Latest news with #AvigdorLiberman
Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israel admits to supporting anti-Hamas armed group in Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel is supporting an armed group in Gaza that opposes the militant group Hamas, following comments by a former minister that Israel had transferred weapons to it. Israeli and Palestinian media have reported that the group Israel has been working with is part of a local Bedouin tribe led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The European Council on Foreign Relations (EFCR) think tank describes Abu Shabab as the leader of a 'criminal gang operating in the Rafah area that is widely accused of looting aid trucks.' Knesset member and ex-defense minister Avigdor Liberman had told the Kan public broadcaster that the government, at Netanyahu's direction, was 'giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons.' 'What did Liberman leak? That security sources activated a clan in Gaza that opposes Hamas? What is bad about that?' Netanyahu said in a video posted to social media on Thursday. 'It is only good, it is saving lives of Israeli soldiers.' Michael Milshtein, an expert on Palestinian affairs at the Moshe Dayan Center in Tel Aviv, told AFP that the Abu Shabab clan was part of a Bedouin tribe that spans across the border between Gaza and Egypt's Sinai peninsula. Some of the tribe's members, he said, were involved in 'all kinds of criminal activities, drug smuggling, and things like that.' Army spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin on Friday confirmed the military supported arming local militias in Gaza but remained tight-lipped on the details. 'I can say that we are operating in various ways against Hamas governance,' Defrin said during a televised press conference when questioned on the subject, without elaborating further. 'Gangster' Milshtein said that Abu Shabab had spent time in prison in Gaza and that his clan chiefs had recently denounced him as an Israeli 'collaborator and a gangster.' 'It seems that actually the Shabak (Israeli security agency) or the (military) thought it was a wonderful idea to turn this militia, gang actually, into a proxy, to give them weapons and money and shelter' from army operations, Milshtein said. He added that Hamas killed four members of the gang days ago. The ECFR said Abu Shabab was 'reported to have been previously jailed by Hamas for drug smuggling. His brother is said to have been killed by Hamas during a crackdown against the group's attacks on UN aid convoys.' Israel regularly accuses Hamas, with which it has been at war for nearly 20 months, of looting aid convoys in Gaza. Hamas said the group had 'chosen betrayal and theft as their path' and called on civilians to oppose them. Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades, said it had evidence of 'clear coordination between these looting gangs, collaborators with the occupation (Israel), and the enemy army itself in the looting of aid and the fabrication of humanitarian crises that deepen the suffering of' Palestinians. The Popular Forces, as Abu Shabab's group calls itself, said on Facebook it had 'never been, and will never be, a tool of the occupation.' 'Our weapons are simple, outdated and came through the support of our own people,' it added. Milshtein called Israel's decision to arm a group such as Abu Shabab 'a fantasy, not something that you can really describe as a strategy.' 'I really hope it will not end with catastrophe,' he said.
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Netanyahu "Arming Gaza Criminals", Israel Recovers Bodies Of Slain Hostages, US Vetoes Ceasefire
Last Updated: June 05, 2025, 19:45 IST Crux World Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of arming a criminal gang accused of looting aid in Gaza Liberman appears to be referring to the Abu Shabab clan, which has been operating in an area near the Kerem Shalom crossing under Israeli military controlMeanwhile, Israel retrieved the bodies of an elderly couple killed in Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack and held in Gaza, PM Benjamin Netanyahu announced The bodies of American-Israelis Gad Haggai and Judy Weinstein Haggai were recovered from the Khan Yunis area in an overnight operation 0:00 INTRO 2:12 US VETOES CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION 4:06 'NETANYAHU ARMING CRIMINALS IDENTIFIED WITH ISLAMIC STATE'9:31 NEARLY 100 KILLED IN 24 HRS ACROSS GAZA n18oc_world n18oc_crux
CBS News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Opponents say Netanyahu's decision to arm "clans in Gaza" to help fight Hamas will come back to haunt Israel
Former Israeli Defense Minister and opposition lawmaker Avigdor Liberman on Thursday accused Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of authorizing weapons transfers to a criminal gang in Gaza that he likened to the ISIS terrorist group. Netanyahu appeared later in the day to confirm the operation, suggesting it would save the lives of Israeli forces battling Hamas in the Palestinian territory. "They are receiving weapons from the state of Israel. It's a total madness," Liberman said in a radio interview. "It's unclear to me who approved it." Liberman said the head of Israel's primary domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet was aware of the weapons transfers, "but I'm not sure the [Israel Defense Forces] knows. We're talking about the equivalent of ISIS in Gaza. No one can guarantee that these weapons will not be directed at Israel. We have no way of monitoring or following." Liberman appeared to be referring to a militia called the Popular Forces of Palestine, led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The group is opposed to Hamas, the Israeli- and U.S.