Despite a public assertion by Israel in the New Year that it is scaling back the war, Gaza residents say they have seen no let-up. The northern half of the enclave is still off-limits, and the southern half has become a full-blown war zone in recent weeks. Reports indicate that far from scaling back, the brutality of Israel's onslaught and its crimes are increasing and know no bounds.

Nearly the entire population has been driven from their homes at least once, many displaced several times, with new waves of displacements announced every day. However, despite the dire conditions and horror of the murderous Israeli onslaught, the Palestinian Resistance continues to reveal its effectiveness. Israeli losses on January 2 indicate the intensity of the fighting. Israel reported nine of its soldiers killed in Gaza that day, one of the deadliest days of the war for its troops.

The Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronoth reported on January 4 that at least 12,500 Israeli soldiers will be recognized as "disabled" due to the fighting in Gaza, and that this figure is a "conservative and cautious estimate." The number of cases requesting disability recognition could reach 20,000, the report said.

Videos released on social media by Palestinian Resistance fighters show how effectively they are able to wipe out Israeli tanks and ground forces.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese resistance organization Hezbollah successfully targeted the Israeli Meron Aerial Surveillance Base with 62 missiles of various types early on January 6. Hezbollah said its fighters inflicted "direct and confirmed hits." It published video showing that two radar domes were hit. It described the operation as "a preliminary response" to the Israeli assassination of "great leader Sheikh Saleh al-Arouri and his martyr brothers" in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh on January 2. Hezbollah's response sent Israel the message that no Israeli bases are beyond the reach of its missiles and that its anti-Zionist operations will continue as long as Israeli aggression against Gaza continues. Hezbollah is showing that it has a large supply of all kinds of missiles and weapons and that even if many are stopped by Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile defence system the percentage that get through can cause damage Israel cannot afford to sustain.

It has become evident that U.S. and ISIS explosions and assassinations in Iraq and Iran respectively, and like actions of Israel against Hezbollah and Hamas in Lebanon and other places, are in part intended to provoke Iran and Hezbollah to turn Israel's war on Gaza into a regional conflagration. The aim, which is not succeeding thanks to the response of the resistance forces, is to take the pressure off of Israel's failure to wipe out the Palestinian resistance, its intelligence failure on October 7, 2023 and its failure to provide protection to settlers on lands contiguous to Gaza and in northern Israel. These Israelis are now displaced, living in tents in refugee camps just as the Palestinians have been forced to do since the Nakba in 1948. This is a fundamental breach of Israel's promise to them of free land and protection.

According to data from the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority, about half a million Israelis have left the occupied territories, Israeli news website Zman Yisrael pointed out.

From October 7 to 31, approximately 370,000 Israelis left Palestine, and during November, an additional 139,839 left Palestine.

The website noted that these figures do not include the tens of thousands of foreign workers and diplomats who have left Palestine since October 7 due to deteriorating conditions.

Moreover, the number of immigrants decreased from around 20,000 in the first quarter of 2023 to about 11,000 in the third quarter. In the initial weeks of the war, migration nearly came to a halt, with the number of immigrants to Palestine since October 7 constituting less than one per cent of the Israelis who left.

While the media in the U.S., Canada and European countries which back Israel remain silent about all these facts, it is necessary to take them into account so as to go to the heart of the matter of the extent of the successes the Palestinian Resistance is achieving.

Protests in Israel Demand Ceasefire

Tel Aviv, Israel, January 6, 2024

Some 20,000 protesters rallied in Tel Aviv on January 6 at Habima Square, while smaller rallies were held in Haifa and outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's private residence in Caesarea. The protestors raised the demand for immediate new national elections and for the government to make its priority the safe return of Israeli captives held by the Palestinian resistance. This stand is seen as a condemnation of the continuing Israeli genocidal aggression on Gaza.

The demonstration also received support from the tens of thousands who have been evacuated from their homes in areas near the Gaza Strip and the northern border with Lebanon and from relatives of people who were killed in the events which followed the initial Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Besides escalating its murderous campaign in Gaza and the West Bank and its attacks on Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, Israel continues to threaten war against Lebanon and the Hezbollah resistance movement.

