Tuesday, August 13, 2024

 ‘Israel feels it has impunity in West Bank’

Analyst says Israel is intensifying violent raids in the occupied West Bank and attempting to shift the “status quo” of East Jerusalem.

Published On 13 Aug 2024

Israeli crowds have stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, as well as villages in the occupied West Bank, as they marked a Jewish holiday.

Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led a crowd of thousands into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday and performed prayers. Despite Jewish religious rites being banned at the location, Israeli police reportedly offered protection, as well as to illegal settlers involved in violence in the West Bank.

Ben-Gvir promised to “defeat Hamas” in Gaza in a video he filmed during his visit and prayers.

Al-Aqsa is Islam’s third holiest site and a symbol of Palestinian national identity but it is also Judaism’s holiest place. Tisha B’Av is a Jewish day of mourning for the destruction of the site of an ancient temple by the Romans in 70 AD.



Ben-Gvir, who heads a hardline political party on which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government depends, led more than 2,000 Israelis through the compound singing Jewish hymns under the protection of Israeli police, an official from the Waqf, the Jordanian body that is custodian of the site, told AFP.

“Minister Ben-Gvir, instead of maintaining the status quo at the mosque is supervising the Judaisation operation and trying to change the situation inside Al-Aqsa Mosque,” the official said.

Israeli police also “imposed restrictions” on Muslim worshippers trying to enter the mosque, he added.

Minister of Negev and Galilee Affairs Yitzhak Wasserlauf and other members of the Israeli Knesset reportedly joined the march.

West Bank tension

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers mounted a series of marches to mark the day, according to local media.

“[The settlers] are using the fact that there is a religious holiday and religious commemoration to … lay claim to more Palestinian land,” Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim reported from Ramallah.

She said that people in one village, at-Tawani, had told her that it was the largest settler invasion that the community has seen thus far, in what has become a regular occurrence.

“We’ve seen it before. Settlers use the fact that they have a religious ceremony and they try and conduct those ceremonies in occupied territory,” Ibrahim continued, noting that village compounds are often invaded during such events.

Tension and violence between Isreal settlers, police and the military on one side, and Palestinian armed groups and civilians on the other, has spiked since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October.

The Palestinian Authority that administers parts of the West Bank says that more than 624 Palestinians, including 145 children, have been killed. Thousands have been arrested or forced from their homes due to demolitions and land confiscations, over the past 10 months.

At least 18 Israelis, including 12 security forces personnel, have also been killed in the occupied territory.

Early on Tuesday, Israeli forces killed a young Palestinian man and injured at least four others when they raided the homes of Palestinian prisoners and demolished two apartments in the cities of Ramallah and el-Bireh, local media reported.

Moataz Sarsour, a resident of the al-Am’ari refugee camp in the Ramallah and el-Bireh area, died of his injuries at the Palestine Medical Complex, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Wafa did not provide further details on the condition of three other gunshot victims or a young man hit by an Israeli army vehicle during the predawn raids.

Impunity

Israel is intensifying its violent raids in the occupied West Bank and attempting to shift the “status quo” of East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, as the world’s focus remains on the Gaza war, said Hassan Barari, a professor of international affairs at Qatar University.

“[Settlers] think that is a kind of a golden opportunity, that the region is in turmoil and the government is the [most] extremist in history … and they want to exploit this in order to change the status quo [of] the mosque,” Barari told Al Jazeera.

“The international community is either complicit or indifferent to what is happening in the West Bank and East Jerusalem,” he added, noting that Western leaders issue empty condemnations with little action.

“Israel feels it has impunity to do whatever it wants in the West Bank.”

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies


Netanyahu’s Gaza war complements Zionist settler expansion: report

Israeli Prime Minister is prolonging the genocidal offensive in the Palestinian enclave to ensure his far-right allies help him stay in power, a new report indicates.

ZEYNEP CONKAR
AUGUST 12,2024

Netanyahu faces corruption charges in Israel and remains prime minister only with the support of far-right parties that back him as coalition partners.
 / Photo: Reuters Archive

An academy under Türkiye's National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) has published an in-depth report on Israel's war on Gaza, revealing that the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “openly engaged in genocide” in a desperate bid to retain political support.

The report titled "The Radical Right in Israel" states that some of the most important groups influencing Israel's political and military decisions after October 7 are the “fanatical, violent, far-right groups” in the country.

These groups are fervently pushing for the ongoing occupation and genocidal bombing of Gaza, the expulsion of its Palestinian residents, and the illegal settlement of the land.

‘Openly engaged in genocide’

But not everything is working out in Netanyahu’s favour.

A disagreement between the Israeli army and the far-right coalition members has reached a new level, with the military planning “a bloody but relatively more controlled occupation process,” contrary to Netanyahu’s open engagement in genocidal war.

The report highlights that this situation intensifies the rift between high-ranking military officials, eager to see Netanyahu removed from power, and the current government, which is dominated by the far-right.

"Former military members who saw Netanyahu, whom they almost viewed as a Trojan horse for the radical right, regaining his political power, realised that towards the end of the sixth month of the war, Netanyahu was actually extending the war and committing violent massacres to compensate for his own political losses," the report added.

Hence, these ex-military members openly stated that Netanyahu had no clear plan and “began pressuring Netanyahu for a clear plan that would ultimately see Israel withdraw from Gaza.”

In that regard, on June 19, the Israeli military spokesperson stated that promises to destroy Palestinian resistance group Hamas are "misleading," in apparent criticism of the country's political leadership.

“Anyone promising to eradicate Hamas is misleading the public,” Daniel Hagari said in an interview, adding that “Hamas is an idea. Those who think it can be made to disappear are wrong”.

Netanyahu's diplomatic manoeuvres aimed at delaying the end of the war can be associated with this situation, the report revealed.

The analysis also states that the far-right groups' advocacy for making the occupation of Gaza permanent and opening Gaza up for illegal Jewish settlement is a new point of contention with the Israeli army.

The army, which the report says opposes the current government, claims that securing an Israeli presence in Gaza would entail significant military and financial costs.
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The primary motivation of Israel's far-right is "to completely Judaize the area from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea,” aiming to realise the concept of the "promised land".

Why does far-right push for illegal settlement?

According to the report, the primary motivation of Israel's far-right is "to completely Judaise the area from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea,” aiming to realise the concept of the "promised land," a key narrative in Zionism which asserts that Palestine with Jerusalem as its centre was promised by God to the Jews forever.

In this context, settler colonialism, which seeks to forcibly steal Palestinian land, is an inherent part of far-right politics in Israel, the report indicates.

Israel’s radical right’s view of Gaza sheds light on their motivations for seeking to fully reoccupy and repopulate Gaza with illegla Jewish settlers.

The report also suggests that Netanyahu’s approach of intensified attacks on Gaza is potentially related to his efforts to safeguard his political career against the radical right's populist pressures.

Netanyahu faces corruption charges in Israel and remains prime minister only with the support of far-right parties that back him as coalition partners.



