Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.
On Janury 1, dozens of mercenaries from Siryan Idlib staged a protest in Tripoli’s Police College in Libya. Militants demand payment of salaries from their Turkish bosses.
According to the Al-Saa’a 24 news channel, the Syrian mercenaries have not been paid for five months. Each mercenary’s late due reportedly amount to $10,000.
According to numerous sources, it is known that the amount of contracts for Syrian mercenaries ranges from $1,500 to $2,000, depending on their military specialties and responsibilities.
Despite the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA) in October, Turkey intends to deploy a new branch of mercenaries in Libya to support the GNA, according to the recent claims by the Siryan Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
According to the SOHR, the number of mercenaries sent to Libya is estimated at 18,000. A significant part of them are under age of 18.
Turkey is actively deploying mercenaries from Syria to implement its national interests in different world regions. The recent Nagorno-Karabakh war, where more than 2,500 of its fighters were reportedly deployed alongside with Azerbaijani forces, demanded significant financial efforts from Ankara. Moreover, there are reports that Turkey is going to send mercenaries to Kashmir to fight against Indian forces.
At the same time, Turkish proxies have recently failed a large scale attack on the town of Ain Issa held by the Syrian Democratic Forces in Siryan Raqqa governorate.
Turkish desire to restore the greatness of the Ottoman Empire faces a lack of funds to carry out these ambitious plans.
Iran raises maritime readiness levels as US moves its regional forces in lead-up to anniversary of Qassem Soleimani’s assassination
Iran judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi speaks on Friday at Tehran University commemoration of first anniversary of Qassem Soleimani’s assassination (AFP)By MEE staffPublished date: 1 January 2021 19:44 UTC |
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent days, with both countries manoeuvring military forces and warning the other against any sort of attack.
With just weeks left of Donald Trump’s presidency, the first anniversary of the US assassination of Iran’s top general has ramped up the rhetoric coming out of both Tehran and Washington. Iran accuses Trump of plotting ‘pretext for war’ with B-52 deployment
Iran raised the readiness levels of its maritime forces on Friday.
Whether its move in the Gulf is offensive or defensive remains unclear given recent US actions, but Iran’s Quds force commander Esmail Qaani warned Washington on Friday that retribution for the 3 January assassination of Qassem Soleimani may come from inside the US.
“By committing this crime, you created a job for all freedom-seeking people across the globe. Be sure that it is possible that some people will be found inside your home to respond to your crime,” General Qaani said during a commemoration ceremony at the University of Tehran, as quoted by the Tehran Times.
At the same event, Iran’s judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi also sent a warning to the US, saying during a speech that Soleimani’s killers will “not be safe on Earth” and that not even Trump would be “immune from justice”.
US prepares its forces
The US has been making strategic military moves as well, aimed at warding off any potential retaliatory strikes against its assets in the region in the run-up to the Soleimani anniversary.
From fortifying forces around its embassy in neighbouring Baghdad to flying long-range show-of-force warplane missions near Iranian waters, the US has stressed its manoeuvres are defensive in nature.
“We do not seek conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack,” General Frank McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, said in a statement following the US’s Wednesday air mission. ‘A clear deterrent’: US flies two B-52 bombers near Iranian waters
Two B-52 bombers carried out a non-stop 30-hour flight from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to the Gulf and back.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it had intelligence indicating possible Iranian plans to target US assets, but Iran denied the claims, accusing the US of banging war drums as a means to antagonise Iran into taking action.
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Thursday that Washington had wasted billions of dollars on the air mission, and reiterated that while Tehran was not seeking conflict, it would defend itself.
“Instead of fighting Covid in US, @realDonaldTrump & cohorts waste billions to fly B52s & send armadas to OUR region,” Zarif tweeted.
“Iran doesn’t seek war but will OPENLY & DIRECTLY defend its people, security & vital interests.”
Zarif also celebrated Trump’s election loss in a New Years Eve message, saying: “As we end a year of anguish, let us hope for new beginnings in the coming year, ending the insane era of contempt for law and multilateralism—a four-year one that caused so much bloodshed, terror & cruelty.”
Later Thursday, Major General Hossein Dehghan, military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, addressed a tweet directly to Trump, warning him “not to turn the New Year into a mourning for Americans”.
A rift in the Pentagon?
One senior defence official who is directly involved in the intelligence discussions told CNN that there is “not a single piece of corroborating intel” suggesting an attack by Iran may be imminent.US sends dozens of armoured vehicles to Iraq ahead of Soleimani death anniversary
Critics of Trump have accused his administration of looking for a reason to begin military confrontations with Iran in the final weeks of his presidency as a way to sabotage President-elect Joe Biden’s plans to re-enter a nuclear deal with Iran.
Biden is set to take over the White House on 20 January and has made clear his intentions to re-negotiate a deal with Tehran, ending four years of Washington’s “maximum pressure” campaign against the republic.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, supporters of the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary group held a demonstration in Baghdad’s western Shoala neighbourhood on Friday to commemorate the assassination of Soleimani as well as the killing of Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who was targeted in the same strike last year.