Palestinian resistance movements are united in their stand that there will be no negotiations with Israel over the captives or anything else until there is a ceasefire and Israeli forces are withdrawn from Gaza, among other things.

The families of 13 Israeli civilians killed in Be'eri on October 7 are asking the Israeli military to investigate the cause of their deaths, Israeli media reported on January 7. The families are requesting the investigation due to the likelihood that most were deliberately killed on the orders of an Israeli general who ordered a tank to fire on a home where they were being held captive by fighters of Hamas' Qassam Brigades.

In a letter dated January 4 published in Israeli media, the families demanded the Israeli army "carry out an in-depth and transparent investigation of the decisions and the actions that led to this tragic outcome." Brig. Gen. Barak Hiram, commander of the 99th Division who was at the scene, told the New York Times that at nightfall he told his soldiers: "The negotiations are over," and told a tank commander to "break in, even at the cost of civilian casualties." The tank fired two shells at the house, killing 12 of the captives and dozens of Hamas fighters. One other captive, Yizhak Sitton, had already been killed by Hamas, according to family members. The fourteenth captive, Hadas Dagan, was the only survivor.

The letter, addressed to Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, noted that "according to the evidence, the tank shells were fatal and killed many hostages in addition to the terrorists." The letter stated: "It is important to the bereaved families and to the public to understand the circumstances in which these decisions were made and to ensure that public trust, the values of the IDF, and the responsibility of command are maintained even in these difficult days."

This demand is deepening the crisis within Israel official circles which have no intention of submitting to limitations on their ability to act with impunity. Officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, have refused to investigate the events of October 7 even as more and more evidence surfaces, despite their efforts to suppress it, which negates the official narrative repeated ad nauseam by Israel, the U.S. and their supporters in Canada and western Europe.

Despite officials' refusal to respond to the families' request, on January 6 Herzi Halevi, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), announced the decision to form a committee to investigate the military failures leading to Hamas' devastating October 7 offensive, adding that the decision should have been made a long time ago, certainly not three months into the war. The government's January 6 cabinet meeting was reportedly spent discussing lashing out at the IDF chief of staff for initiating an investigation while the government is actively engaged in operations in Gaza.

Tel Aviv, Israel, January 6, 2024

Iraq Prepares to Expel U.S.-Led Occupation Forces

Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani says his government is forming a committee to prepare arrangements for the permanent dissolution of the occupying U.S.-led coalition's mission in the country. Sudani made the announcement in a statement on January 5, a day after a U.S. drone strike in eastern Baghdad on the headquarters of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, killed three people including a commander of the Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba resistance movement.

In an address, al-Sudani said the agreement under which American troops are based in Iraq states the equal sovereignty of both countries, which was violated by the U.S. strike.

"We have repeatedly emphasized that in the event of a violation or transgression by any Iraqi party, or if Iraqi law is violated, the Iraqi government is the only party that has the right to follow up on the merits of these violations," al-Sudani said.

"We affirm our firm and principled position in ending the existence of the international coalition after the justifications for its existence have ended," he added.

"It is a commitment that the government will not back down from, and will not neglect anything that would complete national sovereignty over the land, sky, and waters of Iraq," the Prime Minister said.

Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder showed no remorse for the targeted U.S. killing in Baghdad. The Hill reported that on January 4 Ryder "said that the U.S. is in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to defeat the U.S.-designated terrorist group ISIS, but he stressed forces will take action to protect themselves."

The Hill report continues: "'This was a necessary, proportionate act,' Ryder said, adding Iraq is an 'important and valued partner,' which the U.S. seeks to maintain good ties with."

Al-Sudani replied by once again condemning the U.S. strike and saying Iraq will not back down from defending its sovereignty. Referring to U.S. propaganda that Iran-backed terrorist militias operate in Iraq, al-Sudani said the Popular Mobilization Forces are "an official presence affiliated with the [Iraqi] state."

The U.S. combat mission in Iraq ended on December 9, 2021 with the U.S. leaving 2,500 troops in the country on a mission it says aims to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of ISIS.

On January 4, ISIS claimed responsibility for two explosions in Iran that killed nearly 100 people and wounded many more at a memorial for Commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport in 2020.

