Day of Rage: Intifada 3.0 (Dispatch 3), VICE News via You Tube, October 16, 2015
VICE News video:
(The following video is not from VICE news. More than four years old, it’s still relevant. — DM)
Posted tagged ‘Islamic Jihad’
Jordanian Writer: Arafat, The Knives Stabbed Into The Israelis’ Heads Are The Fruit Of Your Revolution
October 16, 2015Jordanian Writer: Arafat, The Knives Stabbed Into The Israelis’ Heads Are The Fruit Of Your Revolution, Middle East Media Research Institute, October 16, 2015
(A Jordanian writer’s paean to the patron saint of Palestinian terrorists. — DM)
Against the backdrop of the current wave of Palestinian attacks on Israelis in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and other parts of Israel, Jordanian writer Abd Al-Hadi Raji Al-Majali wrote in the Jordanian government daily Al-Rai of his yearning for Yasser Arafat. He stated that Arafat’s influence continued to this day in Palestine, and added that even from the grave he had the power to lead the third intifada and defeat Israel.
Addressing Arafat, Al-Majali said that the seeds of his revolution had borne fruit, since today’s Palestinian youth are leading this uprising and this “revolution of the knives.”
The following are excerpts from the article, which was published October 15, 2015:
Al-Rai
“When you see the sights in Palestine, you recall the martyr Yasser Arafat. He seems to be monitoring, from Ramallah, the river of Palestinian blood and the new generation of young people that has invented the revolution of the knives. I still remember all his statements, every word of his, how he would rage and grasp his kaffiyeh with his right hand and rearrange it… I remember his khakis… the medals, the flag of Palestine, the gray whiskers on his face, his lips trembling in anger when an interviewer annoyed him.
“This is not just a revolution, but also the blood of Arafat, who [still] rouses the Palestinian blood; even Arafat’s grave energizes the Arabness of the Palestinian land… When I see in the Palestinian arena a new generation of young people – of whom Arafat spoke at length, [as he] dreamed of the day that they would fly the Palestinian flag above the walls of Jerusalem – I imagine that the man is still in Ramallah; that he is instructing [us] to care for the families of the martyrs; that he still makes the decisions and leads a diplomatic effort; that his companions are bringing him his pistol; that the documents are piling up in his office; that he just now finished breakfast… and that he just now issued a secret revolutionary order to be carried out by the factions. He is the main expert in the tactic of revolution, and he knows how to disturb the sleep [of the Israelis].
“Mr. President, the dew still moistens the dust of your grave, and the birds circle above it, perhaps even bringing you messages and news. The stones [on your grave], sir, have left their place temporarily – [how else] would they enable the sun to peek through, or the air to seep in?
“Oh you who rest in Ramallah, trust and be sure that in the Palestinian dictionary there is no one who is pleased with the current situation. It is you who compiled this dictionary, formulating every word, and every revolution since the Palestinians began to pick up the rifle. Rest assured, the flowers and the lion cubs [i.e. the young Palestinian women and men] of whom you spoke are now the vanguard in the arena, and [it is they who are leading] the stabbing of the heads [of the Israelis], which is the only thing that will satisfy the will of Palestine.
“I cannot imagine a revolution of which you are not a part… and I cannot conceive of the occupation army’s defeat without you planning its details.
“Oh you who rest in Ramallah, it is now your privilege to smile a bit, because the seeds of the revolution that you sowed in the land of Palestine are now sprouting our sharp knives, and their blades are [stabbing] the head and the vein [of the Israelis].
“Oh you who rest in Ramallah, I am sending you regards from Kerak [in Jordan], and I understand that even from your grave you are capable of leading the third intifada. [The Israelis] may besiege your grave as they besieged you in the capitals and in your seat in Ramallah – but this intifada will launch a new turn, the thrust of which is that the graves are triumphant.
“Your grave will defeat Israel, Mr. President.”
Israel will never agree to international forces at Temple Mount, Danon says
October 16, 2015Israel will never agree to international forces at Temple Mount, Danon says
10/16/2015 18:58
Israel will never agree to the stationing of international forces on Temple Mount, Jerusalem’s new envoy to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said on Friday.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency session beginning at 7 p.m. local Israel time (noon in New York).
Representatives of world powers are expected to discuss the intensifying violence of recent weeks between Israel and the Palestinians.
“If the UN is committed to advancing peace, it should support direct negotiations [between Israel and the Palestinian Authority] and it should condemn incitement,” Danon said.
Danon’s remarks dovetail with Israeli warnings that Jerusalem’s holy sites would be set ablaze if they were placed under the control of the Palestinian Authority.
The government in Jerusalem issued its statement hours after hundreds of Palestinian rioters had set fire to sections of the Joseph Tomb’s compound, located in the West Bank Palestinian city of Nablus.
“The fire illustrates what would happen to Jerusalem’s holy places if they were in the hands of the Palestinian Authority,” Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold said. “Only Israel can protect the places that are holy to all religions in Jerusalem.”
