Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah - Right to Repel Aggression

Al Masdar News Article Nasrallah: Resistance has right to repel any aggression By Leith Fadel on January 31, 2015 Middle East Beirut, SANA-The Israeli enemy must understand that resistance will no longer heed the “rules of engagement” as it is its ethical and legal right to repel any aggression, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said. Nasrallah’s strident message came during a festival held Friday in honor of the resistance martyrs in Quneitra. “From now on, when a fighter from resistance is assassinated, the Israeli enemy will be held responsible and thus resistance will have the right to respond wherever and whenever it sees fit, and it whichever way it deems appropriate,” he added. Nasrallah indicated that resistance “had not had second thoughts about the necessity of retaliation, even if things went to extremes.” Nasrallah pointed to a state of confusion in Israel following the assassination of resistance fighters which, he said, prompted it to declare a state of emergency and to send threats via different countries. “The resistance operation happened in broad daylight and came at the height of the Israeli alert, leaving Israel at a loss as to what really happened,” he said. “Unlike Israel,” Nasrallah went on to say,” resistance claimed responsibility for the retaliatory operation soon after it was carried out.” Hezbollah’s Secretary-General considered that Israel is manipulating the situation in Syria in the worst possible way to suit its own interests, highlighting the support it provides for takfiri terrorist organizations. http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/nasrallah-resistance-right-repel-aggression/ COMMENT Sounds like Hezbollah are still angry and they intend to respond with aggression to any Israeli aggression.

Canada Condemns Hezbollah Attack & Ramallah Eggs Canadian FM John Baird

Canada Condemns Hezbollah Attack On 'Region's Only Democracy' Canadian FM John Baird calls Hezbollah a 'brutal terror group bent on Israel's destruction'; supports Israel's right to self-defense. By Cynthia Blank First Publish: 1/29/2015, 9:00 AM Canada strongly condemned Hezbollah's deadly attack on an IDF convoy Wednesday, and reiterated its belief in Israel's right to defend itself from "brutal terrorist organizations." Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, fresh from his recent trip to Israel, issued the statement Wednesday night. “Canada condemns the assault by Hezbollah on the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that tragically killed two IDF members. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those lost and injured." "Canada also extends its condolences to the family and friends of the Spanish UN peacekeeper killed in the exchange." “Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy, is a brutal terrorist organization bent on the destruction of Israel. Canada fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself by itself." Continuing, Baird criticized the "destructive force" of Iran and accused it of working toward Israel's annihilation. “This is just another example of the threats Israel faces - from Gaza to Southern Lebanon and Syria - from all proxies funded, trained and materially supported by Iran. It illustrates the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran and the need for the international community to ensure that never becomes a reality." “Iran is a destructive force in the region, contributing to much of the current instability. The international community must condemn today’s assault and stand by the only liberal democracy in the region, which is far too often on the front lines in the struggle against terrorism.” Canada's southern neighbor, the United States, also stood by Israel Wednesday as it exchanged fire with Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon. "We support Israel's legitimate right to self-defense and continue to urge all parties to respect the blue line between Israel and Lebanon," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. "We urge all parties to refrain from any action that could escalate the situation," Psaki said, adding Washington was closely monitoring the situation. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190657 COMMENT The impression I have of Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird is that he might be what I'd call a 'useful idiot'. It sounds like somebody unscrewed the top of his head and inserted what's becoming a rather familiar, official, pro-Israeli narrative, which he's regurgitating. The other impression I get is that Baird's visit to Ramallah (West Bank) wasn't well received: Some 100 Palestinian protesters hurled eggs at Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird as he was visiting Ramallah. Canada is among the nations resisting Palestinian efforts to gain recognition as a state in international organizations. SOURCE - RT News Here's more on that from Press TV: The Palestinian youths gathered in protest against the Canadian government’s pro-Israeli stance, including its recent decision to vote against a Palestinian bid at the United Nations Security Council to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by 2017. Baird’s recent request from chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, to apologize for likening “Israeli terrorism” to the atrocities committed by Takfiri ISIL militants, has also angered Palestinians. In response, Erekat demanded that Baird apologize to the Palestinian people for “going out of his way to legitimize the banality and brutality of a 50-year-old Israeli occupation” of Palestinian territories. Earlier, the Canadian foreign minister had also condemned the Palestinian bid to join the International Criminal Court (ICC). No idea what the first-mentioned call for apology is about.  It sounds as if Baird called for an apology? Yep, looks like that's what Baird's done: The office of Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird wants the Palestinian Authority’s chief negotiator to apologize for equating Israel with ISIS, saying the “offensive and ridiculous” comments undermined the fight against the Islamist terror group. In a speech in Jericho on Monday, Saeb Erekat likened Israeli settlement-building in the West Bank to ISIS terrorism. “There is no difference between the terrorism practiced by the group led by [ISIS leader] Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Israel’s terrorism,” he said. “Ending settlement activities is a prerequisite for eliminating terrorism.” EXTRACTS ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE - National Post Had no idea Canadians could be so entertaining.

