U.S. Stability Is No Longer Assured: Andrew Coyne, The Globe and Mail, Jan. 5, 2022“. . .it is difficult to see how the Americans [can] avoid a crack-up in 2024: a Democratic victory at the polls, followed by attempts to overthrow it, followed by some violent incident of one kind or another—after which anything is possible. The country is in such an agitated state, with such a tradition of settling disputes by force of arms, that it would be more surprising if it survived the next few years intact than it if did not.”
What’s Happening on the Left Is No Excuse for What’s Happening on the Right: Jonathan Rauch and Peter Wehner, NYTimes, Jan. 20, 2022
“. . . Republicans are shattering faith in the integrity of our elections and abandoning their commitment to the peaceful transfer of power. . . This is an unforgiveable civic sin, but it hardly exhausts the list of concerns. . . the MAGA movement is drifting toward authoritarianism. . .The Republican Party is also drifting ever closer to the open embrace of political violence and martyrdom, not merely excusing but defending actions like Ashli Babbitt’s effort to break into the House’s inner sanctum on Jan.6 — actions that came within seconds of succeeding. . .The MAGA right has no love for those institutions and norms. It inflames ugly passions and warps reality. It is profoundly anticonservative, capable of twisting in any direction for the sake of raw power. It represents a profound break with the American conservative tradition.” [The article begins by saying both parties are guilty of extremism, and condemns progressives for being under the sway of “revolutionary ideology,” but soon veers into an unbalanced and uncritical attack on the Republicans—Ed.)
Biden’s Timidity is Only Emboldening Russia: Robert Rotberg, The Globe and Mail, Jan. 19, 2022
“Mr. Biden is a president who values peace and keeping American troops out of harm’s way. The United States’ disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan showa the extent to which he shuns combat—all worthy and supportable instincts. But an unprecedented autocrat is now testing the United States to see how willing it is to be strong, and to gauge whether the superpower has become (thanks to Trumpism) a deeply wounded and possibly thoroughly spent force.”
No Matter What, The Capitol Hill Insurrection Will Be an Inflection Point In U.S. History: David Scribman, The Globe and Mail, Jan. 2, 2022
“Republicans may have engineered a set of voting rule changes and congressional traps that could give them the presidency in 2024, and that could indeed trigger a de facto civil war. But a growing majority of Americans are liberal Democrats, and the U.S. population becomes more democratic-minded, more progressive and plural every year. Mr. Biden is a truly representative leader. To turn our backs on him now because he seems to be a flash in the pan or a flaky negotiator or excessively hawkish, is to give an enormous gift to the world’s most significant forces of authoritarianism.”
“For the new German government, the security of Israel is and will remain inherent to our reason of state. We speak out against unfounded criticism and hate against Israel.” — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaking to an international Jewish audience for the first time in her new role. She addressed B’nai B’rith International’s yearly Holocaust remembrance event on Jan. 24, in conjunction with the U.N.’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. (JNS, Jan. 25, 2022)
“…It’s also the likeliest reason there was so much obvious hesitancy to describe the attack in Texas as antisemitic. Unlike the Pittsburgh shooter or the “Jews will not replace us” crowd at Charlottesville — white, right-wing, mostly Christian and therefore “privileged” — the Texas assailant was a British Muslim of Pakistani descent. Not white. Not privileged. Not right-wing. In the binary narrative of the powerful versus the powerless, his naked antisemitism just doesn’t compute: Powerless people are supposed to be victims, not murderous bigots. If he had ranted against Israel for oppressing Palestinians, it might have made more sense. And if he had donned a MAGA hat, we would certainly have had a much fuller exploration of his antisemitism, without time wasted exploring his other motives or state of mind.” – Columnist Brett Stephens explaining why the international press and the FBI found it hard to call the Colleyville terrorist’s actions antisemitic. (NY Times, Jan. 21, 2022)
“He is misunderstanding the problem. It isn’t that his stands and decisions haven’t been fully understood. . .it’s that [they] were basically understood and disliked. It’s not a communications problem, it’s a substance problem. It would be better if he spent his second year readjusting his positions. But politicians always think it’s a communications problem, because that means the back office is blowing it, not you.” – Conservative columnist Peggy Noonan on Pres. Biden’s recent response to a query about what he’d do differently to raise his approval rating. He answered: “Get out of Washington more … and make the case around the country.” (WSJ, Jan. 20, 2022)