“The attack is reminiscent of the action of Islamist extremists in Afghanistan and Libya,” Gold said.
Gold was referring to events in 2001, when the Taliban, the Islamist movement that ruled Afghanistan, oversaw the destruction of Buddhist shrines and statues as well as landmarks declared as UNESCO heritage sites.
The blaze was set hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at a Jerusalem press conference during which he accused Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of inciting Palestinian violence against Israelis by falsely charging that it was harming the al-Aksa mosque compound on the Temple Mount, which is the third holiest site in Islam.
The Temple Mount and the city of Jerusalem is one of the major points of contention between Israelis and Palestinians, who want the eastern part of the city, including the Old City, to be the capital of its future state.
Israel believes that the entire city should be united under its sovereignty, save for the Temple Mount, which is already under the custodianship of the Islamic Wakf and Jordan.
On Friday, Israeli politicians and diplomats linked Joseph’s Tomb with the situation in Jerusalem as they warned that only Israel could protect freedom of religion at holy sites in the capital.
Yisrael Beytenu party head Avigdor Liberman held the PA responsible for the flames at Joseph’s Tomb and said it showed that the PA’s “occupation is no different than that of Islamic State.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) said the arson attack, showed that Palestinian anger at Israeli had nothing to do with Israeli control of areas over the pre-1967 lines, since Joseph’s Tomb is located in a city under PA control.
“The tomb is not under Israeli sovereignty, and in spite of that, the Palestinian set it on fire. They are trying to rewrite history by harming Jewish holy places that bear testament to our deep connection to the Land of Israel,” Hotovely said.
The Tomb is located near what was once the Biblical city of Shechem and has a history of Jewish, Christian and Muslim worship.
It is fully under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Jewish worship has been severely limited at the tomb since the start of the second intifadah in October 2000, after an Israeli border policeman was killed there during clashes with Palestinians.
Under the Olso Accords, Jews were allowed regular access to the site and a yeshiva was located there.
Now Jewish worshipers can access the tomb only once a month in the middle of the night, when the IDF secures the roads in the city that lead to the tomb.
Pictures of flames jutting out from the Tomb were published by the Samaria Regional Council on Friday morning.
The fire was brought under control by Palestinian police before IDF forces could arrive on the scene.
Portions of the religious site were severely damaged in the fire. There were no reports of injuries.
Settlers and right wing politicians reacted to the arson attack by calling for the Tomb to be placed under Israeli control, in spite of its located on the edge of Nablus.
“Once again its been proved that there is no alternative to Israeli sovereignty when it comes to preserving Jewish holy sites,” said Avi Ro’eh who heads the Council of Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria. He called on the government to allow Jewish worshipers regular access to the site.
On Friday afternoon, Abbas condemned the arson attack and called for an official committee of inquiry into the matter.
‘Abbas: We Will Continue The Popular Resistance; Israel Is Plotting To Change Status Quo In Jerusalem; Israel Uses Terror, Executes Children
October 16, 2015Like the first and second intifadas, the current wave of terrorism is being exploited by Palestinian organizations and leaders, including by Palestinian President Mahmoud ‘Abbas, who attack Israel and accuse it of terror and crimes while making false claims and allegations. Some Palestinian organizations and leaders praised the perpetrators of the attacks, stating that they acted in self-defense. Fatah’s military wing, the Al-Aqsa Brigades, even called to escalate the attacks.
In his recent statements and speeches, ‘Abbas did not mention any violent Palestinian actions, but spoke only of “popular resistance,” which he advocates. This term is highly misleading, since it evokes nonviolent action such as peaceful protests and marches, whereas the recent wave of Palestinian terror has included mostly knifings, many of which resulted in grave injuries and deaths, as well as the throwing of stones and firebombs and the slinging of metal balls, which have also resulted in injuries and deaths.
PA and its head, Mahmoud ‘Abbas, have not only refrained from condemning the terror of the recent month, but are encouraging it to continue and are presenting the perpetrators not as attackers who deliberately set out to stab Israelis but as innocent Palestinians whom Israel executed under false pretenses. They call the injuring or killing of terrorists “war crimes” and even state that they mean to sue Israel in the International Criminal Court. The language used by ‘Abbas – such as “the terror of the Israeli government and the settler herds”, “execution in cold blood,” and “Israel’s hostile attack” – is obviously not conducive to calming the atmosphere, and in fact incites violence.
Granted, ‘Abbas and his security apparatuses are currently working to prevent the spread of the conflicts in the PA territories, and they have indeed arrested Hamas activists. Furthermore, ‘Abbas met with Fatah leaders in the various districts, apparently to instruct them to take measures to quell the violence. However, these measures seem to be motivated by the fear of losing control of the situation and by the desire to avoid giving Israel an excuse to retake the PA territories.
