The times of HOPE and Despair...
From Israel:
A tale of two reviews of Netanyahu's speech to Congress.
First, there is Nancy Pelosi's negative review as reported in Poltico.
Count former Speaker Nancy Pelosi as decidedly not a fan of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech today.
In a post on X, she described it as “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States."
Pelosi, who did not attend the speech, is generally an ally of Israel. But she said that “many of us who love Israel spent time today listening to Israeli citizens whose families have suffered in the wake of the October 7th Hamas terror attack and kidnappings.”
Earlier today, Pelosi told us that it was "inappropriate" for Netanyahu to be invited [Should a Hamas representative have been given equal time?], and she "has no sense" of his interest in peace.
Note to Pelosi and others who like to point to Bibi's disapproval in Israel -
Poll suggests Likud-led coalition still atop Knesset - JNS, 7/19/24
The?Channel 14 survey, conducted by Direct Polls and released on Thursday, indicates that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition would win 58 out of 120 seats, one more than the prior?Channel 14?poll suggested on July 11.
The anti-Netanyahu bloc, led by National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz, is poised to get 52 mandates, down one from last week’s poll, and Arab parties would win a combined 10 seats, per?Direct Polls.
Asked who is best suited to serve as the Jewish state’s prime minister, 48% told?Direct Polls?it felt Netanyahu was the right man for the job, while 28% cited Gantz and 24% said?neither is suitable.? [This is Israeli democracy at work.]
Over at Issues & Insights, commentator Bob Maistors gives Bibi's speech a rave review.? (See below.)
No beating around the bush here. Admittedly, your correspondent is a longtime defender of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a devotee of his Jewish state. But I’m also a four-decade-plus observer of speechifying at the highest levels of politics, business, and the non-profit community. So I can attest beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bibi’s oration before a joint session of Congress Wednesday was one for the ages.? [Rare praise for those of us who follow Churchillian orations.]
The world may not within a generation see a more perfect combination — from the first syllable to the stentorian finale — of substance and style, statesmanship and storytelling, dynamism and determination, real people and?realpolitik, bluster and blarney, political correctness and principled clarity, turns of phrase and twists of the foil, historic veracity and heroic vision.
Punctuating mellifluous tones with mighty thundering, flawless in his timing, tempo and technique, the head of government delivered a clarion call to distinguish the forces of good and evil, democracy and despotism, beneficence and barbarism, civilization and savagery, temperance and terror.
Alongside an inspiring and incontrovertible case for America to continue to make common cause with Israel in its indomitable, multi-front war not just in combat but on campuses, in courts and in the court of global public opinion.
Perhaps never has an address of this import been launched with such passion and precision — immediately both setting out the world’s moral choice between “civilization and barbarism,” and setting the stage for his later dead aim at the source of the latter: “Iran’s axis of terror.”
Jared Silverman, E-mail:?? [email protected]
Bibi Before Congress: An Oration for the Ages
July 26, 2024
No beating around the bush here. Admittedly, your correspondent is a longtime defender of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a devotee of his Jewish state. But I’m also a four-decade-plus observer of speechifying at the highest levels of politics, business, and the non-profit community. So I can attest beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bibi’s oration before a joint session of Congress Wednesday was one for the ages.
The world may not within a generation see a more perfect combination — from the first syllable to the stentorian finale — of substance and style, statesmanship and storytelling, dynamism and determination, real people and?realpolitik, bluster and blarney, political correctness and principled clarity, turns of phrase and twists of the foil, historic veracity and heroic vision.
Punctuating mellifluous tones with mighty thundering, flawless in his timing, tempo and technique, the head of government delivered a clarion call to distinguish the forces of good and evil, democracy and despotism, beneficence and barbarism, civilization and savagery, temperance and terror.
Alongside an inspiring and incontrovertible case for America to continue to make common cause with Israel in its indomitable, multi-front war not just in combat but on campuses, in courts and in the court of global public opinion.
Perhaps never has an address of this import been launched with such passion and precision — immediately both setting out the world’s moral choice between “civilization and barbarism,” and setting the stage for his later dead aim at the source of the latter: “Iran’s axis of terror.”
After powerfully yet poignantly relating the horror of October 7, Netanyahu masterfully employed the Gipper-originated stagecraft of introducing gallery guests who exemplified the heroism and human spirit that came equally to the fore in Israel’s response.?
A hostage whose release in a courageous rescue mission fulfilled a dying mother’s last wish.?
The father of a fallen soldier, quoted as pointing out how his son’s sacrifice, alongside the birth of Israel, ensured that the Jewish people are “no longer helpless in the face of our enemies” and that, in Netanyahu’s stirring assertion, “’never again’ is now.”
