Mondoweiss – February 12, 2025
Israel’s offensive in the West Bank is the second act of the Gaza genocide
Israel’s ongoing assault on the West Bank is not to wipe out the Palestinian resistance. It is to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their homes and set the stage for annexation.
BY QASSAM MUADDI
The Israeli army has expanded its ongoing military offensive in the northern West Bank from Jenin refugee camp to Nur Shams and al-Far’a refugee camps in Tulkarem and Tubas. The Israeli onslaught has led to the displacement of at least 40,000 Palestinians, according to UNRWA. 
Scenes from Gaza are repeating themselves in the refugee camps of the northern West Bank as residents describe being kicked out of their homes by the Israeli army as soldiers go house to house, separating men, women, and children into different groups and marching them out of their neighborhoods at gunpoint. “It was very humiliating and painful,” one resident of Nur Shams refugee camp told Mondoweiss on Tuesday.
The three refugee camps and their surrounding cities have been at the center of a renewed wave of armed Palestinian resistance since 2021, especially in Jenin. In all three areas, Palestinian local resistance groups have been confronting Israeli raids with increasing efficiency and an accumulation of experience, albeit with very little means.
Israel has attempted to break the back of the rising phenomenon in the northern West Bank over the course of the last four years. In early 2022 it stepped up its campaigns of military reprisal with “Operation Break the Wave,” launching increasingly violent and disproportionate raids into Palestinian refugee camps. In July 2022, Israel reintroduced airstrikes in the West Bank to target Palestinian fighters in Jenin, before expanding the use of airstrikes to other parts of the West Bank’s north.
Following October 7, 2023, Israel escalated its raids to another level, taking advantage of the post-October 7 furor to change its military strategy in the West Bank. According to Israeli officials, the current offensive, dubbed “Operation Iron Wall,” aims to “change the security status quo” in the West Bank by definitively crushing the armed resistance, suggesting that its primary goal is security-driven. But the real reason for the wide-ranging escalation in the West Bank surpasses any pretenses of maintaining “security.”
Beyond ‘security’
Skyrocketing Israeli violence after October 7 was often unaccompanied by a security explanation, and much of it was not directed against armed groups. Israel imposed hundreds of additional checkpoints across the West Bank and arrested up to 5,000 Palestinians, including over 3,600 under administrative detention — that is, without charge or trial. It escalated home demolitions in öArea C (which makes up over 60 percent of the West Bank) and distributed firearms to settlers who forcibly displaced up to 20 Palestinian rural communities in the West Bank. Most of these communities were located in areas that haven’t witnessed any armed Palestinian activity for years, like in the South Hebron Hills and in the eastern slopes of the central Jordan Valley.
Several months after October 7, in May 2024, Israel also reversed the Israeli Disengagement Law of 2005, which had led Israel to withdraw settlers from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank in the wake of the Second Intifada. The revocation of this law allowed Israeli settlers to go back to evacuated settlements in the areas of Jenin and Nablus.
In January, following a Palestinian shooting attack near Qalqilya that killed three Israelis, the head of the Israeli settlements’ regional councils, Yossi Dagan, called on the Israeli army to invade the West Bank’s cities as it did in Gaza. Israeli Finance Minister and hardline Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich called for “making Jenin and Nablus look like Jabalia,” referencing the city and refugee camp in north Gaza that Israel completely destroyed and forcibly depopulated during the last four months of the war before the current ceasefire. According to Smotrich, such actions, coupled with settlement expansion, would make the establishment of a Palestinian state impossible.
When another representative of the hardline religious right, Itamar Ben-Gvir, resigned from his post as National Security Minister in opposition to the current ceasefire deal, Smotrich did not leave Netanyahu’s cabinet, despite voting against the ceasefire. Analysts have described the “Iron Wall” offensive in the West Bank as Netanyahu’s concession to Smotrich in exchange for refraining from resigning, which would have jeopardized Netanyahu’s cabinet and forced him to call for new elections.
The road to annexation
Smotrich’s main political project has always been the annexation and mass colonization of the West Bank, which has come hand in hand with destroying all possibilities for a Palestinian state. Prior to October 7, Smotrich declared that Palestinians donﾒt exist and that Palestinian towns in the West Bank, like Huwwara, should be “wiped off the map.” As far back as 2017, he laid out a ﾓDecisive Planﾔ for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank who would not accept living under “Jewish sovereignty,” giving them the choice between leaving the country or being killed.
