Time for cautious optimism?

DON HANK SUBSTACK

After it became known that Israel had murdered tens of thousands of civilians, some governments that had been heretofore solid supporters of Israel began to realize that they had been supporting blood thirsty killers and they pulled their support.

Two International courts condemned Israel.

The story of 9-year old Juri is iconic of Israel's crimes against children. When she arrived at the European Hospital (also under unrelenting attack by the IDF), she was malnourished, unconscious, and in septic shock. When two volunteer American doctors, Mark Perlmutter and Feroze Sidhwa, came upon her at the hospital they were shocked. They operated immediately, and when they did, they found, among other things, she was missing part of a femur and most of the flesh on one thigh. Her buttocks were cut so severely her pelvic bones were exposed. As they proceeded, maggots fell in clumps from Juri’s body.

The Houthis waged a relentless campaign of rocket and drone attacks on Israel-related shipping, first in the Red Sea, then in Bab el Mandeb, the Gulf of Aden and in far-flung regions like the Indian Ocean. Trade with Israel was drastically reduced.

Hezbollah emptied out large illegal settlements in northern Israel with rocket fire, creating a real land without a country.

Some countries have banned Israeli ships from docking at their ports.

More countries are recognizing Palestine.

Jews’ reverse immigration is on the rise.

The occupiers of Palestine are finding themselves backed into a corner and with few friends. It won’t get better as long as they continue the bloodshed. The problem is, they have been committing atrocities for 7 decades but each time, the US government and media have covered for them. And now that this cover is gone, they are so used to committing these crimes with impunity that they have developed a bad case of normalcy bias, and this is destroying their reputation. They keep expecting the US to save them from themselves as before, but they have slammed the door on their own impunity.

Shouting anti-Semitism right after they accuse you of something you did in full view of the public is not the most effective strategy.

The US’ reputation was also soiled, probably for good.

It is believed that the Russians have shot down a US drone over the Black Sea in revenge for the missile attack on a civilian Sevastopol beach with US missiles that was facilitated by US “advisors” using data received from a drone. That would be a first.

Meanwhile, Julian Assange has suddenly been freed in a surprise move by the Biden regime, perhaps in an effort to preempt Trump in a debate.

And now today we read that Zelensky is suddenly talking about negotiations on Russian terms.

Why all these things are coming together is a question for another day.

**

The day Israel fired on the Agence Presse

Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
—John 3:19

A gaping hole following a strike on Haji tower, which housed several offices including that of Agence France–Presse’s news bureau, in Gaza City on Nov. 3, 2023. Photo: Bashar Taleb/AFP

https://theintercept.com/2024/06/25/israel-gaza-journalism-afp-office-bombing/ 

**

Translation with my notes in bold and in [brackets]

https://tsargrad.tv/news/u-nas-net-mnogo-vremeni-zelenskij-pereobulsja-i-zaprosil-mira_1020481

“WE DON’T HAVE A LOT OF TIME”: ZELENSKY “CHANGED HIS TUNE” AND ASKED FOR PEACE

Ukraine is seeking to end the conflict as quickly as possible due to the large number of wounded and dead on the battlefield. Vladimir Zelensky made such an unexpected statement at the European Union summit.

[I have been seeing headlines in US media claiming that it was the Russians who were losing alarming numbers of men on the battlefield, even as the Russian media that I base much of my reporting on, were declaring that the Ukrainian side was losing just under 2000 men a day. This disinformation comes from Ukraine, and US “journalists” simply copy-paste it. And US officials believe it and incorporate it into US policy. This means that the Ukrainians were also exposed to these lies, and Zelensky may have been believing fakes as well, basing his military decisions on them.]

This is fundamentally different from what the acting president of Ukraine said earlier. Zelensky was singing a different tune, declaring that Kyiv would fight Moscow to the bitter end, and even at the legislative level forbade himself from negotiations with Russia. Now he has suddenly started talking about an urgent peace settlement. [This will lend credence to the newly popular political parties in Europe, which are challenging the Establishment’s insane demand for more weapons for Ukraine and more sanctions for Russia]

We must put this settlement plan on the table within a few months. We don't have much time because we have many wounded and killed on the battlefield... So we don't want this war to continue for years, Zelensky said at the EU summit.

Perhaps the rush is due to the approaching US presidential elections and the current American leader's low chances of winning. [Ironically, it is also no doubt due to the disinformation in the US press that Trump will stop the war in Ukraine. An article appears below showing that Trump’s “peace plan” is a non-starter based on false premises and will not be accepted by Putin. After all, the Russian economy is doing well and the Russians are satisfied with Putin’s prosecution of the war] It is also possible that the change in rhetoric is associated with the failure of the “peace” conference in Switzerland, the main result of which was not a coalition of 100 countries against Russia, but a statement of the need for negotiations with Russia.