Israel-bound Oil Tankers in Indian Ocean Forced
to Change Course

In the Indian Ocean, two oil tankers belonging to Israel have reportedly been targeted by "unidentified drones" west and northwest of the Maldives. According to Jordan News, "two oil tankers were targeted by unidentified drones at a considerable distance of 2,000 km from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. More significantly, both vessels were forced to change their course due to the inflicted damage and the fear of potential further attacks."

While the U.S. claims its naval and air forces can protect what it calls freedom of navigation in these strategic waters, the resistance forces are succeeding in diverting Israeli ships from reaching Israel via direct routes, causing serious damage to the Israeli economy.

On two fronts, attacks on Israel's commercial shipping and attacks on its northern border with Lebanon, the resistance forces, while not engaging with Israel in a broader war, are forcing Israel to maintain a large military presence which is not available to hit at Gaza.

Hezbollah Leader Gives Update on Situation on Lebanon's Border with Israel

On January 5, Hezbollah General Secretary Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah made a speech at the memorial ceremony for the late Hezbollah official Hajj Mohammad Yaghi (Abu Salim), that addressed the situation on Lebanon's southern border with Israel and the operations undertaken there by Hezbollah since October 8, 2023, in support of the Palestinian Resistance. Below is the report from Lebanese news outlet Al Manar on this speech.

Hezbollah's Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah pledged a swift response to Israel's airstrike in Beirut [on January 3] that killed Hamas deputy head Saleh al-Arouri, asserting Lebanon's chance to liberate its remaining land after Gaza aggression ceases, and emphasizing the need for a real equation preventing sovereignty violations.

Addressing the memorial ceremony for the late Hezbollah official Hajj Mohammad Yaghi (Abu Salim) in Baalbek on Friday [January 5], Sayyed Nasrallah indicated that the ongoing battle in the south represents a historic opportunity for the full liberation of Lebanon. Emphasizing that the resistance's operations along the southern border confirm deterrence equations with the Zionist enemy, he highlighted the chance to establish an equation preventing any encroachment on Lebanon's sovereignty. He credited the Lebanese front for creating this new opportunity.

Tackling the Islamic resistance front opposing the Zionist enemy along the southern Lebanese border which has initiated operations one day after the onset of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted the media's disregard for this crucial front.

Sayyed Nasrallah revealed that, spanning over 100 kilometres and lasting more than 90 days, the resistance systematically targeted all enemy border positions and numerous rear sites and settlements in response to Zionist attacks on civilians. "Spanning over 100 kilometres and extending across a duration surpassing 90 days, our response to attacks on civilians encompassed the precise targeting of not only all Israeli border sites but also a significant array of rear sites and settlements. The resistance executed over 670 operations in the past months, with some days witnessing up to 23 operations," Sayyed Nasrallah said.

"The targeted sites comprised 48 border sites and 11 rear positions. Additionally, 50 border points, where enemy soldiers sought refuge, were repeatedly targeted, along with 17 settlements," his eminence specified.

Reflecting on the results of this ongoing confrontation, which endured for three months, he underscored the significant toll on enemy soldiers and officers, emphasizing the exhaustive nature of the operations. "Despite the enemy's media secrecy, the resistance countered with approximately 90 video releases, revealing the reality of the situation."

"Every hostile location was systematically targeted, focusing on technical and intelligence equipment. No border post remained untouched, as each one underwent multiple rounds of precise strikes. The technical equipment targeted by the resistance is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars," the secretary general said.

Addressing the destruction of tanks and vehicles, including incidents involving collapsing roofs on soldiers, Sayyed Nasrallah cited enemy sources from the Israeli Defense Ministry, suggesting that the number of disabled soldiers may have reached 12,000 since October 7. He emphasized that every border site had been targeted multiple times, with a focus on the destruction of technical and intelligence equipment in all hostile locations.

Hezbollah's leader dismissed misconceptions about the resistance's actions, clarifying, "Our skilled marksmen direct the guided missile through the window of the enemy's vehicle," and refuted claims that they were merely "bombing the column." He highlighted the precision of the resistance's actions, explaining, "We are targeting equipment on poles worth hundreds of millions of dollars, exercising control over extensive parts of Lebanon."

