Can knowledge be IP'ed? Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft’s new AI division, seems to think No.

Can knowledge be IP'ed? Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft’s new AI division, seems to think No.

    Wednesday, July 03, 2024   No comments

IA is another turning point in history, and its main impact may not be the kind of information IA will generate, but access to knowledge; it may put front and center the legal protections of content under patent and copyright laws that distinguished the modern civilization. This is the case because the civilization that preceded the Western civilization, the Islamic civilization, has always treated knowledge as an accretive body of knowledge that produced by all and belongs to none. The Islamic view can be gleaned from observing Muslim thinkers’ disinterest (or lack of care) in meticulous refencing and footnoting. They don’t claim they are the creator of ideas, and they don’t think anyone else had; knowledge is possible only when it is open and accessible so that it is checked and improved by the collective. Ibn Khaldun, the last classic thinker of the Islamic civilization closed his remarkable work, al-Muqaddima, by inviting future generation of thinkers to assess his and improve on it; not by taking credit for any ideas that he put forth to the exclusion of all the contributions of generations before him.

AI brings this matter front and center: AI depend on digital knowledge that it can process to provide answers. If that knowledge is shielded, AI potential will be limited. Here is a starting point for this conversation.

Mustafa Suleyman, the CEO of Microsoft’s new AI division, recently said in an interview with CNBC’s Andrew Ross that anything you publish on the internet becomes ‘freeware’ and that it can be copied and used to train AI models.

“With respect to content that is already on the open web, the social contract of that content since the 90s has been that it is fair use. Anyone can copy it, recreate with it, reproduce with it. That has been freeware, if you like. That’s been the understanding.”

12 US officials who resigned denounce Biden's policy towards Gaza

12 US officials who resigned denounce Biden's policy towards Gaza

    Tuesday, July 02, 2024   No comments

Twelve US government officials who resigned over the Biden administration’s stance on the war in Gaza have issued a joint statement denouncing Biden’s Gaza policy, which they said has failed and poses a threat to US national security.

The statement added that the current crisis illustrates the damage that the current US policy in Gaza is causing to the Palestinians, Israel, and US national security.

The statement considered that the US diplomatic cover for Israel and the ongoing flow of weapons are undeniable complicity in the killing and starvation of the besieged Palestinian population in Gaza.

The statement also said that this stubborn policy threatens the United States and the lives of its soldiers and diplomats, as was evident in the killing of 3 US service members in Jordan last January.

The statement stressed that this policy severely undermines the credibility of the United States around the world.

The officials who signed the statement are:

Maryam Hassanein, who was a special assistant at the Department of Interior, quit her job on Tuesday. She slammed Biden's foreign policy, describing it as "genocide-enabling" and dehumanizing toward Arabs and Muslims. Israel denies genocide allegations.

Mohammed Abu Hashem, a Palestinian American, said last month he ended a 22-year career in the U.S. Air Force. He said he lost relatives in Gaza in the ongoing war, including an aunt killed in an Israeli air strike in October.

Riley Livermore, who was a U.S. Air Force engineer, said in mid-June that he was leaving his role. "I don't want to be working on something that can turn around and be used to slaughter innocent people," he told the Intercept news website.

Stacy Gilbert, who served in the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, left in late May. She said she resigned over an administration report to Congress that she said falsely stated Israel was not blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Alexander Smith, a contractor for USAID, quit in late May, opens new tab, alleging censorship after the U.S. foreign aid agency canceled publication of his presentation on maternal and child mortality among Palestinians. The agency said it had not gone through proper review and approval.

Lily Greenberg Call, a Jewish political appointee, resigned in May, having served as a special assistant to the chief of staff in the Interior Department. "As a Jew, I cannot endorse the Gaza catastrophe," she wrote in the Guardian, opens new tab.

Anna Del Castillo, a deputy director at the White House's Office of Management and Budget, departed in April and became the first known White House official to leave the administration over policy toward Gaza.

Hala Rharrit, an Arabic language spokesperson for the State Department, departed her post in April in opposition to the United States' Gaza policy, she wrote on her LinkedIn page.

Annelle Sheline resigned from the State Department's human rights bureau in late March, writing in a CNN article, opens new tab that she was unable to serve a government that "enables such atrocities."

Tariq Habash, a Palestinian American, quit as special assistant in the Education Department's office of planning in January. He said the Biden administration was turning a "blind eye" to atrocities in Gaza.