At the same time, the day before the “peace conference,” Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly announced Russian conditions for the start of negotiations between Moscow and Kiev. For the peace process to begin, Ukrainian troops must be withdrawn from new regions of Russia, and Ukraine must pledge not to enter into military alliances.

**          

Illegal Israeli agit-prop operations in US desperately churn out disinformation to boost support for genocide in the US government

https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-documents-show-expansive-government-effort-to-shape-us-discourse-around-gaza-war/

Israeli documents show expansive government effort to shape US discourse around Gaza war

Secretary ["I come as a Jew"] Blinken Meets with Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) Chair Sharansky and Former U.S. Senator Lieberman, July 2021 (photo) [Wolves look like they’re smiling when they bare their fangs]

As the Gaza war rages, Israeli funds target US college campuses and push to redefine antisemitism in US law – part of a sometimes covert operation by the Israeli government to strike back at student protests, human rights organizations and other voices of dissent…

None of the groups identified below have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (Fara). This law requires groups receiving funds or direction from foreign countries to provide public disclosures to the US Department of Justice.

by Lee Fang and Jack Poulson, reposted from The Guardian, June 24, 2024

Last November, just weeks into the war in Gaza, Amichai Chikli, a brash, 42-year-old Likud minister in the Israeli government, was called into the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, to brief lawmakers on what could be done about rising anti-war protests from young people across the United States, especially at elite universities.

“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again now, that I think we should, especially in the United States, be on the offensive,” argued Chikli.

Chikli has since led a targeted push to counter critics of Israel. The Guardian has uncovered evidence showing how Israel has relaunched a controversial entity as part of a broader public relations campaign to target US college campuses and redefine antisemitism in US law.

More here

**

https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/BREAKING---our-collaboration-with--Forbidden-Stories-.html?soid=1108760975529&aid=V7n7XtWCqdk

Students at Harvard Law School, Divinity School, Medical School, Graduate School of Education, and Business School dropped banners at graduation to call for a free Palestine and divestment

**

https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/BREAKING---our-collaboration-with--Forbidden-Stories-.html?soid=1108760975529&aid=V7n7XtWCqdk

Our collaboration with Forbidden Stories

The findings are striking and include:

At least 14 journalists were wearing press vests at the time of their death or injury.

At least 40 journalists were killed in their homes, contradicting claims that all were caught in the crossfire.

18 journalists were targeted by drones.

**

Translation with my  notes in bold and in [brackets]

6-26, 2024

https://tsargrad.tv/news/nadejus-chto-po-mostu-shjol-sostav-s-bk-i-rumyno-francuzami-raketnye-udary-po-odesse-ohota-za-najomnikami-pervye-podrobnosti-lebedev_1019506

“I HOPE THAT A TRAIN WITH AMMO AND ROMANIAN-FRENCH WAS WALKING OVER THE BRIDGE”: MISSILE STRIKES ON ODESSA. MERCENARY HUNT.  FIRST DETAILS - LEBEDEV

For the third day in a row, our Kinzhals and Kalibers have been operating in the Odessa and Nikolaev regions, after it was [learned that it was] from there that US ATACMS missile systems launched strikes on the beach in Sevastopol on June 23. According to the underground, those systems were destroyed along with the foreigners, but the hunt continues. Apparently, ours hit some special, unique object. The head of the underground, Lebedev, told the first details: “I hope that a train with BC and the Romanian-French was crossing the bridge.”

The head of the Russian underground, Sergei Lebedev, published information that the Russian Aerospace Forces continued to launch massive attacks on the territories of the Nikolaev and Odessa oblasts.

At approximately 00:30 he posted a short message:

Odessa is flying towards you. Most likely, Ilyichevsk, Izmail... approximately there.

Literally 6 minutes later he reported that arrivals in the oblast had been recorded, but there were no details. Only a few more minutes later he wrote with reference to local partisans:

Odessa, Belgorod-Dnestrovsky reports: “There was a good explosion, the cat jumped. Not in the city, it seems, a notification from Russia came to Zatoka. Let’s do more!” I hope it’s in Zatoka. I hope it's on the bridge. I hope that a train with BC and the Romanian-French were crossing the bridge.

The hunt for mercenaries continues. After the terrorist attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the beach of Sevastopol on June 23, where children were killed and 155 people were injured, the Russian army launched massive attacks on Odessa and Nikolaev. Explosions and detonations were reported at the Krayan heavy crane manufacturing plant, where the American ATACMS missiles used to attack Crimea were stored. Many warehouses, which local underground fighters helped discover, were destroyed.

Shortly before this, the partisans turned to the Russian army through the vlogger Nina VATT:

We offer our sincere condolences to all Crimeans and Sevastopol residents and hope that your army will begin to shoot down American drones [it is believed that this has already happened], and we hope that the entire coast [of Ukraine] will be turned into dust, we must respond seriously and not pay attention to what the West says.

