Media Reports - October 10, 2023
Hamas attack derailed Saudi-Israeli rapprochement
The escalating events in Israel this weekend will have cascading effects on its foreign policy and, in turn, the entire Middle East. The Israeli government had previously been talking with Saudi Arabia about normalizing diplomatic relations. However, after Hamas’ attacks deep inside Israel and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war, that agreement “is for now off the table,” Ian Bremmer, president and founder of the geopolitical consulting firm Eurasia Group, told Fortune.
Bremmer says the latest escalation would make it unpalatable for Israel and Saudi Arabia to pursue a deal. “The Saudi foreign ministry condemned the attacks but also said Israel was responsible for them, because of their historic treatment of Palestinians (a statement echoed by a number of…governments in the region) that makes opening diplomacy impossible for both countries,” Bremmer wrote.
It is also argued that efforts to stop that deal could have been an impetus for the surprise attack on Saturday.
It may be recalled that during the Donald Trump administration, the U.S. helped broker the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic ties between Israel and the Gulf States of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Israel later signed agreements with Muslim countries Morocco and Sudan. Despite being announced with great fanfare, including the Arab countries that had previously been hostile to Israel, Arab citizens across the Middle East were less enthused by the deals. Nearly a year after the Abraham Accords were signed, the Washington Post termed them an “afterthought” in the region’s geopolitics, according to Fortune.
Tellingly, in both the Trump and Biden administrations, a main diplomatic effort in the Middle East has been promoting normalization between Israel and Arab nations, with Palestinians playing no real role in the process.
Not surprisingly, while leaders in the U.S. and Europe quickly denounced the attack and gave support for Israel, Saudi Arabia criticized Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely following the developments of the unprecedented situation between a number of Palestinian factions and the Israeli occupation forces, which has resulted in a high level of violence on several fronts there,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The Kingdom recalls its repeated warnings of the dangers of the explosion of the situation as a result of the continued occupation, and deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of systematic provocations against its sanctities,” the statement continues.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also told Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas the Gulf kingdom continued "to stand by the Palestinian people to achieve their legitimate rights to a decent life, achieve their hopes and aspirations, and achieve just and lasting peace," the official Saudi Press Agency reported Tuesday.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry also blamed Israel for the violence. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs holds Israel alone responsible for the current escalation due to this ongoing violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, the latest of which is the repeated raids on the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under of the protection of Israeli police,” the ministry said in a statement.
Israel's unexpected transformation: from powerhouse to paper tiger
By Yasin Aktay
The shockwave created by Hamas' Operation Aqsa Flood, which began on Saturday morning, October 7th, not only in Israel but also worldwide, continues. As the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, penetrated deep into Israel from 22 different points, they delivered an unprecedented defeat to Israel, as described by a Hamas spokesperson. In fact, the initial impact of the event on the entire world is somewhat reminiscent of Kafka's "The Metamorphosis." You know, in Kafka's novel, when the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, wakes up one morning from oppressive dreams, he finds himself transformed into a giant insect in his bed. This time, those who woke up may not have transformed themselves, but they found the state of Israel, which has been perceived as a giant in terms of warfare, technology, intelligence, and power around the world for quite some time, transformed into a paper tiger. And, through this transformation, it will also influence their perspectives.
Israel's impregnable security walls, fences, trenches, and strict controls, where nobody without proper authorization could enter, were breached within minutes. Thousands of Kassam Brigade fighters and volunteer Palestinians entered Israeli territory, having fun. In contrast, Israeli soldiers or settlers fled like scared rabbits.
Israel, which has hitherto operated as a fear machine, utilizing its power, intelligence, and warfare skills to the fullest in the region since its establishment, has been defeated by a technology that originated from stovepipes. Of course, it is not just defeated by a mere stovepipe or an advanced version of it. What it was defeated by is the faith of those who did not submit to its power, technology, and oppressive acts. What defeated Israel is the very essence of this faith.
For 16 years, the people of Gaza, who have been under siege, deprived of even a gram of unauthorized bread, medicine, or any other supplies, humiliated their men, women, children, dignity, beliefs, and sacred values. The determination of the people of Gaza to never bow down was always evident in their eyes. That determination has always been Israel's worst nightmare. Today, that nightmare has become a reality.
