#Al Arabiya

[pasparal]

Israel-Gaza War: Norman Finkelstein Debates The "Genocide" In Palestine | The Full Interview

Al Arabiya English

Jun 5, 2024

“Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza” American political scientist Norman Finkelstein told Al Arabiya English's Riz Khan.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Finkelstein said the population of Gaza “sealed off from the world” is facing a “death sentence” following the long-time denial of aid – primarily food, water, fuel and medical supply.

Finkelstein is an American academic whose forthright analysis of the Israel-Gaza conflict has provoked strong opinions over many years. He's no less outspoken in this exclusive interview, in which he delivers his own hard talking judgment on the international courts, the ICJ and the ICC.

[arrahmahcom]

Dianggap Bias, Saluran Berita Saudi Al Arabiya Disebut Mitra Genosida ‘Israel’

GAZA (Arrahmah.id) – Warga Palestina marah dengan liputan pembantaian ‘Israel’ baru-baru ini di kamp Al-Mawasi oleh saluran berita milik Saudi, Al Arabiya, serta liputan umum perang tersebut yang banyak diyakini bias terhadap ‘Israel’. Pada Sabtu (13/7/2024), serangkaian serangan ‘Israel’ menewaskan sedikitnya 90 orang di wilayah Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, yang sebelumnya telah ditetapkan sebagai…

[masryno]

رنا هويدي مذيعة MBC السابقة “تريند” بسبب صور

رنا هويدي مذيعة MBC السابقة “تريند” بسبب صور عارية ونشرت “هويدي” صورة عبر موقع تبادل الصور والفيديوهات “إنستجرام”، صورة لظهر مدون عليه عبارة: “من منكم بلا خطيئة فليرجمني بحجر”. rana heweidy mbc رنا هويدي مذيعة MBC السابقة “تريند” بسبب صور عاد تسريب صور وفيديو منسوبين لـ “الاعلامية” رنا هويدي تصدرها التريند من جديد، تِلك الإعلامية التي كانت تعمل بقناة  MBC مصر، والتي تم القبض عليها نهاية الشهر…

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

'Why did you fire from Rafah?' Arab hostess embarrasses Hamas leader on air

Al-Arabiya hostess Rasha Nabil questions the timing of the missile barrage launched from Rafah toward Israeli civilians as the IDF was advancing toward the city.

by Shachar Kleiman

A host on the Saudi Al-Arabiya channel has challenged a senior Hamas official over the terror group's tactics in the current war.

In an interview aired Wednesday night, Rasha Nabil questioned the timing of the missile barrage launched from Rafah toward Israeli civilians as the IDF was advancing toward the city.

In response, Razi Hamed, a member of Hamas' political bureau and a close associate of the terror group's Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar, made the unsubstantiated claim that Israel was committing "massacres" in other cities in the strip as well as in the West Bank even though, as he claimed, no rocket attacks were conducted from there. "Does that not justify it? It's a criminal, cruel, Nazi state," he said.

Dissatisfied with Hamed's response, Nabil pressed on, asking whether there was "a specific purpose, a calculated aim, a political goal" to the Rafah missile launches that were otherwise perceived as supporting Israel's claim of Rafah being a terror hub sheltering Hamas terrorists.

Again making an unsubstantiated claim, Hamed insisted that Israel was a state "founded on crime" and, therefore, "does not need justification for its killings."

Israel considers the Rafah operation vital to achieving the two goals it set on Oct. 7: to destroy Hamas and secure the release of the over 100 hostages still held captive by the terror organization, many of them considered to be held in Rafah.

Nabil is known to challenge senior Hamas officials in her interviews. Just last week, she interviewed Hussam Badran, also a member of the terror group's political bureau, about the blood on captured IDF female soldiers and "violent discourse" toward them.

Badran attempted to justify the terrorists' behaviors by pointing out that the events occurred on a military base, rather than a civilian area. He even tried to suggest that no violence against the soldiers can be observed in the footage, at which point Nabil interjected, saying, "No, there are female soldiers with blood on their faces… and there is violent speech toward them documented in video and audio."

