The fate of captives held by Hamas is in the balance until they are finally swapped for Palestinian prisoners
Archiv: booting Hamas
Thousands of families of Gaza’s missing wait for ceasefire to learn of their fate
Ever since the war on Gaza started following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, around 11,200 people have gone missing according to the Gaza government media office.
They did not arrive at Gaza’s hospitals and they were not buried and are therefore not counted in the Gaza government’s official death toll, which now stands at 46,899.
Israel, Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal delayed, fighting continues as IDF says Hamas not meeting demands
His statement came almost three hours after Israel had expected to receive the names, which Hamas was to give to mediator Qatar. There was no immediate response from Hamas or Qatar.
The prime minister, speaking to the nation about 12 hours before the ceasefire is set to start, also said Israel is treating the ceasefire with Gaza as temporary and retains the right to continue fighting if necessary. He claimed that he had the support of President-elect Donald Trump, who he said he spoke with Wednesday.
Netanyahu throws cold water on hostage deal prospects, and reminds us what a curse he is for Israel
(December 23, 2024)
From the beginning it was clear that the only feasible post-Hamas arrangement would be a return of the Palestinian Authority, which now runs the West Bank autonomy zones, back to Gaza, from which Hamas expelled it in 2007 by force. Israel itself once yearned for this, back when rational people governed the country. The proposals pushed by President Joe Biden for more than a year now envision versions of this, with the PA rejuvenated and assisted by Arab and perhaps other forces.
An Israel that wanted this would have ensured that Hamas is out of the way, publicly and persistently offering its remaining troops exile. Arab pressure on the group would have been overpowering. Israel would possibly get peace with Saudi Arabia as part of the bargain.
Instead, Netanyahu’s goons flooded the airwaves arguing that Israel cannot pull out of Gaza and end the war because Hamas would regain power.
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC on the issuance of arrest warrants in the Situation in the State of Palestine
Today, our collective mind and focus should be on the victims of international crimes in Israel and in the State of Palestine. In my own meetings with the victims and families of hostages taken from kibbutzim, and with victims from Gaza who have lost so many loved ones, I have underlined that the law is there for all, that its role is to vindicate the rights of all persons.
Situation in the State of Palestine: ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I issues warrant of arrest for Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri (Deif)
Today, on 21 November 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (‘Court’), in its composition for the Situation in the State of Palestine, unanimously issued a warrant of arrest for Mr Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, commonly known as ‘Deif’, for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed on the territory of the State of Israel and the State of Palestine from at least 7 October 2023.
The Prosecution had initially filed applications for warrants of arrest for two other senior leaders of Hamas, namely Mr Ismail Haniyeh and Mr Yahya Sinwar. Following confirmation of their deaths, the Chamber granted the withdrawal of the applications on 9 August 2024 and 25 October 2024, respectively. With respect to Mr Deif, the Prosecution indicated that it would continue to gather information with respect to his reported death.
WATCH: Fmr. Saudi official: There are no heroes in Israel-Hamas war, only victims
(October 20, 2023)
Former head of Saudi Arabia‘s General Intelligence Presidency and former Saudi ambassador to the US Turki al-Faisal condemned both Hamas and Israel in a speech on Tuesday, saying Hamas committed acts forbidden by Islam and Israel was ‚indiscriminately‘ bombing civilians in Gaza.
„There are no heroes in this conflict, only victims,“ said Faisal in a speech at a conference hosted by Rice University‘s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Report: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan reveals pressure on him from US lawmakers & threats from supporters of both Israel & Russia since pursuing charges against their leaders.
(September 5, 2024)
“You cannot allow an attack on the court,” Khan said. “Then you have no rules-based system.”*
https://aje.io/7u2xai?update=3158140
* Which is exactly what Russia Israel & US want; hence the „Hague Invasion Act“
#US #Russia #Israel #ICC ..
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in the State of Palestine
(20 May 2024)
On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Yahya SINWAR (Head of the Islamic Resistance Movement (“Hamas”) in the Gaza Strip), Mohammed Diab Ibrahim AL-MASRI, more commonly known as DEIF (Commander-in-Chief of the military wing of Hamas, known as the Al-Qassam Brigades), and Ismail HANIYEH (Head of Hamas Political Bureau) bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 7 October 2023:
(…)
Report: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan reveals pressure on him from US lawmakers & threats from supporters of both Israel & Russia since pursuing charges against their leaders.
