Israel vs Palestine/Lebanon/Iran/Yemen/Syria: a New Middle East War

[shaberon]

Let's remember the religion of Israel is based on destroying everything else.


Its current reprisals are shooting in the dark:


The Israeli news website, Walla, reported that dozens of war jets participated in the campaign, demanding what he called as “Israel’s allies” to help it prepare a target bank in Yemen.


As we see, the CIA and Mossad were just rounded up for the *second* time. The first report was more extensive, but, there they go again.

The Mossad chief recommends forgetting Yemen because "it is not certain" they can be stopped -- the solution -- attack Iran (as if it could be stopped).


Since Israel can easily be stopped, some Israelis are starting their own kind of BDS:

The campaign, launched a few days ago and running until December 31, comes at a time when prices across all sectors are rising sharply. The cost of goods is expected to increase further following the VAT hike, which will make essential products even more expensive.

Blackerman, the Zionist protest leader, expressed the collective frustration felt by many, stating, “There is a sense of despair in the country.” However, she acknowledged receiving skepticism from settlers, many of whom believe her initiative will not succeed.

In a statement, Blackerman addressed importers and major corporations directly, highlighting the internal economic crisis: “I understand that there is an ongoing war, but the real battle is within. The projected 2025 prices, coupled with the VAT increase and soaring water and electricity bills, are simply unsustainable.”

Adding to the economic strain, the Hebrew-language daily evening financial newspaper Globes recently reported a significant rise in rental costs across the occupied territories. The average rent for a four-room apartment now ranges from $822 to $2,330, depending on the city, further exacerbating financial pressures on residents.

This dual challenge of rising living costs and taxation has fueled widespread discontent, with campaigns like Blackerman’s striving to make a statement against what many view as unsustainable economic policies.

Yes, the real "battle within"...how did you happen to miss the activity of death squads since the early days? Comes at a price. One that may exhaust the little shoestring, if not, it will always suck to be there. Maybe someday you'll find yourself like me: not easy to get out.

[shaberon]

In one of the first political moves by new leader:

Protests have erupted across Syria over militants’ desecration of an Alawite shrine in Aleppo, with armed groups belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) opening fire on protesters.

Tens of thousands took to the streets in Latakia, Tartus, Homs, Hama, and Qardaha on Wednesday, resulting in violent confrontations.

Protesters came out after video was circulated on social networks showing a fire inside the shrine of Sheikh Abu Abdullah al-Hussein al-Khasibi in Aleppo, with armed men walking inside and killing the guards of the shrine, an incident that has drawn strong condemnation from the Alawite minority.

According to reports from local sources, the protests were spread after armed individuals opened fire on protesters in Homs, resulting in the death of one person and injury of five others.

Video footage circulating on social media captured the moment when the armed groups targeted peaceful demonstrators expressing their outrage over the attack on the historical Alawite figure’s shrine.

The violence continued in the coastal city of Tartus, where deadly clashes broke out between members of the HTS administration’s "interior ministry" and protesters.

In addition to the protests against the attack on the shrine, demonstrators in the city of Masyaf, located in the northwestern countryside of Hama, condemned the assassination of three Alawite judges, which occurred just a day before.

Some residents said the demonstrations were linked to pressure and violence in recent days aimed at members of the Alawite minority.

According to Syrian media outlets, a curfew was imposed from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. on Thursday in Homs while authorities in Jableh and two other cities also announced a nighttime curfew.

The new Syrian "Interior Ministr"y claimed on its Telegram account that video footage of the shrine's destruction was outdated and related to earlier conflicts during the takeover of Aleppo in late November.

However, this assertion has not quelled the public anger, as thousands gathered in protests, demanding justice to be done for the perpetrators of the attacks on their religious heritage.

Alawites are increasingly concerned about potential reprisals against their community, stemming from their status as a minority religious group and their historical ties to the al-Assad family, including ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Moreover, on Tuesday, hundreds of demonstrators protested in Christian areas of Damascus against the burning of a Christmas tree near Syria’s Hama. The HTS promised to restore it promptly.

The country’s new leaders have repeatedly pledged to hold accountable those responsible for the desecration of religious sites, claiming that they will respect the beliefs and rights of all sects and religions in Syria.

The situation remains very fluid and fragile, with potential risk for further clashes as sectarian sentiments continue to boil over amid the ongoing political instability and pressures on minority groups.

So, quite plausibly:

Syrians will revive the resistance in their country and neutralize the evil and deceitful plan of the US, the Zionist regime in less than a year, Major General Mohsen Rezaei says.

"The youth and the resistant nation of Syria will not remain silent against the foreign occupation and aggression and internal totalitarianism of a group," Major General Mohsen Rezaei, former chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) wrote in his X account.

"In less than a year, Syrians will revive the resistance in their country in a different way and neutralize the evil and deceitful plan of the US, the Zionist regime, and the countries that have played games in the region," Rezaei added.

