Podcasts about southern israel

Julian Foulkes, a retired Special Constable, was arrested and held in a cell for eight hours over a tweet warning about the threat to British Jews posed by the pro-Palestinian marches. In October of 2023, he responded to another tweet criticising Suella Braverman for describing the pro-Palestinian protests that were sweeping the country in the aftermath of the massacre in Southern Israel as ‘hate marches'. As reported in the Telegraph, the day after someone complained about Julian's tweet, six police officers turned up at his home, ransacked the premises, arrested him, detained him for eight hours and gave him a caution. Julian retained the services of a solicitor and, with his help, got Kent Police to admit they'd made a mistake and delete the caution from his record. Julian, who has now joined the Free Speech Union, is now going to sue the force for wrongful arrest, as well as unlawful interference in his right to liberty. You can contribute to Julian's crowdfunder here. We move on to discuss two ways in which the FSU has stepped in to help with free expression events: the Lewes Speakers Festival on Friday 9th May and the re-platforming of the ‘Licence to Offend' cartoon exhibition. There is good news to report in the world of football where Cerys Vaughan has spoken out about her Kafkaesque trial after asking a transgender opponent: “Are you a man?”. Following a three-month battle, an appeal board of the FA quashed the ruling against her in a damning – and alarming – judgment on the original proceedings. As reported in the Telegraph, the written reasons state: she had not received a fair hearing during a three-hour video call that left her in tears; proper consideration had not been given to her age or the evidence against her; and she was wrongly found guilty “by own admission” when she had denied the charges. We end with an update on our event with Andrew Doyle on the 29th May, which is now both in-person and online. ‘That's Debatable!'  is edited by Jason Clift.

Watch the conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pSSh03tpRIITo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenor The Two-State Solution had been on life support long before October 7. While Hamas's massacre shattered Israelis from all walks of life, those from the kibbutzim near the Gaza border — many of whom lifelong advocates for a Palestinian State — were among the hardest hit.  Though stark divisions in Israeli society remain, there now seems to be a broad consensus among the people of Israel and their political parties on one conclusion: the two-state solution is all but dead. Yet one Israeli leader - one of the very few who battled terrorists in Southern Israel and rescued Israelis on October 7 - continues to hold out hope.  Yair Golan is a decorated general, former IDF Deputy Chief of Staff  and head of the The Israeli Democrats Party. We sat down with General Golan to discuss Israel's future, the misconceptions that led to October 7, and the unique role he played on that darkest of days.  CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorMARTIN HUERGO - EditorYARDENA SCHWARTZ - Executive Editor of Ark MediaGABE SILVERSTEIN - Research Intern YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

Watch Call me Back on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallMeBackPodcastTo contact us, sign up for updates, and access transcripts, visit: https://arkmedia.org/Dan on X: https://x.com/dansenorDan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansenorOn Thursday, the IDF released the scathing findings of its probe into the military failures that led up to and accompanied the massacre of October 7, 2023. According to those findings, the military vastly underestimated Hamas's capabilities, misread its intentions, and failed to mount an effective response to the mass invasion of Israel's borders. The IDF's probe into its own failures reveals both the extent to which warnings went ignored, and the extent to which so many communities in Southern Israel were forced to fend for themselves. While some of these findings come as no surprise, they are still shocking and devastating to process. We spoke with two of Israel's leading national security journalists to walk through the key points of the findings.  Amos Harel is the Defense Analyst at Haaretz, and Nadav Eyal is a Senior Political Analyst at Yediot Achronot. CREDITS:ILAN BENATAR - Producer & EditorMARTIN HUERGO - Additional EditingYARDENA SCHWARTZ - Executive Editor of Ark MediaGABE SILVERSTEIN - Research  YUVAL SEMO - Music Composer

In a first for Israel, a tomb complex holding the bones of about 60 individuals was recently uncovered in the Negev region of southern Israel. On today's program, Let the Stones Speak host Brent Nagtegaal speaks with Israel Antiquities Authority senior researcher and Negev expert Dr. Tali Erickson-Gini about the unique discovery. https://armstronginstitute.org/1189-2500-year-old-tomb-complex-discovered-at-critical-crossroads-in-southern-israel

The Bulletin welcomes FOX News correspondent Trey Yingst for a conversation about fair and balanced journalism in the Israel-Hamas war. Find us on Youtube. In this episode, Mike Cosper sits down with FOX News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst for a conversation about fair and balanced journalism in the Israel-Hamas war. They reflect on the October 7 attack and the complexities of reporting on a centuries-old conflict. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUEST:  As FOX News Channel's chief foreign correspondent, Trey Yingst has reported from some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones. He is currently leading the network's live coverage of the Israel-Hamas war from Southern Israel. Previously, he reported extensively from Ukraine during Russia's invasion and provided exclusive coverage of the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, including a rare interview with Anas Haqqani, a leader of the Haqqani Terror Network. Yingst is the author of Black Sunday: An Unfiltered Account of the October 7th Attack on Israel and the War in Gaza. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a weekly (and sometimes more!) current events show from Christianity Today hosted and moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today's editor in chief) and Mike Cosper (director, CT Media). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Producer of the Nova Music Festival Ofir Amir joins Gabe to talk about the Hamas massacre at the Nova Music Festival that took place in the early morning hours of October 7, 2023 in Southern Israel. Ofir was shot in both legs and survived. 411 others were murdered and 47 were taken hostage. Hear Ofir's story, what he saw, and how his community is turning the darkness into light.

We depart from our usual Sunday review with Ya'akov Katz and bring you this short and intense immersion in the weekly rallies in support of hostages and their families. These events take place all over Israel every Saturday night. I used to attend them in Tel Aviv. But I have relocated to a kibbutz in the south and instead went to the local gathering. It is worlds away from Tel Aviv. The rally takes place at a key intersection in southern Israel, which was swarmed by Hamas locusts, buzzing around on their motorcycles and in pickup trucks. They slaughtered babies, children, the elderly, families. They dragged terrified people from their beds. They stalked those who attended the Nova Music Festival. Route 232 – which winds its way through the area of Israel closest to the Gaza border – was lined with burned cars and bodies. The weekly rallies occur at the intersection of Routes 232 and 34. Many of those attending these rallies are locals who lived through the carnage, lost loved ones, await the release of family and friends still being held hostage.We have also posted, below, some photographs from the rally.Tomorrow – we drop a bonus podcast with Israeli journalist and scholar, Nadav Eyal, doing the usual focus on what's going on in the bigger picture – although we focus heavily on the hostages. This is widely perceived to be a moment of opportunity to re-align power in the middle east. And that must include the hostages.Thanks for being here.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe

Today on America in the Morning   Texas Execution Stopped He was waiting in a holding cell for 4 hours next to the death chamber, as both the US Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rejected last-minute appeals for his case. But less than two hours before he was scheduled to die by lethal injection, the Texas Supreme Court ordered a halt and spared Robert Roberson's life, at least for now. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports from Texas on the case and what happens next.    Hamas Leader Killed In Gaza He was Israel's Number One target since the October 7 massacre by Hamas in Southern Israel killed over 12 hundred people and led to more than 200 being taken hostage. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports on the US reaction to the Israeli military's announcement that they killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza.     Georgia School Shooter & Father Face Judge A 14-year-old who opened fire inside his Georgia high school, along with his father who allowed his son access to an assault rifle, were both indicted on murder charges. Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports.    Texas AG Sues Doctor Over Gender Care Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued a Dallas doctor, accusing her of providing transition-related care to nearly two dozen minors in violation of state law.      Latest On The Liam Payne Investigation There is shock in the music world, and now an investigation by Argentinian police, into the death of One Direction singer Liam Payne. Correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports.     Early Voting In A Disaster Zone Early voting is underway in North Carolina, but in a state still dealing with Hurricane Helene's destruction, it's not easy. Correspondent Ed Donahue reports.     Sinwar Found & Killed Israeli Defense Forces killed Hamas' top leader, Yahya Sinwar, following a firefight in the Gaza Strip. John Stolnis reports the Biden administration hopes this is an opening for an end to the war in Gaza and a return of just over 100 hostages back to Israel.    Pennsylvania Early Voting Early voting is underway in a few American states, including battleground Pennsylvania where candidates and their allies are spending much of their time. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.    Secret Service Report Saying there are “deep flaws,” an independent advisory panel released a scathing report on the United States Secret Service, recommending big changes are needed following the Trump assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.  Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.    Charges Dropped In Arizona, authorities have dropped all charges against a deaf man with cerebral palsy who was beaten by Phoenix Police after he didn't respond to their orders.     Massive Sex Abuse Settlement There was a surprise settlement involving the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and victims of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy. Bob Brown has details.    Alabama Execution Alabama executed a man Thursday evening who admitted to killing five people with an axe and gun during a drug-fueled rampage in 2016. Saying he was guilty and in his final statement asked for forgiveness, 36-year-old Derrick Dearman's lethal injection was carried out.    Tech News An Alabama man has been arrested by the FBI for hacking the SEC's official X account, to manipulate the price of bitcoin. Here's Chuck Palm with today's tech report.    Finally   One reason the stock market has been going higher - correspondent Shelley Adler reports on retail sales increasing for the third straight month.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Check out the I Am Israel Film Here: https://iamisraelfilm.com/pages/movies Across the media, headlines are rampant about Israel supposedly attacking UN troops in Lebanon. What actually happened? Why are there even UN troops in Lebanon and what are they doing there? Stay tuned for a brief history of UNIFIL and the current situation with Israel and Hezbollah. Also there was a tragic shooting attack in Southern Israel this morning. Ben Hilton breaks it down for you.  Follow us on Telegram: https://t.me/theisraelguys  Follow Us On Twitter: https://twitter.com/theisraelguys  Follow Us On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theisraelguys Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theisraelguys   Purchase TIG Merch:  Heartland Tumbler: https://theisraelguys.store/products/heartland-tumbler “Israel” Leather Patch Hat: https://theisraelguys.store/products/israel-1948-cap  

Since Hamas militants attacked Southern Israel on October 7, taking roughly 1200 lives, and capturing hundreds of hostages, the Israeli military has responded with overwhelming force in Gaza. Bombs and other military actions have killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Most of the homes, businesses, schools and mosques in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed – and millions have been displaced.And there is no end in sight to the bombardment. The U.S. State Department says Hamas has refused for weeks to engage in cease-fire talks. Previously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly stalled a cease-fire and hostage deal by adding new conditions to negotiations.For the past 12 months, Palestinian Americans and the wider Muslim community in the Seattle area have been urging the U.S. to halt weapons transfers and funding to Israel. On Saturday, roughly 500 protesters gathered at Pier 62 on Seattle's waterfront to demand change.  Yesterday, we spoke with members of Seattle's Jewish community about how they're remembering the first anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel. Today, we're speaking with members of Seattle's Palestinian and Muslim communities about the effects of the war in Gaza. Guests: Akram Baioumy, an Imam with MAPS (Muslim Association of Puget Sound)  Yaz Kader, a Palestinian American and an uncommitted delegate from Washington state at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. He's also the author of a new Op-Ed in Real Change News, called “Silencing the Palestinian voice at the local and national levels”. Relevant Links: Silencing the Palestinian voice at the local and national levels - Real Change See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on America in the Morning   Milton Heading To Florida For the second time in barely two weeks, the Sunshine State is bracing for another massive hurricane as Milton is rapidly forming and could reach Category 4 status later today or tomorrow on a direct path toward Central Florida. Correspondent Julie Walker reports that some areas that received storm surge from Helene could face a direct hit by mid-week.    Trump & Harris Campaigning There are only 28 days to Election Day and this past weekend for both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump focused much on federal hurricane response. Jim Roope has the details.   Remembering October 7 Rallies are expected around the world today by pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel crowds marking the one-year anniversary of the surprise Hamas attack on Southern Israel that left over 12 hundred Israelis dead and the kidnapping by terrorists of over 200 people, 100 of which are still being held captive in Gaza. In New York City, a large protest against Israel is expected to take place today.  Correspondent Karen Chammas reports.    Judge Rules On Migrants/Pets Case An Ohio court has declined a request to immediately act on a complaint against Donald Trump and J.D. Vance for alleging Haitian migrants were eating people's pets. Correspondent Jackie Quinn reports.   Cotton Blasts Smith On Trump Case The latest filing from special counsel Jack Smith is bringing backlash from one Republican Senator on the Sunday talk shows. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.    Less Concussions The NFL is seeing positive returns from its revamped kickoff and other new safety measures in their attempt to combat concussions. Correspondent Gethin Coolbaugh reports.     Preparing For Milton While parts of the Southeast are still reeling from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, Florida's west coast is bracing for impact as another potentially major hurricane tracks in its direction. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.     North Carolina's Helene Recovery Efforts In North Carolina, the search for victims and the cleanup continues after Hurricane Helene carved a path of destruction through the western part of the state.  Correspondent Jennifer King has more on the recovery efforts.    Tennessee Governor Blasts Misinformation On FEMA After Hurricane Helene took lives, homes, and livelihoods from people in a half-dozen states, the agencies tasked to help people in the darkest hours are also dealing with a deluge of misinformation and lies. As correspondent Julie Walker reports, both FEMA and others, including Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, are speaking out about those clouding the recovery effort.    Anti-Semitism Reports Skyrocket A new report from the Anti-Defamation League found that anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. rose well over 200% percent following the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre in Israel as compared to the same period the year before.     Issues With Affordable Housing Some states are scrambling to find affordable housing as nearly a quarter of a million homes will become unavailable. Correspondent Jackie Quinn reports.   Former Governor Attacked In NYC New York City Police arrested a 12 and 13-year-old for the assault of former New York Governor David Paterson and his stepson, who is the son of Guardian Angels founder and former New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa.     Finding Flexible Work As many more companies continue bringing workers back into the workplace, a new trend is starting to move through the office – workers leaving jobs to find jobs with more flexible schedules. Stephan Kaufman reports.     Finally   It may have been tops at the box office, but the newest movie about The Joker was not a hit with theatergoers. Entertainment correspondent Margie Szaroleta reports.    With all the devastation from Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, country superstar Dolly Parton is giving her support to help the victims.  Kevin Carr has more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eve Harow shares her thoughts of the events of the last week. With some Tanach of course. Just Read It. Photo Caption: Sunset at Ashkelon Beach, Southern Israel

Tune in to "Proclaiming Justice" for a gripping podcast episode featuring an exclusive interview with Adele Raemer, a survivor of the October 7 Hamas attack in Southern Israel. Host Laurie Cardoza-Moore explores Adele's harrowing experience living in Kibbutz Nirim, just a mile from the Gaza border, and recounts the tragic events of that day. In light of the recent recovery of hostages' bodies by the IDF, this episode underscores the urgency of bringing the remaining hostages home. Stay informed and engaged with "Proclaiming Justice" as we amplify stories of survival and resilience. Hear Adele's powerful testimony and learn more about the ongoing efforts to bring the hostages home at stories.bringthemhomenow.net.

