Los Angeles, Dec. 27 — It was drizzling outside when dozens took to the streets at the Los Angeles Times newspaper headquarters in an emergency action to save Kamal Adwan Hospital. Kamal Adwan was the last functioning hospital in North Gaza. 

Demonstrators denounced the collaboration of Big Media with the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide in Gaza.  A protest organizer, in an impassioned plea, called out to the Times, “You are directly complicit in the media blackout of genocide! The blood is on your hands. We demand safety for Kamal Adwan survivors in North Gaza. We demand safety for journalists. We demand you take a stand, L.A. Times!”

At noon, the protesters were honored with a call from the courageous Mahmoud Bassal, PhD, spokesperson for the North Gaza Civil Defense. Fatin of Unmute Humanity, a media-watch group, translated the painful information from Dr. Bassal, who spoke the truth about the depths of depravity carried out by the U.S./Israeli criminals. 

The action was live-streamed on social media to tens of thousands more from Gaza to L.A. Soon after the call, we learned that the Director of the North Gaza Civil Defense had been abducted to an Israeli torture camp.

In another powerful call, we heard from  Hamza Hammad, a journalist in North Gaza. They reported on the five journalists who were targeted and killed by the IOF when they bombed a van clearly marked PRESS. 

The bourgeois press covered up the atrocity by saying the journalists were Hamas. 

Big Business Media lied. Again.

As of Friday, Dec. 27, 201 journalists have been targeted and killed. Hamza Hammad also updated us on the status of Kamal Adwan Hospital.

All the speakers focused on the grave danger to Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital. In the march around the L.A. Times building, signs bearing his likeness and the words, “I will stay inside my hospital until the last moment,” were carried.

Initiators and endorsers of the emergency action included Riverside 4 Palestine, Unmute Humanity, SAG-AFTRA for Ceasefire, Veterans for Peace, Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice, Liyang, Palestinian Christians for Justice, and Asian Youth Collective.

Within hours after the emergency action, word spread that whole sections of the hospital were torched. Patients and staff were abducted and forced out. Dr Hussam Abu Safiya was abducted. One of Dr Abu Safiya’s sons was killed by the IOF in October 2024. In a message on Instagram, Dr Abu Safiya’s surviving son confirmed his father was sent to Sde Teiman, the most notorious Israeli “prison” torture camp. There is now an international campaign to Free Dr Hussam Abu Safiya.

Dec. 21 — Freezing weather didn’t stop hundreds of people from rallying in New York City’s Times Square today to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. The Shut It Down 4 Palestine Coalition called the action on the last Saturday before Christmas.

The coalition demanded “an arms embargo, lifting the siege on Gaza, freedom for our political prisoners, an end to the genocide, and a free Palestine, from the river to sea.”

The 80,000 tons of bombs shipped by Genocide Joe Biden have killed at least 50,000 Palestinians, including tens of thousands of children. Fascist Donald Trump will continue the mass murder as well as the U.S. bombing and occupation of Syria.

U.S.-made and paid-for munitions have killed thousands in Lebanon. Heroic Yemen has been bombed by the U.S., Britain, and the Zionist apartheid regime.

As the statement of the Shut It Down 4 Palestine Coalition pointed out, “A child is murdered in Gaza every 30 minutes. Journalists have been systematically targeted: 196 journalists have been murdered by Israel. …

“About 96% of children in Gaza fear imminent death at the hands of Zionist soldiers, from starvation, from freezing to death. Over 1,000 doctors and nurses have been intentionally murdered in Gaza, with many more disappeared in Zionist dungeons.”

Thousands of shoppers and tourists saw the protest. Many showed their support.

Speakers from the Palestinian Youth Movement, The People’s Forum, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation denounced the ongoing genocide. They described how children are freezing to death in Gaza.

So are homeless people in the United States. The tens of billions the U.S. capitalist government gives to war criminal Netanyahu kills them both.

People chanted, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” A drummer punctuated the chants.

Protesters marched down Broadway to Manhattan’s Herald Square and then to the great reference library on Fifth Avenue. Marching through the holiday shopping booths erected in Bryant Park, some of the workers gave a thumbs-up to protesters.

Activists are organizing to protest Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, which desecrates the federal holiday commemorating the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. People will demonstrate in Washington, D.C., and across the country, including in New York City’s Washington Square Park in Manhattan.

Arms embargo now! Free Palestine!

Washington quietly doubled the official number of troops present inside Syria at an unspecified point before the fall of Damascus

Speech of Secretary General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, on December 14, 2024.

Source: Axis of Tabyeen

Edit: Resistance News

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praise is due to God, Lord of the worlds and may peace and blessings be upon the noblest of creation our master Muhammad and upon his pure, immaculate household and his pious, chosen companions and upon all the prophets and righteous ones until the rising of the Day of Resurrection. May the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.

I will speak about four points. The first point: our assessment of the events and aggression against Lebanon, and our current and future situation. Secondly: what is the future of the Resistance in Lebanon? Thirdly: what is Hezbollah’s plan of action for the upcoming phase? Fourthly: what is the [Resistance’s] stance on the developments in Syria?

I begin with our assessment of the events [concerning Lebanon] and our current and future situation. Supporting Gaza was a noble and lofty act; and it is a duty upon us, in fact, it is a duty upon the entire nation [of Islam], upon all Arabs and all Muslims. And when they [the Arabs and Muslims] did not fulfill their obligations, the Zionists became tyrannical, did what they did, and [became a] Pharoah upon the land. We were expecting that the aggression on Lebanon would occur — the criminal, usurping aggression of “Israel” on Lebanon — at any moment, but we did not know what timing the Zionists would choose for this aggression. This matter was before the Al Aqsa Flood, and continued after the Al Aqsa Flood, so the aggression was in September. We did not know the timing beforehand, however, in reality, this has nothing to do with supporting Gaza. This has to do with the “Israeli” expansionist project. Because the enemy wishes to eliminate any Resistance [movement] that stands in front of its expansionist project across the entire region.