-designated terrorist group Israel has been at war with for more than a year and a half. Popular Forces is believed to be a relatively small armed group based in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It has been accused of looting trucks trying to deliver aid to Gaza's starving population, which its leader reportedly denied. There have been reports that Shabab, the group's leader, was previously jailed by Hamas for smuggling drugs, as well as reports that his brother was killed by Hamas when the group cracked down on attacks on U.N. aid convoys Late on Thursday, Netanyahu acknowledged that, "on the advice of security officials, we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas. What's wrong with that? It's only good. It only saves the lives of IDF soldiers." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a news conference in Jerusalem, May 21, 2025. RONEN ZVULUN/POOL/AFP/Getty Abu Shabab denied receiving weapons from Israel in a statement posted on social media. "We categorically reject these accusations and consider them a blatant attempt to distort the image of a grassroots force born from suffering — one that stood up to injustice, looting, and corruption," the group said. "This desperate attempt to link us to the occupation is, in reality, an implicit admission that we have become a powerful and influential force." Hamas orchestrated and led the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attack on southern Israel that began the war in Gaza. It said, following Netanyahu's remarks, that "every individual involved in these mercenary gangs [Israel has allegedly been supporting] is considered by us to be an Israeli soldier. We will deal with them with full force." Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid responded to the claim that Israel is arming Abu Shabab with a warning that it could see a repeat of a grim history for the country. For decades, including multiple terms in office for Netanyahu, Israel allowed Hamas to grow and entrench its control in Gaza, with millions of dollars in support from the Arab would pouring in. It was seen as a cynical bid to prevent a unified Palestinian leadership from taking hold in Gaza and the much larger territory of the West Bank. "After Netanyahu finished giving millions of dollars to Hamas, he moved on to giving weapons to organizations close to ISIS in Gaza, all off the cuff, all without strategic planning, all leading to more disasters," Lapid said on social media. "Weapons that enter Gaza will eventually be turned against IDF soldiers and Israeli citizens," he said.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Netanyahu's big Hamas admission on camera; Israel uniting with ‘pro-ISIS' group in Gaza
Israel's government is under fire for arming the Abu Shabab militia in Gaza to counter Hamas. Opposition leader Avigdor Liberman slams Netanyahu for unilaterally approving the move. The group, linked to smuggling and jihadist networks, is reportedly receiving Kalashnikov rifles seized from Hamas. Is this strategy exposing IDF failures or a secret plan to save soldiers' lives? Watch for exclusive insights and analysis on this controversial decision shaking Israeli politics and the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Khaleej Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Netanyahu admits Israel supporting anti-Hamas armed group in Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel is supporting an armed group in Gaza that opposes the militant group Hamas, following comments by a former minister that Israel had transferred weapons to it. Israeli and Palestinian media have reported that the group Israel has been working with is part of a local Bedouin tribe led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The European Council on Foreign Relations (EFCR) think tank describes Abu Shabab as the leader of a "criminal gang operating in the Rafah area that is widely accused of looting aid trucks". Knesset member and ex-defence minister Avigdor Liberman had told the Kan public broadcaster that the government, at Netanyahu's direction, was "giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons". "What did Liberman leak? That security sources activated a clan in Gaza that opposes Hamas? What is bad about that?" Netanyahu said in a video posted to social media on Thursday. "It is only good, it is saving lives of Israeli soldiers." Michael Milshtein, an expert on Palestinian affairs at the Moshe Dayan Center in Tel Aviv, told AFP that the Abu Shabab clan was part of a Bedouin tribe that spans across the border between Gaza and Egypt's Sinai peninsula. Some of the tribe's members, he said, were involved in "all kinds of criminal activities, drug smuggling, and things like that". 'Gangster' Milshtein said that Abu Shabab had spent time in prison in Gaza and that his clan chiefs had recently denounced him as an Israeli "collaborator and a gangster". "It seems that actually the Shabak (Israeli security agency) or the (military) thought it was a wonderful idea to turn this militia, gang actually, into a proxy, to give them weapons and money and shelter" from army operations, Milshtein said. He added that Hamas killed four members of the gang days ago. The ECFR said Abu Shabab was "reported to have been previously jailed by Hamas for drug smuggling. His brother is said to have been killed by Hamas during a crackdown against the group's attacks on UN aid convoys." Israel regularly accuses Hamas, with which it has been at war for nearly 20 months, of looting aid convoys in Gaza. Hamas said the group had "chosen betrayal and theft as their path" and called on civilians to oppose them. Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades, said it had evidence of "clear coordination between these looting gangs, collaborators with the occupation (Israel), and the enemy army itself in the looting of aid and the fabrication of humanitarian crises that deepen the suffering of" Palestinians. The Popular Forces, as Abu Shabab's group calls itself, said on Facebook it had "never been, and will never be, a tool of the occupation". "Our weapons are simple, outdated, and came through the support of our own people," it added. Milshtein called Israel's decision to arm a group such as Abu Shabab "a fantasy, not something that you can really describe as a strategy". "I really hope it will not end with catastrophe," he said.
