Sides, who Benefits?

Well, it’s not just MSNBC, CNN, or BBC; finding out what’s happening in Ukraine is challenging. Yes, even Russian and Ukrainian Telegram have focused on the Middle East war. Partly, there is fear of escalation. Partly, it is who benefits? In. my mind, getting Ukraine off the headlines helps Russia.

They will also exploit this at the United Nations to get the global south behind them. This is where a lot more people believe the Hamas narratives. And as I was typing this, Intel Slava posted this:

Reports that Russia is preparing a draft UN Security Council resolution for Gaza ceasefire

“If this is confirmed, and if the US proceeds to vacuously veto this resolution, Russia would secure a massive strategic foreign policy win vis-à-vis most countries in the Middle East and North Africa and their populations.”

This is the precise game that the Soviet Union played at the United Nations during the Cold War. It is very cynical because the Soviets did not care much for Palestinians or the Arab cause either. It was about getting even with the West and weakening the collective West. This post is not from the 1973 Yom Kippur war. It is from today, with precisely the same games.

It is cynical but points precisely to how much this Mideast war benefits the Russian Federation. The other advantage is that this crisis is forcing nations to take sides. The first is China. To no surprise, they are taking the same stand as Russia. I am betting they will vote with Russia in the Security Council.

Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi very clear on Palestine at a press conference with Borrell: “The injustice faced by the Palestinians has lingered for over half a century, spanning multiple generations and causing immense suffering. It cannot continue any longer!”

You are correct if this feels like sides taking place before a war. This is precisely the feeling I have on this and many other issues. Whether this stays cold or goes hot is a good question. If this goes hot, China will likely attack Taiwan. Then there is this from Vladimir Putin. It’s an excellent way to call the Jewish state a Nazi state without using the words. It is highly coded:

Putin: The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip is unacceptable and similar to the Nazi blockade of Leningrad

Making these allusions to the Great Patriotic War also follows the ideology that Zionism is Nazism. This is a common chestnut going back to at least the 1970s. This is a little history on that one. Notice the role of the Soviets in this, and then extrapolate to the present:

The United Nations passes UN Resolution 3379 which defines Zionism as a form of racism and racial discrimination by a vote of 72 in favor, 35 against and 32 abstentions. The Soviet Union had originated the idea of equating Zionism with racism during the 1960’s during the debate in the UN leading up to the passage of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. It was published in 1965 and went into effect in 1969. During that debate, the United States and Brazil had wished to include in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, a clause denouncing anti-Semitism. The Soviet Union, fearful that such a clause could be used to rebuke them for their persecution of Soviet Jewry, introduced a counter proposal. The counterproposal read, “State parties condemn anti-Semitism, Zionism, Nazism, neo-Nazism and all other forms of the policy and ideology of colonialism, national and race hatred and exclusiveness” (Troy, Gil, Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight Against Zionism as Racism, New York: Oxford University Press,2013, p. 75). Neither clause was included in the conventions. However the Zionism is Racism resolution passed with Arab, Muslim, and eastern European Block states voting for it.

Given this background, no of this coming from present-day Russia should surprise you. Putin wants to replace the US in the Middle East, part of his multipolar world. There was a similar effort from the Soviets. Russia resents the reach of the United States. Here is the current effort. The stakes are as high for Israel as they are for Ukraine :

Russia is ready to mediate in the Palestinian-Israeli settlement — Putin

He also stated the need to create an independent Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem.

This goes to the Cold War when we had proxy wars, which brings me to this piece via Volymedia. I speculated Russia was involved. Well, if Volymedia is correct, we have the goods:

According to sources of the Volya telegram channel among the Russian military in Syria, the attack on the wall, border settlements and bases was carried out by 2,200–2,500 militants trained in the camps of pro-Iranian detachments in Syria and in Iran itself.