Mahmoud ‘Abbas (image: Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, London, October 14, 2014)
The Libel Of A Changed Status Quo At Al-Aqsa
In his October 14, 2015 speech on Palestinian television, ‘Abbas reiterated the libel that was the main catalyst for the current terror incidents, namely that Israel plans to alter the status quo in Jerusalem, despite repeated declarations by Israeli officials that Israel has no intention of doing so. ‘Abbas also declared that Israel’s actions were sparking a religious conflict. He said: “These days Israel’s hostile attack on our Palestinian people, its soil and its holy sites is intensifying, and the savage racism in its ugly form adds hideousness and repulsiveness to the occupation. These pose a threat to peace and stability and herald the lighting of the fuse of a religious conflict that will spark an all-consuming conflagration not only in the [Middle East] region but in the entire world. This is a warning bell for the international community to immediately intervene in a positive manner, before it will be too late.
“We say explicitly and unequivocally that we will not agree to a change in the status quo in the blessed Al-Aqsa and we will not allow Israel to carry out any plot intended to damage its sanctity and its purely Islamic [character]. The right [over Al-Qasa] is our exclusive right – Palestinians and Muslims everywhere. We seek rights, justice and peace. We have attacked nobody and we will not agree to attacks on our people, our homeland and our holy sites.”[1]
It should be mentioned that, one month ago, in a meeting with East Jerusalem residents, ‘Abbas urged them to continue opposing the “invasions” of Al-Aqsa and to prevent the Israelis from dividing it:
“The Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are ours. They are all ours, and they [the Israelis] have no right to defile them with their filthy feet. We shall not allow them to do so, and we shall do whatever we can to protect Jerusalem. We are in Jerusalem and will remain there. We will defend the places sacred to Christianity and Islam and will not abandon our city. We will continue to cleave to every inch of its soil and do everything to make its voice heard. I am confident that no harm will come to Jerusalem, even though Israel is waging a war of extermination against it. We will continue defending it under any circumstance. We are talking with everyone, and everyone is asking what we are doing to make [Jerusalem’s] voice heard.”[2]
‘Abbas: Israel Is Executing Palestinians, Including Children, In Cold Blood
Another false accusation invoked by ‘Abbas in his speech, and which has recently become a prominent part of the Palestinian narrative, is that Israel is executing Palestinians, including children, on the pretext that they attempted to stab Jews. As an example he cited the case of Ahmad Manasra, the 13-year-old boy who, on October 12, stabbed and critically wounded an Israeli boy his own age in the Pisgat Zeev neighborhood of Jerusalem, although Manasra is only moderately wounded and is hospitalized in Israel. ‘Abbas said: “We have told the entire world from the U.N. stage that in no way will we accept the existing situation in occupied Palestine, nor will we surrender to the logic of oppressive force and to the policy of occupation and aggression adopted by the Israeli government and its settler herds, who are using terror against our people, our holy places, our homes and our trees and are executing our children in cold blood, just as they did to the boy Ahmad Manasra and to other children in Jerusalem and elsewhere.”
Abbas stated further that the PA would sue Israel for the executions at the International Criminal Court: “We will file new suits over the execution of our sons, daughters and grandchildren. Whoever fears international law and its penalties should desist from committing crimes against our people.”[3]
The claim about the Israeli executions was echoed by Palestinian chief negotiator and PLO Executive Committee secretary Saeb Erekat, who said at a press conference that Israel was executing Palestinians, while ignoring the fact that they were killed while stabbing or attempting to stab Israelis. He said: “We demand that the [U.N.] special rapporteur on human rights Christof Heyns arrive immediately and investigate the field executions… According to the directive of President [‘Abbas], we decided to collect information in order to submit three lawsuits, against Prime Minister Netanyahu, his defense minister and the heads of the Israeli security forces.”[4]
‘Abbas: The Martyrs’ Blood Is The Price Of Freedom; The Palestinian Struggle Has Gained Attention, Earned Respect Of The Entire World
In his speech ‘Abbas called to continue the “popular resistance” and congratulated Jerusalem and the martyrs, stating that the events are the result of Israel’s rejection of the hand extended in peace and the continued construction in the settlements: “O heroic Palestinians, in your struggle and steadfastness you have gained considerable victories and political achievements, and thanks to this wondrous steadfastness the Palestinian cause has gained the attention and earned the respect of the entire world. True, we have paid for it in the blood of our martyrs and wounded, in the tears of our mothers and the torment of our prisoners, but that is the price of freedom, which is now very close.
“[I] congratulate you, our glorious people, as well as proud Jerusalem and its residents who stand on the front line; [I] congratulate Gaza, the West Bank and our people in the diaspora. Victory will come, with Allah’s help… We will persist in our legitimate national struggle, which focuses on our right to defend ourselves, the nonviolent popular resistance and the diplomatic and legal struggle, and we will act with the required patience, wisdom and valor to defend our people and its diplomatic and national achievements, which were attained following decades of struggle and persistence and via the long road of the martyrs, wounded and prisoners.
