Good to see you back B, you sound relieved, a sign that can only be good news.

Posted by: Menz | Apr 25 2024 11:49 utc | 3

Some updates on Gaza:
https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gaza-live-blog-hamas-ready-for-5-year-truce-israeli-raids-on-rafah-nuseirat-all-eyes-on-rafah-day-202/

Posted by: Menz | Apr 25 2024 12:02 utc | 5

Clare Daly
@ClareDalyMEP
·
18h
Over 200 days of complicity, the EU waved Israel’s flag & increased weapons exports tenfold. So spare us crocodile tears now. It could not have happened without EU complicity. It is continuing now because of it. European values? Same as they always were: Murder & colonialism.
https://twitter.com/ClareDalyMEP/status/1783193293586563480

Posted by: Menz | Apr 25 2024 12:05 utc | 7

Pepe Escobar
@RealPepeEscobar
THE NUCLEAR F-35 MYSTERY – FINAL UPDATE
1. It’s now fully established that The Information was confirmed independently by the intel of a Big Power.
2. The Information was NOT relayed by Russia.
3. It then reached a third nation – and from that to me.
4. The players involved are not backing down an inch from The Information.
5. I was privately provided with two examples of the accuracy of recent intel by the Big Power on two separate big developments in West Asia .
6. The source that contacted me notes that “sometimes, after news has entered the media space, there is no choice but not to provide clarification.”
Additionally, a senior Russian diplomat who does not know The Information, said to me the following:
1. “That is entirely possible.”
2. It shouldn’t have been revealed to the public.
3. “If this is true, then all sides will be determined to cover it up.”
One unanswered question for me is: Why did the Big Power source relay The Information to an intel agency from another nation? I tend to believe this was to erase its tracks in the chain. Particularly because my initial source has now revealed that the Big Power gained their intelligence firsthand – and that it was not transmitted to them by the Russians, Iranians or other direct parties to the hot war in West Asia.
To sum it all up, via the source who originally received The Information: “If anyone should be accused of fabrication it is the ’source’; but in this case the ’source’ remains confident of the accuracy.”
I rest my case. I published raw intel the way I received it.
It’s up to a wider audience to judge whether – and how – The Information connects with new developments occurring at breakneck speed, and part of a New Paradigm.
2:18 AM · Apr 25, 2024
·
351.8K Views
https://twitter.com/RealPepeEscobar/status/1783168571075440782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Posted by: Menz | Apr 25 2024 12:15 utc | 9

Newbie@6…. speculation for fun; F35 incident, no plane wreckage no desert contamination, no incident. Hersh is right. F35 can’t go that far with weapons, external fuel tanks make it a non stealthy turkey.
It needs a drink, so suckling on a KC, or coming up to a KC….the turkey thing comes into play…so my guess, love the wild ones, the KC had an in flight emergency, had to land, that’s serious. Take out the flying gas station, the F35 ain’t coming back…so mission aborted F35 returns home…..Pepe is right. Actually they are both right to a degree of seperation.
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Apr 25 2024 12:29 utc | 11

Pepe’s Nuke’s explanation is as questionable as his initial report. His follow-up attempts to double down only serve to further discredit him, rather than clarifying or justifying his original claims.

Posted by: Loyal | Apr 25 2024 13:13 utc | 13

Jag är så glad för att du är tillbaka b, och jag önskar dig den allra bästa hälsa…också av rent egoistiska skäl,för utan den här bloggen förlorar man sin politiska kompass.

Posted by: Northern Eve | Apr 25 2024 13:34 utc | 15

Posted by: Menz | Apr 25 2024 12:15 utc | 9
If the source was NOT Russia , neither did it get it from Russia , nor from any of the participants, and got the information from direct intel then…
China is unlikely, Russia would have briefed why they shot down an f-35 over Iraq (probably)
US is unlikely , they would be briefed or they’d know a bird was gone.
So UK or France …
Where did they get it from? HUMINT inside the IDF?

Posted by: Newbie | Apr 25 2024 13:40 utc | 17

It’s up to a wider audience to judge whether – and how – The Information connects with new developments occurring at breakneck speed, and part of a New Paradigm.
2:18 AM · Apr 25, 2024
·
Posted by: Menz | Apr 25 2024 12:15 utc | 9
This is the paragraph that grabs me. What specific “new developments?”

Posted by: Mary | Apr 25 2024 13:57 utc | 19

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Apr 25 2024 12:29 utc | 11
Posted by: anon | Apr 25 2024 13:48 utc | 18
Maybe…
I have no firm opinion , as mentioned, facts are few.
There is thesis and another thesis, not sure if making a synthesis of an f35 on an Iran stealth attack aborted for lack of refueling brings us closer to the truth.

