Federal judge rules Trump unconstitutionally targeted foreign pro-Palestinian students
A U.S. District Court judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration’s policy of targeting foreign students and faculty for deportation based on their pro-Palestinian advocacy is unconstitutional.
UK: TWO DEAD, Muslim Named Jihad al-Shami Slaughtered Jews at Synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Holiest Day for Jews– gellerreport.com Source Link Excerpt:
Police said Thursday that the suspect in the deadly attack outside a synagogue in Manchester was believed to be Jihad al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.
Manchester, England – this monster just murdered two Jews walking into synagogue on Yom Kippur and put two more in the hospital.
Gaza peace plan agreed to by Trump, Netanyahu– www.chicagotribune.com Source Link Excerpt:
CAIRO — After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threw his support behind the U.S. peace plan for Gaza, the question now is whether Hamas will agree.
Hamas faces a bitter tradeoff — the proposal demands that the group effectively surrender in return for uncertain gains. But if it rejects the deal, the U.S. could give Israel an even freer hand to continue its punishing campaign in the already devastated territory.
Under the proposal, the group would have to disarm in return for an end to fighting, humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and the promise of reconstruction in Gaza — all desperately hoped for by its population.
But the proposal has only a vague promise that some day, perhaps, Palestinian statehood might be possible. For the foreseeable future, Gaza and its more than 2 million Palestinians would be put under international control. An international security force would move in, and a “Board of Peace” headed by Trump and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would oversee Gaza’s administration and reconstruction. The territory would remain surrounded by Israeli troops.
Trump and Netanyahu said they agreed on the plan Monday after talks at the White House.
The proposal includes one provision that Netanyahu and his hard-line government most strongly oppose: It says the Palestinian Authority will eventually govern Gaza. But Netanyahu is likely betting that will never come to pass. Israel also rejects any Palestinian state.
The White House issued the text on Monday of its 20-point proposal. Here is what to know.
The ceasefire
The plan calls for all hostilities to immediately end. Within 72 hours, Hamas would release all hostages it still holds, living or dead. The fighters still hold 48 hostages — 20 of whom are believed by Israel to be alive.
In return, Israel would free 250 Palestinians serving life sentences in its prisons as well as 1,700 people detained from Gaza since the war began, including all women and children. Israel would also hand over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for each body of a hostage handed over.
Troop withdrawal
The plan calls for an Israeli troop withdrawal. But it would only take place after Hamas disarms and as the international security force deploys to fill in areas that Israeli forces leave.
Israel would also maintain a “security perimeter presence” – a vague phrasing that could mean it would keep a buffer zone inside Gaza.
Those terms could bring pushback from Hamas, which has said it will not release all its hostages unless it receives a “clear declaration” the war will end and Israel will leave Gaza completely.
The fate of Hamas and postwar Gaza
Hamas would have no part in administering Gaza, and all its military infrastructure — including tunnels — would be dismantled. Members who pledge to live peacefully would be granted amnesty, and those who wish to leave Gaza would be allowed to.
The international security force would ensure Hamas’ disarmament and keep order. It would also train Palestinian police to take over law enforcement. Mediator Egypt has said it is training thousands of Palestinian police to deploy to Gaza.
Meanwhile, humanitarian aid would be allowed to flow into Gaza in large amounts and would be run by “neutral international bodies,” including the U.N. and the Red Crescent. It is unclear whether the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, a controversial alternative food distribution system backed by Israel and the U.S., would continue to operate.
The plan also specifies that Palestinians will not be expelled from Gaza, and that there will be an international effort to rebuild the territory for Palestinians.
In normal cases, that might not need spelling out. But Palestinians have feared mass expulsion after both Trump and the Israeli government spoke of pushing out Gaza’s population — ostensibly in a “voluntary” manner — and rebuilding the strip as a sort of international real estate venture.
The interim administration of Palestinian technocrats would run day-to-day affairs in Gaza. But it would be overseen by the “Board of Peace.” The board would also supervise funding of reconstruction, a role that could give it enormous power over governing Gaza since that is the biggest task facing the territory, almost completely destroyed by Israel’s campaign.
The Palestinian Authority and statehood
During this interim administration, the Palestinian Authority would undergo reforms so it can eventually take over governing Gaza.
