Let me begin by thanking all of you who have written to me with comments. Please understand that at this juncture, while I read them, they are too numerous for me to be able to respond to them.
Please share this significant posting very broadly and continue to the end for a special video.
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When writing my posts I strive for a professional tone even when I am tempted to use intemperate language. In this instance, as in the past, I will refrain from the intemperate, but confess readily that right now this requires an extraordinary degree of self-control. The lying, the attempted manipulation, the deceit…
Those who understand, will understand.
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Before I begin an examination of what is happening with respect to Biden’s “plan” for the end of the war in Gaza, I want to expand upon my earlier comment in one regard: I had noted in my last posting that Biden has, from the beginning, gotten in Israel’s way, when it came to our attempts to take out Hamas – even though Hamas represented an existential threat.
Most people accept the rationale that this is all political: That the tenor of US thinking now is progressive (it’s more than just a couple of states where he is seeking votes), and he is playing to this. That he is willing to throw Israel under the bus in order to garner votes.
I would not dispute the fact that there is likely truth to this. And were it the beginning and end of it, it would be deplorable enough. We certainly realize by now that we must disregard all of Joe’s comments about being a Zionist in his heart, always having our back, etc. It’s a myth. There has been enough written about his political history – his clash with Menachem Begin, for example – to know that the notion that he cares about Jews and Israel is a crock. I remember the unseemly furor he made when he was here as vice president and some routine building plans in Ramat Shlomo were announced.
However, I want to suggest that there is also something else going on. That something else is a tendency to protect or favor Muslims.
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Why would I say this? Because of his mentor and guide, Barack Obama.
There is a reason that many refer to Biden’s term as president as Obama’s third term. He is on the scene (I believe he is the only former president to remain in Washington DC after leaving the White House), present and wielding influence over a man whose mental competency has deteriorated. What is more, Biden’s administration is chock full of individuals, including Antony Blinken, who served first under Obama.
To the point, we might look at Rob Malley, who was Biden’s envoy to Iran, and before that in the Obama administration. Malley had his security clearance revoked for a year and now the FBI is investigating the possibility that he placed classified information in the wrong hands.
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Obama was a Muslim according to Islamic law, and in my view, he quietly functioned with that identity. What was clear to me from the get-go is that he favored and protected Muslims. Radical Muslims.
I must make my case briefly here but provide two examples. For his very first international speech after becoming president he went to Egypt and invited the Muslim Brotherhood to come hear him, even though the Brotherhood was outlawed in Egypt. Then-president Mubarak was so incensed that he didn’t attend the speech. But I noted it then and understood this signaled something of great seriousness.
In 2009, there was a mass shooting in Fort Hood, TX by Nidal Malik Hasan, a Muslim psychiatrist who had confessed to an associate that he felt it was impossible to be a loyal American and a loyal Muslim at the same time. He killed 13 people.
This was clearly a terror attack. Obama, as president, insisted that this be listed as a “work accident.” You see, this poor psychiatrist was just overworked.
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I suggest it serves us ill to forget these incidents and neglect to at least consider Obama’s influence on Biden’s thinking and decisions.
In my opinion, there would have been ways for Biden to show the progressives in the electorate that he protected Arabs, without attempting to stop us just as we moved to take out Hamas.
He could have promoted his activity to get humanitarian aid into Gaza for the civilians. He could have bragged about the fact that he prevented Israel from the major attack in Rafah that had been planned and forced a much more moderate action. And so on.
But he was protecting Hamas, attempting to provide them with the opportunity to come back in Gaza in strength.
This is enough to inspire intemperate thoughts. Very intemperate.
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I want to cite some extremely important observations by Asher Fredman, senior managing fellow for the Misgav Institute for National Security (with emphasis added). I recommend that you read his entire article, “Biden’s deceptive hostage deal threatens Israel’s existence”, and then, please, share it very broadly. It contains critical information.
“The deal laid out by US President Joe Biden in his May 31 address on the war in Gaza is disingenuous and disastrous… The plan he described, if implemented, would create an existential threat to the State of Israel…
“Biden then made a statement of unparalleled chutzpah: ‘The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve already devastated Hamas forces over the past eight months…’ The reality is that Hamas still has many intact fighters and senior leadership – even if it is now operating as smaller terror cells rather than battalions, or laying low until the IDF withdraws.
“Once reconstruction began in Gaza, the Islamist terror group would quickly rebuild its capabilities. The idea that leaving Hamas in power does not constitute a severe risk to Israel’s security, especially to those Israelis in the western Negev region, is ludicrous.
“President Biden suggested that the United States would ‘help forge a diplomatic resolution, one that ensures Israel’s security’ and that ‘with a deal, a rebuilding of Gaza will begin… in a manner that does not allow Hamas to re-arm.’
“He ignores the inconvenient truth that diplomatic resolutions have failed time and again. They failed to prevent Hezbollah from greatly increasing its arsenal following the Second Lebanon War…
“Likewise, the idea that with Hamas still in power, reconstruction could take place without enabling the terrorist group to rearm, is simply laughable. The current war in Gaza has revealed the far-reaching extent to which supplies that entered Gaza over the years, including for humanitarian purposes, were used first and foremost by Hamas, to build its terror infrastructure.
“With regard to those who would oppose such a plan, Biden claimed that ‘the hostages are not a priority for them.’
