Palestinians fight for their lives and their stolen lands

[Anthea]

Italian health org. blasts Israelis, complicit states' al-Shifa crimes

Dr. Paola Manduca, on behalf of the Italian Healthcare network for Gaza, details the crimes of the Israeli military in Gaza, calling for immediate international action

Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City witnessed a collection of the Israeli occupation's most brutal war crimes, a letter released by Dr. Paola Manduca, of the New Weapons Research Group organization, on behalf of the Italian Healthcare network for Gaza, detailed.

Dr. Mancuda received a message from the Deputy Minister of Health in Gaza, Dr. Yousif Abu al-Reech, detailing the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation in Al-Shifa Hospital from the moment of the invasion until March 31, 2024, as per the letter.

The Deputy Minister explained that the Israeli occupation had imposed a 14-day siege on the medical complex, incarcerating 107 patients, most of whom are in critical condition, and 60 medical staff members in an old two-story Health Resources building. As reported by the staff, the building is not equipped with ventilation and medical equipment, nor does it have the necessary sanitary conditions, water, and food.

This has led to white flies hatching out of septic wounds of some patients, Dr. al-Reech added. Moreover, medical staff ran out of gloves and were forced to use plastic bags when treating patients, which eventually also ran out.

"In addition, they reported the lack of elderly diapers, especially that 30 patients are bed-ridden and use diapers and are in intensive need of medical care and nursing that the limited number of staff is incapable of providing," the letter read.

Humiliating Al-Shifa's staff representative and starving patients

Dr. al-Reech explained that the Israeli occupation's military was starving the besieged patients, as no food or drinkable water was provided for days on end.

Additionally, the Israeli occupation denuded Al-Shifa Hospital's staff representative when he attempted to convey the needs of medical staff and patients to military commanders.

"Prior to every negotiation attempt, soldiers undress him and leave him semi-naked for 3 hours at least before meeting the concerned officer with 'we will look into the matter and come back to you' response, but they never did," Dr. al-Reech explained.

Mass executions and detainments of Palestinians

In her own commentary on the situation, Dr. Manduca took note of the mass field executions of unarmed people in Al-Shifa and its vicinity. As Dr. al-Reech mentioned in his letter, patients' companions were either executed, detained, or displaced to the south of the Gaza Strip.

Dr. Manduca said that information provided by the Ministry of Health in Gaza indicated that around 400 Palestinians were executed in Al-Shifa. At the same time, another 800 were detained and taken to Israeli jails.

"Israel" also forcibly displaced thousands of Palestinians southward under the threat of gunfire, killing several on a designated "safe path".

Dr. Manduca calls on citizens of countries complicit in Israeli crimes to take action

"What do we, simple citizens of a country involved and complicit, do to change all this? The strength is in each of us and in the pressure that we will be able to put on our government to stop being an accomplice to genocide and outside international law," Dr. Mancuda said, addressing citizens of states aiding "Israel's" genocide in the Gaza Strip.

"The problem of saving Palestine is not just a Palestinian problem. And there's no time to do it," she emphasized.

Dr. Mancuda called on all states to re-evaluate military and economic agreements with "Israel", calling on all states to decide where they stand in this genocide.

"The task of states, what is required of them, is to sanction Israel, severing economic, military and research agreements," she stated.

"Not doing so makes them complicit in an ongoing genocide," Dr. Mancuda said, adding that "it would be very good for those who invest in Israel to suspend these investments."

Dr. Mancuda was also highly critical of the United States for its continued support of "Israel" despite the ongoing massacre. She pointed to the US sending supplies of heavy weapons amid alleged concerns about humanitarian aid, saying that it is contradictory. Dr. Mancuda also lambasted the Biden administration for working on an "inefficient" temporary pier in the Gaza Strip, instead of providing aid to Palestinians via traditional land routes.

Earlier today, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported that Israeli occupation forces have completely withdrawn from the vicinity of the al-Shifa Medical Complex toward the southwest of Gaza City.

He pointed out that scores of martyrs' bodies were found in the vicinity of the hospital after the withdrawal of the occupation forces.

"Dozens of bodies, some of them decomposed, have been recovered from in and around the Al-Shifa medical complex," the Health Ministry in Gaza said in a statement.

The Israeli occupation military "withdrew from the Al-Shifa medical complex after burning down the complex buildings and putting it completely out of service," it said.

"The scale of the destruction inside the complex and the buildings around it is very large."

In a harrowing revelation, Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza, disclosed that around 300 decomposing bodies with signs of torture were scattered in the vicinity of Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surrounding areas following the withdrawal of occupation forces after a two-week siege.

Basal confirmed that Israeli occupation forces (IOF) had executed civilians, whose bodies were found handcuffed at Al-Shifa hospital. Furthermore, he detailed that the IOF had set fire to wards within the hospital, leaving behind a mass trail of devastation as they destroyed all medical equipment and supplies.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -gaza-s-al

[Anthea]

Palestinian rockets towards settlements

The Palestinian Resistance persists in confronting the Israeli occupation and repelling its forces attempting to breach the Gaza Strip and targeting the "Kissufim" settlement with a barrage of missiles

The Palestinian Resistance continues to confront the Israeli occupation and its forces raiding the Gaza Strip, through confrontations and firing rockets toward the surrounding settlements, as the Al-Aqsa Flood saga enters its 180th day.

