Tel Aviv Archives - Page 6 of 13

Netanyahu Lands in New Scandal

CrossFireArabia
November 10, 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office is at the center of a new scandal involving alleged orders to halt the recording of war cabinet meetings, which is a deviation from standard security protocols, local media reported on Saturday.

The controversy reportedly began on Oct. 7, the day Israel’s offensive on Gaza commenced, when war cabinet meetings took place at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, according to the daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

While security officials initially recorded these meetings as required, Netanyahu’s office allegedly instructed the military to stop documenting the discussions, arguing that recording was unnecessary.

The war cabinet, formed by Netanyahu after Oct. 7, 2023, included Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, former Defense Minister Benny Gantz, ex-Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. Netanyahu later dissolved the council in June this year following the resignations of Gantz and Eisenkot according to the Anadolu news agency.

Further escalating the controversy, Israel’s Channel 12 revealed Friday that Netanyahu’s office is under investigation for allegedly blackmailing a military officer with a sensitive video to access and alter records from the Oct. 7 meetings.

According to Channel 12, Avi Gil, Netanyahu’s former military secretary, notified Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of suspected protocol violations.

This investigation coincides with a separate probe by the Israeli Lahav 433 police unit into alleged document forgery within Netanyahu’s office, alongside an ongoing Shin Bet investigation into the leak of sensitive intelligence. Five individuals, including Netanyahu’s spokesperson Eli Feldstein and other senior officials, have been detained.

These cases have intensified public concern over the security practices and accountability of Netanyahu’s office amid accusations that officials sought to deflect responsibility for perceived failures leading up to the Oct. 7 Gaza war.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 43,500 Palestinians and rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.

News

25 Missiles Launched on Israel in 2 Minutes

CrossFireArabia
October 23, 2024

The Israeli army detected the launch of 25 rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel on Wednesday in a matter of two minutes.

A military statement said air-raid sirens sounded in Haifa Bay, Acre, and the settlements of Kiryat Shmona and Metula in northern Israel.

The army said the rocket barrage was fired in just two minutes, with most of the projectiles intercepted while others fell in open areas.

No injuries or damage were reported.

The army said its air defenses also intercepted four combat drones, without mentioning from where they were fired.

Hezbollah, for its part, confirmed that it had fired a barrage of rockets toward the Glilot base of the Israeli army’s military intelligence unit 8200 near Tel Aviv in central Israel.

Israel army says 25 rockets fired from Lebanon in just 2 minutes pic.twitter.com/RBgQiH8omf
— Türkiye Today (@turkiyetodaycom) October 23, 2024

The Israeli army said that it intercepted two long-range rockets fired from Lebanon towards Tel Aviv.

Israel has mounted a huge air campaign in Lebanon since last month against what it claims are Hezbollah targets in an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and the group since the start of Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza according to Anadolu.

At least 2,546 people have been killed and more than 11,860 injured in Israeli attacks since October last year, according to Lebanese health authorities.

Israel expanded the conflict on Oct. 1 this year by launching a ground assault into southern Lebanon.

News

Naim Qassem: Hezbollah ‘Regains Health’, Seeks to ‘Hurt’ The Enemy

CrossFireArabia
October 15, 2024

Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem said that the party is still strong despite the severe blows it suffered. He added it regained its wellbeing in the field and its capabilities, stressing the party set upon, a week ago, to implement a “new equation” to “hurt the enemy.”

He added, his 3rd speech since the assassination Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, the resistance’s missiles reached Tel Aviv, disabled Ben Gurion Airport, and forced two million Israelis to take shelters.

He pointed out the party can target any point in the “Israeli entity” and will choose the appropriate point according to his expression.

He stressed that what the resistance achieved in the field in two weeks was better than expected, and its main mission remains to “pursue the enemy and carry out operations against it in any place it enters.”

He also sent a message to the Israeli home front, stressing the only solution is for a ceasefire, adding, “I say to Israelis, do not believe what your officials tell you but look at your dead in the war.”

Ceasefire

He stated Hezbollah called for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to stop firing on Israel. This solution is an expression of “a position of weakness”, but if the Israelis do not want this, we will continue.”

He pointed out that after the ceasefire “according to an indirect agreement”, Israeli settlers will be able to return to the north and other steps will be determined after that, the nature of which he did not specify.

However, he warned if the war continues, “the uninhabited settlements in the north will increase and more than two million Israelis will be in danger.”

Al-Aqsa Flood

Qassem pointed out, in his speech, that the “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack came after 75 years of occupation and is a “legitimate right” for the Palestinians.

He added, “the Palestinians have the right for such action to expel the occupation, shakes its presence and prevent it from continuing,” stressing “our support for the Palestinians is support for their right because they are the owners of the right, and must repel the danger from them and prevent the expansion of Israel.”

He also reiterated “Israel is an occupying usurping entity that poses a danger to the region and the world.”

