David Singer: Gantz Trojan Horse threatens Israel as the Jewish National Home

Here's the latest article by Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer.

 He writes:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has paid a high price for the National Unity Government being forged with Benny Gantz – by agreeing to Gantz becoming Israel’s Prime Minister in 18 months’ time without going to an election.

Netanyahu had run out of time to explore other options – having had that decision foisted on him by two extraordinary High Court of Justice cases ordering the Knesset Speaker – Yuli Edelstein – to convene the Knesset contrary to the Knesset’s own rules and procedures. Compliance by Edelstein would have unleashed a train of events that would have caused havoc and instability at a time when unity was sorely needed. Edelstein resigned.

It is indeed a miracle that Netanyahu and Gantz rescued Israel from this rapidly escalating political and constitutional crisis at the same time as Israel is coping with the ravages of Covid-19.

Gantz’s courage in dumping his partners in Blue and White – Yair Lapid and Moshe Ya’alon – when any hope of averting the crisis seemed lost and just as the doors of the Knesset were shortly to open – was praised by the Right but condemned by Lapid and Ya’alon in bitter and derogatory terms.

Gantz’s new found ally – Yisrael Beiteinu’s Avigdor Lieberman – was left high and dry – ruing his stupidity at having missed three opportunities in the last 12 months to be in Government with Netanyahu – making demands he absolutely refused to compromise on during negotiations with Netanyahu.

Lieberman was relegated to the Opposition benches with his six colleagues – a kingmaker no more.

Forgiven was the havoc caused when Gantz started to flirt with Joint List – the bloc comprising 15 members from the four Arab political parties – who endorsed Gantz to form the next Government – persuading Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to regrettably give Gantz first try to do so.

Joint List’s objectives include dismantling Israel as the Jewish National Home.

Joint List Chairman Ahmad Tibi had openly articulated this goal to Rivlin in September 2019:

“Some people think we are the backyard of the State of Israel, we are not a backyard, we are not present absentees, we are not guests, we are the owners of this land. Not residents of this country, we did not immigrate here, we were born here, we are a native population, and this native population sent us to make a change.”

Gantz’s decision to embrace Joint List accorded with his first public statement after forming the Resilience Party in December 2018. Druze demonstrators protesting the 2016 Nation-State Law defining Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and ending Arabic as an official language of Israel – were told by Gantz:

“We have a blood alliance, but just as importantly, we have a life alliance. We need to make sure that we build this partnership and this alliance together, as it should be. I will do all in my power to work to amend the legislation, so it will give expression to this bond, the deep bond that cannot be severed—not just in battle, but also in life; not just in difficulties, but also in good times. We’ll do this together.”

Gantz is perfectly entitled to propound the idea that Israel should become the state of all its citizens – no longer the Jewish National Home reconstituted by the League of Nations 1922 Mandate for Palestine and article 80 of the United Nations Charter.

But to do so as Prime Minister – without receiving any electoral mandate to pursue that highly-controversial policy – is another thing.

The Gantz Trojan Horse is knocking at the Prime Minister’s door – and Netanyahu has let him in.

Author’s note: The cartoon—commissioned exclusively for this article—is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones”—one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators—whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades. His cartoons can be viewed at Drybonesblog

Full Frontal: Sacrilegious Jew-Hatred of the Medieval Sort

The 15th century case of Simon of Trent was one of those periodical ritual murder accusations that wrought terror on Jewish communities and stain the history of the Catholic Church. Supposedly kidnapped and ritually sacrificed by Jews (confessions were obtained under torture), the alleged child martyr became the focus of a cult, and was eventually beatified, but never canonised.

In 1965 Pope Paul VI removed Simon of Trent from the roll of the Roman church's martyrology.

But how persistent is the discredited cult of "St Simon of Trent", with all the abtisemirism that cult historically entailed, can be seen in the painting by Giovanni Gasparro and the reaction of its admirers in social media.

A skim of the artist's Facebook page testifies to the antisemitic scum who have gathered to praise the painting and attack, often in the most virulent terms, mock and bait anyobe, especially anyone perceived to be Jewish, who expresses dismay at the painting.