On Wednesday, the al-Quds Brigades announced the targeting of "Sderot," "Niram," and "Kissufim," as well as settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip, with a missile attack in response to the occupation's aggression.

The brigades announced that, in conjunction with the al-Amoudi Brigade - al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, they targeted a gathering of occupation soldiers and occupation vehicles south of Gaza City with a barrage of heavy-caliber mortar shells.

Earlier, the Palestinian Resistance confronted Israeli occupation forces in the vicinity of the al-Awda School, east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, as the Israeli occupation's artillery continuously shelled the region, as reported by Al Mayadeen's correspondent.

The western area of Khan Younis also witnessed fierce confrontations according to Palestinian media outlets.

In turn, the al-Qassam Brigades announced that it carried out operations targeting an Israeli occupation infantry force with mortar shells east of the Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City.

Meanwhile, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades carried out an operation against an Israeli post and occupation military vehicles north of Khan Younis also using mortar shells.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ettlements

[Anthea]

In only 182 days 33,091 killed, 75,750 injured

The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that the Israeli occupation committed a total of 5 massacres against Palestinian families in 24 hours only, killing 54 and injuring 82

This brings the total number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip since the Israeli aggression on Gaza started on October 7 to 33,091, in addition to 75,750 injuries, plus unknown numbers dead under the rubble.

Compounding the devastation, some victims are still trapped under rubble and on roads, presumed dead, with the Israeli occupation hindering the arrival of ambulance and civil defense teams.

Relentless bombing

The Israeli occupation continues its relentless and genocidal campaign against Gaza for 182 consecutive days, targeting different regions of the Strip and enforcing a complete blockade. This has further worsened the already dire humanitarian situation, exacerbating the suffering of the people in Gaza.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that a brutal airstrike targeted the vicinity of Sheikh Zayed City in the northern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian media outlets reported that Israeli artillery shelling targeted the central and western parts of Khan Younis city, as well as the eastern part of Rafah city in the southern Gaza Strip.

Furthermore, Israeli warplanes targeted Tal al-Hawa, west of Gaza City, just before midnight. Concurrently, Israeli artillery shelling and airstrikes targeting the southwestern and southeastern neighborhoods of Khan Younis city, as well as the eastern areas of the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, continued.

The bombing resulted in several casualties, including children and women, with some still trapped under the rubble.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ed-in-gaza

[Anthea]

UNHRC passes resolution to

halt all arms supplies to 'Israel'

The UN Human Rights Council issues a strongly worded call for an immediate cessation of all arms sales to "Israel", citing grave concerns over potential genocide in the Gaza Strip

The UN Human Rights Council urged a halt to all arms sales to "Israel", citing concerns of genocide in Gaza, where over 33,000 people have been killed.

The resolution, approved with 28 out of 47 member states of the council voting in favor, six against, and 13 abstentions, signifies the first instance of the United Nations' primary human rights body taking a stance on the deadliest Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israeli ambassador to the UN in Geneva, denounced the resolution as "a stain for the Human Rights Council and for the UN as a whole."

The strongly worded statement urged nations to "cease the sale, transfer, and diversion of arms, munitions, and other military equipment to Israel... to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights."

It emphasized that in January, the International Court of Justice determined "that there is a plausible risk of genocide."

The resolution presented on Friday, initiated by Pakistan on behalf of all member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) except Albania, also demanded an "immediate ceasefire" and urged for urgent humanitarian access and aid.
'Wake up and stop the genocide'

Before the vote, Palestinian Ambassador Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi addressed the council saying, "We need you all to wake up and stop this genocide, a genocide televised around the world."

Despite acknowledging the unbearable civilian death toll in Gaza, Washington, a key ally, voted against the resolution, along with Germany, Argentina, Bulgaria, Malawi, and Paraguay.

It is worth noting that US Ambassador Michele Taylor highlighted "Israel's" insufficient efforts to minimize civilian casualties. However, she claimed that Washington couldn't endorse the resolution due to its perceived flaws. The vote occurred after the UN Security Council in New York recently approved a ceasefire resolution, partly due to Washington abstaining from voting.

UNHRC resolution warns of Rafah invasion

The resolution from the rights council consistently referred to "Israel", calling on the entity to cease its occupation of Palestinian territories entirely and to promptly remove its blockade on the Gaza Strip, as well as any other types of collective punishment.

The revised version of the text, updated late, on Thursday, to eliminate various mentions of genocide, still conveyed deep apprehension regarding statements from Israeli officials that could be construed as incitement to genocide.

Furthermore, it called on nations to intervene to halt the ongoing forced displacement of Palestinians from both within and outside Gaza. Specifically, it cautioned against extensive military actions in Rafah city, situated in the southern region of the densely populated Gaza Strip, where more than one million civilians are seeking refuge, emphasizing the potential dire humanitarian outcomes.