“You cannot allow an attack on the court,” Khan said. “Then you have no rules-based system.”*
https://aje.io/7u2xai?update=3158140
* Which is exactly what Russia Israel & US want; hence the „Hague Invasion Act“
#US #Russia #Israel #ICC ..
ICC prosecutor says world leaders ‚threatened‘ him over Israel arrest warrants
Though several months have passed since Khan‘s application, ICC judges have not issued any arrest warrants.
Speaking to the BBC, Khan said it was important to show the court would hold all nations to the same standard in relation to alleged war crimes. He also welcomed the new UK government‘s recent decision to drop its opposition to the arrest warrants.
‘We need to apply the law‘: ICC prosecutor defends Netanyahu arrest warrant
Khan pointed out that the same political leaders who had applauded the court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin had condemned the same being done for the Israeli leadership.
“We need to apply the law in a way that is equal, because if we don’t, and importantly if we’re not seen to, we’re going to lose all the architecture, not just the ICC, that has been built on human suffering since Nuremberg.”
IStGH-Chefankläger verteidigt Haftbefehl gegen Netanjahu
Der Chefankläger des Internationalen Strafgerichtshofs (IStGH) hat die beantragten Haftbefehle gegen Israels Regierungschef Benjamin Netanjahu und Verteidigungsminister Joav Galant verteidigt. Ihm sei von mehreren führenden Politikern und anderen von dem Schritt abgeraten worden, sagte Karim Khan in einem BBC-Interview. Es sei aber wichtig zu zeigen, dass für alle Länder die gleichen Maßstäbe gälten, wenn es um mutmaßliche Kriegsverbrechen gehe.
US charges Hamas leader, other militants in connection with Oct. 7 massacre in Israel
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department announced criminal charges Tuesday against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and other senior militants in connection with the Oct. 7, 2023, rampage in Israel, marking the first effort by American law enforcement to formally call out the masterminds of the attack.
The seven-count criminal complaint filed in federal court in New York City includes charges such as conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals and conspiracy to finance terrorism.
Hamas Says Hostage Guards Have Been Operating Under New Orders
“Netanyahu‘s insistence to free prisoners through military pressure, instead of sealing a deal, means they will be returned to their families in shrouds. Their families must choose whether they want them dead or alive,” he said
Hamas armed wing says new instructions given to guards of Israel hostages in Gaza
On Sunday, the Israeli military reported the recovery of the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, claiming that Hamas was responsible for their deaths. Obaida said his group holds Israel responsible for the deaths.
He said the new instructions, which he did not detail, were given to guards of hostages after a rescue operation by Israel in June.
Tumultuous weekend for Israelis leaves Netanyahu with fewer options than ever
Unlike Palestinians in Gaza, Israelis can rise up to challenge their leadership. Late-night skirmishes between protesters and the authorities Sunday on Tel Aviv’s usually hyper-busy eight-lane Ayalon Highway were a manifestation of that.
As flames and dense smoke engulfed wooden pallets and tires on the roads, I watched a young man, blue paint spray in hand, scrawl his message to the prime minister in foot-high letters on the roadside wall: “Hostages or revolt.”
Hamas says captives killed by Israeli fire
The group also blamed Netanyahu for the deaths of Israeli captives, saying they „were killed by his army‘s bullets„.
(…)
Izzat al-Risheq, a member of Hamas‘ political bureau, said the six captives found dead by the Israeli army „were only killed by Zionist bombing„.
Bodies of 6 hostages, murdered by Hamas just days ago, found in Rafah – IDF
Their bodies were found with gunshot wounds to the head and other parts of their bodies, the Ynet news site reported. An autopsy found they were murdered in the 48 hours prior to the discovery of their bodies, the report said.