Since Simon of Trent was never canonised, and since he was removed ftom their church's martyrology on papal authority, the adulation got Simon, and the artist's depiction of him, from the keyboards of the apparent Catholics among the commenters is surely sacrilegious.

Below are sample comments screenshot by me as I trawled the artist's Facebook page last night.  They are a mere fraction of the thousands upon thousands  of comments made, but they give an idea of the vile  attitudes that exist in some quarters towards Jews, and which, 75 years after the liberation of Auschwitz, are not ashamed to be expressed in public.

Note, although not prevalent in my sample, that haters of Israel who want to see that little country wiped off the map are also represented, and there is the inevitable sprinkling of Muslims and of "Christians" who for some unfathomable reason prefer the presence in Europe of Islam to that of the Jews. Ignorance, both of Judaism and Jewish history, is a widespread characteristic: I even noticed some apparent Teutonic types taunting a Jew with a Germanic surname for appropriating such a name from their culture: the dolts are apparently unaware of how surnames came to be imposed upon Jews!

 

...

...

.

Iranian Dissident:"We Might as Well Die an Honorable Death"

Here's a brave man.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2ytWL-JxPE

To quote the translator and uploader, Memri.org:

Iranian political activist Heshmatollah Tabarzadi said in a video he uploaded to his Instagram on March 24, 2020 that Iran's main enemy is the coronavirus, and he sharply criticized the way the Iranian regime, which he said is unworthy and irresponsible, has been handling the pandemic. Saying that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is becoming increasingly delusional, Tabarzadi criticized Khamenei's recent statements [here thet are below! D.A.] --

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uJr6KKQtGg

-- that the coronavirus outbreak is part of a joint conspiracy by humans and demons against Iran and that any attempt by the U.S. to give aid to Iran is actually an attempt to spy on it...

Tabarzadi further said that President Hassan Rouhani is even more irresponsible than Khamenei, and he criticized Iran's refusal to accept international aid despite shortages, as well as Iran's recent deportation of a team of doctors from Doctors Without Borders. 

Tabarzadi warned that if Rouhani and Iran's senior officials do not stop their obstinacy, the Iranian people will destroy the presidential palace and bring it down on the heads of these officials. 

Calling on his compatriots to be ready for when the word goes out, he threatened:

"We will track down their address and go there... If we are meant to die in our homes, we might as well die an honorable death."

David Singer: Netanyahu and Lieberman Must Rescue Israel from Self-imploding

Here's the latest article by Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer.

He writes:

Israel is in serious danger of self-imploding as a political, legal, and constitutional crisis of epic proportions is set to erupt.

It can be averted if Israel’s Prime Minister – Benjamin Netanyahu – and head of Yisrael Beiteinu – Avigdor Lieberman – resolve the issue of the ultra-orthodox doing military service – raised by Lieberman 12 months ago.

The looming crisis has been created following the Speaker of the Knesset –Yuri Edelstein – rejecting the advisory opinion of the High Court of Justice that he declare his position as speaker open when the Knesset resumes on 25 March.

In his official response to the High Court – Edelstein stated:

“I won’t agree to ultimatums. I can’t agree because that would make the Knesset’s agenda determined by the High Court and not by the Speaker of the Knesset, who is assigned this role.”

Edelstein’s refusal to commit to any set date comes amidst the uncertainty caused by the ongoing political negotiations to form a government.

The High Court – unmoved by Edelstein’s submission – ordered Edelstein to convene the Knesset by 25 March and hold a vote that could see him replaced.The High Court did not say what actions it would take if Edelstein attempted to ignore the ruling.

Front and centre in this crisis has been the attempt by:

•33 Blue and White members,

•7  Labor-Meretz-Geshermembers

•7 Yisrael Beiteinu members and

•15 Joint List Arab bloc members

to advance legislation barring a Knesset member facing criminal charges from forming a government – effectively disqualifying Netanyahu.

