Monday, March 18, 2024

DAYS OF NOAH: Remains of 10 foot tall humans discovered in cave in Nevada

Mythology, folklore and even the Bible tell us that giants once roamed the Earth. And, it turns out, there’s evidence to back this claim.

Extraordinary human remains have been found in the US state of Nevada, with some of the skeletons measuring up to 10 feet tall.

Alongside their jaw-dropping size, the bodies – some of which were said to have been mummified – were found to have had red hair.

This has fuelled the theory, passed down through the ages, that a long-forgotten race of humans once dominated southwestern America.

According to the Paiute, a tribe that settled in the Nevada region thousands of years ago, cannibalistic, red-haired giants called the Si-Te-Cah came to the Americas from a distant island.

Legend has it that the Si-Te-Cah crossed the ocean on rafts made of reeds, and they soon made a name for themselves as being taller, stronger, and crueler than ordinary men.

Then, in 1911, while digging for bat guano (a key ingredient in fertilizer) in a cave near the city of Lovelock, Nevada, some miners unearthed a number of strange objects.

This prompted the launch of two official excavations in 1912 and then in 1924, during which thousands of artefacts were recovered. READ MORE

S. Africa is diplomatic Iran proxy, Africa faces Hamas-like jihad - top rabbi


South Africa is serving as a diplomatic proxy for Iran as both the continent and Israel combat jihadist attacks, Union of Orthodox Synagogues of South Africa Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein said at the conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Tuesday.

“Just as Hamas serves as an armed proxy for Iran, the South African government serves as its diplomatic proxy, as it did at the International Court of Justice, the diplomatic equivalent of the October 7 attacks,” said Goldstein, referencing South Africa’s petition to the ICJ accusing Israel of genocide.

“The different kinds of wars they fight are intertwined – Hamas with bombs and guns to kill and maim as many people as possible, and South Africa with words and arguments to delegitimize Israel and turn Western opinion against the Jewish state, forcing it into self-destructive negotiations with its enemies through which it might be slowly dismembered – or, left without the means or support to defend itself, simply overrun,” Goldstein said.

Potential partnerships in African countries

“This makes the diplomatic war of delegitimization, ultimately, the most serious national security threat facing Israel.”

The chief rabbi said South Africa still had the potential to be a partner for the US and Israel. The government had lost the support of the majority of its citizens due to corruption and incompetence, so he said that Israel and AIPAC should not disengage from South Africa. READ MORE

Half of Israel may come under Hezbollah fire, former Israeli security chief warns

Israel's security establishment is continuing to monitor the developments in the North closely. Meanwhile, in the coalition, threats against Hezbollah are becoming more frequent.

After Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that "the hourglass is about to reverse course," ex-MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud) said in a conversation with Gadi Ness on his show on Radio North 104.5FM that "Lebanon may be destroyed in the next war."

In the midst of this, former National Security Council (NSC) chief Uzi Dayan warned in an interview with Ness that "we need to be prepared for a rocket attack from Hezbollah that will hit half of the State of Israel."

Will Hezbollah rockets hit half of Israel?

Dayan referred at the beginning of his conversation with Ness to the rocket fire towards border towns and said: "This damages Israeli deterrence over time. Hezbollah understands that up to a certain extent, they can do things, but that they need to avoid firing at populated areas."

He explained, "In the North, our sovereignty is being violated on a daily basis. Residents are not returning to their communities. What needed to be done a month ago was an operation on both fronts, in the North and in the South. But now, Gaza takes precedence. Beirut will have to come after Gaza. We cannot just sit and get attacked and do nothing in response." READ MORE

North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles

North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Monday morning (local time), days after the end of the South Korean-US military drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal, The Associated Press reported.

The launches were North Korea's first known missile testing activities in about a month. Outside experts earlier predicted North Korea would continue its run of missile tests and intensify its warlike rhetoric ahead of the US presidential election in November to boost its leverage in future diplomacy.

North Korea, which has tested dozens of missiles in the last year including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017, has recently upped the rhetoric.

In January, the country launched a hypersonic missile. In response, South Korea, the United States and Japan carried out joint naval drills in waters off southern Jeju Island.

