I’m impressed. Also, Israel bonds have a pretty good payoff.
[IsraelTimes] A coalition of Moslem groups in New York City will launch a campaign on Thursday to counter the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The new group, called the Unbreakable Bond Coalition, said the program "seeks to benefit Israel, its Arab citizens and Paleostinians employed by Israeli companies."
"The reality is that Israelis and Paleostinians are deeply connected economically," the group said in a statement. "Broad boycotts can unintentionally harm the very workers and communities they claim to support."
The group said it believes that building economic bridges leads to dialogue, understanding and partnerships that foster peace.
The participating organizations are the American Moslem & Multifaith Women’s Empowerment Council (AMMWEC), Moslem Women Speakers Bureau, Global Youth Unity Project (GYUP), Abraham PRC and Moslems Israel Dialogue.
The group aims to collect at least $1 from 500,000 supporters by 9 October 2026. The funds will be invested in Israel treasury bonds, and investment proceeds will be distributed to four nonprofits — the coexistence group Sharaka, the Jerusalem Interfaith Center, the Combat Antisemitism Movement, and Debate for Peace, an Arab-Jewish student group.
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) confirmed its relationship with organizers and stated its support for the anti-BDS campaign.
"CAM is proud to stand with Moslem partners in the fight against the hate-fueled BDS movement," said director Sacha Roytman. "We look forward to continued collaborative efforts to counter extremism and revitalize the ancient Abrahamic bonds linking Moslems and Jews."
Organizers announced the anti-BDS campaign on Saturday and the initiative will officially begin with a virtual event held on Thursday, the 21st anniversary of the BDS campaign’s launch.
Sheikh Musa Drammeh, a pro-Israel Moslem community activist in New York City, said the campaign was in response to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an anti-Zionist who supports BDS.
"He is Moslem and New York is home to the largest Moslem and Jewish community, so some of us decided that we are going to counter every step along the way, otherwise, things will be normalized," Drammeh told The Times of Israel.
Drammeh highlighted how he and other members of the coalition marched in New York’s annual Israel parade, have visited Israel, and have joined the March of the Living in Auschwitz. Mamdani refused to march in the Israel parade or visit Israel.
"Just like there are some Jewish people who are anti-Israel, anti-Zionist, there is a growing Moslem community that will never, ever subscribe to anti-Israel positions, anti-Zionism," Drammeh said. "BDS failed and BDS cannot be tolerated. Simple as that."
He argued that boycotting Israel was "anti-Paleostinian" because it hurt Paleostinian and Arab Israeli livelihoods.
A BDS vote at a prominent Brooklyn food co-op in May targeted companies involved in Israeli-Paleostinian coexistence initiatives, pro-LGBTQ programs and family-owned firms employing diverse workforces. Four of the eight companies hit by the boycott were run by Arab Israelis or sold products from Arab-owned factories.
The Unbreakable Bond Coalition will invest in Israel bonds because the bonds are a secure investment and as a symbol of the group’s support for Israel, Drammeh said.
"This is a global encouragement for people to invest in Israel. We want Israeli companies and we want Israeli treasuries to be looked at as a viable, investable entity, just like the US. We’re leading the way in normalizing people to invest and learn about Israel," he said.
[IsraelTimes] 2 academics from Harvard and Fordham University to lead initiative aimed at improving care for Jewish patients, amid widespread accusations of prejudice in mental health care
A new US program will train participants who work in the field of psychology to better recognize and respond to antisemitism, amid growing concern about anti-Jewish discrimination in mental health care.
As long as they recognize that antizionism is just the newest manifestation of the same old problem.
The pilot program, led by Dr. Miri Bar-Halpern of Harvard Medical School and Dr. Dean McKay of Fordham University, will offer doctoral psychology courses in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts, according to a Tuesday statement from the Academic Engagement Network, an advocacy group that supports Jewish academics.
"Addressing Antisemitism in Psychology Graduate Programs: Training Academic Faculty in Trauma-Informed Activism" will include curriculum development and faculty workshops.
The end goal is to provide "competent, evidence-based care to Jewish patients," the statement said.
Participants will be taught to recognize contemporary antisemitism, understand its mental health impacts and incorporate the lessons in training and clinical work, the statement said.
The initiative aims to build a network of professionals who can bring the training back to their own campuses and communities, and form a national model to help psychology programs contend with antisemitism.
The program is funded by an Antisemitism Education Initiative grant provided by the Academic Engagement Network. The network, which says it brings together more than 3,000 academics at hundreds of campuses, launched the grant program in 2022.
"When antisemitism begins shaping how future clinicians are trained, the consequences extend far beyond the classroom," said Miriam Elman, the head of the Academic Engagement Network, in a statement. "Future psychologists will care for patients from every background. Ensuring that they understand antisemitism and Jewish identity is essential."
The program comes amid mounting fears over antisemitism in mental health care.
Bar-Halpern and McKay said late last year that there was a "growing animus towards Jews" in the field and that the trend of "decolonizing therapy" had labeled Zionism as a "root cause of mental illness."
The US Health and Human Services Department last month announced an investigation into the American Psychological Association, which has more than 172,000 members.
A survey in 2024 found that 75% of Jewish medical students and professionals had been exposed to antisemitism in their fields.