What has the enemy accomplished through its aggression on Lebanon? In all clarity, [the enemy] accomplished the killing of the leadership in Hezbollah, at the forefront of whom, his Eminence, Master of the Martyrs of the Nation [of Islam], Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah — may God, the Exalted’s pleasure be upon him — and a number of leaders and fighters. [The enemy] accomplished breaches of the communications network, and the detonation of the pagers and communication devices. These are among the accomplishments of the enemy, and the toll [it took on us] was great and painful.

However, [the enemy] did not achieve its goals in these operations that occurred towards the end of the month of September. Then, it committed its brutal crimes against [our] civilians, villages, homes, the unarmed, children, and women. The crimes aimed to break the Resistance, but they were unable to do so
despite the great sacrifices [we faced]. Therefore, the “Israeli” crimes are not an achievement. In return, we achieved the prevention of the enemy from [achieving its goal of] eliminating the Resistance and “crushing it”, as it mentioned numerous times that it wanted to end Hezbollah’s existence. The resisting fighters prevented them from advancing in the battlefield [on the Lebanese border], and their rockets reached the internal front (the occupied territories), and we pained them greatly, and we displaced many of the settlers — approximately more than 200,000 settlers. Additionally, the Resistance killed hundreds of [their] soldiers, and wounded hundreds of [their] soldiers also, and caused economic and social damages, and various types of damages within the “Israeli” interior. So, what we achieved was preventing the enemy from accomplishing its goal of crushing the Resistance, and what the enemy achieved was causing us pain by killing our leaders and [targeting our] communications [devices].

We endured, and our people endured great sacrifices to prevent the Resistance from being broken, and here I salute them all — those brave ones who protected the Resistance, and carried it, and considered it to be their sole and fundamental choice in this confrontation and through these sacrifices. They were a support to the resisting, heroic fighters, who stood firm in the battlefield. The alternative to this enduring [of these sacrifices] — to those who say to us, “For what reason did you endure [all of this]?” — the alternative is surrender, and the loss of everything. Far be it [from us] that we surrender, and far be it [from us] that we are humiliated. This is something that is not possible with the Resistance of Hezbollah.

And here, [to] those who consider that the problem which occurred in Lebanon was that the losses were great — [they ask] “O’ Hezbollah, what are you doing with these great losses?” The question [should be], “What are we doing about this great aggression?” The aggression is the problem, the confrontation [of this aggression] is not the problem. [God] the Exalted has said, in His Glorious Book: “Do not weaken or grieve: you shall have the upper hand, should you be faithful. If a wound afflicts you, a like wound has already afflicted those people; and we make such vicissitudes rotate among mankind…” [Quran, 3:139-140]. Praise be to God who [has] steadied us, and praise be to God who has made us [have the] “upper hand”, and praise be to God who enabled us to achieve this confrontation with a true victory.

The “Israeli” enemy realized that the horizon in confronting Hezbollah’s Resistance was closed, so it went towards an agreement to stop the aggression. For the record, the agreement was brought by Hochstein, and it was agreed upon between “Israel” and America. It was presented to us through being presented to the Lebanese state and Mr. [Nabih] Berri. There were remarks from President [of Parliament] Berri, and there were remarks from us. We modified what we could in this agreement. Thus, he (Hochstein) is the one who brought the agreement, and we agreed according to the details we added within the agreement.

What made the enemy move towards [making an] agreement, and stopping this aggression? Three factors of strength and steadfastness [from us] caused the enemy, and those behind it, to despair over continuing [their aggression]. The first factor is the legendary steadfastness of the Resistance fighters on the battlefield. The second factor is the blood of the martyrs and the sacrifices, led by the blood of the Master of the Martyrs of the Resistance, Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah — may God, the Exalted’s pleasure be upon him — which gave great motivation to our men and our nation [of Islam], and our people [to remain] steadfast and stand up [to this aggression]. And the third factor is the comprehensive and effective political and Combat/Resistance-based management of the “Battle of the Mighty Ones” in a manner which led to this outcome. The enemy resorted to a ceasefire due to the factors of [our] strength and steadfastness.

[Now,] what is our assessment? Our assessment is that the Resistance triumphed because the enemy was unable to achieve its central goal, which is the elimination of Hezbollah, and it was unable to return [its] settlers without [coming to] an agreement, and it was unable to enter [its plan of creating] the “New Middle East” through the gate of Lebanon. We were an impenetrable barrier, we prevented it from achieving this goal through the gate of Lebanon. The Resistance remained until the last moment [of the war] on the battlefield, and the fighters continued to resist on the frontline, their heads held high, and in their great might. [Imam] Ali — peace be upon him — has said: “When God observed our truthfulness, He sent down upon our enemy defeat and sent down upon us victory.” [Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 56]

This agreement is to stop the aggression, it is not [an agreement to] stop the Resistance. This agreement is an executive agreement derived from [U.N.] Resolution 1701 and is only related to the area south of the Litani River, whereby “Israel” withdraws to the Lebanese border, and the Lebanese army spreads [there] as the sole authority carrying arms, so that there are no [other] armed individuals or weapons in this area. The agreement has no relation to the Lebanese interior, the issues of the Lebanese interior, the relationship of the Resistance with the state [of Lebanon] and the army, the presence of weapons [amongst the Resistance], or any other issues that require [internal] dialogue and discussion.

We endured during this period hundreds of “Israeli” violations in order to help the implementation of the agreement and to avoid being an obstacle to it, and to expose the “Israeli” enemy and place all those concerned before their responsibilities. The government is responsible for following up on preventing violations, and the committee assigned to follow up on the agreement is responsible for preventing the “Israeli” violations and implementing the agreement. We as Hezbollah, monitor what is happening and act according to our assessment of what is best in interest. So much for the first point.

The second point: what is the future of the Resistance? It seems that we need to get to know the reality of the Resistance. What is the Resistance? The Resistance is faith and preparation. Faith, in God, the Exalted, and freedom, and dignity, and defending the truth, land, and homeland, “All might belongs to God, and His Apostle, and the faithful…” [Quran, 63:08]. And preparation is the preparation with weapons and resources to protect this faith in the face of the enemies, because the enemies will not stop at a limit. The enemies will always aggress; the enemies will always try to change the doctrine, the opinions, and the convictions; they will steal the blessings and resources. How will you face the enemies? How will you resist them? With words? That is not enough. With complaints? That is not enough. There is no option but to confront them by preparing the appropriate strength.

