Israel's New War Objective, Ensuring the Safe Return of Northern Residents

Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff

I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Israel-Gaza War

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Image Source : Mohammed Zaanoun

Evacuations in Northern Israel

As the war between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, close to 60,000 people have been evacuated in northern Israel. These attacks by Hezbollah have increased tremendously after the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas that killed over 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped another 250 citizens. With the almost daily bombardments of rockets, Israel has evacuated civilians from Kiryat Shmona as well as several kibbutzim that neighbor the Lebanese border. The government has now linked the safe return of those displaced residents with the destruction of Hamas' military capabilities and the securing of hostages' release as a key war aim.

Hezbollah's Role in the Conflict

Hezbollah is a Shia Muslim organization that was formed in 1982 and has major political and military influence in Lebanon. Hezbollah had begun its attacks in support of Hamas against Israel on October 8, after the latter launched the most violent attack from Gaza the previous day. It is believed to possess an arsenal of at least 150,000 rockets, making it the most powerful non state armed force in the region. This is a powerful Hezbollah that, over the years, has grown in influence with an Iranian backstop, controlling large swaths of southern Lebanon. In the current conflict, Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, have signaled that military action could be needed to neutralize the threat from the Lebanese militant group and safely return residents to northern Israel.

Escalation and Regional Concerns

As tensions escalate, fears grow of a broader regional war. The United States which is Israel's most significant ally has threatened a catastrophic consequence in case of spillover. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other officials have called for restraint, fearing the involvement of other Iranian aligned militias in Syria or Iraq. Especially with Hezbollah's ties directly to Iran, a wider war involving several countries in the Middle East could be ignited, this would completely destabilize the region. Yet, Hebrew military operations have continued with Israel trying to secure its borders and maintain military superiority at the same time while it addresses international pressures through diplomacy.

Image Source : Mohammed Zaanoun

Challenges in Achieving War Goals

So, what does Israel want now? To break Hamas' military, to take back hostages from the October 7 attack, and to secure the north against the Hezbollah. Reaching all these goals is not at all easy. Entrenchment within Lebanon, in addition to its connection with Iran, makes direct confrontation sensitive due to the risk of regional escalation. Further complicating these dynamics are the internal political divisions in Israel, including disagreements within the cabinet over Prime Minister Netanyahu and urging an even harder line approach. Despite complications, Israeli forces have continued airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza and simultaneous preparations for possible escalation in the north.

The Risk of Regional War

Israel has confronted Hezbollah before, most notably in the 2006 Lebanon War. But it has never seen evacuations on this scale nor such relentless attacks. International observers fear the conflict could widen into a broader war involving Iran, Syria, and other patrons of Hezbollah. The stakes are grave, with widespread human suffering and strong economic disruption throughout the region threatened. While diplomatic efforts mostly by the US and European countries are ongoing to mediate a ceasefire, the continuous firing of rockets by Hezbollah and the military preparations by Israel raise possibilities of a regional war so far, keeping the balance in the region very tenuous.

Boosting Productivity and Supporting Workers' Rights

Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff

I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Technology

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Image Source : Visualspace

Flexible Working Boosts Productivity and Loyalty

Offering flexible working, including from home, has proved to boost productivity and loyalty. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds emphasized that firms should assess staff on output and not on "the culture of presenteeism" where attendance in the office is stressed rather than performance. As work becomes different in nature, the attitude will be one of mutual trust, participation, and devotion on the part of the employees.

Labour’s Employment Rights Bill

It is against that backdrop Labour is ready to bring forward its Employment Rights Bill which it claims will give more rights to workers. The most important of them all are, being able to "disconnect" outside work hours, banning zero hours contracts, allowing employees to compress contracted hours into fewer working days. Labour also intends to make flexible working a default right and to repeal anti strike laws brought in by the Conservatives. While some business groups have complained that all of these could do the opposite and raise the cost of hiring, Reynolds was quick to point out that in the long term, all these changes would be beneficial to businesses because it would improve employee satisfaction and retention.

