Everyone’s hopping mad today, including Ya’akov Katz. He can be excitable but today he was downright livid about the irresponsible comments of Senator Chuck Schumer late last week, backed up by President Biden. Schumer – the most senior Democratic US Senator – basically said that it’s time for Israel to have elections so that PM Netanyahu will be thrown out of the top job. It was disrespectful. Stupid. And put Israel in heightened danger vis a vis its enemies in the region by broadcasting that the critical alliance between America and Israel is imperiled. Whatever he thought he was accomplishing remains a mystery. In doing so Schumer also made the already desperate situation of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas even worse. And he only stiffened Netanyahu’s resolve to push on with the job that he feels must be done; to degrade Hamas’ military might and capability with a final military push on Rafah. We finish up with a brief discussion of gutter domestic politics in Israel which, if nothing else, offers a bit of levity and release of some tension. Another week in Israel. Month 6 of the War on Gaza and Hamas.
To be honest I’m conflicted about Schumer’s speech. On the one hand, I believe Bibi was/is/will be a disaster for Israel. He is the one threatening Israel’s security and the US-Israel alliance. The sooner he goes- and I believe Vivian you and Yakov want him to go- the better. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want Schumer’s honest and correct assessment of Bibi’s corrosive impact to be used by Bibi to strengthen his stature in Israel. In the old days, Israelis wanted their PM to work cooperatively with the U.S. on whom they rely militarily and diplomatically. Guess that has changed. Not just in the last two years. Bibi has spent a lot of time and energy alienating Democrats. He’s the guy who came to Congress to undermine Obama’s effort to sign the JCPOA. And he doesn’t want outside intervention in Israel’s sovereignty. Talk about chutzpah. Bottom line- most American Jews want Hamas defeated with as little Palestinian suffering as possible, release of the hostages, and a “day after” plan to rebuild Gaza and do so in a framework that could lead to wider Israeli acceptance in the region and peace with the Palestinians. As Schumer pointed out, this won’t happen with Bibi at the helm.
There's more to Schumer's comments than meets the eye. The democrats are losing votes by supporting Israel, especially in Michigan, a swing state. They are pandering to the Arabs in Deerborn, headquarters of the US Arab population. 55% of the population are Arabs. Schumer is pandering to them big time.
I live in Michigan and I don't think Biden / Schumer et al are "pandering" to the Arab-American community here. When voters in America lose numerous family members in Gaza to Israeli air strikes, it's not "pandering" to address those citizens' heartfelt concerns. Many Democratic voters throughout the country who are not Arab-American - including many Jewish voters - are appalled by some of the tactics Israel has used in this war. The United States gave Netanyahu and his war cabinet strong advice which they recklessly rejected. Regarding the Arab-American community, some of those voters have vowed not to vote for Biden no matter what he does next. That's how strongly they feel about the destruction of innocent life, and humanitarian infrastructure, that Israel has caused in Gaza. It's the uncritical support the Biden Administration has given Netanyahu since Oct. 7 that is threatening the Democrats in 2024.
Nancy, I see that you are concerned about "the destruction of innocent life, and humanitarian infrastructure" that you say Israel has caused in Gaza. I am in Israel now, and living among Modern Orthodox Jews. None of them is happy about the collateral damage in Gaza, but they have a different perspective than yours. Please allow me to explain with an analogy: What would you think of a battle in which the civilian casualties (and material damage) ran as follows:
- 15,000 civilians killed and 19,000 injured in preparatory bombing
- 20,000 civilians killed in the onslaught itself
- large tracts of farmland and orchards destroyed
- farmhouses wrecked by artillery
- tens of thousands of people rendered homeless
Outrage seems like a reasonable reaction to such devastation -- except that this was the civilian toll of the Normandy invasion in World War II, one of the most morally justifiable actions in the history of warfare. It saved the world from the Nazis, who perpetrated a real genocide. My point is this: You cannot judge the morality of an attack in wartime by the extent of civilian casualties. More German civilians died in World War II than Americans or Canadians; does that make the Nazis the good guys and the Americans/Canadians the bad guys? More Gazans have died than Israelis; does that make Israel the bad guys and Hamas the good guys? According to someone who should know -- Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan--no country in the history of warfare has done more to safeguard civilians than Israel has done in all its wars in Gaza. Hamas doesn't care about its people, or it would not place military infrastructure in civilian quarters (schools, hospitals) as it has been amply demonstrated to have done. Hamas also knows that Gazan civilian deaths play well in the media. But please keep the good guys and the bad guys straight, and don't judge the morality of a cause by body count. Israel must roundly and permanently defeat Hamas; Hamas could end civilian deaths, if it cared to, by laying down its arms and releasing the Israeli hostages. I am sorry about Gazan deaths, but I lay the blame squarely on Hamas, not on Israel.
