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Europe

Paradoxical alliance: Erdogan's friend and the gypsies' friend subjugate Bulgaria

2025-07-12

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Igor Ivanenko

[REGNUM] No sooner had the EU structures managed to suppress the “sovereignist rebellion” in Romania than they were faced with the prospect of losing absolute control over the policies of neighboring Bulgaria.

Moreover, it would seem that today Sofia is experiencing the apogee of European integration.

This year, Bulgaria became a full member of the Schengen Agreement, and the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov, formed several months ago, despite all the intrigues of the opposition, is confidently leading the country to enter the “euro zone”.

On July 11, the republic's parliament unsuccessfully considered the fourth vote of no confidence in the cabinet of ministers in six months; a fifth is expected in September, but its prospects are also illusory.

And this is despite the fact that Zhelezyakov heads a “minority government” that officially relies on three parliamentary factions out of nine. They have only 102 parliamentary mandates out of 240 at their disposal.

The tenacity of the current, at first glance rather flimsy, cabinet of ministers is explained by the fact that it managed to link its own future with the prospect of Bulgaria introducing the euro. They say that if Zhelezyakov's team does not hold out, then the country's accession to the European monetary union will be postponed for at least several years.

In this case, the Bulgarian ruling elites managed to take advantage of the weakened state of the EU itself.

The crisis of legitimacy of the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the almost open conflict of the Brussels bureaucracy with the Donald Trump administration, the strengthening of the intra-European front – Hungary and Slovakia, the gravitation of Romania and Poland towards it – all this has raised the price of Bulgarian loyalty to the EU institutions.

Taking advantage of the EU leadership's clear request to maintain a positive integration agenda, Bulgaria was able to win approval for the introduction of the euro. Moreover, this happened despite the fact that the country does not meet the requirements for the introduction of the euro currency in terms of key macroeconomic indicators.

Critics of this controversial move point to Bulgarian inflation being beyond EU standards. But does that matter when von der Leyen, who has suffered painful criticism for Pfizergate and her reckless support for Ukraine, needs a big PR victory?

The main sacrifice that ordinary Bulgarians are already forced to pay for their country's entry into the eurozone is the regime of austerity in social spending. This has hit the pro-European government hard in popularity. It needed a strong backing to keep it in parliament.

The paradox is that this has become the political force that is considered not to meet the standards of European democracy. We are talking about the party "Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning" headed by the oligarch Delyan Peevski.

It is one of two groups into which the pro-Turkish Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) split last year.

The part of the movement that is focused on the votes of Bulgarian citizens living in Turkey remained with the long-time leader of the DPS, Ahmed Dogan (also accused of corruption by European politicians).

Peevsky relies mainly on the ethno-religious minorities in Bulgaria itself - Turks, Muslim Bulgarians and Roma.

In the last parliamentary elections, in the fall of 2024, about 25% of those who voted for Peevski's political force were Roma. This gave the politician's opponents grounds to accuse him of bribing voters, since Roma usually do not show much interest in political life.

But, of course, Peevsky ended up on the notorious “Magnitsky list” in the US for much more obvious offenses involving the misappropriation of public funds, abuse of state property, and similar actions.

If New Beginning had not supported the ruling coalition during the third vote of no confidence earlier this month, there would have been "no government and no eurozone".

These words belong to the leader of the GERB party (Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria) Boyko Borisov, the former prime minister and de facto leader of the current pro-European parliamentary coalition. Along with GERB, it includes the Socialist Party and the populist movement "There is such a people".

Borisov is a patriarch of Bulgarian politics, whose first term as prime minister began in 2009, and for many years he skillfully maneuvered between different geopolitical centers.

For example, GERB, which is part of the European People's Party, contributed to the extension of the powers of the current head of the European Commission and her recent overcoming of a vote of no confidence. At the same time, in his home country, Borisov is considered to be perhaps the most pro-Turkish politician and a friend of Recep Erdogan.

In domestic Bulgarian politics, Borisov had to take into account for a long time the presence of other pro-European liberal parties, with which GERB was doomed to form government coalitions. For Brussels and the Democratic administration in the United States, this was very convenient, as it allowed them to keep the politicians in Sofia in check.

However, by taking advantage of the upheavals in the Euro-Atlanticist camp at the beginning of 2025, Borisov was able to avoid creating a traditional alliance with the left-liberal and American Democrat-oriented Continue Changes (CC) party.

In Brussels, the collapse of the "democratic coalition" caused undisguised irritation. But the EU leadership could not react harshly to this in the context of the emerging confrontation with the Republican administration of the United States.

Moreover, Borisov also took out insurance.

