RE: https://mastodon.social/@AnnaAnthro/116336891493198646

How much more proof do people need that the #Israelis are genocidal monsters?

#Israel demanded that all people in #Lebanon leave territory within 25 miles from the Israeli border, bombing millions of people to emphasize their point.

But behind the scenes, Israeli officials have conveyed a more targeted message.

In private calls to local leaders across southern Lebanon, Israeli military officials have assured several #Christian and #Druze communities that they could remain in the evacuation zone. They have pressed them, however, to force out any Lebanese from neighboring #Shiite #Muslim communities who have sought refuge among them as Israeli bombardments flatten Shiite towns. The Shiites make up the majority of southern Lebanon.

Israel has no right to be in Lebanon at all. I remind you of 1982’s #Sabra and #Shatila massacres. Yes, an Israeli company did name their hummus in honor of 3500 dead Lebanese.

They are monsters.

Israel’s Message to #Druze and a Broad Swath of Christian #Lebanon: #Shiites Must Go

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/world/middleeast/lebanon-shiite-israel-evacuation.html

These guys trying hard to be honorary Aryans...

(I asked B.M. to provide the source, and he sent me the Knesset vote minutes (in Hebrew, but you can machine translate it if you really don't believe me)).

#Israel #apartheid #Druze #deathpenalty #Palestine

RE: https://journa.host/@ScottLucas/116265925148746201

#Israel expands war into southern #Syria

Israelis fire on Syrian Army camps --- Pretext that they are responding to assaults v. #Druze community

Since fall of #Assad regime in Dec. 2024, Israel has expanded zone of occupation in southern Syria

#SaudiArabia & #Turkey condemn "aggression"

#IranWar

Agenzia Nova: Speciale difesa: Siria, ministro Difesa Israele Katz, "colpiremo in caso di attacchi ai drusi"

20 mar 13:15 - (Agenzia Nova) - Il ministro della Difesa israeliano, Israel Katz, ha dichiarato che Israele e' pronto a colpire la Siria in... (Res)

Special defense: Syria, Defense Minister Katz of Israel, “We will strike if attacked by the Druze.”

Mar 20 13:15 - (Agenzia Nova) - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel is ready to strike Syria in... (Res)

#Syria #Defense #Israel #Druze #AgenziaNova #Israeli #IsraelKatz

https://www.agenzianova.com/a/69bd3b500b5bb8.98532599/7173054/2026-03-20/speciale-difesa-siria-ministro-difesa-israele-katz-colpiremo-in-caso-di-attacchi-ai-drusi

LA NOTIZIA: Netanyahu non si ferma più e bombarda pure il sud della Siria in risposta alle violenze sui drusi. Il ministro Katz: “Non resteremo a guardare, difenderemo i civili”

Sembra proprio che Benjamin Netanyahu sia deciso a cambiare in modo radicale l’intera geografia politica del Medio Oriente. Così mentre la guerra in Iran infuria e riprendono i combattimenti anche in Libano, il primo ministro di Israele ha aperto un nuovo fronte lanciando una serie di attacchi nel sud della Siria.
Stando a quanto riportano le Forze di Difesa Israeliane (IDF), nella notte sono state colpite diverse postazioni militari legate all’esercito siriano. Raid che, spiegano, sarebbero stati lanciati in risposta agli episodi violenti registrati nella zona di Sweida, dove numerosi civili drusi sarebbero finiti sotto attacco delle forze di Damasco.
Netanyahu ordina raid pure sulla Siria
Sempre l’IDF spiega che i raid hanno preso di mira un quartier generale e diversi depositi di armi, con quella che, al solito, definiscono un’operazione “mirata e chirurgica”. Del tutto diverso il racconto dei media locali secondo cui l’esercito di Tel Aviv avrebbe colpito aree densamente popolate, causando decine di morti e feriti.
Raid letali che questa volta sono stati avviati per proteggere i civili drusi, troppo spesso nel mirino dei fondamentalisti islamici. A dirlo in modo inequivocabile è il ministro della Difesa di Israele, Israel Katz, che raccontando l’operazione ha detto che “non permetteremo danni ai drusi”.
Katz avverte: “Se colpirete ancora i drusi, ne pagherete le conseguenze”
Lo stesso ha poi precisato che “il messaggio (di questi raid) è inequivocabile” e deve valere come monito, per scoraggiare ulteriori rappresaglie sui drusi. Del resto lo stesso fedelissimo di Netanyahu, con fare minaccioso, ha spiegato che se gli attacchi contro i civili continueranno, allora ci saranno ulteriori azioni “con maggiore forza”. Questo perché, conclude, chi colpisce i drusi in Siria, sta attaccando dei “fratelli di Israele”.
L'articolo Netanyahu non si ferma più e bombarda pure il sud della Siria in risposta alle violenze sui drusi. Il ministro Katz: “Non resteremo a guardare, difenderemo i civili” sembra essere il primo su LA NOTIZIA.

Netanyahu isn't stopping and is also bombing the south of Syria in response to violence against the Druze. Minister Katz: “We won’t stand by and watch, we will defend the civilians.”

