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Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Would Be ‘Devastating’ Without Israeli Freedom to Enforce Terms: Defense Expert
Israeli tanks are being moved, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, in the Golan Heights, Sept. 22, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Jim Urquhart
The Biden administration’s Mideast envoy arrived in Israel on Wednesday to advance ceasefire negotiations between Israel and the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah — a deal that one defense expert said could be “devastating” for Israel.
Amos Hochstein, who arrived in Jerusalem after meetings in Beirut earlier in the day, was scheduled to meet with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer to brief him on Lebanon’s response to the ceasefire proposal, according to a report in Axios. Hochstein was also due to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday, the report said.
After a two-hour meeting a day earlier with Nabih Berri, the Hezbollah-aligned Lebanese parliamentary speaker who is leading the Iran-backed terrorist group’s mediation efforts, Hochstein said the proposal was “a real opportunity to bring this conflict to an end.”
Hochstein said his first conversation with Berri was “very constructive and very helpful,” and that “additional progress” was made in a follow-up meeting. He did not stipulate the sticking points of the deal.
But retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, who leads the Israel Defense and Security Forum, a group of former military commanders, warned that the proposed deal would have disastrous consequences for Israel if it failed to rein in Iran.
“Any agreement with Lebanon will have to include Iran’s full exit from the country, total de-arming of Hezbollah, and the entry of Lebanon into the brotherhood of the moderate Sunni states with Israel,” Aviv told The Algemeiner.
Hochstein’s proposal, based on enforcing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, calls for Hezbollah’s withdrawal to north of the Litani River and the disarmament of its forces in southern Lebanon. The buffer zone would be under the jurisdiction of the Lebanese army and UN peacekeeping forces.
For nearly two decades, the UN resolution, which brought an end to the 2006 Second Lebanon War, was largely ignored by Hezbollah, which has continued to wield significant political and military influence in Lebanon. The group amassed a vast arsenal of missiles and constructed an extensive network of tunnels along the Israeli border in violation of the agreement.
As part of the ceasefire deal, Israel has insisted on retaining the right to conduct military operations against Hezbollah if the group attempts to rearm or rebuild its infrastructure — a stipulation that has met resistance from Lebanese officials, who argue it infringes on national sovereignty.
“We will not compromise on our military freedom of action in Lebanon if the agreement is violated. This is a red line. If Lebanon refuses to back down, we will continue to strike and operate deep within Lebanese territory until it complies,” a senior Israeli official was quoted by the Hebrew-language Makor Rishon newspaper as saying.
The anonymous official also said that Lebanon has rejected Israel’s demand for an enhanced monitoring force for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which Israel argued has failed to prevent Hezbollah’s buildup of power in recent years.
Israeli officials were also quoted by Israel’s Channel 12 as saying that a deal could be signed “within a week.”
A senior US official told the news channel: “Significant progress has been made; it is very close. Now is the time to make decisions.”
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, confirmed that the organization had reviewed the ceasefire proposal but emphasized that the decision to cease hostilities now rests with Israel. He also stressed that the terrorist group possesses the capability to sustain its current operational pace over an extended period unless Israel agrees to the proposed terms.
“We are advancing on two fronts: the battlefield and the negotiations. We do not pause our operations on the ground while waiting for the talks to conclude,” Qassem said in a televised address. Behind him was a picture of his slain predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, who Israel killed in a targeted airstrike in September.
“While the losses we’ve endured are painful, we have resilient leaders with remarkable courage, and we’ve managed to recover and move forward despite the setbacks,” he added.
Avivi stressed that a deal that does not allow Israel the freedom of action necessary to enforce its terms inside Lebanon would threaten Israeli national security and throw away a major opportunity.
“Any deal that doesn’t include Israel’s ability to impose it and prevent any future build up of Hezbollah will be devastating to Israel and will keep Hezbollah and Iranian control over Lebanon,” Avivi said. He added that such an agreement would also result in surrendering a “unique, historical opportunity to liberate Lebanon from the Shiite axis.”