Death of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL) Peacekeeper

Haaretz Article Spain blames Israel for death of peacekeeper on Lebanon border The Spanish peacekeeper was killed when Israel retaliated against a Hezbollah strike; UN launches probe. By The Associated Press    and Gili Cohen | Jan. 28, 2015 | [ . . .  ] UINFIL observers reported seeing an anti-tank missile being fired from Lebanon toward an Israel Defense Forces vehicle on Wednesday morning – a Hezbollah strike that killed two soldiers and wounded seven others. Israel retaliated with artillery fire. “During the course of the developments, a UNIFIL peacekeeper deployed at a UN position near Ghajar sustained serious injuries that resulted in his death,” the statement said. Shortly after, around 1:30 P.M., five rockets were fired toward Israel. The IDF once again returned fire. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called his Spanish counterpart to convey Israel's condolences for Soria Toledo's death. UNFIL stated that the 10,000-strong UN peacekeeping operation has reinforced its presence and intensified patrols in its area of operations. According to messages relayed between Hezbollah and Israel through UNIFIL it appears that the two sides wish to avoid further escalation. Hezbollah's messages stated that the organization considers the attack an adequate retaliation to the airstrike in Syria last week, attributed to Israel, that killed seven Hezbollah operatives.  EXTRACT ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.639624 ............................................................... United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon ( UNIFIL) United Nations created on adoption of Security Council Resolution 425 and 426 on 19 March 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon (which Israel had invaded five days prior) Mandate adjusted twice: > Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 > after the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 Mandate enhanced: > after 2006 Lebanon War Source:  Wikipedia Not taking in much of the UNIFIL information. Looks like they've been there a total of almost 36 years now, and it looks like there's been a fair few UN fatalities over the years.

