WarSclerotic

Ongoing Fighting in Sinai: Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Iran Wrongfully Blamed | Global Research.

Headlines focus on Egypt. Sinai gets little attention. What’s ongoing bears close watching.

On July 7, Maan News headlined “Egypt army ‘preparing for Sinai operation,’ ” saying:

A “large-scale military operation” is planned. “Egyptian forces sealed more tunnels along Gaza’s border.”

“An Egyptian military official told Ma’an the army was preparing for a major operation in Sinai ‘to clean it up from terrorist and criminal cells.’ ”

“The army official said ‘coordination is ongoing between the Egyptians and the Israelis to bring military vehicles, troops and jets into Sinai to fight terror.’ ”

In late June, Egyptian forces “deployed heavily” along Gaza’s border.

“Islamist militants” threatened reprisal for Morsi’s ouster. On July 7, a Sinai pipeline south of el-Arish supplying Israel with gas was blown up.

Previous attacks occurred earlier. This was the first one in over a year. It followed days earlier clashes between unidenfied militants and Egyptian forces. Hamas was wrongfully blamed.

According to an IDF statement:

“The Egyptian military activity in the Sinai is coordinated with Israeli security elements and authorized at the most senior levels in Israel, in order to contend with security threats in the Sinai that pose a threat to both Israel and Egypt.”

At issue is inflicting more punishment on besieged Gazans. Rafah crossing is closed. Palestinians needing urgent medical care unavailable in Gaza can’t get it.

Hundreds stranded in Cairo’s International Airport and elsewhere outside Gaza can’t return home.

According to Max Blumenthal:

“Incitement against Palestinians peaked after the election of the Freedom and Justice Party’s Mohamed Morsi as President.”

Opposition politicians and supportive media figures “exploit(ed Morsi’s) perceived alliance with Hamas to hold him responsible for acts of terror committed in the Sinai Peninsula.”

Anti-Morsi elements wrongfully blame Palestinians. They call them Muslim Brotherhood militants.

Israeli media and Palestinian Authority officials hype the big lie. They do it for self-serving reasons.

Blumenthal quoted retired Egyptian general Sameh Seif Elyazal saying:

“Egyptian law will punish with sentences that could reach 25 years in jail the Palestinians and Syrians and Iraqis who have made calls for incitement to violence at the demonstrations at Rabaa Al-Adawiya in return for money.”

Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) massacred over 50 nonviolent protesters. They did so days earlier in Rabaa Al-Adawiya.

They wrongfully called them terrorists. They were praying peacefully outside Republican Guard headquarters.

SCAF officials circulated false stories. They claimed Hamas deployed scores of fighters in Sinai. They lied saying they want revenge for Morsi’s ouster.

Al Hayat is a London-based pro-Saudi broadsheet. It quoted an unnamed “senior Egyptian military official.” He lied about 150 Izz al-Din al-Qassam fighters allegedly entering Sinai through Gaza’s tunnels.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad were wrongfully blamed. Abbas advisor Yasser Abd Rabbo took full advantage. He accused Hamas of “helping terrorists and jihadist gangs in Sinai against the Egyptian army.”

Senior Fatah official Jamal Nazzal threw more fuel on the fire. He wants Hamas overthrown. He urged Palestinians to do it. So-called Fatah/Hamas reconciliation appears more illusory than real.

Legitimate elections are unlikely. Israel’s dirty hands manipulate events. So do Washington’s. SCAF’s a willing partner. Gaza remains isolated. Palestinian suffering continues.

No evidence whatever connects Hamas or Islamic Jihad to Sinai violence. Egypt’s coup d’etat regime issued a decree. It restricts anyone holding PA or Jordanian passports without a national number from entering Egypt.

Expect stepped up vilification of Hamas. On July 10, Press TV headlined “Gunmen attack military commander in Egypt’s Sinai,” saying:

According to a SCAF spokesman, militants attacked a senior commander and second field army chief. They “came under heavy fire, which led to clashes between security forces and the terrorist elements.”

