Al Mayadeen – November 29, 2024
Hezbollah not defeated, not close to being defeated: Israeli media
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth underlines that Hezbollah was not close to being defeated in the north as settlers clamor about losing.
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth has described the recent ceasefire agreement with Lebanon as a "broad implementation of Resolution 1701 under US leadership," while acknowledging the challenges faced by the Israeli occupation during the wa
r.
In a report, the newspaper stated that critics of the agreement within Israel overlook fundamental realities, particularly that "Hezbollah was not defeated, nor was it close to being defeated." While the group sustained significant blows, it "continued fighting" throughout the conflict, the report noted.
The article highlighted a prevalent sentiment among Israelis who question why the Israeli occupation's military superiority has not succeeded in creating a new status quo free of threats or in forcing Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and establish a security buffer zone.
"Anyone with a real understanding of Lebanon knows that certain outcomes cannot be achieved through tanks, rockets, or even by destroying infrastructure," the report added.
Former head of Israeli military intelligence, Tamir Hayman, echoed these frustrations, admitting that the Israeli military "failed to achieve any of its objectives in the aggression against Lebanon." Hayman acknowledged that the Israeli occupation forces' goal to ensure the swift and safe return of northern settlers was not realized.
Hayman also praised Hezbollah fighters, stating that their "brave combat against the Israeli military reinforced the principle that equations are dictated on the battlefield alone."
he ceasefire has left many Israeli settlers, particularly in northern settlements, feeling disillusioned. As Lebanese villagers return to their homes, some Israeli settlers argue that the agreement has neither delivered a decisive victory against Hezbollah nor accomplished the goals of the war. These frustrations have fueled calls within the Israeli occupation to break the ceasefire and resume hostilities.
'Settlers afraid, frustrated'
This echoes a similar sentiment made by Israeli media, wherein they said residents in southern Lebanon are returning to their homes following the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation, while fear and frustration are prevalent among settlers in northern border settlements.
Israeli Channel 12 reported a "deep mistrust" between northern settlers and the Israeli occupation forces, noting that "no one has addressed the reality in the north for over a year." The network quoted a resident of Metula, a northern border settlement, who said, "Being neighbors with Lebanon, the Israeli military must do much more to restore our sense of security."
Despite government calls for settlers to return, many express doubts, with Channel 12 adding that "there is no place to return to." The displacement has also disrupted daily life, including education, as families struggle to resume normal routines.
Strategic advisor Eyalet Frisch criticized the mass evacuation of roughly 100,000 northern settlers during the war, describing it as a "strategic mistake" driven by "hysteria over Hezbollah." Former Israeli military spokesperson Avi Benayahu echoed this view, stating that the military was in a state of panic after evacuating from the north.
'1-0 in favor of Hezbollah'
Channel 14 warned that if the government continues its current approach, the north risks becoming a "Lebanon border envelope" similar to the precarious situation faced by communities near Gaza.
Moshe Davidovich, head of the so-called "Frontline Settlements Forum," labeled the day of the agreement as "a sad day for northern settlers," claiming it failed to provide a safe return. He dismissed the deal as "not a victory," describing it as "1-0 in favor of Hezbollah."
Former Israeli military spokesperson Ronen Manelis further contradicted government claims that Hezbollah had been pushed back 15 kilometers from the border, calling such assertions "utter nonsense."
Israel violates Lebanon truce, mounts deadly attacks on Gaza
The Israeli military has conducted fresh attacks on Lebanon in violation of a ceasefire agreement with the Hezbollah resistance movement and ramped up its deadly airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
In a statement posted Thursday on X, the Lebanese army said Israeli occupation forces several times violated the truce deal just after it went into effect, and the following day.
"These breaches included aerial violations and attacks on Lebanese territory using various weapons," it added.
The Israeli military confirmed its Thursday aerial assault on southern Lebanon, adding that its forces had also opened fire towards the people who were driving to their homes in the area.
Earlier, Lebanese media reported that at least two people were wounded after Israeli tank fire hit five towns and some agricultural fields in the country's south.
"The Israeli enemy is attacking those returning to the border villages," Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah said. "There are violations today by Israel, even in this form."
