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Yves here. Even though we had a lot of information about the Israel attack on Hezbollah via pagers-turned-bombs in Links, more detail is coming out. One element, which the Common Dreams article below highlights, is that the attack comes despite the captured-by-Israel supposed negotiator Amos Hochstein having had, the day before the pager blasts, told Israel not to escalate with Hezbollah. So it’s not hard to see this act as a raised middle finger to US calls for moderation, and the claim that some Hezbollah fighters had uncovered that the pagers had been tampered with, a fabrication.
As many commentators have pointed out, Israel hard-liners and above all Netanyahu, is eager to get the US committed to backing Israel in a bigger conflict. It seems likely that they regard between now and the US election a prime time. The Biden Administration would have to act; the trick would be presenting Israel as threatened, as opposed to having picked a fight and gotten a punch back. Netanyahu is also under ever-increasing domestic pressure, so an increased external threat, even if he had ginned it up, would be welcome.
Some additional information from The Cradle. Hezbollah maintains the attack has not affected its operations:
Hezbollah stated on 18 September that its operations against Israel would continue normally, reiterating its vow to respond to the large-scale Israeli terror attack against Lebanon in a statement on 18 September.
The Lebanese resistance will “continue today, as in all the past days, its blessed operations to support Gaza, its people, and its resistance, and to defend Lebanon, its people, and its sovereignty,” Hezbollah’s statement read.
Hazbollah also maintains that there were pager-users that were not Hezbollah members, as in innocent civilians. This is in addition to civilians in the detonation area of Hezbollah pagers, such as two children out of the 12 deaths so far:
Hezbollah spokesman Ibrahim al-Moussawi said that the pagers that exploded were not only in the possession of Hezbollah members but others as well.
A consequence of the attack may be Egypt taking a particularly hard line regarding Israel demands for greater control of the so-called Philadelphia corridor, on the Gaza’s border with Egypt. This is a very fresh story from Middle East Eye:
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday said that Cairo will not accept changes to the “rules of operation” in the Philadelphi Corridor that were in place before 7 October, particularly regarding the rules governing the operation of the Rafah crossing on the Palestinian side.
During a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Abdelatty emphasised Egypt’s complete rejection of any military presence on the other side of the crossing or in the corridor, which is the narrow strip of land over the entire 14 km border between Egypt and Gaza.
Abdelatty added: “We cannot hold the future of stability in a vital region like the Middle East hostage to the absence of political will on the part of some parties. Therefore, we will continue our efforts to exert influence and pressure until we can reach an agreement that ensures stability in the region.”
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah is set to speak more or less now, so I will add an update. Update: Oopsie, the initial source was wrong. Nasrallah to speak Thursday.
By Jake Johnson, staff writer at Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams
Several news outlets confirmed late Tuesday what was widely suspected: Israel’s military and intelligence services were behind the explosions of pagers recently purchased by the Lebanese political party and militant group Hezbollah.
The explosions, reportedly set off earlier Tuesday by a message that appeared as if it was from Hezbollah’s leadership, killed at least 11 people—including an 8-year-old girl—and wounded thousands more.
Citing both an unnamed former Israeli official with knowledge of the operation and an anonymous U.S. official, Axios reported that “Israeli intelligence services planned to use the booby-trapped pagers it managed to ‘plant’ in Hezbollah’s ranks as a surprise opening blow in an all-out war to try to cripple Hezbollah.”
“But in recent days, Israeli leaders became concerned that Hezbollah might discover the pagers,” the outlet continued. “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his top ministers, and the heads of the Israel Defense Forces and the intelligence agencies decided to use the system now rather than take the risk of it being detected by Hezbollah, a U.S. official said.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department publicly denied that the Biden administration was involved in the attack or aware of the operation in advance.
Heidi Matthews, an associate professor at the Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, wrote Tuesday that “each explosion constitutes an indiscriminate attack,” pointing to video footage of a pager detonating in a crowded market.
“Under these circumstances,” Matthews added, “this is an act of terror.”
בסופר ובחנות הירקות: תיעוד נוסף של מכשיר קשר מתפוצץ לפעילי חיזבאללה בכיס@anastasia___stu @OmerShahar123 pic.twitter.com/OcjQsGLhvv
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) September 17, 2024
The New York Timesreported Tuesday that Hezbollah ordered thousands of pagers from the Taiwanese manufacturer Gold Apollo, but the company denied making the devices. According to the Times, which cited unnamed officials, Israeli operatives “tampered with” the devices “before they reached Lebanon,” planting in them “as little as one to two ounces” of explosive material and a switch “that could be triggered remotely to detonate the explosives.”