Tension between far-right and seculars

Since 1967, Israel has occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and, except for the 2005-2023 period, Gaza, in violation of international law.

“The violent extremists have established illegal settlements in these areas after 1967. Israel has a long history of using these elements as a pretext to maintain military presence in these regions,” says the report.

The settler groups living in the West Bank demand that Israel demonstrate greater military presence in the region and keep tensions high by committing acts of terror against Palestinians. These come at a cost: military and financial, according to the report.

“This situation causes serious tension between the fanatical, far-right groups in Israel and the high-level military cadres, a significant portion of whom are liberal-secular Israelis," it said.

Some of the senior Israeli officers, including Air Force pilots come from secular Jewish families and they are opposed to Netanyahu and the Israeli far right parties. They have been protesting over the last few years against the far right trying to destroy the judicial system.

Significant sections of the Israeli military, which don’t agree with the domestic agenda of the far-right groups, suggest that securing a Jewish presence in this area would involve significant financial costs.

The report explains that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 and the evacuation of settlements caused the violent settlers to develop sceptical and cautious attitudes towards the Israeli state.

In this atmosphere of distrust, the fanatical far-right groups established various civil society networks to meet their legal and financial needs independently of the state when necessary, and despite receiving significant support from the state, these organisations have become important tools for the far-right to engage in Israeli politics.

Far-right civil society organisations significantly influence political decisions, support settlement expansion, shape public opinion, engage in legal advocacy, form security militias, undermine peace efforts, and impact government policies, thereby promoting a nationalist and expansionist agenda.

Although their presence is much higher in civil society than in politics, currently with two political parties in the Knesset, Religious Zionist and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), the far-right keeps pushing for aggressive nationalist policies and the expansion of settlements.

As a key far-right figure, the National Security Minister and the leader of the Otzma Yehudit, Itamar Ben-Gvir, se
eks to establish full sovereignty over all the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, expel all Palestinians living there, and, if necessary, commit massacres, says the report.

Therefore, he is completely opposed to the existence of a Palestinian state and advocates for Palestinians to be expelled to other Arab countries.

Radical pro-settler Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is another influential figure who is one of the founders of Regavim, a civil society organisation established to slow down and prevent Palestinian construction activities.

All actions related to illegal settlement activities in the occupied West Bank require Smotrich's approval, leading to an expansion of settlements and placing their management in the hands of settler figures more than ever before.
SOURCE: TRT WORLD

Zeynep Conkar
Zeynep Conkar is a deputy producer at TRT World.
@zeyneepconkar


 

Ben Gvir scorns PM’s objections as Jews seen praying on Temple Mount: ‘It’s my policy’

As worshipers prostrate themselves during minister’s visit, Netanyahu pans breach of status quo, but Ben Gvir shrugs him off; outraged Haredim warn they may reconsider partnership

The uproar began as Ben Gvir visited the Temple Mount on Tuesday morning to mark the solemn Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av, which mourns the destruction of the Temples that once stood in Judaism’s holiest site. Some of the Jewish visitors were filmed praying and prostrating themselves, in violation of police instructions.

The vague status quo governing the compound, the holiest site in Judaism and third-holiest in Islam, allows Muslims to pray and enter with few restrictions, while non-Muslims, including Jews, can visit only during limited time slots via a single gate. Visibly religious Jews are only allowed to walk on a predetermined route, closely accompanied by police.

Palestinians often claim Israel wishes to assert greater control over the Mount, and the issue is seen as a particularly sensitive one, with explosive potential for the region. Violations of the status quo are viewed by Israeli security officials as having the potential to set off mass unrest. The Temple Mount has been the scene of frequent clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces, and tensions at the disputed compound have fueled past rounds of violence.

While Jews are not officially allowed to pray, police have increasingly tolerated limited, quiet prayer in recent years.

But Tuesday’s prayers were far more explicit, with numerous men flattening themselves on the ground, and loud calls of “Shema Yisrael” heard in videos from the scene.

Jewish worshipers are seen prostrating themselves while praying at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, August 13, 2024 (Video screenshot)

Ben Gvir, who was joined at the site by fellow Otzma Yehudit minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf, filmed a video at the scene, saying over background calls of “Shema”: “There is great progress here on [matters of Israeli] sovereignty and rule, images of Jews praying here as I’ve said. Our policy is to allow prayer.”

It was the third time the police minister has made such a claim while visiting the Mount, with the Prime Minister’s Office being repeatedly forced to issue denials that this was Israel’s policy.

But police did not appear to take any action to stop the prayers in the videos on Tuesday.

Ben Gvir also said, with the Dome of the Rock in the background, that “we must win this war [against Hamas]” and “bring them to their knees.”

Religious journalist Arnon Segal was ebullient, writing on X, “The Temple Mount is ours. A historic and dramatic day: Prostrations, loud singing and prayer in the presence of ministers… A dream come true.”

The Prime Minister’s Office once again rebuffed the top minister’s claim, saying, “Policy at the Temple Mount is directly subject to the government and the prime minister. There is no private policy by a specific minister at the Temple Mount — neither by the national security minister nor by any other minister.”

The PMO went further this time, in light of the clear footage of prayers taking place, saying, “The incident this morning at the Temple Mount is a deviation from the status quo. Israel’s policy at the Temple Mount hasn’t changed.”

But Ben Gvir brushed off the reprimand, doubling down on his assertion.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, after his visit to the Temple Mount, during Tisha B’Av, August 13, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

“The national security minister’s policy is to enable freedom of worship for Jews in all places, including the Temple Mount, and Jews will continue to do so in the future as well,” he said in a defiant statement.

“The Temple Mount is a sovereign area in the State of Israel’s capital,” Ben Gvir added. “There is no law that permits engaging in racist discrimination against Jews at the Temple Mount or anywhere else in Israel.”

In reaction to the incident, police did at one point delay the continued entry of observant Jews, who were initially allowed to enter in groups of 100. After the visits were renewed, security forces cut the groups down to 50 each.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa, quoting the Jordanian Waqf, said some 2,000 Jews had entered the site on Tuesday, with the number expected to rise throughout the day.

Muslim and Jewish anger

Criticism of Ben Gvir’s visit to the Temple Mount poured in from all directions, including from Arab and Western leaders, members of the opposition and even ultra-Orthodox lawmakers who are Ben Gvir’s partners in the coalition (Haredim are opposed to Jewish visits to the site, believing its holiness precludes setting foot there nowadays).

MK Moshe Gafni, head of the Degel HaTorah faction of the United Torah Judaism party, charged that Ben Gvir doesn’t care about the “harm to the Temple Mount’s sanctity and the status quo,” alleging he was causing immense damage to the Jewish nation and causing unnecessary hate on Tisha B’Av.

He said that his faction would have to “check with our rabbis whether we can be partners with him, and will clarify this to the prime minister as well.”

Gafni has repeatedly threatened to bolt the coalition over several issues, but has not followed through.

