British Jews Awakening as American Jews Remain Asleep

 

First thing we need to recognize is that the problem with anti-Semitic members both in the general membership as well as elected to positions of power and to Parliament is far more pronounced in the British Labour Party than it has risen to amongst the Democrat Party in the United States. Still, between Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, amongst other Representatives within the Democrat Party, the Democrats have had ample opportunity to stand against the rising anti-Semitism, especially as it has reared its ugly head within their ranks. Just as the Labour Party who ignored their early warning signs until it became too great a problem for the party to excise, the Democrats are doing all they are able to whitewash the cases of anti-Semitism with general denunciations of hatred. The Democrats Party even passed on demoting their freshman Representative who has made the strongest and most of anti-Semitic tropes and references from her seat in the Foreign Affairs Committee, one of the most prestigious and important postings which one can be given, and given her either a lesser committee appointment or no committee appointment, probably not that unusual for a freshman Representative. But Speaker of the House Pelosi and the rest of the leading Democrats could not even see their way clear to perform that simply task. Just as is becoming apparent in Britain, the United States is also experiencing rising anti-Semitism both within the public and in the halls of power. The anti-Israel and thus anti-Semitic pronouncements and positions taken by the Black Congressional Caucus, often from behind closed doors, have until now been mostly ignored and treated as an annoyance as this was not a threat which would sway legislation and was kept quiet by the media’s choosing not to report upon such. With Ms. Omar, Ms. Tlaib and affirmations made by Ms. Cortez made openly, even before the cameras of the media and on talk shows, their anti-Semitic remarks and references were not covered up nor hidden from the public view just as if they desired to be noted for their positions and were quite proud of their anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic positions and desired to let the world know. We hope that these three continue to find the limelight and pronounce their ugly hatreds such that the American public can witness their repulsive and abhorrent anti-Semitic feelings.

 

Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

 

The main question is where will this lead for the British, Americans and also most of Europe where such problems are becoming an epidemic. In France there was the problem with outright and obvious anti-Semitic undercurrent behind the Yellow Vests Protests. Much of Europe has been suffering from anti-Israel positions largely through their refusal to condemn and vote against anti-Israel denunciation in the United Nations General Assembly and within the numerous positions held by them within the various United Nations agencies, specifically the Human Rights Commission, UNESCO and numerous others. This should have been expected of the Europeans after the findings that many of the anti-Israel and pro-BDS NGO’s which operate within Israel working against the sitting government (when there is one) and against the feelings and positions of the general public were being funded by the European Union and numerous European governments receiving well over half of their funding from those sources and very little from within Israel. Furthermore, every time Israel attempted to pass laws very similar to those used by Europeans and most of the rest of the world, which would only permit NGO’s to register as Israel providing they received the majority of their funding from Israelis, their native peoples, the European Union and most European government and politicians all would wail and moan about how Israel was destroying democracy and must permit these foreign funded NGO’s continue to be licensed by and call themselves Israeli. No other developed nation allows such ridiculous permission for NGO’s who are acting as a fifth front against the government and the people to remain as domestically accredited. Now we will need to be concerned within a few years when the United States joins the chorus financing further anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic positions which will claim to speak for the Israelis as they receive validation from the government simply because any NGO can present themselves and be validated as Israeli laws concerning NGO’s are very few and not very restrictive. This is not democracy but its evil twin separated at birth and is actually the exact opposite when NGO’s, which are unable to receive funding within Israel, can receive the majority of their funding from entities which desire to harm Israel and remain Israeli.

