Tag Archives: Hezbollah

by | 2025/01/29 · 5:24 pm

Israel says it won’t withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday 

CNN, January 24, 2025

Event

The Israeli government says its military will not withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday’s deadline, in violation of a ceasefire agreement that ended months of conflict with Hezbollah. Israel was expected to withdraw all of its forces from southern Lebanon as part of the deal but the Israeli government said some its forces would remain in southern Lebanon, blaming Lebanon for failing to uphold its end of the agreement.

“The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) withdrawal is conditional upon the Lebanese army deploying in southern Lebanon,”

the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

“Since the ceasefire agreement has not yet been fully enforced by Lebanon, the gradual withdrawal process will continue, in full coordination with the United States.”

A Lebanese security source told CNN on Friday it had not received official notice of Israel’s plans to keep their forces in Lebanon beyond the 60-day ceasefire grace period. Under the November ceasefire agreement, both Israeli and Hezbollah forces agreed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by January 26, the end of a 60-day period stipulated in the deal.

Comment

Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israeli troops will not comply with a Sunday deadline for them to withdraw from southern Lebanon, throwing the ceasefire with Hezbollah into crisis. Israel’s reluctance to leave Lebanon comes at a fraught juncture in the first phase of the week-old fragile ceasefire in Gaza, with a large-scale Israeli operation under way in the occupied West Bank. Israel is also creating a buffer zone in Syria to protect it from a new Islamic government and a precarious situation. There is more trouble coming to Lebanon.

Zechariah 11 speaks of a great fire coming on Lebanon causing its doors to open. It is through those doors that Gog will come….

Bible quote

Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.  Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.  (Zechariah 11:1-2)

Andy Walton, Weekly World Watch

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by | 2024/08/16 · 1:24 pm

Iran, its proxies will meet to discuss retaliation against Israel

Reuters, August 1, 2024

Event

Top Iranian officials will meet the representatives of Iran‘s regional allies from Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen on Thursday to discuss potential retaliation against Israel after the killing of the Hamas leader in Tehran, five sources told Reuters.

The region faces a risk of widened conflict between Israel, Iran and its proxies after Ismail Haniyeh‘s assassination in Tehran on Wednesday and the killing of Hezbollah‘s senior commander on Tuesday in an Israeli strike on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital Beirut. Representatives of Iran’s Palestinian allies Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, as well as Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi movement, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraqi resistance groups will attend the meeting in Tehran, said the sources, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Comment

“Iran and the resistance members will conduct a thorough assessment after the meeting in Tehran to find the best and most effective way to retaliate against the Zionist regime (Israel),”

said a senior Iranian official, with direct knowledge of the meeting. We see here Psalm 83 in detail. The coming together of an alliance of Israel’s nearby enemies who have a common aim – to destroy Israel. They are plotting how to bring the nation of Israel to an end.

Interestingly one report in the Jerusalem Post says that they are considering attacking on the 9th Av (12th August this year). The date in history when the first and second temples were destroyed. If war is declared on Israel they may want to do it on a significant date – as was October 7th when Hamas attacked.
This was on the last day of the feast of Tabernacles and the anniversary of the Yom Kippur war. But Psalm 83 says the inner ring war will fail – Israel will prevail….

Bible quote

For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: (Psalm 83:2-5)

Weekly World Watch, Andy Walton

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by | 2024/07/15 · 5:02 pm

Starmer warns Binyamin Netanyahu over Lebanese border tensions

The Times, July 7, 2024

Event

An independent state is the “undeniable right” of the Palestinian people, Sir Keir Starmer said on Sunday, as he held his first call with the Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu. In a marked change in tone from the new government, Starmer told Netanyahu there was a “clear and urgent” need for a ceasefire in Gaza as well as an immediate increase in the volume of humanitarian aid reaching civilians. He also urged Netanyahu to show restraint after the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group launched more than 200 rockets and attack drones into northern Israel last week.

“The prime minister said the situation on [the] northern border of Israel was very concerning, and it was crucial all parties acted with caution,”

a Downing Street spokesman said. In a call with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, Starmer said the government would continue to push Israel to end its military operation in Gaza and wanted to see further financial support for the Palestinian Authority.

Comment

The conflict in and around Israel has a massive impact on the UK’s new government – Labour. As one newspaper put it last week –

“Starmer’s initial refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza cost the party votes and seats in the general election. Five Labour candidates lost in key seats to pro-Gaza rivals giving the issue new domestic salience.”

Labour’s election manifesto committed the party to recognising a Palestinian state as part of a process that results in a two-state solution alongside Israel. Many in Labour are pro Palestinian and anti Israel. Keir Starmer has to balance his own possibly more moderate views with the clamour within his party.

The Bible says Britain will offer only weak support for Israel when Russia invades and will not stop it.

Bible quote

Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish [Britain], with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? (Ezekiel 38:13)

Andy Walton, Weekly World Watch

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by | 2024/03/13 · 5:31 pm

Biden: Only two-state solution will guarantee Israel’s security

The Times of Israel, March 8, 2024

Event

The U.S. and Israel stand at a diplomatic and military crossroads. Israel says it needs to finish the war against Hamas in the key Gazan city of Rafah, yet the U.S. is threatening that Israel won’t be able to use American weapons if Israel launches its military campaign against the Hamas stronghold.
On the northern border, Hezbollah continues to fire rocket volleys on Israeli communities. In his State of the Union address, President Biden put the burden on Israel to protect Gazans.

“Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population like cowards under hospitals, daycare centers, and all the like. Israel also has a fundamental responsibility, though, to protect innocent civilians in Gaza,”

Biden declared. He added what he says is the solution:

“As we look to the future, the only real solution to the situation is a two-state solution (between Israel and the Palestinians) over time.”

Comment

Turmoil in the Middle East poses a risk to President Joe Biden’s re-election bid and might help Trump into office again. The conflict between Israel and Hamas is impacting politics around the world.

In the UK there has been a recent byelection that has seen an ultra antisemitic candidate have a landslide win. Such was the shock, the prime minister delivered a speech condemning the vote in front of No10. All this is causing nations to rethink their support of Israel. There is growing pressure to unliterally declare a two state solution – in other words divide Israel in two and have half the land as a Palestinian State and half for Israel. But it will not bring peace – it will only bring more war.

Joel 3 says that the nations have “parted” or “divided” my land. In the following verses we read of all nations being gathered to Israel to battle – it is coming….

Bible quote

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted [divided] my land. (Joel 3:2)

The nations may well announce a division of the land – but in the next verse God says

“what has Philistia to do with me?”

Weekly World Watch, Andy Walton

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