[serendipityandacceptance]

I love these reading these posts and understanding 80% of the words. Still got it, a little bit.

“I want to make coffee for you and then drink it with you. You or Your … something?

[reasonsforhope]

Additional humanitarian aid trucks started rolling over the Rafah Crossing from Egypt to Gaza early Friday [November 24] morning, as the planned four-day ceasefire began. The aid trucks, fuel tankers among them, were a welcome sight amid the seven-week-long war between Israel and Hamas.

Since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostage, Israel has periodically [note: imho, this language is wildly minimizing the extent of the long-term, near-total blockade] cut off water, fuel and electricity to Gaza. An estimated 14,000 people have been killed by Israeli bombardment of the territory, the Hamas-run health ministry has said.

People in Gaza experienced reprieve on Friday after the warring sides implemented a new deal that included a temporary pause in fighting, delivery of more aid, and the planned exchange of a possible 50 Hamas hostages for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

International organizations and Qatar’s foreign minister, who helped broker the deal, have said the new aid will not be enough to address the dire humanitarian disaster in Gaza. More than half of the territory’s two million-plus residents are internally displaced, with food and clean water now running out in north Gaza.

The United Nations and many aid groups have been calling for a permanent ceasefire.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the country will continue its war to eliminate Hamas after the truce. Hamas told Al Jazeera in an interview that they want a permanent ceasefire, but said the group is “ready to deal with all situations imposed by Israel.”

What aid is entering Gaza? 

Between Oct. 21 and Nov. 23, more than 1,723 truckloads of humanitarian supplies entered Gaza through the Egyptian border, the U.N. said. Before the war, a monthly average of nearly 10,000 trucks of commercial and humanitarian commodities came in.

The U.N. said Israel allowed 19,812 U.S. gallons (75,000 liters) of fuel to enter Gaza on Nov. 23. Israel had previously prohibited fuel over fears it would be used by Hamas for military purposes. Fuel is now being distributed by the U.N. to support food distribution and to operate generators at hospitals, water and sanitation facilities, shelters and other critical services, the agency said. 

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement shared on various social media channels that four tankers of fuel and four tankers of cooking gas were transferred from Egypt on Friday morning. 

Videos showed more trucks started passing into Gaza after the temporary ceasefire started at 7 a.m. local time. 

As of 10:30 a.m., 60 trucks of a total of 230 expected on Friday had entered Gaza, Al Arabiya reported, citing a Rafah crossing border official.

The Palestinian Red Crescent received two ambulances and 85 trucks loaded with aid through the crossing, carrying food, water, relief items, medical equipment, and medications, the group wrote on X (formerly Twitter)...

Multiple U.N. agencies have called for a humanitarian ceasefire, with U.N.’s Secretary-General saying in a statement on Nov. 19 that “this must stop.”

In a news conference Friday morning, Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA, told reporters: “We hope that this humanitarian pause leads to a longer term humanitarian ceasefire for the benefit of the people of Gaza, Israel and others.”

-via Time, November 24, 2023

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

Today is the 80th day of the war. It's been 80 days since Israelis all learned that we're not safe from Palestinian terrorists even in our own homes. It's been 80 days since most Jews worldwide have come under attack, of one type or another, following the biggest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. It's been 80 days since over 100 Israeli hostages have slept in their own beds. It's been 80 days of having to explain that we didn't start or want this war. It's been 80 days of looking at our loved ones, and knowing that on Oct 7, it could have been them. It's been 80 days of knowing that we'll have to keep losing Israelis, and mourning our people, if we want to rid the world (Israelis and Palestinians alike) of the threat of Hamas.

And indeed, two more Israeli soldiers were killed yesterday, while no less than 14 fuenrals for young soldiers, most of them around 19 or 20 years old, were held all across the country. One of the funerals had to be held low key, with almost no attendance, because the kibbutz this young soldier, Gal Hershko, belongs to is in the north, and the community members are evacuated, due to Hezbollah rockets being fired at the area. It would be too risky for them to be at that cemetery. The eulogies for Gal were held at a gym, close to where the evacuated members of the community are staying.