 

There are many people both in Israel and across America, who believe and say with complete forthright honesty, claiming that the United States and Israel have always been and will always be allied and friendly. These are people with little grasp of reality or history as the United States and Israel have not always been allies or friends or even on the same side. Granted, President Harry Truman went against the advice of his Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and the vast majority of his advisors plus the others around him and recognized Israel when she declared her independence, though it took the Congress a number of months to be convinced to validate the President’s move. Still, immediately after this when the six Arab armies with other allies invaded Israel with genocidal intents, the United States placed an arms embargo on all countries involved in this conflict. If not for Czechoslovakia, Israel might never have received sufficient support of arms required to at least retain much of her lands losing Gaza and the Shomron (West Bank, parts of Judea and Samaria) with the former held by Egypt and the latter taken by Jordan. It was not until the Six Day War in 1967 that these regions were liberated by Israel and, were Israel to be treated as a normal nation, should have been readmitted into Israel with the Arabs residing within given the opportunity to register as legal resident aliens or leaving what was liberated Israeli territories. Similar such events have occurred around the world and especially in Europe as the lines between nations were traded back and forth from the numerous European and other conflicts where, as part of many of these redrawing of lines back to previous location returning lands to one nation or another, often the residing peoples were forced to return within the new boundaries of their country and not permitted to remain and join the new ruling nation. But things are never that easy when it comes to Israel. Much of the problem is that the world has this insatiable appetite for oil, the main product of the central Arab powers, well, that and sand, which they employ to twist and force many a national opinion when it comes to the Jewish State.

 

These Arab nations, as a result of the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and Arab members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), imposed an embargo against the United States in retaliation for the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military as well as to gain leverage in the post-war peace negotiations. This caused people in the United States to have gasoline rationed with often odd-even day restriction on license plates determining who could buy gasoline with some stations limiting the amount any single driver was permitted to buy and many stations running out of gasoline by noon each day. There were gas lines and people would rise a couple of hours early just to buy fuel and still make it to work close to on time. This also led the Arab oil producing nations and their allies around the world to limit production to force prices higher raking in millions of dollars, pounds, francs, marks and other currencies and greatly increasing their leverage over Europe and other parts of the developing world. This influence has contributed greatly to the anti-Israel animosity worldwide. This resupply by the United States during the 1973 Yom Kippur War was actually the first major arms delivery by the United States which would also go on to make Israel a deal she unfortunately, at that time , could not resist to provide F-16s and additional F-15s to Israel in exchange for Israel not placing the Lavi fighter Jet into production. The Lavi would have been a direct contender with the F-16 for world fighter sales, so this decision by the United States was anything but altruistic. The deal included the United States assuring Israel of air superiority in exchange for Israel not producing aircraft which would directly compete with the American markets in fighter jets. With the recent delivery of the F-35 JSF to Israel, one would be led to believe that the United States has remained honest in their agreement. There have been announcements that the United States will be selling F-35 JSF to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia as well as potentially Egypt and their being sold to Turkey currently being held up, but likely to be made in the near future depending on the White House and President Trump resisting the pressures from the Defense Department and State Department to provide Turkey with the new aircraft. This could lead to Israeli adversaries and potential adversaries (and traditional adversaries) being provided with the F-35 JSF such that in a future engagement Israel would be facing as much as three to one odds against her in placing these planes into the air. This was also possible to a more limited extent with the F-15 and F-16. Perhaps it is time for Israel to return to the fighter aircraft market and produce her own next generation fighters.

 

Those claiming that Israel need never worry about her relations and military aid from the United States is overly optimistic. Granted, the United States military receives much data and suggestions for improvements on their military hardware used by Israel and the two nations have cooperated in numerous projects mostly in the anti-missile systems development. Such cooperation could be quickly curtailed with a change in who is President of the United States. We saw somewhat of a breakdown in the normal order of relations between Israel and the United States while President Obama was in the White House which was accentuated with the drafting and permitting the passing by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 which was intended to prevent Israel from ever annexing the lands which were promised her through the San Remo Conference, the British Mandate and the initial White Paper. This was partially undone by President Trump with his recognition of Jerusalem as the Capital City of the Jewish State, which he stated was not anything as monumental as it was a simple recognition of history and truth. As many Americans will attest, President Trump will not be President forever, though for many it already feels that way.