“This was a false and outrageous statement.
“The fact that there are those who recognize that leaving Hamas in power will destroy Israel’s deterrence and encourage countless murderous attacks and kidnappings of Israelis does not mean that they care any less about the hostages…
“It is important to realize that while Hamas may be willing to release some of the hostages, it will never release all of them, as they serve as a human shield for its leadership. Under the deal that Biden describes, a ceasefire will continue, and Hamas will remain in power, as long as negotiations over the second stage of the hostage release continue – negotiations that can drag on for years.
“Biden then assured that the ‘United States will always ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself.’
“Let there be no mistake, however. Biden did not say that he supports Israel’s right to destroy the genocidal terrorist organizations bent on its destruction.
“He said that Israel will have the right to shoot down rockets fired at its cities, while its citizens hide in shelters. This is the Biden doctrine with regards to Israel: Defense, yes. Offense, no.
“If the fighting stops with Hamas in power, the ‘day after’ will never begin. We will simply return to October 6. Only this time, with zero deterrence…”
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-804726
Above, I mentioned instances of lying, manipulation and deceit by Biden and members of his administration. All of them had me enraged. But I will touch upon them only briefly here.
First, the fact that members of the US administration continue to refer to the plan as one Israel advanced, which is not the truth. Implied here is the notion that if it’s Israel’s plan, then we have to go with it.
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Hamas has reportedly demanded a written guarantee from the US that the ceasefire will be permanent. The US may promise this to Hamas but can guarantee nothing of the sort.
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White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said yesterday: “We have every expectation that if Hamas agrees to the proposal—as was transmitted to them, an Israeli proposal—that Israel would say ‘Yes.’” Note the reference to an “Israeli proposal.”
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Secretary of State Blinken placed separate phone calls to Defense Minister Gallant and Minister Gantz.
This has been Blinken’s game for some time: cultivating these two in hopes of weakening Netanyahu. This alone is deplorable, but…
“Blinken claimed in both calls that the proposal ‘would advance Israel’s long-term security interests,’ telling Gallant that it would enable ‘the possibility for further integration in the region.’
“In the Gantz call, Blinken suggested that the deal opens ‘the possibility of calm along Israel’s border with Lebanon that would allow Israelis to return [to] their homes.’”
https://www.jns.org/blinken-discusses-ceasefire-deal-with-gallant-gantz/
And so, the question is: Is Antony Blinken a total idiot who really believes this nonsense, or is he prepared to lie through his teeth because he thinks he can convince Gallant and Gantz of the advantages of the deal. The idea that allowing Hamas to gain a foothold again in Gaza would bring calm along the border with Lebanon is so illogical, so ludicrous, that there are no words.
Every thoughtful analyst is concerned about the loss of deterrence with this “plan.”
Blinken was not happy with the response of either Gallant or Gantz. Gallant told him that “Israel would not stop the war in Gaza until it brings back all of the hostages and collapses Hamas’ rule,” and added: “In any case, after the war, Hamas will not rule Gaza.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390995
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But there is yet more news to share (emphasis added):
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participated today (Monday) in the discussion of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee and addressed the hostage deal presented by US President Joe Biden.
“’I will not be ready to stop the war. Despite what President Biden said, it has not yet been agreed how many hostages will be released in the first phase. We can stop the fighting for 42 days in order to return the hostages. We cannot stop the war. The Iranians and all our enemies are looking at us, and want to see if we surrender,’ emphasized the Prime Minister.
“He noted that ‘there are many more details in the deal and the war will not end without achieving all of our objectives. Don’t pay attention to the publications, there’s a lot of fake news going around. We will not give up on total victory.’”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391001
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I note here that while this is encouraging, Bezalel Smotrich (Religious Zionists) and Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit) have been very concerned about the possibility of the government caving and have threatened to leave the coalition. Netanyahu has met with them in order to convince them to stay. Without a question, the presence of Smotrich and Ben Gvir stiffens his back.
What seems to be the case now, according to Netanyahu’s own words, is that we will agree to the first ceasefire, for six weeks, in an effort to bring home some of the hostages (or their bodies). The families are waiting for action in this regard and the prime minister is between a rock and a hard place.
But we still have to see how the details of this first stage shape up. Hamas is demanding a permanent ceasefire; they say they will accept nothing less. If they get “only” six weeks, they may refuse to participate. In this case, Netanyahu can tell the parents he tried, and then proceed with the war.
But if they do participate, and there is a temporary ceasefire, there remains the troubling issue of the IDF leaving major population centers, which would strengthen Hamas and set us back. Would Israel agree to this?
The story is hardly over. Details of how many would be released, etc. have yet to be determined. Hamas is totally untrustworthy and may not deliver. Then there would be the question of Israel’s readiness to start fighting again immediately if Hamas does not honor what was promised. “Honor” is a strange word to use with regard to Hamas, which is totally devoid of honor. What if Hamas promises so many live hostages and delivers bodies instead?
Stay tuned.
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See a moving and inspiring video with the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, zt”l.
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Keep praying to Heaven for Israel. Pray that the tears might be lifted from our hearts.
Pray for the strength and wisdom of our leaders, for the safety of our soldiers, and for the rescue of our hostages.
Pray in a spirit of hope.
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©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