Israel - Lebanon Clashes

WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE Deadly border clashes stoke fears of war in Israel, Lebanon By William Booth and Hugh Naylor January 28 at 9:15 PM JERUSALEM — Residents of Israel and Lebanon feared Wednesday that their countries were edging toward war after Israeli troops and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia exchanged deadly barrages across a fractious border earlier in the day. The clashes, which began with a Hezbollah attack that killed two Israeli soldiers, marked one of the most serious flare-ups of violence in the area since a month-long war in 2006 and raised tensions in a volatile tri-border zone close to positions held by Syrian rebels, including Islamist factions. A U.N. peacekeeper was also killed, although it was unclear how he died. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that “whoever is behind today’s attack will pay the full price.” In addition to Hezbollah, Netanyahu said Israel would hold the governments of Lebanon and Syria — which Hezbollah is backing in its civil war— responsible for any attack originating from their territories. The Israeli leader, in the midst of a competitive election campaign, also blamed Iran, another ally of Hezbollah, for trying to open a new front against Israel. As anti-armor missiles and tank artillery flashed across the countries’ frontier, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, traveling in China, said Israel should retaliate “in a very harsh and disproportionate manner.” The Lebanese-based Shiite movement Hezbollah, which asserted responsibility for the attack on an Israeli convoy, also threatened more actions. The deadly exchange on the border came 10 days after an Israeli airstrike in the Syrian-controlled portion of the Golan Heights killed six Hezbollah fighters and a senior military commander from Iran. Hezbollah leaders had vowed to retaliate. The Lebanese Hezbollah group struck an Israeli military convoy on Wednesday, killing two Israeli soldiers. The attack was an apparent retaliation for an airstrike that killed six Hezbollah fighters in Syria earlier this month. The Israeli military said seven troops were wounded in Wednesday’s hostilities, and the United Nations said a Spanish member of its peacekeeping force was killed in the village of Ghajar, which straddles the Israel- Lebanon border. Andrea Tenenti, a spokesman for the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, said the circumstances of the “tragic incident” were being investigated. The clashes began when an anti­tank missile struck Israeli military and civilian vehicles traveling in a convoy along the border. The attack was followed by mortar rounds launched from Lebanon that landed near Israeli troops in the foothills of Mount Hermon, according to Israeli military officials. That barrage was answered by dozens of artillery shells fired into Lebanon. Israeli military officials said their forces launched “aerial and ground strikes at Hezbollah operational positions.” In a separate operation, Israeli jets hit Syrian army artillery positions near the Israel-occupied Golan Heights in response to two rockets fired from Syria the previous day. No casualties were reported. The triangle where Israel, Lebanon and Syria meet has been mostly quiet for years, but increasingly the nearly four-year-old conflict in Syria has spilled over. Hezbollah has backed the embattled government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which is also supported by Iran. The recent tensions began escalating Jan. 18, when a missile from an Israeli warplane struck a convoy traveling near the Syria-Israel demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights, killing the six Hezbollah members and the Iranian general. Israeli officials claimed Hezbollah had been planning a large-scale attack against Israel. Among the dead was Jihad Mughniyah, the son of Imad Mughniyah, a former top Hezbollah militant who was assassinated in a 2008 car bombing in the Syrian capital, Damascus. Israel is suspected of playing a role in the elder Mughniyah’s killing. The Israeli military had since been bracing for a retaliatory strike, moving additional soldiers, tanks and air-defense systems into the border zone. After Wednesday’s exchange, Israeli civilians were evacuated from some areas along the border. The exchange of fire took place in a contested area known as Shebaa Farms. Hezbollah says the area belongs to Lebanon, and the United Nations defines the area as part of Syria. The Israelis claim it is theirs. “The tension in the north is very tricky. It’s a very flammable situation,” said Maj. Gen. Israel Ziv, a reserve officer in the Israel army and former chief of operations. “Israel has to contain it, to defend our interests, but not get drawn in” to the Syrian battlefields, Ziv said. The fact that Hezbollah attacked Israeli troops, rather than Israeli population centers near the border, may make Israel less likely to respond harshly. But the death of two Israeli soldiers might also bring further Israeli action at a time when Hezbollah, distracted by its fight in Syria, could be weakened. Some analysts estimate that as many as 1,000 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Syria, while others put that number in the hundreds. Hezbollah does not disclose such information, but its losses in Syria are widely believed to have been significant. “Hezbollah is stretched thin because of Syria. Even if it were not in Syria, that doesn’t mean that Hezbollah would want a major escalation with Israel,” said Hilal Khashan, a professor at the American University of Beirut. “The Israeli shelling in the south isn’t terribly intense,” he said. “So I don’t think this will lead to a major conflagration.” A Lebanese political analyst who has close ties with senior Hezbollah officials described the latest attack as “a trap set by Hezbollah.” “It’s important to note that Hezbollah’s first statement [on Wednesday’s attack] was called Communique No. 1, which means that it is signaling that it is ready to fight more,” said the analyst, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the tense situation. Netanyahu warned Hezbollah not to escalate. “I suggest that all those who are challenging us on our northern border, look at what happened in Gaza,” he said, referring to last summer’s 50-day war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, which left more than 2,100 Palestinians dead and swathes of Gaza in ruins. He later sharpened his warnings, singling out Iran and saying those “behind the attack today will pay the full price.” Israel and Hezbollah fought a four-week war in 2006, which failed to dislodge key Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and was interpreted in the Arab world as a victory for the militia group. On Wednesday, Israeli military officials said rumors that an Israeli soldier was abducted by Hezbollah forces were untrue. A kidnapping of Israeli soldiers was one of the events that led to the 2006 war. Naylor reported from Beirut. Suzan Haidamous in Beirut contributed to this report. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-and-lebanons-hezbollah-trade-fire-across-border-casualties-reported/2015/01/28/dd9a6b68-a6e0-11e4-a2b2-776095f393b2_story.html COMMENT If this is a trap, it may be more likely to be an Israeli trap than a Hezbollah trap, if you consider the chain of events.  Hostilities were initiated by Israeli air-strike on Syrian controlled Golan Heights, killing 6 Hezbollah troops and an Iranian officer. As Israel initiated the round of hostilities, during a time Israel appears intent on lobbying for sanctions against Iran and disrupting the Iran nuclear talks, it is possible that any action here may be a means of either drawing Iran into conflict or perhaps steering opinion against Iran. However, I'm not sure what that Iranian officer was doing scouting around Israel's border. That seems odd.  But I've never observe military before, so I don't know. Shebaa farms, the location of the latest hostilities, is a region that belongs to either Lebanon (according to Hezbollah), to Syria (according to United Nations) or to Israel (according to Israel), so it's not even clear whose territory this took place on.

