The Cradle Contributor | Syria's interim President Ahmad Sharaa’s rise is less a redemption arc than a calculated western project – with France seeking to outmaneuver Russia and reclaim its colonial stake in Syria | Just a week before his landmark meeting with US President Donald Trump in Riyadh – the first encounter between American and Syrian leaders in 25 years – Syria's self-appointed transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, arrived in Paris. ■ Sharaa's visit to the French capital, his first to a western nation since assuming power, was meticulously orchestrated. France extended a cautious welcome, limiting reception protocols and refraining from high-level state honors, signaling its intent to assert influence over the Syrian file without fully legitimizing a leader still listed on international terrorism watchlists. ■ The visit, which required a UN-sanctioned waiver of travel bans for Sharaa and his delegation, culminated in a carefully managed meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. Macron’s press conference afterward struck a sharp tone, insisting that meaningful changes in the Syrian file remain a prerequisite for international engagement. ■ France’s calculated hospitality reinforced its ambitions to reclaim influence in Syria. For Sharaa, the trip was a strategic move to project international legitimacy and bury the hardline legacy of his past, including leadership ties to both Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

Simplicius | "US was essentially blindsided and blinded by the Houthis’ destruction of a large amount of Reaper drones within the first month of the operation" | A truly ‘bombshell’ New York Times article revealed the jaw-dropping truth a few days ago about the real reasons Trump pulled out of Yemen. [...] Let’s first make something clear. Some have claimed that the US established ‘air superiority’ but not ‘air supremacy’, as if there’s a difference between the two. These are phony terms concocted—or at least popularized—by the US MIC to sell its Iraq war adventures, with claims that the modern ‘unstoppable’ American ‘airpower’ is capable of somehow totally dominating the skies against a foe. In reality, no such thing as true ‘air supremacy’ exists in a near-peer conflict, and has never been established in history over a foe that can fight back. These are nothing more than marketing terms to sell weapons for a war that doesn’t exist.

✅ Yemen Taught Trump Some Lessons That He’d Do Well To Apply Towards Ukraine (Andrew Korybko)
■ NYT: Trump Ended War With Houthis After They Shot Down U.S. Drones, Nearly Hit Fighter Jets (05/15/25)

President Trump reportedly decided to end his short-lived war on the Houthis after being informed that the US had "burned through weapons and munitions at a rate of about $1 billion in the first month alone" and couldn't even establish air superiority. [...] If Trump had read a bit more about the Houthis this whole war could have been avoided but at least he had the wisdom to cut his losses. This could have been a lot worse if the Houthis managed to down a US fighter jet or sink an aircraft carrier. The claim the Truman had to make a "hard turn" to avoid incoming Houthi fire clearly implies they were under a serious threat. I strongly suspect Trump's purported anger with Israel is being driven in large part by this humiliating defeat. This was a war exclusively for Israel and it blew up in the Trump administration's face.

■ Trump Praises Houthis' 'Bravery' (Information Liberation)
■ Bypassed by Trump, 'Israel' dismayed, silent amid shifting alliances (Al Mayadeen)
■ US takes over Iran, Yemen, Gaza talks, sidelines 'Israel' (Al Mayadeen)

US president receives grand welcome as he pushes for deals from Mohammed bin Salman | US President Donald Trump signed a $142bn defense sales agreement in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as he continued to push the kingdom to pour a trillion dollars of investment into his country. ● Trump, who was treated to an escort of several Saudi F-15 fighter jets upon his arrival, had been pushing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to up a previously promised $600bn investment to an eye-watering $1 trillion. ● The new arms deal, which includes exports of GE gas turbines and energy solutions totaling $14.2bn and Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft totaling $4.8bn, goes some way towards fulfilling that aim. ● One Saudi Arabian company also plans on to invest $20bn in AI-related sites in the United States, the White House said on Tuesday. ● Mohammed bin Salman and Trump were scheduled to meet for lunch at the royal palace on Tuesday, attended by several major American business leaders, including far-right Trump ally Elon Musk.