Syria’s stability and future are threatened by various factors, including Israel’s illegal occupation of the Syrian territory, driven by its expansionist policies, and the persistent presence of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are backed by the US, in the country’s northeast.

Additional challenges stem from the perpetration of human rights violations against minority groups by HTS terrorists, as well as escalating humanitarian crises.

[Sirus]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
https://x.com/gazanotice/status/1871164706171273244

I posted this on 9 December 2023, just over a year ago.



~~~~~~~

A powerful piece from The Moon of Alabama yesterday.

I'll repeat what I posted immediately above.

Tens of thousands of deaths of innocent civilians, including MANY doctors, nurses, women and children, are a modern medieval horror that casts an indelible, lasting, terminal pile of shame on anyone in Netanyanu's government and (I'll say it clearly) anyone who supports Israel's actions.

• https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/1...gaza.html#more

Look at this good man. He was a POET.





RIP Professor Refaat al-Areer, in Gaza

Sad news:

Muhammad Shehada @muhammadshehad2 - 19:52 UTC · Dec 7, 2023 Israel killed Prof. Refaat al-Areer, one of Gaza's most prominent writers, poets & activists who spent his life trying to get Gaza's voice to the outside world.
He was killed in a targeted airstrike on his sister's home that also killed his brother, sister & her 4 kids...

Refaat's pinned tweet:

Refaat in Gaza 🇵🇸 @itranslate123 - 13:01 UTC · Nov 1, 2023 If I must die, let it be a tale.
#FreePalestine
#Gaza

Refaat's last tweet:

Refaat in Gaza 🇵🇸 @itranslate123 - 5:00 UTC · Dec 4, 2023 The Democratic Party and Biden are responsible for the Gaza genocide perpetrated by Israel.
Quote
Vice President Kamala Harris ...
Embedded video

His writing:

My Child Asks, ‘Can Israel Destroy Our Building if the Power Is Out?’ - NY Times - May 13, 2021

By Refaat Alareer
Mr. Alareer lives in Gaza and is the editor of “Gaza Writes Back,” a collection of short stories.
...
On Tuesday, Linah asked her question again after my wife and I didn’t answer it the first time: Can they destroy our building if the power is out? I wanted to say: “Yes, little Linah, Israel can still destroy the beautiful al-Jawharah building, or any of our buildings, even in the darkness. Each of our homes is full of tales and stories that must be told. Our homes annoy the Israeli war machine, mock it, haunt it, even in the darkness. It can’t abide their existence. And, with American tax dollars and international immunity, Israel presumably will go on destroying our buildings until there is nothing left.” But I can’t tell Linah any of this. So I lie: “No, sweetie. They can’t see us in the dark.”

Lectures:

English Poetry Lecture 1/28: An Introduction to Poetry (video) - Refaat Alareer / eLearning Centre - IUG

On air:

Palestine voices on Israel's war against Gaza - Usefull Idiots - Oct 13, 2023
This week’s interview with Refaat Alareer, Yumna Patel, and Muhammad Shehada
video

How Refaat was murdered:

شهداء غزّة Gaza martyrs @Gaza_Shaheed - 12:54 UTC · Dec 8, 2023 Important information on Refaat’s assassination:
The day before yesterday, Refaat received a phone call from the Israeli intelligence about locating him in the school where he took refuge. They informed him that they were going to kill him. He left the school not wanting to endanger the others, and at 6 p.m. his sister's apartment was bombed, where he was killed, his sister and her four children

Obits:

In memory of Dr. Refaat Alareer - The Electronic Intifada - 7 December 2023
‘If I must die, let it be a tale’: a tribute to Refaat Alareer - Max Blumenthal - December 7, 2023

Related:

The “Hunt for Hamas” Narrative Is Obscuring Israel’s Real Plans for Gaza - Adam Johnson / The Nation - Dec 7 2023

The US press and politicians are trying to fit the attacks on Gaza into a Zero Dark Thirty mold, but it’s something much simpler—and sinister.

> America’s media and political class is analyzing, debating, and shaping a narrative in Gaza that’s entirely different from the one being discussed in Israeli media and among Israeli political leaders. This gap, born from casual racism, deliberate credulity, and reflexive alignment with the US government’s party line, is creating a media failure the likes of which we haven’t seen since the run-up to the Iraq War. ... <

A dear friend of Moon of Alabama tweets:

annie fofani🇵🇸 @anniefofani - 22:08 UTC · Dec 7, 2023 I miss you so much Refaat. i assume you sent me this so i could pass it on after your death. so, here it for the world. click, the date is at the base.

Rest in peace.

I couldn't find any posts of his on X that condemned the Hamas attacks or called for the release of the hostages. I did however, find a couple of quotes by other users where Refaat was mocking the attacks.

Not really a loss for mankind is it?

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Sirus (here)
Not really a loss for mankind is it?

You appear to be celebrating the death of a poet.

With that, the human spirit withers and dies.

[161803398]

Let's not forget that the Palestinians are the Philistines of biblical lore.

As much as I think your point is irrelevant:

The Origin of Palestinians and Their
Genetic Relatedness With Other
Mediterranean Populations
Antonio Arnaiz-Villena, Nagah Elaiwa, Carlos Silvera,
Ahmed Rostom, Juan Moscoso,
Eduardo Gómez-Casado, Luis Allende, Pilar Varela,
and Jorge Martínez-Laso