This bloc of 62 members make strange bedfellows:

 •Joint List does not recogniseIsrael as the Jewish National Home

•Blue & White leaders Gantz, Lapid and Ya’alon have personal grievances against Netanyahu going back years

•Lieberman has a fractured relationship with Netanyahu, has refused to sit next to Joint List Knesset members and favoured transfer of Israeli Arabs into a new Palestinian state.

Lieberman had made non-negotiable demands for entering into Government with Netanyahu after the February 2019 indecisive election – which if accepted – would have seen no need for the two elections that followed and this current crisis.

The principal issue was Netanyahu’srefusal to accept a bill drafted by Lieberman calling for ultra-orthodox Jews to do military service. Netanyahu was captive to the ultra-orthodox Jews in his then coalitionwho threatened to bolt if he wavered.

Lieberman would not budge.

A second election followed in September 2019 -when an expected increased turnout by the religious parties to oppose Lieberman’s bill never eventuated. The religious parties’ votes only increased by 91650 whilst Lieberman’s party vote increased by 137,684.

Lieberman again would not yield in his demands –emboldened by his increased vote exceeding that of the religious parties.Israel held its third electionthis month. The religious parties areon far weaker ground this timeas they are locked in to a single negotiating bloc now containing 58 members.

Lieberman is also in a weaker position – having lost 46,789 votes and one seat whilst Netanyahu gained 238,882 votes and 4 seats.

Cutting a deal between Netanyahu and Leiberman remains the only option to prevent Israel entering into a period of complete political and constitutional upheaval once the Knesset sitting commences.

Lieberman and Netanyahu’s shared dream could be the circuit breaker:

Both want to see Jewish sovereignty immediately restored in Judea and Samaria after 3000 years – in tandem with President Trump – whilst Blue & White do not.

Neither can allow their personal antipathy towards each other to miss this golden opportunity.

Netanyahu and Lieberman mustdo a deal before the Knesset sits. They cannot afford to fail.

Contagion & Ketubah

Philadelphia Inquirer, 7 Oct 1918

One from the historic annals, a reported Russian Jewish custom to ward off contagion.

The following article (I have no precise date for it) appeared in the American Hebrew during the deadly "Spanish Flu" pandemic of 1918-20, which the present COVID-19 pandemic calls to mind.

The "Spanish Flu" pandemic killed about 10 million people around the world (some sources say 20 million and others 50 million).

The article appeared first in the Public Ledger, a Philadelphia paper.

The ceremony described perhaps fascinated and repelled the non-Jewish and German Jewish readers of that paper in equal measure.

But it was in a good cause.

Antiseptic Matrimony.

An Old Russian Custom Revived.

The war has demonstrated that the age of arms is by no means over. Almost daily observers of the trifles in life, the little kinks and crotchets of human beings, are led to the conclusion that the age of superstition is by no means a thing of the past.

At the Jewish Cemetery near Cobb's Creek,  in Philadelphia, according to the Philadelphia "Public Ledger," a couple were married at the first line of graves in order to ward off the ravages of the influenza epidemic. 

More than twelve hundred Russian Jews, in silence and awe, watched the ceremony, and when it was finished the orthodox among the spectators filed solemnly past the couple, and made them presents of money in sums ranging from ten cents to a hundred dollars, until more than a thousand dollars had been given. 

 

The last monetary offering made, the bride and bridegroom walked to  the green sward further from the graves, where a wedding feast was quickly spread from the two truck loads of food which others of the faithful had provided. 

This marriage in a cemetery, with the idea of  warding, off the ravages of an epidemic, is a revival of a custom which has prevailed for hundreds of years among the Jews in the heart of Russia.

The participants in the ceremony say that when Russia was swept by cholera several centuries ago, Jews died by the hundreds. Panic seized them, and a council of elders and rabbis was called. They decided that the. attention of God would be called to the affliction of their fellows if the most humble man and woman among them should join in marriage in the presence of the dead.

So they searched for a young man and a. woman who were unknown to each other and were without wealth, who were willing to marry, to save their fellows from the cholera scourge. 

