This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Necmeddin Bilal Erdogan, Turkish strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's second-eldest son (and second-eldest among four children) is organizing a rally in Istanbul on Jan. 1 in which the NATO member allegedly will expressly outline its designs on Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem.
The so-called "protest" is being organized under the banner "Yesterday Hagia Sophia (Constantinople), today the Umayyad Mosque, tomorrow Al-Aqsa." Hagia Sophia refers to the fact Istanbul's formerly most famous church, which was in almost constant use for more than 1,000 years from A.D. 360 to 1453, was reverted to its previous use as a mosque in July 2020, and given the title Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. It had been a Muslim place of worship after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, until it became a museum in 1935. Islam has a rule that if a place of worship was ever once a mosque – even if it has not had the designation for decades or even centuries – it retains its holiness to Muslims in perpetuity. In the Old City of Jerusalem, the Mosque of Omar, which stands in the courtyard of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, exists for this very reason; because Caliph Omar refused to pray in the church knowing its use would one day be forced to change.
The reference by the younger Erdogan to the Umayyad Mosque is a taunt aimed at Syria to imply its larger neighbor, which now controls enormous swaths of the country, has control of Damascus. The Umayyad Caliphate or Empire, predated the Ottoman one by some 700-800 years, and whose capital was in Damascus.
The third part of the slogan clearly refers to Jerusalem, given that Al-Aqsa is the city's most famous mosque. (The golden Dome of the Rock is a shrine, not a mosque). The Ottoman Turks ruled the entire area of Syria, Lebanon and modern-day Israel, although they were part of different administrative units, and modern-day Turkey has designs on expanding its living space.
This seems a clear indication of Turkey feeling its oats, and seems to be a nod to the expansionism which has always been a part of Erdogan senior's platform. He appears to feel the loss of the Ottoman Empire more keenly than most and would like nothing more than to see its former glory restored. With the fall of Assad's Syria – and the retreat of those other imperial powers Russia and Iran – coupled with the attempts to install a new leader – Ahmed al-Sharaa – who is significantly warmer toward Turkey, even partially relying on his lightning takeover of the country on his backers in Ankara, perhaps he assesses that day is closer than even he might have allowed himself to dream.
In Caroline Glick's pithy analysis, she argues "Turkey declares war on Israel everyday." This does certainly have the ring of truth about it, as President Erdogan is constantly banging the drum for the takeover of Jerusalem – and uses his official X account to show his allegiance to Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock.
Without getting all Psych101, there is quite an interesting political parallel between Bilal Erdogan and Yair Netanyahu, the elder son of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahi. It appears both sons are adept at using the family name to further the messages of their more famous – some might say infamous – fathers. In his own right, Yair Netanyahu is a deeply polarizing figure for his frequently incendiary public statements and his particular choice of targets. Perhaps Bilal Erdogan is doing exactly the same thing by telegraphing and channeling his father's wishes – despite what the fallout might be.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Saturday night was one of high drama as U.S. Air Force jets took off from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, and were joined by Royal Air Force fighters based out of Cyprus to attack Houthi strongholds in Yemen.
According to a statement from CENTCOM, "U.S. forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled territory in Sana'a, Yemen, on Dec. 21 Yemen time."
The statement added the target of the missions was to "disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden."
American forces also downed a number of drones and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea, which only goes to prove the U.S. military is capable of downing unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, far from home.
The night's high tension, however, was not limited only to the skies directly above the Yemeni capital Sana'a. Reports emerged of the downing of a USAF F/A-18F "Super Hornet" over the Red Sea after the USS Gettysburg, a guided missile cruiser within the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group fired at the airplane.
CENTCOM reports both the pilot and the navigator managed to eject safely, with one sustaining only minor injuries, and the incident was due to critical failures in coordination.
The mishap is indeed curious because unless aircraft are on covert missions, they are supposed to fly with Identification Friend or Foe, or IFF, transponders activated to prevent exactly this type of incident.
The action by coalition forces came less than 24 hours after the Houthi fired a ballistic missile at central Israel at approximately 3:45 a.m. local time, which struck Tel Aviv wounding at least 16 people.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center
JERUSALEM – Sitting at Jerusalem's First Station, a gentrified update of the city's literal first train station for the locomotives that connected the ancient city to the almost equally antiquated port of Jaffa, one is struck by just how much archaeology has added to our understanding of civilizations.
A newly updated website called Israel in Their Land seeks to allow its visitors to viscerally connect ancient fragments of clay and stone, with more recent documents, which describe the millennia-long Jewish presence in the land of Israel.
AnaRina Kreisman, the director of Align with Zion, who was instrumental in working with philanthropist George Blumenthal in developing the site, is excited about how it can be used as a powerful tool to explain the irrefutable evidence of a celestial plan.
In fact, the site is broken down into three principal time periods; from Abraham to the Second Temple; from just before the destruction of Herod's temple until the 1800s; and finally the initial waves of 19th century Aliyah until the present day.
