UK puts sanctions on Israeli cabinet members, and Zohran Mamdani's race for New York
The UK has imposed sanctions on two senior members of the Israeli cabinet. Iran says it could strike back in the event of an Israeli attack. A candidate for New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani, could become the first Muslim to hold the office.
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
'RFK must fall': CIA releases Sirhan Sirhan diary pages and Kennedy assassination files
Previously classified documents related to the 1968 murder of presidential hopeful Robert F Kennedy and his Palestinian Christian assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, have been released by the CIA. One of the files details an emergency meeting of the Palestine Arab Delegation in the Arab League offices of New York's Chrysler building following the killing of Mr Kennedy. Sirhan, a Palestinian who emigrated from Jordan to the US, shot and killed Mr Kennedy on June 6, 1968, after he won the California Democratic presidential primary. Several investigations by the Los Angeles police and FBI indicated speeches given by Mr Kennedy on the campaign trail in support of Israel prompted Sirhan's motivation. 'Kennedy must fall … Kennedy must fall' reads one of the diary entries written by Sirhan, released in the latest document dump. Another document, an intelligence report circulated in the CIA, shows that the Palestinian Arab Delegation was closely monitored by the intelligence agency after Sirhan was taken into custody. At an emergency meeting of the group held during the assassin's trial, Issa Nakhleh, a former senior adviser to the UN Palestinian Delegation, described Sirhan as an 'Arab guerrilla' whose murder of Mr Kennedy was 'motivated by political events'. 'Nakhleh informed the group that one of his aims in briefing the group was to enlist their support for a trip to the Middle East which he planned to make in order to collect funds to aid Sirhan's defence,' reads the document. The source for those particular meeting notes appears to be an informant, described by the CIA as a 'Middle East national with a leftist political orientation who has good contacts at the UN'. It also alleges that Mr Nakhleh had in the past been accused of being a 'loose handler' of funds – that he had previously raised money for various causes, but that the funds later 'found a way into his pockets'. Another released document shows that both the CIA and FBI were particularly concerned with how the Soviet Union was portraying Sirhan. 'Soviet media have displayed predictable sensitivity to the fact that the suspect is an Arab immigrant,' reads one of the reports, which also examined how a Soviet journalist's opinion piece critiqued the US reaction to Sirhan. 'Izvestiya Kondrashov accused the US press of 'playing on the Arab origin of the assassin' and on evidence of his 'anti-Israeli attitudes' in order to shift the blame from the American way of life, 'the real guilty party in the tragedy.'' A report compiled before the assassination, titled 'The Arab Nationalists Movement', was also circulated in the CIA shortly after Mr Kennedy was killed, while investigators were trying to learn about Sirhan's motives. 'In Jordan recently, a new Arab Nationalists Movement commando group has been organised to carry out raids within Israel,' the report reads. In April of 1969, a jury found Sirhan guilty of assassinating Mr Kennedy. Despite a preponderance of evidence, conspiracy theories have thrived for decades, with some suggesting Sirhan's innocence. In a previous interview with The National, author Mel Ayton, widely considered to be one of the foremost experts on Sirhan and the assassination, said that all of those theories fall apart under even the most basic examination. Any documents that remain classified, he explained, are classified for security reasons. 'It wasn't about covering anything up, it was about protecting sources, police sources and potential informants – that's what it all comes down to,' he said. Sirhan's many attempts to be paroled have so far been unsuccessful. He was briefly granted parole by the California parole board in 2021, only to have the decision vetoed by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said the assassination was one of the most notorious crimes in US history. For the 17th time since being incarcerated in 1969, Sirhan was again denied a parole request in 2023. He will be eligible again in 2027. The prisoner, 81, has periodically made contradictory comments about his role in the assassination. During some interviews, he claims not to remember the events, while in others, he seems to express remorse.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
‘Popular Forces': Who are the Gaza gangsters being armed by Israel?