When they had been found each was asked if they were wllling to become sanctified by marriage in the presenco of the dead. The young people agreed and the ceremony was performed. Money was contributed to give them the necessary start in life.

And, according to the tradition, the ravages of tho cholera subsided within three days.

Many times since then the custom has been repeated in Russia, the last time some fifteen years ago. 

When the recent epidemic influenza began to take its toll of Russian Jews in Philadelphia by the score; some of the elders, now residents, of the city, but who had witnessed the reported staying of the cholera in Russia fifty years ago, by the marriage. in the graveyard, determined to invoke the efficacy of the custom to save the lives of their remaining fellows.

Foolhardy Men of Faith

Mind boggling.

Men (and in the bottom example women) of faith demonstrate their disregard for commonsense regarding the Coronavirus.

Ayatollah Khameini.

Charedim at a wedding near Jerusalem.

Cretins in Italy:

Coronavirus, Sweden, Open Borders, & Creepy Stories

Swedish journalist Ingrid Carlqvist explains.

Full story here

On the virus and the media see here

Daniel Pipes here

David Singer: Gantz Promises Chaos and Confusion in Israel for Next Six Weeks

Here's the latest article by Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer.

He writes:

Benny Gantz’s decision to do a deal with the Joint List to influence President Rivlin into giving Gantz first bite at forming Israel’s next Government is reprehensible, unconscionable and against Israel’s national interest.

Gantz’ decision allows the Joint List with just 15 of the 120 seats in the Knesset and 12.67% of the vote at the recent elections to sow discord and create confusion over the next six weeks as they plot with Gantz to overthrow Netanyahu – Israel's longest serving Prime Minister.

Ahmad Tibi – leader of Ta’al – one of the four parties making up the Joint List – told Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin last September:

“Some people think we are the backyard of the State of Israel, we are not a backyard, we are not present absentees, we are not guests, we are the owners of this land. Not residents of this country, we did not immigrate here, we were born here, we are a native population, and this native population sent us to make a change." 

“Owners of this land”?

Gantz’s new partner was making it crystal clear to Israel’s President that Israel was not recognized by Tibi’s party as the Jewish National Home reconstituted after 3000 years by and with the unanimous resolution of all 51 member states that comprised the League of Nations and endorsed the Mandate for Palestine.

Balad – the second party included in the Joint List and now in partnership with Gantz – had former MK Said Nafaamong its ranks.Nafa was convicted of maintaining contact with a foreign intelligence
operative and spent time in prison.

Another former Balad Knesset member, Basel Ghattas, was convicted of smuggling cell phones to Palestinian prisoners in an Israeli jail, an offence for which he too was convicted and imprisoned.

Spokesperson for the Joint list is Ayman Odeh – the head of Hadash, the third party in Joint List.

Odeh stated on 5 March 2020: 

“Right now, with Gantz’s attitude [in favor] of a Jewish majority and unilateral annexation, we have no one to recommend to the president. If there is a change after the elections in the direction of peace and equality, we will weigh our position again.” 

Gantz has apparently capitulatedto Odeh’s demands just 11 days later.Vice President of the fourth party inthe Joint List – Mansour Abbas  – has declared: 

“Of course, we are against the Zionist movement. However, from a pragmatic perspective, we are ready for a compromise between the Zionist movement and Palestinians” 

A Netanyahu-Gantz-Liberman Government of National Unity comprising 105 Knesset members was indicated by the election results – Netanyahu’s Likud party having secured 238,882 extra votes and 4 extra seats whilst Gantz’s Blue and White Party only secured 69,167 extra votes and no extra seats.

Instead, Gantz and his Blue and White colleagues Moshe Ya’alon and Yair Lapid – together with Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman – have jumped into bed with the Joint List to realize their common objective: all hate Netanyahu for a variety of personal reasons and want to see his political career ended.

Odeh had called for Gantz to form aminority Government with support of the Joint List in October 2019 – saying that even if it would quickly fall, such a “courageous” move would be worth it for thesingle purpose of ousting Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.