On the one hand, the government of his party comrade Zhelezjakov proclaimed a course towards the eurozone, and on the other, an informal alliance with the DPS-NN emerged.

In essence, the emergence of the Borisov-Peevsky bi-umvirate is evident in Bulgaria.

During the upcoming presidential elections in a year and the very likely early parliamentary elections, this alliance could be formalized: Borisov as head of state, Peevsky as head of government.

Recent party popularity surveys show that GERB has a support level of 24.5%, while DPS-NN is in second place with 15.7%. Third place belongs to the opposition bloc "Continue Changes - Democratic Bulgaria" (14.2%).

The absorption of the latter will probably be the main element in achieving a confident victory for Borisov, GERB and DPS-NN in the upcoming elections.

A week ago, the PP was effectively decapitated, as a corruption scandal forced the left-liberal party's leader, Harvard graduate Kiril Petkov, to resign.

On July 9, Petkov's associate, the mayor of Varna, Bulgaria's third city, Blagomir Kotsev, was taken into custody on suspicion of corruption High-ranking officials from the capital's mayor's office, where the PP also has strong positions, are also under investigation.

Associates of the persecuted officials claim that their cases are politically motivated. They have attempted to organize protests in Sofia and Varna and have sought protection in Brussels.

The latter's reaction is a major political intrigue, since the monopolization of political power in Sofia poses a number of threats to him, but the disruption of the process of introducing the single European currency in Bulgaria is also fraught with serious costs.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

The 12-day war and silent transformations of western Asia, Part II: PKK and Iran

2025-07-06

The view from Kurdistan, at length. Part I: Iraq and Turkey can be seen here.

[Rudaw] THE ISSUE OF PKK DISARMAMENT
During the recent conflict, discourse emerged in both ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...a NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all....
member, but not the most reliable...
and among individuals affiliated with the PKK regarding the possibility of replicating the Syria—Rojava scenario in Iran. This comparison references the context in which the Assad regime handed over control of Kurdish-populated areas to Kurdish political parties and forces (the Democratic Union Party, PYD, and the People’s Protection Units, YPG). However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by...
this analogy is fundamentally flawed and arises from a misreading of Iran’s internal situation and the nature of the Kurdish question within its borders.

Assad’s primary motivation for withdrawing from northeast Syria (Rojava) and reaching an accommodation with the PKK was tactical rather than ideological. He sought to place a human shield between his regime and Ottoman Turkish-backed opposition groups. This maneuver enabled him to avoid direct conflict while anticipating that he could eventually reclaim those areas, given that the Kurdish forces lacked geographical depth and the region’s topography was unsuitable for sustaining prolonged military resistance. In essence, Assad’s strategy was to sacrifice Kurdish forces for short-term security gains, and even at the lowest point of his regime’s power, he remained unwilling to formally recognize Kurdish identity.

Replicating this strategy in Iran is not feasible. Any gang that establishes a presence in the Zagros Mountain chain would be extraordinarily difficult to dislodge due to the region’s formidable terrain and strategic depth. Furthermore, these mountainous zones - along with the Alborz Mountains, Iran’s eastern deserts, and its southern maritime borders - form a critical geopolitical triangle. Compromising any of these strategic regions would unravel the country’s military equilibrium and expose Tehran and the Iranian heartland to substantial vulnerability. As such, no rational political regime would willingly accept such a risk.

Nonetheless, the war appears to have yielded a significant strategic gain for Turkey, particularly in the context of the PKK disarmament issue. It is increasingly likely that the PKK’s expectation of garnering enhanced regional support has diminished. It has long been an open secret that PKK disarmament has not aligned with Iran’s strategic interests, primarily due to security considerations. Since 1992, the PKK’s presence along the borders has served, intentionally or otherwise, as a stabilizing force in terms of border security. Simultaneously, Turkey has historically feared that Iran might attempt to impose a Syrian-style situation on its own territory. However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by...
in the aftermath of the 12-day conflict, Ankara appears to be approaching this matter with increased
confidence and a sense of strategic ease.

In a notable recent development, the president of Turkey authorized the release of a Kurdish prisoner previously incarcerated for PKK membership. This act may signify an initial step toward advancing the broader process of PKK disarmament. The international community now awaits a symbolic gesture from the PKK, which, if forthcoming, could encourage the Ottoman Turkish state to implement additional legal reforms anticipated by the end of the autumn. While this process is likely to face fluctuations and setbacks, recent remarks by Devlet Bahceli - leader of the Nationalist

Movement Party (MHP) - acknowledging the concept of Kurdish—Ottoman Turkish brotherhood represents a rare political recognition of Kurdish identity from a figure associated with Ottoman Turkish nationalism.

