The Trump/Netanyahu Press Conference moderated by Meira K

 Having a voice like Meira K to comment on specific pieces of this press conference is very helpful.

We FINALLY Know What’s REALLY Happening With Trump & Netanyahu! 

 

 Meira K has important insight that informs those who listen. 

This video doesn't go all the way to the end of the press conference, but it certainly covered many of the salient questions of the current moment.  

At the time I am writing, Iran has been 5 days revolting in the streets without the IRGC invoking any restraining activity upon the crowds in the streets. Several cities in Iran are reportedly under control of the general populace. I don't have direct knowledge except for the reports I have seen through news blogs. I mention this only to let it be known that this press conference happened in Mar-a-Lago before the Iran street riots began.
 

Candace Owens, the Jews, and the Slave Trade

It's my understanding that Candace Owens has recently claimed that the Jewish people were responsible for the slave trade rather than the so-called "white people". She claimed that the world has been deceived due to the influence of the Jewish manipulators of media.

This is Antisemitism in its most egregious form. This is an old conspiracy theory, and has been thoroughly debunked. Yet, here it is again. So many of the blood-libels against Jews are rising again.

This next video is Candace Owens with a short video she made for Praeger U. She is probably telling the truth as her research provided. ti is a pretty good report on slavery as far as I know. You may know more.

A Sort History of Slavery | 5 minute video

Then it seems she loses that perspective and rants about Jews actually being behind the slave trade and slavery. 

What Candace Owens Gets Wrong about the Talmud & Slave Trade

Watch Rabbi Daniel Rowe as he publishes Candace Owens in her own presentation, then debunks the information she just spoke by providing source material for her assertions.

 

Candace Owens and the Lie That Never Dies: Blaming Jews for the Slave Trade

Nubian Narrator News

This Commentator for Nubian Narrator News on Youtube presenting a disturbing critique of Candace Owens and some possible reasons for her seemingly shifting policies. He presents an image of Candace Owens and why these apparent changes are just the next evolution in her stage presentation.

For the last 5 or 6 months I have been following Meira K (Meira Kolatch) on JNS TV (Israel news from the heart of Jerusalem) via the internet. After Caroline Glick (writer for for Israel Hayom, Breitbart News, The Jerusalem Post, Jewish News Syndicate and Maariv) left her show on JNS TV I was feeling that I had lost an information source that helped me understand the background for the issues I recognized as critical for me and for Israel. In February 2025, Caroline Glick tooka position as International Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister of Israel—Benyamin Netanyahu.

Somewhere around June or July of 2005, Rivka – my wonderful wife – who had introduced me to Caroline Glick, also introduced me to Meira K. Meira K has become one of our many sources of up-to-date information on the state of current affairs in Israel and the world (as it applies to Israel).

Meira K on Candace Owens 

Back to Candace Owens. Meira K has compiled a series of statements by Candace Owens that have been debunked in this video. It may be uncomfortable to watch, and if you are a Candace Owens supporter, you may understand the "re-writes" as she explains herself.

 

It seems that we have little choice but to understand that Candace Owens goes-with-the-flow of whatever presentation will increase her followers on Youtube. 

I welcome comments. 

Israel Makes People Uncomfortable

This article was posted in one of my WhatsApp groups. It is purportedly written by Allister Heath, a journalist from the British Daily Telegraph. He is currently Deputy Editor of The Daily Telegraph (2014–present) and Editor of The Sunday Telegraph (2017–present).

I have included the entire article as it was presented to me, without further editing.

Bezalel Yoel Smotrich, Israel's Minister of Finance, Speaks Out

Note from the Editor: I have copied this Statement from a WhatsApp group.

Bezalel Yoel Smotrich (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל יוֹאֵל סְמוֹטְרִיץ׳; born 27 February 1980) is an Israeli far-right politician and lawyer who has served as the Minister of Finance since 2022.

What Difference Have Jews Made In The World We Know

 

What Have Jews Done

Irena Sendler Smuggled Children Out Of The Warsaw

Look at this lady - Let us never forget!

The world hasn't just become wicked...it's always been wicked. 

The prize doesn't always go to the most deserving.

Irena Sendler
Died,12 May 2008 (aged 98) Warsaw, Poland

During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive'. She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews (being German).

Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and in the back of her truck she carried a burlap sack, (for larger kids).

She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.

During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants.

She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely.

Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family.
Most had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.

Last year Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize. She was not selected. President Obama won one year before becoming President for his work as a community organizer for ACORN and Al Gore won also --- for a slide show on Global Warming.

In MEMORIAM - 63 YEARS LATER

I'm doing my small part by forwarding this message. I hope you'll consider doing the same.

It is now more than 60 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. This is being sent as a memorial chain, in memory of the six million Jews, 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned, starved and humiliated!

Now, more than ever, with Iran , and others, claiming the HOLOCAUST to be 'a myth', it's imperative to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again.

This message is intended to reach 40 million people worldwide! Join us and be a link in the memorial chain and help us distribute it around the world. Please send to people you know and ask them to continue the memorial chain.

Please don't just over look it. It will only take you a minute to pass this along.

This message is passed on from a Facebook post. I have not done more than edit it gently. The words below are mine.

You can copy and paste the above message or copy the link to this blog post. I think it is important that there not be a global hegemony of the type of people who desire power over all nations. Irena saw the danger of Nazi Germany. Now we are all seeing the devastation of the Iranian hegemony of proxie terrorists.