Iran, which is ruled by a Shiite Muslim theocracy, has created what its supporters have dubbed an “axis of resistance” across the Middle East, aimed at destroying Israel and combating US and broader Western influence. For decades, Hezbollah has been the regime’s most powerful proxy.
The post Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire Would Be ‘Devastating’ Without Israeli Freedom to Enforce Terms: Defense Expert first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Surge of Antisemitic Incidents Rocks France Amid Growing Security Concerns
The Paris Holocaust Memorial, three synagogues, and a Jewish restaurant were all vandalized with green paint last weekend. Photo: Screenshot
France has been hit by a wave of antisemitic incidents in recent days, despite increased security at Jewish sites nationwide following last month’s antisemitic shooting in Washington, DC — prompting urgent calls from the country’s Jewish community for stronger government action amid growing fears of escalating violence.
On Friday, a French rabbi was violently assaulted by three drunken individuals in the town of Deauville, located in the Normandy region of northwestern France.
According to local police, Rabbi Eli Lemel — a prominent figure in French Jewry — was attacked around 3:30 pm by three men who approached him, repeatedly punched him in the stomach, and shouted antisemitic slurs.
French authorities have launched an investigation into the assault, but no arrests have been made so far.
After the incident, Lemel called on the Jewish community to draw spiritual strength amid the increasing hostility that Jews are facing across France.
“I’m deeply moved by the outpouring of support following the attack. Thank God, I’m okay,” the Jewish leader wrote in a post on X. “I was struck and verbally abused in a language I didn’t understand.”
In a separate incident, a 21-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after climbing a synagogue in the town of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine in north-central France, removing an Israeli flag from its façade, and attempting to set it on fire.
According to local media, the suspect — who was already known to authorities for prior offenses — confessed to committing the attack and admitted to being intoxicated at the time.
French police confirmed that the man is being charged with trespassing in a place of worship, theft by climbing, and causing damage to property on religious grounds.
The local Jewish community has voiced deep concern following this incident, viewing it as part of a broader surge in hostility targeting Jewish institutions across France.
Sandrine Dos Santos, the city’s mayor, expressed “[her] solidarity, as well as that of the city, toward the Jewish community directly targeted by these unacceptable antisemitic acts.”
“Faced with the increase in violence, our commitment against discrimination remains unwavering and will not waver. We repeat it loud and clear: no form of racism or rejection of others has a place in Poissy,” the French leader said.
In a separate incident on Saturday, three Serbs were arrested near Antibes in southeastern France, suspected of painting several Jewish community buildings green in Paris — an act currently under investigation as possible foreign interference.
Last weekend, the Paris Holocaust Memorial, three synagogues, and a Jewish restaurant were all vandalized with green paint in an incident denounced by the French government.
On Monday, an elementary school in Lyon, east-central France, was set on fire and defaced with antisemitic and pro-Palestinian slogans, as well as swastikas, marking one of the latest antisemitic incidents to impact France in recent days.
As the school had no direct connections to the Jewish community, local police have launched an investigation to determine the motive behind the attack.
French authorities reported that the fire was limited to the outdoor bathrooms, causing no significant damage to the school. They also found antisemitic graffiti and swastikas in three classrooms.
Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF), denounced the attack, saying that “the Palestinian cause is used as justification for burning down a school” and that the “Nazification of Israel serves as fuel for crass antisemitism.”
“When a populist pro-Palestinian narrative is allowed to take hold, it is French Jews who ultimately pay the price,” Arfi wrote in a post on X. “The twisted use of the Palestinian cause is turning into a rallying cry of hatred against both Jews and the Republic itself.”
Voilà où nous en sommes !
La cause palestinienne sert de justification pour incendier une école
Quand on laisse gagner un discours populiste propalestinien, ce sont les Français juifs qui en paient le prix.… https://t.co/dMaQBnbfqi
— Yonathan Arfi (@Yonathan_Arfi) June 1, 2025
Beyond France, other European countries have also experienced a surge in antisemitic incidents in recent weeks.
On Monday, several headstones were vandalized at a Jewish cemetery in a suburb of Belgrade, located in north-central Serbia, marking the second such incident in the country in recent weeks.
