I was going to entitle this posting “You Know What They Say About Smoke…” But because I want to celebrate Edan Alexander first, we will get to that below.
Edan, 21, was born in Tel Aviv and grew up in New Jersey. He returned to Israel as a young adult and was serving as a lone soldier (i.e., without parents here) in the Golani Brigade. He was taken from his base near Gaza by Hamas on October 7 and held for 19 months (584 days) in exceedingly cruel conditions (including being starved, tortured and held in a cage). It is believed that he was the last American-Israeli being held by Hamas who was still alive.
i24
His release was secured by the Americans. On Monday Hamas turned him over to the Red Cross in Khan Younis. From there he was brought to the Re’im Base, where his father was waiting for him, for an initial check and then to Sourasky Hospital in Tel Aviv for a fuller family reunion and a more thorough check. Doctors say he is not in good shape and very weak. But he was smiling non-stop; surrounded by love and provided with excellent care, he will grow strong again.
To watch his reunion with family is to experience joy, even of the tear-inducing sort:
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While none of it remotely diminishes the joy at seeing Edan return home, there were a number of troubling issues associated with his release.
Apparently a Witkoff aid, not identified, met with Hamas in efforts to secure Alexander’s release:
“Hamas sources informed the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that an assistant to United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff met with Hamas officials in Qatar during Saturday and Sunday, including senior political bureau member Khalil Al-Haya. These meetings formed part of discussions that spanned several days and culminated in Hamas agreeing to release Alexander as a ‘goodwill gesture’ ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Gulf region.”
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Regarding that “goodwill gesture”, we have this from Arutz Sheva (emphasis added):
“Over the past several days, Hamas has been urged by international mediators [Qatar and Egypt] to make a gesture towards the US administration, reportedly being told: “Give Trump a gift, and he will give you a bigger gift in return.” A Hamas source told the Associated Press that the terror group complied with the request and is now waiting to see what political concessions the US president may offer in return.”
Writing on his social media platform TRUTH on Sunday, Trump called the release a “goodwill gesture towards the US in an effort to end this brutal conflict…”
This was not Trump’s tone mere months ago.
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After Edan was released, Hamas put out this statement:
“We reiterate the movement’s readiness to immediately begin negotiations to achieve a comprehensive agreement for a lasting ceasefire, withdrawal of occupying (sic) forces, lifting the blockade, prisoner (sic) exchanges, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.”
Is this the return gift Hamas is hoping Trump will give them? Assistance in bringing the war to a premature end, allowing them to remain standing?
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At this juncture, Netanyahu found it necessary to clarify that Israel had not made any concessions to Hamas in order to bring out Alexander and would continue to fight. On Tuesday he said that “there will be no way we will stop the war.” We can make a ceasefire for a certain period of time, but we’re going to the end.”
For his foresight and strength, I salute our prime minister. He understands that not only is this truly an existential issue for Israel, defeat of the Islamists of Hamas has broader implications for the Western world. Unfortunately the Western world does not get it.
I think we should all pray for him every day, that he might retain his strength in the face of some incredible goings-on.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
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Netanyahu authorized a delegation from Israel to go to Qatar on Tuesday to participate in hostage negotiations being advanced by Witkoff. He has made it clear that negotiations would be held under fire. That was yesterday. Already today three Israeli officials have said, “There are no indications from the talks in Qatar that Hamas’s position is shifting in a way that would allow for a deal. There is no reason for optimism.”
The deal that is on the table: the release of 10 hostages, a 40–50 day ceasefire, the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, and a return to fighting if no further deal is reached by the end of the ceasefire.
Once Trump ends his Middle East tour later this week, we will be moving with greater strength in Gaza.
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With regard to Edan’s release, just one additional note here:
Trump requested on Monday that if Edan was up to it, he would like him to fly to Qatar the following day (Tuesday) so he could meet with Trump and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim. I haven’t used the term “unmitigated gall” in a long time, but it sure fits here. First Edan’s mother, Yael, and then his doctor, said “No way! He’s not going anywhere.” The doctor made the point that it is not just Edan’s physical health that is at issue, but the fragility of his emotional state.
This suggestion by Trump tells us a good deal about him, as we work to unravel the puzzle of who he is. He was not considering what was best for the returned hostage. He was looking for a fantastic media opportunity, and, I strongly suspect, an opportunity to stroke the emir with public attention (I will get to why he might want to do this below).
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And so here we turn to the matter of what they say about smoke. Smoke, as in “where there’s smoke…” As I sat down to write, I thought this analogy fit the current situation so well.
There are some Trump supporters who have been warning us not to believe everything that appears in the media. That is wise advice, without question.
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But these Trump supporters are not providing general advice, they are alluding to something very specific that we are finding in the media: indications that the president’s relationship with Israel has changed in its essence. Ignore these reports, they say, for he loves Israel just as he always has, and he will be here for us, without any separation. Nothing has changed.
Fox News
I thought about how lovely it would be if I could accept this, but there were hints of matters amiss that made it impossible to believe that nothing had changed. And this is where I intended to draw on the analogy about smoke. I sniff the air, I wanted to say, and smell the smoke – that is, I have identified hints of something amiss. I cannot accept that Trump’s relationship with Israel remains the same.
The argument is being made that as president of the US Trump must put America first and make decisions based on what he thinks is best for his country – and that we cannot criticize him for doing so. But I get that. In fact, there is something to be said for being independent and not relying on him.
What I was looking at was the manner in which he made his decisions, which suggested a blatant disregard for Israel.