Posted by: Newbie | Apr 25 2024 14:02 utc | 21

https://t.me/youseffares19/31023
“”We are with our people in the same trench. We will build what the Nazi occupation destroyed and share with our people a morsel of bread and a drink of water. This aggression will be broken and fail by the power of God.”
– Watch how Abu Ubaida has changed over the past months to know that this resistance is from and among the people, and its condition is the condition of the people.. ”
Yousef Fares
@Menz 5
Ceasefire being presented as last ditch effort/opportunity before Rafah.
A lot of propaganda going on, i.e. “resistance in Gaza does not always correspond with leadership outside” , in other words saying Hamas in Qatar wants a deal but resistance not accepting.
Talk said to be particularly cruel for Palestinians because it plays on their circumstance and leads to deceptions, i.e. psyop.
Be well b.

Posted by: Ornot | Apr 25 2024 14:25 utc | 23

Posted by: William Gruff | Apr 25 2024 14:26 utc | 24
God, it’s good to hear your voice again, William Gruff. Right on. Thank you, b, for re-opening this forum.

Posted by: Mexicana | Apr 25 2024 14:53 utc | 25

If Pope’s story is correct, a highly qualified pilot of the Israeli Air Force (colonel or lieutenant colonel?) died a week or so ago. And how many others? What’s the crew of an F35?
Can they cover that up?

Posted by: Lysias | Apr 25 2024 14:59 utc | 27

The story of the Palestinian infant born an instant orphan is heart breaking, yet only th PBS Newshour covered that story.
No coverage on Fox, CNN, or CBS………..all IDF all the time.
And the final act in the great genocide of the 21th century, the IDF some how obtaining 40,000 tents to house 1.4 M + war refugees now gathering in Rafah. The IDF plan is move 1.4 M + refugees north in Khan Younis, a city they have already totally destroyed, a city now with no municipal services i.e.: water, sewer, medical (note the IDF has assassinated all the civil servants in the city…firefighters, police officers, doctors, nurses, garbage collectors/bin men, etc.)
Will the IDF also provide clean water, food, medicine and medical care…..oh course not, its a genocide after all and the end game is to murder all the Palestinian by airstrike, infantry assault, tank fire, starvation or disease.
The IDF theme “kill them all, let God sort them out”………..
Also this week we viewed the result of the IDF attack on Al Nassar Hospital, hundreds of dead civilians, and hosptial staff, many executed by the IDF with classic head shots………
The war crimes trials in the Hague will be very interesting………..stay tuned….

Posted by: Tobias Cole | Apr 25 2024 15:04 utc | 29

So why is the F 35 story so implausible? The IDF would not, with the approval of the War Council/War Cabinet, orbit a nuclear armed F 35 in order to strike Iran?
Of course, this is completely possible and probable too. This a fascist Israeli government, totally under the influence of religious radicals who believe that Arabs or Persians are an inferior race. They want to start of giant religious conflagration on the Temple Mount by sacrificing the red heifers in the Al Asqua Mosque. So why would they not want to wage nuclear war against Iran?
Its not like the alleged IDF action is out of character……….look at the attack on the USN intell ship, the USS Liberty in 1967 when, the IDF wanted to blind USN intell ship in order to stage its own attacks deep into Egypt (which the US opposed).
Or during the 1973 war when it did orbit an A4 Skyhawk fighter bomber over Sinai (armed with a tactical nuclear gravity bomb, obtained from the US by the way), just in case the Egyptian offensive succeeded in driving deep into occupied Palestine and capturing Jerusalem………
Like it or not, the only power capable of restraining the IDF war madness is the US…..the only question is …..is Joe Biden up to the job?

Posted by: Tobias Cole | Apr 25 2024 15:16 utc | 31

Welcome back b. Wishing you speedy recovery.
It is times like these that we realize how much we depend on MoA.
I felt like a homeless junky. Didn’t have a home to go to, and my fix of the day wasn’t delivered.
Thank you, for the forum b.

Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Apr 25 2024 15:21 utc | 33

https://mondoweiss.net/
great site for staying on top of some of this…

Posted by: james | Apr 25 2024 15:56 utc | 35

Just as “mass graves discovered at ruined hospitals” enters the mainstream news cycle, the Biden administration’s national security advisor continues to push Saudi-Israel “normalization”.
April 24, 2024
Reuters
White House’s Sullivan expects to travel to Saudi Arabia in next few weeks
He is to discuss with Saudi officials whether a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia can be reached.