After landing, Trump punched the air when he caught sight of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MbS, before shaking hands with the de facto leader. | U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday at the start of a four-day visit to the wealthy Gulf region, focusing more on economic deals than regional security matters ranging from war in Gaza to talks on Iran's nuclear program. With a who's who of powerful American business leaders in tow, Trump is visiting Riyadh, site of a Saudi-US Investment Forum, before going to Qatar on Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. He has not scheduled a stop in Israel, a decision that has raised questions about where the close ally stands in Washington's priorities. [...] Joining Trump for a lunch with MbS are top U.S. businessmen including billionaire Elon Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX chief and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

■ Donald Trump arrives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Albawaba)
■ Trump starts Middle East tour in Saudi Arabia seeking major business deals (SCMP)

Sources report the president is frustrated over the Israeli prime minister's alleged push for Iran military action. | Sources close to US President Donald Trump report that he is disappointed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Relations between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the US president have reached a low point with mutual disappointment on both sides. Sources in the president's inner circle report that he has grown increasingly frustrated with the Israeli prime minister. ● Earlier this week, we reported that Netanyahu was frustrated with Trump. Now it appears the American president has also lost patience with his Israeli counterpart. Two senior figures in Trump's circle stated in recent closed-door conversations, whose contents reached Israel Hayom, that Trump has decided to stop waiting for Israel and instead move forward with Middle East initiatives without Netanyahu.

■ Trump Makes Deal With Houthis - With No Provisions for Israel's Security (Information Liberation)
■ Israel vows to ‘defend ourselves alone’ after Trump strikes truce with Houthis (CNN)

Moon of Alabama | The Houthi can not be defeated . Soon a U.S. ship will get hit. From there the war could easily escalate into a war against Iran. There is a good chance that the U.S. would lose it. | In January 2024, the nine years long war Saudi Arabia waged against Yemen had just calmed down after the Saudis had been mostly defeated, the Houthi movement declared to shut down Israel related traffic through the Red Sea. The move was made in solidarity with the besieged people in Gaza. To cover for Israel's genocide in Gaza the U.S. and UK decided to fight down the Houthi and to reestablish marine traffic through the Red Sea. Their bombing campaign showed little results.

An F/A-18 has reportedly fallen off the carrier USS Harry S. Truman into the Red Sea – the second in just over a week | The US Navy has lost another fighter jet in the Red Sea, marking the second incident involving an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the USS Harry S. Truman in just over a week, and the third such loss since Washington intensified operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen. ● The aircraft reportedly plunged into the sea after experiencing an arrestment failure while attempting to land on the carrier, forcing both the pilot and weapons systems officer to eject. CNN first reported the incident on Tuesday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter. ● “The arrestment failed, causing the aircraft to go overboard. Both aviators safely ejected and were rescued by a helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11,” an unnamed defense official told USNI News. “The aviators were evaluated by medical personnel and assessed to have minor injuries. No flight deck personnel were injured.”

Yemen’s Armed Forces have hit the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, after several attempts by the Israeli military to intercept it failed. | According to initial reports, the missile bypassed four layers of air defense and struck the heart of Israel's main airport on Sunday. Israeli daily Yedioth Aharonot, citing emergency services, said at least seven people were injured in the attack.

■ Israel says to hit back 'seven times stronger' after Yemen missile fire (TRT World)

Of all the military movements we have seen towards the Middle East over the last month or so, this one to me is the most telling that something is likely imminent. | After DOZENS of C-17's and numerous C-5 military cargo aircraft bringing-in thousands of tons of war gear, today two U.S. Air Force E-3 “Sentry” Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft arrived earlier today in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area-of-responsibility, from Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. USAF 79-0001 E-3G Sentry call sign EDGY26 Hex #AE11E7. USAF 75-0556 E-3B Sentry callsign EDGY25 Hex #AE11D6. The arrival of these particular aircraft seem to indicate a battle sequence is laid-in and ready. They use THESE planes to detect foes for our military as we go into battle.

