[LibyaReview] The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... is grappling with significant challenges in implementing key security and economic agreements with Libya, as the country’s deep political divisions and legal disputes obstruct progress.
Surely Turkey hasn’t already completely emptied Libya’s gold reserves in return for very minimal services rendered!
Despite Ankara’s strong partnership with Libya’s Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... -based Government of National Unity (GNU), major agreements, including a 2022 oil exploration deal, remain in limbo due to resistance from Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives (HoR).
…that’s the Osama Hammad government in Benghazi, supported by the so-called Libyan National Army — Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar’s outfit. The LNA is supported in turn by Egypt, with whom they share guarding their joint border. At one point it looked like the LNA would conquer Tripoli, but they seem to have decided it wasn’t worth the effort…
Mehmet Fadil Sekerci, head of the Libya Desk at Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, highlighted these difficulties during a recent parliamentary session in Ankara. He stated that while several agreements have been signed with the GNU, the HoR has delayed or blocked the ratification process. A local Libyan court has further complicated matters by suspending the oil exploration agreement, citing ongoing legal challenges.
Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Nooh Yilmaz, echoed these concerns, acknowledging the complex legal and political environment in Libya. While Turkey officially recognizes the GNU as Libya’s legitimate government, Yilmaz admitted that internal power struggles between the GNU and the HoR present significant obstacles. He emphasized Turkey’s commitment to respecting Libya’s illusory sovereignty and adhering to both international norms and Libyan domestic law.
Libya’s laws permit executive governments to approve certain international agreements independently. However,
Caliphornia hasn't yet slid into the ocean, no matter how hard it's tried... deals involving critical national resources, such as oil and gas, require parliamentary approval. The HoR, which questions the GNU’s legitimacy, has refused to ratify key agreements, claiming they lack the necessary legal basis. Ottoman Turkish opposition figures have also raised concerns about the controversy surrounding these agreements, with Libyan politicians labeling some of them as legally questionable.
Turkey’s involvement in Libya extends beyond economic agreements, encompassing significant military partnerships. A 2023 memorandum of understanding on military cooperation, signed in Antalya, builds on previous agreements from 2012 and 2019. These deals allow Turkey to train and restructure Libya’s armed forces and police while granting Ottoman Turkish personnel broad legal immunity.
Turkey has solidified its military presence in Libya, with its parliament recently extending the military mandate for another two years. President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... has emphasized the strategic importance of Turkey’s role in the Mediterranean, citing its efforts to counter terrorism and illegal migration as essential to national security.
Economically, Turkey is deeply interested in Libya’s vast oil and gas resources. In 2020, Erdogan announced plans to expand Ottoman Turkish involvement in Libya’s energy sector, including exploration and extraction. However,
Caliphornia hasn't yet slid into the ocean, no matter how hard it's tried... these ambitions have drawn international scrutiny. A 2022 report to the United Nations ...where theory meets practice and practice loses... Security Council accused Turkey of violating sanctions by providing military aid and logistical support to armed factions in Libya.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
11/18/2024 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
#1
No mention is made that prior to the Italian occupation of Libya it was a Turkish satrapy. The expulsion of Turks was welcomed by the Libyans of Cyrenaica in the east and Tripolitania in the west.
Today the only region likely to welcome a Turkish return would be Tripolitania (basically Tripoli), whose leaders are easily bought.
Posted by: Albert Pelosi3459 ||
11/18/2024 9:45 Comments ||
Top||
[LibyaReview] Libya’s former Grand Mufti, Al Sadiq al-Ghiryani, has been a polarizing figure in the country’s turbulent history, with allegations linking him to active support for armed militias and bad boy groups. Over the past 11 years, he has been accused of inciting violence, endorsing foreign interventions, and issuing divisive ...politicians call things divisive when when the other side sez something they don't like. Their own statements are never divisive, they're principled... religious rulings under the guise of defending religion and so-called "mujahideen."
Al-Ghiryani’s controversial fatwas have reportedly fueled conflict in Libya, particularly targeting the Libyan National Army (LNA)
and its supporters. His declarations have been linked to attacks on Libyan soldiers, officers, and civilians. In one widely criticized ruling, he prohibited Moslems from praying behind or listening to those who support the LNA’s Commander-in-Chief, labeling such actions as impermissible. He stated, "A Moslem must not pray behind,
…that’s Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar’s outfit in East Libya. They support the Osama Hammad government in Benghazi, and in turn are supported by Egypt, with whom they share guarding their joint border…
listen to, or associate with them, as engaging with forbidden matters is against Islamic teachings."
In another incendiary fatwa, al-Ghiryani claimed that anyone fighting alongside the LNA and dying in battle would "die a death of ignorance," while those opposing the LNA would achieve martyrdom.
The former Grand Mufti has been a vocal supporter of gangs, appearing on far-right media outlets to justify their actions. These appearances often sought to absolve these groups of accusations, such as targeting civilians or deepening divisions among Libyans.
Al-Ghiryani also issued a fatwa permitting the use of zakat funds to finance gangs, including the purchase of weapons and recruitment of fighters. Additionally, he discouraged repeated pilgrimages to Mecca, urging instead that funds be redirected to militias opposing the LNA.