The post Surge of Antisemitic Incidents Rocks France Amid Growing Security Concerns first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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US Vetoes UN Security Council Demand for Gaza Ceasefire
Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from Israel, June 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Amir Cohen
The United States vetoed a UN Security Council demand on Wednesday for an “immediate, unconditional, and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza and unhindered aid access across the enclave.
“The United States has been clear we would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the council before the vote.
“This resolution would undermine diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire that reflects the realities on the ground, and embolden Hamas,” she said of the text that was put forward by 10 countries on the 15-member council.
The remaining 14 council members voted in favor of the draft resolution.
Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. It has renewed its military offensive in Gaza – also seeking to free hostages held by Hamas – since ending a two-month ceasefire in March.
The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people in Israel in an Oct. 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave.
The post US Vetoes UN Security Council Demand for Gaza Ceasefire first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Trump Picks Lawyer Who Called Oct. 7 Attack a ‘Psyop’ to Lead Federal Watchdog Agency
Paul Ingrassia. Photo: Screenshot
Paul Ingrassia, a 29-year-old lawyer who was recently nominated by US President Donald Trump to lead a federal agency dedicated to combating corruption and protecting whistleblowers, seemingly dismissed the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2o23, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel as a “psyop,” or “psychological operation, in resurfaced social media posts.
“This ‘war’ is yet another psyop to distract Americans from celebrating Columbus Day,” Ingrassia wrote on X/Twitter on Oct. 8, 2023.
“I think we could all admit at this stage that Israel/Palestine, much like Ukraine before it, and BLM before that, and covid/vaccine before that, was another psyop,” he posted a week later. “But sadly, people fell for it. And they’ll fall for the next one too.”
On the actual day of the Oct. 7 massacre, Ingrassia compared illegal immigration into the US to the Hamas-led onslaught.
“The amount of energy everyone has put into condemning Hamas (and prior to that, the Ukraine conflict) over the past 24 hours should be the same amount of energy we put into condemning our wide open border, which is a war comparable to the attack on Israel in terms of bloodshed — but made worse by the fact that it’s occurring in our very own backyard,” he posted. “We shouldn’t be beating the war drum, however tragic the events may be overseas, until we resolve our domestic problems first.”
Trump announced last week that he picked Ingrassia to serve as head of the US Office of Special Counsel, a position that requires confirmation by the Senate.
The Office of Special Counsel is an independent federal ethics agency that works to ensure fairness and accountability within the government. Ingrassia’s role, if he is confirmed, would involve investigating claims of wrongdoing, such as retaliation against whistleblowers or improper political activity in the workplace. The official can recommend disciplinary action and reports serious findings to Congress, helping to protect federal employees and uphold the integrity of the civil service system.
Ingrassia also maintains a relationship with and defends alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate, who has promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media. Tate wrote on X/Twitter that he refuses to “listen to women, Mexicans, or Jews” and that Jewish people are “subverting Western populations into mass genetic suicide” by advancing what he described as misguided immigration policy. Tate has also accused Israel of committing a “genocide” in Gaza against Palestinians and engaged in Holocaust denialism.
The furor surrounding Ingrassia is the latest dustup the Trump administration has had regarding controversial personnel and antisemitism.
The Trump administration’s appointment of Kingsley Wilson as deputy press secretary at the Department of Defense also sparked widespread criticism due to her history of promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories and extremist views. Wilson, formerly associated with the Center for Renewing America, has a documented history of social media posts endorsing white supremacist ideologies, including claims about the 1915 lynching of Leo Frank — a Jewish man whose wrongful conviction and subsequent murder galvanized the founding of the Anti-Defamation League. In 2023, she tweeted that Frank “raped & murdered a 13-year-old girl,” a statement aligning with neo-Nazi narratives.
Late last month, the Pentagon announced that Wilson will be promoted and serve as the department’s new press secretary.
The post Trump Picks Lawyer Who Called Oct. 7 Attack a ‘Psyop’ to Lead Federal Watchdog Agency first appeared on Algemeiner.com.