ABSTRACT: The genetic profile of Palestinians has, for
the first time, been studied by using human leukocyte
antigen (HLA) gene variability and haplotypes. The comparison
with other Mediterranean populations by using
neighbor-joining dendrograms and correspondence
analyses reveal that Palestinians are genetically very close
to Jews and other Middle East populations, including Turks
(Anatolians), Lebanese, Egyptians, Armenians and
Iranians. Archaeologic and genetic data support that both
Jews and Palestinians came from the ancient Canaanites,
who extensively mixed with Egyptians, Mesopotamian and
Anatolian peoples in ancient times. Thus, Palestinian-
Jewish rivalry is based in cultural and religious, but not in
genetic, differences. The relatively close relatedness of both
Jews and Palestinians to western Mediterranean
populations reflects the continuous circum-Mediterranean
cultural and gene flow that have occurred in prehistoric
and historic times. This flow overtly contradicts the demic
diffusion model of western Mediterranean populations
substitution by agriculturalists coming from the Middle
East in the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition. Human
Immunology 62, 889-900 (2001). ã American Society
for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 2001.
Published by Elsevier Sciece Inc.
KEYWORDS: Palestinians; Macedonians; Greeks;
Mediterraneans; Berbers; Moroccans; Albanians; Turks;
Iranians; Egyptians; Jews; Lebanese.

[Michel Leclerc]

“With that, the human spirit withers and dies.” Thank you, Bill.

What I wanted to say, as a poet, to you, Sirus: the language of a poet is ALWAYS the opposite of what is “acceptable language” or even of language itself as an acceptable means of conveying messages, of communicating. A poet at the same time wants to destroy usual language use (as the one you and I use on this forum) and to elevate language to the level of the sublime, the divine level of beauty, goodness and truth. The beauty of the divine blinds us, the goodness of the divine melts us, the truth of the divine evaporates us. That is what the true poet is after, and that is what he is ready to die for. A true poet says "you stink" and means by that "I love you", he says "you are a pig" and means "I want to hold you in my arms", he says "you are the Devil” and means "I adore you". Usual language is the realm of those who torture the body, destroy the soul, desecrate the spirit. Do not wait until you agonise on your deathbed to get that. You can reach that level of humanity earlier in your life if you try.

[Michel Leclerc]

Posted by 161803398 (here)

Let's not forget that the Palestinians are the Philistines of biblical lore.

As much as I think your point is irrelevant:

The Origin of Palestinians and Their
Genetic Relatedness With Other
Mediterranean Populations
Antonio Arnaiz-Villena, Nagah Elaiwa, Carlos Silvera,
Ahmed Rostom, Juan Moscoso,
Eduardo Gómez-Casado, Luis Allende, Pilar Varela,
and Jorge Martínez-Laso

ABSTRACT: The genetic profile of Palestinians has, for
the first time, been studied by using human leukocyte
antigen (HLA) gene variability and haplotypes. The comparison
with other Mediterranean populations by using
neighbor-joining dendrograms and correspondence
analyses reveal that Palestinians are genetically very close
to Jews and other Middle East populations, including Turks
(Anatolians), Lebanese, Egyptians, Armenians and
Iranians. Archaeologic and genetic data support that both
Jews and Palestinians came from the ancient Canaanites,
who extensively mixed with Egyptians, Mesopotamian and
Anatolian peoples in ancient times. Thus, Palestinian-
Jewish rivalry is based in cultural and religious, but not in
genetic, differences. The relatively close relatedness of both
Jews and Palestinians to western Mediterranean
populations reflects the continuous circum-Mediterranean
cultural and gene flow that have occurred in prehistoric
and historic times. This flow overtly contradicts the demic
diffusion model of western Mediterranean populations
substitution by agriculturalists coming from the Middle
East in the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition. Human
Immunology 62, 889-900 (2001). ã American Society
for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, 2001.
Published by Elsevier Sciece Inc.
KEYWORDS: Palestinians; Macedonians; Greeks;
Mediterraneans; Berbers; Moroccans; Albanians; Turks;
Iranians; Egyptians; Jews; Lebanese.

The quote in blue refers an extremely important finding and confirms the hypotheses arrived at from “linguistic archaeology" and “paleo-linguistics", such as the Nostratic hypothesis. Thank you, One hundred and sixty one million eight hundred and three thousand three hundred and ninety-eight!

[Sirus]

Posted by Michel Leclerc (here)
“With that, the human spirit withers and dies.” Thank you, Bill.

What I wanted to say, as a poet, to you, Sirus: the language of a poet is ALWAYS the opposite of what is “acceptable language” or even of language itself as an acceptable means of conveying messages, of communicating. A poet at the same time wants to destroy usual language use (as the one you and I use on this forum) and to elevate language to the level of the sublime, the divine level of beauty, goodness and truth. The beauty of the divine blinds us, the goodness of the divine melts us, the truth of the divine evaporates us. That is what the true poet is after, and that is what he is ready to die for. A true poet says "you stink" and means by that "I love you", he says "you are a pig" and means "I want to hold you in my arms", he says "you are the Devil” and means "I adore you". Usual language is the realm of those who torture the body, destroy the soul, desecrate the spirit. Do not wait until you agonise on your deathbed to get that. You can reach that level of humanity earlier in your life if you try.