Israel is letting into Gaza 80,000 vaccines for children, to help with the health situation there.

The Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya has experienced a serious issue with its computers system since yesterday, it's possibly another cyber attack, like the unsuccessful one on the Ziv Hospital (the one that's now known to have been carried out jointly by Hezbollah and Iran). The GMC has had to shut down its computers, and has initiated a special protocol that exists for such situations, saying no medical service has so far been stopped. Let's hope that this is resolved quickly, and doesn't end up costing any human life.

Ukrainian-born Israeli gymnast, Olympic gold medalist and world champion Artem Dolgopyat has decided to auction the world championship gold medal that he won on Oct 7, and donate the money to the Israelis from the communities which were massacred on that day. Winning this medal was his stated dream after taking gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But when asked about this, he replied, ""What is the status of a world champion worth if my country hurts? The state of Israel comes first for me."

This is CCTV footage, showing a fragment of a rocket that hit an Israeli supermarket, after it was successfully intercepted by Iron Dome (for all the people who think Israel should just be okay with rockets being fired at it, because we have this defense system):

What I also find interesting is that this was shared by al-Arabiya, a Saudi news channel. One of the theories about the timing of Hamas' massacre, is that it was meant to provoke an Israeli reaction so fierce, that the Arab world would have to take a stand against Israel, and the possibility of peace talks between the Israelis and Saudis would come to an end. If that was the intention, al-Arabiya posting footage that explains to the Arab world, the Israeli POV, is an indication that maybe those peace talks still have a chance.

This is 30 years old Israel Chana.

On the morning of Oct 7, he was coming back from celebrating his 30th birthday with his family, friends, ad the girlfriend he told his mom he wanted to propose to. After the rocket attacks started, the terrorists got to his neighborhood. Israel worked as a security guard. He grabbed his pistol, 15 bullets, and went out to fight the terrorists. He saved his neighborhood, but was killed himself.

May his memory be a blessing.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[jordanianroyals]

Portraits of Rajwa Al Saif at her henna party, 22 May 2023. Upon entrance, Rajwa is showered with petals & bakhoor. The Saudi bride to be wears dons a white traditional dress with golden silk threads by Saudi designer Honayda Serafi.

Speaking to Al Arabiya, Serafi said that, through the dress, she wanted to “tell the story of this love and to merge between Saudi and Jordanian identities in terms of fashion and culture.” Serafi added that it was also important for her to portray Al Saif’s character and personality through the design which was rooted in history.

Al Saif’s dress is inspired by the traditional thobe of the Najd region which Serafi wanted to execute with a modern take. The dress and overlay resemble the union between Saudi Arabia and Jordan that is happening through this wedding where Serafi noted that she incorporated the seven-pointed star that adorns the Jordanian flag and which reflects the seven Quran verses of Al-Fatiha.

“I also took the palm tree symbol from Saudi Arabia which represents the nerve of life, vitality and giving,” Serafi said, adding that the dress also includes poetry written by Tunisian poet Abu Al-Qasim al-Shabbi. “I am very happy and proud to be part of this historic event,” she added. (x)

[mariacallous]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces the most substantial threat to his regime in years, after rebels captured Aleppo—one of the country’s largest cities—last week, along with dozens of other towns and villages, in a surprise assault.

The move on Aleppo followed a Nov. 27 offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an opposition militant group and former al Qaeda affiliate that controls much of Syria’s Idlib province, which borders Aleppo province. Aided by locally manufactured kamikaze drones, HTS appears to have caught Assad’s forces off guard, prompting them to retreat from vast areas that are now under the group’s control. Both sides have already suffered significant losses, with at least 446 combatants and civilians killed since Nov. 27, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

More than 14,000 people have been displaced due to the recent violence, according to local aid group Violet. But, for the first time in eight years, many regime dissidents are returning to towns and villages that are now under HTS control.