The resolution additionally denounced the tactic of using starvation against civilians as a form of warfare in Gaza, where the United Nations has issued warnings of an imminent famine.

It emphasized the urgent need for credible, prompt, and thorough accountability for all breaches of international law in Gaza. The resolution urged UN investigators of war crimes, who were assigned to examine the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territories prior to October 7, to investigate all direct and indirect transfers or sales of arms, ammunition, components, and dual-use items to "Israel". Furthermore, it called for an analysis of the legal ramifications of such transfers.

Germany calls on NATO to oppose UN arms embargo on 'Israel': Exclusive

In a different yet related context, diplomatic sources informed Al Mayadeen, on Thursday, that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged NATO allies to block a draft UN resolution calling for an immediate cessation of arms exports to "Israel".

According to the sources, Baerbock reportedly told her counterparts during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at its headquarters in Brussels to pressure their governments into voting against the arms embargo resolution, which was submitted to the Human Rights Council on Wednesday.

Pakistan proposed the draft resolution on behalf of 55 of the 56 UN member nations in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), except Albania. Bolivia, Cuba, and the Palestinian Mission in Geneva have all co-sponsored the document.

Germany's move comes after information indicated that several European countries, including France, Belgium, and Spain, are planning to vote in favor of the resolution, while others may abstain from voting, which could potentially lead to the resolution being adopted by a comfortable majority.

It is worth noting that the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's (SIPRI) annual study issued in March revealed that sixty-nine percent of "Israel's" arms acquisitions in 2023 came from US corporations, 30% came from Germany, and 0.9% from Italy.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... to--israel

[Anthea]

Boris Johnson: Shameful to call for

UK to end arms sales to Israel

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has said it is "shameful" to call for the UK to end arms sales to Israel

Three Britons were among seven aid workers killed in air strikes in Gaza carried out by Israel's army on Monday.

It has led the Lib Dems, SNP and some Labour and Conservative MPs to urge the UK to reassess how it supports Israel.

The Foreign Office said it keeps advice on Israel's adherence to the law under review, adding that this is confidential.

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Mr Johnson said it would be "insane" for the UK to end military support, which he said would be "willing the military defeat of Israel and the victory of Hamas".

Mr Johnson, a former foreign secretary, wrote: "Remember that in order to win this conflict, Hamas only has to survive. All they need at the end is to hang on, rebuild, and go again.

"That's victory for Hamas; and that is what these legal experts seem to be asking for."

More than 600 lawyers, including former Supreme Court justices, this week wrote to the government saying weapon exports to Israel must end because the UK risks breaking international law over a "plausible risk of genocide" in Gaza. Israel rejects the claim of genocide as "wholly unfounded".

Three Britons were among the World Central Kitchen (WCK) workers who died in the strikes: John Chapman, 57, James "Jim" Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47.

WCK founder Jose Andres claimed the Israeli military knew of his aid workers' movements and targeted them "systematically, car by car".

Israeli officials reacted by sacking two senior military officers over the strikes, which it has described as a "grave mistake stemming from a serious failure".

Mr Johnson said it was "shattering" to see the deaths, but Israel was sending warnings of their attacks and "trying to use precision munitions".

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron previously said the UK would carefully review findings of the initial Israel Defense Forces (IDF) report into the incident, which was released on Friday.

Mr Johnson accused Lord Cameron of being silent on the issue, saying the foreign secretary had "gone into a kind of purdah" on arms sales.

Much of the Gaza Strip has been devastated during the IDF military operations which began after Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel on 7 October, killing about 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages.

More than 33,091 people have been killed in Gaza since then, the Hamas-run health ministry says.

Reacting to Mr Johnson's comments, a UK Foreign Office spokesman said: "We keep advice on Israel's adherence to international humanitarian law under review and ministers act in accordance with that advice, for example when considering export licences.

"The content of the government's advice is confidential.

"Decisions on export licences are based on the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. We would make public any decision to suspend or revoke existing licences."

British arms sales to Israel are lower than those of other countries, including Germany and Italy, and dwarfed by the billions supplied by its largest arms supplier, the US.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68748251

Boris Johnson is pure evil and solely responsible for THOUSANDS of DEATHS in Ukraine after he TWICE prevented peace agreements between Russia and Ukraine from being ratified

[Anthea]

Biden vows ironclad support for Israel

President Joe Biden has promised Israel "ironclad" US support amid fears that Tehran could launch reprisals for an attack that killed senior Iranians

Mr Biden warned that Iran is threatening to launch a "significant attack" after Israel struck the Iranian consulate in Syria 10 days ago.

"We're going to do all we can to protect Israel's security," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iran's leader said the Israeli attack in Damascus was equivalent to an attack on Iran itself.

"When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised speech.

"The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished."

It is unclear what form any reprisal attack would take.

For Iran to strike Israel directly would risk an even greater escalation in the conflict, and analysts have said Iran does not have the military capability for a significant confrontation.