His Twitter posts were plainly straightforward and left no room for interpretation. He celebrated the mutilation, rape and murder of Israeli and foreign nationals yet cried foul at the repercussions.

Thank you for your reply Michel. It was thought provoking, even though I disagreed.

[Sirus]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)

Posted by Sirus (here)
Not really a loss for mankind is it?

You appear to be celebrating the death of a poet.

With that, the human spirit withers and dies.

Not celebrating but certainly not lamenting Bill.
Jimmy Saville was a decent DJ and presenter but I won't be mournng his passing either.

[ExomatrixTV]

• Candace Owens SCHOOLS Piers Morgan & Brings Receipts!:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=T3VPuNaWfZI

“If they’re black, then it’s a gang; if they’re Italian, it’s the mob; but if they’re Jewish, then it’s a coincidence, and you should never speak about it.”

• Dave Chapelle

[Rizotto]

Some headlines from Haaretz:

https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/2024...f-ffefc1880000

December 23, 2024

Trump's Incoming National Security Advisor Showers Netanyahu With Praise, Hints at Saudi Normalization

President-elect Donald Trump's pick for National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, hailed recent Israeli military accomplishments giving credit to Netanyahu, while warning Hamas it will have 'hell to pay.' Waltz also called Saudi normalization a 'natural next step' (continued)
(full article at above link)

____________________________

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...3-fefbd23d0000

December 23, 2024

Analysis | How Trump and the GOP Plan to Dismantle the U.S. pro-Palestinian Movement

Aggressively anti-Palestinian appointees, who tend to describe all campus protesters as Hamas supporters, will soon steer both foreign and domestic policy, creating a Trump administration united in seeking a crackdown on the pro-Palestinian movement in the U.S. despite any other differences (continued)
(full article at link above)

_____________________________________

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...7-ffffe70b0000

December 25, 2024

Israeli Army Readying to Stay in Lebanon More Than the 60 Days Agreed in Cease-fire

Sources in the Israeli army say the military will have to stay in Lebanon until the Lebanese army can fulfil its commitments under the terms of the cease-fire deal – which include attaining full control of southern Lebanon (continued)
(full article at link above)

[Michel Leclerc]

Posted by Sirus (here)

(...)

His Twitter posts were plainly straightforward and left no room for interpretation. He celebrated the mutilation, rape and murder of Israeli and foreign nationals yet cried foul at the repercussions.

Thank you for your reply Michel. It was thought provoking, even though I disagreed.

Thank you Sirus. You probably understood that my sermon was also directed at myself.

***

p.s.: is there a possibility for you to direct me to such of his Twitter posts? (I have neither Twitter nor X accounts.) I am under the impression that the English versions of his poems are not very good (even if he made them himself... (!)) – so that may be true for his ordinary-language statements as well..

[Sirus]

Posted by Michel Leclerc (here)

Posted by Sirus (here)

(...)

His Twitter posts were plainly straightforward and left no room for interpretation. He celebrated the mutilation, rape and murder of Israeli and foreign nationals yet cried foul at the repercussions.

Thank you for your reply Michel. It was thought provoking, even though I disagreed.

Thank you Sirus. You probably understood that my sermon was also directed at myself.

***

p.s.: is there a possibility for you to direct me to such of his Twitter posts? (I have neither Twitter nor X accounts.) I am under the impression that the English versions of his poems are not very good (even if he made them himself... (!)) – so that may be true for his ordinary-language statements as well..

Hi Michel

I had to play around with them Search operator using his X handle and username. Try the below in the search bar. His username is Refaat in Gaza
@itranslate123 Since:2023-10-07

https://x.com/bariweiss/status/17190...HQLApng3Q&s=19

https://x.com/DrewPavlou/status/1733...s_RrwIgjA&s=19

https://x.com/DrewPavlou/status/1733...bsmlxeOCw&s=19

https://x.com/Khaledhzakariah/status...AfNSZKA6w&s=19

https://x.com/HeidiBachram/status/18...5jtyG3FeA&s=19

https://x.com/IsraMum/status/1738628...6iTfsgrHw&s=19

https://x.com/afalkhatib/status/1732...HILEov3tA&s=19

[shaberon]

Sack of lies called a ceasefire is still only escalating violations:

“Despite these developments, the resistance continues to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, granting the international community a chance to pressure Israel into compliance,” Shehadeh explained. However, with the 60-day ceasefire window still active, doubts remain about the international committee’s and Lebanese authorities’ ability to enforce the Israeli enemy’s commitments.

Brigadier General Mounir Shehadeh concluded by referencing a report in Israeli Haaretz, which stated that the Israeli army plans to remain in southern Lebanon even after the ceasefire deadline expires. This stance underscores the Israeli enemy’s determination to pursue its aggressive policies, reaffirming that only resistance and strength can effectively counter its ambitions.

