Was failed Syrian president the victim of an attempted poisoning?
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Was Syria’s former president Assad the victim of an attempted poisoning?
SYRIA’S ASSAD ALLEGEDLY POISONED IN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN RUSSIA
Exiled Syrian ex-president Assad, under Putin’s protection in Moscow since his ousting, was reportedly poisoned in a suspected assassination attempt.
Sources allege Assad, 59, became violently ill on… pic.twitter.com/NmlcZT2VOk
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 1, 2025
The U.K.’s Sun newspaper published an unverified report that Syria’s former dictator Bashar al-Assad, who sought refuge in Moscow following his ouster from Damascus in early December, was the victim of an attempted poisoning.
Online account General SVR — supposedly run by a former top spy in Russia – says he was taken ill on Sunday.
It claims Assad, 59, asked for medical help then almost immediately began to “cough violently and choke.”
The source said: “There is every reason to believe an assassination attempt was made.” Assad was said to have been treated in his apartment and his condition supposedly stabilized on Monday.
The story is intriguing as there are competing narratives over who might have carried this alleged attack out. The Sun implied Assad’s wife, Asma, who has reportedly filed for divorce from the deposed tyrant, could be behind it. Other possibilities include his Russian hosts – by no means averse to using poisoning to get rid of political opponents or inconvenient individuals – becoming potentially embarrassed by his presence. Perhaps a more far-fetched idea is it was done by a Syrian national, who somehow managed to be in close enough proximity to him to carry it out.
Hundreds call for intifada in Times Square demo
NYC anti-Israel protesters call for ‘intifada revolution’ on same day as New Orleans terror attack https://t.co/QVpUjP7PbG pic.twitter.com/7HpQzcVYaK
— New York Post (@nypost) January 2, 2025
On the same day a disciple of the Islamic State tore over pedestrians on a New Orleans street, hundreds of pro-Hamas, anti-Israel Islamists – and their useful idiot followers – gathered in New York’s Times Square to call for “intifada.”
The protest – organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement, the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the People’s Forum – was led in a chant of “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution,” according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
Videos posted online captured a keffiyeh-clad woman shouting racial and antisemitic slurs at counter-demonstrators, including at a black woman in the small pro-Israel gathering.
“Palestine will be free and f**k you all and we are sending you back to Europe, you white b*tches. Go back to Europe! Back to where you came from. Germany is your homeland,” the keffiyeh-clad woman shouted.
Hamas police chief and his deputy said killed in IDF strike on Gaza humanitarian zone
BREAKING: The IDF has successfully eliminated Hamas’s Police Commander in Gaza, Mahmoud Salah.
There is nowhere to hide. Israel will find them all. pic.twitter.com/5TCy5ulvbK
— Vivid. (@VividProwess) January 2, 2025
The Israel Air Force overnight Thursday eliminated Hamas Maj. Gen. Mahmoud Salah, director general of the police in the Gaza Strip, and his deputy, Brig. Gen. Hussam Mustafa Shawan “Abu Shurooq,” reported the Jewish Press.
Eleven were killed and 12 injured in the bombing attack in the Al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip.
In a separate statement, the Hamas-run interior ministry condemned the killing of the two police officers, saying “they were performing their humanitarian and national duty in serving our people.”
The Hamas-run police force is used to enforce strict discipline among the Gazan civilian population. There have been complaints about Hamas taking over supply convoys and brutally abusing anyone suspected of stealing the free goods distributed by international agencies and subsequently sold by the terrorist group.
Israeli victims of New Orleans terrorist remain in hospital
Two Israeli nationals remain hospitalized and on ventilators following a deadly ramming and shooting attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter early New Year’s Day, Elad Shoshan, Israel’s consul to the U.S. Southwest and deputy consul general, told Ynet on Thursday.
One victim is stable and not in life-threatening condition, while the other is in moderate to serious condition. Both remain unable to communicate. “We hope to speak with them tomorrow,” Shoshan said.
Capture of Hamas documents show terrorist organization’s tactical depth, deficiencies in Israeli intelligence
Hamas spent 7 years collecting intel on security cameras, guards and even a kindergarten in Israeli communities massacred on Oct. 7 https://t.co/xKAEs5m5jX
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) December 30, 2024
Prior to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on southern Israel, which have had the unintended consequence of upending the Middle Eastern order, the terrorist group reportedly spent up to seven years collecting intricate intelligence details ahead of its offensive.
Israel’s Channel 12 News exposed documents that were found during the ground operation that showed years of effort on Hamas’ part to gather intelligence about border towns and villages in Israel, including the movements and habits of leading local figures and security officers. Through meticulous information-gathering, Hamas was not only able to execute a surprise offensive but a precise one, reported The Media Line.