The Syrian civil war began in 2011 after Assad’s regime violently repressed pro-democracy protesters, triggering a conflict that has so far claimed more than half a million lives and displaced over 7 million people. Aleppo was a major opposition stronghold until 2016, when a Russian air bombing campaign retook the city for the Assad regime.

HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani has instructed his fighters to protect all civilians, including Christians, as well as Syrian regime soldiers who surrender, according to Idlib-based journalist Fared al-Mahlool. Following its split with al Qaeda around 8 years ago, HTS has sought to rebrand itself as a more moderate force than its erstwhile benefactor. Now, many residents of newly captured areas are uncertain what life under HTS control might entail.

Recent escalations in northwest Syria come as Assad’s main international supporters are preoccupied with their own conflicts. Russia is prioritizing its war in Ukraine, and both Iran and its proxy Hezbollah, in Lebanon, have been significantly weakened in fighting with Israel. Still, Russian and Syrian airstrikes targeted Idlib and Aleppo provinces over the weekend, while Iranian-backed militias from Iraq—including Kataib Hezbollah and Fatemiyoun—recently crossed into Syria, according to Al Arabiya, a Saudi Arabian news channel.

“Since Sunday, the bombings are constant,” Mahlool said. “Several schools and clinics in Idlib province have already been targeted.”

On Dec. 1, an airstrike hit Aleppo University Hospital, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more. The strike also damaged one of Violet’s ambulances, said Yemn Sayed Issa, the media and communication coordinator with the aid group. That same day, airstrikes targeted Idlib University Hospital, Ibn Sina Hospital, Idlib’s National Hospital, and the Idlib Health Directorate. And, according to Issa, a Soviet-era warplane struck a camp for displaced people near Ma’arrat Misrin, a town just north of central Idlib, killing at least seven civilians, including five children and two women. Violet’s medical team is responding to the attacks.

“It’s extremely dangerous for everyone. Our medics and ambulances head out daily, but constantly fear being targeted,” Issa said, adding that Aleppo—home to around 2 million people—is now critically short on essentials like bread, water, fuel, and medical supplies, which had previously been shipped from other regime-held areas.

“Everything is coming from Idlib now, but it’s difficult. The humanitarian situation is tragic. People are having to find shelter wherever they can,” Issa said. “In the town of [Darkush], for example, a public swimming pool has been turned into a temporary shelter for people who have fled their villages. Most displaced families have been forced to seek shelter in open fields and farmland, without any proper shelter or basic facilities.”

HTS’s advance means Aleppo is under opposition control for the first time in eight years. The front line had remained frozen since Russia and Turkey brokered a cease-fire deal in 2020. The two countries back opposing sides in Syria.

Russia, along with Iran and Hezbollah, are Assad’s key allies, while Turkey supports the Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of opposition groups—excluding HTS—that fights the Assad regime and Kurdish forces such as the People’s Defense Units (YPG) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). Turkey considers the latter two groups to be terrorist organizations.

Since the recent rebel offensive, Assad’s regime has effectively abandoned areas within Aleppo province and left them under Kurdish control. The SNA continues to push the Kurdish groups further east. On Dec. 1, the SNA captured the strategic town of Tel Rifaat, which is located between Aleppo and the Turkish border. For the past eight years, the area had been under YPG and PKK control—a significant national security concern for Turkey.

The relationship between HTS and the SNA has long been tense; HTS has sought control over SNA-held areas and the SNA distrusts HTS for numerous reasons, including ideological differences. But both groups share a common goal.

“The priority is to fight the regime,” said Orwa Ajjoub, a doctoral candidate at Malmo University in Sweden who researches Islamist groups in Syria. “I’ve spoken with people who are sworn enemies of HTS to this day, but now they’re putting their differences aside to fight the regime. HTS is leading these efforts. When the dust settles, we’ll see how these diverse groups manage to resolve their disagreements.”

Turkey has its own troops in Syria, primarily in Idlib, Afrin, and other areas east of the Euphrates River, mainly as part of its operations against the PKK and YPG. Around 900 U.S. troops are also in the country; mostly concentrated in northeastern Syria, they support counter-terrorism operations against the Islamic State.