Netanyahu on Iran

NETANYAHU ON IRAN Israel PM Netanyahu's stated position on Iran nuclear: The red highlights are mine. Looks like he sees Iran nukes deal as a threat to Israel. Don't know about Iran having 'taken over' Syria and Lebanon.  Think they are friendly, co-operate and share the same beliefs (ie, I think they're Shia Muslims). An 'active front' in Golan Heights and in Southern Lebanon could maybe be a possibility.  The other day there was an Israeli bombing around Golan Heights. Source:  BBC Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 'Israel strike' kills Hezbollah men in Syria's Golan Heights An Israeli air strike has killed six members of Hezbollah in the Syrian sector of the Golan Heights, the Lebanese militant movement says. Among those reported dead were the son of a late military leader, a current commander, and at least one Iranian. Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said they were killed in Quneitra province "during a field reconnaissance mission". Israel said it would not comment, though unnamed sources confirmed an Israeli helicopter strike. They claimed those targeted were conducting reconnaissance for a Hezbollah attack. Those who died include Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of a top military commander killed in 2008, and Mohammed Issa, a Hezbollah field commander, Hezbollah officials said. EXTRACT ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE - BBC.  --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hezbollah in message to Israelis after Syria strike: Prepare your bomb shelters Thousands of mourners cried 'Death to Israel!' at funeral for Jihad Mughniyeh Hezbollah activists launched a propaganda campaign on social media Monday directed toward Israelis under the slogan: "In two words - prepare your bomb shelters."   EXTRACT ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE - i24News ............... The news source, i24News, is Israeli:  headquarters in Tel Aviv, broadcasts in English, French and Arabic and has a $50-million annual budget, according to this French Wikipedia entry. The retaliation referred to in social media probably doesn't mean much; it's social media, people say crap, and anyone can be behind the online posts. Of more concern would be the Hezbollah official response: Initial Hezbollah reaction was muted, with only one warning that it could prove costly for Israel, which is widely believed to have carried out the attack. But a retired senior Israeli general, who is running for the Knesset, suggested the missile attack was linked to the upcoming March 17 elections. The reference to the March 17 election surprised me.  The Israel election came to mind.  Not so much in relation to this incident, but just in terms of the strong Iran position PM may be taking.  But I dismissed thought of elections, only to have the elections pop up again. If I'm reading that right, the Israeli news source is saying that a retired Israeli general is suggesting the Golan missile attack by Israel is linked to the March elections? That's quite some statement to make.    The article goes on to say: Jihad Mughniyeh, 25, commanded a Hezbollah group fighting rebels trying to unseat President Bashar al-Assad. Unnamed Western intelligence officials cited by Israeli media said that Mughniyeh "plotted large-scale terrorist attacks against Israeli targets, including soldiers, citizens and whole residential areas, in the Golan Heights.” That's surprising.  Thought that Hezbollah was friendly with the Assad government.  But I'm new to looking at this stuff, so I probably had it wrong. Don't know about the merits of information from 'unnamed Western intelligence officials'.  Haaretz reported: The son of slain Hezbollah military leader Imad Mughniyeh ... Jihad Mughniyeh and the four others were killed when their convoy was hit. His father, who was on the United States’ most wanted list for attacks on Israeli and Western targets, was assassinated in Damascus in 2008. It is widely assumed that Israel planted the car bomb that killed him; Jerusalem has neither confirmed nor denied this.  What is interesting (given the current news on the Alberto Nisman investigation, sensational allegations against members of the Argentine government and Nisman's sudden death) is that there is an Argentina association here, in that the father of Jihad Mughniyeh, Imad Mughniyeh, is said to have been responsible for the Israel embassy bombing in Argentina 1992, as well as the AMIA bombing 1994.   