Israeli intelligence was aware of what was happening and began to show concern. Here, according to our sources, Russia has joined among Russian military specialists and mercenaries in Syria and Lebanon. Israelis were assured through unofficial channels that the weapons produced in Syria were intended for the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine, not for Hamas and Hezbollah. From Syria, it was delivered by land and sea to Lebanese ports in Tripoli and Beirut, and from there by sea, on ships with civil cargo, it went to Novorossiysk (yes, Turkey passed these ships). Israeli intelligence and counterintelligence, according to our sources, monitored the transportation of weapons for several months, Mossad and Shabak were convinced that ammunition and drones were going to war in Ukraine and weakened control by April-May. From about that moment on, part of the batches of rockets and drones began to go not to Novorossiysk, but to the Gaza Strip. On October 7, they were used in Israel.

In April-May, Russia covered up the training of Palestinian militants in a similar way by specialists from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran and Syria. The Shabak, which has a strong network of informants in both Gaza and Palestine, has begun to record that Hamas military militants are leaving the Gaza Strip and inhabited places in Palestine and moving to Syria. Russia, according to our sources, again intervened through unofficial channels and convinced that the militants are being taken out and prepared not to attack Israel, but to participate in the war in Ukraine on the side of the Russian Federation.

The same rumors began to spread in the Muslim community around the world. Russia is allegedly recruiting Muslims from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen to form detachments in Ukraine. These rumors circulated from April to June and even reached the Muslim units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The military and political leadership of Israel took a pragmatic position towards the Russian Federation and even, to some extent, was in contact with the situation in Syria. De facto official Moscow mediated and guarantor of informal rules between Iran and its satellites (the notorious “As of Resistance” — an alliance that unites Iran, Syria, Iraqi Shiite militias, Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas and the Yemeni Houthi movement), on the one hand, and Israel, on the other. Israel did not greatly interfere with the activities of the “Axis of Resistance” in the Middle East, and pro-Iranian forces were limited to on-duty shelling Israeli territory and verbal threats without crossing the “red lines”. However, the Russian-Ukrainian war has significantly changed the interests of Putin’s regime in the Middle East. Now the regime is interested in aggravating the situation in the region to divert Western support from Ukraine, as well as in rising prices for oil and its derivatives. This was also facilitated by the intensification of cooperation between Russia and Iran. Therefore, the rhetoric of Putin* on October 11, 2023, who declared the need for the formation of an independent state of Palestine, about the U.S. guilt in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, is not surprising. Putin* also called Israel’s “settlement policy” one of the main reasons for the explosion of violence in the region.

I recommend reading the whole piece. And if you are wondering, it’s not just Volymedia. It’s a long piece. Please put it in Chrome; it will translate it, but the details are impressive. It includes things like Hamas is building AK rifles under Russian license in Gaza.

While there are many reasons for this, the attack on civilians, in such a way, should be revolting; however, it benefits the Federation. It’s not just Volymedia. We are getting more noise regarding this. This is via MO, quoting others, pointing to what Putin needs:

“Putin will continue to be a stoker, he desperately needs this war.” Nevzorov — about the role of Moscow in the conflict in the Middle East.

The publicist has no doubt that the Russian president is behind the aggravation of the Arab-Israeli conflict:

“Having started an important and necessary massacre in Palestine, Putin covered not only himself, but also his unfortunate Russia with another layer of blood and shit. Now everyone, in addition to the blood of Bucha and Irpen, is also splattered with the blood of Kfar-Az and Reim. Those donkey ears are sticking out higher and higher . There is only one beneficiary in this whole story, and only Putin is blissful and enjoying the result. The news of the Jewish war completely blocked the news of the Russian military shame (in Ukraine) .”

Russia did not condemn the actions of Hamas, Nevzorov emphasizes.

“Israeli journalist Amit Segal writes that the battle between the West-Ukraine axis and the Russia-Iran axis of evil has finally begun. As you can see, there is virtually no doubt about Russia’s role. The question arises: can a war break out on all continents? In which the Islamic world will clash with civilization everywhere? Quite possible. Although so far, apart from a few bored gangs, like Hezbollah, no one is eager to fight. But Putin will continue to stir up this whole story; he, unlike its participants and eyewitnesses, really desperately needs this war.”

This behavior is quite in the spirit of the Russian leader, the publicist says.

“ Putin knows how to start fires, which are then almost impossible to put out . He found himself in this and is always trying to set the world on fire. In Ukraine, it has already been possible to create a situation from which there is no way out other than the liquidation of Russia as such. This is inexpensive for the life of the entire planet, but for now NATO firefighters are just watching this fire burn. They stand next to the flame and make speeches about the need to extinguish it. From time to time, Ukraine is given a glass or two of water so that it can throw something into this fire,” complains Nevzorov.

