American Obsessions in the Middle East
by Joseph Puder
Both the Obama and Biden administrations have had two obsessions in the Middle East that have proven to be erroneous but continue to persist.
One is the belief that the Palestinians are the key to Arab Israeli peace.
Former President Barack Obama had spent eight years pursuing efforts to push Israel to make unilateral concessions to the Palestinians, including freezing settlement expansion for almost a full year.
At the same time, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas climbed on a high tree and refused to come down and negotiate. President Joe Biden has been less preoccupied with the Palestinians since other priorities emerged that made the two-state solution less relevant.
The second obsession is that both Obama and Biden have been unwilling to clearly present a credible military option in dealing with Iran.
The Obama administration was particularly protective of the Iranian regime and kept cautioning the Netanyahu government against pre-emptive action to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat.
Although President Biden has declared repeatedly that he will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear bomb, saying that “The only thing worse than the Iran that exists now is an Iran with nuclear weapons.” The State Department had this to say: “We continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to verifiably, effectively, and sustainably prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.” (Yet the deals are letting the Iranians, who call for Death to Israel and America, to get a nuclear weapon.)
In the meantime, the Ayatollahs have advanced their uranium enrichment to 84%.
The only way the Ayatollahs of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be deterred from reaching their target of acquiring a nuclear bomb is to face a serious American military threat. Libya’s dictator Gaddafi abandoned his nuclear ambitions in 2003, after President George W. Bush threatened to destroy his weapons of mass destruction. (If not, Israel must do it without permission from its ‘best friend’.)
Settlement Rules Eased – the 'Friend' is not Happy
The Israeli government decided to ease and expedite the process for approving new Jewish settlement construction in Judea and Samaria amid plans to advance thousands of new housing units there. There are plans for approval of 4,560 housing units, although only 1,332 are up for final approval, with the remainder still going through the preliminary clearance process. “We will continue to develop the settlement of and strengthen the Israeli hold on the territory,” said finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a defence portfolio. The US State department said it was “deeply troubled” by the latest move, which comes despite US pressure to halt the settlement expansion.
Food for Thought. by Steven Shamrak
Have you noticed that Israel is often not in the news? Even occasional rocket attacks from Gaza, daily shooting, car ramping or knife attacks against Jewish civilians by Arab terrorists are ‘overlooked’ completely or under-reported. The international media have been using Israel as news filler or a kicking dummy. News reports from Israel are most of the times biased, one-sided and even solicited, when there is nothing to report from anywhere else. This way, news outlets satisfy their own anti-Jewish bigotry, and targeting the anti-Semitic audience! At the same time, good news from Israel such as medical discoveries or hi-tech inventions are ignored completely.
Talks Crumbled – Time to Change the Judicial System
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government intends to move ahead on plans to change the country's judicial system after talks aimed at finding a compromise solution appeared to be crumbling. Netanyahu said the opposition hasn't been negotiating in good faith.
US Arms Left in Afghanistan Reached Gaza
The US arms left in Afghanistan have been smuggled to the Gaza Strip. A senior Israeli military official confirmed: "Some of the small weapons seized in Afghanistan had been spotted in the hands of Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip." The Israeli military official raised concerns about the "dangers" of sending advanced US and Western arms to Ukraine. The Israeli military official said that the paramilitary forces taking part in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict are eager to move the arms they seized during the war to Iran due to the strong relations between the two countries, while the groups fighting in Ukraine seek to smuggle weapons for money.
Message to Bibi - Stop Surrendering
Zionist activists and supporters of proposed reforms to Israel’s judicial system held their first-ever protest in front of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea. The demonstration’s aim was to pressure Netanyahu into fulfilling his campaign promises and his coalition agreements to implement judicial reform. (Which, historically, he often breaks!)
PA Arabs Blame Everybody but Themselves for the Nakba
The latest poll examined the 75th anniversary of the “Nakba,” and its findings indicate that the overwhelming majority of PA Arabs blame Arab or international parties, or the Zionist movement, for their “national catastrophe”. Apparently, no one recalls that radio broadcast that urged the Arabs to leave their homes so they could return with the victorious Arab armies in 1948. The respondents (79% in the Gaza Strip and 66% in the PA) said they are in favour of forming armed groups such as the “Lions’ Den” and the “Jenin Battalion,” which do not take orders from the PA and are not part of the PA security services. (The so-called Palestinian population, not just the PA leadership, is infested by hate toward Israel and Jews. The government of Israel must realise this, and act accordingly.)