Posted by: jayc | Apr 25 2024 16:30 utc | 37

Good to see your back b, good health.
Interesting developments in America,
The pro Gaza protests that started mainly in the Ivy Universty’s has now spread all around America. Like wild fire. Why ?
Answer…. TicTok. This is the platform of the young now, it is hard to censor. Its providing the reality as gastly as it is, to people who have been deprived of it.
On mass.
Watch this space…. esculation of protests, plus urgent attempt to sielence TicTok.

Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 25 2024 17:01 utc | 39

Further to my post | Apr 25 2024 17:30 utc | 40
Nоте the different approach between China and Russia in trying to bridge the differences, that is bring together all the Palestinian factions. The Chinese framework is reconciliation, the Russian is – form a technocratic government under the Palestinian Authority (Fatah). Radically different approaches.
There are also reports about a high Hamas official telling the AP by that Hamas had proposed (would accept) a five-year cease fire and a Palestinian state within pre 1967 borders (Gaza and the Wets Bank).
I would wait for Palestinian official confirmation of this statement because it departs from the firm Hamas (and the fighting factions) request for a permanent cease fire.
As for a 1967-borders Palestinian state, Hamas has in the past stated that it would accept it if the Palestinian people agreed on that. Since 7 October one o of its highest ranking political officials had announced that the two-state solution is no longer an option.
Because there have been many false “reports” about Hamas positions, statements, actions etc, it is best to wait for Hamas confirmation of the AP story.

Posted by: JB | Apr 25 2024 18:04 utc | 41

Posted by: ryanggg | Apr 25 2024 15:17 utc | 32
What is this antisemitic nonsense? The issue is zionism, not jews. The fact that a politician is jewish in a random country does not indicate their government has fallen to some conspiracy.

Posted by: tglp | Apr 25 2024 18:26 utc | 43

Clips from the last few hours, not sure if it is worth trying to make sense of them (unless wanting to read what individual positions are) .
I don’t think a ceasefire more than for a small exchange of prisoners and being able to clear the south to north some is being offered.
[Israeli Channel 13: Under the proposed deal, the government demands the release of more than 20 detainees in exchange for a ceasefire for weeks.
Israeli Broadcasting Corporation: Netanyahu approved the plans for the ground operation in Rafah, but did not allow the army to move yet
A political official explains after the cabinet meeting that at the present time there is no actual proposal for a deal that would lead to the release of the hostages, and therefore Israel will proceed at the military level as planned, and this means that the process of occupying Rafah is expected to begin in the coming days.
The political official stressed that “if a related proposal reached Israel, it would be logical to stop and consider it, but at the present time this is not the case.” Israel Hayom .
• An Egyptian delegation will leave for Tel Aviv to complete discussions between Egyptian and Israeli officials
• The new Egyptian vision is the product of an Egyptian discussion and a review of all past negotiating rounds
• Egypt reread the previous positions of Hamas and Israel and searched for compromise solutions that could be achieved. Each party is the largest and most important part of its conditions
• Egypt, under pressure from several parties, is working to reach a ceasefire agreement that prevents the invasion of Rafah
• The lack of guarantees that the situation in Rafah will not deteriorate has prompted Egypt to confirm its complete rejection of any military operation in the city
• The new Egyptian vision includes The return of the displaced to northern Gaza and the withdrawal of the occupation army from a large part of the Netzarim axis, allowing freedom of movement on the Salah al-Din and Rashid coastal roads
• The Egyptian vision is based on a ceasefire and periods of calm without an exchange of prisoners
Israeli Channel 13:
– Israel will agree to a ceasefire for several weeks
– Tel Aviv will agree to release Palestinian prisoners, including those accused of carrying out killings
– Great Israeli flexibility regarding Hamas’s demand for the Israeli army to withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor
– Israel will demand the release of dozens of kidnapped people, including Women and female soldiers, and will demand more than 20 prisoners
Security sources in the entity suggest: Iran will renew attacks on the entity.
According to informed media sources: A large number of F-16C aircraft belonging to the 510th Fighter Squadron of the US Air Force were deployed at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
Hamas representative Ahmed Abdel Hadi to Al-Mayadeen:
Hamas is always concerned with reaching a formula or deal through which the aggression can be ended
– We are still waiting for a response to Hamas’ response to American ideas because no response has arrived from the Zionist enemy yet
– We confirm that we in Hamas do not deal with What has been rumored in the media so far and any new ideas we are waiting for the mediators to officially present
Hebrew channels in their main bulletin this evening.. A deal that depends on Hamas’s approval is being prepared and will be discussed tomorrow in a meeting of an Israeli security delegation with another Egyptian.. The Israeli delegation obtained broader powers.. The deal that is taking shape is the release of 20 Israeli prisoners, including women and soldiers, in exchange for a specific number. Regarding Palestinian prisoners with high sentences, in addition to a ceasefire for several weeks and providing great flexibility regarding withdrawal from the Netzarim axis*
*Hebrew Channel 12 says: The deal that is taking shape and will be discussed tomorrow with the Egyptian delegation includes the return of the displaced from the south of the Gaza Strip to its north and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. From the Netzarim axis, but a complete cessation of the war will not be committed
Urgent: Khalil Al-Hayya to Al-Jazeera: The American statements came before we received any response to our position on Israel or the mediators
Hamas leader Mahmoud Mardawi: The movement agrees on a truce extending for five years or more in exchange for withdrawal from all 1967 territories. ]

