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Les Vitailles's avatar

First logical explanation I've seen of why Hezbollah threatened Cyprus

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Susan Hirshorn's avatar

My late husband, a Sabra and an IDF veteran, told me about an incident he experienced while working as a seaman for an Israeli merchant line. An Arab seaman who was also employed there bullied my husband constantly - verbally and physically - when no one was around to witness this. Fed up, my husband got himself some brass knuckles and literally punched the guy senseless. Astoundingly, when the guy recovered, he greeted my husband as a "long lost friend" - and, indeed, they were great pals after that. My husband came to the conclusion - from this experience and other ones (not quite as dramatic) - that you MUST show strength to Arabs. They respect this. Applying Western psychology and other pacifist strategies DOES NOT WORK.

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rosalie donadio's avatar

I remember the Arab proverberb: You kiss the hand you cannot bite (I think this should be the MO of Israeli's dealing with them.

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Susan Hirshorn's avatar

I think the Israelis - Bibi at least - know this. They are being held back by the US who has them at a terrible disadvantage in terms of supplying the weapons they need. Shabbat shalom!

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V3's avatar

I think the socio-religious-tribal phenomenon is best understood through the “Honor - Shame” cultures in the middle east that cripple their societies.

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Ira Seidenstein, PhD (Edu)'s avatar

Crystal clear. No crystal ball required. Eventually we your readers will require a non-specifically Israel consideration to reveal the whole global game or games. I am only guessing, but it certainly 'feels' like there is a direct lineage/continuum of obscure 'separate' activities say from an arbitrary starting point of anitifa's boldness to blm to the democrat led woke cities and woke mayors and governors in the USA to the 'jab thing' i.e. WHO, WEF ('Herre Adolf' Klaus Schwab), CDC, FDA, NIH, big pharma, blackrock to the invasion into Ukraine etc. A different arbitrary starting point could be Rosa Koire's 4-part youtube explanation in 2012 regarding the 1992 international pact called Agenda-21. I'd write it but you would do a MUCH better job. Your own way. But it does seem timely to expand to include the broadest global patterns which include Israel as is i.e. just another modern State?

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George Lubell's avatar

Your analysis of the geopolitical situation surrounding Israel unfortunately represents reality. Appeasement doesn't work when dealing with the Amelikites. Moreover, know thy enemy, never underestimate your enemy, and history repeats itself are proverbs that have not been respected and appreciated in dealing with the existential threats for this region. Too msny leaders have either been asleep at the wheel and/or lack a realistic appreciation and perspective of the Middle Eastern mindset, both in Isreal and the West. Lebanon's non compliance with UNSCR 1701 should have been dealt with 18 years ago. At this point, I don't think that the Hesbollah threat can be effectively and expeditiously neutralized by conventional warfare (i.e. a few days), if the present time frame of the Hamas campaign serves as a benchmark.

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DocSue's avatar

I’m a bit confused. On one hand, you say that Hezbollah is weak but then you say it has built up quite an arsenal. I’ve also read that it has a more advanced underground tunnel system than Hamas. Which means, a lot more danger to the IDF.

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Joshua Hoffman's avatar

Weak in mentality.

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Ciska Schenk's avatar

Weak mentality? Their ideology is built on NOT showing weakness. Nasralla knows that there are many successors ready to take his place... They adore showing off. But as we know, their ideology does promote lies as long as it serves their goal. Sad sad sad part of humanity.

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Ciska Schenk's avatar

Their puppets on Khameini's strings... Who's been supplying weapons for decades, forcing Hezbollah military capacities (bombs, drones and worse).

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Robin Alexander's avatar

I said it before and I will say it again: where is the CIA when you need them? If there were no Iranian scientists, they could not create a nuclear program. Easy. Now, put into context, the CIA (and by extension obviously, the USA), can be charged with creating this situation in the first place. Iran had a democratically elected government but the US and UK didn't like the idea that Iran should keep its own oil profits, so something had to be done. In 1954 that government was ousted and they put in the Shah - who, as it turned out, was quite repressive. (I was attending UT Austin during those years when Iranian students were continually demonstrating against the Shah, with masks on, fearing for their relatives' lives back in Iran). When the Shah was ousted, we got the Ayatollahs and here we are. So, I ask once again, where is the CIA when you need them?

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Jun 21
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Joshua Hoffman's avatar

Iranians are Arabs. Who are you kidding.

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Ciska Schenk's avatar

Iran is governed by an Islamic califat regime. Many iranian aka Persian people are not Arabs nor Muslim. Many had to convert to islam to survive.

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Jun 21
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Ciska Schenk's avatar

Thank you, interesting reading.

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Ciska Schenk's avatar

Unfortunately your source states :

"On October 7, 2023, axis ally Hamas, a Palestinian militant group in the Gaza Strip, launched a land, sea, and air attack on Israel. Nasrallah congratulated Hamas on the attack;"

Hamas is the leading government of the Gaza strip since 2007, and is declared a Terrorist organisation since their October 7th attack which was a brutal slaughter on both israeli and civilians with other nationalities and religions. Bedouins, Thai, African, Russian, US and European citizens are among the victims.

I can only recommend to read multiple sources to get a beoader vision on facts.

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Jun 22
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Ciska Schenk's avatar

That Britannica is biased.

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