I’ve been relatively quiet while following the news these past weeks. Like most Americans and Israelis, I’ve hoped the heroic sacrifices in this war would lead to an expansion of the Abraham Accords and an era of peace and stability in the Middle East that benefits the world.

Those hopes were tested when we learned a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran. Fortunately, special operators carried out a risky nighttime rescue deep inside hostile territory and recovered both crew members successfully. One Air Force officer ejected, evaded capture while injured for nearly two days, and both are now safely back with their unit. This should be a moment of gratitude for the pilots, special forces, and all involved. Yet it’s hard not to notice something disturbing: segments of the media (and unfortunately some real life conversations) seemed to root for the airmen’s capture and exploitation on Iranian TV, not out of anti-military sentiment, but because it might damage Republicans ahead of the midterms.

Years of intense partisanship have turned too many foreign crises into domestic score-settling. For some, partisan victory outweighs American success overseas. Iran remains the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, a direct threat to the West, and is still pursuing uranium enrichment while calling for death to America and Israel. Recent strikes set back their nuclear and military capabilities, but the regime endures. We should finish the job decisively so our forces aren’t forced to return later.

To be clear, criticizing a war isn’t unpatriotic when it’s well-researched and principled. Americans have long debated conflicts from our Civil War, where brothers killed one another, to Vietnam’s often chaotic and violent protests. The real issue isn’t how we got here or lamenting lost unity. Our republic has always been fragile, but that doesn’t mean we abandon ideals. The most basic one is standing together for our survival against regimes that seek our destruction.

We got our pilots home. Now let’s finish the mission abroad so we can focus on repairing and strengthening our home. After all, we have to live here together.

Sources

US Pilot recovered

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/us-fighter-jet-down-over-iran-search-rescue-mission-underway/4085666/

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/iran-claims-to-shoot-another-us-f-35-fighter-jet-raises-fears-around-pilots-fate-as-reports-say-captured-or-dead-101775216687617.html

Negative Press Articles

https://www.thedailybeast.com/iran-blows-up-donald-trumps-annihilated-brag-by-downing-two-jets/

https://www.aol.com/articles/downed-fighter-jet-punctures-trump-200731181.html

On January 1, 2026, Zohran Mamdani took the oath as New York City’s mayor. To the surprise of no one who’s been following his campaign, he made his top priority to immediately attack the Jewish community.

Mamdani went right to work reversing a stack of executive orders, from the Adams era, intended to protect the Jewish community of New York (the largest population of Jews living outside of Israel). He revoked orders adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism, orders banning adoption of BDS, and orders that banned disruptive protests outside houses of worship, including synagogues.

New York is on its way to becoming a hellscape for Jews. No less culpable in the current political disaster are the “progressives” like Bernie Sanders who’ve become experts at weaponizing their identities against other Jews, despite having no real connections to our traditions or beliefs.

Let’s be clear, this isn’t just policy tweaking. By scrapping IHRA, Mamdani is deliberately blurring the line between legitimate criticism and outright hatred of Jews. He claims he’s protecting “free speech,” but in practice, green-lighting the vilification of Israel is simply a rouse to attack Jews more directly.

Antisemitic attacks in NYC have skyrocketed since October 7. Jews make up only about 10% of the population NYC, but are the victims of more than half of all hate crimes reported by NYPD data.

Why when I look at holy sites around this country do other religions not need to employ the same type of the security measures that temples require to keep members of their congregation safe? This is a travesty in America, a nation built on the idea that freedom of worship and rugged individualism matter.

Mamdani talks a big game about ‘affordability and abundance,’ but his policies signal something darker, prioritizing radical activism over the basic safety of Jewish New Yorkers. We’ve seen this playbook before, appeasement of fringe voices that ultimately become mainstream and lead to physical violence.

So what’s the solution? Should Jews leave or stay and fight?

I wish I believed we could make a difference reversing the evil that plagues such an important and once great city, where I lived for many years. The sad reality is however, that if Jews defend themselves they’ll be legally persecuted, even if it’s clear they are acting in self defense.

We must stop ignoring reality…

Mamdani’s evil agenda will prioritize radical mobs that seek to do Jews harm over law-abiding citizens. That will not change.

Knowing that, it’s time for Jews to pack up and leave. Let NYC devolve into a failed communist hellhole. We’ve rebuilt before, from Egypt to Europe. We must reject the trap of embracing victimhood (this is a road to nowhere) and instead embrace our and resilient spirit and nomadic traditions.

Not just Mamdani, but New Yorkers more broadly have delivered Jews a clear threat.

Believe them that it’s real…

Vote with you feet my friends. Not just clear eyed Jews, but anyone with a conscience.

Do not pretend to be deaf and blind, take your skills and moral clarity somewhere you can live in peace. Let’s see how much New Yorkers enjoy the ‘intifada revolution’ without Jews to blame all their problems on.

Sources

• Hate crime stats in NYC

• The New York Times, “Mamdani Lays Out Agenda,” Jan 1, 2026.

• Politico, “Mamdani defends eliminating executive orders on antisemitism,” Jan 2, 2026.

• The Times of Israel, “Mamdani revokes IHRA antisemitism definition on day 1,” Jan 1, 2026.

• Haaretz, “Mamdani Revokes BDS, Synagogue Protest Bans,” Jan 2, 2026.

• NYC.gov, Mayor Mamdani Inaugural Address, Jan 1, 2026.

Fortunately, I came across this interview with Coleman Hugh’s (who is smarter, calmer, and more eloquent than me). His positions on these issues largely align with my own with some minor exceptions. He also tackles the debate from a more neutral and less biased place and is much more charitable and disciplined in the debate than I might be. Maybe Israel’s detractors can hear his opinions in a way they can’t hear me.

Here’s where I agree with Dave. Israel is largely losing the information and propaganda war online, but not for the reasons he claims. Israel is losing because the conflict is complicated and forty-five sound bytes provide insufficient context to understand the conflict thoroughly and give these important topics justice.

So here’s three and a half hours of relatively structured debate that help illuminate the gaps and fallacies in Dave Smith’s worldview. His views might sound intriguing initially to the uninformed, but when when crashed against historical context of each claim and the full primary sources he tries to omit are brought to light, his anti-Israel isolationist ideology begins to crumble.

Thank you Coleman for taking the time to have this debate.

Sources:

Coleman Hughes and the Free Press Podcast - highly recommend subscribing to both

Spotify link below if you prefer over YouTube

Quick Bio on Coleman

https://www.aaespeakers.com/keynote-speakers/coleman-hughes

I remembered that it’s not enough to nurture our beliefs silently. We must build a community of strong like minded people who are willing to defend worthy ideas and values that others seek to destroy.

It’s uncomfortable. It’s risky. We must do it anyways so our kids and their kids can live in a world of lions instead of a world of scavengers as Ben Shapiro might say.

During my hiatus from writing original editorials on this blog, I found peace in reading and listening to people are far more eloquent than I am at articulating ideas about free speech, Zionism, capitalism, and other ideas I’m passionate about.

