The White House informed Congress that it is preparing a massive arms sale to Israel, including attack helicopters and military vehicles. The weapons will be paid for with US military aid. 

According to the Wall Street Journal, the total value of the weapons deal is $6 billion. The sale is $3.8 billion for 30 AH-64 Apache helicopters and $1.9 billion deal for 3,250 infantry assault vehicles. 

Washington will pay for the arms with foreign military financing. The US provides Israel with at least $3.8 billion in military aid annually. Washington boosted assistance to Tel Aviv following the October 7 Hamas attack. In the first year of the Israeli onslaught in Gaza, the US sent Israel nearly $18 billion in aid. The weapons will begin arriving in Israel in two to three years. 

The report of the package follows Israel’s attempt to assassinate Hamas leadership in Qatar. The strikes angered Doha, a major non-NATO US ally. Qatar has also committed to investing $1 trillion in the US economy and gifted Trump a luxury aircraft. 

Additionally, the assassination attempt prevented Trump from initiating talks to end the war in Gaza and free the Israeli hostages. The strike occurred as the Hamas leadership was meeting to discuss a proposal sent by Trump. Qatar said the attempted assassination ended any chances of reaching a hostage agreement. 

The White House has pushed Congressional leadership to endorse the sale even after the Israeli strike in Qatar. 

Israel is in the process of ethnically cleansing Palestinians from Gaza. The onslaught has primarily been conducted by Israel using American weapons. A large number of civilians have been killed by Israeli forces. Additionally, an Israeli siege of Gaza has created a famine, and hundreds of Palestinians have starved to death.

Since taking office, Trump has approved multiple arms sales to Israel, including a sale of $3 billion in bombs.  

https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/trump-is-preparing-a-6-billion-arms-package-for-israel/

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

Netanyahu Fumes as UK, Canada, Australia, and Portugal Announce Recognition of Palestinian State
The Israeli leader said there would never be a Palestinian state 'to the west of the Jordan river'

The UK, Australia, Canada, and Portugal all announced on Sunday their formal recognition of a Palestinian state, a step that comes a day before the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognises the State of Palestine,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a post on X.

In response to the announcements, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that there would never be a Palestinian state and bragged about his work over the years to prevent one.

“It’s not going to happen. There will be no Palestinian state to the west of the Jordan River,” Netanyahu said. “For years, I have prevented the creation of that terror state, against tremendous pressure, both domestic and from abroad. 

The Israeli leader also said Israel would continue expanding Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. “Moreover, we have doubled the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria, and we will continue on this path,” he said.

The Trump administration has discouraged its allies from recognizing a Palestinian state and has banned Palestinian Authority officials from attending the General Assembly. Trump has previously threatened a trade deal with Canada over its plans to recognize Palestine.

Netanyahu said that he will announce his response to the Western countries recognizing Palestine after he returns from the US. The Israeli leader will attend the General Assembly in New York and is expected to travel to Washington for his fourth White House visit of the year.

Netanyahu and his government are considering annexing parts of the West Bank, and some Israeli officials called for the Israeli prime minister to take the step after the UK’s announcement. 

“The days when Britain and other countries determined our future are over, the mandate has ended, and the only response to the anti-Israeli move is sovereignty over the homeland of the Jewish people in Judea and Samaria, and the removal of the foolish idea of a Palestinian state from the agenda forever,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X. “Mr. Prime Minister, this is the time, and it is in your hands.”

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has also made clear that the Trump administration wouldn’t oppose Israel if it moved to officially annex territory in the West Bank. “The US has never asked Israel to not apply sovereignty,” Huckabee told Israeli media earlier this week. “I have repeatedly stated that the US respects Israel as a sovereign nation and will not tell Israel what to do.”

https://news.antiwar.com/2025/09/21/netanyahu-fumes-as-uk-canada-australia-and-portugal-announce-recognition-of-palestinian-state/

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

BY LYUBA LULKO

Arab Powers in Lamb-Like Silence as Palestine Faces Existential Threat

The wave of Western recognition of Palestine will not change the reality on the ground — the annexation of Gaza is imminent as regional forces compete only in rhetoric.

The official recognition of Palestine by three G7 countries — the United Kingdom, Canada, and France — as well as by Portugal, Belgium, and others, does not constitute the historic milestone that the West portrays. This belated step comes at a time when the annexation of the Gaza Strip (and the West Bank) is almost unstoppable. Tel Aviv has announced the start of a ground operation in Gaza, while UN sanctions are being blocked by the United States. Hamas demanded concrete actions from the now-awake Western countries, but conditions were imposed on them — including abstaining from elections and releasing hostages. Where, then, are arms trade embargoes, genocide lawsuits (acknowledged by a UN commission), and financial restrictions on Israel? Only Slovenia has refused to trade arms with Israel, which, frankly, is laughable.

Regional countries contribute to this reality by either betraying, remaining silent, or pretending to support Palestine while quietly aligning with Washington. Qatar, for example, did not withdraw from its mediation mission after an Israeli strike on Doha. The Arab world summit convened for this event, beyond verbal condemnation, took no sanctions or military measures.

