https://www.jpost.com/opinion/israel-must-prove-it-has-freedom-to-defend-itself-opinion-668124
Friday, May 14, 2021
Israel works to build int’l support for Operation Guardians of the Walls
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-works-to-build-intl-support-for-operation-668150
The Foreign Ministry had a positive view on world responses to Operation Guardians of the Walls, as it worked to preserve Israel’s international legitimacy to continue fighting against Hamas.
The
assessment came a day after a security cabinet source said that Israel
has not faced significant pressure to agree to a ceasefire with Hamas.
Several senior Israeli sources have said in recent days that the US is
not pushing for a ceasefire.
Israel-Gaza: Conflict stalls Arab-Israeli rapprochement
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57105583
The much-trumpeted Abraham Accords - that saw the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan all sign agreements with Israel - were always going to be hostage to events on the ground. Now those events have descended into deadly violence, any further public warming of relations between the Arab states and Israel has been put on hold.
Elise Stefanik's leadership rise stirs up GOP drama over identity politics
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/13/politics/elise-stefanik-gop-leadership/index.html
In
a column posted shortly after Cheney was removed from her post on
Wednesday, the Washington Post's Jennifer Rubin contended that the "most
obvious reason" Republicans had settled on Stefanik, whose voting
record has raised eyebrows among the party's most conservative members,
"is because the party -- though it supposedly abhors identity politics
-- needs a skirt to hide behind as it jettisons a strong,
independent-minded female colleague."
Biden says he doesn’t think Israel overreacting in response to Gaza rockets
US President Joe Biden on Thursday said he did not think Israel has
overreacted in its response to rocket fire from Gaza as Washington
worked to block the UN Security Council from holding an open meeting on
the matter.
“One of the things I’ve seen thus far is that there has not been a
significant overreaction [by Israel],” Biden said when asked at a press
conference whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was doing enough
to prevent an escalation.
Thursday, May 13, 2021
Kedushas Tzion Fourth Annual Convention
היום בערב הועידה השנתית הרביעית של אגודת קדושת ציון - בירושלים,
הערב בין 7:00-11:15 (התכנסות ב-6:30), באולם שירת ירושלים.
בין הנואמים: הרב שלמה משה עמר שליט"א, הרב זאב לף שליט"א, הר' ישראל גליס, הר' ישראל גולדווסר ועוד.
אם ממש לא תוכל לבוא, הנה קישור לשידור, (כמובן זה לא תחליף...)
כט"ס,
יואל ברמן
Kedushas Tzion Fourth Annual ConventionThursday evening, 2 Sivan (May 13)7:00PM-11:15PM Israel Time(Thursday afternoon, 12:00PM-4:15PM New York Time)Speakers include Rav Shlomo Moshe Amar shlita, Rav Zev Leff shlita, R' Yisroel Gellis, and more.
This option is meant only for those not physically able to attend, namely Jews currently in the Diaspora. To come to the original, off-line event, see the Hebrew invitation here.
Andrew Yang apologizes for pro-Israel tweet after criticism from the left
https://nypost.com/2021/05/12/andrew-yang-apologizes-for-pro-israel-tweet/
Local Jewish leaders were largely unfazed by Yang’s revisions.
“It’s definitely not going to hurt him,” said Brooklyn government relations consultant Ezra Friedlander, who is backing Yang’s opponent Scott Stringer.
“He expressed his support [for Israel] and I think people appreciate that,” Friedlander said.
David Greenfield, who runs the Manhattan-based Jewish charity Met Council, said the criticism of Yang was unfair.
But his clarification that he cares about Palestinians while also supporting the State of Israel is “the viewpoint of most people of good conscience,” said Greenfield, who hasn’t made an endorsement for the June 22 election.
Yang has received backing of key leaders in the city’s politically powerful orthodox Jewish community including Brooklyn pols Councilman Kalman Yeger and state Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein.
AOC criticizes Biden statement of support for Israel as siding with 'occupation'
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., criticized President Biden over his Wednesday statement of support for Israel amid escalating violence with Hamas, claiming he gave little context for what stoked the tensions and was consequently "siding with occupation."
Biden told reporters Israel has a right to defend itself "when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory."
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted that Biden had failed to mention the pending evictions of dozens of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem in favor of Israelis and the Israeli police raid of the Al-Aqsa mosque that left hundreds of worshippers hurt as an instigator to Hamas’ rocket attacks.
She said statements that don’t recognize Israel’s role in the violence "dehumanize Palestinians & imply the US will look the other way at human rights violations. It’s wrong."
"By only stepping in to name Hamas’ actions - which are condemnable - & refusing to acknowledge the rights of Palestinians, Biden reinforces the false idea that Palestinians instigated this cycle of violence," she wrote. "This is not neutral language. It takes a side - the side of occupation."
Biden calls Netanyahu after criticism he was silent on Israeli-Palestinian violence
Asked about the proportionality of Israel's response Wednesday, Blinken said there was a "very clear and absolute distinction" between Hamas "targeting civilians and Israel's response defending itself." But he added that civilian casualties in Gaza have "a powerful impact, and I think Israel has an extra burden in trying to do everything it possibly can to avoid civilian casualties."
In defense of Israel's 'disproportionate' response in Gaza
https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2009/0109/p09s01-coop.html
It seems that whenever Israel responds to violent overtures from groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas, leaders of the international community are quick to assign equal condemnation to Israelis and Palestinians regardless of whether one is legitimately acting in self-defense.
This is a particularly puzzling criticism of Israel. Would the international community truly prefer a proportionate or equal response? If Hamas launches three crudely-fashioned rockets into Israel, should the Israeli government respond with three equally-crude rockets? If three Israeli Defense Forces are kidnapped by Hezbollah, should the IDF respond by kidnapping an equal number of Hezbollah foot-soldiers?
Hamas should garner no international sympathy simply because it made the poor decision of engaging an enemy of far-superior military might. The international community must further realize that both belligerents do not always need equal blame placed upon them.
The myth of disproportionate Israeli response
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/306133
Unfortunately, the term “disproportionate response” has been intentionally used to negate Israel’s right to defend itself. Suddenly, Israel’s right of self-defense becomes contingent upon a low number of civilian casualties. If those casualties seem too high, Israel is called upon to show restraint and to cease eliminating the threat. Furthermore, the term also seems to ignore any Hamas responsibility for those civilian casualties.
But it is not axiomatic that a high civilian casualty rate points to a disproportionate use of force. It might or it might not. It is necessary to examine the facts.
And what are the facts?
Biden calls Netanyahu, says Israel ‘has right to defend itself’ against Hamas rockets
President Biden on Wednesday spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reaffirm U.S. support for Israel after a night of bloodshed with civilians in Tel Aviv sheltering from Hamas rockets.
"I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu not so long ago. I’ll be putting out a statement very shortly on that," Biden told reporters at the White House.
"My expectation and hope is that this will be closing down sooner than later. But Israel has a right to defend itself against thousands of rockets flying into your territory."
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
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