In the view of the German Foreign Minister, Israel has the right to kill civilians by bombing the areas where they live, if there are "terrorists who misuse it."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock addressed her country's parliament on the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 of last year.

The right to self-defense "does not mean attacking terrorists, but destroying them," Baerbock said.

She added: "When Hamas elements hide among people and behind schools, civilian places lose their protected status because terrorists violate them."

"I made clear at the United Nations that civilian sites could lose this protected status if terrorists abused it," she continued.

She considered that "Israel's security is part of Berlin's interest" regardless of who is in power in Germany, as it is not a partisan issue.

Meanwhile, the German minister said she is making daily efforts to ensure aid reaches Gaza.

She continued: "One thing is clear, Israel cannot enjoy lasting peace if it is not available to its Palestinian neighbors."

Germany is one of Israel's biggest allies in Europe, while Ireland is one of the countries closest to the Palestinian people.

The Biden administration has warned Israel that it will face potential punishment, including a possible halt to US arms transfers, if it does not take immediate action to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

In the letter, written by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the Biden administration is urging Benjamin Netanyahu's government to ease humanitarian suffering in the region by lifting restrictions on aid entry within 30 days or face unspecified political "consequences."

The four-page letter, dated October 13, was sent to Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, and Ron Dermer, the minister of strategic affairs, and came to light after it was shared on social media. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller confirmed Tuesday that the letter was authentic and that it used plain language to highlight the urgency of the moment and the magnitude of Palestinian suffering.

Miller said the US side intended the letter to be a private diplomatic communication, adding that its timing was not influenced by next month's presidential election, which is hotly contested in Michigan, where many Arab American voters have expressed anger at the White House's support for Israel's conduct in the war.

In response to a question from the Jerusalem correspondent about why he wrote it in the form of a letter, rather than using the phone, Miller hinted that the letter contains several specific details that the administration wants to see fulfilled in order to bring aid into Gaza and reduce the suffering of the Palestinians.

In response to a question from the Jerusalem correspondent about what will happen to the besieged Palestinians (400,000) within the 30 days specified in the letter, “they may die of hunger or burn,” as we have seen, Miller said, “The administration expects aid to be delivered immediately, without delay.”

Democratic strategists fear that discontent over Gaza could cost Kamala Harris, the party's vice president and nominee, the state to Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 election.

The letter complains of delays in US-funded aid at crossing points into Gaza, and says aid flows to the war-ravaged territory have dropped by more than 50 percent since Israel promised in March to allow more aid to be delivered.

After a surge in aid following U.S.-Israel contacts in March and April, aid entering the Strip in September fell to its lowest levels, Blinken and Austin wrote, since last October, when Israel launched a massive military offensive in response to a Hamas attack that killed some 1,200 Israelis and took more than 250 hostages.

The letter says the administration is particularly concerned about recent actions by the Israeli government...that are contributing to the accelerating deterioration of conditions in Gaza, and are dealing a severe blow to the downward humanitarian trajectory. “Consistent with its assurances to us, Israel must, beginning now and within 30 days, take ‘a series of specific steps, including allowing the entry of at least 350 trucks of aid per day and imposing humanitarian pauses in Israeli military activity.’”

“Failure to demonstrate a sustained commitment to implementing and maintaining these measures could have implications for U.S. policy under NSM-20 and relevant U.S. law,” the letter adds.

NSM-20 refers to a memorandum issued by the White House National Security Council that allows for “appropriate next steps” if the State Department or Pentagon determines that a country receiving U.S. military assistance is not meeting previous assurances to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The memo states that “such reform could include measures ranging from renewal of assurances to suspension of any further transfers of defense articles or, as appropriate, defense services.”

Congressional Republicans called on the White House to rescind NSM-20, calling it “redundant” and dismissing it as intended to “mollify critics of security assistance to our vital ally Israel.”

Other relevant legislation that could be used is Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act and the Leahy Act, which prohibits the U.S. government from providing military assistance or selling weapons to countries that restrict humanitarian assistance or violate human rights.

Miller, the State Department spokesman, declined to elaborate when asked what consequences Israel might face for refusing to meet U.S. demands for increased aid access.

“There are implications under U.S. law that I won’t talk about, largely because we hope Israel will make the changes that the secretary outlined in the letter,” he said. “We’ve seen Israel make changes before, and when it makes changes it can increase humanitarian assistance. We know that can be done.”

He said a previous letter Blinken wrote in April increased humanitarian aid flows. An Israeli official confirmed the latest letter had been received but would not discuss details, the Associated Press reported.

There has been repeated US push to allow increased aid to the besieged enclave to ease humanitarian suffering. The floating dock, announced by Joe Biden in his State of the Union address, was initially hailed as a breakthrough in providing aid but was eventually dismantled after it suffered repeated weather and security problems.

Meanwhile, at least a half-dozen government officials have resigned in protest at U.S. support for the Israeli military operation. Stacey Gilbert said she resigned in protest over an administration report to Congress that falsely stated that Israel had not blocked aid.

The Guardian reported this year that US officials had documented more than a dozen cases of abuse since 2020 but that weapons continued to flow to Israel.

More than 42,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have been killed and most buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or badly damaged in a year-long Israeli offensive with the stated aim of eradicating Hamas.

Netanyahu has repeatedly ignored U.S. entreaties to moderate its conduct of the war in Gaza. Israel insists much of the aid has dual-use potential that could help Hamas militants and also says it has been plundered.

The United States has imposed sanctions on the Palestinian prisoner support network Samidoun, accusing the organization of being a “fake charity” that raises funds for a blacklisted left-wing Palestinian political faction.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the US Treasury Department said that the Samidoun network operates as an international fundraising entity for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which Washington has designated as a "terrorist" group.

“Organizations like Samidoun masquerade as charities claiming to provide humanitarian support to those in need, but in reality divert funds intended for much-needed aid to support terrorist groups,” Treasury official Bradley Smith said in the statement, a copy of which was received by Al-Quds.

The United States imposed the sanctions in coordination with the Canadian government, which on Tuesday designated Samidoun as a “terrorist entity.”

Canada said the group "has close ties to and supports the interests" of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is also listed as a "terrorist" organization in the country, and that it had designated the pro-Palestinian Samidoun group as a terrorist entity in a joint effort with the United States.

In announcing the move, the two governments said Samidoun, also known as the Palestinian Prisoners Solidarity Network, has close ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine is listed as a terrorist entity in Canada, the United States, and the European Union.

“The United States is committed to working with our partners to expose and deter those who exploit humanitarian motives to further their malign goals,” the statement said. “Today, in coordination with Canada, we are sanctioning the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, a front-line charity that serves as an international fundraiser for the terrorist organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.”

The US government alleges that “the PFLP uses the Samidoun network to maintain fundraising operations in both Europe and North America. We are also designating Khaled Barakat, a member of the PFLP leadership, as a terrorist.”

Hamas said that the message of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to increase aid to Gaza within 30 days is a complete cover for the Israeli occupation government and a blatant justification for its massacres.

Hamas added that the one-month deadline holds the US administration fully responsible for the continued crimes of starvation, thirst, and death from disease.

She pointed out that the paper of increasing aid to the Gaza Strip that Washington is waving is a blatant attempt to polish its image stained with the blood of the Palestinians.

Hamas also condemned the statement of the German Foreign Minister regarding her government’s lack of objection to Israel’s targeting of civilians and hospitals, noting that her statement was impudent and a blatant violation of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of Genocide and an explicit admission of participation in supporting the occupation.

Australia has condemned the killing of innocent civilians by Israel in recent operations in the Gaza Strip.

The Australian Foreign Minister said in a statement today that the humanitarian situation in northern Gaza is unacceptable.

"Israel must allow the flow of essential supplies," she added. "I have asked Australian officials to communicate our concerns directly to Israel."

The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, confirmed that the destruction in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli war is "unprecedented", and that the destruction of UNRWA has become one of the goals of the war.

"There is a growing feeling that international law is being applied selectively, especially with what is happening in Gaza," Lazzarini said at a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

"About 70% of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip has been destroyed," he added, "and the situation in Gaza is horrific for professional relief workers, and the scale of the destruction is unprecedented."

He added that "the majority of the population of the Gaza Strip is crowded into an area that does not exceed 10% of the entire area of the Strip," and "about 400,000 people are stuck in the northern Gaza Strip."

He stressed that "Israel does not allow international media to go to Gaza, and the information coming from there is limited."

Lazraini attacked Israel, saying that "dismantling UNRWA has become a goal of the war... and that "Israeli legislators are working to pass laws to dismantle UNRWA."

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced today, Wednesday, that the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 42,409, the majority of whom are children and women, since the start of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7, 2023.

The ministry added in a brief statement that the number of injuries has risen to 99,153 since the start of the aggression, while thousands of victims are still under the rubble.

She pointed out that the occupation forces committed 6 massacres during the past 24 hours, resulting in the death of 65 citizens and the injury of 140 others.

Dozens of Lebanese citizens were killed and injured on Wednesday as a result of the occupation warplanes bombing various towns in Lebanon, amid widespread destruction of buildings, facilities and infrastructure.