Remember: If Israel had ceased all fighting against the terrorists (now & for all time), Israel would be destroyed by those terrorists; If the terrorists had ceased all fighting against Israel (now & for all time), Israel would also stop fighting, and there would be peace.

No Nukes for Iran. They should not have any nukes, and they should not receive any nukes. No nukes should be used anywhere in the world. They are too devastating.

Also, this woman, Irena Sendler, is one of many who foresaw the devastation that was to come, and resolved to take a stand against that devastation. She made a difference in her time. We, in this time, must see the devastation to come to all the world if terrorism is not halted. It cannot be allowed to continue to grow. We must also stand. We must also be determined to make a world free of terrorism. We must even stand against those who create chaos in the name of terrorist organizations. We must be stronger than them. Consider this as a call to strength.

Rivka Sarit Posts Strong and Very Appropriate Words About the Israel/Iran War

This Is A Spiritual War.

Have you noticed the similarity in sound between Khomeini (the leader of the modern Iranian nation) and Haman (the advisor to the King of the Persian Empire, Achashveros)? Just say these two names aloud back to back over and over: Haman & Khomein; Haman & Khomein.

Tomorrow, Thursday, June 19, 2025, is Sivan 23 on the Jewish Calendar.

In the Biblical Book of Esther, Haman advised the King to sign an edict that the Jews who lived in the 23 provinces of Persia were to be annihilated. Mordechai the Jew, and uncle to Esther the Queen, was especially hated by Haman. A gallows was built to hang Mordechai the Jew.

Queen Esther invites the King and Haman to a series of feasts where she finally unveils the plot of Haman to hang her uncle and to destroy all the Jews, including her own self.

On Sivan 23 of the Jewish calendar, the King signed another edict that allowed the Jews to fight back against their adversaries with impunity. The Jews lived even as they struck down their adversaries.

With this in mind, please read Rivka's post: This Is A Spiritual War.

I Am a Damn Jew—And I Am Pissed Off

By Yonah Elias

May 21, 2025

I am pissed off. I am so damn angry I could burn through marble with my breath. The world can shove it—yes, the whole world. And if that makes you uncomfortable, good. That means you’re finally listening.

I am an angry Jew.

An unforgiving Jew.

I am the Jew you get after Germany.

I’m the Jew who walks with a rifle in one hand and a Torah in the other—not to impress you, but to remind you that I know how to survive both a firing squad and a theological debate.

I’m not here for your interfaith panels.

I’m not here to make you feel better about yourself.

I’m here to remember.

And to make sure you don’t forget.

I am the Jew you expelled from Spain in 1492—before Columbus ever got to sail the ocean blue.

I am the Jew you ghettoized in Venice, taxed in France, beaten in Kiev, humiliated in Poland.

I am the Jew Stalin called a parasite, that Churchill shook hands with, then sold out, that America left on the shores of Europe to burn.

I am the Jew whose parents you gassed, whose children you hid, whose prayers you mocked—and whose rebirth you now resent because I dared to survive.

I am the Jew who didn’t disappear.

I am the Jew who came home—to Zion.

And I am the Jew you hate for that.

You want to know why I’m angry?

Because the West has lost its damn mind. It’s drowning in its own vomit while hallucinating about bathrooms, borders, and BDS. It’s burning itself alive with pride parades while lighting candles for terrorists.

Meanwhile, the East is building mega-projects, high-speed trains, underwater tunnels, AI supercities—and you’re busy holding ceasefire rallies for Hamas in Trafalgar Square while your power grid gets hacked by the Taliban.

Are you joking?

You should be writing letters of apology to Israel, begging for cyber defense. Instead, you’re lecturing us about “proportionality” while your own nations rot from within, infested with ideology and cowardice like a French cheese left in the sun.

And every time I feel that heat rise in my chest—every time I want to scream and rage—I hear this voice inside me say:

“But you’re a Jew. Jews don’t act like that.”

Oh really? Tell that to the Maccabees.

Tell that to Bar Kochba.

Tell that to the Warsaw Ghetto.

And then I remember what the Torah says:

“If someone comes to kill you, rise early and kill him first.”

—Talmud, Berakhot 58a.

That’s not a suggestion.

That’s a commandment.

And trust me—we’ve had enough mornings to rise early.

I am that ugly Jew, the one your grandfather whispered about.

I’m the “stinky Jew” your teacher warned you not to trust.

I’m the dirty Jew you thought would go quietly into the gas.

Guess what?

I didn’t.

I survived Auschwitz.

I survived British detention camps in Cyprus.

I survived Rome, Babylon, London, and Oslo.

I survived your love letters to the Ayatollah and your arms deals with genocidal maniacs.

I’m not just a survivor. I’m a witness.

And now—I’m a weapon.

Forged in exile. Tempered in war. Sharpened by betrayal.

But here’s the twist. Here’s the plotline your professors missed:

I’m not angry at the world that loves me.

Not at the righteous among the nations. Not at the brave, the just, the defiant few who stand by us.

I’m angry at the world that hates me.

The world that chants for my death then complains that I yelled too loud when I didn’t die.

The world that arms Hamas and blames me for the explosion.

The world that builds statues for dead colonialists but calls my people “colonizers” for returning to their homeland after 3,000 years.

I’m a loving Jew—but don’t mistake that for weakness.

I’ll dance at weddings and cry at funerals. I’ll host you for Shabbat and pass you the salt—but if you try to hurt me or my people, you’ll find out just how much fire is left in the Jewish soul. We are the nation that watched empires rise and fall while we kept lighting candles on Friday night.