Posted by: Ornot | Apr 25 2024 18:46 utc | 45

China trying to create conditions for Palestinian factions to unite against occupation:

🇵🇸🇨🇳 President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, invited Hamas and Fatah representatives to visit the country, to help reconcile them, thereby uniting the Palestinian struggle against the occupation.
Russia has already held meetings with all Palestinian factions earlier this year, with the same objective.

https://t.me/c/1974955261/6797

Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 25 2024 19:00 utc | 47

Ornot @ 45 and ld @ 48
Thanks for that information both,
This is know time for complacency.
Today i’v been preparing for a nucular atack on england, both at home and loading and fuiling my bug out truck.
It may no doubt be a waist of time, yes i know but id rather try and survive than be a boiled frog.
Good luck to you all. Were going to need it.

Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 25 2024 19:43 utc | 49

Neither China initiative or these elements were reported by al jazeera
https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/1234/522542/Egypt/Foreign-Affairs/Any-Israeli-military-presence-at-Egypt;s-border-a-.aspx

Posted by: Minaa | Apr 25 2024 20:05 utc | 51

…any records of any kinds…radar…heat trails of engines or explosions for such flights????? Or missiles???
Or at least a single IDF flight being tracked? Or airplane crashes,,????
@ Jo | Apr 25 2024 20:15 utc | 52
It’s an article of faith, at this point: The reason we see no speck of evidence of any of this is because all the “great powers” have made sure to hush up all traces — that is, except for the strange claims coming from Pepe’s secret sources and Sy’s secret sources (whose claims only align in respect to their awe-inspiring secrecy).

Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 25 2024 20:54 utc | 53

re:Posted by: ryanggg | Apr 25 2024 15:17 utc | 32
What is this antisemitic nonsense? The issue is zionism, not jews. The fact that a politician is jewish in a random country does not indicate their government has fallen to some conspiracy.
Posted by: tglp | Apr 25 2024 18:26 utc | 43
Zionism relates to the support of the modern day entity, that “shitty little middle eastern country, Israel” that by its own laws defines itself as a “jewish state”. Jew and Zionism are completely entangled. But we should not ignore the importance of goy support and influence.
tglp, with regard to jew political influence, something for you to consider, in a word – neocon.

Posted by: Ново З | Apr 25 2024 21:29 utc | 55

Let’s deal with the “Pepe nuke” thing once and for all. Someone wanna send a clear message ; we know your capabilities and your plans , we have something to counter it in an humiliating manner if you dare.
Nothing happened yet , message send , message received , end of the story… for now.

Posted by: Hiro Masamune | Apr 25 2024 21:37 utc | 57

Its time israel, america and england negotiated with mr Kinzal.

Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 25 2024 21:47 utc | 59

Fresh from TASS on Fatah-Hamas antagonism:
CAIRO, April 26. /TASS/. A Palestinian group called Fatah accused the leadership of Hamas of conducting a policy that brought Israel back in control of the Gaza Strip, Egypt’s al-Qahera el-Ekhbariya television reported.
“The Gaza Strip has returned to Israeli control because of Hamas’ policies,” Fatah said in a statement, according to the report.
“This is the reason why we are forced to participate in negotiations with Israel to have its troops withdrawn from the enclave.”
Fatah said Hamas is currently seeking to become part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, but is doing this “only to preserve itself and survive.”
There are serious differences between Fatah, which is based in the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, which have not yet been reconciled despite numerous meetings between representatives of various Palestinian factions. The last such talks were held in Moscow on March 1. The sides then declared unity in opposing aggression in Gaza. However, on March 15, Hamas seriously criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to form a new government of technocrats and accused him of “detachment from reality.” In response, Fatah rebuked the radicals for their actions on October 7, 2023, saying they were not coordinated with other groups and only exacerbated the plight of the Palestinian people.
https://tass.com/world/1780857
Russia hailed the appointment of a new Palestinian PM, head of a technocratic government, appointed by Abbas, even though that was not agreed by the Palestinian factions at their Moscow meeting.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/14/palestinian-authority-president-abbas-appoints-mohammed-mustafa-prime-minister
TASS, the official Russian news agency, consistently refers to Hamas as radical (terrorist) group, also in this news item.
Russia officially labels the 7 October revolt as a terrorist act, very recently again by Lavrov.
Russia has never referred to Hamas as a resistance, anti-colonial and liberation movement.

