Retired Generals Warn U.S. Military Deeply Divided and Future Coup Attempt Possible: Adrian Morrow, The Globe and Mail, Dec. 19, 2021“We are increasingly concerned about the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and the potential for lethal chaos inside our military. In short, we are chilled to our bones at the thought of a coup succeeding next time. . .In a contested election [some] might follow orders from the rightful commander-in-chief while others might follow . . . the Trumpian loser. . . Under such a scenario, it is not outlandish to say a military breakdown could lead to civil war….” Three liberal retired generals, in a Washington Post op-ed commenting on the ongoing Democrat-dominated Congressional committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot. They urge the purging of the military now, “to prevent another insurrection from happening in 2024.”
“The State of Israel was born as a Jewish state, and it will remain one.” — Ra’am (United Arab List) leader Mansour Abbas said at a conference of the Hebrew business newspaper Globes, a statement some consider historic. (Jerusalem Post,Dec. 21, 2021)
“We know what it’s like not to have our own state. We know what it means to defend one’s own state and land with weapons in hand, at the cost of our own lives. Both Ukrainians and Jews value freedom, and they work equally for the future of our states to become to our liking, and not the future which others want for us. Israel is often an example for Ukraine.” — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his address to the third annual Kyiv Jewish Forum. (Algemeiner, Dec. 15, 2021)
” I cannot vote to continue with this piece of legislation. I just can’t. I have tried everything humanly possible. My Democratic colleagues in Washington are determined to dramatically reshape our society in a way that leaves our country even more vulnerable to the threats we face.”—Joe Manchin (Sen., W.Va.), explaining why he can’t support the Biden Administration’s $2 trillion “Build Back Better” bill that scored at over $4 billion by the Congressional Budget Office. Given the 50-50 split in the Senate and unified Republican opposition, this would seem to kill the bill. (Ipsedixit News, Dec. 19, 2021)
“Let’s be clear: Manchin’s excuse is bulls–t.” — “Progressive” U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (Dem., Minn.) (NY Post, Dec. 19, 2021)
“This is the first known major airlift rescue with American boots on the ground since the U.S. government abandoned the country of Afghanistan in August. Despite the difficulties, we are doing this because it is the right thing to do when another human is in need and because our fellow Americans should never be left behind” — James Judge, spokesman for Project Dynamo, a civilian volunteer group led by former military and current reserve members. It rescued 39 American citizens and lawful permanent residents (including 11 children) left behind by the Biden Administration. The organization claims to have already aided more than 2,000 to leave Afghanistan. (NY Post, Dec. 18, 2021)
“There will be no talks on European security without our European allies and partners…we will not compromise the key principles on which European security is built, including that all countries have the right to decide their own future and foreign policy, free from outside interference.” — White House spokesman Jan Psaki. She responded to Russian demands that NATO pledge to give up any military activities in eastern Europe and Ukraine, and that Moscow have an effective veto on NATO membership for Ukraine. (TASS, Dec. 17, 2021)
“For four years, Democrats portrayed themselves as a party of Russia hawks, in contrast to a president they saw as Putin’s lackey. But since Biden came into office, his administration has stopped enforcing major sanctions on Russia’s pipeline to Germany, held off on punishing Russian hacks of critical infrastructure and now seeks to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine with threats alone.” – columnist Eli Lake. (Bloomberg, Dec. 17, 2021)
“. . .the Cold war and the dissolution of the U.S.S.R were the greatest and most bloodless strategic victories in the history of the world. And the greatest consequence of them is the triumph of capitalism in the world, in particular in China and Russia… The key [today] is to avoid driving a truncated Russia into the arms of China and effectively giving the Chinese the right to develop the vast territory of Russian Siberia. As long as this can be avoided, the resumption of American national renovation [post-Biden] will re-establish the unambiguous superiority of American influence in the world, and particularly its economic model. Capitalism is imperfect, but it is invincible, as was demonstrated 30 years ago [when the Soviet Union collapsed].” — Political commentator and historian Conrad Black. (National Post, Dec.19, 2021)
