Qatar’s Complicated Role in the Israel-Hamas War

Nov 1, 2023 | The state of Qatar has been a key Western ally for years, but it’s also a longtime helper of Hamas. CBC’s Thomas Daigle breaks down how such a tiny nation has such a big role in the Israel-Hamas war.

Hear What Bernie Sanders Thinks about Israel's Response to Hamas Attack

Nov 5, 2023 | CNN's Dana Bash speaks with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) about Israel's response to the Hamas attack, and what the next steps should be for Gaza

Bernie Sanders is the voice of reason and compassion. Whenever Bernie Sanders opens his mouth, he speaks eminent good sense. It is such a pity that Americans cannot see what a great president he would make! Perish the thought that Trump should ever again become president. The last thing this world needs is another Trump presidency. – © Mark Alexander

Son of Hamas’ Leader: US Doing This Could Prevent World War III

Oct 31, 2023 | Mosab Hassan Yousef, who is the son of a Hamas founding leader, joined 'FOX & Friends' to discuss why it is necessary for the U.S. to pressure Egypt to open the border crossing and the latest on the Israel-Hamas war.

Robert Habeck on Israel and Antisemitism

Nov 3, 2023 | It's almost four weeks since the horrific terrorist attack on Israel. A lot has happened, the public debate has become heated and confused. Find thoughts from Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck in the video, putting the events in context. With English, Hebrew and Arabic subtitles.

Verwandtes Video hier.

In a Worldwide War of Words, Russia, China and Iran Back Hamas

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Officials and researchers say the deluge of online propaganda and disinformation is larger than anything seen before.

A recently erected billboard in Tehran depicts Muslims walking toward the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem while carrying their national flags. | Atta Kenare/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is fast becoming a world war online.

Iran, Russia and, to a lesser degree, China have used state media and the world’s major social networking platforms to support Hamas and undercut Israel, while denigrating Israel’s principal ally, the United States.

Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have also joined the fight online, along with extremist groups, like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, that were previously at odds with Hamas.

The deluge of online propaganda and disinformation is larger than anything seen before, according to government officials and independent researchers — a reflection of the world’s geopolitical division.

“It is being seen by millions, hundreds of millions of people around the world,” said Rafi Mendelsohn, vice president at Cyabra, a social media intelligence company in Tel Aviv, “and it’s impacting the war in a way that is probably just as effective as any other tactic on the ground.” Cyabra has documented at least 40,000 bots or inauthentic accounts online since Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7.

The content — visceral, emotionally charged, politically slanted and often false — has stoked anger and even violence far beyond Gaza, raising fears that it could inflame a wider conflict. Iran, though it has denied any involvement in the attack by Hamas, has threatened as much, with its foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, warning of retaliation on “multiple fronts” if Israeli forces persisted in Gaza. » | Steven Lee Myers and Sheera Frenkel | Friday, November 3, 2023

Robert Habeck zu Israel und Antisemitismus

Nov 2, 2023 | Der Terrorangriff der Hamas auf Israel ist jetzt bald vier Wochen her. Vieles ist seitdem passiert, die öffentliche Debatte aufgeheizt und verworren. Im Video deshalb einige Gedanken von Vizekanzler und Minister Robert Habeck zur Einordnung und Differenzierung.

Related video in English here.

ZEIT ONLINE: Krieg in Israel: Was Yuval Noah Harari jetzt fürchtet | In English with German Subtitles

Oct 19, 2023 | Durch den Terrorangriff der Hamas auf Israel gebe es in absehbarer Zeit keine Chance auf Frieden im Nahen Osten, sagt der israelische Historiker Yuval Noah Harari im Videointerview. Die friedlichste Ära in der Geschichte der Menschheit sei vorbei.

Sowohl Palästinenser als auch Israelis seien gerade „versunken im Schmerz” – und dadurch nicht in der Lage, das Leid der Gegenseite anzuerkennen. Deshalb appelliert er an Deutschland: „Seid nicht denkfaul! Seht nicht nur einen Teil dieser schrecklichen Wirklichkeit.” Gerade hier müsse der Raum für gegenseitiges Verständnis offengehalten werden. Denn das habe die deutsche Geschichte gelehrt: „Deutsche und Juden – irgendwann nach dem Holocaust wurden sie Freunde.”

Yuval Noah Harari ist ein israelische Historiker, Geschichtsprofessor und Buchautor ("Sapiens", "Homo Deus").

Video: Sven Wolters

There Is a Humanitarian Disaster in Gaza. Congress Must Act.