Posted by: JB | Apr 25 2024 22:11 utc | 61

Posted by: Newbie | Apr 25 2024 13:40 utc | 17

Where did they get it from? HUMINT inside the IDF?

In Pepe’s talk with Larry Johnson, he laid stress on the “absolute honesty” of Asians among whom he spent 3 years gaining trust.
So first guess is North Korea.
Also possible that a US airman stationed in/with Israelis is pissed enough to talk.

Posted by: ChasMark | Apr 25 2024 22:58 utc | 63

Thinking along lines of *fake news*, re: Pepe’s hyped-up story:
-if it is fake, who is the intended audience?
-and what is the hidden message?
Audience: pro-Russia axis of nations. Chinese and Indians and any of the less sophisticated audiences.
Hidden message: a metaphor for geopolitical constraints of West, vis-à-vis China Iran Russia axis.

Posted by: Nothingburgers | Apr 26 2024 0:51 utc | 65

Posted by: BearN | Apr 26 2024 1:14 utc | 66
Interesting. The open question is how Russia would have known to shoot down that particular plane. Perhaps, the details of the payload aren’t necessary to consider. After the Iran missile attacks, a well-trained Russian defense team would be on high alert expecting an attack on Iran, particularly after Israel openly stated there would be a tremendous response, as the entire world also expected (except for a few MOA true believers of course). They understand that whatever 4 Israeli F-35, F-15 and US AWACS are up to, it can’t be good. So, rather than dithering around for weeks trying to determine if that genocidal Israel would actually launch the nuclear weapon that they said they would, they saw the formation and made an executive decision that likely went to the highest levels of the Kremlin and they guessed right in somewhere around 10 minutes.

Posted by: Turk 152 | Apr 26 2024 1:38 utc | 67

“It’s an article of faith at this point…”
Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 25 2024 20:54 utc | 53
Ask yourself why, Aleph.
Good people, I thank you with all my heart. Hold fast to the good, everyone. We already know what we need to know.

Posted by: juliania | Apr 26 2024 1:49 utc | 69

That means the assets for the major players who are assigned to MoA would be trying hard to discredit Escobar. This doesn’t mean everyone trying to dish on Escobar is a plant for the Empire of Chaos and its vassals, or Russia or China, but that’s “highly likely”, to use one of the favorite phrases of the misnamed “intelligence community”.

Paranoid delusions of grandeur. Escobar isn’t particularly important or even well known, MOA even less so. No one’s sending their “assets” to a relatively tiny corner of the internet to discredit pepe, he does that perfectly well himself.

Posted by: Tranny Cirillo | Apr 26 2024 2:10 utc | 71

BearN@66….interesting piece if true, that brings some clarity to a fuzzy puzzle. Adds some bigger bits to my little sky kaper that’s for sure.
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Apr 26 2024 2:29 utc | 73

TASS, the official Russian news agency, consistently refers to Hamas as radical (terrorist) group, also in this news item.
Russia officially labels the 7 October revolt as a terrorist act, very recently again by Lavrov.
Russia has never referred to Hamas as a resistance, anti-colonial and liberation movement.
Posted by: JB | Apr 25 2024 22:11 utc | 61
—————————————————
I didn;t believe the description about Tass, so I did a search on Tass, and it is more or less correct, although the “radical” descriptor is not always used — here is an example where it was–
“Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza ”
BUT radical doesn;t mean “terrorist” not by along shot, so I can’t agree there.
eg
HAMAS military group claims to have shelled Tel Aviv. “Supporters of the … European Court of Justice removes Hamas movement from terrorist organizations’ list.
eg
TASS, October 10. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have attacked facilities of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the army press service reported.
(quoting) “The IDF is currently conducting wide-scale strikes on multiple targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. Details to follow,” the press service said in a statement on its official Telegram channel.
———–
However, I’m not impressed with Russia’s govt overall response or it’s lack of direct support for Hamas, Palestinians, west bank and gaza (now and long term) preferring Israelis rights and it’s Govt instead. Same with China and India and the entire RoW ( the west is a dead loss of course) .. so I am far from hopeful anything good or justice is coming the way of the Palestinians EVER!
No one is or will be holding Israel or the Israelis to account – ever. Not in the foreseeable future over a decade plus …. sorry, I know of nothing encouraging on the horizon .. not the ICJ and definitively not via the UN, or any international group incl arabs. — BRICS? No chance they will say a thing about it.