It's rabid.

Meaningless, irascible, and essentially inhuman.

Something like that is to be removed and disposed of.

[shaberon]

Posted by Michel Leclerc (here)
The quote in blue refers an extremely important finding and confirms the hypotheses arrived at from “linguistic archaeology" and “paleo-linguistics", such as the Nostratic hypothesis. Thank you, One hundred and sixty one million eight hundred and three thousand three hundred and ninety-eight!

Is that a way of saying most of the "Biblical genealogy" is simply untrue?

[shaberon]

They are pursuing Alawite militias in Tartus.



New governor of Damascus:

"Israel may have felt fear, so it advanced a little, bombed a little, etc.," Marwan said, describing the strikes as a "natural" reaction. However, he emphasized that Syria does not view Israel as a threat.

"We have no fear of Israel, and our problem is not with Israel," Marwan stated. "We don't want to meddle in anything that threatens Israel's security or any other country's security."

Notably absent from Marwan's remarks were references to Palestinians or the ongoing conflict in Gaza, aligning with Sharaa's previous declarations of non-confrontation with Israel. Marwan went further, calling on the United States to play a role in fostering dialogue between Syria and Israel.

Bombed a little? Chains of the most massive sorties ever launched by the ZOF? It advanced because it was afraid, and for you, that's fine for them to seize the Golan.



New chief of intelligence:

The Syrian transitional government has appointed Anas Hasan Khattab, a figure with known ties to al-Qaida, as the new head of the country's general intelligence agency, sparking widespread concern over the implications for regional security.

Khattab, also known by his alias Abu Ahmad Hudoud, hails from the city of Jayrud and previously oversaw general security operations in Idlib. His involvement in intelligence gathering dates back to the period when Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) consolidated control over northern Syria, during which he managed surveillance of covert networks along the borders of HTS-controlled areas.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) designated Khattab on Sept. 23, 2014, under resolution 2161 (2014) for his association with al-Qaida. The designation cites his role in "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of" Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant. Khattab was identified as the administrative amir of the group as early as 2014, a position he ascended to after serving as a senior leader and member of al-Nusrah Front’s shura council.

I guess that's alright. The United Nations doesn't matter, nor if we know you are a gun for hire without spine or brain.

Help me find either of those in the new government:

The full lineup of the newly established interim government for Syria, led by Ahmed Al-Sharaa, has been announced. This transitional government, formed after the fall of the Assad regime, incorporates many figures from the former administration governing Idlib.

Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s rule, the new government was organized under the leadership of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham’s leader, Mohammad al-Jolani. It serves as a temporary structure, drawing significantly from the “Salvation Government,” which managed Idlib during the Syrian civil war.

Key Cabinet Members:

Prime Minister – Mohammad al-Bashir

Al-Bashir, 41, a native of Idlib, holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Aleppo University (2006) and another in Islamic Sharia and Law from Idlib University (2011). Previously serving as Prime Minister of Idlib’s Salvation Government, his tenure in the new government is set for three months, during which the constitution and parliament are suspended, paving the way for drafting a new constitution and free elections.

Minister of Foreign Affairs – Asaad Hassan al-Shibani

Al-Shibani, 37, born in Hasaka, hails from the Shiban tribe. He holds a BA in English Language and Literature from Damascus University (2009). A founding member of the Salvation Government’s Political Affairs Department, he has been instrumental in coordinating with international organizations and promoting diplomatic ties.

Minister of Defense – Murhaf Abu Qasra

Known by his aliases “Abu Hassan Al-Hamwi” and “Abu Hassan 600,” Abu Qasra formerly led the military wing of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. A graduate in Agricultural Engineering, he played a pivotal role in organizing opposition military factions and is now tasked with unifying them under a civilian-led command.

Minister of Interior – Mohammad Abdul Rahman

Abdul Rahman, 39, an Idlib native, defected from the Syrian military in 2012 and later held various leadership roles in opposition-held areas. Formerly the Interior Minister of the Salvation Government, he managed internal security, civil documentation, and law enforcement in rebel-held regions.

Minister of Justice – Shadi Mohammad al-Waisi

Al-Waisi, 39, from Aleppo, holds degrees in Islamic Sharia and Education and is pursuing a master’s in Islamic Studies and Law. A former Justice Minister in the Salvation Government, he aims to reform Syria’s legal system while adhering to Islamic Sharia principles.

Minister of Health – Maher al-Shar’a

Al-Sharaa, 51, a Damascus-born physician, specializes in fertility treatments and oncological surgery. He previously advised the Health Ministry in the Salvation Government.

