university last year. She was one of several faculty members investigated for alleged anti-semitism.

She described her departure as “a termination dressed up in more palatable terms,” stating in a Friday statement that she agreed to leave due to Columbia becoming a “toxic and hostile environment.” Columbia University spokesperson Samantha Slater confirmed that a complaint had been filed accusing Franke of discriminatory harassment in violation of university policies, leading to an investigation.

The Center for Constitutional Rights, a nonprofit legal group, condemned the end of Franke’s career at Columbia as an “egregious attack on both academic freedom and Palestinian rights advocacy.”

In a related context, more than a dozen NYU students and faculty distributed flyers and hung banners throughout the Bobst Library, while 13 individuals staged a sit-in on the library’s administrative floor.

The protesters were demanding a meeting with university administrators, who had previously promised to reveal details of the university’s endowment, including investments in weapons manufacturers and companies linked to “Israel” and its occupation of Palestine, during the spring Gaza solidarity encampment movement.

February 14, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Solidarity and Activism, War Crimes | , , , , | 1 Comment

Ceasefire Monitor Committee Plans Lebanese Army Control of Southern Towns after Incomplete Israeli Withdrawal

Al-Manar | February 14, 2025

US Central Command announced that the ceasefire committee conducted planning to complete transfer of all villages to LAF control by February 18.

Head of the Ceasefire Monitoring Committee in Lebanon, U.S. General Jasper Jeffers had stated, “We are confident that the Lebanese army will control the villages south of Litani River before Tuesday.”

Meanwhile, the Israeli media reflected the occupation’s insistence on keeping troops in five positions in South Lebanon after February 18. The Jerusalem Post reported that ‘Israel’ rejected a French proposal that enhances the Israeli full withdrawal with UN forces replacing the occupation troops in the five said positions.

Al-Manar TV’s editor of Hebrew affairs Hasan Hejazi said that the Israeli enemy insists on keeping troops in South Lebanon in order to blackmail Lebanon and achieve more gains in return for its full withdrawal.

The ceasefire took effect on November 27, 2024, ending a 66-day Zionist war on Lebanon. After the end of the 60-day withdrawal deadline, the biased US sponsor of the agreement supported the Israeli enemy in keeping its occupation forces in South Lebanon till February 18, 2025.

Regarding the Zionist violations, the Israeli enemy boob-trapped seven houses in the northeastern sector of Yaroun border town. The Israeli occupation forces erected surveillance equipment in Mount Blat area in preparation to keep troops there after February 18.

February 14, 2025 Posted by | Deception, Illegal Occupation, War Crimes | , , , , | Leave a comment

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