“This is the latest in a string of attacks in Sinai targeting the army and the police in recent days with the aim of sowing chaos and harming the stability and national security of Egypt.”

The commander survived. Other attacks occurred earlier. Expect more to follow. Expect Hamas to be wrongfully blamed.

On July 11, Haaretz headlined “Egyptian army killed dozens of Hamas fighters in Sinai, report says.”

It’s false. Saudi-controlled Al-Hayat propaganda called unidentified militants Hamas fighters. It said 32 were killed. Others were arrested.

Ismail Haniyeh refuted spurious charges. Hamas doesn’t interfere in internal Egyptian affairs. He said it numerous times before. No evidence suggests otherwise.

Egypt wrongfully accused Iran of “unacceptable interference” in its domestic affairs. On Monday, Tehran called Morsi’s ouster a “cause for concern.” It suggested “foreign hands” responsibility.

Iran knows Washington was very much involved. It’s no secret. Perhaps Israel’s dirty hands partnered in what happened. It has close ties to SCAF. Morsi tried improving ties with Tehran.

In 1979, they cooled after Egypt gave Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi shelter. It did so after his ouster. In February, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Cairo. He was the first Iranian leader to come in decades.

Both countries are sharply divided on Syria. Iran strongly supports Assad. Morsi, SCAF, and new regime leaders back Washington’s war to oust him.

A Final Comment: Meet Ron Dermer

On July 9, Dermer was appointed Israel’s ambassador to Washington. He’ll replace Michael Oren. He’ll step down this fall. Reports suggest it’s not voluntary. He was removed. Dermer wants his job. He played hardball to get it.

He’s American born. He’s a Florida native. He’s returning to his roots. In 1995, he was economics minister at Israel’s Washington embassy. At the time, he gave up his US citizenship.

He’s ideologically over-the-top. He’s hardline. He’s militant. He’s pro-war. He’s bigoted. He’s dangerous. He reflects the worst of Zionist extremism. He defends the notion of making Israeli Arabs pledge allegiance to a “Jewish and democratic state.”

Foreign policy analyst MJ Rosenberg calls him “as crude as (Oren) is smooth.”

He opposes Palestinian self-determination. He supports occupation harshness. He believes “the principle of two states for two people is a childish solution to a complicated problem.”

According to Reuters and other reports, he has right-wing Republican ties. He’s linked to the neocon fringe. He supported Romney’s presidential candidacy.

An unnamed Israeli political analyst said he made sure Netanyahu stayed close to him. If elected, Dermer “would be the one you send right away,” he said.

“He’s got the right demeanor as a Republican. He has neo-conservative credentials. He has the full backing and confidence of the prime minister, which is important. But for Obama, it’s not the right fit. There’s too much baggage.”

He’s a close Netanyahu associate. For four years, he served as senior advisor and speechwriter. He was his key White House liaison.

In March, he stepped down. He had ambassadorial ideas in mind. He needed time to smooth the way. Israel’s Channel 10 said he’s been long groomed for the job.

Tablet magazine calls him “Bibi’s brain.” He’s his “most influential aide.” He’s Netanyahu’s “alter-ego.”

He’s “done more to shape Israel’s relationship with the United States, its Arab neighbors, and the Palestinians over the past few years than any man aside from the prime minister himself.”

He’s a “jack-of-all-trades – strategist, pollster and speechwriter.” He’s “chief proxy in foreign affairs.” He’s a “constant presence in Netanyahu’s meetings in Washington.”

“Bibi doesn’t move an inch without talking to him.” He’s Wharton/Oxford trained. He’s got “Machiavellian political instincts.” He’s “ferociously competitive. He wouldn’t let a three-year old beat him at ping pong.”

Announcing his appointment, Netanyahu said:

He “has all the qualities necessary to successfully fill this important post.”

“I have known him for many years, and I know that Ron will faithfully represent the State of Israel in the capital of our greatest ally – the USA.”

“On behalf of the citizens of Israel, I wish him great success.”