Harrison Mann, a U.S. Army major and Defense Intelligence Agency official, resigned in November over Gaza policy and went public with his reasons in May.

Josh Paul, director of the State Department's bureau of political military affairs, left in October in the first publicly known resignation, citing what he described as Washington's "blind support" for Israel.

Background: Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after Hamas fighters stormed settlements on the other side of the security fence built by Israel to blockade the Strip on 7 October. The attack resulted in the killing of about 1,200 people and detaining of 250 soldiers and civilians.

However, over time, it has been revealed by Haaretz that helicopters and tanks of the Israeli army had, in fact, killed many of the 1,139 soldiers and civilians claimed by Israel to have been killed by the Palestinian Resistance factions.

Meanwhile, the US officials finally acknowledged that Israel has been using Palestinians as human shield; yet, they refuse to call for independent investigation.

US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel tells reporters that they have seen disturbing reports about the Israeli military using civilians as human shields.

He said the US calls Israel again to quickly investigate and ensure accountability for any violations.

He added that the Israeli army had said that it is investigating the video and that it does not reflect its values because it is a violation of its orders and procedures.

Media Review: The key to calm with Lebanon is in Gaza, and Israeli plans to divide the Strip

Media Review: The key to calm with Lebanon is in Gaza, and Israeli plans to divide the Strip

    Tuesday, July 02, 2024   No comments

International newspapers and news websites have highlighted Israeli plans to divide the Gaza Strip into separate security zones, the repercussions of an open war between Israel and Lebanon if it breaks out, and the way to calm down on that front.

The American newspaper "Wall Street Journal" spoke about Israeli plans to divide the Gaza Strip into islands and separate security zones in which unsuspecting Palestinians live, allowing the Israeli army to move freely.

The newspaper indicated that retired Israeli officers, academics, and politicians participated in formulating these ideas, and pointed out that these plans reveal harsh facts, including that the Palestinians may remain besieged indefinitely in narrow areas of the Strip.

In turn, the French newspaper "Le Monde" discussed Britain's efforts to prevent the International Criminal Court from issuing arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

The newspaper wondered about London's intentions in doing so and whether it was a maneuver to buy time, noting that Attorney General Karim Khan's request to issue an arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Galant was not welcomed in Western capitals, especially Washington.

While the National Interest website believes that all the scenarios proposed between the Lebanese Hezbollah and Israel indicate that war has become inevitable, the website quoted writer Alexandre Langlois warning that if war breaks out, it will drag the United States into it and destroy the entire Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Swiss newspaper Le Temps editorial said that the key to calm in Lebanon lies in Gaza, explaining that the war between Israel and Hezbollah seems imminent, but the solution to avoid it is also clear, which is to put an end to the war in Gaza.

The newspaper added that the Americans know this and are trying to bypass Netanyahu in favor of his political rival Yoav Galant, and the Europeans are also aware of this but are content with warning their citizens of the dangers, according to the newspaper.

A report by the Washington Post also addressed the conditions of the Palestinians in Gaza who were able to flee to Egypt, and said that they survived the war but are unable to build a future for themselves, adding that most of them live in a state of confusion without a clear legal status and without hope of reaching another destination.

Regarding the situation in the West Bank, an investigation published by the New York Times revealed the great panic and terror that Palestinians are subjected to at the hands of settlers, noting that this violence, unlike what is prevalent in many parts of the world, is supported by the state and carried out with American weapons.

Islamic Societies Review MONTHLY -- June 2024

Islamic Societies Review MONTHLY -- June 2024

    Monday, July 01, 2024   No comments

ISR MONTHLY is a bulletin updating our readers about news stories and analyses of the month. If you have content you would like to recommend or share, please read the referral guidelines and instructions.

Media review: NYT's Friedman, "Biden must push Israel to accept Hamas' demands"

Media review: NYT's Friedman, "Biden must push Israel to accept Hamas' demands"

    Tuesday, June 18, 2024   No comments

American journalist Thomas Friedman confirmed that the Israeli occupation entity is currently living in "existential danger", at a time when the axis of resistance has managed to "tighten its grip on Israel", while "the latter has no military or diplomatic response".

In an opinion piece he wrote in the American newspaper "The New York Times", Friedman warned of the danger of war with Hezbollah on "Israel", noting that the Islamic resistance in Lebanon is armed with precision missiles capable of destroying large areas of the Israeli infrastructure.

Friedman explained that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "leads Israel, while he must remain in power, in order to avoid the possibility of being sent to prison on corruption charges", at a time when the occupation faces the possibility of war breaking out on several fronts.