Last month’s issue of American Psychologist, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Psychological Association, focused on antisemitism in what the authors described as a "long-overdue reengagement."
"Antisemitism was clearly one of the most important themes in psychological research on prejudice in the first half of the twentieth century," the journal said, but added that discrimination against Jews had fallen out of favor in the field in recent decades, even as other forms of prejudice gained attention.
A dangerous dependency at the moment, which couldn’t happen to a more deserving conqueror.
[KhaamaPress] Afghanistan has become increasingly dependent on Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... for trade, with 56% of its imports passing through the country, leaving its economy vulnerable to regional tensions and disruptions, the World Bank said in its latest Afghanistan Economic Monitor.
The report said Afghanistan’s economy grew by an estimated 4.8%, but warned the recovery has not improved living standards. Per-capita income continued to fall as rapid population growth, driven largely by the return of nearly 3.7 million Afghan migrants colonists from Iran and Pakistain, outpaced economic expansion.
The World Bank also reported a 17% decline in exports in May compared with the previous month, while imports of machinery and other investment goods remained sharply lower, reflecting weak private-sector investment and continued financial constraints. It said India’s remained the largest export destination, while trade has increasingly shifted toward Iran after repeated disruptions at border crossings with Pakistain.
The report warned that Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on a narrow export base and external trade routes at a time when humanitarian needs remain severe. Aid reductions, high unemployment and limited access to international finance continue to weigh on the economy despite relative currency stability and steady domestic revenue collection.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
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[ShabelleMedia] The European Union ...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing... ’s asylum agency has warned that Somalia’s security situation has significantly worsened, citing deepening political divisions and growing instability that have allowed the al-Shabaab ... al-Qaeda's tentacle in East Africa... holy warrior group to expand its influence.
The report provides an update on the security situation at both the country and regional levels. It presents an overview at the country level of the main security trends and conflict dynamics during the reference period (1 April 2025 — 31 March 2026).
In a 137-page report, the European Union Agency for Asylum said al-Shabaab had increased its presence in several regions, including Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle, Bay and Bakool, taking advantage of political disputes and weak state institutions.
The report praised Puntland ...a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998. Puntland and the equally autonomous Somaliland seem to have avoided the clan rivalries and warlordism that have typified the rest of Somalia, which puts both places high on the list for Islamic subversion... for what it described as significant gains against the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... group in the Calmiskaad mountains, saying military operations in the Bari region had substantially weakened the group’s capabilities.
It also noted that The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor... had increased military support to Somalia, including military equipment and combat aircraft that have participated in operations against al-Shabaab in southern Somalia, though the report said the campaign had yet to achieve decisive results.
According to the EUAA, political tensions between Somalia’s federal government and the regional administrations of Puntland and Jubaland have undermined security cooperation and complicated efforts to combat al-Shabaab. Disputes over the constitution, elections and the allocation of development projects remain unresolved, it said.
The agency further expressed concern about the financial situation of the African Union ...a union consisting of 53 African states, most run by dictators of one flavor or another. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established in 2002, the AU is the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was even less successful... mission in Somalia, warning that severe funding shortages had weakened its operational capacity against the insurgency.
The warning comes after the United States announced plans to end funding for the African Union mission in Somalia by December 2026, a move that has raised concerns about the future of international support for Somali security operations.
The report concluded that continued political fragmentation, insecurity and humanitarian challenges pose a major threat to Somalia’s stability and could enable al-Shabaab to further expand its reach across the country.
#2
In truth, the "government of Somalia" controls an area in Mogadishu containing most, but not all, of the governmental buildings. Everything else is actually tribal/warlord territory. We just pretend they have a government in any sense of the Western definition of such! You might actually get better results if you just talked to the wealthy Somali clan leadership in Minnesota.
The high-profile pro-al-Qaeda media group al-Yaqin has shared the first issue of a new weekly newspaper, al-Bayan, which closely mimics IS’s weekly newspaper al-Naba in its design, layout, length and content. Even its name, al-Bayan, echoes that of IS’s now-defunct flagship radio… pic.twitter.com/SQzwAFBwJT
The high-profile pro-al-Qaeda media group al-Yaqin has shared the first issue of a new weekly newspaper, al-Bayan, which closely mimics IS’s weekly newspaper al-Naba in its design, layout, length and content. Even its name, al-Bayan, echoes that of IS’s now-defunct flagship radio station.
But Al Qaeda was the original jihadi franchise. ISIS was Number 2.
The nine-page publication was released on 3 July by al-Yaqin's online outlets. It was presented as “a weekly newspaper issued every Friday by [al-Qaeda] supporters from the Arabian Peninsula”, which often refers to al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch (AQAP).
Like al-Naba, al-Bayan offers a roundup of key militant attacks and propaganda from al-Qaeda’s global affiliates, although the first issue focuses primarily on the activities of al-Qaeda’s most active branches: JNIM in the Sahel and al-Shabab in Somalia.
[IsraelTimes] Britain summons Iran’s Chargé d’Affaires, Tehran’s most senior diplomat in London, after two Romanian nationals were given lengthy jail sentences over the stabbing of a journalist working for a Persian-language media group in London.
The two men, Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25 — who British prosecutors said were acting as proxies for the Iranian government — were sentenced last week to eight years and 12 years in jail, respectively, for their role in the 2024 attack.