Gantz has now taken the bait – to his eternal shame, Israel now faces six weeks of political chaos and confusion as Gantz and his 45 Netanyahu-hating coalition partners cosy up to and embrace15 Joint List Knesset members who revile them, Netanyahu and the Jewish State.

Author’s note: The cartoon – commissioned exclusively for this article—is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones”  – one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators –whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades. His cartoons can be viewed at Drybonesblog

Zara's Zionism

Here's are excerpts from an article entitled "My Journey Through Antisemitism to Supporting Israel" by Zara Shaen Albright, a Muslim-born British lady of Pakistani heritage who converted to her husband's Catholicism.

From a position fot antisemitism and hostility to the Jewish State she came to realise, thanks to an open-minded mother who encouraged her curiosity about the Shoah and matters Jewish, that her previous stance was unjustified.

 'For as long as I can remember, I grew up hearing some form of antisemitism. From hearing the casual “let’s go shoot some Jews” to being advised not to be open about my support in Eurovision for Israel, to being told that the holocaust was “Allah’s way of showing the Jews what would happen if Israel was formed”, to being told that I “look like a Jew with a big nose” as an insult, it became so normal to hear such sentiments, that they essentially became background noise....'

A visit to Israel proved seminal.

'Luckily, I ... was able to visit both Israel and Palestinian territories.... I able to see many holy sites that hold a lot of significance for me as an ex-Muslim-turned-Catholic-convert ... I was also able to explore the beauty of Israel’s culture, to hearing from Israeli settlers ... to seeing the Kibbutz where cute Winnie-the-Poo murals were painted on and inside bomb shelters so the children would not be afraid, to seeing the celebration of martyrdom in the refugee camps, and the expectations that awaited the little boys when they grew up, I changed from being neutral to being a Zionist, which, as it turns out, is the mere belief that Jewish people should be able to have a homeland....'

Regarding Muslim hostility to Israel Zara writes:

'Remember that Islam once had its own empire, and the existence of Israel is a reminder of the felt pain and anguish over such a great empire now only being a memory.

 Secondly, the formation of Israel is seen as something that was implemented by the British.... From the Suez crisis to the partition of India and Pakistan, the wounds from British imperialism are still fresh, and therefore the association between Israel and the British empire is again, a painful memory of the past.

 Also, bear in mind that many in Muslim communities don’t know anyone who’s Jewish. It’s much easier to have a fear of the other, and to build upon it, and exaggerate when it’s someone you’ve never had the chance to relate to....

 Finally, rather than being seen as a discriminatory mindset, the antisemitic feelings towards Israel and its Jewish citizens are often legitimized by the West. From protesting the Israeli embassy, to BDS to the antisemitism scandals in the Labour party, hatred of the Jews is given a green light by many in the political and cultural sphere....'

Zara's solution?

Read that and her entire article here

The Virus That Keeps on Living

Ancient. Adaptable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1ez1UDmogY

To quote the uploader, Honest Reporting.com:

"The Coronavirus pandemic is making headline news, and countries are implementing strict measures to deter the spread of this infectious disease. Yet, Iranian press has used the spread of this virus as a means of spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories (at the same time that Israel is working to develop a vaccine)."

More about Iran's associated antisemitism here

And for the phenomenon more generally be sure to look here

 

Meanwhile, Press TV hack Roshan M. Salih, a Britisn Muslim, has been receiving much deserved censure over a recent widely reported fanatical tweet of his:

Among his critics was the famous Iranian-born "Imam of Peace".

Naturally, as he shows in an article blaming "Israel's troll army" (see here), Salih's digging his heels in.

The Khazar Canard Laid Bare (video)

 I don't recall touching this subject since this post.

So here's a recent video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw0G9COpeMY

In Australia, a New Kid in the Anti-Israel Bloc

Elizabeth (Libby) Coker is the Australian Labor Party (ALP) member for the Victorian seat of Corangamite in the Australian Federal Parliament.  An ALP parliamentary hopeful for quite some time, Ms Coker achieved her aim of entering the federal House of Representatives at the 18 May 2019 federal election.