A possible alternative is an attack via an Iranian proxy like Hezbollah, which has traded fire with Israel across the border from Lebanon almost daily since 8 October. Those exchanges have intensified in recent weeks.

"Hezbollah is very capable, hundreds of thousands of rockets and missiles there, on the border that can reach all the way into southern Israel," Joe Buccino, former Communications Director at the US military's Central Command, told the BBC.

"Hezbollah is much more capable than Hamas. So they'd have the capability to do significant damage into Israel."

On Sunday an Iranian official warned Israel's embassies were "no longer safe", suggesting a consulate building could be a possible target.

Experts have also suggested Iran could target Israel with a cyber-attack.

Thirteen people were killed in the 1 April attack on the Iranian consulate building, including senior Iranian military leaders. Among them was Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of Iran's elite Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, but is widely considered to have been behind it.

US and Israeli forces in the region have been put on high alert in the days since. Last week the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) cancelled leave for soldiers serving with combat units and called up reservists to bolster air defence units.

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz responded on social media to Ayatollah Khamenei's comments by saying if Tehran attacked from its territory, Israel would react and "attack in Iran".

Meanwhile the head of US forces in the region, Gen Michael Kurilla, is to discuss the threat of a possible Iranian attack in talks with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and army Chief of Staff Lt Gen Herzi Halevi in Israel on Thursday, according to Israeli media reports.

Mr Biden's remarks came as he was speaking to journalists at the White House on Wednesday alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

"As I told Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel's security against these threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad - let me say it again, ironclad," Mr Biden said.

His comments come one day after an interview, recorded a week ago, was aired in which Mr Biden urged Mr Netanyahu to "just call for a ceasefire" in Gaza and in which he said he disagreed with the prime minister's war strategy.

"I think what he's doing is a mistake. I don't agree with his approach," he said in the interview with US network Univision.
Media caption,

Watch: Biden says Netanyahu making 'a mistake' in Gaza

It also comes days after a tense phone call between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu in the wake of the Israeli killing of seven humanitarian aid workers in Gaza.

Mr Biden has sharpened his rhetoric over Israel's conduct in the nearly six-month-old war sparked by Hamas's 7 October attack, and voiced his growing frustration with Mr Netanyahu. Iran backs Hamas and Iranian officials have praised the attack in which about 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken to Gaza as hostages.

US officials have been attempting to send a message to the Iranians that, despite differences of opinion between Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu, any attack on Israel will be met with an aggressive US response.

In an effort to ease tensions, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Iraq spoke to their Iranian counterpart this week, according to Axios.

The ministers were asked to convey a message from Mr Biden's senior Middle East advisor, Brett McGurk, about the need to de-escalate.

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 33,000 people - mostly women and children - have been killed in the Israeli offensive, which was triggered by Hamas's attack.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68786054

[Anthea]

Middle East Regional Tensions

In a bid to diffuse escalating tensions in the wider region, Brett McGurk, the White House Middle East Envoy, has reportedly reached out to foreign ministers of key Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Iraq, to mediate with Tehran

According to a source familiar with the matter, McGurk has called on regional powers to convey a message directly to Iran, emphasizing the importance of de-escalating regional tensions, Reuters reported today.

Despite the White House declining to comment on the matter, reports suggest that the foreign ministers of the aforementioned countries engaged in discussions with Iran's foreign minister regarding regional tensions.

Meanwhile, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently issued a stern warning, vowing that Israel "must be punished" for the deadly strike on Iranian embassy in Damascus. The attack claimed the lives of seven members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, including senior commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

Israel has refrained from confirming its involvement in the Damascus strike. The incident comes in the wake of heightened hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The situation remains fluid as diplomatic efforts continue to navigate the delicate balance of power in the already volatile Middle East.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/845268

USA must stop funding Israel

The international community must remove Israelis from Palestinian lands

[Anthea]

Israel must be condemned

Iran is not seeking to escalate regional tensions, but "restoring sustainable security in the volatile West Asia region is contingent upon restraining the warmongering and disproportionate leadership of the Israeli regime

In a series of telephone conversations on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed condemnation of "Israel's" brutal actions to his counterparts in Germany, the UK, and Australia.

The discussions were reportedly initiated by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, UK Foreign Minister David Cameron, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and focused on various bilateral issues, but mainly addressed the recent escalation of tensions in the region.

In reference to "Israel's" recent aggression on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Amir-Abdollahian said that "legitimate defense becomes a necessity to deter aggressors," especially when Israeli regime violates international law and the Vienna Conventions by targeting diplomatic personnel and premises, and the Security Council fails to issue a statement condemning the aggression

He further stressed the necessity of issuing explicit condemnations of "Israel's" actions and called on his counterparts to do so, noting that Iran is not seeking to escalate regional tensions, but "restoring sustainable security in the volatile West Asia region is contingent upon restraining the warmongering and disproportionate leadership of the Zionist regime and halting its ongoing war crimes against Gaza and the coastal areas."

The discussions also included messages of congratulations exchanged between Amir-Abdollahian and his counterparts on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, according to his post.