“Our federal government is so bumbling it hasn’t been able to equip its soldiers with modern handguns. Our foreign minister hints we may be sending weapons to Ukraine. Heaven help Ukraine! Our helicopters have trouble flying. Our submarines can’t go under water. Our fighters are older than the men and women who fly them. Nothing we can threaten Vladimir Putin with will cause him to tremble. Yet this institution that can’t shoot straight—maybe can’t shoot at all—supposedly is going to implement whatever bold, sustainable, inclusive vision this 120+-member coalition comes up with.” — columnist William Watson on calls made by former federal cabinet ministers at the Business Council of Canada for a Coalition for a Better Future, to develop a “bold … sustainable and inclusive” long-term economic vision for Canada. (Financial Post, Jan. 20, 2022)
“My guess is he will move in … he has to do something. Russia will be held accountable if it invades … and it depends on what it does. It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and we end up having to fight about what to do and what not to do, et cetera. But if they actually do what they’re capable of doing … it is going to be a disaster for Russia if they further invade Ukraine” – Ryan Tumilty commenting on President Biden’s Wednesday news conference statement during which he seemingly implied that a “minor” incursion might perhaps be acceptable. This implication sparked a storm of negative diplomatic and media comment before being corrected. (National Post, Jan. 20, 2022)
ISRAEL GEARING UP TO EVACUATE 75,000 UKRAINIAN JEWS (Jerusalem) — Israeli government officials have begun laying the groundwork for the possible evacuation of Ukrainian Jews as fears of a Russian invasion continue to rise, Haaretz reported. Officials assessed that around 75,000 Jews in Ukraine qualify for Israeli citizenship through the Law of Return. The largest concentrations of Jews are in and around the cities of Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. It’s not known how many would choose to leave for Israel or move elsewhere. Nor is it clear if an evacuation would even be possible in a war situation. (United With Israel, Jan. 25, 2022)
ISRAELI DELEGATION REPORTEDLY ARRIVES IN SUDAN FOR TALKS (Khartoum) — A business jet carrying an Israeli military delegation touched down in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Wednesday. The delegation held a meeting with Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Sudanese Army general who is also the de facto head of State, and senior military officers in Sudan. (JNS, Jan. 19, 2022)
ISRAEL SIGNS DEAL TO PURCHASE 3 SUBMARINES FROM THYSSENKRUPP (Berlin) — After the Germans upped the price by almost 100%, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced that it would purchase three submarines from a new series called Dakar, in an agreement amounting to approximately €3 billion. The German government will subsidize the sale with €600 million. But with the price now at €3 billion, Israel’s share will rise from €1.2 billion to €2.4 billion ($2.74 billion). (Jewish Press, Jan. 20, 2022)
ESTONIA ORDERS MORE THAN 500 ISRAELI-DESIGNED SPIKE MISSILES (Tallinn) — Estonia has ordered more than 500 Spoke SR (short-range) missiles designed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The military placed the order with the EuroSpike company—a joint initiative by the Israeli company Rafael and German companies Diehl Defense and Rheinmetall. This order is part of a 40 million euros (about $45 million) agreement signed in 2019 for the supply of 18 Spike launchers to go to the Estonian military over seven years, with the launchers arriving in 2020. (Jewish Press, Jan. 20, 2022)
NETANYAHU REJECTS PLEA DEAL, ‘WILL CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE’ (Jerusalem) — Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the plea agreement offered to him by the Israeli court. Netanyahu, who is charged with three separate corruption cases, was offered a plea bargain in which he would be sentenced to community service but not serve time in jail. The deal would include a “moral turpitude” clause that would end his career, banning the 72-year-old opposition leader from returning to politics for seven years. (WIN, Jan. 24, 2022)
PFIZER CEO ALBERT BOURLA AWARDED GENESIS PRIZE FOR WORK DEVELOPING CORONAVIRUS VACCINE (Jerusalem) — Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s chief officer, was named the winner of the 2022 Genesis Prize, the award sometimes called the “Jewish Nobel.” He pledged his winnings to “projects aimed at preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust.” The announcement noted Bourla’s work at Pfizer, which developed one of the first vaccines to protect against COVID-19. It will be presented to him in Jerusalem. (JTA, Jan. 19, 2022)
REPS. TLAIB, OMAR PARTICIPATED IN EVENTS WITH GROUPS THAT CALLED FOR RELEASE OF ‘LADY AL-QAEDA’ (Washington) — Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota participated in events with Muslim-American advocacy groups that have called for Aafia Siddiqui’s release from a Texas prison. The gunman who took hostages inside a Texas synagogue demanded the release of Siddiqui, who has often been referred to in the counterterrorism world as “Lady al-Qaeda.” According to the FBI, Siddiqui was convicted in 2010 of attempting to murder U.S. nationals. (Just the News, Jan. 20, 2022)
