Sharmine Narwani

Israel isn’t crazy, it’s just MAD. "This is a long-practiced Zionist tactic to tame and groom targets to accept and expect Israeli bad behavior." thecradle.co/articles-id/26…

@FrankLuntz @pass_blue Fake news.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has submitted an official letter of resignation to the Office of the Supreme Leader. Pezeshkian stressed that the president and the government have effectively been excluded from major and vital decision-making processes, and the vacuum created by this situation has enabled hardline factions within the IRGC to take control of affairs. iranintl.com/en/20260531220…

Israel completely destroyed Hussein’s restaurant and resort in southern Lebanon. One of the most beautiful places in the south is now ashes

🇱🇧 This is Hussein Fayad, a Lebanese chef cooking for the displaced Lebanese civilians across the country. Let’s help him by donating here: fundahope.com/en/campaigns/l…

A former senior colleague of Raffi Berg, now the BBC's Middle East online editor, forensically analyses his output as a BBC writer. It shows a consistent pattern of humanising Israeli soldiers and settlers while dehumanising Palestinians, and burying information that might place Israel in a bad light – talents that seem to have led to his promotion to BBC editor. Martin Asser concludes: "The world Berg presents in his early BBC features is a rich source of misinformation and / or disinformation." This article should prove useful to Owen Jones' legal team as they fight Berg's defamation case. Jones cited 13 BBC journalists who accused Berg of skewing the corporation's coverage to make Israel look good. More here: jadaliyya.com/Details/47423/…

كيف حوّل #محمد_بن_زايد #الإمارات إلى البوابة الاقتصادية والأمنية لـ #إسرائيل في الخليج؟ خلال السنوات الماضية، انشغل كثيرون بالحديث عن التعاون الأمني والعسكري بين #أبوظبي و#تل_أبيب، لكن ما جرى في الكواليس كان أعمق بكثير من تبادل السفراء أو توقيع الاتفاقيات أو تسيير الرحلات الجوية المباشرة. داخل دوائر #محمد_بن_زايد، كان هناك تصور واضح يقوم على فكرة بسيطة: إذا أصبحت #الإمارات مركز العبور الرئيسي للشركات والاستثمارات والتقنيات الإسرائيلية في المنطقة، فإن أي دولة خليجية ستجد نفسها مع الوقت مضطرة للتعامل مع #إسرائيل