Al-Ghiryani has been accused of aligning with nations backing the Moslem Brüderbund, reportedly promoting discord within Libya and fostering division. He publicly prayed for the leaders of these countries and urged Arab populations to support their policies.
In another controversial stance, al-Ghiryani openly encouraged illegal migration, urging Libyan and Arab youth to risk perilous journeys across the Mediterranean to Europe. He suggested this would pressure European nations to support the remnants of the Moslem Brüderbund in Europa ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... and impose their demands on Arab governments.
Al-Ghiryani’s divisive rhetoric extended to praising acts of terrorism. He described the 2017 bombing of the Misrata Court Complex as "divine anger" and endorsed the attack on the Oil Crescent region. Additionally, he called on residents of Ajdabiya, Benghazi, and Derna to join bad boy groups in opposing the LNA.
[LibyaReview] On Sunday, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated $3.25 million in emergency aid to support Sudan ...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans... ese refugees who have fled to Libya.
The funds will be channeled through the United Nations ...a formerly good idea gone bad... World Food Programme (WFP) to address the urgent needs of thousands of Sudanese who have crossed into Libya since the outbreak of conflict in Sudan.
The crisis, which began in April 2023, has forced over 99,000 Sudanese to seek refuge in Libya, with the UN registering 28,000 refugees through its High Commissioner for Refugees.
WFP reports that southeastern Libya, particularly Al Kufra, has experienced the largest influx of refugees due to its proximity to the Sudanese border. This sudden arrival has put immense pressure on local resources, leading to severe shortages of food, water, and healthcare in the region. Although some refugees have managed to reach cities further north, such as Ajdabiya, Benghazi, and Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... , the strain on infrastructure and humanitarian resources remains high, especially in Al Kufra.
"The situation for Sudanese refugees in Libya is dire," said Mohammed El-Sheikh, WFP’s Country Representative for Libya. "These families have escaped unimaginable violence, only to face extreme food shortages here. USAID’s support is critical in helping us meet their basic needs and provide them with a sense of stability."
Thanks to this contribution, WFP will deliver over 1,800 metric tons of food between July and December 2024. The aid package includes essential food items, fortified date bars, and specialized nutritional products tailored for vulnerable groups, including children under five, pregnant women, and nursing mothers.
Libya has struggled to manage the rising number of refugees and migrants colonists arriving from Sudan, adding pressure to an already fragile infrastructure.
The country hosts over 761,000 migrants colonists, asylum seekers, and refugees from various countries, making it a major transit point in the region. As Sudan’s conflict continues, Libya has become a critical destination for displaced Sudanese families seeking safety from escalating violence and instability in their homeland.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] The joint summit of the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) recently concluded in Riyadh. The dialogue format, launched after the crisis in the Gaza Strip, involuntarily became a platform for consolidating the positions of the US regional allies in 2024 before the “shift change” in the White House.
Saudi Arabia, which hosted the summit, decided to take an interesting step by attempting to advance some elements of a settlement within the framework of the LAS-OIC proposals that are characteristic of the Chinese approach. Including with the expectation that this will allow Beijing and Washington to somewhat bring their positions on the situation in the Middle East closer together.
However, while the Saudis are trying to unobtrusively “make friends” between the American and Chinese approaches to settling the Middle East, Beijing prefers to “keep its distance” and not demonstrate interest in active mediation.
IN SEARCH OF A WAY
The central topic of the Riyadh summit, as expected, remained the situation in the Gaza Strip. And the Arabian monarchies used the approaching change of power in the White House to “prick” Israel as much as possible: Tel Aviv was placed “solely responsible” for the failure of the negotiations on a settlement in the region with the mediation of Egypt, Qatar and the United States.
Of course. But since both parties intend to continue the fight, blame-casting accomplishes nothing more than momentarily flattering the speakers’ amour propre. And since the incoming president knows they are all lying, it will be a very momentary pleasure indeed.
At the same time, the meeting participants delicately avoided the topic of American diplomatic miscalculations, making allowance for the fact that Washington has decided to retain part of the “field team” responsible for the negotiations for now.
I have no idea what that means, but it sounds awfully insightful and profound.
Another interesting feature of the meeting was the attempts to prepare a new “road map” for a settlement in Gaza in advance, using not only American but also Chinese experience. The latter was a big surprise, given the new US President Donald Trump’s expressed dislike for China, which the Saudis are well aware of.
If it makes this lot happy to waste time and effort that will only be ignored in a very few weeks — go for it, guys.
Despite the fact that the final document of the summit was filled with rather harsh anti-Israeli rhetoric, including calls to freeze Tel Aviv’s participation in the work of the UN General Assembly and other international platforms, it contains many cautious references to the Chinese formula for a settlement that may be of interest to Washington.
Thus, the summit participants warned against the consequences of violating the sovereignty of Iraq, Syria and Iran without decisive measures by the UN,
“Please don’t let Israel hurt them more!”
and also advocated for the immediate provision of humanitarian aid to Lebanon,
Go for it, guys. Just remember that oil prices are about to fall back to 2020 levels, so your budgets are going to tighten up again — you don’t want to overcommit..
including to resolve the crisis associated with the large number of displaced persons. The document also included passages on the importance of maintaining consensus between key Palestinian factions.
And who knows? The horse may learn to sing.
