MEDIA-OCRITY OF THE WEEK
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: I fully supported the president’s decision to after what was taking on the fact of being an endless war, of pulling American troops out, and I think it’s really important to remember that the previous administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, did not invite the Afghan government to be at the table, and negotiated a deal that- that required and promised as part of an agreement that we would pull out by the end of May….
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: So, we were saddled with that responsibility based on an agreement between the United States and the Taliban and so–…
MARGARET BRENNAN: But I know as a candidate, you pledged to protect the gains that were made for Afghan women.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: Yes. Yeah. And I feel very strongly about that….
MARGARET BRENNAN: But you know, a lot of that aid isn’t able to make it into the people who need it because of the sanctions on the Taliban being in control. So it’s just- Afghan women, do you worry that they were abandoned by the United States essentially?
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS: I worry that the Taliban has not complied with what we know to be the appropriate treatment and the right treatment of girls and women, and that’s why we are taking the posture that we are with the Taliban right now, because that is one of our greatest considerations and concerns.
“Iran is a ticking time bomb that threatens Israel and the whole Middle East. The Iranian nuclear threat must be neutralized once and for all, with or without an agreement. Iran cannot be allowed to attain nuclear weapons capabilities. I call on the international community not to underestimate the gravity of the nuclear threat.” — Israeli President Isaac Herzog at the graduation ceremony of the Israel Air Force’s 183rd flight course. (Algemeiner, Dec. 22, 2021)
“As I stand here today to talk about the young settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, I do not stand alone. With me on this podium stand some 25,000 men, women, and many children – about 12,000 children whose legalization is being delayed. [As such], they are being deprived of the most basic rights – the right to electricity and water, public transportation, proper roads, and Internet connection … even though Prime Minister Naftali Bennett promised them that he would legalize the young settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, in the first meeting of the government he would lead.” – Israeli MK Orit Strock (Religious Zionism), opening the debate by the Knesset plenum about the future of the “young settlement,” which is right-wingese for “illegal outposts.” (Jewish Press, Dec. 24, 2021)
“These irresponsible statements are consistent with the calls of extremists in Israel to displace the Palestinians and harm the status of the blessed al-Aqsa Mosque and the history of the Palestinian people. Mansour Abbas, with such statements, represents only himself, and does not represent the Palestinian people at home and everywhere in the world.” — Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. He responded to remarks made by Ra’am Party leader Knesset Member Mansour Abbas to Channel 12 that“Israel was born a Jewish state, that was the decision of the people, and the question is not what is the identity of the state — it was born this way and it will remain this way.” (Jewish Press, Dec. 24, 2021)
“Yesterday, we released an ad without proper vetting for a free all-expenses-paid year in Israel. This ad is not in line with our values as an organization dedicated to reporting on and opposing Israeli human rights abuses. We are returning the money that we received from this ad … We apologize for this error and for undermining our readers’ trust…” — statement tweeted by Jewish Currents editorial board after publishing ad by the Dorot Fellowship Israel (DFI), a 10-month leadership training program in Israel for American Jews. Jewish Currents is a progressive Jewish quarterly magazine. (United With Israel, Dec. 26, 2021)
“Justin Trudeau has tacitly approved Quebec’s Bill 96, which would unilaterally alter the Canadian constitution (to which Quebec is not even a signatory) and extend the French language charter to the federally chartered corporations in Quebec. The other provinces have abandoned almost all interest in Quebec…a country that’s indifferent to having its majority language practically officially cancelled in its second-most-populous province will not ultimately command the respect of anyone.”— columnist and historian Conrad Black (National Post, Dec. 25, 2021)
“Just as Sen. Manchin reversed his position on Build Back Better this morning, we will continue to press him to see if he will reverse his position yet again, to honour his prior commitments and be true to his word… If his comments on Fox and written statements indicate an end to[earlier negotiations with President Biden], they represent a sudden and inexplicable reversal in his position and a breach of his commitments to the president and the senator’s colleagues in the House and Senate.” — Biden Administration press secretary Jen Psaki, commenting on W. Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin’s decision not to support the Administration’s $1.75 trillion “Build Back Better” bill (cost out by the Congressional Budget Office at over $5 billion.) With a solid opposing wall of 50 Republican Senators, Manchin’s vote would seem to doom what critics call the “Green New Deal” equivalent in anything like its current form. (Canadian commentators noted that the bill’s proposed subsidies for electric cars built by union labor in the U.S., which would imperil Canada’s U.S.-linked auto industry, will die with the bill.) (USA Today, Dec. 19, 2021)
