GAZA, LEBANON, WEST BANK (JUDEA AND SAMARIA) WILL SOON BE ISRAELS LAND THREW THIS WAR. LIKE GOD PROMISED.

JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)

 GAZA, LEBANON, WEST BANK (JUDEA AND SAMARIA) WILL SOON BE ISRAELS LAND THREW THIS WAR. LIKE GOD PROMISED.

And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.
Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.12 TRIBES INHERIT LAND IN THE FUTURE.

SURVEY: Support for Judea and Samaria rising among Israelis; Israelis less divided.Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit.Jeremiah 29:5(the israel bible) June 21, 2024

A new Pew Survey reported that Israeli interest in resettling the Biblical heartland is rising due to security concerns.Pew surveyed 1,001 Israelis, all over 18, face-to-face between March 3 and April 4. It did so in Hebrew and Arabic but was unable to poll people in GThe survey revealed a significant increase among Israelis for supporting Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria. It noted that Jewish Israelis were likely to see new communities in Judea and Samaria as helpful to Israeli security (49% in 2024 compared to 31% in 2013).  35% say that the Israeli settlements detract from Israeli security.  21% think settlements don’t significantly affect the country’s security.The issue has a strong religious element. Among self-identified Haredim (“ultra-Orthodox” Jews) and Datiim (“religious” Jews), 85% say that the continued building of settlements helps Israeli security, and 57% of Masortim (“traditional” Jews) agree.Among Hilonim (“secular” Jews), just 21% say settlements help security, while a 47% plurality view settlements as harmful in this regard. Masortim and Hilonim are less likely to offer opinions on this question than Haredim or Datiim.Israeli adults who place themselves on the ideological right are particularly likely to view settlements as helping Israel’s security (68%). In comparison, those in the center (17%) and on the left (9%) are much less likely to share this viewpoint. Among those on the left, about seven in ten say the continued building of Jewish settlements in the West Bank hurts Israeli security.The Biden administration declared in February that these settlements are “illegitimate” under international law. In 2019,  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared them not “inconsistent with international law.” The survey also revealed that Israeli society is much less divided than it used to be.  Israelis are also less likely to see intense conflict between religious and non-religious Jews (18% compared to 29%), and among those on the political left and right (24% to 32%) in 2024, compared to 2023.The survey also noted that Jewish Israelis were less likely in 2024 to believe that an independent Palestinian state could coexist alongside Israel, 19% as compared to 32% in 2023.Some 94% of Jewish Israelis were at least somewhat concerned about violence against Jews in Judea and Samaria, and 70% were “extremely” or “very” worried. Sixty-seven percent of Arab Israelis were at least somewhat concerned about violence against Jews in Judea and Samaria, with 43% expressing extreme concern. Those numbers flipped concerning Arab safety in Judea and Samaria. Some 93% of Arabs were at least somewhat concerned about violence against Arabs in Judea and Samaria (73% were “extremely” or “very” worried). In comparison, just 39% of Jewish Israelis had that concern at least somewhat (and just 19% were very worried).In other ways, Pew reported significant divides between Jewish and Arab Israelis, including the belief that the national government is doing what’s in the country’s best interest. Some 61% of Jewish Israelis (up from 53% in 2017) had that trust in the national government, while Arab Israelis were less likely (23%) to do so compared to in 2017 (44%).Jewish Israelis were also likelier in 2024 (93%) than in 2007 (77%) to say that the Israel Defense Forces was having a “very” or “somewhat good” impact on how things are going in the state, while the number of Arab Israelis who thought the Israeli military is having at least a “somewhat good” influence dropped from 57% in 2007 to 34% in 2024, according to Pew’s data.According to the new Pew data, Jewish (74%) and Arab (9%) Israelis had the most favorable views of Yoav Gallant, the defense minister, within the coalition government, followed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—whom 51% of Israeli Jews saw favorably, compared to 7% of Arab Israelis—and then Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich (45% favorable among Jews and 5% among Arabs) and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir (42% and 1%, respectively). National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz had a 56% favorability rating among Jewish Israelis and 30% among Arab Israelis.Pew Research Center’s survey in Israel was conducted as a part of the Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey. Results for the Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey are based on telephone, face-to-face, and online interviews conducted under the direction of Gallup, Langer Research Associates, Social Research Centre and Verian.

STORMS HURRICANES-TORNADOES

LUKE 21:25-26
25 And there shall be signs in the sun,(HEATING UP-SOLAR ECLIPSES) and in the moon,(MAN ON MOON-LUNAR ECLIPSES) and in the stars;(ASTEROIDS ETC) and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;(MASS CONFUSION) the sea and the waves roaring;(FIERCE WINDS)
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear,(TORNADOES,HURRICANES,STORMS) and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:(DESTRUCTION) for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.(FROM QUAKES,NUKES ETC)

THE FIRST JUDGEMENT OF THE EARTH STARTED WITH WATER-IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THE LAST GENERATION WILL BE HAVING FLOODING (BUT WILL NOT KILL EVERY BODY WITH WATER)(BUT 50% OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE (4 BILLION PEOPLE) FROM NUCLEAR WAR)(THE BIBLE SAYS BY FIRE OR ATOMIC BOMBS THIS TIME)
GENESIS 7:6-12
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
GOD PROMISED BY A RAINBOW-THE EARTH WOULD NEVER BE DESTROYED TOTALLY WITH A FLOOD AGAIN.BUT FLOODIING IS A SIGN OF JUDGEMENT.

OZONE DEPLETION JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH DUE TO SIN

ISAIAH 30:26-27
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,(7X OR 7-DEGREES HOTTER) as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,(ISRAEL) and healeth the stroke of their wound.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:

MATTHEW 24:21-22,29
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened,(DAY LIGHT HOURS SHORTENED) there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake (ISRAELS SAKE) those days shall be shortened (Daylight hours shortened)(THE ASTEROID HITS EARTH HERE)
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

REVELATION 16:7-9
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

EZEKIEL 32:6-9
6  I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
7  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
8  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.
9  I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.

REVELATION 16:3-7
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.(enviromentalists won't like this result)
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they(False World Church and Dictator and baby murderers by abortion) have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

2 Peter 3:6-7 Amplified Bible (AMP)
through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly people.

Over 1,000 pilgrims dead during hajj in Saudi, officials say-Pilgrimage took place under soaring temperatures, and unauthorized visitors without hotel rooms had nowhere to escape heat; no official comment from kingdom-By Samy Magdy Today, 1:43 pm-JUN 23,24

CAIRO (AP) — More than 1,000 people died during this year’s hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, officials said Sunday.More than half of the fatalities were people from Egypt, according to two officials in Cairo. Egypt revoked the licenses of 16 travel agencies that helped unauthorized pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia, authorities said.Saudi Arabia has not commented on the deaths during the pilgrimage, which is required of every able Muslim once in their life.The Egyptian government announced the death of 31 authorized pilgrims due to chronic diseases during this year’s hajj, but didn’t offer an official tally for other pilgrims.However, a Cabinet official said that at least 630 other Egyptians died during the pilgrimage, with most reported at the Emergency Complex in Mecca’s Al-Muaisem neighborhood. Confirming the tally, an Egyptian diplomat said most of the dead have been buried in Saudi Arabia.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists.Saudi authorities cracked down on unauthorized pilgrims, expelling tens of thousands of people. But many, mostly Egyptians, managed to reach holy sites in and around Mecca, some on foot. Unlike authorized pilgrims, they had no hotels to escape from the scorching heat.In its statement, the government said the 16 travel agencies failed to provide adequate services for pilgrims. It said these agencies illegally facilitated the travel of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia using visas that don’t allow holders to travel to Mecca.The government also said officials from the companies have been referred to the public prosecutor for investigations.The fatalities also included 165 pilgrims from Indonesia, 98 from India and dozens more from Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Malaysia, according to an Associated Press tally. Two US pilgrims were also reported dead.The AP could not independently confirm the causes of death, but some countries like Jordan and Tunisia blamed the soaring heat.Associated Press journalists saw pilgrims fainting from the scorching heat during the hajj, especially on the second and third days. Some vomited and collapsed.Deaths are not uncommon at the hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. The pilgrimage’s history has also seen deadly stampedes and epidemics.But this year’s tally was unusually high, suggesting exceptional circumstances.A 2015 stampede in Mina during the hajj killed over 2,400 pilgrims, the deadliest incident ever to strike the pilgrimage, according to an AP count. Saudi Arabia has never acknowledged the full toll of the stampede. A separate crane collapse at Mecca’s Grand Mosque earlier the same year killed 111.The second-deadliest incident at the hajj was a 1990 stampede that killed 1,426 people.During this year’s hajj period, daily high temperatures ranged between 46 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) and 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mecca and sacred sites in and around the city, according to the Saudi National Center for Meteorology. Some people fainted while trying to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil.The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is one of the world’s largest religious gatherings. More than 1.83 million Muslims performed the hajj in 2024, including more than 1.6 million from 22 countries, and around 222,000 Saudi citizens and residents, according to the Saudi hajj authorities.Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars on crowd control and safety measures for those attending the annual five-day pilgrimage, but the sheer number of participants makes ensuring their safety difficult.Climate change could make the risk even greater. A 2019 study by experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that even if the world succeeds in mitigating the worst effects of climate change, the hajj would be held in temperatures exceeding an “extreme danger threshold” from 2047 to 2052, and from 2079 to 2086.Islam follows a lunar calendar, so the hajj comes around 11 days earlier each year. By 2029, the hajj will occur in April, and for several years after that it will fall in the winter, when temperatures are milder.

Landslide kills eight in China after heavy rainfall.

Beijing, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024-A landslide in a mountainous area of central China has left eight people dead, state media said Sunday, as parts of the country were placed on high alert for bad weather.Heavy rain caused a deadly landslide in a village in Hunan province, according to state broadcaster CCTV.Four houses collapsed early on Sunday and all eight missing people "have been found with no vital signs", the channel said.China has been experiencing extreme weather conditions and unusually high temperatures in recent months.Climate change driven by human-emitted greenhouse gases makes extreme weather events more frequent and intense, and China is the world's biggest emitter.Meteorological authorities issued several red alerts -- the highest in China's four-tier warning system -- for torrential rain on Sunday, including in Hubei and Anhui provinces.Downpours in southern and densely populated Guangdong province sparked inundations and landslides, with at least 38 people killed in China's manufacturing heartland, state media said Friday.While torrential rains have struck the south, northern China has sweated in temperatures well above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), including in Beijing, where the mercury exceeded 40C (104F) last week.

Heat Wave100 Million in U.S. Under Heat Alerts as First Summer Weekend Arrives-Updated June 22, 2024

