Updates will resume in late January. Wishing you all a safe, happy, and healthy New Year!

Taliban commander admits thousands of foreign fighters are embedded within group - Bill Roggio (Long War Journal) FDD’s Long War Journal has maintained for the last eight years that US military and intelligence estimates of between 50 to 100 al Qaeda in Afghanistan (later modified to 200) have been woefully low.

Iraqi Fighters Pledge Support for Hizbullah in War with Israel (Press TV-Iran)

500,000 Palestinians Gather in Gaza for Hamas Anniversary Rally  (i24News)

Video: Mahmoud Abbas Contradicts the Palestinian Narrative on Refugees - Dore Gold (Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)

The world is shocked by Trump's announcement on December 19th that the US is pulling out of Syria immediately (after talking with Erdogen). Many fear the departure of US troops will clear the field for Iranian entrenchment and destruction of Kurdish territories. This article appeared on December 14th!

America's Hidden War in Syria - Liz Sly (Washington Post)  U.S. troops will now stay in Syria indefinitely, controlling a third of the country and facing peril on many fronts

Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reuters, Associated Press, The Hill, Axios  On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to President Trump asking him to reconsider his decision to begin withdrawing troops from Syria. In the letter, both democratic and republican senators  expressed concern that withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria would "renew and embolden" Islamic State’s efforts in the region. The senators also said they believed removing American presence from Syria would give a boost to "two other adversaries," Iran and Russia. 

Hizbullah Evades Israeli Bombs in Syria by Flying Russian Flag - Alex Fishman (Ynet News)

UN to condemn Israel 9 times, rest of the world 0 (UN Watch) “The UN’s planned assault on Israel with a torrent of one-sided resolutions is surreal,” said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, a Geneva-based non-governmental watchdog organization. “Days after the Hamas terrorist group assaulted Israeli civilians with a barage of 460 rockets — while the UN’s General Assembly and Human Rights Council stayed silent — the world body now adds insult to injury by adopting nine lopsided condemnations, whose only purpose is to demonize the Jewish state.” “While EU states are expected to support 15 out of a total of 20 resolutions to be adopted against Israel by December, the same EU states have failed to introduce a single UNGA resolution on the human rights situation in China, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Cuba, Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam, Algeria, or on 175 other countries,” said Neuer.

Not sure why, but having trouble with fonts. Sorry for any difficulty you have reading this.

Iran Hackers Hunt Nuclear Workers, U.S. Targets - Raphael Satter (AP)  Iranian hackers sought to break into personal emails of more than a dozen U.S. Treasury officials tasked with enforcing economic sanctions on Iran, APhas found.   Also on the hackers' hit list: Arab atomic scientists, Iranian civil society figures, and D.C. think tank employees.

Missing Context in AP Piece Masks IDF’s Humanity - Emanuel Miller (Honest Reporting) 

Fatah tells Palestinians to reject calls for new armed uprising in West Bank - Adam Rasgon (Times of Israel) 

Tunisian Gender Equality Reforms Condemned by Egypt's Al Azhar -Hany Ghoraba  (IPT)

Why is BDS Bad Anyway? Lessons From Ohio State - Sarah Disselkamp (CAMERA on Campus)   "BDS places all responsibility for peace in the Middle East on Israel, rather than encouraging a solution created by both parties. 

Iran-Backed Cyber Attackers Taking Aim at Australia - Jane Norman (ABC News-Australia)

Iran's Cyber Offensive Targets the West - Oved Lobel (Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council)   

FBI Announces $3 Million Reward for Iranian Who Procured U.S. Technology for IEDs  - Stephen Montemayor  (Minneapolis Star Tribune) 

France Gave Sensitive Intelligence to Palestinians during Second Intifada (i24News)

How Morocco is trying to address rampant sexual harassment - Khalid Bencherif (WMC FBomb)

Is Fatah trying to spark a new round of terror? - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW)

U.S. Demands Palestinians Release American Citizen Held for Selling Land to Jews - Barak Ravid  (Axios)

Syria talks on fragile Idlib truce begin in Kazakhstan - AFP (Al-Monitor) Negotiators from Iran, Russia and Turkey met in Kazakhstan's capital Astana on Wednesday

Syria Granting Citizenship To Millions Of Iranians, Hizbullah Operatives  (MEMRI)

10,000 Iran-Trained Syrian Soldiers Posted on Israel Border  (i24News) 

U.S. Troops to Set Up Observation Posts in Northern Syria - Richard Sisk (Military.com)

Reuters' Picture Falsehood of the e Year - Tamar Sternthal (CAMERA) 

Wishing you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Report: Israel Helped Foil Hizbullah Attack on Jewish Targets in Argentina (i24News)