Palestinians, and some Israelis, see Marwan Barghouti as key to peace. They need him out of prison first
(26.03.2024)
„If any Israeli leader really wants an end for this and peace for the region on the long term, they would see that my father is someone that would bring that, who still believes in the tiny chance left for the two-state solution.“
That would be a hard ask for Israelis who see Barghouti as a terrorist with blood on his hands. He was convicted by an Israeli court for his role in the second intifada violence and sentenced to five life terms in 2004.
Barghouti refused to present a defence to a court whose authority he doesn‘t recognize but has denied the allegations.
Time to Free Palestine’s Nelson Mandela
(20.10.2023)
After Hamas’s brutal massacre of over a thousand Israel civilians and Israel’s massive military response, peace may appear inconceivable. Certainly, few would blame those unwilling to forgive the shocking violence of days past. Yet peace does not demand forgiveness of the unforgivable—and shattering events have a way of producing unanticipated consequences.
A prisoner exchange—which historical patterns suggest is likely—could, despite it all, reopen a path to peace.
Marwan Issa: Hamas and Israel silent on fate of commander announced dead by US
Hamas and Israel have remained silent on the fate of a senior military figure of the Palestinian group after his alleged death was unusually announced by the United States.
During a press conference on Monday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: “Israel has made significant progress against Hamas… Hamas’ number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an operation last week.”
(…)
Issa, 59, is the deputy to Mohammed al-Dief, the general commander of the al-Qassam Brigades, and his right-hand man.
Hamas political leaders were unaware of Israel incursion plan, Egypt officials say
(Oct 09, 2023)
Most of the movement‘s political leaders have lived in exile outside the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip for years, deepening the divide between them and the group‘s military wing known as the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, who are spearheading the continuing fighting with Israel.
The political leaders have mostly been living in Qatar, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran and Egypt.
Speaking to The National, the officials said a handful of Gaza-based Hamas leaders, reportedly as few as three who once served in the Al Qassam Brigades, knew of the attack in advance. As a precaution, they were made to believe that the operation would begin 48 hours after it got under way on Saturday.
Hamas’s deadly “phantom”: the man behind the attacks
(Oct 20th 2023)
Yet hardly anything is known about Deif. For years, Western spies would respond to questions about him with a shrug. Only a handful of photographs have ever appeared in the media – grainy images from his youth. Some speculate that he died long ago and is nothing more than a mythical figurehead cultivated for propaganda purposes.
Gaza in the Minds of Israelis
(20.02.2024)
Since 2005, as Dotan Halevy, one of the anthology’s editors puts it in the introduction, a generation has grown up in Gaza “that knows nothing of Israel” (and in Israel, a generation that “knows nothing of Gaza”). Unfortunately, that generation of Israelis is now getting to know Gaza too well. During the Oct. 7 assault, hundreds or even thousands of the Strip’s civilians streamed into southern Israel. They plundered and, alongside the Hamas fighters, murdered and raped—while their faces shone with profound joy.
UN-mandated ground troops from South Africa marching into Palestine to secure the free and fair vote for a Constitutional Assembly, following a popular vote and elections
(search results)
Remarks by President Biden and His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan After a Meeting
We must make sure the horrors of the past few months since October 7th are never repeated nor accepted by any human being.
We must together, along with Arab partners and the international community, step up efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and immediately start working to create a political horizon that leads to a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of the two-state solution — an independent, sovereign, and viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital but living side by side with Israel in peace and security. This is the only solution that will guarantee peace and security for the Palestinians and the Israelis, as well as the entire region.
Jordan’s King Abdullah: October 7 attacks cannot be accepted by any Muslim
“As I have previously stressed, we must make sure the horrors of the past few months since October 7, are never repeated, nor accepted by any human being.”
“We must together, along with Arab partners and the international community, step up efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and immediately start working to create a political horizon that leads to a just and comprehensive peace” on the pre-1967 lines, he says.
A Palestinian Exile Champions an Arab Vision for Gaza
Mohammed Dahlan, an adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, outlined one under which Israel and Hamas would hand power to a new and independent Palestinian leader who could rebuild Gaza under the protection of an Arab peacekeeping force.
While such plans face steep challenges, the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are open to supporting processes that are part of efforts leading to a Palestinian state, said Mr. Dahlan, who also has close ties to Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Families Of Hostages Still Captive In Gaza Approach World Court Against Hamas
Haim Rubinstein from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the campaign group will file a case against Hamas leaders at the ICC.