 

The rising anti-Semitism which had struck the British Labour Party at every level, is rampant across Europe and is now becoming evident within the halls of Congress and will eventually threaten every high office in the land and should strike a terrifying chord amongst the Diaspora of Judaism as it portends their having to leave their comfortable existence as it may not remain so comfortable. Many will refuse to admit to their being a problem claiming that these small events are but anomalies and nothing to get all worked up over. They apparently have forgotten all the adages such as, “From the little acorn mighty oaks do grow.” The soil the world over had been prepared by numerous decades of growing anti-Israel protests, escapades within the United Nations structures and propaganda financed by the Arab oil conglomerates all of which have simply further and further infected the world preparing it for yet another round against the Jews as well as Israel. Make no mistake that once a nation begins to work against Israel, the follow-on rise in anti-Semitism will not be long in coming. It is next to impossible for a passive person with little care one way or the other over Israel to be swayed into the position that it is all because of the Jews and these Jews and their Israel are causing all the worldly problems when such is repeated ad nauseum in the news, in protests and now in the halls of Congress. This is how the start of anti-Israel and eventual anti-Semitism following in any nation and apparently around the world. The very beginnings are evidenced in these interactive maps, ADL in 2014 with access to a 2015 update on worldwide anti-Semitism. There have been numerous studies performed which depict the rise in anti-Semitism. We would like to present an idea for some enterprising people with the proper equipment and funds to track world wide anti-Semitism and the way it followed anti-Israel and anti-Zionist political tracks by NGOs and eventually governments. The link between these two types of hatred need be measured while knowing the result of the anti-Israel and anti-Zionist animosity is anti-Semitism and all to which that inevitably leads. Hatred of Israel and the Jews is nothing new in the world and there is a long history of the results of such inflammations of hatred from throughout history and it has never ended well for those who first began to persecute and hate the Jews.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Great Leader Netanyahu Shows His Ugly Side

 

It was not sufficient that Bibi Netanyahu held the Prime Ministership and Minister of Foreign Affairs, but when it became available, he grabbed the power of the Minister of Defense as well, but at least at that point he appointed people who would ask his permission more than likely to replace him from holding the Ministries of Economy, Health and Regional Cooperation. He had recently held the Ministries of Pensioner Affairs and Communications. One wonders why we bother to have anything outside the purview of the complete control of the Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of All Things Available? But that is not what is at issue at this point, as perhaps our current issue only concerns the act of either the Prime Minister or the Minister of Defense to settle the difficulty. Usually, when a decision is required from either the Prime Minister or the Defense Minister and one of them is being received as if he were royalty in Brazil, the other, if necessary, could confer with the other and then a decision reached and acted upon. But there is the rub. Benyamin Netanyahu has taken on the position of Defense Minister while also being the Prime Minister and others, as noted above, and even if he as Defense Minister conferred from the right side of his brain with the Prime Minister left side of his brain and thought to take action, his being received with such pomp and celebratory elation in Brazil has captured both sides of his brain. We hope, for his sake and to avoid further investigations, that the government and its representatives of Brazil do not offer gifts of expensive champagne or exclusive cigars for Bibi Netanyahu or any expensive jewelry or other items of value for Sarah Netanyahu because in Israel, and probably only in Israel, such is considered scandalous. Honest, there was a full-blown investigation about guests who dined at the Prime Minister’s official residence who mistakenly offered such gifts which brought on an indignant rage from the left who demanded and received an investigation to determine if there was any quid pro quo for these billionaires who proffered these gifts to the Prime Minister and his wife. Most Western nations wish this was the greatest of scandalous behavior which was forthcoming from their leaders present and past. But let us get to the problem and why we are taking such affront from this difficult, mournful and heartbreaking situation which has needlessly been thrust upon the Religious and Zionist communities of Israel and potentially beyond.