It seems that Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to radically change the entire political geography of the Middle East. As the war in Iran rages on and fighting also resumes in Lebanon, Israel’s prime minister has opened a new front by launching a series of attacks in southern Syria.

According to reports from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), several military posts linked to the Syrian army were struck overnight. Raids, they explain, were launched in response to the violent incidents recorded in the Sweida area, where numerous Druze civilians were reportedly attacked by forces from Damascus.

Netanyahu orders raids also on Syria

The IDF also states that the raids targeted a headquarters and several arms depots, describing it as a “targeted and surgical” operation. Quite different is the account of local media, according to which the army of Tel Aviv struck densely populated areas, causing dozens of deaths and injuries.

Deadly raids that this time were initiated to protect the Druze civilians, who are far too often the target of Islamic fundamentalists. This is unequivocally stated by Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, who, recounting the operation, said, “we will not allow harm to the Druze.”

Katz warns: “If you continue to attack the Druze, you will pay the consequences”

He also clarified that “the message (of these raids) is unequivocal” and must serve as a warning to deter further reprisals against the Druze. After all, Netanyahu’s loyalist, in a threatening manner, explained that if attacks on civilians continue, there will be further actions “with greater force.” This is because, he concludes, anyone who attacks the Druze in Syria is attacking “brothers of Israel.”

The article Netanyahu doesn’t stop and bombards the south of Syria in response to violence against the Druze. Minister Katz: “We will not stand idly by, we will defend the civilians” seems to be the first on LA NOTIZIA.

#Netanyahu #Syria #Druze #BenjaminNetanyahu #theMiddleEast #Lebanon #Israel #Syrian #Sweida #Damascus #TelAviv #Islamic #IsraelKatz #first #LANOTIZIA

https://www.lanotiziagiornale.it/siria-raid-idf-drusi-katz/

The Maronites

The Maronites are a Syriac Christian ethno-religious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean & the Levant (particularly Lebanon) whose members belong to the Maronite Church. The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church in full communion with the Pope & the rest of the Catholic Church.

Sui iuris (or sui juris) is legal self-rule. It is used in the Catholic Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO) to denote the autonomous churches in Catholic communion.

The Maronites get their name from St. Maron (350-410 AD). The spread of Christianity was extremely slow in the Lebanese region. In the 5th century in the highlands, they were still “pagan.” St. Maron sent the apostle Abraham of Cyrrhus (known as the “Apostle of Lebanon”) with a mandate to convert the “pagan” residents of the region, renaming the Adonis River to the Abrahamic River in honor of the saint who preached there.

The Maronite Church, under the patriarch of Antioch, has branches in nearly all countries where Maronite Christian communities live, in both the Levant & the Lebanese diaspora.

The Maronites & the Druze founded modern Lebanon in Ottoman Lebanon in the early 18th century, through the ruling & social system known as the “Maronite-Druze dualism” in the Ottoman Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate. The Mount Lebanon Mustasarrifate was 1 of the Ottoman Empire’s subdivisions following the 19th century Tanzimat reform.

All Lebanese presidents, except for Charles Debbas & Petro Trad, have been Maronites as part of a continued tradition of the National Pact (an unwritten agreement that laid the foundation of Lebanon as a multiconfessional state following negotiations between the Shia, Sunni, Maronite, & Druze leaderships), by which the prime minister has historically been a Sunni Muslim & the speaker of the Natinal Assembly has historically been a Shi’ite.

The Maronites belong to the Maronite Syriac Church of Antioch, an Eastern Catholic Syriac church using the Antiochian Rite, which traces its foundation to Maron, an early 4th century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The Maronite Patriarch is traditionally seated in Bkerke, north of Beirut.

The Maronite Church belongs to the Syriac Christian tradition & to the West Syriac Rite. (Also known as the Syro-Antiochian Rite or the West Syrian Rite. This is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that uses the Divine Liturgy of St. James.) Classical Syriac remains the liturgical language of the Maronite Church, alongside Arabic.

In Israel, some members of the local Maronite community have adopted an Aramean identity & organized linguistic revitalization programs. The Aramean identity was officially recognized by the Israeli Minister of the Interior in 2014, allowing certain Christian families to register their ethnicity as “Aramean” rather than “Arab” or “Unclassified.”

A slight majority of the Maronites in Israel identify themselves as Arabs. The Arab identity is prevalent, especially among the young & among women.

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St. George

St. George (Romanized: Georgios), a.k.a. George of Lydda, was a Christian martyr. He’s venerated as a saint. He was born in the late 3rd century (circa 270-281 AD) in Cappadocia in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), to Christian parents of noble Greek descent.

According to tradition, he was a soldier in the Roman army. He became a soldier in the Roman army. He became a soldier after his dad passed away. He became a Tribunus (a high-ranking officer). He eventually became a member of the Diocletian at Nicomedia.

But he was later executed, as part of the Diocletianic Persecution. In 303 AD, Diocletian issued an edict allowing the persecution of Christians. George was ordered to renounce his faith & offer sacrifices to the Roman gods. He refused. He also tore up the emperor’s edict.