So to the world that has lost its way:

You are no longer my moral compass.

You are a circus of madmen with nuclear weapons.

You are preaching virtue from the gallows you built with your own hands.

And I—I am a damn Jew.

I am Israel reborn.

I am rage and redemption.

I am faith with a backbone.

I am memory with a trigger.

I am the prayer you didn’t believe would be answered.

And yes—I am pissed off.

Now go ahead and share this. Let the world know exactly what kind of Jew they’re dealing with.

Am Yisrael Chai. (The people of Israel live.")

Not for your approval.

For our survival.

And for our eternity.

There Is No Genocide In The Gaza Strip

 If Israel has been conducting genocide in the Gaza Strip, why is the population of the Gazans so numerous? Why has Israel been warning the population of attacks so they can move to a safer position? Why are humanitarian aid trucks distributing food to civilians?

We have all seen evidence of many instances of genocide in the last hundred years. The Wiener Holocaust Library lists nine major genocides since 1915. It does not include the Holocaust of World War II in the list of nine.

There has been an unlisted genocide against the Jewish People in all the Muslim countries of North Africa and the Middle East. Jews have been systematically removed from all these countries by either death or forced deportation. Empires have been trying to either control or decimate Jews for four thousand years. Look up how the Jews survived Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and Rome. Review how the Jews were handed over to the German Empire (the Third Reich) by the more recent empires of Hungary and Turkey (the Ottoman Empire).

Israel is NOT targeting civilian populations for destruction. Israel IS targeted by the Islamists for destruction. Genocide is planned for Israel—not by Israel.

Israel believes in LIFE.

Jihadists believe in death. Death as martyrs. Death to Infidels. Who do they consider infidels? Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Gays, Transgenders, and anyone else who does not convert to Islam.

Does that include YOU?

Humanitarian Aid to Gaza

As a matter of moral concern for people who suffer due to war, I condone humanitarian aid to the families living in the Gaza Strip.

As a matter of factual concern, I do not support providing a terrorist organization with a tool that allows that organization to continue to control a population. In the case of Hamas in Gaza, humanitarian aid is such a tool, allowing Hamas to determine who (or which family) receives the aid. Those who provide such aid are empowering the terrorist organization Hamas to continue to control the fate of the people who reside in the Gaza Strip.Also, who is responsible for disseminating the humanitarian aid to the recipients? This responsible organization is UNWRA. UNRWA was established by UN Member States in 1949 to carry out direct relief and development programmes for Palestinian people who lost their homes following the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. 

I was born in 1949. I am now 76 years old. Any person who lost their home in 1949 would probably be 96 years old (or older) in this year (2025). These are the people who lost their homes. Approximately 750,000 total population. If we work these numbers, we find this to mean 375,000 couples. If these couples each have 3 children, then the family size is 5, so the average could be 150,000 families with homes.

Now, however, before the October 7, 2023 incursion that started the destruction of the Gaza Strip, the population of the Gaza Strip has become several million people. If the population of the Gaza Strip has increased to 4.5 million people and I again utilize a family of 5 for each household, then the number of households has increased to 900,000. Most of these households do not include any individual who lost a home in 1948.
The next three paragraphs are copied directly from the UNHCR website.

History of the 1951 Refugee Convention

In the aftermath of the First World War (1914 - 1918), millions of people fled their homelands in search of refuge. Governments responded by drawing up a set of international agreements to provide travel documents for these people who were, effectively, the first recognized refugees of the 20th century. Their numbers increased dramatically during and after the Second World War (1939-1945), as millions more were forcibly displaced.

In response, the international community steadily assembled a set of guidelines, laws and conventions aimed at protecting the basic human rights and treatment of people forced to flee conflict and persecution.

The process, which began under the League of Nations in 1921, culminated in the 1951 Convention which consolidated and expanded on previous international instruments relating to refugees and continues to provide the most comprehensive codification of the rights of refugees at the international level.

So, people have been moving away from violence (or the threat of violence) since World War I. I believe that people have been moving out-of-the-way of violence & bloodshed for thousands of years, but I digress with that statement.

I have been told that the Palestinian Arab population in Gaza is not to be allowed to leave the Gaza Strip. I know this is not true, because many rich Palestinian Arabs from Gaza now live in Egypt or Qatar according to the world press corps.

I tried to find a source for this information, but have not been able to find a good source at the time I am writing. Maybe it isn't true. If the statement is true, then I have to wonder why. Why would a people be assigned to a place for refugees (according to UNWRA) and not be allowed to leave? Also, who decided this should be the case? Another question, how long is this containment supposed to last?

Humanitarian Aid to the Gaza Strip

What is Humanitarian Aid? 

The European Union provides needs-based humanitarian assistance to the people hit by human-induced disasters and natural hazards with particular attention to the most vulnerable victims. Human-induced disasters might include war. Natural hazards are probably the result of immense fires, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, mudslides, or other natural disasters I did not list or consider.

I understand that at this time, when there is war between Hamas & Israel, the general population of Gaza is experiencing what can only be determined to be a human-induced disaster. Therefore, there is a great need for humanitarian aid for the civilian population.

The important questions have become: (1) who is the absolute civilian?, and, (2) who provides the aid?