Wikipedia on Imad Mughniyeh: Senior member of Hezbollah & Islamic Jihad Organisation ... indicted in Argentina for his alleged role in the 1992 Israeli embassy attack in Buenos Aires. ... was included in the European Union's list of wanted terrorists and had a US$5 million bounty on the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. Mughniyeh was formally charged by Argentina for his alleged involvement in the 17 March 1992 bombings of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, which killed 29 and the AMIA cultural building in July 1994, killing 85 people.  In March 2007, the Interpol issued "red notices" for his and others' alleged roles in the attack. [Most Wanted] Later the reward was increased to $25 million. Mugniyeh had been informed that he was at the top of a US military and CIA assassination list. For this reason, he was said to avoid certain areas of Beirut for fear of being killed by CIA operators. ... killed on 12 February 2008 by a car bomb that detonated as he passed by on foot, around 11:00 pm local time in the Kafr Sousa neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. According to The Sunday Times, Mughniyeh was at a reception marking the 29th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution hosted by the Iranian ambassador to Syria, Hojatoleslam Ahmad Musavi. Mughniyeh left the party shortly after 10:30 pm and walked to his Mitsubishi Pajero. The driver seat headrest had been replaced by one with a high-explosive, which detonated when Mughniyah entered the vehicle. The blast completely destroyed the car, left minimum damage on nearby buildings, and killed only Mughniyeh. A Syrian government investigation found that he was killed by a car bomb parked nearby and detonated by remote. Imad's younger son, Jihad Mughniyeh, was killed in an alleged Israeli air strike in the Syrian Golan sector, on January 18, 2015. Five other Hezbollah members and an Iranian Quds Force general were also killed in the attack. Mughniyeh senior was also accused of so many other things that it made him sound like a super villain, which makes you wonder about the accusations. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Looks like Rafah border may be closed for another 3 months:  #BreakingNews: Egyptian sources say curfew extended in northern #Sinai for three months [al Arabiya] Not entirely sure, as I still don't have my bearings in this region.  Know Rafah has been closed and they were looking at reopening (but only for student crossings, I think it was). The following article probably explains why the extension of closure: Egypt: 6 Shot Bodies Found in Arish - Sources North Sinai — North Sinai's al-Arish residents found on Saturday morning six unidentified bodies shot dead, security sources said. The deceased were shot in the head and body, the sources said, adding that they were taken to the Arish General Hospital. The number of security personnel and civilians killed in armed attacks by militants in North Sinai significantly surged during the past few months. Residents of the Sheikh Zuweid region found on August 20, 2014 the decapitated bodies of four civilians. In a video allegedly released in August by the Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, Egypt's deadliest militant group, the group claimed responsibility for the beheading of the four civilians, accusing them of providing intelligence to Israel. EXTRACT ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE - allafrica. Online check of maps indicates Rafah in the Northern Sinai area, so I'd wager Rafah's closed: Map attributed to:  Mike King (on this site: http://www.sciy.org/?p=8669) Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 In Sinai: The Uprising of the Bedouin Gaza and Sinai had had the same overlords. Even in recent times—from 1917 until 1982—the British, Egypt, and finally Israel ... Source:  http://www.sciy.org/?p=8669 Really good article I've stumbled across.  Worth reading.  Very interesting. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, that's just a bit of info on the Middle East that I found interesting. This is probably about as much as I want to know about for this moment. Not sure what to make of it all.