Pouria Zaratifoukolaei, known as Pouria Zeraati, a British journalist of Iranian origin who works for Iran International, was stabbed three times in the leg near his home in southwest London in March 2024.
The British Foreign Office says the judge had “concluded that this attack [on the journalist] was carried out in the interests of, and on behalf of, the Iranian state.”
“This follows a longstanding pattern of hostile activity by the Iranian intelligence services on UK soil,” it adds. “Iran’s actions attempt to undermine UK sovereignty and security and are completely unacceptable – it must cease in these activities immediately.”
[IsraelTimes] High-stakes gamble comes Farage’s Reform party leads UK opinion polls, but faces mounting pressure over non-disclosure of gifts, including allegedly from convicted fraudster
[MAIL] British holidaymakers have been warned that they could face up to five-hour long queues at border controls in Europe this summer.
Aviation chiefs said that airports could descend into 'complete standstill' thanks to new rules for non-EU visitors.
There are now urgent calls to pause the recently introduced Entry-Exit-System (EES) until September over fears it is 'unsustainable' for the major influx of 40million more passengers who are expected to descend onto Europe's airports this summer.
The EES sees non-EU citizens having their fingerprints and photos taken when they first enter its borders, with these details checked again on their departure, resulting in lengthy waits.
The European aviation sector (ACI) sent an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen where they pleaded for her intervention ahead of the holiday getaway rush, highlighting the recent havoc in airports which has seen passengers miss flights due to the internal delays.
The EES has been 'creating severe operational consequences disrupting passengers and putting border authorities, airports and airlines under unsustainable pressure', the group said.
Since its rollout in April following several delays, 'waiting times at border control have increased significantly, now reaching up to five hours during peak traffic periods'.
Reverting to standard Schengen border checks was a possible solution, including passport stamping.
[IsraelTimes] A group of French Jewish visitors to Barcelona was reportedly harassed by a street mob that chanted antisemitic and anti-Israel slogans as they followed them through the streets, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FJCE) said in a statement Monday.
The group was subjected to "hostile stares, insults, and harassment" for about an hour and a half as they walked back to their hotel from a synagogue, it said.
If confirmed, "this would be one of the most serious episodes of anti-Semitic harassment recorded in Barcelona in recent years," the FJCE said.
Citing testimony from members of the group, the statement said the incident began on Friday night as the group left a synagogue in the city after prayers and dinner.
Two members of the group were wearing kippot, and one of them was wearing traditional Hasidic garb, according to the statement.
People in the street showed open hostility toward them, the FCJE said, and then a woman wearing a Paleostinian scarf began following them while shouting anti-Israel and antisemitic slogans. She also allegedly spat at them.
As the group made their way back to their hotel, dozens of other people joined the woman, some riding bicycles, electric scooters, or cycle of violences.
They shouted "Jews are not wanted in Barcelona," "baby murderers," and "Israeli genocide," a reference to Israel’s military action in the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip during the war that was triggered by the Hamas ..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,... -led October 7, 2023, invasion of southern Israel that killed 1,200 people.
The mob also prevented the Jewish group from "walking normally" and left its members in fear of physical assault during the hour and a half it took them to reach their lodgings at the Hotel Arts Barcelona, where security guards prevented the crowd from entering the premises.
There were no reports of physical injury.
The FCJE said that together with the Jewish Community of Barcelona, it is gathering information and is considering filing a complaint with authorities, though the victims chose not to file a police report.
It asked that any eyewitnesses or those who may have video of the incident contact the Jewish community.
"This episode adds to an escalation of anti-Semitic incidents that have been reported for months: the desecration of the Jewish cemetery in Montjuïc, graffiti and acts of vandalism, intimidating gatherings and threats against members of the community," the FCJE said in its statement.
The FCJE called on the authorities "to abandon any passivity in the face of this trend because antisemitism is not a problem of the Jewish community. It is a problem for all of democracy."
Last month, two Jewish American women were denied entry to an LGBTQ sauna in Barcelona because they were wearing Star of David necklaces.
A report released in June by the Spanish government found that antisemitic offenses in Spain rose 86 percent last year, the country’s worst year for hate incidents on record.
Jews were targeted in 69 hate crimes and incidents in 2025, up from 37 in 2024, according to the report released by Spain’s Interior Ministry. Islamophobic attacks also increased, from 15 to 35 incidents.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has become one of Europe’s sharpest critics of Israel and its military action in Gaza, which he says constitutes genocide — a charge that Israel vehemently denies. Spain imposed a total arms embargo on Israel in 2025 and permanently withdrew its ambassador in March 2026, following Israel’s withdrawal of its ambassador to Spain in 2024.
A banner reading “Destroy Israel” was displayed before thousands of people during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona, Spain,
Calls for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state go far beyond legitimate political expression. Such rhetoric promotes hatred, fuels hostility… pic.twitter.com/gM8FbfGlof
— European Jewish Congress (@eurojewcong) July 7, 2026
The tradition in such things is that the Arab workers and partners of these companies, not to mention LBTQ+, will be hardest hit, but the self-righteous banners won’t care a jot about them.
[IsraelTimes] Ireland’s parliament approves legislation banning imports of goods from Israeli communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as Dublin presses ahead with one of Europe’s most far-reaching trade measures against Israel.
The Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) bill prohibits the import of goods from “certain Israeli settlements.”
Those include residential, agricultural and business interests that lie outside of what it claims are Israel’s internationally recognized borders.
While Ireland was the first EU country to propose such a ban, Spain already implemented a package of import restrictions last October.
The center-right coalition government which drafted the legislation has said its wording was guided by an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024, which claims Israel is occupying the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip illegally under international law.
Related: PJ Media has more about Barcelona harassment here.
[IsraelTimes] Hind Rajab Foundation says it is seeking Dutch arrest of Yesh Atid MK Ram Ben Barak, Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon for advocating relocation of Gazans, resettlement of Strip
The anti-Israel Hind Rajab Foundation
…another Hezbollah front project, launched in 2024 in Belgium by one Dyab Abou Jahjah. It’s a lawfare boiler room generating endless lawsuits and demands for arrests against Israelis daring to travel outside their country on the pretext that as Israeli soldiers they must have committed war crimes. This is why one mustn’t post travel information on social media until back home…
announced Sunday that it filed a criminal complaint in the Netherlands against two Israeli politicians for alleged "incitement to genocide."
The organization said it filed complaints against Yesh Atid MK Ram Ben Barak and Religious Zionism MK Moshe Solomon, as the two politicians were expected to attend the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europa ...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum... (OSCE) parliamentary assembly in The Hague, which was taking place at the time of the complaint.
The Brussels-based legal group, which is named for a 6-year-old Gazook girl killed in January 2024, has over the past two years filed dozens of criminal complaints against Israeli soldiers and officials who are visiting or stationed abroad.
According to the group, both Ben Barak and Solomon have "used their positions" to "advocate for policies aimed at the physical destruction and permanent displacement of the Paleostinian population in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... The group cited a November 2023 statement made by Ben Barak where he allegedly advocated for the relocation of Gaza’s population to other countries, saying: "If each country takes in 20,000 individuals... it is better to be a refugee in Canada than in Gaza."
The group argued that by calling for the displacement of Paleostinians from Gaza, Ben Barak was "explicitly promoting the dissolution of the Paleostinian national group in Gaza, preventing its reconstitution and continuity."
Israeli officials have repeatedly advocated for what they call the "voluntary migration" of people from Gaza, though the international community has repeatedly come out against the idea, arguing that saying it amounts to ethnic cleansing. Practically all of Gaza’s 2 million-odd residents have been internally displaced at least once since the war in the Strip was sparked by the Hamas ..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,... -led onslaught of October 7, 2023.
As for Solomon, the organization said that the far-right party’s MK is "implicated for championing the re-establishment of illegal settlements in Gaza," though it did not cite specific statements made by Solomon.
Some members of the government, including Solomon’s party leader Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have vowed to reestablish Jewish settlements in the Strip, though Netanyahu has largely disavowed that aim.
The group said it calls on Dutch authorities to "take immediate action to hold these two individuals accountable and to investigate their criminal responsibility for incitement to genocide."
Israel vehemently denies it has committed war crimes or genocide during the war in Gaza. The IDF says it seeks to minimize civilian fatalities, stressing that Hamas uses Gaza’s civilians as human shields.
The Hind Rajab Foundation, which regularly uses social media posts by Israeli troops to file complaints about them abroad, has sparked alarm within Israel, prompting the IDF to create new privacy rules.
The group has spurred European authorities to detain a number of IDF soldiers, and forced a soldier visiting Brazil to flee back to Israel fearing arrest. However,
there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly... it has been unsuccessful in court, and no soldier targeted by the group has been prosecuted for war crimes or any other alleged offenses committed in Gaza.
[IsraelTimes] US President Donald Trump ...His ancestors didn't own any slaves... said Tuesday that he would "certainly consider" selling F-35 fighter jets to The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... , as he sat alongside Ottoman Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ahead of a NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A cautionary tale of cost-benefit analysis.... summit in Ankara.
"It’s a decision we’re going to make... It’s certainly something we would consider," Trump said during a meeting with Erdogan at the latter’s presidential palace, noting that "we have a better relationship with Turkey, and Turkey has been in many ways much more loyal than other countries."
An interesting concept.
While his remarks suggested that he was still deliberating the move, Rooters — citing two sources familiar with the matter — reported earlier Tuesday that Trump is expected to throw his support behind the sale during his visit in Ankara.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview on Monday that Israel is opposed to the sale, and on Tuesday confirmed that he urged Trump against the move. Turkey’s leaders have likened Israel’s conduct in Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with a rusty iron fist by Hamas with about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... to that of the Nazis during the Holocaust, and Jerusalem has also warned that selling the stealth jets to Ankara would undermine Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region, which US law commits to maintaining.
But Trump has long liked the strongman Erdogan, whom he again called a "friend" during their Tuesday meeting.
Trump also praised Turkey for not "getting into the fight" — on the side of Iran, in the recent war — given Turkey’s acrimonious "relationship with Israel."
The F-35, built with stealth technology that allows it to evade enemy detection, is considered the world’s most advanced fighter jet.
How do Turkish programmers compare to Israeli programmers?
Israel has operated the aircraft for over a decade, building multiple squadrons, and remains the only Middle Eastern country to possess it.
The Israel Air Force currently operates 48 of the aircraft with another 52 units on order.
