Category: Foreign Affairs

History of Israel

In 1948, the UN established the State of Israel, a nation of Jews. It is not a big area. Think Yosemite to San Diego. This map appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

The land of Israel has been populated by the Jewish people since 2000 BC. Here’s the timeline, in case you didn’t realize that it is their homeland.

1900 BC: Abraham chosen by God as the Father of the Jewish Nation.

1900 BC: Isaac, Abraham’s son, rules over Israel.

1850 BC: Jacob, son of Issac, rules over Israel.

1400 BC: Moses leads the people out of Egypt and back to Israel.

1010 BC: King David unites the 12 tribes into one nation.

970 BC: King Solomon, son of David, builds the first temple structure in Jerusalem

930 BC: Israel is divided into two kingdoms, the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah.

800s BC: The rise of the prophets, God’s messengers.

722 BC: Kingdom of Israel is conquered by Assyrians.

605 BC: Kingdom Judah is conquered by the Babylonians.

586 BC: Solomon’s Temple is destroyed by the Babylonians.

539 BC: Persians conquer the Babylonians and take control of Israel.

538 BC: The Jews return to Israel from exile.

520 BC: The Temple is rebuilt.

450 BC: Reforms made by Ezra and Nehemiah.

433 BC: Malachi is the end of the prophetic age.

432 BC: The last group of Jews return from exile.

333 BC: The Greeks conquer the Persian empire.

323 BC: The Egyptian and Syrian empire take over Israel.

167 BC: Hasmonean’s recapture Israel, and the Jews are ruled independently.

70 BC: Romans conquer Israel.

20 BC: King Herod builds the “second” temple

6 BC: Yeshua is born in Bethlehem

70 AD: Romans destroy the temple

After that, the people were captives to the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Crusaders. Through all of these events, the Jewish people continued to live in Israel. There were more or less of them, depending on the centuries, but there was never a time when the Jews didn’t live in the land. They stayed, they built their communities, they raised their families, practiced their faith and they suffered at the hands of many outside rulers, but they always kept their faith. It is what sustains them, even now.

Israel Is Walking Into a Sympathy Trap

With help from The Atlantic Monthly

It’s a trap. Hamas’s ruthless and spectacular attack on southern Israel last Saturday was many things: an atrocity, a display of militant ingenuity, and a demonstration of the weakness of Israeli intelligence and defenses. Israel and the Palestinians have a long history of brutality against each other, but the Hamas killing spree outdoes anything seen since the founding of Israel in 1948.

Hamas surely would not have meticulously planned its audacious assault without also extensively planning a response to the hoped-for Israeli counterattack on the ground. The Israeli military will likely encounter a determined insurgency in Gaza. 

Iran and Hamas are counting on Israel to attack Gaza with such ferocity that the international sympathy of the past week toward Israel, even in the Arab world, evaporates quickly and is replaced by outrage at the suffering inflicted on the 2 million residents of Gaza. Those civilians have already been cut off from electricity, water, food, and medicine, all of which are controlled by Israel. They rely on everything from the outside world that is controlled by Israel.

Gaza has been an open-air prison for the Palestinians living there.  They have no way to leave.

Hamas and Iran hope that Israel will refuse to return to the status quo ante and will instead institute a prolonged ground occupation of Gaza, declaring that Hamas can no longer be allowed to pose such a threat. But Gaza, they trust, will be a slaughterhouse for Israeli soldiers, both during the immediate incursion and over time as the anticipated insurgency gains its footing.

Israel’s dilemma is Hamas’s goal is to eliminate the entire country and all of its Jewish citizens.  That is not going to happen. But the worldwide hatred of Jews predicts a never ending war for Israel.

When Someone Comes to Kill You

This all started on May 14, 1948 when Israel established itself as a free nation.  At the time, the Jews were about a third of the population of Palestine the British Protectorate created after World War One. The following day, the armies of four Arab countries—Egypt, Syria, Transjordan and Iraq—entered into parts of what had been British Mandatory Palestine, launching the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. The apparent purpose of the invasion was to prevent the establishment of the Jewish state at inception, and some Arab leaders talked about “driving the Jews into the sea”.

Hamas formed in late 1987 at the beginning of the first Palestinian intifada (uprising). Hamas is a Sunni Islamic group that does not recognize Israel’s right to exist and whose goals from the beginning have been to liberate Palestine from Israeli occupation through any means necessary.

Unlike the Palestinian Authority, Hamas does not support the so-called two-state solution — the creation of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state alongside Israel — as a permanent solution. It advocates for a Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, without an Israel. (Some extremists in the current right-wing Israeli government similarly believe in an Israel from the river to the sea, without Palestine. Israelis are not likely to kill millions of Palestinians to reach their objective as it is only the right-wing of their government that holds this view.

As is evident now, Hamas wants to kill every Jew to reach its objective.

This week revenge is the goal of the Israeli government.

Republicans are the Disfunctional Political Party

Republicans have had a lot of bad elections since Donald Trump took over the party. They lost the popular vote for president in 2016, they lost the House in 2018, they lost the presidency in 2020, and they lost the Senate in 2021.