While I am not a fan of the war of civilization language, the values of the different sides are very real. In the most dramatic, the West believes in democracy, freedom of thought, and religion. Healing the world and a culture of life is central to Judaism. Russia has an imperial ethos with a fascist streak. Hamas is pretty much a death cult where life starts at death. They are now identifying themselves with the Islamic State:

Black flag via Southern First Responders

First, Hamas has wrapped itself in the black flag of Islamism, not the secular flag of Palestinian statehood. In doing so, they have aligned themselves to a form of warfare and government that goes beyond the restitution of Palestinian rights or territory. That offer has been successful in Gaza but, outside the unique circumstances of that community and the albeit large number of Islamist sympathisers, the appeal of Islamic Resistance is less certain. While Hamas is being supported by Iran and Syria, it has sectarian and political differences with both which have made for a complicated relationship over the years. No one has fought the Muslim Brotherhood as ruthlessly as the Assad family: Hafiz crushed them in Hama in 1982, his son Bashar fought a bloody, and unfinished, civil war against what he described as Islamist terrorists. The support of the Iranian regime also needs perspective. The regime has been eager to align its liberationist rhetoric with that of Hamas and to chant crude slogans against Israel and the US but, by its own admission, it is a regime failing to appeal to a younger generation of Iranians and is using rhetoric and visions which belong to another era.

Putin and his allies are not fans of democracy or Western values. Neither are Hamas, Iran, or China. All these also intend to impose their views on the rest of us by force of arms. It matters that the terrorists who attacked places like Kibbutz Kfar Aza, Nir Am, or Be’eri were doing it under the black flag of the Islamic State. I have yet to see this part of the story widely reported.

I want to close this with this quote from a Russian telegram. The fact that we now may see the progroms we saw in Tsarist times should be chilling. However, it’s not surprising. The chief rabbi, since moved to Israel, warned people it was time to leave. But this is why Israel has had such a confusing relationship with Russia:

In the Russian Federation, “everything is clear” and the “party course” is clear.

Israeli symbols have already been equated by the police to “enemy and unacceptable.”

Vigilant citizens mark “Jewish establishments,” and street jocks give the Jews a hard time.

Tsarist-imperial and Soviet anti-Semitism is waking up and sipping sweetly.

Waking up from a long lethargy, he sees familiar, joyful faces. They bring him compote, squeeze him and congratulate him on coming out of a coma.

Presidential Advisor Dugin:
“The Islamic world will rise up against the West. In such a situation, Israel does not have the slightest chance of victory. By associating itself with the West, Israel crosses itself out. As Ukraine did a little earlier. The one who is with the West is finished. Maybe not right away, but pretty soon. Russia will support Hamas until Israel is completely destroyed.”
Nevzlrov

As to what Dugin is writing, some of this is already happening. Houthis, Pakistanis, and even Iranian fighters are offering to fight. Their intent, so we are clear, is the death of every Jewish person in Israel. It’s a holy war to them.

And finally, since it’s getting harder to find information. One of the things that happened after Hamas went on this rampage was a Russian offensive on Aadvika. Initially, they were a tad successful. At this point, it looks like the battle of Vuhledar, where Russia lost a lot of troops and armor.

I will also add this about Palestinian civilians. My heart goes to those who will be caught amid this hell. I wish we all could stop this. While many Americans say that Israel should leave Gaza, they did. Ago. I don’t think they intend to occupy; after all, they left in 2005. But they will get rid of the threat. I will also finish with this. The political future of one Benjamin Netanyahu is over. Nor will I spread, though I have read it, Hamas propaganda.

As is, you will see it because they will blame everybody for the disaster they brought. I hope that after this…somehow, we all can find a way out of this cycle. However, knowing Hamas is fighting under the black flag of the Islamic State should raise our awareness. They intend to create a caliphate, like Isis before them. It’s a nihilist movement. And Russia is taking advantage of this chaos, best case scenario. I would say they are behind some of it. In reality, there are also local forces at play.