Day: July 6, 2024

TEHRAN, Jul. 07 (MNA) – Here are the front pages of Iran’s English language dailies on Sunday, July 7.

Few would have staked their political fortune, let alone any other sort of reward, on a return of the British Conservatives on July 4. The polls often lie, but none suggested that outcome. The only question was the extent British voters would lacerate the Tories who have been in office for fourteen years, presiding over a country in divisive decline, aided by policies of austerity, the galloping cost of living and the lunatic tenures of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Predicted numbers varied from a return of 53 seats to what was forecast in the more accurate Ipsos exit poll of 131 seats.

As the night wore on, the laceration became a ballot massacre. It was clear that most voters were less keen on Sir Keir Starmer’s dour Labour team, supposedly reformed and devoid of dangerous daring, as they were of voting against the Tories. Any other option would do.

A whole brigade of senior Conservatives suffered a rout. Commons leader Penny Mordaunt lost her seat, as did defence secretary Grant Shapps. That manorial relic of Tory tradition and privilege, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, was also ousted from his seat. The Liberal Democrats made huge inroads into traditional Conservative territory, winning seats held by two former prime ministers – David Cameron and Theresa May.

Recriminations, long readied in reserve, came out. Former party chair, Sir Brandon Lewis, pointed the finger to his leader, Rishi Sunak, whose decision to call the election was considered monumentally ill-judged. “I suspect right now that’s weighing on him very, very strongly … He will go down as the Conservative prime minister and leader who had the worst election result in over a century.”

Other Tories thought Sunak’s efforts to push the Conservatives further to the right to stem the leaching of votes to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK a serious error of judgment. Former Tory universities minister Lord Jo Johnson, also famed for being the sibling of that buffoonish wrecker-in-chief Boris, called efforts to make the Conservatives “a Reform-lite kind of party” a “big mistake”. Only a return to the “centre-ground of British politics” would spare them a lengthy spell in the wilderness.

The strafing of the more liberal Tory members does, however, place them in an unenviable position. Are they to, as Lord Johnson suggests, alter course to “appeal to metropolitan, open-minded, liberal voters”? Or should they, as Rees-Mogg insists, dig deeper into the soil of Conservative values, what he calls “core principles” that had been essentially pinched by Reform UK? Amidst the debate, former lord chancellor Robert Buckland could not resist quipping that this Conservative “Armageddon” was “going to be like a group of bald men fighting over a comb.”

The most staggering feature of these elections, leaving aside the ritualistic savaging of the Tories, was the wholly lopsided nature of the share of votes relative to the winning of seats. “This election,” the Electoral Reform Society solemnly declared, “saw Labour and the Conservatives receive their joint lowest vote share on record, with a combined 57.4%.”

That did not prevent the two major parties from snaring the lion’s share. Labour received 33.7% of the vote yet obtained 63.2% (411 seats) of the 650 on offer, making it the most disproportionate on record. The Tories, despite the bloodbath, could still count on 121 MPs with 23.7% of votes winning 18.6% of seats in the House of Commons.

The Lib Dems burgeoned in terms of representatives, gaining a record number of MPs (they now stand at 72), despite only having a vote share of 12.2%. It was a modest percentage hardly different from the 2019 election.

Reform UK, Farage’s rebranded party of Brexiteers, had every right to feel characteristically foiled by the first past the post system that is always defended by the party that wins majority, leaving smaller contenders to chew over its stunningly unrepresentative rationale. Having netted a higher percentage than the Lib Dems at 14.3% (over 4 million votes), they had only five MPs to show for it. “That is blatantly not a properly functioning democratic system – that is a flawed system,” a resentful Richard Tice of Reform remarked on BBC 4 Radio’s Today program. “The demands for change will grow and grow.”

The Greens, similarly, received 6.7% of the vote (just under 2 million), but returned a mere four MPs to Westminster. Despite this, the strategists will be seeing these wins, the most successful in their party’s history, as stunning, bettering the heroic if lonely exploits of Caroline Lucas. Tellingly, the party pinched two seats off Labour, and one from the Conservative stable.

Given that Labour proved the largest beneficiary of a voting system that should only ever apply in a two-way contest and given the prospect of Reform and the Greens posing ever greater threats from either wing of politics, appetite for electoral reform is likely to be suppressed.

Joe Biden is being treated far worse than Donald Trump by the two institutions critical for deciding the outcome of the 2024 election: the political parties and the media.