3 Men Charged in ISIS-Inspired Terror Attack Plot in Melbourne (ABC News-Australia)

EU Open to Iran Sanctions after Foiled France, Denmark Plots - Robin Emmott (Reuters)

Commentary: The NGOs and Funders behind Airbnb's BDS Policy (NGO Monitor) 

Palestinian children's TV - a world of hate - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW) 

Palestinian Shunned for Selling Land to Jews to Be Buried in Jewish Cemetery - Inbar Tviser (Ynet News)

Former ISIS Nurse Recounts Being Forced to Perform Abortions on Pregnant Slave Girls, Sedating Her Children in Order to Escape (Al-Hurra TV/MEMRI)

The Independent Calls Netanyahu “Warmongering,” Despite Striving to Avoid War - Emanuel Miller (Honest Reporting)

U.S. Designates Illicit Russia-Iran Oil Network Supporting the Assad Regime, Hizbullah, and Hamas (U.S. Treasury Department)

Saudi Arabia Praised by 75% of UN Delegates in Human Rights Review (UN Watch)

Israeli Economic Minister Invited to Bahrain  (Al Manar TV-Lebanon) Israeli Economic Minister Eli Cohen was invited by Bahrain to participate in its "Startup Nations Ministerial Conference," Israel's Yediot Ahronot reported Friday.

Hizbullah Has More Firepower than 95 Percent of World's Armies - Sean Savage (JNS)

Hezbollah takes over Lebanon’s ministry of health, media is M.I.A (Times of Israel)

From Phyllis Chessler: Iran has fired 460 rockets into civilian Israel with genocidal intent. Has the Western media noticed or cared? Not exactly. The headline in the New York Times read: “Violence Escalates After a Botched Raid Into Gaza By Israelis.”  It’s all Israel’s fault. The long-lasting and violent siege at the Gaza border, filled with fiery kites and fiery tires (which wreaked environmental and property damage as well as psychological terror) was consistently described as a “protest.” It was again today. Also, as a rule, the Arab and Iranian Muslim terrorists and Jihadists are described as “militants.”

Over 100 People Wounded in Israel by Gaza Rocket Fire(Times of Israel) 

Hamas Brings Gaza Terrorist Groups Together to Build a New PLO - Pinhas Inbari (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)  

"Death to Israel" song on Hamas TV   half-hour before station destroyed - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW)

Israel Avoided Killing Palestinian Civilians to Try to Prevent All-Out War - Yaniv Kubovich (Ha'aretz)

Palestinian Police Chief Suspended for Helping Israelis Fix Flat Tire (AP-New York Post)

Palestinians in Gaza Attack Qatari Envoy with Stones after $15 Million Payment - Tamar Beeri (Jerusalem Post)

The West Must Offer Immediate Asylum to Asia Bibi - Giulio Meotti (Gatestone Institute) 

Trump closed an office that tracked ex-Gitmo inmates. Now we don’t know where some went - Carol Rosenberg (McClatchy)

How one nation is dealing with fear:

I would hope that we can distinguish between the terrorists and the observant. Reading this article and watching the video - I'm stunned by how Nazi like China is. We know that the world is concerned about  How Extremist Scholars Promote Terrorism, Violence, (A. Z. Mohamed, Gatestone Institute) but I hope you will agree that what China is doing is wrong. Note: At 45 minutes into the Asia Society video, they talk about cremation centers! The Chinese government refers to Uyghers as a disease and weeds; the goal appears to be to convert Uyghers (via orphanages, forced marriages) to Han or eliminate them.

China’s Government Has Ordered a Million Citizens to Occupy Uighur Homes. Here’s What They Think They’re Doing.

ChinaFile Presents: The Situation in Xinjiang - video from Asia Society

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Bulgaria catches three Iranian men trying to enter country on fake Israeli passports (The Sophia Globe)

The Bribes and Checkpoints from Gaza through Egypt - Kaamil Ahmed (Middle East Eye)

FT (Financial Times) Skews Khan al-Ahmar Every Which Way - Simon Plosker (Honest Reporting)

Will Khashoggi's Killing Force Mohammed bin Salman to Cede Some Control?  (Stratfor)

Why Did the BBC News Website Erase an Accurate Statement? (BBC Watch)

U.S. Backs Railway Plan to Connect Jordan, Israel and Gulf States- Mohammad Ghazal (Jordan Times)

UCLA Shamefully Condones Students for Justice in Palestine - Mitchell Bard (Algemeiner)

15 Arab, Islamic Countries Cooperate with Israel (Middle East Monitor-UK)

Brazilians Elect Pro-Israel President - Marcus M. Gilban (JTA)

Egyptian Delegation to Oversee Gaza-Israel De-escalation, Monitor Border Protest (Mada Masr-Egypt)

Petraeus: Why the World Must Curb Iran - Rawan Radwan  (Arab News-Saudi Arabia) 