IDF CIVIL ADMINISTRATION TO APPROVE THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL ARAB HOMES IN AREA C (Jerusalem) — The Judea and Samaria Civil Administration’s Supreme Planning Council is expected to advance four major Palestinian Authority building plans in Area C, reversing the decisions of the Political-Security Cabinet in July 2019. Area C is an Oslo II administrative division of Judea and Samaria, defined as “areas of the West Bank outside Areas A and B.” (Jewish Press, Dec. 19, 2021)
ISRAELI PRESIDENT HERZOG TELLS ASTRONAUT SET FOR HISTORIC MISSION, ‘THE WHOLE NATION IS WATCHING YOU’ (Jerusalem) — Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Eytan Stibbe, who will soon become the second Israeli to travel into space, “The whole nation is watching you.” Stibbe follows in the footsteps of Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, who died tragically in the accident that destroyed the space shuttle Columbia in 2003. (Algemeiner, Dec. 16, 2021)
ISRAEL’S HEALTH MINISTRY RECOMMENDS VACCINATING CHILDREN WHO RECOVERED FROM CORONA (Jerusalem) — Israel’s Health Ministry recommended that even children aged 5 to 11 who have recovered from Corona be vaccinated. They will receive a reduced dose of Pfizer for children.(Jewish Press, Dec. 19, 2021)
ISRAELI TISSUE ENGINEERS 3D-PRINT AN EAR (Haifa) — Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Sheba Medical Center have developed a way to 3D-print “scaffolding” as the basis for a replacement ear. The scaffold, which allows for forming an aesthetic and stable auricle (the visible part of the external ear), is designed from a CT scan of the patient’s ear and can be performed on children as young as six. This procedure primarily benefits people born with congenitally deformed ears. (JNS, Dec. 19, 2021)
BLIND WOMAN REGAINS EYESIGHT AT ISRAELI HOSPITAL WITH ARTIFICIAL CORNEA CARVED FROM HER SHIN BONE (Petach Tikvah) — A blind woman has regained her eyesight after 20 years following the first-of-its-kind surgery at an Israeli hospital. The rare procedure at Israel’s Beilinson hospital restored the sight of 60-year-old Hanan Awad from Nazareth, who suffered from a severe corneal disease that led to her blindness. (Algemeiner, Dec. 15, 2021)
FIRST JEWISH CHILDREN’S CAMP OPENS IN UAE, OFFERING ACTIVITIES AND LESSONS ON JUDAISM (Abu Dhabi) — The United Arab Emirates opened its first Jewish children’s camp for the winter season. Camp Gan Izzy at the Mini Miracles Jewish preschool in Dubai will provide indoor and outdoor activities — including bowling, ice skating, swimming and talent shows — mixed with lessons on Jewish history and religious practices, and provide kosher lunches. More than 50 children have signed up for the camp. (Algemeiner, Dec. 15, 2021)
WITH VIENNA TALKS ON CUSP OF COLLAPSE, TEHRAN SEES LITTLE REASON TO RESTORE NUCLEAR DEAL (Vienna) — Indirect nuclear talks between Iran and the world powers, which entered their seventh-round on Nov. 29, are verging on collapse. Tehran, under recently-elected president Ebrahim Raisi has abandoned compromises achieved in previous sessions. (Algemeiner, Dec. 16, 2021)
MAJOR INSULT TO HAMAS LEADER: HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANESE FIGURES BOYCOTT HIS VISIT (Lebanon) — Hezbollah leaders and Lebanese figures insulted Hamas leader Khaled Mash’al by boycotting his visit to Lebanon and refusing to meet him. His crime? He supported the rebels in Syria, a position that led to the expulsion of Hamas from Damascus. Lebanese media also ignored Mashaal’s visit. (Jewish Press, Dec. 19, 2021)
ITALY TO PROBE BLIND EYE TO DEADLY SYNAGOGUE ATTACK, DEAL WITH PLO (Rome) — The Italian government announced a probe into newly published documents from 1982, which seemingly confirm that Rome had an agreement with the Palestinian Liberation Organization not to interfere with terror attacks against Jewish targets. The Italian daily La Repubblica exposed the documents related to a 1982 attack on the Great Synagogue of Rome. On October 9 of that year, during the festive holiday of Simchat Torah, three Palestinian terrorists opened fire and threw grenades at Jewish parents picking up their children from the synagogue’s back entrance. (United With Israel, Dec. 19, 2021)
CHILEAN JEWISH COMMUNITY APPREHENSIVE AS HARDLINE ANTI-ZIONIST GABRIEL BORIC WINS PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST (Santiago) — Chile’s Jewish leadership put on a brave face as it responded to the election of a committed anti-Zionist as the Latin American nation’s new president. In a statement acknowledging the victory in Sunday’s vote of left-wing candidate Gabriel Boric — who at the age of 35 becomes the youngest leader in Latin America — the Jewish Community of Chile (CJCH) offered congratulations and wished him “every success” in government. But concern about Boric remains widespread among Chile’s 18,000 Jews, especially as he has directly implicated the community in his harsh rhetorical attacks upon the State of Israel. (Algemeiner, Dec. 20, 2021)