Who is the Gaza Civilian

I have heard it said that if I voted for this government, and said government is determined to be bad for the people, then I am part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

What does that mean for the people of the Gaza Strip. How many of them voted for Hamas to be the government? If they voted for Hamas, aren't they part of the problem? That would certainly mean that at least the majority of the non-Hamas population is Hamas-affiliated. If they support Hamas they might not be actually considered "civilian". How can Hamas-affiliated-supporters be separated from non-Hamas-supporting civilians?

According to what is known as the International Committee of the Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Databases

Rule 5.

Definition of Civilians

Non-international armed conflicts

While State armed forces are not considered civilians, practice is not clear as to whether members of armed opposition groups are civilians subject to Rule 6 on loss of protection from attack in case of direct participation or whether members of such groups are liable to attack as such, independently of the operation of Rule 6. Although the military manual of Colombia defines the term civilians as “those who do not participate directly in military hostilities (internal conflict, international conflict)”, most manuals define civilians negatively with respect to combatants and armed forces and are silent on the status of members of armed opposition groups.

Seems the international definition is more restrictive than I thought. It Looks like all non-combatants are considered civilians. Also, it is unclear whether armed opposition groups are combatants or civilians. That is insane. Armed opposition groups? Like a Militia? People who gather together to engage in physical combat against a political or regional opponent are considered civilians? This is not logical.

Who Provides the Aid

Do we think that one of the combatants would provide food & housing for the civilian population of the other combatant? According to International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] the combatants are expected to allow the civilian population access to humanitarian aid necessary for subsistence.

Access for Humanitarian Relief to Civilians in Need

Rule 55. The parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need, which is impartial in character and conducted without any adverse distinction, subject to their right of control.

Summary

State practice establishes this rule as a norm of customary international law applicable in both international and non-international armed conflicts.

Non-international armed conflicts

...the UN Security Council called on all parties to armed conflicts “to ensure the full, safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to all children affected by armed conflicts”.[1] In another resolution adopted in 1999 on protection of civilians in armed conflicts, the UN Security Council expressed its concern at “the denial of safe and unimpeded access to people in need” and underlined “the importance of safe and unhindered access of humanitarian personnel to civilians in armed conflicts”.[2]...

[1] UN Security Council, Res. 1261 (Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 23, § 464)

[2] UN Security Council, Res. 1265 (ibid., § 466)

Consent

...require the consent of the parties concerned for relief actions to take place...such consent must not be refused on arbitrary grounds...While consent may not be withheld for arbitrary reasons, practice recognizes that the party concerned may exercise control over the relief action. In addition, humanitarian relief personnel must respect domestic law on access to territory and must respect the security requirements in force.

My Summary of the ICRC Humanitarian Aid Implementation 

I have read a lot of information from this ICRC source, and what I understand is that neighboring countries must not impede, and are expected (not required) to facilitate access to humanitarian aid for the civilian population, and that the combatants should not arbitrarily deny access to humanitarian aid. 

What Does All This Mean

1. It is clear there are two combatants in this conflict in the Gaza Strip. Hamas and Israel. It is a non-international armed conflict according to the ICRC.
2. It is unclear what the status of armed & hostile population not affiliated with, yet supporting Hamas. Are these actually civilians or are they some form of aggressive militia that can be seen as a third combatant?
3. It is clear that humanitarian aid should not be impeded to the civilian population.

My Opinion Overall Concerning the Combat in the Gaza Strip

This fight is between Hamas & Israel. Non-international. There is no Nation of Gaza. If a civilian picks up a weapon to fight Israeli troops, they become a combatant, regardless of whether they belong to Hamas or not. Those who instigate violence through speech are also combatants because their words & actions foment more conflict and destruction.

Humanitarian Aid to the civilian population of the Gaza Strip is sorely needed. It should be provided by international or private organizations and should accessed by private caravan through either Egypt or Israel. Any required inspections should be allowed to assure that no munitions or combatant support enters the Gaza Strip. No person who engages in combat (verbal or physical) is eligible to receive humanitarian support. No humanitarian aid can be provided by charging the civilian population for receiving such aid. There should be no profiteering.

My Opinion Regarding UNWRA

The children of Gaza have been taught to intend the destruction of the Nation of Israel by the materials provided for education in schools supported by UNWRA. Due to the fomenting of hatred against the existence of the Nation of Israel—UNWRA is a violent and disruptive arm of the United Nations [UN] and should be defunded and disbanded.

I was a Jihadist, Now I'm Fighting Islam in Germany

Irfan Peci interviewed by Apostate Prophet

David N., a friend of mine, suggested I watch this man's story.

"If you don't watch anything else about the Religion of Peace & Love, and wonder why it is relevant to you, watch this video shared by my European university professor friend, Chris.  

"In this entertaining but novel, informative & disturbing interview, a former European jihadist shares his a) young-teen radicalization, recruitment into Islamist Extremism and Terrorism, b) late-teen imprisonment, contemplation, rejection of Islam, and conversion to Christianity, and c) his very courageous life-saving, adult counter-terrorism activity. 

"It is just over an hour and a half, but have you ever watched a shorter ball game or opera? Well worth the time investment. You can break it down into three approximately half-hour segments."

David also suggested sharing this story with all of you.

The Facts They Hide: Joe Rogan and Gad Saad

I hope this is the video that Rivka initially posted. The source from her original post is no longer available (probably due to URL change).

Joe Rogan Experience #2263 – Gad Saad

 

@elonmusk, Please help me understand why my X account is suspended

FINAL UPDATE

The X Account in question has been re-instated. Thanks to all who made the re-instatement possible.