"In the second stage, enemy soldiers sought refuge in evacuated settlements and in the vicinity of the sites due to fear of the resistance factions and their targeted attacks on specific locations," Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted, emphasizing the acquisition of accurate intelligence, photos, and footage regarding enemy positions and gatherings, leading to the destruction of numerous tanks and vehicles. Sayyed Nasrallah noted that the enemy attempted to compensate for technical losses by deploying drones and reconnaissance aircraft, maintaining strict media secrecy about casualties.

He pointed out that experts within the enemy entity estimate the real death toll to be three times higher than what the occupation army discloses. According to the Israeli Ministry of Health sources, there are over 2,000 casualties on the northern front.

Sayyed Nasrallah emphasized that if people were aware of the enemy's human and vehicle losses, they wouldn't doubt the futility of fighting on the northern front. He asserted that the enemy's concealment of losses is part of psychological warfare to avoid embarrassment in its society.

Addressing the situation on the southern border, Sayyed Nasrallah quoted an Israeli minister describing it as a humiliation for "Israel." He clarified that the resistance targeted military objectives, officers, and soldiers, and any strikes on houses were responses to the enemy's attacks on civilians.

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that one outcome of the fighting on the southern front was the displacement of people from northern settlements, reversing the historical trend where Lebanese people were the ones being displaced during wars. "This displacement is expected to exert psychological, political, and security pressure on the enemy's government, along with increasing anxiety on the northern front."

Responding to queries about the feasibility of opening the northern front, Sayyed Nasrallah affirmed that the primary goals were to pressure the enemy's government, exhaust the enemy to halt aggression on Gaza, and relieve pressure on the resistance in Gaza's field situation. He asserted that these goals have been achieved through the Lebanese front, forcing the enemy to deploy a significant number of soldiers and withhold information about entire divisions and brigades from Gaza due to fears of developments on the front.

Sayyed Nasrallah questioned, "Does the significant number of casualties, destruction of vehicles, and displacement on the northern front not exert pressure on the enemy's government?" Sayyed Nasrallah explained that the security belt within the entity in the north extends to a depth of three km, and in some areas, it reaches seven km.

Addressing settlers seeking a "solution" with Hezbollah, Nasrallah cautioned that such a choice is misguided, and they would be the first to pay the price. He urged them to turn to their government to halt the aggression against Gaza, emphasizing that any other option would only result in more displacement and higher costs for the settlers in the north.

Responding to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments about the resistance tent at the border, Sayyed Nasrallah challenged him to acknowledge the destruction of 48 border sites, 11 rear sites, and attacks on 17 settlements and 50 border points. He questioned whether it was the resistance causing Israeli soldiers to hide like "mice," emphasizing that the scale of daily operations serves as a deterrent. Sayyed Nasrallah underscored that what is happening on the southern border is a real war, far beyond the symbolism of a "tent." "The era of the tent which Netanyahu boasts about is now relegated to the past, as we find ourselves engaged in a tangible and substantial battle today."

Sayyed Nasrallah reminded that the current operations on the southern border are not a new initiative by the resistance since 1948. In the past, only one operation similar to today's activities occurred, resulting in Israeli bombings in Beirut. "In previous times, a single operation would result in extensive destruction across southern Lebanon," Sayyed Nasrallah said. He noted that the Israelis are now proving the deterrence equations established by the resistance many years ago.

The secretary general saw an opportunity for Lebanon to liberate the rest of its land after the cessation of aggression against Gaza, extending from the B1 area to the Shebaa Farms. Emphasizing the chance to establish an equation preventing the enemy from violating Lebanon's sovereignty, he stressed that dialogue and negotiation would yield no results unless the aggression against Gaza stops.

"We find ourselves at a historic juncture, presenting a unique opportunity to fully liberate every inch of our land and establish an equation that safeguards our country's sovereignty, an opportunity initiated by the blessings of the Lebanese front," his eminence said.

Arouri Assassination

Funeral in Beirut, Lebanon, January 4, 2024 for Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri and others martyred with him.

Regarding the recent Zionist attack on Beirut and the assassination of Hamas' Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri, Sayyed Nasrallah affirmed that such a major and dangerous breach in the southern suburbs of Lebanon is unacceptable. He expressed deep sorrow for the loss of Sheikh Saleh, emphasizing a strong friendship.