Historically, Ottoman Turkish presidents such as Turgut Ozal and His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First

His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First

...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
have made similar overtures. The current leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s largest political party, has also echoed this sentiment. Collectively, these developments suggest a gradual shift that may contribute to redefining the Ottoman Turkish nation-state identity. On the other side, the PKK, under the leadership of Abdullah Ocalan, has likewise moved away from territorial demands, signaling a significant transformation in its approach to the Kurdish issue.

IRAN: FROM GEOPOLITICAL CONFRONTATION TO DOMESTIC POLITICAL DISCOURSE
The rise to power of the Islamic Theocratic Republic in Iran represented not merely a domestic political shift but a profound geopolitical transformation. It disrupted a key pillar of the regional order previously led by the United States and its Western allies. That order, anchored by strategic alliances with NATO-member Turkey, Israel, the Gulf states, and the Shah of Iran, began to fracture with the establishment of the Islamic Theocratic Republic. Iran ceased to be a US ally, and between 1980 and the early 1990s, at least five significant gangs emerged, three of which posed direct security challenges to both Turkey and Israel.

Despite these developments, the West and the United States were not overly concerned at the time. On one hand, they retained the capability to manage and contain the threats posed by these groups. On the other hand, Iran’s external relations with adversaries of the West had not yet matured into strategic partnerships that could undermine US interests. However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by...
this began to change after the 2000s and particularly in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Iran’s regional influence expanded significantly. While Iranian officials framed this shift as part of an "Islamic Awakening," its adversaries labeled it the "Shia Crescent." In parallel, Iran advanced its military capabilities - especially in the domain of missile and drone technology - and, more critically, began to quietly abandon its long-held foreign policy doctrine of "Neither East nor West."

This strategic reorientation was underscored by Iran’s 25-year cooperation agreement signed with China in 2021 and its 20-year agreement with Russia adopted in 2025. Iran’s provision of drones to Russia, coupled with ongoing discussions about supplying ballistic missiles to Moscow, further signaled Tehran’s deepening alignment with Eastern powers. These developments, combined with the events of October 7, marked a significant turning point from the perspective of the United States and Europe. In their view, Iran had effectively become an "Eastern" power - an alignment that may well have been one of the underlying motivations for the 12-day war.

In the aftermath of the conflict, the discourse among Iranian diplomats has shifted toward efforts aimed at preventing a renewed outbreak of war. However,
we can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and applaud when they go by...
skepticism remains high among military officials regarding the sustainability of the fragile ceasefire currently in place. The future trajectory of regional stability will likely hinge on the positions adopted by China and Russia. Should Tehran, buoyed by support from these allies, resume uranium enrichment or distance itself from negotiations and compromise with Europa
...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum...
and the United States, the prospect of renewed conflict could resurface. The wars have a bilateral impact on the nature of states’ policies - they either lead to some kind of opening or make them more closed. In the shadow of discussions about the possibility of war and non-war, there is now a heated debate between the ultra-conservative wing and other groups in power over domestic and foreign policy that seems likely to continue for a while.

Link

Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

'People's Communist Movement' recognized as an extremist organization

2025-07-04

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.

They should apply for asylum in the USA. Democrats would be falling all over themselves to grant them asylum.
[Regnum] Rosfinmonitoring has added the "People's Communist Movement" community (recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation) to the list of terrorist and extremist organizations, the agency's website reports.

"List of terrorists and extremists (included). Organizations: 1. terrorist community People's Communist Movement (NKD)", - the list says.

Earlier, the Russian FSB website reported that the radical community "People's Communist Movement" was working for Ukrainian intelligence. Ukrainian curators tried to use the movement in the midst of a special operation for intelligence and terrorist attacks on Russian territory.

Thus, in 2023, members of the community, on instructions from their curators, intended to set fire to the building of the Azov city administration in the Rostov region; the crime was prevented by law enforcement officers.

People and organizations included in the relevant register are prohibited from interacting with the media, posting information online, organizing public events, participating in elections, and more.

As reported by the Regnum news agency, in February, 174 organizations were added to the list of extremists and terrorists in Russia. In particular, the League of Free Nations, the Confederation of the Caucasian Union, the Movement for the Independence of the Republic of Sakha, the Siberian Battalion and others were added to the register. In addition, 28 new individuals were recognized as extremists and terrorists.