The plan has only a slight nod to the issue of statehood. It says that if the Palestinian Authority reforms sufficiently and Gaza redevelopment advances, “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The response so far
Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief shared the 20-point plan Monday evening with Hamas negotiators. The Hamas negotiators said they would review it in good faith and provide a response.
Hamas has so far rejected disarmament, saying it has a right to resist until Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands ends.
Arab countries appear to back the outline. The governments of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement applauding Trump’s proposal.
Netanyahu could face resistance from within his own ultra-nationalist coalition allies.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who is part of Netanyahu’s security Cabinet, published a list of his “red lines” on X on Monday. Top among them, he wrote, any deal must not allow involvement of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza or allow a Palestinian state. Smotrich is one of the more vocal members of the right-wing bloc of Netanyahu’s coalition who have previously threatened to leave the government if Netanyahu halts the war in Gaza.
Netanyahu may see a loophole. The proposal makes PA involvement in Gaza conditional on it completing internal reforms, which it pledged to do, saying it welcomed Trump’s plan to end the war.
But in his comments alongside Trump on Monday, Netanyahu expressed his belief it will never successfully do so.
Netanyahu hails TikTok takeover as Israel’s new ‘weapon’ in information war– www.lifesitenews.com Source Link Excerpt:
NEW YORK (LifeSiteNews) — Benjamin Netanyahu described the expected purchase of the social media platform TikTok by allies of Israel as the acquisition of a “weapon” that is “most important” to “fight the fight.” And he believes this development “could be extremely consequential.”
The Israeli prime minister was speaking to a group of “pro-Israel influencers” in a meeting after his address at the United Nations General Assembly last Friday were an overwhelming majority of national delegations walked out in apparent protest to what is widely considered a genocidal war he and his nation are inflicting against the Palestinian people in Gaza.
A media release from Netanyahu’s office reported the prime minister spoke with this group of “pro-Israel American influencers” about “challenges in the new era, as well as the public diplomacy efforts and the influence of the social networks on the discourse for and against Israel.”
Asked about how to combat dangers to the Zionist cause due to a potential loss of Evangelical support in the United States, which is also impacted by popular Israel-critics Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, Netanyahu directed his listeners to considering social media as “tools for battle” and then emphasized the expected purchase of TikTok to be “most important” in serving Israel’s interests in this regard.
“What we have to do is we have to secure that part of the base of our support in the United States, that is being challenged systematically… How do we fight back? Our influencers, I think you should also talk to them if you have a chance,” the prime minister said. “And secondly, we’re going to have to use the tools of battle. The weapons change over time… we have to fight with the weapons that apply to the battlefields within which we’re engaged. And the most important ones are on social media.”
Trump says Hamas has ‘three or four days’ to respond to Gaza peace plan: Live updates– www.independent.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
Hamas is inclined to accept a Gaza peace plan laid out by Donald Trump but only under certain conditions, officials close to Israel-Hamas negotiations in Qatar told Haaretz.
The group is currently consulting with other Palestinian factions to come to a unified position on the plan.
Hamas is expected to clarify that it is willing to accept the outline in the form that was presented to Arab leaders last week, before prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu made changes to it, the outlet added.
JIHAD IN ITALY: Muslims and Leftists Terrorize, Riot and Destroy Cities For Refusal to Recognize “Palestinian” Terror State– gellerreport.com Source Link Excerpt:
A mob of Muslim migrant gangs and far-left agitators are currently rioting and destroying the city because Italy refuses to recognize a “Palestinian” state.
Total chaos.
This is on those three stooges – Starmer, Macron and Carney (barker).
ITALY: Milan right now looks like a literal war zone.
A coalition of far-left activists and Muslim migrant gangs is currently rioting and destroying the city because Italy refuses to recognize a Palestinian state.
ITALY: Milan right now looks like a literal war zone.
A coalition of far-left activists and Muslim migrant gangs is currently rioting and destroying the city because Italy refuses to recognize a Palestinian state.
🇮🇹 Pro-Palestinian vandals have launched a major riot in Italy following the Meloni government’s refusal to recognize Palestine.
