Politics
Israel's long animosity toward U.N. playing out in Lebanon
The United Nations was instrumental in the creation and recognition of the state of Israel some seventy-six years ago.
But virtually ever since, animosity between the preeminent global body and the tiny Middle Eastern country has steadily grown, escalating now as U.N. forces have been drawn into Israel’s attacks in southern Lebanon.
At least four members of the 50-nation U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, assigned to Lebanon in 1978 to monitor the border with Israel, were injured in recent days by Israeli fire.
Israel says it was targeting the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant and political faction.
But one incident involved Israeli tanks crashing through a gate at the UNIFIL compound in southern Lebanon, leaving numerous peacekeepers injured.
In another, Israeli fire generated a toxic smoke that sickened scores of peacekeepers, the U.N. said.
The Biden administration angrily condemned the actions harming U.N. forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unapologetic, saying peacekeepers should evacuate the region, essentially abandoning their U.N.-mandated mission.
That dispute comes amid other points of escalation in the multiple conflicts Israel is battling.
Four Israeli soldiers were killed late Sunday, and many more wounded, at an army training base in northern Israel. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest domestic attacks ever on Israeli military personnel. It involved a Hezbollah drone that managed to evade Israel’s vaunted air-defense system and plow into a mess hall at the base.
“We need to investigate it, learn the details and quickly and effectively implement the lessons [learned],” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday after visiting the site.
The drone strike followed a Pentagon announcement that it was sending Israel an additional, sophisticated air defense system to help protect the country from further ballistic missile attacks by Iran.
Around 100 U.S. troops will also be deployed to help operate the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery. It marked the first significant assignment of U.S. military personnel to Israeli territory since war broke out in the Gaza Strip a year ago and is now spilling over into Lebanon.
Early Monday in Gaza, Israel shelled a camp sheltering about 5,000 Palestinians outside a hospital, killing at least four and burning dozens more whose tents went up in flames, Palestinian officials said. Israel said it was targeting a Hamas “command center.” Hours earlier, Israel struck a nearby U.N.-run school, in the Nuseirat camp, that had also been converted into a shelter. At least 20 people were reported killed.
The latest offensive in Gaza constituted “an endless hell,” Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency responsible for Palestinian refugees, said on the social network X.
At least 42,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza over the last year, Gaza officials say.
The U.N. refugee agency, known by its initials UNRWA, is another major point of contention between Israel and the 193-nation international New York-based organization.
More than 12,000 UNRWA employees have for years worked as a critical lifeline in the Gaza Strip, providing healthcare, running schools and operating food banks for Palestinians living in what they describe as a veritable open-air prison.
A small number of UNRWA workers were implicated in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel that Israel says killed some 1,200 people. The U.N. said it fired those employees who participated in the attack.
Israel has sought to ban UNRWA from Gaza, and last week Israel announced it was confiscating UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem, with the aim of building more than 1,400 settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. Washington and a handful of other Western nations suspended aid to UNRWA last year, but most of it has been restored.
Israel’s fights over UNIFIL and UNRWA are only the latest in a long-running relationship of hostility with the U.N.
Israel’s former ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, told a small group of journalists earlier this year that the initial goodwill and appreciation that the fledgling Israeli state felt toward the U.N. in 1948 faded in the ensuing years. The U.N. expanded beyond its initial coterie of mostly Western states to include dozens of countries, including in the Arab and Muslim world, that did not recognize Israel.
Most reject Israel’s continued occupation of land claimed by Palestinians.
The U.N. routinely condemns Israel in an assortment of resolutions. But any resolution that might have concrete impact on Israel is usually vetoed by the U.S.
Now, with the controversy centered on UNIFIL, Israel accuses the peacekeeping force of having been ineffective in preventing violence on the Lebanese-Israeli border and of failing to stop Hezbollah from building up a formidable military presence in southern Lebanon, in violation of U.N. decisions.
Israel’s current ambassador to the U.N., Danny Danon, accused Hezbollah of using UNIFIL positions as hiding places, and said the peacekeepers’ refusal to leave the region is “incomprehensible.”
“The U.N. must stop turning a blind eye to the fact that Hezbollah is a terrorist organization holding Lebanon hostage,” Danon said Monday.
The UNIFIL troops who number some 10,000 say, however, they will continue to carry out what they see as their duty under U.N. mandates.
After the end of the last major war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, a wary truce was in effect in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL’s white armored vehicles, trucks and blue-helmeted personnel became a regular sight in towns and villages along the Lebanese side of the 74-mile “Blue Line,” the de facto border between the two countries.