Israel's hostage rescue. On Saturday, Israel rescued four living hostages from inside the Nuseirat refugee camp in Central Gaza. The hostages were freed eight months after they were kidnapped by Hamas militants who had crossed the border into Israel. All four — Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv — were abducted from the Nova music festival in Southern Israel on October 7. An estimated 116 of the 250 hostages taken remain in Gaza, at least 40 of whom have been declared dead by authorities.You can read today's podcast⁠ ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠, our “Under the Radar” story ⁠here and today's “Have a nice day” story ⁠here⁠.You can catch our latest YouTube video, an interview with Alyssa Cass and Pat Rosenstiel, and their efforts to make the popular vote the official decision in electing the US President, here.We were previously publishing these episodes on our Tangle podcast page, but we just re-launched the series — and released a brand new episode — on a unique podcast channel for The Undecideds. Please give us a 5-star rating and leave a comment!Check out Episode 4 of our podcast series, The Undecideds. May 30th, 2024, just after 5pm Eastern Standard Time, a landmark moment was branded into the 247 year history of the US. For the first time ever, a former American president was found guilty of felony crimes. So how does this affect our undecided voters? The answers may surprise you. We gauge the impact of the verdict on Diana, Zahid, Claire, Brian, and Phil and discover that on the road to the White House, even a felony conviction doesn't block all paths.Today's clickables: A note about The Undecideds (0:59), Quick hits (1:48), Today's story (3:35), Left's take (7:33), Right's take (10:44), Israeli and Palestinian takes (13:28), Isaac's take (16:45), Listener question (22:01), Under the Radar (24:28), Numbers (25:11), Have a nice day (26:38)You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What is your reaction to the IDF's operation in Gaza? Let us know!Our podcast is written by Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Will Kaback, Bailey Saul, Sean Brady, and produced in conjunction with Tangle's social media manager Magdalena Bokowa, who also created our logo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on America in the Morning Johnson Survives Challenge House Speaker Mike Johnson's job is safe for now after a strong bipartisan vote turned away efforts to vacate the Speakership. John Stolnis has the details from Washington.     Campus Protest Arrests Grow A number of schools have decided that protests are going too far, as more Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are facing charges for violating rules on American college campuses. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports an encampment was shutdown blocks from the White House at George Washington University.   Biden Administration On Arming Israel Angering some in Congress, the Pentagon's chief told a Senate committee the U.S. has paused a delivery of bombs to Israel amid concerns of a full-scale invasion in Rafah. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.     Willis On The Hot Seat A Georgia appeals court has agreed to review a ruling allowing Fani Willis to stay on the Donald Trump election case.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports.   New Texas Abortion Questions A new court filing in Texas is adding to legal actions to try to limit a woman's ability to seek abortions. Lisa Dwyer has more.    FTX Payback A lot of people lost money after FTX went bankrupt, but now there's hope, as correspondent Haya Panjwani reports that a fund set up to help the victims will now begin paying them back.     House Hears Demonstration Testimony Nationwide, demonstrations that are violating school rules are being met with inaction, while other colleges are asking for police to make arrests. On Capitol Hill, with a number of school leaders around the nation facing scorn for their handling of anti-Israel protesting, some public school leaders tell a congressional panel that they are fighting antisemitism with education and, when necessary, discipline. Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports.     Latest In The Middle East In the Middle East, as Israel has taken control of the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, they announced they have reopened one of the two crossings between Gaza and Southern Israel for humanitarian shipments to pass through, however no trucks are making the trip so far since there's no aid workers on the Gaza side to meet them.     Michigan Tornado Damage It has been a week of severe weather in the Plains States from Texas to Minnesota. Wednesday's tornadoes that struck parts of Michigan left people with just minutes to seek shelter. Correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on the destruction.  Audio courtesy of WZZM-TV Grand Rapids, Michigan.    Houston Police Chief Is Out The Police Chief in Houston is out amid controversy. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports.    Charges In Laken Riley Murder The illegal migrant accused of killing a University of Georgia nursing student in February now faces numerous charges, including felony murder. Correspondent Sue Aller has the details.    Will They Debate They'll be in the same place at the same time, but questions remain as to if there will be any interaction between Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Junior and Donald Trump. Correspondent Ed Donahue reports that Kennedy has issued a debate challenge to the former president.     America's Priorities What should be America's top priorities? For the most part, it depends on who you ask. Correspondent Donna Warder reports.     Biden's Plans For Asylum Immigration is a big election issue, but not spoken about as much is regarding how some are granted asylum. Correspondent Ben Thomas reports the Biden administration will propose tougher asylum standards today.    Finally   Over 20 states including Texas, Florida, and Georgia are suing the Biden administration over its new rules to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination in federally funded schools.      Some members of the staff of Dunder-Mifflin are getting a reboot. Kevin Carr reports that the Peacock streaming service has green-lit a spinoff for The Office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In March of 2022, Fox News Correspondent Benjamin Hall was nearly killed while on assignment in Ukraine -- after a Russian bomb attack left him severely injured and tragically killed his two colleagues, cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and journalist Oleksandra "Sasha" Kuvshynova.    Two years later, after undergoing a life-changing journey of healing, Benjamin is making strides and is back doing what he loves: telling stories. He joins Martha to discuss the process of healing mentally and physically following his attack and creating his new Fox Nation series, 'Surviving Hamas: A Benjamin Hall Series," where he travels to Southern Israel to hear the stories of those whose lives were permanently changed following Hamas' attack on October 7th.    Follow Martha on Twitter: @MarthaMacCallum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Hamas' deadly attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7 left an estimated 1,200 people dead and 250 taken as hostages. Most of the world first saw the terrifying videos and images from the Nova music festival. We hear from witnesses who bore the brunt of these attacks and how they feel today. And, Israel is still planning to attack the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Nearly half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been pushed there to take shelter as Israel continues to strike hard against Hamas. Also, a total solar eclipse makes its way across Mexico, the US and Canada on Monday. The city of Mazatlan, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, was the first place in continental North America on the path of totality, and more than half a million people traveled there to see it. Plus, Brazil's Kamilla Cardoso is named "most outstanding player" of NCAA tournament. 