The RepublicanParty has closed ranks around Trump — despite the fact he’s a convicted felon, twice-impeached con man, sexual abuser, fraudulent businessman, self-described aspiring dictator for a day, pathological liar, and ringleader of an attempted coup against the United States.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party is in a panic about Biden. Many party insiders are trying to force Biden out now, at the last minute, because he had a bad debate performance.

Democratic leaders in Congress aretellingtheir members they should “feel free to take whatever position about Biden’s candidacy is best for their district,” according to people involved in the conversations. For some, this means blasting Biden’s debate performance and calling on him to withdraw or suggesting he seriously consider it.

The media is just as bad. It has normalized Trump’s nonstop lies during the debate as “old news.” Rather than treat those lies as further evidence of his proven dishonesty and criminality — and emphasize that another term with him at the helm will ruin the country — the media has focused on Biden’s halting speech and vacant gaze as evidence he’s incapable of running the country.

Almost every member of the chattering class says Biden must go. None says Trump must go.

They say Biden has another — perhaps “last” — chance this evening when he’s interviewed by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos.

But even if Biden is coherent tonight, I doubt it will stop the uproar because the uproar feeds on itself: Some of it may be responsible for Biden’s waning polls. If Biden decides to stay in the race, the tumult will hurt his chances even more.

All of this demonstrates the discipline of authoritarianism and the messiness of democracy. But that’s the nature of these two systems. Authoritarian fascism, such as Trump and his coterie are now peddling, is even more disciplined.

All over the world (except in the UK), voters are choosing discipline over messiness, authoritarianism over democracy.

To restate the obvious, we are living in dangerous times.

• This article was published at Robert Reich’s Substack

More than one hundred and twenty-one people died in a stampede at a religious gathering in the Pulrai village of Hathras district, located in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This tragic incident highlights the deeper economic, social, cultural, and spiritual crises that India faces today. The prevalence of massive religious gatherings and the rise of self-styled godmen and godwomen point to these underlying issues. In contemporary India, many people turn to figures like Bhole Baba (Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari), also known as Suraj Pal Singh, to address their everyday problems.

This reliance on self-styled spiritual leaders is partly due to the retreat of the welfare state and the weakening of secular and scientific education systems, which are essential for fostering a more informed and scientifically conscious society. The incident in Pulrai village is a stark reminder of the urgent need to address these multifaceted crises. Ignorance is the breeding ground for all forms of religious dogma, and godmen are the living examples of such dogmatic practices. The perpetuation of ignorance serves the interests of both the godmen and the political class, creating a cycle where people remain trapped in a state of dependency and manipulation. To break free from this cycle, it is essential to promote education, critical thinking, and scientific reasoning. By empowering individuals with knowledge and encouraging rational thought, society can reduce the influence of dogmatic practices and create a more enlightened and equitable environment. Strengthening public welfare programs and enhancing the quality of education could help mitigate the dependence on such spiritual figures and prevent such tragedies in the future.

These self-styled spiritual leaders exploit the lack of education and critical thinking among the masses, perpetuating superstitions and unscientific beliefs. By manipulating the faith and desperation of vulnerable individuals, they gain power and influence, often with the support of political leaders seeking to mobilise voters and maintain control. The political leaders and political parties often promote these self-styled godmen and godwomen for their electoral mobilisation efforts. The political patronage extended to these figures bolsters their religious enterprises among the unsuspecting masses, who suffer under a caste-ridden society where spiritual freedom is constrained and economic exploitation is rampant. In such a society, religion is a good business where these self-styled godmen and godwomen seek rent and offer fake spiritual freedom that gives hopes to many working people and marginalised people to survive the everyday onslaught of a caste based capitalist and feudal society.

This alliance between politicians and self-styled spiritual leaders perpetuates a cycle of dependency and manipulation. By leveraging the influence of godmen and godwomen, political leaders can galvanise support during elections, ensuring their continued dominance. Meanwhile, the masses remain entrapped in a system that limits their spiritual autonomy and subjects them to ongoing economic hardships. People fall back on quacks in the absence of modern medicines and doctors. People fall back on religion and various religious denominations to outsource and survive the onslaught of their spiritual and material sufferings perpetuated by political and economic conditions shaped by ruling elites in the country.