Lebanese media reported that dozens of citizens were killed and injured in the Nabatieh municipality building in southern Lebanon, and that the mayor, Ahmed Kahil, and a number of municipal council members were present inside the targeted building at the time of the raids.

The occupation aircraft targeted the towns of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Nabatieh al-Tahta, Zebdine, Kfar Joz, and Kfar Tibnit in the Nabatieh region with several raids.

The occupation's warplanes and artillery also targeted the towns of: Aita al-Shaab, Majdal Salim, Ramyeh, Naqoura, Khiyam, Bint Jbeil, Sultaniyeh, Yater, Taybeh, Qalila, Haniyeh, Markaba, Houla, Rab Thalatheen, Adaisseh, Kfar Kila, Marjeyoun Plain, Hanin, Tayri, Beit Lif, and Aita al-Jabal in southern Lebanon.

1. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and its partners announced the success of the #BlockTheBoat campaign in preventing the explosive-laden ship, the Catherine, from reaching Israel.

The movement said that thanks to its continued pressure, the Maltese government prevented the ship from entering its waters, while other countries such as Namibia and Angola refused to allow it to dock in their ports.

The ship, flying the Portuguese flag, was carrying eight containers of explosives used in the manufacture of high-explosive bombs, which were headed to Israel to bolster its military operations in the Gaza Strip.

The Portuguese government responded to popular and union pressure and forced the ship to remove its flag.

The UN Special Rapporteur in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese, also called for an investigation into the ship's case, stressing that any transfer of military equipment to Israel constitutes a violation of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

In this context, the BDS movement called for escalating pressure on governments to prevent complicity with the Israeli colonial regime and to impose military sanctions on it.

A 58-year-old citizen was injured today, Wednesday, by Israeli occupation forces’ bullets near the town of Baqa al-Sharqiya, north of Tulkarm.

According to local sources, the citizen was shot in the knee by live occupation bullets, at the gate of the racist separation and expansion wall built on citizens' lands in the town of Baqa al-Sharqiya.

She pointed out that the citizen is from the town of Qabatiya in Jenin Governorate, and was transferred to the Martyr Thabet Thabet Hospital.

The Prisoners and Freed Prisoners Affairs Authority said this morning, Wednesday, according to its lawyer’s visit to Gilboa Prison two days ago, that the prisoners are living a tragic life and a painful reality due to the fascist and racist policies pursued by the occupation prison administration in dealing with them.

The Authority noted that among the methods used by the administration are beating, cursing, breaking, and storming rooms and sections, which have become a fixed routine. The food provided to them is still poor in quantity and quality, and there is a severe shortage of clothes and blankets, and there are no indications of taking into account the weather conditions with the arrival of winter, in addition to the spread of skin diseases, the absence of cleaning materials and disinfectants, the continuation of the policy of isolation from the outside world, and the imposition of restrictions and obstacles on communication within the rooms and sections.

The Commission added that the sections inside the prisons still suffer from severe overcrowding, and the detainee cannot sit or move except on the space of the mattress he owns.

This morning, Wednesday, the Israeli occupation army launched 3 air strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, after evening strikes that led to the death of 23 people in southern and eastern Lebanon.

The official Lebanese News Agency said that the enemy warplanes launched three successive raids on the southern suburb of Beirut, one of which targeted the Haret Hreik area.

The agency added that a raid targeted a building near the "Qaiq" school, without details.

The southern suburb is the area between the southern coast of Beirut and the beginning of Mount Lebanon east of the capital, and is administratively affiliated with the Mount Lebanon Governorate (west).

With international warnings continuing about the seriousness of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the stifling Israeli blockade coupled with a large-scale military operation in which Israel is killing the Palestinian people without mercy, the United States has issued a new threat to Israel about the need to improve the situation.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivered a message to Israel demanding urgent steps within 30 days to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, to avoid legal consequences for US military aid to Israel under US law.

The question that arises, accompanied by disapproval and denunciation of the American position: Is it reasonable for the United States to demand only improving the social situation of the citizens of Gaza, as if everything else is going well? Wouldn’t the Biden administration have been worthy of obliging Israel in a direct and unambiguous manner to stop the war of extermination and end the aggression file once and for all, if it was truly keen on improving the humanitarian situation in the Strip?

At a time when the US administration is writing to Israel, expressing its deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation, and demanding urgent and sustainable steps and measures from the Israeli government, we ask here: What caused this dangerous humanitarian situation? Wasn’t the reason the American weapons with which Israel kills our people, destroys their homes and burns their tents, thus exacerbating their deteriorating humanitarian situation?

Why shouldn’t the United States be the one to take the initiative and take all the steps that would end this bloody war and stop it forever? The dangerous and catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza is caused by the war, and its results are what have ravaged all aspects of Palestinian life. There is no doubt that the continuation of the war will deepen and increase the level of the humanitarian catastrophe, because the ongoing Israeli aggression is what is preventing the arrival of aid, food, water and medicine, and the conditions will remain the same as long as the fires of war continue.

The American warning to Israel is another failed attempt to beautify the aggression and try to give it a legitimate character, at a time when the United States realizes that Israel is waging a war of extermination, and that this war has no goal other than eliminating our people and displacing them from northern Gaza to the center and south.

The war and the continuation of aggression are the greatest challenge facing the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. As long as a binding, bold and courageous decision has not been issued to stop this aggression immediately and implement the decision to stop on the ground, all other appeals and demands are considered marginal and ineffective. They are considered a permit and authorization for Israel to continue shedding the blood of the Palestinians, with little attention to the entry of some trucks loaded with food, water and medicine aid. In return, the United States pledges to continue supporting and supplying Israel with weapons, equipment and military ammunition, through which the Palestinians are slaughtered.

The United States is a true partner of Israel in the war of extermination, and they bear responsibility for the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Strip. If the United States does not take serious action to stop Israel and end the global war on Gaza, it will remain a partner and contributor to the criminal campaign against our people, who do not need to end the war first, and then aid and all facilities to improve their living conditions will reach them. As for the continuation of the war, it will ultimately remain the biggest obstacle preventing the arrival of aid, and thus not changing the humanitarian situation and its deadly crisis.

The United States is saying to Israel: Feed them and then kill them.

The direct Zionist aggression against Palestine today (2024 AD), which has continued for decades - for whoever wants to understand first, understand, that is his business - is directed with complete clarity and with its direct and indirect messages to slaughter the Arab nation first, and behind it the Islamic nation, by slaughtering it and tearing out its beating heart, that is Palestine, and trampling it under the feet of elephants, donkeys, and wolves.

If you are one of those who have not yet understood that the tyranny, oppression, (the disciplinary campaign), barbarism, and Zionist-American invasion target you as an individual, your mind, and your soul, and a people, and peoples, and the entire Arab nation and the Islamic nation behind it, and then the free world, then that is your business, and your business, and you can continue sleeping on honey.

But, let it be known to you that Palestine is the field and example of concentrated destruction and genocide and the model! And the nation is the field of the broader message where work is done to destroy all the factors of its solidarity and its lofty values and its unification, and where the resources of the nation must be drained (including humanity by making it ignorant and draining it with amusement and trivialities, and all the values of decadence that are decorated and legalized), and its fragmentation must be perpetuated (as is happening and will happen geographically, nationally and intellectually, and by targeting all meanings of rapprochement and unity in a way that harms and distorts the great religion daily, and by belittling the mighty Arabic language and all the commonalities), and its being confined under the umbrella of the goals of American-Zionist colonialism (colonialism) that has not ceased since the establishment of the entity to isolate the nation from all components of renaissance.

The thoughtful and contemplative among the nation’s wise men knows that the idea of American glorification, shock and terror, and then the Zionist or joint idea today - against Palestine and Lebanon directly, which followed the idea of dazzle, amazement and obtaining (morbid) admiration for the West, and the exclusivity of its mind, achievements and inventions! Has generated over time a state of voluntary submission and subservience, surrender, and then integration within the scope of the Zionist view of the region.

It has become overwhelming in the consciousness of the Arab and Muslim nation that we are not as strong, renaissance (and great) as the West, America, or it and Israel! They are the greatest and most powerful in all fields! And we are just future consumers! And not only that, but we are (voracious) consumers who are never satisfied, or as one of the submissive Arabs said, "They make, and we buy what they make with our money!?" in a stupid, nihilistic thought that is unparalleled.

Today, America and Israel are waging a major psychological (and military genocidal) war, the idea of which is to portray the Zionist occupier (with absolute American and other Western support) as unbreakable first, and that you are obliged to absorb it as a “Middle Eastern” entity.

Third, not only absorb and digest it, but accept it (by force or willingly) and place it as a crown on your head because it is the one who dominates you.

Fourthly, just as you surrendered to the Western consumerist-exploitative-colonial aggression, it is even more appropriate that you volunteer yourselves to accept the spoiled son of this Western-American exploitation, that is, the Zionist oppressive hand that dominates the region, and that what awaits you is not what is happening today in Palestine and Lebanon, or what happened before that with Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, etc.