At the brink of WWIII?

A report by Axios earlier in the day revealed that US military officials are heading to "Tel Aviv" to coordinate efforts regarding a potential Iranian attack.

The officials mentioned that Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), is expected to convene with Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant and high-ranking Israeli military officials.

Axios cited Israeli officials as saying that they are preparing for a potential unprecedented direct attack originating from Iranian territory, utilizing ballistic missiles, drones, and cruise missiles against Israeli targets.

According to the officials, "Israel" will strike back with a direct attack against Iran in such an event.

Iranian officials have openly voiced intentions to retaliate against "Israel" following the Damascus attack, which caused the martyrdom of seven IRGC advisors.

American and Israeli officials told the news website that officials from the United States and "Israel" have engaged in dialogue across various governmental levels to anticipate the Iranian retaliation.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... be-condemn

[Anthea]

Please watch Jon Snows report on Israel attacks

https://youtu.be/ACgwr2Nj_GQ?si=LZZ7xDPchPFXlIlw

NOTE:

Israel, with the support of US, has made many such attacks on Palestine over the years, as it seeks to massacre the entire Palestinian population and take over Palestinian lands

Jon Snow and others have made many appeals in support of Palestine over the years, all of which were ignored

It is only now, with the increased use of social media, that we can see what is happening

Unfortunately, there is also a great deal of anti-Palestine propaganda

NOTE:

Palestine was occupied by 92% Palestinians and 8% Jews

The Jews have spent many years killing Palestinians and occupying their lands

The US has always supported the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians with aid and weapons

NOTE:

Israel had no right to attack the Iranian consulate in Damascus

Attacking the Iranian consulate in Damascus is the same as attacking mainland Iran

The entire world should have condemned the attack

[Anthea]

US opposes response to Iran's retaliation

A US official also says the US Defense Secretary asked the Israeli Security Minister to notify Washington before any potential response to Iran's strikes

A senior White House official told Axios that US President Joe Biden told Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that his country opposes any Israeli response to the Iranian retaliatory strike.

The White House confirmed Sunday that Biden spoke by telephone with Netanyahu following the unprecedented Iranian retaliation on "Israel" in response to the strike that targeted Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on April 1.

Following the call, Biden said US forces have "helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles." He also announced that he "will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack."

But an American official informed CNN that Biden told Netanyahu that the United States would not participate in offensive operations against Iran.

Washington does not seek conflict with Iran

Another official revealed that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asked Israeli Security Minister Yoav Gallant in a phone call to notify Washington before any potential response to Iran's strikes.

Austin said the United States will take all the necessary measures to protect its forces in the Middle East, as well as "Israel", noting, however, that Washington is not seeking conflict with Iran.

He added that the US forces shot down "dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen."

Shortly after the Iranian retaliatory attack, the IRGC warned the US government that supporting or taking part in harming Iran's interests would result in a decisive response by the Iranian Armed Forces.

It also held the United States responsible for the "evil" actions of the Israeli occupation regime, vowing that if the "child-killing regime" is not restrained in the region, it will bear the consequences

The statement emphasized Iran's policy of good neighborliness with countries of the region but made it clear that any threat by the United States and "Israel" originating from any country would be met with a reciprocal and proportionate Iranian response to the source of the threat.

US worried about 'Israel's' response to Iran's attack

NBC News cited a senior Biden administration official and a senior defense official as saying that top US officials are concerned that "Israel" might act swiftly in response to the Iranian attack without considering the potential consequences afterward.

According to the two officials, these concerns partly arise from the administration's perception of Israel's approach in its war on Gaza and the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus

Three informed sources told NBC News that Biden has privately conveyed worries that Netanyahu might be attempting to involve the US more deeply in a wider conflict.

The US-based news website revealed that American officials have privately expressed frustration over "Israel's" attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria, believing that Israeli officials did not thoroughly consider the timing and consequences of the strike, including its potential impact on negotiations over a prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza.

"I don’t think they had a strategy," the senior Biden administration official indicated, pointing out that "the Israelis don’t always make the best strategic decisions."

NBC News also cited the senior defense official as saying that senior Pentagon officials have privately voiced concerns about the timing of the Damascus strike, as it had the potential to escalate tensions dramatically.

The defense official also described the Israeli occupation entity's approach to military operations as "frenetic".

"There’s this urgency to act," the official noted, "and that’s what happened in Damascus."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... s-retaliat

[Anthea]

Strike on Israel successful

Iran's top generals say that Operation Truthful Promise achieved its intended goals better than expected

The Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, announced on Sunday that two important Israeli military sites were targeted in Iran's response.

According to Bagheri, the Israeli intelligence's headquarters in "Mount Hermon," and the Nevatim Air Base were destroyed in the operation carried out earlier today, dubbed Truthful Promise.

The first base provided Israel with information on the consulate in Damascus, while the F-35 used to carry out the strikes took off from the airbase.

Bagheri pointed out that the attack, which was carried out with ballistic and cruise missiles, "was planned to target the airbase from which the Israeli aircraft that attacked our consulate departed."