Nov 1, 2023

Bernie Sanders always speaks sense. Always! – © Mark Alexander

'Do What India Did': Saudi Prince Rips Hamas & Israel; Opposes 'Armed Resistance' In Palestine

Oct 22, 2023 | Saudi Prince and former intelligence chief, Turki Al-Faisal has blasted both Hamas and Israel for attacks on civilians. In a speech at a US university that has gone viral, Al-Faisal called on Palestinians to shun the violent resistance and adopt peaceful means of resistance like India did during British occupation of the country.

Related article here

As China Looks to Broker Gaza Peace, Antisemitism Surges Online

THE NEW YORK TIMES: China’s state-run media has blamed the United States for deepening the crisis, while perpetuating tropes of Jewish control of American politics.

As the Israel-Hamas conflict intensifies, raising the prospect of a wider war, China has stepped up efforts to pitch itself as a neutral broker for Mideast peace.

Beijing’s top diplomat called his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts on Monday, urging restraint. A Chinese envoy is traveling in the Middle East, pledging to help avert a wider war. At the United Nations on Wednesday, China vetoed a resolution on the war that did not call for a cease-fire.

But even as China seeks to turn down the temperature diplomatically, a surge of antisemitism and anti-Israeli sentiment is proliferating across the Chinese internet and state media, undermining Beijing’s efforts to convey impartiality. China has already come under pressure from the United States and Israel for its refusal to condemn Hamas for its Oct. 7 attack that started the war.

On China’s heavily censored internet, inflammatory speech critical of Israel is rampant, with commenters seemingly emboldened by that refusal. And China’s state-run media is seizing on the conflict to accuse the United States of turning a blind eye to Israeli aggression, while perpetuating tropes of Jewish control of American politics.

China Daily, a state-run newspaper, ran an editorial on Monday declaring that the United States was on the “wrong side of history in Gaza.” It said Washington was exacerbating the conflict by “blindly backing Israel.” » | Daisuke Wakabayashi, Tiffany May and Claire Fu | Saturday, October 28, 2023

Netanjahu: Sieg über Hamas ist „existenzielle Herausforderung“ für Israel

Benjamin Netanjahu vergangene Woche in Tel Aviv. | Bild: DPA
KRIEG IM NAHEN OSTEN
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Ziel der ausgeweiteten Bodenoffensive sei es, die Herrschaft der Hamas im Gazastreifen zu zerstören und die Geiseln nach Hause zurückzubringen, erklärt Israels Ministerpräsident. Der Krieg werde schwierig und langwierig, sagt Netanjahu.

Mit der Ausweitung der Bodeneinsätze des israelischen Militärs im Gazastreifen hat nach Angaben von Israels Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanjahu die zweite Phase des Krieges gegen die Hamas begonnen. Ziel sei es, die militärischen Fähigkeiten sowie die Herrschaft der Islamistenorganisation zu zerstören und die Geiseln nach Hause zurückzubringen, sagte er am Samstagabend vor Journalisten in Tel Aviv. Die Notstandsregierung habe die Entscheidung zur Ausweitung der Bodeneinsätze einstimmig getroffen. » | Quelle: sreu./dpa/Reuters/AFP | Samstag, 28. Oktober 2023

Tausende im Gazastreifen plündern Lagerhallen und Verteilzentren der UN »

Israel Should Not Form a Truce with a Terrorist Group’ | Hadley Freeman

Oct 28, 2023 | “Why is this on Israel? To have a humanitarian truce with a terrorist group that wants to destroy it?” It's “reasonable” for Israel to respond to Hamas says the Sunday Times Columnist Hadley Freeman.

Israel-Hamas War: Piers Morgan vs Yuval Noah Harari | The Full Interview

Oct 26, 2023 | Piers Morgan Uncensored is joined by author and historian Yuval Noah Harari, to discuss and debate the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas in Palestine, and how Israel should respond to the terrorist attacks they faced.

Yuval believes Israel should not be intent on revenge with history proving it could be a terrible path to go down. He suggests Israel should be careful on how it goes forward, even suggesting Egypt should accept Palestinians into their borders for the duration of the war.

Yuval then explains that what makes this situation extremely difficult is that there is always a reason for a previous event, making it hard to pinpoint the root cause of such a historical conflict. Yuval also accepts that regardless the historical context does not justify the mistreatment of Palestinian people and the occupation, as he believes we should not use historical injuries to justify modern injuries. Instead of focusing on the past, we should focus on a peaceful resolution in the future.

'If Genocide in Gaza Continues, US Will Not Be Spared from This Fire': Iran Foreign Minister at UN

Oct 27, 2023 | Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, Iran's foreign minister, Hossein Amirabdollahian, on Thursday warned that if Israel's continued retaliation against Hamas doesn't end, then the "United States will not be spared from this fire."