The idea proposed on the sidelines of the summit to create a trilateral coordination mechanism, involving the African Union in the work, also looks advantageous. Chinese diplomats have previously made similar proposals on numerous occasions.
O.M.G. The level of creativity is astounding.
However, more active inclusion of Africa in the work on the ceasefire in Gaza partly meets the interests of the Trump administration, since it will create a stable window of interaction with the African continent. Especially in conditions when Washington's position in this direction has significantly weakened under the Democrats.
IN MY OWN INTERESTS
Why did Saudi Arabia decide to take such a strange step? The answer lies in Riyadh’s regional interests.
With Qatar, the main mediator in the Gaza settlement, “out of the picture,” the future of the “Biden plan” has become even more uncertain.
I would have called it absolutely certain not to happen, but I’m just a little suburban housewife — what do I know?
Neither Hamas nor Israel have shown any willingness to make concessions or honor their commitments.
Israel is absolutely honouring her commitment to wipe out Hamas. She has made no other.
This has greatly cooled the ardor of other potential key mediators, including Saudi Arabia. It has become clear that it will not be possible to end the conflict under the democrats.
However, Trump’s team, apparently, does not yet have a clear understanding of how to stop the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,
…that’s certainly one perspective…
and this is driving the entire settlement process into a dead end and creating an additional threat to the interests of regional players.
Moreover, Israeli counterparts, hiding behind Trump’s name, have already set their sights on the West Bank of the Jordan,
…they’ve tried to give it back, but Jordan has repeatedly refused to take it, preferring to kibitz from the sidelines…
which risks opening up new dangerous facets of the conflict.
For this reason, Riyadh tried to squeeze the maximum out of the past summit in order to demonstrate its readiness to offer Washington a ready-made and at the same time maximally adaptive scenario for a settlement.
Ahhh. They aren’t trying to craft a solution, but demonstration willingness to solve. Clever!
The appearance of “Chinese” elements in it testifies to the kingdom’s desire to continue balancing between the US and China and to pursue a policy of maneuvering.
Of course, Riyadh does not plan to emphasize once again the nature of some points of its settlement model. On the contrary, they are deliberately included in other proposals - in particular, they echo the "Arab Peace Initiative" promoted by the Saudis over the past few years.
The one that’s a No Go? Clearly hope springs eternal.
CHINESE PAUSE
Despite the fact that the region has generally created favorable conditions for further promotion of the “Chinese formula” for conflict resolution, China has so far preferred to stay somewhat away from the Gaza issue and not respond to attempts to bring the Chinese and American approaches closer together.
China's caution is easily explained: Trump's team is still being formed, and it is not yet possible to trace the real priorities of his foreign policy.
The real readiness of the Republicans to maintain a working dialogue with China is also controversial. During the election campaign, Trump changed his position several times, sometimes calling for friendship with Beijing, sometimes promising its “quick overthrow.”
Given that China is increasingly leaning towards a “one move, one win” tactic, its inclusion in the Gaza negotiation process will only happen when the risks of a deal falling through are minimized.
However, Beijing, apparently, does not plan to hinder the Saudis’ attempts to give the future American formula for a settlement in Gaza a “Chinese tint.”
#2
Players in the kabuki theater have noticed that the audience isn't even paying attention, checking their phones, talking amongst themselves, etc.
But they're paid to put on a play, so, on with the show.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
11/18/2024 7:52 Comments ||
Top||
”But you have to let us uninvite them — Jews are icky!”
[IsraelTimes] Appeal filed after Paris court rules in favor of Israeli firms; Israel Manufacturers’ Association vows to fight attempt to bar defense firms ahead of Paris Air Show in June 2025.
The French government has filed an appeal to challenge the authority of a court ruling allowing Israeli companies to participate in major defense exhibitions and arms shows.
In the appeal, the French government is challenging the authority of a Gay Paree court to rule on matters of government policy in an attempt to annul a recent decision to permit Israeli companies to exhibit at current and future exhibitions in La Belle France, the Israel Manufacturers’ Association said.
The move comes after the Gay Paree Commercial Court at the end of October ruled that the Euronaval arms show cannot keep Israeli companies from exhibiting at the event based on their nationality, and ordered organizers "to suspend the execution of the measures adopted against the Israeli exhibiting companies." That’s after French President Emmanuel Macron had decided to ban Israeli firms from exhibiting at the naval arms show.
"We will not allow anyone to remove us or sideline us from the international defense stage," said Israel Manufacturers’ Association President Ron Tomer. "It is clear to us that the latest appeal is an attempt to prepare the ground for the possibility of preventing us from participating in the prestigious Gay Paree Air Show, but we will not let that happen."
"We have recruited the best lawyers in La Belle France and will fight in any legal court until justice and equality prevail," Tomer added.
The Gay Paree Air Show, which is taking place in June 2025 at La Belle France’s Gay Paree—Le Bourget Airport, is held every other year and is considered one of the largest and most important in the world. Israel’s national pavilion at the 2023 Gay Paree Air Show included 17 Israeli companies displaying their technologies in the fields of air defense systems, drones, radar and laser technologies, and missile warning systems. Israeli companies exhibiting at the pavilion include Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
The attempted ban from Euronaval, which took place in early November, was the second time this year that La Belle France tried to exclude Israeli firms from a major defense show, and had the decision struck down by the Gay Paree Commercial Court.