According to him, Netanyahu, in order to remain in power and avoid prison, "sold his soul in order to form a government with right-wing extremists, who insist that Israel must fight in Gaza until Hamas is eliminated, in order to achieve complete victory", as they claim.

Now, the Israeli "war cabinet" has collapsed, due to "Netanyahu's lack of a plan to end the war and safely withdraw from the Gaza Strip," while "extremists in his government coalition are looking forward to their next steps to reach power," according to Friedman.

While the American journalist pointed out that these extremist ministers "caused a lot of damage," he warned that "no friend (of Israel) should participate in this circus," as he described it.

In this context, Friedman stressed the need to form a new government in "Israel" and remove Netanyahu from the position of Prime Minister, through new elections.

The American journalist also expressed his support for what former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak confirmed in the American newspaper Haaretz last Thursday, which is that "Israel is facing the most serious crisis in its history."

In light of this, Friedman warned that "every American should be concerned about this matter," explaining that it represents "a recipe for dragging the United States into a war in the Middle East to help Israel."

In this context, Friedman believed that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken "should not make another trip to the Middle East without the agreement of both Israel and Hamas on a clear plan to end the war."

While acknowledging the need for US President Joe Biden to push the occupation to submit to Hamas's conditions to stop the war, Friedman stressed that "Biden must tell Israel that it must accept Hamas's main demand: to end the war completely now, and withdraw from the Gaza Strip, in exchange for the return of all Israeli prisoners."

Friedman believed that ending the war in the Gaza Strip would "lead to reaching an agreement mediated by the US with Hezbollah, in order to calm the war on the northern border."

He added that Netanyahu's idea that some Palestinians, who do not belong to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, will run the place for "Israel" is "a fantasy." In light of all this, the American journalist stressed that "Israel must leave Gaza," while the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, continues to run the Strip.

Friedman argued his point of view without even mentioning the human cost of this reckless war that civilians in Gaza have endured for more than 250 days and that may last for months more.

Hezbollah displays extremely important scenes of military sites and sensitive facilities in Isael: "This is what the hoopoe brought back"

Hezbollah displays extremely important scenes of military sites and sensitive facilities in Isael: "This is what the hoopoe brought back"

    Tuesday, June 18, 2024   No comments

Multiple media outlets, including Aljazeera, reported about the release of drone footage captured by Hezbollah showing many sensitive sites with extreme details. This display of capability might be what prompted France and the US to start a mission to dial down the tension at the border between Hezbollah and Israel.

Regional media outlets reported that the war media of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah, published a very important video clip from the occupied Palestinian territories, under the title "This is what the hoopoe brought back." In a long clip that exceeded 9 and a half minutes, Hezbollah's war media showed scenes of an aerial reconnaissance of areas in northern Kiryat Shmona, Nahariya, Safed Karmiel, Afula, and all the way to Haifa and its port. The scenes included intelligence information about "Israeli" sites inside occupied Palestine, and the scenes showed the drone's arrival at the port of Haifa and what it monitored of sensitive sites in Haifa from the port to the oil refineries and military factories, in addition to the locations of the warships, and important economic sites in the port of Haifa.

Among the sites shown in the scenes is the Rafael Military Industries Complex, a military industrial zone affiliated with Rafael, which includes a large number of factories, warehouses and testing fields, where components of effective air defense systems are manufactured and assembled, especially the Iron Dome and David's Sling.

 The Rafael Military Industries Complex area is considered extremely sensitive and secret, and its total area is 6.5 square kilometers and it is 24 kilometers from the Lebanese border.

 In addition to a complete and high-resolution view of the complex, the scenes clearly showed: - Several Iron Dome platforms, - A rocket engine test tunnel, - Rocket engine warehouses, - Air defense missile warehouses, - Missile component manufacturing facilities, - David's Sling platforms, - Control and guidance systems factories, - The company's administrative buildings, in addition to missile testing radars.

The scenes also showed a real-time, high-resolution tour of the entire Haifa port and the surrounding area.  The scenes accurately showed: -Ship maintenance hangars, -Computing Unit 3800 building of the Haifa Naval Base, -The main warehouse and supply department in the Haifa base basin, -The Deep Sea Missions Unit (Yeltam) building, -Buildings belonging to the submarine unit, -The submarine dock and berth, -The submarine unit command building (Shayetet 7).