Nearly a third of the country was under hot weather advisories on the fifth day of a blistering heat wave.Here’s what we’re covering:Millions nationwide face more hazardous heat as temperatures rise in the Mid-Atlantic states.The heat wave in New York will continue through the weekend.Here’s what you need to know about the power grid during the latest heat wave.Why was Maine sweltering? A ride in a chemical-sniffing van shows how heat amps up pollution.Millions nationwide face more hazardous heat as temperatures rise in the Mid-Atlantic states.About 100 million Americans are under hot weather advisories as a blistering heat wave drags on for a fifth day and the nation approaches its first summer weekend.While New England will finally see a return to cooler weather, a welcome shift for a region where the unusually early spell of heat set records and led officials to declare heat emergencies, heat continues to rise to dangerous levels in the Mid-Atlantic states and elsewhere in the country.The swelter was real, Friday. By early afternoon, New York City reached temperatures it hadn’t measured in almost two years. Central Park hit 94 degrees Friday, the hottest the Belvedere Castle has been since Aug. 9, 2022. Newark Airport climbed 100 degrees in New Jersey today, the first triple digits recorded at the site since Aug. 9, 2022, and only the 15th time the airport has hit 100 in June.Over the next couple of days, some locations may see the highest temperatures they have experienced in years. In Washington, D.C., and other cities along the I-95 corridor, temperatures may exceed 100 degrees. If Washington hits 100, it will be the first time the nation’s capital has been that hot since Aug. 15, 2016.The heat index, a measure of how conditions feel with humidity factored in, could reach 103 degrees or higher in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky and Ohio on Friday. Arizona, in particular, is in for brutally high temperatures: The heat index in the cities surrounding Phoenix is expected to reach 112 degrees, the highest in the country.But forecasters say these Arizona cities are not threatened by the heat as much as some parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes regions, specifically Indiana and Ohio, as well as parts of Illinois, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, where people are less used to such extreme temperatures at this time of year.Forecasters also warn that this could merely be the start of a summer of above-average temperatures across much of the country. Higher temperatures could return to the Northeast as early as next Wednesday.Extremely hot summers have become increasingly common as climate change makes heat waves more frequent, longer and intense. One climate expert with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that this year had already secured its place among the five warmest years on record — and that it might become the warmest ever.— Kate Selig and Judson Jones
Heat index forecast for Friday-The heat wave in New York will continue through the weekend.Temperatures in New York City will remain in the 90s into the weekend as a so-called heat dome hovers over parts of the United States, trapping hot air close to the ground.The temperature topped 90 degrees for the second day in a row on Friday, making it the hottest day in two years in some parts of the city and the surrounding region. It was 94 in Central Park and 100 in Newark, the hottest both places have been since 2022.Clouds and potential showers could provide some relief over the weekend, although air quality will remain a concern because heat can amplify the chemical process that creates smog, according to the National Weather Service. More relief could arrive Monday, mainly in the form of drier air, which would lower the heat index.Cooling centers, air-conditioned spaces open to all New Yorkers looking for a break from the heat, will be open through Sunday. (New York City maintains an online map of cooling centers that is updated in real time.)Public beaches and state parks were again charging admission on Friday after Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that New Yorkers could visit certain sites for free on Wednesday and Thursday. Ms. Hochul said certain parks, including Bear Mountain, Jones Beach and Taconic, would add cooling features like sprays and misters through Friday.Those looking for free places to escape the heat can find sprinklers, water fountains, beaches and shady parks on a map published online by the city’s parks department. The map will soon include the city’s 53 outdoor public pools, but not yet because they will not open until June 27.The most severe heat is expected on Sunday, when the heat index, a measure of how hot it feels when humidity is accounted for, will reach 99 degrees in the city.Nearly all libraries, which are among the city’s most reliable sources of air-conditioning for members of the public, are closed on Sundays because of budget cuts. But the city’s Emergency Management Department said that hundreds more centers would be open through Sunday on an emergency basis.On Friday, the city began contacting homeless people to distribute supplies and encourage them to find air-conditioned shelter, a Department of Social Services spokesman said.New Yorkers should also brace for possible power outages in the days ahead as millions of air-conditioners and fans run at once. The current heat wave is the first test for the city’s electric grid since last summer, and Con Ed, the utility that serves much of New York, expects some weak spots to fail, Patrick McHugh, Con Ed’s senior vice president of electric operations, said. Con Ed is prepared to make repairs as needed, Mr. McHugh said.Strong winds downed power lines in Albany late Thursday, knocking out electricity for more than 10,000 National Grid customers, according to the utility. Around 7,000 New Jersey residents also lost power for several hours on Thursday. By Friday morning, power had been restored for most customers in both places.Public schools in New York City were open and conducted classes as usual on Friday. The city began a $29 million effort in 2017 to install air-conditioning in every school, and now a “vast majority” of classrooms are air-conditioned, Daniel Weisberg, the first deputy schools chancellor, said at a news conference on Thursday.Some schools north of the city, including those in Pelham, Yonkers and several districts in the Catskills and Hudson Valley, released students at noon on Friday after being unable to keep classrooms cool. Schools in those districts also had half-days on Thursday.The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the city’s mass transit system, announced Friday that it would be on high alert through the weekend for potential heat-related service disruptions. The authority said extra personnel would be ready to fix outages at subway stations and to repair broken air-conditioning systems on subway cars and buses.Trains operated by Amtrak and New Jersey Transit in and around New York were significantly delayed on Thursday and Friday, stranding some commuters in sweltering stations and train cars that lacked air-conditioning.Reporting was contributed by Judson Jones, Tim Balk, Patrick McGeehan, Nate Schweber and Hilary Howard.— Alyce McFadden-Here’s what you need to know about the power grid during the latest heat wave.The heat wave has broken temperature records across the Midwest and Northeast and put 100 million people under heat advisories. But there’s a silver lining, at least so far: Experts say the energy grid has held up well, thanks in part to increased solar capacity — a promising indicator of its resilience this summer.Periods of high heat carry an elevated risk of power outages, as energy demand spikes and impairs the ability of utilities to generate and transmit power. During this heat wave, Americans have so far been able to crank up their air-conditioners and fans without triggering a major blackout.“The grid is performing well,” said Mark Olson, who manages the grid reliability assessments at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, a nonprofit organization that develops and enforces standards for the utility industry.Here’s what you need to know about power and the heat.What is the status of the outages?So far, there have been a limited number of power outages during the heat wave. And where they have occurred, storms were largely to blame.In Southeast Michigan and the greater Pittsburgh area in Pennsylvania, powerful storms knocked out power for tens of thousands of customers. As of Friday afternoon, about 16,000 people in Michigan were still without electricity.“We’ve just been hot and patient,” said Connie Wynn, whose power in Lathrup Village, Mich., has been out since Wednesday night.An additional 48,000 customers lost power in Eastern New York on Thursday night because of storms and wind, but most of them had power again on Friday, according to National Grid, which provides service for the area.On Thursday evening, about 6,800 New Jersey customers lost power, but most saw it restored as of Friday morning. The cause was still under investigation.In New York City, there have been no major outages so far, according to Philip O’Brien, a spokesman for Con Edison, which serves the five boroughs and Westchester County.As the heat wave slogged on for a fifth day, grid operators across the country were reporting that supply was keeping up with demand. That includes the operators that serve the Mid-Atlantic States, where temperatures are forecast to soar into the middle and upper 90s through the weekend, and the Midwest, where forecasters say swaths of Ohio and Indiana are especially at risk from the extreme heat.What does this mean for the rest of the summer? Experts said the performance of grids in this heat wave is reason for cautious optimism. The absence of blackouts is a promising sign that operators can handle high temperatures later in the summer, although much can change between now and then, they said.Michael Webber, a professor and energy expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said the nation’s grids have had many factors working in their favor in this heat wave.Spring maintenance means the infrastructure is fresh, and the heat wave has not hit the entire country, so grid operators can import power from other regions, he said. Operators have also added solar capacity, which performs well during heat waves, as the sun tends to be out. Plus, it is early in the summer, so the ground and infrastructure are not retaining as much heat from earlier periods as they will later in the year.“I feel comfortable about where we are, but I don’t feel relaxed,” Mr. Webber said.According to N.E.R.C., the grid has also been fortified by an increase in solar power and battery storage, which shores up supply. Grid operators are also doing more to expand programs that allow consumers to monitor and modify their energy consumption during times of peak demand, which can take pressure off the grid.“We’re in better shape than last year, all things considered,” said Mr. Olson.Still, N.E.R.C. has warned that large parts of the country are at risk of supply shortfalls during extreme conditions.What can people do to prevent a blackout?There are steps you can take to help prevent blackouts. Many are simple and inexpensive, such as setting your thermostat a few degrees higher and not cooling unused rooms. The load on the grid also varies throughout the day, so moving energy-intensive activities, such as running a washing machine or a dishwasher, to off-peak hours can help.If you find yourself in a blackout, take action to stay cool. Blackouts during heat waves are not just a nuisance — they can be deadly, especially for those in populations that are vulnerable to extreme heat, such as older people.Your priority during a blackout should be finding a way to stay cool, said Brian Calka of DTE Energy, which serves the region of Michigan that experienced outages. He recommended reaching out to friends, family or neighbors with power or seeking out a cooling center to escape the heat. If those steps are not possible, he encouraged covering up your windows to prevent your home from warming up and heading downstairs into a basement, if possible.— Kate Selig and Hilary Howard-Why was Maine sweltering? Typically, Maine is a summer destination for people who want to cool off.The state usually boasts average summer temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s. So why was Maine, along with New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and other parts of New England, in the heat danger zone this week, with skyrocketing temperatures well into the 90s?Andrew Orrison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the cause was a kind of weather system that usually forms farther over the Atlantic Ocean and farther south.The shift of this expansive band of heat toward the coast and farther north helped send temperatures soaring in New England, he said. It was part of a larger “high-pressure aloft” system, a type of phenomena that can produce heat domes.Additionally, descending westerly winds off the mountain ranges in New England helped to further compress the heat into the lower elevations, which meant higher temperatures in many cities, Mr. Orrison added.Now that same band of heat has moved further south and is sitting over New York City.Although high-pressure systems closer to the surface mean fair weather, ones in the atmosphere (the so-called “aloft” systems) can mean days of sustained heat, with little cloud cover to disrupt the power of the sun.As these high-pressure systems weaken, they can create space for low-pressure events to develop, which is why thunderstorms threatened the area yesterday.And then there is climate change. The continued burning of greenhouse gases means that the temperature of the atmosphere is increasing almost everywhere, said Jason Smerdon, a professor at the Columbia Climate School.Though the underlying causes of the most recent heat wave in the Northeast are yet to be determined, he said, the combination of high temperatures and humid conditions created a “double whammy” effect, since a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture.“So the ‘feels-like’ temperature from combined heat and humidity made the event particularly severe,” he said.— Hilary Howard-A ride in a chemical-sniffing van shows how heat amps up pollution.Two vans loaded with precision instruments trundled along the streets of New York and New Jersey in the heat earlier this week, sniffing for toxic chemicals in the air.They detected spikes in methane, a potent greenhouse gas, most likely from leaks, or from natural-gas-burning buses. They found plumes of nitrous oxide, possibly from wastewater. And all along the ride, they logged elevated levels of ozone, the main ingredient of smog, as well as cancer-causing formaldehyde — both of which form readily in hot weather.The bottom line: The streets are dotted with pollution hot spots. And the heat makes pollution worse.“If you want a chemical reaction to go faster, you add heat,” said Peter DeCarlo, an atmospheric air pollution researcher at Johns Hopkins University who’s leading an effort to use the vans to measure emissions along Louisiana’s petrochemicals corridor. “On hotter days, it’s the same idea,” he said.Air pollution surges when temperatures rise, adding to the harms wrought by global warming. It’s one reason cities and counties across the Eastern United States hit by a heat wave this week have been issuing air pollution alerts.The past three days, New York City has warned that ozone in the city is at levels “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Detroit and Chicago have also issued air quality alerts this week. Drivers in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Indiana have been urged to avoid refueling before 8 p.m., and to car pool or refrain from driving as much as possible, to cut down on fumes.The bad air has to do with atmospheric chemistry, Prof. DeCarlo said, while his van navigated the South Bronx, East Harlem and Midtown with two New York Times journalists along for the ride. Pollution from burning fossil fuels reacts with heat and sunlight, forming ground-level ozone. Higher temperatures turbocharge that process.Formaldehyde emissions, which can come from sources as diverse as wildfires and household products, also rise with higher temperatures. “The same chemistry that generates high levels of ozone also produces additional hazardous air pollutants, such as formaldehyde,” Prof. DeCarlo said.Local hot spots can sometimes be seen. For instance, on some blocks in Manhattan, formaldehyde levels were double the surrounding areas, possibly from particularly dirty combustion caused by faulty equipment nearby.The heat-pollution nexus is a growing concern worldwide. Health harms from extreme heat aren’t the only outcome of record-breaking temperatures. Air pollution also spikes when the temperatures rise, the World Meteorological Organization said in a report last year.“Climate change and air quality cannot be treated separately,” Petteri Taalas, the weather organization’s secretary-general, said at the time. “They go hand in hand and must be tackled together to break this vicious cycle.”Breathing elevated levels of formaldehyde and ozone has been linked to problems like respiratory irritation and inflammation, reduced lung function, and difficulties preventing and controlling asthma attacks. Exposure is particularly concerning in people with lung diseases like asthma or chronic bronchitis, said Keeve Nachman, an environmental-health and risk-assessment researcher at Johns Hopkins and a co-lead on the mobile monitoring effort.By coincidence this week, as New York was getting struck by the heat wave, the research team had its pollution-sniffing vans in the city to demonstrate their technology.Prof. Nachman said that while formaldehyde was carcinogenic to humans, cancers would be expected primarily from longer-term exposures, not from temporary increases.It’s also important to recognize that chemical exposures don’t happen one at a time, and that we’re constantly exposed to groups of chemicals that may act together to harm our health, he said. “Hot days can create situations where people are breathing many harmful chemicals at the same time,” Prof. Nachman said. “Formaldehyde and ozone are perfect examples.”One of the vans is set to return to Louisiana later this year to measure for as many as 45 pollutants from its petrochemicals industry, part of a project funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Beyond Petrochemicals Campaign. In an initial peer-reviewed study published this month, the researchers found far higher emissions of ethylene oxide, a carcinogenic gas used in plastic production, than previously known.Researchers piloting the van, a high-tech lab-on-wheels built by the environmental measurement tech company Aerodyne, can see pollution levels in real time, and even follow plumes to try to determine their source. “It’s a bit like a video game,” Prof. DeCarlo said. “And we’re able to measure everything all at once.”Blacki Migliozzi contributed reporting.— Hiroko Tabuchi-How to stay cool indoors during the heat wave.Summer officially starts on Thursday, and this season is predicted to be hotter than normal — a heat wave across the country this week is expected to affect millions of Americans. In New York, the temperature is forecast to reach 96 degrees by Friday. On Monday, Chicago hit a record-breaking 97 degrees.More than just uncomfortable, the heat can be dangerous and at worst deadly, and it’s only becoming more of a threat with climate change causing rising temperatures. Prolonged exposure to or physical exertion in excessive heat can cause heatstroke, according to the Mayo Clinic.Starting Tuesday, cooling centers — indoor, air-conditioned spaces for public use — will be open during the day in New York. The city’s fire department is also turning some fire hydrants into water sprinklers. If you’re staying at home, here’s what you can do to stay as cool as possible indoors, whether you have an AC or not.What’s the ideal temperature for your home? While you should do what feels most comfortable for you, Carrier, an air-conditioner manufacturer, suggests on its website that 72 degrees is the generally accepted “comfortable indoor temperature for many people.” It continues, “It strikes a good balance between comfort and energy efficiency, making it a popular choice for residential settings.”If you’re away from your home, set your thermostat for higher than usual to save energy and to prevent your AC unit from potentially busting. At night, because heat can disrupt sleep, 60 to 67 degrees is recommended by the Cleveland Clinic.How do you keep your furry friends safe? It depends on the animal, and its size and type, but pets are generally less tolerant of higher temperatures than humans.Dogs, the most common pet in the country, tend to overheat when the temperature is between 81 and 85 degrees, according to the American Kennel Club. “An ideal temperature doesn’t exist for all dogs, since their normal body temperature will vary according to size,” the organization states on its website. It also suggests installing a temperature alarm that can notify your phone if your AC fails and you’re not at home to notice.How do you maintain your AC? If your AC is broken, it might be too late to find a repairman to fix it in time for the heat wave, but going forward, experts recommend servicing your AC unit once a year. A technician will typically check for and diagnose issues with the system, clean it and change out the filter.Depending on your unit, you may be able to change your filter yourself. Carrier suggests inspecting your filter every two to three months, and certain factors might affect how often you’ll need to change it. (For example, if you have a pet, you may need to replace the filter more frequently because of its shedding.) You can look for an online guide on how to change the filter — whether it is for a window unit, floor-mounted or other. Just make sure to turn your system off first.What can you do if you don’t have an AC?You can close your blinds or cover your windows to minimize your exposure to direct sunlight. Stick-on solar film, which can be bought online or at home-improvement stores, is also an option. This can deflect infrared heat that would otherwise come in through your windows.While fans don’t cool the air, the breeze they create can have a cooling effect. Wirecutter has a guide to room fans in varying sizes. Make sure your ceiling fans are running counterclockwise, so that air is pushed downward.If you’re able to obtain it in time, Wirecutter also suggests this portable AC.What are some things to avoid indoors? Steer clear of using appliances that generate heat, such as an oven, clothes dryer, iron or blow dryer. New York Times Cooking has a list of “No-Cook Recipes for a Heat Wave” so you can prep a meal without turning on your stove top.Try to avoid dark fabrics for curtains, upholstery or clothing, as they can absorb heat more easily. You can also turn off lights — having too many on close together can heat the surrounding air.Avoid thick covers and blankets. Percale sheets tend to be more breathable, and Wirecutter has a guide for bedsheets for hot sleepers.Can I report my landlord if my apartment is unreasonably hot? While some cities, like Dallas, have air-conditioning requirements for rental apartments, New York City does not. (Landlords in New York are legally obligated to provide heat and hot water.) But if you live in an apartment that had an AC when you moved in, landlords are responsible for maintaining it and replacing it if it’s broken.If they refuse to fix it or are unresponsive, you have options. Ronda Kaysen, a real estate reporter and former “Ask Real Estate” columnist, suggests paying to replace the AC unit yourself if you can then negotiate your rent, asking for the same amount for the upcoming year. You could also take your landlord to court, but that could be more time-consuming and expensive than paying to fix it yourself.— Anna Kodé A short guide to understanding heat domes.Hearing a “heat dome” is in the forecast might spur feelings of dread. But how does a heat dome actually work? Here’s what to know about the weather phenomenon.

