FYI

The #UnitedStates is not contractually obligated to actively defend #Israel as it is not a member of #NATO — which is essentially a contract between allied nations.

Israel is a “#Major Non-NATO Ally” or #MNNA.

Iran is likely aware that at no other time has there been more support in the US for Palestinian civilians, making active defense of Israel politically complex, especially just before an election.

#geopolitics #MiddleEast #war #Lebanon #Hezbollah #Gaza #Hamas

#IDF says it has been conducting secret raids over #Lebanese border for months

Israeli forces have been conducting raids in southern #Lebanon for months, Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, an IDF spox, said Tues. He added that #Israel’s incursion into southern Lebanon would represent a continuation & broadening of those attacks.

#geopolitics #MiddleEast #war #Hezbollah #Gaza #Hamas

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the #Biden admin was “carefully” following the situation in the #MiddleEast. “We’re, of course, tracking events in the Middle East very closely, & the #UnitedStates is committed to #Israel’s defense,” #Blinken said ahead of a meeting w/ #Morocco Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. “We’re watching developments, as I said, very carefully at this moment.”

#geopolitics #Netanyahu #war #Lebanon #Hezbollah #Gaza #Hamas

“This cycle of violence will not end well—for anyone,” Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said, adding: “A sliver of opportunity remains for #diplomacy to succeed.” The #Biden admin has encouraged #Israel to pursue diplomatic solutions to the conflict rather than #military action.

“The question now is whether it will be seized or squandered,” she said.

#geopolitics #MiddleEast #war #Lebanon #Hezbollah #Gaza #Hamas

“What we feared has materialized,” the #UnitedNations special coordinator for #Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said in a statement Tues. “With strikes throughout Lebanon, including in the heart of #Beirut, & incursions across the Blue Line, violence is spiraling to dangerous heights.” She referred to a line, mapped by the UN, that separates Lebanon from #Israel & the occupied Golan Heights.

#geopolitics #MiddleEast #war #Hezbollah #Gaza #Hamas

“A short time ago, our #US partners informed us that they have identified #Iran’s plans to fire #missiles at the State of #Israel in the near future,” Israeli #military spox Daniel Hagari said in a statement Tues. “At this point we do not detect an air threat launched from Iran. We have faced this threat in the past & we will face it now.”

#geopolitics #MiddleEast #war #Lebanon #Hezbollah #Gaza #Hamas

Sikorski pointed out that these #children have been moved w/o #consent, used for #propaganda, given Russian citizenship & placed in Russian families who have been “lured” w/money.

He also noted that #Putin signed a decree fast-tracking Russian citizenship for “stolen Ukrainian children.”.

“This was not collateral war damage. This was a plan, devised before the war & ruthlessly executed,” #Poland’s FM claimed.

#Imperialism #Autocracy #Tyranny #Authoritarianism #MafiaState #WarCrimes #Ukraine

“Thousands have been #kidnapped & taken into #Russia where they are brainwashed in order to strip them of memories of their national #identity.

“Russia claims that these #children are orphans, left alone in a #war zone. Another lie.

“Many of them were separated by their parents, either by accident during attacks, or deliberately by the aggressor’s army.”

#Imperialism #Autocracy #Tyranny #Authoritarianism #MafiaState #WarCrimes #Ukraine #StandWithUkraine

#Biden called for the world 'to stop arming the generals' in #Sudan.

Sudan’s civil war has created one of the world’s worst #humanitarian crises but has received comparably less attention from foreign govts & the public.

#POTUS called for countries to stop arming the warring parties, tho didn’t name specific nations. Reports have emerged that the #UAE has provided weapons to the #RapidSupportForces [#RSF], which has been battling the Sudanese army in the conflict.

#geopolitics #UNGA

“Because the future, the future, will be won by those who unleash the full potential of their people to breathe free, to think freely, to innovate, to educate, to live & love openly without fear,” #POTUS #Biden declared.

“That’s the soul of #democracy. It does not belong to any one country.”

#geopolitics #UN #UNGA
#freedom #democracy

#POTUS #Biden made the case for #democracy one final time to the gathering of world leaders.