 The resistance's war media also monitored warships in the Haifa port, including: -The logistical support ship "Batiyam", -The "Sa'ar 4.5" ships, -The "Devora" boats, -The "Sa'ar 6" ships, -The "Sa'ar 5" ships, -The "Sa'ar 4.5".

 In addition to the "Carmel Pier", -Container ships and work in the port, -The "Mizrahi Pier".

 The party said that the video clip was filmed by its drones that were able to "bypass the enemy's air defense systems and return without being detected by its means."

 The scenes in the video included sensitive Israeli sites, including military bases, weapons and missile stores, seaports, and airports in the city of Haifa, located 27 kilometers from the Lebanese border.

 Before the full video was published, Hezbollah's war media published a promotional clip for the video under the title "Wait for what the hoopoe returned with." The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon attached the clip with the phrase “the first episode,” indicating more scenes that it will show later, confirming that the drone had bypassed the Israeli occupation’s air defenses and returned without being detected.

 Major General Wassef Erekat said that Israel's description of the video as very dangerous confirms the strength of the resistance and its ability to respond in kind and its superiority in the field of accuracy and information.

 Israeli media commented on the Hezbollah video saying, "The new documents are the most disturbing since the beginning of the war, and Haifa can be seen in them."

 The military correspondent for Israel's Channel 14 said that Hezbollah "publishes unusual documents from deep within 'Israeli territory' and shows Israeli targets and even from the port of Haifa and the naval base."

 He added, "The capabilities demonstrated by the Hezbollah organization have left a wide gap between the military and security."

 Earlier, Amos Hochstein, the US President's advisor, warned Israel of a possible Iranian attack that would be difficult to repel due to the ongoing confrontation between Tel Aviv and the Lebanese Hezbollah. This came during his meetings with Israeli officials yesterday, Monday, according to what the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported today, Tuesday.

 On Monday, Hochstein visited Tel Aviv as part of efforts to calm the confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon after they escalated significantly last week.

 The American envoy met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog, opposition leader Yair Lapid, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant.

 The Israeli newspaper said that Hochstein warned of the possibility that the war with Hezbollah would lead to a large-scale Iranian attack on Israel that would be difficult for Israeli defense systems to repel, accompanied by the possibility of large-scale fire by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

 It pointed out that Hochstein's visit coincided with Hezbollah's halting of its attacks on Israel on the occasion of Eid al-Adha (which began on Sunday).

 It said, "The American envoy hopes to exploit the period of cessation in the exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel to try to set a framework for a future ceasefire agreement between the two sides."

 Before going to Israel, the American envoy met Lebanese leaders and they told him that there is nothing to discuss about the situation at the border without stopping the war in Gaza. US envoy Amos Hochstein confirmed from Beirut that the situation on the Lebanese border with occupied Palestine is extremely dangerous, speaking about continuing efforts to stop the escalation to avoid expanding the war.

 Hochstein said, after meeting with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, that "the dispute on both sides of the Blue Line has continued for a long time, and it is in everyone's interest to stop it," adding that "everyone is concerned with resolving the matter diplomatically."

 He described the situation in Lebanon as "very delicate," considering that "the dispute has gone too far."

 He added that the ceasefire in Gaza ends the war and "opens the way for diplomatic solutions, and this may also put an end to the conflict along the Blue Line," stressing that the calm on the border will allow the return of residents to southern Lebanon.

 Hochstein explained that the talks he held today in Beirut, and yesterday in the occupying entity, "aimed to avoid further escalation and expansion of the war."

 The US envoy discussed with Berri, in the presence of the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Lisa Johnson, the situation in southern Lebanon, noting that there is an initiative to cease fire in Gaza that includes the release of prisoners. Hochstein said about this initiative that it "has received approval from Israel, Egypt and Qatar, and Hamas must say if it agrees to the initiative," noting that the ceasefire will also extend to Lebanon.

 Following his meeting with the caretaker Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, Hochstein said: "We are going through dangerous times and critical moments, and we are working together to try to find ways to reach a place where we prevent further escalation."

 He described the discussions that took place with Mikati, in the presence of Johnson, as "good."

 For his part, Mikati stressed that Beirut is not seeking escalation, announcing that what is required is to stop the Israeli aggression and "return to calm on the southern border."

 He said, "We are continuing to seek to stop the escalation, restore security and stability, and stop the ongoing violations of Lebanese sovereignty, and the systematic killing and destruction committed by Israel."

 Mikati stressed that "the ongoing Israeli threats to Lebanon will not deter us from continuing to seek to establish calm," noting that this is a priority for Lebanon and its "friends."