Heightening fears of a broader conflict, Hezbollah pledged Tuesday to retaliate against Israel over the attack, which reportedly injured Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon as well as Hezbollah fighters and medics.
The Guardian‘s Andrew Roth noted Tuesday that just “a day before the coordinated sabotage, Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to [U.S. President] Joe Biden, was in Israel urging Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials against an escalation in Lebanon.”
Netanyahu has repeatedly sabotaged cease-fire negotiations with hardline demands in recent weeks as the Israeli military—heavily armed by the U.S.—continues to assail the Gaza Strip.
“While U.S. officials have said that the basis for peace along Israel’s northern boundary with Lebanon would come through a cease-fire in Gaza, that agreement has proven elusive and appears no closer to fruition,” Roth wrote Tuesday. “The White House had hoped that a period of quiet around Israel would allow for cease-fire negotiators to achieve a breakthrough, as intermediaries shuttle between Hamas and Israel to thread the needle of both sides’ complex demands regarding a hostage exchange and territorial claims.”
“That period of quiet has now been shattered with a breathtaking act of subterfuge and Hezbollah has vowed to retaliate,” Roth added.
While it may simply be a determined effort by Netenyahu’s government to escalate towards conflict with Iran, another factor may be recent large Hezbollah attacks on Glilot base in Israel. The base was reportedly a HQ of Israel’s Unit 8200, an electronics intelligence corps. This unit would presumably have been involved if not in control of the pager explosives operation, so the mass detonation could also in part be a retaliatory strike for recent casualties in Glilot base (The base strike reporting was under IDF censorship restrictions which western media outlets tend to abide by also so there hasn’t been a lot of reporting about it)
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his top ministers, and the heads of the Israel Defense Forces and the intelligence agencies decided to use the system now rather than take the risk of it being detected by Hezbollah, a U.S. official said.”
Nope. Don’t believe it. This was not a military decision but one made by Netanyahu for political reasons. He is running his war in much the same way that Zelenski is running his war in the Ukraine. Both are obsessed with their own political and personal survival over the lives of their people or and the fate of their countries. And when in retaliation Hezbollah causes a mass casualty event in Israel, it is all going to be on Netanyahu’s shoulders but he won’t care as then he can run to Washington and demand that American troops, planes and ships go fight in Lebanon.
Not like Zelensky who has little agency in his approach to the war which is run largely by NATO. Netanyahu has the full support of the US and runs his own policy because if the US does not do his bidding there will be electoral fallout. Netanyahu is a political master–he’s very, very good at what he does. Zelensky is, while great at PR, not in the driver’s seat most of the time. Israelis know they are at war and the reward is Greater Israel which many Israeli’s believe will be facilitate by whatever god or spiritual power they believe in–check it out many in Israel really believe in that and maybe their right.
The real blowback to Israel (and the West) might be the reaction from the companies involved in production and sales of the pagers and their countries. Motorola is now owned by Lenovo, a Chinese company. I’d assume their ckntractors/suppliers are also Chinese or Taiwanese (I think the actual manufacturer is Taiwanese?). They want to keep doing business in the Global South and they don’t want terrorists and other criminals tampering with their products. One would assume that the Chinese state will be suppoeting their efforts as well.
I would be very interested to know what US officials, dimwitted careerist as they are (at least at State), think about this new face of the crisis in Israel/Palestine. To me they appear clueless but maybe they have some strategy other than full scale war in the region because that is where this is going.
To reiterate, out front, the only goal of Israel’s government and its people is some version of Greater Israel. They know that they partly control US policy in the region through the Zionist money men on Wall Street and elsewhere. Zionist Jews in the USA (a minority) are fanatically obsessed with Israel (I’ve talked to some of these people over the years) and will oppose or support candidates based on their attitude towards Israel. Netanyahu is where he is because of his ability to manipulate the US government like no other has before him. In order for him to steer the course towards eliminating Palestinian people, again supported by citizens of Israel and their supporters in the USA, he must have war in the region now before Iran and its allies have time to improve (particularly AD defense) their military power. This is why the Israelis provoked Hezbollah with its terrorist attack. Israel survives or falls based on its ability to terrorize their neighbors.
The Israeli endgame is to overwhelm the resistance axis with attacks on many levels until Iran and the resistance finally retaliates which, may happen. Once it does the US will support Israel no matter what as they do including building ovens and roasting the Palestinian people, or so it seems. Once the US acted as a brake to the more extreme Israeli policies but that is no longer the case, in part, because the US citizenry is both asleep and increasingly amoral or just confused.
