1) Jonathan Schanzer writes about ‘The Terrorist-Aid Agency’ at Commentary.
“The Israeli Defense Forces announced Thursday that it discovered hundreds of weapons in a West Bank kindergarten run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). This was only the latest bit of bad news for the UN agency, which has taken a lot of heat—deservedly—for serving as a willing partner to Hamas in Gaza since the terrorist group conquered the territory in 2007.”
2) At the National Post, Irwin Cotler explains how ‘South Africa is inverting reality by accusing Israel of genocide’.
“This Thursday and Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will convene to hear an application by South Africa, alleging that Israel is in breach of the Genocide Convention, due to its conduct in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. These proceedings turn fact and law on their head, inverting reality and effectively undermining international justice and the rules-based international order.”
3) Daniel Taub discusses ‘Weaponising the crime of genocide’ at J-Wire.
“South Africa’s eagerness to file the genocide case against Israel has little to do with the suffering of Palestinians. It has never raised its voice in relation to the murder of tens of thousands of Palestinians in Syria nor indeed their persecution by Hamas in Gaza. Nor is it a response to recent events. As far back as 2007, South Africa invited a Hamas delegation on an official visit. It has hosted Hamas terrorist leaders, just as it hosted Omar Al Bashir following his indictment for the commission of genocide in Darfur.
On October 8th, the day following the worst atrocities committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust, South African leaders called senior Hamas leaders to express their solidarity and, before Israel had even begun to defend itself, blamed Israel for the “new conflagration”.”
4) At the ITIC, Raz Zimmt documents ‘Iranian media references to military aid provided by Iran to Hamas in the past’.
“Since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June 2007, Hamas has enjoyed Iranian military support, including the supply of Iranian weapons, training of its operatives in Iran, the transfer of Iranian knowledge and capabilities through various routes to the Gaza Strip, Judea and Samaria, and extensive economic support. However, senior Iranian officials generally refrained from commenting on specific military aid given to the Palestinian terrorist organizations. The war in the Gaza Strip provided senior Iranian and “resistance front” officials with an opportunity to reveal in media interviews and public appearances additional details about Iran’s military support for Hamas.”
5) At the JCPA, Yoni Ben Menachem asks ‘Who will succeed Hamas leader Salah Al Arouri?’.
“Known as the financial brain of Hamas, al-Jabarin oversees its economic empire, estimated to hold as much as half a billion dollars, and facilitates the transfer of funds from Iran to the Gaza Strip, managing to do so despite sanctions on Iran.
The Wall Street Journal reported on January 4, 2024, that he operates an office in Istanbul and has holdings in Turkish companies.”
6) Abdullah Hayek and Ahmad Sharawi provide analysis of ‘Jordan’s Escalating Border Threats Amid Regional Upheaval’ at WINEP.
“…pro-Iran militias in Iraq and Syria have reportedly launched three recent drone attacks through Jordanian airspace en route to Israel: on November 9, December 22, and December 31. Besides jeopardizing the kingdom’s sovereignty, these breaches also put Amman in a delicate position with the United States and Israel.”
One cannot help to wonder if the judges at the ICJ will act equally antisemitically as the South Africa government. We shall soon see.