Her maiden speech, delivered on 10 September last year, was notable, inter alia, for its rambling length.  During it, she declared that

"One of the key challenges in making a better Australia for all of our children is to address the great contradiction that our success has been achieved in someone else’s land at their expense.... [K]nowing our history cannot be separated from the history of Aboriginal Australia, and that includes understanding what it means for all of us that Aboriginal land was stolen, never ceded...."

On 26 February this year she (below, in white dress) joined federal Greens leader Adam Bandt and hard left federal ALP member for Macquarie Susan Templeman in a public anti-"Apartheid" Israel fest under the auspices of APAN (the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, whose name she mangles here):

Note (squint at black box) her endorsement of this ludicrous comment (describing "the Palestinian people" as "possibly the most oppressed people in the world") below that post on Facebook!

More recently, on 4 March, Ms Coker delivered a squalid little Israel-demonising speech in the House, in which she showed her faith in a certain contentious kangaroo court:

"I want to talk about Palestine and Israel. The underpinning of a civilised world is not only Australian domestic law but also international law. The International Criminal Court was set up to deal with war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 We were one of the first signatories to the treaty that established the court. The third most recent country to join the treaty was the State of Palestine. The ICC prosecutor has spent five years in a preliminary investigation looking at allegations, including that Israeli authorities have settled Israeli civilians into Palestinian territories, a clear breach of the Geneva Conventions; that Palestinian Security Services in the West Bank have committed torture against civilians under their control; and that there has been criminal behaviour by both the Israeli military and Palestinian armed groups. The prosecutor wants to prosecute these alleged crimes.

 Given the territorial complexity, the pre-trial court has sought submissions to determine whether it has jurisdiction. The Australian government, along with only five other governments, has indicated it does not think that the court has jurisdiction—not because there are no crimes to answer but because we do not recognise Palestine as a state. I ask: why did Australia feel it necessary to make this observation and risk the capacity for the ICC to consider these possible crimes? Why should Australia not leave the umpire to do its job?

Ms Coker's support for the Palestinian Arabs, who of course have so successfully rebranded themselves as the "Palestinians", with its very unfortunate implication that they, not the Jews, are the indigenous people of Eretz Israel, reflects her support for the Australian aborigines.

Numerous Australian aborigines themselves know better, seeing the analogy between themselves and Jews as dispossessed First Nations, and support Israel for that reason. See, for instance, here and here

One who doesn't is long term activist  Gary Foley.  He, too, is a member of APAN, and that organisation, headed by retired Anglican prelate Dr George Browning, seems to be upping the ante of late.  Check it out.

David Singer: Three Politicians Can Make 3000-Years-Old Jewish Dream a Reality

Here's the latest article by Sydney lawyer and international affairs analyst David Singer.

He writes:

The votes are in – and it seems Israel’s Prime Minister – Bibi Netanyahu – is just three politicians shy of realising the 3000-years old dream of the Jewish People to regain sovereignty in Judea and Samaria – its ancient and biblical heartland.

The opportunity to turn this dream into a miraculous reality came with the release of President Trump’s Peace Plan on 28 January – embraced by Netanyahu but rejected by the Israeli Arabs, the PLO and the Arab League.

America and Israel’s response was to set up a joint six-member Sovereignty Mapping Committee to determine where Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria could be extended immediately. The residue – about 40% of Judea and Samaria where about 95% of the Arab population live – would continue to enjoy its current status quo – mainly under total PLO administration and security control.
Judea and Samaria formed part of the territory in which the Jewish National Home could be reconstituted following:

• the San Remo Conference and Treaty of Sevres in 1920 and
• all 51 member states of the League of Nations endorsing the Mandate for Palestine in 1922.