Hamas' original purpose and political strategy were based on the continuity of this resistance, combined with faith, as well as rational organization, and providing a power-based response to Zionism. Yes, the intifadas began with stones, with whatever they had, but this did not mean they would settle for what they had. It was about developing the technique and power to aim at Israel's eyes, just as David aimed and hit Goliath right in the middle of his forehead with precision.
In 2021, Hamas had already indicated that it had acquired the skill to turn Israel's legendary Iron Dome into a sieve. And since then, Hamas had been warning Israel that this skill was not a bluff and that it should be prepared to experience what it had been subjecting Palestinians to multiple times over.
Until now, Hamas had always presented its actions as asymmetric retaliation against Israeli attacks, an asymmetric reaction. With the Aqsa Storm, for the first time, Hamas took the initiative and attacked Israel. Every night, Gaza's nightmare became a reality for Israel as well.
Indeed, despite all the noise, this is the essence of the matter. Although friends of the US and Israel suddenly shift into "poor Israel attacked by barbaric Hamas" mode, the essence is that Israel is experiencing a portion of what it has been inflicting on the Palestinian people for the first time. The people of Gaza, who have been under siege for 16 years, are deprived of the most basic living conditions. In the occupied territories, Palestinian families' homes, lands, and fields are expropriated to Zionist settlers from all over the world, with promises of wealth and prosperity. Those who resist this are subjected to all kinds of aggression and humiliation. Instead of building security walls around the settlements to protect the settlers, security walls are built around Palestinian neighborhoods, subjecting Palestinians to conditions resembling an open-air prison. At the checkpoints set up between two streets that Palestinians must pass through to go from their homes to their neighbors', they are made to wait for hours, trying to make life unbearable.
Israel carries out operations against Palestinians whenever it wants. During this time, an average of one or two Palestinians lose their lives every day due to random gunfire in response to the resistance to the violence. During the disputes that arise, dozens of Palestinians are arrested each time.
Then there are attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque. These attacks by Israelis, which have reduced the holy site of Muslims to a mere concrete structure, have effectively turned the occupation of Al-Aqsa Mosque into a fait accompli. With the courage they took from Trump, they tried to ignore the Muslim resistance by trying to make this fait accompli complete.
Israel has not recognized or implemented any decision of the UN because it believed in its power and thought it could do anything with that power. As long as it believed that there was no force to stop it, it became more and more arrogant and ruthless. What's worse is that some Muslim countries also believe in this power. In recent years, under the guise of "normalization," the new relationships between Islamic countries and Israel have reached a level of almost submission to Israel, thinking that Israel is invincible and the dominant power, but they do not realize that they are actually feeding this myth by doing so.
Today's world order is revealing the clear truth: being right in any case, even being absolutely right, is not enough in the simplest case, and it does not save you from an injustice you have suffered. Proving that you are right does not happen with lawsuits or files. You need power, and when necessary, you must take your rights yourself.
In Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan had been waiting in vain for years for its occupied territories to be confirmed as its own by the international community and returned to it. It showed that it was right and took its right with its own power when it gathered its strength.
Even if the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel is confirmed by the UN and the entire international community, no one is willing to confront Israel to take Palestinians' rights. Palestinian Muslims had to show their power to take their rights in their just cause, and they did.
After October 7th, the world will certainly be a completely different world. This will have very comprehensive effects. We will continue to watch.
It turns out that those who accused us of being "Arab lovers" during the recent debates on foreign enmity have all suddenly revealed themselves as enthusiastic "Israel supporters" after Hamas's operation. It's quite evident that their hostility towards Syrians, refugees, and Arabs stemmed from their admiration for Israel. It's no coincidence that both Kurdish nationalists and Turkish nationalists have converged in their support for Israel and opposition to Hamas. The lines are now clear.
As we've said before, we'll witness even more surprises. This event will undoubtedly be the catalyst for significant changes.
Anadolu Agency – October 10, 2023
North Korea blames Israel for latest conflict with Palestine
Latest conflict is consequence of ceaseless Israeli crimes against Palestinians, says ruling party newspaper
North Korea on Tuesday accused Israel of escalating the conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas and said its consequences of "Israel's ceaseless criminal actions" against the people of Palestine.