 In addition, the Commander of the Lebanese Army, General Joseph Aoun, received Hochstein in his office in Yarzeh in the presence of Johnson, and the general situation in the country and the region and developments on the southern border were discussed.

 Hochstein pointed out that he came to Beirut at the request of US President Joe Biden.

Blinken: Hamas must respond to Biden’s proposal with a single word: yes; Hamas: did Netanyahu respond with a single word: yes?

Blinken: Hamas must respond to Biden’s proposal with a single word: yes; Hamas: did Netanyahu respond with a single word: yes?

    Wednesday, June 12, 2024   No comments

In another visit to the Middle East, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken keeps making general statements about the ceasefire while refusing to provide any specific details; leaving the ceasefire deal in the gray area. In an interview with Aljazeera, a channel watched primarily by more than 50 million Arab speakers in the Middle East, he wanted to blame Hamas for the stalled talks about the ceasefire proposal put forth by Biden. It should be noted that while the Biden administration claims that the proposal came from Israel, Israeli PM Netanyahu and his right-wing ministers have rejected it, which brings the question, how could Israeli leaders reject their own proposal?

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained - in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera - that US President Joe Biden presented the outlines of his proposal 12 days ago, and it received support from the United Nations, the Arab League, and all countries in the region, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) delayed submitting its response, "which came last night through mediators, and was not as approved as the rest of the parties."

The US Secretary of State stressed that the support of Washington, Qatar and Egypt for the proposal represents the best guarantees to reassure both parties, in addition to the support of the entire international community for this agreement in a rare precedent that reflects the world's determination to end the war. He described the fall of civilian casualties during the operation to recover the four Israeli prisoners from Gaza as "horrific", considering the ceasefire the best way to end the war and return all prisoners, stressing that Washington helped Tel Aviv to determine the places of their detention.

Blinken said Israel has already accepted the deal, and that while "Hamas could have answered with a single word: yes," it has not.

Hamas sharply criticizes Blinken and confirms its positive position

The Islamic Resistance Movement (HamasHamas) said that it showed the positivity required to reach a comprehensive and satisfactory agreement based on the just demands of the Palestinian people, directing sharp criticism at the US administration and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

Hamas confirmed in a statement that while the US Secretary of State continues to talk about Israel's approval of President Joe Biden's proposal, no Israeli official has been heard talking about this approval.

It pointed out that the world has not heard any welcome or approval from Israel for the Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.

Hamas pointed out that Blinken's positions, which "attempt to exonerate the occupation, are a continuation of the US policy complicit in the brutal war of extermination" and called on the US Secretary and the Biden administration to pressure the occupation government "which is determined to complete the mission of killing and extermination."

It also said that it dealt positively and responsibly with the latest proposal and all proposals for a ceasefire and the release of detainees.

Hamas pointed out that it agreed to the proposal it received from the mediators on May 5, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by attacking Rafah.

BRICS Foreign Ministers Support Granting Palestine Full UN Membership

BRICS Foreign Ministers Support Granting Palestine Full UN Membership

    Tuesday, June 11, 2024   No comments

The foreign ministers of the BRICS member states condemned the Israeli attacks against the Palestinians and declared their support for Palestine's full membership in the United Nations. This came in a joint statement issued after their meeting in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod on Monday evening, which was published on a Russian Foreign Ministry's website.

The statement explained that the ongoing conflicts around the world are "worrying", stressing the need to commit to peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomacy, dialogue, consultation, coordination and cooperation.

It also affirmed support for all efforts that help peaceful resolution of crises, stressing "the need to respect international humanitarian law in conflicts and provide humanitarian assistance as stipulated in United Nations resolutions".

The statement expressed deep concern over "the deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and the unprecedented Israeli escalation of violence in Gaza, which has caused casualties and destroyed civilian infrastructure".

In this context, the ministers called for the effective implementation of relevant UN General Assembly resolutions and Security Council Resolution 2720, regarding the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians in the Gaza Strip.

The statement also expressed deep concern over the increasing Israeli attacks on Rafah, noting that the ministers "condemned the Israeli military operation in Rafah and its consequences, which directly affect the lives of civilians and the forced displacement of Palestinians, and reiterated their rejection of any attempt to displace or transfer them to another location, and warned of the effects of the increasing tensions extending to the rest of the Middle East region."

The statement stressed "support for Palestine's full membership in the United Nations, and commitment to the vision of a two-state solution, including an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital."

