Editors' preface: Who has rights to the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River? Zionists cite biblical passages in which God awarded them Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel, in perpetuity in his covenant with the children of Israel. Muslims make a counter-claim based in part on verses of the Qur'an that describe the Jews in terms of contempt and in part on rulings in Muslim law that reject Muslims relinquishing rule over a territory under Muslim rule to nonbelievers. But other Muslims cite different Qur'anic verses in support of the Jewish claim. The conflict has a religious quality that makes it the more difficult to resolve.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
For thin-skinned Trump, every week is Shark Week
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/06/24/trump-rally-sharks-media-electrocution/
Trump’s apologists will say that this is just shtick to entertain his audience. (These same apologists keep telling us that Trump’s rants should be taken “seriously, not literally,” but whatever.) If we’re supposed to judge him on his chops as a Borscht Belt comedian, Don Rickles was funnier.
Monday, June 24, 2024
Here’s what Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said about Donald Trump during his DA campaign
https://www.politifact.com/article/2023/apr/12/heres-what-manhattan-district-attorney-alvin-bragg/
In the lead-up to his 2021 election to become Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg spoke often about his record, which included litigation against former President Donald Trump. He did not make any campaign promises to indict Trump.
Bragg’s predecessor, Cyrus Vance Jr., in 2019 began investigating the Trump Organization’s role in hush money payments.
Bragg said during his campaign that he would continue his predecessor's investigation and hold Trump “accountable by following the facts where they go.”
New Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg pledges to focus on Trump investigations
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/20/politics/bragg-new-york-trump/index.html
The next Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg Jr., says he plans to personally focus on the high-profile probe into former President Donald Trump’s business practices and may expand the investigative team while keeping at least one senior prosecutor on the case.
Bragg, who will be sworn into office on January 1, said he hasn’t been briefed on the facts of the Trump case, which is before a state grand jury. But he indicated he has no plans to disrupt the investigation he’s inheriting even as he also wants to focus on his own agenda.
“This is obviously a consequential case, one that merits the attention of the DA personally,” Bragg said in a recent interview over lunch in Harlem.
Did Alvin Bragg Campaign on a Promise To Prosecute Trump? What We Know
While campaigning, Bragg said: "I have investigated Trump and his children and held them accountable for their misconduct with the Trump Foundation. I also sued the Trump administration more than 100 times for the travel ban, the separation of children from their families at the border. So I know that work. I know how to follow the facts and hold people in power accountable."
He also said that he would continue with Vance's investigation and hold Trump "accountable by following the facts where they go."
US hasn’t withheld weapons for Israel, but it’s done fast-tracking them
The Biden administration in recent months removed emergency procedures that were in place to fast-track weapons to Israel toward the beginning of the war, an American official familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Sunday.
The revelation helps explain the claim Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began making last week that the United States has been withholding weapons shipments to Israel. The US has denied the assertion, explaining that it has only withheld one shipment of heavy bombs it was concerned Israel would use in the densely populated southern Gaza city of Rafah.
All other shipments have continued at a normal pace, the White House explained.
I Was The Target Of Racial, Homophobic Harassment by MAGA. I'm Still Voting For Trump |
I am done thinking. Trump has my vote in 2024. No matter what I think about the fringes that are still very much active in the Republican Party, I cannot let my negative experience with a few color the larger issues that are facing America.
Trump claims he made peace in the Middle East with Abraham Accords. That’s False.
As the Israel-Hamas war continues, Donald Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said that when he was president, he brokered a deal to protect Israel.
"With the historic Abraham Accords, I even made peace in the Middle East, we're gonna have peace in the Middle East," Trump said at a Dec. 2 rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "So, for four straight years, I kept America safe. I kept Israel safe."
Trump has repeatedly said this since Hamas attacked Israel Oct. 7.
"In reality, the accords simply elevated and formalized relations between countries that already maintained backchannel ties," said Omar H. Rahman, a U.S.-based research fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, a think tank in Qatar. "Moreover, none of the parties to the Abraham Accords were ever engaged in military conflict against each other, so framing normalization as peace is a gross misrepresentation of what the agreements actually achieved."
The Old Peace Treaties vs. the Abraham Accords
https://besacenter.org/the-old-peace-treaties-vs-the-abraham-accords/
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Unlike Israel’s earlier peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan, the Abraham Accords involved Arab countries that do not border Israel, have never fought it on the battlefield, and are relatively unburdened by the Palestinian question. Accordingly, they were able to implement a “people to people” peace that eluded their predecessors.
