Kathryn Shihadah | Essential facts and stats about the Hamas-Gaza-Israel war: The current situation in Gaza and Israel did not come out of the blue. Critical background left out of U.S news | On Oct 7, the resistance group Hamas did not invade a peace-loving country. To Israelis, it may have felt tranquil and carefree – they were dancing, raising families on tree-lined streets, planning vacations abroad. Palestinians are pretty much invisible, locked as they are behind high concrete walls and electrified, fortified, barbed wire barriers. ■ Israelis have never experienced the kind of invasion they got that day. The roles are usually reversed. This time some Palestinians were killing, kidnapping, and causing panic, trauma, and unconscionable violence. Usually it is some Israeli soldiers and settlers that perpetrate such acts. ■ The Israelis’ experience – and that of their loved ones – is real and significant. ■ But many of us are dismissing Gazans’ experience out of hand. ■ If we believe in equality, in the presence of the imago dei in everyone, we ought to be troubled by this. Are Israeli sins forgivable, but Palestinian sins somehow unforgivable?

■ Mike Yeadon, PhD on this blog
■ Silver Bullet (Dr. Mike Yeadon )(Substack)(VIDEO)

The Associated Press reports that Syria's interim government sent two identical letters to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General, urging "Israel" to stop its attacks on Syria and withdraw from occupied territories. | Syria's interim government is urging the UN Security Council to take measures to force "Israel" to halt its attacks on Syrian territory and withdraw from northern areas it has entered, in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, reported the Associated Press. ● In identical letters to the UN Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, obtained by The Associated Press on Friday, Syria’s UN Ambassador Koussay Aldahhak stated he was acting "on instructions from my government" in issuing the demands. ● Earlier this week, Syria's permanent representative to the United Nations, Qusay al-Dahhak, called on the UNSC and the secretary-general to prevent "Israel" from exploiting the turnover period that the country is experiencing. [...] It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation has expanded its occupation of Syrian territory, taking over the entirety of the Golan region and nine towns in the southern countryside of Damascus, positioning its forces just 20 km away from the capital. The Israeli regime has also launched nearly 300 strikes on Syrian military assets, destroying the majority of the Syrian Air Force and air defenses, which remained inactive and unable to defend against the aggression.

"It's a strange thing. Usually such things are not said ahead of time." Military observer Yuriy Podolyaka commented on the hype around the fact that "40 thousand NATO soldiers will enter Ukraine." | The military observer recalled that French President Macron was one of the first to drop "this story" so far. However, in Poland they said that such games are not played. However, for example, the Italians did not mind. While they are supposedly deciding and agreeing on something there, a reasonable question arises - why did these gentlemen think that this would suit Russia?

IDF attacks targeted command posts and military warehouses, Beirut-based TV channel Al Mayadeen has noted | Israeli aircraft have bombed Syrian army facilities in Latakia and Tartus provinces, where Russian military bases are located, a Lebanese television channel Al Mayadeen reported, citing a correspondent. ● According to the channel, the strikes targeted command posts and military warehouses used by the Syrian army, however, no information on possible casualties was provided. ● Russian military forces are present in Syria at Khmeimim Air Base and a logistics support center in Tartus, located in the western part of the country along the Mediterranean coast. In 2017, Moscow and Damascus agreed to station Russian troops at these bases for a period of 49 years.

■ Erdogan announced plans to annex territories of Syria to Turkey (GlobalEuroNews)
■ Jewish Agenda: Trump Transition Team Considering Strikes on Iran (Antiwar)
■ Israel launches ‘one of the largest’ attacks on Syria in history (12/10/24)

✅ Israel Gives Biden His Marching Orders: Syrian land will be annexed into “Greater” Israel (Philip Giraldi)
✅ The Yinon Thesis Vindicated: Neocons, Israel, and the Fragmentation of Syria (Stephen J. Sniegoski)(08/15/12)

A total of 224 members of the 300-member electoral college cast their votes in favor of Kavelashvili | Mikhail Kavelashvili representing the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party was elected on Saturday as the sixth president of Georgia, according to results of the vote count, which was broadcast live on the Georgian parliament's official website. ● A total of 224 members of the 300-member electoral college cast their votes in favor of Kavelashvili, who needed to get two thirds of the votes to win in the first round of the election. ● "According to the results provided by the secretary general [of the Central Election Commission], Mikhail Kavelashvili has been elected president," CEC Chairman Giorgi Kalandarishvili said as he signed the final election protocol. ● Georgia held the presidential election on Saturday, December 14. The country’s new president had been for the first time elected by an electoral college and not through a popular vote. The inauguration ceremony for the new president of Georgia who will be elected for a five-year period, is set for December 29.

■ Georgian Dream Candidate Kavelashvili Elected Georgian President With 224 Votes (MEDIA)
■ Former Man City player elected Georgian president (RT)
■ US Doesn't Need Independent Georgia, Will Foment Coup in Tbilisi (Ekaterina Blinova)

Ukraine has launched what is reported to be "over 200" drones in widespread attacks against Russia.Russian air defenses are engaging the attacking drones. From social media, a Ukrainian UAV struck a Russian oil depot in Oryol Oblast a short time ago.

■ Russian Aviation Destroys Three Ukrainian Drone Deposits (Sputnik)

Athlete from Lithuania was disqualified from the World Fitness Championships in Hungary for wearing a “Let’s Make Russia Small Again” T-shirt | The Russian national team is participating in the competition, and although the athletes were supposed to be presented as neutrals, the announcer announced them as Russians - they were wearing T-shirts with the name of their country. ▪️ As a sign of protest, Cornelia Dudayte wore a T-shirt with the inscription “Make Russia small again.” However, the organizers demanded that it be removed, considering that it insulted Russian athletes. After the degenerate refused, she was disqualified. ▪️ Later, Dudaite’s decision was supported by the national federation - all 28 Lithuanian athletes withdrew from the competition.