Israel is anxious to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region by having the most advanced aircraft, and has previously worked to prevent the sale of the F-35 to other nearby countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start... , and the United Arab Emirates.
Turkey joined a multinational program to purchase F-35 fighter jets from the United States, but was removed from it in 2020 over its purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems.
Iran’s S-400s didn’t do them much good against the IAF, but of course, the Turks will note, Iranians aren’t Turks…
The US placed sanctions on Turkey over that Russian purchase under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, but Trump declared on Tuesday, when asked, that Washington would be lifting them.
The sales would be lovely for American manufacturers, but can Turkey afford the expense?
Erdogan said he hoped for a positive result on the matter, telling news hounds that Trump had previously promised to give the NATO ally five jets and that the US president "always keeps his promises."
Despite the warm relationship, Turkey’s 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system has remained a sore spot in bilateral ties. In response to Turkey’s purchase, Washington in 2020 imposed sanctions on a major Ottoman Turkish defense company and removed Turkey from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, where Ankara was also a production partner.
Congress also passed a law prohibiting any F-35 sales to Turkey as long as Ankara retained the S-400s, saying the Russian system posed a security risk to US-made combat aircraft. Currently, the US law does not permit Turkey to operate or possess the S-400 system if it wishes to rejoin the F-35 program.
One solution that has in recent weeks gained traction is to send the Russian system to a third country, although an agreement on this has yet to be sealed, Rooters reported. It was unclear if such a move would be accepted by Russia, which requires end-user obligations in weapons sales.
Last month, the Trump administration formally notified Congress of its intention to sell dozens of jet engines worth more than $700 million for Turkey’s first indigenous combat jet, called KAAN.
For perspective, last year Turkey’s entire military spending totalled US$30 billion. Israel spent US$46.5 billion, but they were in the middle of a seven-front war.
Some politicians from the US Congress have raised objections, but the administration chose to go ahead with the sale anyway.
Shortly after Trump’s Tuesday comments indicating openness to selling F-35s to Turkey, Netanyahu gave a pair of interviews that appeared to amount to a futile attempt at convincing Trump to change his mind.
"Everybody understands that notwithstanding the personal friendship that President Trump has with Erdogan, it doesn’t make Turkey a friendly country to the United States," Netanyahu said in a CNN ...formerly the Cable News Network, now who know what it might stand for... interview.
Netanyahu accused Turkey of being "infected" with the Moslem Brüderbund, of threatening EU states, occupying Cyprus, harboring Hamas ..always the voice of sweet reason... , and throwing political opponents and journalists in jail.
"He’s not exactly a model ally of the United States," said Netanyahu, adding that Erdogan threatens to destroy Israel.
Turkey has "aggressive aspirations," he said.
"This is not a force for peace and stability," Netanyahu continues, arguing that giving Turkey F-35s will bring "aggression in its wake."
NATO summit 2026 kicks off in Ankara with billions in arms contracts
[Rudaw] European Allies and Canada are investing around 4% of their GDP in defence and security spending as NATO allies unveiled billions of dollars in new arms contracts at a summit in Ankara on Tuesday, amid assurances to the US over President Donald Trump’s past criticism of the alliance's security commitments.
The summit comes a year after NATO members pledged to put forward “concrete plans to meet NATO's new defense spending target of 5% of GDP on defense and security-related spending by 2035.” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said allies were "delivering" by signing “tens of billions of dollars in related new defense contracts” for drones, refuelling aircraft and surveillance systems.
“Just one year into a 10-year project, we see that European Allies and Canada are already investing around 4% of their GDP in defence and security,” said Secretary General Rutte.
The 2026 Ankara Summit is the second NATO summit hosted by Turkey, who is eager to play a role in Europe’s defense future. The 2026 NATO Summit agenda includes an agreement to increase defense production, cooperation, and joint procurement in order to generate stronger industrial deterrence for the Alliance, said Rutte.
"These changes require NATO Allies to reassess emerging threat perceptions and redefine their collective priorities. In this regard, the Ankara Summit represents another turning point in NATO’s historical evolution,” said the Turkish Presidency's Head of Communications on X hours before President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed President Trump at Ankara Airport.
The Summit comes as the US-Iran war, subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations regarding maritime transit have placed oil and energy exports and global defense strategy at the forefront of the international security agenda, as well as Washington’s overall role in the continent’s security framework. Trump, however, criticized European allies ahead of the summit, accusing them of failing to adequately support the United States after some countries restricted the use of their bases during the recent conflict with Iran.
"Ridiculous for the U.S.A. to continue along this one-sided path when the relationship is not reciprocal. They were not there for us!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
European leaders are seeking to avoid tensions with Trump while demonstrating greater responsibility for the continent's defense.
France and Britain have proposed a potential naval mission in the Strait of Hormuz, although deployment will depend on US-Iran developments.
On a related note, OPEC plus members have agreed to increase production by 188,000 barrels per day in August, with Iraq agreeing to increase by 26,000 barrels, according to Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman Salim Rukabi’s statements to Rudaw on Monday.
The increases in oil production, currently trading at $72 a barrel, are meant to restore stability to the oil market and forge alternate pathways for global energy security.