I got tired and a bit cynical. I stopped carrying the torch and I’ve been happy to watch others carry it for me.

Charlie Kirk was someone who never got tired of sharing his message. He had infinite amounts of courage and held true to his beliefs. He wasn’t ashamed to share them and he wasn’t scared to listen other peoples view points who disagreed with him.

He loved debate and sharing ideas.

He did so respectfully.

His time on Earth made our country stronger.

We didn’t agree on everything, but there’s no human being on Earth that’s going to agree with you on everything. Not your spouse, not your kids, and even sometimes we change our own opinions as we get older, have more experiences, and hopefully become wiser.

Charlie’s legacy will be thousands of others resolving to pick back up the torch, or deciding to pick it up for the first time.

I’ll try to do a better job of summoning the same amount of courage to defending the values and ideas that we don’t want to see snuffed from this world.

I’ll leave you with some tributes from others honoring Charlie’s legacy.

Goodbye Charlie.

Thank you for being a lion in a world of scavengers.

We, as Jews, need to stop trying to be liked. It’s a hard thing to say out loud, but it’s true. For generations we have held onto this idea that if we just explained ourselves better—if we were more open, more moral, or more patient—maybe people would finally understand us. Maybe they would stop hating us. Maybe they would come around. But they didn't and they won’t. Because the hate that we are up against isn’t logical. It’s not based on policy, politics, or misunderstandings. It’s older than any of that. It’s inherited, recycled, dressed up in new language, but it’s the same old hatred our grandparents and great-grandparents knew all too well.

There are people who support us, and we should cherish them. But the people who don’t—they are not sitting around waiting for the perfect argument that will suddenly change their mind. If someone could look at what happened on October 7th—see women dragged through the streets, children butchered, people burned alive—and still say, “Well, it’s complicated,” then they’re not confused. They’re not on the fence. They have already decided we are not worth mourning.

And that’s what makes this so painful. We still believe in the power of truth, because we know how much truth has mattered to us. We come from people of books, debate, ethics, and relentless questioning. We think if we just teach history the right way, if we show people what really happened, they’ll get it. But the world saw the Holocaust. Not just in hindsight—during. There were reports. Photographs. Eyewitnesses. And most of the world did absolutely nothing. The trains kept running. The borders stayed closed. The silence was louder than the screams.

After the Holocaust, people said “Never Again,” and then promptly forgot almost everything. We remember six million names. The world remembers a handful. Anne Frank. Elie Wiesel. Maybe one or two more. Six million people turned into two or three acceptable symbols of Jewish pain. The rest were too Jewish, too messy, too difficult to include in the world’s moral story.

So when people don’t care about Israeli Jews being massacred today, we shouldn’t be surprised. And we need to stop thinking it’s our fault for not explaining it well enough. The people who hate us aren’t looking for better explanations. Their hate is not built on logic, so it can’t be unraveled with facts. It’s built on stories they were raised with, a culture that normalizes suspicion of Jews, and a long history of blaming us for everything from plagues to power.

I understand that It’s hard to accept that there are people who simply don’t care if we live or die. But that’s what history teaches us. People are perfectly capable of watching Jews suffer and moving on. In many ways, they’re more comfortable when we suffer. They know how to talk about dead Jews. They hold memorials and light candles. They feel righteous remembering us—once we’re gone. It’s living Jews who defend themselves that make them uncomfortable.

So we need to stop seeking comfort in their approval. We were not put here to be liked. We were not put here to win anyone over. We were put here to survive, to protect our own, to build, to love, to outlast every empire and ideology that tried to erase us. That’s our legacy. And it continues—not because we convinced the world to accept us, but because we stopped needing their permission.

We don’t need to justify our existence. We don’t need to apologize for defending ourselves. And we definitely don’t need to beg for sympathy from people who watched what happened on October 7th and kept scrolling. We should speak to our own. Strengthen each other. Teach our children who they are and where they come from. Remind them that being hated is not new. It’s not their fault. And it has nothing to do with how “good” or “moral” or “explained” we are.

Being liked is nice. Being alive is essential. Let’s choose the one that matters.

A lot of people have asked me if I will get involved in the NYC mayor race by supporting a candidate that can defeat Zohran Mamdani. TBH, I’m torn and undecided. Like every other city run by democrats, NYC is a broken kleptocracy. Taxes are astronomical and services are pathetic to nonexistent. Anarchy and socialism are the next logical steps in this story arc.

It's what the people of NYC have been asking for for years and it looks like it's what they are about to get. Trying to fight against this tide seems like throwing good money after bad. It appears things will have to get worse in NYC before they get better. The Zoomers and Millennials need a refresher on the outcome of Marxism and socialism. They are too young to remember the crack and crime epidemic and murder sprees of the late 80's and early 90's. The squeegee men, graffiti, mugging, lawlessness, chaos, and pandemonium. Streets that were too unsafe to walk alone at night or even during the day. Getting mugged on the way to and from school was not just a rite of passage, it was an inevitability. The Wall Streeters, financiers, and hedge funders have been too busy working on their fishponds and climbing the rungs of polite society to remember to protect the system that allowed them to achieve their success in the first place and allowed New York City to once become the greatest city in the world. Not ruffling feathers was more important than questioning the ideological insanity being taught in the private schools and universities that they sent their kids to.

All that mattered was fitting in and getting invited to the right dinner parties. Now their kids are indoctrinated NPCs, always protesting and supporting the current thing. Like their parents, they too want to fit in. To do so, they unironically exchange bromides and platitudes on the benefits of socialism over rosé brunches in the West Village. Because their friends hate America and capitalism, they do too. It never dawns on them that their lifestyle and studio apartment that their parents subsidize are all made possible because of capitalism.

This delusional thinking was ingrained in them at an early age by institutions that were captured by insane ideology and left unchecked by their grossly negligent parents. Instead of providing their children with immunity from stupid and provably bad ideas that have only led to misery and death throughout history, these parents shrugged it off as kids will be kids. Now these kids are adults who can vote, but are totally unequipped to do so. In many ways it’s not their fault. From their parents, they learned some combination of magical thinking, preference falsification, and an inability to stand up for anything greater than themselves.

As a result, they never learned how to think critically or independently. They never learned the value of Western civilization so they don't understand why, or know how, to fight for it. Sometimes the only way to learn something is to learn it the hard way. Sometimes the only way to learn the value of what you have is to lose it. If that’s the case, Marxism and socialism might just be what the doctor ordered.

We, as Jews, need to stop trying to be liked. It’s a hard thing to say out loud, but it’s true. For generations we have held onto this idea that if we just explained ourselves better—if we were more open, more moral, or more patient—maybe people would finally understand us. Maybe they would stop hating us. Maybe they would come around. But they didn't and they won’t. Because the hate that we are up against isn’t logical. It’s not based on policy, politics, or misunderstandings. It’s older than any of that. It’s inherited, recycled, dressed up in new language, but it’s the same old hatred our grandparents and great-grandparents knew all too well.