Sayyed Nasrallah asserted that the killing will not go without a response or punishment, with the field being the venue for this inevitable retaliation. "The killing of Sheikh Saleh Al-Arouri will undoubtedly not go unanswered or unpunished, the decision lies in the hands of the field, and it will undoubtedly be implemented," he warned.

Remaining silent about such a serious violation would expose all of Lebanon to greater harm than any potential risks from responding in the field. "We cannot remain silent in the face of such a grave violation, as it puts Lebanon at risk."

In his January 3 speech, Sayyed Nasrallah warned the Israeli enemy against launching an all-out war on Lebanon, affirming that the Islamic Resistance will then fight without any limit. His eminence indicated that, till now, the operations carried out by Hezbollah are regulated in a way that abides by the Lebanese national interests, threatening the Israeli enemy that the limits will backlash in case of any war on Lebanon.

Iraqi Front

Shifting to the situation in Iraq, Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted a historic opportunity for the country to rid itself of U.S. occupation, especially given the current strategic defeat faced by the United States and NATO in Ukraine. "The underlying motive is the support for Gaza, and the U.S. administration is apprehensive about it, grappling with a predicament in Ukraine," Sayyed Nasrallah said on the Iraqi military operations taking place nowadays.

He pointed out that the U.S. forces have targeted members of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, emphasizing the chance for Iraq to break free from the deception and lies of the U.S. occupation. "An advantageous outcome of the Islamic resistance in Iraq opening a front in support of Gaza is the genuine prospect for Iraq to liberate itself from the U.S. occupation."

Sayyed Nasrallah urged the Iraqi government, the House of Representatives, and the Iraqi people to unite in rejecting the criminal occupiers who are complicit in atrocities in Gaza, Palestine, and Lebanon. "Today, there exists a historic opportunity for the Iraqi government, the House of Representatives, and the Iraqi people to extricate themselves from the occupiers and perpetrators of violence, those responsible for the bloodshed of Iraqis, Iranians, and the people of the region," his eminence said.

He commended the Iraqi government's courageous stance in support of the Al-Aqsa Flood and called for the expulsion of U.S. forces from Iraq, asserting that Iraq does not need the U.S. to combat ISIS, highlighting the national blessing of solidarity with Gaza as an essential part of the opportunity for U.S. forces to leave Iraq.

"Iraq does not need U.S. forces to combat ISIS. Currently, there are indications that certain elements associated with ISIS in Syria have sought refuge or support from U.S. forces," Hezbollah leader said.

Yemeni Front

Sayyed Nasrallah highlighted that certain Arab regimes and media outlets, in an attempt to deflect attention from their own failures, resorted to ridiculing the actions of the resistance front, particularly when Yemeni forces targeted Eilat [Israel's southernmost city]. These critics accused Yemen of seeking to restore its image in the Arab world. "Al-Qaeda actively sought to undermine and discredit all efforts by the axis of resistance in supporting Gaza, attempting to mask their own failures. Those who underestimate the actions of the resistance axis today are individuals who have failed to contribute anything since the onset of the aggression on Gaza," his eminence said.

"Engaging in jihad brings honour, while refraining from it leads to humiliation," Sayyed Nasrallah stressed, adding that the silent and negligent regimes were taken aback by the unexpected actions of the Yemeni in the Red Sea.

Hezbollah's top commander commended Ansarullah, Abdul-Mali al-Hath, and the government in Sana'a for their steadfastness, emphasizing that their concern was always about their image and status before God Almighty.

Sayyed Nasrallah pointed out that some individuals are fundamentally unsuitable for positions that require confronting the enemy, as their psychological and spiritual levels are much lower.

He noted that the Yemeni position has prompted various segments to reassess their internal stance towards Ansarullah, emphasizing that Yemen has now firmly established itself in regional and international equations, causing the world to take notice.

"A significant national achievement is that the Sana'a government has evolved from being an internal faction to becoming a pivotal component of the international equation, compelling the world to reckon with it despite attempts to marginalize," his eminence said.

Sayyed Nasrallah questioned the absence of the Israeli Air Force in Yemen, attributing it to Yemeni deterrence.