We have repeatedly said, over and over, and now I say, Palestine is the focal point for its liberation in this region. Why? Because the aggressive “Israel” occupying Palestine takes its aggression against Palestine as a point of focus for occupying the entire region. So, it is better for us to confront this cancerous tumor together in order to prevent its expansion on one hand, and to overthrow its occupation on the other. Everyone according to their capabilities, circumstances, and reality, not to watch and let “Israel” consume us one after the other.

The legitimacy of the Resistance comes from its belief in its cause, no matter the resources, whether they are great or few. When we talk about Resistance, we talk about confrontation, we talk about rights, we talk about land, we talk about a group who want to reclaim what is theirs and face the enemies who want to deprive them of their rights. This is legitimate on the level of faith, on the human level, on the global level, and on all levels.

This Resistance does not win by a knockout blow against its enemy, this Resistance wins by points. The Resistance may continue for ten years, [and] it may continue for 50 years; we do not know. The time period for which the Resistance will continue, to bring down the idol, to bring down the tyrant, and to bring down the occupier. This is Resistance, and thus it wins at times and loses at times. It takes a round and suffers a setback in another round; this is natural in the work of Resistance. What is important is its continuation, and what is important is its continuity in the field, no matter how limited its resources are. When the Resistance offers sacrifices, this does not mean that it has lost, but rather that it has paid the price for its continuity, for sacrifices are what allow the Resistance to take shape, they are what allow it to stand on its feet. When the enemy strikes the Resistance, kills people, and tries to surround it with weapons, force, and resources, what does it want? It wants to weaken the foundations of the Resistance; it wants to weaken the will of the Resistance so that it collapses. Therefore, sacrifices are the natural price for the continuity of the Resistance.

Imam Khomeini has said — may God sanctify his noble soul — “As long as we are upon the truth, then we are victorious.” This is the [true] victory. Victory is that you are not shaken. Victory is that the Resistance remains. Victory is that you do not respond to those discordant voices that live in a state of disappointment, despair, fear, and terror. The important thing is to remain on the truth. “Are we not upon the truth? Then we do not mind dying while being truthful”, as Ali al-Akbar (son of Imam al-Hussain) said in Karbala — may the peace of God, the Exalted be upon him.

Based on what has been said, the Resistance of Hezbollah continues with faith and preparation, and the sacrifices which [only] increase our responsibility in facing this expansionist enemy. This enemy, nothing can restrain it except the Resistance, and the land will not be liberated except by the Resistance. The experiences are present before us: Did Lebanon not get liberated except by the Resistance? Did “Israel” not leave the occupied border strip except through the Resistance? Were we able to stop “Israel” for 17 years, from 2006 until 2023, except through the Resistance? Was the victory in July, which prevented the “New Middle East” in 2006, not due to the Resistance? We are not saying, “Come to the Resistance to establish it.” We are saying, “Come to the Resistance that has been established, [and has] proven its effectiveness, and demonstrated that this enemy will never recede and will never leave the land except through Resistance.”

Therefore, it [the Resistance] is ongoing, and for every stage, [it has] its own methods and approaches. This means that the Resistance does not always have one form of confrontation. [In the case that] by God’s will, developments and certain conditions have occurred; we change some of the methods and approaches. The important thing is that the Resistance remains, but the methods and approaches are related to each stage separately, and this is what we will work on.

Yes, we defended Lebanon. We defended Lebanon because the recent aggression was against Lebanon, it was not just against us, even though we were directly targeted. This aggression against Lebanon, we repelled it and stopped it at the borders through the legendary Resistance of the fighters, their steadfastness, and the support of our people, our loved ones, and the solidarity of all the free people in Lebanon. I consider all the Lebanese people who sheltered, who supported, who wished for the victory of
the Resistance, and opposed “Israel”, to all be partners in the victory process because they supported the Resistance and stood by its side and with it.

If it hadn’t been for the steadfastness of the Resistance fighters on the frontlines, “Israel” would have reached Beirut and begun the following steps, of them: the settlement and colonization in southern Lebanon, weakening Lebanon’s capabilities, and controlling its politics and future. We are not speaking about an unknown enemy, and we are not speaking about ideas that are not applicable. Look at the crimes of this enemy, which have no parallel. Look at what it is doing in Gaza: 150,000 martyrs and wounded, almost complete destruction of Gaza. It [itself] declares, saying, “I do not wish to leave Gaza.” It says that it “wants North Gaza to be a demilitarized zone, devoid of civilian presence, devoid of people, devoid of homes, devoid of life.” It is [the one] thinking of settlement in Gaza. It [is the one that] says “it wants to annex the West Bank,” and it is working toward that with full cover from the greatest criminal, America, which supports it with all its resources. If the defense budget in America is 850 billion dollars, [then] all of it is in the service of “Israel”. If both parties [Democrat and Republican] are at the service of “Israel”, if around 500 planes came to the “Israeli” entity loaded with weapons and ammunition, as well as around 100 ships with the same, this means that the crimes we are seeing are made by America and by America’s decision, which always covers it.

Have you not seen what [has] happened in Syria? They destroyed all the capabilities of the Syrian army under the pretext of preemptive defense, under the pretext of fear for the future, under various titles, and America covers them directly. This is evidence of the expansionist policy, they want to wipe out the entire region, if it were possible for them — at any time possible for them, and in the other Arab countries, one by one — I will not name them now — they would do the same thing. They have their eyes on all Arab countries, the surrounding ones first, and then those further away second. This means that we are facing a dangerous expansionist enemy, which occupied part of the Golan by hundreds of kilometers. What did the world do? Why does [this] occupation happen? What is the “danger” present [for the enemy to carry out these acts]? There is no danger [to justify it], however it has expansionist intentions [and fulfills them at every opportunity].

So, we must continue with the Resistance. Yes, the Resistance, with its people and [the Lebanese] army, prevented it [the enemy] in Lebanon from achieving its expansionist goals. I am not speaking in slogans. Why [do I say] “with its people and army”? Because our army is a national army. Our army paid the price of tens of martyrs because it stands in the field. Our army is the one that will spread in the South to expel “Israel”. Our people are the ones who were cohesive, united, and cooperative until we reached this result.