The idea that Netanyahu would need to appease him to maintain his government means that the West Bank and Palestinians’ lives in it are the price to be paid for the ceasefire in Gaza — and for Netanyahu’s political survival.
But these ambitions in the West Bank are also shared by Netanyahu himself, and by many members of his cabinet who come from the religious right-wing base and the settler movement in the West Bank. Netanyahu himself had promised in 2020 to annex large parts of the West Bank, especially the Jordan Valley, stating several times that there would never be a Palestinian state on his watch. Netanyahu was also on record, in his early years as a politician in the 1980s, stating that Israel should use any opportunity to displace as many Palestinians as possible, not only from the West Bank but also from within the borders of the Israeli state, and most importantly, from Gaza.
In 2018, the Israeli Knesset passed the Nation-State Law by an overwhelming majority, stipulating that national self-determination between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea belongs only to the Jewish people. During the latest war on Gaza in July 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed a resolution, also with an overwhelming majority, rejecting a Palestinian state anywhere in historic Palestine. Both pieces of legislation echo the Israeli religious right’s calls to completely colonize and annex the West Bank, indicating a strong drive within Israeli politics and society to finally act on this ambition. For Palestinians in the West Bank, this means that they are in the crosshairs, with destruction and forcible expulsion, whether partial or total, on the immediate horizon.
With no end in sight, and with Israeli declarations that it will include all of the West Bank as part of its “Iron Wall” offensive, it becomes clear that the Israeli attack is not a security measure. It is an instrument for carrying out the political aspirations of the Zionist right. The first step has entailed the displacement of 40,000 Palestinians from the northern West Bank’s refugee camps, but it won’t stop there. As the fragile ceasefire in Gaza approaches the end of its first phase, Palestinians brace for what might follow in the West Bank, fearing that what they face will be the beginning of a new chapter in Israel’s war on the Palestinian people.
Qassam Muaddi is the Palestine Staff Writer for Mondoweiss. Follow him on Twitter/X at @QassaMMuaddi.
Countercurrent – February 13, 2025
Israel Quietly Establishes Military Zone Inside Syria
Damascus (Quds News Network)- Israel has quietly established a military zone inside Syrian territory, Israeli Army Radio reported. No final date has been set for its withdrawal.
The report said Israel’s presence in Syria is no longer temporary. The Israeli army is constructing nine military sites in the zone. Three brigades are now stationed there, up from just one and a half battalions before October 7, 2023. The military plans to remain in Syria throughout 2025.
The revelation comes days after Israeli warplanes bombed military sites in the Kiswah area near Damascus. The strikes triggered massive explosions and fires.
Israel has repeatedly carried out airstrikes in Syria, claiming to target armed groups. The latest attacks come amid rising tensions along the Israeli-Syrian border. Israeli forces continue expanding their incursions into Quneitra province.
Since December 8, 2024, Israel has intensified its military operations in Syria. It has occupied the buffer zone, seized control of Jabal Al-Sheikh’s summit, and expanded its operations in Quneitraﾠand rural Damascus.
https://countercurrents.org/2025/02/israel-quietly-establishes-military-zone-inside-syria/
Al Mayadeen – February 13, 2025
Yemen will intervene militarily to thwart Trump's Gaza plan: Al-Houthi
The leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement directs the Yemeni Armed Forces to maintain full readiness in anticipation of any American aggression.
Yemen will intervene militarily to prevent US President Donald Trump's plan to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their homeland, the leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, threatened on Thursday, adding that the country is acting within its duty and that it will not remain a bystander.
In a speech addressing the latest regional and international developments, Sayyed al-Houthi stated that Trump’s plan to uproot Palestinians from their homeland constitutes a violation of a fundamental right from which numerous other rights stem.
He described Trump as a "criminal accustomed to making statements that resemble nonsense and buffoonery," adding that "his plan is more akin to a joke" and naive rhetoric coming from the leader of a country "that presents itself as a civilized nation under false pretenses."
Sayyed al-Houthi emphasized that Trump’s repeated promotion of the forced displacement of Palestinians demonstrates his insistence on "a criminal scheme" that disregards justice and legitimate rights.
The Yemeni leader denounced Trump’s plan as "invalid and unjust," stressing that "Trump appears determined to promote it and exert pressure on certain Arab states to accept it."