بشكل مباشر أو غير مباشر، حتى لو رفضت التطبيع سياسيًا أو شعبيًا. ولهذا لم يكن الهدف مجرد إقامة علاقات دبلوماسية. الهدف الحقيقي كان دمج المصالح بصورة تجعل الفصل بينها لاحقًا بالغ الصعوبة. شركات، وموانئ، وصناديق استثمار، وتقنيات متقدمة، وسلاسل إمداد، ومشاريع لوجستية، وشبكات أعمال عابرة للحدود. كلما تعمق هذا الاندماج، أصبحت #إسرائيل جزءًا من البنية الاقتصادية للمنطقة، لا مجرد دولة تربطها علاقة سياسية مع #الإمارات. ولهذا تبدو بعض الحملات الإماراتية اليوم مستميتة في الدفاع عن #اتفاقات_أبراهام، وفي مهاجمة كل من ينتقدها أو يشكك في نتائجها. لأن التراجع عن هذا المسار لم يعد يعني خسارة مكسب سياسي فقط، بل يعني الاعتراف بأن مشروعًا ضخمًا أُنفق عليه المال والنفوذ والسنوات لم يحقق النتائج التي وُعد بها أصحابه. ولهذا يمكن ملاحظة الدور الذي تؤديه شبكات الذباب الإلكتروني الإماراتي في هذه المرحلة. فبدل مناقشة الأسئلة الحقيقية المتعلقة بتغلغل #إسرائيل في الاقتصاد الخليجي، أو حجم النفوذ الذي حصلت عليه داخل قطاعات استراتيجية، يجري تحويل النقاش إلى حملات تشويه واتهامات وشيطنة لكل من يثير هذه المخاوف. مرة يُتهم المعترضون بالتبعية لإيران، ومرة بمعاداة السلام، ومرة بخدمة الاخوان. لكن هذه الحملات لا تغير حقيقة أن ما جرى لم يكن مجرد تطبيع سياسي، بل مشروع إعادة هندسة طويلة المدى للعلاقات الاقتصادية والأمنية في المنطقة. وما لا يُقال كثيرًا أن #محمد_بن_زايد لم يكتفِ بإدخال #إسرائيل إلى الاقتصاد الإماراتي، بل فتح لها أبواب قطاعات أكثر حساسية، تشمل الأمن السيبراني، وتقنيات المراقبة، والبنية الاستخباراتية، وحماية المنشآت الحيوية، وشبكات البيانات التي تشكل العمود الفقري للدولة الحديثة. وحين تصبح دولة أجنبية حاضرة في الموانئ، وشبكات البيانات، والأمن السيبراني، والاستثمارات الاستراتيجية، لا يعود السؤال إن كانت العلاقة جيدة أم سيئة. السؤال يصبح: هل ما زالت الدولة قادرة على اتخاذ قرار الانفصال أصلًا؟ وهذا تحديدًا ما سعى إليه #محمد_بن_زايد منذ البداية. لم يكن الهدف بناء علاقة مع #إسرائيل فحسب. كان الهدف جعل #إسرائيل جزءًا من بنية المنطقة نفسها، بحيث يصبح إخراجها لاحقًا أكثر كلفة من إدخالها، ويصبح رفضها سياسيًا أو اقتصاديًا أو أمنيًا أكثر صعوبة مع مرور الوقت. ولهذا لم يكن التطبيع بالنسبة لـ #أبوظبي حدثًا دبلوماسيًا عابرًا. كان مشروعًا استراتيجيًا طويل الأمد لإعادة تشكيل المنطقة من بوابة المال والأمن والنفوذ. #الإمارات #محمد_بن_زايد #إسرائيل #اتفاقات_أبراهام #أبوظبي #تل_أبيب #الخليج #الأمن_السيبراني #الاقتصاد #وزير_ظل_إماراتي