"The site itself takes in approximately 3,500 years of history of the Jewish people – or we can say the Israelite presence in the Jewish homeland, the Land of Israel. There is a lot of ignorance in the world at the moment, it includes everybody, and in a world where facts are being generated as you go along, you don't always know what's true and what's not. But you can get into history – we show archaeological proof, as well as lots of documents – and if you consult your Bible you will see the biblical narrative being correlated. So, the fact that a number of people now claim that we are settlers, this site shows you the continuous presence of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel … even after the Bar Kochba Revolt."
Kreisman explains that this shows the Jewish people's ancient enemies were present in the land, and recorded their impressions of the Jews they encountered there for posterity in clay and stone. The emphasis on non-Jewish sources backing up the ancient Jewish claims to the land is key.
"After the Bar Kochba revolt, people thought the Jews were exiled, but there has always been a Jewish presence in the land. After all the empires that have tried to annihilate the Jewish people, yet the Jews have always remained in their traditional homeland. Indeed, this knowledge comes with tremendous gratitude that we're still here. What's behind it? It's a covenant that God gave to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He said, 'this is your land.' And it is that connection and covenant, which means many Jews are returning from exile."
The use of non-Jewish sources continues in the middle period the site covers, as it shows how Christian and Muslim pilgrims documented the Jewish presence in the land. It is their sources, which help explain how the land and the people, and Torah are one.
"That's why Jews who are outside of the land, always pray toward Jerusalem as did Daniel in the lions' den, toward the Temple Mount – so Jews are reminded wherever they are," Kreisman said.
"In the 1800s, just like in the Babylonian exile the Jews left in stages, so, now at this point they return in waves. All those things are documented in a timeline. Every find or document has a shareable link, and you can share it with people. What's beautiful about the site is that the Bible comes alive. Through archaeology it helps us to understand and interpret the Bible."
One of the ways in which the site does this is to highlight characters, such as King David, about whom chapters of the Bible are devoted. However, despite descriptions about the exploits of his life and the extent of his kingdom, he was always a somewhat tantalizing figure, because until relatively recently there was essentially no documentary proof he existed.
Some Bible minimalists charged he was only a local chieftain whose tribal lands were only modest. However, their maximalist opponents – taking the words of the Bible at face-value declared he was a mighty warrior, the head of an impressively large kingdom. Then in 1993, the entire framework of that narrative was flipped on his head by an astonishing discovery.
Archaeologists uncovered the Tel Dan Stele, which contains an Aramaic inscription which mentions the "House of David." "And again, it's not a Jewish source," Kreisman insists. "We don't have to prove anything. As people of faith, we believe it. This site can help anyone who wants to get the truth out there to actually show it."
Furthermore, the Israel in their Land site shows how political disagreements and maneuvering has been a part of communal life for centuries – and is not just relevant to the modern day.
"Ezra and Nehemiah get into deep political difficulties; and we can learn about these things within a greater context. People lobbied hard against them, and they really had their work cut out to complete the construction of the Temple in Ezra's case, and the Broad Wall in Nehemiah's. And it is not something we should be afraid of, because we can see God's hand at work. God's name is not directly mentioned in the Book of Esther, for example, but even in this seeming hiddenness, His presence is overwhelming."
A fascinating comparison is the people who built the wall were described as holding a "sword in one hand and a brick in the other." This resonates deeply with the situation modern-day Israelis find themselves in; trying to maintain a semblance of a normal life, while also fending off genocidal enemies from all directions.
She also sees God's hand in helping to unearth more of Jerusalem's long-buried secrets.
"Those ancient seals from Jeremiah and Isaiah were supposed to disintegrate after a hundred years or so because they were made of softish clay. However, they were buried during the city's destruction and it was the heat created by fires used to accomplish this, which allowed archaeologists to dig them up – complete – centuries later.
"Truly, one of the most awesome aspects of the site is that people can see these great discoveries like the Seal of the Prophet Isaiah, and also that of King Hezekiah. Finding them and making them available for users really makes the Bible come alive. We've worked in things so that people can connect the dots, which allows them to see a totally different world. And if you're part of it, you want to know how you can align with it."
Studying them has completely changed our understanding of things. God has a way of revealing important facts and helping bring them to light." And the verification of the Biblical narrative is certainly a thorn in the side of organizations such as UNESCO, the World Heritage Foundation. Backed by the Obama administration, it asserted there was no connection between Jerusalem and the Bible, and that the city only belongs to the Islamic faith. Why else would the same organization be calling for a cessation of archaeological digs in and around Jerusalem? Could it be due to the fact too much evidence of a Jewish presence long predating anything Islamic or Arab is constantly being turned up?