I have very rare comments if any at all about Ukraine and Palestine. I am just not qualified. I do feel qualified as a human being, however. What I saw in these videos and photos yesterday was just spectacular evil. I see a grocery store where there are completely innocent little old ladies standing around. I see a guy get taken down just standing next to the guy with the pager – his crime was looking at oranges. I see all kinds of kids and toddlers on streets.
What if one of these things had gone off in a plane?
And yet I see all of our neocon types filling Twitter this AM with rapturous glee. It was one thing, for example, for Liz and Dick Cheney to endorse Harris last week. Anyone can endorse anyone – and the endorsee has no control over that. It was another thing entirely, however, for Harris and her allies to openly celebrate these endorsements. Mrs Walz had it very right the other day – a page has been turned.
This action yesterday in Lebanon has all the markings of what ghouls like the Cheneys and other neocons are all about. They partied on about this stuff for many years.
And now we have the Dem candidate and her allies celebrating them. And by extension, celebrating what happened yesterday in Lebanon. We are indeed headed into a very dark place. I think we have already passed the event horizon.
But again – can someone tell me how a vote for Kamala is not a vote for instant WWIII? The GOP is not much better – but I think at least Trump seems to understand the consequences. With the Dems – it is obvious they are brainwashed into “We are invincible – and we are sooo RIGHT in our morality – we will never be defeated – woe to anyone who stands in our way.” I am doing my very best to get my family and my friends ready for what is coming. The blowback is going to be for the ages.
The DT sometimes has a great line of BS, but he is a notorious conman and bullshitter. (He also tells intelligence-insulting lies). We saw the huge disconnect between the blah blah and the actual policies during his first term. However, he tore up the INF treaty, accused Russia of not abiding by it, he increased sanctions on Russia, attacked Russia’s allies and interests, and continued support for Ukraine. He appointed Eliot Abrams, Michael “Fat Mike” Pompeo, John Bolton, that speaks volumes right there. He recently threatened countries who drop the dollar.
Despite the facts, folks still WANT to believe the BS from a conman, but “Fool me once…”
The D/R Bipartisan Consensus is crystal clear when it comes to foreign policy, Israel etc. If you believe the Rs are somehow better, you might want to look into that a bit. Lindsey Graham is a poster boy for the Rs
This is rich: “he tore up a treaty – accused Russia of something, he increased sanctions on Russia, attacked Russia’s interests, and supported Ukraine. He appointed bad people (in your opinion) and he threatened countries regarding the dollar” ……… such a mean person.
Then again dems have started wars ((Biden 2, Obama 4) and sold bombs to Israel (for corporate profit) that blow up and starve women and children with purpose, not by accident.
I propose that repubs are a lesser evil.
You will believe what you like, it’s not facts it’s faith and political religion. Forgive me for criticizing the Lord and Savior, but I also criticize the Ds equally. Such a pity that
our choices are genocide or lesser evil genocide.
Hooray for evil! Vote Genocide, It’s the American Way!
You mention at least 2 GOP neocons in your list that have endorsed Kamala Harris – or at a minimum Trump hating gabberjaws.
Correct me if I am wrong – but are you not making the point that I was above?
One thing I absolutely NEVER saw coming as a Dem would be the wholehearted embrace of the neocon whackadoodles – but here we are. They are clearly no longer GOP.
I’m sure you had a good (as in gory) idea of the injuries. Nevertheless:
https://www.ft.com/content/15efdcc8-e98f-473c-a018-c3c7e9e586cf
Will there be accountability for violating a plethora of international war? Based on history, highly improbable, so Exhibit 1 in the Rules Based Order (RBO). Given a choice, who would choose to live in the RBO?
Elijah Magnier is claiming that a neighboring country withheld the devices in customs for 3 months allowing Israeli operatives to modify them into what amounted to miniature shrapnel grenades containing steel balls.
https://youtu.be/1bvPqzsp9y0?si=L5su9ew7dJrC0s7k
Unfortunately there appears to be a second act. Al Jazeera is reporting on multiple blasts in Lebanon:
Multiple explosions in Lebanon after pager blasts
Limited information as of now.
From your link (Al Jazeera) I see a photo captioned People gather as smoke rises from a mobile shop in Sidon [Hassan Hankir/Reuters]. This leads me to believe that at least some of the tampered electronic devices are present in the retail section. Make of that what you will.