Analysts have speculated over whether Turkey—which is keen to reduce the power of the PKK and YPG—gave HTS the green light for the operation. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, however, said that it would be “wrong” to try to chalk the current situation in Syria up to external intervention.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to mend relations with Assad in July, following a deterioration of ties throughout the war. Yet Assad insisted that Turkish forces must fully withdraw from Syria for him to negotiate with Erdogan—a request Turkey is unwilling to meet due to its own national security concerns.

Speaking with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Dec. 1, Fidan stressed that Turkey opposes instability in the region and reiterated the importance of reducing tensions in Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Turkey on Dec. 2 to discuss the situation in Syria. “Recent developments show once again that Damascus must reconcile with its own people and the legitimate opposition,” Fidan said at a joint news conference with Araghchi. “Turkey is ready to make all the necessary contribution toward this.”

Whether Turkey knew about it or not, “this operation is definitely a win for Turkey,” Ajjoub said. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has spoken about potentially withdrawing the remaining U.S. troops in Syria, which could create a power vacuum in the region. “Having more leverage in Syria before Donald Trump takes office could be significant for Turkey,” Ajjoub said.

[girlactionfigure]

💥 CONFIRMED AIRSTRIKES TARGET VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN HODEIDAH, YEMEN

🔴  Israeli Broadcasting Authority reports that airstrikes targeted Hodeidah’s port, power station, and oil storage facilities.

💥 According to Saudi Al-Arabiya, the Israeli airstrikes also struck a power plant at the Hodeidah port.

💥 Lebanese Al Mayadeen highlights additional attacks on oil reserves in Ras Issa alongside the port of Hodeidah.

💥 Yemeni media reports indicate more than ten strikes on the Hodeidah port.

💥 Al Mayadeen, citing Yemeni sources, confirms additional attacks on the Hodeidah airfield.

❗️(horror warning - skip this line if sensitive) After analyzing digital forensic evidence, Israeli police’s special investigation unit has determined - - 27 children between the ages of 0-17 were shot and BURNED ALIVE on October 7 by Hamas invaders.

❓ENEMY HELICOPTER CRASH?  (LIKELY FAKE NEWS) Reports are coming in of a helicopter crash in western Iran, carrying Iranian leaders and Houthis, with a supposed source of Al Jazeera.  BUT we can’t find any confirmation on Al Jazeera sites.  LIKELY FAKE NEWS.

⭕SIGNIFICANT HEZBOLLAH ROCKET BARRAGE.. at the Afula - Nazareth - Migdal HaEmek area and wide surrounds at 14:30. 

.. While Hezbollah has been hurt, they clearly continue to have the ability to fire LARGE barrages affecting a wide area. 

⭕MULTIPLE HEZBOLLAH ROCKET BARRAGES.. Safed area.

🔹PENTAGON WARNS.. Pentagon chief warns Iran against targeting US troops in the Middle East (after they were targeted multiple times in the past 24 hours) and orders an increased readiness of additional US forces to deploy, “elevating preparedness to respond to various contingencies.”

♦️WAVE OF IDF ATTACKS on Hezbollah areas in Beirut.

[hero-israel]

I'm helping someone write an article combating disinformation about the war and Israel, and currently we are working on the section about the rapes. We are looking for that study and article done by anti-Zionists that revealed IDF officers have such a low rate of committing sexual assault that activists tried to spin it to be "Israel is just so racist they won't even touch Arab women." I was wondering if you happened to have a link to that saved because I remember that being a topic brought up here at one point. We're really struggling to search through internet engines right now because everything is overflowing with news updates.

"You're so racist against Palestinians, you won't even rape them!" can be seen here and here.

