JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Report: Hamas agrees to exile high-profile prisoners as part of hostage, end-of-war deal
BREAKING
Channel 12 Report: Hamxs has agreed to deport “high-profile prisoners” in the hostage deal pic.twitter.com/CBDN1kl9Qq
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 18, 2024
Reports emerged Wednesday evening regarding what appears to be a slight softening of Hamas’ position regarding the future of high-profile prisoners it has requested be released as part of the deal to return some of the Israeli hostages it’s holding in Gaza.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, are now in their final stages, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported Wednesday.
According to sources quoted in the newspaper, at this stage, discussions are underway regarding the identity of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released as part of the deal. The report claims “heavyweight” terrorists serving life sentences will probably be deported to Turkey, and also to Iran —a country whose name has not been mentioned so far as a possible destination for exile. The rest will be released to Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, reported Israeli outlet Ynet.
Swiss parliament votes to outlaw Hezbollah
JUST IN
Better late than ever, Switzerland bans Hezbollah pic.twitter.com/MhBvEzEJTF
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 17, 2024
Switzerland’s parliament on Tuesday took the rare step of voting to ban Hezbollah, It was a decision which diverged from the country’s long-standing tradition of neutrality and fostering dialogue for international mediation.
Proponents of the ban, which was endorsed by the lower house following the approval from the upper house last week, argued that Hezbollah poses a significant threat to global security, necessitating Switzerland’s firm stance against terrorism, reported Israel National News.
WATCH: Assad’s Syrian mass graves unearthed, fears up to 150,000 bodies might be buried
Irish president maintains diplomatic spat with Israel accusing it of ‘slander’
Michael D. Higgins @PresidentIRL is a disgrace to Ireland . He congratulated the mullah terror entity president and praised Fidel Castro. His romance with terrorists is pathetic. pic.twitter.com/zYix8HL46N
— Avi Kaner ابراهيم אבי (@AviKaner) December 18, 2024
Irish President Michael D. Higgins accused Israel of “slander” and of seeking to build a “settlement” in Egypt, as the diplomatic acrimony between the countries rumbles on. Speaking at a credentials ceremony for PLO “Ambassador” Jilan Abdaljamid and Ambassador of Italy Nicola Faganello, Higgins responded to a question about Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar labeling him an “anti-Semite,” according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
It’s a “very serious business to actually brand a people because in fact they disagree with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who is in breach of so many bits of international law, and who has beached the sovereignty of three of his neighbors, in relation to Lebanon, Syria, and would like in fact actually to have a settlement into Egypt,” Higgins said.
Report: British intelligence foiled 2 assassination attempts against pope during 2021 Iraq visit
Pope Francis reveals suicide bomber terror plot to kill him foiled by British intelligence https://t.co/U5AgOagE8Z
— GB News (@GBNEWS) December 18, 2024
Pope Francis has revealed he was targeted in a failed assassination attempt during his 2021 visit to Iraq, according to excerpts of his upcoming memoir to mark his 88th birthday, reported news outlet Semafor.
British intelligence warned Iraqi authorities – who in turn told Vatican security – that a woman wearing explosives was traveling to Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, with the intention of blowing herself up during the papal visit, the memoir revealed. A van traveled to the city with “the same intent,” his security detail told the pope at the time. The Iraqi authorities successfully intercepted both would-be suicide bombers, according to the book.
Khamanei warns Israel of its impending demise, says axis of resistance still strong
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has repeated his prediction of Israel’s demise and the triumph of its enemies, despite his country’s major and deepening economic and geopolitical crisis and increasing discontent within Iran
Canaan Lidor @hebrish https://t.co/WO6BPG9uST
— Jewish News Syndicate (@JNS_org) December 18, 2024
Canaan Lidor Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a belligerent message on Wednesday, in which he again predicted Israel’s imminent demise at the hands of its enemies.
Khamanei coupled this message with a projection of strength among the so-called “axis of resistance,” which he said was far more resilient than its recent losses would suggest, according to the Jewish News Syndicate, or JNS. His statement coincided with internal tensions in the country as well as an economic crisis in which a 35% inflation rate has plunged the currency to historical lows against the dollar.
20 Dems in Congress urge Biden to halt offensive weaponry sale to Israel
BREAKING: 20 Democrats in the House of Representatives signed a letter demanding Biden institute a full arms embargo on Israel.
This comes on the same day that a mass grave of 100,000 people was found outside of Damascus, to which none of them have said a word. pic.twitter.com/zL0sMjjUj3
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) December 18, 2024
A group of 20 members of Congress from the Democratic Party on Tuesday wrote a letter calling on the Biden administration to suspend offensive military transfers to the Israeli government, reports Israel National News.
The letter was spearheaded by Reps. Greg Casa, D-Texas, and Summer Lee, D-Pa., who are members of the so-called “Squad” of anti-Israel Democrats, with 18 other members of Congress joining.
The letter follows the Biden administration’s Oct. 13, 2024 letter to then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer which identified steps the Israeli government must take for continued transfers of offensive weapons to be in accordance with US law and policy.
U.S. forces strike Houthi command center in Yemeni capital Sana’a
CENTCOM Conducts Precision Airstrike Against Iran-Backed Houthi Facility in Yemen
On Dec. 16 Yemen time, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a precision airstrike against a key command and control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled… pic.twitter.com/DlZ9SQcAqX
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 16, 2024
U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against a command center operated by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
According to the U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, the command-and-control facility was used to coordinate Houthi operations, including “attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”
It is also suspected the recent ballistic missile strike at Israel – which sent millions of citizens running to bomb shelters and protected rooms, was also coordinated from here.
