Update on the conflict in Ukraine + Israeli-Palestinian conflict for October 14, 2023

- Ukraine’s offensive has culminated, in many areas is being overturned by Russian counter-offensives;

- Western military assistance continues to dwindle for Ukraine and is now being divided between both Ukraine and Israel;

- Israel’s military and political leadership have openly announced a deliberate intention to cut off civilians from food and fuel while bombarding them with military aviation and other long-range weapons;

- Israel is contemplating a ground operation into Gaza;

- The Middle East has been pivoting slowly away from US primacy, toward a Russian-Chinese led multipolar order;

- Hamas raids and Israel’s disproportionate response pose a danger to this process - forcing the region to be drawn into an armed conflict at risk of escalating;

- Hamas’ background and actions over the last 2 decades have served US foreign policy objectives, including supporting regime change attempts in Syria and to perpetuate, not end Israeli occupation and military aggression;

- Russia/China seek a two-state solution, in accordance with the UN, and seeks to reshape the region in a way that will make the two-state solution possible;

Reference:

Ukraine

Defense News - Germany to send Ukraine $1B in air defense tech, plus more tanks (October 11, 2023):

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/10/11/germany-to-send-ukraine-1b-in-air-defense-tech-plus-more-tanks/

US DoD - Biden Administration Announces Additional Security Assistance for Ukraine (October 11, 2023):

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3553644/biden-administration-announces-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/

TIME - Biden and Congress Craft $2 Billion Aid Package as Israel Vows to ‘Crush’ Hamas (October 11, 2023):

https://time.com/6322820/israel-aid-biden-congress-hamas/

Bloomberg - US Gives First Iron Dome Interceptors to Israel (October 13, 2023):

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-12/pentagon-owned-stocks-in-israel-transfered-to-defense-forces

Israeli Ops

EI - Gaza’s beauty and struggle from above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2mMjs8nMMs

BBC - Hamas attack: 12 Thais killed and 11 kidnapped in Israel (October 11, 2023):

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67052021

Guardian - ‘Emphasis is on damage, not accuracy’: ground offensive into Gaza seems imminent (October 10, 2023):

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/10/right-now-it-is-one-day-at-a-time-life-on-israels-frontline-with-gaza

BBC - Israel's military says it fully controls communities on Gaza border (October 10, 2023):

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67050127

Business Insider - For people in Gaza, life is about to get even worse, with Israel's siege about to 'starve the population,' NGO says (October 11, 2023):

https://www.businessinsider.com/gaza-strip-life-get-worse-israel-cut-food-fuel-power-2023-10

Russia and China

Politico - Putin blames US for Israel-Hamas conflict (October 10, 2023):

https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-russia-blames-us-over-isreal-hamas-conflict/

GT - US' biased stance risks undermining efforts to defuse Israel-Gaza tension (October 11, 2023):

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202310/1299692.shtml

Hamas: Background, Current Role

NYT - U.S. Groups Helped Nurture Arab Uprisings (April 2011):

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/15/world/15aid.html

WSJ - How Israel Helped to Spawn Hamas (January 2009):

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123275572295011847

Haaretz - Why Did Netanyahu Want to Strengthen Hamas? (October 11, 2023):

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-10-11/ty-article/.premium/netanyahu-needed-a-strong-hamas/0000018b-1e9f-d47b-a7fb-bfdfd8f30000

The New Yorker - The Redirection (by Seymour Hersh, 2007):

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/03/05/the-redirection

Reuters - Hamas ditches Assad, backs Syrian revolt (February 2012):

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-palestinians-idUSTRE81N1CC20120224

WaPo - U.S., Qatar agree to stop Iran from tapping $6 billion fund after Hamas attack (October 12, 2023):

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/12/iran-oil-fund-us-israel/

Govinfo - HAMAS' BENEFACTORS: A NETWORK OF TERROR (2014):

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-113hhrg89738/html/CHRG-113hhrg89738.htm

AJ - Israel to create a unity government and war cabinet to oversee the fight against Hamas (October 13, 2023):

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/13/israel-unity-government