"We are not surprised by this plan from the US president, whose policies reflect tyranny and a history of criminality," Sayyed al-Houthi said, pointing out that "there are no limits to the ambitions of the American president, who advocates for the aggressive and oppressive Zionist project and seeks to see it fulfilled."
The Ansar Allah leader further noted that while Trump’s first term was marked by the so-called "Deal of the Century," his second term has escalated to "the Crime of the Century." He explained that through this plan, Trump aims to achieve what the Israeli aggression on Gaza has failed to accomplish—namely, the forced displacement of Palestinians from their land.
Sayyed al-Houthi asserted that when the US proposes the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, it is actively working toward the complete annihilation of the Palestinian cause.
He added that Washington’s deception has been exposed in every stage of the so-called "peace process", as the Americans themselves have "reneged on all agreements brokered between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli enemy regarding the two-state solution"—agreements they supervised and sponsored.
Arab world bears great responsibility in rejecting Trump's plan
Sayyed al-Houthi pointed out that the US has not even considered or respected the Arab nations that abandoned Gaza during the aggression and that Washington continues to support "Israel’s" expansion and its occupation of remaining Arab territories.
Given this reality, the Yemeni leader stressed the importance of recognizing the implications of Trump’s displacement plan, which is merely one component of the Zionist project aimed at territorial expansion and the targeting of holy sites, foremost among them the al-Aqsa Mosque.
The success of this scheme, he warned, hinges on Arab acceptance of it, underscoring that Trump’s plan can only succeed if the Arab states, particularly those neighboring Palestine, accept it.
Sayyed al-Houthi noted that the Arab nations that have explicitly rejected Trumpﾒs plan bear a significant responsibility, and while their stance is important, their steadfastness in maintaining this position is even more crucial.
He underlined that the Arab world must not accept Trump’s plan, for doing so would make them "complicit in the heinous crime of forced displacement," warning that "Washington is seeking to entrap them."
The Ansar Allah leader emphasized the necessity of capitalizing on the broad Arab and international consensus against Trump’s plan by uniting and resisting any attempts to be used as tools by the US.
He also urged all parties to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and maintain an unwavering stance in rejecting the plan—otherwise, it would constitute "a great betrayal."
According to Sayyed al-Houthi, "any approval of Trump’s plan will have dire consequences for the region."
Yemen remains firm in supporting Palestinian people
Regarding the Yemeni stance on this plan, Sayyed al-Houthi affirmed that Yemen’s position is "steadfast and principled in supporting the Palestinian people and its Resistance fighters and standing by them in every possible way."
He explained that "Israel" has yet to comply with the requirements of the ceasefire agreement by preventing the entry of aid, essential equipment, and tents, noting that the occupation entity has violated the agreement with encouragement from Trump, whom he described as "the deceptive guarantor and buffoon—who disregards all rights and has threatened the Resistance with hell if it does not release the captives."
The Yemeni leader warned against any form of bargaining or compromise, as the US "may resort to postponement rather than cancellation." In response to Trump's threats, he declared, "Hell awaits you and your likes—tyrants, criminals, and arrogant."
While stressing the need for "a strong, clear, and unequivocal" Arab and Islamic stance in the face of tyranny, Sayyed al-Houthi cautioned that the region "could face a major crisis, as the enemy cannot retrieve its captives through the language of aggression and threats."
Yemen will respond militarily to any aggression on Gaza
In this context, the leader of Ansar Allah warned that Yemen will immediately take military action against both "Israel" and the US if they launch an attack on Gaza—whether on, before, or after Saturday. He also called on the Yemeni Armed Forces to maintain full readiness in anticipation of any American aggression.
"We will not hesitate to strike both the Israeli and American enemies, and we will closely monitor the implementation of the agreement," he underlined.
He said that on Friday, the Yemeni people will send a warning message to "Israel" and the US through a million-man demonstration, cautioning them against reneging on the deal.
Concluding his speech, Sayyed al-Houthi reaffirmed that Yemen will remain vigilant and in continuous coordination with the Resistance fighters in Palestine and the Axis of Resistance.
Addressing them directly, he stated, "You are not alone. We stand with you and will remain by your side until Palestine is liberated and these satanic, invalid plans are thwarted."
Russia and Sudan finalize agreement on Red Sea naval base
Sudan has confirmed its agreement with Russia to establish a naval base on the Red Sea coast, stating that there are "no obstacles" to its implementation.
