SHABBAT READING
Natural or Supernatural?: Matot, Masei • 5771, 5784: Covenant & Conversation, The Rabbi Sacks Legacy — The book of Bamidbar draws to a close with an account of the cities of refuge, the six cities – three on each side of the Jordan – set apart as places to which people found innocent of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, were temporarily exiled.
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DOUBLE TROUBLE
LISTEN: Podcast: Ray Takeyh on What Iran Wants: Mosaic, Feb. 2, 2024 — Since October 7, there have been more than 100 attacks by Iran-backed militias against American forces in the Middle East.
Killing of Two Israeli Enemies Puts Middle East on Brink of Wider War: Summer Said, Rory Jones, and Carrie Keller-Lynn, WSJ, July 31, 2024 — A pair of provocative strikes that killed enemies of Israel has pushed the Middle East to the brink of a wider war the U.S. has worked hard to head off.
Netanyahu Decides, and Haniyeh Is Gone: Daniel Pipes, WSJ, July 31, 2024
Iran-led Axis Likely to Launch Joint Attack, But Can’t Reverse Israeli Gains in Gaza: Lazar Berman, Times of Israel, Aug. 1, 2024
Iran’s Mortification Proves That Israel Is Quietly Winning the War: Jake Wallis Simons, The Telegraph, July 31, 2024
Ismail Haniyeh Was a Monster, Not a ‘Moderate’: Brendan O’Neill, Spiked, July 31, 2024
For Further Reference:
Israel Returns Fire on Iran and Its Proxies: Editorial Board, WSJ, July 31, 2024 — Iran swore in a new President to chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” on Tuesday.
Haniyeh Was Killed Because He Was an Obstacle to a Hostage Deal – Report: Vered Weiss, World Israel News, Aug. 2, 2024 — Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly assassination by Israel because he was a major obstacle to securing a hostage release deal.
‘Huge Embarrassment’: Haniyeh Assassination Exposes Iran’s Security Failures: Yaghoub Fazeli, Al Arabiya English, Aug. 1, 2024 — The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran dealt a critical blow to Iran’s security apparatus, exposing severe vulnerabilities and indicating deep foreign intelligence penetration within the Islamic Republic, analysts said.
Bomb Smuggled into Tehran Guesthouse Months Ago Killed Hamas Leader: Ronen Bergman, Mark Mazzetti and Farnaz Fassihi, NY Times, Aug. 1, 2024 — Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was assassinated on Wednesday by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying, according to seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official.
CONFIRMED DEAD: IDF Killed Top Hamas Military Commander in Strike: David Rosenberg, World Israel News, Aug. 1, 2024 – Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas’ military wing and one of the terror organization’s top officials, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip last month, the IDF and the Israeli Defense Ministry confirmed Thursday.