MK Moshe Gafni chairs a meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee, July 2, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Religious Affairs Minister Michael Malkieli (Shas) reiterated the Chief Rabbinate’s stance against Jewish visits to the site due to its holiness, adding that it also constituted “unnecessary provocation to nations around the world.”

He quoted the fathers of religious Zionism, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook and his son Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook, as saying that Jewish sovereignty in Israel must not be achieved via means that go against the Torah.

Shas party member Michael Malkieli at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 20, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

“Ben Gvir’s electioneering at the Temple Mount, which completely goes against the stance of security officials, during a war, is endangering the lives of Israeli citizens and the lives of our soldiers and police officers,” Opposition Leader Yair Lapid argued in a post on X.

“This bunch of irresponsible extremists in the government is trying to drag Israel to an all-out regional war,” he added. “These people can’t run a country.”

Ra’am MK Waleed Alhawashla wrote on X, “Red lines were crossed today at Al-Aqsa with mass provocations by extremists. Ben Gvir and his supporters yearn for more war and more fatalities, yearning for conflagration.”

Hadash-Ta’al MK Ahmad Tibi called Ben Gvir a “pyromaniac” who has decided to go ahead with “any provocation to bring about a regional war,” and placed the blame on Netanyahu for letting him “go wild for the sake of his political survival.”

Beyond the issue of prayers, Palestinian and Arab leaders view the uptick in Jewish visits as a violation of the status quo in and of itself.

Jordan issued a strident statement condemning the far-right ministers’ visit to the Temple Mount, which it said “reflects the insistence of the Israeli government and its extremist members to disregard international law and Israel’s obligations as the occupying power.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at a conference called “Israel’s return to the Temple Mount,” at the Knesset, on July 24, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/FLASH90)

Amman urged the international community to “firmly” condemn the visit, alleging that the site is an exclusive place of worship for Muslims and is under the jurisdiction of the Jordanian Waqf, and asserting that Israel has no sovereignty over the “occupied city of Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites.”

The Palestinian Authority also condemned Israel for allowing the worshipers to visit the site, calling it a “dangerous provocation.”

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said Ramallah holds Israel “responsible for these practices” and called on the United States to “intervene immediately to stop these provocations against our holy religious sites.”

Egypt said it “condemns the storming of the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by two Israeli ministers, members of the Israel Knesset, hundreds of Israeli settlers and extremists, and the raising of the Israeli flag, under the protection of the Israeli police.

It also called on the international community to “play an active role in confronting these violations that stir up emotions and thwart efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.”














































































































































































Beyond Ben-Gvir: A look into Israeli far-right groups fuelling occupation

Over the years, a network of far-right groups has produced politicians who now influence Israeli policies, says a report by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT).


FATIH SEMSETTIN ISIK
AUGUST 12, 2024

A group of fanatic Jewish settlers sit on the ground at the exit of Ashdod Port and block trucks carrying aid to Gaza, in Ashdod, Israel on February 4, 2024. / Photo: AA



Israel's brutal war on Gaza is supported and championed by its prominent far-right politicians, alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.


While many attribute the rise of the far-right to Netanyahu, this emergence of the far-right is not a recent phenomenon, but has been in the works for a long time in which civil society organisations have played a significant role.


Far-right Israeli politicians Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have emerged from these groups.


Ben Gvir, Minister of National Security, and Finance Minister Smotrich, leaders of the Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism parties respectively, have moved from marginal positions to become central figures on the current political landscape.


To understand the influence these far-right politicians, who also belong to far-right social groups, have on Israel’s policy, judiciary reform, and its larger political arena, a report has been published by the academic branch of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT).


Events such as the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, Camp David Accord in 1978, Oslo Peace Accord in 1994 and the 2005 Israel’s Gaza withdrawal have radicalised the far-right in Israel, the report indicates.


The report delves deeply into the relationship between the radical right groups in Israel and Netanyahu's government, highlighting the significant influence these groups have on government policy.


The study extensively examines the far-right's NGO network, and emphasises on the extensive network that has enabled the far-right to influence Israel's policies against Palestinians by enforcing settler colonialism: which seeks to forcibly steal Palestinian land.


"Another function of civil society organisations and think tanks for radical right-wing groups in Israel is the dissemination of their agenda, which may initially be perceived as radical, through the voices of civil actors in the media and public sphere," says the report.


In this context, it is essential to examine some of these far-right organisations and their ideological sameness and differences.


Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and fanatical Jewish settlers, participated in a provocative "Flag March" organised in reference to Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, passing through the Damascus Gate to the Old City of Jerusalem on May 18, 2023.
 / Photo: AA


Mercaz Harav Yeshiva

After the Arab-Israeli war in 1967, the far-right in Israel became more politically prominent. But the institutions that ideologically support the idea of Israel date back many decades - even before the Zionist was state carved out Palestine. Chief among these, and perhaps religiously the most significant, is the Mercaz Harav yeshiva (Jewish traditional school).


Mercaz Harav (The Rabbi's Centre) is a yeshiva founded in 1924 by Rabbi Avraham Kook, one of the founders of Religious Zionism, during the British Mandate in Jerusalem.


Kook's teaching of Religious Zionism, which assigns a messianic role to the Israeli state, was incorporated into the curriculum of this yeshiva. Over time, Mercaz Harav became one of Israel's largest and most central higher religious education institutions.


In the 1970s and 1980s, the Gush Emunim (Bloc of the Faithful) movement, which spearheaded the emergence and spread of Jewish settlements in the West Bank after the Israeli occupation, was founded by students of Rabbi Kook from Mercaz Harav. Some members of the group became further radicalised, carrying out several terror attacks and plotting to blow up the Dome of the Rock.


The school also serves as a "cloak of legitimacy" that the far-right use for electoral gains.

During a May 2023 speech in the institution on the occasion of marking so-called Jerusalem Day, in reference to Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, upon invitation along with prominent members of his Likud party, signalled that the far-right could not find a better ally than him.


Banners depicting then-US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, by the Yesha Council bearing the words in Hebrew, "No to a Palestinian State" and "Sovereignty Do it right!", in Jerusalem June 10, 2020. / Photo: Reuters Archive


Yesha Council


The Yesha Council, the umbrella organisation that represents illegal settlers, was established in 1980 as a successor to Gush Emunim (Block of the Faithful).


Gush Emunim worked to promote illegal Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, which they regarded as the return of Jews to their Biblical homeland. The Yesha Council provides the settlers with a platform to participate in politics.


The Council has played a significant role in the recent policies to entrench the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and hinder the establishment of a Palestinian state. For instance, the council lobbied for the establishment of the road network that divides the West Bank and is used exclusively by Israelis in the territory.


It also pressured the Netanyahu government to apply Israeli domestic law directly to illegal settlements like Maale Adumim and terminate the UN-led Hebron International Presence which was established after the 1994 Hebron massacre. The motion was passed in 2019.


David Elhayani, the chairman of Yesha Council, opposed the formation of the Palestinian state proposed in Trump’s Mideast peace plan.