Dermer’s appointment didn’t surprise. In recent weeks, he spent time in Washington. He held numerous meetings. He made the rounds reassuring Obama officials he won’t disappoint.

It remains to be seen. Pro-Israeli Washington Institute for Near East Policy analyst David Makovsky said tension regarding Dermer’s Republican ties peaked last November.

Appointing him then wouldn’t have been possible. Time soothes old wounds. Today’s it’s much easier.

He’s “very influential with the prime minister. So this is also an opportunity under certain conditions.”

He’s Netanyahu’s closest advisor. No one’s closer. He has his complete confidence and trust. He has unfettered access. Host countries prefer these attributes.

Americans will know dealing with Dermer means they’re doing so directly with Netanyahu. He’s closer to him than anyone.

In America, Israel’s lobby has final say. It approves. AIPAC endorsed him, saying:

“Mr. Dermer has a deep understanding of the critical value of the US-Israel relationship and the importance of further strengthening the alliance between these two democratic allies.”

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book is titled “Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity.”

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

Israel Hayom | Illusive Middle East agreements — the taqiyya concept.

Yoram Ettinger

Israel Hayom | Israel readies for end of decades-long calm on Golan border.

New front opens in Syria as rebels say al Qaeda attack means war | Reuters.

(Reuters) – The assassination of a top Free Syrian Army commander by militants linked to al Qaeda is tantamount to a declaration of war, FSA rebels on Friday, opening a new front between Western-backed forces and Islamists in Syria’s civil war.

The announcement is the latest sign of disarray in the armed opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has regained the upper hand more than two years into an insurgency that grew out of Arab Spring-inspired pro-democracy protests.

It follows growing rivalries between the FSA and the Islamists, who have sometimes joined forces on the battlefield, and coincides with attempts by the Western and Arab-backed FSA to allay fears any U.S.-supplied arms might reach al Qaeda.

Members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a hardline Islamist group, killed Kamal Hamami of the FSA Supreme Military Council on Thursday. Also known by his nom de guerre, Abu Bassir al-Ladkani, he is one of its top 30 figures.

Rebel commanders pledged to retaliate.

“We are going to wipe the floor with them. We will not let them get away with it because they want to target us,” a senior rebel commander said on condition of anonymity.

He said the al Qaeda-linked militants had warned FSA rebels that there was “no place” for them where Hamami was killed in Latakia province, a northern rural region of Syria bordering Turkey where Islamist groups are powerful.

Other opposition sources said the killing followed a dispute between Hamami’s forces and the Islamic State over control of a strategic checkpoint in Latakia and would lead to fighting.

The FSA has been trying to build a logistics network and reinforce its presence across Syria as the U.S. administration considers sending weapons to the group after concluding that Assad’s forces had used chemical weapons against rebel fighters.

The anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict, said the FSA and the Islamic State have had violent exchanges in several areas of Syria over the past few weeks, showing growing antagonism between Assad’s foes.

“Last Friday, the Islamic State killed an FSA rebel in Idlib province and cut his head off. There have been attacks in many provinces,” the Observatory’s leader Rami Abdelrahman said.

Two of Hamami’s men were wounded in Thursday’s attack, he said by telephone.

Syria’s conflict turned violent in the face of a crackdown on protests. Civil war ensued with disparate rebel groups taking up arms and the Observatory says more than 100,000 people have been killed.

U.S. congressional committees are holding up plans to arm the rebels because of fears that such deliveries will not be decisive and the arms might end up in the hands of Islamist militants.

Syria’s opposition bemoans the delay, and repeated on Thursday assurances that the arms will not go to Islamist militants.

(Reporting by Oliver Holmes and Mariam Karouny in Beirut and Diana Bartz in Washington; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

The Jewish Press » » American Price Tag.

It was a very exclusive line. In front of me stood a very senior official in the defense establishment, in back of me, senior politicians. We were all patiently waiting for our Knesset member cards to be issued.