„We are the families of the hostages who have gone through and are still going through this terrible hell,“ Rubinstein said in a televised briefing from Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.
„We will file charges against Hamas members and their collaborators and ensure that they pay the heaviest price for the crimes against humanity that they continue to commit.“
Hamas posts another hostage video showing Israeli women kidnapped on October 7 and taken hostage to Gaza. The three – Doron Steinbrecher, 30,Daniella Gilboa, 19 & Karina Ariev, 19– the latter two IDF soldiers–, apparently filmed 4 days ago.
(26.01.2024)
“The present leadership of Hamas, of the PLO, and of Israel should be excluded from any participation in any future political role,” says former Saudi Ambassador Prince Turki Al Faisal. “They have to pay for what they have done… All of them are failures.”
International Villain of the Year: Benjamin Netanyahu and Mohammed Deif
Israel‘s Prime Minister and the commander of the military arm of Hamas stand out in the rogues‘ gallery for their blood-soaked acts of inhumanity.
A new leadership for the PA, followed by UN troops in Gaza and the West Bank defending a new Palestinian state. This is the only way forward.
Hundreds Gathered in Tel Aviv for Anti-War Protest, Calling for Ceasefire
Protesters carried signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English calling for an end to the war, with slogans reading “In Gaza and in Sderot girls want to live,” “No to occupation and siege, yes to peace,” “Peace solution – not war,” “War has no winners,” “An eye for an eye and we are all blind.” The police forbade the waving of some anti-war signs among them: “Massacre does not justify massacre,” “Peace solution,” “Bibi [PM Benjamin Netanyahu] should be imprisoned,” “No to Apartheid,” “Food instead of bombs,” and “Return the captives, stop the revenge.” Cops also tried to prevent people with t-shirts with the phrase “Looking at the occupation in the eyes” from entering, claiming that even using the word “occupation” constituted incitement, but after a long argument, they let them in. The police censorship was not hermetic, and all the signs were later seen in the demonstration.
My speech read: “Let’s stand against anti-Jewish bigotry here. Let’s stand against anti-Muslim bigotry here. Let’s stand against hate here.” But the chanting crowd threw me off — and I misspoke. We need to stand WITH Muslims, and Jews, and everyone who is under threat.
Van Jones Booed at March for Israel—Speech in Full
„I also pray that Hamas ends its reign of terror,“ he said. „I have to say, I‘m a peace guy, I‘m a peace guy, I pray for peace. No more rockets from Gaza, and no more bombs falling down on the people of Gaza. God protect the children. God protect the children. Let‘s end all the horror and all the heartbreak in the hold land. Let‘s end all of it.
„But, I‘ll be honest in closing. When I think about what‘s happening over there, I don‘t feel powerful to do something about what‘s happening over there,“ Jones continued, as the audience began to chant: „No ceasefire.“
„What I do feel powerful is to maybe do something about what‘s happening here. Let‘s take a stand here against anti-Jewish bigotry. Let‘s take a stand against Muslims,“ he said, appearing to lose his train of thought mid-sentence as the crowd chants.
Israel: Kontrolle über mehrere Hamas-Regierungsgebäude
Die israelische Armee hat eigenen Angaben zufolge die Kontrolle über mehrere Regierungsgebäude der islamistischen Hamas in Gaza-Stadt übernommen. Dazu gehörten das Parlament und Gebäude der Polizei, erklärte das israelische Militär heute.
IDF proclaims it has captured Hamas parliament, government seat and police HQ
The military said that troops of its 7th Armored Brigade and Golani Infantry Brigade captured several Hamas governmental sites in the Gaza City neighborhoods of Sheikh Ijlin and Rimal.
Among the locations captured by the troops were the Hamas parliament, the government complex, and the police headquarters.
After throwing grandes into the bomb shelter where these men were hiding and after blowing off their limbs, Palestinian terrorists kidnapped the severely injured Israelis into Gaza. #October7
Peace activist Vivian Silver, former board member of B‘Tselem, cofounder of Women Wage Peace, and member of Road to Recovery & rozana has passed away due to the massacre on the 7th. May her memory be a blessing, and serve as a reminder of what we should strive for; peace & unity.