DAYS AFTER TEXAS ATTACK, PROTESTERS TO DEMAND RELEASE OF JEW-KILLING TERRORISTS (Montreal, Vancouver) — Just one week after a gunman took hostages in a Texas synagogue, rallies are scheduled for two Canadian cities to demand the release of terrorists who have murdered Jews. In Vancouver, five groups have announced a “Protest and Postering” event for Saturday to demand “Freedom for Ahmad Sa’adat.” Sa’adat is the General-Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – a designated terrorist entity in Canada – and is serving a 30-year sentence in an Israeli jail for ordering numerous terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings and the assassination of the Israeli Tourism Minister in 2001. On Sunday, outside the Israeli Consulate in Montreal, a similar rally is planned where protesters are advocating for the release of Sa’adat and Nasser Abu Hamid. The latter is serving multiple life sentences for murdering nine Israelis during the First Intifada before being released from prison as part of the Oslo Accords and murdering a further seven after that. (Bnai Brith Canada, Jan. 19, 2022)
VICTORY! FACEBOOK APOLOGIZES TO HILLEL NEUER, WITHDRAWS THREAT TO DELETE ACCOUNT (Geneva) — A threat by Facebook to permanently shut down the account of the head of UN Watch prompted an outcry this week. The tech giant reversed an earlier decision to take down a post for allegedly violating its “Community Standards.” The incident has highlighted opaque decision-making by those who police content on social media platforms. The offending post by Hillel Neuer, executive director of the NGO UN Watch, went up last August, two days after Kabul fell to the Taliban. It featured a photo of gunmen from the terrorist organization posing in the presidential palace carrying the caption: “Prediction: Ben and Jerry’s will never announce a boycott of the Taliban.” Neuer’s post alluded to the U.S. ice-cream maker’s controversial decision, weeks earlier, to stop selling its products in territories disputed between Israel and the Palestinians. (UNWatch, Jan. 20, 2022)
PRINCE CHARLES TO HANG PORTRAITS OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS IN BUCKINGHAM PALACE (London) — The portraits of seven Holocaust survivors were commissioned by the Prince of Wales to go on display at Buckingham Palace. Seven artists selected by Prince Charles will be seen painting the survivors in a BBC Two documentary. The documentary will be broadcast on Holocaust Memorial Day, Friday 27 January, when the exhibition opens in the Queen’s Gallery at the Palace. (The JC, Jan. 12, 2022)
IN LAWSUIT, CUNY PROFESSORS ACCUSE FACULTY UNION OF BEING ‘ANTISEMITIC, ANTI-ISRAEL’ (NYC) — Six professors – five of them Jewish – from the City University of New York (CUNY) claimed that the school’s faculty union is “anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel” in a civil-rights lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. In June, the Professional Staff Congress passed a resolution that widely criticized Israel, accusing the country of “occupation” and the “massacre” of Palestinians. The union also said that it would “facilitate discussions” and “consider” supporting the BDS movement against Israel. (JNS, Jan. 19, 2022)
GOVERNMENT REPORTS NEW CHINESE AIR FORCE INCURSION (Taiwan) – Taiwan reported the largest incursion since October by China’s air force in its air defence zone, with the island’s defence ministry saying Taiwanese fighters scrambled to warn away 39 aircraft in the latest uptick in tensions. Taiwan, which China claims is its territory, has complained of repeated missions by China’s air force near the democratically governed island. [China’s increased pressure on Taiwan may be directed at the U.S. – currently confronting Russia over Ukraine – with which China has increasingly close political and military relations – Ed.] (National Post, Jan. 24, 2022)
NATO MEMBERS FURTHER DIVIDED ON RUSSIAN MILITARY BUILDUP (Balkans) — With Russia having massed tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine and in neighbouring Belarus, the defence ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said they will provide Ukraine with U.S.-made anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles. Estonia will send Javelin anti-armour missiles, and Latvia and Lithuania will send Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Britain began airlifting anti-tank weapons to Ukraine earlier this week. Germany seeks to send American-sourced Stinger and Javelin missiles (National Post, Jan. 22, 2022)
AIRSTRIKES IN YEMEN KILL AT LEAST 70 PEOPLE AS SAUDI-LED COALITION RAMPS UP OFFENSIVE (Yemen) — A Saudi-led coalition airstrike on Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen hit a prison, the rebel group said, killing dozens and injuring scores of others. It is the latest in a spate of attacks targeting the Iran-allied group after it claimed responsibility for deadly aerial attacks earlier this week on the United Arab Emirates, an alliance partner. (WSJ, Jan. 21, 2022)
CBC Spreads Misinformation About Eviction of Palestinian Family In Sheikh Jarrah: Mike Fegelman, Honest Reporting Canada, Jan. 20, 2022 — On the evening of January 19, CBC Radio reported on the eviction of the Salihiyas, a Palestinian family from Sheikh Jarrah (Shimon Hatzadik in Hebrew) in east Jerusalem, but instead of providing adequate context about this controversial issue, CBC gave a platform to unfounded claims that Israel was trying to expropriate the land to give to Jewish residents.
Rabbi Dr. Avraham J. Twerski (ZT”L) May His Memory be for a Blessing: Jacob L. Freedman, Jewish Press, Jan. 20, 2022 — This week on Yud-Tes Shevat marks the first yartzeit of one of the true luminaries of our generation, Rabbi Dr. Avraham J. Twerski ZT”L.