إطلالتان إعلاميّتان في بضعة أيام، تجمع بينهما خيوط دقيقة ومتينة، مقابلة قناة فضائية مع أمين عام حزب الله، شيّقة برغم طولها، ومهمة لما ورد فيها من معلومات وما أطلقت من رسائل، ثم مقالة لرئيس تحرير صحيفة محسوبة على المقاومة، تحدثت عن زيارة رئيس مكتب حماس السياسيّ لبيروت الأخيرة، وما قاله لجلسائه في أكثر من لقاء، مرسلاً الرسائل ومحدّداً مواقف حركة حماس. مقابلة السيد حسن، أعلن فيها وبشكل صريح عن قطع العلاقة مع السعودية، التي اتهمها بالسعي لاغتياله جسدياً، بالتعاون مع أميركا و»إسرائيل»، محمّلاً إياها مسؤولية أيّ عمل ينال منه شخصياً بالمستقبل، لكن هل سيقطع هذه العلاقة أيضاً مع جماعة السعودية في لبنان؟ أم أنه يفصل ما بين الوضع اللبناني والوضع الإقليمي؟ وهل ستضع السعودية قيوداً ومحدّدات على جماعتها في لبنان بخصوص التعامل مع حزب الله، الأمر الذي سيعيق تشكيل حكومة ترث حكومة حسان دياب. أكد السيد حسن أنّ حرب اليمن ستتواصل إلى أن تحقق أهدافها في هزيمة السعودية، وهو أمر حيوي وبالغ الأهمية. فهذه الحرب ستشغل السعودية وتستنزفها مالياً وسياسياً ودينياً وأخلاقياً، ثم أنّ محمد بن سلمان الذي لا يملك إلا الحقد والمال وطاعة سيده الأميركي، ستُفقده الحرب مشروعيّته وتستنزفها في أن يصبح ملكاً.
تحدّث عن المقاومة اللبنانية، وقدراتها المتعاظمة، في البر والبحر والمجال الصاروخي، وأكد امتلاكها أضعاف ما كان بحوزتها في العدد والمدى والدقة، وانتقل إلى المقاومة في المحور على امتداده من العراق إلى غزة وما بينهما، ثم تحدث بالتفصيل عن دور سورية والرئيس الأسد في دعم المقاومة عموماً والمقاومة في غزة خصوصاً. فالرئيس الأسد هنا يفرّق ما بين المقاومة في غزة وحركة حماس والإخوان المسلمين.
في الإطلالة الإعلامية الثانية، تناولت الأخبار ما تحدّث به الشيخ هنية في أكثر من مناسبة جمعته بأطياف لبنانية مقاومة، ومثلت بالسياسة تكاملاً مع المقابلة التلفزيونية مع السيد حسن، فقد أكد أنّ حركة حماس ليست جزءاً من التنظيم الدولي للإخوان المسلمين، وهي حركة فلسطينية في الهمّ والاهتمام على حدّ سواء، ثم أنّ أية مسألة سياسية إقليمية تحدّد حركة حماس موقفها منها بنظرة فلسطينيّة، وبمعزل عن حركة الإخوان المسلمين، هكذا تكلم الشيخ هنية، ولم يصدر عن الشيخ هنية أو حركة حماس ما ينفي ذلك. يمكن قراءة هذه التصريحات، بأنها إشارة لمحاور عدة ومنها المحوران المصري والسوري، فحماس تدرك أنّ مصر تبقى قوة إقليمية برغم ضعفها وهوانها في الفترة الحالية، وهي على علاقة بالغة السوء بالإخوان، وصلت بدائرة الإفتاء المصرية العريقة أن تسير على خطى العلماء السعوديين باعتبار الإخوان المسلمين حركة إرهابية، لا شأن لها بالإسلام، وإنما تتبع مبادئ مخالفة لهدي الدين الحنيف، ومع ذلك فحركة حماس تدرك أنّ مصر هي الرئة الوحيدة التي تستطيع غزة التقاط أنفاسها من خلال وجودها في مجالها الحيوي، وأنها لا تستطيع الصمود والبقاء من دون هذا المجال الجيو – بوليتيكي (الجغرا – سياسي) الضاغط. من هنا ستحافظ حماس على علاقتها بمصر، بكلّ حال من الأحوال، وهي أمام صراع البقاء لن تلقي بالاً، أو تصبح طرفاً في الصراع الدائر بين مصر السيسي والإخوان المسلمين. المحور السوري كان أكثر أهمية واستفاضة في ما هجس به الشيخ هنية، فقد أكد لجلسائه على ضرورة طي صفحة الخلاف مع دمشق وتجاوز الأخطاء التي ارتكبتها حماس بحق سورية.. فموقف سورية أصيل، حسب قوله، في الالتزام بدعم فلسطين والمقاومة الفلسطينية سابقاً وحاضراً، ويستذكر أنّ ما حصلت عليه حماس خصوصاً والمقاومة الفلسطينية عموماً من دعم وإسناد سوري، لم تحصل على مثله من أية دولة عربية أو إسلامية، في سائر المجالات من تدريب وتمويل وتطوير ودعم سياسي ومعنوي وتوفير أجواء آمنة من دون ضغط أو إملاء أو تقييد. فالنظام حسب قوله لم يعكس مشاكله مع الإخوان المسلمين على حماس، فيما باقي العرب والمسلمين – والقول لا زال لهنية – يضيّقون علينا، واختتم بأن سورية لو كانت لا تعاني من حربها الطاحنة، لما تجرأ المطبّعون على الذهاب إلى العلانية في تطبيعهم. ما يجري على أرض الواقع من تطبيع عربي، وتوجس من ضربات ترامب الراحل، وتقدير بين متفائل ومتسائل عما ستقوم به إدارة بايدن القادمة، يعشش القرار الرسمي في حالة كمون وانتظار، ولكن مع متغيّرين أخذا في الظهور والإعلان عن نفسيهما: المتغيّر الأول أنّ جهات إسلامية عديدة ومنها حركة