And I know what it's like to be unable to find sources that you definitely know are there, just because of the overflow of current events and Google enshittification. In the May 2021 conflict when Israel blew up that media tower where all the press had been based, I was able to find a clip of an Al-Arabiya anchor who had been in the middle of a broadcast from their studio inside that building when the camera shook, the anchor looked around nervously, and said - live - "A missile was just launched from the window beneath us." The forum where I saw it went dead, and searching for "Gaza media tower rocket launch" naturally only shows Israel blowing it up.

[silicacid]

Footage from Al Arabiya TV documents the Israeli occupation committing a field execution using sniper bullets against civilians, including a man and his child daughter, in al-Shatie Refugee Camp in Gaza Strip.

[eretzyisrael]

One dead, ten wounded following suspected drone strike in Tel Aviv, IDF investigating

By YUVAL BARNEA   Published: JULY 19, 2024 03:28 Updated: JULY 19, 2024 07:46

An object found at the scene of the explosion in Tel Aviv, July 19, 2024. (photo credit: MAARIV)

During searches by emergency services, the body of a lifeless man was found in an apartment near the location of the explosion.

Israeli media reported a loud explosion on Ben Yehuda Street on the corner of Shalom Aleichem near the US Consulate in Tel Aviv early Friday morning.

During searches by emergency services, the body of a lifeless man in his 50s with shrapnel marks on his body was found in an apartment near the location of the explosion. Ten people were taken to hospital with minor wounds, according to Israeli media.

Police, fire, and rescue services were deployed to the area and told Israeli media that there was no fire. The source of the explosion is not yet known.

An IDF spokesperson announced that a preliminary investigation shows that the explosion in Tel Aviv "was caused by the fall of an aerial target, which did not trigger a warning."

According to the Saudi owned Al-Arabiya/al-Hadath channel, the United States intercepted a ballistic missile and three drones launched by the Houthis at Israel during on Friday night, but the fourth managed to hit Tel Aviv.

Emergency personnel inspect debris at the site of the explosion in Tel Aviv. July 19, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/RICARDO MORAES)

The IDF is continuing to investigate the explosion.

Residents who live near the place of the explosion say that objects were shattered in their houses as a result of the blast.

Soon after the attack, a leader of Yemen's Houthis, Hezam al-Asad tweeted "Tel Aviv" with a burning emoji. No official statement has been made by Israel regarding this connection.

The spokesman of Yemen's Houthis, Yahya Sarie, said on X, that the group will reveal details about a military operation that targeted Tel Aviv.

Magen David Adom reported that a 37-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were slightly injured, and they are fully conscious and were taken to the Ichilov Hospital with shrapnel injuries to their limbs and shoulder. In addition, four were being treated for shock at the scene.

MDA Spokesperson, Zaki Heller, later said "following a search of the area, an unconscious male was found in one of the nearby buildings with penetrating injuries. EMTs and Paramedics treated 8 casualties, including 4 with shrapnel and blast injuries, and 4 with anxiety symptoms."

The Home Front Command stated: "No aerial intrusion into the country's central area was detected, and therefore no alarm was triggered - the incident is under investigation."

The police said: "A short time ago, a report was received at the police headquarters about hearing an explosion in a building in Tel Aviv. Large forces of the Tel Aviv District Police and police engineers arrived at the scene."

The Mayor of Tel AVviv, Ron Huldai, posted on X: "The Municipality of Tel Aviv-Yafo is on heightened alert in light of the severe UAV incident tonight, in which one person was killed and others were injured. The war is still here, and it is hard and painful. The municipal forces arrived at the spot quickly and dealt with the incident, and we are prepared for developments, if any. I call on the public to obey gov't instructions."

Israel police

Israel police stated that they rushed to the area after receiving hundreds of reports at around 03:00 am. 

They reported that the commander of the Tel Aviv District, Superintendent Peretz Omar Kaim, together with the commander of the Yarkon Region, Yehiel Bohdana, assessed the situation in the field with all the emergency and rescue forces.

They called on the residents to obey the directives of the Home Front Command, and to not touch the remnants of rockets that may contain explosives and to report this without delay to Moked 100.

This is a developing story.