North Korea then announced it had tested an "underwater nuclear weapon system" in response to the joint naval exercises.

Several weeks later, North Korea tested its new strategic cruise missile, claiming the test-firing had no impact on the security of neighboring countries.

South Korea recently expressed concerns after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un participated in a military exercise that included conquering South Korean military outposts.

North Korea did not officially acknowledge that the exercise involved attacking South Korea, but footage of the event left no room for doubt as to the exercise's goal.

Among the scenarios practiced was an attack on the border and an air assault to land troops beyond the fortifications and checkpoints between North and South Korea.

Biden to Irish PM: Two-state solution is the only path to lasting peace

US President Joe Biden on Sunday called for an increase in the scope of humanitarian aid to Gaza and for an agreement that will halt the fighting in Gaza and release the hostages being held by Hamas.

Biden made the comments as he hosted Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the White House.

He said that he and Varadkar agree “about the urgent need to increase humanitarian aid in Gaza, and get this ceasefire deal that brings the hostages home and moves toward a two-state solution — which is the only path, the only path — to lasting peace and security.”

Varadkar told Biden, “We see our history in their eyes. A story of displacement, of dispossession, a national identity questioned and denied. Forced immigration, discrimination, and now hunger.”

“Mr. President, we also see Israel’s history reflected in our eyes. A diaspora whose heart never left home no matter how many generations passed. A nation state that was reborn. And a language revived. I believe it’s possible be for Israel and for Palestine. And I believe you do, too,” he added.

Ireland has been critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, with Varadkar last month launching a tirade against Israel and accusing the country of becoming "blinded by rage.

"They [Israel] have become blinded by rage. And they are going to, I believe, make the situation much worse for their own security in the long term by going down the path they are going," the Irish Prime Minister charged.

Varadkar caused an uproar in November, after he said that nine-year-old Emily Hand, a dual resident of Ireland and Israel who was freed from Hamas captivity, “was lost [and] has now been found and returned.

However, no mention was made of the fact that Hand was held by Hamas terrorists for 50 days, or of the attack they perpetrated in Israel on October 7 when they abducted Hand and more than 200 other people.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, has repeatedly stressed its commitment to a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian Arab conflict. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated this commitment in a conversation with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister last month.

IDF Chief of Staff: As soon as it is decided we will act with full force

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi released a video statement in Hebrew in which he discussed the IDF's activities and the state of the war in Gaza.

"One hundred and sixty-three days to the war. We are fighting a just, multi-arena, and complex war, with many achievements, which continue to expand. We still have a long way to go until the goals of the war are achieved. IDF forces are fighting in all arenas - in Gaza, in the center and the north, in arenas near and far - non-stop," Halevi opened.

Regarding Ramadan, he stated: "This week the month of Ramadan began, and we are more alert, stronger, and are prepared - everywhere, all the time, non-stop. Every development in one arena affects the other arenas of war. We operate first and foremost to maintain security, thwart and prevent terrorist attacks, alongside the desire to enable Ramadan."

Turning to the war in Gaza he announced: "In the Gaza Strip, we are surprising the enemy, initiating and further deepening the military achievements.

"In the northern Gaza Strip - we are returning and initiating operational raids in areas where we previously operated, using new intelligence and different methods - expanding the damage to Hamas, killing operatives, and destroying infrastructure in a targeted and high-quality manner. READ MORE

Report: US may slow defense support for Israel


Senior defense officials are growing concerned that the US may slow weapons shipments to Israel, even if it does not state that officially, Israel Hayom reported.

The concern follows the growing tensions between the Biden administration and the Israeli government over a potential military operation in Rafah.

Earlier this month, in an interview on MSNBC, Biden said that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a red line but also said in the same breath that crossing it would not result in punitive measures against Israel.

“It is a red line, but I am never going to leave Israel,” Biden said. “The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line I’m going to cut off all weapons.”

Sources familiar with the details have said that as of early March, there has been no slowing of weapons shipments since October 7. However, in recent days there is an increased concern regarding their supply, due to the harsh statements made by both US President Joe Biden and his administration, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to the sources, the US may act as if it is "business as usual" but in real time slow the shipments by adding bureaucratic difficulties, without saying explicitly that this was the instruction given to the employees.

