Israel and Russia held intensive contacts in last few days over humanitarian issues related to Syria. Via ⁦@WallaNews⁩

2-Over last two days, talks between Netayahu and Putin, Israeli DM Gantz and Russian DM, Israeli FM Ashkenazi and Russian FM Sergey Lavrov. Israeli DM team says Gantz spoke to counterpart about "advancing humanitarian issues in the area." https://t.co/Xt9qIynoah
3-Israel and Russia held intensive talks on Syria in last few days
4-Last Wednesday, on day of call between Gantz and Russian DM, Israeli ambassador to Russia Alex Ben Tzvi met w/Russian FM, Putin's Syria envoy Mikhail Bogdanov. IDF attache in Moscow attended. Russian MoD confirmed meeting in statement. Bogdanov and Ben Tzvi met again today
5-Meanwhile, Israeli cabinet convened today at 6:00 PM Israel time. Senior officials called meeting "urgent" to deal w/issue defined as "security-related and classified."
6-@YediotAhronot: Secret Cabinet meeting held in wake of talks w/Russia on Syria humantiarian issue. Minister summoned to secret meeting, under censorship, amid intense Israel-Russia contacts. https://t.co/uHl4DKvh7H
7-Israeli ambassador to Russia Alex Ben Tzvi met earlier today w/Russian Deputy FM Mikhail Bogdanov. Russian MFA said conversation on key regional issues, w/emphasis on resolving Israeli-Palestinian conflict, current issues on Russia-Israel bilateral agenda.
8-Last week, Netanyahu spoke w/Putin. Netanyahu's office said PM spoke to Putin about regional issues and continued Russia-Israel coordination in light of regional security developments
9-Tonight's cabinet meeting, held via secure video call , coordinated between Netanyahu, Israeli DM Gantz. Last week, Amb. Ben Tzvi met w/Russian DM Sergey Shoygu, who also spoke w/Gantz, agreed on "continuing Russia-Israel talks on force security, promote humanitarian measures."
10-@newsisrael13: Israel requested aid from Russia on humanitarian issue in Syria; Cabinet convened https://t.co/84QAiQbSQY
11-Netanyahu held cabinet meeting on political-security issue. IDF censorship prohibiting publication of details. Invitation to Ministers was surprise, mere hours before meeting. @YediotAhronot says Gov't Secretariat intentionally misled Cabinet Ministers on meeting's purpose
12-Meanwhile, revealed in recent days Israel turned to Russia to use its influence in Syria to help on humanitarian matter. PM Netanyahu, DM Benny Gantz, FM Gabi Ashkenazi spoke to their Russian counterparts on this matter.
13-@kann_news also reporting that days before today's secretive cabinet meeting, "Israel turned to Russia to assist, vis-a-vis Syria, on humanitarian issue." https://t.co/1HsNafM0D2
14-Invitation to cabinet meeting issued this afternoon. Official involved in details said it would deal w/ matter he described as "security-related."
15-@N12News: During today's urgent cabinet meeting, Ministers discussed "matter connected to Israeli citizen and Syria. During recent days, Israeli and Russian officials discussed this same matter." https://t.co/cCzbQBDLMi
16-Today's urgent Israeli cabinet meeting coordinated between Netanyahu, Gantz. Held after Israel recently turned to Russia to help vis-a-vis Syria w/humanitarian issue related to Syria, given Moscow's influence on what's happening in Syria.
17-Cabinet meeting held after reports 10 days ago in Syrian media that Russian troops in Syria have begun digging in Yarmouk Camp cemetery, reportedly to find remains of IDF soldiers missing since 1982 Lebanon War
18-@MaarivOnline: In recent days, contacts held between Russia and Israel, initiated by Israel, for the Russians to help w/humanitarian issue through their influence in Syria https://t.co/JCk6yGnsaQ
19-@IsraelHayomHeb: Vote held at end of today's urgent, secret Israeli cabinet meeting. IDF censorship allowing report that Israel asked Russia to help w humanitarian issue, which Netanyahu, Gantz, Ashkenazi discussed w/Russian counterparts https://t.co/mfozuYyqbz
20-@GLZRadio: Cabinet has finished discussing "sensitive security issue." Matter under IDF censorship (requested by Gantz), but GLZ says "we'll be able to report exactly what was discussed soon...this evening, we'll be able to report on full details" https://t.co/OhD3Nt4yE9
21-@GLZRadio reporter says Cabinet discussion not about "military operation, security operation, or anything dramatic happening now...this wasn't about war or an operation...could be matter that would grant points to someone during this election cycle."

More from World

I'll bite, Mr. Gray. We can even play by your rather finicky rules.

Let's begin with some of the things you have said about Xinjiang, notably absent from your more recent media appearances, but still present in your blog about your 2014 biking trip.


The following is taken from an ongoing list I keep of people who have been to Xinjiang and written/spoken about their experiences. It is separate from the testimony of detainees and their relatives I also keep. Jerry is on this

Jerry, your article for CGTN, as well as your various Medium pieces, belabor themselves to emphasize the smoothness of your time in Xinjiang. Why did you leave out so many details from your log of your 2014 trip? They seem relevant.

For example, would CGTN not let you speak about Shanshan, the town that evidently disturbed you so much?


Why, pray tell, after noting how kind and hospitable Xinjiang police were to you in 2019 for CGTN—and how you were never told where you could or could not go—would you omit these details?
Good question: what proofs has BDA provided of his authenticity?

Let's go through some of them.


- BDA predicted the Saudis would assassinate Suleimani. They did.
- He said the dog that got Badghadi's arm deserved a Medal Of Honor. The next day the President posted a joke image showing him giving the dog a MoH.

- He said one of his ops in Syria would severely disrupt a CIA drug trafficking operation. This was proved true within a few days:
https://t.co/Hranupwcxj
- He sent gold to Brazil to help pay for an anti-trafficking operation there. That op became public soon afterwards.

- On May 31 this year, he predicted the President would be giving a speech the next day. June 1, the President gives a surprise address at the Rose Garden.
- He predicted the US would be making diplomatic moves on Greenland. True.

- He said the US would be pulling all troops out of Afghanistan. This was confirmed within the month.
- He claimed earthquakes would be hitting Iran's nuclear facilities in December. Yep.
- There were FOUR facilities hit, not the three made public. Also true.
Watch the entire discussion if you have the time to do so. But if not, please make sure to watch Edhem Eldem summarizing ~150 years of democracy in Turkey in 6 minutes (starting on 57'). And if you can't watch it, fear not; I've transcribed it for you (as public service). Thread:


"Let me start by saying that I am a historian, I see dead people. But more seriously, I am constantly torn between the temptation to see patterns developing over time, and the fear of hasty generalizations and anachronistic comparisons. 1/n

"Nevertheless, the present situation forces me to explore the possible historical dimensions of the problem we're facing today. 2/n

"(...)I intend to go further back in time and widen the angle in order to focus on the confusion I  believe exists between the notions of 'state', 'government', and 'public institutions' in Turkey. 3/n

"In the summer of 1876, that's a historical quote, as Midhat Pasa was trying to draft a constitution, Edhem Pasa wrote to Saffet Pasa, and I quote in Turkish, 'Bize Konstitusyon degil enstitusyon lazim' ('It is not a constitution we need but institutions'). 4/n

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