The underground reported that near the Krayan plant, in the temporary deployment point, there are foreign military specialists engaged in servicing missiles, who, according to unconfirmed official data (as if anyone in Washington admits this), are also engaged in guiding missiles - definition: The targets of most NATO shells are programmed in advance, and, according to sources, it is Western specialists who do this.

Apparently, the same Americans who, under the guise of mercenaries, came to Ukraine to work on missile launchers, especially ATACMS and HIMARS, were destroyed.

As a result, Iskander missiles flew to the location of foreign military personnel, and Bastion complexes and Onyx missiles were also deployed. Those same “mercenaries” got it too. According to the coordinator of the Nikolaev underground, Sergei Lebedev, at least ten instructors died, their bodies were urgently taken to the territory of Romania.

They write that they found, tracked and hit the launchers that yesterday PURPOSELY hit civilians in Sevastopol. They probably hit from different places, because there were no arrivals in Nikolaev or nearby. Maybe they were somewhere, not in the Nikolaev oblast. I hope they end up killing everyone! The hunt continues, Lebedev said.

...

On the night of June 26, missile strikes were also carried out on the territory of the Nikolaev oblast. Judging by the information of the local partisans, they destroyed something special and unique, since they had never heard such a glow or such sounds before.

There was just a bang somewhere, first a neon glow, then boom. This is a strike, dull, but good. In the direction of Malaya Korenikha, at first there was a bright glow, then a dull explosion. The glow was just like neon, 23:57 sounded interesting. I have never heard such sounds during strikes. This is something new,

- Sergei Lebedev quotes the words of the underground workers.

**

Russia warns…

Don’t count on Trump!

“We must understand that no matter who comes to power in the United States, he will not be a friend of Russia. Therefore, you shouldn’t put all your cards on Trump. It is much wiser to rely on one’s own strengths and persistently pursue the set goal - demilitarization, denazification of Ukraine and the liberation of Russian regions.”

Translation with my notes in bold and in [brackets]

https://tsargrad.tv/news/rossiju-razorvat-i-podchinit-iz-putina-sdelat-zelenskogo-prozvuchali-otrezvljajushhie-fakty-o-plane-trampa_1019323

JUNE 25, 2024

BREAK RUSSIA AND SUBORDINATE IT, MAKE A ZELENSKY OUT OF PUTIN: SOBERING FACTS ABOUT THE “TRUMP PLAN”

Reuters reported that advisers to US presidential candidate Donald Trump are suggesting that if he wins, he should freeze the conflict in Ukraine according to the “Korean scenario” - that is, draw borders where the line of military contact now lies. [Putin will never accept a frozen conflict. He needs control over Ukraine]

The advisers also revealed some details of Trump's "peace plan." The politician is going to act in his characteristic manner - to impose his will on everyone. Trump himself calls this concept “peace through strength.” The point is to issue an ultimatum to the other side and put them in a no-win situation. At the same time, the cornerstone is never peace and stability, but American interests (here we can recall another Trump concept - “Make America Great Again”). Thus, for example, Trump tried to act regarding Iran. He unilaterally withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal signed by Obama and tried to renegotiate it by imposing less favorable terms on Tehran. But at the same time he suffered a complete collapse. After being deceived by the United States, Iran refused any deals and began to develop its nuclear energy without regard to the West. [Trump is considered a great negotiator, but actually he stinks as a negotiator because he only takes his own interests into account, never considering the other party’s viewpoint and interests]

As for Ukraine, Trump wants to use pressure to bring both sides to the negotiating table and force them to freeze the conflict. At the same time, it is not entirely clear how the politician plans to influence Russia. [If Trump had even a modicum of understanding for Russia, he’d know that Putin will never allow himself to be influenced against the interests of Russia]

Everything is clear with Ukraine - it is a bankrupt country that lives at someone else’s expense and fights with someone else’s weapons. To bring the Ukrainians to the negotiating table, it is enough to simply stop giving them weapons, and they themselves will immediately remember the negotiations, since there will be nothing to fight with - it is unlikely that Europe alone will be able to provide weapons to the entire Ukrainian army.

But with Russia everything is more complicated. The United States is so carried away by the fight with Moscow that it has no leverage left over it. The US has already done everything that it could do to harm Russia. What can Trump do in this situation? Introduce new sanctions? The Russians, against whom more than 15 thousand sanctions have already been imposed, will not even notice. Give more weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces? This is what America has been doing since 2022 - nothing will change. Washington could theoretically offer the Russians to lift at least part of the sanctions. But Moscow is unlikely to agree to this. Moreover, it has no faith in the West, which blatantly deceives it all the time.