Striking dockworkers blocked access roads to ports in Italy in order to prevent Italy from being used as a staging post for the transfer of arms and… pic.twitter.com/khwIGYEXR4
Israel is increasingly ostracised – and no matter how strong its army, it’s not a good place to be | World News– news.sky.com Source Link Excerpt:
Emmanuel Macron was in his element. Touring the UN’s main hall, hugging fellow leaders before taking to the podium.
He was here to make history. France, the country that carved up the Middle East over a hundred years ago along with Britain, finally giving the Palestinians what they believe is long overdue.
Yvette Cooper witnessed the event looking on. Her prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, did the same over the weekend. Foregoing such hallowed surroundings, he beat the French to it by a day.
“Peace is much more demanding, much more difficult than all wars,” said Macron, “but the time has come.”
There were cheers as he recognised the state of Palestine.
The time for what? Not for peace that is for sure. The war in Gaza rages and the West Bank simmers with settler violence against Palestinians.
Pakistan-Saudi Pact Reveals Growing Distrust of US-Led Security Architecture • Stimson Center– www.stimson.org Source Link Excerpt:
Editor’s Note: Dr. Mohammad Salami is a Pakistan-based specialist on Middle Eastern policy, particularly in Iran and the Persian Gulf region. His areas of expertise include politics and governance, security, and counterterrorism, and he has written for Stimson about Iran’s energy woes, domestic rivalries and efforts to control the internet.
By Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow, Middle East Perspectives Project
The Israeli attack on Qatar on September 9 failed to kill Hamas leaders but may have catalyzed a “Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement” (SMDA) between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, the first between key countries in South Asia and the Middle East since the Cold War.
The decision by the two countries to sign a joint defense pact on September 17 reflects growing unease among wealthy Arab petrostates about the willingness of the United States to defend them against what they see as an increasingly unconstrained Israel, which has attacked multiple Arab countries and Iran since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing military ties, with an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Pakistani troops currently stationed in the kingdom. Under a 1982 agreement, Pakistan has provided military training to more than 8,000 Saudi military personnel. The new agreement intensifies these ties and in language reminiscent of the NATO alliance, defines any attack on either country as an attack on both.
US envoy Tom Barrack says interests ‘not aligned’ with Israel– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
The United States special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said America’s interests weren’t aligned with any country in the Middle East, including Israel.
Barrack gave a pessimistic assessment of the Middle East, saying there would probably never be peace in the region during an interview with the National News’s On the Record with Hadley Gamble. He then made a surprising statement, saying his mistrust of all powers in the region extends to longtime U.S. ally Israel.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, right, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, left, and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shibani pose for a photograph after signing a road map to restore security in southern Syria, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
“If we’ve talked about trust, quite honestly, in this business, I don’t trust any of them. Our interests are not aligned. ‘Ally’ is a mistaken word; our interests are not aligned,” he said.
When Gamble interjected to ask if he was referring to the Syrian regime, he said he was referring to the whole region generally. She then asked if that included Israel, to which he responded, “Absolutely.”
Barrack voiced further disenchantment with Israel and its effect on the region elsewhere in the interview, particularly regarding Lebanon. He said that due to Israel’s actions, Hezbollah had no incentive to disarm.
France recognises state of Palestine, Macron tells UN; Abbas says Hamas must ‘surrender their weapons’ – Middle East crisis live | Palestinian territories– www.theguardian.com Source Link Excerpt:
Emmanuel Macron announces that France has formally recognized the Palestinian state.
“We must do everything within our power to preserve the very possibility of a two-state solution, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” he says.
The time has come.
This is why, true to the historic commitment of my country to the Middle East, to peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
This is why I declare that today, France recognises the state of Palestine.
Israel to close border crossing between West Bank and Jordan, officials say– www.euronews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Israel will close the Allenby border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan on Wednesday, the Palestinian General Authority for Borders and Crossings said in a statement on Tuesday.
It was not immediately clear why Israel was closing the only checkpoint between the two, but it is reportedly to remain shut until further notice.
The Israel Airports Authority, which manages the crossing, said on Monday that it had reopened for passenger traffic days after a truck driver from Jordan killed two Israeli soldiers in a gun and knife attack.
Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said the crossing, known in Jordan as the King Hussein Bridge, was closed to passenger and freight traffic coming from the Israeli-occupied West Bank until further notice.
The Allenby Crossing is the primary route for transporting commercial goods between Jordan and the West Bank, serving as the sole entry and exit point for Palestinians from the West Bank travelling by land.
Netanyahu Says ‘No Palestinian State’ After Three Countries Announce Formal Recognition – Haaretz Source Link Excerpt:
As far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said that the recognition of a Palestinian state by the U.K., Canada and Australia requires ‘immediate application of sovereignty over the West Bank,’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move is a ‘huge reward to terrorism’
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that no Palestinian state will be established and vowed to expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank, following a formal recognition of a Palestinian state by the U.K., Canada and Australia on Sunday.
US again vetoes UN Security Council Gaza ceasefire call– www.channelnewsasia.com Source Link Excerpt:
UNITED NATIONS: The United States on Thursday (Sep 18) again wielded its veto and thwarted a UN Security Council call for a ceasefire in Gaza, shielding its ally Israel from meaningful diplomatic pressure.
The vote came as Israeli tanks and jets pounded Gaza City, the target of a major new ground offensive, forcing Palestinians to flee south.
The resolution text seen by AFP had demanded “an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties” as well as the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
The US has repeatedly rejected that approach multiple times, most recently in June when it used its veto to back Israel.
This was the sixth time the US had cast a veto in the Security Council over the nearly two-year war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas.
“Let this resolution send a clear message, a message that the Security Council is not turning its back on starving civilians, on the hostages and the demand for a ceasefire,” Denmark’s UN ambassador Christina Lassen said ahead of the vote.
“A generation risks being lost not only to war – but to hunger and despair. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its military operation in Gaza City, further deepening the suffering of civilians as a result.
“It is this catastrophic situation, this humanitarian and human failure that has compelled us to act today.”
‘Strategy is to…’: China welcomes Saudi-Pakistan defence deal, sees it as a move to corner India and Israel – India.Com Source Link Excerpt:
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a defence agreement on Wednesday, stating that an attack on either country will be treated as an attack on both. The pact is meant to strengthen their decades-old security partnership at a time when tensions in the region are rising. The two nations have always shared close ties, with Saudi Arabia often described as Pakistan’s “ATM” because of its repeated financial support.
Pakistan, who already shares close defence ties with China, welcomed the new Saudi-Pakistan pact. Chinese analysts have described the agreement as part of a strategy aimed at putting pressure on India and Israel.
The agreement comes as Saudi Arabia faces fresh security concerns. According to Global Times, Gulf countries have begun to question America’s reliability as their long-term security protector. Worries increased further after Israel’s recent attack on Qatar. In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said: “Any act of aggression against one will be considered an act of aggression against both.”
After the signing of the defence agreement, Pakistan’s state television showed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman smiling and hugging each other. Media reports said that Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was also present at the event. Munir, often described as the most powerful man in Pakistan, is believed to be the key figure behind this deal. Analysts say he understands that Pakistan’s army alone cannot defeat India, so he is trying to bring Saudi Arabia in as a strong security partner and source of pressure on New Delhi.
Store in Germany declares Jews banned to protest Israel actions in Gaza– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
A German shop owner in the northern city of Flensburg posted a sign on Wednesday that Jews are banned from entering his store, sparking outrage among state officials in Schleswig-Holstein.
Hans-Velten Reisch, the 60-year-old owner of the store that sells Gothic-Utensils and technical literature, posted a sign that reads, “Jews are banned from entering here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”
Germany’s largest daily newspaper, Bild, reported on Thursday that Reisch defended his anti-Jewish sign. He told the paper that “I watch the news every evening. And when I saw what the Jews were doing in the Gaza Strip, I lost my temper and printed out the poster.”
UK to push peace plan at UN summit after recognising Palestinian state – but Netanyahu says Palestine ‘will not happen’ | UK News– news.sky.com Source Link Excerpt:
The UK is set to push for a peace plan for the Middle East at the UN General Assembly after recognising the state of Palestine.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to use the summit to address civilian suffering in war-torn Gaza and aim to strengthen “the international consensus on our pathway for peace in the Middle East”.