In a small area of land in Rafah, a new group has emerged from the shadows of Israel's war on the Palestinian enclave. Led by drug smugglers, aid looters and militants linked to groups across the border in Egypt, Popular Forces, as they call themselves, have been exercising their power in southern Gaza, under gang leader and former prisoner Yasser Abu Shabab. Last month, the group created a new Facebook page, with slick videos and a new logo. The marketing drive coincided with Israel admitting to arming Abu Shabab's gang, in what appears to be an attempt to sow chaos and embolden anti-Hamas elements in Gaza. Middle East Eye takes a look at Abu Shabab, his associates, and why Israel has chosen to lend its support. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Who is Yasser Abu Shabab? Yasser Abu Shabab, born in eastern Rafah in the early 1990s, hails from the influential Tarabin Bedouin tribe, which stretches across the Sinai, Gaza and southern Israel. He dropped out of school at an early age, building a reputation for trafficking cigarettes, hashish and psychoactive drugs through tunnels and crossings into Gaza. Family members say he smuggled items from Egypt and Israel. In 2015, Hamas detained Abu Shabab on drug trafficking charges and eventually sentenced him to 25 years in prison. But in October 2023, during the early days of the war on Gaza, Abu Shabab escaped the Asda prison in western Khan Younis, amid Israeli bombardment. The circumstances around his escape remain murky. What have his gang been doing during the war? Following their escape, Abu Shabab and his allies assembled a few hundred men and called themselves the Popular Forces in Arabic. The group exerts control over an area of southern Gaza near the Kerem Shalom crossing, which connects Gaza, Israel and Egypt. Abu Shabab has said he leads 'a group of citizens from this community who have volunteered to protect humanitarian aid from looting and corruption'. On Facebook, the group describes itself as "a voice of truth against terrorism for a safe homeland for all". 'Their utility lies in their ability to destabilise Hamas from within' – Andreas Krieg, security expert A leaked UN memo described their base as a 'military-like compound' in a zone 'restricted, controlled and patrolled' by Israeli forces. According to Muhammad Shehada, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, Abu Shabab's gang is engaged in several activities. These include, he writes, looting UN aid and selling some of it on the black market; carrying out reconnaissance missions on behalf of Israeli authorities; and acting as a proxy militia for Israel in areas that it has depopulated. It has also been accused of cooperating with the controversial Israel and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). An unnamed diplomatic official told CNN that the GHF, whether directly or indirectly, had contact with Abu Shabab. The scandal-ridden GHF has denied any involvement. 'We do have local Palestinian workers we are very proud of, but none is armed and they do not belong to Abu Shabab's organisation,' it said. In November, Abu Shabab admitted that his men had raided a few trucks. 'We are taking trucks so we can eat, not so we can sell,' he said. 'Every hungry person is taking aid.' Several truck drivers have accused Abu Shabab's forces of intercepting aid deliveries and forcing them to unload goods. There were reports in early May that Israeli forces attacked shop owners and police officers who were attempting to protect shops from looting and chaos caused by the gangsters. Asaad al-Kafarna, a police officer in Gaza, was killed by Israeli forces near a restaurant on 2 May after pursuing gangsters accused of looting and collaborating with Israel's military. How are the gang linked to Islamic State? Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli opposition politician, recently said that Abu Shabab and his forces were connected to the Islamic State group, or Isis (IS). Andreas Krieg, an academic at King's College London and an expert on security, told MEE: "While some individuals from the tribe have been involved in smuggling and, in some cases, collaborated with Sinai-based Isis affiliates, the tribe itself is not ideologically aligned with jihadist groups. 'In fact, many Tarabin members in Sinai have fought against Isis alongside the Egyptian military.' Key figures in Abu Shabab's groups have longstanding links with militant groups. One of them, Issam al-Nabahin, joined the Sinai chapter of IS in the mid-2010s. A damaged building in northern Sinai, Egypt in January 2015, where at least 30 soldiers and police officers were killed by Islamic State-allied groups (Reuters) According to media reports, he was part of a group of Palestinians who fought in the insurgency against Egypt's army, and were involved in the killing of civilians. Hamas and Egypt cooperated to arrest and kill the militants, but Nabahin evaded capture. Nabahin re-emerged in 2023, when Hamas arrested him and sentenced him to death. But he escaped before his execution and has since resurfaced as part of Abu Shabab's forces. Another senior figure in the Popular Forces is Ghassan al-Dahini. He was formerly an official in the Army of Islam, a Palestinian group allied with IS in Sinai. He reportedly managed smuggling and communications between the Army of Islam and militant groups in Sinai. Dahini has been arrested at least twice by Hamas police in Gaza. During one arrest attempt, he killed a Palestinian policeman. He, like Nabahin and Abu Shabab, escaped imprisonment following the outbreak of Israel's war. He now serves as the deputy of the Popular Forces. Why is Israel arming these gangsters? Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has admitted to arming Abu Shabab's gang. '"We made use of clans in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas… What's wrong with that?' he said in a post on X last week. "It's only good. It saves the lives of Israeli soldiers." The gangs have been armed with Kalashnikovs and pistols that were taken by Israeli forces from Hamas and Hezbollah, according to Maariv. Israel's Shin Bet security service, Maariv reported, suggested that even if Abu Shabab were to turn around and point the weapons towards Israel, the effect would be negligible. Krieg said that it was a 'calculated strategy' to reduce Israel's military and administrative burden in Gaza by 'cultivating local surrogate actors'. 'By leveraging tribal networks and local knowledge, groups like the Popular Forces enable Israel to exert indirect control while avoiding the reputational and operational costs of reoccupation,' he said. What has been the impact on Hamas? Krieg said that the presence of the Popular Front forces Hamas to fight on multiple fronts, undermining its monopoly on coercive power. 'Although the Popular Forces lack popular legitimacy and are widely seen as criminal collaborators, their utility lies in their ability to destabilise Hamas from within,' said Krieg. Israeli troops in Rafah, southern Gaza, in October 2024 (Israeli Army handout/AFP) Hamas has killed at least 50 members of Abu Shabab's forces, the group said earlier this week. Ynet reported that Abu Shabab's militia had killed six members of Hamas' 'Arrow' unit, which is responsible for targeting collaborators with Israel. Israeli media also reported that an Israeli drone strike targeted Hamas fighters while they were clashing with members of Abu Shabab's militia. Do the Popular Forces have support beyond Israel? It is not immediately clear if the gang has other external backers. Since May, the group has created social media accounts and posted professionally produced propaganda videos, which may have been made with outside help. Israel cuts Gaza internet as dozens more aid seekers killed Read More » 'While direct evidence of regional sponsorship is lacking, there are suggestive indicators,' said Krieg. One of Abu Shabab's militiamen was recently pictured driving a vehicle with an Emirati number plate, 'an unusual and conspicuous detail in the context of besieged Gaza,' according to Krieg. 'This, combined with his group's anti-Hamas posture, has fuelled speculation that actors aligned with the UAE, which has a well-documented history of supporting anti-Islamist surrogates in Libya, Yemen and Sudan, may be involved indirectly,' he said. There is no direct evidence of UAE backing. A Palestinian official told i24news that an adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was directly communicating with the gang. Abu Shabab's gang has said that it is working under the umbrella of 'Palestinian legitimacy', a phrase often used by leaders of Fatah, who are longstanding rivals of Hamas. PA spokesperson Anwar Rajab has denied any connection between the PA and Abu Shabab. Will the Popular Front have a post-war role? As things stand, it appears unlikely that the Popular Forces will play any serious long-term role in Gaza after the war. Military sources told Maariv that Israeli support was only part of a short-term tactical move. 'These gangs cannot be a substitute for a long-term strategic plan. As an alternative to Hamas, a move must be built with countries in the region that will build a governing structure that will replace Hamas," one source said. 'Israel has a long track record of inadvertently creating surrogate Frankenstein monsters' – Andreas Krieg, security expert According to Krieg, the militia is too small, criminally tainted and politically toxic to serve as a viable governing force. 'Their limited size and lack of legitimacy among Palestinians, compounded by their open collaboration with Israeli forces, render them structurally incapable of administering territory or managing civil affairs in a sustainable way,' he said. Krieg added that Israel had no incentive to formalise relations with a group whose existence could disrupt broader diplomatic efforts with Arab states. 'But Israel has a long track record of inadvertently creating surrogate Frankenstein monsters in the short-term that then develop lives of their own.'