“The instability and insecurity result from the Israeli government’s rejection of our hand that is extended in [a bid for] a just peace that will guarantee the rights of our people, its freedom and its national honor. [They result from Israel’s] stubborn persistence in building in the settlements and imposing dictates [upon the Palestinians]. Peace, security and stability will only be achieved if the Israeli occupation ends and an independent Palestinian state is established, with holy Jerusalem as its capital, in the June 4, 1967 boundaries.
“Members of the glorious Palestinian people, wherever you are, I call upon you to rally together and unite, and be alert to the occupation’s schemes that are designed to torpedo our national enterprise. We will never be deterred from defending our people and protecting them. That is our right. [I] congratulate the martyrs, the wounded and the prisoners.”[5]
Senior Fatah Officials Praise The Terrorists, Encourage Continued “Popular Resistance”
Saeb Erekat praised Fadi ‘Aloun, who carried out an October 4, 2015 stabbing in Jerusalem, as well as Muhannad Al-Halabi, who stabbed two Israelis to death in Jerusalem’s old city the same day. He also listed the names of “martyrs,” most of whom perpetrated terror attacks, while emphasizing their young age. He added: “The Israeli method vis-a-vis the Palestinian people is [carrying out] field executions… Israel kills civilians and children and imposes collective punishments.”[6]
Other senior Fatah officials justified the violence and/or encouraged its continuation. In an interview with the Amad press agency, Fatah Central Committee member and former West Bank General Intelligence head Tawfiq Al-Tirawi said that the Palestinian people had the right to defend itself and to resist in order to secure its future, for popular resistance was one of the methods of resistance.[7]
Fatah Central Committee member ‘Azzam Al-Ahmad said: “We must continue the national awakening, for diplomatic activity without popular resistance is valueless. The time has arrived to expand the circle of [those] joining the popular resistance, and all of us have to participate in the struggle, each according to his ability.”[8]
Fatah Central Committee member ‘Abbas Zaki told the Turkish news agency Anadolu: “Armed struggle against the occupation is a legitimate right that we will not relinquish. However, this [activity] requires unity among all the Palestinian factions and establishing a central war room and formulating plans so that the armed struggle exacts a steep price from the enemy while [also] benefiting the Palestinian people. We reserve the right to [engage in] armed struggle, which is an option we will not give up, but we must consider how and when to carry it out, and whether the climate is right to use it to our benefit. At present we support [waging] a popular intifada that will confound the enemy and paralyze his security and economy, and prompt the world to address the question of how to end the world’s last remaining occupation.
“Deciding on an armed struggle now will [only] serve the enemy, who has the military power to kill [us] on a daily basis. Today we are defending ourselves, and we will continue to do so. We do not want escalation, but the enemy is attacking and destroying our cities and villages. [The means] of self-defense differ from one Palestinian to the other, some of us use stones and others knives.”[9]
Overt And Covert Threats To Escalate The Violence
In addition to congratulating the perpetrators of the stabbings and calling to continue the violence, members of the Fatah Central Committee even called to intensify it. ‘Azzam Al-Ahmad stated that, if Israel continued its “crimes” against the Palestinians, events would spiral out of control, and added: “There is a resemblance between the Israeli forces and the ISIS terror organization.”[10]
An October 13 announcement issued by the Al-Aqsa Brigades welcomed the attacks and called to “escalate them on the ground against the Israeli occupation that has made everything permitted, including killing women, children and the elderly in cold blood… The response will be painful and shocking, and we will act to light a fire under the filthy feet of the Zionists.”[11]
Image on Al-Aqsa Brigades website shows knife cleaving a Star of David, with the caption: “Palestinian, stand up and resist, and never relinquish your right” (3asfa.com, October 13, 2015)
Endnotes:
[1] Al-Ayyam (PA), October 15, 2015.
[2] See MEMRI TV Clip No. 5080, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas: Jews “Have No Right to Defile the Al-Aqsa Mosque with Their Filthy Feet”, September 16, 2015.
[3] Al-Ayyam (PA), October 15, 2015.
[4] Amad.ps, October 13, 2015.
[5] Al-Ayyam (PA), October 15, 2015.
[6] Amad.ps, October 13, 2015.
[7] Amad.ps, October 13, 2015.
[8] Amad.ps, October 13, 2015.
[9] Amad.ps, October 9, 2015.
[10] Amad.ps, October 13, 2015.
[11] 3asfa.com, October 13, 2015.
U.S. Official Bemoans Russian Destruction Of “Our” Terrorists
October 16, 2015U.S. Official Bemoans Russian Destruction Of “Our” Terrorists
October 15, 2015
Source: M of A – U.S. Official Bemoans Russian Destruction Of “Our” Terrorists
U.S. Official Bemoans Russian Destruction Of “Our” Terrorists
Some U.S. official is whining because his flock of bastards gets hurt:
“Putin is deliberately targeting our forces,” a U.S. official, who is disappointed in the U.S. response to Russia, told Fox News.”Our guys are fighting for their lives,” said the official, estimating up to 150 CIA-trained moderate rebels have been killed by the Russians.