April 20, 2025

——————————————————————————————————————

I really don't want to waste your time. I know you have so many items in your purview. I have been trying to receive assistance from your employees through the 'submit an appeal' option on my X homepage. They have not responded in any way. Can someone in the X customer support team look at my account and report to me why my account has been suspended? This has been going on for a long time.

Your account is suspended

After careful review, we determined your account broke the X Rules. Your account is permanently in read-only mode, which means you can’t post, Repost, or Like content. You won’t be able to create new accounts. If you think we got this wrong, you can submit an appeal.

If none of your people can accomplish this, I suggest that this work be outsourced to me.

X account: @jcubine

Removing Unneeded Bureaucratic Employee Waste From US Government

Now Unneeded Government Employees Will Replace Undocumented Workers.

 

Information About Jews, Judaism, the Middle East, Gaza, and More

I just watched this entertaining video about how to begin to understand Where The Jews Come From.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I also hope you find it informative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV5ddewYMok

Yashiko Sagamori — Questions for Palestinian Supporters

A Japanese View of the Palestinians

Talk about one picture being worth a THOUSAND words...

An interesting questionnaire for Palestinian Advocates By Yashiko Sagamori

If you are so sure that "Palestine, the country, goes back through most of recorded history," I expect you to be able to answer a few basic questions about that country of Palestine :

1. When was it founded and by whom?
   
2. What were its borders?
3. What was its capital?
4. What were its major cities?
5. What constituted the basis of its economy?
6. What was its form of government?
7. Can you name at least one Palestinian leader before Arafat?
8. Was Palestine ever recognized by a country whose existence, at that time or now, leaves no room for interpretation?
9. What was the language of the country of Palestine?
10. What was the prevalent religion of the country of Palestine?
11. What was the name of its currency? Choose any date in history and tell what was the approximate exchange rate of the Palestinian monetary unit against the US dollar, German mark, GB pound, Japanese yen, or Chinese yuan on that date.
12. And, finally, since there is no such country today, what caused its demise, and when did it occur?

You are lamenting the "low sinking" of a "once proud" nation. Please tell me, when exactly was that "nation" proud and what was it so proud of?

And here is the least sarcastic question of all: If the people you mistakenly call "Palestinians" are anything but generic Arabs collected from all over -- or thrown out of -- the Arab world, if they really have a genuine ethnic identity that gives them right for self-determination, why did they never try to become independent until Arabs suffered their devastating defeat in the Six Day War?

I hope you avoid the temptation to trace the modern day "Palestinians" to the Biblical Philistines: substituting etymology for history won't work here.

The truth should be obvious to everyone who wants to know it. Arab countries have never abandoned the dream of destroying Israel ; they still cherish it today. Having time and again failed to achieve their evil goal with military means, they decided to fight Israel by proxy. For that purpose, they created a terrorist organization, cynically called it "the Palestinian people" and installed it in Gaza , Judea, and Samaria . How else can you explain the refusal by Jordan and Egypt to unconditionally accept back the "West Bank" and Gaza , respectively?

The fact is, Arabs populating Gaza, Judea, and Samaria have much less claim to nationhood than that Indian tribe that successfully emerged in Connecticut with the purpose of starting a tax-exempt casino: at least that tribe had a constructive goal that motivated them. The so-called "Palestinians" have only one motivation: the destruction of Israel , and in my book that is not sufficient to consider them a nation" -- or anything else except what they really are: a terrorist organization that will one day be dismantled.

In fact, there is only one way to achieve peace in the Middle East . Arab countries must acknowledge and accept their defeat in their war against Israel and, as the losing side should, pay Israel reparations for the more than 50 years of devastation they have visited on it. The most appropriate form of such reparations would be the removal of their terrorist organization from the land of Israel and accepting Israel 's ancient sovereignty over Gaza , Judea, and Samaria.

That will mark the end of the Palestinian people. What are you saying again was its beginning?

Jews Survive Because Torah Supports Them

 This article is written in first person voice, but I am not the writer. This article has been forwarded through the internet, and I happened upon in a WhatsApp chat group. It is a very moving story.

A friend of mine found these images. I include them to illustrate the story. It is expected that the story is actually associated with these images.

Nogah Safer is going around Israel writing a Torah.
Each person gets a letter.
This is at a gathering of survivors from the Nova Music Festival.

Last night was one of those "beyond" moments.

I once again had the great merit to accompany my friend Nogah Safer as he "tours" around Israel with the Torah scroll he is very close to completing, giving soldiers and communities that were evacuated after October 7th the opportunity to write a letter in it.

Last week we went to an army base. Super super powerful.

But last night was on a whole other level.

We went to a wedding hall that had been transformed into a place of gathering and healing for survivors of the Nova party, from which 364 beautiful souls were murdered by Hamas terrorists, so many people were injured and dozens were kidnapped and taken into captivity in Gaza.

Last night there were hundreds of young Israelis there. There was food, music, stations for different healing treatments, and a stage on which musicians performed and people spoke.

On the far wall of the hall, it said, in English, in huge blue lights "We Will Dance Again".

Wow.

And then we, the only religious-looking people there, set up a table in the corner, Nogah laid out the Torah scroll, we started playing music, and slowly people started to come over to ask what we were doing.

Nogah explained to them how he wanted to give survivors from Nova the powerful merit of writing a letter in a Torah scroll.

People were blown away. They never were presented with such an opportunity. Many of them never saw a Torah scroll so close up.