According to the Channel 12 News report, documents and sensitive information were collected for years. Hamas hacked surveillance cameras throughout southern Israel, and the organization managed to infiltrate sensitive systems, allowing them to diligently monitor the movements of critical security figures in the border area.
“Hamas did an excellent job using OSINT (open-source intelligence) and gained access to CCTV cameras, which are so prevalent today,” said Prof. Kobi Michael, a researcher at the Institute of National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute for National Security and Zionist Strategy,. “Together, this was an endless source of intelligence.”
Palestinian Authority kicks out Al Jazeera for fomenting unrest in Judea and Samaria
Al-Jazeera is too radical for the PA, a body that literally pays terrorists for killing Jews.
Israel , Saudi Arabia , Jordan , Egypt & the UAE already banned them.
What’s the reason your country still allows them to broadcast jihadist brainwashing propaganda? pic.twitter.com/TnjWPibktO
— Itay Gliner (@Gliner) January 1, 2025
The Palestinian Ministerial Committee, comprising representatives from the Ministries of Culture, Interior, and Telecommunications, on Wednesday announced the suspension of the broadcast operations of the Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Network in the PA, the Jewish Press reported.
The committee also ordered the temporary suspension of work by all journalists, staff, and associated channels affiliated with Al Jazeera.
On May 4, 2024, the Israeli government shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel and authorized the confiscation of its equipment. This action followed the passage of a new law granting the prime minister and communications minister the power to temporarily close foreign media outlets on national security grounds. Later, on Sept. 22, 2024, Israeli military authorities shut down Al Jazeera’s bureau in Ramallah. In response, the Foreign Press Association’s Board of Directors stated, “Restricting foreign reporters and closing news channels signals a shift away from democratic values.”
High-ranking Syrian delegation visits Saudi Arabia as part of charm offensive
The new Syrian government continued its push for acceptance and legitimacy via meetings with top level diplomats from European countries, as well as the United States and Arab states, as was highlighted on Wednesday by the arrival of a high-ranking delegation to Saudi Arabia, reported Israel National News.
Syria’s new Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shibani, expressed optimism about fostering stronger ties with Saudi Arabia during his visit to the kingdom on Wednesday, which marked the first foreign trip by Syria’s new leadership following their rise to power last month, AFP reported.
“I have just arrived in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accompanied by the Minister of Defense Murhaf Abu Qasra and the Head of the General Intelligence Service Anas Khattab,” al-Shibani said in a statement on X.
Last month, a Saudi delegation met with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus, according to a source close to the Saudi government.
Is Hamas regrouping in the Gaza Strip?
HAMAS RECRUITING COMEBACK: IDF has killed 17,000-20,000 of Hamas…so how is it back up to 12,000-23,000 fighters if it started with 25,000 in 2023?: https://t.co/kVv3pGSRzm
— Yonah Jeremy Bob (@jeremybob1) January 1, 2025
Hamas is making a substantial comeback by recruiting new forces, Channel 12 reported and The Jerusalem Post confirmed on Wednesday night.
Combined with forces from Palestinian Islamic Jihad together, Channel 12 said on Wednesday night that Hamas was up to between 20,000-23,000 fighters.
Information obtained by the Post indicated that recently, numbers were closer to around 12,000.
Over the last 15 months, there has been a gulf of a few thousand between the IDF and Netanyahu, casting doubt on the estimates.
In June, the IDF said that between 14,000-16,000 Hamas fighters had been wounded.
Elon Musk raises issue of U.K. grooming gangs, demands Tommy Robinson’s release after Labour MP shuts down call for public inquiry
Elon Musk has turned up the temperature on an explosive row over grooming gangs after GB News revealed that Labour’s Jess Phillips had shut down calls for a public inquiry into the scandal.
GB News exclusively revealed the Government had formally rejected repeated requests for a Home Office-led inquiry into historic child abuse in Oldham – sparking uproar on social media.
The Home Office had stressed the need to “learn from past mistakes and do everything possible to prevent future failures.”
But in a domestic political row which has now gone international, Musk made the incendiary claim that the Birmingham Yardley MP should be imprisoned.
IDF suicide rate climbs after nearly 15 months of war
The IDF announced Thursday that 891 soldiers have been killed since the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, marking one of the deadliest conflicts in Israel’s history. The toll includes deaths from combat, accidents and suspected suicides and is the largest number since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.
Of the 891 fatalities, 528 occurred in 2023, with 512 attributed to operational activity. Most deaths happened around October 7, when 329 soldiers were killed, including local rapid-response teams, reported Ynet. Another 226 deaths were recorded in 2024.