[TurkiyeToday] Turkiye’s top foreign diplomat, Hakan Fidan, said Friday that the country’s primary issue with the U.S. is its stance on terrorism, particularly the terrorist organizations PKK and FETO.
The Kurds and the Gulenists.
In a live interview on Ottoman Turkish news channel A Haber, Ottoman Turkish FM Fidan addressed current foreign policy issues and Ankara’s efforts to enhance cooperation in the fight against terrorism. He emphasized that the PKK and the hosting of FETO’s headquarters remain key obstacles in U.S.-Turkiye relations.
’WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT UNTIL THREAT ELIMINATED’
"Our problem with the U.S. is the terrorist organization PKK and the hosting of FETO’s headquarters," Fidan said. "We will continue to fight until the direct threat to us is eliminated."
…or until the far-below-replacement birthrate of the Turks leads to them being replaced by the positive birthrate Kurds, whichever comes first.
Fidan also noted that in the past year, the U.S. has engaged in open discussions at the foreign ministry level regarding the fight against terrorism. He pointed to regular meetings concerning the YPG, PKK’s offshoot in Syria, and said the U.S. has acknowledged Turkiye’s position.
That was the Biden-Harris administration, with whom the Trump administration will agree on almost nothing. And the Trump team takes over ina few weeks, so good luck with that.
"They see that there is no rational explanation for preferring another actor other than Turkiye in the region," he said.
Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas. Neo-Ottoman sultanate.
"Other powers in the region have understood our seriousness. We are pursuing a strategy of eliminating the capabilities of the threat without showing it across the border. We will continue to work on this issue," added Fidan.
In its 40-year terror campaign against Turkiye, the PKK — listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the U.S., and the EU — has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, infants, and the elderly. The YPG is the PKK’s Syrian offshoot.
’PRO-ISRAEL STANCE IS NOT A SURPRISE’
Fidan also commented on Donald Trump ...The Hero of Butler, Pennsylvania... ’s re-election as U.S. President, stating that President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... maintains good relations with Trump. He acknowledged there are ongoing issues with the U.S., but expressed optimism about managing them together.
"There are issues we need to take up with the U.S.," Fidan said. "We will try to manage the problems together."
Regarding Trump’s pro-Israel stance, Fidan noted that support for Israel has become a critical issue in U.S. domestic politics, adding that "Trump’s pro-Israel stance is not a surprise." He also referenced past actions during the Democratic administration, criticizing the handling of the Paleostinian issue.
"When the Democrats ...every time you hear the phrase white people, white supremacy,white anything but paint, you're listening to a Democrat. Ask him/her/it to reimagine something for you; they do that a lot, though not well. They can hear a dog whistle a mile or two away. They invented the spoils system and Tammany Hall, and inspired the addition of the word (Thomas) Nasty to the English language. They want to stop continental drift and repeal the law of unintended side effects... were in power, we witnessed open genocide. We assume that negative developments will also occur under Republican rule," Fidan said. "If Trump focuses solely on the war in Ukraine and forgets about the Paleostinian issue, he will cause serious damage. Trump must stand by his word."
Posted by: trailing wife ||
11/18/2024 2024-11-18 02:39 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under: Sublime Porte
#1
"If Trump focuses solely on the war in Ukraine and forgets about the Paleostinian issue, he will cause serious damage. Trump must stand by his word."
This statement makes no sense. If Trump should focus on Israel and keep his election promises the Erdogan regime won't like the results.
Logically, they should urge Trump to ignore Israel and break his word.
[IsraelTimes] Ankara, where many politburo members already live with their families, a practical landing spot after Doha pulls out of talks, but Turkey risks running afoul of Biden administration "Biden Administration" LOL!
Senior members of Hamas ..a regional Iranian catspaw,... ’s abroad leadership left Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... last week for The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... , an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel on Sunday, after Doha said it was walking away from efforts to mediate an end to the war in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... The Arab diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, downplayed the significance of the move for the terror group, stressing that Hamas’s leadership abroad already spends much of its time in Turkey when they are not holding meetings in Qatar.
The departure of Hamas’s senior politburo from Doha was first reported by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster.
On November 8, the US revealed that it had asked Qatar to oust Hamas officials from Doha, which has hosted an office for the terror group since 2012, reportedly at Washington’s urging. The US said it made the request after Hamas rejected repeated hostage deal proposals and executed six captives, including an American citizen.
The next day, Qatar said it had halted its mediation efforts and a diplomat familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that Doha had asked Hamas leaders in late October to leave the country, though no timeline was mentioned.
Doha stressed at the time that its decision wasn’t necessarily permanent and that it would be prepared to resume mediation efforts if the sides were willing to negotiate in good faith toward a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement.
According to the diplomat who spoke at the time, Qatar decided to push out Hamas’s big shots on its own after determining that neither side had been willing to engage seriously in negotiations.
Turkey offers a practical option for Hamas, given that the families of many of the terror group’s diaspora leadership live there.
However,
if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... by formally hosting senior Hamas members, Ankara risks tensions with the Biden administration, which said earlier this month that none of its allies should be hosting the terror group. US President-elect Donald Trump ...His ancestors didn't own any slaves... is not expected to soften that stance when he enters office in January.