حماس قد أخذت بإجراء مراجعات تقود باتجاه استقلالها عن حركة الإخوان المسلمين الأمّ، وذلك لأكثر من سبب، منها ضغوط وضرورات الجغرافية السياسية، ومنها مواقف بعض الأحزاب الشقيقة والمنضوية تحت العباءة الاخوانية، التي تشارك وتبارك تطبيع حكامها كما في الحالة المغربيّة، أو الحالة التونسيّة حيث يقف الشيخ راشد الغنوشي في حالة وسطية، أو في اليمن عندما يقف حزب الإصلاح داعماً العدوان السعوديّ على أهله وشعبه. المتغيّر الثاني الموقف المعلن لحماس وغيرها من الأحزاب والحركات التي ظنّت انّ «النظام السوريّ» سيسقط سريعاً، وأنّ الرئيس والقيادة السورية يحضران حقائبهما للرحيل، بات هؤلاء يدركون خطأهم وسوء تقديرهم، فالنظام باق برغم تلك الحرب الكونية والتي شاركت بها أكثر من ثمانين دولة، عدا عن الجماعات الإرهابية، وشركات المرتزقة، ومع ذلك فسورية لم تفقد البوصلة، وبقيت برغم انشغالها لاعباً إقليمياً، قادراً على مقارعة الخصم من خلال دعم حركة حماس وتزويدها بمقدرات استراتيجية، هذا ما أدركته حركة حماس مؤخراً كما يتضح مما قاله الشيخ هنية لندمائه في بيروت.. المهمّ أن تدرك ولو متأخرة، خير من أن لا تدرك أبداً.
Annual interview with Hezbollah Secretary General Sayed Hassan Nasrallah on December 27, 2020, by the Lebanese pan-Arab channel Al-Mayadeen. This interview lasted almost 4 hours. We will translate extracts from it shortly.
In the Name of God, the Beneficient, the Merciful.
I begin by welcoming you and all viewers.And I address myself to all Christians and Muslims in the world, and in particular in our country, Lebanon,to congratulate them and wish them Merry Christmas on the occasion of the anniversary of the birth of our Master the Messiah, peace be upon him, and with the grace of God a Happy New Year for the (imminent) beginning of 2021, which we hope will be a different year than the ones before it, God willing. […]
As we were welcoming it a year ago today, just like people around the world, we thought and dreamed of changes for the better. No one could have imagined back then what kind of trials would come our way.
Now, it appears that the outgoing year has taken in the burden of many years. It was a difficult year for all of us, with worries and serious financial difficulties, bitter experiences and, for some, loss of the loved ones.
However, the outgoing year was also filled with hope that we will overcome adversity and with pride for those who showed their best human and professional qualities. It made us appreciate dependable, sincere and genuine relationships between people, as well as friendship and trust.
We walked through this year together with dignity, as befits a single nation which honours the traditions of its ancestors. These values – courage, compassion and graciousness – are in our hearts and blood and show in our deeds.
We look up to our dear veterans – the valiant generation that defeated the scourge of Nazism. Against all odds, we have fulfilled our sacred filial duty and marked the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory with gratitude and appreciation.
Indeed, the dangerous new virus has changed and even turned upside down our usual way of life, work and study, and forced us to reconsider and adjust many of our plans. But that is how things are, and trials are an unavoidable part of life.
They encourage us to take a closer look at what life is all about, listen to our conscience, discard all things that are petty and vain and appreciate what is truly important. This is the gift of human life, our families, mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers, our children, be they babies or mature adults, our friends and colleagues. This is also selfless help and the general energy of good deeds, both ambitious nationwide efforts and small local projects which are no less important.