Similarly, more than sixty-five people have died after consuming spurious liquor in Karunapuram village, located in the Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Additionally, over one hundred and eighteen people are currently undergoing treatment in various hospitals. The rent-seeking state promotes the liquor business as a means to raise revenue, which is then used to beautify cities and create conditions favourable for private investment in the name of economic development. This prioritisation of revenue generation over public health and safety leads to dire consequences, as evidenced by the tragic incident in Karunapuram village. This incident highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent the distribution of illicit liquor. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of re-evaluating state policies that prioritise economic gain at the expense of the well-being of its citizens. A more balanced approach that considers both revenue generation and public health is essential for preventing such tragedies in the future.

Who are these people who died in Hathras and Kallakurichi? What is the common thread among these two tragic incidents? These are working people who build our parks, homes, hospitals and schools but live in a life of everyday sufferings. Many of these working people turn to liquor as a means to escape and forget their everyday pain. Similarly, these individuals often rely on religion to endure the hardships of their daily material existence. The dual dependency on alcohol and religion among the working class reflects deeper societal and economic issues. Economic instability, social inequalities, and a lack of comprehensive support systems contribute to the prevalence of these coping mechanisms. People seek solace and temporary relief from their struggles through alcohol, while religion provides them with hope and a sense of purpose amidst their everyday challenges of life.

The rent-seeking state, government, reactionary political class, and exploitative religious institutions are the real evils perpetuated by hegemonic system, which is responsible for the tragic loss of lives in Hathras and Kallakurichi. In Hathras, the reliance on self-styled godmen and the inadequacies of the welfare state contribute to social and spiritual crises. In Kallakurichi, the unchecked liquor business prioritised over public health reflects the state’s focus on revenue generation at the expense of its citizens’ well-being. Both instances reveal the darker facets of capitalist state, where profit and power often take precedence over human lives and dignity. Capitalism’s influence on political and religious institutions exacerbates these issues. Political leaders use religious figures for electoral gains, fostering dependency and manipulation among the masses. Meanwhile, the state’s focus on revenue through harmful means, such as the liquor trade, leads to dire consequences for the vulnerable.

Both alcohol and religion undermine reason and weaken the critical thinking abilities of human beings. When people turn to alcohol as a means of escape, they may find temporary relief from their problems, but this often comes at the cost of impaired judgment and reduced cognitive function. Prolonged reliance on alcohol can lead to addiction, further eroding an individual’s capacity for rational thought and decision-making. Similarly, all forms of religious belief, particularly those propagated by self-styled godmen, can discourage questioning and critical analysis. These dogmatic practices often exploit the lack of education and the desperation of individuals, fostering a reliance on superstition and unverified claims. By promoting unquestioning faith over inquiry and scepticism, such religious practices can stifle intellectual growth and diminish the ability to think critically. Such a society is fertile ground for ruling and non-ruling elites to continue their hegemony over the masses. Such hegemonic conditions are concomitant with the requirements of capitalism.

Therefore, struggles against religion and capitalism are also struggles for mass consciousness grounded in science and secularism. These avoidable tragedies highlight the urgent need for the expansion of scientific and secular education to foster critical political, social, and scientific awareness. By doing so, individuals can be empowered to question exploitative systems, challenge dogmatic beliefs, and make informed decisions that contribute to a more equitable society. It equips people with the tools to analyse their circumstances, understand the broader socio-economic forces at play, and advocate for systemic changes that benefit the common good. This requires a collective commitment to advancing education, promoting rational discourse, and ensuring that knowledge is accessible to all.

These issues require a concerted effort to dismantle the structures that enable such exploitation. This includes promoting genuine spiritual freedom, ensuring equitable economic opportunities, and fostering a political environment that prioritises the well-being of all citizens over short-term electoral gains. Improving economic opportunities, ensuring access to mental health services, and creating robust social support networks can help reduce the dependency on such coping mechanisms. By addressing the root causes of their pain and hardship, society can help individuals find healthier and more sustainable ways to navigate their daily lives.