Ankara has played a nominal role in hostage talks to date, given its long-standing ties with Hamas officials. It remains to be seen whether Turkey will begin taking on a larger role in talks now that Qatar has taken a step back.
After Israel killed Hamas’s Gaza-based leader Yayha Sinwar in mid-October, the US expressed hope that it would lead to a breakthrough in negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release deal, framing Sinwar as the main obstacle to an agreement.
Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt viewed the matter differently, acknowledging Sinwar’s uncompromising negotiating stances while also arguing that talks would be more difficult to hold without a centralized Hamas leadership, Arab and US officials told The Times of Israel.
Moreover, the Arab mediators have placed more blame on Israel than the US, noting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to agree to an open-ended ceasefire and full troop withdrawal, even in exchange for all remaining hostages. In July, the premier added new conditions to an Israeli truce offer after Hamas agreed to much of the proposal.
Netanyahu’s critics have accused him of prioritizing his own political survival over the lives of the hostages, given that his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down the government if he agrees to proposals floated thus far.
Others have argued that the offers discussed to date fall short of Israel’s demands and would leave Hamas intact in Gaza to some degree, leaving the threat to southern Israel in place.
Netanyahu held a meeting with government ministers and top defense officials Sunday night to discuss the hostage crisis. Security chiefs were reportedly expected to warn that Israel would need to show more flexibility in talks to free the hostages, who are facing dire conditions.
According to a poll aired by Channel 12 news last week, 69 percent of Israelis said they support a hostage deal that would end the war compared to 20% who prefer continuing fighting.
It is believed that 97 of the 251 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released before that. Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 37 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014.
#4
In 1988 Hamas was created as an arm of the Ikhwan al-Muslimeen, the international Muslim Brotherhood.
Sometime in 1999 or 2000, Mr. (Gazevan Masri, AKA in Turkish, Gazi) Misirli became a trustee of the European Trust, a part of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), known to be the umbrella group representing the Muslim Brotherhood in Europe.The Trust describes itself as a “Waqf,” an Arabic term meaning a religious endowment in the form of a property earning revenues, as regulated by Islamic law. Since renamed the “Europe Trust,” the organization has amassed a real-estate portfolio of income-earning properties.... At the time Mr. Misirli joined the Trust, as well as at the present, the other trustees included some of the most important Muslim Brotherhood leaders in Europe, such as Ibrahim El-Zayat, the leader of the German Muslim Brotherhood, and Fouad Alaoui, one of the leaders of the French Muslim Brotherhood. Illustrative of Mr. Misirli’s close connections to the current Turkish government, in April 2009 he offered on an online forum to forward letters to the office of Prime Minister Erdogan. Etc.
Posted by: Albert Pelosi3459 ||
11/18/2024 9:40 Comments ||
Top||
"It is the nature of Islam to dominate, not to be dominated, to impose its law on all nations and to extend its power to the entire planet."
Hassan al-Banna, Founder of the MB
IOW Hamas, and by extension Erdogan and Qatar want to transform the entire world into a totalitarian Islamic slave empire.
Their likelihood of succsess might be low but in this instance it is the evil thought that should count.
Any Western nation that is allied with 21th century Turkey and/or Qatar doesn't really need enemies.
#7
Interesting. Albert Pelosi3459, I ran a search on your three MB names; while Misirli does not show up, the other two are in the Rantburg archives, findable using the Rantburg Search thingy in the right margin just below the Today’s Headlines bar. (Rantburg won’t post comments that have more than one link — Ii keep forgetting that.)
Definitely Trump, NN2N1.
Elmerert Hupens2660, I would argue that Hamas is the junior partner in this Muslim Brotherhood venture, but really that’s just quibbling — they’re all tentacles on the same octopus, and see themselves so. After all, the plan goes back to Hassan al Banna in Egypt, where at the moment the Ikhwan is keeping its head well down.
At some point Turkey is going to have to be cut off, which is why the EU keeps not making them a member.
#8
A major Muslim Brotherhood meeting was held in Turkey in (as I recall) 2010. At that point the nexus of the organization moved to Turkey. Present at the meeting was Yusuf Qaradawi, the MB mufti now deceased and Erdogan. Qaradawi was then residing in Qatar. However, the al-Thani family that rules Qatar might approve Qaradawi's stay it did not want to be seen as the home of what is in reality an Egyptian-centered organization. The Thani are smart. Smart enough to entice Washington to invest in an Islamist mini-nation. On the other hand Erdogan is seen as someone who personally wants to be seen as the leader of Sunni Muslims and return Turkey to the days of Mohammed Ali.
Posted by: Albert Pelosi3459 ||
11/18/2024 18:57 Comments ||
Top||
#9
Sorry, Qaradawi was the Muslim Brotherhood Cadi, or religious leader, not its Mufti.
Posted by: Albert Pelosi3459 ||
11/18/2024 19:03 Comments ||
Top||
[IsraelTimes] Families of American victims of the October 7 attacks led by Hamas ..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",... have filed suit in a US federal court against Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... and an array of linked terror groups, presenting what they say is new proof of Tehran’s involvement in the attack, according to a lawyer representing several plaintiffs.
The suit, which has been seen by The Times of Israel, relies on what attorneys for the plaintiffs say are secret documents uncovered by lawyer Gary Osen showing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps funneling millions of dollars to Hamas.