Addressing the Yemeni people's recent demonstrations, Sayyed Nasrallah conveyed a message directed at the U.S. administration, particularly President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and the Minister of War. He emphasized that Yemen's message to the U.S. is that it is not facing just a government, state, or army named Ansarullah. Instead, it confronts tens of millions of Yemeni people with a history of inflicting defeats on occupiers. "The message from Yemen today is directed at the United States. It emphasizes that the challenge is not merely against the Ansarullah movement but against tens of millions of Yemeni people with a history of thwarting aggressors and inflicting defeats."

Sayyed Nasrallah urged the Biden administration to understand this history and emphasized that Yemen will not stop or hesitate. He concluded by stating that Yemen is gaining increasing pride in the Arab and Islamic world, as well as in the eyes of friends and enemies alike.

To the Resistance Environment

Addressing the families of the martyrs of the Islamic Resistance, Sayyed Nasrallah wholeheartedly expressed his wish to take part in condolences. "Given my security circumstances, what I earnestly desire and hope for is to stand by your side, expressing my deep gratitude by kissing your hands and foreheads."

Turning to the people in the south, he said: "Had the fate of the enemy been to defeat the resistance in Gaza and displace its people, their next target would have been southern Lebanon, particularly in southern Litani. It is you who shattered their ambition."

"Hezbollah fighters are courageously battling in a cold and rain-soaked terrain, amidst enemy shelling. They persist in advancing and launching attacks on enemy positions and gatherings, ready to be the ones to respond to the significant breach in Dahieh," his eminence indicated.

At the beginning of his speech, Sayyed Nasrallah renewed condolences to the martyrs who fell at the shrine of Hajj Qasem Soleimani in Kerman, Iran. He offered condolences to Iraq, Sayyed Ali Sistani, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Nujaba Movement on the martyrdom of Hajj Abu Taqwa al-Saidi.

Sayyed Nasrallah allocated a significant part of his speech to talk about Hajj Abu Salim Yaghi, whose commemoration ceremony was held in Sayyeda Khawla Shrine in Baalbek. He enumerated the multiple traits of Yaghi along with the deep friendship that gathered them.

"Hajj Abu Salim emerged as a revolutionary force and dedicated activist in the Baalbek region, leaving an indelible mark on his surroundings. My testimony regarding Hajj Abu Salim is not just a mere account; it stands as a tangible testament to our enduring connection that dates back to our youth in 1978 ... From the outset, a profound bond of brotherhood, love, friendship, and unwavering trust blossomed between us within the first few hours of our acquaintance."

(Slightly edited for style by TML.)

Desperate Moves of Genocidal Forces

Israel Reveals Desperate Plans to Complete Palestinian Genocide

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on January 4 "outlined his plans for the next stage of Israel's war in Gaza and his vision of a future arrangement which would see the enclave run by a Palestinian body under overall Israeli security control," news agencies report. According to a statement issued by the Minister's office, "In the northern region of the Gaza strip, we will transition to a new combat approach in accordance with military achievements on the ground." Gallant's office said in a statement that under the plan Israeli operations would transition to include raids, demolishing tunnels, air and ground strikes, and special forces operations. "It will continue for as long as is deemed necessary," the statement said. After the war, Gallant said Hamas would no longer control Gaza and Israel would reserve its operational freedom of action, with a multinational task force led by the United States in partnership with the European Union and regional partners taking responsibility for rehabilitating the territory. Gallant said, "Palestinian bodies will be in charge, with the condition that there will be no hostile actions or threats against the State of Israel." Israel would "provide information to guide civilian operations" and continue to inspect goods entering Gaza for security reasons, the Minister's office said.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) responded with a statement saying, "The day after the war will be a day of defeat and complete withdrawal of the aggression and a day of victory for the resistance." "The day after," it says, "will be a day of collapse and defeat for the occupation and victory for the resistance. The soldiers of the Israeli army will find nothing in Gaza but death at the hands of its resistance." The PFLP continued, "No Palestinian party will cooperate with these projects," and warned any international or regional parties against any involvement in such projects. Any presence in Gaza under the occupation's umbrella will be met only with bullets and fire, it said.