The facility will host nuclear-powered warships and accommodate 300 Russian personnel, enhancing Moscow’s regional strategic presence.
The announcement was made during a press conference in Moscow, where Sudan’s Foreign Minister Ali Yusef Sharif affirmed his country’s "complete agreement" with Russia on the matter.
He also expressed gratitude for Russia’s veto in the UN Security Council against a British-backed resolution in November 2024, reiterating Khartoum’s firm opposition to foreign interference.
Negotiations for the base began in 2017 when former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir visited Moscow, culminating in the signing of an agreement in November 2020.
However, ongoing instability in Sudan delayed its implementation. In recent months, Russian officials have visited Port Sudan, reinforcing cooperation between the two nations.
Moscow has maintained ties with both sides of Sudan’s ongoing conflict, positioning itself as a key player in the region’s shifting power dynamics.
The United States, China, and France already maintain naval forces in the strategically vital waters off the Horn of Africa.
However, Washington and its allies have openly opposed Russia’s presence in the Red Sea, fearing it will disrupt their longstanding control over global trade routes and regional security operations.
Western powers, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, have played a significant role in Sudan’s instability through economic sanctions and political intervention.
Western governments, through International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, pressured Sudan to cut fuel subsidies and implement austerity measures, further deepening economic hardship.
These policies increased public discontent and fueled armed conflicts, ultimately leading to the October 2021 coup.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2025/02/13/742741/Russia-secures-agreement-naval-base-Sudan
Countercurrent – February 13, 2025
White House Confirms Karim Khan First Target of Trump’s ICC Sanctions
New York (Quds News Network)- Karim Khan, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), is the first individual to face sanctions authorized by former US President Donald Trump. These sanctions target the war crimes tribunal for its investigations into US citizens and allies, including Israel.
Khan, who is British, was named on Monday in an annex to an executive order signed by Trump last Thursday imposing sanctions on the ICC for targeting the US and Israel, Reuters reported.
Trump’s Order
Trump’s order places financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who assist in ICC investigations of US citizens or US allies.
Actions may include blocking property and assets and not allowing ICC officials, employees, and relatives to enter the US.
Genocide Case
The order accuses the ICC of engaging in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel” and of abusing its power by issuing “baseless arrest warrants” against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Chief Yoav Gallant.
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza assault launched in October 2023, which lasted for 15 months.
Neither the US nor Israel is a member of or recognizes the court.
“The ICC has no jurisdiction over the United States or Israel,” the order states, adding that the court had set a “dangerous precedent” with its actions against both countries.
The order comes after a visit to the White House by Netanyahu, who is wanted by the ICC.
ICC Response
In response, the ICC condemned the order as an attempt to “harm its independent and impartial judicial work.”
“The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all Situations before it,” a statement by the court read.
The International Criminal Court, which opened in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the U.N. Security Council.
Under an agreement between the United Nations and Washington, Khan should be able to regularly travel to New York to brief the U.N. Security Council on cases it had referred to the court in The Hague.
Not First Sanctions
The first Trump administration imposed sanctions on the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and her deputy in 2020 when the court investigated US war crimes in Afghanistan. This time, the sanctions are linked to the court’s investigation into Israel.
Trump’s 2020 sanctions were reversed under the presidency of Joe Biden, who conditionally backed ICC investigations into Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
On his first day back in the Oval Office last month, Trump reversed Biden’s ending of the 2020 sanctions.
The US is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC and has had a rocky relationship with the court since its establishment in 2002.
Condemnations
“We trust that any restrictions taken against individuals would be implemented consistently with the host country’s obligations under the U.N. Headquarters Agreement,” deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Friday.
Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said the order “suggests that President Trump endorses the Israeli government’s crimes and is embracing impunity.”
Callamard said the sanctions will harm the interests of victims in countries where the court is investigating atrocities, not only in Palestine but also in Sudan, Libya, the Philippines, Ukraine, and Venezuela.
“Governments around the world and regional organizations must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of President Trump’s sanctions. Through collective and concerted actions, ICC member states can protect the Court and its staff. Urgent action is needed, like never before.”
“Victims of human rights abuses around the world turn to the International Criminal Court when they have nowhere else to go, and President Trump’s executive order will make it harder for them to find justice,” said Charlie Hogle, staff attorney with American Civil Liberties Union’s National Security Project.
“The order also raises serious First Amendment concerns because it puts people in the United States at risk of harsh penalties for helping the court identify and investigate atrocities committed anywhere, by anyone.”
