Is Israel really Palestine

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Key Takeaways:

• Iraq: Reuters reported on February 18 that Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani directed Iranian-backed Iraqi groups to “pause” attacks on US forces during a January 29 meeting in Baghdad. Ghaani’s visit illustrates the degree to which Iran controls its proxy network across the Middle East.
  
• Khan Younis: The Israeli Defense Minister stated on February 18 that Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade has been “defeated and does not function as a military entity in any way.”
  
• Rafah: Israeli War Cabinet Minster Benny Gantz said Israeli forces will enter Rafah at the start of Ramadan if Hamas does not release the remaining Israeli hostages the group holds.
  
• Gantz’s statement reflects a possible change in the Rafah operation’s timeline. Channel 12 reported on February 10 that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a War Cabinet meeting that the IDF would need to complete the operation into Rafah by March 10 due to international pressure.
• Yemen: US Central Command conducted five preemptive strikes in Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen on February 17 that targeted three mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, one subsurface naval attack drone, and one surface naval attack drone.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-18-2024

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Biden Empowered Iran Proxies Attacking US Forces and Threatening Wider War Against Israel!

The budding regional war in the Middle East is a crisis of President Joe Biden’s own making.

Not only has the president empowered Iran by relaxing former President Donald Trump’s sanctions on the world’s top state sponsor of terrorism, but he has also empowered Iran’s proxies through various geopolitical moves that make war more likely. Biden is not alone; previous administrations have directed funds to ostensible U.S. allies in the region, funds that likely contribute to the proxies’ forces.

Biden’s relaxation of Trump-era sanctions netted Tehran at least $77 billion, some of which Iran directs to proxies across the region. Yet the president’s other policies also emboldened Iran’s proxies, who have attacked Israel, U.S. forces, and global shipping since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel.

“We have enabled and fed our enemies and constricted our friends,” Rob Greenway, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Center for National Defense, told The Daily Signal. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s news outlet.)

Greenway, who orchestrated Trump’s sanctions against Tehran, warned that Biden’s policies have “strategically appeased Iran.”

Benham Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow focused on Iran at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, told The Daily Signal that Iran has propped up proxies that represent “a state within a state,” exploiting instability in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen to “benefit from the largesse of U.S. policy.”

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Lmig9ywv0FQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/Lmig9ywv0FQ</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmig9ywv0FQ

https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/16/biden-empowered-iran-proxies-now-attacking-us-forces-threatening-wider-war-israel/

Beijing Biden's very bloody hands are becoming even bloodier!

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Israeli Unity Cabinet Unanimously Rejects “International Dictates” To Impose Palestinian State As Reward For October 7 Massacre               

Prime Minister Netanyahu: “Israel demands security freedom of action in Judea and Samaria and Gaza in order to fight terrorism. The biggest absurdity is the claim that a Palestinian state will provide security to Israel.”

The Israeli cabinet on Sunday rejected the establishment of a “Palestinian State,” as reportedly being proposed by President Joe Biden’s administration. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu-led wartime secutiry cabinet unanimously passed a resolution opposing ‘international dictates’ that call for ‘a huge reward to terrorism’ barely four months after Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists murdered more than 1200 Israelis and kidnapped 250 others.

The stern Israeli rejection comes after recent media reports suggesting that the Biden administration was working with Arabs countries to establish a Palestinian State with its capital in East Jerusalem.

The Biden White House seems to be in a great rush to roll out the plan which was apparently hatched behind Israel’s back as the country conducts military operations in Gaza to liberate remaining hostages.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/J3qRa34NblA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/J3qRa34NblA</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3qRa34NblA

https://legalinsurrection.com/2024/02/israeli-unity-cabinet-unanimously-rejects-international-dictates-to-impose-palestinian-state-as-reward-for-october-7-massacre/

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Key Takeaways:

• Yemen: The Houthi movement launched an anti-ship ballistic missile that struck and disabled the UK-owned, Belize-flagged Rubymar cargo ship in the Bab al Mandeb strait on February 18. This incident marks the first time that a crew has had to abandon ship after a Houthi attack since Houthi attacks began during this round of escalation on November 19.
  
• Northern Gaza Strip: Israeli forces are constructing a road in the Gaza Strip to divide the northern Gaza Strip from the southern Strip and facilitate Israeli raids. An IDF battalion commander working on the road said that Israeli forces will use the road to protect the area and control the flow of Gazans from north to south.
  
• Southern Gaza Strip: The IDF reported that Israeli forces are finishing clearing operation in western Khan Younis.
  
• Negotiations: The Qatari prime minister said that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas should not require a hostage deal.
  
• Palestinian Politics: Russia invited Palestinian factions, including Hamas and PIJ, to meet in Moscow on February 26 for an “inter-Palestinian meeting.” The Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said that the PA will see if Hamas “is ready to reach an understanding.”
  
• Lebanon: The IAF conducted airstrikes that targeted two “Hezbollah military depots” near Sidon, Lebanon on February 19. This is the first time since October 7 Israel has conducted airstrikes in Sidon, which is roughly 30km north of the Litani River and 40km south of Beirut.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-19-2024

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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/m9gs7ySYDWg" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/m9gs7ySYDWg</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9gs7ySYDWg

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Beijing Biden sides with Hamas against Israel!