The conclusion: Hezbollah is strong and recovering from its wounds. Hezbollah continues, and the Resistance continues, and Lebanon, with its elements of strength, continues. Lebanon is strong with its army, its people, and its Resistance, in preventing sedition from spreading within the structure of this trinity [Army-People-Resistance] and within Lebanon. Those who hoped for the end of Hezbollah, their hopes have been disappointed, and those who relied on “Israel” to tip the political balance [in Lebanon] in their favor over others, have failed in their reading [of the situation] and [in] their choices. And those who see Hezbollah as an effective and influential force in political life will see from us a welcome, and cooperation for the benefit of a strong and stable Lebanon, politically, economically, and socially. Lebanon rises with all of its sons and components.

What is Hezbollah’s program of action for the upcoming phase? I will mention them as five brief points. They are the work program that we will work on and [through which we will] be key partners in building the state.

First: implementing the agreement in the south of the Litani River.

Second: reconstruction, with the help of the state responsible for reconstruction, and cooperation with all countries, organizations, brotherly countries, and friends who wish to help Lebanon in [its] reconstruction.

Third: diligent work to elect a president on January 9th to set the wheels of the state in motion.

Fourth: participating through the state in an economic, social, and reform rescue program based on national belonging and equality under the law and the Taif Agreement, while confronting corruption and holding the corrupt accountable.

Fifth: positive dialogue regarding problematic issues.

Naturally, we have several problematic issues, [the matter] requires dialogue. What is Lebanon’s stance on the “Israeli” occupation of its land? We want to engage in dialogue to unify our perspective — how to confront the occupation and liberate the land, without living with the continuation of the occupation. How do we strengthen the Lebanese army to be a pillar of protection for Lebanon? What is Lebanon’s defense strategy to benefit from the Resistance and the people as a support for liberation? These and other questions need dialogue among the Lebanese.

The fourth and final point: we supported Syria because it is in a position of opposition to “Israel” and it contributed to enhancing the Resistance’s capabilities through its lands, for Lebanon and Palestine. However, now the regime has fallen at the hands of new forces. We cannot judge these new forces until they stabilize, take clear positions, and the situation of the regime in Syria becomes organized. From here, we say that some of what we desire we mention as an opinion and a stance.

Firstly, we hope that the choice of the new regime and the Syrian people will be cooperation between the two peoples and between the two governments in Lebanon and Syria on the basis of equality and the exchange of capabilities.

Secondly, we hope that all the parties in Syria, all the sects, and all the components will participate in shaping the new government and in participating in the new government so that the rule in Syria will be on the basis of the Syrian citizen and not on the seat of one group over another.

Thirdly, we also hope that this new ruling side will consider “Israel” as an enemy and not normalize relations with it.

These are the issues that will affect the nature of the relationship between us and Syria. It is the right of the Syrian people to choose their leadership, their rule, their constitution, and their future. We hope they will succeed in making choices that are not controlled by any other countries that have ambitions in Syria and want to serve the “Israeli” enemy. Yes, Hezbollah has lost at this stage the military supply route through Syria, but this loss is [nothing but] a detail in the Resistance’s work. Maybe, this new regime will come and this route may return in a natural manner, and maybe we will search for other routes. The Resistance is flexible, it does not stop at any specific limit; the important thing is the continuity of the Resistance. As for the methods and routes, they can change and shift. And it is upon the Resistance to adapt to the circumstances to strengthen its capabilities — the important thing is that it remains continuous and works on addressing its needs in different ways.

We do not believe that what is happening in Syria will affect Lebanon, but rather, on the contrary, there is now a preoccupation [for the enemy] in Syria, there are specific conditions in Syria, and [we pray that] — God willing — Syria will emerge stable and comfortable, doing what its people want.

The overall situation in the region is, in general, pressing. America and “Israel” control many paths in the region. This means that we are facing great pressure on the level of the entire region. However, we have faith that the active forces in the region will remain present and will move [towards the necessary actions]. And it is upon these active forces to reconsider their calculations and methods of action. It is not right for the active group to stay on tradition, to stay on the previous pattern. Whoever sees that their previous pattern does not produce, let them modify, let them change, and whoever sees that they have gaps, let them address the gaps. It is good to have an analysis after this great development in the region, and — God willing — the results will be positive.

Peace, all peace, to all lovers of freedom and liberation. Peace, all peace, to the noble martyrs. Peace, all peace, to our people who sacrificed, struggled, and gave. And peace to the legendary Resisters who raised our heads high. And the Resistance continues, God willing.

And may the peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.

The term “holocaust survivor” usually renders a specific type of image in one’s mind. It’s easy to picture an ancient Bubbe or Zayde (Yiddish for “Grandmother” and “Grandfather”) trembling over a walker at the front of a synagogue, discussing the importance of “Israel” to ensuring Jewish safety. 

That description certainly does not apply to Suzanne Ross, the author of “Born Jewish in Nazi Europe: My Journey to Become Anti-Zionist.” Ross was born in Nazi-occupied Belgium in the late 1930s. Ironically, her family fled to Belgium due to Nazi oppression in Germany and Poland. Turns out, nowhere in Europe was remotely safe for Jews at the time. 

The book details her family’s early days fleeing Nazi persecution and how that experience shaped her views on the occupation of Palestine. Most of her extended family on both her mother’s and father’s side were not so lucky. Upwards of 30 members of her family were murdered outright by Nazi terror or died in concentration camps. As she describes, it was this sort of trauma that allowed U.S.-backed Zionist propaganda to take such a hold in the recently displaced European Jewish community. 

What is striking about Ross’s experience as a child, experiencing the loss of so many family members, is how similar her story is to the hundreds and thousands of horror stories that come out of Gaza every week. It is exactly this sort of stark parallel that led Ross herself to abandon Zionism as an ideology and embrace the liberation of Palestine from Western imperialism. 