Minister of Economy and Trade – Basil Abdul Aziz

Abdul Aziz, 40, from Aleppo, is an Energy Engineering graduate with expertise in strategic planning and economic feasibility studies. He oversaw industrial and economic activities in opposition territories.

Minister of Religious Endowments – Hussam Hussein
Hussein, 47, an Idlib native, holds degrees in Islamic Sharia and Education. Formerly a key figure in religious administration, he managed mosques and Islamic guidance under the Salvation Government.

Minister of Development – Fadi Al-Qassim
Al-Qassim, 44, an Idlib native and Civil Engineering graduate, focused on urban planning and infrastructure development in war-affected regions.

Minister of Information – Mohammad Ya'qoub Al-Amar

Al-Amar, 39, from Idlib, is a Political Science and Journalism graduate. He founded the Sham News Network and served in various media roles within the opposition.

Minister of Education – Nazeer Al-Qadri

Al-Qadri, 54, from Damascus, holds a degree in Arabic Literature. A former detainee of the Assad regime, he has been instrumental in developing education in opposition-held areas.

Minister of Agriculture – Taha Al-Ahmad

Al-Ahmad, 42, from Hama, holds advanced degrees in Agricultural Engineering and Development Studies. He previously served as Minister of Economy and Agriculture in the Salvation Government.

Minister of Local Administration – Mohammad Abdul Rahman Muslim

Muslim, from Idlib, is a Civil Engineering graduate with expertise in urban planning. He has managed local councils and reconstruction efforts in war-torn areas.

This government is expected to lead the nation through a transitional phase marked by the drafting of a new constitution and the organization of free elections, aiming to stabilize Syria and rebuild its governance structures.

There's the answer. There's no Syria, the constitution is suspended and to be replaced. Now you can call it Grape Ape, or Sawdust Bozo. Keeping the old name would be inappropriate, as it was not an approver of Israel. These people call themselves Islamic? I don't see how that works. Sounds more like Mammon.

[Michel Leclerc]

Posted by shaberon (here)

Posted by Michel Leclerc (here)
The quote in blue refers an extremely important finding and confirms the hypotheses arrived at from “linguistic archaeology" and “paleo-linguistics", such as the Nostratic hypothesis. Thank you, One hundred and sixty one million eight hundred and three thousand three hundred and ninety-eight!

Is that a way of saying most of the "Biblical genealogy" is simply untrue?

Dear Shaberon. Biblical genealogy and more things biblical have been proved to be distortions, fabrications etc. by historians, archeologists, philologists etc. I can’t really be interested or bothered any more by all this – it is really far less trustworthy than the Gospels or than the Quran although both have been heavily doctored by many parties – except by (1) Genesis and its dependance on Mesopotamian sources, (2) the poets/prophets, (3) Job and the traces it shows of having been a play (researched and revealed by a Belgian scholar) [imitating Greek models (!)] which shows the theory of the absence of drama in Semitic cultures to be a myth as well, and (4) its mystical/gnostical interpretation in the Zohar, but which does not prove the historical veracity of the Bible at all: the spirit can admittedly only be the spirit of the letter, but the letter still needs the spirit to be read at all.

This recent research confirms that “Mediterranean culture” had been a melting pot already long before what we consider to be historical times. (Disproved by the "Hancock school”, to use an abbreviation for all those who have proven Mediterranean cultures to be far older.) You know my appreciation for Martin Bernal and his "Black Athena”. Haplogroup research more or less proved that black populations south of the Sahara originated in Egypt. This echoes also in the linguistic record. The whole group of Chadic languages (Hausa is a better-known example) is, alongside Hamitic (Pharaonic Egyptian), Berber, Omotic etc. part of the “Afrasian” mega family (I prefer this term, proposed by Nostraticist Bomhard, to the more usual but unreconcilable twins “Afro-Asiatic” vs. “Hamito-Semitic”), and also the Nilo-Atlantic languages of West Africa, and the Niger-Congo group from Niger to Bantu land (South Africa) show striking features in common with the Afrasian and the Indo-European group. On the other hand, the split within the Afrasian group is now thought to have happened in the period stretching from 14,000 to 7,000 BCA. You can easily see to which time the middle point of this period refers. In another framework, I have recently noticed that the time period for the split within the Indo-European group (i.e. the "Black Lake --> Black Sea catastrophe) [latter half of the 6th millennium BCE] more or less coincides with the breakup of the Sino-Tibetan mega language family (into the “Sinitic” (roughly Chinese), the Tibetan and the Burmese groups), thought to have happened around 5,200 BCA. So the overarching hypothesis is in the process of being confirmed. The Late Ice Age catastrophe of about 9800 BCA broke up the largest “Megafamilies” (Afrasian, Nostratic), and "something” near the end of the 6th millennium broke up the MMacrofamily parts i.e. the members groups of those Megafamilies: the Indo-European Macrogroup, the Sino-Tibetan one, the Austronesian (Polynesian) group, and - my guess – the non-Afrasian sub-Saharan “black” languages of West and Equatorial Africa. In this whole world it is important to understand that haplogroup facts relate to bodies (black, pink, yellow), language facts relate to bodies as well (but bodies can learn new languages!), whereas monuments, utensils, agricultural tools etc. “do not speak” at all and can be learnt to use in a week’s time.