Trials and troubles come and go. It has always been that way. The main things that make us noble and strong, such as love, mutual understanding, trust and support, stay with us.
I would like to wish that the hardships of the outgoing year quickly sink into oblivion while everything that we have gained and all the best that has come forward in each person stays with us forever.
Today, it is important to believe in ourselves, not to back off in the face of challenges and to value our unity. This is the foundation of our shared future successes.
I am convinced that together we will overcome the challenges facing us, restore normal life and continue to work to achieve Russia’s goals in the forthcoming third decade of the 21st century with renewed vigour.
Friends,
Not everyone is sitting around the New Year’s table now. Many people remain in the hospitals, and I am sure they all feel the support of their families and friends. With all my heart, I wish you, my dear friends, to get well soon and to go home as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the epidemic has not yet completely come to an end. The fight against it does not stop for a minute. Doctors and nurses, as well as ambulance crews, continue to work courageously. Many of them are on duty tonight.
The first responders, our servicemen in hot spots outside Russia, peacekeepers and Army and Navy combat crews are also tirelessly and responsibly performing their challenging missions.
Thanks to all those people who carry out their duties day and night under any circumstances, the citizens of Russia can safely gather today in their homes with their loved ones, see in the New Year with plans for the future and hopes for the better, and make their New Year wishes.
Friends,
Let us use these precious moments to dream about the best things in life, peace and prosperity, happiness and joy for everyone who is near and dear to us, and our entire country.
I want to thank every one of you, because we are together. When we stand next to each other, shoulder to shoulder, Russia becomes one big family.
I wish you all good health, faith, hope and love, as people who are close and dear to me. I wish you happiness in the upcoming 2021!
عادةً ما تكشف الاغتيالات الكبرى النقاب عن الكثير من الأسرار التي لا تقال في حضرة الحضور، ربما هذا ما يثير دهشتنا بعد كل اغتيال عظيم، لأننا ببساطة، نعرف أكثر.
مطلع كانون الثاني من عام 2020 الذي حمل في أيامه بلاءات يكاد لا يُعرف أيها موجعٌ أكثر. قصفت القوات الأميركية محيط مطار بغداد الدولي، وبدأت الإشارات التي تنذر بالسوء بالظهور، استشهد قائدان قيل إنهما “أعمدة الجهاد في هذه الأمة”، الحاج قاسم سليماني، والحاج أبو مهدي المهندس، بعدها بدأت الصورة تتضج، شيء ما حدث، العالم بعد استشهادهما ليس كما قبله.
ولأن العدسات التي توضع في مكانها المناسب تكشف حقائقاً لا لبس فيها عن ماهية العلاقات والأحداث، وتبثها بحرفية لإيصال الصورة كما هي، كانت كاميرا الميادين عام 2017، عام تحرير الموصل من داعش، في مكانها الصحيح، بدايةً، كانت في قلب معارك الموصل، وأعلنت النصر من داخلها، من الصفوف الأمامية، “بحضور استشهادي” كما وصفه نائب رئيس هيئة الحشد الشعبي في العراق، أبو مهدي المهندس، قبل استشهاده بـ 4 سنوات.
وبعد التحرير، كانت عدسات الميادين تقف إلى جانب أبو مهدي المهندس، في جلسة خاصة كُشف فيها الكثير من الحب، استطاع رئيس مجلس إدارة شبكة الميادين، غسان بن جدو، الإضاءة على علاقة تجمع المهندس بالأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصر الله، سؤال بن جدو، كما يكشف الفيديو الخاص بالميادين نت، كان منطقياً في خضم جلسة خاصة، لماذا يشاهد أبو مهدي المهندس خطاباً للأمين العام؟ جواب المهندس كان واضحاً “السيد عزيزنا”. وفي اللغة العربية “العزيز” تعني “النبيل” و”المُكرّمٌ لدينا”.
استرسل الشهيد المهندس في الحديث عن علاقته بأمين عام حزب الله السيد حسن نصر الله، قال إنه “قائد المقاومة، وقائدنا، السيد العزيز والمقاوم يتحدث عن تحرير الموصل، الأولى أني اسمع له، دائماً عنده شي جديد، يعطينا عزم وإرادة ودافعة قوية”.
قبل أيام، في مقابلة الأمين العام لحزب الله السيد حسن نصر الله على الميادين، قال الأخير إن “الشهيد أبو مهدي المهندس قائد عظيم وشخصية شبيهة بالشهيد سليماني..”. وقال إن المهندس “كان أحد قادة محور المقاومة بما يتجاوز العراق إلى كل قضايا المنطقة”. وأكّد السيد نصر الله أن الشهيد “كان شريكاً أساسياً في صنع الانتصارين على الاحتلال الأميركي وداعش”.
ومنذ أعوام قال الشهيد المهندس إن السيد نصر الله “قائد المقاومة”.. عجيب كيف ترى القادة العظماء تلتحم قلوبهم في ساحات الوغى حين يحتدم القتال كأنها دمٌ واحد، كأنها قرابةٌ سرمدية تصبح معها البلدان مجرد مسافاتٍ يمتلىئ فيها الفضاء بالبذل والعطاء.