🚨🇮🇷Iran outmaneuvers US blockade with bold energy pivot Iran is redirecting larger volumes of crude and condensates into domestic refining and power generation to free up natural gas for pipeline export to Iraq and Turkiye. The shift is a response to the US naval blockade, which has limited seaborne crude exports. 🔸Iran's calculated response: ▪️ Rather than letting oil sit idle, Tehran is channeling crude and petroleum liquids directly into domestic refining, power generation, and petrochemicals — strengthening the national economy from within ▪️ This frees up Iran's vast natural gas reserves — the second largest in the world — for pipeline exports to regional partners Turkey and Iraq ▪️ Iran is also routing oil exports via overland rail to China and truck routes to neighbors, routes the US Navy simply cannot touch 🔸Regional power, not isolation: Far from being cornered, Iran is deepening energy integration with its neighbors. Turkey and Iraq both depend heavily on Iranian gas — Baghdad relies on it to keep the lights on across its southern governorates. This interdependence gives Tehran real political weight in the region. 🔸The long game: Washington's blockade may have disrupted Iran's oil revenues, but it has also accelerated a strategic transformation — pushing Iran toward becoming a regional energy hub built on pipeline diplomacy rather than dependence on global maritime routes. @NewRulesGeo❗

In January, at the World Economic Forum, Jared Kushner presented a “Master Plan” for the future of Gaza. Kushner’s slideshow featured glossy images of coastal skyscrapers, a new tourism district with 180 towers, an airport, a seaport, and industrial complex zones. A phased reconstruction timeline promised to transform “New Rafah” and “New Gaza” into modern metropolises. The Master Plan was shared as part of the establishment of President Donald Trump’s so-called Board of Peace. “Tellingly, the Davos slideshow just briefly mentioned basic services like water, electricity, and sewage for Palestinians in war-decimated Gaza,” writes Mohammed R. Mhawish. “Kushner’s presentation mentions Palestinians in the context of ‘demilitarization principles,’ claiming this process will be ‘led by Palestinians, internationally verified.’ The Palestinian public were not involved, not even consulted, in the drafting of these visions. Almost every decision about where they will live, how they will move, and what kind of life they may rebuild was made without them.” From the perspective of Nour Alsaqqa, a media and communications officer in Gaza, it’s obvious that the Board of Peace’s proposals aren’t meant to restore life in Gaza. Rather, they serve interests that are mostly American, Israeli, and Gulf in character. Over the past several months, Mhawish spoke with U.S. officials, legal scholars, and political analysts to understand the hierarchy of power within the Board of Peace and how its decisions are being made. Read his full report on what the proposals really mean for the future of Palestine: nymag.visitlink.me/koQzna

⚡️NEW: Pakistan is replacing the UAE as an import and transit hub for Iran Islamabad has fully opened its border crossings with Iran in order to for Tehran circumvent the U.S. naval blockade Per an Iranian source: — Moving goods through Pakistan to the Iranian border takes only 2 to 3 hours — The shorter geographical distance projects a 45% to 55% reduction in overall transport and freight costs compared to sea routes via Dubai — Pakistan is offering a 40% discount on container handling fees and a 25% reduction in berthing fees to lower entry costs

NEW: We obtained a not-yet-public FARA filing revealing how Brad Parscale has directed $13 million from Israel to Republican digital strategy firms run by some of his long time allies, along with to a subsidiary of Salem Media itself, where he is an exec. With @nick_clevelands at @theintercept and @RStatecraft The new filing sheds light on a more detailed web of interconnected companies and political operatives capitalizing on Parscale’s contract with the Israeli government. Many of the companies getting work as part of Parscale’s Israel contract are being reported here for the first time. theintercept.com/2026/05/28/isr…

Boiling The American Frog 🐸

UAE’s safe-haven myth breaks under the weight of war Dubai sold itself as a refuge from the region’s wars, but Abu Dhabi’s alignment with Washington and Tel Aviv has brought those wars to its doorstep. By @mawaddaisk thecradle.co/articles-id/37…

Israeli prison guards 'gang raped, tortured' dozens of Palestinian detainees, UN probe finds ift.tt/OdysSIj

Exclusive: The United Arab Emirates carried out dozens of airstrikes against Iran beginning in the early days of the war, a deeper involvement than was previously known on.wsj.com/4aj5a42

Military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader and former IRGC chief Mohsen Rezaei: Iran will break US blockade through negotiations or direct action —— Military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader and former IRGC commander-in-chief Mohsen Rezaei said in an interview with CGTN on 29 May that the strategic visions of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are fundamentally aligned, arguing that both seek to impose a new regional order by first weakening Iran. Rezaei said Iran remains the main obstacle to reshaping West Asia, adding that “as long as Iran remains standing, redrawing the map of West Asia is impossible.” He described the war as geopolitical in nature, saying its broader objective is to secure strategic access to western China and southern Russia while gaining leverage over Iran’s energy reserves, the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Rezaei said Israel is pursuing territorial expansion in southern Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Jordan and Iraq, while Washington is focused on energy resources and economic influence. He argued that Iran has already demonstrated that neither objective can be achieved. He also called for regional countries to establish a union capable of becoming the world’s fifth major power and said Iran’s military doctrine since the Islamic Revolution has been built around asymmetric warfare, highlighting the use of low-cost drones and fast attack boats against far more expensive military assets. Addressing the Strait of Hormuz, Rezaei said commercial trade would remain protected while military deployments and aggression would not. He said the waterway is “closed to military aggression” but remains open to commerce and development, urging China and other partners not to be concerned about its future. Rezaei added that Iran has spent more than two decades adapting to sanctions and developing methods to neutralize them, stating that Tehran would force the United States to end its naval blockade “either through negotiations or through direct action.” He also argued that the global balance of power is shifting, predicting that the United States would fall to the position of the world’s second- or third-largest economy within the next decade. He said Washington ultimately has “no alternative but to negotiate,” while warning that if confrontation continues, Iran could reveal what he described as a “third dimension” of its military capabilities beyond those already demonstrated during recent battles.