 

The situation has drawn condemnations from much of the right wing, nationalist, religious and Zionist communities. Earlier this week, the State Prosecutor’s Office issued an ultimatum over several buildings which were to be evacuated in preparation for destruction stating that if they were not dismantled within forty-eight hours, they would be confiscated. This condemnation of the structures was issued despite their being legally purchased at a cost of several millions of shekels as well as additionally having been approved by the Civil Administration recognizing the legality of the purchase. The difficulty comes due to the fact that the region being in the Shomron is also under military control as the government under Prime Minister Netanyahu has refuted several attempts to place the Shomron regions under normal civil control leading to this unfortunate and sorrow-filled situation. Because of the reluctance, nay, refusal by the Prime Minister to advance these regions to normative regulation, these structures also required an additional approval, that of either the Prime Minister or the Defense Minister, which are currently under a singular dictatorial control of Bibi Netanyahu. This may have been partly the reason that Netanyahu took the Defense Ministry under his control upon the resignation of Avigdor Lieberman thus making him the sole adjudicator over the Shomron. Bibi Netanyahu refused to grant his approval to this purchase, which would have slightly increased lands used by the community of Amona by a mere two buildings. What makes this situation even more exasperating is the situation of the illegal settlement which has been scheduled for destruction since early in the 1990’s and repeatedly blocked only to have the Supreme Court repeatedly refusing the petitions for blocking the destruction only to face numerous additional petitions with a fair number by NGO’s which are heavily, if not majority, financed by the European Union and its member governments. These structures were built with foreign funds, without permits, without any utilities, without access roads or internal roads and have had numerous different groups utilizing them including but not limited to Palestinian Arabs, Bedouins and others. These structures are called Khan al-Ahmar which can hardly even be called a community or even an outpost as they lack all facilities and utilities required for human inhabitation and pose a health risk to any inhabitants and the immediate area. Further, they were placed within the areas which under the Oslo Accords and all subsequent agreements placed outside of the areas set aside for Palestinian Arab construction or inhabitation. Meanwhile, Amona is an established community, and actual city, the structures in question are ready for inhabitants, have all utilities and, as noted above, were legally purchased. These had no foreign interference and were completely legal by all nominal qualifications and had no destruction order, they simply required the approval of either the Prime Minister or Defense Minister, in other words, Bibi Netanyahu. The reason for the order for the inhabitants who are the legal owners of the buildings to be removed and be pending potential destruction was solely because Bibi Netanyahu refused to lift a finger to assist the Jews who had purchased the structures. The Prime Minister has never intervened to extradite the destruction of the illegal structures of Khan al-Ahmar and had no difficulty standing aside to permit Jews to be dispossessed of their legal purchase on the outskirts of Amona. This leads one to question why the Prime Minister/Defense Minister, one Bibi Netanyahu, decided that the legal purchase of these structures by Jews was not worthy of even the slightest action on his part to finalize their purchase which had been approved by all required civil authorities and was logged as a legal purchase only requiring his approval. Let us venture a guess as to why this lack of action was seen as expedient and what future plans could this have caused further complications requiring the difficult situation.

 

We all know that elections are due to take place in early April and that the Likud is seen as the obvious winners of the largest mandate and thus Bibi Netanyahu, as the head of the Likud Party, will be reassuming the position of Prime Minister and forming the next ruling coalition. The Religious Zionist and right wing in general are currently facing problems caused by the split of the Jewish Home Party with Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, the former top two position holders in the Knesset list, leaving the party immediately as elections were being called to form their own party where they would have complete freedom to choose their list for the Knesset and thus avoid the primary system of Jewish Home which may have posed some difficulties in the choice of Ministerial candidates for the list. This split will also have ramification on partnerships and other arrangements between the different parties and could be the initial cause for more parties to further split the vote on the right and the religious and Zionist parties spreading the votes over more selections and potentially having some not make threshold leaving these sectors of the Israeli public underrepresented. This could even play right into a possible scenario which we suspect Bibi Netanyahu could have in his plans. Let us make clear that these are our suspicions which have nothing more to validate them other than our own gut feelings. What follows is a scenario which we hope does not come to fruition. Everything will depend on how the Israelis elect parties and the strength each receive but we suspect what we fear will be a viable result.