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said on X that the ICC “must be able to freely pursue the fight against global impunity”.
“Europe will always stand for justice and the respect of international law,” she said.
The Netherlands, which hosts the court, said it “regrets” Trump’s order.
“The court’s work is essential in the fight against impunity,” Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said on X.
Last month, the US House of Representatives voted to sanction the ICC, but the bill foundered in the Senate.
In response to efforts to what they described as attempts to challenge the ICC’s authority, nine nations – including South Africa and Malaysia – launched the ‘Hague Group’ last month to defend the court and its rulings.
Countercurrent – February 13, 2025
Tulsi Gabbard (and Hindutva) Have Won For The Present Moment
by Pieter Friedrich
Last month, I sat with two FBI agents in Washington, DC for at least two hours to discuss my experiences as a victim of transnational repression by Indiaﾒs Hindu nationalist (ﾓHindutvaﾔ) government. Along the way, I also mentioned that I was there in DC to visit U.S. Senate offices and advocate against the confirmation of former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the Director of National Intelligence.
I did do that. I visited 25 Senate offices, and spoke at length with many staffers specializing in national security and intelligence areas. Every one of them was fascinated and disturbed by what I shared: that the foundation of Tulsi Gabbard’s national political career was support from U.S. affiliates of the Hindutva movement.
One staffer suggested that Gabbard’s intimacy with Hindutva ought to be examined from a counterintelligence perspective.
I failed. Gabbard was confirmed on 12 February 2025 by a Senate vote of 52-48. Only one Republican Senator, Mitch McConnell, broke party ranks to vote against her. Others who were considered “swing votes,” such as Senators Todd Young and Lisa Murkowski, offered their “ayes.”
Both had stood on principle to vote against Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense. What bought Murkowski’s vote is anyone’s guess, but Elon Musk denouncing Young as a “deep state puppet” before having a private call with him was undoubtedly the key factor in his pro-Gabbard vote.
Gabbard’s confirmation was on the rocks for much of the time leading up to the final vote. Senators were upset about a wide range of far more mainstream issues than the Hindutva allegiance which I discussed. Most of these issues — Assad, Putin, Snowden, and more — were raised on the floor by multiple Democratic senators in the hours before the vote.
Senators Elissa Slotkin, Dick Durbin, Chris Coons, Chuck Schumer, and others all pleaded with the Senate to vote “no” on Gabbard. Unfortunately, none of them raised the issue on which Gabbard is most vulnerable: the issue of Hindutva.
For the past six years, I have been reporting on Hindutva influence in U.S. sociopolitics, especially elections. I reported on:
- Sri Preston Kulkarniﾒs campaign for U.S. Congress. He lost, catastrophically.
- U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. He has faced strong opposition since for his Hindutva ties.
- Ambassador (acting) Atul Keshapﾒs meeting with Indiaﾒs RSS, the paramilitary that serves as the fountainhead of Hindutva. He resigned, prematurely.
- Michigan State Assemblywoman Padma Kuppa. She lost her campaign for Michigan State Senate.
- Ohio State Senator Niraj Antani. He lost his campaign for U.S. Congress.
- I’ve reported on much more, but the very first Hindutva-tied politician I ever reported on was Tulsi Gabbard, in a cover article for IndiaﾒsﾠCaravanﾠmagazine in August 2019. Titled “How The American Sangh Built Up Tulsi Gabbard,” it referenced the “Sangh Parivar” or “Family of Hindu Nationalist Organizations” spearheaded by the RSS, to discuss in depth how Gabbard owes her political career to them.
As Congressman Ro Khanna, himself a Hindu, commented at the time: “Important article. It’s the duty of every American politician of Hindu faith to stand for pluralism, reject Hindutva, and speak for equal rights for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist(s) & Christians.”
My article was 18,000 words, all about Tulsi Gabbard and her ties to Hindutva. As I repeatedly said during my Senate visits last month, “Gabbard’s interactions with Assad are problematic. But if you asked me to write an article using hard facts describing her relationship with Assad, I’d be hard-pressed to give you 1,000 words. That I can give you 18,000 words on Tulsi’s relationship with Hindutva says a lot.”