He was beheaded on April 23, 303 AD. His courage was so admired (in some traditions) that it led to Empress Alxandra of Rome to be martyred also.

He’s 1 of the most venerated saints, heroes, & megalomartyrs in Christianity. He has been especially venerated as a military saint since the Crusades. He’s also prominently venerated by the Druze (& by some Muslim groups) as a martyr of monotheistic faith.

In hagiography, he was immortalized in the legend(s) of St. George & the dragon & as 1 of the most prominent military saints. In a famous tale of George rescuing a princess from a dragon in Silene (Libya) 1st appeared in Georgian texts in the 11th century.

It was popularized in the West by the Lombardic “Golden Legend” in the 13th century. In religious iconography, the dragon represents the devil or Paganism, & the princess represents the Church.

In Roman Catholicism, he is also venerated as 1 of the 14 Holy Helpers. His feast day, St. George’s Day, is traditionally celebrated on April 23. The Church of St. George in Lydda (now Lod, Israel) has a sarcophagus traditionally believed to contain George’s relics.

According to tradition, a fierce dragon was causing panic in the city of Silene in Libya when our guy George arrived there. To keep the creature from ravaging the city, the inhabitants gave it 2 sheep each day. But when the sheep were no longer enough, they were forced to sacrifice people chosen by the townesfolk themselves.

Eventually, the king’s daughter was selected, & no one was willing to take her place. Georger saved her by slaying the dragon with a lance. The king was so grateful that he offered George treasures as a reward for saving his daughter’s life.

But George refused & urged him to give to the poor instead. The townspeople were so astonished by what they saw that they all became Christians & were baptised.

George (In Arabic, Jirjis or Girgus) is included in some Muslim texts as a prophetic figure. The Islamic sources state that he loved a group of believers who were in direct contact with the last apostles of Jesus. He was described as a rich merchant who opposed Dadan, the king of Mosul, in his reaction to Apollo’s stature.

After confronting the king, George was tortured many times to 0 effect, was imprisoned, & was aided, allegedly, by angels. Eventually, he was exposed to the fact that the idols were possessed by Satan. But was martyred when the city was destroyed by God in a rain of fire. (This is giving serious Sodom & Gomorrah vibes.)

According to Muslim legends, he was martyred under the rule of Diocletian & was killed 3x. But was resurrected every time. The legend is more developed in the Persian version of al-Tabari, wherein he resurrects the dead, makes trees sprout, & pillars bear flowers.

After 1 of his deaths, the world is covered by darkness, which is lifted only when he’s resurrected. He’s able to convert the queen, but she’s put to death. Then he prays to God to allow him to die, which is granted.

Al-Tah’labi says that George was from Palestine & lived in the times of some disciples of Jesus. He was killed many times by the king of Mosul, & resurrected each time. When the king tried to starve him, he touched a piece of dry wood brought by a woman & turned it green, with varieties of fruits & veggies growing from it. After his 4th death, the city was burnt along with him.

English soldiers under Richard the Lionheart invoked St. George at the Siege of Acre. They brought his “cult” back to Britain, where he replaced Edward the Confessor as the nation’s primary patron because he represented “active” chivalry rather than “passive” monasticism.

In 1348, King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter (the oldest and highest order of chivalry in England), putting it under the patronage of St. George. The current British monarch, King Charles III, is the head of the order today.

In the General Roman Calendar, George’s feast day is on April 23. In the Tridentine calendar of 1568, it was given the rank of “Semi double.” In Pope Pius XII’s calendar, the rand was reduced to “Simple.” In Pope Paul VI’s 1969 revision, it appears as an “optional memorial.”

In some countries, like England, the rank is higher. It’s a Solemnity (Roman Catholic) or Feast (Church of England): if it falls between Palm Sunday & the Second Sunday of Easter inclusive, it’s transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter.

The Russian Orthodox Church also celebrates 2 additional feasts in honor of St. George. One is on November 3, commemorating the consecration of a cathedral dedicated to him in Lydda during the reign of Constantine the Great (305-337). When the church was consecrated, George’s relics were transferred there. The other feast day is on November 26 for a church dedicated to him in Kyiv (or Kiev, Ukraine), circa 1054.

In Bulgaria, St. George’s Day is celebrated on May 6. It’s customary to slaughter & roast a lamb. George’s Day is also a public holiday.

In Serbia & Bosnia & Herzegovina, the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates St. George on May 6. It’s a common slava (patron saint day) among ethnic Serbs.

In Egypt, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria calls St. George the “Prince of Martyrs.” They celebrate his martyrdom on the 23rd of Paremhat of the Coptic Calendar (equal to May 1). The Copts also celebrate the consecration of the 1st church dedicated to him on the 7th of the month of Hatour of the Coptic calendar (equal to November 17).

George is the patron saint of England. His cross forms the national flag of England. By the 14th century, he was declared both the patron saint & protector of the British royal family. He’s also the patron saint of Georgia (the country), Ethiopia, Iberia, Russia, & Bulgaria.

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