The first person stepped up and stood next to Nogah as he wrote a letter for him, followed by a big hug.

And then the next person.

And then the next.

Nogah didn't stop writing for over three hours.

By the night's end, almost everyone at that gathering had come over. People simply wanted to take part, they wanted to connect, they wanted to experience this rare and unique opportunity of participating in the writing of a letter in the Torah.

And many of them dedicated their letters...

To friends who were murdered at the party.

To friends who were taken as hostages by Hamas and are still in captivity.

One of the last women to take part was in a wheelchair. She lost a leg in the attack on October 7th.

It was all heartbreaking. Absolutely heartbreaking.

And at the same time the entire experience, the entire night, was so powerful and inspiring. Even uplifting.

Seeing people coming together. Taking care of each other. Loving each other. Lifting each other up. Helping each other to heal and to learn how to continue on.

At the end of this extraordinary night, I realized something.

It's not only our common enemy in this war that unifies us.

It's not only our common desire to defeat and destroy Hamas that unifies us.

It's not only our common desire to live peacefully in our land that unifies us.

On the deepest level, it's the Torah that unifies us.

Religious, not religious, it doesn't matter.

Last night, I saw the Torah as a giant magnet drawing every kind of Jew towards it. Everyone was included and everyone felt included. Guys with tattoos and body piercings asked, "Can I?" Women came up to us and asked, "Can women also participate?"

"Of course," we said. "Everyone's invited!"

Because the Torah belongs to all of us.

And we belong to it.

Because we find our deepest and truest selves in it.

As Jewish tradition teaches: every Jew is like a letter in the Torah.

And last night I felt like everyone who came up to the Torah was searching for their letter in the Torah.

Which means, essentially, they were searching for themselves.

Because after the disaster and catastrophe of October 7th, everyone – everyone – is looking for themselves and their way in this world on a whole new level.

What is the Solution of the Israeli-Palestinian "Problem"?

 The Gaza Strip and the "West Bank" need to be Israel.

This isn't a prevalent, trendy, or popular idea. Most people seem to believe a "two-state solution" needs to be the only acceptable solution. They are wrong! Dead wrong.

Here is the crux of the problem: The only people in the Middle East who want Israel to exist are Israeli citizens.

I can hear the outcry. No! That is not true! We want a country for the Palestinian people! 

"From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free!" No matter what you think, this is a call for genocide against the Jewish people living in Israel. It is a call for the removal of Israel as a country. It means that there is no place on the planet where Jews may live in peace with their neighbors.

The real problem is solved when all "Palestinians" become "Israeli Palestinians" and live by the laws of the nation Israel. There are no discriminatory laws in Israel. All citizens have the same rights. All citizens who can read, write, and converse in the dominant language have all the rights of any other citizen. Those citizens only "literate" (speak, read, and write) in the language of the land from which they emigrated have all the rights of other citizens. There is no apartheid—that concept as applied to Israel is a complete fabrication.

Any citizen who cannot speak, read, or write Hebrew has several options. There is Ulpan: a series of lessons provided by either the government (free for the first 10 years after immigration); there are also many private organizations providing language instruction (for some fee). Also, many signs in Israel provide several languages, and restaurant menus may be available in two or more languages. Many Israeli citizens speak more than one language. No one is ostracized in Israel.

Israel has approximately 2 million Arab citizens. This is approximately 21% of the citizens of Israel. Israel has 10 Arab ministers in the Knesset (the governing body of Israel).

There are areas in the disputed territories that Jews are not allowed to enter. These areas have large red signs letting the Jews know that to enter this area is to endanger their life. The Israeli government puts up these signs to protect its Jewish citizens from death. It is not certain that a Jew would be killed, but there is no guarantee. There is not any sign that warns an Arab that their life would be in danger if they venture beyond. No Arab is ever in danger in the disputed areas or in the land of Israel.

The only way to assure the protection of all inhabitants of Israel is to utilize the police and soldiers of Israel to certify that the laws of Israel will protect all the inhabitants of the area "from the river to the sea".

That will be accomplished when Israel is all the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Golan Heights to the edge of the Sinai Peninsula.

All people are under one reasonable set of laws. All who will become citizens of Israel can vote for their representatives. All people are protected from danger to their lives. 

Gaza will be rebuilt and infused with high-technology companies and manufacturing. There will be jobs for citizens. A harbor and port will be constructed to facilitate trade.

The world can be shown that Israel is not an occupier, but a partner in facilitating economic growth.

This is the way.

The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies

 BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 2,215, November 28, 2023

“We cannot always prevent the murder of workers in an orchard or sleeping families, but we can set a high price for our blood. A price too high for the Arab settlement, the Arab army and the Arab government to pay. … [Retaliation operations] are not for vengeance. It is an act of punishment and warning, that if that state does not control its population and does not prevent them attacking us – the Israeli forces will cause havoc in its land.“

IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan,

Lecture to IDF officers: “Retaliation Operations as a Means of Ensuring Peace”, July 1955

(Published in IDF monthly journal Skira Hodsheet, August 1955).

Israel Always Fights For Survival

The concept of war between nations is usually for land, control of a population, to acquire production assets or resources.

You might think one of these reasons drives Israel to war, but you would be wrong. Dead wrong.

We fight ONLY to survive.