Today on America in the Morning Solar Eclipse Today Americans will be looking to the sky today with protective glasses to view a rare total solar eclipse. Correspondent Clayton Neville reports from the path of totality.    Six Months Of War Six months ago, more than 1200 Israelis were murdered and about 250 people were taken captive when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and launched a brazen attack. John Stolnis has an update on where things stand, six months after October 7th.    More NJ Aftershocks Aftershocks were felt all weekend after an earthquake that struck New Jersey was felt in New York City and surrounding states. Pamela Furr reports the quakes have also brought criticism for the emergency response.    Caitlan Clark's College Career Ends It's the end of a brilliant college career for Iowa's Caitlan Clark, and history for the University of South Carolina.     Business News  Another week of trading begins on Wall Street. Here's CNBC's Jessica Ettinger with Monday business.    Trump To Announce His Abortion Plan Donald Trump said he would put out a statement this morning on abortion following a Florida court ruling that prompted questions about whether he supports the state's looming ban on the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy.    Update On Bernie Sanders Office Fire A man is under arrest for allegedly setting a fire at the Vermont office of Senator Bernie Sanders.   Correspondent Julie Walker reports.     Preparing For The Solar Eclipse From Texas to New York and Maine, millions of Americans are hoping that cloud cover doesn't block today's solar eclipse. As correspondent Jackie Quinn reports, some states have issued states of emergency due to the influx of eclipse watchers, and from cities like Dallas to small towns across along the path, people are anxiously waiting.     Trump & Biden's Weekend It was an eventful weekend on the Presidential campaign front. Correspondent Clayton Neville has the details.     Israel's People Respond To Gaza War As we mark the six month passing since the terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Southern Israel that killed over 12 hundred people and took over 200 hostage, Charles de Ledesma reports that Delaware Senator Chris Coons, speaking on Fox News Sunday, says what the Israeli military is doing is strategic, and we can also not forget about the hostages that Hamas continues to hold and refuses to release.    Investigating The LA Heist As the investigation into the brazen heist of $30 million dollars in a Los Angeles storage facility continues, questions are being raised as to if the theft has inside connections. Correspondent Norman Hall reports.    New Details On Combs Investigation A lawsuit that names Sean “Diddy” Combs as a co-defendant alleges that his son Christian “King” Combs sexually assaulted a woman working on a yacht chartered by his father. Correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports.    Mass Shooting Lawsuit He lost his brother during a mass shooting on a California mushroom farm in 2023, and now the surviving brother has filed a lawsuit against the farm's owner. Correspondent Ed Donahue has details.     Colorado Power Outages The cleanup continues in Colorado from weekend storms and high winds that blew down electric lines. Authorities with Xcel Energy report more than 150,000 customers lost power including in Denver.     Tech News  Eclipse photos are all the rage, but you'll want to take some precautions today. Here's Chuck Palm with today's tech news.     Sports – Robert Workman   The Final Four and more.        Finally   Jelly Roll was one of the big winners at the C-M-T Awards. Kevin Carr has the details.     It didn't go off exactly as planned, but when the drawing was finally held, an Oregon Powerball player is the winner of the $1 point 3 billion dollar jackpot.  Correspondent Julie Walker reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During their murderous rampage across Southern Israel on October 7th, Hamas weaponized sexual violence. Over 138 days later, denial of these crimes runs rampant despite verified evidence and testimony from survivors of the NOVA festival, the attacked kibbutzim, and freed hostages.  Hear from Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC's Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs, on the efforts in Congress to stand in solidarity with Israeli victims of Hamas' sexual violence, and what you can do to make sure the plight of Israeli women is heard.  *The views and opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views or position of AJC.  Episode Lineup:  (0:40) Julie Fishman Rayman Show Notes: Act: Urge Congress: Condemn Rape and Sexual Violence by Hamas Terrorists Listen – People of the Pod on the Israel-Hamas War: When Antisemites Target Local Businesses: How Communities Are Uniting in Response How A 10/7 Survivor is Confronting Anti-Israel Activists on College Campuses Tal Shimony Survived the Hamas Attack on the Nova Music Festival: Hear Her Story of Courage, Resilience, and Remembrance How to Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day in a Post-October 7th World Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Transcript of Interview with Julie Fishman Rayman: Manya Brachear Pashman:   This week, the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel delivered a report to the United Nations detailing the systemic sexual violence committed by the Hamas terror group during and after the October 7 attack on Israel. The horrific report follows a bipartisan resolution adopted by the US House of Representatives last week, condemning the use of rape and sexual violence. Here to discuss that resolution is AJC's Managing Director of Policy and Political Affairs Julie Fishman Rayman. Julie, welcome. Julie Fishman Rayman:   Thank you so much, Manya. Manya Brachear Pashman:   So anything bipartisan on Capitol Hill is rare and worth discussing. Can you walk our listeners through the details of the resolution and explain why there was such unity around it? Julie Fishman Rayman:   Absolutely. So the resolution was introduced in January. And it really came out of a concerted effort on the part of mostly female members of Congress, who were hearing about what had gone on on October 7, and what was continuing to go on in Israel as it related to gender based violence and sexual assault.  And they read the tea leaves of the deafening silence on behalf of the global community and said, if people aren't believing Israeli women, we are going to show that Congress, the American Congress, is united in believing Israeli women. So there are two resolutions, in the House and in the Senate, the resolution in the House passed.  And they're pretty straightforward, expressing this sense, both of outrage and outlining some next steps. So in addition to condemning rape, and all forms of sexual violence as a weapon of war by Hamas, calling on nations to criminalize rape and sexual assault and hold perpetrators accountable, including by armed groups, which is somewhat of a different take on this.  Calling on international bodies to really condemn these atrocities in a way that we have seen too many of them pause or hesitate or simply remain silent. Reaffirming the US government support for an independent, impartial investigation —this is very important— into what happened on October 7th and afterwards, and reaffirming this commitment to supporting survivors, which is, I think, so critical in this moment. It's one of those things you could say, Oh, of course, we support the survivors. But recognizing the reality of what's going on in Israel today, and how this trauma continues to play for those victims, is really critical, right. In this moment, Israel is not focused on supporting the survivors of rape and sexual assault, not because it's not important, but because they're still fighting a war and focusing on you know, rebuilding and what to do with the hundreds of thousands of people who have been displaced from their homes, to elsewhere.  So in the hierarchy of need, addressing all sorts of trauma, is it has to be sort of lower on the totem pole and hopefully will be addressed. But that's a piece of what the international community can do and what Congress is trying to do. Just express that support and solidarity. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Calling on international bodies to condemn sexual violence, international bodies such as the UN, correct? Julie Fishman Rayman:   Yes.  Manya Brachear Pashman:   All right. Can you tell us a little bit about the report that the Association of Rape Crisis Centers released this week? Julie Fishman Rayman:   It's a really important report. Not least of which because in some ways it's the first sort of fully fleshed out credible report about the atrocities of the seven. And in a lot of ways it's important also because it pushes us to be uncomfortable, right?  I think a lot of why this issue has been sidelined or pushed aside is not just because Israel continues to be fighting a war. And their myriad other issues, the release of the hostages, etc, that are really, there's all these competing needs, both in our minds, as people who are sympathetic to these causes, but also in the world, and in terms of advocacy.  But it really pushes a lot of these deeply uncomfortable themes to the forefront. So for example, there's a whole section in this report about the sadistic practices of Hamas, binding and tying, mutilation or destruction of genitalia, insertion of weapons into intimate areas, destruction and mutilation of the body. It's grotesque. It is hard to read about, it's hard to say. But in some ways, I think that's sort of our responsibility, right? We who have not thank God lived through this trauma can be the voices for those who have and may not feel comfortable coming forward to tell their stories, may not have the emotional capacity or stamina, to tell their story and relive the horrific trauma that they suffered. So every time I sort of talk about this issue, I try to make whoever I'm speaking to, especially women, say the really uncomfortable things that we're taught as young children not to say in polite society, talk about vaginas, talk about rape, talk about fondling of breasts and mutilation and all of these things.  Because if we're not comfortable saying it out loud, we're not going to be comfortable doing that advocacy that's so important. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Has sexual violence been used or highlighted as a weapon of war elsewhere, Julie, that we know of? Julie Fishman Rayman:   It's enough of an instrument of war, that it's been deemed a war crime. I think that this, like so many things that took place on October 7, it was used to such a degree that the global community at some point will have to reckon with how we treat or how we consider sexual assault as an instrument of war.  But certainly in lots of other places this is the sad reality. And I would say the sad reality of sort of the treatment of women. But of course, we know from October 7, that it wasn't just women. It was women, children, accounts of men being sexually abused. Even men who are still hostage in the tunnels in Gaza, there are reports of sexual abuse against them.  So we sort of think about it in terms of gender based and focused specifically and solely on females. But the sad reality is, that's also not the case. And for men, especially, I think the stigma can be that much more heightened. So knowing that it could take years or even decades for us to fully understand the full gravity of the situation of what happened on October 7th against women. When it comes to men and other victims, we may never understand the full scope of what happened and what continues to happen. Manya Brachear Pashman:   What is the progress of the resolution in the Senate? Julie Fishman Rayman:   It's moving. It's been introduced, it has about a quarter of the Senate as co-sponsors, which is significant. There's a need for swift movement, I would say and greater advocacy so for listeners, they can go to AJC.org and find our action alert, calling on senators to co-sponsor and support this really important resolution when it's up for a vote.  This is one where again, our advocacy is critical and sometimes we shy away. But it's much easier to send an email to your Senators than it is to actually have to talk about these really awful issues.  So for anyone who is looking for a 30 second way to sort of comfortably take action on this important issue, the action alert is a really good and meaningful way to do so. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Can you kind of walk us through the advocacy efforts that push this through the House of Representatives, but also are pushing it through the Senate? In other words, are there victims participating in this, families of victims? What kinds of stories, and again, this could be a very uncomfortable portion of our conversation, what kinds of stories are being shared with people to convince them to put their name on this resolution? Julie Fishman Rayman:   A lot of the stories are coming from the family members and loved ones of current hostages. So there's there's an amazing piece of advocacy going on, in the halls of Congress nearly every week that that touches on this, but isn't entirely about the sexual assault. But it's about those families coming whether they're Americans, Israelis, or some other nationality. And they have family members who are still hostage. They are coming week after week, day after day, to speak to members of Congress to keep that issue at the forefront. And of course, for a lot of them the hostage issue is part and parcel integrally connected to the issue of gender based violence.  So for example, there's a woman who has been to DC several times already. And who is coming back next week to talk specifically about gender based violence. Her name is Yarden Gonen. And she is an amazing advocate for her sister, her sister Romi, who is young, she's in her 20s. She was at the Nova festival.  And she had this horrific experience of being shot, calling her mother saying I've been shot, I've been bleeding. And while she was on the phone, her mother relays that they heard screaming, screaming in Arabic, screaming in Hebrew. And then the sounds got louder and louder, the voices got louder. And then Romi shut the phone and was taken into Gaza and is still held hostage. She is one of the few women still held hostage.  And so her sister tirelessly comes to tell her story. With this sort of recognition, this sad recognition that probably all of our worst fears. You know, hopefully not God forbid, but our worst fears about sexual assault are possibly happening to her sister with frequency or regularity. And she's one example you know. There's another woman who comes also to advocate in Washington, but elsewhere as well, who actually works on this issue. She works in rape centers and working on sexual assault in Israel for many years. So she comes to talk about her cousins and her family members who experienced a raid on a kibbutz but specifically through this lens and says, I know, the type of trauma that women experience. I know why they don't speak out, why it can take years, even not in war time. And this impossible situation that Israeli women are now being faced with right where they have to before they're ready before they have the emotional capacity, tell their stories because the world is not believing them. Because there needs to be this public cry, believe Israeli women. Me too unless you're a Jew, all of this you know, horrific silencing, that now they're they're forced into telling these stories and the long standing trauma that will certainly continue. not just because of what they experienced. not because of the sexual assault and rape but then also because of the the repeated trauma of sharing that with others. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Of course, this advocacy is also happening in other countries as well. AJC's Berlin director Remko Leemhuis told us about Shani Louk, another Supernova festival goer, who was actually filmed by terrorists and that film was released. She was experiencing horrible treatment. Unfortunately, she did not survive her captivity. But certainly her story lives on in Germany, and her family has spoken out about some of the crimes committed against her. And there's certainly evidence of that, as well.  Julie, who were the champions of this resolution on Capitol Hill, who really supported it, lobbied for it. And I'm talking about the US House of Representatives, but also which senators are indeed putting their name on it? Julie Fishman Rayman:   So in the house, it was really the brainchild of Kathy Manning, Lois Frankel, Mario Díaz-Balart, and Jen Kiggans. And some of those names will probably be familiar to listeners. Kathy Manning is one of the co chairs of the bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism. Lois Frankel, another very outspoken Jewish female representative, who leads a lot of the sort of women's groups and women's caucuses on Capitol Hill.  In the Senate, it's an all female cast, which I think is beautiful. In both the House and the Senate, you have two Democrats and two Republicans. But in the Senate, it's all women, Jeanne Shaheen, Kirsten Gillibrand, Doug Fisher and [Katie] Britt from Alabama. They've really emerged as champions on this issue.  Especially, you know, Kirsten Gillibrand is the senator from New York. She's going to the floor nearly every week to tell the stories of hostage families, about what happened in Israel on the seventh, the sexual assault, etc. And she's not alone. There are true champions that have been kind of tapped into because of this unspeakable trauma. And their voices, I'm sure will outlive this war, certainly, the hostage crisis, I say, hopefully, and with a lot of prayers. That kind of advocacy continues.  Of course, there are others. Everyone, I'm sure by this point has seen the images of Senator John Fetterman's office, where he has every single hostage poster, sort of wallpapered in his office. And his staff are tracking who's released, who's still being held, who do we know is already deceased? They're tracking it as closely as the Hostages and Missing Family Forum is in Tel Aviv. They're so on top of it. They're great friends.  In Congress and the administration around the world. What you said about the work of our Berlin office is absolutely true. These issues are being raised by AJC at the EU in Brussels, in Paris, at the Vatican, really throughout the country and throughout the world. Manya Brachear Pashman:   The only abstention in Congress was Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, a woman. Has she explained why she saw problems supporting such a resolution, but also why she didn't outright object to it? Julie Fishman Rayman:   Her response was really a case of classic Whataboutism. You know, how can you speak about the Israeli victims while not speaking about Palestinian victims? And that's something that we've heard increasingly on social media. Oh, there are there Palestinian victims as well of sexual abuse. It's a really twisted distortion of reality. While horrible things happen in wartime, there's there's no comparison to Hamas' systematic, targeted, brutal, sadistic, planned assault on Israeli women and anything that could be happening elsewhere.  Hamas has really sort of set the benchmark and I say that with some irony for what sexual assault as a weapon of war can look like. So I'm not surprised by Congresswoman Tlaib's vote. It tracks with other votes that she's taken and other statements that she's making. And I think for her, it's very personal. You know, she has Palestinian roots, she has Palestinian family members. So I imagine for her, all of this is very, very personal, very sensitive. And she probably comes to this issue with a great degree of defensiveness as well. That said, the sheer fact that she was standing alone as the only voice not affirming this condemnation, says a great deal. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Did she explain why she didn't outright object to it? Julie Fishman Rayman:   I don't believe that she did. Manya Brachear Pashman:   What else is AJC trying to accomplish in Washington right now? What more is needed? Julie Fishman Rayman:   Certainly, we need the Senate to pass this resolution. There's this continued fight over foreign aid for Israel. How do we get Israel the support that it needs in terms of material and munitions, etc? And a lot of that is tied up in a political battle over, do we fund Israel alone? Do we find Israel and Ukraine and Taiwan and other allies who are sort of collectively fighting against forces of authoritarianism or anti democratic forces? And then, of course, then there's additional layers, do we also then fund efforts to secure our border in different ways? And the more you sort of add into this pot of money, the more additional avenues or or recipients the more opportunities there are for poisoned pills.  So AJC is working really hard to try to continue the fight for Israel to get the support they need, for Ukraine to get the support that they need, as they continue to fight Russian aggression. It's an uphill battle. And so, so, so political. But those are the really the key advocacy items.  And of course, we continue, as I said before, to support a number of family members and loved ones of hostages as they come week after week to tell their stories on Capitol Hill. Next week, actually, we have a delegation specifically to talk about gender based violence. And it's going to include the sister of one of the hostages who I mentioned before, a part of the Zaka search and rescue team who went and saw bodies as they were being prepared for burial and witnessed the clear and really atrocious evidence of sexual assault.  A reservist for the IDF, who he was off duty, but the minute that he heard the news about the Nova festival and what had happened there, he went to help and try to try to rescue people and saw bodies that had clearly undergone sexual assault. Naked bodies, a male body with cut genitalia, talking about how it's not just women, who are victims here. A woman's body with her breast cut off a young woman with massive bleeding in and around her genitalia.  And then also a survivor of the Nova festival, who saved himself by hiding in bushes, but heard repeatedly over and over again, the sounds of rapes happening. So we're bringing these people to Washington to tell their stories to members of Congress, to diplomats, to State Department officials and other members of the administration. To continue the momentum.  We're really lucky that most of the audiences that we'll be reaching, do believe. They've already reached that first hurdle of believing Israeli women, but now need to be urged continuously to take those stories on as as their own to continue that advocacy and to make sure that those stories don't stand on their own, but they have echoes throughout throughout the halls of Congress, throughout Washington throughout you know, the EU, the UN, other multilaterals until this attention really gets this issue really gets the attention that it deserves. Manya Brachear Pashman:   Why aren't women being believed? Julie Fishman Rayman:   For all, for all conflicts like this, for any other case, massive or individual, where a woman has experienced sexual assault, our first response is supposed to be belief. We're supposed to believe, we're supposed to hear. It is the opposite of innocent until proven guilty, you are a victim until or unless it can be proven otherwise. We start with belief. So the fact that that hasn't been the case here, it defies explanation. It defies our understanding, and unfortunately, really heightens the need for the victims to tell their stories, the witnesses to tell their stories. It is horrific that these people are being put in this place where they have to continue to tell this story because people aren't believing them. I wish I had a better explanation for why they're why they're not being believed. That being said, there are reasons voiced as to why Israeli women aren't being believed. There are reasons given that to some may hold sway. And they're worth acknowledging, because that's part of the narrative that is incumbent on all of us to address and rebut. Part of it we hear is because there's not always that clear cut evidence. This was war time. The worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust. A truly traumatic moment for Israel. They were not doing the job that maybe in retrospect, they should have done in terms of rape kits, and documenting all of that evidence. For Zaka, the search and rescue team, they traditionally don't take photos, that's not a part of their mandate. And in some ways they feel it's a violation. You know, it's not a part of the holy work that they're doing in terms of collecting body parts and trying to keep victims, victims of terror of the seventh and preceding, trying to keep those victims as whole as possible. So there's this sort of dearth of evidence. But there's plenty of credible accounts. So I say that, but it doesn't explain why people aren't being believed. There's no explanation for that. ya Brachear Pashman:   Well thank you so much Julie for joining us. And for those listeners out there who would like to do more and push the senate to adopt that resolution, you can go to AJC.org/BelieveIsraelis. Julie, thank you. Julie Fishman Rayman:   Thank you for having me and Manya, I can't thank you enough and People of the Pod enough for shining some light on this really horrific story that needs to be at the forefront of all of our attention. 

Summary In this heart-stirring episode of The Jewish Road Podcast, join Travis and Emily Hough as they share their extraordinary journey of planning a dream wedding in Jerusalem, set against the backdrop of unexpected conflict. Scheduled to marry on October 10, 2023, their plans were abruptly overshadowed by the tragic events of October 7, when Hamas launched an attack in Southern Israel. This episode looks into the couple's emotional and spiritual ordeal, navigating the complexities of celebrating their union while grappling with the realities of conflict, fear, and uncertainty. Their story is not just about a wedding - it's a profound narrative of faith, love, and resilience, mirroring the collective journey of the bride of Messiah in these tumultuous times. Takeaways Resilience in Love: Explore how Travis and Emily's love and commitment were tested and strengthened in the face of unforeseen adversity. Decision Dilemmas: Gain insight into the couple's decision-making process amid the crisis, balancing the safety of their guests with the significance of their wedding date and location. Symbolic Union: Discover how their personal story is emblematic of the broader spiritual narrative of hope, perseverance, and divine provision in turbulent times. Community and Support: Understand the role of family, friends, and faith in providing support and making tough choices in times of crisis. Reflections on Conflict: Reflect on the impact of the regional conflict on personal lives, highlighting the intertwining of individual stories with larger historical and spiritual themes. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Background 03:18 - Impact of October 7th 04:17 - Emily's Passion for Israel 06:35 - Travis' Journey to Israel 08:33 - Coming Together and Discovering Israel 15:07 - Choosing to Get Married in Jerusalem 23:26 - The Impact of the War on Wedding Plans 28:13 - Managing the Stress and Tension 36:24 - Finding Peace and Joy Amidst the Chaos 41:28 - The Prophetic Picture of the Bride 45:05 - Lessons Learned and Obedience to God 51:13 - Sense of Bonding and Camaraderie 52:04 - Life-Changing Experiences 52:32 - Documentary: Make Love Not War 53:28 - Perseverance and Faith 54:24 - Relationship with God Takes Work 54:53 - Marriage as a Picture of Perseverance 55:22 - Blessings and Future Trips to Israel

Brad Pearce joins Scott to talk about the work he's done digging into the claims that the IDF was responsible for much of the devastation on October 7th. Pearce explains the history of Israel's evolving doctrine for preventing and avoiding hostage situations to help us better interpret what happened that day in Southern Israel. Discussed on the show: “A Hannibal Directive by Any Other Name” (The Wayward Rabbler) “A Series of Failures Proves That Israel's Security Concept Is Obsolete” (Haaretz) “Screams without proof: questions for NYT about shoddy ‘Hamas mass rape' report” (The Grayzone) Brad Pearce is a writer focused on international relations and politics. He writes at The Wayward Rabbler. Follow him on Twitter @WaywardRabbler This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Download Episode. Brad Pearce joins Scott to talk about the work he's done digging into the claims that the IDF was responsible for much of the devastation on October 7th. Pearce explains the history of Israel's evolving doctrine for preventing and avoiding hostage situations to help us better interpret what happened that day in Southern Israel. Discussed on the show: “A Hannibal Directive by Any Other Name” (The Wayward Rabbler) “A Series of Failures Proves That Israel's Security Concept Is Obsolete” (Haaretz) “Screams without proof: questions for NYT about shoddy ‘Hamas mass rape' report” (The Grayzone) Brad Pearce is a writer focused on international relations and politics. He writes at The Wayward Rabbler. Follow him on Twitter @WaywardRabbler This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY

Find me and the show on social media @DrWilmerLeon on X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube Facebook page is www.facebook.com/Drwilmerleonctd TRANSCRIPT: Announcer (00:38): Connecting the dots with Dr. Wilmer Leon, where the analysis of politics, culture, and history converge. Dr Wilmer Leon (00:46): Welcome to the Connecting the Dots podcast with Dr. Wilmer Leon. I'm Wilmer Leon. Here's the point. We have a tendency to view current events as though they occur in a vacuum, failing to understand the broader historical context in which most events take place. During each episode of this podcast, my guests and I will have probing, provocative, and in-depth discussions that connect the dots between current events in the broader historic context in which they occur. This will enable you to get a better understanding and be able to analyze the events that impact the global village in which we live. On today's episode, we explore the genocide in Gaza, the development of conflict on the continent of Africa, and what does all this tell us about American foreign and domestic policy? And to help to connect these dots is my next guest. He holds the John Jay and Rebecca Moore's chair of history and African-American Studies at the University of Houston. He's one of the most prolific writers of our time. His latest books are entitled, I dare Say, A Gerald Horn Reader and Acknowledging Radical Histories. Dr. Gerald Horn, as always, welcome to the show and let's connect some dots. Gerald Horne (02:05): Thank you for inviting me. Dr Wilmer Leon (02:08): If you would please your two most recent books, I dare say, a Gerald Horn Reader and acknowledging radical histories. If you could tell us a little bit about these two most recent works that you've been able to put together. Gerald Horne (02:23): So the former work, I dare say, is a collection of articles and essays and reviews that written in recent decades dealing with such disparate matters as the anti-apartheid movement in the United States, the urban revolts in Los Angeles in the 1960s and the 1990s, the relationship between black nationalism and the rise of Japan and the first few decades of the 20th century, A number of articles of that vein and character. Now acknowledging radical histories is a conversation or a series of conversations I had with a younger scholar from Colorado where we talk about a number of books that are published over the years, which as you know, includes, works on the black press, on the music we call jazz on the colonial and post-colonial history of North America, slavery, Haitian Revolution, et cetera. Dr Wilmer Leon (03:26): To those varying titles that you've researched, you are one of the preeminent historians, again, one of the most phenomenal writers. What is it that motivates and drives your research? Because everyone, now, I don't have all of your books, but I counted them. I got about 17 of 'em. The topics are just incredibly broad. One thing we can never do with you is put you in a box or pigeonhole you. What drives your research? Gerald Horne (04:04): What drives my research? Well, I would say that particularly concerning research, it's curiosity. Curiosity about something that has not been addressed. And to that end, I should say that from my point of view, the research is much more invigorating than the writing. I mean, the writing is fine, but the writing is like work because what Dr Wilmer Leon (04:29): I meant, I'm sorry, what I meant was what piques your interest and motivates you? How do you pick your topics? Gerald Horne (04:42): How do I pick my topics? Well, I'll give you an example. I was watching a documentary just the other day on black British history, and it was shepherded by a black British subject. He happened to be in Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone in West Africa was started as a direct result of the British being ousted from what is now in the United States in the late 18th century, and many so-called black loyalists wound up moving to Nova Scotia and Canada to London and eventually to Sierra Leone. And so as he was walking through the archive in Sierra Leone, it occurred to me that there might be an interesting story there concerning black loyalists. That is to say black people who fought against the formation of the United States of America post 1776 and then wound up in Sierra Leone. So I made a mental note to write the Sierra Leone archive to see if they have a website. (05:42) I know that in Sierra Leone they also had a major university for bay, F-O-U-R-A-H, and even though they've had rather crushing internal disputes, but not so much recently, probably more so in the previous decade, first decade or so of the 21st century, it seems to me there's a story there to be told. Now I'm not sure what the story will be. Likewise, this summer I'll probably be traveling to Cooperstown, New York to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I'm not sure what I'll come up with there with regard to a project, but I know I'm interested in the topic, like I'm interested in West African history, black loyalist history. So I'm sure after I poke around for a few days, I'll come up with a topic. Dr Wilmer Leon (06:30): Gotcha, gotcha. It's that constant state of wonder and always interested in looking for the next question that's really telling. Let's move to some of the current topics of the day. Israel's war in Gaza threatens to spill into Lebanon and beyond in response to over 75 years of occupation and oppression. On October 7th, Hamas launched an attack on the settler colony known as Israel. And in response to that attack, Israel has escalated its response to a genocidal devastation of Gaza. Hamas has confirmed the targeting of a deputy head in Dia, a residential area in southern Beirut. Saori was just recently killed. What are your thoughts on the US policy towards this genocide and how do you see this, it seems now to be expanding and escalating beyond the confines of Gaza? Gerald Horne (07:48): Well, obviously the United States is an aider and a better with regard to this enfolding genocide and the US authorities should be very careful because in light of the fact that the South African government pursuant to the Genocide Convention, has brought a case before the International Court of Justice, the World Court, there is a possibility that there will be figures, Lloyd Austin, Anthony Blinken, perhaps Mr by himself who may have to consult a lawyer or a travel agent before they step out of the jurisdiction of the United States of America. Recall that there is a topic under international law known as universal jurisdiction that led to the late Chilean dictator Gusto Pinoche being detained in London for a number of weeks pursuant to a warrant issued by a Spanish magistrate in light of Chile. The others to say the country of Mr. Pinoche torturing and slaughtering Spanish nationals. He barely escaped being brought before the Bar of Justice in Madrid. (08:59) And I dare say that a similar fate might befall some of these US authorities as well, but you mentioned the recent slang of a Hamas leader in Beirut. I'm afraid that there might be a further danger of the Israeli authorities and their US comrades seeking to expand this conflict. Already, you know that the Israeli authorities have said they're fighting a seven front war. Now, ordinarily countries tried to avoid fighting a two front war. Recall what happened during the US Civil War when President Lincoln was being encouraged to attack Great Britain because there was this reasonable suspicion that Great Britain was supporting the so-called Confederate states of America. And Mr. Lincoln said, well, one war at a time, my friends one war at a time. Right now, according to the Israelis, they're fighting wars from their point of view against Gaza, west Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and probably there are others that I have omitted. (10:14) Perhaps the most formidable challenge right now is not only in Gaza where despite these Israeli claims that they have killed 8,000 Hamas fighters, you still have an enormous toll with regard to Israeli casualties including deaths of Israeli soldiers. We all know that Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon has caused the abandonment of Northern Israel by reigning rockets from Southern Lebanon down on Northern Israel. In fact, you've had an abandonment effectively of Southern Israel as well. This is presenting an enormous problem for the Israeli economy because what happens when you have these areas abandoned, combined with Israel being heavily dependent upon reservists, that means that folks who ordinarily are involved in the economy sitting in office cubicles, stocking grocery shelves, are either now staying in hotels in Central Israel at the behest of the Israeli government. That is to say they're picking up the tab. Or alternatively, you have people on the front lines who are dodging bullets and projectiles. (11:32) You might've noticed that on New Year's Eve at Tel Aviv, the commercial and intellectual capital of Israel, you had the Hamas fighters shooting missiles at midnight as sort of a welcome to 2024 bravado into Tel Aviv, and this Bess speaks the enormous problems that the Israelis face. We saw that the United States has withdrawn this massive aircraft carrier, the Gerald or Ford, although it still has the Eisenhower carrier near Southern Yemen, where of course the Ansar Allah referred to as tis in the United States have been shooting missiles into I Iraq and Southern Israel, and of course coming into conflict with the US authorities as well. Now, if you monitor Israeli media, they are not necessarily happy about that. They feel that this might be the result of all of these press articles. We've been skimming in the US media in particular where supposedly there are these bitter arguments between Mr. (12:45) Biden and Mr. Netanyahu over Mr. Biden telling Mr. Netanyahu that he needs to stop bombing civilians and needs to have a more targeted campaign against amass fighters. And therefore, by withdrawing this drill, r Ford, the US authorities are saying, you're on your own Israel. Well, I'm not so sure because my understanding is that as opposed to this massive drill or forward or aircraft carrier, they're just substituting, they're sending destroyers amphibious carriers as well, which may be more useful in terms of a ground invasion, particularly into Southern Lebanon. So this war is spinning out of control. But let me also say that as a person, as noted who's been monitoring Israeli media, I must say it's quite striking to listen to a number of these Israeli commentators. Many of them of course have US accents, which is not as a surprise, but many of them, if you step outside of Israel and that conflict, they have a much more realistic viewpoint of international politics, which I guess is understandable. (14:00) What I mean by that is their analysis of the Russia Ukraine conflict is not altogether on board with the mainstream US analysis. Their analysis of the Chinese economy is not necessarily on board with the denigration of China that you hear routinely and regularly in the US media. And that Bess speaks the fact that they're a sovereign state that bespeaks the fact that they're watching very closely and carefully the incipient decline of us imperialism and are deciding perhaps to hedge their betts. And I think that that's a very wise decision because that's something that I would hope and I would wish that many of our Black American leaders would do that is to say they made a wager, whether they it or not, that there would be us hegemony indefinitely into the future. But obviously that's not the case with the rise of the Chinese economy. (15:00) But unlike these Israeli intellectuals I was just making reference to, I'm talking about right wing Israelis intellectual, it's not progressives. You don't see any sort of clue amongst many of our black American intellectuals and leaders as to whether or not they should reconfigure whether or not they should rejigger, but instead they're motoring ahead as if this were 1991. I should also say that this October 7th attack on Israel by the forces from Gaza reminds us as to how matters can change in a matter of hours. What I mean by that is few of us would acknowledge that on October 6th, a few months later, Israel would be fighting for its very survival. But that's basically what's at play Now. There's no guarantee that Israel as an apartheid state will continue to survive and continue to thrive, and that is something that I would once again hope that many of our black American intellectuals and leaders would consider when they contemplate the future of this country. Dr Wilmer Leon (16:08): To that point, I think a lot of folks either didn't listen to what the Hezbollah leader Nasra said on the eighth or the ninth when he gave his speech, one of the points that he was very, very clear to make or one of the questions he was very, very clear to ask was How long are you all willing to do this? And that question just to me was very reminiscent of the Vietnam question, the Kong question, the general Jaap question, who wrote the book? What people's war, people's army, how long are you willing to fight a counter insurgent urban gorilla war that you're not really prepared to fight? And the point that he was making was, we're here till the end because we're fighting for our freedom and we'll die standing on our feet. We refuse to keep living on our knees. Gerald Horne (17:16): Well, that's a very important ideological point. And speaking of which, one of the heartening aspects of this otherwise tragic situation is that because of this understandable focus on historic Palestine in the US media, you see that many of our friends on the left and some even beyond the left or beginning to refer to Israel as a settler colonial project. What's interesting about that is that I think it's also leading some on this side of the Atlantic to begin to look at the United States itself as a settler colonial project. That is to say that that was its origins hundreds of years ago before the settlers revolt of 1776. And speaking of which, it's not beyond the realm of imagination that as this conflict in historic Palestine unfolds that the 708,800,000 settlers on the West Bank occupied territory may be forced to evacuate as a part of a wider peace deal. (18:28) Now, I admit that that does not seem in the cards right now, particularly in light of the fact that all polls suggest that the Israeli populace, if anything, feels that their government is not hitting Gaza hard enough, believe it or not. So obviously to talk about settlers being forced to withdraw, it seems farfetched. But then again, it seemed farfetched on October 6th to talk about Israel fighting for its very survival. Now, if the way folks have analyzed the United States post 1776 would apply to Israel, if there's a settler's revolt on the West Bank of occupied territory, then you can expect if you use that US prism for many to see that as a step forward since after all, they're revolting against an Israeli regime, which we do not necessarily approve of, just like the settlers in the 18th century revolted against a British regime that many did not approve of. (19:33) I mean, that sounds ludicrous, perhaps fantastical, but I'm trying to make a point about how we should use this conflict in Israel and the focus on it to leverage it on our behalf so we can get a deeper analysis of our plight. You recall in my opening comments, I talked about the black loyalists. It's no secret. Historians have acknowledged for some time that the black population of North America, by several orders of magnitude did not stand with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and Patrick Henry. They did not engage in class collaboration, which has been a hallmark of the settler population of European descent across class lines obviously. And therefore they lost and many of them fled as noted to Nova Scotia, to London, to Sierra Leone, and then those who were left behind were treated atrociously because if you fight a war lose, you should expect to be treated atrociously. (20:35) Likewise, if there's a settlers revolt on the West Bank, do not expect the bulk of Palestinians to stand by the settlers. I mean, it's unfortunate I even have to make that statement. But in any case, to go back to a global view of this conflict, what's also striking is how there's daylight that's emerging between the us and its so-called European allies with regard to this conflict. Now, on the one hand, you have the federal Republic of Germany, which in some ways is more hawkish than the United States of America with regard to the Israel question, after all, Germany is occupied by US military forces. One of the most important US military bases in the world is the Ramstein in what used to be West Germany. But already you see that with regard to the United States trying to knock together a convoy to confront the Yemenis that initially it was announced that France, Spain, and Italy were on board, but that was premature. (21:45) They ultimately said that they would not fight or confront the Yemenis under US command. It would have to be under European Union Command or United Nations command or some other entity That Bess speaks how also that the alliances that the United States has come to rely upon may be in need of repair. And you also see that the need of repair with regard to this Ill-advised venture venture in Ukraine, where you see Hungary obviously not on board a key European union country, and France has been making noises about not being on board. And perhaps at some point those noises will be concretized. And likewise, with regard to the new Cold War against with China, which the Israeli right has been talking about quite a bit lately, you notice that France is not on board Germany, even though it's occupied territory is not on board because they see what side of the bread their bread is buttered on, and they want those deals from China whose manufacturing capacity dwarfs that of the United States. By certain measures, this economy is already larger than that of the United States. And so this crisis, this conflict in historic Palestine has exposed and revealed to the world not only the weaknesses and frailties of the Israeli regime, but also the weaknesses and frailties of its partner in arms speaking of the United States of America. Dr Wilmer Leon (23:32): And to that point, what you see when you look at the dynamics in the region, you've mentioned Hezbollah in the north, you've got Syria, you've got Anah in Yemen or the Houthis as they are known, and they are all acting on one hand in their best interest, but their common enemy is the United States and it's aircraft carrier in the region known as Israel. And on October 7th, there was a lot of analysis that was saying, oh, Hezbollah was behind this, that Hezbollah was collaborative. And again, Hassan Raah was very clear. He said, we weren't involved on November 7th, but we're in on November 8th, October. We weren't in on October 7th, but we're in on October 8th. So if you would talk about those dynamics, particularly Anah, because they seem to be wanting this smoke, they seem to be wanting this fight, who would've thought that a small poor country like Yemen would now be having the international impact that it's having on world trade as it is selectively attacking ships that are traversing that body of water? Gerald Horne (25:04): Well, there's quite a backstory to go back a year or so recall that the Ansara law was in a death match with its neighbor in Saudi Arabia and fighting the Saudis to a standstill. But then what happens is that China brokers a peace accord between Iran, a close ally of the Yemenis and the Saudis, and then of course, that leads to a drawdown of the conflict between the Saudis and the Yemenis. And note that with regard to this, so-called Convoy, that the United States is trying to knock together for a confrontation with the Yemenis that the Saudis have not joined in, in fact, the only neighboring country that has joined in as the Seychelles, which is far distant from the Saudi Yemeni border, far distant from the Red Sea and far distant from the Suez Canal as well. Dr Wilmer Leon (26:11): Are you referring to Joe Biden's coalition of the willing that seems to be unwilling? Is that what you're Gerald Horne (26:18): Referring coalition of the willing that's unraveling. Dr Wilmer Leon (26:21): And Gerald Horne (26:23): It's understandable because if you know anything about US foreign policy in recent years and decades is that Washington is an unreliable partner. Despite spending a trillion dollars a year on the Pentagon, they were chased out of Afghanistan in August, 2021. They were able to overthrow Libya in 2010, 2011, but obviously have turned that North African country into a kind of charnel house. They were Ed in Vietnam, 19 75, 19 53, after sending thousands of troops to the Korean peninsula, they were forced into a truce, which is held until recently. Although keep in mind that the North Koreans who fought the United States to a standstill in 1953 has been suggesting that they're willing to rumble again if the United States does not stop its provocations. So it's understandable why the Saudis would not be enthusiastic about joining the So-called Coalition of the Willing. But I should also go back a bit further than the past year. (27:33) Recall that during the height of the Cold War culminating in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, you had a socialist party in control of Aidan. Aidan, of course, is a southern Yemen. It's now a launching pad for attacks on Israeli flagships or ships set it to Israel. But what happens that the United States as ever could not leave well enough alone, it did everything in its power to destabilize that particular regime and succeeded. And so now they're faced with an even more formidable challenge coming from Ansar, Allah, Allah. And then if you look at Syria, for example, recall that one of the criticisms that has been made of Mr. Obama was that Juan had an opportunity circa 2013 to bomb Syria and the regime in Damascus of President Al Assad that he backed down the hawks, thought that he should have moved forward even though he tried to say that he did not have support from London, the usual sidekick in these imperialist adventures of US imperialism. (28:54) And he did not necessarily have support in Congress as well, but in any case, that did not prevent the United States from supporting under the table various disreputable forces, including forces with suspicious ties to Al-Qaeda and to isis, but for an intervention by the Iranians and Moscow, perhaps President al-Assad in Damascus would've been overthrown by now. So this is a very open and notorious train of events that I'm describing. It also sheds light on why Egypt is not necessarily enthusiastic about joining this convoy to help to circumvent the Yemeni defacto blockade on the Red Sea because the Egyptians get a significant portion of their government revenues from operating the Suez Canal about 9 billion annually. But the Egyptians also have reason to suspect the good intentions of US imperialism particularly, and in light of the fact that the US imperialism is backing this genocidal campaign in Gaza. (30:20) And to that end, I should mention that there's the Rafa crossing between Gaza and Egypt and the scuttlebutt from Israeli sources is that you should expect a more massive attack on that Rafa crossing, which in some ways would be a declaration of war against Egypt, believe it or not. To that end, Jordan was not on that list of seven fronts where Israel is supposedly now involved in conflict. But if you monitor Israeli media, they're beginning to raise serious questions about the pacifist intentions of the Jordanians. I recall that a significant percentage, if not the bulk of the Jordanian population is Palestinians. They're particularly important with regard to skilled labor, with regard to engineers and physicians and all the rest. And the Israelis are now charging that they suspect that there is a smuggling of weapons from into the West Bank occupied territory, which is allowing the Palestinians on the West Bank to resist more stoutly. (31:42) The incursions made by the 800,000 settlers who by the way, are armed with rifles from the United States of America. And so this seven front war easily could turn into an eight front war, a nine front war with folks in your audience. That is to say the US nationals and citizens basically picking up the tab at the same time when homelessness stalks the land, when hunger is out of control, when many of our children do not have adequate textbooks or they're fed inadequate versions of history per Governor DeSantis of Florida. And so it reminds me of the slogan raised in 1972 by Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern, the senator from South Dakota, when he said, come home United States of America, he was referring to come home from Vietnam. Now we can say, come home United States of America, come home from these wild-eyed schemes of war and conflict in West Asia. Dr Wilmer Leon (32:51): And you and I for the last 30 minutes, we've been discussing Gaza, we've been discussing the settler colony of Israel, we've been discussing Yemen and Anah. Why should African-Americans care? That is something on my radio show inside the issues on SiriusXM that people call in and ask all the time. Wilmer, you spend all this time talking about the Palestinians, Wilmer, you spend all the time pick up what's happening in Venezuela, what's happening in Argentina, what's happening in Peru, why should we care? Now, you just touched on a bit of it, but explain to my audience as African-Americans, why does this matter to us? Gerald Horne (33:46): Well, first of all, I pay quite a bit in taxes, and I'm sure there are many in your audience who do the same politics amongst other things is about where do your tax dollars go. Now, if those who call into your other programs and object to talking about foreign policy, I guess they don't care where their tax dollars go. Well, sorry, I do care where my tax dollars go. I just mentioned that a trillion dollars is spent annually on the Pentagon, which can't seem to win a war anywhere. So obviously there is a mismatch of revenue, taxes, and purposes war when we should have a match between revenue, taxes, and education and healthcare. Secondly, with regard to historic Palestine in particular, that conflict could trigger World War iii. Now, maybe there are those in your audience who think that there's some sort of black neutron bomb. (34:54) You recall that the neutron bomb under Ronald Wilson Reagan, it killed people, but left property standing. I guess they think that a neutron bomb would kill everybody except black people, and so therefore we don't have to be concerned. Well, I think that that's science fiction of the worst kind, and then we also know that there is a disproportionate percentage of black people in the military. It's no accident as historians like to say that the top military man and the top civilian in the military are both black Americans. Lloyd Austin, chief of the Pentagon, CQ Brown, the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. You might've noticed that in the anti-affirmative action decision rendered by the US Supreme Court about eight or nine months ago, they had a special carve out for US military academies for West Point, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the Naval Academy, and Annapolis, Maryland, because those who rule this country recognize that because of the horrendous history that we've suffered, that's bred a culture of fighting. (36:08) I wrote a whole book about boxing where I tried to explain why there was a disproportionate percentage of black Americans excelling in the sweet science, Muhammad Ali, Joe Lewis, Jack Johnson, sugar Ray Leonard to list us long and likewise, that feeds and bleeds into the military. You know that during the conflict in Vietnam, one of the startling aspects of that genocidal conflict was the disproportionate number of black Americans who were killed during this war because we were overrepresented not to mention the disproportionate percentage who were subject to court martial and other kinds of pulverizing penalties. So there are so many reasons of why we should be concerned beyond just being humanitarians, beyond just being folks who are concerned about our own future. Because when these wars happen, inevitably what happens is that it puts wind in the sails of many of our chief antagonists right here at home. And they might get the bright idea that if the Israelis can liquidate Willy-nilly, the Palestinians, perhaps the Israeli comrades here in North America can liquidate Willy-nilly their long-time, long-term antagonists, speaking of black folk. So it's a shame that we have to spend time explicating the obvious because explicating the obvious prevents us from going on to discuss more naughty and difficult questions to our detriment. Dr Wilmer Leon (37:56): You mentioned the Zionist settler colony of Israel and a seven front war, and what we see playing out right before us in terms of American foreign policy is I'll just say a multi-front war. We've got the United States and Ukraine, we have the United States in Gaza, we have the United States trying its damnedest to pick a fight with China. So those are three fronts. Then we've got Venezuela and Guyana with the United States convincing Britain to send a ship over there. We've got the United States involved now in Argentina. So help me understand who it is that seems to think that a getting involved in these multi-front conflicts is a good idea, let alone who thinks we can win. To your earlier point, we haven't won anything since 1953. And the other point is we're the ones that are starting the conflicts, we're starting fights, we can't win. I don't get the logic, and I know there isn't any, Gerald Horne (39:22): Well, I'm sure that those who are nit pickers would point to the successful invasion of Grenada in 1983, Dr Wilmer Leon (39:34): And Panama Gerald Horne (39:35): Could sit comfortably in Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. I guess you could count that as a victory. But I think in Dr Wilmer Leon (39:44): Order Panama, Gerald Horne (39:45): On Panama, and of course, Dr Wilmer Leon (39:46): Oh wait, I left one out because now we're also trying to get Kenya to be the menstrual black face on white foolishness as we try to invade Haiti. Gerald Horne (39:58): I think that in order to understand these conflicts, you have to understand the military industrial complex. That is to say, if you look at the stock of Lockheed Martin, look at the stock of Raytheon, look at the stock of Boeing, or look at the front page of the New York Times a day or so ago talking about how high level Pentagon officials like Esper, the Pentagon chief under Mr. Trump and Top Generals, they're now defecting to Silicon Valley with all of these harebrained science fiction schemes about new weapons that they expect the Pentagon to pick up the tab for. So the US military and the Pentagon is basically a slush fund for the 1%. And obviously it does not matter to a degree whether or not the Pentagon is fit for purpose or whether or not the Pentagon actually is spending tax dollars in a manner that will allow us imperialism to overthrow regimes. (41:08) Of course, US imperialism, to be fair, was able to overthrow the regime in Libya, for example, about a decade or so ago. However, I should say that with regard to China, if the United States cannot adequately confront Russia a country of 150 million compared to the United States, 330 million, not to mention the United States being backed up by the federal public of Germany, Germany, 82 million, France and Britain, 60 million each. Not to mention Poland, which by some measures is spending more on the military proportionately and per capita than a number of its Western European allies combined. They are obviously not able to subdue Russia and Ukraine. So how are they going to subdue China? A country with a population of 1.3 billion, which as noted has an economy by some measures larger than that of the United States of America. We have the Taiwanese elections coming up in less than two weeks. Taiwan is the island of 20 million or so off the southern coast of China that China claims as its own. (42:22) The United States, of course, sometimes explicitly, sometimes implicitly would like to see Taiwan declare independence, which would violate the pacs with China going back to the era of not only Richard Nixon, but Jimmy Carter, that would be a flashpoint. That would be a red line for the people's republic of China. So far, the United States has been able to sign up the Philippines to be a kind of pit bull nipping at the heels of the people's Republic of China. I don't think the United States should be counting on Australia, although Australia supposedly is part of Aus, Australia, United States, Japan, India, et cetera. And so once again, Washington is playing with fire because it keeps sticking its nose into business that does not concern it. And at the same time, thus far, it has been able to escape without any substantial blows or at least military blows to the homeland. (43:34) But that lucky training of events is not inevitable, and in any case, even if there's not a military blow to the homeland, there is all manner of collateral damage, which you can see in the streets of Washington DC in terms of the tents for the homeless, you can see it with regard to the streets of Portland, Oregon with folks sleeping on sidewalks as if they're seeking to emulate a Calcutta in the 1940s. So at some point, I think that the majority of the citizenry of this country will have to realize that the present course is not sustainable and that a course correction is long overdue. Dr Wilmer Leon (44:25): We saw recently Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, go to Kenya, sign a five year mutual defense pact with Kenya as the United States is trying to convince Kenya that they need again to be the black face on American imperialism and go into Haiti. The Kenyan Supreme Court has said, wait, not so fast. And I think on around the 25th or 26th of this month, we'll get a decision from the Kenyan Supreme Court. When I saw the photograph of Secretary Austin with his counterpart from Kenya signing this agreement, it made me wonder if the United States is trying to buy a bulwark in Kenya as we see Niger fading and we're seeing a turn anti colonialist turn in a number of other African countries. Is the United States trying to buy a friend in Kenya? Gerald Horne (45:26): Well, that's a possibility because if you look at East Africa in general, particularly East Africa that abuts the Red Sea, which we've already made reference to, that region is on fire right now. I mean, look at Ethiopia, one of the most populous nations on the continent, which just had this internal conflict with regard to Tig Gray. The latest news is that the Ethiopians in search of an outlet to the Red Sea, which they lost when their former province Eritrea seceded from Ethiopia about three or so decades ago, they've just cut a deal with Somali land, which is not a recognized nation, although it's part of the larger Somalia. And now what's happening is that Ethiopia now has that outlet to the Red Sea through Somali land. The Somalis are in high dungeon, they're very upset. Now, some of you may think that there's nothing they can do about it because after all, they have their own internal problems with Al-Shabaab, but oftentimes you need an external issue like Ethiopia to get Somalis to rally around the flag. (46:44) And so this could lead to an explosion on the Red Sea, and you mentioned Kenya. We should not see it as accidental that the first, thus far, only US president had roots, African ancestry had roots in Kenya. Kenya has had a long-term, long-time relationship in the United States of America. As a matter of fact, I wrote a book on Kenya some years ago, and what I pointed out was something that I would hope other scholars would follow up on, which is that Great Britain, which had this massive empire was always looking for those who could be defined as white to staff its empire. And if you look at the early history of Kenya, going back to the 1890s, some of the key personnel happened to be Euro-Americans, for example. And all through the decades leading up to independence from Kenya in 1963, you had a substantial number of Euro Americas. (47:54) As a matter of fact, I start my book talking about the British committing atrocities against the so-called Mal Mal Revolt pre 1963. The figures that I focus on are Euro Americans committing atrocities against Kenya pre 1963. So there's this very close relationship between Nairobi and Washington. That's why this attempt to have Kenya come to police, Haiti should not be seen as a shock, nor a surprise, particularly since the President Ruta now in power, many of us were surprised by his victory in the election of late. He was not necessarily the anointed successor of his predecessor, speaking of President Hu Kenyata. And so he, by his own admission as a hustler, as a matter of fact, that was his slogan, he wants to have a hustler society. Well, this Hustler society might involve accepting dollars from the US Treasury in return for doing dirty deeds in the Caribbean. Dr Wilmer Leon (49:20): Where's the Congressional Black Caucus? Where's the naacp? Where's the voice? The conscience of the Congress, I wrote a piece a while ago, is the conscience of the Congress unconscious, particularly as it relates to the invasion of Haiti. You've got people like Hakeem Jeffries and Kamala Harris trying to go down to Racom and twist arms to get some of the Caribbean countries to have backed his play. They all said no, which is why the United States, I believe, which is why the United States wound up in Kenya and a willing recipient of America's larges in terms of again, being the minstrel face on American imperialism. Where is the conscience of the Congress here? Gerald Horne (50:11): Well, with regard to the Congress, there's a split in the Congressional Black Caucus, particularly with regard to Palestine, where you have a stalwarts like Cory Bush of St. Louis and Andre Carson of Indiana, who happens to be a Muslim, some Lee of Western Pennsylvania, Jamal Bowman of Bronx, Westchester, New York calling for a ceasefire. And as a result, the Israeli lobby, the Zionist lobby, is pledging to spend a hundred million dollars or more during the 2024 electoral cycle to make sure they do not return to Congress. Those stalwarts do not include the aforementioned speaker in waiting. So-called honking Jefferies. Wait a Dr Wilmer Leon (50:52): Minute, wait a minute. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I get a sense of some hypocrisy or inconsistency here because you have APAC openly threatening and admitting to what I would interpret as involving themselves in American elections. But somehow if China is alleged to have done it, or if Russia is alleged to have done it, that's the reason for us to go to war. Is it me or is that some sense of hypocrisy? Gerald Horne (51:27): Well, obviously when we come to power, we'll have to have a thorough investigation of the Zionist lobby. As a matter of fact, I was just rereading DU autobiography and I got into the chapter where he talks about when he was indicted 1951, allegedly being the agent of a foreign power because he was campaigning against nuclear weapons and campaigning for peace. Now, fortunately, he was able to escape prison at the age of 83, but that tells you how seriously, the US Justice Department, at least at one time took this question of registering as foreign agents. But in any case, the list of stalwarts that I was reciting does not include Gregory Meeks of Southeast Queens, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and I could go on in this vein. So obviously we have some house cleaning to do with regard to these elections. (52:31) Setting aside the Israeli lobby, which you may recall dangled a cool 20 million before the nose of Hill Harper, the actor who was running for office in the state of Michigan, if he would go after Congresswoman Rashida Tib of Michigan, the only Congress person of Palestinian origin in the US Congress. But I would caution and warn the Israeli lobby that they need to pay more attention to what's going on in Israel, because as I said, as I monitor the Israeli media, I see much more understanding even on the Israeli right, by the way, about the global correlation of forces. I mean, for example, you just heard the news, I'm sure that the Zionist lobby forced Claudine gay, the first black woman, president Farber, to walk the plank because she was not vociferous enough in terms of denouncing amass post October 7th, and they gen up these plagiarism charges against her. (53:42) And you also see that it'll be quite easy as US imperialism goes into decline for the Zionists to be scapegoated, although obviously that would be a simple minded explanation. But it reminds me of the who Lost China debate post 1949 after the Communist Party came to power. It wasn't the United States to lose China. It didn't belong to the United States, but certainly that led to the destruction of careers, et cetera. And already, perhaps to follow up on this point, there may be members of the Zionist lobby who are paying attention. For example, Nelson Pelts, a car carrying member of the 1% who is fighting a gorilla war to replace board members of Disney, which has been hemorrhaging cash because of a futile attempt to keep up in the streaming wars with Netflix. He's also on the board of Unilever, a major European corporation among his assets, or Ben and Jerry's ice cream. (54:50) Ben and Jerry's, as you know, are staunch and stern critics of Israel. And what happened is that the Simon Wiesenthal Center of Southern California, which is a leading member of the pro-Israel camp in this country, then went after Ben and Jerry's, and then Nelson Peltz went after Simon Wiesenthal Center. He resigned from their board. I found that to be extraordinary. Perhaps he's keeping up with the news. Perhaps he recognizes the danger that happens when you have the Zionist lobby overreaching. And the analogy I've often brought into play is a major force in US society, circa 18 60, 18 61 who owned billions of dollars in assets in the body, some enslaved Africans, my ancestors likely yours as well, and they overreached. They decided to go for the gusto and try to overthrow the Lincoln government so that they could perpetuate the enslavement of Africans forevermore. Well, they were a powerful force. (56:01) After all, Virginians and slave owners that controlled the White House had controlled the US Supreme Court were disproportionately represented in the State Department and the Treasury Department, et cetera, but they overreached and wound up losing everything that is to say losing their most valuable property. That is to say their investment in enslaved Africans. And now Israel might be on the verge of replicating that dastardly example. And I trust, and I hope that the Zionist lobby will not be caught with its pants down and will recognize that it needs to draw back. It needs to cool its jets, it needs to cool the hotheads. Otherwise it may find itself in an analogous boat that would couple them with the unlamented departure of the Confederate states of America. Dr Wilmer Leon (56:58): Isn't that overreach the very same problem that the United States is facing on the global scale as again, we look at the failure in Ukraine and newsflash to folks that war is lost as we look at the fight that the United States is trying to pick, as we look at the development of bricks and the growth of bricks, as we look at what's happening again in Peru and what's happening in Argentina and what's happening in Bolivia and what's happening in Venezuela, the United States, and again, the United States trying to overthrow Haiti, well, not overthrow, but reinve because it already controls the government, what's left of the government. So we're transitioning from the unipolar to the multipolar, and with the United States fomenting, all of this unrest has to a great degree sanctioned itself right out of the party because a lot of the countries that I've mentioned, Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, they have all developed relationships. They're developing currencies to lessen the impact, if not eliminate the impact of American sanctions. So all of that isn't that overreach what the American Empire has been experiencing, and we will look back 10 years from now and say, that was the beginning of the end. Gerald Horne (58:24): Well, certainly it's overreach. I mean, I'm glad you mentioned Argentina because in a message to comrade earlier today, I was drawing an analogy between the new government in Argentina coming to Power about three weeks ago under President Belay and the Zionist lobby, because Argentina had the rare honor of being asked to join the bricks, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, which is the rising challenger to us, imperialist hegemony, but for various reasons that need not detain us here, they slapped the side, that invitation because they're making a bet on the pass, on the continuation, (59:09) On the continuation of dollar hegemony. And if people were trying to figure that out, you may want to add to your equation the fact that by some measures, Argentina has more psychiatrists per capita than any other country in the world. I mean, they're trying to sort out who they are. I mean, they border Brazil, which has the largest black population west of Nigeria, and there's this real hysteria and fear in Buenos Aires about being considered, so-called Third World. And so joining an alliance led by an Asian China and including a heavily black Brazil was something that apparently among other things, offended their racial sensibilities, or I should say racist sensibilities, but do not fret because I do not expect President Malay to serve out his term. A general strike has been called within days. I expect them to be driven out of office, not least because Pricess are going through the roof. (01:00:15) It reminds me of when the United States had exerted sanctions against Zimbabwe some years ago after Zimbabwe had moved to extrapolate the land of the settlers, reversing the fruits of settler colonialism, which still was quite rare, and the United States tried to drive the economy into the ditch, and so you could go into a tavern and harra the capital and spend maybe 1 million Zimm dollars to order a beer. By the time you drank the beer and was time to pay the tab, you had to pay 5 million or perhaps even 5 trillion Zim dollars. That's how terrible inflation was, and that's where Argentina is heading. Now at Lee Zimbabwe had the excuse that it was trying to do right by its landless population. It was trying to reverse the fruits of settler colonialism, and so therefore, it was fighting a just war. Argentina does not have that excuse. It was invited into the bricks. (01:01:19) It was invited to join the winning side. As a matter of fact, I've made the joke that perhaps it's not a joke that I'm hoping that the Bricks has individual memberships because I'd like to join the bricks, quite frankly, and get off this sinking ship known as the United States of America. So certainly, once again, I think that as I monitor the Israeli media, they recognize what they're up against. But despite that, they're not necessarily curtailing their genocidal war campaign. I guess the best you can say is that they know what they're up against, but they're saying full speed ahead. And it reminds me of the book by the journalist Seymour Hearst, a Samson option, where he suggested that in a crisis like the biblical figure, Samson, the Israelis would bring down the temple on all of us, which would of course mean triggering World War iii, which could mean destruction of Israel, perhaps even destruction of its sidekick in Washington. Dr Wilmer Leon (01:02:33): Dr. Gerald Horn, as always, my brother, thank you so much for your time. I greatly, greatly appreciate that analysis. Thank you so much for giving me your time, giving us your time, and joining us today. Gerald Horne (01:02:45): Thank you for inviting me, Dr Wilmer Leon (01:02:47): Folks. Thank you so much for listening to the Connecting the Dots podcast with me, Dr. Wiler Leon. Stay tuned for the new episodes every week. Also, please follow and subscribe. Leave a review, share the show, follow me on social media. You can find all the links below in the show description. And remember, this is where analysis of politics, culture, and history, converge and talk without analysis is just chatter, and we don't chatter here on connecting the dots. See you again next time. Until then, I'm Dr. Warmer Leon. Have a great one. Peace and blessings. I'm out Speaker 2 (01:03:32): Connecting the dots with Dr. Where of politics, culture, and history.