■ Marco Rubio says US could soon ‘move on’ from Ukraine conflict: ‘This is not our war’ (Lifesite News)

Abhishek G Bhaya | As anti-Muslim hatred spreads across continents, experts warn that Islamophobia, a modern-day manifestation of racism, is not just a Muslim issue but a crisis threatening the foundations of democracy, human rights, and pluralism. | International experts on Sunday issued a clarion call for urgent global action against what they described as a rapidly worsening phenomenon – at a session titled ‘Confronting Discrimination and Racism in the 21st Century’ on the concluding day of the fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum at the Turkish Mediterranean resort city.

✅ THE EXPRESSION OF HATRED FOR GENTILES (Richard Edmondson/Nahida Izzat) (10/04/14)

Yemeni Armed Forces Conduct Operation in Jaffa Area | Yemeni Houthis from the Ansar Allah rebel movement carried out a drone strike on an "Israeli military target" near the city of Tel Aviv, the movement’s military spokesman Yahya Saria said. ● "The Yemeni armed forces carried out an operation to destroy an Israeli military target in the occupied area of Jaffa (Tel Aviv - TASS) using a drone," the representative of the movement said on the air of the Houthi-owned Al Masirah TV channel. ● Earlier the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported intercepting a drone approaching the country's airspace from the east. According to The Times of Israel, the Israeli military shot down the UAV over the Arava Desert in southern Israel.

 ■ The seven countries that the U.S. continues to meddle with and antagonize have a shared history and connection: For decades Israel and the Zionists who pushed for the Jewish state have wanted them to be destabilized, weakened, or eliminated.

 ■ Jeffrey Sachs is a world-renowned economics professor, bestselling author, innovative educator, and global leader in sustainable development. Sachs serves as the Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, where he holds the rank of University Professor, the university’s highest academic rank. From 2001-18, Sachs served as Special Advisor to UN Secretaries-General Kofi Annan (2001-7), Ban Ki-moon (2008-16), and António Guterres (2017-18).

 ■ Alison Weir is the founder of If Americans Knew and president of the Council for the National Interest, which works for “U.S. Middle East policies that represent the highest values of our founders and our citizens and that work to sustain a nation of honor, decency, security, and prosperity.” Weir is also author of the book, Against Our Better Judgment: The Hidden History of How the U.S. Was Used to Create Israel .

Imamoglu and his party have called the charges politically-motivated | More than two million supporters of jailed Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu took to the city's streets in protest demanding his release after being arrested on corruption charges. ● The demonstration, organized by Imamoglu's opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, claimed more than 2.2 million people attended protests to support the mayor of Turkey's largest city. ● Imamoglu, who was re-elected during the country's elections last year and is seen as the main opposition to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling government, was detained earlier this month on corruption charges. [...] Imamoglu shared an aerial photo showing a large crowd at the demonstration on his Turkish-language X account, as well as posts with video of the protest. The video was accompanied by the caption in Turkish and translated to English by Google reading "you are so beautiful, Istanbul!" ● Turkey has maintained the country's judiciary is independent and that Imamoglu's arrest is not an attempt to quell his political opposition. ● Approximately 1,900 people have been arrested, however, in protests since Imamoglu was first arrested on March 19. Among them, nearly two-dozen journalists and photojournalists are have been detained while reporting on the protests. ● Imamoglu's lawyer was also detained and later released, according to reports.

The foreign and defense ministers, Asaad al-Shaibani and Murhaf Abu Qasra, have retained their posts | Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has congratulated the nation with the formation of a new cabinet of ministers, calling it the government of construction and changes.

💬 "Our country is entering a new historical period on its way to a better future," he noted. "We are announcing the formation of a government of construction and changes which will rebuild and reform," he said. The Syrian president’s speech is being aired by Al Hadath. ● "I assure the people of Syria that we are starting to build a strong and stable state, which will guarantee the interests of the nation as a whole and of every citizen," al-Sharaa added.

He also said the new government’s work will be transparent. "We will not allow our state institutions to be tainted by corruption," he added.