A general view of Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, where Elad aims to strengthen the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and create a Jewish majority in Palestinian neighborhoods. Photo: AA Archive


Elad


Another institution of the far-right political network is Ir David Foundation (Amutat Elad). The organisation is based in the tourist site City of David/Ir David in occupied East Jerusalem.


It promotes a narrative of Jerusalem’s history that relies on controversial excavations in order to solely celebrate the Jewish history of the area, erasing much of the site’s history. The organisation established a political theme park in Silwan, in which excavations led to the damage of Palestinian homes.


Since the 1980s, the Jewish National Fund has reportedly financed the group to pursue settlement actions. Another report states that donations were made through the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands and the Seychelles or the "tax haven" to avoid recording them, and Israeli tax authorities ignored Elad's budget.

Considered one of the wealthiest NGOs, the group supervises about 70 settlement outposts in Silwan, and has reportedly received around $7.9 million to support Judaisation projects in the Wadi Rababah neighbourhood in the area.


Elad’s method of harnessing not only the land, but what lies beneath it, in order to bring about historical revisionism, which has always been central to Israeli nation-building. But it has, under increasingly right-wing governments over the past few decades, become ever-more brazen in its scope.


Israelis demonstrate outside the headquarters of the Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem, March 9, 2023. / Photo: Reuters Archive


Kohelet Policy Forum


The Kohelet Policy Forum is an influential right-wing think tank actively shaping Israel’s legislative agenda. It played a crucial role in drafting the contentious 2018 Nation-State Law and the judicial reforms proposed in January 2023.


It also orchestrates media campaigns, preparing speeches and op-eds for ministers and Knesset members to advocate for these divisive legislations. The forum is funded by American Jewish billionaires Arthur Dantchik and Jeffrey Yass and currently led by Moshe Koppel, who received his traditional Jewish education at Yeshivat Har Etzion, which is located at the Alon Shvut settlement.


The Kohelet also established the Shilo Forum following Trump’s proposal of the 2017 relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, which advocates the annexation of Area C in the occupied West Bank.


Bezalel Smotrich, center, waves an Israeli flag together with other Jewish settlers during the provocative "Flag March" next to Damascus Gate, outside Jerusalem's Old City, Tuesday, June 15, 2021. / AP Archive


Regavim and Komemiyut


Regavim (Pieces of land) is an organisation that closely monitors Palestinian construction activities in both Israel and the occupied West Bank, reporting issues related to building permits and other legal loopholes to the Israeli government. Its aim is to minimise Palestinian construction and urbanisation activities.


The organisation was established in 2006 right after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.


Regavim's stated goals include "halting the Palestinian takeover of Area C [of the West Bank]," "strengthening the Kaminitz Law," and "restoring governance to the Negev." Since its inception, Regavim has employed drones and aerial photography to closely monitor construction by Palestinians in occupied territories and Palestinian citizens of Israel.


Regavim’s more extreme sister organisation, Komemiyut (Independence), was established shortly after Regavim.


Both of them have almost identical lists of founders.


Komemiyut's foundation rests on an NGO called "Komemiyut – Jewish Spirit and Heroism". The NGO was established in 2006 with Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as one of its founding members.

Smotrich, served as operations director for Regavimt. The current Israeli finance minister and defence minister in charge of illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank. David Friedman, the former U.S. Ambassador to Israel under President Trump, also served as the organisation's director from 2011 to 2017.


It is also involved in the Garin Torani movement. The members of the movement have moved to the geographic and social periphery of Israel – especially if you are nonreligious, educated and liberal. It follows a religious nationalist ideology on the far right of Israeli politics.


Unlike Regavim, which presents a more ‘diplomatic’ face of the far-right pro-settler groups, Komemiyut openly declares its mission of “enhancing Jewish uprightness as a central national idea in the State of Israel, reinforcing Jewish settlement and thwarting intentions to expel Jews.” It also supports the establishment of a Halachic (Talmudic law) state, rejecting a Jewish state based on a secular law.


Among the rabbis of this movement is Dov Lior, rabbi of Kiryat Arba (the largest Jewish settlement in Hebron) and Rabbi Haim Yerucham Smotrich, of Beit Yatir (Jewish settlement in the South Hebron Hills), who is the father of Bezalel Smotrich.



Meir Ettinger attends a remand hearing at the Magistrates Court in Nazareth, Israel August 4, 2015.
 / Photo: Reuters Archive


Noar Hagvaot and Mered

Noar Hagvaot (Hilltop Youth) is a settler youth organisation that establishes and expands outposts in the occupied West Bank. The organisation is a derivation of the ideology Rabbi Meir Kahane, who, in 1971, founded right-wing Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) Party, advocating Jewish supremacy. The party’s leader, Itamar Ben-Gvir, serves as the Minister of National Security in the 37th government.


Hilltop Youth or Noar Hagvaot is led by Meir Ettinger, a Kahanist activist, that pursues the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and conducts attacks on Palestinian villages.

He has the pedigree. He is the grandson of Meir Kahane, his maternal grandfather, and Mordechai Ettinger, a rabbi at the Ateret Cohanim yeshiva.


Ettinger is also the leader of Mered (Revolt), a group responsible for the 2015 arson on the home of a Palestinian couple, killing them and their 18-month-old child in Dawabsheh in the occupied West Bank.

Following the attack, the Israeli officials uncovered Mered’s activities, revealing Ettinger calls for the “dispossession of gentiles” who inhabit the Holy Land and the replacement of the modern Israeli state with a new “kingdom of Israel” ruled by the laws of the Torah.


Rest of the groups


Other than the aforementioned groups, there are several organisations that aggressively push the far-right agenda in Israel, particularly focusing on occupied East Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.


Ateret Cohanim is a yeshiva, located in Muslim quarters in the Old City of Jerusalem, and is notorious for its efforts to displace Palestinian residents by acquiring their properties in the occupied East Jerusalem.


Torat HaMedina founded by Yair Kartman and Yaakov Yakiv, who are also associated with the Movement for Governability and Democracy and Komemiyut, openly embraces its vision of a Halakha state. The group's website states its mission as "engaging in formulating public policy based on the Torah and advancing these policies through study, research, legislation, and public initiatives."


The Temple Mount Faithful movement is the oldest of the groups that demands the removal of the mosques from the Mount and its transformation into a Jewish centre. The Temple Mount Sifting Project and the Temple Institute are dedicated to the controversial and provocative goal of rebuilding the Jewish Temple, driven by a messianic zeal.


Haliba and B’Yadeynu advocate for Israeli sovereignty and Jewish prayer rights over the Al Aqsa Mosque, frequently raiding the area and inciting tensions with the Muslim community.


Lehava, which means "flame" in Hebrew, is the acronym for "Prevention of Assimilation in the Holy Land". Known for its extremist and often violent actions, the group targets Jewish people’s intermarriage and assimilation, promoting an extremist ideology. National Security minister Ben Gvir is a legal representative and a vocal supporter of the group.