أي سر يجمع أبو مهدي المهندس بالسيد نصر الله؟ لا أحد سيعلم كيف لتلك القمم الشامخة أن تنحني عطفاً وحباً وعشقاً بعضها لبعض، ربما هي أصوات المعارك وأزيز الرصاص، ومشاهد عزائم الرجال تخوض الموت، وتراقص المنايا المنتشرة على التخوم، تلوّح للحياة بقلبٍ مطمئن. أو هذا الحس الأبوي بأطفال العراق ولبنان وسوريا واليمن، وكل بقعةٍ تتوعدها أنياب الطغاة بسفك الدماء، وقطع الرؤوس، وهتك الأعراض، وسلب الممتلكات.
ربما هي الوجهة الواحدة لأولياء الله إلى السماء في ساعات التخلّي الطاهرة من كل ضعفٍ ووهنٍ وإستسلامٍ وتطبيع، كي تبقى المساجد بيضاء نقية من كل دم، وترتفع المآذن باسم السلام، وتقرع الكنائس أجراس الحب، ويغسل نهر دجلة مياهه من دماء الأبرياء وضفافه من بصمات التكفير، ويعبق تراب الجنوب اللبناني بأغنية العز، ويصدح شعراء اليمن وأدباء سوريا وموسيقى إيران على أيدي الرجال الرجال، صانعي عصر الإنتصارات.
استشهد المهندس غدراً لأن الخائبون عجزة عن المواجهة في الميدان. لكن “عزيزه” وآخرين ما زالوا على الخط، يحاربون طالما تذرف هذه البلاد العزيزة أبناءها.
The self-styled ‘only democracy in the Middle East’ was never comfortable with pro-democracy protests. But the autocratic counter-revolution that followed gave it new friends
A Palestinian boy walks past a section of Israel’s separation wall and a billboard that reads in Arabic “The Arab Spring Coffee Shop” in the West Bank village of Al-Ram in 2012 (AFP)By
Lily Galili in Tel Aviv, IsraelPublished date: 1 January 2021 09:10 UTC | Last update:
“Unintended consequences” is the best way to describe the impact the Arab Spring has had on Israel.
Ten years after the pro-democracy protests that swept the Arab world, Israeli analysts agree that December 2020 is the unexpected outcome of December 2010’s events.
They may differ in the interpretation of recent developments and assessment of their future impact – but all look back at the beginning of the decade as the starting point of a process that has led to a growing list of Arab and Muslim countries normalising relations with Israel.
All agree that the Arab Spring (a term coined by the West) is not a fait accompli; that the undercurrents are still very much there and can still change the landscape of the future.
Israeli political and public reaction to these historic uprisings was confused right from the start.
Public opinion was divided between those who believed that Israel’s situation worsened in face of the developments and those who saw the Arab Spring as a positive change for the country. As Israel heads to elections, nothing is different but everything has changed
Even the term “Arab Spring” was up for debate, sometimes replaced by “Arab Winter” or a term officially coined by Israeli Military Intelligence, “Taltala”, a Hebrew word for “shake-up”. “Egyptian Plague” was one of many terms reflecting the profound confusion and derision.
If the Israeli discourse reflected public bewilderment, contradictory statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were reflections of confused policy.
The premier, who had preached in his own books that the lack of democracy in Arab states was the main obstacle to peace, openly avoided any reference to the democratic aspect of the Arab Spring.
“The Middle East is no place for the naive,” he stated in a speech delivered at the Israeli parliament on 23 November 2011, referring sarcastically to those who saw something positive in the unfolding events.
Yet, on the international arena, he adopted a more lenient approach, making statements like: “Israel is a democracy that encourages the promotion of free and democratic values in the Middle East and the promotion of such values will benefit peace.”
In a paper published in January 2013 by Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies, analyst Lior Lehrs quotes “government sources in Jerusalem” as explaining that “Netanyahu felt he had to narrow the gap between him and the international community”.
“The PM, as the leader of the only democracy in the Middle East, understood he cannot ignore international criticism of [Egyptian President Hosni] Mubarak and therefore this time addressed the issue of promoting democracy in the region,” Lehr wrote.
In the years following this statement, the leader of a country that wrongly describes itself and prides itself as “the only democracy in the Middle East” befriended a long series of authoritarian regimes in the region.
From spring to normalisation
The “linkage” between the Arab Spring and the normalisation of relations between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and likely more countries to come, was one of main themes of a conference dedicated to the decade by BESA, the right-wing-orientated Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University.
“The Arab Spring is the death certificate of Arab nationalism as we knew it in the Levant, and the rise of more dictatorship-like regimes,” Ehud Yaari, Israeli political commentator and analyst, told Middle East Eye.