Illicit Procurement Network Used Firms in China, Portugal, and Turkey to Supply Iran - Mana Mostatabi  (Iran Watch-Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control)  

Tehran strategic networks under attack, Hadashot TV says, hours after Israel revealed it tipped off Denmark about Iran murder plot, and days after Rouhani’s phone was found bugged (Times of Israel)

Israel, China: Beijing Tempts Israel With Money for Development (Stratfor)

Report: Israel Helped Foil Plot to Assassinate Dissidents in Denmark - Seth J. Frantzman (Jerusalem Post)

 

ISIS claims responsibility for attack on central Libyan town (Reuters) At least four people were killed and 10 kidnapped when suspected ISIS militants attacked a town in central Libya, military officials said on Monday. The raid on the desert oasis town of al-Foqha late on Sunday lasted several hours, during which the insurgents set local government and security offices on fire, a military official said. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday.

Oman Says Time to Accept Israel in Region after Hosting Israel's Prime Minister - Katie Paul  (Reuters)

Palestinians in Gaza Fire 39 Rockets at Israel under Orders from Iran - Amos Harel and Yaniv Kubovich (Ha'aretz)  In response, the IDF struck 87 Hamas targets Friday and an additional eight Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza on Saturday, after which Islamic Jihad announced it had reached a cease-fire with Israel, brokered by Egypt. Israel holds Hamas, which rules Gaza, responsible for the rocket barrage.

ISIS gunmen kill 40 US-backed fighters in eastern Syria - Bassem Mroue and Maamoun Youssef (AP) ISIS reportedly killed at least 40 U.S.-backed Syrian fighters, captured several alive, and regained areas they lost earlier this month over the weekend in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border in some of the most intense fighting in weeks. 

The Global Magnitsky Act has changed how foreign governments treat criminals around the world. After the US passed this legislation, similarly named bills have passed in other nations including Canada and the UK. This act is being used to target those involved in the Khashoggi murder.  While Red Notice by Browder came out a few years ago, it's still amazingly relevant. Have you read it? 

Bolivia promoting another anti-Israel event at UN Security Council (Israel Hayom)

Report: Key Chinese Bank to Stop Dealing with Iran ahead of U.S. Sanctions - Chen Aizhu and Shu Zhang  (Reuters)
Official: Iran's Economic Crisis Forced 70 Percent of Factories to Close (Middle East Monitor)

Dismantling ‘Isle of Peace,’ Jordan chooses hardliners over Israel ties- Raoul Wootliff and Adam Rasgon (Times of Israel)

Reuters Captions on Balloons from Gaza Missing the Basics (CAMERA) Reuters photo captions merely noted balloons "over the Israel-Gaza border" without pointing out the crucial facts that the balloons were carrying incendiary devices and were deliberately launched from Gaza with the aim of starting fires in Israel

Gaza Arson Balloons Cause 8 Fires in Israel Wednesday - Matan Tzuri (Ynet News)

Video: Upgraded Border Crossing Lets Palestinian Workers Enter Israel in a Few Minutes (IDF)

Two Authorities, One Way, Zero Dissent (Human Rights Watch) The 149-page report is unique in focusing on Palestinian against Palestinian torture.

Revealed: Hezbollah establishes terror infrastructure in Druze Golan (Israel Hayom)

The price paid by journalists who break the cycle of repression: “Journalists who have managed to hold their governments accountable for their actions internationally have helped break the cycle of propaganda in their countries, create international solidarity networks, and highlight regressive social policies before they cause irreversible damage,” Una Hajdari writes in The Boston Globe. “For the journalists themselves, it means they will always be seen as the ultimate enemies of the state by their repressive governments.” (CNS Morning Brief)

Justice Dept Must Open Criminal Investigation Into Potential War Crimes by U.S. Mercenaries in Yemen - Ryan Goodman and Sarah Knuckey (Just Security)

Iran's Growing Influence in Syria Sparks Concern - Nisan Ahmado  (VOA News) Iran's involvement and military footprints in Syria have some experts concerned that Tehran might establish a long-term presence in the country in an effort to project regional power. "Iran is solidifying its presence in Syria in three different approaches: militarily, economically and politically. 