Its maritime arm dispatched frigates and corvettes to patrol the coastal waters with little event. UNIFIL’s main job then was to coordinate troop movements on either side of the border, whether for security or maintenance purposes, and work on de-confliction. Though it had no direct dealings with Hezbollah, it nevertheless established contacts via the Lebanese army.
That changed when Hezbollah launched its cross-border rocket campaign the day after Hamas attacked southern Israel. Virtually overnight, what had been a relatively peaceful posting turned into an arena for an escalating tit-for-tat fight — with the U.N. caught in the middle.
“This is my third and worst tour here,” said Lt. Col. Bruno Vio, a UNIFIL press officer, during a visit to the area with UNIFIL over the summer. “The villages I knew from the past visits, now they’re empty; all the people gone.”
That was before Israel invaded Lebanon and ramped up airstrikes there in mid-September. At that point, rotations had been shortened from three months to 45 days because of the high risk. As of now, patrols have been suspended altogether, with troops hunkered in their compounds.
Times staff writer Bulos reported from Beirut and southern Lebanon; Wilkinson from Washington.
new video loaded: Bill Clinton Says He ‘Did Nothing Wrong’ in House Epstein Inquiry
transcript
transcript
Bill Clinton Says He ‘Did Nothing Wrong’ in House Epstein Inquiry
Former President Bill Clinton told members of the House Oversight Committee in a closed-door deposition that he “saw nothing” and had done nothing wrong when he associated with Jeffrey Epstein decades ago.
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“Cause we don’t know when the video will be out. I don’t know when the transcript will be out. We’ve asked that they be out as quickly as possible.” “I don’t like seeing him deposed, but they certainly went after me a lot more than that.” “Republicans have now set a new precedent, which is to bring in presidents and former presidents to testify. So we’re once again going to make that call that we did yesterday. We are now asking and demanding that President Trump officially come in and testify in front of the Oversight Committee.” “Ranking Member Garcia asked President Clinton, quote, ‘Should President Trump be called to answer questions from this committee?’ And President Clinton said, that’s for you to decide. And the president went on to say that the President Trump has never said anything to me to make me think he was involved. “The way Chairman Comer described it, I don’t think is a complete, accurate description of what actually was said. So let’s release the full transcript.”
By Jackeline Luna
February 27, 2026
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accused Everett, Washington, Mayor Cassie Franklin of escalating tensions with federal authorities after she issued a directive limiting immigration enforcement in the city.
Franklin issued a mayoral directive this week establishing citywide protocols for staff, including law enforcement, that restrict federal immigration agents from entering non-public areas of city buildings without a judicial warrant.
“We’ve heard directly from residents who are afraid to leave their houses because of the concerning immigration activity happening locally and across our country. It’s heartbreaking to see the impacts on Everett families and businesses,” Franklin said in a statement.
“With this directive, we are setting clear protocols, protecting access to services and reinforcing our commitment to serving the entire community.”
ICE blasted the directive Friday, writing on X it “escalates tension and directs city law enforcement to intervene with ICE operations at their own discretion,” thereby “putting everyone at greater risk.”
Mayor Cassie Franklin said her new citywide immigration enforcement protocols are intended to protect residents and ensure access to services, while ICE accused her of escalating tensions with federal authorities. (Google Maps)
ICE said Franklin was directing city workers to “impede ICE operations and expose the location of ICE officers and agents.”
“Working AGAINST ICE forces federal teams into the community searching for criminal illegal aliens released from local jails — INCREASING THE FEDERAL PRESENCE,” the agency said. “Working with ICE reduces the federal presence.”
“If Mayor Franklin wanted to protect the people she claims to serve, she’d empower the city police with an ICE 287g partnership — instead she serves criminal illegal aliens,” ICE added.
DHS, WHITE HOUSE MOCK CHICAGO’S LAWSUIT OVER ICE: ‘MIRACULOUSLY REDISCOVERED THE 10TH AMENDMENT’
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement blasted Everett’s mayor after she issued a directive restricting federal agents from accessing non-public areas of city facilities without a warrant. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
During a city council meeting where she announced the policy, Franklin said “federal immigration enforcement is causing real fear for Everett residents.”
“It’s been heartbreaking to see the racial profiling that’s having an impact on Everett families and businesses,” she said. “We know there are kids staying home from school, people not going to work or people not going about their day, dining out or shopping for essentials.”
