The reality -- Israel takes out a Hamas command center. Unfortunately, as always, Hamas uses civilians as human shields. Israeli airstrike on Rafah kills 2 top Hamas commanders, dozens of civilians The airstrike was reported hours after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv. https://www.foxnews.com/world/israeli-airstrike-rafah-kills-2-top-hamas-commanders-dozens-civilians An Israeli airstrike on a Hamas compound in the Gaza city of Rafah has killed two top Hamas officials as well as dozens of civilians. While the exact number of killed remains unclear at this time, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it struck a Hamas compound in Rafah "in which significant Hamas terrorists were operating." The IDF, citing intelligence indicating Hamas’ use of the area, said it carried out the strike "against legitimate targets under international law." IDF sources told Fox News Digital the strike eliminated Yassin Rabia, the commander of Hamas’ leadership in Judea and Samaria, as well as Khaled Nagar, a senior official in Hamas’ Judea and Samaria wing. The IDF said that both men had perpetrated numerous terrorist attacks in the early 2000s in which Israeli civilians and soldiers were killed. The IDF acknowledged reports that "several civilians in the area were harmed" from the airstrike and a subsequent fire. It said the incident is "under review." Palestinian health and civil emergency service officials, meanwhile, say the airstrike killed at least 35 Palestinians and wounded dozens more. A spokesperson with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said the death toll was likely to rise as search and rescue efforts continued in Rafah's Tal al-Sultan neighborhood more than a mile northwest of the city center. The society asserted that Israel had designated the location been a "humanitarian area." The neighborhood is not included in areas that Israel's military ordered evacuated earlier this month. Footage from the scene showed heavy destruction. The airstrike was reported hours after Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv. There were no immediate reports of casualties in what appeared to be the first long-range rocket attack from Gaza since January. Hamas' military wing claimed responsibility. Israel's military said eight projectiles crossed into Israel after being launched from Rafah and "a number" were intercepted, and the launcher was destroyed. The war between Israel and Hamas has killed nearly 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters in its count. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in dense, residential areas. Around 80% of Gaza's 2.3 million people have fled their homes, severe hunger is widespread and U.N. officials say parts of the territory are experiencing famine. Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7 attack into Israel, in which Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seized some 250 hostages. Hamas still holds some 100 hostages and the remains of around 30 others after most of the rest were released during a cease-fire last year. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel must take over Rafah to eliminate Hamas' remaining battalions and achieve "total victory" over the militants, who recently regrouped in other parts of Gaza. Sunday’s strike came two days after the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to end its military offensive in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population had sought shelter before Israel's incursion earlier this month. Tens of thousands of people remain in the area while many others have fled.
Killing civilians excuses: "They were in the way". "Collateral damage". "That's war". "Human shields". "They're Hamas". "They were attacking us". "We're allowed to defend ourselves". What you'll never hear: "We want to get rid of these pests".
What you'll also never hear from Netanyahu: "I'm happy to keep the shit stirring going for as long as possible to ensure my longevity in politics".