"The site shows there is a time and a sign for everything; and if we learn to acknowledge the signs then we can be on the right side of history. After the destruction of Jerusalem she slowly got lost and as it says in Isaiah 49:6, God explicitly says he will not forget Jerusalem. 'See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem's walls in ruins.' One thing happens and there is a domino effect, and we're in the midst of that. New things are being discovered every day and we're starting to get a bigger and clearer picture.
Jerusalem sits on a timeline, which can be broken down into accurate segments and begin to make a lot of chronological sense.
"In 1867 Charles Warren discovered the City of David. In 1917 General Allenby liberated the Old City having driven north following the fall of Beersheeba. In 1967 the IDF liberated the whole of Jerusalem following Israel's lightning victory in the Six Day War. And in 2017, President Trump declared Jerusalem the eternal capital of Israel. The timeframe of the 'Yovel' or 'Jubilee' – a 50-year cycle after which there is a massive shift – is very clear."
King Cyrus – to whom U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been compared – didn't specifically say to the Jews they could go back and build their Temple, although this was effectively the outcome. When he came to the throne, Cyrus utilized the help of the priests of Marduk during Nabonidus' reign, gaining their support – after earlier aiding them – to assist him in dethroning Nabonidus in a peaceful transition of power. He repaid them by allowing them to rebuild their temple. He saw what worked for him and decreed similarly for all the lands under his control. In this way he permitted the Jews to follow their own specific religious practices, which included a rededication of their previously destroyed Temple.
An obvious question, given the amount of evidence tying Jewish history to the land, is why despite it, do people still question Judaism's connection, and try to minimize it at best, while others attempt to erase it completely.
"There has been an anti-Semitic dynamic for centuries," Kreisman notes. "It always gets to the point when Jews 'become a problem.' I think that when Jews come back to the land of which they were created – to be a light unto the nations. We can sometimes occupy a gray area, which is where we can often be misunderstood – such as the need to physically defend ourselves after being attacked, as well as fending off the criticisms. And you can see after Oct. 7 Jewish people have become stronger in their identity and the site has received much more traffic. If you follow history; in every generation people want to find a reason to annihilate the Jews."
"I believe archaeology is connected to the consciousness of the world," says Kreisman. "People want the truth no matter what the propaganda is. The more we uncover the secrets of Jerusalem's past, the more knowledge grows in the world as well."
According to Kreisman, "Jerusalem calls back her sons; her destiny is entwined with the Jewish people. Her only comfort is for her sons to return. The more Jewish people return and the more we uncover about the city, the more people will return. Nothing is happenstance, it's all correlated. The more you support Israel, the more you support the truth of Israel, the more you are bringing the bigger truth about. We have ambassadors who are fighting for the truth and it means something; it does something."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Another day, another international non-governmental organization (NGO) throws out a wild accusation of Israel's committing "genocide" against the Palestinians in Gaza. This time it is Human Rights Watch, whose report follows closely on a recent Amnesty International document that accused Israel of committing "genocide due to starvation." That report was so egregious the Israel branch of Amnesty completely disowned its own parent organization's so-called findings.
Israel's Foreign Ministry came out strongly against the HRW report and baldly accused it of a "blood libel" for propagating a claim for which there is no evidence. Indeed, COGAT, the body which administers activities in Judea and Samaria and deals with humanitarian aid in Gaza, put figures to its disclaimer of the report. Calling it an "egregious" lie, it showed it had disbursed more water – approximately 20 liters per person per day – rather than the "international standard 15 liters" to the people of Gaza. In addition, Israel facilitated hundreds of water infrastructure repairs, both in northern and southern Gaza. It also fixed water lines leading to Gaza on the Israeli side that were damaged by Hamas. And some of these repairs were done under fire. It should also be recalled that Hamas uses water pipes as firing tubes for rockets aimed at Israeli population centers. Israel also facilitated the repair of the "Kela" electricity line (which Hamas damaged on Oct. 7), so the desalination plant in Khan Yunis can work at full capacity.
Arsen Ostrovsky from the International Legal Forum, which centralizes efforts of lawyers, organizations and activists worldwide in their fight to promote justice, peace and equality in Israel and the Middle East, blasted the HRW report. "Human Rights Watch may as well change its name to Hamas Rights Watch, " he wrote in a statement.
On being asked why the report had come out now, Ostrovsky responded the situation was two-pronged. "Like the Amnesty report, it is being used to bolster South Africa's upcoming case in the International Court of Justice. However, in addition, the genocide charge has been fully exposed for what it is: a perversion of justice, without any legal basis or merit. Therefore, groups like Amnesty and HRW, as well as now Ireland and others, are seeking to redefine the very meaning of the term 'genocide,' to fit their warped agenda of vilifying Israel and denying the Jewish state its inalienable right to self-defense."
There seems to be some kind of game being played with all the accusations leveled against Israel; the more outrageous the claims against it the more international aid organizations among others double down on their rhetoric, accusing it of the most ghastly crimes, and ensuring enormous amounts of time, energy, and money are absorbed by these claims.