“Our forces”, “our guys” – hmm. The official is referring to the CIA-mercenaries who are fighting under al-Qaeda’s command:
Advancing alongside the Islamist groups, and sometimes aiding them, have been several of the relatively secular groups, like the Free Syrian Army, which have gained new prominence and status because of their access to the TOWs.Even in smaller quantities, the missiles played a major role in the insurgent advances that eventually endangered Mr. Assad’s rule. While that would seem like a welcome development for United States policy makers, in practice it presented another quandary, given that the Nusra Front was among the groups benefiting from the enhanced firepower.
It is a tactical alliance that Free Syrian Army commanders describe as an uncomfortable marriage of necessity, because they cannot operate without the consent of the larger and stronger Nusra Front.
The “official” should go to jail for, at least, indirectly arming and supporting the terrorists of Jabhat al-Nusra aka al-Qaeda in Syria.
Under U.S. domestic law Obama justifies his attacks on the Islamic State in Syria (which is illegal under international law) with reference to the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists as passed by the United States Congress on September 14, 2001. According to that AUMF:
That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist …
If that is the relevant legal code to fight the Islamic State then this even more so applies to Jabhat al-Nusra as it is loyal to the original al-Qaeda organization.
What Russia does, fighting on behalf of the legal government of Syria after having been asked to do so, is not only legal under international law but it is also easily justifiable by the same U.S. domestic law which the U.S. president applies to fight the Islamic State.
That whining official should recognize that a. what “his forces” do is illegal under U.S. law b. what Russia does with “his guys” is legal even under U.S. law and c. that there is always a moral hazard when using such proxy forces.
When the CIA send some idiots to invade Cuba where they were killed or capture it could do nothing and did nothing to protect them because that would have started a much bigger war. This is the same case here. These forces will be destroyed and there is nothing the U.S. can or will do about that. If you are sentimental about the fate of mercenaries and if you do not want this to happen do not use proxy forces but be man enough to go yourself.
Posted by b on October 15, 2015 at 01:51 PM | Permalink
Russian Warplanes Have Destroyed 456 ISIL Targets in Syria Since Sept. 30
October 16, 2015Russian Warplanes Have Destroyed 456 ISIL Targets in Syria Since Sept. 30
16:06 16.10.2015 (updated 17:12 16.10.2015)
Source: Russian Warplanes Have Destroyed 456 ISIL Targets in Syria Since Sept. 30
Russian warplanes in Syria have destroyed a total of 456 ISIL targets since the operation began on September 30, the Russian General Staff said Friday.
Russian warplanes in Syria have destroyed a total of 456 ISIL targets since the operation began on September 30, the Russian General Staff said Friday.Over the past week, they have carried out 394 sorties, destroying 46 command and communication posts, 6 explosives manufacturing facilities, 22 warehouses and fuel depots, along with 272 militant positions, strongpoints and field camps, Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff, told journalists during a briefing.
“Most armed formations are demoralized. There is growing discontent with field commanders, and there is evidence of disobedience. Desertion is becoming widespread,” Kartapolov told reporters.
Around 100 extremists cross the Syria-Turkey border each day, Kartapolov said citing intelligence data, adding that evidence suggests the militants are leaving combat zones through refugee routes.
“I would like to point out once again, our aircraft carry out strikes against the militants infrastructure based on data provided through several intelligence channels as well as intel supplied by the information center in Baghdad,” Kartapolov said, referring to accusations that Russian warplanes had hit targets other than ISIL.
“We only attack targets held by internationally-recognized terrorist groups. Our warplanes do not operate in the southern regions of Syria where, according to our intel, units of the Free Syrian Army operate,” Kartapolov said.
Kartapolov said some of the airstrikes carried out by the US-coalition target civil facilities.
“It is against our principles to advise our colleagues which targets to strike. However, on October 11 a power plant and an electrical substation were destroyed by coalition warplanes in the vicinity of Tell-Alam,” he told foreign military attaches and journalists attending the briefing.
“It looks like someone is deliberately destroying the civilian infrastructure in population centers making them unfit for habitation. Because of that civilians are fleeing these towns and contribute to the flow of refugees to Europe,” Kartapolov noted.
At the same time, he stressed that Russia had repeatedly asked coalition members to share intelligence on ISIL positions, but none of these requests were met.
“When we didn’t receive the ISIL forces coordinates, we requested our partners to provide us data about regions held by moderate opposition. Unfortunately, our partners didn’t provide a coherent answer to any of our questions,” Kartapolov said.
“So we went ahead and created a comprehensive map of areas controlled by ISIL, based on our intel and on data provided by the information center in Baghdad,” he went on to say.
He added that Russia and US are about to sign an agreement to provide for the safety of their aircraft over Syria. “All the technicalities have been agreed on. Russian and US lawyers are checking the text which we hope will be signed soon,” Kartapolov said.
Russia started precision airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria on September 30, following a request from Syria’s internationally recognized government. The Russian airstrikes hit targets that are chosen based on intelligence collected by Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran.