“The collapse of central capitals like Cairo and Damascus spurred Arab peripheral countries to re-arrange the arena. The capital moved to the UAE, a more modern one, despite its modest size. This is a given of historical dimension not bound to change in the visible future. A whole new nation ball game in the Middle East.”
At the Begin-Sadat Centre conference on 23 December, Yaari briefly told attendees what he believed would be the “nightmare scenario” for Israel – the collapse “inwards” of Egypt.
Yaari later told MEE that while Iran and Turkey compete with each other over dominance in Levantine Arab states, the peripheral countries reached a conclusion that the answer to their growing threat is to establish a new partnership, supported by the US.
Yaari said Netanyahu’s “bragging” about annexation gave Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed an opportunity for normalisation. The September deal was inked with the promise that Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank had been shelved.Meet the man Netanyahu has picked to lead Israel’s Mossad
“They wouldn’t do it for a supply of F-35 aircrafts; they aim at a kind of military-security covenant. Others will follow. Even Qatar will not stay behind long after Saudi Arabia joins. Then Muslim states like Niger, Mali and more will follow,” he said.
“The Arab Spring was a cry of those my Arab friend calls the ‘helpless, hopeless and jobless’, and not a vehicle for regime change. Yet many of the countries involved remained on a map only.”
According to his scenario, Israel becomes an integral part of the region by joining regional alliances like “the Red Sea forum”, a new Saudi initiative being discussed.
Menachem Klein, political scientist and adviser to Israeli negotiation teams in 2000 and 2003, believes that all normalisation agreements come as a result of the Arab Spring and the “dissolution” of the Arab League.
Once, the Arab League united states against Israel. When governments began attacking their people in 2011, those countries began turning on one another.
In this new constellation, Israel has become another factor in the fine fabric of alliances and rivalries in the Arab world. Donald Trump in the Middle East: A story of big winners and bigger losers
“Israel integrated into the Arab fabric not just via those normalisation agreements but as an active player in the intricate labyrinth of contradictory interests of countries of the Middle East,” he told MEE.
“A long time ago, the late Shimon Peres dreamt of Israel as member of the Arab League; what he did not dream of is a broken region with a practically non-existent League.”
Klein is very much aware of the complexity of the new reality.
The upside, he believes, is Israel is accepted as a fact, even if the circumstances of its establishment are still illegitimate in the eyes of many. The downside, according to Klein, is that in the eyes of many in Arab societies, Israel is still perceived as the long arm of the United States, one that can be used for protection and arms, as well as a pipeline to Washington.
Israel, Palestine and domestic policy
Though Yaari and Klein both agree that the Arab Spring and normalisation deals have impacted the Palestinian cause, they do not reach the same conclusion as to how.
“I believe that the normalisation that stemmed from the Arab Spring will impose more restraint on any Israeli government, be it even ultra-right wing. No more annexation, no more Israeli construction plans in the controversial E1 area. Israel has too much to lose,” said Yaari.
“The Palestinians, on the other hand, finally realised they have no one to lean on, they are bound to change direction.”
Since Palestinian nationalism ceased to be an all-Arab issue, and now the Palestinians have been abandoned by Arab countries and in the reality subject to de-facto annexation, it has in fact become an Israeli internal domestic issue
According to this plan carefully crafted over a few years, Israel will take over control of the West Bank and divide it into segments like ‘greater Nablus’, ‘greater Jenin’, and so on
Klein does not agree with that conclusion nor with that scenario. The most dangerous repercussion of the decade that changed the Middle East is, according to him, the Palestinian issue.
“Since Palestinian nationalism ceased to be an all-Arab issue, and now the Palestinians have been abandoned by Arab countries and in the reality subject to de-facto annexation, it has in fact become an Israeli internal domestic issue,” Klein said.
“It is now more a question of domestic policy than of foreign policy. That twist just makes the situation more acute in the absence of external enforcement leading to a solution. Any explosion in the occupied territories can now easily lead to chaos.”
Klein knows of an Israeli military plan to deal with such an explosion. According to this plan carefully crafted over a few years, Israel will take over control of the West Bank and divide it into segments like “greater Nablus”, “greater Jenin”, and so on.
Each divided region will be under the control of a military governor. The Israeli military’s central command, Klein tells MEE, has already practiced the plan.
It is more than about controlling riots: this is the plan to dismantle one ruling authority – the Palestinian Authority – and thus smash the political entity of Palestinian nationality.
Unlike Yaari, Klein believes that the “shake-up” that skipped the occupied territories ten years ago is about to arrive.
A year has passed since US President Donald Trump, like the coward he is, ordered the murder of General Qassem Soleimani and PMU second in command Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The Islamic Republic and the US were on the brink of all-out war as a result of the savage actions of the US President. Immediately after the act of terror, western journalists, think tanks and analysts started to speculate on whether the Islamic Republic was finished in the region.
