Benjamin Netanyahu

Unqualified And Controversial Trump Appointments Abound In Early Selections!

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When one observes Donald Trump’s early appointments, one concludes that he has decided to name unqualified individuals to a multitude of major positions.

When one can say that Florida Senator Marco Rubio becoming Secretary of State is the “best” appointment of a horrendous list, that summarizes what a disaster the nation is facing!

Rubio has 14 years of Senate experience, and is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, and while no great intellectual, he meets the minimum requirements to lead our foreign policy establishment, but is no star in any sense.

But then, one looks at other appointments:

Pete Hegseth, a Fox News Host, as Secretary of Defense
Kristi Noem, South Dakota Governor, as Secretary of Homeland Security
Elise Stafanek, NY Congresswoman, as United Nations Ambassador
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas Governor, as US Ambassador to Israel
Tulsi Gabbard, former Democratic Congresswoman from Hawaii as Director Of National Intelligence
Lee Zeldin, former NY Congressman, as head of the Environmental Protection Agency

Pete Hegseth is a total surprise to the Pentagon with no real credentials to head the Pentagon.

Kristi Noem has ZERO experience to head Homeland Security, and has been an embarrassment as Governor of a very small state, South Dakota.

Elise Stefanik is an ultimate example of an individual who transformed, conveniently, from being a moderate Republican to a MAGA Republican, as a way to advance her career.

Mike Huckabee is a Christian Zionist, whose ultimate aim is to convert Jews to his radical brand of Christianity, the last thing that American Jews would support, but may be acceptable to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, as he works to take over the Palestinian territories.

Tulsi Gabbard is a former Democratic Presidential contender, who has gone over to the Republican Party, after going off the rails in her foreign policy views, and now will be more powerful over intelligence gathering than anyone else .

Lee Zeldin has no desire to promote environmental protection, so can be described as a fox put into a chicken coop.

It seems clear that the major qualification to be in the Trump Cabinet is to be slavishly loyal to his agenda, with no concept of considering what is constitutional and legitimate!

Add to this list Robert F. Kennedy Jr. possibly being Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Billionaire Elon Musk everywhere, trying to have a major influence.

This list will become even more controversial as the days pass, and fireworks are possible on some of the appointments.

And now, as I am writing, controversial Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz has been chosen to be Attorney General, which would seem extremely divisive.

It also means now THREE Republican House members, including Mike Waltz of Florida as National Security Adviser, along with Stefanik and Gaetz, will be removed from that chamber, endangering, at least for the short term, having a Republican majority, which seems a lunatic move!

The last 24 hours have been shocking, and will continue to be in the coming hours and days!

76th Anniversary Of Israel: Great Division Among Jews Inside And Outside Over War Strategy In Gaza!

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When Israel was attacked by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on October 7, 2023, there was universal horror and shock at the massacre of 1,200 Israelis, the worst single event since the Holocaust of World War II, that killed 6 million Jews!

It was understandable that Israel would mount an offensive to do what could be done to eliminate Hamas.

However, the total eliminination is clearly impossible, as indicated by the reality that in areas that Israel seized in the northern Gaza Strip, already Hamas has returned to be an influence.

With 35,000 Palestinians, including 70 percent estimates of women and children killed, and others facing famine with the incessant Israeli military offensive, now being focused on Southern Gaza and Rafah, it is clear that if anything, the survivors of this brutal war will have resentment and bitterness and want revenge on Israel.

So all out war has failed to accomplish its goals and clearly, never will be successful in the manner that the Israeli government has set as a goal.

Meanwhile, many Israelis want the war ended and the remaining hostages released. The Jewish community in the United States is also divided, with many younger Jews alienated from the extremist government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist Orthodox Jew ministers and supporters, who want all Palestinians dead!

Support for Israel in general is waning, and antisemitism is rampant, so an insoluble situation for future stability and recovery seems unattainable.

This is also affecting political support for Joe Biden as he is against a full scale attack on Rafah, but Donald Trump does not represent a better future.

College Campuses And The Israel-Hamas War

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The Israel-Hamas War in the Gaza Strip in the past seven months has led to the deaths of more than 34,000 Palestinians, including approximately two thirds being women and children.

It has become the biggest controversy on college campuses in many decades, and has led to massive demonstrations and occupations of many campuses by protesters, and by outside agitators not connected to the universities.

The ugly situation has many tones of antisemitism, endangering Jewish students, advocating violence, and calling for destruction of Israel.

Freedom of speech and the right to protest are basic constitutional rights, but it does not include the right to interfere with normal operation of educational institutions.

One can disagree with the strategy and tactics of the Israeli government, and yet also understand that a nation has the right to exist and to defend itself after the horrific massacre of about 1,200 people on October 7, 2023 by the extremist Hamas terrorist group.

One can also condemn right wing MAGA Republicans, led by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, Ohio Senator J D Vance, and other extremists, who want to employ military force to end the protests.

It is also disturbing that college students often have little knowledge and information, as they rely on social media, rather than established news sources, for their view of the world.