Our forefather Abram (his name had not yet been changed by God) went to war with four Kings of cities north of Canaan after they took Lot—Abraham's nephew—as a spoil of war in their altercation with five Kings of cities around the Dead Sea who had rebelled and left the hegemony. They took Lot, and Abraham went to Damascus, defeated the four Kings, and brought all the booty back to the five Kings. He accepted no part of the booty for himself. He only waged war to bring Lot back home. Genesis: 14

God visited with our forefather Abraham (after He had changed his name) as he sat in his tents on the plain of Mamre. He told Abram that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed because their sin had become grave. Genesis: 18. Abraham debates with God regarding the level of righteousness required to save the city of Sodom. Together, God and Abraham settled on 10 righteous men to be the city's salvation. This was a war of words in the form of a debate entered into with God in order to save lives. There were not enough righteous men to save the city.

Abraham and Sarah left Mamre and journeyed to the land to the south and settled between Kadesh and Shur, and he sojourned in Gerar. Genesis: 20. Abimelech, King of Gerar, found Sarah to be comely and desired her to become part of his household. Abraham had stated she was his sister. When Abimelech's people had all their openings closed so they could not give birth or even excrete bodily refuse, God told Abimelech this had happened because Sarah had been taken from her husband. God said that when Abimelech returned Sarah to Abraham the openings of the bodies of the people of Abimelech would be restored to proper functioning when Abraham prayed for them all. Abimelech spoke with Abraham and blamed Abraham for this "injustice" done to the people of Gerar. Abraham explained that he saw no fear of God in this place, so he feared that Abimelech might have killed Abraham to take Sarah. By saying she was his sister, his life was not endangered. Moreover, since Sarah was the daughter of Haran (the deceased brother of Abraham), the status of father for Sarah became the realm of the father of Haran—Terah—also the father of Abraham. In this sense Sarah could be said to be his sister, so he did not lie nor represent falsely. His statement did mislead Abimelech, who now understood and showered Abraham with money and gifts. He was not an evil man, however, and offered that Abraham and Sarah could choose to live among his people (Philistines) in peace. He may have hoped to create some form of commerce with such a man as Abraham. In this case, the possible threat to the life of Abraham caused the use of one of the tools of war—misdirection. At the end of the story, a treaty of sorts has been reached when Abraham prays for the relief of the people of Abimelech.

Sarah died in Kiryath-Arba, which is Hebron in the land of Canaan. Genesis: 23. Abraham requested to buy a plot to bury his beloved Sarah. The children of Heth told Abraham that they would provide any place he chose because they saw that he was a Prince of God in their midst. Abraham argued (almost like a propaganda war in the presence of an audience) with the children of Heth to allow him (Abraham) to buy the Cave of Machpela in the field of Ephron the Hittite. Ephron offered to give it to Abraham, but Abraham declined. He understood that this cave was for the burial of Ephron's family. It would be a great loss to Ephron who was offering it in the presence of the children of Heth so they would see his "gift" as making him an exceptional man. Abraham understood this and offered to purchase the entire field (including the cave) from Ephron. Ephron asked Abraham what would 400 silver shekels mean between them. This allowed it to look like he would give the field to Abraham—yet he had named the price at 400 silver shekels. Abraham understood the "saving of face" undertaken by Ephron and also the sale price. Since the silver shekel was worth 2500 times as much as the everyday shekel, Abraham paid 1,000,000 shekel for the field with the cave. In the presence of the children of Heth Abraham bought this field and cave in Machpeleh facing Mamre in Hebron. Abraham buried Sarah in the cave he bought for a great price from Ephron the Hittite. The cave is still in Hebron to this day. It is the burial place of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs. It is in the hands of the Palestinian Authority and is not available to us. So who is occupying whose purchased property?

I suppose we should fight to regain possession of our property rightly purchased in Hebron from the current occupiers. Maybe we can simply negotiate for its return to the proper owners.

Isaac was the son of Abraham. He was the husband of Rebecca (Rivka). Isaac was the son who was bound by Abraham and placed upon the altar of Moriah as an offering to God by the command of God. Isaac wasn't sacrificed but he was offered as a perfect sacrifice, and so he was intimately connected to the land God decreed to be the home of the descendants of Abraham. When there was a famine in the land, Isaac thought to go to Egypt like his father before him. God told him not to go to Egypt. If Isaac went to the land God showed him then Isaac and his descendants would inherit all these lands that were promised to Abraham's descendants. Isaac went to settle in Gerar. The men of Gerar asked after Rebecca and Isaac (like his father before him) said the woman was his sister because he feared they would kill him on account of Rebecca. Abimelech (King of Gerar) witnessed Isaac & Rebecca in the garden and knew they were husband & wife. He sent them away from Gerar and told all his people to leave them alone. They settled in the plain of Gerar and in the first year increased their wealth 100 times. Isaac opened again the wells his father had dug and the Philistines had filled over. Abimelech came to Isaac and told him to leave because he (Isaac) had become more rich and powerful than the people of the land. He was a threat to their peace. Isaac went to another area, and dug a well, it was not contested by the Philistines, so Isaac called the well Rehovot because they did not argue about it. He then went to Beer-Sheva, dug a well, and Abimelech came with Phicol (his general) to make a treaty (a pact) with Isaac. Since the Philistines had "done no harm" to Isaac, they wanted him to swear to do no harm to them. They made a treaty (which means without a treaty there would be a war) and Isaac named the place Beer-Sheba.

So if somebody comes to you with a General and tells you to make a treaty with them, wouldn't you think you may have been on the brink of a war?