More Desperate Assassinations

Wissam Hassan Tawil

Israel conducted another cowardly drone strike in the village of Majdal Selm, in southern Lebanon on January 8. Hezbollah confirmed in a statement the assassination of its senior commander, the "martyr fighter leader Wissam Hassan Tawil, known as "Al-Hah Jawad." Citing security sources, Reuters reported that Tawil was the deputy head of a unit within Hezbollah's elite Radwan force. Another fighter, who has not been identified, was also killed in the strike.

Israel's Criminal "Aid Inspections"

Israel claims that it is not committing genocide in part because it is permitting aid to come into Gaza. The opposite is true.

At the beginning of January, "an average of around 120 trucks a day entered through Rafah and Kerem Shalom, according to UN figures, far below the 500 trucks of goods going in daily before the war and far below what aid groups say is needed," the Associated Press reported.

Trucks carrying aid can wait for weeks at the border and then be turned back arbitrarily. The trucks enter the Egyptian side of the border, drive along no-man's land to the Israeli facility at Nitzana for inspection by the military, then return to Rafah to cross into Gaza -- or go to Kerem Shalom for inspection and entry there. Kerem Shalom only operates eight hours a day, and is closed part of Friday and all day Saturday.

If inspectors reject a single item in a truck it must return with its entire cargo to be re-packaged, starting the weeks-long process all over again. Aid workers inform that tents are refused because they include metal poles, and the medical kits because they include scalpels. Most solar-powered equipment also appears to be barred. Palestinians are facing starvation and death by hypothermia due to lowering temperatures and lack of shelter.

Attempt to Stop Israeli Genocide at International Court of Justice

Hearings Begin on South Africa's Request for Injunction Against Israel

Beginning on January 11, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands is holding hearings to consider South Africa's request for an injunction to stop Israel's war crimes in Gaza, as the first stage to stop the genocide and bring Israel to account under the Genocide Convention. South Africa will make its case for "provisional measures" to "protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people under the Genocide Convention" and "to ensure Israel's compliance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention not to engage in genocide, and to prevent and to punish genocide."

An ICJ order for provisional measures would mean an emergency suspension of Israel's military campaign in Gaza. "For provisional measures the court only has to decide if at first glance, or prima facie, it would have jurisdiction and the acts complained of could fall within the scope of the genocide treaty," the Associated Press explains. "Any measures it decides would not necessarily be those requested by the complainant."

Public sittings of the ICJ can be observed either in-person at the Peace Palace in The Hague or online. In this case the hearings regarding South Africa's request for provisional measures to stop Israel's war on Gaza will be livestreamed from 4:00-6:00 am EDT/1:00-3:00 am PDT on the ICJ's website and on UN Web TV.

The first day of hearings will be for South Africa to make its case for provisional measures, while Israel will either make its case on January 12 or next week. Following the presentations by each side, the ICJ ruling on provisional measures is expected to come within weeks. Legal experts say the overall case to hold Israel to account for its genocidal crimes in Gaza may take years to reach a conclusion.

Regardless of whether the Genocide Convention can be successfully applied to rein in Israel, the Palestinian resistance and people and the peoples of the world are clear that the more than 20,000 people killed by Israel in Gaza since October 7, 2023 and all its other atrocities are crimes for which it must be held to account, in the service of liberating the Palestinian people and affirming their right to be. Israel must be stopped.

The ICJ handbook states that the court has "expressly stated that Orders indicating provisional measures have binding force." Furthermore, the ICJ's website states, "Judgments delivered by the Court (or by one of its Chambers) in disputes between States are binding upon the parties concerned. Article 94 of the United Nations Charter provides that '[e]ach Member of the United Nations undertakes to comply with the decision of [the Court] in any case to which it is a party.'

"Judgments are final and without appeal. If there is a dispute about the meaning or scope of a judgment, the only possibility is for one of the parties to make a request to the Court for an interpretation. In the event of the discovery of a fact hitherto unknown to the Court which might be a decisive factor, either party may apply for revision of the judgment."