Link

The Grand Turk

The Ottoman Janissaries are ready

2025-07-04

🚨⚡️ The Ottoman Janissaries are ready

How are Turkey-aligned militias forming their armies in Syria? A dark future looms for Syria

The "Syrian Ministry of Defense" published footage of a graduation ceremony for 3000 fighters from "Division 76," a unit formed from members of… pic.twitter.com/L6oDjJ01i2
— RussiaNews 🇷🇺 (@mog_russEN) July 2, 2025

… formed from members of the notorious "Hamza Division," led by Saif Abu Bakr.

Who is Saif al-Din Bolad, nicknamed "Abu Bakr"?

A Syrian Turkmen, he fled to Turkey in 2015 and participated in founding armed opposition factions. He gained notoriety after joining the Turkish "Operation Euphrates Shield."

Reports indicate he worked as an agent for Turkish intelligence within the "ISIS" organization.

He has strong ties with the leader of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahçeli, and has appeared with him in shared photos.

Turkey continues to build its proxies inside Syria, recycling militias under new names to serve its interests in the north of the country.

Link

Africa North

Malian Army announced that a commander and his bodyguards from the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) were killed in the northern Ménaka region

2025-06-30

[PUBLISH.TWITTER] ULULULULULULULU!!!!!

Local sources reported that the killed ISIS leader was Syria-born Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas (Ebou Dahdah), who played an active role in the September 11, 2001 attacks. https://t.co/Y9AI2nkJ8g
— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 29, 2025

Parachuted in a Syrian CEO? And former Al Qaeda muckety-muck who was jailed in 2005 for leading al Qaeda in Spain? I’m impressed.
Update from DeepNewz at 2:20 p.m. EDT courtesy of Besoeker:

Mali’s armed forces, backed by Russia’s Africa Corps and the Tuareg-led Movement for the Salvation of Azawad, have killed Islamic State Sahel Province commander Abu Dahdah and six of his fighters during an operation in Chamane, about 38 kilometres north of Ménaka. Military statements said the raid took place on 28 June after intelligence indicated the militants planned to address local residents.

Abu Dahdah, a Moroccan national

…not the Syrian gent of the same name?

also identified as Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, was described as the group’s explosives expert and deputy to senior ISSP leader Abu Algabas. Local sources link him to a recent high-profile assault in Bani Bangou across the Niger border. He previously served prison time in Spain for his alleged role in al-Qaeda’s 9/11 plot, according to Africa Corps accounts.

So the same gentleman, just a different birthplace. Got it.

In a separate development the same day, the Malian military reported that Boubacar Ibrahim—widely known as Oubel—and ten of his fighters surrendered with their weapons in Lellehoye, Ansongo circle. The back-to-back blow underscores growing pressure on Islamic State affiliates operating in Mali’s northeast.

Link

Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Hamas leader Hakham Muhammad Issa Al-Issa killed in airstrike, IDF says

2025-06-29

[NYPOST] Israel's military ''eliminated'' a founding Hamas
Hamas

..a regional Iranian catspaw,...
military leader and criminal mastermind behind the Oct. 7 attack, Tel Aviv officials said Saturday.

Hakham Muhammad Issa al-Issa was killed during a targeted ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
on the Sabra neighborhood of 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...
City, Israel Defense Forces said.

Al-Issa was one of the final remaining founding members of the terrorist organization's military wing and played a crucial role in the Oct. 7 attack that launched the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

''Issa led Hamas' force build-up, training, and planned the October 7 massacre. As Head of Combat Support, he advanced aerial & naval attacks against Israelis,'' said an IDF post on X.

''The IDF & [Israel Security Agency] will continue to locate and eliminate all snuffies involved in the October 7 massacre.''

Al-Issa was a ''key source of knowledge'' for Hamas and held a litany of high-ranking positions within the group prior to Oct. 7, including as the Head of the Training Headquarters.

He was pivotal to rebuilding Hamas' organizational systems that were damaged over the last several months.

Issa was also a co-founder of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades' military academy, where he trained thousands of snuffies and influenced the structure of the military wing, the Jerusalem Post reported.

He arrived in Gaza in 2005 from Syria, and was reportedly with his wife and grandson during the strike.

Issa’s death comes just days after the IDF claimed to have killed the leader of a brutal Palestinian jihadist group responsible for the kidnappings and cold-blooded murders of Hamas hostages captured on Oct. 7.

Asaad Abu Sharia, head of the Mujahideen Brigades, was taken out in a joint operation in Gaza City on Saturday by the Israeli Defense Forces and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency.

Also, last month, the IDF killed Hamas chief Mohammad Sinwar during an airstrike on a Gaza hospital.

Sinwar was hiding in tunnels beneath the building — and dramatic footage captured the moment IDF soldiers ripped his body from the rubble.