Palestinian proposal to UNESCO: Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa
October 16, 2015Palestinian proposal to UNESCO: Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa Proposal likely to pass due to automatic Arab-Muslim majority there; proposal also condemns Israel for calling on its citizens to bear arms.
Itamar Eichner Published: 10.16.15, 13:20 /
Source: Palestinian proposal to UNESCO: Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa – Israel News, Ynetnews
A new proposal to establish that the Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa Mosque is set to be submitted by the Palestinians to a vote at UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) next week, Ynet learned Thursday.
The proposal states among other things that the Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa Mosque, and condemns the Israeli government for its call on citizens to bear arms because of the recent wave of terror attacks – presumably referring to statements by the mayors of Jerusalem and the police chief in Ashdod. The proposal was presented to the Executive Council of UNESCO, which has 58 member countries.
Since the Palestinians are not members of the committee, the six Arab states submitted the proposal on behalf of the Palestinians: Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. However, senior Israeli sources say that the Palestinians are simultaneously acting to move the proposal to the UNESCO plenum, in which they are recognized as a state.
The Western Wall (Photo: Eli Mandelbaum)
Israel has been acting behind the scenes to persuade as many countries as possible to oppose the proposal, or at least to abstain, but it is likely that the proposal will be approved due to the automatic Muslim and Arab majority. Yedioth Ahronoth received a copy of the proposal, which reveals the main points:
1. To declare and confirm that the Western Wall is part of al-Aqsa Mosque, and is called Buraq Plaza (as the Palestinians call the Western Wall). The same applies to the Mughrabi Gate.
2. The Palestinians want the countries of the world to condemn Israel for calling on its citizens to bear arms in light of recent terror wave. The Palestinian argument is that this has led to the continuation of the cycle of violence and has caused multiple casualties.
3. The Palestinians seek to condemn recent actions by Israel and the IDF in Jerusalem, which is called “the occupied capital of Palestine” in the document.
Aerial view of Rachel’s Tomb (Photo: Lowshot.com)
4. It calls for a condemnation of Israel for the continued excavations near the Temple Mount and the Old City, in opposition to previous UNESCO decisions. The Palestinians condemn the Israeli refusal to allow UNESCO inspection teams to visit the Temple Mount.
5. Harsh condemnation of “Israeli aggression and illegal measures taken against the freedom of worship and access of Muslim to al-Aqsa Mosque and Israel’s attempts to break the status quo since 1967”. Israel is also accused of preventing clerics, sheikhs and preachers from accessing the mosque, in addition to Israeli security forces arresting many people at the mosques. Israel is also condemned for alleged incursions into the mosque.
6. Condemnation of the continued attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque by right-wing Jewish extremists. Palestinians call on Israel, “the occupying power”, to take measures to prevent provocations which violate the sanctity of the mosque, and call for an end to the “aggression” which fuels tensions in the area and among believers.
7. Condemnation of Israel’s decision to build a cable car in East Jerusalem and build “Beit Haliba” (an office building and a museum near the Western Wall), a few other buildings and an elevator near the wall.
8. Palestinians call for the confirmation and declaration that the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb (the supposed resting place of grave of Bilal ibn Rabah, a companion of the Prophet Mohammed) are part of Palestine.
9. Condemnation of alleged violence by Israeli settlers and Jewish extremists against Palestinians, including children, intended to harm the character of Hebron. The Palestinians urge “the occupying power” to prevent these attacks.
Israel’s Ambassador to UNESCO Carmel Shama Hacohen said in response that while Jews are being massacred on their way to pray, Palestinians are asking to strongly condemn violence and illegal measures that allegedly infringe on the religious freedom of Muslims.
“The Palestinians continue to add fuel to the fire of incitement and ongoing terror,” Shama Hacohen said. “In my first speech to UNESCO last year I warned the world’s countries that false incitement by the Palestinians against Israel especially regarding the Temple Mount means playing with fire. At the last conference in Bonn, I suggested registering the Palestinianian culture of lies as an intangible world heritage site.”
Shama Hacohen added: “The new proposal is tantamount to pouring fuel on the fire of incitement and ongoing terror instead of being responsible and calming the situation down. Of course we must not despair or get alarmed, as they have lies whereas we have the ethical, realistic and historical truth, and it will triumph. The Jewish people and the Western Wall are one and the chances of the Palestinians to Islamize the Western Wall are the same as the chances of Islamizing the Jewish people. Even the morning after the vote the Israeli flag will fly over the wall.
“We pay a high cost for our existence in our country, but there is no responsible partner able to reduce this cost in the near future, because apart from the question of their right to a state in our country, their conduct raises a critical question regarding their ability to act as a responsible country and this is the saddest conclusion from the Palestinian’s conduct at UNESCO,” concluded Shama Hacohen.