It appears the devices in today’s attack were not pagers but ICOM v82 walkie-talkies:
Large number of injuries reported…
Apparently these were received around the same time as the pagers, but no information if they were commonly sourced (or likewise detained — presumably so).
Also here -> https://thecradle.co/articles/lebanon-hit-by-second-wave-of-israeli-terror-attack-as-new-explosions-rock-nation
Just to throw this in the discussion: there is a “Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices as amended on 3 May 1996”, which defines “Other Devices” as such:
5. “Other devices” means manually-emplaced munitions and devices including improvised explosive devices designed to kill, injure or damage and which are actuated manually, by remote control or automatically after a lapse of time.
The protocol states that:
8. The indiscriminate use of weapons to which this Article applies is prohibited. Indiscriminate use is any placement of such weapons:
a) which is not on, or directed against, a military objective. In case of doubt as to whether an object which is normally dedicated to civilian purposes, such as a place of worship, a house or other dwelling or a school, is being used to make an effective contribution to military action, it shall be presumed not to be so used; or
b) which employs a method or means of delivery which cannot be directed at a specific military objective; or
c) which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.
The parties having signed and ratified the treaty include Israel, Lebanon, and the USA.
Amongst the multiple reservations asserted by Israel, only one concerns “Other Devices”:
Israel reserves the right to use other devices (as defined in Article 2 (5) of the Amended Protocol II) to destroy any stock of food or drink that is judged likely to be used by an enemy military force, if due precautions are taken for the safety of the civilian population.
The USA has a similar exclusion, and also:
The United States shall not recognize the jurisdiction of any international tribunal to prosecute a United States citizen for a violation of the Protocol or the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
I am not a lawyer and all that, but should Israel be found to be the culprit, and the pagers be found to fall under the category of “manually emplaced devices” (they were manually emplaced in the packaging boxes sent to Lebanon, right?), this most probably constitutes yet another gross violation of international law by that country — but when it comes to building Eretz Israel, it is obviously “in for a penny, in for a pound”.
“… Amos Hochstein having had, the day before the pager blasts, told Israel not to escalate with Hezbollah. So it’s not hard to see this act as a raised middle finger to US calls for moderation…”
On the other hand, the US has issued requests for moderation many times before, while approving more shipments of weapons and continuing full support. There are no consequences for (seemingly) disobeying Washington. The US stated support of Israel is “unconditional”, so it looks like a PR game. The US can say, “we tried to negotiate, we tried to moderate.blah blah blah” to distance itself from the wildly unpopular policies. This appears to be standard practice over the years.
I have no evidence, but I would not be surprised if US intelligence was aware of the situation in advance.
What would Israel have to do in order for the US to react with action, not words? The Israelis can murder US citizens in the open (Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, Shireen Abu Akleh, Rachel Corrie) with impunity. Almost every member of Congress is fine with genocide, as well as the exec branch, so it would have to be worse than that to get a negative reaction from the US
This evil act of pure terrorism tells anyone with a functioning brain cell who the actual terrorists in the Middle East are and have always been: the fascists of the Revisionist Zionist/Stern Gang/Likud faction whose express goal for 90 years has been the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, in opposition to the peaceful immigration that once might have been.
I am disgusted by Antony Blinken and U.S. government spokespersons yammering-on about “we are gathering information” while the usual “unnamed sources” tell their scriveners at NYT, WaPo, and CNN in excruciating detail how the government of Israel carried out this act of indiscriminate savagery. America promotes neither “rules” nor “order.”
And where is this clown Erdoğan? Not a drop of the Azerbaijani or Kurdish fuel being used to support settler terrorism should be allowed to pass through any Türkish port, in particular Ceyhan, terminus of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipelines. All of the so-called “leaders” of the purportedly “Islamic” nations are motivated by nothing but personal greed. The settlers would sue for peace tomorrow if deprived of their tainted petroleum.
Erdogan is a typical politician playing the “two level game” One line of BS for the domestic population, then the actual policy – he hasn’t and won’t do anything substantial. Syria is still occupied, not much help, Jordan, Egypt are vassals of the US/UK. KSA is still under the thumb of Washington. Libya and Iraq have been largely destroyed and quasi failed states. That leaves Iran, Hezbollah and the “Houthis” as the axis of resistance.
Anybody here remember the original Batman movie from 1989? The plot involved the Joker poisoning beauty products with the result being that people had to stop using them.
I never thought that my opinion of the demonic Zionists can get any lower. But this event has proven me wrong. If someone tells you that this war will end when Hamas “surrender”, immediately throw that person into the bin. Israel will not stop until the entire region is doused in flame and they stand upon a mountain of corpses.