SOURCE: TRT WORLD



Fatih Semsettin Isik
Fatih Semsettin Isik is a deputy researcher at the TRT World Research Centre. Before that, he worked as a research assistant and social media coordinator at Al Sharq Forum. He has a Bachelor's of Political Science from Bilkent University and Master's degrees in the same field from Istanbul Sehir University and Central European University. His research interests include Israeli politics, EU-Middle East Relations, Turkish Politics and the role of diasporas in foreign affairs.
semssami

 

From Papua to Gaza, military occupation leads to climate catastrophe

Environmental destruction is not an unintended side effect, but a primary objective in wars of occupation.

Smoke rises following Israeli strikes, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip August 8
Smoke rises following Israeli strikes, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip August 8, 2024. [Hatem Khaled /Reuters]

Many in the international community are finally coming to accept that the earth’s ecosystem can no longer bear the weight of military occupation. Most have reached this inevitable conclusion, clearly articulated in the environmental movement’s latest slogan “No Climate Justice on Occupied Land”, in light of the horrors we have witnessed in Gaza since October 7.

While the correlation between military occupation and climate sustainability may be a recent discovery for those living their lives in relative peace and security, people living under occupation, and thus constant threat of military violence, have always known any guided missile strike or aerial bombardment campaign by an occupying military is not only an attack on those being targeted but also their land’s ability to sustain life.

A recent hearing on “State and Environmental Violence in West Papua” under the jurisdiction of the Rome-based Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT), for example, heard that Indonesia’s military occupation, spanning more than seven decades, has facilitated a “slow genocide” of the Papuan people through not only political repression and violence, but also the gradual decimation of the forest area – one of the largest and most biodiverse on the planet – that sustains them.

West Papua hosts one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world, is the site of a major BP liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, and is the fastest-expanding area of palm oil and biofuel plantation in Indonesia. All of these industries leave ecological dead zones in their wake, and every single one of them is secured by military occupation.

At the PPT hearing, prominent Papuan lawyer Yan Christian Warinussy spoke of the connection between human suffering in West Papua and the exploitation of the region’s natural resources. Just one week later, he was shot and injured by an unknown assailant. The PPT Secretariat noted that the attack came after the lawyer depicted “the past and current violence committed against the defenceless civil population and the environment in the region”. What happened to Warinussy reinforced yet again the indivisibility of military occupation and environmental violence.

In total, militaries around the world account for almost 5.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions annually – more than the aviation and shipping industries combined. Our colleagues at Queen Mary University of London recently concluded that emissions from the first 120 days of this latest round of slaughter in Gaza alone were greater than the annual emissions of 26 individual countries; emissions from rebuilding Gaza will be higher than the annual emissions of over 135 countries, equating them to those of Sweden and Portugal.

But even these shocking statistics fail to shed sufficient light on the deep connection between military violence and environmental violence. War and occupation’s impact on the climate is not merely a side effect or unfortunate consequence. We must not reduce our analysis of what is going on in Gaza, for example, to a dualism of consequences: the killing of people on one side and the effect on “the environment” on the other. In reality, the impact on the people is inseparable from the impact on nature. The genocide in Gaza is also an ecocide – as is almost always the case with military campaigns.

In the Vietnam War, the use of toxic chemicals, including Agent Orange, was part of a deliberate strategy to eliminate any capacity for agricultural production, and thus force the people off their land and into “strategic hamlets”. Forests, used by the Vietcong as cover, were also cut by the US military to reduce the population’s capacity for resistance. The anti-war activist and international lawyer Richard Falk coined the phrase “ecocide” to describe this.

In different ways, this is what all military operations do: they tactically reduce or completely eliminate the capacity of the “enemy” population to live sustainably and to retain autonomy over its own water and food supplies.

Since 2014, the bulldozing of Palestinian homes and other essential infrastructure by the Israeli occupation forces has been complemented by chemical warfare, with herbicides aerially sprayed by the Israeli military destroying entire swaths of arable land in Gaza. In other words, Gaza has been subjected to an “ecocide” strategy almost identical to the one used in Vietnam since long before October 7.

The occupying military force has been working to reduce, and eventually completely eliminate, the Palestinian population’s capacity to live sustainably in Gaza for many years. Since October 7, it has been waging a war to make Gaza completely unliveable

As researchers at Forensic Architecture have concluded, at least 50 percent of farmland and orchards in Gaza are now completely wiped out. Many ancient olive groves have also been destroyed. Fields of crops have been uprooted using tanks, tractors and other vehicles. Widespread aerial bombardment reduced the Gaza Strip’s greenhouse production facilities to rubble. All this was done not by mistake, but in a deliberate effort to leave the land unable to sustain life.

The wholesale destruction of the water supply and sanitation facilities and the ongoing threat of starvation across the Gaza Strip are also not unwanted consequences, but deliberate tactics of war. The Israeli military has weaponised food and water access in its unrelenting assault on the population of Gaza. Of course, none of this is new to Palestinians there, or indeed in the West Bank. Israel has been using these same tactics to sustain its occupation, pressure Palestinians into leaving their lands, and expand its illegal settlement enterprise for many years. Since October 7, it has merely intensified its efforts. It is now working with unprecedented urgency to eradicate the little capacity the occupied Palestinian territory has left in it to sustain Palestinian life.

Just as is the case with the occupation of Papua, environmental destruction is not an unintended side effect but a primary objective of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The immediate damage military occupation inflicts on the affected population is never separate from the long-term damage it inflicts on the planet. For this reason, it would be a mistake to try and separate the genocide from the ecocide in Gaza, or anywhere else for that matter. Anyone interested in putting an end to human suffering now, and preventing climate catastrophe in the future, should oppose all wars of occupation, and all forms of militarism that help fuel them.

The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.


Opinion

Rape and torture as a weapon: Srebrenica's painful memories reappear in Gaza


August 13, 2024

Relatives of the victims, who had buried their loved ones in past years, pray at the graves and shed tears before 29th Srebrenica genocide anniversary in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 10, 2024
 [Samir Jordamovic/Anadolu via Getty Images]

by Anadolu Agency
anadoluajansi


The tragic news from Gaza shocked the world and had a special impact on people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, bringing back harrowing memories of war, and especially of the Srebrenica genocide.

Both genocides demonstrate hypocrisy of the international community

There are many parallels to be identified between Srebrenica and Gaza. In 1993, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution No. 819, which declared Srebrenica a “safe area”. Shortly after the Security Council resolution declaring Srebrenica a “safe area” was adopted, the defending forces of the Bosnian Army had to surrender their weapons in exchange for the promised protection by the UN protection forces.

After the arrival of the UN forces, the Army of the Republic of Srpska continued with the attacks on the enclave, intending to probe and provoke the response from the supposed aviation support and reinforcements for the weak UN troops on the ground. There was no response. The ineffective enforcement mechanism within the UN system only encouraged the armed forces of the Republic of Srpska and many other paramilitary units, some of them originating from Serbia, to continue with their attacks on the undefended town, culminating in the takeover of Srebrenica and the genocide that followed.