Report: Iran, Russia Reach Deal to Circumvent U.S. Oil Sanctions (i24News) 

Christians Sentenced to Death Under Sharia Law - Majid Rafizadeh (Gatestone Institute)

Report: Israel, U.S. Send Secret Delegation to Ukraine to Train Against S-300 (Times of Israel)

Israeli Companies to Secure UN Forces in Africa - Itamar Eichner (Ynet News)

Miss Earth Lebanon Stripped of Title after Photo with Israeli - Amy Spiro (Jerusalem Post)

Gazans Consider Hamas the Lesser of Two Evils - Adnan Abu Amer (Al-Monitor)

PA Arrests Palestinian-American for Property Sale to Jews - Khaled Abu Toameh  (Jerusalem Post)

File this under weird news:

Terrorist prisoners smuggle sperm out of prison and father 61 babies - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW)

There's No Justification for the Murder of Jamal Khashoggi, But Don't Whitewash What He Believed - Petra Marquardt-Bigman (Ha'aretz) Khashoggi told Al Jazeera Arabic a year ago he "deplored the [Saudi] authorities' decision to allow some in the Saudi news media to express support for Israel against the Palestinians." For Khashoggi, the "struggle against Israel" was a critical part of the Islamist agenda he embraced.  

U.S. Offers $5 Million Reward for Jihadist Who Urged Attacks over Jerusalem  (AFP-France 24) Saudi-born al-Qaeda leader Khalid Batarfi

US offers reward for information on 2 senior AQAP leaders - Thomas Joscelyn (Long War Journal) Both jihadists attended al Qaeda training camps in pre-9/11 Afghanistan before relocating to Yemen, where they eventually assumed leadership positions. They are openly loyal to al Qaeda’s overall emir, Ayman al Zawahiri

France Says Iran's Intelligence Ministry behind Bomb Plot near Paris - John Irish and Richard Lough (Reuters)

Jihadist Terror Cells Uncovered in Denmark and Holland - Borzou Daragahi (Independent-UK)  None of those arrested in Denmark or the Netherlands had ever fought in Syria or Iraq, but many appeared to have family or other ties to ISIS and the former al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Officials say nearly all of those arrested had Middle Eastern or South Asian roots.  The terror plots on European soil, months after ISIS defeats in Iraq and Syria, show the persistent dangers of jihadi groups.

Gaza crisis heating up. Iron Domes deployed in S. Israel (Debkafile)

Over 100 Bombs, Grenades Hurled at IDF Troops during Friday's Gaza Riots (Times of Israel) Over 100 improvised bombs and grenades were hurled at Israeli troops during Friday's riots at the Gaza border, the IDF said Saturday. Some 20,000 Palestinians participated in the riots. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said 7 Palestinians were killed during the riots. 

PA Blocks Qatari Fuel Aid for Gaza - Avi Issacharoff (Times of Israel)

Why No Criticism of the Palestinians' Nationality Law? - Bassam Tawil (Gatestone Institute)

Monitor: Russian Airstrikes in Syria Killed 8,000 Civilians in 3 Years - Chase Winter (Deutsche Welle-Germany)

IPT Exclusive: Leading American BDS Group's Conference Minimizes Nonviolence (IPT News) It is common for Islamists and pro-Palestinian activists to sanitize terrorist attacks as "legitimate resistance" at such events, but three USCPR speakers came right out and made a case for violence, going much further than "boycotts and divestment." Two are (U.S.) university professors...

The True Origins of BDS - Canary Mission/YouTube

Seventeen Years After Sept. 11, Al Qaeda May Be Stronger Than Ever (Los Angeles Times)

How the U.S. Government Misleads the Public on Afghanistan (New York Times)

Why Russia and China Are Expanding Their Roles in Afghanistan - (Stratfor)

Belgium Ends Funding for Palestinian Schools over Honoring Terrorist (JTA)

European Commission Warns Ireland Against Israeli Settlement Import Ban - Simon Carswell (Irish Times)

Irish Prime Minister to Raise Human Rights Issues in PA when Palestinian President Visits - John Downing (Independent-Ireland)

Ahed Tamimi’s Global Propaganda Tour- Daniel Pomerantz (Honest Reporting)

Iran and Turkey Divert Iraq's River Waters, Leaving Iraq on the Brink of Catastrophe - Col. (ret.) Dr.

 Jacques Neriah (Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)

Protesters in Basra, Iraq, Storm Iranian Consulate - Qassim Abdul-Zahra (AP) 

Israel Will Seek to "Destroy" Any Iranian Military Presence in Syria  (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty-Radio Farda)

Hizbullah Humiliates UN Peacekeepers in Lebanon - Tony Badran (Tablet)

Hizbullah Is a State Above the State - Udeid Nassar (Arab Weekly-UK)   Hizbullah members enjoy immunity from Lebanese judiciary and security agencies. Hizbullah is capable of preventing presidential elections from taking place in Lebanon and imposing its own candidate on everybody. 

Arab Living in Mexico Smuggles 6 Yemenis into U.S. (Judicial Watch)

Families of Israeli civilians held in Gaza hold joint prayer, appeal to Hamas - Raphael Ahren (Times of Israel)

Official PA Daily regarding 12th graders committing suicide: Death as a Martyr is the path to excellence and greatness -   Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik (PMW)

The Forgotten 60,000 Jewish Refugees from Palestine - David Shayne (Jerusalem Post)