Israel leaves ambassador to Turkey post vacant after envoy’s retirement amid sharp tensions
[IsraelTimes] Israel has not appointed a new ambassador to Turkey following the recent retirement of its previous envoy amid escalating tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara, leaving the post vacant despite maintaining full diplomatic ties between the countries remaining, Channel 12 reports.
Irit Lillian, who was appointed Israel’s ambassador to Ankara in 2022, returned to Israel following the outbreak of the war against Hamas after the October 7, 2023, attack due to security concerns. Turkey subsequently recalled its own ambassador from Israel.
Since then, Lillian had continued managing ties with Turkish officials on a professional level from Israel, passing messages between the sides and handling issues involving Israeli citizens in Turkey, according to the Hebrew network.
However, Lillian retired several weeks ago, and the Foreign Ministry has given the impression that there is currently “no rush” to appoint a replacement, the report says.
The Foreign Ministry and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s office do not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Times of Israel on the report.
Israel’s relations with Turkey have drastically deteriorated following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rise to power and even further since the start of the Gaza war, and have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks over harsh rhetoric from Turkish officials and the potential sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
07/08/2026 00:00 ||
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[2065 views]
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#1
How about no!
Posted by: Chris ||
07/08/2026 0:32 Comments ||
Top||
#2
"Everybody understands that notwithstanding the personal friendship that President Trump has with Erdogan
Erdogan, unlike Meloni, didn't give Trump the lie - now they're friends?
#3
Hospital spokesman reveals: Israeli doctor saved Erdogan's life Former spokesman for Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv says senior doctor traveled to Turkey offering Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan life-saving treatment. 'Man, who today threatens Jews is alive and breathing thanks to a Jew.'
#4
Well Biden did set the precedent by gifting the Taliban with an army's worth of gear, so Donnie isn't breaking new ground in arming our enemies. How about a company of Abrams to Xi while you're at it?
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Shamil Kerashev
[REGNUM] A new crisis is brewing in Israel's political arena, where preparations for early parliamentary elections are in full swing. It's not even political, but rather a fierce religious bargaining on two domestic fronts.
One of them has once again made its presence felt in the debate surrounding ultra-Orthodox Jews. Recently, the Knesset (Israeli parliament) finally passed the Basic Law on Torah Study in its first reading, which officially proclaims yeshiva studies as a matter of special importance and a fundamental national value, and yeshiva students as individuals who bring significant benefits to the state.
However, the original version of the document, insisted upon by the ultra-Orthodox themselves, contained somewhat different wording. Specifically, it explicitly equated the study of sacred texts with military service in the IDF. Consequently, it would have given fundamentalists the right to a full package of military benefits while legally avoiding conscription.
It's worth noting that such demands from the Haredim—and, conversely, attempts to forcibly mobilize them—have repeatedly led to mass unrest. However, now legislators appear to be seeking to circumvent these thorny issues, on the one hand, by securing a formal (but seemingly unconditional) right to immunity for a certain category, while, on the other, satisfying society's demand for equal burden-bearing.
However, the question remains: will this legal casuistry satisfy those who interpret equality in the most literal sense—namely, as military service? The aforementioned law made it to its second reading by a hair's breadth: only 63 members supported it, while the required minimum was 61. Among those voting against it were two MKs from the ruling Likud— Dan Iluz and the Russian-speaking former Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein.
The former declined to comment. But the latter has already announced his intention to leave the party and has openly hinted at forming his own: "There are those in Likud who are driven crazy by the approaching primaries. I am embarking on a new political path."
The reasons are not officially stated. However, according to a number of Israeli analysts, the final straw was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and company's ingratiation with the ultra-Orthodox, while Edelstein himself traditionally relies on secular or moderately religious voters. And most importantly, he seems to have a fairly accurate assessment of current social trends.
According to a study by the Israel Democracy Institute, more than 73% of citizens now consider any preferences for Haredim in a country at war to be absolutely unacceptable.
Particularly radical respondents refuse to accept not only the fact that yeshiva students evade military service, but also the fact that many of them, while formally unemployed, have not paid income taxes for years. This means they are exacerbating the budget deficit in the context of an already severe economic crisis.
True, the ultra-Orthodox themselves are immune to bribery. They sincerely believe that the Jewish state exists solely thanks to their spiritual protection, and that prayers create a metaphysical shield that protects Israel far more effectively than the tanks and batteries of the Iron Dome.
"If there weren't yeshiva students, rockets would fall on houses and destroy entire neighborhoods. Anyone who truly loves soldiers should ensure that there are also Torah students," former Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel Yitzhak Yosef recently stated.
It's hard to say whether Netanyahu's team, which clearly leans toward right-wing political Zionism and only occasionally indulges in religious public rhetoric, believes this.
However, it's no secret that without the support of fundamentalists (Shas and United Torah Judaism), Bibi (the prime minister's nickname) and his team will find it extremely difficult to retain power: a fierce battle is underway for every seat. Consequently, the prime minister will have to navigate a tightrope walk between the principles of the clergy and the demands of the armed forces, which the opposition actively supports.
In this regard, the position of former Chief of the General Staff, now a respected center-left leader of the Yashar party, Gadi Eisenkot, deserves special attention. According to Israeli media reports, he is actively developing a compromise that would, firstly, grant up to 30% of Haredim long deferments. And secondly, create an alternative for the majority of the remaining population, for example, through civil defense.