Designed by DANIEL CHEN

 מחקרים חדשים בתחום הזיכרון והקוגניצה לקריאה! Sponsored - PSO To The Article 

[tomorrowusa]

Dictators sometimes resort to manufacturing and trafficking drugs to raise money for their shoddy régimes. Trump's bro Kim Jong-un famously sells illicit drugs. North Korean diplomats are often drug pushers in countries where North Korea has embassies.

So when a warehouse linked to the ousted al-Assad régime in Syria was found to be stocked with the drug captagon, it simply confirmed suspicions about Syria's involvement in the drug trade.

A social media video surfaced Wednesday allegedly showing a warehouse in Syria stacked with captagon, an illicit drug that had transformed the country into a narco-state under former President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. The large warehouse was reportedly located at the headquarters of a military division near Damascus that was commanded by Assad’s brother Maher. CNN is unable immediately to verify the location. A voice commenting over the video says that it is “one of the largest warehouse facilities of captagon manufacturing of pills.” Piles of pills are seen on the floor along with drug-making equipment. If confirmed, the discovery would support claims by the United States and others that the Assad regime had been involved in actively exporting the drug. Captagon has become a significant social problem in neighboring Arab nations and spurred some of them to engage in talks with the former Syrian regime to curb its trafficking. It is a highly addictive drug, mostly containing amphetamine, that is sometimes described as the “poor man’s cocaine.” Studies over recent years have estimated the annual trade in the drug to be worth billions of dollars. It is believed to have become an economic lifeline for the Assad regime while it was under crippling American sanctions. This week, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya reported the discovery of thousands of captagon pills at the Mazzeh airbase south of Damascus.

This was a bigtime operation, not just a couple of bros in a basement with a chemistry set.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's nominee for director of national intelligence, is a longtime apologist for drug kingpin Bashar al-Assad.

Before she was redpilled, Gabbard’s outstanding trait was warmth toward dictators. In 2017, she traveled to Syria and met with Assad not once but twice, explaining that she met the dictator because “the suffering of the Syrian people . . . has been weighing heavily on my heart.” Like so many political pilgrims, Gabbard saw what she wanted to see, not the reality staring her in the face. In 2017, she had every reason to know that Assad had not only used chemical weapons against the Syrian people, but had welcomed Russian assistance in his civil war, and that Iranian-allied troops and Russian fighters had conducted operations against American interests in the region. No one knows what Assad and Gabbard discussed in their two hours together, but soon after she emerged, Gabbard was expressing skepticism that Assad had really used poison gas, and by the time of her 2020 presidential run, she was citing full-on conspiracy sites that claimed the chemical attacks were false-flag operations designed to bring the United States into the war. Gabbard’s credulousness—if that’s what it is—looks particularly obscene this week, as stories are coming out about the grotesque human rights abuses committed by Assad in Sednaya prison and at other places around Syria. [ ... ] Gabbard demonstrated similar credulousness about Russia and Putin, mouthing so many Kremlin talking points that RT hosts referred to her as “Russia’s girlfriend.”

Of course Russia has been al-Assad's main backer for the past decade. The al-Assad family escaped to Moscow before Syrian rebel forces could apprehend them.

Gabbard may be considered "Russia's girlfriend" by Russian state TV, but she's more generally a harlot for despots.

Trump wants to send the US Army into Mexico to destroy alleged fentanyl labs. But he's quite willing to kiss the butts of dictators who are producing and exporting drugs.

[erebusvincent]

"We will not be a battlefield for Iran or Israel. We informed the Iranians and the Israelis that we will not allow anyone to violate our airspace and risk the safety of our citizens," the Jordanian foreign minister said in an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV.

"We will intercept anything that passes through our airspace or think that it constitutes a threat to us or our citizens."

[queer-geordie-dyke]

An Egyptian lawyer went on Al Arabiya (tv station based in Saudi Arabia) today and called for Arab men to rape Israeli women. She said "this is a form of resistance". (Yes, a WOMAN lawyer said this.)

I don't even know what to say anymore.

Good God, that's just nauseating and sadly women are not exempt from being violently misogynistic.