I had a great interview with Baht Rivka and George Whitten. George Whitten is Founder and Director of leading pro-Israel Christian news website, worthynews.com and the “WorthyBrief”, a devotional/news brief with a daily readership of over 35,000. Focusing on Israel, persecution, prophecy, outreach, anddiscipleship, Worthy News has reached millions in over 120 countries since 1999. George is a visionary, journalist, astute observer and advocate for Israel. He brings a fresh, insightfulperspective on current events in the Middle East, giving balanced viewpoints on both the political and spiritual atmosphere in the Land and world-wide.Native Israeli Baht Rivka Whitten was born in Tel Aviv on the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Her Great-Grandparents founded one of the first settlements of its kind in central Israel in the early 1900s. As a young adult, she began to read the Bible and came to faith; she later led her parents tothe Lord. Baht is an accomplished musician, recording artist and worship leader. Her unique sound is comprised of original songs and traditional Israeli melodies, fused withpowerful vocals, Hebrew/English lyrics and rhythms from around the world. Her compelling music has impacted the nations through television, radio and the distribution of her three CDs, along with performances at international conferences and outreaches across the globe. Songs from her latest CD have played on secular Israeli radio.Married just over twenty years, George and Baht Rivka, along with their two children, (fifth generation Israelis), pioneered a Shabbat Dinner and Music Outreach Ministry from their prayer house in Southern Israel. It still remains fruitful, bringing many seeking Israelis weekly. Together, the Whitten Family has also ministered at hundreds of conferences, congregations and outreach events. They give a powerful presentation of Worship and Word as well as a beautiful display of cds and gifts. 