It is worth noting that "BRICS" is a bloc founded in 2006 and includes China, Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa, before Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE joined it in early 2024.

Source: Joint Statement of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations, Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation, 10 June 2024

Russian official: Washington and its allies may face the use of our weapons by third parties

Russian official: Washington and its allies may face the use of our weapons by third parties

    Thursday, June 06, 2024   No comments

Russia appears to be changing its military posture in reaction to Western countries allowing Ukraine to use NATO weapons to strike inside Russia. Russia is now open to supplying other countries with Russian weapons the same way US, France, and the UK are supplying Ukraine with their weapons that are used to kill Russians; according to Russian officials. This is a significant development that could impact events in conflict zones, including the wars in Syria and Gaza.

Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev confirmed on Thursday that the United States and its allies may face the direct use of Russian weapons by third parties.

Medvedev said in posts on the "X" platform and his telegram channel that these people or regions were intentionally left unnamed, but they could be all those who consider the United States and its partners their enemy, regardless of their political outlook and international recognition.

He added that "their enemy is the United States, which means they are our friends."

This statement comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russia may consider supplying areas of the world with its long-range weapons, in order to launch sensitive strikes against countries that supply Ukraine with weapons.

The US State Department confirmed, in late May, that US President Joe Biden had given the green light to launch Ukrainian strikes using weapons supplied by the United States inside Russian territory, near the city of Kharkiv.

A US State Department spokesman told the Russian Sputnik Agency that "Biden recently tasked his team with ensuring that Ukraine is able to use weapons provided by the United States for counterattack purposes in the Kharkiv region so that Kiev can respond to Russian forces."

The US spokesman claimed that Washington's policy of not allowing long-range strikes using ATACMS missiles inside Russia has not changed.

As for Germany, it backtracked on a position it had previously announced, and granted Ukraine permission to use the weapons it had supplied to it, in order to strike targets inside Russia.

In the same context, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for Ukraine to be allowed to use Western weapons to strike targets inside Russia.

Stoltenberg said that it is time for member states to "reconsider the restrictions that hinder Kyiv's ability to defend itself."

In response, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called on Stoltenberg to resign.

Russia has previously sent a memorandum to NATO countries due to the supply of weapons to Ukraine, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that any shipment containing weapons to Ukraine "will become a legitimate target for Russia."

Lavrov stated that the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, "not only through the supply of weapons, but also through training in the territories of Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries."

Media review: Haaretz reporting on Israeli forces killing Israeli hostages and "Secret Israeli campaign targeted US lawmakers"

Media review: Haaretz reporting on Israeli forces killing Israeli hostages and "Secret Israeli campaign targeted US lawmakers"

    Thursday, June 06, 2024   No comments

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz published a lengthy report on a secret Israeli influence campaign targeting US lawmakers in an attempt to influence global public opinion on the war in Gaza. The report said that fake accounts and websites published pro-Israel content and incited hatred of Islam. The operation was organized by the "Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs" and run by a political campaign company.

The Israeli government is behind the wide-ranging campaign, which primarily targets young black and progressive lawmakers in the United States and Canada, she explained. The operation, which Haaretz first learned of in March, began after the start of the war on Gaza and was intended to influence certain sectors of public opinion regarding Israel’s behavior.

The influence campaign used disinformation about anti-Semitism on American campuses, and was launched by a private Israeli online political campaign firm called Stoic, which was contracted for the project.

According to sources and information obtained by Haaretz, the operation was carried out by a different party than the Diaspora Ministry, fearing that its exposure would embroil Israel in a crisis.

The campaign began by creating three fake “news sites” that copied reports from official media sources. These sites used X, Facebook and Instagram, which amassed tens of thousands of followers.

At the same time, the people running the operation used hundreds of avatars to aggressively promote alleged articles that served the Israeli narrative, including alleged reports of sexual assault by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and of ties between the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and Hamas.

The follow-up report now shows the full extent of the Israeli influence operation, which has evolved into a “widespread and well-coordinated effort to attack and discredit groups that are traditionally pro-Palestinian. These groups include citizens of Western countries, mainly the United States and Canada, of Muslim origin, using anti-Islam and anti-immigrant content.

It should be noted that many US government offcials have resigned in protest of the US support for the war that has been conducted in violation of International humanitarian law.

Even Israeli current leaders are reported to secretly wanting to end the war in Gaza, according to an Israeil newspaper. 

Earlier, the paper reported that it was Israeli forces who killed Israelis on Oct. 7.