Since then, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard lost office as she dedicated herself to a failed campaign for the U.S. presidency. Her bizarre political gymnastics — which I recently called those of a ﾓchameleonﾔ — were recently summarized as the “mystery of Tulsi Gabbard” in The New Yorker:
“She comes from Hawaii, where she served in the state legislature and the National Guard; in those years, she campaigned against “homosexual advocacy organizations” and in favor of environmental protections. Gabbard was elected to Congress in 2012, running as a Democrat, and was made a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee. Since then, she has left the D.N.C., because she wanted to endorse Bernie Sanders; left Congress, because she wanted to run for President; and left the Democratic Party, because she had become convinced that it is, she says, ‘led by an ￩litist cabal of woke warmongers.’ In August, she endorsed Donald Trump, later saying, ‘A vote for President Trump is a vote to express our deep love for our country, and our appreciation for our God-given rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.’”
These unpredictable flip-flops are best explained, in the words ofﾠThe Atlantic, as a “dogged pursuit of power, or at least of proximity to power.” They represent a constant attempt to shift with the political winds, to stay relevant, and to keep close to power.
Such desperation can only be explained by what I’ve uncovered: that Gabbard’s political career was created by U.S. affiliates of Hindutva. That Hindutva in America wants politicians in their pocket. And that, in the words of key Hindutva advocate Dr. Bharat Barai, who has given tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations to Gabbard, “It doesn’t matter to me whether it is a Republican or Democrat.”
Gabbard donning the colors of a foreign political party at events hosted by what would become a registered foreign agent didn’t faze those who voted for her. Gabbard’s justification of Hindu nationalism — a chauvinistic, misogynistic, xenophobic ideology — as merely “expressing pride in one’s religion” didn’t faze her Republican backers. Gabbard taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from donors who also helped to elect India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then turning around and arguing, in India, that “there was a lot of misinformation that surrounded the event in 2002,” referring to the Gujarat Massacre of Muslims which Modi is accused of orchestrating and which got him banned from America, no, that did not faze anyone in the Senate from confirming her.
Gabbard was first introduced to India’s RSS by a family friend named Michael Brannon Parker. Parker was hired by the RSS to write a book whitewashing the RSS’s 2008 massacre of Christians in the Indian state of Odisha. Asked by RSS leader Ram Madhav to introduce him to Gabbard in 2008, Parker did so.
Then Gabbard became a member of U.S. Congress, ran for U.S. President, and eventually was confirmed as the Director of National Intelligence.
In the meantime, Modi’s regime started assassinating critics in North America. One, successfully, in Vancouver, Canada. One, unsuccessfully, in New York City.
Where does all of this take us?
I remember when Tulsi Gabbard was repeatedly protested in the streets during her presidential campaign over her ties to the RSS. “The princess of the R$$,” read signs.
Today, she controls my country’s intelligence services.
For 20 years, I have joined my life with the Indian diaspora to take up concerns about the dismal human rights situation in India, especially that facing religious minorities. Under the past 10 years of Modi’s reign, India has moved from the world “largest democracy” to the world’s largest autocracy or, as some might phrase it, the world’s largest fascist nation.
For those 20 years, I have been deeply concerned on behalf of another community about the trajectory of their nation. Today, I am deeply concerned by the direction that my own country is headed, and Tulsi Gabbard exemplifies that.
The greatest struggle against the influence of Hindutva — a fascistic movement that has overwhelmed India — in the U.S. has failed. Hindutva is now in the innermost circles of the U.S. presidency.
As we are led by people who insist on putting “America First,” those same people have put into power figures who will destroy America.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
As someone who intentionally made myself the most vocal opponent of Tulsi Gabbard since 2019, I am concerned but I am also doing what I can to watch my back. As a patriot, I am terrified by what her control of our nation’s intelligence means, especially when her oldest, biggest, most faithful political supporters are affiliates of the very same Hindutva movement that tried to murder American citizens on American soil. As a believer, I pledge to continue the struggle.
And as a realist, I have hope that President Trump’s habit of repeatedly turning his back on those who were once his closest allies will soon include Tulsi Gabbard.
Pieter Friedrich is a freelance journalist specializing in analysis of South Asian affairs. He is the author of Sikh Caucus: Siege in Delhi, Surrender in Washington and Saffron Fascists: Indiaﾒs Hindu Nationalist Rulers as well as co-author of Captivating the Simple-Hearted: A Struggle for Human Dignity in the Indian Subcontinent. Discover more by him at PieterFriedrich.net.
https://countercurrents.org/2025/02/tulsi-gabbard-and-hindutva-have-won-for-the-present-moment/