“A considerable number of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles have been used in this operation with well-thought-out tactics and proper planning, as neither the Iron Dome nor the Zionist regime’s missile defense shield could take any significant action against this operation."

"The operation’s purposes have been fulfilled,” the Bagheri declared.

Washington gave green light for attack on consulate

He revealed that the Islamic Republic had the capacity to carry out a missile and drone strike that was "tens of times" larger, but chose not to launch a massive attack and limit it to a punitive operation.

“Their [Israeli] population and economic centers were not hit, so that the criminal and aggressive Zionist army would realize that their action won’t remain unanswered. We are definitely prepared to defend our soil and interests,” the army chief said.

Regarding the United States' role, Bagheri said that Washington knew about the attack on Iran's consulate, and "it gave the green light to the [Israeli] occupation entity" to carry out the strike

"If the Zionist entity retaliates against Iran, our next response will certainly be much broader than this operation."

The US was warned via Switzerland not to take part or facilitate in any potential Israeli attack on Iran, or else its forces and bases in the region will not be safe, he said.

On his part, the commander of the Iranian Revolution Guard Corps, Brigadier General Hussein Salami, said that verified reports showed that the Iranian response has been significantly more successful than anticipated.

Reiterating Bagheri's comments, the IRGC chief said that the Islamic Republic “carried out a limited operation, which was commensurate with the Zionist regime’s evil acts."

Salami said that Tehran is still gathering further intel about the damage caused by the missiles on the targets, "but a number of the impacts, about which we have accurate, documented and field reports on, reveal that the operation [had] greater-than-expected success,”

He emphasized that "It could have been conducted on a wider scope, but we confined to Israeli facilities used to attack our consulate [in Damascus)]”.

Salami: 'Israel' must learn its lesson

The United States, as well as Israeli settlers, officials, and Israeli forces have recognized "how crushing Iran’s attack was," he said.

Salami cautioned the occupation entity to alter its behavior and learn a lesson from Iran's strikes., and warned that any attack on Iran would trigger a much harsher response.

He also said that the Iranians have cemented "a new equation with the Zionist entity," which is to respond to any attack on Iranian territories, announcing the start of a "new page of confrontation with the Zionist enemy."

Salami confirmed that "overcoming the Zionist and American defense systems in the region, and hitting the specified targets, was not an easy task," but Iranian military plans "were creative and managed to penetrate the layers of the Zionist defense systems, as well as that of its American and French allies."

The IRGC launched a massive operation late Saturday, targeting the occupation entity with dozens of missiles and drones in response to the attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus last week, which resulted in the martyrdom of seven senior IRGC advisors, including Brigadier General martyr Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the leader of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.

In a statement, the Corps said that the operation targeting "Israel," dubbed "Truthful Promise," came following the "silence and neglect" of international organizations regarding the attack on the consulate and the assassination of its senior members. The statement pointed out that the United Nations Security Council also failed to condemn the Israeli aggression or punish the entity in accordance with Article 7 of the UN Charter.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/irgc-chief--strike-on--israel--more-successful-than-expected

[Anthea]

RAF fighter jets shot down Iran drones

British fighter jets have been deployed to shoot down drones fired at Israel from Iran

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the Royal Air Force (RAF) will repel "any airborne attacks within range" of operations in the region.

It is understood RAF jets have flown over Iraq and Syria but not Israel.

PM Rishi Sunak condemned Iran's "reckless attack", pledging the UK would "continue to stand up for Israel's security".

Iran launched hundreds of aerial drones and cruise missiles at Israel overnight on Saturday and into Sunday, in a widely anticipated and unprecedented retaliatory attack.

The Israeli military said it had intercepted the majority of the attacks - mostly outside of Israel's airspace - with the help of other countries.

The US was one of those allies, with President Joe Biden confirming the US military helped Israel shoot down "nearly all" of Iran's drones and missiles.

Jordan also assisted in taking out some Iranian drones, according security sources cited by the Reuters news agency.

The MoD has not said how many RAF Typhoons were airborne over Syrian and Iraqi airspace, nor confirmed whether they successfully shot down any targets.

Its statement made clear that RAF aircraft would intercept any attacks within the areas it already operates in as part of the Operation Shader mission against the Islamic State group.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the move on X, formerly known as Twitter, and said that he "strongly condemned the senseless airborne attack" by Iran.

Mr Sunak also responded to Iran, adding that the "strikes risk inflaming tensions and destabilising the region".

"Iran has once again demonstrated that it is intent on sowing chaos in its own backyard," the prime minister said.

He went on pledge the UK's continued support for the security of Israel and the UK's other allies in the region - including Jordan and Iraq.

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that she was "not in a position to confirm or deny" whether British jets shot down Iranian drones.

When asked whether Cabinet was consulted before jets were deployed, she said the "circle of knowledge" had to be "very, very tight".

Iran's attacks come after Tehran vowed to retaliate over a strike on its consulate in Syria on 1 April, which killed seven IRGC officers, including a top commander.