As history unfolded, Ross’ views evolved dramatically along with the Zionist escalation against the entire Arab world. Ross attended university in the United States and quickly became involved in activism against racist Jim Crow conditions in the U.S. and apartheid in South Africa. The late ‘60s and early ‘70s saw a massive upsurge in aggression from the United States towards Arab liberation movements, all through the U.S. proxy state of “Israel.”

Ross’s memoir does an amazing job of analyzing how the contradictions between her growing anti-racist activism and her previous support for Israel led her to the conclusion that the two could not be reconciled. Simply put, either we are against all forms of imperialism and fascism, the same systems that perpetrated the Holocaust, or we aren’t. 

While Gaza burns and Zionist forces lay claim to what they assert as their divine right to conquer Syria, Ross’s perspective is more important than ever. At its heart, Ross’s memoir is an ironclad case against Zionist mythology. Through the history of her life and the global geopolitical events that defined her life, she makes it abundantly clear that the Zionist project is no more than a U.S. imperialist front against the entire Global South. And that is exactly why her book is a must read. 

Personal note

I usually don’t write in the first person. But after finishing Ross’ book and starting this review, I felt the need to say something on a personal level. Her evolution from a liberal Zionist to a passionate anti-Zionist activist is personally relatable. I am descended from people who faced the brunt of both Tsarist antisemitic pogroms in the Russian empire and the horror of the Shoah (Hebrew word for holocaust). I personally stood in Charlottesville as Nazis streamed past and around me, stuffed to the gills with body armor and carrying swastika-laden banners. However, Jews have a responsibility to stand up to all Nazis, regardless of whether they fly the confederate flag or the Star of David. 

As I have grown older, I have only found more stunning the way that Jewish Zionists justify the genocide against the Palestinian people. As Ross details – the parallels are so clear. The connections are so patent. The catastrophic loss of life, limb, and land at the hands of a fascist enemy is no stranger to the Jewish community. Unfortunately, we allowed ourselves to be led into the depths of fascism by the United States in the dogged pursuit of its own agenda in the Middle East. 

With all that said, it was beyond refreshing to read a Jewish perspective for liberation. I will always be eternally grateful that Suzanne had the courage to tell her story. It was something that a young Jew like myself needed to hear. 

Lev Koufax is an anti-Zionist Jewish activist.

Leila Khaled is a historic activist for the liberation of the Palestinian people. At 80 years old, she continues to be active in promoting international collaboration with political organizations, popular movements and governments to denounce Israeli violence and broaden the struggle for the formation of the Palestinian state.

Venezuela is one of the countries that echoes this struggle the most. The defense of the Palestinian people has been, since Hugo Chávez, one of the pillars of Venezuelan foreign policy. In the last week of November, Khaled was in Caracas to participate in the International Conference of Solidarity with Palestine. She received Brasil de Fato at the hotel where she was staying in the Venezuelan capital. In a conversation that lasted almost 1 hour, she talked about the relationship between socialism and the Palestinian liberation process, the role of women in the armed struggle and the relationship between the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and other countries.

According to Khaled, it is necessary to discuss a specific political formation in each state that is adapted to the reality of each country. That is why the Popular Front understands that Marxism-Leninism is an important tool, for being an instrument of action that can be incorporated by any country.

Khaled was born in Haifa, which was part of the British Mandate of Palestine, but had to leave her home after the foundation of Israel in 1948. She then grew up in the Tyre refugee camp in Lebanon. At the age of 15, the young Palestinian began her activism and eventually expanded her involvement in the struggle for the formation of a Palestinian state.

Joining the PFLP was instrumental in the political line Khaled would take to this day. As a communist activist, she began to draw inspiration from leaders such as Fidel Castro, Lenin, Ho Chi Minh and Kim Il Sung. She is responsible for founding one of the Popular Front cells in Kuwait and participated in military operations in the Middle East, including the hijacking of two planes, one from Trans World Airlines and the other from the Israeli airline El Al.

Khaled sees two challenges in women’s participation in the armed struggle for the liberation of Palestine: from society, because society is sexist and patriarchal, and also from the Israeli occupation. According to her, for women in this context there is no middle ground: “surrender or fight”.

Brasil de Fato: Leila, what are the necessary adaptations of socialism in the Palestinian liberation struggles?

The Palestinian people are in different countries and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) is where the Palestinian people are. There are many people in occupied Palestine, Gaza, West Bank and others in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and other Arab countries. Our party is in these countries and we have a political program. And this is similar to other organizations. In some countries we don’t say that we are PFLP because it is a banned organization in some territories. So we speak in committees for a democratic Palestine or we form a union of delegations.

The political program is what guides the policy of the Popular Front. But the labor policy is different as an objective situation in each country. Some countries do not accept a militant organization, which is why we change the names. But they are still militants of the Popular Front. Therefore, the mission of each group of activists in each place is that they design and carry out their own line of work that fits our political program.

And here comes the discussion around socialism. In our cultural and educational program we have theory. From the beginning we adopted Marxist-Leninist thought. But in the fifth congress of the Popular Front, in 1993, we put Marxism-Leninism not only as a political line, but as an instrument of work. As we are citizens of the Third World, to speak of socialism and Marxism-Leninism has to be adapted to each territory and objective condition.

The context of each country is different in relation to another country. That is why Lenin always said that theory is gray, but reality is green. We apply a socialism different from ours in each country. These are experiences that we adopt from other countries. We, as a political organization, build alliances according to the political position of any country. And the position of a given country on the Palestinian cause is what determines our position in relation to that country.

And how can we build a Palestinian society that is socialist in a context of increasing Israeli attacks and an increase in violence in over 12 months?

It is a challenge, we need to educate our activists, educate them about socialism at the same time that we are in a process of national liberation. We set ourselves the historic goal of returning to our land to build a new society. In a liberation process all taboos and paradigms are broken, from religious to political. That is why we are interested in confronting the war and genocide suffered by our people. We raise our slogan: we have the right to return and to be a people whose self-determination is respected.

Can the coordination of international organizations help to put an end to the conflict?

This is the first time in Israel’s history since its founding that there has been a decision to hold Israelis accountable, as was the International Criminal Court’s decision that Netanyahu is a war criminal as its Defense Minister.

But Israel considers itself above the law. They do not surrender internationally because they are protected by the colonial West and US imperialism. For the first time, Israel in the war against Gaza asks for protection from the United States, this frightened Israel. But because of this protection, they follow.