These rights vested in the Jewish people were preserved under article 80 of the United Nations Charter when the League of Nations was wound up on 20 April 1946.
Netanyahu’s main rival in Israel’s election held on 2 March – Benny Gantz – accepted the Trump Peace Plan but made it clear he would only implement it with the agreement of the Arab States and the international community. Given the rejection of the Plan by the Arabs and the European Union – Gantz’s promise was simply hot air that never had any chance of being implemented.
This latest election was the first in Israel’s history that had presented the electors with the opportunity to vote on the Jewish people regaining sovereignty in Judea and Samaria after an absence of 3000 years.
The battle lines were drawn – Netanyahu would do so immediately. Gantz would do so maybe, perhaps, possibly – but not certainly for sure – in the future.

The results were staggering:

• Likud converted a deficit of 37597 votes as against Blue and White in September 2019 into an amazing surplus of 132071votes in March 2020 – clear evidence that the voters wanted sovereignty in Judea and Samaria now.
• The turnout was impressive: 4615124 voters this time against 4340253 in September 2019.

Yet Netanyahu only managed to secure 58 of the 61 seats needed to turn this 3000 years-old dream of the Jewish people into a reality.

Netanyahu’s ability to find the support of another 3 of his 47 Jewish political opponents is complicated by the fact that he has been indicted by the Attorney-General in three cases alleging fraud and corruption and is due to appear in court on 17 March.

Four of Netanyahu’s 47 political opponents reportedly could switch their allegiance to Netanyahu to enable him to make this dream a reality.

Given this once in 3000 years opportunity of restoring Jewish rights in Judea and Samaria – it would be strange if many more of the remaining 43 politicians – including Liberman’s 6 Yisrael Beiteinu bloc – were not prepared to put the national interest of the Jewish People before their personal hatred of Netanyahu.

Restoring sovereignty would also fittingly complete the political process begun 100 years ago at San Remo in April 1920.

Netanyahu should not be written off just yet.

A fourth election beckons if Netanyahu fails.

The Jewish People’s long-held dream – if unrealized – could then turn into a debilitating nightmare – resulting in unprecedented political upheaval, civilian demonstrations and unrest.

Author’s note: The cartoon – commissioned exclusively for this article—is by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones”- one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators –  whose cartoons have graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades. His cartoons can be viewed at Drybonesblog.

The Wokist World of Al Beeb

An excellent discussion here, centrally featuring former BBC journalist Robin Aitken, about the BBC's "cultural smear" of "mainstream opinion" that now infects not only news and current affairs but ensures anachronistic politically correct propaganda to infect historical drama.

Mr Aitken notes, inter alia, the BBC's obvious anti-Brexit stance and extraordinary one-sided BBC hostility to Donald Trump

This drift reflects the cultural elites'  "contempt" of sections of British society and the complete takeover of the BBC  by people who are "culturally liberal".

It also reflects the BBC mindset of "the journalist as pundit", interpreting the news in a way designed to influence the opinions of the viewing and listening public.

It is a world in which "diversity" of all sorts is lauded and adopted, but in which the only diversity disallowed is political.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSy8bWuuWQUA 

Oy Vey: An Improper Bostonian

Yes, Virginia, there are extreme Jewish leftists outside California.

Two of them of them, at least, reside in New England.

The execrable Bernie Sanders is, of course, one.

 And the other?  A former head of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis, no less.

Charles Jacobs of Americans for Peace and Tolerance explains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvspFNC-ofA

And what of the indifference to Judaism on the part of many American Jews, I hear you ask.

Rabbi Michael Skobac, Education Director of Jews for Judaism, addresses that issue:

                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO2jVL5a-tI

Delegitimisation & Danger: Dershowitz in Discussion

On 26 February, Professor Alan Dershowitz on the current war against Jews and against the Jew amog the nations, Israel.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMhTzC72svw

To quote the uploader:

The new Jerusalem Center publication Israelophobia and the West exposes and evaluates the parallel phenomena of unprecedented anti-Semitic assaults against Jews in the West while simultaneously demonizing the Jewish State. It further exposes the deceptive representation of anti-Semitic rhetoric as legitimate political criticism of Israel. A special dialogue: Prof. Alan Dershowitz - Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Emeritus, Harvard Law School; Ben-Dror Yemini - Israeli journalist at Yediot Ahronot; Moderated by Dan Diker.