There are people who support us, and we should cherish them. But the people who don’t—they are not sitting around waiting for the perfect argument that will suddenly change their mind. If someone could look at what happened on October 7th—see women dragged through the streets, children butchered, people burned alive—and still say, “Well, it’s complicated,” then they’re not confused. They’re not on the fence. They have already decided we are not worth mourning.

And that’s what makes this so painful. We still believe in the power of truth, because we know how much truth has mattered to us. We come from people of books, debate, ethics, and relentless questioning. We think if we just teach history the right way, if we show people what really happened, they’ll get it. But the world saw the Holocaust. Not just in hindsight—during. There were reports. Photographs. Eyewitnesses. And most of the world did absolutely nothing. The trains kept running. The borders stayed closed. The silence was louder than the screams.

After the Holocaust, people said “Never Again,” and then promptly forgot almost everything. We remember six million names. The world remembers a handful. Anne Frank. Elie Wiesel. Maybe one or two more. Six million people turned into two or three acceptable symbols of Jewish pain. The rest were too Jewish, too messy, too difficult to include in the world’s moral story.

So when people don’t care about Israeli Jews being massacred today, we shouldn’t be surprised. And we need to stop thinking it’s our fault for not explaining it well enough. The people who hate us aren’t looking for better explanations. Their hate is not built on logic, so it can’t be unraveled with facts. It’s built on stories they were raised with, a culture that normalizes suspicion of Jews, and a long history of blaming us for everything from plagues to power.

I understand that It’s hard to accept that there are people who simply don’t care if we live or die. But that’s what history teaches us. People are perfectly capable of watching Jews suffer and moving on. In many ways, they’re more comfortable when we suffer. They know how to talk about dead Jews. They hold memorials and light candles. They feel righteous remembering us—once we’re gone. It’s living Jews who defend themselves that make them uncomfortable.

So we need to stop seeking comfort in their approval. We were not put here to be liked. We were not put here to win anyone over. We were put here to survive, to protect our own, to build, to love, to outlast every empire and ideology that tried to erase us. That’s our legacy. And it continues—not because we convinced the world to accept us, but because we stopped needing their permission.

We don’t need to justify our existence. We don’t need to apologize for defending ourselves. And we definitely don’t need to beg for sympathy from people who watched what happened on October 7th and kept scrolling. We should speak to our own. Strengthen each other. Teach our children who they are and where they come from. Remind them that being hated is not new. It’s not their fault. And it has nothing to do with how “good” or “moral” or “explained” we are.

Being liked is nice. Being alive is essential. Let’s choose the one that matters.

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I greatly appreciate the support and encouragement I’ve gotten from this community over the past year. You’ve all helped grow this community to over 1,500+ subscribers and we’ve helped raise over $1,000+, which has been donated to charities (mostly to organizations that we’ve posted interviews for) who are helping to promote Zionism and protect Jews in the diaspora all around the world.

I plan to continue writing and interviewing about the topics we care about, but I feel more comfortable with the newsletter being free given the topics we discuss here.

Thank you all for being part of this community and for those who said it’s helped them feel less alone.

Am Yisrael Chai!

I’ve been working on a children’s book, geared towards kids 3 to 7, and it’s nearly ready to go to print. It’s a children’s book, so if you’re looking for a Middle East political editorial, which is what I typically write here, this isn’t it!

I originally started writing it as a short story for my son, who was feeling self conscious about hit ‘outie’ belly button, and decided to make it available for more people who may find themselves in a similar situation. I’d like to gauge interest from the community here so I know how many to order.

It will be available on sites like Amazon, but I’m also happy to sign some and write custom notes for anyone interested in this community.

If you have a young family, or knows a young family that might enjoy the book, give it a shot. If you know someone at PJ Library who may be able to take a look at it, please introduce me.

This short story has some Jewish themes, and there are Jewish items present in the families home, but it is by no means only for Jewish people. It’s beautifully illustrated by Michael LaVoy who I was fortunate enough to find and who helped collaborate with me to bring ‘I Love My Belly Button’ to life.

Please reach out to me if you’d like a copy mailed to you in exchange for making a small donation to your local synagogue or Jewish community center!

Leave a comment

Ivy Leagues have a long history with antisemitism.

In the early 20th century, elite universities implemented quotas to limit Jewish enrollment, cloaked in language about "character" and "fit."

Today, antisemitism hasn’t disappeared. It evolved. It is cloaked, this time under the guise of “free speech”. Let me be clear: I am a strong proponent of free speech. I am firmly opposed to the cynical hijacking of free speech to justify bullying and harassment of Jews - or any other group. We must unite in condemning the hateful culture that has been allowed to fester for decades within these institutions.

Universities must draw a clear and principled line — protecting open discourse while refusing to tolerate harassment, violence, or hate in any form.

And yet they actively and purposely fail to do so.

Let’s be honest, if any other minority group, including LGBTQ+ students, people of color, or members of other religions were being treated the way Jewish students are treated, there would be outrage. And rightly so. The absence of that same energy and accountability when it comes to antisemitism is clear.

And that’s the problem.

We must ensure that antisemitism is not dismissed or downplayed. True inclusion means standing against all forms of hate, including the oldest one.

Fortunately, I was spared from the reprimand, probably because she felt pity for me after overhearing I was begging to escape for 45 minutes before her temper tantrum. Also, I am a father, and am thus immune to any parental criticism from strangers.

Admittedly, our three young kids were being little agents of chaos. They were also being wonderful, telling the story of Passover, answering questions, and singing too.

They bounced off the walls, explored vacant classrooms, and the middle one allegedly tried to lick some unattended plates. I watched as the ancient woman at the next table stared daggers at us with every loud peal of laughter, and rocked back and forth like ‘The Joker’ trying to control herself.

I warned my wife, who told me I was using it as an excuse to try and leave (partly true). After all, “seen but not heard” is an old-fashioned notion, am I right? I resigned myself to defeat as I watched Cruella de Ville turn all sorts of vivid colors as the seder wore on.

We almost made it to dessert, when sadly an innocent game of golden doodle stuffed animal hot potato that my kids were playing on the floor prompted our neighbor to melt down like the Fukushima reactor being hit by a tsunami.

As I listened to the old lady screech like the Green Goblin from Spiderman, my first instinct probably should have been to defend my family.

But… I couldn’t help shake the feeling that the grinchy granny might have a point.

A lot went through my head during this moment…

First, parenting is hard and people in general seem less tolerant of kids than ever before.

Even though we are blessed to have an amazing rabbi who kept the seder short, funny, and engaging, these types of events are impossible for kids. No amount of coloring books and crafts (of which there were plenty), can stop children from becoming feral at Temple seder past their bed time.

I feel like 10 or 20 years ago, the old people at the next table might have picked up some rambunctious kids and helped entertain them instead of scolding them, or at the very least ignored them.

I tried to snap back to reality as I watched the old lady’s head almost spin completely around like in The Exorcist. After her outburst, she burst into a dozen bats and flew back to whatever nest of misery she crawled out of for the evening.

My next thought?

Sweet relief. Maybe my wife will finally want to leave now! I know that sounds terrible, but I try my best to be honest here.

And indeed, we made our exit shortly after.