By Rohit Kumar Sharma

Threat actors linked to Hamas and its allies have been incessantly targeting Israel since the onset of the Israel–Hamas conflict in October 2023. According to the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), which is responsible for securing Israel’s national cyberspace, the intensity of cyberattacks has increased threefold since the beginning of the conflict.1 The head of the agency also shared concern over coordinated attacks by Iran and Hezbollah across various sectors in Israel. In response to growing attacks against its infrastructure by formidable adversaries like Iran and its proxies, Israel recently announced that they are building a ‘cyber-dome’ or a digital ‘Iron Dome’ system to protect Israel’s cyberspace to defend against online attacks.2

Explaining Cyber Dome

While there are no definite details regarding the mechanism and tools that constitute the cyber-dome initiative, one can parse the official statements and specific initiatives to get an overview of the rationale behind such a system. The concept can be traced back to the first public speech in 2022 by Gaby Portnoy after being appointed as the Director General of INCD. He presented the cyber-dome as a new big data and AI-driven approach to proactively defending domestic cyberspace.3 He singled out Iran as Israel’s dominant rival in cyberspace. The initiative aims to provide tools and services to elevate the protection of national assets by synchronising real-time detection of threats at a national level to mitigate emerging threats. Furthermore, Portnoy also emphasised the need to replicate cybersecurity protocols used for critical infrastructure in other sectors. 

The cyber-dome also leverages generative AI platforms to filter out genuine threats from a plethora of available threat intelligence.4 Consolidation of strengths and expertise from various agencies augments the efficacy of the initiative. Officials who are involved come from a wide range of agencies and departments within Israel’s security establishment. These individuals are drawn from the Defence Intelligence Unit 8200, J6 Cyber Defence Directorate, and other cyber units of intelligence services.5

The joint coordinated efforts, coupled with AI and secretly built Israel Defence Forces (IDF) platforms are used for threat detection, followed by intelligence sharing with stakeholders. Once the threat intelligence is shared, the Computer Emergency Response Team of Israel (CERT-IL), which is the operational unit of INCD, takes appropriate action.6 The AI-powered systems collect, analyse and interpret data to detect anomalies and alert national systems. 

Despite the fact that the project is in its initial phase, the synergy between various agencies and the integration of efforts to tackle emerging threats in cyberspace offers an interesting test case to other countries. The cyber-dome initiative also includes a multinational component, reflecting the global nature of cyberattacks. Given the nature of the conflict in cyberspace the escalation often transcends beyond the primary parties involved, encompassing their allies as well. For instance, nations that are supposedly seen as supporting Israel have faced a rise in cyber incidents since the beginning of the armed conflict.7

Other INCD-led initiatives can potentially complement the cyber-dome initiative, with a particular focus on international cooperation. One such project is ‘Global Cybernet’, which aims to share information about cyber defence between countries.8 Touted as the first network of its kind in the world, it was built to share cyber incidents or any anomaly to respond effectively. Moreover, Israel has also been attempting to gather regional partners to explore concrete defensive solutions to address cyber threats. One such summit mulled over the merits of rapid information sharing and conducting joint cyber investigations to augment the efficacy of responding to cyber threats.9 Furthermore, the participants also contemplated the possibility of developing a joint regional cyber-dome. 

Cyber incidents targeting Israel

According to INCD’s assessment, Israel has witnessed a surge in cyber incidents against its infrastructure, particularly since the beginning of IDF’s operation in the Gaza Strip.10 Drawing parallels between the techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP) being deployed in the Ukraine–Russia war, the assessment revealed the use of influence operations against Israel by using social media networks. Israeli networks are also facing ransomware threats and increased use of wipers, a class of malware intended to render data inaccessible and unusable.11

The report also uncovered the pattern that threat actors have been using to get unauthorised access to Israeli networks and systems. Threat actors are increasingly employing spraying attacks and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks and have also made attempts to breach managed service providers (MSPs), which constitute a critical part of the supply chain. These attacks encompass almost all the essential sectors, including health, academic, energy and transportation sectors, including maritime shipping.

Portnoy also alleged that Iran-affiliated groups are proactively targeting Israeli infrastructure and have also been directing operations against Israel’s key allies.12 A major cyber incident attributed to Iran and Hezbollah was an attempted breach in Ziv Hospital in November 2023.13 Joint investigation by the INCD, IDF and the Israeli Security Agency noted that the attack was orchestrated by the group affiliated with the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Hezbollah’s cyber unit.14

Iranian influence operations have evolved through distinct phases since the beginning of Israel–Hamas armed conflict, according to an assessment. In the first phase, Iranian-linked cyber operations appeared reactive following the Hamas terror attack on 7 October 2023.15 During this time, threat actors used pre-existing access and re-used old data for leaks. In the second phase, the Iran-linked group made concerted efforts to disrupt Israeli infrastructure, with dozens of groups involved. In the third phase, these threat actors expanded their operations to target countries like Albania and Bahrain, perceived as supporters of Israel.16

