“December 9, 1917 is one of the most difficult, painful and heartbreaking historical days that Turks have experienced.
Today, British armies have given one of the greatest gifts to the Christian world before Christmas by capturing Jerusalem, which had been under Ottoman rule for 401 years.
As a result of General Allenby's attack on Turkish positions in Jerusalem, which took advantage of the weather on December 8, which was also a rainy and foggy night, Ottoman Army’s the 20th Corps commander Ali Fuat Pasha requested permission from the German General Falkenhayn, the supreme commander of the Ottoman armies at the time, to withdraw from the city due to the fatigue of its soldiers and the lack of ammunition and provisions.
Falkenhayn, who was astonished by this unexpected situation, thought that the front could hold out, and even hoped to hold out until the reinforcements of the 1st Division and the German Asian branch, which were expected to arrive by December 13, reached the front.
However, it was not possible for the 20th Corps to resist. Because, against three British divisions consisting of 15-20 thousand people, Ali Fuat Pasha could hold on for a maximum of 12 hours with only 3800 soldiers. 7th army commander Fevzi Pasha ordered the corps to retreat.”
“The evacuation, which started on the evening of December 8, would be completed on the morning of December 9 and the Turkish army would retreat to new defensive fortifications in the north and east. After the withdrawal of the army, civil servants and official duties also left the city.
Izzet Bey, who was the governor of Jerusalem at that time, left the following letter to Mayor Selim El-Husniye to be delivered to the British command:
"To the British Command
In Jerusalem, which is sacred to every nation, Howitzer rounds have been falling in some places for two days.
In order to protect the religious buildings from destruction, the Ottoman Government withdrew the soldiers from the town and appointed officers to guard the religious buildings such as Kamame and Masjid al-Aqsa. We are sending this document via Hüseyinzade Bey, the Deputy Mayor, with the hope that you will treat the situation accordingly, sir.
Independent Governor of Jerusalem İzzet”
“Hüseyinzade Hüseyin Bey and his accompanying delegation left Jerusalem with a white flag in their hands and went to the British command, and this shot was taken while the letter was being delivered.”
BREAKING — Egyptian Intelligence Minister called Netanyahu ten days before Hamas attack and warned him of "something unusual, a terrible operation" that was about to take place from Gaza.
Egyptians were "surprised by the indifference shown by Netanyahu".
— Yedioth Ahranoth
Netanyahu’s office denied the Egyptian party's claim, saying that "the report of a warning that came from Egypt before the outbreak of the war is incorrect and false”
Netanyahu’s Office: "The Prime Minister has not spoken or met with the Egyptian intelligence chief since the formation of the government - neither indirectly nor directly."
Armenian and Greek lobbyist Sen. Bob Menendez and his wife are indicted on federal bribery charges by the US Department of Justice
Menendez is accused of accepting hundreds thousands of dollars to benefit Egypt and seek to protect three business persons
Over $480,000 in cash were stuffed into envelopes and hidden in clothing, closets and a safe in Menendez house. Some of the evidence contained the said business person’s driver’s fingerprints
BREAKING — A Russian jet frequently used by Prigozhin crashed, per pro-Wagner telegram accounts.
Multiple Russian media reports say all 10 people on board died.
The crashed jet belonged to Prigozhin, but he usually flew on another plane - source tells Readovka
The plane that crashed in the Tver region is one of Prigozhin's aircraft. He usually flew on another plane, with the number RA-02878, a source told Readovka. Whether the businessman was on the fallen board is still unknown.
TASS says the crashed business jet was on its way from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
BREAKING — Prigozhin in recent months used the crashed aircraft to fly to the conflict zone and Belarus before and after the Wagner rebellion, a source tells Readovka
Qatari Emir congratulates Erdogan for the election victory:
“My dear brother, congratulations on your victory, and I wish you success in your new term, and that you achieve in it what the brotherly Turkish people aspire to in terms of progress and prosperity”