Biden Effort to Humiliate Netanyahu
US President Joe Biden has invited Israeli President Herzog to a meeting at the White House near the end of July, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to wait for such an invitation. The president is expected to visit Washington in about a month and give a speech in the House of Representatives. This will be the second meeting between Presidents Herzog and Biden this year. Netanyahu and Biden have not met since the establishment of the current Israeli government. (Herzog must decline this disrespectful to Israel and humiliating to Netanyahu invitation to the White House.)
A bill expanding the definition of racism to include a specific reference to the Haredi community was approved by the Knesset in a preliminary reading. The bill is set to be forwarded to the Knesset committee for discussion, after it was supported by 54 Knesset members, compared to 34 votes against the bill.
China Signed ‘Strategic Partnership’ with PA
China has established a “strategic partnership” with the PA during a visit of Mahmoud Abbas to Beijing. China is seeking energy resources and markets for its military and civilian exports, while promoting its version of authoritarian government in a joint challenge with Russia to the Western-led democratic world order. (As most of the Jew-hating states, Beijing has joined the 'Palestinian' political card game - to develop better rapport with Arab and Muslim states. This is quite a common political game.)
Israel Record $12.5B Defence Exports
Israel exported a record $12.556 billion in defense products last year. The 2022 figures marked a 50% increase over the previous three years. Drones accounted for 25% of the 2022 exports and missiles, and rockets or air defence systems for 19%. Asia and the Pacific accounted for 30% of Israeli defence exports, Europe for 29% and North America for 11%. Without naming specific clients, the ministry said 24% of defence exports were to Abraham Accords countries. United Arab Emirates and Bahrain were signatories to those accords. (Is it wise to sell arms to new ‘friends'?)
UN ‘Capitulation’ on Nukes - What Next?
With Iran having enriched enough uranium to 60 percent fissile purity for two nuclear bombs, if refined further, Israel has redoubled threats to launch pre-emptive military strikes if international diplomacy fails. "We are committed to acting against Iran's nuclear (drive), against missile attacks on Israel and the possibility of these fronts joining up. "Our position is clear: No agreement with Iran will be binding on Israel, which will continue to do everything to defend itself", Netanyahu said.
Sky Sonic - the Hypersonic Missile Interceptor
RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, announced that it has developed an advanced interceptor. Named "Sky Sonic," it is a major technological leap in hypersonic missile defense. Designed with exceptional manoeuvrability and high-speed capabilities, it effectively neutralizes hypersonic missiles, which travel at ten times the speed of sound, with unmatched precision and stealth.
Quotes of the Week:
“If we were to ask Kamala Harris what bothers her about the reform, she wouldn’t be able to name a single clause. I don’t know if (Harris) read the law or not - my assessment is that she hasn’t. Israel’s legal reform is an internal issue that is currently in the process of consolidation and dialogue. The State of Israel will continue to be democratic and liberal, as it has always been.” - Eli Cohen, Israeli Foreign Minister, criticized US Vice President Kamala Harris after she stressed the importance of an independent judiciary at an event hosted by the Israeli embassy in Washington – Embarrassing Jews at Israel’s organised event that what are fake friends are best at.
Concern for the Lost Jews!
by Steven Shamrak
I can understand and even can find justifications, from the Muslim point of view, why Arabs do not want Jews to reclaim their land, Eretz-Israel. After all, Arabs do not want any ‘infidels’, including Christians, in the neighbourhood. Some religious orders, motivated anti-Semites, Christians and Muslims, also do not want to be proven wrong by the return of Jews to the Holy Land and fulfilment of Jewish prophecy, which makes their theological claims to inheritance of Jewish tradition absolute!
At the same time, there will always be the brainless Anti-Semitic idiots who will need a scapegoat to blame, instead of taking the responsibility, for their own stupidity and personal inabilities.
I shall never be able to fully understand and excuse Jews, who are collaborating with and assisting our enemies to undermine the future of Jewish people – the existence of Israel. Although, I do understand the distorted psychology behind their self-destructive attitude and behaviour, induced by PTSD and the Stockholm Syndrome after prolonged exposure to discrimination, abuse and violence.
Most of them are aware that there is something wrong with their self-hating attitude toward their own country, but they are still unwilling or unable to address this self-destructive and self-hating behaviour and revise their psychologically induced political standing. With the progress made in the field of modern psychology they do not have an excuse for this shameful conduct any more. They really need to start soul searching and addressing this problem seriously!