When we got home, I retreated to our room to decompress while my wife put the kids to bed, because like my children, I am a giant man child.

In the aftermath of the seder chaos, I keep questioning why we do this multiple times a year.

Is it the importance of tradition?

It does seem like we have an innate need to build and maintain community as a subconscious survival mechanism that helps protect future generations of Jews. Even as I struggle with my own faith, I’m still happy to send my kids to religious school and think it’s important to do so. But, I can’t deny that I often feel a hollow sense of religious obligation that ultimately seems to breed resentment.

Those feelings of resentment only lead to more guilt, which leads to hate… and to suffering. Okay, that last part was a bad Master Yoda joke, for the Star Wars fans out there, but you get the idea.

It’s not lost on me, that especially on this Passover, with so many families unjustly separated due to the October 7th war in Israel, how petty it is to complain about having to sit through a few hour dinner.

I realize I’m very fortunate, but I still feel trapped by the cycle of stress and boredom that these holidays bring. And yet I cannot bring myself to stop participating in them.

I can’t shake the feeling that I am the asshole.

And yet I know as much as I complain that I don’t want to go to the next holiday, I’ll probably end up going. I’ll go because I don’t want to feel like a shitty father or husband. Or maybe because our strange Jewish experience has convinced me that the rituals are supposed to be hard.

I’ll keep showing up to these holidays, because maybe the torment’s the point—proof we’re still here (that’s a miracle!), plate-lickers and meltdowns included.

⚠️Hamas paraded around bodies of the Bibas children they beat to death, while young Palestinian civilians danced and cheered.

⚠️Hamas intentionally returned the wrong bodies with mismatched keys to coffins filled to the brim with vile propaganda.

⚠️Hamas coerced hostages to kiss their captors with the assistance of the Red Cross.

⚠️Hamas has even subjected other hostages to witness the release of their fellow countrymen, while they themselves were forced to remain captive.

It’s easy to say what won’t work, but it’s much harder to propose a possible solution. Let’s go back to first principals I believe are true before we posit any solutions.

(1) The conflict was never about land, so trading land will not solve it.

Palestinians have already rejected numerous generous ‘land for peace’ deals in the past that gave them pretty much all of Gaza and the West Bank (with some land swaps to carve out specific settlements). With support for a two-state solution at all time lows in Israel, it’s unlikely any better deals will be offered in the future.

Also, attacks and massacres against Jews carried out by Islamist regimes have occurred for centuries, well before the creation of Israel. Here’s a giant list of them. To claim the conflict would evaporate if only Israel ceased to exist in the Middle East is simply a cynical misdirection that only historically illiterate people fall for.

(2) Most Palestinians will never accept living next to a Jewish State without overwhelming intervention from moderate Arab states (unlikely) or overwhelming force that leads to unconditional surrender or displacement.

Even after all the suffering both Israelis and Palestinians have endured this past year, according to most polls Palestinians still overwhelmingly support Hamas. Hamas is even more highly regarded in the “West Bank” where recently a failed bus bombing originated that could have killed hundreds.

It’s also well documented that many Palestinian civilians also participated in October 7th attacks and helped to imprison hostages. To try and completely segregate Palestinian culture from Hamas may sound politically correct, but is far from reality.

The truth is there is no credible way to deprogram a population who has been indoctrinated from very young ages to believe their singular goal is to murder Jews and destroy the world’s only Jewish state. Arab leaders from nations that have succeeded in this type of endeavor in their own countries are not exactly lining up to jeopardize their security to fight this battle on behalf of Israel.

Once you accept these two realities are true, then it is nearly impossible to still endorse a two-state solution as anything more then a fantasy.

So where do we go from here?

Trump’s press conference the other week finally brought some new ideas to the table when he proposed pressuring Arab states to take ownership over the Palestinian population within their own borders. Afterall, Egyptians, Jordanians, Syrians, and Lebanese governments have used the Palestinians as political pawns in their war against Israel and are responsible, both directly and indirectly, for a large amount of their suffering. It seems only logical that those same states should bear the brunt of remedying the painful conflict they helped cultivate.

Unfortunately, Trump’s plan to relocated Palestinians hand waved over a lot of complex details. That said, I am not willing to abandon exploring ANY solution that doesn’t violate the tenants of the principals above (which I now believe are intractable), just because the plan lacked specificity.

Most of the world will still hate Jews regardless of what course we take. We may as well choose the path that prioritizes our security, even if it means suffering some damaging headlines in the near term. To those who claim moving Palestinians in Gaza form Israel is impossible, I must ask why it was not impossible for the IDF to violently remove ALL Jews from Gaza in 2005?

Populations have migrated due to political and military disputes since the dawn of time. Conveniently, the world likes to forget that more than 850,000 Jews were forced out of Arab countries during the 20th century from their ancestral homes where they lived for over 2,500 years!

I ask you to remember Hillel Neuer speech where he reminded the UN how the Middle East was systematically cleansed of Jews in the recent past.

“Israel’s 1.5 million Arabs, whatever challenges they face, enjoy full rights to vote and to be elected in the Knesset, they work as doctors and lawyers, they serve on the Supreme Court.

Now I’d like to ask the members of that commission, that commissioned that report, the Arab states from which we just heard. Egypt, Iraq, and the others:

How many Jews live in your countries? How many Jews live in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco? Once upon a time, the Middle East was full of Jews.

Algeria had 140,000 Jews. Algeria, where are your Jews?

Egypt used to have 75,000 Jews. Where are your Jews?

Syria, you had tens of thousands of Jews. Where are your Jews?

Iraq, you had over 135,000 Jews. Where are your Jews?”

With Hamas refusing to release the remaining hostages, time is truly up.

One thing is certain, peace will not materialize from endorsing a moral solution that just looks good on paper, but is impossible. We must abandon our fear that we’ll become social pariah's for thinking differently in the eyes of people who never had any skin in the game to begin with.

All complex problems require us to think differently. Let’s stop caring about what sounds silly and work backwards from what’s possible instead.

Sources:

36 Palestinian prisoners serving life terms for terror https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-releasing-369-palestinian-prisoners-including-36-serving-life-terms-for-terror/

Palestinian rejectionism of land for peace deals https://leaderpost.com/opinion/letters/letters-arabs-not-israelis-have-always-rejected-middle-east-peace

Trump’s plan to relocated Gazans https://www.ajc.org/news/what-is-trumps-proposal-for-gaza

Palestinian support for Hamas remains robust https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/poll-over-70-palestinians-still-maintain-hamas-correct-to-commit-oct-7-atrocities/

Three in four Palestinians believe Hamas attack on Israel was correct https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/poll-shows-palestinians-back-oct-7-attack-israel-support-hamas-rises-2023-12-14/

Hamas murdered Bibas kids with bare hands https://www.yahoo.com/news/hamas-killed-bibas-children-bare-161821348.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

Bibi Vampire poster https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/20/middleeast/hamas-israel-hostages-release-bibas-intl-hnk/index.html

Palestinians cheer and celebrate dead Biba’s children https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/depraved-gazans-were-cheering-bibas-kids-coffins-top-trump-official-charges/