And Ostrovsky says it is deliberate and coordinated. "The vast majority of these civil society groups have long abandoned their pursuit of human rights. It is essentially an anti-Israel cabal weaponizing the language of human rights and international law, in a relentless lawfare pursuit and hounding of Israel." Added to the Amnesty/HRW mix is Medicine Sans Frontier, which as if by magic, released an equally damning report about Israel, claiming it has seen "signs of ethnic cleansing.
With regard to the reanimation of ancient blood libels, he points out it is the "oldest hatred, but manifesting for the modern times, as a pursuit of Israel as the Jew amongst the nations. It also only underscores and exposes how baseless these allegations are and how much they are motivated by sheer anti-Semitism, than any pursuit of justice or international law."
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Report: Hamas agrees to exile high-profile prisoners as part of hostage, end-of-war deal
Reports emerged Wednesday evening regarding what appears to be a slight softening of Hamas' position regarding the future of high-profile prisoners it has requested be released as part of the deal to return some of the Israeli hostages it's holding in Gaza.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas, mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, are now in their final stages, the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported Wednesday.
According to sources quoted in the newspaper, at this stage, discussions are underway regarding the identity of the Palestinian prisoners who will be released as part of the deal. The report claims "heavyweight" terrorists serving life sentences will probably be deported to Turkey, and also to Iran —a country whose name has not been mentioned so far as a possible destination for exile. The rest will be released to Judea and Samaria, and the Gaza Strip, reported Israeli outlet Ynet.
Swiss parliament votes to outlaw Hezbollah
Switzerland's parliament on Tuesday took the rare step of voting to ban Hezbollah, It was a decision which diverged from the country's long-standing tradition of neutrality and fostering dialogue for international mediation.
Proponents of the ban, which was endorsed by the lower house following the approval from the upper house last week, argued that Hezbollah poses a significant threat to global security, necessitating Switzerland's firm stance against terrorism, reported Israel National News.
WATCH: Assad's Syrian mass graves unearthed, fears up to 150,000 bodies might be buried
Irish president maintains diplomatic spat with Israel accusing it of 'slander'
Irish President Michael D. Higgins accused Israel of "slander" and of seeking to build a "settlement" in Egypt, as the diplomatic acrimony between the countries rumbles on. Speaking at a credentials ceremony for PLO "Ambassador" Jilan Abdaljamid and Ambassador of Italy Nicola Faganello, Higgins responded to a question about Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar labeling him an "anti-Semite," according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
It's a "very serious business to actually brand a people because in fact they disagree with Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who is in breach of so many bits of international law, and who has beached the sovereignty of three of his neighbors, in relation to Lebanon, Syria, and would like in fact actually to have a settlement into Egypt," Higgins said.
Report: British intelligence foiled 2 assassination attempts against pope during 2021 Iraq visit
Pope Francis has revealed he was targeted in a failed assassination attempt during his 2021 visit to Iraq, according to excerpts of his upcoming memoir to mark his 88th birthday, reported news outlet Semafor.
British intelligence warned Iraqi authorities – who in turn told Vatican security – that a woman wearing explosives was traveling to Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, with the intention of blowing herself up during the papal visit, the memoir revealed. A van traveled to the city with "the same intent," his security detail told the pope at the time. The Iraqi authorities successfully intercepted both would-be suicide bombers, according to the book.
Khamanei warns Israel of its impending demise, says axis of resistance still strong
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a belligerent message on Wednesday, in which he again predicted Israel's imminent demise at the hands of its enemies.
Khamanei coupled this message with a projection of strength among the so-called "axis of resistance," which he said was far more resilient than its recent losses would suggest, according to the Jewish News Syndicate, or JNS. His statement coincided with internal tensions in the country as well as an economic crisis in which a 35% inflation rate has plunged the currency to historical lows against the dollar.
20 Dems in Congress urge Biden to halt offensive weaponry sale to Israel
A group of 20 members of Congress from the Democratic Party on Tuesday wrote a letter calling on the Biden administration to suspend offensive military transfers to the Israeli government, reports Israel National News.
The letter was spearheaded by Reps. Greg Casa, D-Texas, and Summer Lee, D-Pa., who are members of the so-called "Squad" of anti-Israel Democrats, with 18 other members of Congress joining.
The letter follows the Biden administration's Oct. 13, 2024 letter to then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer which identified steps the Israeli government must take for continued transfers of offensive weapons to be in accordance with US law and policy.
U.S. forces strike Houthi command center in Yemeni capital Sana'a
U.S. forces conducted an airstrike against a command center operated by the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
According to the U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, the command-and-control facility was used to coordinate Houthi operations, including "attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden."
It is also suspected the recent ballistic missile strike at Israel – which sent millions of citizens running to bomb shelters and protected rooms, was also coordinated from here.