Russia orders Euroclear to pay €200bn A Moscow arbitration court has granted the Bank of Russia’s request for the immediate enforcement of a ruling ordering Euroclear to pay around €200bn ($233bn) It is a relatively unknown fact that arbitration courts are stronger than EU governments. This is no laughing matter. The EU has been outmanoeuvred. Euroclear will repay the money and in turn, will claim the money from the Belgian government. Belgium will claim parts of the money from the EU countries and EU taxpayers are screwed. The EU (the guilty party) will just smile and say “hey, we warned you in the small print”. Europe and Belgium are cooked. Russia accelerated the court ruling to allow Europe to stop transferring the rest of the recent $90bn support money.

Our neighborhood in Tyre. Israeli warplanes destroyed several buildings, turning the beautiful streets where we grew up into a landscape of rubble, dust, and memories buried beneath the ruins.

قـ.ـتلت "إســ..ـرائيل"، في سياق عـ..ـدوانها المتواصل على المدنيين في لبنان، ابنَي عمّة العميد في الجيش اللبناني وائل عباس، المشارك مع الوفد العسـ.ـكري اللبناني المفاوض في واشنطن غدًا مع الـ.ـعـ..ــدو. والشابان هما محمد حسن أحمد بدر الدين، ومحمد جواد أحمد بدر الدين، استهـ.ـدفتهما مسـ..ـيّرة إســ..ـرائيلية أمام منزلهما في ميفدون الجنوبية بعد خروجهما منه إثر تهديد إســ..ـرائيلي للبلدة. وقد نجوا من أوّل استـ..ـهدافين ليستشهدا في الثالث في مدينة النبطية. ورغم استمرار المـ ـجـ ـازر وسفك دمـــ.ـــاء المدنيين في لبنان، وبينهم أقرباء العميد عباس، يسافر الوفد إلى واشنطن غدًا لمصافحة القاتل برعاية أميركية. #بيروت_ريفيو

If this goes forward — $250 bill with Trump's face on it. — Chinese will get a huge kick out of it. "250" (二百五， èrbǎiwǔ) is a common Chinese insult meaning a half-wit, a blockhead, a fool. Comedy writes itself. 笑死.

🗞️ New: Israeli officials are privately urging the Trump administration to abandon negotiations with Iran, assassinate Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and launch a new round of strikes targeting Iran’s oil infrastructure, according to a classified intelligence assessment cited by Capital & Empire. Israeli officials reportedly believe renewed attacks could trigger economic collapse and eventually regime change, even as U.S. and Iranian negotiators work toward a framework to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The push comes amid growing alarm in Israel that a negotiated settlement could leave Iran politically strengthened, preserve its regional influence, and cement its leverage over one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. 🔗 Full report by @aidachavez is below ⬇️

Israeli settlement council admits to systemic ritual sexual abuse of children following bombshell media investigation —— The Gush Etzion Regional Council in the occupied West Bank has issued an unprecedented public admission acknowledging severe, multi-participant ritualistic sexual abuse within the settler community, which involved the gang-rape of children. The official statement marks a dramatic reversal for the settlement’s leadership, which had spent years systematically denying and dismissing allegations of sadistic abuse. The official acknowledgment follows a damning investigative report by journalist Roni Singer on Israel's Kan 11 channel, which aired identical testimonies from five independent victims detailing organized, ritualistic assaults. Confronted with recorded evidence and professional corroboration, the council released a statement denouncing the perpetrators and describing the uncovered acts as "pure evil and a moral distortion." In an effort to manage the immense public fallout, the settler council published crisis hotline numbers and urged further victims to come forward. The media exposure and subsequent admission are expected to force Israeli police to reopen previously shelved complaints and expand criminal investigations into what is emerging as one of the most organized abuse scandals inside the settlement enterprise.