Wrong keys, wrong bodies https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/netanyahu-vows-revenge-after-israel-says-hamas-sent-back-wrong-body-for-shiri-bibas/ar-AA1zvpFz

Coerced to kiss captors https://www.jfeed.com/news-israel/ss3m6a

Forced to watch release of other hostages before returning to captivity https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-843279

Failed bus bombings https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-3-empty-busses-explode-in-central-israel-in-failed-terror-attack

European car ramming’s continue to increase https://theweek.com/crime/terror-on-wheels-the-history-of-vehicle-ramming-attacks

Death to Israel chants also precede Death to America as well https://www.foxnews.com/world/hezbollah-thousands-times-stronger-warns-us-israel-report

Where are your Jews? https://civicrm.unwatch.org/civicrm/mailing/view?reset=1&id=1253

Jews forced from Arab Lands https://democracychronicles.org/jewish-exodus-map/

Micah Avni video https://x.com/micahavni/status/1893298265895899173?s=51&t=-lHZOgMP6Y3wrYPKw4Va-A

US Aid funded Hamas Terrorism https://www.city-journal.org/article/usaid-spending-hamas-gaza-terror

Trump Endorses removing Palestinians https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/02/16/trump-gaza-proposal-netanyahu-praises-trumps-bold-vision-for-gaza-takeover-after-rubio-meeting/

IDF forcibly removes Jews from Gaza https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/on-this-day-in-2005-israel-completes-disengagement-from-the-gaza-strip-679288

Palestinian civilians participated in October 7th attacks https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/hamas-palestinians-pogrom-israel

His ability to be radically candid with the public about his thoughts, feelings, and motivations (often in real time), makes many of us feel like we know him on some level, whether that’s true or not. That’s probably one of his biggest superpowers, not unlike the big orange, who whether you like him or hate him, you at least feel like he’s being authentic.

I began first learning about Elon decades ago in my 20s. As an avid tech enthusiast, I first became aware of him during the early days of the internet boom while following PayPal’s talented team who would later go on to found some of the worlds most influential startups. I have followed his career closely since, read his biographies, and drawn inspiration from his unique management philosophy that prioritizes tangible results over corporate BS. I also love his pragmatic approach to environmental sustainability with Tesla and Solar City and his desire to make humans an interplanetary species with SpaceX. I often find motivation watching his interviews in terms of how he thinks from first principals and believe he’s truly a once in a lifetime entrepreneur.

As an Elon fan, like many others, I’ve often found myself in the precarious position of having to defend him in public and private spaces over the years. Whether defending an “insensitive” tweet or meme, the fact that billionaires should be able to exist at all as long as they are playing by the rules, or his positions as a free speech absolutist and all the thorns that come with it, I’ve been in Elon’s corner.

I first began having doubts when Elon retweeted a popular Jewish conspiracy theory that Jewish communities push “hatred against Whites.”

As a Jewish person, I’m hypersensitive to not wanting to be caught on the wrong side of history. I don’t speak for all Jews (and I certainly don’t want them speaking for me), so I can only tell you how it made me feel personally. It stung. It made me wonder, am I suffering from selection bias in terms of the information I’m consuming? Is Elon really a fascist with some type of sick agenda and I just can’t see it?

I took a step back and really thought about it.

The more I thought about it the more I realized my own frustration with parts of the Jewish community, especially those in the left leaning western Jewish diaspora. Staunch unexamined Jewish support for “progressive agendas” around this time had been grating on me too. Many Jewish Americans were embracing politicians who supported open boarder policies, identity politics, and at times extremist stances that, in my view, are at odds with what’s best for Americans, Westerners, and also Jews.

Still, “Jews’ are not a monolith and we can’t all be bucketed together. Indeed, Jewish support for Democrats in the last election did decline significantly, although the majority still did lean left. Looking back, I feel like I understood Elon’s sentiment at the time, even if I wouldn’t have used those words and felt that due to the size of his platform he needed to be more careful. Maybe that’s some mental gymnastics, but I was able to get past it and move on.

Now a year later, I find myself in a similar position of harboring Elon doubts after what can only be described as a double Nazi salute. His initial response, posting or reposting videos of other politicians making speeches with their hands raised in various positions was a weak defense that wasn’t going to make this controversy go away.

Prior to the controversy, Musk posted on X: "In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division and hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican. Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold." Although it’s easy to claim all criticism we receive is because we are being targeted personally or politically, it’s much harder to look inward and do a little introspection. Because of Elon’s capacity to be so critical about solving problems, my hope was we’d see more of that analysis applied to himself to give us a more reasonable explanation. I could probably get behind a lot of explanations, if I felt like they were genuine, and I think that’s what has bothered me the most about this recent news cycle.

Although I’ve felt disappointed lately with Elon, I also still believe context matters. Making these hand gestures while saying “My heart goes out to you” is not the same as doing it while shouting something that could be construed as antisemitic like “Free Palestine” or “America first.”

The need to come to Elon’s defense is becoming more frequent and is beginning to drain my batteries. I’m finding myself defending Elon more quietly and less quickly than in the past. It’s hard for me to reconcile these negative feelings in light of other important times where Elon has made me proud to have supported him.

If we’re going to draw attention to some of Elon’s cringeworthy moments in regard to Jews, we should also be honest about what he’s done for our community too. Elon went to Israel to bear witness to the horrors of October 7th, and he stood up for our people at a time when it was deeply unpopular to do so at great personal cost to his reputation, especially his willingness to alienate many of his far right supporters. When it counted, Elon showed up more than most. How many antisemites do you know who wear dog tags to bring the hostages home?

So does Elon truly harbor Nazi, fascist, or antisemitic sympathies? Middle of the night… gun to my head… yes or no answer… I don’t believe he does.

The reason I’m late to the party here in my defense of Elon is because I needed more time to think about it. When you’re not sure what side you’re on it’s okay to shut up and listen for awhile.

I’ll leave you with why I think Elon is so special and why we shouldn’t leave him to the wolves every time he screws up.

Elon’s capacity to dream big and his understanding that sometimes accomplishing a critical mission is more important than being well liked is rare. The number of people with this type of ethos who also have the capacity to endure pain should be celebrated, especially in America.

The world would probably be a better place if we had more Elon’s, and that should be the litmus test for judging someone. We are the sum of all our actions and not just snippets of our best or weakest moments.

A lot of people talk about problems and wish for change, but Elon actually goes out there and tries to make it happen. He’s not perfect. He f*cks up. A lot. He also succeeds a lot. I’m going to charge my batteries and continue defending Elon. If one day he tries to shove me into some type of solar powered oven or self-drive only the Jewish peoples cars off a cliff, you can tell me “I told you so.”

Until next time. Stay classy Maccabee Nation.

Let us know what you think below. Leave a comment why if you feel so inclined!