Nuclear watchdog chief says reviving Iran nuclear deal irrelevant as Islamic Republic nears military level uranium enrichment
Refael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency declared this week there was little point in reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with regard to Iran's nuclear ambitions, as the Islamic Republic is practically a nuclear threshold state.
The atomic regulator's comments came as the U.N. monitor has grown increasingly frustrated with Iran as it has blown past stockpile limits set by the landmark pact and spurned inspections since Washington abandoned the deal in 2018.
According to an IAEA report handed to member states and leaked to the press earlier this month, Iran has begun dramatically expanding its production of uranium enriched to near-weapons grade levels, collecting enough material for several bombs already, according to a report in the Times of Israel.
Palestinians sue U.S. State Department over American support for Israel's war in Gaza
Five Palestinian families filed a lawsuit against the U.S. State Department on Tuesday, alleging the agency, under Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has violated U.S. human rights laws by continuing to provide military support to Israel during its war in Gaza. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia reported the Media Line.
The plaintiffs accuse the State Department of bypassing the Leahy Laws, which prohibit U.S. military assistance to individuals or units accused of gross human-rights violations unless they have been held accountable. The lawsuit highlights allegations from South Africa at the World Court and Amnesty International that Israel is committing genocide and war crimes in Gaza, claims that Israel has firmly denied.
What's the future of Russian bases in a post-Assad Syria?
According to Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, Moscow is engaged in intensive talks with the new authorities in Damascus to secure agreements on retaining its two bases in Syria. This is especially notable given the hasty withdrawal of forces belonging to Assad's other ally, the regime in Tehran.
Russia, like most other actors in the region, was shocked at the speed with which the HTS rebels overtook vast swaths of the country, ultimately deposing the Syrian dictator.
On Dec. 12, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reported "constructive" talks with the leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stating that Russian forces were "invited by the Syrian authorities to fight terrorist organizations, a fight that is not yet over."
Qatar grabs Syrian foothold
Following the collapse of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria last week, Qatar's foreign ministry issued an official statement, saying that Doha "is closely monitoring developments in Syria and calls for preserving the nation's institutions and unity." Numerous discussions have since taken place between Qatari officials and various regional leaders from across the political spectrum, reported Ynet news.
Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, said the country is closely following regional developments, particularly the war in Gaza and the situations in Syria and Lebanon.
Some commentators have highlighted the reanimation of the Turkey-Qatar gas pipeline, which Assad had shelved, and which will be a way for Europe to bypass Russia's supply.
IDF troops destroy Hezbollah command center in southern Lebanon
Despite the ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel seeming to still hold, it does not mean the IDF has been idle in its pursuit of tearing down the Iranian proxy's terrorist infrastructure. Far from it.
According to the military, the underground facility was used by Hezbollah to direct numerous rocket attacks on Israeli towns in the Galilee in the past year.
According to the Times of Israel, troops located weapons, surveillance equipment, and other military gear inside the tunnel, the IDF says.
The IDF said several weapons depots were located near the tunnel, including one inside a mosque, where hundreds of explosive devices, guns, grenades, and other equipment were stored.
Israel unveils first domestically built quantum computer
Israel earlier this week unveiled its first domestically built quantum computer, pushing the country forward in the global race for "quantum supremacy," according to a report on Israel21c.
The 20-qubit computer which utilizes advanced superconducting technology was developed under the leadership of Israel Aerospace Industries, in cooperation with the Israel Innovation Authority and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and its technology transfer company, Yissum.
IAI has been investing substantial resources into making Israel a leading nation in the sphere of quantum computing and infrastructure. Its quantum computer lab will focus on design, simulation, integration, and the adaptation of practical applications for the newly unveiled quantum computer.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
We now know the number of FBI assets the Department of Justice admits were in the crowd on that Jan. 6, 2021, day when there was a riot at the U.S. Capitol.
That would be 26, according to a report from DOJ inspector general Michael Horowitz.
But the real question is what did they do?
It is Washington Examiner columnist Byron York who focused Friday on that specific issue.
He pointed out that of the 26, "17 went into the Capitol or the restricted area around the Capitol. Of them, four went inside the Capitol, while 13 were on the restricted grounds. Beyond that number, nine CHSs did not enter the Capitol or the restricted area. We don't know where they were," he said.
Of course, some 1,500 other Americans have been arrested and prosecuted for charges that sometimes include no more than going into the Capitol.
York continued, "The FBI told Horowitz that most of the CHSs came to Washington on their own and not at the orders of or request of the FBI. But several of them, 13 in all, informed their FBI handlers that they were traveling to Washington. Three of the CHSs had been assigned by FBI field offices to go to Washington. Of that group, one entered the Capitol, while the other two entered the restricted area. The report says that none of them were authorized by the FBI to enter those areas. Of the 23 other CHSs who were not assigned to go to Washington and instead came on their initiative, three entered the Capitol, and 11 entered the restricted area."