Most of all — in a deft demonstration of Israel’s tolerance in contrast to its opponents’ malevolence — courageous soldiers of diverse backgrounds, races and creeds who illustrated how “Muslim soldiers of the IDF fought alongside their Jewish Druze, Christian, and other comrades in arms with tremendous bravery.”
Pivoting from admiration for his countrymen into ire at their antagonists in the outside world, Netanyahu wondered aloud how campus and other protesters in the U.S. could possibly “choose to stand … with rapists and murders” — and “refuse to make the simple distinction between those who target terrorists and those who target civilians.” He then baldly stated the simple truth too many American leaders are too cowed to utter: “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
Turns out he was only warming up for the high point of his address — a series of devastating takedowns of protesters:
After laying out the facts to counter further manifestations of “the world’s oldest hatred,” anti-Semitism, on the part of academic administrators and at the International Criminal Court — in the form of “outrageous slanders that paint Israel as racist and genocidal” — Netanyahu settled on the most persuasive point of his nearly hour-long declamation.
Quoting the foreign minister of Iran’s other main terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, the embattled leader revealed that “Israel is merely a tool. The main war, the real war, is with America.”
Running down examples of Iran’s execution of that war, including death squads dispatched to hunt down U.S. leaders on its own soil, he countered: “Yet in the heart of the Middle East, standing in Iran’s way, is one proud, pro-American democracy: my country, the state of Israel.”
When Israel fights Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, he asserted, “We’re fighting Iran … the most radical and murderous enemy of the United States of America.”
After buttering up both the current and previous administrations for their support in that effort, Netanyahu presented the “day-after” vision many have demanded of Israel.
First, a demilitarization and deradicalization of the Gaza strip that could “lead to a future of security, prosperity, and peace.” And, second, a NATO-like joint security agreement uniting Iran’s enemies in the Middle East — one he suggested could be named the “Abraham Alliance” after the historic Donald Trump-driven accords with Israel’s Arab neighbors.?
To make that vision real, the onetime Israel Defense Force Captain channeled the pre-World War II plea of Winston Churchill with a potent push of his own: “Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.”
The shameful boycotting of Netanyahu’s?tour de force?by the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and many of her colleagues in Congress, the headline-stealing protests outside, and the current administration’s moral fence-straddling show just how high a hill he and his nation have to climb to achieve those goals.
Yet this modern-day David’s oratorical Goliath-slaying provides a robust rhetorical roadmap for Israel’s allies – including, one might hope, in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue once again after January 20.
And just as important, it provides an example of the power of the well-crafted and delivered spoken word in defense of a noble cause that America’s own?tongue-tied,?self-absorbed?and?air-headed?political combatants would do well to emulate (as if they could).
Israeli Prime Minister Delivers Speech to Joint Meeting of Congress
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed the U.S. and Israel “must stand together” as the world is in a state of “upheaval.” The prime minister addressed lawmakers during a joint meeting of Congress. Outside, thousands of protesters gathered to protest his speech. Prime Minister Netanyahu criticized demonstrators and said they stand with hate and Hamas murderers. He also called them “Iran’s useful idiots” saying Iran funded the demonstrations. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech lasted nearly one hour. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), a Palestinian American who is against the Israel-Hamas War, could be seen holding up a “war criminal” sign during the speech.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?536521-1/israeli-prime-minister-delivers-speech-joint-meeting-congress
His Excellency, the Prime Minister of Israel:
Benjamin Netanyahu
https://www.c-span.org/video/?536521-1/israeli-prime-minister-delivers-speech-joint-meeting-congress
His Excellency, the Prime Minister of Israel:
Benjamin Netanyahu
https://www.c-span.org/video/?536521-1/israeli-prime-minister-delivers-speech-joint-meeting-congress
领英推荐
07-31-2024 Reported by The Epoch Times:
Israel Strikes Lebanon
Israel’s military struck a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut’s suburbs on July 30, saying it targeted the commander responsible for the attack that killed 12 Israeli children in the Golan Heights. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement saying Israeli Air Force fighter jets had eliminated Fuad Shukr, also known as “Sayyid Muhsan,” Hezbollah’s “most senior military commander.”
Mr. Shukr served as Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah’s right-hand man and was his adviser for planning and directing wartime operations, the IDF said. As the head of Hezbollah’s Strategic Unit, the IDF said, Mr. Shukr was responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs.
While the strike is raising concerns of a broader regional war, Israel did not conduct any further attacks and there were no reports of retaliatory action by Hezbollah.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Authorities identified a hostage-taker shot and killed by a Miami Beach police officer inside a Victoria’s Secret store Thursday evening as a New Hampshire correctional facility escapee.