Frequent contributor Rabbi Daniel Levine shares stories and thoughts from his recent commissioned trip to the south of Israel in communities that were attacked on October 7, 2023.  As always I'm your host and lawyer: jasoningber.com Check this episode out on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jasonyitzie

Being such a small country, in an arid land often inhospitable to agriculture, Israel has truly brought the miraculous, prophetic words of the Bible to life—making the desert bloom. This week, host Yael Eckstein comes to us from the Holy Land with a special conversation with one of the Israelis who has spent his life tilling the soil in a region he calls “The Barn of Israel.”But, on October 7, the agricultural director of the farming community of Kibbutz Nahal Oz found himself, his community, and his land under attack by Hamas. Just yards from Israel's border with Gaza, Moran survived that day……and now Moran is working to bring back to life this beautiful desert land that so many of God's people work on, live on, and love, in the wake of the Hamas attacks and the ongoing war.Listen now as Yael discusses with Moran what kibbutz life was like before October 7, what that awful day brought to his community, and how he is working to rebuild this land he calls home.For more information on today's episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

This week, Unorthodox is publishing daily dispatches from Israel.  On Tuesday, we visit Roy Shimshon at his dog sanctuary in Moshav Tidhar in Southern Israel, where he is caring for nearly 100 dogs, most of whom have been separated from their owners since Oct. 7. His story gives voice to those who can't speak for themselves: The animals left behind when their owners were killed, kidnapped, or displaced from their homes.  For more eyewitness accounts from Israel, listen to the Testimonies Archive, a partnership between Tablet Studios and the USC Shoah Foundation.  Unorthodox's reporting from Israel was made possible thanks to support from the Natan Foundation, the Maimonides Fund, and Tablet. Write to us at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail on our listener line: (914) 570-4869.  Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts.

As the Israeli assault on Gaza, immediately preceded by the Hamas-led massacre in Southern Israel, continues, we return to the history of this conflict. This is the second part of my extended interview with the historian James Barr, author of several books on the history of the Middle East including A Line in the Sand and Lords of the Desert, some of the best regarded guides to the region, particularly in the early years of the twentieth century. If you have not yet heard the preceding episode 18, where James starts this story, I recommend that you listen to that first.In this episode we start at the aftermath of World War II and the horrific events of the Holocaust, as Jews are trying to emigrate to what will become the State of Israel and the British colonial authorities are trying to stop them.You can follow James via his website https://www.historythatmatters.org/ as well as on Bluesky at https://bsky.app/profile/jamesbarr.bsky.socialI am on Twitter @snellarthur, Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/snellarthur.bsky.social and arthursnell.substack.com If you've enjoyed this podcast why not subscribe, and give us a positive review.Also, don't forget to check out the Disorder Podcast https://www.goalhangerpodcasts.com/disorder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's “Jesuitical,” Zac and Ashley are honored to welcome Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of the hostages taken into Gaza following Hamas's massacre at the Nova music festival in Southern Israel on Oct. 7. In the weeks since Hersh and 240 other hostages were brutally kidnapped, Rachel has met with a host of people, including the pope and the president, to share her son's story. She was gracious enough to bring that story to “Jesuitical,” and she and the hosts shared a moving conversation. They discuss: Rachel's family life and Hersh's passion for reading and adventure The last time Rachel saw Hersh on Oct. 6 and her experience learning about the massacre on Oct. 7 Rachel's meeting with Pope Francis and the power of dialogue in sustaining hope How Rachel's Jewish faith has been challenged and served as a source of strength in the wake of unthinkable tragedy Support Jesuitical on Patreon or become a digital subscriber to America Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode #36, recorded on November 17 before any hostage release, chronicles the brave escape led by 27-year-old Ofir Tzarfati. Running barefoot for miles, he guided friends to safety, but tragedy struck as he was separated and shot and now remains a hostage deep within Gaza.  Hodaya, Ofir's best friend, recounts the heart-wrenching tale.   Episode #36 dives into the chilling Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 in Southern Israel. Over 3000 terrorists unleashed hell, claiming the lives of 1200 civilians in their homes, cars, and the Nova Peace Festival, which is akin to America's Burning Man Festival.   Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by many countries, including the United States, the European Union, Canada, and Israel.   While Hamas may release some hostages, it is unlikely they will release all hostages, who are its only source of leverage.https://www.podpage.com/going-for-greatness-show/https://findinginspiration.substack.com/https://linktr.ee/goingforgreatnesspodcast#grit #podcast #inspire #resilency #challenge #entreprenuer #lifeskill

Mike Tobin just returned from Southern Israel-Hamas tunnels under the hospital -The PR war game is in full swing-The Iranians always keep their hands clean-Kids at a very young age are taught that the Israeli's will come and kill them one day-Is a two-state solution totally dead-Will the Israelis have to go into the tunnels to end this conflictFollow Mike on Social Media 

This is The Zone of Disruption! This is the I AM RAPAPORT: STEREO PODCAST! His name is Michael Rapaport aka The Gringo Mandingo aka The Disruptive Warrior aka Mr. NY aka The Inflamed Ashkenazi aka The Smiling Sultan of Sniff aka The Flat Footed Phenom is here to discuss: When Yael learned that her nephew was kidnapped, how their family is holding up, only being contacted by the Israeli government, how they go on day to day & more. This episode is not to be missed!   Stand Up Comedy Tickets on sale at: MichaelRapaportComedy.com   Follow on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelRapaport   If you are interested in NBA, NFL, MLB, NCAA, Soccer, Golf, Tennis & UFC Picks/Parlays/Props & Single Sport! Follow @CaptainPicksWins on Instagram & signup for packages at www.CaptainPicks.com   www.dbpodcasts.com   Produced by DBPodcasts.com Follow @dbpodcasts, @iamrapaport, @michaelrapaport on TikTok, Twitter & Instagram Music by Jansport J (Follow @JansportJ)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israeli defense forces recently initiated a thorough search for a Hamas tunnel, believed to be in northern Gaza, near an abandoned hospital. The entrance to the tunnel was located and consequently packed with an explosive substance. Triggering the material resulted in a monumental explosion, causing the building to be enveloped in flames. Surveillance evidence revealed smoke billowing out at least three different points in proximity to a local road within the city of Beit Hanoun. In a broader context, the tunnel hunt is simply one part of a wider Israeli military reaction to Hamas' militant activities. This initiative followed a deadly assault on Southern Israel carried out by the Palestinian extremist group on October 7th. Apart from explosives, the Israeli military has been utilizing state-of-the-art technology like tracking robotics to explore the vast network of underground bunkers and tunnels. Whilst strict regulations for sharing information restricted the officer in command from fully detailing the under-ground war efforts, he confirmed that it was an ongoing operation. He declined to identify the exact location of the hospital in Beit Hanoun, from where operations were taking place. During its operations in Beit Hanoun, Israeli forces encountered militants arising from the underground tunnels. These assailants tried to attack the Israeli military and were subsequently neutralized. The officer stated that Israel did not intend to engage in battles in the suffocating, unlit and unstable tunnel corridors, playing into the hands of their adversaries, familiar with the terrain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For today's program, Let the Stones Speak host Brent Nagtegaal traveled to Ein Hatzeva, located in southern Israel, to interview Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologist Dr. Tali Erickson-Gini at what she believes is one of the many military outposts dating to King David's time. https://armstronginstitute.org/969-outposts-built-by-king-david-discovered-in-southern-israel

It's been over a month since Hamas' rampage in Southern Israel killed over a thousand Israeli men, women and children, and over a month of Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza that has claimed 10,000 lives, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. In this episode, we're focusing on the precipitating factors that led to the conflict and issues that continue to impede a resolution. Sari Bashi, who lives in the West Bank and is married to a Palestinian, has a unique perspective as a Jewish woman with U.S.-Israeli citizenship, living in a household that transcends the conflict. Bashi is the program director at Human Rights Watch, an author and is the co-founder of Gisha Access, an Israeli NGO whose goal is to protect the freedom of movement of Palestinians, especially Gaza residents. She joins WITHpod to discuss what the year before the war looked like, violations of international laws, the devastating impact on civilians, calls for countries to suspend military aid and more.