Hamas leaders worth staggering $11B revel in luxury — while Gaza’s people suffer
(November 7, 2023)
The terror group’s three top leaders alone are worth a staggering total of $11 billion and enjoy a life of luxury in the sanctuary of the emirate of Qatar.
The emirate has long welcomed the leaders of the terror group and installed them in its luxury hotels and villas at the same time as it hosts a vast American military presence.
Now US Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is sponsoring a bill that would strip Qatar of its status as a key US ally, The Post has learned, unless it kicks out the Hamas leadership.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the situation in the Middle East – Press Conference
Press statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the situation in the Middle East.
Secretary-General‘s Press Conference – on the Middle East
I reiterate my utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of terror perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October – and repeat my call for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of hostages held in Gaza.
Nothing can justify the deliberate torture, killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians.
The protection of civilians must be paramount.
I am deeply concerned about clear violations of international humanitarian law that we are witnessing.
Let me be clear: No party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law.
Hamas official in Lebanon vows terror group will continue to rule Gaza
“To those who think that Hamas will disappear, Hamas will remain entrenched in the conscience of our people, and no force on Earth can annihilate or marginalize it,” Osama Hamdan tells a news conference.
אב שכול מכפר עזה, רפ״ק במילואים, מדבר על גבורת שוטרי הדרום ופונה מדם לבו אל ממ״ז ירושלים בבקשה לשמור על זכות ההפגנה ולהימנע מאלימות כלפי המפגינים.
Now in front of @Netanyahu‘s residence at 35 Gaza Road, Jerusalem, thousands demanding Netanyahu‘s ouster (@rozolyo)
There are at least two protests in Jerusalem. Demonstrators near Netanyahu‘s official residence have broken through police lines. Across from the billionaire‘s mansion where Netanyahu is holing up, signs read „Bibi Traitor of the Nation“ „Netanyahu Guilty“ and „Debacle 2023.“
BREAKING: Israel’s President Yitzchak Herzog has confirmed that the German-Israeli citizen Shani Louk has been found beheaded.
He tells @BILD: …
Ricarda Louk tells Piers Morgan that the video of her daughter Shani being taken by Hamas terrorists was sent to her eldest son: „He started crying and screaming…“ „It breaks you completely… how can this happen to me?“
(16.10.2023)
German tattoo artist ID’d as woman paraded through streets by Hamas
(Oct. 8, 2023)
But another cousin spotted footage of Shani online as her body appeared lifeless and surrounded by armed militants in the back of the truck.
One Hamas fighter had his leg over her waist as another grabbed part of her dreadlocks.
Her legs were unnaturally laid out in the back of the truck.
Her parents watched the video to confirm it was their daughter, the Washington Post reported.
Situation in Gaza ‘growing more desperate by the hour’, says UN chief Guterres
(28.10.2023)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres began his official visit to Nepal by extending deep condolences to the families of the 10 Nepalese students killed in the terror attacks by Hamas in Israel, and once again called for the protection of all civilians in Gaza, where, he said, “the situation is growing more desperate by the hour.”
Canada‘s draft amendment which explicitly condemns Hamas and calls for the release of hostages does not pass by the #UN General Assembly
In favour: 88
Against: 55
Abstentions: 23
DAY TWO: Emergency meeting of General Assembly moves towards vote on Gaza crisis
The Jordanian resolution has the backing of more than 40 Member States, including Egypt, Oman and UAE.
It calls for an “immediate, durable and sustained humanitarian truce”, and demands all parties comply with international humanitarian law and “continuous, sufficient and unhindered” provision of essential supplies and services into the Gaza Strip.
It also calls for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all civilians held captive as well as demanding their safety, well-being and humane treatment in compliance with international law.
The resolution makes no specific mention of the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October.
An amendment has been proposed by Canada that “unequivocally rejects and condemns the terrorist attacks by Hamas” in Israel starting 7 October and the taking of hostages.