Anthony Blinken 3rd most influential Jew in the World, Zelensky dropped from the list 26 October 2023 https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-...the-world-zelensky-dropped-from-the-list.html US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. LEHTIKUVA / AFP Sam Altman, founder and CEO of OpenAI, tops the list of this year’s “50 Most Influential Jews,” published yearly by The Jerusalem Post. Altman is followed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At number 3 is U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Since September, and after the attack by Hamas and the subsequent revenge bombardment of Gaza, Netanyahu and Blinken may well have changed places in terms of true influence. Commentators believe that the Hamas attack effectively means the end of Netanyahu, who was already facing criticism and opposition for proposed judiciary reforms. The most significant change in ranking goes to comedian-turned-President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, who was number one last year but has been dropped from the list completely this year. Explaining the reasons for Blinken's high ranking, the paper writes: “As someone who is both Jewish and the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken would make this list no matter what. But one can argue that he is the first openly and proudly Jewish U.S. secretary of state in that he always knew he was Jewish, identified as such, and has never tried to downplay his Jewishness to stay in favour. (Though, in Henry Kissinger's defence, it was a different era.)” Blinken comes from a family of Zionists and staunch supporters of Israel. His grandfather, Hungarian Jewish immigrant Maurice Blinken, founded the American Palestine Institute after the Second World War and was instrumental in convincing the American government that a Jewish state must be established and that it would be easier to support millions of Jews than the 600,000 of that time. In a speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Summit in June 2023, Blinken proudly recounted his and the U.S. administration's support of Israel. “We are providing $3.3 billion in foreign military financing to Israel each year. On top of that, Israel receives $500 million in funding for missile defence. Tens of millions more for new counter-drone and anti-tunnelling technologies. That is in keeping with the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding negotiated by the Obama-Biden administration – and it is more than at any point in the history of our relationship. We’re also delivering an additional $1 billion in funding to replenish supplies for Israel’s Iron Dome, the missile defence system that we developed together and that has saved countless lives,” Blinken said. In addition to underlining the military and financial support, Blinken’s overtly pro-Israel speech strongly reaffirmed the enduring partnership between the United States and Israel, symbolised through significant military and financial backing. He also detailed the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum, presenting a vision of increasing Israel's integration with its Arab neighbours, and taking a tough stance on Iran with a commitment to preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons. AIPAC, which was rebranded from the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (AZCPA), is the largest and most influential pro-Israel lobby in the United States. It has a staff of over 200 people and an annual budget of over $100 million. According to OpenSecrets, a nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics, AIPAC's political action committee (PAC) donated $2.5 million to candidates in the 2022 election cycle. Of that amount, $1.3 million went to Democrats and $1.2 million went to Republicans. AIPAC's super PAC, the United Democracy Project (UDP), spent more than $26 million in the 2022 election cycle, mostly in Democratic primaries. The UDP supported candidates who it viewed as strong supporters of Israel and opposed those who it viewed as critical of Israel. In the 2024 election cycle, AIPAC and the UDP are expected to continue donating heavily to both Democrats and Republicans. The list of the 50 Most Influential Jews includes many other internationally well-known individuals, such as Janet Yellen, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, at number 11; Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp; and Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta, sharing the 13th place. Included are “influential toy innovators” Ynon Kreiz, CEO of Mattel, and Ruth Handler, z'l, inventor of the Barbie Doll; Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich at number 16; and Andre and Audrey Azoulay, Moroccan King's Adviser and UNESCO Director-General at number 30. Morocco was the first Arab country normalising relations with Israel under the Abraham Accord. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin occupies a ”postscript” place, number 52, in this year’s list of influential Jews. Interestingly, prominent jews who are critical of Israel, are missing from the list. Here are a few worth mentioning: Noam Chomsky: An American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist, Chomsky is also known for his criticism of Israeli government policies, particularly regarding the Palestinian territories. Bernie Sanders: The U.S. Senator from Vermont and former presidential candidate has been openly critical of certain Israeli government actions, particularly those perceived as exacerbating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He advocates for a more balanced U.S. policy in the Middle East. Judith Butler: An American philosopher and gender theorist, Butler has expressed criticism of some Israeli policies and is a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights. She supports boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movements against Israel. Peter Beinart: An American journalist, political commentator, and author, Beinart has written extensively on Israel and Jewish-American issues. He has criticised Israeli government policies and advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Naomi Klein: This Canadian author, social activist, and filmmaker, known for her political analyses and criticism of corporate globalisation, has also criticised Israeli policies, particularly regarding the Palestinian territories. Norman Finkelstein: An American political scientist, activist, professor, and author, Finkelstein is known for his work on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his criticism of Israeli government policies. Etgar Keret: An Israeli writer known for his short stories, graphic novels, and scriptwriting for film and television, Keret has also voiced criticism of Israeli policies, particularly those that exacerbate tensions with Palestinians.
Zelinsky dropped from the lost, being the main politician standing between Russia and the West is obviously irrelevent. Meanwhile Israel is pro Russia. Ya gotta wonder about the level of corruption in our politicians. The West is proud of Morals and Democracy. They are also proud of Hypocrisy.
I'd say there is a 100% probability / chance that Western money and weapons are flowing from Israel to Russia.
What you'll never hear from Americans: "Our country is overrun by a bunch of religious political and non political nutters, we're no better, no worse than Iran".