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections said Darien Young, 29, had escaped from the minimum-security Calumet House Transitional Housing Unit on July 21.
Officials didn’t say how or why he came to South Florida, but he had been suspected of shoplifting from the lingerie store, located at 901 Lincoln Road, before taking a mother and daughter hostage at knifepoint at around 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
Police then shot him and he later died at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
Young had been imprisoned in New Hampshire for receiving stolen property, burglary, falsifying physical evidence and drug charges and was eligible for parole on July 31, with a maximum release date of Jan. 31, 2028, officials said.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting per standard protocol.
Authorities haven’t identified the officer who fired or the victims, who weren’t hurt.
Miami International Airport - 17 year old brutally stabbed 18 times
Recent revelations from the State Department have unveiled that Iran may be playing a shadowy role in stirring up anti-American protests right here on our home turf. Buckle up, because this story has all the elements of a gripping geopolitical drama with a dash of domestic upheaval.
Josh Kirby, a spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), has put a spotlight on Iran’s alleged shenanigans, claiming that the country has been actively funding and encouraging some protest activities in the United States. It’s like something out of a James Bond movie—foreign operatives, covert funding, and a nation trying to sway public opinion from the shadows.
The accusations are not entirely new but have gained renewed attention as more evidence comes to light. Back in October 2020, then-DNI John Ratcliffe publicly stated that both Iran and Russia had obtained voter registration data and were attempting to influence the U.S. presidential election. Their tactics included sending threatening emails and spreading misinformation to undermine public confidence and stoke social tensions. Fast forward to today, and it appears Iran’s playbook now includes bankrolling protests.
However, before we begin to imagine Tehran as the puppet master behind every protest sign and chant, it’s crucial to understand the bigger picture. Kirby clarified that while there is evidence of Iran’s involvement, the majority of protests are driven by genuine concerns from the American public regarding issues in the Middle East and other social justice matters. Think of it as a complex mosaic where some tiles are placed by foreign hands, but the overall image is crafted by domestic voices.
The landscape of protests in the U.S. is far from monolithic. Americans have taken to the streets for various reasons, from racial inequality to critiques of foreign policy. These movements are often organic, springing from grassroots efforts rather than foreign influence. Kirby’s remarks emphasize this nuanced reality: while foreign actors like Iran may seek to exploit existing divisions, they are not the primary drivers of protest activity.
This dual perspective is vital. It underscores the importance of vigilance against foreign interference while also respecting and addressing the legitimate concerns of American citizens. The government’s response to these dual challenges involves countering foreign influence operations while engaging constructively with the domestic issues that fuel public dissent.
For anyone following the twists and turns of this saga, it’s a reminder that the world of politics is rarely black and white.
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We thank those that have called to ask if we are ok because we have stopped sending out emails, but the times we are living require introspective consideration to all that we do. We gathered an example of the reasons why it is difficult to focus on what is happening because it hurts, it is appalling, it is nerve racking. We love and respect ISRAEL, our Holy Land and the suffering is so real that we can't understand we see a world where Anti-Semitism still exists.
A. News from Israel and our comment
B. Professor of Law Jeffrey Lax, now connected with me through LinkedIn sent me photos / link to a PRO-ISRAEL demonstration. Thank you!
C. Jared Silverman on A Tale of 2 Reviewes?of Netanyahu's speech to Congress
D. Watch the Address of Congress by Netanyahu, a brilliant speech that calls those who wear t-shirts in support of Hamas murderers Useful Idiots
https://www.c-span.org/video/?536521-1/israeli-prime-minister-delivers-speech-joint-meeting-congress
E. Benjamin Netanyahu visits South Florida, meeting with Donald J. Trump at Mar-a-Lago
F. Why are we experiencing so many instances where crime is taking a turn into random and unusual attacks on strangers?
G. John Kirby confirms Iran is funding protests in the USA
But it is not only here...?
From Brazil we receive news they are experiencing a drive toward communism that is relentless and dangerous
Venezuela: Maduro says there will be a bloodbath if he loses the elections
A plane leaving from Panama to Venezuela, with dignitaries that were going to observe the elections was not allowed to depart
France... High-Speed Rail is paralyzed in a massive attack ahead of the Olympics...
Professor, Psychologist, Statistician and Author Mattias Desmet wrote that we should continue to write
In these serious times of HOPE / DESPAIR we must choose to continue to express, communicate and stand firm
Yet... it is very painful because much of what is happening is self induced harm on one another...
CHOOSE HOPE over Despair... STOP the abuse of taxation... STOP wasting money on what is not extremely necessary
Make it a great weekend...