How a Saudi pullback from a landmark US deal would be bad news for dollar dominance-Filip De Mott-Jun 21, 2024, 7:28 PM EDT

Saudi Arabia is moving away from the US dollar in the oil trade as it looks at alternative markets.The end of a long-standing "petrodollar" agreement would dent dollar dominance, the Atlantic Council wrote.The move would be a sign that Saudi Arabia is instead seeking to diversify its trade.The potential end of a watershed trading agreement between the US and Saudi Arabia would be a hit to the dollar's oil-market supremacy, and offer a symbolic win for de-dollarization, the Atlantic Council said.In a new blog post, the think tank mulled the prospect that a 1974 accord that mandates Saudi Arabia exclusively use greenbacks when selling its crude oil could come to an end. For 50 years, the "petrodollar" deal has ensured the US dollar's role as the world's chief financing and trading currency, the think tank said.As uncertainty rocked the US economy in the 1970s, the petrodollar became a way to keep the dollar stable. In exchange for security guarantees and military supplies, part of the agreement with Saudi Arabia saw that traded greenbacks were recycled into US bonds, deepening the dollar's role as a reserve currency.But since the deal's origins fifty years ago, much has changed, the Atlantic Council said.American economic dominance is no longer as stark, with its share of world GDP falling from 40% to 25% since 1960. Moreover, US dependence on Saudi oil has slid considerably, given a historic explosion in US domestic production.Instead, alternative markets have sprung up, incentivizing crude economies to rethink their trading practices."China has become Saudi Arabia's largest oil customer, accounting for more than 20% of the kingdom's oil exports. Beijing has established close, trade-driven relationships throughout the Middle East, where US influence has waned," nonresident fellow Hung Tran wrote.For this reason, Riyadh has gradually aligned itself with the de-dollarization movement, which seeks to lower the greenback's dominance of world finance.For instance, Saudi Arabia is among potential BRICS candidates, an economic bloc that has become one of the leading voices against the dollar. It's also linked with China to help establish mBridge, a cross-border payments system that uses central bank digital currencies.If such payment ecosystems make ground, it's a real threat to US Treasury liquidity, risking a key pillar of the greenback's international position, Tran said."In such a world, the dollar would remain prominent but without its outsized clout, complemented by currencies such as the Chinese renminbi, the euro, and the Japanese yen in a way that's commensurate with the international footprint of their economies," he said.Tran concluded: "In this context, how Saudi Arabia approaches the petrodollar remains an important harbinger of the financial future to come as its creation was fifty years prior."Editor's note: This article has been revised to reflect the fact that Saudi Arabia made no announcement on June 13 related to oil traded in US dollars. There is no official agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia to sell oil in US dollars.

GENESIS 6:11-13
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.(WORLD TERRORISM,MURDERS)(HAMAS IN HEBREW IS VIOLENCE)
12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence (TERRORISM)(HAMAS) through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS WILL BE USED.

JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US THAT WE CAN BE SAVED FOREVER.AND DURING WW3 PEOPLES BLOOD WILL BE SHED AS A JUDGEMENT FOR HATING HIM AND ISRAEL.GOD IS NOT MOCKED.

ZEPHANIAH 1:2-3
2  I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.
3  I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

PSALMS 97:3
3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

EZEKIEL 5:15-17
15  So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the (ARAB/MUSLIM) nations that are round about thee,(ISRAEL) when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.
16  When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:
17  So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts,(WHEN RUSSIA/MUSLIMS GET DEFEATED THIER BODIES GET EATEN BY BIRDS,ANIMALS IN ISRAEL MIGRATION SEASON) and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee;(NUKES) and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200 MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)

ISAIAH 66:15-18
15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire,(NUKES) and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD.
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.

ISAIAH 26:21
21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity:(GOD/ISRAEL HATE AND BRAKING OF HIS COMMANDMENTS) the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.(WW3,1/2 earths population die - 3 BILLION).

ISAIAH 13:6-13 KJV
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:(FROM FRIGHT)
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

ISAIAH 24:17-23 KJV
17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth.
18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.
19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth.
22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited.
23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

2 TIMOTHY 3:1
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous (DANGEROUS) times shall come.

JOEL 2:3,30

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)

EZEKIEL 20:47
47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

ZEPHANIAH 1:18
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.

MALACHI 4:1
1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven;(FROM ATOMIC BOMBS) and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

REVELATION 8:7
7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

REVELATION 9:18
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(ATOMIC BOMBS)(RUSSIA CHINA DESTROYED BY ISRAELS ATOMIC BOMBS)

REVELATION 16:12-16
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;(WERE WW3 STARTS IN IRAQ OR SYRIA OR TURKEY) and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon,(SATAN) and out of the mouth of the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(FALSE POPE)
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.(WERE 2 BILLION DIE FROM NUKE WAR)
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

PROOF HALF ON EARTH DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD (8 BILLION ON EARTH)

REVELATION 6:7-8 (8 BILLION- 2 BILLION = 6 BILLION)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse:(CHLORES GREEN) and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth,(2 BILLION) to kill with sword,(WEAPONS) and with hunger,(FAMINE) and with death,(INCURABLE DISEASES) and with the beasts of the earth.(ANIMAL TO HUMAN DISEASE).

REVELATION 9:15,18 (6 BILLION - 2 BILLION = 4 BILLION)
15 And the four(DEMONIC WAR) angels were loosed,
18 By these three was the third part of men killed,(2 BILLION) by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMBS)

HALF OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION.(THESE VERSES ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)

LUKE 17:34-37 (8 TOTAL BILLION - 4 BILLION DEAD IN TRIB = 4 BILLION TO JESUS KINGDOM) (HALF DIE DURING THE 7 YR TRIBULATION PERIOD JUST LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS)(GOD DOES NOT LIE)(AND NOTICE MOST DIE IN WAR AND DISEASES-NOT COMETS-ASTEROIDS-QUAKES OR TSUNAMIS)
34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other shall be left.(half earths population 4 billion die in the 7 yr trib)
35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.(Christians have new bodies,this is the people against Jerusalem during the 7 yr treaty)(Christians bodies are not being eaten by the birds).THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES.BECAUSE NOT HALF OF PEOPLE ON EARTH ARE CHRISTIANS.AND THE CONTEXT IN LUKE 17 IS THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION OR 7 YR TREATY PERIOD.WHICH IS JUDGEMENT ON THE EARTH.NOT 50% RAPTURED TO HEAVEN.

MATTHEW 24:37-42 (THESE ARE JUDGEMENT SCRIPTURES-SURE NOT RAPTURE SCRIPTURES)(50% OF EARTHS POPULATION DIE)
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,(IN WW3 JUDGEMENT) and the other left.
42 Watch therefore:(FOR THE LAST DAYS SIGNS HAPPENING) for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

ZECHARIAH 14:12-13
12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their eyes shall consume away in their holes,(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB) and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.(DISOLVED FROM ATOMIC BOMB)(BECAUSE NUKES HAVE BEEN USED ON ISRAELS ENEMIES)(GOD PROTECTS ISRAEL AND ALWAYS WILL)
13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbour.(1/2-3 BILLION DIE IN WW3)(THIS IS AN ATOMIC BOMB EFFECT)

EZEKIEL 32:18-29 (NOTICE ALL THE COUNTRIES LAND PROMISED ISRAEL BY GOD ARE IN THE JORDAN VALLEY BURIED)
18 “Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and consign her and the daughters of the mighty nations to the depths of the earth with those who descend to the Pit:
19 Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised! (IN HELL FIRES)
20 They will fall among those slain by the sword. The sword is appointed! Let them drag her away along with all her multitudes.
21 Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’
22 Assyria (SYRIA) is there with her whole company; her graves are all around her. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.
23 Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who once spread terror in the land of the living.
24 Elam (IRAN) is there with all her multitudes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who went down uncircumcised to the earth below, who once spread their terror in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit.
25 Among the slain they prepare a resting place for Elam with all her hordes, with her graves all around her. All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword, although their terror was once spread in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit. They are placed among the slain.
26 Meshech and Tubal (RUSSIA) are there with all their multitudes, with their graves all around them. All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword, because they spread their terror in the land of the living.
27 They do not lie down with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were placed under their heads, whose shields rested on their bones, although the terror of the mighty was once in the land of the living.
28 But you too will be shattered and lie down among the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.
29 Edom (JORDAN) is there, and all her kings and princes, who despite their might are laid among those slain by the sword. They lie down with the uncircumcised, with those who descend to the Pit.THIS IS RIGHT FROM 93:

PSALMS 83:1-8 (GODS LAND PROMISED TO ISRAEL)
1 O God, do not remain silent;do not turn a deaf ear,do not stand aloof, O God.
2 See how your enemies growl,  how your foes rear their heads.
3 With cunning they (ARAB,MUSLIMS) conspire against your people;they plot against those you cherish.(ISRAELIS)
4 “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”
5 With one mind they plot together;(TREATIES) they form an alliance against you—
6 the tents of Edom (JORDAN)  and the Ishmaelites, (EGYPTIAN ARABS SO CALLED PALESTIANS) of Moab (JORDAN) and the Hagrites,(EGYPT)
7 Byblos,(HEZBOLLOH) Ammon (JORDAN) and Amalek,(SYRIAN ARABS IN THE SINAI) Philistia,(ARABS) with the people of Tyre (LEBANON).
8 Even Assyria (SYRIA) has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants.

DR SAMUEL DOCTORIANS VISION - SECOND ANGEL: MIDDLE EAST
Then I saw that the second angel had a sickle in his hand, such as is used in harvesting.The second angel said: "Harvest time has come in Israel and the countries all the way to Iran."I saw those countries in a few split seconds."All of Turkey and those [inaudible] countries that have refused me and refused my message of love shall hate each other and kill one another."I saw the angel raise the sickle and come down on all the Middle East countries. I saw Iran, Persia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, all of Georgia - Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, all of Asia Minor - full of blood. I saw blood all over these countries. And I saw fire; Nuclear weapons used in many of those countries. Smoke rising from everywhere. Sudden destruction – men destroying one another. I heard these words:"Israel, Oh Israel, the great judgment has come." The angel said, "The chosen, the church, the remnant, shall be purified. The Spirit of God shall prepare the children of God."I saw fires rising to heaven.The angel said: "This is the final judgment. My church shall be purified, protected and ready for the final day. Men will die from thirst. Water shall be scarce all over the Middle East. Rivers shall dry up, and men will fight for water in those countries."The angel showed me that the United Nations shall be broken in pieces because of the crisis in the Middle East. There shall be no more United Nations. The angel with the sickle shall reap the harvest.

