The UN Security Council discussed a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The United States vetoed the proposal and it was rejected. The fighting will continue. Israel is ready to pay the Palestinians $5 million for the release of every hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on November 19, but at this point the prisoner issue once again falls through.
According to Haaretz, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office has asked the Shin Bet to help Netanyahu avoid testifying in court. Netanyahu’s office has asked the Shin Bet to say that for security reasons Netanyahu cannot appear in public places for long periods. The Shin Bet rejected the request from the prime minister’s office, and government allies pressured Netanyahu to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.
The mayor of Kiryat Shmona told reporters: “The residents here have lost their economic security and their livelihood, not just military security.”
The West Bank issue is also back in the spotlight. American journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh said the Israeli leadership is preparing to annex the West Bank as soon as possible, most likely within two weeks.
From Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, in a message to the Lebanese people, says: “We are not separated from you, we are with you, we and you are one, we share with you your pain, your suffering and your sorrows, your pain is our pain and your suffering is our suffering.”
Dialogue continues on Israel’s US-backed peace proposal for a ceasefire in Lebanon. On November 19, Lebanese Forces party leader Geagea informed Hochstein that any decision or solution outside the framework of implementing international resolutions and the relevant provisions of the Taif Agreement in terms of preventing armed groups outside the state and disbanding all militias is rejected and will not be in Lebanon’s interest.
On November 20, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s statements dampened enthusiasm: “Meeting with Israeli army commanders, including AMAN (military intelligence, ed.), War Minister Katz announced that any political solution with Lebanon must establish that Israel retains its ability to gather information (drone flights, etc.) and the freedom to operate to counter threats (attacks wherever they believe there is resistance)”.
Finally, Hezbollah’s number one Naeem Qassem also spoke out: “We had previously accepted the Biden-Macron proposal on the basis that it could end the war, but the enemy assassinated our Secretary General. And it is true, we received a heavy blow and there was a state of confusion in Hezbollah. But in 10 days we were able to restore our capabilities at every level; military, political, media.”
And then on the ceasefire agreements he said: “Here is the critical point. What is the solution? We have read the ceasefire proposal. We have read it well and we have our comments and Nabih Berri has comments, and our comments and those of the Lebanese government are, God willing, identical. We have decided not to discuss these ceasefire proposals or our comments in the media. All I will say is that the Israelis are trying to achieve through negotiations what they failed to achieve through war, and that will not be possible.” “I cannot guarantee that these negotiations will lead to a quick ceasefire. It depends on Israel. But we have two conditions: 1) a total and complete end to Israeli aggression; 2) Absolute Lebanese sovereignty, which means that the Israelis cannot violate Lebanon’s sovereignty with various excuses.”
Qassem said: “We are not making the battlefield dependent on negotiations. We have one option: to resist and continue, no matter how long the war lasts. We have chosen one of two options, either victory or martyrdom. We are facing Israeli human beasts supported by American human beasts, so we have no choice but to fight. We will remain on the battlefield, no matter the cost, because the cost of not fighting is higher. I want to express special thanks to the Amal Movement. Hezbollah and Amal are one, and I wish this kind of national unity to all of Lebanon. We have not changed and will not change our positions on this war. We believe in the solidarity of the army, the people of the resistance. After the war, together with the state, 1) we will rebuild together with external partners. 2) We will actively help elect a president. 3) We will act according to the Taif agreement in cooperation with other political parties. 4) We will be present in the political field to build and protect Lebanon.”
And he explained: “The resistance does not operate like conventional armies and it is not its duty to prevent the enemy from advancing, but to resist and hinder him wherever he tries to advance. In the end, the land is ours, the men are our men and the enemy will pay the price in the areas where he has been lured. We all know what conditions Israel wants to impose in Lebanon, and Amos Hochstein was clear when he said “we will continue to work on this ceasefire with the new Administration.”
And now a look at the front line updated at 18:00 on November 20.
The Israeli Air Force strikes Palmyra in Syria, Hezbollah and Iranian forces. Since the evening of the 19th, air strikes have intensified in Cheba. The frequency of clashes has increased in the eastern neighborhood of the city of Khiyam and sounds of explosions and heavy gunfire have been heard. Hezbollah accuses Israel of using UNIFIL bases as a shield and vice versa. Regarding the attack on the UN base in the direction of Chama, Tayr Harfa area, the rocket that hit it came from Hezbollah who was trying to hit Israeli soldiers who, according to Hezbollah, are moving along the blue line to avoid being hit.