The complaint also includes a document from a 2022 meeting of senior Hamas members Yahya Sinwar, Khalil al-Hayya and others plotting out the contours of mutual defense agreement between Hamas and other Iran-backed groups should war break out. The paper includes a decision to request Iran send Hamas $7 million monthly "to mobilize and prepare for ... confrontations."
According to the New York Times
...which still proudly claims Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize... , the $7 million monthly was sought to ready for the October 7 attack.
Aside from Iran and the IRGC, the suit also names Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad ...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah... and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Paleostine.
While the documents include references to funding for Hamas from Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... and The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... , neither US ally is named in the suit. Also left out are Yemen ...an area of the Arabian Peninsula sometimes mistaken for a country. It is populated by more antagonistic tribes and factions than you can keep track of... ’s Iran's Houthi sock puppets ...a Zaidi Shia insurgent group operating in Yemen. They have also been referred to as the Believing Youth. Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi is said to be the spiritual leader of the group and most of the military leaders are his relatives. The legitimate Yemeni government has accused the them of having ties to the Iranian government. Honest they did. The group has managed to gain control over all of Saada Governorate and parts of Amran, Al Jawf and Hajjah Governorates. Its slogan is God is Great, Death to America™, Death to Israel, a curse on the Jews They like shooting off... ummm... missiles that they would have us believe they make at home in their basements. On the plus side, they did murder Ali Abdullah Saleh, which was the only way the country was ever going to be rid of him... rebels, who were taken off the US’s terror blacklist by the Biden administration.
Many of the victims in the suit were killed or kidnapped on October 7, though other plaintiffs include families from southern Israel who suffered emotionally during or after the attacks. Families of several soldiers killed in combat are also named.
Among the 37 families of victims in the suit is Yechiel Leiter, who is set to become Israel’s ambassador to the US. Leiter’s son Moshe Leiter was killed in battle in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... in late November 2023.
The suit seeks unspecified financial awards for the families under the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and Anti-Terrorism Act.
The Times of Israel has considerably more on the subject here.
Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin:
[ColonelCassad] American media reports that the new Trump administration is going to conduct an official investigation into the US flight from Afghanistan in August 2021 and bring those involved to justice. The scenes of the flight turned out to be no less epic than during the US flight from Vietnam.
With a certain desire, it will not be difficult to bring a number of people to justice for this disgrace - abandoned weapons, abandoned military equipment, abandoned ammunition (in total, the property of six army corps and reinforcement units + special forces was lost), abandoned puppets and accomplices, abandoned drug labs and poppy fields. And much, much more. Ending with the triumphant victory of the Taliban, which was declared "defeated" back in the 2000s.
It looks like Mark Milley will be reminded of his position during the 2020 elections and subsequent statements that he deliberately helped hide important facts from Trump, because the president could not be trusted with responsible decisions. Overall, the topic is very fertile in terms of retribution for those who thought that Trump would not return after 2020. Well, after all, this is the topic of the most shameful military defeat of the United States since the Vietnam War.
The team of US President-elect Donald Trump is compiling a list of high-ranking military personnel who took part in the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan and is studying the possibility of holding them accountable. This was reported on Sunday, November 17, by NBC News, citing sources.
According to the TV channel's source, the Republican team is studying the possibility of creating a commission to investigate the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021 during the transition period. It will determine which military leaders were responsible for making this decision, and it will also be considered whether they can be brought to trial.
“They (Trump’s team – Ed.) take this very seriously,” said one of those interviewed.
The candidate for the post of US Secretary of Defense, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, in his book “War on Wars” criticized the withdrawal of troops, saying that the country lost the war and wasted billions of dollars. In his opinion, the new US president should review the composition of the top leadership of the Pentagon and fire those who were unable to fulfill their task. He emphasized that high-ranking military officials were never held accountable for the failures that led to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
"These generals lied. They mismanaged. They violated their oath. They failed. They disgraced our troops and our country. They killed people needlessly, and still they hold their positions," he wrote.
Earlier, Trump called the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan a disaster and the most shameful page in the country's history.
Earlier, Regnum News Agency reported that on the night of August 31, 2021, American troops left Afghanistan after 20 years of military presence in the country. This happened after the capture of Kabul on August 15 by members of the Taliban organization (under UN sanctions for terrorist activities).
Already in September, the Taliban announced the composition of the interim government of Afghanistan, headed by Mohammad Hasan Akhund, who held the post of head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and has been under UN sanctions since 2001.
According to the media, Joe Biden, who is leaving the post of US President after his term expires, leaves behind a "sad legacy". According to the American newspaper The Wall Street Journal, the head of the White House failed to cope with the migration crisis, and the results of his foreign policy activities will be clear only after the end of the Ukrainian and Middle Eastern conflicts. It is also noted that the inglorious exit from Afghanistan has become a symbol of national weakness and inspired the US rivals.
I’ve been fascinated by seeing the Russian view of all things American over the past few years.
If the ICC and its prosecutor do not reverse their outrageous and unlawful actions to pursue arrest warrants against Israeli officials, the Senate should immediately pass sanctions legislation, as the House has already done on a bipartisan basis. If Majority Leader Schumer does…
#3
Hearing a lot of bullshit about AIPAC being forced to register as a foreign agent.
Trump has really legitimized Antisemitism in American politics. It's been released and is suddenly acceptable. Trump has much to answer for.