A number of governments or cowardly rulers (the plural of coward is cowardly) and a number of major lying and misleading media outlets cooperate with the direct Zionist brutal hand. These are very clear and obvious from the first moment they singled out the concerned dusty Zionist faces to appear on Arab screens, and under the auspices of the former Zionist Prime Minister, Shimon Peres, the wolf who publicly blessed this, and through his opening of one of the fraudulent satellite channels.

Then, later, a number of satellite channels, whether intentionally or unintentionally, agreed with this fact, i.e., receiving and celebrating the savage fascist Israeli leaders on the screens of Arab satellite channels.

The Arab masses in the East and West are fighting between watching (and voluntarily capturing their minds without thinking) this satellite channel that is clearly loyal to the exploiter and theorizing about it or opposing it, or watching that clever, malicious, deceitful one that is also loyal to the American-Zionist exploiter, especially since the sprawling American military bases trample the lands of this satellite channel and that one together, and all of these satellite channels or channels are pouring into the American-Zionist mill no matter how different they seem to you!

Not to mention the media-propaganda-psychological-mental flood, through words, images, and ugly, lowly visuals, discouraging and aiming to beautify vices and belittle virtues by the millions (see what is being circulated on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and other terrifying sites) that knock on your ears and eyes to physically, mentally, and psychologically separate you from your entire nation and beliefs, and from your Arab-Islamic civilizational values with the precious Eastern Christian contributions, and to be an enemy to the sons of your one civilization and your great, unifying language, between the Arabs, the Amazighs, and the great Kurds, and thus you lose all the factors of beauty, giving, firmness, meeting, and wonderful diversity, so that you no longer belong even to yourself! Because you no longer know yourself!?

Hence the Zionist-American psychological warfare aimed at destroying confidence in the Arab nation, its great figures and its ability to renew and rise, and in the Arab-Palestinian cause, and in the ability of the Arab and Palestinian to rise with all means of strength, from technology, economy, science, open and enlightened thought, and agriculture, industry, military, culture and media... and in the diplomatic and political war and the war of narrative, everything is integrated. And where it is necessary to use these means or those within the conscious understanding and the rational (strategic) mind that accumulates the factors of construction with faith, perseverance, patience and continuity.

The state of fragmentation that America and Israel succeeded in making a general state (and acceptable and welcome!) in the Arab and then Islamic region, is what positioned and dominated the Israeli occupier and dominator over the entire Arab circle and from its center, that is, in Palestine, and in doing so it was able to achieve victory in different directions, and expanded its scientific, technological, mental-psychological, security and military influence.

Hence the importance of their destruction of the factors of Arab unity in all its forms, the fragmentation of their countries, and then the captivity of their rulers and even their people to the greedy, consumerist, dazzling mentality, which means bringing them to a state of relaxation, surrender, or despair, so that humiliation to the dominant becomes an answered call and a persistent effort.

The nation has the major renaissance factors no less than what the West, China, Russia, Brazil, or other nations have, and perhaps more, and with them as a whole it can and will, because the will of the human being, the people, and the nation is stronger than all the cannons of military or psychological-mental war, but “prepare” and “be glad.”

“Thou shalt not kill,” is the fifth commandment that confronts us with the inhuman and immoral possibility that a human being can decide to end the life of his fellow human being and eliminate him.

Thus, we find that the Ten Commandments stress the need to observe the love of God and the love of neighbor in everything we do and perform, in order to walk on the path of salvation. This is the reality of the situation with regard to Christianity and every Christian believer, but it is also true with regard to all of humanity, as murder cannot be a moral law, but remains a heinous crime.

Death is the opposite of life. Killing is the opposite of life. Giving life is the opposite of taking life. Who has the power to take lives? Who can kill his own kind or has already killed his own kind? Who allows this number of deaths to increase day by day, and who has the power to stop the bloodshed, but does nothing to do anything? I believe that the answers to these questions, which many people in the world ask themselves, are clear and do not need explanation, but unfortunately no one comes forward to answer them courageously. These are questions asked by every living conscience who feels the absence of truth and justice. The death of one human being is a painful event, let alone the death of innocent and defenseless people! It hurts more than anything. A person of living conscience cannot understand or comprehend the lack of human compassion, or the indifference that remains inhuman to him. Hatred is the opposite of love, and revenge is the opposite of forgiveness. Where does this enormous amount of hatred come from? What drives one man to make another man suffer? It seems that we are unable to stop the violence that we do not find its equivalent even in the animal world, because in the animal world we find a lot of solidarity between members of the same species.

In the Holy Land, the killing of unarmed civilians continues, violence is spreading and the death toll in Lebanon, the West Bank and Syria is rising, while in Gaza, the death toll is unfortunately a statistic that is constantly increasing, even if it is no longer in the news. Thousands of displaced people live in tents and suffer from great hardships, while thousands of survivors face hunger, thirst, heat and cold that has returned a full year after the tragedy began.

Aid is not arriving, or if it does, it is not enough, and yet it is still prohibited. Saving lives has become an extremely difficult task, with medicine shortages and hospitals in shambles due to the continuous targeting. Many are buried under the rubble, and many more have not yet been properly buried. Death and destruction are being sown, human lives, homes, roads, places of support for the body and soul are being lost, and the wonders of nature that God gave to ungrateful and irresponsible humanity are being destroyed. People are killing and destroying themselves for the sake of interest and power. Murder is being committed with complete disregard and indifference to the basic needs of our neighbors, and murders are being committed with indifference and in the absence of any decisive action to stop the war, despite the possibilities to stop it. God was merciful to Cain, forgave him and protected him from those who wanted to harm him.

Not committing murders does not only mean stopping supporting war and sending weapons, but also stopping planting murder in thought and mind first, and stopping supplying arms to parties second. This will not happen except by adopting a new approach that begins with the infancy of children at home, school and on the street, an approach that depends on planting the values of love, truth, justice and respect for the human being as a gift from God Almighty for which man has no merit. On the other hand, this is achieved by stopping creating conflicts to become an arena for marketing new deadly weapons, for which innocent people become a testing ground. However, far from this rosy dream and idealism that conflicts with the greed and power of some masters of this world, the immediate demand and need now and immediately lies in working firmly and seriously to stop the war, and then we will look into how to prevent it from happening again. How can this civilized world, whose countries compete and boast about abolishing the death penalty from their constitutions, fail to stop this war? Do not the innocent deserve a human constitution as well as a divine constitution, in which the Giver of life is the only one who has the right to restore it? Enough war, enough taking innocent lives, this bloodshed will not achieve victory or accomplishment except to increase the burden of its masters’ sin and the weight of their guilt before themselves and before people, and most importantly: before God Almighty, who commanded us: “Do not kill”!

We may be wrong, in any argument, if we rely on a text by an Israeli writer, for reality is sufficient as a damning testimony to respond to him. Moreover, there is no one in their “state” who calls for peace or stopping the war. They all call for genocide.. and there is nothing left except the extreme right, the rabbinic and the biblical racist, there is no left, no matter how sad. As for those who object, they are dozens that can be counted on the fingers and have no influence, and we must not fall into the traps of some of them who claim to be leftists, because the danger in the discourse of the Israeli left is that it shows genocide as if it is an emergency, and not inherent in its structure. Everything in the occupying state is composed of its right and its most extreme right, and their entity is based on the idea of the goyim and superiority, and the "left" works to vent us, polish the image of the murderous Israel, and beautify their narrative after ridding it of exaggerations, and in it there is partial recognition, that does not condemn the occupying state.. Haaretz newspaper, for example, is not a reliable source and will not be, but rather it is an essential part of Israeli propaganda. It is the image of the "enlightened" occupation with its left and right, that benefits from our blood in killing, and in polishing the image of the murderer. Even when talking about the victims of genocide, they are mentioned here as an emergency disaster, not as an act of a pure decision by a settler state founded on our uprooting. I tend to think that the writer "Gideon Levy", for example, is not one of these, like "Shlomo Sand", "M. Rabkin" and "Alan Pappe", who went beyond the phenomenon of the "new historians", and established a mature and profound human critical position, which is considered a plea against Zionism and its fabricated fascist discourse! But they are individuals, and they have no voice or influence. And through their tongues we condemn their group.

Far from being mentally cold towards what the new historians in Israel have detonated, we are creating this calm dialogue about a phenomenon that raises controversy among us Palestinians, and among Arab political thinkers and intellectuals, not to mention concerned Israeli circles.

And because we live here in Palestine, we and a number of those interested in this matter, within national masses that are engaged in daily engagement with the Israelis on various levels, the dialogue or debate about the phenomenon of the new historians must be far from tension, rashness, dazzle, applause, quick condemnation, blind ignorant rejection, sick satisfaction, or stupid silence, especially after the former Prime Minister of the occupation (Barak) acknowledged the suffering of the Palestinian people, and his Minister of Culture expressed his shame over the (Kafr Qasim) massacre, which constituted the beginning of the occupation state’s attention to the dark chapters of their past, as they say, which is consistent with some of what some historians in Israel raised years ago, and considered, despite its importance, a small and timid step... not enough?

