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Hi, Yves. We’ve learned a lot about Israel’s use of pagers to bomb Hezbollah attacks in Links, but more details are emerging. One element highlighted in the Common Dreams article is that the attack took place despite Amos Hochstein, a supposed negotiator held captive by Israel, telling Israel not to jeopardize relations with Hezbollah the day before the pagers exploded. It’s therefore not hard to see that this act was a middle finger to US calls for moderation, and that the claim that Hezbollah fighters discovered that the pagers had been tampered with is fabricated.
As many commentators have noted, Israeli hardliners, especially Netanyahu, are eager to secure a commitment from the United States to support Israel in a larger conflict. They seem to see the period between now and the US elections as a golden opportunity. The Biden administration will have to act. The trick will be to make Israel appear threatened, rather than spurned. Netanyahu is also under increasing pressure from within his own country, so any external threat, even one he has fomented, would be welcome.
Additional Information CradleHezbollah claims the attack has not affected its operations.
Hezbollah, in a statement on September 18, said operations against Israel would continue as normal and reiterated its commitment to respond to any major Israeli terror attacks against Lebanon.
The Hezbollah statement said the Lebanese resistance “continues today, as in the past, its blessed operations in support of Gaza, its people and the resistance, and in defense of Lebanon, its people and its sovereignty.”
Hazbollah also claims that the pagers were not Hezbollah members, and therefore innocent civilians. This includes two of the 12 people killed so far, including children, in addition to civilians in the area of the Hezbollah pager explosion.
Hezbollah spokesman Ibrahim al-Moussawi said the pagers that exploded belonged to Hezbollah members and not just others.
The attack may prompt Egypt to take an especially hardline stance against Israeli demands for greater control over the so-called Philadelphia Corridor on the Gaza Strip-Egypt border, which is quite new. From Middle East Eye:
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati said on Wednesday that Cairo would not accept any changes to the “operational rules” of the Philadelphia Corridor that were in place before October 7, particularly those governing the operation of the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side.
Speaking at a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Foreign Minister Abdelati stressed that Egypt totally rejects any military presence on the other side of the checkpoint or in the corridor – a narrow 14-kilometer stretch of land between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
Abdelati added, “The future of stability in such an important region as the Middle East cannot be held hostage to the lack of political will of some parties. Therefore, we will continue our efforts to exert influence and pressure until an agreement is reached that ensures stability in the region.”
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is almost due to speak, so here’s an update: Update: Oops, our original source was wrong. Nasrallah is due to speak on Thursday.
By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams staff writer. A common dream
Several news organizations Confirmed Late on Tuesday it emerged that Israeli military and intelligence services were widely suspected to be behind the explosion of pagers recently purchased by Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah.
The explosion, triggered by a message apparently from a Hezbollah leader, killed at least 11 people early Tuesday. 8-year-old girlAnd thousands more were injured.
It cited unnamed former Israeli officials with knowledge of the operation and an unnamed U.S. official. Axios Reported “Israeli intelligence planned to cripple Hezbollah by using pagers ‘planted’ with bombs at Hezbollah camps as a surprise attack in an all-out war.”
“But recently, Israeli leaders have expressed concern that Hezbollah might discover the pagers,” the outlet continued. “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his cabinet members and Israel The defense forces and intelligence agencies decided to use the system now rather than risk detection by Hezbollah, U.S. officials said.
US State Department spokesperson Publicly denied Allegations that the Biden administration was involved in the attack or knew about the operation in advance.
Heidi Matthews, Associate Professor at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, Written “Each explosion constitutes an indiscriminate attack,” he said Tuesday. Video footage The sound of pagers exploding in a crowded marketplace.
“Under the circumstances, this is an act of terrorism,” Matthews added.
בסופר ובחנות הירקות: תיעוד נוסף של מכשיר קשר מתפוצץ לפעילי חיזבאלל ,@Anastasia___stu Omer Shahar pic.twitter.com/OcjQsGLhvv
— Kanna (@kann_news) September 17, 2024
The New York TimesReported On Tuesday, Hezbollah ordered thousands of pagers from Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo, which Denied Create a device. TimesCiting anonymous officials, the report said Israeli agents had “tampered” with the explosives “before arriving in Lebanon,” adding “just one or two ounces” of explosives and a switch “that could detonate the explosives remotely.”
Hezbollah amid growing fears of wider conflict Pledged Iran announced on Tuesday that it would retaliate against Israel over the attack, which reportedly injured the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, a Hezbollah fighter and a medical worker.
GuardianAndrew Ross attention On Tuesday, Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to US President Joe Biden, visited Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu He met with Israeli officials to oppose the escalation of the situation in Lebanon.”
Netanyahu repeatedly disrupted ceasefire negotiations Israeli forces, heavily armed and under fire from the US, have made tough demands in recent weeks. Gaza strip.
“U.S. officials have said a ceasefire in Gaza would lay the foundation for peace along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, but that agreement appears elusive and far from reality,” Roth wrote on Tuesday. “The White House had hoped that a period of quiet around Israel would allow ceasefire negotiators to strike a breakthrough, as mediators shuttle between Hamas and Israel to juggle each side’s complicated demands for hostage swaps and territorial claims.”
“That period of calm was shattered by a breathtaking maneuver that has left Hezbollah vowing retaliation,” Roth added.