Link

Home Front: Politix

‘Keep Dr. King's Name Out Of Your Mouth!': Dem Rep. Lateefah Simon Blows Her Top At GOP Witnesses For Quoting MLK

2025-06-26

[Daily Caller] Democrat California Rep. Lateefah Simon

…San Francisco Maoist cadre who went into politics from the STORM Revolutionary Movement, mentored by Kamala Harris during the SF district attorney stage of her illustrious career…

lashed out at Republican witnesses at the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday for quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Senility has been a smooth transition for me.
Simon told the witnesses to keep King’s name "out of their mouth[s]" during a hearing on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The witnesses she addressed were Dan Lennington of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, Judge Glock of the Manhattan Institute and Erec Smith of the Cato Institute.

Simon accused President Donald Trump’s administration “used Dr. King’s name” to argue in favor of pushing the U.S. back to a “segregated America” based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin and gender identity.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Berri ''200% sure'' Hezbollah won''t join Iran war; Qassem says Hezbollah ''not neutral,'' will act as it sees fit; Israel defense minister warns after 2 Hezbie big turbans and a GI turban killed

2025-06-21

[NAHARNET] Hezbollah will certainly not join the Israel-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 ~~Jews~~ ~~Zionists~~ Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
war, the group's ally Parliament Speaker Nabih Knobby Berri

...perennial Speaker of the Lebanese parliament, head of the Amal Shiite party aligned with Hezbollah, a not very subtle sock puppet of the Medes and Persians...
has reportedly told his visitors.

Berri's visitors told al-Jadeed, in remarks published Friday, that the speaker is "certain" that Leb
Leb

...The Lebs have the curious habit of periodically murdering their heads of state or prime ministers...
will not join the war.

On Thursday, Berri said Lebanon will "200 percent" not enter the war. "It has no interest in that and would pay the price if it did," he said, adding that Iran "does not need us."

A Lebanese government source also told al-Jadeed Thursday that Hezbollah will not join the fray after an Iranian official told al-Jazeera that Hezbollah would act if the United States intervened to back up its ally Israel.

- HEZBOLLAH CHIEF SAYS GROUP WILL 'ACT AS WE SEE FIT'-
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem

... the Grand Vizier of the Hezbullies...
said on Thursday that the group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.

In a statement, Qassem said Hezbollah was "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression".

Berri said Qassem's remarks are only aimed at showing "solidarity" with Iran and certainly do not mean that Hezbollah will join the war.

Earlier this week, Hezbollah political bureau member Mahmoud Qmati denied that Hezbollah would get involved and said that "Iran is strong enough and does not need military support from anyone".

- HEZBOLLAH HAS NOT FIRED A SINGLE ROCKET -
U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack on Thursday warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war between Iran and Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the entire "Shiite axis" is not responding to Israeli attacks on Iran and that "Hezbollah has not fired a single rocket".

Caroline Rose, a director at the Washington-based New Lines Institute think tank said that "Iran-backed proxies across the region — particularly Hezbollah— just do not have the capacity" to enter the fray. But Israel could still target them, she said.

Geagea tells Hezbollah's Qassem only state ''can act as it sees fit''
[NAHARNET] Lebanese Forces
A Christian political party founded by Bashir Gemayel, who was then bumped off when he was elected president of Leb...
leader Samir Geagea
....Geagea was imprisoned by the Syrians and their puppets for 11 years in a dungeon in the third basement level of the Lebanese Ministry of Defense. He was released after the Cedar Revolution in 2005....
said Friday that only the Lebanese state "can act as it sees fit" after Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem said that the Death Eater group would "act as we see fit" in response to the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.

"Sheikh Naim, you cannot act as you see fit. Only the Lebanese government can do that because it represents the majority of the Lebanese people," Geagea said, adding that it is "absolutely unacceptable" for anyone to allow themselves to act as they like.

"Leb Leb

is a country and a state," Geagea said. "This is absolutely unacceptable, otherwise Lebanon will turn into a chaotic place with no rules or laws."

This comes after the U.S. special envoy for Syria warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war.

Geagea urged Qassem to propose his ideas through Hezbollah's ministers in the government. "Only there, such matters can be discussed," he said.

FPM calls for ''Lebanon's neutrality'' in Israel-Iran conflict — Naharnet
[NAHARNET] The Free Patriotic Movement
Despite its name a Christian party allied with Hizbullah, neither free nor particularly patriotic...
said Wednesday that Leb Leb

should not take part in the Israeli-Iranian conflict as the arch foes shot it out for the sixth day.