Israel was forced to accept a ceasefire with Hezbollah after suffering heavy losses following more than 14 months of fighting and failing to achieve its goals in its aggression on Lebanon.
The truce agreement, brokered by the United States and France, came into effect before dawn on Wednesday. It will last for 60 days in the hope of reaching a permanent cessation of hostilities.
At least 3,961 people were killed and 16,520 others injured in Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Hezbollah opened a support front for Palestinians in Gaza only a day after Israel unleashed its war against the besieged territory in October 2023, launching numerous retaliatory attacks against Israeli targets in the occupied territories.
In a statement that followed the ceasefire, Hezbollah vowed to continue resisting Israel and monitoring the occupation army’s withdrawal from south Lebanon “with [our] hands on the trigger” in defense of Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Hezbollah further empathized that its fighters “remain fully equipped to deal with the aspirations and assaults of the Israeli enemy."
It also reaffirmed its commitment to the Palestinian cause, noting that it will continue the path of resistance with even greater determination.
Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 42
Across the Gaza Strip, at least 42 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Thursday.
Reports said Israeli forces stepped up their bombardment of Gaza's central areas and tanks pushed deeper into the Palestinian territory’s north and south.
Since October 2023, the Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 44,330 Palestinians and injured 104,933 others in its brutal Gaza onslaught.
The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said at least 70 percent of those killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza were women and children.
Philippe Lazzarini said the ongoing Israeli offensive in the northern edge of Gaza has uprooted 130,000 people over the past seven weeks.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/11/29/738132/Israel-violates-Lebanon-truce-Gaza-attacks
Russian defense minister visits North Korea as ties expand
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has arrived in North Korea for talks with the country’s high-ranking officials as Moscow and Pyongyang expand their military ties.
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that Belousov was in Pyongyang as part of an unannounced visit to meet and negotiate with North Korean “military and military-political officials.”
Photos released by the ministry showed Belousov walking alongside his North Korean counterpart No Kwang Chol on a red carpet at a Pyongyang airport, with North Korean military officials clapping under a banner that read, “Complete support and solidarity with the fighting Russian army and people.”
The defense minister was quoted by the Russian news agencies as hailing “expanding” ties with North Korea, saying, “Friendly ties between Russia and North Korea are actively expanding in all areas, including military cooperation.”
Belousov also praised a strategic partnership agreement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un following their June meeting in Pyongyang, which he said was aimed at reducing tensions by maintaining a “balance of power” in the region and lowering the risk of war, including with nuclear weapons.
Belousov said the June meeting demonstrated the “highest level of mutual trust” between the two leaders, and “also the mutual desire of our countries to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in a complex international environment.”
The North Korean defense minister, for his part, praised the expanding cooperation between the countries’ militaries and reiterated North Korea’s support for Russia in the Ukraine war, describing it as a “just struggle to protect the country’s sovereign rights and security interests.”
Russia and North Korea have strengthened their military ties since Moscow launched its full-scale "special military operation" on Ukraine in February 2022.
The United States has recently accused Pyongyang of sending more than 10,000 soldiers to help Russia fight Ukraine, with Moscow strongly rejecting the reports.
Russia launched the operation partly to prevent NATO’s eastward expansion after warning that the US-led military alliance was following an “aggressive line” against Moscow.
NATO members of the US, the UK and Germany have since been flooding Ukraine with weapons and munitions despite repeated warnings by Russia against the flow of weaponry to Kiev as it prolongs the conflict.
Daily Sabah – November 28, 2024
International Criminal Court issues warrant for Gen. Min Aung Hliang over crimes committed against Rohingya community
Faisal Mahmud |
The Bangladesh government described the recent arrest warrant for Myanmar’s army chief Min Aung Hlaing as a "significant" step toward securing justice for the atrocities committed against persecuted minorities in the Southeast Asian natio
n.
Khalilur Rahman, the high representative of Rohingya affairs of the Bangladesh interim government, told Anadolu that this arrest warrant “is a step towards ensuring justice and accountability.”
On Wednesday, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed a request for an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader over crimes committed against the Rohingya minority.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan alleged that Senior General Min Aung Hlaing is “criminally responsible for crimes against humanity,” including deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, carried out in Myanmar and parts of Bangladesh from Aug. 25 to Dec.31, 2017.
