https://t.co/Mwxgc4T8xE#POTUS POTUS #DOJ DOJ #FBI FBI #CIA CIA #DIA DIA #ODNI ODNI #News #Times #NewsAndTimes #NT #TNT Putin Russia #Putin #Russia #GRU GRU #Israel Israel #World World #USA USA
The News And Timeshttps://t.co/PH3LtsdUTH | https://t.co/N97PQoK4kU…— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) November 16, 2023
Day: November 16, 2023
I say: BALOOOONEY and the Russian Propaganda! Russia always hated Jews and Israel, and always will. It is much better to face it with clear eyes than to engage in the self-soothing fantasies, illusions, and delusions ala Netanyahu. Russia and Putin are most likely behind the… pic.twitter.com/SxefFmG8z9
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) November 16, 2023
Israel should not harm it’s relations with Russia, due to the long story of cooperation and Moscow’s role in the Middle East
Amid all the tensions on the international arena and difficulties, that both Russia and Israel are facing in their relations today, Moscow’s still playing a major role in the Middle East. So Israel should balance and keep good relations with both the U.S. (as essential partners) and Russia (which has a certain level of influence on Syria and Iran).
Israel “Relik” Shafir, brigadier general (in reserve), was one of the eight pilots selected to fly the mission to bomb the Osirak nuclear reactor on June 7, 1981. He spent 31 years as a pilot and commander in the Israeli Air Force, including stints as commander of the Hatzor Air Base Pilot’s School as well as the Tel Nof Airbase.
General Shafir believes Israel is trying to minimize collateral damage, civilian casualties in Gaza, which is extremely difficult due to the tactics of HAMAS. Israel can no longer tolerate when there is a terrorist entity on its border. However, Israel should be very careful and not allow this conflict to include global powers, such as the U.S., Russia and China, since it can lead to a large-scale global conflict.
Since Russia’s playing important important role in the Middle East, Israeli foreign policy should consider this fact and continue dialogue with Moscow.
“There are probably 2 million Russian-speaking people in Israel. We certainly have cultural, humanitarian ties. But there are also the political interests of Israel, an obvious strategic reason: Russia has presence in Syria and is working with Iranians, which makes the game more complicated. We definitely should keep good relations with Russia because it gives us some leverage towards Iran”.
Describing conflict in Ukraine, general Shafir says it has nothing to do with Israel and Israel’s involvement in it does not correspond to its national interests at all.
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“Ukraine is a strange phenomenon, stored between East and West. I don’t want to go into the details of the Ukrainian conflict, but it has nothing to do with us. The fact is that Israel is helping Ukraine with all kinds of humanitarian needs, but selling it ammunition is an involvement in conflict, which we don’t want. With all respect to those who have the opposite view, but its national interest of Israel to keep good relations with Russia, as close as possible and as well as possible. We should understand Russia’s interest and know how and where it can correspond to ours. I am not a supporter of Netanyahu, but he understands it well”.
Israel Shafir believes that the U.S. aim to unify military and financial support for both Israel and Ukraine is nothing but Democrats’ attempt to pass it through the Congress, which is now controlled by Republicans.
“There are many isolationists among Republicans. So this (attempt by the Biden administration) is an internal American matter of how to run the financial and military side in the Congress, which is opposed to the president. On the other hand, there is an obvious conflict between the U.S. and Russia about energy, on who is going to control energy. We’ve seen the way the U.S. is trying to overcome Russia’s pressure on Europe by providing it with gas. So this can be seen from so many angles’.
General Shafir says Israel has no other options but to end threats coming from the HAMAS, and should create mechanisms (including political ones) to prevent such brutal terror in the future.
“Israel was shocked by the HAMAS attack. I am not even sure that the HAMAS itself was expecting it can conduct it, but now we have to crush it. Not only through the Gaza area, but to prevent any of such attacks in the future. Everybody is looking at the way Israel will deal with this terror group, which is seen as a terror group in the countries around us: Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and etc. We are obliged to crush HAMAS”.
How is this war reshaping Israel’s standing on the global stage? This pressing inquiry is what Nick Kolyohin seeks to address as part of his latest endeavor, “The World is Burning.” This captivating series of articles will be featured exclusively here in the Jerusalem Post.
Within each episode, Kolyohin engages in conversations with seasoned experts in the fields of security and international relations, exploring the novel era of warfare that has unfolded following the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It initially took root in Europe, eventually engulfing the Middle East.
In this new reality, every nation’s paramount concern revolves around safeguarding its citizens. Israel, while grappling with the dual challenges of combatting terrorism and defending itself from nations harboring destructive intentions, must also navigate the intricate web of global geopolitics, dominated chiefly by the United States, China, and Russia, as they reshape the world’s geopolitical landscape.
Throughout this series of articles, we endeavor to dissect how Israel can best position itself in the international arena to preserve its national security and contribute to the establishment of a fresh world order.
International journalist Nick Kolyohin (credit: Nick Kolyohin)
How is this war reshaping Israel’s standing on the global stage? This pressing inquiry is what Nick Kolyohin seeks to address as part of his latest endeavor, “The World is Burning.” This captivating series of articles will be featured exclusively here in the Jerusalem Post.
Within each episode, Kolyohin engages in conversations with seasoned experts in the fields of security and international relations, exploring the novel era of warfare that has unfolded following the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It initially took root in Europe, eventually engulfing the Middle East.
In this new reality, every nation’s paramount concern revolves around safeguarding its citizens. Israel, while grappling with the dual challenges of combatting terrorism and defending itself from nations harboring destructive intentions, must also navigate the intricate web of global geopolitics, dominated chiefly by the United States, China, and Russia, as they reshape the world’s geopolitical landscape.