Israel PM says 'intense' phase of Gaza war nearing end

Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024-Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that "intense" fighting against Hamas militants in the southern Gaza city of Rafah is nearly over, more than eight months into the devastating war."The intense phase of the fighting against Hamas is about to end," Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 14 network, without providing a clear timeline."It doesn't mean that the war is about to end, but the war in its intense phase is about to end in Rafah."Israeli officials have described Rafah as the last Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip, and in early May troops entered the southern city, on the besieged territory's border with Egypt, despite global alarm over the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there.The military seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing, a key conduit for desperately needed aid into Gaza that has remained shut since then.Netanyahu's interview -- his first with Israeli media since the war began with Hamas's October 7 attack -- was broadcast as his defence minister arrived in Washington for talks on the Gaza war and surging cross-border tensions with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.On the ground in Gaza City, in the north of the Palestinian territory, Israeli bombardment continued on Sunday with medics and the civil defence agency in the Hamas-ruled territory reporting deadly strikes.Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has traded daily cross-border fire with Israel's army, heightening fears of all-out war particularly over the past two weeks.Netanyahu said that "after the end of the intense phase" in the Gaza Strip, Israel would "redeploy some forces to the north... primarily for defensive purposes".- 'Civilian administration' -Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's visit to Washington, which he said would include meetings that are "critical to this war", follows public statements by Netanyahu concerning US military aid which have added strains to ties with the White House.Netanyahu has accused Israel's close ally and biggest military supplier of freezing some arms and ammunition deliveries during the war, which US officials have strongly rejected.As he prepared to depart for Washington, Gallant said: "Our ties with the United States are more important than ever".Netanyahu, who has faced growing pressure from Israeli demonstrators demanding a deal to free hostages still held in Gaza, said he would not agree to any deal that includes a permanent ceasefire -- one of Hamas's key demands in stalled mediation efforts for a truce."The goal is to return the kidnapped and uproot the Hamas regime in Gaza," he said.When asked about post-war scenarios for Gaza, Netanyahu said it was "clear" that Israel would maintain "military control in the foreseeable future"."We also want to create a civilian administration, if possible with local Palestinians" and regional backing "to manage humanitarian supply and later on civilian affairs in the Strip", Netanyahu added.Similar proposals Netanyahu had presented to his ministers in February were swiftly rejected by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and prompted US warnings against the "Israeli reoccupation of Gaza".Two members of Netanyahu's war cabinet, former military chiefs Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, left the government earlier this month over the lack of post-war plans.- War 'must stop' -In Gaza, Israeli forces kept striking targets and battling Hamas.In Gaza City, medics at Al-Ahli hospital told AFP that at least five people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a facility of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.The Israeli military said its jets struck militants who "operated from within buildings that previously served as an UNRWA headquarters"There was no immediate comment from UNRWA, whose facilities have come under attack before.Some UNRWA buildings have been turned into shelters for displaced Palestinians during the war.An early morning air raid on a family home elsewhere in Gaza City killed at least seven people, the civil defence agency said.The October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza although the army says 41 are dead.Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,598 people, also mostly civilians, Gaza's health ministry said."This war must stop," said Umm Siraj al-Balawi, struggling to survive in a makeshift shelter amid a field of rubble, with strung-up sheets protecting her young children from the blazing sun.But despite the needs, "delivery of any meaningful humanitarian assistance inside Gaza has become almost impossible and the very fabric of civil society is unravelling," the European Union said in a statement.As the war has raged on, Israeli protesters have taken to the streets week after week demanding greater efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.In his Sunday interview, Netanyahu said that if his rule ends, "a left-wing government will... establish a Palestinian state", dubbing it a threat to "our existence".In Lebanon, Hezbollah said it had targeted military positions in northern Israel with attack drones, after an Israeli strike in eastern Lebanon killed the commander of another armed group, Jamaa Islamiya.After the Israeli military said plans for a Lebanon offensive had been approved, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah responded that no part of Israel would be spared in the event of a full-scale war.burs-jd/fz/ami/it

Seizure of stray West Bank livestock prompts annexation claims in High Court hearing-Palestinian shepherds lodge petition after Jordan Valley Regional Council detains hundreds of animals under municipal bylaws, demands hundreds of thousands of shekels to release them-By Jeremy Sharon-Today, 9:03 pm-JUN 23,24

The High Court of Justice last week heard a petition against the allegedly unlawful seizure of Palestinian-owned livestock by settlement authorities in the West Bank, which despite its seemingly prosaic nature may have an outsized impact on whether Israel’s tightening control of the contested territory is deemed legal.On Wednesday, the court heard details of the case, which involves the seizure of hundreds of allegedly stray cows and sheep belonging to Palestinian herders in the Jordan Valley region of the West Bank by the Jordan Valley Regional Council, on the demand that the owners pay tens of thousands of shekels in costs for the release of their livestock.The fact that the settlement regional council carried out its seizures under municipal bylaws makes the case highly political.According to the petition, the application of Israeli municipal council bylaws to Palestinians, who are not citizens of Israel, violates international law regarding the rights of people subject to a formal military occupation, and would constitute a form of annexation since Israel would be applying its own civil law, instead of military law, to a foreign civilian population.The petitioners are the Palestinian herders whose livestock was seized. They are residents of small communities in Area C of the West Bank, where Israel has full civilian and security control. The herders graze their livestock in open areas of the territory within the extensive legal boundaries of the regional council.The Jordan Valley Regional Council, alleges the petition, “is posing as a governing agent for those who are not its residents [and] do not vote in, or cannot be elected to, its institutions.”To allow this practice to continue would effectively grant all other Israeli regional councils in the West Bank authority over Palestinians in Area C, thus massively expanding the scope of Israeli civil law applied to the Palestinian population, the petitioners argue.Since Israel took control of the West Bank from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War, it has never annexed the territory or applied its own civil law to the Palestinian residents there. It instead rules through military law as is customary under the international law for belligerent occupations.Applying Israeli civil law, whether national or local, to the Palestinian population in the West Bank would, the petition points out, also entail significant legal problems. Those Palestinians would be subject to laws in which they had no democratic input or ability to influence, since they cannot vote in the Knesset or Israeli regional councils, or be elected to them.Critically, the Israel Defense Forces and the State Attorney’s Office agree with the petition that Israeli regional councils have no authority to enforce their bylaws on Palestinian residents of the area.The case also comes against the background of an ongoing campaign of harassment and violence by extremist settlers against Palestinian herders in the South Hebron Hills and the Jordan Valley, especially since war erupted in Gaza with Hamas’s October 7 massacre in southern Israel.The settler attacks have led some 1,500 residents of 18 herding communities to abandon their villages and land, according to Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.The case before the court-In three separate incidents, officials from the regional council seized and removed cows and sheep belonging to the petitioners from areas where they said the livestock were either grazing without a grazing license or endangering public safety. In one case, livestock had allegedly strayed onto a road and in another one, the animals approached a local school.In the first seizure, the council charged the owners NIS 49,000 ($13,000) for trapping, transporting, and maintaining 19 confiscated cows, in order to release their livestock. In the second incident, the council charged NIS 144,000 ($39,000) for the seizure and maintenance of 200 cows. In the third incident, the council charged two owners NIS 75,000 ($20,000) each for the release of some 600 sheep.The petitioners, represented by the Yesh Din organization which campaigns against the settlements, strongly dispute the circumstances of the livestock seizures, and argue that in the first incident, extremists settlers stole cattle and took them to an area where they could call the council official to seize them. The petitioners said that in the second seizure Palestinian herders were deceived into taking their cattle into an area they were not authorized to graze in. In the third incident, they said, the sheep were at least half a kilometer away from the settlement boundary.During Wednesday’s hearing, the justices of the High Court focused, however, not on the details of the seizure itself but on the Jordan Valley Regional Council’s decision to begin enforcing its bylaws on the local Palestinian herding community.At one stage of the proceedings, Justice Daphna Barak Erez, who headed the three-member panel presiding over the case, strongly challenged the notion that the regional council could demand payment from the Palestinian owners for expenses incurred when seizing the livestock.Justice Yechiel Kasher zoned in on the stated reason for the seizure and continued detainment of the animals, which alleged stray livestock endangered public safety.“You’re saying that there is a need to carry out these seizures to free up Route 90 for example. [But] as soon as the need is addressed there’s no longer any authority,” said Kasher, implying that the ongoing detention of the livestock and the demand for payment to release them exceeds the boundaries of the regional council’s authority with regard to ensuring public safety.Case for the defense: an obligation to protect public safety-Attorney Avi Segal, who is representing the Jordan Valley Regional Council, contended however that municipal bylaw passed by the council in 2010 applies specifically to the territory within the council’s jurisdiction and that it is therefore empowered to take enforcement measures against stray livestock over public safety concerns.He said that the livestock in the first two incidents had no identifying markings and was therefore impossible to determine that their owners are Palestinian. He said that the council was nevertheless obligated to enforce the law and protect public safety.Segal repeatedly insisted that the Palestinian owners had violated the law since they were grazing their livestock without grazing licenses. He noted the costs incurred by the council to feed and vaccinate the seized animals.The petitioners contended that they have no way to obtain grazing licenses since the Jordan Valley Regional Council does not issue a public tender for such licenses.Segal also underlined the safety problems posed by ongoing incidents of stray livestock wandering onto the roads, stating in the written response to the court that there had been 112 such incidents in the last 12 months which resulted in “dozens” of road accidents.“The entire purpose of the petition is to legitimize the criminal acts of the petitioners, so that they will be able to continue to conduct themselves in the jurisdiction of the respondent [the regional council] as they wish and, in effect, endanger the safety and security of the residents who live in the council’s territory,” Segal claimed in the petition.“The petitioners are asking you to give permission for their criminality. You wouldn’t have thought that a criminal could petition the High Court to authorize his criminality.”On questionable authority-The justices however did not appear convinced of the regional council’s authority over the Palestinian herders. Barak-Erez asked the council chairman David Elhayani pointedly why the council does not simply call the Civil Administration to deal with such problems.The Civil Administration is a department of the Defense Ministry which handles Palestinian civilian affairs in the West Bank, and has an agricultural department whose tasks include dealing with stray livestock.The justices asked to hear from an officer of the Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration unit dealing with agricultural affairs in the Jordan Valley area, who told the court that he carries out enforcement against stray livestock and is readily available to deal with stray livestock.Toward the end of the hearing, Barak-Erez asked Segal whether the regional council would agree to hand over the seized livestock to the Civil Administration officer without having to incur transportation costs, indicating a possible way to resolve the case.However, the officer was hesitant to immediately commit to the plan, saying he would need to check his capabilities in that regard.The petitioners are also seeking a broader interim injunction against the Jordan Valley Regional Council that would prohibit it from seizing Palestinian livestock, except in emergency cases of public safety.“The petitioners are part of a vulnerable, poor and downtrodden community of Palestinian shepherds in the Jordan Valley,” wrote Israeli human rights attorney Michael Sfard in the petition. He is representing the livestock owners and Yesh Din.“Their families have lived in the Jordan Valley for many generations and maintain an almost biblical lifestyle of shepherding sheep. Herding is part of their culture, it is their occupation, it is their livelihood and it is part of their identity.”All of this would be endangered, Sfard told the court, if the regional council’s new practice of seizing Palestinian livestock and demanding payment for their release is allowed to stand.