He added, “Israel and those behind it are fighting and committing massacres, and we are in a situation that requires us to take a position,” noting that neither Lebanon nor the entire region can be separated from Palestine.

Expansionist Project

Qassem also stressed that Lebanon falls within an “Israeli expansionist project,” warning that Lebanon and the entire region “are facing the danger of a new Middle East designed in Israeli-American form.”

He added that Israel’s project in the region is “destructive and aim to eliminate the resistance and its people,” and that the world, Britain, France, and America are complicit with this “Israeli criminality.”

Resistance and Iran

Qassem stressed Iran supports the Palestinians in order to liberate Palestine, and this support is “a source of pride for Iran, which is exerting all its capabilities to strengthen and empower the Palestinians.”

He also mentioned that resistance to Israel is “legitimate and defensive” and its goal is to reject the occupation and liberate the land.

He added, “I say to the Mujahideen, you are the hope, so continue fighting and our confidence in you is great.”

A message to the Lebanese

Qassem stressed that the “Lebanese national solidarity” with the resistance is essential and that Hezbollah will remain despite its haters.

He added, “I say to the Lebanese, we must be patient to achieve victory and I promise you to return to your homes that will be rebuilt.. We will not leave you and you will not leave us and everyone will see the resistance with its great people.”

He also stressed that those who cause harm to Lebanon “are not those who defend people but those who kill them,” recalling that the Israeli occupation remained in Lebanon for 22 years and only left through resistance according to Al Jazeera.

News

Germany Asks Israel For ‘Genocide Clause’ if it Wants Arms

CrossFireArabia
October 14, 2024

Germany has asked Israel to sign a “genocide clause” if it wants the continuation of arms deliveries.

According to the German newspaper Bild, the “genocide clause” is a precondition. The newspaper added that no arms were delivered to Israel from Germany since March.

This piece of news is trending on the social media and is generating much interest from bloggers. The clause, apparently agreed to by the Israelis government and delivered in a form of a document to Berlin on 10 October commits Tel Aviv not to use German arms for its war genocide in Gaza.

Apparently the document was good enough as an assurance for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who declared in parliament the following day that “We have supplied arms, and we will supply arms”.

The genocide clause insertion may have been pushed by the Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of the Greens who initially sought a ban on arms shipment to Israel.

One blogger says that “Germany asking Israel to sign a ‘genocide clause’ is like an ostrich with its head in the sand.”

Another says “that won’t absolve anyone of wrongdoing” while a third adds “the clause is insignificant if meant to be a way of fulfilling Germany’s ‘obligation to prevent Genocide.’ Its much closer to an admission of guilt.”

News

Sirens Blast All Day in Israel

CrossFireArabia
October 14, 2024

Sirens blasted all over north and central Israel, all day Monday, creating much havoc with people running up-and-down ready-made shelters.

In total sirens sounded in more than 194 towns, cities and locations in Israel with graphic posts of the sound blasts as the army reported that up to two million Israelis went down to shelters.

⚡️BREAKING: Missile sirens sounded all across Tel Aviv, central and northern Israel. Initial reports of Explosions in Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/Ww6rBZAeNJ
— Suppressed News. (@SuppressedNws) October 14, 2024

It started since early morning with the social media counting the number of sirens that went off registering first at 122, 182 and the latest being 194 and even 200.

In one case, videoclips showed Ben Gurion Airport; there, and at one point, flights were suspended and were not allowed to land. It was reported by Israel’s Channel 12 that one El Al flight had to quickly divert and continued circling over the Dead Sea.

And there was another videoclip of passengers on one plane huddling between the seats and the isles while the siren blast outside on the runway.

These siren blasts went off as Hezbollah rockets came in batches on different locations in Israel and at different times.

However big sirens blasts went off with warnings that ballistic missiles were being fired at the Tel Aviv area coming from Lebanon.

Everyone, Tuesday, is covering the missiles starting first with Israeli newspapers and websites like Walla which has been on the lookout to warn Israelis.

Missiles landing on Israel has never stopped since 23 September when Israeli warplanes begun to pound southern Lebanon up to the southern district of Beirut, seen as an Hezbollah stronghold and occasionally on the north of Lebanon.

Here, Tuesday, for example, Israeli warplanes bombed a building that was sheltering displaced people from the Christian village of Aitou were 18 people were killed.

Since the war on Lebanon where 1.2 million people have been displaced Hezbollah adopted a tit-for-tat strategy of “if you bomb us we will bomb you.”

The sirens and rockets have never stopped since Sunday night, reaching a new height when a squadron of missiles and drones landed on Haifa, including a military base south of the city in Binyamina where at least four were killed and 67 soldiers were injured according to Israeli army sources.

Today the number of missiles that have landed on Israel from across the border are register between 100 to 200 per day. It is estimated that 10,000 rockets and missiles were fired on Israel since 7 October, 2023 but the number could be much higher.