Posted by: Lavrov’s Dog | Apr 26 2024 2:56 utc | 75

In addition to Larry Johnson, Ray McGovern and Scott Ritter have expressed doubts as well. Ritter in particular on his podcast yesterday said the story is impossible for several reasons, he didn’t expound on them however essentially saying if it weren’t for his respect for Escobar he’d eviscerate the story.

Posted by: Tranny Cirillo | Apr 26 2024 3:11 utc | 77

Posted by: Tranny Cirillo | Apr 26 2024 3:11 utc | 77
Most of know as much about missile ballistics, EMPs and military jet technology as what Scott Ritter and Larry Johnson tell us. Hardly sufficient to draw any conclusions one way or the other, let alone insist upon it.

Posted by: Turk 152 | Apr 26 2024 3:38 utc | 79

On Russia Hamas @61
““I made it clear that Germany expects all political forces that carry responsibility to accept the preconditions for political activity, that means for me firstly, that Israel’s existence is recognised, and secondly, there is no use of violence,” Ms Merkel said, adding that this included Hamas. …
“There is no intention to transfer monies that will be used for terrorism,” Mr Olmert said at a joint press conference with Angela Merkel, visiting German chancellor.
Israel refuses to deal with a Hamas government as long as the militant Islamic group fails to renounce terrorism, recognise Israel’s right to exist and abandon its calls for its destruction.”
https://www.ft.com/content/adb65cb8-9105-11da-a628-0000779e2340
“The statement did not mention the issue of contacts with the new government. The United States and European Commission officials have said they would only have contacts with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but Russia has held high-level talks with Hamas.
In its statement, “the Quartet welcomed President Abbas’ call for the new Palestinian government to commit to a platform of peace”.
NO WARNING ON “UNILATERAL ACTIONS”
The Quartet “reiterated its commitment to the principles outlined in the (Middle East peace) Roadmap and previous statements, and reaffirmed its commitment to a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict leading to two democratic states living side by side in peace and security”.
The statement omitted previous warnings against “unilateral actions” which referred indirectly to Israeli settlement expansion and the West Bank security barrier.”
https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/opt-quartet-warns-hamas-government-aid-will-be-hit
Russia did not agree with the quartet position.
Notice Merkel imposing pre-conditions . Same happened in Syria, insisted on elections, didn’t like the result so imposed conditions, then ostracised Assad and destroyed the country.
Between 2006 and 2023 “Israel” just continued expanding settlement etc. with Gaza isolated .
In other words “You can vote but your policy has to then fit with “Israel” a country, maybe you could be a country also one day ”
Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi has told Al Jazeera that the group’s military operation (7 oct) is in response to all the atrocities the Palestinians have faced over the decades.
“We want the international community to stop atrocities in Gaza, against Palestinian people, our holy sites like Al-Aqsa. All these things are the reason behind starting this battle,” he said. AJZ
The reason Russia distances itself from Hamas is possibly due to trying to maintain a balanced position between the various sides .
If Russia fully recognised Hamas it would have to take a position on the existence of “Israel” – that would be fraught .
If Russia said oct 7 was retaliation it would then be justifying the use of force against “Israel” , as well as positioning to defend Gaza/Hamas – that would be fraught.
So Russia deals with PA (an international sub entity) and Hamas (a sub sub entity) differently.
That is all unfortunate, because Hamas won the election – it should have been judged by what it said and did as a governance, i.e. after taking governance.
Instead it was sidelined and encircled, which is self fulfilling in terms of creating hostility… so as to now be “taught” to recognise “Israel” .
It is obviously more complex than that, because “Israel” was also acting to defend itself from Iranian presence for example … which is why much comes down to US expansion into the region and previous losses suffered by various due to the US/”Israel”, as well as geopolitics of Russia , China and “the west”.
Palestinians are paying the cost of the avoidance of wider escalation, while “Israel” use that as cover to commit atrocity.
Which is why the international order has failed.
It is or was for the US and associates to bring “Israel” into line, because it/they are sponsor.
It/they, didn’t.