■ Syrian leader announces new government (RT)

According to the Yemen Data Project, more than 55% of US strikes hit non-military targets | US airstrikes on Yemen killed at least 25 civilians and wounded 28 others in just the first week of the Trump administration’s renewed bombing campaign against the Houthis, according to the Yemen Data Project (YDP). ● The YDP released a report on Tuesday analyzing 38 strikes on Yemen the US launched from March 15 to March 21 and found that 55% of the bombings hit non-military targets. The report said the US attacks marked the heaviest and deadliest week of bombing in Yemen since the final months of the US-backed Saudi-UAE air war on the country in early 2022. ● The report found that more civilians were killed in the first week of the Trump administration’s bombing campaign than were killed in the 12 months of US- UK strikes on Yemen that were conducted under the Biden administration from January 2024 to January 2025.

■ More US Airstrikes Hit Yemen’s Northern Saada Province (antiwar.com)
■ Bombing, air strikes kill 25 in Yemen (Indian Express)

("The Russian delegation arrived at the site of the talks with U.S. representatives.")

■ Russian, US delegations meet in Riyadh to discuss Ukrainian settlement (TASS) Representatives of Russia and the United States have started talks on the settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, a source close to the Russian delegation told TASS. The meeting is taking place at The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. Saudi security services previously asked reporters to leave the hotel where the talks are taking place. The Russian delegation is led by Grigory Karasin, the head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, and Sergey Beseda, adviser to the director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). The US delegation includes State Department’s Policy Planning Director Michael Anton, as well as aides to Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg and national security advisor Mike Waltz.

■ What to Know About Russia-US Talks on Ukraine Settlement in Saudi Arabia (Sputnik)

Today, President Trump directed the US military to engage in "decisive combat operations." For now, this appears to mean naval and air strike activity. No word of any "boots on the ground." | The White House announced this afternoon that President Trump has ordered decisive combat operations against Yemen. The U.S. Navy then confirmed it's 5th Fleet has entered a period of 'sustained combat operations' within the CENTCOM area of responsibility. The U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet is responsible for naval forces in the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea, with its headquarters located at NSA Bahrain in Manama, Bahrain. It shares a commander and headquarters with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and is a component command of, and reports to, CENTCOM. Yemen has re-initiated a sort of naval blockade in the Red Sea, which also affects the Suez Canal, against the "state" of Israel because Israel is forbidding food, water, and electricity into the Gaza Strip for over two weeks. Over 1.5 Million people remain in Gaza despite much of it having been obliterated by Israeli bombing.

Hal Turner Remarks | Today's escalation by President Trump is extremely serious. How the world's most powerful military can attack a country which has no army, navy, or air force, is not a good "look" at all. In fact, it's more than just not a good "look." Maybe pressure should be brought to bear upon the country actually causing all this; you know, Israel?  ■ How Israel can apply "group punishment" to 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza, over the actions of a few hundred members of HAMAS, seems un-American. Denying food and water to 1.5 Million over the actions of a few hundred seems unthinkable to civilized people. It is also illegal under the Geneva Conventions. ■ If it is OK for Israel to apply group punishment to all Palestinians in Gaza for the actions of a few, would it then also be okay for the world to apply group punishment to ALL Israeli-types for the ongoing Genocide in Gaza? That may have to be something the world considers doing over the next days.

■ 33 dead as Trump orders strikes on Huthis in Yemen (The Citizen)
✅ Trump Bombs Yemen (Short Take) (Moon of Alabama)
✅ Here's What's Really Behind Trump's Surprise Bombardment of Yemen (Ilya Tsukanov) | “Trump’s decision" to launch airstrikes on Yemen revolves around Washington's desire "to protect and help extend Israeli domination over the larger region,” Isa Blumi, an associate professor of Middle East studies at Stockholm University, told Sputnik. The strikes have less to do with the Houthis than they do with trying to ensure the survival of the State of Israel, and Israeli and US projects to expel the Palestinians from Gaza, turn the strip into a glitzy Las Vegas-style resort, and exploit its offshore gas resources, the academic said.