#4
Trump has really legitimized Antisemitism in American politics. It's been released and is suddenly acceptable. Trump has much to answer for
were you perhaps dropped on your pointed little head repeatedly as a child?
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/18/2024 13:14 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Bullshit is right. He missed the last four years, Frank G. Including all the Biden voters marching on elite campuses across America, screaming about internationalizing the Intifada from the river to the sea while they prevented Jewish students from going to class or participating in class once they arrived. Hedge fund multi-billionaire philanthropist Bill Ackman not only pulled that huge donation to Harvard over their tolerance of violent Jew-hate, but took that money, gave it to Israeli universities, and funded a program for Jewish kids to do a Hebrew immersion so they could transfer to Israel, where they could study in safety.
But when you live in a Romanian or Canadian or Russian boiler room, you can’t be blamed for having a blinkered view of events.
[IsraelTimes] After flares fired at PM’s home, his allies accuse Baharav-Miara of inaction against anti-government violence; Karhi is slammed for invoking Jewish saying about attempted murder
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara faced renewed calls for her dismissal on Sunday as members of the government attacked her for perceived leniency toward anti-government protesters, after flares were fired the previous evening in the vicinity of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea.
The calls for her ousting also came on the heels of her opposition to a government proposal to regulate retirement packages for government legal advisers and compel those who have served more than seven years to retire before the end of 2024. A legal opinion published by the Attorney General’s Office on Sunday warned that such a move could be intended to remove officials who act "as gatekeepers" due to "foreign" considerations.
In an incendiary post on X, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who has clashed with Baharav-Miara in the past, called for her to be fired while invoking principles of Jewish law associated with attempted murder to justify his position.
Accusing the embattled attorney general of failing to tackle violence and incitement from anti-government protesters, Karhi alleged that Baharav-Miara was "sitting with her arms crossed, granting them legitimacy and refusing to stop this dangerous deterioration."
Her perceived failure to act against the "lawlessness" of anti-government protesters was bringing Israel "closer by leaps and bounds to disaster — the liquidation of the prime minister," Karhi added.
Three prominent anti-government protesters were arrested overnight in connection to the firing of flares at Netanyahu’s residence.
"The attorney general must go home today," Karhi reiterated. "If someone comes to kill you — including through weakness and agreement through silence — rise up and fire them," he said, paraphrasing a line from the Talmud about self-defense: "If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill them first."
Karhi’s words were met with outrage from opposition politicians, including Opposition Leader Yair Lapid who accused the communications minister of "openly inciting murder against the attorney general," and called for him to be fired.
The Movement for Quality Government in Israel accused Karhi of "crossing a dangerous red line" and warned that his statement was "serious incitement against the gatekeepers of Israeli democracy."
The watchdog called on Netanyahu to condemn Karhi’s "violent mostly peaceful and dangerous rhetoric."
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amihai Chikli similarly slammed Baharav-Miara, claiming that she was preventing the rule of law from being implemented equally across Israeli society.
In a post on X, Chikli demanded the "immediate impeachment" of the attorney general, who he said has caused "unprecedented damage to the rule of law and public order."
"In her serial disregard of wild incitement, she is a silent accomplice," Chikli wrote, adding that "the State of Israel cannot afford to have an anarchist in the post of legal adviser."
Meanwhile,
...back at the palazzo, Don Smilzo looked for an avenue of escape. The only window opened a hundred feet above the moat. The nearest of the hired assassins hold a bloody axe.
The window was looking better all the time.... in an interview with the Haredi Kikar HaShabbat news outlet, Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem claimed that the anti-government protesters had illegally acquired the flares thrown at Netanyahu’s home "under the auspices of Miara."
"The next step will be a light missile, or maybe a mortar," the firebrand ...firebrands are noted more for audio volume and the quantity of spittle generated than for any actual logic in their arguments... politician posited.
"She is essentially the most dangerous person to the State of Israel," Amsalem continued. "She allows the left to run wild, to do whatever it wants. She gets in our way in the government. She’s forbidden almost 50, 60, 70 decisions — including laws. She calls herself the law."
The vitriol against Baharav-Miara spilled over from social media and into the government’s weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday as well, following the attorney general’s opposition to the move that would cap the term limit of a government legal adviser at seven years.
According to the Kan public broadcaster, the move being discussed would pave the way for the ouster of seven ministerial advisers, among them Finance Ministry Legal Adviser Asi Messing, who has clashed with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Other legal advisers who would find themselves out of a job by the end of 2024 include those in the welfare, education, immigration and absorption, diaspora affairs, agriculture, and social equality ministries.
While the proposal would not impact Baharav-Miara in the immediate future as she entered her post in 2022, cabinet ministers nevertheless took the opportunity to call for her dismissal during a heated debate on the matter.
Amsalem accused the government’s legal advisers of being "gangsters," while Justice Minister Yariv Levin claimed that they had acted in "breach of trust for 15 years," by not complying with a 2009 government decision, in line with the findings of the inter-ministerial Abramovich Commission, to limit their terms to seven years; it was never implemented.
Netanyahu has served as prime minister since the time of the Abramovich Commission, with the exception of a short-lived power-sharing government headed by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid from June 2021 to December 2022.