Posted by: Ornot | Apr 26 2024 3:44 utc | 81

Ornot | Apr 25 2024 18:46 utc | 45
I’m seeing this in a lot worse light than just some frantic negotiations by/with Egypt. They are absolutely pivotal in whether this turns into a full-blown regional war, IMHO. Something like this:

• Egypt, under pressure from several parties, is working to reach a ceasefire agreement that prevents the invasion of Rafah

To me, it’s a bit more nuanced than that. Sisi’s administration might be under pressure and has just been freshly bribed by the usual suspects, but he doesn’t matter. Really. There are two other silent parties ‘in Egypt’ that are under no such pressure and far more influential:
1) The GIS (intelligence service) is now the main backer of Hamas (No longer Iran, not for a long time IMHO) and will continue arming/supporting them. Israel knows this, and will forever give up their imaginary opportunity to eliminate Hamas if they don’t invade Rafah – soon. To do that, they need to depopulate and level most of Rafah first. Of course most of the hostages will die, but that’s a price Netanyahu is more than willing to pay. He would rather not for purely PR reasons, but time is running short.
2) The Egyptian military, who has a mind of their own and considers Sisi’s directives little more than ‘suggestions’. Sisi did some house cleaning in their top ranks years ago, but they remain their own boss. They tolerate Sisi; that’s about it. The army has been waiting with bated breath for *months* to roll over the Philadelphia Corridor and take out the IDF. Their (not Sisi’s) ultimatum is if the IDF tries a serious/large-scale ground invasion of Rafah, the Egyptian Army will move into Gaza and attack the IDF. They are more than capable of dominating any such fight. Zero ambiguity with the military here, and other friends and allies in the region will likely join them.
So Israel is doing it’s usual horse-trading trying to negotiate an agreement with everyone to still invade Rafah – somehow – without triggering the Egyptian army. But they can only negotiate with Sisi, who will (tentatively) agree to anything that immediately benefits him. Other players (mostly US, Saudi and UAE) are intervening trying to get a guarantee that Sisi can restrain his military. He can’t – ever. US is oblivious to that because we already bribed Sisi, so the army must obey him. Blinken tone deaf as usual and unable to read the room. Sad, really.
I have no idea how this one will turn out. I expect Netanyahu is the main one under pressure and time constraints. He’ll attempt to try some lame limited incursion that will fail spectacularly, followed by his usual bombastic reaction to go full rage maniac and send the IDF (two brigades massed just outside of Gaza by now) triggering an Egyptian *and regional* response. Sisi will be ignored at best, or overthrown at worst. The US will be angry at Netanyahu, but throw US troops in the mix anyways. It will be a bloodbath for everyone.

• The lack of guarantees that the situation in Rafah will not deteriorate has prompted Egypt to confirm its complete rejection of any military operation in the city

A meek confirmation by an impotent Sisi, but a hard red line for the Egyptian military. The only qualification may be the degree of a military operation. A few IDF SOF choppers? Tolerable by the Egyptian military (maybe). Depopulating/leveling Rafah followed by an IDF armor brigade rolling in to Rafah? Say hello to two divisions of Egyptian armor. There’s a limit Egypt can tolerate somewhere in between those two extremes, but Israel will – in typical fashion – push it as far as possible hoping they won’t provoke Egypt.

• The new Egyptian vision includes The return of the displaced to northern Gaza and the withdrawal of the occupation army from a large part of the Netzarim axis, allowing freedom of movement on the Salah al-Din and Rashid coastal roads

Weak and most un-visionary – this is Sisi’s (and perhaps the West/GCC’s) fantasy. Netanyahu will never vacate the Netzarim Kill Zone or let displaced Northern Gazans back into Gaza City/Northern Gaza. He intends to depopulate it, except for maybe a small Gaza City walled concentration camp for those refusing to leave. Nobody gets to cross the Netzarim Kill Zone from south to north – that’s why they built it across the entire Gaza strip. Exception might be to allow Gazans across for mass deportation from the Corpse Port (if the US ever completes it) which lies just to the north of the Kill Zone.
The only solution I see is Netanyahu (or his successor) walking away from Rafah. Can’t see that happening.