Forget 'peace,' did Abraham Accords set stage for Israel-Gaza conflict?
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/abraham-accords-peace-middle-east/
The resulting Abraham Accords were, at least in the neoconservative world, considered a stroke of “genius.” Rather than finding a solution to the seemingly intractable question of Palestinian statehood, it simply sidelined it.
But the Palestinian issue could not simply be wished away, and the signing of the pacts created a set of contradictions that fueled the tensions that erupted October 7. The vast majority of the populations of Israel’s Arab neighbors opposed the accords, as did some leaders, like Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, who charged that the signers had “lost their moral compass,” and Jordan’s King Abdullah, who declared that “no architecture for regional security and development can stand over the burning ashes of this conflict.”
So did Palestinians themselves, across opinion surveys, with both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas calling it a “betrayal,” a “treacherous stab,” and “grave harm.” Hamas also called for “an integrated plan to bring down normalization.” Protests against the accords erupted in Morocco, one of the signers.
Assessing the Abraham Accords, Three Years On
https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/assessing-the-abraham-accords-three-years-on/
Given the domestic and regional effects, it is difficult to see how the Abraham Accords and their expansion can achieve peace or stability, even in the short term. A recent meeting between Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and his Libyan counterpart, Najla el-Mangoush, is a case in point; what were supposed to be under-the-table talks regarding normalization led to protests across Libya once they were exposed by the Israelis. Public outcry has even forced the Libyan government to accuse the foreign minister of grand treason.
The long term impacts of these dynamics are dangerous as well. Transnational repression does not remain confined to the region, and has already impacted activists and dissidents, even in the Global North. Internally, dynamics of domestic repression in Arab nations create unstable state-society relations, portending additional reactions in the future. The fact that these authoritarian dynamics are attached to ideas of “tolerance” and to Israel’s integration into the Arab world will be catastrophic for public opinion, making sustainable peace in the region even less likely.
Why incompetents become rich and powerful
Sefer Chasidim (549) Sometimes you will find rulers and rich and not because of their good deeds but because others humiliated them or their ancestors and their family because of some characteristic they have and God does not want people to be shamed so He made then rich and powerful.
Argentina: Less inflation, more poverty under Milei
https://www.dw.com/en/argentina-less-inflation-more-poverty-since-milei-took-office/a-69446583
Economist Hernan Letcher, director of the Argentine Center for Economic Policy, takes a more critical view. He believes the victims of Milei's deregulation policy and austerity measures are ordinary people, not what Milei has described as the "caste."
Warning signs for Biden’s Jewish support as war in Gaza drags on and antisemitism rises
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/23/politics/joe-biden-jewish-voters/index.html
Israel has often proved to be a vexing topic for Trump to speak about during his comparatively brief political career. Trump’s support among Jewish voters in 2020, at 30% according to Associated Press exit polls, was the highest for a Republican presidential candidate in decades.
The former president is frustrated he didn’t get more support from Jewish voters for the long-sought moving of the American embassy to Jerusalem and has many times made comments like the ones he made in April, saying that “any Jewish person that votes for Biden does not love Israel, and frankly, should be spoken to.”
He has offered no substantive alternative proposals for getting to a deal or long-term post conflict plan. He has not condemned antisemitic incidents, and often talks about hostages in reference to the January 6, 2021, Capitol rioters in prison, not the estimated 120 Israelis (including five American citizens) still being held by Hamas.
The unintended effect of the anti-Israel protests
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/23/opinions/israel-gaza-protests-jews-bitton/index.html
Here’s a secret that many of the protesters in university encampments and on city streets don’t seem to be in on: The more they demonize Israel, the more they reawaken Jewish identity and strengthen Zionism.
Netanyahu: 'Dramatic decrease in US munitions shipments in last 4 months'
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391967
"But four months ago, there was a dramatic decrease in the munitions coming to Israel from the US. For long weeks, we turned to our American friends and requested that the shipments be expedited. We did this time and again. We did so at the highest levels, and at all levels, and I want to emphasize – we did so behind closed doors. We received all sorts of explanations, but one thing we did not receive; the basic situation did not change. Certain items arrived sporadically but the munitions at large remained behind," he said.