p.s.: content correction in red: I had it wrong first – always re-read what you write, Michel!

[shaberon]

Posted by Michel Leclerc (here)
Biblical genealogy and more things biblical have been proved to be distortions, fabrications etc. by historians, archeologists, philologists etc. I can’t really be interested or bothered any more by all this – it is really far less trustworthy than the Gospels or than the Quran although both have been heavily doctored by many parties – except by (1) Genesis and its dependance on Mesopotamian sources...

My suggestion is fairly simple along these lines, take the texts, Exodus, etc., as arbitrary Abrahamic myth perhaps based in folklore rather than fully invented.

The actual original tradition being the Psalms, meaning David and Solomon were substantial individuals, and parts of the Book of Kings also likewise, so there actually is a somewhat reliable time frame, from ca. 1,000 B. C. E. onwards.

The need for stitching in the patriarchal myths is because it intertwines into Leviticus, which is also probably objectively somewhat accurate. That is to say, self-installation of the Levites, assisted by, we might say, tales of this weird thing happening.


At that point, we cease trying to validate or justify how the indicated stories might have worked or be semi-accurate; I personally reject this type of myth from any tradition, except perhaps only in a symbolic way, like "Father of Agriculture" simply remembered as an important developmental stage that lifted us out of the "state of nature".

The suggestions about Africa are interesting and perhaps borne out better on a different thread.

Comparatively in the east Mediterranean bottleneck region, a literal "Shem" would have come out from the Armenian highlands towards the end of the Ice Age 10,000 B. C. E. or so, and the "Semite" language would have expanded completely across the Arabian Peninsula by around 5,000 B. C. E. in the form of South Arabian. Does that resemble the framework you are generating?

[shaberon]

What's this?


Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service says US, UK spies trying to force evacuation of Russian bases in Syria


A plot:

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) says that the United States and the United Kingdom are preparing to attack Russian bases in Syria.

Washington and London are preparing terrorist attacks against Russian military bases in Syria, the press bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has stated, Sputnik reported.

ISIL field commanders have received attack drones to carry out attacks on Russian military bases in Syria, according to the SVR.

The outgoing US administration and the British leadership want to prevent the stabilization of the situation in Syria, the press bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service reported.

"According to information received by the SVR, the outgoing US administration and the British leadership, with the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are aiming to prevent the stabilization of the situation in this country. More broadly, they aim to maintain a state of chaos in the Middle East," the report says.

"Washington and London believe that in such conditions they will be able to achieve their own geopolitical goal faster - to ensure their long-term dominance in the region based on the odious concept of a rules-based order."

by:

“British intelligence services are developing plans to organize a series of terrorist attacks on Russian military facilities in Syria, with the role of perpetrators assigned to militants of the terrorist group ISIS,” the Russian intelligence service, better known as SVR, said in a statement published by the state-owned TASS news agency.

There are thousands of suspected ISIS fighters detained in northeast Syria by Kurdish forces who are partners with the US-led global coalition.

The Russian intelligence service also claimed that the two Western powers plan to use ISIS members “who were recently released from prison by the ‘new authorities’” in the attacks, referring to the transitional government in Damascus that came to power on December 8 after toppling Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

SDF is nominally prepared to integrate.


They have suppressed PKK flags:

Ankara has put terrorism labels on the PKK and the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the armed wing of the PYD and the backbone of the SDF, that Turkey considers the Syrian branch of the PKK.

SDF chief Mazloum Abdi and PKK commanders have repeatedly denied organizational links between their forces, but have confirmed coordination in the initial years of the fight against ISIS.


Washington has mediated talks between the SDF and Turkey in a bid to end the current conflict and to avoid a potential Turkish offensive on SDF-held Kobane city, which is a symbol of Kurdish resistance against ISIS. Several convoys of US troops have been spotted in the city in recent days.

Rudaw English asked the US State Department if Washington had advised the DAANES to issue the directive about flags. A spokesperson for the department avoided commenting on the issue, instead reiterating that they consider the PKK a terrorist organisation while the SDF remains their local partner in the fight against ISIS, and that they look “forward to continuing our engagements with Türkiye about our shared interests in Syria.”