"The war in the region is concerning and is threatening peace and stability in the region and in Lebanon," the statement said, describing the Israeli strikes on Iran as an aggression and condemning it. "The FPM is against any aggression on the illusory sovereignty of any county."

The statement, despite the condemnation, stressed that Lebanon must stay neutral and should not get involved, in order to preserve national interests and the security of the Lebanese people.

"Lebanon's national interests require a full commitment to a policy that keeps Lebanon out of foreign conflicts, fortifies the domestic front, enhances stability, and prevents Lebanon from becoming an arena for regional festivities," the FPM said, as it urged international powers to restart nuclear talks and look for peaceful solutions that "preserve countries' illusory sovereignty and spare people in the region more destruction and divisions."

Israel’s defense minister warns Hezbollah to stay out of Israel-Iran war, IDF killed 2 more Hezbie emirs and a GI turban
[IsraelTimes] ‘If there is terror, there will be no Hezbollah,’ says Katz after leader of Iran-backed terror group says it will ‘act as we see fit’ amid Israeli aerial campaign

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem to tread carefully Friday after the latter said his terror group would "act as we see fit" in the war between Israel and Iran.

"The Hezbollah leader hasn’t learned from his predecessors and is threatening to act against Israel," said Katz, referring to former Hezbollah chief His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
...The late, lamented satrap of the Medes and the Persians in Leb...>
, who was killed by Israel last
September.

"I suggest that the Lebanese proxy be careful, and understand that Israel has lost patience with the murderous Moslems who threaten it," Katz added, warning: "If there is terror — there will be no Hezbollah."

On June 13, Israel launched a campaign of ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s in Iran to decimate the Islamic Theocratic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which Jerusalem characterized as an imminent, existential threat.

Iran has responded with deadly barrages of ballistic missiles at civilian population centers and military targets in Israel.

Hezbollah, an Iran-backed proxy, has largely stayed out of the fray in the recent conflict.

The group was severely weakened by last year’s fighting with Israel and remains under the tight watch of the Lebanese government, which issued a warning to the group not to involve Leb in the war.

But Qassem said Thursday that the Iran-backed proxy is "not neutral" in the conflict between the two regional superpowers, saying that the group would "act as we see fit in the face of this brutal Israeli-American aggression."

The remarks came after US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack warned Hezbollah against getting involved in the war, saying it would be a "very bad decision."

Since a ceasefire agreement went into effect in Lebanon in November 2024, Israel has continued to launch targeted strikes on Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure, claiming violations of the truce by the terrorist organization.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, over 180 Hezbollah operatives have been killed in Israeli strikes since the deal was reached.

The military has continued to attack Hezbollah targets in dronezaps on southern Lebanon since the fighting with Iran broke out.

The IDF announced Thursday morning it had killed Yassin Izz a-Din, commander of Hezbollah’s rocket artillery unit in the Litani River sector, in a strike on Barish, in southern Lebanon, the night before.

The IDF said he had advanced numerous rocket attacks on northern Israel during the war, and was involved in "attempts to restore Hezbollah’s artillery forces."

Northeast of Harish that same night, in Nabatieh, the IDF said it killed Mohammad Ahmad Khreiss, who it said was the commander of Hezbollah’s anti-tank unit in the Shebaa area.

"During the war, the terrorist advanced numerous attacks against the State of Israel," including an anti-tank missile attack on Mount Dov on April 26, 2024, which killed Sharif Sawaed, an IDF civilian contractor, the military said.

The IDF on Thursday killed a third Hezbollah operative in a strike, saying he had been involved in efforts to restore the terror group’s infrastructure in the Houla area.

Link

The Grand Turk

Israel violates Turkish airspace during airstrikes on Iran, prompting response

2025-06-17

[TURKIYETODAY] Turkish columnist Hande Firat in Hurriyet daily revealed that Israeli fighter jets briefly violated Turkish airspace, prompting Türkiye's response. While this was not considered intentional, the Turkish Armed Forces responded immediately by scrambling F-16 fighter jets. The Israeli aircraft were warned via radio and promptly exited the area.

No harm, no foul. But the Turks do like their drama.

ISRAEL OPERATION LEARNED VIA KURECIK BASE
According to Firat, Türkiye, as a NATO member, learned about the Israeli operation in advance through intelligence gathered from the Kurecik radar base, which shares data exclusively with NATO allies, as well as through its intelligence channels. Movements preceding the attack were tracked in real time, allowing Turkish authorities to implement security precautions swiftly.

Throughout the night of the strike, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan remained in close contact with his American counterpart, engaging in multiple phone calls to monitor and assess developments.

ISRAELI AIRCRAFT BRIEFLY ENTERED TURKISH AIRSPACE
Firat revealed that some Israeli jets involved in the operation briefly violated Türkiye’s airspace.