1. They didn't believe our crying.

First and foremost, it must be noted that if the new historians had not appeared in Israel, and if they had not written what they wrote, we would also have known the information they provided, and we would have read what they indicated through the vast amount of official documents that are more than sixty years old in the archives of official British and Israeli institutions, and the laws of the two parties mentioned allowed for their publication. Thus, these historians relied on those documents first, meaning that they did not ask a single Palestinian how he was expelled from his land, and not a single Israeli historian believed the vast amount of “Palestinian crying” for nearly eight decades. That is, the world did not believe our story, but this world believed their lies, and now it believes their fragmented story as well. First of all, these historians would not have appeared in Israel if it were not for this society that is always in crisis, congested with beliefs, theories, and ideologies that no longer meet the changes in reality, and the average Israeli discovered before anyone else the crisis of Zionism itself, and thus the crisis of the entire society.

Above all else, the new historians did not add anything new to our historical narrative. On the contrary, they subtracted from it, and presented it to us, to the world, and to themselves as fragments, parts, and scraps, often with no connection between them. In other words, what did Benny Morris and Tom Segev offer more than Dr. Walid Khalidi or Elias Sanbar? And why should we celebrate this celebration just because an Israeli researcher admitted, whether timidly or courageously, the massacres and atrocities committed by his group against us?

We have to benefit from them.

Calmly, objectively, and responsibly, we say: What the new historians are doing is good and useful, in that they confirm part of our narrative, dismantle the official Zionist narrative, and, in some way, shake the national, historical, and even religious illusions on which Israel builds itself - even if they do not destroy the Zionist ideological foundation itself.

Since these people are writing for themselves and not for us, and since they are re-evaluating, reviewing and holding their “experience” accountable, and not out of love for “our eyes” or to restore our rights or to withdraw from our lands, homes, beaches, “our bread and salt,” our role now – politicians, intellectuals, governmental and non-governmental bodies – is to benefit from this change, and from this shift in positions, and to exploit it well in the daily confrontation on various levels. This question is posed to the Palestinians, and serious, conscious and responsible mechanisms can be thought of to benefit from this “post-Zionist” trend, and we leave this question to the relevant parties to answer. That is, to include the results of the research of the new historians that concern us in any upcoming negotiations for the final status, especially with regard to the refugees, in addition to disseminating these results to international cultural and scientific organizations and relevant forums.

They are an expression of crisis.

The new Israeli historian - in fact - did not do or offer me anything new. He did not write to me to discuss with me, nor did he write to me to relieve my pain, nor did he ask me, for he did not believe me in the first place. He - in practice - criticizes his society, and destroys its lies and illusions in order to correct its conditions, purify it, strengthen it, and heal it. He does this based on the fact that Israeli society allows all ideas and ideologies to appear and express themselves freely - within laws and conditions that Arabs and Palestinians cannot express themselves through, and here lies the racism.

The emergence of the new historian is an expression of a crisis and not an expression of an awakening of conscience. The new historian is not a party or a popular political movement. He comes from an academic elite, meaning that he has no significant popular influence at all. None of them will ever reach the popularity of “Yeshayahu Leibowitz” (the Prophet of Wrath), as the Israelis themselves called him (Leibowitz is a Jewish professor specializing in physics and philosophy, and has many publications. One of his most important ideas is that he denounced Israel’s occupation of Arab lands and considered it a betrayal of the Zionist project and a filthiness of the Israeli moral system. He considered the occupation of another people to be a demographic disruption and the beginning of the end of the pure Jewish state. He also considered that the official Zionist establishment is turning into a servant of a larger imperialist project. One of his funny opinions is that he believes that current Jews are original Jews because they only maintain the sanctity of the Sabbath).

Heshbon Nefesh

Israelis are accustomed to what they call in Hebrew “Heshbon Nefesh,” meaning “self-reflection,” as a defense mechanism they have acquired since the first curses of God. Is this new historian doing this process publicly, after everyone felt that Zionism is strong enough to criticize itself in order to renew youth, activity, and push forward?

Isn't it my right to hold myself accountable too, feeling at the same time that free expression and independent thought are the best ways to know the fault, and also believing that self-criticism is beneficial to the individual, society and the state, and that a dynamic society is the society that can create individuals capable of far-reaching, comprehensive and free vision!

Peace forces to preserve the "state"

Before we talk about the phenomenon of the new historians, we must point out a popular phenomenon that preceded it, namely the “peace movements” with their various names, contents and orientations. Unlike the phenomenon of the new historians, they were popular and had a negligible influence on political decision-makers – to some extent. They carried out certain activities on certain occasions. Now, without any exaggeration, bravado or illusions, we know that these peace movements did not go beyond the Zionist thought one iota! They all started from one single concept, which is to preserve “society and state” with the least possible losses, and there is no way to do that except by “imposing peace with the Arabs who believe in the Jewish existence and the Zionist project.”

The work of these peace movements was characterized by duality, contradiction and vacillation, which caused them to lose many of their supporters and influence, not forgetting that the reason for the emergence of such movements is the adventures, crises and crazy policies carried out by the ruling establishment in Israel, which have led, are leading and will always lead to tarnishing Israel's image. The peace movements, regardless of their differences - out of fear for this reputation - do what they believe is best for Israel.

As for the question of how we Palestinians deal with such movements, it is also left to the relevant parties to develop plans and mechanisms for correct and conscious dealing, far from exaggeration, intimidation, celebration or ignorance. Perhaps we will return to this topic, if necessary. However, I call on my fellow intellectuals who constitute a wall against normalization, to explore the depths of this matter, on the basis of rejecting the opposite and normalizing it or dealing with it in any way.

The phenomenon is still raw

The new historians are almost unanimous in that they were born in the 1940s, that is, they did not witness the massacres and atrocities committed against us with their own eyes, and most of them studied abroad and acquired different research mechanisms characterized by high criticism, and they started from leftist or modern Marxist references, and some of them did not go beyond the Zionist approach, while others went beyond that with great caution, and they saw that Zionism had ended its project, and Israel must transform into a state for all its citizens, which necessitates changing many of the laws specific to Jews only (there are about two million Palestinians inside Israel, who are one-fifth of the population of the aforementioned state, and they are third- or fourth-class citizens, especially after the “Jewish State” law of 2018).

The phenomenon itself, the phenomenon of the new historians, is a raw and tender phenomenon, still in its early stages and cannot be judged in a final and specific manner. Its main field is in leftist academic circles, and it does not have an impact on the broad, diverse and varied public, especially the right-wing circles that have a noticeable influence on the Israeli street. Moreover, this phenomenon interacts within Israeli society itself and is not directed externally, within mechanisms and dynamics that Israeli society is accustomed to due to the nature of its composition and philosophy. Therefore, the representatives of this phenomenon are not subject to ostracism, persecution or pursuit, but rather are considered natural main threads within the Israeli fabric and an integral part of it. This was before the war on Gaza and its extermination, as these historians identified with the discourse of their fascist government, and turned on their heels, justifying and applauding the slaughter, demolition and displacement. I believe that this phenomenon will turn into Nazi trumpets, and some may escape this epidemic and go out to the space of Pappe or Sand. Perhaps!

There are shortcomings and darknesses in our story.

Most importantly, our treatment of the new Israeli historians is a belittling of our own narrative! Perhaps it is worth saying here that our own narrative of the Nakba also has many dark corners, and its basic fabric has not been mentioned until now, and we have not established it!

Perhaps it is worth saying that we need new historians, not them. The Holocaust in the Gaza Strip, the atrocities in Jerusalem and the West Bank, the displacement, massacres, expulsion, flight, the sale of lands, the failure of most leaders and the complicity of officials, have mostly been ignored so far. We do not need new Israeli historians to confirm the annihilation, displacement and expulsion we are being subjected to, and the falsity of the official Zionist narrative. We know it and it is imprinted with fire, machetes and cleavers on our skin and land, and we do not need to read it in the previous ways. But we certainly need someone to write about us, about the defeat that usually conceals under its wing a huge amount of mistakes, sins and betrayals. This is what we really need. Therefore, our celebration of an Israeli researcher who writes about part of our suffering is as if we do not believe our suffering unless it comes from our enemy, as if we need the testimony of the executioner to believe that we are a victim?

Al-Sinwar was quoted as saying something like: We do not become martyrs just to go to heaven. If that were the case, we would do what the rest of the people do: fast, pray, worship God, live seventy or eighty years, and enter heaven. This is a distinct understanding that we did not find among the majority of generations of Islamic history, especially after the inheritance of power since Muawiyah.

As for Hassan Nasrallah, it was as if he said something different from what Sinwar said, in emphasizing martyrdom and focusing on it to enter heaven, when he said: When we are victorious, we are victorious, and when we are martyred, we are victorious. In doing so, he urges fighting injustice and aggression and seizing victory, even martyrdom. Sayyed represented this understanding during his jihadist and struggle career, an advanced model of purity, honesty and will since his early childhood, and distanced himself from the political and religious parties prevalent in the region, perhaps influenced by the killing of Hussein in Karbala, and it seemed as if he was ready to confront injustice everywhere in the world, thus approaching the international revolutionary Che Guevara, "Wherever there is injustice, that is my homeland," the description given by the Fatah leader Abbas Zaki to Qassem Soleimani on the day of his assassination four years ago, that he is the Guevara of the Middle East.