Israel’s cybersecurity strategies

In 2017, INCD issued a national cybersecurity strategy with the aim of streamlining national efforts to ensure a stable and secure cyberspace.17 The document put forth a strategy with three distinct operational layers—aggregate cyber robustness, systemic cyber resilience and national cyber defence. The distinct role of private organisations is also envisioned in the document. Given the nature of cyberspace, these layers are conceptualised as mutually dependent and complementing each other.18

The first layer is designed to strengthen the public and private sector’s overall ability to prevent and mitigate cyberattacks to ensure robustness across industries. The second layer is crucial as it charts out a plan to build systematic ability to confront cyberattacks. This layer is event-driven. In times of an unauthorised breach, systemic cyber resilience will ensure that the affected organisation continues its operation while mitigating the threat. To facilitate seamless operation in times of crisis, the document encourages information sharing and assisting organisations during cyber incidents. The national cyber defence layer is required against ‘severe threats by determined, resource-rich attackers’ suggestive of state actors or those supported by states. The three-layer approach takes into account the level of risk, the nature of the threat, and the appropriate response.

To complement the national cybersecurity strategy and to address the global aspect of cyber threats, the INCD issued the Israel International Cyber Strategy in 2021.19 The international strategy outlines the need for collective resilient efforts through information sharing, securing the global supply chain, and financially incentivising security in organisations. The document also summarised Israel’s position in global cybersecurity discourse. 

The cyber-dome initiative fundamentally constitutes an active defence encompassing enhanced detection, investigation and mitigation of threats along with the expansion of existing information-sharing mechanisms. The coordinated detection and response efforts involving all agencies, including the IDF, underscore the importance of collaborative action in an interconnected domain. The centralised, real-time and AI-enabled system proactively protecting Israeli cyberspace is an extension of its national and international cybersecurity strategy.

Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the Government of India.

About the author: Mr Rohit Kumar Sharma is Research Analyst at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi.

Source: This article was published by Manohar Parrikar IDSA

• 1.“Head of the Israel National Cyber Directorate Gaby Portnoy at the Cybertech Conference: The Intensity of Cyber Attacks has Increased Threefold During the War”, Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), 10 April 2024.
• 2.“As Iranian Hackers Grow More Skilled, Israel Builds ‘Cyber Dome’ to Protect Itself”, The Times of Israel (TOI), 3 May 2024.
• 3.“Gaby Portnoy, Director General of Israel National Cyber Directorate at CyberWeek: We are Promoting a National Cyber-Dome”, INCD, 28 June 2022.
• 4.“AI-Powered Israeli ‘Cyber Dome’ Defense Operation Comes to Life”, Dark Reading, 19 October 2023.
• 5.Namrata Biji Ahuja, “How Israel is Planning for Hybrid Wars of the Future with Cyber Dome”, The Week, 15 October 2023.
• 6.Ibid.
• 7.“Nations, including India, Supporting Israel Face Uptick in Hacking Activities”, The Statesman,1 November 2023.
• 8.“Global Cybernet”, INCD, 26 July 2021.
• 9.“The First Regional Cyber Summit: Israel, Morocco, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates Gather in a first of its kind Meeting”, INCD, 14 December 2022.
• 10.“‘Iron Swords’ War in Cyber Sphere: Insights, Recommendations and Mitigations”, INCD, 7 January 2024.
• 11.Ibid.
• 12.“Iran is Cyber-Attacking its Allies“, INCD, 25 June 2024.
• 13.“Iran and Hezbollah Behind an Attempted Cyber Attack on an Israeli Hospital”, INCD, 18 December 2023.
• 14.Ibid.
• 15.Clint Watts, “Iran Accelerates Cyber Ops Against Israel from Chaotic Start”, Microsoft, 6 February 2024.
• 16.Ibid.
• 17.“Israel National Cyber Security Strategy In Brief”, INCD, September 2017.
• 18.Charles D. Freilich, Matthew S. Cohen and Gabi Siboni, Israel and the Cyber Threat: How the Startup Nation Became a Global Cyber Power, Oxford University Press (Kindle Edition).
• 19.“Israel International Cyber Strategy: International Engagement for Global Resilience”, INCD, July 2021.

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