The mayor’s directive covers four main areas, including restricting federal immigration agents from accessing non-public areas of city buildings without a warrant, requiring immediate reporting of enforcement activity on city property and mandating clear signage to enforce access limits.
BLOCKING ICE COOPERATION FUELED MINNESOTA UNREST, OFFICIALS WARN AS VIRGINIA REVERSES COURSE
Everett, Wash., Mayor Cassie Franklin said her new directive is aimed at protecting residents amid heightened immigration enforcement activity. (iStock)
It also calls for an internal policy review and staff training, including the creation of an Interdepartmental Response Team and updated immigration enforcement protocols to ensure compliance with state law.
Franklin directed city staff to expand partnerships with community leaders, advocacy groups and regional governments to coordinate responses to immigration enforcement, while promoting immigrant-owned businesses and providing workplace protections and “know your rights” resources.
The mayor also reaffirmed a commitment to “constitutional policing and best practices,” stating that the police department will comply with state law barring participation in civil immigration enforcement. The directive outlines protocols for documenting interactions with federal officials, reviewing records requests and strengthening privacy safeguards and technology audits.
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Everett, Wash., Mayor Cassie Franklin issued a directive limiting federal immigration enforcement in city facilities. (iStock)
“We want everyone in the city of Everett to feel safe calling 911 when they need help and to know that Everett Police will not ask about your immigration status,” Franklin said during the council meeting. ”I also expect our officers to intervene if it’s safe to do so to protect our residents when they witness federal officers using unnecessary force.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Mayor Franklin’s office and ICE for comment.
Related Article
The morning after Netflix clinched its deal to buy Warner Bros., Paramount Skydance Chairman David Ellison assembled a war room of trusted advisors, including his billionaire father, Larry Ellison.
Furious at Warner Bros. Discovery Chief David Zaslav for ending the auction, the Ellisons and their team began plotting their comeback on that crisp December day.
To rattle Warner Bros. Discovery and its investors, they launched a three-front campaign: a lawsuit, a hostile takeover bid and direct lobbying of the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress.
“There was a master battle plan — and it was extremely disciplined,” said one auction insider who was not authorized to comment publicly.
Netflix stunned the industry late Thursday by pulling out of the bidding, clearing the way for Paramount to claim the company that owns HBO, HBO Max, CNN, TBS, Food Network and the Warner Bros. film and television studios in Burbank. The deal was valued at more than $111 billion.
The streaming giant’s reversal came just hours after co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos met with Atty Gen. Pam Bondi and a deputy at the White House. It was a cordial session, but the Trump officials told Sarandos that his deal was facing significant hurdles in Washington, according to a person close to the administration who was not authorized to comment publicly.
Even before that meeting, the tide had turned for Paramount in a swell of power, politics and brinkmanship.
“Netflix played their cards well; however, Paramount played their cards perfectly,” said Jonathan Miller, chief executive of Integrated Media Co. “They did exactly what they had to do and when they had to do it — which was at the very last moment.”
Key to victory was Larry Ellison, his $200-billion fortune and his connections to President Trump and congressional Republicans.
Paramount also hired Trump’s former antitrust chief, attorney Makan Delrahim, to quarterback the firm’s legal and regulatory action.
Republicans during a Senate hearing this month piled onto Sarandos with complaints about potential monopolistic practices and “woke” programming.
David Ellison skipped that hearing. This week, however, he attended Trump’s State of the Union address in the Capitol chambers, a guest of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The two men posed, grinning and giving a thumbs-up, for a photo that was posted to Graham’s X account.
David Ellison, the chairman and chief executive of Paramount Skydance Corp., walks through Statuary Hall to the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 24, 2026.
(Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)
On Friday, Netflix said it had received a $2.8-billion payment — a termination fee Paramount agreed to pay to send Netflix on its way.
Long before David Ellison and his family acquired Paramount and CBS last summer, the 43-year-old tech scion and aircraft pilot already had his sights set on Warner Bros. Discovery.
Paramount’s assets, including MTV, Nickelodeon and the Melrose Avenue movie studio, have been fading. Ellison recognized he needed the more robust company — Warner Bros. Discovery — to achieve his ambitions.
“From the very beginning, our pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery has been guided by a clear purpose: to honor the legacy of two iconic companies while accelerating our vision of building a next-generation media and entertainment company,” David Ellison said in a Friday statement. “We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead.”