A great America does not imply a great Russia

Currently, the Western media are constantly saying that the Russian offensive has allegedly stopped: there is no progress, the Russians have hit a wall, Russia cannot defeat Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also drew attention to this, presenting everything as a great success for Ukraine and American weapons. [Anyone who reads this newsletter and listens to alternate commentators like Scott Ritter, Andrei Martynov, Danny Davis, Douglas Macgregor, Larry Johnson and the like, and/or reads the Russian MoD reports, knows that Russia is winning hands down and has been for a very long time]

It is worth noting here that the advance of Russian troops has indeed slowed down, but the fundamental mistake of the West lies in an incorrect assessment of the situation. As military experts say, the goal of the Russian army is not to seize as many territories as possible in the shortest possible time, as the Ukrainian Armed Forces tried to do last year, but to wear down the forces of the Ukrainians and force them to transfer reserves to Kharkov, exposing other sectors of the front.

Political scientist Yuri Svetov believes that talk about the “Russian dead end” is not only a misunderstanding of the situation, but also an attempt to psychologically influence Russians. Like, your offensive has stalled, there are no prospects, go negotiate.

However, Svetov is sure that freezing is a dangerous trap for Russia. The US has two options. The first is to flood Ukraine with weapons in the hope that this will help it win. This option, as we see, has not worked. The second is to repeat the trick with the Minsk agreements. That is, freeze the conflict and pump Ukraine up with weapons, so that in a few years it will fully regain its strength and begin to recapture lost territories. Svetov recalled: the United States had previously announced that it was seeking the strategic defeat of Russia on the battlefield. And their goals have not changed since 2022.

In addition, it is worth noting that Trump’s “peace plan” directly contradicts the conditions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who demands the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the entire territory of the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye oblasts. In this case, the border should not be drawn along the line of contact, as Trump proposes, but the administrative borders that existed before the Northern Military District should be completely returned, and these territories should be recognized as Russian.

And Russian President Vladimir Putin will no longer sit at the same table with Vladimir Zelensky, since he is no longer a legitimate ruler. Attempts to tear apart new oblasts of Russia and subjugate the country to themselves, and to make Zelensky out of Putin, an obedient puppet of the White House, look like pure madness.

Make no mistake about Trump - he is not a peacemaker. Trump actively introduced sanctions against Russia and acted against Iran and China. He has a task. His task is to make America great. And a great America does not presuppose a great Russia. Or simply Russia, which is at least an equal partner. Great America is a dictator over the whole world. And Russia occupies a subordinate position in this system,

- Svetov noted.

There is no Trump Plan

Political scientist, head of the Center for Expert Support of Political Processes Alexey Yaroshenko, in a conversation with Tsargrad, also expressed the opinion that freezing the conflict does not meet Russia’s interests.

This automatically means long-term destabilization of new regions of our country. Suffice it to recall how the Ukrainian Armed Forces terrorized Donetsk and Lugansk for 8 years after Minsk-2. We need to return our territories. If Kyiv is not ready to de-occupy Russian lands, Russia will return them by force—- the expert argues.

And Tsargrad political observer Andrei Perla believes that, in principle, there is no “Trump plan” in nature. There is an acute internal political struggle between two presidential candidates. And both are ready to say anything to get approval from voters. No one guarantees that, having come to power, Trump will not immediately forget about all his “projects” and will not continue Biden’s work - he will increase the supply of weapons and contribute to the further escalation of the conflict. Moreover, Trump has always prioritized the economy, and the United States is now making good money on weapons production. That is, the conflict in Ukraine is beneficial to America. So why end it?

And vice versa: Biden, who started this conflict, may now decide that American weapons are more needed in the Middle East, where the situation with Israel is worsening. He may well try to sacrifice some of Ukraine while stealing some voters from Trump.

We need to take these statements more calmly. They are not made for us, Perla concluded.

We must understand that no matter who comes to power in the United States, he will not be a friend for Russia. Therefore, you shouldn’t put all your cards on Trump. It is much wiser to rely on one’s own strengths and persistently pursue the set goal - demilitarization, denazification of Ukraine and the liberation of Russian regions.

**

The GOP, if left alone, will exterminate the Palestinian people.

Their politicians practically admit it. Open the link:

https://israelpalestinenews.org/the-craziest-pro-israel-votes-on-the-hill-today/

And their Evangelical grassroots supporters will allow the genocide in Jesus’ name! Yes, that’s blasphemy, but that is their mindset.

Ironically, the Houthis and Hezbollah, all Muslims, are the only ones fighting effectively to stop the killers. And US politicians on both sides of the aisle see them as the bad guys?

The world now sees us as cold-blooded killers. What else are we?

We need a new America with a whole new set of values. We need to see ourselves for what we are, not for what the hyperpatriots tell us we are.

We’ve never been a shining city on the hill.