Colleges are supposed to be places for debates, education, empathy, and understanding, not for occupation and calls for genocide against an entire nation and people. To allow a small percentage of students and outside agitators to shut down a campus and threaten those who are opposed to their tactics is reprehensible.

These disturbances on college campuses are undermining the future of universities in the public mind, as extremism, violence, and occupation by many students and outsiders endanger public support for higher education.

It is also making more likely that many commencement ceremonies around the nation will be canceled, and this for students, who in many cases, did not have a high school graduation ceremony due to the COVID 19 Pandemic in the Spring of 2020.

Many of these demonstrators are destroying their education, as many will be suspended or expelled, will face possible criminal charges, and many corporations will be unwilling to hire people involved in civil disobedience without any conclusion.

Young people have a right to their beliefs, but not to stop the operations of universities, as many of these individuals will regret long term their youthful emotions that will not be good for their long term futures.

Every effort must be utilized to end the Israel-Hamas War and to free the remaining hostages, and Joe Biden has a major challenge ahead of him to convince Benjamin Netanyahu to change his strategy that has endangered the international community’s view of the conflict.

This issue could affect the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, bringing back memories of the disastrous Chicago Democratic convention in 1968, that led to the defeat of Hubert Humphrey and the Presidency of Richard Nixon.

Israel-Hamas War A Nightmare Scenario For Joe Biden Campaign!

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The Israel-Hamas War, now six months old, has seen the death of 1,200 Israelis and 33,000 Gazan Palestinians.

More than 100 hostages of the 240 originally kidnapped on October 7 remain in Gaza, and famine is spreading in the Gaza Strip.

There seems to be no end to the bloodshed and hostage situation, and the war has divided the Democratic Party, with the left wing progressives condemning the war’s continuation, and Joe Biden being unsuccessful in influencing the strategy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

So as a result, many American Jews are angry at Biden for bringing pressure on Israel, while Arab-Muslim Americans are angry that Biden has not done more to stop the carnage.

And many Israelis are furious at Netanyahu for failure to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages.

The idea that Republicans and Donald Trump would have a better alternative that would win over the Jewish population and the Arab-Muslim population in the upcoming Presidential Election of 2024 is to believe in fairy tales.

However, if either group sits on their hands and stays home, it would dramatically undermine the Joe Biden campaign, and likely help Donald Trump to win.

Complexities of Israel-Hamas War Complicate American Politics Going Into 2024!

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The Israel-Hamas War after nine weeks is complicating American politics going into 2024!

Joe Biden has been very supportive of Israel, even with more than 17,000 plus deaths in the Gaza Strip caused by the Israeli offensive against the terrorist group, Hamas, which killed about 1,200 Israelis on October 7, the greatest loss of Jewish lives since the Nazi Holocaust in World War II.

There were righteous anger and desire on the part of Israel to destroy Hamas, but now it has become a massive Holocaust of the loss of so many Palestinians who are simply “stuck” in a war zone they cannot escape.

And the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is responsible for failing to insure Israeli citizens safety, with the shocking lapses in intelligence and security.

And Netanyahu refuses to plan for a “two state solution”, which ultimately needs to happen.

But right now, there is such hatred and division in the midst of massive deaths on both sides, and it has caused widespread antisemitism and Islamophobia in America, and complicates politics in America as we go into an election year!

Historic Divide Among American Jews On Israel-Hamas War

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A stunning development has occurred in the American Jewish community, as they divide over the proper response of Israel to the October 7 Hamas Massacre of 1,400 Israelis and some foreigners.

Originally, there was unity about the outrage of the worst loss of Jewish life since the Nazi Holocaust of World War II.

But Israel’s decision to invade the Gaza Strip and wage full scale war against Hamas has led to a bitter division within Jewish families and within generations.

Many younger American Jews are critical of the right wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu, and are calling for a cease fire despite the intention of Hamas to destroy Israel and kill all Jews worldwide.

Pro Palestinian sentiment, as they now become the victims of Hamas, is widespread.

Most American Jews of the older generations are much more supportive of Israel’s war strategy, but even within families, there are bitter division, something one could not have imagined.

Support Of Israel And Ukraine Linked, Especially For American Jews!

Ronald 11 Comments

Military support for both Israel and Ukraine has become essential to promote and preserve democracy against Hamas and Russian authoritarianism.

Particularly for American Jews, and Jews around the world, there is an emotional commitment to preservation of both nations’ ability to survive against massive threats to their sovereignty.

Personally, this author and blogger, being Jewish and whose ancestry is from Ukraine, and with Israel being the national homeland of the Jewish people, feels a special affinity to continued support for both nations.

The vast majority of the Democratic Party is behind continued support of Israel and Ukraine, while many Senate Republicans and some House Republicans agree.

But the MAGA Republican element, as respresented by Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan’s bid to be Speaker, are a dire threat to Ukraine, and unreliable on their Israeli support, as they bow to the evil of Donald Trump, who now attacks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for accepting Joe Biden’s victory in 2020, and praises Hezbollah, the threat to Israel from Lebanon. And Trump was impeached in 2019 for trying to force Ukraine to help him against Joe Biden, and is a known supporter of Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation!