Top terror group official seen at customs often since Oct. 7-Hezbollah using Beirut airport to store Iranian arms, Lebanese whistleblowers claim-Workers say missiles, highly explosive RDX powder stored at international airport, fear it could become military target; transport minister denies ‘ridiculous’ claims By ToI Staff Today, 7:33 pm-JUN 23,24

Lebanese whistleblowers have come forward with allegations that Hezbollah is using Lebanon’s international airport in Beirut to store large quantities of Iranian weapons, a British daily reported Sunday.According to The Telegraph, the Iran-backed terror group is using the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport to store a variety of weapons, including ballistic missiles, unguided artillery rockets, and laser-guided anti-tank guided missiles.A highly explosive and toxic white powder known as RDX is also being stored at the airport, the whistleblowers were quoted as saying.Lebanon’s Hezbollah-affiliated Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh held a press conference at the airport in response to the report, dismissing the “ridiculous” allegations.Speaking to the British daily, an airport worker said that the weapons arrive at the airport on flights from Iran in “mysterious large boxes.”“When they started to come through the airport, my friends and I were scared because we knew that there was something strange going on,” he said, adding that the situation was “extremely serious.”According to the whistleblowers, the shipments from Iran have increased dramatically since the start of the war in Gaza, leading to fears that the airport could become a military target if war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah.“If they keep bringing in these goods I’m not allowed to check, I really believe I’ll die from the explosion or I’ll die from Israel bombing ‘the goods,'” one of the whistleblowers said. “It’s not just us, it’s the ordinary people, the people coming in and out, going on holiday. If the airport is bombed, Lebanon is finished.”One of the whistleblowers also said he sees Wafiq Safa, a top Hezbollah commander and interlocutor with Lebanese security forces, come to customs frequently since October 7, and that he has close ties with the customs managers.“I feel like if we don’t do what they say, our families will be in danger,” the whistleblower said.The Hezbollah lawmaker said at the airport Sunday that his office was in the process of filing a lawsuit against The Telegraph over the report, adding that details of the lawsuit would be “announced later.”Hamieh invited journalists and ambassadors to take a tour of the airport’s facilities on Monday morning, to prove that “there is nothing to hide,” Lebanese media quoted the minister as saying.In a statement to The Telegraph, the Israel Defense Forces said Hezbollah’s strategy of storing weapons in civilian areas endangers innocent people in times of “escalation.”“If Hezbollah were to target Israeli civilians from these sites, the IDF would have no choice but to react, potentially placing Lebanese civilians in harm’s way, causing international outrage toward the IDF,” the statement read.“We have been aware of this for years, but we are unable to do anything without international legal action,” a security source at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said. “We are hand-tied to do what we’d really like, which is to close the airport and have all the weapons and explosives removed.”Israel has in the past accused Iran of using direct flights to Lebanon to transfer equipment and arms to Hezbollah and also said the terror group hides underground precision missile production facilities close to Beirut’s international airport.Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in 10 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 15 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.Hezbollah has named 349 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 64 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have been killed.Israel has warned it can no longer tolerate Hezbollah’s presence along its border, with tens of thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes in the north due to the rocket and drone attacks, and has warned that should a diplomatic solution not be reached it will turn to military action to push Hezbollah northward.

IDF: Troops in Rafah raze Hamas training facility, raid senior commanders’ offices-Strikes target terror infrastructure across Strip, as IDF tanks said sighted near ‘humanitarian zone’; IAF confirms targeting Hamas, PIJ operatives at site previously used by UNRWA-By Emanuel Fabian-and ToI Staff Today, 6:59 pm-JUN 23,24

Troops raided and demolished a Hamas training complex in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said Sunday, as Israeli tanks were said to approach the nearby “humanitarian zone” of al-Mawasi, amid indications Jerusalem was seeking to arrange for the Strip’s post-war governance.The so-called Abu Said outpost, belonging to Hamas’s Tel Sultan Battalion, was captured by the 401st Armored Brigade. The IDF said troops at the base located the office of the Tel Sultan Battalion’s commander, Mahmoud Hamdan, as well as a weapons depot and several tunnel shafts, which the army said it would investigate.Elsewhere in the outpost, the IDF said it had raided the office of Yasser Natat, a Hamas commander responsible for the Rafah Brigade’s rocket fire on Israel and troops in Gaza. Soldiers from the 401st Brigade also launched an assault on a separate training site in the area, where weapons, additional tunnels, and intelligence materials were found, the military added.The raids came as the IDF said early Sunday it had carried out dozens of airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in the Gaza Strip over the past day. However, the army did not provide an update on a Saturday strike on Gaza City that reportedly targeted senior Hamas official Raad Saad.Also Sunday, the military said that the Israel Air Force struck a site where Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives were gathered that was previously part of UNRWA’s headquarters in Gaza City.The IDF said it carried out aerial surveillance ahead of the strike carried out by fighter jets, used a “precision munition” and used various intelligence, to prevent harm to civilians.“This is another example of Hamas’ systematic exploitation of civilian infrastructure and the civilian population as a human shield for its terrorist activities,” the IDF said in a statement.According to Palestinian media, at least five people were killed in the strike.According to the Strip’s health ministry, over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Strip since the terror group stormed southern Israel, murdering some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, sparking the Gaza war. The Hamas-led ministry’s figures, which cannot be verified, do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, of whom the IDF says it has killed some 15,000 in the Strip, along with 1,000 terrorists the army says it killed in Israel on October 7.Amid the Sunday airstrikes, ground troops continued to operate in central Gaza’s Netzarim Corridor and Rafah in the south.The military maneuvers in Rafah have emerged as a sticking point in Israel’s relations with its key ally, the United States. President Joe Biden in early May withheld a shipment of arms to Israel over fears they would be used against the large number of civilians who had sought shelter in the Strip’s southernmost city.Israel maintains the Rafah offensive is necessary to dismantle four remaining Hamas battalions. Last week, the military said it had dismantled about half of Hamas’s fighting force in Rafah, killing at least 550 gunmen in the area.Over a million Palestinians sought shelter in Rafah after being displaced from the Strip’s north and center since the war began. On the IDF’s orders, the vast majority of the city’s population has in the past two months evacuated to the designated humanitarian zone of al-Mawasi, northwest of Rafah.Reuters reported on Sunday that locals said Israeli tanks had advanced to the edge of the displaced persons’ camp.Witness to al-Mawasi attack says Israeli tanks ‘climbed hilltop’????to fire on camp: “two tanks climbed a hilltop overseeing Mawasi, and they sent balls of fire that hit the tents of the poor people displaced in the area”.Al-Mawasi's attack killed at least 25 people & injured 50. pic.twitter.com/jQdkpzeGwV-— "Solidarity is a verb" (@SaveSJarrah) June 22, 2024-Images of two Israeli tanks stationed on a hilltop overlooking the coastal area went viral on social media, but could not be independently verified. According to Reuters, residents said that IDF tanks had pushed deeper into western and northern Rafah in recent days.Gallant leaves for Washington amid US-Israel tensions-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant indicated on Sunday that Israel was preparing for the war’s third and final phase, which he had in October defined as “the creation of a new security regime in the Gaza Strip [and] the removal of Israel’s responsibility for day-to-day life in the Gaza Strip.”“The transition to ‘Phase three’ in Gaza is of great importance,” Gallant said on Sunday before alighting a plane to Washington, where he is expected to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA Director William Burns and Special Envoy Amos Hochstein.“I will discuss this transition with US officials, touching on how it may enable additional things [to take place], and I know that we will achieve close cooperation with the US on this issue as well,” Gallant said.In a May speech, Gallant made public his disagreement with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over an arrangement for Gaza once the war ends. While Netanyahu rejects any role for the Palestinian Authority in the Strip’s post-war government, Gallant said Israel has no other alternative.The military, meanwhile, has indicated over the past week that it considers unattainable Netanyahu’s stated goal of completely vanquishing Hamas, drawing a rebuke from the premier.The defense minister’s trip comes as White House officials have expressed outrage at Netanyahu’s allegation in a Tuesday video that the US was withholding arms shipments from Israel, which the Biden administration denies. Netanyahu doubled down on the claim at a weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday.Gallant also said he would discuss with his US counterparts escalating tensions on Israel’s northern border, where fighting has raged for months between the IDF and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Israel and its allies consider the prospect of a full-blown war with the Iran-backed terror group to be increasingly likely.The White House has reportedly assured Israel of full US support in such an event.Haaretz on Sunday quoted an an Israeli official as saying that Jerusalem believes the potential war with Hezbollah was leading Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s military chief in Gaza, to stall on talks mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt, to secure a truce and hostage release deal between Israel and the Palestinian terror group.“Hamas doesn’t want a deal now,” the source said, according to Haaretz. “It doesn’t want to release the hostages, but rather to play for time. Yahya Sinwar… wants war to erupt in the northern border and therefore will not move toward a ceasefire.”It is believed that 116 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza — not all of them alive — after 105 civilians were released from Hamas captivity during a weeklong truce in late November, and four hostages were released prior to that. Seven hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 19 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military.The IDF has confirmed the deaths of 41 of those still held by Hamas, citing new intelligence and findings obtained by troops operating in Gaza.One more person is listed as missing since October 7, and their fate is still unknown.Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers who were killed in 2014.

Protesters chant: 'Israel will never win' Anti-Israel protesters in NYC wave Hezbollah, Hamas flags, hold portrait of Sinwar-Protesters at Hunter College chant for violent ‘resistance’ against Israel, trampling American and Israeli flags, ripping off anti-Hamas sticker from traffic light; no arrests-By Michael Horovitz-Today, 6:19 pm-JUN 23,24

Anti-Israel protesters at New York City’s Hunter College over the weekend displayed symbols of the Hamas and Hezbollah terror groups and chanted in support of violent “resistance.”Footage from the Friday rally showed protesters, many of them wearing keffiyehs, chanting, “We won’t condemn resistance,” apparently in support of terror attacks. They also chanted “Israel will never win,” and called to “free Palestine.”Protesters were seen waving a flag with the emblem of Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, carrying a Hezbollah flag, and brandishing a portrait of Hamas’s Gaza ruler and October 7 massacre mastermind Yahya Sinwar.One of the activists was also seen peeling off an anti-Hamas sticker from a traffic light, while another was seen trampling on an American and Israeli flag — a gesture that is often seen in anti-Israel rallies in the Middle East.The rally was organized by the hardline pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, a group that has been behind some of the most extreme protests in New York since Hamas’s October 7 onslaught sparked the ongoing war in Gaza.Some 1,200 people were killed on October 7 when the Palestinian terror group Hamas led a massive cross-border attack in which terrorists murdered some 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, mostly civilians, many amid acts of brutality and sexual assault.Pro-Palestinian protesters at Hunter College in New York wave Hezbollah and Hamas flags and Yahya Sinwar's picture, while chanting “We don't condemn resistance!” pic.twitter.com/ebqPT8WgS6 — War Watch (@WarWatchs) June 22, 2024-Explicit support for terror groups and the bloody massacre was also displayed earlier this month at a New York exhibit memorializing the Nova music festival massacre. Those protests were also organized by Within Our Lifetime.Protesters set off flares, flew flags of the al-Qassam Brigades and of Hezbollah, and carried banners with slogans such as “Long live October 7” and “The Zionists are not Jews and not humans.”Although no arrests were reported, six people received summonses for disorderly conduct and jumping turnstiles on the subway, according to the New York Post.Over 360 people were killed at the Nova music festival in southern Israel on October 7 as Hamas terrorists rampaged through the outdoor rave, mowing down festival-goers, torturing and raping victims and carrying out other atrocities. Many of those taken hostage in Gaza had been at the music festival.Titled “6:29 am, The Moment Music Stood Still,” the Wall Street exhibit recreates the events of October 7 at the festival and the aftermath, using objects left at the scene and footage taken from both security cameras and videos created by the terrorists.The White House called the demonstration “heartbreaking.” Progressive and moderate lawmakers reprimanded the protesters.Footage from a protest earlier this year at Hunter College showed a protest leader chanting, “We say no to genocide, Jews on campus pick a side,” drawing condemnation from the campus’s Hillel branch.Jacob Magid contributed to this report.

IDF soldier seriously hurt as Hezbollah swarms north with attack drones-Explosive-laden drone intercepted over sensitive defense facility near Sakhnin; another UAV from Iraq shot down; terror group takes responsibility for strikes-By Emanuel Fabian-Today, 3:23 pm-JUN 23,24

The Lebanese Hezbollah terror group launched several explosive-laden drones at northern Israel on Sunday, seriously wounding a soldier in one incident, as the Israeli military said it shot down an unmanned aerial aircraft heading toward the country from Iraq.Sunday’s drone launches came amid fears of a wider conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, which has ramped up its attacks in recent months.In the first incident on Sunday morning, an explosive-laden drone launched from Lebanon struck an area near the northern community of Beit Hillel, the military and local authorities said.The Israel Defense Forces said an interceptor missile was launched at the UAV, although it failed to intercept the device.Hezbollah took responsibility for the drone attack, claiming to have targeted an Israeli military base adjacent to the community.There were no injuries in the incident, the IDF said.Several hours later, another drone apparently launched by Hezbollah was shot down over the Lower Galilee, near a sensitive defense facility.The IDF said the device had entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon, but drone infiltration sirens did not sound “according to protocol.”It was shot down by air defenses near the northern city of Sakhnin, an area that houses a major factory belonging to the Rafael defense contractor.Rocket sirens sounded in several towns near Sakhnin, some 25 kilometers from the Lebanon border, over fears of falling shrapnel following the interception, the IDF said.Hezbollah did not immediately take responsibility for the attack. The terror group did, however, claim a separate drone attack.In a statement, Hezbollah said it launched several explosive-laden drones at a military base near the northern community of Ayelet HaShahar, about 10 kilometers from the border.According to the IDF, one of the drones was shot down by air defenses, while several more struck near Ayelet HaShahar, sparking fires and seriously wounding one soldier.The soldier was taken to a hospital for treatment.Footage circulating on social media showed one of the Hezbollah drones impacting near a military base before a second one was shot down by air defenses.Footage circulating on social media shows a Hezbollah drone impacting in northern Israel, before a second drone is shot down by air defenses. pic.twitter.com/YPhz9o1CI6 — Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 23, 2024-The Hezbollah drone attacks or their interceptions sparked fires near Dishon, the Misgav Forest, and Ayelet HaShahar, the Israel Fire and Rescue Services said.Meanwhile, fighter jets struck a building and an observation post used by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon’s Kafr Kila on Saturday night, the IDF said.A separate strike targeted a group of Hezbollah operatives in Taybeh, the military added.Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have recently reached a fever pitch, after an Israeli airstrike targeted Taleb Abdullah, the terror group’s commander for the central region of the southern border strip and its most senior commander killed in the current war.Since October 8, Hezbollah-led forces have attacked Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis, with the terror group saying it is doing so to support Gaza amid the war there.So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in 10 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 15 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.Hezbollah has named 349 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 64 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have been killed.Israel has warned it can no longer tolerate Hezbollah’s presence along its border, with tens of thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes in the north due to the rocket and drone attacks, and has warned that should a diplomatic solution not be reached it will turn to military action to push Hezbollah northward.While the political echelon has not yet made a decision on launching an offensive in Lebanon and turning the Gaza Strip into the secondary front, the IDF has said it continues to target Hezbollah commanders behind attacks on Israel.Fighter jets down drone launched from Iraq-Additionally overnight, Israeli fighter jets downed a drone heading toward Israel from the east, the military said.The IDF has described past attacks launched from Iraq as “from the east.”According to the military, the drone did not enter Israeli airspace, and therefore sirens did not sound in any towns.The IDF’s statement came shortly after the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed to have launched drones at a “vital target” in Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat. It said the attack was in support of Palestinians in Gaza.The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed dozens of drone attacks on Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with the IDF reporting downing many of them. Many of the militia’s claims have been exaggerated, but in one case it managed to hit an Israeli Navy base in Eilat, causing damage.Along with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Iran-backed groups in Yemen and Syria have claimed to have launched dozens of drones at Israel during the ongoing war sparked by Hamas’s devastating October 7 terror onslaught. Iran itself also carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel in April with hundreds of drones and missiles.