As a precaution, early warning aircraft continue to patrol Turkish skies, while F-16s remain on high alert. Turkish military units stationed in various regional countries were also placed on standby.

Firat noted that Israeli forces used Syrian and Iraqi airspace for the attack. Syria has no effective air defense system, and Israeli aircraft reportedly operate there without requesting clearance. Iraq’s airspace is under U.S. control, and the U.S. permitted Israel to access it.

Convenient, both.

ERDOGAN SUGGESTS ISTANBUL FOR US-IRAN TALKS
Firat also reported that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking to re-establish nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. His proposal includes hosting both parties in Istanbul. He raised this idea directly with U.S. President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Trump is said to have responded positively, stating his aircraft was ready and he would be willing to attend.

Ankara’s proposal envisions a negotiation table with just the U.S. and Iran. While Iran has not openly acknowledged its vulnerable position—especially following damage to its air defense infrastructure—Turkish officials believe Tehran is seeking an honorable path forward.

With unbelievers?? They were never honourable before, why start now? And what about Israel, which is the one with the hot war with Iran — or in Turkey’s opinion are the Mad Mullahs on their own there?

However, merely announcing a return to talks is unlikely to satisfy Washington. The U.S. is expected to demand concrete commitments from Iran regarding the status of its nuclear facilities.

A veritable bargain with Crassus — now to be sold at fire sale prices after Israel gets through with them.

Despite Trump’s initial enthusiasm, Ankara remains cautious due to the unpredictable nature of his foreign policy and the presence of influential pro-Israel factions in Washington.

Link

Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Six more flotilla activists who tried to sail to Gaza deported from Israel

2025-06-13

[IsraelTimes] Group departing Israel includes French member of European Parliament Rima Hassan; remaining two activists, also French nationals, slated to be deported on Friday

Six additional activists from the Madleen boat that sought to break Israel’s naval blockade on 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...
earlier this week were transferred to Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday to be deported from Israel.

Both the Foreign Ministry and the Adalah civil rights organization confirmed earlier that six more of the passengers were set to be deported on Thursday and early Friday, three days after their boat was intercepted by the IDF and towed to Ashdod.

They are Mark van Rennes from the Netherlands, Suayb Ordu from ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
<del>The Sick Man of Europe</del> Turkey

<del>The Sick Man of Europe</del> Turkey

...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire...
, Yasemin Acar from Germany, Thiago Avila from Brazil, Reva Viard from La Belle France and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament for the hard-left La Belle France Unbowed (LFI) party who is of Paleostinian descent.

"Six more passengers from the ’selfie yacht,’ including Rima Hassan, are on their way out of Israel," the Foreign Ministry wrote on X alongside photos of them in the airport and aboard planes. "Bye-bye—and don’t forget to take a selfie before you leave."

The two remaining activists, Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi, both of whom are also French, are scheduled to be deported on Friday and will remain in jug at Givon Prison in Ramle until then.

Four activists from the Madleen waived their right to be brought before a judge and were therefore deported immediately on Tuesday, including Swedish climate and anti-Israel activist Greta "Pippi" Thunberg
...an autistic sixteen year old Swedish expert on climate change, though I guess she's older now...
The other eight challenged their detention after the Israeli navy intercepted the Madleen in international waters and towed the vessel to the Port of Ashdod. But the Detention Review Tribunal ruled that the naval blockade on Gaza is lawful under Israeli law and that the activists knowingly attempted to breach it and were therefore lawfully detained.

Adalah confirmed that Ordu and Acar had already been deported as of Thursday afternoon. Photos from the Foreign Ministry showed Hassan and Viard aboard a plane, as well as Avila boarding a flight with his guitar.

Adalah claimed that "while in jug, [the] volunteers were subjected to mistreatment, punitive measures and aggressive treatment, and two volunteers were held for some period of time in solitary confinement."

In a post on Instagram on Wednesday, Hassan claimed that she had been "placed in solitary confinement after writing ’Free Paleostine’ on the walls of her cell." She claimed that she had launched a hunger strike in protest, as had Avila.

Hassan could be seen in a photo from Ben Gurion Airport shared by the Foreign Ministry on Thursday eating a sandwich.

Link

Israel-Palestine-Jordan

Israel holding two Gaza boat activists in solitary confinement, NGO claims

2025-06-12

[IsraelTimes] Brazilian Thiago Avila and French-Palestinian EU lawmaker Rima Hassan said sent to separate prisons; activists seeking attention on the back of Gazan suffering, says French PM

The legal organization representing most of the activists detained aboard an intercepted 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...
-bound aid boat said Wednesday that Israeli authorities had placed two of the campaigners in solitary confinement.