A Turning Point Crisis In Israel Will Affect Presidential Election Of 2024!

Ronald 3 Comments

The horrendous massacre and mass murder of Hamas against civilians in Israel, including the kidnapping of hostages, is uniting most Americans around the great, compassionate, and dedicated support of President Joe Biden and his administration toward the Jewish state in this moment of existential crisis.

Even many conservatives and Republicans are applauding President Biden’s statements and actions on this most significant crisis of 2023.

Meanwhile, the Republicans cannot even select a Speaker of the House, and former President Donald Trump has demonstrated that he is willing to attack Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on petty grounds that he accepted and acknowleded Joe Biden’s victory in the Presidential Election of 2020.

Additionally, Trump praised Hezbollah, the terorrist group in Lebanon, as being “smart”, alienating many Republicans with such an outrageous statement.

So one can expect that Joe Biden will gain mightily from his handling of the Israel-Gaza War crisis, not because of the fact itself, but instead the continued demonstration of compassion, decency, competence, and experience that Joe Biden has brought to the Presidency.

The Republican Party, and its likely nominee, Donald Trump, truly the equivalent of a “suicide mission” for the party, will suffer dearly as they well deserve to do so a year from now, by what is likely a smashing defeat in the Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024!

Another Shocking Event: 9/11 For Israel, Threatens Survival And Stability In Middle East!

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In a stunning week, where the Speaker of the House of Representatives was repudiated for the first time in American history, now, shockingly, Israel faces issues of its survival and stability after the totally unexpected intelligence failure which led to sustained attacks by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, from the Gaza Strip.

This is the greatest tragedy since a half century ago, when at the same time on the calendar, there was the Yom Kippur War between Israel, Egypt, and Syria.

The loss of life, the number of wounded, and the shock of Israelis being taken captive, has stunned everyone who thought that Israel never had its national security and safety to be in danger.

Of course, the United States supports Israel in this crisis, but it does not take away from the reality that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is an extremist right wing government, which as I write, has apparently rejected the idea of a government of national unity, with the purpose of disposing of the most extremist right wing Orthodox Jewish religious elements in the government coalition.

There could be a massive war crime in the Gaza Strip, leading to the death of thousands of civilians who have nowhere to escape the potential bloodshed as Israel works to punish and destroy Hamas and the terrorist threat to Israel’s future.

This is a time of mourning, and of prayers required, that somehow, the developing tragedy will not lead to a massive loss of life unmatched in Middle East history!

And without a stable House of Representatives and an installed Speaker, the US government is faced with the crisis of having problems helping Israel, as well as Ukraine, in what has now become two major foreign policy crises faced by President Joe Biden!

Infuriating Attack Of Mike Pompeo On Randi Weingarten And Teaching Profession!

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There are many outrageous, irritating utterances that emanate from Republicans and conservatives about all kinds of issues and individuals.

But the attack of former Secretary of State and former CIA Director, and future Republican Presidential contender Mike Pompeo against Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers is the most infuriating statement imaginable.

Pompeo, insanely, termed Weingarten the most dangerous person in the world, more than Kim Jong Un of North Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping, or Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pompeo must be considered totally crazy with such an utterance, and should be disqualified from running for or winning the Oval Office.

This is not just a personal attack on a woman who has dedicated her life to education, as head of the United Federation of Teachers from 1998-2008, and as head of the American Federation of Teachers from 2008 to the present. Weingarten has devoted herself to promoting the rights and conditions of the teaching profession.

This is a field in which we are losing more teachers than replacing them, due to the effects of the COVID 19 Pandemic. But also there is the outrageous interference of right wing groups and ignorant parents who think they know more about what the curriculum should be in science, history, literature than educators who are trained to promote knowledge, truth, facts instead of myths, and to promote empathy, compassion and tolerance of others who are different than any of us.

Pompeo, like many right wing extremists, does not want students to learn about the truth of American history, the mistreatment of native Americans, African Americans, and other marginalized groups, but he is promoting narrow mindedness and intolerance, a threat to future harmony in this multi racial, multi ethnic society.

He is also, for sure, attacking Weingarten because of her liberal Jewish heritage and promoting Christian nationalism, which sees Jews as a group that should be proselytized to convert to Christianity. His pro Israel advocacy is phony, and he is supportive of the extremism in Israeli society, which has now led to Benjamin Netanyahu coming back as Prime Minister, while under criminal indictment. One can be pro Israel and support its right to exist, but does not require that all Jews or other decent people must accept the injustices represented by Netanyahu and his Orthodox extremists who look at Arabs as subhuman.

There is also an element of misogyny and homophobia that is part of Pompeo’s mantra, as Weingarten is a lesbian, and married to a Reform woman rabbi.

So all of the ugly elements–anti intellectual, Christian nationalism, misogyny, homophobia—of Mike Pompeo are to be condemned as horrendous.

And by attacking Weingarten, Pompeo also endangers her life and safety, and likely will cause threats that will require security, totally beyond the pale.