ISRAEL HOSPITAL BEGINS TRIAL FOR FOURTH COVID-19 DOSE ON GROUP OF 150 HEALTHCARE WORKERS (Tel Aviv) — In the first-of-its-kind trial, an Israel hospital began administering the fourth COVID-19 dose to a test group of health workers. The study aims to ascertain whether the second round of boosters increases protection against the new Omicron variant. The trial was launched at the Sheba Medical in Central Israel. (Republic World, Dec. 28, 2021)
ISRAEL SETS GOAL OF MULTIPLYING GOLAN JEWS (Jerusalem) — Israel’s government set a goal of doubling the number of Jewish settlers in the Golan Heights within five years, a move that could tighten its hold on the territory it occupied in fighting with Syria in 1967. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett cited then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition in 2019 of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan and no sign that his successor, Joe Biden, intends to reverse the decision as factors behind a multimillion-dollar housing and infrastructure plan for the area. Israel will build about 7,300 housing units in Katzrin, Israel’s main settlement in the area, and smaller Jewish communities. (Reuters, Dec. 26, 2021)
4,000 US IMMIGRANTS MOVED TO ISRAEL IN 2021, THE HIGHEST ANNUAL FIGURE SINCE 1973 (Jerusalem) — A total of 27,050 new immigrants arrived in Israel over 2021, representing a 30 percent increase over the previous year’s particularly low figures. The new arrivals included 4,000 immigrants from the United States, the highest figure since 1973 and a 30 percent rise over last year. The figures showed that another 400 immigrants arrived from Canada, bringing the total number of immigrants from North America in 2021 to over 4,400. (Times of Israel, Dec. 22, 2021)
WILL ISRAEL MAKE PEACE WITH THE MOST ANTISEMITIC COUNTRY IN THE WORLD? (Jerusalem) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the possibility of normalized Israel-Indonesia relations in recent talks with Indonesian officials in Jakarta last week. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim state, with more than 273 million people. Peace would open up a major southeast Asian market for Israeli business. It would also be a significant blow against Palestinian efforts to isolate Israel. Blinken’s overture also suggests that the White House is more actively building on the Abraham Accords than previously thought. (United With Israel, Dec. 23, 2021)
ISRAELI FAR RIGHT OUTRAGED AS SECURITY FORCES RAZE BUILDINGS IN HOMESH (Shomron) — Right-wing lawmakers expressed outrage after Israeli security forces demolished several buildings—including the local yeshivah—in the Homesh outpost in Samaria. The demolitions took place just hours after a memorial service in honor of Homesh resident Yehuda Dimantman, murdered in a terrorist attack on Dec. 16. (JNS, Dec. 26, 2021)
ISRAEL WARNS LEBANON AGAINST UNILATERAL DEVELOPMENT OF OFF-SHORE GAS FIELDS (Jerusalem) — Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan dispatched a message to UN Secretary-General António Guterres after the Lebanese government issued a tender inviting international company to compete for developing gas fields in Israel’s sovereign maritime territory. The two countries have not agreed upon the common Israel-Lebanon maritime boundary. The issue has been under discussion for over a decade. (Jewish Press, Dec. 26, 2021)
HEZBOLLAH AMASSED 2,000 DRONES AS PART OF IRAN’S ‘UAV ARMY,’ REPORT WARNS (Damascus) — Hezbollah has received advanced UAVs from Iran, as well as assistance in developing and manufacturing them independently. The Islamist group has deployed drones since the 1990s in Lebanon, Syria, and against Israel. According to the Israel-based Alma Research Center, Hezbollah “most likely” has advanced UAV models like the Karrar type meant to disrupt airstrikes, and the Saegheh type, which can carry anti-tank missiles, among others. The group also uses dozens of drones, primarily Chinese-made, to photograph and carry and drop bombs. (Algemeiner, Dec. 23, 2021)
IRAN’S GREAT PROPHET ANNUAL MILITARY DRILL TARGETS DIMONA (Tehran) — Iran released a video showing Iran launching ballistic missiles and suicide drones against Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility as part of their annual military drill. It appears they built a mockup of Israel’s Dimona facility for the exercise and used short and medium-range ballistic missiles and suicide drones for the practice run. Watch the video. (Jewish Press, Dec. 26, 2021)
WINDOW FOR FURTHER IRAN TALKS WILL CLOSE WITHIN ‘WEEKS,’ US NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER TELLS ISRAELI MEDIA (Vienna) – The deadline to reach an agreement between Iran and world powers on salvaging the 2015 Iran nuclear deal will expire within “weeks,” according to US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. The comments come as nuclear talks in Vienna are set to resume on Dec. 27 after being stalled amid frustration over the Islamic Republic’s abandonment of compromises achieved in previous sessions and its request for new demands. Sullivan engaged in face-to-face meetings with Israeli leaders and said that the US and Israel are both at a “critical juncture” on a “major set of security issues” and need to develop a “common strategy, a common outlook.” “There is still room for a diplomatic effort,” Sullivan said. (Algemeiner, Dec. 23, 2021)