"Israeli authorities transferred two of the volunteers — the Brazilian volunteer Thiago Avila and the French-Paleostinian European Parliament member Rima Hassan — to separate prison facilities, away from the others, and placed them in solitary confinement," Israeli rights group Adalah said in a statement.

When asked for comment, the Israel Prison Authority referred AFP to the Foreign Ministry, which said it was checking the reports.

Hassan and Avila are among 12 activists who tried to sail to Gaza in an attempt to break Israel’s naval blockade of the Strip earlier this week.

The Israeli Navy intercepted the Madleen sailboat on Monday, detaining the activists off the coast of Gaza. The interception followed repeated warnings against attempting to sail to the enclave.

Eight of the activists remain in Israeli custody after they refused to sign paperwork agreeing to leave the country. They are expected to be deported later this week.

The other four, including two French citizens and Swedish campaigner Greta "Pippi" Thunberg
...an autistic sixteen year old Swedish expert on climate change, though I guess she's older now...
, left the country after agreeing to be deported immediately and being banned from Israel for 100 years.

Hassan and three other French activists were slated for deportation by the end of the week, on Thursday and Friday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in an X post Wednesday.

It is unclear when exactly the other four, including Avila, will be expelled from Israel.

In Gay Paree on Wednesday, French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou accused Hassan and the other French activists of capitalizing on the Israeli-Paleostinian conflict for political attention.

"These activists obtained the effect they wanted, but it’s a form of instrumentalization to which we should not lend ourselves," Bayrou said in the National Assembly, in response to LFI leader Mathilde Panot’s accusation that the prime minister failed to condemn Israel’s actions.

It’s "through diplomatic action, and efforts to bring together several states to pressure the Israeli government, that we can obtain the only possible solution" to the conflict, he added. "In no way whatsoever do the gesticulations of Ms. Rima Hassan, her instrumentalization of the suffering of Gazooks, help to achieve these goals."

He said the French consul has visited all four French activists in Israeli detention.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Druze leader denounces Syria's constitutional declaration as ‘tyranny’

2025-06-12

A transcript of the interview can be read in English at the link.

[Rudaw] The spiritual leader of Syria’s Druze community, Hikmat al-Hajari, on Monday reiterated his rejection of Syria’s new constitutional declaration, labeling it a "declaration of tyranny" that threatens the country’s sectarian and ethnic fabric.

"What was called the constitutional declaration was in reality a declaration of tyranny, and we and all of Syria's components did not agree with most of its articles," Hajari told Rudaw in a written interview. "What it lacks in rights is not just for the Kurds but for all sects, spectrums, and components."

The constitutional declaration, signed in March by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, was introduced by the Islamist-led interim government that came to power after Sharaa’s now-dissolved Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS) overthrew the regime of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Lord of the Baath...
.The document emphasizes Islamic jurisprudence as a primary source of legislation, drawing criticism from Syria’s Christian, Druze, Kurdish, and Alawite communities, who view it as exclusionary and a threat to religious and cultural diversity.

"The brothers [HTS] who reached Damascus call on us saying that ’whoever liberates decides,’" Hajari said, explaining that the new government makes unilateral decisions without consultation of minority groups. "All of us as one people are partners in victory. Otherwise, we will return to another face resembling the tyranny of Bashar."

The Druze, a religious minority concentrated in southern Syria, as well as parts of Leb
Leb

...The Lebs maintain a precarious sectarian balance among Shiites, Sunnis, and about a dozen flavors of Christians, plus Armenians, Georgians, and who knows what else?...
and Israel, have expressed growing concern over the Islamist-led government since Assad’s fall. Tensions have risen between local groups in the Druze-majority province of Suwayda and the new authorities in Damascus.

In April and May, deadly festivities erupted in Suwayda after an offensive audio recording about the Prophet Muhammad - initially attributed to a Druze holy man - sparked sectarian anger. More than 100 people were killed in the fighting, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Rijal al-Karama (Men of Dignity) Movement, the largest Druze gang in Suwayda, has played a key role in defending the province from external threats and local corruption since the fall of Assad.

In early April, Hajari denied making any political agreements with Damascus, calling the current government "extremist in every sense of the word."

While the state-run SANA news agency reported in late May that Druze representatives had reached a "preliminary agreement" with the government to halt the violence, local outlet Suwayda24 said the meeting ended without a clear deal, noting only "non-binding points," including a proposed ceasefire and the formation of a joint committee to address the aftermath of the festivities.

Link

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