NEW SOUTH WALES BECOMES FIRST AUSTRALIAN STATE TO ADOPT IHRA WORKING DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM (Sydney) — New South Wales became the first Australian state to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Working Definition of Antisemitism. An annual report published by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) reported a 35 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in Australia, thanks in part to the May conflict between Israel and Hamas and the COVID-19 pandemic. (Algemeiner, Dec. 19, 2021)
HATE CRIMES AGAINST JEWS, ASIANS SPIKED ACROSS NEW YORK CITY IN 2021, WITH MANHATTAN SEEING HIGHEST NUMBER (NYC) — Hate crimes against Asians and Jews have driven this year’s doubling of hate crimes in New York, police statistics revealed this month. An NYPD breakdown through Dec. 12 shows that Manhattan had the most hate crimes of any of the city’s boroughs, with 199 incidents. Brooklyn had 119 incidents, Queens 102, the Bronx 44, and Staten Island 17. (Algemeiner, Dec. 19, 2021)
MUSLIM ORG FIRES LEADER FOR WORKING WITH ANTI-MUSLIM GROUP (Ohio) – The Council on Islamic-American Relations – Ohio, a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization, has fired its executive and legal director Romin Iqbal. They claim he held a years long secret association with the Investigative Project on Terrorism led by Stephen Emerson, that they call a “anti-Muslim hate group.” (WIN, Dec. 16, 2021)
EDUCATOR FORCED 3RD GRADERS TO REENACT GORY HOLOCAUST EXECUTIONS (Washington) — According to an email from MScott Berkowitz, principal of the Catharine Watkins Elementary School in Southeast Washington, a member of the school staff instructed third graders working on a project in the school library to re-enact scenes from the Holocaust, including a mass execution and digging of a mass grave. Even though Berkowitz’s email did not identify who the staff person was, a parent said it was a librarian. (United With Israel, Dec. 20, 2021)
LEGAL ADVOCACY GROUP URGES DUKE UNIVERSITY TO RECOGNIZE PRO-ISRAEL STUDENTS OR RISK LEGAL CONSEQUENCES (North Carolina) — A legal advocacy organization urged Duke University to grant full recognition to a pro-Israel campus group denied legal status by the student government last month. Recognition of Duke Students Supporting Israel was vetoed in November by the Duke Student Government Senate over complaints that its social media posts had “singled out” a student who had criticized their pro-Israel stance. Days later, that veto was upheld by a wide margin in a Senate session — a rare decision that Students Supporting Israel national said was based based on a “a standard that wasn’t applied to any student club at the university…ever.” Responding to an outcry over the decision, Duke University President Vincent E. Price later announced that the university “identified options for SSI to secure financial and programmatic support” in lieu of formal recognition by the senate and is investigating whether the move was motivated by antisemitism. However, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, a Washington, D.C.- based pro-Israel advocacy group, said Price’s remedy is insufficient to comply with federal law. (Algemeiner, Dec. 16, 2021)
HARVARD WAIVES ACT, SAT ADMISSION REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATING CLASSES THROUGH 2030 (Cambridge) — Harvard University has waived the ACT and SAT standardized testing requirement for graduating classes of students through 2030. The announcement said that the decision was due to the coronavirus pandemic. It noted that the class of 2026, is the second year in which standardized tests were not required for admission into the university. Noting that standardized tests are only one factor considered for admission, the blog post said they also consider accomplishments outside the classroom. (Fox News, Dec. 17, 2021)
WEST RAISES CONCERNS AFTER PRO-BEIJING CANDIDATES SWEEP HONG KONG ELECTIONS (Victoria) — Britain, the US and other western allies have expressed “grave concern” over the “erosion of democratic elements” in Hong Kong, hours after pro-Beijing candidates were confirmed to occupy nearly every seat in the former British colony’s new legislature. Sunday’s elections in Hong Kong were marred by record low voter turnout that observers say signals a general political apathy in the city, 18 months since authorities began a crackdown on political dissent in the name of national security. Only 30% of Hong Kong’s 4.4 million eligible voters went to the polls, almost half of the number who voted in the last legislative elections in 2016. (Guardian, Dec. 20, 2021)
WATCH: Can Israel Truly Cripple Iran’s Nuclear Program?: WIN, Dec. 20, 2021 — Israel’s Air Force Combat Pilot, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Israel ‘Relik’ Shafir, analyzes the chances of Israel successfully crippling Iran’s nuclear program.WATCH: Is Normalization on the Horizon Between Israel and Bangladesh?: United With Israel, Dec. 19, 2021 — Bangladesh has a strong history with the State of Israel. Will this history help to build ties between the two nations?