Today marks one month since the Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on Southern Israel. Before October 7th, the Biden administration's foreign policy had largely centered on Europe and Asia. Issues of Palestinian self-determination and self rule appeared to be something the administration (and Israel) were eager to avoid. Now, in the wake of Hamas' attacks, Palestine's political future and the United States' long term strategy for the Middle East have become increasingly unclear. In this episode of None Of The Above, the Eurasia Group Foundation's Mark Hannah sits down with political analyst and public opinion expert Dahlia Scheindlin, and US Program director of the International Crisis Group, Michael Wahid Hanna to discuss the immediate causes of the war, and evaluate Israeli and US strategic objectives. Effective policy, they argue, will require clear-eyed consideration of the longstanding conflicts at the root of today's violence.

We're thinking about all of our listeners during this extremely challenging time for the Jewish people worldwide, and here at DMC, we're committed to providing content for you that will be helpful and hopefully uplifting. There are many heroes in this war, and some of them are the special individuals in Eretz Yisrael who have done whatever they can to support their fellow brothers and sisters who have been displaced from their homes due to the war. We're privileged to have been connected with Sarah Levy who lives in Ramot and has opened up her home and heart to a displaced family from Southern Israel. Sarah's story needs to be told, and we learned so much from her about taking action and truly being nosei ol b'chaveiro, carrying the burden of one's friend. We hope you find this episode as inspiring as we did.  On this DMC, we discuss: How Sarah got connected to Revital, the mother of the familly she is hosting Sarah's decision process in deciding to host Revital, her husband and her children What the transition has been like for both families Special experiences both families have shared together Getting by day-to-day without being consumed by worry about the future Chizuk from Eretz Yisrael for our listeners DMC YEARLY SPONSOR: Town Appliance https://www.townappliance.com/ 1-866-309-8119 https://www.townappliance.com/pages/contact-us DMC EPISODE SPONSOR: ERA Plastic Surgery (732) 730-7333 Frontdesk@eraplasticsurgery.com Link to business WhatsApp: https://wa.me/message/W4NEQIT3IN3OB1

Welcome to Mission Brief, the Official Podcast of the Israel Defense Force. In our first episode, Major (res) Libby Weiss describes her trip to Kibbutz Be'eri after the atrocities of October 7th and shares her impressions from the devastated Kibbutz. We speak with Lt Col Yaron, an officer in Southern Israel who bravely rushed to his base, picked up a weapon and engaged dozens of terrorists. Finally, we climb into the cockpit with Lt Col 'A', an experienced air force navigator who describes the intelligence and decision making before an IAF strike.

On October 14, a week after Hamas's attacks in Southern Israel, Conor Friedersdorf, a staff writer for The Atlantic, wrote an article entitled, “Students for Pogroms in Israel”; the sub-head was “By excusing murder and kidnapping, activist groups have already changed campus politics in America.” Conor joins Mark Oppenheimer to talk about how, exactly, he thinks campus politics have changed.

In today's episode of Inside The Epicenter, we dive deep into a gripping and harrowing story of survival and hope. We'll explore the unimaginable situation faced by a couple held hostage by Hamas terrorists and how they were miraculously rescued. From rockets exploding overhead to witnessing the devastating aftermath of attacks, Joel Rosenberg shares his first-hand experiences in Southern Israel. Join us as we uncover the truth behind the current crisis and the incredible work being done by The Joshua Fund to bring healing and restoration to those affected. Stay tuned for an episode that will leave you inspired and in awe of the power of faith amidst adversity.   01:10 Terrifying rocket attack experience near front lines. 05:54 Video of missile attack shared, prayed immediately. 09:48 Residents of Ashkelon and Sderot fear rocket attacks. 12:38 Chilling story of a rocket attack. 15:15 House tour reveals bullet-ridden living room. 18:13 Israeli special forces rescue couple from terrorists. 19:50 A son's love and mom's quick thinking aided the rescue. 24:47 Ziklag burned, Israel fights, hostages taken. Rescued. 28:27 Learn how to help at joshuafund.com.   Learn more about The Joshua Fund Make a tax-deductible donation The Joshua Fund Stock Media provided by DimmySad/Pond5   Related Episodes: Challenges for Christian Organizations in the Holy Land #129 Special Update: The Ground War About To Begin #128 Special Update: Israel at War #127 What It's Like Living in a Missile Zone #126 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The Voice of a Nation [malcolm at eight] – Harvard's President, Claudine Gay, and leaders of major universities express surprise as student groups openly support the recent acts of terrorism by Hamas in Southern Israel. This behavior raises questions about the educational system's influence on students. Are university leaders genuinely taken aback, or is it a reflection of decades of indoctrination? Dive deep as we explore the decline of...

The Voice of a Nation [malcolm at eight] – Harvard's President, Claudine Gay, and leaders of major universities express surprise as student groups openly support the recent acts of terrorism by Hamas in Southern Israel. This behavior raises questions about the educational system's influence on students. Are university leaders genuinely taken aback, or is it a reflection of decades of indoctrination? Dive deep as we explore the decline of...

New York City lowered its educational standards and then celebrated when students scored much better this year than last year.  But their “improved performance” is phony. The Left has destroyed our educational system from pre-school through grad school.  The President is going to Israel tomorrow. His statements re: Israel have been very positive. But his position re: Iran before the Hamas massacre were very negative… Dennis talks to an Israeli soldier in Southern Israel near Gaza.  The Jews were chosen by God to bring the message of Ethical Monotheism into the world. What does this mean? Dennis explains.  Thanks for listening to the Daily Dennis Prager Podcast. To hear the entire three hours of my radio show as a podcast, commercial-free every single day, become a member of Pragertopia. You'll also get access to 15 years' worth of archives, as well as daily show prep. Subscribe today at Pragertopia dot com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today show we are looking at what seems like a huge paradox in the world of energy. On this show we look at energy from time to time. Why is that? Because energy is the economy. If the economy is cooking, then energy consumption will rise. If the economy is faltering, then energy consumption will fall.  There is normally a correlation between prices for gasoline at the pump and the price of crude oil. After all, gasoline is refined from crude oil so it only stands to reason that if oil goes up in price, then so too the price of gasoline should increase as well.   Gasoline prices are falling off at the pump in addition to following in the wholesale market, at the same time as we have seen an increase in the global price for crude. I'm not talking about the recent spike in prices as as result of the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Israel does not produce oil, nor does Hamas. But Iran does, and Iran is believed to be an architect of the attacks in Southern Israel. Saudi Arabia has cut back on production and so has Russia.  So what does this mean? ----------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com

In light of the terrible atrocities perpetrated against our brothers and sisters in Israel, with G-d's help, I plan to go to Israel this coming Motzei Shabbat (Saturday Night). It was not an easy decision for Sara and I to make and we weighed this heavily for a few days before deciding. Together, with a small group of rabbis, we will visit soldiers, those who have been wounded and are recovering in hospitals, broken families who have lost their homes, families in mourning or awaiting the fate of their loved ones in captivity, and government officials.Our goal is to inspire, uplift, and send a message of hope that we in the Diaspora stand with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land!Some specific places I will visit include the Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva, the largest hospital in Southern Israel, where many of the wounded are currently residing. I will also be visiting wounded soldiers and other victims from the terror attack at the El Shomer Hospital, homes of people sitting shiva, as well as army bases to provide support to our soldiers. I hope to bring even a small measure of comfort and Chizuk (encouragement) by showing them that our community stands with them and cares tremendously about them!We need to unite! We have all been praying to G-d, doing more Mitzvot and whatever else we can to help Israel. Everyone has their role to fill in providing help and support. Let us do what we can -- even in some small measure -- to alleviate some of the suffering. Let us show our solidarity with the people of Israel by taking on an extra Mitzvah at https://onemitzvah.org/israel/rabbi-bernaths-team and by donating to help the wounded and the families who have lost loved ones. Donate in Canadian dollars here https://ndg.chabadsuite.net/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=36 and in US dollars https://ndg.chabadsuite.net/civicrm/contribute/transact?reset=1&id=15 (both links are tax-deductible)While in Israel, I will personally distribute these funds to families in need. We want to distribute as much funding as possible to help those in need in this desperate time. Please participate in this Mitzvah. How beautiful will it be to be able to show up to comfort the mourners, not only with a show of emotional support, but an envelope for them as well.You are also welcome to take part in this mission by preparing uplifting cards, letters, and artwork that I will distribute during my visit. Anyone who takes part in any way in my trip will get a link to join a special WhatsApp group where I will update you in realtime.May we very soon see the fulfillment of the prophecy that a time will come when "One nation will not lift a sword against another nation, and they will beat their swords into plowshares" -- with the speedy arrival of Moshiach, Amen!With prayers for peace in the Holy Land and around the world.Rabbi Yisroel BernathSupport the show

Israel is experiencing an unprecedented war. The situation is unfolding rapidly. Our second interview is with Tom, Life in Messiah staff in Israel, who serves in a congregation in the Tel Aviv area and works with a rescue mission in Southern Israel. Tom discusses how this conflict has united Israelis, the spiritual aspect of this conflict, and how you can pray!

Emergency Episode: On Saturday October 7th 2023, Hamas terrorists broke through the border of the Gaza Strip and carried out a brutal assault on Southern Israel. As of publication, the death toll stands at some 1,200 Israelis, 900 citizens in Gaza, and some 1,500 Hamas fighters have been found dead inside Israel. It is the most deadly attack on Jewish civilians since the holocaust. As the world reels from these horrific events, we recorded an emergency episode to explain how this happened, the motivations of Hamas and what the likely repercussions will be from Israel, and for the region as a whole. It ties together many of the larger forces we've described across this season and previous ones. Be sure to listen to previous episodes on the Israel/Palestine conflict to discover more about how we got here. Join our FB Discussion group to get exclusive updates:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/450486135832418 Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past weekend, Hamas launched a surprise attack in Southern Israel. Hundreds of Israelis have been killed, dozens taken hostage, and thousands wounded. Israel responded with airstrikes in Gaza. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, thousands wounded, and hundreds of thousands displaced. Our hearts are breaking. We hosted a live conversation with our team reflecting on what happened and is happening, and how we can respond as peacemakers. Friends, now more than ever, as the narratives entrench us into our camps and convince us of the inhumanity of our perceived “enemy,” we must lean in as peacemakers.We offer you this conversation with our team as a vision for how to do that. How to uphold the dignity of every person, pursue peace through justice—which contends with both physical and systemic violence—and center the possibility of mutual flourishing for Palestinians and Israelis alike.Read and share the Principles and Practices of Peacemaking Follow Telos on Instagram @thetelosgroupBecome a monthly donor to Telos!Leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts or SpotifySubscribe to the Telos Newsletter--Join the Telos Learning CorpsTake the Alison course: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - OriginsThe Pedagogy of Conflict by Pádraig Ó Tuama.