OPINION: Restoring fear, that’s why Israeli soldiers use rape as a weapon of war

In Gaza, too, there are UN resolutions and orders of provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that order Israel to prevent the commission of all acts that fall under Article 2 of the Genocide Convention and to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance. Who is going to enforce them? The so-called designated “safe areas” in Gaza are repeatedly attacked.

The hypocrisy of the “international community” and the selective outrage over destruction and killing, depending on somebody’s religion and the colour of their skin, is tragically paralyzing. In Gaza, too, the inaction only encourages Israel to do whatever it wants, including genocide, with zero accountability.

Serbs, Israelis utilised rape as a weapon of war


There is yet another tragic parallel between the war in Bosnia and Gaza, namely the use of rape as a weapon of war. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) found in several cases that rape was used by the members of the Army of the Republic of Srpska as an integral part of the crimes against the civilian population. Women were systematically raped in special detention centres designed for sexual violence against women and girls. Also, as ICTY cases show, the rape and sexual abuse of men was used as a specific form of torture in detention camps. As recent shocking reports of rape of women and sexual abuse of male detainees in Israeli custody show, even that threshold was crossed. More disheartening is the response of the institutions and the public in Israel, protecting the rapists.
How are the Gaza and Srebrenica cases at the ICJ similar?

Another thing Srebrenica and Gaza have in common are the cases before the ICJ. The genocide case related to Bosnia concluded in 2007, while the case against Israel, initiated by South Africa and joined by several other countries, including, most recently, Turkiye, is in its initial stages.

Legally proving genocide, as Bosnians have experienced, is extremely difficult. The existence of genocidal acts (actus reus) and the intent (mens rea), defined by the 1949 Genocide Convention as “intent to destroy in whole or in part” (the so-called genocidal dolus specialis), must be proven simultaneously beyond reasonable doubt.

READ: Israel army slams public broadcaster for showing faces of soldiers detained in Sde Teiman sexual assault

In Gaza, indiscriminate targeting and mass killing of civilians, collective punishment, as well as large-scale destruction and acts designed to make the lives of the Palestinians in Gaza unsustainable, clearly indicate the existence of the “actus reus” of genocide.

In the practice of international courts, genocidal intent, the always elusive “dolus specialis” requirement, besides orders and plans (which are rarely found, can also be proven with the existence of a specific pattern of behaviour of the perpetrators. When it comes to genocidal intent, statements invoking the eradication of “amalek”, calling Palestinians “human animals”, and orders of a complete halt of necessary provisions to the Gaza population (that were insufficient, to begin with) are very indicative. Those statements are made by officials in decision-making positions within the state of Israel. Therefore, they cannot be dismissed as mere extremist rhetoric or the opinions of fringe groups. The situation becomes clearer if we look at the wider pattern of behaviour, including ongoing attacks against the Palestinians in the West Bank. Therefore, the case before ICJ cannot be dismissed as “meritless”, and there is a strong case for the existence of genocidal intent.

In Bosnia, the courts found that “actus reus” of genocide was present in other places, besides Srebrenica, like in the northern town of Prijedor. However, there was no sufficient evidence to prove the “dolus specialis”, as in Srebrenica. As the experience of Bosnia shows, even when genocide is not established, the crimes committed can be defined as crimes against humanity or war crimes, which are not “lesser” crimes but are legally different from genocide. One must not hold that psychological misconception that, unless the court calls genocide, nothing happened.

The failure of the UN system is leaving tragic results. Ultimately, the reform of the UN system is of utmost importance. The composition of the Security Council, the veto powers of permanent members and the implementation mechanisms of the resolutions need to change. Yes, it is a difficult task. But the reform of the UN system is necessary if humanity wants to deliver on its promise of stopping crimes like genocide, war crimes and rape as weapons of war. Until then, Gaza and Srebrenica show us what will happen if it is not reformed.

... Against. Our Will. Men, Women and Rape. SUSAN BROWNMILLER. Fawcett Columbine • New York. Page 5. Sale of this book without a front cover may be unauthorized. If ...


SPACE

What Elon Musk's endorsement of Donald Trump might mean for U.S. space policy


By Svetla Ben-Itzhak, Johns Hopkins University
THE CONVERSATION
AUGUST 13, 2024

 If Donald Trump is elected president again, how might his relationship with SpaceX founder Elon Musk (pictured) influence U.S. space policy?


Elon Musk officially endorsed Donald Trump for president of the United States on July 13, shortly after Trump survived an assassination attempt. Musk, a billionaire technology entrepreneur, has made groundbreaking contributions in multiple industries, particularly space travel and exploration.

Even before Musk's endorsement, Trump was reportedly considering giving the billionaire an advisory role if elected for a second term. With Musk's public support and financial backing, it now seems even more likely that Trump would offer him an official position in his administration.

As someone who studies space and international relations, I am interested in how Musk might influence U.S. space policy if Trump wins in November. Their partnership could significantly shape the future of U.S. space exploration and defense, as well as shift the balance of power between the public and private sectors in space.

Current U.S. space policy

A nation's space policy reflects its vision and priorities for outer space. U.S. space policy -- a mix of continuity from past administrations and recent directives -- is outlined in key documents, including the U.S. National Space Policy, the U.S. Space Priorities FrameworkSpace Policy Directives and other official publications.

Current space policy emphasizes maintaining U.S. leadership in space, protecting U.S. space assets and working with commercial and international partners to promote safe, secure and responsible behavior in space. Its key elements include growing the American commercial space sector and returning astronauts to the Moon.

Musk's company SpaceX has been instrumental in advancing these goals, supporting both NASA and the U.S. Space Force -- the newest branch of the U.S. military -- in their missions. SpaceX's innovations, such as the reusable Falcon 9 rockets, the Starlink satellite internet and the powerful Starship, have dramatically transformed access to and use of outer space.

The 2016-2020 Trump administration advanced many of the current U.S. space policy goals, some of which closely align with Musk's own ambitions for space.

Space synergy: Trump and Musk's shared ambitions

Trump and Musk agree on three main objectives in space.

First, both are committed to human expansion beyond Earth. Trump's Space Policy Directive 1, signed on Dec. 11, 2017, set the United States on a course to return astronauts to the Moon and establish a permanent presence there, followed by human missions to Mars and beyond.

This directive aligns with Musk's vision of colonizing Mars, which is guiding the development of Starship: the most powerful and massive spacecraft ever built. Designed to be fully reusable, Starship will carry large payloads and be capable of deep space travel -- including lunar landings and journeys to the red planet.

NASA's Artemis program, which originated from Trump's Space Policy Directive 1, plans to return humans to the Moon by 2026. To achieve this goal, NASA partnered with SpaceX in 2021 to develop the Starship Human Landing System spacecraft, which will transport astronauts and cargo from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back.

Second, both Trump and Musk support commercial involvement in space. Trump's Space Policy Directive 1 specifically calls for commercial and international partnerships, marking a shift from the previous administration. President Joe Biden has continued this push to develop a robust commercial U.S. space sector.