US Strikes Two Syria Bases Used by Iran-linked Groups - BBC News

Oct 27, 2023 | The US has carried out air strikes against two weapons and ammunition storage facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the strikes were in response to recent attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups.

The US strikes were "separate and distinct from the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas," he said in a statement.

Iran did not immediately comment. It is not yet known if there were any casualties from the attacks.

Israel-Hamas War: Ex-Israeli Soldier Says 'This Government Can't Defeat Hamas'

Oct 26, 2023 | Sky's Mark Austin has spoken to Gaza War veteran Benzi Sanders who said "Hamas is stronger" even though they "had dealt them a decisive blow".

The ex-Israel Defence Forces soldier added: "The only way to defeat the idea of violent resistance is to create an alternative. One our government [Israel] opposes. So, this government can't defeat Hamas."

Israel-Hamas War: 'Hamas Opened Up the Gates of Hell', Mosab Hassan Yousef Tells Piers Morgan

Oct 26, 2023 | In an eye-opening interview, Mosab Hassan Youssef, the son of one of the co-founders of Hamas, reveals the true intentions of the militant group and calls for their removal from power.

With first-hand experience and an insider's perspective, Youssef exposes the brutality of Hamas and emphasizes the urgent need to stop them before their destructive actions escalate further.

His passionate plea aims to shed light on the reality of the situation and highlights the importance of separating the Palestinian cause from the extremist ideology of Hamas.

He says Hamas has “opened up the gates of hell on the Palestinian people.”

Speaking to Piers Morgan, Yousef he went on to also say: "Hamas's cause is a sick one... only God knows what will happen next, if Hamas is not finished."

Melanie Phillips: The Murderous Consequences of Western Diplomacy | Top Story

Oct 25, 2023 | Is Western 'peacemaking' in the Middle East perpetuating the Arab-Israeli conflict? Has the refusal by the West to see the evil of Hamas backfired? This week, Jonathan is joined by author and journalist Melanie Phillips.

I generally agree with much that Melanie Phillips says, especially when it comes to Islam; however, in this video she mentioned several times that Netanyahu's goal is to destroy Hamas. Melanie Phillips is certainly not alone in talking about this objective. One hears it over and over. I fully understand why people want to destroy Hamas. I go along with that desire myself; wholeheartedly so. But, how on earth do people think that it can be done? I think that it's an impossibility! Why do I say this? Simply because Hamas is based on ideas; so, even if you were to be able to kill each and every member of Hamas today, the ideas behind the organization would survive, only to be taken up by a new generation of people with identical sympathies.

After World War II, Nazis were caught and were either killed or put on trial in the Nuremberg trials. Some others esscaped to South America, and elsewhere. One, Aribert Heim, known as 'Dr Death' and also the 'Butcher of Mauthausen', escaped even to Egypt, where he converted to Islam and lived under the alias Tarek Farid Hussein. Others have since died of old age in exile. But have the ideas of Nazism died along with the death of these ruthless, cruel scoundrels? Certainly not! Nazism is alive and thriving to this day; in fact, it is growing in strength and number. And not only in Germany! We have Nazis here in the UK too; and there are many in the States, and elsewhere.

And the same it will be if Israel manages to catch and kill all the murderous Hamas members of today. In time, a new generation will grow up and take up the very same ideas and ideology; after all, so many of them are rooted in Islam. Many people might not know that one of Hamas's objectives is not only the establishment of a Palestinian state, but a Palestinian state based on Sharia law, so that its people will live strictly in adherence to Islamic laws and principles. Hell will freeze over before those ideas will vanish off the face of the earth! So it is really hard to comprehend how Benjamin Netanyahu imagines he will be able to kill off Hamas the organization and Hamas's ideas too, ideas which are based on faith and Islamic doctrine.

If Hamas can be eradicated, great; but I wish someone would explain to me how. – © Mark Alexander

"Hamas Counted on a Very Forceful Israeli Response" | YNH Short

Listen to Yuva Noah Harari’s reasoning here.

Historian Tareq Baconi on the Origins, Goals and Future of Hamas | Amanpour & Company

Oct 25, 2023 | Many Israelis, and people all over the world, are still trying to understand where the October 7th barbarity came from. Tareq Baconi is an analyst, historian and author of “Hamas Contained: The Rise and Pacification of Palestinian Resistance,” and has written about the organization for years. He joined Michel Martin for a conversation about the group's complex historical and political dynamic.