Report: Sinwar now managing hostage deal negotiations

A senior Israeli source involved in the negotiations for a prisoner swap has warned that the process will be long and drawn-out.

Speaking to Channel 12 News, the source said, "It's going to be a long and complex process - the negotiations are now going to be held with [Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya] Sinwar."

He added, "Even if there is Hamas abroad, they have zero authority to make decisions. every comma, every period, will take between 24-36 hours. It's going to be a complicated process."

On Sunday night, Israel's Diplomatic-Security Cabinet approved the departure of the Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, to Doha on Monday, where it is expected to discuss the details of the plan for the release of the hostages.

The Cabinet gave the Israeli delegation a general mandate and authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss tactical details.

According to an official with knowledge of the details, the delegation "will be able to conduct extensive negotiations."

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Pollak: Biden Attack on Netanyahu Causes Worst Crisis in History of U.S.-Israel Relations

President Joe Biden’s endorsement Friday of a call by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for Israel to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold new elections marks the worst crisis in the history of U.S.-Israel relations.

Israel is currently fighting to defeat Hamas, which murdered 1,200 people in the October 7 terror attack. It is also under attack from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and has even faced missile attacks launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen.

All of these groups are funded and armed by Iran, which views the United States as its enemy. Instead of backing Israel fully, Biden is not only criticizing Israel in increasingly strident terms, but demanding it remove its democratic leader.

Biden is also slapping sanctions on Israelis who have not been convicted of any crime; this week, he also sanctioned two geographic areas under Israeli control in the West Bank. At the same time, he gave Iran a $10 billion sanctions waiver.

Meanwhile, the Senate — at Schumer’s direction — is refusing to pass billions of dollars in military aid for Israel. And there are reports that the Biden administration is “slow-walking” deliveries of ammunition already promised to Israel.

This is happening because Netanyahu — like most Israelis — rejects Biden’s plan to impose a Palestinian state after the war, which would reward Hamas for terror. Israelis also want to win the war — not to wait, and allow Hamas to survive.

Biden is furious, and wants Netanyahu out of the way. So he, and Schumer, have sent a message to Israel: if you do not replace Netanyahu, you will not be receiving more money and more weapons. You will be on your own against terror. READ MORE

Voices from the Arab press: No truce in Gaza, what about south Lebanon?

If nothing miraculous occurs, the ongoing conflict in southern Lebanon appears destined for a grim conclusion: a significant escalation, leading to a destructive Israeli war, and a troubling repetition of past incursions, from 1978 through 1982 to 2006.

Israeli intentions to respond forcefully to Hezbollah’s provocations are glaring, encompassing destruction, casualties, and forced displacement – evident in the ravaged villages of the south.


Hezbollah, instigator of the conflict, is forthright about its immediate goal: refusing a ceasefire until the conflict in Gaza subsides.

However, the dynamics in Gaza differ, with proposed truce talks focusing on a six-week ceasefire, prisoner exchanges, and increased humanitarian aid. While Israel may consider this proposal, Hamas vehemently opposes it, demanding a full ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an outcome Israel deems inconceivable, as it seeks to eradicate Hamas and secure the region. Negotiations in Cairo have hit a roadblock due to these conflicting stances.

Rumors of a Qatari ultimatum to deport Ismail Haniyeh if Hamas persists in its stance add a layer of complexity to the situation. READ MORE

Fatah slams Hamas for ‘returning Israeli occupation to Gaza’ with its Oct. 7 ‘adventure’

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party hit back at criticism on Friday by Hamas and other factions over his appointment of a new prime minister they said could deepen divisions.

Fatah accused Hamas of returning the “Israeli occupation” to Gaza through its “October 7 adventure,” calling this a worse catastrophe than that caused by the establishment of Israel in 1948.

Abbas appointed Mohammad Mustafa, a long-trusted adviser on economic affairs, as prime minister on Thursday and tasked him with forming a new government.

But the factions said in a statement Friday that “making individual decisions, and engaging in formal steps that are devoid of substance, like forming a new government without national consensus, is a reinforcement of a policy of exclusion and the deepening of division.”