Sources:

Elon reaction to the controversy https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/2006195/elon-musk-jimmy-carr-salute-controversy-trump

Elon Retweets anti-Jewish conspiracy theory https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/17/business/elon-musk-reveals-his-actual-truth/index.html

Jewish support for Democrats drops https://nypost.com/2024/10/19/us-news/jewish-support-for-democrats-lowest-since-reagan-era-poll/

Like most of the world, I’ve held my breath waiting for as many of the hostages as possible to come home for over a year now. My feelings have oscillated violently between sadness, rage, fear, depression, and sometimes even hope.

You don’t need another ‘hot take’ on this deal, there are thousands to choose from, and no matter which you pick they will leave you unsatisfied. You are unlikely to find the answers you’re looking for on Substack, a podcast, or on the news. You’re looking for an answer if it’s “good” or “bad,” but that is simply a false dichotomy.

It is neither… it is both… it is just and unjust.

I also don’t think people should opine on specific deals without the benefit of time passing either, especially ones that haven’t happened yet. If you want to hear my views on why Israel’s strategy for past hostage deals has been problematic, I’ve added it here. However, despite holding these views, I do not believe the right time to espouse them is on the eve of a hostage deal when we should be united and resolute. We will never be defeated or deterred as long as our community is strong.

To those blaming our politicians for having to make impossible decisions you would never want to make, know that it serves no one in this moment. Choose to be the light that guides them home instead.

Bring them home.

Sources:

Timeline of the deal https://www.yahoo.com/news/israel-holds-off-approving-gaza-010656142.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

Bring them home

https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/

Previous article on Israeli Hostage Negotiations

Hagay is a superhero to me.

He’s the CEO of a top-notch performance marketing agency in Tel Aviv called Teddy Marketing while also balancing the busy schedule and sacrifices that come with being an active IDF reservist.

This past year, he’s completed over 170 days of reserve duty while juggling his business and family obligations (all with a new born child too).

Still, Haguy manages to find the time to focus on philanthropic efforts and finding ways to give back to his community, which is what he’s here to talk about today. Haguy helps represent an organization pronounced ‘Yiftach’ in English that helps at-risk teens succeed and thrive. They have been helping at risk teens for over two decades in Israel.

Please watch the video below to learn more about Yiftach’s important mission (has English subtitles).

Hagay, thank you for your service and thank you for coming on our podcast.

If you have the means to do so, please consider joining the nearly 100 donors who have already contributed to Yiftach’s current campaign. We will also make a donation on behalf of our paid subscribers.

Here is more information about their important project below.

Have a question for Haguy, about Yiftach, or interested in need of his companies Ecommerce performance marketing services? Leave a comment!

Leave a comment

Most of these facts were taken from Chabad.org. I plan to write a much longer and more detailed essay about the history of the Maccabees early next year. Apologies to our ancestors that this robot voice over butchers some of these Hebrew names.

1. The Maccabees Are the Heroes of Chanukah

The Maccabees were Jewish fighters who led the revolt against the Syrian Greek ruling class, who had suppressed Jewish religion in an effort to spread their Hellenistic customs and idolatrous beliefs. The Maccabee victory, and the subsequent miracle of the oil burning in the Temple menorah for eight days instead of one, is what we celebrate every year during the eight-day holiday of Hannukah.

2. The Name “Maccabee” Is Not Mentioned in the Talmud

The Talmud speaks little of Hannukah. The one time the story is briefly told, the leaders of the group (and their descendants) are referred to as the House of Chashmonai, the ancestral family of Matityahu, the pious and brave priest who led the group until his passing.

3. The Maccabees Were From Modiin

Matityahu began his revolt in the village of Modiin, where the Greeks tried to compel him to publicly engage in idol worship. When he refused, violence broke out and a group of Jews ended up taking refuge in caves among the surrounding hills.

4. The Maccabees Initially Refused to Fight on Shabbat

According to Josephus, after the Maccabees refused to comply with the Greek demands, they were attacked on Shabbat morning. Devoted to Torah, the Jews refused to fight back, and around 1,000 people, including many women and children, died from fire and smoke.

After that, Matityahu made it clear that Judaism is a religion of life, and that the Shabbat laws are temporarily suspended to save a life.

5. Matityahu Had Five Sons

Matityahu’s five sons—Yochanan, Yehuda, Shimon, Elazar, and Yonatan—joined the struggle. After a year of leadership, as the elderly Matityahu neared his end, he exhorted the group to follow Shimon’s guidance in religious matters and to appoint Judah as their military leader.

6. The Maccabees Were Deeply Religious

Matityahu and Judah were not merely fighting for political or national freedom. They saw themselves as fighting for G‑d Himself. Josephus tells of many instances where they prayed to G‑d for success in their battles.

7. They Restored the Holy Temple in Jerusalem

After decisively routing the Greeks from the Land, Judah led his band of battle-hardened men to Jerusalem to restore the Holy Temple to its sacred use, which the Greeks had discontinued. They were met by a sorry sight: broken walls, overgrown courtyards, and pagan idols in G‑d’s home. On the 25^th day of Kislev (the first day of Chanukah), they rededicated the Temple, lit the menorah, offered the showbread, and resumed regular worship.

8. G‑d Performed a Miracle for Them

As recorded in the Talmud, the Maccabees found just enough pure oil in the Temple to kindle the menorah for a single day. As they had done so many times before, they threw reason to the wind and placed their trust in G‑d. They lit the menorah, and a miracle occurred: the oil burned for 8 days until more could be obtained.

9. Their Descendants Should Not Have Become Kings

The Chashmonaim took for themselves the throne of kingship and established a monarchy. This was a grievous mistake, since they were Levite priests and G‑d had already promised that only the descendants of David (from the tribe of Judah) may be appointed to the throne. Indeed, they were eventually usurped by Herod, an Edomite, who killed the Hasmonean King Antigonus and took the throne for himself.

10. Judah Continued to Battle

Even after he successfully trounced the Greek armies, Judah continued to fight off invaders until he died courageously in battle and was laid to rest in Modiin.

Enjoy the rest of your Hannukah Maccabee Nation. Thanks for reading, listening, and contributing to growing this community.

See all in 2025!

The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple.

In the second century BCE, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who tried to force the people of Israel to accept Greek culture and beliefs instead of mitzvah observance and belief in G‑d. Against all odds, a small band of faithful but poorly armed Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

When they sought to light the Temple's Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days. Awesome!

To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah.

Since the Chanukah miracle involved oil, it is customary to eat foods fried in oil. The Eastern-European classic is the potato latke (pancake) garnished with applesauce or sour cream, and the reigning Israeli favorite is the jelly-filled sufganya (doughnut).

In today’s consumer-driven society, people tend to place great importance on giving Chanukah gifts. However, the tradition is actually to give Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children. In addition to rewarding positive behavior and devotion to Torah study, the cash gifts give the children the opportunity to give tzedakah (charity).

I hope you enjoy a Happy Hannukah Maccabee Nation for all those celebrating.

Source

https://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/102911/jewish/What-Is-Hanukkah.htm

First, it’s important we explain very briefly how we got here.

The Assad dynasty has been in power since 1971 and has accomplished very little beyond ensuring their own political survival. Most infamously, former President Obama claimed Assad’s potential use of chemical weapons would be a “red line” that would have “enormous consequences” and change the calculous on American military intervention in Syria’s civil war.