The ICC estimates that the violence led to the forcible displacement of over one million Rohingya, many of whom sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh.
Shamsud Douza, the additional refugee, relief, and repatriation commissioner for the Bangladesh government, said the arrest warrant has brought the “Rohingya crisis back into the global spotlight.”
Aung, the leader of Myanmar’s powerful military, known as the Tatmadaw, has served as the country’s military ruler since seizing power in 2021.
The ICC investigation initiated in 2019 implicates Myanmar’s armed forces, the Tatmadaw, along with the national police, border guard police, and non-Rohingya civilians in the alleged crimes, Khan said in a statement on Wednesday.
Myanmar has consistently denied accusations of genocide, claiming its military crackdown targeted Rohingya rebels involved in attacks.
Yeni Safak – November 29, 2024
Turkish president urges Muslim nations' joint action to halt ongoing Israeli onslaught on Palestine
Türkiye continues diplomatic contacts with Islamic countries to respond to persecution in Gaza and take joint action, says Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday emphasized the importance of unity and joint action for Islamic countries in response to Israel's ongoing onslaught in Gaza.
President Erdogan said the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and occupied Palestinian territories since Oct. 7, 2023, have once again demonstrated the critical importance of Islamic nations' unity and solidarity.
He made these remarks in a video message to the International Humanitarian Summit on “The Future of Gaza,” which was organized in Istanbul by Türkiye's Diyanet Foundation and Al Khair Foundation.
"In full view of the world, nearly 50,000 of our Palestinian sisters and brothers, most of them children and women, have been martyred,” he said, adding: “As a result of Israel's bombardments directly targeting civilians, over 100,000 innocent Palestinians have been injured."
He lamented that Israel's attacks on Lebanon have resulted in over 3,500 deaths and that "places of worship, schools, hospitals, and all aspects of civilian infrastructure have been targets of Israel's assaults."
“In the face of these attacks, Türkiye stands in full solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” he vowed.
“Over the past year, we have especially sought to extend a helping hand to our sisters and brothers in Gaza and Lebanon,” Erdogan stressed, recalling: “With over 86,000 tons of aid delivered, we are among the countries providing the most support to Palestine."
He pointed out that the amount of aid delivered to Lebanon has exceeded 1,300 tons, adding: “We are continuing our diplomatic efforts to ensure that Islamic countries respond collectively to the oppression in Gaza and act together.”
“Our struggle will continue until the occupation and massacres in Palestine come to an end and an independent, sovereign, and territorially unified Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is established based on the 1967 borders,” he underlined, expressing his belief that “the international humanitarian aid summit will support us in this struggle.”
Israel has launched a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas in October last year, killing over 44,300 people, most of them women and children, and injuring over 104,900.
The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.
Last week, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.
Yeni Safak – November 22, 2024
The Collapse of Hasbara
By Taha Kılınç
When the Third Zionist Congress convened in Basel, Switzerland, from August 15-19, 1899, one of the main topics of discussion was how to present Zionism to the global public. Theodor Herzl, the leader of political Zionism and the founder of the Zionist Congress, introduced the term “propaganda” for this purpose. At the time, the term carried no negative connotation, and Herzl urged the attendees: “Engage in propaganda for the masses; tell them who you are!”
Shortly afterward, Herzl’s close associate Nahum Sokolow coined the Hebrew term Hasbara as a counterpart to “propaganda.” Meaning “explanation” in Hebrew, Hasbara evolved into a term encompassing a multi-layered lobbying network used by Zionists—and later by Israel—to shape public opinion worldwide.
As the occupation of historic Palestine intensified in the early 20th century, Zionist groups launched an extensive Hasbara campaign globally. Their initial focus was on media and academia, the primary avenues for shaping public opinion. Significant resources were funneled into these efforts: influential individuals were recruited, writers and thinkers were lavishly rewarded, projects were funded, sponsorships were provided, and, in some cases, coercive measures like blackmail were employed. The goal was to establish a Hasbara network that presented the occupation of Palestine entirely through a Zionist lens.
Over time, these investments expanded into the film, music, and entertainment industries. Productions highlighting “Jewish victimhood” were heavily promoted, and Holocaust-themed films were showered with awards. Winning an Oscar seemed almost contingent on pandering to Zionism and Israeli narratives.
