Latest news with #DavidAzoulay
National Post
24-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Opinion: If RCMP is probing Israel for war crimes, it has no morality
As the sun shines over the ghost town of Metula which abuts the Israel-Lebanon border, blue jacaranda petals softly fall from their trees to blanket its missile-torn streets in a vibrant lavender hue. It is a scene of heartbreaking juxtaposition — nature's relentless beauty blooming against the backdrop of human devastation, where time stands still in an eerie dance between lush abundance and complete war-torn destruction. Article content Article content 'Most of them will return,' David Azoulay, the mayor of Metula, told our group on our recent tour — speaking of his 2,000 evacuated residents — 'because this is our home. We will rebuild and pull through.' These words come from a man who slept on the floor of his tiny subterranean office for months after October 7, as his town was mercilessly shelled by Hezbollah in a devastating campaign entirely unprovoked by Israel, one that obliterated over 60 per cent of the city's buildings and homes and forced the evacuation of an entire community. Article content Article content Article content Once-beautiful family homes now lie in piles of rubble, with all that remains of everyday life found in the charred remnants of furniture and melted appliances. Yet here, rolling up their sleeves, the people of Metula are rebuilding their city piece by piece, determined to breathe life back into what was once a vibrant community in northern Israel. Article content Amidst rising tensions with Israel, Canada's premier law enforcement agency, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), is preparing the ground for an investigation into potential war crimes related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Should the target of the investigation be the state of Israel, or Israeli Canadians who served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it would expose a moral blindness so profound it borders on the obscene. Article content Article content Perhaps, Ottawa needs reminding that Hamas set the region ablaze in its barbarous rampage on October 7, forcing Israel into a seven-front war of survival against the Iranian regime's genocidal Islamist terror proxies. Inexplicably, the RCMP didn't disclose any plans to prosecute Hamas for murdering eight Canadians. While Canada launched a thunderous campaign for its Ukraine investigation — complete with hotlines, dedicated webpages, airport signage, and breathless media interviews — the Israel-Hamas war probe has skulked in shadows, acknowledged only when pressed by journalists. Article content
Al Arabiya
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Israeli mayor calls for a return to war after rocket fire
The mayor of Israel's northern border town of Metula criticized the government Saturday after the area was targeted with rocket fire from Lebanon, and called for a return to war. 'We will not return to the reality of October 6th ... and this is what the IDF, the Northern Command, and the Israeli government are trying to normalize,' Metula mayor David Azoulay told AFP, referring to the day before the Hamas attack on southern Israel in 2023. A truce on November 27, 2024, ended two months of all-out war between Israel and Lebanese group Hezbollah. Hezbollah earlier opened a front against Israel on October 8, 2023 in support of Hamas after its attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war. Metula, a town of 2,400 residents, was evacuated during more than a year of cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel's military and Hezbollah. Azoulay said that since the November truce, just eight percent of Metula's population had returned, and that some residents left again on Saturday after the rocket fire. 'This is a failure, and it's exactly the policy of containment of (what led to) October 7,' he said. The mayor called on the Israeli authorities to 'act offensively and make it so that not one bullet is fired ever again at northern communities.' 'As far as I'm concerned, we should return to war, even if one bullet is fired towards Israel,' he said. Israel's military said on Saturday it had struck 'dozens of Hezbollah rocket launchers' in southern Lebanon. An official said six rockets were fired, and three crossed into Israel and were intercepted. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered strikes against 'dozens of terrorist targets' in Lebanon in response to the fire, which has not yet been claimed by any group. An Israeli military spokesperson said Saturday's projectiles were the first to be fired from Lebanon at Israel since the truce took effect at the end of November.
