🕰 Prime Minister Mikati... sickened by the timezone issue

The Daylight Saving Time (DST) issue turned sectarian to the extent of troubling Prime Minister Mikati:

«A govt source told Al-Joumhouria that “the chemotherapy treatment for the ‘sectarian hour’ hysteria is over, but it left behind side-effects on PM Najib Mikati, who is resentful to the level of ‘disgust’, as he cancelled appointments in the Grand Serail that had been scheduled the day before [the Cabinet decision]”. (...) Mikati told the ministers at the meeting that he could not endure everything, “and from today on, I will adopt another way of working”.»

After the meeting ended, Mikati revealed to the public that postponing DST had been prepared for months! Yet, as noted by Al-Joumhouria, «he took the decision [to cancel it] within the Cabinet to show, from his side, that he wants to preserve the Cabinet and its role», in order to safeguard «the last shred and prestige of the Lebanese state».

Prime Minister Mikati has arrived in Medina, Saudi Arabia, to perform the Umrah pilgrimage. He is accompanied by his family.

🚨 Syria: Israeli jets conducted an airstrike on SAA positions in southern Damascus, from above the occupied Golan Heights.

Syrian AD were triggered and intercepted several of the missiles.

⋯ A fire broke out in the Al-Midan residential neighborhood in southern Damascus, as a result of the Israeli aggression a short while ago.

Ambulances are reportedly rushing towards the area.

⋯ A second fire broke out in the vicinity of the Kafr Souseh neighborhood in Damascus moments ago, most likely a result of the Israeli strikes.

⋯ Syrian MoD: “At about 1:20 a.m., the Israeli enemy conducted an airstrike, launching numerous missiles from the occupied Syrian Golan towards targets in the vicinity of Damascus. Our AD systems intercepted some of the missiles, and the attack resulted in the injury of 2 soldiers and some material losses.”

SOHR says Hezbullah recently had four martyrs in Syria

UK-based, pro-opposition media Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) sparked rumors about Hezbullah fighters being martyred in two separate incidents. It claims that, according to “reliable SOHR sources”, “three members of the Lebanese Hezbollah militias, including a commander” were killed on 27 ⁠March when driving over a landmine in the eastern Homs countryside, while a commander was martyred on 24 ⁠March in the US attack on Deir Ezzor.

However, a ‘trustworthy source’ to Al-Mayadeen said that there is ‘absolutely no truth’ to these rumors; what is said about fatalities in the US attack is ‘completely untrue’ and about Homs is ‘fake news’.

#fake_news

🚨 Reports of airstrikes on Damascus launched by the rogue state—for the second day in a row.

⋯ Syrian MoD: “At exactly 12:17 a.m., the Israeli enemy launched bursts of missiles from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, during an attack on a site in Rif Dimashq. Our air defense systems intercepted a number of the missiles, and the attack led to some material losses.”

🚨 The IRGC announces the martyrdom of one of its advisors, Milad Haidari, in the Israeli attack on Damascus last night, and vows to retaliate.

The movement ‘Return to the Mount’ is abetting Jewish extremists to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform a ‘Passover sacrifice’.

The maximum reward has been doubled:
🏅 Arrested: 500 ⁠shekels.
🥉 Arrested with a lamb or kid (young goat): 1,200.
🥈 Arrested with a lamb or kid inside ‘Temple Mount’: 2,500.
🥇 Successful sacrifice: 20,000 (about $5,600).

According to the Hebrew calendar, it should happen before sunset on Wednesday, 5 ⁠April.

⋯ Similarly, the ‘Temple Institute’ (Machon HaMikdash), whose mission is to build a Third Temple, has called on supporters to gather with offerings at the gates of Al-Aqsa, next Wednesday 15:50–19:00.

“The sacrifice of Passover is a serious and fundamental mitzvah. The only commandment similar in rank to it is the circumcision (Brit Milah).”

⋯ 15 rabbis ask Ben-Gvir for animal sacrifice permission

15 rabbis sent a letter on 30 ⁠March to PM Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir demanding permission for a Passover sacrifice at Al-Aqsa. Such sacrifice, they say, is in the “national interest” of Israel. Previously, in 2021, the chief rabbi of Jerusalem ruled that the sacrifice is incumbent, even in the absence of a Temple structure or lacking a Red Heifer. (Israel365)

Among signatories:
• Yehuda Kroizer, rabbi of a West Bank settlement, head of the yeshiva founded by slain terrorist Meir Kahane. His son Yitzhak is a Knesset member for Jewish Power (Ben-Gvir's party)❗
• Yisrael Ariel, founder of the ‘Temple Institute’.
• Micha Peled, the Chabad rabbi of Beit Horon in the West Bank.
• Baruch Kahane, endorsed by the ‘nascent Sanhedrin’ in 2016 to be the next High Priest (Kohen Gadol) for the ‘Temple service’ (Israel365).

⋯ Interestingly, Ben-Gvir has attempted to perform the Passover sacrifice himself in 2006 (he was stopped by police); in 2017, he was in the legal defense group of ‘Return to the Mount’, according to the Times of Israel.

The decades-long agreement between Israel and Jordan (the custodian of Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian sites) said that Jews would be allowed access to Al-Aqsa, but rituals would be forbidden. However, since the 2000s, Israel has bypassed the Waqf (cf Israeli ⁠incursions) and more recently allowed loud Jewish prayer.