Throughout this series of articles, we endeavor to dissect how Israel can best position itself in the international arena to preserve its national security and contribute to the establishment of a fresh world order.
For more insights from Nick Kolyohin, visit his Facebook page>>
This article was written in cooperation with International journalist Nick Kolyohin
Russia’s Wagner Group ‘plans to give Hezbollah high tech air-defenses’ to deploy along the border with Israel – Daily Mail https://t.co/UZV93Lnoqc
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) November 16, 2023
Wagner Group – Latest news on Russian militia led by Yevgeny Prigozhin | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/59vwyHorm5 pic.twitter.com/tLQh6vem6v
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) November 16, 2023
Published: 01:08 GMT, 3 November 2023 | Updated: 12:03 GMT, 3 November 2023
Russia‘s paramilitary Wagner Group plans to provide advanced anti-aircraft defense systems to Hezbollah for deployment near Israel‘s northern border, according to a new report.
Wagner wants to send the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group the Russian SA-22 Greyhound system, which uses surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery to intercept aircraft, two US officials told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
Hezbollah, a US-designated terror group backed by Iran, has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces across the country’s northern border while Israel wages a ground and air war against Hamas in the southern enclave of Gaza.
The new air defense systems would undoubtedly escalate tensions in the region where Israel’s air force is able to operate with relative impunity as Hamas and Hezbollah lack the hardware to shoot its aircraft out of the skies.
Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told the Journal that the report was ‘very concerning’ if true.
Fighters from the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah are seen training in a file photo. Russia’s Wagner Group reportedly plans to provide anti-aircraft defense systems to Hezbollah
Russian Pantsir-S1 (NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) units are seen in Moscow during a 2012 parade. The system uses both surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery
Russia’s DC embassy and the US National Security Council did not immediately respond to requests for comment from DailyMail.com on Thursday night.
One official told they Journal that it wasn’t clear whether the anti-aircraft system had already been delivered, but officials said they were monitoring talks between Wagner and Hezbollah, and considered the issue one of major concern.
Wagner Group, which launched a failed mutiny against Russian leader Vladimir Putin in June, is a state-financed private military company previously led by Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Prigozhin died in a plane crash in August, in what US intelligence assessed was a likely a Russian-backed assassination, and his 25-year-old son Pavel Prigozhin has reportedly taken command of the organization.
The Greyhound anti-aircraft system, a NATO designation for what Russia calls the Pantsir-S1, could give Hezbollah advanced capabilities to repel Israeli aircraft, cruise missiles, and precision munitions.
Russian developers claim that it is capable of engaging stealthy jets, such as the F-22 and F-35. The latter is the most advanced fighter jet deployed by the Israelis.
The Greyhound system consists of a missile launcher, radar truck, and command post, and is designed for point air defense against manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as some missiles.
Delivery of the system could raise tensions on Israel’s northern border, where Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) troops have been exchanging fire with Hezbollah.
Since the death of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (left) in August, the group has reportedly been led by his 25-year-old son Pavel Prigozhin (right)
The Greyhound anti-aircraft system (above), a NATO designation for what Russia calls the Pantsir-S1, could give Hezbollah advanced capabilities to repel Israeli aircraft
The system consists of a missile launcher (above), radar truck, and command post, and is designed for point air defense against aircraft, as well as some missiles
Hezbollah fighters are seen with more primitive artillery in a file photo. The group has exchanged fire with Israel repeatedly in recent weeks
Israel, which has launched a ground assault against Hamas in Gaza, hopes to avoid opening a second front in the war on its northern border.
The US has positioned the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean in a bid to deter Iran and Hezbollah from further aggression.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and its strike group are also in the Eastern Mediterranean, and are expected to transit the Suez Canal this weekend on its way to the Middle East.
On Thursday, there was a major escalation along the Lebanon-Israel border with Hezbollah attacking Israeli positions with drones, mortar fire and suicide drones.
Hezbollah reportedly attacked 19 Israeli posts along the border, including one that was struck with two suicide drones.
The Israeli military said it had retaliated with warplanes and helicopter gunships on Hezbollah command centers, arms depots and sites from where the rockets were fired.
Two people were injured after rockets fired from Lebanon hit the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, Israeli medical services said.
Israeli police inspect the scene of a rocket strike in the Israeli border town Kiryat Shmona, Israel on Thursday
Israeli rescuers and firefighters check the debris of burnt out vehicles following a rocket attack from southern Lebanon on the Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona in northern Israel on Thursday
An Israeli artillery unit fires during a military drill in the annexed Golan Heights near the border with Lebanon on Thursday. Lebanon’s southern border has seen tit-for-tat exchanges, mainly between Israel and Hamas ally Hezbollah, since Hamas launched its October 7 attack
Chadia Kaddouh, stands amid rubble of her house that was destroyed by what she said was Israeli shelling, in the southern town of Yater, Lebanon on Wednesday
Videos released by the fire department and circulating on social media showed a street ablaze, a wrecked car and a damaged building in the town that had been mostly evacuated at the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency also said four civilians were killed on Thursday in an Israeli bombardment of the Saluki Valley region, a border area in southern Lebanon.
The latest deaths raise to 10 the number of civilians killed on the Lebanese side of the border since tension began to rise there following the October 7 Hamas attack in southern Israel, which left 1,400 Israelis dead.
Israel has responded with relentless airstrikes in Gaza, which the enclave’s Hamas-run heath authority say have now killed more than 9,000 people, including many children. Hamas does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in casualty figures.
The IDF on Thursday continued to expand its ground war against Hamas in Gaza, where around 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.