This recognition of the pivotal role that private industries can play in space exploration aligns with Musk's record as an entrepreneur and innovator. Under Musk, SpaceX has not only provided essential services to NASA, but it has also driven innovation to new heights. The company has significantly lowered the cost of space ventures and made space more accessible to a broader audience of space explorers.

Third, both favor deregulation. Trump's administration sought to reduce regulatory barriers through directives like his Space Policy Directive 2, which aimed to streamline commercial space regulations to encourage faster growth and innovation in the private space industry.

Even so, Musk has often found existing space regulations too restrictive. He has frequently challenged U.S. regulators -- such as the Federal Aviation Administration which oversees launch and reentry requirements -- and has called for "comprehensive deregulation."

Contrasting space visions: Musk vs. Trump

In terms of space priorities, Musk differs from Trump in three main aspects.

First, Musk is focused on the long-term goal of making humanity a multi-planetary species, starting with colonizing Mars and establishing a self-sustaining human presence there.

In contrast, Trump's approach to space emphasized asserting U.S. leadership by achieving near-Earth and near-term milestones, like returning Americans to the Moon. Consequently, during his presidency, Trump prioritized the Artemis program and launched the Space Force to safeguard U.S. capabilities in space.

Second, while both value the private sector, Musk, through SpaceX, has pushed for cost reduction, innovation and rapid iteration in space technology. SpaceX's Falcon rockets have reflown some 300 times, significantly cutting spaceflight costs. SpaceX also achieved major milestones in commercial spaceflight, including becoming the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station.

In contrast, to fund the Artemis program, Trump called for a significant increase in NASA's budget. This move emphasized investing in government-led programs to achieve space objectives.

Third, Musk appears more open to sharing patented information, even with his competitors. He famously stated that "patents are for the weak," arguing that they block innovation and stifle progress. While Musk continues to patent inventions, including those related to SpaceX, he has also expressed support for fostering innovation through openness and collaboration.

In contrast, Trump's space policy focused on national security and strategic competition. The creation of the Space Force reflected Trump's view of space as a contested, military domain where the United States must protect its assets and maintain a competitive advantage.

Musk's likely impact on future U.S. space policy

If Musk were to take on a larger, formal role in a second Trump administration, he would likely push for ambitious space missions and timelines. The initial focus would continue to be on the Artemis program and lunar settlements, with increased attention eventually shifting to human missions to Mars and beyond.

A Trump-Musk partnership would likely further advance the commercialization of space. Musk could advocate for more deregulation of space activities, potentially challenging existing safety and security standards. While Musk is also likely to push for cost reduction, innovation and efficiency, it would be interesting to see how his efforts would fare against government bureaucracy.

Whether Musk would affect U.S. space policy regarding international competitors like China remains uncertain. Musk's presence in a second Trump administration could, however, shed light on whether commercial space actors can help decrease tensions between countries in space.

Musk is not a politician. He is a visionary focused on the future of humanity. These qualities are also most likely to shape his impact on U.S. space policy.

Svetla Ben-Itzhak is an assistant professor of space and international relations at Johns Hopkins University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.


New Mars study suggests an ocean’s worth of water may be hiding beneath the red dusty surface

A new study shows Mars may be drenched beneath its surface, with enough water hiding in the cracks of underground rocks to form a global ocean.


BY MARCIA DUNN
 August 12, 2024

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Mars may be drenched beneath its surface, with enough water hiding in the cracks of underground rocks to form a global ocean, new research suggests.

The findings released Monday are based on seismic measurements from NASA’s Mars InSight lander, which detected more than 1,300 marsquakes before shutting down two years ago.

This water — believed to be seven miles to 12 miles (11.5 kilometers to 20 kilometers) down in the Martian crust — most likely would have seeped from the surface billions of years ago when Mars harbored rivers, lakes and possibly oceans, according to the lead scientist, Vashan Wright of the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Just because water still may be sloshing around inside Mars does not mean it holds life, Wright said.

“Instead, our findings mean that there are environments that could possibly be habitable,” he said in an email.
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His team combined computer models with InSight readings including the quakes’ velocity in determining underground water was the most likely explanation. The results appeared Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.


Mars and Jupiter get chummy in the night sky. The planets won’t get this close again until 2033

NASA telescope spots a super Jupiter that takes more than a century to go around its star

If InSight’s location at Elysium Planitia near Mars’ equator is representative of the rest of the red planet, the underground water would be enough to fill a global ocean a mile or so (1 kilometer to 2 kilometers) deep, Wright said.

It would take drills and other equipment to confirm the presence of water and seek out any potential signs of microbial life.

Although the InSight lander is no longer working, scientists continue to analyze the data collected from 2018 through 2022, in search of more information about Mars’ interior.

Wet almost all over more than 3 billion years ago, Mars is thought to have lost its surface water as its atmosphere thinned, turning the planet into the dry, dusty world known today. Scientists theorize much of this ancient water escaped out into space or remained buried below.

BBC  ORCHESTRA   HOLST THE PLANETS  1.  MARS BRINGER OF WAR


Book Review: ‘Secret Life of the Universe’ is a primer on search for life beyond Earth





This cover image released by Scribner shows “The Secret Life of the Universe: An Astrobiologist’s Search for the Origins and Frontiers of Life” by Nathalie A. Cabrol. (Scribner via AP)


BY ANDREW DEMILLO
 August 12, 2024

As director of the Carl Sagan Center for Research at the SETI Institute, astrobiologist Nathalie A. Cabrol’s work is focused on answering the question of whether we’re alone in the universe.

In “The Secret Life of the Universe: An Astrobiologist’s Search for the Origins and Frontiers of Life,” readers won’t walk away with a clear-cut answer to that question. But they’ll have a newfound appreciation for the massive scientific undertaking that is moving closer toward finding one.

Cabrol writes that we’re in the midst of a “golden age of astrobiology,” and her book is an awe-inspiring and lucid primer for the general public on her field. That golden age is highlighted by images captured by the Webb Space Telescope that have transformed the public’s understanding of the universe.

From the moon to planets that mirror settings from “Star Wars,” Cabrol takes readers on a descriptive tour of the universe and the building blocks of life that scientists continue to chase.

Her writing and effort to broaden the public’s appreciation of the universe’s jaw-dropping vastness is unsurprisingly reminiscent of Sagan, the popular astronomer and namesake of the center she leads. And, like Sagan, she makes a compelling case for why we may not be alone in the universe.


She also offers a fascinating preview of future space missions that may help answer that question even further.

But, most importantly, she illustrates how understanding the nature of life in the universe may help underscore the need to address the challenges facing what for now remains a lonely pale blue dot.
___

AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews

ANDREW DEMILLO
DeMillo is a government and politics reporter for The Associated Press
Treasures from Egypt's last dynasty discovered in 63 tombs


Objects discovered inside tombs in the Tell al-Deir necropolis
 in the town of Damietta in the Nile Delta, around 200 km north of Cairo, Egypt. -
Copyright © africanewsAP/AP

By Rédaction Africanews
with AP Last updated
AUGUST 13,2024

Egypt


A treasure trove of artefacts from Egypt's last dynasty has been discovered in 63 tombs in the Nile Delta region and experts are working to restore and classify them, an official at the country's antiquities authority said Monday.