Assad would later cross that line by attacking a rebel-held suburb of Damascus with sarin gas, a nerve agent that causes lung muscle paralysis that results in death from suffocation. The attack killed over 1,400 men, women, and children.

Obama blinked and opted not to retaliate.

Extremist groups in Syria, including groups ideologically aligned with what we today consider ISIS, exploited America’s inaction to gain support from the local population. This helped strengthen the insurgency against Assad that’s persisted to this day.1

Why is this back in the news?

The situation in Syria is highly complex and involves multiple actors with competing interests. A few days ago, following Israel’s negotiated ceasefire with Hezbollah, headlines about rebels making tremendous progress in Syria against Assad’s regime lit up the internet.

Assad has vowed that Syria will continue “to defend its stability and territorial integrity in the face of all terrorists and their supporters” and the defense ministry said it was preparing to launch a counteroffensive.

With rebels in control of Aleppo, including key military sites and the airport, any counterattack will be difficult for the Syrian army. The city held out for nearly two years under near continuous siege from government forces before being captured in 2016. Below is a map of who controls what today, although it can change hourly.

So who are all the main players in this conflict?

Bashar al-Assad's Regime and his allies:

🔫Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, has been fighting to retain control of Syria. His regime has been responsible for much of the violence and destruction during the civil war, including the use of chemical weapons against civilians we discussed earlier.

🔫Foreign Involvement: Russia and Iran support Assad, though often with conflicting goals and both have been distracted by conflicts that are more strategically important to them. Notably, Russia has ramped up airstrikes against opposition forces recently, but they’ve been distracted by the war in Ukraine. Hezbollah was also heavily involved in propping up Assad’s regime although recently they have been retreating back into Lebanon in favor of focusing more on the war with Israel.

Opposition Groups (not all allied together):

🔫ISIS and Other Extremists: Groups ranging from moderate rebels to extremist factions like ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliates (sometimes referred to as HTS), are fighting against Assad. Different countries, most notably Turkey, have supported these groups, but they are fragmented and at odds with each other as well.

While ISIS has lost much of its territory, it still operates in pockets of Syria, complicating the situation further. Other extremist groups, often funded or supported by various foreign interests, continue to wreak havoc.

🔫Kurdish Forces: The Kurdish forces, particularly the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), have been key players in the fight against ISIS. They control significant parts of northeastern Syria and have received support from the U.S. but have been opposed by Turkey due to their ties to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party).

🔫Israel has been concerned about Iran's growing influence in Syria and has carried out airstrikes targeting Iranian positions (and their proxies) near its border.

Who does Israel want to win?

Probably no one, but let’s briefly take a look at each.

🔫The Assad regime has been historically opposed to Israel, maintaining a state of conflict since the 1967 war. However, under certain circumstances, Israel has had a pragmatic coexistence with Assad, preferring a known adversary. Recently, there's been a nuanced approach where Israel has targeted Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria to limit Iran's military presence, which indirectly benefits Assad.

🔫Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Moderate/Extremist Rebels: Some elements are more moderate than others, but these are largely Islamist groups (like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra Front, and other Jihadists). Basically ISIS. They are ideologically opposed to Israel, seeing it in the context of global jihad. This would be another Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthi equivalent, just in Syria. Not good for Israel.

🔫Kurdish Forces - Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF): The SDF, primarily Kurdish with some Arab, Syriac-Assyrian, and Turkmen elements, has been focused on autonomy rather than direct hostility towards Israel. However, their relationship with Israel is complex due to Israel's strategic interests rather than supporting Kurdish autonomy. They used to not like that Israel had strong diplomatic relations with Turkey, who is fighting them, but now that Turkey is also basically at war with Israel and supporting and harboring Hamas terrorists, there’s some potential for deeper collaboration.

🔫Turkey-Backed Groups (Syrian National Army - SNA): These groups, supported by Turkey, aim to establish a Sunni-dominated governance in northern Syria. Their focus has been more on fighting Kurdish forces, but they generally align with broader Sunni anti-Israel sentiments.

From Israel's perspective, maintaining stability, countering Iranian expansion, and avoiding the rise of extremist groups will likely remain the focus. No side is outright "good" for Israel, the current dynamics mean that a weakened, but stable Assad regime is the least bad option for Israeli security interests. In the Middle East, it rarely benefits to take the mystery box.

If you read all that and you’re pondering why the heck Turkey is still part of NATO, you’re not alone. Let’s address that in a future post.

Leave a comment

Sources

The illusion of Assad’s grip on Syria shatters

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/30/middleeast/analysis-syria-assad-rebels-intl-latam/index.html

Obama blinks on Syrian Redline https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/the-president-blinked-why-obama-changed-course-on-the-red-line-in-syria/

https://www.newsweek.com/reassessing-obamas-syria-red-line-ten-years-later-opinion-1822332

Who are the players in Syria’s civil war?

https://apnews.com/article/syria-hts-assad-aleppo-fighting-2be43ee530b7932b123a0f26b158ac22

Israel provides humanitarian aid to Syrians

https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-sends-aid-to-syrians-fleeing-daraa-in-overnight-good-neighbor-operation/

Look even the NY times acknowledged the humanitarian aid from Israel in 2017

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/world/middleeast/israel-syria-humanitarian-aid.html

US Pullout from Afghanistan unmitigated disaster

https://thediplomat.com/2024/09/the-us-withdrawal-from-afghanistan-willful-blindness-or-a-face-saving-act/

Russia striking rebel positions https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-02/syria-war-conflict-heats-up-with-russia-and-iran-on-backfoot?embedded-checkout=true

Map of recent offensive

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/1/who-controls-what-in-syria-in-maps

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/what-to-know-rebel-gains-syria/6029097/

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/30/middleeast/syrian-civil-war-reignited-explainer-intl/index.html

What’s in the ceasefire deal?

• The agreement calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in most of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border over time.

• Hezbollah is supposed to withdraw its forces to north of the Litani river, which runs anywhere between twenty-seven and three kilometers from the Lebanon-Israel border. This will mean that Hezbollah will abandon what is left of its military infrastructure and positions. The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are planning to deploy an initial five thousand troops to the southern border district as the Israeli military withdraws back into Israel.

• What about Gaza? The deal does not address Gaza where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages. That said, it’s anticipated the deal will put increased pressure on Hamas.

• Can civilians return home? Since the deal went into effect, thousands of displaced Lebanese have begun returning to their homes in the south. However, the Israeli military warned them not to move south of the Litani River. Separately, residents of northern Israel can decide for themselves when to return home.

• Israel will retain the right to undertake unilateral military action if it determines that Hezbollah is breaching the agreement and the LAF and the United Nations peacekeeping force are seen to be doing nothing about it.

According to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, the goal of Israel’s war with Hezbollah intended to “damage Hezbollah’s capabilities and create the conditions for the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes."

Katz elaborated, “from here we look towards the southern front, with the most important goal being to return all the kidnapped people home safely and quickly… We intend to make every effort to create the conditions for a new hostage deal and to bring everyone home -- this is the most important moral goal we are facing now, this is the ultimate goal."