Such steps point to a “huge gap between the (Palestinian) Authority and the people, their concerns and their aspirations,” they said. READ MORE

Israel said to complain of slowdown in US arms deliveries amid growing rift

The United States has slowed the pace of its military aid to Israel compared to the beginning of the war, according to a report quoting an Israeli official Friday that American officials denied.

As ties between the Biden administration and Israel become increasingly strained over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the unnamed senior Israeli official told ABC News that supply shipments “were coming very fast” when the war erupted after Hamas’s October 7 attack, but “we are now finding that it’s very slow.”

The official said Israel was running out of 155 mm artillery shells and 120 mm tank shells. The official also said that it required sensitive guidance equipment, without elaborating.

According to the official, it was not clear what was causing the slowdown.

The Israel Defense Forces refused to comment on the report. READ MORE

Netanyahu advisor: 'We can, and must, win in Rafah'

Ophir Falk, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal that victory for Israel in Rafah was not as far away as it seems.

Falk began by declaring that international disapproval would not affect Israel's strategy for the continuation of the war. "Mounting international pressure to end the war won’t weaken Israel’s resolve to accomplish its mission of destroying Hamas, freeing the hostages, and guaranteeing that Gaza will never pose a threat to Israel again," he wrote.

Falk notes that there are concrete figures to support his confidence, noting that Israel has already defeated two-thirds of Hamas's battalions, killed or captured 21,500 terrorists including top leaders, and destroyed extensive amounts of infrastructure, all within six months of fighting. "John Spencer, chairman of urban warfare studies at West Point, described Israel’s achievements as “unprecedented," he pointed out.

Falk addressed the concept of collateral damage, noting that international opinion strongly approves of Israel's approach. "According to retired British Col. Richard Kemp, the average combatant-to-civilian death ratio in Gaza is about 1 to 1.5. This is astonishing since, according to the United Nations, the average combatant-to-civilian death ratio in urban warfare has been 1 to 9. Israel seeks to minimize civilian casualties, while Hamas seeks to maximize civilian casualties and use them as a propaganda tool. We cannot let Hamas’s strategy pay off."

He then focuses on Rafah, presumed by many to be the last stronghold for Hamas and the next major target for the IDF. Falk describes taking the city as a prerequisite for victory, and states that taking it is necessary for the good of both Israel and Gazans. Should Israel refrain from taking the city, he warned, Hamas will rebuild, and a new wave of terrorists will emerge.

He concluded with his vision of the future, predicting an end to the most intense combat, delivery of aid to those in need of it without Hamas hijacking it, and safety for both Israeli and Gazan civilians. "Total victory is within reach. Israel will finish the job. Anything less will endanger the rest of the civilized world.''

Police prepare for mass invasion from Jenin region

The Israel Police have recently held several exercises and assessments that deal with the concern of a mass invasion from the Jenin area to nearby Israeli towns.

Avi Danieli, the commander of the Israel Police’s lowlands region stated "We have held exercises simulating a terrorist takeover of the Afula police station and invasion of the town of Gadish, along with civilian emergency squads. We have Border Police and the Special Patrol Unit deployed along the border, and we have carried out numerous exercises in the area."

‘We carry out exercises along with the IDF, we are exceptionally strong, and prepared for any scenario and intrusion."

The commander of the special patrol Unit in the area, Timor Yugodiev, added: "Since October 7th, we have drawn conclusions, and understood that when a multi-front incident with numerous casualties is underway, the MDA and United Hatzalah will be unable to reach the area, especially when the area has not been sterilized and there is still active combat underway."

‘We have undertaken a week of combat medical training, which at the moment of truth will allow us to save lives and evacuate both soldiers and civilians to hospital care. We have recently held an exercise that focuses on combat, managing a medical scenario, and evacuating victims to a safe space for transfer to medical services."

Netanyahu to world: Did you lose your moral compass so quickly?'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated today (Sunday) that an operation in Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold in southern Gaza, would take place.

"Since the beginning of the war, we have been fighting on two fronts - the military front and the political front," Netanyahu began, adding that "on the political front, we have so far managed to allow our forces to fight in an unprecedented manner for five full months. But it is no secret that the international pressure against us is increasing."