Charges dropped for most of Columbia University protesters arrested at Hamilton Hall
https://abc7ny.com/post/judge-dismisses-30-cases-criminal-trespass-pro-palestinian/14982715/
In calling for the dismissal of charges Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Stephen Millan cited what he called "extremely limited video," adding that "the security cameras were immediately covered by certain defendants," who prosecutors have been unable to identify.
The available video evidence "fails to establish or prove" the 31 people participated in damaging university property or causing harm to anyone, making it difficult for prosecutors to prove anything other than trespassing at trial, the DA's office said.
Columbia University on Thursday declined to comment on the court proceedings when contacted by CNN.
Fourteen of the defendants still facing charges - 12 of whom were neither staff nor students at Columbia - have been offered Adjournments in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD), the Manhattan DA's office said. An ACD allows a court to defer a defendant's case - with the potential that the defendant's charge will be dismissed - if the defendant does not engage in additional criminal conduct.
Republican Fact-Checked on Accusation Against Joe Biden During Interview
Republican Fact-Checked on Accusation Against Joe Biden During Interview
Collins pushed back, pointing out that Trump had actually signed more executive orders than Biden. She also said that Biden's recent executive action related to immigration came after the urging of GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson.
"Well, I counted, Trump signed 220 executive orders when he was in office, President Biden so far has only assigned 139, the same time span. And on executive action on immigration, it was Speaker Mike Johnson, who was calling on President Biden to take executive action saying it wasn't Congress' responsibility was his," the CNN host said.
According to the Federal Register, an official journal of the U.S. government, Biden has signed 139 executive orders so far, while Trump signed 220 during his tenure. Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama signed 277 executive orders and former President George W. Bush signed 291.
Sunday, June 23, 2024
Honoring Parents vs Torah Study
Kli Yakar (Devarim 33:9):Who said to his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; nor did he acknowledge his brothers, nor knew his own children; for they have observed your word, and kept your covenant. That is because our Sages said that whoever is involved in Torah study is exempt from honoring his parents. The proof of this is Yaakov who was not punished for the 14 years that he remained with Shem and Ever and did not fulfill the mitzva of honoring his father and mother. This is what the verse is saying that “He says to his father and mother that he hasn’t seen him” because he is not required to look after them and surely he doesn’t not have to pay attention to what his brother is doing. Furthermore the verse says He doesn’t know his own children. This is stated in Eiruvin. “What is the meaning of the verse, “black as a crow.” Rava says it is referring to talmid chachim because of the necessity for him to be cruel to his children as a crow in order to be proficient in his studies. An example is Rav Adda who when he was leaving to study in the beis hamedrash his wife asked him where his children would get food. He responded that there were herbs in the marsh that they could eat.” This that it says in this verse that “he doesn’t know his own children” it also means that his children act as if they don’t know their father. That is because they also are studying Torah and thus don’t know him.
LEAVE KIDS OUT OF YOUR BRUISED EGO
https://mishpacha.com/leave-kids-out-of-your-bruised-ego/
The way we as parents deal with conflict exposes our underlying concept of the parent-child relationship. That’s when we see either a gut reaction — which means that we’re viewing the child as one of our belongings — or an intelligent response guided by the Torah.
Ex-RNC Chair Confronts Republican on Project 2025 Plan to Gut Government
Project 2025 has become a consistent talking point amid the 2024 election as House Democrats have warned against it, recently launching a task force to start fighting the proposal and stop it from becoming a reality if Trump is reelected.
Trump cranks up false, inflammatory messages to rake in campaign cash
https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/06/22/trump-fundraising-false-aggressive/
The fundraising pitch from Donald Trump was neither accurate nor subtle.
It read: “1 MONTH UNTIL ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! THEY WANT TO SENTENCE ME TO DEATH.”
“Rhetorical gimmicks like this poison the well for every other Republican trying to raise money online,” one GOP consultant said, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. “It burns out small-dollar donors. The Trump campaign is printing money on this, but when you’re already talking about the death penalty in June, what are you going to say in October?”
Saturday, June 22, 2024
OUR TEENS NEED TO HEAR THE TRUTH ABOUT VAPING
https://mishpacha.com/our-teens-need-to-hear-the-truth-about-vaping/
We’ve all been laboring under the delusion that vaping is somehow safer than smoking cigarettes. Our ignorance on the subject exposes our children to the greatest dangers involved with vaping. We owe it to ourselves and our children to get educated. It is my view, after fighting against these devices for the past six years, that we all — Jewish educators and parents — need to take a much more aggressive stance against this growing problem.