Saba Yemen
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Israeli media: Hezbollah not defeated, it restores activity
Beirut - Saba: Residents of border villages in southern Lebanon continue to return to their homes and lands for the second day in a row after the 60-day deadline for the withdrawal of the enemy army from the area has expired. This return, which brought with it striking scenes reflecting the southerners' adherence to the resistance option, sparked widespread controversy in the Zionist media, which unanimously described the scene as 'worrying.' The Zionist newspaper 'Jerusalem Post' covered the developments in a lengthy report, in which it said Hezbollah was not defeated during the recent rounds of fighting, noting that the party is working to maintain calm and benefit from the ceasefire agreement. While the newspaper claimed that the agreement aims to reduce the party's threats, it acknowledged at the same time that Hezbollah is 'regaining its activity,' which poses a challenge to Israel. In the northern settlements, criticism has increased against the head of the Zionist entity's government, Benjamin Netanyahu, as the head of the 'Metula' settlement council, David Azoulay, described the agreement as 'surrendering to Hezbollah.' "The residents of the southern villages in Lebanon will return, rebuild their homes, and grow again," Azoulay said. He went so far as to warn against implementing what he described as the "October 7 scenario" on the northern border. The Zionist media did not hide its concern over the images that showed the Lebanese returning carrying Hezbollah flags. The correspondent for the (i24 News) channel, Oreh Keshet, commented on these scenes, saying: "They reinforce the fears of the settlers in the north, and pose a security challenge to the Zionist army forces." As for the newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth," it quoted its correspondent Yair Kraus as saying: "These images represent the nightmare that "Israel" has always feared, after a year and a half of fighting." For its part, the "Hadashot Bezman" website commented on the scene of the Lebanese return by saying: "Once again, "Israel" will lose the achievement of complete victory when it withdraws from southern Lebanon." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
Al Manar
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
Southern Lebanese Defy Israeli Occupation, Continue Return to Liberated Border Villages
For the second consecutive day, the resilient people of southern Lebanon return to their border villages, demonstrating defiance against the Israeli occupation and external dictates. Their steadfast resolve comes despite the Israeli enemy's declaration, following the expiration of the 60-day truce, that it would not withdraw. The United States has reportedly attempted to prolong the ceasefire until February 18, seeking to circumvent Resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement. This scene conveys a powerful message that the people themselves are the resistance. Any attempt by the Israeli occupation to 'eradicate the resistance' would require targeting an entire nation—a reality the Israeli enemy is beginning to grasp. David Azoulay, head of the council for the destroyed settlement of Metula, acknowledged this, criticizing the agreement with Lebanon as a 'surrender deal,' stating, 'Netanyahu signed an agreement of capitulation to Hezbollah, which is now returning.' Determined Advances Following Sunday's fierce resistance, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced today that 24 people were martyred and 134 others were injured in Israeli enemy attacks on southern Lebanon. Despite this brutality, the spirit of liberation continues to shine as people pursue their journey. On Monday morning, citizens entered the village of Houla following the deployment of the Lebanese army in several neighborhoods. In Ayta Al-Shaab, the Lebanese army, alongside returning villagers, advanced to reclaim the area from occupation forces. Similarly, the army led convoys of returning families to Mays Al-Jabal, where Israeli forces are expected to withdraw despite ongoing gunfire. From the western neighborhoods of Mays Al-Jabal, Al-Manar reporter Ali Shoaib described the gathering crowds, led by the army, preparing to reclaim the village's center as Israeli occupation forces retreat. Lebanese students also joined the movement, with gatherings reported at the entrance to the Lebanese University campus in Hadat. Groups mobilized to head toward southern villages, with a parallel rally at Hezbollah's Educational Mobilization Center in Sfeir. The Lebanese Army and residents of Yaroun reached the town square despite the ongoing presence of Israeli forces. Meanwhile, residents of Marwahin made their way back home on foot, passing through the Um Al-Tout area. In Maroun al-Ras and Yaroun, residents displayed remarkable resilience, standing firm against Israeli forces hiding behind tanks, creating a powerful image of defiance and solidarity. In Markaba, large crowds gathered at the entrance to the town near Bani Hayyan, waiting to enter alongside the Lebanese Army. The influx of residents into villages in the western sector, including Al-Naqoura, continues to underline the widespread support for the liberation efforts. Amid the liberation efforts, Israeli enemy drones targeted a municipal team in Bani Hayyan while they worked on opening and paving roads at the town's entrance. A bomb was dropped near the team, which narrowly escaped unharmed. Another bomb was dropped near the town's cultural center, causing no injuries. However, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced that one martyr and seven injured in the updated toll of Israeli aggression in southern Lebanon today. The unified determination of the Lebanese people, supported by the army and resistance forces, underscores their resolve to reclaim their land and protect their sovereignty despite continuous aggression.