“Soleimani’s death is a major blow to Iran” they said. Some even speculated or rather hoped that with Soleimani gone, the entire Islamic resistance would collapse as it now apparently looked leaderless. The Americans and the Israelis made the same arrogant calculations, thinking that Soleimani was irreplaceable and that the Resistance Axis had been dealt a severe blow. Little do they understand how the Islamic Resistance works and why it exists.
Martyr Soleimani acted as the coordinator between Iran and its allies among the Islamic resistance in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Afghanistan. The man commanded a lot of respect and was admired not just in the region but worldwide, which makes it easy to understand why he had to die. This terrorist act was consistent with US foreign policy since Trump assumed power as Washington has sought to humiliate, punish and bully Iran into submission through terrorism, siege warfare and threats.
This policy of humiliation was very apparent when Trump, the imbecile openly bragged about the murder and claimed that Soleimani was “saying bad things about our country” before the strike, which led to his decision to authorize his killing. (I use the word imbecile to describe him because that is how the rest of the world sees him and I don’t care how much MAGA fans thinks he is a “genius” at home. To the world, the man is a vile and disgusting terrorist. So please, if you’re going to comment on this piece, know that I am no Democrat, I am not American and I couldn’t care less about how he is viewed over there)
So what exactly did Trump achieve with this act of terror?
One of Washington’s long-term goals has been committed to “isolating” Iran, thus weakening the Islamic Republic’s resolve. What they call “Iranian proxies” across the region have become a real headache for Washington and Tel Aviv. It is therefore no surprise that Iran’s allies are being targeted everywhere. The Islamic resistance has gained a lot of strength over the years. The Lebanese Hezbollah has become the strongest ally of Iran, the best armed and trained group in the Middle East, a fact that the Zionist entity is clearly worried over. In the words of IRGC General Mohammad-Reza Falahzadeh “the ability of the resistance front is today at its peak throughout the region and has defeated America, the Zionists and the Wahhabis.”
It is for this exact reason that Washington and Tel Aviv are so violent and hateful against Iran and its allies. “How dare these savage Muslims stand up against ‘the greatest and most freedom loving country’ in the history of mankind?”
Not only did the murder not manage to break up the Resistance Axis, but it actually made them stronger. The Islamic Resistance’s resolve is stronger than ever today, and the battles against the forces of evil have continued with success for the anti-imperial forces. I’m not surprised that Western journalists, think tanks and American/Israeli intelligence couldn’t make the correct calculations of what Soleimani’s murder would mean. How could they ever understand? The other side believes in nothing, they are godless, morally depraved and would even sell out their own people for profit. They have nothing to fight for except to satisfy their lust and greed. Of course they will in their arrogance think that everyone else in the world thinks and acts like they do.
They are incapable of understanding that resistance is an ideology- an idea of a free and independent Middle East. It is not dependent on one man like Ayatollah Khamenei or a group of Generals in Iraq. Killing Iranians or Iraqis will not kill an ideology and a religion that has existed for more than 1400 years, it will only make new martyrs and strengthen the faith. Martyrdom is the core of the Shiite faith ever since the martyrdom of Imam Hussein in 680 AD. The tyrant Yazid couldn’t destroy the ideology back then when he slaughtered Imam Hussein and his followers savagely, what makes Washington believe that they can do it now? Of course, being a racist bigot like Trump or Netanyahu, makes it rather difficult to understand most things about their enemies.
This is why they still cannot understand how Martyrs Soleimani and Al-Muhandis did more damage to Washington in their death than they ever could in life. The region responded with hatred. The assassination united the Iranian and Iraqi peoples under the banner of Resistance. From Pakistan to Lebanon, and from Yemen to even parts of Europe, millions of people came out in solidarity with the martyrs and showed their absolute disgust with the Trump and Washington altogether. The martyrs’ funeral procession across Iran and Iraq were among the largest ever seen.
The Iraqi parliament immediately voted to expel the US occupation troops and Iran responded by striking US bases in Iraq despite the White House imbecile’s crude threats to annihilate Iran’s cultural heritage. The Islamic Republic’s retaliation on January 8th, was not only defiant in nature, but it was also unprecedented. It was a long time ago that another country, especially a smaller country with fewer resources and considerably less military strength, dared to directly attack US forces. I argue, just like the Saker that this was the day that the Empire truly lost. Washington didn’t respond, despite Trump’s threats to commit crimes against humanity if Iran dared to retaliate. The emperor was shown to be naked behind those pathetic Twitter threats, Washington had nothing to respond with. I believe the reason for Washington’s non-response was due to what happened on the night of January 8th. Immediately after Iran’s retaliation, Iran’s allies Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hashd Al-Shaabi of Iraq threatened to start an all-out regional war if the US dared to attack Iranian soil. I believe that message was received loud and clear by Washington.
So instead, Trump responded with more sanctions, a policy he has continued over the past year. Doubling down on failed policies seems to be Washington’s top priority. The maximum pressure campaign didn’t force Iran to the negotiations table, yet the imbecile still bragged that after his supposed election victory in November “The first call I get will be from Iran, they are dying to make a deal”.