The Biden administration proposed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, Reuters reported Monday.
The alternative U.N. Security Council resolution would back a temporary ceasefire in the war and reject an Israeli ground assault in Rafah, the southernmost region of the Gaza Strip, according to text of the resolution reviewed by Reuters. The Biden administration has thus far been generally supportive of Israel’s war efforts against Hamas but there are increasing disagreements over how it should be carried out.

“The U.S. alternative resolution determines that under current circumstances a major ground offensive into Rafah would result in further harm to civilians and their further displacement including potentially into neighboring countries.”

Rafah sits on the border of Gaza and Egypt and Israel plans to storm the region and root out the remaining Hamas terrorists located there, as it has already taken military control of most of Gaza since war broke out on Oct. 7.


Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing over 1,200 civilians, prompting Israel to launch a counteroffensive in Gaza to eradicate the terrorist regime.

https://thedailybs.com/2024/02/19/biden-admin-backs-un-resolution-calling-for-temporary-ceasefire-in-israels-war-against-hamas/

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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/ptEEhBYUGmw" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/ptEEhBYUGmw</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptEEhBYUGmw

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Key Takeaways:

• Iraq: Russia may be setting conditions to supplant the United States as a security partner in Iraq in anticipation of the United States possibly reducing its military presence there.
  
• Northern Gaza Strip: The Israel Defense Forces launched a new, “division-wide” clearing operation in the Zaytoun and Shujaiya neighborhoods in eastern Gaza City.
  
• Southern Gaza Strip: The Israel Defense Forces assessed that it will complete ground operations in Khan Younis in the next few days, according to an Israeli Army Radio correspondent.
  
• Political Negotiations: Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Cairo to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza with Egyptian officials.
  
• West Bank: Israeli forces clashed with Palestinian fighters nine times.
  
• Southern Lebanon and Golan Heights: Lebanese Hezbollah conducted at least six attacks from southern Lebanon into northern Israel.
  
• Yemen: The Houthis claimed three drone attacks targeting US and Israeli targets.
  
• Iran: International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi said that Iran is continuing to produce highly enriched uranium at an elevated rate.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-20-2024

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Iran is sending powerful missiles to Russia after the Biden administration and members of the United Nations (U.N.) allowed preventative sanctions to expire.

Iran sent hundreds of ballistic missiles to Russia and in turn will receive fighter jets and helicopters from Moscow, representing deepened military ties between the two countries in recent years, Reuters reported on Wednesday. The U.S. and European partners declined to prevent the expiration of U.N. sanctions in late 2023 that curbed Iran’s ability to transfer missiles.

“It was always a matter of when – not if – Iran would transfer ballistic missiles to Russia,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Fellow Behnam Ben Taleblu said in a statement on Wednesday. “Make no mistake, the country with the largest ballistic missile arsenal in the Middle East is now furnishing the Russian Federation with its most lethal weapons.”

Iran made several shipments of the missiles to Russia in January, and more shipments are expected in the coming weeks, according to Reuters. The shipment was agreed to as part of a deal that was finalized in late 2023.

“There will be more shipments,” an anonymous Iranian official told Reuters. “There is no reason to hide it. We are allowed to export weapons to any country that we wish to.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fateh-110

https://thedailybs.com/2024/02/21/iran-sends-powerful-missiles-to-russia-after-biden-admin-let-preventative-sanctions-expire/

It carries a 1,102-pound warhead!

Beijing Biden contributes to the Russian war effort!

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Key Takeaways:

• Iran: Iranian sources told Reuters on February 21 that Iran provided hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) to Russia in early January. Iran’s arms sales to Russia are part of Iran’s efforts to generate revenue to support its deteriorating economy.
  
• Iran’s provision of these missile systems could improve Russia’s ability to penetrate Ukrainian air defenses.
• Iraq-Russia: Russian and Iraqi officials discussed deepening judicial and economic ties on February 21.
  
• Iraqi Federal Integrity Commission Chairman Haider Hanoun, who is affiliated with the Badr Organization, and Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for anti-corruption coordination and training on February 21.
• Iranian-aligned Iraqi actors have previously used Iraq’s judicial system to target political opposition.
• ISW previously reported on the Kremlin‘s use of the Russian Prosecutor General‘s Office to seize and nationalize assets from Russians and to widely apply administrative law to stifle any perceived source of opposition.
• Yemen: US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on February 21 that Houthi fighters fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles targeting the MV Sea Champion, which was transporting humanitarian aid to Yemen, on February 19.
  
• Gaza Strip: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that two brigades launched a new clearing operation in Zaytoun, southern Gaza City.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-21-2024

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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/k6DI2e8rm2A" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/v/k6DI2e8rm2A</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6DI2e8rm2A

Democrats want more of this!

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Key Takeaways:

• Yemen: Iran and the Houthis are likely using their attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to test and refine their approach to striking naval targets.
  
• Northern Gaza Strip: The Israel Defense Forces 162nd Division continued to conduct clearing operations in Zaytoun, eastern Gaza City.
  
• Southern Gaza Strip: Israeli forces continued to conduct clearing operations in western Khan Younis.
  
• Political Negotiations: Hamas said that there may be progress in negotiations with Israel over a prisoner-for-hostage deal.
  
• Iraq: Former Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammad al Halbousi discussed the US military presence in Iraq with US Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Chris Coons and US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski.
  
• Iran: Iranian Strategic Foreign Relations Council Chairman Kamal Kharazi met with senior Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad officials in Tehran.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-22-2024