Merchant ship damaged by drone attack in Red Sea, no injuries-UK navy monitor says vessel continuing on its way; private security firm identifies it as Liberia-flagged container ship bound for Qingdao, China-JUN 23,24

A merchant ship was damaged by a drone attack in the Red Sea near Yemen early Sunday morning, though no injuries were reported, according to a British maritime security agency.Vessels in and around the Red Sea have come under repeated attack for months by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who say they are acting in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.The attack occurred about 65 nautical miles (120 kilometers) west of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy.“The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” said a bulletin from the agency.“Authorities are investigating,” it added, offering no attribution for the attack.The private security firm Ambrey identified the ship involved as a Liberia-flagged container ship bound for Qingdao, China.The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.The attack comes as the US has sent the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower back home after an eight-month deployment that saw it lead the American response to the Houthi assaults. Those attacks have seen shipping drastically drop through a route crucial to Asian, Middle East, and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will continue as long as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip rages on.On Saturday, the US Central Command, which has carried out retaliatory strikes against the Houthis over their attacks on shipping, said it had destroyed three nautical drones belonging to the group over the past 24 hours.It also said the group had launched three anti-ship missiles into the Gulf of Aden, but no injuries or significant damage were reported.The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign, killing a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A US-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes on May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say. They have also apparently fired missiles and drones directly at Israel.The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel or its allies the United States and Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war — and some have been  bound for the Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran.War erupted on October 7 when the Palestinian terror group Hamas led a devastating attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people. Terrorists also abducted 251 people who were taken as hostages to the Gaza Strip.

Israeli strike said to target Hamas operations chief Raad Saad in Gaza; unclear if he died-Palestinians say dozens killed in attacks in Gaza City; IDF probing Red Cross claims its office was hit in strike-By Emanuel Fabian,ToI Staff and Agencies 22 June 2024, 9:27 pm

The Israel Defense Forces struck a Hamas military site in Gaza City’s Shati camp Saturday, an attack that reports in Hebrew and Arabic media said targeted senior Hamas commander Raad Saad, head of Hamas operations.Some reports claimed Saad was killed in the attack. There was no confirmation from Israel or Hamas.The IDF said fighter jets struck two Hamas military sites in Gaza City — in Shati and in the Tuffah neighborhood. The statement was unusual in that the army does not regularly announce specific strikes unless they are on a high-value target. The military said it would provide further details later.Palestinian media report a large number of casualties in the strikes. Ismail Al-Thawabta, the director of the Hamas-run government media office, told Reuters that at least 42 Palestinians were killed. The figures cannot be verified and do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.Saad is considered to be among Hamas’s top military brass in the Gaza Strip, serving as chief of the terror group’s operations division. His death would mark the most significant killing of a Hamas commander in months, since the assassination of Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of the terror group’s military wing, in March.Saad was believed by Israel to be at Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital when the military raided the medical center in March, although he apparently managed to flee at the time.Footage showed the aftermath of the airstrikes.The military also said Saturday that Israeli fighter jets and other aircraft had struck numerous targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapon depots and cells of terror operatives.In one incident, the IDF said it carried out a drone strike against a cell that had fired an anti-aircraft missile at an Israeli attack helicopter operating over Gaza.The helicopter was not under any real threat, the military said, adding that an adjacent weapons warehouse used by the cell was also destroyed in a strike.The military also responded to reports of gunfire Friday near teams of the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) along the Israeli-designated “humanitarian route” from the Kerem Shalom crossing into the Gaza Strip, saying troops had engaged two gunmen in the area.“Following an examination on the matter, the IDF operated to neutralize two gunmen who posed a threat to nearby IDF troops in the area,” the military said. The IDF said the gunmen were not in close proximity to the UN workers during the incident. “We emphasize that the UN workers were not the target of the operation and they were not harmed during the strike,” the military said.Separately, the IDF said it was examining claims of an attack in the al-Mawasi area Friday, which according to the Red Cross killed 22 people and damaged its office there.“Following an initial inquiry, there was no direct attack carried out by the IDF against a Red Cross facility,” the military said in the statement. But it added that “the incident will be quickly examined and its findings will be presented to our international partners.”The military did not rule out that one of its strikes had erroneously hit the area. Earlier in the day, an army spokesman had said there was “no indication” the attack was launched by the army.“The IDF makes significant efforts to avoid harming workers, UN facilities and international organizations working in the Gaza Strip,” it said. “The IDF is committed to enabling the activity and safe movement of international organizations.”The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said there were 25 dead and 50 injured in the shelling which it blamed on Israel. The ministry said Israeli shelling had “targeted the tents of the displaced in the Al-Mawasi area” which is around the ICRC base. The ministry’s information and figures could not be verified.The ICRC said: “Heavy-caliber projectiles landed within meters of the office and residences of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Friday afternoon.”“Firing so dangerously close to humanitarian structures, of whose locations the parties to the conflict are aware and which are clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem, puts the lives of civilians and Red Cross staff at risk,” the body added. “This grave security incident is one of several in recent days.”Al-Mawasi is west of Rafah, where residents on Friday said the IDF appeared to be trying to complete its capture of the southern Gaza city, which borders Egypt and has been the focus of an Israeli offensive since early May.The military said its forces were conducting “precise, intelligence-based” actions in the Rafah area, where troops were involved in close-quarter combat and had located tunnels used by terror groups.Fighting also continued in central Gaza, where the IDF’s elite Multi-Domain, or Ghost, Unit recently wrapped up a raid at a university which the military said was used as a Hamas command center. The IDF said Hamas operatives had opened fire at troops from the university complex. The soldiers located a cache of weapons and barrels packed with explosives at the university, the military added.Also in central Gaza, the military said three rockets were launched from the Nuseirat camp at southern Israel, setting off sirens in the border community of Re’im. The projectiles landed in an open area, with no reports of injuries or damage.On Friday the army announced two reservists were killed in a Hamas mortar attack in the central Gaza Strip, raising the death toll in the ground offensive against Hamas and in operations on the Gaza border to 314. The toll includes a police officer killed in a hostage rescue mission. A civilian Defense Ministry contractor has also been killed in the Strip.War erupted when Hamas-led terrorists rampaged through southern communities on October 7, murdering some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages to Gaza.There are thought to be 120 hostages still held in Gaza, 116 of whom were kidnapped on October 7, in addition to two civilians and the bodies of two soldiers held there for nearly a decade.The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 37,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far. The toll, which cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, is thought to include some 15,000 terror operatives Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.

Russia pounds Ukraine energy sites in latest 'mass' attack-By Daria ANDRIIEVSKA

Kyiv, Ukraine (AFP) June 20, 2024-A Russian missile and drone barrage damaged a Ukrainian power plant and other energy facilities overnight, officials said on Thursday, the latest in a series of strikes that have pushed its grid to the brink.The targeted aerial barrages over recent months have crippled Ukrainian electricity generation capacity and forced officials to impose rolling blackouts and import supplies from neighbouring EU states."The enemy attacked a number of energy infrastructure facilities," the energy ministry said, adding that the barrage of Russian projectiles targeted energy-linked sites in four regions, including the capital, without elaborating.AFP journalists in the capital heard air raid sirens ringing out over the capital in the early hours of Thursday.DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, said the aerial attacks had caused "serious damage" at one of its thermal power plants, and that three of its employees had been wounded in the attack."This is already the seventh mass attack on the company's thermal power plant in the last three months," the company said.President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that those attacks have halved generator capacity in the war-battered country compared to one year ago and urged allies to send more air defence systems to protect vital infrastructure.- 'Crisis this winter' -DTEK's CEO Maxim Timchenko said that the power plant struck early on Thursday had already been damaged in previous attacks."We urgently need to close our skies or Ukraine faces a serious crisis this winter. My plea to allies is to help us defend our energy system and rebuild in time," he said.There was no immediate comment from the Kremlin on the latest barrage but Moscow insists that its forces do not target civilian infrastructures.The Russian defence ministry has, however, acknowledged retaliatory attacks on energy sites in response to a wave of Ukrainian cross-border attacks on Russian oil facilities, mainly storage sites.In the latest Ukrainian attack on Russian territory, the governor of Russia's Krasnodar region, which borders the annexed Crimean peninsula, announced one woman had been killed in a drone attack targeting oil facilities.Among the areas struck was the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Krasnodar region, where the woman was killed, governor Venyamin Kondratyev said.The Russian defence ministry said it had downed 15 Ukrainian drones that also targeted oil storage depots in the southern Adygea republic and in the Tambov region.There was no immediate claim from Ukraine but sources in its security services have claimed responsibility for previous similar attacks, with the aim of hurting Russian oil revenues.- 'Critical infrastructure' -Ukraine's air force said that Russia had launched nine missiles and 27 Iranian-designed attack drones, and that air defence systems had downed all the projectiles except four missiles.It also confirmed that "critical infrastructure" facilities were targeted, including in the Dnipropetrovsk region, one of the regions in which DTEK operates.It said air defence systems were also activated in the regions of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Kherson, Kharkiv and Kyiv, among others.Russia has meanwhile stepped up fatal artillery attacks on embattled frontline regions of Ukraine, in the south and the east of the country.The governor of the southern Kherson region announced on Thursday morning that one person had been killed and three wounded over the last 24 hours.In Kharkiv, a northeastern region where Russia recently launched a surprise ground offensive, the governor said one woman had been killed by Russian fire.And in the eastern Donetsk region, the governor said two people had been killed, one in the frontline town of Toretsk where Russian forces have gained ground after attacking following a long lull in fighting there.

IDF kills top Hamas man in Lebanon; US said to promise Israel full support if war erupts-Army says operative Ayman Ghatma procured arms for terror group and an allied Lebanese faction; officials reportedly vow backing in Washington talks with Israeli counterparts-By Emanuel Fabian-and ToI Staff 22 June 2024, 4:22 pm

Israel said Saturday it had killed a top Hamas operative in Lebanon, as global fears of a war in Lebanon mounted.Meanwhile, CNN reported that in meetings with Israeli officials in recent days, senior US officials said Washington would fully support Israel in case of a full-blown war.The military said it struck a vehicle near the town of Khiara in Lebanon’s West Beqaa District, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the two countries’ border, Lebanese media reported.The Israel Defense Forces later published footage from the attack, saying it had targeted Ayman Ghatma. Ghatma was killed in the attack, the army said. It said he was responsible for supplying weapons to Hamas in Lebanon as well as to the al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya terror group.The army said the drone strike was carried out over Ghatma’s involvement in advancing attacks against Israel.The attack came as Israel braces for large-scale conflict with Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group. The Iran-backed militia began striking Israel’s northern communities a day after October 7, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists stormed southern Israel to kill nearly 1,200 people and take over 250 hostages. Hezbollah says it is attacking Israel to support Hamas during the ongoing war in Gaza.The Jama’a, like Hamas, is a Sunni faction that forms part of the broader Muslim Brotherhood political network. The armed wing of Jama’a, the al-Fajr Forces, has repeatedly targeted Israel from Lebanon in the current war, often working in conjunction with the Shiite Hezbollah.Iran-backed Hezbollah has in recent months escalated the ongoing violence with Israel in response to IDF airstrikes on top operatives, including those associated with Jama’a.Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel have recently reached a fever pitch, after an Israeli airstrike targeted Taleb Abdullah, the terror group’s commander for the central region of the southern border strip and its most senior commander killed in the current war.Explosive-laden drones launched by Hezbollah have in the past two weeks caused fires that ravaged northern Israel, which has been largely evacuated of residents since October 7. The group also recently announced that one of its surveillance drones had successfully mapped out some strategic assets in northern Israel, including the Haifa port and Iron Dome batteries.Amos Hochstein, United States President Joe Biden’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, has led efforts to get Hezbollah to retreat north of the Litani River, some 30 kilometers (19 miles) from Lebanon’s border with Israel. The United Nations resolution that ended 2006’s Second Lebanon War mandated that Hezbollah not be active beyond that line, but has been flouted by the group for years.Hochstein, who brokered a 2020 maritime agreement between Israel and Lebanon, met with Israeli and Lebanese officials over the past week as part of the effort, and reportedly warned Beirut that the US would support an Israeli attack if Hezbollah is not reined in.US officials have expressed concern that Israel’s missile defense systems would be overwhelmed in the event of an all-out war with Hezbollah, which is significantly better armed than Hamas, CNN reported on Thursday. Three US officials told CNN that their Israeli counterparts share their concerns.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior aides, National Security Adviser Tzachi Hangebi and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top officials this week to discuss the potential for war in Lebanon.According to CNN American officials promised Israel would get the full military assistance it needs for war against Hezbollah if it erupts, while noting no US troops would be deployed on the ground.So far, the skirmishes on the border have resulted in 10 civilian deaths on the Israeli side, as well as the deaths of 15 IDF soldiers and reservists. There have also been several attacks from Syria, without any injuries.Tens of thousands of Israelis have been displaced from their homes for over eight months.Hezbollah has named 349 members who have been killed by Israel during the ongoing skirmishes, mostly in Lebanon but some also in Syria. In Lebanon, another 63 operatives from other terror groups, a Lebanese soldier, and dozens of civilians have been killed.

