The Times of Israel is liveblogging Thursday’s events as they unfold.
33 pro-Palestinians arrested in Chicago for blocking street outside company that sells to Israeli firms
NILES, Ill. (AP) — Police in suburban Chicago arrested 33 people Wednesday after they blocked streets for more than six hours outside a company protesters say has a role in the deaths of thousands of civilians in Gaza.
Seven men and 26 women were charged with misdemeanor unlawful assembly following the protest outside Woodward MPC, the Niles Police Department said in a news release. The company’s website says it makes products for the aerospace and industrial markets.
The protesters called on Woodward to cease sales to Israeli security firms.
The 33 protesters were released after being booked, police said, and there were no injuries.
About 100 people participated in the protest, WBBM-TV reported.
A call to Woodward MPC for comment was met with a receptionist saying “We have no comment” before she hung up.
Many of the far-left protesters covered their faces with COVID masks, even though they were outside in an apparent attempt to hide their identities.
Putin says Russia leveraging ties with Hamas political leaders to try and free hostages
President Vladimir Putin told leaders of Russia’s Jewish community that Moscow had achieved “specific results” in diplomatic efforts to free hostages taken captive by Hamas, Russian news agencies reports.
The agency says Putin made the comments at a meeting with Russia’s chief rabbi, Berl Lazar, and the head of the Federation of Jewish Communities, Alexander Boroda. Putin said Russia had made use of its contacts with the political wing of Hamas.
“You know, since the situation became more tense in the Middle East, Russia has been doing everything to help people who became hostages,” Putin is quoted as saying.
“As is known, our foreign ministry worked through the political wing of Hamas and, on the whole, there have been specific results.”
Putin does not elaborate, according to the reported comments, but indeed one of the hostages released in November — dual Russian-Israeli national Roni Krivoi — was framed as a gesture by the terror group to Putin.
Moscow’s efforts, though directed at helping Russian nationals, also sought to help others, the president said.
“They include elderly people and their family members who survived the Holocaust,” he is quoted as saying.
“But I know, I understand, that it is vital to carry on with these efforts. And that is what we are doing.”
Russia, which has drawn closer to Israel’s arch-rival Iran since the outbreak of the nearly two-year-old Ukraine conflict, has restated its support for Palestinian statehood and criticized Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip.
Moscow also has said the violence in the Middle East is a reflection of US policy failures in the region.
Putin’s reference to Holocaust survivors comes a day after Russia’s foreign ministry told the Israeli ambassador, Simona Halperin, of its “negative reaction” to her criticisms of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian policy.
Authorities criticized her “unacceptable comments” in an interview with Russian newspaper Kommersant in which she said Lavrov had played down the importance of the Holocaust and that Russia was too friendly with Hamas.
US carried out drone strike in Baghdad that killed Kataeb Hezbollah members — CENTCOM
The US is responsible for the drone strike in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad that killed at least three Kataeb Hezbollah members, one of whom was a high-ranking commander, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) says.
The commander was “responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region,” CENTCOM says, adding that there are no reports of civilian casualties.
“The United States will continue to take necessary action to protect our people. We will not hesitate to hold responsible all those who threaten our forces’ safety,” it adds.
USCENTCOM Conducts Strike Killing Kata’ib Hezbollah Senior Leader
At 9:30 p.m. February 7, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted a unilateral strike in Iraq in response to the attacks on U.S. service members, killing a Kata’ib Hezbollah commander responsible for… pic.twitter.com/JW7Zy8QV7E
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 7, 2024