As Hanukkah, Christmas, and the New Year approach, I want to wish you all a joyous and peaceful month of December. Happy Holidays and New Year!
Hostage Update: Day 433
Over the weekend Hamas released another propaganda video, signs of life from 25-year-old hostage Matan Zangauker. The three-and-a-half-minute video is not dated but shows Zangauker describing being held for 420 days in captivity. It's entitled “Time is running out.”
Hostage Talks Reportedly Advance Reports indicate that Hamas has shared the names of hostages along with information regarding their medical conditions, which includes details about sick and elderly individuals, as well as four American citizens. Hamas has reportedly agreed to allow Israeli troops to remain in Gaza. The Palestinian terror group has also handed over a list of hostages, including US citizens, who would be freed under a ceasefire agreement, according to mediators.
AUSTRALIA
Media Claim Sydney Mob’s Chants for Massacre of Jews Is ‘Celebrating Syrian Regime Change’ (Honest Reporting)
Amnesty Australia’s Human Rights Defender Award went to Anas Al-Sharif, a Hamas terrorist
EGYPT
EUROPE
Ireland asks ICJ to broaden definition of genocide in South African case against Israel (The New Arab) broadening the definition of "Genocide" in order to apply it to Israel
PA/Hamas
World Central Kitchen is dismissing 62 employees in Gaza (12% ofr their Gaza staff) over involvement in terror activities.https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-12-10/world-central-kitchen-fires-dozens-of-workers-in-gaza-after-israel-accuses-them-of-militant-links
In West Bank aka Judea & Samaria in one day: Policeman, civilian assault Palestinian civilian; Young boy killed, several bus passengers wounded; PA fighting Hamas & PIJ, Condemned by the UN
Hamas terrorists killed the Palestinian activist Ziad Abu Hayya. Returning to his tent with some food for his kids, Hamas terrorists shot him in the head in front of his children. Ziad was known for his criticism of Hamas
How the Washington Post Helps Hamas https://www.camera.org/article/the-washington-post-gives-extremists-a-hand/
“Hanadi in the Restaurant of Horror” – PA kids taught to admire suicide bomber who murdered 21 https://palwatch.org/page/35731
SAUDI ARABIA
SYRIA
I remain hopeful that Syria won't go the way of Afghanistan or worse, but watching CNN and BBC, they painted such a rosy picture, frankly, I found it shocking. Finally, on Tuesday, Bloomberg published: Militant Leader End Game Is Big Unknown in Post-Assad Syria about distrust of HTS, but then the The Archbishop of Homs is celebrating freedom and "resolutely optimistic."
To summarize the big thinkers at the Middle East Forum:
*International recognition for the Kurds' Rojava would bolster regional stability and counter Islamist threats near Israel's borders.
*While Russia and Iran retreat, Erdoğan's Turkey emerges as a dominant force with its own ambitions.*Iran, Egypt, Kuwait, and Azerbaijan are vulnerable to a Syria-like collapse.*Potential Islamist factions rising, aiming to establish a new caliphate.*With Iran, Russia, and Turkey confronting each other in Syria, their eyes are off the US.
Israel Assists UN Forces in Repelling Attack in Southern Syria (Ynet News) See also IDF Buffer Zone Deployment Coordinated with UN, to Continue until Situation in Syria Stabilizes (Times of Israel) Israel helped defend UN peacekeepers stationed in the Golan from advancing gunmen. Today the UN says Israel's army presence in the Golan Heights buffer zone in Syria is a violation of the 1974 agreement.
U.S. Strikes 75 ISIS Targets in Syria (U.S. Central Command)
Turkish army and the SNA have launched a comprehensive military operation against Kobani, a Kurdish city. (Al-Monitor)
BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet suggests Jews live in ‘diverse’ Syria (JC)
She said Syria is a diverse country home to Muslims, Christians & Jews. Fact check: There are 3 or 4 Jews left in Syria. The other 30,000 were murdered or driven away in 1947. Is this a case of bias or an example of how nominally informed observers of the Middle East are?
USA
Biden Administration granted Iran $10B in sanctions relief days after election https://san.com/media-miss/biden-administration-granted-iran-10b-in-sanctions-relief-days-after-election/A bipartisan coalition of 39 Congress members has urged the U.S. government to pressure Turkey into denying sanctuary to Hamas (MEF)Sixteen House Democrats sent a letter to Secretary Blinken urging him to work with our allies to reject the ICC’s “illegitimate, politically motivated, and legally spurious” arrest warrants against Israel. Read the letter here: https://x.com/BradSherman/status/1866182714115694952Boulder City Councilmembers condemn antisemitic language, reaffirm stance on Gaza resolution https://boulderreportinglab.org/2024/12/05/boulder-city-councilmembers-condemn-antisemitic-language-reaffirm-stance-on-gaza-resolution/UNRWA
How many UNRWA staff members need to be part of Hamas before countries stop funding it?
Hamas run UNRWA Schools
UNRWA Response
On CAMPUS
*Trinity College in Connecticut rejected BDS resolutions
*Vasser College rejected BDS resolutions
*University of Georgia has suspended SJP until spring 2026 and on probation until 2029
*Video: Natasha Hausdorff in the Oxford Union debate on Israel https://youtu.be/WBllM8M-sko?si=qIVbXicIrBWRVkS9
*Students from Columbia University CUAD are posting “wanted” posters of the University’s trustees, all over campus. Students that did similar at University of Rochester have been arrested and are facing up to 7 years in prison.
*Yale University Student Body Approves Divestment Referendum Targeting Israel
*University of Wisconsin-Madison's SJP offensive float violated university policies. Petition to hold them accountable https://t.co/RpNuf7VfzW UW protesters at Board of Regents meeting arrested.
*Faculty for Justice in Palestine (FJP) has played a pivotal role in the surge of violent antisemitism gripping U.S. campuses since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. https://amchainitiative.org/azf-barometer/
*U.S-based Muslim Students Association Persian-Speaking Group (MSA-PSG) exists solely to advance the interests of the Islamic Republic stateside https://www.meforum.org/fwi/fwi-news/tehrans-trojan-horse
If you have children or grandchildren in school, please watch out for...
*Would you spend $5380 on 262 children's book called "We are Palestinian" that teach elementary students that the Israeli cities are actually "Palestinian" cities? Well, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board did.