Trump officials are threatening more airstrikes as the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, are vowing a response | A major round of US airstrikes that hit Yemen on Saturday killed at least 53 people, including women and children, Yemen’s Health Ministry said on Sunday. ● According to Yemen’s SABA news agency, at least five children and two women were among the dead. ● Another 98 were wounded by the US bombing, and the Health Ministry said many of the casualties were civilians, while the US is claiming it killed “multiple” leaders of Yemen’s Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah. ● A total of 40 US airstrikes were reported to hit Yemen, primarily focusing on the northern Saada governorate. Strikes also hit the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and the governorates of Taiz, Ibb, Dhamar, Al Bayda, Marib, and Hajjah. Targets that were reported hit included power stations, residential areas and homes, and Houthi military sites. The strikes marked the first time the US bombed Yemen under the new Trump administration.

Mohamed Salah | Survivors of the violence against the Alawite, Christian, and Druze communities shares their stories with RT | Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the dominant militant group in northwestern Syria, once presented itself as a local opposition force. Just over a month ago, the group was formally disbanded and became part of the Syrian Defense Ministry, yet its origins tell a far more sinister story. Born out of the ashes of Jabhat al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, HTS carries the same ideological DNA as the world’s most notorious terrorist network. While it has sought to rebrand itself for international legitimacy, its methods remain unchanged: Massacres, ethnic cleansing, and the systematic extermination of those who do not conform to its radical ideology. ■ Nowhere has this been more evident than in Syria’s coastal cities, where HTS and its foreign recruits have unleashed an unspeakable wave of violence against Alawite, Christian, and Druze communities. Entire villages have been erased, their inhabitants slaughtered in the dead of night. Yet, as these horrors unfold, the world remains indifferent, and the silence of international powers only emboldens the perpetrators.

✅ Russia Should Consider Accepting Syria’s Alawites As Refugees (Andrew Korybko)

Representatives of the Russian and American media were simultaneously led to the meeting venue, with Russian and US journalists waiting in different parts of the building [...] From the Russian side, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kremlin Aide Yury Ushakov are at the negotiating table. Opposite them are three US negotiators: President Donald Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the US leader's special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff. [...] The meeting is being held in one of the royal family's palaces, Diriyah in the Albasateen complex.

(Meanwhile in Kyiv): Coup in Kiev: Zelensky abuses peace talks to take out rivals

✅ Trump To Force Ukraine Peace on Europe (John Mearsheimer, Alexander Mercouris & Glenn Diesen)(VIDEO)
✅ Ukraine Risks Trump’s Wrath After Bombing Partially US-Owned Oil Infrastructure In Russia (Andrew Korybko)
✅ The Polish Security Chief Shared Some Interesting Insight About The Ukrainian Conflict’s Endgame (Andrew Korybko)

🚨 Statement from Ahmed Al-Qudra, Director of the Prisoners’ Media Office: The severe condition In which the prisoners are released exposes the scale of crimes and violations inside prisons, as the marks of torture and oppression are evident on their bodies. This demands a firm… pic.twitter.com/GiUX701g37

— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) February 15, 2025

The Palestinian Resistance handed over three Israeli captives in Khan Younis, with Resistance fighters from the al-Qassam Brigades and al-Quds Brigades present, clad in military gear. Meanwhile, 369 Palestinian detainees are set to be liberated. | The Palestinian Resistance released three Israeli prisoners—Alexander Tropanov, Sagi Dekel Chen, and Yair Horn—in Khan Yunis on Saturday, located in the southern Gaza Strip. This release is part of the sixth batch in the prisoner exchange process outlined in the ceasefire agreement. ● The event saw hundreds of fighters from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and the al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, stationed in the square where the captives were released. ● At the prisoner handover site, the Resistance showcased around ten different weapons captured from the Israeli occupation during the battles, as reported by Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Khan Younis.