I decided to take advantage of the opportunity. The defense official has secret information that I lack to complete one of the evaluations that I have been making over the years. “Let’s make a bet,” I said to the surprised senior official, “that in another four years, in the first major speech of the elected prime minister, he will announce that he sees the removal of the Iranian nuclear threat as the central challenge for his new government.”

The senior official’s reaction surprised even me. His serious countenance melted at once into rolling laughter. “I can’t make that bet with you,” he laughed. “You are completely right.”

For those who have forgotten, the above words were precisely what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the outset of his previous term over four years ago.

For a number of years, I have been saying that the prime minister’s strategy for dealing with the Iranian nuclear threat is a colossal collapse – an accident waiting to happen. I have written articles on the subject, and have met with the minister for strategic affairs in the previous government and with other senior officials. Not one of the people praising the emperor’s new clothes wished to actually listen. The strategy that aimed to turn the Iranian nuclear issue into an international problem – particularly, an American problem – enchanted the deadly mix of left-leaning media and rightist politicians evading the challenge at their doorsteps. This cocktail ensures that no other opinion will ever be debated among the decision makers – at least not in the public eye.

The principle that we must defend ourselves by ourselves was the guiding light of all of Israel’s governments – from the Sinai Campaign until the First Gulf War. This principle was first violated by the late Yitzhak Shamir, who sent Israelis into sealed rooms and left the war against Saddam Hussein to an international coalition. This opened the gate to the premature end to his rule, orchestrated by the U.S., and to the first moves toward Oslo.

I explained that America would not attack Iran. I explained that the legitimacy for an attack would steadily disintegrate, both throughout the world and in Israel. I explained that Israel must attack Iran, not only to remove the nuclear threat but even more so to restore its legitimacy to exist, and with that legitimate existence to prevent the terrible price tag that the world will demand of us if we leave our security in its hands. All of my forecasts are currently coming true.

The reliable and widely read British magazine, The Economist, recently announced to its readers that Iran crossed the red line that Netanyahu drew in the UN long ago. According to the magazine, President Obama does not intend to attack Iran, and the Israelis won’t do it either. Yet again, red lines are being ignored by the relevant parties.

Israel’s Left is already at work. MK Mickey Rosenthal of the Labor Party initiated a Knesset deliberation titled, “Israel’s refusal to recognize the new positive reality.” Dov Khenin (Hadash) and Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) even invited an American doctor to explain to the Knesset that Israel must divest itself of its nuclear weapons. “Have you already pressured your president to destroy the Iranian nuclear weapon before you call upon Israel to divest itself of its nuclear weapons?” I asked the American “expert.” “Of course not!” the “expert” decisively answered.

The strategy of making our security dependent on the non-Jews is collapsing before the prime minister’s eyes. The election of a “moderate” president in Iran was the deathblow to the hopes for American intervention. The emperor’s new clothes are turning out to be an illusion. What will he wear now?

The answer is, once again, the renewal of the diplomatic process. The emperor’s new clothes will be “peace” garments. The garments of retreat and destruction of settlements always give a rightist prime minister the opportunity to smooth over a strategic failure. The Left will always provide legitimacy, as will the cheers of the foolish masses.

The U.S. may have promised the prime minister that it would act in Iran in exchange for a new “Disengagement.” The Americans will not keep their promise – and that is all for the better. Because the loss of legitimacy and the pressure that would come on the heels of such an action are much more dangerous than the Iranian bomb. The results of an American attack on Iran will be even more dangerous to Israel than Oslo, which was the result of the foreign attacks on the scuds sent our way by Saddam.

Netanyahu must attack Iran immediately. That is the only solution. If he does not do so, he will have signed himself onto the worst of all Israeli collapses: worse than Camp David, worse than Oslo, worse than the Disengagement.

Just like all of his predecessors who led the Right, the diplomatic process that Netanyahu is now being dragged into will not stabilize his government. Besides the loss of the land, Netanyahu will also lose his ruling position and the Likud will find itself in a place similar to that of Kadima.

This column was translated from Hebrew and originally appeared in Makor Rishon.

Pentagon report says Iran nukes to reach US in 2015 | JPost | Israel News.