Readout of President Biden’s Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel
(October 25, 2023)
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this afternoon with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. The leaders discussed developments in Gaza as well as ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release of hostages to include American citizens we believe are held by Hamas. They also reviewed ongoing discussions to ensure safe passage for foreign nationals wishing to depart Gaza as soon as possible. The President discussed ongoing U.S. support for the continuous flow of humanitarian support to the civilian population in Gaza and welcomed efforts to increase this support over the coming period. The President reiterated that Israel has every right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism and to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law. He also noted the importance of focusing on what comes after this crisis to include a pathway for a permanent peace between Israelis and Palestinians, emphasizing that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations.
Biden: Israel-Hamas war must end with vision for a ‚two-state solution‘
(Oct. 25, 2023)
„There‘s no going back to the status quo as it stood on Oct. 6, that means Hamas can no longer terrorize Israel and use Palestinians as human shields“ Biden said. „It also means, when this crisis is over there has to be a vision of what comes next, and, in our view, it has to be a two-state solution.“
Achieving this, Biden said, means „a concentrated effort for all the parties — Israelis, Palestinians, regional partners, global leaders — to put us on a path toward peace.“
Bundesweite Bombendrohungen – auch SWR betroffen
Der SWR bekam eine Droh-Mail, wie sie laut Polizeiangaben wortgleich auch an viele andere Einrichtungen am Dienstag gegangen ist. Die E-Mail war kurz und allgemein formuliert, ohne eine persönliche Anrede. Außerdem war die Drohung nicht auf Deutsch verfasst, sondern in einer anderen Sprache.
Bundesregierung spricht UN-Generalsekretär Vertrauen aus
Regierungssprecher Hebestreit betonte, dass Guterres weiter Vertrauen genieße. Rücktrittsforderungen, wie sie etwa der israelische UN-Botschafter Erdan geäußert hat, nannte Hebestreit unangebracht.
Israel-Palestine: Protection of civilians ‘must be paramount’ in war Guterres tells Security Council
The UN Security Council has been meeting at UN Headquarters in New York for what was a scheduled quarterly open debate on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, now given greater urgency by the Hamas attacks of 7 October and the deepening humanitarian crisis as the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues. The UN chief said the situation „is growing more dire by the hour“, repeating his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Here are some of the main highlights of the day…
Secretary-General‘s remarks to the Security Council – on the Middle East [as delivered]
I have condemned unequivocally the horrifying and unprecedented 7 October acts of terror by Hamas in Israel.
Nothing can justify the deliberate killing, injuring and kidnapping of civilians – or the launching of rockets against civilian targets.
All hostages must be treated humanely and released immediately and without conditions. I respectfully note the presence among us of members of their families.
Excellencies,
It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum.
The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.
They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing.
But the grievances of the Palestinian people cannot justify the appalling attacks by Hamas. And those appalling attacks cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Visiting US senators: Hamas must be destroyed, war was opened to prevent Saudi peace
Delaware Democrat Chris Coons also said that the Abraham Accords and progress toward normalization were among Hamas’s reasons to attack now.
Graham added that 10 percent of the US Senate is currently in Israel “because we care… I come here because I love Israel. I do not hate Palestinians. I hate Hamas.”
Graham also had stark words of warning for Tehran: “We’re here today to tell Iran, we’re watching you. If this war grows, it’s coming to your backyard. There won’t be two fronts, there will be three.”
Israeli politician who lost friends in Hamas attack calls for an end to the Gaza bombings
„I have to condemn totally, with no reservation, of course, the terrible slaughter that Hamas carried out against innocent civilians in the south of Israel. There was no justification for such a massacre,“ Cassif, a Jewish member of the Arab-Jewish opposition coalition Hadash-Ta‘al, told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
„Having been saying that, there‘s no justification for the carnage that Israel carries out at the moment. Because those who are harmed, assaulted and killed [are] mostly innocent civilians.“
Israelis and Palestinians Should Live in Security and Peace, MK Cassif
“I have to condemn totally, with no reservation the terrible slaughter that Hamas carried out against innocent civilians in the south of Israel. There was no justification for such a massacre,” MK Ofer Cassif, (Hadash) told “As It Happens” host Nil Köksal broadcasted by the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). “Having been saying that, there’s no justification for the carnage that Israel carries out at the moment. Because those who are harmed, assaulted and killed [are] mostly innocent civilians.” The following is an excerpt from his conversation with Köksal.