“My fellow leaders, let us never forget some things are more important than staying in #power. It’s your #people that matter the most,” he said.

“Never forget, we are here to serve the people, not the other way around.“

#geopolitics #UN #UNGA

“We also have a responsibility to prepare our citizens for the future. We’ll see more technological change…in the next 2–10yrs, than we have in the last 50,” #Biden said.

“#ArtificialIntelligence is going to change our ways of life, our ways of work, our ways of war.” He added that it “could make our lives better.”
“But #AI also brings profound risks, from #DeepFakes to #disinformation to novel #pathogens to #bioweapons.”
“Nothing is certain about how AI will evolve or how it will be deployed.”

#POTUS Joe #Biden also touted his admin’s efforts to combat #ClimateChange, eliminate world #hunger & harness the power of #technology during his address at #UNGA.

After referencing his admin’s efforts to fight climate change & provide crucial #vaccines for #Africa, Biden spoke about the benefits & challenges that come from technology including #AI.

#geopolitics

#Biden added, “Full-scale #war is not in anyone’s interest. Even if the situation has escalated, a diplomatic solution is still possible. In fact, it remains the only path to lasting #security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes & the border safely. And that’s … what we’re working tirelessly to achieve.”

#geopolitics #UN #UNGA #Israel #Lebanon #Iran #Hezbollah

#Biden addressed the widening & escalating hostilities in the #MiddleEast, decrying #Hezbollah’s rocket attacks & calling for diplomacy:

“We’ve also been determined to prevent a wider #war than engulfs the entire region. Hezbollah, unprovoked during the October 7 attack, launching rockets in #Israel almost a year later, too many on each side of the Israeli-#Lebanon border remain displaced.”

#geopolitics #UN #UNGA

On the languishing #ceasefire deal, #Biden said: “Now is the time for the parties to finalize its terms, bring the #hostages home & secure #security for #Israel & #Gaza free of #Hamas’ grip, ease the suffering in Gaza & end this #war.”

Biden also said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin #Netanyahu isn't doing enough to secure a deal.

#geopolitics #UN #UNGA

#Biden lamented the death toll & pain felt by innocent #civilians on both sides of the #Israel - #Gaza conflict.

“I’ve met w/the families of those hostages. I’ve grieved w/them,” Biden said. “They’re going through hell.”

He added: “Innocent civilians in Gaza are also going through hell. Thousands & thousands killed, including #aid workers. Too many families dislocated, crowding in the tents, facing a dire #humanitarian situation.”

#UNGA #geopolitics

“The good news is, #Putin’s war has failed, as has his core aim,” #Biden added. “He set out to destroy #Ukraine, but Ukraine is still free. He set out to weaken #NATO, but NATO is bigger, stronger, & more united than ever before, w/ 2 new members, #Finland & #Sweden.”

“But we cannot let up,” #POTUS said in an allusion to the uncertain future of support for Ukraine in the #US, where #Trump is seeking another term in office & could implement serious cuts to aid to Ukraine, & NATO.

#Russia #UNGA

#POTUS Joe #Biden vowed to support #Ukraine until victory in its #war against #Russia.

Since the war began >2 yrs ago, Biden said, “our #NATO allies & partners & 50+ nations stood up” against Russia.

“Most importantly, the Ukrainian people stood up. I asked the people in this chamber to stand up for them,” Biden said.

#UNGA #geopolitics

It was that experience, among others that #Biden has witnessed in his lengthy career, that made him confident that the world would make it through another difficult period as multiple crises swirl.

#POTUS later added: “As leaders, we don’t have the luxury” to “react with despair” at the world’s difficulties.

“Maybe because all I’ve seen & all we have done together over the decades, I have hope,” Biden said. “I know there is a way forward.”

#geopolitics #UN #UNGA

In the city of #Sumy, not far from where Ukrainian forces surprised the world by storming into #Russia, wounded soldiers also described operations in the #Belgorod region to the south, suggesting an even larger scale to the offensive….

In contrast to the relatively easier time had by #Ukraine’s forces in #Kursk — including news of another 100 Russian troops captured, the intelligence service announced Thurs — the fighting in #Belgorod has been fierce.

#Europe #geopolitics