Could China’s growing participation in the geopolitical chessboard change this?

Of course, today there is the Brics, which is an economic alliance that should be reflected in a political alliance to confront the imperialists. Not through arms, but through economics. I believe that this will change and the United States will no longer protect Israel, they are giant and powerful countries. In their history there are revolutions and we learn from these revolutions. In the Cold War between the USSR and the United States, the United States won and today the world is changing. And it must change in favor of the people. And this provides a positive environment for the people of the world. Specifically Latin America, because it is close to imperialism. This means that all together we can break this rule. This world will not continue to be ruled by the United States.

You have already mentioned several times the imperialist actions of the U.S. in different places, mainly stifling revolutionary struggles. What has been the role of the U.S. today in the Palestinian liberation movement and in Latin American revolutionary movements?

We always present our experience and the particular problems we face, but Latin America began to have revolutionary experiences a long time ago and Cuba is the great example. And this is reflected in a reaction from imperialism. Cuba has suffered sanctions since it decided to have its own revolutionary process and this has had an enormous effect on Latin American politics. [Salvador] The Allende revolution in Chile and Venezuela was also influenced by Cuba. Cubans play an important role in Latin American politics.

In many other countries there were revolutions that failed and this is because the United States and the Zionist movement penetrate these societies and have the role of destroying them. So that these societies see the United States as the “liberator”.

How was your relationship with Venezuela over time and with Chavez?

Chavez supported the Palestinian cause from the beginning and announced it publicly at the UN in 2003. This created a relationship between Venezuelans and Palestinians that was marked and continues to be an important point of support. I saw him in 2005 in Brazil, when I went to the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre. We also met in other cities. When I came to Venezuela for the first time, he was already undergoing treatment for cancer.

How do political struggles in other countries serve as a reference for the Palestinian liberation struggle?

We study the results of different processes. In any national liberation process in a country, from the Bolshevik revolution, in China, in Vietnam, in Algeria, in South Africa, it is necessary to educate our activists through ideas. Our struggle is not of a few years, it is from one generation to the next. Because we face a common enemy: the Zionist movement, whose governments are Israel and US imperialism. This is the camp of the enemy. We understand in advance that we have to sacrifice ourselves and pass the flag of liberation from generation to generation until we liberate the Palestinian territory and return to Palestine, expelling the Zionists.

Personally and in general, we carry a scientific thinking and it is not an emotional thing based on this. I still carry this responsibility when I see friends in the world. Many revolutionary and progressive movements fought for our cause. From Europe to Tokyo and Latin America and this gives more hope that we will return to our homeland.

Carlos Ilich Ramirez was a Venezuelan activist who, from an early age, became involved in the struggle of the Palestinian people. Patricio Argüello, Nicaraguan, who became a martyr by hijacking a plane. We also have militants and comrades in Japan. They went to a military operation in occupied Palestine and were killed there. There are many internationalists who fought with us and this is not the only way to support them. We attended training courses in various countries of the world: China, USSR, socialist countries. And we also receive university education through university scholarships from these countries. So we are surrounded by friends in the world and we see these relationships now with what is happening in Gaza, with the whole world expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people, including the United States and Europe.

And at the same time it reveals the real reason for the conflict. It showed the terrorist face of Israel. This is what gives us strength and motivation to continue working.

How important is revolutionary and theoretical training for a militant and militancy for a theoretician?

Knowledge has its effect on men and women. We live in the age of telecommunications, so communication is easier through technology. We communicate more easily and this helps us to see that victory is closer. Therefore, the more knowledge we have, the easier our liberation process will be.

Before we read books, today everything is on the internet, on Google. This makes it easier for activists to learn more through communication. We used to see each other at international forums and conferences. Today there are many applications that help not only with videoconferencing, but with training. Getting informed or accessing training is easier.

The Palestinian people suffered the Nakba in 1948 and left Palestine. The context of the Palestinian people forced Palestinians to confront Zionism through university education, and this made it easier for men and women to enter universities. We have only 8% illiterate people, because we help everyone to be educated and to be students. Compared to other Arab countries, Palestinians have the highest university education and this increases the number of intellectuals.

Therefore, many of our students and young people will study political science, philosophy and culture to help spread and publicize the culture of resistance.

What are the main challenges for you as a woman in the armed struggle? Is there a different context within this gender cut?

I grew up in a political family. I never had a problem of this with my family, but the family is always afraid and worried. But this was not an underlying problem for me. Other women had difficulty joining activism because of their families. And there came a time when many parents forced women to stay at home, not to leave the house.

With the evolution and development of militancy work, this helped women to get involved in militancy, especially from 1987 onwards. This was the first Intifada and this gave women the opportunity to enter into direct confrontation with Zionism. Therefore, the face of the first intifada was that women were on the front line defending their children. Many women have been arrested and continue to be arrested. The enemy did not imagine that Palestinian women would participate in the intifada. When women participate in this work of organizational and revolutionary activism, they are defending their family. Women in this context of Palestinian struggle suffer a double oppression: from society, because society is sexist and patriarchal, and also from the Israeli occupation. There are currently many Palestinian women in Israeli prisons.

For women, there are two paths in this scenario: surrender or fight. A woman will always choose to defend her family and take on this role. She will not raise a white flag. So I did not experience oppression or challenges on this issue, but it is something that is above the diaspora, all these problems we suffer from in another way.

How do the Palestinian popular movements discuss the particular issues of the life of each group?

We have popular unions, the Palestinian women’s union and this group adopts the resistance program. Workers, farmers, doctors, journalists, each sector has a union. And this gives popular support and when Israel attacks the people join the revolution to defend it. Today we are witnessing a genocide against our people. And the world is studying this genocide.

Israeli attacks have a direct impact on land use. How is the land dispute in Palestine?

Our problem is that the settlers are occupying the land with the support of the Tel Aviv group. There is a decision of the Hague Court that says the settlements are not legal and now they say there could be genocide, but unfortunately that is not said. We saw this problem in the 1990s, because the Intifada was resisting and the Palestinian leadership signed the Oslo Accords and this affected the Palestinian revolutionary movement.