For the first time, movements of Israeli tanks and soldiers are reported near the northern neighborhood of the city of Khiyam, after a very heavy and extensive bombardment and artillery attacks. Hezbollah responded by attacking with drones a group of Israeli soldiers in the Al-Amra area south of Khiyam.
On November 20, Israeli tanks are shelling the outskirts of the town of Abel al-Saqi, opposite the town of Khiyam, as they advance from the southeastern neighborhood to the northeastern region. Israeli airstrikes continue to hit the town of Khiyam. By late afternoon, social media reports reported that the intensity of the clashes is increasing east of the town of Khiyam, with renewed attempts by Israel to achieve a breakthrough in the center and north under the cover of incursions and artillery bombardments. Israeli tanks are shelling the outskirts of Rashaya al-Fakhar after shelling the town of Abel al-Saqi, causing civilian casualties. In the afternoon at about 17:00 Hezbollah announced that it had ambushed an Israeli force in the western suburbs of the city of Tyre, Harfa, with machine guns.
The Israeli army began advancing towards the Sunni Muslim border town of Kfarchouba. Israeli artillery attacks also in Kfarchouba, in addition to gunfire heard in the area of Azrael Kfarchouba is a border town, whose hills have been under Israeli control for decades.
On the night of November 19, air strikes in Ghobeiry, in the southern suburbs of Beirut, without warning. Israeli attack in Sarafand near Sidon impacted near a Lebanese army base. 3 victims reported, nine dead, wounded. Israel targeted Haush in Tyre, in southern Lebanon.
Also late on the 19th, a new attack against Israeli forces in Maroun al-Ras was reported. Hezbollah attacked them twice with rockets and once with an ATGM inside a house where they were staying. An IDF radio correspondent visited Israeli forces in the town and reported that only one battalion is still in the village, unlike previous weeks, when an entire division fought to occupy the town.
According to social media sources: “Their commander described how the assault began by sneaking into the UN base at night and through it entered the town. Now they no longer encounter any resistance inside the town and only come under rocket and drone attacks.” “The reporter adds that the forces there are not stationed openly, sometimes they still retreat in what he describes as raids. This is to protect the soldiers from being identified in fixed positions and then attacked.”
Kiryat Shmona continues to be targeted by Hezbollah and the Islamic resistance. On the evening of the 19th, Israeli media reported that one person was injured in Karmiel due to a missile that hit the last salvo from Lebanon, Hezbollah claimed the attack. On the 19th, 9 seriously injured Israeli soldiers were transferred from the northern front to Rambam hospital in Haifa, according to Israeli media.
Hezbollah drone attack on the Ramat David base, 50 km from the Lebanese-Palestinian border, southeast of the Haifa city.
On November 19 afternoon, it was confirmed that a missile hit the city of Tel Aviv. The Lebanese resistance claimed drone strikes against a logistics base of the 146th division of the Israeli army, north of the city of Sheikh Danoun, east of the city of Nahariya.
Clashes continue in the West Bank between resistance fighters in Jenin and Israeli forces. The Islamic existence in Jenin targeted IOF gatherings and their vehicles inside the city with large explosive devices. Residents reported very loud explosions. Palestinian sources reported the presence of an Israeli sniper and people are asked to be cautious.
Israeli forces burned several civilian homes in the Jenin camp. In response, resistance forces detonated IEDs in Israeli vehicles at the main roundabout in Jenin. Explosive devices also targeted Israeli forces at the entrance to the town of Silat al-Harithiya, west of Jenin.
On the 20th, the Palestinian Resistance – Jenin Brigade reported: “Our fighters from the Silat al-Harithiya groups managed to target military reinforcements as they passed the entrance to Silat with heavy hails of bullets and explosive devices, causing casualties.” According to Israeli Army Radio: “27 soldiers were killed since the latest ground operation in Jabaliya.”
Clashes also in Gaza. The resistance claims: “a series of regular mortar shells (60 caliber), against soldiers stationed south of the Juhr al-Dik area, in the center of the Gaza Strip.”
According to Channel 12: “Hamas activists are not giving up and are trying to regain capacity, and they have succeeded in some places, such as Shujaiya, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun.”
On November 19, the PIJ military wing announced ambushes against Israeli forces in several areas of Gaza. Clashes west of the city of Beit Lahia, in the north of the Gaza Strip.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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