ISRAEL - Hamas Bashing - Propaganda or Israel defending real threat to the West?

PM: We're Fighting for the West, Not Just for Us In interviews with international media Thursday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel's fight against Hamas was not just for Israel. By Yaakov Levi First Publish: 8/8/2014, 12:55 AM In interviews with international media Thursday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu pressed Israel's case on defending citizens from Hamas' terror attacks. By fighting Hamas, the leading edge of Islamist terrorism, Israel is defending not only itself, but the entire Western world. Speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu said that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) “is taking swaths of Iraq and Syria. It's now pushing into, right close to Lebanon and perhaps into Jordan. That's very, very dangerous and ISIS is basically a sister movement of al-Qaeda. You have Hezbollah, radical Shiites fighting radical Sunnis; you have Hamas; and you have in Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and in North Africa a plethora of Islamist terrorist groups. “They're all fighting among themselves, but they all agree that once they destroy, vanquish their Muslim moderates who are there who don't share their views and they behead them and do horrible things to them. And then they have to get to Israel, which is the Western country in the region…but we're the Small Satan. For all of them, you're the Great Satan. The radical Shiites are backed by Iran. The radical Sunnis have various backers and so on, and these people fight among themselves who'll be the king of the hill. But one thing they agree on, it's going to be an Islamist hill and it's going to be a world dominated by their unforgiving creed, their violent ideology which rejects modernity, rejects human rights, rejects, puts women as chattel, all minorities are subjugated or eliminated,” Netanyahu said. Speaking to German network ZDF, Netanyahu said “Hamas is part of a movement, an Islamist movement that wants to reconstruct an Islamic dominion without human rights, without plurality, women as chattel, no rights for minorities, for gays, you name it. They either don’t exist or they should be executed. This kind of unforgiving creed has anti-Semitism as part of its horrible doctrine. And that, when we see that spreading in parts of Europe, we‘re grateful when we see strong leaders like Angela Merkel, and some others in Europe, stand up forcefully against this anti-Semitism. I think that’s, we need support for Israel, but also the fight against anti-Semitism, and the liberal values that we all share. Support for the liberal values that we all share." http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/183838

Don't suppose Hamas is going to give an interview to Fox News and German ZDF network, so we can hear their side of the story?

Israel is NOT a European/Western country.  It might have European settlers of mixed and Semitic origin, but it is a Middle-Eastern country.

I'm not religious and I don't understand how people can be religious or why they seek to impose their own take on religion on others, so I don't understand why the fundamentalists are so full on or what threat they allegedly pose to Europe.