Friday, June 21, 2024
Let’s Just Say It: The Republicans are the Problem
The GOP has become an insurgent outlier in American politics. It is ideologically extreme; scornful of compromise; unmoved by conventional understanding of facts, evidence and science; and dismissive of the legitimacy of its political opposition.
Cheapfakes get an indefensible boost from powerful GOP partisans
It was ugly, but it wasn’t unusual. The right creates low-cost “cheapfakes“ like these all the time. Indeed, within days of the deceitful video out of Italy, a similar video made the rounds among conservatives showing Biden purportedly freezing onstage at a fundraiser. In the full context, it was clear the president simply paused to take in some applause. In another recent instance, a similarly deceptive clip circulated that seemed to show the president reaching for a non-existent chair, though in reality, there was a chair.
‘Cheapfake’ Biden videos enrapture right-wing media, but deeply mislead
The use of these clips is an especially pernicious couple of examples of manipulated video — what we label “isolation” under our guide to manipulated video — because it’s intended to create a false narrative that doesn’t reflect the event as it occurred. The RNC and its avid followers in the conservative media earn Four Pinocchios.
Video edited to make it appear Biden tried to sit down when there wasn’t a chair
https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-biden-invisible-chair-normandy-634944982428#
AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. The video, in which Biden’s chair is for the most part clearly visible, is cut before the president sits down. Full footage of the ceremony shows the president looking over his shoulder for his chair and pausing before taking a seat.
THE TRUMP VERDICT: What If President Trump Had Been Adjudicated By A Bais Din? - Purim Torah
https://yated.com/the-trump-verdict-what-if-president-trump-had-been-adjudicated-by-a-bais-din/
We have thus arrived at the lehavdil bein Yisroel l’amim. Yes, it is true that Alvin Bragg, Juan Merchan and Michael Cohen hate Donald Trump and should not have any hand in his verdict. But if true tzaddikim are acting as judges or witnesses and have only a righteous enmity toward someone because he has transgressed one of Hashem’s laws, they may testify and make decisions because their intentions are pure and no personal enmity will enter into their deliberations.
Trump lashes out at Fox News over latest poll: ‘TRASH!’
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4731614-trump-lashes-out-fox-news-poll/
Former President Trump blasted Fox News on Thursday after the network published a poll showing him trailing President Biden nationally for the first time this year.
Hebrew Union College to admit and ordain rabbinical students in interfaith relationships
Hebrew Union College, the Reform movement’s rabbinical seminary, will begin admitting and ordaining students who are in relationships with non-Jews, following a decision by its board to drop a longstanding ban on interfaith relationships for rabbinical students.
Thursday, June 20, 2024
Trump’s Final Foreign-Policy Report Card
https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/01/05/trumps-final-foreign-policy-report-card/
It’s worth recalling what he promised to do. Like most of his political platform, Trump’s foreign policy sprang from a sense of grievance. He thought the rest of the world was taking advantage of the United States; he was going to put “America first” instead. Allies would pay full price for U.S. protection, adversaries would be confronted and vanquished, and the United States would pursue its own self-interest with scant regard for diplomatic niceties. He’d stop China from “stealing” American jobs and take the United States out of “bad deals” like the Paris climate accord and the nuclear agreement with Iran. Portraying himself as a master negotiator, he promised to reach “beautiful” new trade deals that would restore U.S. manufacturing and usher in a new era of prosperity. The United States would play the sucker no longer: It would get “out of the nation-building business,” crack down on immigration, rebuild a supposedly weak defense establishment, and get Mexico to pay for a wall on the southern border.
But it was more than a missed opportunity, because Trump’s blunders have left the United States in much worse shape than when he took office. For President-elect Joe Biden and his team, the bad news is that they have an enormous amount of repair work to do. The good news, such as it is, is that it won’t be hard to do better than the people they are succeeding
Trump’s better deal with Iran looks a lot like Obama’s
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/17/trump-iran-deal-obama-1417801
“Trump got rid of the Iran nuclear deal because it was Barack Obama’s agreement,” said Jarrett Blanc, a former State Department official who helped oversee the 2015 deal’s implementation. “If you were to present to Trump the same deal and call it Trump’s deal, he’d be thrilled.”
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