So did Israel achieve her goals or not?

I don’t presume I know more about the impact of this deal than Israelis living there, so let’s look at a recent snap poll performed by Channel 12 in Israel.

When asked if Israelis support or oppose “the arrangement that has been drawn up as regards Lebanon,” 37 percent of respondents said they supported the terms, 32% said that they opposed them and 31% said they didn’t know.

Like most polarized Western democracies, the poll results broke largely along party lines and whether they support or oppose Bibi’s coalition had a dramatic impact on sentiment for the peace treaty.

As to how long Israelis believe the ceasefire deal would hold, 24% said they thought it would last “for years,” while 28% said it would last “a few months,” and 30% said it would “collapse after a short time.” Another 18% of people said that they didn’t know.

It is unlikely we will know for months, years, or even decades if this ceasefire was a victory or simply a pause in the fighting, but let’s look closer at the alternatives Israel had and why I believe this was a strategic win for Israel.

The reality is the Biden administration has been a poor ally to Israel since the war began on October 7th. They hampered Israel’s war efforts by doing everything from slow walking military aid, hamstringing the IDFs Rafah invasion plans, failing to defend Israel vigorously on the world stage, and failing to prevent intelligence leaks about Israeli plans tocounterattack Iran. Who knows what unpleasant surprises 2 more months of this administrations destructive policies toward Israel could bring. The treaty is long enough, if it holds, to ensure a new administration will be in place in the US that could be a positive paradigm shift in Israeli and US relations.

Also, Israel’s army is not designed for long wars as we discussed in detail in the editorial analyzing Israeli National Security. Reservists have been fighting a war on the Wests behalf against a radical Islamist ideology on more than 7 fronts (Gaza, West Bank, militias in Iraq and Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and of course Iran.) Any nation would feel the burdens wrought from over a year of making such tremendous sacrifices, and to give them a bit of reprieve could temporarily boost morale.

Most importantly, and perhaps most depressingly, I am not sure the ideology of radical Islamic terror groups can ever truly be defeated from the outside, it needs to be fought from within by Islamic organizations and by the people living in nations that harbor and enable terror groups in their orbit.

The leadership of Hezbollah has been dismantled, their weapons caches have been largely destroyed and as such their military capabilities to launch future attacks has been significantly degraded. I do believe now is the right time for Israel to leverage the military victory on the ground into a political victory in Lebanon and I am glad to see them trying.

So did Israel win? I believe they have. I think this will net help Israel and the risks of Hezbollah rearming and regrouping are relatively low due to the nature of the terms.

The brave men and women of the IDF, especially those who have lost everything, have made this deal possible and their sacrifices will not be in vain. I believe Israel is well positioned to continue pushing their advantage over the next decade until deterrence either holds or is reestablished definitively.

Let us know what you think in the comments. Don’t forget to heart and restack if you enjoyed this editorial.

Sources

What we know about the deal so far

https://apnews.com/live/israel-hezbollah-lebanon-ceasefire-updates

https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-lebanon-live-updates-idf-prepares-beirut/?id=116191649

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/experts-react/experts-react-israel-and-lebanon-have-struck-a-ceasefire-deal-is-the-israel-hezbollah-war-really-over/

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-hezbollah-ceasefire-deal-gaza-war-11-27-24-intl-hnk/index.html

How do Israelis feel about the war?

https://www.timesofisrael.com/20-of-coalition-voters-back-lebanon-truce-vs-50-of-opposition-voters-poll-finds/

Israeli National Security - why Israeli army is not built for long wars

Israel’s seven front war https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/09/12/israels-seven-front-war/

My spouse and I voted differently, as did many friends and family members. I can’t understand how they came to their decisions and we can’t have calm rational discussions about it. My preferred political candidate won, so I know I should be the bigger person and make the first moves toward reconciliation, but I seem stuck in an anger doom vortex that I can’t pull out of.

I don’t get want to go down a rabbit hole of political issues, but I’m having trouble moving on and accepting that these people may have different views and did not personally vote for a different candidate as a personal attack on me.

Do you have any advice how I can repair relationships with the people in my life and move on? Would it be better just to cut myself off for awhile and avoid them during the holidays?

Still Angry in America

Let me preface this response honestly and admit this is something I am working on myself. Most people in America are still decompressing after such a high stakes election cycle, and I don’t think that’s anything to be ashamed of.

This was a divisive election. Politics in Israel and Europe also have been hotly contested in recent years and people in those countries are experiencing similar realities. We can bemoan the loss of civility and social norms in politics, but it won’t change them. I don’t think we’re going back to those times, if they ever really existed. Afterall, America has survived the Civil War, military conscription during unpopular wars like Vietnam, and political corruption during events like Watergate. Yet we are still here and we are still united as one country.

That said, it certainly feels as though we are at an inflection point where many important decisions about the future will come to a head, and given how passionately and differently people feel about a range of economic and social issues, it’s bound to create some bad blood.

Let’s start with addressing the positive elephant in the room. There have not yet been any widespread riots, even though election denialism as a feature of both political parties right now certainly increased the likelihood of physical violence. That’s important and should be celebrated.

Now let’s jump into five ways we can repair relationships with the important people in our lives.

1. Set Clear Boundaries: If you know you can’t have civil conversation with certain friends or family members, set some ground rules. Usually this looks like just agreeing to avoid political discussions, especially at family events with lots of other people. It can also look like agreeing not to make personal attacks or to a discussion format that is more structured.

2. Engage with Curiosity and Empathy: Try to ask questions and be actively listen to the other persons answers as opposed to rehashing tired talking points from traditional media outlets. If you’re truly trying to understand their positions and not trying to “win” an argument, the chances of reconciliation are much higher. Paraphrase what the are saying back politely, to confirm understanding of what they are trying to communicate and not what you think you are hearing.

3. Find Common Ground: You may be surprised to learn when engaging in talks in good faith that you have more in common than you think. Even on policies where you disagree, you may find common ground. For example. you may agree it’s important to have secure borders, but disagree with mass deportations.

4. Avoid Personal Attacks: Keep discussions focused on ideas, not personalities. Avoid labeling and remember that political choices are multifaceted and can reflect broader life experiences or personal values. This is a tough one, which is why I’m repeating it again!

5. Respect Individual Agency and avoid group conversations: Remember that everyone has the right to their political opinion. Acknowledging this right can foster mutual respect. Even if the other people are serious morons. I know, I know, I’m working on it too. Also, group settings can amplify tensions. Personal talks allow for more open, less confrontational discussions.

Use this post election time to reflect on how politically differences have impacted your relationship. Find ways to talk about moving forward, and voice specifically for your desire to let go of any anger and resentment you may be harboring.

Carrying around anger only hurts you mentally and physically. Most families may not end up singing ‘kumbaya’ at Thanksgiving this year, but let’s try not to kill each other, and if we’re lucky, enjoy being around each other.

Please like and restack if you enjoyed this edition of Dear Golda!

Until next time.