It is true that Nasrallah was a “Sheikh” from the Shiite sect, and he wore its black turban, but he was not sectarian, but rather he urged fighting it, and he criminalized the Takfiris from the sons of every sect, and he did not hide his call for coexistence with everyone, all sects, and even all religions, and all races, according to the divine text “O mankind, - not Muslims, nor even believers - indeed We have created you from male and female, and made you peoples and tribes, that you may know one another - not that you may fight one another - indeed, the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you.” Thus we saw how close Nasrallah came to secularism, during his political career as Secretary-General of the party, and his entry into the Lebanese parliament and government under the leadership of a president who professes the Christian religion.

Sinwar, who became the head of Hamas, was not a sheikh with a white turban. He emerged from a religious and political movement that was controversial and divisive, the “Muslim Brotherhood,” which pledged itself to the arms of kings and sultans. It saw itself as God’s representative on earth, and that religion was not only for God, but also for the homeland, which could not be outside of religion. According to the group’s theorist, Sayyid Qutb, religion is the homeland and “sovereignty belongs to God” alone.

Since the two mujahideen joined hands, put their hands in each other's hands, and their hearts in the range of one heartbeat, and before the hands and hearts, one mind that puts aside the color of the turban and the rest of the aspects of the controversial heritage, Zionist Israel, not the Jewish one, has been living its worst nightmares, not only the flood of October 7, but a whole year of nightmares. Who would have expected that it would be bombarded in its depths with hundreds of daily missiles, when it could not bear to be bombarded with a stone, brought by its representative at the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, a few months before the flood, and said: Who among you would accept receiving a stone like this?

The Israeli occupation forces arrested a number of citizens in the West Bank at dawn and this morning, Wednesday.

In Jenin, the occupation forces arrested the young man Ali Al-Jaabari after raiding and searching his home. He is a former prisoner who was released about a month ago.

In Nablus, the occupation forces arrested the young man, Ibrahim Khalifa, after raiding and searching his family’s home in the town of Al-Asira.

The occupation forces stormed the town last night, detained 12 young men and subjected them to field investigation before releasing them.

In Bethlehem, the occupation forces arrested Ali Musa Masalma from the town of Doha in the south, and the freed prisoner Moaz Khalil Muhammad Ubayyat from the Ubayyat area in the east.

In another context, the occupation forces closed the Nashash military checkpoint south of Bethlehem since the early morning hours, which led to obstructing the movement of citizens.

In Hebron, the occupation forces raided the Beit Za'ta neighborhood east of the town of Beit Ummar, searched several homes, ransacked their contents, and arrested the freed prisoner Muhammad Sami Hassan Mansour Sabarneh (32 years old). After searching his home and ransacking its contents, they transferred him to the "Karmei Tzur" settlement camp, which was built on citizens' lands and properties north of Hebron.

The occupation forces also arrested the young man Haitham Ayyad from Al-Arroub camp, north of Hebron, and took him to an unknown location.

Dr. Raed Abu Badawiyya: After October 7, the Europeans have come to believe in the necessity of imposing a two-state solution instead of negotiation

Talal Okal: The summit may issue statements of condemnation and warnings without any substantive decisions or steps that may change the equation of the conflict

Adnan Al-Sabah: The summit is "economic wrapped in politics" but its timing carries important strategic implications

Suleiman Basharat: The summit is to read the future of the Middle East amid growing fears of developments that may occur in the region

Ahmed Zakarneh: The summit carries clear indications of the beginning of a Gulf-European movement outside the scope of American influence

Muhannad Abdul Hamid: The summit may support the Saudi initiative aimed at establishing an international alliance to establish an independent Palestinian state.

The world is awaiting the European-Gulf summit in Brussels today, Wednesday, amid political and diplomatic expectations regarding the possibility of reviving the two-state solution, or taking decisions regarding the recognition of the State of Palestine, in light of the tense circumstances witnessed in the Middle East region.

In separate interviews with “I”, writers, political analysts and university professors believe that this summit is being held at a time when international relations are witnessing an escalation in efforts to find a just settlement to the Palestinian issue, with a great focus on the role of Europe and the Gulf states in trying to curb the growing escalation in Gaza and Lebanon or the possibility of it extending to Iran and the region.

They see this summit as part of regional and international moves aimed at enhancing recognition of the Palestinian state, with the emergence of European demands for the necessity of imposing the two-state solution on the concerned parties, instead of relying on negotiations that have continued for decades without achieving any significant progress. This comes in conjunction with discussions about organizing an international peace conference in the Middle East, even if it is met with rejection from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides, with the use of diplomatic pressure to impose tangible results.

Despite the hopes associated with the summit, writers, analysts and university professors who spoke to “Y” believe that the possibility of making fundamental changes is still limited, as international efforts face multiple obstacles, although this summit is an important diplomatic step in the efforts to find workable solutions, amid increasing pressure on the international community to take decisive positions regarding the conflict in the Middle East.

European vision for resolving the conflict

Dr. Raed Abu Badawiyeh, Professor of International Law and International Relations at the Arab American University, explains that the Europeans have become convinced that Israel does not want to establish a Palestinian state, noting that there is a European vision for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that has become clearer after October 7.

Abu Badawiya points out that the European position began to crystallize immediately after October 7, as it took two months of discussions for Europe to reach a clear vision that was ready to be announced.

Abu Badawiya explains that a European plan has been under consideration since that time, based on a two-state solution in the Middle East with American approval. This plan includes organizing an international conference in the Middle East, even if the Israelis and Palestinians refuse to participate in it, as the international community intends to use diplomatic and political pressure to impose the results of the conference in a binding manner on the parties.

Abu Badawiya confirms that the formation of the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee came within the framework of these efforts, as the committee held several meetings with the European parties, which in turn seek to implement this plan. Currently, international, European, Arab and Islamic efforts are moving towards organizing an international conference in a serious and reliable path to achieve the two-state solution, with a series of steps that include successive international recognitions of the Palestinian state, followed by subsequent European measures.

international peace conference

Abu Badawiya points out that the Europeans have come to believe in the necessity of imposing the two-state solution, instead of relying on negotiations that have continued for more than three decades without tangible results. Accordingly, talks have begun on holding an international peace conference that may be announced in the near future, with the aim of imposing the two-state solution through outcomes that enjoy Arab and European consensus.

Abu Badawiya points out that this solution may include international recognition of the Palestinian state, with the use of economic, political and diplomatic tools for pressure, without the need for military intervention.

Two major obstacles

However, Abu Badawiya warns of two major obstacles that could hinder the success of the conference outcomes: the first is the hardline Israeli position led by the extreme right, which seeks to implement the annexation plan instead of accepting the two-state solution, and the second is the presence of Hamas within any future Palestinian government.

Abu Badawiya explains that there are ongoing meetings between the Fatah and Hamas movements aimed at forming a national consensus government that represents the entire Palestinian people, whether in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, which may strengthen the hypothesis related to the conference outcomes.

Visible cracks in the Western alliance

Writer and political analyst Talal Okal believes that the convening of the Gulf-European summit today in Brussels amidst a political atmosphere carries multiple messages about the international and regional scenes, especially in light of the ongoing war in the region.

According to Awkal, this summit comes at a sensitive time, and highlights clear cracks in the Western alliance, which was initially a strong supporter of Israel since the first days of the war, but began to gradually disintegrate as Israel failed to achieve its military and political goals.

Awkal points out that this decline can be seen in the positions of European leaders, such as French President Emmanuel Macron, who called for a halt to arms supplies to Israel, a position that indicates a growing European feeling that Israel is heading towards military escalation without taking into account the interests of its allies.

Awkal points out that there is a decline in the confidence of those gathered in American policy regarding influencing Benjamin Netanyahu's government on many issues related to the way the war is being managed.

Awkal points out that the European Union faces a major dilemma, as it realizes that Israel is seeking to expand the scope of the war in a way that may involve it in grave moral and political responsibilities, especially with regard to crimes committed against civilians and violations of international law.

Awkal believes that there is fear in Europe that the continuation of the war at this pace may drag the continent towards internal social and political repercussions, which reflects the increasing pressure on European governments to change their policies towards Israel.

Noticeable tensions in European-Israeli relations

Awkal points out that the Gulf-European meeting also reflects a loss of confidence in the Israeli role in managing the war in a way that takes into account regional interests. This lost confidence also includes the Arab role in the region, as many see the continuation of the war as a threat to their interests and stability, in light of the decline in the Arabs’ political weight in crisis management.

On the other hand, Awkal believes that European-Israeli relations are witnessing noticeable tensions, manifested in a series of “insults” directed by Israel at its European allies, the most prominent of which was the targeting of the UNIFIL forces, in addition to the failure of the French-American initiative that had received broad European and Arab support. Moreover, the ongoing Israeli escalation, especially on the Lebanese front, coincides with the approach of a possible Israeli military response to Iran, which makes the summit a means of trying to influence these future developments.

But despite the importance of this summit, Awkal points out that expectations regarding its outcomes seem very limited.

Awkal does not expect the summit to issue any substantive decisions such as recognizing a Palestinian state or making any tangible move toward a two-state solution, partly because the two groups lack independence from the United States, limiting their ability to take actual steps that could change the equation of the conflict.