Afghan Terror Threat Grows as Obama Reverses U.S. Troop Pullout
October 16, 2015Afghan Terror Threat Grows as Obama Reverses U.S. Troop Pullout Taliban, Al Qaeda, Islamic State strengthening forces
BY:
October 16, 2015 4:59 am
Source: Afghan Terror Threat Grows as Obama Reverses U.S. Troop Pullout
But is it different in the middle east ?
Does this mean that Russia is now defending U.S. homeland ?
The Islamic terror threat in Afghanistan is expanding and poses new threats to the U.S. homeland as the Taliban, al Qaeda, and now the Islamic State build up forces inside the war-torn Southwest Asian state.
The persistent terrorist threat includes four separate Islamist groups inside the country and is one reason President Obama announced Thursday that he is reversing plans to pull all but 1,000 U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the end of next year.
“Afghan forces are still not as strong as they need to be,” Obama said in announcing the decision to keep 9,800 troops in Afghanistan through 2016.
“And meanwhile, the Taliban has made gains, particularly in rural areas, and can still launch deadly attacks in cities, including Kabul,” he said, noting that the Islamic State is also emerging in the country.
“The bottom line is in key areas of the country, the security situation is still very fragile, and in some places there is risk of deterioration,” Obama said.
The reversal on the troop drawdown is a setback for the president’s strategy and an indication that his policies over the past six years have not worked. Obama outlined in December 2009 three main goals for Afghanistan: Denying a safe haven to al Qaeda, reversing Taliban momentum, and bolstering Afghan forces.
The growing terror threat was outlined in little-noticed written testimony to the Senate earlier this month by Army Gen. John Campbell, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, who stated that Afghan forces remain weak as terrorists are gaining strength.
The four-star general identified the main threats as the Taliban, al Qaeda, the al Qaeda-aligned Haqqani Network, and the Islamic State, also called Daesh, along with other extremist groups he did not name.
“Collectively, these enemies will present formidable challenges to the Afghan government, [Afghan National Defense and Security Forces], [U.S. Forces-Afghanistan], and the coalition for the remainder of 2015 and beyond,” Campbell stated.
During the past 10 months al Qaeda has sought to rebuild support networks and planning capabilities aimed at “reconstituting its strike capabilities against the U.S. homeland and western interests,” Campbell said.
The newest threat to the country comes from the Islamic State, which is building on its success in the Middle East to gain new members in Central and South Asia and many of its members view al Qaeda as the moral foundation for jihad and IS (also known as ISIL or ISIS) as the action arm, Campbell said.
“Daesh has grown much faster than we anticipated, and its continued development in Afghanistan presents a legitimate threat to the entire region,” the four-star general said. “Its adherents have already committed acts of brutality that have shocked Afghan sensibilities. Moreover, Daesh senior leadership has publically declared its goals of reclaiming Khorasan Province, which extends from the Caucuses to Western India, as its spiritual home.”
Nick Rasmussen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said in Senate testimony on Oct. 8 that terrorists have increased their ability to communicate without detection as a result of the exposure of U.S. intelligence collection techniques.
“The difficulty in collecting precise intelligence on terrorist intentions and the status of particular terrorist plots is increasing over time,” Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen told the Senate Homeland Security Committee that some terrorist groups in Afghanistan are fighting each other and U.S. intelligence is watching closely to see whether IS “turns from that project to something aimed at us,” as al Qaeda did in the past.
For the Taliban, ousted in the 2003 U.S. military operation that led to the current Afghan conflict, the Islamist group is working to seize one provincial capital and multiple district centers while working to control and hold more Afghan territory, Campbell said.
“The Taliban have attempted to gain more control of the countryside in order to expand their freedom of movement and action. They have been at least partially successful in accomplishing these goals,” Campbell said.
The Institute for the Study of War also warned in a recent report that the Taliban are gaining strength. “Afghanistan may again become a safe haven for the Taliban and al Qaeda,” the think tank said in an Oct. 6 report. “Taliban factions have markedly increased the pace of operations throughout Afghanistan following the September 28 offensive against Kunduz city.”
Additionally, the loss of U.S. and allied close-air support aircraft has allowed the Taliban to mass their forces and they are gaining area in Pashtun-dominated areas of southern Afghanistan, according to Campbell.
The recent attack on the city of Kunduz also showed Taliban advances in the northern part of the country and further strained Afghan forces that are battling them.
“Overall, the Taliban remain a resilient, adaptable, and capable foe in spite of markedly increased casualties this year,” Campbell said.
The Taliban has also suffered fissures in its leadership following the death of Mullah Mohammed Omar, the group’s commander and spiritual head, in 2013. “It is still unclear whether his death will lead to greater cohesion or splintering within the movement,” Campbell stated.
The recent successes in Kunduz appear to have bolstered efforts by new Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour, who has the endorsement of al Qaeda leader Aymen al Zawahiri, to consolidate power and possibly limit rivals’ attempts to oust him.
The Mansour also appears to have moved the Taliban close to al Qaeda by naming a known ally of the terror group, Siraq Haqqani, as a deputy emir.