The Iranian government has accused Israel of carrying out that attack, but Israel has neither confirmed nor denied it.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the party supported all measures "designed to restore calm" and prevent a wider regional war.

In a statement, he condemned Iran's "decision to subject Israelis to these unacceptable attacks".

"The international community has been united in urging restraint and we regret that yet again Iran has chosen a different, dangerous path," Mr Starmer added.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that Labour wanted to hear from the prime minister in Parliament on Monday because of the "seriousness" and "real concerns about potential escalation".

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, who chaired the Commons Defence Select Committee until his resignation over comments made about Taliban-rule in Afghanistan, told BBC Breakfast: "When it comes to a state-on-state attack, it's very clear that Britain will stand with Israel to defend its skies and soil."

But he said allies would be encouraging Israel "to take stock, to think carefully before responding otherwise this could tie the Middle East up into a wider regional war that would invariably include Israel's ally the United States".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68810774

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Exclusive:
Iran op. bolstered Resistance

Weakened Israel

Iranian top diplomat Mohammad Marandi underlines that the Iranian attacks on the Israeli occupation bolstered the Palestinian Resistance and weakened the Israeli occupation

Iran will respond to any strike on its facilities or officers anywhere, even if it is in Lebanon or Syria, the head of the Iranian negotiating team and Tehran University Professor Mohammad Marandi, told Al Mayadeen on Sunday following the Iranian retaliation against the Israeli act of aggression that targeted its consulate in Syria.

He emphasized that "Israel will be punished by Iran if it attacks Iran anywhere."

Speaking about the Iranian strike on Israeli targets in occupied Palestine, he said that the Iranian operation was limited and carried out using old drones and unsophisticated missiles, as there were only 12 advanced missiles.

He added that the United States spent more than a billion dollars to respond to the Iranian strike, while Iran spent only a few million, pointing out that Iran deliberately sent low-cost drones that were cost-heavy for the Israeli occupation, and therefore the attack was financially and morally costly for "Israel".

He added that the defense systems used by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France are very expensive and are depleted quickly, as has been witnessed in Ukraine.

Marnadi said Iran wanted to send two messages simultaneously to the United States and the Gulf countries that host its bases through the operation, which is that they would be attacked were said bases to be used against the Islamic Republic.

He went on to stress that Iran's strikes would undoubtedly strengthen the position of the Palestinian resistance and weaken the Israeli occupation.
Iran imposed itself as major regional player

Scott Ritter, a writer and former Marine Corps officer, told Al Mayadeen that Iran sent a message to the United States that it is capable of breaching the Israeli occupation's sophisticated air defense.

He added that Washington is beginning to see that its capabilities in the Middle East are declining, and this began when Iran shot down a US drone under former US President Donald Trump.

He pointed out that one of the indicators of the decline of the US capabilities in the region has been its inability to stop Yemen's operations in the Red Sea.

Ritter said the United States could no longer do anything in the region, while Iran, on the other hand, is developing its capabilities and is able to harm Washington.

Ritter went on to ask: What does it mean for the United States to tell the Israeli occupation that it would defend it but would not support it in an attack on Iran?

The former Marine Corps officer stressed that if Iran continues for weeks to hit "Israel" with drones, it will completely expose it, stressing that no country in the world could defend the Israeli occupation if Iran wants to attack it.

On the impact of the Iranian operation, Ritter said that Israel is in a state of shock and relies on propaganda to mitigate the blow, stressing that Iran has imposed itself as a major player in the region.

He emphasized that the current Israeli government's policy in Gaza and the region is suicidal, noting that "Israel" will continue to make threats, but Netanyahu is unable to do anything because of Biden's pressure on him.

Ritter concluded by stressing that the US plan for normalization and the establishment of a split along sectarian lines is no longer possible due to the recent events in Gaza.

A Wall Street Journal report on Sunday detailed Western concerns that Iran's retaliatory attack against "Israel" signals a willingness to take "new escalatory risks" in its actions.

Employing standard anti-Iran propaganda terms to depict Iran's leadership, including the usage of the words "the puppet masters of Middle East mayhem", the report says that the Iranian attack should also be a clear message to Western leaders about Iran’s so-called "malevolent intentions."

The report further claimed that while most missiles being intercepted was a relief, owing to joint efforts on the part of the US, UK, and Jordan, it doesn't provide reassurance against potential future attacks.

"What happens if the next attack comes all at once from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria as well as Iran?" WSJ asks while calling this instance "another case of failed US deterrence."

Despite warnings from the White House, Iran proceeded with the attack, suggesting they were confident that the US would not respond militarily.

The report further criticizes Biden's Iran policy, suggesting that attempts to appease Iran through sanctions relief and negotiations have only "encouraged Tehran to see how much more it can get away with."

Throughout history, the US has often fabricated false information to stoke anti-Iran sentiments among its population. Of the many fabricated facts include that of the Iranian leadership being responsible for fueling tensions in the region

Tehran has publicly expressed support for the Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza but has repeatedly denied any involvement in the activities of other groups in the region. EU foreign policy chief has himself admitted the latter.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ed--israel

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Israel expedited settlement construction

The Israeli occupation has approved thousands of house construction projects in the east part of occupied al-Quds, as it continues expediting the building of settlements over occupied lands

The settlement projects are sponsored by governmental ministries and offices, with links tied to right-wing extremist groups that have made their goal of forcing Palestinians out clear.