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, October 10th, 2023. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2023/10/08/100000-israeli-troops-mobilized-for-first-declared-war-since-1973-n2629547 Israel Mobilizes 100,000 Troops for Gaza Incursion It might be the worst intelligence failure since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a conflict that almost destroyed Israel after a surprise attack from Syria and Egypt. Israel was on the brink as Syrian forces reclaimed the Golan Heights, and it was by sheer luck that this invading force didn’t move further to capture the key bridges along the Jordan River. Israel’s heartland would’ve been wide open. The game could’ve been over, so Israel continues to respond forcefully against incursion by terrorists and its Arab neighbors since it’s a nation with no strategic depth. How Jerusalem was caught sleeping amid this latest assault by Hamas on October 7 must be investigated since Shin Bet and Mossad are some of the most capable agencies in the world. This attack occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, and like that last war, the assault began during a Jewish holiday. Hamas launched thousands of rockets as cover for a land, sea, and air assault that could only have been made possible with outside help, considering its sophisticated nature. Iran has admitted they helped plan the assault. The death toll has risen to 700, with reports of kidnappings, rapes, and murder of Israeli citizens caught in the fighting. Hamas operatives paraglided into Southern Israel, with other terrorists attacking over two dozen areas along the Gaza border. Some Americans were also kidnapped and murdered by these terrorists. The footprint from Hamas was around 1,000 terrorists who stormed the infiltrated Israeli territory. Border Police and other forces are still fighting to restore order to the security situation in the area, but tanks and troops are being mobilized for a ground assault. Around 100,000 Israeli troops are ready to go into Gaza, with more reservists expected to be called up as Israel expects this to erupt into a multi-front war. Hezbollah has already launched rocket and mortar attacks in the northern Israel (via Associated Press): More than 24 hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, Israeli forces were still battling with militants holed up in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza. Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters, including two points that militants entered earlier in their attacks. Meanwhile, Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group claimed to have taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza, saying they would be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The announcement, though unconfirmed, was the first sign of the scope of abductions. The captives are known to include soldiers and civilians, including women, children and older adults — mostly Israelis but also some people of other nationalities. The Israeli military said only that the number of captives is “significant.” As many as 1,000 Hamas fighters were involved in Saturday morning’s assault, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” The high figure underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza, which has said it launched the attack in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza. In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war. Hezbollah fired rockets and shells Sunday at Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border, and Israel fired back using armed drones. The Israeli military said the situation was calm after the exchange. Israelis were still reeling from the breadth, ferocity and surprise of the Hamas assault. The group’s fighters broke through Israel’s security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip early Saturday. Using motorcycles and pickup trucks, even paragliders and speedboats on the coast, they moved into nearby Israeli communities — as many as 22 locations. https://themessenger.com/news/hamas-threatens-to-start-executing-hostages-if-gaza-strikes-continue Hamas Threatens to Start Executing Hostages If Gaza Strikes Continue Hamas on Monday threatened to execute Israeli hostages being held in Gaza if Israel continues to conduct airstrikes without warning. “Any targeting of innocent civilians without warning will be met regretfully by executing one of the captives in our custody, and we will be forced to broadcast this execution,” Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, said in a statement to Al Jazeera. Hamas has claimed to be holding more than 100 Israelis prisoner in the Gaza Strip, according to the Qatar-based network. The warning from Hamas came as Israeli Defense Forces intensified a bombardment of Gaza as dusk fell on Monday. Images shown live on CNN showed heavy rocket fire lighting up the sky above Gaza, a Palestinian enclave about the size of Omaha, Nebraska, that's home to some two million people and considered one of the most densely populated places in the world. There are reports that American citizens are among those being held captive in Gaza. The State Dept. said it was working to confirm those reports. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christian-baker-faces-new-lawsuit-over-gender-transition-cake-after-supreme-court Christian baker faces new lawsuit over gender-transition cake after Supreme Court The Colorado Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Christian cake baker Jack Phillips, which he says is the "light at the end of the tunnel" after more than 11 years in court. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, declined to create a custom cake for a same-sex wedding in a move that sparked a 2012 lawsuit that ultimately landed him at the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2018, the nine justices ruled that the state of Colorado was hostile to Phillip’s religious beliefs and that the government can’t force anyone to create custom works of art that communicate a message. But in 2018, Phillips faced a second lawsuit, this time from a transgender lawyer who requested a cake celebrating a gender transition. When Phillips declined, he was back in court on grounds that he discriminated against the lawyer. The Colorado Supreme Court just agreed to hear his case. "I hope it is the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m pretty excited about it," Phillips told Fox News Digital in an interview. "The state court turned us down in our first case, but I think they realize now that I serve everybody." "This case is not who I serve, but it’s always the what I’m going to create not the who that’s asking for it. And I hope they get that right this time," said Phillips. Jake Warner, attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) defending Phillips, said that the lawsuit from the beginning was "clearly a set-up" with the intent of "targeting" Phillips and his beliefs. In 2018, Autumn Scardina, who identifies as transgender, asked Phillips to make a cake celebrating a gender transition – pink on the inside, blue on the outside. When Phillips declined, Scardina asked for a cake depicting Satan smoking a marijuana joint – which Phillips also declined. During the trial phase, "Scardina promised Phillips that, were this suit dismissed, Scardina would call Phillips the next day to request another cake and start another lawsuit," legal documents state. Despite being in court for more than a decade, "numerous threatening emails" and death threats, Phillips says the case has helped to "strengthen" his faith. "We just celebrated our 30th anniversary of being in business Labor Day weekend. And so for 30 years we’ve served everybody who’s come into our shop," he said. "But this whole legal battle has helped strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and strengthen our family, brought us all closer together. It’s brought together a lot of people who have helped support us in so many ways." Phillips mentioned that a gay man testified on his behalf in court "because he understood that I serve everybody, gladly served him, but he knows that I couldn’t create every cake that people would ask me for." "It’s been an encouraging time to see people stand beside us like that," he said. When it comes to this latest challenge, Phillips said Scardina is "not the enemy" and that he has "nothing to forgive." "This person isn’t fighting against me, this case is against the state and my right to express my religious freedom and do so without fear of punishment in the marketplace," said Phillips. Oral arguments for the case have yet to be set but likely will be scheduled for the springtime next year. ADF will argue that because of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Phillip’s previous case and the latest ruling in 303 Creative vs. Elenis involving a website designer, which determined that the government can’t compel an artist to speak a message with which they disagree, that the law is on Phillips’ side. "What's critical now after 303 is the fact that this cake actually does communicate a message. The trial court found that this cake symbolizes the transition from male to female and went into great detail about the symbolism of the cake. The court found that blue represents male and pink represents female and that this cake communicates a message given the context of how cake artists are often asked to create custom cakes," Warner said. "In light of 303 Creative, the Colorado Supreme Court should reverse the decision below and affirm Jack's right to speak consistently with his beliefs. He shouldn't be punished for declining to create a custom cake promoting a message that goes against his beliefs," Warner added. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/in-depth-us-gives-more-than-4-1-billion-in-grants-for-lgbt-and-transgender-initiatives-worldwide-5498747?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Gives More Than $4.1 Billion in Grants for LGBT and Transgender Initiatives Worldwide During the past three fiscal years, $4.1 billion in federal money from taxpayers has been flowing to LGBT initiatives in the United States and around the world, an Epoch Times investigation has revealed. From Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2023, the U.S. government issued more than 1,100 grants to fund LGBT-promoting projects around the world, according to the Epoch Times review of a federal spending website. The scope of projects varies widely. Plans to create a "safe space for LGBTQ youth and adults to seek support and resources" earned a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. government in 2022 for the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk, Virginia. A proposal for encouraging "diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities by promoting economic empowerment of and opportunity for LGBTQI+ people in Serbia" also was a winning plan. To fund it, the U.S. government awarded a Serbian activist group a grant of $500,000. An Armenian activist group, the Pink Human Rights Defender, received $1 million from the United States "to empower the LGBTI community" in Armenia, a tiny country next to Turkey. The federal spending website can be filtered to show entries that include specific keywords. A list of payouts filtered by using the keyword "LGBT" included 1,181 grants, 31 loans, and nine direct payments during the past three fiscal years. Overall, during the past fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government issued 454,821 grants. Government grants provide free money for specific purposes. Federal loans can be repaid over long periods of time at low interest rates. Direct payments from the government give money to groups—they may be unrestricted, or for a specific use. Of grants connected to the keyword "LGBT," individual payouts of at least $1 million totaled more than $3.7 billion combined. Many additional smaller grants also were awarded for LGBT initiatives but were not reviewed. When the list was filtered for grants including the word "transgender," 574 were listed. In that category, grants that paid out at least $1 million totaled nearly $478 million. Seven direct payments and nine loans with the keyword "transgender" also were issued by the U.S. government. Yet money flows to these projects. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) gave $1.2 million to "LGBTQIA+ pride centers" in the San Diego Community College District. Another DOE grant of almost $1.6 million was awarded for North Dakota's “indigenous, LGBTQIA+, rural and underserved school-based mental health needs.” A DOE grant gave $1.4 million to Boston College to study "mechanisms of health promotion in diverse youth through gay-straight alliances." In plain speak, the grant funded the promotion of gay-straight alliance clubs in Massachusetts middle and high schools. "The federal government thumbs their nose at the American people and continues to push this ideology into our schools," "They're doing it all over the world." And that - is your news for today… this has been your CrossPolitic Daily NewsBrief. Just so y’all are aware - this will be the only newsbrief for the next week or so, as I will be out of town for our Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter - as well as visiting my brother in North Carolina after that… if you liked the show …..

This is Garrison Hardie with your CrossPolitic Daily News Brief for Tuesday, October 10th, 2023. Gravity Jack: Gravity Jack is a full service digital agency specializing in the development of Virtual & Augmented Reality experiences, mobile apps, blockchain and Web3 projects. Founded in 2009 as the first American agency to offer augmented reality, they even patented it; Gravity Jack's digital experiences have been a source of innovation for small business, Fortune 500 Companies, and the US Military. Get your vision in motion at gravityjack.com https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2023/10/08/100000-israeli-troops-mobilized-for-first-declared-war-since-1973-n2629547 Israel Mobilizes 100,000 Troops for Gaza Incursion It might be the worst intelligence failure since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a conflict that almost destroyed Israel after a surprise attack from Syria and Egypt. Israel was on the brink as Syrian forces reclaimed the Golan Heights, and it was by sheer luck that this invading force didn’t move further to capture the key bridges along the Jordan River. Israel’s heartland would’ve been wide open. The game could’ve been over, so Israel continues to respond forcefully against incursion by terrorists and its Arab neighbors since it’s a nation with no strategic depth. How Jerusalem was caught sleeping amid this latest assault by Hamas on October 7 must be investigated since Shin Bet and Mossad are some of the most capable agencies in the world. This attack occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, and like that last war, the assault began during a Jewish holiday. Hamas launched thousands of rockets as cover for a land, sea, and air assault that could only have been made possible with outside help, considering its sophisticated nature. Iran has admitted they helped plan the assault. The death toll has risen to 700, with reports of kidnappings, rapes, and murder of Israeli citizens caught in the fighting. Hamas operatives paraglided into Southern Israel, with other terrorists attacking over two dozen areas along the Gaza border. Some Americans were also kidnapped and murdered by these terrorists. The footprint from Hamas was around 1,000 terrorists who stormed the infiltrated Israeli territory. Border Police and other forces are still fighting to restore order to the security situation in the area, but tanks and troops are being mobilized for a ground assault. Around 100,000 Israeli troops are ready to go into Gaza, with more reservists expected to be called up as Israel expects this to erupt into a multi-front war. Hezbollah has already launched rocket and mortar attacks in the northern Israel (via Associated Press): More than 24 hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, Israeli forces were still battling with militants holed up in several locations Monday morning. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza. Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four sites from Hamas fighters, including two points that militants entered earlier in their attacks. Meanwhile, Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group claimed to have taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza, saying they would be traded for the release of thousands of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The announcement, though unconfirmed, was the first sign of the scope of abductions. The captives are known to include soldiers and civilians, including women, children and older adults — mostly Israelis but also some people of other nationalities. The Israeli military said only that the number of captives is “significant.” As many as 1,000 Hamas fighters were involved in Saturday morning’s assault, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” The high figure underscored the extent of planning by the militant group ruling Gaza, which has said it launched the attack in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza. In northern Israel, a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fanned fears that the fighting could expand into a wider regional war. Hezbollah fired rockets and shells Sunday at Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border, and Israel fired back using armed drones. The Israeli military said the situation was calm after the exchange. Israelis were still reeling from the breadth, ferocity and surprise of the Hamas assault. The group’s fighters broke through Israel’s security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip early Saturday. Using motorcycles and pickup trucks, even paragliders and speedboats on the coast, they moved into nearby Israeli communities — as many as 22 locations. https://themessenger.com/news/hamas-threatens-to-start-executing-hostages-if-gaza-strikes-continue Hamas Threatens to Start Executing Hostages If Gaza Strikes Continue Hamas on Monday threatened to execute Israeli hostages being held in Gaza if Israel continues to conduct airstrikes without warning. “Any targeting of innocent civilians without warning will be met regretfully by executing one of the captives in our custody, and we will be forced to broadcast this execution,” Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, said in a statement to Al Jazeera. Hamas has claimed to be holding more than 100 Israelis prisoner in the Gaza Strip, according to the Qatar-based network. The warning from Hamas came as Israeli Defense Forces intensified a bombardment of Gaza as dusk fell on Monday. Images shown live on CNN showed heavy rocket fire lighting up the sky above Gaza, a Palestinian enclave about the size of Omaha, Nebraska, that's home to some two million people and considered one of the most densely populated places in the world. There are reports that American citizens are among those being held captive in Gaza. The State Dept. said it was working to confirm those reports. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christian-baker-faces-new-lawsuit-over-gender-transition-cake-after-supreme-court Christian baker faces new lawsuit over gender-transition cake after Supreme Court The Colorado Supreme Court agreed to hear the case against Christian cake baker Jack Phillips, which he says is the "light at the end of the tunnel" after more than 11 years in court. Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado, declined to create a custom cake for a same-sex wedding in a move that sparked a 2012 lawsuit that ultimately landed him at the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2018, the nine justices ruled that the state of Colorado was hostile to Phillip’s religious beliefs and that the government can’t force anyone to create custom works of art that communicate a message. But in 2018, Phillips faced a second lawsuit, this time from a transgender lawyer who requested a cake celebrating a gender transition. When Phillips declined, he was back in court on grounds that he discriminated against the lawyer. The Colorado Supreme Court just agreed to hear his case. "I hope it is the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m pretty excited about it," Phillips told Fox News Digital in an interview. "The state court turned us down in our first case, but I think they realize now that I serve everybody." "This case is not who I serve, but it’s always the what I’m going to create not the who that’s asking for it. And I hope they get that right this time," said Phillips. Jake Warner, attorney for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) defending Phillips, said that the lawsuit from the beginning was "clearly a set-up" with the intent of "targeting" Phillips and his beliefs. In 2018, Autumn Scardina, who identifies as transgender, asked Phillips to make a cake celebrating a gender transition – pink on the inside, blue on the outside. When Phillips declined, Scardina asked for a cake depicting Satan smoking a marijuana joint – which Phillips also declined. During the trial phase, "Scardina promised Phillips that, were this suit dismissed, Scardina would call Phillips the next day to request another cake and start another lawsuit," legal documents state. Despite being in court for more than a decade, "numerous threatening emails" and death threats, Phillips says the case has helped to "strengthen" his faith. "We just celebrated our 30th anniversary of being in business Labor Day weekend. And so for 30 years we’ve served everybody who’s come into our shop," he said. "But this whole legal battle has helped strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ and strengthen our family, brought us all closer together. It’s brought together a lot of people who have helped support us in so many ways." Phillips mentioned that a gay man testified on his behalf in court "because he understood that I serve everybody, gladly served him, but he knows that I couldn’t create every cake that people would ask me for." "It’s been an encouraging time to see people stand beside us like that," he said. When it comes to this latest challenge, Phillips said Scardina is "not the enemy" and that he has "nothing to forgive." "This person isn’t fighting against me, this case is against the state and my right to express my religious freedom and do so without fear of punishment in the marketplace," said Phillips. Oral arguments for the case have yet to be set but likely will be scheduled for the springtime next year. ADF will argue that because of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Phillip’s previous case and the latest ruling in 303 Creative vs. Elenis involving a website designer, which determined that the government can’t compel an artist to speak a message with which they disagree, that the law is on Phillips’ side. "What's critical now after 303 is the fact that this cake actually does communicate a message. The trial court found that this cake symbolizes the transition from male to female and went into great detail about the symbolism of the cake. The court found that blue represents male and pink represents female and that this cake communicates a message given the context of how cake artists are often asked to create custom cakes," Warner said. "In light of 303 Creative, the Colorado Supreme Court should reverse the decision below and affirm Jack's right to speak consistently with his beliefs. He shouldn't be punished for declining to create a custom cake promoting a message that goes against his beliefs," Warner added. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/in-depth-us-gives-more-than-4-1-billion-in-grants-for-lgbt-and-transgender-initiatives-worldwide-5498747?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport US Gives More Than $4.1 Billion in Grants for LGBT and Transgender Initiatives Worldwide During the past three fiscal years, $4.1 billion in federal money from taxpayers has been flowing to LGBT initiatives in the United States and around the world, an Epoch Times investigation has revealed. From Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2023, the U.S. government issued more than 1,100 grants to fund LGBT-promoting projects around the world, according to the Epoch Times review of a federal spending website. The scope of projects varies widely. Plans to create a "safe space for LGBTQ youth and adults to seek support and resources" earned a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. government in 2022 for the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk, Virginia. A proposal for encouraging "diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities by promoting economic empowerment of and opportunity for LGBTQI+ people in Serbia" also was a winning plan. To fund it, the U.S. government awarded a Serbian activist group a grant of $500,000. An Armenian activist group, the Pink Human Rights Defender, received $1 million from the United States "to empower the LGBTI community" in Armenia, a tiny country next to Turkey. The federal spending website can be filtered to show entries that include specific keywords. A list of payouts filtered by using the keyword "LGBT" included 1,181 grants, 31 loans, and nine direct payments during the past three fiscal years. Overall, during the past fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the government issued 454,821 grants. Government grants provide free money for specific purposes. Federal loans can be repaid over long periods of time at low interest rates. Direct payments from the government give money to groups—they may be unrestricted, or for a specific use. Of grants connected to the keyword "LGBT," individual payouts of at least $1 million totaled more than $3.7 billion combined. Many additional smaller grants also were awarded for LGBT initiatives but were not reviewed. When the list was filtered for grants including the word "transgender," 574 were listed. In that category, grants that paid out at least $1 million totaled nearly $478 million. Seven direct payments and nine loans with the keyword "transgender" also were issued by the U.S. government. Yet money flows to these projects. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) gave $1.2 million to "LGBTQIA+ pride centers" in the San Diego Community College District. Another DOE grant of almost $1.6 million was awarded for North Dakota's “indigenous, LGBTQIA+, rural and underserved school-based mental health needs.” A DOE grant gave $1.4 million to Boston College to study "mechanisms of health promotion in diverse youth through gay-straight alliances." In plain speak, the grant funded the promotion of gay-straight alliance clubs in Massachusetts middle and high schools. "The federal government thumbs their nose at the American people and continues to push this ideology into our schools," "They're doing it all over the world." And that - is your news for today… this has been your CrossPolitic Daily NewsBrief. Just so y’all are aware - this will be the only newsbrief for the next week or so, as I will be out of town for our Fight Laugh Feast Conference at the Ark Encounter - as well as visiting my brother in North Carolina after that… if you liked the show …..