Suicide cases have also surged, with 17 suspected cases in 2023–seven conscripts, four career soldiers and six reservists –compared to 14 in 2022. In 2024, suicides increased to 21 cases, including seven conscripts, two career soldiers and 12 reservists, all men.
Former defense minister Gallant resigns from Knesset, decries upcoming bill to exempt ultra-Orthodox from IDF service
Former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant resigns from Knesset due to the government’s recruitment law (exempting ultraorthodox from army) “that contradicts the needs of the IDF and the security of the State of Israel. I cannot accept this, and I cannot be a partner in… pic.twitter.com/A7A75VkWZa
— Jotam Confino (@mrconfino) January 1, 2025
Less than two months after being dismissed as defense minister, MK Yoav Gallant resigned from the Knesset on Wednesday evening, attacking the current government for undermining the security of the country even while insisting he would remain a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party, reported the Times of Israel.
In an announcement carried live on Israeli television, the senior Likud lawmaker recalled his decades of military and political service and took credit for destroying Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran’s military capabilities – while also stating that he takes responsibility, as the former defense minister, for the lead up to the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault and the current war.
Gallant noted that he had spent “35 years in the Israel Defense Forces, a decade as a member of Knesset and minister in Israeli governments, including two dramatic years as defense minister.”
Erdogan’s son says ‘Gaza will win’ at Istanbul rally drawing tens of thousands
Terrorist Bilal Erdoğan, the son of the Turkish caliphate, participated in a massive demonstration in occupied Constantinople, now known as Istanbul, under the slogan “Yesterday Hagia Sophia, today the Umayyad Mosque, and tomorrow Al-Aqsa.” Let no one think that Turkey is asleep,… https://t.co/ScfOf3KEcy
— Mount Levnon (@mountlevnon) January 1, 2025
“Gaza will emerge victorious,” the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told tens of thousands of attendees at an anti-Israel rally in Istanbul on Wednesday.
Businessman Bilal Erdoğan, 43, said in his speech on Istanbul’s Galata Bridge over the Golden Horn: “Muslims in Syria were determined, patient, and they achieved victory. After Syria, Gaza will emerge victoriously from the siege.”
Demonstrators waved Turkish and PLO flags and chanted “Free Palestine” at the rally organized by the National Will Platform, a coalition of more than 300 pro-Palestinian and Islamic groups.
In July, Turkish President Erdoğan threatened to invade Israel. “We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these things to Palestine. Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we cannot do,” he said.
Iran to renew nuclear talks with European powers
UK, France, and Germany reopen nuclear deal talks with Iran in Geneva
Diplomats from the three European powers are pushing for a revival of the 2015 JCPOA agreement, with tensions over Iran’s uranium enrichment at the forefront. My latest: https://t.co/npObgOPJ5x
— Jotam Confino (@mrconfino) January 1, 2025
Britain, France, and Germany will begin a new round of talks with Iran over its nuclear program in Geneva on January 13, Iranian foreign ministry announced on Tuesday, according to Iran International.
The announced date is a week before Donald Trump’s inauguration and may be viewed by both sides as the final opportunity for a breakthrough before U.S. policy hardens.
Trump is expected to resume his first term strategy of Maximum Pressure upon returning to the White House on January 20.
Meanwhile, Iran has agreed to stricter monitoring by the U.N. nuclear agency at its Fordow site after significantly accelerating uranium enrichment to near weapons-grade levels, the watchdog stated in a report seen by Reuters.
Ireland’s top Catholic cleric attacks Israel for ‘merciless, disproportionate’ Gaza war
What the hell is going on in Ireland? Are they all just drunk on Jew-hate and guinness? Now @ArchbishopEamon goes on clueless and antisemitic tirade. pic.twitter.com/LrfckCUicV
— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) January 1, 2025
Ireland’s most senior Catholic figure has lambasted Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as “merciless” and a “disproportionate” response to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas’s invasion of the Jewish state last Oct. 7, according to the Algemeiner.
The New Year’s message by Archbishop Eamon Martin came amid deteriorating relations between Israel and Ireland, the latter of which has been accused of normalizing antisemitism in daily life.
“In the past 15 months, for example, we have witnessed not only the egregious 7th October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Israel, including the taking of hostages — 100 of whom are still held captive in Gaza — but we have also seen a merciless and disproportionate response by Israel,” Martin said in his remarks.
Martin — the Archbishop of Armagh who has been Primate of All Ireland since 2014 — then cited casualty figures provided by Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, which according to recent analyses have been inflated to defame Israel and support claims of genocide, to support his argument.