 

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu

 

The first requirement will be that Likud does actually receive the largest number of mandates for positions as Ministers of the Knesset. Virtually every poll currently validates this assumption as it is the most likely outcome. According to most of the early polling, the center-right would receive sixty-three mandates, sufficient for a coalition and the center-left would receive fifty-seven even including the Arab Joint List which would be insufficient to form a coalition. Most pundits are calling that the definitive results but are overlooking one thing, Bibi Netanyahu and a legacy. Thus far, despite over a decade as Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu does not have any definitive legacy and this will probably be his final stint as Prime Minister. He looks back at the great and the significant former Prime Ministers and sees Menachem Begin who made peace with Egypt, Simon Peres forged Oslo Accords, Yitzhak Rabin made peace with Jordan and even Ariel Sharon gets credit for the Gaza Disengagement, or would that be blame. Bibi made his greatest contribution initially as Finance Minister as he was credited with making the modern Israeli economy possible though this has had a dark side as many Israelis did not benefit greatly and much of the development was contained within the greater Tel Aviv metropolitan area not reaching far beyond to what is referred to as the periphery. It is entirely possible that Bibi Netanyahu sees an opportunity for a legacy by reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinian Arabs in the Shomron (West Bank or Judea and Samaria) and probably believes that any peace plan that President Trump proposes could become his legacy if he can have it foisted upon the Palestinian Authority led by permanent Refusenik Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas, like Arafat before him, has refused every peace plan and proposal while never making any counter demands or presenting what he would accept, at least not in English. In Arabic he has been adamant that the only peace plan he will accept is the total destruction of Israel and the Jews removed by whatever means the world prefers up to and including another Final Solution for approaching seven-million Jews. With President Trump pressing Abbas, and if Netanyahu can cobble together a government coalition which would accept almost any sacrifice in the name of peace, then it is entirely plausible that President Trump could force a peace plan between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Such an agreement would fall completely apart almost immediately after President Trump leaves office, but should he be reelected in 2020, then Bibi Netanyahu will likely have retired while the plan is still in effect and thus his legacy in place and any dissolution into violence which came later being blamed on whomever replaces Netanyahu. How, you may ask, could Prime Minister Netanyahu ever hold a right-center coalition together while making such a peace plan work which would require the evacuation of close to a million Israelis from many of the communities in the Shomron while splitting Jerusalem in half once again? The answer is simple, he would not be able to have such a coalition remain intact which is why we suspect he may be looking at a National Unity Government where the parties in the coalition are a combination from both sides of center. With his Likud plurality, Bibi Netanyahu could easily invite parties such as Yesh Atid, Kulanu, Israel Resilience (Gantz) and any of the minor parties which pass threshold which could give him a coalition of comfortably over sixty, especially if he included the Labor Party promising them some preferred ministerial positions. With such a coalition, Bibi Netanyahu would be able to do almost anything and as many of the parties he would be including are actually more left than center-left, they would simply go along, as he would be doing exactly as they had been calling for the government to do for the past decade or more. Would such a peace deal in the end have the same results as we have seen in Gaza? Well, actually the end results would be a million times worse than Gaza as it was feasible, Hamas would take over the region surrendered and Tel Aviv would soon thereafter be attacked directly with rockets. This would result in the next Prime Minister being forced, not only to reoccupy, but to cleanse the region west of the Jordan River and east of Tel Aviv including eastern Jerusalem of all its Arab population and do so with the blessing of most Israelis, even the most left wing Tel Aviv barista latte drinker; as rockets falling on Tel Aviv would serve as a desperate wake-up call. That would assure that Prime Minister of a legacy as well. Unfortunately, it is what ensued in making the two legacies which would not be desirable.

 

Beyond the Cusp