Therefore, Awkal believes that the summit is expected to produce statements of condemnation, warnings, and sympathy for civilians affected by the war, but it may not find any response, either from Israel or from Washington.

According to Awkal, this summit ultimately seems more like a political attempt to clear consciences, without resulting in a real change in regional or international policies, which makes it, in the eyes of many, a failed attempt to improve European positions on Middle Eastern issues.

A clear European desire to strengthen its economic position in the region

Writer and political analyst Adnan Al-Sabah believes that today's Gulf-European summit in Brussels comes amid sensitive political and economic developments, as the European Union seeks to revive the free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

This summit, according to writer and political analyst Adnan Al-Sabah, reflects a clear European desire to strengthen its economic position in the region. However, it comes at a time when the Middle East is witnessing a major Israeli war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, which makes the political dimension of the summit more complex and sensitive.

The possibility of using Gulf influence

Al-Sabah believes that the Gulf states have strong pressure cards that they can use not only to pressure Europe, but also the United States, especially in light of the growing European need for economic cooperation with the Gulf.

This Gulf influence, according to Al-Sabah, can be used to trade economic issues for vital political issues, most notably the effort to stop the war in Gaza and Lebanon.

Al-Sabah stressed the importance of European countries declaring their true readiness to pressure Washington and work seriously to stop the ongoing "massacre" in the region, noting that the timing of the summit carries important strategic implications in light of that war.

Al-Sabah stresses that although the stated reason for holding the summit is to strengthen economic relations, the worsening military and political situation in the Middle East is strongly imposing itself on the meeting's agenda.

Al-Sabah points out that if the Europeans are serious about improving their relations with the Gulf states, they can actually exert tangible pressure on Washington to change its position on the war in Gaza and Lebanon, and achieve progress on the Palestinian file.

Political slogans without real action on the ground

However, Al-Sabah remains skeptical about the summit's ability to achieve tangible political progress, especially with regard to the two-state solution or recognition of the Palestinian state at the European level.

In Sabah's view, the summit may only produce economic outcomes, without achieving any real change in European policies towards the Palestinian issue.

Al-Sabah describes the summit as an “economic summit wrapped in politics,” where political slogans are raised without any real action on the ground.

Al-Sabah believes that the Gulf states are fully aware that any economic prosperity or stability in the region will not be achieved without a just solution to the Palestinian issue, and that continued neglect of this issue will hinder any efforts to achieve sustainable peace in the Middle East.

Gulf attempt to dominate the political scene

Writer and political analyst Suleiman Basharat believes that the European-Gulf summit comes within the framework of political efforts to read the future of the Middle East, and Middle Eastern-European relations in particular.

Basharat believes that this summit also comes in the context of the field and regional developments that the region has witnessed since October 7th until now, with increasing fears of future developments that may occur in the region.

Basharat believes that there are indications of a Gulf attempt to dominate the political scene in the Middle East, as the Gulf states seek to present themselves as a major axis capable of playing an influential role in the region’s equations.

Basharat points out that in recent years, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have tried to strengthen their regional role in major issues, starting with the Palestinian issue and the Arab-Israeli conflict, and extending to strengthening their international relations with China, Turkey and Iran, in addition to their presence in international issues such as the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

He explains that these Gulf movements come in the context of the vacuum left by the decline in the roles of some traditional powers in the region, such as Egypt, which used to play an important role in the Palestinian issue, but has witnessed a noticeable decline in recent years in this regard, and therefore the Arab Gulf states are now trying to present themselves as a new regional power in the Middle East.

Basharat points out that the importance of the European-Gulf summit lies in the nature of the ongoing changes in the region, whether in relation to the Palestinian issue, developments on the northern border with Lebanon, or the potential escalation with Iran, which are developments that have major repercussions on food and energy supply chains in the region and the world.

On the other hand, Basharat believes that it is too early to count on the possibility that this summit will affect the future of the two-state solution or achieve more international recognition of the State of Palestine, especially since the United States is still leading the political scene in the region.

The European Union has not been able to bypass the American role.

Basharat points out that the European Union has not yet been able to bypass the American role, and that the recognitions issued by some European countries regarding Palestine are more symbolic than they have any real political impact.

He points out that the Palestinian issue will certainly be on the summit's agenda, but in the end, the United States will not allow any radical changes in the political position towards the Palestinian issue, especially in light of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

Basharat points out that the current Israeli vision aims to impose a new reality that cannot be accepted by the Palestinians or by many regional and international parties.

Basharat believes that it is still too early to talk about imposing a two-state solution at this stage, expecting the summit to come out with recommendations and calls that may be merely symbolic statements without taking clear and decisive political positions on the Palestinian issue.

The importance of the summit politically, diplomatically and in terms of timing

Writer and political analyst Ahmed Zakarna confirms that the Gulf-European summit in Brussels today is the first of its kind, and comes in response to the call of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan to form an international coalition to support the establishment of the Palestinian state.

Zakarna points out that this call carries clear indications that the European and Gulf systems have begun to move outside the scope of American influence.

He explained that the timing of the summit is of particular importance, as the region is witnessing an expansion in the scope of the war, extending to Lebanon, with expectations that the war may escalate beyond Lebanon.

Zakarneh believes that this summit comes as an international effort to curb this expansion, by forming a broad international front aimed at enhancing recognition of the Palestinian state, in an attempt to limit the outbreak of new fighting fronts, which is what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government are seeking.

Zakarna points out that this timing carries important symbolism, as it shows the international community’s rejection, whether in Europe or the Gulf, of continuing the conflict that only leads to the killing of innocents, caused by the brutal and criminal Israeli war machine.

Expanding the front of recognition of the State of Palestine

Zakarna believes that one of the main topics that will be discussed at the European-Gulf summit is reviving the two-state solution and seeking broader recognition of the Palestinian state, especially at the European level.

Zakarneh points out that a number of European countries have previously recognized the Palestinian state individually, but the European Union as a bloc of 27 countries has not yet achieved comprehensive recognition, and there are current efforts to push for unified recognition.

Zakarneh expects that France may be the starting point in this path, and Britain, despite being outside the European Union, pointing out that the summit may contribute to expanding the front of recognition of the State of Palestine.

Despite the optimism surrounding the important summit, Zakarna warns that its outcomes may not achieve the final solution regarding the two-state solution, but he considers it an additional step that highlights the need to expand international sponsorship of the peace process, away from exclusive American hegemony.

Zakarna explains that there are demands to reactivate the International Quartet Committee, to work on achieving peace.

The development of things is linked to the results of the US elections.

However, Zakarneh stresses that the development of matters is linked to the results of the upcoming US presidential elections. If the Democrats win, it may open the door to serious moves towards a two-state solution, while if the Republicans return to power under the leadership of Donald Trump, the situation is likely to become more complicated.

In light of this, Zakarna believes that expectations regarding the summit’s outcomes should be limited, despite its diplomatic and political importance.

The summit is increasingly important amid current geopolitical challenges.

Journalist Muhannad Abdul Hamid points out that political, economic and technological relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the European Union are gaining increasing importance in light of the current geopolitical challenges created by the Russian-Ukrainian war and the Israeli aggression on Palestine and Lebanon, which threaten regional and international security and stability.

Abdul Hamid points out that the volume of trade exchange between the two groups reached $186 billion in 2022, making the European Union the second largest trading partner of the Gulf countries after China.

According to Abdul Hamid, these figures indicate the importance of mutual interests in the areas of strategic goods and markets, which are factors that translate into political and geopolitical cooperation, as the economy cannot be separated from politics and security, and thus this cooperation can contribute to reducing the intensity of regional and international conflicts.

Abdul Hamid believes that the Gulf-European summit in Brussels today comes at a very sensitive time, amid the escalation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, which has extended to Lebanon, threatening to turn into a comprehensive regional war.

Abdul Hamid points out that this meeting is particularly important given Israel's ongoing violations of basic Palestinian rights and breaches of international law, as well as the failure of the United States to stop this aggression.

Support the Saudi initiative to establish an international coalition

Abdul Hamid expects the summit to support the Saudi initiative, which aims to establish an international alliance that includes Arab and Islamic countries and the European Union countries, with the aim of establishing an independent Palestinian state and enabling the Palestinian people to determine their fate.

Abdul Hamid asserts that the continued US bias towards Israel, along with the European countries’ indifference towards Israeli violations, have encouraged Netanyahu’s government to continue rejecting any political solutions and shelving the Palestinian issue.

Abdul Hamid believes that separating the Palestinian issue from normalization agreements with Arab countries led to further Israeli escalation, as Netanyahu’s government confiscated more land, increased settlements, ethnic cleansing, and undermined the Palestinian Authority.

The world's ignoring of Netanyahu's policies has had disastrous results

Abdul Hamid stresses that the world's disregard for Netanyahu's policies had disastrous consequences, as it led to the explosion of the situation in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and ended with the most severe explosion on October 7, which was known as the "Al-Aqsa Flood."

Abdul Hamid points out that events have proven that stability in the region will not be achieved without finding a political solution acceptable to the Palestinian people, and peace cannot be achieved with a state that practices a colonial apartheid system against the Palestinians.