The wealthy Gulf countries could, as in 1973, implement an oil embargo against the US. During the Yom Kippur War, such a move sharply increased oil prices in the US, fueled inflation, and hastened a ceasefire.

Of recent events, the strategic partnership agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia deserves attention, stipulating that an attack on one party constitutes an attack on the other. The world widely interprets this as a signal to Israel (and possibly the US).

At first glance, this strong wording echoes collective defense obligations, such as NATO’s Article 5. However, it does not create a radically new commitment but rather formalizes consultation and mutual support in crises. Pakistani forces have been in Saudi Arabia for decades — currently 1,500–2,000 troops — providing training and advisory support. Over the years, Pakistan trained over 8–10 thousand Saudi soldiers and periodically deployed units in the kingdom. In short, the new pact formalizes a longstanding alliance rather than creating a precedent and does not extend a nuclear umbrella over Riyadh.

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https://english.pravda.ru/world/164206-western-recognition-palestine-gaz...

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

‘Recognition alone is not enough’: What must happen next for Palestinian statehood
RT speaks with former Palestinian ambassadors to the UK and Canada about the motives behind four Western capital’s historic decision

For the first time in decades, major Western powers traditionally aligned with Israel have broken ranks. On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Portugal formally recognized the State of Palestine, joining 147 of the 193 United Nations member states that had already done so. It’s a watershed moment. After years of near-automatic support for West Jerusalem, Western capitals are now siding with the overwhelming majority of the international community.

Israel’s reaction was swift. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that a Palestinian state “will not happen”.

“I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the terrible massacre of October 7: you are giving a huge reward to terror. And I have another message for you:

“It will not happen. There will be no Palestinian state west of the Jordan.”
Other members of his coalition issued similar statements. Some, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, even suggested “applying sovereignty” over the West Bank – in other words, annexation.

But for many Palestinians the shift in the policy of Western capitals was a step in the right direction.

To understand the reasoning behind the recognitions and their impact, RT spoke to Palestinian Ambassador to Italy, and former envoy to Canada, Mona Abuamara, and Manuel Hassassian, former ambassador to the UK. Here’s what they had to say:

RT: Why did the Prime Minister take this position on recognizing Palestine?

Manuel Hassassian: The Prime Minister had little choice, as millions of British people support the Palestinian cause. Since the Labour Party is in power, they wanted to achieve a milestone regarding Palestine. Additionally, members of Parliament pressured the government to act, especially after several European countries, led by France under Emmanuel Macron, have already done so.

[Yet], this recognition is long overdue. Since the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which facilitated Jewish immigration to Palestine, Britain has delayed addressing the injustice faced by the Palestinians. It took 108 years for them to recognize the need for a Palestinian state.

This decision was influenced by Israel’s failure to meet ceasefire conditions, withdraw from Gaza, and allow humanitarian aid into the Strip. Still, the move is largely symbolic, as Israel remains in control [over the territory] with US support.

Mona Abuamara: Canada made the decision some time ago but delayed the announcement due to both international and domestic factors. Initially, Canada was aligned politically with the US on major foreign policy issues, while strong domestic pressure from the Zionist lobby and pro-Israeli organizations discouraged the government from moving forward.

Now, circumstances have changed. Internationally, the deterioration in Canada–US relations pushed Canada to adopt a more independent stance, aligning instead with European countries that support a rules-based international order. Domestically, the environment has shifted enough to allow the government to act. Recognizing Palestine demonstrates Canada’s commitment to the two-state solution – moving from words to concrete action.

RT: How helpful is this recognition by the UK/Canada to the Palestinian cause?

Manuel Hassassian: The recognition is mostly symbolic. It doesn’t change the facts on the ground, since Israel remains an occupying force and a colonial-settler movement supported by the international community, especially the United States.

However, it does expose Israel’s true intentions and strengthens the principle of Palestinian self-determination, which is a universal right. Moves by France, Spain, the UK, and others create diplomatic pressure on Israel and the US.

Mona Abuamara: Recognition at this moment sends a strong message to Israel and its current government that their actions – genocide, annexation, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid – are unacceptable to the world. It rejects Israel’s claims over Palestinian land and seeks to salvage the two-state solution before it disappears.

Canada’s recognition is especially significant because of its global standing. Ideally, Canada could have led such recognition earlier, potentially triggering a domino effect sooner. Nevertheless, joining the group of countries recognizing Palestine now strengthens international solidarity and places Canada on what many view as the right side of history.

RT: Netanyahu says these recognitions are driven by internal pressure and the growing Muslim population. How grounded are these claims?

Manuel Hassassian: This has nothing to do with Muslims. The real issue is Israel’s policies – acts of killing, genocide, and devastation against Palestinians – which have raised global awareness.

The extreme policies of Netanyahu’s government, including food blockades and collective punishment, have convinced the international community that recognition of Palestine and ending the occupation are necessary steps toward a two-state solution.

Mona Abuamara: Netanyahu’s claims are unfounded and rooted in racism. The Palestinian struggle is not religious – it is about freedom, sovereignty, and liberation from oppression.

https://www.rt.com/news/625072-diplomatic-earthquake-palestine-recognition/

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.