You have already been in Brazil and had contact with leftist movements in the country, how do you see the political organization of the Brazilian popular movements that struggle to transform the relationship between State, population and land?

Brazil is huge and has had many dictatorships that changed the system of government. Therefore, geography plays an important role. In Brazil, the MST has an important role in liberating land and giving it to the people. In the previous administration, Lula helped to some extent in this process in one way or another. During Lula’s government, the MST played a very important role and started to have a broader social base because these lands were appropriated from the feudalists.

And the MST managed to push for a law that determines that whoever does not make productive use of the land should not have possession of it. But the Brazilian oligarchies killed MST leaders and carried out acts of violence against militants. Many of the leaders of the Movement were assassinated by imperialism through terrorist and fascist groups in Brazil. But the MST continues today. Today the MST is a giant organization because it plays an important role for the people. Because when you give the poor something to live on and give them work, you expand the social base.

We studied the experience of the MST, but this cannot be applied to Palestine. Most of the Palestinian people are outside Palestine. In some countries it is called land reform, but what you did was not limited to the struggle for land reform, but people now have a better future and homes. And all this was done by workers and peasants, men and women. We saw this with our own eyes.

Source: Brazil de Fato, translation Resumen Latinoamericano – English

New York, Nov. 29 — Thousands of people took to the streets of Midtown Manhattan today to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon by the U.S. and its Zionist killers. The militant action was called by Shut It Down 4 Palestine. 

People gathered at Columbus Circle in front of Deutsche Bank‘s 750-foot-high skyscraper. Germany’s biggest financial octopus, with over $1.5 trillion in assets, which had helped Hitler to come to power, financed Trump’s shady business operations to the tune of hundreds of millions. So naturally these banksters also have an office in Zionist occupied Palestine.

Speakers at the opening rally included Taher Dahleh and Ibtihal Malley from the Palestinian Youth Movement; Manolo De Los Santos, from The People’s Forum; and Roger Wareham, from the December 12th Movement.

People marched across 59th Street past luxury hotels and condos before going down Fifth Avenue. Chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!,” echoed off Tiffany’s, Trump Tower, Rockefeller Center, and dozens of expensive boutiques.

Onlookers on the street were friendly and supportive. Many took photos of the signs and banners carried by demonstrators.

Marchers ended up at Herald Square in front of Macy’s biggest department store  where a spirited rally was held where a spirited rally was held. Protesters listened to a live report from a journalist in Gaza describing the suffering the U.S. and Israel are inflicting on the people there. 

In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly declared Nov. 29 the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On that date in 1947, Palestine was divided with Zionist settlers stealing Palestinian land just as other colonial settlers stole African lands in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

It was President Harry “Hiroshima” Truman, whose career as a politician started in 1922 when he joined the Missouri Ku Klux Klan, who forced this bloody partition through the UN. 

It’s fitting that Henry Kissinger finally croaked last year on Nov. 29.

Every child murdered in Palestine and Lebanon by U.S.-made bombs dropped by U.S.-made planes is worth infinitely more than that bloody war criminal.

The struggle for liberation will continue no matter who is in the White House. Palestine and Lebanon will win!

The Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, declared a significant victory over the Israeli occupation and reaffirmed the party’s unwavering support for Palestine in various forms.

Speaking after the recent ceasefire in Lebanon, Qassem outlined five pledges for the post-war period, including aiding reconstruction efforts and advancing the completion of Lebanon’s constitutional institutions, particularly the election of a president.

During his address, Qassem emphasized Hezbollah’s commitment to national unity and cooperation.

He stated, “Our national efforts will be in collaboration with all forces that believe the homeland belongs to all its citizens. We will engage in dialogue with those who seek to build a unified Lebanon based on the principles of the Taif Agreement.”

Hezbollah’s political leader also dismissed attempts to weaken Hezbollah, stating, “To those who wagered on our downfall, their bets have failed.

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Qassem characterized the current achievement as surpassing the 2006 victory against Israel, attributing the success to the resilience of the Lebanese people and their sacrifices, despite the ferocity of the conflict and Western support for Israel.

“We emerged victorious because we prevented the enemy from destroying Hezbollah or crippling the resistance,” he said.

Qassem also highlighted Israel’s losses, noting the displacement of hundreds of thousands from northern Israel and the resistance’s relentless strikes, which he claimed left Israel in a state of strategic defeat.

The ceasefire agreement, which came into effect on November 27, 2024, marked a temporary end of months of military operations between Hezbollah and Israel, following Hezbollah’s support for Gaza during Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa.

According to Qassem, the ceasefire is not a formal treaty but rather a framework under Resolution 1701, stipulating the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied Lebanese territory and the deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River.

[embedpress]https://x.com/MayadeenEnglish/status/1862570053129933193[/embedpress]

He affirmed Hezbollah’s commitment to coordinating with the Lebanese army to secure the region. “This agreement was made under the umbrella of Lebanese sovereignty, with our right to self-defense upheld,” he said.

Reaffirming Hezbollah’s stance on Palestine, Qassem stated, “Our support for Palestine will never waver and will take various forms.”

He recalled that while Hezbollah did not initially seek war, it was prepared to engage if necessary, standing firmly in solidarity with the Gaza resistance.

Looking ahead, Qassem expressed optimism about Lebanon’s recovery and outlined Hezbollah’s five post-war pledges.

These include aiding reconstruction, supporting the political process by facilitating the election of a president by the scheduled date of January 9, and playing an active role in the country’s political and social development in alignment with Lebanon’s needs.

Concluding his speech, Qassem extended gratitude to Iran, Yemen, and Iraq for their support during the conflict. He reiterated Hezbollah’s determination to remain a formidable force in both resistance and nation-building efforts, with a vision for a unified and sovereign Lebanon.

Source: The Palestine Chronicle

Note: A “pogrom” is a violent riot meant to harm, intimidate and expel oppressed minority groups. The word entered English through Russian and Yiddish and referred mainly to anti-Jewish riots in the old Russian Empire stoked by the Czarist regime. Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) was one of the most infamous pogroms. It was carried out in Germany by the Nazis in 1938. The name referred to the shards of glass littering the streets after fascist mobs smashed the windows of Jewish synagogues, shops, and other buildings. The Klan’s decades of terrorism following the U.S. Civil War provide many more examples. 