"A large scale armed conflict has occurred between Hamas of Palestine and Israel," Seoul-based Yonhap News reported, citing Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of North Korea's ruling party.
"The international community calls the conflict the consequence of Israel's ceaseless criminal actions against the people of Palestine. Fundamental solution is an independent Palestinian state," added the Rodong Sinmun article.
Earlier, the newspaper had also criticized Israeli soldiers for actions against Palestinians.
Gaza-based resistance group Hamas early on Saturday launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and growing settler violence.
In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza has risen to 704, including 143 children and 105 women, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said early Tuesday. It said the number of wounded has risen to around 4,000.
The Interior Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli army "intensified its aggression" on Gaza with hundreds of raids.
The Israeli army said it had struck over 500 targets in overnight raids on Gaza, which they claimed were targets belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian resistance group.
At least 900 Israelis have been killed and over 2,600 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.
https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/north-korea-blames-israel-for-latest-conflict-with-palestine-3671629
Crazy talks on Israeli-Palestinian conflict prove US is enemy of world peace
By Global Times
Since the latest bloody conflict broke out between Israel and Palestine, voices calling for restraint or a cease-fire are hard to find in Washington. On the contrary, The US is filled with inflammatory, reckless and crazy talks.
Gordon Chang, infamous for his “China collapse theory,” tweeted on Saturday local time, “#Americans, #China has been making preparations for attacks on our country by agents already in place. What you see now in #Israel could be replayed here, perhaps soon.” Nikki Haley, who is running for president, raised her voice the following day, “This is not just an attack on Israel – this was an attack on America. Finish them, @Netanyahu.”
Chang is once again embarrassing himself. When he suggests that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict indicates an imminent attack on the US by China, all he exposes is his ignorance on both Middle East affairs and China-US relations. It is unrealistic to expect any constructive analysis from him, as he only seizes on every possible issue to yap about China, peddling his anti-China theory, without any logic. Even the word “laughable” does not adequately describe his lack of intelligence. As he has spouted nonsense about China for years, no wonder observers are curious about Chang’s mental health.
Haley, on the other hand, might never have thought that she would become as hysterical and psychotic as Chang one day. Her “finish them” rhetoric borders on a call for genocide. She is a vivid example of what kind of people are steering the wheels in the US’ state apparatus.
Despite serving as the former American envoy to the United Nations, Haley has shown no interest in peace, but only has enthusiasm for fueling conflicts and endorsing violence. If someone like Haley becomes the US president, it would undoubtedly spell disaster for both the country and the world, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times.
It is hard to understand the extreme rhetoric of Haley and her ilk, who seem to be basically telling their voters that voting for them is equivalent to voting for more conflicts, and the continuation of creating the rivers of human blood in other parts of the world.
It is equally hard to understand why people like Chang, who has a 20-year plus record of being wrong about China, still get paid by US-based think tanks. Strangely, he has even become a member of the advisory team of Florida Governor, Republican rock star, and another presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis.
While China emphasizes a solution, specifically the “two-state solution,” the US is sending an aircraft carrier strike group to the Mediterranean to be Israel’s cheer leader and is exploiting the conflict by spreading bizarre rhetoric, as if there is no faster way to peace than making crazy talks like “finish them” or hinting a titanic showdown between China and the US.
In case of Israeli-Palestinian puzzle, what is genuinely needed is far from a few politicians making a show, or the so-called humanitarian concern which comes along with a childlike narrative in which all virtue is on one side and all evil on the other. Neither providing weapons nor sending an aircraft carrier group can bring peace to the region, not to mention manipulating public opinion.
Some American political “elites” cannot resist the urge to steal the spotlight in every possible hot-spot issue by hyping up tensions. For them, being pro-Israel is politically correct in the US, what could go wrong for rooting for political correctness, even if the voices are exaggerated, confuse the facts, and even sound out of mind? They can at least attract more attention, which they believe could bring in more votes.
It is disheartening to witness such politicians and political advisors prevailing in Washington. They are advancing their own careers at the expense of others and turning the US into an enemy of world peace.
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The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
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