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Israel-Gaza Megathread #2

This is a refreshed megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.

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Posting mostly for comedic value

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Ukraine-war/Ukraine-war-Free-to-read/Ukraine-latest-Putin-and-Netanyahu-discuss-Gaza-crisis

In a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Moscow's help in achieving a political solution to the Gaza crisis, the Kremlin says.

Putin "expressed sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased Israelis, emphasizing his strong rejection and condemnation of any actions that victimize the civilian population, including women and children," according to a Kremlin readout of the call.

from Reuters

But Putin briefed Netanyahu on conversations with the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Syria and the Palestinian Authority in which the Kremlin said earlier that this had been discussed.

"A unanimous opinion was expressed on the need for an early ceasefire and the establishment of a humanitarian truce in order to urgently provide assistance to all those in need," it said of those conversations.

Iranian state media said President Ebrahim Raisi told Putin in their conversation that supporting the Palestinians was Iran's foreign policy priority but "resistance" groups made their own independent decisions.

They quoted Raisi as saying: "There is a possibility of the conflict between Israel and Palestinians expanding to other fronts."

Iran is distancing and hard. Seems that everyone is worried, but not so worried as to help the palestinians or putting a leash on them.

Unfortunately with the shock of the attack passing by the time is moving against Israel. On the other hand Putin really really wants a regional war in the middle east - Europe flooded with refugees and everyone preoccupied will give him some breathing space.

Out of all Iran’s close friends and proxies (Assad, Houthis, Hezbollah, Iraqi Shia groups…) Hamas has the most strained relationship with the mothership. Hamas is the only non-Shia group in the above, was on the opposite side in the Syrian civil war etc. Hamas are fair-weather friends for Iran.

Also, the situation is pretty good for Iran now, their allies control most of Iraq, Assad is firmly in power in Syria, relations with India and China are fine, the hijab protests were seemingly totally suppressed, and even the Saudis are close to suing for peace in Yemen. They’re on the way to accomplishing almost everything they want geopolitically.

Meanwhile Palestine is this dog chasing car situation, the regime only supported it because of Khomeini’s longstanding anti-Zionism going back to the ‘60s and because it was good propaganda against the Shah back in the day, and then it kind of snowballed into the present situation.

It’s unclear that even a generous settlement for the Palestinians would be good for Iran at all. It’s mainly a way for them to project a kind of moral and religious purity to the rest of the Ummah.