She will hold bilateral meetings to advance elements of the peace plan, including security measures to ensure Hamas has no role in the future governance of Gaza, according to the Foreign Office.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who won’t attend the summit, announced on Sunday that the UK recognises Palestine as an independent state, to “revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution”.
Challenges the UN faces in pushing for a 2-state solution in Israel – National– globalnews.ca Source Link Excerpt:
France and Saudi Arabia hope to use this year’s gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and the increasingly horrific war in the Gaza Strip to inject new urgency into the quest for a two-state solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Those efforts include a new road map for eventual Palestinian statehood in territories Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war, and moves by several Western countries to join a global majority in recognizing such a state before it has been established.
But the efforts to push a two-state solution face major obstacles, beginning with vehement opposition from the United States and Israel. The U.S. has blocked Palestinian officials from even attending the General Assembly. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is opposed to Palestinian statehood, has threatened to take unilateral action in response — possibly including the annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Video. Thousands march in Paris for recognition of Palestinian state– www.euronews.com Source Link Excerpt:
Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags ahead of France’s expected formal recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.
In Malakoff, a suburb of Paris, the Palestinian flag has flown from the town hall since Friday despite government orders to remove it. Mayor Jacqueline Belhomme, who joined the Paris demonstration, said the display was a symbolic gesture of solidarity similar to the Ukrainian flag raised during Russia’s invasion.
Other towns have also raised flags, though some have taken them down following legal challenges. Socialist leader Olivier Faure has encouraged more municipalities to join the initiative despite warnings from the Interior Ministry. French leaders are expected to place the Gaza war and the wider conflict high on the agenda at the UN General Assembly this week.
Trump ‘grateful beyond words’ for second state visit to UK but key differences remain– www.euronews.com Source Link Excerpt:
US President Donald Trump wrapped up his historic second state visit to the United Kingdom on Thursday saying he was “tremendously thankful” for the pomp and pageantry but some key differences between him and Prime Minister Keir Starmer remain.
When asked about the lack of progress in brokering a deal to end Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “let me down.”
Starmer said he and Trump had discussed how to “decisively increase the pressure on Putin” and that Trump had “led the way here.”
Trump has also not made good on threats to impose new sanctions on Russia and King Charles, in his state banquet speech Wednesday night, offered Trump a gentle nudge, noting “as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.”
While Starmer has played a major part in European efforts to shore up US support for Ukraine, Trump’s visit offered few major advancements,
The British government has also grown increasingly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinian civilians.
China’s Gap Between Rhetoric and Action Perpetuates Status Quo in Gaza– chinadigitaltimes.net Source Link Excerpt:
On Monday, Reuters reported on the story of a man who tried to flee Gaza by crossing the border into Egypt and then flying to China in order to seek asylum, only to be denied and sent back. As his case illustrates, China’s well-known rhetorical support for Gaza has in many ways not translated into concrete action. In fact, China has appeared to soften its stance towards Israel over the past year. Its criticism over what a U.N. Commission of Inquiry described this week as genocide is directed more at the U.S. and other Western states that undergird Israel’s campaign, rather than at Israel itself. This selectivity serves to undermine the U.S.’ standing relative to China in the eyes of some other countries, while preserving China’s interests in Israel. However, Israel’s increasingly aggressive actions—including recently bombing Qatar’s capital—risk finally pushing Beijing to adopt a more confrontational stance backed by material consequences.
UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise Palestine, backing two-state solution– www.arabianbusiness.com Source Link Excerpt:
The UK, Canada and Australia have formally recognised the State of Palestine, moves framed by all three governments as essential to preserving the prospect of a two-state solution and lasting peace in the Middle East.
Stefanik urges Bondi to investigate MSF over alleged Hamas propaganda ties– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi undertake an investigation into Doctors Without Borders under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
In a copy of Stefanik’s letter reviewed by Fox News Digital, she accuses Doctors Without Borders, often known by its French acronym MSF, of having gone on a media offensive against U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, accusing the organization of “orchestrated killing.”
Stefanik claimed the attacks “mirror propaganda continuously pushed by Hamas and threaten to undermine the only large-scale humanitarian food operation currently working in Gaza.”