Nuclear watchdog chief says reviving Iran nuclear deal irrelevant as Islamic Republic nears military level uranium enrichment
IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the nuclear deal with Iran is no longer relevant and that Iran is enriching uranium to a military grade and is rapidly nearing the position of a nuclear state.https://t.co/TAPMr0ZQSh
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) December 17, 2024
Refael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency declared this week there was little point in reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with regard to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as the Islamic Republic is practically a nuclear threshold state.
The atomic regulator’s comments came as the U.N. monitor has grown increasingly frustrated with Iran as it has blown past stockpile limits set by the landmark pact and spurned inspections since Washington abandoned the deal in 2018.
According to an IAEA report handed to member states and leaked to the press earlier this month, Iran has begun dramatically expanding its production of uranium enriched to near-weapons grade levels, collecting enough material for several bombs already, according to a report in the Times of Israel.
Palestinians sue U.S. State Department over American support for Israel’s war in Gaza
5 #Palestinian families filed a lawsuit against the #US State Dep’t on Tues. alleging that the agency, under Secretary of State #AntonyBlinken, has violated US human rights laws by continuing to provide military support to #Israel during its war in #Gaza.https://t.co/IXCakxOsZg
— The Media Line (@TheMediaLine) December 18, 2024
Five Palestinian families filed a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, alleging the agency, under Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has violated U.S. human rights laws by continuing to provide military support to Israel during its war in Gaza. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reported the Media Line.
The plaintiffs accuse the State Department of bypassing the Leahy Laws, which prohibit U.S. military assistance to individuals or units accused of gross human-rights violations unless they have been held accountable. The lawsuit highlights allegations from South Africa at the World Court and Amnesty International that Israel is committing genocide and war crimes in Gaza, claims that Israel has firmly denied.
What’s the future of Russian bases in a post-Assad Syria?
“Shutting down Russian bases in Syria makes supporting forces inside Libya more difficult, and in turn makes it even more difficult to deploy Russian personnel deeper into Africa.” https://t.co/cvRsYp9CRG
— Modern War Institute (@WarInstitute) December 18, 2024
According to Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, Moscow is engaged in intensive talks with the new authorities in Damascus to secure agreements on retaining its two bases in Syria. This is especially notable given the hasty withdrawal of forces belonging to Assad’s other ally, the regime in Tehran.
Russia, like most other actors in the region, was shocked at the speed with which the HTS rebels overtook vast swaths of the country, ultimately deposing the Syrian dictator.
On Dec. 12, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reported “constructive” talks with the leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stating that Russian forces were “invited by the Syrian authorities to fight terrorist organizations, a fight that is not yet over.”
Qatar grabs Syrian foothold
Qatar “invested” billions of dollars on the jihadists for 14 years. Finally, it paid off.
The Qatar-Syria-Turkey-Europe gas pipeline is set to resume. pic.twitter.com/j8N4KeTPOu
— S.L. Kanthan (@Kanthan2030) December 14, 2024
Following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime in Syria last week, Qatar’s foreign ministry issued an official statement, saying that Doha “is closely monitoring developments in Syria and calls for preserving the nation’s institutions and unity.” Numerous discussions have since taken place between Qatari officials and various regional leaders from across the political spectrum, reported Ynet news.
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, said the country is closely following regional developments, particularly the war in Gaza and the situations in Syria and Lebanon.
Some commentators have highlighted the reanimation of the Turkey-Qatar gas pipeline, which Assad had shelved, and which will be a way for Europe to bypass Russia’s supply.
IDF troops destroy Hezbollah command center in southern Lebanon
NEW
The IDF says combat engineers demolished a Hezbollah command tunnel in southern Lebanon used for directing rocket attacks on Israeli towns. Weapons, surveillance gear, and nearby depots—including one in a mosque with explosives and grenades—were found and destroyed by the… pic.twitter.com/RILsBwDosJ
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) December 18, 2024
Despite the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel seeming to still hold, it does not mean the IDF has been idle in its pursuit of tearing down the Iranian proxy’s terrorist infrastructure. Far from it.
According to the military, the underground facility was used by Hezbollah to direct numerous rocket attacks on Israeli towns in the Galilee in the past year.
According to the Times of Israel, troops located weapons, surveillance equipment, and other military gear inside the tunnel, the IDF says.
The IDF said several weapons depots were located near the tunnel, including one inside a mosque, where hundreds of explosive devices, guns, grenades, and other equipment were stored.
Israel unveils first domestically built quantum computer
Israel now operating its first domestically built quantum computer – Israel News – The Jerusalem Post
https://t.co/l4oSEZAObh— Carlos Abadi (@NewSamawal) December 18, 2024
Israel earlier this week unveiled its first domestically built quantum computer, pushing the country forward in the global race for “quantum supremacy,” according to a report on Israel21c.
The 20-qubit computer which utilizes advanced superconducting technology was developed under the leadership of Israel Aerospace Industries, in cooperation with the Israel Innovation Authority and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and its technology transfer company, Yissum.
IAI has been investing substantial resources into making Israel a leading nation in the sphere of quantum computing and infrastructure. Its quantum computer lab will focus on design, simulation, integration, and the adaptation of practical applications for the newly unveiled quantum computer.
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