[] Recently, in response to the frequent launching of ballistic missiles into Israel, we had launched two attacks on the Houthis. The first was on the port of Hodeidah; there was American cooperation, but it was not a joint attack. A day later, acting unilaterally, we demolished the airport at Sa’ana in a stunning operation.
At this point, the Houthis told the Americans they wouldn’t hit American shipping any longer and Trump announced that he believed them and that the US would stop bombing in Yemen, as they had been doing for three months.
He made this announcement without informing Netanyahu first. He made no acknowledgement of the Israeli role in deterring the Houthis and expressed no concern about the fact that the Houthis were going to continue to launch against Israel. (We have had three attacks in the last 24 hours.)
We can recognize that it was Trump’s responsibility to accept the Houthi offer to stop hitting America ships. But there was something seriously amiss in the way he handled the situation.
[] Trump is currently in the midst of a Mid-East tour. It involves only Gulf states; he is bypassing Israel.
[] And then, just today, he declared that “if it weren’t for us probably none of the hostages would be living now.” An outrageous statement. I have been advised to accept the fact that Trump is consistently egotistical and just recognize that this is who we must work with. In a way, true. But statements such as this one, it seems to me, seek to diminish the importance of Israel. Consider the difference between Trump’s statement and his saying, “I am working closely with Bibi to keep the hostages alive.”
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But at this point, my friends, I confess that I am inclined to toss out the analogy about “where there’s smoke.” Very suddenly, we find ourselves way beyond “hints.” We are looking at both some newly exposed information and some newly announced plans of consequence. Many of these are either very unsettling or raise some very serious questions.
The situation is shifting so quickly, and encompasses so much, that I cannot begin to examine it all in detail here. I will touch upon major issues and look at some implications. Then we will need to return for closer looks and further examination as matters unfold. There is yet a good deal coming ahead.
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Steve Witkoff’s connection to Qatar was revealed some months ago, raising questions about his independence as an envoy. In 2023, he was saved from a failing investment in New York’s Park Lane Hotel when the property was purchased by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund for $623 million.
At the time, I questioned why Trump didn’t relieve his old buddy of his position when the information was made public. Now we have an answer: The Trump family has serious financial dealings with Qatar as well:
“…the Trump Organization is hard at work planning a new luxury golf resort near Qatar’s capital, Doha, in partnership with a Qatari company. Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr. will speak next week at the invitation-only Qatar Economic Forum in a session titled ‘Investing in America’.” (More on Donald Jr. below.)
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Oh, and then there is the airplane that Qatar is essentially gifting to Trump. The Air Force One, utilized by American presidents, is old and being upgraded. The plane Qatar will be providing, a lavishly equipped Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet known as the Palace of the Sky and valued at $400 million, will officially be given to the Department of Defense, which will modify it to meet specifications for use by the president; it will be solely for the use of the president. Upon the president’s retirement, ownership will be transferred to the Trump Library.
Aside from possible legal issues, which lawyers are working to circumvent, there are serious ethical issues about accepting such a gift – the largest by far ever to be bestowed on a president.
The ethical issue is particularly distressing because it is Qatar that is doing the gifting. Obligations to Qatar are implicit, in spite of Trump’s insistence that it would be foolish to refuse such a useful gift. The transaction smells of corruption, even if it is not overtly corrupt.
Ben Curtis/AP
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Qatar doing the gifting: “Qatar is also a seat of the Muslim Brotherhood, a crucial source of financing to Hamas, a diplomatic and energy partner of Iran, a refuge for the Taliban’s exiled political leadership, financier and cheerleader of Palestinian terrorism, and the chief propagandist of Islamism through its media powerhouse, Al Jazeera, which reaches 430 million people in more than 150 countries.
“Key members of Qatar’s royal family have made their admiration for Islamism—and Hamas specifically—very clear…the mother of Qatar’s emir…praised the mastermind of the October 7 massacre Yaya Sinwar…”
We must not lose sight of any of this. See more here:
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Trump is now in the midst of his Middle East tour, which began with Saudi Arabia. There he announced an investment by the Saudis of $600 billion in the US in a series of separate deals; the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), then pledged to up this to a trillion dollars.
Trump tried to encourage normalization with Israel, and then acknowledged that MBS, who is the de facto ruler, is not ready for this move and will do it in his own time.
This frankly is a relief, because MBS would have made demands on Israel that Trump would have pushed us to agree to. Agreeing to a Palestinian state is not, and never will be, part of the picture.
In a surprise move, Trump announced that he was lifting sanctions on Syria so that the new government might be given “a chance at greatness.” He said he consulted with MBS and as well as with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before making his decision. Erdogan? The Turks are trying to take over part of Syria.
He then met with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, encouraging him, as well, to join the Abraham Accords. Sharaa indicated that when the time was right it might be possible.
CBC
Here in Israel it is felt that this move was premature. Sharaa, who has a terrorist background, has yet to prove himself, and we have troops placed along the Syrian border out of concern of aggression or unrest. We have also moved to protect the Druze of Syria, who are at risk.
I notice, and do not think it irrelevant, that Trump consulted Erdogan, but not his “good friend” Bibi.
Brash gestures such as this, made without depth analysis or careful thought, are Trump’s style. It remains to be seen if something positive can come out of what he has done in Saudi Arabia (other than the huge investments pledged by the Saudis).
The president moved on to Qatar today and will then visit the UAE.
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Please see the informative video below with Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, discussing many of the issues I have written about above.
Has Qatar BOUGHT the TRUMP Administration? – YouTube
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I ask for prayers for Israel’s wellbeing.
Pray for the wisdom and courage of our leaders.
Pray for the safety of our brave troops.
Pray that the hostages will be brought home.
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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.