Posted by: PavewayIV | Apr 26 2024 4:14 utc | 83

PavewayIV @ 83
Thanks for that valuble contribution,
The more you comment here the better.
As allways.
Respect.
———
Todays tasks….
Empty my bank account.
Try and get portable shortwave radio.
—————————-
Im sure all partys concerned will lets us know before hand. (Sarc)

Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 26 2024 4:30 utc | 85

@ PavewayIV | Apr 26 2024 4:14 utc | 83
ditto mark2’s comment to you.. good to see you posting here…

Posted by: james | Apr 26 2024 4:36 utc | 87

Over-the-top police/military suppression seems to be doing the trick: I’ve never seen college activism this intense (being too young to remember the Kent State killings, and other lethal assaults on Vietnam-era antiwar protesters). I have to repeat the cliche about young folks being our only hope; but of course they are! They always have been. These protest actions are not going away. Occupy Wall Street, back in the (anarchist) day, set a standard guiding kids today: occupy the occupiers!
In the east-coast heart of darkness, New York City, you got the mayor, the police, both political parties, both MAGA and anti-MAGA media, not to mention the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, all locked and loaded to shoot anyone armed with a Palestinian flag. The only allies of the protesters are human beings, occasionally sighted in the vicinity.
It would be absurd to say anything good comes of this Holocaust in Gaza. But the human spirit is wired to bounce back, even from the worst horrors; maybe that’s the meaning of these wonderful protests. From Chris Hedges:

Student protesters across the country exhibit a moral and physical courage — many are facing suspension and expulsion — that shames every major institution in the country. They are dangerous not because they disrupt campus life or engage in attacks on Jewish students — many of those protesting are Jewish — but because they expose the abject failure by the ruling elites and their institutions to halt genocide, the crime of crimes.

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/04/25/chris-hedges-revolt-in-the-universities/

Posted by: Aleph_Null | Apr 26 2024 6:19 utc | 89

They are being met with rubber bullets, truncheons (Texas), arrests (everywhere), but the protests keep spreading:
Updated list of pro-Palestinian resistance on campus:
Berkeley
Boston University
Brown
Cal Poly Humboldt
Cal State Polytechnic
Carnegie Mellon
Claremont
Columbia
Cornell
Emerson
Florida State
Florida International U
Harvard
U of Houston
Illinois
Indiana U
U of Kansas
Maryland
Miami U of Ohio
Michigan
MIT
U of Minnesota
U of New Mexico
New School
Northwestern
NYU
UNC Chapel Hill
UNC Charlotte
Ohio State
Penn
Pitt
Pomona
Princeton
U of Puget Sound
Purdue
Rice
Rochester
Rutgers
Sciences Po
Smith
Stanford
Swarthmore
Temple
Texas A & M
Tufts
UNLV
U of South Carolina
USC
UT Austin
UT Dallas
UVA
UW Seattle
Vanderbilt
VA Tech
Wash U
Yale
Some of these encampments are small, but they are all met with police violence and arrests…and the students being arrested (as you can see from the list of colleges) are the creme de la creme. They have the illusion that they are free. They’re really getting an education now.
The administrators are being revealed for the spineless cowards that they are. USC canceled their commencement ceremony. Mummy and Daddy, who forked out something like half a million dollars to get their scions a diploma, will not be happy about that.

Posted by: JAB | Apr 26 2024 6:49 utc | 91

We allowed free speach for all including facist’s.
They took over.
Now the facists are closing down free speech.
Thats a lesson history should of taught us.
——-
They came for the jews we said nothing,
They came for the gypses we said nothing.
Now they’v come for us.

Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 26 2024 7:16 utc | 93

The head of tiktok says “its not for sale”
Guese whats trending.

Posted by: Mark2 | Apr 26 2024 7:27 utc | 95

Aleph_Null @ Apr 26 2024 6:19 utc | 89
JAB @ Apr 26 2024 6:49 utc | 91
This reminds me of the defining moments of German student revolts in 1968 when Benno Ohnesorg was shot. After anti-socialist laws had been enacted and student protests were met with maximum repression the whole protest movement aligned and started massive riots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protests_of_1968
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_student_movement
All the topics are back: women’s rights, militarism, no-future, capitalism. This time the RAF will have drones.

Posted by: SOS | Apr 26 2024 8:49 utc | 97

Hiro Masamune | Apr 25 2024 21:37 utc | 57
Let’s deal with the “Pepe nuke” thing once and for all. Someone wanna send a clear message ; we know your capabilities and your plans , we have something to counter it in an humiliating manner if you dare.
Nothing happened yet , message send , message received , end of the story… for now
Yes, this is my take at the moment as well. I mean, it works whether the story is true or not!
We all know that the Israelis would love to nuke Iran and we all know that they’re capable, and that they would have NO moral qualms in doing so.
We also know that things are going south for Israel, socially, economically, politically, existentially.
We all know that psychopaths prioritize self-preservation, at all costs.
Yes, true or not, it’s the right time to deliver an ultimatum.

Posted by: john | Apr 26 2024 9:32 utc | 99