Recent weeks have seen the mainstream press alight with reports that a rash of “antisemitic attacks” had gripped the city of Amsterdam. According to CNN, Fox News, and CBS, “Israeli” soccer fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team were targeted by a violent antisemitic mob simply for being Jewish. Thousands of “Israeli” soccer fans and fascist thugs had traveled to Amsterdam in the week preceding M. Tel Aviv’s Nov. 5 match with Dutch soccer club Ajax.

This narrative is not just patently false and misleading. It is strategic in its attempt to position all pro-Palestine protests as antisemitic. This narrative is particularly pernicious considering the events that preceded the clashes in the street between Zionists and pro-Palestine activists. 

This is not to say that there were no physical and violent confrontations between pro-Palestine protesters and M. Tel Aviv soccer fans. There certainly were. However, the violence was not borne from anti-Jewish hatred but from self-defense against a genocidal regime and that regime’s fascist mobs. 

In the days leading up to the Nov. 5 match, the M. Tel Aviv fans made the city of Amsterdam their own fascist oyster. On the day before the match, a mob of Zionists in town for the match burned a Palestinian flag in Dam Square. These impromptu fascist demonstrations broke out across central Amsterdam. Video footage showed M. Tel Aviv fans setting off flares and chanting, “Let the [Israeli army] win” and “F**k the Arabs.” 

The Zionist mobs also attacked houses displaying Palestinian flags on the day before and the day of the match. On the day of the match, the Zionist soccer fans marched to the stadium chanting similar anti-Arab slogans as the day prior. This fascist mob had an escort to the stadium from the Dutch federal police. 

And to be clear, these Zionist pogrom demonstrations weren’t necessarily spontaneous. Ahead of the match in Amsterdam, the Zionist mouthpiece Jerusalem Post reported that Mossad agents would accompany M. Tel Aviv to the match. The Zionist entity knew it would have to protect its fascist masses and be prepared to cry antisemitism the second that the people of Amsterdam inevitably fought back against the fascist invasion of the city. 

After the match itself, the fascist mobs began to make their way back to central Amsterdam. It was at this point that pro-Palestinian groups began to attack the fascists themselves. Some used scooters, and some simply confronted the Zionist thugs in the street. 

Not so strangely enough, the mainstream media was absolutely silent as Zionist mobs vandalized Arab businesses, chanted “Kill the Arabs,” and attacked a Palestinian taxi driver. The second that the people of Amsterdam stood up to these fascist thugs, the media became awash with stories of rabid antisemitism in Amsterdam. Netanyahu sent in the occupation’s air force to “evacuate” the Zionist soccer fans. Amsterdam’s mayor described the event as an anti-Jewish pogrom. 

A pogrom did occur in Amsterdam, but it wasn’t anti-Jewish. It was an anti-Palestinian and, more broadly, anti-Arab pogrom perpetrated by fascists whose Judaism is weaponized in the imperialist press. Frankly, the M. Tel Aviv Zionists are far closer in practice and politics to the sort of fascists who marched through London’s Jewish neighborhood in the famous 1936 “Battle of Cable Street” than they are to the Jewish community who experienced the terrors of Kristallnacht and Tsarist pogroms. 

As long as the U.S. imperialist genocide of Palestine continues via its Zionist satellite, Zionists should expect to be confronted wherever they travel en masse to spread their terror. 

Lev Koufax is an anti-Zionist Jewish activist.

Nov. 9, Harvey, Louisiana – the Palestinian Youth Movement New Orleans and Masjid Omar held a press conference under the heading, “Our children are speaking.” Taking place outside Masjid Omar – a mosque on New Orleans West Bank, where many of the area’s 10,000 Palestinian community members live – kids from as young as five years old to 18 took to the mic to speak out against the Washington-backed and directed genocide being carried out by Israeli occupation forces in Palestine. 

These children and youths expressed themselves in many ways: sharp political analysis, poetry, songs, and chants. The younger ones had to stand on a step ladder to reach the mic. Some described personal loss, naming family and friends murdered by the Zionist occupiers with weapons supplied by Washington and paid for with the tax dollars of U.S. workers who can’t afford rent and groceries.

Chants included “Biden, Trump, can’t you see? Palestine will be free!” and “We want justice, you say how? Justice for Tawfic now!”

Tawfic Abdel Jabbar was a 17-year-old Palestinian born and raised in Gretna, Louisiana. He was shot to death by an off-duty Israeli police officer, an IOF soldier, and an Israeli settler on Jan. 19, 2024, while visiting the West Bank of Palestine. President Joe Biden and local governments in the New Orleans area – including Gretna – have been totally silent about this crime; this echoes their silence about police killings of Black people. 

Louisiana governor and friend to billionaires Jeff Landry (who tried to prevent hungry Louisiana kids from receiving school lunch this past summer) has ignored this crime just as he ignores every other kind of human suffering in the state. 

One six-year-old boy at the press conference said, “Why should you support Palestine? Because you are human.” This cuts to the core. Going along with genocide means forsaking our own humanity. 

One young woman said:

“How can someone be treated so poorly when they’re in their own land? Just visiting family members can be an impossible task due to the checkpoints and walls built to permanently isolate the community. 

“Children come home worried whether their parents are still alive and well. No child should feel this way. Innocent lives are taken away day by day just for being Palestinian.

“The situation is not just a political issue. It is a human issue. Every person regardless of their nationality has the right to live in peace and security. We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of Palestinians or ignore their struggle for justice.”

Another young woman with autism spoke about Mohammad Bhar, a 24-year-old Palestinian man with Down syndrome and autism murdered in Gaza by Israeli military personnel who separated him from his family and allowed their dogs to maul him to death. She said:

“Mohammad would have been my friend if he was not left to die a painful and lonely death by the IDF. They let loose their dogs on him and forced his mom, brother, and sisters to leave. Mohammad Bhar could have been my friend. Mohammad Bhar could have been me.”

This writer did not see any local news stations present at the event, even though they covered the recent Taylor Swift concert in minute detail.