But I'm inclined to think it's some propaganda bogeyman, because it's unlikely that one group of Arabic people will ever dominate another group of Arabic people and it is more likley that there will *always* be a struggle between the various groups' beliefs and that there will never be a united Arab (or Islamic) world.

If Israel were to disappear there'd be missiles to send from Turkey or wherever else, so I don't know what he's talking about. 

The appeal to the fight against 'anti-Semitism' combined with the emphasis on 'shared liberal values' is a brilliant move by Netanyahu.

Not too many in the West are likely to sympathise with picture of extremist, unforgiving head loppers coming their way -- soon.

How real is that threat?  Who knows?  I've only just started watching politics.  On an emotional level, the spectre Netanyahu raises is very hard to shake off.  It's undeniably scary.



...........................................................................

*** NOTE reference to 'entire world' in opener.

Exaggerations like that are always a bit suss.

LEBANON, SYRIA - MILITANTS IN ARSAL, LEBANON

Militants set Lebanese policemen free to solicit cease-fire talks  August 05, 2014, Tuesday/ 14:54:20/ AP / REUTERS / / BEIRUT  Hard-line militants, who seized the Lebanese town of Arsal at the weekend, released three policemen on Tuesday as a “goodwill gesture” to allow Sunni Muslim clerics to broker a deal to end four days of fighting near the Syrian border.  At least 16 Lebanese soldiers and dozens of civilians and militants have been killed in the fighting in Arsal in the most serious spillover yet in three years of civil war in Syria.  The militants are still believed to be holding about 40 members of the security forces - both soldiers and policemen.   ...  Lebanese security officials say the fighters include members of al-Qaeda's Syria branch, the Nusra Front, and an al-Qaeda splinter group, the Islamic State, which has seized swathes of land in Syria and Iraq.  Although Lebanon - a country of about 4 million, bordering Israel - has avoided the full-scale war afflicting Syria and Iraq, regional conflicts have rekindled decades-old tensions. Tripoli [Libya] has seen frequent clashes between local Sunni Muslims and members of the Shiite-derived Alawite minority, and on Monday night fighting broke out after news that several Sunni clerics had been wounded as they entered Arsal to try to broker a ceasefire between the army and the militants.  Men blocked several Tripoli roads on Tuesday, and most shops were closed and streets empty after militants opened fire on a bus carrying soldiers, wounding at least six. ...  While Lebanon has officially tried to distance itself from Syria's conflict, its powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah has sent fighters to aid President Bashar al-Assad, an Alawite. Assad, like Hezbollah, is backed by Shiite power Iran.  The rebels fighting to overthrow Assad are overwhelmingly Sunni and have received support from regional Sunni powers including Saudi Arabia. Rocket fire, suicide attacks and gun battles connected to Syria's war have plagued Lebanon and the conflict has worsened Lebanon's perennial political deadlock between officials divided largely along sectarian lines.  More than 170,000 people have been killed in Syria's war, which started in 2011 as a peaceful protest movement, then degenerated into civil war after a government crackdown.  Violence went on unabated in Syria, where air strikes at the weekend in Damascus killed at least 64 people, a monitoring group said. Fighting regularly claims more than 150 lives a day.  EXTRACTS ONLY - FULL @ TODAY'S ZAMAN  - HERE

* Fighters challenging the Lebanese security forces include:

1. al-Qaeda (Syria branch)
2. al-Nusra Front (aka al-Jabhat an Nusra); and
3. Islamic State (al-Qaeda splinter group)

which have been seizing territory in both Syria and Iraq.

[ Tripoli, Libya - Sunni vs Shiite-derived  (Alawite) minority ]

Arsal, Lebanon (border town):


* Militants holding 40 - soldiers and police.
* 16 Lebanese soldiers killed
* Dozens civilians and militants killed

* Militants release x3 policemen (Sunni clerics to mediate between parties)



Lebanon -  powerful Shiite movement (Hezbollah)

President Assad (Syria) is also Shiite (Alawite)

Rebels in Syria seeking to overthrow Assad are mainly Sunni
(and rebels are backed by other countries, including Saudi Arabia).