In time, Isaac became old. He wanted to give his son Esau the blessing he could offer as the blessing of success and authority over the family and before God. Esau had already sold his "birthright" double-portion of inheritance to Jacob years before for a bowl of soup when he returned from a hunt hungry and tired. Now he also lost the blessing. He hated Jacob and decided he would kill Jacob after the time of mourning for the death of his father Isaac was finished. Genesis: 27.

Rebecca heard this and went to Isaac to say to him that she could not bear to have Jacob marry from the daughters of Canaan. She wanted him to marry a daughter of Laban her brother in Paddan-Aram. Isaac called for Jacob, blessed him, and sent him to the home of Laban the Aramean. Esau learned from this that the daughters of the Canaanites were undesirable, so he married Mahalath, a daughter of Ishmael, son of Abraham.

In this case, the war between the brothers Esau and Jacob was postponed for many years. Jacob preserved his life by leaving.

Genesis: 28.10-32.3. Jacob makes it to Haran, and asks after Laban son of Nahor. He meets Rachel daughter of Laban at the community well and is taken by her beauty. He asks Laban for Rachel to become his wife, and Laban says he should work for 7 years for Rachel, though Jacob can marry her now. Jacob is tricked, as Laban instead marries Leah to Jacob, and at the end of the 7 years worked for Leah, Jacob is allowed to marry Rachel and work another 7 years. He works 6 more years for an inheritance of the flock. His wage is changed by Laban many times. Much in the experience of Jacob with Laban proves Laban to be a trickster, narcicist, and thief. Jacob, his two wives and two concubines leave without informing Laban. He learns about the departure 3 days later. He comes with fighters to take back everything because he believes it is all his by right. He is ready to fight. He is angry.

Jacob assuaged Laban's bruised ego and shows how Laban has cheated him in every way. Laban realizes that God is guiding Jacob, and decides to make a pact with Jacob. Basically, if Jacob does evil to Laban, Laban will come for Jacob. This is a threat of destruction if you don't treat me well. The threat could go both ways, but Jacob had no intention to harm Laban unless he was attacked by Laban, so the treaty holds even though there is continual bad blood. War averted. Life preserved.

These are just too many words. I am going to revert to simple listing.

When Jacob reaches home, Esau comes to meet him with an army. He intends war.

When Jacob's daughter Dina is raped by Shechem, Simon & Levi (her brothers) circumcise all the males in the City Shechem and then kill them all why they are recuperating. Shechem—the son of the King of Shechem the city—had waged war on their family by destroying their sister's life, so they made war upon the males of the city in retaliation. Jacob is angered by their actions. There are other ways to make things right without resorting to war.

When Pharoah realizes the Isarelites are supposed to raise up a redeemer, he orders all the male babies to be drowned in the Nile river. This is an act of war—genocide. The midwives refuse to follow the command of the Pharoah—an act of rebellion. War against authority. War to save life.

Moses finds an Egyptian beating an Israelite. He kills the Egyptian – possibly to "save the life" of the Israelite. The text is not clear on this. Moses may not have been thinking clearly. He then escaped Egypt to save his own life, only to return 40 years later to save the lives of the Jewish people.

The Israelites are nearly assimilated into Egyptian culture, so God sends Moses to tell Pharoah to let the Israelites leave, but Pharoah refuses. God then wages war on the gods of Egypt in an amazing series of miraculous series of plagues, finalized by the killing of all the first-born of the land of Egypt. Certainly an act of war. The Israelites leave Egypt. The war of God saved their lives.

As the Israelites are leaving Egypt, the Egyptians follow with chariots to kill them or take them back to Egypt. God intervenes at the Sea of Reeds (or the Red Sea) and provides passage through the water for the Israelites, yet closes the waters over the chariots of the Egyptians, killing them. God makes war on the Egyptians to save the lives of the Israelites.

While the Israelites are moving through the Sinai desert, the Amalekites are attacking the stragglers, the weak, and the infirm. This is an act of war to take life. Later the Israelites will war with Amalek to save their lives. They take no "booty".

When the Story of Esther is read (each year at Purim) the Jewish people wage war against the followers of Haman the Aggagite (Agag was the king of the Amalekites) when given permission to kill those who are intending to kill them. They receive permission from King Ahashverosh to war with Haman and his followers because the original decree of the King to kill the Jews could not be undone. Therefore The King gave the Jews permission to fight back or even fight first. War to save life.

We have fought the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Selucids, the Greeks, The Romans, almost every country in Europe, The Holy Roman Empire, the Ottomans, the Russians, the Germans, the Iraqis, the Syrians, the Lebanese, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Al Quaeda, Hamas, Arafat, the Palestinian Authority, Iran, and the opinions of the majority of the world. We have never taken anything from any of you.

The ONLY land we have ever called home is the land between the River and the Sea. It is the land God gave us. Though we were sent away by the Romans and dispersed throughout the continents, we have always known Judea, Samaria, the land of the Philistines (Gaza Strip), and the Golan Heights are the majority of our ancient homeland. It is now occupied by others who have lived here for many years. We do not wish to force them to leave. They are welcome to stay and prosper with us. Alongside us.

We just want to live—in our ancient homeland—in peace. We are an ancient people. The last of the ancient peoples. We have learned to live in the modern world. We will continue to do so. Do not make us need to make war to preserve our lives. We will not go quietly into the dark of history.

All who are willing to live by the laws of the land of Israel may do so. Those who cannot will be prosecuted. There will be peace eventually. Let us make it happen sooner rather than later. Let us live in peace together.