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Iran and Turkey increasingly involved in Gaza negotiations as Egypt takes a step back
Iran and Turkey have become increasingly involved behind the scenes in negotiations to reach a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, sources familiar with the talks have told The National. Mediators from the US, Egypt and Qatar have been trying without success to broker a ceasefire since the last one collapsed in March. Neither Israel nor Hamas are making the compromises needed to pause or end the war − now in its 21st month − despite mounting international pressure over the rising civilian death toll and worsening humanitarian crisis. US President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged this week that Iran was playing a role in the talks. ' Gaza, right now, is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel, and Iran actually is involved,' he said. Although his comment appeared to suggest that Iran's involvement was a new development, Tehran has in fact been indirectly involved in the process since the negotiations began soon after the start of the war in October 2023, according to the sources. As Hamas's chief foreign backer, Iran has offered behind-the-scenes counsel to negotiators from the Palestinian militant group and separately engaged in talks with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, they said. However, they noted Iran's involvement was currently at a higher-than-usual level, possibly as a result of talks that Tehran and Washington have been holding on Iran's nuclear programme. Mr Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, leads the US negotiating teams on both Gaza and Iran's nuclear programme. 'Iran has been present in the Gaza talks from day one,' said one of the sources. 'But its profile has grown in recent weeks. The nuclear talks between the Iranians and the Americans appear to have given both sides a chance to discuss Gaza as well.' The sources said that Turkey's role in the Gaza talks, while of a somewhat lower calibre than Iran's, has gained weight after its Islamist allies in Syria toppled Bashar Al Assad's regime in December and quickly established a rapport with the West − including the US − as the country emerges from 14 years of devastating civil war. Turkey, a close US ally and Nato's only Muslim member, maintains close ties with Hamas and is home to several of its senior officials as well as vast investments by the group. Moreover, Turkey, along with Algeria, are the most likely destinations for Hamas leaders that Israel wants to send into exile from Gaza. 'Turkey has shown itself to the United States as a capable regional player with the kind of weight that can influence or contribute to the handling of trouble spots like Gaza and Syria,' said one of the sources. Egypt, in contrast, has seen its role in the Gaza negotiations partially diminished, but not necessarily because of the increased relevance of Turkey and Iran, with whom Cairo has recently been forging close ties. The Trump administration's use of an American-Palestinian – Bishara Bahbah – as its main go-between with Hamas negotiators has partially eroded the role played by Egypt, which neighbours both Israel and Gaza, according to the sources. Even before Mr Bahbah emerged on the scene in March, US negotiators ignored Washington's designation of Hamas as a terrorist group to hold at least one round of direct talks with its leaders in Qatar. The sources said Egypt's reduced role could also be attributed to Cairo's tense relations with Washington over Mr Trump's proposal in January to resettle Gaza's population in other countries − mainly in Egypt and Jordan. Egypt rejected the proposal, saying it would not be party to another injustice to the Palestinians and warning it would not allow a mass movement of Palestinians into its territory. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi postponed indefinitely a White House visit in February, according to sources at the time, and Mr Trump did not include Egypt − a close US ally of 50 years − in his visit to the region in May. 'Egypt sees its regional role to be driven by its size, history and past leadership as well as its institutional capacity,' said Michael Hanna, a New York-based Middle East expert at the International Crisis Group think tank. 'Its relevance at present is dictated by its geography; sharing borders with trouble spots in Gaza, Libya and Sudan. But it definitely no longer has the reach farther afield,' Mr Hanna said. He said recent US moves on the Gaza file, like the use of Mr Bahbah and direct talks with Hamas, may have also made Cairo feel left out. Egypt had brokered truces that ended previous wars between Israel and Hamas, most recently in 2021. Its relations with Hamas have improved greatly since the 2010s, when Cairo accused the group of meddling in its affairs and supporting insurgents in the Sinai Peninsula. In contrast, Egypt's relations with Israel have soured since the Israel-Gaza war began and are now at their lowest point since they signed a US-sponsored peace treaty in 1979. Israeli right-wing news outlets frequently claim that Cairo is preparing for war against the country. Adding to Egypt's woes is that the fallout from the war in Gaza has harmed its own national security, notably the capture by Israel in May last year of the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in northern Sinai along with a narrow strip that runs the length of the Gaza-Egypt border. Israel maintains it captured the area to stop Hamas from receiving arms and other supplies through underground tunnels linking Egypt and Gaza. Egypt says it destroyed the tunnels nearly a decade ago. Attacks by Yemen's Houthis against Red Sea shipping since the start of the Gaza war have also hit hard traffic in Egypt's Suez Canal, denying Cairo billions of dollars in transit fees and deepening its economic crisis. The Houthis say the attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinians. Generally, said Mr Hanna, Egypt's regional weight has been somewhat devalued by its perennial economic woes. 'Egypt is often supplicant and that's not the posture of a country that can exert regional influence,' he added. Ammar Ali Hassan, a prominent Egyptian author and sociologist, said he partly disagreed with this analysis. 'Today's Egypt may have seen its regional role diminish despite its military capabilities,' he said. 'The absence of a clear political vision and will, as well as growing poverty, may have made safeguarding the country, rather than actively projecting regional influence − a priority given the turmoil surrounding Egypt.'