He added that "there are those in the international community who are trying to stop the war now, before all of its goals are achieved. They do this by hurling false accusations against the IDF, against the Israeli government, and against the Prime Minister of Israel. They do this by trying to bring about elections now, in the midst of the war. And they do this because they know that elections now will stop the war, and paralyze the country for at least six months."

"So let's be clear: if we stop the war now, before all of its goals are achieved, it means that Israel has lost the war, and we will not allow that. Therefore, we must not give in to these pressures, and we will not give in to them," he said. "No international pressure will stop us from realizing all the goals of the war: eliminating Hamas, freeing all our hostages, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat against Israel."

He stated that "in order to do this, we will also operate in Rafah. This is the only way to eliminate the rest of the murderous battalions of Hamas, and this is the only way to exert the military pressure necessary to release all our hostages."

"To this end, we have approved the operational plans for the operation in Rafah, including the promotion of the steps to evacuate the civilian population from the battle zones. This is a necessary step towards the military operation," he said.

"I repeat - we will act in Rafah. It will take a few weeks, and it will happen," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu also conveyed a message to the world: "To our friends in the international community I say: Is your memory so short? So quickly did you forget October 7, the most terrible massacre committed against Jews since the Holocaust? So quickly are you ready to deny Israel the right to defend itself against the monsters of Hamas? Did you lose your moral conscience so quickly?"

"Instead of putting pressure on Israel, which is fighting the most just war, against the cruelest of enemies, direct your pressure against Hamas and its patron - Iran. They are the ones who pose a danger to the region and the entire world." Netanyahu said.

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Yemen’s Houthis obtain hypersonic missile, upgrade weapons arsenal - report

Yemen’s Houthi terrorist group has obtained a new hypersonic missile and upgraded its current arsenal with warheads, Russian state media RIA reported on Thursday.

Citing an unnamed Houthi official, the terrorist group told RIA that they had tested a hypersonic missile “with high lethality” and are planning to add it to their arsenal.

“The group’s missile forces have successfully tested a missile that is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 8,” the official said, adding that the weapon runs on solid fuel; Yemen intends to begin manufacturing it for use during attacks in Krasnoye. Arabian Seas and the Gulf of Aden, as well as against targets in Israel.”


Mach 8 is the equivalent of 9878.4 per hour. The US-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance categorizes a hypersonic missile as a missile that can “travel faster than Mach 5 [3800mph] and have the capability to maneuver during the entire flight.”

The unnamed official also reportedly claimed that the group had been upgrading their northern-based stock of missiles and drones, modifying them to have explosive warheads. READ MORE

Palestinian terror leaders, Houthi officials met to coordinate against Israel – report

Senior figures from Hamas and Yemen’s Houthi rebels held a rare meeting last week to discuss coordinating their actions against Israel, Palestinian factional sources told AFP.

Hamas and the Houthis belong to the “axis of resistance,” a collection of Iran-backed movements hostile to Israel and the United States that also includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group and Iraqi militias.

The Houthis have attacked Red Sea shipping for months since the Israel-Hamas war was triggered by the Palestinian terror group’s October 7 attack, saying they are targeting Israeli-linked vessels in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

However, the threat has now widened to other ships in the area.

According to sources from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, leaders from the two Palestinian Islamist terror groups, as well as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, held an “important meeting” with Houthi representatives last week. READ MORE

Aid from Cyprus to enter Gaza via new pier; EU warns of pockets of famine

The Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday it was preparing for the arrival in Gaza of a ship from Cyprus bringing almost 200 tons of food in what will be the first humanitarian aid delivery by sea, as the EU humanitarian chief warned there are already pockets of famine in the Strip.

The charity ship Open Arms set sail on Tuesday out of Larnaca port, towing a barge containing a load of flour, rice, and protein from the World Central Kitchen (WCK) organization, funded by the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus.

The IDF said the aid delivery was being “carried out in coordination with Israeli security and civilian authorities, in accordance with the directive of the government of Israel and at the request of the US government.”