Warner’s chief, Zaslav, who had initially opposed the Paramount bid, added: “We look forward to working with Paramount to complete this historic transaction.”
Netflix, in a separate statement, said it was unwilling to go beyond its $82.7-billion proposal that Warner board members accepted Dec. 4.
“We believe we would have been strong stewards of Warner Bros.’ iconic brands, and that our deal would have strengthened the entertainment industry and preserved and created more production jobs,” Sarandos and co-Chief Executive Greg Peters said in a statement.
“But this transaction was always a ‘nice to have’ at the right price, not a ‘must have’ at any price,” the Netflix chiefs said.
Netflix may have miscalculated the Ellison family’s determination when it agreed Feb. 16 to allow Paramount back into the bidding.
The Los Gatos, Calif.-based company already had prevailed in the auction, and had an agreement in hand. Its next step was a shareholder vote.
“They didn’t need to let Paramount back in, but there was a lot of pressure on them to make sure the process wouldn’t be challenged,” Miller said.
In addition, Netflix’s stock had also been pummeled — the company had lost a quarter of its value — since investors learned the company was making a Warner run.
Upon news that Netflix had withdrawn, its shares soared Friday nearly 14% to $96.24.
Netflix Chief Executive Ted Sarandos arrives at the White House on Feb. 26, 2026.
(Andrew Leyden / Getty Images)
Invited back into the auction room, Paramount unveiled a much stronger proposal than the one it submitted in December.
The elder Ellison had pledged to personally guarantee the deal, including $45.7 billion in equity required to close the transaction. And if bankers became worried that Paramount was too leveraged, the tech mogul agreed to put in more money in order to secure the bank financing.
That promise assuaged Warner Bros. Discovery board members who had fretted for weeks that they weren’t sure Ellison would sign on the dotted line, according to two people close to the auction who were not authorized to comment.
Paramount’s pressure campaign had been relentless, first winning over theater owners, who expressed alarm over Netflix’s business model that encourages consumers to watch movies in their homes.
During the last two weeks, Sarandos got dragged into two ugly controversies.
First, famed filmmaker James Cameron endorsed Paramount, saying a Netflix takeover would lead to massive job losses in the entertainment industry, which is already reeling from a production slowdown in Southern California that has disrupted the lives of thousands of film industry workers.
Then, a week ago, Trump took aim at Netflix board member Susan Rice, a former high-level Obama and Biden administration official. In a social media post, Trump called Rice a “no talent … political hack,” and said that Netflix must fire her or “pay the consequences.”
The threat underscored the dicey environment for Netflix.
Additionally, Paramount had sowed doubts about Netflix among lawmakers, regulators, Warner investors and ultimately the Warner board.
Paramount assured Warner board members that it had a clear path to win regulatory approval so the deal would quickly be finalized. In a show of confidence, Delrahim filed to win the Justice Department’s blessing in December — even though Paramount didn’t have a deal.
This month, a deadline for the Justice Department to raise issues with Paramount’s proposed Warner takeover passed without comment from the Trump regulators.
“Analysts believe the deal is likely to close,” TD Cowen analysts said in a Friday report. “While Paramount-WBD does present material antitrust risks (higher pay TV prices, lower pay for TV/movie workers), analysts also see a key pro-competitive effect: improved competition in streaming, with Paramount+ and HBO Max representing a materially stronger counterweight to #1 Netflix.”
Throughout the battle, David Ellison relied on support from his father, attorney Delrahim, and three key board members: Oracle Executive Vice Chair Safra A. Catz; RedBird Capital Partners founder Gerry Cardinale; and Justin Hamill, managing director of tech investment firm Silver Lake.
In the final days, David Ellison led an effort to flip Warner board members who had firmly supported Netflix. With Paramount’s improved offer, several began leaning toward the Paramount deal.
On Tuesday, Warner announced that Paramount’s deal was promising.
On Thursday, Warner’s board determined Paramount’s deal had topped Netflix. That’s when Netflix surrendered.
“Paramount had a fulsome, 360-degree approach,” Miller said. “They approached it financially. … They understood the regulatory environment here and abroad in the EU. And they had a game plan for every aspect.”
On Friday, Paramount shares rose 21% to $13.51.
It was a reversal of fortunes for David Ellison, who appeared on CNBC just three days after that war room meeting in December.
“We put the company in play,” David Ellison told the CNBC anchor that day. “We’re really here to finish what we started.”
Times staff writer Ana Cabellos and Business Editor Richard Verrier contributed to this report.
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