Now to add to their incompetence they ousted their House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Most of the top Republican candidates running for president in 2024 reacted grimly to the ouster of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy by a faction of hard-liners in their own party. One contender Vivek Ramaswamy, the loudmouth of the candidates, embraced the chaos and the front-runner, Ron DeSantis, notably did not denounce the move.

This is a Republican Party that has lost its mind.

They are so far away from Ronald Reagan that it is like the GOP today is not the real Republican Party.

The Democrats do not have to say or do a single thing.  The Republicans have proven that they cannot govern.

And there is a lot on the table today.  This past weekend, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that continues to fund the federal government through November 17.

The CR does not provide funds for Ukraine and without that funding Russia will have won that war and likely be deciding which country to invade next.  Those are all NATO nations and an attack on any of them draws the United States into war because we are part of NATO.

One thing we do know is that Republican Party behavior assures we will have a government totally controlled by the Democratic Party and that is a good thing.

Three Questions Biden Should Ask Netanyahu at Wednesday’s Meeting

By Thomas L. Friedman

New York Times Opinion Columnist

This is the shortest column I’ve ever written — because it doesn’t take long to get things in focus:

President Biden, you are meeting Wednesday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, for the first time since he returned to office in December. He’s formed the most extreme government in Israel’s history and yet your administration is considering forging a complex partnership with his coalition and Saudi Arabia. There are enormous potential benefits and risks for the United States. I hope you won’t proceed without getting satisfactory answers from Netanyahu on three key questions — so we know just what Israel, and just which Bibi, we’re dealing with:

1. Prime Minister Netanyahu, your government’s coalition agreement is the first in Israel’s history to define the annexation of the West Bank as one of its goals — or, as it says, applying Israeli “sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.” But you earlier supported the Trump Middle East peace plan that proposed dividing the West Bank, with Israel controlling roughly 30 percent and the Palestinian state getting roughly 70 percent, albeit with tight security guarantees and no contiguity. Do you intend to annex the West Bank, or will you negotiate its future disposition with the Palestinians? Yes or no? We need to know. Because if you intend to annex, all your normalization agreements with Arab states will collapse, and we will not be able to defend you in the United Nations from charges of building an apartheid state.

2. Bibi, you told your first cabinet meeting last December that your top priorities include stopping Iran’s nuclear program, as well as expanding Israel’s growing relations with the Arab world. But we saw you decide instead to prioritize a judicial coup to strip the Israeli Supreme Court of its ability to hold your government accountable. That, in turn, distracted your military leadership, fractured your air force and elite fighting units, bitterly divided your society and weakened your diplomatic alliances from Washington to Europe. Iran, meanwhile, moved in with a diplomatic offensive, patching up its ties with all your Arab neighbors and eating your lunch. Why should we make confronting Iran’s nuclear program our priority when you haven’t?

3. Prime Minister, the Saudis are ready to do something hard — normalize relations with Israel. We are doing something hard to help facilitate that — forging a mutual defense treaty with Saudi Arabia. What hard things are you ready to do vis-à-vis the Palestinians to complete the deal? It feels to us that you don’t want to take any political risks — that you want everyone to do something hard except you.

Bibi, you’re out of focus for the American people. We need to know: Who are you now?

Key takeaways from the 2023 G20 summit in New Delhi

The G20 summit proved that the largest economies in the world could agree on lots of mundane things. Essentially nothing of consequence was accomplished.

Leaders of the world’s 20 big economies ended a summit in the Indian capital on Sunday overcoming deep divisions over the war in Ukraine to produce a consensus document and move forward on issues such overhauling institutions like the World Bank.

They also formally admitted the African Union to the bloc to make the grouping more representative.

SOFTER LANGUAGE ON UKRAINE WAR

G20 nations agreed that states cannot grab territory by force and highlighted the suffering of the people of Ukraine, but avoided direct criticism of Russia for the war. The declaration was seen as an apparent softening from the position that the G20 took last year when it condemned Russia for the war and demanded that it withdraw from Ukraine.

AFRICAN UNION INSIDE THE CLUB

The 55-member African Union was formally made permanent member of the G20, on par with the European Union, in order to make the grouping more representative. Until now only South Africa was a member of the G20. The entry of the AU would provide greater voice to the Global South within the G20 where the G7 countries have long played a dominant role.

U.S., SAUDI, INDIA JOIN HANDS FOR TRANSPORT CORRIDOR

Leaders of the United States, India and Saudi Arabia among others announced plans to set up rail and ports links between the Middle East and South Asia and eventually to Europe which U.S. President Joe Biden said was a “real big deal.”

INCREMENTAL PROGRESS ON CLIMATE CHANGE

The G20 leaders agreed to pursue tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030 and accepted the need to phase-down unabated coal power, but stopped short of setting major climate goals.

Well Known People Banned in Russia

Former United States President Barack Obama, late night television host Stephen Colbert, and CNN’s Erin Burnett are some of the “500 Americans” Russia has banned from entering the country.