However, The Guardian noted that "Israel's" rapid approval of the construction of thousands of settler housing units amid its six-month genocide in Gaza could cause a rift with the Biden administration.

Sari Kronish, from the Israeli human rights organization Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights, said that since October 7, ministerial offices had downsized their operations, all but planning authorities, which kept spawning projects for the government to approve at an "unparalleled" rate.

The settlement in eastern al-Quds was the first to be approved in over a decade and is speculated to intentionally obstruct the possibility of instating an independent Palestinian state as the "two-state solution" gains momentum due to the war on Gaza.

An expansion of the "Kidmat Zion" settlement in the Palestinian Ras al-Amud neighborhood has also been approved.

The annexation of Beit Safafa

Moreover, in the Palestinian Beit Safafa, two projects have also been authorized. "Givat Hamatos" had already been under construction but was paused until authorities resumed operations in 2020, leading up to heavy construction just last month. Israel Land Authority, a governmental organization, was the applicant for the project and listed the al-Quds municipality and "Israel" as its stakeholders.

The other, "Givat Shaked", will usurp more Palestinian lands to build housing complexes. It is sponsored by the "Ministry of Justice" and the Jerusalem Development Authority, which aims at developing al-Quds as a hub of economic activity and productivity, at the expense of Palestinian infrastructure.

The "Givat Shaked" project has been a source of controversy since its initiation, as it jeopardized the banners of the Oslo Accords and garnered the rejection of the United States. However, two years ago, it was reintroduced under claims that "Palestinians have no control" over the area of its construction.

Ahmad Salman, 71, said, “Our family has been here for 250 years … Now I have a black hole in my heart because I can’t see how my children and grandchildren can spend their lives here.”

He also stated that the municipality has been neglecting Palestinian demands, even more blatantly since the occupation launched its war on Gaza, noting that appeals have been submitted but in vain.

The Israel Land Authority also initiated a third project coined Lower Aqueduct, which includes the construction of a large settlement facing a Palestinian neighborhood. However, Amy Cohen, of Ir Amim, an Israeli human rights NGO based in al-Quds, stated that "Israel" builds its settlements strategically to later expand and restrict Palestinian spaces. She also said that while these projects are approved, the expansion of Palestinian infrastructure is prohibited.

Read more: Israeli cabinet allocates $20mln for illegal settlement infrastructure
'Israel' seizes more occupied lands

Last month, the Israeli occupation government issued an order to seize 8,000 dunams of land in the Jordan Valley, east of the occupied West Bank, with the decision signed by extremist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

This brings the total area of land further occupied by "Israel" in the West Bank in only 2024 to 10,640 dunams, after 2,640 dunams were seized earlier this year: 2,350 units in "Ma’ale Adumim", 300 in "Keidar", and 694 in "Efrat".

Israeli authorities are planning to construct hundreds of housing units on the occupied land, in addition to establishing industrial and commercial areas. The plan is expected to take about two years to complete and will require political approval.

Moreover, Israeli Minister Orit Strook revealed in early March that the Israeli occupation government has initiated construction plans for 3,500 settler housing units in the occupied West Bank amid Smotrich's promise last month to extend settlements.

Israeli Minister Orit Stock, Smotrich's ally, posted on X, "Nearly 3,500 settlement units."

"We promised -- we are delivering... Together we will continue to advance the settlements," Strook added.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... ls-since-o

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Executing Palestinian detainees

Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has proposed Thursday the execution of Palestinian detainees as a way to address overcrowding in Israeli occupation prisons

In a post on X, Ben-Gvir asserted that imposing the death penalty on Palestinian detainees was the "right solution" to what he described as "the incarceration problem."

His comments followed the Israeli authorities' approval of his plan to construct approximately 936 additional prison spaces for Palestinian detainees.

"The additional construction will allow the prison service to take in more Palestinians, and will bring a partial solution to the prison crisis," Ben-Gvir wrote.

Israeli occupation authorities had earlier declared a state of emergency in some prisons due to significant overcrowding.

Previously, the Israeli minister had called for the daily execution of the longest-serving Palestinian detainees for each day an Israeli captive remains held by the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip.

According to a statement issued by the Government Media Office in Gaza, over 5,000 Palestinians have been abducted by Israeli occupation forces during their ongoing invasion of the besieged Strip.

The statement underlined that the Palestinian detainees were undergoing "the worst kinds of torture" in Israeli occupation prisons.

On its part, the Palestinian rights organization Addameer highlighted on the occasion of Palestinian Prisoners' Day that "Israel" is detaining 9,500 Palestinian political prisoners, including 3,660 administrative detainees, 56 journalists, at least 80 women, more than 200 children, and 17 members of the Legislative Council, excluding those from Gaza.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... stinian-de