Abdul Hamid asserts that the Israeli occupation state has violated trade agreements with the European Union, which oblige it to respect human rights and international law, and has also violated agreements with Jordan and Egypt, as well as normalization agreements, by practicing war policies against the Palestinians, which makes these agreements worthless in light of these violations.

Linking any agreements with Israel to a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue

Abdul Hamid points out that Arab countries have an objective interest in linking any agreements with Israel to a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, in line with the Arab Peace Initiative, which called for an end to the occupation.

Abdul Hamid believes that including the issue of chronic occupation and the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions, especially the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, on the summit’s agenda is a necessity, especially in light of the war of extermination waged by Israel in Gaza and the ongoing liquidation campaigns in the West Bank.

Abdul Hamid points out that statements supporting Palestinian rights are not enough if they are not accompanied by practical actions, an immediate call to stop the war, and the imposition of pressures and sanctions on Israel, in addition to providing urgent economic support to the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip, which is suffering from a stifling siege and a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Two citizens were killed and others were injured, Tuesday evening, in an Israeli occupation bombing of Gaza City and Jabalia camp.

Local sources reported that an Israeli drone bombed Ahmed Yassin Street, north of Gaza City, which led to the death of two citizens.

A number of citizens were also injured as a result of the occupation's bombing of a house in the Tal al-Zaatar area in Jabalia camp, north of the Strip.

The occupation forces continue their aggression on the Gaza Strip, by land, sea and air, since October 7, 2023, which resulted in the death of 42,344 citizens and the injury of 99,013 others, the majority of whom are children and women, in an incomplete toll, as thousands of people are still missing under the rubble.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday that Tel Aviv will not agree to a unilateral ceasefire or a settlement under which Hezbollah would rearm itself.

After clashes with factions in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, which began after Israel launched a war of genocide on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, Tel Aviv expanded the scope of the genocide since September 23 to include most areas of Lebanon, including the capital Beirut, through air strikes, and also began a ground invasion in the south.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that Netanyahu said, during a phone call with Macron, that he "opposes a unilateral ceasefire, which does not change the security situation in Lebanon, and will only lead to its return to what it was."

He added that Israel "is working against Hezbollah so that it can no longer threaten its citizens on the northern border, and allows the residents of the north (displaced) to return to their homes safely."

In total, the Israeli aggression on Lebanon resulted in the killing of 2,350 people, and the injury of 10,906, including a large number of women and children, in addition to more than 1,340,000 displaced persons. The majority of the victims and displaced persons were recorded since September 23, according to Anadolu Agency’s monitoring of official Lebanese data until Tuesday evening.

Netanyahu stressed that "Israel will not accept any settlement that does not allow this, and does not prevent Hezbollah from reorganizing its ranks and rearming itself."

According to the statement: "The Prime Minister (Netanyahu) expressed his surprise at the French President's intention to hold a conference in Paris on the issue of Lebanon, with the participation of countries such as South Africa and Algeria, which are working to deprive Israel of the basic right to self-defense, and even deny its right to exist," he claimed.

On October 9, the French Foreign Ministry announced, via a statement, that the international conference dedicated to Lebanon, called for by Macron, will be held in Paris on the 24th of this month.

She explained that this ministerial conference will bring together Lebanon's partner countries, the United Nations, the European Union, international and regional organizations, and civil society, to "mobilize the international community to respond to the urgent protection and relief needs of the people of Lebanon."

Earlier on Tuesday, the French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Macron said in today's cabinet session that "Netanyahu must not forget that his country was founded (in 1984) by a UN resolution, and therefore he has no right to ignore UN resolutions."

The newspaper explained that Macron's speech came against the backdrop of the situation in southern Lebanon, after the Israeli army launched attacks against the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

On October 6, Macron called in press statements to “stop the delivery of weapons used (by Israel) in Gaza,” claiming that France “did not participate” in supplying Israel with those weapons.

Netanyahu then attacked him, saying in a televised statement in English: "Israel will win with or without you."

Hours after Macron's statement about stopping the arming of Tel Aviv, the French presidency, the Elysee, issued a statement contradicting him, saying that France will continue to provide Israel with the necessary parts to defend itself.

Following a phone call between Netanyahu and Macron on October 10, the Elysee Palace said in a statement that Macron renewed “France’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security,” noting that French military resources were ready to defend it during Iranian attacks on it in recent months.

The Israeli occupation forces stormed the city of Jenin and its camp this evening, Tuesday.

According to local sources, a number of occupation vehicles stormed the city coming from the Jalameh military checkpoint and Salem camp, after discovering a special Israeli force in Jenin camp, and besieging one of the houses there.

The sources added that explosions were heard in the camp, amid intense flying of occupation drones in the airspace.

It pointed out that the occupation sent military reinforcements, including bulldozers, to the city and the camp's surroundings, while soldiers were deployed in a number of locations around the camp.

Today, Tuesday, the Israeli occupation authorities forced the Jerusalemite citizen, Yousef Atoun, to demolish his home in the town of Sur Baher, south of occupied Jerusalem.

According to local sources, the citizen decided to demolish his 90-square-meter house after receiving a notice from the occupation municipality to demolish it. If he does not do so, the municipality crews will demolish it and impose heavy costs on him for the demolition.

The sources added that he had gone to the occupation courts twenty years ago, in an attempt to prevent the demolition of his house and to obtain a permit, but the decision was to demolish the house, which houses seven people, including five children.

The occupation authorities force Palestinian citizens, especially in the occupied city of Jerusalem, to demolish their homes themselves under the pretext of lack of a permit. Whoever refuses this procedure, the occupation bulldozers demolish the house and impose heavy costs on the owner.

The occupation municipality in Jerusalem refuses to grant Palestinians building permits, and demolishes or forces them to demolish their homes, in a procedure that contradicts international laws and humanitarian laws that guarantee the right to housing, within the framework of the occupation’s systematic practices to forcibly displace Palestinians from the city of Jerusalem, in exchange for expanding settlements in the city and its surroundings.

It is noteworthy that the number of demolitions in the Jerusalem Governorate during the third quarter of 2024 amounted to 154 demolition and bulldozing operations, including 24 forced self-demolition operations and 118 demolitions carried out by the occupation’s machinery, in addition to 12 bulldozing operations, according to a report issued by the Jerusalem Governorate.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, reiterated the “great value” that the European Union attaches to the strategic partnership with Morocco.

Mr. Borrell said, in a press conference during which he presented the conclusions of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, held in Luxembourg, that “the 27 member states wish to strengthen the partnership between Morocco and the European Union, which is a broad, long-term, dense and deep partnership.”

“We have established friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation with Morocco, and we hope to continue to maintain and strengthen them in the coming months,” he added, noting that the EU foreign ministers took note of the rulings issued by the European Court of Justice on the EU-Morocco fisheries and agriculture agreements.

In this context, the Head of European Union Diplomacy reiterated the content of the joint statement he issued with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, through which the European Union's commitment to further maintain and strengthen its close relations with Morocco in all areas was reaffirmed, in line with the principle of "pacta sunt servanda".

He concluded by saying: “In close cooperation with Morocco, the European Union looks forward to strengthening these relations and maintaining this partnership in all areas.”

Today, Tuesday, the Israeli occupation authorities began paving a colonial road in the northern Jordan Valley.

According to local sources, the occupation authorities have begun paving a road to the southeast of the village of Kardala.

He explained that this road is expected to reach the outskirts of Khirbet Ibziq, and it passes through large areas of land, as part of this land is owned by citizens, and the other part of it is mountainous pastoral land.

The head of the village council in Al-Malih and the Bedouin camps, Mahdi Draghmeh, also reported that settlers also began today to rehabilitate the road leading to the new colonial outpost in the “Umm al-Jimal” area, whose settlers worked to permanently displace the residents of the community about two months ago.

The northern Jordan Valley has witnessed accelerated colonial activities in recent times, in addition to the escalation of daily attacks by settlers on citizens. These attacks include storming residential areas, raiding citizens’ tents, intimidating and threatening them, in addition to seizing their property and livestock.

These attacks also pose great risks to the lives of citizens who fear being forcibly displaced from their communities, especially since most of these attacks take place under the protection of occupation soldiers.

A young man and a child were injured, Tuesday evening, by Israeli occupation forces’ bullets during clashes that erupted in the town of Beit Furik, east of Nablus.

According to medical sources, Palestinian Red Crescent crews dealt with a 13-year-old child who was shot with live ammunition in the pelvis, in addition to a 24-year-old man who was shot with live ammunition in the thigh.

The sources confirmed that the injured were urgently transferred to the hospital for treatment.

The town of Beit Furik is witnessing increasing tension and ongoing confrontations with the occupation forces, amidst escalating raids and attacks on citizens in the area.

Human rights advocates on Monday stressed the links between Native American and Palestinian struggles for decolonization — and the hypocrisy of celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day (which fell on Monday, October 14, 2024) while the United States provides massive military aid and diplomatic support to Israel in its war on Gaza, for which it is being tried for genocide at the International Court of Justice.