Hezbollah have sent fighters to help Assad in Syria

Hezbollah and Assad (both Shiite) are helped by IRAN.

Iran official religion is:  Shia Islam.

170,000 killed in Syria since 2011

GAZA - Update

Fears grow Hezbollah could join Hamas fight against Israel after Kerry peace effort fails The Washington Times Wednesday, July 23, 2014 Hamas rejected Secretary of State John F. Kerry’s call for a cease-fire amid concerns that an agreement won’t be reached before other parties are drawn into its conflict with Israel. A new jihadi media outlet called Al Fawaris released a video Wednesday calling on Gazans to endure the military operation. Its message said victory looms and that Muslims all over the world support them. While Hamas is using tactics favored by Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based Islamist group has not shown signs of entering the conflict. Analysts say Hezbollah, which has offered words of support for Hamas, is fully occupied with Syria’s civil war. “Right now, Hezbollah has way too much invested in the Syrian conflict to provoke an unnecessarily destructive war with Israel,” said Daniel Nisman, president of the Levantine Group, a geopolitical risk and research group based in Tel Aviv. The Middle East Media Research Institute’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor published a report with a video featuring jihadi cleric Abu hareth Al-Maqdisi, who said he and his fighters in Syria want to join the battle in Gaza. “True, we are fighting in Syria, but our heart yearns to arrive and fight the sons and brothers of the apes and pigs [the Jews],” the institute reported Al-Maqdisi as saying. The jihadi cleric said Gazans must be patient and wait for either victory or martyrdom, and that Allah will soon send “extraordinary soldiers who will fight and defeat the Jews.” Mr. Kerry reported progress in indirect negotiations, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal called for a temporary truce to allow humanitarian relief into Gaza. But Mr. Meshaal said his group would keep fighting Israel and would not agree to a more lasting cease-fire without a full negotiation of terms. “We need the calm for a few hours to evacuate the wounded and assist in the relief. This means a real truce backed by a real relief program offered to the people of Gaza,” Mr. Meshaal said at a news conference in Qatar.

However, he said any permanent cease-fire could be reached only if Israel ends its siege and could be implemented only after full negotiations. More than 680 Palestinians and 34 Israelis have been killed since fighting began in early July. Already hurt by mass tourism cancellations, Israel faced increased economic pressure after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration took the rare step Tuesday of banning flights to Tel Aviv and renewed the order Wednesday. Many other foreign carriers, on heightened alert after a Malaysian airliner was shot down over a combat zone in Ukraine last week, followed suit. Israeli carriers continued to operate. “Hamas’ success in closing the Israeli airspace is a great victory for the resistance, a terrible failure for Israel that wrecks the image of Israeli deterrence,” said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri. The Tel Aviv stock exchange and shekel were flat, with traders showing little concern about the flight stoppages. Mr. Kerry landed at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, despite the flight bans, and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and a grim-faced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said indirect talks had made some progress but returned later to Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza and has mediated with Hamas. “We have certainly made some steps forward. There is still work to be done,” said Mr. Kerry, whose most recent efforts at peace negotiations between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Abbas broke down in April. Mr. Kerry has been working through Mr. Abbas, Egypt and other regional proxies because the U.S., like Israel, shuns Hamas as a terrorist group. Hamas brushed off the U.S. diplomat’s appeal, saying it would not hold fire without making gains. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said there was “a strong possibility” that Israel was committing war crimes in Gaza, where most Palestinian casualties have been civilians. She also condemned indiscriminate Islamist rocket fire out of Gaza. The U.N. Human Rights Council said it would launch an international inquiry into suspected violations. Israel dismissed the threat. “Get lost,” Justice Minister Tzipi Livni said on her Facebook page in response to the investigation. SOURCE - Washington Times - here.

A very interesting update.