This shows that Trump has no idea what he is dealing with. He has no understanding of the region, how some countries actually care about their independence and how his pathetic Twitter rants have only garnered the collective hate of Muslims in the region.
The Zionists know this. They know that his policies have only emboldened the Resistance front. This is why they are hoping to pressure Trump to attack Iran with less than three weeks remaining of his presidency (again I don’t care if MAGA fans think he will get his second term). Hoping to provoke and all-out war with Iran, they are making the mistake again to think that the Islamic Republic will stand alone, which it will not. I’ve said before that a war with Iran means a regional war, and possibly one where Russia would have to get involved as well. It is therefore troubling to read reports on how Mossad agents have travelled to Iraq with the aim of staging a false flag attack on US interests and pinning it on Iran. It is no coincidence that Washington has been flexing muscles and building up troops in the region, as a “deterrent” against “Iran’s revenge” on the eve of the 1st year anniversary of the murders of Soleimani and Al-Muhandis.
Whether the imbecile will start a war on behalf of his Zionist masters or not, we will see in the coming days. In any case, the Resistance Front stands ready to face any threat.
Yemen’s Ansarullah revolutionary movement conditioned the release of Saudi pilots in Yemeni custody on the freedom of Palestinian inmates held in the kingdom’s prisons.
Speaking to al-Masirah TV channel on Wednesday, Abdel Kader Mortaza, the official in charge of prisoner affairs at Yemen’s National Salvation Government, said Saudi pilots held in captivity in Sanaa would only be swapped with the Palestinians imprisoned by the Riyadh regime.
Since February 2019, Saudi Arabia has kept 68 Palestinians and Jordanians in detention without any legal reason.
Among the inmates is Mohammed al-Khudari, a high-ranking official from the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement.
Mortaza said a total of 1,087 prisoners from the Yemeni Army and allied popular forces were released from Saudi detention in 2020, 670 of them under UN supervision and 417 through local mediation.
In exchange, he added, the Ansarullah freed 150 captives, including 64 child soldiers recruited by the Saudi-led coalition, which has been waging a deadly war on Yemen over the past years.
A UN delegation visited Sanaa prisons 12 times in 2020, but the coalition does not allow such visits, the official noted.
He further said the enemy was preventing more than 30 prisoner exchange operations this year, reporting 900 cases of prisoner torture at the hands of the Saudi-led coalition in 2020.
Mortaza also said 20 Yemeni inmates were killed this year at the coalition-run prisons due to torture or medical negligence.
Saudi Arabia launched a devastating military aggression against Yemen in March 2015 in collaboration with a number of its allied states, and with arms support from the US and several Western countries.
The aim was to return to power a Riyadh-backed regime of former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and defeat the Ansarullah movement that has taken control of state matters.
The war has failed to achieve its goals, but killed tens of thousands of innocent Yemenis and destroyed the impoverished country’s infrastructure. The UN refers to the situation in Yemen as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Mortaza expressed Sanaa’s readiness to engage in talks on a prisoner swap in the coming year.
He also said the Islah party, which is the backbone of the self-proclaimed Hadi government, has not accepted an offer by the UN for prisoner exchange talks in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
The UAE has kept hundreds of prisoners from the Yemeni Army and allied popular forces, he added.
Another Epstein Class whistleblower ‘suicide’
-
“How US commerce secretary’s Epstein links were uncovered by British
whistleblower“ (Verity/Byrne/Milne):Andriesz suspected there was yet more
to find in t...
The United States At A Crossroad
-
The United States At A Crossroad—An Analysis (16 Sept 2026) by Lawrence
Davidson Part I—Texas vs Minnesota Back in mid-May […]
Report on Beth Israel vigil 09-12-26
-
*Eat-a-Cheeseburger Day Approaches*
This year, EAC Day appears on Monday, September 21st. The date coincides
with the Jewish holiday called Yom Kippur. Cl...
Best Horror Podcast
-
Best Horror Podcast Introduction: Horror podcasts […]
The post Best Horror Podcast appeared first on Copper Shock Horror Podcast.
Prince Charles: Foreign Jews behind bloodshed in ME
-
In May, 2017, British Crown Prince Charles declined an invitation from
Zionist entity’s president Reuven Rivlin‘s to attend the 100th anniversary
of the no...
Palestinian Women – One for All, All for One
-
Honouring All Palestinian Women by Honouring Three: Hanin Zoabi, Ahed
Tamimi, Samah Sabawi Vacy Vlazna “Palestinian women have always stood side
by side ...
US’s Saudi Oil Deal from Win-Win to Mega-Lose
-
By F. William Engdahl Who would’ve thought it would come to this? Certainly
not the Obama Administration, and their brilliant geo-political think-tank
neo-...
Abdul Aziz Rantissi:
"My ultimate wish, my God, is to attain martyrdom,"...God granted him his wish on April 17, 2004, at the hands of Israeli assassins.