None has been prosecuted. And none was identified.
He explains, "On many occasions, the report states that this or that CHS, whether in Washington on FBI directions or not, 'was not authorized to enter the Capitol or a restricted area, or to otherwise break the law on January 6, 2021.' There is a tone of defensive repetition throughout the report: The FBI wants you to know, over and over and over, that it didn't authorize anyone to do anything bad."
But missing is "what the FBI confidential sources did, authorized or not."
There are a couple of "bare-bones" sketches. And, the report said, there is confirmation some of the "sources" were reimbursed for their travel expenses. And some even were given further assignments.
He continued, "The Justice Department, which has been hyperaggressive in pursuing Jan. 6 participants, knows who they are and knows they went inside the Capitol."
Maybe, he wondered, "the FBI did not want a messy prosecution that would inevitably reveal a lot about the FBI's activities."
"Whatever the case, it still means the FBI, which stonewalled Republicans in Congress on all sorts of issues during the first Trump administration, is being far less than transparent about what some of its secret informants did on Jan. 6. We know enough, for example, to know that the bureau was very happy with the work of Field Office 4 CHS, but we don't know things like: How did he get into the Capitol? How long was he there? Who was he with? What did he do?"
Further, the DOJ IG report doesn't address any issues with the Capitol Police or Washington Metropolitan Police.
He noted it's good to know the number of FBI sources there.
"But that's not the whole story."
Because of the years it took for that confirmation to be revealed, speculation suggested that law enforcement agents were part of the riot, or even organized and abetted it.
President Donald Trump repeatedly had offered to authorize National Guard troops to be at the Capitol that day to make sure there wasn't any significant violence, but his offer was rejected by Democrats in Washington, including both at the city and federal levels.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The fall of Syria's bloodthirsty dictator, Bashar al-Assad, has obliterated 40 years of the Iranian regime's political, economic and military investment. The state-run newspaper Ham-Mihan described the scale of the loss in its Dec. 9, 2024 edition: "In one week, all political, economic, and military investments went up in flames."
Just hours before the fall of Damascus, the state-run outlet Khabar Online ominously warned: "Their objective is to reach Sar-e Pol-e Zahab (a border city) in western Iran. Based on our assessments, we realized their plans are far more serious than Syria and Iraq. … To prevent the war from spilling into Iran, serious and comprehensive measures at the highest levels must be taken. We are witnessing the defensive pillars of the Syrian army collapse one after the other."
The Assad regime – a 'central pillar' of Tehran's regional strategy
Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic, the Assad dictatorship has served as the cornerstone of the Iranian regime's regional strategy. From Ayatollah Khomeini's war with Iraq in the 1980s to the era of Qassem Soleimani's orchestrated massacres in Iraq and Lebanon, and his indiscriminate killing of tens of thousands of children and hundreds of thousands of civilians in Syria, the Assad family's 50-year rule was critical to Iran's ambitions.
The phrase "Syria is the central pillar" was famously used in 2019 by Hassan Nasrallah, the now-deceased leader of Hezbollah, quoting Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Nasrallah explained:
"If I were to summarize the importance of Syria, it would be in the words of the Supreme Leader [Khamenei]: 'Syria is the central pillar. Today, without Syria, resistance in Lebanon and Palestine would be marginalized. Syria is one of the principals, major and vital components of the body, mind, culture, thought and will of the resistance in the region.'" (Khamenei's website, October 16, 2019)
Billions wasted to keep Assad in power
To prop up Bashar al-Assad's regime, Tehran funneled at least $50 billion into Syria between 2011 and 2019, according to credible reports. These funds, allocated through Qassem Soleimani, came at the expense of the Iranian people, who faced widespread poverty and starvation. Over two-thirds of the population lived in abject poverty while the regime diverted resources to repress and massacre freedom-seekers, children, and civilians in Syria to sustain Assad's grip on power. During Iran's 2017 nationwide protests, demonstrators expressed their frustration with chants like: "Leave Syria, think about us!"
Khamenei's Justification: 'Strategic Depth'
Ali Khamenei has repeatedly described his regime's interventions in the region as essential to maintaining Iran's "strategic depth." On several occasions, he asserted that if the regime did not fight in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, it would inevitably have to confront its enemies "in the streets of Kermanshah, Hamedan, and other provinces in Iran."
In 2016, Khamenei further justified the deployment of Revolutionary Guards and Quds Force mercenaries to Syria, stating: "Those who leave here to stand against the takfiris in Iraq or Syria are, in reality, defending their own cities." (Khamenei's website, June 25, 2016)
The collapse of the 'Central Pillar' shakes Tehran
By Khamenei's own logic, the collapse of Syria – his regime's "central pillar" – and the erosion of its so-called "strategic depth" will undoubtedly have repercussions in Tehran. The fall of Assad signals a critical loss of influence, destabilizing the very foundations of the Iranian regime. If Khamenei cannot protect his key ally in Syria, his ability to maintain power in Iran will be severely weakened.