■ Freed but Scarred: Palestinian Prisoners Expose Occupation’s Brutality (Palestinian Chronicle)
■ Hamas expects new round of indirect ceasefire talks with 'Israel' (Al Mayadeen)

WATCH: Tulsi Gabbard just exposed Barack Obama & the CIA for conducting regime change operations in Syria and training & funding terrorists.

No wonder they can't stand her.

"Today we have an Islamist extremist who is now in charge of Syria, who danced on the streets to… pic.twitter.com/irIvYN4pj3

— George (@BehizyTweets) January 30, 2025

■ Tulsi Gabbard Drops Truth Bomb on Deep State Corruption (The People's Voice)(VIDEO)

Trump called Gaza a "demolition site" after the Israeli genocide, proposing the mass explusion of Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan. | US President Donald Trump suggested on Saturday a controversial plan to "just clean out" Gaza through the mass expulsion of its population to neighboring Egypt and Jordan, framing the proposal as a step toward "Middle East peace." Labeling Gaza a "demolition site" in the aftermath of the Israeli genocide, Trump revealed he had discussed the idea with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and planned further talks with Egypt’s leadership. "I'd like Egypt to take people. And I'd like Jordan to take people," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Marzieh Rahmani | This story is not just the story of Aisha but it is the common sorrow and grief of the Palestinian nation for the past 76 years; the oppressed nation whose ultimate wish is to see their motherland even one time before death. | A group of Mehr News Agency correspondents visited an art exhibition that the Iranian photographer Wahab Ramzi collected its photos from the Palestinian refugee camp at the Museum of Contemporary Palestinian Arts in Tehran. ■ In 2023, Iranian photographer Wahab Ramzi went to the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. During this visit, he encountered the life stories, dreams, and laughter of the Palestinians and saw their family albums. This museum is the result of his photography of Palestinian people living in 4 Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. ■ Entitled 'Keys Older Than Israel', the gallery exhibits pictures that Ramzi captured from the refugee camps in Lebanon. The pictures depict the life story of Palestinian refugees who kept their homes' keys in the hope of returning to their motherland, Palestine. Every picture in the exhibition tells the tragic story of Palestinian families who have been displaced by the Israeli regime in 1948. What is most painful and surprising is the fact that the keys in these pictures of older than the fake regime of Israel.

The spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces says the country’s missile and drone units have carried out a series of reprisal operations against strategic positions deep inside the Israeli-occupied territories, as they continue their operations in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip amid the Israeli genocide. | Brigadier General Yahya Saree announced in a televised statement on Tuesday morning that Yemeni missile divisions had conducted a strike on the premises of the Israeli ministry of military affairs in Tel Aviv, using a homegrown Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile. ● Saree added that the missile could successfully hit its designated target, noting that advanced Israeli anti-air systems failed to intercept and shoot it down. ● He went on to underline that Yemeni Armed Forces will not abandon their religious, moral and humanitarian obligations towards the oppressed Palestinian nation, whatever the repercussions.

An alleged Biblical map of the Kingdom of Israel, shared by the Israeli Foreign Ministry's Arabic-language account on X, has touched off heated debates on social media and raised alarm among Arab officials. ■ What’s Behind the Commotion? The map depicts the boundaries of the ancient Kingdoms of Israel and Judah as described in the Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. The biblical land overlaps with areas of modern-day Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The post recounts the biblical story of the Kingdom of Israel, said to have existed 3,000 years ago, celebrates the revival of the Jewish people, and refers to Israel as "the only democracy in the Middle East." ■ Fierce Social Media Debate Erupts: Many Arab-language users criticized the map, arguing that the biblical version of Israel’s history is allegedly not thoroughly supported by archaeological evidence or other historical sources. Some netizens took issue with Israel’s claim of being the “sole democracy in the Middle East”. Some characterized the post as a provocation, accusing Israel of being what they call an "occupying power" and of having "stolen" the land from Arabs. ■ Arab Officials Blast Biblical Map as Deliberate Provocation: The PA: The Palestinian Authority condemned the map as a violation of international resolutions and laws. Jordanian Foreign Ministry: Amman denounced the map as "baseless" and "false," urging Tel Aviv to halt "provocative actions and reckless statements." Qatari Foreign Ministry: Doha warned that the publication of the map could undermine any peace prospects in the region, especially amid the ongoing Gaza war. ■ What is "Greater Israel"? Arab News associated the map with the concept of "Greater Israel," which envisions the expansion of Israel to the territorial boundaries outlined in the Tanakh. The Movement for Greater Israel was established after the Six-Day War of 1967, during which Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, the Old City of Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The idea is popular with Israeli officials and the nation’s media. In 2024, Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated that "the future of Jerusalem is to expand to Damascus." In September, The Jerusalem Post published an article suggesting Lebanon could be part of Israel’s "promised land," though the piece was later removed. Following the downfall of now ex-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Israel fully occupied the Golan Heights. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that this territory will remain an integral part of Israel "for eternity."