BBC RANKED THIRD ON ‘GLOBAL ANTISEMITISM TOP TEN LIST’ (LA) – The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) ranked the BBC so high on its list — just behind Iran and Hamas — because it was “guilty of several incidences of antisemitism during the past year,” according to SWC head Marvin Hier. He pointed to the network’s widely-criticized reporting of an antisemitic attack in London last month, in which a group of men made Nazi salutes and yelled “Free Palestine” at a bus filled with Jewish passengers. “The BBC falsely reported that a victim on the bus used an anti-Muslim slur,” Hier said. That “slur” was, in fact, a distressed Jewish man speaking in Hebrew appealing for help. Despite audio evidence, the BBC has refused to correct its report. (Algemeiner, Dec. 26, 2021)
AMBASSADOR STUART E. EIZENSTAT APPOINTED AS US SPECIAL ADVISER ON HOLOCAUST ISSUES (Washington) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appointed Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat as his new Special Adviser on Holocaust Issues. Eizenstat is a former Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, and Ambassador to the European Union, and is currently with the law firm of Covington & Burling. (Jewish Press, Dec. 27, 2021)
ACT NOW! DEMAND DUKE UNIVERSITY ALLOW PRO-ISRAEL CAMPUS GROUP, END DISCRIMINATION! (Durham) — Jewish students at Duke University were stymied in their efforts to obtain recognition for a pro-Israel campus group. They launched a Duke chapter of Students Supporting Israel and applied to the Duke Student Government (DSG) for recognition. However, their request was vetoed by Student Government President Christina Wang. Student government recognition allows campus groups to receive funding for their activities. Active groups such as Duke Friends of Israel, Duke Israel Public Affairs Committee, and Duke Students for Justice in Palestine already have such recognition. Notify President Vincent Price that Duke SSI must be recognized! Contact President Vincent Price: president@duke.edu (United With Israel, Dec. 23, 2021)
OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF DIVERSITY OFFICERS AT US COLLEGES HOLD ANTI-ISRAEL VIEWS (Washington) — Overwhelming numbers of diversity, equity, and inclusion officers at American universities, ostensibly hired to create a welcoming space on campus, use social media to bash Israel and Jews. Researchers reviewed the Twitter feeds of 741 diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) officials at 65 different U.S. universities to determine their attitudes on Israel and China for comparison purposes. They found that DEI staff “tweeted, retweeted, or liked almost three times as many tweets about Israel as tweets about China.” Of these tweets, 96 percent were critical of Israel, and 62 percent of the China-centered tweets were favorable. (United With Israel, Dec. 16, 2021)
FLORIDA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES EXPECTED TO REJECT BDS, GOVERNOR DESANTIS SAYS (Florida) — The office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that it expects Florida State University to prevent the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), with which it is an institutional partner, from operating a boycott of Israel on its campus. Earlier this month, MESA members voted during their annual meeting to hold a referendum next year on a resolution endorsing the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. (Algemeiner, Dec. 23, 2021)
NBA CONGRATULATES YESHIVA UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR 50-GAME WINNING STREAK (NYC) — The National Basketball Association congratulated Yeshiva University’s men’s basketball team for its winning streak of 50 consecutive victories – the longest active winning streak in the history of men’s college basketball. The nationally ranked No. 1 team held off a late comeback attempt by New Jersey City University last Wednesday evening, hanging on to the win by a score of 93-86 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. The Yeshiva Maccabees remain undefeated this year at 14-0. (Jewish Press, Dec. 27, 2021)
LIBYAN ELECTION COLLAPSES WITH NO PLAN OUT OF CRISIS (Benghazi) — Libya’s parliament said Friday’s planned presidential election would not go ahead, leaving the internationally-backed peace process in chaos and the fate of the interim government in doubt. The electoral commission proposed pushing back the voting date by a month, confirming a widely expected delay amid disputes over the rules, including the eligibility of several divisive candidates. (Reuters, Dec. 22, 2021)
XI JINPING BACKS VLADIMIR PUTIN’S DEMAND FOR NATO TO HALT EASTWARDS EXPANSION (Beijing) — Chinese president Xi Jinping has endorsed Vladimir Putin’s demand for binding security guarantees from NATO and proposed “joint actions” to defend Russian and Chinese security interests. China’s first explicit backing of Russia in the ongoing stand-off over Ukraine came during a 90 minutes video call in which Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin hailed “model” relations between the two nuclear superpowers, both of which are locked in deepening confrontations with the United States. The remarks came as China’s People’s Liberation Army began amphibious drills around the island of Hainan in an apparent practice run for an assault on Taiwan. (The Telegraph, Dec. 15, 2021)
WATCH: DECISION: Illinois to Divest State Pension Fund From Unilever: United With Israel, Dec. 23, 2021 — Ben & Jerry’s anti-Israel boycott is causing major problems for the ice-cream maker and its parent company, Unilever.
WATCH: Ancient Underwater Treasure Discovered Off Coast of Israel: United With Israel, Dec. 22, 2021 — Marine archaeologists diving off the coast of Caesarea discovered several significant artifacts.