Part of what has led to the current situation in Gaza, and of great concern to the Palestinian people and the peoples of the world who are fighting to stop Israel, is Israel's repeated defiance of UN rulings and resolutions aimed at reining in its Zionist terrorism against the Palestinians. U.S. legal scholar Marjorie Cohn, a former president of the National Lawyers Guild, writes, "Article 94 of the UN Charter says that all parties to a dispute must comply with the decisions of the ICJ and if a party fails to do so, the other party may go to the UN Security Council for the enforcement of the decision."

Interventions by Third States and Obligations of Signatories

Regarding who is permitted to take part in proceedings of the IJC, the court's website explains, "Only States are eligible to appear before the Court in contentious cases. At present, this essentially means the 193 Member States of the United Nations."

Articles 62 and 63 of the ICJ makes provision for third states to a dispute to submit interventions:

"Article 62

"l. Should a state consider that it has an interest of a legal nature which may be affected by the decision in the case, it may submit a request to the Court to be permitted to intervene.

"2. It shall be for the Court to decide upon this request.

"Article 63

"1. Whenever the construction of a convention to which states other than those concerned in the case are parties is in question, the Registrar shall notify all such states forthwith.

"2. Every state so notified has the right to intervene in the proceedings; but if it uses this right, the construction given by the judgment will be equally binding upon it."

Furthermore, Cohn points out that "The obligations in the Genocide Convention are erga omnes partes, that is, obligations owed by a state towards all the states parties to the Convention. The ICJ has stated, 'In such a convention the contracting States do not have any interests of their own; they merely have, one and all, a common interest, namely, the accomplishment of those high purposes which are the raison d'etre of the Convention.'"

This also means that in the event of an ICJ order of provisional measures to block Israel's war on Gaza, and if Israel is ultimately found to have breached the Genocide Convention, state parties to the convention are also obligated to take measures to see that such rulings are enforced. This raises the obvious point of the need to also hold the U.S. to account for its role to fully back Israel, politically, financially and militarily. Countries such as Canada that are also complicit in the genocide by nearly unconditional support of Israel are also implicated. Both the U.S. and Canada are signatories to the Genocide Convention.

Concerns Expressed by Israel

Cohn recently explained some of Israel's concerns about being brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the Genocide Convention. She points out:

"[...]

Israel and its chief patron, the United States, understand the magnitude of South Africa's ICJ application, and they are livid. Israel usually thumbs its nose at international institutions, but it is taking South Africa's case seriously. In 2021, when the International Criminal Court launched an investigation into Israel's alleged war crimes in Gaza, Israel firmly rejected the legitimacy of the probe.

"Israel generally doesn't participate in such proceedings," Prof. Eliav Lieblich, an international law expert at Tel Aviv University, told Haaretz. "But this isn't a UN inquiry commission or the International Criminal Court in the Hague, whose authority Israel rejects. It's the International Court of Justice, which derives its powers from a treaty Israel joined, so it can't reject it on the usual grounds of lack of authority. It's also a body with international prestige."

A January 4 cable from the Israeli Foreign Ministry says that Israel's "strategic goal" is that the ICJ reject South Africa's request for an injunction to suspend Israel's military action in Gaza, refuse to find that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and rule that Israel is complying with international law.

"A ruling by the court could have significant potential implications that are not only in the legal world but have practical bilateral, multilateral, economic, security ramifications," the cable states. "We ask for an immediate and unequivocal public statement along the following lines: To publicly and clearly state that YOUR COUNTRY rejects the outragest [sic], absurd and baseless allegations made against Israel."

The cable instructs Israeli embassies to urge diplomats and politicians at the highest levels "to publicly acknowledge that Israel is working [together with international actors] to increase the humanitarian aid to Gaza, as well as to minimize damage to civilians, while acting in self defense after the horrible October 7th attack by a genocidal terrorist organization."

"The State of Israel will appear before the ICJ at The Hague to dispel South Africa's absurd blood libel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spokesperson Eylon Levy declared. South Africa's application is "without legal merit and constitutes a base exploitation and contempt of court," he said.

Israel is pulling out all the stops, including disingenuous accusations of "blood libel," an anti-Semitic trope that erroneously accuses Jews of the ritual sacrifice of Christian children.

(With files from ICJ, AP, Truthout.)

(To access articles individually click on the black headline.)

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