“We work with everyone who strengthens Israel and we do not reject any faction if it agrees to three conditions: recognition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, recognition of the values of the Declaration of Independence, and – one way or another – mandatory military service,” Eisenkot emphasizes.
Thus, secular voters are being offered a systemic plan to overcome the crisis through a fair system, while the ultra-Orthodox themselves can legally receive significant concessions—but not the blanket immunity that angers the overwhelming majority of Israelis.
Netanyahu, however adept he may be at manipulating the establishment, finds himself in a situation where it's likely too late to allow himself such compromises. A move toward the secular majority would likely lead to the collapse of the coalition with the Haredim in the Knesset.
Conversely, further indulgence of the orthodox sector risks leading it to the dangerous brink of rebellion within its own party, as some deputies have already dared to make public protests.
All this is not to mention the second—Islamic—strand of the religious-political conflict, where a crisis is brewing over the controversial "Muezzin Law." The initiative, which had been stalled in parliament for almost ten years, was suddenly revived and even passed a preliminary reading with the personal support of radical National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
If the next readings are equally successful, Israeli police will gain the authority to issue hefty fines to mosques or confiscate their loudspeakers under the pretext of "combatting noise pollution," claiming that the morning calls to prayer are disturbing the sleep of Israeli residents.
And here's an interesting detail. Previously, Shas and United Judaism had unequivocally opposed such amendments: their leaders reasonably feared that the authorities would crack down on Orthodox Jewish preachers following the mosques.
But now, it seems, they're no longer afraid—and it's no surprise, since all the signs of a deal are there. Perhaps, in an attempt to somehow defuse the public backlash against the yeshiva students, the cabinet is ready to throw the secular Zionists their usual bone in the form of pressure on the Muslim minority.
However, according to local media, the outcome is unlikely to be what Netanyahu is hoping for. Those who are endlessly tired of the Haredi caste privileges will no longer be satisfied with banal anti-Arab populism. Meanwhile, the Arabs themselves will likely react to the tightening of the screws with even greater anger—and, in the worst case, a new intifada.
[HodhodYemenNews] Millions of mourners have gathered at the Holy Jamkaran Mosque in Qom to offer funeral prayers for the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Seyyid Ali Khamenei ...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...> , and members of his family.
The funeral prayer was led by Grand Ayatollah Abdullah Javadi Amoli on Tuesday morning, drawing millions of worshippers, religious scholars, government officials, military commanders, and other dignitaries.
Following the prayer, a funeral procession was scheduled to move from the Jamkaran Mosque to the Shrine of Hazrat Fatima Masumeh.
Large crowds had begun arriving in Qom from across the country since the previous afternoon, filling the courtyards and prayer halls of the Jamkaran Mosque before dawn.
Processions of mourners, traveling on foot and by vehicle while carrying red banners alongside the Iranian national flag, continued to converge on the site.
The multi-day funeral began on Friday with Ayatollah Khamenei’s body lying in state at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla and foreign dignitaries and religious figures paying their respects. It continued on Saturday and Sunday with a public farewell and prayers, respectively.
On Monday, large crowds packed the streets of Tehran as the funeral convoy made its way through the Iranian capital.
The ceremonies will continue in Iraq on Wednesday. The final funeral rites are set to take place on Thursday in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, where Ayatollah Khamenei will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam, in accordance with the martyred Leader’s will.
Ayatollah Khamenei was assassinated, alongside some of his family members, on February 28, the first day of the 40-day illegal war of aggression waged by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.
The Assembly of Experts subsequently appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the new Fearless Leader of the Islamic Revolution ...Iran's doddering head theocrat... .
Posted by: trailing wife ||
07/08/2026 00:00 ||
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#1
Russians, during the Soviet Era, once threatened to nuke Qom.
[IsraelAlma] EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This research examines the updated curriculum (2024–2026) of the “Dar al-Wahi al-Sharif” (دار الوحي الشريف) school network, which is affiliated with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and currently operates as part of the official education system of Syria’s new regime under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The research is based on a systematic content analysis of all 65 official textbooks and workbooks used by the network for kindergarten pupils and students in Grades 1–6. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the most comprehensive and up-to-date collection of the network’s educational materials currently available.
Since the publication of our previous research in December 2025, which exposed the “Dar al-Wahi al-Sharif” network, the network has continued to expand significantly. Its schools now operate in major provinces throughout Syria, including Aleppo, Hama, Damascus, Latakia, and Deraa, while simultaneously undergoing a process of institutionalization and official recognition under both the Syrian Ministry of Education and the Syrian Ministry of Awqaf (وزارة الأوقاف). Alongside the incorporation of core academic subjects in accordance with reforms in the Syrian education system, the network offers a subsidized and accessible educational track that has become an attractive alternative for many families in light of Syria’s economic conditions.
More at the link
Posted by: badanov ||
07/08/2026 00:00 ||
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[1964 views]
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This was originally posted by Frank G. here (Reply #9) I thought this deserved its own main post!
[HotAir] "They're scum," Donald Trump declared about the regime in Tehran, while speaking at the NATO summit in Turkey. Sometimes, people have to learn the truth the hard way. And the truth that Trump has learned over the last three months is this: You don't negotiate with terrorists. Terrorists do not negotiate in good faith, and forty-seven years of dealing with the Iranian mullahs and the IRGC have proven it every single time.