Do you ever ask yourself and I mean this very seriously why there are no bomb shelters in Gaza? A $billion in terror tunnels but nothing else. Just infrastructure for Hamas. Hamas has sent rockets to Israel multiple times since taking power. October 7 started with thousands of rockets. Are you shocked that Gaza got bombed? It’s not Israel’s fault that Sinwar wants people to die.
Biden and Schumer are pandering to Hamas Michigan. It’s disgusting.
Losing family members in gaza due to Israeli air strikes? Israel did not start this war nor is it a conventional war. hamas made very sure of that. Israel has to do what Israel has to do. This war could end in a second if hamas would release the hostages but we both know that will not happen as the hostages are the ace in the hole for hamas. If I were an Arab living in the USA with family in gaza I would be begging them to send the hostages home so my family could live in peace. As for people starving in gaza - ask the other Arab countries why they won't let their 'bros' in? Why is this Israel's problem? It serves hamas very well when their people are starving and killed. They do not value life. We do. Again I reiterate - send the hostages home and in a second this is over.
To clarify. The pro Hamas voters in Michigan are ‘from the river to the sea’ types. They don’t want Israel to have a prime minister at all because they don’t want there to be an Israel.
Glad to see I’m not the only one to comment.
To be honest I’m conflicted about Schumer’s speech. On the one hand, I believe Bibi was/is/will be a disaster for Israel. He is the one threatening Israel’s security and the US-Israel alliance. The sooner he goes- and I believe Vivian you and Yakov want him to go- the better. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want Schumer’s honest and correct assessment of Bibi’s corrosive impact to be used by Bibi to strengthen his stature in Israel. In the old days, Israelis wanted their PM to work cooperatively with the U.S. on whom they rely militarily and diplomatically. Guess that has changed. Not just in the last two years. Bibi has spent a lot of time and energy alienating Democrats. He’s the guy who came to Congress to undermine Obama’s effort to sign the JCPOA. And he doesn’t want outside intervention in Israel’s sovereignty. Talk about chutzpah. Bottom line- most American Jews want Hamas defeated with as little Palestinian suffering as possible, release of the hostages, and a “day after” plan to rebuild Gaza and do so in a framework that could lead to wider Israeli acceptance in the region and peace with the Palestinians. As Schumer pointed out, this won’t happen with Bibi at the helm.
There's more to Schumer's comments than meets the eye. The democrats are losing votes by supporting Israel, especially in Michigan, a swing state. They are pandering to the Arabs in Deerborn, headquarters of the US Arab population. 55% of the population are Arabs. Schumer is pandering to them big time.
I live in Michigan and I don't think Biden / Schumer et al are "pandering" to the Arab-American community here. When voters in America lose numerous family members in Gaza to Israeli air strikes, it's not "pandering" to address those citizens' heartfelt concerns. Many Democratic voters throughout the country who are not Arab-American - including many Jewish voters - are appalled by some of the tactics Israel has used in this war. The United States gave Netanyahu and his war cabinet strong advice which they recklessly rejected. Regarding the Arab-American community, some of those voters have vowed not to vote for Biden no matter what he does next. That's how strongly they feel about the destruction of innocent life, and humanitarian infrastructure, that Israel has caused in Gaza. It's the uncritical support the Biden Administration has given Netanyahu since Oct. 7 that is threatening the Democrats in 2024.