Merchant ship struck in likely Houthi attack as USS Eisenhower heads home-US aircraft carrier leading operation against Houthis to return to Virginia after an 8-month deployment said to be most intense since WWII; will be replaced by carrier from Pacific-By Jon Gambrell 22 June 2024, 2:34 pm

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A commercial ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden saw explosions near the vessel, authorities said Saturday, likely the latest attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels attempting to target the shipping lane.The apparent fire by the Houthis comes after the sinking this week of the ship Tutor, which marked what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign of attacks on ships in the vital maritime corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.Meanwhile, United States officials reportedly ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier leading America’s response to the Houthi attacks, to return home.The captain of the ship targeted late Friday saw “explosions in the vicinity of the vessel,” the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.“The crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call,” the UKMTO said, without elaborating on whether the ship sustained any damage.The Houthis, who have held Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, since 2014, did not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.The Houthis on Friday released footage of one of their drone boats, the “Tufan,” or “Flood,” which they said targeted the Tutor.The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign, which has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November.A US-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes on May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carrying fertilizer became the first to sink in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a rebel attack.The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war.Meanwhile, citing an anonymous official, the US Naval Institute’s news service reported that the Eisenhower would be returning home to Norfolk, Virginia, after over eight months of combat deployment, which the US Navy says has been its most intense since World War II. The report said an aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific would be taking the Eisenhower’s place.The closest American aircraft carrier known to be operating in Asia is the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Roosevelt anchored Saturday in Busan, South Korea, amid Seoul’s ongoing tensions with North Korea.

Taiwan detects 41 Chinese aircraft around island-by AFP Staff Writers

Taipei (AFP) June 22, 2024-Taiwan's defence ministry said Saturday it had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft around the island in a 24-hour window, a day after Beijing said "diehard" advocates of Taiwan's independence could face the death penalty.China claims self-ruled democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it would never renounce the use of force to bring it under Beijing's control.It has stepped up pressure on Taipei in recent years and held war games around the island following last month's inauguration of new Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te.On Saturday, Taipei's defence ministry said it had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels operating around Taiwan during the 24-hour period leading up to 6:00 am (2200 GMT)."32 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait," the ministry said in a statement, referring to a line bisecting the 180-kilometre (110-mile) waterway that separates Taiwan from China.The ministry added that it had "monitored the situation and responded accordingly".The latest incursion came after China published judicial guidelines Friday that included the death penalty for "particularly serious" cases of "diehard" supporters of Taiwanese independence, state media reported.On May 25, Taiwan detected 62 Chinese military aircraft around the island in a 24-hour window, the highest single-day total this year, as China staged military drills following the inauguration of Lai, who Beijing regards as a "dangerous separatist".

US aircraft carrier arrives in S. Korea for joint drills-US aircraft carrier arrives in S. Korea for joint drills-by AFP Staff Writers

Seoul (AFP) June 22, 2024-A US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea on Saturday for a joint military drills aimed to better counter North Korean threats, Seoul's navy said.The announcement came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to Seoul to protest a defence deal signed by President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang this week, which included a pledge to come to each other's aid if attacked."The US Navy's aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt... arrived at the Busan Naval Base on the morning of June 22," the South Korean Navy said in a statement.Its arrival "demonstrates the strong combined defence posture of the South Korea-US alliance and their firm resolve to respond to the escalating threats from North Korea," it added.The carrier's visit comes around seven months after another US aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, came to the South in a show of strength against Pyongyang.The USS Theodore Roosevelt is expected to participate in joint exercises with South Korea and Japan this month. Pyongyang has always decried similar combined drills as rehearsals for an invasion.The United States, South Korea and Japan have expanded their joint training exercises and heightened the visibility of strategic US military assets in the region to deter the North, which has declared itself an "irreversible" nuclear weapons power.The carrier arrived a day after Seoul said it had fired warning shots when North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the heavily fortified border in the third such incursion this month.North Korean soldiers have recently been engaged in activities such as laying more landmines, reinforcing tactical roads and adding what seemed to be anti-tank barriers near the border, according to the South Korean military.The two Koreas have also been locked in a tit-for-tat "balloon war", with an activist in the South confirming Friday that he had floated more balloons carrying propaganda north.Pyongyang has already sent more than a thousand balloons carrying trash southward, and Kim's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong warned on Friday the North is likely to retaliate.

Lebanese minister denies Hezbollah weapons at Beirut airport

Beirut, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024-Lebanon's transport minister denied on Sunday that Hezbollah was storing weapons at Beirut airport, as fears grow of all-out war between the militant group and Israel.Ali Hamieh called a press conference to deny the allegations of "absurd articles" in the media, and attacked the British daily The Telegraph.The newspaper said the Shiite militant group is storing missiles and rockets at the airport, where "whistleblowers" had reported the arrival of "unusually big boxes".Backed by Iran, Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces in support of its ally, Hamas. The Palestinian movement has been at war with Israel since October 7 when Hamas militants from Gaza attacked southern Israel."I am holding this press conference to clarify that everything that has been written in The Telegraph is false and to say that there are no weapons entering or leaving Beirut airport," Hamieh told journalists.He spoke from Beirut International Airport, located in an area south of the capital where Hezbollah is influential.Hamieh invited ambassadors and journalists to inspect the airport on Monday morning in a visit "open to all"The Lebanese air transport union condemned in a statement "simply erroneous statements and lies aimed at endangering Beirut airport and its employees, all civilians, and those who frequent it."Israel has for years accused Hezbollah of keeping precision rockets and missiles in different installations throughout Lebanon, including on a site near Beirut airport.Hezbollah denies this.More than eight months of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have left 480 people dead in Lebanon, mostly fighters, but also 93 civilians, according to an AFP tally.Israeli authorities say at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed in the country's north.Cross-border exchanges and tension have escalated over the past two weeks after an Israeli air strike killed a senior Hezbollah commander.

North Korea-Russia treaty calls for mutual military aid 'without delay' in event of war-by Thomas Maresca

Washington DC (UPI) Jun 20, 2024-A treaty signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during their summit in Pyongyang called for extending military aid "without delay" if either country is attacked, according to the full text published by the North's state-run media Thursday."In the event that either party is in a state of war as a result of armed aggression by individual or multiple states, the other side shall provide military and other assistance without delay by all means at its disposal in accordance with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter," the agreement, published by Korean Central News Agency, said.The U.N. Charter's Article 51 stipulates "the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations."The two leaders signed the treaty on Wednesday night during a brief visit by Putin, his first to North Korea in 24 years. The pact revives a 1961 mutual defense clause between the Cold War allies that expired when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991.The new treaty also promised "the expansion and development of cooperation in the fields of trade, economy, investment, and science and technology."Following the summit, Kim said the declaration represented a "watershed in the history of Russian-Korean relations.""Relations between our countries have risen to a new high level of alliance," he said at a press conference at Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, according to a transcript by the Kremlin.Putin stopped short of defining the partnership as an alliance but said that Russia "does not rule out developing military and technical cooperation with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea under the document signed today."In his remarks, Putin also highlighted efforts to boost economic ties outside the reach of the international sanctions imposed on both countries."We will also keep opposing the very practice of cutthroat sanctions as a tool that the West [applies] for preserving its hegemony in politics, the economy and many other areas," he said.Putin's visit followed a trip by Kim to Russia in September, which launched a new era of cooperation between the Cold War allies centered around Pyongyang's shipment of munitions to Moscow for its war in Ukraine.Earlier this week, U.S. State Department spokesman Matt Miller said that North Korea has transferred "dozens of ballistic missiles and over 11,000 containers of munitions to aid Russia's war effort."Washington and its allies claim that Russia is providing fuel, raw materials and advanced space and weapons technology to North Korea in exchange.South Korea's Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned the growing relationship between the isolated regimes."We express our regret that, despite repeated warnings from the international community, Russia and North Korea have signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty and openly mentioned military-technological cooperation, which directly violates U.N. Security Council resolutions," ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said at a press briefing.South Korea "will work with the international community, including our allies and friends, to respond to any act that threatens our security in a correspondingly stern and resolute manner," Lim said.After a state reception in Pyongyang, Putin flew to Vietnam late Wednesday for a two-day visit to the Communist state -- a longtime ally that has grown closer to Washington in recent years.On Thursday, the Russian leader met with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and new President To Lam and signed a series of strategic partnership agreements.Putin arrives in Vietnam as Russia courts support amid war in Ukraine-Washington DC (UPI) Jun 20, 2024 - President Vladimir Putin of Russia arrived in Vietnam on Wednesday as he continues to court support from communist-led Asian nations amid his war against Ukraine.Russia has been ostracized from much of the democratic world, which has steadily and increasingly severed ties with Moscow since February of 2022 when it brought war back to Europe with its invasion of Kyiv.The severing has been accompanied by a plethora of sanctions targeting Russia and its war-making capabilities that together have damaged the nation's economy and have forced it to seek weapons from North Korea and Iran to replenish its armories. Fears are also rising over assistance to the Kremlin from China, another communist nation.Putin's visit to Hanoi comes after his trip to Pyongyang, his first to the secluded nation since 2000. In North Korea, he signed a NATO-styled defense agreement that they would come to one another's defense if attacked.In Hanoi on Thursday, Putin and President To Lam of Vietnam signed 15 documents that, according to a statement from the Kremlin, cover an array of areas of cooperation, from education to investment."I would like to emphasize that Russia places great importance on the further strengthening of the traditionally friendly, comprehensive strategic relations and strategic partnership with Vietnam," Putin told Lam during a press conference, a transcription from the Kremlin said."These relations continue to progressively develop in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests."The press conference was held following the completion of negotiations, which Putin described as "constructive and business like."The topic of Ukraine did not appear to be directly referenced, with Putin stating that their positions on a number of regional issues "largely coincide" or were close together.Lam congratulated Putin on his re-election this spring, which has been widely panned for being illegitimate, while stating Vietnam was "very pleased" to see political and social stability strengthening in Russia."Our state, our people, and I, personally, always attach great importance to the development of relations between our countries, and we are also very grateful for your support of the relations between our countries and towards Vietnam," Lam said, according to a transcription from the Kremlin.He added that Vietnam is pursing an independent and peaceful foreign policy but at the same time attaches "great importance to the development of traditional friendship and a comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia.""We consider Russia one of Vietnam's foreign policy priorities," he said.

Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez slam AIPAC funding of rival at Bowman rally in NYC-New York’s 16th District Congressman says opponent George Latimer and US-Israel lobby group are ‘destroying our democracy’; war on Hamas a key talking point-By Luke Tress Today, 7:56 am-JUN 23,24

New York Jewish Week via JTA — The Israel-Hamas war took center stage at a rally in the Bronx for embattled Rep. Jamaal Bowman, as speakers called for a ceasefire in Gaza and lashed AIPAC’s spending for Bowman’s centrist opponent, George Latimer.The rally — which featured fellow progressives Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders — drew a counterprotest from Within Our Lifetime, the hardline pro-Palestinian group that objects to Bowman’s endorsement of US President Joe Biden. A contingent of Bowman’s Jewish supporters were among the hundreds who gathered at the rally.“My opponent supports genocide,” Bowman told the crowd. “My opponent and AIPAC are the ones destroying our democracy and it is on us, it is on all of us, to save our democracy.”Ocasio-Cortez said the “establishment” was targeting Bowman because he “dared to speak up for Palestinians” and “Because he dared to join us and become one of the first members of Congress to call for a ceasefire.”The rally in the sweltering heat was part of a last-ditch effort by Bowman to keep his seat in what has become one of the country’s most-watched primary races. Bowman is behind in the polls against Latimer in the overwhelmingly blue district, and the race is seen as a bellwether in the national debate between the progressive and centrist wings of the Democratic party, which are split over the Israel-Hamas war.Latimer, the Westchester County executive, has staked out a staunchly pro-Israel position, while Bowman, a member of the progressive “Squad” in Congress, has been a vocal critic of Israel’s conduct in the war. His early call for a ceasefire drew criticism from Jewish groups because it did not mention Hamas or hostages in Gaza. He has repeatedly accused Israel of “genocide.”Along with grassroots support from the many Jews in the district who oppose Bowman’s rhetoric on Israel, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has spent millions to defeat him, an effort he and his surrogates have decried as meddling by moneyed interests in the election.The leading progressives who have rallied around Bowman’s campaign sought to drive home that message at Saturday’s event, which notably did not take place in Bowman’s district. Along with free bottles of water and ice cream, organizers passed out signs saying “For the many, not the money,” a slogan of Bowman’s campaign.“Jamaal also understands that what’s going on in Gaza today is totally unacceptable,” Sanders, who is Jewish, said at the rally. “Israel had the right to defend itself against the terrorist attack but it does not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people.”He added, “Never before in history have powerful special interest groups spent so much money trying to defeat a candidate.”The crowd included a contingent of several dozen people from “Jews For Jamaal,” a group organized by a coalition of Jewish progressive organizations, most of which have harshly criticized Israel. One Jewish Bowman supporter, Jon Mermelstein, grew up in an affluent neighborhood in Scarsdale, north of New York City, and lives in Bowman’s district, but teaches in an impoverished part of West Harlem. He said that economic dichotomy has motivated him to support Bowman.“I’m someone who sees both sides of our unequal status quo,” said Mermelstein, a 30-year-old activist with the progressive group Jews for Racial and Economic Justice. “Jamaal Bowman’s the first politician in my lifetime that represents Westchester who can honestly and insightfully speak to this dynamic.”Jews who support Bowman said the war was one of many issues that drew them to him.“I’m definitely on the more Palestine-sympathetic side of things but my focus is far more domestic,” said Mermelstein, citing Bowman’s support for taxing the wealthy, universal health care and affordable housing.Zoe Goldblum, 28, who lives outside the district in Brooklyn, said she came out to support Bowman because of his positions on health care, environmental policy and his push for a ceasefire in Gaza.“Jamaal Bowman is one of the few brave voices in Congress that we have who is standing up for Palestinian rights,” said Goldblum, an activist with the progressive Jewish group IfNotNow, which like JFREJ and Bowman has accused Israel of genocide.“We need more people to be brave and speak up in spite of the enormous pressures that people like Jamaal Bowman are facing,” Goldblum said.Along with IfNotNow and JFREJ, the Jewish coalition supporting Bowman included Bend the Arc and the anti-Zionist Jewish Voice for Peace. The coalition has been making phone calls and canvassing neighborhoods in support of the campaign most weekends since April, said Eva Borgwardt, a spokesperson for IfNotNow. (There’s also a Jewish get-out-the-vote drive whose volunteers oppose Bowman).“People are coming from all different perspectives so some people are really here because they support a ceasefire and they are really frustrated that AIPAC is pouring in all this money,” Borgwardt said. “Also a lot of people are here because their top issues are the top issues of Jewish voters around the country like climate, abortion and gun control.”The Jewish activists said they were also motivated to show support for Bowman to oppose the funding from AIPAC. Mermelstein said the district is ideologically diverse, but harsh rhetoric around the race had divided neighbors.“One thing that’s made me sad about this race, I’ll say, is how divisive it’s been and I blame conservative forces and AIPAC for driving that wedge within my community,” he said.Dozens of anti-Israel protesters led by Within Our Lifetime also staged a protest outside the event, holding banners that said “Long live the Palestinian resistance” and “Resist colonialism from the Bronx to Palestine.”The group is protesting progressive lawmakers, Israel’s harshest critics in Congress, due to their support for Biden, who the activists accuse of committing “genocide” in Gaza. Some of those protesters defaced Ocasio-Cortez campaign signs, writing “Zionist” and “Funds Israeli war crimes” across an image of her face.During her speech, chants of “Globalize the intifada” were faintly audible in the background, and an activist wearing a facemask passed out fliers from Within Our Lifetime that said, “AOC, Bernie, Bowman: Stand with Palestine! Drop your endorsement of Genocide Joe.”“AOC, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide,” the protesters chanted.The protesters were largely ignored by the crowd, and were kept separate from the audience at the end of the event by police.After the event, despite the heat, the Jewish activists headed to District 16 to canvas neighborhoods in support of Bowman.“We need to think boldly. We need to actually work towards our aspirational goals,” Mermelstein said.

UK probing complaint after Israelis ‘harassed’ by staff at Heathrow Airport-According to claim, El Al passengers forced into separate room where officers checked bags; one officer quoted as telling them: ‘I can do whatever I want’ By ToI Staff Today, 10:48 pm-JUN 23,24

The UK’s Home Office is investigating a complaint against Heathrow Airport Border Force staff which alleges that Israeli passengers were “harassed” upon their arrival to the United Kingdom, British media reported Saturday.According to the complaint filed by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), the passengers, who arrived on an El Al flight on Monday, were made to undergo additional baggage checks at customs due to an Israeli flag on a passenger’s luggage, The Telegraph reported.UKFLI said that after a member of the Border Force noticed the Israeli flag, the group was made to undergo luggage checks in a separate room, leading them to feel “harassed” and subjected to “degrading treatment.”The passengers had entered the nothing-to-declare lane, the report said.A passenger told The Telegraph that after the customs official noticed the Israeli flag, he yelled at everyone to “go to the room to the left.”“One traveler said, ‘Why us?’ The official didn’t reply.  Another traveler said: ‘We are Jewish, why are you doing this to us?’ The official said: ‘I am a customs officer and I can do whatever I want,” the passenger told the daily, adding it was a “horrible feeling” being placed in a separate room.“We had to take our luggage off our trolleys and another official put everyone’s cases through the machine. Then we were allowed to leave.”The Telegraph reported that the Home Office is investigating the incident after the complaint alleged that it was in breach of the Equality Act.“This matter has been passed to the Home Office professional standards unit and an investigating officer will now investigate the matters you raised about the incident on 10 June 2024, in accordance with the Home Office’s formal complaint procedures,” the Telegraph quoted the Home Office as saying.Earlier this year, British authorities launched a probe over the treatment of two Israeli brothers, survivors of the Supernova music festival massacre on October 7, after they were detained at Manchester Airport.The two traveled to England to share their experiences of rescuing other rave-goers and raise awareness for a nonprofit established to help survivors of the October 7 onslaught by Hamas, according to the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region.The two were questioned for two hours, and upon being released, a Border Force officer told them, “They had to make sure that you are not going to do what you are doing in Gaza over here,” referring to the military offensive Israel launched against Hamas following the October 7 atrocities, according to the council’s complaint over the incident.Over 360 men and women partying at the Supernova Festival rave close to Kibbutz Re’im near the Gaza border were murdered by Hamas terrorists who invaded Israel on October 7, and dozens of hostages were seized and taken to Gaza.The terror group killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel, overwhelmingly civilians, and abducted 251 that day in the worst terror attack ever against the country.British Jews say they have been subject to verbal abuse by some pro-Palestinian supporters since October 7, and there have been recorded incidents of physical violence as well against Israelis displaying posters of hostages held in Gaza.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU I WOULD NOT EVEN ATTEND THIS DEMOLIBNUT FEAST OF HATE BY THE PUSS HEAD, BRAIN DEAD DEMOCRATS.JUST GO VISIT A CHRISTIAN GROUP THAT LOVES ISRAEL. AND SUPPORT USE INSTEAD BENJAMIN.

Democrats split over whether to attend Netanyahu’s upcoming Congress address-While some feel obligated to show up to July 24 session despite disagreements with PM, more Democrats are expected to skip upcoming speech over Gaza war than at the 2015 address-By AP and ToI Staff Today, 10:46 pm-JUN 23,24

WASHINGTON — The last time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the US Congress, nearly 60 Democrats skipped his speech nine years ago, calling it a slap in the face to then-US president Barack Obama as he negotiated a nuclear deal with Iran.With Netanyahu scheduled to address US lawmakers on July 24 and his government now at war with Hamas in Gaza, the number of absences is likely to be far greater.Congressional Democrats are wrestling with whether to attend. Many are torn between their long-standing support for Israel and their anguish about the way Israel has conducted military operations in Gaza.While some Democrats are saying they will come out of respect for Israel, a larger and growing faction wants no part of it, creating an extraordinarily charged atmosphere at a gathering that normally amounts to a ceremonial, bipartisan show of support for an American ally.“I wish that he would be a statesman and do what is right for Israel. We all love Israel,” former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said recently on CNN about Netanyahu. “We need to help them and not have him stand in the way of that for such a long time.”She added, “I think it’s going to invite more of what we have seen in terms of discontent among our own.”Tensions between Netanyahu and Democratic President Joe Biden have been seeping into the public, with Netanyahu last week accusing the Biden administration of withholding US weapons from Israel — a claim he made again Sunday to his cabinet. After the prime minister leveled the charge the first time, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We genuinely do not know what he’s talking about. We just don’t.”The invitation from House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, to Netanyahu came after consultation with the White House, according to a person familiar with the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject. As of now, no meeting between the leaders during Netanyahu’s Washington visit has been scheduled, this person said.Netanyahu said in a release that he was “very moved” by the invitation to address Congress and the chance “to present the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us to the representatives of the American people and the entire world.”Republicans first floated the idea in March of inviting Netanyahu after Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States, gave a speech on the Senate floor that was harshly critical of the prime minister. Schumer, a New York Democrat, called the Israeli leader “an obstacle to peace” and urged new elections in Israel, even as he denounced Hamas and criticized Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.Republicans denounced the speech as an affront to Israel and its sovereignty. Johnson spoke of asking Netanyahu to come to Washington, an invitation that Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York ultimately endorsed, albeit reluctantly. Pelosi, who opposed the invitation to Netanyahu in 2015 when she was Democratic leader, said it was a mistake for the congressional leadership to extend it again this time.Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who attended the 2015 address as a House member, said he saw no reason why Congress “should extend a political lifeline” to Netanyahu.Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it would be “healthy” for members of both parties to attend. “I think that a lot of Americans are getting a one-sided narrative, especially the younger generation, and I think it’s important they hear from the prime minister of Israel, in terms of his perspective,” said McCaul, a Texas Republican.Interviews with more than a dozen Democrats revealed the breadth of discontent over the coming address, which many feel is a Republican ploy intended to divide their party. Some Democrats say they will attend to express their support for Israel, not Netanyahu.New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has an “obligation” to attend because of that position.“It should not have taken place,” he added. “But I can’t control that. And I have to do my job.”Sen. Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, who leads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has signaled he will be there. Cardin said that what he’s looking for in Netanyahu’s speech is a “type of message that can strengthen the support in this country for Israel’s needs,” but also lay the groundwork for peace in the region.Other Democrats are waiting to see whether Netanyahu will still be prime minister by the time he is supposed to speak to Congress.There have been open signs of discontent over the handling of the war by Netanyahu’s government, a coalition that includes right-wing hardliners who oppose any kind of agreement with Hamas, which sparked the ongoing war when it launched the October 7 massacre on southern communities, murdering some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages to Gaza.National Unity chair Benny Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff, withdrew from Netanyahu’s war cabinet this month, citing frustration over the prime minister’s conduct of the war. Last week, Netanyahu dissolved that body. Meantime, a growing number of critics and protesters in Israel have backed a ceasefire proposal that would bring home hostages taken by Hamas.It is believed that 120 hostages are still held in Gaza, 116 of whom were kidnapped on October 7, in addition to two civilians and the bodies of two soldiers held there for nearly a decade.Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Rhode Island Democrat, said he stands with those “who hope that he’s not prime minister by the time late July rolls around. I think that he has been bad for Israel, bad for Palestinians, bad for America.” But, he added, he believes it his job to show up when a head of state addresses Congress, “even if it’s someone who I have concerns about and disagree with.”Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, attended the 2015 speech and described it as “among the most painful hours” he has spent while in Congress. He plans to boycott unless Netanyahu becomes a “champion for a ceasefire.”A large portion of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — lawmakers who are among the most critical of Israel’s handling of the war — is expected to skip. Among them is Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the caucus, who told The Associated Press that it was a “bad idea,” to invite Netanyahu.“We should be putting pressure on him by withholding offensive military assistance so that he sticks to the deal that the president has laid out,” she said.Netanyahu’s visit is expected to draw significant protests and some members of Congress are planning an alternative event.Rep. Jim Clyburn said he is in the early stages of bringing “like-minded” people together to exchange ideas about a path forward for Israelis and Palestinians that includes a two-state solution. The senior Democrat from South Carolina was a vocal critic of Netanyahu’s 2015 address, which he and several prominent members of the Congressional Black Caucus viewed as an affront to Obama“I just think that, rather than just say, ‘I’m not going to go, I’m going to stay way,’ I am saying ‘I’m going to stay away with a purpose,'” he said. “I’m not going to listen to his foolishness. But here are some ideas that we have that might be a way forward.”The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 37,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far. The toll, which cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, is thought to include some 15,000 terror operatives Israel says it has killed in battle. Israel also says it killed some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel on October 7.Three hundred and fifteen troops have been killed during the ground offensive against Hamas and amid operations along the Gaza border. The toll includes a police officer killed in a hostage rescue mission. A civilian Defense Ministry contractor has also been killed in the Strip.