“A few years ago, Native activists successfully rallied their city councils to replace Columbus Day, the day honoring the Italian explorer who was a destroyer of Native worlds, with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a holiday celebrating Native people who have resisted colonial oppression for more than 500 years, since the arrival of Christopher Columbus,” said American Jewish scholar Benay Blind in a statement. “It’s also a good opportunity to highlight Native solidarity among Americans as well as with other Native peoples, including Palestinians.”

“In fact, both peoples (Indians and Palestinians) share a similar story of resistance to colonialism, while the settler colonialists — the United States and Israel — share similar origin stories and tactics used to separate Indigenous people from their land,” Blind said.

Blind cited Stephen Salaita—a Palestinian-American professor of American Indian studies who was offered a tenure-track position at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana in 2014 because of his criticism of the Israeli bombing of Gaza in July 2014—and noted that “Israel and North America share a similar narrative that justifies their origins.”

“Settlers in both countries, inspired by biblical references to ‘salvation, redemption and destiny,’ believed they had reached the Promised Land, where God had commanded them to eliminate the indigenous population to make way for more fertile land that had previously been ‘untapped and unappreciated by the indigenous people,’” she added.

In a social media post that included video footage of Israel’s Monday bombing of a camp for displaced people on the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, Ohikia Mile — a Native Hawaiian professor of race, diaspora, and ethnicity at the University of Chicago — said on social media that “Indigenous Peoples’ Day is about commemorating our survival and endurance despite settler colonialism — and resisting genocide as a distinct people.”

“If your celebration does not condemn Israel’s wanton destruction of Palestinian lives, it only reinforces its relentless settler colonialism,” she added.

Samoan poet and educator Teresa Siagatono (Samoa Island) stressed that “Palestinians are an indigenous people” and “Free Palestine is an indigenous struggle.”

"I say this over and over again very clearly because I don't think people are fighting for this enough, and you need to," she added.

“The cynical celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day by a settler state that supports the genocide of another settler state against Palestinians and Lebanese shows us nothing is sacred, not even our survival, until we bury colonialism once and for all,” said Nick Estes, a Lakota community organizer and historian at the University of Minnesota.

In response to US President Joe Biden’s declaration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day “in honor of tribal sovereignty and self-determination,” labor historian, author, and Empire State University professor Jeff Shurkey criticized those “who celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day while simultaneously facilitating the real-time colonial genocide of the indigenous people of Palestine.”

The American direct action group Jewish Voice for Peace chose Indigenous Peoples’ Day to hold a protest in which more than 200 activists were arrested while calling for an end to US military aid to Israel. “The fact that the US claims to stand with and honor indigenous peoples… while funding and financially supporting the ethnic cleansing of indigenous peoples in Palestine contradicts their statements,” said Sumaya Awad, the Palestinian American spokesperson for the event and a member of the Adalah Justice Project.

“I find it ironic that settlers would claim that Native peoples of North America are not doing enough to fight settler colonialism,” Rick Tabinonaka, a member of the Comanche Nation and left-wing organizer who hosts the podcast “Decolonized Buffalo,” said on social media.

"Yet these same settlers spent a whole year watching their colonial government support genocide in Palestine and did nothing," he added.

The Council of Ministers, in its weekly session held today, Tuesday, in Ramallah, confirmed the President’s directives to various competent authorities, headed by the diplomatic corps, to mobilize more international pressure to stop the war of extermination in the Gaza Strip, especially the war of starvation against our people in the northern Gaza Strip, in addition to the continued crimes of the occupation and its settlers in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

The Minister of Social Development informed the Council members about the communications and coordination of efforts with the United Nations and relief organizations to pressure for the resumption of the entry of aid into the northern Gaza Strip. She reviewed the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Strip in general and the north in particular, and the Ministry’s field relief interventions.

The Minister of Education presented the Ministry’s efforts to develop the e-learning system and adapt it to students in the Gaza Strip, which has been joined by about 220,000 male and female students from the Strip, in addition to working to organize more field teaching activities and support educational initiatives in displaced persons’ gatherings.

The Minister of Agriculture also informed the Council members of the details of the campaign launched by the Ministry in cooperation with all governmental, non-governmental and civil institutions to support farmers in picking olives, especially in areas threatened by colonization, in addition to providing equipment and needs for picking olives, in light of the escalation of attacks by settlers under the protection of the occupation army against farmers and olive fields.

In a related context, the Council listened to a presentation by the Chairman of the Land Authority that included the latest developments in the work of organizing the land sector, including: linking with the Palestinian Embassy in Jordan to organize the work of agencies, linking with the Sharia judiciary and the Supreme Judicial Council, developing the national land archive to protect citizens’ property, and opening an office for the Land Authority in Asira al-Shamaliya to facilitate serving citizens in the Nablus Governorate, in addition to continuing work to expand the scope of services in various governorates.

The Council also discussed several proposals to benefit from state lands, especially in Area C, which constitutes about 83% of the total lands, and to facilitate the procedures for citizens to benefit from them, in order to protect them from confiscation and colonization. In addition, the Council directed the need to inventory state properties and make optimal use of them, develop the automation process, and complete work on preparing the necessary legal amendments for further governance of the state property sector.

The Council of Ministers also discussed the situation of Jenin Municipality, and formed a ministerial committee to continue consultations with various relevant parties in the city, in a way that ensures the preservation of civil peace and enhances the steadfastness of citizens by continuing to provide services in light of the difficult circumstances they face.

The Council of Ministers approved the appointment of new doctors in the specialties of anesthesia and resuscitation in the Ministry of Health hospitals, to improve the quality of services provided to our people.

The Council also approved the start of winter time in Palestine, by moving the clocks back 60 minutes, starting at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, 10/26/2024, until dawn on Saturday, 04/12/2025.

The Council also took a number of administrative and procedural decisions that will be published later on the Cabinet’s website.

Dr. Amr Hussein - Researcher in Regional and International Relations

The United States' relations with countries in its policy are based on pragmatism, but it is noticeable in the last ten years, especially after the revolutions of the so-called "Arab Spring", that the United States has reduced its presence in the Middle East, and America has preferred to direct all its attention to the Far East and Southeast Asia, especially after the growth of China's capabilities, which have become disturbing to the United States.

Washington rushed to strengthen its presence in the South China Sea and established a joint defense agreement with the Philippines to undermine China's role in the South China Sea region, where several countries are rushing to the islands there, so the Middle East is no longer a top priority for America, and it left the Middle East, which increased the penetration of other roles in the region, such as the role of Iran, which formed many arms for itself, and this was increased by the material support that reached 120 billion dollars that the mullahs' regime in Iran received after the nuclear agreement with the administration of former US President Barack Obama.

Iran's goal was to threaten navigation and security in the Red Sea through the Houthi militias or to threaten navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This was exacerbated by the Biden administration removing the Houthi group from the global terrorism lists. This was a grave mistake by the Biden administration, which was the reason for the Houthi attack on ships in the Red Sea after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation carried out by Hamas in Gaza on October 7.

Now, after about a full year has passed since the Israeli war on Gaza and another Israeli war on southern Lebanon, the United States is paying a heavy price for letting Iran’s hand tamper with the Middle East region. Thus, the tables have turned on the magician and Israel’s ally (the United States’ ally) is now facing several fronts of conflict with Iran’s arms, and these arms have even extended to America’s military bases in the region.

Israel's wars on Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen have proven that American interests are at stake if a political solution is not found for the Palestinian issue, which is the basis of all conflicts in the Middle East. Otherwise, the Middle East will remain ablaze with the possibility of the conflict expanding into a comprehensive war, the first reason being Israel's policies in the region.

Israel is planning to launch its expected attack on Iran before the US presidential election on November 5, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

An unnamed official told the newspaper that waiting any longer could be seen as weakness and that the planned strike “would be one in a series of responses” to the Iranian ballistic missile barrage fired at Israel on October 1, which came in response to a series of Israeli escalations.

The newspaper quoted a source close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that while Israel is coordinating with the United States to some extent regarding its plans to attack Iran, it will not wait for the green light from the United States. “The person who will decide the Israeli response to Iran will be Netanyahu,” the official said.

When Netanyahu spoke with US President Joe Biden last week, he said Israel planned to hit military infrastructure inside Iran, not oil or nuclear facilities, the report said. The conversation was a factor in Biden’s decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile battery to Israel. The Pentagon announced Sunday that it was deploying THAAD and about 100 troops to operate it “to support Israel’s defense.” Iran has vowed to respond to any Israeli attack on its territory, and the US deployment makes American forces a potential target for Iranian missiles.

The Washington Post report noted how the Biden administration was fully supportive of Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and its dramatic escalation of airstrikes against the country. A former Israeli official said the United States was “hugging Israel and the Netanyahu government, but for Hezbollah.”

“She’s sending THAAD and promising all the weapons we need to take out Hezbollah, saying we can deal with Iran later,” the former official added.

Over the past year, U.S. military and diplomatic support for Israel has fueled the genocidal slaughter in Gaza, encouraged Israeli escalation across the Middle East, and now brought the United States and Iran to the brink of war. The Costs of War Project at Brown University recently reported that support for Israel has cost the United States $22.76 billion in just one year.