The Hasbara apparatus, unrestrained in its methods, paid particular attention to Islamic countries. Select scholars and researchers were offered generous scholarships, civil society projects were funded, and figures across journalism, diplomacy, public institutions, and even social media were targeted. In nearly every Islamic country, one can find pivotal moments or influential figures shaped by Hasbara.
Yet, it’s important not to overestimate Hasbara as an all-powerful and flawless operation. While billions of dollars have been spent globally, cracks have appeared in its meticulously constructed “defensive walls,” particularly in recent years. People are increasingly rejecting the biased language of Zionist-backed media, which portrays Israeli attacks on Palestinians as “conflicts between two sides.” Claims justifying atrocities under the guise of “Israel’s right to self-defense” are losing credibility, and narratives blaming civilian casualties on “human shields” used by “terrorist organizations” are no longer accepted.
The ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza are not just about the tragic loss of Palestinian lives. Israel’s reputational loss in this period is, relatively speaking, far greater. The “positive” image that Zionists painstakingly built over nearly a century has crumbled within months. Hasbara has effectively collapsed, and global resentment toward Zionism and Israel has reached unprecedented levels. Identifying as Israeli or Zionist is no longer a source of pride and, in many parts of the world, now carries significant risk.
This isn’t an attempt to stir emotions or deliver a fiery speech. It’s a reminder of a reality that anyone paying close attention can see. History continues its course, unyielding in its rules. Those who live long enough will witness not just the decline of the Zionist project but its eventual disintegration.
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/columns/taha-kilinc/the-collapse-of-hasbara-3694806
Houthi: Through Hezbollah, God has granted another great victory over Israeli enemy
The leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah resistance movement has hailed the victory of Lebanon’s Hezbollah in resisting the Israeli aggression against the Arab nation, stating that God had granted yet another historic triumph over the Zionist regime
.
“Lebanon’s victory at this critical and sensitive stage in confronting the Israeli enemy was a gift from God, and came following an unprecedented level of [Israeli] aggression against the nation and Hezbollah,” Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said Thursday.
“The bloody military campaign against Lebanon and Hezbollah was heavily supported by the US. Washington shares the Tel Aviv regime’s disappointment, and is definitely complicit in the Zionist entity’s aggression and crimes,” he added.
He said Israeli officials had spoken of delivering painful and severe blows on Hezbollah, and even complete defeat of the Lebanese resistance group.
However, Hezbollah’s large-scale missile and drone attacks on Israeli positions, reaching as far as Tel Aviv within the occupied territories, well exhibited its military capabilities and prowess, Houthi said.
The Ansarullah leader emphasized that the victory of Hezbollah in standing up to the Zionist aggression once again showed that Israel could be defeated.
“The Lebanese victory was the fruit of patience, practical efforts, and preparation, leading to divine support,” he said, stressing that Hezbollah’s steadfastness stems from its readiness on both spiritual and material levels, enabling resilience and triumph.
The Ansarullah leader further noted that the US seeks to downplay Hezbollah's victory using diverse strategies to contain its political impact.
Houthi stated that the responsibility of the Muslim world to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has become even greater following Lebanon’s victory.
The Ansarullah chief also said a concerted effort across the Axis of Resistance is essential to aid the Palestinian people.
Building upon Lebanon's achievements, escalations are crucial, especially from Iraq and Yemen, he said.
Houthi welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant, stating that the rulings should have been issued at the onset of the Gaza carnage.
He emphasized that the Yemeni armed forces are determined to keep up their anti-Israeli retaliatory operations until the Gaza genocide stops.
“The US continues to exert economic pressure, even through the UN and other organizations, on us in the hope that we would change our stance. All these bids are in vain as they will not succeed in changing our position,” the Ansarullah leader said.
“Israelis claim they want to isolate Gaza, but we are telling them: We will not allow such a thing to ever happen.”
Houthi stressed that Yemeni forces are present and steadfast in all fields.
He finally called upon all walks of Yemeni society to take to the streets across the country on Friday and participate in massive rallies in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2024/11/28/738106/With-Hezbollah%E2%80%99s-triumph,-God-has-granted-another-great-victory-over-Israeli-enemy--Houthi