The artefacts include gold coins and jewelry dating from Egypt 's late Ptolemaic and early Ptolemaic periods , and some pieces could be displayed in one of the country's museums, said Neveine el-Arif, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

An Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities discovered the mud-brick tombs in the Tell al-Deir necropolis in the city of Damietta (Damietta governorate), the ministry said in a statement last month.

Other objects found in the tomb area include statues, funerary amulets and a pottery container containing 38 bronze coins dating to the Ptolemaic period.

The Ptolemaic dynasty was the last in Egypt before it was incorporated into the Roman Empire . The dynasty was founded in 305 BC after Alexander the Great of Macedon captured Egypt in 332 BC and one of his generals, Ptolemy, became Ptolemy I. Leadership was passed down through Ptolemy's descendants and ended with Cleopatra .

In 2018, Egypt exhibited objects from the Ptolemaic period for the first time at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, with around 300 objects.
Tunisia's honey festival celebrates beekeepers in tough times

By Rédaction Africanews
with AP Last updated
AUGUST 13,2024

Tunisia

Beekeepers in Tunisia are having a tough time. The country has over 300,000 hives tended by some 13,000 beekeepers.

However, many of them have seen their honey production drop due to threats including climate change, pollution, and pesticides.

Beekeeper Majid al-Khamari, who inherited the job from his father, says the current three-year drought has made things worse.


"It has forced us to move the bees from one place to another. There are 24 governorates. One governorate has pastures, one has weather. Each governorate has its own qualities," he says.

Hichem Maatoug, also a beekeeper, says that there is not enough medicine or nutritious food for the bees.

“Bees need feeding at certain times, or they will die,” he says.

“The state has not provided us with sugar syrup and other necessities, and that makes the work difficult for the farmers. But we adapt to the situation."

But despite the difficulties, the annual honey festival in the town of Sidi Alouane is celebrating the work of beekeepers from across the region.

More than 20 exhibitors from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and Libya are sharing their expertise and offering visitors many delicious honey products to taste.

Fathi al-Buhairi, president of the Arab Beekeepers Union says the festival is a celebration for both producers and “heritage makers”.

“It is an important opportunity for the marketing, introduction, and preservation of the Maghreb heritage in Tunisia. And it is crucial for the festival's development, especially since this is its 34th edition, indicating its long history."

Exhibitors see the festival as an excellent marketing opportunity, allowing them to highlight the variety of flavours and honey products they produce.

Bees, of course, also play a vital role in pollinating fruit trees, greatly benefiting farmers who host the beekeepers in their fields.

The festival in Sidi Alouane runs until 15 August.
Climate change, ‘major driving force’ behind extreme heat: WMO

‘We have seen many new station records being set this summer, number of European countries had their hottest July on record,’ says spokesperson

Muhammet İkbal Arslan |13.08.2024 - 
A sign displaying the temperature is seen as Code Orange warning has been issued in some parts of the country due to the heat wave affecting Brussels, Belgium on August 12, 2024.

GENEVA

Climate change is the “major driving force” that causes extreme heat all around the world, according to the spokesperson of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Clare Nullis told Anadolu that the WMO “measures temperatures over a 30-year baseline period, the most recent one is 1991-2020.”

“So, countries reporting above that would indicate that it's warmer than the 30-year average,” she said, adding: “For climate monitoring purposes, we use the pre-industrial baseline.”

“Climate change is the major driving force behind the current excessive heat,” she underlined.

This summer has seen many new station records, with several European countries experiencing their hottest July on record, though the continental high remains the one set in Sicily a few years ago, she added.

Extreme heat alert’ in Belgium

High temperatures have persisted across Europe into August, with Belgium now facing the heat wave.

The Royal Belgian Meteorological Institute has issued an "orange alert" for Aug. 12 and 13 in most of the country due to expected temperatures above seasonal norms, ranging from 30 to 35 degrees Celsius (86 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit), and reaching 36 degrees Celsius (nearly 97 degrees Fahrenheit) near the French border.

A "yellow alert" remained in place in some regions.

‘Orange alert’ in France

In France, where the heat wave continues, an "orange" alert was issued on Monday across 45 provinces.

Meteo-France has warned that temperatures will be high throughout much of the country.

The highest temperatures, ranging from 36 to 38 degrees Celsius (nearly 97 to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit), are expected in Ile-de-France, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Burgundy, Centre, Haute-Normandie, and Hauts-de-France.

Meanwhile, the Kosovo Health Ministry has cautioned citizens about the rising temperatures, indicating that measures such as restricting working hours may be implemented during the week.

UK’s hottest day in 2024

Aug. 12 was recorded as the hottest day of the year in the UK, with the Meteorological Office reporting a peak temperature of 34.8 degrees Celsius (nearly 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in Cambridge.

This marks the highest temperature since Aug. 13, 2022.

The Meteorological Office further noted that the south of the country would experience continued heat on Tuesday, with a shift to precipitation expected on Aug. 14.

The second half of the month is forecasted to be hot and dry, with occasional rain.

Additionally, the office confirmed that this summer ranks as the 11th hottest since 1961, highlighting that eight of the hottest summers have occurred since 2000, with six in the last decade.

Italian extreme heat

An extreme heat wave originating from Africa is expected to impact Italy throughout the week, with temperatures potentially reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) by Thursday, Aug. 15.

The Health Ministry has placed 19 cities, including Rome, in the "red" category, indicating the highest risk level for Tuesday, Aug. 13.

Italian media reported that temperatures on Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, remained above 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) for 33 hours, causing concerns that the mountain's glaciers are "dying" due to the intense heat.

Switzerland

Switzerland experienced intense heat over the weekend, with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius (over 91 degrees Fahrenheit) in Geneva and 34 degrees Celsius (over 93 degrees Fahrenheit) in Zurich on Aug. 12.

Some regions affected by the heat wave saw thundershowers on Monday night.

In the canton of Ticino, severe heat persisted, with the Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) recording the highest temperature of the year at 35.8 degrees Celsius (over 96 degrees Fahrenheit) on Aug. 10.

Temperatures across Switzerland are expected to drop by 4 degrees starting Wednesday.

Europe

Europe is warming at a rate more than twice the global average, with the continent's proximity to the Arctic playing a significant role.

From June 2023 to June 2024, global temperature records were broken for 13 consecutive months.

According to the EU's Copernicus satellite monitoring system, July 21 was recorded as the hottest day globally in recent history.

In 2023, every continent experienced widespread, intense, and prolonged heat waves, and the Earth's warming trend continued.

Experts predict that high temperatures will persist in many regions in the near term.

This year, Europe has again been heavily impacted by extreme heat, particularly in the Mediterranean and the Balkans, where prolonged heat waves were recorded in July.

* Writing by Merve Berker.