I Will Not Be Silent, MK Ofer Cassif
Last week, I was accused from the platform of Maariv, in the article “Let You Explain” written by Lilac Sigan, that I and my friends in my political path are responsible for the backing the abominable Hamas organization and its strengthening.
Strange, I thought, it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who said, in his words, that “those who want to thwart a Palestinian state should support the strengthening of Hamas”, and it was Minister Bezalel Smotrich who referred to Hamas as a “political asset”.
For years, the right-wing governments avoided overthrowing the Hamas regime and even transferred funds to it in order to facilitate a favorable political situation for the deepening of the occupation in the West Bank, when the Israeli surrounding localities of Gaza were sacrificed on the altar of the settlements.
What It Takes to Choose Life Over Revenge
(Oct. 19, 2023)
In his declaration of war on Gaza on Oct. 7, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel quoted a line from a poem by the Jewish writer Chaim Nachman Bialik. “Revenge for the blood of a little child has yet been devised by Satan,” Mr. Netanyahu posted on social media.
Perhaps the prime minister forgot what Bialik wrote just one line before that: “And cursed be he who cries out: Revenge.” Or the next lines: “Let the blood fill the abyss!/let it pierce the blackest depths.”
These days I find myself asking what the poet meant by this. Bialik wrote it after learning of the horrors of the 1903 Kishinev pogrom.
Time to Free Palestine’s Nelson Mandela
After Hamas’s brutal massacre of over a thousand Israel civilians and Israel’s massive military response, peace may appear inconceivable. Certainly, few would blame those unwilling to forgive the shocking violence of days past. Yet peace does not demand forgiveness of the unforgivable—and shattering events have a way of producing unanticipated consequences.
A prisoner exchange—which historical patterns suggest is likely—could, despite it all, reopen a path to peace.
Hamas’ Attack on Israelis Strengthens, Not Weakens, Israel’s Right Wing Political Elite
Hamas, for Zionist leaders, is controlled opposition. It’s not controlled like a puppet, but funded and kept in power by Israel because its aims, like those of the corrupt Palestine Authority, are to dominate and control ordinary Palestinians in the name of supposedly standing up against Israel while not doing anything that can actually defeat Israel.
The latter would require waging the class war against the billionaire ruling class of Israel. Hamas and Israel’s leaders need each other; each helps the other keep a grip on its own people, providing the other a perfect enemy with which to frighten its “own people” into obedience.
Gaza’s Devastating Humanitarian Crisis Worsens. The US & Israel Revive War on Terror Framework: Dissenters Labeled “Pro-Hamas.” And Is the US Establishment pro-Israel or pro-Palestine?
Not everything the United States government did in the name of waging war on the terrorists or destroying the perpetrators of those attacks turned out to be wise, justified, or even moral. To the contrary: so many actions undertaken by the U.S. government in the months and years following the 9/11 attack were self-destructive and shameful. That is the reason that the neocons who dominated the Bush-Cheney administration and George Bush and Dick Cheney themselves ended up discredited and in disgrace, at least until they magically rehabilitated themselves by denouncing Donald Trump, which absolves all sins. But the reason they were discredited and in disgrace is not because people reconsidered whether the 9/11 attack was morally unjustified. Americans still overwhelmingly believe that it was. The shame and horror from that era are, instead, due to the fact that so much of what the US did in the name of „fighting terror“ had the opposite effect: either by inflaming it, turning the world against the U.S. and engaging in actions that destroyed the moral credibility of our government.
President Joe Biden: The 2023 60 Minutes interview transcript
Scott Pelley: Do you believe that Hamas must be eliminated entirely?
President Biden: Yes, I do. But there needs to be a Palestinian authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state.
That path, called „the two state solution,“ has been U.S. policy for decades. It would create an independent nation next to Israel for 5 million Palestinians who live in Gaza and on the West Bank of the Jordan River.
Scott Pelley: And you believe Israel would pursue that after what‘s occurred–
President Biden: Not now. Not now. Not now, but– but I think Israel understands that a significant portion of Palestinian people do not share the views of Hamas and Hezbollah.