Image Source : Chris Ratcliffe

Challenges and Concerns Raised by Businesses

But some businesses, including major corporations such as Amazon, have been cooling on the idea of fully flexible working. Amazon recently announced that its staff would have to work in the office five days a week from January, although with exceptions for emergencies. Other businesses, like Morrisons and Asda, have gone back on four day week trials, also noting the longer days present a challenge. Even considering these decisions, studies still show that flexible working can be feasible in many sectors if the right plan and response from employees are listened to.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Flexible Working for Women

On the other hand, flexible working can have significant benefits for most people, mainly women who usually undertake unpaid caring responsibilities. Prof Efpraxia Zamani adds that in rural areas, it helps the women access jobs that are further afield without having to travel to and from work. On the downside, however, is the fact that at home, women are usually expected to handle both work and household responsibilities, hence fragmented workdays. In addition, remote workers are thought of not to be as visible to get promotions within companies.

Image Source : PeopleImages

Balancing Flexibility with Career Progression

Jonathan Reynolds said, "While flexible working can bring many benefits, some jobs need people to be in a workplace together, not least when people learn from colleagues around them. Offering flexible working can help regional inequality in the UK by providing opportunities to work for a company to people who might live in areas miles away from the actual workplace. However, employers should ensure that working from home does not affect their employees negatively and they are considered for promotion and growth in their careers.

Bucha Witches, Women Defending Their Homes

Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff

I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine War

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Image Source : Efrem Lukatsky/AP

The Emergence of the Bucha Witches

In Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, almost 100 women have taken on a new role, volunteer air defense fighters, and a loose, unofficial title bestowed upon them has become "Bucha Witches." The women, aged between 19 and 64 years, have dedicated themselves to the safety of their community from the ever present threat of Russian drones. Since 2022, after the Russian invasion and the brutal 33 day occupation of Bucha, this district became widely recognized for atrocities there. Hundreds of civilians were killed, and many more tortured and robbed, actions that have led to a wide trauma issue among survivors. The Bucha Witches have emerged as one potent response, volunteering for a part time military service to safeguard their community from further harm.

Training to Take Down Russian Drones

The Bucha Witches are trained to target the Russian Shahed drones that frequently fly over Bucha in attack trajectories toward Kyiv. These drones come in swarms often, reaching speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, and fitted out with GPS trackers and live video feeds back to their operators. Some act as "spies," detecting and projecting the location of Ukrainian defense units to direct the swarm's attacks. The Bucha Witches, however, have been taught to handle assault rifles, machine guns, and other unconventional but effective weapons to deal with such drones even before they reach their target. Each woman goes through weeks of hard training in building defensive dugouts and operating under combat conditions. As Valentyna, one of the Witches, explained, the physical demands are really tough, but their determination to defend their homes keeps them going.

Image Source : Glab Garanlch

Personal Stories of Survival and Resilience

For many of the women, joining the Bucha Witches was for deeply personal reasons. Valentyna, who turns 51 in mid October, spoke of her own survival during the first days of the war. She said that she and her family had to huddle in their basement as Russian shelling shook the walls of their future home. The village was never occupied, but the psychological wounds of war there are still open. Her family was stopped by Russian soldiers on their way west and told to roll down the car windows, a thought that still makes her shudder. Like many other residents in Bucha, Valentyna appears to take up the front lines out of obligation to her family and so that such terrors never come to pass again. "When strength ends, spirit kicks in," she said, describing the resilience she and her fellow volunteers have found through their training.

A Shared Mission, Protecting Ukraine

The Bucha Witches form a close knit community consolidated in a common mission of defense against their occupied homeland. Their pledge means more than learning military routines, they are an omen to the recovery of Bucha from occupation atrocities and the continuing war. Together with the defense, these women have become friends and vowed solidarity in overcoming any obstacles ahead. Thus, the Witches are kept alert for constant threats from Russian drones and adapt accordingly to the increasingly tried and tested tactics of their enemies. Perhaps unorthodox, but their ways have achieved results in shooting down the drones and keeping civilians safe. In this war that appears to have no end, the Bucha Witches stand tall among the strength and resilience of normal citizens in very extraordinary times, guided by the belief that every effort toward the victory of Ukraine counts.