Meanwhile,
...back at the palazzo, Don Smilzo looked for an avenue of escape. The only window opened a hundred feet above the moat. The nearest of the hired assassins hold a bloody axe.
The window was looking better all the time.... far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir took the opportunity to air his oft-uttered grievances about the attorney general, and agreed with Levin that the conduct of the legal advisers was "illegal."
"But," he continued, "you are missing the point — the legal counsel has declared war on the government."
"You can see it in the handling of the incitement against the prime minister, the abject incompetence in the conduct of the [Eli] Feldstein case, and in fact in everything they have accused us of," he said. "Pay attention, my fellow ministers, to what they are asking the prime minister to fire me for: because I backed our soldiers, because I spoke against [Hadash-Ta’al MKs] Ahmad Tibi and Ofer Cassif, because I criticized the courts."
"Today, it’s me; tomorrow, it’s the prime minister," Ben Gvir claimed.
The attorney general told Netanyahu last week that Ben Gvir’s tenure must be reevaluated in light of his repeated and ongoing interventions into operation police matters and his politicization of police promotions, and not, as Ben Gvir suggested, because he had "backed our soldiers."
Netanyahu himself described Baharav-Miara’s conduct as "combative" during a cabinet meeting earlier this month, and asked Levin to come up with a "solution" to deal with her, prompting outrage.
His office later attempted to walk back his comments somewhat, saying that the attorney general’s role is to "assist the government in implementing the government’s decisions and promoting bills on its behalf, and not the other way around."
[IsraelTimes] The cabinet voted Sunday to implement a resolution that would force the retirement within the next 90 days of ministerial legal advisers who have served for more than seven years, despite opposition to the move by the Attorney General’s Office.
According to Hebrew media, the move would pave the way for the ouster of seven ministerial advisers, most notably Finance Ministry Legal Adviser Asi Messing, who has clashed with Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
In a legal opinion Sunday morning, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara’s office stated that the government’s move was concerning because it could mean that it intends to remove officials who act as “gatekeepers.”
Cabinet ministers ultimately rejected the opinion, attacking the stances taken by current legal advisers during a heated cabinet meeting, according to quotes reported by Hebrew media outlets.
That’s nice, dear. Go take your thumb for comfort as you continue sitting in your corner, plotting the demise of the Great Satan and the Small Satan. Allah ensured that you would run out of time.
[RT] The US owes Iran a trillion dollars for the decades of economic sanctions, a senior official in Tehran has said, while accusing Washington of supporting terrorism.
In a speech on Saturday, Ali Shamkhani, who serves as the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, accused the US-led West – which he called the “Arrogant Front” – of trying “to use different tricks in the form of their own hybrid war” to undermine the country.
The official claimed that “the Americans themselves openly admit that they formed [the terrorist groups] ISIS and Al-Qaeda” in a bid to create a rift between Iran and its neighbors, as well as to protect its ally and Tehran’s arch foe, Israel.
Shamkhani went on to denounce US sanctions against Iran, which were first introduced after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. “Americans should pay a trillion dollars in damages to Iran because they held back our country for 25 years,” he said.
Over the decades since the Islamic Revolution, the US has imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Iran while designating it a “state sponsor of terrorism.” The only notable rapprochement between the countries took place in 2015, when Tehran agreed to curb its nuclear program in exchange for partial sanctions relief. In 2018, however, the administration of Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the agreement, reimposing sanctions targeting Iran’s oil industry and finances.
In 2021, former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif claimed that US sanctions had inflicted $1 trillion worth of damage on Iran’s economy while demanding compensation from Washington as a prerequisite for a return to the nuclear deal.
Shamkhani’s comments come after an Iranian court ruled in December 2023 that the US government, including the US Department of Defense, President-elect Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the National Security Agency, and CIA, should pay nearly $50 billion in damages for the 2020 assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s Quds Force, as well as issue a public apology to the more than 3,000 Iranian citizens who filed the lawsuit.
Posted by: Skidmark ||
11/18/2024 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[11130 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#1
NEWS TO IRAN
The fools running the US Gov for Biden, are no longer in charge. They are busy planning their OCONUS exit, or hiring lawyers.
However, IRAN, you still owe 53 US citizens held hostage, the 443 days of their life back.
#2
Better yet, the US should tell Iran…Israel would be the recipient of the trillion dollars ONLY ON CONDITION they destroy Iran’s nuclear ambitions and their oil production facilities along with a forced closure of the Strait of Hormuz to everyone! Not an existential level event but backwards looking 100 years!
#6
And, being forgetful in my senior years, the ongoing attacks on US Military throughout the Middle East.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
11/18/2024 8:17 Comments ||
Top||
#7
This could be the predicate for some creating accounting in Tehran: "See, if we record that as a $1 trillion dollar account receivable the budget is balanced!"
Posted by: Matt ||
11/18/2024 9:45 Comments ||
Top||
#8
I thought the Jotato had already copped most of that.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum...
...a Moslem country located in the Horn of Africa. It is noted for its affinity for rule by ex- or current generals, its holy men, and for the oppression of the native Afro population by its Arab conquerors. South Sudan, populated mostly by the natives, split off from Sudan proper, which left North and South Darfur to be oppressed by the guys with turbans...
...every time you hear the phrase 
..a regional Iranian catspaw,...
..a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth",...