Together For Palestine: ‘How can we live with ourselves and stand by and do nothing?’– www.glamourmagazine.co.uk Source Link Excerpt:
It was exactly 11 years ago that I first joined a protest in support of Palestine. In 2014, tens of thousands of ordinary people took to the streets of London to protest the Gaza War – a 50-day conflict during which 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians and 551 children, as well as 66 Israeli soldiers and five civilians, including one child, were killed (per the UN).
Where many might not remember the 2014 conflict, few can escape the current horror in Gaza. Since the Hamas attack on Israel, on October 7th 2023, the Israeli military response has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians (per the Palestinian Ministry of Health), although real figures could be much higher. Many human rights organisations, charities and genocide scholars have described the situation as a genocide.
But while there were politicians such as Diane Abbott speaking out at that first rally I attended back in 2014, many celebrities stayed silent. Those who did show support, such as Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Selena Gomez and Rihanna, were lambasted or ordered to backtrack by industry peers. Speaking out against the injustices in Palestine has always come at a price, but finally, more and more artists are stepping away from silence.
Supporters hail Charlie Kirk as friend of Israel, dismiss false claims– www.foxnews.com Source Link Excerpt:
In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, some critics of Israel have sought to drive a wedge between the conservative activist and the Jewish state, mischaracterizing his recent statements and making wild, unfounded accusations.
Within hours of Kirk’s murder — and before a suspect was identified — unhinged conspiracies spread across social media. The Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism found thousands of posts containing the baseless claims.
Seemingly aware of the effort to co-opt Kirk’s legacy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized him as a champion of “speaking truth and defending freedom. A lion-hearted friend of Israel, he fought the lies and stood tall for Judeo-Christian civilization.”
Gaza braces for Israel’s largest assault of the war — RT World News– www.rt.com Source Link Excerpt:
As Israeli troops push into the enclave’s heart, 600,000 civilians face an impossible choice: Flee into uncertainty or stay and risk annihilation
In the predawn hours of Tuesday, Israel pushed deeper into Gaza City, unleashing the most intense ground campaign since the war began nearly two years ago. For the 600,000 civilians still trapped in the enclave’s ruins, the offensive has turned daily survival into a grim gamble between death, displacement, and defiance.
What happened
Israel has launched a full-scale ground operation into Gaza City, marking a new and dangerous phase of a war that has already left more than 64,000 Palestinians dead since October 2023.
Two divisions of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the 162nd and the 98th, advanced deeper into the besieged enclave, with a third division expected to join in the coming days.
The offensive, officials say, is aimed at dismantling Hamas’ command and control, degrading its infrastructure in the heart of Gaza City – which houses up to 3,000 militants – and securing the release of hostages still held by the group.
The IDF says the operation emphasizes “security over speed” – a gradual entry accompanied by heavy fire support to protect advancing troops.
US mediation: Israeli proposal for a security deal with Syria – Enab Baladi – Enab Baladi Source Link Excerpt:
The American news site Axios reported, citing “two informed sources,” that Israel submitted a detailed proposal to Syria several weeks ago for a new security agreement, including a “map of demilitarized zones” stretching “from Damascus to the border with Israel.”
According to Axios on Tuesday, September 16, Syria has not yet responded to the Israeli proposal, as Damascus has been working in recent weeks to prepare a counteroffer.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer are scheduled to discuss the proposal today, Wednesday, in London, alongside US envoy Thomas Barrack, who is mediating between the two countries.
This will be the third such trilateral meeting. Sources familiar with the talks said progress is being made, though no imminent agreement appears likely.
Sanders the first senator to say Israel committing genocide in Gaza– www.washingtonexaminer.com Source Link Excerpt:
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) became the first senator to declare Israel’s conduct in its war in Gaza a genocide on Wednesday.
He began his essay saying Israel had a right to defend itself after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, but took the conflict to “an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people.”
“Many legal experts have now concluded that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The International Association of Genocide Scholars concluded that ‘Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide,’” Sanders wrote.
“The Israeli human rights groups B’Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel have reached the same conclusion, as have international groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch,” he added.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians have died so far in the Israel-Hamas war.
“Just yesterday, an independent commission of experts appointed by the United Nations echoed this finding. These experts concluded that: ‘It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention,’” Sanders continued.