The list includes Obama, former US Ambassador Jon Huntsman, several US senators and the next expected chairman of the joint chiefs Charles Q. Brown Jr.

The rambling list of names also includes American late night TV hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Colbert, and Seth Meyers.

If was one of them I would wear their banning as a badge of freedom of thought.

I view them all as heroes.

Abortions in Canada

Nationally, abortion is legal through all nine months (40 weeks) of pregnancy, nevertheless no providers in Canada offer care beyond 23 weeks and 6 days.

May 5, 2022 — — The Trudeau government wants it known that Canada is open to any Americans who may need to travel north to access an abortion. 

Abortions are a common medical procedure in Canada, yet those living outside of large urban areas have trouble receiving the care they need.

Ontario has this posted on their immigration web site. “Abortion is legal throughout Canada and can be accessed by anyone over the age of 12. Abortion ends a pregnancy by taking medicine or having a surgical procedure. Abortions are available in every province and territory; however not every city has equal access.“

Accessibility by province and territory

RegionGestational limits[7]# of providers[7]Notes
 Alberta20 weeks5The province has abortion services accessible in Edmonton and Calgary.[75] All abortion services are offered.[76]
 British Columbia23 weeks and 6 days24The province is governed by the Access to Abortion Services Act, which limits political demonstrations outside abortion-providing facilities, doctor’s offices, and doctor’s homes to set distances. BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre can provide late-term abortions in Vancouver up until the 25th week of pregnancy (its CARE Program).[77] There are six abortion clinics throughout the province that can be accessed without a doctor referral and upwards of 30 hospitals that are required to perform abortions with a doctor’s referral.[78][79]
 Manitoba19 weeks and 6 days4The province has limited access for the those in rural communities. Aspiration or surgical procedures are available up to 19 weeks, 6 days. Medical abortions up to 9 weeks.[80]
 New Brunswick16 weeks5New Brunswick does not use public funding to pay for abortion services outside of hospital settings. This means that abortions provided in clinics are not funded by the government.[81]
 Newfoundland and Labrador15 weeks4Planned Parenthood Newfoundland and Labrador is the only sexual health clinic in the province.[82][69] Full spectrum doula services.[68]
 Northwest Territories19 weeks and 6 days1Northern Options for Women (abbreviated as NOW) provides both medical and surgical abortion services in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.[83]
 Nova Scotia16 weeks11In Nova Scotia, there is an abortion clinic in Halifax or someone needing an abortion can call the abortion helpline for other options throughout the province that may be closer to them.[84]
 Nunavut12 weeks2All abortions must be performed in a hospital.[85]
 Ontario23 weeks and 6 days38Intimidation of and interference with patients or providers are illegal in “safe access zones” around abortion-providing clinics and other requesting health care facilities; the offices (on request) of providing doctors, nurses, pharmacists and some other providers; and providers’ homes under the Safe Access to Abortion Services Act, 2017.[86] There are nine regions in Ontario where abortion is available with full spectrum doula services.[68][69]
 Prince Edward Island12 weeks and 6 days1Prince Edward Island offers in province abortions up until 12 weeks and 6 days pregnant. After that limit, an out of province surgical abortion would have to be performed. A referral must be obtained through a PEI physician prior to any surgical procedure.[87]
 Quebec23 weeks and 6 days49The province has a multitude of options for abortion access.[88] Historically, late term abortions (beyond 30 weeks) had to be performed in the US with all expenses paid by the Quebec government. This changed in 2020 because of Covid travel restrictions.[89]
 Saskatchewan18 weeks and 6 days3Few resources available to those in rural areas.[90]
 Yukon12 weeks and 6 days1Whitehorse General Hospital is the only location in the Yukon available for both medical and early aspiration abortions.[68][69]

The United States Must Stop the flow of Drugs from Mexico

Fentanyl has been smuggled into the United States from Mexico for years. In case you thought that Mexico was an ally that the United States could rely on to combat the flow of fentanyl into the country, Mexico’s president is now outright lying about the issue.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has warned GOP lawmakers that Mexico will not allow foreign governments to intervene in its territory after some members of the party advocated for the U.S. to take military action against Mexico’s drug cartels.

GOP Representative Dan Crenshaw, who introduced legislation allowing American forces to act, responded by asking Mexican president López Obrador why he rejects U.S. aid. His response: “We are not going to permit any foreign government to intervene in our territory, much less that a government’s armed forces intervene.” Does that response make any sense?

Mexico is a country where gangs (cartels) operate with impunity. Their former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is now in the United States most secure US supermax prison after multiple escapes from Mexican prisons.

So what in the world is Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador talking about? I have always believed that the Mexican government is bribed by the cartels. Obrador’s denial that drugs are made in Mexico is a joke.

I agree with Representatives Dan Crenshaw, Lindsey Graham and other senators that if is time to send American troops into Mexico to bring the cartels to an end. If that means fighting with the Mexican government to bad for them.

American lives are at stake.