Murat Karayilan, a senior PKK commander, on December 16 denied the presence of PKK fighters in Rojava. He said that they temporarily entered northeast Syria in 2014 and left after defeating ISIS.

He also stressed that the display of portraits of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in Rojava, which was very common before the directive by the DAANES, does not mean that Syrian Kurds are PKK members, but rather are followers of Ocalan’s “philosophy.”

‘Good decision’

The Kurdish National Council (ENKS/KNC), a coalition of opposition parties in Rojava, has repeatedly called on the DAANES and SDF to distance themselves from the PKK and its symbols and flags.

ENKS president Sulaiman Oso said the directive to display only the DAANES, SDF and Syrian symbols and flags would be a good step.

“It would be great to have such a decision,” he told Rudaw English on Friday.

ENKS is a member of the Turkish-backed coalition of political groups who opposed the ousted regime of Bashar al-Assad. It has been in constant rivalry with the PYD despite occasional talks to create a unified Kurdish stance in the region.

The intra-Kurdish talks have been mediated by Americans, but recently a French delegation has also been involved.

SDF’s Abdi held a meeting with the ENKS on Monday, with both sides saying in a joint statement that they “agreed on the importance of continued meetings and the expeditious resolution of contentious issues.”

Nasraddin Ibrahim is also a member of the PYNK committee that is negotiating with the ENKS. He told Rudaw English that the meeting between Abdi and ENKS was mediated by American, French and British delegations.

“The aim is to bring viewpoints closer and overcome obstacles preventing the formation of a joint Kurdish delegation to negotiate with Mr. Ahmad al-Sharaa's government regarding the Kurdish issue in the new Syria following the collapse of the dictatorial and chauvinistic regime,” he said.

Sharaa, who is better known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, is the rebel leader whose Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) spearheaded the offensive to overthrow Assad’s regime.

Days after the collapse of the former regime, the DAANES directed its institutions to raise the new flag of Syria. The administration also plans to send a delegation to Damascus to initiate talks with the new government.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said earlier this month that they still consider YPG as a branch of the PKK.

"The YPG is an organization run by international terrorist fighters coming from Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Europe. Although the Americans may market this situation to the world differently, the reality is clear,” he said.

Responding to a Rudaw question about the possibility of ending hostilities between Ankara and the SDF during a press conference in Doha, Fidan said, “In short, no, unless they change themselves.”

Germany is pro-SDF.


Israel as well:

“In conversations I’ve had with foreign ministers worldwide - from [US Secretary of State] Antony Blinken to others - I’ve stressed the international community’s responsibility to the Kurds,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told the Jerusalem Post.

“The Kurds are a pro-Western and friendly group, and we must stand by them,” Sa’ar said, underscoring Israel’s moral and diplomatic support for the Kurds.

That's going on while Americans and BP are still trying to pump Iraqi oil. As to the actual "pro-westernness" of Kurds, that is difficult to determine. The difficult position may cause some of them to hold that as an answer, but I am not exactly sure they are "pro" much of anything other than themselves.


And:

An American newspaper, quoting a Zionist official, says that Yemenis are more advanced in terms of military technology than many people imagine and they should not be underestimated.

Yemenis have recently intensified their attacks against positions in the occupied territories, and this has caused millions of Israelis to flee to shelters almost every night, the Washington Post reported.

Washington Post also quoted military experts and added that Yemeni drones and missiles were able to pass through Israel’s air defense systems.

That quite possibly is referring to THAAD, the thing that can be re-loaded about twelve times a year.

They fired at Nevatim air base and other places, which may or may not have worked today.

[shaberon]

Listen to this endorsement:

The so-called Syrian human rights center, which is based in London, announced in a report on Saturday night that from last night until today, 14 citizens have been killed in Baniyas, Jableh, and the western suburbs of Hama.

These incidents highlight the need for weapon control and restricting it to government forces, because without such control, the lives of Syrian citizens will be at risk, it added.

It further added that inspections should be carried out only with official permission from the military command to prevent incidents such as kidnapping and murder of citizens by armed groups.

Is that what you bloviated in 2014?

No, today, it's everyone surrender to Al Qaeda. All this stuff goes on and suddenly we are concerned about this "rough night", and, let's see, if you do this, then Syria and Lebanon will do what the Americans say, which is primarily not to be involved with Iran.