Mehdi Taeb, a senior official in the Revolutionary Guards' intelligence branch, explicitly acknowledged this reality in 2013: "If the enemy attacks us and tries to take Syria or Khuzestan (Iran's oil-rich province), our priority is to preserve Syria. Because if we hold onto Syria, we can regain Khuzestan. But if we lose Syria, we won't even be able to keep Tehran." (Asr-e Iran newspaper, Feb. 14, 2013)
Conclusion
After the decline of Hezbollah, Khamenei has now suffered another major strategic blow with the fall of Bashar al-Assad – leader of a country Khamenei once referred to as Iran's "35th province." The liberation of the Syrian people and the region from Assad's dictatorship could have been achieved nine years ago, in line with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254. Yet Khamenei deliberately obstructed this resolution, choosing instead to waste billions of dollars and thousands of lives to prolong Assad's rule.
Without a doubt, the fall of Assad represents a devastating defeat for Khamenei. More importantly, it is a clear indicator of the inevitable and unstoppable movement toward democratic change in Iran.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
(CNS) — VATICAN CITY — Three months after the murder of Juan López, a Honduran church worker and environmental activist whose death was publicly mourned by Pope Francis, the bishops of Latin America are raising awareness on attacks against those fighting for social justice in the continent.
Three newly created Latin American cardinals joined Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, at the Vatican Dec. 9 to launch a campaign, titled "Life Hangs by a Thread" ("La vida pende de un hilo"), that aims to support and promote human rights activists.
The campaign, supported by the pontifical commission and the Latin American bishops' council, will amplify the stories of human rights defenders who have been threatened or killed; establish social dialogue meetings between business leaders, trade unions and church representatives; organize training sessions to teach communication and negotiation skills for activists; and provide concrete support for local church initiatives oriented toward social justice.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning B
Troops from the 99th Division's 990th Reserve Artillery Regiment eliminated many terrorists, including the Oct. 7 perpetrators, whom the army named as Abd al-Razzeq, Marzouk al-Hur, Maaz al-Hur, Abd Abu-Awad Yusri, Omar Abu-Abdallah, Ahmed Zahid and Maad Abu-Garboua.
Troops from the 99th Division's 990th Reserve Artillery Regiment eliminated many terrorists, including the Oct. 7 perpetrators, whom the army named as Abd al-Razzeq, Marzouk al-Hur, Maaz al-Hur, Abd Abu-Awad Yusri, Omar Abu-Abdallah, Ahmed Zahid and Maad Abu-Garboua.
IDF launches a wave of attacks on Lebanon following Hezbollah mortar attacks, U.S. intervention said to limit the scope of strikes
The Israeli military launched a wave of airstrikes in Lebanon on Monday evening after Hezbollah launched two mortars at the Mount Dov area for the first time since the ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group took effect last week.
In a statement, the IDF said fighter jets struck Hezbollah operatives and dozens of rocket launchers and facilities belonging to the terror group across Lebanon.
Mike Huckabee gives strong support to Trump's tough stance on hostages' return
Former Arkansas Gov. and current nominee for Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee praised President-elect Trump for warning there would be serious consequences if the hostages held in Gaza are not released by Jan. 20.
"This is my President! There must be serious consequences for holding any hostage but America needs to exact severe consequences for kidnapping and murdering AMERICAN hostages," Huckabee wrote on X.
Report: PA, Hamas said to agree to form committee to run postwar Gaza at Cairo talks
The document laid out
six commitments largely designed to unite Judea and Samaria, and Gaza under one political entity.
NYT: IDF demolished Gaza buildings to build army bases
According to a report based on satellite imagery analyzed by the New York Times, Israel has significantly expanded its military footprint in central Gaza, building fortified bases and demolishing hundreds of buildings in recent months, suggesting possible plans for extended control in the region.
IDF top brass fears Syrian chemical weapons could end up in Islamist hands
The Israeli military fears that amid the Syrian rebel assault and their taking over of military sites belonging to the Assad regime in the country, chemical weapons could fall into the wrong hands.
The report says that the main concern is that rebels or Iran-backed militias could reach weapons in Syria that pose a significant threat to Israel, such as missiles or chemical weapons.
Islamist opposition forces in Syria eye key government hub of Hama
Syrian opposition factions have seized full control of the city of Aleppo and the entire Idlib province, key territories in northern Syria, following intense battles with regime forces and Iranian-backed militias. Both provinces are under aerial bombardments from Syrian regime warplanes and sporadic Russian airstrikes.
The Military Operations Directorate of the opposition announced it has also captured parts of Hama province and claimed that hundreds of regime combatants, including Iranian fighters, were killed or captured in recent operations. Aleppo International Airport, along with five other military airports, has also fallen under opposition control. These include Menagh, Taftanaz, Abu al-Duhur, Al-Nayrab and Kuweires airports.