The ship was to be inspected by the Israeli Navy at sea once it gets to around 20 nautical miles from the Gaza coast, according to information seen by The Times of Israel.

From there, the aid ship will be escorted by the Navy and Air Force toward Gaza’s coast. READ MORE

Netanyahu says he okayed plans for Rafah op, Hamas demands still ‘absurd’ but talks to go on

 While calling Hamas’s latest demands for a hostage release deal “absurd,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel would send a delegation to Qatar to continue talks on a potential truce “once the security cabinet discusses the Israeli position.”

At the same time, Netanyahu’s office said he had approved military operational plans for an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah — a stick Jerusalem continues to hold over the terror group in efforts to reach a hostage release.

Israel has said Rafah remains Hamas’s last major stronghold in the Strip after the IDF operated in the north and center of the Palestinian enclave. It has said an offensive there is necessary to achieve the war’s goals and is not a question of “if” but “when.”

Friday, March 15, 2024

Afghanistan invests $35M in Iran’s Chabahar seaport

Amid growing trade relations between Iran and Afghanistan, the Taliban government declared a $35 million investment in Iran’s southern port of Chabahar.

This project is considered a crucial step forward for war-torn Afghanistan as it will strengthen the country’s commercial capacities and grant it better access to international waterways.

The declared investment, which underlines the expanding economic ties between Iran and Afghanistan, followed a high-level Afghan delegation that recently visited Tehran.


Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, confirmed in a statement that “with the investment of $35 million, construction of various projects have started, including commercial and trade complex.”

There are also plans to develop a 25-story residential skyscraper in Chabahar, according to media reports, which also assert that a special economic zone for Afghanistan is being established at Chabahar Port that will reportedly lead to an increased volume of trade between the two countries. READ MORE

Nasrallah assures Iranians Hezbollah will fight alone if war with Israel breaks out

With ally Hamas under attack in Gaza, the head of Iran’s Quds Force visited Beirut in February to discuss the risk posed if Israel next aims at Lebanon’s Hezbollah, an offensive that could severely hurt Tehran’s main regional partner, seven sources said.

In Beirut, Quds chief Esmail Qaani met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the sources said, for at least the third time since Hamas’s deadly October 7 onslaught on southern Israel, which triggered Israel’s offensive aimed at eliminating the terror group.

The conversation turned to the possibility of a full-scale Israeli offensive to its north, in Lebanon, the sources said. As well as damaging the Shiite terror group, such an escalation could pressure Iran to react more forcefully than it has so far since October 7, three of the sources, Iranians within the inner circle of power, said.

Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, causing loss of life and widespread damage with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.

At the previously unreported meeting, Nasrallah reassured Qaani he didn’t want Iran to get sucked into a war with Israel or the United States and that Hezbollah would fight on its own, all the sources said. READ MORE

Hamas offers exchange of women, children, elderly hostages for up to 1,000 prisoners


Hamas has presented a Gaza ceasefire proposal to mediators and the US that includes the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for freedom for Palestinian prisoners, 100 of whom are serving life sentences, according to a proposal seen by Reuters.

Hamas said the initial release of Israelis would include women, children, the elderly, and ill hostages, in exchange for the release of 700-1000 Palestinian prisoners, according to the proposal. The release of Israeli “female recruits” is included.

According to the latest proposal, Hamas said it would agree on a date for a permanent ceasefire after the initial exchange of hostages and prisoners, and that a deadline for an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would be agreed upon after the first stage.

The group said all detainees from both sides would be released in the second stage of the plan.

Ahead of a of the war cabinet on Friday to deliberate on the possibility of finalizing a hostage deal following Hamas’s offer, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night accused the terror group of continuing to dig its heels in with “ridiculous demands.” READ MORE

Report: Iran using European ports to arm Hezbollah

The Telegraph revealed on Thursday that Iran is using European ports to provide cover for shipments of weapons to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon.

Sources quoted by the British newspaper said that Hezbollah has received missiles and bombs on ships that go on to dock in ports in Belgium, Spain and Italy.

Iran has switched to shipping weapons by sea after Israel’s air force began to target consignments coming in by land into northern Syria via Iraq, one source said.