■ Israel launches ‘one of the largest’ attacks on Syria in history (12/10/24)
■ Smotrich’s ‘Greater Israel’ fantasy rooted in Theodor Herzl’s Zionism (10/14/24)
■ Israel's future borders would extend beyond Jordan River — minister (10/11/24)

At the time, Shadi al-Waisi was enforcing Sharia law in areas controlled by al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda affiliate that was a predecessor to HTS | Videos have surfaced online of Syria’s new justice minister, Shadi al-Waisi, overseeing the execution of two women in 2015 over charges of adultery and prostitution. ● Al-Waisi is part of the new Syrian government led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which took power after ousting former President Bashar al-Assad on December 8. ● Verify-Sy, a fact-checking organization, confirmed that it was al-Waisi in the two videos that emerged online. In one video, al-Waisi is seen reading a ruling that the woman was found guilty of “corruption and prostitution” and sentencing her to death. ● In the other video, al-Waisi appears to be carrying a gun and tells a woman to sit down as she’s pleading for her life. Once she moves down, another armed man shoots her in the head. ● At the time, al-Waisi was working as a “judge” enforcing Sharia law in areas of Syria’s northwest Idlib province that were under the control of the al-Nusra Front, the al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria that merged with other Islamist groups in 2017 to form HTS.

Maria Zakharova urged Annalena Baerbock to address the US presence in her own country after the latter called for a Russian withdrawal from Syria | Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has criticized German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock for her demand that Russia withdraw its military bases from Syria. Zakharova, speaking on her Telegram channel on Friday, has urged Baerbock to instead address the presence of US military bases in Germany. 💬 “This is being said by the foreign minister of a country that hosts US military bases. I have a question: when will the German foreign minister say something similar to Washington?” Zakharova wrote in response to Baerbock’s statement. Baerbock’s remarks followed her visit to Damascus on Friday, where she and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot became the first EU ministers to visit Syria since President Bashar Assad was overthrown.

■ Diplomat calls on top German diplomat to stop speculating about Russian bases in Syria (TASS)
■ Syria's new leadership asserts strategic alliance with Russia (Al Mayadeen)

● At least 22 Palestinians, including children, are killed throughout Gaza on New Year’s Day in Israeli attacks in northern Jabalia, the central Bureij refugee camp, and southern Khan Younis.
● Days of heavy rain have flooded hundreds of makeshift shelters across the Strip, piling more misery on displaced Palestinians as Israel continues to restrict the entry of humanitarian aid.
● The United Nations says Israel’s attacks on Gaza’s hospitals have pushed its healthcare system to “the brink of total collapse”, and Israeli justifications that Palestinian armed groups use the facilities are “vague, broad” and “contradicted by publicly available information”.
● Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 45,553 Palestinians and wounded 108,379 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than 200 taken captive.

■ Day 453 of Israeli genocide in Gaza: 45,553 killed, 108,379 injured (Al Mayadeen)
■ Shocking Statistics on Day 450 of the Israeli Genocide in Gaza (IMEMC News)
■ Gaza’s Population Drops by 6 Percent Due to Israeli Genocide: Report (Quds News Network)