Iranian parliament institutes draconian new 'Chastity and Hijab' law
The Islamic Republic's Parliament has officially passed the "Chastity and Hijab" law, a 74-article piece of legislation that imposes severe penalties for hijab violations. The law is set to be implemented on Dec. 13.
The law establishes a complex system of fines and restrictions targeting what it defines as improper dress for both men and women.
Under Article 49, individuals violating dress codes will face escalating financial penalties. Initial offenses will incur fines ranging from 20 million ($285) to 80 million ($1,140) tomans, while subsequent violations will attract higher fines, between 80 million and 165 million ($2,350) tomans.
The earliest known Chinese inscription in Israel discovered on Mt. Zion
The earliest known Chinese inscription in Israel was discovered on a pottery shard at an archeological dig on Mt. Zion, one of the hills upon which Jerusalem is built.
The find was revealed in the dig jointly conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority and the Protestant Institute of Archaeology. At the dig, a rare 16th-century CE Chinese inscription was discovered on a porcelain bowl fragment, reading: "Forever we will guard the eternal spring."
'The Children of October 7' featuring Montana Tucker has its world premiere at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem
The children who became symbols of heroism and survived the events of Oct. 7 gathered at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem on Monday night, along with Montana Tucker, the international social media influencer who has been engaged in pro-Israel advocacy since the onset of the Hamas attack, for the world premiere of "The Children of October 7" documentary. The film, which prominently features Tucker, documents the stories of children who witnessed and survived the unimaginable horrors of the Hamas attack.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
'I would suspect that he would be removed from office. I don't know whether or not there'd be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law, but he will lose'
The mayor of Denver, given the Republican sweep of the House, the Senate, and the White House, almost certainly will be losing the federal support he's enjoyed for his pro-illegal alien agenda.
And if he continues, under a White House run by pro-border security President Donald Trump, he "will lose," according to a member of the U.S. Senate.
"What he is offering is a form of insurrection," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., explained during a television interview.
Paul said, "The mayor of Denver if he's going to resist federal law, which is a long-standing history of the supremacy of federal law, if he's going to resist that, it will go all the way to the Supreme Court.
"I would suspect that he would be removed from office. I don't know whether or not there'd be a criminal prosecution for someone resisting federal law, but he will lose. People need to realize that what he is offering is a form of insurrection where the states resist the federal government."
Paul continued, "Most people objected to that and rejected that long ago. So (I) think the mayor of Denver is on the wrong side of history, and, I think, will face legal ramifications if he doesn't obey the federal law."
WND previously reported when Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was asked about helping enforce federal immigration law.
"Not. We won't do it," Johnston said. And he elaborated, that he doubted federal forces would raid Colorado seeking illegal aliens.
"I do not believe that our governor is going to let them use our [Colorado] National Guard at the state level. Unless they were planning on bringing national guards mobilized from Texas or Alabama to come invade Colorado, I don't know where they would find the forces to begin to do that."
Johnston continued, "And that seems to me like a very, very bad idea from start to finish that no reasonable American would support."
He said not only would his administration, but the people of Denver, would resist deportation procedures by federal forces.
"More than us having (Denver police) stationed at the county line to keep them out, you would have 50,000 Denverites there. It's like the Tiananmen Square moment with the rose and the gun, right? You'd have every one of those Highland moms who came out for the migrants. And you do not want to mess with them," he said.
The Gateway Pundit wrote about Paul's comments on Face the Nation, calling it a "stern warning" to Johnston.
The senator said, "You know, I'm 100% supportive of going after the 15,000 murderers, the 13,000 sexual assault perpetrators, rapists—let's send them on their way to prison or back home to another prison."
He did say that the better way to handle the problem created by the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris agenda of open borders is to use judges, warrants, and such.
"So, I'm for removing these people, but through the normal process of domestic policing."
The publication earlier had described how Johnston wanted Denver to be a "fortress of resistance," with moves such as running Denver as a "sanctuary" city. He even suggested civil disobedience to block border security plans and deportation efforts.
Johnston later claimed his choice of words was poor.
Asked about civil disobedience, he said, "If I believe that our residents are having their rights violated, if I think things are happening that are illegal or immoral or un-American in our city, I would certainly protest it, and I would expect other residents would do the same."
Denver Channel 9's Marc Sallinger asked, "Trump's new border czar, Tom Homan, has said that he is willing to arrest leaders like yourself for standing in the way of these policies they want to enact. Would you be willing to go to jail for these things?"
Johnston said, "Yeah, I'm not afraid of that. I'm also not seeking that. I think the goal is we want to be able to negotiate with reasonable people on how to solve hard problems."
Earlier, it was lawyer Mike Davis, who formerly worked for the Senate Judiciary Committee and clerked for Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who pointed out Johnston's plans could make him liable for allegations of conspiracy, obstruction, and even assault on federal officers.