Weapons and other goods are now shipped to the Syrian port of Latakia before the vessels go on to ports in Antwerp, Valencia and Ravenna, The Telegraph said, in an attempt to disguise the purpose of the journeys.

From Latakia, the weapons are transported south to Lebanon.

“Using Europe helps to hide the nature and the source of the shipments, switching paperwork and containers… to clean the shipments,” a senior intelligence source in Israel said.

“Europe has huge ports so Iran is using that as a camouflage. It’s very easy to do manipulations in those big ports where things have to get moved quickly, rather than a small port where there will be more scrutiny. It’s like a cat and mouse between us and the Iranians. They’re trying to smuggle and we’re trying to stop it. It’s been at least three years like this.”

According to The Telegraph, since the beginning of the Gaza war in October, five Iranian ships – Daisy, Kashan, Shiba, Arezoo and Azargoun – have unloaded goods in Syria, starting their journey in Bandar Abbas in Iran.

Coordinated by Iran’s Quds Force Unit 190, the weapon transfers are then managed by Hezbollah’s Unit 4400, which is responsible for arms shipments.

Amb. Friedman: Biden is saving Hamas by trying to stop Israel

Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman spoke to Arutz Sheva – Israel National News about the current state of the US-Israel relationship in light of the recent pressure by the Biden Administration over the war against Hamas.

Ambassador David Friedman commented on the shift in the messages conveyed by the US government from what was felt in Israel in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas massacre, on October 8th and 9th, when the US seemed more supportive of Israel. “It is very unfortunate. Biden made reference to Israel engaging in indiscriminate bombing. This is very, very unfair and not true. I think he said that their conduct was over the top. He started pushing for a two-state solution. He's demanding a ceasefire."

"It's offensive, but the real damage is that it is making it harder for Israel to recover the hostages and win the war, because of the Hamas strategy. They know they can't defeat Israel militarily, so what they're saying is, ‘okay, we just committed this incredible act of barbarity. We're the darlings of the terrorist world. Now can we survive? We're not going to survive if Israel completes this war. The only way we can survive is if America stops Israel from completing the war. So right now they've got a few battalions left in Rafah and they've got their leadership still intact. So now they're watching Biden and they're saying to themselves ‘this guy's going to stop Israel, and if this guy stops Israel, we're going to survive. We don't have to pay that high a price to survive. The price of the hostages goes up and the risk of a bad outcome goes up. No one's paying attention to Biden more than Hamas and he's sending them exactly the wrong signals.” READ MORE

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Chuck Schumer calls for new elections in Israel, saying Netanyahu has 'lost his way'

 WATCH

Why the world needs to understand the importance of the Red Sea - analysis

Headlines worldwide have increasingly focused on the maritime domain ever since the Houthis began persistently targeting ships sailing through the Bab el Mandeb strait en route to Europe via the Suez Canal. The Houthi attacks have effectively disrupted vital trade routes and resulted in the loss of life among sailors and damage to at least 15 vessels, with one ship being wholly lost to the sea. This escalation has boosted the world's attention on the maritime domain and heightened military responses in the region, primarily led by the United States and the United Kingdom.

"The escalation in the Red Sea highlights the centrality and irreplaceability of maritime sea lanes of communication for world trade," Albert Vidal, research analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told The Media Line.

He added that it also shows how these maritime routes are vulnerable to attacks by conventional state actors and non-state actors without a navy, such as the Houthis.


In Context: The Houthis are a Yemen-based armed group aligned with Iran that controls large areas in Yemen, including its capital, Sanaa. The group emerged in the 1990s, and 2014, they conquered Yemen's capital city, starting a civil war that persists until today. The Iranian-backed group, which has been recently designated as a terror organization by the United States, claims that the attacks on the vessels are in support of the people of Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Dr. Andreas Krieg, a lecturer at the School of Security Studies at King’s College London, Royal College of Defence Studies, and fellow at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, tells The Media Line that the maritime domain is one of the key domains in defining our global order today, and it has always been that way.

In many ways, he says, "Freedom of navigation around maritime choke points is key for the proper functioning of our international liberal order, which is based on trade, freedom of navigation, and interconnectivity." READ MORE