The linkage is raising new concerns that Taliban terrorists could begin conducting attacks outside Afghanistan.
Domestically, Taliban propagandists are influencing the population and the international community through social media.
Yet Campbell revealed that the Pakistan-based Haqqani Network—not the Taliban and al Qaeda—remain “the most virulent strain” of the Afghan insurgency.
Haqqani terrorism “presents one of the greatest risks to coalition forces, and it continues to be an al Qaeda facilitator,” Campbell said.
The network shares the goal of the Taliban of expelling coalition military forces and taking over the Afghan government and installing an Islamist regime.
Haqqani Network fighters “lead the insurgency in several eastern Afghan provinces, and they have demonstrated the intent and capability to launch and support high profile and complex attacks against the coalition,” the commander stated.
Several Haqqani planned attacks in Kabul and other locations that would have caused large numbers of casualties were they not disrupted.
Of the threat by the Haqqani Network, Campbell stated: “It will take a concerted AF/PAK effort to reduce the effectiveness and capabilities of HQN.”
A key priority, Campbell said, is countering the emergence of the Islamic State in Afghanistan.
“In the last year, we have observed the movement’s increased recruiting efforts and growing operational capacity,” Campbell said.
“We now classify Daesh as ‘operationally emergent,’”—a growing threat, he added.
The group is attracting disaffected Taliban and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Taliban members who are rebranding themselves as Islamic State members.
Despite the emergence of IS, Campbell said there has not been a wholesale convergence of IS with other insurgent groups, and there also has not been an influx of foreign fighters to IS ranks.
Still, while lacking military capabilities of the Taliban, IS is creating problems for Afghan security forces and the political leadership of the government.
“In the near term, we expect most Daesh operations to remain directed against the [Taliban], although attacks against nearby ANDSF or other soft targets of opportunity are possible,” Campbell said.
However, the IS presence appears to be spreading rapidly. Campbell noted that of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces, IS fighters in varying degrees are present in 25 provinces, with most located in the eastern part of the country, specifically Nangarhar Province.
“In the near term, we predict that they will continue to recruit and grow their numbers, using higher pay and small-scale, successful attacks as recruitment tools,” Campbell said.
The Islamic State’s “virulent, extremist ideology” is a greater threat than its combat power, he said.
Asked about the increasing terror threat, Lisa Monaco, White House homeland security and counterterrorism director, told reporters that al Qaeda and IS will be the main targets of continued U.S. involvement in counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan.
“The focus is on going after al Qaeda, the remnants of al Qaeda, and anybody who could pose a threat to the homeland,” she said.
“We’re going to be very focused in watching what happens with ISIL in Afghanistan,” Monaco said. “Right now, it’s militants who are largely disaffected with other groups, but that’s a factor in terms of if it could present a threat to the homeland. We’re obviously going to be attentive to that. But the core mission on the counterterrorism side is going after remnants of al Qaeda.”
Russian Navy Can Attack ISIL Positions in Syria at Any Moment
October 16, 2015Russian Navy Can Attack ISIL Positions in Syria at Any Moment
13:10 16.10.2015(updated 14:11
Source: Russian Navy Can Attack ISIL Positions in Syria at Any Moment
The Russian warships operating in the Mediterranean can be used in the fight against ISIL in Syria, the Russian General Staff said Friday.
Russian Navy can carry out missile strikes on the Islamic State positions in Syria at any moment, if ordered by the high command, the Russian General Staff said Friday.The Russian warships operating in the Mediterranean can be used in the fight against ISIL in Syria, if need be, Colonel-General Andrei Kartapolov, head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian General Staff, said in an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.
“Our group in the Mediterranean primarily supplies materials. For this to go unhampered, a group of attack vessels is deployed there as well. In addition, this group guarantees our base’s air defense. We are in no way using these air defense systems against coalition countries,” he said.
The Russian General Staff does not rule out the establishment of a military base in Syria consisting of naval, air, and ground troop components, Kartapolov said.Kartapolov stressed that there are no Russian officers in the ranks of the Syrian Army.
“Our group is operating on its own and we have a small operations group from the Syrian Armed Forces at our headquarters in Syria that provides coordination of flights with the Syrian Air Force and gives us exact information of where front line of the government troops is,” he said.
Prior to its air operation against ISIL in Syria Russia established an information center in Baghdad to share intelligence with Iraq, Syria and Iran. According to Kartapolov, Russia invited the US to cooperate, but the Americans never responded to this invitation.
“They have a number of reasons not to do so,” he said. “They believe it is humiliating to acknowledge that without Russia they cannot achieve their goals which they announced a year ago.”“They are unlikely to have enough information on ISIL facilities, and the results of their airstrikes bear witness to that. They have a vague understanding of where the militants’ objects really are and it probably embarrasses them to admit that,” Kartapolov said.
Russia started precision airstrikes against ISIL targets in Syria on September 30, following a request from Syria’s internationally recognized government. The Russian airstrikes hit targets that are chosen based on intelligence collected by Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran.
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