Trump declared the ceasefire "over" at the same time:
Driving the news: The comments came just hours after the U.S. conducted a new round of strikes on Iran, retaliation for renewed Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
What they're saying: "I think it's over," Trump said when asked about the ceasefire at the NATO summit in Turkey.
"I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum," Trump said.
"As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them."
Not to be too picky, but everyone already knew this three months ago, when the "ceasefire" first started. Benjamin Netanyahu tried repeatedly to warn Trump about the futility of "deals" with the IRGC and the mullahs; Israel had been forced into "deals" with their proxies for decades and not once had the Iranian proxies complied with the terms. Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton raised warnings about allowing Ahmad Vahidi off the hook and the dangers of setting precedents about shipping in international waters. Trump insisted that he and his team were dealing with the right people inside the regime, and treated Netanyahu as less reliable than the IRGC's representatives.
If Trump learned a lesson from that, well, he learned it a lot faster than Democrats like Barack Obama and John Kerry ever did. However, Trump lost a significant amount of time, momentum, and political strength in those three months, and the Iranians gained in nearly all of those areas. If the ceasefire is over and the talks now a sideshow, Trump will have to go back to war and attempt to build support for renewed action in the Persian Gulf. Having abruptly stopped once, his political allies here at home will likely be somewhat skittish about trusting Trump to see the mission through to the end this time.
That assumes, of course, that Trump means exactly what he says here. This could be a negotiating tactic, and given that we have already ended the retaliatory strikes ordered yesterday, the Iranians probably see it that way. Trump could be trying to force the Iranians into an internal fight over concessions to prevent the further destruction of their infrastructure. If they don't take the bait — and I suspect there is much less internal dissent within the IRGC junta than many of us want to believe — then what? Does Trump really return to war? Or does he just keep up the tit-for-tat attacks indefinitely? Eventually, even Trump's political allies will start wondering how that ends, or if it ever will.
One option for Trump would be to let Netanyahu and the IDF fully off the leash in both Lebanon and Gaza. Trump has had sharp words for Bibi's non-compliance in the MOU that Bibi had no part in creating, all while Hezbollah and Hamas refuse to disarm as agreed in multiple earlier "ceasefires." The Israelis want to end these threats for good after the October 7 massacres, and the only obstacles to success have been Western leaders who won't let Iran and its proxies lose wars that they start. The US could then keep its current posture of readiness and response while allowing the Israelis to finish off those proxies or force their exile for good. That may offer the path of least political peril for Trump, but it will energize the radicals on the Left in a midterm cycle where they have already had an outsized impact.
Unfortunately, all of the options now are worse than they were three months ago. Pauses are not neutral events; they benefit the weak at the expense of the strong. When Gen. Dan Caine declared that "no one should mistake our restraint for weakness," it revealed a lack of understanding of this basic calculation in war, especially with terrorists. Our pause and our negotiations allowed the IRGC to reorganize efficiently while boosting the credibility of their regime. We can't go back and undo those outcomes, but we can put the regime back on the path of ruin and collapse — if Trump has seriously learned this lesson.
Posted by: Seeking Cure For Ignorance ||
07/08/2026 09:34 ||
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#1
Seems I messed up the link above. Could a mod please fix for me?
#5
I wouldn't be so sure that we sat on our hands during this "SitzKrieg" time period. I think we have assets within Iran - locating and cataloging leadership and asset targets. This "it's over" moment has been anticipated by many - now we can reduce their new level of leadership credibly and succintly.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Ana Aguilera
[OBSERVATORIOTERRORISMO] Executive Summary
The combination of structural factors in West Africa and the Sahel, such as food insecurity, extreme poverty, and institutional fragility, along with the expansion of transnational terrorism and the proliferation of military coups, has led to a rapid deterioration in living conditions for millions of people. Human rights have become a secondary consideration in the management of regional conflict, if not a direct target of the violence.
This report reveals that human rights violations in the region are driven by interconnected and mutually reinforcing dynamics. Violence perpetrated by non-state armed groups, particularly the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Islamic State's affiliates in the Sahel (IS-Sahel) and in the Lake Chad area (ISWAP), and Boko Haram, coexists with systematic abuses committed by government military forces and paramilitary groups. The civilian population, caught between these actors, bears the brunt of the consequences, including mass displacement, restricted access to basic services, sexual violence often used as a weapon of war, and the criminalization of human rights defenders.
The report also documents the structural dimension of the crisis. The military juntas governing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have adopted measures that severely erode the rule of law, restrict press freedom, and hinder the work of humanitarian and human rights organizations. The withdrawal of United Nations and European Union missions and the reconfiguration of security alliances toward actors such as Africa Corps have exacerbated the insecurity and created a vacuum in the monitoring and oversight of violence against civilians that no one has been able to satisfactorily fill.
Based on the results obtained, the report concludes that the actors with the capacity to influence the situation, both the States of the region themselves and the African regional bodies, the international community and, in particular, Spain and the European Union, must base themselves on a diagnosis of the real instruments available and the limits of their capacity to influence in the context after the breakdown with the regional security architecture.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for 
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
..not a terrorist organization, even though it kidnaps people, holds hostages, and tries to negotiate by executing them,...
..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,...
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
...the very aged actual dictator of Iran, successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini...>