Nancy, I see that you are concerned about "the destruction of innocent life, and humanitarian infrastructure" that you say Israel has caused in Gaza. I am in Israel now, and living among Modern Orthodox Jews. None of them is happy about the collateral damage in Gaza, but they have a different perspective than yours. Please allow me to explain with an analogy: What would you think of a battle in which the civilian casualties (and material damage) ran as follows:
- 15,000 civilians killed and 19,000 injured in preparatory bombing
- 20,000 civilians killed in the onslaught itself
- large tracts of farmland and orchards destroyed
- farmhouses wrecked by artillery
- tens of thousands of people rendered homeless
Outrage seems like a reasonable reaction to such devastation -- except that this was the civilian toll of the Normandy invasion in World War II, one of the most morally justifiable actions in the history of warfare. It saved the world from the Nazis, who perpetrated a real genocide. My point is this: You cannot judge the morality of an attack in wartime by the extent of civilian casualties. More German civilians died in World War II than Americans or Canadians; does that make the Nazis the good guys and the Americans/Canadians the bad guys? More Gazans have died than Israelis; does that make Israel the bad guys and Hamas the good guys? According to someone who should know -- Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British forces in Afghanistan--no country in the history of warfare has done more to safeguard civilians than Israel has done in all its wars in Gaza. Hamas doesn't care about its people, or it would not place military infrastructure in civilian quarters (schools, hospitals) as it has been amply demonstrated to have done. Hamas also knows that Gazan civilian deaths play well in the media. But please keep the good guys and the bad guys straight, and don't judge the morality of a cause by body count. Israel must roundly and permanently defeat Hamas; Hamas could end civilian deaths, if it cared to, by laying down its arms and releasing the Israeli hostages. I am sorry about Gazan deaths, but I lay the blame squarely on Hamas, not on Israel.
I struggle with the term innocent Palestinians when the majority support the oct 7 attack
There are innocent palestentjwns but maybe th ey are the minority
Do you ever ask yourself and I mean this very seriously why there are no bomb shelters in Gaza? A $billion in terror tunnels but nothing else. Just infrastructure for Hamas. Hamas has sent rockets to Israel multiple times since taking power. October 7 started with thousands of rockets. Are you shocked that Gaza got bombed? It’s not Israel’s fault that Sinwar wants people to die.
Biden and Schumer are pandering to Hamas Michigan. It’s disgusting.
Losing family members in gaza due to Israeli air strikes? Israel did not start this war nor is it a conventional war. hamas made very sure of that. Israel has to do what Israel has to do. This war could end in a second if hamas would release the hostages but we both know that will not happen as the hostages are the ace in the hole for hamas. If I were an Arab living in the USA with family in gaza I would be begging them to send the hostages home so my family could live in peace. As for people starving in gaza - ask the other Arab countries why they won't let their 'bros' in? Why is this Israel's problem? It serves hamas very well when their people are starving and killed. They do not value life. We do. Again I reiterate - send the hostages home and in a second this is over.
Exactly. Do we actually think that Hamas Michigan would be happy with Benny Gantz? Seriously?
I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or you're serious...
To clarify. The pro Hamas voters in Michigan are ‘from the river to the sea’ types. They don’t want Israel to have a prime minister at all because they don’t want there to be an Israel.
A great window on Israel, you two are so informative and the laughs a little flicker of light.
For those who are interested I recommend this interview with Sen. Schumer's rabbi, Rabbi Rachel Timoner of Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/16/chuck-schumer-rabbi-israel-remarks-00147416
Of course I will listen to this, but I do not agree with your comments about Sen. Schumer's speech - at all.